31 Days of Film - Day 9: Best Documentary Film

I have a confession - I don't like Documentaries. They're almost always one sided, incredibly biased drivel. If I wanted to know what an actor/director felt about a subject I'd follow them on twitter. So I'm going to switch this to best BioPic, because I LOVE those.

My choice goes to Ghosts of Mississippi it's about the final trial of Byron De La Beckwith who murdered Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963. After several mistrials due to piss-poor management by a racist judicial system, it seemed that Beckwith was going to get away with his crime...

...but time has a way of changing things, and in the early 90s, a final trial would be held. After scrounging up what little evidence and testimony they could, the District Attorney's office reopened the case lead by Bobby Delaughter. With the reopening of the case, old wounds of the South also opened up. Delaughter learned that racism still ran deep, and old feelings were not so dead and buried.

James Woods plays Beckwith far too convincingly (not surprising, he's an incredible actor), and it garnered him a nomination for a Golden Globe as well as an Oscar (he'd lose to Cuba Gooding, Jr.). Alec Baldwin gives an equally strong performance as ADA Bobby DeLaughter. Whoopi Goldberg rounded out the cast as Medgar's widow. William H Macy has a smaller role as one of the investigators teamed up with DeLaughter to try and piece together the case, Craig T Nelson plays the District Attorney, and a young Lucas Black (Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, Friday Night Lights) as DeLaughter's eldest son Burt. Oh, and Wayne Rogers (Trapper John, M*A*S*H) makes a quick appearance as the Ever's family attorney!

I was up till midnight last night as this movie was on Ovation - I do not have it on DVD (shocking, I know!) and it's rarely on TV so I had to watch. I'm just sorry I didn't know it was on so I only got to watch the final half hour!

Happy Birthday Haunted Mansion!!!

Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion attraction at the Disneyland Resort turned 45 today. Here's to 45 more years of Happy Haunts!

31 Days of Film - Day 8: Movie you can quote all the lines from...

This is just about any movie I own, really. I'm one of those people that watches movies more than once, but even after one viewing I can pretty much quote the better parts of a movie. So it became a very difficult task to narrow down to a film to choose for today's prompt.

But the weather's been meh and I've been busy working on the computer, so I watched a few random movies this week... and The Help was one of it. Based on the book by the same name, this movie is quite charming - and absolutely hysterical... all the while shining a light on 1960s Jackson, Mississippi.

This movie isn't without its share of controversy. It isn't "ugly" enough for a lot of "Black Rights" folks who think we need to completely vilify the South in every film on the subject matter. I didn't live in that period, so I can't say if it trivialized it or not. All I can say is that it made "the Help" human and opened the eyes of many to how far we still had to go then - and now.

But I digress. I LOVE this movie. It's just so quotable! It's also dangerous for me to watch because I always end up craving fried chicken for days afterwards.

31 Days of Film - Day 7: Movie with the best soundtrack

WHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT'S ON THE MENNNNNNNNNNUUUUUUUUU????????? Pink pajamas, penguins on the bottom. Pink pajamas, penguins on the bottom...

I can't think of a single soundtrack I love more than the Lion King soundtrack, and I say that as a John Williams fangirl. John Williams is a music god, but there's nothing that can really compete with the perfection that is Disney's Lion King. Elton John and Tim Rice did something truly magical in their collaboration. The music breathed life into the film that on its own would have done well, but with the music became so much more!

I mean they get you from the very first second of the film with the music (and amazing animation), and you're hooked from then on. The music was so powerful it was taken to Broadway where they made the most AMAZING stage show I have EVER seen using most of the same music and lyrics they had in the film. Incredible. Just incredible.

31 Days of Film - Day 6: movie that reminds you of an event

Remember when I was a big time Star Wars nerd. Yeah, those were the days of no friends and lonely school hours. Still, it was a great time of imagination - and the Expanded Universe (now destroyed thanks to Disney... grrrrrr) kept me reading. But, I digress.

In 1999, Star Wars came back to theatres with the first of three prequels. The Phantom Menace was all I could think about during the spring semester of 8th grade. I wanted to go to the very first showing of it in town, problem was it opened on a school day - a very important school day. 8th grade graduation.

Mom and Dad were not about to let me skip school that day and I was so very bummed. It was just a ceremony and then we were going to watch movies in class all day. I was a loner in 8th grade, I really had no desire to sit alone and watch as former friends had a good time. But Mom and Dad would hear none of it.

The day of graduation was fun enough, I was in the band and that was the highlight as we played the 1812 Overture (still one of my favorite pieces of music EVER). We walked across the "stage" and got our "KCHS Class of 2003" tshirts. Our parents all cheered, some got teary eyed. We ate cookies, drank punch (well those that like punch - which I don't - did.)... and then Mom and Dad went to the office and signed me out early. We picked up my best friend Kassy and went to the movies.

I was so surprised! I really didn't think I'd get to see Star Wars until the weekend and I got to see it that afternoon instead! And back at age 14 I loved the movie. It wasn't until way later that the movie started to annoy me. All of the prequels were so disappointing (Sith being the only one I own on DVD.) The ONLY positive of the prequels is Ewan McGregor, who - even with the bad hair they gave him - is one of my favorite actors.

Even Yoda was disappointing in Episode 1. But the lightsaber fights were epic.

31 Days of Film - Day 5: Movie that reminds you of someone

Another Mel Brooks classic makes the list with day five's prompt. Robin Hood: Men In Tights was a movie I didn't want to like - and for the longest time I didn't. It is my best friend's absolute favorite movie. She knows it backwards, forwards, and upside-down. She knows the choreography to the title song. She was so sad when I said I just couldn't find what she found funny about it.

And then one day I actually sat down and paid attention to it. And I fell in love. It IS Mel Brooks' humor, after all, and the subtle (and not so subtle) parodies of all prior Robin Hood movies are hilarious. I don't know why I didn't like the movie sooner. It leaves me in stitches.

It also makes me really miss Erin. With her being in Montana we don't get to see each other much, and she has a busy life that leaves little time to actually chat these days. I miss my friend. I watched this movie today and thought of her. We have 40 days until our Disney trip and I cannot wait. As excited as I am for Disney and SoCal and VACATION, I'm more excited to see her. It's been over a year. It's overdue. WAY overdue.

31 Days of Film - Day 4: A movie that makes you sad

Well if you've followed my blog long enough you know Toy Story 3 and War Horse both scarred me for life (I haven't watched War Horse since seeing it in theaters, and I've only watched Toy Story 3 twice since getting it on DVD). Those would be my easy choices (or Homeward Bound, or Dead Poets Society, or The Yearling). But I wanted to give a shout out to a movie that doesn't get as much love and respect as I feel it should.

Reign Over Me is, to me, the best Post 9-11 themed film Hollywood has made to date. It's also the only movie Adam Sandler has starred in that I've enjoyed. Though I'm not sure "enjoyed" is the right word. Sandler plays an incredibly sympathetic character, though for most of the film he comes off as a nutcase who is frustrating to deal with. Don Cheadle (whom I adore in just about every role he's been in) plays his former college roommate who, as life got away from him, lost touch.

They run into each other be chance, but Sandler does not recognize his old buddy and blows him off in a very... odd way. Cheadle tracks him down and tries to mend fences, while his homelife seems to be crumbling around him. Through meeting with other people in Sandler's character's life, Cheadle learns that his friend had a mental breakdown after 9-11 and the loss of his family.

There's a part towards the end of the film where Sandler explains to Cheadle why he is so despondent and "odd" and not the same person Cheadle remembers. He recounts those hours of 9-11 and reveals that his wife, daughters, and dog were all on one of the planes that hit the Trade Center... and he watched them hit the tower. Guilt and loss keeps him from wanting to live in reality. So he just ignores it and "lives". It's a touching moment, and a powerful yet understated performance by Sandler. Who knew he had it in him.

This movie is not a happy or hopeful movie. It's a good one, but not uplifting. I'm always left feeling sad and even a little empty. So I don't watch it often, but it's in my collection of films and once in a blue moon I get the courage to watch it. Because it's a very real movie. One that needs to be seen and told.


**Warning, there's "hard language" in this scene... but it's beautifully tragic.**

31 Days of Film - Day 3: Movie that makes you happy

Who doesn't love a good Mel Brooks creation? The Producers (Musical starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick) is one of my favorite Broadway shows. It was based on the film that Mel Brooks wrote and directed starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, and then Mel brought it to Broadway several decades later. It became an instant classic, and its stars went on to reprise their roles when they took the musical to the movies.

Nathan and Matthew are perfect in their roles. I prefer them to their counterparts in the 1967 film version. Granted, they had far more time getting the feel for their characters, but still - they just had more energy and overall made for a funnier movie. The songs are catchy and play quite often from my iPod.

The supporting cast of characters are also a who's who in the comedy and stage world. Will Ferrell is surprisingly funny as Franz Liebkin the playwright who drafts the "love letter to Hitler", giving a very good skewed look of a German Nazi. Brooks, of course, is known for his stereotyping of Nazi's and taking a lot of jabs at the group of "neo-nazi nitwits." It never gets old. He even takes some shots at Hitler, and not just in the show's "Springtime For Hitler". We learn quite a bit that our history books never revealed (Hitler is a descendent from a long line of English Queens.)

This movie never fails to put me in a good mood. I'm a big fan of Nathan Lane anyway, and it's like this role was written for him (it wasn't, though, as the lines are almost identical to what was written for the 1967 version). As I said, both Lane and Broderick have great on screen chemistry as an unlikely duo turned partners and best friends. The music is fun, and it's Mel Brooks humor at its best.

In fact, I think I might plug it in and watch it right now...

31 Days of Film - Day 2: Movie that You hate...

Titanic is such a frustratingly stupid movie. Cameron had so much potential to tell a great tale, and instead he went about it all wrong - including grave robbing to make his movie seem more important (seriously, you do not need to travel the depths and bring up artifacts to use as props. Let it be!) He vilified many of the ships workers who have been "exonerated" countless times over, all for "dramatic effect" and then argued he did tons of "research" and felt that the film was accurate.

Never mind that his leading male character's name was the same as a crewman working in the boiler room of the ship. Whose body was never found (and I believe was either black or of another ethnic background). Nevermind that thousands of love sick teenagers found out and went to his "grave" thinking it was *the* Jack Dawson portrayed by DiCaprio. Cameron found it humorous.

The acting was subpar. In all of the viewings I've suffered through, DiCaprio and Winslet are by far the most disappointing performances. Their chemistry was contrived - partially due to the writing, but mainly because of DiCaprio's one note acting style. I know, I'm in the minority when it comes to all of this, but considering I don't buy into the storyline, I'm not biased towards the couple. Perhaps my dislike for Cameron clouds my judgement a tad, or the fact that I've only ever liked DiCaprio in one film (What's Eating Gilbert Grape). I don't know, I just know that I normally adore Kate in anything she's in and I can't stand her as Rose.

The secondary characters really shine, though. But, really, considering who plays them it should come as no surprise. Kathy Bates as the "unsinkable Molly Brown" was perfect casting, as was Victor Garber as Thomas Andrews - the ship's designer who had no desire to be sailing on her maiden voyage as his wife was due to give birth (but he was to pick up a crib in New York to bring back). Thankfully Andrews was not one of the villains in the film, as he typically is written, and is a very kind and sympathetic character.

Not as well liked are the Captain, is First Mate, and others - who are given the spotlight as the ones who doomed the ship. Nevermind it was really the head of the White Star line who demanded full steam ahead. Yes, the Captain made some costly mistakes, and his First Mate in turn, but to negate who really pushed for stupidity was a poor choice on Cameron's part. Also the shooting of passengers at the end - which was proven false in several reports/interviews/testimonials - was another "director's choice" that probably shouldn't have happened. Yes it was a very well circulated rumor/belief that it happened, but it vilified an entire group of men who were in an impossible situation doing the best they could amongst the chaos. The crew should not have been made to be the villains. It was corporate greed that sank the ship and killed 1500 people.

Seriously, I could go on and on and on about how much I hate this movie. But it will just make me angry for no good reason. Needless to say I avoid this movie like the plague and I HATE that it plays on one channel or another every week.

31 Days of Film - Day 1: Favorite Film

This is quite possibly one of the best movies of all time. I have a lot of favorites, and it could be that if you ask me again tomorrow I will give you a completely different answer. It all depends on my mood, but I think a lot of my family and friends would answer with this film as my favorite. I LOVE Tom Hanks in almost everything I've seen him in (the exception is his portrayal of Walt Disney, he's not even close!) and Forrest Gump is by far his best character.

A lot of people see this film as a comedy, or a dramady, and it IS funny. It has to be because the true subject matter is so serious and sad! Forrest is a symbol of hope and courage and heart. The film is such an encouragement to all viewers of every background/walk of life.

The cast is perfection, I mean who doesn't love Gary Sinise as Lt. Dan Taylor? Sally Fields as Mama Gump?

It's quotable, it's got a lot of great sight gags as well as some pretty incredible technology for the time that it was shot in (the way they splice him into history!). I love how they put him into some of our culture's greatest historic moments and yet it's still believable!

It's fun, it's quirky, it'll make you cry. And if it doesn't, well, then... you're just heartless. (I mean *I* get choked up and I'm dead inside!)

 

44 days till Disneyland!