Here is my complete list of movies I saw in 2011, not the best year for movies. I did satisfy my goal of seeing 150 movies, and, for the most part, I tried to see movies I had not seen previously. My top 5 for the year are, in order of preference:
The Help
Bridesmaids
Crazy Stupid Love
The Ides of March
Unknown
I also enjoyed a number of documentaries, chiefly:
Who Is Jackson Pollack?
America's Heart and Soul
Objectified
Page One: Inside The New York Times
Inform and Delight: The Work of Milton Glaser
Here's to great movies in 2012!
MOVIE LIST 2011
This year I have resolved to try to see movies I have never seen before or movies that I haven’t seen in such a long time that I can barely remember them. That means occasionally bypassing “The Graduate” and “Shawshank Redemption” – or at least not reviewing them – in favor of something completely different (see number 6 below). For those of you who follow along, I hope to continue to give you suggestions you find useful or to entertain you along the way. As always, films are rated on a scale of 1-5 cans of tuna, preferably my favorite, Bumble Bee.
JANUARY
1. Requiem for a Heavyweight* (TV) – This is Rod Serling’s sad tale of Mountain Rivera, an over-the-hill heavyweight boxer (Anthony Quinn) who is one blow away from blindness. After a 17-year career and one-time title hopes, Mountain has nowhere to go and nothing to do. A kind heart and an addled mind make him feel obligated to his manager (Jackie Gleason), who has been making a living off his prize catch long beyond the boxer’s true expiration date. Mountain, proud that he never took a dive, doesn’t know that his own manager bet against him to cash in on a big payday, only to be thwarted by the boxer’s unexpected stamina. Gleason, Mickey Rooney and Quinn, with a mumble like Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone, shine in this drama, originally produced for TV. Julie Harris has a part as a sympathetic unemployment worker anxious to help Rivera (that part seemed a little on the science fiction side to me). 4 cans.
2. Raging Bull (TV) – It sickens me to think of Robert DeNiro selling his creative soul to commercial crap like “Little Fockers.” Here he portrays boxer Jake LaMotta, a raging man who bulls his way through life, wives, family, friends and the boxing ring. This movie, along with “Mean Streets,” represents the quintessential collaboration between DeNiro and director Martin Scorsese, depicting New York life and desperate characters searching for something they cannot quite understand. This is the first movie I can recall where an actor transformed his body to resemble the character – first trimming down to a buff physique and then by gaining 80 pounds to play the same character as fat, flabby and nearly forgotten. Brilliant work, made better by the astute choice of black and white cinematography that adds a gritty texture. One of the best movies ever made, but clearly not for all audiences. 5 raging cans.
3. The Caine Mutiny (TCM) – This thought-provoking movie stars Humphrey Bogart as Lt. Colonel Queeg, the somewhat paranoid, slightly off-kilter Captain of the Caine, a ship in disrepair that the captain is determined to salvage. His senior officers immediately dislike his by-the-book approach, focusing on details like having the crew’s shirts tucked in, and they question his courage. When a typhoon hits the ship near Pearl Harbor, Queeg’s insistence on following orders puts the ship in jeopardy and causes Executive Officer Steven Marek (Van Johnson) to take control. Is Marek’s act a mutiny, or was the ship in danger of going down because of Queeg’s incompetence? Watch the movie and see for yourself. In the end, it’s all about the strawberries. 4½ cans.
4. Mildred Pierce (TCM) – Is there a mother anywhere who hasn’t said (or at least wanted to say) to her child, “After all I do for you, this is the gratitude I get?” In the case of Mildred Pierce, you could hardly blame her. Mildred (Joan Crawford, complete with big bangs, oversized shoulder pads and oh, those eyebrows, won an Oscar for her performance) is a hard working mother who dotes on her daughters. When the younger one dies, all of her attention shifts to Veda, her spoiled older daughter whose taste for the good life makes her ever more demanding. This is the classic ‘40s style movie, shot in black and white, with that film noir look. Everybody smokes and drinks, the men all wear fedoras, the score is dramatic and oh, yeah, somebody gets shot. I liked this movie, but I couldn’t stopping thinking about the Carol Burnett-Harvey Korman take-off. 3½ cans, mostly for the style.
5. Fly Away Home* (TV) – When 13-year old Amy (Anna Paquin) loses her mother in a car accident, she goes to live with her hippy father (Jeff Daniels) on a farm in Canada. The estranged duo bond over a flock of geese that Amy rescues. Like Mother Goose, Amy leads the flock all around the farm while her rather odd duck father hatches a seemingly bird-brained plan to teach Amy to fly a small plane so she can lead the birds on their migration, which they cannot do without a mother. Amy flies the flock hundreds of miles away to wetlands threatened by a developer. This movie contains beautiful flight sequences as the geese soar over the countryside, following Amy and her little goose-painted plane. It won’t surprise you to know that the birds land safely. 3½ cans.
6. Monty Python & the Holy Grail* (TV) – And now for something completely different, we follow the adventures of Arthur, King of the Britons, as he and his knights seek the holy grail. Accompanied by Lancelot, Galahad and a band of brothers, they gallop horseless around the countryside, facing killer rabbits, insulting Frenchmen and animated threats in their quest for absolute silliness. A little of the Python troop goes a long way, but this is the holy grail of Python antics. 3½ cans for imagination and exuberance.
7. The Thin Man* (TCM) – Whodunit? That’s the question facing urbane Nick Charles, slick sleuth husband to Nora and a reluctant detective in a case where more bodies keep turning up. Considered the gem in the series of Nick and Nora movies, this 1934 movie is more style than substance. Nick and Nora prefer drinking to detective work, and their world is filled with what were then called “gay” parties, which at the time meant nothing more than having fun. Nick ultimately solves the case in a roomful of suspects, in a way that reminded me of Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the lead pipe. Modestly entertaining and intriguing. 3½ cans.
8. The Great Waldo Pepper (1975) – In keeping with this year’s theme of watching movies I either haven’t seen in many years or have never seen, I thought I’d revisit this 1975 story of barnstorming pilots in an aerial circus in the 1920s. I tried to remember what I initially found so appealing about this “Not So Great Waldo Pepper” movie and realized it was just one thing – its star, Robert Redford. I was a sucker for Redford back then, with his tousled blond hair and toothy grin. He starred in many of my favorite movies – “All the President’s Men,” “Butch Cassidy,” “The Way We Were” and “The Sting” – but this is really the weak link in that chain of hits. In the words of the Bo Swenson character, “I don’t like it much.” 3 cans.
9. True Grit* (2011) – I don’t recall much from the original version of this western, but I can tell you that Jeff Bridges in his first 10 minutes outplays John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn. Here Bridges is a US. Marshall hired by young Maddie to track down her father’s killer. Bridges has really come into his own as an actor and here extends his recent success as Oscar’s Best Actor last year. Matt Damon plays a Texas Ranger already on the killer’s trail. The revelation is 14-year old Maddie, played with true grit by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, who is light years ahead of the pouty Kim Darby in the original. There are some great lines in this version, and if you can get past the blood and mayhem (at one point I said to my friend, “I see dead people” because of all the shootings), it’s a fun ride. You don’t see many Westerns anymore, and, in fact, the last time I saw two men on horses it was in “Brokeback Mountain.” This is no BBM. 4 cans.
10. Shattered Glass (TV) – In the 1990s, young reporter Stephen Glass turned out a series of articles for The New Republic magazine that were so rich in detail and filled with such interesting characters that they almost read like fiction. Turns out, they were. Incredibly gifted and equally insecure, Glass wanted so much to win friends and influence people that he never let the facts get in the way, and if he couldn’t get the facts he wanted, he simply made them up. A hole in the fact-checking process at the magazine allowed checkers to rely on the reporter’s notes. When a rival magazine wants to do a follow-up on one of his stories, Glass’ world begins to shatter. Hayden Christiansen plays Glass as a skittish, lonely, people pleaser, and Peter Saarsgard delivers substance as his editor, growing ever more skeptical as Glass spins lie upon lie. Well acted and with an intriguing story that makes us question the veracity of what we read. 4 cans.
11. Big Night (TV) – Big Night is a big deal for sibling restaurateurs Primo and Secundo (Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci) in this comedy-drama. There’s good cooking in the kitchen, but the failing restaurant isn’t attracting enough business to keep the place going. A local competitor promises to get bandleader Louis Prima to stop by, and Primo prepares the meal of a lifetime. There is plenty of pasta with a side portion of bickering between brothers here, as they wait for their big break, risking everything on one big night. Both actors are underrated in general, and I find Tucci strong and believable, though I can’t vouch for anyone’s Italian accent. All I know is that the big pasta dish looked mighty tasty to me, and the movie had tasty morsels of its own. 3½ cans.
12. The Lion in Winter (TCM) – “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?” ponders Eleanor, estranged wife of Henry. Dr. Phil would have a field day with this couple, whose love-hate relationship and disappointment in their three sons’ ability to succeed Henry in the family business cause constant bickering. The fact that Henry is the King of England and keeps his royal wife Eleanor for the most part locked up in a tower while he pursues young Alice so she can give him better sons understandably adds to the strain in their relationship. Brilliant dialog and tongue-in-cheek performances by leads Peter O’Toole and Katherine Hepburn (who shared the Oscar that year with newcomer Barbra Streisand) result in a thoroughly satisfying and often amusing tale. A young Anthony Hopkins plays oldest son Richard. I hadn’t seen this movie in years but it was worth the wait. 5 cans.
FEBRUARY *= My first time seeing this movie
13. Against All Odds * (1984) – A buff and tan Jeff Bridges adds visual appeal to this drama playing a football player who is cut by his team and hired by a bookmaker to look for his missing girlfriend (Rachel Ward). All kinds of complications arise as he finds her on the beaches of Cozumel, Mexico, and they promptly hook up. Hands, please, from anyone who didn’t see that coming. Bridges, who really only wants to play football and be left alone, has done a few things for which he can be blackmailed, and a cat and mouse game begins among the principals. In the end, only the strong survive. I think I liked the Phil Collins song better than the movie, but it was nice to see Bridges in his pre-Rooster Cogburn prime. 3½ cans.
14. Last Summer (1969) – This 1969 movie features three teenagers summering at the beach, pushing the boundaries of friendship, truth and sexuality, as they build a bond based on selfish interests and bad home lives. Teenage temptress Barbara Hershey plays what we would now call the “mean girl,” as she manipulates and tantalizes Richard Thomas and Bruce Davison and preys upon newcomer Cathy Burns. The movie careens to an ending that is unexpected and outrageous. I wish I could remember a summer with so little parental supervision – and these young people could have used some. 3 cans.
15. 84 Charing Cross Road (TV) – Helane Hanff would have hated the Kindle. A dedicated book lover, she relished the feel of a book in her hands, its weight, its paper and its binding. Addicted to second hand books, she located a bookstore at 84 Charing Cross Road in London that would find her the volumes of English literature she craved and ship them to her in New York. And thus was born first a business relationship and then a friendship between Hanff (Anne Bancroft) and bookseller Frank Dole (Anthony Hopkins). Niceties and gifts, warm and funny letters exchanged between Helane and Frank, and extended to the other employees in the shop as well as Frank’s wife and family, formed a 20-year friendship built entirely on correspondence. This movie celebrates good writing – in books and letters – and reminds us of all the little things we should appreciate in life. And though Helane never gets to England to meet Frank and his colleagues, she is just as much a part of their lives as if she lived around the corner from 84 Charing Cross Road. Great movie, as long as you are not craving action and adventure. 5 cans.
16. The Producers (TCM) – The lunacy of Mel Brooks has never been better than in this hilarious movie about a has-been Broadway producer determined to stage a flop and keep the money from the backers, a bunch of horny old ladies he coaxes into financing the show. No one but Brooks could imagine a Broadway musical based on Hitler and the Nazis and featuring dancing stormtroopers. This is the original production, with a bug-eyed and stringy-haired Zero Mostel as producer Max Bialystock and wide-eyed innocent Gene Wilder as his accountant and partner in crime, Leo Bloom. The look on the faces of the audience as they watch the “Springtime for Hitler” number is unforgettable, and there are a million hysterical bits and characters scattered throughout the 90-minute gem. Ironically, Brooks was married to Anne Bancroft at the time and had a hand as producer himself in “84 Charing Cross Road,” a completely different kind of movie. 4½ cans.
17. Radio Days (TCM) – Woody Allen serves up this pitch perfect paean to the days of his Rockaway youth, when radio ruled the airwaves and people gathered together in living rooms to listen to their favorite shows. Featuring the usual cast of Allen characters (Mia Farrow, Diane Keaton, Diane Weist, Tony Roberts, Julie Kavner and a young Seth Green playing Allen himself), this pastiche of vignettes seems authentic but oddly assembled. One scene is forced to lead to another and the result seems like a self-indulgent stroll down memory lane with no real destination in mind. Not one of Allen’s best, but with impeccable production design and wardrobe. After all, how often can you see women with their hair in snoods? 3½ cans.
18. Come Back, Little Sheba (TCM) – Whatever happened to our lost youth, our lost love, our lost dog? These are the questions Shirley Booth might ask herself in this sobering tale of a lonely and lost housewife married to an alcoholic (Burt Lancaster). As she fusses over him and tries to be caring and upbeat, she can’t help but look back and lament the life they have created together, all the while waiting for his inevitable slip from sobriety. Her only solace was a little dog she adored, Sheba, who has vanished, leaving her mourning the loss and dreaming of the dog’s return. Shirley Booth, later TV’s favorite maid in “Hazel,” won an Oscar for her touching performance. 4 cans.
19. The Red Badge of Courage* (TCM) – Men at war can demonstrate either courage or cowardice, and young Frank, a Union soldier in the Civil War, displays both in this film adaptation of the Stephen Crane novel. Frank deserts his regiment after a battle with the Rebel forces, only to find them again and ultimately lead them, waving the flag, in their final battle. The book is required reading in high school, and I think it plays better print than on the screen, where the characters seem a little too noble and the tale too corny. 2½ cans.
20. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (TV) – In honor of Black History Month, I decided to revisit this classic TV saga of a woman whose life spans from slavery to civil rights and who tells her tale to a magazine writer. Cicely Tyson won an Emmy for her portrayal of Miss Jane, and whether layered with makeup or young and working in the fields, she handles the demanding role with aplomb. The last scene of this TV-movie is one of the most memorable scenes in TV history, as 110-year old Miss Jane walks ever so slowly to the “whites only” fountain and, in an act of defiance, takes a sip of water for all the town to see. Classic. 4½ cans.
21. High Noon* (TCM) – Although he starts the day by marrying Grace Kelly, the day takes a turn for the worse for Marshal Will Keane. The dreaded criminal Frank Miller is released from prison and heading to town. The judge who convicted him packs his bags and gets out of Dodge lickety-split, the deputy quits and it looks like Keane (Gary Cooper) can’t recruit any deputies so he’ll have to face down the whole Miller gang alone when the noon train arrives in town. This is an iconic American Western, with the brave marshal determined to do what’s right. Beautifully shot in black and white with close-ups of taut and perspiring faces, this movie has your basic gunfight, good guy against bad guys. Will Grace Kelly get out of town, leaving her man behind – or dead? Only time will tell, and it’s almost noon. Not really my kind of movie, and I found Cooper very wooden in the role (though Grace Kelly was absolutely gorgeous). 3½ cans.
22. Auntie Mame (TV) – The incomparable Rosalind Russell stars as the irrepressible Auntie Mame in this delightful story of an eccentric and wealthy New York woman who takes on the care of her orphaned nephew in the late 1920s. It is love at first sight between them as Auntie Mame exposes her “little love” Patrick to the arts, culture and her whacky world. I actually missed some of the songs that appear in the later musical version of this movie, and parts of it seemed overly long, but I always enjoy seeing the bond between nephew and aunt and between Mame and her loyal staff and friends. Russell absolutely dominates the screen. 4 cans.
23. Unknown* (Hillsboro) – I finally got out to the movies this month, just in time for Liam Leeson’s latest one-word title action movie. Imagine being in a city where you don’t speak the language, you leave your wife at the hotel while you go back to the airport to retrieve the briefcase you inadvertently left behind, and the next thing you know, your cab crashes into a river and you nearly drown. And that’s just the beginning of this intriguing movie. I tried to stay as alert as possible so I could figure out exactly what was happening, but there were plenty of twists and turns I never saw coming, and I’m not just talking about car chases. All I can tell you is that if Diane Kruger offers you a ride, don’t get into the car. 4 cans.
24. The Rosa Parks Story* (TV) – One day in 1955 Rosa Parks got on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, and rode into history. Parks, a dignified, quiet but determined black woman, was an advocate of civil rights, but hardly a confrontational sort. This one day, coming home from work and sitting in the “colored” section of the city bus, she had simply had enough and refused to give up her seat to a white man. She was arrested, taken to jail and prosecuted for the crime. Her single act of defiance galvanized the black community, which boycotted city buses. Ultimately, Parks was acquitted and the despicable Jim Crow laws that governed the city and state were declared illegal. Angela Bassett plays Parks with a quiet strength and resolve and the actor who plays her husband will no doubt play Barack Obama someday since there is such a strong resemblance between them. 3½ cans.
MARCH *= New movie for me
25. Silkwood (TCM) – I generally bristle at movies that paint big business with broad strokes as the bad guy, but this Mike Nichols film makes a compelling case against real life nuclear company Kerr Magee. The brilliant Meryl Streep plays Karen Silkwood, who turns from an indifferent employee to an impassioned union activist fighting against the potentially deadly effects of handling plutonium. Streep is matched in her performance by Kurt Russell as her boyfriend and Cher as her lesbian roommate and fellow employee. This film is based on a true story, which I won’t spoil here, but it is a gripping tale delivered with subtlety and tenderness. 4½ cans.
26. The Last Detail (TCM) – Jack Nicholson plays a career sailor who draws the assignment to accompany a prisoner to a military jail. Together with another Navy lifer, he decides to make the trip memorable for the naïve young sailor (Randy Quaid). Nicholson, only 36 at the time of this Oscar-nominated performance, is a tough guy who doesn’t suffer fools gladly but takes pity on the inexperienced 18-year old and treats him to food and fun that he won’t have once his stint in prison begins. I can’t remember a film where Nicholson looks smaller – slim and short in stature – but he is the quintessential Jack, with the notable exception of the “killer smile” that he displayed in so many other movies. 3½ cans.
27. The King’s Speech (2010) – OK, I know it is kind of cheating to list this movie since I saw and reviewed it in December, but, after all, I went to the movies (in Hartford, killing time with RU basketball fans during the Big East Tournament) AND paid $8, so I think it is fair to at least list it. I won’t review it again except to note that seeing it all the way through without the film breaking (as it did twice when I originally saw it in Princeton) was a much better experience. Oscar-worthy. 4½ cans.
28. Four Seasons (TCM) – Alan Alda wrote, directed and stars in this very adult film (get your minds out of the gutter, that’s not what I mean) about three couples who vacation together each season. When Nick (Len Cariou) changes the dynamic among them by dumping his dull wife Annie (Sandy Dennis) and taking up with adorable and considerably younger Ginny (Bess Armstrong; why didn’t she have more of a film career?), resentments and jealousy abound. Alda casts himself in the least appealing role, as an outwardly affable guy with a judgmental and prickly nature. Like the seasons themselves, relationships among the couples and within each pair are constantly changing – sometimes warm and other times cold. Feelings and fears are exposed but there are enough laughs that you don’t mind when Alda’s character becomes priggish. 3½ cans.
29. The Harder They Fall* (1956) – This movie was Humphrey Bogart’s last. He plays a former sportswriter who becomes a press agent for a corrupt boxing promoter, hired to hype a giant South American boxer with minimal skills. In selling the boxer and his fights against hand-picked opponents who are just too happy to take the money and dive, he sells his soul. The boxer, an naïve and good-hearted soul who actually believes he can fight, comes to depend on Bogart as a manager and friend, not trusting (for good reason) the promoter, played with plenty of disdain by Rod Steiger. This film shows the corruption that plagues boxing and continues my recent run of boxing movies (starting with “The Fighter” and including “Requiem for a Heavyweight” and “Raging Bull”). Loaded with clichés, the movie is still an effective indictment against the business of boxing. 3½ cans.
30. Murphy’s Romance (1986) – The charming James Garner stars as a druggist in a small western town that becomes the new home of a much younger Sally Field. The spunky divorce and mother of Corey Haim is a down-on-her-luck would-be horse trainer, saddled with a deadbeat ex-husband who shows up in time to interrupt the growing May-December romance between Field & Garner. Garner can do everything from ride horses to make ice cream sodas to sew, and he spouts aphorisms that warm the heart of the plucky Field (who looks startlingly like Kristy MacNichol). Directed by Martin Ritt, who guided Field to an Oscar in “Norma Rae,” playing an even pluckier and more prickly character. I like her, I really, really like her. 4 cans.
31. Frozen River* (2008) – Melissa Leo lives with her two sons in a single-wide trailer in upstate NY just this side of the Canadian border, dreaming of a move up to a double-wide while working at the local dollar store. She can’t afford the double-wide, the rental company is about to take the TV and Christmas is fast approaching when she meets an equally desperate Native American woman who picks up extra cash by picking up illegals and smuggling them from Canada into the US in the trunk of her car. Despite her better judgment, Leo joins her in making runs that you just know won’t be as easy as she thinks. This was the first movie for which Leo gained acclaim before she won this year’s Oscar for her portrayal of Mark Wahlberg’s foul-mouthed mother in “The Fighter.” She is totally believable, desperate and dirty, yet a protective and wary mother. Serious, sullen and well done. 4 cans.
32. Network (1976) – I don’t think in 1976 I fully understood the satire created by Paddy Chayefsky in “Network,” and looking back on it now in the context of 2011, this movie seems more prophetic than I could have imagined. All of the madness of today’s reality TV was foretold in this story of a TV newsman (Peter Finch) who crosses the line into mental illness, exhorting viewers of the news to stick their heads out of the window and yell, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” Suddenly, his unpredictability leads to improved ratings, and his rants become fodder for a new network program exploiting him as the “mad prophet of the airwaves.” William Holden represents old-school news, dating back to the days of Edward R. Morrow, while ruthless network exec Faye Dunaway is so driven for ratings she prattles on about new show possibilities even as she beds down with the craggy Holden. Beatrice Straight won a supporting Oscar for what was the briefest winning role in the history of movies (nine minutes, or eight actual lines of dialog), and Peter Finch was named Best Actor, though the movie itself lost out on the Oscar to the popular underdog “Rocky.” This is not a movie I want to see every time it is on, but “Network” is a brilliant evisceration of TV and American culture that predates everything from Jerry Springer and Bill O’Reilly to “Cops.” My favorite scene shows a fringe group of activists negotiating with network brass for a show in which terrorists will stage weekly crimes for TV. 5 cans.
33. Just Wright* (2010) – I figured it was OK to take a break from March Madness to watch this basketball/romantic comedy starring Queen Latifah and rapper Common. The latter plays a basketball player who blows out his knee. Physical therapist Leslie Wright (Queen) is just right when it comes to rehabbing what ails him. Though he is involved with Leslie’s best friend, the player falls for his therapist when the gold digger dumps him. Only in the movies does a handsome rich man fall for a larger than life woman, and this fantasy expands further by making the hoopster’s Nets a playoff team. Latifah has a ton of personal charm that makes her easy to like to any movie she’s in, even a predictable one like this. 3½ cans.
APRIL *= My first time seeing this movie
34. Love & Other Drugs* (2010) – The combination of Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhall proves deadly dull in this would-be romantic comedy/drama about a sick woman and a pharmaceutical sales rep. She’s a free spirit, which is just what the doctor ordered for the commitment-phobic, skirt-chasing drug rep. So, of course, they fall in love, even though he is warned that taking care of her is something he won’t want to do. Raise your hand if you didn’t see any of this coming. Anyone? Hathaway, showing considerably more skin than in “The Princess Diaries,” is no more appealing than Gyllenhall in this downer of a movie, which, by the way, may cause drowsiness (it sure made me fall asleep). 2½ cans.
35. Topper* (1931) – Cary Grant and Constance Bennett team up in this spirited comedy as ghosts. A couple of bon vivants who die in an automobile accident, they come back as apparitions, intent on being erstwhile guardian angels for an uptight banker named Cosmo Topper. Their materializing and dematerializing on film must have represented very advanced special effects at the time, and the comedy of this farce was probably considered pure hilarity in its day. It’s hard not to like anything with Cary Grant, a leading man who can wear a suit or a tux better than anyone in film history. 3 cans.
36. Who Am I This Time?* (1982) – The play’s the thing for shy and awkward Harry Nash (Christopher Walken), who lets loose his inner Stanley Kowalski in local community theater productions. A hardware clerk by day, Harry transforms into whatever character he plays and then recedes back to his quiet persona when the curtain comes down. Helene (Susan Sarandon) is passing through town but is there long enough to be persuaded by the local theater director to audition for the part of Stella in the troupe’s version of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” She falls hard for Harry, not understanding that her leading man is nothing like the part he plays. This is a sweet little movie, and as long as Harry and Helene can play their parts, their collaboration can have a long run. 3 cans.
37. Splendor in the Grass (1961) – Teenager Deani Loomis (Natalie Wood) has a problem – several, in fact. She has an overbearing, over-protective mother who is determined that she remain “unspoiled” and a hot boyfriend named Bud (Warren Beatty) who has other ideas. The two kids really love each other and they wrestle with the limits placed on their relationship by Deani’s mother and the mores of society as the Roaring 20s comes to an end. Bud has an overbearing father who encourages his son to find a girl not so set on remaining chaste. This is the ultimate tale of teenage angst and frustration and how your mother really can drive you crazy. Well played, and Beatty never looked better. 4½ cans.
38. His Way* (HBO 2011) – Jerry Weintraub is a movie producer, a concert promoter and music maker. He is also one of the great characters of the entertainment industry, as revealed in this documentary about how a kid from the Bronx worked his way up the ladder of success from the mailroom at the William Morris agency with chutzpah, hard work and good luck. Among his claims to fame are working with Elvis (he created Elvis’ memorable tour), Frank Sinatra (he produced Sinatra’s legendary concert at Madison Square Garden called “The Main Event”) and George Clooney (he produced the “Ocean 11/12/13” series with Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon). A natural raconteur, Jerry tells juicy stories about working with the stars, and they, in turn, love to dish about him. If you liked “The Kid Stays in the Picture” about Robert Evans, you’re bound to enjoy this gem about a guy who won’t take no for an answer. 4 cans.
39. 36 Hours (1964) – It is 1944, and U.S. Army Major Jeff Pike (James Garner) knows all the details of the upcoming D-Day invasion of Normandy. Unfortunately, the Germans know all about Jeff Pike. He is drugged and captured in Lisbon only a few days before D-Day and brought to what looks just like a U.S. Army hospital. When he wakes up, the staff there convinces him that six years have elapsed and engages him in conversation about the D-Day maneuvers. Will he disclose the details in time to prevent the invasion? Will the doubting German brass believe the experiment works and that Pike is telling the truth? Lots of intrigue here, and solid performances by Garner, Eva Marie Saint as the German nurse who helps him and Rod Taylor as the plotting German doctor who might not be trustworthy himself. 4 cans.
40. The Lincoln Lawyer* (2011) – Matthew McConaughey plays a wise-ass defense attorney with a creepy clientele and not necessarily the best ethical standards in this intriguing drama. When a case falls into his lap to defend Ryan Philippe on charges of assault, his only requirements are a fat fee from the client’s wealthy family and the real story from the accused, who claims to have been set up by a prostitute. The lawyer and his investigator (William Macy) aren’t completely convinced but are forced to defend him in the face of evidence to the contrary. This is an absorbing drama and McConaughey – not one of my favorite actors – does a believable job with his role. There are definitely holes in the story that ask you to not question the script, but I gave it 4 cans anyway.
41. The Dresser* (1983) – Tom Courtney is Norman, the manservant to a man-child Shakespearean actor played by Albert Finney. Alternately butler, secretary and all-around nanny to the increasingly mad actor, Norman flits around backstage, cajoling, obeying and bossing his boss in a love-hate relationship. As the actor’s mind and body begin to betray him, Norman’s workload increases and he feels even less appreciated. This is a comedy-drama that shows the demands of the theater and how they take their toll on all of the major players. Finney, a versatile and accomplished actor, plays his over-the-top actor with wit and determination, and Courtney is outstanding. The story? Not something I’d want to see again. 3½ cans, all for the actors.
42. The Young Philadelphians (1959) – On a rainy day when I am stuck at home with bronchitis, I can think of nothing better than immersing myself in a juicy melodrama starring one of my all-time favorite actors, Paul Newman. Here he plays Anthony Judson Lawrence, son of a social climbing mother who clings to the Lawrence name despite the fact that Tony’s father isn’t actually a Lawrence, a secret known only to a select few. Tony grows up on the Mainline in Philadelphia, eventually becoming a prominent and ambitious attorney who travels in all the right social circles. But how many compromises must he make to get to the top and stay there? Is he willing to give up the girl he loves for a better offer? Will he stick by his desperate friend in spite of the risk to his social standing? This is juicy stuff indeed, complete with a courtroom scene and a “whodunit” that makes it all the more interesting. I love this movie and was so excited to see that TCM was finally airing it. I haven’t seen it in years but it is always worth the wait. 4½ cans.
43. & 44. Schmatta: From Rags to Riches (2009) and Triangle: Remembering the Fire* (2011) – I am reviewing these movies together because they are both woven around the rag trade – the garment industry in New York City. In both films, the tragic 1911 fire at the Triangle Waist Factory plays a central role. “Schmatta” reviews the growth of the garment industry from its early days through its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s to its denouement today, when only 5% of all clothes sold in the U.S. are made in the U.S. Before 1911, we learn in “Triangle,” there were no laws governing the industry and its factories, most of which were in Manhattan. The 18-minute fire that swept through the Triangle Waist Company ended with 146 deaths, 90 from people jumping out of 8th &9th floor windows when they couldn’t access the crowded narrow staircases and the elevators broke down. Afterwards, much needed legislation addressed safety issues and the International Ladies Garment Workers Union swiftly moved in to protect the young and mostly immigrant workforce. Both of these documentaries offer a glimpse into history that is as fascinating as it is sad. 4 cans.
45. Being There (1979) – Chance is a gardener. He has spent his life tending to the garden of a rich old man and living in one room in his Washington, D.C., house, where he watches TV incessantly. He has never been in a car, talked on a phone or learned to read or write. So when the old man dies and a young attorney evicts him from the house, he has nowhere to go. He is hit by a car owned by a wealthy couple who take him home to care for him while he recovers. Because he is well dressed (thanks to the old man), they assume he is rich, and his simple ways impress them as wisdom. Through a series of misunderstandings, he becomes a celebrity, his wisdom pursued by high society and even by the President himself. People believe the man they call Chauncey Gardener is a messiah. There is even a scene where he walks across water, in case the audience doesn’t get it. Peter Sellars gives a remarkable performance as a guileless innocent, preyed upon by Shirley McLaine and trusted by her elderly, dying husband, Melvyn Douglas. This is a good satire, an indictment of the rich and of what happens when we watch just a little too much TV. 4 cans.
46. Absolute Power* (1994) – I have to plan my own Clint Eastwood film festival, because the more of his movies I watch, the more I like him as an actor and director. Here he gives his typical understated performance as Luther Whiting, a professional thief who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Luther breaks into a mansion, and when the lady of the house returns unexpectedly with her inebriated lover, Luther is trapped behind a mirror that allows him to see all the action in the bedroom. A fight between the couple turns violent, and the man is about to be stabbed by his lover when two men burst into the room and kill her. It doesn’t spoil the movie to tell you that the man (Gene Hackman) is the President of the United States and the gunmen are his Secret Service agents. They spend the rest of the movie protecting the president and trying to track down Luther. Everybody is after the old guy, who resorts to every trick in his book to outwit, outplay and outlast them. Great cast (Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert, Scott Glen, Judy Davis) and plenty of twists and turns makes this a taut and absorbing tale. 4 cans.
47. Back to School (1986) – There is no sophistication, subtlety or even a modicum of good taste in this hilarious comedy, which is one of the reasons I love it. Rodney Dangerfield is all bugged-eyed and twitchy as a self-made businessman who decides at an advanced age to join his son in college. Defying all logic and reason, he gains admission by donating a building. Ignore the weak and unbelievable plot and watch this movie on your DVR or DVD so you can repeat the fast, furious and funny lines you will miss while laughing at the previous lines. The movie attempts to be heart-warming, but mainly it is a vehicle for Dangerfield’s blowhard and amusing character, and it cracks me up. My favorite line? Dangerfield to the teacher (Sally Kellerman) he is attempting to date despite her heavy schedule: “Why don’t you call me some time when you have no class?” That’s perfect, because nothing here has class. 4 cans.
48. Win Win* (2011) – Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti) is anything but a winner. His law practice is failing, as is the clanging boiler in his basement, and he is determined not to have to resort to supplementing his income to support the family he loves by bartending. So when an opportunity to become the legal guardian of an elderly man with the onset of dementia comes up, Mike convinces the court he’s the man for the ($1500 a month) job. Life gets complicated for the part-time high school wrestling coach when the old man’s grandson, Kyle (Alex Shaffer), shows up and Mike and his wife are forced to take care of him. The kid, an accomplished wrestler, goes out for the team, and Mike’s luck seems to change. Giamatti plays the hang-dog everyman with aplomb, Amy Ryan is perfectly cast as his wife, and Bobby Cannavale provides comic relief as Mike’s friend. The young actor who plays the wrestler actually was a wrestler from New Jersey and pulls off the part of Kyle credibly since he knows all the right moves. “Win Win” is a winner. 4 cans.
49. Susan Slade (1961) – Another rainy day, another melodrama for me. Susan Slade (Connie Stevens) is the 17-year old daughter of a loving and wealthy couple (Lloyd Nolan and Dorothy McGuire) who adore her. She meets a handsome, rich mountain climber on a cruise and goes where Deani Loomis’ mother (see “Splendor in the Grass,” above) wouldn’t let her go. If you’re guessing complications ensue, you’d be right. Troy Donahue plays a handsome horseman and would-be author with a crush on the lovely Ms. Stevens, and Bert Convy, the son of her parents’ best friends, is a suitor. This movie features soaring music and beautiful scenery enhanced by lush Technicolor. It tries mightily to overcome the trite script and the stiff acting, especially from Troy Donahue, who, as an actor, can best be described as very tall. 3 cans.
50. Cinema Verite* (HBO 2011) – Long before “Cops” started arresting bad boys on the street and hordes of housewives invaded American cities, the aptly-named Loud family became stars of “An American Family,” the first reality show on TV. This is a dramatization of the story behind the landmark 1973 PBS 10-hour documentary on what turned out to be a dysfunctional American family. Producer Craig Gilbert (James Gandolfini) is the heavy (literally), charming Pat Loud (Diane Lane, one of my favorite actresses) and her smarmy husband Bill (Tim Robbins) into allowing his cameras to capture their lives. The Louds warm to the cameras quickly, never forgetting they are being recorded, but not seeming to mind. I don’t know who is the bigger villain here – Gilbert, who manipulates Pat into more reality than she imagined, or the philandering husband she is encouraged to kick out of the house while the cameras roll. When the original show aired on PBS, it drew the highest ratings ever on what was then considered “educational” TV. This is an effective look back at that time and these people, who set the stage for TV reality that now includes such abominable fare as “Real World” and “Jersey Shore.” 4 cans.
51. Dial M for Murder* (1954) – A retired tennis pro (Ray Milland) plots the murder of his wealthy wife (Grace Kelly) in this stylish mystery directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The husband knows his wife has been cheating on him with an American mystery writer (Robert Cummings) and has a love letter to prove it. So he “persuades” a man from his past to do the deed, but not everything goes according to plan. There is much ado about telephone calls and latch keys and changing the story to accomplish the ultimate goal. Based on a play, the movie takes place almost entirely within the main characters’ apartment, but that just keeps the story taut. Excellent performances and Grace Kelly is gorgeous. Dial H for Hitchcock hit. 4 cans.
52. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) – On a sweltering New York day, a pair of armed robbers attempts the heist of a Brooklyn bank. But this is the gang that couldn’t shoot straight and they have arrived after most of the cash has left the building. Sonny (Al Pacino), a skittish and scared loser, is the “mastermind,“ aided by silent Sal (John Cazale), and soon they and their hostages are surrounded by legions of police and media. Sonny doesn’t really have a plan B – as he is reminded by one of the tellers he takes hostage – and he attempts to negotiate with the head cop (Charles Durning) while becoming part of the media circus assembling outside the bank. The steady parade of people in his life shows up – his wife, his mother, and his gay lover, for whom he decided to rob the bank to fund a sex-change operation – all with advice that makes the situation go from bad to worse. You can’t make this stuff up, and director Sidney Lumet (who recently passed away) didn’t have to. This story was “ripped from the headlines.” The most iconic scene is Pacino as Sonny taunting the cops by chanting “Attica, Attica,” a reference to a revolt at the New York prison that resulted in numerous deaths at the hands of anxious police. 4 cans.
53. The Jagged Edge (1985) – Jagged-edged knives, a violent murder, a handsome suspect and a “smoking gun” combine in this courtroom drama/mystery/suspense movie starring Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges. Bridges, a wealthy and charismatic publisher, hires Close, a former prosecutor who hasn’t been in a courtroom for 4 years, to defend him against charges he murdered his wife. There are plenty of red herrings here, and plenty of predictable scenarios. If you pay close attention, you can probably figure out whodunit. 3 cans.
54. The Big Chill (1983) – Before Glenn Close became a lawyer with large shoulder pads in “The Jagged Edge,” she appeared in this ensemble of attractive 30-somethings gathered for the funeral of one of their own. All college pals, they have gone on to various lives of their own, keeping in touch only here and there, but when unseen Alex kills himself, they turn up at the home of Close and her husband, played by Kevin Kline, to mourn the loss of their friend and their youth. Yes, it is a bit pretentious, but as someone about the same age as these friends, I remember appreciating the exploration of relationships and memories. And the soundtrack can’t be beat. It is true, as one of the first songs reminds us, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try some time, you just might find you get what you need.” I needed and loved this dose of nostalgia. And I remembered that I love Kevin Kline. Also starring William Hurt, Mary Kay Place, Jeff Goldblum, JoBeth Williams, Tom Berenger and a very young Meg Tilly. Almost starring Kevin Costner, who plays the dead body of Alex and whose face is never seen. 4½ cans.
55. Gentlemen’s Agreement* (1947) – Gregory Peck stars as Phil Green, an earnest magazine writer in this somewhat preachy drama that examines the prevalence of anti-Semitism. Green’s angle on his story is to pretend he is Jewish so he can experience first-hand the prejudice of the day – being denied entry into everything from colleges to restaurants to communities. His premise works, even revealing the subtle prejudices of people he knows who swear they know better. This well-intentioned but overwrought drama gets extra credit for tackling an important subject and winning the Oscar for Best Movie. 3½ cans.
56. Private Benjamin (1980) – There are few movies I enjoy more than this comedy starring the adorable Goldie Hawn in the title role. Judy Benjamin is a young Jewish woman totally spoiled by her parents and whose mission in life is to land the right man. When her lawyer husband dies on their wedding night, she is inconsolable and, in her grief, is talked into joining the Army. After initial troubles fitting in, she eventually bonds with her platoon and begins to emerge as her own person – until she meets the French, Jewish gynecologist of her dreams (Armand Assante) and reverts to worrying about the color of the napkins. Hawn is either the best actress in the world or she genuinely loved playing his part, because when she and her troop dance to “We are Family” in the barracks, it is totally joyful. There are great lines here and enough silliness and substance to make the movie worthwhile. I love this movie. 4½ cans.
57. William and Kate* (2011) – Since the Royal Wedding took place yesterday, I thought I would sit through this Lifetime TV docudrama about the courtship of the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Of course, I have no way to determine the authenticity of this depiction of the start of the love affair, but I also know I won’t ruin it by revealing that they have their ups and downs. Since the movie ends with William on bended knee, and since the wedding took place yesterday, we can only hope for a happy ever after. The actors playing the leads were appealing and the story caught me up on any unknown drama that may have taken place. Still, Citizen Kane it was not. 3 cans.
58. An American in Paris* (1951) – For a movie buff like me not to have seen this classic film is really unforgivable. Yet, I have to state frankly that there isn’t much of a movie here. The majority of the film is an homage to Gershwin music and the genius of Gene Kelly as a choreographer and dancer. Everything in the film leads up to magical 17-minute fantasy dance sequence, when Paris itself comes to life, seemingly leaping off the canvases of French painters with vibrant colors and exuberant dancing by Kelly and waif-like co-star Leslie Caron. The plot is as thin as Caron, who only comes alive when dancing. Still, the climactic dance, shot in a series of long, unedited scenes, is breathtaking. Kelly’s more athletic than balletic, and he shines here. Now I have to find “Singing in the Rain” and my obligations as a film buff will be complete. 4 cans.
MAY *=First time movie
59. Footloose (1984) – Ren McCormick (Kevin Bacon) is a spiky-haired fish out of water, a city kid stuck living with relatives in a small, repressed Midwestern town that prohibits music and dancing. Ariel Moore (Lori Singer) is the prototypical preacher’s kid – wild, rebellious and ready to party despite the protestations of the Rev. Moore (John Lithgow). Ren looks different from the other kids, dresses differently and wonders aloud why all the fuss about letting kids dance. Thanks to his persistence, the Reverend comes around – and you knew he would – to understand that Satan isn’t in the dancing and there is joy and exuberance in creative expression. A catchy, fun soundtrack and a great dance sequence closes the movie, with the town teenagers kicking up their heels at last. I always wondered how these kids became such expert dancers in a town that didn’t allow dancing, but, that aside, this movie makes you want to dance. 4½ cans.
60. Trading Places (1983) – Billy Ray Valentine, Capricorn (Eddie Murphy), is a hustler on the streets of Philadelphia. Louis Winthorp (Dan Ackroyd) is strictly upper-crust, running the Duke & Duke commodity business, lunching at the Club and enjoying the privileged life in a beautiful townhouse, complete with butler. But then the billionaire Duke brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) make a small wager on whether the underprivileged Valentine can be rehabilitated and trained to do the same job as Winthrop, while Winthorp is framed, jailed and loses everything. In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit I know every line in this movie and consider it among my top five comedies of all time. (In case you are wondering, the others are “Animal House,” “Blazing Saddles,” “The Producers” – Zero Mostel version – and “When Harry Met Sally.”) This movie has Eddie Murphy at his funniest, and there are priceless contributions from hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold (is there any other variety in the movies?) Jamie Lee Curtis, Denholm Elliott and the other principals. Looking good, Valentine. 5 cans.
61. Sister Act (1992) – When lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi Goldberg) witnesses her mobster boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) killing one of his lackeys, she goes to the police. The cops stash her in a church in San Francisco, where the bad girl has to be considerably holier while she waits to testify at the trial. With a strict Mother Superior (Maggie Smith) and a bunch of enthusiastic and slightly out-of-tune (in every way) nuns around her, the erstwhile “Sister Mary Clarence” must blend in. Instead, she becomes the leader of the pack, taking over the church choir and turning the nuns into performers, until her antics attract so much notoriety that the bad guys spot her once again. This is a fun movie, one of Whoopi’s best, and she is surrounded by the adorable Kathy Najimy and Mary Wickes as her new “sisters.” Holy moly! 4 cans.
62. Bridesmaids* (2011) – Gross-out humor in women’s movies achieves equal opportunity status in this clever comedy written by and starring Kristen Wiig. Wiig plays Annie, a down-on-her-luck woman who has lost her bakery business, drives a beat-up car with no taillights and has no prospects for improving her life. When her BFF Lillian (Maya Rudolph), gets engaged, Annie takes on the role as maid of honor until she gets one-upped by Lil’s new friend Helen (Rose Byrne), a compulsive, over-the-top planner who hijacks the engagement party and plans for the shower and bachelorette gig right out from under Annie’s nose. Unlike male comedies of this ilk (see “The Hangover” or its cleverly titled sequel, “The Hangover Part 2”), the people in this movie are portrayed as real women, with problem kids, inattentive or too attentive husbands, with too much money or not enough, and with layers of complexity you won’t find in the typical buddy movie. There are plenty of raunchy moments here, but the sheer hilarity of the women more than makes up for the bathroom humor. Melissa McCarthy nearly steals the show, and Jon Hamm makes the most of his part as Annie’s sleezy sex partner. 4 cans and a lot of laughs, despite lapses of decorum.
63. Crossing Delancey (1988) – Peter Reigert (Boone in “Animal House”) plays Sam, a pickle man on the Lower East Side. Isabel (Amy Irving) is a 30-something Jewish woman working for a bookstore and looking for love, but not from a man who keeps his hand in a pickle barrel all day. Despite the best efforts of her loveable Bubbie and the ministrations of the local matchmaker (played with gusto by Sylvia Miles), Izzy keeps looking for love in all the wrong places. Reigert is a nice Jewish guy – almost too nice for Izzy – but will he tolerate her protestations and win her over? All I know is that this movie makes me hunger for a good deli sandwich with a pickle on the side. Amy Irving’s hair is so big in this movie it should get separate billing. 4 cans and a pickle, please.
64. An Affair to Remember (1957) – A handsome man (Cary Grant) meets a beautiful woman (Deborah Kerr) on a romantic transatlantic voyage and, despite their attachment to others, they are instantly smitten. This is the quintessential chick-flick, one of my top two in that category (the other being “The Way We Were”). If you don’t believe it, watch “Sleepless in Seattle” for validation of its status. Grant is dashing, Kerr is lovely and spunky, and Cathleen Nesbitt charms her way into everyone’s heart. This is a movie to love, to cherish and to remember. 5 cans.
65. Becoming Chaz* (2011) – And now for something completely different…This documentary records a year in the life of Chaz Bono as he goes through surgery to transition from Chastity to becoming a man. This detailed – if somewhat uncomfortable – account of the process relates the affect the surgery has on Chaz, his partner, Jenny, his family, and, most important, him. That adorable little blonde girl we all remember as the daughter of Sonny and Cher has grown up to become a man, and his story is one of frustration, isolation and courage. 3½ cans.
66. My Brilliant Career* (1979) – No, this is not a look back on my days at J&J, and it isn’t an ode to Oprah, whose finale aired today. This Australian film stars Judy Davis as a headstrong, willful young woman in the late 1800s who dreams of being a writer. Sybela doesn’t fit in anywhere, not on the farm where she lives with her poor family or on the country estate of her wealthy grandmother, where she is sent to live. Though handsome Harry (Sam Neill) pursues her, she cannot be tamed, and marrying anyone seems out of the question until she finds herself. She appears to be a more modern woman living in the wrong century. Judy Davis, with the driest lips I have ever seen, does a credible job portraying a rebellious young woman who is determined to find her own way in life. A bit slow to unfold, “Career” hints of the changing role of women and the need to follow your instincts. Or was that actually Oprah on her finale? 3½ cans.
67. Suspect (1987) – I remember liking this movie much more when I saw it in the movie theater, but maybe it was just my first exposure to Liam Leeson and the fact that I like Cher and Dennis Quaid. Cher is a public defender roped into defending the homeless Leeson, a deaf mute, against a murder charge in Washington, DC. Quaid is a slick lobbyist who serves as a juror on the case. The outlandish part of the story is that Quaid begins to act like a detective to assist Cher in her defense. Do I smell a mistrial? Did Neeson do it? Will Cher be disbarred for jury tampering? All of these factors stretch the bounds of credibility, turning what tries to be a suspenseful movie into a concocted tale. Guilty as charged. 3 cans.
68. Objectified* (2009) – I once had a stand for an outdoor umbrella that was so poorly designed I knew it was a matter of time before it broke. Why couldn’t the designers recognize this shortcoming, and why did I buy it without realizing the design flaws? I thought about that object as I watched this documentary about the design of things we use every day – everything from chairs to potato peelers. This movie is a fascinating study of these objects and how their designs go through multiple iterations to improve design and manufacturing. The designers interviewed here point out that good design is often a matter of “less is more” – the unobtrusive design that does not get in the way of the function and purpose of the object. Design can improve the way we perform tasks and, ultimately, can improve life. Try sitting in an uncomfortable chair and you’ll immediately get the concept. Design is not only the “cool” factor of an iPhone, it affects the interaction between you and the object, marrying form to function seamlessly when it works. This movie was made by the team that produced “Helvetica,” an entire movie about a typeface, that I watched last year. This one isn’t for everyone, but I genuinely enjoyed it. 4 cans.
JUNE *=First time movie
69. Fire & Ice* – McEnroe/Borg (2011) – This HBO special documents the intense rivalry of tennis players John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg in the early 1980s. McEnroe was the tempestuous upstart, Borg the stoic Swede, and of their memorable matches, none is remembered more than their epic 1980 battle at Wimbledon. McEnroe won a nearly interminable 4th set tiebreaker 18-16, but Borg won the 5th set and the Wimbledon trophy. I was a big tennis fan at the time, and I recall that match vividly. Each man would go on to win many championships, but Borg abruptly retired at age 25, leaving McEnroe without a comparable rival but with a lifelong friend. These men and their contrasting styles made tennis a compelling sport in the 1980s, and the fire and ice they brought to the game has been lacking since. 4 cans.
70. Get Him to the Greek* (2010) – Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) is a man with a mission impossible. His task, which he must accept as a low-level lackey for a music company, is to escort rock superstar Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) from London to Los Angeles to perform in a concert intended to revive his flagging career. Along the way the mission becomes an exercise in observing and participating in boorish rock star behavior, with drinking, drugs and women waylaying our heroes from their destination. I endured this movie without laughing even once, because even the few clever references were overshadowed by scenes that were supposed to be funny that I thought were insipid, silly or disgusting. The movie was well played, particularly by Brand as the lonely and self-indulgent caricature of a rock idol and Hill as an affable loser who becomes his friend. I’m just glad I didn’t pay to see this one in the movies. 2½ cans.
71. Play Misty For Me* (1971) – Long-haired, 70s clad DJ David Garver (Clint Eastwood) has an ardent fan in Evelyn (Jessica Walters), who calls him nightly to request that he play “Misty” for her. Actually, she is less an ardent fan than a psychotic lunatic stalker. After a few sexual encounters, Evelyn’s take on their relationship is quite different from Dave’s, and she is determined to make him love her by pulling a bunch of bizarre and scary stunts to get his attention. The laid-back DJ can’t figure out how to discourage or get rid of her as he pursues a relationship with former girlfriend Toby (Donna Mills, sporting the quintessential 70s shag haircut). This movie, directed by Eastwood, portrays him as the strong, silent type, the same kind of character he would go on to play in so many movies. It came long before “Fatal Attraction,” with Glenn Close as a psychotic lunatic woman, but has nearly as much suspense – though not carried out as well (no boiling rabbits on the stove). 4 cans.
72. Love in the Afternoon* (1957) – The lovely Audrey Hepburn is French cello student Ariane, daughter of a detective (Maurice Chevalier). Intrigued by her father’s dossier on middle-aged playboy “Mr. Flanagan” (Gary Cooper), she meets up with the businessman in his hotel and begins an unlikely affair. They listen to music provided by Flanagan’s band of music-playing gypsies and exchange no information about each other, including first names. Of course, she’s read his dossier, so she knows exactly what kind of man he is, but all he knows is that she is a girl whose name begins with the letter A, and he calls her “The Thin Girl” (oh, if only anyone would ever call me that!). She convinces him that she’s been around the block as many times as he has, which makes her even more mysterious and interesting. There is nothing Gary Cooper can do to convince me he is anything other than wooden as an actor, but this is a somewhat amusing charmer from legendary director Billy Wilder and it has an “Ahhhh” ending. 3 cans.
73. The Holiday* (2006) – Unlucky in love Brit Iris (Kate Winslet) and California girl Cameron Diaz swap houses for the Christmas season to escape their problems with men and promptly meet new men in this movie by Nancy Meyer. If only life were that simple. Winslet adapts easily to beautiful Hollywood, making friends with screenwriter Eli Wallach and composer Jack Black. Meanwhile, back at Winslet’s remote English cottage, Diaz has only to open the door to find Iris’ brother, played by Jude Law, stopping by unexpectedly. Guess the rest – go ahead, you can do it. The women are charming, if a little befuddled by their love lives, and the men are too good to be true. (So is Diaz’ wardrobe, if we are to believe all those coats and outfits came out of the one bag she lugs into the house. But I digress.) Overlooking the improbability of it all, I still found this movie satisfying in a chick-flick kind of way. Diaz and Law look sensational, Winslet a little bedraggled and for once Jack Black does not overact. 4 cans.
74. Heart Like A Wheel* (1983) – Bonnie Bedelia portrays the real-life Shirley Muldowney, the first professional female drag racer, in this bio-pic. Supported by her mechanic husband, Shirley sets out to break into the male, good-ole-boy dominated sport after a successful local career as an amateur drag racer on the streets of Schenectady. Fellow racer Connie Kaleta (Beau Bridges) takes more than a professional interest in Shirley’s booming career, setting up the off the track drama. Bedelia’s Shirley is a tough-as-nails woman at the beginning of the age of women’s lib who retains a touch of vulnerability. The whole movie felt a little Lifetime-y to me. 3 cans.
75. Dear John* (2010) – Hunky, hulky Channing Tatum plays John, a special forces soldier on leave from the Army in Charleston when he meets beautiful college student Savannah (Amanda Seyfried). Two weeks is enough for them to fall in love and pledge that they will be together after John's tour of duty is up in a year. But when he decides to reenlist, Savannah makes different plans. This is a typical Nicholas Sparks story, with attractive main characters facing life-changing choices and working hard to make the audience cry. Tatum is handsome but needs elocution lessons, while Seyfried is all doe-eyed innocence as the girl he loves. The acting here is grade B at best, with the exception of the always marvelous Richard Jenkins as Tatum's coin-collecting father. This is a sweet movie, but to me, everything comes in second to Sparks' earlier work, "The Notebook." 3 cans.
76. Too Big to Fail* (2011) – This HBO drama serves to remind us of the financial crisis of 2008. With a large cast (William Hurt, Ed Asner, Paul Giamotti, Mathew Modine, Billy Crudup, Topher Grace) mixed in with actual news reporters on TV, the program combines dramatization and documentary in an effective recounting of the financial crisis that saw Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers go down. When the Federal Government, led by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulsen (Hurt) refuses to bail out Lehman, the market begins to crumble and the Feds look desperately to avert a repeat of 1929. This movie is a little tough to follow, with the heads of major banks popping in and out and leaving you to remember who’s who, but it is an interesting story that makes you think about how disaster could be one failure away. In the end, we survived as an economy, but it is disquieting to consider that 10 banks control 77% of assets in the United Sates as a result of the fallout from this crisis. 4 cans, and especially suited for economists.
77. Hotel (1967) – The St. Gregory is the dowager hotel of New Orleans, still elegant but beginning to fade and woefully behind the times in this adaptation of the Arthur Hailey book. Owned by irascible but loyal Melvyn Douglas, the hotel needs investors to keep it from being swallowed up by a chain run by egotistical Kevin McCarthy. There is a large cast of characters in this hotel, led by Rod Taylor as the efficient general manager and brightened by cagey thief Karl Malden (trademark fedora and all). Merle Oberon, shot in soft focus, plays the Duchess in her last movie role. Not a terrible movie, but hardly a grand hotel. Plenty of vacancies here. 3 cans.
78. A Matter of Taste/Serving Up Paul Liebrandt* (2010) – This profile of chef Paul Liebrandt traces the New York career of the young chef, whose level of taste and sophistication exceeds those of the restaurants that employ him. The exacting chef, the youngest to ever garner three stars from The New York Times (at age 24), turns out food that is equal in artistry and taste. When the restaurant where he works is forced by the economy to turn casual, Paul is left making sophisticated burgers. He drifts around the food scene until he teams up with legendary restaurateur Drew Nieporent to create Corton. There we see the long hours, creative vision and dedication required to run a restaurant. As the new establishment gears up and finally opens, Liebrandt and the staff await the review of The New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, whose judgment can make or break the restaurant. I’ll give this documentary 3½ stars, since Liebrandt undoubtedly would find a can of tuna quite offensive.
79. Hot Coffee* (2011) – In reading this review, my sister will roll her eyes and say, “Why would you watch a movie about tort reform?” Well, we all know – or think we know – about the 1994 case where an elderly woman spilled coffee on her lap and sued McDonald’s because the coffee was too hot. Contrary to the lore about the case, it turns out she wasn’t driving at the time and that her legs, shown in the movie, were severely burned. She sued only because McDonald’s refused to cover her medical expenses, and today, as a result, McDonald’s’ coffee is 10 degrees cooler when served. But the case started the push for tort reform and capping damages, all led by a clever PR campaign and not by a grassroots push to keep malpractice costs down and doctors in their practices. This HBO documentary presents several heart-rending cases where caps on damages were insufficient to care for people seriously injured by negligence. The piece chides President Bush and his eventual advisor, Karl Rove, for their efforts to protect the interests of corporations over the individual. 3½ cans.
80. Going the Distance* (2010) – Erin and Garrett (Drew Barrymore and Justin Long) meet at the Centipede arcade machine and begin a relationship for the remainder of her 6 weeks in New York, before she has to return to Stanford to finish her master’s degree. An aspiring writer, Erin lives with her married sister (a delightful Christina Applegate) while she seeks a newspaper job, waits tables and tries to maintain a long distance relationship with New York based music flunky Garrett. Will she find a job? Will one of them make the cross-country trip for a visit or a possible permanent move? Could Garrett’s best buddies be any grosser or Erin’s sister any more uptight? These burning questions are examined during the course of this film, starring once upon a time real-life couple Barrymore and Long, whose on-screen chemistry is real even if Drew seems a little long in the tooth for Justin. They’re cute, the movie’s cute, and the supporting players are very strong. There were a few good laughs, but don’t invite me to dinner at her sister’s house. 3½ cans.
JULY *=First time movie
81. Page One: Inside The New York Times* (2011) – Though I was not sure why I felt drawn to this movie, my sister offered the answer: I was editor of my high school newspaper for two years, which I had forgotten. Of course, any comparison between Somerville High's Valkyrie News and the august newspaper of record, The New York Times, can be made only in noting they are both printed with ink on paper, but that seems to be the issue these days with the Times. This engrossing documentary casts a wide net around the news business, delineating the failures of such recognized names as the Tribune company (The Chicago Tribune and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer), and discussing the credibility and responsibility of traditional media vs. the new activist journalism, as offered by WikiLeakes. The film poses the question of the role of newspapers, with a legacy of journalistic integrity and perceived duty to the democracy, versus the media frenzy that emanates from Twitter, the Huffington Post and other on-line options. Notes one of the journalists: "The media is not the message, the message is the media." The death knell and demise of print journalism in general and of The Times specifically has been reported for years, and this film tackles whether it is imminent and necessary. I vote no. 4 cans.
82. Slap Shot (1977) – Paul Newman, sports and a comedy. These are three things I love individually, and here, collectively, they make for a raucous two-hour movie about the trials and tribulations of a minor league hockey team about to fold. Newman is Reg Dunlap, the player- coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, a horrible hockey team in a crappy league full of has-beens and never-weres. When the bespectacled Hanson brothers – all three of them – arrive on the scene (complete with their toys) and are let loose on the ice, mayhem ensues and the team succeeds. Ah, but enough to make them an attractive franchise for another town to purchase? Newman is terrific, skating enough to seem credible as a hockey player. Michael Ontkean is the brainy player who won’t fight, and Strother Martin, Newman’s nemesis in the great “Cool Hand Luke,” is the general manager of the hockey club. 4 cans for a lot of laughs and the great Maxine Nightingale song, “Get Right Back to Where You Started From.”
83. Valentine’s Day* (2010) – Any Hollywood star or pseudo-star who was not in this picture must have been out of the country when this pastiche of Valentine’s Day stories was produced, because the cast here – all in relatively small parts – includes Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Shirley MacLaine, Hector Elizondo, Bradley Cooper, Topher Grace, Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane (lots of TV folks here), George Lopez, Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner. The whole thing reminded me of an episode of “The Love Boat,” with so many characters and just a dollop of script. The obvious premise is Valentine’s Day, with people falling into and out of love, relationships that are starting and ending, loosely held together by Kutcher’s florist business. The movie tries mightily to be endearing but reaches only the bottom of the cuteness scale. 3 cans.
84. The Lake House* (2006) – If you think a long distance relationship is tough (see #80, “Going the Distance”), try one in which the couple lives in the same house but in two different years. I didn’t want to like this movie because I have long-standing issues with anything that requires me to suspend my sense of reality, but I couldn’t help rooting for Kate the doctor (Sandra Bullock) and Alex the architect (Keanu Reeves) to bridge the gap in time and meet in this romantic fantasy. Alex moves into the lake house built by his father after Kate moves out, and they strike up a correspondence by leaving letters in the mail box, even though he lives in 2004 and she is from 2006. Will they get together? Will they fall in love? Will Cher show up and start singing “If I Could Turn Back Time?” (She doesn’t, thankfully.) This movie captured my imagination with its appealing leads and extenuating circumstances, and it made me want to go jump into that lake. 4 cans.
85. Mother (1996) – Sci-fi author John Henderson (writer-director Albert Brooks) has just been divorced by wife number two and has writer’s block. Wondering why he is failing with women and hoping to unblock, he decides to move in with his mother (Debbie Reynolds) to figure out how their relationship affects his life. Mother Henderson is sweet and loving, though her care and concern seems more critical than supportive to John, and the two go together like Oscar and Felix with slightly lower-key histrionics. Reynolds is brilliant as the slightly befuddled mother whose routine is interrupted by annoying son John. There are great bits with her trying to cope with technology, but my favorite part is when she offers her skeptical son the vintage sherbet with what she calls the “protective ice layer” residing in her freezer. I always insisted to my mother that her ice cream was stale, only to hear her counter that ice cream cannot go stale. Anyone who has ever had a mother will probably recognize qualities in this mother that remind them of their own. 4 cans.
86. Up Close & Personal (1996) – Tally Atwater (Michelle Pfeiffer) is all cheekbones and ambition as she enters the Miami TV newsroom commandeered by veteran newsman Warren Justice (Robert Redford). But she’s willing to work hard to overcome her lack of experience and soon Warren takes her under his wing to teach her the news biz. She such a good student that she not only advances, she gets the guy, too. Very loosely related to real-life newswoman Jessica Savitch, this movie shows the evolution of Tally from ditsy on-camera rookie into a seasoned reporter. And the shot of Redford at the bottom of the escalator is sigh-inducing. The movie’s two immensely attractive stars carry off the love story better than the somewhat cheesy news part. They are enough for me to award 3½ cans.
87. High Plains Drifter* (1973) – This movie is what I think of when I think of Clint Eastwood. Here he is a mysterious, steely stranger who arrives in a corrupt town and is prevailed upon to protect the citizens from the bad guys who are headed their way, bound for revenge. He organizes the townsfolk with a minimum of words and a maximum of fear, getting them ready to shoot from the rooftops of the town he has them literally paint red. When it is all over, he leaves town as mysteriously as he came. OK, I’ll admit it: I don’t know what the hell this was about. Revenge, clearly, but a metaphor for something deeper? Was he related to the marshal the town leaders killed and dumped in an unmarked grave? We can only guess because the stranger’s name is never revealed. If you like westerns, this might appeal, but it was clearly not my kind of movie. 2 cans.
88. Beginners* (2011) – Oliver (Ewan MacGregor) is the grown son of Hal (Christopher Plummer), a lifelong gay man who was married to Oliver’s mother for 40 years until her death, when he came flying out of the closet. When we meet Oliver, he is numbly moving his late father’s possessions and dog, Arthur, to his nondescript house. The son of a joyless marriage, Oliver draws cartoons of sad people when he is at work as an illustrator. When he meets Anna at a party, things begin to look up – briefly – but since his exposure to real relationships with people is skewed, he only recognizes happiness in his father’s last years, before he became sick and while he enjoyed friends, fireworks and parties. I sacrificed a near-perfect day to sit inside and endure this dreary movie with my pool pal, Dee, who described this film as follows: “Other than liking the actors, who all did a fine job with what script they had, ‘Beginners’ sucked the joy out of the theatre, the shopping center, the county, and central New Jersey like a huge black hole in outer space. 5 cans for the dog.” I agree. The dog was great and gets 5 cans of Alpo. The rest of the film? For me, “Beginners” couldn’t end soon enough. 2 cans.
89. Courage Under Fire (1996) – Courage has many meanings in this war drama. Lieutenant Colonel Nat Serling (Denzel Washington) is charged with reviewing the case of the Captain Karen Ward (Meg Ryan), who is under consideration for the Medal of Honor for her bravery in battle. But the conflicting stories provided by the men in her command confuse and frustrate Serling, who is under fire to wrap up the investigation and see the first woman receive this honor. Meanwhile, Serling is suffering from his own conflicts, emanating from his role in the friendly fire death of his good friend, a fact that the Army has covered up. Washington is determined and stoic as he clashes with the soldiers below and above him in rank. Meg Ryan handles her unlikely role as the Army officer well, and Matt Damon, in his breakthrough movie role, delivers a memorable performance as one of the soldiers who knows what really happened in that battle. I found the movie a little hard to follow, with the dialog often overpowered by the loud gunfire. But after multiple flashbacks showing various versions of the incident, you get the idea and appreciate the danger and demands placed on the soldiers. 3½ cans.
90. Who Is Jackson Pollack?* (2006) – That’s trucker Teri Horton’s question when someone with knowledge of art tells her that the painting she bought for $5 in a thrift store may just be the creation of one of the most important artists of the century. But is it actually a Pollack painting? If it is, it could be worth as much as $50 million. Teri, who lives in a trailer behind a VFW, may not have a background in art, but she does have dogged determination, and she enlists the aid of experts in her quest to authenticate the painting. The art establishment scoffs at the notion that a piece as important as a Pollack painting could have ended up in a thrift store in the first place. This documentary covers the search for the truth, interviews the experts and the skeptics, and follows the CSI-like work of one man who feels Teri has the real thing and tries to prove it with DNA and fingerprints. The question remains as the film ends, with Teri turning down an offer of $9 million for the potential masterpiece the 75+ year old thinks is worth much more. 4 cans of paint for this engrossing and entertaining film.
91. Lost in America (1985) – When ad man David (Albert Brooks) fails to get the promotion to which he feels entitled, he convinces his wife Linda (Julie Hagerty) to quit her job, liquidate their assets and buy a Winnebago so they can travel the country and find themselves. First stop? Las Vegas, where Linda manages to gamble away their “nest egg” while David sleeps. Can two yuppies become two hippies and live off the land? This is a clever comedy, filled with hilarious Brooks rants (he wrote the script, much of which sounds and seems improvised). The understated Hagerty ‘s performance balances Brooks’ over the top madness. The best scene in the movie is when ever-the-adman Brooks tries to sell casino boss Garry Marshall on the idea of returning their money as a sure-fire way to attract more gamblers, despite Marshall’s contention that then everyone will want their money back. This movie is a winner. 4 cans.
92. The Curious Case of Curt Flood* (2011) – This HBO documentary traces the story of baseball star Curt Flood, an accomplished athlete who challenged baseball’s reserve clause in the 1970s. By order of the Supreme Court, major league baseball was not subject to antitrust regulations, and the reserve clause bound players to the teams that signed them. Flood, traded against his will, took on the baseball establishment, backed by the players union but taking on the challenge alone. He failed to win the case, but his inroads against baseball eventually led to changes in the collective bargaining agreement that ultimately provided for salary arbitration and free agency (with ballplayers routinely signing for millions). Flood, for his part, lost his career as an athlete and retreated into alcoholism and depression, leaving the country and abandoning his family. Before his death at age 59, the man who was the voice of the ballplayers ironically lost his own voice to cancer. But by then, he had gained the respect of Civil Rights leaders and his fellow athletes for his courage in taking on a system he likened to slavery. 4 cans.
93. In & Out (1997) – Kevin Kline is at his most charming as Howard Bracket, engaged to marry fellow teacher Emily (hilarious Joan Cusack) when former student Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon) tells the world in his Oscar acceptance speech that Howard is gay. The small town of Greenleaf is shaken, the principal is ready to fire Howard, and Howard refutes it all, trying to convince his finance and himself that he is not gay after all. Covering the story is a TV reporter (Tom Sellick), who thinks otherwise. This is a comedic romp for Kline, whose body language alone could win an Oscar. Cusack, the woman who is scheduled to marry Kline that week, is confused and crazed. Debbie Reynolds, Wilford Brimley and Bob Newhart join in the fun in perfect supporting roles. There are so many juicy comic bits, and Kline shines throughout. 4½ cans.
94. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead* (2007) – Cash-strapped brothers Andy and Hank plan what appears to be a simple robbery of a jewelry store, but the heist goes awry in this crime drama. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the story goes back and forth between past and present, and secret lives are unveiled as the brothers grow more desperate to dig themselves out of the hole. The strong cast includes Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke as the brothers, Marisa Tomei as the woman they share and Albert Finney as the father. Suspenseful and increasingly forlorn tale. 3½ cans.
95. There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane* (2011) – And we’ll never know exactly what it was. This HBO documentary examines the case of Diane Schuler, suburban New York mother and aunt, who drove for one and a half miles the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in July 2009, eventually crashing into another car and killing its three occupants, herself, her daughter and three nieces. Only her young son survived. The filmmakers review the facts of the case, tracing Diane’s route from an upstate NY campground to her eventual tragic end. Along the way we hear the 911 calls where other drivers reported her car traveling in the wrong direction. We see footage of her stop at a gas station convenience store and a McDonald’s. Although her autopsy revealed excessive amounts of alcohol and marijuana in her system, her family staunchly defends her as a very responsible woman whose first priority was her family. They insist she must have had a medical episode that precipitated her bizarre behavior along the ride home, when one of her nieces phoned her father to say that, “There’s something wrong with Aunt Diane.” A second set of tests on her samples confirmed the initial report and that the samples were hers, but what happened remains a tragic mystery to her husband and family and those who lost loved ones. 4 cans.
96. No Contract, No Cookies * (2010) – These HBO documentaries are compelling, and this one hits home with the story of 138 workers at the Stella D’Oro bakery in the Bronx. A veritable United Nations of workers, the employees went out on strike for 11 months after an investment company bought the cookie maker and slashed wages and benefits. Their solidarity eventually resulted in a ruling in their favor, but it was a Pyrrhic victory when the company simply turned around and closed the plant, moving baking operations to a non-union factory in Ohio. The reality of seeing these people, many of whom at worked for Stella D’Oro for 25+ years as bakers, forklift operators, janitors and the like, threatened with losing their homes brought today’s economic hard times to life. In the end, they were no winners. And I’ll probably never eat a Stella D’Oro cookie again. 4 cookies.
AUGUST *=First time movie
97. America’s Heart and Soul* (2004) – From the mountains to the prairies, to the oceans, this panoramic view of America represents the ultimate reality show. We see a real cowboy, an aeronautical acrobat, a man who fights oil rig fires, a farmer, people literally dancing on mountains, and so many more people committed to their calling, whatever that might be. The sweeping vistas of this documentary show America the beautiful, with breathtaking views from sea to shining sea. I wish I’d seen this movie in a theater to really enjoy the richness of color and tone that is magnificent throughout the film. 4 cans.
98. Inform and Delight: The Work of Milton Glaser* (2008) – You may not know the name Milton Glaser, but chances are you know his work. The graphic designer behind the ubiquitous “I ♥ NY” campaign is an artist, an illustrator and an intellectual whose work represents the visual depiction of ideas. A founder of New York magazine, Glaser also helped turn New York on to small, local restaurants with his creation of “The Underground Gourmet.” He designed an iconic poster of Bob Dylan that instantly calls the 1960s to mind. He has also designed restaurants – from concept and space to menu graphics – food products at Grand Union, logos for schools and art museums, posters, books and campaigns for social causes. The documentary, which I watched on the Sundance Channel, is an excellent reminder of the impact good design has on everyday living, making ordinary objects identifiable and easier to understand. Glaser is a gem, and so is this movie. 4 cans.
99. Tadpole* (2002) – Prep school student Oscar Grubman (Aaron Stanford) has a problem. Home for Thanksgiving, he will have to spend time with his annoying father (John Ritter) and the woman on whom he has a mad, crazy crush that he is sure is love – his stepmother, Eve (Signorney Weaver). Just to complicate matters further, the 15-year old gets seduced by Eve’s 40ish best friend, Diane (Bebe Neuwirth). Oscar is a smart kid who speaks French, reads and quotes from Voltaire but, understandably at 15, knows nothing about love. This film pays considerable homage to films ranging from “The Graduate” (and even includes a Simon & Garfunkel song) to “Ordinary People” to “The Summer of 42.” In many ways, awkwardness prevails here, mitigated only by the earnestness and charm of young Oscar and his sweet portrayal by Stanford in the role. 3½ cans.
100. Crazy Stupid Love* (2011) – Love has moved from being a many-splendored thing to just being crazy and stupid in this entertaining comedy. Schlubby Cal Weaver (Steve Carrell) is shocked and angry when his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) suddenly tells him she wants a divorce after 25 years of wedded boredom. He drags his mopey self a bar, where his lack of appropriate attire and total lack of game fail to attract women but pique the interest of slick local lothario Jacob (Ryan Gosling), who decides he can remake Cal. It turns out something like “Extreme Makeover, Man Edition,” as Jacob convinces Cal he is “better than The GAP.” The problem is that Cal isn’t really destined to be a player, and he is still in love with Emily, who seems to want him back. Meanwhile, his 13-year-old son is in love with the 17-year old babysitter, who, in turn, is in love with Cal. There are some unforeseen twists and turns here that work out well. Do we each have one true soul mate? And can we pledge never to give up when fighting for that one true love? Stay tuned. This movie is a fun ride, if a little long and meandering in parts, and features great work by an outstanding cast. Ryan Gosling is downright yummy. 4½ cans. And this movie marks my 3rd consecutive year of seeing at least 100 films.
101. The Yellow Rolls Royce (1964) – Rex Harrison and Shirley MacLaine fare best in this trilogy of tales connected by – you guessed it – a yellow Rolls Royce. Harrison plays a wealthy British diplomat who buys the Rolls as a belated anniversary gift for his disinterested wife (Jeanne Moreau). MacLaine is the floozy girlfriend of an American mobster (George C. Scott) who is “touring” Italy between mob hits. The third tale, with Ingrid Bergman and Omar Sharif, is the least believable. Nonetheless, this movie has great views of Europe, lush cinematography and a good deal of charm. And the backseat of that Rolls gets plenty of action. 3½ cans.
102. The Help* (2011) – This very satisfying movie adaptation of the Kathryn Stockett novel depicts life in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, when the rich white ladies had nothing more to do than go to Junior League meetings, plan charity benefits and play bridge. Meanwhile, their black maids did the cooking, shopping and cleaning and raised and loved their white babies. Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone), an aspiring writer, doesn’t fit in with her society friends, and she decides to tell the story of Southern society from the viewpoint of the “help.” This is a rich picture of the pre-Civil Rights South, when paying maids less than minimum wage was considered perfectly acceptable, as was passing them down from mother to daughter and firing them at any time for a real or perceived transgression. Skeeter forms friendships of a sort with several of the help (Viola Davis in what will be at least an Oscar-nominated performance as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as sassy Minny) as she convinces them to tell their stories – and there are plenty of juicy stories to tell. This is a faithful adaptation of the book but reading it is not a prerequisite to thoroughly enjoying the movie. The focus on human dignity, friendship, trust and a taste of revenge makes it all worthwhile. There are broad brushes of stereotypes in the characters, but that fault doesn’t diminish the impact of the movie. This movie is important, it is special and it is not to be missed. Best movie I have seen so far this year. 5 cans.
103. Sunrise at Campobello (1960) – Ralph Bellamy does a credible job playing Franklin Delano Roosevelt from the time he contracted infantile paralysis (polio) in 1921 until his return to a national stage at the 1924 Democratic National Convention. The paralyzed politician is determined – with the encouragement of his chief advisor, Louie Howe (Hume Cronyn) – to return to the spotlight in hopes of seeking the presidency one day. FDR, as we now know, was rarely photographed in a wheelchair, and, with the help of heavy metal braces and physical support by his son, appeared to walk. In this movie, he is wheelchair bound, honing his upper body strength and remaining determinedly chipper. Greer Garson is much too pretty to accurately depict wife Eleanor, even with false teeth. Eleanor must learn to cope with her husband’s condition and must take on speaking engagements in lieu of her husband to keep his name in the public. The movie is well-done, but it leaves out so much of what we now know about FDR, his wife and his condition. However, grading it on a scale of “it is what it is,” I’ll give it 3½ cans. Besides, when do I ever get to see “Spin & Marty’s” Tim Considine (who plays son James Roosevelt) in anything other than a Disney movie?
104. Flipped* (2010) – If you liked the movie “Stand By Me,” or if you are a fan of the TV series “The Wonder Years,” chances are you’ll flip for director Rob Reiner’s sweet romantic movie. Bryce Losky (Callan McAuliff) and his family move to the suburban neighborhood where friendly Juli Baker (Madelyn Carroll) lives. One look at Bryce’s eyes and little Juli falls hard for the second-grader, and for the next six years, as she pursues and annoys him, he avoids and ignores her. But at the end of junior high, the tables turn, and suddenly it is Bryce whose crush becomes unrequited love. This is a gentle stroll down memory lane, when life was uncomplicated – unless you were a kid in love. Reiner shows his knack for getting the best out of child actors, and, in the end, it’s hard not to have a crush on the whole movie. 4 cans.
105. One on One (1977) – As a big basketball fan, I have a certain fondness for this story about a freshman basketball player recruited from a hick town to play for fictional Western University, a powerhouse basketball team. Robby Benson plays Henry Steele, a kid whose ball-handling skills and ability to score are highly prized as a recruit, but whose innocence and desire to please hinder his role on a team run by an authoritarian coach (G.D. Spradlin, who is as much of an SOB here as he was in Godfather II). Henry comes in as a star, but his style doesn’t fit the coach’s system, and he works his way down the coach’s bench. But his love for the game and willingness to take whatever is dished out – along with a budding relationship with his tutor (Annette O’Toole) – help his resolve to remain in school when the coach demands he give up his scholarship. This movie shows the unsavory aspects of college athletics (no-show jobs, cash from boosters) but is grounded by a winning performance from Benson – who actually can play. 3½ cans.
106. The Kids Are Alright (2010) – Since I reviewed this movie last year and gave it 4 ½ cans, I won’t repeat the review except to say that I still enjoyed it. One thing I noticed, at the end, was that when the parents of the daughter drove her to college, it only required one trip from the car by each of them and their son to unload the car. I didn’t know how unrealistic that was at the time, but, having seen my nephew Brandon’s carload of crap headed to the University of Maryland, I can say that this scene was pure fantasy.
107. The Clearing* (2004) – You mean there is actually a Robert Redford movie that I knew nothing about? Yes, this suspenseful drama stars Redford as Wayne, a wealthy businessman living a comfortable life with his lovely wife Eileen (Helen Mirren), until one day when he is abducted by a disgruntled former employee he barely knows (Willem Dafoe, excellent as a semi-deranged loser). When Wayne doesn’t show up for dinner, Eileen knows something is amiss. As she and the authorities wait for contact by the kidnapper(s), she learns more about her husband than she ever wanted to know. Meanwhile, Wayne has only his wits to help him escape as the kidnapper leads him through the woods to a clearing. This is a taut drama that incorporates the mundane parts of police work needed to identify potential bad guys while the family impatiently waits. Good performances and Redford and Mirren alone make the movie worth seeing. 3½ cans.
108. The Last Dance* (2000) – This is one of those cheesy Hallmark dramas that you don’t want to like, isn’t high art but you watch all the way through anyway. The ever-lovely Maureen O’Hara plays Helen Parker, an aging former Latin teacher, widowed at an early age and long retired. When she develops heart trouble, she lands in the hospital and is tended to by nurse Todd (Eric Stolz), a former student. Turns out Mrs. P still has a few lessons to teach Todd and his family about life and love and building memories. I hate that this stuff always gives me a lump in my throat, but Ita Sit (“so be it” in Latin). 3 cans.
109. The Sweet Smell of Success* (1957) – The Sweet Smell of Success didn’t quite stink, but it didn’t quite succeed for me, either. A quintessential 50s movie, this black and white film features Tony Curtis as Sidney Falco, a New York press agent, desperately currying favor with all-powerful columnist J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster). The mention of a client’s name in J.J.’s column can make or break the press agent, who bows to every whim of the smug writer. The plot seemed less important as a story than as a device to showcase the ruthlessness of the main characters, with the tale neatly set in the after-hours nightclubs and joints of New York City. I am not a Burt Lancaster fan, but Tony Curtis brings a handsome face and a skittish sense of desperation to his role. 3 cans.
110. Divorce, American Style* (19) – Marriage may be complicated, but it’s nothing compared to divorce in this black comedy starring Dick Van Dyke and Debbie Reynolds as a bickering couple who uncouple. Van Dyke goes from a successful businessman in a nice house to living on less that $100 a week. Their separation and divorce is filled with rancor and not enough regret. Jason Robards plays a divorced man who befriends Van Dyke, recruiting him to date his own ex-wife and relieve his alimony burden. The only scene I thought was genuinely funny was when divorced dad Tom Bosley explains to Debbie Reynolds the plethora of kids belonging to him, his ex-wife, her first husband, her next husband, his second ex-wife, etc. Even the kids can’t keep track of all their siblings. I didn’t want to keep track of the characters in this movie, since only Van Johnson, playing a local used car salesman, seemed like a good guy. 2½ cans.
September *=First time movie
111. Brooklyn Dodgers – The Ghosts of Flatbush* (2010) – Rarely has a sports franchise been as beloved as the Brooklyn Dodgers. This HBO documentary traces the period from the integration of baseball with Jackie Robinson joining the Dodgers in 1947 through the club’s futile losses to the arch rival New York Yankees in the World Series of the early 50s to the greatest loss of all – the team’s 1957 departure of Brooklyn for sunny Southern California. Owner Walter O’Malley was determined to replace aging Ebbetts Field but all-powerful NY boss of all things built Robert Moses repeatedly denied his request for a prime parcel of land. O’Malley pulled the team out of Brooklyn and crushed the faithful fans forever. 3½ cans.
112. Dead Poets Society (1989) – Robin Williams is inspiring poetry teacher John Keating at a private and conservative boys prep school in 1959, but he is anything but conservative. His passion for poetry and learning bring an unconventional approach to the classroom, and the boys love him for it. The young men in his charge are impressed and influenced by him as they begin to think about learning in new ways. They resurrect Keating’s “Dead Poet’s Society” from his days as a student at that school, and they convene secretly to write and recite poetry that reflects their souls. The normally manic Williams gives a restrained performance as the enthusiastic educator in this moving and rich film. It was fun to see the very young faces of Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles and Robert Sean Leonard as the students. 4 cans.
113. Sarah’s Key* (2011) – Kristin Scott Thomas stars as American journalist Julia Jarmond, married to a Frenchman and living in Paris. Assigned to write a piece about the 1942 round-up by French authorities of thousands of Jews who were detained and then shipped to Auschwitz, Julia learns through her research that her husband’s family’s apartment belonged to one such family. When the police appeared, 10-year old Sarah hid her 4-year old brother in a cupboard and kept the key, assuring him that she would return. Her harrowing story is told in flashbacks juxtaposed with Julia’s research. This is a powerful film about a period not well known, and, while the story is fiction, the events of the time are accurate. Secrets long kept are revealed and the fate of Sarah and her family is discovered in a way that profoundly affects Julia and the audience. My friend Dee said she had never been in a theater where the audience was so silent. An intense and excellent film, but not one to take lightly. 4 cans.
114. Running Scared (1986) – Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal are Chicago cops tracking down drug lord Gonzalez (Jimmy Smits) in this gritty and clever movie. The story is almost secondary to the byplay between the buddies. Crystal didn’t have this much chemistry with Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally.” There’s plenty of great action, including a car chase on the L-line. I’m not typically a fan of action movies, but this one tempers the action with good-natured and snappy repartee between the very appealing leads. 4½ cans.
115. The Madness of King George* (1994) – No wonder poor King George is mad. It is 1788, the Brits have lost control of “the Colonies,” Parliament is trying to reduce his powers and his feckless son won’t even wave to the crowds – his primary job, as the King sees it. And that says nothing about the formal attire and bad wigs he is forced to wear. The King of England descends into true madness, his mania forcing his minions to chase him around the palace and grounds half-dressed while the politicos – including his insufferable son George, the Prince of Wales – plot to usurp his power. Nigel Hawthorne was nominated for an Oscar for his over-the-top portrayal of the crazy king. Helen Mirren stars as the Queen (naturally), and Rupert Everett is his sycophant son in this mad movie. The sets, costumes and locations are gorgeous and the cast outstanding in this historical drama that tells an unusual story with intelligence and a surprising dose of humor. 4 cans.
116. Frances (1982) – Speaking of madness, here is the story of actress Frances Farmer, whose star shone brightly in Hollywood and on Broadway in the 1930s until her strong will derailed a promising career. When independent thinker Frances decides she does not want to be part of the Hollywood industry, her mother pushes her first to continue, and then to a mental institution, because who would be crazy enough to give up stardom? Poor Frances – who seems more angry than insane – is committed to one horrifying place after another, all to “get well,” but which just make her worse. Jessica Lange portrays Farmer with strength and vulnerability and does justice to the love-hate relationship with her overbearing mother (Kim Stanley). Sam Shepard plays the man who loves her and tries to help, but Frances has to learn to live with herself before she can commit to anyone. Parts of this movie are harrowing, but it is worth seeing for Lange’s performance alone. I was disappointed to learn when I first saw it 30 years ago that it was not about Fanny Farmer candy, but I’ll give it 4 cans anyway.
117. Casino* (1995) – Director Martin Scorcese again teams up with Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci in this look at the mob and the casinos of Las Vegas. Gambler Sam “Ace” Rothstein (DeNiro) runs the Tangiers, where the given practice is to skim cash from the operations and pay off the mob bosses. Nicky (Pesci) is the tough guy enforcer, always looking for an edge, afraid of nothing and no one. Sharon Stone plays the charismatic but drug-addicted wife of DeNiro and gives a great performance, especially when she is completely flipping out at her husband. Ace’s anger is mostly below the surface, visible enough to scare most people, while Nicky isn’t quite so subtle. Scorcese paints a vivid picture of these goodfellas, just as he did in previous movies, and the snappy dialog, especially between DeNiro and Pesci, feels almost like improvisation (see “Raging Bull” for a previous example of their work together). If you can tolerate the violence and bloodshed and you don’t mind the language and subject matter (OK, lots of caveats here), you’ll find this movie riveting. 5 cans.
118. The Winning Season* (2009) – Even as desperate as I am to see women’s basketball again, I can’t recommend this clichéd trifle of a movie. Sam Rockwell stars as a loser who takes over as coach of a girls’ high school basketball team, leaving behind his not-so-thriving career as a dishwasher/busboy. Rumor has it that he quit his last coaching gig as a boys coach mid-season, leaving the team in the lurch. Here he takes over a moribund program with all of 6 players, one of whom is on crutches. Predictably, the ragtag team loses its games but gains respect for each other and the coach despite the fact that he drinks, smokes, swears, and is usually politically incorrect. They love him, he loves them, they begin to win, he cleans up his act – until he doesn’t. I so wanted to love this movie, but if it had been a three-point attempt, it would have been an airball. 2 cans.
119. Young Victoria* (2010) – My second English historical movie in a week proved just as good as the first one (see 115 above). Victoria may be young, but anyone who assumes her youth and inexperience make her unqualified to be the Queen of England doesn’t know this resolute young woman well. In the 1800s, Victoria becomes the King’s choice to succeed him as monarch since he has no direct descendants and she is the only child among the King and his brothers. Her mother and her advisor want her to sign away her right of succession so that the monarchy will be ruled by a regent – her mother, the Duchess of Kent. Not so fast, Mom. Victoria reaches adulthood just in time for the King to die and she takes over as Queen, a position she held longer than anyone in history. Her family wants her to marry her cousin George, but headstrong Victoria has her eye on Prince Albert of Germany, who wins her over and becomes her husband. This lavish production, with beautiful sets and costumes, starring Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria and Rupert Freund as Albert, makes you feel like you are part of the palace. I wish I had the money spent on the candelabras alone. 4 cans.
120. Sweet Dreams (1985) – In my second Jessica Lange movie of the week, the actress portrays country singer Patsy Cline. With her deep voice ideally suited for the heartbreak songs of country, Cline had a brief but bright career in the 1960’s. The movie traces her rise from dirt poor woman through the courtship of her hard-drinking husband Charlie (Ed Harris) to her success in Nashville. The drama emanates from the sometimes toxic relationship between Cline and Charlie. The story can best be summed up in the lyrics of Patsy’s hit, “Crazy” – “I’m crazy for loving you.” Indeed. 3½ cans for the performances of Lange and Harris.
121. Conviction* (2010) –Betty Ann Waters (Hillary Swank) and her brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell) grow up as rough and tumble, poor kids. As an adult, Kenny is always in trouble and well-known by the local cops in Ayer, Massachusetts. When a woman is brutally murdered nearby, they immediately focus on Kenny. There’s plenty of blood at the scene of the crime, and the blood type matches Kenny’s, there are a few witnesses who claim he confessed to the crime, and he is convicted and sentenced to life. Convinced of her brother’s innocence, Betty Ann decides to get her college degree and go to law school so she can become an attorney and represent him. Her dogged determination and refusal to take no for an answer from anyone lead her through the case. Swank plays the lead with relish, giving a no-nonsense performance. Rockwell is much better in this movie than he was in the one I saw two days earlier (see 118 above). Their performances and the fact that the story is true bring gravitas to the film, which otherwise might have been only marginally better than a Lifetime movie. I thought MY sister was the best sister in the world, but she can’t hold a candle to Betty Ann Waters. Sorry, Nan. 4 cans.
122. A Room With a View (1985) – A decidedly Victorian point of view pervades this English movie by the esteemed Merchant-Ivory team. Helena Bonham-Carter is Lucy Honeychurch, a young (19) woman uncomfortable with expected behavior and looking for more. Accompanied by her chaperone, played by the magnificent Maggie Smith, she travels to Florence and meets George Emerson, a young British man (Julian Sands), with whom she is smitten enough to share an illicit kiss. Oh, goodness! Returning home, she agrees to marry the extremely proper Cecil Vyse (Daniel Day Lewis), but she still has her doubts. This genteel love story is the anti-action movie, with only a spirited game of tennis and a romp in the river punctuating the proper British atmosphere. It moves slowly, but with plenty of charm. 4 cans.
123. Hearts & Crafts* (2011) – This French documentary takes a look at the artisans who create high quality leather goods, glass and jewelry. Each painstaking step of their respective processes is carefully executed to ensure the beauty and quality of their pieces. They take justifiable pride in each stitch, each stroke, each step they take to turn out a finished product, knowing that no two hand-crafted items will be exactly the same. These are people who revel in jobs some of us might consider mundane and most of us could never do. 3 cans.
124. The Remains of the Day (1993) – This must be my month for British movies, and few are better than this one. Anthony Hopkins plays Stephens, the butler and head of Darlington House, a British estate. Emma Thompson plays Miss Ventin, the housekeeper, a woman accustomed to being in service but with a mind of her own. Stephens is reserved yet demanding, following the traditions of service ingrained in him by his butler father. Nothing will deter him from completing the tasks at hand to the highest level. That means not being distracted by the obvious interest of Miss Ventin or the failing health of his father. It also means staying out of the controversial views of his employer, a German sympathizer who tries to rally support for the Germans prior to World War II. There are many moving moments here, with the added poignancy of seeing a healthy and handsome Christopher Reeve as an American politician. In the end, this is a love story, albeit an unrequited one. 4½ cans.
125. The Heart of the Game (2005) – I have to see this movie at least once a year. It is a documentary, shot over a seven-year period, that traces the girls’ basketball team at Roosevelt High School in Seattle. Led by an unconventional coach, university tax professor Bill Ressler, the girls on the team learn to understand teamwork, trust and success. Oh, and they play some pretty competitive basketball, too. The star of the show is Darniella Russell, who joins the team in season two of the movie and brings a combination of immense, natural talent and headstrong ways that challenge Coach Ressler. This is the female version of “Hoop Dreams,” and it is every bit as good as that classic documentary. It almost makes up for the dismal “Winning Season” I saw earlier this month. If you ever want to be inspired or root for the underdog, have I got a movie for you. 5 cans.
126. Moneyball* (2011) – Brad Pitt and a real story about baseball? How could this movie go wrong? Let me count the ways. Baseball tradition is shaken to its foundation by Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a GM with a limited budget whose best players bolt for more money as soon as their contracts are up. Armed with a young Yale economics major (Jonah Hill) as his sidekick, Billy begins measuring the talent and potential of his players in a completely different way, eschewing the advice of his grizzled scouts and their talk of the “five-tool” player. Himself the victim of unfulfilled expectations and a major league bust, Billy comes to realize that his scouts may be valuing the wrong things as they assess potential and sign young players. Running a small market team, Billy doesn’t have the budget to compete in the marketplace but he can scour the statistics to find suitable and less expensive replacements for his disappearing stars. He is like a stock picker, always looking for the next big thing that today is undervalued. This movie assumes you know and care enough about baseball to understand the language and the practices that have endured for decades that Billy ignores. I found it slow and plodding, and Billy himself an enigmatic character who cannot stand to watch his own team play. Pitt is fine as the lead, but I wonder if this movie would even have been made if he hadn’t signed on for a part that any competent actor could play. If he gets an Oscar nod for this role, I’ll spit chewing tobacco. As a movie, “Moneyball” barely makes it above the Mendoza line. Look it up. 3 cans.
127. Catching Hell* (2011) – Two baseball movies in a row for me! The latest entry in the excellent ESPN documentary series, this film examines the fateful night in 2003 when a fan in the stands at Wrigley Field altered the course of Cubs history. The long-suffering Cubs fans, never having won the World Series, were ready to celebrate victory in the National League Divisional Series against the Marlins when diehard Cubs fan Steve Bartman reached out to snare a foul ball and deflected it away from a probable catch by Cubs outfielder Moises Alou. The fact that the Cubs shortstop made a costly error following the play, and that the pitching staff gave up 8 runs and lost the 6th game seemed to be of no consequence to the angry mob of Cubs fans. Bartman had to be escorted by security out of the not-so-friendly confines of Wrigley Field. His identity was revealed, his house surrounded and his life made into a living hell. To his credit, the only time he ever publicly addressed his role in that fateful night was to issue an apology, as he declined to capitalize on his notoriety. This film examines the mob mentality and shows the play from every angle imaginable but never addresses why the umpires failed to rule fan interference. It also covers Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner, who famously let a ground ball go through his legs in the 1986 World Series, and how he was vilified for his miscue. Cubs fans are still waiting for a World Series triumph, while Red Sox Nation has forgiven Buckner after two subsequent World Series Championships years later. 4 cans.
OCTOBER
128. An Education (2008) – British schoolgirl Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is not your average student. The 16-17 year old plays the cello, excels in Latin, speaks French and plans to study at Oxford. But first she meets mysterious and wealthy David (Peter Saarsgard), who innocently picks her up and not-so-innocently proceeds to expose her to art, music and a faster crowd than her schoolmates. Is he as charming as he seems, even winning over her stern and disapproving parents? An interesting story that takes place near London in the swinging 1960s, “An Education” shows that life has many lessons and not all education takes place in school. 4 cans.
129. Ides of March* (2011) – Politics is a dirty business, as this political drama so clearly points out. Populated by a bevy of alpha males, the Democratic presidential primary in Ohio pits Pa. Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney, who also co-wrote the script and directed) against an opponent willing to court Republicans and independents and make deals the Governor refuses to make. His media adviser Stephen Meyer (Ryan Gosling) feels like his horse is sure to win the race. However, when Meyer is approached by the campaign manager (Paul Giammatti) for the opponent, he’s too flattered to turn down an inappropriate meeting. The plot is less about the battle between the candidates and more about the war of conscience vs. ambition, of values vs. pragmatism. The intriguing story is well played by Gosling, Giammatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the campaign chair who values loyalty above all else. Clooney has more of a supporting role as an attractive candidate whose values seem impeccable. I detest politics, but I liked this movie. 4 cans.
130. The Jerk* (1979) – Somehow, for all these years I managed to miss this early Steve Martin comedy, directed by Carl Reiner. Martin is the poor white son of a poor black family who sets out to seek his fortune. A good-natured simpleton, he is enthusiastic and appreciative of any opportunity he receives. I cannot imagine anyone other than Steve Martin playing this role in a movie of such inspired lunacy. He may be a jerk, but he is an endearing one. 4 cans.
131. Light in the Piazza* (1962) – Yvette Mimieux is luminous as Clara, an innocent young woman traveling in Florence with her devoted mother (Olivia DeHaviland) when she meets a handsome young Italian man (George Hamilton) and falls madly in love. Sounds like this story is headed for a happy ending, until you learn that there is something just not quite right about young Clara. Can she grow into the young woman of her mother’s dreams and live happily ever after or will her limited mental capacity become apparent to her would-be suitor? Should her mother protect her and stop the budding romance or allow her to blossom as best she can? This was a sweet movie and showed a side of Olivia DeHaviland that reminded me a bit of her role as Melanie in “Gone With the Wind.” The most amazing part of the movie was seeing a virtually tanless George Hamilton, who brims with enthusiasm and charm as he courts Mimieux. She plays her part with gusto and without guile. 3 cans.
132. Prayer for a Perfect Season* (2011) – There is no more bitter rivalry in sports than the one between New Jersey’s catholic high schools, St. Anthony’s of Jersey City and St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth. Located just miles apart, the two schools face each other on the basketball court each year to determine the best team in the state, or, last year, as shown in this HBO documentary, in the country. St. Pat’s, coached by Kevin Boyle, plays a national schedule but still has to compete in the county and the state tournaments. This film takes a close look at Boyle and his stars, focusing primarily on Kentucky-bound senior Michael Gilchrist. This is high school sports at its most intense, with Boyle presiding over a bunch of boys turning into men, while his chief rival, the legendary St. Anthony’s coach, Bob Hurley, stands in the way of his perfect season. This film whetted my appetite for the upcoming basketball season with a compelling story and some pretty slick moves on the court. 4 cans.
133. Footloose* (2011) – Though I missed the swagger of Kevin Bacon in this remake of his classic ‘80s performance as Ren McCormack, big-city kid in a small town, I really enjoyed this version. The tradeoff is that the new Ren, Kenny Wormald can actually dance, as can Julianne Hough, the “Dancing With the Stars” alum and replacement for Lori Singer in the role of the rebellious preacher’s kid. Dennis Quaid didn’t fit the role of the father as well as John Lithgow in the original, and the new Willard in this version (Miles Teller) is a much superior dancer to Chris Penn from the original, but the sequence of Ren teaching him how to dance is still fun to watch. The story is the same, centered around a tragedy that causes a small town in the south to ban loud music and dancing, which only makes the kids want to dance even more. The details have been tweaked a bit and updated for today’s audience, which means giant boomboxes have been replaced by iPods. The music is still fun and the dancing joyful and exuberant. The only downside was voiced by my friend Dee, who said, “Too much drama, not enough dancing.” That hasn’t changed from the original, but we all would have loved a little more action on the dance floor. My only observation about both versions of this movie is that for a town where kids aren’t allowed to dance, they sure have a lot of great dancers! If you missed the original, go see this one anyway. 4 cans.
134. Emma* (1996) – Gwyneth Paltrow stars in the title role of Jane Austen’s 19th century novel about a young society woman determined to match up all those in her social circle. This is a story of social mores, miscommunication between potential couples and how to survive a boring life by paring off your friends. Paltrow – so very young and thin here – plays the part with grace and humor. Jeremy Northam co-stars as her good friend Mr. Knightly. The cast is uniformly good – but, if I fall asleep not once but FOUR TIMES while watching a movie, it’s safe to say it didn’t really hold my interest as intended. 3 cans and a long nap.
135. Hoffa* (1992) – Jack Nicholson, devoid of his trademark killer smile, portrays tough guy Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa in this biopic tracing the rise and fall of the union boss. Hoffa led his union with determination and bravado, building the Detroit local one member at a time on his march to the top. He defied his enemies, including several face-offs with Attorney General Bobby Kennedy and the Justice Department on his way to an eventual jail term. I am always amazed by the magic way Hollywood turns actors into look-a-likes of the people they portray, and Nicholson here resembles Hoffa in the way I remember him before his 1975 disappearance. Nicholson chews the scenery as the fiery leader in a movie directed by his co-star Danny DeVito. Both men deliver the goods throughout the movie. 3½ cans.
NOVEMBER
136. Groundhog Day (1993) – Imagine being stuck in the same day, seeing the same things and not being able to get to tomorrow. For self-centered weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray), that’s just what happens when he goes to cover Paxatawney Phil, the infamous groundhog whose shadow predicts whether winter will continue or spring will arrive each year. Every morning he wakes up, encounters the same people who say the same things, and it begins to make him just a little crazy. Bill Murray is so good as the sometimes smarmy weatherman who can live each day to the fullest or do things he’ll never regret since there is no tomorrow. This comedy is surprisingly touching and less manic than you’d expect from Murray. 3½ cans.
137. Unguarded* (2011) – I know a lot about basketball, but I was not familiar with the story of high school phenom Chris Herren. This ESPN documentary traces his career, from high school star in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Boston College, Fresno State, to the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and ultimately to the hometown team, the Boston Celtics. But Chris’ accomplishments on the court were, in every stop, surpassed by his troubles with drinking and drugs. Throughout his career he overdosed on everything from cocaine to heroin, got in trouble with the law, and continued a downward spiral that nearly killed him. Not his loyal wife, his three kids, his friends or family could get in his way of his need to score drugs. Herren’s story is a cautionary tale for the young people with whom he now shares it. He is a living example of promise unfulfilled, of a life nearly wasted. There is considerable footage of Herren playing at all levels, of interviews with friends and mentors and his wife, that flesh out the real-life tale of this basketball junkie. 4 cans.
138. The Mighty Macs* (2011) – My second basketball movie of the day is a drama based on the real-life story of the Mighty Macs of tiny Immaculata College, a then-all-female school outside Philadelphia. If the story weren’t real, it would be improbable at best. Young Cathy Rush (Carla Gugino) takes a $450 a year job as the women’s basketball coach at the financially foundering college in 1972. The Mother Superior (Ellen Burstyn) hands her a battered basketball and lets her know there is no gym and no money to support the program. This was the time when women began playing under the same rules as men – though the Mighty Macs still donned those hideous jumper-type uniforms. Armed with nothing but hopes and prayers, Coach Rush gets the nuns out to support the team, and improbably sees her rag-tag underdogs begin to defeat more established opponents. This was also the stage in the history of women’s basketball before Title IX provided more funding for women’s sports and the smaller schools could still compete successfully. Cathy Rush did just that. In fact, a few years ago, she was elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone associated with the program. This movie is corny, trite and full of heart, with lessons young girls should learn. 3½ cans.
139. Dave (1993) – Kevin Kline gives an endearing performance as Dave, a man who so closely resembles U.S. President Bill Mitchell that his handlers draft Dave to appear as the President when the President suffers a stroke. Dave is so deft and likeable in his new role that even the icy First Lady (Sigourney Weaver) is impressed with him. When a budget crisis threatens a program for children, Dave calls in his accountant (Charles Grodin, in a small but important role) to come up with cost-cutting ideas. The chief Presidential advisor (played by Frank Langella) sees his control of the erstwhile president begin to erode as Dave warms to the role and he strikes back. How will Dave endure this impending disaster? With Kline in the role, anything can happen. I always enjoy watching this movie and have never understood why Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver didn’t do more movies. Both are superior actors, displaying warmth and wry humor throughout this charmer. 4 cans.
140. Our Miss Brooks* (1956) – Fifty-something years ago I watched Miss Brooks, Mr. Boynton, Walter Denton, Mrs. Davis and Principal Conklin on an innocuous sitcom that was emblematic of its time. Stories meandered, concentrating on the inane, with a drop of humor here and there, and yet I watched – granted, as a child – and felt I knew these people. I didn’t know that this is the movie that started it all. The droll and lovely Eve Arden plays the title role of an English teacher with wit and plenty of double takes. This is in no way a great movie, but it was fun to see these characters again after so many years. 2 cans.
141. Body Heat (1981) – This stylish drama starts with a fire and ends with an explosion – and there is plenty of heat in between. Sultry Kathleen Turner is the bad rich woman who seduces willing lawyer William Hurt and persuades him to kill her husband (Richard Crenna, in the second Richard Crenna part of my day; he played Walter Denton in “Our Miss Brooks,” above). Will they get away with murder? Does she love him? Will anyone stop sweating in Florida? I hadn’t seen this movie in years, and it was still hot in every way. 4 cans.
142. Quiz Show (1994) – Ralph Fiennes delivers a sparkling performance as Charles Van Doren, scion of an intellectual family and national hero for his success on the 1950s quiz show “21.” Directed by Robert Redford, the movie focuses on the backstage machinations that made winners and losers out of contestants as the show’s producers provided them with answers or persuaded them to lose in favor of a more appealing contestant. That was the case with Herb Stempel (John Turturro, in a stellar performance as the wild-eyed, slightly paranoid Stemple), who takes a dive with the understanding that NBC would find another program for him. Replacing Stemple for 17 weeks is the telegenic college professor Van Doren, who became a household name. When Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) begins examining the program to determine if there was cheating, Van Doren’s reputation is on the line. This is a taut and intriguing story, but I still don’t appreciate my tax dollars (although I wasn’t a taxpayer back then) being used to investigate something that just doesn’t matter. In the end, audiences were entertained, contestants and sponsors made money and quiz shows survived. 4 cans.
143. Same Time, Next Year (1978) – This is a love story about a long-term relationship between a man and a woman. Both are married to other people, and they meet once a year at a small resort for their private trysts. The film catches up with them every 5 years, when their lives intersect. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn are perfect as the loving couple in this charming comedy. I especially enjoyed seeing the black and white scenes depicting time passing before each time we revisit the couple. They clearly love their spouses and their lives, but they also relish the time they spend together. I know its morally wrong, but I find this film irresistible. 4½ cans.
144. Working Girl (1988) – Nike Nichols’ paean to the woman’s movement stars Melanie Griffiths as Tess, a young woman trying very hard to get ahead despite the lack of support by male co-workers, most of whom are more interested in how she looks than how she thinks. When her patronizing boss (Sigourney Weaver) breaks her leg skiing, Tess seizes the opportunity to pursue a deal with Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford). She ends up pursuing more than the deal as she shows she deserves a shot at success. Joan Cusack is hilarious as her best friend. Big hair and shoulder pads dominate the visual aspect of this story, reminding us of the time when women tried to look powerful as they attempted to seize power. 4 cans.
145. Bull Durham (1988) – Kevin Costner never looked better than he does here as Crash Davis, a career minor league catcher who is sent to the Class A Durham Bulls to impart his vast baseball knowledge to erratic pitching phenom “Nuke” LaLouche (Tim Robbins). Nuke needs a lot of education, and baseball groupie Annie (Susan Sarandon) makes him her pet project off the diamond. The contrast between Nuke, a boy, and Crash, a man, is not lost on Annie. One is destined for success if he can mature on and off the field, while the other is on a one-way ticket to nowhere. Costner made three baseball movies (“Field of Dreams,” and “For the Love of the Game”), all of which are terrific films, but this one is my favorite. The acting is spot on as the movie authentically captures minor league life and the small town atmosphere of the minor leagues. I love this movie. 4½ cans.
146. Les Miserables* (1998) – Liam Neeson stars as Jean Val Jean in this handsome adaptation of the classic Victor Hugo tale. The poor and hungry Val Jean is convicted of stealing bread and sentenced to 20 years of hard labor. When he violates his parole, Inspector Jauvert (Geoffrey Rush), a former guard at the prison, makes capturing Val Jean his lifelong pursuit. The epic story unfolds over decades as Val Jean demonstrates his inherent goodness and improves the lives of those around him even as he must dodge the dogged inspector. The story makes us face the concept of imprisonment beyond bars, of morality and of love, set against the beginnings of the French Revolution. The Broadway musical version of the story is one of the best experiences I have ever had in the theater, and this version of the movie stands strong on its own. 4½ cans.
147. The Hustler (1961) – Paul Newman plays pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson in this classic drama about a cocky guy who just doesn’t know when to stop playing. After he plays Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason, in a strong performance), the king of the billiards parlor, and beats him soundly, Fast Eddie isn’t content to take the money and run. He keeps playing – and losing, while Fats gets stronger and fresher during what seems like a heavyweight bout. Fast Eddie, down on his luck, has to scramble to get anyone to play him who doesn’t know his story. The dialogue here is sparse, but Eddie is eloquent in describing the pleasure he derives when he knows he’s playing well. This is a great movie, shot in black and white and filled with ups and downs that come with a vagabond life of a hustler. Piper Laurie and George C. Scott co-star. The original is so much better than the Tom Cruise/Paul Newman sequel, “The Color of Money.” 4½ cans.
DECEMBER
148. Scott Turow’s Innocent* (2011) – This TV movie is a follow-up to “Presumed Innocent,” an earlier film based on author Turow’s novel. This time out, Bill Pullman plays Harrison Ford’s role as Rusty Sabich, a Chicago judge who is accused of murdering his wife (Marcia Gay Harden). This new version holds its own, despite the disadvantage of being played on TV and interrupted by commercials, but doesn’t quite measure up to the original. Still, the story is intriguing and you have to hang around to the end to know what really happened. Pullman looks a lot older here than we’re used to seeing him, and underplays the taciturn Rusty, but does a credible job. 3 cans.
149. The Last Picture Show (1971) – Bored people leading lives of quiet desperation populate this Peter Bogdonvich black and white classic. The setting is a small town in West Texas where everyone know’s everyone and everyone’s business. Once Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson, who won Best Supporting Actor) dies, most of the dying town dies with him. Even the picture show, owned by Sam, is going out of business. This is not the town in which teenagers like Sonny (Timothy Bottoms), Jayce (Cybill Shepherd) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) want to live, but they seem to be in no hurry to leave. Sex for the people in this town is just something to do, so when Sonny takes up with 40-something Ruth Potter (Cloris Leachman, who won the Oscar), no one bats an eye. This is story-telling without much of a story, beautiful filmed and evocative of the early 1950s. 4 cans.
150. Crazy Heart (2009) – It is not implausible to imagine Jeff Bridges’ character in “The Last Picture Show” morphing into his Bad Blake character in this movie. Both men – one very young, the other old and grizzled – have no real direction in life and generally don’t give a damn about themselves or anyone around them. In his Oscar-winning role here, Bridges is a country music singer-songwriter whose life is perfect for the genre. Broke and an alcoholic, he is on the road to nowhere until the love of a good woman and her son makes him want to reform. There’s a country song in there somewhere. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the woman he loves, and Robert Duvall, who played a similar role in “Tender Mercies,” is his friend. Bridges does a great job with the music as well as the role and earned his Oscar fair and square. 4 cans.
151. The Descendents* (2011) - George Clooney goes for a straight acting role in this film about a man living in Hawaii with his wife and two children when the wife is seriously injured in an accident. As he takes on the role of father, moving up suddenly from occasional parent, Matt King finds himself uncomfortable with his two teenaged daughters. He doesn’t know them, doesn’t understand them or their language, and ultimately finds out he didn’t know his wife all that well either. Throughout the movie, he peels away layers of his life that he didn’t know existed as he comes to terms with his wife infidelity and builds a rapport with his kids. Clooney wears a multitude of print shirts in this role, and the dialog often seems to end abruptly, but it is rewarding seeing him grow more comfortable as a parent even as he is less comfortable with dealing with those around him. Not a great movie, and I’ve come to expect more from a Clooney film. 3½ cans.
152. Strangers When We Meet* (1960) – If this movie were made today, some poor set designer would be chasing down mid-century modern furniture all over Hollywood and the director would have the leads naked in a hotel room. Life was simpler in 1960, but for desperate housewife Maggie (Kim Novak), it is hard to say no to handsome architect neighbor Matt Coe (Kirk Douglas) when her own husband has little interest in her. Douglas woos and wins Novak, but he has his own issues – starting with his wife and two children. She craves affection and he’s glad to provide it, eventually catching the eye of neighbor Felix (Walter Matthau, who is Felix, not Oscar in this movie). Can the illicit affair continue? Will the house he designs for a famous writer (Ernie Kovacs) slide down the hill? Will Kim Novak ever change her vacuous expressions? This movie has all the soap opera drama I could take. 3 cans.
153. Stakeout (1987) – Richard Dreyfus and Emilio Estevez play cops assigned to stake out the home of the attractive ex-girlfriend (Madeline Stowe) of an escaped convict. Dreyfus gets a close-up view when he falls for the girl, and, as you would expect, complications ensue. This is a cop-caper-buddy movie, and a combination of the byplay between the cops, the romance and the unusual action settings (a fish and a log processing plant) gives it enough of everything to keep me engaged. This is one of three movies from this era (the others are “Running Scared” and “Midnight Run”) that I always enjoy seeing again. 3½ cans.
154. The War of the Roses (1989) – Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are Oliver and Barbara Rose, the antagonists in this dark Danny DeVito comedy about a couple who trip over the thin line between love and hate on their way to a divorce. Wealthy and ensconced in a beautiful home that she found and decorated and that he paid for, both parties refuse to move out or give an inch. Their war of words escalates to destruction of property and bodily harm. I haven’t seen Michael Douglas look so infuriated since he thought Glenn Close boiled his bunny in “Fatal Attraction.” I did not like the construct of Danny DeVito as a lawyer recounting this tale to his client while chain smoking in a way that looked completely phony even to a non-smoker. The movie is well done, but I won’t be seeing this one again any time soon. The war has ended for me. 3½ cans.
155. The Graduate (1967) – No year would be complete without at least one viewing of my all-time favorite movie, so this is how I celebrated Christmas Eve day. An outstanding cast (Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross) , stellar score and brilliant direction from Mike Nicholas make this look at society’s mores in the 1960s a classic. Is there anyone who doesn’t know the story of the young man seduced by the older woman who falls in love with her beautiful daughter? In the first year this movie was released, I saw it seven times, including twice in one day. I still love it and it still makes me think about my future – which never included “plastic.” Great, great stuff. 5 cans.
156. The Bridges of Madison County (1995) – I am on a roll this Christmas Eve, watching two of my all-time favorites. In this movie, the incomparable Meryl Streep lends subtlety and nuance to her portrayal of an Iowa farmer’s wife, stuck in a mundane existence, until a photographer (Clint Eastwood, who directed) arrives to take pictures of local bridges. She offers to assist him, and the two spend the next few days falling into one of those once in a lifetime loves. Can she leave behind her husband and children to build a new life? Or will she take the path she has led for so long and remain on the farm? The haunting score and beautiful scenery, combined with the details of the simple farmhouse, Streep’s clothes and hair, all build a reality that depicts every phase of the character’s life. This movie has a great cast, a great story and it always gives me a good cry. Definitely a chick flick on that score, but I couldn’t love it more. 5 cans.
157. The Way We Were (1973) – With the airing of this classic romance, I have now seen three of my top five all-time favorite movies in the past two days. Can it be that it was all so simple then or has time rewritten every line? If we had the chance to do it all again, would we? Could we? Nothing is simple in this movie, especially the relationship between the breathtakingly gorgeous Robert Redford and the socially aware Barbra Streisand. They meet in college and years later build a relationship that goes beyond the superficial, each admiring qualities in the other. But their bond must supersede their personal differences, and there’s the rub. I love nearly everything about this movie and can quote dialog all day long. And then there is that beautiful Oscar-winning title song. What a movie! 5 cans.
158. War Horse* (2011) – “My Friend Flicka” joins the British army in this Steven Spielberg drama. Boy raises horse, boy and horse are separated by war, boy joins army – you figure out the rest. I found this film cloyingly sentimental in tone and look (the last scene was straight out of “Gone With the Wind”). There is too much fighting (OK, I know it’s about war, but still), too much predictability and too many Disneyesque moments for me. If you see it, just bear in mind my sister’s cynical summation: “What are the odds?” 3 cans and a major disappointment.
159. Love Affair* (1939) – Before Cary Grant charmed Debra Kerr in the quintessential romantic movie “An Affair to Remember,” Charles Boyer cast a similar spell over Irene Dunne in the first version of this classic love story (Warren Beatty and Annette Bening starred in the most recent version). Maybe it is because I can never understand Charles Boyer and his French accent, or maybe it is because he always looks like he smells cauliflower entering the grand ballroom (see “I Love Lucy” for that reference), but this version – though essentially the same story, with the same lovely grandmother and the same lines that appeared in later versions – was just not as good as the Grant/Kerr movie. The lighting was gloomy at best and the melodrama was at its peak here. Still, a good start for the later version. I just cannot think of anyone who looks better in a tux – or even a suit – than Cary Grant. Sorry, Charlie Boyer. 3½ cans.
160. Apollo 18* (2011) – Since “Apollo 13” is one of my favorite movies, I thought that watching this one at a friend’s house might turn out well. Picture “Blair Witch Project in Outer Space.” The premise here is that the Department of Defense continued the Apollo space program to plant listening devices on the moon, but the flight for Apollo 18 was so secret that not even the families of the astronauts knew about it. Shot to look like the 1970s and with the low-quality, hand-held cinema verite look, the movie purports to include actual footage from the ill-fated, fictional Apollo 18 flight. With a nod to all horror movies, the film makes you want to scream, “Don’t open the hatch of that Russian space capsule” – but of course, they do. Mostly, I just wanted to scream anything and get out of the room – not because I was afraid, but because I was grossly unimpressed. 2½ cans.
161. Beautiful Boy* (2011) – This unrelentingly bleak movie is about the deterioration of a family. The husband and wife (Tony Sheen and Maria Bello) who sleep in separate rooms, communicating little and ready to end the marriage when their 18-year old son is involved in a campus shooting. Involved as in he is the shooter, kills 18 people and then himself. The couple is left to figure out what they did wrong while staying on the run to avoid the media. The don’t have the kind of supportive network we would all rely on in such horrible circumstances. All they have is each other, and there is enough blame and sorrow to destroy themselves and each other. Not exactly a fun, light romp, the movies features excellent performances and handles a difficult topic from a different point of view. Can’t say I recommend this one, but I can say I admired it. 3½ cans.
