Movie of the Day: "The Miracle Worker" (1962)

Our next movie for Women's History Month celebrates two extraordinary women- Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan. The Miracle Worker is based on the play which was based on Keller's autobiography, and it details the painstaking process through which Sullivan, herself nearly blind, taught the 12-year-old deaf and blind Keller how to communicate. This movie is distinguished by two incredible performances- Anne Bancroft in the title role and teenage Patty Duke as the young Helen, both of whom won Oscars for the movie, and it's no wonder. When you see it you'll be blown away by how powerful they are in what's basically a two-person show. The scene where Sullivan locks Keller in a room with just herself and a chair is a feat of physical performance and determination so fierce you can hardly believe it, and the task Sullivan pulled off in teaching Helen Keller to understand really does give genuine meaning to the nickname she was given. It's an amazingly triumphant story.

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POSTER: "Maleficent"

New poster for Angelina Jolie's Maleficent, coming out May 30th. Although I honestly fail to see what the fascination is with the backstory of this particular Disney villain. Aren't they just making it all up anyway? If this isn't the Sleeping Beauty story why does anyone care about this character? I don't get it.

Movie of the Day: "Elizabeth" (1998)

Our next powerful woman in history is none other than Elizabeth I, Virgin Queen of England, as played by Cate Blanchett in the Oscar-nominated role that made her famous. This was kind of an old-fashioned historical drama, but with very high stakes, as well as slightly grittier and bloodier than those old epics. It charts the rise of Elizabeth during her early reign in the late 1500's, and has a great cast including Joseph Fiennes and Geoffrey Rush, but it's really Blanchett's show all the way. She's always had a bit of a regal sense about her and it was the perfect fit of actress and role. She completely dominates the movie.

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Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "Inside Llewyn Davis" (2013)

This week's pick is the latest from the Coen Brothers, sadly overlooked both in theaters and then again at the Oscars, but now is your chance to check out what you missed. It's a strange, surreal and beautiful ode to the 1960's folk scene and one poor sap who didn't make it. With a terrific score by T-Bone Burnett and some fantastic songs, it was one of the best musicals of last year and it also boasted a breakthrough performance from Oscar Isaac, who just embodied Llewyn Davis in every way. It's a true gem worth finding.

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REVIEW: "Enough Said" (2013) Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini. Dir. Nicole Holofcener

James Gandolfini and Julia Louis Dreyfus star in this lovely, low key comedy from writer-director Nicole Holofcener, about two middle-aged adults, Eva and Albert, who very quietly make an attempt at a new relationship after their respective divorces. The movie flows very naturally, driven mostly by the chemistry between the two stars, who come across as ordinary people looking for love, especially Gandolfini in his second to last film role- there's nothing of his Tony Soprano tough guy here, and we are reminded again what a great character actor he was and what a huge loss it is not to have him around anymore.

What little plot there is in the film is driven by the relationships, as is Holofcener's specialty- in this there are key, yet casual scenes that give us a feel of living relationships between several characters. There is the budding romance between Eva and Albert, the mother-daughter relationship between Eva and her teenager, Ellen, and the friendships between Eva and her old friend Sarah (Toni Collette) and her new friend/client Marianne (Catherine Keener), who happens to be Albert's ex-wife. The delight in this movie comes from the genuine spark between these actors as they play fairly intimate, small-ish moments together- the stakes are never very high in this movie, as you can tell it mostly wants to be a meandering check-in with the every day lives of these people. But the byplay is emotionally honest without being cloying, striking a tone that's difficult to get right in most family dramas, which often get distracted by cliched characters and by the numbers plots.

The characters in this film are not cliche, but unfortunately the plot does get a little bit sidetracked. Eva meets Gandolfini at a party at the same time she meets his ex, Marianne, and when Marianne becomes her client (she's a masseuse) she carries on the connection after finding out the two were once married, hoping to get the dirt on Albert before getting in too deep. This mistaken identity situation leads to a predictable confrontation right down the line, with no variation whatsoever to the formula. It's disappointing because the rest of the film is so character driven as to feel very natural, and that naturalism clashes with the sitcom scenario being forced into the screenplay. But the performances are more than worth it, and the little moments of humanity that encompass and define those varying relationships are all recognizable in ways that may hit a little too close to home. Albert and Eva bonding over their daughters going away to college seems achingly real, along with the loneliness and defensiveness Eva feels, which causes her to protect herself against getting hurt for the second time. 

Holofcener has a knack for relationship driven comedy and realism, along with a note-perfect depiction of a modern day Los Angeles that is identifiable (even though this crowd is undoubtedly upper-class, it surprisingly doesn't convey a condescending or elite sensibility- at least no more than your average Woody Allen movie, maybe less actually). Even with a distracted and cliched plot, Enough Said is filled with warmth, honesty and feeling, so maybe next time around Holofcener should dump the plot entirely and just choose to spend more time with her characters. I certainly wanted to.

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Movie of the Day: "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928)

In honor of Women's History Month, the Movie of the Day series is back this week to highlight, what else, powerful women in history. So we start off with one of the oldest of those figures, Joan of Arc, explored here in Carl Theodor Dryer's masterpiece, The Passion of Joan of Arc. Yes, this is a silent film, but I encourage you to give it a chance, because if you do you'll be able to experience one of the most unforgettable performances in movie history, and that's Renee Jeanne Falconetti as Joan. She's filmed entirely in close-up and the power of her emotions is absolutely searing throughout the extension of her trial by the French judges. The film was based on the actual record of that famous trial and when you watch this movie you'll feel like you've been transported back the 15th century.

Instead of a trailer, and because as a silent film it probably needs a bit more selling, here's The New York Times Critics Pick for the film, recommended by A.O. Scott:

TRAILER: "Neighbors"

This new comedy from director Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Five-Year Engagement), could be a big hit this spring if the reaction from the South by Southwest film festival is anything to go by. Neighbors premiered at SXSW just a couple of days ago to some pretty rave reviews, and the last comedy to premiere there and then go on to be a big hit was Bridesmaids. Speaking of which, Rose Byrne finally gets her turn to shine, as many of the reviews named her as the scene-stealer, surprisingly. It's coming out May 9th, so mark your calendars:

BOX OFFICE 3/07-3/09: '300' Triumphs; 'Peabody and Sherman' Strong

300: Rise of an Empire was the big winner this weekend, as the sequel to a film that came out 7 years ago pulled in $45 million from an audience that was, predictably, 62% male. They gave the movie a "B" Cinemascore and the opening is nowhere close to the $70 million debut of the first movie back in 2005, but it's already made $87 million overseas, so that's enough to qualify this as a hit, despite the bad reviews. In second place was Dreamworks' Mr. Peabody and Sherman, which came on strong with $32 million, above the studio's expectations. Crowds also loved the movie, giving it an "A" rating, so this one may stick around for a while, depending on how much of the family audience Muppets Most Wanted can steal in a couple of weeks.

Liam Neeson's Non-Stop fell to third place with $15 million, and The Lego Movie and Son of God rounded out the top five, with $11 million and $10 million respectively. The Lego Movie's made $225 million domestically, by far the biggest hit of the year. In limited release, Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel scored a massive opening, hauling in $800,000 from just 4 theaters. That puts its per-screen-average at $200k, which is the biggest ever for a live-action film. The movie's expanding in the next few weeks, but I still think Wes Anderson is kind of a novelty attraction, so I wouldn't expect it to suddenly become a blockbuster for mainstream audiences.

Top 5:

1. 300: Rise of an Empire- $45 million
2. Mr. Peabody and Sherman- $32.5 million
3. Non-Stop- $15.4 million
4. The Lego Movie- $11.1 million
5. Son of God- $10 million

The Best Picture winner, 12 Years a Slave, was re-released in 1000 theaters over the weekend, pulling in another $2 million despite just recently coming out on DVD/blu-ray, enough for a place in the top ten. Next week it's Aaron Paul in Need for Speed (going after the Fast & Furious crowd) along with Veronica Mars (woo-hoo!) and Jason Bateman's black comedy, Bad Words, which he directed. See you then!

March Movies Have Arrived!

Okay, so they may be a week late, but the movies to see for the month of March are finally here! This month the theme is "The Imagination of Animation," and I have selected, along with a guest editor, ten of our favorite animated movies to enjoy this month. Selections include Toy Story, Wizards, James and the Giant Peach, The Little Mermaid and more. As always head over to the Movies for Every Month page to see the summary for March, and then click here for the recommendations of the best animated films to seek out. Happy Movie Watching!

TRAILER: "Only Lovers Left Alive"

Famed indie director Jim Jarmusch (Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train) has a new film coming out on April 11th. It was first seen last year at Cannes, where it was very well received, and stars Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as vampires in modern day Detroit. I thought vampires was a subject that couldn't possibly be more overdone at this point, but when Jim Jarmusch is behind it, count me in. This looks really cool. 

TRAILER: "Frank"

A very strange independent movie that was released and enthusiastically received at the Sundance Film Festival is coming out May 9th. From director Lenny Abrahamson and starring Michael Fassbender as a guy in a band who wears a giant plastic head, it looks like a bit of a bizarre comedy that will probably not be for all people in the slightest, but I'm certainly curious:

PREVIEW: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

You know spring/summer movie season is coming when all the news and clips we're getting are superhero related. Although it can feel like overload at times, with more or less the same stuff coming out every single year at this point. Marvel's released this 4-minute clip from the film along with a new(ish) trailer- they're promising the new Captain America movie is more of a political thriller, but we'll see how far that goes (I'm hoping it goes a little bit further than just the casting of Robert Redford, but I'm cynical about all things Marvel after the last Thor movie):