If Mike Nichols’ high esteem in tackling serious dramatic material remains largely inexplicable, he’s always excelled at polishing fashionable third-tier ‘literary’ material. That makes him a good match for Patrick Marber ’s adaptation of his own ‘daring’ play. (We're supposed to gasp at the ‘frank’ sex talk spilling out of the biggest of stars.) But this sub-Strindbergian sexual roundelay between four excruciatingly boring/stupid people (Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman & Clive Owen) plays out like a series of fetid meet-cutes between strangers. (This is, no doubt, the point, but still . . . ) Nichols prominently uses the same rapturous trio from Mozart’s COSI FAN TUTTE that John Schlesinger memorably used in SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY/'71. But in the earlier film it reflected & commented on the film's dramatic situation, here it’s just tony background filler borrowed to give the flirtations a classy backdrop; the Nichols style in a nutshell. And when will Roberts realize that denying us ‘the smile’ does not, in and of itself, constitute serious acting?
Non-sponsored, Independent Mini-reviews of DVDs and Streaming Video New & Old, Popular & Rare. Over 5500 Write-Ups! SmartPhone Users can scroll down for the 'View Web Version' link to access all Posts, Search Box, Labels and other features. E-Mail: MAKSQUIBS@YAHOO.COM
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ERNST LUBITSCH
'As soon as someone tackles a big theme with a message we take him seriously and call it art. We appreciate a painting of the crucifixion . . . whereas a simple Cezanne depiction of a vase and an apple may be far more enduring as art. I believe -- and I am not comparing myself to Cezanne -- in taking a lesser theme and then treating it without
compromise.' -- Ernst Lubitsch
LABELS
There are (currently) eight different LABELS to look for on MAKSQUIBS.
CONTEST - Win a review of any available DVD or 'Streamer' of your choice* if you're the first to answer a Q attached to one of the write-ups. Please refrain from either Googling or searching for an answer via IMdB or other web movie services! These contests are plenty easy to solve just be using your little grey cells.
RECOMMENDED - Meaning Strongly Recommended. A film that's good enough or historically important enough to demand viewing. WARNING: A few real stinkers are important enough to rate this label. And, on the other hand, lots of pretty good or pretty valuable films, don't quite measure up to our RECOMMENDED level. (See also UNIQUE, below.)
FAMILY FRIENDLY - CAREFUL!! Not necessarily a KIDDIE pic, but a film that school kids may get into if the subject interests. You'll find foreign & silent pics in here as the need to read the sub-titles & inter-titles to follow the narrative and get all the jokes does wonders for ADD types.
LINK - To quickly find any Write-Up that includes an InterNet Link of interest for that specific film.
UNIQUE - Films that may not fit into the usual critical categories of Good, Bad or Indifferent, (certainly not indifferent!), but are worth watching because there just ain't nothing like 'em. Sui generis pics. (Phooey generis if they don't work for you.)
READ ALL ABOUT IT - While there's a book or two (or ten dozen) closely related to just about any film you might think of, here's a specific book you might not have known about (or thought of) that opens a window on the chosen title.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY - A place to vent those out-of-left-field thoughts.
POSTER - Hmm, I bet you can figure this one out.
(Hint: most of the posters will enlarge if you click on them.)
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT - sort of like those EAT THIS, NOT THAT diet books only with film instead of food as the topic. Sometimes, the substitute pick isn't the obvious 'better' choice, but one of those 'flawed-but-interesting' films that often get left behind.
CONTEST - Win a review of any available DVD or 'Streamer' of your choice* if you're the first to answer a Q attached to one of the write-ups. Please refrain from either Googling or searching for an answer via IMdB or other web movie services! These contests are plenty easy to solve just be using your little grey cells.
RECOMMENDED - Meaning Strongly Recommended. A film that's good enough or historically important enough to demand viewing. WARNING: A few real stinkers are important enough to rate this label. And, on the other hand, lots of pretty good or pretty valuable films, don't quite measure up to our RECOMMENDED level. (See also UNIQUE, below.)
FAMILY FRIENDLY - CAREFUL!! Not necessarily a KIDDIE pic, but a film that school kids may get into if the subject interests. You'll find foreign & silent pics in here as the need to read the sub-titles & inter-titles to follow the narrative and get all the jokes does wonders for ADD types.
LINK - To quickly find any Write-Up that includes an InterNet Link of interest for that specific film.
UNIQUE - Films that may not fit into the usual critical categories of Good, Bad or Indifferent, (certainly not indifferent!), but are worth watching because there just ain't nothing like 'em. Sui generis pics. (Phooey generis if they don't work for you.)
READ ALL ABOUT IT - While there's a book or two (or ten dozen) closely related to just about any film you might think of, here's a specific book you might not have known about (or thought of) that opens a window on the chosen title.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY - A place to vent those out-of-left-field thoughts.
POSTER - Hmm, I bet you can figure this one out.
(Hint: most of the posters will enlarge if you click on them.)
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT - sort of like those EAT THIS, NOT THAT diet books only with film instead of food as the topic. Sometimes, the substitute pick isn't the obvious 'better' choice, but one of those 'flawed-but-interesting' films that often get left behind.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID - some easy to miss element worth noting.
SILENT FILM - hey, figure it out (LOL)
. . . and DOUBLE-BILL - a suggested second feature.
To bring up the complete list in any of these categories, simply click on one of the LABELS when you come across one and everything with that designation will come up when the page reloads. Just scroll down. There's also a LABELS list near the bottom of all the pages.
Please let me know if there are any other LABELS you'd like to see.
. . . and DOUBLE-BILL - a suggested second feature.
To bring up the complete list in any of these categories, simply click on one of the LABELS when you come across one and everything with that designation will come up when the page reloads. Just scroll down. There's also a LABELS list near the bottom of all the pages.
Please let me know if there are any other LABELS you'd like to see.
Blog Archive
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2008
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May
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- SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954)
- SERPICO (1973)
- SERGEANT YORK (1941)
- THE SECOND CIRCLE (1990)
- SECOND CHORUS (1940)
- THE SEA INSIDE (2004)
- THE SEA CHASE (1955)
- SCOOP (2006)
- SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)
- THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK (1983)
- THE SCALPHUNTERS (1968)
- SAN QUENTIN (1937)
- SAN FRANCISCO (1936)
- SAINTS AND SOLDIERS (2005)
- THE SADDEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD (2003)
- ROYAL WEDDING (1951)
- ROTATION (1949)
- THE ROSE TATTOO (1955)
- THE RON CLARK STORY (2006)
- LOVE IS THE DEVIL (1998)
- THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS STONE (1961)
- ROIS ET REINE/KINGS AND QUEEN (2004)
- RODRIGO D: NO FUTURE (1989)
- ROBINSON CRUSOE (1952)
- ROBIN HOOD (1922)
- ROBERTA (1935)
- THE ROAD HOME (2000)
- THE RIVER KING (2005)
- THE RIVER (1951)
- RIPLEY’S GAME (2002)
- RIO BRAVO (1959)
- REUNION IN FRANCE (1942)
- THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER (1975)
- THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X (1939)
- THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS (1998)
- RENT (2005)
- RED GARTERS (1954)
- THE RAZOR’S EDGE (1946)
- RAY (2004)
- RAISE THE RED LANTERN (1991)
- THE RAINS CAME (1939)
- RAILROADED (1947)
- THE RACKET (1950)
- QUEEN CHRISTINA (1933)
- PURSUIT TO ALGIERS (1945)
- THE PURPLE PLAIN (1954)
- THE PURPLE HEART (1944)
- PURLIE VICTORIOUS/aka: GONE ARE THE DAYS (1963)
- PROTEUS (2004)
- PROOF (2005)
- THE PROFESSIONALS (1966)
- THE PRODUCERS (2005)
- THE PRODUCERS (1968)
- PRISONER OF HONOR (1991)
- THE PRESIDENT’S ANALYST (1967)
- PRESENTING LILY MARS (1943)
- A PRAYER FOR THE DYING (1987)
- POSSESSED (1947)
- THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)
- PORK CHOP HILL (1959)
- THE POLAR EXPRESS (2005)
- POINT BLANK (1967)
- PLACE VENDOME (1998)
- PIZZICATA (1996)
- PINKY (1949)
- PIN UP GIRL (1944)
- THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2005)
- THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936)
- PERSONA (1966)
- PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE (1985)
- PATHER PANCHALI (1955)
- PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID (1973)
- THE PAINTED VEIL (2006)
- PAINT YOUR WAGON (1969)
- OWD BOB (1997)
- THE OUTSKIRTS (1998)
- OUT OF THE PAST (1947)
- THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND (1983)
- OSAMA (2003)
- ORDET (1955)
- ORCHESTRA WIVES (1942)
- ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS (1939)
- ONDSKAN/EVIL (2003)
- ON THE RIVIERA (1951)
- ON THE AVENUE (1937)
- THE OMEN (1976)
- OLIVER TWIST (2005)
- OLIVER TWIST (1985)
- OLD JOY (2006)
- OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943)
- OKLAHOMA! (1955)
- OCEANS TWELVE (2004)
- OCEAN’S ELEVEN (2001)
- NURSE MARJORIE (1920)
- THE NUN’S STORY (1959)
- NOT ONLY BUT ALWAYS . . . (2005)
- NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)
- NIGHT AND DAY (1946)
- NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (1932)
- A NEW KIND OF LOVE (1963)
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May
(619)
AND YOU'RE DOING ALL THIS BECAUSE . . . ?
Like just about everyone with an interest in the movies, I'm watching more films on DVD and going out to movie houses a lot less. Convenience trumps the better experience.
Of course, you lose audience interaction and the poor film now has to compete with all the comforts of home.
It's a bit like seeing Rembrandts & Titians in a book reproduction, or from posters with iffy color values, no texture or weight to the surface and the wrong dimensions . . . all while snacking on chips & soda. (Oops! You get that at your local cinema,too.)
The ease of instant movie gratification risks turning an art form (well, sometimes) into little more than low-grade eye-candy & mindfodder. So, maybe it's worthwhile to write a bit down on what we're all viewing, just to keep fully engaged.
DVDs: the latest opiate of the people meets the internet, where everyone's a critic.
God help us.
Of course, you lose audience interaction and the poor film now has to compete with all the comforts of home.
It's a bit like seeing Rembrandts & Titians in a book reproduction, or from posters with iffy color values, no texture or weight to the surface and the wrong dimensions . . . all while snacking on chips & soda. (Oops! You get that at your local cinema,too.)
The ease of instant movie gratification risks turning an art form (well, sometimes) into little more than low-grade eye-candy & mindfodder. So, maybe it's worthwhile to write a bit down on what we're all viewing, just to keep fully engaged.
DVDs: the latest opiate of the people meets the internet, where everyone's a critic.
God help us.
. . . a brief note on abbreviations . . .
They stem from internet commonalities (w/; wknd; LOL; OTT) and also from the flavorsome antique shorthand still found in ShowBiz trade publications. (Megger = director; lenser = cinematographer; scripter . . . well, you get the idea). They have onomatopoetical appeal and help to keep things pithy.
About Me
Labels
- poster (5179)
- family friendly (2945)
- double-bill (2639)
- recommended (1692)
- screwy thought of the day (1647)
- attention must be paid (1296)
- link (1143)
- watch this not that (884)
- unique (823)
- read all about it (233)
- silent film (182)
- contest (179)
- spoilers (28)
- attention must be paid poster (10)
A last thought before we go.
Well, enough from me. But before we sign off, here's a great quote from Emile Zola's L'OEUVRE (THE MASTERPIECE), which is about painting rather than the yet to be invented medium of film, but which points a fine critical eye toward the whole idea of art criticism. It's a good, if chilly, thought to keep in mind, especially when you surf the net.
"Has it ever struck you that posterity may not be the fair, impartial judge we like to think it is?
"Suppose the artist's paradise turned out to be as nonexistent as the Catholics, and future generations prove just as misguided as the present one and persisted in liking pretty pretty dabbling better than honest to goodness painting. There are some accepted masterpieces for which I myself wouldn't give a twopenny damn.
"Classical training has given us a wrong view of everything and forces us to acclaim as geniuses a lot of fellows who are no more than well-balanced, facile painters, while what we might really prefer is the work of more emancipated but less even artists known only to an initiated few. Immortality at present depends entirely on the average, middle-class mind and is reserved only for the names that have been most forcibly impressed upon us while we were still unable to defend ourselves...
"Perhaps that's the sort of thing that's best left unsaid. It's certainly the sort of thing that gives me the shudders!"- Emile Zola
"Has it ever struck you that posterity may not be the fair, impartial judge we like to think it is?
"Suppose the artist's paradise turned out to be as nonexistent as the Catholics, and future generations prove just as misguided as the present one and persisted in liking pretty pretty dabbling better than honest to goodness painting. There are some accepted masterpieces for which I myself wouldn't give a twopenny damn.
"Classical training has given us a wrong view of everything and forces us to acclaim as geniuses a lot of fellows who are no more than well-balanced, facile painters, while what we might really prefer is the work of more emancipated but less even artists known only to an initiated few. Immortality at present depends entirely on the average, middle-class mind and is reserved only for the names that have been most forcibly impressed upon us while we were still unable to defend ourselves...
"Perhaps that's the sort of thing that's best left unsaid. It's certainly the sort of thing that gives me the shudders!"- Emile Zola
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