Don't worry -- Mrs. Santa understands that !@#&@! happens when you party naked.

Willie T. Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) has a very reasonable explanation for why his Santa beard’s an obvious and cheap fake: “It was real, but I got sick and all the hair fell out.” When that answer doesn’t satisfy Thurman (Bret Kelly), the friendless wimp who’s latched onto him like a thirsty tick, Santa elaborates: “I loved a woman who wasn’t clean.” Apparently Mrs. Santa’s sister, though a tomcat in the sack, has a few … faults.

Shocking, isn’t it, to hear such frank, fresh talk in a holiday film? That all depends on your definition of “Christmas movie.” Terry Zwigoff’s warped “Bad Santa” is a Christmas movie only in the sense that it takes place in December. And there’s a guy wearing a Santa suit. And an elf and some reindeer. But all that noise about joy, peace, happiness, sugar plums and fruitcakes? That’s all been replaced by perpetually-recovering-from-the-night-before Santa, offering up pearls of wisdom that include: “Wish in one hand and shit in the other. See which one fills up first.” Sage advice indeed. Three sheets to the wind (a given) or stone sober (a rarity), Willie T. Soke is nothing if not philosophical.

“Bad Santa” brims to the top with such observations, shaped to twisted perfection by writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa and delivered just as expertly by Billy Bob Thornton and the ace team of comedic actors who play off him. Talk about a match made in heaven — if there exists another actor better suited to play the boozy Willie than Thornton, well, I can’t name him. Thornton, with his craggy face, downturned mouth and vacant but vaguely menacing stare, nails the mixture of desperation and disgust at the core of Willie. Part of that desperation stems from his job: An expert safe cracker, Soke has created a highly profitable scam with fellow con man Marcus (Tony Cox, a potty-mouthed delight). Soke and Marcus, posing as a Santa-and-elf duo, work a different department store every Christmas. In less than a month they case the store, find the safe and rob the place blind on Christmas Eve.

Everything works fine until their latest scam in Arizona, where Willie’s constant drinking — as well as his tendency to diddle women in the plus-size dressing room and show up to work falling-down drunk — raises the eyebrows of the store’s fussy manager Bob (John Ritter, bringing a nice comic flair to his last big-screen role). Store security chief Gin (Bernie Mac) hears of Marcus and Willie’s plan and demands a hefty cut. Then there’s the matter of Thurman Merman (Kelly), a lonely weirdo who plops into Willie’s lap and then proceeds to stalk him. Ever the opportunist, Willie sees a chance to rob the house the kid shares with his grandma (Cloris Leachman). “Is she spry?” he asks, pulling on a face mask. She’s anything but. Before long, though, the house becomes a crash pad for Willie, somewhere to drink himself into oblivion and enjoy nightly hot tub sex with Sue (Lauren Graham), a bartender for whom a Santa hat is akin to Spanish fly.

The further we follow Willie down into his vodka bottle, the more clear it becomes that Zwigoff has no intention — ha! none! — of softening all this misery’n with a cocoa-and-candy canes last act. Zwigoff isn’t really a happy ending kind of director (see: “Art School Confidential,” ”Ghost World”), so he never lightens the mood of sheer, abject hopelessness. In a way, that’s almost admirable, his stubborn refusal to change course. He means to make a bitter, bad-tasting movie about a mean drunk and he does it. The good news is that Zwigoff also makes this movie singularly entertaining. The razor-edged dialogue proves as uproarious as it is profane (Marcus to Willie as Santa: “You probably shouldn’t be digging in your ass”), while the actors — particularly Kelly, who’s all google-eyed creepiness, and Thornton, never better – turn in spot-on performances. These are people for whom “goodwill” is a dirty word. Considering all the holiday mush being peddled this time of year, that’s cheerfully refreshing.

Grade: A

Mel Brooks is responsible for two of the greatest comedy pictures of all time: Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. I had the distinct pleasure of watching these films back-to-back recently and am still writhing with fits and giggles as I write this review of 1974’s classic Young Frankenstein. There are so many jokes and so many brilliant moments to this monster movie parody that it’s almost impossible to write about it with any meaning, but I’ll give it a shot anyway.

Young Frankenstein came out of a Gene Wilder script, of course, and utilizes countless references from the various film adaptations of Shelley’s Frankenstein. It is a hilarious send-up of all of those great 30s horror flicks from Universal, especially, and scores extra points for using Kenneth Strickfaden’s props from the 1931 Frankenstein motion picture. Brooks’ decision to put the whole thing in black and white (no offense!) furthers the mystique and, consequently, the gags.

Wilder stars as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a lecturer at an American medical school and relative to a famed mad scientist everyone seems to have heard of. Frederick isn’t too pleased about the constant links to his family relation, of course, and tries to shovel it under the rug every chance he gets, even altering the pronunciation of his name in shame. One day a solicitor informs the good doctor that he has inherited his family’s estate, so Dr. Frankenstein makes his way to, where else, Transylvania to check on things.

Once there, Frankenstein meets his new lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr) and Igor (Marty Feldman). They take him to the estate and Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman) shows them around. It isn’t long before Frankenstein discovers his grandfather’s secret personal library and his work. He becomes inspired to recreate what the mad scientist did and, before he knows it, is stealing a corpse to reanimate it. Of course, there are a few mix-ups and mistakes and the monster (Peter Boyle) spreads havoc.

The cast of Young Frankenstein is tremendous. Feldman is especially hilarious as Igor (or Eye-gor, of course) and his use of ad-libbing draws out some of the best gags in the movie. Madeline Kahn, a favourite of Brooks’, is really funny as Elizabeth, the uptight fiancée of Frankenstein. And don’t forget to look for Gene Hackman as Harold, a man of God with a desire for companionship and espresso.

Of course, no assessment of Young Frankenstein would be complete without a pile of unadulterated praise for Peter Boyle. As the monster, he is sweet perfection. It’s hard to imagine anything funnier than his performance of “Puttin’ on the Ritz” alongside Wilder’s Frankenstein. His clunky movements and bold assertions of the song should be considered in comedy classes and his overall approach to the character is magical, sweet and gut-busting.

Amazingly enough, even with the seemingly anarchic nature of the performances and zaniness of the overall picture, Young Frankenstein is probably the most ordered and thorough of Brooks’ movies. It doesn’t have the panting, offensive merriment of Blazing Saddles, my favourite Mel Brooks comedy, but it still remains a classic because it demonstrates the cast and director as having a sense of control to go alongside the natural pandemonium.

In short, if you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen Young Frankenstein, make sure you get to it as soon as possible. It might even make a good (but weird) choice for a holiday picture this year, as its hilarity, merriment and mirth can’t be beat. Plus it tells a fairly good little story about love and schwanstuker.

9.6/10

Trailer:

So by now, you should know that Donny & Kym won the big mirror ball trophy on “Dancing With The Stars.” I figured it would be hard to miss. So if you’re still interested in a recap of last night’s show, you’ll find it after the jump.

We got to see all the couples from season nine, with the final three couples making the grand entrance. Uh-oh. Miss Piggy – or at least the back of her head appeared as the recap of Monday’s performances played. Live TV, people. So here’s what we do when there are problems, we go to break, regroup, then get back to it. So happy Tom Bergeron is the host! He is a true pro!

Here are the standings:

1. Mya & Dmitry – 87 points

2. Donny & Kym – 85 points

3. Kelly & Louis – 76 points

First performance of the night comes from Whitney Houston. She performed “Million Dollar Bills.” Sorry. Can’t watch her. I don’t think she sings any more. It’s like she just speaks the lyrics.

It’s time for “The Losers Club.” It’s the people who are the first to be kicked off the show. Jeffery Ross returns in a sequined jacket to roast/induct a new member into the club. Ashley Hamilton gets his jacket. Jeff called it a “token of your suckiness.” He said when Ashley was out there, people thought it was a telethon for the uncoordinated. Then, Ashley said he’d give his dance with Edyta his full 10%. Ashley dropped Edyta, then danced with Jeff. Then (the horror!), they opened their shirts! That’s comedy, right? Tom said Jeff’s stomach was whiter than a snow drift. True.

Like deja vu, we get the first of many recaps of the entire season. Sorry, folks. I’m hitting FF. I’ve sat through the whole season. I could just go back and read my recaps if I wanted to live it again. Kathy Ireland & Tony Dovolani danced. If she danced like this weeks ago, she might have made it further. They were followed by Macy Gray & Jonathan Roberts. I’m still uncomfortable watching Macy dance. Debi Mazar & Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She was lovely.

Another taped piece looks back at what became “DWTS: The Season of The Flu/Injuries.”

Tom DeLay & Cheryl Burke returned to do the Texas Two Step. If not for injury, I totally believe The Hammer could have made it to the finale! This was his dance – even the booty shake. Only made me feel a little uncomfortable. Still, he is fun to watch!

Taped piece looking back at the fourth and fifth weeks of competition. FF again. Chuck Liddell & Anna Trebunskaya performed. He still scares me. Mark Dacascos & Lacey Schwimmer performed next. Then, Chuck and Mark did some fighting. Don’t worry, no one got hurt. Except maybe my eyes.

Adam Carolla gave Donny some advice on how to win. Really? Adam can’t dance! Kelly and Mya showed up. Adam called the ladies “the enemy.” Then, he tried hard to be funny. FF.

Natalie Coughlin & Alec Mazo returned to perform. She was good. Why didn’t she make it through the competition?

Melissa Joan Hart & Mark Ballas performed in bright yellow and purple. Is that a ploy to get Lakers tickets? She was so good!

The judges talk about the finalists. Len said Kelly is unexpected. Bruno said she’s wonderful in hold. Len said she engages with the audience. Carrie Ann said Donny is an incredible showman. Len said Donny lights up the ballroom with every dance. Bruno said Donny is solid and never underperforms. Len said Mya has the talent to take the title. Bruno said Mya uses her body like a musical instrument.

Another re-introduction of the final three. Come on, ABC! Content, please! FF again.

Kelly & Louis performed their Viennese waltz from earlier in the season. It did look like Kelly forgot a step towards the end. Still loved this dance. Len said of all the celebrities who have been on the show, he’ll miss her the most because he loves watching her every week. The audience was chanting for her. Bruno said she may come from rock and roll royalty, but she has earned her place as a ballroom princess. Carrie Ann through tears, she doesn’t know if anyone has ever touched her as much as Kelly has. She said every time she watched Kelly dance, she was growing every step of the way.

Mya & Dmitry performed their jive from earlier in the season. It was just as fun as the first time they performed it! Bruno said Mya was sharp, slick, never missed a beat. He said she never dropped her standards throughout the season. Carrie Ann said every season, someone sets the pace and that has been Mya from day one. She called Mya a star. Len said they’ve had a few ups and downs but he never doubted her dance talent. He called her fantastic.

Donny & Kym performed the Argentine tango from earlier in the season. I’m glad they chose this. Donny couldn’t smile one bit during this performance. I like that it was not a showman’s dance. Carrie Ann said Donny has graced them with show stopping performances. She was glad he chose that as his final dance because it was artistry in motion. Len said Donny has been mostly good, sometimes bad and one dance was pretty ugly. But he never lost his performance. He said Donny finished strong. Bruno said Donny is a great performer. He said Donny reaches the dark side and uses it well.

The judges ranked the finalists for the final round. Here’s how they chose ‘em:

1. Donny & Kym – 30 points

2. Mya & Dmitry – 28 points

3. Kelly & Louis – 26 points

Wow!

Louie Vito & Chelsie Hightower danced to “Puppy Love” performed by Donny. Do they have something to tell us? The song started slow, then got fast and the dance included a great lift and lots of tumbling from Louie. Donny gave them two thumbs up. Samantha said Chelsie & Louie are not dating. OK. I believe that.

Michael Irvin & Jerry Rice perform a dance off. Jerry performed with Anna Trebunskaya, while Michael got his partner, Anna Demidova, back. I’m giving Michael the edge because he has a more intense dance face. That said, watching these two dance, then fight over a football made me realize why they did not make it to the finals. It was fun. Not great. The judges awarded the mirror ball ring to Michael. There was celebrating. Then, the judges stopped that. They decided the battle of the bodies goes to Jerry.

Aaron Carter & Karina Smirnoff performed their quick step.

Miss Piggy was backstage with Cloris Leachman, Jerry Springer, Steve Wozniak and Joanna Krupa. They all seemed to be afraid of Miss Piggy. Huh? Then, those four took the stage to do a competition mambo. Cloris stood still for a bit as Corky seemed to shake her to life. The Woz did a lot of hobbling about in a pink boa. Jerry still made me a bit uncomfortable (I was afraid he might hurt himself). Cloris & Corky were the first eliminated. Jerry & Edyta were booted. How could Joanna not shine here? She’s left with The Woz? Then, a partner switch. Steve & Karina were booted. Surprise, surprise! Joanna wins. Is this how the judges reward her for not making the finals? Ah, the dance ends with the couple’s signature move – only in reverse (not dirty talk, it was Joanna holding Derek).

Whitney returned to perform “I Want To Dance With Somebody.” Again, mostly talking the lyrics. FF.

Now, finally down to the business. The third place finishers: Kelly & Louis.

The winners of that ugly mirror ball trophy: Donny & Kym.

That’s it. See you in the Spring!

Stifler’s mom might have made the cougar popular again, but it seems like it’s a fantasy that Hollywood’s been playing with for years.  Ralph does what he’s best at, and examines Maxim’s list of Hollywood’s Hottest Cougars with director Kevin Smith to point out the good, the bad and the naughty.

10.  Angela Basset as Stella in How Stella Got Her Groove Back
9.  Cloris Leachman as Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show
8.  Kim Basinger as Marion Cole in Door In The Floor
7.  Susan Sarandon as Nora Baker in White Palace
6.  Mary Steenburgen as Mrs. Betty Carver in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
5.  Kim Cattrall as Samantha in Sex and the City:  The Movie
4.  Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler’s mom in American Pie
3.  Jane Seymour as Kathleen Cleary in Wedding Crashers
2. Jacqueline Bisset as Ellen Burroughs in Class
1.  Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate

Check out the clip as Ralph explains the reasoning behind some of the picks and defends others.

Bastardi senza gloria

Date e orari delle proiezioni:

• sabato 31 ottobre 2009, ore 21:00
• domenica 1 novembre 2009, ore 21:00

Scheda:

• Paese: Germania, Stati Uniti
• Durata: 2h e 48′
• Genere: Avventura, Azione, Guerra
• Regia: Quentin Tarantino
• Anno: 2009
• Distributore: Universal Pictures International Italy

Sinossi

I ‘Bastardi senza gloria’ sono soldati ebrei incaricati, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, di infliggere ai nemici tedeschi terribili punizioni. La squadra speciale degli ‘Inglourious Basterds’, capitanati dal tenente Aldo Raine si troverà a collaborare con una spia degli Alleati, Bridget Von Hammersmark, che lavora ad una missione per eliminare i vertici del Terzo Reich.

Insieme arriveranno a Parigi, dove una donna di nome Shosanna Dreyfus sta progettando la sua personale vendetta, dopo aver assistito alla morte di tutta la sua famiglia per mano del colonnello nazista Hans Landa.
Il luogo della resa dei conti è una sala cinematografica di Parigi gestita da Shosanna, dove il tenente Raine e i suoi ‘Bastardi senza gloria’ avranno l’occasione irripetibile di modificare il corso del conflitto e della Storia…

Sito ufficiale: http://www.cinema.universalpictures.it/website/bastardisenzagloria/

New York, I Love You (2008)
★★ / ★★★★

I’ve been waiting for this movie to be released in theaters for more than a year so I was really excited to see it when it finally was. Unfortunately, out of the ten segments (presented in order of appearances on screen–directed by Jiang Wen, Mira Nair, Shunji Iwai, Yvan Attal, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Kapur, Natalie Portman, Fatih Akin and Joshua Marston) only about five worked for me–the second (starring Natalie Portman and Irrfan Khan), the third (Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci), the fourth (Ethan Hawke and Maggie Q), the fifth (Anton Yelchin, Olivia Thirlby, James Caan and Blake Lively), and the tenth (Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman).

I really wanted to love this movie as much as “Paris, je t’aime.” What made the first one so great is the fact that even though we encounter so many different genres and tones throughout the picture, it felt cohesive because we truly get a sense of who the characters were in under five to seven minutes. In “New York, I Love You,” it all feels a little bit too commercial. I felt as though it wanted to impress all kinds of people so much to the point where it held back emotionally and avoided taking risks. I’m also astounded by the fact that there were no homosexual storylines, barely any segments consisting of African-American or Latino characters, and most of clips consisted of a person falling in love or lust with another person. There are many dimensions of love (love for the city, love for a pet, love for oneself…) but it didn’t quite think outside the box. Those missing qualities are crucial to me because New York is supposed to be a melting pot of ethnicities, sexualities and mindsets yet we got to see the same kinds of people time and again. With “Paris, je t’aime,” we get diversity and in more than half of them, there was not a happy ending, which I thought was closer to real life than the stories presented in this film.

The five segments that I thought were standouts had a certain passion in every single one of them, whether it’s about a woman who doesn’t quite feel comfortable about getting married; an artist struggling to read one of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s books and whose curiosity of a woman he’s only met through the phone bothered him to the core; a man who thinks one way about a woman turning out to be someone completely different than we all expected; a teenager who goes to prom with a blind date unknowing of the fact that his date is unlike anyone he expected; and a couple celebrating their marriage that lasted for more than sixty years. Those are the kinds of stories I want to tune into and dissect because hidden layers are embedded in them. What I don’t want to see is someone supposedly falling in love unless he or she has something truly significant or different to contribute. The other five segments that I didn’t quite like should have been taken out and replaced by stories from other genres such as horror or science fiction, or they could have had a different mood or perception such as in a black-and-white reality or featuring a person so wasted in drugs–a way in which we could see the world through their eyes. That would have made more sense to me because we are essentially a drug culture. Or it could have featured at least one fashion model or a fashionista because New York is one of the biggest fashion capitals in the world. Instead of really embracing to tackle issues mentioned previously, the movie was way too safe with those other segments.

Having said all of that, I have to admit that I’m particularly hard on this picture. Since I don’t do half-star ratings, it must be said that I consider this a solid two-and-a-half star movie. When I came out of the theater, I was certain that I was going to give it three stars out of four but after thinking about it a little bit, it made me realize how much potential it didn’t use to create a truly magnificent project. For such a fascinating place like New York City, you just can’t play everything safe and get away with it. At least not with me because I’m big on seeing diversity and reality in certain kinds of films, especially in slice-of-life cinema. I’m not saying at all to not see this in theaters. By all means, please do to support a film released only on limited release. But what I want you to take away from this review is the awareness that what’s being presented on this film is not the gritty and dirty New York but the clean, nice New York we see on a prime time television shows.

Hopefully, the next project from this film series would not be as afraid to branch out.

And she was at the New York, I Love You premiere party last night at M2.

She showed us some sweet dance moves…

…but I forgot to tell her that her vignette in the movie was my favorite. I did, however, say that I was a big fan of her work in the Comedy Central roast of Bob Saget (check it out; it’s so good).

Not sure what Erin discussed with her, but it probably had something to do with “The Facts of Life.”

Here’s Erin now:

Bastardi senza gloria. Ero curioso di vedere dove e come Tarantino avrebbe piazzato l’ormai consueta scena di feticismo del piede. Riesce sempre a sorprendere: geniale trovata il pretesto della scarpetta perduta, che fa tanto Cenerentola. Ma a ben guardare il nostro Quentin ha preso due piccioni con una fava: Diane Kruger oltre che ad avere piedi bellissimi, nel film è la copia fedele della Barbara Bouchet degli anni ‘70. Tarantino è un grande: fa i film per giocare con i suoi feticci e riesce pure a farti divertire.

Contrariamente a quello che sostengo di solito il doppiaggio italiano in questo caso massacra il risultato finale. Le 4 lingue parlate nel film, inglese, tedesco, francese e siciliano, meritano di essere godute nella versione originale con i sottotitoli, in modo da poter percepire in pieno la dissacrazione dell’inglese masticato nel Tennessee prima e l’improbabile siciliano poi, ad opera del tenente Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt).

In the city that never sleeps, love is always on the mind. Those passions come to life in New York, I Love You – a collaboration of storytelling from some of today’s most imaginative filmmakers and featuring an all-star cast. Together they create a kaleidoscope of the spontaneous, surprising, electrifying human connections that pump the city’s heartbeat. Sexy, funny, haunting and revealing encounters unfold beneath the Manhattan skyline. From Tribeca to Central Park to Brooklyn the story weaves a tale of love as diverse as the very fabric of New York itself

by The Great White Gypsy

A Serious Man – Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Set in 1967, this black comedy follows a Jewish professor as he attempts to stop his life from unraveling after his wife announces she wants a divorce. It would appear that the Coen dynasty is back in full swing after their three year hiatus between The Ladykillers (2004) and No Country for Old Men (2007). Though longtime Coen teammates Carter Burwell (composer) and Roger Deakins (cinematographer) are back again, the cast for this one is largely unknown. I can’t wait.
Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred Melamed
October 2

Whip It – Directed by Drew Barrymore, Written by Shauna Cross
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut about a punk rock outcast (Ellen Page) living in small town Texas who rebels by joining an all girl roller derby league. I’m a fan of Page and Barrymore, and though it was filmed almost entirely in Michigan and features an esoteric chick-indie-punk soundtrack, Barrymore managed to get some good names on the roster. Not cast-wise, as Page and Marcia Gay Harden are the only recognizable ones, but she borrowed longtime Wes Anderson cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, as well as editor Dylan Tichenor (Doubt, There Will Be Blood), and Art Director Kevin Kavanaugh (The Dark Knight, The Prestige). Call me impressed.
Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden
October 2

Zombieland – Directed by Ruben Fleischer, Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Sure, the writers and director of this Americanized Shaun of the Dead are newbies. And yes, British humor often times prevails when put toe to toe (except the Office, Steve Carrell is a silly bitch). But after watching the previews, how can you not smile and say, “Yeah, I’ll see that eventually.”? If for no other reason that watching little miss sunshine kick some zombie ass would be sweet.
Woody Harrelson, Jessie Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone, Amber Heard, Bill Murray
October 2

An Education – Directed by Lone Scherfig,Written by Nick Hornby
Wait…Peter Sarsgaard? In a low profile dramatic role you’ve never heard of until now? Yeah, that sounds about right. About a 17-year-old girl in 1960’s London who abandons her college plans for a wealthy socialite twice her age. You may not recognize any of the names behind the scenes, but Nick Hornby (author, High Fidelity) is enough for me.
Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike
October 9

Couples Retreat – Directed by Peter Billingsley, Written by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn
Apparently, Ralphie from A Christmas Story is all grown up and wants to be a director. Starting with a screenplay by Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn will either be his ticket to greatness, or a nail in his mediocre comedy coffin. Still, Swingers and Made were great, and the cast in this one has me more than confident. If the plot isn’t obvious by the title, you should not see this movie, you might shoot your eye out (fuck you, you knew it was coming).
Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, Kristin Davis, Ken Jeong, Jean Reno, Faizon Love, Tasha Smith, John Michael Higgins
October 9

Peter and Vandy – Written and Directed by Jay DiPietro
In the style of (500) Days of Summer, this relationship film set in New York City jumps back and forth through time telling the story of how Peter and Vandy went from friends to lovers, and how they ended up as a comfortable, yet manipulative couple. The chemistry between Ritter and Weixler looks good, and Sundance apparently loved it. My only worry is, in a non-linear feature film, editor Geoffrey Richman has been limited to documentaries. Ok, he did Murderball and God Grew Tired of Us, but still, a lot’s riding on this guy’s shoulders. DePietro’s first.
Jason Ritter, Jess Weixler
October 9

Trucker – Written and Directed by James Mottern
James Mottern’s first endeavor gives Monaghan an amazing role as a long distance truck driver who must care for the son she abandoned while his father is in the hospital. Interesting cast (I like Adams and Fillion), and behind the scenes, names like Mychael Danna (composer: (500) Days of Summer, Girl Interrupted) and Lawrence Sher (cinematographer: Garden State, The Chumscrubber) intrigue me. Assuming Monaghan’s role is as great as it appears in the preview, I will make a bold statement: If Melissa Leo can be nominated for Frozen Rivers, this might be Monaghan’s year.
Michelle Monaghan, Benjamin Bratt, Joey Lauren Adams, Nathan Fillion, Jimmy Bennett
October 9

Law Abiding Citizen – Directed by F. Gary Gray, Written by Kurt Wimmer
Gerard Butler’s wife and daughter are killed. The D.A. (Jamie Foxx) gives the murderers a plea bargain. Years later, Butler starts exacting his revenge on everyone involved…from the comfort of his jail cell. Wimmer wrote and directed Equilibrium (freaking awesome), but he also wrote and directed Ultraviolet (freaking garbage). Aside from editor Tariq Anwar (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty), everyone involved is a so-so list of random action film participants. So why would you see this one? Cause it’s Friday…you ain’t got no job…and you ain’t got shit to do.
Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney, Bruce McGill, Viola Davis, Regina Hall
October 16

New York, I Love You – Directed by Faith Akin and Yvan Attal, Written by Emmanual Benbihy and Tristan Carne
I’m sure even the most skeptical among you can’t say you didn’t enjoy Paris, Je T’aime. It was a great cross-sectioning of different views and stories around the city, told by some great directors (The Coen Brothers and Gus van Sant among them). I gotta say, I’m a little disappointed about the young cast and director lineup (where the F are DeNiro and Scorcese?) But as an overall project, I’m really looking forward to this film. With segments directed by Allan Hughes, Shunji Iwai, Wen Jiang, Shekhar Kapur, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Natalie Portman, and Brett Ratner.
Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Shia LaBeouf, Blake Lively, Robin Wright Penn, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, Christina Ricci, Rachel Bilson, Ethan Hawke, John Hurt, Justin Bartha, James Caan, Maggie Q, Anton Yelchin, Andy Garcia, Chris Cooper, Olivia Thirlby, Drea De Matteo, Julie Christie, Cloris Leachman, Eli Wallach
October 16

Where the Wild Things Are – Directed by Spike Jonze, Written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers
Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story about a boy who invents an imaginary world populated with large creatures who name him King. Jonze hasn’t really done many films (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation), but he’s an accomplished music video director, and with an adaptation by Dave Eggers, he can’t really go wrong. Effects look good, voice casting is solid.
Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper, Forest Whitaker, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Dano, Lauren Ambrose
October 16

Amelia – Directed by Mira Nair, Written by Ronald Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan
From the director of The Namesake, this biopic of Amelia Earhart covers her romance with flight, and her rise to the level of cultural icon. Can’t say it looks like anything really spectacular, but Swank has won multiple Oscars, Phelan wrote Girl Interrupted, and The Aviator was warmly received. Look for this to show up on some Academy Award lists regardless.
Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccelston
October 23

Antichrist – Written and Directed by Lars von Trier
Danish director Lars von Trier has won numerous awards for his films. He has also shocked a lot of people not only by his style, but by his tendency to add super realism to his films by actually having the actors doing whatever the characters are supposed to (meaning if there’s a group sex scene, chances are those people are actually having sex on camera). Antichrist is the story of a couple trying to reconnect in a cabin after the death of their son. What happens next is ridiculously graphic, violent, and spiritually disturbing. While the wide theatrical release will no doubt be heavily edited, the uncut version is something you have to see to fully understand.
Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
October 23

Saw VI – Directed by Kevin Greutert, Written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton
Don’t think I really need to explain this one. Jigsaw’s dead, but we’re gonna try to fit at least four more storylines into the original script. Director is new, writers have worked on the last three Saw films. I’ll see it, but when an original horror franchise with an awesome theme song allows a Texas Chainsaw Massacre motif into their preview, it worries me.
Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Shawnee Smith, Betsy Russell
October 23

(Untitled) – Directed by Jonathan Parker, Written by Jonathan Parker and Catherine DiNapoli
Shelton plays an art gallery director who falls in love with a struggling artist/musician in New York. Should be good for a few laughs if you can’t stand newagepostmodernretroindieavantgardeabstracthipsterbullshit. Also, Vinnie Jones as an artist, and Adam Goldberg kicking a bucket on stage should be hilarious. Rookie writer/director.
Adam Goldberg, Marley Shelton, Vinnie Jones
October 23

Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – Directed by Troy Duffy, Written by Troy and Taylor Duffy
We’ve had to wait ten bloody years for this film to actually see the light of day. Now it’s here. If you didn’t see the first one (what the hell is wrong with you??) it’s about two Irish brothers who are “called” by God to administer justice and vengeance to society’s scum. I’m actually impressed that after so long on the shelf, the writer/director of the first film is still on board. Can’t freaking wait.
Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Clifton Collins Jr., Julie Benz, Judd Nelson, Billy Connolly, Peter Fonda
October 30

How to Seduce Difficult Women – Written and Directed by Richard Temtchine
Although there are no recognizable names or faces attached to this one, imagine if someone combined Hitch and School for Scoundrels, and then made a GOOD film. The main character, Pierre, decides to teach the ways of French seduction to the floundering American men who have lost the art (stupid French guys with their…sexy accents…). Interspersed with NY street interviews about sex and seduction. Could be interesting.
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Stephanie Szostak, Jackie Hoffman, Rachel Roberts
October 30

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

The Ministers – Written and Directed by Franc. Reyes
Kinda like Boondock Saints…except Latin. And they’re serial killers. And Leguizamo plays twins. And I’d bet money Keitel gets naked for no reason. Reyes is a weird cat, but he directed Empire and Illegal Tender, which weren’t bad. Leguizamo’s always good, so we’ll see. Rumored limited release date, nothing solid yet.
John Leguizamo, Harvey Keitel, Wanda De Jesus, Florencia Lozano
October 1 (Limited)

Aladin – Written and Directed by Sujoy Ghosh
Shut up and let me talk. Yes, it’s an Indian film. Yes, it appears there is a bit of singing involved. However, the story of Aladin is one of the most widely known and adaptable myths to come out of the area. And the preview actually gives me a Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer) kind of feel. Excuse the hell out of me for trying to broaden your minds. Only release date in India so far. Check it out.
Ritesh Deshmukh, Jaqueline Fernandes, Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt
October 23 (India)

Pope Joan – Directed by Sonke Wortmann, Written by Heinrich Hadding
Based on the German novel, this is the story of an English woman born in Germany, who disguises herself as a man and ascends to a seat of power in 9th century Vatican. A German film about gender disguise, and John Goodman’s in it, but Hilary Swank isn’t? That’s so confusing it has to be fattening. Limited release in Germany so far.
David Wenham, John Goodman, Ian Glen
October 22 (Germany)

Now that Fall is in full swing, what movies can we expect in the month of October? I know when I think about the month of October, the first thing that pops into my mind is Halloween and with Halloween I think scary/horror themed movies. There are a few scary/horror movies this month such as “Zombieland”, “The Stepfather”, and the lastest “Saw” installment “Saw VI”. I never saw a “Saw” film, but they must be popular in order for the studio to continue producing them. Those who are eagerly waiting for the next “Twilight” movie will have to wait another month, but if you need a vampire fix, then you may want to check out “Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant”.

I think October will be animation/cgi domination in the box office. The big releases that fall into this category are “Astro Boy”, “Where the Wild Things Are”, and for a limited time the 3D versions of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Toy Story/Toy Story 2″. There are few comedies out this coming month with Drew Barrymore’s “Whip It”, “Couples Retreat”, and “The Invention of Lying” starring Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Garner.

My spotlight picks of the month are “New York, I Love You” and “This Is It”. “New York, I Love You” is inspired by “Paris, I Love You” and it has an all-star cast and is directed by an all-star group of directors. The cast includes Bradley Cooper, Orlando Bloom, Natalie Portman, Christina Ricci, and “Dancing with the Stars” alum Cloris Leachman just to name a few. “This Is It” is the Michael Jackson special event concert which will be in theaters (IMAX too) for a limited time. The concept is bittersweet as it is Jackson’s final performance but also a celebration of his career. That’s my October overview, click on the link below to check out the rest of the movies coming out in the next month.

Source: Comingsoon.net

**ALL RELEASE DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

October 2

• A Beautiful Life (NY)
• A Serious Man (limited)
• Afterschool (limited)
• Chelsea on the Rocks (NY)
• Do Knot Disturb (limited)
• The Invention of Lying
• More Than a Game (limited; expands: Oct. 9)
• Toy Story/Toy Story 2 (Disney Digital 3D)
• Whip It
• Zombieland

October 7

• Araya (limited)
• Yes Men Fix the World (NY; wide: Oct. 23)

October 9

• Adventures of Power (NY; LA release: Oct. 16)
• An Education (limited)
• Bronson (NY, LA)
• Couples Retreat
• The Damned United (NY, LA)
• Free Style (limited)
• From Mexico with Love (limited)
• Good Hair (limited)
• Night of the Demons (limited)
• Peter and Vandy (limited)
• St. Trinian’s (limited)
• Trucker (limited)

October 16

• All the Best (limited)
• Black Dynamite (limited)
• Food Beware: The French Organic Revolution (NY)
• Law Abiding Citizen
• The Maid (NY)
• The Ministers (limited)
• New York, I Love You (limited)
• The Stepfather
• Where the Wild Things Are

October 23

• (Untitled) (limited)
• Amelia
• Antichrist (NY, LA)
• Astro Boy
• Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
• Motherhood (limited)
• Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (limited)
• Saw VI
• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (re-release)
• The Wedding Song (NY)

October 28

• Michael Jackson’s This Is It

October 30

• The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (limited)
• Endgame (limited)
• Gentlemen Broncos (limited)
• The House of the Devil (limited)
• How to Seduce Difficult Women (NY)
• Labor Day (NY, Chicago)
• Skin (limited)
• Turning Green (NY, LA)

Regia: Quentin Tarantino
Sceneggiatura: Quentin Tarantino
Attori: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Tim Roth, Michael Fassbender, Julie Dreyfus, Cloris Leachman, Samuel L. Jackson, Til Schweiger, Maggie Cheung, B.J. Novak, Rod Taylor, Christian Berkel, Daniel Brühl, Paul Rust, Samm Levine, Martin Wuttke, Gedeon Burkhard, Jacky Ido
Fotografia: Bob Richardson
Montaggio: Sally Menke
Produzione: Lawrence Bender Productions, The Weinstein Company
Distribuzione: Universal Pictures
Paese: USA 2009
Uscita Cinema: 02/10/2009
Genere: Azione, Guerra, Avventura
Durata: 148 Min
Formato: Colore 35mm – 2.35 : 1

Trama:
I ‘Bastardi senza gloria’ sono soldati ebrei incaricati, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, di infliggere ai nemici tedeschi terribili punizioni. La squadra speciale degli ‘Inglourious Basterds’, capitanati dal tenente Aldo Raine si troverà a collaborare con una spia degli Alleati, Bridget Von Hammersmark che lavora ad una missione per eliminare i vertici del Terzo Reich.
Insieme arriveranno a Parigi, dove una donna di nome Shosanna Dreyfus sta progettando la sua personale vendetta, dopo aver assistito alla morte di tutta la sua famiglia per mano del colonnello nazista Hans Landa.
Il luogo della resa dei conti è una sala cinematografica di Parigi gestita da Shosanna, dove il tenente Raine e i suoi ‘Bastardi senza gloria’ avranno l’occasione irripetibile di modificare il corso del conflitto e della Storia…

Note:
La pellicola è distribuita in Italia in 400 copie. Molte delle quali in lingua originale sottotitolate.

Pese a no ser un gran seguidor de Quentin Tarantino, con su última obra, tengo que decir que me rindo a sus pies. ¡Qué gran película!

Malditos Bastardos cuenta la historia ficticia (aunque ajolá hubiese sido cierta) de un grupo de soldados que con la ayuda de algunos compatriotas alemanes y polacos, deciden crear una pequeña empresa, cuyo cometido es…matar nazis.  Si, matar nazis, todos los que puedan y si se puede, también a Hitler.

Mucha violencia, sangre y sentido del humor, son los ingredientes que Tarantino ha escogido para su última película.Vámos, como casi siempre. El afamado cineasta libra su propia guerra contra aquellos que son odiados por la gran mayoría inventándose su propia Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Pero vamos a especificar más sobre este carismático grupo.  Los bastardos, como así se les conoce en territorio alemán, está liderado por el teniente coronel Aldo Raine (Bradd Pitt), que harto de ver cómo los nazis maltratan, asesinan y violan a gente inocente, decide concentrar a varios judíos, para que tomen represalias contra éstos.

Estos soldados no están solos, cuentan con la ayuda de la famosa y aclamada actriz alemana Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), agente secreto encargada de espiar a los líderes del Tercer Reich.

Pero mientras los soldados elaboran su plan para acabar con los nazis, en otro emplazamiento, en la Francia ocupada por los alemanes concretamente, se encuentra Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) dueña de un cine heredado de su tía, que presencio cuando pequeña, cómo su familia era ejecutada por el coronel nazi Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) en una inspección rutinaria, para ser más claros, en una de sus numerosas cacerías judías.

El destino querrá que todos se encuentren y juntos unan fuerzas para acabar con esos perversos, bellacos y depravados nazis.

Un poco larga pero emocionante y divertidia. Jamás había visto una película basada en la Segunda Guerra Mundial desde esta perspectiva y menos utilizando esa gran puesta en escena típica de las películas de Tarantino.

No es de extrañar que Christoph Waltz haya recibido varios premios por su actuación en Malditos Bastardos ya que es el trabajo interpretativo más destacable de esta película ensombreciendo al gran Brad Pitt. Mélanie Laurent también hace un gran trabajo, y se mete de lleno en el papel de esa chica dolorida por la trágica pérdida de su familia y que de manera inesperable, se convierte en una persona fría, calculadora y vengativa.

Recomendadísima.

Un saludo

Álvaro R.

“Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”

(Hal David /Burt Bacharach)

B.J. Thomas

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin’ seems to fit
Those…
Raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

So I just did me some talkin’ to the sun
And I said I didn’t like the way he got things done
Sleepin’ on the job
Those…
Raindrops are fallin’ on my head, they keep fallin’

But there’s one thing
I know
The blues they sent to meet me
Won’t defeat me
It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause…
I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me

It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turnin’ red
Cryin’s not for me
‘Cause…
I’m never gonna stop the rain by complainin’
Because I’m free
Nothin’s worryin’ me…

In Memoriam

Seattle Times
The Port Townsend Film festival, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, begins today. Special guests include Cloris Leachman, who will be interviewed by Turner Classic Movie’s Robert Osbourne after a screening of The Last Picture Show. Several Read Seattle Times movie blogger Moira Macdonald’s favorite memories of the festival at the above link.

Titolo originale: Inglourious Basterds

Regia: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Diane Kruger,  Michael Fassbender, Til Schweiger, Gedeon Burckhard, Daniel Brühl, Jacky Ido, B. J. Novak,  Samm Levine, Omar Doom, Cloris Leachman, Samuel L. Jackson, Mike Myers, Julie Dreyfus, Paul Rust, Rod Taylor, Maggie Cheung, Christian Berkel, Martin Wuttke, August Diehl, Denis Menochet, Richard Sammel, Sylvester Groth, Michael Bacall, Léa Seydoux, Michael Kranz, Enzo G. Castellari, Ludger Pistor, Anne-Sophie Franck, Soenke Möhring, Anastasia Schifler

Distribuzione: Universal Pictures, USA- Germania, 2009

Guarda il trailer

Nella Francia occupata dai nazisti Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) una giovane ragazza ebrea riesce a sfuggire allo sterminio della propria famiglia per mano del colonnello nazista Hans Landa ( Christoph Waltz). La sua  fuga termina a Parigi dove grazie ad una nuova identità inizia una nuova vita in attesa di vendicarsi. Intanto altrove in Europa il tenente  Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) ha messo insieme una squadra speciale di soldati ebrei  “ The Basterds“, uomini spietati il cui scopo è uccidere più nazisti possibili e prenderne lo scalpo. La squadra si troverà a collaborare a Parigi con l’attrice tedesca Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), una spia degli Alleati, in una missione che mira ad eliminare i leader del Terzo Reich.

Quentin Tarantino è tornato e lo ha fatto con una pellicola molto interessante, che attinge ai B- Movies e ai film del genere e che cita Sergio Leone e si serve delle musiche meravigliose di Ennio Morricone e di vari spaghetti western, tutto questo con il suo stile personalissimo e originale.

Il film è ambientato durante la seconda guerra mondiale e mostra sin dai primi due capitoli (la pellicola è composta da 5 capitoli in totale) come le crudeltà e le aberrazioni ci siano  da parte di entrambi gli schieramenti: nel primo capitolo il colonnello Landa paragona gli Ebrei ai topi che provocano ribrezzo anche se non se ne capisce poi razionalmente il motivo, e trucida senza pietà una famiglia ebrea, mentre i “Basterds” del tenente americano Aldo Raine uccidono a colpi di mazza da baseball un ufficiale nazista e poi ne conservano lo scalpo.

L’idea del film, o meglio più che altro il titolo, è ripresa da una pellicola di guerra del 1977, Quel maledetto treno blindato  (il cui titolo inglese è  Inglourious Bastards) di  Enzo G. Castellari,  che ritroviamo anche in un cameo. La galleria di personaggi presentata da Tarantino è quanto mai variegata e decisamente interessante, a partire dal colonnello Hans Landa, interpretato da un magnifico Christoph Waltz, che non a caso ha ricevuto il premio per la miglior interpretazione maschile al Festival di Cannes, spietato, freddo, crudele, poliglotta ( nel film parla fluentemente 4 lingue, compreso l’italiano, come dimostrerà in una scena esilarante), ma dall’aspetto e dai modi di un gentiluomo di altri tempi, e continuando con l’allegra compagnia dei Basterds, guidati dal tenente Aldo “The Apache” Raine, americano dallo spiccatissimo accento, interpretato da un Brad Pitt un po’ marlonbrandizzante (concedetemi il neologismo!),  e composti dal sergente Donny Donovitz, soprannominato The Bear Jew, interpretato da Eli Roth, che si diletta ad uccidere i nazisti a colpi di mazza da baseball, Hugo Stiglitz, il terrore degli ufficiali nazisti, uomo di poche parole ma dal coltello facile, interpretato da Til Schweiger,  il caporale Wilhelm Wiki, tedesco vissuto in America interpretato da Gedeon Burkhard, noto in Italia come l’interprete del commissario Alexander Brandtner nella serie tv Il commissario Rex, il tenente inglese Archie Hicox, interpretato da Michael Fassbender,  il soldato semplice Smithson Utivich noto come “The Little Man” interpretato da B.J. Novak, e il soldato Omar Ulmer, interpretato da Omar Doom. Inoltre davvero notevoli le performance delle due donne della pellicola: Diane Kruger,  la bellissima Elena di Troy, nei panni dell’attrice tedesca Bridget von Hammersmark, spia per gli alleati, e Mélanie Laurent, definita da Tarantino ” la nuova Uma Thurman” (vedremo!) che sicuramente si mostra convincente nel ruolo di Shosanna Dreyfus, desiderosa di vendicare la sua famiglia barbaramente uccisa dai nazisti.

Inoltre non possiamo non citare Mike Myers nei panni del generale Ed Fenech (chiaro riferimento a Edwige Fenech, i cui film sono considerati cult dal regista americano), Daniel Brühl, interprete dell’eroico soldato tedesco Friedrich Zoller, attore nel film sulla sua vita voluto dal ministro della propaganda Goebbels (Sylvester Groth), e Martin Wuttke nei panni di Adolf Hitler.

In definitiva un film molto interessante, una rivisitazione della storia alla Tarantino, forse dalla durata eccessiva (quasi 3 ore!) e non ai livelli di Pulp Fiction, ma senza dubbio un buon prodotto.

Conclusione: Consigliatissimo.

Voto: 7.5/8

This past Tuesday, September 8th was the anniversary of the first Miss America contest way back in 1921.

According to Cindy Adams gossip column here are several famous women who were once…excuse me?..Yes, that’s right Cindy Adams gossip column…hm?…all right that’s enough of that, not all my sources are the Encyclopedia Britannica. Anyway there are a great many beauty pageant losers and winners that went on to fame afterward; for instance, actress  Dyan Cannon was once Miss West Seattle– “not even all of Seattle”– carps Ms. Adams.

So okay, like what beauty pageant did Ms. Adams ever win even that she can make fun of Dyan Cannon winning Miss West Seattle? Oh I see, none. Wow. Big surprise. Bet the smartass wouldn’t even win a beauty pageant in her apartment building.

Gena Lee Nolin of “Baywatch” (Pamela Lee Anderson Part Deux) was Miss Las Vegas. Or as Miss Adams might scoff, “Hmph..not even all of Nevada.” And Maria Conchita Alonso was 14-years-old when she won Miss Teenager of the World. Or as Ms. Adams might say, “Pfft…not even all of the solar system.” Speaking of Pamela Lee, her ex-husband Tommy Lee is from pageant-winning pedigree. His mother, Vassiliki Papadimitriou was Miss Greece in 1957.

Susan Anton won Miss Muriel Cigars in 1970, which led of course to her sweet and excellent prestigious job as an actress in Muriel Cigar TV commercials.

Halle Berry was a Miss USA runner-up, and Cloris Leachman was a 1946 Miss America runner-up. Faye Dunaway was a Tallahassee May Queen loser, in good company with Linda Evangelista, a loser in the Miss Teen Niagara Pageant. Jeez, what did the winner look like if Linda Evangelista lost? Ah, but you never know. Ever see a picture of Jennifer Garner as a kid? Puzzling.

Some women were apparently beautiful immediately upon leaving the womb. Beginning when she was 13-years-old, Raquel Welch won Miss La Jolla, Miss Photogenic, Miss Contour, Miss Maid of California, and lots of men’s hearts with her Cave Woman “One Million Years B.C.” poster.

Similarly, before pin-up hottie Loni Anderson entranced America on “WKRP in Cincinnati” the busty star represented Miss Roseville in the 1964 Miss Minnesota Pageant. She was runner-up. Get this though: She was a brunette. In fact she was born with jet-black hair, dying it blonde when she moved to Hollywood.

Natural blonde actress Cybill Shepherd was Miss Teenage Memphis in 1966, at age 16, and a decade later, Deborah Norville was 1976’s Georgia Junior Miss winner, the same year that Michelle Pfeiffer was Miss Orange County. And two decades later again, Ali Landry, the Doritos Girl from that 1998 Super Bowl commercial (no relation to Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry) was Miss USA in 1996.

Even Alan Alda’s mother, nee Joan Brown, was in on the action, winning a beauty pageant in which she was called “Miss New York”. I worded that coyly because a list of Miss New York winners does not show her to be among them. So I guess there was some other Miss New York-like pageant? You would think that with all the idiosyncratic pageant titles out there–Miss Muriel Cigars, Miss Burbank (won in 1948 by a barefoot Debbie Reynolds), Miss Eleganza in Naples (won by a 13-year-old Sophia Loren in white shoes she painted black)–you would think that a pageant wouldn’t have to name its winner the same name as another pageant.

There was a Miss Greenwich Village, which smoky-voiced Lauren Bacall won in 1942. At least it is believed smoky-voiced Lauren Bacall won. Being Greenwich Village it could have been…well…let’s just say a “smoky-voiced” impostor.

Oh now here’s a fun one: Martha Stewart won Glamour magazine’s Best-Dressed College Girl in 1961. “Best Dressed College Girl”. It almost sounds like one of those consolation descriptions when someone’s getting set up on a blind date: “You’re asking me what does she look like? Oh. Well, She’s got a great personality.” Or, “You wanna know what his hair looks like? Oh. Well, it’s a lovely flesh-tone actually.” “Best Dressed College Girl”. Technically speaking, you can look like Ernest Borgnine and win “Best Dressed College Girl.”

Vera Miles, the actress who played Janet Leigh’s sister in “Psycho” won the swimsuit competition at the 1948 Miss America contest. She lost the overall competition though, coming in 3rd place. The winner? A Minnesota farm girl named BeBe Shopp, who played the marimba in the talent portion. I think I was in a BeBe Shopp once–buying pellet gun ammunition.

Speaking of “Psycho”, Kathie Lee Gifford was an America’s Junior Miss Pageant contestant representing Maryland. She was disqualified however when she accidentally broke the rules by talking with a man in public. Did they actually think Miss Gifford would be able to NOT talk in public for any extended period of time. But in her defense, “Talking with a man in public” was her crime? Is that a typo? Maybe they meant “talking with a man in pubic?” Tsk tsk.

Before Regis Philbin teamed up with the perky Kathie Lee Gifford for their morning TV show, Regis co-hosted PM Magazine with perky Mary Hart who finished in the top ten in the 1970 Miss America Pageant. She was Miss South Dakota.

The following year, Miss Texas won the 1971 Miss America title. Phyllis George was her name and she went on to fame as a TV host on many shows. She has the distinction of being the only winner to drop her crown on live television. So naturally she was steered into sports broadcasting by the TV network geniuses. Ms. George was maligned in the beginning of her career as being a pretty face placed unfairly into various hosting duties.

Former pageant contestant Diane Sawyer faced the same sort of criticism at the start of her career, perhaps even moreso. Maybe because she was blonde. Or maybe because she was a press aide to Richard Nixon during his presidency and after his Watergate resignation. After his Watergate resignation. Regardless, Ms. Sawyer’s career isn’t exactly suffering, being one of the highest paid newswomen in history, so who’s to say blondes don’t make smart moves.

Take fellow blonde Marla Maples  for instance, who placed 4th in Georgia’s Miss Teen Pageant, winning Miss Photogenic. A wily and smart young lady, she set her sights on Donald Trump, or vice versa, and look at her career now! She’s in a reality TV show! Yeah I swear! A real honest to goodness reality TV show! Top that Ms. Sawyer!

Here’s another fun pageant title: In 1957 Ali McGraw was a contestant in the “Prettiest Waitress” pageant. I’m not kidding. The winner received a pinch on the ass by Bob Barker while being told: “Hey sweet cheeks, I’ll have another cup of coffee when you get around to it.”

True Amazing Trivia Alert! Which of the following ladies is a pageant champion? Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Imelda Marcos or Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis? The answer? None other than the enchantingly gorgeous Imelda Romualdez who reigned as Miss Manilla in 1953 before becoming First Lady of the Philippines beside hubby Ferdinand Marcos. Who knew? In the final question phase of the competition I wonder if she mentioned her goal to own a bazillion pairs of shoes.

I like that Delta Burke is an actual former beauty pageant contestant who played a former beauty pageant contestant on the show “Designing Women”. She was Miss Florida in 1974 but came up short in the Miss America Pageant after the talent portion of the contest in which Miss Burke performed a British dramatic theatrical recitation by the soon-to-be-beheaded Queen Anne Boleyn…in a Southern accent. Maybe she should have played the marimba.

There’ve been many more beauty pageant contestants who became famous I could mention…Vanessa Williams, Jeri Ryan, Mary Frann, Sharon Lawrence, Kim Basinger, someone named Oprah Winfrey, Debra Messing….

But the last one I will mention is actress Sharon Stone who won the Saegertown Spring Festival Queen title and the 1976 Miss Crawford County Pageant. As it happens I used to date a woman who had competed in that very same pageant! Not the same year as Ms. Stone, but a few years afterward. I asked her if she would share any details she can remember about what it was like to be a contestant in that Pageant. Kindly answering back, she wrote: “… several years prior to my entering the pageant, this was the place that Sharon Stone launched her career by actually winning the Miss Crawford County Pageant.” And with regard to the activities involved she remembered: “Well, all the contestants had to meet in a place about 5 miles from the fairgrounds, and we all were assigned to a topless Corvette. We had to sit on the top of the seat so that our bodies were up in the air and had the crap blown out of our nicely styled hair as we were paraded through town to the fairgrounds.”

I had to do a double take when I read “assigned to a topless…” before registering the sentence correctly in my mind.

Well that’s the trivia for today. I’ve been remiss the past few days due to working long hours on “Law and Order” which I hope to provide fun details about later.

Right after I solve world peace.

(Sources: http://www.missamerica1933.com/missamerica.html; http://www.pageantcenter.com/famous.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America’s_Junior_Miss)

servizio di LUCA SVIZZERETTO

Da sempre Quentin Tarantino voleva girare questa storia ma per mille motivi diversi il progetto che aveva in mente non si era mai realizzato.
Un film storico, sull’occupazione nazista in Francia, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, con il suo stile a metà tra il gangster movie ed lo spaghetti western.
Così è nato ‘Inglorius Basterds’ e ci permettiamo di dire che si tratta di un nuovo piccolo capolavori tarantiniano.
Come sappiamo il regista in questione ama sorprendere lo spettatore con idee innovative e assolutamente imprevedibili che riscono a fare dei suoi film qualcosa di unico.
Certamente la firma di Quentin si vede nell’idea di far parlare al cast ben cinque lingue diverse: tedesco, inglese, americano, francese ed italiano. Senza dubbio si resta spiazzati e ci chiediamo come si possa doppiare questa pellicola. Ma probabilmente la particolarità è proprio questa. Non è doppiabile. Va seguito così come è, aiutandosi con i sottotitoli quando necessario. Diciamo piuttosto che ad essere doppiati dovranno essere i sottotitoli a seconda della nazione dove verrà proiettato ed in seguito distribuito in dvd.
Speriamo che questo venga compreso. Doppiarlo è un crimine e la pellicola perde almeno la metà del suo fascino.
Fascino presente nei vari presonaggi tutti particolarissimi, indimenticabili ed interpretati da un cast stellare. A cominciare da Brad Pitt per arrivare perfino ad Eli Roth che per l’occasione passa dalla macchina da presa alla recitazione.
Non mancano poi i soliti riferimenti al cinema italiano degli anni ‘70 e ad i suoi protagonisti, una comparsa dal nome di Ed Fenech ne è l’esempio più lampante e Tarantino si deve essere divertito moltissimo a lasciare sparse qua e la queste simpatiche citazioni.
Complimenti vanno fatti per l’ambientazione, si tratta pur sempre di un film storico e costumi, location, armi non mancano di essere assolutamente perfetti.
Sono presenti personaggi storici come Adolf Hitler o Goebbels e quasi ci sembra scontato vederli sul grande schermo rappresentati con una sottile nota di ‘caricaturismo’ capace di renderli perfetti. Ma nulla è scontato e questa dovrebbe essere un’altra nota da segnare alla voce ‘unico’ quando si parla di questo lungometraggio.
Troneggiano i dialoghi, al limite dell’assurdo e del surreale, che hanno reso famoso il regista da ‘Le Iene’ a ‘Pulp Fiction’.
Il finale promette di sorprendere tutti in un crescendo di colpi di scena e ’scontri’ assai ‘pulp’.
Dopo quest’opera sarà difficile vedere i film di genere con l’occhio di sempre. Tarantino ha totalmente reinventato la materia e lo ha fatto in modo talmente sublime da non poter incantare chiunque vada al cinema con l’intenzione di gustarsi un film davvero travolgente.
Qualcuno è riuscito a criticare negativamente questa pellicola e noi ci chiediamo come possa essere.
Quello del regista di ‘Kill Bill’ non sarà cinema di nicchia ma se da un lato è giusto criticarlo quando non riesce a dare il meglio di se (vedi Grindhouse) non vediamo perchè non ammettere quelli che sono suoi successi.
Anche questo è cinema d’autore e pellicole come ‘Inglorius Bastards’ non verranno dimenticate con il passare degli anni.
Nulla manca per entrare tra i cult di successo della cinematografia moderna.
Nella Francia occupata dai nazisti, Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) assiste all’uccisione di tutta la sua famiglia per mano del colonnello nazista Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna risce a sfuggire miracolosamente alla morte e si rifugia a Parigi, dove assume una nuova identità e diviene proprietaria di una sala cinematografica. Altrove in Europa, il tenente Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) mette assieme una squadra speciale di soldati ebrei : noti come “The Basterds”, i soldati vengono incaricati dai loro superiori di agire come cani sciolti sul territorio uccidendo ogni soldato tedesco che incontrano e prendendogli lo scalpo. La squadra di Raine di troverà a collaborare con l’attrice tedesca Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), una spia degli Alleati, in una missione che mira ad eliminare i leader del Terzo Reich. La loro missione li porterà nei pressi del cinema parigino dove Shosanna sta tramando un piano di vendetta privata… Inglorious Bastards, progetto covato da anni da Quentin Tarantino, è ispirato da uno dei cult-movie per eccellenza del regista americano, Quel maledetto treno blindato di Enzo G. Castellari.

“For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius.”  ~~Frederick Frankenstein*

Mel Brooks is a tricky, tricky director. People rarely notice this in his films (they are too busy trying to regain bladder control lost to uncontrollable laughter), but it’s true. He hits you hard with the pratfalls and lines like “Werewolf? There wolf,” and while you’re revelling in the exquisite craziness of it all, he sneaks in things like parody and, on occasion, when the planets and the stars all align, a smidgen of (dare I say it?) satire.

Then again, parsing for subtext in a Mel Brooks creation is madness in itself. He’d have my head. Or worse, he’d (eek) crown me the first female mayor of Rock Ridge for overthinking the likes of “Young Frankenstein,” a ripsnorter of a comedy that sends up Hollywood monster movies with dazzling wit and characters like Frau Blücher, whose very name inspires terror in the hearts of horses everywhere. Because, really, aren’t those things reason enough to enjoy “Young Frankenstein,” arguably Mel Brooks’ zaniest, funniest and most beloved creation?

The answer: Yes, yes, for the love of Igor’s dear ole’ dead dad yes. There are surface-level pleasures aplenty to delight the ears, eyes and the funny bone. Ponder the setup: Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, a neurosurgeon who’s spent years trying to live down his grandfather’s infamous experiments, discovers he’s inherited the old, discredited embarassment’s castle. Even worse, this inheritance comes with a collection of oddballs so nutty only a kook like Mel Brooks could dream them up: Igor (a brilliantly comic Marty Feldman), the grandson of the elder Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant who has a perpetually shifting hump; the housekeeper, Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman), whose interest in the departed doctor may have been more than professional; and Inga (Teri Garr), a blonde bombshell/lab assistant who loves rolls in the hay (literally, not figuratively). Inherited, too, are the fiery resentments of the neighboring townsfolk, who appoint Herr Falkstein (Kenneth Mars) to snoop about the castle and discover whether or not Frederick possesses the same off-the-grid mad scientist instincts his grandfather did. When Frederick’s high-maintenance wife-to-be Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) turns up unexpectedly, afraid he’s two-timing her and then certain he is when she glimpses Inga’s, uh, knockers, things get … hairy.

It’s nearly impossible to pin down what’s so great about “Young Frankenstein” because everything is great. Sounds crazy, right? Maybe so, but the movie just flat-out works. As an ensemble cast film, “Young Frankenstein” is flawless. Everyone’s in rare, fine form here, from the cameos (it takes several looks to deduce the actor playing Blindman) up to Gene Wilder, whose balance of screaming hissy fits and professional arrogance are wonderfully entertaining. Comic timing all-around is a thing of beauty, particularly as used by the late Kahn (the train station “taffeta, darling” sequence is genuis). Special praise must go to the late Feldman for going all-noble as Igor, a sly mischief maker who delights more in mocking his new employer than catering to his whims. “It’s pronounced ‘Eye-gor,’” he smugly informs Frederick, picking at the sore that is the young doctor’s last name. Such wit that Feldman had; it lights up the whole screen.

“Young Frankenstein” works on other levels as well. It’s a terrific parody of Hollywood’s monster films, poking fun at all the cliches — the creepy drafty castle! the dramatic-yet-ominous score! the shadowy secret passageway! – and the stock characters — the evil scientist, the mysterious housekeeper, the mindless monster – and taking no prisoners in the process. Yet “Young Frankenstein” also is something of a love letter to these movies, filmed in black and white with great care and attention to detail. The characters are crazy — would you expect anything less from Brooks? — but somehow still empathetic and lovingly etched. The monster (Peter Boyle) proves no better or worse than the scientist. So, sure, we laugh at these characters, but we love them, too. They make “Young Frankenstein” not just a great, timeless comedy, but a great movie period.

*It's pronounced "Fronkensteen."

(A special thanks to my parents, who had the good sense to introduce me to the wild, wild world of Mel Brooks at an impressionable age. Excuse me, folks. I just had to whip that out.)

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Estados Unidos – Alemania 2.009, 153 Minutos, Bélica)
Dirección: Quentin Tarantino.
Guión: Quentin Tarantino.
Reparto: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Bruhl, Eli Roth, Samm Levine, B.J. Novak, Til Schweiger, Gedeon Burkhard, Paul Rust, Michael Bacall, Omar Doom, Sylvester Groth, Julie Dreyfus, Jacky Ido, August Diehl, Martin Wuttke, Richard Sammel, Christian Berkel, Sonke Mohring, Michael Fassbender, Mike Myers, Rod Taylor, Denis Menochet, Cloris Leachman, Maggie Cheung.
Fotografía: Bob Richardson.
Música: Varios autores.

Valoración: 7/10

Sinopsis: En la Francia ocupada por el tercer Reich opera un grupo de soldados aliados conocidos como “los Bastardos”. Su misión es causar el terror en las filas enemigas gracias a la enorme crueldad de sus métodos. En Francia también intenta sobrevivir Shosanna, una joven judía que tras presenciar como el malvado coronel Landa acababa con su familia, finge ahora ser la propietaria de una sala de cine. El destino de los Bastardos, el de Shosanna y tal vez el de la guerra se cruzarán en “La Noche Alemana”, un show especial en el que se estrenará la esperada película pronazi “El Orgullo de la Nación”. Todo tendrá lugar en la sala que regenta la joven y a la premiere acudirán los más altos cargos del Reich. Una oportunidad perfecta para que los Bastardos corten la cabeza del ejército alemán de una vez por todas y Shosanna pueda vengarse del hombre que mató a su familia.

Crítica: Llega el Emperador con sus partes nobles (más nobles que las de los demás, supongo) al aire, y muchos ensayan ya los piropos hacia su nuevo e invisible vestido. Las críticas que recibe el cine de Quentin Tarantino recuerdan a veces a las de esas muchedumbres perplejas y desconcertadas ante un lienzo pintorrojeado, que sólo comienzan a halagar cuando entre los borratajos vislumbran la ilustre firma de su insigne autor. Tarantino rodó dos filmes enormes, inolvidables y dignos de toda adulación, y desde entonces tiene un innumerable séquito que le ríe cualquier gracia. Entre los nuevos poderes de Tarantino tras ser rebautizado como el “regenerador del cine actual” están la capacidad de hacer lo que le sale de las citadas partes sin tener que responder ante nadie, recibir de forma automática todo tipo de agasajos sin importar demasiado la calidad de la obra en cuestión y permitirse el ya habitual autobombo exclusivo de aquellos a los que la gran mayoría (incluyéndose, tal vez en primer lugar, ellos mismos) considera genios. Con el nombre de Tarantino en cartel, muchos sacan brillo a las cinco estrellas sin pararse a juzgar sus obras como si fueran las de cualquier otro. Otro enorme poder de Quentin Tarantino es que cada vez que presenta una película se termina hablando más de él y de sus dos obras maestras, que de la cinta en cuestión. Circunstancias de lo divino, supongo. Dejemos por tanto al Dios, saliéndonos de madre, y hablemos por fin de Malditos Bastardos. Gran virtud de la película: sus actores. Y, para qué negarlo, los papeles escritos, de puño y letra, por Quentin Tarantino para cada uno de ellos. Schweiger acojona, Fassbender cautiva, Kruger seduce, nuestro Bruhl se reivindica, Melanie Laurent convence y Brad Pitt se divierte con frescura y consciente de lo paródico de su antihéroe. Y luego está el protagonista de la película, que no es Pitt, sino un gigantesco Christoph Waltz que construye, apoyado en el genial texto de Tarantino, un villano antológico. Lástima que muchos de esos nombres sean sólo eso, nombres en un cartel cuya participación real es puramente anecdótica. Gran tara de la película: Quentin Tarantino es su fan número uno y un enamorado de sí mismo. Por eso, Malditos Bastardos son apenas siete escenas (o capítulos) de duración desorbitada en las que el cineasta se esfuerza por constatar el ya famoso barroquismo de sus diálogos camuflado en un trasunto del genial Sergio Leone. Toda la acción bélica con la que se anunció Malditos Bastardos está concentrada en el trailer, ya que el resto de la película son eternos devaneos cuya conclusión anticipamos desde el comienzo. Sabemos lo que va a ocurrir, pero Tarantino insiste en postergarlo durante veinte minutos más para que admiremos la agilidad de su pluma y la precisión de su cámara. Maravilláos, mientras los minutos pasan… El resto, como de costumbre, es el excesivo barroquismo verbal que ya sufrimos en la agotadora Death Proof, con notables puntos de genialidad que logran rescatarnos del sopor generalizado. Entre ellos ese pirotécnico final, que por alocado y superlativo adivinamos como lo mejor de la película junto con el magnífico Waltz. Por el resto, Tarantino empieza a merecerse un par de buenas collejas. Más que nada para librarle de la atracción magnética de su propio ombligo y para que vuelva a ser el genio Auténtico de sus comienzos. Él puede. Para eso es Quentin Tarantino, ¿no?. 

Estreno en España: 18 de Septiembre.