Movie Recommendations, Rants and Ruminations
Here’s the new trailer for The Social Network about the founding of Facebook. It’s promising because it’s written by Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, The West Wing, Charlie Wilson’s War) and directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac). The underrated Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland, Solitary Man) stars as head geek. Releases October 1.
In Tortilla Soup (2001), Hector Elizondo plays the retired chef who cooks a gourmet feast every Sunday for his three adult daughters. The daughters are all seeking relationships and independence from their dad in their own ways. There are lots of romance and lots of laughs and lots of amazing-looking food. It’s a remake of Ang Lee’s 1994 Eat Drink Man Woman. Elizabeth Pena and Paul Rodriguez give noteworthy performances. The yummy-looking food was prepared by celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Too Hot Tamales).
The movie also has a fun soundtrack with Lila Downs, Eliades Ochoa, Pink Martini and Les Nubians.
Check out my other recent DVD recommendations at DVDs of the Week.
And this film makes my list of 10 Food Porn Movies.
“Two Ladies: Are You Team Bella, or Team Lisbeth?” NPR’s Fresh Air’s John Powers has written a very insightful essay on this year’s two most popular – and contrasting – female role models – Bella of the Twilight series and Lisbeth of Stieg Larsson’s Millenium trilogy. An excellent read.
Note to Patricia: The only reason that I haven’t yet seen The Girl Who Played With Fire, is that I’m waiting for my wife to finish the book before we go; she assures me that we’ll make it to the theater this weekend. I’m glad that you found Played With Fire gripping.
The trailer for The Town has just been released:
Ben Affleck proved in Gone Baby Gone that he is a fine director. Now, in The Town, he brings us another Boston crime drama about thieves desperately evading the FBI. Stars Affleck, Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper and The Hurt Locker‘s Jeremy Renner. Releases September 17.
I just saw a preview of Kisses, which releases August 6. It’s a sweet Irish indie about two suburban tweens who run away to Dublin for a very exhilarating, then scary night. The first time lead actors are excellent. There is a very inventive chase. Stephen Rea has a brief uncredited cameo as a Bob Dylan impersonator. Writer-director Lance Daly kept the film only 75 minutes long – which is just the right length, and won the Irish Best Director award.
I just saw an ad for Danny Trejo in Machete. Danny Trejo is one scary looking dude and has 188 acting credits, often as One Scary Looking Dude. Danny has brought to life more fully formed characters in indies like Mi Vida Loca and Sherrybaby. And the guy is a legitimate action star at age 66, which must be some kind of record.
Still, I get the feeling that Danny is often cast for his intimidating appearance. Here are some similar guys that you’ll recognize.
Color me unimpressed. I have endured a test run of the latest Hollywood gimmick – D-Box motion effects seats, which will be in use for the release of Inception this week in a few theaters across the nation. To “enhance” the action or tension on the screen, the theater seat jolts, wiggles, tilts, swerves, etc.
First, which really engrossing movies need to be “enhanced” by the furniture?
Second, this technology just isn’t that impressive to those of us who have experienced virtual reality rides (like Disneyland’s “Star Tours”) at amusement parks, boardwalks and carnivals. (BTW “Star Tours” is over twenty years old and is closing this summer for a “re-imagining”.) The D-Box is more like the experience of dropping a quarter in a motel massage bed.
3-D is here to stay; but I think that motion effects seats will go the way of Cinerama and Smell-O-Vision.
The “must see” films in theaters remain Winter’s Bone and Toy Story 3. Winter’s Bone has been out for a while, so, if you haven’t seen it in a theater, you’d better see it soon. For trailers and other choices, see Movies to See Right Now.
It’s summer vacation, so I am letting people catch up with my most recent DVD recommendations: Eight Men Out, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl on the Train, John Adams and The Deep End. For the trailers and other DVD choices, see DVDs of the Week.
Movies on TV include The Crying Game and Before Sunrise on IFC this month. Freaks, Soylent Green and 12 Angry Men are coming up on TCM.
I’ve updated Movies I’m Looking Forward To with Kisses, Dinner for Schmucks, Cairo Time, and The Town.
Kisses is a promising Irish indie about two surburban tweens who run away to Dublin for a very scary night. Stephen Rea appears as a Bob Dylan impersonator. Kisses releases more widely on August 6.
Ben Affleck proved in Gone Baby Gone that he is a fine director. Now, in The Town, he brings us another Boston crime drama about thieves desperately evading the FBI. Stars Affleck, Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper and The Hurt Locker‘s Jeremy Renner. Releases September 17.
As you know, each Oscar night we prepare a dinner with dishes that are featured in or are inspired by the Best Picture nominees. Toy Story 3 is certain to be among the ten nominees, and so I have decided that it will represented in our 2011 Oscar Dinner with……….a tortilla. (If you’ve seen the film, you’ll understand.)
Here’s the page on our annual Oscar Dinner.