Maybe Taking Woodstock was pretty decent. Maybe it held its own as a film. But it’s hard to see that when you go in with high expectations. I’m thinking maybe if I had gone in with no expectations, or low expectations as I had with All About Steve, I would have liked this film more. But, no. I went in wanting too much, I guess. I wanted comedy, history, and music. I got a good amount of history, a dash of comedy, and no music. No music, in a film about Woodstock? Really? Ouch.
It was definitely an intimate, informative, and interesting look into how this world-changing event came to be. I did truly appreciate and enjoy the story of the Teichberg family, who owned the motel that’s failure and disrepair inspired son Eliot (Demitri Martin) to get the festival to be held there in Bethel. Old country staunch Russian Jewish Mrs. Teichburg was played impeccably by Imelda Staunton, and resigned-to-resign Mr. Teichburg was played sadly and compassionate-inducing by Henry Goodman. Which brings me to the fact that the cast saved the film. And it was a true ensemble cast. Established actors had mere tens of lines, but that’s okay. They each brought a little something to the wide landscape that set this historic event in motion. Emile Hirsh as a kid just returned from Vietnam and suffering from some pretty severe PTSD, Jeffrey Dean Morgan representing the town’s angry, anti-hippie population, Eugene Levy as the kindly entrepreneur, Max, who actually supplied the very land the festival was held on, Jonathan Groff as the ever-calming Michael Lang (the festival’s promoter and creative force), and perhaps most of all, Liev Schreiber as Vilma, the cross-dressing Korean War vet who has arrived to serve as brute force protection and yet with some gentle words of wisdom, too. And Martin, it must be said, played Eliot with a good heart, quirkiness, nervousness, and awkwardness that made you root for him the whole time. In general, a lot of characters were rather cliche, especially when you come to the freshly back Vietnam vets losing their minds and the hippies who live in the VW van with a life supply of acid. But for the first time, they belonged. So, you excuse the cliches, because they finally make sense, they’re justified. This is the origin of these characters, at a time when they were real.
So what makes the film barely make it past “meh?” I suppose that would be director Ang Lee, as much as I hate to say it. The film was slow, conversations and scenes lasting much longer than possible. There was an acid trip scene that lasted way, way too long, like okay, acid makes you hallucinate, we get it (I actually felt nauseated during it), and dear Lord, if I saw that damned unnecessary theatre troup naked one more time…
The biggest disappointment was that there was NO representation AT ALL of the one thing that made Wodstock was it was: the music. I’m guessing there were issues with rights? I mean, there wasn’t even a steady flow of music by Woodstock artists playing softly in the background somewhere. Okay, you got everything else right with the logistic history, but how can you make a movie about Woodstock with no music? It seems like such an easy question to us, but unfortunately, I guess Lee didn’t see it that way.
September 16th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
For the weeks leading up to its release I swore I would never lay eyes on even sixty seconds of All About Steve. It would insult all I stand for when it comes to film. When it hit movie theaters, critics affirmed my horror, claiming it was the “worst film on Sandra Bullock’s resume.” Ouch. But when out with a group of people, only some of them my friends making it harder to argue with strangers politely, it happened. I saw All About Steve.
Maybe it’s because my expectations were bottom-of-the-barrel, maybe it’s because Sandra Bullock is just that infectious, but I loved it. Okay, you can’t go in expecting Shawshank Redemption, but you know that already. If you know you’re going to see - and are in the mood for - a dumb, hopelessly fun comedy, this may be the best you’ve seen in a while. Bullock is just, like I said, infectious. It took me a few minutes to get past the badly highlighted mullet ‘do, but you just adore her. You also adore the equally bad-blonded Thomas Haden Church as Hartman Hughes and Bradley Cooper as Steve. They are real people with real flaws and yet somehow lovable and relatable. And I don’t know if it’s just me, but I thought DJ Qualls stole the show. I want to take him home and keep him forever and ever as my BFF - no creepiness intended.
At the end of the day, the writers have cheeeese down to an art. The morals and messages of embracing uniqueness and individuality are downright children’s special. But who cares? I caught myself smiling the whole movie, even getting chills of joy for Mary Horowitz (Bullock) at several moments throughout the film. I cheered for Mary, I cheered for Hartman, I tsked but pulled for Steve, and I really cheered for I-think-the-nameless-character, DJ Qualls.
Seeing this film won’t up your film street cred. But who the eff cares? You’ll have the best time you’ve had in a movie theater in a long time. Besides, worst film on Sandra Bullock’s resume? Has anyone seen Murder By Numbers?
September 8th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
The only way to convey the absurdity of the film Defendor, making its premier at the Toronto Film Festival September 12th, is to give you two pieces of information. Below is the blurb-narrative of the film, writtend by the festival staff to accompany the trailer (courtesy of ComingSoon.net) and as you read it, I want you to keep in mind that the star of this movie is Woody Harrelson.
“When night falls and danger emerges from the shadows of Hammer Town’s alleyways, Defendor is the only man who stands between us and the drug-ravaged streets. He is the last bastion of decency, the last honourable man: he is Defendor! But he is also Arthur Poppington (Woody Harrelson), a simple man who lives in the workshop of the construction company that employs him to hold traffic signs. Arthur is a self-made superhero who runs afoul of the law when he lays a beating on an undercover cop, Chuck Dooney (Elias Koteas), who was abusing a young prostitute named Kat (Kat Dennings). Always the hero, Arthur takes Kat to his secret hideout hoping she can help him find his arch-nemesis, the diabolical Captain Industry. Mistakenly convinced that Captain Industry killed his mother, Arthur has made it his mission to track down this enemy at all costs. But in order to do so, he must first overcome his most difficult challenge ever: convincing the court-appointed psychiatrist Dr. Park (Sandra Oh) that he’s sane enough to be on the streets…”
It’s great that Kat Dennings and Sandra Oh star, too, but…enough to save this one?
I GIVE UP ON FILMS. IN GENERAL. I don’t know how I didn’t know about this, but they effin-bleepin did a @##!!*$%&!!! sequel to Boondock Saints. The scarilege is called Boondock Saints: All Saints Day, and will hit movie theaters October 30th. I will obviously go see it because I am a glutton for punishment and apparently masochistic. The film picks up with the McManus brothers hiding out in “the green valleys of Ireland” but return to Boston’s gritty streets upon hearing their priest there was murdered. Not only is Willem Dafoe not in this, but there’s a “sexy FBI operative on their trail.” I think the original is one of the best films of all time. But it’s so incredibly campy I was foolish enough to believe it was safe from sequel or remake. For a second I was surprised they got the originals, Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery back. But then I remembered they haven’t actually done anything since the original and probs need the cash.
This is weird. Warner Bros. has tapped Guy Ritchie to direct their upcoming Lobo, a live-action take on the DC comic about an “alien interstellar bounty hunter.” He’s seven feet tall, blue, rides a “pimped out” motorcycle, and has a teenage girl for a sidekick. This comic has somehow flown under my radar. And I can’t imagine Ritchie directing this. Unless Lobo has a nearly incomprehensible Cockney accent and gets embroiled in an underground gambling scene while his teen sidekick does an awkwardly sexy dance while she kills three members of a rival gang.
On a classier note, The Weinstein Company has just acquired international rights to The King’s Speech, which will star Colin Firth (sigh) and Geoffrey Rush (sigh for different, I-respect-his-acting reason). Firth plays Queen Elizabeth II’s father, who became King George VI, but was plagued with outstanding nerves and a stammer. He recruits speech therapist Lionel Logue (Rush) to help him and they develop a strong friendship, which leads to George being able to step up and lead the country with boldness and power. A 2010 release is planned.
September 3rd, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
So, I’m dying to see a trailer for this movie, as I can’t get a grasp on what kind of film it will be: Your Highness stars Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, James Franco, and Danny McBride and tells the story of a lazy douche prince played by McBride, who has to save his dad’s kingdom. Deschanel is a kidnapped princess. It sounds likea quirky, offbeat fantasy comedy, and while the plot reads suckfest, the cast is making me think it will go in another, non-suckfest direction.
Do not fear, there will be a sequel to the stupidity celebration known as Hancock. It shall be called Hancock 2. New screenwriters have been brought on, I suppose under the false hopes that this can be made good.
Unlikely couple Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks will star in The Next Three Days, the American remake of French horror flick Pour Elle, in which a couple finds themselves in “unthinkable” situations and “the limits of love are tested.” Quel horreur.
This sounds amazing: Dark Knight’s Christopher Nolan is directing Inception!, set to be released in movie theaters July 16, 2010. Too long to wait for this “sci-fi thriller set within the architecture of the mind.” Sounds deep, and while could teeter on dumb, has a brilliant cast of Matt Dillon, Marion Cotillard, Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Michael Caine.
Gus van Sant is currently in talks with Columbia Pictures to develop and direct Restless, a script being kept tightly under wraps but is supposedly a super contemporary and honest depiction of young love. Ron Howard is attached to produce.
August 25th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
Heading to the movie theaters this Friday? Here’s what’s new:
Halloween II: isn’t it somewhat more…appropriate to debut this a little bit closer to its namesake holiday? I mean, that wouldn’t make it not suck, but at least people would be more in the mood to spend twelve bucks on movie tickets to sit through a weak story line, painfully fake gore, and tired, no, exhausted lines and characters. In this beating of a dead horse, Michael Moore…comes back…for, well, more.
The Final Destination: It’s THE final destination. Promise, guys? Promise after this one, you won’t make any more of these? All the destinations will have been covered? If you promise, then I will allow this 3-D monstrosity to exist. For, like, two weeks.
Taking Woodstock: Ang Lee’s much buzzed about film starring Demetri Martin finally opens, right around Woodstock’s fortieth anniversary. Watch the story of the most famous music festival come alive with brilliant character actors like Emile Hirsch, Eugene Levy, and Liev Schreiber.
Here a few creepers, or movies that have not been promoted at all. I promise you haven’t seen a trailer for more than one of these, and they may not all be opening at every theater:
Big Fan: Patton Oswalt, a football fanatic, meets his idol and it takes an “unexpected turn.” I can’t imagine why this, a star vehicle for Patton Oswalt, was under-promoted.
In another shocker of under-promotion: The Open Road, where son, Justin Timberlake, tries to bring home his father, a former famous athlete, played by Jeff Bridges. Where do they come up with these movies? Where do they come up with people who want to pay to make these movies?
Play the Game: Some guy played by Paul Campbell teaches his grandfather, played by Andy Griffith, dating tricks. In a shocking twist of cinematic irony, Grandpa ends up teaching ol’ sonny boy some tricks of his own. You do understand writing about these movies is killing me, right?
The September Issue: the long-awaited, actually heavily promoted documentary by R.J. Cutler finally hits theaters. Anyone who gives a damn about fashion will crowd movie theaters to see the Madam herself, Anna Wintour, behind the scenes.
August 24th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)
You may have already heard about Sylvester Stallone’s new film, The Expendables, but in case you haven’t, I will tell you. Presumably, Stallone had the idea for this film because no one else will hire him so if he wants to work he has to come up with a film for himself, and this was the only thing goofy enough for him to actually pull off. In the process, somehow he has assembled an awesome cast, awesome enough that this movie might actually rock. If you can see the plot for what it is, tongue in cheek whether Stallone means it or not, it could be brilliant.
The film is about a group of mercenaries who travel to South America to overthrow a dictator. Okay, sort of lame. But here assembled is one of the greatest action casts on film to date. I am dying to see a trailer, just to get a taste of what all of these gloriously cheesy actors will look like on screen together. I am about to camp out in my local movie theater until one is released - which may be a while since the film isn’t even slated to open until April 23, 2010.
So, keep in mind, the plot is just a flimsy, action-packed, and humorous way to get some of our favorite action stars together, and the results should be amazing, if not, hilarious. Ready? The cast is, so far: Sly Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Steve Austin, and Mickey Rourke. Ridiculousness aside, the movie also stars Eric Roberts and Brittany Murphy. Wait. Put her back in the ridiculousness.
August 21st, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Movie News | Comments (0)
The Soloist was one of those movies that had an amazing trailer when it was still in previews, one that left me dying to catch it in movie theaters but I never got the chance to. The dramatic, crescendoing classical music, emphasis on main character Nathaniel Anthony Ayers’ cello, made the quickening scene splices look heart-thumping. Well, like I said, despite the heart-thumping I still didn’t get to it in movie theaters, but that’s what Netflix is for. And heart-thumping it was not.
But you can appreciate what it was, which was honest and real. After all, the story has not only the benefit of being true, but of being recent, enabling even small details of real life LA Times columnist Steve Lopez’ s experiences to be remembered. It is poignantly honest and strikingly realistic. Yes, it’s slow. Be forewarned. Some scenes linger on a bit too long, and within those scenes, some looks, glares, gazes, and pauses linger too long as well. But while this made the film slightly less entertaining, it made it more admirable and impressive. It’s not common for a film to capture reality so well. Because in real life, we aren’t be rushed to fit camera frames and swift beats that will keep an audience’s attention. We pause, we stutter, we stare.
A friend saw the film a few days before me, and when I asked if I would like it, she told me yes, because of the beautiful message of it - which is true. But she said it made her feel crazy. I thought that was really weird. Plenty of movies center around people who have mental illnesses, but it never made me feel crazy to watch. Well, she was right. Jamie Foxx’s pretty brilliant portrayal of homeless schizophrenic musical prodigy Ayers involves him absolutely rambling, careening through every thought that enters his mind out loud. This is such a good amount of the dialogue, you start to feel crazy. It’s natural for us to search for something in his rambling that will form a real answer, something we can process easily and define. But you won’t find that so easily here, and it takes some getting used to - lightbulb! This is how Steve Lopez, played beautifully and sincerely by Robert Downey, Jr., would have felt. Over his time with Nathaniel, he had to learn to form conversations out of the rambling.
All in all, it’s slow, and a bit maddening. But it’s worth watching, if anything to be really hit by the harsh reality of life on the streets in LA, and the beautiful reality of a friendship that managed to survive there.
August 20th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Reviews | Comments (0)
On October 23, movie theaters will see the release of Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, starring John C. Reilly, Willem Dafoe, Salma Hayek, and a bunch of other random people. Another vampire movie. We can’t have enough.
Robert Redford will direct The Conspirators, a film on the assassination of Lincoln, focusing on the story of Mary Surratt and her role in the goings on. James McAvoy is rumored to star. This film has my blessing.
Speaking of the cute blue-eyed Scot, McAvoy will also (definitely) star in the upcoming untitled comedy about cancer, based on the true story of screenwriter Will Reiser, who battles (successfully) cancer in his mid-twenties. Seth Rogen will produce and have a role, as well, since he seems to love acting in movies about cancer now.
The legend of the Fockers lives on. If you thought we were done with their marriage, you would be wrong. July 30, 2010 will see the premier of Little Fockers, starring our regular cast of Robert DeNiro, Blythe Danner, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Teri Polo. It will, presumably, focus on the kids.
This is weird…Little Murder is in the works. It’s the story of a “disgraced detective” in the wake of Hurrican Katrina who is then haunted by the ghost of a beautiful cellist as she helps him find her killer, saving his career. It stars Josh Lucas, Terrence Howard, and Lake Bell, and it sounds dumb.
Speaking of dumb and weird, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt will star in the sci-fi thriller, Adjustment Bureau, about a politician who is sabotaged by a mysterious ballerina. What? Just, what?
August 18th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Movie News | Comments (0)
It was just a matter of time before we got a movie less than discreetly depicting today’s economic situation and how it affects, specifically here, the college graduate. Gone are the days of graduating from college and moving on to your own place. Competing with laid off experienced executives for a vastly reduced number of jobs, college grads are left with no choice but to return home until a prospect comes along. After four years of freedom, it’s back to Mom, Dad, and maybe even a curfew.
Movies are supposed to be able to simultaneously provide an escape from our mundane problems as such and show these very problems, albeit involving prettier people, so we can relate. Friday, August 21, recent grads will relate to Alexis Bledel in Post Grad, when the considerably under-promoted comedy hits movie theaters. The trailer makes it look like a sweet, hokey little film, one that they’ll replay on ABC Family for years to come. But reviews from insiders who have seen the film imply the film is more, and is delightfully quirky and offbeat. It’s only fitting, since in order for a film on this topic to be successful, it must be funny enough to cheer us comiserators up, while honest and dark enough to be realistic and convince us Alexis, well, Ryden, is actually going through this. So, maybe this film will accomplish the feat of accurately portraying the nerves of interviews, the despair and frustration of seemingly endless unemployment, and the anxiety of moving back home, all why allowing us to see the humor in it all.
The film also stars Michael Keaton and Carol Burnett - haven’t seem them in a while. Burnett especially should be a treat. So, let’s be surprised together and let this film show us it’s not the fluff from the trailers!
August 17th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Movie News | Comments (0)
If you’re in the mood for a deep, thought-provoking, cinematic tour-de-force, keep going. You haven’t found it here in Julie and Julia. If you’re looking for a sweet, whimsical, good time wrapped in a motivational message, then head to your movie theater now for this Nora Ephron flick.
Is it the kind of film given largely away in the previews? Well, yes. But it’s not like there are suprise twists and turns to the plot. Instead, this movie is just an indulgence into our will to be thoroughly entertained, to laugh, smile, and overall escape the world inside that theater. The movie is two hours of pretty. Enjoyable from start to finish. Meryl Streep was just brilliant as Julia Child. Period. As if we expected anything less from her. You will want to watch hours and hours of her as Child. It would be okay by me if her Julia Child was a character in every single movie, no matter the genre - in fact, I think that would be an improvement. She is just a delightful human being, someone you wish you had in your life, a literal ray of sunshine - who only becomes more human and lovable when she reveals her few sadnesses in brief moments of weakness. Stanley Tucci is admirable as her husband, Paul. Admirable sounds like a strange, and perhaps lacking adjective for an actor in a film. But on the contrary, you look up to his Paul. Not that you will see this if you’re a man, but if your wife or girlfriend makes you sit through it on DVD or something, take note at this model husband. Just as I’m sure all women were taking note, too. Always loving, always putting Julia first, and yet never, ever being passive.
Modern day couple Julie and Eric Powell, played by Amy Adams and Chris Messina, are the parallel to the Childs, only Julie struggles a bit more to be that ray of sunshine - she is not. It’s said that in real life Julie Powell is a bit of a bitch. One movie flaw: they say Julie’s a bitch in the movie, as if to throw reality a bone, but Adams doesn’t play bitch. She’s still almost perfect, though. Bitch, no. But, moody, difficult, and narcisisstic? Yup. Simultaneously vulnerable, adorable, lovable, and relatable? Yup. And Eric is the modern day Paul. The saint with limits that protect his dignity.
All in all, this was a fun ride and a nearly fascinating look at two real life women who, cheesy as it sounds, had a dream and made it happen. There was nothing fantastical or unrealistic about how they reached success, because it was all true. It’s comforting to see that you can make your goals happen. And it’s even better to watch Meryl Streep and Amy Adams do it before your eyes. One word of warning: this movie is largely about cooking. The food looks AMAZING. Be prepared to quit your job the day after seeing this movie to take up cooking. Or, at least, you will want to get to a French bistro pronto.
August 13th, 2009 by Courtney Iseman | Posted in Reviews | Comments (0)
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