Since Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in There Will Be Blood (my favorite film of 2007) blew me away, I thought I would revisit one of his older films for my pick this coming Monday evening. I'm screening the 1989 film he won a Best Actor Oscar for - My Left Foot. (He was also nominated for Best Actor by the Academy in 1993 for In The Name of the Father and in 2002 for Gangs of New York.) There is no justice in the world if he doesn't win another Oscar for There Will Be Blood. Here's all I'm going to tell you about the plot: It's about a man with cerebal palsy struggling to live a meaningful life. It's also an Irish film and being that I am half-Irish I suppose I am representing for my people.
My NEW address is 4400 Memorial Drive # 3036. 77007. Bayou Park apartments. I need to figure out the gate code so y'all can get in (I use a magnetic card to get in) so check back in a few days after I have a chance to post a comment with that information.
7:00 PM. Pizza and drinks will be provided. BYOB if you want to drink.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
1/28 - Hud
Hud
Year: 1963
Length: 112 minutes
Director: Martin Ritt
B&W
Synopsis: An amoral cattle rancher clashes with his rigid father.
I choose Hud for movie night for mainly one reason-- James Wong Howe, one of the most acclaimed cinematographers. His career spans from the silent era to talkies to color films. As a Chinese American, he overcame plenty of racial obstacles in Hollywood. Besides his 2 Academy Awards and 10 nominations, he is also remembered for his numerous innovations in film. To name a few:
1. One of the first DPs to use deep focus and pioneered the use of low-hanging ceiling in Transatlantic (1931), 10 years before Citizen Kane was praised for using such innovations.
2. Filmed part of the boxing scenes by gliding in the boxing ring on roller skates with a handheld camera for Body and Soul (1947). Raging Bull has similar shots inspired by the film.
3. Master of low-key lighting which was widely associated with film noir.
George Clooney may think that Hollywood is a very progressive place ("talking about civil rights when it's not popular"), but all I can see is racism (and other forms of oppression) persists. Minorities continue to portray stereotypes in front of the camera. Behind the camera, the number of minority filmmakers are disproportionally low. I pay tribute to one of the great. One of a kind.
Year: 1963
Length: 112 minutes
Director: Martin Ritt
B&W
Synopsis: An amoral cattle rancher clashes with his rigid father.
I choose Hud for movie night for mainly one reason-- James Wong Howe, one of the most acclaimed cinematographers. His career spans from the silent era to talkies to color films. As a Chinese American, he overcame plenty of racial obstacles in Hollywood. Besides his 2 Academy Awards and 10 nominations, he is also remembered for his numerous innovations in film. To name a few:
1. One of the first DPs to use deep focus and pioneered the use of low-hanging ceiling in Transatlantic (1931), 10 years before Citizen Kane was praised for using such innovations.
2. Filmed part of the boxing scenes by gliding in the boxing ring on roller skates with a handheld camera for Body and Soul (1947). Raging Bull has similar shots inspired by the film.
3. Master of low-key lighting which was widely associated with film noir.
George Clooney may think that Hollywood is a very progressive place ("talking about civil rights when it's not popular"), but all I can see is racism (and other forms of oppression) persists. Minorities continue to portray stereotypes in front of the camera. Behind the camera, the number of minority filmmakers are disproportionally low. I pay tribute to one of the great. One of a kind.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
new reviews from the geezers
The Reel Geezers on There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men.
My favorite line (hilarious):
"Daniel Day-Lewis is the movie. If Tom Cruise is playing it, well, no comment."
http://www.youtube.com/user/reelgeezers
My favorite line (hilarious):
"Daniel Day-Lewis is the movie. If Tom Cruise is playing it, well, no comment."
http://www.youtube.com/user/reelgeezers
Monday, January 21, 2008
It's All Gone Pete Tong
This story takes us through the life of Frankie Wilde as a world renown DJ superstar who looses his hearing at the height of his career.
There will be lots of food and tons of Coke!
My Place!
1503 Michigan
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Au Revoir, 2007
...or, 2007: A Year in Review
well gang, 2007 is officially over and there's apparently no bringing it back (unless that one thing they're working on is successful). I've said it before and I'll say it again: 2007 was actually a pretty decent year for cinema (in my opinion - I'm sure the Franciscos of this world would say otherwise). As I went to compile my yearly top ten list I actually had a difficult time narrowing down the list. Usually I have to really struggle to come up with ten films in a given year that I actually liked, but 2007 was a bit different (and there are still some films I haven't even seen yet, which means my list may change).
anyway, movie night played host to some great ones too. My favorites would have to be these fine films:
Viridiana - (7/22) I'll be the first to say that Bunuel can be a little 'substance over style' sometimes (see: Diary of a Chambermaid), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but Viridiana struck a perfect blend of beautiful filmmaking and poignant irreverence.
La Strada - (4/8) Giulietta Masina gives one of my all-time favorite performances in Fellini's neo-realist/surrealist masterpiece.
Happy Together - (3/18) Another sad and beautiful film from Wong Kar-Wai about a tenuous relationship.
Let's hear your favorites!
here are my top ten releases of the year (which, as I said, may change as I catch up on all the films I missed in theaters). I'd love to hear everyone else's top films too.
1. There Will Be Blood
2. 2 Days in Paris
3. The Darjeeling Limited
4. This Is England
5. The King of Kong
6. Atonement
7. Lars and the Real Girl
8. Ratatouille
9. The Boss of it All
10. Helvetica
well gang, 2007 is officially over and there's apparently no bringing it back (unless that one thing they're working on is successful). I've said it before and I'll say it again: 2007 was actually a pretty decent year for cinema (in my opinion - I'm sure the Franciscos of this world would say otherwise). As I went to compile my yearly top ten list I actually had a difficult time narrowing down the list. Usually I have to really struggle to come up with ten films in a given year that I actually liked, but 2007 was a bit different (and there are still some films I haven't even seen yet, which means my list may change).
anyway, movie night played host to some great ones too. My favorites would have to be these fine films:
Viridiana - (7/22) I'll be the first to say that Bunuel can be a little 'substance over style' sometimes (see: Diary of a Chambermaid), which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but Viridiana struck a perfect blend of beautiful filmmaking and poignant irreverence.
La Strada - (4/8) Giulietta Masina gives one of my all-time favorite performances in Fellini's neo-realist/surrealist masterpiece.
Happy Together - (3/18) Another sad and beautiful film from Wong Kar-Wai about a tenuous relationship.
Let's hear your favorites!
here are my top ten releases of the year (which, as I said, may change as I catch up on all the films I missed in theaters). I'd love to hear everyone else's top films too.
1. There Will Be Blood
2. 2 Days in Paris
3. The Darjeeling Limited
4. This Is England
5. The King of Kong
6. Atonement
7. Lars and the Real Girl
8. Ratatouille
9. The Boss of it All
10. Helvetica
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Movie Night Statistics 2007
1930 - 1
1940 - 4
1950- 5
1960 - 8
1970- 7
1980- 1
1990 - 6
2000s – 11
Total = 45
The number of black & white films are 20.5 (Happy Together is counted as the 0.5).
Films around the globe:
American -19
French - 8
Japanese - 3
Sweden - 3
Czechoslovakia - 3
Italy - 1
China - 1
Spain - 1
India - 2
Hong Kong - 1
Denmark - 1
UK - 1
Palestine - 1
Trivia:
13 countries was featured in 2007 (same as 2006).
None from South America or Africa.
4 new countries- China, India, Palestine and Sweden.
Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) was the only female director featured.
Unless you count R.Kelly, we haven't shown a film by a Black director yet.
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