Mystery Train (1989)

A trio of stories following various eccentric characters around Memphis Tennessee, culminating in one particularly wild night.

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Often times artists are not the best at defining/explaining their own work. That's what we critics are for. But in the case of Jim Jarmusch, everything I have to say is redundant in light of the following statement:

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.” - Jim Jarmusch  (2004) 

Double Bill: il Duce

The Conformist and Salo or: The 120 Days of Sodom

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

After the death of their father, three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adiren Brody, Jason Schwartzman) take a train trip through India in hopes of forcing some sort of spiritual awakening. They end up bickering - a lot.

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Wes Anderson's characters are always struggling to project glorified images of themselves. They are impeccably groomed and armor themselves in tailored garments to mask the aching in their souls. The sets and camera angles come to serve as a perfect extension of this immaculate veneer. Yet no facade is perfect. Gradually over the course of the film, we watch that mask get slowly chipped away. Bruises are exposed, clothes get torn and cameras start to wobble. No matter how hard you try to keep something bottled up inside, it's going to get out...and will probably be accompanied by a Kinks song.

Better Off Dead... (1985)

Lane Meyer (John Cusack) has just been dumped, and he's feeling pretty low, even suicidal. His family is super strange, he's being chased by a paper boy, two Asian men keep trying to get him to race, he has the worst job ever, his best friend (Curtis Armstrong) tries to snort and inhale everything, and he's trying to challenge his high school's ski champ to a run down a treacherous hill. Luckily the cute French exchange student across the street (Diane Franklin) is ready to take his mind off his troubles.

If Better Off Dead sounds ridiculous, that's because it is. But I absolutely love it. It's hilarious and completely absurd. There's Jell-O that crawls off a plate by itself, a singing hamburger (no really), and a cheerleader who dates the entire basketball team. And it has a performance by Elizabeth Daily (AKA Dottie from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, AKA Tommy Pickles) at a school dance. It's so 80s and totally nuts, and I can't get enough of it!

I read somewhere that John Cusack isn't thrilled with this film, and to that I say "Boooo!" It's a super fun and silly movie that all fans of such silliness should see. Did that sentence make sense? Oh well. Go see this movie, and don't forget my TWO DOLLARS!!

8 1/2 (1963)

Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) is knee-deep in pre-production on his latest films, the only problem is that he has no clue what it's going to be about.

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Though they might claim otherwise, all creative people crave success. If for no other reason than the fact that being successful means you get to continue creating. But as we all know, there is also a dark side to success. It creates anticipation and expectation. It attracts hangers-on and provides plentiful distractions that keep you from creating. Often, success can even cause you to lose touch with the very thing which made you want to create in the first place. Throw in some serious Catholic guilt and a king-sized helping of women troubles, and you have Federico Fellini's mental state after the release of La Dolce Vita. Yet rather than allowing it all to break him,  Fellini instead fashioned this "bella confusione" into one of the greatest films ever made. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Ghost World (2001)

After graduating high school, the offbeat Enid (Thora Birch) finds herself adrift, unsure of her future, losing touch with her best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson), and befriending a record-collecting outcast named Seymour (Steve Buscemi). The film is based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes.

I first saw Ghost World when I was about to graduate high school, and I greatly identified with Enid's struggle to figure herself out. But! Lest I make this movie seem like a big downer, it actually has a lot of really funny moments...the crazy guy at the local convenience store twirling his nunchucks in the parking lot, the art teacher's creepy video, the "Satanists" that Enid and Rebecca follow around town, the "authentic blues" band screaming into their microphones. And the soundtrack is amazing...early jazz and blues, and a fun Bollywood tune that makes you want to dance with Enid in the film's opening.

Be prepared to laugh and cry...well, maybe not cry, maybe just sigh in a melancholy sort of way. Either way, a film this original with such strong performances will stick in your brain for quite a while. Give it a go and maybe afterwards you can rent "The Flower That Drank The Moon"...I hear it's glorious. ;)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Last week when I posted the trailer for the upcoming PBS documentary about Woody Allen, I came to the realization that I had yet to blog about any of his films. I have now decided to rectify this grave oversight.

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Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) go to Barcelona for the summer where they meet an artist (Javier Bardem) and his estranged wife (Penelope Cruz) who change their lives forever.

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A lot of noise has been made in the press over the past few years about the collaboration between Woody Allen and Scarlett Johansson. Countless journalists have made comparisons to Woody’s collaborations with Diane Keaton. Though Johansson isn't half the actor Keaton is, the comparison is somewhat apt. To understand this we'll have to hop into the DeLorean and head all the way back to Annie Hall in 1977...

When she first meets Alvy, Annie is very inhibited and self-conscious. She does not feel secure with herself as a singer/photographer. She sees Alvy as intellectually superior to her. As the film progresses this gradually changes. She becomes more confident. By the end of their relationship, she has no problem expressing her thoughts and feelings. She is also able to embrace her own talent. The dissolution of their relationship is inevitable. Annie is a new person and no longer needs Alvy.

Now let's jump forwards to 2008...

In Vicky Cristina Barcelona Johansson plays a girl who goes to Spain to try and 'find herself'. Through a relationship with two chaotic artists, she is able to discover her own voice. At the end of the film she realizes that she no longer needs the artists and leaves to strike out on her own.

Aside from Manhattan Murder Mystery in the early 90s, Woody and Keaton have not worked together in nearly three decades. Like Annie and Alvy they needed each other for a while, but after a point they had to part ways. They no longer need each other creatively. Judging by Woody and Scarlett's most recent collaboration, history seems set to repeat itself.

Double Bill: Arty Action

Point Blank and Drive

Happy Birthday, Craig!

Happy Birthday to fellow Cinema Nerd Craig Duffy! Although he may not have written his Citizen Kane yet, he makes this she-nerd's heart go pitter-patter and he's tops in my book!

So, how to celebrate Craig Duffy style?

♥ Eat apple pie.
♥ Watch Pulp Fiction (his favorite film)
♥ Take lots of pictures! Mr. Duffy is a total shutterbug.
♥ Kiss your hot wife! Cold-germs be damned!

I'm throwing him a little soiree tonight, so that's why there's no proper review. I'm busy inflating silver balloons, Warhol-style. Woo!

I love you, honeylamb!

Blue Velvet (1986)

Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns from school to visit his father who is gravely ill. On his way to the hospital he finds a human ear which leads him to the dark world of nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini) and her sadistic tormentor (Dennis Hopper).

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When David Lynch was an art student in the mid/late 60s he had an idea to make a painting that moved. This  resulted in the mixed-media piece Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times). Apparently he was pleased with the result, because nearly 50 years later he is still cranking out grotesquely mesmerizing motion-paintings. Paintings with unforgettable images and vivid colors. Paintings that are able to rumble and dance to a meticulously designed soundtrack. Paintings simultaneously repugnant and beautiful. And lastly, paintings that move while also being - moving. Not bad for an Eagle Scout from Montana.