Archive for 'Films 2012'

A BIG QUESTION FOR YOU

January 17, 2012 by Ronn Ives, under Films, FILMS - 2006+, Films 2012.

What films have you seen at least THIRTY times, and, WHY?

Leave your answers here!  (Many were originally posted on Facebook):

• Dave JoachimBlues Brothers……….. good movie, great music.

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  Stu BechtelNemo…. love the grandbabies & seen it plenty of times.

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  Sonya HarmonJaws. I know, I know … but it’s not about the shark. The cinematography is gorgeous, and I love the relationship between Brody and his wife, as well as his camaraderie with Quint and Hooper. Go ahead. Judge away. LOLAlso? The Color Purple. No explanation necessary.

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  Pat Schoff GraggThe Wizard Of Oz. Brings back childhood memories from when we couldn’t watch it whenever we wanted, it was on once a year (signaling the start of the Christmas season). My sister, brother, and I would get soooo excited! Freshly bathed, in our pj’s, laying on the floor in front of the tv. My family was fond of Brach’s Malted Milk Balls (not the imposter, Whoppers), and as the music started we would hear mom dividing the bag into 5 bowls. Plink, plink, plink, plink, plink, pause, repeat. Goosebumps!

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  Eric HauseI’m with Sonya. Best adventure flick ever made.

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  Nancy Noll KolinskiThe Fifth Element: great writing + acting, so creative, amazing design – so much to look at!

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  FUTURES AntiquesI am LOVING this!! Go go go!!! Now I’ll add one of mine: “Eraserhead” by David Lynch.

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  FUTURES AntiquesOkay, Pat is right about “The Wizard of Oz”, and yes, I’m right there with the malted milk balls, too!

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  FUTURES AntiquesLet me think… a THIRD would be… “Metropolis” by Fritz Lang.

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  FUTURES AntiquesA FOURTH would be “It’s a Wonderful Life”.

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  FUTURES AntiquesA FIFTH would be… “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”.

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  FUTURES AntiquesSixth, and in NO particular order by the way, “A Christmas Story”.

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  FUTURES Antiques‎”Little Fugitive”.

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  FUTURES AntiquesI’m working my way towards 3-0 with “Napolean Dynamite” I think…

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  FUTURES Antiques‎”Lolita” – second version, 1997.

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  FUTURES Antiques‎”The Last Picture Show”.

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  FUTURES Antiques‎”Hud”.

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  FUTURES Antiques‎”Harold and Maude”.

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  Andrew RobertsGood movies are like great comfort food, evocative of time, place and memories of friends and family.

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  Lisa MerninAnimal House, pure stupid fun!

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  Lisa MerninAlso, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Wizard of Oz

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  Lisa MerninGroundhog Day – duh!

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  Lisa MerninThe Sound of Music – yeah, a musical

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  Lisa MerninThe Shawshank Redemption

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  Lisa MerninPlatoon

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 Ronn:

Oh yes!  “Animal House”!

Yes!  “Groundhog Day”!

And, “The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser”.

And, “The Long, Long Trailer”.

And, “Fistful of Dollars”.

And, “Annie Hall”.

And, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”,

And, “The Bridge on the River Kwai”,

And, “Lord of the Flies” (1963),

And, “Fail Safe”,

And, “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”,

And, “Waiting for Guffman”,

And, “Come Back Little Sheba”,

And, “The Grapes of Wrath”,

And, “Avalon”,

And, “Blow Up”,

And, “The Elephant Man”,

And, “The Life of Brian”,

And, “Anchoress”,

And, “Shane”,

And, “To Kill a Mockingbird”,

And, “Platoon”,

And, “On the Waterfront”,

And, “The Thin Red Line” (1998),

And, “Midnight Cowboy”,

And, “Anchorman – the Legend of Ron Burgandy”,

And, “Apocalypse Now”,

And, “The Miracle Worker” (1962),

And, “Dr. Strangelove”,

And, “Exotica”,

And, “The Secret of Roan Inish”,

And, “Tender Mercies”,

And, “Manhattan”,

And, “Schindler’s List”,

And, “The Last Temptation of Christ”,

And, “Lawrence of Arabia”,

And, “Edward Scissorhands”,

And, “Big Fish”,

And, “Flirting with Disaster”,

And, “Taxi Driver”,

And, “High Fidelity”,

And, “2001: A Space Odyssey”,

And, “Summer of ’42″,

And, …

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  Pat Schoff GraggCool Hand Luke. Cuz Paul Newman was HOT!!!

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Films I saw in 2012

January 9, 2012 by Ronn Ives, under Films, Films 2012.

Films I Saw in 2012

 (New reviews are added each evening)

Watching Films is our way of fulfilling a deep-seated need

to nestle ’round the campfire listening to our Story Tellers. 

This is when and where we express our fears of the Unknown,

debate the Mystical, and find support for our assumptions about

the Sunlit World.

CODES: “again” = I’ve seen it before, “WOTO” = We Own This One, “IMDB” = my opinions also found on The Internet Movie Data Base site

Below are the majority of the films I’ve seen to date this year.  Those most recently viewed are placed at the top of each selected category.

Last updated: 2-21-12

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2012  MOVING PICTURES    *    NEVER enough time, SO many films ====================         =========================

1.
“FILMS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE”

“Andersonville” (again, 1996):  – This is an historical re-creation of our own, true American tragedy – a P.O.W. camp during the Civil War – and what THAT experience demanded of those interned.  “Andersonville” is certainly an anti-war film and a true story, but it takes the time (168 minutes) to look within individuals for the complexity of dealing with horror… offering slivers of consolation when it can be found.  Although there are a few tiny problems with continuity, and compromises with its night lighting, the sets, costuming, makeup, and acting are ASTOUNDING and heart-rending.  This huge effort adds up to a major statement about the depths we humans can sink and heights we can reach when pushed far beyond that which our upbringings prepared us.  Its elegant ending brought me to one of the tearful moments I experienced in with fine work.  WOTO

“The Endurance” (again, 2000):  Documentary.  “In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set sail on the Expedition with 27 men aboard, aiming to cross Antarctica. But when the vessel became stranded in frigid, deep waters (and crushing ice), the crew began a battle of the human spirit, testing the limits of endurance as they strove to overcome the debilitating setback.”  Miraculously, they succeeded in capturing the experience in journals and on film.  What is MOST profound about this story is what you learn from the mouths and diaries of survivors & their families, which leaves you gasping for air and feeling you can NEVER EVER AGAIN WHINE ABOUT A SINGLE THING in your cushy, little, safe, easy, pampered life.  This is one of the most difficult, torturous trials of life of all time.  These men were the toughest, bravest, most steadfast, determined humans to walk the Earth.  It BOGGLES my mind to think of what they faced and what they did in their attempts to survive.  Wow.  See this!  Get some perspective.  Find yourself without words.  WOTO IMDB

“Facing Windows” (Italian, 2003):  A young, working class couple encounters an older man who has lost his memory.  He ends up in their home.  Here discoveries are slowly made through splinters of his memories, scraps of paper, and the woman’s attempts at sleuthing.  Everyone has their secrets, everyone has their talents, everyone has their weaknesses.  This is an interesting, passionate, sad, and fulfilling story.  WOTO

“Kinsey” (again, 2004):  Liam Neeson and Laura Linney star as the awkward but intellectually curious couple who stumble into the long-needed idea of sex research – an investigation which continues to this day.  The process of their reaching the concepts, beginning the surveys, expanding the research, gathering “followers”, and fighting for funding is an interesting story.  Completely woven into this set of linear events is a second one: that of Professor Kinsey’s character – his childhood, sexual orientation, his Obsessive/Compulsive disorder, his inability to leaving his topics for the mundane niceties of dinner chat… which made him less and less someone to “invite”, and always present – the effects of his domineering and demeaning father, played brilliantly by John Lithgow.  Laura Linney is one of my favorite actresses, and she does not disappoint.  This is a truly great character study driving an interesting historical cultural shift.  WOTO

“Christ Stopped at Eboli” (Italian, again, 1979):  Directed by Francesco Rosi.  This is an interesting, quiet film about being imprisoned in a place no one would willingly go – in this case, the poorest, least productive and educated, most diseased, remote regions of southern Italy.  Set in Mussolini’s 1930’s Fascist environment, a political prisoner – an artist – urbane and educated – is banished to and must remain in such a place within his own country.  Here, his former cosmopolitan life is of little use.  He struggles with and learns from the local people who seldom have contact with the outside else except an occasional letter from relatives who escaped to America.  “Christ Stopped at Eboli” is worth your consideration on numerous levels – photography, acting, dialog, scoring, subtlety, and political implications.  My one constant problem with 70’s color films, especially Italian, is their quality of production.  Perhaps it was the growing use of video tape recording.  Plus, the dvd I viewed this time was a digitized copy of what I believe was a vhs copy of a vhs copy of the film, which had colors and lights and darks shifting, admirable but flawed translations, and an odd echo to some of the studio sound effects added later.  IF there IS a restored version, make sure it is your choice.  WOTO

“Half Nelson” (again, 2006):  Starring a very effective Ryan Gosling, and talented young actress, Shareeka Epps.  Gosling is a middle school teacher and a girl’s basketball coach.  Epps is his student and a loner, even on his b-ball team.  She seems to need him, and he responds by caring for her.  Then she makes a discovery about her teacher – her favorite teacher – someone almost like a friend.  She also has a mother who works double shifts as an EMT, and a “father” who is far from a good influence.  She has what she has.  THESE are the three adults in her life.  THESE are the adults who matter in her life.  Exactly WHO IS caught in this “half nelson” grip?  This is a low-key, nicely scored, grittily photographed, slow-to-reveal, slow-to-change story full of set-backs, little insights, sadness, and glimmers of decency and hope.  It is a very fulfilling experience.   WOTO IMDB

“Devil’s Playground” (documentary, 2002):  The title refers to the world OUTSIDE the Amish community – according to the Amish.  This is a look at much of Amish culture / religion in America, but focuses on the youth – especially those age 16 and above who are allowed to visit or join “the world” beyond their community, and experience as much of the Devil’s Playground as they choose.  This is the period (“Rumspringa”) in which they decide if they want to join the Amish church, and if so, make final preparations to forsake ALL outside life.  As you can imagine, it is both frightening and exotic for all of them, with terrible, predictable, and interesting results.

“Tsotsi” (again, South African, 2005):  Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film 2005, enter it knowing you’ll be slammed with stress… but don’t run away.  “Tsotsi” is totally worth your effort.  You will follow one teenager and his feral buddies, all existing (and nothing more) in the deepest squalor of shanty town Johannesburg, South Africa.  These “children” are worse than vultures, and for them life has no meaning, no value.  By pure, violent, chance, Tsotsi finds himself on a new road without a map.  His careening along MAY or may NOT lead towards a flawed version of Redemption.  I was absolutely riveted to this film, and amazed at the unique power offered by some of the scenes.  The acting by all, and especially by the young lead Presley Chweneyagae, was all-consuming.  I may put this film in my top category after another viewing or two.  WOTO IMDB

“Eames – The Architect and The Painter” (again, 2011):  This is a documentary, and a very good one.  It describes the complex career of designers Charles and Ray Eames, the brilliance of their ideas and products, their roles in these collaborations, the power and notoriety they gained, and the seldom-mentioned dark clouds in their relationship.  The film also contains LOTS of interviews with other designers who worked UNDER them.  Yes, you’ll meet a shish kabob of valid egos with their points of view – all intelligent people.  There is NO doubt that the Eames’ helped make Modernism a truly practical and reachable philosophy through their total involvement with Design, not mere decorating.  Immersed in everything from materials and prototypes to production and marketing, they DEFINE a True Design team.  See this and understand more.

“Micmacs” (French, 2009):  By the same director who did “Amelie” and “City of Lost Children”, Jean-Pierre Jeumet.  The man has a vision, that’s for sure.  Full of absolutely unique sets, costuming, scenarios, and character stories, “Micmacs” could be said to have its roots in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” mixed with “Mission Impossible” mixed with “Mystery Men” and an appreciation for Tim Burton and steam punk… BUT unmistakably Jeumet.  This is a comedic suspense crime drama running on revenge and overflowing with fantastically grimy detail… but always funny.  Weird.  WOTO

“Bob Roberts” (again, 1992):  This is a wonderfully sarcastic and dark mockumentary of a political campaign in Pennsylvania, between the arch-conservative, faux-Dylanesque newcomer Bob Roberts (Tim Robbins), and the tired, seen-it-all incumbent, Senator Paiste (Gore Vidal).  Also cast are Allen Rickman, Helen Hunt, Susan Sarandon, Jack Black, John Cusack, and many other talents that make this a totally satisfying, snide look at politics, spin-meisters, and event coverage.  I was especially impressed with Giancarlo Esposito as the very intense Left wing investigator conspiratorialist.  In an ironic, possibly accidental manner, the film’s attempts to skewer the Right (well deserved) make it equally easy to analyze the Left for the same thematic flaws such as greed, power, hypocrisy, media manipulation, spotlight hunger, etc..  WOTO

“Racing with the Moon” (again, 1984):  Richard Benjamin directed Sean Penn, Nicolas Cage, Elizabeth McGovern (all still in their teens?!) (and in minor roles: Crispen Glover, Carol Kane, Michael Madsen, and Dana Carvey)… in this “showcase” film, where lots of talent got a major boost.  Set in 1942 in a small seaside village, and only weeks before two best friends ship out to the Marines and the fury of WWII, we share intimate, funny, pathetic, sad, frightening, and ambivalent moments with flawed but decent people we come to believe we know and deep down just have to like.  This is a bittersweet story – not sugary nor hopeless.  It’s rich with mixed emotions and that confusing, frozen summer between children and adults.  Scoring is appropriate and nicely demure, photography is somewhat contrived in spots, but that was 1980’s.  The “truth” of the simple story, sets, décor, costumes, dialog and the talented actors are why you will appreciate “Racing with the Moon”.  Think of it as a unique film with relationships to “Stand by Me” and “Summer of ‘42”.  WOTO IMDB

“The Nutty Professor” (again, 1963):  Jerry Lewis was funny…and then he went out of fashion and was no longer funny.  The world changed right under him.  I’ve never been a big fan of his, but one film stands far above the rest, and THIS is the one.  In case you’ve seen only the Eddie Murphy take-off, do DO NOT think one replaces the other.  They do NOT.  ALL films are “period pieces” – since they cannot escape the era from which they were born – but “The Nutty Professor” captures not only the best of Lewis’ sense of humor, but, by pure chance, a time soon doomed.  Begun in late 1962, and completed in early/mid 1963, “The Nutty Professor” arrived during the last few moments of what I consider the “1950′s”.  Within a couple of months of its release, our President would be assassinated – and America would change SO dramatically, we continue to feel it today.  (And, by the next year, the Beatles would arrive.)  The 1960′s began.  So, this film of Jerry Lewis’, depicting an isolated, cloistered nerd of a professor; properly dressed conservative students; and, a greasy-headed cigarette-sucking Hugh Hefner rat-pack style sexist, were images that died alongside John F. Kennedy.  This is a FUNNY film, I laugh a lot, and stare even more at the astoundingly cute Stella Stevens, but underlying the characterizations come a queasy feeling – which, by my personal experiences, were relatively accurate – and deserve little nostalgia.  WOTO

“Winter’s Bone” (again, 2010):  With a very talented cast of actors, strong scoring, great photography, sensitive audio, sets that may have not been sets, costuming and makeup that is dead-on perfect, and… well, you know how something can feel so real that you can’t imagine someone created it?  This is everything in “Winter’s Bone”.  Set in the far-back country of Appalachia amongst people who have never been nowheres and figure they’s all family somehow or another, this is an evenly paced, ever-intensifying story of poverty, desperation, and trying to hang onto it because that’s all you got.  Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Dale Dickey, and others star.  This film rightly won the “Grand Jury Prize” at Sundance Film Festival.  WOTO

“You Don’t Know Jack – the Life and Times of Jack Kevorkian” (2010):  Doctor Death.  Murderer.  Human Rights.  The Mercy Machine.  Dr. Kevorkian.  Assisted suicide.  I went into this film with three biases: 1) I always thought Kevorkian was right, but; 2) I thought he was THE worst person to represent him(self) to the public and courts; and 3) I knew Al Pacino would be GREAT.  I saw nothing to change my mind on any of those points.  Directed by Barry Levinson, also starring Brenda Vaccaro, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, and Danny Huston, and with Pacino as good as he was in “Serpico”, this was a totally rich, occasionally funny (!), but mainly very serious and often sad look the suffering of people and one man who tried to find a solution.  This is a totally significant experience.  WOTO

3.
“Hey, relax and ride the sofa”

“Dressed to Kill” (British, 1946):  Adapted from a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book, this is another witty, above average whodunit starring  Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce – in where else but foggy London, with a slinky femme fatale and missing printing plates for the British five pound note!  Intrigue!  Murder!  Cat and Mouse moves!!  That’s all I need to say.  WOTO

“Witness” (again, 1985):  Sure, there are all the action/drama clichés, along with the patented Harrison Ford Pair-O-Facial Expressions.  Of course there’s a beautiful woman who gets naked, and bad guys with all kinds of guns.  Given this, don’t expect a truly unique experience, and yet, the SETTING – in an Amish community – DOES separate it enough from other films with otherwise same components.  Directed by Peter Weir.  Kelley Lynch, Lucas Haas, and if you watch closely, other eventual stars are in this entertaining story.  Just for fun, watch for a very young Viggo Mortensen.  Watch Kelly (the Amish love interest) Lynch’s makeup do flip-flops: if it’s a scene about the Amish, no make up; if it’s a scene about romance or sex, make up!  The Amish must be a bunch of hypocrites!  The scoring is, as my wife put it, “overbearing”.  It has that Eighties electronic sound, and is used in nearly identical fashion whether it is a pastoral, violent, thoughtful, or sexual scenario.  One size fits all.  Maurice Jarre did the score.  He’s usually better than that.  Danny Glover plays an evil man.  That’s a nice switch.  There are continuity problems, which are always fun to score when the film gets boring or predictable. There are a few extremely memorable scenes.   WOTO

“Public Enemies” (2009):  This is a fairly accurate recreation of the criminal life of John Dillinger.  Set in 1920’s and 30’s mid-America during the Great Depression, we watch Dillinger – one of the last surviving “romantic” bank robber / killers play cat-n-mouse with J. Edgar Hoover, Melvin Purvis, and the newly forming F.B.I..  Toss in the Love Interest, of course.  Fine.  Should be plenty.  Johnny Depp, Christian Bale (!), Marion Cotillard (!), Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Giovanni Ribisi… what could go wrong?  Well, very little, but… despite some great actors, Michael Mann did not extract their best; despite great sets, Michael Mann had continuity flaws (including the Classic “instant-ON” tube radio); despite wonderful photography (but a very poor special effect), fine scoring, effective costuming, etc., Michael Mann’s effort left me… not cold, but cool.  Everything added up to about a 75% effort.  Something was always missing, that last, most important level: depth, soul, connectedness, fully expressed insight.  Missing.  You leave the film feeling “dramatized” but empty.  “Bonnie and Clyde” gets closer to the goal.  See that one (again).  WOTO

“The Debt” (2010):  Solid acting, strong and complex plot, dramatic scoring, good photography, sets and lighting… hey… what’s not to like?  Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington, Ciaran Hinds, and Tom Wilkinson bring the story to a highly believable level.  But, if you know just a little about Israel’s policies and shadowy death squads that hunt escaped Nazis (to this day), you’d have to roll your eyes at the procedures used (in the plot) to successfully kidnap, maintain (!), and safely move an enemy until courtroom justice can be fairly administered.  Huh uh.  That’s way too much trouble.  Slip in, kill, slip out, never mention it.  Enemy: dead.   Next one on the list…

“Scarlet Street” (again, 1945):  Depending upon how you feel about Film Noir, you’ll either enjoy this one a lot, or want to put it in the category below.  Imagine Edward G. Robinson as a meek, mild, hen-pecked husband.  Difficult to do?  It was for me… for the first few minutes… and then his ability to create this character makes you forget his gangster roles.  Imagine Dan Duyrea as a sleaze ball.  Yes, he does a good job of THAT.  And finally, what about Joan Bennett as a VERY hot, beautiful, manipulative Noir broad?  No problem there.  None.  “Scarlet Street” is directed by Fritz Lang, who was my initial reason for seeing this film.  As it turned out, the story – albeit a tad longer than necessary? – is a dandy.  We have dark revenge, twisted irony, plot surprises, moral lessons, more darkness, and blinding, harsh glare all in the same steamy story.  WOTO

“Topper Returns” (1941):  This is a wacky farce whodunit starring Roland Young, Joan Blondell, “Rochester”, MM mm Carole Landis, and a couple of very cool cars.  The plot drags in spots and could’ve used someone with sharp scissors to trim it down, but it’s still fun.  WOTO

“Beaufort” (Israeli, 2007):  Oscar-nominated, a film about men in war… and yet it’s in THIS mediocre category of mine?  ‘Fraid so.  The film is divided into two emotional rivers – each draining strength off the other.  One: a reasonable look at a brotherhood of men caught in the bleak world of war – hours and days of mind-numbing boredom with occasional moments of absolute terror and devastation.  The other: a major desire to retell a recent (1999-2000) Israeli story to Israelis, with the built-in assumption the audience will be affected by not just what they see in the film, but what they know from the real and personal experiences.  Had THIS aspect been downplayed or kept absent, we’d have a better film along the line of (but not equal to) “Das Boot” and other claustrophobic, wall-climbing battle stories.  However, as it is, we – an international audience – are presented with a default one-sided story (you never even SEE an “enemy” soldier) missing a wiser look the broader understandings undistracted by the specifics which will not matter to the LARGER, “outside” audience.

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008):  Last night, my wife and I watched Woody Allen’s latest (?) film – improperly billed as a comedy.  It’s not funny.  Nor is it much of a drama.  It’s just sort of hangs there in the middle.  I viewed a group of people flounder along and fail to find resolutions for those things they claimed were banes of their existences.  After it was over, my wife said “Well, that was a one-time view”.  I tend to agree.  Nothing was bad, nothing was especially good (interesting), and nothing seemed to be learned or put into action by any of these characters.  I need to ponder it more, but I suspect I’ve already learned enough about this condition from people I’ve known in real life.  One way or another, I at least want to LEARN from an experience.  WOTO

 4.

Not Quite So-sofa but not quite Crap

“Seven Doors to Death” (1944):  Late WWII whodunit mystery with some snappy patter and characters set in what must have been considered the precursor to a shopping mall.  Lots of shots fired in the dark, women screaming, bodies hitting the floors, and plenty of doors cracking open and quietly closing.  Unfortunately, the story seemed muddled and not worth trying to “figure out”.  WOTO

“Music Within” (again, 2007):  This movie is based on the true story of the man who eventually came to lead the Americans Disability Act.  Here’s the good news:  some of the acting is pretty good.  Michael Sheen as “Art” is great.  GREAT.  Unfortunately, everyone else is mediocre, the “period” sets, cars, costumes, music, etc. are off as much as 10 years from the year claimed, other continuity problems exist, the story as told is shallow, too fast, and lacking in detail, the music score does the “let’s use hit tunes from that year” shtick, the vehicles have “Clean Car Syndrome”, and there’s a general made-for-tv, “edu-info” feeling to the “lessons” being crammed into this story.  All in all, this is an amateurish effort, and the only two reasons I have it in THIS category (not lower) is you may want to learn how the Disabilities Act came about, and watching Sheen is a tremendous joy.  WOTO

“The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming” (1965):  After a somewhat mysterious opener, the film takes off as a decent farcical comedy (with Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Theodore Bikel and Jonathan Winters) but slowly morphs into an unabashed and obvious socially conscious drama.  Prepare to be slapped in the face with a mid-60’s “The Youth of the World is Our Only Hope” message.  I like this film for two reasons: the better comedic moments, and, its being a true Period piece implying our struggle out of the Cold War and into the Peace Movement…for all its naiveté.  WOTO

“Howl” (2010):  Using only audio records and transcripts of Allen Ginsberg and others, this is a highly “artistic” look at his creation and publishing of the poem “Howl”, and its ensuing court battle against censorship.  It is, in other words, a star-filled documentary of sorts, but filled with animation purporting to “illustrate” passages of the poem.  And there is the problem.  The animation is colorful, active, and flashy – demanding – which steals audience energy and focus from the Art it was obligated to support.  My wife ended up closing her eyes so she could focus on the content of the words.  I watched, but knew I was viewing animation made by an artist who did NOT (?) understand his/her role as an illustrator, and attempted to use “Howl” as an opportunity to prove THEIR own worth.  If any artist wants to show their personal best, they create their own work.  They do not ride on the famous backs of others and cast a shadow upon their clients.

It just hit the fan !!! 

“Ma and Pa Kettle go to Town” (1949):  Let me get the one “plus” out of the way… I bought this AND watched it to see location film of New York City in 1949, and Hollywood’s studio version of same.  If THAT is enough for you, then see this moovie.  If not, run like a McCoy with a Hatfield on your tail.  For those who DON’T know who Ma and Pa Kettle were, think precursors to The Beverly Hillbillies yet less animated and just as stupid and without the slightest concept of birth control.  The film quality is really nice.  (That’s sort of like saying your ugly brother is a very nice person…)  Continuity, on the other hand, is, well… what in the Sam Hill is that there whachacalltit ? “canteen doohickey”?  They’re riding in a taxi, taking in the sights.  It’s raining on the right side of the street, dry and sunny on the left side.  Hey, you take what stock footage was on the table at the moment.  They walk out of a restaurant.  It’s day time.  They take two steps, and it is night time.  “The Big Apple – A Weird and Scary Place!”  In Ma and Pa’s defense, I must say they’re not nearly as IRRITATING as Granny and Jethro.  WOTO

“Chuck Berry – Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll” (1986):  If you like old Chuck Berry recordings from the 1950’s, and don’t want to damage your feelings about them, DO NOT view this 1986 documentary!!  It’s always sad to see someone still relying on successes from 30, 40, 50 years earlier, and whose ego depends entirely on convincing others of the ongoing, living value of endless re-presentations.  If that isn’t enough, he’s disagreeable, nasty, self-centered, demanding, pompous, angry, and can’t sing a note.  (He’s always yelled / spoken his lyrics, if you think about it.)  His entire focus is on money and getting the show done so he can leave.  He can’t recall the date of the wedding anniversary with his wife, but can tell you what he made at a gig in 1952.  He’s mad people won’t pay him more for his pimped-up Caddies and Lincolns, he’s mad the world isn’t fair, he’s mad when someone else expresses an opinion, he’ll slug you if you say hi at the “wrong” time, and he’ll bore you to death with the same old shtick show after show after show after show….

6.

“Uh… Say WHAT?”

7.

“Guilty Pleasures”

(Okay, you caught me!)

“Blonde Savage” (1947):  THIS one is almost “Hit the Fan” category, but there are a few things to lovehate about it: The Blonde isn’t a savage, first of all.  In fact, she’s  a very cute 40’s big band vamp if anything.  And, the “jungle natives” are a sad lot of black extras picking up some easy but stupid work, the special effects are laughable, the “logic” of the story keeps falling to pieces, you can “see” the script lines as they are “read” by all the actors, the characters are flatter than the Sunday Comics, and, well, this is a White Man’s World over there in the African jungle, let’s put it that way.  WOTO

“Hot Rod Girl” (1956):  This has it all:  Swingin’ Chicks and Chickens, Way Out Daddy-Os, juke boxes, hang outs, hot rods, dead youngsters, law breaking, drag strips, Chicago box cars and Ducktails and Elvis jelly rolls, a small town with concerned adults, more hot rods, southern California convertible life, and plenty of phony scenes with fake backgrounds, slow cars supposedly speeding, fast cutaways to create “action”, actors with stand-ins that don’t look a thing like the “stars”, fist fights without one connection, the Understanding Girlfriend, The Ditzy Broad, The Brooding Hero, The Trouble Making Punk, The Comic Relief (Frank Gorshin!), The Supportive Cop (Chuck Connors!)… man, this is one Way Out Scene, Baby.  And DIG that Hot Rod Girl in the brand new T-Bird!  See this one for the cars (the REAL hot rods of old), the concerns of 1956, and the wonderfully stagy environment in which these (mostly) wayward-but-good-hearted teens supposedly roam.  WOTO

“The Lost World” (silent, 1925):  The FIRST object animation film.  It’s pretty good too, considering.  I’ll bet it ASTOUNDED the 1925 audience!!  This story (by Arthur Conan Doyle) set the stage for all others – from King Kong (8 years later!) up to today.  THAT’S saying something.  Though full of laughable moments – only some of which were intentional – there are also scenes where you might just say “Dang!  That’s pretty good for nearly a hundred years ago!!”  WOTO

“The Giant Gila Monster” (1959):  Classic bad 50’s sci-fi drive-in movie fodder intended to provide an excuse for girl to slide over into the protective arms of her boyfriend behind the wheel.  Vanishing teenagers, the desert at night full of weird buzzing sounds, hot rods, monsters, hip talk, cool rods (the REAL thing!), and adults who do or don’t understand “kids nowadays”.  If you’re a hot rod fan, this one is a must.  WOTO

8.

“This isn’t a “Film”, but I don’t know where else to put it”

9.

“Your Suggestions”

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