The Pawnbroker (1965) [unrated; my rating: R]

This was the first American movie to deal with the Holocaust from a survivor's point of view. Rod Steiger, in the role of his life, portrays Sol Nazerman, a German-Jewish university professor, who was taken to a concentration camp during WWII, where his family was killed in front of him. Now he is a pawnbroker in Harlem.

Having lost faith in humans, Sol has shut down. No emotion is allowed to be felt, relationships are shunned. Yet, there are some around him who want to connect with him, including his apprentice, Jesus (Jaime Sanchez). It will take a tragedy for Sol to become human again.

Throughout the movie we see Sol's flashbacks to the concentration camp. They are juxtaposed with the things going on around him in the ghetto. This is perhaps not too subtle, but certainly effective.

I was just 12 years old when I saw this movie for the first time. It made a huge impact on me and I have never forgotten it. This movie was also the turning point in my feelings about the Academy Awards. When Lee Marvin won Best Actor for Cat Ballou, rather than Steiger for this movie, I never trusted or enjoyed the Oscars again. Rod Steiger was CHEATED!! I know, he can be a terrible overacter, no one can chew scenery like Steiger, but his performance in this movie is perfect. He will break your heart.

The Pawnbroker was among the first American movies to feature nudity during the Production Code and was the first film featuring bare breasts to receive Production Code approval, which made it very controversial. However, the movie was so brilliant and meaningful that although condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency, the National Council of Churches gave the film an award for best picture of the year. I still remember my mother going "Whoops!" and suddenly putting her hand over my eyes. I was annoyed, not because I couldn't see the breasts, but because she had disturbed my concentration on the movie.

This is not an easy movie to watch, but it is important. Unlike Europe, Hollywood doesn't make many movies about the impact of WWII and the Holocaust on individuals. Our WWII movies tend to be about the war and battle. But war is not a concept, it is a real life event that affects individuals. This is the sad and tragic story of one of these people. 


DIRECTOR: Sidney Lumet.  CAST: Rod Steiger, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Brock Peters, Jaime Sanchez, Thelma Oliver, Juano Hernandez, Raymond St. Jacques.

AWARDS:  Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins and 5 nominations.

The Commitments (1991) [R]

A great music movie. This movie is a real delight from the first moment to the last. The story is about a young man who decides to put together a soul music band...in Dublin! We know we are in for a treat when the movie starts with Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) interviewing himself, while in the tub, for his imagined interview with Rolling Stone Magazine. Periodically, throughout the movie, he continues this imaginary interview.

The story seems to be a typical story of a group coming together and then falling apart. But what a band this is! We go through the entire adventure with them, from the hilarious auditions, to the founding of the group of 10, including 3 female back-up singers, to the eventual falling apart, through egos and romance.

The music is fantastic. The lead singer, Andrew Strong, sure can wail. He was only 16 when the movie was shot! The rest of the musicians hold their own. You will find yourself tapping your feet, if not actually singing along, to the excellent old-school soul music.

The movie is full of unknown actors. The only face you may recognize is Colm Meany, best known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is hilarious as Rabbitte's father, an Elvis-crazy cursing fan, and so far removed from the character O'Brien that it adds to the fun.

This movie was voted in 2005 as the best Irish film of all time. 

DIRECTOR: Alan Parker.  CAST: Robert Arkins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, Felim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Massey, Johhny Murphy, Kenneth McCluskey, Andrew Strong, Colm Meany.

AWARDS: Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins and 4 nominations.

Almost Famous (2000) [R]

Never has Billy Crudup been more sexy or Kate Hudson more luminous. This semi-autobiographical movie, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, is the story of a 15-year-old boy's adventure when he is given an assignment by Rolling Stone Magazine. Not knowing that he is so young, William is able to talk them into letting him write about a minor band, Stillwater, and goes on tour with them.

Stillwater has its groupies, a band of four girls who call themselves "Band-Aides." They have great names: Estrella Starr (Bijou Phillips), Polexia Aphrodisia (Anna Paquin), Sapphire (Fairuza Balk), and Penny Lane (a glowing Kate Hudson). William falls in love with Penny Lane, who in turn is in love with Russell (Billy Crudup), the guitarist and leader of the band.

This is a coming-of-age story. William encounters grown-up issues and has to learn to deal with betrayal, jealousy, sex, drugs, and the games people play with each others' hearts.

This is probably Kate Hudson's best performance. It is certainly her break-out role. After seeing this, you will agree it is a shame that she has relegated herself to the superficial and silly world of rom-coms.

Billy Crudup is gorgeous, sexy, and funny in this movie. You'll never forget him standing on the roof and screaming, "I am a golden god." After this movie, it seems that he made an effort to not be viewed as romantic leading man material by playing roles that not only play down his attractiveness, but often make him very unappealing. It's a shame, because I always appreciate eye candy, especially when it is coupled with an excellent performance.

The soundtrack is fantastic and won a Grammy in 2001. There is also a director's cut available, with previously deleted scenes.

There is real charm in this movie. It is fun to watch and surprises you with its depth and feeling. All the performances are excellent, even the smaller roles. If this was the time period when you were coming-of-age yourself, you will delight in the memories. If you are younger, you will enjoy the snapshot of that era in music.

DIRECTOR: Cameron Crowe.  CAST: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, Zooey Deschanel, Bijou Phillips, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Peter Frampton, Jimmy Fallon.

AWARDS: Won 1 Oscar. Another 43 wins and 76 nominations.

Victor/Victoria (1982) [PG]

One of my favorite movies! Julie Andrews is Victoria. She just can't seem to make an impact as a soprano, so with the help of her friend Toddy (the great Robert Preston), comes up with the strategy of her pretending to be a female impersonator. That's right, Victoria is a woman pretending to be a man who is pretending to be a woman. Toddy pretends to be her gay boyfriend, strengthening the ruse.

Complications arise when King Marchand (extra yummy James Garner) arrives on the scene. He is a gangster who, to his great consternation and confusion, finds himself attracted to Victoria, which means Victor! His girlfriend, Norma (a hilarious screechy-voiced Leslie Ann Warren) is far from pleased.

The movie successful recaptures the spirit and pace of the old "screwball comedies." It keeps moving along and topping itself. And while it is so funny, it also makes some barbed comments about gender and sexuality.

This past week saw the death of Blake Edwards, the director of this movie. His great movies: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Days of Wine and Roses, the Pink Panther movies, and of course, Victor/Victoria. Although he also created many clunkers, his best was great.

One piece of trivia: Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards were married for 31 years.

I so enjoy this movie that I usually re-watch it every few years. I laugh each time and enjoy every minute.

DIRECTOR: Blake Edwards.  CAST:  Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras, John Rhys-Davies, Graham Stark, Peter Arne.

AWARDS: One Oscar.  Another 10 wins and 12 nominations.



 

Rosemary's Baby (1968) [R]

If The Godfather is the classic American gangster movie, then Rosemary's Baby is the classic American thriller. A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, (Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes) may be getting involved with a Satanist cult, she unknowingly, he for material gain.

They find a great apartment in the Bradford, which is modeled after one of the grand old apartment houses along Central Park West in New York. (The exteriors are the famous Dakota, which wouldn't allow filming inside the building.) After they become friendly with their neighbors (an award-winning performance from Ruth Gordon), Guy's stagnant acting career suddenly takes off. They decide it is time to get pregnant and now the creepiness begins.

Roman Polanski is a great director. His credits include Repulsion, The Pianist, Chinatown and the best MacBeth I have ever seen. It is interesting to note that while Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown are considered true modern American classics, Polanski is not American!

In Rosemary's Baby, he creates a tension and creepiness throughout the movie. We are not sure, just as Rosemary is not sure, whether Guy has conspired with the devil or not, that is, until the end of the movie, when we all know for sure what is the truth.

That Roman Polanski is the director of this movie brings up the question of whether an artist can be separated from his work. Does the work stand alone, or is it tainted by the artist's behavior in life? While Polanski's criminal behavior should not be ignored, can it be allowed to interfere with the appreciation of his art? I believe that while 100 years from now his behavior may be a footnote to his work, his work will stand the test of time. Rosemary's Baby will remain on the list of the best 100 movies ever made.

A horror movie without gore or blood, an American classic, a mystery, a morality play, and a masterpiece of atmosphere and foreboding, Rosemary's Baby is must viewing.

DIRECTOR: Roman Polanski.  CAST: Mia Farrow, John Cassevetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Elisha Cook, Jr., Patsy Kelly, Charles Grodin.

AWARDS: Won 1 Oscar and 1 Golden Globe. Another 10 wins and 9 nominations.

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) [R]

William Hurt and Raul Julia play two prisoners in a South American prison. Hurt is Luis Molina, a homosexual jailed for seducing an underage boy. Julia is Valentin Arregui, a political prisoner. They are opposites in almost every way you can think of. At first glance, one might think that this will be a typical movie about learning to get along and creating friendship but this movie is much more than that!

To pass the time, Molina tells Arregui stories from old movies. They all feature a beautiful woman played by Sonia Braga. Arregui at first doesn't want to hear these stories, but after a while he encourages Molina to spin his tales. We all find that we like having stories told to us.

There are twists to the movie. The powers that be are obviously using Molina to get secrets out of Arregui, and a friendship does begin to develop between the two men. But so much more is going on here.

This movie did well for the two leads who are brilliant in their roles: William Hurt rightly won an Academy Award for his performance; this was the breakout movie for Julia. Sonia Braga who is absolutely gorgeous in this movie also saw an improvement in her career.

I didn't think I would like this movie. I mean, come on. Prisoners in South America, politics, and William Hurt as a gay man! But this movie truly moved me. It gets better as it goes along, becoming an excellent movie way before the last scene.

DIRECTOR: Hector Babenco.  CAST: William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Jose lewgoy, Nuno Leal Maia, Denise Dumont.

AWARDS: Won Oscar. Another 10 wins and 8 nominations.

Nurse Betty (2000) [R]

This movie is a little odd. Not a comedy for the kiddies, because the frame around the movie includes blood, drugs, and hitmen. I have the thought that there is no blood in any comedy other than black comedy, but this movie is a good argument against my theory, as it is a romp.

Renee Zellweger is Betty, who after witnessing the murder of her husband, becomes delusional and heads for Los Angeles to find her former finance, Dr. David Ravell,  who is a character on a soap opera who is played George McCord, who is played by Greg Kinnear. Betty is followed to LA by the two hitmen (Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock, who, of course, do their amusing bickering thing) looking for the drugs her husband hid in the trunk of her car. 

Renee is perfect in the role as a naive innocent who, unaware of her husband's illegal double life, is just as believing that Dr. Ravell is a real person who has a history with her.

The movie has all sorts of twists and surprises and ties up perfectly at the end. Neil LaBute, a director with a reputation for movies that are usually pretty bitter, has a light touch here, although he does make sure that violent reality keeps intruding, which somehow works!

DIRECTOR: Neil LaBute.   CAST: Morgan Freeman, Renee Zellweger, Chris Rock, Greg Kinnear, aaron Eckhart, Tia Texada, Crispin Glover, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Allison Janney, Kathleen Wilhoite, Sheila Kelley.

AWARDS: Won Golden Globe. Another 4 wins and 12 nominations.