Sybil (1974)

Sybil (1976 Miniseries)
4 out of 5 Stars
An amazing performance from Sally Field. Well written script, interesting subject matter and (for a TV miniseries from 1976) some very great Manhattan visuals.

Teeth

Teeth - 3.5 out of 5 Stars
A strange yet oddly 'watchable' film which is a combination of comedy, cult horror and John Waters-esque bizarreness. Jess Weixler was the perfect choice for the role of Dawn O'Keefe (love the meaning behind the character name -- heh heh). She juxtaposes an innocent humor with a virginal and naive interest in revenge. Looking forward to watching her career take off! Yay Jess!

Films to See Before the Oscars

It's been quite awhile since I've seen a movie. Here are the films I'd like to see before the Oscars.

'Frost/Nixon'
'Milk'
'The Wrestler'
'Revolutionary Road'
'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'
'Frozen River'

I'm planning on skipping 'The Reader'

Oscars Nominations 2009

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor" (Overture Films)
Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon" (Universal)
Sean Penn in "Milk" (Focus Features)
Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Josh Brolin in "Milk" (Focus Features)
Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder" (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.)
Michael Shannon in "Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Anne Hathaway in "Rachel Getting Married" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Angelina Jolie in "Changeling" (Universal)
Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Meryl Streep in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Penélope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (The Weinstein Company)
Viola Davis in "Doubt" (Miramax)
Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
Marisa Tomei in "The Wrestler" (Fox Searchlight)

Achievement in directing

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" David Fincher
"Frost/Nixon" Ron Howard
"Milk" Gus Van Sant
"The Reader" Stephen Daldry
"Slumdog Millionaire" Danny Boyle

Best motion picture of the year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Doubt (2008)

3 out of 5 Stars.
I saw this on Broadway in 2004 and I'm still 'doubting' that of all of Shanley's amazing work, this should be his pulitzer winner. In many ways I got more from the film than I did from the play (although the metaphor of 'wind' and 'change' was a bit over the top). I thought that Phil Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis gave great performances. Meryl Streep, on the other hand, seemed to be starring in a completely different film. I thought her portrayal of Sister Aloysius was over the top -- Streep seemed to be reverting to her Mamma Mia! - esque over dramatization and while perhaps on stage that could have worked, in this film it was out of place with the rest of the subtle and nuanced acting. One of my problems with the play is that none of the characters are sympathetic. I felt very detached from the story and (even in the play) I tend to be annoyed by Sister Aloysius's very brief character reversal. She has doubts? Well of course. Doubts about the way the Catholic Church is male dominated, doubts about progressive learning versus the old way, doubts about change. Her character is just so unlikeable that the final scene makes me roll my eyes.
Still, I give this film 3 stars for an overall very well written script. Amy Adams needs to be in more movies.

Mamma Mia!

2.5 out of 5 Stars
This is one of those films that goes so far beyond the trappings of 'bad', 'cringe inducing', and 'embarrassing', that it actually had moments of being pants-peeingly funny. I think the fact that I saw it on an airplane and had drunk a vodka cranberry made the musical numbers all the more humorous. The entire movie is one big exclamation mark (Mamma Mia! Greece! Meryl Streep! Who's the Daddy!) -- it is Hollywood's very own version of Bollywood (though not as well done). The plot is simple, the songs are Abba!, the cast is packed with talent who oddly enough take their roles very seriously. It's worth watching on DVD with some friends and some fruity cocktails.

Slumdog Millionaire

4 out of 5 Stars
Ah India! A country so beautiful and at the same time decayed by religious and political strife. It would be hard to take a bad photo of Mumbai. Danny Boyle does not disappoint, on the contrary, he has created a film which so completely captures the beauty and chaos that is India -- the juxtaposition of the breath takingly peaceful, serene and romantic Taj Mahal surrounded by the slums of the lowest caste eagerly peddling their wares, and watching Indian 'Millionaire' on beat up television sets. Via the Indian train, the film captures both Bombay and it's surroundings as well as Agra and the Taj Mahal.

The gist of the story is so inherently Hindu that at times I wanted to cry out of plain adoration and respect for Jamal, the protagonist. As is the Hindu belief in karma, if you do good and true things, then good things will come your way. Danny Boyle took a script that could so easily have been turned into an average film and enhanced it so ingeniously by shooting entirely on location in Mumbai (even using some actual Bollywood sets -- not to mention the ingenious Bollywood dance sequence during the credits). The child actors he used are Mumbai natives, whose performances were heart breaking, honest, and completely accurate due to the fact that A) they have lived and experienced the material and B) they adore Bollywood. EVERYONE in India adores Bollywood.

Side note, when I was in India the Indian version of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' (aka "Kaun Banega Crorepati?") is a show that appeals to the entire caste system -- I conversed about the show with taxi drivers, waiters, children in the streets, and business men. And Boyle captured this in the film -- television and technology in some ways as a tool bringing together a nation. It was clever how Amitabh Bachchan made an appearance in the Slums (in reality he is the host of Indian Millionaire, not to mention a legend of Bollywood film). When I was in Bombay, our Bollywood host took us to Mr. Bachchan's favorite restaurant guaranteeing that we would see him there and we did!)

I highly recommend seeing this film. It made me want to go back to India and spend more quality time with the children.