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...

Black Swan

I'm incredibly worried I'll like this movie more than it's worth due to fifteen years of ballet, my love of Vincent Cassel, and the need to be creeped out by cinema. At least I know I hate the movie poster. Someone please find this one for me.

Hey Ben, was it good?

The Social Network

For You

Did you like "The West Wing?" Did your parents? How about "Dawson's Creek?" Point being - this is a dialog movie. Lots of talking with few (very few) moments of cinematic greatness. The Social Network is serious, and I know we all take facebook seriously, but this is a bit of a stretch. Its a great movie for Moms and Dads, considering they still can't quite figure out where this thing came from in the first place, and I would recommend that all of you see it. It talks about programming, and smart kids, and college. This, as far as I'm concerned, is a good thing. Great even. However, skip the theater. You'll leave underwhelmed and thirteen dollars short.

For Me

James Cameron writes a script with male characters only, then later inserts lady names for one or two. This lends itself to extremely strong and charismatic female roles. Aaron Sorkin did the opposite. He produced a screenplay full of whiny self absorbed women and then replaced them with whiny self absorbed men. Sorry y'all but this is a movie for dudes. Scratch that, boys.

There was another movie that came out the same weekend as The Social Network - Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. As far as I'm concerned Mr. Fincher's version was much more applicable. Aparently nothing seems to have changed in twenty years. The only difference now is that entrepreneurship is the new Wall Street and its just as corrupt, scathing, and disgusting to watch. Men are still obsessed with power and desperate for approval.

Not to be a hypocrite, but the performances were outstanding and the dialog was top notch. Cinematography was utterly watchable (sorry Jacob, but it wasn't beautiful - I hate The Red), the characters were engaging, and I was completely engrossed. But this movie didn't surprise me. Didn't wow me. Or do anything new in cinema that I hadn't already seen before. Have any of you idiots that raved about The Social Network ever seen anything by Mike Leigh? Anything?

Bottom line, I don't think this movie had a point. It was meta - and that's it. I kept asking myself why the marketing team for this film never mentioned that it was a David Fincher film. Now I know why: it sucked.

PS If you don't like my opinions, please refer to the title of this blog.

Heartbreaker

I think the OR Books ladies and I are going to see Heartbreaker soon. The trailer is really silly and cheesy, but you can check out a clip here that redeems the movie just a little bit bit.

I absolutely adore Romain Duris. Check him out in The Beat That My Heart Skipped. Its based on a film called Fingers with Harvey Keitel. This one you can skip. Pun intended.

Die linkshändige Frau

Decided. Watched The Left-handed Woman yesterday at Anthology Film Archives. Its a six o'clock movie.

Hi New York,

Made it. Have a schedule now and getting ready to watch some serious movies. Not serious movies, just serious movie watching. Real progress will begin with whatever film Tomasz and I see when he's here this week. Far more excited about the act of picking at this point. Don't disappoint.

Best,

Crystal

PS Saw Inception. Tomasz and I got into such a heated phone argument he hung up me. Twice. Thanks Mr. Nolan.