sweet dreams

"Sweet Deams" by Kirsten Lepore was named for a Special Jury Award at SXSW 2009.

The film follows the sugar-coated journey of a cupcake who longs to head out on the open sea. When he finally scrapes together the courage to set out, it isn’t long before he is marooned on a lone island. I won’t spoil the ending for you...

children of men

Leo and I saw "Children of Men" on Sunday. Without building the hype too much, I will say that it's the best movie I've seen in a very, very long time. I spent the last 30 minutes on the edge of my seat.

Based on PD James' book of the same name, Alfonso Cuarón's thriller hits all the right notes. The story is compelling and the actors are riveting. The political and social commentary are incredibly effective as subtext in this cautionary tale. The violence is shocking, but not at all gratutious. In the end, hope and terror, police state and resistance, and power and humor are juxtaposed with great effectiveness.

The premise: It's 2027 and women have been infertile for 18 years. Anarchy reigns and the earth's cities are in chaos.

Set in and around a dystopian London fractious with violence and warring nationalistic sects, Children of Men follows the unexpected discovery of a lone pregnant woman and the desperate journey to deliver her to safety and restore faith for a future beyond.

But don't take my word for it. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 91%. And the Onion's A.V. club had this to say:

Cuarón directs Children Of Men with remarkable long takes and indelible images, but it isn't the kind of craft that immediately calls attention to itself; Cuarón moves the story along with an intensity that makes it hard to pay attention to anything else. It's a film of astonishing immediacy, with all the urgency of a late-night phone call, but the human element drives it. Owen begins a broken man with little to sustain him beyond his relationship with a paternal Michael Caine, whose activism has devolved into a vague hopefulness and a routine of smoking pot, listening to music, and caring for his semi-comatose wife. By the film's end, Owen has been transformed and the possibility raised that the world might change with him. Cuarón has created a dire warning of the world that could be, but he's also made a film about faith, love, sacrifice, and all the other hard-won virtues that keep the world alive. It's a heartbreaking, bullet-strewn valentine to what keeps us human.

this film is not yet rated

In 1968, the MPAA implemented a ratings system to keep the government from stepping in and regulating the film industry. It's a secretive and imperfect system, with many high profile critics, including Roger Ebert.

He argues that the system places too much emphasis on not showing sex while allowing the portrayal of massive amounts of gruesome violence. Moreover, he argues that the rating system is geared toward looking at trivial aspects of the movie (such as the number of times a profane word is used) rather than at the general theme of the movie (for example, if the movie realistically depicts the consequences of sex and violence).

One director, Kirby Dick (apparently his real name), has made a movie about what happened when he tried to find out who actually sits on the ratings board. I think it's interesting that the board members felt like they were being stalked. Apparently, the watchers don't like being watched.

New film attacks Hollywood's "censorship" system
By Arthur Spiegelman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When director Kirby Dick wanted to learn the identities of the most secretive group in the film industry, he resorted to a time-honored Hollywood tradition. He hired a private eye to follow them and go through their garbage.

Dick, whose movie, "This Film is Not Yet Rated," opens in New York and Los Angeles Friday, was carrying out what he considered a noble mission. He wanted to expose the secret "censors" of Hollywood -- the people who view movies before they go into theaters and classify them according to content.

Their decisions -- denoted in numerals and letters of the alphabet, like "PG-13" (parents warned that content may be inappropriate for children under 13) and "R" (restricted, under 17 admitted only with a parent or adult guardian) -- determine who sees which films.

Dick argues that the process amounts to censorship because it forces filmmakers to tone down -- maybe even gut -- their works rather the incur the wrath of the Motion Picture Association of America's ratings board.

The group keeps the names of most of its board members secret from the public.

Although not a censorship board in the traditional sense of the term, the board wields enormous power in Hollywood. Few filmmakers, for example, want their works rated NC-17, which bars anyone 17-years-old or under from attending, because newspapers and TV stations often won't accept ads for such films, and many theaters refuse to show them.

Moreover, NC-17 carries the stigma of an "adult movie," which in many people's minds translates into "pornography."

Many ratings board decisions stem from the nature of sex scenes in films, including such factors as the length of an on-screen orgasm. Dick's movie illustrates the point with steamy shots that were cut from several films -- "Where the Truth Lies," "Boys Don't Cry" and "Storytelling" -- to meet ratings requirements.

RATINGS GUMSHOE
Dick's decision to hire a private investigator named Becky Altringer and film her following ratings board members from their MPAA workplace to their cars came at a curious moment in Hollywood.

The whole town is currently abuzz over various investigations of another private eye -- Anthony Pellicano, the former "private eye to the stars" accused of wiretapping and other illegal activities on behalf of his A-list Hollywood clients.

Dick said he did nothing illegal in hiring his own investigator and filming her at work, scenes that help form a dramatic arc in his production.

"That was the only way I could get their names. They have been kept secret for nearly 30 years. If what they are doing is in the public interest, then the information about who they are should be public."

The MPAA says it keeps their names private to protect them from public pressure. The board members that Dick followed did not know he was making a movie and thought they were being stalked, a source close to the board said.

The MPAA has said its ratings board consists mostly of average Americans whose mandate is to provide guidance for parents on the nature of films' content, such as the level of violence and sexuality.

The board was established in 1968 to replace a more rigid system.

Dan Glickman, the head of the MPAA, denied any suggestions that the film industry trade association would go after Dick's movie in a counter-campaign. "Hey, this is a great country and the First Amendment is great" Glickman said,

"He raises some issues that we are looking at, but the essence of the rating system has been profoundly helpful to parents," Glickman added.

Dick said he would like to see the current ratings system replaced by one that gives more detailed information about what a film contains so that parents -- and parents alone -- can determine what their children see.

As for his own film, he submitted it to the ratings board and it received an NC-17 classification. But he decided to release it as an unrated movie, and thus avoid the stigma of NC-17.

"everyone pretend to be normal"

Tonight, I met D and Ophy for dinner at Ichiban and then we went and saw "Little Miss Sunshine" (starring Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin).

Written by Michael Arndt, this is the story of the Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families ever seen on motion picture screens. Together, the motley six-member family treks from Albuquerque to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in Redondo Beach, CA, to fulfill the deepest wish of 7-year-old Olive, an ordinary little girl with big dreams. Along the way the family must deal with crushed dreams, heartbreaks, and a broken-down VW bus, leading up to the surreal Little Miss Sunshine competition itself. On their travels through this bizarrely funny landscape, the Hoovers learn to trust and support each other along the path of life, no matter what the challenge.

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that I despise beauty pageants. This film actually handles the subject matter quite well. The music is also excellent, especially DeVotchKa's score.

As Gorilla vs. Bear put it:

Forget that the soundtrack features two Sufjan songs AND Rick James, the DeVotchKa songs are the highlight.

Listen to "The Winner Is" and "How it Ends."

If they sound familiar, it's because you've heard them before — in "Everything is Illuminated."

torremolinos 73

I've decided that I need to go into most movies with no expectations. Case in point: "Torremolinos 73". I had no expectations about it and I enjoyed it a great deal.

Javier Cámara and Candela Peña are perfectly cast in this softcore comedy that begins with the most unlikely of premises. Fernando Tejero is also a great foil.

Alfredo Lopez is a tired encyclopedia salesman, and Carmen is his faithful wife. The lives of this married couple change forever when the Montoya publishing house, in which Alfredo works, makes a proposal to them to make erotic films that will sold in the Scandinavian countries, under the guise of being a false encyclopedia about reproduction. Unknown to them both, Carmen has become an adult film star in the Northern countries, and a Danish crew flies in to help Alfredo make an Ingmar Bergman inspired feature film called "Torremolinos 73." Instead of a career in show business, Carmen is eager to have a baby, and the tension between the artist and his muse grows.

The witty dialogue (counterbalanced with appropriate drama) made this film more than a fun romp. What I like most is the playful manner in which the writer/director, Pablo Berger, celebrates sex and filmmaking. In the end, the interesting characters, complicated situations, and Berger's lighthearted touch left Leo and I with smiles on our faces.

i know i'm not alone

Leo and I listened to the new Michael Franti and Spearhead album, "Yell Fire," quite a bit this weekend. It felt like a new album, but also not like a new album, as much of the music is in his documentary, "I Know I'm Not Alone." Anyhow, the album and the film are both amazing.

We saw "I Know I'm Not Alone" a few months ago. In it, Michael Franti travels to Iraq, Palestine, and Israel to explore the human cost of war with a group of friends, some video cameras, and his guitar.

The film pulls you into these war zones — and via Michael's guitar, eloquence and wit— you feel the humanity, artistic resilience and sometimes horrific experience of what it's like to live under the bombs and military occupation.

With its guerrilla style footage captured in active war zones, the documentary is unlike the many academic and politically driven pieces in the marketplace, instead offering the audience a sense of intimate travel and the opportunity to hear the voices of everyday people living, creating and surviving under the harsh conditions of war and occupation.

windows to a deadened soul

"Paradise Now" was the first Palestinian film to be nominated for an Academy Award. I saw it nearly five weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it.

Hany Abu-Assad's disturbing yet moving tale finds two men at a critical juncture in their lives. They've been drafted as suicide bombers in an upcoming assignment in Tel Aviv. Granted a night to spend with their families, they go home but are unable to say goodbye for fear of tipping their hand. But perhaps it isn't time for farewells yet as the two become separated during the mission and must decide on their own whether to continue or bail out.

Before watching it, I wondered how even-handed a story about two Palestinian childhood friends who volunteer for a suicide bombing mission in Tel Aviv could be. I expected romanticized propaganda, or clear-cut condemnation. I took neither message from the film. Instead, I came away stunned.

It was only a few days later, after I had processed it enough to talk about it, that Leo and I began to trade our impressions of the movie. Five weeks on, one indelible visual has burned itself into my memory — Said's eyes. They speak more profoundly than any words uttered in the film.

festival du cinéma français

The (free!) French and Francophone Film Festival begins today.

a dios momo

Sometimes, the simplest dreams
lead us through mysterious paths.
If we have faith and courage to walk them
they could lead us to an awakening.

I saw "A Dios Momo" on Sunday at the San Diego Latino Film Festival. It was amazing and will play again this coming Saturday.

An 11-year-old street boy, Obdulio, who sells newspapers for a living but cannot read or write, finds a magical maestro in the night watchman of the newspaper's office. Obdulio's charismatic mentor not only introduces him to the world of literacy, but also teaches him the real meaning of life through the lyrics of the "Murgas" (Carnival Pierrots) during the mythical nights of the irreverent and provocative Uruguayan Carnvial.

The story reminded me of "Cinema Paradiso" and "Monsieur Ibrahim." The cinematography and the director's effective use of color saturation creates an atmosphere laden with emotion, without feeling maudlin.

les trois couleurs

I just finished Krzysztof Kieslowski's trilogy. I did not see the ending coming. At all.

I enjoyed the themes (liberty, passion), symbolism (eye-popping color), tone, and interconnectedness of each film. But I enjoyed Blue most of all.

it's a sin to kill a mockingbird

Tonight, I took myself on a date and watched "To Kill A Mockingbird" on the big screen at MOPA. It's none the worse for wear, even after all these years.

Atticus Finch is one of the bravest and most decent men in fiction. Like many kids my age, I read Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel in junior high and saw the film in my English class. The book (and movie) deal with difficult issues of race and wrongdoing in rural 1930s Alabama. Gregory Peck is riveting as Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South who defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge and his kids against prejudice.

cidade de deus (city of god)

Cidade de Deus (City of God) is easily the most violent, disturbing, and compelling film I've seen this year. The story is gutwrenching, the film is beautifully shot, and it's based on true events to boot.

Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a breathtakingly convincing interpretation of life in the notorious favela (housing project) built in the 1960s that became one of the most dangerous places in Rio de Janeiro in the early 80s. The narrator, Busca-Pé (Rocket), is a poor black youth too scared to become an outlaw but also too smart to be content with underpaid, menial jobs. He soon discovers that he can see reality differently than others. His redemption: he's been given an artist's point of view as a keen-eyed photographer.

Rocket doesn't determine the sequence of events. Nevertheless, his life is attached to what happens in the story. Through his perspective, we understand the complicated layers and humanity of a forsaken world, apparently condemned to endless violence.

Via Monsieur Law

monsieur ibrahim

Monsieur Ibrahim is now one of my favorite French films. The story, music, cars, and setting were wonderful in this period piece filled with honest sentiment (without becoming maudlin). I recommended this to my friend Greg (a secure, rugby-playing straight man who is my new litmus test for whether a film is hokey) and he enjoyed it. We compared notes later and both realized that we understood about 90% of the French without using the subtitles. My last conclusion (which I assume Greg doesn't share, but that his wife agrees with because she said as much) is that Pierre Boulanger (who plays the teenage Momo) is one beautiful boy.

Vividly portraying a 1960s Paris neighborhood where lower-class status unites residents of varied religious and ethnic backgrounds, Monsieur Ibrahim follows the universally appealing story of a young boy's coming of age. Moses (Pierre Boulanger), a Jewish teenager, lives in an apartment with his depressed father. His father's detachment leaves Moses with ample time for listening to rock music, pursuing alluring prostitutes, and making daily visits to the corner grocery where he befriends the owner, Monsieur Ibrahim (Omar Sharif). Monsieur Ibrahim looks the other way when Moses steals food, teaches him the difference between being Arab and being Muslim, and dispenses advice on life, love, and happiness. When Moses' father eventually abandons him, Monsieur Ibrahim adopts him and cements the father-son bond that each of them desperately needs.

Though never the focus of the film, the exploration of religion and ethnicity underscores French attitudes toward immigrants in that era, and establishes differences between the main characters. Moses' openness to learning about Monsieur Ibrahim's Sufi practices and studying the Koran reflects not only the blending of cultures in 20th-century France, but also the boy's yearning for parental direction, values, and affection. A brilliant cast--including a thoughtful performance by Sharif--and a period-perfect soundtrack of American and French rock music, enhance the already compelling story.

sideways

Aaron, Aleyda, Kevin and I saw Sideways today. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the comments that Kevin and Aaron made during the film. I could, however, have done without the purple-haired old lady squad behind us who kept talking about whether Sandra Oh was Lucy Liu ("You know, that one from Ally McBeal"). I wanted to say "She's not Lucy Liu, she's Sandra Oh. You recognize her because she was in Under The Tuscan Sun. Now please shut up.") I didn't of course, but I silently wished them ingrown toenails and whatever other maladies people who speak obnoxiously in movies deserve. Nothing too karma-wrecking, just enough to make them mildly miserable for a week or so.

Re: the film. **DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FILM. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. **
What do you think happened after he knocked on the door? My fantasy is that things turned out positively for him and Maya. But in the theatre, I was waiting for a man to open the door, just because I expected the other shoe to drop. And I agree with Kevin -- I half expected him to grab a gun instead of the '61 vino.

newsweek's 10 best movies of 2004

Seeing Sideways made me wonder what else is popular, so here's the Newsweek top 10.

Ten Best Movies of 2004
Newsweek
1. Sideways
Top vintage goes to Alexander Payne's hilariously melancholy comedy of wine, women and male midlife crisis. As rich and subtle as a fine novel.

2. Before Sunset
Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke reunite in Richard Linklater's breathtaking romance. Great talk. Great ending.

3. Osama
A devastating Afghan drama about a girl caught in the Taliban's nightmare reign. Unforgettable.

4. Million Dollar Baby
A knockout blow from Clint Eastwood, this boxing saga leaves you reeling.

5. Bad Education
Nothing is what it seems in Almodovar's dark, devious film noir about desire, revenge and abusive priests. Gael Garcia Bernal shines.

6. The Aviator
The crown jewel in the Year of the Biopic, Scorsese's epic about eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes dazzles, delights and disturbs.

7. Friday Night Lights
A bone- and heart-crunching look at the glory, and the horror, of Texas high-school football.

8. The Manchurian Candidate
Jonathan Demme reworks a classic thriller into a taut paranoid parable for our times.

9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Third time's the charm. Alfonso Cuaron finds real magic in his wizardly installment.

10. Kinsey
Bill Condon's smart, nuanced, surprisingly sweet tribute to the revolutionary sex researcher. Liam Neeson is touching as the troubled, tenacious scientist.

a bollywood primer for the uninitiated

The film industry in Mumbai (Bombay) makes almost double the number of movies and sells a billion more tickets each year than Hollywood.

Bollywood movies are in Hindi, which is one of 17 national languages.
Most people in cities speak some English, but not everyone is fluent. Still, it looks cool to speak English, so a lot of Bollywood movies include English phrases like "Better luck next time" and "Rock and roll, man!" Since it's in the nature of escapist entertainment to be fascinated with the rich, a lot of Bollywood movies, especially these days, are about Indians who have struck it rich in England or America.

Via Wacky neighbor