Reel Talk: Thanksgiving Movie Holiday Round-Up

A Belated Happy Thanksgiving to all!

While my family has no true tradition for this first of the many wintery holidays, it seems like we always fall into a snuggily pit of movie watching. Sometimes we go out, but usually it is just whatever we find on TV. This Thanksgiving weekend was a truly special one in my father's book because we got free STARZ and ENCORE. Be thankful for all the little things right? This immediately made us jump to clog our tivo with every single movie we kind of sort of wanted to see. These were the ones that made the cut, but maybe made me want to cut my eyes out.


1.Parenthood (1989)
This Ron Howard film starring Steve Martin (and a very young Keanu Reeves) was surprisingly emotional and serious for a movie whose poster looks like the prequel for Cheaper by the Dozen. Following the intersecting stories of four grown up siblings and their families, including their grumpy old father, Parenthood tackles the semi taboo ideas of single parents dating, teen marriage/pregnancies, gambling and debt, and probably taken most seriously, children within therapy. While it wasn't as funny as expected, the film has an incredibly big heart that makes you think and appreciate your own parents a little bit more.


2.The Bounty Hunter (2010)
We couldn't get through the first half hour of it. I don't know why Gerard Butler continues to get roles, but this was just too much. Even a fat Jason Sudekis couldn't even fix this trainwreck.


3.Albert Nobbs (2011)
Glenn Close absolutely shines within this tale of gender bending and class issues of turn of the century Ireland. Working in a hotel as a waiter, Albert Nobbs saves her money in order to own her own tobacco shop and continue to make a better life for herself. Along the way she encounters desires for a wife, and confusion about her own place within the incredibly strict society. It's heartbreaking, inspiring, and upsetting all within one small film. My only issue with the film is that it bills Jonathan Rhys Meyers pretty high, while he only makes 3 appearances on screen entirely? Is he really that big of a name pull?


4.Burlesque (2010)
What can I say? I was really intrigued by this mish mash of a musical and an updated version of Britney Spears' Crossroads. There were more montages within this 2 hour and 15 minute sparkle fest than actual dialogue. Enough said.


5.My Week With Marilyn (2011)
Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine) completely embodies the aura and fun loving spirit of Ms. Monroe in this film. While I will always have issue with the fact that she was much too skinny to play the size 12 superstar, Williams' performace was the shining light of this mediocre Lifetime-esque film.

6.The Muppets (2011)
Going to see this opening night with no knowledge of the plot or jokes was the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. This new revamping of our beloved hand-held friends is classic and has jokes for every age group. It also follows the fool proof muppet movie equation: songs+jokes+celebrity cameos=delightful. Good job Jason Segel with the help of Bret from Flight of the Conchords!

Reel Talk: West Side Story

The 1961 film version of West Side Story--one of the greatest musicals ever--continues to stand out in history as one of the most original and influential films of all time. From the timeless look of the Super Panavision 70 film and cinematography by Daniel Fapp, to the emotional and beautiful play book by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story is an incredible experience for film lovers and musical fanatics alike.


Based on The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet(arguably Shakespeare's most famous work), West Side Story tells the story of two rival gangs fighting over the territory of the west side of Manhattan: The Italian-American Jets versus the newly immigrated Puerto Rican Sharks. Within the tight knit groups grew the doomed love of Tony and Maria complete with a cast of unforgettable characters with classic 60's names such as Riff, Ice, Baby Jon, Chino, and Bernardo.


While the basic storyline is no surprise, the film version of West Side Story makes a significant impact on the audience on more levels than just the tragic level of lost love. Through numbers like "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "Cool", we begin to understand the internal pain and heartache of lost youths. The Jets thrive on loyalty and manhood in the wake of not wanting to face their own identity crises. Tony walks away from the gang, but still wants to support his second family within the gang. The casting of Russ Tamblyn, Tucker Smith, and Eliot Feld is perfect for balancing the love of the Jets as family and the fragility of their internal insecurities.


On the opposite side of the chain-link playground, the plight of the Sharks as shown through numbers such as "America" and "A Boy Like That" showed a still very closed minded film audience the hardships of immigration and racial discrimination within the so called "Land of the Free". As Bernardo and the rest of the Sharks are kicked out of Doc's store by Lieutenant Schrank whistling "My Country Tis Of Thee", the audience is hit with the feeling of disgust for the law, not the feuding gangs and their concealed weapons.

Bernstein's score leaps off of the screen with the help of Jerome Robbins' jazz inspired choreography filtered through glorious technicolor. While the "fight scenes" can't really qualify as violent or scary, they are filled with tension and beauty. You believe the blood thirsty rivalry (even though leg lifts and plies aren't usually mentioned on the 11 o'clock news after a gang fight).

West Side Story was considered "culturally significant" by the Library of Congress and preserved in 1997 for future generations. A film is not just considered special because it won Best Picture (1961), it is important because it teaches us about ourselves; our prejudices, our loyalties, our compassion, and our society. While it is a perfect time capsule for the early 1960's, the themes are universal and the production is timeless.

Reel Talk: IFC Obsession

Within the last 2 months I have discovered the joy of the Independent Film Channel. Every single day there is at least 4 things I want to watch. My Tivo overfloweth! I have become completely obsessed with the channel, but every time that I try and share this joy, no one seems to really know if they get IFC on their tv or they don't really care...EITHER WAY! I am here to enlighten on all things great about IFC

1. Rhett and Link: Commercial Kings

Best friends since the first grade in North Carolina, Rhett and Link are advertising, film, and youtube stars who have decided to use their digital savvy to help others (and get great show material in the meantime). Each episode follows the adorable boys helping two struggling businesses that need to find new customers because of the recession. Rhett and Link get to know the owners and what they want. Beyond creating epic local commercials, there are endless hilarious moments between the film makers and the entrepreneurs. Each episode is fresh and original. It is one of the greatest new shows on television.

2. Freaks and Geeks/Undeclared block

I don't think that I need to really explain the greatness of each of these shows individually, but the brilliant minds at IFC brought the two together in a wonderful rock block of Apatow-esque humor that we love. On the downside, I become completely unproductive whenever these blocks start.

3. Sunday's Best
True to their landmark dedication to film, IFC is not just great because of it's television blocks, but also because of its choice films. One of it's best film series is Sunday's Best. A wonderful mixture of classic movies and small flicks, Sunday's Best gives you and your family a great thing to do while lounging at the end of the weekend.
Examples of films offered: Pulp Fiction, Meatballs, Monty Python at the Hollywood Bowl, Tremors
Please everyone join my IFC obsession. Mostly so I can have someone to talk to and watch more tv with.

Love Bailey

Reel Talk: Beastly

I know that we haven't been updating as much as usual, but now we are back and ready for action. Sorry for the delays!

As for Beastly the Vanessa Hudgens driven car crash, I saw this on an airplane yesterday and wanted to gouge my eyes out.



You might say, "Come on, it really couldn't be all bad!"
I would have to counter you by saying "Yes. It was ALL bad."

There was nothing redeeming at all about this Beauty and the Beast "kool kid update" including casting Neil Patrick Harris as a blind tutor. Don't get me wrong, I love NPH as much as the next lady, but this was just such a sad career choice.

Now that is all I am going to say about this mess of a movie, because honestly this is probably as many minutes the writers spent on the script.

Reel Talk: All Hail Michel Gondry!

Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" music video is beautiful, creative, funny, and adorable. While I would love to give all of this credit to my favorite Beatle (and maybe a little bit to the Natalie Portman cameo), I believe that most of the credit of the incredibly enjoyable success must go to Michel Gondry.

The French born director, and current Brooklyn resident, is best known for his unique eye and artistic manipulation. While stylized directors are often praised and sought after such as Wes Anderson, Michel Gondry continues to be underrated in the world of film. Having only directed 5 feature length films in his career over the last decade, Gondry has brought whimsy and creativity back to the screen in a way that no one else can correctly replicate. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep are by far his biggest commercial successes (we are not even going to talk about The Green Hornet. Everyone makes mistakes and needs money.), but some of the most creative and endearing moments comes from Be Kind Rewind which Gondry also wrote.



While he has certainly made a cult imprint on the big screen, Gondry's small screen endeavors have become icons all within their own right. We as the television viewers should thank him for making commercial watching exciting and humorous for at least a minute or two:



Last, but not least, Gondry is an instant hit maker in the music community for his timeless music videos. A drummer himself, Gondry understands the perfect balance between narrative, spectacle, and music for a band and it's fans. To match his creativity, Gondry continues to work with some of the most talented and innovative acts around such as Beck, The White Stripes, Bjork, and Daft Punk.





God bless you Michel Gondry for bringing originality and whimsy back to our culture.

Reel Talk: Sunset Blvd

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." Haven't you always wondered where that iconic phrase came from? Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard is the answer to that question (remember it for a pub quiz), but it should be remembered for so much more than that. Aesthetically stunning with the help of classic film noir cinematography, Sunset Blvd tells the story of a faded silent film superstar who can't grasp the harsh realities of talkies and the world that comes with it.



While I do believe that the film relies an awful lot on the use of voice over which is never a good sign, the sheer acting capability of Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond is so captivating that you never want the film to end. This is an especially powerful statement considering how creepy this film is from the beginning. The film starts with the audience meeting Joe Gillis (William Holden) who is running from debt collectors as an out of work screenwriter in the tough world of Hollywood. Yes, I too thought that I saw where it was going and how boring it was going to be, but I was completely wrong. In his car chase and resulting flat tire, Gillis wanders into an old Hollywood estate up on Sunset which seems to be falling apart. Desmond mistakes him for another visitor she is expecting and brings him up to help pick out the specifics for a monkey coffin. I really wish that I could tell you that this was the weirdest that it gets...

What follows is almost two hours of a terrible man playing with the heart of an addled old woman who acts as the original cougar/sugar mama, while he basically does nothing with his life. To be fair without giving anything away, Norma Desmond's actions would make me want to cut and run as well. Beyond the central love and loss story of Desmond and Gillis, Sunset Blvd brilliantly shows the agonizing climb back to stardom that Norma Desmond so desperately desires through personal meetings with C.B. DeMille and a scary realistic montage of trying to maintain ageless beauty. In the end we watch all the pieces of both Gillis' and Desmond's lives fall apart with chills running up and down our spines.



While psycho-thrillers about fame and the mental price you pay for it continue to be churned out (a la Black Swan), I think that it is necessary that we look back and admire the original film about pathetic egos and horrifying actions; it absolutely holds up to this day.

Reel Talk: Award Times!

For the first entry in my series of posts about movies that I have loved for a long time (or have just seen and want to rave about) it seems only fitting that it would be Oscar night. Glitz, glamour, and James Franco!

Since there are so many films that I loved and saw that are nominated, I'm not going to spend time talking about each of them, but I would like to say that I absolutely adored 127 Hours, The Fighter, Blue Valentine, and of course The King's Speech.

Here are my predictions for the night:

Actor: Colin Firth


Actress: Natalie Portman


Supporting Actor: Christian Bale


Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo


Original Screenplay: The Fighter


Adapted Screenplay: 127 Hours


Documentary: Exit Through The Giftshop (I just wanna see Banksy do something)


Animated Film: Toy Story 3


Animated Short: Day and Night


Costume Design: True Grit


Director: The King's Speech


Best Picture: The King's Speech


Happy Guessing!