My Bad Eastern Promises

Okay. I was a little harsh reviewing Viggo in Eastern Promises, which goes to show me that I shouldn't review thespians I admire right after watching a performance. I have this way of expecting a lot of everyone and even more of those I like.

While catching up on the Google Analytics for this blog, I noticed a spike of interest in Viggo's "Time Waits for Everyone" between the 19th and 23rd of January (Analytics tells me how my pages are found and what search terms bring visitors to my posts). A little research reveals that was when the Oscar Nomination for Mr. Mortensen was announced. Why this drove searchers to look for "Time Waits for Everyone" is a question whose answer I am leaving to anyone who already knows. What I did find were lots of viewer comments that were nicer than mine. Including the one about the over 50 bunch getting their second wind. Doh! I should have caught that.

Time passes. I see things differently and it's not because of the nomination. His acting was good but I still prefer the gentler, more sensitive portrayals. A nomination should go to David Cronenberg for directing.

I'd better stop before this hole gets any deeper.

Shakespeare Wallah

I have played many great dramatic roles in my time.
— Manjula

I've watched at least 256 movies. That's how many I've rated at Blockbuster Online. All along I've been following the actors and actress. I've followed Meryl Streep, Orlando Bloom, Hugh Grant, Hugh Jackson, Renee Zellweger, John Wayne, Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, and lately Viggo Mortensen, to name a few.

This year for Mother's Day one of my sons gave me the complete DVD animated collection of "Aeon Flux" (because he a smart guy). I watched everything and discovered Peter Chung, the genius behind Aeon Flux. Peter not only did the art he also created the stories. Over the summer I watched "Venus." It was an interesting story and struck me in much the same way that "Slaves of New York" had. All three movies have a sort of eeriness or wildness about them which led me to focus on story.

Once I started focusing on story I found other movies by the script writer who had written "Venus." They seemed a bit more over the edge than I was comfortable with. So I turned to my most favorite movie of all time, "Slaves of New York", and focused on direction.

The director, James Ivory, was a hit. I've got a list of movies in my Blockbuster Queue that he directed. Shakespeare Wallah is the last one I watched.

James Ivory (and Ismail Merchant) makes movies about unusual people living ordinary lives. "Slaves of New York" is about artists making a living. "Shakespeare Wallah" is about actors making a living. They're both sympathetic and honest tales. Another of his movies, "Five Forty-Eight," has the same quiet, matter-of-fact tone showing ordinary people doing mildly insane things as if they were everyday occurrences.

I'm not really sure how the tone is conveyed. Maybe it's the eye level camera or the straight on angles or the inclusion of everyday details in the frame. There's also something in the low-key delivery of the actors and actresses. As if James were making a documentary.

Actors do bring a lot to a part, especially talented, well-trained and experienced actresses/actors. I can't say who brings how much. Earlier today I was playing around with Director=75% Actress/Actor=25%. Well, there has to be a part for the writer, of course. Actually, I think there has to be a troop, a regular bunch of people who come together to produce similar stories.

It's all about knowing what to watch. I'm still having a hard time at the video rental store. Perhaps after watching a few more Ivory Merchant Productions I'll have an easier time of it. Just pulling out movies that are similar, like "Blade Runner" (my second favorite movie or is it "Defending Your Life" which I have watched more times than any other movie?) and "Memories" doesn't work. And never tell me, "You'll like this. It's much better than X."

I know. It's a stupid problem but it's my problem and I'm going to keep working on it.

I have a new Daemon

I like this one better than the Raven.

after Eastern Promises (copious spoilers)

I'm trying hard to like the show but I don't. I am moderately enraged about some really stupid things. Here they are:
1. The do. No, it's not a plot point. It is a semblance of traditional hair arrangements of European men and piled way too high. Granted there are other men in the film with similar dos, but not that high.
2. The grimace. It's over done. True, men (and women) in the Urals and other Eurpeanish places do tend to get grimacey-looking and wrinkled liked old hacks. It's part of their resignation to chance. However, they do not grimace. It's more like carrying a heavy weight. A slight grimace would have served here to make his face reflect that philosophy.
3. The chin. I understand the mannerism, seen in bullies and other forward men, to lead with the chin. Maybe I'm oversensitive. I got real tired of that dimple. It might have been me. I had a similar experience watching Demi Moore in "Ghost" as she raked her hands through her shockingly short hair.
4. Physical disparity. He is too tall to be a European man. Okay. He is a European man but he's too tall to be a Russian. Undoubtedly there are tall Russians (sounds like a drink doesn't it?), but he didn't look truly Russian except in some of the stagier shots. Also, he's too handsome to be a chopped up gangster although much was made of his broken upper lip.

What I did like were the stance and mannerisms. The accent was good although a bit thin at times -- some of which was explained by Nikolai being a plant. Best scenes for characterization were the corpse chopping scene and the one where he is told to shut down his operation and responds by pulling open his hospital robe and saying, "If you do we will be wasting this..." and shows his stars.

As in "Miss Potter," the American actors make much bigger gestures than a typical European would. There is something understated and ancient in the movements of a European that an American can not easily imitate. I was once identified as an American just from the way I stood in line for immigration in Cyprus. Americans just act different. The disparity got in the way.

Cronenberg almost said something to me. Like "A History of Violence" there was something beneath the surface that probably was obvious to the director. Something that came out beautifully in "The Fly." In this show it was a like a tease or a preview of coming attractions. He almost said something but pulled back at the last moment, or placed it somewhere beyond the closing curtain.

This was not a subtle movie. It was a movie with huge swatches of violence, a strong caricature which stuck out like a red light, and an ending that was patently resolved if not happy. I didn't feel the pathos that I did after "The Fly." Maybe it was the story.

I can't end without a comment on the naked fight scene. It was an interesting study in logistics and strategy. As a set piece, it did have a purpose in the plot and served that purpose well. Having studied art and drawn uncounted nudes of all types of physiques, I'm a little blase about nakedness. I forget that there are those who find that sort of thing sensational. It served that purpose perfectly as well.

Mr. Mortensen did offer an excellent performance, even if it was a bit heavy-handed and a bit too overly characterized for me. The story was intriguing and consistent. The other actors were well-cast and created excellent believable characters, especially Vincent Cassel who's ability to project the many ranges of insanity with such force and energy was amazing. Naomi was so subtle as to be almost invisible. The tableau of Nikolai and Anna standing in a filthy alley while gazing down at the baby (not the one where they look into each other's eyes, although that was a nice kiss and farewell) was too short. Very Joseph and Mary stuff. Oh yeah. The scene in which Nikolai is offered his stars is totally great. Many thanks to Armin Mueller-Stahl for playing such a nice huggy-bear crazy grandpapa.There's a man who knows how to carry his world weariness.

I hoped I would find an answer to the question of why Viggo Mortensen chooses to create characters that are the opposite of who he appears to be in his art and poetry. I didn't find one in this show. It's got to be really painful to do something that offends personal sensibilities. Maybe that's the point. Whatever it is, I'm disembarking from the Mortensen-Cronenberg Bus. I've had enough of violence. I don't need to get any more in the theater. Besides, I think film three is going to be only about Viggo and Naomi and the start of some international movie franchise. Canaukwood?

Viggo would make a great crazy street person a la Howard Hughes or the Rain Man. Wonder why he doesn't do something like that? You know, undercover deranged autistic person saves the world or reinvents morality. Or turns out to be a once-respected brilliant mathematician who holds the key to world peace? noblesse oblige ha ha

before Eastern Promises

Most of you know I am a fan of Viggo Mortensen, although not an adoring fan. I am not the adoring type. I do plan to see the latest release he stars in. I've watched teasers and previews, it's not Potter after all.

Viggo looks ridiculous. There's one scene in which his hair stands nearly as high as his face is long. He looks like a buffoon and seems to be acting like one especially when seen next to his co-star Naomi Watts. I noticed Cronenberg took pains to not have them in the same shot except for one (in the previews anyway - I haven't seen the movie, of course) in which he hands Naomi a scrap of paper. Then he looks like he really knows what he's doing (and the big head is gone - I really had to stop myself from bursting out in laughter in that scene). So, that whole buffoon thing could just be a plot point. I hope.

I've read some reviews. One person went so far as to mention the "A" word but I don't think the Academy likes to be told what to do or even to be given hints. Variety seems to like the show but then I haven't read the entire review because, actually, I don't want to know the details before I go. Most of the reviews are just this side of favorable. Some have even labeled him a good actor with classic depth.

I'm trying to work in the movie around my "spa" day. I've had the massage and there will be a manicure after lunch. Later, a hair trim. In the evening I'll probably do the usual and visit The Byrd Theatre for a last run show. So, if I can work in death and destruction and naked fighting before light comedy, that could work.

Harry Potter and The Great Big Movie Machine

I'm rereading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to remind myself of how the story (as opposed to the movie) is really supposed to go. I'm wondering how they are going to bring back the Room of Requirement for the sixth movie after blasting it apart in the fifth. The Room of Requirement is a critical scene for a lot of what happens in the sixth Harry Potter book (... and the Half Blood Prince).

Come to that, I'm wondering how they will overcome the mistake of having Voldemort call Lily Potter a muggle in the fourth movie when her accomplishments as a talented potions witch figure quite prominently in sixth book.

There's a rather large and silly contingent in Hollywood that seems to think they can rob creative vehicles and mangle them any way they choose without regard for the internal logic of the source piece. I'm still reeling from a director's assertion that there won't be any mention of God in the making of the movies for His Dark Materials as God is a critical plot point of Philip Pullman's trilogy. (The Golden Compass soon to be released.)

I expect they'll come up with some lame nefarious device to pull it all together. Perhaps spit balls?

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (movie)

grumble grumble mumble mutter sigh
The movie is never like the book. The third movie was the best so far. They've got the characters right anyway. Luna is lovely (perfect actually) and Umbridge is awful (nearly perfect). I began to wonder how many kinds of pink one woman can wear. I was planning on waiting for the weekend, but I'm dying to dive into the site and see all there is to see. There is one little thing that really irked me but I can't really see how they could have translated it to the movie. I'll wait on that until I can be reasonably sure most everyone has seen it.

The Last Book
There should be a complete and total black out in all media until at least the evening of the 22nd. It is truly silly the shenanigans some people get up to just so they can spoil a surprise.

I won! I'm done!

Oh YIPPIE-TIE-ONE-ON! I'm done with the crazy script. It won't play anywhere but in my head, most likely. I had to invent all sorts of rediculous stuff to finish it. But now I know I can write a script. Next time I will have a plan or an outline or a least a plot before I start. Wow! Now I can work on that script I've been thinking about for years. I have the confidence to do it. I really love this feeling of being done. I feel great!

things that bring tears to my eyes

1. The New Apple Mac OS X - Leopard. You must watch the fabulous tour and see the new Finder with stacks, Quick Look, Spaces, totally unbelievable Mail and outrageous iChat backgrounds. But my very favorite: Time Machine. Never lose a file again – ever! And find it easily, too. The only drawback: you need an external drive. No problem. I have one. I'm ready.
2. The New Improved iPhone. The darn thing isn't even released yet and already they've improved it! This tour shows you YouTube. I may throw my computer away, or at least my laptop. If I had one.
3. The Pantone home page flash highlighting 56 new spot colors. It's super "touch" sensitive. I don't know how they did it. It's not just a pattern, it's an algorithm. A new home page is not on the same order of magnitude as the Apple stuff, but even little improvements need to be celebrated. I love the whole Pantone site. It's very smart.
4. MirrorMask (2005) makes me wonder where I've been my whole life and why I wasn't first in line at the theater when this came out. The marketers stupdily missed my demographic completely. Fire the marketers! This is the most innovative movie to come out in this or any century. The story, the plot, the sets, the effects – it's all highly creative and like nothing else anywhere. I don't like horror and don't read Neal Gaiman but there's something in his collaboration with Dave McKean that catalyzes an entirely new reality. One which I not only wish to live in, but to die for and invest in. I may need a 3-day cooling off period.

I guess what's really going on is others knocking themselves out for me. It's so endearing. Ah, yes. I have put the "Queen" in alien drifter.

My Favorite Men

For those of you keen on knowing which actors and other famous men I would consider dating, here's the list. Now, not saying I'm ready to do more than have a first date, mind you. There is no regard for marital status. Here they are in no particular order.

• Viggo Mortensen Artist and poet, good looking, enjoys horses but he smokes. Still I would give him a shot. Especially if the date involved listening to him read his poetry. His acting surprises me. He's unpredictable and very private. Somehow I feel like only I have the key. Intriguing. Ah, sweet mystery!
• Paul McCartney You know I've always had it for The Beatles. And this one is available now, isn't he? A bit too much of a showman for me. I'm afraid I'd never know his secrets. Still, it just one date and I bet it would be fabulous. Especially if he showed me round his studio and played a bunch of instruments. I'd love to talk music.
• Harrison Ford Kind, considerate, collaborative, creative, handsome - what's not to like? I've enjoyed every role he's ever played. My favorites are Indiana Jones and Deckard. This man is deep but open.
• Pierce Brosnan This one had me from "Hello." One look on the small screen was all it took. He was robbed of his full Bond turn - too little, too late. And they hid his greatest asset, his smile.
• Bernard Hill Such rugged good looks and so healthy in an outdoors way. Here's a guy who means what he says and is firm but understanding - a rock. Also, great with horses. Just watch the documentary showing him "getting used to" his horse for LOTR. No doubt who and who's horse was in charge there.
• Nicolas Cage The word "fey" was invented for this man. It was "Moonstruck" that did it for me. Looks good in "National Treasure", too. His voice has such a wide range of expression. Being with him would be quite the ride.
• Hugh Grant This one is on the young end. However, having seen him in "Music and Lyrics" I can see he has the level of maturity I require. It's the posh voice, you know. Also, he must be a real nice guy when he can throw baked beans and everyone thinks its justified.
• Hugh Jackman Just a date. That's all. Nothing serious. He's a bit young but he might do. I think I would just sit and drool. A talented actor who can play some really strong quirky characters very well. I'd like to hear him talk about his acting career.
• Val Kilmer I couldn't take my eyes off of him in "Willow." Didn't recognize him in the next show I saw. Again, just a date. Just to have a conversation. I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to keep up but I would learn a lot.
• Arnold Schwartzenegger Married, I know. But I'm so attracted to Germans. Okay, I know he's Swiss. Same thing. Sort of. Gentle giant. Forget the politics.
• Jeff Bridges A guy who will keep secrets. Sensitive. Lovely voice. Knocked me out in "Starman." He's so comfortable with feelings and very deep.
• Bruce Willis It was "Die Hard" and "The Fifth Element" and then he showed his sensitive side in "The Sixth Sense." And I lived in New Jersey for a year. Somehow that makes us neighbors. Yeah, I guess he is sort of the guy next door, the one that drinks beer and has all the guys over for football.

Back in the saddle again ...

 out where everyone's your friend, and the vegetables are so green you can ... oh, sorry. I am after proving yet again that I am totally daft. NaNoWriMo wasn't enough. I am now an instant screenwriter. As I write this, I am up to 1366 words. I was out earlier getting inspiration. Do you know that most of the alternative art galleries in Richmond are closed on Sundays? I ended up at Art Works. Not bad but I would have prefered something a tad more professional. Always gets me going.

Once again I am finding that having a clear goal really focuses my mind. All sorts of things are easier to do, like clean the windows and blog. I also get real eager to socialize. At least I'm writing in between. It is so nice to feel virtuous doing research watching movies and reading scripts. heh heh

That list of mature male movie stars I would like to date and the review of my new water heater will just have to wait.

Mistake: Pan's Labyrinth

Never see this movie. Never! Never! Never! Someone told me (I can't rember who now, but if I did I would call him up and yell at him) that this was a good movie for me to see. Obviously someone who wasn't my friend and knows absolutely nothing about me. It's a brutal and disgusting show. There was a part where I had to close my eyes. Yuk! Who wants to see blood, guts and an extremely sick man doing unwatchable things? On top of it all there's a child who gets shot. Good to know so that you won't be hurt like I was. Idiot! This has to be the suckiest movie ever made. And it's all in subtitles!! Well, I've learned never to take what's-his-names suggestions ... if I can just remember who it was.

bottom fishing

While trolling the networks for entertainment during my dinner break some days ago (and hearing experience shout "it'll never happen!"), I came across a segment of an "entertainment news" show that promised exclusive video of David Hasselhof in supreme debauchery. Staying tuned, I saw lovely photos of David in his Knight Rider and Baywatch days and other photos of him with his lovely family. Then a blurry, washed-out image filled the screen showing a paunchy man reclining on the floor surrounded by wrappers. Apparently he was eating something. The wrappers were empty or only holding food-specked cartons. There was no actual food that I could see, but that may have been because the video was lousy and the bright whites washed out the detail. Whatever.

This fat man moved his jaws and waggled distended cheeks. He wasn't totally fat, just paunchy like any self-respecting middle-aged man. He looked slightly woozy. He couldn't be bothered to answer the insistent questions of a child who apparently was holding the camera. He snorffled and snuffled as he repeatedly crammed his hands into his mouth. In the background was something that looked suspiciously like a beer bottle, although the label was turned so it could have been root beer. There was no condensation on the bottle (blurred out maybe). The contents, if there were any, were room temperature.

The "newscasters" came back into the picture deploring the ugly sight, expressing sympathy for poor David and acting as if he were doing something repulsive and quite possibly criminal. It was just a drunk man eating. How bad could it be? I've heard of messy divorces but I think they've taken it to brand new lows in California.

In my more lurid days during high school, I read the weird case of some psychologist's patient who could get very pregnant in a matter of hours. After some research he discovered she could consume about three grocery bags of food in a really short period of time and that this accounted for her distended belly. He gave her his brilliant analysis describing the complex psychological reasons why she did this to herself. She sighed in relief, miraculously recovered and lived happily ever after. uh huh. Nevertheless, I was impressed by her physical acrobatics. How the heck did she do that?

Mr. Hasselhof undoubtedly fits the category of acrobat as do many thespians. Acting is a very strenuous job. My guess is his first addiction is food and that alcohol just removes the barriers to gluttonous inhaling. I suspect these bouts are followed by periods of starvation and over exercising to get the physique he needs to keep working. Yes – that's sick.

While on the plane recently (and again desperate for entertainment) I watched a two hour condensed version of what the media considers news. At the end of this was a bite of fashion news showing a runway filled with models. Have you ever seen a widescreen movie shown wrong? It looks a bit like an El Greco painting, the figures pulled out of shape like images on silly putty. I thought for a second that there must be some technical difficulty and then realized that, no, this is how those women look. The baggy clothes did not help.

The real reason I've quit watching TV and most movies is that I'm tired of looking at food-crazed, half-starved psyches trapped in malnourished bodies. I get nauseated from seeing bones sticking out of places where flesh should be. I gawk with disbelief at the transparent efforts to cloak skeletal remains in loose attire. I can't keep my mind on the plot from wondering how they keep going from day to day and what they must be telling themselves and each other to keep it up. People are starving in Mexico and they refuse to eat in the land of plenty.

It's almost enough for me start a list of shows that have normal-sized bodies in them. Almost.

for Violet

The Late Bird Report: The Prestige

Ticket Line: very short
Audience: 30-40 somethings and a few late 20 somethings
Capacity: 95%
Balcony: closed
Organ Recital: An unrelated raft of tunes from "She's a Grand Old Flag" to "Dream the Impossible Dream."
Report: I have arrived at the far scale of opposites a lot sooner than I planned. At the beginning of the movie I was happy to discover a group of performers I truly enjoy watching: Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Andy Serkis, and Scarlett Johansson. It was nice seeing David Bowie but he didn't look like David Bowie. He looked like another actor who's name I can't recall. So that was odd and sort of topical for the show. I've heard that playing doubles is the most challenging act. Well, there were two doubles in the show not to mention the 100 extras generated by the Tesla machine. This is a highly disturbing film. I was near catatonic at the end, barely able to walk out the front door. Just when I think a person can stoop no lower I am stunned into belief at just how low they can go. Official Site Well worth seeing (the movie and the site) with tons of excellent acting, very convincing period costumes and scenery, and only mildly disorienting flash back and forths.
Analogy: freak show
Will I buy the DVD? No. But this is definitely one that you can watch more than once.
Will I watch it again if it bites me? Yes.

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