Film at HBPL

They're baaaaaaack!

2012-02-03T13:43:00.000-08:00

The Oscar nominations came out last week and overall they didn’t have too many surprises. Sure there were the usual snubs like the final Harry Potter not getting an Oscar nod for Best Film like the final Lord of the Rings. Many thought Albert Brooks should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Drive. Where are Steven Spielberg (War Horse) and Tate Taylor (The Help) for Best Director (especially Taylor as The Help will quite possibly take Best Film)?? Well, since the Academy can only nominate so many, someone is left out every year.
So, who will win?? I have been madly seeing as many nominated films as I can. Fortunately for you (and me!), many of these films are out on DVD and available at the HBPL Media Center!

Films with multiple nominations, currently in the Media Center on DVD:

The Help: I was pleasantly surprised that the book The Help was a charming, moving and thoughtful read. I didn’t expect it to be. I was a bit dubious of the movie but, like the book, it won me over. I am a bit surprised it didn’t get a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination but it did receive 4 others: Best Film, Best Supporting Actress for Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer and Best Actress for Viola Davis.

Moneyball: Until I saw “The Artist”, Brad Pitt would have been my pick to win Best Actor for his role in Moneyball. At least the Academy had the good sense to nominate him for Best Actor. Moneyball also got Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Editing and Sound Mixing nominations. Plaaaaaaaaaaaaay Ball!

Midnight in Paris: I am a fan of Woody Allen’s early work; Annie Hall, Manhattan, Purple Rose of Cairo, Sleepers to mention a few. Lately I have not been his biggest fan but he has certainly redeemed himself in my eyes with Midnight in Paris. Charming! Funny! Totally Entertaining! Loved it! It has been given deserved nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Original Screenplay and Art Direction.

The Tree of Life: Many people walked out of this film and wrote scathing reviews. Others claim it is a visionary piece of art. It will be up to you to decide! Nominated for Best Film, Best Director and Cinematography.

Bridemaids: Really? Bridemaids? Comedies usually don’t fare well at the Oscars, so this one came as a surprise, at least to those that haven’t seen it. As a recent convert, I am happy the Academy saw fit to nominate Melissa McCarthy for Best Supporting Actress and to give it an Original Screenplay nod! You go, girls!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2: Snubbed for bigger things but thrown a bone with Makeup, Art Direction, and Visual Effects nominations.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon: I thought the first Transformer film was exciting and big on action. The next two, I didn’t find as compelling however, the latest still got nominations for Visual Effects, Sound Mixing and Editing.

Films with single nominations, currently in the Media Center on DVD:

Best Actor: A Better Life (Demian Bichir)
Best Supporting Actor: Warrior (Nick Nolte) and Beginners (Christopher Plummer)
Animated Feature: Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rango
Adapted Screenplay: The Ides of March
Visual Effects: Reel Steel and Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Costume Design: Jane Eyre and Anonymous (available 2/7)
Sound Editing: Drive

I will be posting my Oscar picks later this month. I have been betting on the Oscars with a high school friend for longer than I care to mention. I need to check all the guild awards and bet with him before I “go public”! Never fear, I will definitely post them sometime the week before the show (February 26th). So, get your popcorn, you have some research to do!

Animation Nation : Holiday Edition

2011-11-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

I think last year at this time I was listing off inspirational films to help you get through the holidays. The holidays this year call for something more….more….more animated! Years ago when I worked at Disney Studios, the hold music for the phones would be whatever new film Disney had coming out in the near future. One particular year I seemed to be on hold a lot and I listened to the soundtrack for Beauty and the Beast…for….ever….! Despite that, to this day it is still my favorite animated film and one I could watch over and over and still shed a tear when the Beast becomes the prince (I certainly hope I am not giving the big ending away! If so, you need to get out more...).

When your shopping is done, all the presents are wrapped, the cookies are all baked and you have time to sit down and relax, nothing entertains like a good animated film!

Beauty and the Beast: Tale as old as time....*sigh*. Beauty and the Beast combines (at the time) cutting edge computer graphics with the musical delight of a Broadway play. Need some Busby Berkeley? “Be Our Guest” fills the bill. Need amazing song writing? I give you Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (Winners of the Oscar for Best Original Song and Best Original Score for this film). This version of Beauty and the Beast veers off from the original fairy tale but, as far as I am concerned, not to the detriment of the story. The massive ego of Gaston makes this film all the more enjoyable and his song pointing out all his amazing qualities (he especially good at ex-pec-tor-a-ting!) is one of my favorites. Most girls know a Gaston and most girls would love to find that tender Beast so get out your hankies and enjoy!

Need more Disney animation: Fantasia, Lion King, or Dumbo.

Nightmare Before Christmas: What’s this? What’s this? This is a brilliant bit of stop-motion animation that is a holiday classic in my household. Although Henry Sellick directed this marvelous film, the script came from the twisted brain of Tim Burton. Is it better at Halloween? Is it better at Christmas? That’s for you to decide but I think this film is so good it could easily be seen at either holidays (or both!). Jack, the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, has grown bored with the confines of his holiday and wants to show the world an improved version of Christmas. Every inch of space is crammed full of delightful images that will either creep you out or fill you full of holiday good will. Not many films can say that!

Need more Burton? Try the Corpse Bride.

Spirited Away : This animated film is by Japanese master animator, Hayao Miyazaki (an animation God to most animators). Not fond of computers, Miyazaki draws thousands of frames by hand, and there is a richness in his work that comes from an artists eye. The story: a young girl named Chichiro embarks on a journey through a fantastical realm to save her parents. In this realm she interacts with a variety of imaginative characters, is surrounded by dazzling visuals, and supported by a rousing musical score. Although this is targeted toward children, adults will also be enchanted by the characters and situations. A charming tale about love, determination, and growing up.

More thought provoking animation: Howls Moving Castle, Iron Giant, Princess Mononoke, Persepolis.

Pixar Trifecta: Toy Story (1/2/3) * Up * Wall-E
Despite my utter adoration of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I think that Pixar creates the best, most touching, most entertaining animated films available. The entire Toy Story trilogy is a masterpiece of animation storytelling, Up has one of the most moving and touching film montages ever created and Wall-E is a delight as well as a commentary on our future if we continue our sedentary lives. All of these Pixar films are ones that whenever I am swinging around the TV dial and land on one of them I go no further. Is Pixar perfect? Well, no one is perfect as is displayed by Cars 2 or How to Train Your Dragon, but a great many of their films are true genius so I still support them as the current kings (and queens) of animation.

Need more outstanding Pixar: Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille

South Park: Bigger Longer Uncut: I was recently in New York and had the opportunity to see the incredible “Book of Mormon”. It is juvenile in parts and amazingly rude but it is also one of the most entertaining musicals I have ever seen (and I have seen ALOT of musicals!) This film was a pre-cursor to what Trey Parker and Matt Stone were capable of. Like the “Book of Mormon”, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut is juvenile in parts and amazingly rude but it is one of the most entertaining animated films I have ever seen. Not to mention the fact the Trey Parker received an Oscar nomination for Best Song for the rousing “Blame Canada” ! The film follows the continuing escapades of Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny as they sneak into an R rated film. When the kids develop some new disturbing vocabulary, the parents and teachers decide to “Blame Canada” for leading their kids astray. Love ‘em, hate ‘em, but whatever you do, watch ‘em (just don’t let the kids watch with you)!

Need more juvenile animated fun: The Simpson’s Movie

Whether we are ready or not, the holidays are here. So in this season of giving, I give to you the permission to slow down, visit our Media Department and check out one of these wonderful animated films (all mentioned films available at HBPL).

May your holidays be merry and bright (and full of friends or chocolate or friends bearing chocolate) !!

Next post: They’re baaaaaack! The race for Oscar begins.

The People have spoken!

2011-09-21T09:24:00.001-07:00

Toronto International Film Festival has ended and their awards have been announced. In the past few years, the winner of the People’s Choice award went on to be a major Oscar contender. Think Slumdog Millionaire, Precious and the King’s Speech. This year winner will have to go some to rise to that lofty level. The 2011 winner of the People’s Choice Award for feature film went to the Lebanese film, Where do we go now? This film takes us to an isolated village in war torn Lebanon. The local women decide to save their village from the inter-religious fighting that erupts after a television is installed in a neighbor’s home. This film, so far, does not have U.S. distribution but I assume that will change now that it has won this award. It will also be the official submission from Lebanon for best Foreign Film (many films are submitted as selections but only a few will get the nomination).

The People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary went to The Island President. In this political documentary, Mohamed Nasheed wins the presidency after a 20-year battle for democracy in the Maldives, only to face a bigger challenge: to save his island nation from global warming and rising seas.

Toronto is finished for another year…but never fear! This festival ends, another will soon begin!

Never Too Late for a Festival Wrap-Up!

2011-09-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have been very busy this year with all the reorganization of duties. I seem to have been remiss on writing about the big film festivals...all the majors have gone by this year without a word from me. Alas Alas. It takes the Toronto Film Festival going on (and me not being there) to remind me of that fact! So in case you missed them, here are the top awards that were given at the big film festivals this year:

January:

Sundance Film Festival: or Bob’s Show as they used to call it. Started in 1978 by Robert Redford, the main focus of Sundance was to conduct a competition for independent American films; to highlight the work of filmmakers who worked outside the Hollywood system. Many complain that it isn’t as “independent” minded as it used to be but it is still one of the major festivals in the world.

The Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented to How to Die in Oregon, directed by Peter D. Richardson. In 1994 Oregon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. This film tells the stories of those involved with the practice today. (no release date currently)

The Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to Like Crazy, directed by Drake Doremus. A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa. (This film has an October 2011 release date.)

The Audience Award: Documentary was presented to Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl. A real-life “horse whisperer”, Buck shuns the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment. (Had limited release in June of this year, coming to DVD in October 2011.)

The Audience Award: Dramatic was presented to Circumstance, directed and written by Maryam Keshavarz. A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager's growing sexual rebellion and her brother's dangerous obsession. (In theaters now, Irvine and Los Angeles)

May:

Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes): Cannes was started in 1946 as a rival international cultural event to the Venice Film Festival. (originally was to start in 1939 but had to wait until after WWII to have the first festival).

Palme D'Or : Terrence Malick's The Tree Of Life. According to reports, many actually walked out of this film at Cannes. That’s Malick for you. People love him, people hate him but it seems the former were on the award committee this year! This impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. (released in May in theaters, coming out on DVD in October).

August:

Venice International Film Festival: Started in 1934 as a non-competitive film event, it is the oldest film festival currently still running. In 1949, the Golden Lion was first given as award for the festival.

Golden Lion for Best Film (Leone d'Oro): Faust, directed by Aleksander Sokurov (Russia). A version of the German legend in which a man sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge (no current U.S. release date).

September:

Toronto International Film Festival: Started in 1976, TIFF is second only to Cannes in availability of high-profile films, stars and distribution deals. This year’s festival runs from September 8th to September 18th. I have not been to the other festivals but have been to Toronto several times. Each time I have seen amazing films, many that will never get U.S. distribution. Such is the value of the festival for film aficionados. Sure, having bragging rights about seeing high profile films first at the festival is definitely a bonus, but the real benefit is seeing great film that you would not have seen otherwise.

Toronto lacks a jury and is non-competitive; it doesn’t have a Golden Lion or Palme D'Or. Its highest honor, the People's Choice Award, is given to a feature-length film with the highest ratings as voted on by festival attendees. Last year’s winner was “The King’s Speech”. What will win the top honor this year?? The top forerunners this year seem to be either The Artist (Michael Hazanavicius’ mostly-silent ode to the death of silent film) or The Descendants (Directed by Sideways’ Alexander Payne, George Clooney plays the head of a storied Hawaiian family as they are forced to decide what to do with their last, vast parcel of land.) It could be either one of these or who knows? Some film that hasn’t even been screened yet may take the festival audiences fancy! I guess we will have to wait until next week to find out! (Check back as I will post the winner when it is announced).

For those that aren’t able to travel to these festivals, don’t forget the smaller festivals that happen closer to home. AFI Fest in Los Angeles is coming up in November (Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar starring Leonardo DiCaprio will open this year’s festival). Palm Springs International Film Festival is in January and Newport Beach Film Festival is in the spring. Need it smaller and even closer to home? The SoCal Film Festival will be here at the Central Library from Sep 28th to October 2nd.

Whew! I now feel like I have fulfilled my major cinematic festival duties for the year! Now get out there and take chance on a festival film!

Mister G

2011-08-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

It is known among my friends that I have a weak spot for the films of Jake Gyllenhaal. I like the sweet and optimistic Jake in October Sky, the teenage angsty Jake in Donnie Darko, the obsessive Jake in the Good Girl, the gay Jake in Brokeback Mountain, and I have just recently got to experience the action-figure Jake in Source Code.

The many Jakes:

Optimistic Jake: October Sky : Based on the autobiography of Homer Hickam, October Sky follows the dreams of a young Homer (Jake) whose life was changed in October 1957 with the launching of Sputnik into space. Although his coal miner father hoped he would follow him into the mines, Homer’s dream of the future was in the sky, not below the ground. Life is not easy for a poor kid from West Virginia but with perseverance and some luck, Homer is able to realize his dream.

Teenage Angst Jake: Donnie Darko: This is one weird, twisty, time-travellin’ film! (And in my top five all time favorites!) It is definitely a cult film that has people arguing over its meaning. What is Frank the bunny really doing in this film?? (A 6 foot bunny that only Donnie can see). Donnie (Jake) is a troubled teen that listens to the whacky things Frank tells him to do. Supporting Jake in this bizarre film are: Maggie Gyllenhaal as his sister; Noah Wylie and Drew Barrymore as his teachers; Mary McDonnell as his mother; Katherine Ross as his shrink and Patrick Swayze as a creepy motivational speaker. Love it or hate it one thing you can’t do is look away. Donnie Darko is the Everest of teenage angst movies!

Obsessive Jake: Good Girl: Jennifer Aniston plays a married woman with a very mundane life who starts an affair with a lost young man (Jake) who thinks he is Holden Caulfield (or at least wishes he were). They meet in the discount chain store where they both work. Boring jobs, boring lives, boring husbands or parents…nothing is very exciting about the lives of these two. And yet, it makes for a very watchable film. The choices that are made and their consequences are what make this good cinema. If you are looking for cheery happy endings, don’t look here. But if you want a film that does a spectacular job as a character study, this is the one to see.

Gay Jake : Brokeback Mountain : Some distill this lovely film down to just “it’s a gay cowboy film”! But if that is all they see, they are missing the real point of this film. It is a human, haunting story of two men born in a time when the must deny the great passion they feel for each other. This is not a gay love story; it is just a love story. Heath Ledger is Ennis and Jake plays Jack, two young ranch hands who take a job watching sheep in Wyoming. This is just the start of their lifelong passion for each other, even though they try to uphold a different façade with wives and children. The nuanced performances and the amazing direction of Ang Lee (winner of the Best Director Oscar) make this satisfying cinema.

Action Figure Jake : Source Code : Although Jake tried out his action figure status with Prince of Persia (Day After Tomorrow doesn’t really count as he was more left behind son than action figure. Also, even when freezing, it is hard for me to watch people burning books!), I think he really got his action figure “jones” going with this film. Jake wakes up in the body of a different man on a Chicago commuter train. As he finds out, he is there for only 8 minutes before he is pulled back to the present. The “present” involves a time traveling experiment to try and stop a terrorist that bombs the commuter train and threatens even worse. Jakes job: find out who the bomber is so he can be stopped. One unfortunate side note: Jake is really dead…..does he succeed in finding the bomber? Is he really dead? Only one way to find out…

Are all Jake Gyllenhaal films wonderful?? To answer that see Love and Other Drugs or Brothers…I don’t think Jake was the bad part of these films….now the writing…that’s another matter! And then, of course, there is Bubble Boy. Also one of my favorites but I think it is also on many people’s worse ever film lists. I look forward to seeing what quirky, action-packed or dramatic roles that will make up the future of Jake!

More than Potter

2011-06-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

Pottermore.com was (sort of) launched today. I say “sort of” as it was really just a teaser from JK Rowling of things to come (in October, so she says). It got me thinking about the release of the last Harry Potter film (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two) and wondering what the cast will do now that Pottering is coming to an end. Of course many have become known for their roles in the Harry Potter films but regardless, they are all working actors with other roles in their pasts and (hopefully) their future:

Daniel Radcliffe: Probably the busiest of the main kids, has been hoofing it on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Even while involved with being Harry Potter, young Daniel was pretty active trying other roles (December Boys, My Boy Jack and Equus) His next role: The lead role of Arthur Kipps in the horror film, Woman in Black. The film and play (which has been running for 21 years in the West End of London) are based on the novel by Susan Hill. I guess the “powers that be” decided its theatrical longevity was an indication of popularity and therefore a great candidate to be made into a film. Time will tell…but we will have to wait until its release early in 2012 to pass judgment. Regardless, bravo, I say to Daniel Radcliffe for challenging himself and getting away from the Potter stereotype.

Emma Watson: Although poor Emma got taunted out of Brown University by her classmates, hopefully she will laugh at them….all the way to the bank. Our Hermione is worth millions, will easily get into another university (I hear in New York) and is also stepping out of her Potter comfort zone to play Sam in the upcoming The Perks of Being a Wallflower (based on the popular YA novel by the same name). Take that, you Muggles!

Rupert Grint: I was quite interested to hear that Rupert’s (Ron Weasley) post-Potter project was starring as Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards in Eddie the Eagle (currently in post production). You might remember Eddie as the awkward British ski jumper from the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. Here’s hoping it gets US distribution so we can see how Rupert does in his AHP outing. (AHP= After Harry Potter).

Alan Rickman: Already a declared Alan Rickman fan, I can’t wait to see his AHP film release. Alan is currently working on a Coen Brothers film, Gambit. Expected out in 2012, he costars with Cameron Diaz, Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci in a tale about an art curator who enlists the services of a Texas steer roper to con a wealthy collector into buying a phony Monet painting. Coens+Rickman+Firth=Magic!!

Ralph Fiennes: Yesssssssss! Lord Voldemort (or “He who shall not be named” …oops…too late!) Whether he is creeping us out as a Nazi in Schindlers List, playing a demented mobster in In Bruges (with fellow Potter player, Brendan Gleeson aka Mad Eye Moody)or being sweetly quirky in Oscar and Lucinda, Ralph is always an actor to watch. In his next film (slated for December 2011 release), he is playing the lead role of Caius Martius Coriolanus in Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. Although Coriolanus is not performed as much as other Shakespearian plays, Ralph will now join the ranks of Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen; all who gave their own interpretation of the trouble Roman general! (Yes, but did the others have magic in their repertoire?)

Helena Bonham Carter: Probably the most interesting career choices that any of the Potter people have taken would be the ones of Helena Bonham Carter. Maybe her oddness comes from her close proximity to Tim Burton (they have been together since 2001); she is very convincing as the insane Bellatrix Lestrange. But then she amazes us with her regal turn as the Queen Mum in the Kings Speech! Her next project is once again directed by her boyfriend and father of her children, Tim B. It will also reunite her with the Mad Hatter himself, Johnny Depp. Carter and Depp are currently filming Dark Shadows, with Johnny as Barnabas Collins (the vampire that was winning young girl’s hearts way before Twilight was ink on a page!).

Who knows if Pottermore.com will ultimately be a site worth our time? I guess we will have to wait until October to find out. In the meantime, we can all look forward to the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two (July 15th! Buy your tickets now!). Not to mention the continuing careers of the Potter players and some very interesting upcoming cinema fun!

Mischief managed….

Fuggeddaboudit!

2011-05-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

You talkin’ to me? YOU TALKIN’ TO ME??

Just those few words bring up images of skyscrapers and hustlers on the mean streets of New York. I was lucky enough to escape HBPL for a week and head to the Big Apple. Museums, pizza and Broadway theater! Much to my amazement, Harry Potter CAN sing and dance! (Got to see Daniel Radcliffe in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”). Roaming the city made me feel like I was in a Woody Allen film. Of course, Woody’s films ooze New York as do the following filmatic examples:

Annie Hall:
La-di-da, la-di-da …and if that means nothing to you, you haven’t seen Annie Hall. That catch phrase and her eccentric wardrobe (which consisted mainly of vintage men's clothing, including neckties, vests, baggy pants, and fedora hats) made Diane Keaton the talk of the town … and a Best Actress Oscar winner for this film. It was also the film that changed Woody Allen (who won Oscars as director, screenwriter and Best Picture) from a purely comic film director to a filmmaker with a little more substance. New York comedian Alvy Singer (Allen) looks back at his relationship with Annie (Keaton). His journey takes him through his memories of their relationship, trying to find out what caused them to part ways (maybe his neurotic banter?). La- di-da!

Need more neurotic New York? Try When Harry Met Sally or Moonstruck.

Sex and the City:
Woody Allen used to own New York but in the 21st century, the city belongs to the girls! New York is as much a character in Sex and the City as Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. Continuing on from the ending of the television series, Carrie’s finally going to marry Mr. Big….or is she?? Heartbreak and trouble swirls around the girls but they are always there for each other….dressed in designer clothes and Jimmy Choo shoes!!

For more girls and the city check out: Breakfast at Tiffany’s or The Devil Wears Prada.

Saturday Night Fever:
♫ Well you can tell by the way he uses his walk, he’s a woman's man no time to talk! ♫
John Travolta plays a disco dancing miva (male diva) is this 70’s classic. Nineteen-year-old Brooklyn native Tony Manero (Travolta) lives for Saturday nights at the local disco. In the disco he is king of the roost but in the light of day, he’s real life isn’t quite so great; dead-end job and a priest brother who is the apple of his parents eye. Tony meets Stephanie who has higher aspirations in life and through dance inspires Tony to look beyond Brooklyn and his “Saturday Night” claim to fame. Is this film dated? Sure, but for those that lived through the 70’s it is a welcome blast from the past. (Not to mention for the continually mystifying resurgence of BeeGee fans).

Musical New York: West Side Story, The Producers and that great scene on the huge piano in Big

Taxi Driver:
You talkin’ to ME??? Yeah, I know I used this to open this blog posting but it bears repeating. Other than Woody Allen, the director that is most associated with New York is Martin Scorsese (director of Taxi Driver). The gritty reality of New York comes in the form of Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro), an ex-Marine and Vietnam War veteran living in the City. By night he drives his cab around “the City” and by day he deals with his obsessions. The obsessions come mainly in the form of two women, Betsy (Cybil Shepard) and Iris (Jodie Foster). Bickle’s has a strong (over the top) sense of what is right and wrong with humanity and has made it his goal to make the world a better place. Well, a better place in the mind of Travis….to everyone else…a nightmare!

More New York grit: Gangs of New York, Mean Streets (two Scorsese flicks) and Serpico.

With any luck, you too can visit the Big Apple, the City So Nice, They Named It Twice (NY, NY), the City that Never Sleeps, Gotham City (or whatever moniker you use). But if not in person, the City is always available to you at the movies!

Watchin’ of the Green!

2011-03-17T14:44:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that despite actual nationality, everyone becomes Irish. I happen to be about a quarter Irish but every March the blarney kicks in and I become a full blooded Irish woman! When I was in high school they sold green bagels and cream cheese to mark the day. Later in my college years I moved on to green beer but now as a responsible librarian I turn to other ways to celebrate the day (okay…sometimes I do revert to green beer). These very Irish films can give you the Irish spirit but help you keep your St. Patrick’s Day safe and sane.

Intermission (DVD)
I saw this film years ago at the Toronto film festival. It has a definite dark edge to it but like Pulp Fiction, it has scenes that are inappropriately funny. I found myself laughing at things that were just wrong. The setting is working-class Dublin but it is hard to describe the plotline as there are a dozen major characters whose lives intersect in romance, crime and farce. John (Cillian Murphy), Lehiff (Colin Farrell) and Oscar (David Wilmot) are mates who continue to make bad decisions regarding love and life. Colm Meaney plays Jerry Lynch , who has watched too many cop reality shows and is convinced that he would make a much better reality star. Bring in a whole slew of brown sauce references and you have a dark, dark comedy that is often unsettling…but it's also touching and startlingly original.

Crying Game (DVD)
Alright…who doesn’t know “the secret” of the Crying Game?? I remember seeing this when it first came out and how keeping “the secret” was as important as not giving away the ending of the Sixth Sense (Bruce Willis is really dead….oops!). The always excellent Stephen Rea plays Fergus, an Irish Republican Army volunteer who develops an unlikely friendship with Jody (the also always amazing Forest Whitaker), a kidnapped British soldier lured into an IRA trap. When things go terribly wrong, Fergus heads to London to look up Jody’s girlfriend, Dil. Another unlikely friendship develops and….well I guess you are just going to have to watch it, won’t you! You won’t be disappointed; this is a clever film that keeps you guessing and makes you care about the journey of the characters. (Did I mention that Bruce Willis is really dead in the Sixth Sense?)

Waking Ned Devine (DVD)

In the remote Irish village of Tullymore, someone is holding a winning lottery ticket worth several million in the National Lottery. The good thing is that this is a life changing sum of money, the bad is that ticket holder, Ned Devine, dropped dead from shock when he learned of his good fortune. No, I am not giving the big surprise away (Bruce Willis….) as this happens in the beginning of the film. When his mates Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly) come to call on him, they find him dead, still clutching the winning ticket. They concoct a crazy scheme involving someone posing as Ned to fool a representative from the Lottery commission who comes to verify the winner. Laughs, madness and some nudity that you won’t soon forget ensues…it is a story of greed and conniving but somehow, when the Irish do it, it seems charming and quirky; a tale to be told by a fire with a pint in hand (preferably green beer).

Once (DVD)
Irish boy musician meets Czech girl musician in Dublin and they go on to win an Academy Award. Ahhhhh, ain’t love grand? Once is a modern day musical about the dreams of a Dublin street musician to become a success and the Czech girl that inspires him. Or I guess I should say they inspire each other as they sing their way around the mean streets of Dublin. After spending time with this romance of a film and its original music, it is easy to see why it was winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance (2007) and why its song, "Falling Slowly" went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song (2008).

So enjoy the day that makes it easy to be green or at least easy to be wearin’ the green! Instead of green beer or Irish whiskey, try these films to fill yourself with Irish spirit!

Erin Go Bragh!

And the winner is....

2011-03-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

....for anyone who is interested....although I didn't do as well on the technical awards at the Oscars this year, I did get all the majors awards. But even better...I beat my friend...who says there's no free lunch (well...dinner!)

The votes are in!

2011-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Although Academy members have until February 22nd to get their votes in, I have already made my picks for this year’s Oscars. I have been betting with a friend from high school for many, many years now (I won’t admit how many!) and last night was our annual “Oscar dinner”. I am usually pretty confident with my choices but this year it could go the way of the King’s Speech or the way of the Social Network. Either direction is possible! My bets were heavily King’s Speech; my friends were the Social Network. We will have to wait until February 27th to see who has chosen most wisely this year.

My Oscar choices:

Best Film: King’s Speech
Actor: Colin Firth
Actress: Natalie Portman
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale
Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo
Original Screenplay: King’s Speech (Inception won the WGA award and could easily take this one).
Adapted Screenplay: Social Network
Directing: King’s Speech
Art Direction: King’s Speech
Cinematography: True Grit
Costume: King’s Speech
Editing: King’s Speech
Make-Up: Wolfman
Original Score: Social Network
Original Song: Coming Home (Country Strong)
Sound Editing: Inception
Sound Mixing: Inception
Visual Effects: Inception
Animated Film: Toy Story 3
Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Foreign Language: Biutiful

Fortunately, many of the Oscar nominated films are still in the theaters so you can experience them on the big screen. However, if you miss them, many are coming out on DVD in the coming months:
127 Hours: March 1
Black Swan: March 29
Tangled: March 29
The Fighter: March 15
Hereafter: March 15
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one: April 15
King’s Speech: April 19
Rabbit Hole: April 19th

Oscar nominated films that are already available at HBPL:
Social Network
Inception
Toy Story 3
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Alice in Wonderland
How to Train your Dragon
Salt
Restrepo (currently on order)
The Kids are Alright
Winter’s Bone
The Town
Animal Kingdom

The glitz and the glamour are just a few weeks away so get your ballots, get your friends, get your snacks organized and that champagne on ice! Hooray for Hollywood!

Tis the season!

2010-12-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

Yes ‘tis the season! Everyone getting dressed up in their finest, going to parties, reveling in the excitement of each new event! Of course I am talking about the onset of the film award season! The National Board of Review, Screen Actors Guild (SAG), Golden Globes, New York Film Critics and Los Angeles Film Critics have recently announced their picks for the best of 2010. The Golden Globes made some very interesting nominations…The Tourist for Best Musical or Comedy?? I believe it is neither, but what do I know……so what films seem to be at the forefront of the best of 2010 (and probably front runners for the big O – Oscar not Oprah):

The top two:

The Social Network:
(current DVD release date: Jan 11, 2011, although films that get heavily nominated often delay their release date until after the Oscars)
Winner Best Film: New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics, National Board of Review; Nominated for Best Film: Golden Globes and Best Cast for the SAG’s.
National Board of Review named Jesse Eisenberg as the Best Actor of 2010 and he is nominated for a SAG award.
Director, David Fincher won Best Director from the New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics, National Board of Review and is nominated for a Golden Globe. (The Directors Guild Awards will be announced on Saturday, January 29, 2011. I am sure he will get a nomination!)

Freaks and geeks and Oscar buzz. The Social Network follows Mark Zuckerberg (played in a delightfully juvenile way by Jesse Eisenberg) in the development of Facebook. As the tagline says, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies”. Watching socially inept twenty-somethings getting back at each other has never been so fun (or disturbing). (In case you can’t tell…I really liked this film!)

The King’s Speech:
Nominated for Best Film: Golden Globes
Awarded Best Actor – Colin Firth: New York Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics; Nominated for Golden Globe and SAG award

Well, they had me at Colin Firth. Come on girls, can I have an “oh yeah”. Ever since he can out of that lake in Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Firth has had a loyal female following. What’s nice is that he can act as well. Last year he came close to getting his first Oscar for “A Single Man” and I would think that he has a very good chance of winning this year for “The King’s Speech”. The film follows the story of King George VI of Britain (Queen Elizabeth II’s father), who assumes the throne after his brother George abdicates to marry Mrs. Simpson. Unfortunately, the new king has a dreadful stutter and is not exactly and inspirational speaker to move the masses as WWII takes over Europe. In steps Geoffrey Rush as a therapist with unorthodox methods. Their hilarious and heartfelt interactions form the heart of this film as the King changes from a stuttering introvert to the leader of a nation.

Other top runners:
The Kids are Alright: (currently available on DVD at HBPL) (Awarded New York Film Critics Best Actress to Annette Bening and Best Supporting Actor to Mark Ruffalo. Bening is also nominated for Best Actress SAG and Golden Globes; Ruffalo a SAG. The film is nominated for a Golden Globe.)

The Fighter: (SAG and Golden Globe nominations for Mark Wahlberg, Melissa Leo, Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Melissa Leo was awarded Best Supporting Actress from the New York Film Critics and Christian Bale won Best Supporting Actor from the National Board of Review. The film is nominated for a Golden Globe.)

127 Hours: (Based on the book, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston; available at HBPL) (SAG and Golden Globe nominations for James Franco)

Toy Story 3:(currently available on DVD at HBPL) (Awarded Best Animated film from Los Angeles Film Critics and National Board of Review; nominated for a Golden Globe.

I hope your Christmas (and/or holiday)obligations don’t get in the way of seeing all the nominated films this year!
Have a wonderful celebration season (no matter what you choose to celebrate!)

Let the games begin!

The sun will come out tomorrow.....

2010-11-20T12:25:00.000-08:00

Try as I may, it has been difficult to maintain my normal one to two posts a month. As you all probably know, we have had some BIG changes here at HBPL. As with services everywhere, we now have fewer staff doing the same work and everyone is taking on new responsibilities. So, my postings may be less often but I will still be maintaining this blog.

As we head into the holiday season, many aren’t feeling so merry. When times are hard, what do you need? Do we need traditional holiday movies?? Sure but what we need even more is uplifting cinematic fare! Try these to raise your spirits:

The Blind Side: Talk about a rags to riches story! The film is based on the life of Michael Other, an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens (a pro football team for those that don’t know!). As a young, homeless black man, Other was taken in by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy and given a chance at life in a loving, supportive environment. The Tuohy’s are as white and southern as they come. This could have been a stereotypical film that makes you wince but instead it is a heartfelt, inspirational film with an Oscar winning performance by Sandra Bullock (Leigh Anne).

Need more sport films to inspire you? Try Hoosiers (basketball and my all-time favorite for best sports film ever!), Cinderella Man (boxing), Rudy (football), Miracle (hockey) or The Rookie (baseball).

Places in the Heart: We like her! We really, really like her! I bet Sally Fields rues the day she made that statement to the world when accepting her Best Actress Oscar for this film. (Her first Best Actress Oscar was for Norma Rae, another uplifting performance.) But I DO like her in this heartbreaking role of a woman faced with the death of her husband and the hardship of keeping her cotton farm and life together. Her courage and tenacity is inspirational as she looks tough times in the face and stares it down; a lesson for our times. (Of course, with Danny Glover, Ed Harris and John Malkovich as her supporting cast....she had a lot of acting talent to support her). You go, Sister Bertrille!

Need more inspiration by strong women? Try Fried Green Tomatoes (which includes one of my favorite quotable scenes: “Face it girls, I am older and have more insurance!” and if you don’t know what that means…see the film! Tawanda!).

Apollo 13: The amazing thing about this film is that I know how it ends, and yet I waited in anticipation at the end of the film to learn the fate of the astronauts. I credit this anticipation to the film making skills of Ron Howard. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon play the stranded Apollo astronauts who have us pulling for them every step of the way! This type of courage and ingenuity shows America at its best!

It’s a Wonderful Life: Egads, you say! What is this Christmas film doing in an uplifting movie list? Believe me….I didn’t want to include it but in my research one film just kept coming up as the most inspirational and uplifting (plus, I have a secret thing for Jimmy Stewart…shhhh…don’t tell!). Could there possibly be someone who hasn’t seen this film? After a turn of events, George Bailey (my boy, Jimmy) decides that his family would be better off without him. An intruding angel gives him the grim truth of life for his family and friends in a George-less world. (I mean really, without George in her life, his wife would have ended up a librarian! How tragic is that…hey wait! Maybe this film isn’t as uplifting as I thought!) Regardless, the feeling of good will and community that ends the film makes up for any slights on my profession.

So keep your chins up out there! Inspiration can come from movies, books and more often from each other. You don’t need to be a celebrity to make someone’s day!

You think the economy is scary…

2010-09-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

We are coming into my favorite time of year (fall) that includes my favorite month of the year (October). Why do I love October? Other than the fact that it contains my birthday and birthdays of several awesome friends, I love it because it tends to be a crisper, cooler time of year (although this year seems to be rebelling). It is also the time for carving scary pumpkins, reading scary stories and watching scary movies. Who doesn’t love getting the popcorn, lighting a few candles, turning out the lights and getting creeped out by some celluloid ghouls??
Although HBPL Media does have a selection of horror/slasher type films like Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream, I have never been a huge fan of this type of horror film. I prefer creepies like these:

Night Gallery: After Rod Serling gave us the Twilight Zone, his next endeavor was Night Gallery. True to Serling form, all these episodes are truly creepy. We have recently added the complete first and second season of this classic television show. Some of my favorite episodes are:
THE CEMETERY A black sheep nephew (Roddy McDowall) murders his ailing uncle for the inheritance only to find some disturbing changes in the old man's painting of the family graveyard.
THE ESCAPE ROUTE A Nazi war criminal (Richard Kiley) finds refuge from his pursuers - and a fitting justice for his crimes - by wishing himself into a painting.
THE CATERPILLAR A bored colonial (Laurence Harvey) on a Malaysian plantation finds himself the victim of a gruesome assassination plot he had planned for someone else.
DELIVERIES IN THE REAR A ghastly shocker about a surgery instructor (Cornel Wilde)who is unconcerned about the source of his cadavers.
THE SINS OF THE FATHERS In 19th century Wales, a devastating famine forces a young boy (Richard Thomas) to play the part of a sin-eater at a dead man's wake.
Watching this series is like watching a who’s who of 60’s and 70’s TV: Vincent Price, Bill Bixby, Larry Hagman, Burgess Meredith, Agnes Moorehead, Raymond Massey, William Windom, Leslie Nielsen, Michele Lee, Patty Duke, Bob Crane, Jo Anne Worley and the names go on and on. If you never saw this show while it was on, you now have an excellent opportunity to scare yourself all the way through October!

Nightmare Before Christmas: What’s this? What’s this? This is a brilliant bit of stop-motion animation that is a holiday classic in my household. Christmas has It’s a Wonderful Life, Halloween has Nightmare Before Christmas. Although Henry Sellick directed this marvelous film, the script came from the brain of Tim Burton. If the plot weren’t fun enough, every inch of the screen is packed with ghoulish delights that only become more evident with multiple screenings. Jack Skellington, the bony leader of Halloweentown discovers that other holidays exist when he stumbles upon Christmastown. Convinced that he could do Christmas better than they could, he takes over the holiday with scary, creepy (musical!)results.

The Frighteners: Before Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson directed this funny but frightening film. I saw this when it first came out in 1996 and search it out every fall to revisit. Micheal J. Fox plays Frank Bannister who, after a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, develops psychic abilities allowing him to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts. Devastated by his wife’s death, he decides to leave his job as a successful architect to join forces with his new ghost friends to con people out of their money. The ghosts go into people’s homes and then they pay Frank to get rid of them. All is going well until a deceased mass murderer comes back from Hell to continue his killing spree and starts targeting people important to Frank.

No matter what type of film gives you the willies, slasher horror, psychological horror, teen-age musicals…..it is the time of year to indulge in your darker cinematic side! Scare is in the air!!

Rule Britannia!

2010-08-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

As Samuel Johnson once said: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”! I couldn’t agree more! I have had the good fortune to live in London and regularly go back for a visit. In fact I am headed there once again for friends, theater and fun! Over the year’s, the British have supplied us with some “terribly delightful” cinema! (Pip pip! Jolly good!) Here are a few of my favorites starring some of Britain’s finest actresses:

Calendar Girls: Before Helen Mirren was The Queen and before Julie Walters became Mrs. Weasley, they were both in a lovely little film named Calendar Girls. Every year, the Yorkshire County chapter of the Women's Institute, produces a calendar based around scenes of the Yorkshire dales. The funds raised are usually very meager but this year they are raising money for a hospital where one of their members husband died of leukemia. These “women of a certain age” decide that “sex sells” so decide to do the calendar in the nude. Based on true events, the calendar becomes a world wide sensation, bringing the ladies of Yorkshire not always appreciated fame and changes their lives forever. Move over Daniel Radcliffe…the continuation of Harry Potter cast nude scenes! Who's next?? I vote for Alan Rickman!

Bend It Like Beckham: Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) is a teenager with only one real passion in her life: football. She daydreams of being a great soccer star and her hero is David Beckham. Unfortunately, she is the daughter of orthodox Sikh parents who are more interested in her learning how to cook Punjabi food so that she can attract a nice Punjabi husband. If you don’t know the name Parminder Nagra, you probably know the face. From 2003-2009 she played Dr. Neela Rasgotra on the TV show E.R. And if you don’t know her you will definitely know her co-star. None other than Keira Knightley joins Parminder as another football loving young lady who has aspirations of playing in the Women's United Soccer Association professional league in the United States. ♫Yo ho Yo ho a football star is she♫!

Iris: The true story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley (Jim Broadbent; another gem brought to us by the British Isles!), from their student days through her descent into the dark confusion of Alzheimer's. The older Iris is played by the ever-fabulous Judi Dench while her younger counterpart is Kate Winslet. Two of England’s finest ladies in one film!

Remains of the Day: Emma, Emma, Emma! Really girl, what are you thinking falling for that stodgy old butler!? Well, I guess because it’s Anthony Hopkins, I can (in a way) understand it. The Remains of the Day is based on the Booker Prize novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. The film is a Merchant/Ivory period piece that tells the tale of a rule bound head butler whose life is all about manners and decorum. Enter a new housekeeper (Emma Thompson) that disrupts the order of his world by falling in love with him. Being unable to show his feelings combined with the growing uneasiness with his master's cultivation of ties with the Nazis, puts a tear in the butler’s self-imposed world.

Settle in with a nice cuppa and enjoy one of these gems from across the pond. (All available on DVD from the HBPL Media Department)
Cheers!

Happy Birthday Christopher!

2010-07-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Christopher Nolan was born in London on this day, forty years ago. Happy 40th b-day to Christopher! At the ripe old age of seven, he was making super 8mm films using his action figures as his stars. He graduated into 16mm films when he attended University College London, studying English Literature. In 1996, one of his short films was screened at the Cambridge Film Festival and that, as they say, was that! His career seemed to progress rather nicely from that point on. Of course he has been in the news a bit lately due to the release of his latest film, Inception. I haven’t seen it yet but hope to in the near future. Between the time of his Cambridge Film Festival success and the release of Inception, he has made some films that are worthy of your consideration:

Memento: Christopher Nolan was only 30 years old when he directed this amazing film. Nolan based Memento on a short story by his brother, Jonathan Nolan, who told it to him during a cross-country road trip. If you have seen it, you will know why the plot is difficult to describe. Basically, it is about a man who has lost his short termed memory after a violent incident where his wife is murdered. Oh and the story is told in reverse! The always brilliant Guy Pearce plays the man and although you have to pay attention during this film, it is indie film at its best and worth the brain cells!

Batman Begins: Finally! Someone got a Batman film right! I can’t say I was a big fan of this franchise until I saw Christopher Nolan’s vision of the caped crusader. Christian Bale was an unusual but genius bit of casting as the ever brooding Bruce Wayne. Instead of the Wham! Pow! cartooniness of the prior films, this one is intelligent and brings to the foreground the demons that haunt and drive Bruce Wayne versus just the escapades of the caped crusader.

The Prestige: Abracadabra! The brothers Nolan (Christopher and Jonathan) wrote this screenplay for Christopher to direct. Nolan, once again, uses Christian Bale to great effect. Bale and Hugh Jackman play magicians in turn-of-the-century London who engage in a devious and deadly no-holds-barred rivalry. As the illusions get more spectacular, these bitterest of rivals rage with enough fury to want to destroy each other's personal as well as professional lives. Look for another brilliant casting turn as David Bowie shows up briefly as Nikola Tesla.

All of these films are available on DVD in the HBPL Media department. So if you want to celebrate Nolan’s birthday tonight, get some cake, get some ice cream, get a DVD of one of his films and celebrate!

Celluloid for the patriot!

2010-07-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

I was talking to some fellow library employees about their plans for the holiday weekend. Many have movies in their plans and the usual patriotic fare kept being mentioned: Independence Day, Born on the 4th of July, Saving Private Ryan…all fine films to watch on the 4th. However, the ones that I found most intriguing were the not so obvious ones….the ones that made them feel proud to be Americans without being conspicuously patriotic.

Musicals! How much more American can you get than watching people break into song at measured appropriate times! My favorite Independence Day musical is a very patriotic one: 1776. What fun to watch our Founding Fathers tell bawdy jokes, watch them sing and dance, watch them flirt, watch them fight with walking sticks! Independence has never been so entertaining! But the musical that kept getting mentioned as a 4th of July favorite, without being overly patriotic, was The Music Man. Younger woman, hanging out with older man, getting his wealth when he passed away….Anna Nicole?? No! Marion the Librarian (♫He left River City the library building but he left all the books to her!♫). A story of redemption, of love and most of all, catchy tunes and 76 trombones!

Jaws: When a colleague mentioned that he/she watched this every 4th of July for the last ten years, it only took a few seconds to think “but, of course!!”. What could be more appropriate than a day of fun in the sun at the beach with friends and family and going swimming on our nation’s day of independence? Throw a man eating great white shark into the mix and you have a fine slice of Americana! Man versus Wild has nothing on Roy Scheider as he shows good old American know how in dealing with this underwater nemesis!

Die Hard, Die Harder (aka Die Hard 2), Die Hard with a Vengeance, Live Free or Die Hard: I loved it when I asked my colleague what he/she was going to watch and the answer was: (paraphrased) I am going to sit around all day and watch stuff blow up. That’s right! It is our American right to watch things exploding on the big screen! And who does it better than Sgt. John McClane (Bruce Willis)!! In my past, I lived abroad for many years. After being away from the US of A for almost five years, I spent a month in Thailand on my way home. I stayed in the Khao San Road area of Bangkok and all along the streets were cafes that screened movies in the evening. Travelers would stream in to watch films, drink beer and eat delicious Thai food. Every night one of the café’s would show Die Hard and for several nights I would be there watching it. It made me oddly patriotic and homesick; Stuff blowing up = America=Awesome!

Whether you will be grilling with friends and/or family, hanging out and relaxing, braving the ocean (see second film above) or watching a big old fireworks show (that’ll be me! I LOVE fireworks!), hopefully you will have a safe and sane 4th of July! Now get out there and do your patriotic duty – CELEBRATE!

Saturday Film Forum Going, Going, Gone!

2010-06-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Saturday Film Forum will soon be Gone Baby, Gone…in more ways than one. June 26th will be the final film in our Watching the Detectives series and that film will be…Gone Baby, Gone! Come see Ben Affleck’s directorial debut on the big screen in the Library Theater! As usual, we will start at 2pm with a trivia quiz for prizes (the quiz this time will be about books that have been turned into films) and a short lecture about the film.
(Don’t worry, it will be light on the Bennifer references)
This film is R rated, so adults only please!
Hope to see you there!

Triumphant Thai!

2010-05-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

This year’s Cannes Film Festival has come to a close and the awards have been announced. One could just imagine that by choosing Tim Burton as the head of the jury, we would be in for some interesting selections. Burton with his fellow judges (including Kate Beckinsale and Benicio Del Toro) have made the Thai people very happy by choosing one of their own to win the coveted Palme d’Or. This year’s top prize went to Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s film Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, a one-of-a-kind dreamy ghost story about a man who is on speaking terms with all sorts of supernatural entities. The runner-up for the Palme was Xavier Beauvois’ Of God and Men, which garnered the most buzz as a possible Best Foreign Film Oscar contender this year. (stay tuned for that one!)

The festival's jury prize went to A Screaming Man, directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, and the first film ever in the competition from Chad. It is a melancholy film that explores the relationship between a father and son during a civil war in Chad. Well done, Chad!

The top acting nods went to Javier Bardem (Biutiful) and Elio Germano (La Nostra Vida) who tied for best actor. Best actress went to the always wonderful Juliette Binoche (Certified Copy).

Not in competition but also present were Ridley Scott with Robin Hood, Woody Allen and his latest, You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Oliver Stone with Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

Having attended some major film festivals, I know that sometimes it is satisfying to see the big films before they open in the States. However the real joy in attending is discovering those hidden gems; the ones you know won’t ever get distribution here in America. If you haven’t already, give a film festival a try!! (see The Film festival Guide: for filmmakers, film buffs and industry professionals 791.43079LAN @HBPL or there are many websites online with film festival information.)

Forget it Jake, it’s Chinatown

2010-05-11T12:54:00.000-07:00

Jake can forget but you shouldn’t! At least you shouldn’t forget to come to this Saturday’s screening of Chinatown! I have another informative talk to give you about the film and there will be a trivia quiz for prizes. The trivia this time will be on films of the seventies, so brush up if you want to win! And, of course, there will be candy! This film is rated R so adults only please! See you @ 2pm in the Library Theater!

Creepy but Cool

2010-04-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Roger Ebert said about this actor that he "seems to have become the latter-day version of Christopher Walken -- not all the time, but when you need him, he's your go-to guy for weirdness". I couldn’t agree more! He first came to my notice in the Green Mile. Who is this creepy but cool, Walken apprentice?? Sam Rockwell! He is slated to be in the upcoming Iron Man 2 with Robert Downey, Jr. But before he took on the super hero, he was delighting and creeping us out in these films:

Moon: See it, see it, see it, see it! Not since Tom Hanks did Castaway has a single actor been able to carry a film (almost) on his own. Rockwell plays Sam Bell, the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility. His only companion is the “HAL-like” computer, GERTY (voice by Kevin Spacey). He is just a few weeks short of fulfilling his three year contract when then most definitely start going awry!

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Creepy and whiney at the same time! Rockwell plays Charley Ford, brother of Robert (Casey Affleck), who introduces him to Jesse James. As a member of the James gang, Rockwell is there to push his brother and ultimately ruin both of their lives. This film would not be as enjoyable without Rockwell’s performance.

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: Whacky! This film is based on Chuck Barris’s autobiography of the same name. In his book, this once host of The Gong Show, claims to have been an employee of the CIA and assassinated 33 people on their orders. Rockwell’s portrayal of Barris strikes the perfect balance between geek, simmering menace, alluring personality and quirky humor.

Galaxy Quest: Rockwell plays Guy, an actor who was in episode 81 of the cult TV show, Galaxy Quest and died by the first commercial. This film is one of my favorites! Although Rockwell plays a supporting character, anyone who has watched any sci-fi series will get a laugh over his interpretation of the disposable cast member (you know who I mean guys with red shirts on Star Trek).

The Green Mile: Not a lead character but, once again, Rockwell creates a performance to remember. In this case I wish it wasn’t so memorable! He plays the psychotic and violent 'Wild Bill' Wharton who ultimately gets his due at the hands of the equally disturbing Percy Wetmore. Mainly I find the film interpretations of Stephen King novels decidedly lacking; this is certainly an exception. Moving and disturbing at the same time, made even more creepy by Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of Wharton.

On the QT and Very Hush Hush!

2010-04-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

How time flies!! It seems like I just screened the first film in my Watching the Detectives film program and it is already time for film number two! This Saturday,
April 10th, I will be talking about and showing the "noir that doesn't look like noir" detective film, L.A. Confidential. I say noir that doesn't look it because that was Curtis Hanson"s (the director) intent. The entire film has a very noir feel to it but it was shot with very contemporary lighting and staging. Come see for yourself! We will be in the Central Library theater at 2pm and since this one is R rated, adult's only please.

See you there!

The Maltese Falcon comes to HBPL

2010-03-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder...tomorrow, March 20th will be the start to our detectives film program. I will be screening the Maltese Falcon at 2pm in the Library Theater. I will start with a trivia quiz where you can win (but only with the right answer!) a free DVD rental from the media section and a DVD or book. After that a short talk about the film (by moi) and then on with the show!

Please join us for this fun afternoon.

March Madness

2010-03-02T15:15:00.000-08:00

No, not basketball…OSCARS! That’s my kind of madness. This Sunday brings us the 82nd Academy Awards. For more years than I care to admit to, I have made an Oscar bet with a friend. We usually cast our votes right before the telecast, after all the Guild awards have been announced. We also usually differ only on a few categories. This year we decided to vote right after the nominations were announced…it didn’t seem to work as we still only differed on a couple of categories. This is the long way of saying…and the winners are…

Best Film: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique (Precious)
Best Animated Film: Up
Art Direction: Avatar
Cinematography: Avatar
Costume: Young Victoria
Documentary: The Cove
Editing: The Hurt Locker
Foreign Language: The White Ribbon
Makeup: Star Trek
Original Score: Up
Original Song: The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)
Sound Editing: Avatar
Sound Mixing: Avatar
Visual Effects: Avatar
Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds

Am I right? Am I wrong? I will have to wait until Sunday to see if I have chosen wisely this year. Let the madness begin!

Saturday Film Forum Returns (We’re Back!)

2010-02-13T15:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, it’s true and I wanted those who read this blog to be the first to know! The Saturday Film Forum will return to the Huntington Beach Public Library on March 20th. The detectives will be resurrected and finally given their due. The film program will be as follows:

March 20th - The Maltese Falcon: After the murder of his business partner, private detective Sam Spade takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette, the jeweled Falcon of Malta.

April 10th - L.A. Confidential: 1950's Los Angeles is the seedy backdrop for this intricate noir tale of police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. Based on James Ellroy’s crime novel, the film follows three detectives that try to find the truth; each in their own way.

May 15th – Chinatown: In 1930 Los Angeles, private detective Jake Gittes, at the request of a beautiful bombshell, becomes entangled in a scandal of greed, depravity, and corruption surrounding L.A.’s water supply.

June 26th - Gone Baby, Gone: When a little girl is lost on the tough streets of Dorchester in Boston, two detectives must risk their sanity and even their lives to take on the case.

The program will be in the Library Theatre starting at 2pm. As before, we will start with a short talk about the film, then move on to the trivia quiz. There will be prizes for the quiz and candy for all! Three out of the four films are R rated so all patrons over the age of 17 are welcome!
Hope to meet all of you there!

Fabulous Foreign Film!

2010-02-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

It’s about time! I have been waiting way too long to see last year’s winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Departures. This Japanese film shocked me by beating Waltz With Bashir in last year’s ceremony. It is finally available on DVD and, having seen it, I now get why it won.

Departures - Daigo Kobayashi is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life.

This film only had a very limited release here in southern California, but fortunately, you can now check it out from the HBPL Media Department. And check it out, you should! (Hmmmm I am sounding a bit like Yoda, but like Yoda, I am giving you very good advice!)

Happy Award Season!

2010-01-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

For me, this time of year is better than the Christmas holidays. Film Award Season!! The awards actually start at the end of December with some of the critics groups giving their “best” lists. The New York Film Critics proclaimed the following: Best Picture - The Hurt Locker; Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker; Best Screenplay - In the Loop; Best Actress - Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia; Best Actor - George Clooney - Up In The Air; Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds; Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique – Precious. (for a complete list of NYFC winners: http://www.nyfcc.com/awards.php)

Not to be outdone, the Los Angeles Film Critics announced their picks: Best Picture – The Hurt Locker; Best Director - Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker; Best Screenplay – Up in the Air; Best Actor – Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart; Best Actress – Yolande Moreau (Who?) – Seraphine; Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds; Best Supporting Actress - Mo'Nique – Precious. (for complete list of LAFC winners: http://www.lafca.net/years/2009.html)

After these awards, The Hurt Locker and Kathryn Bigelow seemed to be running away with the awards of the season. Then came the Golden Globe Awards. The big winner of the night was Avatar, taking Best Picture and Best Director for James Cameron. Even Cameron acknowledged that he thought Bigelow would win (although I am sure he is glad she didn’t!). (Golden Globe winners: http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/) Both are nominated for the Directors Guild award but we will have to wait until January 30th to find out who will win. (Director’s Guild nominees: http://www.dga.org/index2.php3) The Guild award is usually the best indicator as to which director will win the Oscar. The Oscar front runners for the best screenplay awards (original and adapted) will become clearer after the Writers Guild announces it’s winners on February 20th. (Writer’s Guild nominees: http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=3904)

Tonight the actors will celebrate themselves (as they do so well!). The Screen Actors Guild Awards (full list of nominations: http://www.sagawards.org/nominations) are entertaining and also an indicator of the Oscar favorites.

For those that didn’t get a chance to see The Hurt Locker or Inglourious Basterds in the theaters, they are currently out on DVD and available in our Media department.

Let the games begin!

Tis the season to be…Dysfunctional!

2009-12-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

I am sure most of you have perfectly lovely families and are on the verge of having the best Christmas EVER! Beautifully wrapped presents, sparkling and meaningful conversations and delicious foods made with care. Ahhhhhh, the glory of the holidays! But for the rest of us, I thought I would suggest some great films that make us glad for the families we have. You think your family is dysfunctional!? Watch these films and you will be glad to be with your family over the holidays!

Grey Gardens (DVD): Money doesn’t matter where dysfunction is involved! Edith and “Little Edie" Beale, the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, live their eccentric lives in a filthy, decaying mansion in East Hampton. Whether you watch the 1975 documentary of the actual Beales or the 2009 movie starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore, this is dysfunction at its entertaining best!

Ordinary People (DVD): A young Timothy Hutton plays Conrad, the son of Calvin and Beth Jarrett, two of the most disconnected parents you’ll ever see. Conrad was involved in an accident which caused his brother’s death leaving him with various mental disorders stemming from the event. Both parents clearly loved their other son more and in a way resent Conrad for still being alive. Instead of properly grieving, they shut off their emotions and act as if everything is normal.

The Ref (DVD): Anything with Denis Leary in it is pretty unorthodox, isn't it? Well, add to the mix a bumbling thief, a married couple (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis) who can't stand each other, and a hostage situation on Christmas Eve and you get the most dysfunctional Christmas film of all time.

Royal Tenenbaums (DVD): Royal and Etheline Tenenbaum are the separated parents of two sons and an adopted daughter. Richie (Luke Wilson) is a tennis playing artist who has an affinity for hawks, Chas (Ben Stiller) is a paranoid father of two who constantly thinks death is at his door, and Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a playwright with a missing finger, and a secret smoking habit. Royal was a terrible husband and an even worse father, so how does he make it up to his family? He lies about having cancer to try and reconnect with his family. Dysfunction with a capital D (One of my favorite films! Oh so amusing!)

May your days be merry and bright….and all your family events NOT be like the ones in these films! Happy holidays!

For Your Holiday Viewing Pleasure

2009-12-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

The National Board of Review has just announced its film awards for the year, kicking off the film frenzy that leads up to the Academy Awards in March (Sunday, March 7th). Leading the charge are several films that will get wider release over the Christmas holidays. The National Board gave the top film prize to Up in the Air with its star, George Clooney named as Best Actor (which he co-shared with Morgan Freeman for Invictus). It also won best adapted screenplay and Anna Kendrick won for best supporting actress.
Best director went to Invictus director, Clint Eastwood. I have heard nothing but glowing reviews for the film, An Education, and its star Carey Mulligan took best actress award. Woody Harrelson won best supporting actor for The Messenger (he plays a captain who is given the job of informing the families of fallen soldiers.)
Rounding out the awards are Up (currently available in HBPL Media) for best animated film, The Cove (available 12/8 from HBPL Media) for best documentary and The Prophet for best foreign film.

So what should you see over the holidays?? I would put Up in the Air, An Education and Invictus at the top of your list:

Up in the Air: George Clooney take on the role of a management consultant, a harbinger of doom whose job is primarily firing people for companies that are downsizing. His work takes him around the country, helping him pursue his private goal of accumulating ten million miles in his frequent flyer account and with it, entry to an elite club. Enter a new recruit that introduces video conferencing that would ground his operation. The film is based on a novel by the same name written Walter Kirn (available at HBPL). Another indie feather in the cap of Juno director, Jason Reitman.

An Education: Based on the memoir of British journalist Lynn Barber (book not available in the US), this film follows the relationship of a sixteen year old school girl (Carey Mulligan) with a 35 year old man (Peter Sarsgaard). Carey Mulligan, who in her first major feature role is being compared by everyone with Audrey Hepburn and was the darling of this year’s film festival circuit. You think you have seen this before but this screenplay by Nick Hornby (About a Boy and High Fidelity) is a fresh, funny and moving look at a young girl's journey from innocence to experience.

Invictus: The film, based upon the non-fiction book "Playing the Enemy" by John Carlin (available at HBPL, also available under the title Invictus) follows Nelson Mandela’s ambitious plan to use the national rugby team, the Springboks -- long an embodiment of white-supremacist rule -- to grip the new South Africa as the team prepares to host the 1995 World Cup. Matt Damon plays the captain of the Springboks and Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela. One more film to add to the impressive directing career of Clint Eastwood.

So take a break from your busy holiday schedule to catch a film. Be it one of next year’s award considerations or just light holiday fare, it will take you away for a few hours. Films can make you laugh, make you cry and/or make you think.Then you can leave the dark and return to the celebrations of the season.

More frightening than Halloween

2009-11-06T15:36:00.000-08:00

What could possibly be more frightening than Halloween?? The fact that Christmas is right around the corner and coming at us with a vengeance. It seems to me that we just celebrated this festive holiday and it is back all too soon. Of course, the first hint is all the decorations appearing way too prematurely in the stores but it really hit home when I spied the Trees on the Bay in Long Beach being towed into position! Frightening!!
Fortunately, the holidays also bring with it the release of some very entertaining films. (Just ready for purchasing for Christmas presents!!).
In case you missed these in the theaters, here are some of the big pre- Christmas releases for December:

December 8th :
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: Does it really seem like the holidays without a Harry Potter on your wish list? We can breathe a sigh of relief this holiday season because Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be released in time for Christmas. This latest installment was more about relationships than magic and I, for one, hope the final two films (they are breaking Deathly Hollows into two parts) go back to the magical wonder of the earlier films. Despite that fact, I will be in line waiting to buy my copy when the film is released!

Julie and Julia: Coming out the same day as Harry Potter, is the delightful culinary tale of Julie and Julia. In an earlier post, I have already sang the wonders of Meryl Streep’s performance, she seemed to be channeling the late, great Julia Child for this one. She is joined by the always charming, Amy Adams as the contemporary Julie that tries to cook all of the recipes in Julie Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year! You will have to see it if you want to know if she succeeds!

December 15th:
The Hangover: Not typically my kind of film but as so many of my friends have seen and loved it, I will be looking out for it when it hits the shelves. This is a Las Vegas-set comedy about three groomsmen who lose their friend, a soon-to-be-wed groom, during their drunken pre-wedding misadventures. What happens in Vegas, doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas!

Inglorious Basterds: Although I am usually a Tarantino fan, I thought this one might be better for me on a small screen. Violence on the big screen can be a little much at times. However, from talking to my fellow filmies, I hear that this is an entertaining, not to be missed, addition to the Tarantino legacy.

December 22nd:
500 Days of Summer: My favorite film of the year so far. Of all the young, male actors that are currently making films, my favorite is Joseph Gordon Levitt. The quirky Zooey Deschanel plays Summer, the hearts desire of Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon Levitt). The film deals with the 500 days of their relationship in a different and very entertaining way. Not your average, schmaltzy relationship flick!

Don’t be afraid! The holidays may be near but we certainly have cinematic wonders to look forward to!

What an Honor!

2009-10-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

Last month the Kennedy Center announced its recipients for their annual Kennedy Center Honors. The five honorees this year are: Bruce Springsteen, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert De Niro and Mel Brooks. Of course, Bruce, Dave and Grace are well-known in the music world (rock, jazz and opera). I will leave the Music Blog to sing their laurels, but two of the honorees are from the world of film.

I love Robert De Niro! Not for his roles in The Godfather, Mean Streets, GoodFellas, Casino or Taxi Driver. This isn’t the De Niro that I go to see. The De Niro I love is the one that, although well known for his gangster/violent roles, goes beyond that and takes some artistic chances.

Stardust (DVD): This charming action/fantasy film is based on a Neil Gaiman novel. The story takes place in two distinct worlds, one real and the other magical. They exist side by side in mid nineteenth-century England, separated by only a rock wall. Our real world hero takes off into the magical world of course, prompted by a girl! Amazing and frightening things happen there, with one of the highlights being his encounter with Captain Shakespeare (Robert De Niro). The Captain loves to dress in women’s clothing and dance in front of a mirror. De Niro at his eccentric best!

Awakenings (VHS): Robert De Niro stars with Robin Williams in this drama based on the Oliver Sacks non-fiction book of the same name. A new doctor (Williams) starts to work in a ward full of comatose patients. Many have been comatose for decades and it disturbs the doctor that there seems to be no hope for a cure. He discovers an experimental drug that he gets permission to try on some of the patients. To his amazement, they start waking up. DeNiro plays one of the patients and gives a heartbreaking performance filled with delight, hope and despair.

Melvin Kaminsky, aka Mel Brooks, successfully conquered the worlds of film (he won an Oscar for his 1968 screenplay of The Producers.), stage (12 Tonys for the stage version of The Producers) and television (Emmys for writing and for appearances on the comedy series Mad About You). Not bad for a guy that is well known for fart jokes (Blazing Saddles)!

The Producers (DVD): This is one of my favorite films! The original version, that is! Although, I do like Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, they don’t hold a candle to Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. In previous posts I have already expounded the wonders of Kenneth Mars as Franz Liebkind. Put them all together and it is a hilarious, musical romp. Mel Brooks movies make us laugh even when we really should have be offended.

Young Frankenstein (DVD): Of course, this also made it to Broadway in a stage version. And, although I enjoyed the stage version, I prefer the film. It is probably the most quoted by my circle of friends, “Put... ze candle... *back*!” Gene Wilder, as the grandson of the infamous Baron Victor Frankenstein and Peter Boyle as his “monster” are perfect in their roles. Add the comic brilliance of Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr and Cloris Leachman and you have a movie worth watching again and again. Many feel that Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks best film ever.

Congratulations to all of this years Kennedy Center Honorees!

The People have spoken!

2009-09-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

This years Toronto Film Festival has come to the end (September 10-19) and director Lee Daniels’ Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire has taken top honors, becoming the first film in history to win audience awards at both Toronto and Sundance. However, even before winning these prestigious awards, this film had a leg up as Oprah Winfrey is one of its Executive Producers. When Oprah speaks, people listen!
Precious is an overweight, illiterate teen, living in Harlem and is pregnant with her second child. Feeling invisible and rejected, she is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction. Precious is set to be released in November of this year.

The runner-up for the audience award went to Australian director Bruce Beresford’s Mao’s Last Dancer. This film is based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin. At the age of 11, Li was taken from a poor to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Although I assume this film will get North American distribution, so far distribution has not been announced.

Other winners at TIFF this year included:

Leanne Pooley’s The Topp Twins - which follows New Zealand’s lesbian twin sister country and western singers, won in the documentary category, taking honors over a much more high-profile runner-up, Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story. The Topp Twins does not currently have North American distribution.

Sean Byrne’s prom-set horror film The Loved Ones won the people’s choice award for Midnight Madness, the midnight screening series at the festival. A gore-filled shocker that goes for laughs by paying homage to the outlandish low-budget films of the '70s and '80s, blending together Misery, Saw, Prom Night, The Evil Dead and Carrie.

Meryl Mia!

2009-09-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I went to see the film Julie and Julia. I am sure many of you have seen it by now so you know that it is funny and delightful. I must admit that I wanted more Julia than Julie; Amy Adams did a fine acting job as Julie but oh that Meryl Streep! This film reminded me what a national treasure she truly is! Meryl is known for embodying her characters and she seemed to be channeling the late, great Julia Child for this one.
If you haven’t seen Julie and Julia, do! If you need more Meryl, here are some titles that are available in the HBPL Media Center:

Sophie’s Choice (DVD)
Meryl Streep received a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Sophie Zawistowska in this heartbreaking film. Set in 1947, post World War II, Holocaust survivor Sophie is living with Nathan (Kevin Kline) in Brooklyn. Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer from the American South, becomes their neighbor and friend. Hidden truths eventually come out and the nature of Sophie’s choice is revealed. This is proof positive that Meryl Streep is one of the finest actors of our age.

Out of Africa (DVD)
In Sophie’s Choice, Meryl’s Polish accent was very convincing. She continues as the “queen of accents” in her portrayal of the Danish writer, Karen Blixen (pen name Isak Dinesen). Based on Blixen’s memoir, this film is set in Kenya and follows the time she spent there on a coffee plantation. For many women, the most remembered scene is when Denys Finch Hatton (Robert Redford) washes Blixen’s hair. For others, the incredible scenery steals the show.

Kramer vs. Kramer (VHS)
Meryl has been nominated for Oscars fifteen times, twelve times for Best Actress and three times for Best Supporting Actress. She has won twice; first for Sophie’s Choice (Best Actress) and secondly for Kramer vs. Kramer (Supporting Actress). Joanna Kramer (Streep) walks out on her workaholic husband Ted (Dustin Hoffman), leaving both husband and young son, Billy. Later, Joanna returns and wants Billy back. Ted however refuses to give him up, so they go to court to fight for the custody of their son.

Silkwood (VHS)
This film is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood (Streep), the Oklahoma nuclear-plant worker who blew the whistle on dangerous practices at the Kerr-McGee plant and who died under circumstances which are still under debate. She was on her way to deliver some documents to a New York Times reporter when her car left the road. The documents were never found. Meryl Streep is very convincing as a blue collar, working class woman. We would expect no less!

The Devil Wears Prada (DVD)
From working class to upper-class! Meryl can play it all! She convincingly terrorizes her assistants as powerful and demanding fashion magazine editor, Miranda Priestly of Runway Magazine. (The character was inspired by the editor of U.S. Vogue, Anna Wintour.) The film follows Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), a recent college graduate who goes to New York City and gets a job as a co-assistant to Miranda. She learns to do the impossible and although succeeds in the high energy fashion world, she finds the moral dilemmas attached not quite what she had expected.

Mamma Mia! (DVD)
20-year-old Sophie lives with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) on the small Greek island, Kalokairi, where Donna runs a hotel. Sophie is planning to marry and wants her father to be present to "give her away," but doesn’t know who he is. After reading Donna's diary from 20 years ago, she concludes he is one of three men. Fun, dancing and music pursue! Many don’t know that before Meryl Streep decided on the acting profession, she was studying to be an opera singer. She shows her singing “chops” in this film and had me smiling and humming all the way home from the theater.

Movies and Facebook

2009-08-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

There is currently a phenomenon cruising around Facebook called 15 Movies (at least it is new to me!). Friends post the top fifteen movies that have affected their lives, trying to do it in 15 minutes. Very hard to do in that amount of time. I am very happy with my list but then I look at my friends movies and always see a movie that could have made my list, too! So many movies, so little time! Here’s my list:

1- Lawrence of Arabia (1962) I can’t believe Peter O’Toole didn’t win the Oscar for this one!
2- Usual Suspects (1994) If anyone ever deserved their Oscar, it was Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint.
3- Donnie Darko (2001) Culty time travelling mind blower! I love this film!
4- Jaws (1975) Ruined the ocean for everyone of my generation! It is also one of the very few movies that I liked more than the book!
5- Cinema Paradiso (1988)The film that set me on the road of foreign film appreciation.
6-The Miracle (1959) (Carroll Baker and Roger Moore) Corny, yes, but it is the film that my mother and I would watch together every time it was on TV.
7- Truly Madly Deeply (1990). I know very few women that don’t think that Alan Rickman is sexy. If you need some convincing, watch this film!
8- Beauty and the Beast (1991) Not the wise cracking animated films that are now coming out of Disney Studios. This is a lovely, heartfelt film.
9- Glory (1989) Denzel Washington certainly deserved the Oscar for his performance in this film. However, for me, the surprise of this film was how good Matthew Broderick can be if given a great role.
10- Touching the Void (2003) Amazing book! I had the good fortune to see this film at the Toronto Film Festival. In attendance was the author and subject, Joe Simpson. If you want to see a film about mountaineering and the strength of the human spirit…this is the one!
11- Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) This masterful piece of stop motion animation should be on everyone’s favorite film list. Although the plot is engaging, the details in every scene are spectacular!
12- White Christmas (1954) (watch it every year!) Yes, even to this day, a Christmas doesn’t go by that I don’t watch this film.
13-12 Monkeys (1995) Interesting, twisted plot that proves that Bruce Willis has more acting chops than Die Hard. And who knew Brad Pitt could play crazy so well!
14- Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) (Gerard Depardieu) I have already sang this films glory in earlier blog postings. This and Cinema Paradiso brought to life my appreciation of foreign films. I just re-watched it recently and it stands the test of time.
15- The Producers (1968) The original is so much better than the remake. Although I do like Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, they don’t hold a candle to Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. Kenneth Mars as Franz Liebkind brought a comic level to this film that Will Ferrell could never duplicate.

Anyone want to share their 15 movies with us??

Keepin’ Cool

2009-07-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Of course, one way of keeping cool this summer is by either sitting in the library reading a good book or in a movie theater watching a great flick. However, if you want to stay home there is nothing cooler than these films and the actors that give them their cool status:

Steve McQueen: Bullitt (VHS): You can absolutely not get any cooler than Steve McQueen. Whether he is escaping from a German prisoner of war camp in The Great Escape or saving a village in the Magnificent Seven, he is an actor that oozes cool and confidence. He is most definitely at his coolest in this film! McQueen plays Frank Bullitt, a San Francisco cop assigned as bodyguard to Peter Ross, a syndicate witness. When the Ross gets shot-gunned (but not killed), Bullitt goes after the hit man. Complicating his efforts is a politician who wants to use Ross to further his career. One of the coolest things about Bullitt is an absolutely brilliant chase scene. McQueen (doing his own driving) is chased by, and chases, a couple of gangsters up and down San Francisco's hills. They slam into intersections, bounce halfway down the next hill, scrape by half a dozen near-misses, sideswipe each other, and give you the ride of your life for about 11 minutes. Cool.

Sean Connery: The Untouchables (DVD): Whereas Sean Connery definitely solidified his “cool” credentials with the James Bond films, he won the Academy Award for his role in The Untouchables. This film is about how Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his gang of Untouchables, brought down the gangster, Al Capone (Robert DeNiro). Connery plays the Irish cop that teaches Ness how to play the “Chicago way”.

Bill Murray (DVD): Rushmore: Bill Murray has his own brand of cool. Not Steve McQueen, not Sean Connery, but cool none the less. In Rushmore, he plays Herman Blume, an unhappy millionaire. Blume is befriended by Max. Max is a homely 10th-grader at the Rushmore Academy, a private school where he fails classes but constantly organizes clubs and plays. Max discovers that he and Herman love the same woman (a teacher at Rushmore). War ensues. They both strive to win her affections without thinking of the consequences.

Clint Eastwood (DVD) – The Unforgiven: What else needs to be said…it’s CLINT! Make our day! Do we feel lucky? A man's got to know his limitations (well every man but Clint!).
Of course, these are all quotes from his Dirty Harry films but he didn’t become Oscar cool until the Unforgiven. Eastwood plays William Munny, a former gunslinger, now pig farmer. He is a widower, trying to take care of the farm and two children. When "The Schofield Kid" arrives looking for a partner to accompany him to Big Whiskey to earn a reward being offered, William is initially reluctant. Later, however, after taking a hard look at his prospects, he changes his mind. He's not the man he once was, but he needs the money. So he recruits his old partner, Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman), and sets off after the Schofield Kid.

Samuel L Jackson: Pulp Fiction (DVD): So many cool films to choose from when we talk about Samuel L. The totally campy film, Snakes on a Plane would have been nothing without Jackson’s performance. Star Wars part I, II and III were enhanced by his presence. Die Hard With a Vengeance had double the cool factor Bruce Willis and Samuel L. giving the bad guys trouble. But by far his coolest performance has been in Pulp Fiction. Pulp Fiction follows the lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits whose lives intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. Samuel L. Jackson plays Jules, one of the hit men, and his partner is Vincent (John Travolta). Their conversation about French Big Macs is priceless! The plot and the language aren’t for the weak of heart but if you can take it, Pulp Fiction is worth the ride!

Other actors to check out that definitely have the cool factor: George Clooney, Christopher Walken, Gregory Peck, Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.
Anyone else that you consider cool?? Let me know!
Keep cool!

4th, Food, Firecrackers and Freedom

2009-07-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

July has arrived and I thought it was about darned time for another blog posting. Since it is only 3 days until our nation’s birthday celebration, the no-brainer post would have been patriotic themed movies. Been there, done that…it’s so last year!! (see my July 01, 2008 posting for patriotic film suggestions). Instead I started thinking about what the 4th of July means to me. Words like food and fireworks came to mind…but mainly I think about freedom. That, after all, is what the 4th of July signing of our Declaration of Independence ultimately gave us. Here are a few films about people (and chickens!) and their quest for freedom:

Defiance (DVD): The tagline for this film is: Freedom begins with an act of defiance! Or maybe they should have said keeping your freedom. This film follows three Polish Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe who escape into the Belarussian forests. Two of the brothers decide to fight for their freedom in different ways. One joins the Russian partisans and the other stays behind to help the growing population of Jews that have joined them in the forest to escape the Germans.

Wind that Shakes the Barley (DVD): Winner of the PALME D'OR at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, this film is also about two brothers who are fighting for their freedom in 1920’s Ireland. Damien is a medical student, while his brother Teddy is fighting for Ireland’s freedom from the British. After witnessing atrocities, Damien decides to join his brother’s resistance group. Although agreements are made to stop the violence, the brothers ultimately have their loyalties put to the test.

Chicken Run (DVD): Chicken Run, from the creator’s of Wallace and Gromit, is a comedy escape drama set on a sinister Yorkshire chicken farm in 1950's England. Ginger is one of the chickens and she desperately wants her freedom. Unfortunately she is constantly being held back by her incompetent fellow chickens. One night, while bemoaning her fate in the barnyard, a rooster flies in over the fence. The rooster, Rocky Rhodes, is a cocky American who enjoys freedom - in fact; he was escaping from a circus when he landed in her barnyard. The film follows Rocky and Ginger, who yearn for freedom and their daring 'prisoner of war' style escape.

Shawshank Redemption (DVD): In 1946, a banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is convicted of a double murder, even though he stubbornly proclaims his innocence. He's sentenced to a life term at the Shawshank State Prison in Maine, where he meets another lifer, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman). Through all the harsh times at the prison, Andy never loses hope and strives to make his ultimate dream of freedom come true.

Let Freedom Ring!

Have a great Independence Day!

Celluloid Librarians

2009-06-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hopefully many of you know about the BIG Library Centennial party that we will be having this Friday (June 12th) from 4pm-7pm @ the Central Library. Come see yours truly perform in the Book Cart Drill Team!! It should be a fun and festive occasion! The whole library centennial thing got me thinking about librarians and, because I am me, it got me thinking about movies. Librarians and libraries have been portrayed in many ways on the celluloid screen. Here are a few of my favorites:
Party Girl: (DVD)
Mary (Parker Posey)is living the wild bohemian life in New York. She calls her godmother, a librarian, for bail money after being arrested for throwing an illegal party. To repay the loan, she begins working for her godmother in the library. The detail of library work rubs against her flamboyant, live-by-the-moment grain ("Keith Richards would make a better librarian than me!''). After a bit, she learns to groove on the Dewey Decimal System and enjoy the order it gives to her otherwise chaotic life.

The Mummy: (DVD)
Probably my favorite librarian character comes from this film. Rachel Weisz’s Evie takes librarianship to its adventurous best. She drunkenly exclaims, “I am proud to be what I am. I am a LIBRARIAN!” And you believe she is. Adventurous librarian, swashbuckling hero and life sucking mummy, how can you resist!

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (DVD)
The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines (DVD)
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice (DVD)
The Librarian started in 2004 and now has three films in the series. Noah Wyle plays Flynn Carsen, a perpetual college student who has 22 academic degrees. He is compelled to leave academia and get some real world experience so he applies for a position at the Metropolitan Public Library. His job is to protect historical and often magical items in a secret section of the library. Within this collection are artifacts like the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant. Adventures abound for this meek but feisty librarian.

Probably my favorite librarian quote comes from the first film. Noah Wyle is interviewing with Jane Curtain for “The Librarian” position. Curtain asks: What makes you think you could be the Librarian?
Wyle: I know the Dewey Decimal System, Library of Congress, research paper orthodoxy, web searching. I can set up an RSS feed...
Curtain: Everybody knows that. They're librarians.
Maybe it’s Curtains' snarky tone or you have to be a librarian to find it that funny, but it cracks me up every time.

All these titles are available on DVD from our Media Department.

The White Ribbon @Cannes

2009-05-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

While we were celebrating Memorial Day with flags and BBQ, the French were finishing up their annual film extravaganza at Cannes. This year the coveted Palme d’Or went to an Austrian film, The White Ribbon. Filmed in black and white by Austrian director, Michael Haneke, the film follows a sinister series of crimes which rock a village in northern Germany on the eve of World War One, and appears linked to a group of children brutalized and scarred by their parents. Another Austrian, Christoph Waltz, walked away with the Best Actor prize for his flamboyant performance as a SS officer in Quentin Tarantino’s World War II film Inglorious Bastards.
The most controversial film in Cannes was Danish director Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, which sharply divided critics and drew boos and cheers at screenings for its graphic portrayals of sex and violence. France’s Charlotte Gainsbourg, who plays a wife mourning the death of her son, was named Best Actress.

Ooooo lala Gerard!

2009-05-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

It wasn’t until the early ‘90’s that I became enamored by foreign films. Two films, both released in 1990, set me down the path of foreign film appreciation. One was Cinema Paradiso and the other was Cyrano de Bergerac. This Cyrano was spectacularly performed by French actor Gerard Depardieu. It had been quite a while since I had seen this version of Cyrano but fortunately, we have it available in the HBPL Media Department. I watched it last weekend and it still does not disappoint. It just reinforces what a powerful performance Gerard gave as Cyrano. So, if you haven’t seen this version, we have it!! Here are some more Depardieu gems for your consideration:
Jean de Florette (DVD): Jean de Florette is a French film set in Provence in the 1920s. It's the story of how two provincial French farmers systematically destroy the happiness of a man who comes out from the city to till the land. The man from the city is Jean de Florette, a hunchback tax collector played by Gerard Depardieu. A touching performance in a film that shows the dark side of human greed.

Man in the Iron Mask (VHS): All for one and one for all! Gerard Depardieu plays an aging Porthos in this entertaining rendition of Dumas classic novel. Along with his other Musketeers, Aramis (Jeremy Iron) and Athos (John Malkovich), they come out of retirement to avenge the death of Athos’ son. Unfortunately, the one responsible is King Louis XIV and the King’s bodyguard is led by one time fourth-Musketeer, D'Artagan (Gabriel Byrne). Leonardo DiCaprio does a commendable job in a dual role as King Louis XIV and the pauper that the Musketeers get to impersonate the King.

Green Card (VHS): Gerard plays a Frenchman that wants to stay in the United States. Andie MacDowell plays a single woman that wants a fabulous apartment that will only be rented to a married couple. A marriage of convenience seems the ideal solution to both problems. This charming romantic comedy shows what happens when cultures collide!

The Last Holiday (DVD): A clerk (Queen Latifah) from a New Orleans department store, puts life on hold and denies herself most luxuries of life. This all changes when a CT Scan discloses she has three weeks to live. She cashes her savings and heads to Europe's Grand Hotel Pupp, where Chef Didier presides. She lives life at its fullest to delightful results. Although this is really a Queen Latifah film, Gerard Depardieu’s role as Chef Didier is a scene stealer.

Earth Day Movies

2009-04-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday, April 22nd, is EARTH DAY! What better way to celebrate then to watch a film about the destruction of earth’s resources by we naughty humans. Some say these films are eye openers to our future, like the ghost of Christmas future that visited old Scrooge. They can be seen as eye openers but they are also entertaining and available at the HBPL Media Department.

The Day After Tomorrow: Global warming has caught up with the earth in this catastrophic sci-fi thriller. A special-effects-filled look at what the world would look like if the greenhouse effect and global warming continued at such levels that they resulted in worldwide catastrophe and disaster, including multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, floods and the beginning of the next Ice Age. It is up to climatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) to save his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), and the world, from the new Ice Age.

Eleventh Hour: documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio that covers global warming, deforestation, mass species extinction, and depletion of the oceans' habitats . The film's over all premises is that the future of humanity is in jeopardy. This is another serious look at how our world is, and another good reminder for earth day that we need to change things.

AI: Artificial Intelligence: Steven Spielberg’s film (based on an idea by Stanley Kubrick) presents a future world affected by melting polar ice caps. Flooding devastates coastal cities, forcing citizens to move towards the center of the continents. Despite the climatic setback, mankind proceeds to make stunning technological leaps forward while stumbling backward by indulging in new forms of prejudice and discrimination.

WALL-E: After decades of environmental degradation, Earth is completely uninhabitable. Humans turn to space, leaving Earth a lifeless wasteland. With a total dependency on technology and instant gratification, humans become lethargic, lazy, and obese. The only thing that will save the species is a trash collecting robot (and Hello Dolly! of course!).

Other Earth Day choices: An Inconvenient Truth, Waterworld, Who Killed the Electric Car?, Encounters at the End of the World
So you should all pop in a film, hug a tree, think about going greener and have an environmentally friendly Earth Day.

Such a Deal!

2009-04-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

Just in case there are some of you out there that don’t know, our Media Department will be closed on Monday April 6th, Tuesday April 7th and Wednesday April 8th. They will be closed down for re-carpeting. What that means is if you check out any new DVD on Saturday, you will be able to keep it until Thursday April 9th! Might be a great opportunity to catch up on your new release viewing!

Take a bite out of Spring!

2009-03-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first official first day of spring; certainly an event in itself. Today, however, marks an even bigger event (at least to some people…)!! Today Twilight comes out on DVD. Of course, the HBPL Media department has multiple copies (Five!!) available for our patrons. But just like the books, the Twilight DVD’s will be very popular. So while you are waiting you might try some other vampire-fare:

The Lost Boys: Before he started saving the world as Jack Bauer, Keifer Sutherland played a punk vampire in this 1987 campy vampire flick. Dianne Weist plays a mother who moves with her sons to a small California coastal town. Of course, suspicious things start happening. The younger son starts hanging out with some teenage vampire hunters (played by the Corey’s – Corey Haim and Corey Feldman) while the older boy starts sleeping days and staying out all night. I always loved the tagline for this film: Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. Never die. It's fun to be a vampire. And that about says it all about this film.

Låt den rätte komma in (aka Let the Right One In): Do you like your vampires Swedish? If so, this is the film for you! Twelve year old Oskar is so wimpy that he's constantly picked on by the other boys at his school. Out of fear, Oskar never fights back. One evening, Oskar notices a new girl about his age and her father moving into the apartment next door to his. Eli, the new girl, is not very friendly, as she tells him right off that she can't be friends with him. What she doesn’t tell him is that she is a vampire. Although there is certainly blood galore in this film, it is ultimately a story of friendship and the difficulties of coming of age.

And if these two aren’t enough for you, there is always the vampire mainstays like Dracula or Interview with the Vampire. The Media department will have many titles that you can sink your teeth into (vampire pun intended!).

Film Festival Fun

2009-03-07T11:07:00.000-08:00

The thing I like most about going to film festivals is that I get to see incredible films that will never reach our theaters. For every film that makes the American movie theater, there are hundreds that will never get distribution. I just got back from the Cinequest Film Festival (http://www.cinequest.org/ ) up in San Jose, CA. Only a quick three day visit but I was able to see seven films. My favorites were the documentaries.

Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders:
After 15 years of a devastating civil war, Liberia is basically left with no medical infrastructure, while the Congo has collapsed into its own that has left over 4,000,000 people dead. The riveting Living in Emergency follows four members of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Doctors Without Borders on their missions to “provide emergency medical care to populations in distress.”
and
Rocaterrania:
When Renaldo's father moved his family to a remote Colorado ranch as a child, Renaldo dealt with his isolation by escaping to his private fantasy world and fabricating the fantasy nation of Rocaterrania. What began as the illustrated history of an imaginary world became a lifelong obsession - one that would secretly document the satirically coded story of his life. Now 76, Renaldo spins his spellbinding tale, illustrated by works of art, which delve deep into the psyche of this delightful and complex genius.

Neither of these currently have distribution but might in the future. They were certainly worthy of a wider audience.
You never know what gems you will find when you go to a festival. If you have never been to one, the Newport Beach Film Festival runs from April 23rd to 30th. You can give a festival a try without going far from home!

And the winner is...

2009-02-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

Or at least who I think the winners will be! Here are my picks for this years Academy Awards:
Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn (You KNOW I would really like to be able to say that Richard Jenkins will win but alas….)
Best Actress: Kate Winslet
Best Director: Danny Boyle
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (duh!)
Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis
Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Animated Feature: Wall-E
Art Direction: Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Costume Design: The Duchess
Documentary: Man on Wire
Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Foreign Language: Waltz with Bashir
Make-up: Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Original Song: Slumdog Millionaire - "Jai Ho"
Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight
Visual Effects: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Oscars are on this Sunday night. But for those indie minded folk out there, the Independent Spirit Awards are on Saturday night at 10pm on AMC (or live at 5pm if you have IFC channel). Here is a link to this year’s Independent Spirit nominees (http://spiritawards.com/nominees).
Let the games begin!

Film Forum Cancelled

2009-02-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, we have to cancel the Watching the Detectives Saturday Film Forum. Major issues came up with the schedule and the library theater and as no satisfactory solution reared its head, we will have to cancel the entire program. Sorry to my loyal Film Forum followers!!

The Guilds have Spoken!

2009-02-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

Recently many of the entertainment guilds have announced their awards for the 2008 film season.
The Producer’s Guild award went to Slumdog Millionaire.
The Writers Guild went to Milk for Original Screenplay and Slumdog Millionaire for Adapted Screenplay.
The Director’s Guild went to Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire.
Hmmmm…could this possible be a trend?
The BAFTA’s (British Film Awards) were announced this weekend and it seems that Slumdog Millionaire is the darling of the BAFTA’s as well! It walked away with Best Film, Best Director (Danny Boyle), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Score, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound. Oddly enough, it didn’t get any BAFTA acting awards. Those went to: Best Actress Kate Winslet for The Reader, Best Actor Mickey Rourke for the Wrestler, Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger for Dark Knight and Best Supporting Actress Penelope Cruz for Vicky, Cristina Barcelona.

The American Cinematographers will announce their awards on Sunday, February 15th and the Costume Designers Guild announces on Tuesday, February 17th.
The guild awards are always a good indication of who might walk away with an Oscar on February 22nd.

I haven’t seen a release date for Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, The Wrestler, Revolutionary Road or Curious Case of Benjamin button on DVD but Frozen River should be in this week, Changeling will be out February 17th, Milk and Rachel Getting Married are coming on March 10th, Doubt on April 7th, The Reader is scheduled for April 14th. Of course, all are on order for the HBPL Media Department!

Let the Games Begin – 2009!

2009-01-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

At the crack of dawn this morning (530am!), the Oscar nominations were announced for this year’s performances. I was particularly pleased to see Richard Jenkins get nominated for his amazing work in The Visitor. Personally, I think he might just take the Oscar home this year. I was also pleased that The Reader got a nod for both Best Picture and for Kate Winslet’s Best Actress performance. (Yes, I know the Golden Globes gave her a Best Supporting Actress for this but it was really a leading role.).
Many of these films are still in the theaters, but not all! Here are the films that are currently available at the HBPL Media Department that received nominations:

The Dark Knight (Best Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger, Best Editing, Make-up, Art Direction, Cinematography, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects )
The Duchess (Best Art Direction and Costume)
Encounters at the End of the World (Best Documentary)
Hellboy II (Best Make-Up)
In Bruges (Best Original Screenplay)
Iron Man (Best Sound Editing, Visual Effects)
Kung-Fu Panda (Best Animated Film)
Man On Wire (Best Documentary)
Tropic Thunder (Best Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr.) (He's The Dude Playing the Dude Disguised as Another Dude - I love that line!)
The Visitor ( Best Actor – Richard Jenkins)
WALL-E (Best Animated Feature, Original Score, Original Song – Down to Earth, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Original Screenplay)
Wanted (Best Sound Editing and Sound Mixing)

Many of the nominated films are scheduled for DVD release in the very near future. That and my picks for the Oscars will be in the next posts to this blog. I will also be asking for your picks for the top categories, so start thinking!

Blu-Ray Comes to HBPL

2009-01-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the HBPL Media Department now has a selection of Blu-Ray DVD’s? Well, we do! Now that the price of Blu-Ray players has come down, we have decided to offer some titles to our patrons.
Now available on Blu-Ray:
Kung-Fu Panda, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Dark Knight, Wanted, Hancock, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Eagle Eye, Iron Man, WALL-E, Horton Hears a Who, Tropic Thunder, and Mamma Mia!

Blu-Ray DVD’s can be played on Blu-Ray players and Playstation3 but cannot be played on a regular DVD player. But if you have the right equipment, these DVD’s offer an incredible visual experience!

Saturday Film Forum Returns!

2009-01-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is official! As some of you may (or may not) know, our director, Ron Hayden, retired after over 20 years at the helm of HBPL. We now have a new leader! Welcome Stephanie Beverage as the new director of our library. Welcome, because just today she gave the go-ahead for the Saturday Film Forum! This time I will take you to the seedy, noir and animated world of detectives! The official title: On the QT and Very Hush-Hush: Watching the Detectives.

Here are the films and the dates:
February 28th - The Maltese Falcon: After the murder of his business partner, private detective Sam Spade takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette, the jeweled Falcon of Malta.

March 28th - L.A. Confidential: 1950's Los Angeles is the seedy backdrop for this intricate noir tale of police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. Based on James Ellroy’s crime novel, the film follows three detectives that try to find the truth; each in their own way.

April 18th – Chinatown: In 1930 Los Angeles, private eye "Jake" Gittes (Jack Nicholson), at the request of a beautiful bombshell (Faye Dunaway), becomes entangled in a scandal of greed, depravity, and corruption surrounding L.A.’s water supply.

May 16th - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? : Roger, an animated rabbit with big feet, long ears and a polka-dot tie, enlists the help of a second-rate gumshoe in an adventure that has murder, mayhem, and lots of fun! Roger thinks his wife is two-timing him, but he uncovers something much more menacing in this 1940s Hollywood adventure.

I had wanted to screen Blade Runner as the fourth film, but alas! I was unable to get the screening rights so, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? it is!! Not that I am disappointed! If you haven’t seen Roger Rabbit or if you haven’t seen it for awhile, it is a mix of animation and live action and a Zemeckis tour-de force!
All screenings will be at 2p, on Saturdays, in the Library Theater and, of course, are FREE!
I hope to see you and “as many of your adult friends that you can drag along” there!

Happy Award Season!!

2008-12-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

Of course we all know that we are in the holiday season but we are also just starting the big awards season! Many organizations have already announced their top film and acting awards/nominees:

National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics, New York Film Critics, Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards have all been announced. There seems to be a few films that every group agrees on! Across the board, Man on Wire gets best documentary nods. This fascinating documentary follows the high wire walks of Philippe Petit, including his infamous walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. It is currently available on DVD in the HBPL Media center. Another, which is also now out on DVD and available at HBPL, is the Best Animated Film, Wall-E. For my money, Pixar makes the best animated films that are currently being released. This is no exception; a smart, funny, charming animated adventure of a lonely waste management robot. Who knew trash could be so loveable?

It seems that Josh Brolin is fated to be at the Oscars again this year. Although not nominated for his portrayal in No Country For Old Men, from all the accolades he has already received for his supporting actor role of Dan White in Milk, it would be a great surprise if an Oscar nomination didn’t come his way as well. And speaking of Milk, another actor whose performance is recognized by the critics is Sean Penn in Milk as Harvey Milk. From every group he is either their pick as best actor or in the nominated group.

The other films that seem to be getting multiple nominations are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, Slumdog Millionaire (an amazing film that should not be missed!) and Frost/Nixon. Of course, all will eventually be available on DVD and will make their way onto the shelves at HBPL.

In the new year I will write more on the films that are getting recognized. The award season culminates with the Oscars on February 22, 2009 (with Hugh Jackman as host…but that will be a post in itself!). But until then have a wonderful holiday season and I will be back in 2009!

Holiday Madness

2008-12-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

Yes yes! Tis the season that we all go crazy. We are running around trying to make a fun and festive holiday for our friends and family. What a better way to relax than with a hot chocolate/toddy and a favorite movie. You would think that Christmas movies would be the first movies I would reach for this time of year. Of course, I have my favorites among the Christmas films but when I want to relax, my thoughts turn to Alan Rickman. Contemporary audiences know him as Snape in the Harry Potter films. Unfortunately, my favorite Rickman film, Truly, Madly, Deeply is hard to find and not in our media department. But we certainly have other Rickman fare to offer:

Galaxy Quest: It has been 17 years since the "Galaxy Quest'' TV series was canceled, and the actors' careers have been reduced to appearances at annual conventions. Alan Rickman plays a Spock-like character who hates the direction that his career has taken and his co-stars. Aliens show up after watching years of the series, thinking they have been watching historical documents. They want the intrepid crew of Galaxy Quest to help them defeat their enemies. So funny, so campy, so galactic!

Sense and Sensibility: Rickman in Austen! What a great combination. The screenplay for this version was written by Emma Thompson, who also stars in the film. Rickman plays the love struck Colonel Brandon who eventually ends up with the girl (Kate Winslet, no less)!

Harry Potters: Alan Rickman is superbly cast as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. The voice, the sneer, the hair! A decidedly misunderstood character! We who have read the entire Harry Potter series, know that Snape is somewhat redeemed in the final act. I can’t wait to see Rickman’s portrayal in the film version of the Deathly Hallows.

Bottle Shock: This delightful film was based on a true story and was just out in the theaters. Rickman plays a British wine connoisseur, owner of a wine shop in France. He sets up blind wine tasting in Paris, pitting California wines against the French ones. This 1976 event shocked the wine community when a small California vineyard was triumphant against the French. For those that missed this film in the theaters, it will be available on DVD in February (02/03/09).

You are never too old!

2008-11-19T15:13:00.000-08:00

I have always had an interest in the arts. Of course, I love film but, for my entire life, I have also been involved with music. One of my musical pursuits was singing, for ten years, with a jazz choir. This is but one reason that I couldn’t wait to see the documentary Young @ Heart. This documentary was the darling of the festivals last year and a big hit at Sundance in January of this year.

Young @ Heart is a geriatric rock 'n roll singing choir from Northampton, Massachusetts which you've got to see (and hear) to believe. If you are a fan of “The Ramones”, just wait until you've seen a 92-year-old woman steady herself with her cane as she walks to the microphone and belts out "I Wanna Be Sedated". It gives a whole new twist to punk music!

This is a documentary about how music can enrich your life at any age. It is also about twisting your perspective and appreciating that getting old doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life. Young @ Heart is a thoroughly enjoyable documentary filled with humor, affection, irony, fascination and toe-tapping music.
It is available on DVD from the HBPL Media Department.

Less than a Week!

2008-10-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

Yes it is less than a week to go to see who will be at the helm of America for the next four years. So my second (and last) installment of recommended political films are:

Bulworth (DVD)
Bulworth is a disillusioned, Democratic senator. He hates his job and his life, and has just lost millions in the market. So he puts out a contract on his own life and has only three days to live. But in those three days he decides that, for once, he is free to say exactly what he thinks, and that's what he does. Warren Beatty, who directed, produced, co- wrote and stars in this film, deserves huge credit for pulling off an enterprise as audacious and risky as Bulworth.

Dr Strangelove (DVD)
For me, Dr. Strangelove is the best political satire film ever made. The film starts with a deranged General Ripper declaring a "Code Red", sealing off his Air Force base, and ordering a nuclear attack on Russia. What follows is political satire at it’s finest as President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), hawkish General Turgidson (George C. Scott) and Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers), an ex-Nazi scientist are called to determine how to react to the crisis. Hilarious and frightening, all at the same time!

All the President’s Men (VHS)
This film is based on the non-fiction book written by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. It starts with the investigation of a seemingly minor break-in which leads Bernstein and Woodward all the way to the White House. Their investigation of the Watergate incident was instrumental in the resignation of Richard Nixon.

Bob Roberts (VHS)
Documentary-style look at the fictional Senatorial campaign of Bob Roberts (Tim Robbins), an arch-conservative, self-made millionaire, folk singer turned politician. Although Roberts has the look of a home town Woody Guthrie, his message is that greed is good, the bottom line is the only line and winning is everything.

And remember, if you haven’t voted early…make sure and vote on November 4th!!

It’s going to be a bumpy ride!

2008-10-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

Although my “political films” Saturday Film Forum couldn’t happen this autumn, I did promise you that I would post some political film titles to get you through to November 4th. So here is your first installment. These are the four films I would have shown as my film program:

The Manchurian Candidate
And when I say Manchurian Candidate, I mean the original Frank Sinatra, 1962 version of this film. (Despite the excellent cast, the 2004 remake just wasn’t anywhere near the quality of this version). The plot: an American patrol is captured by Chinese communists during the Korean War, and one soldier is programmed to become an assassin; two years later, he's ordered to kill a presidential candidate. This is a minimalist view of this complex and intriguing film. After its release in 1962, Pauline Kael wrote, "It may be the most sophisticated political satire ever made in Hollywood". A must see for political film fans. Or those that want to see what real acting chops Angela Lansbury has!

Dave
Ivan Reitman directed this gem of a film. When the president falls into a coma, Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) a dead-ringer look alike for the president is asked to temporarily step in. The White House chief of staff, an evil genius played by Frank Langella, decides not to turn over the reins of power to the vice president (Ben Kingsley) but instead to use Dave as a permanent front man, with him pulling the strings. Problems begin, however, when Dave starts to act like a leader – a compassionate and intelligent one -- instead of the puppet that his Chief of Staff wants him to be.

The Contender
The always wonderful Joan Allen portrays a senator who is nominated to become Vice President following the death of the previous office holder. The President (Jeff Bridges) who is near the end of his final term, decides to leave a legacy by selecting a woman to fill the position. Unfortunately, there are those that don’t’ think this is a wise choice and they dig up things from the senator’s past that have her fighting for her good name.

Election
One of my favorite films! This is most certainly about politics; the politics of a high school election. Based on the Tom Perrotta novel of the same name, Election is about the eternally perky, Tracy Flick’s (Reese Witherspoon) bid for class president. Flick’s exuberance rubs teacher, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), the wrong way and he sets out to foil her election plans. Cynical, dark comedy at its best!

R.I.P. ol’ Blue Eyes

2008-09-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

To my mother’s generation, ol’ blue eyes was Frank Sinatra, but the blue eyes of my generation was Paul Newman. I say “was” because we lost this cinematic treasure yesterday. Paul Newman died on Friday after a long fight against cancer. Newman’s career actually took off when I was too young to care but his films from the late 60’s on certainly helped shape my enjoyment of cinema. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid alone made him (and Robert Redford) household words and heart throbs for women of many generations. And who could look at hard boiled eggs (or mirrored sunglasses) the same after Cool Hand Luke. He was a film star, a philanthropist (donating all after tax proceeds of Newman’s Own profits to charity), a devoted family man (married to Joanne Woodward for 50 years, father of six) and race car enthusiast (co-owner of the Newman-Haas racing team). There is much that can be said about Paul Newman, but I will let his work speak for him. Fortunately, the HBPL media department has quite a few of Newman’s films for you to relive the talent that has now joined the ages. R.I.P. ol’ Blue Eyes.

Life is an adventure

2008-09-16T15:49:00.000-07:00

I am back from my vacation and what a vacation it was! I did a seven day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon and it was a trip of a lifetime! Spectacular! Because I am still in the “great outdoors” mode mentally, I asked my fellow rafters to contribute to this blog by listing their favorite adventure/nature/outdoors movies.
Here are the top five:

Touching the Void: I have touted the wonder of this film before in this blog. It is one of the most amazing adventure survival stories ever told. Two climbers, 20,813 foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, one climber leaves the other believing him dead, but he wasn’t…
This is my favorite adventure film and one that was mentioned several times by my fellow rafters.

March of the Penguins: I am sure many of you have seen this fascinating documentary. It won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Documentary and it was certainly worthy. The film depicts the yearly journeys of the emperor penguins of Antarctica. The beauty of their life and the tragedy as well, it is one of the best nature films ever. It emotionally engages audiences more successfully than most other films of this genre.

Into the Wild: Based on the 1996 non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild is a feature film, based on the adventures of Christopher McCandless. McCandless travelled around the country, ending up in Alaska. He survived for approximately 112 days in the Alaskan wilderness before meeting his demise. Whether you think he was a crazy, irresponsible youth or an adventurer with a poet’s soul, McCandless’ story is certainly compelling.

Blue Planet: This 2001 David Attenborough documentary claims to be the first ever comprehensive series on the natural history of the world's oceans. It has outstanding photography and includes footage of some sea creatures that have never before been captured on film. This film took 5 years to make and they filmed in over 200 locations around the globe. HBPL has the eight episodes available in a 5 DVD set. Each of the eight 50-minute episodes examines a different aspect of marine life.

River Wild: Alas, HBPL does not have this currently on DVD (it is on order), but I still wanted to include it because several of my fellow vacationers gave it as an adventure film to watch. Directed by Curtis Hansen (L.A. Confidential) and starring Meryl Streep. The story involves a family on a whitewater rafting trip who encounter two violent criminals in the wilderness. The supporting cast includes John C Reilly, David Straithairn and Kevin Bacon who puts in the best performance as the charming but sinister bad guy.

Vacation!

2008-08-30T16:05:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is true! I am escaping the library to head out on vacation! I will be back in a couple of weeks and will update the blog when I get back. I was thinking about vacation movies to leave you with. The only true vacation movie that sprang to mind was National Lampoon’s Vacation (and European and Christmas and Vegas). Anyone want to add their favorite vacation movie to the comments?? On the web, movies like Groundhog’s Day or Little Miss Sunshine were listed as Vacation movies. I love both of these but, no one in these films are really on vacation. So, I guess it comes down to your definition of a great vacation movie. Is it a film that is centered around going on vacation or a film that you can just kick back and watch when you are on vacation? What do you think?
I am out of here!

Curse of the Popular Class

2008-08-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

First, I want to thank those that showed up for the screening on Thursday of the Hollywood Librarian. As far as I know this will be the only screening of this documentary in Orange County, so I am glad that attendees had an opportunity to view it.
Second, although I very much wanted to do a fall film program of political films, there is “no room at the inn”. Our meeting rooms and theatre are fully booked!! I have already started looking at dates for a spring film program and will post dates here as soon as they are finalized. The spring program will have a different theme which is also TBA. Things to look forward too!! Next month I will have a list of political films to watch to get ready for the November elections.

In the meantime, for those who missed the Hollywood Librarian but are looking for a documentary to watch, check out The Cats of Mirikatani (of course, available at HBPL). This is the story of Jimmy Mirikatani, a homeless, elderly artist of Japanese decent living in New York City. Jimmy was living near the Twin Towers when 9/11 happened and the days’ events threw his life into even more disarray. Linda Hattendorf (the director of this documentary) found Jimmy on that day and decided to give him a place to stay. She learned more about him, including that he spent time in a Japanese internment camp. This sends her on a journey to help Jimmy organize his life, reclaim his past and look for a home of his own.

The Hollywood Librarian

2008-08-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Take a time machine into the past to a librarian conference I attended 2 years ago. At that conference, a librarian/filmmaker was showing a rough cut of her documentary and soliciting funds to help her create the finished product. Jump forward to today, and her documentary, The Hollywood Librarian, is completed and having a screening here at HBPL. On August 14th, at 7pm in the Library Theatre, you will have a chance to discover how librarians have been portrayed in the media, why librarians love their job and increase your awareness of the complex and democratic nature of librarianship in the age of technology. Oh and did I mention that it is FREE! I hope to see you there!

From Independence to Oppression to Individual Spirit

2008-07-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

My last blog entry recommended some patriotic fare to help you celebrate our nations’ independence. This entry will take different point of view and recommends a film about oppression but also about spirit of the individual. Winner of the Jury Prize from the 2007 Cannes Film Festival (and a nominee for the Palme d’Or), Persepolis has just been released on DVD and is available from the HBPL Media department. Persepolis is based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. This animated film begins in Iran in 1979. Ten year old Marji dreams of becoming a prophet and loves to emulate Bruce Lee. Marji’s family is hopeful when the Shah is overthrown. They think that they will get a more just society but instead what they get is Islamic Fundamentalism. Marji, a rebellious teen, buys western heavy metal music on the black market and wears a denim jacket celebrating punk rock with a Michael Jackson button. Worried that she will be arrested, she is sent to Vienna to go to school. What follows is Marji’s coming of age story and a tale that shows that sometimes you can’t go home again.

Spirit of ‘76

2008-07-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

This Friday is Independence Day aka the 4th of July. Most of you will probably be having a three day weekend as the 4th has considerately landed on a Friday. Due to our growing gas prices, many are deciding to take stay-cations (stay at home vacations) instead of leaving town. Now, you know what my recommendation will be to fill those long summer hours. Watch a movie!!! (or two or three!). Here are a few of my favorite films that I watch to lift my American spirit:

1776: This movie version of the Broadway musical depicts the events leading up to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and our nation’s first 4th of July. Many of the song lyrics and parts of the dialog are based on actual correspondence of the time. American history has never been so much fun (Sit down, John!). (DVD)

Yankee Doodle Dandy: James Cagney portrays the legendary Broadway songwriter and performer George M. Cohan in this rousing, flag-waving classic. It is hard to remember Cagney’s gangster roles when you see him singing and tap dancing. But his gangster roles didn’t win him his first Academy Award, singing and dancing did (Cagney won a Best Actor Oscar for his role in this film). (VHS)

Glory: During the Civil War, Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) led the first all-black volunteer company. Glory is more about the struggle for individual dignity than it is about the mechanics of war. This film is a winner of five Academy Awards, including a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Denzel Washington. (DVD)

Independence Day: What could be more appropriate on Independence Day then, well, you know. Oddly enough, when I first saw this film, I didn’t really like it. Even odder might be the fact that although I didn’t like it, I kept watching it whenever it happened to be on television. I guess it grew on me. Will Smith, Presidential Bill Pullman and aliens. All you need to help celebrate our independence! (DVD)

Have a safe and sane 4th of July!!

Series for the Summer

2008-06-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Summertime is almost upon us. Already the summertime blockbusters are being released in the theaters. I assume many of you (at least the women) have seen the Sex and the City movie to see what’s new in the life of Carrie and “Big”. Want to reminisce about the early days of the series?? The complete series of Sex and the City is just one of the series that is available from the HBPL media collection. I might suggest a few more of the older but worthy miniseries collections that are also available:

I, Claudius: I, Claudius is a thirteen part BBC adaptation of Robert Graves' books I, Claudius and Claudius, the God. This is a marvelous miniseries that is historically pretty accurate. It stars the talented Derek Jacobi as Claudius as well as Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, Patrick Stewart, John Hurt, John Rhys Davies and Bernard Hill. The tale is told in flashbacks as the aging roman emperor Claudius writes the memoirs of his life. The debauchery of Caligula (John Hurt) and the scheming of Livia (Sian Phillips) are but two reasons to spend some time with ancient Rome. (DVD)

Jewel in the Crown: This miniseries was adapted from a series of novels known as The Raj Quartet written by Paul Scott. It takes place in India in the twilight of the British Raj and the start of the Indian independence movement. The story follows a young Indian man who has been educated in England and feels more British than Indian. He returns to India to work as a journalist and the British there certainly do not consider him a peer. This miniseries made a household name of Charles Dance and Tim Pigott-Smith (at least in the UK). (DVD)

Roots: Before VCR and tevo’s became a way of life, some television compelled people to actually stay home and watch it. Such was Roots. The twelve-hour mini-series aired on ABC in January 1977 and for eight consecutive nights it riveted the country. I can remember watching it and then talking to friends about it and then hardly being able to wait for the next night’s episode. The story follows the life of Kunte Kinte played as a boy by LeVar Burton (Star Trek: TNG’s Geordi) and then by John Amos as an adult. If you haven’t seen this (or read the book), it is historical television and more than worthy of your time. (DVD)

And the winner was...

2008-05-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone that has shown up for this current rendition of the Saturday Film Festival. Today's film, Moulin Rouge! was the last of the series but I plan to start another in the fall. So check this blog for further information.

For those that attended today's film: Martin Scorsese won the 2006 Best Directing Oscar for The Departed. Finally! As he took the stage to accept the award Scorsese asked "Could you double-check the envelope?" An honor well deserved but long in coming!

Cannes: The Other Slice

2008-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Cannes International Film Festival ending last Sunday, May 25th.
This years’ jury was headed by none other than Sean Penn. The other members of the jury were Italian actor and director Sergio Castellitto, Hollywood actress Natalie Portman, Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, German actress Alexandra Maria Lara, French directors Rachid Bouchareb and Marjane Satrapi, and French actress Jeanne Balibar. The jury gave the coveted Palme d’Or to the first French movie to win Cannes’s top prize in 20 years, Laurent Cantet’s The Class. This film gave an account of teacher-student dynamics in a multicultural French middle school.

The second place Grand Prix award went to Gomorrah, Italian director Matteo Garrone’s movie about organized crime in Naples. The third place jury prize went to Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo, which satirized the career of former Italian Prime Minister, Giulio Andreott. Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the directing prize for Three Monkeys, a drama about family pulled apart by crime and suspicion. Benicio Del Toro took the Best Actor prize for his portrayal of Che Guevara in Steven Soderbergh’s four plus hour biopic of the revolutionary (which will be released as two separate films, Guerrilla and The Argentine). Best Actress went to Sandra Corveloni (by-passing Anjelina Jolie in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling) who portrayed a single mother of four fatherless boys in the Brazilian family drama, Linha de Passe (Line of Passage).

This Saturday, May 31st, will be the final film in our current Saturday Film Forum, “Cinema Français: Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves”. We will be screening Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and it is a MUST to see on the big screen. Please join us at 2pm in the Library Theater! A word of warning on parking: The Concourse Car Show will be taking over Central Park near the library both Saturday and Sunday. They will be finished on Saturday at 2pm so I hope parking won’t be too hard to find.

When Harry Meets Jack

2008-05-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

Despite the crazy weather, this weekend marks the kick-off for summer movies and festivities. Yes, it is Memorial Day weekend. Of course, the big movie to see this weekend is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I plan to see it despite the bad reviews and alien ending. I am actually looking more forward to this November and the next installment in the Harry Potter films, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Between making the Potter films, Daniel Radcliffe (Harry, of course) has been busy trying to have a career away from Hogwarts. I am sure many have heard of his West End debut in London in the Shaffer play, Equus. The play moves to New York in the fall and will open on September 25th at the Broadhurst Theater. It has only a 22 week run, so get those tickets early!

Radcliffe has also been making some interesting non-Harry Potter films. Check out these two (currently available from the HBPL Media department):

December Boys:
In the late 1960's, four close-knit orphans in Australia, called the December Boys because they were all born in the same month, leave their orphanage for a holiday by the sea. Having all but given up hope of ever being adopted, the friends are on a seaside holiday one summer when they hear a rumor that a seaside couple are looking to adopt one of the orphans, friendships are tested and new alliances made as the four boys compete for the chance to gain a real family.

My Boy Jack:
Daniel Radcliffe does an excellent job of portraying, John (Jack) Kipling, son of Rudyard. It is 1913 and Rudyard Kipling is at the peak of his literary fame. World War I breaks out, and Jack is determined to fight, but the Army and the Navy both reject him because of his extremely poor eyesight. Undaunted, Kipling uses his influence to land Jack a commission in the Irish Guards, sparking off a bitter family conflict.

Festival Sandwich

2008-05-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

I hope some of you were able to make the screening in Saturday of French Kiss. The last film in this series of the Saturday Film Forum will be Moulin Rouge! and will be screened on May 31st.

In the meantime, we are currently between major film festivals (hence the sandwich!). Tribeca Film Festival ran from April 23rd to May 4th and Cannes International Film Festival starts on May 14th.
The Tribeca Film Festival was started by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff following 9/11 to help build economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan. Since its founding, the festival has been attended by over two million attendees and has generated 425 million in economic activity for New York City. It was recently announced that this year’s festival had an attendance of 155,000 moviegoers to 700 screenings and 14 panel discussions. The winners of the big awards this year were:

Cadillac Award (audience choice): War Child: A documentary based on the life of hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal, a veteran of the 20-year civil war in southern Sudan. Now in his 20s, this former “lost boy” is using his music to raise awareness about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan and the plight of child soldiers throughout the world.

Founder Award for Best Narrative Film: Let the Right One In: Twelve year old Oskar gets relentlessly bullied by day and by night he dreams of revenge. This beautifully touching tale tells of the first romance for bullied 12-year-old Oskar and the girl next door, Eli… who also happens to be a vampire.

Best Documentary Feature: Pray the Devil Back to Hell: After more than a decade of civil wars leading to more than 250,000 deaths and one million refugees, a group of courageous women rose up to force peace on their shattered Liberia and propel to victory the first female head of state on the African continent.

Sometimes it takes a bit of time for festival films to make the local art house, but these would be worth keeping an eye out for viewing in the future.

French Kiss

2008-04-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Things have really been jumping here at HBPL, so I am sorry I haven’t posted again this month. I DID want to remind everyone of the screening this Saturday, May 3rd, of French Kiss. A lovely, but at times surly, romantic comedy staring the “Contemporary Queen of Romantic Comedy”, Meg Ryan. Her co-star, Kevin Kline, steals every scene he is in! Kevin pulls off being a Frenchman with panache!
So please join us this Saturday at 2pm in the Library Theatre, for French Kiss!!

Cinema Français

2008-04-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

As you have probably figured out, the Saturday Film Forum is off and running and if you missed last Saturday’s screening of Charade, you missed a wonderful event. Some patrons have been a bit confused about the Cinema Français in the title of the program. Most think that the films are in the French but au contraire, mes amis! The films are all in English but they are all filmed/set in France! Of course, the HBPL Media department has some wonderful films in the French language that you can enjoy:

Amelie: Probably all of you have seen this film already. It came out in 2002 and charmed everyone that had the good fortune to discover it. And if you can’t get enough of the star, Audrey Tautou, try her 2005 film: A Very Long Engagement. This film is set against the backdrop of World War I. Mathilde (Tautou) doesn’t believe it when she is told her fiancée has been killed in battle so she heads out to find him. Adventure ensues!

Cyrano de Begerac:
Years ago, I worked at Disney Studios. When I was there, they were making the film Green Card and I heard horror stories about one of the stars, Gerard Depardieu. It almost put me off watching his films but I would have been the poorer for it. If you have not seen his version of Cyrano de Bergerac, have a look; it will break your heart! I have gone on to have a great appreciation for the work of this French actor.

Another oldie but goodie is Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion. It was released in 1937 and was the first foreign language film to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. At the time President Roosevelt said that “everyone who believes in democracy should see this film”. Hence Nazi propaganda chief Josef Goebbels listed Grand Illusion as Cinematic Public Enemy #1. It was the film he wanted to destroy the most. When Germany moved into France during the war, they confiscated much of the film archives of Paris. The person in charge, Dr Frank Hensel, was a Nazi but he was also a huge film buff. Instead of destroying the films, he sent them to Berlin. The negative for Grand Illusion was thought to be destroyed in an air raid on Berlin. After the war, the sector where the film archive had been was in the Soviet sector. In the 1960’s, there was a film exchange between the Soviet (Film Archive) Gosfilmoford and the Cinematique Toulouse (France). Unfortunately, the archive in Toulouse didn’t look at all the material they had received very closely. In the 1990’s it was discovered that they had received in the exchange the ORIGINAL sound and picture negative for Grand Illusion! Unfortunately, the director, Jean Renoir died in 1979 and was never aware of this discovery (he died thinking his masterpiece was gone.). But fortunately for us, the original negative was restored and in 1999 was released as the inaugural DVD of the Criterion Collection. This is the version that is available at HBPL.
C’est fini!

Everyone wants to be Cary Grant (or Audrey Hepburn).

2008-04-08T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Saturday Film Forum continues this Saturday at 2pm in the Library Theater. “Cinema Française: Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” is the theme and this Saturday’s film is full of thieves! Join us for the screening of Charade. This film has been called the best “Hitchcockian movie that Hitchcock never made”. Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and if that weren’t enough, I will have my usual informative opening lecture and there will be candy!
I hope to see you all there!

Go West, Young Man...

2008-03-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend about the lack of “theatre- worthy” films our right now. “Theatre-worthy” meaning those films that you HAVE to see on the big screen versus “DVD’s” that can wait until they come out on, well, DVD’s! Early spring is usually a bit slow in the theatre’s as it is too early for Oscar contenders to come out and the big blockbuster types get held for the summer or the November/December holidays. Sure there are a few good “art” films out there (like the Band’s Visit, the Oscar winning foreign film The Counterfeiters and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) but overall the pickings are pretty thin.
This has led me to catch up with some of those in the “DVD” category and, who knew, that my favorites would be westerns! If you haven’t seen them already, I would recommend both 3:10 to Yuma and The Assassination of Jesse James (by the coward Robert Ford).

3:10 to Yuma is a remake of the 1957 film by the same name starring Glen Ford and Van Heflin. Of course, you know by now that I think Christian Bale is an amazing actor and he continues to show us why in this film. I was quite surprised to see Peter Fonda and actually didn’t recognize him until well into the story. And, of course, there is Russell Crowe. Despite all the fun the tabloids have with Russell, he continues to give us performances that show his depth of talent and the range that he can play (My favorite Russell Crowe is still L.A. Confidential).
The Assassination of Jesse James (by the coward Robert Ford) runs a bit long but I didn’t mind as much as others seem to as I was mesmerized by the performance of Casey Affleck. His creepy, hero-worshipping performance as Robert Ford was perfectly pitched. His brother is played by another one of my favorites, Sam Rockwell. Both the brothers’ profit from the notorious deed but ultimately it destroys them. Several well known reviewers have written scathing reviews of this film however, I couldn’t disagree with them more. I will leave it up to you to decide.

If these two films just aren’t enough of the wild, west for you, I might also recommend some others that are also currently available from the Media Department at HBPL:
Lonesome Dove: the best western mini-series EVER! Based on the Larry McMurtry novel (which you should certainly read if you haven’t already) and follows the escapades of Captain Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones) and Augustus McCrea (Robert Duvall).
Silverado: This Lawrence Kasdan film brought life back to the western genre of films. A very entertaining film with a great cast: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, (a very young) Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, John Cleese, Brian Dennehy, Linda Hunt, Jeff Goldblum and Rosanna Arquette.
How The West Was Won: Talk about casts! This film had almost everyone who was anyone in it! Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Debbie Reynolds, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Eli Wallach, Robert Preston, Karl Malden, Carolyn Jones, and on and on! How the West was Won is one of only two feature films (the other being The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm) made using the three-strip Cinerama process. Although, it loses something on the small screen, it is still a story worth watching.
The Searchers: My favorite John Wayne western. The Searchers is usually found on just about every top ten list of best westerns ever made and it surely belongs there.

Saturday Film Forum Success!

2008-03-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

And a success it was! I want to thank everyone that showed up for last Saturday’s screening of Chocolat and encourage the rest of you to come on April 12th to see Charade! You won’t be sorry!
BTW, have you had a look at the New Releases in the Media section lately? Instead of just one BIG New Release section, the Media staff has made new headings that will help you make your DVD selections. The New Release DVD’s are now broken into the following headings: Comedy, Drama, Musical, Action, Western, Mystery, Science Fiction and Horror.
Speaking of new releases, the following hot titles have recently shown up here at HBPL: Into the Wild, Michael Clayton, In the Valley of Elah, Dan in Real Life, The Bee Movie, August Rush, the Darjeeling Ltd., and the best picture of the year, No Country for Old Men.

Oscar Follow-up

2008-02-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

So, this years Academy Awards gave the network its lowest ratings ever. It is estimated that 32 million watched the show, which is down from the 40+ million that watched last year. Previous to this year, the lowest ratings were in 2003, with only 33 million watching. Only 32 million this year! It still seems like quite a few people to me! I was one of the lowly and I have to say I quite enjoyed Jon Stewart. I also enjoyed that presenting celebs kept the banter to a minimum (or the writer’s did…a positive outcome for not having seven months to write the show!).

My winning percentage was down this year but looking at the glass half full, I have to say I did extremely well on the major awards! I only missed Best Supporting Actress, but then again, I think many missed that one. Tilda Swindon? Deserved, but not expected…even by her! And what about Marion Cotillard! She very much owned the Best Actress this year and she is only the third French actress to win the Oscar; the others being Claudette Colbert (It Happened One Night in 1934) and Simone Signoret (Room at the Top – 1960).

Just a reminder, the Saturday Film Forum returns on March 8th with a screening of Chocolat. It will be in the Library Theatre, 2pm and it’s FREE! So please join us! I won’t be updating this blog until after Chocolat so stay tuned!

And now the rest...

2008-02-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

I feel very much like Roger Ebert who said: “In theory, if I correctly predicted every single Oscar race, nobody could outguess me, and by default, I would win the prize. Alas, that has never, ever happened, and it's unlikely again this year, because as usual I will allow my heart to outsmart my brain in one or two races, which is my annual downfall. In any event, for what they're worth, here are my Academy Award predictions in a year rich with wonderful films”. So here are the rest of my predictions:

Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard (every one else thinks Julie Christie but I have a feeling...)
Best Director: Coen Brothers
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem
Best Supporting Actress: Ruby Dee (but many think Amy Ryan)
Adapted Screenplay: No Country for Old Men
Original Screenplay: Juno
Animated Feature: Ratatouille
Art Direction: There Will Be Blood
Cinematography: Atonement
Costume Design: La Vie En Rose
Documentary: No End in Sight
Editing: Bourne Ultimatum
Foreign Language: Katyn
Make-up: La Vie En Rose
Original Score: Atonement
Original Song: Falling Slowly – Once
Sound Editing: No Country For Old Men
Sound Mixing: Transformers
Visual Effects: Transformers

I usually do pretty well. If I remember right, last year I only missed 3 categories. Now I will have to wait until Sunday night to see if I had another year of “choosing wisely”.
Btw, if you have problems with the “comments” on this page, you can always e:mail me at moorec@hbpl.org

The Strike is over – On with the Show!

2008-02-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Yes it is true! The Writers strike has ended and so the “show” will go on. The BIG show of course, the Academy Awards! So who will win?? I will give my full predictions next week but for now let’s look at Best motion picture of the year:
Who is nominated:
Atonement (Focus Features)
Juno (Fox Searchlight)
Michael Clayton (Warner Bros.)
No Country for Old Men (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
There Will Be Blood (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)

Someone predicted that the “American” vote would split between No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood and the award would go to Atonement. I liked Atonement quite a bit and although it won the BAFTA for best picture, I just don’t think Academy voters will go for it. Loved Juno but way too hip for Academy voters to select and Michael Clayton…if only they would give it to this smart, fascinating film! But since the Coen brothers won the DGA for best director and the Writers Guild gave No Country for Old Men best adapted screenplay, I will have to go for No Country for Old Men to win the top prize.

Have you seen the top films?? Most of them are still playing in the local cinemas but if you are waiting for them to come to DVD, here are some dates of release*:
Atonement: March 18th
Juno: April 15th
Michael Clayton: February 19th
No Country for Old Men: March 11th
There Will Be Blood: April 8th
(*Even when a release date is set, sometimes they change if the film wins major awards.)
I will be updating this blog Wednesday or Thursday next week with my other predictions. I would love to know what you predict so feel free to add your predictions to the comments and I will share them next week.

Return of the Saturday Film Forum

2008-01-31T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, you have heard it here first! The Saturday Film Forum will return to the Huntington Beach Library starting on March 8th. Hopefully some of you made it the first Forum where I screened four wonderful Johnny Depp films. This time we will be going to France with the program: Cinema Française: Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. The films and schedule is as follows: March 8th, Chocolat (of course I will start with a Johnny Depp film!); April 12th, Charade; May 3rd, French Kiss and May 31st, Moulin Rouge! (the Baz Luhrmann musical). Fortunately, for this program I will able to use the Library Theatre; big screen, great sound, comfy seats! What’s not to love?? As before, the program will start at 2pm and I will be giving a short talk about each film prior to the screening. I am still trying to decide what sort of give away I will do but there will be some prizes involved! So mark your calendars and join us for our journey into cinematic France!

What a marvelous night for a: Sundance

2008-01-29T15:26:00.000-08:00

Before we make our Oscar predictions (and I WILL be asking you for your top picks!), I wanted to mention the Sundance Film Festival. The Festival started on January 17th and just ended last Sunday, January 27th. Sundance continually makes the list of top ten film festivals in the world. Like Toronto, it showcases independent talent and world class documentaries.
This year the awards went to:
The Grand Jury Prize winner for U.S. Dramatic films , *Frozen River, centers on a woman in upstate New York struggling to provide food for her kids - until she is drawn into a smuggling ring carrying illegal immigrants from Canada through the Mohawk Indian reservation. The Grand Jury Prize for U.S. documentaries, Trouble the Water, focuses on Kimberly Rivers Roberts and Scott Roberts, a couple from New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward during Hurricane Katrina - and features footage shot by Kimberly on her camcorder as the floodwaters forced the family to seek refuge in the attic. I heard Kenneth Turan speak on both of these films. He says the mere description of plot doesn’t do either justice. Both were powerful films that are worth waiting to see in your local theaters!

In the World Cinema: Documentary category, the top honors from both the Jury and the audience were presented to Man on Wire, which chronicles French artist Philippe Petit's daring dance on a wire suspended between New York's Twin Towers and his subsequent arrest for what would become known as “the artistic crime of the century”.
Audience awards went to the documentary, Fields of Fuel about America's addiction to oil, and the drama *The Wackness about a teen drug dealer.

A Special Jury Prize was awarded to *Choke for Work by an Ensemble Cast (Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald, Brad Henke). The film is an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's (Fight Club) novel by the same name.

(* means the film has a distribution deal. Hopefully they all will get distribution now that they have won awards at Sundance!)

Heath Ledger – Too Young to Go

2008-01-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

By now I am sure you have all heard that on a day that all film fans should be celebrating (the day of the Oscar nominations- more on that soon), we lost a talented and very young actor. HBPL Media department carries the following Heath Ledger films: 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot, A Knight’s Tale, Monster’s Ball, Four Feathers, Brother’s Grimm, Brokeback Mountain and Cassanova. It is always sad when someone so young (celebrity or not) leaves us too soon.

The Intriguing Choices of Christian Bale

2008-01-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

I don’t know how many of you tuned in last Sunday for the “press conference” that was the Golden Globes, but, good grief, was it boring!! Combined with the Writer’s strike and the lack of new programming, I am expecting many of you to be checking out lots of DVD’s from our Media department. Last weekend, I nabbed a copy of 3:10 to Yuma. Although I like Russell Crowe, the main draw for me was Christian Bale. He first came on the Hollywood radar as a boy in Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun. He then worked his way through films like Newsies and Swing Kids before changing his whole previous image with American Psycho. From “Psycho” on, he has made some very interesting choices! As far as I am concerned, he has been the best Batman of the franchise (he will be once again be Bruce Wayne in the upcoming Batman: The Dark Knight (due out this year). He has also given very compelling performances in Harsh Times, Rescue Dawn and The Prestige. My personal favorite (which was almost surpassed by 3:10 to Yuma) is The Machinist. The plot is twisted and bizarre (see my blog entry Friday, August 31, 2007 for description) but if you loved Memento, then The Machinist might just be for you! (All of his films except American Psycho are available from the HBPL Media department).

Let The Games Begin!

2008-01-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

For twenty-something years, I have had an Oscar bet with a high school friend of mine. We bet on almost every category (except short films). Sometimes he wins, sometimes I do; it makes watching the Oscars more interesting (than it already is!!). How do we make our choices? I try to see most of the films but I also pay attention to the other awards and guild nominations. If you want to get the pulse of the movie industry, have a look at some of these:

Golden Globes: Sunday, January 13, 2008
SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Awards: Sunday, January 27, 2008
Independent Spirit Awards: Saturday February 23, 2008
(As of January 2nd, the Writer’s Guild has NOT given a waiver to the Golden Globes. They have given them to both the SAG Awards and the Independent Spirits. According to the WGA, they will be picketing the Golden Globes. It will make it difficult for celebrities to cross the picket line to attend and without celebs…poor Golden Globes.)

And of course my “mother ship” of award shows:
Oscars: nominations announced: Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Oscar telecast: Sunday, February 24, 2008

Some of the film critics have already made their picks for the best of 2007:
New York Film Critics:
Best Picture: No Country for Old Men
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Best Actress: Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Director: Joel and Ethan Cohen (No Country For Old Men)
Boston Society of Film Critics:
Best Picture: No Country for Old Men
Best Actor: Frank Langella (Starting Out in the Evening)
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose)
Director: Julian Schnabel (Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
Los Angeles Film Critics:
Best Picture: There Will Be Blood
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood)
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
National Board of Review:
Best Picture: No Country for Old Men
Best Actor: George Clooney (Michael Clayton)
Best Actress: Julie Christie (Away From Her)
Director: Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd)

Two of the films that have some of the top nominations are already available at HBPL. Media currently has Away From Her and La Vie En Rose!
So as I like to say to my Oscar betting buddy: Let the Games Begin!

Goodbye 2007!

2007-12-29T17:04:00.000-08:00

We have come to the end of another year. Hopefully you have been able to catch a few films over the holiday season. So far I have seen Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp, go figure!) and Atonement. Both deserve two thumbs up! In January I will be updating you on all the film awards that have been or will be announced (writer’s willing!). So check back in 2008!
Goodbye 2007! I will see you all on the other side!
Happy New Year!

Does it have to be about Christmas to be a Christmas Film?

2007-12-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone is busily running around this time of year, but at some point we all need to sit down and relax. For me, that means I have time to watch some of my holiday film favorites. I know what my favs are but I thought I would ask my fellow HBPL staffers what tickled their fancy at the holidays (film-wise, of course!). I thought I might be in trouble when I asked one employee and his answer was “I think there was a Christmas scene in Goodfellows!
Fortunately I pressed on and came up with some more festive titles: The most popular was It’s a Wonderful Life. Many of the staff mentioned this is a film they try to watch every Christmas. I also like it but find it interesting that when it was released it got very mixed reviews and was viciously trashed in the New Yorker. It barely made back the cost of making it and didn’t become popular until its copyright expired and was shown every Christmas on television. Now it is a classic.

Other than It’s a Wonderful Life, I would have to say my favorite holiday films are A Christmas Carol (the Patrick Stewart version) and White Christmas. It just isn’t the holidays for me until Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen sing the title song. Another film that got a mention and that I also really like is Nightmare Before Christmas. I guess it can be either a Halloween film or a Christmas film. I tend to watch it at Halloween but some of my workmates claimed it belonged to Christmastime.

The other popular titles: Miracle on 34th Street, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story (“You'll shoot your eye out!!”) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. These are all very Christmas-worthy (and available in our Media department).
But what constitutes a Christmas film?? For me it is the films that I have to watch every year at Christmas. When I asked my colleagues for their films, most were in the traditional vein. But a few were quite surprising. One colleague, without hesitation, stated Desk Set. Another, Serendipity; and I had more than one Home Alone’s!

So, I hope your holidays are full of joyous spirit and that you find some time to relive days past with your favorite holiday films (whatever they may be!).

Double Dip of Depp for the Holidays

2007-12-04T14:01:00.000-08:00

The holidays always bring releases of big films on DVD. The studios aren’t silly! They know that Christmas is a time to make some more $$ on those big budget films. This holiday season is no exception. The two big DVD releases are Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End. As some of you might know, I have a mild thing for Johnny Depp (which started with 21 Jump Street). Last Spring I ran a film program here at HBPL called “Not Just a Pirate – the Films of Johnny Depp”. As part of the program I always opened with a short lecture about the life of JD and/or the film being screened. At the time, one of the patrons mentioned that it would be nice to have the lectures available on our website. So as a little holiday treat for you…click here for an abridged version of those lectures.
Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End comes out December 4th and will, of course, be available at HBPL!! (as will Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which comes out December 11th).
The other Depp film, Sweeney Todd, will be coming to theatres on December 21st. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp teaming up once again to make a film version of my favorite Stephen Sondheim musical. Johnny singing, dancing and wielding a straight razor; what else could one want for the holidays!?

Thankful for Cinema

2007-11-14T15:34:00.000-08:00

Yes the holidays are knocking on the door and shortly Christmas Carols will be the muzak in all shopping establishments. Of course there are Christmas films galore (which will be an upcoming blog entry) but before we get there, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family. What Thanksgiving films should you watch to get you in a thankful mood?? Try some of these:

Pieces of April: This is my absolute favorite Thanksgiving film. Before Katie Holmes became the other half of “TomKat”, she made this delightful and touching film. April (Katie Holmes) lives in a poor neighborhood of New York City with her African-American boy friend (Derek Luke). Although she has strained relations with her suburb-dwelling family, she wants to make amends with her mother who is dying of cancer (played by the fantastic Patricia Clarkson). Therefore, she invites them all to her apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. Discovering that her oven doesn’t work is just the beginning of her problems.

Planes, Trains, Automobiles: All that Neal Page (Steve Martin) wants to do is to get home for Thanksgiving. His flight has been cancelled due to bad weather, so he decides on other means of transport. He unfortunately gets stuck with the obnoxious Del Griffith (John Candy), shower curtain ring salesman. Therein lies the tale…

Hannah and her Sisters: This film spans two years and begins and ends at family Thanksgiving dinners where we get to meet Hannah and her dysfunctional family. Because it is Woody Allen, it is bitingly humorous and full of well written characters.

Home for the Holidays: Directed by Jodie Foster, an unemployed divorced mom (Holly Hunter) flies home to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with her non-traditional family. She arrives home to fist-fights on the lawn, a dropped turkey and finds herself flirting with her brother’s friend (Dylan McDermott).

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: One for all the family! Who wouldn’t want to watch a Charlie Brown holiday special! This one has Charlie Brown trying to make a Thanksgiving dinner for Peppermint Patty, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy and the rest of the gang.

Getting Ready for the Holidays and AFI Fest

2007-11-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

Hopefully some of you are making the trek up to Los Angeles to catch some films at AFI Fest. It runs through November 11th and you can check out the remaining schedule at http://www.afi.com/onscreen/afifest/2007/.
It’s hard to start thinking of the holidays this early. But since decorations for both Thanksgiving and Christmas start showing up at Halloween these days; it’s hard not to!
Since we have a few weeks before the celebrating begins, maybe it is time to start exercising before the holidays truly get started. You already know that HBPL has a great selection of feature films but did you know we also have a good selection of videos and DVD’s to help you get in shape (or at least reduce the damage we all do to ourselves at the holidays!)?
Check out some of these titles:
Jane Fonda’s Workout, Low Impact Aerobics
Bellydance Fitness for Beginners
Pilates Workout for Dummies
Lilias! Yoga for Beginners
Bollywood Dance Workout
And many, many more!!

The Media Department has also extended its Renovation Sale. You can still take advantage of the half price sale on a selection of media items. Stock up while they are nicely discounted!

Haunted Media

2007-10-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

What film do you think of when you hear the following:

1) A film by Peter Jackson
2) Shot on location in New Zealand
3) The film is full of excellent effects

I am sure the first thing that comes to mind is the 1996 film, “The Frighteners”, right?? (or maybe you thought of that trilogy that he also directed). If you did think of “The Frighteners” than good for you! This is a wonderfully spooky and at times, scary film that was pretty much overlooked when it was originally released. It is directed by Peter Jackson, produced by Robert Zemekis and it stars Michael J Fox, Hugh Laurie, John Astin and Jake Busey (son of Gary). With all these elements, you would think it would have been a hit. Well, it is in my eyes! It is one of my favorite horror films and is now available at HBPL.

Of course, our Media Department has many other horror films to offer. Whether your taste runs to the classics like the Hammer Films “Curse of Frankenstein”, “Horror of Dracula”, “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave” or to more contemporary horror treats like “Sleepy Hollow” , “The Grudge” or “1408”. All can be found in our Media department!!
Although to find your favorite horror films is reason enough to visit, right now there is another event that will compel you to come in! Until the end of October, Media is having a half price sale on a selection of media items. DVD’s, VHS, CD’s and AudioBooks are part of the sale but are being gobbled up at a frightening rate! So be sure to stop by before the 31st and take advantage of this spook-tacular sale!

TIFF Revisited / AFI Fest 2007

2007-10-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Toronto Film Festival is gone but not forgotten! I have heard from friends who were there about several films that they particularly enjoyed. One is a film that is based on the novel, Jar City (Myrin) by Arnaldur Indridason (available at HBPL). This is a police mystery about a worn-down cop who works to piece together the recent murder of a little girl to a similar case from over 30 years ago. The story is set in Reykjavik, Iceland and was shot on location. That alone may be worth the price of admission.
Another film that sounded particularly intriguing was a documentary called Operation Filmmaker. Soon after the fall of Baghdad in 2003; film student, Muthana Mohmed, stands in the rubble of the city's film school and explains to an American television audience that his dream of becoming a filmmaker has been destroyed. This documentary chronicles what happens to this young man when actor/director Liev Schreiber invites him to Prague to intern on Schreiber’s film, Everything is Illuminated.

Next month festival films come to Los Angeles when the AFI Fest comes to town. It will be November 1st – 11th and happens at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. As of right now, the film title list hasn’t been announced but it should be available shortly. Hopefully these films will be included as part of the festival. One film that has been announced is this years Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu. This is one that you might want to make the trip to Hollywood to see!!

DVD extravaganza!

2007-09-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

If you use our wonderful media collection here at HBPL, you know that we have some movies on VHS and others on DVD. In the past year we have stopped buying VHS media and so the DVD collection is growing. But what about those great movies that came out before DVD’s became so popular?? Well never fear!! We are at the end of our budgeting year and since we had some funds available, we have gone back, checked for the most popular titles that we only had on VHS and purchased new DVD copies of these films.
How long has it been since you have seen these wonderful titles:
12 Monkeys ; 84 Charing Cross Rd; Amadeus; Babette’s Feast; Fisher King; French Kiss; Glory; Ladyhawke; My Left Foot; Muriel's Wedding; Out of Africa; Passage to India; Princess Bride; Restoration; Roxanne; Searching for Bobby Fisher; Sophie's Choice; Swimming With Sharks; This is Spinal Tap; Twelve Chairs; Usual Suspects or When Harry Met Sally.
These are just a selection of films that we have recently been able to add on DVD. Did we get a copy of your favorite film?? When next you are at HBPL, you might want to head for the Media collection and check out the list of the great titles that are now available on DVD!

TIFF and AFI

2007-09-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

As some of you probably know, the Toronto International Film Festival just closed last weekend. It ran from September 6th to September 15th this year and the top prize (the prestigious Audience Award) was taken by David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” starring Viggo Mortensen. Fortunately, film fans won’t have to wait long to see the prize winner as it opened last Friday in limited release at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood. That means it will be coming to a Cineplex near you in the near future. The runner up for the Audience Award was Jason Reitman's teen-pregnancy comedy "Juno", followed by "Body of War", an Iraq War documentary directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro. The big buzz films of the festival were Joe Wright's British drama "Atonement", the Coen brothers' western "No Country for Old Men", Sean Penn's fact-based drama "Into the Wild", Ang Lee's tale of espionage in 1940s Shanghai, "Lust, Caution" (which won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival last week, alongside its Toronto premiere) and the comedy "Bill",starring Aaron Eckhart and Jessica Alba. I am waiting to hear from some friends who were there to let me know the titles they particularly enjoyed and will pass it on when I hear.
In the mean time, if you feel like making the trek up to Hollywood, the American Film Institute is celebrating its 40th anniversary by simultaneously screening 11 classic films, each with a live introduction by a star or filmmaker. Among the presenters will be Jack Nicholson for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Julie Andrews for "The Sound of Music," Clint Eastwood for "Unforgiven" and George Lucas for "Star Wars”. The screenings are on October 3rd at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood (see the AFI website http://www.afi.com/ for ticket information).

Films for a Long Holiday weekend

2007-08-31T11:34:00.000-07:00

Technically this weekend marks the end of summer. I say technically because we who have lived here for awhile know that just because it is Labor Day, that doesn’t end the summer like weather in our beach side paradise. So, what will you be doing?? BBQing?? Hanging at the beach?? Or escaping the heat by staying home and watching a few good films. Here are some recommendations for films you might have missed (all available at HBPL):

Story of the Weeping Camel: I saw this film a few years ago at the Toronto Film Festival and it was one of my absolute favorites that year. It is based in Mongolia and follows the trials and solutions used by a nomadic tribe to get a mother camel to accept her new baby. Heart wrenching but charming. It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2005. Although it didn’t win the Oscar, its directors did win the Directors Guild award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary.

Little Dieter Needs to Fly: This documentary was made by celebrated documentary filmmaker, Werner Herzog. Herzog has another movie in the theaters now. That film is called “Rescue Dawn”. Why do I bring that up? Because Rescue Dawn is the fictionalized version of what happened to Dieter Dengler, the subject of both films. Dengler was a boy in Germany and survived Allied bombings during WWII. He became fascinated by the pilots and when he turned 18 he came to America and became one.

The Machinist: I was lucky enough to see this film at the Chicago Film festival. I was totally blown away by Christian Bales’ performance. Trevor Reznik (Bale) is a lathe-operator who suffers from insomnia and hasn't slept in a year. Slowly, he begins to doubt his sanity as increasingly bizarre things start happening at work and at home. A mesmerizing film.

Twelve Chairs: Just last weekend I was up in Seattle to see the new musical “Young Frankenstein” based on the Mel Brooks movie. Although it is a terrific movie (available at HBPL), it is not my favorite Mel Brooks film. My favorite is probably one of his least known. The Twelve Chairs stars Ron Moody and a very young Frank Langella as two men trying to locate 12 dining-room chairs, once owned by a wealthy woman who confesses on her deathbed that years before she had secreted all her jewels in the upholstery of one of them. It is funny and touching at the same time.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Johnny Depp Success!

2007-08-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

Not Just a Pirate: the Films of Johnny Depp proved to be a successful program here at Huntington Beach Public Library. I received quite a bit of positive feedback about the program and many asked when we would start another film series. The answer to that depends on the approval of the powers that be and availability of Room C (the best one for screening these films). I am hoping to present another program in the new year (end of January 2008 or February). But what should it be? Academy Awards nominated Foreign Films?? The Comedy of Mel Brooks?? Cinema of Strong Women?? Films from Outer Space?? I want to hear what would interest our patrons so please let me know by leaving your (moderated) comments on this blog! (just click below where it says comments)

Guilty Pleasures

2007-08-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Last post I admitted to one of my guilty pleasure films, American Flyers. Of course, I have many others including:

Waterworld (egads! Another Costner!),

Secondhand Lions

and

Bubble Boy

As I define guilty pleasures, they are the movies you love despite the fact that they are generally derided.
So what are your guilty pleasure films and why?? I will be moderating the responses so send them along and we can see what entertains the patronage of our library!

Tour de France

2007-07-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

I don’t know how many of you are cycling fans but every year when July comes around I become glued to my television for the three weeks of the Tour de France. This year’s tour started in London and will end on the Champs Elysee (that’s Paris, you know!) three weeks and 3,553 km (2,208 miles) later. Despite the controversies this year (the leader was forced to quit), it was an exciting race and I was quite happy this past Sunday when Alberto Contador was awarded the maille jaune (yellow jersey – top prize). If you have been watching you might need something to ease you through your “tour-watching” withdrawals. These two films should do the trick (and they are available in DVD at HBPL):

Breaking Away
This 1979 film is number eight on the AFI's 100 Most Inspiring Movies list and arguably the best cycling film ever made. It won the Oscar for Original Screenplay for screenwriter, Steve Tesich and went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). It is a coming of age story about Dave Stoller and his three best friends, all just out of high school with no college or other life plans, sons of blue collar workers that live in Bloomington, Indiana. Dave loves cycling and all things Italian; so much so that he pretends to be an Italian exchange student at the local college. Everything changes after meeting his heroes, the Italian cycling team. He goes on to help his friends in the town's annual bike race against the local college boys.

American Flyers
American Flyers is one of my guilty pleasures and it holds a special place for me as it is the film that sparked my interest in cycling. Granted it is not Breaking Away but it was written by the same screenwriter, Steve Tesich. It has a good combination of family drama and great cycling footage. It is a story of sports physician Marcus (played by a young Kevin Costner) who persuades his brother David to come with him and train for a bicycle race across the Rocky Mountains. This is somewhat a ploy to test his brother to see if he is inflicted with a hereditary medical problem that killed their father. The wonderful John Amos plays one of Marcus’s colleagues and adds a bit of comedy and family warmth to the plot.

Hidden Gems

2007-07-20T10:07:00.001-07:00

I have a network of film fanatic friends that keep me informed as to the hidden gems they discover in their various festival forays. The film that I kept hearing about from many of them was an independent film called “Sweet Land”. It finally became available on DVD and I made sure that HBPL ordered a copy for our collection. I watched it last night and it is worth the praise and the wait. It was the winner of the Best First Feature award at the 2007 Independent Spirit Awards. The lead actress, Elizabeth Reaser, took home the Best Actress award from our own Newport Beach Film Festival in 2006. The film follows the fortunes of a young German woman, Inge (Elizabeth Reaser), who travels to America to marry a Norwegian immigrant farmer, Olaf (Tim Guinee), and suffers from the post-World War I prejudice against all things German. The film also has Alex Kingston (Dr. Corday from E.R. – you wondered what she had been up to!), the always watchable Alan Cumming, John Heard and Ned Beatty. It is a lovely film.

And while we are talking about lovely films; HBPL recently added “Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont” to our DVD collection. I don’t remember this playing in the theaters in Orange County but I got a chance to see it last year while in New Zealand. It was screening only one night in the town of Napier and I happened to be in the right place on the right night. This film is based on the novel by the same name by English author, Elizabeth Taylor and stars the gifted Joan Plowright (the wife of the late Sir Lawrence Olivier). It is about an elderly woman who is all but abandoned by her family in a London retirement hotel when she strikes up a curious friendship with a young writer.

These might be a bit “chicky” but not so girly that men won’t find them charming as well.

What's up Doc?

2007-07-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

You all know that HBPL has an excellent collection of feature, independent and foreign films. But what about those documentaries? We have many of the past Academy Award winners/nominees such as: Spellbound, Winged Migration, The Fog of War, Super Size Me, March of the Penguins, Murderball, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and An Inconvenient Truth. But we have also added some fine documentaries that have recently aired on television. In case you missed them:

Planet Earth: As You Have Never Seen it Before
This stunning documentary originally aired this year on the Discovery Channel. The 11 part series is contained in our 5 DVD collection. This program was 5 years in the making and redefines natural history filmmaking. It starts with the first episode Pole to Pole which ties the series together with a fresh understanding of how life in every nook and cranny of the globe is connected. It then continues on to Mountains, Deep Oceans, Deserts, Ice Worlds, Shallow Seas, Great Plains, Jungles, Fresh Water, Forests and Caves. Included in these episodes are never seen locations and animal behavior and it reminds us of what a wonderful and diverse planet we live on (and should be taking care of!)

America at a Crossroads:
This program aired this year on PBS and is hosted by Robert MacNeil. It is a series of independently produced documentaries that explore the challenges confronting the post-9/11 world. The titles held at HBPL in our media department are:
The Case for War: in defense of freedom
With debate over the war in Iraq still dominating policy discussions, this film follows one of the advocates for the war against Saddam Hussein
Europe’s 9/11
Europe’s 9/11 explores in-depth the phenomenon of homegrown terrorism through the lens of the bombings in Madrid, Spain and the connections between those bombers and Al Qaeda cell activities in Milan, Italy and the Van Gogh murder in the Netherlands.
Faith Without Fear
Follow along on the journey of Irshad Manji, a Muslim dissident, as he tries to help restore humanity and reason to Islam.
Gangs of Iraq
This segment explores whether the coalition can build a national Iraqi army, and the police, in the midst of civil war.
Jihad: The men and ideas behind Al Qaeda
This is an in-depth look at the modern radical Islamic groups and the ideas and beliefs that inspire them.
Muslim-Americans
This explores the diversity of Muslims in America today, focusing on communities’ experience after 9/11, and contrasting life for Muslims here in the United States compared to Muslims in Britain and Europe.
Operation Homecoming: Writing the wartime experience
A unique documentary that explores the firsthand accounts of American servicemen and women through their own words.
Security versus Liberty: the other war
Explores this urgent national debate by talking with leading critics and advocates of the new policies, and telling the stories of people whose lives have been directly affected
Struggle for the Soul of Islam: inside Indonesia
An inside look at how a fledgling democracy is struggling to control the rise of religious extremism.