Movies, Mom & Me

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  Commentary:  I can't remember when I first saw this movie, although I know it wasn't in a theater. I've seen it a few more than a couple times since then, the last a couple of years ago on a streaming service. As is typical of Tarsem Singh movies (whether they succeed or not), it is voluptuous, both visually and dramatically, is attached to an interesting story with many threads, all of which intertwine into a well wrought carpet, and, to my mind, manages all of this masterfully, which, considering that it is Singh's first effort at a feature film, says a great deal.
    I was reminded of this film today when I decided to obtain The Fall, another stunning film by Tarsem Singh. He hasn't produced much in the way of movies, but, when he scores, it's always out of the park, as is this one.
    This film is interesting because critics were sharply divided in their opinions of it. When Roger Ebert reviewed this movie (review attached to the title of this post), he spoke directly to the critical controversy swirling around this film and spoke up, strongly, on its behalf, which I found both surprising and interesting.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Jennifer Lopez	Dr. Catherine Deane	Vincent D'Onofrio	Carl Rudolph Stargher	Jake Thomas	Young Stargher	Vince Vaughn	SA Peter Novak
  Jake Weber	SA Gordon Ramsey	Dylan Baker	Henry West	Marianne Jean-Baptiste	Dr. Miriam Kent	Tara Subkoff	Julia Hickson
  Musetta Vander	Ella Baines	Patrick Bauchau	Lucien Baines	Dean Norris	Cole	Peter Sarsgaard	John Tracy

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2000
    Directed by Tarsem Singh.

Labels: detective1, dylan-baker, jennifer-lopez, psychological2, suspense3, thriller4, vincent-d'onofrio

# posted by gail @ 16:37    0 comments    email......this post

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  Commentary:  This movie is a not-quite-so-guilty pleasure for me. I have usually been able to find it playing on a streaming service without commercials once a year or so, but, I have access to only two streaming services (that's all I need, actually, considering that, despite my huge number of owned movies, I don't watch movies or programs a lot). Lately, I've been experiencing my hunger, again, for this movie, and was left with no outlets through which to assuage it, which has never before happened. Just out of curiosity I thought, you know, I wonder how much it would cost if I just owned this movie. I found an astonishingly cheap price for a new press in widescreen with subtitles and, knowing that I will watch this movie again and again, grabbed it. It just arrived. I'll be luxuriating in it shortly.
    Lots of film critics lauded this movie, including Jennifer Lopez' performance in it. That's what accounts for the "not-quite-so-guilty" part of my pleasure in this movie. The part of my pleasure about which I feel guilty is that it depends upon Selena's tragic end. Without the short and shocking trajectory of her life she likely would have continued to be a huge, cross-sectional star, but I doubt there'd be a movie about her. She may have become an acting, as well as a singing, star, in her own right, and, likely, either way, her existence doing what she did so well would have produced at least as much wealth for her family as her tragedy probably has, but, well, to be blunt, untimely tragedy tends to generate at least as much attention, if not more, as success. Sad truth.
    Much worthy attention was paid to the making of this movie. All the choices made, the actors, the carving of the story for maximum effect, the production, the presentation, are top notch. It is unfortunate that all this excellence had to be lavished on presenting a tragedy, rather than a long-lived phenomenon.
  Update 3/23/2022:  Yes, yes, yes, I spent most of yesterday afternoon and evening watching my copy of this movie. May I say, it is the premier popcorn-and-soda movie of my collection. Although just a few minutes over two hours, I rewound and rewatched so many sections of it that I spent at least four hours luxuriating in it.
    I plan to watch Netflix's version, Selena: The Series, for comparison. It received low to middling reviews from professional critics (with the exception of the immediately previous review, which has an interesting perspective, from Roger Ebert dot com) and was rebuked even more for "occasionally [struggling] to tell its subject's story with depth or perspective" (a quote from the Wikipedia article about the film) than the film. IMDb users, however, [(1997 movie), (2020-21 series)] ranked the two practically the same: above middling. The consensus seems to be that while professional critics are looking for something with more depth (which I'm not sure is possible without a thorough companion story about Yolanda Saldívar, Selena's side-business manager and murderer), off-the street (so to speak) critiques from watcher-plebes are, largely, satisfied and disappointed with both depictions in equal measure and for the same reasons, giving the series a slight, and, I think, insignificant, edge.
    Once I finish viewing the series, if I think I have anything cogent to add, I will, but, if not, well, what you read above is what you get.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Jennifer Lopez	Adult Selena	Edward James Olmos	Abraham Quintanilla, Jr	Constance Marie	Marcela Quintanilla	Lupe Ontiveros	Yolanda Saldívar

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 1997
    Directed by Gregory Nava.

Labels: biography3, coming-of-age2, dramaE, edward-james-olmos, jennifer-lopez, musical2, popcorn-and-soda7, tragedy2

# posted by gail @ 12:18    0 comments    email......this post

• Who's watched:  M & G
• Mentions:  None
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  Commentary:  This movie surprised us both. I rented it on the strength of Lasse Hallström's, Morgan Freeman's and Robert Redford's participation, even though it's gotten little favorable press. While it's true that it's an example of Hallström's uneveness as a director, it's also true that it's a solid story solidly presented with so few stilted scenes that these are easily ignored. Mom refers to this movie as "the bear movie" and we've watched it several times. It's not hard for me to watch repeatedly, either. It has more than a few interesting, subtle moments that catch one's eye: the smile on Griff's face when she's driving the truck; Jean's handling of a couple of assholes in the restaurant in which she's waitressing; several of the scenes between Griff, Einar and Mitch. The bear, as well, is commanding. There is a priceless scene in which the bear is roaming a neighborhood and during one section of the scene a woman exits, sees the bear, and quickly reenters her home. It's a short, sweet, telling little scene of what it's like to live in bear territory.
    

  Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role	Actor	Role
  Robert Redford	Einar Gilkyson	Jennifer Lopez	Jean Gilkyson	Morgan Freeman	Mitch Bradley	Josh Lucas	Sheriff Crane Curtis
  Lynda Boyd	Kitty	Damian Lewis	Gary Winston	Camryn Manheim	Nina	Becca Gardner	Griff Gilkyson

  
    Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
    Release Date: 2005
    Directed by Lasse Hallström.

Labels: animal, drama7, jennifer-lopez, mom-favorite1, morgan-freeman, popcorn-and-soda3, robert-redford

# posted by gail @ 00:41    0 comments    email......this post