Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Ed Harris has the right stuff.

With the 50th anniversary of NASA being celebrated this year, and the Discovery Channel running their series "When We Left the Earth" (Sundays at 9pm), one has the potential for getting the "space bug".  Space, even if you aren't interested in science, is fascinating from a historical point of view.  If you find yourself in need of cinema therapy to cure the want for space, look no further.  It also helps if you like Ed Harris.


"The Right Stuff", a 1983 film based on the Tom Wolfe novel of the same name, follows the Mercury astronauts from their recruitments until the end of the Mercury missions.  It stars Ed Harris, Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid, and has appearances from Jeff Goldblum and Harry Shearer.  This movie is fantastic.  The music, the beautiful views of space, archival footage, and the talented actors really make this film worth watching, even though it is 4 hours long.  They aren't a long 4 hours though.  Also keep your eye out from appearances from the real life people the movie is about throughout the film.  


Once you finish the Mercury missions, move on to the Apollo missions of the late 1960s and early 1970s with "Apollo 13", the better known 1995 gem from Ron Howard.  Tom Hanks stars as Jim Lovell, the commander of the almost-fatal mission, with Ed Harris as Gene Krantz, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinese, and Ron Howard's brother and dad (who make appearances in almost all of his films).  This film is inspiring and at times, suspenseful (even if you do know your history).  

Both movies were nominated for Best Picture in their respective years and have Ed Harris.   Why haven't you seen these already?  Get on that.

-Meg. 

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Sex and the City

Last night I ventured to the theatre that I used to work at to see "Sex and the City", the long awaited follow up to the successful HBO sitcom. I knew I wanted to see it because I love SATC, but I enjoyed it much more than I expected.




Essentially, the film is a two hour episode. Things happened, and they are resolved. I laughed, I cried, and I really felt connected with these characters. I don't care who you are, these four women are talented. Over the course of the series and the film, I have seen the women in every possible situation and convey every possible emotion. Never once have I felt like they have betrayed their characters or the show or the audience, so that's talent.

Of course, a review of this film is incomplete without mention of the fashion! I'm not a big shoe person...I mean, I love shoes, but not in the way my best friend or Carrie Bradshaw do. However, after seeing those blue heels that Carrie puts in her GIANT closet, I want shoes. The dresses were fabulous as well. Carrie's wedding dress was absolutely to die for. My favorite scene of the movie occurs when Carrie is moving out of her apartment and has a "cleaning the closet" fashion show, complete with 80's music.

Along with the talented core cast of women, the men of the cast also impressed me. I really can't say more without giving up plot points, but it was enjoyable seeing the couples interact with one another and grow beyond just the four single girls (although, that's what it always comes back to, so have no fear). Jennifer Hudson was also very fun and lovable as Carrie's personal assistant. She helped Carrie in ways that the other girls just couldn't, and it was nice to have another woman in the group, especially representing another view point other than rich, white girl.

So, overall, I give "Sex and the City" a favorable review, although it does wrap itself up a little too neatly in the end, probably to make it impossible to ever have a sequel. I mean, it could have sequel, but it would just be to to cash in on the success of this film. I also think that certain straight men would enjoy it, but wait for video. It's a rental for men, a theatre watch for women.

-Meg

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Michael Clayton

This past year everyone's favorite movie star, George Clooney (swoon!) starred in the "thriller" Michael Clayton. Only a week ago, Ms. Tilda Swinton won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony. After having missed a number of movies this year, due to being both busy and poor, I finally rented Michael Clayton to see what all the fuss is about. I am still wondering.



Michael Clayton is a middle-aged "fixer" at a high-power law firm in New York City. He helps fix things in court cases when they go wrong. Aside from this job that holds a considerable amount of responsibility, he also has gambling debts, a loan shark following him and his deadbeat brother, a son with his ex-wife, and the most unstable best friend a person could ask for. The law firm that Clayton works for is currently defending a corporation which seems like it should be right out of Silkwood or Erin Brockovich, and his friend, Arther Edens (Tom Wilkinson) is working on the case. Suddenly, he discovers some facts about the case that make him feel that he can no longer defend U/North (the corporation in question) and he also goes off of his medications. Soon he is parading through Milwaulkee...naked. What we, the viewers, are supposed to be asking ourselves is, "who is after Michael Clayton!?". What we really end up asking ourselves is "When will this be over, because my eleven year old figured it out seventeen minutes ago." Tilda Swinton plays an executive in U/North whose job relies on the case going through. She fails.

First of all, the Academy has got to re-evaluate how it votes on movies. Tilda Swinton was nothing special in this film. She was just prettier in the film than she is in real life (did anyone see her Oscar "dress"?!). The person from Michael Clayton who really deserved the Oscar was Tom Wilkinson, who was quite good as in the insane lawyer. The movie attempted to instill mystery into the plot, but for some reason, it was all quite obvious. The family angle could have been dropped almost completely, save for the brother who happened to work for the NYPD. This was also not George CLooney's best film, so overall, I was not pleased with it.

That being said, I do still recommend giving it your own watch. Perhaps I missed something or I'm just an asshole who hates Tilda Swinton because of her Oscar apparral. Who knows.