Almost Famous Fanny and Alexander's Vertigo on Sunset Blvd i.e. Movies I saw Recently

Summer is heating up outside and is kind of forcing me to stay in. There have been days in last few weeks when it was in higher 90s. It even touched 100 once. It took me almost an hour to settle down in full AC after getting inside my house. It was Ridiculous. Rather on the flip side, I am getting a chance to clear up my backlog for long time. Though I do watch quite many movies, I saw these movies because of my desire to clear up the backlog during this confinement.

Here They Go.....

Fanny and Alexander(1982): Ingmar Bergman's last feature film and third movie I have seen recently. I am making a conscious effort to see some of Bergman's films. I saw it after Wild Strawberries(1957) and Smiles of Summer Night(1955). However, the last two were forced more by Netflix than by Summer - they were available only for one more week. Though I am not really excited about Smiles, Fanny and Alexander definitely was worth watching. Ingmar Bergman, Probably the most accomplished and influential director of all time and known for handling themes like death, betrayal, illness, insanity, all these themes are very much at display in this movie. It is a story of two children Fanny and Alexander of Ekdahl family whose father dies of a stroke and then mother gets married again rather early to local bishop. Bishop asks their mother and children to move into the house by leaving everything in their previous life behind which in very little time makes them virtual prisoners in their eccentric new house. This causes friction between children and their father, especially with Alexander. Film ends mostly on happy terms though it shows that they will never get rid of their past completely.

Rating(out of 5):

Almost Famous(2000): Uncontrollable urge to see this movie originated from one of the blogs which listed this as the best movie of year 2000. I had it on me for quite some time now, but for some reason keep on procrastinating it. It might also interest you that I have Magnolia(1999) and Moulin Rogue(2001) over a year and I still haven’t seen them as well. Anyways, so I finally saw Almost Famous this week. Personally, I will not rate this as best movie of the year. There were better choices like Memento(2000) and Chocolat(2000) for me but this is definitely a good movie. Decent story of young man following an up and coming rock band as a journalist for Rolling Stone, noting down their struggle to keep up with the recent stardom, decent acting except Kate Hudson – who is remarkable in role of Penny Lane, as a band-aid as they are called in movie and deservedly got an Oscar Nomination for it, good music throughout – I believe music buffs especially Rock Music lovers will love this movie much more because of this and also because of the honest portrayal of Rock-Band Life. All in all, I may not watch this again and again but I definitely was satisfied that I finally saw this well-crafted, warm-hearted and a very personal movie.

Rating(out of 5):

Sunset Blvd.(1950): Billy Wilder is a kind of director that I always thought I would like ever since I saw his first film Sabrina(1954). Off course, the reason I saw Sabrina was Audrey Hepburn and didn't even know that it's Billy Wilder's movie. However, since then I always thought I will love his movies and after watching some 6-7 movies, I can say that he hasn't disappointed me yet. And reason I wanted to watch Sunset Blvd was along with Some Like It Hot(1959), it is considered by many as his Best Film though personally I like The Apartment(1960) more than this and I haven't yet seen Some Like It Hot(1959). It can be because The Apartment(1960) is rather happy movie and also I didn't know Shirley MacClaine can look so lovely - I never had doubt about her acting prowess. Anyways, I had a lot of expectations from Sunset Blvd before watching it and it definitely stood up to them. Basically, this classic dark comedy is a story of a failing writer unable to pay his debts and fading silent movie actress. She was the greatest actress of her time and even though she hates dialogues, she is writing a script to plot her comeback which she thinks will make her as successful. It completely relies on the basic elements of film to achieve its greatness - Great Story, well written screenplay, amazing acting and superb direction. What more can you ask for? Basic acting encore of movie deserves a lot of credit for this movie. It has got Gloria Swanson as eccentric, almost crazy Norma Desmond, William Holden as her boy-toy oe Giddis, legendary filmmaker Erich von Stroheim as an interesting character of her protective chauffer and beatific Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer is just the cherry on top. It is kinda creepy that Joe Giddis is seen dead in very first scene of movie and still he narrates the whole movie to us maybe from heaven but it definitely got me hooked almost immediately. Probably the best Hollywood movie made about Hollywood itself.

Rating(out of 5):

Vertigo(1958): I realised quite late that I haven't seen a single Hitchcock movie, probably that was after the "Introduction to Hitchcock" post on Riku Writes. Just like Bergman, I am making similar progress on Hitchcock as well. Out of what I have seen and I have seen around 5 movies, Vertigo is right at the top with Notorious(1946). However, I give more credit to Hitchcock for this than Notorious(1946). Though Hitchcock and his camera play very important role in Notorious, , He had Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant to do wonders for him. Don't get me wrong, James Stewart and Kim Novak are equally beautiful couple but they aren't Bergman and Grant, most definitely not the Bergman and Grant from Notorious - it almost hurts to see them together in one frame in Notorious. Vertigo is a story of a Police Detective who is retired because of fear of heights, because of his Vertigo. After he is retired, one of his college friend asks him to watch his wife for him. While keeping watch on her, he starts falling for her. It was just an above-average film for me till last one minute and then--BOOM--it became AMAZING!! That is basically why I feel that Hitchcock deserves more credit for this than Notorious - because of ending. You are almost settling down in your seat, feeling rather relax anticipating the end, and one knock on the door, changes the story before you even realise it and credits start rolling, leaving you flabbergasted.

Rating(out of 5): 

And yes, I saw Harry Potter and Deathly Hollows Part 2 and as any Harry Potter fan who has read those books with real passion must have been, was disappointed by it. David Yates needs to understand that why something happens is much more important than it just happening. That is what made Harry Potter such an iconic franchise.

These are a Few of my Favorite Things…

Rowan Atkinson forgetting names while attending his first wedding as Minister in Four Weddings and Funeral(1994). 

Dialogue delivery in Juno(2007) especially scenes with her best friend and very first scene in movie

Audrey Hepburn learning to break an egg in Sabrina(1954).

 Baby Voice in Monsters Inc.(2001).

Joe Pesci trying to understand his own sense of humor in Goodfellas(1990).

Henry Fonda producing the same knife in 12 Angry Men(1957).

Audrey Hepburn saying ‘Thank You’ after returning home in Roman Holiday(1953).

Cate Blanchett's Introduction of The Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring(2003). 

Glee and Grey’s Anatomy.

Whole Chase sequence in My Best Friend’s Wedding(1997) till Julia Roberts and Camerom Diaz’s fight in Ladies Room

Marisa Tomei as an expert witness in My Cousin Vinny(1992).

Julia Roberts, pretty much anywhere

“What’s the most you have lost in a Coin Toss?” Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men(2007)

Testimony of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men(1992).

Frank Langella and Michael Sheen in their last interview in Frost/Nixon(2008).

Dan Brown and J.K. Rowling

Ingrid Bergmnn and Humphrey Bogart as a pair in Casablanca(1942).

Same Changes by The Weepies and Strip Me by Natasha Bedingfield from Morning Glory(2010).

Olympia Dukakis pushing Shirley MacClaine to be hit by Sally Field in Steel Magnolias(1989).

Jack Nicholson complementing Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets(1997).

Samuel Jackson delievering Ezekiel 25:17. Pulp Fiction(1994).

Musicals from Singin' in the Rain(1952) to Mamma Mia!(2008).


And Yes, Christopher Nolan !!


 

The Sweet Hereafter

Considering How late I kick-started 2011, it should not come as a shock that I am still clearing up the backlog of 2011. First 2011 movie I saw was Harry Potter 7 Part 2(2011) couple of weeks after release, so somewhere in July and hence I still haven't seen likes of Shame(2011), My week with Merilyn(2011), The Muppets(2011) and Young Adult(2011). I was hoping to catch up with most of them at least before the Oscars but it hasn't been possible to get hold of all of them. So, unless a miracle happens and someone drops all the DVD's by my pillow while I am sleeping, I might have to wait a little longer. But courtesy of RedBox, I caught up with Take Shelter(2011) this weekend, another one of the apocalyptic movies from 2011. There were so many movies last year revolving around similar themes (Melancholia(2011), Another Earth(2011) come to mind immediately) that it seems Hollywood took the Mayan prediction of world ending 2012 a little too seriously.

So, we have Curtis LaForche, played brilliantly by Michael Shannon, young husband and father, construction worker living in small town in Ohio. He is married to Samantha, played equally brilliantly by Jessica Chastain, who is a house-wife and they have a daughter, Hannah who is hearing impaired. They are living in their own paradise, until one day it starts to rain. We see Curtis looking at the Sky as if he can see the end of world, except for the fact that he actually does, even if nobody else can. Various things happening around him make his suspicion stronger - rain water is muddy, birds are flying funny. He soon starts to have nightmares so strong that telling if it is a nightmare or reality becomes difficult. He tries to get a medical help but it doesn't really help him and to make the matters worse, he has a history of Paranoia. But, amidst all this he is sure of one thing that a big storm is coming and no one is ready for it. He puts almost all his money and energy into building a tornado shelter so that his family will have somewhere to go if his premonitions come true. For everyone else around him, his actions hold no ground as they don't see what he does and for them, he is losing it all - it is his slow descent into craziness.

Director Jeff Nichols, in his second project as a director gives us a slow burning thriller - an expression I am sure every reviewer has used to describe this movie. Nichols' most important achievement lies in making Curtis look genuine, authentic. He is not the first one on the silver screen to slowly disintegrate into insanity and he certainly won't be last. But, Nichols takes care of keeping his characters real. Not just Curtis but I will give him credit for Samantha as well. In her, Curtis has a companion who loves him with her whole heart and who is always by his side but who is not afraid to do the right thing when needed to be, even if it means to slap him hard on face. Also, Nichols uses Curtis' dream sequences throughout the movie wonderfully well to build up the mood, making it much horrifying since they work on the psychological level. Now, if I want to find the flaws, I will again say that it is a Slow burning thriller because it may not be everyone's cup of tea. Even in my opinion it ran a little bit longer. It takes a little more run-time than required to get him worse, once his crazy nightmares start and then again till the final conclusion. But just like Melancholia(2011), another apocalyptic movie in 2011, wait for the End !!

I will be honest here and say that I did not know whole lot about Michael Shannon and his filmography before this except Before the Devil Knows You are Dead(2007) and his Oscar nominated performance in Revolutionary Road(2008), which I found out only after I looked him up after all the buzz concerning this role. Now, I can definitely say that he is every bit deserving of the all the buzz and I would have been even happier had he been nominated. Just one scene in the middle of the movie where he actually goes crazy, after his very close friend provokes him should be enough to make a case for him and he does whole lot more than that throughout the movie. His face is probably his best asset and he uses it show variety of emotions with a great result. On the other end is the breakthrough performer of the year - Jessica Chastain who puts another powerful performance. What amazes me is that she has not just been prolific last year with 6 films but I really like the choices she has made. After seeing all the movies she made in 2011(Except Corialanus(2011)), I am having hard time to pick up a best of the lot and can only hope she continues to flourish even more in the years to come.

I know that I am already very much late and most of you must have seen Take Shelter(2011) by now. But, for some reason whatsoever you haven't, let me tell you that you are really missing something great. Go and watch it. It is worth every minute and every cent you spend on it.

Rating(out of 5):