Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Tying into my last blog about the film Moon, Sam Rockwell continues to impress me. He stars in this 2002 bio-pic from director/Co-star George Clooney as Television legend Chuck Barris. Adapted from Barris' own autobiography, Confessions tells the story of the womanizing, charismatic, creator and host of such shows as The Gong Show, The Newlywed Game, The Dating Game, and also, he claims, CIA hitman.
Whether or not Barris ever actually worked for the CIA or killed the people he claimed to have in the book is still up for debate. He neither confirms nor denies it when interviewed, though those around him insist it is simply not possible. The film is interspersed with real interviews on the topic of Barris with people who knew him in his prime and downfall like Dick Clark, and people who worked with him on the game shows. The rest of the film chronicles Barris' rise and fall from his beginnings as an NBC page and his descent into alcoholism.
Rockwell is perfectly cast as Barris and gives an emotional and powerful performance. One thing I have always admired about Rockwell is his total willingness to look completely disgusting and unattractive, which he takes to new heights towards the end of the film. George Clooney is good as always as the CIA operative that ropes Barris into service. Clooney is one of those actors who usually plays themselves over and over again in some incarnation, but I'm okay with it because I like who he is. Drew Barrymore plays Barris' long-term love interest; a free-thinking hippy who Chuck cheats on multiple times. Julia Roberts is one of the "other women", but she is really another member of the CIA just doing her job and keeping an eye on him. Also keep a look out for Brad Pitt and Matt Damon in cameo roles as two contestants on The Dating Game. Micheal Cera also makes an appearance as a very young Chuck in flashbacks.

Moon

I went into Moon knowing very little about it, and I think that is the best way to view this hauntingly beautiful film. Sam Rockwell is the only actor, playing the astronaut Sam Bell, who works for the company LUNAR in a time where the moon is planet Earths new source of power. He has been given a three year contract to live in a station on the moon harvesting the energy in complete solitude aside from the company of a robot named GERTY. (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Having left behind a wife and a child, three years is a long time and the loneliness begins to take a toll on Sam.
This is even more information about Moon than I had when I started watching it, and that is the best way to watch it, so I will tell you no more about the plot. Moon was a big hit at the Cannes Film Festival and was honored with eleven awards and fifteen nominations. As far as filmmaking goes it is the definition of minimalist. It lacks impressive effects and only has two sets and relies on Sam Rockwell's heartbreaking performance. I have always been a fan of Sam Rockwell, who is usually more of a character actor. (Galaxy Quest, The Green Mile, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Matchstick Men, Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy). He has a lack of vanity when he performs that is endearing. He has a total willingness to look an inch from death and it adds to his talent. This is without a doubt his finest performance. I was moved, and a little disturbed by how real the character became and how much he let you feel for and with him.
I think it is safe to say that Moon is one of the best science fiction films made in years, and more people should see and know about it. It has elements from classics such as 2001: A Space Odessey and Blade Runner, but it's never a rip-off or a copy. Moon is a highly original eerie, dark and thought-provoking little gem of a film that should not be missed.

Romance & Cigarettes

If you are ever in the mood for a quirky, out of control semi-musical comedy, look no further than writer/director John Turturro's Romance and Cigarettes. There is certainly something addictive about this film, but I can't put my finger on it. It's not a very good movie, but it is aware of itself and chooses to go all out and over the top.
James Gandolfini (of The Sopranos) stars as Susan Surandon's cheating husband, who has finally been found out. He then tries to break things off with his cockney, red-headed mistress played by Kate Winslet. While he struggles to leave her, his wife and her cousin (Christopher Walken) plan to confront, and possibly kill her. Along for the ride are the couples teenage, angst ridden daughters played by Mandy Moore, Mary Louise-Parker, and Aida Turturro, a construction worker full of fantasies (Steve Bucemi), and all sorts of characters with appearances by Elaine Strich, Eddie Izzard and more.
Whenever the troubled, hectic lives of the characters become too difficult to put into words, they break out into song. This is not, however exactly a musical. Songs such as Janis Joplin's Piece of my heart, or Tom Jones' Delilah play, while the characters sing along and perform choreographed dance numbers. The whole movie has a comedic, purposefully over the top feel to it, until it takes a slight dark turn at the end. If you don't take it seriously, and its not meant to be, it's a delight to watch, and very entertaining.
The end does not seem to fit quite right to me, and the story is very loosely threaded together. There are many reasons that a critic could tear this movie to shreds, but I was too captured by the absurdity of it. The cast as terrific chemistry and they alone are a reason to see it. Surandon, Walken, and Gandolfini are the stand outs, with a few nice cameos. It is a movie about love, sex, betrayal, with the message that it does not always work out alright; people do not always fall in or out of love. There is actually a good message presented, but the presentation is too out of control and silly to attempt a deep meaning or serious plot turn, that is where it falls a little flat. But for some reason, I keep coming back to it.

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A Behanding in Spokane.

Last Thursday I took a trip to my favourite place to see one of my favourite people closer than I ever thought I would. A Behanding in Spokane is a brand new play By Martin McDonagh that opened March 4th on Broadway starring Sam Rockwell, Anthony Mackie, Zoe Kazan, and the legendary Christopher Walken.
The plot revolves around a man named Carmichael (Walken) in his late 60's who has spent the past 47 years searching for his left hand. He claims to have lost it as a teenager when gang of hillbillies who held his arm down on the rails of an oncoming train, and then "waved goodbye to him with his own hand". The whole play takes place in a dilapitated hotel room owned by the simple, would-be hero Mervyn the receptionist (Rockwell) who is growing suspicious of the strange noises like gunshots resonating from Carmichael's room. Inside he is holding captive two young con-artists (Mackie and Kazan) who he paid to find his missing appendage. Within the first ten minutes Carmichael is reveled to be a violent racist, and threatens his captives that he will kill them if his hand is not where they say it is; and of course it isn't. What follows is a ninety minute mad dash for escape, reconciliation, and justice.
Despite all of these dark qualities, A Behanding in Spokane is a comedy, and a hilarious one. It is full of vulgar, clever, Tarantino-esque diaolouge, and terrific interaction between characters, particularly Walken and Rockwell. The writing is smart, and it keeps you guessing without ever getting too convoluted or boring. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to see a play while visiting the city. Be warned there is an abundance of offensive language, although it makes sure to offend EVERYONE and establish the characters ahead of time so that the slurs and curses are not out of place. The mood of panic also gives license to the obscenity. (If a one-handed maniac covered you in gasoline and threatened to burn down the room I can't imagine the priority would be watching your language.)
Christopher Walken is one of my personal heroes. The moment the curtain went up was monumental for me. I was fortunate enough to have second row seats, which were about 2 feet from the stage. Seeing someone you only know from the screen in real life is a surreal, wonderful experience, and Walken did not disappoint. I can't tell if he tones his voice down for the screen or amps it up for the stage, but either way, it was a realization, there is a large amount of him in every part he plays. While it does cost quite a bit, my family and I agreed it's some of the best money we've ever spent. A Behanding in Spokane is playing in limited release for 16 weeks at the Schoenfeld Theater in New York City, and closes June 6th.

Paolo Nutini

A friend of mine recently encouraged me to revisit an artist I had heard, but not been extremely impressed with on my first listen. Paolo Nutini is a 22 year old scottish singer/songwriter who's hit song "New Shoes" got him onto the American charts, while he has had more success in Europe. When I listened again, I heard a quirky voice rasping out catchy tunes that I couldn't ignore. I have been listening to his music non-stop for the past two days, and intend to keep doing so. He currently has two albums available; These Streets and Sunny Side Up.
There is a fearlessness and raw colour to his voice and overall style (including the bizarre music videos) that makes his sound original. In my opinion, this is an example of where music should be going. His music puts me in an immediate good mood, and I highly recommend him to anyone in search of something new to listen to.


This is the song that caught my ear:




And this is just my personal favourite of his:

The test of time.

It's always interesting to revisit the films that you grew up with years later and see which ones hold up. I grew up with a fairly normal amount of childrens movies, and since I am the oldest, I wasn't exposed to nearly as much as my sister was at a young age. I recently re-watched a few movies that I adored in my childhood and these are the ones that have stood the test of time:

* Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was my favourite movie for a very long time, and I still enjoy every second of it.

*The Neverending Story. This was my favourite movie before Willy Wonka, and I was surprised how well its held up. Still an excellent adaptation of one of the greatest books ever written.

* The Lion King. There had to be a disney, and this is still my favourite.

* The Land Before Time. Very short, still touching movie.

* Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Not really a kids movie, but had a good run as my favourite movie from the age of about 8 to 11.

*The Princess Bride. Again, a movie for all ages, that will never be dated.

* Any Pixar movie, you're never too old for those.

*Mary Poppins. I am one of the only people I know who watched, and loved this movie as a kid.

So about the Oscars.....

As some may know, The Academy has decided to expand it's nominations for best picture, changing the nominees from five to ten. This is how the Oscars started out in 1929 and kept ten best picture nominees until 1943. There is debate about what this means for the future of the awards.
I personally feel that this lessens the presitige of the award. I believe there are usually more than five deserving nominees, but I feel that ten might include fillers. I'm also curious if it will effect the foreign language and animated feature category, maybe expanding their nominees eventually.
When I first heard this, I thought I'd sit down and try to make a list of movies that could potentially be nominated and see if I can think of enough, and if I have to stretch it at all. My pick for best picture is Tarantinos' Inglourious Basterds, but it is being challenged by James Camerons Avatar, which I have yet to see. Those two are sure to be in the running. The second best movie I personally saw this year was the Coen brothes small film, A Serious Man. There are a few films I have not seen that will probably be nominated like, Up in the Air, An Education, A Single Man, Precious, Invictus, and possibly The hurt Locker. Two movies that I would like to see in the running that unfortunately may not make it are 500 Days of Summer, and District 9. That makes 11 films, only 4 of which I have seen, so I can cast no real judgment. Let me know what you think of this decision, if I left out any potential nominees, and what movie you would like to see take home the Oscar. I will do a follow up piece when the nominations are announced.