Director Forman Tackled Adaptations to Acclaim

Director Milos Forman passed away at 86, and although he made a relatively limited number of films, he will always be remembered for his films of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Amadeus which won Best Picture and Director at the Oscars. In fact he took on the challenge of adapting other challenging source materials including Ragtime and Hair.

I remember there was a call for extras on the DC Mall for  the climactic shot in Hair. Hosted by comedian Robert Klein and music highlighted by Bonnie Raitt, my friends and I saw them film a musical scene that was actually used the film, and then we participated in the final crowd scene-so maybe, just maybe I am in there somewhere. The film was shown at our UMCP theater to great response; although not a big hit in general, college students loved it as did I. Great memories.

2001:A Space Odyssey Celebrates 50th Anniversery

It was April 2, 1968, when Stanley Kubrick's scifi masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered  at the Uptown Theater in Washington DC! Since my dad was an astrophysicist, he got an invite with his family! I was a mere nine years old, and this was not like any movie I had ever seen. I was so confused and even bored by its meticulous visuals and unorthodox lack of dialogue and structure. By the time the film stopped for intermission, (yes big films often had intermissions back then), I was dumbfounded. So we went back for the second half, and I was even more confused through the wild ending. It was not until I got the novelization of the screenplay (which ironically was based on an original book by Arthur C. Clark called Childhood's End), that I finally understood the film with its well researched science, imaginative themes, and Oscar winning special effects that helped make films like Star Wars and Alien possible and influenced a generation of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. When I got to college and helped run the film program, 2001 was a regularly programmed staple on the midnight circuit.

The fact that fifty years later, the film still impresses with its visuals and does not seem dated, (a testament to Kubrick's vision), says a lot and is championed by such directors as Christopher Nolan. At a recent MidAtlantic Nostalgia Convention, I had the pleasure of meeting the two stars of 2001, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood.  As we celebrate a movie milestone, it really is amazing how far films have come, and what a landmark 2001 has become and has played important moments in my life. 

2001 article

90th Oscars Go as Expected

The 90th Oscars were generally behaved with repeat host Jimmy Kimmel doing a solid job again including a surprise visit to a nearby theater previewing A Wrinkle in Time and shocking its audience with movie stars and snacks! He also had an offer of  jet skis for the shortest speech!

The show had its glamorous stars from yesteryear but was decidedly skewed younger and more diverse, hence the message was clear-Hollywood is changing. There were no outright soapbox moments save Best Actress Frances McDormand calling upon all female nominees to stand and make themselves noticed.

My picks were pretty right on except for a couple categories and Best Pic, and I was suspecting the preferential vote for Best Picture going to Get Out  (it got Best Original Screenplay).  Instead, The Shape of Water, my personal favorite, prevailed. And last year's presenters Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty got a do-over, nice touch. Now, on to more films to prep for the 91st Oscars!

2018 OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR 2017 FILMS

OK, I have seen all best picture nominees and a few other titles but not all. There are very likely surprises in a couple major categories. Enjoy

PICTURE-Very tough three way race Three Billboards… vs The Shape of Water vs Get Out. My boldest pick is Get Out but wish Shape of Water wins. (In this category, preferential voting is used and is not traditional voting.)

ACTOR-Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour is a sure thing

ACTRESS-Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri is a safe bet

SUPPORTING ACTOR-Sam Rockwell stole his scenes in Three Billboards…

SUPPORTING ACTRESS-Allison Janney had the role of a lifetime in I Tonya, Laurie Metcalf in Lady Bird deserves better

DIRECTOR-Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY-one of the tightest races- Jordan Peele for Get Out in squeaker over Three Billboards…

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY-Call Me By Your Name will win its only Oscar for legendary James Ivory

ANIMATED FEATURE-Coco

FILM EDITING-Dunkirk

CINEMATOGRAPHY-Blade Runner 2049 Richard Deakins wins one finally!

PRODUCTION DESIGN-The Shape of Water

ORIGINAL SCORE-The Shape of Water

ORIGINAL SONG- ‘Remember Me’ from Coco barely over ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman

SOUND EDITING-Dunkirk

SOUND MIXING- Dunkirk

COSTUME DESIGN-Phantom Thread

MAKEUP& HAIRSTYLING- Darkest Hour

VISUAL EFFECTS-War for the Planet of the Apes but watch out for Blade Runner 2049

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM-Fantastic Woman

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE-Faces Places

Various SHORTS-I have no idea!

Figure no film will win more than 4 Oscars tops, some very good films may be shutout like Lady Bird. But there’s nothing like a surprise award!

The Exuberance of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Lots of enthusiasm and energy highlight this fanciful imagining of legendary showman P.T. Barnum in this excellent musical featuring Hugh Jackman in a well-rounded performance.

P. T. Barnum (Jackman) is a dreamer who envisions big things and a better life with childhood sweetheart, Charity (Michelle Williams).  Unemployed, he improvises a new kind of entertainment drawing from unusual, shunned individuals with physical oddities, which grows into a circus of performing artists who are shown to have feelings and form a bond amongst themselves. Barnum then partners with playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) who is smitten by a black, female trapeze artist, Anne (Zendaya).  As news and popularity of the unique performers spreads, trouble comes from locals who dislike the ‘freaks’ as well as art critics who resent the fake show. When tragedy strikes the circus, Barnum and Carlyle are at a crossroads.

Jackman is marvelous as the triple threat performer singing, dancing, and acting with gusto and bravado. His Barnum is more idealized showman than a con artist.  He is well supported by Williams (Mudbound, All the Money in the World in one year!), while Efron and Zendaya shine as would be lovers.

The film hums along at an excellent pace with beautiful, fluid camerawork, rapid edits (and seamless transitions), and sharp choreography.  There are a number of standout musical numbers featuring tuneful songs amid colorful sets and costumes.  The songs are melded seamlessly in a natural expansion of plot and mood, no easy feat.

Directed with zeal by Michael Gracey and written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, Beauty and the Beast), the film deals with various themes including class disparity, racism, and discrimination. It’s an old fashioned musical that incorporates contemporary themes for an MTV audience.  Well executed. 

***1/2 of ****stars

I, TONYA as We Know It

Told from multiple points of view and based on interviews (screenplay by Steven Rogers) of its principals, I Tonya is a fascinating study of one of the most infamous athletes of the twentieth century, skater Tonya Harding.

Raised in a broken home, Harding (Margot Robbie) is thrust into the world of figure skating by her abusive, foul mouthed mom (Allison Janney nails it). When she begins dating older Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), she trades one abusive relationship for another. In the 1980s, her ability to achieve the Holy Grail of skating, the triple axel, thrusts her to the world championship, and she becomes, for one moment, arguably the best skater in the world.  As she prepares for The Olympics, Jeff’s plans to scare her primary rival, Nancy Kerrigan, go off track with Kerrigan attacked by an accomplice.  Harding is dragged into the investigation and media circus even as a chance at greatness is within her reach.

Robbie, marvelous as Harding, is portrayed as the underdog, competing against more polished, refined skaters.  How much did she know about the plot to injure Kerrigan?  The film’s conceit is that it lets the audience draw its own conclusions although it seems to sympathize with its title character especially when it shows her caught up in events beyond her control.

Visual effects enhance the credible skating sequences which are imaginatively shot and boldly edited. The film is self- assured (directed by Craig Gillespie) and occasionally breaks the ‘fourth wall’.

This is a kind of American tragedy with Harding’s pursuit of the American dream.  Always engaging with its perspectives, this film, while quite entertaining, should be taken with a grain of salt.  Robbie, though, as co-producer and star, is proving herself to be a versatile actress (Suicide Squad) and a force to watch in the future.

***1/2 of **** stars

Fashion Sense and Sensibility in PHANTOM THREAD

A fascinating character study set in the fashion world, Phantom Thread focuses on a volatile relationship that pivots around a self-centered, temperamental designer and his insulated world.  It features a strong performance by Daniel Day-Lewis.

Fashion designer, Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis), is a demanding man whose lifestyle is a ritual that serves his creativity as he churns out unique dresses for royalty and VIPs.  When he stops by an inn to clear his head, his attention is drawn to a waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps).  For a time, Alma becomes a part of his world, serving as one of his seamstresses and assistants, but in time, her needs emerge and conflict with Reynolds’ stifling world.  Desperate to salvage their relationship, she devises a highly unorthodox plan to bring them together. 

Reynolds is somewhat of an enigma in that we don’t very much about him other than his talent. He has a headstrong, protective sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), and is haunted by and obsessed with his deceased mother.  Everything in his world follows a methodology, and he is almost always preoccupied with his work, expressing himself through his dresses with meticulous precision.  He has no patience when Alma disturbs his routine and tradition; this is the essence of the film’s main conflict.  

Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia) finely tuned screenplay catches the subtleties and nuances of these characters. The cinematography beautifully highlights the sumptuous costumes and set design.

It’s essentially a psychological examination into the evolution of an unhealthy relationship and obsessive behavior that starts with hope and optimism then devolves into reality and dysfunction, all done under Anderson’s detailed eye.

  *** of ****stars (add ½* for Day-Lewis fans)

The Long Career of Nanette Fabray

Actress Nanette Fabray passed away at the age of 97, and I never knew much about her career except for a few memorable appearances on TV and movies, but I will say she always brought a bubbly, smiling cheer to each role. You liked her immediately. Her great triumph in her limited film career was in The Bandwagon showing her dance and singing skills. She was Mary Tyler Moore's mom on TV and was a guest on Carol Burnett's show. What I did not know was....She was a Tony Award winner and picked up a couple of Emmy Awards in the golden age of TV. She was the aunt of Shelley Fabares. A long career indeed.

BLACK PANTHER: A Game Changer

The Marvel cinematic universe just got more interesting with Black Panther, a thoroughly entertaining, well written (and directed by Ryan Coogler) adventure and origin story featuring strong performances by Chadwick Boseman and a very impressive, female cast. 

Following the death of his father, T’Challa (Boseman) must assume the rite of passage as the new king and Black Panther of Wakanda, a hidden kingdom in Africa that is technologically advanced with the rare, indestructible metal, Vibranium.  He is supported by former girlfriend and agent Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), lethal top general Okoye (Danai Gurira), whiz kid sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), and his mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett).  But past events haunt the family, and secrets are revealed as a threat, Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordon), challenges the throne and threatens Wakanda and the world.  As good meets evil, a country is torn apart, and loyalties are tested. 

This is the first Marvel film to have a self-contained storyline without much connective tissue to the Marvel universe.  Any good story like this should have a good villain, and Killmonger is a fascinating, complex character with a past.  The film has some funny lines which lighten up a serious storyline (with James Bond overtones) that spans London, Oakland, and South Korea, and deals with themes of family loyalty, past transgressions, and the question of moral responsibility within the world.  The production is top notch, but the set designs and costumes are stunning.

Much as Wonder Woman broke ground for its female director and female heroes last year, Black Panther is history making with its black director and predominantly black cast featuring four strong, black female characters that deliver in spectacular fashion.   It’s much more than a really good Marvel film; it’s a very good film that points to even greater things in the future.  (There are two post credit scenes.)

***1/2 of **** stars (add ½* for the female cast)

A Man of Conviction in DARKEST HOUR

At a time when hope and courage were needed the most, Darkest Hour shows the behind the scenes angst of Dunkirk which immortalized Winston Churchill, personified by Gary Oldman in a grand performance. 

In the dark days of May, 1940, Germany has invaded neighboring countries including France while England represents one of the last European countries standing and in retreat from Hitler’s heavily fortified German forces. An ineffective Neville Chamberlain is replaced as Prime Minister by Parliament with Winston Churchill (Oldman) who faces a formidable task: with the bulk of British troops trapped at Dunkirk leaving England virtually defenseless against invasion and no military way to rescue them, Churchill feels political pressure to initiate peace talks with a tyrant.  Inspired to make a stand, he puts out a call for civilian boats to form a lifeline at Dunkirk, resolute in this defining moment of history.

The film depicts the fascinating political maneuvering and the enormous responsibility of leadership during war.  Churchill is portrayed as an intelligent man of conviction who speaks his mind and is not afraid to make hard decisions. Crude and impatient, yet compassionate, he is not immune from self-doubt while supported by his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas is quite good.)  

Oldman’s acting is so convincing (enhanced by remarkable makeup) effectively conveying the weight of the country on his shoulders (not unlike Daniel Day-Lewis’ portrayal of Lincoln).  Director Joe Wright has had a fascination with Dunkirk featured in his Atonement, and this film makes a perfect companion piece to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.  But this is Oldman’s show, and he delivers in a memorable role that should finally secure him an Oscar. 

***1/2 of ****stars (add ½* for Oldman fans)

The Paranoia of GET OUT

Get Out is an audacious piece of filmmaking, deceptively simple, timely in theme, and stunning in execution. It signals the rise of newbie writer/director Jordan Peele (of Kay and Peele) as a talented filmmaker. 

On a weekend trip, Rose (Allison Williams) introduces her black boyfriend, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) to her parents, Dean (Bradley Whitford), a neurosurgeon father, and Missy (Catherine Keener), a psychiatrist who also treats addictions through hypnosis.  They welcome Chris to their household including Rose’s menacing brother, a black, female house servant, and a black, male groundskeeper. As it happens to be an annual reunion of friends and family, Chris meets new faces among the offbeat guests. When he notices unsettling events and strange, ominous behavior, he must make a choice to save himself, but is it already too late?

The film has a Hitchcock feel with Chris and Rose seemingly the only normal people among quirky characters. Told through Chris’ point of view, the film builds an uneasy mood by planting seeds as it examines the issues of trust and traumatic memories which payoff later in a harrowing climax.  Other genres come into play (beyond its obvious subtext on race relations); is it satire or horror or both?  There is a big Stepford Wives vibe with a nod to Rosemary’s Baby (two of Peele’s influences).  In addition to the disturbing imagery and musical cues, there is effective use of eerie sound effects.  

Well directed and brilliantly shot, it’s a remarkable film that scares and surprises with its diabolical plot.  By taking expectations and flipping them in unexpected ways, it heralds the skills and promise of a first time director with greater things to come.   

**** of **** stars

A Landmark Stand for THE POST

The Post is a timely reminder of the importance of a free press holding government accountable even as it asks, “Can the government censor the press and tell it what to print?”  Filmed in near record time, this labor of love by director Steven Spielberg from a strong script (by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer) features a winning acting combo of Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks.

In 1971, analyst Daniel Ellsberg steals copies of a secret study (known as the Pentagon Papers) commissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara which chronicles how several Presidential administrations lied to the public about the Vietnam War when it was really a losing cause.  ‘The Papers’ become sought after by the Washington Post, whose owner, Kay Graham (Streep) is a novice running the newspaper of her late husband. Her close relationship with powerful leaders like McNamara puts her in an awkward position of friendship versus conscience.  When editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee (Hanks) capitalizes on a source for the papers, The Post, its reputation on the line, prepares to publish them at tremendous personal and professional risk for Graham and Bradlee and a likely court battle all the way to the Supreme Court. 

Streep has a great role as the initially tentative Graham, who must find her voice in a male dominated, corporate boardroom and a newspaper run by the headstrong Bradlee (winningly played by Hanks). A solid supporting cast is led by veterans Bob Odenkirk as a key reporter and Bruce Greenwood as McNamara.    

This serves as a prequel to the classic, All the President’s Men, and shows how the Post became a major player in journalism.  It also portrays good old fashioned, hard-nosed reporting when printing presses not computers generated news copy.  Well paced without sacrificing intimate moments, it’s a remarkable slice of history that parallels the current political climate and serves as a cautionary tale about some brave souls at a newspaper, particularly one courageous woman. 

**** of ****

A Special Love in CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

Sensitive direction by Luca Guadagnino from a screenplay adaptation by legendary filmmaker James Ivory (A Room With a View) highlight Call Me by Your Name, an delicate tale of adolescent love and features a breakout performance by Timothée Chalamet (Lady Bird). 

A Jewish family spends the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy where they welcome a grad student, Oliver (Armie Hammer has a pivotal role), who captivates the attention of their teenaged son, Elio (Chalamet).   Despite having a girlfriend, he is confused by his desires for the seemingly aloof, yet free spirited Oliver who is older and more mature. This dynamic plays out until Elio’s obsession for Oliver reaches a turning point as the summer winds down.   

The story is told from Elio’s point of view, and Chalamet, who is on screen nearly the entire film, portrays impressionable, young love that is natural and affecting as we feel his awkwardness, euphoria and pain.  The film requires patience on the part of its audience as it methodically builds this special relationship (though it makes no mention of the perceived age difference nor the coming of the AIDS epidemic), but by the end, the narrative culminates in a special heart-to-heart moment between Elio and his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) that resonates universally. 

Thoughtfully directed with subtle nuances that add texture to the experience, the film is not so much plot driven as emotion driven.  The location’s gorgeous setting adds to the sensuous backdrop that is punctuated by mood enhancing songs. It’s a very honest (and suggestive), heartfelt depiction of innocence and passion and about individuals trying to live their authentic selves.  There is also a memorable final shot.  A likely candidate for major Oscar nominations.

***1/2 of **** stars

THE SHAPE OF WATER’s Unusual Love Story

Director Guillermo del Toro has reached into his film memories and distilled a wondrous, modern fairy tale for adults that will fascinate and move its audience in The Shape of Water. 

Set in Baltimore in 1962, a time of racism and homophobia, Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute cleaner at a government facility, lives in her own little world, and together with her coworker, Zelda (Octavia Spencer), and her neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins), form a bond of outcasts: one unable to speak, one black female, and one gay male.  When Strickland (Michael Shannon at his creepiest), security head with a cruel and violent disposition, brings in a mysterious water creature for study, Elisa becomes fascinated and enamored with it and hatches a daring plan to save her amphibious friend as the military and even the Russians close in. Unexpected alliances are formed which culminates in a heartbreaking, transformative finish. 

Hawkins excels in a brave, challenging role relying exclusively on her facial expressions and body language. Her Elisa is a romantic with desires and sexuality that become amplified by the creature, a remarkable creation which was inspired by del Toro’s childhood love of The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

A recurring theme is about connecting to one another as each major character searches for a meaningful relationship; it’s about lonely people helping each other.  Beautifully shot and scored from beginning to end, the film has a nice period flavor and paints a vivid, personal world; you know you are in the hands of a master whose fertile imagination knows no bounds.  This romantic fable ranks up there with the director’s great Pan’s Labyrinth. Its magic is undeniable, and its emotional effect profound. (Someone will win an Oscar.) Del Toro has a classic.

**** of **** stars