True Grit

A young girl’s father dies, and she heads to the town to finalize his affairs, and hire a US Marshall to track down the murderer. While it seems that Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon are the stars of the film, within a few minutes of watching, you see that their only purpose is to support the real star Elizabeth Marvel who plays Mattie Ross, the young girl. Her performance is brilliant, and it’s quite the gripping film. While the Coen brothers can be hit or miss, this might be their best yet. In my mind their only competition is O Brother, Where Art Thou?

See this as soon as possible.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

I saw the seventh Harry Potter film in the same sitting as True Grit. I’m happy I saw Harry Potter first, as while it’s a good movie on its own, it pales in comparison. There’s no point in comparing the two.

If you haven’t seen the previous six Harry Potter films, you obviously have no interest in seeing this. It’s a fun romp, about a wizard who must find numerous horcrux which the evil Lord Voldemort has hidden parts of his soul to enable himself to live eternally. Simple enough plot. This is the journey of Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley to find these horcrux and save the world, for both wizards and muggle alike.

As it was decided to split the final story into two films, this allowed for a more mature film, and better pace, as we got more introspection, and a better a tale of the interpersonal relationships in the franchise’s trinity. This part isn’t the most action packed of the Potter story, but it reveals more of the characters behind it than any film yet.

Barney’s Version

Barney’s Version is the story of Barney Panofsky, a Montreal Jew, a loudmouth, an asshole, a drunk, a television producer, a murderer, and a lover. As the novel by Mordecai Richler is quite long, and in-depth, and rambles, as it’s told from the perspective of Barney¹, it doesn’t quite lend itself to film, and to be adapted would require considerable rewriting. It think the screenwriter Michael Konyves did an excellent job by focusing on one aspect of Barney’s story, his love life. The man married three time², but only found love once³. The story is his journey to Miriam, and their life together.

If you’re Jewish, and have yet to see it, you’re nuts. If you’re not Jewish, it’s a really good film about love and loss.

I started reading the novel before the film came out, and I’m slowly making my way through it. It’s quite good, too.

1. Hence the title. It’s Barney’s version of his life story. [↩]
2. Clara, The Second Mrs. Panofsky, and Miriam [↩]
3. Miriam. [↩]

Season 3
Episode 19
“The Shower”

For a long time I’ve refrained from seeing the final instalment of the second Star Wars trilogy. I was under the impression that the only way the trilogy could redeem itself after the catastrophes that were The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones was if they did two things:

1. Yoda is a Muppet again.
2. Yoda says “Wocka wocka!”

While I knew neither of these things would happen, I could pretend they did if I didn’t watch the film. I would hear others bandying about complimentary terms like “surprisingly good,” “not bad,” and “could be worse;” these compliments were said in vain.

I think Revenge of the Sith can best be described as a train wreck. At best it’s a perfect example of terrible dialogue, at worst it ruins the classic trilogy by making Darth Vader, the calm, cool, collected lieutenant of the Emperor into a strong, emotionally unbalanced lunatic. That is where this film is most bothersome. I was okay with Anakin Skywalker being an annoying child, or a whiney teenager in love, but I expected to see Skywalker’s transition from the previous films into the Vader we knew and loved, as played by James Earl Jones.

However, to see Darth Vader, in full regalia throwing a temper tantrum at the end of the film is unworthy of Darth Vader.

A tale of a Viking boy, who’s not quite the Viking-image his father wishes for him. While his village is filled with the strong, big warriors, he’s the weakling of the bunch. More clever than strong, Hiccup is the inventor of the group, but brute strength is what they believe to be the only way to conquer the invading dragons. Hiccup captures a dragon and learns from it. Eventually leading to the discovery that the dragons are enslaved by a mightier dragon, and that they only raid the village to get food for the King Dragon.

The story leads to the obvious conclusion of the Humans deposing the King Dragon, and then Humans and Dragons living peacefully side by side. Hooray! Group Hug! All the bullshit. What they don’t address is the more pressing question, what fills the power vacuum left by deposing the King Dragon? Democracy doesn’t just happen out of sheer magic, it must be demanded by the people, and imposed upon those who rule. This is a trend which would echo itself in history time and time again. The self-righteous see an evil, conquer it, leaving those once destitute with a power vacuum, some new evil arises. Sigh.

Rivers performing “God Only Knows.”

Sheezer perform “El Scorcho”

Sheezer’s bass player Laura Barrett’s first single.

Sheezer drummer and boxing coach (?!?!) Dana Snell in Gentleman Reg’s “How We Exit”

I didn’t expect to so thoroughly enjoy this film, but the film is a lot of fun with a great cast of to compliment it. Specifically the adults in the film, who are only in the movie to compliment Olive (Emma Stone) and have little character of their own, are so well played with excellent comic timing.

The film centres on Olive, a high school girl who makes a quick excuse to excuse herself from her BFF’s family camping extravaganza. Her excuse being a date… EEE! When she denies losing her virginity to this college boy, her friend assumes the worst¹. Olive figures she might as well play along, and overheard, the rumour quickly spreads throughout the student body. Emma, loves the attention, until a rapey date. Sigh. She quickly learns that it’s better just to be yourself.

So, while it’s not the greatest setup for a film, it’s the execution and clever dialogue that makes the film fun and interesting. It was definitely a good way to spend 92 minutes.

Jolly Snowflake Day, cats and kittens.

1. Best? [↩]

When I was invited out to see one of the new buzz films Black Swan, I really had no idea what to expect. I had heard the name bandied about, always with something good to say, and I had seen that it was a ballet film, but I hadn’t even seen the trailer. After watching the trailer, I was underwhelmed, but I felt the same way based on the trailer for Inception, and was blown away by the film. Black Swan did the same. Who would’ve thought a ballet film could be this good?

Black Swan is about a ballet dancer in a major metropolis’ company, forever dancing on the side, never getting the spotlight she desires. She’s made the lead, Swan Queen, in the company’s new production of Swan Lake. The shy, timid girl is reluctant to stand up for herself, unwilling to let go of herself, but must do both of those to embody the Black Swan. Duelling personalities are at stake within her, as she must embody both the White and Black Swans, and that inner-turmoil drives her to insanity, and beyond.

To say this film is creepy and at points unwatchable is an understatement, but while you’re flinching away at the screen, you need to know what other torment and trauma is around the corner. The film defines the word “riveting” and is near perfect. The only thing that bothered me about the film was the severity of the shaky camerawork. Portman’s performance was incredible.

Season 3
Episode 16
“Denise Gets An Opinion”

Le Declin de l’empire americain is a film about eight friends who work together in the History department of the Université de Montréal. These four men and four women share two other things in common, they speak French, and they’re perverted. One of these two things I also share with them¹.

While the women are at the gym discussing their sex lives, the men are at home cooking for the women. They regale one another with stories of their conquests and flashbacks to their trysts. While Diane tells of her new lover Mario, with whom she has gone to new levels of lust and submission; Pierre tells of his experiences trolling the parks of Montreal for men; Louise tells the women of Rémy’s infidelities and their experience at a swinger’s party.

When they finally come together, it’s to have dinner as colleagues and friends. Through the night, details leak, and it leads to confrontations between Louise and Rémy. It’s not the greatest film, but it’s about sex, and that will, of course, get one interested. It seems to be more of a commentary of the boredom of the intellectuals of Montreal, rather than the promiscuity.

1. It’s not an ability to speak French. [↩]

The Wilderness of Manitoba perform at December’s Bloggers’ Brunch. Recorded by Joe.

Listening to Ruth Minnikin’s Depend On This lately… there’ll be a review soon enough.

And an oldie, but a goodie.