Tina's May Movies - June 2010

It was a good month for documentaries once again, as well as a movie I had never seen ("The Old Man and the Sea" and one I never miss "Rudy." Here's how I spent my time during May:

May
53. Feast of Love (TV) – This movie about relationships stars Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinear, who both bring their considerable charm to a bittersweet tale. The problem is that there is so much foreboding that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, which affected my enjoyment of the film. This movie is one that I hadn’t even heard of, but I figured anything with Morgan Freeman can’t be all bad. Feast had its moments, but I’m not sure I’d go back for seconds. 3½ cans.
54. The Kid Stays in the Picture (HBO) – Hollywood producer Robert Evans offers a fascinating account of his life that is equal parts biography and bombast. From a successful career in women’s clothing (Evan-Picone, but take that any way you like) to becoming a strictly B actor, he ended up as a producer and the very young head of Paramount Pictures. There he claims credit for saving the ailing studio with such hits as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Love Story” and “The Godfather.” His meteoric rise was followed by a predictably precipitous fall, as he lost his wife Ali McGraw to hot star Steve McQueen, got busted for drugs, sunk money into the disaster that was “The Cotton Club” and lost his beloved home when his career nosedived. This guy has had more lives than a cat, and he unabashedly shares his triumphs and failures here. 3½ cans.
55. The Cooler (TV) – Bernie, the sad sack played by William H. Macy, is such a loser that his mere presence can cool off anyone’s hot streak in the Vegas casino where he works. That is, until Lady Luck, in the form of a waitress played by Maria Bello, comes along. He gets lucky (take that any way you want), which turns out not to be so lucky for a guy who is paid to be a loser. Casino boss Alec Baldwin runs the casino old school style, which means Bernie’s luck is about to run out. 3½ cans.
56. Days of Wine and Roses (TCM) – This sobering tale about the demons of drinking features Jack Lemmon as a PR man whose life careens between frenetic and pathetic. He and his wife (Lee Remick), who initially drinks only because he doesn’t want to drink alone, descend into the depths of alcoholism. The lesson here: You are only one step away from ruin when drinking dominates your life. On the other hand, you are only 12 steps away from helping yourself once you face up to being an alcoholic. A sad, disturbing and difficult film to watch, but well-played by all, and directed by Blake Edwards, better known more for such frothy fare as “The Pink Panther.” 4 cans.
57. Babies (in Manville with Dee) – Short and very sweet, this unscripted movie documents the birth and growth of four babies from four continents during their first year. Despite immense differences in cultural backgrounds, the babies are all very much the same in their eagerness to explore the world around them, cry for food, laugh at things that amuse them and, generally, act like little babies. Whether it is playing with a rock in Africa or attending a Gymboree-type class in San Francisco, these babies show us the miracle that is life and the wonder of it all. Oooh, baby, baby. 3½ cans.
58. Letters to Juliet (in Hillsborough with Dee and Angela) – I won’t bog you down with the details of this tale of lost love. The movie stars Dakota Fanning look-alike (but older) Amanda Seyfried as engaged yet ringless Sophie, who is to marry would-be restaurateur Victor. On a trip to Italy, Victor spends most of his time visiting his suppliers and exalting the food and wine of Italy, while Sophie gets involved helping Clare, played by the elegant and gracious Vanessa Redgrave, find her long-lost (50 years) love (her actual long-lost love, Franco Nero). Accompanying them is Vanessa’s priggish Brit of a grandson, an actor whose name escapes me and is best forgotten and who bears an uncanny resemblance to the late Heath Ledger but with better enunciation. The story, acting and dialog (which ends with one of the cheesiest lines I have ever heard) are largely forgettable, but if you appreciate the beauty of Italy, the road trip alone is worth seeing. 3 cans, made better with a good bottle of wine and some Italian food.
59. Rudy (TV) – There are scenes in movies that you know are coming (because you’ve seen them before) but they get you anyway. I think of Gregory Peck leaving the courtroom in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Tim Robbins escaping Shawshank or a smirky Dustin Hoffman at the back of the bus with Elaine in “The Graduate.” “Rudy” is a movie based on a true story of a kid not smart enough to be accepted by Notre Dame and too small to play football there. So, of course, he gets into Notre Dame, ends up on the practice squad and inspires his more athletic teammates. The last game of his senior year is down to the final seconds when the crowd, chanting “Rudy, Rudy,” beseeches the coach to put him in. On his one and only play from scrimmage, he sacks the quarterback and is hoisted up by his teammates and carried off the field, the last player to be so honored at Notre Dame. My throat is getting that giant lump again. It’s a great scene and worth 5 cans on its own, while the movie itself, a bit too long and slow, gets 4 cans.
60. Hotel Gramercy Park (Sundance Channel) – Proving the adage that “everything old is new again,” this documentary takes a look at New York’s once tony but ultimately rundown Gramercy Park Hotel. Owned by the Weissberg family, who lived above the store (so to speak), the hotel was favored by rock stars, artists and an odd collection of people who still reside there full-time. We witness the new owner, hotelier Ian Schrager (the former owner, with partner Steve Rubell, of Studio 54) as he takes the hotel from decrepit to divine, even as the long-time residents are forced to sidestep the ongoing construction and lack of elevators, etc. One unique perk the hotel offers is a private park. Residents actually have keys to open the gates of this Manhattan oasis. Interesting (especially when Schrager goes toe-to-toe with artist Julian Schnabel on design), but too much emphasis on the family and its many problems. After checking this out, I won’t be checking in. 3 cans.
61. The Old Man and the Sea (TCM) – Spencer Tracy stars in this movie about one man, one boat, and one whale of a marlin, bigger than the tiny fishing boat but not bigger than the will of the fisherman. For days and nights, the old man battles the fish, the elements, his bloody, cramping hands and his fatigue before the fish finally succumbs to his will. But sometimes you win the battle and lose the war, as the fisherman soon realizes. Beautifully shot, this film, from the novel by Ernest Hemingway that everyone had to read at some point in school, is a study in man’s determination as well as where we fit in the universe. I think I’ll get my fish from the market. 4 cans.
62. Visual Acoustics (Sundance Channel) – I love photography and admire architecture, and this documentary about renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman features both. Working with acclaimed architects from Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry, Shulman documented the modern architecture that largely defined southern California from the 40s on while enhancing the work and acceptance of a myriad of famous architects and others just starting out. A brilliant essay on a man with a clear focus on straight lines, lighting and some of the most spectacular homes in America. This movie won’t appeal to everyone, but it fascinated me. 4 cans.