They're Here: 86th Annual Oscar Nominations

 

AMERICAN HUSTLE & GRAVITY LEAD WITH 10 NOMINATIONS EACH

 

12 YEARS A SLAVE - 9 NOMINATIONS

 

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB & NEBRASKA - 6 NOMINATIONS

 

HER & THE WOLF OF WALL STREET - 5 NOMINATIONS

 

PHILOMENA- 4 NOMINATIONS

 

BLUE JASMINE & THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG - 3 NOMINATIONS

 

Biggest Snubs Actors - Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Daniel Bruhl, Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Joaquin Phoenix

 

Biggest Snub Films - Inside Llewyn Davis, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Saving Mr. Banks, Enough Said

 

Biggest Surprises: All the love for The Wolf of Wall Street. A nomination in the song category for a movie no one has heard of Alone Yet Not Alone. The Chinese film The Grandmaster gets 2 nominations. Dallas Buyers Club for Best Picture. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa gets nominated for Makeup and Hairstyling

 

Fun Facts: The women in the Best Actress category have a combined total of 38 Nominations between them. Roger Deakins receives his 11th Oscar nomination in the cinematography category for Prisoners, he's never won.

Best Picture

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

 

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity

Alexander Payne - Nebraska

David O. Russell - American Hustle

Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave

Martin Scorsese - The Wolf of Wall Street

 

Best Actor

Christian Bale - American Hustle

Bruce Dern - Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club

 

Best Actress

Amy Adams - American Hustle

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock - Gravity

Judi Dench - Philomena

Meryl Streep - August: Osage County

 

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper - American Hustle

Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill - The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

 

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts - August: Osage County

June Squibb - Nebraska

 

Best Original Screenplay

American Hustle - Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell

Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen

Dallas Buyers Club - Craig Borten, Melissa Wallace

Her - Spike Jonze

Nebraska - Bob Nelson

Best Adapted Screenplay

Before Midnight - Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke

Captain Phillips - Billy Ray

Philomena - Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope

12 Years a Slave - John Ridley

The Wolf of Wall Street - Terence Winter

 

Best Animated Film

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest & Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

Best Foreign Film

Broken Circle - Belgium

The Great Beauty - Italy

The Hunt - Denmark

The Missing Picture - Cambodia

Omar - Palestine

 

Best Song

"Alone Yet Not Alone" - Alone Yet Not Alone - Bruce Broughton, Dennis Spiegel

"Happy" - Despicable Me 2 - Pharrell Williams

"Let It Go" - Frozen - Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez

"The Moon Song" - Her - Karen O, Spike Jonze

"Ordinary Love" - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - U2

For a list of complete nominees see OSCAR.COM

 

Pill Pop Hooray - Blue Jasmine/Cate Blanchett - August: Osage County/Meryl Streep - Reviews

I know pills.

Have you seen my pills?

I don't take pills, no, no, no. But I do know people that ingest them. Like candy. Like Mike & Ike's. I suspect that they are not for legitimate reasons. Perhaps they were, at one point in time, but I can't help but think they might be taking them recreationally. Who am I to judge? Let he without sin cast the first stone, or something like that.

Speaking of pills, my Mother is in town. She is visiting Southern California for a couple of weeks. So I took Valerie, (that's my mom's name, Valerie) to the picture show to see August: Osage County. I have been anxiously waiting to see this film, mainly because I am reminded of my family every time I see the preview. And who better to take to see this film then my very sensitive mother. What a treat!

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY - 2013 - ***½
dir. John Wells.
Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Juliette Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Abigal Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Misty Upham.

August: Osage County is the big screen adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning play (of the same name) written by Tracy Letts. The film is about the women of the Weston family and the tragedy (Dad's suicide) that brings the clan back together. Every member seems to have their own specific problem. Violet (Meryl Streep) is the matriarch of the family who not only has mouth cancer (ironic) but is heavily reliant upon pills and booze. Her daughter Barbara (Julia Roberts) is separating from her husband (Ewan MacGregor) and her daughter (Abigail Breslin) hates her. Karen is the sister no one ever sees (Juliette Lewis) and she brings along her pot smoking, sports car driving fiance (Dermot Mulroney). There is also poor Ivy (Julian Nicholson) who thinks she's in love with her cousin (Benedict Cumberbatch). Dysfunction is busting at the seams.

August has assembled one of the best casts of the year. There are 5 Oscar nominees (and 3 winners) chewing up the scenery in this masterfully acted story. The film is directed by John Wells who is best known for writing and producing shows such as ER and The West Wing, and he knows how to utilize this strong ensemble. And that is recommendation enough for this film.

Streep. Roberts. Nicholson. Martindale.

Once the family is together in their Oklahoma Farm House after Dad's (Sam Shepard) funeral, pills start being popped, bottles of wine are
downed like water and the family skeletons have a seat at the dinner table. Unable to shake off it's stage roots the film feels a little claustrophobic. Meryl Streep is outstanding in everything she does, we know this and we love her. If any criticism is to be made it is that her performance flirts with being over the top. But, oh how delicious it is.

The women rule this film. Everyone knows that I'm not the biggest Julia Roberts fan but this is the best she's has been since Erin Brokovich and it's always nice to see Emmy Winner Margo Martindale, as Violet's sister Mattie Fae, put to good use. Juliette Lewis' kooky and optimistic Karen is right in her wheelhouse and I wish we had a little more of her. Unfortunately, the men seem somewhat an afterthought compared to the flair an pizazz the girls get to play with - but they are solid nonetheless.

There is no happy ending for this family. (Wait until you see what happens with the incest subplot) With pain too deep and scars that never seem to heal, the best this family can hope for is time apart. August: Osage County is one of the best films of the year.

BLUE JASMINE - 2013 - ***½
dir. Woody Allen.
Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Stuhlbarg, Louis C.K., Alden Ehrenreich, Peter Sarsgaard.

On the way home from the movie theatre, Valerie and I stopped by the video store and rented Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine. Another film about a pill popping boozer whose husband killed himself. (I wonder if my mom caught on to the themes of the films.) But, that's about where the similarities end.

Jasmine (Blanchett), or Janette, or whatever she is going by this year, is in a crisis. Her sleezy husband (a slick Alec Baldwin) has just been arrested for embezzlement, ala Bernie Madoff. The Park Avenue shops, South of France ports, Chanel dresses, diamond bracelets, and having six houses way-of-life has come to a tragic and very abrupt end. Left with nowhere to turn, Jasmine must move in with her adoted sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins), in San Francisco. Actually both sisters are adopted which, Jasmine explains, is why they look nothing alike.

Jasmine is seen talking to herself at parties and on the street rehashing to strangers the best moments of her past because "there is only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming." As she tries to adjust to the change of lifestyle, her back story unfolds in a series of flashbacks. It reveals her pampered past and explains why here future forward will be difficult. Having been a housewife, she really has no marketable skills to speak of. She gets a job at a dentist office only to be sexually harassed by her boss (Michael Stuhlbarg). She also takes on a computer course because she thinks interior design may be her calling but she even has trouble turning on a computer. All of this stresses her out. She washes down Xanex with vodka at every available opportunity. She's a broken woman.

Hawkins. Clay.

To make things even more complicated, she has a cold and distant relationship with Ginger. When Jasmine was living it up in the Hamptons she never gave a shit about Ginger, whom she was embarrassed by. But now here is Ginger, welcoming her sister with open arms into her cramped, working-women lifestyle. Complete with the typical blue collar boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Carnivale) whom Jasmine hates.

Allen is obviously channeling Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. And it's a wonderful homage that sits well with this group of actors.

You really are rooting for Jasmine but she just can't get out of her fantasy world and sabotages every chance she has at a new beginning. And with the final revelation about how her husband got captured by the FBI, you see so clearly why she has gone off the deep end.

Blue Jasmine is Woody Allen's best film in years. Cate Blanchett gives the performance of 2013 (sorry Sandra Bullock) and will no doubt win her second Oscar, this time in the leading actress category. Sally Hawkins (who I found so annoying in her break out role in Happy-Go-Lucky) is fantastic here. I hope she gets some Supporting Actress recognition at tomorrow's Oscar nominations announcement. Blue Jasmine is also one of the best films of the year.

The Navigation of Grief.

 

The last two years have each started off with a friend committing suicide. I still have their names in my cell phone. I can't bring myself to erase them. It gives me some sort of comfort to scroll across them on lonely Thursday nights when I want to talk to someone, or on drunken Saturday nights when I want to text some stupid picture of myself drunk in Downtown Las Vegas. Whatever the reason, it's nice to be reminded of them.

Suicide seems so selfish, really. To leave behind more questions than answers and even as I write this, I know it sounds harsh. For me, that's the element I struggle with most. How am I supposed to feel? I'm sad. I'm angry. I'm confused. I'm really confused. But if I think about it long enough, if I really let myself get down to it, my heart breaks.

In 2010, (the most recent year info is available)  38,364 suicides were reported to the Center for Disease Control, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans. In that year, someone in the country died of suicide every 13.7 minutes.

The most tragic thing to me has to be, in those final moments, that person truly believes they have no one to turn to. It's at this moment I try to figure out what I could have done differently or what mutual friends could have done differently to prevent a loved one's suicide. In both instances of my friends' suicides, we had a shared friend group and I know I could go to any of them in a time of desperate need. Why didn't that person think they could?

The possibilities are endless. Shame, embarrassment, fear, mental health issues.

Questions.

Questions.

 We are just left with questions. I suppose that's what makes it so hard to cope.

According to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention "More than 90% of people who take their own lives have an underlying mental disorder at the time of their death. Many times, that disorder was never identified." That makes it nearly impossible to predict which people are predisposed to suicidal thoughts. And if that's the case then there really is nothing we can do except be the best person we can be to our friends, colleagues and neighbors.

Studies also show that connecting with mutual friends and other survivors of suicide loss is a key factor in coping. Group discussions seem to work best. It's good to know that other people are questioning the navigation of grief. It's nice to hear that these systems are being put in place to help those who are hurting the most right now.

For a support group directory of the United States, click here.

For a list of online support groups, click here.

If anything can be taken from losing a loved one so senselessly is that, perhaps, we pause before with dismiss someone so effortlessly. Are we really too busy to take the time to put our hand on the shoulder of someone we consider a friend and say: "I am here for you." Is the hustle really worth that? It takes money to nurture a city and time to nurture a soul. What's more important? I'd give anything to text my two friends and ask them.

(Asking questions is how I grieve. I pass no judgment on anyone.)

I Like Me Some Jami Gertz - A Film Retrospective

It's hard to peg down actress Jami Gertz. Both her television and film careers have been very successful. In the early 80s she was ubiquitous on the small screen appearing in no less than 5 television series. Most notably as Muffy Tepperman on the short-lived, now iconic, show Square Pegs (which also launched Sarah Jessica Parker). It was not long after Square Pegs, she was ever present on the big screen.

Gertz worked pretty steady in film through the mid 1990's and then segued back into another successful television career. Including shows like ER, Seinfeld, her Emmy nominated role on Ally McBeal, Entourage, and a four year stint over at CBS on the sitcom Still Standing. She also appeared in quite a few made-for-television movies including playing Gilda Radner in Gilda Radner: It's Always Something.

Like most kids of the 80s, I became enamored with Gertz when I saw her in the 1987 Joel Schumacher cult classic The Lost Boys. I had the privilege of working in a video store from the ages of 15 to about 20 years old. It was the perfect place for me to seek out titles of stars I admired-like Jami Gertz. Here within lies some of her films that I enjoyed most.

I do like me some Jami Gertz.

Jami.

CROSSROADS - (1986) - *** - dir. Walter Hill. Ralph Macchio, Jami Gertz, Jon Seneca, Harry Carey Jr., Steve Vai, Joe Morton. Ralph Macchio stars as Eugene "Lightning Boy" Martone-a teenager out of Julliard with a profound talent for and understanding of the blues. His special skill is the classical guitar and his love for the art form has driven him to seek out old time harmonica player Willie Brown (a delightful Jon Seneca.) Not before long, the two hit the road to the Deep South to a place where Willie once made a deal with the devil. Gertz stars as Frances, the girl they find along their journey. Roger Ebert says this of her performance, "Gertz is a newcomer; this is her second major movie this year, after a somewhat thankless role in Quicksilver in which she worked for a bicycle messenger service. She's just right for this movie, with the toughness required by the character, and yet with the tenderness and the romantic notes that remind us that this is really a myth." This was a film I watched many a late night on HBO back in the day. Good stuff.

SOLARBABIES - (1986) - ** - dir. Alan Johnson. Jami Gertz, Jason Patric, Richard Jordan, Lukas Haas,  James Le Gros, Charles Durning. I had to include this film because, honestly, I am mystified by it. First off, let me start by saying not only did I own this on VHS, I had to buy a second copy because I watched the first one too many times and it broke. I'm totally serious. Second-ok, so this is a hall of fame boo-boo but what a wonderful boo-boo to discuss here with you. The movie owes a lot the Mad Max films-you know, desert waste lands, cities made of trash scraps, bleak futuristic settings-but doesn't quite deliver. The actors and the production crew all seem to bring their A game but the producers and the screenwriters seem to have phoned this one in. It's about a futuristic society where kids are in work camps and water is rationed and a group of misfits play rollerball and they befriend a sphere of light from outer space name Bodhi and escape the work camp and skate across the desert to freedom...Or something like that. I remember reading a 1994 Entertainment Weekly with Jason Patric on the cover. He briefly spoke of this film, saying the actors were misled by the producers who claimed that this would be a Star Wars type extravaganza and, needless to say it wasn't. Hey, it was shot in Spain. The actor's got to go to Spain. I quote Roger Ebert a lot, I kinda worship him. Here is his blurb on Solarbabies, "The cast is led by Jami Gertz, a strong, attractive young actress last seen opposite Ralph Macchio in Crossroads and includes Charles Durning in another of those roles where he is sincere and sweats a lot." And boy does he sweat. If you haven't seen it, I recommend watching it with a group of friends when you're stoned.

THE LOST BOYS  - (1987) - *** - dir, Joel Schumacher. Jason Patric, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Dianne Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Kiefer Sutherland, Alex Winter, Barnard Hughes. Where to begin? I had the poster, the soundtrack, the VHS. This film, along with The Goonies, Stand By Me and Monster Squad, helped guide me to my love of  the movies. Especially as a 10 year old boy. A family moves to a California beach town where the local teenage inhabitants are vampires. Dianne Wiest (in her first film after winning an Oscar for Hannah and Her Sisters) plays the mother of Jason Patric and Corey Haim. The dynamic they set as a family going through a divorce is heart warming, honest and unexpected in a film of this nature. The relationship between to two brothers is utterly believable. I talk often a good actors making their source material better because of their skill. (Please see American Hustle review) This is a gleaming example of that. Jami Gertz, in the role of Star, joins the ranks of Carrie Fisher from Star Wars in that of fan boys biggest screen crushes. Kiefer Sutherland is the original vampire bad ass. Can you imagine if the Twilight films had an ounce of what The Lost Boys had? Beautiful cinematography from Michael Chapman. And who can forget the song "Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMann? Fantastic visual effects in the final scene. A must see for vampire aficionados.

LESS THAN ZERO - (1987) - ***½ - dir. Marek Kanievska. Jami Gertz, Robert Downey Jr., Andrew McCarthy, James Spader. When Clay (Andrew McCarthy) returns home from college for Christmas break, he finds that his two best friends, Blair and Julian (Jami Gertz and Robert Downey Jr.) have let their druggie partying lifestyle get the best of them. In front of the glitzy backdrop of Hollywood and Beverly Hills in the 1980s, director Kanievska brilliantly captures the ostentatiousness of that period. The frustration Clay has with his friends fits beautifully with McCarthy, who made a career of playing the normal straight guy. Gertz is pitched perfectly as the young woman in denial of her cocaine abuse. There's a fine line between coking once in a while in the bathroom at a club and buying a bag to get you through the day. In the hands of  a lesser actress, Blair's addiction could have become over the top but Gertz keeps her problems grounded in realism. The film, however, belongs to Downey Jr.'s Julian. He is charming, heartbreaking, funny, and you believe he really wants to get better. In just a short time he goes from graduating high school with his future wide open, to whoring himself out at parties for drugs. His demise is hard to watch and if you have ever known an addict, is pretty spot on. There is also the wonderful James Spader as the lecherous drug dealer Rip. R.I.P.: A great name for a drug dealer. Cinematographer Ed Lachman captures the color and the vibes of the 80s with such vibrant superficiality that watching it today is like opening a time capsule. Fantastic adaptation of the classic novel by Bret Easton Ellis. Let's not forget The Bangles cover of the song "Hazy Shade of Winter."

SILENCE LIKE GLASS - (1989) - *** - dir. Carl Schenkel. Jami Gertz, Martha Plimpton, George Peppard, Rip Torn, Bruce Payne, Yeardley Smith. Gertz plays Eva Martin, a young ballerina who is diagnosed with cancer and admitted to the youth cancer ward where she shares a room with fellow patient Claudia Jacoby (Martha Plimpton). I haven't seen this film for years and it is very hard to find. Most people I come across have never even heard of it. I remember working in the video store and seeing Gertz's gorgeous face on the cover of the VHS box. I was also in love with Martha Plimpton after seeing The Goonies and Runnig On Empty. It is by no means an easy film to watch but the acting is so strong from the two female leads, you're captivated. If you are a fan of either actress, you should seek out this film. German title Zwei Frauen (Two Women.) This would make a beautiful stage play.

SIBLING RIVALRY - (1990) - *** - dir. Carl Reiner. Kirstie Alley, Bill Pullman, Carrie Fisher, Jami Gertz, Scott Bakula, Frances Sternhagen, John Randolph, Sam Elliot, Ed O'Neil. This is one of my Mom's favorite movies. We must have watched it dozens of times together. An absolutely wonderful black comedy ensemble piece. Marjorie Turner's (Kirstie Alley) marriage is on the rocks. She is urged by her sister (Jami Gertz in all her kooky glory) to have an affair and when she does, the man dies. This is just the start of the film. When we find out that the man she had sex with is the brother of her husband-one she has not previously met-shit just gets crazy. It's nice to see Ed O'Neil play it straight for once and Carrie Fisher makes a wonderful bitch. Alley has some fantastic lines, "It wasn't sex, it was good."

JERSEY GIRL - 1992 - *** - dir. David Burton Morris. Jami Gertz, Dylan McDermott, Joseph Bolgna, Sheryl Lee, Aida Turturro, Molly Price, Joseph Mazzello. This movie was never given a fair chance and instead was relegated to a life of "straight to VHS". It's a fine romantic comedy in the vein of Pretty Women and it's just as good if not better than any of this shit Hilary Swank or Katherine Heigl puts out. Gertz plays Toby, a Jersey girl from Hackensack, who wants more outta life than acrylic nails and Italian sausage. She wants a successful man to take her to parties and dinners and fancy places. So, she decides to scope out a man at the local BMW shop. Hey, why not? Better than taking home a hooker. The film's gotta lot of heart and Gertz wears it on her sleeve. Nice performance from Joseph Bologna as Gertz's father. Do not mistake this for that crappy 2004 Jennifer Lopez/Ben Affleck fiasco.

TWISTER - 1996 - *** - dir. Jan de Bont. Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Carey Elwes, Jami Gertz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Jeremy Davies. Made $241 Million at the domestic box office and nearly half a billion worldwide. This is by far the most popular of Gertz's film. It is loads of fun. Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton lead a team of tornado chasers who are about to revolutionize the way scientists study tornadoes. There are also the rival scientists who aim to foil their plans. Don't pay much attention to the plot here; the truly impressive element is the fantastic, Oscar nominated, visual effects. Gertz's Melissa Reeves is the only character in the film that has honest reactions to the storms. I'd be screaming my head off too if I was a few feet away from a crazy- ass storm monster.

Netflix's 26 New Streaming Titles - Review *

I pick Sonia.

*For Pamela Dale Pantell (And Maybe Your Mother)

It's 5 days into the New Year and a couple of items have already reached their saturation point.

I'm sick of hearing about Beyonce. Just pick someone else to talk about already. Honestly, when she is not singing she is the most boring person on earth. And lets not even talk about that lame apology she gave after being confronted with using dead astronaut voices from the Challenger disaster on her new single. For what it's worth (and I don't even know what this means) I'd rather have martinis with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor than Ms. Knowles.

Pot is legal in Colorado! Great. It's really not that big a deal to those of you who have been smoking it for years now is it? Who are you gonna play X-Box with for 8 hours if not your pot dealer? Is this really a good thing?

It's cold on the east coast and I'm very sorry about that but it's not in Southern California. Stop making me feel bad for wearing flip flops in January.

Oh no! Netflix has stopped streaming Titanic and Top Gun. Who cares, virtually every person on earth has seen those films. Netflix always rotates their streaming titles, why all the hullabaloo now? The good news is they have uploaded 26 new titles for streaming. I'm going to give quick little reviews of these films. Mainly for April's mom, Pamela Dale Pantell. That way she can know which of these new titles she should watch. I will use the standard 4 star rating structure however if I think it's a title that PDP will enjoy (or maybe your mother) I will denote that with a (P) and bold the review.

It's a hodgepodge of movies. Very unusual choices but some outstanding titles nontheless. Enjoy.

 

 

Amélie - (2002) **** (P) - One of the best films on this list. This a visually stunning movie that everyone loves. Audrey Tautou in a star making performance as the girl who tries to make everything right in the lives of those she loves. But what happens when it's time to focus on her life? French with English Subtitles. My mom refuses to watch films with subtitles. I'm pretty sure PDP can handle them. The film received 5 Oscar nominations.

American Psycho - (2000) ** - I personally didn't like this movie. Very violent adaptation of the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. Christian Bale gives an intense performance as usual however, the film looses sight of the satire that lies in yuppie 80's Wall Street and becomes a disturbing, by the numbers horror film. The outstanding cast, including Reese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis, Jared Leto and Willem Dafoe, is completely wasted.

Big Trouble in Little China - (1986) **½ - This John Carpenter camp classic is not for everyone. Kurt Russell plays a John Wayne type truck driver who comes to town and is asked to save Kim Cattrall from the evil Chinese dark lords. I watched this hundreds of times as kid with my brother. Not sure what that says about me but I'll probably watch it again.

Breakfast at Tiffany's - (1961) ***½ (P) - Film adaptation of Truman Capote's novel about everyone's favorite mod girl, Holly Golightly. Winning classic romance also stars George Peppard, Patricia Neal and Buddy Ebsen.(!) If you haven't seen this film by now, do yourself a favor and watch it. Heck, watch it again. Oscar winner for Best Song "Moon River."


Bull Durham - (1988) *** (P) - What a treat to get to watch this film again. Three superstars in star making performances. Susan Sarandon. Tim Robbins. Kevin Costner. Sarandon plays a devout baseball fan who sleeps with one new player every year from her favorite minor league baseball team. Robbins plays Nuke, the cocky new pitcher and Costner is Crash, the veteran catcher who has been assigned to mentor him. Great fun all around and pretty sexy too. Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay Ron Shelton.

Children of a Lesser God - (1986) ** - I will go on record saying I am biased of this film. I don't like it and find it hard to watch. Mainly because Marlee Matlin won the Oscar for Best Actress, in this her film debut. Her whole performance is in sign language. That's the one novelty of this dated, hokey film. William Hurt plays a teacher at a school for the deaf and is smitten and curious by janitor (?!) Matlin. An interesting premise for a love story. (By the way Matlin beat out Kathleen Turner who had a far superior performance in the underrated classic Peggy Sue Got Married, see Kathleen Turner post here.)

The Chinese Connection - (1972) *** - This is Bruce Lee in fine form. Funny, charming and with his always excellent martial art skills. He is on the search for the murderers of his mentor. Watch out! This is one of Lee's better films. This is a not a (P) film because most mommies hate martial arts. But I enjoyed it.

Days of Thunder - (1990) - **½ (P) - This is a typical by the numbers movie about race car driving. Star Tom Cruise is at his brooding best and Robert Duvall is actually pretty good as pit crew chief but after more that at least 100 action movie cliches, it loses it's charm. Some pretty good racing stunts and some pretty-pretty shots of Nicole Kidman. I am (P) recommending this because it's a great movie for moms and dads to watch together. Directed by Top Gun director Tony Scott and Oscar nominated for Best Sound.

The Day the Earth Stood Still - (1951) - **** (P) - This is one of the best science fiction films ever made. Aliens come to earth in the form of a regal alien played by Michael Rennie. He carries a message of peace and delivers an anti-nuclear weapon warning. Most of mankind share his beliefs but not all. Directed by Robert Wise and also starring Patricia Neal and Hugh Marlowe.

Death Race 2000 - (1975) - ** - This dated action film starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone is over the top and is reminiscent of modern day video games. It's about extreme race car driving where participants receive extra points for running over pedestrians. It's ok if you like this sort of thing.

Ghost - (1990) - *** (P) - Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore shine in this love story. Swayze is murdered and comes back as a ghost. With the help of psychic Whoopi Goldberg (in an Oscar winning performance) he sets out to warn Moore of who his murderer is. Also Oscar nominated for Best Picture.

Good Burger - (1997) - *½ - Strictly for children. Based on the popular 90's Nickelodeon show about Good Burger fast food restaurant and the rival Mondo Burger across the street. Star Kenan Thompson has been a regular on Saturday Night Live for for a decade now. Cameo's from B-List celebrities abound including Abe Vigoda, Shaquille O'Neal and Carmen Electra.

The Grapes of Wrath - (1940) - **** (P) - I know watching this classic John Ford film may feel like it's homework but it's not. Based on the required reading novel by John Steinbeck, Wrath follows the story of the Joad family as they head out west to California during the Great Depression. All star cast headed by Henry Fonda. Jane Darwell won a Supporting Actress Oscar for playing Ma Joad as did director Ford. One of the all time greats.

Mousehunt - (1997) - **½ - Ok film of its sort follows Nathan Lane and Lee Evans who inherit a decrepit old house and string factory from their father that is infested with one determined little rodent. Slapstick comedy ensues. Gore Verbinski (The Pirates of the Caribbean) directs.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles - (1987) - *** (P) - John Hughes directs Steve Martin and John Candy in this Thanksgiving road movie with pretty good results. Martin is trying his damnedest to get home for the holiday and Candy is the obnoxious road mate he is stuck with.

Play It Again, Sam - (1972) - *** (P) - Film adaptation of Woody Allen's play directed by Herbert Ross (The Last of Shelia, Steel Magnolias). Allen plays his neurotic self trying to date after his divorce. With the help of the ghost of Humphrey Bogart, of course. Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts also star.

Raging Bull - (1980) - *** - Some people praise this as their favorite Martin Scorsese film, I think it's good. Robert DeNiro won an Oscar for Best Actor for playing boxer Jake La Motta. A close look at his violent life in and out of the ring. Nominated for a butt-load of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress Cathy Moriarty and Best Supporting Actor Joe Pesci.

Red Dawn - (1984) - ** - World War III is upon us when the Russians invade mid-western United States.(!) The fate of the world lies in the hands of a group of teenagers who escape into the mountains. Starring a who's who list of Brat Packers including Lea Thompson, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey and C. Thomas Howell. Harry Dean Stanton rises above the material as the father of two of the kids. Another movie I watched far too many times as a kid. For some reason this was remade in 2012.

Scrooged - (1988) - *** (P) - A retelling of the classic Dickens tale A Christmas Carol but set in the 80's in the cynical world of Television Production. Bill Murray is a hoot as the Scrooge character, an overbearing TV exec who wants his staff to work on the holiday. Full of a fantastic supporting cast that includes Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait, Robert Mitchum, Alfre Woodard, Anne Ramsey and a glorious Carol Kane as Ghost of Christmas Present. Oscar nominated for Best Makeup. Directed by Richard Donner (The Goonies).

Spaceballs - (1987) - *** (P) - Mel Brooks and company try their hand at spoofing Star Wars with mostly good results. Fun enough for everyone. Mel Brooks plays 2 roles including Yogurt. "May the Schwartz be with you." John Candy, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga and the voice of Joan Rivers co-star.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture - **½ - Not much to say here. This is the first film outing for the franchise and really is for the most loyal of Trekkies. Followed by many, many sequels.

The Talented Mr. Ripley - (1999) - **** (P) - One of my all time favorite films. Fantastic adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel about Tom Ripley. Tom (Matt Damon) is hired by a rich American to track down his son, Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law in a star making performance), and bring him back to the States. Instead Damon can't help but like the guy and aspires to be him. At any cost. Nominated for five Oscars the cast also includes none other than Cate Blanchett, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Philip Baker Hall. Directed by Anthony Minghella (The English Patient).

Thelma and Louise - (1991) - ***½ (P) - Now iconic road movie about two fed up women who get out of town and leave behind their men only to become fugitives. Oscar winning script by Callie Khouri and two memorable performances from Susan Sarandon and Genna Davis. Directed by Ridley Scott. Also starring Harvey Keitel and Brad Pitt's abs.

Tora! Tora! Tora! - (1970) - *** (P) - Faithful retelling of the events that led up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Told for the point of views of both American and Japanese armies. Nominated for five Oscars including a win for Best Visual Effects. The attack scene is really something!

West Side Story - (1961) - **** (P) - What can be said about this perfect adaptation of one of Broadway's biggest hits? The film won 10 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (George Chakiris) and Best Supporting Actress (Rita Moreno.)

What's Eating Gilbert Grape? - (1993) *** (P) - Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) lives in a small town and takes care of his retarded brother (Leonardo DiCaprio in an Oscar nominated performance) and his obese mother (excellent newcomer Darlene Cates) who hasn't left the house in 7 years. Great supporting cast includes Mary Steenburgen, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover and Juliette Lewis. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

Mark Ruffalo Just Can't Get Enough - Thanks For Sharing Review

Thank the Lord. 2013 is behind us. (Sigh.) That was a rough one.

Happy New Year.

So, I spent most of the week with friends. Doing things. Friend things.

Nice Rack.

My friend April Pantell really wanted a rack. She has a thing for racks lately. Spice racks, clothing racks, magazine racks, CD racks, DVD racks, wire racks, key racks, bike racks, surfboard racks, pot and pan racks, wooden racks, racks with wheels, racks with bells. I have never known her to be so organized. I guess people can change.

We spent a good part of the afternoon the other day driving around Orange County looking for suitable racks. Ross, TJ Maxx, Walmart, Target, Walmart again. No rack was good enough for her. (I can only imagine what it would be like to date her.) It was a complete waste of a shopping day. But it lead to a marvelous idea (April and I have a ton of marvelous ideas-at least, according to us.)



Future Employees of the Month!

Ok, so are you ready for this?

...There needs to be a one-stop-shop for all your racking needs. None of this traipsing around town searching for sub-par discount racks. Imagine: The perfect rack store. It could reside in Fullerton. There is an area near Commonwealth Avenue and Raymond Avenue that could really use some foot traffic. It would be called - "NICE RACK". Only big breasted men and women could work there. Their attire would be black slacks, black shoes and a fluorescent pink shirt that would  read in white letters: "Nice Rack."

I know I'd shop there. Come to think of it, I could use a rack for my Fisher Price Little People. I collect them. (No, it's not weird.)

April and I co-wrote a blog way back when. You can check it out here.

I'm hiding from Liz.

I also got to spend time with the talented, lovely birthday girl, Liz Uhl. Now Liz, Liz is hoot. Liz is the kinda person where the only way you can get her to exercise is if you throw the wine opener across the room. I've never seen a woman move so fast in my life. Liz lives in Hollywood, so I drove up there and had a wonderful time hanging out with her and her friends listening to great stories. There was this one story about this girl who pooped in the Walgreen's parking lot. No one would actually say who the girl was but I know she was at the party. I could smell her. Good times.

Anyway, I watched a bunch of movies over the last couple days that I'd never seen. Django Unchained, Life of Pi, An Unfinished Life. But the one I'm gonna write about is a fantastic ensemble piece, Thanks For Sharing.

THANKS FOR SHARING - 2013 - ***

dir. Stuart Blumberg
Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, Pink (as Alecia Moore), Carol Kane.

Most people think sex addiction isn't really a thing. Just something your partner says they have when they get caught cheating. But that's not true. It's a thing. Wikipedia defines addiction as the continued repetition of a behavior despite adverse consequences. That's a good definition.

An addict can get addicted to anything, even sex. Thanks For Sharing is an open, honest and frank look at the world through the eyes of an addict. All sorts of addicts. But mainly sex addicts. Have I mentioned it's mostly a romantic comedy? And a damn good one.

Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is basically our hero here. After years of hookers and porn he has been on the straight and narrow for 5 years. He helps lead SAA (Sex Addicts Anonymous) meetings with his sponsor and best friend Mike (Tim Robbins). New to the group, and court appointed to SAA, is Neil (a wonderful Josh Gad). He was a doctor until he got fired for filming up the skirts of his co-workers. The movie follows the lives of these three men and their daily struggles with their demons.

Adam is longing for a relationship. One night he meets Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow) at a party and they hit it off. But how do you tell the woman of your dreams you're a sex addict? (By the way, sex within a relationship is allowed for sex addicts.)

Richardson. Fugit. Robbins.

Mike is not only a sex addict but also a recovering alcoholic. He has a damaged relationship with his son (a very appealing Patrick Fugit) who is also a drug user. He is married to Katie (Joely Richardson), who questions her sanity everyday for choosing to be with an addict. What does that say about her? (Did I mention this is a comedy?)

Then, there is poor Neil. He just doesn't want to change. He lies about his sobriety, he can't throw out his porn, and he doesn't know how to tell his mother (a nice-to-see-you Carol Kane) he's been fired. But then, Dede (Pink) joins their little recovering addict family and things change.

The relationships in this movie are complicated. They are real. The actors are living beautifully within their fucked up worlds. There is no easy answer for people whose lives are affected by addiction. And this movie knows that.

A fantastic directorial debut for Oscar nominated screenwriter (The Kids Are All Right) Stuart Blumberg.

(3 stars *** out of 4 ****)