RIP Sydney Pollack

The death of Sydney Pollack came to a shock to me, I didn't even know he was sick. At any rate, we've lost a very good director and one of the best character actors around. Pollack has been responsible for some of the best mainstream films since the late 60s, my personal favorite might be "3 Days of the Condor" with Robert Redford and Max Von Sydow playing one of the most memorable hitmen in modern film. Redford was one of his favorites, as he appeared in seven of Pollack's films.

As an actor, I found Pollack even more impressive always being able to stand out above most in the films he was in. I think my favorite Pollack performance was in Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" where he plays a not so innocent influential friend to Tom Cruise. The last film I saw him in was as George Clooney's boss in "Michael Clayton". He never had the standout speeches like the Oscar golden boys Clooney or Tom Wilkinson, but he was just as memorable, he didn't have to be flashy, and that's my favorite kind of actor. Pollack will be missed.

CRACK THAT WHIP!!

I liked "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" because it gave me exactly what I expected. I mean think about it, it's in the title that wonderfully escapist title. What is the Crystal Skull? I dare not say to those who have not yet seen it, needless to say it doesn't really matter, but it does get the ball rolling, and it rolls furiously.

Only a man like Indiana Jones could be found in a place like Area 51 at the beginning of a movie, and only a man like Indiana Jones could get out of a sticky situation involving Russians, only to end up in a nuclear testing site with a bunch of fake dummies, and only a man like Indiana Jones could survive an actual nuclear blast while hiding in a refrigerator and get barely unscathed.

I guess that's why the guy is so popular, he's pretty indestructible only now he's older and wiser and looks like he's getting pretty used to it.

When Indy returns to his day job as a college professor he is accused of being a communist sympathizer, he is put on indefinite suspension, but of course the good Dr. Jones can't just walk off quietly into the sunset. A young greaser named Mutt Williams (Shi Lebeuf) seeks out Indy to help find a professor named Oxley who Indy once knew. After evading some government officials courtesy of Mutt's motorcycle, the two are off to find Oxley and the mystery of what he was uncovering.

Along the way Indy runs into his old flame Marion (We missed you Karen Allen) along with the Russians from the beginning headed by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett having a lot of fun). They also find the the doctor Oxley (John Hurt) who seems to have lost his mind, however he is guided by the secrets that the Crystal Skull has given him and along the way, the gang encounters man eating ants, some cool looking monkeys and three waterfalls, along with a cool car chase.

So here's what's right with the film, Harrison Ford is one of those actors who has aged gracefully, and he plays Indy his own age, he's a little world worn and even has a hint of sadness at the beginning when we learn how alone he has now become. Indy is in a different state than he was in the first three. He's gone through a war now, and the world seems more dangerous and complex. Indy even reaches a little bit of depth with his old age, that I found touching in the beginning. Spielberg doesn't miss a beat with the amount of action and site gags he has become accustomed with this series.

A lot of the success of this film has to do with nostalgia much like Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns". The whole point is being brought back to the spirit of what the original films were like. Unlike George Lucas' "Star Wars" prequels which lacked heart of the original, Spielberg and Ford want to remind us why this character has lasted into our minds. Call me an old softy for thinking that way. Then of course there is the re-introduction of Marion Ravenwood which got the biggest reaction from the audience in the theatre I was watching it in. Had Howard Hawks been alive today, I'm sure Karen Allen would've become the star she so richly deserved. Her million dollar smile puts Julia Roberts to shame.

Ok so this film isn't perfect, the dialogue is probably the most wooden and humourless of the series which is a serious drawback. I was in stitches as much as I was in suspense in the first three films, but this one seemed to be struggling for some genuine chuckles. Luckily Ford's reactions and timing make up for some of the lazy script.

But the whole point of Indiana Jones is keeping it light and fluffy and keeping it going. Not much attention is given to the plot which is the major problem of recent blockbusters. Spielberg and Lucas are smart enough to know that the plot is only an excuse for the action, so any contrivances can be forgiven. Indiana Jones will forever be divided by audiences and critics alike, but for my money no other character has made the summer movie season seem so worthwhile.

3.5 stars out of 4

The Wilder Hero: Stalag 17

Billy Wilder isn't really the director to focus on the heroics of people. His films are usually laced with anti-heroes. The Billy Wilder film doesn't bring to mind the the image of the common man fighting for un-just laws such as a Capra film, nor would it be full of the many "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" persona reflected in many films by Hawks or Ford.

Wilder's men always seem to be too buried in reality to be the typical hero. There are times his characters do rise to the occasion. Jack Lemmon's C.C. Baxter in "The Apartment" for one does finally stand up to his boss simply because he couldn't stand the kind of person he became. Charles Laughton's lawyer in "Witness for the Prosecution" is one of the best attorney's ever put on screen, but even he evades real heroism at the end when all his work was in vain and he was actually a pawn caught in the middle of a bigger game that was being played.

Then sometimes Wilder doesn't even give his characters very heroic aspects at all, such as Fred McMurray in "Double Indemnity" or Kirk Douglas in "Ace in the Hole".

But I think there was at least one time a Wilder character became a hero in spite of himself, at for me that's William Holden's P.O.W. Sgt. Sefton in "Stalag 17".

"Stalag 17" might be considered minor Wilder, and there are those who felt Holden's best actor Oscar for the film was just a make-up for not getting it for "Sunset BLVD." On the contrary, in so many ways it's the perfect Holden role and the perfect Wilder setting.

The film takes place in a German P.O.W. camp and focuses on the lives of the captured Americans who try cope with their surroundings. There have been attempts of escape by many of the soldiers, but they have always been foiled by the Germans. It isn't soon after that the group of men begin to suspect a spy in their midst who tip the Germans off to their escape plans.

The perfect suspect for the men is Sefton, a natural born cynic who even puts wagers that the escape attempts will fail. He is not liked by the men due to his untrustful nature and the fact that he profits from the deaths of fallen comrades. He's the perfect man to suspect, and a revolt against Sefton begins, he's brutally beaten and is watched by the others. The only way now for Sefton to prove his innocence is to find the real spy.

Sgt. Sefton is the perfect Wilder hero, mostly because he becomes a hero in spite of himself. The audience begins to relate to this guy a lot more than his gung ho comrades, who sometimes act as if it's an honor to go out in the blaze of glory, and sometimes they're so blinded by loyalty, they don't realize Sefton is probably the most honest guy in the room. Sefton is more grounded in reality, he understands the odds and thinks it's foolish for the others to stick their necks out so needlessly. The film ends with a climactic escape attempt by Sefton and he does so in a way that is true to his character.

William Holden was one of the greatest movie stars ever and this part fits him like a glove. Holden always had the punch-drunk look in his face and the way he carried himself he seemed worn out and disappointed by the world. The first time I saw him in a film was in David Lean's "The Bridge on the River Kwai" where again he played an American soldier this time in a Japanese Prisoner camp. In that film he felt he had better odds living if he tried to escape from the camp than dying there.

As Sefton Holden finds the man's humour and sensibility very naturally like a glove. He doesn't try to gain our sympathy but instead just fleshes him out as a human being who might just be capable of doing the right thing.

Although this film is based on a stage play, Wilder makes the material his own. He revels in the humour of these sad and desperate men, and in Sefton I think he found a man he was willing to root for. In many ways I would call "Stalag 17" Wilder's feel good movie.

Cannes the Mannes (Lazy play on words I know)

The 61st annual Cannes Film Festival is upon us and like the eager movie lover that I am I just love hearing about the sort of films that are coming out of there. Although Cannes is considered the biggest film festival in the world, lately I've been feeling that it is slowly being eclipsed by "Toronto" in many ways. But "Cannes" always has that exotic feel to it that other festivals just don't.

I haven't heard much about many of the films in contention, but the ones I have heard about such as Clint Eastwood's "The Changeling" starring Angelina Jolie and Steven Sodebergh's 4 hour plus "Che" about the famed Cuban revolutionary has my mouth watering on what to expect come the fall season.

Of course the unique thing about Cannes is how it splits the movies into two groups, the films that are in competition and the ones that are more of a commercial nature. Of course the big commercial film to open the festival this year was "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull". It had the most press in the first couple of days of the festival simply because it was so anticipated and the movie critics had to rush to finish their reviews as soon as possible. Now that Indy has opened, it now seems the focus is shifting on who will win the Golden Palm D'Or.

I've only had the chance to watch the awards ceremony once, it was aired on a french channel and had no subtitles, needless to say I was a bit baffled as to what awards were being handed out, but it was interesting to say the least. I think Sigourney Weaver was one of the jurors.

I'm excited to keep up with the news at Cannes and the films being premiered there, we still have new ones from Atom Egoyan, Wim Wenders, Charlie Kaufman, Woody Allen and Palm D'Or Golden boys the Dardenne's

Happy 100th Jimmy Stewart

Perhaps the most likable actor in history and a personal fav of mine Jimmy Stewart would've been 100 years old tomorrow. Stewart was probably the main inspiration for me growing up. Seeing his performances in films like "Mr. Smith goes to Washington", "Vertigo" and especially "It's a Wonderful Life" influenced me to head into the acting field. He has worked with the likes of Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Ernst Lubitsch, George Cukor, and Billy Wilder just to name a few. His most frequent collaborator was Anthony Mann who made 8 films with him including some of the best westerns ever. At times I think his everyman quality masked the fact that he was a terrific and versatile actor. Here is my list of favorite Stewart performances.



1. It's a Wonderful Life: As George Bailey, Stewart is the epitome of everyman struggle. Is the perfect balance of early Stewart naivete but gives us a glimpse of what to expect in his later years. The film was the first he made after serving time in the war and his last film for director Frank Capra, it's the perfect cap to a great actor/director relationship.

2. Vertigo: Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece was hard to watch the first time, but after multiple viewings, I am now among the masses who worship this film. Although Hitchcock's craft is front and center, we see Stewart as the warped detective Scottie Ferguson sink into unheard of depths. In a poll by Entertainment Weekly, Stewart's performance here scored highest of Best performances that never got an Oscar nomination.

3. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: His breakthrough role, once again by Frank Capra is on the surface an inspirational David Vs. Goliath story, but if you scratch underneath as in a lot of Capra films, it's really biting social commentary on how modern politics are run, but it's really Stewart's top performance that makes this a must see. His filibuster is like watching an acting marathon.

4. The Shop Around the Corner: Stewart and Margaret Sullivan are one of the most charming couples on screen in this Lubitsch classic of two lonely hearts who despise each other in real life but don't realize they are secret pen pals. This film has been remade countless times but the charm of this original still stands above all of its imitators. Incidentally since Stewart plays a man technically from Budapest, it's one of the only times he has not played an American.

5. The Naked Spur: Stewart and Anthony Mann made a lot of westerns together but I think this is my favorite of the bunch, as a bounty hunter bringing home a killer (Robert Ryan) Stewart is a man drawn to the edge of losing his humanity. Stewart is always compelling as our everyman hero, but he's almost always better when he willing to let lose his inner demons like in this one. It's gritty and almost noirish its themes.

Other Stewart Gems not to be missed are "Rear Window", "The Philadelphia Story" (For which he won his only Oscar), "Winchester '73", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", "The Man From Laramie", "Harvey", "Anatomy of a Murder", "The Flight of the Phoenix", "Call Northside 777", "Destry Rides Again", "Shenandoah", "You Can't Take it With You", and if you totally want to see a fun early role see him in "After the Thin Man".

Tell me, what is your favorite Stewart performance, I would love to know.

River of No Return

Sometimes the only way we know what the future holds is how it affects our past. This is the primary thing "Up the Yangtze" a very involving documentary is telling us.
The documentary tells about China's mystical river which was a thing of great beauty and pride among its people, but was doomed to be dammed thus erasing many majestic things about it as well as a great deal of farming community.

Most of the story takes place along a cruise ship which gives tourists a chance to cross it. What filmmaker Yung Chang keeps us in mind is that the original river has been destroyed due to its over flooding which erases many of the landmarks which makes China so unique, so basically the tourists aren't seeing much. The ship is being hosted by a bunch young locals who we see are pretty much taken and reformed to look and act more western. They think this will lead them towards more money.

One of the workers is the young daughter of a family who's home will be destroyed by the flooding of the river. The most emotional moments come when she is forced to leave her home and work for the cruise ship. She does not want to work and was hoping for a more fulfilling future, but both her and her family know it is not possible, they know this is the best way she can get money. While she is living on the boat, her family still skimps by with very little, waiting for the time they know they must leave.

The irony of this situation is not lost, it's a tragic thing for this family who must sacrifice their daughter to the very machine which is cutting off their lively hood. The girl is treated more as a clog than a human being on a boat, she is berated by her co-workers after she breaks out in tears, and we see a bittersweet reunion with her parents on the boat where she has to sit and hear how she must learn more discipline from both them and her boss.

Meanwhile the Yangtze is climbing higher and higher and we watch in dread as it swallows the land more and more. The scenery gives the river a character that looks dark and forbidding, and Chang contrasts this with the sight of the lively cruise ship making its way down the it.

Many parts of "Up the Yangtze" are very effective, and it was the right choice to focus primarily on the one family rather than the grander scale. By doing this, Chang makes this film more emotional rather than political, which makes the sequence where we see the river rising over time to its current status all the more heartbreaking. It's a bitter pill to swallow.

3.5 stars out of 4

Full Metal Jacket

Robert Downey Jr. has to be one of the most interesting actors working today. I think he's on par with Johnny Depp when it comes to making a possibly bland character into something a tad more interesting. Because Robert Downey Jr. is starring in "Iron Man" is the main reason to see this movie just as Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow was reason enough to see "Pirates of the Carribean".

I'm not saying Downey is the whole show, he's just most of it. Some of the show belongs to Gweneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard who provide excellent support in what is a run of the mill comic book film.

"Iron Man" is the story of Tony Stark a wealthy, and brilliant weapons manufacturer who is one day taken hostage by a group of terrorists who force Stark to make them the latest advanced rocket missile. Instead what Stark does is build himself a pretty hefty (and cool) suit of armour where he blasts his way to freedom.

After he returns, Stark turns over a new leaf and decides the only way to help the world is to destroy the weapons he helped create thus transforming into Iron Man.

What makes "Iron Man" interesting is the fact that Tony Stark isn't your poster boy do-gooder, we see him early on as a heavy drinker, womanizer who is only interested in himself, I must admit it is rather refreshing to see our hero not be such a boy scout. Downey is perfect as Stark since it's he also doesn't look the hero type especially if you look at most of the roles he's done. He provides the character with great humour and at times some pathos.

My favorite scenes usually include Stark with his gal Friday Pepper Potts (Paltrow), their dialogue is always snappy and entertaining. Jeff Bridges brings his usual gruff presence to his role as Stark's business partner Obadiah Stane, and even though he's given little to do Terrence Howard brings his own kind of warmth and humour to the role of Stark's best pal Jim Rhodes.

The film has some very interesting moments, such as the scene where Iron Man goes to Afghanistan to save some refugees from terrorists. It's the ultimate fantasy to see your hero kick butt on bad guys that we know truly exist and it's something you never see in a super hero movie.

Director Jon Favreau has a great fanboy flare for the superheros genre and gives fans what they come to expect, however that is also "Iron Man's" weakness. The film falls into the trappings of its genre during the third act as it goes for the usual bad guy, good guy showdown that we come to expect, and too many times I felt like I was just watching a promotion video on why this will be a successful franchise.

However I am still recommending "Iron Man" mostly for the performances and the few times it does actually surprise us, it's a nice beginning to the summer, but just don't expect anything too memorable.

3 stars out of 4

Summer is Here Again

Ahhh the summer season is here again. The great thing about thinking of summer in movie terms is it seems to last longer. It seems like only yesterday that the arthouse season ended with "No Country for Old Men" taking the Oscar back in March. Now it's time for the brand names to show us the money.

I got nothing against the summer season, I used to anticipate it as much as the last day of school, but now I'm a bit disillusioned by the fast food type servings of movies that spew out during these four months. Now a days the Iron Mans, Dark Knights, and the SpeedRacers don't interest me as much as they would have when I was younger. I do have a strong hold out for Indiana Jones though who still gives me goosebumps every time I hear his immortal theme music.

And like some summer seasons, there is that one surprise blockbuster that rises above the rest and actually becomes memorable. Three films from last summer actually made my top ten list of 2007 (The Bourne Ultimatum, Knocked Up, and The Simpsons Movie), but I've come to learn that with every winner there are usually more duds. Remember "I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry" or the bloated horrendous "Shrek the Third"? They were probably the two worst films I saw last year and they both were in the summer.

So with the summer season, I suggest to be smart in your choices, and just because a film is advertised as "THE MOVIE TO SEE THIS WEEKEND!" doesn't mean it's actually worth seeing.