Selig Film News

TRON: LEGACY – A Review by Gary Murray

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December 17, 2010

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TRON: LEGACY

By Gary Murray

Starring Jeff Bridges Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde

Written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz

Directed by Joseph Kosinski

MPAA Rating PG-13

Running time 127 min

Selig Film Rating Matinee

The original Tron was made at Disney during a time of change. The studio was trying to find a way to relate to a Star Wars/ET world and still try to keep the family crown. At the time they made the original film they also made The Black Hole a sci-fi epic with a dour un-Disney feel.

Tron is best known for as the first film to use computer generated images. At the time it, like The Black Hole, was another unsuccessful attempt to win the youth audience. There have always been a legion of people who defend these two Disney titles as great attempts to do something different. Well, the powers that be at Disney feel that 1982 movie needed a 21st century update. We now have a very long overdue sequel Tron: Legacy.

The story starts with young Sam being told by his father Kevin Flynn (a CGI of young Jeff Bridges) all about the world of the Grid. This is a virtual place where anything imagined can be created. That night Kevin Flynn disappears.

It is twenty years later and Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is now a grown man with a bit of mischief in his bones. The night the company his father founded is to release a new computer software, Sam breaks in and steals it posting the system on the Web for free. He believes, like his father did, that all computer software and knowledge should be free and open. That night, Kevin’s trusted co-worker comes to Sam and tells him that he received a page from Kevin’s disconnected phone number at the office/video game center.

Sam goes to investigate and finds a secret room that leads to his dad’s lab. There are all the plans and machines for the Grid. As he accidently activates the old computers, Sam is digitally transported into the Grid itself.

Once there, he is immediately captured and forced to go into battle with programs that use ring-discs for combat. It is a world just like the video world, full of deep black and neon orange colors. After a few fights and wins, the programs discover that he is human and he is taken to their leader Clu (the CGI of Jeff Bridges). It seems that the real Kevin Flynn has been trapped in this virtual universe trying to find a way to get back. Clu also has plans to leave this universe and get into the real one. Sam, by coming to the Grid, has opened the door for both escape and conquest.

Very soon Sam is rescued in a visual bike/cycle scene by Quorra (Olivia Wilde) one of the last of her kind and a helper of the real Kevin Flynn (finally the real Jeff Bridges). It seems that he has been avoiding battle with Clu in a Zen-like mission to find inner peace in this ‘0’ and ‘1’ world. With Sam in this world, Kevin realizes that now is the time for things to change. So, Dad (the Father) and Son (the Son) and Digital Babe (the Spirit) must embark on a spiritual journey to stop Clu (the Devil), Can we say Christ Analogy?

Visually, Tron:Legacy is amazing. The 3-D effects in the Tron world are a feast for the eyes. In the decades since the first Tron, computers have changed the entire landscape of cinema. The building of ships and cycles are magically and technically amazing. Every little bit of the screen has an image of wonder.

Jeff Bridges has been having a great second act in the thespian world. In the last couple of years, he has been delivering great performance after great performance. But here, he channels Sir Alec from the Star Wars and not a genuine different character. He is much better as CGI Clu, but the bad guy is always more fun than the good one.

Garrett Hedlund is a fine actor but there is not much in his performance. All he is required to do is smile and look handsome and non-threatening. He has that gun-ho attitude but not much of a distinct personality. We never truly believe his emotional arc.

The find of Tron Legacy is Olivia Wilde. Not only can she fight with all the big boys but she has that certain twinkle in her eye that just draws the audience in. As as two dimensional character, she gives a three dimensional performance.

The problem with is the story. It runs from second rate Star Wars to third rate Holy Bible. The religious allegory floods over and across the screen to a point of almost being parody. We get all the references, it just too much imagery not enough action.

People are going to Tron: Legacy to look at all the pretty pictures and the action sequences. While the former is there, the latter not so much. The trailer shows all the action and at over two hours, the film drags from sequence to sequence. Director Joseph Kosinski tries to keep the original Tron fans happy while building an entire new fanbase. He comes close but doesn’t give much in the way of story. While that may be the fault of the script by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. It never finds the right flow between action pieces, more like eating chunky peanut butter and not smooth peanut butter.

While Tron: Legacy will make a lot of money, it was just an okay flick. Like all films these days, it is definitely set-up for a sequel.

THE KING’S SPEECH – A Review by Gary Dean Murray

Gary Murray

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December 17, 2010

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THE KINGS SPEECH

By Gary Dean Murray

Starring Colin Firth, Geoffery Rush, Michael Gambon. Guy Pearce and Helena Bonham Carter

Written by David Seldler

Directed by Tom Hooper

Running time 111 min

MPAA Rating R

Selig Film Rating FULL PRICE

There are films that, when given the synopsis, sound dreadful. Such is The King’s Speech, the story of George VI getting over a speech impediment. If one dismissed The King’s Speech on such a thumbnail sketch, they will miss one of the best films of 2010.

The story starts at a broadcast where Prince Bertie Windsor (Colin Firth) has to deliver a speech. It is to be broadcast on that new invention called radio. The man is petrified. He has a hard stammer since he was a boy and still stumbles over words. His father the king knows that the monarchy must be with the times and must be able to rally the common people with the advent of wireless. The speech is an abject failure

Mrs. Windsor (Helena Bonham Carter) decides to take matters into her own hands and visits Lionel Logue (Geoffery Rush) an Australian living in England. He is a failed actor who has many unusual ideas about getting to the problem of speech impediments. Not too soon, Lionel realizes that his newest client is also his most important one. The Prince, used to a certain way of doing things, doesn’t like the manner that Lionel uses on the Royal Person. It is a clash between these two men and the way they eventually bond that makes up the bulk of The King’s Speech.

The film is not just about elocution. It is also about a time of great winds of war in Europe. Across the channel, Hitler is amassing an army that threatens all of the nations. While some just believe that The Fuhrer is a loud mouth politician, others see the writing on the wall and that war is going to happen again. While the King (Michael Gambon) tried to prepare both his subjects and his family for what is to come, there is trouble in the palace.

The future king of England is Edward VIII (Guy Pearce). He is much more of a playboy than a future king, living the life of privilege. He is also living with a lady of questioned morals Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). As the king dies, Edward realizes that he does not want to be head of the monarchy but wants to have fun with his little plaything. The country needs a strong ruler and that duty will fall on Prince Bertie. As all the machination of Bertie becoming George VI happen, the man realizes that he needs Lionel to help him get over the stammer and lead his people to war.

The King’s Speech is full of Academy worthy performances. Colin Firth shows the audience a man at the crossroads of history. It is a role that he was never meant to be a part of but must endure. There is this quality of noble dread with the work, a man who never expected to take on the title of king, must less leading his country into a very dangerous and unexpected war against a towering foe. He sees that the world rests on his shoulders and he must somehow find the inner courage to take on the task.

Helena Bonham Carter does something she seldom gets to do on the Silver Screen, she gets to play a normal character. Even though she is the wife of the King, she is a woman of place. When Lionel’s wife walks into her little flat and sees the Queen in her home, the woman is dumbfounded. Helena tells her in a very matter of fact flippant way, “First address me as Your Majesty then after that Ma’am.” She is supremely confident with the role.

Of all the leads, Geoffery Rush seems to be having the most fun. As our failed Aussie actor, he is a man who knows his vocal tricks, even though he isn’t a true doctor. There is this “gee whiz” feeling with the performance, like a kid locked in the candy shop. He just oozes with thrills as he prods the future king to discover he basis of the vocal problems. The two actors work well together finding the right beat between extremes of love and hate.

Director Tom Hooper has taken the David Seldler script and found a right setting of time and place with The King’s Speech. The audience gets a true feeling of both the swift changes of the world turning with the Industrial Revolution and the extreme growing pains of a world getting smaller. The destructive challenge of conflict, both external and internal, are in the lens of Mr. Hooper as we are exposed to a World War brewing on people who do not want or wish it.

The King’s Speech is another bullet gunning for the target known as Oscar. With stunning sets, perfect costumes and a compelling story, it has a solid shot for being considered one of the best of the year.

HOW DO YOU KNOW – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray

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December 17, 2010

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HOW DO YOU KNOW

By Gary Murray

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson

Written and directed by James L. Brooks

Running time 120 min

MPAA Rating PG-13

Selig Film Rating Matinee

James L. Brooks is the man behind some very successful flicks. Spanglish and Broadcast News are a few of his titles. His latest is the romantic comedy How Do You Know.

The story centers around Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) an infielder for the US Olympic Team with two gold metals under her belt. The new male head coach sees that she is getting past her prime and decides to cut her but forbids his assistant female coaches to let Lisa know in advance.

On the other side of the plot, George (Paul Rudd) is working at his father’s company. The young man opens his mail and finds that he is being singled out for a federal investigation. He has no idea why this is happening. Almost immediately he talks to his father and boss Charles (Jack Nicholson). As George tries to understand exactly what is going on with his career, the entire company begins to distance from him. He soon finds himself out and alone.

Lisa has just started a relationship with Matty (Owen Wilson) a major league pitcher who lives the life of a carefree bachelor. At his first date with Lisa, he is totally smitten. They become fast overnight friends, but she still has a blind date with George. At that date, things between Lisa and George begin bad and get worse until Lisa saves the date by telling George just to shut up and eat. This silent date is just the little perk that George needs and he too falls for Matty.

George goes to visit his father and discovers that the building his father lives in is also the place where Matty lives. George and Lisa meet in the elevator with Lisa now moved-in with Matty. Our lost hero George helps Lisa with the groceries and Matty is upset that she let another man into his apartment. This starts the pinball relationship between Matty and Lisa and George. People get closer and relationships connect and disconnect as the audience is raced to the big conclusion of How Do You Know.

Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon could easily be the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan of this generation. They just look perfect together, playing off each other with a comfort seldom seen There is a comfort in their performances, as if they are some sort of an established screen couple going through the motions again. Reese just glows and James Brooks captures every flicker of her beauty. But, the role is not all fluff, she does have to confront the idea of being a has-been early in her life.

I’ve always found Paul Rudd to be one of those ‘take it or leave it’ actors, one that leaves little impression. Here he is much of the same, giving goofy looks where none is needed. He does find the right beats with the comedy and delivers some solid comedy punches as a guy up to his neck, not knowing how or why he is in that position.

Owen Wilson falls much into the same category as Paul Rudd. He is this charming rogue, a role that he’s done many times before. There just isn’t much for him to work with in the character of Matty, he just goes through the motions.

Unfortunately Jack Nicholson just walks his performance, never finding any sympathy with the role. He’s the 800 lb gorilla in the room, the commanding presence towering a head above the other actors.. The problem is that he just stands there, never giving a solid commitment to the role.

How Do You Know does wear out its welcome. running all of two hours. James Brooks has so much here that he just doesn’t want to cut any of it. There in lies the problem. The film needs to be about 30 minutes shorter. There are just one too many moody crescendos and longing, loving shots. By picking up the pace, he could have crafted a much more successful film.

The romantic comedy is the tightest genre in the film handbook and How Do You Know doesn’t break any new ground. Brooks didn’t make either guy the bad guy, just one of them the wrong guy. How Do You Know does ask the right question but the audience knows that the answer will be.

THE FIGHTER – A Review by Gary ‘Southpaw’ Murray

Gary Murray

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December 17, 2010

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THE FIGHTER

By Gary ‘Southpaw’ Murray

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams

Directed by David O. Russell

Written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson

Running time 115 min

MPAA Rating R

Selig Film Rating: FULL PRICE

I knew nothing about Micky Ward and his brother Dicky. I am not a fan of boxing and the only fighters I could identify are Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson. Usually, I don’t like to know much about the movies I am about to see. Reading all the articles and press notices just slants the mind-set. I want to go in fresh. That being said, all I knew about The Fighter was that it was a boxing flick. Coming out, I knew I had seen the best sports film since Rocky.

The story basically is of a Mass. family in 1993. Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) is a fighter pushing 40 who once had a match against Sugar Ray Leonard. While he dreams of getting another shot, he trains his younger half-brother Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg). Mickey has all the talents of his brother but also twice the drive. He also knows that at 30, there are few chances at getting a shot at a title.

A film crew follows around Dicky. He believes that the film-makers is working on a documentary about his comeback to the ring. In reality, the HBO crew is doing a story on the dark side of crack addiction. It seems that Dicky is hooked on the pipe and spends his days in a crack house, surrounded by enablers who smoke the rock and let Dicky relive his glory days in the ring.

Complicating this story is Alice Ward (Melissa Leo) the mother of both boys and their manager. Though she shows interest in both men, her main focus is on Dicky–the oldest boy and number one son. Micky is almost an afterthought, the second son trying to win his mothers love. There is also a gaggle of seven sisters who always insert their opinions and machination in the style of a Greek chorus.

As Micky trains and works, he meets Charlene (Amy Adams) the local bartender. She was one a promising athlete who blew her college scholarship by partying too much. They have an instant connection and she begin to push at a question Micky has been keeping in the backwash of his mind. Is his family doing what is best for him?

The tale of The Fighter is of Micky breaking apart from the family and becoming his own man. It is also of the downfall of Dicky, caught in the downward spiral of drug addiction. He hits rock bottom and is sent to jail. But it is also of his redemption as the long slog to win Micky a sanctioned belt.

Mark Wahlberg delivers the performance of his career as Micky. Not only does he have the physical abilities for the role, he also delivers the wide-eyed sadness of a man-child who must make a choice between his biological family and the one he builds with another. There is true heartbreak in the performance of a character at the crossroads.

As much as Mark Wahlberg delivers in the lead role, Christian Bale just towers over the proceedings as older brother Dicky. This is such an all-encompassing role. Bale is lost in the role much the same way DeNiro and Pacino were known for doing decades ago. He becomes almost unrecognizable in the skin of Dicky, finding every perfect tick as both the older brother and the sad crack addict. He never realizes until it is almost too late the folly of his ways, both in and outside the ring. This is the strongest performance of his career and a sure-fire Oscar nomination.

I have been a ardent fan of Amy Adams since Junebug. She is just perfect in a role that is both bold and unflattering. Her character is in no means perfect, but she believes in her man to a strong degree. Even more impressive though is the performance of Melissa Leo as Mom Alice. This is the kind of a performance like Violet Davis of a few years ago–a reading that puts one on the A-list of character actresses. It is one of those ‘stand-up and take-notice’ bits of acting that both audiences and the Academy remembers.

David O. Russell has given the world a film that will be watched for generations. He never backs away from all the tragedy of the lives of Dicky and Micky while never shying away from the black comedy of the lives of these people. There is quick line after quick line while never losing the tension of the overall situation. This perfect balance of the two extremes of storytelling make this a film for the ages.

To call The Fighter a sports film is like calling Tolstoy an adventure writer. It is Shakespearean with drama, tragedy and pathos. It is about family–both love and hate. It is about wish fulfillment and redemption. Simply put, The Fighter is the strongest film of 2010 and the major contender for Oscar gold. It has everything one wants from a movie and is an instant classic, a film like Rocky and Raging Bull.

THE TEMPEST – A Review by Gary “The Bard” Murray

Gary Murray

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December 17, 2010

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THE TEMPEST By Gary “The Bard” Murray Starring Helen Mirren, David Strathairn, Djimon Hounsou and Russell Brand Written by William Shakespeare Adapted for the screen and directed by Julie Taymor Running time 115 min MPAA Rating Selig Film Rating Cable

Of all of the works of Shakespeare, The Tempest is one of the least filmed works. While Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet get a remake just about every decade, the tale of Prospero is not in the same league. It might be because of the subject matter or it may be the difficulty of giving the play a real world life but The Tempest has received less than its due on the Silver Screen. The latest to take on the challenge is acclaimed director Julie Taymor. In a grand change of pace, Taymor has changed Prospero to Prospera (Helen Mirren) the Duchess of Milan. She has been exiled by her brother Antonio. With her daughter, the two live on an island for twelve long years. King Alonzo (David Strathairn) sails by and Prospero uses her powers of black magic and sorcery to cause a tempest, wrecking the ship and stranding those on board. That passenger list includes Antonio and Prince Ferdinand. With Shakespeare, there are competing stories. We have the young lovers of Prospera daughter Miranda (the stunning Felicity Jones) and Ferdinand (Reeve Carney). The two meet and fall in love, thus complicating all the revenge. There is the story of Caliban (Djimon Hounsou) the slave wanting his escape and his exploring adventures with Trinculo (Russell Brand) and Stephano (Alfred Molina). This is presented as the comic relief that played for the crowd under the footlights. The different elements drive the story to everyone meeting and Prospera showing her powers. Some of the acting in this film is amazing. Helen Mirren, going against type, takes this usually male role and gives it a very different reading. She gives the role her all, filling the rafters with scene eating bile. That is the problem, she’s playing the role as if she were on stage, projecting to the back wall. A degree of subtly would do. Felicity Jones just lights up every scene she is in. There is this glow to her performance that gives it a true ring. The amazement she shows when seeing Ferdinand is genuine. But she is also manages some real fear in seeing her mother at work casting spells. It is a measured performance. Russell Brand just seems lost as Trinculo, jumping and running all over the place with no apparent motivation. He just spouts the lines without any meaning behind them. He should have taken a cue from Alfred Molina who puts the character in Stephano. Poor Djimon Hounsou is just lost as Caliban, never sure of what he should be doing with the part. He says the lines but never lives them. The film is directed by Julie Taymor but she never seems to be sure of what kind of film she is making. Some of the visuals are stunning but other scenes fall flat. Since there is little consistency between the performances, she has different degrees of style and commitment going on within the same scenes. The only notes that are hit on a steady basis are the love story moments. The Tempest is one of the harder Shakespearean dramas to get to work either on stage or screen. That is why there have been so few successful versions produced. This is yet another failed attempt to scale the harder side of the Bard’s work. A fair attempt at best.

THE TOURIST – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray

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December 9, 2010

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THE TOURIST

By Gary Murray

Starring Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany and Timothy Dalton

Written by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Christopher McQuarrie and Julian Fellowes

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Running time 103 min

MPAA Rating PG-13

Selig Film Rating Cable

Alfred Hitchcock was the master of the thriller. He could take different plot elements and weave a tale that just left one on the edge of the seat. He made the impossible look easy. So it comes as little surprise that others would try and emulate the style. While some makers nail every aspect of the genre, other just make pale imitations. The latest thriller in this style is The Tourist.

The plot of The Tourist is a basic case of mistaken identify. The film opens with Elise (Angelina Jolie) being watched by an international group of government agents. It seems that she is the connection with an international man of mystery named Pearce. She receives a letter from him at a Paris cafe instructing her to go to the train station. Elise burns the letter and takes off while the agents retrieve the ashes.

She is told to take the train to Venice and find a man with Pearce’s similar build. Pearce wants the authorities to think that the stranger Elise contacts on the train is him with massive plastic surgery. Enter Frank (Johnny Depp) the American tourist. While she makes small talk with Frank, the government men take pictures, making Frank the object of interest. This tips off the bad guys, people Pierce has bilked for a ton of money. The bad guys want their money back and believe that Frank is Pierce.

The agents are lead by Paul Bettany and Timothy Dalton. Where Paul thinks that the entire train ride and picking of Frank is a part of some elaborate plan, Timothy sees something different. They follow the action of the bad guys hoping to catch the real Pearce, a man wanted in many different countries.

In Venice, Elise and Frank share a hotel room, checked-in as husband and wife, and are seen out at dinner. While the bad guys think Frank is Pierce, the government men think that Frank will flush out the real Pierce. It is all a game of cat and mouse where everyone is not exactly who they appear to be. The film twists and turns to a conclusion that just borders on silly.

The problem is that director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck doesn’t know exactly what kind of film he is making. He uses James Bond locations and shoots them with a bitter lens, never finding the charms of the cities. There are few action pieces and fewer romantic tensions. He never ignites a spark between his two leads, two of the most accomplished performers of their generations. The film never finds a its heart, never finds the rock solid beat it needs to drive the action. Since he never finds a story, he cannot find anything exciting for his actors to deliver. He wastes just about every element in his toolbox on an idea that just didn’t translate from the 2005 original flick.

To be honest, Johnny Depp looks bored with his role as Frank. The over-the-top flair just isn’t here. Most of his most famous characters were just that–characters–full of vigor and crazed. Here he comes across more as a dry fish, barely moving and stinking-up the scenery. There are a couple of minor action sequences but he is mostly just acted-upon and not in control of the situation.

While Angelina Jolie is one of the most attractive actresses working in Hollywood, she does little more than primp and pose. There is barely any true acting in the part. She looks superb but the script doesn’t give her much to work with. She is part femme fatale and part wounded bird, but never commits to either side. She is in love with Pearce, a man who hurt her but also falls for Frank, which make her seem fickle. Still, she is amazing to look at and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck does justice to her beauty.

The Tourist is going to draw some serious crowds due to the name recognition of the two leads. But, it is not as exciting as the trailer and doesn’t build much suspense. It is a thriller with little thrills.

Texas Filmmakers Showcase 1990’s Retrospective at the Texas Theatre

Film News

John Strange

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December 8, 2010

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NEWS RELEASE

Texas Filmmakers Showcase 1990’s Retrospective at the Texas Theatre

The Houston Film Commission’s
Texas Filmmakers Showcase 1990’s Retrospective!
Texas Theatre | 231 West Jefferson Blvd, Oak Cliff | Saturday December 18 @ 7pm | $8

Aviation Cinemas is proud to present a collection of handpicked shorts from the Houston Film Commission’s “Texas Filmmakers Showcase” that span all the way back in time to the glorious 1990’s – when many films were still filmed on… film!

Since 1994, the Houston Film Commission has been putting together Best Of Texas-made short films in order to introduce them to new audiences in Los Angeles, around Texas, and anywhere else the opportunity presented itself. Over the years there have been films with now famous faces in them as well as the early works of many Texans established in the industry around the world.

Established by Drew Mayer-Oakes in 1993, the program began as a student film contest open to any Texas film school student and was initially called the Young Filmmakers Showcase. Heading into a new century, 1999 brought the change of the name to the Texas Filmmakers Showcase along with opening up eligibility for entry to any current Texas resident who has made a short film.

The Showcase remains a unique Texas short film program and an opportunity for talented Texas filmmakers. The collection continues to be screened for the industry every summer in Los Angeles with the filmmakers in attendance and screened with partner organizations and film festivals around Texas in the fall. Each screening has been met with praise leaving audiences impressed with Texas filmmakers and filmmaking.

DON’T MISS this screening of handpicked select titles from the 1990s that were outstanding among all of them that were chosen on their own merit. The screening is made possible with fresh transfers of our master BetaSP tapes-to-digital provided by The Texas Archive of the Moving Image!

Texas Filmmakers Showcase Retrospective Schedule
(Additional Titles Pending):

“Tryptych” by Daniel DeLoach (9:45 min., 8mm, 1996)
Somewhere between Irish limericks, American dead-baby jokes and German fairy tales, lies the uniquely Russian “Sadistkye Kupleti.” It is a form of black humor that counterbalanced the state-sponsored optimism of communism. “Tryptych” is a visualization of three of these “Sadistkye Kupleti.”

“Jesus of Judson” by Jacob Vaughan (20:00 min., 16mm, 1997)
Twelve year-old Daryl is a military brat and Judson Street is just another suburban military community until Daryl meets Sammy, a 20 year-old kid at heart who leads a gang of army brat misfits. Daryl finds more than friendship with Sammy in this coming of age story that captures the nuances of gawky adolescence.

Current Bio:
In 2003 Jacob Vaughan produced, shot, and edited the Independent Spirit Award nominated feature film “Dear Pillow”. He directed indie feature “The Cassidy Kids” in 2005, produced by Burnt Orange Productions and utilizing a crew of mostly University of Texas students and alumni. He also edited the Independent Spirit Award winning feature “In Search of a Midnight Kiss”, and was an additional editor on the recent festival hits “Harmony and Me” and “The Overbrook Brothers”. In 2009 he was an assistant editor on Fox Searchlight’s “CYRUS”, directed by the Duplass brothers and is currently working on their new project called “Jeff, Who Lives at Home”. Jacob is based in Los Angeles.

“R & R” by Cressandra Thibodeaux (9:00 min., 16mm, 1997)
A soldier visits his best friend’s wife on R & R and learns not all casualties of the Vietnam war are soldiers. Based on a true story.

Current Bio:
Born in New York City, New York, Cressandra Thibodeaux received a B.F.A. from the University of Texas, Austin and her M.F.A. from Columbia University. She has directed; three award-winning commercials, several short films and was the camera-woman for numerous documentaries. In addition, Thibodeaux has received numerous awards and grants for her writing, one of the grants being a Rockefeller Travel Grant to attend the McDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire to write “Bill Picket — Bulldogger,” which won 4th place at Slamdance. She was accepted into the WGA in 2006 for her script “American Eagle” which was a semi-finalist in both the Chesterfield and Nichols fellowships. She presently resides in Houston and owns and operates a microcinema called 14 Pews.

“Crosswalk” by Lance Larson (25:00 min., 35mm, 1999)
Just diagnosed with a terminal illness, Harold Moss withdraws what little savings he has at a nearby credit union. On this very same day, David Hiatt, an out-of-work young man who is desperately trying to secure a loan is rejected. With no money to pay the bills and a sick daughter, he makes a decision that will affect both men’s lives forever. Crosswalk is a lesson in the cruel and comedic irony that results when people choose to do the wrong things for the right reasons.

Current Bio:
Lance Larson is an award winning Director/Editor based in LA. His films, “Bloom” and “Crosswalk”, have played at festivals around the world including featured screenings at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo Japan and Universal Studios. Currently Lance is attached to direct the feature film “Invisible”, a script he developed with A-list writer David Elliot . Some of David’s credits include “Four Brothers”, “G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra”, “It’s Takes a Thief” and soon to be released “5th Brother”. Lance also directs commercials for Austin and Los Angeles based Synthetic Pictures. Lance is known for his highly stylized and visual effects. Larson also donates his time directing commercials for non-profit organizations such as End Hunger, United Way and The Boys and Girls Club of America.

“RoadHead” by Tommy Pallotta & Bob Sabiston (14:00 min., Animation, 1999)
RoadHead is a digitally animated documentary short. Filmmakers Bob Sabiston and Tommy Pallotta drove last December from New York to Austin and documented their trip. A series of random people encountered on the road were interviewed, edited, and then animated. A group of twelve artists donated their time and talent to animate the film, using Sabiston’s proprietary software. The film capitalizes on the diversity of the artists’ styles – each animator was allowed to illustrate the interview subjects in whatever manner they chose. The result is a chaotic, visually arresting series of cartoon portraits.

Current Bio:
Tommy Pallotta is a visionary storyteller who creatively blends technology with filmmaking, animation and interactivity. His penchant for innovation was recognized by Microsoft Research and Development where he helmed an interactive project based on Jonathan Lethem’s novel Amnesia Moon. Pallotta also directed the first machinima music video, “In the Waiting Line”, and the rotoscoped MTV Breakthrough video “Destiny”, both for the band Zero 7. He has produced several short animated films that garnered numerous awards, including “Snack and Drink”, which is now part of a permanent collection in the New York Museum of Modern Art. Tommy first connected Richard Linklater with animation when he produced the award-winning feature film “Waking Life”. He followed up with Philip K. Dick’s “A Scanner Darkly”, starring Keanu Reeves and Robert Downey Jr. He then turned to documentary films and directed “American Prince”, a companion to Martin Scorsese’s “American Boy”. Now he is back with a boundary-bashing transmedia thriller: “Collapsus”, which combines documentary, gaming, fiction and animation.

BLACK SWAN – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray

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December 2, 2010

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BLACK SWAN

By Gary Murray

Starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder

Written by Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughin

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Running time

MPAA Rating R

Selig Film Rating Matinee

Darren Aronofsky gave the world The Wrestler, a tale about faded glory set in the venue of professional wrestling. He found the right balance of pathos in a stunning Oscar nominated performance from his lead actor Mickey Rourke. The latest from Aronofsky takes on high art with Black Swan.

The story of Black Swan is of a fragile ballerina Nina (Natalie Portman) who finally gets a chance to become the featured performer of the new season of the NYC ballet company. Her slimy artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) wants to change-up the presentation of Swan Lake by making the same ballerina be both the Swan Queen and the Black Swan. He wants to show the duplicity of the role, that the bad and the good can be in equal parts of the same individual. It requires two dramatically different styles of dance for the dual roles. Thomas knows that Nina has all the technical perfection needed to do the Swan Queen role, she just doesn’t show the passion it will take to deliver the Black Swan. But, with a lustful eye, he gives the young woman her shot at super-stardom.

Complicating matters are the other women in Nina’s life. There is Erica (Barbara Hershey) her frustrated stage mother who was once a promising dancer. We get the feeling that Erica blames Nina for mom’s lack of success. Beth MacIntyer (Winona Ryder) is the former prima performer placed out to pasture by Thomas. She is a bitter, callous woman who is pushed to the edge when pushed out of the spotlight. The third woman to add to the plot is Lily (Mila Kunis) a new free spirit dancer from San Francisco who has all the passion that Thomas is looking for with the Black Swan, just not the technical expertise.

The biggest problem with Nina lies in her head. From the opening moments, the audience finds that she has a strong imagination where reality and fantasy seem to dance in each others spaces. There are times when Nina thinks something has happened to her and it is just another layer of her dream. The more she has to confront the sexuality of the Black Swan role, the more she loses her grip on the distinction between what is real and what is not. The battle of Black Swan is between what is real and what is imagined.

As her world crumbles, Nina develops a rash. This may be real or a reflection of what is going on in her psyche. At one moment, she peels away her skin and the next moment is it healed. With the Black Swan coming out of her inner being, the Black Swan seems to be taking over her outer being–at moments she is turning into a swan. Her relationship with Lily is complicated, somewhere between rivalry and obsession. The confrontation between the two is both creepy and erotic. Even though the film is about the ballet, it is not The Red Shoes. Black Swan earns its R rating, a film loaded with partial nudity and plenty of erotic situations and sexual language. It is not for the little ones.

Darren Aronofsky does a superb job of capturing the world of the ballet, from the technical specifications to the lustful ways of the participants. The details of place and space give a gritty edge to something that is seen as light and smooth. He uses the mirror as a metaphor to both Nina and the surrounding world. The reflection of the individual is a reflection of the soul.

This is one of the strongest performances by Natalie Portman and a strong contender for Oscar gold. She seems to be channeling Audrey Hepburn with the role of Nina, showing the wounded bird both on stage and in her real life. This is one crazed woman, someone with a tenuous grip on sanity. At the same time, the audience feels sorry for her, trying to fulfill the wishes of everyone but herself. She is the fragile artist with a vivid imagination, seeing her mother’s paintings talking and moving.

One wishes there were more of the other actresses in Black Swan. Though most of the conflict seems to be going on internally, the other three women in Nina’s life needed to be fleshed-out more. When everything in the heroine’s world may or may not be actually going on, it is hard to build the secondary characters. It just seems a shame that such talented people as Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder were not given more moments to deliver knock-out performances. Barbara Hershey is especially under-used as the over protective mother.

Call the exercise of Black Swan as a cross between Donnie Darko and The Turning Point. It has a strange line that it crosses, between obsession and art. While not for everyone, it does deliver a strong performance.

Burlesque – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray

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November 24, 2010

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BURLESQUE

By Gary Murray

Starring Cher, Christine Aguilera, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Julianne Hough, Peter Gallagher, Alan Cumming, Kristen Bell and Stanley Tucci

Written and directed by Steve Antin

Running time 1hr 40 min

MPAA Rating PG-13

Selig Film Rating Matinee

The musical has been making a huge comeback in the last decade. Flicks like Sweeny Todd, Rent and Chicago have been giant draws and Glee is dominating the small screen. The latest film to try and combine music, dancing and acting is Burlesque.

The story of Burlesque is the story of Ali (Christina Aguilera) a small town girl with a big city voice who moves to LA for a better life. Almost instantly she stumbles on the run-down performing space–The Burlesque Lounge. Walking in the theater, Ali realizes that this is the place to be. She only has to convince the owner Tess (Cher).

Tess has her own problems with her ex-husband co-owner (Peter Gallagher) and her gay assistant (Stanley Tucci). There is also the financial burden hanging over the club and a businessman Marcus (Eric Dane) who wants to become a partner. We get the idea early on that he is to be our villain of the piece.

Ali, who can’t get an audition, forces her way to being a cocktail waitress in the club. Jack (Cam Gigandet) is the cute bartender with a perchance with the 88 keys. He has a betrothed but lets Ali crash in his tiny apartment until she can get on her feet. Soon, Ali gets her chance to audition and wins a spot in the chorus. This irks the featured dancer (Kristen Bell) who plots a revenge.

Now that all the elements are in place, can one guess how it is all going to end? One will only be surprised if they have never seen just about any musical from the 1930’s and 40’s

This is a star turn for Christine Aguilera. Everyone who listens to the radio knows that she has some massive vocal chops but she holds her own in scenes with some very seasoned performers. She is light and funny, with just a hint of the naughty girl next door. Burlesque is going to launch her career as a major screen performer. Christine shows that she is a true triple threat.

In Burlesque Cher isn’t acting, she’s being Cher. She’s won the Oscar and given some memorable performances but here she just seems to be doing her character from the old Sonny and Cher Show. She does get two numbers in the film and just nails a torch song toward the end. She shows that her voice is still an instrument to be admired.

Stanley Tucci plays that same Stanley Tucci character he played in The Devil Wears Prada and about a dozen other films Even though he gets a major share of the punch lines, they begin to run a little trite after awhile. Alan Cumming channels Joel Gray from Cabaret but without all the flash.

That may be the biggest problem with Burlesque–it reminds one of too many other films. There are elements from so many different musicals and MTV videos that it almost becomes parody. The plot is simplistic to a fault and the dialogue has such platitudes as “Every opportunity has a shelf-life.”

Director Steve Antin fills his movie with musical number after musical number when he should have done some more work on the screenplay. Every good musical has scenes where people are not singing and pushing the plot along. Either that or the musical numbers drive the plot along. Here all the musical numbers are there to be musical numbers, story be damned. To be totally honest though, people will not go to a movie like Burlesque to see drama. They go to see stunning costumes, soul touching musical numbers and flashy dancing. This movie has it in spades. The problem–the best musicals have a strong solid story and the weak ones have weak plots.

Going it to this film, I figured it was going to be a stunner like Moulin Rouge or a turkey ala Showgirls. The final product is somewhere in the middle, leaning toward the good side. It is sexy and not sexual, think Maxim magazine and not Playboy. While not one of the big musical films of all time, Burlesque entertains on a base level. It may not be a movie for the ages but it is one that will generate a legion of musical fans.

Tangled – A Review by Gary Murray

Gary Murray

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November 24, 2010

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TANGLED

By Gary Murray

Starring the voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy

Written by Dan Fogelman

Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard

Running time 100 min

MPAA Rating PG

Selig Film Rating FULL PRICE

Disney is my favorite movie studio. Since the day I was born, it seems that they have been a part of my life. I remember how ‘in love’ I was with my first Disney experience, The Jungle Book. It is my first memory. Over the years, the company has been putting out quality action and animated films for the enjoyment of children of all ages. Some have worked better than others, but the studio still has more success than their rivals. Their latest and one of the greatest is the newest adventure with the newest princess Rapunzel–Tangled.

Tangled starts with the ‘once upon a time’ feeling and the back story. The queen who is with child has become sick and in order to save her majesty, a magical golden flower must be found. The only person who knows where it is located is Gothel (Donna Murphy). She uses the plant as an eternal youth potion. The locals finally find the plant, saving the queen and the child. The magic of the plant is transferred into the infant princess. Gothel steals the child away, hiding her in a tall tower in the forest.

It is eighteen years later and the young Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has been kept in the tower her entire life. She yearns to see the outside world, a world she is told to contain infinite dangers. Mother Gothel uses Rapunzel’s magical long hair to keep her youth and beauty. Every year on her birthday, Rapunzel watches mysterious lanterns light up the night sky. She wants to know what they are and why the only happen on her birthday. Somehow she feels a connection to the lights.

On the other side of the forest Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) is escaping with his henchmen. This charming rogue bandit has recently stolen the crown of the young lost princess. As he makes his escape, he’s followed by a very intelligent horse with a bloodhound nose. This horse steals just about every moment he is featured.

Soon, Flynn discovers the tower and ascends. Almost instantly he is captured by Rapunzel, wielding a cast iron skillet. When he finally awakes, Flynn finds that he is bound by seventy feet of hair. He tries every trick in the book to get Rapunzel to let him go and give him back the crown he has stolen. They make a deal, If he will escort her to where the lights come from and bring her back before Gothel gets back from a two day errand, she will give him back the crown. Before one can say go, we’re on a road trip.

The first big adventure happens when they go to a pub and Rapunzel interacts with a band of cutthroats, winning them over with dance and song. She uses her hair in Indiana Jones fashion, more of a bull whip and balancing rope than tresses. The locks save them from danger after danger.

While Flynn is running from both the palace guards and his back-stabbing cohorts, Gothel has come back early and makes her own plans to recapture Rapunzel before she finds out the truth of her life.

There are not enough superlatives to describe Tangled. Simply put, it is one of the best movies of the year and an instant classic. Directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard have given the audience a film for the ages, something that will be treasured for generations to come. There hasn’t been a princess movie this strong since Beauty and the Beast. It has every element one would want from the classic Grimm tale but with modern twists and spins. This fleshed out version of the children’s story doesn’t feel overblown and padded. It flows from action to comedy with a seamless pace.

The voice casting is spot on with Mandy Moore catching all the innocence needed and Donna Murphy capturing all the villainy. Even the smaller parts of the pub thugs are all a perfect blend of bile and brightness. Disney has always been good at matching the voices and characters and here it is perfect.

The technical aspects of the film are a giant step up and onward in the field of animation. Every strand of Rapunzel’s hair moves both on its own and with others, much like ocean waves. The details of the backgrounds are along the painted quality of something seen in the National Gallery in London.

The film is presented in 3-D and it looks wonderful, full and rich, with details filling the screen. With more and more films coming out in 3-D, one can get a sense of what works and what doesn’t. Animated 3-D is head and shoulders above live-action presentations. Where the elements of the technology in animation are controlled, the effect can be used to a maxim degree. When they are forced upon the print, like The Last Airbender and Clash of the Titans the effect becomes more of a lame trick. The only live action 3-D effect that worked last year was in Piranha 3-D.

The creators have given us a vision that captures the spirit of hope and the wonder that is animation. The lighting ceremony in close-up is one of the most moving cinema experiences ever put on the Silver Screen–an instant classic moment.

One can see where this film could be adapted into a Broadway musical. It has all the elements of high drama and low comedy with so many ‘tap your toes’ tunes. With all the choices for Thanksgiving viewing, make Tangled the first film on the list. It is a can’t miss winner.

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