April 23, 2010 My Movie Memories: an Introduction

Sat Nam. This blog is for my friends who listen patiently to my movie reviews and other miscellany of my life. Here goes: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was the first movie I can remember seeing. It was released in December of 1937. I was 8 years old. I liked the movie. I didn't like standing in line waiting to get in, miserably overheated as I was bundled up in the typical snow suit kids wore to keep out the freezing Minnesota weather. I determined never to have to stand in line for a movie again! (so far, I've succeeded) -- and I see lots of movies. I grew up in Hollywood, California in the 40's - the Golden Era of movies. Television was still a thing of the future, and everyone went to the movies. And, movies were censored, there was the Hays Office, which made sure that a certain code of language and behavior was followed. Seems laughable in these days of flagrant nudity and prolific profanity, but back then it made all movies accessible, Sure, some of them seem corny now (I watch old movies a lot on TCM or AMC television ), but lots of them were gems. You know the classics, "Gone With the Wind" (Over 3 hours long, there was an intermission in the middle!) and "The Wizard of Oz" -- both from 1939 when I was ten. Jumping way ahead in time (probably in the 80s?), let me mention one of my two favorite movies: First, "Things Change." It's about an Italian shoemaker who bears a remarkable resemblance to a crime boss who has been convicted, and is about to go to jail, but one of his 'entourage' finds the shoemaker and convinces him to go to jail in place of the actual crook. (Of course for a great deal of money.) Anyway, I love this movie!
Moving right along, to Now playing, in 2010, my second most favorite movie: "The Secret of Kells." Based on an Irish legend, it's about an Illuminated" Manuscript. Done in exquisite animation, not computer generated, but absolutely gorgeous, original, unique, stylized characters play out a fascinating story. Kaleidescope colors and images. Don't miss it!
OK, now for current reviews, please keep in mind I do not see horror movies, I don't care about special effects, and I avoid movies with torture. I don't mind violence -- in fact I'm sure it allows me to vicariously vent any pent up hostility I might have. So, my basic guidelines for me to enjoy a movie are: 1) It isn't offensive (I may draw the line closer than you might, I try to avoid movies that rely on vulgarity to attract attention); 2) It holds my attention so that I'm not thinking about the Soap Opera that is my life outside the theater. 3) the story is interesting, the acting is good, and the dialogue is clever.
I might interject here, that enjoying movies (and books, I'll get to those later) makes us quite godlike! As you probably know, according to ancient Hindu Philosophy, God created this creation in order to entertain Him/Her/Itself. It's called "Leela" --- "God's Play." And of course, we are all actors in this drama/comedy/. Well, speaking of Philosophy -- there's a charming book I recently discovered, called Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar. It uses jokes to illustrate the various schools of Philosophy, lots of fun!
OK, back to the movies. Top of the line currently: "The Ghost Writer," Pierce Brosnan, Ewan McGregor. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it both times! Very clever plot, flawless acting, every detail pitch perfect (Photography, etc.). Pierce is a retired Ambassador, and Ewan is hired to complete a Biography started by a previous ghost writer who just died "accidentally" ??? by drowning. Plot twist and turns.
"City Island." Title unfortunately doesn't grab you, as a title should, because the movie is a real treat! (City Island is a little fishing village connected with the Bronx) With Andy Garcia and Julianna Marguelies as husband and wife, a college age daughter and an adolescent son, this hilariously disfunctional family ( all with great Bronx accents) has so many secrets that you can barely keep up with them. Andy's day job is as a Corrections Officer (Don't call him a Security Guard!) but his secret ambition (He's afraid to tell his wife, she may laugh at him) is to be an actor. So he tells her he has a poker game every Wed. nite -- she suspects he's having an affair -- but that's the night he's taking acting lessons in a group led by Alan Arkin. Hilarious.
'The Secret in Their Eyes." Prize winning foreign film from Argentina. (I love subtitles, because I am "hearing challenged" -- and these were done really, really well!-- so the dialogue is clever. The cornerstone of the plot is a murder mysery investigation. A man is trying to write a novel about the murder, which happend a lot of years ago, and then gets caught up in finding the actual criminal. Flawless performances by accomplished actors. A Who movie to savor.
"Who Do You Love?" That's a song title, used as the title for this movie about the Chess brothers, two New York Jewish boys who formed the Chess Records Company in the 40's(?) and made stars out of Black performers like Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. The music in this film is fabulous, I had such a good time hearing it as the story unfolded, showing the love that the older brother had from an early age for the blues, and then rock and roll that preceded Elvis. Of course there's some melodrama about the personal life of the older brother who was so obsessed with the music and the musicians he neglected his wife and family, but overall this is another on the "Don't miss this movie" list.