Brittany, Interrupted.

The speculation around the cause of Brittany Murphy’s untimely death yesterday has already begun.  Anorexia, drugs, shady activity by her husband, whatever. “Natural causes” is the coroners initial ruling, but when someone so vibrant dies at the age of 32, people toss around their theories.

Let’s pause and remember that this gal was talented.

I first noticed Ms. Murphy when she appeared in Clueless, but the performance that most resonated with me was her work as Daisy in Girl, Interrupted.  Daisy and her chicken-picking stunned me.  It was a risky, fearless portrayal of a young woman with a serious problem.

A short clip:

It’s always sad when promising young talent flames out too quickly (Heath Ledger, anyone?) Though her career had stalled a bit, despite her weight loss and reinvention as a romantic lead, she had 5 projects in post or pre-production according to IMDB.  Murphy was a bubbly and effervescent screen presence, and who knows what she would have done next.

Brittany Murphy and the Pussycat Dolls – “Oh, so quiet.”

 

The Princess and the Frog (advance screening)

Thanks to the magic of Eric’s friend Michael (one of our groomsmen in the forthcoming wedding, actually) I was fortunate enough to attend an advance screening of the brand new Disney feature, The Princess and the Frog, this past weekend. The movie doesn’t open until December 11th, but Michael, Eric, Brett, and myself headed down to the AMC River East on Saturday morning to see the movie.

And it’s grand.

Straight up.

Visually stunning, musically thrilling, and emotionally resonant, The Princess and the Frog is a welcome return to form for Disney.   Though I appreciate fully the wonder of the Pixar features, there’s something elegant about hand-drawn animation that can’t ever be replaced, and Princess/Frog serves as a reminder that this art form, though more time-consuming, is still worth it. 

I won’t spoil anything in this blog, except to say that I laughed and I cried.  I also felt my foot tapping to Randy Newman’s great new songs – and by nature I’m not a Randy Newman fan.  The voice actors cast in this movie are splendid, particularly Anika Noni Rose as Tiana, and Jennifer Cody as Charlotte (perhaps my new favorite Disney character?) There are also appearances from John Goodman, Oprah, and Terrence Howard, as well as numerous little Disney in-jokes that are worth a chuckle.

I would absolutely pay to see this movie again.

And it’ll most likely wind up on my DVD rack upon it’s release.

It’s that good.

Precious

Precious is not a happy movie.

Precious will very likely make you cry.

Precious might even wreck you.

Not that the trailers and all the buzz said any differently. I didn’t expect, going in, for the movie to be a laugh-a-minute Busby Berkley musical.  I knew what I was signing up for – the tale of a young girl’s hard life in 1987 Harlem. I knew that it was going to be impressive, and dark, and that it was probably going to hurt to watch at times.

I just didn’t expect it to be such a fantastic movie.

There are movies that are made to show the viewer things about the world that they’re not as familiar with – I felt the same way about ‘The Hurt Locker’ a few months ago. It’s about abuse, and incest, and learning to overcome more obstacles than most of us can ever dream of.  Movies paint pictures, and not every picture can be pretty.  But the cast and crew of Precious have made a stunning movie.  It’s painful at times to watch (and that’s the point), but worth every second.

(And just go put the Oscar statue in Mo’nique’s hand right now, please.)

See it.

I’ll never forget it.

 

“Bride Wars,” or.. women are all wedding obsessed shrews, dontcha know?

Last night, I stumbled upon “Bride Wars” on TV.

Having seen the trailer, I (like many) was under the impression it would be a charming comedy about two friends battling over their weddings which (whoops!) were both scheduled for the same day.  I assumed there would be chuckles, and hugs, and all would be sparkly well in the end and our two brides would wind up happy and stylish. The end.

So, I’m not sure what the heck happened, but this movie was … crap.  Seriously.

Fortunately, across town, Bob had also gotten sucked into watching it, and we text-heckled the movie in real time.

The plot (what there was of one) centers on two friends – Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson.)  Emma is a nebbish teacher and Liv is a ballsy lawyer. Both of them have longterm boyfriends. When Emma’s fiancee proposes unexpectedly, Liv pushes her fiancee to propose to her, which he was apparently going to do that very night (a Hollywood miracle!) The girls plan to be each others maids of honor, but their weddings are GASP! Booked on the same day at the Plaza, which is the only venue either of them will consider getting married at. Of course, a battle begins.  Liv sabotages Emma’s spray-tan, Emma sabotages Liv’s hair appointment. Blah blah blah, they realize they’re both sad to have lost their best friend, have a giant fight, and …tada! It ends with a wedding.

First, let me say that I forgive Anne Hathaway for taking part in the movie. She’s one of the most endearing screen stars out there, and so much more talented than her whiny, hare-brained role in this movie showcased. Also, her strip club number was just.. embarassing to watch. No offense, Annie, who has proven she can in fact sing and dance, but whoever choreographed that thing… geez.

Second, let me say that watching Kate Hudson onscreen is like choosing to listen to fingernails on a blackboard. I know she’s Goldie Hawn’s daughter, but she’s missing all her mother’s charm. And why does her pushy loudmouth character sleep in cats eye eyeliner? ….And, I don’t think anyone is naive enough to buy that she was ever a fat girl. Hearing her lament that she gained five pounds and can’t fit in her Vera Wang wedding dress while she’s standing there in her underwear with her washboard abs showcased was ridiculous.

(Meanwhile, as a former fat girl… Let me say that any girl who used to be fat and has managed to get herself into the shape Kate Hudson is in is NOT going to eat fifteen cookie buckets and .. a stick of butter?… when her wedding is 3 months away. Think about it. You know she counts calories like a mofo.)

Third, I certainly hope Candace Bergen and Kristen Johnson were paid highly for participating. Since they were wasted in stupid roles. (Bergen, as the weddding planner to beat all wedding planners, narrates the movie.. for some reason..?)

This movie’s central premise seems to be that all women care about is their weddings. It’s the most important thing in their lives, and they will stab their best friends in the back to make their day perfect. Because all women are shrews, and haha! all men are hapless and are pushovers. (Or are making comments about how men should “control their wives.” In which case, you’re supposed to know that he’s a bad guy – even though, honestly, by that point in the movie I wanted her to shut the hell up, too!)

Maybe if the only way you’ll be happy with your wedding is if it’s at The Plaza, you should re-think your plans.

I’m sad to say I watched the whole movie, hoping for something… worthwhile.

And there was nothing.

It was terrible.

However, “Made of Honor” was still worse…

Buy the ticket, take the ride: Hunter S. Thompson on film

Buy the Ticket, Take The Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on film (2006)

I’m late to the Hunter S. Thompson party, I guess.

My entire knowledge of this highly-regarded man comes from having read his astonishing book about the Hell’s Angels while in college for a class in American Radical Thought, and from my awareness that there is a movie called “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” where Johnny Depp plays Thompson. I’ve never seen said movie, or read any of his other stuff.

Apparently, I’m missing out.

While assembling chairs and a bench for our new dining room table on Sunday night, we decided to hit up Netflix streaming video (It’s changed our life, I tell you) for a documentary.  After scrolling past a bunch of other interesting looking films we weren’t interested at that second in, we came to “Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride.”

It was fascinating.

Thompson’s vivid life is told by his friends, colleagues, and people who knew of him.  Everyone from childhood friends to both his wives, to Johnny Depp and Bill Murray (both of whom have played Thompson onscreen) show up for the party to recall fond memories and to tell a tale of a man who fought the concept of establishment, then became trapped by the character he inadvertently created along the way.

(The documentary is narrated by Nick Nolte. It also features, as one of it’s interview subjects, Gary Busey. Gary Busey’s appearance makes Nick Nolte look like the sanest man on earth. The filmmakers were genius to include ALL of Buseys interview set-up, which is jaw-dropping in it’s weirdness.)

I found the documentary fascinating, and it’s made me want to read more of Thompson’s writings, as I recall being astonished by “Hell’s Angels.”  Eric’s got some of his works, and I’ve added them to my reading list.

The story of this man of a million parties ends on a sad note, as Thompson shot himself in February of 2005.

He left a telling note, which was published in Rolling Stone.

“No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won’t hurt.”

Harry Dean Stanton closes the doc by singing “Danny Boy,” and it’s quite touching.

If you’re interested in writers and counterculture heroes, the movie is engrossing.  Check it out.

 

 

Tamara (2005)

In honor of Halloween’s fast approach, I thought I’d blog about a fantastic horror movie I watched last night with Mr. Dan.

We tried a few other movies first (“Beware, Children at Play” and “Stupid Teenagers must die”) but within 2 minutes of each movie, the terrible quality was driving us insane..

So we bolted.

And then we found…”Tamara.”

“Tamara” is a great movie, seriously. If you like your horror movies slightly predictable, very clever, quite gory, and like your leading ladies from the mold of Patty Duke in “Valley of the Dolls.”

Do you want your leading lady to chew down scenery?

Do you want her to absolutely own?

If so, this movie is for you.

Jenna Dewan plays Tamara Riley who, of course, is a high school nerd who fantasizes about her English teacher and practices witchcraft alone in her bedroom.  Her father is an alcoholic, and her life sucks, but she’s smart. When she writes an article for the school paper about athletes on steroids, she pisses off superjock Shawn, who gathers his buddies to play a prank on Tamara. Of course, it goes horribly wrong and Tamara winds up dead – and buried in the woods. It’s very “I know what you did last summer,” though, as Tamara (who they’ve buried) shows up for class on Monday, suddenly appallingly hot and ballsy too.

Dewan is a fabulous young actress. She gets exactly what movie she’s in, and owns it. While she’s endearing as a nerd, it’s once she dons the red skin-tight gear that defines Tamara that she really (pardon the bad pun) comes alive.  Her walk even changes from a sloppy shuffle to a full on trampy stamp, which Dan dubbed the “skank walk.” She’s all glaring eyes and tossing hair and waving hands, and it’s a grand, grand performance.

A few other players are solid as well. Matthew Marsden (who is actually NOT related to James, thanks IMDB!) plays the teacher who is the object of Tamara’s evil affection, and he’s great. He’s just dreamy enough to be believable as the cutest teacher in school, without being so hot that you think “He’s not a teacher, come on.” Claudette Mink plays the English Teacher’s wife, and rocks out her limited screen time.  We cheered for her as she got chased around her basement, fighting her way with every household item imaginable (shovel, screwdriver, letter opener, pepper grinder..) Katie Stuart and Chad Faust as Chloe and Jessie, the nice kids caught up by accident in the murder of Tamara, are also great. Dan and I were rooting for both of them to survive the movie. By the time Chloe, royally pissed off, gets her own “skank walk” on, you know it’s going to end fantastically.

There are also some bad performances. Bryan Clark, as Shawn, is kinda dreadful as the stereotypical angry jock. You’re not sad when he gets shanked by the Guidance Counselor (oops, spoiler! ) As his hot, bitchy girlfriend Kisha, Melissa Elias is pretty terrible. (“Omg. She can’t even play zombie.” – Dan) And in the utterly Ashton Kutcher role of Patrick (cocked trucker hat, etc, etc), Gil Hachoen is eye-rolling.

You can tell the crew had a great time making this movie. Jeremy Haft’s direction proves he knows this genre very well.  All the classic elements are there – a hospital chase, a chase through a kitchen, a chase through a basement, a million hyper-sexy shots of Dewan approaching menachingly, a scene on a roof, a scene at a house party. Haft knows he’s not making some super-serious Oscarbait film, thank goodness.

Michael Suby’s score is fantastic, creepy, and right-on.

It’s Halloween. Watch a scary movie. If you have Netflix, this one’s streaming free right now.

Go watch it.

GO!

Made of Honour (2008)

Yes, I watched this movie.

Don’t judge me.

Tom (Patrick Dempsey) and Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) have been best friends since college. In typical movie fashion, he’s a free-wheeling playboy (rich because he invented the coffee sleeve) and she works in an art museum. They’re both single.

Hannah, due to work, heads to Scotland for six weeks, and while she’s gone there’s a series of missed phone calls and bad connections which prompts Tom to realize he’s in love with her.  He decides that he’s going to tell her he wants to be with her, as soon as she returns. But, Hannah has a surprise for him - she’s engaged to a Scotsman named Colin! Dun Dun Dun! And they’re getting married in two weeks! In Scotland! And Colin is rich! Dun Dun Dun! And Hannah wants Tom to be her Maid of Honor!

This is the stuff comedy gold is made of.

Normally.

Tom decides to do it as a way of sticking close to Hannah – and also, of course, in an attempt to break up the engagement.

Colin, no slouch, promptly beats Tom as basketball and (I’m serious) posesses an enormous package. Tom, of course, is threatened. Oh! And did I mention, Colin is a duke – AND has world records.

It just gets worse. There are so many moments that could have offered up laughs, but they all fall short. The Reverend assumes Tom is gay, of course. Then there’s a scene where Tom’s poker-playing best friends wind up filling goody baskets of girly things. Tom’s dad is on his sixth marriage to goldigging bimbos. Elizabeth Hasselbeck shows up for five seconds, hosting a “How to be the best maid of honor ever” movie.  Mary Birdsong even appears as a sex toy saleswoman, but it’s a 30 second scene. None of these deliver as promised. Hannah’s other three bridesmaids are as close as it comes to a hoot, though they’re really cliches.  Tom’s posse of dudes, on the other hand, are not that interesting – and there’s a nerdy dude clearly injected for comedic effect, which doesn’t actually work.

AND – Once they finally get to Scotland, someone clearly decided it would be a laugh riot for Tom to partake in some traditional Highland Games, decked out in a kilt (cue the laughs: A man in a skirt!) to prove he’s the bigger man. It’s not.

I’m not making this up.

It’s a good thing Dempsey and  Monaghan are charming as can be, because this movie is fluff – and not in the way that a movie like “Only You” is fluff.

It’s aiming to be a gender-reversed version of “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” but isn’t nearly as cleverly written, and it fails.

So let this be a lesson, Hollywood. Never underestimate the power of the charm of Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz.

And, especially, Rupert Everett.

That’s all I have to say.

“Only You” (1994)

(Thanks to the magic of Netflix streaming video, I’m revisiting a movie I loved when I was in  junior high, while spending a nice quiet evening at home...)

Faith (Marisa Tomei) is a teacher who, in her childhood, was told by both an Ouija board and a carnival psychic that her true love’s name was Damon Bradley. Now, she’s about 30 and engaged to a doctor named Dwayne who, though the epic romance she’s spent her life dreaming of, is a bit pushy and a perfectionist. Faith’s best friend (the wisecracking Bonnie Hunt) is married to Faith’s less than endearing brother Larry (Fisher Stevens) and unhappy, as he doesn’t appreciate her.

So, love hasn’t worked out the way these friends wanted. “Life’s not like it is in the movies,” they lament.

One day, while answering Dwayne’s forwarded calls and getting her wedding dress mended, she takes a call from a Damon Bradley (a friend of Dwaynes) and as madness ensues he tells her he’s in the airport on the way to Venice. So, in her wedding dress, out the door she impulsively heads, chasing the dream of her lifetime. She misses the plane, but that gives Bonnie Hunt time to arrive to join the international adventure.

So, because it IS a movie, off to Venice they head. And then they wind up in Rome.

In Rome, all sorts of adventures happen – most of which are spearheaded by a handsome stranger (Robert Downey Jr) who tells Faith his name is Damon Bradley. They’re immediately enraptured with each other, and it’s all very romantic. Guess what? His name isn’t Damon Bradley. Faith soon discovers this, and furious goes about her quest to find the elusive Mr. Bradley. Our hero, the charming as can be Mr. Downey Jr comes along, and it’s a big ol’ Rome-centered romantic whirlwind.  The girls get lost, there’s a transportation strike, Fischer Stevens comes around and heads to Italy to get his wife back, and whoo-hoo! Ah, romantic comedies. Aren’t they the greatest?

Sometimes I don’t demand my movies have a point. Sometimes I just want entertainment.

And Robert Downey, Jr. Let’s not lie.

A word about Roman Polanski

I’m pissed off.

Let me begin this by saying that I consider myself aboout as liberal as they come.

In a political debate, I’m going to be a democrat, and most of the time I side with those wacky “Hollywood liberals” (the big scary term the right uses)

But in the case of Roman Polanski… (Click here if you want to be brought up to speed.)

“Polanski fled to Europe in 1978 after he was convicted in California of raping a 13-year-old girl he had lured to the Hollywood Hills home of actor Jack Nicholson for a photo shoot. Samantha Geimer testified that Polanski, then 44, gave her quaaludes and champagne before having sex with her and sodomizing her.”

Take away the fact that Polanski is a revered, Academy Award winning Director.

On a forum at CNN.com yesterday, someone commented that were he a janitor at this girl’s school, the world would be ready to haul him out in the town square and castrate him, and rightfully so.

But, in this case, Hollywood’s elite are coming out to support him?

“In the aftermath of Polanski’s arrest last weekend, a number of performers — including Penelope Cruz, Tilda Swinton and Monica Bellucci — appear as supporters on a petition which states, “Roman Polanski is a French citizen, a renown and international artist now facing extradition. This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom.” – Cnn.com Article 

You know what? If you rape a 13 year old, your freedom gets taken away. I realize that must be hard for pampered celebrities to understand, but for those of us who live in the real world where there are actual consequences for things, this is how it goes: You rape a child, you go to jail, and scene. Polanski has already had 30some years of luxury in France, where’s he’s been rolling in his money while evading arrest.

Also signing the petition are Martin Scorcese, David Lynch, Woody Allen, John Landis, Terry Gilliam, Asia Argento, and Alfonso Cuaron.

There are sane celebrities, though. Who would have guessed that Kirstie Alley would be one of them, too? (From Alley’s Twitter: ”JUST FOR THE RECORD….RAPE IS RAPE…this is one HOLLYWOOD STAR who does not CELEBRATE or DEFEND Roman Polanski..his ART did not RAPE her.”) Jewel also twittered the sentiments of the world: “Polanski-admitted raping a 13 yr old-whys every1 in the arts upset hes facing jail? cause hes a gifted director? what am i missing?”

To Roman Polanski, revered director….

You raped a child.

You go to jail.

Fame or not.

Sincerely,

me.

(Betsy said it best – I’m paraphrasing this quote – “I have Rosemary’s Baby on DVD. I can still  watch it while he’s in jail.”)

Nobody puts Patrick in a corner…

My Mom and I don’t always see eye to eye on the attractive-ness of celebrities, but one thing we never differed on was that Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing was hot. A dancer turned actor, he was perfect to play the role of Johnny, the bad boy dance instructor at a Catskills resort in the sixties, and no one will ever forget his performance in that film. The lifts, the dancing, the leather jacket, and perhaps most famously – the line “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

Swoon.

I also remember watching Ghost at the Royal Knight Cinema in Alpena with my Mom and just bawling our fool eyes out. That was an epic romance of a movie, about death and the endurance of love.

Mr. Swayze died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer last night, and he will be missed.

Said his Dirty Dancing co-star, Jennifer Gray:

“When I think of him, I think of being in his arms when we were kids, dancing, practicing the lift in the freezing lake, having a blast doing this tiny little movie we thought no one would ever see. … Patrick was a rare and beautiful combination of raw masculinity and amazing grace.”