@thens Film Club

Devil's Lake

2011-06-19T10:25:00.001-05:00

Air 55, water 65. That'll wake me up. Two hokies in the registration line behind me!

March Calendar

2007-03-01T20:11:00.000-05:00

First of all, kudos to Matt for winning the Oscar pool with a whopping 15 points!

Second of all, thanks to Tim for keeping the blog alive with his excellent suggestions and posts...

March. The most common suggestion for this month's theme has been 'Irish Cinema.' While this would be a good tie in with the St. Patrick holiday, and while I'd love an excuse to watch The Commitments, I'm going to veto the idea on the grounds that...well, on the grounds that I'm making this post and simply don't feel like watching a bunch of Irish movies in a row. Also, my birthday is this month, and as long as we're in the mood for celebrating special occasions why not focus on me me me? Therefore, this month we're going to watch four movies that aren't connected at all save for the fact that I personally really want to watch every single one of them. Yes, I am this narcissistic.

Now, here're the films:

Mar. 4 - Mar. 10
BLACK SNAKE MOAN

Our first club movie that's still in the theaters! This opens tomorrow in Athens if anyone is interested in going this weekend. I was very fond of certain elements in Craig Brewer's Hustle and Flow. Couple that fact with the insane plot of Black Snake Moan and you're looking at what is sure to be an...interesting ride. I've been looking forward to this one for a long long time.

Mar. 11 - Mar. 17
8 Femmes

Typically I'm not a fan of musicals, but I am a sucker for detective fiction and beautiful women, and I've loved each of the three films I've seen by Francois Ozon. 8 Femmes really surprised me with its humor and charm - a very different film from the dark and challenging Swimming Pool. This little gem seems to me like the perfect note on which to end the winter season: "One morning the industrialist Marcel is found stabbed in his room. Eight women are his potential murderers: His wife Gaby, his daughters Suzon and Catherine, his mother-in-law Mamy, his sister-in-law Augustine, his sister Pierette, the cook Chanel and the maid Louise. The house is isolated in a snowstorm, the phone is dead and one of them has to be the culprit. Mutual suspicions reveal the various secrets in their lives." [source] I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did.

Mar. 18 - Mar. 24
THE COMMITMENTS

See, we do listen. Actually I've never seen this movie, but you guys tell me it's great and I trust your collective judgement. Drink up and viddy this apparent favorite in honor of St. Patrick's day 2007.

Mar. 25 - Mar. 31
KUNDUN

Cheers to Martin Scorsese for finally taking home a much deserved Oscar, right? I've seen most of his films, but have intentionally avoided seeing them all. That way I have some back catalogue to explore whenever I'm in the mood. This is one I'm ready to finally watch. Scorsese is obviously one of the best in the business, and seeing one of his movies for the first time is always an exciting experience for me. Kundun is the story of the 14th Dalai Lama, featuring only non-professional actors. Apparently Scorsese was banned from stepping foot inside Tibet because of this film.

That's it. Hopefully no one minds my completely hijacking the club to give myself an extended birthday gift. If you do, I suspect you might be something of a wanker.

Broken bottles under childrens' feet, bodies strewn across a dead-end street

2007-02-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

Bloody Sunday (2002)

Starring: James Nesbitt, Tim Piggott-Smith, Nicolas Ferrell

Cinematography: Ivan Strasburg

Writing credits: Paul Greengrass

Director: Paul Greengrass

For my part, sorry for taking so long to get this updated with a post for 'Bloody Sunday'. I've been swamped lately and didn't get around to watching this until 2 in the morning after the Oscars. So onto the film.

First of all, I want to give props to Paul Greengrass. This guy has carved out quite a niche for himself with these "docudramas" and from everything I have seen, he is the undisputed master of this style of filmmaking. And what a set of balls to go in tackling some of our collective worse days as human beings. I can't applaud him enough for 'United 93' and the job he did with that picture. It was nice to finally see the similar project he did 4 years ago that prepared him to depict that most touchy of subjects.

This movie, like 'United 93', simply portrays a fateful day and the multitude of events that took place beforehand to lead to the bloody conclusion. The day happens to be Jan. 30 1972 when peaceful protesters and marchers in Northern Ireland were mercilessly gunned down by English troops, an event which heralded the rise of the IRA and widespread violence throughout that region. The narrative jumps around from place to place, checking in with the different players of the day. There is a lot quick cuts here; at times you might only catch a glimpse of a pysched-up paratrooper or 30 seconds tense conversation between march organizers. One of the reasons this movie and its successor work so well is that there are few actors playing the roles and no big names. If you can say the movie centers on any characters they would be Ivan Cooper, the member of Parliament who was head of the Civil Rights Organization and the commanding military officer who authorized the use of force against the demonstrators. They are played by James Nesbitt and Tim Pigott-Smith (who seems to play an evil shite in every movie I've seen him in) respectively. Many of the actors are actually just real people and even relatives of the original victims. In fact, the boy who plays Gerry is the nephew of the actual first person shot and killed on that day. All of this lends to the realism of the picture, rather than asking you to believe that Daniel Pearl's wife is Angelina Jolie.

A huge feature of this movie that makes the premise work is that it is filmed almost entirely with handheld cameras and using no artificial light. A lot of people argue that this is Greengrass' worst trait as a filmmaker; I remember plenty of critics jumping on him about it in 'The Bourne Supremacy'. And while the camera bouncing around all the time might not work for a typical picture it does incredible justice here. You are sucked into believing that some documentary filmmaker was actually there, capturing all the bloody imagery at that moment.

This film, much like 'United 93', is incredible heartbreaking because you know how it is going to end even at the beginning. The drama is in how the events unfold and "How did this actually come to happen?" I can liken it to the show on National Geographic Channel where they explain how specific disasters and industrial accidents happen by taking you through the event minute by minute, piece by piece. As the movie starts at a dual press conference for both sides, the initial tension is already there but it continually intensifies and intensifies until it all bursts. As one person commented on a messageboard for the movie, it all snowballs and gets out of control so fast that it is hard to really pinpoint the exact moment when it reached the point of no return. Ten minutes into the massacre you find yourself thinking, "how did this happen? They were just marching, how did it get to this point?"

Coming away from this picture I found myself wondering about a lot of things and it got me interested in researching the actual events more. Because of that alone this movie works. I'm amazed and sickened by the fact that the paratroopers simply mowed down innocent civilians without any real provocation. It was scary to see them pumping each other up and later bragging about how they had shot helpless men crawling away from the shooting. I'm ashamed to think that in a supposedly forward-thinking and "good" society like Great Britain, murderers can be disguised as heroes, blame can be whisked away, and that justice has still not been done for the families of those victims of that terrible day.

Some quick things:

- The reason this film didn't qualify for the Oscars is that the day it opened in London theaters it was broadcast on the BBC as well. I suppose it was a big event for Great Britain.

- Two of the most striking images for me: the priest waving his white handkerchief in desperation, hoping that the Brits wouldn't shoot him and the people helping a mortally wounded man off the street ....and the Brits coming round the courtyard to catch a fleeing mob in the park and mindlessly shooting them in the back as they run away, unarmed.

- I had really hoped the one soldier with a conscience would give in and tell the truth about his "buddies" shot innocent people in cold blood and then bragged about it. I mean one of the troopers stopped to reload so he could fire some more!

- Ivan Cooper's press conference at the end of the movie, talking about how the IRA had won its biggest victory that day and how he could no longer preach nonviolence to the young kids after what had happened was especially poignant and heartbreaking. Props to James Nesbitt; I've only seen him in comical roles before this but he turned in one hell of a performance.

- Stick thru to the end of the U2 performance during the credits; it really helped tie everything together. This film had to be as agonizing and painful to watch for Irishmen as 'United 93' was to watch for me.

Love's a Bitch, and then you die.

2007-02-12T18:22:00.001-05:00

Amores Perros
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Written by: Guillermo Arriaga
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Emilio Echevarría, Goya Toledo, Álvaro Guerrero, Vanessa Bauche, Jorge Salinas, Marco Pérez, etc.

Man, what an intense flick. Let me jump right in! Sorry of this makes no sense...

Octavio is so naive! (He is also sweet, captivating and sexy as hell-- but naive all the same). He tries to be valiant and witty (and, to an extent, he succeeds) only to negate any braininess we perceive when he shows us what a sucker he is for Susana. He is blinded, blinded! "Anything for the girl," you know? And then he gets totally f*cked. Here's a lesson to all boys, men, and Boyz II Men who are reading: don't ever give a woman everything you've got. Especially NOT if she just got knocked up by your brother (AGAIN).

I love it at the funeral... Octavio is all scarred up and gimpy... he's just lost his good friend in a car accident that was, essentially, his fault. As far as he knows, his dog is dead. His brother just been shot... and he's still askin' Susana to come away with him. He gets an E for effort, doesn't he?

Susana, on the other hand, is a weak, dumb, bitch. She lets Ramiro f*ck her up constantly. She doesn't deserve Octavio or his affection and certainly not his attention (or his money! Damn, what a loss... although we ALL saw it coming). I suppose we're all guilty of giving our affection to those who don't deserve it. OR, we're guilty of accepting attention from those who we know deserve better than us... anywho. That's a totally different story.

::Jump::

One scene that I LOVE: When Daniel is sitting at his desk at the office, smoking a cigarette down to the stub, nervous and wrecked because of the heaviness that is happening at home with Valeria... he calls his ex-wife. She answers,
"¿Bueno?" No answer. "¿Bueno?" No answer. Without a doubt, she knows it's him. "¿Daniel? ¿Corazón?" Daniel hangs up. For a moment, he needed her, he wanted her back because she's familiar and safe. Let this, again, be a message to all you menz out there: Don't leave your homely wife in the dust for some beauty queen... she'll get her leg amputated and then where will you be? (Joke. Serioiusly.)

Did anyone else notice the ringing phone thing in that story? It drove the ex-wife crazy, then it drives Valeria crazy... I don't know, maybe its just me.

::Jump::

What a crazy mess it is when the old guy gets the two brothers together, unties them, and leaves the GUN!? I wish we would have found out what happened there.

...Or, maybe we did and I just don't remember-- albeit, I watched this movie a couple of times. The first time wasn't enough! There is so much to see in this movie. Each shot is so intricately manipulated. One scene that comes to mind is when the old man is "cleaning up" by shaving and cutting his hair... every movement is fascinating. I didn't want to take my eyes off of him using the hair-encrusted soap, battling a dull razor to shave... using that nasty sink... cutting his hair unevenly... I think he looks better with the beard.

I love how the old man saves up his money to give to a woman that he loves (his daughter) and how we have already seen Octavio do this in the first story.

This is a movie that I would actually go and buy. And, when I say that I want to buy a movie, that's a pretty big deal in my little world. I own, like, 4 movies, and 3 of them I found in the dumpster at my apartment complex. They were perfectly good DVDs! Not my fault that people are throwing away decent DVDs... just don't ask what I was doing looting the dumpster to get my grubby hands on the Director's Cut of Nurse Betty.

I desperately want to see Babel and 21 grams now. I have fallen in love with Iñárritu. Ugh, I love it.

I gotta go home. It's late. What do you guys think?!

An Oscar in Time Saves Nine

2007-02-10T09:58:00.000-05:00

Well, HELLO Athens Film Club!

Since we're supposedly "movie fans," Oscar night should be something of a ritual, right? And, because we're all "crazy film people," shouldn't we be eccentric and have a huge celebration?

Well then, it only makes sense to have a Fabulous Oscar Party®

What: Fabulous Oscar Party®
Where:At the home of an AFC Member
When: Sunday, February 25th 4:00 pm

This is a black tie (or not) event (read: I'm going to look like a jack- ass when no one else decides to dress up). Feel free to wear whatever you'd like. If the spirit catches you, by all means, dress to your nines! Or to your eights, or to whatever number you'd like to dress to.

Since the Oscars are on Sunday, remember to buy your libations the day before (blasted blue laws!). Couches and snacks are provided. Bring your friends! Bring your dog! We'll be drankin' and stankin' until Oscar comes home.

Questions? e-mail us: AthensFilmClub@gmail.com

The Russians are no longer coming...they're sticking to repressing civil freedoms in the Motherland

2007-02-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING (1966)
Starring: Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters
Cinematography: Joseph F. Biroc
Writing credits: William Rose
Director: Norman Jewison

This picture has me at a loss. I simply don't know what to think about it. It was fairly entertaining, it didn't bog down, I like all of the actors involved, and I really want to like the movie. But after watching it, I just really don't. Or more like I'm indifferent.

The movie takes place in the middle of the Cold War on an island off of Massachusetts (actually filmed north of San Francisco). Almost immediately a dumbass Soviet sub captain runs his boat aground trying to get a better look at America. A landing party led by Alan Arkin hopes to find a boat to tow their vessel back to sea before anyone notices them, but they run afoul of a vacationing family, from whom they steal a car. Before you know it the entire island is in mass panic with the police trying to maintain order and find the Russian sailors with mixed results.

This movie is enjoyable and had some funny parts and lines, mostly thanks to Reiner, Arkin, and Jonathan Winters. But it never really registered any out-loud belly laughs from me. I was more amused than amazed. I probably got the most enjoyment out of watching Alan Arkin and his comrades talk back and forth in their pidgin-Russian gibberish (if it's really Russian then I'm gonna look like an idiot). I just think the problem is the movie feels dated and there is too much of a generation gap for me to really appreciate it.

I'm sure in the midst of the Cold War, with fear and tensions running high, this was some really on-the-edge stuff. And from all the message boards I looked at, it seemed like Boomers absolutely love this movie. However, I just can't relate; I'm not in the right decade to really dig the humor. And it's interesting to see the film make the point that both sides are acting like idiots and should stop hating each other for imaginary reasons when they should really be getting along and working together (even though this point is a little heavy-handed at times). I don't know what do you guys think?

A few quick points:

- the movie was nominated for 4 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing) even though it won none.

- could they have picked a brattier kid to play Carl Reiner's son? And as someone who is only really familiar with Reiner from the Ocean's 11 movies, it was staggering to see him this young.

- what was up with the drunk chasing the horse in the field? I probably could have done without that whole sub-plot.

- I thought the airplane mechanic guy looked familiar and when I looked him up --tada!-- he is the Ghost of Christmas Past cabbie from "Scrooged"!

- I love that for an island community of 200 souls, they have a gun store. And from the looks of it they do good business; what the fuck do these people need with all these guns!

In like a Lion, out like a Little Bitch

2007-01-29T12:54:00.000-05:00

The Lion in Winter (1968)
Starring: Peter O'Toole,Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry, Timothy Dalton, Jane Merrow
Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe
Writing credits: James Goldman
Director: Anthony Harvey

To all of you filmies who really wanted to be with us last night for the viewing of the film but couldn't attend (yes, all 7 of you): we were with you in spirit. After a solid bout with some veggie quesadillas, 4 of us settled in to watch The Lion in Winter with full bellies and a little glimmer in our collective eye...

...unfortunately, our cozy movie retreat on Franklin street turned sour when it came to our attention that my DVD remote needs a new battery- we couldn't scroll to the "Play Movie" prompt. We, instead, sat around scratching each other and playing The Lion in Winter's theatrical trailor on repeat.

Alas, thanks to one Luke-in-shining-armor, a tiny laptop magically appeared and we were able to pop that sucka' right in, bypassing my devious DVD player.

So, the movie:

It was like watching a play unfold... only, I had a really good seat (as the screenplay for this movie was adapted directly from the play by James Goldman, the original playwright, this makes sense, doesn't it?). You just don't see this type of acting anymore. You don't see films that are so dialogue driven (well, you do, but they are usually no good). Movies nowadays rely on extra-dramatis personae contrivances for intrigue and attention-grabbing. This movie, however, was refreshing and fun and, as Luke so prophetically said last night, "It moves."

Man, Katharine Hepburn is evil, isn't she?

I mentioned this last night while we were watching the film: Every character (maybe except for Alais) wants every OTHER character to believe that they don't care for one another. Wait, does that make sense? Ok, so even though the Queen seems like a heartless, conniving c*nt, she's really just bitter to have lost the attention of her King. Similarly, the three princes are all seemingly competing for the crown... but something tells me that they really just want to be the son who receives the most attention from their daddy. Hell, even King Henry shows his softer side once he realizes that his boys have betrayed him... "I've lost my boys! I've lost my boys!" So what do you do when the boys you have don't love you anymore? You just get yourself a hot little wifey and make some new sons! About Alais...

Alais is pure and real and gentle... and she doesn't cover her feelings with a feaux leathery skin. She juxtaposes the rest of the cast, in that when she is hurt, she just comes out and says it, instead of running next door to hide behind curtains and to make alliances with others' enemies. In a castle full of people covering up for the fact that they have hearts, Alais wears it on her sleeve.

What does everyone think of Peter O'Toole? He scared me a little when he was angry!

What about Anthony Hopkins!? I think he got better looking as he aged....

Timothy Dalton looks a little like a contemporary homosexual heartthrob in this movie.

We all determined that there is quite a bit to examine here... I could go on for days. What a great flick! Good suggstion, Tim. We might just keep you around ;)

Oscar comes a-knockin'

2007-01-25T19:58:00.000-05:00

Hello all, Tim here. It’s Oscar season and the Athens Film Club is adding to the festivities with an Academy-themed selection of flicks. This all started when I suggested to KT that we watch a Peter O’Toole movie, since I wanted an excuse to watch one. She countered my offer by suggesting that I pick the club movies for February. Of course, I was elated to do so and I promptly celebrated this great honor by doing one-armed pushups in the middle of the office.

Which takes us to this month’s movies. Rather than going the old hat route of choosing films that were past Oscar winners, I decided to do something different and highlight cinema talents who are nominated for this year’s awards. Specifically, I wanted to look at two actors in the twilight of their careers (Peter O’Toole and Alan Arkin) and a pair of directors who are just beginning to hit their stride (Alejandro González Iñárritu and Paul Greengrass).

And the nominees are…

The Lion in Winter (1968)

Long before this year’s Venus, Peter O’Toole was ripping it up opposite Kate Hepburn in The Lion in Winter. In the movie he plays King Henry II of England, a role he was nominated for twice in two separate films (this one and Becket). The story centers around Henry as he struggles to decide which of his three sons will inherit the throne after he is gone. To make matters worse, the Queen has her own ideas on who it should be. This is family dysfunction at its best, Jerry Springer set in medieval England. O'Toole and Hepburn show why they are considered the best of their generation, and if nothing else, it's a delight to see them going at it on-screen. The movie also features Timothy Dalton in his first film role and an unbelievably young Anthony Hopkins sporting one hell of an Oedipal complex. And here's a little piece of cinema trivia for you: Hepburn and Barbara Streisand tied to share the Best Actress Oscar in 1969. Streisand won for Funny Girl, which co-starred Omar Sharif, Peter O'Toole's best friend and Lawrence of Arabia co-star.

Peter O'Toole: "The only exercise I take is walking behind the coffins of friends who took exercise."

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966)

I LOVE Alan Arkin. I was so happy to see him get nominated this year for Little Miss Sunshine. I haven't seen the movie yet (damn you Netflix for long waits!) but he is supposedly great in it, and I love that he invented his own backstory for Grandpa "as a second-rate saxophone player who deserted his family by performing in strip joints where he picked up a drug habit and a fondness for the ladies -- until the life caught up with him." I love his wry humor and it is no surprise that he is one of the founding members of Second City.

I had originally planned to go with Catch-22 for this selection since Arkin gives a great turn as Yossarian, but I figured we could try The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming instead since it is his first film and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. And I just love the tagline. The movie co-stars Carl Reiner and Eva Marie Saint and is about a Russian submarine that accidentally runs aground off the coast of New England. Hilarity ensues.

Alan Arkin: "It's not enough for me to just be a personality and go up there and say lines nicely. I want to tell a story with a character."

Amores Perros (2000)

I know three things about Alejandro González Iñárritu: he's Mexican, he makes movies with interconnecting storylines a la Traffic, and that I have no fucking clue how to pronounce his name. I have yet to see any of his films so I'm very eager to start off by watching his first feature, Amores Perros. It involves dogfighting, a homeless man, and a tragic accident -- something which seems to form the central theme in each of his films, including this year's Babel. This movie also comes highly recommended to me by KT, so if you don't like it speak to her.

Alejandro González Iñárritu: "Directing non-actors is difficult. Directing actors in a foreign language is even more difficult. Directing non-actors in a language that you yourself don't understand is the craziest thing you can possibly think of. But I would do it again in a minute."

Bloody Sunday (2002)

Though he probably won't win the Oscar for Best Director, I can't imagine that many filmmakers had a tougher challenge than Paul Greengrass. How does one make a film about 9/11 merely five years after the date that is meaningful, thoughtful, and lacks any of the jingoistic stereotypes or "ra-ra feel-good" patriotism that one would expect out of such a film? United 93 was painful to watch, but I felt that it succeeded in its goal and was damn remarkable filmmaking. Much better than the commercial, sentimental schlock Oliver Stone put out.

From what I have read, Bloody Sunday is very similar to United 93 in that it dramatizes tragic events but depicts them in an objective, unbiased manner that makes the viewer feel as if he were watching a documentary rather than a feature. The movie is of course about Bloody Sunday, when protesters in Northern Ireland were fired upon by British soldiers in the year 1972.

Paul Greengrass: “There is a great debate going on on where we are going in the post-9/11 world. This is part of the process of filmmakers saying, 'We would like to join that conversation'.”

Dark Blue, Warm Heart

2007-01-22T08:06:00.000-05:00

Dark Blue (2002)
Starring: Kurt Russell, Scott Speedman, Michael Michele, Brendan Gleeson, Ving Rhames
Cinematography: Barry Peterson
Writing credits: James Ellroy, David Ayer
Director: Ron Shelton

Yet again, I had no idea what I was getting into with this one, although I must say that I was excited to see that the DVD menu featured a shot of Scott Speedman (Ben from Felicity). Hey, he did it for me back then, so there's no reason I can't re-visit that lusty wanton feeling now as a twenty-something, is there?

This movie is set against the backdrop of the Rodney King incident in LA in 1991. Racism! Corruption! And the good guy in this movie is a Big Black Dude.

I was surprised to discover that this movie was made in 2002, because, due to the shitty music selection, I was sure that this film was a product of the nineties. Jeff- can you back me up on this one? Between the hair-dos and the bad music, they had me fooled. But that's the point, right?

(Aside) I think it's a little scary that there seems to be a never-ending free-flow of movies about crooked cops. There have also been several TV shows centering around corrupt cops. This MUST mean that there are lots of crooked cops out there, in real life, that don't have their own TV show or movie. ::Sighs::

Jeff and I discussed Eldon's "likeable-ness": Russell's character never asks the audience to like him. He doesn't get his 'happy ending.' In fact, everything about the ending sucks for Eldon: his wife is dating a hot-shot defense attorney; his son hates him 'cause he's a cold blooded killa'; his partner is dead; his partner's sexy- mistress- lady thinks he's the scum of the earth; he's losing his job; and even though he has admitted to all of the backwards acts that Ving Rhames wants to pin him with, he most certainly isn't forgiven!

Jeff and I also talked about how Crash's racial fires can be compared to the general undertone in Dark Blue. Anyone else see a connection?

Racial fires or racial fries?

Jeff and I talked about racism, stereotypes, and how everyone is guilty of one or the other, if not both. It is the way we are raised, it is the society that berthed us, it is what we see and take in. Once we have consumed a piece of information (or misinformation), we cannot un-consume it. No matter how hard we try to ignore and pretend not to be aware of certain notions, we are left with a trace of what we have heard or read. We cannot erase stereotypes. We cannot toss aside the jokes and the comments that we've all heard. We cannot help but be aware of generalizations of certain peoples once we've been exposed to the hype. The only way to erase what has come to be known... is to breed.

Ok, what a tangent!

Kurt Russell Rocks, right?

Star Wars, Patriotism, Genius

2007-01-19T14:17:00.000-05:00

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

I really wanted to compose a thoughtful, well constructed piece about this movie but I'm feeling lazy. The following jumble will have to do.

Midway through our screening last night, my friend Matt said, "This movie walks a thin line between genius and...genius. That's it man. Genius on both sides." I couldn't agree more. I hadn't seen Big Trouble in years and was worried it wouldn't hold up. My fears were for naught. It still feels as fresh and inspired as ever.

Have I lost anyone? Feel free to speak out if you didn't like it. I've been pretty open about my adoration, but I can understand how someone might not like it. It's got B-Movie written all over it and some folks just don't dig that kind of thing. I don't always myself.

And it isn't like Big Trouble is so-bad-it's-good. That's not it at all. It's just so much goddamn fun, and that's exactly what it's supposed to be. And how awesome is the dialogue?!?

Alright, I noticed some stuff I never noticed when I was a kid. One, there's a ton of obvious Star Wars allusions. They break into the trading company building to rescue green eyes, and the whole scene plays like Luke and Han going into the death star to save the princess. Then you have Jack's interaction with Samantha from Sex and the City mirroring a lot of the tension between Han and Leia. And there's that scene when they end up in that watery chamber and someone's like "Is this a garbage disposal or something." And THEN there's that scene when Jack opens the door and there's a ton of ninjas waiting to kick his ass - just like when Han runs around the corner to find all those stormtroopers waiting. Obviously the electricity stuff reminds you of the emperor and we haven't even talked about the dark magic/force parallels.

So there's that. But also I want to talk about the whole mythos of the thing. There's this weird global message going on. Jack is Mr. America, right. Just about as romantically American as you can get. But he fits in in Chinatown. He's buddies with Wang and all is good. But underneath Chinatown there's this whole mysterious, magical lair. It's like this whole thing we Westerners have about the far East. It's so exotic to us, almost mystical. Jack America and his melting pot pal Wang have to venture into this darkness and rescue their women from the clutches of evil. And what is evil? Well, the ghost of an ancient Chinese emperor...someone who wanted to conquer and rule as a dictator....someone who wanted to impose a way of culture and life and rule upon others - not coexist and accept like we do here in the States (supposedly). What I also think is interesting is this bit about a Chinese girl with green eyes. She embodies the marriage of East and West, right. Lo Pan needs to own her, and sacrifice her to the demon God. Why? Because she represents everything Lo Pan, the ancient emperor, and the demon God loath and fear. Kill and rule that which is unlike yourself. Thank God Jack and his immigrant friends are there to show them what being an American is truly about - different peoples living in peace as neighbors. Someone even says some shit about the colors that don't run when they drink that potion.

Not very eloquent, I know, but hopefully you get my point.

Bring It On!

2007-01-16T19:46:00.000-05:00

Oh sorry, we're not watching Bring It On, though I wouldn't be opposed to that at all. But there is some BIG NEWS in our little club. THE FIRST LIVE ATHENS FILM CLUB MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 AT 8:00PM!!!!!

I feel so validated.

There will be snacks and beer and a whole lotta Kurt Russell. We will, of course, be screening John Carpenter's cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. For those of you out of the Athens area, feel free to watch the movie at the same time and/or contribute to the discussion. It's a real event!!

Or something.

Katy's Swing Shift Review

2007-01-10T20:06:00.000-05:00

Swing Shift (1984)

Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti, Fred Ward, Ed Harris

Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto

Written by: Nancy Dowd, Nora Ephron

Director: Jonathan Demme

I went into Swing Shift having no idea what to expect. I mean I'm a Kurt Russell fan based solely on his more recent stuff (Captain Ron, Tombstone, Sky High) and I've never been a big Goldie Hawn fan. Of course I love Ed Harris, who doesn't, and was worried I wouldn't be able to get over Hawn cheating on him, albeit with The Russ. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.

Firstly, I love any 'period piece' type movie where I get to be immersed in the dress, dance, interior décor, etc. of the time. Good stuff.

Secondly, I read an online review that complimented Hawn for not acting too cutesy and ruining the part, and I couldn't agree with that more. I think she really did play the character with dignity and honesty. One thing I especially appreciated was that although she is obviously beautiful, the film was obsessed with her looking good. Her hair is dry and messy, she's not wearing makeup. Compare this with the Rosie the Riveter poster where Rosie's makeup is ample and hair is perfect.

Thirdly, was that the small woman from Poltergeist?

One thing I do take issue with is that there was absolutely no discussion of race whatsoever. Kurt Russell played music with a bunch of black guys, was Kelly's supposed to be a sort of shady "across the tracks" type of hangout? And what about the two women of color working at the factory, what issues did they deal with because of their race? This is given no attention that I saw, not even a single comment. I found this unbelievable almost to the point of being offensive. Clearly there was some racial dynamic taking place at the time, and the honesty with which the film deals with gender issues makes it's blind spot towards race very dismissive.

Secondly thing I wonder about was what ever happens to Hazel's singing career? I really could have done with them leaving her love life out of the story and focused more on her ambitions. We never even heard her sing, right? Or was she just pretending to be interested in that because she was in love with the night club manager? And the incomparable Fred Ward's (Escape from Alcatraz, Tremors, The Right Stuff, Sweet Home Alabama) character was really pretty thin as well.

Overall I was impressed with this movie, especially because I'd never even heard of it before. Loved the not bittersweet ending, loved the part where she both comically but poignantly resists giving her leadman shirt back.

It Don't Mean a Thing / If it Ain't Got That Swing... Shift

2007-01-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

Swing Shift (1984)

Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Christine Lahti, Fred Ward, Ed Harris

Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto

Written by: Nancy Dowd, Nora Ephron

Director: Jonathan Demme

Nuclear Family

2007-01-03T10:50:00.000-05:00

Silkwood (1983)
Starring: Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell, Cher, Craig T. Nelson, Ron Silver
Cinematography: Miroslav Ondrícek
Written by: Alice Arlen, Nora Ephron
Director: Mike Nichols

Sorry for the late post on this. On one hand I've been busy. On the other, yes, I've found it difficult to get motivated to watch this movie. That may sound funny since I'm the one who picked it, but I wanted to give it a chance despite the daunting first impression made by its story, the DVD cover, its title, and Cher.

I went into this movie knowing about the contamination and death of the real life Karen Silkwood. It was extremely difficult to watch having that outcome in the back of my mind. I also happen to suffer from Radiophobia, the fear of radiation, and it was a nightmare watching Karen set off that ticking monitor alarm thing. Still, I pressed on.

Was it worth it? A day after watching Silkwood, I'm still not sure. As a whole it's got some problems. The pacing is disruptive, dwelling too long on some scenes while breezing through others. Her death, for instance, feels like it was tacked on in the editing room with some spare footage, but we are given a thorough examination of Cher's lesbianic struggles. Also, the use of music in the movie is almost comical. Amazing Grace??! And not just once - TWICE. Seriously now. The original score is heavy handed, distracting us from the otherwise obvious fact that some scenes are outright bad (again, I'm thinking of a loooooong scene with Cher on the porch), and informing us of the appropriate emotion we're supposed to be experiencing. This is definitely my least favorite Mike Nichols film. And, yeah, including Wolf.

The cast is the strongest element of this project. Though even the consummate Meryl Streep's accent drops out from time to time, I thought most of the performances were very strong. Streep may have in fact been a little too strong. Just who was this Karen Silkwood, anyway? We're given very little about her actual character. She loves her children. She's a bit of a rebel. She smokes a lot. She apparently sleeps around. Sometimes she's sharp as a tack, other times as dull as a butter knife...that's pretty much it. Streep, however, seems hellbent on imbuing the role with as much depth as possible, as if the truth of Karen Silkwood isn't quite up to par with the story she wanted to tell. Or maybe that's just Nichols, who may be more comfortable highlighting the weaknesses of the upper class, rather then the strengths of the lower.

What is the focus here? Is it, as Matt predicted, the story of a martyr? That's definitely part of it. It's also the least interesting part. First of all, the facts are hazy as to whether she was even murdered at all. And although it seems fairly clear that she was poisoned, it isn't as if she were the most careful employee at the plant. What if it was just a coincidence? I just don't know, and the movie didn't convince me one way or another. Her life story is an interesting one, but the movie sometimes seems to want to elevate it to a more meaningful level. In that effort, it fails.

The filmmakers also go for this blue collar requiem bullshit that just comes off as hokey. Not for one moment did I forget I was watching a Hollywood production, a bunch of well-to-do outsiders looking in on their neighbors with a telescope. La Terra Trema this ain't.

But forget about it...let's talk about Kurt. I gotta say, he had even less to work with than Meryl Streep, and I thought he was outstanding. Instead of going bigger, he went quieter. And it works. His performance somehow resonates in a way that little else in the movie does. So much of Silkwood feels like empty space - an airy gap between Truth and Message. Russell stays centered, though. And by choosing the subtler approach, he allows us the opportunity to glimpse the humanity of these characters. If only everyone else had the wisdom to do the same, they would have had a real movie on their hands.

And Now For Something Completely Different

2006-12-30T14:30:00.000-05:00

Alright, it's time to announce the theme for January. This time around, I took a suggestion from Katy only to find out later that she was joking. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we've ended up with a whole month of KURT RUSSELL movies ahead of us. You know what Jack Burton always says... what the hell?

I actually like ol' Kurt. I don't love him, but his presence in a movie is usually a welcome one for me. And sometimes, he's downright charismatic. In picking these movies, I've tried to focus on some of his more acclaimed work. And, on a completely selfish note, I've also chosen three movies that I haven't seen yet. The only one I vouch for is Big Trouble in Little China, which is included here primarily because those who haven't seen it need to do so asap. Russell has had a great working relationship with John Carpenter, and it's tough to decide which one to show, but I'm personally looking forward to revisiting this strange gem which I haven't seen since childhood. We'll get around to it later. I think we should watch these in chronological order.

First, some interesting facts about our actor.

-Judging by his filmography, he seems to be fond of playing Elvis and/or Elvis impersonators (Elvis, Forrest Gump, 3000 Miles to Graceland. He was even in a real Elvis movie when he was 10 years old (It Happened at the World's Fair).
-He's been in a ton of Disney movies, as he signed a 10 year contract in 1960. The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes anyone? He's played college whizkid Dexter Riley in three different movies.
-Tombstone is a great movie by almost all accounts.
-Has been with Goldie Hawn, who was a bona fide looker when she was younger, since 1982.
-Used to play pro baseball
-Libertarian...member of the NRA.
-personal quote: "If it hadn't been for video cassette, I may not have had a career at all."

Now, the features.

First up is Silkwood (1983)

Yeah, it looks pretty dramatic, but it's an interesting true story and supposedly pretty good. "The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant" (imdb) Good times!!!

We'll follow that up with the movie where Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell met, Swing Shift (1984)

"A woman finds romance when she takes a job at an airport plant to help make ends meet after her husband goes off to war." (imdb)

In the third week, we'll be watching the cult masterpiece Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Nuff said.

Finally, if I haven't singlehandedly driven this club to an early grave with this month's selections, we will check out some more recent Russell fare, 2002's Dark Blue

I'd wanted to see this cop drama about an LA officer dealing with corruption when it came out, but I forgot all about it until doing my research. I dunno. The movie may end up being standard fare, but I do like that fucking poster.

And, as a special optional bonus movie, feel free to watch and comment upon the Disney classic, The Fox and the Hound (1981), featuring the vocal stylings of Jack Burton himself.

Merry Christmas, Herzliche Weihnachtsgrüße, and Joyeux Noël

2006-12-25T14:18:00.000-05:00

Joyeux Noël (2005)
Starring: Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet, Dany Boon, Gary Lewis, Daniel Brühl
Written by: Christian Carion
Directed By: Christian Carion
Cinematography: Walther van den Ende

Season's Greetings, fellow film friends. Because of the nature of this time of year, I thought that maybe before we get into discussion about this week's movie, we should take a moment to reflect. You know, reflect on the things that we should be grateful for. (Am I wrong? Isn't this the time of year to be doing that sort of thing? I wasn't raised well.)

If you're like me, you don't celebrate the 25th of December (or any other religious holiday, for that matter) as anything more than just a time to be thankful for that which we have. A time to enjoy "togetherness" and "love" and "warmth"- whatever these ambiguous concepts may mean to each of us.

This time of year, as I recall, is a good time also to be rememberful of those who have not. So, let's just say that before dinner last night, although my heathen family and I did not talk with God, I personally made it a point to be silently thankful. Although families can be overbearing (and for some reason, even the more so during the holidays. Criminy!), it's nice to have a little somethin' somethin' to come back home to (Somethin' Somethin'= love and great food, you sick f*ck).

Ok, enough with the drivel, onward ho..... Ho. Ho.

Although I love to talk about films, I have the strange knack for never, ever knowing anything about a movie that I'm about to see. I don't keep up with what's coming out anymore, or even who's doing what. Usually, I just kinda wander around in the video store until I find something good OR until I find something that I've heard Jeff talking about. Jeff has an excellent sense for the cinematic. Except for in the case of The New World (Just kiddin!!)

With all of that said: I go into the local video store and without even taking a look around, I ask the guy at the desk, "Do you have a movie called... Joy- Joy- Joyyou Noel?"

See, I don't want to sound like someone who thinks they know how to pull off a French accent. On the flip side, I don't wanna come off as that stupid white trash chick with "Hey, you got that thar Joy-ux No-el?"

To my chagrin, the video store guy told me, "Yeah. We have it. It's on the 'New Releases' wall".

I had most certainly thought that Joyeux Noël was a classic film. We're talkin' 60's- or 70's- old. Had I known it was a new release, I would most certainly have gone straight over to the New Releases wall and looked for it on my own. And now I feel like an asshole and will proboably not go back to that store for a while. Especially now with the late fees...

As for the movie:

I was totally shocked, once again, because I popped this movie in without knowing the slightest of what it was about. At first, I was troubled that it would be a poorly acted, overdramatized depiction of personal relationships circa WWI. Once the nitty-gritty of the story began to unfold, I was pulled in. Based on true events, nonetheless.

What I found endearing:
The connection that develops between the Lieutenants of the three sections of the front. It is slow at first, as we see the German in charge, Horstmayer (played by Daniel Brühl), resisting anything that would seemingly stray away from the rote. Hell, he even challenges the pupose of the singers at first. Although, in my opinion, if one of my men wanted to bring a steaming hot young lady down to my trench, I might just let him.

I loved the fact that even after Sprink sings and the Scots chime in with their bagpipes, I was still afraid that someone was going to get their head blown off.

I love how we see the three trenches slowly warm up to each other. They are all men- mortal men. These men have blood pushing through their veins after all. Yes, this theme can and should be be discussed on the plain of any war/conflict. These men were once assigned, much like robots, to shoot at/kill one another only to find that they enjoy one another's company-- what a powerful message. I will take what I see pertinent from it: I hope that you find a similar message within the movie that will stay with you in the same way.

What I found annoying:
I was afraid that this movie was going to be a --- sigh--- lovestory. Although the events that transpire in the film wouldn't have been able to take place without the Singing Lovebirds' yearning to be with one another, I was glad to discover that their story was merely a vessel for the togetherness of the three trenches on Christmas Eve. I also find it annoying that in some global film markets, this movie was marketed as a love story. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the interation between the men in charge over the "love" element of the film. The developing comraderie was refreshing.

There should definitely not have been close-ups of the couple singing together. It was unbearable to watch the two "sing". Hopefully, if you have seen the film, you will agree with me without my having to delve into further explanation.

Overall- I liked it. Nice little pleasant surprise. Good pick, Jeff.

Thoughts, anyone?

Poirot's Christmas

2006-12-17T21:37:00.000-05:00

Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1974)

Director: Edward Bennett

***CONTAINS SPOILERS***

Who is Poirot? What is a Poirot? I had no idea. What I knew was that the Poirot dvd’s were quite popular at my video store, and the people who checked them out were older white folks who could be cross-listed as fans of Cracker, Prime Suspect, and the like.

So clearly I’ve never read any Agatha Christie. I had no idea that this mustachio-ed non-Brit has appeared in a veritable shit ton of stories. But now I know. And now I have watched a Poirot. What else is there to say.

I mean I don’t read a lot of mysteries, and I don’t watch a lot of mysteries, so I don’t know how good I am to posting this. But I suspect I am also the only one who watched it, so post I will. But whatever will I say?

First, let’s consider this: Hercule is a Belgian private detective working in London. But what is the greater mystery – the one he is hired to solve, or that of his own sexuality? According to the website Hercule Poirot Central, we are informed that while never married, the purportedly heterosexual Hercule was “passionately attached” to a certain Countess Vera Rosakoff. I do not mean to doubt that this relationship may have existed, but allow me to point out that “Countess Vera Rosakoff” is a stage name of which any drag queen could be proud.

Secondly, let me say how glad I was that characters within the story openly mocked Hercule’s mustache. Excellent work, you rich old bastards.

Thirdly, I would like to say how thrilled I was that Poirot not only solved the crime, but used a joke shop mustache and a family portrait to really spell it out for everyone. Because these xenophobes don’t believe a word you say in that “English” you’re speaking, Herc.

And speaking of the actual crime, why was everyone so terrified by the “noise of murder” when it first happened? They go up to the room and see the dead body and begin to panic, forgetting all the while of the accompanying sound, which was clearly that of a pig dying of explosive diarrhea. I was really quite preoccupied with this little fact throughout the movie. That was just piss poor detective work, I mean clearly that is your number one clue to go on, right?

In conclusion: queer text, sketchy mustachios, pork products of some kind.

Tokyo Godfathers

2006-12-11T09:52:00.000-05:00

Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
Directors: Satoshi Kon & Shôgo Furuya
Story and Screenplay: Satoshi Kon
Starring: Toru Emori (Gin); Aya Okamoto (Miyuki); Yoshiaki Umegaki (Hana)
PG-13; 92 min

This is an animated flick. I was unaware of that until last night when Jeff came over and said, "I brought Tokyo Godfathers. It's an animated movie."

So, we watched it. I'm really not a big fan of animated films. Usually I steer clear of Anime (I'm not knocking it; it's just not my bag o' tea). But this film, set in the cold streets of Tokyo during the Christmas season, charmed me out of my animated film apprehensiveness.

To my surprise, the 3 main characters are fun, likable, and dynamic. I was under the impression going in that I was sitting down to view a dark film. But, no! There's not a single scene worth of animated death OR sex. I know, I know, "How can a movie be entertaining without death or sex?" you ask.

Settle down, you animal. Why does everything have to be about flesh and carnage?

Here's something interesting that I found on IMDB:

The film is full of "12-25" (Christmas) references, including: The number on the key; the cab fare; the address in the newspaper ad; the cab license plate.

To be honest with you, I wasn't able to pick up on all of the Christmas references... because I don't read Japanese. If I did, however, have a working literacy of Japanese language and script, I'm sure that I would have appreciated these subtle (or maybe not so subtle) references to the number 25. If you know how to read/speak/write Japanese, you should let me know if this technique is effective within the context of the movie.

I'm interested to see what everyone has to say about this one. I'm feeling warm and fuzzy over here, although I'm not sure that I learned a whole lot (aside from having to come to terms with the fact that I know very little about Japanese culture, society, or economy).

In a feeble (yet mocking) attempt to sound like I know what I'm talking about:

"If you're looking for a wholesome holiday treat for the entire family (errr, family members ages 13+), this film is a must-see."

Black Christmas

2006-12-04T14:51:00.000-05:00

Black Christmas (1974)
Director: Bob Clark
Screenplay: Roy Moore
Starring: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Andrea Martin
Cinematography: Reginald Morris
Original Music: Carl Zittrer
R, 98 mins.

What do Porky's, A Christmas Story, Black Christmas, and Baby Geniuses have in common? Bob Clark, apparently. I have found no official record of schizophrenia thus far.

Shot in Canada with a budget of $620,000, this is the original slasher film. It set in place many of the cliches we now take for granted, like the POV shot from a mouth breathing killer. Halloween would follow 4 years later.

Whalelegs, who may or may not still be a member of this club, asked me recently about horror movies. Specifically, what's the appeal? I love the genre. What I find interesting is that the reasons I love it have changed and adapted over the years. Adapted because I've been watching horror movies for most of my life, and frankly there's no giving them up now. No matter how moronic 99.9% of them are, I'll find a way to justify my devotion.

As a child, I was genuinely scared and fascinated by what I saw. The fear was like a drug at that point. As I became more and more desensitized, however, I developed an unhealthy (but very common) hero worship of the major villains. I recently discovered an assignment from the 3rd grade in which I said that Freddy Krueger was the one person I'd most like to meet.

By the time I hit puberty my obsession became more prurient in nature. A steady diet of horror movies also means a steady diet of naked college women in compromising situations. It wasn't just the sex, though, that I found titillating. The violence itself began to have more of a junk food appeal to me. I was so detached from the exploitative, ridiculous gore that it was just like watching professional wrestling. In this way, horror movies became a theater for my low brow impulses. In retrospect, I'm troubled by the casual manner in which sex and violence were linked in so much of what I saw growing up. I'm lucky it didn't have a more dangerous affect on me. In fact, as my sensitivity to what I saw on the screen diminished, my sensitivity to real life heightened. Real violence makes me cringe, and the sight of a naked woman arouses absolutely no desire to stab her with a pitchfork.

Now, I watch horror movies mostly for nostalgic reasons. Sure there's the occasional diamond in the rough, but for the most part I'm just checking in with an old friend. I never saw Black Christmas growing up, but the slasher genre it sired was my favorite among all horror genres. I'm fascinated by the idea of an isolated group of people, a microcosm of "normal" society, being compulsively slaughtered by someone not allowed to join in their reindeer games. Cultural norms necessarily leave outcasts in their wake, and many of these movies play out a restoration of balance by sacrificing our elected, and horny, surrogates to the God of Retribution.

December Line Up

2006-11-29T19:37:00.000-05:00

Don't forget about the raging Ice Storm key party going on downstairs. The egg nog is flowing and it's anyone's guess who you'll go home with. Meanwhile, I'd like to throw out some suggestions for next month's movies.

Not exactly the lightest fare, Black Christmas has come up more than once as a nice little treat for the Holidays.

I've still not seen this movie after many years of hearing about it, so I'm going to go ahead and solidify it in next week's slot. It's basically the original slasher film, predating and influencing even Halloween. It's not easy resisting the urge to follow that up with Silent Night, Deadly Night, but I think we only need one horror Christmas movie in the roster.

We've got some interesting choices for the remaining weeks. Let me or Katie know what your preferences are and we'll have a schedule ready soon. (As a side note, I haven't seen any of these, so those of you questioning my taste after watching The New World can go fu- I mean, you don't have to worry about that here.)

First, there's John Ford's Christmas Western, 3 Godfathers:

Released in 1948 and starring John Wayne (I remain on the fence between loving and loathing that man...Flava Flav was more decisive), it's the story of three gunmen who risk their lives to bring an infant to safety in the desert. It takes place near Christmas and is a retelling of some story from the bible, but don't hold that against it.

For comparison's sake, we could also watch this movie:

It's the same wise men tale reimagined by Ford, but this time the baby is discovered by three homeless people in Tokyo. The reviews for this one are very encouraging.

If those don't float you're boat, how does Christmas in the Clouds sound?

I came across this while doing research and don't know much about it. It sounds good though, and more upbeat than anything I've mentioned so far. The product description reads, "A classic comedy of mistaken identity and romance set during the holiday season at a ski resort that is owned and operated by a Native American Nation. Shot on location at The Sundance Resort in Utah, this is the first contemporary romantic comedy to feature an almost entirely American Indian cast. The film was featured at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival."

Alright, next is something I really want to check out. The story sounds fantastic, and the cover of the DVD had me at hello...

It's a dramatization of a real event during World War I. On Christmas Eve in 1914, soldiers on the Western Front from many different nations decided to call an unofficial truce to celebrate a moment of peace for one night. nominated for all sorts of fancy awards last year, it was just released on DVD this month. In French with English subtitles.

Let's see, what else? Oh, the last thing I have listed here is the classic Poirot feature length "Christmas" mystery,

How can you go wrong with that? Or maybe you can. I've never actually seen a Poroit mystery, but I know lots of fans.

Cast your votes, members. By that, of course, I mean to totally refrain from commenting or emailing even after direct request. It's cool - I wouldn't either. And I'm watching motherfuckin' Black Christmas either way.

Does anyone know of any good New Year's movies?

Behold The Ice Storm!

2006-11-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

The Ice Storm (1997)
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: Rick Moody and James Schamus
Starring: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czerny, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood
R, 112 min.

Although it's rainy and I'm feeling lazy, I'm not going to fill this post with fun factoids. I'll leave the factoiding to Jeff.

This film speaks for itself.

May I just begin our discussion by saying that Sigourney Weaver is fantastic in this movie? From the moment you meet her, she radiates sex and cold.... brrr! I love it. Good recommendation, Jeffrey.

A few things that I noticed about the movie:

1) The music at the beginning of the film (you know, that native-American, whistley, whimsical tune) didn't seem to fit the modern scene. However, after all that transpires throughout the film, the same music played at the close of the movie is terribly apropos. Don't you think?

2) I seemed to notice a travel/moving/motion theme... whether it was walking, bicycle riding, train-taking, or car driving, the viewer sees these characters moving throughout the film. Taking the rest of the movie into account, do you think that Ang Lee meant to say something with this? Or did he do all of the motion stuff just to make people like me begin meaningless conversations? What do you think?

3) Ain't it a bitch that you don't realize that your everyday problems really aren't problems at all until your kid/neighbor/neighbor's kid/make-out buddy dies?

Happy T Dizzle

2006-11-23T20:59:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had your thanks bagged up, labeled and ready to be given before you sat down to your holiday feasts today. We'll continue with this months theme as we watch The Ice Storm next week. In the meantime, the discussion for The New World is awaiting your comments below.

Since the holiday season is officially here, I can't think of any reason not to have next month's theme follow suit. This time, I'd like to do things a little more democratically. Can everyone email (athensfilmclub@gmail.com) TWO suggestions for Holiday/Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa/New Year's themed movie selections. Send in your favorites or just something you'd like to see, and the club will vote on which four movies to watch. Hell, even if we just watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation every week I don't think there would be too many complaints.

PS - I've been telling people for years that Burgess Meredith played Uncle "The Blessssing" Lewis in Christmas Vacation. This is, in fact, not a fact at all. My apologies to some dead guy named William Hickley.

Documentary Rec: Death in Gaza

2006-11-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

This documentary is not for the faint-at-heart. If you've ever been curious as to how things are in conflict-torn areas of Israel and the Gaza Strip/West Bank, you might want to take a look at this film. Shot in the spring of 2003, this harrowing look into the lives of Muslim children living in villages occupied by the Israelis assumes a dangerous and unbelievably raw perspective on the conflict that, for so many of us, is inexplicably hard to understand. Before you make up your mind that this documentary might have an anti-Israeli bias, be informed that at the outset, this project was intended to be a visual account of the lives and tribulations of both Palestinian and Israeli children living in this part of the world. Unfortunately, before the film crew could get to the filming of the second half of their story, filmmaker and crew member James Miller was shot and killed by gunfire coming from an Israeli tank during the production of Death in Gaza. Thus, this palpable (and by the end, almost tangible) account of death and how it takes a part in the daily lives of the featured children ultimately becomes a reality for the film crew and the viewer with the untimely death of James Miller. You can read about James and the investigation into his death here. In any case, this documentary deserves a look. As a viewer, be ready to take a look into the world of oppressed Islam. You'll see into the veiled world of militants and would-be "martyrs". Listen to adults and children alike talk about their reasoning for violence. Caution: Not recommended as a first-date rental.

"The New World" Discussion Questions

2006-11-20T13:49:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone has been able to watch the movie. If not, you can still view it anytime and comment/post at will. Next week we will move on to The Ice Storm. You can always come back and add to the discussion though.

Here are some questions to get things started. It's a bit final examish, so feel free to say fuck it and talk about whatever you want:

1) Although it has been romanticized, the conquest of "the new world" by European settlers led to a virtual genocide of its indigenous peoples. Public awareness of the plights, both past and present, of Native Americans has increased in recent years as political correctness and revisionism have gained popularity. Malick's film was released in 2005, and it may be tempting for the viewer to watch it within a framework of political or historical criticism. It may in fact be inevitable. Having seen the film, in what ways does it conform to prevailing attitudes about the settling of America? Are there any elements or characters in the movie that contradict those attitudes? Do you think the filmmakers intended to make a political film, a historical film, or something else?

2) After he is taken captive by the naturals, John Smith spends a significant amount of time learning about their way of life before returning to camp. Cinematically, how does Malick draw a contrast between the Indian city and the camp of the settlers? What sorts of imagery does he use and what connotations do they have in these scenes? Speaking more generally, what are some of the substantial differences between the two societies?

3) Collin Farrell: hot or not? Discuss.

4) The movie's opening and closing sequences are anchored to the image of moving water. Water, in the form of the river and otherwise, is so prevelant throughout the film that it almost functions like another character. What meaning (figuratively or literally) does it have to the various characters in the story, and to the story itself? What about trees? And grass?

5) Describe the character of the Indian princess. How does she change during the course of the movie? How does she respond to her arrival in England? What is her attitude toward John Smith? Toward John Rolfe? Her final line in the movie is "Mother, now I know where you live." What the shit does that mean?

6) How does the movie portray civilization? One of the great tensions in the film is between Order and Nature. Or maybe I made that up, but there's definitely a recurring theme of law, society, structure, etc. An example is when the two Englishmen are arguing about which day of the week it is, but later the princess doesn't even know what a day is or why there are colors on the map of the world. Captain Newport speaks to the settlers about the "Eden" that has been given to them in this new land. How are the actions of the settlers juxtaposed with Newport's words?

7) Does the movie succeed as a love story? What timeless elements, if any, are present in the "romantic" lives of the princess, John Smith, and John Rolfe. Who loves who? Are there different types of love presented? If so, are any types more real or valuable than others?

8) "The New World" has a score of 60% on rottentomatoes.com. If you read the reviews, most critics seem to either love it or think of it as a giant failure. In my early discussions with some of our club members, that trend seems to have carried over. What about the movie makes it so devisive?

The New World (introduction)

2006-11-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

It's a rainy afternoon and I'm feeling lazy, so I'm just going to paste some stuff from the internet here:

The New World (2005)
Written and directed by Terrence Malick
Starring: Colin Farrell, Q'Orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale
Cinematography:Emmanuel Lubezki
Original Music: James Horner
PG-13, 135 mins.

Plot Summary (from Amazon.com): When 17th century explorer John Smith and a few men go up the river to trade with the Indians, he befriends the princess Pocahontas and they fall in love. While in love, Smith must obtain his duties as president of Jamestown fort and challenges to himself what is the better path for himself to take: stay with the fallen apart colony or go up the river and love Pocahontas in the wild. The Indians realize that the English do not mean to leave, so they attack. A few men at the fort decide to capture Pocahontas as a hostage so the Indians will not attack them. Smith is ordered to leave Jamestown by the King, and John Rolfe, a wealthy tobacco planter arrives at the fort. Pocahontas, now living there adapts to the English cultures and falls in love with Rolfe. She falls apart deciding who she is dedicated to, Smith or Rolfe.

Now here's some interesting trivia from IMDB:

*Before the start of the shoot, Terrence Malick and Emmanuel Lubezki devised a series of photography rules or dogma that are to be used in film. They are:

* 1) No artificial lights. All is shot in natural light.
* 2) No crane or dolly shots, just handheld or Steadicam shots.
* 3) Everything is shot in the subjective view.
* 4) All shots must be 'deep-focus shots', that is everything (foreground and background) is visible and focused.
* 5) You (the camera crew) are encouraged to go and shoot unexpected things that might happen in accident or if your instinct tells you so.
* 6) Selective shots: any shot that does not have visual strength is not used.

*Native American cast members had to learn the Algonquin language. 3000 people speak this language today, many of whom were hired by producers to teach cast members.

*Producers agreed with Native American leaders not to acknowledge credit to them until the final film met with their approval.

*In preparation for the role, Colin Farrell read all seven of John Smith's books he published back in England on his accounts of The New World.

*Terrence Malick cut the film around a completed score as opposed to creating the music in a studio with a finished film.

*Casting for the character of Pocahontas proved difficult, producers looked at over two thousand actors before deciding to open up their search criteria for all indigenous actors of both North and South America.

*The original version of the film lasted for 150 minutes and was released in December 2005. After a few days on limited release, Malick decided to withdraw the print and re-edit the film into its definitive, 135-minute version. There are rumours that the extended cut, whilst not favored by Malick, could appear on DVD at some point in the future.

OK, hopefully this has piqued your interest if you haven't already seen the movie. We'll start discussing next week, so join in any time. See you then!

Welcome!

2006-11-14T17:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the official site of the unofficial Athens Film Club. Here are the answers to some (anticipated) frequently asked questions:

"Film" club? Sounds fancy. Is this a club for snobs? Absolutely not. No movie or type of movie is off limits. However, while you might not be reading subtitles every week, what's important to the success of the club is the integrity of discussion. It's fine to argue whether Old School is good or bad, but going a little beyond that is what will make the club rewarding and, hopefully, more fun.

So how does it work? Every month there will be a theme (genre, director, actor, country, etc.) featured in the left hand sidebar of the site. Below that, there will be a movie selected for the week that in some way relates to that theme. All you have to do is watch the movie some time during the week and participate in the discussion. You can do this on your own or with friends. Our goal is to one day have a central screening space, but until then, it's up to you to do your homework.

So it's like a book club, but with movies? Yes. Yes it is.

Do I need a blogger account to join? Only if you want to be able to create your own posts. Otherwise, you will be limited to the comment section underneath. If you would like to be a publisher, send an email to athensfilmclub@gmail.com. Be sure to include your blogger ID.

What if I'm not an Athens resident? Come on in. And tell your friends.

How are the movies selected? As we're getting started, the club's founders will choose what we're watching and when. However, this is a club, not a class, and we encourage you to email us with your suggestions for future selections.

Does it cost anything to join? Since we're doing this online, there's no fee. If we can get a space for screenings, there might be a small rental charge for those who come out.

Can I nominate myself for Secretary? Sorry, there are no club officers at this time.

Do you honestly expect anyone to participate in this thing? No. No we don't.