Category: Film

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Snapshots

By Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

The Fallen Idol and Daisy Kenyon — Both of these films date from the late 1940s and are fair to midland as far as quality. However, what struck me about both of them, and many other movies of this era when I took time to reflect on it, is their surprising acceptance—and in the case of The Fallen Idol even glorification—of adultery. I often lament this in today’s Hollywood but see now just how far back that thread of influence stretches. The Fallen Idol is a pretty good film, and the performance by Bobby Henrey as the little boy is great. I watched Daisy Kenyon because I love Henry Fonda. Unfortunately I forgot how much I dislike Joan Crawford. I kept waiting for her to pull out the wire hangers and start beating the daylights out of Dana Andrews. This is one of my favorite periods in film history, but there are many other movies from this era that I enjoy much more (e.g., All About Eve, Only Angels Have Wings, and To Have and Have Not).

State of Play — I love a good thriller that doesn’t involve a character who is a member of Parliament by day and transvestite psychopath by night. You would be surprised at how many political/legal thrillers this excludes. State of Play happily is not among them. This mini-series has so many of my favorite actors who aren’t big stars that I can’t name them all. (And since they aren’t big stars, frankly half the time I can’t remember their names and then have go to IMDB in order to remember what they were in that I liked so much). State of Play has all the great elements of suspense: murder, affairs, lots of people with cool accents running around the city of London. If you like this one, you might also want to check out Horatio Hornblower which A&E did along with the BBC. While it takes place in a different period, isn’t political at all, and is set mostly on ships in service of His Majesty the King, most of the actors in both of them are British. 

Lars and the Real Girl— While certainly not for everyone, I loved the spirit of this movie and the performances were great. Surprisingly clean for a movie in which one of the major characters is a sex doll. Perhaps that deserves a bit of explanation. Lars is a loner living a very quite life in his brother and sister-in-law’s garage apartment. He begins “dating” Bianca, a sex doll he ordered through the internet. Upon the advice of their family doctor, Lars’ family and friends go along with it. I love the dig at modern medicine and its propensity to want to drug everyone in sight and the message that love and acceptance can be the ultimate healer. And this isn’t Hollywood “If you don’t agree with me, then shut up!” acceptance. It’s acceptance motivated by genuine sympathy and compassion. There are even multiple positive Christian folk in the movie. That has to be a first!

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Snapshots

By Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

Atonement — I went into this movie with pretty low expectations, but wanted to give it a try since it was nominated for several Academy Awards. When will I learn? This movie was like a puzzle that should fit together nicely but somehow everything doesn’t come together. The lovers separated by lies and war, the soldier trying to get home to his girl, the wrongdoer trying to make things right. What’s not to like? Unfortunately, a lot. For me the characters were difficult to understand and the ending was one of the most dissatisfying I have ever seen. It seemed as though the makers of the movie and the writer of the novel (that’s right, I read the book just to make sure I wasn’t missing something; I wasn’t) were trying to say “Atonement isn’t possible in the real world. Everything is senseless and without meaning. Atonement is just the fantasy of a sick mind.” Uplifting, huh? I don’t mind “depressing but true” but this one only qualified for the former.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly — Now here is a depressing but true movie. True in both the sense that it is based on a true story and in its themes and message. I want to give as little away as possible but the basic story regards a man trapped in his body with only a limited means of communication. He faces the choice of sinking deep inside himself or struggling to the surface in order to touch those around him. Ironically, while The Diving Bell would certainly never appear on any “Top Ten First Date Movie” list, and movies like Atonement (am I beating a dead horse, here?) are touted as great love stories, I believe The Diving Bell portrays the truest, deepest love and makes Atonement look like a cream puff (a stale cream puff, no less) by comparison. One disclaimer, however: the technique used to film this movie can be a bit tough on the stomach. If you are prone to motion sickness, grab a Dramamine beforehand.

The Privileged Planet — Our boys are forever watching a Discovery Channel something or other and have learned to patiently listen as I drone on about how just because the narrator says we evolved from primordial soup it doesn’t mean that it’s true. So The Privileged Planet was a nice change of pace. Lots of really smart guys talking about how perfectly placed (as in by an intelligent designer and not the lottery of the cosmos) our planet is both for sustaining life and observing the universe. While not as detailed as others of it’s kind, such as Planet Earth, it was interesting and informative.

 Sense and Sensibility — I know what you are thinking: how many versions of the same story line can you watch? Answer: at least one more. This recent adaptation of one of my all-time favorite books somehow manages to tell a story that I have read and watched innumerable times and still have me in tears and breathless to see everything turn out all right. Whether you have failed to see any of the adaptations of Jane Austen’s works or you are a diehard anglophile, this is a winner. I would also recommend Miss Austen Regrets, a fictionalized account of Jane Austen’s later life, and Cranford, an excellent adaptation of several Elizabeth Gaskell novels.

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Snapshots

By Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

The Darjeeling Limited – Take the most unlikely characters and place them in the most implausible circumstances. Add a dash of rapid fire dialogue and strange but simple plot lines and you have entered a Wes Anderson movie. I say “enter” because I am sucked into this convoluted (but oddly coherent) world from the opening scene to the closing credits. In this case, the unlikely characters are three brothers and the circumstance a search for their long lost mother in the heart of India. They end up discovering more about themselves and each other than their mother, learning the lesson that it’s about your journey not your destination. For me, Anderson (with the exception of Rushmore, which I didn’t buy into) is a small cup of Ben and Jerry’s-you wouldn’t want to eat it for breakfast every day but one scoop is oh so yummy.

After the Wedding– This was a Netflix recommendation and while I wouldn’t say I loved it, it poses some interesting questions. I don’t want to give too much away regarding the plot, but to me it boils down to “Who is my neighbor?” The storyline stretches the elasticity of suspended disbelief, not to the breaking point but enough to cause a run or two in the old pantyhose. Jim found the editing a bit irritating but we both thought it was very well acted. I don’t know if I would give it a spot in my queue again (I guard my Netflix queue like a mother grizzly bear watching her cubs.) But if you find yourself in Blockbuster and it is between this and Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, definitely go with After the Wedding.

Baby Mama – With all the recent hubbub regarding Tina Fey, I was curious to see if she is as funny as people say. I had, until now, resisted the temptation because of the premise of the movie which is as follows: overachiever Kate contracts with accomplished underachiever Angie to act as her baby surrogate. The two have their ups and down and end up somewhere in the middle. While I greatly sympathize with those who long for a biological child and find themselves unable to conceive on their own, for me, surrogacy and it’s half brother, in vitro fertilization, take a legitimate desire a few steps too far. There were several scenes in the movie that qualified for a true laugh out loud moment but overall it left me with an unsettled feeling. Kind of like going out on a first date with someone that you hope doesn’t call back. Not because you didn’t enjoy your time together but because you know that you simply inhabit two completely different worlds that just aren’t compatible with one another.

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Big Families and the Environment

By Jim Spiegel

As a father of four kids, I am sometimes asked whether my wife and I “intended” to have “so many” children.  They say, “I don’t want to be rude, but…”  Well, the answer is yes; we did intend to have so many children.  While it is very challenging, having a large family has many benefits, both for us and, especially (we hope) for our society.  We strive to raise our kids to be thoughtful, productive Christians, who will impact culture in many positive ways.  And we hope that they, in turn, will have many kids of their own who do the same.  This is the way cultures are renewed, and we aspire to be a link in that causal chain in our own culture, which so badly needs renewal.

However, I occasionally encounter people who take a very different view of the matter.  The Earth is already overpopulated, they tell me, and having children only adds further stress to the planet.  Each kid means one more massive carbon footprint, a net loss to Earth.  Thinking themselves conscientious environmentalists, they suggest that the path my wife and I have chosen is actually irresponsible.  While these conversations rarely turn into debates, I am prepared to show my skeptical friends the flaws in their thinking.

First of all, such thinking assumes that our kids will be environmentally irresponsible, which we are working hard to prevent.  None of our lives need be a “net loss” to the planet.  In fact, if our kids turn out to be as environmentally responsible as we hope they will be, then we can expect net gains because of them.  For one thing, we practice a form of vegetarianism which has tremendous environmental benefits.  In terms of reducing greenhouse gases, abstaining from meat is one of the most significant contributions that one can make.  And we expect that our kids will likely continue this family practice into adulthood, perhaps teaching their own progeny to do the same.  On top of this, there is the potential that one of our kids will become an environmental scientist and make a profound contribution to the field.  The reasoning of my skeptical friends rules this possibility out of hand a priori.

This brings up another point which is rather exasperating.  None of the no-kids-because-of-the-environment folks I know are vegetarians.  They are so concerned about the planet that they refuse to procreate, but they refuse to do this very beneficial thing for the environment: abstain from meat.  For a while this puzzled me, but then it hit me.  The refusal to have kids and indulgence in meat have something in common-both choices are easy and convenient.  Raising kids and maintaining a vegetarian diet, on the other hand, are difficult and inconvenient.

Finally, and most disappointing from the standpoint of moral reasoning, the no-kids environmentalists are (or tend to be) guilty of one-track thinking when it comes to family planning.  By making environmental concerns the single overriding factor in their choice not to have children, they make this a moral trump card.  But even if environmental concerns did support the small family approach, why should we ignore the many other considerations which support the opposite perspective?  What about the countless ways that well-trained children can benefit society when they become adults (or even while they are still young)?  When there are so many other significant factors to take into account when doing family planning, a purely environmental approach seems narrow-minded and, well, irresponsible.  In fact, it makes me suspect that something other than environmental issues are at play here.  But, of course, this is not something I would ever say to the no-kids environmentalists.  I wouldn’t want to be rude.

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Snapshots

By Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

Thumbs Down:

Awake: Okay, I know it’s a movie about a heart transplant patient who discovers a plot to kill him while having open-heart surgery. And okay, it stars the actor (Hayden Christensen) who somehow managed to make Darth Vader boring, but still I had some hope that this thriller would deliver vacation-worthy entertainment. Sadly, though as the implausibilities piled up like lemmings at the cliff’s end (I just googled lemmings and discovered that the whole lemming thing is indeed a myth. Bummer, but it still works for illustrations sake.) I had to resign myself to a major thumbs-down. Worth seeing through to the end but I recommend perusing Jagged Edge or Shattered if you are looking for a good thriller.

Head Scratcher:

The Happening: I look forward to a new M. Night Shyamalan movie like Paris Hilton looks forward to her next photo-op. So when Jim and I got a chance to see The Happening in the theater, I could hardly keep myself from pushing to the head of the line while shouting “M. Night, I’m coming!” We were running late so I waited for drinks and popcorn while Jim grabbed some seats. He filled me in and I settled in for the ride. The acting was so stilted I was trying to figure out if it was supposed to be a spoof. I’m still not sure. Most of the characters seemed artificial and under-developed (think chocolate chip cookie that isn’t dough but definitely not ready to call itself a full-fledged cookie). I still say that bad Shyamalan is better than most at their best but that also means I have set a higher standard for him. If nothing else, it left me wanting to rewatch his other classics.

Thumbs up:

The Virgin Spring: Where to even begin with this movie! I have long held a love/hate relationship with Ingmar Bergman. When one of his movies pops into the mailbox, I have a heavy sensation and usually put off watching it for a day or two (which is saying something for me). Even when I am watching it, I am wishing I were watching something else but inevitably I either love the movie or at least can appreciate the art of it. “Silent but deadly” would be a good description for this one. If you do choose to watch it, don’t read anything about it beforehand (except this review, of course). All you need to know is this it is Bergman at his best. The Virgin Spring questions the justice and providence of God in a way that will haunt you for days.

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Oreos, Cool Whip, and the Modern Romance Movie

By Amy Spiegel

Lately I feel like I might know how the cavemen felt, watching all the dinosaurs die off. Something that has always been around begins to fade into memory with only bones and fossils to remind us that it ever existed. I am speaking, of course, of the dying genre of romantic comedy. Most films purported to be of this sort are conspicuously lacking in either romance or comedy. Casual sex? Yes, by the truck loads. Humor involving casual sex? Indeed. But when it comes to the I-can’t-believe-he-just-did-that-for-her romance or the oh-crap-I-just-wet-my-pants-because-I’m-laughing-so-hard humor, well, not so much.

My first clue that the species might be endangered was Down with Love. Watching this movie felt a bit like seeing your grandmother in her underwear or hearing your pious Uncle Fred tell a dirty joke, and not a very funny one at that. Still I held out hope that this was an aberration, but after being burned again and again, I had begun to seriously doubt that the strongest were surviving. (All you have to do is sit through Knocked Up and Forgetting Sarah Marshall to see that Darwin obviously did not know film.)

There are those who would say that the death of the romantic comedy is hardly a loss, but I beg to differ. When my life is a bit dreary or just downright depressing, a little Jane Austen BBC-style can go a long way in lifting my spirits. There are those who would call this escapism and I will fully admit this is a danger to be avoided. But a well crafted romance can inspire, encourage, and even reprimand us for taking for granted one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind—romantic love. Our views of love are reflected, shaped, and then reflected back again by the powerful force of a good love story.

A few weekends ago, I watched two films back to back—Once and Broken English. One of these left me in awe of its simplicity and beauty. The other was like the third Oreo—it feels so good going down but the more the think about it, the more you regret having swallowed it. I think these two films make a great study in contrasts. Old school love is supposed to inspire us and make us better people, whereas the new school says if you sleep with enough people eventually you might luck out and find someone you can spend at least the next three months with. (Is my bias showing?)

On the surface, Once might seem far from the classic love story. It’s a bit darker, a bit sadder and the two main characters never actually “fall in love,” which in modern love story language translates “they never sleep together.” What they do is bring out the best in one another, challenge one another, and leave each others’ lives a little better off. They never show any physical affection for one another (they never even articulate their feelings) because to do so wouldn’t be in the best interest of either one of them, and they know this. They are tempted, but they refrain and in the end leave their friendship untarnished by regret. One of the biggest flaws in modern romance movies is that they tend to be peopled by characters whom you either don’t understand or really don’t care for. I can’t count the number of films I have seen where I am supposed to be rooting for the main characters, who are misunderstood, insecure, immature, etc. I wouldn’t let these people walk my dog, let alone date my daughter (granted, she is only four, but you get the idea).

This isn’t entirely true of the second film, Broken English but it isn’t far off either. This movie definitely fits more in the modern love story mold. Desperately (and I mean desperately) lonely girl, seeks love and companionship, and looks for love in all the wrong places. Parker Posey’s performance as Nora is amazing. You genuinely like her, want to see her happy, and definitely wish that she were your friend (and your size) so that you could raid her wardrobe. (Side note: wardrobe. It used to be that the heroines were beautiful despite their poverty, sometimes even despite their outward appearance, e.g. Jane Eyre. Then we had great clothes and good character, e.g. anything Doris Day. Now it seems like we are supposed to like the main character solely based on her clothing choices. But I digress.) The major flaw of Broken English is that you are simply supposed to take the filmmakers’ word for it that Nora has grown and become content with her singleness (during a brief holiday in Paris while searching for her lost lover). Not only that but you are supposed to take on faith the fact that this man is good for her simply because he has a foreign accent, dances badly, and is sad to leave her. Some foundation for true love. When Nora agrees to stay and “see what happens” with Julian you feel a hollow sense of victory. It’s like Cool Whip; they may try to convince you it’s just like whipping cream, and for making Jell-O salad it will do. But deep down inside, you know it’s just a cheap imitation of the real thing.

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Snap Shots

By Amy Spiegel

Brief comments on film by Amy (unless otherwise noted).
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

Thumbs Up:

Reds:  Such a great movie that it left me wondering “What did they put in Warren Beatty’s Kool-Aid to entice him to make “classics” like Dick Tracy and Bugsy?  I don’t agree with the politics per se but some of the political discussions are priceless.

Expelled:  I liked that this movie didn’t take itself too seriously and found both the interviewees and the science fascinating. I never thought I would feel like standing up and applauding a bunch of biologists.  Take that, Richard Dawkins.

Prince Caspian:  We had a countdown for this movie to be released in our house and were by no means disappointed. Sure, Susan wears a little too much eye liner and I thought the boys would crawl under their seats when she got a little smooch at the end, but for the most part it was true to the spirit of the book and provided great discussion for days to come.

Thumbs Down:

Knocked Up:  You aren’t going to believe me, but I actually suggested this one to my mom and dad based on someone else’s recommendation.  Oops. At times funny but ultimately sad in its message of half-hearted commitments and shallow view of love.  If I ever remember who told me it had a “positive family message,” they’ll be hearing from my lawyer.

Juno:  I can see why this was so well received by the masses.  It has a distinct atmosphere a la Wes Anderson but about half way through it felt more like an Easter egg, pretty on the outside but hollow inside.  Full of witty repartee, ultimately I felt manipulated and unconvinced.  Great soundtrack though.

The Last Samurai:  Besides the fact that Tom Cruise unfortunately appears throughout the whole film, often speaking Japanese, it was great.  Jim and I actually held a contest to see who could predict the most scenes and even then, the filmmakers exceeded our expectations.  Bad, bad, bad.

Head Scratchers:

There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men: Though I wanted to dismiss both of these as unsatisfying and just plain frustrating, I couldn’t get them off my mind which tells me there is probably more there than I can digest in one sitting.  Kind of like one of those combo meals from Denny’s.  I mean, seriously, does anyone need a slice of grilled honey ham, two bacon strips, two sausage links and two eggs, plus hash browns or grits and choice of bread?  Unlike Denny’s, however, Jim and I both plan to go back and revisit these two.