Yesterday the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released the nominees for their 83rd annual Academy Award show, better known as the Oscars. Now, I know the Oscars aren't perfect (see my post on The Blind Side if you don't believe me), but despite working in an entirely subjective area, they provide a pretty reasonable foundation for what constitutes great art within the medium of film.
The glitz and glamor can be fun. The history is great. Whoever is hosting usually has an enormous impact on how enjoyable the 3+ hours are (James Franco and Anne Hathaway could be fun), and it is an especially interesting twist that for the first time ever, a host will also be a nominee (Franco for 127 Hours), but the real reason I watch is the debate. So I thought I would open it up here to you guys for some friendly discussion. There is a link to the the full list of nominees at the bottom of the post. Go peruse and let me know what you think. Who got left off, who has no place being included, who should win, who is just receiving a career nomination... etc. So far the biggest stories appear to be the snubs of Christopher Nolan in the Best Director category for Inception, and the documentary Waiting For Superman.
James Franco and Anne Hathaway
In addition, I want to at least float the idea of the possibility of live Routinely Average coverage of the Oscars. I believe I have the technology (or as I call it... magic) all figured out, so there could potentially be some live blogging going on if you are interested. Thoughts and suggestions are always appreciated. Thanks for reading.
A great deal of art is a reflection of the culture that spawned it. Some of the very best art holds up a mirror to that culture, putting its hypocrisies on display for all to see. In our culture there has always been a strong inclination to both aid individuals who are mentally unbalanced, and at the same time to separate them from those who do possess that balance. That begs the question, who qualifies as mentally unbalanced? Can we call someone crazy just because they are far enough outside the realm of what we consider normal? And finally, once we agree on who needs that aid, how to we go about providing it? Milos Forman's 1975 Best Picture winning, masterpiece, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, asks all these questions.
The film takes place on one ward in a mental hospital. The main character, Randle Patrick McMurphy, is a force of nature and a man who lives life to the fullest. In order to avoid jail time, Mac finagles his way onto the ward and immediately shakes up the inhabitants. The other men on the ward have been reduced to shadows through a strict regimen of tranquilizing medicine, and oppressive therapy. The preferred method of treatment seems to be sedation, with the intent of reverting the patients to an almost child-like state. Mac's arrival both brings them out of their stupor, and initiates a conflict with one of the all-time great screen villains in Nurse Ratched, the head of the ward.
Jack Nicholson as McMurphy is such a perfect casting decision, and the character is written so well that if nothing else had gone right, this movie would still be worth a watch. Nicholson switches back and forth from comedy to tragedy so effortlessly that it is hard to imagine another actor pulling the role off. There is an extended closeup late in the film that is jarring, thanks solely to Nicholson's ability to captivate. Mac is the heart and soul of the movie. Part of the reason the character is so wonderful is his depth given to him by both the writers, and Nicholson. In other words, they don't suger coat him. He is a violent man, prone to anger, he struggles to understand and deal with some of the more serious mental illnesses present on the ward, and he is a blatant sexist. Mac's original crime that got him thrown onto the ward is statutory rape. And yet, this makes his heroic struggle to awaken the slumbering and terrified patients all the more real.
The same principle applies to Mac's nemesis, Nurse Ratched. Stoically played by Louis Fletcher (both Fletcher and Nicholson won Oscar's for their efforts), Ratched appears to be devoted to the care of her patients. However, as her need to control them slowly surfaces, Ratched is not demonized. One of the pivotal moments of the movie occurs as the hospital administrators discuss options to remove McMurphy from the ward, and Ratched admonishes them all for shying away from their duty to aid Mr. McMurphy.
Louise Fletcher and Brad Dourif
The film also benefits from a number of strong performances by patients on the ward. Brad Dourif (later famous for his role as the murderous doll Chucky), makes an Oscar nominated film debut here. Will Sampson, also making his big screen debut, is magnificent as a large mute Native American ward member. Early appearances from screen legends like Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd give a human touch to the patients.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is not a perfect film. Some mild sexism, an inconsistent tone, and a tendency to discount legitimate mental illnesses are all significant flaws within the story structure. Still, it makes a persuasive point while telling a very touching story, chock full of interesting characters and a career making performance by a legend in Jack Nicholson.
Jack Nicholson
At the film's close it is unable ultimately to provide an answer to its central question. Many of the patients are clearly unfit to live and cope in the real world. However, turning them into children is not a healing process. The criticism is sharp and to the point. The larger motif of Mac as a rebel fighting agains the establishment fits nicely into the more literal plot lines, and the direction, score, and cinematography are all sharp. A true classic.
The majority of movies that make it on my to-watch list are either classic films or the recent releases being talked about today. However, sometimes the best movie-watching experiences I have are those where I take a chance on a film that is recommended to me, that is neither a time-tested classic nor a movie presently being hyped. If I’m lucky, I not only get to watch a good movie, I also feel that I’ve made a kind of rare discovery.
Such was the case with Big Night, a clever culinary dramedy: a story of two Italian immigrant brothers (amusingly named Primo and Secondo — "First" and "Second") who run a superb restaurant that is failing because their inspired cuisine is on a different level from the unsophisticated palates of their few New Yorker patrons. The brothers, charmingly played by Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci respectively, try to save it by going for broke on one big night to which they have invited renowned band leader Louis Prima. The star of the film, however, is the food, which takes center stage.
Before it was mentioned to me, I had never noticed Big Night on an AFI list or on comparable lists of must-sees. It’s not an old movie by any means, but its 1996 release date means that it came out considerably before I was paying attention to good cinema. So this underrated gem could have slipped right past me, were it not for the chance conversation that made me aware of it, and although it is sad that this movie is not as recognized as it deserves to be, at the same time that makes the experience of having come across it more valuable.
Perhaps the reason Big Night remains so unacknowledged despite its delightful story, excellent performances and stylistic flair is that the lead and supporting roles are all filled by character actors rather than major Hollywood stars. Those who are familiar with Tucci, Shalhoub, Minnie Driver, and Ian Holm know that they do very fine work, but they hardly rake in box office cash. The movie doesn’t feature grandiose effects and it’s not a blockbuster of epic figures and events. It’s just a story about a few ordinary people trying to create something extraordinary.
The film is primarily Tucci’s baby: he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in it. And watching the final result, it is clear that he took great care in each of these steps, from the soundtrack full of wonderful Italian and Italian-American artists, to the beautiful long take of the final shot. If you enjoy seeing little known or underrated flicks, rent this fun movie for a night with friends and family. Watch it with a bottle of wine, heck, go all-out and cook a nice lasagna bolognese or risotto to go with it, and then sit back to enjoy Tucci and a mustachioed Shalhoub bantering in thick Italian accents. Fine movies, like fine cuisine, are the result of passionate and painstaking work. And they are something rare. They should be recognized and appreciated for what they are, and they need to be sought out.
Well that was boring. I'm sorry if I gave away the reveal of this review too early, but I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot else to say about this disappointing excuse for a thriller. Spy movies can be formulaic and still work, but at least some level of originality is required. It really doesn't matter whether that originality grows out of an interesting character study, a twisty-turny plot full of unseen surprises, or inventive and well choreographed action set pieces. Preferably it includes all of the above, but I'm not greedy. A movie can be full of cliches and well worn plot points if it provides the viewer with something new. Unfortunately, and despite a great deal of talent, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's new star vehicle, The Tourist, had none of the above.
The film opens with the femme fatale, Elise, leading Interpol on a wild goose chase. The police suspect her of attempting to reunite with her old flame, who also happens to be an international criminal. However, we are aware that while that is exactly what she is trying to do, Elise has also chosen a fall guy as a distraction to delay the police. The unsuspecting sap Frank falls in love with Elise (of course), and follows her through a hail of bullets and rooftop chases to an easily predictable ending. Brutal gangsters, relentless police officers, a beautiful woman, a crafty criminal, and an average Joe are all thrown together without much in the way of logic or character development.
The most surprising thing is the enormous amount of talent involved. Von Donnersmarck made his directorial feature film debut with the 2006 The Lives of Others and has been justly praised for it. Along with a bevy of critically acclaimed co-writers (including Christopher McQuarrie of The Usual Suspects), von Donnersmarck constructed a script that contained little of interest, and even less that was fresh or new.
Rufus Sewell watches Angelina Jolie in The Tourist
The elegant Elise is played by Angelina Jolie, who appears almost as if made of porcelain in this movie. Jolie never overacts, and tries her best, but seems to be as bored as I was throughout most of the film. The American "tourist" Frank, is played by Johnny Depp in a very reserved manner. Depp as well, never really seems to be sure of what von Donnersmarck is trying to do, and as a result gives an inconsistent and mostly irritating performance. As a huge fan of both Depp and Jolie, it was frustrating to watch these two talented actors get by on reputation alone. Paul Bettany fulfills the obligatory role of the British policeman attempting to track Jolie, and he does so in uninteresting fashion.
While this is an overwhelmingly negative review, I will mention a couple of positives here. The canals of Venice are gorgeous and von Donnersmarck does provide numerous beautiful scenery shots. Timothy Dalton, as the police supervisor, and Steven Berkoff as the lead gangster both do well in limited roles. The film opens well actually. Jolie eludes the police in a scene reminiscent of The French Connection, and the initial meeting between Jolie and Depp's characters is charming and intriguing. Of course, then as the plot progresses, we realize it actually has nowhere to go.
