I started the new year off with a viewing Nine. Having seen 8 1/2 I was already aware of the basic storyline. I figured the retelling as a musical would remind me of Chicago, but this is Oscar season (my favorite time of year) and this is an Oscar contender. I must see this at any cost.

Daniel Day-Lewis gives another terrific performance and each female performance holds their own against this perennial heavy weight; including a surprising appearance of Stacey Ferguson.

The music...eh...take it or leave it.

Philosophically, the narcissism of the main character is what this movie is all about. Every musical seen centers around his relationship with a woman. I'm not sure what the song titles are but you could name them off as Song About Guido #1, Song About Guido #2, etc.

The director in the movie is unable to produce the screenplay for his next film, partly because of his growing distaste for what I'll call the Hollywood system, though the setting is Italy in the 60's. He has come to believe that camera's image and the beautiful actress being filmed is all that people want or notice. The director spends the entire movie running away into the arms of the women in his life; which is his other problem. He has drained the women around him. his narcissism is that of an emotional vampire. Even his producer has had it with him.

One seen in the movie sums up the struggle between sex and the film industry on one hand, and the Roman Catholic ideal of prudence. The director has a conversation with a Cardinal of the church and the Cardinal praises his early films but questions the amount of sex that is portrayed in his movies. The Director wants to enquire about God, but instead gets a lesson in morality. The director once again becomes overwhelmed with the criticism of his films, and heads off into his musical dream world that ends with him being whipped by a priest and his mother displeased with him. Again its the women in his life, this time his mother, that is the directors problem. You get the sense that if he could just have one decent relationship he will be fine. But as narcissistic as he is, he cannot.

It is only when he has lost it all, that he can direct the movie he is mean to direct; the story he's been telling us all along, the story of himself and the women in his life.

Top 5 Films of 2009

1. Inglorious Basterds

2. Boondock Saints 2

3. Taken

4. Avatar

5. Zombieland

New Years resolution: To write more often here.

The Problem With Nick And Norah

As I see it, I probably am out of touch with today's youth, but the problem with Nick and Norah is the love story failed to be more everlasting.  The great thing about love stories is that they eventually become about two people who were meant for each other and will spend their lives together...er...uh...happily ever after.  However absurd, that's usually what we expect.  

The problem with Nick and Norah is that I never came to believe they would end up together.  Both are lovable enough to engage in a interesting conversation with, But neither seem to look outside themselves.  Although Nick seems a bit attached to something other than himself, Norah seems to just be looking for that elusive orgasm.  Both seemed to be looking for that certain someone for their next lay and not a life partner.  Granted, their teenagers, but certain subjects like love should not end up being trivialized.  Even teenagers should long for something real and not be such materialists.

I did like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, as it hits on the same hipness as Juno does.  Whereas Juno had to deal with a much serious matter, Adoption, Nick and Norah never seem to get beyond their own shallowness.  If I were to write a sequel to the movie, it would be Nick pining over his breakup with Norah, while Norah beds the wrong guy again.  Neither character developed enough to not repeat their past problems.  But, whatever.  Their teenagers, right?

Adventureland

Has this ever happened to you?

About an hour into watching this flick, the fire alarms go off and the movie stops.  I head out into the lobby to see what's going on.  The usher tells me this has been going on all week.   I hang out for a couple minutes to see if the alarms will stop so the movie can restart.  As I was standing there waiting to see what will happen, I started to reflect on the movie and realize I didn't really care to go back in and finish the movie.  The movie didn't work on any of the levels I was hoping. 

first of all, I remember the summer of 1987 and this didn't look anything like it.  Other than the great Falco song, a guilty pleasure of mine, which was used for a couple of laughs, I didn't listen to any the other music from the movie.  This was not my my 1987.  In fact, the Falco song is not even 1987.  So the movie failed to be nostalgic.  

Granted, I was not in college in 1987, but I was in junior high.  I didn't think the hipster attitude of liking old bands and wearing obscure band t-shirt came until the 90's.  I was not listening to Lou Reed and Husker Du in 1987.  It was Bon Jovi and U2.  So, the movie fails in it's level of nostalgia.

I couldn't get into the love story either.  Although Kristen Stewart was good, facial expressions and all, she was given a drab character to play.  I can't give a final judgement because I haven't finished the movie but I really don't know if I even want to finish it.

It's been over three months since I last posted.  Let's just I had some personal things to work out and deleted this blog.  But I'm back.  I resurrected the blog and plan on posting again.  I have a general area I want to focus on, but I will reveal more of that later.

I haven't been keeping track of the movies I've been watching, so that's gone.

I met goal of watching the rest of the Oscar nominated movies this weekend. Here there are:

#14 Vicky Christina Barcelona
#15 Happy-Go-Lucky
#16 Revolutionary Road
#17 Wall*E
#18 The Wrestler
#19 Rachel Getting Married
#20 Frost/Nixon
#21 The Visitor

Soon, I'll post my predictions.

The Oscars Are Upon Us

#13 Klute - I saw this one as part of my Neo-Noir craze. I haven't really seen much of Jane Fonda's early work (I mean the 60's stuff). This movie is '71 so it's the youngest Jane Fonda film I've seen to date. Having never really seen Barbarella, I never did equate Jane Fonda with sexy until this movie. I guess I'm going to have to see Barbarella after all.

This is Oscar weekend for me. In honor of the nominations being announced, I plan on watching no less than eight Oscar nominated movies this weekend. It will be the first time I have seen all the movies in the eight major categories. This weekend I plan on watching the remainder.

It's a bit of a game for me when it comes Oscar time. And I've been quiet successful at it. Two years ago I went 5-for-7 (for some reason I didn't bother predicting adapted screenplay) and last year I went 6-for-8. And I've successfully predicted the best picture three years in a row.

After seeing the nominations, I can't help but feel it has been a weak year for movies. Of the five up for best picture, none them I feel strongly enough toward to get behind. Which makes my bid to get best picture correct even tougher. Three years ago, Crash blew me away. Two years ago, Departed was an awesome movie. Last year, No Country For Old Men, although the ending threw me for a loop, I knew it was a brilliant movie. This year, none of the nominees really moved me. Not even Slumdog.

Next time I write, I should have a crop of movies to discuss. I'm already feeling a bit burnt out on my new years resolution to writing more here. I figured I'd stick with it through the month of January and then break the resolution in February, like most resolutions.