What’s Going On? (“A Serious Man”)

“Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you” -Rashi

People never stop looking for signs and symbols in everything  that happens to them or around them. Well, if you have fun while doing it, keep doing it. For my part, I think that they are looking in vain. There’s no fucking sign. There’s no fucking hidden meaning in the form of the clouds, the shape of the leaves or the number of times one sneezes. Your wife is not leaving you because there’s some big conspiracy to make you feel miserable. And yes, there are a lot of coincidences on this fucking-beautiful-but-indifferent world.

Shit just happens.

There’s been much talk about “The uncertainty principle” and “The Schrodinger’s cat” around the latest creation from the minds of Joel and Ethan Coen. The truth is that, if you have an idea what this stuff is all about, you’ll double the fun of watching one of the best films of  last year. There’s also very true that, in spite of all the benefits which came with the revolutionary discoveries in all the fields of science, we go on with our lives oblivious of all these wonderful theories.

And the funny bit is that,  although most of us don’t have a clue real image of what’s going on in the science laboratories of the world, a lot of people will drop a line in conversation about Einstein, Schrodinger or Heisenberg.

Most of us talk about relativism (but in the wrong context), most of us think that the uncertainty principle implies that we can’t make predictions about the real world (wrong again) and most of us believe that the cat can be dead and alive in the same time in the famous thought experiment (depending of who you ask).

“Let it breath”. “Accept the mystery”.

As a side note, I’d like to mention that I have this feeling that this time around the Coens laugh theirs heads off with us (and, hopefully, in a lesser degree at us), but I’ll leave you all the pleasure to cry at the end: WTF.

Carey Mulligan (“An Education”)

I’m very glad that Carey Mulligan has been nominated for the 82nd Academy Awards.

In ‘the best performance by an actress in a leading role’ category her contenders are Sandra Bullock  (“The Blind Side”), Helen Mirren (“The Last Station”), Gabourey Sidibe (“Precious”) and Meryl Streep (“Julie & Julia”).

Igby Goes Down (RIP JD Salinger)

Pure Wild Animal Craziness (“Fantastic Mr. Fox”)

Feeling almost suicidal (only messing!) after watching “Avatar”,  I needed to see a good, solid piece of film-making. After seeing “Fantastic Mr. Fox” my reaction was: fuck James Cameron! He should commit suicide. “Avatar” is for me a reminder that no one can (or should) ignore a simple reality: nature is indifferent. Man never lived in perfect harmony with nature and never will (well, not in the foreseeable future and not in a Darwinian universe, anyway). And if you have any doubts about it , just eat some poisonous mushrooms (a perfectly natural product and organic, nonetheless) or try to be friendly with a bunch of lions in their neighborhood.

Thankfully, Wes Anderson (of “The Royal Tenenbaums” fame) knows what stories are worth telling and how to tell them (if you insist: no, by putting together the greatest CGI efects ever,  you don’t make a great film, not without a meaningful story; it’s simple as that).

The moment you feel sorry for a dying rat (and please mind you, this is a stop-motion animation film)  killed by a fox, you know that you are watching a wonderful movie. Not to mention the exchange of words between the fox and his son at that scene:

“He redeemed himself!” (the son about the rat)

“Redemption, sure! But in the end, he’s just another dead rat in a garbage pan behind a Chinese restaurant” (Mr. Fox to his son, and all of us)

I feel compelled to tell you that George Clooney borrowed his voice to Mr.Fox and,  if there is any justice in this world (there’s none!), Mr Clooney should get an Oscar.

And, if I’m allowed to say about this movie what Mr. Fox said about a wolf:

“What a beautiful creature!”

…And I’ll Go Outside

Soon This Space Will Be Too Small

Soon this space will be too small

And I’ll go outside

To the huge hillside

Where the wild winds blow

And the cold stars shine

………………………………..

Then I’ll die three times

And be born again

In a little box

With a golden key

And a flying fish

Will set me free

Lhasa died today.

Best of the Decade?

I don’t fucking get it why all the film critics started making ‘best of the decade’ lists at the end of last December. Last time I’ve checked the calendar, 2010 (and not 2009) was the last year of the first decade of 21st century.  So it make sense to me to wait for the movies which will get a screening this year, 2010, and only after that to try to make a list with the best movies of the decade.

On a second thought, it seems that almost everybody else is considering that the Gregorian calendar started at the year zero and  by blaming only the film critics I’m being unfair.

So, everybody who thinks that seven months after their birthday they were one year and seven months old should go and spank themselves count every 10 seconds from one to ten until 31st of December 2010 at midnight or till the end of the world (whichever comes first; I’m trying to be nice here!).

To everybody who accept that the 21st century began on 1st January 2001: have a gracious new year!

Thank God for Creating Robin Wright Penn (“Pippa Lee”)

I am the master of my fate (“Invictus”)

“I am the master of my fate/  I am the captain of my soul” (William Ernest Henley)

Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is looking for a way to bring together the whites and the blacks of post-apartheid South Africa. His attention is caught by Springbok rugby team and the love of his countrymen for this game for hooligans played by gentlemen.  Mandela, the visionary, realizes that a team sport (with an accent on team) can very well unite a divided country.

The comrade-president, in his infinite gentleness, managed to influence the captain of the rugby team (Matt Damon) in believing that a victory in the World Cup is possible, despite the results of the team so far.

This is, in a few words,  the premise of the latest film by Clint Eastwood. The Latin word invictus means unconquered. This is what you need to be in order to win a world cup. Unconquered.

Ironically enough, the weak part of this movie is that  is based on a true story. Don’t get me wrong, it is a good movie. But it isn’t a great movie. And this has nothing to do with the story. The soundtrack is way too much in your face all the time. The Matt Damon part is oversimplified and overall there’s a didactically style of  storytelling.

But you could not ignore that this is an emotional movie and above all, an inspirational story worth telling.

A good lesson in leadership. By example  and by inspiration.

When was the last time that you’ve seen a president making his own bed?

The young Clint Eastwood is definitely one director to watch…

Is there life behind stand-up comedy? (“Funny People”)

Laughter is a reflex. And it’s contagious. And universal.

All around the planet people enjoy a good joke. Most of the time seeing someone slip on a banana peel it’s enough to provoke a burst of laughter. But “Funny People” it’s not about that kind of laughter.

George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is a successful stand-up comedian who made lots of money starring in silly box-office movies. One day he find out that he has a rare disease and it’s time for him to reconsider his life. What follows is a sweet and tender  look at the internal laboratory of stand-up comedians.

George is very rich but lonely.  Ira (Seth Rogen) has friends, but is struggling to survive working in a deli shop and sleeping on the couch of his friend Mark (Jason Schwartzman) who has a steady and well paid job on a crappy sit-com. And there’s Leo (Jonah Hill) who’s somehow a better comic than Ira and is a regular at the local comedy club.

The world of professional comedians is a tough one and very competitive. At times you wonder if there’s a place for real friendship among this people who make a living by telling jokes. Could it be that by exposing the nakedness of the emperor, by breaking  rules and taboos, by revealing what is usually kept behind closed doors the stand-up comedian doesn’t leave room around him for genuine feelings?

The director Jude Apatow (Knocked-up, The 40-year old virgin) did a nice move by casting his wife (“How can you cheat on me?  I was so hot?”) and kids on this movie. No complains here: Leslie Man is very hot indeed and the little girls are filling naturally the screen. Adam Sandler proves again that his great performance in “Punch Drunk Love” was not a one-time hit. Plus, we have the chance to see an incredible funny Eric Bana.A virtuoso display of the universal appeal of sexual humor didn’t hurt much this tender sneak inside the internal working of some special kind of people. Funny people.

Larry David (“Whatever Works”)

“If the shoe fits, wear it”  (cliche)

A few days ago, Larry David stirred some controversy with an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. The accusation being made that he pissed on a Christ’s picture. If this would have been proven to be true, I would have disapprove it despite my lack of interest in religious wars. I’ve watched the incriminating episode and of course it wasn’t any pissing on a picture of Jesus. What happened was  that,  due to some medication, Larry David’s character (played by Larry David), had a very strong stream while pissing, and on one occasion, a drop of urine splashed on a picture of Jesus. The picture was hanged on a wall in a bathroom just above the toilet bowl (which, I hope you’ll agree, is not a great spot to put an icon). The ladies of the house interpreted this episode as a miracle (Jesus crying! blah blah) and from a joke in an TV series  the mass media made a whole shebang and blah blah

Well, Woody Allen chose Larry David to be Boris Yellnikoff in his latest production “Whatever Works”. This movie happened to be misunderstood in such a degree that it got a ‘rotten tomato’ score on a well know site of film reviews (48% on Rotten Tomatoes).

I didn’t  make a secret that, when it comes to cinema, Woody Allen is one of my weaknesses. And, the truth being told, I found some entertaining values even in his worst productions (and I won’t name any names; any Woody’s fan will know what I mean, and if you don’t like Woody Allen’s films you should stop reading this, good bye!).

Let me tell you that Evan Rachel Wood (as Melodie) is a delight in this movie. And anyone who followed W.A.’s carrier can’t accuse him of picking the wrong actors for the part. Rachel Wood stepped in a great style in the shoes of Mia Farrow, Diane Keaton, Dianne Wiest,Radha Mitchell, Christina Ricci etc

And don’t forget about Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr. They play Melodie St.Ann Celestine’s parents. Especially Patricia is a treat for any movie-goer (she probably deserve her own movie, book, statue, street, cocktail, perfume, award, cover, song, lyrics, photographs, wine, dress,  etc  )

I honestly don’t get all the bad press this movie got. Seriously. Larry David is pitch perfect in the role, Evan Rachel Wood is a nice breath of fresh air, Patricia(I already told you about Patricia, so shut up) is very good, so blame it on Woody Allen. But, don’t you dare! It’s not his greatest movie (I’ll be the first to admit it), but certainly is not his flop.

If  “I’m the only one to sees the whole picture”  I think it is high time for you to go back to watching only soap-opera for the rest of your life.

And, by the way, is your mother a woman?