The film industry lost another class act today, and I feel like a small part of my childhood has died. Peter Falk, known best as the unassuming, yet cunning Lt. Columbo from the TV Show Columbo passed away last night. He was twice nominated for Academy Awards and he made a catch phrase out of the saying, “Just one more thing,” while searching for clues on his famous detective show.
I remember him best from Princess Bride as the narrator, reading to a young Fred Savage about true love and the wonders of its kiss. I must have watched that movie 20 times when I was younger. To read the full story, you can go to CNN.com, here.
This week it seemed that you could look anywhere and see an advertisement for the new and innovative video game L.A. Noire, which pays homage to the 1940’s era gritty cop stories like Maltese Falcon and more recently, L.A. Confidential. So it was only fitting to make this weekend’s film recommendation a tribute to what some call the “quintessential” film noir, Double Indemnity. When the film was released in 1944, it broke a lot of taboos for Hollywood, and helped usher in the golden era of noir films, with its devilish damsel, fast-talking cynical characters, trenchcoats and fedoras, and excessive use of the word “baby”.
Give me some sugar, baby.
Double Indemnity tells the story of sad sack, but successful insurance salesman Walter Neff (Frank MacMurray), who falls for the mysterious and sexy Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), while making a door-to-door sale. She seduces and suckers him into a murder scheme to kill her husband, who she recently took out a large insurance policy with a double indemnity clause on, with the promise of sex and money. The plan goes brilliantly until Neff’s co-worker and claims investigator, Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) starts to suspect foul play.
Raymond Chandler, one of the greatest detective fiction authors, helped Billy Wilder adapt the James M. Cain story into a lucrative screenplay, which was originally criticized for its depiction of such depraved characters. The structure of the story creates intrigue from the onset, starting out with an injured Neff dictating the sordid events for a message to be given to his co-worker, and then shifting back to the start of the story. This style was imitated in several other noir films that followed, and repeated by Wilder in Sunset Boulevard. The cinematography also became a staple in film noir, using shadows to tell the story, and in their own way, shed light upon the characters.
The lead actors, Stanwyck and MacMurray, were two of the biggest actors in Hollywood at the time, but what is interesting about their roles is that they were both playing against their stereotype. MacMurray was known for his upbeat and charming characters, while Stanwyck usually played static heroine roles. Both were afraid that it would hurt their careers, but instead it proved them as some of the most volatile actors in the biz.
Despite all the efforts of moral protestors, their criticism only spurred more people toward the theater to find out what the fuss was about, and the film was an instant hit. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, but went home empty handed. Even though it didn’t win any awards, it still ended up being ranked #38 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Best American Films of the 20th Century, and #29 on the 10th Anniversary list.
Not too shabby, baby.
To add Double Indemnity to your Netflix Queue, click here.
Come on, you all knew this was coming as soon as Osama Bin Laden‘s death was announced the other night. Paramount greenlighted a project about the special forces mission that resulted in the historic event on Sunday, and Kathryn Bigelow is attached to direct. However, what you might not know is that Bigelow was working on a Bin Laden thriller for a while, except she is now being told to re-write it with Mark Boal as a historic re-telling of the actual mission.
Talk about great timing for her. She is coming off the success of the 2008 film, and Best Picture Winner, The Hurt Locker, and it looks like her career just took another turn for the better.
So far, the highlight of her career is rubbing her Best Picture victory over her ex-husband's "Avatar" in his face.
This will obviously be fast-tracked to try to take advantage of the high that America is living off of right now. The question is whether the pressure that this project will obviously come under, will actually produce a film worth watching.
What are your thoughts about this? Should Hollywood wait a bit longer? Will this be a film you would go see?
We’ve been doing the Weekend Film Recommendation for a little while now and this is the first time that I’ve included a Martin Scorcese film, which is surprising because he is my favorite director. There are a couple of his films on Netflix Instant (Casino, Mean Streets, The Last Temptation of Christ) and all of them are more than worth checking out. However, I chose to hone in on Gangs of New York.
As with most Scorcese films, you’re going to need three hours or so to sit down and watch, but this is one of those films that doesn’t feel like it actually takes that long. Scorcese sets up engrossing characters and an intriguing plot within the first five to ten minutes of the film, anchored strongly in Daniel Day Lewis’ Oscar Nominated performance as Bill the Butcher. Lewis has a way of making what could have been a static character and bringing the viewer to both admire and despise him equally. Everything he does is grand and charismatic, and the cinematography brings that to light, especially in scenes with large crowds.
The subtle social commentary about the balance between tradition and progress, run beautifully throughout the film until it comes to its ultimate culmination in the end. To me, while this may not be Scorcese’s best film, it is one of his most thoughtful and socially significant ones since Taxi Driver. It is equal parts brutal, bold and beautiful.
There is a downside I will mention in passing: Cameron Diaz. She does her best to sabotage a work of art with her fake Irish accent and cardboard acting, but fortunately she is only in the film a small amount. Also, her performance is counter-balanced by such great actors as Leonardo DiCaprio, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, and John C. Reilly.
While I am not belittling Adrien Brody’s performance in The Pianist, I think Daniel Day Lewis was robbed of the Oscar that year, and it was also sad to see another outstanding directorial work by Scorcese get waived by the Academy, prolonging his long overdue recognition.
Trailer:
To add Gangs of New York to your Netflix Instant Queue, click here.
One of the greatest masters of cinema, Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict, 12 Angry Men) passed away this morning from lymphoma. He was 86. It was fitting that our blog’s last two weekend film recommendations were Lumet films. To read more about this incredible director, follow the link below:
Paul Newman was one of the greatest and classiest actors of all time. His coolness and swagger on the screen was complemented by a quiet down-to-earth personality off of it. As soon as I saw that his 1982 film The Verdict was new to Netflix Instant, I had to put it down as a Weekend Film Recommendation.
The Verdict is about a washed up lawyer named Frank Galvin (Newman) who sees a chance for redemption in what was supposed to be an open and shut medical malpractice case. Instead of settling out of court, Galvin takes on one of the most ruthless attorneys in the courtroom in this riveting 1982 drama. Newman delivers one of his strongest and most underrated performances of his career (nominated for an Oscar, but many think he was robbed), as he shows Galvin’s struggle with his personal demons while finding the strength to carry out the daunting task laid out before him.
But it is not just Newman that brings strong credibility to the film. Sidney Lumet(12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico), one of the greatest masters of cinema, directs and also received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. On top of that, the screenplay was written by David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross, The Untouchables) and he uses his subtle dialogue to give keen insights into Galvin’s personal struggles.
While this may not be the best courtroom drama, it is certainly in the Top 5, and blows any John Grisham adaptation out of the water. Many lists put this right behind (and sometimes in front) of Lumet’s other classic courtroom film, 12 Angry Men, for the best courtroom film of all time.
To add it to your Netflix Instant Queue, click here.
Obviously, this has been the main story coming out of the Oscar Nominations. Christopher Nolan, three time Director’s Guild Award nominee, has never been nominated for an Oscar. He has proved himself on almost every level as a director, yet fails to receive recognition from the Academy. With Inception‘s not only box office, but critical success, as well as a Director’s Guild Nom (usually a sure sign that they will get an Oscar Nom), it seemed like Nolan would finally get his due with at least a nomination. Sadly, he was snubbed again, bringing the internet something new to complain about, and everyone has their opinions.
Amongst all the clutter of debates on the subject, the article I have linked to below has the most well written arguments for both sides of the coin. Does the Academy go with The Coens and their remake of True Grit? Or do they go against the grain and recognize a director for making a summer blockbuster? If you have the time, you should give it a look.
Pete Postlethwaite, once dubbed by Steven Spielberg, “the greatest actor in the world”, died at age 64 yesterday after a long battle with cancer. While some of you may not recognize the name, you will certainly recognize his face, most recently seen in films like Inception and The Town, and he received an Oscar Nod for Best Actor in 1994 for his work in In the Name of the Father.
There is quite the mixed bag of films this week with the arrival of Christmas. The expectation for Christmastime films is almost exactly the same as the expectation for Christmas presents you had as a little kid. You knew there would a be a fair amount of socks and shirts that you will never wear, but you always knew there would be one gift that would leave you glowing for at least an hour, until its newness wore off. This week there are a couple of socks and shirts (Little Fockers, Gulliver’s Travels), but you know there will at least be some films of real value (i.e. True Grit, The Illusionist).
Synopsis from IMDB: Family-patriarch Jack Byrnes wants to appoint a successor. Does his son-in-law, the “male nurse”, Greg Focker have what it takes?
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: Like all decent (not great) comedies, it is necessary to run them into the ground until their is no ounce of humor, originality or inspiration. Such is the tale of Little Fockers. I don’t think I laughed once during the trailer and it now looks like they are relying most heavily on the word Focker’s relations to a four letter word, and that is all they got. The sad part is that they will run away with a good $75 – $100 M before anyone notices.
True Grit
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin
Director: The Coen Brothers
Synopsis from IMDB: A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: When I first heard about this remake, I was disgusted. It seemed like a shameless attempt to capitalize on a great western and spit on The Duke’s iconic role. The more I read about it, saw the cast, and finally that the Coen Brothers were directing, my anticipation started to grow and now it is the film that I most look forward to this Christmas season. I think it will end up being a respectful tribute to the original and a compelling film as a whole.
Synopsis from IMDB: Travel writer Lemuel Gulliver takes an assignment in Bermuda, but ends up on the island of Liliput, where he towers over its tiny citizens.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: I miss the days when Jack Black was still a supporting actor. His comedic style is only good in small doses and it is difficult to watch a feature length film with him as the lead. The trailer, like the idea to remake this to begin with, seems bereft of comedy, with the exception of the throw away Kiss gag at the end. I like Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, and hopefully their involvement will bring some spark to the film.
Somewhere
Starring: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius, Benicio Del Toro
Director: Sofia Coppola
Synopsis from IMDB: A hard-living Hollywood actor re-examines his life after his 11-year-old daughter surprises him with a visit.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: Sofia Coppola returns to the director chair, examining the life of another successful actor in a foreign country. This film already won the Golden Lion Award for Best Picture at the Venice International Film Festival, which bodes well for its critical reception in the States. It looks like it will be an intriguing character study, and a very slow-moving film, that will be worth seeing if you have the patience.
Country Strong
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, Leighton Meester
Director: Shana Feste
Synopsis from IMDB: A drama centered on a rising country-music songwriter (Hedlund) who sparks with a fallen star (Paltrow). Together, they mount his ascent and her comeback, which leads to romantic complications involving her husband/manager (McGraw) and a beauty queen-turned-singer (Meester).
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: The Academy Awards love their films about fallen music stars and this film seems like it is trying to bank on the success of another washed up country music star film, Crazy Heart. These films, especially when they involve country music, aren’t usually my cup of tea, but chances are it will at least garner some recognition for performances, and music, come Oscar time.
Synopsis from IMDB: A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever.
Trailer:
Chris’ Take: This looks like a beautiful animated film, and from the amount of critical acclaim, is going to give the audience favorite, Toy Story 3, a run for its money in the Best Animated Feature category.
The film industry lost another class act today, and I feel like a small part of my childhood has died. Peter Falk, known best as the unassuming, yet cunning Lt. Columbo from the TV Show Columbo passed away last night. He was twice nominated for Academy Awards and he made a catch phrase out of the saying, “Just one more thing,” while searching for clues on his famous detective show.
Brian Pac Sostak
Chris Petersen
Sarah Higgins
stjerome03
Chris and Pac Take on Hollywood 