Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Surprise Inclusion of 2004

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Surprise Inclusion is the third in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several shocking names and films. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most surprising inclusion of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what was considered a surprise at the time compared with what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor whose nomination was unexpected.

The Surprise Inclusion of 2004:

Alan Alda (The Aviator) for Best Supporting Actor
Why it wasn’t going to happen: Despite winning multiple Emmy Awards and Golden Globes for his starring role on the TV version of “MASH,” Alda had never earned an Oscar nomination. His problem with surefire Best Picture contender “The Aviator” was similar to what had befallen him in the past: other supporting stars in the same film. Alda won prizes from the National Board of Review and National Society of Film Critics for “Crimes and Misdemeanors” in 1989, he found himself snubbed in favor of costar Martin Landau at the Oscars. Alda didn’t have a big part in “The Aviator,” and attention might instead be focused on previous Oscar nominees like Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, and John C. Reilly, regardless of the size of their parts.

How it happened: Mostly, Alda was carried by his film. Even though it was eventually knocked out by Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Martin Scorsese’s epic reaped eleven Oscar nominations. Scoring in all the top categories and most of the technical ones made it easier for another acting nominee to slip in. Alda was able to get into the Supporting Actor category particularly because his film was typical Oscar fare, giving him an edge over Golden Globe and SAG nominees like David Carradine (“Kill Bill Vol. 2” was too violent) and James Garner (“The Notebook” was too sappy). Taking the place of young actor Freddie Highmore (“Finding Neverland”) was easy – Alda been paying his dues for over thirty years.

Was it deserved? The way Alda says “Just who the hell do you think you are” to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes is running through my head as I write this. While I think that Carradine really deserved a nod, this is a sort of subtle tour de force performance from a fine actor who has delivered many great performances over the year and clearly deserved some recognition. Plus, it wasn’t a fluke. Alda won an Emmy two years later for his performance on “The West Wing,” continuing to do great work at an age where most actors stop trying.

Come back next week for a look at the Surprise Inclusion of 2003. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments. Also, what do you want to see as the theme for the next Wednesday Oscar Retrospective series, beginning in three weeks?

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Conviction

Welcome to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Conviction – Opening October 15, 2010



I came upon this trailer on both The Film Experience and Awards Daily after reading an article that began with “Poor Annette Bening” on GoldDerby. While I’ve only seen Bening’s impressive performance in “Mother and Child,” apparently many think she’ll be nominated for her lighter role in the upcoming dramedy “The Kids Are All Right.” The reason this is relevant to the discussion is that, just like in 1999 and 2004, Hilary Swank appears to have a vehicle that could put her in competition with Bening for the third time. Swank won on both tries, so that doesn’t bode well for the Oscarless Bening, who earned her first nomination in 1990 but didn’t take it home that time either. But speaking about “Conviction,” this new vehicle, it looks like a decently moving lawyer movie, though I do have some reservations. The first is that Swank’s accent seems to be pretty awful. I’m one of the few people who didn’t hate last year’s “Amelia,” though I didn’t love it, so I doubt this could really be too bad. The trailer, with its overdramatic music, doesn’t remind me a bit too much of “Freedom Writers,” the overwhelmingly sappy 2007 teacher movie starring Swank. The trailer gives away an extraordinary amount of the film’s plot and some of the twists, but it still could be pretty interesting. It’s also worth emphasizing that this kind of movie is supposed to be good and often is; it’s only that the bad ones are disappointing imitations of the great legal films that actually do exist. I didn’t like director Tony Goldwyn’s last movie, “The Last Kiss,” the disappointing adaptation of the great Italian film “L’ultimo bacio” (written about yesterday), but I am a fan of his TV work directing (and often starring in) episodes of shows like “Dexter” and “The L Word.” Sam Rockwell is an actor I occasionally like (“Choke”), sometimes don’t mind (“Moon”), and other times really don’t like (“Snow Angels”), and despite the seeming ridiculousness of his facial hair, he should probably be good here. Melissa Leo has turned in excellent performances on “Treme” and in “Frozen River,” and this looks like a great part for her. Rounding out the cast are Minnie Driver and Juliette Lewis, both of who haven’t done much recently and whose return to the big screen should be welcome. I have some faith that this movie won’t be falsely sentimental or overly sappy – do you?

Monday Movie You Aught to See: L’Ultimo Bacio

Regardless of whether the decade ended already ended in 2009 or will end at the close of the current year, the 2000s were a wonderful period of cinema with many treasures that deserve to be remembered. Check in at Movies with Abe on Mondays for Movies You Aught to See, a look back at memorable movies from the aughts. They are posted in no particular order, and if you have a great film from the 2000s that you think merits consideration, leave a note in the comments!

L’Ultimo Bacio
Directed by Gabriele Muccino
Released August 16, 2002

This Italian film, which translates to “The Last Kiss,” was remade in the United States in 2006 with Zach Braff in the leading role. The original, in this case, is infinitely better. Gabriele Muccino directed this film in his native language before coming to the United States to make the lackluster Will Smith films “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Seven Pounds.” The story of a thirty-year-old man named Carlo who falls for a high school student despite having a pregnant girlfriend, Giulia, is extremely funny and highly enjoyable. Watching the American version and picking up on its failures demonstrate just how well this one works. A great treat is a subplot involving the girlfriend’s mother’s own contemplation of infidelity. The standouts from the cast are the three main women: Giovanna Mezzogiorno (“Vincere,” “Love in the Time of Cholera”) as the rage-prone Giulia, veteran Italian actress Stefania Sandrelli as Giulia’s malcontent mother, and Martina Stella as Francesca, the young and fascinating temptation for Carlo. The film has a wonderfully clever ending, and it’s a delight throughout.

(I wasn't able to find an English-language version of the trailer, hence the still above)

Movie with Abe: Cyrus

Cyrus
Directed by Jay & Mark Duplass
Released June 18, 2010

A man who still considers the ex-wife who divorced him over five years ago his closest friend and has no real motivation or claim to fame in life is hardly a stirring subject for a film. Making such a story engaging requires the efforts of a skilled actor and a smart script that doesn’t turn its protagonist into a tired cliché. A strong supporting cast can also be helpful. What’s unique about this film, however, is that it isn’t only about this lonely man, John, who has pretty much given up on his search for love. It’s right there in the title – this movie is about Cyrus, the bizarre son of Molly, the woman of John’s dreams.

To call “Cyrus” a conventional love story even before Cyrus appears on screen is inaccurate. As he wanders around a party hitting on woman after woman, an increasingly drunk John determines that no woman could ever find him attractive. When Molly expresses interest and starts flirting with him, John is shocked and compares himself to social pariah and famed ogre Shrek. John C. Reilly is an extremely fitting actor to play John, given that his breakthrough performance in “Chicago” casts him as “Mr. Cellophane,” an invisible husband who sings that “you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know I’m there.” Here, someone actually sees John’s character, and it’s only to be expected that things can’t quite be as perfect as they initially seem.

Enter Cyrus, Molly’s awkward twenty-two-year-old son who still lives at home with her and exhibits an unusual amount of physical intimacy and closeness with his mother. At first he seems simply shaken by John’s presence, and it soon becomes clear that he has it in for John because he wants Molly, who he addresses by her first name, all to himself. The familiar battle fought by the man who is clearly right but who no one believes ensues, and John must struggle to keep Molly while figuring out how to deal with Cyrus.

There’s an air of discomfort that is constantly palpable throughout “Cyrus,” as John tries to cope with the strange behavior he sees and to accept the quirks this family possesses. All of John’s interactions with Cyrus feel distant and uneasy, while at the same time Molly seems completely ignorant of her son’s strangeness. The core cast functions extremely well at nuancing these relationships. Reilly is a great unassuming lead, and Tomei is lovely as the endearing yet clueless Molly. The real breakout of the film is Jonah Hill, following the lead of his “Superbad” costar Emma Stone (“Paper Man”) and trying on a more serious role in a mature comedy. The occasionally funny and frequently uncomfortable “Cyrus” is a fresh, winning independent film that does little more but no less than tell an intimate, personal story.

B+

Thursday Theatre Review: IFC Center

Weekly to a new feature here at Movies with Abe, Thursday Theatre Review. As a resident of one of the world’s foremost movie capitals, I’ve been to a number of movie theatres in New York City and have developed preferences. There’s no perfect theatre, but there are a few things that can make or break a movie-going experience. In no particular order, this is a guide to movie theatres in Manhattan.

IFC Center

Location: At 323 Sixth Avenue, it is literally right at the West 4th St A-B-C-D-E-F-V stop. Walk up 6th Avenue or west a block and a half for infinite dining, desert, and shopping possibilities in the West Village.

Pricing: Tickets for standard show are $12.50, and special events can cost considerably more. Member price is $7.50.

Film selection: All independent but incredibly diverse. The theatre also has a number of regular, such as the Stranger than Fiction documentary series, where I saw 2009 Oscar nominee “Burma VJ” followed by a Q & A with a member of the Democratic Voice of Burma. Their weekend midnight screening series also brings back many classic and cult films, and the Oscar-nominated short films play there annually. I’ve gone to the IFC to see films such as “Starting Out in the Evening,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days,” “Fish Tank,” “The Girl on the Train,” and the “Red Riding” trilogy. Currently playing: “Cropsey,” “Daddy Longlegs,” “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Father of My Children,” and “The Human Centipede.”

Drawbacks: Some of the theatres are a bit small, and if you’re seeing a film on the ground floor, you won’t be able to make it to the restrooms in the basement too quickly if you’re running out for a moment during the film.

Bonus features: The armrests of many of the seats lift up, so you can enjoy a more leisurely and comfortable seat if the theatre isn’t too crowded. Membership offers preview screenings, free popcorn, and merchandise discounts. Additionally, there is a $35 student membership available.

Worth the trip? Yes. The IFC often premieres film that aren’t yet playing elsewhere, and its central location downtown makes it very easy to get there. If you go frequently enough, becoming a member really pays, and then there really aren’t any detractors.

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Surprise Inclusion of 2005

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Surprise Inclusion is the third in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several shocking names and films. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most surprising inclusion of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what was considered a surprise at the time compared with what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor whose nomination was unexpected.

The Surprise Inclusion of 2005:

William Hurt (A History of Violence) for Best Supporting Actor
Why it wasn’t going to happen: While there were early accolades for “A History of Violence” and its director David Cronenberg, the film quickly fell victim to an extraordinarily busy year of Best Picture contenders. Three films not nominated for the top Golden Globe – “Capote,” “Crash,” and “Munich” – joined frontrunners “Brokeback Mountain,” “Good Night, and Good Luck,” and “Walk the Line,” leaving behind this film and countless others. Hurt earned three critics’ awards for his one-scene performance but didn’t place on any major list of nominees, where the main contenders were George Clooney, Matt Dillon, Paul Giamatti, Jake Gyllenhaal.

How it happened: Hurt snuck into a category that wasn’t crowded. Voters previously nominated Hurt three years in a row for his lead performances in “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Children of a Lesser God,” and “Broadcast News.” He won on his first try in 1985. There hadn’t been a chance to honor him since the 80s, so voters likely enjoyed the opportunity to pay tribute to an actor still doing good work. There wasn’t room for “A History of Violence” in the Best Picture, Best Director, or Best Actor categories, but this was a good place to recognize the film, which earned only one additional nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Was it deserved?: No. Putting aside the fact that I didn’t personally like Hurt in the film, his performance clocked in at less than ten minutes. I’m never in favor of that, and his case certainly doesn’t merit an exception (like, say, Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed). There were many more actors that year, like Matt Damon in “Syriana” or Ludacris (yes, seriously) in “Crash,” who should have gotten in over him.

Come back next week for a look at the Surprise Inclusion of 2004. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments.

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Easy A

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Easy A – Opening September 17, 2010



I found this trailer online a couple of weeks ago and it’s stuck with me since then, so I felt it would be worthwhile to write about it. In many ways, this looks like a new “Mean Girls” with the same kind of school hierarchy albeit a very different setup. In this case we have Olive, not moving from Africa, who does a gay friend a favor and pretends to sleep with him in order to help his reputation at school. What looks especially fun about this movie is the screen presence of Emma Stone, who stars as Olive. With her work in “Superbad,” “Zombieland,” and “Paper Man,” Stone has proven herself to be extremely talented, and this looks like a great next role for her. Her embracement of the label applied to her because of her repeat of the favor for a number of unpopular students is the most clever and enjoyable part, embroidering a scarlet letter on her own shirt to liken herself to Hester Prynne. Stone has the perfect attitude to play this part, and she also has a great enemy: Amanda Bynes. The former star of “What a Girl Wants” is oftentimes useless, but here as an air-headed champion of celibacy she should do just fine. I love Olive’s snippy response to her statement that a higher power will judge her: “Tom Cruise?” Casting Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as her clueless parents and Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow as teachers at the school should make it all even more fun. This looks like an entertaining high school comedy – do you agree?

Monday Movie You Aught to See: Big Fish

Regardless of whether the decade ended already ended in 2009 or will end at the close of the current year, the 2000s were a wonderful period of cinema with many treasures that deserve to be remembered. Check in at Movies with Abe on Mondays for Movies You Aught to See, a look back at memorable movies from the aughts. They are posted in no particular order, and if you have a great film from the 2000s that you think merits consideration, leave a note in the comments!

Big Fish
Directed by Tim Burton
Released December 25, 2003



This wonder of a film delights in exploring the fantastical, choosing to bring to life the wild stories of one Edward Bloom instead of dwelling on the disbelieving attitude of his grown son Will. A big part of the film’s considerable charm is the wonderful Ewan McGregor as the younger Edward, who is the kindest and most dedicated man you’re ever likely to meet. The performances from actors like Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Allison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew McGrory, Missi Pyle, and many others make this one of the most pleasant ensembles seen on film. The film boasts magnificent colors and a winning heart, and the film’s final scene is particularly touching, and wraps up a marvelous tale spun by master filmmaker Tim Burton. The trailer doesn’t quite do it justice; it’s a truly incredible film.

Movie with Abe: The Killer Inside Me

The Killer Inside Me
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Released June 18, 2010

It’s hard to get inside the mind of a killer. One of the aspects which makes it difficult is that insanity, in some form, is often part of his motivation for doing what he does. Providing a direct path into the killer in question’s brain by having him narrate his own story does help considerably in meting out his impulses and motives. It’s still not easy, and while the new film “The Killer Inside Me” tries hard to get inside the mind of psychotic sheriff Lou Ford (Casey Affleck), it doesn’t quite achieve that as well as it thinks it does.

“The Killer Inside Me” starts off with an extremely stylized and fun opening credits sequence which accompanies the names of its actors with still photographs of them from the film, set to upbeat, energetic music. From that beginning, it slows down and zooms in to introduce Lou, a seemingly harmless and kindly sheriff who stresses the importance of calling women “ma’am” and apologizing to anyone you catch with their pants down, even if you’re about to arrest them (in his own words). As the film’s title implies, Lou is also prone to violent urges and the unfortunate brutal battering of women that ensues.

Lou’s dual role as cop and killer isn’t nearly as fascinating as it should be because he is too confident from the start that he’ll get away clean with what’s he done. There’s no frantic panicking or sleepless nights because Lou possesses few emotions, as becomes clear from the way he discusses his (lack of) feelings candidly with the audience during his narration. Understanding just how devoid of sentiment and humanity Lou is doesn’t require seeing the grotesque beating he delivers to female characters in the film, and this is one case of a movie using excessive violence for seemingly sensationalist purposes. The same horrifying effect could have been achieved by cutting to a shot of Lou’s face rather than staying on the woman’s bloodied face for an entire minute.

There are moments of greatness in “The Killer Inside Me” indicative of a far more compelling film, most notably the careful cinematography and eternally-present foreboding mood. At one point, Lou tells an anonymous deputy that he shouldn’t speak because he hasn’t been given any lines. It’s a daringly clever scene, but it doesn’t reference much else other than the assumption that Lou sees his life as playing out like a movie. The film becomes less compelling as its protagonist begins to lose touch with reality and normalcy, and leaves off on a note of still wanting more information about this hidden killer. There’s still something to be said for the intrigue which it does provide, and the typically nuanced and subtle lead performance by Casey Affleck. This isn’t a great film, but it’s certainly a good and thought-provoking one.

B

Thursday Theatre Review: Film Forum

Weekly to a new feature here at Movies with Abe, Thursday Theatre Review. As a resident of one of the world’s foremost movie capitals, I’ve been to a number of movie theatres in New York City and have developed preferences. There’s no perfect theatre, but there are a few things that can make or break a movie-going experience. In no particular order, this is a guide to movie theatres in Manhattan.

Film Forum

Location: At 209 West Houston St in between 6th Ave and Varick St, it couldn’t be closer to a subway, right down the block from the 1 train and only a few blocks from the West 4th St A-B-C-D-E-F-V stop. As far as dinner and a movie is concerned, there are plenty of great restaurants nearby on 6th and 7th Ave.

Pricing: Tickets are currently $12 a pop, but if you’re a regular moviegoer at this theatre, become a member and get half price on every ticket! That’s a pretty great deal.

Film selection: Truly independent. If you’re not well tuned-in to the movie world, you won’t ever have heard of any of the films playing there. I’ve seen films like “Wendy and Lucy,” “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” and “Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss” there. The theatre has been around for forty years, and also often shows restored classic films. Currently playing: “Breathless,” “Double Take,” “Metropolis,” and “Two in the Wave.”

Drawbacks: At least one of the auditoriums is constructed in such a way that sitting in a certain section will give you a fantastic view of a giant pole. The popcorn is also very tasteless.

Bonus features: The sliding scale of membership offers a number of cool benefits, like weekend reservation privileges and invitations to press screenings. If you can’t afford to drop $500-plus, the basic $75 membership will stick get you the discount tickets and a 20% discount on the theatre’s merchandise.

Worth the trip? If you want to see the film, then yes. While Landmark Sunshine films are often also playing at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and films at the Angelika are usually also at an AMC uptown, the movies showing at Film Forum cannot be found anywhere else. Just make sure to get there early so you don’t end up sitting behind the huge pole, and add some salt to the popcorn!

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Surprise Inclusion of 2006

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Surprise Inclusion is the third in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several shocking names and films. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most surprising inclusion of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what was considered a surprise at the time compared with what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor whose nomination was unexpected.

The Surprise Inclusion of 2006:

“Letters from Iwo Jima” for Best Picture
Why it wasn’t going to happen: Director Clint Eastwood earned twin Golden Globe nods for directing for this and his English-language version of the story from the American perspective, “Flags of our Fathers.” Because “Letters” wasn’t in English, it was relegated to the Best Foreign Film category at the Golden Globes, where it took home the award. The Oscars require stricter standards for their foreign films, so the film wouldn’t be eligible in that category. Eastwood lost the Globe to Martin Scorsese, and failed to pick up a DGA nod. The PGA and DGA lists boasted the same five films – “Babel,” “The Departed,” “Dreamgirls,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” and “The Queen” – all of which seemed primed to earn Oscar nods for Best Picture.

How it happened: “Dreamgirls” experienced a shocking backlash, snubbed in the Best Picture and Best Director races but still earning eight nominations. It seems the power of song wasn’t as influential as Eastwood, who had previously helmed three Best Picture nominees, two of which had taken home both Best Picture and Best Director. While reviews hadn’t been universally strong for “Flags of our Fathers,” “Letters from Iwo Jima” did win the National Board of Review award for Best Film as well as a handful of mentions from critics groups for Best Foreign Film.

Was it deserved? I still don’t understand why “Dreamgirls” performed so poorly in the top categories at the Oscars, but I don’t think people were too disappointed at that time. In my opinion, they’re both very good films, and I can see how “Dreamgirls” might be considered inferior to something like “Chicago,” whereas “Letters from Iwo Jima” utilizes cinematic tools well in a far less showy way. I do think that both films are much stronger than a couple of the Best Picture nominees that year (“Babel” and “The Queen”) and not nearly as terrific as the other two (“The Departed” and “Little Miss Sunshine”). Overall, I think this is one inclusion about which I don’t really have much of an opinion.

Come back next week for a look at the Surprise Inclusion of 2005. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments.

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Flipped

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Flipped – Opening August 6, 2010



Now this is an exciting and interesting trailer that isn’t quite your average fare. A period piece about eighth graders isn’t exactly a common premise. It’s also from director Rob Reiner, who, while he hasn’t made a great movie in a while, once made a whole bunch of classics as diverse as “The American President,” “A Few Good Men,” “Misery,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Princess Bride,” and “This is Spinal Tap.” Now he’s doing something akin to what the Coen brothers did last year with “A Serious Man” and creating a fascinating story that takes its viewers back in time but should prove more than relevant to modern-day audiences. Anyone can relate to memories of flirtation in middle school, and that should make this film highly enjoyable. The look on Juli’s face at the 2:04 mark when Bryce tries to kiss her is especially amusing and telling of their romance. This story is based on a 2001 novel, and given Reiner’s experiences adapting, that shouldn’t be a problem. This trailer pretty much speaks for itself, and I’m definitely looking forward to this hopeful return to form for the talented Mr. Reiner and the chance for a few young actors to break out alongside established performers such as John Mahoney, Anthony Edwards, Penelope Ann Miller, Aidan Quinn, Rebecca De Mornay, and Kevin Weisman. The film also has the fortune of arriving near the end of the summer when the best independent films are often released and there aren’t many other high-profile movies coming out. I’m looking forward to its opening – are you?

Monday Movie You Aught to See: Tell No One

Regardless of whether the decade ended already ended in 2009 or will end at the close of the current year, the 2000s were a wonderful period of cinema with many treasures that deserve to be remembered. Check in at Movies with Abe on Mondays for Movies You Aught to See, a look back at memorable movies from the aughts. They are posted in no particular order, and if you have a great film from the 2000s that you think merits consideration, leave a note in the comments!

Tell No One
Directed by Guillaume Canet
Released July 2, 2008



This French gem, whose original title is “Ne le dis à personne,” is a fabulous thriller about a man is contacted by his wife, who was murdered eight years earlier. The story of a pediatrician who does his best to find her while simultaneously outrunning the people he thought killed her is an excellent thrill ride which doesn’t presume any extravagant martial arts knowledge or supernatural forces but instead relies on his desire to stay alive and to be reunited with the woman he loves. A top-notch cast including François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, Kristin Scott Thomas, and André Dussolier help make this film feel infinitely more realistic than many other conspiracy thrillers and just as engaging. This is definitely one of the sleeker, cooler films to come out of France in recent years.

Movie with Abe: Wild Grass

Wild Grass
Directed by Alain Resnais
Released June 11, 2010

The 2009 Opening Night Selection from the New York Film Festival finally arrives in theatres today, from veteran director Alain Resnais, who celebrated his eighty-eighth birthday last week. His latest film is comparable to “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” made in 2006 by then-82-year-old Sidney Lumet, demonstrating such vigor, energy, and complexity in its storytelling that it’s hard to believe that the film was made by an octogenarian. Resnais’ film in particular boasts a liveliness that is due in large part to the spectacular colors which the film uses, not the least of which is the stark red hair of its female protagonist.

“Wild Grass” is a highly imaginative tale that isn’t nearly as pleasant as it at first seems. What begins as a random act of kindness results in a pattern of obsession on the part of the man who did something good. Georges (André Dussolier) finds the wallet lost by the eccentric Marguerite (Sabine Azéma) and is not content to be simply thanked by her and then have them walk their separate ways. Georges expects some sort of relationship to come out of his charitable act, and is severely disappointed when Marguerite does not initiate anything. Georges’ stubborn desire to forge a connection with Marguerite is the driving force of the film.

Yet this isn’t a case of a shady, predatory man stalking a helpless woman. Marguerite too yearns to know more about Georges, even if she isn’t anywhere near as forward about it. This is perhaps the most friendly and safe form of obsession that has existed on screen. While Georges is hardly too concerned with sweeping Marguerite off her feet, he certainly is not a danger to her. Marguerite is also quite an oddball, and not in an overly vulnerable way. Their romance may not be conventional, but it seems all but inevitable from the start of the film.

Dussolier, whose other recent credits include fantastic French films “Micmacs” and “Tell No One” (this coming Monday’s Movie You Aught To See), has just the right unpleasantness to make Georges not quite charming but still somehow endearing. Azéma does a great job as well of making Marguerite mysterious and just as unsure of herself as the audience is of her. The real standouts from the supporting cast are Mathieu Amalric and Emmanuelle Devos, who previously starred as a couple in the wonderful “A Christmas Tale.” Amalric is loose and fun here as a spritely cop who takes it upon himself to watch Georges closely after he brings in the wallet, and Devos steals every scene she’s in as a dentist friend of Marguerite. The already peculiar film takes some bizarre turns towards the end, but overall it’s a decidedly unique and enjoyable experience.

B+

Thursday Theatre Review: Angelika Film Center

Weekly to a new feature here at Movies with Abe, Thursday Theatre Review. As a resident of one of the world’s foremost movie capitals, I’ve been to a number of movie theatres in New York City and have developed preferences. There’s no perfect theatre, but there are a few things that can make or break a movie-going experience. In no particular order, this is a guide to movie theatres in Manhattan.

Angelika Film Center

Location: At 18 West Houston St at the corner of Mercer St, it’s just a few blocks down from Washington Square Park. The R, W, B, D, F, V, and 6 are all right next door, so it’s pretty easy to access.

Pricing: Tickets are currently $13.00 at the box office, and you can also use discounted tickets provided by NYU’s Ticket Central, Working Advantage, a group showing, or by purchasing Screen Saver Tickets in bulk. Those usually end up being somewhere between $7.00 and $8.50 depending on how you do the math.

Film selection: Excellent. This is a fantastic place for independent cinema in New York City. The big advantage is that the theatre often continues to play movies for a very long time after they’re released, which is great. I’ve also had the pleasure of doing a quadruple feature at the Angelika, where I spent the whole day there, from 11am to 7pm, seeing “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” “The Wackness,” “Frozen River,” and “Elegy.” Currently playing: “Solitary Man,” “The Secret in their Eyes,” “City Island,” “Micmacs,” and “Greenberg” (first released in March and still playing!).

Bonus features: The popcorn is delicious. Not only that, but the theatre has a full café upstairs where you can purchase non-concession items to enjoy either with your film, in the lounge, or on the go.

Worth the trip? Yes, absolutely. Though you have to purchase a pass in advance to earn a discount, it’s definitely worthwhile.

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Surprise Inclusion of 2007

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Surprise Inclusion is the third in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several shocking names and films. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most surprising inclusion of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what was considered a surprise at the time compared with what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor whose nomination was unexpected.

The Surprise Inclusion of 2007:

Tommy Lee Jones (In the Valley of Elah) for Best Actor
Why it wasn’t going to happen: Despite being touted early on as a contender, along with supporting actress Susan Sarandon, Jones didn’t earn any major precursor nominations. Four actors were nominated for both the Golden Globe and SAG in the leading actor category – George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ryan Gosling, and Viggo Mortensen – with plenty of others who earned just one of the two – Johnny Depp, Emile Hirsch, James McAvoy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Denzel Washington – in the running. There simply wasn’t any room for Jones.

How it happened: While Gosling didn’t make the final cut, his spot was taken by Depp, whose SAG snub came as a surprise and was likely due to the film not having been screened by voters. Jones was able to sneak in by taking Emile Hirsch’s spot, likely for two reasons. SAG nominee Hirsch was only twenty-two years old, and while Oscar voters sometimes make exceptions, usually they don’t honor younger actors. The 61-year-old Jones, by contrast, was an established actor and a two-time nominee and winner for 1993’s “The Fugitive.” Jorge Rodrigues reminds me that Jones also had the advantage of having a SAG nomination for his other big role that year - in eventual Best Picture winner "No Country for Old Men." For some inexplicable reason, “Into the Wild” also experienced an Oscar backlash, earning only two nominations, film editing and supporting actor. Hirsch got snubbed, and veteran actor Jones took his place.

Was it deserved? I would say so. While Hirsch’s performance was truly terrific and I’d gladly leave off one of the others – like Clooney – to make room for Jones, there’s no denying that Jones really is an excellent actor. Front and center in one of the first major films to deal with the war in Iraq, Jones performed commendably and helped make this underrated film one of the most powerful of the year.

Come back next week for a look at the Surprise Inclusion of 2006. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments.

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Morning Glory

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Morning Glory – Opening November 12, 2010



I came across this trailer after seeing it featured on the IMDB home page, and I’m very glad I took the time to watch it. There are many reasons to be excited about this film. The first is that Rachel McAdams is an actress who rises consistently above her material, and despite a few good roles, she has yet to really find a good follow-up to her breakout back in 2004/2005. This looks like just the right part, casting her as a workaholic producer desperate for a job and eager to whip everyone at a failing talk show into shape. Her delivery of the line, “do you have a reliable alarm clock” right as she’s about to sleep with someone in the trailer is particularly amusing. Speaking of amusing, this looks like a marvelous return to form for Harrison Ford, who doesn’t seem to have gone quite as far as William Shatner in terms of purely parodying himself but instead focusing on the stoic attitude that often made him funny and making it work here opposite McAdams and his co-host played by Diane Keaton. It should be particularly fun to see Keaton and Ford clash on screen, and it’s nice to give these actors prominent roles in a good comedy like this. The supporting cast has a number of colorful faces too, including Patrick Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, and Ty Burrell (seen momentarily in the trailer) from "Modern Family" as Keaton’s initial co-host. From the director of “Notting Hill,” this looks like a truly fun and enjoyable movie that audiences should find just as entertaining and likely more heartwarming than “The Devil Wears Prada,” cited in the trailer as sharing the same screenwriter. What are your thoughts?

Monday Movies You Aught to See: Memento

Regardless of whether the decade ended already ended in 2009 or will end at the close of the current year, the 2000s were a wonderful period of cinema with many treasures that deserve to be remembered. Check in at Movies with Abe on Mondays for Movies You Aught to See, a look back at memorable movies from the aughts. They are posted in no particular order, and if you have a great film from the 2000s that you think merits consideration, leave a note in the comments!

Memento
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Released March 16, 2001



Before he gained international fame with the 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight,” Chistopher Nolan adapted his brother’s screenplay and directed this excellent thriller about a man who has lost the ability to make new memories and relies on pictures and tattoos to aid him in his never-ending search for the man who killed his wife and caused his injury. This marvelously complex and extraordinarily well-edited film is presented out of order with black-and-white and color segments to splinter Leonard’s memory and allow the viewer to piece together the story. Guy Pearce turns in an exceptional performance as the eccentric Leonard, spouting the catchphrase “now, where was I?” perfectly. The whopper of an ending will leave you thinking about this moving for a long time. Watch the trailer above for a glimpse at how incredible this film is if you haven’t yet seen it.

Movie with Abe: Ondine

Ondine
Directed by Neil Jordan
Released June 4, 2010

There’s something in the water. Fear not, it’s nothing malicious, but instead a beautiful woman who may well be a selkie, a mermaid-like seal who can shed her skin and become a human. When a fisherman named Syracuse (Colin Farrell) catches her in his net, he is overcome with feelings for this mysterious creature and taken by the hold she has over him. “Ondine” is both a fairy tale and a love story that explores the landscape of Ireland and the outlook of one man who cares about only one thing in the world – his daughter – and has nothing else to anchor him to any one place until he meets the lovely Ondine.

Actress Alicja Bachleda discusses the film
“Ondine” is a film with few characters fueled by folklore. Syracuse is a lonely soul whose career as a fisherman on the seas and past habit of drunkenness has led to his separation from the mother of his child. His daughter Annie suffers from a condition that forces her to be in a wheelchair, and Syracuse attributes his shaping up to his dedication to his daughter. The young Annie is extremely mature for her age, and she seems to comprehend Ondine more than Syracuse does. When Syracuse heads to the local library to check out books on selkies, Annie has already beaten him to the punch and taken them all out to read on her own.

Director Neil Jordan and star Colin Farrell discuss the film
The movie’s story is certainly enchanting, but so are its performers. Hollywood bad boy Colin Farrell jokes that the experience of playing a “gentle, loving guy” was boring, but adds that there was something great about the “simplicity and humility to such a lovely character.” Farrell says that Syracuse has a melancholy to him that even he wasn’t aware of, and he confesses that this marked the first character in twelve years that he wasn’t looking forward to leaving. Farrell puts a lot of heart into his performance, and he’s not the only one. Polish actress Alicja Bachleda is marvelous and wonderful as Ondine, and the charming young actress described the role as a terrific chance to combine two passions: acting and singing. Alison Barry also impresses tremendously as Annie. Director Neil Jordan clearly has a passion for his subject, and he says that the reason he likes fairy tales is that he likes stories and characters that don’t fully understand themselves. He also notes that he would like to photograph the Irish landscape before he dies, and this beautiful movie certainly makes that idea sound extremely enticing.

B+

Thursday Theatre Review: Landmark Sunshine Cinema

Weekly to a new feature here at Movies with Abe, Thursday Theatre Review. As a resident of one of the world’s foremost movie capitals, I’ve been to a number of movie theatres in New York City and have developed preferences. There’s no perfect theatre, but there are a few things that can make or break a movie-going experience. In no particular order, this is a guide to movie theatres in Manhattan.

Landmark Sunshine Cinema

Location: At 143 East Houston St in between 1st and 2nd Ave, it’s not the most accessible location, reachable only by the orange line and 6 trains. On the other hand, it’s right down the street from Katz’s Deli.

Pricing: This is definitely the least appealing aspect of this theatre. Tickets are currently $12.50 at all times, and no discount tickets are available. Even Landmark Theatres chain passes are void in New York City. Joining the film club only means more e-mails to your inbox and an invitation to a free screening once every few months.

Film selection: Excellent. This is the premiere destination for independent cinema in New York City, and it’s often the only theatre in New York (and only of the only theatres in the U.S.) playing a given film. Before I started attending press screenings, I was at this theatre very regularly. I enjoyed the chance to see the Guy Pearce film “First Snow” on opening day when the film was only out in three venues worldwide. Currently playing: “Agora,” “Babies,” “Exit through the Gift Shop,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and “Holy Rollers.”

Bonus features: One of the auditoriums has speakers in the bathroom. Don’t worry about missing anything if you need to run to pee during the show – you can still hear the audio in the restroom. That’s pretty damn cool. Also, the theatre plays new and old classic films at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Worth the trip? Yes, but you may not be able to make it a regular thing if you’re crunched for cash. But otherwise, grab a knish from Yonah Schimmel’s bakery next door and enjoy some independent cinema!

Wednesday Oscar Retrospective: The Surprise Inclusion of 2008

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Retrospective. The Surprise Inclusion is the third in a series of projects looking back at the past eight years of the Oscars, dating back to the first ceremony I watched and closely followed.

Each year, the Oscar nominations announcement presents several shocking names and films. This series is devoted to analyzing the biggest and most surprising inclusion of all (in any category). It has nothing to do with personal opinion but rather with what was considered a surprise at the time compared with what most people were predicting. Once again, this is a film/director/actor whose nomination was unexpected.

The Surprise Inclusion of 2008:

“The Reader” for Best Picture
Why it wasn’t going to happen: Both 2008 films starring Kate Winslet earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture and Best Director along with “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Frost/Nixon,” and “Slumdog Millionaire.” In the subsequent stages of the Oscar race, both were replaced by “The Dark Knight” and “Milk” in the lineup for the DGA and PGA, and “The Dark Knight” took the final slot for Best Adapted Screenplay over both films. Just as it looked certain that Winslet would earn Oscar nominations for both films, it was just as certain that neither would make much of a splash elsewhere on the list of Oscar nominees.

How it happened: Even though “The Dark Knight” was looking like a sure thing to earn a nomination for Best Picture, many still suspected that Oscar voters wouldn’t be hip enough to reward a fantasy film about a superhero. Instead, this very traditional Oscar fare which also had to do with the Holocaust took its spot. What probably helped was that voters clearly preferred it to “Revolutionary Road,” bumping her “Reader” role up to lead and leaving the other film with a mere three minor nominations, while “The Reader” reaped five: Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actress, and Cinematography. Director Stephen Daldry also pulled off the amazing feat of earning his third nomination for Best Director – for his third film! Christopher Nolan, on the other hand, saw his previous films earn no more than two nominations apiece, and he had to settle for his latest getting eight but still not the top prize.

Was it deserved? Most people will probably tell you no. Whenever anyone discussed “The Reader” in most Oscar-related presentations, the big joke was that no one had seen it. If most people have since then (which they likely haven’t), it’s almost certain that they weren’t impressed and definitely didn’t think that it should have been nominated over fan favorite “The Dark Knight.” Consider also the Metacritic scores for each film: Batman earned an impressive 82, while "The Reader" failed with a 58.

Come back next week for a look at the Surprise Inclusion of 2007. If you have a prediction or a suggestion, please leave it in the comments. Congratulations to G1000 for correctly predicting this week’s choice.

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: You Again

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

You Again – Opening September 24, 2010



I came across this trailer online, and despite the PG rating, it looks pretty exciting. First of all, any movie starring Kristen Bell requires no other draw for many people. This is a comedy about two different women, played by Bell and Jamie Lee Curtis, reminiscent in many ways of the recent remake of “Freaky Friday,” also starring Curtis, without any supernatural elements. What’s especially cool is that Bell and Curtis play mother and daughter, and they’re both facing off against their high school nemeses in the form of Bell’s brother’s fiancée and her mother. Bell’s foil is Odette Yustman, who has starred in thrillers like “The Unborn” and “Cloverfield” and should prove entertaining in a comedic role, while Curtis faces off with three-time Oscar nominee and recent “Avatar” star Sigourney Weaver, who excels at playing obnoxious characters. Add in Victor Garber as Curtis’ husband plus Betty White and Kristin Chenoweth in key supporting roles and you have a recipe for a fabulous ensemble. This is also a fun revenge premise where the bullies in question really do deserve the fate that will eventually befall them. This could be a forgettable comedy, but I suspect that the pedigree of the cast and the promising trailer should make it a cut above the usual fare this genre might produce.