10 Reasons to Watch Frozen (2013)

So you've all seen Frozen by now, right? If you haven't, it's kind of wonderful and you should go see it right now. It's still in theaters! No excuses! In case you need a push, here's what I loved about this movie.

1. All that ice animation! I was hooked from the very beginning with those beautiful snowflakes slowly taking shape. Gorgeous!

2. The music! From the hilarious "In Summer" to the moving "Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" to the epic Oscar-nominated "Let it Go," these songs really stick with you.

3. Speaking of singing, Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell kick major ass in the vocals department. Who knew Veronica Mars could sing like an old school Disney princess??

4. "I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" That obnoxious-looking talking snowman from the trailer actually ended up being pretty damn funny. Props to Josh Gad for bringing him to life!

5. Kristoff and Sven, the ice harvester and his faithful reindeer. He's so gosh darn likable! He gets a funny little song too. So much singing!

6. "Yoohoo! Big summer blowout!"

7.  Those costumes! I love Anna's winter wear in particular.

8. A genuinely good story that had audiences in our theater gasping in some scenes, sniffling in others, and laughing quite a bit too!

9. A cute post-credits scene. Oh Disney, you're too good.

10. Sisters! It's nice seeing a movie where the romance takes a backseat to the girl power and sisterly love that's front and center. It's refreshing, it's awesome, and it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Go see it (with your sister, if you have one!) and give yourself a pick-me-up this winter!

Friday Quote: Camille

"I accepted her favors because I thought she loved me. I had her make sacrifices for me when there were others who had more to give. But bear witness, I owe her nothing. Take it, come on, take it! Buy camellias, buy diamonds, horses and carriages, buy moonlight, buy a grave!"

Camille (1936)

Aguirre: The Wrath Of God (1972)

From the opening text you know that this story is doomed. Even if you know nothing about Werner Herzog and his world view, you know the people in this story are doomed because right up front you are told that the thing they are all in pursuit of was "invented". As a result every action seems futile. Horrible things are done for absolutely no reason.

When the battle is man vs. nature, nature always wins in the end. Even if man survives for the moment, the fact remains that nature was here long before us and will be here long after us. We are an anomaly that will eventually be corrected. Attempting to conquer and possess that which cannot ever be tamed is madness...but it's also human nature.

Happy Birthday, Lubitsch!

Today is the great Ernst Lubitsch's (1892-1947) birthday! His films exuded wit and sophistication, and the phrase "the Lubitsch touch" came to define that certain special something that his films had. He was one of the first directors that I remember seeking out in my early high school film-lovin' days, and his movies will always hold a special place in my heart.  Here are a few I recommend:

Trouble in Paradise (1932)

Two thieves fall in love and partner up to con a wealthy and attractive woman who gets a little too close for comfort to the gentleman thief.

Ninotchka (1939)

A no-nonsense Russian woman goes to Paris on business and finds herself swooning very uncharacteristically over a debonair man she's supposed to be working against.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

Two clerks in a shop in Budapest can't stand each other...little do they know that they've been writing anonymous letters to each other and are falling in love!

To Be Or Not To Be (1942)

A group of actors finds themselves tangled up in a plot to thwart a German spy during the Nazi occupation in Poland.

There will never be another Lubitsch. Pay tribute to this great director and track down some of these titles! You won't regret it!

Double-Bill: Mean McKean

Coneheads and The Brady Bunch Movie

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

Charlie Chaplin is credited as saying that, “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.” Well shots cannot get much “longer” than a 70mm Cinerama frame and comedy can’t get much more hilarious and vicious than It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I know these cameras were developed to shoot epics and spectacles like Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia, but they are also absolutely perfect for the type of broad slapstick on display here.

In a 70mm frame EVERYTHING reads*. There is no reason to cut in for close-ups when the eye can easily take in as many as 14 hilariously unique faces all at the same time, in the same frame. Thanks to the expert comic timing of this stupendous cast and the skilled work of Stanley Kramer’s crew, takes are able to go on and on without the viewer ever taking notice. And once things really get moving – all bets are off. Just like in the silent era they're using real locations, with real cars, real planes and real danger. I cannot even imagine how much this film cost to produce! But I can assure you every penny was well spent.

*The image used in conjunction with this review does not accurately represent the visual splendor of the film in question. Please watch this on the biggest screen possible.

Friday Quote: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

"Don't you know that a man being rich is like a girl being pretty? You wouldn't marry a girl just because she's pretty, but my goodness, doesn't it help?"

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

On The Waterfont (1954)

Though it’s not on my personal list of great films, On The Waterfront might be the greatest film of all time. I know that might sound weird coming from a pinko, commie, hippie like myself, but just hear me out. I know the history of this film. I am aware that it was made as a justification for director Elia Kazaan and screenwriter Budd Schulberg’s decisions to name names before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1951. I am also aware that their testimonies ruined the lives and careers of people just trying to make a living in an already tough industry. I know all of this, and yet I still really like this film. It’s not like The Birth Of A Nation of The Triumph Of The Will where we are supposed to overlook the horrendous subject matter and instead focus on the craft. No aesthetic remove is necessary in order to enjoy this film. At its most basic this film is a supremely human story about dashed hopes. This is a story about disillusionment. Though I absolutely deplore the decisions that Kazaan and Schulberg made, through watching this film I can absolutely understand the emotions that lead to those respective decisions. And that is why this is a great film.

Ponette (1996)

I just watched Ponette for the first time last night (in 10 installments on YouTube, of all things) and I absolutely loved it.  It's the story of a young girl grieving over the sudden death of her mother, unable to accept reality. Ponette is played by four year old actress Victoire Thivisol and I honestly don't know how a four year old was able to do such a phenomenal job. It's heartbreaking, it's beautiful, and it really shows you the world through the eyes of a child. The dialogue, their games, their faces, it's all so genuine and completely distinct to childhood. I did a post a while back on favorite child performances in film, and had I seen this before writing that, young Victoire would be topping the list. A great performance in a subtle and beautiful film. Get your tissues ready and give this a watch!

Double-Bill: Faux-sese

Blow and American Hustle

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The truly interesting thing about Inside Llewyn Davis is that not only is it a film about a folk singer, but the film itself is a folk song. The characters and situations are all perfectly in keeping with the kinds of tales one might hear in a Greenwich Village coffee house of the time. As Llewyn himself says, "It's never new and it never grows old". Even the film's structure mirrors that of a folk song. You open with a theme/hook, then you wander off on this odd little journey with these broken characters for a while, and just when you think things are about to change (maybe for the better?) you find yourself back at the hook. Chorus, verse, chorus, verse, chorus - it's a cycle that can't be stopped. The hook always brings you back. Even when the singer stops singing, the cycle continues throughout their life. The same songs each night, over and over. It's never new and it never grows old. And though the tale may be tragic, it sure is beautiful to listen to.

Friday Quote: Dead Poets Society

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Anyone's Game...

So it's Oscar time again which means that it is once again time for Craig react to the nominees in stream of conscious fashion! Thanks to the sheer number of good films that came out in 2013, picking a field of nominees that would please everyone was clearly a losing battle, but some of the omissions here seem downright odd. But then again there are some great surprises too. Oh well, here we go!

Best Picture

-Only 9 nominees in a year like this? You couldn't possibly have found another film to fill out that slate? No Short Term 12? Before Midnight? Spectacular Now? Inside Llewyn Davis? Spring Breakers? The list goes on...

-Haven't seen Philomena, Dallas Buyers Club or Captain Phillips yet but the first two seem out of place in this field. Aside from American Hustle (which isn't awful) the rest of the nominees are solid in my opinion.

-Though it doesn't break my heart, it's interesting to see pretty much no love for Saving Mr. Banks.

Lead Actor

-No Oscar Issac? No Tom Hanks?

-Go Bruce Dern!

Lead Actress

-Of course Meryl!

-Amy Adams?

-This is totally a battle between Cate Blanchett and Sandra Bullock. Since Sandy already has her lead Oscar let's give this one to Cate...unless Dench sweeps in and surprises everyone.

-Would have loved to see Brie Larson get love for Short Term 12. Great, great stuff!

-No Emma Thompson?

Supporting Actor

-No Franco?

-Two-time Oscar nominee Jonah Hill? Sure!

-I'm already tired of Jared Leto and apparently he's been using the same speech at every awards show so let's give him a break and how about Michael Fassbender? Or the Somali guy?

Supporting Actress

-Go June Squibb go!

-Take Julia Roberts out and you have one of the most solid categories of the year.

Animated Feature

-The Croods?

-No Monsters University?

Cinematography

Very solid category. Didn't expect to see The Grandmaster get any love but I'll take it.

Best Director

Substitute David O. Russell with Spike Jonze and I'd be happy.

Best Documentary

-CUTIE AND THE BOXER!!!!!!! Awesome!

-No Blackfish? No Stories We Tell? No Leviathan?

-But we all know that this catagory is OWNED by The Act Of Killing Right?

Best Makeup

-Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

Original Score

-Arcade Fire!

Original Song

-Karen O!

-"Let It Go"!

-Apparently "Alone Yet Not Alone" is from one of those evangelical Christian movies you never hear about like Fireproof and such. How does that get a nomination over ANYTHING from Inside Llewyn Davis?

Sound Editing/Sound Mixing

-I had no clue that Lone Survivor got a limited early limited release for Oscar qualifying....

Visual Effects

-They haven't given this award to Gravity yet?

Adapted Screenplay

-Finally some love for Before Midnight!

Original Screenplay

-Spike!

-Original?

Nebraska (2013)

As much as Alexander Payne's films are about people, they are also about places. The buildings, signage and décor that surround the characters are just as important as the characters themselves. You can tell a lot about a person by how they decorate. And I'm not talking about fetishistic Wes Anderson stylization either. Alexander Payne is a visual anthropologist intent to show us exactly as we are.

Viewed in this context, the decision to shoot in black and white makes absolute sense. It's the logical next step. By shooting in monochrome it becomes easier for an audience to notice the environments and the clothing without the distraction of color. It also allows us more direct look at the human face and all the subtle emotions that can flicker across it in an instant.

I honestly wouldn't mind if Payne spent the rest of his career documenting this nation state by state like a modern WPA photographer. In the end we could put together one heck of a retrospective: The United States of Payne.

Frida-A-Go-Go

An earlier version of this same article appeared here on July 18, 2013. This version has been altered slightly to reflect the latest crowd-funding info regarding The Frida Cinema which is set to open its doors on February 21, 2014!

Let me tell you about Logan Crow...

When I first encountered Logan I didn't even know his name. This was in the days of Myspace and he was running a profile called Mondo Celluloid which condensed the calendars for all of Southern California's various indie and revival cinemas into one convenient location. As a So-Cal film lover, this was mana from heaven. No longer did I have to go around from site to site to see what was at The Egyptian, The Nuart, or The New Beverly. This man was obviously a genius.

Before long, Logan was programming and hosting his own screenings of classic midnight films like Faster, Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill! and The Forbidden Zone in various local theaters complete with costume contests and special guests in attendance. Due to laziness and an unpredictable work schedule, I was unable to attend any of these early screenings, but when Mr. Crow took up residency at the nearby Art Theatre of Long Beach I no longer had an excuse to miss out on the fun. I decided that I simply had to attend the February 2009 screening of A Clockwork Orange.

Seeing as there was a costume contest component to the screening, I figured this would be a great opportunity to work on my amateur photography skills. In the days leading up to the screening, I reached out to Logan (I think this is where I finally learned his name) and asked if it would be cool for me to take some photos at the screening and if he liked them he could use them on his website as long as he credited me. Being the nice guy that he is, he did me one better: he offered 'Becca'lise and I free admission to the screening! And so began my year-long tenure as official photographer for Mondo Midnights. And oh what a year that was!

Here's a sampling of some of the films I had the pleasure to shoot screenings of: Sid and Nancy (for Valentines Day), Killer Klowns From Outerspace (with the Chiodo Brothers in attendance), The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (with live rock score), my first Jodorowsky film El Topo, The Toxic Avenger (with Lloyd Kaufman, Toxie and a Tromette), a prom themed Carrie screening and of course the first several Long Beach Zombie Walks!

As much as I loved these screenings, after moving to Orange I had to gracefully bow out. But Logan has just kept going. Mondo Celluloid begat the much more prestigious sounding Long Beach Cinematheque and the Zombie Walk grew into an all day event. He has organized wonderful community events ranging from summer screenings on the beach and family movies in the park to a breast cancer benefit screening where they showed a Russ Meyer film. Wherever there is a screen (or room for one), Logan Crow will find a way to show a great film on it because he eats, drinks, breathes and bleeds cinema.

And now it is time for Logan to take the next logical step in his film fanatic evolution: running his own art house theater! This is where YOU come in:

Since the Frida will be run as a certified non-profit, donations and memberships are absolutely a must! Please for the sake of art and cinema, go to

THIS INDIEGOGO PAGE

and give what you can to make The Frida into the best Art House the world has ever seen! Thank you for your time and see you at the movies.

Canon: Year Zero

Well here it is! The results of our New Millennium Poll! We know it's kind of arbitrary to do such a poll 13 years into the century, but then again we didn't even exist until 2011. And when you really think about it, it's no more arbitrary than Sight and Sound only doing their poll in years that end with a 2. And most importantly this is fun. So there!

As always we have gathered an impressively diverse assortment of lists from a diverse assortment of sources. In addition to lists from our regular contributors, we also have lists from professional film critics, indie filmmakers, hip bloggers and even from a novelist! Click on people's names to discover the amazing things that they are up to and of course check out their lists for all sorts of gems that somehow didn't make the final cut.

As usual, all ties in the Top Films are listed alphabetically and titles that are clickable will take you to a  past review we've written about the film in question.

Now that all the boilerplate is out of the way, we proudly present to you - A NEW CANON FOR A NEW MILLENNIUM!

Honorable Mentions (3 votes each)
Before Sunset, A History Of Violence, The Royal Tenenbaums and Toy Story 3

Double-Bill: Jack & June & Bruce & Alexander

About Schmidt and Nebraska

Movie Resolutions

Psh, look at them. He's not even WATCHING the movie. Also that is the brightest movie theater ever.

Let's talk about New Year's resolutions. A lot of us vow to be healthier this year, more organized, more mindful of this or that. But do you make movie resolutions?

I do! Here are a few:

1. Stop reading message boards and ignore the snobs. I know, I know. But I don't need some tool I don't know telling me why I shouldn't have liked the movie I just saw and loved. Or that the twist I was surprised by was sooooo predictable and anyone who didn't see it coming was stupid. Basically, I need to avoid smug jerks in general. Don't rain on my cinematic parade!

2. Watch at least one new-to-me movie a week. I'm a creature of routine and I really love revisiting old favorites over and over and over (I'm the same way with books). So while it is wonderful to watch The Trouble With Angels for the hundred billionth time, there are a lot of great films out there just waiting for me to discover them!

3. Knock movies off that To See list! I recently got around to watching Hitchcock's Rebecca for the first time, which I'd been meaning to see for years. My first thought (besides WOW that was great!) was WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG? I have a list on my phone of movies I want to see, and so help me God(ard), I will see them!

4. No more bad movie theater experiences! Okay, so I can't control everything that happens in a theater (such as a meltdown during 2001 so extreme the movie had to be stopped, punches were thrown, and supposedly a taser was involved, true story). But I can speak up or move if my seat is being repeatedly kicked or if some of my fellow theater-goers won't shut up. No more will I suffer in silence!

5. Enjoy! This goes hand in hand with the first one. I enjoy movies the most when I step away from other people's opinions and I stop overthinking things.  When I'm able to remember that feeling of wonder when I saw my first silent film, when I watched E.T. and the boys on their bicycles take flight under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl, when I realize how many countless movie scenes still take my breath away, when I realized back in high school just how much movies meant to me, how damn important they are...that's when I'm happiest. I never want to stop loving film.

Friday Quote: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Rome Open City (1945)

In the wake of World War II millions were dead and much of Europe lay in ruins. The devastation was so intense that we are still dealing with the fallout today. Knowing all of this it is hard to believe that Roberto Rossellini was able to produce and release this film within five months of V-E Day - but he did. Out of the ruble of war, Rossellini and his collaborators were able to make a work of great emotion and rugged beauty that has gone on to inspire filmmakers in impoverished and desolated countries the world over. The artistic spirit is a resilient one. You don't need millions of dollars and beautiful sets to make a great film, all you need is a camera and passion.

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Excellent, another Disney film added to my collection! I usually wait until after the holidays to grab whatever Disney film just came out of the "vault" because I'm hoping somebody will get it for me for Christmas. And guess what was under the tree! 

Most girls (and boys) of a certain age have very fond memories of this movie. I remember having a little stuffed Flounder that I would hold by its fins like Ariel did. I would swim in my grandparents' pool and pretend I was a mermaid. You know, typical little girl stuff. What's nice about a lot of these classic Disney films is that while you grow up loving them for one reason, you can revisit them as an adult and appreciate them on a totally different level. What makes this movie great for me now is the amazing musical work by Howard Ashman (RIP) and Alan Menken. Those songs! I hate to think of a world without "Under the Sea". And let's not forget the hilariously violent "Les Poissons" sequence! The blu-ray is pretty great, featuring a great making-of documentary and lots of other fun behind-the-scenes tidbits for superfans. Did you know Ursula the sea witch was based on Divine? Awesome! I'm so glad Ashman's legacy will live on as people continue to love this movie. And with a great voice cast (Jodi Benson as Ariel is flawless), beautiful animation, and top-notch music, there will be no shortage of love for The Little Mermaid anytime soon.

Her (2013)

Still reeling from his recent divorce, introverted Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) finds himself falling in love with his new Operating System, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson).

*      *      *

Ever since his first feature film garnered him an Oscar nod, Spike Jonze has been held up as an exception to all the preconceived notions we hold regarding music video directors turned filmmakers. Since his cuts aren’t fast, his visuals aren’t flashy and he works from very solid scripts with interesting characters, he is therefore some sort of savant who has miraculously transcended his barbaric visual upbringing to create great art. With this in mind you are able to understand how Jonze was able to write Samantha the OS so well. He understands Her. As much as this is a film about love and intimacy, it is also a film about the frustration that comes with being pigeonholed by the expectations of others and the loneliness that follows after you transcend those expectations. An Operating System can’t love? Oh yeah? Watch me! It’s no coincidence that this is Spike’s first solo screenplay. As evidenced by this amazing film, it’s clear that we have only begun to see what this learned pig is capable of.

Friday Quote: Breakfast at Tiffany's

"You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-You-Are? You're chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." You call yourself a free spirit, a wild thing, and you're terrified somebody's going to stick you in a cage. Well, baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somaliland. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself."

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

The American Dream is the idea that anybody can rise from abject poverty to unbridled prosperity. This is what makes America great. This is also why poor people vote Republican. The allure of wealth is so great that people will vote against their own present self-interest if they think that it will benefit their hypothetical, well-off, future self. We want the big house and five cars (in charge). We want it so bad that we will pay a scumbag like Jordan Belfort to teach us his secrets. We don't care that he's a pathetic, misogynist, drug addict who robbed countless people of their livelihoods and beat his wife (and Lord knows how many other women). All we care about is striking it big so that the money can wash away all of our troubles. Oh, and isn't he quite charming as well? This is why you are still poor and the real Jordan Belfort is engaged and living well in Manhattan Beach, CA. God Bless America!