"Caramel"

Guest reviewer:
Angeline R. Hazime

Tonight I watched an independent film at the Loft Cinema in Tucson, AZ, titled "Caramel." This romantic comedy was Lebanon's official submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 80th Annual Academy Awards. It is the story of several Lebanese woman living their daily lives in Beirut while running a beauty shop. It appeared at first to represent their love lives, but for me it was so much more than that. The title "Caramel" is symbolic of something deeper; something inside the women's souls even. Caramel is smooth and tasty, and rich and sweet, yet it can be so sticky and hard to chew. It is used for waxing; the desired way to remove hair from the body in Lebanon - not just for women but for the men. Actually, I am pleased with the title because waxing in Arabic, especially Lebanese culture, is so central. My Lebanese husband did it on average once a week to his face. In this film the process of the waxing with caramel really is used in key points to represent the way it can be smooth and inviting, even warm... For me it represented these ladies desire for love and acceptance; acceptance of themselves. And then there is the moment of when the caramel goes on and it gets painful and aggressive. I believe the writer/ director Nadine Labaki's point is that love and self identity can be just as painful and aggressive.

I also enjoyed how Lebanese culture was shown in the film. All the dynamics of the different people, and also how Christians and Muslims do actually get a long in Beirut. It isn't all what the American Media makes it out to be over there. The use of the beauty shop and the different subplots was so enthralling for me. Yes, I understood much of what was going on for I personally have been exposed to Lebanese culture being that I am from the Detroit area in Michigan, but I feel anyone would appreciate this opportunity to get a window into to not just the Lebanese people, but to a side of Middle Eastern culture. It is far from the caves of Afghanistan.

It is a foreign film, so the paradigm is going to be much more different than what Americans are use to. I loved the ending and I knew its point, but that is all I will say for the ending. I don't want to give it away. I will say though that one must give into the flow of Caramel and follow the smoothness and the ripping effect in one, and you will get it.

Oscar Honors Women Filmmakers

This year we saw giant strides made by women filmmakers at the Oscars. It was good to see women finally telling their stories and getting acclaim for it.

Persepolis, adapted and directed by Marjane Satrapi (and Vincent Paronnaud) from her graphic novel was nominated for Best Animated Feature. Marjane removes the veil so we can really get to know the precocious Iranian girl living during the Iranian revolution. Through this poignant and often hilarious film, writer/co-director Marjane Satrapi hopes to create understanding of what the Iranian people have undergone.

“I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists,” Satrapi says. “I also don’t want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten.”

We watched as women accepted Oscars for:
Best Documentary Short Subject "Freeheld" - Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth
Best Animated Short Film "Peter & the Wolf" - Suzie Templeton (and Hugh Welchman)

For the first time in Oscar history, four women were nominated in the screenwriting categories: Nancy Oliver was nominated for her highly original feel good comedy, Lars and the Real Girl. Congratulations to Diablo Cody (pictured above) for winning Best Original Screenplay for her quotable dialogue and for her honest portrayal of a teenage girl (which also garnered Ellen Page a Best Actress nomination) in Juno. Two of these nominated writers also realized their vision as director. They created fully drawn, truthful characters that paid off in nominations for their leading ladies. Young writer/director Sarah Polley was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for Away from Her while her lead actress, Julie Christie, was nominated for best actress. Writer/Director Tamara Jenkins was nominated for the bitingly real screenplay, The Savages. Her lead actress Laura Linney was nominated for Best Actress.

Congratulations to all these talented filmmakers! I hope that these powerful women inspire and empower a new generation of women filmmakers to express their stories on film.
Thanks,
Jana Segal
http://reelinspiration.blogspot.com/

LUNAFEST 2008

Tuesday, March 4th at 7:00 p.m.

Presented by The University of Arizona's Women's Studies Department

LUNAFEST 2008 lands at The Loft!

Get ready for an entertaining and enlightening evening of short films made by, for, and about women. This annual, nationally-touring film festival brings the best short films from around the world (all made by women) together for one special night of cinematic excitement.

This year's films, which have won industry awards and film festival audience accolades, run the gamut from quirky animation to touching documentaries, and explore such topics as social and cultural diversity, the joys and challenges of mother and child relationships, and the bending (and sometimes breaking) of traditional gender roles. Incredibly diverse in both style and subject matter, these gems are united by a common thread of exceptional storytelling by…for…about women.

Visit the LUNAFEST website: http://lunafest.org/

"Michael Clayton"

I thought I'd give you one more inspiring film to catch before the Oscars Sunday night: best picture nominee "Michael Clayton."

There are always those films that miss my radar when they first come out. The trailer made "Michael Clayton" out to be just another downbeat legal thriller. Luckily, a fellow movie lover recommended it as the best movie of the year so I saw it Monday and again yesterday. I enjoyed this well written adult drama even better the second time around. I apologize for not reviewing this extraordinary film sooner. But you can still catch it at the second run theaters.
George Clooney gives an Oscar caliber performance as the world weary "fixer" in a law firm that is defending their biggest client U/North against a multi-million dollar settlement of a class action suit regarding their toxic weed killer. Michael's personal ethics are tested when his friend, the brilliant but guilt-ridden lead attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) snaps, and Michael is called to clean up his mess.

We've seen this obvious (and tired) theme of corporate corruption before. But this movie has more to say. It brings up the question of who is really crazy: the bi-polar attorney who believes he has been called on a quest of redemption to stop the evil corporation or the U/North corporation who is willing to literally kill people in order put the firm and it's stockholders in the "most financially advantageous position." As a society, have we become so jaded that we see someone who doesn't have a financial motivation to help others as crazy? Don't miss this inspiring story of moral responsibility and redemption.

Tom Wilkinson, who also gave an Oscar nominated performance in "In the Bedroom" gives a strong, Oscar worthy performance here. Though Javier Bardem is considered the favorite to win best supporting actor for his work in “No Country for Old Men, ” in my opinion Tom Wilkinson gives a much more dynamic performance. Tilda Swinton, who plays the cold, controlled U/North litigator, is also nominated for best supporting actress. But I prefer Cate Blanchett in "I'm Not There" or Rudy Dee in "American Gangster" (for her life's work) or young Saoirse Rona in "Atonement."

OSCAR UPDATE:
So of course, Tilda Swinton won the only statue for Michael Clayton. And thank Heavens she did. She gave an entertaining speech, teasing fellow nominee George Clooney and appropriately giving credit to writer/director Tony Gilroy.

So this gives you one more "Reel Inspiration film" to root for during the Oscars Sunday. For a complete list of nominees, scroll down to 2007 Academy Award Nominees.

Movie Blessings!
Jana Segal
www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com

"Persepolis"

I recently saw the powerful, Oscar nominated animated feature, "Persepolis" (98 minutes) at the Loft Theater in Tucson. Persepolis is definitely a love project. Marjane Satrapi, along with co-director Vincent Paronnaud, adapted her graphic novels based on her life story. "Persepolis," was painstakingly drawn the old fashion way with pencil and ink to create more expression in the characters. It is done in (mostly) black and white, two-dimensional animation. But there is nothing black and white or two-dimensional about this story of an Iranian girl growing up during the Islamic Revolution.

The movie begins with the fall of the Shah. Often, when we think of that regime, we think of the tyranny of the Shah and all the people he executed. But at this time, Iran was also very modern and westernized. Many Iranians enjoyed some degree of personal freedom. Eventually that freedom is completely taken away by the religious extremists. We experience this world through the eyes of the precocious Marjane - a well drawn character with her own weaknesses and childish perspectives. Along with Marjane, we get a history lesson about Iran and the Islamic Revolution from her father and uncle. Imaginative (and sometimes humorous) visuals add context to their narration. Young Marjane learns some hard lessons as the uncle she idealizes is imprisoned for fighting for freedom. Teenage Marjane must cover her hair and hide her love of Punk from the "social guardians". When she speaks out, her parents fear for her life and send her away to school in Austria. In this strange new country, she must deal with the challenges of becoming an adult, culture shock, and prejudice. Marjane becomes homesick for an Iran that is no long there.

Through this poignant and often hilarious film, writer/co-director Marjane Satrapi hopes to create understanding of what the Iranian people have undergone (see her statement below) and ensure that those who fought and died for freedom are not forgotten.

OSCAR UPDATE: Persepolis, written and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. was nominated for Best Animated Feature.

Movie Blessings,
Jana Segal
http://reelinspiration.blogspot.com/Background from official website:

Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novels Persepolis: the Story of a Childhood (Pantheon, 2003, English version) and Persepolis 2: the Story of a Return (Pantheon, 2004, English version) won widespread acclaim in France, now her home, and around the world. Now, she has co-directed, with Vincent Paronnaud, the animated film version of her memoir.

The title PERSEPOLIS comes from the Persian capital founded in the 6th century BC by Darius I, later destroyed by Alexander the Great. It’s a reminder that there’s an old and grand civilization, besieged by waves of invaders but carrying on through milennia, that is much deeper and more complex than the current-day view of Iran as a monoculture of fundamentalism, fanaticism, and terrorism.

“I believe that an entire nation should not be judged by the wrongdoings of a few extremists,” Satrapi says. “I also don’t want those Iranians who lost their lives in prisons defending freedom, who died in the war against Iraq, who suffered under various repressive regimes, or who were forced to leave their families and flee their homeland to be forgotten.”

2008 Academy Award Nominations and Oscar Update

The 2007 Academy Awards were last night! (February 24th) This has been a great year for films. In fact, there were so many good films, that some films and actors that may have won on previous years weren't even nominated. But the nominated films are outstanding! Not a dud in the bunch. As expected, No Company for Old Men and There Will be Blood got the most nods with eight nominations each and Michael Clayton (Yeah!) coming in at seven nods.

OSCAR UPDATE: No Country for Old Men swept the Oscars with Javier Bardem winning best supporting actor (no surprise there) and writer/directors Joel Coen and Ethan Coen winning best adapted screenplay, best directing, and best picture. Daniel Day-Lewis gave a theatrical acceptance speech for Best Actor for, There Will Be Blood. And Robert Elswit gave There Will Be Blood it's second Oscar for Cinematography.

Michael Clayton is nominated for (and deserves to win) Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for it's powerful, dynamic story about moral responsibility and redemption written and directed by Tony Gilroy. There are also some Oscar caliber performances: George Clooney (Best Actor),Tilda Swinton (Best Supporting Actress) and the outstanding Tom Wilkinson for Best Supporting Actor.

OSCAR UPDATE: Tilda Swinton represented Michael Clayton by winning their only Oscar. She appropriately gave credit to her talented writer/director Tony Gilroy.

I'm thrilled that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (review below) was nominated for so many awards including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Directing, Best Cinematography and Best Editing! Seems to me that it should have been nominated for Best Picture too. (I would have picked it as number one on my "2007 Best Films" list but it came to Tucson too late. Oh, well...)

But there were some other pleasant surprises too. This was the year for women screenwriters and screenwriter/directors! Just check out all the nominations for Juno -- including Best Directing (Jason Reitman), Best Actress (Ellen Page), best screenplay, and best picture! Lars and the Real Girl was also nominated for best screenplay! Two comedies nominated for best screenplay and both written by women - unheard of! Hurray for Diablo Cody (Juno) and Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl)! Away from Her got a nomination for best adapted Screenplay and Best Actress (Julie Christie)! Kudos to writer/director Sarah Polley! The Savages was also nominated for best actress (Laura Linney) and best screenplay. Congrats writer/director Tamara Jenkins! Four screenwriting nods to women! Not to mention the best animated feature nominee writer/director Marjane Satrapi for Persepolis!

OSCAR UPDATE: Diablo Cody gave a moving acceptance speech where she thanked her amazing director (Jason Reitman), lead actress (Ellen Page), and her mom for "accepting me just the way I am."

Marion Cotillard deserved her Best Actress award for her transformational acting in La Vie en Rose.

Other RI reviewed films that were nominated are: “Raise It Up” from August Rush and "Falling Slowly” from Once were nominated for Best Song. The Kite Runner and Michael Clayton were nominated for Best original score! "

OSCAR UPDATE: The performers/writers of the winning song,Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, gave stirring speeches about how much it meant for them and independent musicians to win this award for their $100,000. little film.

I've highlighted the films that Reel Inspiration has promoted just in case you'd like to root for those. You can bet your sweet jujubees I will be!

OSCAR UPDATE:
There were several disappointments for me. I really thought that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly deserved best cinematography and editing. And I hoped against hope that Tom Wilkinson would win best supporting actor for his dynamic work in Michael Clayton. Also, Persepolis was definitely slighted by big studio production “Ratatouille.”

I'm delighted for our three wins - especially that Diablo Cody won for her honest and witty script, Juno and that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won for their song, "Falling Slowly." Great job!

Movie Blessings!
Jana Segal
Reel Inspiration

OSCAR NOMINATIONS:
(Winners in Gold)

Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in “Michael Clayton”
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood”
Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd...”
Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah”
Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men”
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild”
Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
Julie Christie in “Away from Her”
Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose”
Laura Linney in “The Savages”
Ellen Page in “Juno”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There”
Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”
Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”
Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone”
Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”

Best animated feature film of the year
“Persepolis” (Sony Pictures Classics) Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney) Brad Bird
“Surf's Up” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

Achievement in art direction
“American Gangster” Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
“Atonement” : Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Golden Compass” Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
“There Will Be Blood” Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Achievement in cinematography
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” Roger Deakins
“Atonement” Seamus McGarvey
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Janusz Kaminski
“No Country for Old Men” Roger Deakins
“There Will Be Blood” Robert Elswit

Achievement in costume design
“Across the Universe” Albert Wolsky
“Atonement” Jacqueline Durran
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” Alexandra Byrne
“La Vie en Rose” Marit Allen
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” Colleen Atwood

Achievement in directing
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Julian Schnabel
“Juno” Jason Reitman
“Michael Clayton” Tony Gilroy
“No Country for Old Men” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” Paul Thomas Anderson

Best documentary feature
“No End in Sight” (Magnolia Pictures): A Representational Pictures Production: Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience” (The Documentary Group): A Documentary Group Production : Richard E. Robbins
“Sicko” (Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company): A Dog Eat Dog Films Production: Michael Moore and Meghan O’Hara
“Taxi to the Dark Side” (THINKFilm): An X-Ray Production: Alex Gibney and Eva Orner
“War/Dance” (THINKFilm): A Shine Global and Fine Films Production: Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine

Achievement in film editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” Christopher Rouse
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Juliette Welfling
“Into the Wild” Jay Cassidy
“No Country for Old Men” Roderick Jaynes
“There Will Be Blood” Dylan Tichenor

Best foreign language film of the year
“Beaufort” A Metro Communications, Movie Plus Production
Israel
“The Counterfeiters” An Aichholzer Filmproduktion, Magnolia Filmproduktion Production
Austria
“Katyń” An Akson Studio Production
Poland
“Mongol” A Eurasia Film Production
Kazakhstan
“12” A Three T Production
Russia

Achievement in makeup
“La Vie en Rose” Didier Lavergne and Jan Archibald
“Norbit” Rick Baker and Kazuhiro Tsuji
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” Ve Neill and Martin Samuel

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Atonement” Dario Marianelli
“The Kite Runner” Alberto Iglesias
“Michael Clayton” James Newton Howard
“Ratatouille” Michael Giacchino
“3:10 to Yuma” Marco Beltrami

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Falling Slowly” from “Once” Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted” Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
“Raise It Up” from “August Rush” (Warner Bros.): Nominees to be determined
“So Close” from “Enchanted” Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz
“That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted” Music by Alan Menken; Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

Best motion picture of the year
“Atonement” (Focus Features) : A Working Title Production ; Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers
“Juno” (Fox Searchlight): A Dancing Elk Pictures, LLC Production; Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.): A Clayton Productions, LLC Production; Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production; Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production; JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers

Achievement in sound editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
“No Country for Old Men” Skip Lievsay
“Ratatouille” Randy Thom and Michael Silvers
“There Will Be Blood” Matthew Wood
“Transformers” Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins

Achievement in sound mixing
“The Bourne Ultimatum” Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
“No Country for Old Men” Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff and Peter Kurland
“Ratatouille” Randy Thom, Michael Semanick and Doc Kane
“3:10 to Yuma” Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Jim Stuebe
“Transformers” Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin

Achievement in visual effects
“The Golden Compass” Michael Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris and Trevor Wood
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and John Frazier
“Transformers” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Russell Earl and John Frazier

Adapted screenplay
“Atonement” Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
“Away from Her” Written by Sarah Polley
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
“No Country for Old Men” Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson

Original screenplay
“Juno” Written by Diablo Cody
“Lars and the Real Girl” Written by Nancy Oliver
“Michael Clayton” Written by Tony Gilroy
“Ratatouille” Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
“The Savages” Written by Tamara Jenkins

"The Savages"

"The Savages," isn't nearly as savage as the title or some reviewers make it out to be. I didn't find it to be a dark comedy. It's definitely not a feel good flick, but I'm sure many people will relate to this honest, sometimes funny film. It is a slice of life drama about two grown children (Laura Linney and Phillip Seymour Hoffman) suddenly faced with the challenge of caring for their estranged aging father (Philip Bosco ) who never took care of them. It's time for their father, who is suffering from dementia, to leave his retirement community and move into "assisted living." This isn't the Sunshine Home; it's a place where people go to die.Oscar nominated writer-director Tamera Jenkins presents the hard reality of death without a trace of sentimentality. Death isn't pretty. It is the children's responsibility to take care of things and they do -- not without the residual resentment and guilt. It doesn't help that their father is still the same hostile, short tempered, foul mouthed jerk that abandoned them as kids. And his kids get in a few stingers of their own. The affects of their lousy childhood is reflected in their inability to sustain healthy, lasting relationships. Trapped together by the situation, the siblings are forced to come to grips with these issues. There is a touching moment of compassion between the two when they share some prescription pain killers. The film is worth seeing just for the Oscar caliber performances of the three major actors. And Laura Linney has been honored with a nomination. (See Oscar nominations below.) Hoffman, however, must settle for a nomination for a supporting performance in "Charlie Wilson's War."

At the end, there is the end of a life and a hint of a beginning. The children have grown up just a bit for having dealt with their responsibility the best they knew how.

Movie Blessings,
Jana Segal
www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com/

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon)

by Josh Valentine
Indiebum

An unbelievable epic, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is one of the most beautifully written, directed, and acted films of this year and of all time. Julian Schnabel’s French import is an amazing vision blooming with innovative directing techniques that are not often seen in American film. This is one of the best directed films this year, and one of the best foreign films of all time.

The film tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (played miraculously by Mathieu Amalric) the former editor of French Elle whose life was sadly rendered by a massive stroke. The stroke left him paralyzed from head to toe with a rare illness called “locked-in syndrome, leaving only his mind and his left eye active. As Bauby recuperates, he begins to dictate a book about his affliction through the blink of his eye with the aid of three beautiful nurses Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze), Claude (Anne Consigny), and Marie (Olatz Lopez Garamendia).

The movie does an amazing job of telling the story through an excellent adaptation of Bauby’s memoir. We hear Bauby’s thoughts, almost completely made up by screenwriter Ronald Harwood. Harwood’s Bauby is an extremely intelligent man which adds a lot of sadness to the tale. From the outside it would seem like he would be quite the opposite due to his lazed physical appearance. The invented inner dialog shows a much sadder side to the story.

The film is directed like no other. Schnabel, who directed the fabulous biopic “Basquiat”, takes his job to new heights setting a new standard. “Diving Bell” is very well thought out. For example, the opening scene depicts Bauby’s awakening from his comatose state. The sequence lasts a few minutes, and the viewer really gets a feel for how confused the patient is and how claustrophobic he is feeling. The whole film is a little claustrophobic, but it is hardly uncomfortable.

Once more, the character of Jean-Dominique Bauby is very well developed. He has a very creative mind, something that spurs many glorious scenes which explore his imagined experiences. These sequences are incredibly delivered through Schnabel’s eye, Harwood’s script, and the amazing inspiration from Bauby’s memoir.

“Diving Bell” is also filled with triumphant performances. Mathieu Amalric, who was introduced to American audiences in Spielberg’s spectacular “Munich”, is a revelation. He barely speaks throughout the movie, but the sadness in his eyes could move mountains. Equally fantastic is the legendary Max von Sydow, playing Bauby’s sad father Papinou. Sydow’s performance is tragically impressive and his few scenes on the screen are heart wrenching.

Also outstanding is the beautiful Emmanuelle Seigner, who plays the estranged lover/mother of Bauby’s children. Her character is terribly sad in both her storyline and the fact that she puts on such a real face of hopefulness. She knows that she may lose Bauby in many ways, but she works through the pain to keep her family happy. There is one scene in which she breaks down, and it is probably one of the saddest scenes in recent film history. Seigner is absolutely superb, and after appearing in 2007’s other huge French film “La Vie En Rose”, it is sure that we will see a lot more of her.

Like many of the other movies that have proven spectacular these few weeks, the soundtrack to the film is equally as terrific. The list of songs may be short, but they fit the film perfectly. The use of artists like The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, U2, Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle, and an amazing theme by Paul Cantelon create an amazing explosion of musical intensity that just work well with the movie and the audience.

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” proves a much more interesting theater experience than your average run of the mill movie. It is revolutionary in many different ways. The movie will undoubtedly get some Oscar attention after its three Golden Globe nominations (Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Foreign Language Film), most likely scoring some recognition for Julian Schnabel and his faultless directing style.

OSCAR UPDATE: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was nominated for Best Directing, Best Adaptation, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. (See 2008 Academy Award Nominations for more details.)


For more reviews from Josh and to see his Best Films List, visit: http://www.indiebum.com/

"Away from Her"

guest reviewer Gary Ray

One Liner Review

Should Julie Christie’s inevitable Oscar nomination for Best Actress (and probable win) bring AWAY FROM HER back to the theaters in your town do not miss it! A film that slipped through the cracks to some extent in the US in May (although it’s grossed a respectable $4.5 million to-date), it’s one of THE film experiences of 2007.

Directed by twenty-something Sarah Polley (lead actress of such films as “MY LIFE WITHOUT ME") it has the assured directorial hand of an old master; in fact to me it was reminiscent of 1970s Ingmar Bergman. Julie Christie does indeed give a tour de force performance, but the entire ensemble is award-worthy.

The story (adapted by Polley from an Alice Munro short story) concerns Fiona Anderson (Christie), who has already begun losing her memory to Alzheimer’s disease as the film begins. She’s decided to have herself placed in a care facility to ease the struggle her husband will eventually face. At one point we see Fiona cross country skiing away from her wintery home as her husband Grant (Gordon Pinsent) watches her slip over a crest and disappear, just as she soon will from his life. In fact, when she wanders off following this excursion, it forces Grant’s hand in agreeing to put her into the Meadowlake care facility.

Her transformation is almost instantaneous in screen time, because the movie has little to do with observing Fiona’s progression into an addled state. Instead its about the discovery of how much her husband of 44 years is in love with her, seen in his actions over the next several months watching her from afar, mostly, as she is frequently disturbed by his presence, never quite remembering who he is. Pinsent plays Grant unsentimentally which is key to the characterization and pivotal to the film’s uniqueness.

In between the scenes at Meadowlake, are intercut Grant’s meeting with a woman named Marian (Olympia Dukakis). Marian is the wife of Aubrey (Michael Murphy), a man who the memory-lost Fiona grows attached to at Meadowlake. Dukakis plays the no-nonsense, almost fatalistic Marian flawlessly. Marian’s “such is life” philosophy in some way eases the audience along in accepting Fiona’s condition and thereby focusing the movie on the bond between Grant and Fiona, which, despite hinted at difficulties, has remained intact over their long marriage.

At several times during the movie the audience seems to be brought right out onto the edge of writing the film off as far-too-depressing, only to have a wrinkle in the plot refocus attention to the love story and away from the downbeat. Several times throughout the film Polley has a character walk away down a corridor at Meadowlake that’s designed to bring in the sunlight; at these perfectly timed moments that cap dramatic sequences, the celluloid brightens and your heart breaks just a little bit reflecting on what has just transpired.

As the end of the movie’s final scene approached, I found myself thinking: wow, this could end right here—and after one nice brief final touch, the credits began to roll. AWAY FROM HER has been out on DVD for a few months and may not suffer on the small screen, however, if you prefer the big screen, you may want to catch it while you have a second opportunity, it’s is a stunning achievement, a great film.

OSCAR UPDATE: Writer/Director Sarah Polley was nominated for Best Screenplay. Julie Christie was nominated for Best Actress!

"The Kite Runner"

"The Kite Runner," is an important film because it puts a human face and historical context on what happened in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, when many Americans think of Afghanistan, we think of Al-Qaida, terrorism and 9/11. "The Kite Runner," does much to humanize the conflict and break those stereotypes.

"The Kite Runner," starts out with an exhilarating sequence of kite flying showing off the city of Kabul in 1978 before the Russians and the Taliban wrecked it. The sky is filled with dancing, dueling kites. Two of the kite flyers are Amir (Zekiria Ebrahimi) and Amir's loyal friend Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada), the son of the family's longtime servant Ali. They cut other kites' strings with their own kite and then run to retrieve them. Hassan is the best kite runner in neighborhood, accurately predicting where the kite will land. But it also lands him in trouble as jealous bullies taunt him for being a "Hazara." This bullying foreshadows Pashtun/Hazara tribal tensions.

The theme of the changing times is expressed by Amir's father, Baba (played with commanding dignity by Homayoun Ershadi) - a somewhat westernized intellectual. "The Mullahs want to rule our souls and the communists tell us we don't have any," Baba laments. Baba has the strength of his convictions in contrast with his son, Amir, who doesn't seem to stand for anything. Amir overhears his father complain that there seems to be something missing in the boy when his friend Hassan must stick up for him because he won't. "A boy who won't stick up for himself won't stand for anything." I wanted to love, "The Kite Runner," but I was never entirely emotionally invested in the story. I think it is because the main character, Amir, wasn't. The kite contest was one way Amir could prove himself to his father. But he seemed disengaged even when he won. Then the bullies attack his friend and he doesn't stick up for him and eventually betrays him.

When the Russians invade the country, the family is forced to escape to America leaving his friend behind. After graduating community college, Amir aspires to be a writer. For a writer, he isn't very introspective. He never delves into the choices he made. Perhaps he writes about his lost childhood in his novel. (His love interest says that it made her cry.) But the director never lets us in on that. Even their marriage seems superficial. The marriage should raise the stakes when Amir must return to Afghanistan, but it doesn't work because he hasn't invested anything in it.

His father's friend calls from Afghanistan and he offers Amir, "A way to be good again," by going home. He has a chance to redeem himself by saving his friend's son. Back in Afghanistan, he seems like a tourist during the most important event of his life. The climactic moment feels like it's from another film -- an action film. By the end he has finally learned to stick up for the son of the friend he betrayed in a very satisfying scene.

Despite it's flaws, "The Kite Runner" has an important theme of guilt and redemption. The movie succeeds in putting a human face on what happened in Afghanistan, creating more understanding. A worthy goal.

OSCAR UPDATE: Nominated for Best Original Score.

Movie Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Jana Segal
Reel Inspiration

Roger Ebert was much more emotionally involved in the film. I really respect his opinion. So, to be fair, I've included a link to his review.

(Parental warning: Because of violent sexual content, this is not suitable for children.)

For an even greater understanding of the historical context of our involvement with Afghanistan, check out, Charlie Wilson's War.



Funny. When I first saw the trailer I thought, "Wow! Look at Julia Roberts hair!" Actually, I thought, "Wow! Look at what one flawed man can do!" Then I found out that he had actually arranged for us to supply weapons to Afghanistan to fight the Soviets during the Cold War. (So that's how they got all those weapons!)

It is a drama based on Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.

"I'm Not There"

by guest reviewer Josh Valentine
Indiebum

Every year there seems to be at least one or two biopics about famous musicians that garner a lot of attention. A few years ago “Ray” was released, and the year after that “Walk the Line” hit theaters. Both of those films became huge hits. Director Todd Haynes’ (“Far From Heaven”) new film “I’m Not There” is this year’s huge biopic and it tells the story of Bob Dylan. Unlike the previously mentioned films, “I’m Not There” is completely different in its delivery of its story. It is remarkably original, very funny, and also happens to be one of the best films of the year.

A total of six actors play different versions of the famous bard in this film, a fairly original idea that works perfectly. Dylan himself was so many different people throughout his career so it would have been hard to make a film with just one actor following a singular time line.

Ben Whishaw plays Arthur, the mysterious side of Dylan that the public saw in interviews. His character isn’t very developed but that’s done on purpose to show that mystifying side. Young Marcus Carl Franklin wonderfully plays a pre-adolescent version of Dylan named Woody. Franklin’s character is more abstract than Whishaw’s character in that he plays the young and excited characteristics of a very innocent Dylan (his character is named after Woody Guthrie, one of Dylan’s biggest inspirations as a musician).

Christian Bale plays Jack Rollins, a character that splits into two sides of Dylan: the folk legend and the preacher. Bale’s interpretation of Dylan is subtle yet very powerful especially during his unbelievable (albeit lip-synched) version of “Pressing On.” Bale is also the least featured character in the film, and while he pops up later in the film in some memorable scenes it would have been better to see more of him.

Heath Ledger is the weakest part of the film. He plays actor Robbie Clark who portrays the unpleasant celebrity side of Dylan. His relationship with French artist Claire (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg) is drawn out throughout the film. Their general disdain for each other from the beginning makes one wonder why they got together in the first place. Ledger seems to play the same conflicted character in many of his films and it would be refreshing to see him in a more upbeat role.

Richard Gere plays the older, reclusive side of Dylan. His story is the most abstract part of the film. He plays Billy the Kid (the famous outlaw) in reclusion after breaking out of jail. Gere is surprisingly strong in his role and like Bale, he is very subtle yet undeniably moving.

The film truly belongs to Cate Blanchett. Her scenes as Jude Quinn depict the often frowned upon moment when Dylan dropped his acoustic guitar and became electric. Blanchett is almost unrecognizable both physically and in her voice and mannerisms. She is Dylan, and at times it is easy to forget that this is an actress playing a role in a movie. In fact, after seeing the film, it is very hard to think of any other actor or actress who could have performed as well as Blanchett. Her performance (her best ever) will land her an Oscar Nomination and possibly her second win.

OSCAR UPDATE: Cate Blanchett was nominated, but didn't win the Oscar.

Besides Cate Blanchett, the other star of the film is its soundtrack. Released about a month ago, it has received rave reviews and it deserves every bit of praise. It features all sorts of indie musicians such as Sufjan Stevens, Mason Jennings, Stephen Malkmus, Yo La Tengo, and Calexico. Charlotte Gainsbourg (who appears in the film) does an amazing rendition of “Just Like a Woman” that lingers long after it’s played. The movie does a very good job of infusing these covers with the performances of the actors.

The film is not perfect, but it is the perfect Bob Dylan biopic. Its non-linear storytelling fits its source material but may turn off a lot of viewers, especially those who aren’t familiar with Bob Dylan. For those who get the chance, it is highly recommended to watch Martin Scorsese’s documentary “Bob Dylan: No Direction Home” before seeing this film. It is very well made, and clears up a lot about what is going on in “I’m Not There.”

Otherwise, the film shows that this man who we’ve always seen as a mystery is a real person just dealing with the pressures of fame, love, loss, and life. If the film had depicted just one of the different aspects of Dylan, there would have still been a lot to be desired. All together, each section of the film forms one amazing movie that shines above many of the films of 2007 and is a genuine pleasant surprise. Grade: A- 

"August Rush"

"A boy stands in a wheat field conducting a symphony that only he can hear. As the wind picks up, the stalks of wheat bend and sway in rhythmic harmony, each sound of nature becoming a note flying off instruments in the boy's mind." The boy narrates, "The music is all around us. All we have to do is listen." This opening sets the mood for the soul lifting film, August Rush. The story is presented as a musical fairytale. I found it to be a spiritual parable.

"August Rush," is the story of a supposedly orphaned boy (Freddie Highmore) who can hear the harmonic connection between all living things -- including his musician parents. He believes his parents are communicating to him through the music in the world around him. He eventually runs away in search of his parents and his musical destiny.

First, the boy must deal with adults who don't understand his gift and orphanage bullies who try to silence the music by tormenting him. I think many artists will identify with the theme of society trying to squash their creativity. I know I did. It took years for me to silence the voices in my head, "When are you going to get a real job?" so I could live up to my potential as a writer. It was inspiring to watch him overcome the influence of the skeptics and reach his potential as a music prodigy. His parents' stories represent the other side of the coin - how we can sleep walk through life if we don't follow our dream.

Some skeptics, eh, reviewers called the movie hokey or schmaltzy, and there were times when the story treads into that territory with a wacky Oliver Twist storyline with Robin Williams playing the Wizard, a musical conman resembling Dicken's Fagon. I found myself wondering how director Kirsten Sheridan could build suspense when the ending is telegraphed in the film's trailers. It is actually the Wizard storyline that successfully builds that suspense. One reviewer couldn't tolerate the coincidences. If this is taken as a spiritual parable, those are serendipities. Serendipities signal that you are going down the right spiritual path.

If you thought it was hokey when Will (in Good Will Hunting) picked up the chalk and figured out advance math problems with no higher education, you may cringe when our hero picks up a guitar and expresses the music of his soul without prior training. To me this scene is nothing less than a miracle. To justify his sudden ability, Director Kirsten Sheridan fashioned his guitar playing after the work of teenage Michael Hedges who used the same innovative method of slapping the guitar strings to make music. Sheridan was prepared to cast a real music prodigy in the role but was won over by Freddie Highmore. Freddie practiced for six months and does an amazing job with the musical performances. Another theme of the film is how music touches the soul and connects us with others. The music in August Rush uplifts the soul with its blend of ambient sound with rock, classical, and gospel.

OSCAR UPDATE: “Raise It Up” was nominated for best Song. (See 2008 Academy Award Nominations for more details.)

August Rush received a standing ovation at the Heartland Film Festival. Why the mixed reviews? The audience at the Heartland Festival was looking for a heartwarming, moving experience and they got it. What do you bring to the movie as an audience member? I believe that if you go with an open heart, seeking a spiritual experience, you will find it in August Rush.
Read more about the music: Finding the Right Notes for 'August Rush' by Robert W. Welkos, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. 

Movie Blessings!
Jana Segal
www.reelinspiration.blogspot.com