Seven Samurai: Humanity in Battle

After just viewing one of my absolute favorite films "Seven Samurai" again after so many times, I am still moved by the scenes in it. Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is one of those rare films that works as both an entertaining action film and a philosophical one.

The story begins in a small farming village where the people there are being overrun and tormented by group of bandits. When things get desperate, the farmers go to their village elder for advice. He decides the only way the farmers can get rid of the bandits is to hire samurai. The search soon begins, but since the bandits haven't left the farmers with much, all they can offer the samurai are some bowls of rice.

The farmers soon find Kambei (Takashi Shimura), a learned samurai who they first notice in a famous scene involving him saving a child from a kidnapper. After being impressed with his skill they approach him. At first Kambei refuses the farmer's request stating it is not his fight, but soon has a change of heart after he considers their desperation. Kambei then figures that in order to be successful against the bandits, he must recruit six more samurai. Each of these man are highly individual, but most of them follow a certain Archetype. They include a young student samurai who learns under Kambei's wing (Isao Kimura), and a zen type samurai who is mostly silent and always focused in honing his skill (Seiji Miyaguchi). However the most memorable of these seven is the one played by Toshiro Mifune and his name is Kikuchiyo.

Kikuchiyo is an anomaly in the film in the sense that he's not a real samurai and was raised as a farmer. He's a comic character who represents the separate class system between the samurai and the farmers, and in this way he becomes the most interesting character. It's easy to identify with Kikuchiyo the easiest because since he's caught between these two worlds, we can sympathize with his criticisms for both parties. In one scene that clearly demonstrates Kikuchiyo's frustrations with the two systems, he's berated by wearing the uniform of fallen samurai soldiers. To the other samurai it is a sacred thing, but Kikuchiyo points out that it was the samurai who have forced the farmers to become thieves themselves.

Kurosawa seems to want to examine the rotten aspects of human nature and what makes people do bad things. However in contrast the film gives an optimistic approach by coming up with the solution that if people are brought together to serve a greater good, our humanity will flourish. The film is full of many poignant scenes involving the best of humanity and it is this philosophy that Kurosawa embraces in many of his films.

The final third of the film is pretty much non-stop action with many innovative techniques mastered by Kurosawa. They include multiple cameras and telephoto lenses that gets us right into the rainy, muddy battle. Each death in "Seven Samurai" is felt, battle is not seen as heroic here, but noble. When someone dies we feel it because we have gotten to know these characters, and we know they died through selfless deeds.

I'm moved each time I watch "Seven Samurai", Kurosawa himself considered it to be his personal favorite along with "Ikiru". The film's concept has been remade several times in North America, but the idea and the heart of the original has never been duplicated. "Seven Samurai" remains a classic of popular art, but more importantly it's one of the few films that represents the best of human nature and what can be accomplished through the greater good, after this film Kurosawa would be considered a master of cinema.

Movies I've seen Recently

Quantum of Solace: A James Bond film that has seemed to upset many a fan of the original tried and true Bond. While I love my martini drinking womanizing Sean Connery era Bond as much as the next person, I was still very much entertained with this newer more rugged one. The film has Bond trying to find the people responsible for the murder of his girlfriend Vesper Lynd who died in "Casino Royale". The film is very compact clocking in at only 100 minutes, but in that you get some real exciting chases, gunplay, and fist fights. Granted this film could've been condensed to 20 minutes and added on to the already too long "Casino Royale". I'm glad it was short and sweet, and here's hoping Bond has shaken off those demons and is back to his martini drinking and womanizing ways in the next film. 3 stars out of 4

Frozen River: A miracle of a film that works as a suspense film, family drama, and character study all with a very small budget. Melissa Leo is Ray Eddie, a single mother of two who's husband gambled away all their money for a new house and ran off. Desperate for money, she meets Lila (Misty Upham) who lives on the Mohawk reserve and gains money by transporting illegal immigrants from the Quebec border into the States. Ray becomes use to her since she is white and cops don't stop white people. Both of these women are fascinating characters and both are desperate to find money, they form an uncommon bond. Both Leo and Upham deserve Oscar nominations, and even though the film was tough to get into at first due to the restraining budget it proves what "Once" did last year, and that's it doesn't matter how much money you have as long as you got a good story to tell. This one does, it was mesmerizing. 4 stars out of 4

Twilight: Much like "High School Musical" I somehow found myself in the theatre watching this with friends, and just like that film I must say this was not for my audience. That isn't to say I didn't appreciate it. "Twilight" does have some redeeming qualities particularly from its two main stars who's names I won't mention since you all should know them by now. Unlike "Frozen River", this film does suffer from a lack of a budget, the special effects are never really impressive, however it was nice seeing a fantasy movie that was based more in reality. I appreciated how director Catherine Hardwick stuck with the romantic melodrama that comes right for its source material and I don't think she has gotten enough credit for it. I felt very old watching this film as I sympathized more with the father (Billy Burke) than I did with the teenage cast. No doubt the sequel will have a bigger budget and perhaps then this series will really bloom. 2.5 stars out of 4

Movies from A to Z

I picked this up from another site. The main idea is to list movies starting with each letter of the alphabet. Each movie has to say something about you, it's not a favorites list but rather more of why these films are important to your life. Pretty much you can make what you want with it. Hope you play along.

A- An Autumn Afternoon: Because it was Ozu's final film and no other director's work has affected me so much.

B- The Barbarian Invasions: Because I'm Canadian and this is my favorite Canadian film.

C- City Lights: Because who hasn't related to Charlie Chaplin's the Tramp at least once in their life? It's a main inspiration on my art and myself.

D- Do the Right Thing: Because it's alive and vibrant and provokes me each time I watch it.

E- Enchanted: Because I may have an unhealthy infatuation with Amy Adams.

F- Four Hundred Blows: Because it was the film that introduced me to world cinema and personal filmmaking.

G- The General: Because it was the first silent film I saw, but most importantly introduced me to the wonder that is Buster Keaton

H- Horse Feathers: Because where would I be without The Marx Brothers?

I- It's a Wonderful Life: Because it's my favorite, enough said.

J- Jules and Jim: Because as of right now no other film speaks to me more as an artist and a lover of film.

K- Kundun: Because it was the first Scorsese film I was aloud to see.

L- Late Spring: Because this film along with "Tokyo Story" changed the way I looked at movies and life in general.

M- My Fair Lady: Because it's my mother's favorite movie.

N- Notorious: Because it's a perfect movie that just doesn't get made anymore.

O- Once: Because it's a film I would recommend to anyone.

P- Pinocchio: Because it's the best animated film ever, and the donkey transformation scene is still scary.

Q- The Quiet Man: Because it's a film that's about it's characters and I'm charmed by it each time I see it.

R- Raiders of the Lost Ark: Because it speaks to my inner child.

S- The Shop Around the Corner: Because it was the first time I witnessed "The Lubitsch Touch".

T- Top Hat: Because it's a film world I want to be a part of.

U- Umberto D: Because I had a dog like Flick and his name was Buster.

V- Vertigo: Because it's a dream movie and I find something new in it each time I see it.

W- The Wild Bunch: Because William Holden, Robert Ryan, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Edmond O'Brien, and Ernest Borgnine were the coolest guys ever to be in one movie together.

X- Xanadu: Because this is a hard letter and because Olivia Newton John was quite attractive in those days.

Y- You Can't Take it With You: Because it was the film that taught me there are more important things in this world than money, and you should enjoy what you do more.

Z- Zelig: Because more often than once I wished I were a human chameleon.

The Oscar Conspiracy Theory

The following is a transmission that was intercepted by this blog. It was written by an anonymous Oscar Conspiracy theorist who's location is unknown. It was dated October 22nd 2008.

When I was young I thought the Oscars were the be all and end all of what makes a good movie, then I think it was about the time "Gladiator" won best picture, I sensed something was fishy. Could it be that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a sham? Is it just some glitz and glamour awards show put on every year for our entertainment? Just to be fare I saw "Gladiator" again to make sure I wasn't accusing them of any wrong doing, but it was no use, I was right the first time, "Gladiator" was a bad film. Everything from Julia Roberts crying her eyes out to Billy Crystal supplying endless Jack Palance jokes, was all for our entertainment, they weren't congratulating excellence at all.

Suddenly all the little pieces made sense, "Taxi Driver", "Network", "All the President's Men" all losing to "Rocky"? I should've known back then. Deep in my heart I knew they were all better movies, but I guess I was just so swept up by Rocky's Cinderella story of coming from the streets and going the distance with Apollo Creed it didn't even matter. I didn't even see the Academy's vultures of schmaltz circling my house. I thought I saw them years later when "Forrest Gump" beat "Pulp Fiction", but it seemed so real, I mean Tom Hanks really looked like he was talking to John F. Kennedy, and "Pulp Fiction" had all that sodomy in it right? Right?

But something still didn't seem right, I needed more proof, maybe the Academy wasn't perfect, but it couldn't carry an 80 year legacy on lies. "Rocky", and "Forrest Gump" might've just been clerical errors, recounts weren't as common back then. Someone might've just lost a ballot or two, I needed more evidence.

I went through it by categories, Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director. Some made sense like Diane Keaton winning for "Annie Hall"or Marlon Brando winning for "The Godfather". But somethings didn't add up, like Katherine Hepburn winning for "Guess who's Coming to Dinner" or Al Pacino winning for "Scent of a Woman". These were great actors in sub-par material. I began writing the words "Oscar" and "Sub-par" in my computer to see what would come up, and like a google tidal wave, the truth was revealed. "The English Patient", "Rain Man", "Chicago", "My Cousin Vinny", Ron Howard....it was true it was all true. I looked for anyone who might clear the Academy's tainted name: Stanley Kubrick, Robert Altman, Cary Grant, but it was no use, and then D-Day came when I looked up the year 1941. "And the Oscar goes to How Green was my Valley." The snubbing of "Citizen Kane" was all the proof I needed.

Years have past since I found out the ugly truth behind the Academy Awards. I've been watching the awards show with a watchful eye. The Academy has been getting craftier through the years. Even the misdirection of having Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas present the Best Director Oscar to Martin Scorsese didn't work on me, (although I admit, I did choke up a bit). It didn't hide the fact that he had to wait until movie star directors Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, and Clint Eastwood all got theirs first. I'm on to you Academy, don't think that just by honoring the Coen Brothers, it's going to keep me off your trail.

To all people who wish to fight the resistance. The Academy cannot read this portion as it is encrypted in a special anti-Academy bold font. Below is a list of films which I fear will be left off the ballots this year if the Academy has their way. You can all help in your own small way by going to your local video store or your local art houses and viewing these films and telling all your friends about them. If you have more to add please let me know. Viva La Resistance!!

In Bruges
My Winnipeg
Frozen River
The Visitor
The Fall

Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Mifune: The Original Man With No Name.

I've been enjoying many of my Kurosawa films this month, and after viewing some of his more serious although enjoyable films such as "Throne of Blood" or "The Bad Sleep Well" both of which were inspired by Shakespearean tragedies, I took a break and decided to view Kurosawa at his most tongue and cheek. Perhaps Kurosawa's most commercial and accessible films are the two that deal with the unknown samurai played by Toshiro Mifune, they are "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro".

Yojimbo: This story begins when the unknown samurai wonders into a strange town that is overrun by two warring gambling families. It is a strange occurrence that both of these families happen to be equally bad, and the only good left in the town seems to come from a lowly restaurant owner who is sick of all the bloodshed. The people that are left in the town seem to only profit from the death like the undertaker who is in high demand for coffins each time a fight breaks out. After learning of all this from the restaurant owner, the nameless samurai decides it could be profitable for him if he loans himself out as a bodyguard to the family that is the highest bidder. We soon come to find out that the samurai is not your typical honor bound warrior. Very soon after he swears allegiance to one side, he quickly changes his mind and moves on to the other side. We soon get the sense that the samurai is merely playing with these two warring families for his own entertainment.

I can only wonder what the reaction was when the character in "Yojimbo" first appeared on screen. Here was a man who seems to be only looking out for his best interests and didn't care who lived or who died in the battle between these families. This was most uncommon with the usual heroes you saw who were mostly kept unambiguous. But as the film progresses we soon learn that there is a heart in this samurai, even though he could care less if two evil organizations spend the time and energy to kill themselves, but he does step in if an innocent is caught in the crossfire. This remains one of Kurosawa's most popular films and was one of his many samurai stories that was Americanized into a western. Sergio Leone remade it rather famously in "A Fistfull of Dollars" a film that turned Clint Eastwood into a star. Although I admire Leone's film as a very stylized movie, it's clear to even him that it was a complete ripoff of Kurosawa's film. Kurosawa even liked the film, but that didn't stop him from suing Leone for plagiarism.

Kurosawa's idea for the film came because he was curious with the idea of having two evils in a film that were equal in every way, and he wanted to show that as men we are usually weak and must choose between two evils. However Kurosawa wanted to give an alternative and say there is a higher road that we can choose from without compromising our beliefs. This is embodied in the nameless samurai. The idea of this man has become a staple in modern cinema, he's a loner who not only fights the bad guys but also the corruption in his own system. You could say that western characters such as Dirty Harry, or John McClane are a spawn of this man. By the end of the film you might think that Kurosawa had all he wanted to say with this character but that wasn't the case.

Sanjuro: The idea for this film actually came before "Yojimbo" and was written with a more clumsy samurai in mind. After the success of "Yojimbo", producers wanted a film more in that vain. Kurosawa agreed and re-wrote the script with the more skilled Samurai from "Yojimbo" returning as the hero in this outing. "Sanjuro" is a bit of an underrated film, and although I wouldn't consider it a major work by Kurosawa, it seems to show off his sense of humour and sunnier perspective on things than he's usually known for. Even though "Yojimbo" was full of great tongue and cheek humour and crowd pleasing action scenes, that film had a bit more of an edge. In the beginning of that film you weren't sure who the good guys were and who the bad guys were, in "Sanjuro" it's very obvious at the first sight of Mifune and the nine young samurai he must lead into battle who the good guys are. It's not really the fault of this film, Mifune's character was established, and Kurosawa just seems to want us to enjoy the ride.

This time Mifune's character becomes a guardian to a swarm of not so bright young samurai who must infiltrate a group of traitors in their clan in order to rescue their leader. The film is full of many of the familiar set pieces that were established in "Yojimbo" but it seems now we the audience are more in on the fun as we know what Mifune's motives are. Kurosawa builds on many sight gags that include the league of young samurai who follow Mifune around as he says in the film "like a centipede". The carnage and blood is just as great in this as it is in "Yojimbo" but the one thing the film seems to lack is a sort of social commentary.

In the end it doesn't matter, this film should rank along with an Indiana Jones adventure series or "Kill Bill Vol 1" as pure comic book entertainment, and it's nice to see Kurosawa taking a lighter side to things.

I samurai in "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" is a unique kind of hero, and one that has become very influential. There is a cynicism to him although there isn't one moment in these two films that I believe he ever compromises his values, it may just seem like it to us. Although credit can be given to Kurosawa, much can also be given to Toshiro Mifune. You might say this was the culmination of the work both he and Kurosawa did together. Mifune had wide range, I like to compare him to the eastern version of Jack Nicholson. He could go all out there and seem to be overacting in films such as "Rashomon" or "Seven Samurai", but he could play it straight, calm and quiet with a wicked sense of humour as he does in these films. He gives the character many subtle nuances such as moving his shoulders as he walks away. This affliction is explained in a special feature of "Yojimbo" where they say the character has fleas that are always bothering him which accounts for the agitated shoulder movements. It becomes sort of the character's calling card.

Most importantly I think "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" just put you in a good mood. It was probably films like these that didn't get Kurosawa much respect with Eastern critics but as far as good entertainment goes, you can't get much better than these.

Passchendaele and the Insecurities with Canadian Cinema

I'm sort of having a love/hate relationship with my home and native land of Canada when it comes to the movie industry. After going through a film program here, a teacher of mine once said you can probably count Canada's important filmmakers on one hand, and that's probably true. I would count David Cronenberg, Atom Egoyan, Guy Maddin, and Denys Aracand. There might be more but that's all I can think of, in time perhaps Sarah Polley will be a part of that list. These filmmakers stand out as with all great filmmakers and that's because they have an original vision, a vision that holds up outside of their borders and can be accepted all around the globe. However when it comes to promoting Canada as a force to be reckoned with in the cinematic community this is where our insecurities come to the forefront which causes us to suffer a severe identity crisis.

Now let's take "Passchendaele" a film that opened this years Toronto Film Festival and has been overly hyped by the Canadian press as a truly important film. The true importance of the film comes from the fact that it is now Canada's most expensive movie to date with a budget of about 20 million dollars, but the film itself and what it was trying to convey is an ultimate failure. It tells the story of an important and most untold story story of a famous World War I battle the Canadians fought and were in the end victorious. Although this is what the film claims it's about, it mostly spends it's time on a worthless cliche driven love story between a soldier and an army nurse, the battle scenes although impressive never develop an emotional connection with the audience as due to the lack of focus drawn to the battle. In the end the battle of Passchendaele never really seems as important as the filmmakers were hoping for, and it never really becomes a true tribute to the soldiers who died in the trenches. Canada's most expensive movie is a hollow mess.

After reading the reviews of "Passchendaele" the reporters never really discussed the movie itself and rather focused more on the importance on Canadian history. That's true, Canadian history is important and should be presented more in film, and in that way "Passchendaele" does a service. However what that history is, is never fully explained and in that way the film does an even bigger disservice.

I sight most of this blame on actor/director/writer/co-producer Paul Gross who turns this mostly into an ego trip for himself, right down to the sight of him at the end of the film holding up a cross as a Christ like figure, I almost felt sick. Perhaps Gross had good intentions like most people do when making a film such as this, in which case he should've stood aside and tried to tell a more complex story.

Films like "Passchendaele" are sadly among a long line of big budgeted insecure Canadian films. Another of these is "Bon Cop Bad Cop", a Jerry Bruckheimer type action buddy cop picture featuring an English speaking cop and a French Canadian cop who must join forces when a murder is committed in between the Quebec/Ontario border. The film was a success in Canada mainly because it dealt with the differences between french speaking and English speaking Canadians. Maybe that's all well and good here, but if the film were to be promoted anywhere else, it would've tanked.

Canada needs a new direction in the film industry, it seems unaware of the richness and pure originality it has to offer. We seem too preoccupied to compete with Hollywood movie making, we begin to lose our individuality. I am proud to be a Canadian and there are many classic Canadian films in our repertoire. We have one of the top film festivals in the world, we need to embrace all of this more and show that we can make our own films that tell our own stories in our own way.

On a side note, let me just tell you of one such original Canadian film I viewed recently: Guy Maddin's "My Winnipeg" is a beautiful, touching, funny ode to the Canadian city of Winnipeg. Told in a new style of filmmaking (as Maddin puts it) it blends reality and fiction in a way I have never seen which makes it a totally unique and original movie going experience. I've been to Winnipeg before and I was not impressed that much with it, but the way it is described and seen in Maddin's movie, it looks more like a dream than I had ever envisioned. See this movie and experience what real Canadian cinema is all about.

"Happy-Go-Lucky" and "Rachel Getting Married": Movies that have made me feel alive.

Last week I decided to treat myself to a double feature: Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky" and Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married" and after viewing them both I felt so happy to feel alive again at the movies. Recently I've been watching somewhat entertaining films such as "Zack and Miri Make a Porn", but I don't remember the last film I went to that really moved and had a lasting effect on me, how refreshing it is to have that happen.

A few months ago I talked about the Emotional Connection towards movies and I mentioned recent films such as "Once" and "A Prairie Home Companion" which have had that effect on me, where going to the movies wasn't just for entertainment purposes but touches you in a really profound and deeply moving way, to me these are the best movies and when I experience that feeling at the movies it sort of revitalizes me.

"Rachel Getting Married" is a fictional though documentary-felt film of Kym (Anne Hathaway never better) who is taken out of rehab in order to attend her sister Rachel's (Rosemarie Dewitt) wedding. When Kym gets there, her trainwreck ways pretty much take the attention away from Rachel's wedding and puts them squarely on her. The film is full of intense family moments involving unresolved issues that are yet to be worked out. In the end you get the feeling all of the issues are not worked out but there has been a lot of healing throughout. There were many times I thought "Rachel Getting Married" could've gone the depressing route, but it instead takes the highroad and becomes a film full of grace. Jonathan Demme has always been somewhat of an underrated director who's career has been eclipsed by the success of his "Silence of the Lambs". Thankfully this film seems to remind people that this guy isn't just a one-trick pony. Anne Hathaway has always been an actress who I've enjoyed watching even in the most terrible films, and in this film she pulls off a performance that many including myself knew she had in her to pull off. It's one of the great performances of the year and is sure to garner her a Best Actress spot. But this is not just a one woman show, Rosemarie Dewitt who plays the title character is every bit Hathaway's equal, and I began to sympathize with her situation more than with Kym's. Another person who should be getting awards attention is Bill Irwin as the father who is just trying to please everybody and trying to make peace with the family. Irwin is the kind of actor who you may recognize and is always good in everything he does, but this time Demme gives him a much bigger role where he's able just to show how good he could be. I hope the Academy doesn't forget him.

All in all "Rachel Getting Married" was just a good movie to feel something. All the way through I felt like I was going through what this family was and even though it wasn't always pleasant I became more emotionally involved. At times Demme shoots the film like an amateur cameraman you would see at a real wedding and it just brings us more closer to what this family was about.

"Happy-Go-Lucky" was probably the more pleasing film to see simply because it doesn't deal with the kind of hard issues like "Rachel Getting Married" and tries to put a smile on your face. It deals with Poppy (Sally Hawkins) who is brave enough to go through life with a smile on her face, and tries to effect the people she runs into with the same philosophy. She doesn't always succeed but her biggest challenge comes from a driving instructor named Scott (Eddie Marsan) who is sort of Poppy's polar opposite and resists everytime to crack. For some reason people were under the impression that Poppy was going to come off as annoying, and I never felt that. Poppy is the kind of character that fits in nicely in the world of movies, she seems too good to be true, and Mike Leigh adds such a lighthearted sense of whimsy to the whole film. Perhaps the most poignant scene in the film and one that can only be done in the movies is when Poppy approaches a homeless person who seems to be schizophrenic. This shows off Poppy's bravery by approaching this men, even she herself asks why she was doing this, but it's that act of kindness and bravery that makes us look at our own lives and consider how far we will go to make someone happy. Perhaps I was more personally invested in this movie as I've known people like Poppy and have also known people like Scott, and the final scene between the two of them spoke volumes and you know it couldn't have ended any other way. Sally Hawkins is a wonder to behold in this film, I loved her and admired her and if she is not at least nominated for an Oscar, that would make the whole ceremony seem more hollow than usual. I would also give some love for Eddie Marsan as Scott who works so well off of Hawkins and the two seem to feed off eachother masterfully.

The reason I wanted to focus on "Rachel Getting Married" and "Happy-Go-Lucky" isn't because I think they are two of the best films of the year (although they are) it's because they represent what's most important to me when I go to the movies and that is I get to feel something, it's not just for a few laughs or an excuse to go out on a Saturday night, but they actually reach for something more meaningful. I learned something about myself after watching these two films, and even if it was a simple thing like loving your family or having a positive attitude, it was very life affirming, and I love it when movies do that.

Rachel Getting Married: 4 stars out of 4

Happy-Go-Lucky: 4 stars out of 4

Paul Newman: A Delayed Tribute

When Paul Newman died, I left a rather lifeless tribute to hims, telling in a small paragraph my thoughts and feelings towards him, followed by my favorite Newman films. This man deserved better, he was such an influence on me as an actor. There was a naturalism to his performances that you don't see in others, Newman made it seem so effortless. I can't tell you how many times as an actor I've heard from directors "give me a little more" or "give me a little less". We are forever trying to find that sweet spot where everything seems to flow and we are no longer acting. Newman mastered that and looking back at his work I was just in awe at what he could do. I decided to revisit three films from his past, films where his star shone brightest. They are "The Hustler", "Hud", and "Cool Hand Luke", here's what I saw.

The Hustler: As "Fast Eddie" Felson, Newman perhaps gives his most acclaimed role as a young arrogant pool hustler who wants to make it to the big time. Eddie is a self-destructive loner, but in this film, the world is filled with loners. The film is less about pool and more about character, Eddie's whole world has been building up to a showdown with the famous "Minnesota Fats" (Jackie Gleason) but he loses not because of his lack of talent but because of his lack of character. Two people will have a profound impact Eddie through the rest of the film, his manager (George C. Scott) and the woman who loves him (Piper Laurie). They are both sort of the Angel and devil sides on Eddie's shoulder, and it takes personal sacrifice by one of them to make him turn into a man of character. Throughout the film Eddie is not much of a hero, but he is a human being who makes mistakes and who will make more mistakes but he comes out as a man of integrity and you cheer for him. Newman was made for this role, he has the boyish charm and sensibility of the character but he also had the hunger in him to prove himself, which is just what Eddie needed. This is one of the great ensemble films with standout performances form Scott, Gleason, and Laurie who is one of my all time favorites, but this is Newman's show, his journey, and his redemption in the end.

Hud: The first time I saw this film I hated it. Hud was an egotistical, womanizer who thought of nobody but himself, and I thought the film was despicable and depressing. Looking back at it now, I now know how wrong I was. Yes Hud was all of those things, but I also thought he was a pretty good guy who did the best he could, and God help me if I didn't feel sorry for him. Hud is a loner, a drifter, and no one loves him, not even his ethical father who always seems to be holding a grudge for Hud. I wanted to yell at the father saying "Hey dad maybe it's because you never loved Hud is because he acts this way." Newman seems to not only understand this character but he also seems to have walked in his shoes. The end is kinda tragic where Hud is left more alone than he was at the beginning of the film. He seems to be the scapegoat to everyones troubles, poor Hud.

Cool Hand Luke: Oh that iconic Luke, that beautiful Luke, with that Luke smile of his. How can anybody not love this movie, even people who don't love classic films love this movie, my brother who doesn't have the same enthusiasm for classic films as I do always watches "Cool Hand Luke" whenever it's on television. Luke is a hero plain and simple, there's nothing "anti" about him, he's a pure hero as Atticus Finch or James Bond. Two years in a chain gang for pulling the tops off parking metres? Come on! Luke doesn't let anyone get him down, he keeps coming, even if it's with nothing. There was that time they broke him by digging a never ending ditch but he came back, and when he's about to carve up a dead turtle for that sunglasses wearing sharp-shooting boss of his, but instead steals a truck along with George Kennedy, my eyes were almost full of tears. I find "Cool Hand Luke" to be a cathartic movie experience, and perhaps it has taken this long to figure it out but it probably is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. Paul Newman is a legend just for this movie, and I thank him for it.

JEREMY AND THE MOVIES CELEBRATES 200TH POST!!!! WOOOO!!!

That's right, I have reached a meaningless milestone and I figured to pause and reflect on it. "Jeremy and the Movies" began about a year and a half ago when I learned about blogger and figured "hey this gives me the chance talk all about movies". Movies have been a great passion of mine, I love discussing, debating, and deconstructing them. One of my great goals in life is to one day direct my own film, and hope that it would be good. I have great respect for people who even attempt to make a film let alone make a really good, maybe even great one. Making a film requires overcoming so many obstacles and it takes perseverance, courage, and a vision.

When it comes to reviewing films I try to be fare and honest, and approach it as a regular viewer who wants to see a good film. Good films seem to become rarer and rarer these days in the mainstream market, and I seem to be avoiding the big multiplexes more and more in favour of the quaint art houses, unfortunately from where I live the closest art house is about two hours away which makes it somewhat of a nuisance, however I was able to steal myself away a few days ago to see "Rachel Getting Married" and "Happy-Go-Lucky" which you will hear about in days to come.

My Directors Spotlight series has become a highlight for me in this blog, where I just randomly pick one director who I either want to study more on or just talk about why they are so important to me. It's sort of become the heart of my blog and has taken it in a somewhat different direction. Each month I find myself going more and more in depth wanting to learn more. The Directors Spotlight series is definitely something I will continue to do, I am also thinking of new series' to compile for the new year.

I've started this blog for selfish reasons, it's my tool to vent my opinions about movies, and I'm glad there are actually a select few of you who are loyal readers of it, it's nice to know I'm not alone out there. So stay tuned for some more of the same along with some new and improved additions to "Jeremy and the Movies". Wooooooo

Life Affirming: First Thoughts on "Ikiru"

Earlier I mentioned I had not seen Akira Kurosawa's "Ikiru" before but it was always one of the top films I've always wanted to see. So I felt what was holding me up, and since this was my month devoted to Kurosawa and his films, I decided to seek it out. I have now finally viewed the film and although I am hesitant to grant it masterpiece status, seeing how I've only viewed it once, I must say it held me throughout its two hours and twenty-three minutes.

"Ikiru" is translated as "To Live" and is the story of a meek bureaucrat who has worked the same job for thirty years and has nothing to show for it. We learn right away that the man is dying of stomach cancer and is given a very limited time to live. The man is played by Takashi Shimura who was a consistent actor in many of Kurosawa's films, he was usually given top billing along with Toshiro Mifune in many Kurosawa's films, most famously as the samurai leader in "The Seven Samurai". But Kurosawa was able to use Shimura more freely as a character actor than the superstar Mifune and "Ikiru" is probably considered their greatest collaboration.

"Ikiru" is divided into two separate stories which isn't the first time Kurosawa has done this and it wouldn't be his last either. The first part of the film deals with Shimura coming to terms with his dying and trying to figure out how to make the last of his days meaningful. He starts out by going around town and living it up with a bohemian writer he happens to meet in the bar. After a night of that, he meets a girl who worked in the same office as he. She has decided to quit believing that life is too short to work in such a meaningless job. He begins the spend time with the girl and rumours go around that there is a romance between the two, but that is never what he has on his mind. He believes she holds the secret to what he's been searching for. The first part of the film ends with Shimura now deciding to dedicate the rest of his life in building a playground across a piece of wasteland.

Without revealing too much about the second half of the film, I'll just say it steers it into a direction I was unaware of, and it is in this half that Kurosawa creates a more complex story concerning a man's legacy and also depicting a harsh reality of bureaucracy.

"Ikiru" is quite unlike many of Kurosawa's films. He was a filmmaker who usually worked in genre like film noir or historical films, but like I mentioned before those films always seemed to overshadow his modern works which dealt with big ideas but were on a smaller scale. "Ikiru" not only deals with death, but also the fear of dying without anything to show for it. In the end Kurosawa asks if indeed his character achieved what he set out to do, and the question is left rather open to one's own point of view, which shows Kurosawa more as a philosophical filmmaker than he is given credit for.

Japanese cinema has been rather an obsession of mine over the past few years, and there have been many films I've viewed from there that often deal with death, and while one might think that a morbid subject, I never find these films to be depressing, they are always comforting. In an Ozu film, death is depicted more as a thing that is natural and inevitable, when we die, life still goes on, and that's a comfort. With "Ikiru" Kurosawa seems to take a more heroic stance by saying death is a reason to live, which makes this film very life affirming. At the end of the film I felt the same way as I do after watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and that is, it's important to make an impact on the world.

Some movies I've seen lately Part 2

Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Kevin Smith is the kind of director who runs hot and cold with me. His humour is an acquired taste, while I think "Chasing Amy" is close to being a masterpiece, while I struggled through "Mallrats". With his new film it seems he has learned a few new tricks from recent Judd Apatow films. Like Apatow's vision, the film is full of crude jokes but has a sweetness and a heart, it also thinks that full frontal male nudity is a funny thing. "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" may be Smith's most mainstream film, but I laughed perhaps harder than I have in long time in a theatre. 3.5 stars out of 4

Changeling: Clint Eastwood has the ability to make films that trim the fat. He can strip the story and the characters to the bare minimum which is why it's such a joy to see his films. "Changeling" seems to follow this Eastwood formula for the first two/thirds of the film, and I would say it was the most engrossing two/thirds I had at the movies in a long time, however for some reason, the film derails and Eastwood becomes sidetracked with over explanation and too many false endings. Despite all that, "Changeling" remains a mostly intriguing story told by a master filmmaker along with the best performance I've seen from Angelina Jolie. 3.5 stars out of 4

Rocknrolla: Going into this film it occurred to me I had never seen a Guy Richie film, and I wasn't sure what to expect. The film is an adrenaline rush full of some clever and funny moments and energy that is missing in recent crime stories. I can't really explain the plot all that much, needless to say it's full of multiple storylines that at some point intersect and all seem to revolve around a stolen painting that keeps falling into other people's hands. It's a fun mindless ride full of fun performances. 3 stars out of 4

The Duchess: The film gained some controversy by comparing the Duchess of Devon shire's predicament to Princess Diana. The film may do that but it never once becomes distracting, and I didn't really think "Hey that's like Princess Diana" while watching it. The film doesn't rise above the melodramatic soap opera to become something more meaningful, however it is never boring and benefits from fine performances from Keira Knightley and Ralph Feinnes. 3 stars out of 4

High School Musical 3: Don't ask! Some how and some way I found myself in the theatre watching this. Needless to say I was with someone who wanted to see it. While I may not be the target audience I felt like anyone deserves better than this carbon copy of kiddy entertainment. The characters are all stereotypes, the music is unmemorable, and the film never seems to be anything more than a Saturday morning Disney special. The only time this film attempts to be anything more is when Zach Efron does a sort of Fred Astaire homage by dancing on the ceiling, but they botch it but not making the most of it. For shame Disney, do your kids a favor and pop in a real musical like "Mary Poppins". 1 star out of 4

Initial Thoughts on Kurosawa

I remember first hearing the name Akira Kurosawa when I was very young and I bought a special edition of Time Magazine which listed the 50 greatest directors of all time. I had just become fascinated with film and learning what a director was so I really wanted this magazine to further my education. Kurosawa interested me right away after reading about how he influenced so many famous films of the west. I wonder how many "Star Wars" fans there were who had to own a copy of Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress" because two of its characters were the main inspiration for C3P0 and R2D2. Then of course there are the samurai films which were Americanized into now classic westerns such as "The Magnificent Seven" (Seven Samurai) and "A Fistful of Dollars" (Yojimbo).

Kurosawa's impact on western cinema was probably greater than it was in his own country. I just found out recently that Kurosawa's films were often looked down upon as popular entertainment and were never taken seriously in Japan. Being a popular filmmaker, that being someone who makes films for a mass audience usually becomes a hindrance if you want to be taken seriously. You could say North Americans were the ones to regard Kurosawa as an artist first the same way the Europeans were the first ones to really regard Hitchcock and Welles the same way. Perhaps it takes an outside party to fully realize a popular artist's worth.

Perhaps it was the heavy influence American films had on Kurosawa's work that soured him with Japanese critics. Like Welles, Kurosawa was a student of John Ford which might account for his impeccable composition and poetic imagery. Like Ford who very often told the history of America through his westerns, Kurosawa would attempt to the same thing for Japan with his Samurai sagas. His historical dramas such as "The Seven Samurai", "Throne of Blood", and "Yojimbo" are often sited to be his most famous films, and even though I think they are all great, they somewhat overshadow his films which are set in modern times. After winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for "Rashomon", Kurosawa even said he wished he would've won it for a modern Japanese story. Films such as "Ikiru" (Which I confess I haven't seen), "The Bad Sleep Well", "High and Low" and a personal favorite of mine "I Live in Fear" deal with more complex issues that Japan was going through at the time. Kurosawa was a very contemporary filmmaker and his ability to tackle large scale issues in an intimate setting was something very difficult to accomplish, perhaps Spielberg is the closest one we have today who could even attempt to do that.

I get a very satisfying feeling when I watch a Kurosawa film, he was a man who understood drama and knew how to pull the audience in. When I think of the other important filmmakers from Japan such as Mizoguchi and Ozu I am in awe at how different each of their work is. I don't think they ever tried to copy eachother and each had their own different style. Ozu has been called the most Japanese of Japanese filmmakers, and in contrast Kurosawa could probably be called the least Japanese, even though his heart and his stories remained centered on Japanese lifestyle. Kurosawa probably could've gone off to Hollywood if he wanted to, but he stayed in Japan but in the world of cinema he is a national treasure.

November Director's Spotlight: Kurosawa

This month I'll be focusing on the great Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa was no doubt one of the greatest Mavericks of filmmaking, he was greatly influenced by western films and vice versa. It was Kurosawa who along with Truffaut first introduced me to a whole new world of film that was separate from Hollywood. I look forward to re-visiting some of my favorite Kurosawa films and I hope to learn more about him that I hadn't before, plus I also hope to view some Kurosawa films I have not yet, so stay tuned this month I know it's gonna be good.

Some movies I've seen lately

I haven't really had a lot of time writing reviews for every single movie I've seen, so here's a brief description of films I've seen recently.

Body of Lies: After doing a month long tribute of Alfred Hitchcock, I really appreciated what a good thriller is. "Body of Lies" is a failure in almost every way, it lingers too long on plot description which makes everything seem implausible and overcomplicated, the actors are slumming around not seeming to know what to do. This seems to be new low for director Ridley Scott and this may be his worst film. (although I have not seen "Legend"). 1 and a half star out of 4.

Amal: A Canadian film that takes place in India involves a friendly rickshaw driver who only thinks of other people. One day he has a grumpy old man as a passenger, and Amal takes him as a grain of salt and is nothing but kind of him. Well guess what the grumpy old man turns out to be a millionaire who dies and leaves all of his estate to Amal. the problem is trying to track down the rickshaw driver before the millionaire's greedy offspring aquire his fortune. The story may seem contrived in parts, but the acting by a relatively unknown cast is top notch and the it becomes a heartwarming fable of the importance of money to one man. 3.5 stars out of four

Lakeview Terrace: An underrated thriller featuring one of Samuel L. Jackson's best performances as a homicidal cop who goes ballistic when an interracial couple moves next door to him. The film was criticised for being too tame however I disagree. The film is rated PG-13 although the subject matter should have pushed it to an R rating. The film uses the suspense genre to examine the more complex story of racism on both sides. I don't understand why this film was criticised as much as it was. 3.5 stars out of 4

Passchendaele: This film has been getting a lot of big press in Canada for being the most expensive Canadian film ever made. It cost 20 million dollars and you can very much see the money on screen however in many ways it shows the wrong direction Canadian film is going. The story is about a very famous battle led by Canadian soldiers in the first world war, however the film spends too much time on a cliched love story with the most wooden dialogue since "Attack of the Clones". The battle scenes themselves are the only impressive thing in this film, however it doesn't pull off what it set out to do, and that is be a loving tribute to Canadian solidiers who died. Writer/director/co-producer/star Paul Gross who is sort of Canada's answer to Tom Hanks must deserve most of the blame since this is his baby. I intend to discuss this film in more detail and Canadian films in general in an upcoming blog. 2 stars out of 4