Quiz Show

This year, I have seen two directorial efforts from Robert Redford, Ordinary People (which some people say shouldn't have won Best Picture) and Quiz Show (which some people say should've won Best Picture). I shall be reviewing the latter.

In 1958, the TV game show Twenty-One becomes a popular show thanks in part to contestant Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes), a professor at Columbia University. However, the main reason he's staying on the show for so long is that he knew both the questions and answers ahead of time, thanks to producers Dan Enright (David Paymer) and Albert Freedman (Hank Azaria). Herb Stempel (John Turturro), the previous reigning champ, is clearly upset over the ordeal. In fact, Enright and Freedman forced him to deliberately get a question he knows the answer to wrong. Congressional investigator Richard Goodwin (Rob Morrow) uncovers facts that shock America.

Despite what's said throughout the movie and in the epilogue, Van Doren claimed that what was shown was inaccurate. But either way, I found Quiz Show highly entertaining.
My Rating: ****

Apollo 13

"Houston, we have a problem."

With that line, panic struck Mission Control at NASA on April 13, 1970. Based on actual events, Apollo 13 is engaging from beginning to end.

Less than a year after man walked on the Moon, NASA is sending up another module to the Moon. The astronauts on this mission are Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). Everything looks normal shortly after takeoff, however just days later a technical malfunction has them fighting for their lives. At Mission Control, astronaut Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) and the ground crew try to bring the astronauts home alive.

Having already seen another Ron Howard movie based on true events (A Beautiful Mind), I kinda already knew what to expect. But compared to A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 is, as previously stated, more engaging.

My Rating: ****1/2

Young Frankenstein

Mel Brooks has an interesting career. He won an Oscar for his first movie, is one of the few people to have an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy (his wife Anne Bancroft was close to accomplishing that feat) and has directed some of the funniest movies of all time. One of them is Young Frankenstein.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) ("It's pronounced 'Fronk-en-steen'.") finds out he inherited his family's castle. After meeting such characters as Igor (Marty Feldman), who pronounces his name "Eye-gor", and Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman), whose name causes horses to whinny, he also meets his new lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr) who is more sane than the other two. Frederick and Igor successfully obtain a corpse to re-animate, but Igor destroys the desired brain by mistake and grabs one that's abnormal. Problems arise when not only the Monster (Peter Boyle) is on the loose, but when Frederick's uptight fiance Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) comes.

I'll admit it has been some time since I've seen this, but I remember enough that this is a very funny movie. I mean, who doesn't crack up from Igor's side-changing hump ("What hump?") or from the "Puttin' on the Ritz" bit? Sure it's typical Mel Brooks in some scenes, but it's still hilarious.

My Rating: *****

And now, the "Puttin' on the Ritz" scene:

Hannah and Her Sisters

Since today is Thanksgiving, I thought I should review a movie focusing on family. That movie is Hannah and Her Sisters.

The plot revolves around three stories of an extended family:

-The first is about Elliot (Michael Caine), Hannah's (Mia Farrow) husband. He has an interest in Lee (Barbara Hershey), Hannah's sister, who lives with misanthrope artist Frederick (Max von Sydow). Lee and Frederick's relationship isn't what it used to be, so when Lee finds out about Elliot she has an affair with him.

-The second is about Hannah's ex-husband Mickey (Woody Allen), who is a hypochondriac. He thinks he has an actual disease and when it turns out he doesn't, he unsuccessfully converts religions.

-The third is about Hannah's other sister Holly (Dianne Wiest). She's a recovered drug addict and unsuccessful actress who runs a thriving catering business with her friend April (Carrie Fisher), who's also an actress. They compete for a guy they've met at a party they were catering and a part for a play, both of which go to April. She tries her hand at writing, but Hannah disapproves of the play she wrote because it mirrors Hannah's marriage with Elliot. She meets Mickey, in which previously they had a disastrous date together, and they go on another date.

The movie overall was very good and, in some ways, very Woody Allen. No surprise that the screenplay picked up an Oscar. Caine and Wiest's performances were also very good and earned those Oscars. How it lost Best Picture to Platoon, I'll never know.

My Rating: *****

Manhattan

I find it interesting. Woody Allen allegedly claimed that he wasn't pleased with the finished result of Manhattan. Ironic since it became one of his best-known works.

TV writer Isaac Davis (Allen) has an interesting way with women. He's dating 17 year old Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), his ex-wife Jill (Meryl Streep) is writing a book on their failed marriage, and he's fallen in love with Mary Wilkie (Diane Keaton), who is the mistress of his friend Yale Pollack (Michael Murphy).

There are two things Manhattan is mostly remembered for, the opening montage of the city and the iconic shot of Queensboro Bridge (seen on the poster). And I can see why they've left such an impact on Hollywood. Allen said he shot the movie in black-and-white because that's how he remembered the city when he was growing up. It probably wouldn't have work had it been shot in color. The black-and-white gives the movie a more romantic feel to it, in my opinion. And also Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is a nice touch.

My Rating: *****

Twitter Conversation #2

Had another movie-based conversation on Twitter last night. This time the people I was talking were Andrew from Encore's World of Film & TV, a user by the name of FilmBuzz, and of course Ryan from A Life in Equinox. Thankfully, this one is shorter. It started with me twittering tweeting typing that I had just finished watching Quiz Show (again, might be not in same order):
MovieNut14 (me): Just saw Quiz Show. Great movie on the scandal that rocked the 1950's and the way people looked at television.
FilmBuzz: @MovieNut14 we concur, "Quiz Show" is one of Redford's best works, in our opinion...
Univarn (Ryan): @MovieNut14 loved John Turturro in that movie, been a fan of his ever since.
MovieNut14: @FilmBuzz Interesting too, I saw Ordinary People back in June and I like Quiz Show a lot more. Don't know why...
MovieNut14: @Univarn I liked Ralph Fiennes' performance of Charles Van Doren. He was stiffed of a nomination.
DepartedAviator (Andrew): Thank you. Sure I have not seen this in a while...and I'm a sucker for Fiennes. But where was his nomination?
Univarn: @MovieNut14 that was one heck of a tough year for acting noms
Univarn: @DepartedAviator it went to Paul Scofield for the film instead.
Univarn: @DepartedAviator his oscar was taken the year earlier in favor of a Lee Jones acheivement award
MovieNut14: @Univarn True, very true.
MovieNut14: @Univarn Yeah, I'll admit I don't think Jones deserved that win for The Fugitive. He was okay, Golden Globe at least, but an Oscar? Come on!
MovieNut14: Oh great, here we go again. Another movie conversation on Twitter with 2+ users that'll probably end up on my blog tomorrow. (eye roll)
Univarn: @MovieNut14 ok how about this: Panda bears rule. End of conversation. I win. :P
MovieNut14: @Univarn ...O-kay. I need to go to bed. 'Night.

I swear, these conversations I keep having with Ryan show that he needs a vacation. Badly.

Randoms Ramblings

Just some facts and thoughts that have been running through my head:

1. A scientific study showed that men find women more sexually attractive if they're wearing red. That's something I gotta remember when I'm dating.
2. Mel Blanc, who is immortalized for voicing Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots.
3. Walt Disney was afraid of mice. Ironic since his most famous creation is a mouse.
4. Charlie Chaplin once lost a Charlie Chaplin look alike contest.

Weird, huh?

Future Plans for LoaCaB

Yeah, epic fail on the title abbreviation. Anyway, here is what I plan to do on this blog in the future:

1. A year-end summarization of the movies I've seen this year.
2. Reviews of movies by Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, among others.
3. Many, many more ramblings.

Well, that's what you're going to expect from me in the next months.

Is there a movie...

that you keep putting off seeing? I don't know why, but I keep putting off seeing Philadelphia. I really don't know why, but something tells me I'm going to be very depressed by it after I see it.

So, what about you?

Twitter Conversation #1

Last night, I had a conversation with Ryan from A Life in Equinox and Julian from Movies and Other Things... over on Twitter. And it started with me unsure of what my next post would be. It went like so (the order may not be right):

MovieNut14 (me): Stuck on what to do for next blog post... :P
MovieNut14: @Univarn Are you aware that your favorite movie of all-time is going to be on IFC at 8:00 AM on 11/28?
Univarn (Ryan): @MovieNut14 nope, but worse yet I don't get that channel.
Univarn: guess I'll just have to toss in the DVD instead :D
MovieNut14: Oh, well. Thought you had the channel. At least you have the DVD.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 have you ever done a top film list?
Univarn: @MovieNut14 you should work on compiling a top 100 films list if you're looking for something to do for your blog long term.
202chicago (Julian): I know you were talking to MovieNut14 about the 100 films list, but do you have tips on starting/enduring/finishing such a list?
Univarn: @202chicago medication? Really it just takes patience. I spent 2 weeks during summer break debating/arguing with mine.
202chicago: @Univarn Ok. That definitely rules out any time soon for me, but thanks for the advice :)
Univarn: @202chicago I could prob do the list 10 times and come up with 10 different orders and who knows how many different films.
Univarn: @202chicago I'd say keep it personal. Don't try to force films you don't feel good about just because they're considered classics.
202chicago: @Univarn Yeah. That definitely rules out Saving Private Ryan and Annie Hall for me haha
Univarn: @202chicago haha that's alright. They're well featured on my list ;)
MovieNut14: @Univarn I appreciate the thought but I can barely compile a list of my top 10, let alone top 100.
MovieNut14: @Univarn And besides, some movies I love I've already reviewed.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 well some times doing a list like that will get you to go back and see films you haven't seen in ages but still had an impact
MovieNut14: @Univarn Something I plan to do at the end of the year is make a list of all the movies I saw this year. Believe me, there's a helluva lot.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 cool. at the of this year i get to start sending out resumes. You plan sounds like more fun.
202chicago: @Univarn Ah. The subjective world of film :)
Univarn: @202chicago aye. That what makes film great ;).
202chicago: @MovieNut14 I know. I've seen AT LEAST like 50... and that's not including films released before 2009
MovieNut14: @202chicago I've seen 56, and like two-thirds of them came out before this decade.
MovieNut14: @202chicago Oh yeah, and three of them were released this year.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 that's always good, can't appreciate where film is from without seeing where it came from :). wouldn't dare count how many I've seen
202chicago: @Univarn Preach it!
202chicago: @MovieNut14 I saw where you said something about Philadelphia Story. I remember you saying it was good? I have it here. Should I watch?
202chicago: @MovieNut14 Whoa. I'd hope for your sake that G.I. Joe and Transformers 2 weren't a part of the three you've seen this year... that'd be bad
MovieNut14: @202chicago The Philadelphia Story? Yes, you should watch it. Great chemistry throughout.
202chicago: @MovieNut14 Aight. Cuz I'm not gonna lie... I didn't care for Miss Hepburn in On Golden Pond, the only performance I've seen of hers...
MovieNut14: @202chicago I'll admit this is the first movie I've seen with Katharine Hepburn, as well as Cary Grant. It's the third with Jimmy Stewart.
202chicago: @MovieNut14 It'll be my second for Hepburn, first(?) for Grant, and I think second for Jimmy Stewart (It's a Wonderful Life was my first)
MovieNut14: Ack, need...to stop...twittering. Gonna get carpal tunnel syndrome if I keep typing.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 I realized this weekend I've done 1000+ tweets. What's worse is it didn't occur to me how sad that was until later
Univarn: @MovieNut14 if you like Cary Grant's style you should watch Charade and Arsenic and Old Lace
MovieNut14: @Univarn This is the most I've tweeted in day. I don't even tweet this much in a week. As for Mr. Grant, plan to see his Hitchcock movies.
Univarn: @202chicago You HAVE to watch Harvey (starring Stewart). It's overly sweet, cheesy, and insanely fun. I love it every time I watch it
202chicago: @Univarn Yeah. I've been meaning to watch that, but I keep forgetting :/ How did you feel when they announced the possibility of a remake...
202chicago: @Univarn ... with Spielberg directing and (potentially) Robert Downey, Jr. playing the lead?
MovieNut14: @202chicago Personally, I can't stomach that. Though Downey is an interesting choice.
MovieNut14: Sheesh, if I keep tweeting I'll probably break the 300 mark.
202chicago: @MovieNut14 I believe that Downey can play anything (he's my fave actor), but I'm not so sure that this project in general is a good idea...
Univarn: @202chicago Not sure it'll happen. If it does I'll see it and judge it then. The charm of Harvey is going to be near impossible to replicate
MovieNut14: @Univarn I plan to watch it soon (the original, of course). It's on my DVR.
MovieNut14: Boy this conversation with @Univarn and @202chicago is getting pretty good. But I'm sleepy. Good night.
Univarn: @MovieNut14 good night :P
MovieNut14: @202chicago Oh, your comment on movies I've seen from this year. Relax, I avoid crappy movies like the two you mentioned.
202chicago: @MovieNut14 Good to know :)

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to soak my hands in cold water and step away from my computer before it explodes.