Movies in Brief

     I decided to watch a film that I hadn’t seen in a while. It was a Showtime film which starred Pam Grier. Those of you that know me can guess why this film is even in my collection. 3 A.M. is the story of a day in the life of a waitress and several cab drivers. Their personal demons as they try to work and avoid being killed by a serial killer. I’m making it sound better than it is. The film also stars Danny Glover and Michelle Rodriguez. There are appearances by film maker/producer Spike Lee and rapper turned actor, Treach. Bobby Cannavale, Pepa of Salt and Pepa fame and Walt Frasier as himself.
The film gives us a glimpse into the lives of a half dozen cab drivers of various backgrounds. We follow them on their journey of one night, until the shift ends at 3 A.M.
The film was written and directed by Lee Davis, don’t worry I hadn’t heard of him either. It was produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kitt.

I watched several animated films this week. I love animation and good animation really captures my attention. 8 Man After is a film put together from various episodes of the series. It’s like an animated version of Terminator and Robo Cop. It’s very graphic and dark at times. It’s funny how life imitates art. Remember the bionic man? Now people are slowly becoming cyborgs as they are able to walk, run, see and do things they wouldn’t have been able to do 30 years ago.
Even in animation the acting can be over the top, but its animation. LOL. The visuals are pretty good.
We follow an investigation into cyborgs being hooked on a drug that causes mass destruction.

The other animated film I watched was Tarzan and Jane. This is the sequel to Tarzan. I’ve come to the conclusion, when it comes to Disney sequels, they aren’t as good as the first film. I think they are just trying to cash in on the popularity of the first film. The story of Tarzan and Jane is about their first year Anniversary and Jane wants to throw a party, but she is reminded of how Tarzan dealt with other situations. It’s fun for the kids. No big name voices behind the characters and the animation is so so.

I also watched another animated film, Perfect Blue. Now this brings animation to a whole new level. This is a psychological thriller. A pop icon, Mima goes from being part of a trio singing group, Cham, to being an actress. That part of the story isn’t original and nor is the stalking, but it is original for animation. Perfect Blue is based on a graphic novel.
The film goes back and forth from reality to the film world that Mima has become a part of. Her management shows concern of her image, but Mima tries to be a team player as the duo Cham rises to the top of the pop charts. Art seems to imitate art as Mima is stalked and the people around her seem to turn up dead. Perfect Blue is very brutal and graphic. This is certainly not an animated film for kids.

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again. Remember to keep an open mind.

Mad Beat Hip and Gone

Mad Beat Hip and Gone

[This is a view of the theater from S. Lamar and Riverside Dr.]

Mad Beat Hip and Gone - Last night I attended this performance at the Zachery Scott Theater. The play was written and Directed by Steven Dietz. It’s the story of two guys who stumble across Jack Kerouac and follow him because he was talking to a girl that one of the guys liked. It’s a story about searching. Not just for parts of a past, but for the future. Looking for adventure, anything that will make life more exciting. The writer creates characters that may or may not have been in the bar from the book On The Road.

Mad Beat Hip and Gone stars Jacob Trussell, Jon Cook, Erin Barlow, Babs George, Rick Roemer and Topaz McGarrigle. The set design really takes over as a character. The team at Zachery Scott has done some incredible work on the last three performances I’ve seen and this one is no exception. The cast is really good, but Jon Cook really stands out as Rich, Danny’s partner in crime.

The play centers on the idea “Nothing is true, but everything is real.” It’s a line from a letter Jack Kerouac wrote to a friend in 1949. The writer was trying to solve Nietzsche’s metaphysics, according to the Playwright’s notes.

Topaz McGarrigle plays the sax which ads to the dark side within the characters. I’m sure we can all relate to something someone has written. We all have our own personal adventures, even if they are only in our dreams.

Relive the beginning of the beatnik era or get introduced to a time when young guys and girls wanted to be hip. It was drugs, sex, poetry and jazz.

Mad Beat Hip and Gone runs at the Zachery Scott Theater until April 28, 2013.

[The Topfer at night]

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again. Remember to keep an open mind.

Everyday People

I found this film for a dollar and it seemed like an interesting premise and one of the faces was familiar so I picked it up. It’s an interesting story on many levels. It deals with the perceptions we have of people without really getting to know them. For most of us we tend to judge someone by what we see and not what we know. If we see someone on the street begging for money, we immediately think they are homeless or have some sort of addiction. Sometimes the person begging on the street isn’t homeless, but they just can’t make ends meet. But if we just pass judgment and don’t bother to ask, then we’ll never know. Many of us don’t care to know. I too am guilty of that, but I made myself aware of this world that I knew nothing about. People get into a situation because they are afraid or don’t know how to ask for help. When you hear no often enough in your life you just don’t bother to ask your family or friends for help.

Everyday people brings people of various backgrounds together. There are people who work, but they aren’t doing it for the money. They are doing it because they enjoy it. I know it may sounds odd, but it is true. There aren’t many people who can say they have a job that they would do for free. I used to volunteer a lot and from time to time I try to help others, but I don’t volunteer like I used to. One of the reasons is that here in Austin, they don’t seem to supply parking so it makes it difficult unless of course you take public transportation.

We live in a world where we are divided on many levels. There is the racial divide and the economic divide. Sometimes we become a part of this without even knowing. One day we are a part of something and then before we know it we are a part of something else. Everyday is a challenge and if we don’t acquire the knowledge to deal with it, then we are doomed.

Everyday People has won several awards and was written and directed by Jim McKay for HBO films.

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again. Remember to keep an open mind.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (For the Elderly and the Beautiful)

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel -

The film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is based on the book, “These Forbidden Things” I don’t like giving away parts of a film. I’m not totally fond of critics either. Anyone that gets a film done, my hat is off to them. We all know what we like and we have the right to our own opinion. We all see and relate to films in different ways. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel stars Tom Wilkinson as Graham who is looking to face his past and be at peace. Judi Dench is Evelyn who has to learn to be independent. Maggie Smith is Muriel who is great on film. She makes me laugh. Bill Nighy is Doulas, Penelope is Jean, Lucy Robinson is Judith, Celia Imrie is Madge and Dev Patel from Slumdog Millionaire fame is Sonny the manage of the hotel. There are many stories going on here that many people can relate to. It’s a film about people of a certain age and their interaction with the world around them. The world changes everyday and we can choose to change with it or get left behind. Of course there are some instances where we can’t make the change. Either we don’t have the finances or reluctant to educate ourselves. We now have to constantly learn things as the technological age is upon us with a vengeance.

We are also living in a world where younger people are taking control and the older people are living longer and have to continue to work as retirement doesn’t pay the bills. From my experience, each age class is looking for acceptance and love. So many people are starved for certain things that they are missing the opportunities to learn from each other. Human connection is very important.

The message from the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is that we have to accept ourselves before we can accept others. In the grand scheme of things, some people adapt better than others. The film is like the Breakfast Club for the retired set. We share in the lives of these people living at the Marigold Hotel in India. When people are taking out of their comfort zone they get to see themselves differently. People learn to do things they never thought possible. It doesn’t matter how old we are, if we are capable of doing something it can be done. Sometimes things don’t work out the way we expect so we have to think of happier times to get through. It’s what makes life so worthwhile.

“Everything will be alright in the end, it not, it’s not the end.” An Indian Proverb.

Thanks for stopping by, and do come back again. Remember to keep an open mind.

The Robe

The Robe, directed by Henry Koster and starrring Richard Burton as Marcellus Gallio, Jean Simmons as Diana, Victor Mature, as Demitrius, Michael Rennie as Peter and Jay Robinson as Caligula. I added this film to my collection last year for sentimental reasons. As with most films I shared the viewing experience with someone special. My mother’s mother and I used to watch this film every year when it came on television. There were several films I remember the family sitting down to watch together. The Robe, Spartacus, The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur and The Wizard of Oz.

The Robe is the story of Marcellus Gallio, a tribune who wins the robe worn by Jesus in a dice game. Marcellus oversees the crucifixion of Jesus and is haunted by the powers of the robe when he tries to cover himself during a rain storm. Feeling that the robe is possessed, the search is on to find the robe and destroy it. Demitrius, the slave to Marcellus has the robe in his possession. Diana loves Marcellus and is risks everything to be with him. The film is about faith, belief and miracles.

The Robe was the first movie to be filmed in Cinemascope. It was nominated for five Academy Awards in 1953, including best picture and a Best Actor nomination for Richard Burton.

Coming up:  More movie reviews, Rubbing elbows with celebrities

Thanks for stopping by and do come back again.

An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story

During SXSW I decided to take advantage of some of the festivities when I didn’t feel tired. I went to the free concert on Thursday to see the Flaming Lips and take some pictures. It was my first time attending anything that had to do with SXSW. For those of you not familiar with the initials it’s South by Southwest.

(The founder of SXSW who praised the director of how well the story was told.)

One of the films that I had the opportunity to see was An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story. The first night the film played I was working and I had no idea it would play again. Friday night it played and I was able to get a seat after all of the ticket holders got in. I love documentaries and this was one of those stories that could happen to anyone. After the film I got another surprise, as the Director, Al Reinert came on stage and was joined by Michael Morton and his attorney. I pulled out my cameras and took some pictures and shot some video. We as individual go through things in our lives and we all have a different end result. Any type of traumatic experience effects us. We can’t imagine what we would do if we were convicted of a crime that we knew we didn’t commit and had to spend 25 years of our life behind bars. To lose the one you love and your only child in the process.

(This picture includes the director, Al Reinert, Michael Morton and his attorney.)

An Unreal Dream gives us some insight into the Texas prison system and what can happen when everyone doesn’t do their job. It also shows what happens when a person is persistent in what they believe the truth and having the right person to back you. With the help of the Innocence Project, Michael Morton was released in October of 2011 with evidence from DNA which proved he did not kill his wife. The Innocence Project is a non profit that helps those that are wrongfully convicted.

Michael Morton served 25 years for the murder of his wife. Currently Mark Norwood is on trial for the murder of Christine Morton and another woman. The trial had to be moved to San Angelo so that Mark Norwood could get a fair trial.

Starting over after 25 years can’t be easy, but some people do manage to take the experience that altered their life and turn it into a positive. It seems Michael Morton has done that. He is constantly telling his story which is the best therapy for any traumatic experience.
If you get a chance, I highly recommend this film. You may have read about the story or remember seeing it on the news, but this 92 minute documentary gives a little more insight as you’re hearing it from Michael Morton. What he was feeling and how he got through it all.

Coming up:  More movie reviews, Rubbing elbows with celebrities

SXSW

 It is now March Madness in Austin. One of the big events is South by Southwest. The event combines, music, film and technology. Working at the Zachery Scott Theater I found out we were hosting some of the film portion of the festival. I didn’t know what to expect, I just new my duties would include working with the VIPs.

The first night there were two big names that would be at the theater for a screening. Josh Duhamel was promoting his new film and he brought Fergie along. How the process works is nothing new to me, but it was still interesting to experience. I just wanted to make things as easy as possible. There was a plan in place, but when it comes to actors of any sort, things can change in a minute.

(Stars on the red carpet.)

My second night Simon Baker of The Mentalist was the big star. There are stars at various venues around town. Musicians, actors, film makers and comedians. I know Fred Armisen from Saturday Night Live is to do a taping of a local talk show, Overheard with Evan Smith.

An actor gives an interview on the red carpet.)

Today there were some stars that I was not familiar with. They were starring in a comedy. I just wanted some pictures to add to the blog. LOL.

(Stars reacting to an interviewer.)

Coming up:  More movie reviews, Rubbing elbows with celebrities