A Girl Cut in Two

Very simple and extra French. I watched this one on my own and wasn't completely WOWed, but I enjoy French cinema in general and it was, as Tomasz likes to call it, "literary." This means that it was probably based on a novel, opera, or Shakespearean drama. In this case it was inspired by true events, although I think we all know what that means. I have a tendency to favor these movies not so much for the dialog but for the crazy plot twists all in the name of love or honor.

Baby Pigeon

Like the rest of America, I was stuck in an airport this week, and as a friendly gesture Jet Blue let us watch the pay per view movie channels for free once we finally took off. Unfortunately Going the Distance was playing and in trying to force myself to watch it I got a nose bleed. (We all know how I feel about Drew Barrymore not to mention I'm in year THREE of a long distance relationship. Ick.) There was a character however that kept ranting on and on about how he never sees any baby pigeons in New York City and you know what, he's right. Where the hell are all the baby pigeons?

Moonstruck

Joana and Jacob talked me into this one by hailing the Brooklyn scenery. Um, that's not really enough to get me through a romantic comedy. I guess I just thought the writing would be better, and Nicolas Cage would be as good as he was in Peggy Sue Got Married, and the costume design would be fun to revisit. Oh well. It did, however, make me want to eat spaghetti with meatballs and go on a date that involved candles.

Moonstruck is actually more of a play than a movie and if you liked it, or liked it when you were a kid and watching it on TBS, I would advise that you invite your sweetheart over on a Tuesday, order take out, and watch a Hal Hartly film. Trust is the best, but people tend to like Henry Fool better. These movies will feel a little strange at first, but once you make it to the 30 minute marker you'll be hooked.

Syriana

Holy Hell I did it. I managed to get my parents to watch Syriana. On Christmas. You're Welcome.

The Public Library

In preparation for my visit to Florida, Mom took a trip to the Public Library. She rented three movies; Desk Set, The Secret Life of Words, and A Pink Panther something or other. Letting your parents pick the movie is a great feeling, especially since I "make" them watch certain films every time we get together - this year it's Man on Wire.

Growing up, once a week, Mom and I would take a trip downtown walk up six flights of stairs, and grab whatever looked good from the video section. Believe it or not this is how I stumbled upon Star Wars and Indiana Jones. (My childhood soul sister Kim had gabbed on and on about Harrison Ford when we were ten, but I hadn't seen them yet.) I watched A New Hope about thirty times when I rented it since it didn't have to be returned for ten whole days. And it was free. God bless the Public Library.

Tron

Jillian's coming to NYC for her twenty-first birthday this weekend. I'll probably drag her to this.

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Remember the Real Winona?

After seeing Winona Ryder in Black Swan the OR Ladies and I contemplated her best performances. Beetlejuice, Mermaids, anything from the eighties - but I had a nagging suspicion that I had seen her in something good. Something watchable. . .

So when I was waiting in line at Whole Foods, after picking up my five dollar chicken in the hopes that it would last me a few meals, saying to myself, "I really thought I'd be more sucessful than this at twenty-eight," it dawned on me. I'd heard that line before.

Lelaina: I was really gonna be something by the age of twenty-three.

Troy: Honey, all you have to be by the age of twenty-three. . . is yourself.

Winona Ryder was great in something - Reality Bites

Movie Videos & Movie Scenes at MOVIECLIPS.com

I miss my sweetheart.

Actor James Franco Puts on a Show. For Himself.

James Franco Acting for the New York Times Magazine

My New Film Festival

Anthony Lane just announced his "10 Films I liked in 2010" in The New Yorker. I'll be watching these over the Christmas break if anyone wants to join. Check it out here.

I See You Black Swan

For You

Okay New York, this is the last time I'm falling for your mass opinion. I couldn't turn a corner, go to work, ride the subway, or look at facebook without people fawning (swaning?) over Natalie Portman. I was convinced I just had to see this right away. It was fun to watch in the theater (in fact I recommend it this way), but you can save this one for a matinee. I disagree with those that say it was creepy - it's a dramatic movie about crazy girls and yes, sometimes things get out of hand. Black Swan is outlandish and if you go in expecting this you'll be surprised but free of nightmares.

I saw Black Swan with a fellow dancer, and she just balled me out for not respecting Natalie Portman's performance. I'll agree to meet in the middle and say that as her role demanded - she was the perfect white swan, but the black one never quite convinced me. I still side with David Denby on this one in saying "Dance lovers will find it so over the top that they are likely to be amused." Which I was. And I think you will be too. Just don't expect the Red Shoes.

For Me

A script that is written by three people is bound to fall short. In fact, help me out on this one - what good movie has a screenplay that has been passed around more than twice? There must be one, although I'm sure it's a lark. You'll save yourself some heartache if you prepare for the terrible dialogue and agree to immerse yourself in spectacle. That's all I think Black Swan was at the end of the day. And by the end, when things really get going (for a whole fifteen minutes), it's the movie's only chance to save itself. Otherwise all the makeout scenes between Natalie and Mila would have to be followed by a cold shower.

I think this is the movie where I discovered Minhola Dargis' achilies heel. All critics have one (me included), and I guess this is one I can politely overlook. Ms. Dargis has been on a crusade for the loss of stellar female roles in the past decade (or at least the decline), and this is a movie about women, starring women, and made for women viewers. The last time that happened was Sex in the City, which doesn't do nearly as much for the "female role" as Black Swan does. I guess I just wish Aronofsky didn't pander to the male audience and turn it into a suspensfull thriller. Throw that to the wind and leave in a makeout scene? Now that's not only cinema - that's European.

(18 Theaters? That's crazy. What's more crazy is that out of eight cities they chose Plano, TX. Joana, what gives?)

What a Name

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is the director of the new movie The Tourist - that train wreck of merger with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. I desparately want to make fun of his name, but he's also the director of The Lives Of Others which I regard to be a "perfect" film.

(It won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.) Please watch this one if you haven't already.

I'm curious to see what the critics have to say about The Tourist though, which opens Friday...