DVD Pick of the Week: Broken Embraces (Los Abrazos Rotos)

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This is Pedro Almodovar’s brilliant, operatic romantic drama.  Penelope Cruz is once again Almodovar’s instrument, never more breathtaking.  With movies within the movie, it’s also homage to filmmaking itself.  And, it’s also a cinematic celebration of the color red – look for the color red in each scene.  This was my #4 movie of 2009 and my choice for best foreign language film.

The Secrets in their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)

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I can’t wait to see The Secrets in their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos), which opens today, but I won’t be able to for a couple weeks.  It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Picture over A Prophet (which I admire) and has a very high Metacritic score of 76.

I have seen one of its stars, Ricardo Darin,  in Nine Queens, an excellent con job flick a la House of Games or The Sting.  Nine Queens is available now on DVD.

This week's DVD pick: Crazy Heart

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Crazy Heart: This is a very good movie with a great, Oscar-winning performance by Jeff Bridges and a great score.  It’s also a realistic depiction of alcoholism and its consequences.  Maggie Gyllenhaal shines as always.  Colin Farrell is shockingly believable as a contemporary country music star.

To the Last Drop – A Movie in Waiting

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Occasionally I read a book and immediately visualize the movie.  That’s the way it was with To the Last Drop, the smart and bitingly funny story of Texas invading New Mexico for its water.   I’m sure that someone is going to pick up this screenplay and deliver a film like Wag the Dog – although the novel has more of the tone of Dr. Strangelove (etc.).

Here’s Wice describing his tale of Lone Star liebestraum – you don’t need to listen to the whole hour to pique your interest

Why I'm Pushing The Girl with Dragon Tattoo

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Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander

 

This is the third straight week that I’ve been recommending The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.   I’ve gotten some initial resistance, primarily from women who have read the Stieg Larsson novel; one of those women went to the movie anyway and loved it.  Here’s why you should see it before it leaves the theaters.

First, the movie is centered on Lisbeth Salander, the best new crime drama character since Helen Mirren’s Inspector Jane Tennyson.  And Noomi Rapace creates a Lisbeth Salander who is a lethal mix of damage and drive.  Noomi Rapace’s Lisbeth, as a tiny fury of a Goth hacker, is only 90 pounds, so she will lose a fistfight with a man; but she prevails with her smarts, resourcefulness and machine-like  relentlessness.  Lisbeth is always mad AND always gets even.

Second, the Scandinavians have already made all three movies for the Stieg Larsson trilogy.  They’re all in the can with the same stars.  Movie #2 is The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, which has already been released in Scandinavia and is in wider European release now.  Movie #3 is The Girl Who Played With Fire, to be released in Scandinavia in September.  American Stieg Larsson fans  will be will be able to see all three movies soon, in theaters or on Netflix.

Third, Hollywood is going to remake this movie.  I doubt that Hollywood is going to remake the whole trilogy, so this may be your only chance to see the trilogy.   There are rumors about casting George Clooney or Brad Pitt, so male lead will likely be enhanced at the expense of the story.   The movie will likely be dumbed down to make Lisbeth more of a stylized action hero .  And, of course, Hollywood is not going to cast Noomi Rapace in the lead, so you would miss the film’s essential performance.

Movies to see right now

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I’ve updated of the Movies To See Right Now page.   La Mission is now in theaters (see post below).  Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is new on DVD  Gran Torino, Strangers on a Train, Pan’s Labyrinth, Bob LeFlambeur and Airplane! are on TV.

My top recommendation is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in theaters.  Now is the time to catch Broken Embraces (Abrazos Rotos) and Stranded: I’ve Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains on DVD.