Movie of the Day: "A Place in the Sun" (1951)

Our next end of summer movie actually takes place mostly over Labor Day weekend, so it's nearly the perfect choice. Starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, it's a romantic drama with a very dark undercurrent, as Clift is a working class stiff who so badly wants to work his way into upper class society and be worthy of Liz Taylor that he treats his pregnant girlfriend (Shelley Winters) shabbily and even considers murdering his way out of the situation. Twists occur over the eventful Labor Day in which the film is set, and the haunting scene on the river between Clift and Winters is unforgettable in its impact. This is one of the classic films that made Taylor an icon as she crossed over from child star to adult sex symbol, but the movie belongs to Montgomery Clift as the desperate, tormented outsider who finds himself shut out of the American Dream.

Original 1951 Trailer:

TEASER #3: "Foxcatcher"

A creepy new teaser for Foxcatcher, which was of course rapturously received at Cannes and again today at Telluride. The film will be coming out November 14th, and I still think that depending on where they position Carell in the Oscar race (apparently he could go lead or supporting) he's going to have a really good chance at winning for this part. Even in the teasers you can see how compelling he is.

Movie of the Day: "Crooklyn" (1994)

It's another coming of age story for our end of summer movies this week, this one about a 9-year-old girl in Brooklyn during the 1970's. A very different kind of film for Spike Lee, and probably one of his most unknown, but I think it was also one of his best. When you watch this movie, which mostly takes place from the point of view of  little Troy (Zelda Harris) as she deals with her four rowdy brothers and hard working parents (Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo), you realize how incredibly rare it is for any movie centered entirely around a young black girl to even be made. It was rare at the time and still is today, unfortunately. But Harris lights up the screen in this semi-autobiographical story and it deserves to be seen and discovered by more people. Check it out.

Original 1994 Trailer:

POSTER: "The Judge"

A new poster for Robert Downey Jr.'s family tearjerker The Judge, coming out in October. This is also the opening night film of the Toronto Film Festival, so we'll be hearing how it is by next week. Part of me wonders now whether Robert Downey Jr. can play anything other than his wisecracking self anymore- it feels like he's been put in one particular box ever since the Iron Man movies. The trailer makes him look pretty much the same, but maybe the movie will be good in spite of that. Here's hoping.

REVIEW: "The Fault in Our Stars" (2014) Shailene Woodley, Ansel Egort. Dir. Josh Boone

The category of film known as the "teen weepie" is one of the hardest genres to make palatable to anyone outside its very specific target demographic (that is of course, young girls between the ages of 13 and 25), and to whatever end The Fault in Our Stars is at all successful, is almost entirely due to Shailene Woodley's sympathetic performance in the leading role.

I say this with some surprise, because in both previous movies I've seen her in (The Descendants and The Spectacular Now) I did not respond to her screen presence in any way, and thought she was sorely lacking in charisma. Here however, she really soars above the material, and is in fact, I would say the only reason to see this movie. It's not a terrible film, but the subject matter puts it at risk of cloying sentimentality and it comes with a certain level of built-in phoniness, no matter how goodhearted its intentions (look at us, we're terminal teens with cancer, but see how much fun we can make of our lives!). It's inevitable we're going to run into some corniness when we're dealing with two dying teenagers falling in love. But the first step is to at least try to have a couple of well written characters for the audience to get involved with.

Woodley is that character, playing 17-year-old Hazel Lancaster, who was diagnosed with lung cancer at age 13, and has become fairly cynical due to the toll its taken on her life (understandable), yet is still intelligent and courageous, with a curiosity about the world and a fierce determination of will and compassion for others, including her family members, whom she realizes may have it worse than herself when she eventually leaves this earth. She has an honest and great relationship with her mom (Laura Dern) and Shailene Woodley is completely natural, bright-eyed and authentic in the role at every turn, whether she's dealing with the physical effects of her illness, arguing her position on a book she loves, or facing the ramifications of her life on those around her, that I just wish she had been surrounded by a better movie. Hazel falls in love with a guy she meets at a cancer support group, a fellow patient played by Ansel Elgort (her Divergent co-star) but the big problem with this romance is that nothing about this kid strikes the same authentic chord that she does. He's nothing but a collection of arbitrary quirks and artificial dialogue, meant to seem eccentric in a endearing way I suppose, but played against Hazel's realism it comes across as unbearably irritating and overwritten. Even his name is phony- I mean, really, who names their son Augustus? Elgort is fine with what he's given, I just never bought into him as a real person, and so their relationship didn't hit the right tragic bone in me it was meant to.

There are a few good moments in here, scattered along the way of a contrived storyline that involves Hazel and Augustus going on a journey to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book (Willem Dafoe in a scene-stealing cameo, as usual), but the last third of the movie drags, as the predictable twist involving who really dies in the film brings everything around (and slowly) to its inevitable, tearjerking ending. But Woodley holds our attention through all the cliches, bringing life and energy to a movie that might otherwise be unwatchable without her. Her brief scenes with Laura Dern are good enough that I found myself wishing this had been a story about how a mother deals with the premature death of her daughter from cancer, instead of the cheesy Love Story remake that's been done so many times. Although, with movies like this, you do have to remember who they're for, and that target audience I referenced earlier will undoubtedly eat this up, and hey, they could certainly do worse. Anybody remember A Walk to Remember with Mandy Moore? Yeah, I'd say this is better than that. It's a perfectly serviceable teen melodrama with a refreshingly original female character in the lead- I just wish the script had been a little more up to par with the talents of its star.

* * 1/2

Movie of the Day: "Stand By Me" (1986)

Our Movie of the Day series is back with a special end of summer theme, which seemed appropriate what with Labor Day approaching and all. Our first end of summer movie is a 1986 coming of age classic directed by Rob Reiner and starring Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell and the late River Phoenix in one of his best performances. The 12-year-old pals hike into the woods to find the body of kid who died, but it's mostly about the rapport between the guys and the protagonist Gordie (Wheaton) who must come to terms with his own brother's death. But for me this movie is all about Phoenix, who shows off just how much potential he had as the sensitive kid with the tough exterior. He's so good he makes us wish he could have lived a little longer to see it realized. It's also worth a look for the great 50's soundtrack and a young Kiefer Sutherland as the creepy Ace, a truly dangerous teenage hood.

Original 1986 Trailer:

Maureen O'Hara, Harry Belafonte to Receive Honorary Oscars

The four recipients of the annual Academy Governor's Awards were announced today. The winners of the Honorary Awards are Maureen O'Hara, Harry Belafonte, Hayao Miyazaki and screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere. Maureen O'Hara was a star of Hollywood's Golden Age who acted in such classics as The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939), Miracle on 34th Street (1947) The Quiet Man (1952) and The Parent Trap (1961). Carriere is a celebrated screenwriter who collaborated with Luis Bunuel on several films, including The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and That Obscure Object of Desire, while Hayao Miyazaki is the legendary Japanese filmmaker who founded Studio Ghibli and is responsible for classic features like Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, among many others. Harry Belafonte, an actor, singer, producer and activist since the 1950's, is being awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his humanitarian efforts. The Governor's Awards are being held November 8th.

TRAILER: "Rosewater"

Jon Stewart's directorial debut finally has a trailer, right before the movie premieres at Telluride this weekend, and then Toronto next week. Actually, the film already screened for several critics last night and the early word so far is fairly lukewarm. As someone who has watched The Daily Show for many years, I have never seen Jon Stewart exhibit much (or any) interest in films, so I'm a little baffled by his sudden move toward becoming a director. I mean really, he never sees any of the movies that his celebrity guests are promoting and if anything often shows a fair amount of disdain towards Hollywood. I could have seen him making a documentary about this subject (based on the autobiography of the Iranian journalist Mazahir Bahari) rather than an actual film, so I don't really know where this is coming from.

'Birdman' Opens to Spectacular Reviews in Venice

Alejandro Innarritu's Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) has just made a huge splash at the Venice Film Festival, garnering nearly unanimous praise from critics, and now kicking off the Oscar race with a pretty big bang. Michael Keaton is getting career best notices, and it looks like a for sure Best Actor nomination, which would be his first ever, and the film itself is being described as a buoyant, imaginative black comedy that critiques celebrity culture in modern society. Sounds pretty amazing, and I can't wait to see it when it comes out October 17th. Birdman is going to be showing at the Telluride Film Festival this weekend, which will also screen The Imitation Game, Wild and Jon Stewart's Rosewater as the official kickoff to awards season.

"Innarritu's fifth and best feature provides the delirious coup de grace- a triumph on every level, from casting to execution, that will electrify the industry, captivate arthouse and megaplex crowds alike, send awards pundits into orbit and give fresh wings to Keaton's career." (Variety)

"Intense emotional currents and the jagged feelings of volatile actors are turned loose to raucous dramatic and darkly comedic effect in one of the most sustained examples of visually fluid tour de force cinema anyone's ever seen, all in the service of a story that examines the changing nature of celebrity and the popular regard for fame over creative achievement." (Hollywood Reporter)

"This is, in at least two senses, the role of Keaton's career. He summons up all the manic comic energy of his early work in films like 'Night Shift' and 'Beetlejuice,' but seems half-fried by it, and as the heat increases on all sides, you can almost smell him sizzling." (The Telegraph)

"It's dazzling and rambling, intimate and sprawling, and it's carried along by an infectious, off-the-cuff jazz score. As soon as it ends, you'll be dying to fly with it again." (Time Out London)

TV SPOT: "Gone Girl"

This new ad for Gone Girl premiered during the Emmys last night. I have to say, every new promo I see for this movie makes me more excited for it. It's going to be showing at the New York Film Festival, which starts Sept. 26th, so we'll hear how it is then, but it's also coming out very soon after that, on October 3rd. I can't wait.

Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: "All That Jazz" (1979)

A different kind of musical is out on blu-ray this week, and it's one of the best and most exuberant of the 1970's. Kind of an autobiographical look inside the head of Bob Fosse himself (who directed), that was obviously inspired by Fellini's 8 1/2, but it definitely works on its own too, thanks to the great performances and imaginative musical numbers. Roy Scheider plays Joe Gideon, the film and stage director who can barely handle his work and various personal hangups when not in a drug addled state, while a young Jessica Lange appears as his dark angel of death. The movie's an exhilarating ride that was nominated for 9 Oscars and won five.

Original 1979 Trailer:

REVIEW: "How to Train Your Dragon 2" (2014) Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett. Dir. Dean DeBlois

How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the rare sequel that's an improvement on the original, which is a very big compliment because the first was a wonderful movie in its own right. But everything that was great about the first one is expanded upon in this one- it feels bigger in scope, ambition, themes and leaves a stronger emotional impact, along with breathtaking visual and flight sequences that are (like in the first movie) worth the price of admission alone, especially in a theater.

We pick up on the island of Berk five years after the events of the first How to Train Your Dragon, and Hiccup (voiced again by Jay Baruchel) is now a twenty year old young man who his father Stoick (Gerard Butler) wants to anoint as chief of the island. The population all has dragons of their own to contend with, and the villagers spend their time participating in complicated tournaments involving tossing and catching sheep through hoops (don't ask) while riding on the various dragon's backs. Life is now idyllic on the isand and Hiccup is admired for being a kind of dragonmaster after he discovered how to tame them, but he's rebellious and would rather spend his time exploring far off lands with his loyal buddy Toothless, the adorable Night Fury, who goes through his own journey of personal discovery in this movie.

Conflict comes from a dangerous dragon hunter called Drogo (Djimon Hounsou) who has an ominous past with Stoick, and wants to hunt down and capture all the dragons he can find, rather than tame them and learn to cohabit peacefully, as the citizens of Berk have done. The earnest Hiccup thinks he can talk him into their way of life, while Stoick warns him it's a chief's duty to protect his own. The already fairly heavy plot is complicated even more when Hiccup accidentally finds his long lost mother Valka (Cate Blanchett) on one of his journeys and discovers how he inherited his own peace loving and caretaking nature. The movie's moral weight comes from its absolute devotion to the caring of these animals by the humans, and writer-director Dean DeBlois seems to really believe it's our duty to protect and preserve any kind of intelligent animal life. Okay, so these are mythological creatures, but there's an obvious metaphor in here for the protection of endangered species, and the sincere affection for the bond that can develop between human and pet is on full display, as it was in the first film. Valka lives in a shrine built by the ancient alpha dragon, which is home to hundreds of colorful, astonishing beasts of all kinds, and is one of the most visually pleasing environments you'll see on screen all year.

Speaking of the visuals, the great Roger Deakins was once again consultant on the cinematography for this film, and to say it's a feast for the eyes is beyond understatement. It's filled with lush, gorgeous backgrounds and eye-popping colors, and there's genuine exhilaration in the flying sequences, which are accompanied by John Powell's fantastically memorable score once again. These passages alone can make you feel as if you're soaring through the air yourself. Hiccup's gang of dragon-riding pals all return to provide comic relief (there's a subplot involving Ruffnut's attraction to the new guy in the group, Eret, voiced by Game of Thrones's Kit Harington), but it's really Hiccup's journey, as he must learn to accept his adult responsibilities and realize the ever present danger of befriending dangerous animals, all while also attempting to put his broken family back together. There's a real focus on the relationship between he and both of his parents in this movie that isn't often explored in other animated films, and the more serious-minded themes in this film even lead to a Bambi-esque moment in the climax that you might want to prepare the kids for in advance (bring tissues).

There may be some nitpicks to the story along the way- for example, I wasn't entirely convinced by the explanation for Valka's twenty year absence from her child's life, or Hiccup's immediate acceptance of that, although I suppose it was necessary to move the plot along. But when it's clear that this movie actually wants to explore those real human emotions it can bring questions like that up, which I guess is really another way of acknowledging the depth of maturity this film strives for. It actually has something it wants to say, along with being a rollicking entertainment for family audiences. To that end, it succeeds heartily at both, and I can't wait for the conclusion of the trilogy.

* * * 1/2