Nothing but Trouble and Desire

On November 10 actress Adrienne Shelley age 40 was found hanging in her bathroom in what at first appeared to be suicide. A fine actress who was best known as Hal Hartleys leading lady in Trust and The Unbelievable Truth she was also a celebrated filmmaker in her own life. she was a wife and mother and was adored by many Hartley fans who were heartbroken to hear of her passing, myself included. The story grew increasingly more gruesome as it was later discovered that Adrienne had in fact been murdered by a young workman from the floor below. She had complained about the noise, she had threatened to reveal he was an illegal immigrant. He freaked out and killed her. Just another New York Story I guess.

Trust by Hal Hartley:

Maria (Adrienne Shelley): Did you mean it? Would you marry me?
Matthew (Martin Donovan): Yes.
Maria: Why?
Matthew: Because I want to.
Maria: Not because you love me or anything like that, huh?
Matthew: I respect and admire you.
Maria: Isn't that love?
Matthew: No, that's respect and admiration. I think that's better than love.
Maria: How?
Matthew: When people are in love they do all sorts of crazy things. They get jealous, they lie, they cheat. They kill themselves. They kill each other.
Maria: It doesn't have to be that way.
Matthew: Maybe.
Maria: You'd be the father of a child you know isn't yours.
Matthew: Kids are kids, what does it matter?
Maria: Do you trust me?
Matthew: Do you trust me first?
Maria: I trust you.
Matthew: You sure?
Maria: Yes.
Matthew: Then marry me.
Maria: I'll marry you if you admit that respect, admiration, and trust equals love.
Matthew: OK. They equal love.

the good Christian

God it’s been a busy couple of weeks movie wise. I’ve managed to catch up with Children of Men, Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed and The Devil Wears Prada as well as couple of good Bollywood epics. Tonight I’m trotting off to see The Prestige with the divine Christian Bale and delicious Hugh Jackman which is so very exciting – costume drama, magic, twist ending oh bugger….Scarlett Johansson is in it too. Would it be too much to ask for her character to be killed off early in the piece?

I am one of the legions of geeky Christian Bale fans who enjoy everything he does simply because he is so stupendously good looking. I have the same reaction to him as I think men do to Ms Johansson (hey I never said she wasn’t beautiful – just a bad actress) – he literally makes me week at the knees. It's rediculous isn't it? And as much as we all delight in the Pitts, the Clooneys the Brothers Wilson there is just something about Christian Bale. The camera loves him and so so I.

Hooley Dooley.

Why else would I see the muddled Batman Begins three times? Or say Equilibrium is one of the finest sci-fi movies ever made? Not to mention my devotion to the film version of American Psycho. And despite making my skin crawl in the Machinist I was still compelled to watch it several times. And yes Reign of Fire is terrible, and yes he was only a little kid in Empire of the Sun, and yes Little Women is so sweet you go into a diabetic coma and yes The New World is two hours too long.

Love ‘em all.

So here, fellow geeks is my Top 5 Christian Bale Films

5. Laurel Canyon.
I avoided this film like the plague because of Kate Beckinsale (blech) but caught it last year on tv and just loved it. Bale plays Sam the son of Jane (France McDormand) a famous record producer living in the Hollywood Hills. Sam's forced to move in with mom with his girlfriend Alex (Beckinsale) until they find a new house. Sam goes off to work as a psychiatrist at the local hospital while his girlfriend stays in the house finishing her doctorate. Needless to say his straight living clashes with his mother wilder ways. What could have been a terrible film is really saved by great performances from the three central characters. The great thing is Bale gets to be relatively ‘normal’ and it makes for a nice change. And for those of you that haven’t seen it there is a 5 minute conversation in a car that is sexier than any dodgy sex scene imaginable (I think if you go to youtube and search for ‘laurel canyon car scene’ you should be able to view it).

4.Batman Begins
This isn’t a really fantastic film. Having just watched it yet again last week (hey it was on, what can I say? It was that or read a book). But good lord he wears those suits very well (both Armani and Bat). I never loved Batman as much as I loved Superman and certainly all the film versions have left me pretty cold but Christian Bale is perfectly cast (shame about the rest of them.. Katie Holmes as an assistant D.A – ridiculous).

Equilibrium.
Alright I’ll some out and say it. This is only for the geekiest of the geeks, the rest of you will absolutely hate it. Set in a fascist future where feeling anything has become illegal (like an extreme version of 1984) Bale plays a ‘cleric’ – an almost superhuman government agent who can ‘sense’ when people are emotional and promptly kills them. When forced to kill his partner (Sean Bean) he starts to question the regime and stops taking the government prescribed medication. As feelings creep in he becomes part of the resistance…you get the idea. It is hot as hell! This film is just as close to sci-fi girl geek porn (is that a genre or a sub genre?) as you can get. phew.

American Psycho
Bale of course was the perfect Patrick Batemen. He buffed his body until it was a shiny toy for director Mary Harron to play with. I saw this at its Film Festival premiere. I sat in the third row surrounded by boys and I loved every minute of it. It holds up well and elevates the book in as much as it is more obviously satire. It captured the brutality but also the humour. And again, the man wears it very very well…

The Prestige
I just know this is going to be my number 1. Read my review later on this week. But let me tell you I have watched the preview plenty of times. Even if Johansonn is in it.

Oh well one for the girls and one for the boys…


Looking forward to Harsh Times, Rescue Dawn and I’m Not There and yes The Dark Knight in 2008!

Boston Boys

First of all, stop reading this review. not because of spoilers – there aren’t any, and not because I’m going to bag the film – I’m not. Simply because The Departed is something you have to see because it is the new Scorsese film and you have to make up your own mind about it.

I’m not going to tell you the plot or complain about the length (too long, ended suddenly, left questions unanswered) I’m not even going to blather on about the misuse of music in some scenes (one was so jarring we thought the music was coming from another theatre).

I am however going to go on and on about the performances.

Those who know me know I am a huge fan of ensemble pictures and my favorite of that genre is the ‘man’ picture. Guys doing Guy things – in this case killing each other and using their mobile phones A LOT. In fact this film has the very best use of mobile phones to date. A particular scene where the two central characters listen to each other breath on the other end of the phone is just terrific. The sound of them beeping, vibrating, opening and closing, ring tones, texting are all crucial in turning the plot inside and out.

The Father Figures First

Fist up Jack Nicholson is great. I mean I know that is obvious because he’s always great but in this he winds back that insane Jack and brings out the good stuff. He is commanding, scene stealing and a very very bad man in this picture. Not quite as charismatic enough but still great.

Ray Winstone as Jacks right hand is underused here. I wasn’t even aware that he was in it and I wanted more – but quite frankly there just wasn’t any room. The departed is crowded with kick arse guys that can act the pants of most people and it was fun to watch them ‘out act’ each other.

Alec Baldwin. He gets hotter the older and fatter he gets. I love the way he now has his enormous ego in check enough to take on these smaller roles. He's like a bear now. Fantastic.

Martin Sheen is the only truly good guy in the film and his scenes with Di Caprio are touching without being saccharine. It’s hard not to see him as president Bartlett but I like not having him be such a central figure. he’s a short man too and the young strapping lads just tower above him which always makes me think of Yoda…that’s just me I’m sure

ok now to the Sons

Matt Damon. You know I’m right on board the Damon train now. After Syriana and The Bourne Identity I now think he’s just fine despite that unfortunate nose. His character is as corrupt as they come but still manages to make the rat in the ranks sympathetic…well kinda. You get the feeling that he wants to get out (there is vague talk of moving to another city, starting fresh) but he is so ego driven and the Irish chip on his shoulder just can’t allow him to walk the path of the righteous man.

and now to Leo. I have never never never liked Leonardo Di Caprio. I hated Titanic, I hated the Beach, I hated The Aviator (but recognized its epic quality). But I had trouble hating him. Because I understood why the girls swooned when he looked through the fish tank in Romeo and Juliet. I wept at his rawness in the Basketball Diaries and The Quick and The Dead is one of my top 20. So…

Leonardo is AMAZING in this film. He’s allowed himself time to get older, to thicken up, to bring out that great melancholy he is so good at (see Marvin’s Room). And those eyes aren’t quite as distracting now. It’s exciting to see him grow up. Give him another ten years and he’ll have us all in his top pocket.

Mark Wahlberg. You know even sporting a very dodgy haircut (standard issue Boston cop flop cut) he is still super cool. He gets to swear a lot, be generally offensive but still come across as one of the really good guys. in fact he’s disgust at the idea of police corruption is almost palpable. He bounces off Martin Sheen so well you can see they had a lot of fun together. More please. Cant wait for Invincible to come out next month…

There are a lot of things wrong with the film but you know what? so what! You get to spend 15 dollars and watch a dream cast do their jobs really really well. The first hour of the film is full of great dialogue and a swooning swing camera that is as good as any vintage Scorcese.Those of you that loved Infernal Affairs will have their quibbles I think but hey you people are purists and so hard to please anyway. It's a very different film. Scorcese is much more interested in the psychological angles - it's not just a mouse in a maze film. Dicaprio and Damon are not at the top of their form yet, but how exciting to watch them head to the top of the mountain.

rockin.

you beauty

I was saddened to hear of the death of Steve Irwin yesterday. In fact I was not the only person to shed a tear in my house when the news broke that he had been fatally wounded by a stingray while filming a new documentary in far North Queensland.
Effusive and charming and a little bit embarrassing. Every time he appeared on Leno I cringed a little, like having a crazy uncle who makes everyone laugh at him so that eventually they’ll laugh with him. He knew that. Irwin was fully aware that he could seduce people with his crazy monkey act and then get them to look at wildlife in a whole new way. I don’t think I ever really felt crocs were beautiful, but he did teach me that they were majestic and important. Crocs Rule!
A couple of years ago we took a road trip from Melbourne to Queensland and we stopped off at the Australia Zoo in the hope of catching Steve in action. We were disappointed to hear he was filming on the Galapagos Islands at the time. But we had a great day. Staff were lovely, food was fantastic and most of all the animals were happy and clearly very loved. Even I, not known for my love of wildlife had a hoot hanging with the kangaroos, watching the croc show and saying hi to possibly the most pampered wombat I have ever seen (his enclosure was like the Park Hyatt for wombats). The overwhelming feeling at that zoo was real happiness and a great respect for the environment. Even I found myself looking at these funny animals and tall eucalypts and thinking that I lived in the most amazing country in the world.
My twelve year old daughter was the first to hear and she announced ‘mum the crocodile hunter died!’ before her little chin started wobbling. See, in this house we loved him. He was joyous and energized and crazy and enthusiastic. He was madly in love with his wife and children, devoted to his parents and passionate about his animals. So rare is there a person who can only be described with such intense and effusive language.
We’ll miss you Steve.

wish you were here.

This week marks what would have been the 36th birthday of River Phoenix. I can roll out the clichés now if you like ‘young life tragically cut short’, ‘James Dean of his generation’, ‘brooding good looks’ and these are all clichés for a good reason. They are said again and again; but you know not so much now. He’s an actor I thought would have been immortalized and revered in retrospect. A tragic young matinee idol. But he seems to be all but forgotten.

Maybe he wasn’t as great as I remember. Maybe people like Leonardo Di Caprio, Elijah Wood, Tobey Maguire and new guns like Topher Grace and Orlando Bloom just overshadow our faint memory of River Phoenix. Maybe the shining light of his brother Joaquin has now finally overtaken (what a battle that has been).

So I’d like to take some time to lay a small bouquet at River’s grave his grave and send him some love from the couch. I’ll do this be renting the top five River Phoenix films

5 Running on Empty (1988). Very few people will remember this film and it can be hard to track down but it’s really terrific. It’s the story of a fugitive family – Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti are the parents in hiding from the FBI, Phoenix their son who just wants a normal life knowing that this could possibly lead to his parents arrest. It sound pox I know, but it really is incredibly sad. Directed by the wonderful Sydney Lumet – a gem.

4 Sneakers (1992). Oh this film really is what separates us geeks from the rest of the population. It’s not a good movie for lots of different reasons but at the same time every time it comes on I find myself watching it. Could it be that the pull of Robert Redford, Sydney Poitier, Dan Ackroyd, David Strathairn and River as a gang of hi tech thieves is just too strong? Or do I just like any movie with gadgets in it? River doesn’t do too much in this but my fondness for the picture as a whole warrants its entry onto the list

3 Stand By Me (1986). This is probably the greatest film about childhood friendship that has ever been made. It also the very best Stephen King adaptation. A young River is tough and smart and gives such a rich performance. This film is a classic and you can’t say that about many films made in 1986!
memorable quote: "I never had any friends later on, like the ones I had when I was twelve...Jesus....does anyone?"

2 The Mosquito Coast (1986) An underrated Peter Weir film about a father who takes his long-suffering family into the Amazon to lead a 'simpler' life which actually translates to being hell on earth as dad becomes more and more unhinged. Perfectly cast with Harrison Ford and River Phoenix in the father/son roles. It was one of those great passing of the torch moments in film history (but more on those later).

1 My Own Private Idaho (1991). The most beautiful Gus Van Sant film. Two hustlers on the streets of Portland Oregon doesn’t sound like much to go on but it is an elegiac and heartbreaking film. Poetry. Phoenix’s character suffers from narcolepsy so there are all these wonderful moments where he just falls unconscious. It’s a film to swim through. I watched this again recently as part of a Gus Van Sant festival in couchville 9yes I am that obsessive) and it's still a stand out.

Was he a good actor? A Leonardo Di Caprio or a Johnny Depp? Or was he just so beautiful you were captivated by him like an Orlando Bloom or Jared Leto? Did he remind us of old teen idols James Dean and Marlon Brando? Yes is the simple answer. He was charismatic and talented. He came to define Live Fast Die Young.

If he were alive today what films would he be making? River would have stolen the Bourne Identity from Matt Damon. He would have been brilliant in Gattaca, Before Sunrise, Training Day – basically Ethan Hawke would be out of a job. And there would be no Joaquin Phoenix - no Walk The Line, no Gladiator, and certainly no Buffalo Soldiers. Joaquin just couldn’t have become the great actor he is without that sadness he carries with him in each film. River would have been Leonardo Di Caprio in Gangs of New York, he would have been Brad Pitt in Spy Game. He would have beaten Robert Downey Jr to Chaplin.

He would have been great. River Phoenix would have been amazing.

My wasted youth

I spend many an hour watching film previews online. I am in fact obsessed with previews often watching them repeatedly – sometimes to the point of never going to actually see the film. This may just be a symptom of my very short attention span or the fact that I have probably now seen about 10,000 films and can kind of get the idea after 3 minutes (that’s an actual figure I'm afraid – a friend of mine worked out to demonstrate why I have no real life).

So as far as previews go I currently have a top 20 but I thought I’d limit it to five just to get us started

5. 10th and Wolf (release TBA). I have whined about the lack of good rolls for James Marsden and it looks like he has finally found something half decent to sink his teeth into. He plays a marine sergeant who leaves his mob family behind to fight in desert storm only to get sucked back in by the FBI who want him to be their mole on the inside. Also stars Giovanni Ribisi (not always good but always interesting) and Brian Dennehy (anyone who doesn’t like Brian should watch Belly of an Architect and then shut the hell up). It sounds terrible I know, but trust me the preview tells me this may be great.
Best Line from Preview: When I saw my father killed outside our house I remember thinking he probably deserved it.


4. A Scanner Darkly (21.9.06) I am not as convinced by Linklater as everyone else not having the deep affection for Before Sunrise or Slackers that everyone else seems to have. But I was intrigued to learn that you can watch the first 24 minutes of A Scanner Darkly online. Having done so I can honestly say I am really looking forward to seeing this film, tried to at the film festival but it had sold out. I don’t think this weird arse animation technique Rotoscoping is going to take off but it’s great to see an American filmmaker being innovative and not abandoning storytelling at the same time.
Best Line from Preview: It may just be my imagination, but whatever is watching is not human.

3 The Fountain. (13.10.06) I really admire Darren Aranofsky as a filmmaker. Not that I can ever rewatch his films because they are so freakin disturbing. I attempted to revisit Requiem for a Dream last week and turned it off after 20 minutes as the horror of it all came flooding back to me. The Fountain doesn’t look quite so bleak. Aranofsky may think differently as it’s taken him nearly a decade to get the thing made. I have no idea what it’s about. I know there is some weird time travel involved and Hugh Jackman does a lot of running. So I’m happy with that. Aranofsky clearly had a much larger budget to work with and he looks like he’s spent his money well. The preview is spellbinding.
Best Line From Preview: Our bodies are prisons for our souls.

2. Casino Royale. (December 2006) I can’t say I am a huge fan of the 007 franchise. It’s never really done much for me. Not to say I dismiss them but I’m not rushing out to by the box sets that’s for sure. I am however a huge fan of Daniel Craig. I was in fact outraged that he would be the new Bond. Now everyone would know about him and he would stop making films like Layer Cake, Sylvia, Enduring Love and Hotel Splendide. But I have to say that this preview is absolutely exhilarating. Expect a darker, grittier Bond.
Best Line From Preview: So you want me to be half monk half hitman?

1. Talledega Nights (release 21.9.06) Will Ferell is a comedy god. If there is anything that comes as close to bringing me as much joy as Anchorman I think Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby may just do it. I love Nascar, I love John C Reilley and Gary Cole, I love the preview.
Best line so far: Help me Tom Cruise! Use your witchcraft to get this fire off me!!!

Other films I’m looking forward to: Hollywoodland, 2:37.The Departed, The Wicker Man, Children of Men, The Last Kiss, The Prestige, The Illusionist, Down in the Valley, Pulse, The Book of Revelations, The Descent, Fearless, Half Nelson, Little Miss Sunshine, Running With Scissors, World Trade Center, Invincible, Babel, The Assassination of Jesse James, Ar School Confidential, Peaceful Warrior, Flyboys, Thankyou for Smoking.

phew. busy year.

Bon Voyage!

Well it’s that time of year again. I must pull out my parka, prepare the sandwiches and bring plenty of change for xxl coffees as I travel to all four corners of the globe in search of new adventures, romance, drama, thrills, spills laffs and popcorn. Yes it’s my holiday time. I’ve packed my bag and I’m off to

The Melbourne International Film Festival.

Many hours have been wasted perusing the guide. Circling, highlighting, ticking and crossing are all part of the process before handing over the cold hard cash for the round the world in 16 days ticket.

I’ve done the festival differently almost every year, trying to find the perfect balance of socializing and film going. I never quite get it right but I always look back fondly at past festival highlights.


Run Ramona Run

One of my loveliest friends (hoo roo Jackie!) always tries to make it to at least a couple of sessions with me. One year we were desperate to see a new German film called Run Lola Run. Only we ended up at the wrong cinema. We had to run 4 city blocks to get to the other venue on time. We arrived panting, weezing and damp and then had to watch the very beautiful and very fit Franke Potente run for two hours. The irony was not lost on us.

It’s not easy being green…

My friend G (hoo roo Mr K!) and I had a rather bonding experience when we did a four- films-in –one-day marathon. He had a terrible hangover and had to keep leaving the queue to vomit. It was gross and funny all at the same time. We’ve been friends ever since

Again with G and my other mate M – both of whom have a penchant for all things terrifying and Japanese made me sit thru Dark Water and then teased me about screaming in the cinema – very uncool!

Other highlights over the years have included the Herzog mini festival, seeing David Cronenberg’s Existenz at the midnight screening, discovering the animation of Bill Plimpton, and catching up with friends in the queue to see Godzilla (V – we should really catch up again soon!)

They’re all a bit of a blur to me now. But there is nothing better than Melbourne at Festival time. People clap at the end of films. Everyone is cheery, even in those freaking long queues. The festival club at the forum is beautiful and all the films – good bad and ugly take me out of my world and into another. Magical.

I admit funds do not permit me to take the long trip this year- it’s just the minipass for me this time round (as apposed to the 43 films I did last year – I felt like I’d run a marathon by the end of it). But I do have some pointers for the Festival newbies…

Don’t forget to factor in meal breaks. I walked out of a Ewan McGregor film because I knew I had to get lunch before the next three sessions -insane.

Bring your own water. Jackie and I paid 4 dollars for tiny bottles of Evian after our Lola sprint. Ridiculous.

Go it alone. I have to admit that standing in queues full of happy young couples isn’t so great so I do avoid flying solo in the evening sessions but during the day there is nothing better than some obscure documentary and a cup of coffee (or in M’s case a beer – not Coopers mind you – Stella!). There are lots of other solo flyers then too. If I was brave enough I would have asked that lovely man in the green jumper whom I saw at every day session on his own to accompany me to an evening screening but alas I have no courage dear readers and the moment passed.

See things you wouldn’t normally see. I started out just seeing indie American films and animation. Now I try to see as wide a variety as possible – often just picking things because they are on at a good time. Last year I discovered how amazing a weekend can be when my friend Beck and I just went to back to back documentaries. Brilliant.

that being said if you are like me and you can’t wait for things to be released by all means go to them. I loved seeing Metallica: Some Kind of Monster and American Psycho with festival crowds – it was a real event.

Don’t limit yourself to a country/region/style. If G and M had their way we would all only watch violent, scary, insane films. Don’t let you festival buddies dictate everything you see. Better still have several festival buddies so you can get enough variety in there.

Do not assume tickets won’t sell out. They do. I’ve already missed one film this year because I am so freaking disorganized.

Remember there is always next year. Don’t panic if you haven’t gone to anything. It’ll be there for you every year. Like the perfect holiday destination it is…