Second Time Around

Is it possible to go back home again? To recapture that feeling when you watched a particular movie that zapped you right between the eyes because it encapsulated both your inner thoughts and worldview? Almost 20 years ago, one movie really sang to me: "Lord Love a Duck." Before "Heathers," there was "Lord Love a Duck," a dark comedy centered on high school life that playfully skewers just about every American institution. Could this movie still have the same effect on me since I've grown up? Yes and no. When I first saw this flick, I was completely focused on the Roddy McDowell character whose quick cynical take on the world ensnared me. (Christian Slater played the same role in "Heathers," but he gets blown away at the end.)

Upon this viewing, I realized how little screen time McDowell actually has and that Tuesday Weld's character, who is dying to be popular, fills the screen. Overall, the movie is not the greatest this time around. Perhaps I've become less cynical, or, now when I think of it, perhaps more. This film was made more than 40 years ago, and Americans' values are more vacuous than ever. In other words, biting satire, unfortunately, doesn't change a thing.

First Cousins

Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will" and "Air Force One" with Harrison Ford have a lot more in common than you may think. According to director Michael Haneke in a NYT profile, both have "a distinct political agenda [and] a common goal — the total manipulation of the viewer. What’s terrible about the Harrison Ford film, though, especially terrible, is that it represents itself as simple entertainment." Haneke goes on to rip Hollywood-style storytelling, full of sly mind control. His argument, which I pretty much agree with, is that type of filmmaking was mastered by the Nazis, and it became very suspect by European directors. "As a result, film, and especially literature, began to examine itself. " In a nutshell, American films can lull you into becoming a compliant zombie, whereas foreign movies force you to think. (Images via weeklywire.com and 25frames.org)

Cassandra's Nightmare

"A humorless misfire that wastes the talents of some fine actors." Ouchy. That's one of the notices for Woody Allen's new film, Cassandra's Dream, which debuted at the Venice Film Festival, which GreenCineDaily has posted. If I received these types of reviews, I would go into hiding for years. From the Hollywood Reporter: "Lazy plotting, poor characterization, dull scenes and flat dialogue." The Telegraph sends a zinger: "Allen's ear for dialogue seems to have deserted him." And Time Out gives the film a Bronx cheer: "Its purpose is too confused, its execution too lazy, its handling of its performers too liberal."
(Image via Thompson on Hollywood)

The Good and The Bad

Yes, we all agree that John Cassavetes, the director, was innovative and pumped real life into film and that his work still inspires legions of fans. But John Cassavetes, the actor? Heaven help us. In his own films as an actor (I'm thinking of "Husbands" and "Opening Night"), Cassavetes was tolerable. But in movies in which he was not at the helm, he drives me to distraction. His forced intensity, wild gestures, and shouting stage voice.... Arrrgggghh. Perhaps the reason his performances are so scattered is because other directors were afraid to say, "Down, boy," or perhaps J.C. was trying to let them know who was in charge and was simply untameable. I recently rented Elaine May's interminable "Mikey and Nicky." Torture. (Peter Falk, who's so comfortable on screen, gave me a reason to keep watching.) I wonder: are there any John Cassavetes, the actor, fans out there? (Image via Altfa.org)

Menu Cringe

The DVD menu for Spalding Gray's "Swimming to Cambodia" made me cringe. In a crude animation, Gray, who committed suicide in 2004 by jumping off the Staten Island Ferry and drowning, bobs and sinks between waves. The viewer can opt to play the movie or choose selected scenes while S.G. almost drowns. Even thinking about it now makes me wince. Granted, the DVD for this 1986 film was probably issued long before his death but still couldn't it be recalled or something. Thankfully, I quickly forgot that initial off-putting introduction. Gray's monologue on his adventures in Cambodia while filming "The Killing Fields" had me laughing out loud. (Rare if you're watching something alone.) As with "My Dinner with Andre," I never realized how much fun listening can be.

Je Ne Sais Quoi

I consider myself a Francophile, but I have never really dug Edith Piaf. So, I nudged myself to see "La Vie en Rose," a biopic on the singer, hoping that the flick would turn me onto to this French icon. It did. Piaf is sort of like Judy Garland: she belts out songs, and it's her heart and soul that pulls you in, not her vocal skill. Marion Cottilard, who plays Piaf, is A+ and amazing, but this flick is a downer. Each sequence is just another miserable building block in the singer's sad life. (Image via img5.allocine.fr)

Reality Fiction

Andrew Wagner's "The Talent Given Us" turns the idea of reality TV on its head. Wagner's film stars his own family members in a scripted, fictional story. However, I kept wondering which scenes or conversations were real or ad-libbed. With reality TV, on the other hand, I find myself thinking every scene or piece of dialogue is fake. "The Talent Given Us," which was released in 2004, is about an older couple who on a whim travel across the U.S. to visit their son. During the journey, the couple's past, present, and future are all dredged up. Wagner made a wise choice to use his family as actors, because I don't think that this by-the-numbers storyline would've have come to such vibrant life if he hadn't cast his real-life parents.

Split Images

A woman's fractured state of mind leads to nightmarish choices as she becomes unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Sounds like the plot for every David Lynch film since "Twin Peaks." But Robert Altman beat Lynch to the punch with the 1972 "Images," starring Susannah York. While watching the flick recently, I had to keep reminding myself that Altman was the director and writer. This psychological study in which past and present, imagination and reality are all blurred together feels very much like a Nicholas Roeg film. Like a waking dream, "Images" plays with time, space, and reality, which all add up to an unsettling account of a woman gone mad.

Blueberry Kisses

Wong Kar Wai's "My Blueberry Nights" debuted at Cannes, and Variety's Anne Thompson found it to be "a delicious mood poem." I was wildly disappointed with Wong's last film, "2046." I'm rooting for Wong to make a comeback, but why does it have to star Norah Jones and Jude Law? According to Thompson, the movie's highlight is " a soft, sumptuous, slow kiss." My upper lip curls as I imagine Jones and Law going in for the kill. Only Wong will be able to pull this one off. (Image via Thompson on Hollywood)

Drink & Read

Here's a fun little twist: a movie that makes you want to read and get drunk. "Bukowski: Born into This" has the perfect balance between the notoriously inebriated writer's persona and his work. Although I've read Bukowski in the past (he gets an A+ for consistency--or rather, for telling the same story again and again), this documentary made me want to run out and buy more of his books. The almost two-hour film is chock-full of footage of Bukowski reading his poetry in his smooth-gravel voice. I also liked that the filmmakers printed stanzas of his work on the screen during some scenes. (Images via Jeremayakovka and Amadzine)

Slump and Grind

Can't believe that "Grindhouse" came in fourth place this weekend, earning only $12 million. I was one of those moviegoers who spent Easter weekend watching the flick's scenes of dismemberment and car-crash mayhem. This three-hour campy gore fest is a marathon, and perhaps that's why it didn't perform better. Favorite parts: Josh Brolin as a thermometer-chomping doctor; Rose McGowan's machine-gun leg (makes its appearance too far into the film, however); the no-CGI, no special-effects car chase; the bad edits; the "missing reel" segments; and the fake previews of other Grindhouse films. (Images via Moviesonline and MTV)

Estrogen New Wave

I just discovered my new favorite filmmaker: Agnes Varda. If you think the French New Wave of Godard, Malle, and Truffaut is a little too male-centered, Varda and her 1961 flick, "Cleo from 5 to 7," will help to inject a little estrogen into the movement's mix. Still, this film about a pop singer who wanders around Paris as she waits for cancer test results encompasses the best of the New Wave triumvirate. Like Godard, Varda likes the in-between moments of life, like riding in cabs. Like Truffaut, she's cinematically playful, such as when the camera sways back and forth as the characters listen to music. And like Malle, Varda is serious when it comes to issues of life and death.

Don't Believe the Blurb

Baby got burned. I rented "Where the Truth Lies" because I read a capsule review that described its leads as based on Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Wrong! After reading Jerry Lewis's memoir last year, I consider myself a curious fan of this duo. (I've even rented the DVD of the Martin & Lewis Colgate Comedy Hour.) Thinking I was going to see a flick about the Martin & Lewis working relationship by one of my favorite directors (Atom Egoyan), I was utterly disappointed. The main characters are based very, very, very, very loosely on M & L. This is a lame murder mystery (think "Murder She Wrote") that taught me not to believe the blurb. (Image via Popmatters)

"Shining" Slices

Memo to Kubrick fans: If you haven't already seen "Making the Shining" (yes, just "Making," not "Making of"), definitely check out this 1980 documentary by the director's daughter, Vivian. Here are some of my favorite bits: 1) Jack Nicholson getting into character while swinging an ax -- and almost knocking over an assistant director -- and growling, "Death to [female genitalia]; 2) Kubrick typing up script notes at the same table where Scatman Crothers and Danny have their "Shine" conversation; 3) a set worker tossing a bucket of fake blood on the wall; and 4) Jack N. demonstrating how he marks up his script lines, a style he says he copied from Boris Karloff.

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"The Haunting" (1963 ), directed by Robert Wise: Got bored.

(Image via Tintype)

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"For Your Consideration" (2006), directed by Christopher Guest: Each subsequent film by Guest becomes less funny than its predecessor.

"This Film Is Not Yet Rated" (2006), directed by Kirby Dick: Documentary that will make you hate Jack Valenti even more.

(Images via Adweek and Rotten Tomatoes)

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"Sin City" (2005), directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez: Style over substance.
(Image via RottenTomatoes.com)

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"Infamous" (2006), directed by Douglas MacGrath: Pretty good supplemental film to the superior "Capote."

"Sherrybaby" (2006), directed by Laurie Collyer: Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance is the female version of Ryan Gosling's in "Half Nelson."

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"The Laughing Policeman" (1973), directed by Stuart Rosenberg: Soooo sloooow.

(Image via Outnow.ch)

Rarely Seen Dog

As part of its film series honoring composer Ennio Morricone, Film Forum is screening Sam Fuller's "White Dog," a flick that I've been dying to see for ages. Not only does it fit the bill for my own controversial film roster, but it stars '70s child actress Kristy McNichol. The 1982 movie is about a dog that has been trained to attack only African-Americans. Needless to say, "White Dog" was shelved for a decade and was never released theatrically. In addition, it's hard to find on DVD. My fascination with Kristy McNichol dates back to "Family" and especially after she had a breakdown in the '80s and dropped out of sight. I'm currently renting a bunch of K.M. DVDs and will definitely post on her. (Image via Film Forum)