"Life isn't like the movies, where something happens and 10 seconds later you have a realisation."
- Lowell (Gene Hackman) POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (1990)
So many movies...today we tackle a few new films in theaters and a stack o' new DVD releases plus more lists and other fun. First up :
I HEART HUCKABEES (Dir. David O. Russell, 2004) This is the ultimate "what the Hell was that?!!?" movie. It's been a few days since I've seen it and I'm still trying to process. Many critics don't even try to describe the plot or premise I'd just say it's about a poet activist (Jason Schartzman) who hires a married couple played by Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin who bill themselves as 'existential detectives' to sort out problems with his soul. Oh yeah there's an overly slick spokesperson (Jude Law) for a Target/Wal Mart type chain and his flighty model wife (Naomi Watts) as well as Mark Wahlberg as a fireman who hates petroleum - going to the lengths to ride his bike to fight fires. That's as good as I can do.
The characters all run aroung spouting lines like "There's no such thing as nothing"and "Nobody sits like this rock sits. You rock rock. The rock just sits and is. You show us how to just sit here and that's what we need." Some of this is fun, some of it is strained, some of it is just purely baffling. I mean at the end I was more confused than I was by the MATRIX sequels. I mean - now what's reality? It also doesn't help that HUCKABEES seems stiched together from other movie's styles. The soundtrack by Jon Brion and the color scheme recall the work of P.T. Anderson (MAGNOLIA, PUNCH DRUNK LOVE). The other Anderson - Wes Anderson comes to mind of course from the casting of Schwartzman (RUSHMORE). The screenplay seems suggested by the work of Charlie Kaufman (ADAPTATION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND). So did I like it? I didn't hate it. That's the best I can do.
- D C J
For no other reason than that election day is 5 days away and these movies will lose their relevance here’s
10 ELECTION YEAR POLI-DOCS
1. FAHRENHEIT 9/11 Dir. Michael Moore. The leader of the pack. Newly released on DVD this powerful if uneven call for the ousting of George W. Bush from the White House sure makes a convincing case.
2. GOING UPRIVER : THE LONG WAR OF JOHN KERRY Dir. George Butler. A moving portrait of Kerry’s Vietnam tour of duty and his activism to ending that war. One sided to be sure but what a side it is!
3. OUTFOXED : RUPERT MURDOCH’S WAR ON JOURNALISM Dir. Robert Greenwald. Compelling and funny but in an unnerving way. Part of Greenwald’s series of “UN-“ poli-docs (either as Director or Producer) – the others being :
4. UNPRECEDENTED : THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
5. UNCONSTITUTIONAL : THE WAR ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES
6. UNCOVERED : THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN IRAQ
Other less heralded Bush must go shows :
7. BUSH’S BRAIN
8. BUSH FAMILY FORTUNES
9. HORNS AND HALOS
10. THE CORPORATION
I for one hope they work.
- D C J
And now here's some :
DVDS IN CURRENT RELEASE
GRAND THEFT PARSONS (Dir. Davis Caffrey, 2003) This road comedy set in the early 70's about a couple of shifty guys who steal a corpse of a recently deceased country singer looks and feels like a lot of low budget indie movies except for the fact that it's based on the true story about what happened to Gram Parson's body because of a pact he had made with his road manager. Johnny Knoxville (JACKASS) plays Phillip Kaufman who promised Parsons that he would set fire to his body at Joshua Tree - Parsons to do the same if Kaufman dies first, Christina Applegate plays Gram's greedy ex-girlfriend who is after the body for her own financial gain, Robert Forster puts in another sturdy understated performance as Gram's father, and Michael Shannon is the oblivious hippy whose yellow flower power herse is commandered by Kaufman. Knoxville does a credible acting job, the music is of course great - several Parson's standards are used well, and the movie moves at a good breezy pace. Not a great film but an amusing one and although not completely accurate it's a fine side note to Gram Parson's short but great legacy.
- Anderson Moran
SOME NON-MOVIE DVDS WE THOUGHT WE'D BABBLE 'BOUT :
BILL HICKS - SATIRIST, SOCIAL CRITIC, STAND-UP COMEDIAN LIVE (Ryko DVD 2004) - It's about time one of the great comedians ever got a proper DVD release! If you don't know who I'm talking about you're in for a treat - 3 different stand-up specials from 1991 - ONE NIGHT STAND - OLD VIC THEATRE, CHICAGO, RELENTLESS - MONTREAL, & REVELATIONS - London plus the documentary IT'S JUST A RIDE which despite it's brevity gives those not in the know a nice overview of this comic genius. Over 3 hours of hilarious biting ground breaking comedy - essential.
- D C J
DEVO LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN - JAPAN 2003. A recent live show in front of thousands of young adoring Japanese fans which is much better than it has a right to be! The Mothersbaugh and Casale brothers plus drummer David Kendrick really kick out the robotic jams here. They actually sound tighter and more powerful than 25 years ago - if you don't believe me check out the special feature extra Target Video Ultra Rare1980 live (whatever that means) performance "Gut Feeling" - the guitar work and group interplay is surprisingly way off when compared to the old fat DEVO of now. This is a fun as Hell concert DVD. If you have any interest in the spud boys from Ohio at all you should dig it.
- Bertie Shafer
Criterion just released a couple of great but overlooked for years Robert Altman projects -
the tortured Nixon one man play on film SECRET HONOR (1984) with Phillip Baker Hall (MAGNOLIA, & TANNER '88 the 12 episode Showtime mockumentary series with Michael Murphy (MANHATTAN) as a Presidential candidate and Cynthia Nixon (Sex & The City) as his ambitious daughter. Both are well worth checking out.
Because of the above mentioned Nixon SECRET HONOR we decided it would be a good time to list :
10 LITTLE NIXONS
1. Anthony Hopkins -NIXON (1995)
2. Phillip Baker Hall - SECRET HONOR (1984)
3. Beau Bridges – KISSINGER AND NIXON (1995)
4. Dan Hedaya – DICK (1999)
5. Bob Gunton - ELVIS MEETS NIXON (1997)
6. Dan Aykroyd – SNL (1975-1978)
7. Brian Cummins – WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM (1980)
8. Rip Torn – BLIND AMBITION (1979 TV MINI SERIES)
9. Harry Shearer – THE SIMPSONS (1989-present)
10. Rich Little – Various awful TV specials, talk show appearances, phone calls, and bar room banter fill-ins.
Did anyone catch James Spader on Conan not too long ago? He talked about how much he liked eggs. It was awesome.
Be sure to check out other CookieCo blogs:
http://home.sprynet.com/~cookieco/ : This is a music review blog which starting this week will post about a different CD everyday til the end of this year! Please take a look.
http://31songblog.blogspot.com/ : This is an ongoing project to compile different people's favorite 31 song-lists. Inspired by the Nick Hornby tome Songbook.
http://cookiequotecity.blogspot.com/ : Just random quotes. Mostly Simpsons lines. No big whoop.
More later...
is the Green Art Nail
