Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Deb 5 Me 5

Herzog is a famous dude and he comes up with some great movie titles. This one not so much, but he has a long distinguished career. Here he is tackling the cave paintings in France, thirty two thousand year old cave paintings perfectly preserved for us to see. And hear speculation about.

I was VERY excited about seeing this movie because the paintings really intrigued me. The movie was a let-down, but the paintings carried the day. There was some good background to the discovery of the cave, although the footage shot on the cave’s approach was terrible, better shots came from the untrained pranksters in Magic Trip. We were introduced to a gaggle of professionals whose work was never shown to us and soon they were abandoned altogether. The music was horrible. Werner played the part of Huell Howser, talking to us as if we were children throughout. Questions were posed and discarded all the time, partial facts and innuendo were provided that never satisfied these viewers.

But the paintings. Turn off your hearing aid and look at the paintings. It is incredible to think that man created these, regardless of the time or tools available to him. These are sophisticated creations beyond credibility. But they are credible artifacts of early cro-magnon dipping his fingers in soot and juices and rendering the most amazing art. Don’t let the low rating of this movie stop you from enjoying some really amazing visuals.

Magic Trip

Me 10

This was the one feature from the Newport Film Festival that was a must see for me. Sadly Deb had scheduling problems and I saw it alone. I’m excited for her to see it... and for you too.

I’m a big fan of Kesey and the gang, been to the farm, seen the bus, the whole shot. Somewhere I have some footage of Kesey in his fields on VHS. So, like a lot of folks, I was fully aware of the origins and destiny of this footage. What I didn’t know was that the whole shootin’, match was turned over to a couple capable individuals (Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood) who turned all that raw color into a delightful movie.

It was exactly the movie it should be. It started by establishing who’s who, where they are, how they got there and where they’re heading, why and how. Then you leave. This is a fabulous trip across America, filled with sincere protagonists and onlookers. Just seeing (and remembering) how we all looked back then (1964), the cars, buildings and roads had a different feel to them back then, a little more organic, less corporate look. It was before designer labels on everything, before the paranoia of drugs and those who use them, back when we all had a little longer leashes.

Anyone who has an interest in the Beat Generation, the Hippie Movement or just the general origin of the species will be delighted buy this. General audiences will too. I mean, I’m biased, but this look at our country by a handful of intrepid explorers is fascinating. The protagonists of the time are revealed with an intimacy I never experienced from reading. Everything I’ve ever read on or by these folks (which is pretty comprehensive) now has a clarity that escaped me before. I mean, I know what frenetic is, but now I know what it looks like too. I can’t say enough good about seeing this film and recommend you find a way to see it too.

Win Win

Deb 10 Me 10

I don’t know why my shortest reviews seem to be reserved for the best movies. I had no idea what to expect with this thing. Thought it might be one of those feel good sports movies or something, the trailers weren’t really that inviting. It was sort of a throw your hands up in the air and say, “Let’s just go see it”.

I liked the characters, their lot in life was effectively revealed and the story unfolded in a graceful way. Soon I really liked the people and was interested in what would happen next. This is where a lot of movies fail, the next thing that happens is often predictable. Here we had a few Hollywood coincidences but for the most part the story took an unseen path without looking like it was trying to be unpredictable. It was just good storytelling.

This was enhanced by some great acting, there’s a kid who is the central focus who really wins you over, and there’s some great comic moments that were sincere and just plain funny. We both dug this one and felt like it was time well spent.

The Conspirator

Deb 8 Me 7

This is a docudrama about the trial following the Lincoln assassination. Filled with interesting people, stories and information. Not sure how much is true, but I’m guessing the overview, the general facts are in place. Like a lot of these I feel I’d like it more if I’d read the book. There were things introduced and abandoned, alluded to and ignored throughout the movie, as if they were letting us know they were aware of these facts so they put ‘em in, but didn’t develop them because they weren’t pertinent to the story. I say if that’s the case, leave ‘em out, they only confuse things and leave me wanting more from the film.

It’s a story with assassination, but I still don’t see why death has to be so graphically and explicitly expressed. Gore does nothing to move the story along. It can be argued that the horror of the act has to driven home to the audience so we’ll felt something like people felt back then. Of course they didn’t see these murder(s) in such detail, but they faced ultimate terrors daily as the Civil war raged on.

It’s interesting how little some things have changed in our system of government and jurisprudence, and contrarily, how much things have changed.
The acting seemed a bit flat, probably the result of the director, not the actors. We both have seen better from Alexis Bledel who seemed to be patched in; and the main dude, James McAvoy (who is a ringer for Broc Smith) was okay, but not inspiring. The 'look' of the movie was distinctive, quite dark a lot of the time, most interiors were lit by candle or a bit of streaming sun, made for some nice lighting direction. We came away from the whole experience sort of vacuous, with little alarms going off about our society past and present. But as we talked it seemed there were a lot of unanswered historical questions posed in the film but unresolved by it.

Jane Eyre

Deb 8 Me 5

Jane Eyre was published in 1847 and interpreted in film around sixteen times beginning in 1915 only a few years after the medium took hold. There were also nine TV versions and half a dozen musicals, a radio show two ballets and a symphony that share the title. So it stands to reason that this is a pretty popular classic that has been rehashed in film alone for almost a hundred years. Pretty neat. Of course not all the versions are heralded as classics themselves. The great Orson Wells did his take on it in 1944 with Joan Fontaine and Elizabeth Taylor acting to a screenplay by John Houseman and Aldous Huxley. Pretty big names; but the people who love the book don’t love the movie, or apparently, any of the movies.

This one has its deficiencies too, but as a movie it’s okay. There is a lot left out, particularly the motivations that are fully formed in the book. This is a classic story told with modern storytelling techniques, time shifts and rearrangements that contemporary people seem to be comfortable with, but not true to classic writer’s desires.

I liked that I didn’t recognize the actors, they were fine. The film had a cold look to it, even when you were looking at a fireplace you felt cold, hard to do and very nice effect. The environment was cold and remote feeling, everything was made of stone and it was a good looking flick. But not completely engaging. I was pretty well glued to the screen, it was interesting to watch but I never got any emotional involvement with the players. I got more out of the story by talking about it later with Deb (who read it) than I got from watching this or the Wells version. Both of them skated over what sounds like some essential plot points that left me as cold as the old English countyside.

Of Gods and Men

Deb 4 Me 4

Another monastery movie… This came highly recommended and I just can’t get enough of monks on screen. It’s a great title, anything that begins with Of is automatically interesting. This is a docudrama of events that took place in Algeria in the 1990s. It is in French and subtitled in English; I’m always amazed how similar the two languages are. I actually knew nothing about the movie; but it was rated PG so I figured I couldn’t go wrong (wrong).

Again my problem isn’t so much with the movie as the rating system. How many murder mutilations are kids invited to see before a movie is rated R? I really didn’t expect to see any and I found my eyes being diverted not only from the certain scenes, but actually avoiding reading the subtitles when describing atrocities that happen off screen. Whatta wuss.

The movie was really hard for me to rate. Parts were brilliant, sucking me in and keeping me there until another scene, which sent me off to distraction. There was a huge transition from pastoral to grinding tension, which was done quite well. Eventually the tension took over, on purpose, and you just follow along like a puppy.

If an average movie is 5, I guess I liked it a bit less. I do not recommend you see it.

Bill Cunningham New York

Deb 10 Me 10

We see a lot of movies at South Coast Village in Santa Ana. Frequently the owner of the theater comes out before the movie and welcomes you, offers some trivia and introduces the film. Very cool. He tells us that this film is playing in New York where the lines to get in are around the block. He’s surprised there are only a few of us were here to see Bill Cunningham New York on opening night.

I’d never heard of Bill Cunningham. Bill is an odd, sort of eccentric old guy who has been doing what he loves since the 1940s. Today he is still going strong and shows no signs of slowing down.

Early in his life he was captivated by fashion and began documenting fashion in the streets. Stuff people wear. Weird stuff that people wear. Funny stuff, strange, new or unusual stuff. He takes really good snapshots of everyday people whose attire is a step above the rest, and these are assembled into a popular weekly feature in the New York Times.

Late in life we find the real fashion people, the runway folks, they love his work too. He is an embraceable character who does his work with dignity, humor and extreme dedication, a real throwback to a time of personal integrity. He’s pretty boss.

This is a straightforward documentary and the subject is fully aware that he is the subject, allowing for some neat little interactions. It is well done; sound, lighting, camera placement and creative editing make for a delightful movie. I can’t say enough good things about this little gem.