The 12 Movies Meme

I was tagged by the awesome J.D. of Valley Dreamin'. The meme looked like a lot of fun, so I thought I'd give it a go.

According to the Lazy Eye Theatre blog entry, the idea came when the blogger read an article about Diablo Cody getting to choose 12 films to be featured at the New Beverly Cinema.

"The Meme that asks what if YOU could pick 12 movies to run at the New Beverly Cinema?"

1) Choose 12 Films to be featured. They could be random selections or part of a greater theme. Whatever you want.

2) Explain why you chose the films.

3) Link back to Lazy Eye Theatre so Piper can have hundreds of links and she can take those links and spread them all out on the bed and then roll around in them.

4) The people selected then have to turn around and select 5 more people.

At first, I wanted to categorize the movies with really random stuff like, "movies with cool flying scenes" or "movies that deals with gardening." But then the categories just did not sound cool enough so I just thought I'd keep it simple and go with broader subjects/themes.

So I guess my theater is closed on Tuesday because closing on Sunday would be ridiculous and unsound when it comes to the world of the movie theater biz. I picked a lot of movies that I personally want to see in theaters since I've never got the chance. I kind of drowned in rambling for some of the movies I picked since I never really had the opportunity to profess my love to them.

Dysfunctional Sunday

I picked Ordinary People because I love that movie tremendously. It has one of the most powerful ensembles I've ever seen. The performances by Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, and Judd Hirsch are all superb. Plus, first-time director Robert Redford's use of Pachelbel's "Canon in D" makes the film's opening and ending scenes domestic but strangely heartbreaking. It doesn't feature the quirky, weirdo dysfunctional family in the veins of The Squid and the Whale and Little Miss Sunshine (I considered both), but rather in a seemingly "normal" household where the father is utterly confused and the mother doesn't even love her own son. That's enough for me to conclude that the Jaretts has as much problems as their other so-called more dysfunctional cinematic family counterparts. Definitely one of my favorite movies of all-time and I would love to see this film on the big-screen someday.

The Royal Tenenbaums is the quirky, weirdo dysfunctional family that I previously mentioned. It was a choice between this or Junebug, but I just had to settle with Wes Anderson's smart, witty, and touching little masterpiece about the depressing adult lives of genius children. Starring Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, and Bill Murray, that's enough for me to want to watch this movie in theaters (yes, because of that cast). The script is pure wonder--sweet and full of Anderson's trademark deadpan humor. Oh, and how can you go wrong with a kickass soundtrack featuring Nico, The Rolling Stones, and The Velvet Underground? You can't. The movie has a very seventies feel to it, too, not only in the soundtrack but also in the costumes and sets. I'd love to have a The Royal Tenenbaums theater experience.

Unrequited Monday (Definitely spoiler-ish.)

Like I said in my review of Antoine and Colette, I love movies about unrequited love. There is a certain spirit about love unrequited love on film that is unquestionably romantic and powerful. Giant, apart from being a film of epic proportions, is a great story of unrequited love. The way James Dean's Jett Rink declared his love with anguish to Leslie Benedict (Elizabeth Taylor) in an empty hall with Leslie's daughter eavesdropping by the barely-opened door is one of the epic's greatest moments and perhaps even one of the greatest moments in cinema, period. So of course I'd like to witness that on a big-screen. The bigger the screen is, the better, because then it can showcase every centimeter of George Stevens's masterful direction and grand utilization of the widescreen format.

I've said many times that I consider Roman Holiday to be one of my favorite romantic comedies. When I really think about it, Roman Holiday is far from a pure romantic comedy. It has plenty of dramatic moments and it is the dramatic core that makes the film realistic and effective. The last scene where Gregory Peck's good-hearted American reporter Joe Bradley walks out of that hall makes one of my favorite endings ever. It is not an unrealistic cliche, but wholeheartedly bittersweet and memorable. While Audrey Hepburn may have stolen the show, Gregory Peck stole my heart.

World War II Wednesday

Empire of the Sun is one of my favorite movies ever. The gorgeous cinematography, the lush John Williams score, and the coming-of-age story has been charred in my mind forever. This may not be in the same league as Steven Spielberg's other WWII movies (minus the horrendous 1941), but it is all very classic Spielberg. The initial boyish wonder morphs into a gradual descent into the lost of innocence--all that is done with a certain cinematic magic that only Spielberg seems to know how to convey perfectly on-screen. In addition, the film features my all-time favorite child performance of all time: Christian Bale as Jamie "Jim" Graham.

I didn't want to pick another Spielberg WWII film, so I went with "The Movie That Should Have Won Best Picture of 2006 But Was Beaten By That One Scorsese Movie," Letters From Iwo Jima. I actually saw this one in theaters and loved it. The film lacks the lavishness that I like to see on the big-screen, but it's extraordinarily touching in every way. Clint Eastwood's war film is less a war film and more about humanity. The film was made as an afterthought after Eastwood made Flags of Our Fathers but it never feels like an afterthought. It is a brilliant companion piece that surpasses its predecessor in every way.

Gangster Thursday

I just want to see The Godfather: Part II in theaters. It is one of those films that I would die to see in theaters, even more than the other Godfather films. I mean, seeing or The GodfatherThe Godfather: Part III would be super cool, but The Godfather: Part II on the big-screen would blow my mind. There are too many great scenes in the film for me to name, but I'll try anyway: Michael kisses Fredo on New Year's in Cuba, Kay reveals to Michael that she received an abortion (Diane Keaton...whoa), the boathouse scene between Michael and Fredo (just sums up why John Cazale was robbed of an Oscar nomination), when Michael tells Pentangeli that his father's advice (you know which one I'm talking about), young Vito in Italy, with a vengeance...I mean, wouldn't all that just be awesome in a theater? (And that poster above is probably the most effortlessly badass poster ever.)

I needed another gangster film so, um, GoodFellas. But this movie is seriously entertaining. I don't think there is another film that moves faster or crazier. Definitely one of Scorsese's best.

Detective Friday

Dick Tracy is just a lot of fun. You've got Warren Beatty's goofy film-noir imitation of a performance, Madonna's sultry voice added to Stephen Sondheim songs, and Al Pacino's menacing Hitler-like (in looks) villain. Then you have those eye-catching sets and costumes colored with the bright vividness of ketchup red and raincoat yellow.

There are only a few films that gave that rare "OMFG" feeling when I'm finally finished with them, and L.A. Confidential is among those greats. It is what some might like to call a "modern film-noir," but at heart, it's just a smart, suspenseful, and all-around fantastic period piece and crime movie. The film has a great cast, featuring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, James Crowell, and Danny DeVito. I love Wikipedia's description of the film:

The story eventually encompasses organized crime, political corruption, heroin, pornography, prostitution, tabloid journalism, institutional racism, plastic surgery and Hollywood.

Yeah, the movie's got everything.

Filmmaking Saturday

When I think of "filmmaking on film," I instantly think of Federico Fellini's weird, wildly imaginative, and moving 8½. Guido (Marcello Mastroianni) captivated me and the artist in me (there isn't really one, haha) I unexpectedly related to him. I guess as a wannabe-writer who frequently run out of ideas after page ten, I know how it feels like to be creatively bankrupt. But not only is Guido creatively bankrupt, there is a lot of pressure for him to churn out an idea. He even has a freaking movie set being built and actors lined up for his next movie that isn't even developed yet. I've always had a love for movies that are semi-autobiographic and personal to the creator's heart, and 8½ is in some ways Fellini's David Copperfield, but only expressing a certain feeling of fear and confusion rather than an entire life story. While I'm on the topic of 8½, Rob Marshall's cast for Nine is insanely wonderful in a it's-too-good-to-be-true kind of way. I can't wait.

Speaking of musicals, my last addition is Singin' in the Rain. I wanted to end my "week" with a happy, optimistic film, and there isn't anything as happy or optimistic as Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly's song and dance extravaganza. (Filmmaking Friday would sound nice, though. But I wanted a happy ending.) Besides being a movie musical, it's a clever and funny take on the film industry's transition from silent to sound and even of the Hollywood publicity machine.

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I'm tagging recent commenters Shawn of Deadpan, Farzan of At the Movies with Farzan, plus Anil of The Long Take, Kayleigh of Shiny Happy Blog, and Nick of Fataculture. No worries if you don't feel like doing it, I'll understand. But for those who are doing the meme, I look forward to seeing what made your movie list!

My Favorite Al Pacino Performance: Part II

This post will focus on the supporting roles of Al Pacino in DICK TRACY, DONNIE BRASCO, and THE INSIDER. WARNING: SPOILERS. Click here to read Part I.

After a series of dramatic roles in his career (with the exception of the lackluster Author! Author!), Pacino nailed his comedic supporting performance as the villainous crime boss, Big Boy Caprice, in Warren Beatty's comic strip-based detective adventure, Dick Tracy. Dick Tracy may not be a perfect comic book movie or even a great one, but it is undeniably entertaining and fun. Not only is the film supported by a grade-A cast, it also has a couple of wonderful Stephen Sondheim tunes to go with it. The look of the film is a delight; the art direction doesn't live in the realms of reality, but instead it rips out its ideas from a 1930s funny paper section. Although Pacino's version of Big Boy doesn't bear any resemblance to the original Big Boy in the comic strips, he wildly grabs the essence of what a goofy but threatening villain should be like.

As Big Boy, Pacino doesn't just chew up every scene--he swallows it whole. The character is more cartoon than human, but Pacino is so alive and energetic that Big Boy becomes more a true villainous being as the film progresses. Aside from the silly lines and mannerisms, Pacino is able to transform Big Boy into a dangerous threat to the film's detective hero. Big Boy is ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants and when he wants it. There are moments where the script creates some lighthearted lines for Big Boy to deliver and those scenes could have been done awfully wrong. Instead of making Big Boy into some clownish caricature (like just being the guy who gets to spank Madonna's Breathless), Pacino delivers his lines and showcases his movements with the right amount of aggressive prerogative and boiling viciousness so that the audience will still able to take this minor Hitler-lookalike seriously.

When Big Boy does something horrible, he just lets it slide off his shoulder. There is no dramatic fuss or guilt. This is what being a truly wicked villain is all about in a PG-rated affair. Pacino lets Big Boy to be likable, but only to an extent. Of course, we can still laugh at the jokes, but there is something inside the moviegoer that just wants the villain to be defeated and Pacino clearly understands that aspect of the audience, so he finds a balance between the funny, entertaining villain and the hideously emotionless murderer.

Ever since The Godfather, Pacino sky-rocketed into a legend in the cinematic crime business. It is a genre where veteran actors like Pacino can star with a polished persona; a persona that just seems so perfect for the general atmosphere of the film because it has already been perfected in other movies. Pacino carries a gun again in Donnie Brasco as Lefty Ruggiero, a small-time hitman who constantly feels disappointment in the state of his lifestyle. The film takes place in the seventies and a man like Lefty has lived the crime life for a while now. Lefty has killed many men, but life in the mafia seems gradually less worthwhile as time goes by. To compensate for his failures and regrets, he takes Donnie (who is actually Joseph Pistone, an undercover FBI agent) under his wing in hopes of seeing Donnie succeed in the mafia where he has not.

Pacino's performance in Donnie Brasco is similar to his performance in The Godfather: Part III, but unlike Andy Garcia, Johnny Depp dominates the screen as much as Pacino does. There is a convincing brightness about Depp's Donnie that Garcia failed to capture as Vincent Mancini. Pacino and Depp work as a duo in this film, rather than the film being entirely an one-man show. Director Mike Newell follows Depp's FBI agent with dedication and concern, but it never forgets to remind us that Lefty is an integral part to the hero's success. Nothing is ever black or white as we see Donnie gradually develop a deep sense of appreciation for his mentor.

Near the end of the film, there is a scene where Lefty is basically walking toward a death trap. Although the film isn't clear about the fate of Lefty, we know that Lefty is leaving himself for the sharks. (In real life, Lefty was locked up in prison and later released when he was dying from cancer.) But the audience saw it coming all along, ever since the moment he formed a friendship with a FBI agent who was seemingly disguised as a young, ambitious wiseguy. But in that particular scene where Lefty is leaving everything behind sums up why an actor like Pacino can continuously play the role of the guy with the gun: He knows how it's properly done. There are moments in many of his films where Pacino escapes the authoritative persona and finally let the human qualities sink in.

The Insider has all the winning qualities of an investigative drama: It is honest, fearless, and inspiring. In the spirit of movies like All the President's Men and JFK, director Michael Mann's film is sleek and professional and should have easily won the Best Picture Oscar over the blatantly shallow American Beauty (and any of the other films nominated in the category that year). Of course, it would be a lie for me to say that Russell Crowe's Jeffrey Wingand isn't the basis of the film, but Pacino's Lowell Bergman is the guy who grabs hold of every single detail and never lets go. This time around, Pacino plays the good guy and all he wants is the right to expose the truth.

Like Roger Ebert said, Pacino's Bergman is "Woodward and Bernstein rolled into one." Bergman has a hot story with a solid interview to go along with it, but CBS network refuses to run it on television's "60 Minutes." It is too controversial, too risky. What is contained in the interview are secrets of the tobacco industry, secrets the top tobacco execs want to leave in the dark. Because of his time at the lab, Wingand poses as a threat to Big Tobacco because he knows that the tobacco industry is making cigarettes more addictive, despite the well-known health hazards. If CBS decide to run it, they face a multi-million dollar lawsuit that might cripple the network.

As Wingand's disintegrating marriage and lifestyle is played out on-screen, Bergman works at the sidelines to reveal the truth, however threatening or dangerous. Bergman is the kind of man you respect, mainly because he has a steady job and family, but also because he can never keep his nose out of his work. Works is life and life is work for people like Bergman. There is a desperation about Pacino's Bergman--a kind of harrowing, unbelievable workaholic quality. Bergman is mainly the behind-the-scenes hero, exactly the kind of television producer to prompt an average guy like Wingand to the levels of reverence and prominence.