There are always those movies that fall through the cracks, that it makes no sense for a rabid movie fan of a certain age not to have seen at least once. In my case, many comedies of the 1980s passed me by, including one particular cultural touchstone about the epic journey of a nuclear family traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles to visit a theme park during their two-week vacation. I was bereft of its unique take on the American experience, one whose influence I knew was strong. I learned about the Griswold family and Walley World secondhand from copious references and spoofs. I could recognize the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, even though I didn't know its name. But aside from a couple of minutes of "Christmas Vacation" that I stumbled across on television at some point in the early 90s, the "Vacation" franchise was unknown to me.
No more. Yesterday I brought home the original 1983 "National Lampoon's Vacation," directed by Harold Ramis, written by John Hughes, and starring Chevy Chase in his 1980s prime as Clark Griswold. Beverly D'Angelo played his wife Ellen, and Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron would be the first in a long line of actors to play the Griswold kids, Rusty and Audrey. It was like finding a time capsule from my youth, bringing back memories of endless car trips with the family across the western United States, sharing hotel rooms with my brother and grandmother, and especially of my father, who had a tendency to take detours miles out of our way to discover some forgotten tourist attraction he could pose us next to for pictures. And Walley World? The dressings were different, but all the rides were obviously from Six Flags Magic Mountain, practically my own back yard! Sure, the Griswolds had more risqué adventures - I'm always caught off guard by the amount of swearing, nudity, and drug references I routinely find in what I thought were family films from the era - but I knew them all too well.
One thing that struck me was how utterly, ridiculously simple the film was. Aside from a few shots at the beginning and toward the end, nothing looked fabricated. It looked like the cast and crew simply went on the road and shot scenes wherever it was convenient for them. A similar film made today would be much more elaborate and cost millions in set dressing. Chevy Chase's Clark Griswold is only a slightly caricatured take on the average family man up until he snaps. Today, the studios would get Robin Williams and you end up with "RV," or Zach Galifianakis, and you end up with "Due Date." "Vacation" is the nightmare car trip where everything that can go wrong does go wrong, but I think the secret is that everything goes wrong the way it actually tends to go wrong, and the movie only strains credibility a little bit here and there. There are no complicated schemes or major relationship troubles to distract us, no outsized obstacles to overcome aside from unsavory relatives and the inability to read a map. The story remains relatable because for a majority of the time the Griswolds are operating in reality, and reality is aggravating enough for most of us.
I don't think that "Vacation" was meant to be a parade of cameos, but I couldn't help ticking off the names as it went along. There was Eugene Levy as the unscrupulous car salesman who sells the Griswolds the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, Imogene Coca as poor Aunt Edna, Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie, and a very young Jane Krakowski as Cousin Vicki. Christie Brinkley was the girl in the red Ferrari, of course, and I cheered at the appearance of John Candy as the hapless Walley World security guard. And it tickled me to no end that "Vacation," the source of so many references and in-jokes I was finally privy to, made its own brief pop culture references. Walley World and its creator are clearly inspired by Disneyland and Walt Disney, and Marty Moose is a stand-in for Mickey Mouse. The sprint across the parking lot is set to the "Chariots of Fire" theme, and the cops arrive to a "Dragnet" style musical sting.
No surprise, I enjoyed the heck out of "Vacation," and I think I'll be poking around in 80s comedies for a little longer. "Fletch" is next on the list, and I am very tempted to go and finish "Christmas Vacation." Of course a new "Vacation" reboot/sequel is on the way next year with Ed Helms as the latest Rusty Griswold, and I welcome it. Some 80s movies would only work in the 80s, but "Vacation" is a concept that should easily transcend the decades. After all, my father has yet to tire of long car trips, and Six Flags Magic Mountain is still going strong.
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Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
A Grim "Snow White"
Kristen Stewart has picked up some bad habits, hasn't she? I've purposefully avoided the "Twilight" films and didn't manage to catch her in anything else in the last couple of years, so I didn't realize how poor her acting had gotten. I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, but she didn't seem to be paying attention half the time in "Snow White and the Huntsman." I'm still trying to decide if she was miscast or if she just didn't have it in her to play the role. To be fair, it wasn't much of a role. If you've seen the posters, you've got a good idea of what the filmmakers were going for in this version of "Snow White." What we have here is a dark and gloomy action movie doused in CGI imagery, where the princess is obliged to strap on plate armor and ride into battle alongside her Prince Charming and a hunky Huntsman.
The evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) marries and murders Snow White's father as a prelude to her conquest of his kingdom. Thanks to magic, she can stay young and beautiful forever by draining the life out of others. She keeps Snow White as a prisoner for years until she comes of age, intending to consume her pure heart to gain immortality. When the girl escapes into the Black Forest, Ravenna sends her loathsome brother Finn (Sam Spruell) and a drunkard Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) they have forcibly recruited, to go after her. Snow White is intent on reaching the castle of her father's ally, the Duke (Vincent Regan), to rally his army against Ravenna. Meanwhile the Duke's son William (Sam Clafin), Snow White's childhood friend, learns of her escape. He joins Finn's group incognito to find and rescue her.
Director Rupert Sanders has a great visual eye. He pulls off some absolutely gorgeous fairy-tale visuals that should put him in high demand with the studios for future effects spectaculars. However, the visuals are about all he's got. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is very weak in other areas. The dialogue is dull, the editing is uneven, and the pacing is awful. There are several segments where the film slows to a crawl, usually when it's trying to advance the lukewarm romances between Snow White and her suitors. The Huntsman and the Queen are the most compelling characters of the lot, thanks to the efforts of Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron. The Queen in particular is probably going to be what the film is remembered for, especially Theron's scenery-gnashing, over-the-top performance. That approach didn't really work in "Prometheus," but it's a good fit here.
Oh, the dwarves? They show up very late in the picture, but they do show up, and they're some of the film's better special effects. A digitally shrunken Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost, among others, lend their support to Snow White's cause. They're a rough bunch, but do add some much-needed moments of humor and fun in a movie that is too often lacking both. And considering the caliber of the acting talent, I don't understand why the dwarves aren't in more of the movie. I can see the logistical problems of having all seven throughout, but how about just one of them? As is, the dwarves just show up suddenly without any forewarning, and because of the changed dynamics of the plot, they never get as much attention as they should. Even the "Mirror, Mirror" dwarves are better differentiated and get more of the spotlight.
Speaking of "Mirror, Mirror," the two adaptations don't have much in common at all. "Mirror, Mirror" is aimed at a younger crowd and their parents, while "Snow White and the Huntsman" wants to appeal to the same action-hungry audience that went to see "Clash of the Titans" and the Russell Crowe "Robin Hood." "Snow White" pays lip service to the romance, but it's much more concerned about fights with CGI creatures, battle sequences, and badassery. There's very little blood, but a lot of violence and stony-faced intensity. The Queen's transformations and attack spells may also be too much for younger kids to take. "Snow White" has a few places where it shows off typically beautiful fantasy visuals, but on the whole it's much grimmer and bleaker.
And this brings us back to Kristen Stewart, who I'm sorry to say does not carry the film the way she should. Visually she fits the style, and she's not actually required to do much acting for most of the film, but when Stewart is put front in center, her choices are so odd and so lacking, her performance becomes more of a distraction than anything else. Like the film, she's very pretty, but seems awfully confused, and ultimately does not deliver.
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The evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) marries and murders Snow White's father as a prelude to her conquest of his kingdom. Thanks to magic, she can stay young and beautiful forever by draining the life out of others. She keeps Snow White as a prisoner for years until she comes of age, intending to consume her pure heart to gain immortality. When the girl escapes into the Black Forest, Ravenna sends her loathsome brother Finn (Sam Spruell) and a drunkard Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) they have forcibly recruited, to go after her. Snow White is intent on reaching the castle of her father's ally, the Duke (Vincent Regan), to rally his army against Ravenna. Meanwhile the Duke's son William (Sam Clafin), Snow White's childhood friend, learns of her escape. He joins Finn's group incognito to find and rescue her.
Director Rupert Sanders has a great visual eye. He pulls off some absolutely gorgeous fairy-tale visuals that should put him in high demand with the studios for future effects spectaculars. However, the visuals are about all he's got. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is very weak in other areas. The dialogue is dull, the editing is uneven, and the pacing is awful. There are several segments where the film slows to a crawl, usually when it's trying to advance the lukewarm romances between Snow White and her suitors. The Huntsman and the Queen are the most compelling characters of the lot, thanks to the efforts of Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron. The Queen in particular is probably going to be what the film is remembered for, especially Theron's scenery-gnashing, over-the-top performance. That approach didn't really work in "Prometheus," but it's a good fit here.
Oh, the dwarves? They show up very late in the picture, but they do show up, and they're some of the film's better special effects. A digitally shrunken Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Ray Winstone, and Nick Frost, among others, lend their support to Snow White's cause. They're a rough bunch, but do add some much-needed moments of humor and fun in a movie that is too often lacking both. And considering the caliber of the acting talent, I don't understand why the dwarves aren't in more of the movie. I can see the logistical problems of having all seven throughout, but how about just one of them? As is, the dwarves just show up suddenly without any forewarning, and because of the changed dynamics of the plot, they never get as much attention as they should. Even the "Mirror, Mirror" dwarves are better differentiated and get more of the spotlight.
Speaking of "Mirror, Mirror," the two adaptations don't have much in common at all. "Mirror, Mirror" is aimed at a younger crowd and their parents, while "Snow White and the Huntsman" wants to appeal to the same action-hungry audience that went to see "Clash of the Titans" and the Russell Crowe "Robin Hood." "Snow White" pays lip service to the romance, but it's much more concerned about fights with CGI creatures, battle sequences, and badassery. There's very little blood, but a lot of violence and stony-faced intensity. The Queen's transformations and attack spells may also be too much for younger kids to take. "Snow White" has a few places where it shows off typically beautiful fantasy visuals, but on the whole it's much grimmer and bleaker.
And this brings us back to Kristen Stewart, who I'm sorry to say does not carry the film the way she should. Visually she fits the style, and she's not actually required to do much acting for most of the film, but when Stewart is put front in center, her choices are so odd and so lacking, her performance becomes more of a distraction than anything else. Like the film, she's very pretty, but seems awfully confused, and ultimately does not deliver.
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012
So Mindy Kaling Got Her Own Sitcom
The pilot of Mindy Kaling's new sitcom "The Mindy Project" popped up in various places last week, so I gave it a look. I'm rooting for Kaling on principle, and I'll admit that went in wanting to like it, and trying to give it every possible benefit of the doubt. I'm not much of a sitcom watcher anymore, so I knew there were probably going to be some hurdles, but the old Asian solidarity compulsion is a strong one. And it was easy for me to relate to Mindy's character on the show, Dr. Mindy Lahiri. Here is a professional minority woman in her early thirties, surrounded by white people, with a disastrous personal life. The obsession with pop culture and the probability that she spent most of her twenties consumed with academic and career advancement were certainly familiar. Some might argue that Mindy seems a little old to be fixated on romantic comedies and hampered by their unrealistic ideas about love, but I still know a few holdouts in real life. I'm sure most people do.
But does that mean I want to watch a sitcom built around this character? Let's add a few more details here. Dr. Lahiri is a recently minted OB/GYN whose last boyfriend just married someone else, plunging her back into the dating pool. Her life is hectic, so dating often has to take a backseat to work. However, she has two potential love interests at the hospital, Dr. Reed (Ed Weeks), the one with a British accent who is a walking open invitation for casual sex, and the caustic Dr. Castellano (Chris Messina), who mocks and challenges Mindy's notions about romance and relationships. Oddly, the two actors look almost the same, and their matching scrubs don't help. Minor players include Mindy's best friend Gwen (Anna Camp), an older mentor figure, Dr. Shulman (Stephen Tobolowsky), receptionist Zoe (Betsy Putch), and office manager Shauna (Amanda Setton), who was way, way, way too made up to be manning a hospital station in the pilot.
Most of the cast members only have an introductory line or two, and the overwhelming majority of the time is spent following Mindy around during a busy day, so it's far from clear how the ensemble is going to shape up. I think I got a good sense of the character of Mindy, however, and the primary impression that I came away with is that she's exhausting. The pilot has her literally sprinting to the hospital twice, getting herself into multiple trysts and almost-trysts, and then there are her drunken escapades at her ex's wedding, which land her in jail for the night. I like that she's awfully self-centered, that she doesn't put her ethnicity front and center immediately, and that her social skills need some serious work. On the other hand, I think her personality needs to be toned down a few notches in future episodes, because her casual rudeness and never-ending drama was really starting to grate after twenty minutes. Kaling is smart and charming and talented, and not enough of that is coming through in her character, who has the emotional maturity of a twelve year-old.
And frankly, "The Mindy Project" is not my kind of show. I don't mind a little romance, but it's hammered home multiple times that romance is the major selling point here, and we should be expecting lots of "Grey's Anatomy" style, will-they, won't-they romantic tensions. Of course there's nothing wrong with "Grey's Anatomy." My cousin, an actual, real-life OB/GYN watches and enjoys "Grey's Anatomy." I, however, do not. I like my medical professional-themed sitcoms to be workplace comedies first and relationship shows second. I was hoping for something with a humor/romance ratio more like "Becker" and less like "Ally McBeal." Okay, my references are out of date, but you get the point. "The Mindy Project" is aimed right at the typical romantic comedy crowd, and features all the cliches that tend to drive me up the wall. In abundance. There are signs that we're going to see some subversive, anti-rom-com themes here as well, but I'm not holding my breath.
Also I find the whole premise weirdly unchallenging for a rare sitcom starring a minority woman. Why is Kaling the only member of the regular cast with a noticeably darker skin tone? Why are her views on love and marriage so unsophisticated and why is the hunt for a mate dominating her life to such an extent? It's not that I expect Mindy to be some kind of trailblazing standard bearer for modern women, but this seems like a step backwards from the single working-gal travails of "Ugly Betty" and "30 Rock." That said, I want "The Mindy Project" to succeed. I like Mindy Kaling from her appearances on "The Office." She's written herself a nice, positive, non-stereotypical role that has a lot of potential. But I think it could be a lot better, and I hope it'll improve.
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But does that mean I want to watch a sitcom built around this character? Let's add a few more details here. Dr. Lahiri is a recently minted OB/GYN whose last boyfriend just married someone else, plunging her back into the dating pool. Her life is hectic, so dating often has to take a backseat to work. However, she has two potential love interests at the hospital, Dr. Reed (Ed Weeks), the one with a British accent who is a walking open invitation for casual sex, and the caustic Dr. Castellano (Chris Messina), who mocks and challenges Mindy's notions about romance and relationships. Oddly, the two actors look almost the same, and their matching scrubs don't help. Minor players include Mindy's best friend Gwen (Anna Camp), an older mentor figure, Dr. Shulman (Stephen Tobolowsky), receptionist Zoe (Betsy Putch), and office manager Shauna (Amanda Setton), who was way, way, way too made up to be manning a hospital station in the pilot.
Most of the cast members only have an introductory line or two, and the overwhelming majority of the time is spent following Mindy around during a busy day, so it's far from clear how the ensemble is going to shape up. I think I got a good sense of the character of Mindy, however, and the primary impression that I came away with is that she's exhausting. The pilot has her literally sprinting to the hospital twice, getting herself into multiple trysts and almost-trysts, and then there are her drunken escapades at her ex's wedding, which land her in jail for the night. I like that she's awfully self-centered, that she doesn't put her ethnicity front and center immediately, and that her social skills need some serious work. On the other hand, I think her personality needs to be toned down a few notches in future episodes, because her casual rudeness and never-ending drama was really starting to grate after twenty minutes. Kaling is smart and charming and talented, and not enough of that is coming through in her character, who has the emotional maturity of a twelve year-old.
And frankly, "The Mindy Project" is not my kind of show. I don't mind a little romance, but it's hammered home multiple times that romance is the major selling point here, and we should be expecting lots of "Grey's Anatomy" style, will-they, won't-they romantic tensions. Of course there's nothing wrong with "Grey's Anatomy." My cousin, an actual, real-life OB/GYN watches and enjoys "Grey's Anatomy." I, however, do not. I like my medical professional-themed sitcoms to be workplace comedies first and relationship shows second. I was hoping for something with a humor/romance ratio more like "Becker" and less like "Ally McBeal." Okay, my references are out of date, but you get the point. "The Mindy Project" is aimed right at the typical romantic comedy crowd, and features all the cliches that tend to drive me up the wall. In abundance. There are signs that we're going to see some subversive, anti-rom-com themes here as well, but I'm not holding my breath.
Also I find the whole premise weirdly unchallenging for a rare sitcom starring a minority woman. Why is Kaling the only member of the regular cast with a noticeably darker skin tone? Why are her views on love and marriage so unsophisticated and why is the hunt for a mate dominating her life to such an extent? It's not that I expect Mindy to be some kind of trailblazing standard bearer for modern women, but this seems like a step backwards from the single working-gal travails of "Ugly Betty" and "30 Rock." That said, I want "The Mindy Project" to succeed. I like Mindy Kaling from her appearances on "The Office." She's written herself a nice, positive, non-stereotypical role that has a lot of potential. But I think it could be a lot better, and I hope it'll improve.
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Monday, September 3, 2012
Facing the Endgame of "Breaking Bad"
Spoilers ahead for all episodes of "Breaking Bad" that have aired so far.
This has certainly been the showiest season, or half-season of "Breaking Bad," with the train robbery, the magnet heist, and giant piles of money. There have also been several major, ambitious transitions, from Walt being Gus Fring's employee and rival, to a shaky partnership with Mike and Jesse, to a new arrangement with Lydia and Todd after the prior situation implodes. While it's certainly been a lot of fun week to week, and watching Walter White go full Heisenberg at last has been satisfying, there have also been some aspects of this run of episodes I've found worrisome.
The most obvious change in this year has been the pacing, which has picked up significantly from the slow burns of seasons three and four. Suddenly major developments were happening every week, character arcs were being accelerated, and some of the show's biggest constants were no longer there. This meant that events felt increasingly orchestrated, and sometimes weren't as logically sound as they'd been in the past. Several developments concerning Mike Ehrmantraut and his downfall undercut the image of the cool, collected, smart professional we'd gotten to know. While he certainly went out on a high note, shouldn't he have known better than to make the stupid mistakes that ultimately cost him his life?
Walt's ascension to the meth kingpin of Albuquerque was also accompanied by a lot of foolhardy risk taking and displays of arrogance, though it was more believable behavior from him. I was concerned during some of the earlier episodes that they were making Walt into too much of an over-the-top villain. The plot clearly needed Skyler and Jesse to break away from him, and to tease that Walt was inviting his own destruction, but I wish it didn't require Walt having to become quite so obviously unpleasant so quickly. I was glad that in last night's episode, Walt did learn for himself that success wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and come back down to earth. He's still terrifying, but has become sympathetic enough to root for again.
And I think it's going to be necessary to want to root for Walter White in the next set of episodes, because the show is pushing past the "Scarface" phase of his career, and seeing what might lie beyond it. We still haven't caught up with the flash-forward from the season premiere, where Walt was heading back into town after a long absence, under a different name and heavily armed. I think it's very possible that he could be going up against Declan or Todd for some skirmish, but the in the long term, Walt's final opponent will almost certainly be Hank. Good old Agent Schrader has often been overshadowed by the show's flashier villains, including Gus Fring, Tio Salamanca, and Mike, but we've seen Hank slowly but surely come into his own as a major figure in this universe. And in the last episode, his beef with Walter has gotten very, very personal.
It was probably the best season so far for Skyler, and the way the series is going, I’m worried that this is going to be as good as it gets. Since Walt has decided to quit the meth business and Skyler seems willing to patch things up, all the interesting tensions between them may end up buried for good. I was expecting that she or Jesse would have to take down Walt if he got really monstrous, but this is looking less likely. Walt has backed off from the abyss himself, after proving that he could be just as ruthless and successful as he always wanted. This was also a very good year for the advancement of Jesse's character. He got fed up enough with Walt's tactics to break off their partnership for good, in some of the best scenes of the season. I'm sure he'll end up involved in the finale, but how it will happen remains a mystery.
Plus, we have a few new players on the board who have to be factored in. Laura Fraser's twitchy, high strung Lydia Rodarte-Quayle is the most entertaining female character "Breaking Bad" has come up with so far, a baddie who enables Walt and clearly cannot be trusted. Then there's Todd, played by Jesse Plemons, who has mostly remained a question mark so far. Everything about him points to trouble, but how much trouble? Someone who could shoot a child without a thought surely wouldn't hesitate to resort to blackmail, extortion, or worse if Walt crosses him.
Best of all, I have no idea what's going to happen next. Most of the predictions and theories I came up with at the beginning of the season have been subverted. I didn't think Walt would survive without Jesse and Mike. I didn't think Skyler would stay long enough to consider reconciliation. Of course, the brief taste of success is surely just setting Walt up for the final fall, but the tantalizing hope that he could get away with everything – that's what the season needed and what the last episode provided.
It's going to be a long wait for next year.
---
This has certainly been the showiest season, or half-season of "Breaking Bad," with the train robbery, the magnet heist, and giant piles of money. There have also been several major, ambitious transitions, from Walt being Gus Fring's employee and rival, to a shaky partnership with Mike and Jesse, to a new arrangement with Lydia and Todd after the prior situation implodes. While it's certainly been a lot of fun week to week, and watching Walter White go full Heisenberg at last has been satisfying, there have also been some aspects of this run of episodes I've found worrisome.
The most obvious change in this year has been the pacing, which has picked up significantly from the slow burns of seasons three and four. Suddenly major developments were happening every week, character arcs were being accelerated, and some of the show's biggest constants were no longer there. This meant that events felt increasingly orchestrated, and sometimes weren't as logically sound as they'd been in the past. Several developments concerning Mike Ehrmantraut and his downfall undercut the image of the cool, collected, smart professional we'd gotten to know. While he certainly went out on a high note, shouldn't he have known better than to make the stupid mistakes that ultimately cost him his life?
Walt's ascension to the meth kingpin of Albuquerque was also accompanied by a lot of foolhardy risk taking and displays of arrogance, though it was more believable behavior from him. I was concerned during some of the earlier episodes that they were making Walt into too much of an over-the-top villain. The plot clearly needed Skyler and Jesse to break away from him, and to tease that Walt was inviting his own destruction, but I wish it didn't require Walt having to become quite so obviously unpleasant so quickly. I was glad that in last night's episode, Walt did learn for himself that success wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and come back down to earth. He's still terrifying, but has become sympathetic enough to root for again.
And I think it's going to be necessary to want to root for Walter White in the next set of episodes, because the show is pushing past the "Scarface" phase of his career, and seeing what might lie beyond it. We still haven't caught up with the flash-forward from the season premiere, where Walt was heading back into town after a long absence, under a different name and heavily armed. I think it's very possible that he could be going up against Declan or Todd for some skirmish, but the in the long term, Walt's final opponent will almost certainly be Hank. Good old Agent Schrader has often been overshadowed by the show's flashier villains, including Gus Fring, Tio Salamanca, and Mike, but we've seen Hank slowly but surely come into his own as a major figure in this universe. And in the last episode, his beef with Walter has gotten very, very personal.
It was probably the best season so far for Skyler, and the way the series is going, I’m worried that this is going to be as good as it gets. Since Walt has decided to quit the meth business and Skyler seems willing to patch things up, all the interesting tensions between them may end up buried for good. I was expecting that she or Jesse would have to take down Walt if he got really monstrous, but this is looking less likely. Walt has backed off from the abyss himself, after proving that he could be just as ruthless and successful as he always wanted. This was also a very good year for the advancement of Jesse's character. He got fed up enough with Walt's tactics to break off their partnership for good, in some of the best scenes of the season. I'm sure he'll end up involved in the finale, but how it will happen remains a mystery.
Plus, we have a few new players on the board who have to be factored in. Laura Fraser's twitchy, high strung Lydia Rodarte-Quayle is the most entertaining female character "Breaking Bad" has come up with so far, a baddie who enables Walt and clearly cannot be trusted. Then there's Todd, played by Jesse Plemons, who has mostly remained a question mark so far. Everything about him points to trouble, but how much trouble? Someone who could shoot a child without a thought surely wouldn't hesitate to resort to blackmail, extortion, or worse if Walt crosses him.
Best of all, I have no idea what's going to happen next. Most of the predictions and theories I came up with at the beginning of the season have been subverted. I didn't think Walt would survive without Jesse and Mike. I didn't think Skyler would stay long enough to consider reconciliation. Of course, the brief taste of success is surely just setting Walt up for the final fall, but the tantalizing hope that he could get away with everything – that's what the season needed and what the last episode provided.
It's going to be a long wait for next year.
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Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Unscheduled Contenders
So, we're four months from the end of the year, and there are already "Best of 2012" compilations and lists starting to float around. The Venice Film Festival is currently in full swing, and the Toronto International Film Festival is just around the corner, meaning that we're at the beginning of awards season, but it doesn't mean that we know who all the contenders are yet. Anybody trying to make predictions now based on the existing film slate is jumping the gun because there are still several anticipated titles that aren't on any release schedules yet. A couple of the big ones to keep an eye out for below:
"To the Wonder" – Terrence Malick's latest film debuted yesterday at Venice to divisive reviews, and most of the news coverage has focused on how most of the marquee names associated with the production have seen their roles drastically reduced or cut out completely. In the wake of complaints that "To the Wonder" is too esoteric, it is clearly not going to be the crowd pleaser that "The Tree of Life" was, to the degree that you could call "Tree of Life" a crowd pleaser. The chances of it finding a US distributor are likely, but a big Oscar push doesn't seem to be in the cards.
"The Sapphires" – The Weinstein Company picked up "The Sapphires," about an Australian singing group of indigenous women who performed for the troops in Vietnam, after its debut at Cannes. It has all the earmarks of a feel-good foreign comedy that's not too foreign for American audiences. It's been scheduled to screen at Telluride and Toronto, but there's no release date yet. There's every reason to expect that "The Sapphires" will show up sometime in the fall, but then the Weinsteins do have the frustrating habit of sitting on some of their acquisitions if their chances at awards time don't look good.
"The Place Beyond the Pines" – Derek Cianfrance's action film follow-up to "Blue Valentine" will also star Ryan Gosling, and is set to premiere at Toronto. Open Road films will distribute, but hasn't landed a release date yet, and the film has been largely staying under the radar so far. However, this is the only film Ryan Gosling potentially has in the race, since "Gangster Squad" was delayed and Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives" has been moved to next year. Open Road may want to take advantage of the opportunity and push for a Best Actor nod, though it's a pretty crowded field this year.
"The Company You Keep" – Robert Redford's latest political thriller will be premiering at Venice, with a cast full of heavy hitters including Susan Sarandon and Julie Christie. Redford himself will be in the lead role, as a former Weather Underground member on the run from the FBI. It will be his first appearance on screen in five years. Sony Pictures Classics has the US distribution, but a release date will probably depend on how the film's awards chances are perceived. Redford keeps attracting amazing talent to his projects, but his track record hasn't been great over the past few years.
"Great Expectations" – You'd think that a new adaptation of "Great Expectations" directed by Mike Newell, starring Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter would have attracted more attention. Lionsgate is releasing the film in the UK in November, but no deal for US distribution has been announced yet. Then again, this year is going to be crowded with costume dramas like "Les Miserables" and "Anna Karenina" so getting lost in the holiday rush may be a concern. There's not much information available yet, but we'll probably hear more after it screens in Toronto.
"Mr. Pip" – We go from "Great Expectations" to a longshot entry, about a white schoolteacher living in Papa New Guinea who bonds with one of his students over the work of Charles Dickens during the country's civil war in the early 90s. No distribution and no release dates yet, but "Mr. Pip" does have the benefit of being based on an award winning novel by Lloyd Jones, and will star Hugh Laurie.
"Imogene" – Kristin Wiig stars in a comedy about a woman whose fake suicide leads to unintended consequences, directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman. Not too many major comedic heavyweights this year amid all the prestige pictures, so this one may get snatched up to fill the niche. Female led films are always stealth contenders, and I wouldn't be surprised if this grabs some acting nods.
And finally, we can clear a few names off the list of contenders, who have all been delayed until at least next year: The Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewelyn Davies," Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby," Brian DePalma's "Passion," Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives," Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad," Michael Hoffman's "Gambit," and Park Chan-Wook's "Stoker."
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"To the Wonder" – Terrence Malick's latest film debuted yesterday at Venice to divisive reviews, and most of the news coverage has focused on how most of the marquee names associated with the production have seen their roles drastically reduced or cut out completely. In the wake of complaints that "To the Wonder" is too esoteric, it is clearly not going to be the crowd pleaser that "The Tree of Life" was, to the degree that you could call "Tree of Life" a crowd pleaser. The chances of it finding a US distributor are likely, but a big Oscar push doesn't seem to be in the cards.
"The Sapphires" – The Weinstein Company picked up "The Sapphires," about an Australian singing group of indigenous women who performed for the troops in Vietnam, after its debut at Cannes. It has all the earmarks of a feel-good foreign comedy that's not too foreign for American audiences. It's been scheduled to screen at Telluride and Toronto, but there's no release date yet. There's every reason to expect that "The Sapphires" will show up sometime in the fall, but then the Weinsteins do have the frustrating habit of sitting on some of their acquisitions if their chances at awards time don't look good.
"The Place Beyond the Pines" – Derek Cianfrance's action film follow-up to "Blue Valentine" will also star Ryan Gosling, and is set to premiere at Toronto. Open Road films will distribute, but hasn't landed a release date yet, and the film has been largely staying under the radar so far. However, this is the only film Ryan Gosling potentially has in the race, since "Gangster Squad" was delayed and Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives" has been moved to next year. Open Road may want to take advantage of the opportunity and push for a Best Actor nod, though it's a pretty crowded field this year.
"The Company You Keep" – Robert Redford's latest political thriller will be premiering at Venice, with a cast full of heavy hitters including Susan Sarandon and Julie Christie. Redford himself will be in the lead role, as a former Weather Underground member on the run from the FBI. It will be his first appearance on screen in five years. Sony Pictures Classics has the US distribution, but a release date will probably depend on how the film's awards chances are perceived. Redford keeps attracting amazing talent to his projects, but his track record hasn't been great over the past few years.
"Great Expectations" – You'd think that a new adaptation of "Great Expectations" directed by Mike Newell, starring Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter would have attracted more attention. Lionsgate is releasing the film in the UK in November, but no deal for US distribution has been announced yet. Then again, this year is going to be crowded with costume dramas like "Les Miserables" and "Anna Karenina" so getting lost in the holiday rush may be a concern. There's not much information available yet, but we'll probably hear more after it screens in Toronto.
"Mr. Pip" – We go from "Great Expectations" to a longshot entry, about a white schoolteacher living in Papa New Guinea who bonds with one of his students over the work of Charles Dickens during the country's civil war in the early 90s. No distribution and no release dates yet, but "Mr. Pip" does have the benefit of being based on an award winning novel by Lloyd Jones, and will star Hugh Laurie.
"Imogene" – Kristin Wiig stars in a comedy about a woman whose fake suicide leads to unintended consequences, directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman. Not too many major comedic heavyweights this year amid all the prestige pictures, so this one may get snatched up to fill the niche. Female led films are always stealth contenders, and I wouldn't be surprised if this grabs some acting nods.
And finally, we can clear a few names off the list of contenders, who have all been delayed until at least next year: The Coen Brothers' "Inside Llewelyn Davies," Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby," Brian DePalma's "Passion," Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives," Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad," Michael Hoffman's "Gambit," and Park Chan-Wook's "Stoker."
---
Friday, August 31, 2012
My Top Ten Modern "Doctor Who" Episodes
The last of the time lords is due to return to our television screens tomorrow, in the seventh series since "Doctor Who" was resurrected. So here's a list of my top ten favorite episodes from the modern era of "Doctor Who," in chronological order. Please note I am going to totally cheat and include two-parters in the same entries, but spoilers will be kept to a minimum.
"The End of the World" - The first episode where we really got to see the scope of the new show's ambitions. After a fairly low-key introduction to The Doctor and his new companion, Rose, on Earth, "The End of the World" takes them millions of years into the future, introduces all manner of alien lifeforms, and plays with special effects galore. This episode really sets the tone for all the high concept science fiction to come and gave a good introduction to the Doctor's philosophy and murky origins. It also has one of my favorite villains in the show, the twisted "last human," Cassandra.
"The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" - Did someone order an omnisexual time-hopping con-man from the 51st century? Yes, the "Empty Child" was the first appearance of Captain Jack Harkness, one of the most delightful additions to the "Doctor Who" universe. It's also one of the best "Who" stories, featuring creepy, gas mask-faced creatures who threaten London during the Blitz. The show can be a little fast and loose with its science fiction concepts sometimes, but this one was beautifully set up and earned its unusual resolution. And as the title of the second half promises, we do get to see the Doctor dance.
"The Girl in the Fireplace" - A typical relationship between the Doctor and one of his beloved companions, compressed into the space of a single episode. The Doctor meets and connects with a lovely young woman in 18th century France under strange circumstances, but can only interact with her sporadically at different points in her life while trying to solve a mystery that somehow involves her, hundreds of years in the future. It's a lovely, poignant story that really gets to the heart of the Doctor's character, and echoes his interactions with Amy Pond several seasons later.
"Blink" - The Weeping Angels would show up again in later episodes, but they were never so scary as they were in their first outing, menacing a young woman named Sally Sparrow, played by a young Carey Mulligan. "Blink" is one of the "Doctor-lite" episodes where the Doctor and his companions are barely involved at all, in order to provide more breathing room in the production schedule. However "Blink" is so brilliantly conceived, and does such a marvelous job of juggling its wibbly-wobbly time-wimey ideas, the episode has become one of the undisputed classics of the new series.
"Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood" - Probably my favorite episodes overall, because it's about all the ways that the Doctor, in spite of his noble nature, is not a human being. We start with a "what if" scenario - what if the Doctor really was an ordinary man, specifically a schoolteacher named John Smith in the early years of the 20th century? And he falls in love? I especially appreciate the way it's told from the viewpoint of Martha Jones, one of the most shortchanged of the modern companions, who has to take on a very different role in order to help him during the adventure.
"Midnight" - Some of the most impressive hours of "Doctor Who" are the simplest. "Midnight" takes place largely on a single set, providing a mystery with high stakes for the Doctor, and doesn't give him much help to solve it. An alien creature possesses one of the passengers aboard a transport and the Doctor has to figure out how to communicate with it and discover what its intentions are. No rubber suits and no special effects are used. Rather, the intense performances by David Tennant and guest star Lesley Sharp create one of the most menacing villains the show has ever featured.
"The Waters of Mars" - For most of the hour this is a good science fiction spin on a classic haunted house mystery, set on a small human colony on Mars. The ending has significant implications for the Doctor, however, setting up the finale of the David Tennant era. This is a pointed look at a side of the Doctor that the show rarely showed us, the darker, arrogant part of his personality with all its terrible implications. I wish they could have delved more deeply into this, but "Doctor Who" simply isn't that kind of show, and Tennant and the Tenth Doctor would say their goodbyes two episodes later.
"Vincent and the Doctor" - Historical figures rarely come across very well in "Doctor Who" episodes, probably because the Doctor keeps showing them up. Then you have Vincent van Gogh in "Vincent and the Doctor," a troubled genius who was never appreciated in his own time. When Amy and the Doctor go visit him, and try to bring some happiness into his life, the results are unexpected and poignant. Van Gogh is portrayed honestly, and his problems are fully acknowledged. Art lovers should also enjoy the little touches to the sets and scenery, designed to mirror elements of Van Gogh's paintings.
"The Doctor's Wife" - Okay, yes, I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman, who wrote this episode. However, the reason I love this one is because it was the story where I felt that Matt Smith really came into his own as the Eleventh Doctor at last. "The Doctor's Wife" is chiefly concerned with one of the most important and most overlooked relationships on the show - the one between the Doctor and the TARDIS, who briefly becomes a real girl and is able to talk to her "thief" for the first time. Shippers may talk up the companions as the Doctor's love interests, but his hearts will really belong to only one girl.
"The Girl Who Waited" - A showcase for Amy and Rory, a "Doctor-lite" story where a quick retreat and a miscalculation results in Rory having to choose between two versions of Amy - the version he knows and one who waited decades to be rescued after being left behind by the TARDIS. It's one of those high concept, highly emotional installments that could have gone poorly if the actors weren't really giving it their all. Amy and Rory have often been the highlight of the Eleventh Doctor series, and I'm really going to miss them when they bow out this year.
Happy watching!
---
"The End of the World" - The first episode where we really got to see the scope of the new show's ambitions. After a fairly low-key introduction to The Doctor and his new companion, Rose, on Earth, "The End of the World" takes them millions of years into the future, introduces all manner of alien lifeforms, and plays with special effects galore. This episode really sets the tone for all the high concept science fiction to come and gave a good introduction to the Doctor's philosophy and murky origins. It also has one of my favorite villains in the show, the twisted "last human," Cassandra.
"The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" - Did someone order an omnisexual time-hopping con-man from the 51st century? Yes, the "Empty Child" was the first appearance of Captain Jack Harkness, one of the most delightful additions to the "Doctor Who" universe. It's also one of the best "Who" stories, featuring creepy, gas mask-faced creatures who threaten London during the Blitz. The show can be a little fast and loose with its science fiction concepts sometimes, but this one was beautifully set up and earned its unusual resolution. And as the title of the second half promises, we do get to see the Doctor dance.
"The Girl in the Fireplace" - A typical relationship between the Doctor and one of his beloved companions, compressed into the space of a single episode. The Doctor meets and connects with a lovely young woman in 18th century France under strange circumstances, but can only interact with her sporadically at different points in her life while trying to solve a mystery that somehow involves her, hundreds of years in the future. It's a lovely, poignant story that really gets to the heart of the Doctor's character, and echoes his interactions with Amy Pond several seasons later.
"Blink" - The Weeping Angels would show up again in later episodes, but they were never so scary as they were in their first outing, menacing a young woman named Sally Sparrow, played by a young Carey Mulligan. "Blink" is one of the "Doctor-lite" episodes where the Doctor and his companions are barely involved at all, in order to provide more breathing room in the production schedule. However "Blink" is so brilliantly conceived, and does such a marvelous job of juggling its wibbly-wobbly time-wimey ideas, the episode has become one of the undisputed classics of the new series.
"Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood" - Probably my favorite episodes overall, because it's about all the ways that the Doctor, in spite of his noble nature, is not a human being. We start with a "what if" scenario - what if the Doctor really was an ordinary man, specifically a schoolteacher named John Smith in the early years of the 20th century? And he falls in love? I especially appreciate the way it's told from the viewpoint of Martha Jones, one of the most shortchanged of the modern companions, who has to take on a very different role in order to help him during the adventure.
"Midnight" - Some of the most impressive hours of "Doctor Who" are the simplest. "Midnight" takes place largely on a single set, providing a mystery with high stakes for the Doctor, and doesn't give him much help to solve it. An alien creature possesses one of the passengers aboard a transport and the Doctor has to figure out how to communicate with it and discover what its intentions are. No rubber suits and no special effects are used. Rather, the intense performances by David Tennant and guest star Lesley Sharp create one of the most menacing villains the show has ever featured.
"The Waters of Mars" - For most of the hour this is a good science fiction spin on a classic haunted house mystery, set on a small human colony on Mars. The ending has significant implications for the Doctor, however, setting up the finale of the David Tennant era. This is a pointed look at a side of the Doctor that the show rarely showed us, the darker, arrogant part of his personality with all its terrible implications. I wish they could have delved more deeply into this, but "Doctor Who" simply isn't that kind of show, and Tennant and the Tenth Doctor would say their goodbyes two episodes later.
"Vincent and the Doctor" - Historical figures rarely come across very well in "Doctor Who" episodes, probably because the Doctor keeps showing them up. Then you have Vincent van Gogh in "Vincent and the Doctor," a troubled genius who was never appreciated in his own time. When Amy and the Doctor go visit him, and try to bring some happiness into his life, the results are unexpected and poignant. Van Gogh is portrayed honestly, and his problems are fully acknowledged. Art lovers should also enjoy the little touches to the sets and scenery, designed to mirror elements of Van Gogh's paintings.
"The Doctor's Wife" - Okay, yes, I'm a big fan of Neil Gaiman, who wrote this episode. However, the reason I love this one is because it was the story where I felt that Matt Smith really came into his own as the Eleventh Doctor at last. "The Doctor's Wife" is chiefly concerned with one of the most important and most overlooked relationships on the show - the one between the Doctor and the TARDIS, who briefly becomes a real girl and is able to talk to her "thief" for the first time. Shippers may talk up the companions as the Doctor's love interests, but his hearts will really belong to only one girl.
"The Girl Who Waited" - A showcase for Amy and Rory, a "Doctor-lite" story where a quick retreat and a miscalculation results in Rory having to choose between two versions of Amy - the version he knows and one who waited decades to be rescued after being left behind by the TARDIS. It's one of those high concept, highly emotional installments that could have gone poorly if the actors weren't really giving it their all. Amy and Rory have often been the highlight of the Eleventh Doctor series, and I'm really going to miss them when they bow out this year.
Happy watching!
---
Thursday, August 30, 2012
My Favorite Jacques Tati Movie
When I'm picking the directors for these spotlight posts, I go by a pretty simple rule. I have to have seen at least ten films or half of a director's filmography in order for them to qualify. Jacques Tati only made six films, two shorts, and provided the screenplay for another film completed long after his death. I've seen four of the full length films, but I've been hesitant about writing this post without tracking down the last two, most obscure ones. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that being a completist was very unlikely to change my final pick.
I knew absolutely nothing about Jacques Tati when I brought home "Mon Oncle" from the local library, a title I chose simply because it was a Criterion film, and I was in that phase where I was watching films from the collection pretty much at random. I knew it was French and that it was a comedy, but having recently subjected myself to some of the more esoteric French New Wave films, I figured "Mon Oncle," having been produced in roughly the same time frame, would probably be another of those self-mocking intellectual exercises that Godard was so fond of. And then I watched the film, and saw the opening sight gags with the parade of dogs, all the credits written out on signboards, and the film's title scrawled as graffiti on the side of an old building. The main theme was a jaunty little piano tune that I still find myself humming once in a while. And I realized I had stumbled across something wonderful.
Jacques Tati himself plays the "oncle" of the title, Monsieur Hulot, a bumbling, shabby comic figure who does odd jobs, lives in a ramshackle old apartment building, and has a variety of eccentricities. Hulot had been introduced a few years earlier in "Monsieur Hulot's Holiday," vacationing at a seaside resort, merrily getting himself into several comic scrapes, and poking fun at his fellow vacationers. In "Mon Oncle" his place in the world comes into sharper focus. We meet Hulot's young nephew Gérard (Alain Bécourt), who lives in a modern home that resembles a gray slab of concrete, fitted with all manner of modern gadgetry, furniture more concerned with design than functionality, and a dreadfully geometric garden. Gérard's snooty parents despair of the boy preferring to spend time with his rough-edged uncle, and try to help better Hulot, getting him a job at a modern facility and introducing him to better people. Of course, their plans go terribly awry.
Encroaching modernity is the enemy in "Mon Oncle," from the mechanization to the architecture to the mindset of favoring efficiency over comfort and common sense. The satire is merciless, but executed with a delightful lightness and whimsy. Like the Tramp in "Modern Times," Hulot is a lone figure constantly at odds with the nonsensical aspects of modern life, inadvertently causing chaos by failing to keep up with or simply ignoring the march of progress. Tati's work is very much in the tradition of the great silent comedians, and relies heavily on pantomime routines and elaborate sight gags. Getting to Hulot's apartment requires weaving through multiple staricases leading all over the building. When a machine malfunctions at the factory, the plastic tubing it produces comes out looking like a string of sausages. My favorite running gag is the awful fish-shaped fountain in front of Gérard's house, that only gets turned on for special visitors, and becomes more of an aggravation every time it's used.
However, Tati is also quite different from his predecessors. He knew how to use sound and color to wonderful effect, playing up the garish visuals of Gérard's home, and heightening sound effects to punctuate the action onscreen. Every time the fish fountain goes on, the sound of gurgling water drowns out everything else. Tati's timing and pacing is also quite different. The pace is never slow, but the gags tend to build over time, and many of the setups can be quite complicated. Some elements like the stray dogs and the awful garden recur multiple times before you get to any kind of punchline.
These gags would get even more elaborate in Tati's subsequent film, "Playtime," which was bigger and more ambitious in every regard. Many critics think it's Tati's best work for its conceptual daring, but I prefer "Mon Oncle" because Monsieur Hulot is a more interesting and sympathetic figure when interacting with his relatives. I also think the messages are more on point. You can see the clear divide between the old world of simple pleasures and the new one, a very cold and complicated place that is full of contradictions.
"Mon Oncle" was the second best blind library pick I ever made. I'll talk about the best one next month.
---
What I've Seen - Jacques Tati
Jour de Fête (1949)
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)
Mon Oncle (1958)
Playtime (1967)
Trafic (1971)
---
I knew absolutely nothing about Jacques Tati when I brought home "Mon Oncle" from the local library, a title I chose simply because it was a Criterion film, and I was in that phase where I was watching films from the collection pretty much at random. I knew it was French and that it was a comedy, but having recently subjected myself to some of the more esoteric French New Wave films, I figured "Mon Oncle," having been produced in roughly the same time frame, would probably be another of those self-mocking intellectual exercises that Godard was so fond of. And then I watched the film, and saw the opening sight gags with the parade of dogs, all the credits written out on signboards, and the film's title scrawled as graffiti on the side of an old building. The main theme was a jaunty little piano tune that I still find myself humming once in a while. And I realized I had stumbled across something wonderful.
Jacques Tati himself plays the "oncle" of the title, Monsieur Hulot, a bumbling, shabby comic figure who does odd jobs, lives in a ramshackle old apartment building, and has a variety of eccentricities. Hulot had been introduced a few years earlier in "Monsieur Hulot's Holiday," vacationing at a seaside resort, merrily getting himself into several comic scrapes, and poking fun at his fellow vacationers. In "Mon Oncle" his place in the world comes into sharper focus. We meet Hulot's young nephew Gérard (Alain Bécourt), who lives in a modern home that resembles a gray slab of concrete, fitted with all manner of modern gadgetry, furniture more concerned with design than functionality, and a dreadfully geometric garden. Gérard's snooty parents despair of the boy preferring to spend time with his rough-edged uncle, and try to help better Hulot, getting him a job at a modern facility and introducing him to better people. Of course, their plans go terribly awry.
Encroaching modernity is the enemy in "Mon Oncle," from the mechanization to the architecture to the mindset of favoring efficiency over comfort and common sense. The satire is merciless, but executed with a delightful lightness and whimsy. Like the Tramp in "Modern Times," Hulot is a lone figure constantly at odds with the nonsensical aspects of modern life, inadvertently causing chaos by failing to keep up with or simply ignoring the march of progress. Tati's work is very much in the tradition of the great silent comedians, and relies heavily on pantomime routines and elaborate sight gags. Getting to Hulot's apartment requires weaving through multiple staricases leading all over the building. When a machine malfunctions at the factory, the plastic tubing it produces comes out looking like a string of sausages. My favorite running gag is the awful fish-shaped fountain in front of Gérard's house, that only gets turned on for special visitors, and becomes more of an aggravation every time it's used.
However, Tati is also quite different from his predecessors. He knew how to use sound and color to wonderful effect, playing up the garish visuals of Gérard's home, and heightening sound effects to punctuate the action onscreen. Every time the fish fountain goes on, the sound of gurgling water drowns out everything else. Tati's timing and pacing is also quite different. The pace is never slow, but the gags tend to build over time, and many of the setups can be quite complicated. Some elements like the stray dogs and the awful garden recur multiple times before you get to any kind of punchline.
These gags would get even more elaborate in Tati's subsequent film, "Playtime," which was bigger and more ambitious in every regard. Many critics think it's Tati's best work for its conceptual daring, but I prefer "Mon Oncle" because Monsieur Hulot is a more interesting and sympathetic figure when interacting with his relatives. I also think the messages are more on point. You can see the clear divide between the old world of simple pleasures and the new one, a very cold and complicated place that is full of contradictions.
"Mon Oncle" was the second best blind library pick I ever made. I'll talk about the best one next month.
---
What I've Seen - Jacques Tati
Jour de Fête (1949)
Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)
Mon Oncle (1958)
Playtime (1967)
Trafic (1971)
---
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