up, for an Academy Award Oscar for BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM, ‘Chico & Rita’ is a lovely, dreamy, steamy and often sad look back at beautiful times – its two main characters hurt by both their own tempestuous temperaments, and the biased days of 1948. This is a retro postcard that plays out as maybe the first Black Latin contender among the American and Japanese genres of animation. and its voice is adult, passionate and a reality check.

any comic book artist worth their salt, or any visual artist with soul for that matter, is going to marvel at how the characters’ black Latino features flit across the big screen and seep down into your soul. the backgrounds are literally ‘souvenir’ postcards filled with the lights and ambiance of cities and days, not that long past. and yes Chico arrives in the big apple, New York City, much the same way as the Cuban poet REINALDO ARENAS, of Julian Schnabel’s, ‘Before Night Falls’ did . . . amidst the wonder and magic of a big city snowfall. and like that eventful film, this one too, can steal your heart, and leave you secretly wiping away – the tears.

the movie is framed by a flashback stance, that works really well, and gets you in the heart. closer to the action and drama, than a straightforward narrative might have. but what really captures your heart – is the music. haunting and beyond soulful, it betrays the term ‘jazz’ – and takes on an absolutely otherworldiness. it’s not quite a better time or place – but it is a ‘moment’ of pure desire . . .

watch the trailer: Chico & Rita

on the lower right there, you can listen to the soundtrack, and switch among the songs. look for the film’s signature melody: ‘Sabor A Mi’ – sung by Idania and Bebo Valdes

in NYC, its currently playing at the ANGELIKA FILM CENTER.

yo, if the shoe fits – grab it !!

yes, yes, and more yes !!
Parisian nightlife lightbulb x 1,000 and street artist ANDRE SARAIVA aka Mr. A – has made a great, great, fun, funny, fab and downright super whimsical hi-style, fashion forward, huge French come-back (!!) short film – straight out of the gate. it’s his debut film.
and, so is he . . . the BANKSY of France !!

even the lowly opening credits roll – with a fashion forward edge – a real retro-animated grace and wit !! – that would put even the most accomplished graphic designers on the scene today, to shame. and the sound track ? it’s just as delightful – VIRGINS, move over !!

‘The Shoe’ made in collaboration with France’s legendary J.M WESTON brand, ‘French Master Shoemaker Since 1891′ (!!) is ANDRE SARAIVA’s first stroll into moving pictures. A playful, light as air non-stop Parisian tumble, it rolls sweet and romantic – but always right on the edge of going somewhere – and yeah, you want to be, wherever it’s going, too.

Starring his friends, including the featured LEO FITZPATRICK, and the cutest of them all, ANNABELLE DEXTER-JONES, even OLIVIER ZAHM, of PURPLE gets a writing contribution credit.

here’s a new maxim: there’s usually a reason why – people get their celebrity status reps & it’s called: TALENT !!

and maybe that’s why New York City’s HALF GALLERY is opening a show called: ANDRE SARAIVA – ‘LOVE LETTERS’ to-nite !! and maybe that’s why, the gallery’s founder & director BILL POWERS, has reason – to be, all over !!
conundrum, NOT !!

LEO FITZPATRICK – IN ANDRE SARAIVA’S – ‘THE SHOE” – !!

WATCH IT HERE: ANDRE SARAIVA -THE SHOE – on SLAMXHYPE/NOWNESS.COM – !!!!!!!!!!

VETERAN WRITER/ DIRECTOR BEN LEWIN and his first ever film at Sundance, ‘THE SURROGATE’ . . are making huge huge web waves . . . the film is just taking off on every plane imaginable . . . including apparently way gifted performances by (indie fave) JOHN HAWKES, along with big screen vets: HELEN HUNT and WILLIAM H. MACY.

this is as close to a clip as I can find you . . .

watch: AN INTERVIEW with ‘THE SURROGATE’ – DIRECTOR & SCREENWRITER: BEN LEWIN
it’s very charming.

JOHN HAWKES stars in ‘THE SURROGATE’ as the true life poet journalist MARK O’BRIEN. image: Movieline
read: a great great interview with JOHN HAWKES on . . . ‘THE SURROGATE’ – from Movieline

of course the best and most funniest !! move clips to surface – this year – are the Portlandia series – no offense, DIYers and gender benders !! if you hear your roommate falling over with laughter, at their laptop – it’s because they’ve tuned into the truly hysterical Portlandia universe, which manages to be witty, outrageous, and yet not really that mean-spirited, and goes down easy. way easy. it’s a rainy day – mood breaker. visual popcorn for the creative pros, that’s for sure . . . super fun, for everybody else. the laughs just keep on coming.

this spoof of America’s fave alternative lifestyle city, and mecca to the new age hordes – Portland, Orgeon – was brought to life, wouldn’t you know it – by three super wicked funny SNL, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, as in NEW YORK CITY !! – alumnae: FRED ARMISEN, CARRIE BROWNSTEIN, and JONATHAN KRISEL. Krisel is the man behind the scenes. Fred and Carrie, also co-creators and co-writers – just waltz off this planet – with their various Portlandia caricatures.
Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz . . . can finally rest in peace, and . . . move over.

Portlandia plays current shows on the IFC channel, which also spools past episodes !! – and the whole back series has also just come out on Netflix instants, too.

just, don’t ever call me NANCE !!

CARRIE BROWNSTEIN and FRED ARMISEN – classic !! in Portlandia – forever !!
image: IFC

I think that about . . . . says it all !!
image: IFC

so here’s a great web cruise for a so-cold, let’s stay inside day, start with: PORTLANDIA, IFC
so, don’t miss the great cast bios !! watch the clips and get background info – it’s big fun fan site !!

and while you are there. . . root around a bit, and sign up to have your site – pickled, too: we can pickle that !!

and yes !! that is local Lower East Side hero from way back in the hood – 80s: and now big Empire Broadway honcho – STEVE BUSCHEMI – on the ‘PORTLANDIA: Customers Only’ episode.

though . . . . . if pressed.

yes, if pressed, if I had to pick out one all time fave – I’d have to go with: PORTLANDIA: Put a Bird on It !!

but really every episode is ace. . . from ‘Dumpster Diving’ to bring ‘Your Own (shopping) Bag’ !! Portlandia – it just keeps on giving. Portlandia – rules.
in fact, I say Fred Armisen, (who plays Obama on SNL), and Carrie Brownstein – should take over for Barack and Michelle, for real . . . for a day or two, at the very least. get things back on track.
and when the Oscars get boring – you know where to turn.

PORTLANDIA – BOOM BOX !!
designed by DKNG Studios – on: IFC – PORTLANDIA website/POSTERS !!

MATT BUA – are you diggin’ it ?

p.s. the planet SATURN squares up with Earth – tomorrow – the 20th of January, 2012. no doubt about it. god of agriculture and all. ha.
in a new age nutshell: you reap – what you sow !!
and, yeah. I’m waiting big time on that – but maybe I shouldn’t be holding . . . my breath.

and oh, yeah . . .

the HSMG – Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (!!) is holding their 15th annual conference in Portland, Oregon – this May 9-11, 2012.
just saying . . .
it’s a long story, let’s just say the DIY web query began with: dropped bar of soap down the toilet, how to fix ?

photo: VANITY FAIR, June 2011
Yves Saint Laurent in his living room, Rue de Babylon, 1974. inset: Saint Laurent fitting a model, 1961.
below: Saint Laurent and his longtime companion and business partenr, Pierre Berger in 1983.
see: VANITYFAIR.COM

in an interesting little ‘HOT REELS’ article – published last JUNE 2011 – VANITY FAIR scribe A. M. HOLMES writes that not only is this film, ‘L’AMOUR FOU’ , “Pierre Thoretton’s directorial and documentary debut” but, more dramatically . . . “the two Pierres (filmmaker Pierre Thoretton and YSL partner PIERRE BERGE) were introduced by Thoretton’s former mother-in-law, actress CATHERINE DENEUVE, (!!) in the 90s.”

he goes on:

“Sometime later they began meeting for lunch every Thursday to talk about life. The portrait that emerged from their conversations is an intimate, elegiac celebration of the two lives intertwined”.

elegaic, as in sorrowful, yes. celebration ? no.

“The film begins with Yves Saint Laurent’s announcement, amid popping flashbulbs, of his retirement, in 2002; from there it cuts to Berge’s eloquent observations six years later at Saint Laurent’s funeral . . . and follows Berge through the sale of hundreds of art objects the two men collected over the years.

Berge’s reaction to the film, Thoretton says, was profound. ‘He cried. He said Thank you. And he said he’d learned things about himself that he didn’t want to talk about — because they were things he didn’t like.’”

yeah, like maybe he should have let Yves smoke a little medicinal weed ?? !! or bike ride ?
or, give it all away – in Saint Laurent’s lifetime – and run a school for under-privileged kids ?
beats me. but, about that house in Morocco . . . .

and yeah, it was kind of obscene to see him so unhappy, surrounded by so much wealth. I mean some people are happy just with one plant blooming in their kitchen window. I think after awhile the essence maybe gets lost in the numbers.
maybe he should have come to New York and rocked the contemporary scene. what they were collecting was so fusty and staid, anyways. this seemed to be a collection entirely devoid of life. L’amour fou, crazy love ? looking more like suffocating love, to me.

both documentaries – ‘BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK’ (2010) and ‘L’AMOUR FOU’ (2010) – are now out on NETFLIX INSTANTS.

‘BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK’ – A FILM BY RICHARD PRESS/DIRECTOR & CINEMATOGRAPHER
‘L’AMOUR FOU’ – A FILM BY PIERRE THORETTON/DIRECTOR
REVIEWED BY NANCY SMITH, JAN 16, 2012

both of these fashion-world documentaries played to small audiences, when they were premiered – but maybe it’s time to check them out on the home screen – via Netflix.
one is the story of (growing) local NYC legend, the New York Times fashion photographer BILL CUNNINGHAM, still going strong at 83 !!
the other is the story of the fashion giant, YVES ST LAURENT who died in 2008 at the age of 72.

apart from the fact that the New York City film – is the better watch, the edit is better – sharper. the films are a study in contrasts. here you have BILL CUNNINGHAM a true fashion paparazzi – with a long trajectory to some sort of fame – for himself – as opposed to his famous subjects. with very little in the way of material goods, just him, his endless files of 35 mm photos, and his bike. which he still rides with great gusto and vibrancy through the streets of New York – in search of the newest trends and it-girls !!

and YVES ST. LAURENT who despite, or maybe because of an early rocket-ship career, with the resultant overabundance of material wealth and acclaim, a period of overabundant and out-of-control hard partying that he had had to put behind him, and enough possessions, homes, and artwork to initiate a serious auction – was tormented, depressed, burnt-out – and dead by 72.

Bill Cunningham is portrayed as the archetypal loner.
Yves is remembered throughout this film by his long time lover and business partner, of over 50 years, PIERRE BERGE – who in fact narrates this film – and sets its sad tone and depressive talking points.

BILL CUNNINGHAM, today. or rather at 81 in 2010. and yeah he’s still out there, on his bike !! with his (film) camera around his neck – as vibrant and sharp as ever . . . maybe it’s that bike that keeps him so fit !! his critical eye, honed on the streets for decades – is renown for a top-notch trend-catching take – that still can’t be beat. and maybe that’s also what keeps him so driven, and sprightly. chasing the talent and the scene.
tell me about it !!

ANNA WINTOUR has a few nice cameos in the film. the most striking thing she says, besides “we all dress for Bill” !! . . . goes something like this:
“we all went to the same shows, but Bill would see something, we didn’t – and then sure enough 6 months later – it was the biggest trend.”
you couldn’t say anything better bout an on-the-scene 24/7 photo street stalker !!

in the film Bill says, cutting edge fashion is just out there for the taking, on the street – all the time. it’s just a matter of being able to catch the moment. and the clues, it’s called: radar.
it’s also interesting to note that he had hands-on skills. He worked as a ladies’ hat maker – in fact he was a very stylish and accomplished milliner in the 50s – when he was in his 20′s in NYC. according to BILL CUNNINGHAM/WIKIPEDIA, his photographic career in the New York Times took off – when quite by accident he took some photos of a woman on the street in a coat that had caught his attention, despite it being “quite plain”. the woman ? GRETA GARBO !! . . . and “as a result of a chance photograph of Greta Garbo – he published a group of his impromptu pictures in the New York Times in December of 1978″ . . . that would have made him: 50 !! late bloomer or what . . . if he’d been born any later – he’d probably have to settle for being a blogger. but maybe not, he made some interesting and very fiercely intelligent connections early on, and – well, you’ll just have to watch the film – for the lowdown on that !! DETAILS and WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, included.

there’s also another golden info nugget in that WIKIPEDIA article, that goes . . . as a result of that chance photo of Greta Garbo, with which he began his long series of “impromptu photos” – that still run in the Times, ‘On The Street’, and his high society party column, ‘Evening Hours’, both in the Saturday Style section – Arthur Gelb, his editor has called these ‘impromptu’ photos . . . “a turning point for the Times because it was the first time (!!) the paper had run pictures of well-known people without their permission”.

so Bill lives very simply, and happily – alone – with only a cot to sleep on set up among his treasured photo-filled filing cabinets. and p.s. no hard drives for him !! hard copy, only. it’s fun to watch him work on the negatives, processed in a local neighborhood store, no less. and later on, banter with his ‘digital’ newspaper assistant – as they do the final lay-out.
one of the most fun subtexts of the film . . is people trying to determine if he shares a wealthy background with his more famous subjects – as he gets along so easily with them, NOT !! but another entertaining nugget is when the film watches as he cautions some major mogul – at what appears to be a big museum function: “careful, one handshake could mean a new wing.” !!

a very impressive first time project by New Yorkers, RICHARD PRESS and PHILIP GEFTER, you can read more about them and the other talent behind-the-scenes, here . . . ZEITGEIST FILMS

you can watch the trailer, and for sure . . . cruise the lively website: here . . ZEITGEIST FILMS . . . BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK

a young kickstart genius by anybody’s standards – YVES SAINT LAURENT – was truly a rocket scientist. look at that face. he could be walking around Williamsburg, if not national reality TV shows, today. though the math seems unbelievable, he was only 17 !! when in 1953 he won a major Paris fashion competition, and not too much afterwards – – he was heading the house of Dior !!
the archival clips of him in the film – are astounding for his sensitivity and intelligence. and shyness.
later on he personally attributes his great debilitating depression to the fact that he came to power so soon, and missed out on some freedoms, along the way.

though of course there are pix of his ground-breaking chic chic fashions, as well as archival clips and contemporary interviews with his muses !! – this is not a ‘VALENTINO, THE LAST EMPEROR’, and too bad.
but it is something else, and maybe that’s ok, too. it’s a love poem of a very sad nature from his long time partner PIERRE BERGER, who is in fact telling the story. it’s a bit of a sad story . . . despite all the fame and glory, and houses and possessions. maybe there’s a moral in there, I don’t know. maybe they should have taken up – bike riding !!

cause you sure can’t take it with you !!
and it’s a lot of work – to unload !!
and funnily enough – nothing really caught my eye – as super great art, even as the decorative arts go. but hey, about that house in Morocco – !!

the young and radiant YVES SAINT LAURENT. . . burnt out by his 70s. but by some standards (McQueen) that was a good long ride.
they don’t seem to have a film website – but you can catch two trailers, here’s the first . . . YVES ST LAURENT – ‘L’AMOUR FOU’.
. . . . .

and here’s: the second . . . YVES ST. LAURENT – ‘L’AMOUR FOU’.

ALL PHOTOS – FROM THE OFFICIAL FILM WEBSITE (CUNNINGHAM) and YouTube (ST. LAURENT).

YOUNG ADULT WINS !!

but only – by a single strand of bleached blonde hair.

the determining straw: which is the best movie as a whole – both female leads: MICHELLE WILLIAMS and CHARLIZE THERON – are the stuff of stars.

‘MY WEEK WITH MARILYN’ – DIRECTED BY SIMON CURTIS and STARRING MICHELLE WILLIAMS
‘YOUNG ADULT’ – DIRECTED BY JASON REITMAN and STARRING CHARLIZE THERON
REVIEWED BY NANCY SMITH. FRIDAY, JAN 13, 2012

Don’t get me wrong, a lot of my movie pals thought MICHELLE WILLIAMS didn’t rise to the part. I beg to differ, I don’t agree with that at all . . . I thought she, Michelle was raw magic, pure incandescent and absolute Marilyn – in all her shatteringly brilliant facets. c-h-a-r-i-s-m-a.
t-a-l-e-n-t.

looking back I was thinking, maybe I feel so in love – because I saw ‘MY WEEK WITH MARILYN’ at the new NITEHAWK CINEMA in Williamsburg, after a typical Brooklyn weekend brunch, that is: whatever – and a couple or . . 4 Bloody Mary’s !! more importantly we got there early and NITEHAWK ran this incredible series of archival clips of the real Marilyn before the movie started, with no other distractions, ads or coming features to steal the thunder, I mean: wonder.

they even showed newsreel clips of the original London press conference that starts ‘MY WEEK WITH MARILYN’ , and is featured at the start of the film’s official trailer as well. and then NITEHAWK even went on to unspool numerous and really wonderful, totally enchanting archival clips from the original 1956 film, this 2012 movie is constructed around – the 1956 British production: ‘The Prince and the Showgirl’, featuring MARILYN MONROE and SIR LAWRENCE OLIVIER !! and of those clips, the most notable was …. the footage of the real Marilyn Monroe’s swanky swell solo dancing scene – in the shop !!
also duplicated delightfully – in the movie, at hand. it’s a bio – get it ?

so, long story short, when Michelle Williams hits the screen as Marilyn – departing her plane into the ‘fan’ driven madness of that 1956 press conference – you have had the ‘real’ celluloid Marilyn in focus, not the mirage in your mind – and maybe that helped me sync the visions . . . into one.

but no, just now, watching the trailer on the film’s official website weeks later, the magic was still there. the ravishing MICHELLE WILLIAMS was MARILYN MONROE – no doubt about it. no ifs, ands or buts – and I’m not allowing room for dissension. if the glass slipper fits, then wear it !!

where the film goes weak – is in how the (mostly very famous) ensemble of actors who support the plot – just go wooden. you can catch it in the trailer if you look hard. one dead give-away is DOUGRAY SCOTT – who really doesn’t make it as Arthur Miller. that’s for starters.
EDDIE REDMAYNE doesn’t totally inhabit his role, either. neither does KENNETH BRANGH as SIR LAWRENCE OLIVIER, nor DAME JUDI DENCH, nor even EMMA WATSON. the only supporting character who took hold – was JULIA ORMOND as VIVIEN LEIGH !!
ok. EDDIE REDMAYNE was good. he held sway in most of his scenes. but, just.

so what happened here, why the rest of the cast – didn’t take flight is hard to tell. did they want to deliberately tap these guys down to double-up on Ms. William’s glow ? if so, they hadn’t had to. was it the director, I don’t know. I just know usually the Brits can carry off a period piece like this, no sweat. it’s a piece of cake to them. they do it all the time and pretty swell, too – esp on the small screen in countess mysteries and costume dramas, so what happened ? put it this way: it’s not ‘The King’s Speech’ which is kind of the exact opposite to this – where you go in thinking you’ll have a boring ole time – and you come out in shock and awe.

watch the trailer, you’ll see the shock and awe in Ms. William’s performance – it could light a house on fire. but it’s like it’s nowhere to be found in the degree called for, anywhere else.

the movie’s website bye the way, is excellent in a totally British way . . . details the narrative, and explains film’s ‘conceit’ – definite worth the whole ‘site’ tour.

watch: the trailer, here – and check out the website, ‘MY WEEK WITH MARILYN’ !!

MICHELLE WILLIAMS is MARILYN MONROE, with DOUGRAY SCOTT as ARTHUR MILLER behind her – arriving in Britain in 1956 to make the ‘The Prince and the Showgirl.’
yeah – you only wish – she could melt in your mouth.

this is MICHELLE WILLIAMS – pretty much just the way her mythical M.M. character was – incandescent. the movie is based on a wonderful true story, and you can learn all about it – on that previous link – to the film’s website.

now, ‘YOUNG ADULT’ - delivers the whole package. could it be the young and up-and-coming, move-over !! director: the Montreal-born JASON REITMAN ? (hello Montreal – my hometown, too !!)
I bet the fab and way gifted writer/producer DIABLO CODY had something to do with that, too. I even notice JOHN MALKOVICH in the credits as a producer. ha. In fact there were a total of 5 producers, and 3 executive producers on this film – so, I guess it takes a village of talented people to make a great movie. maybe there was more ‘script’ for the cast to hold onto. maybe it was cast to perfection. I don’t know. I just know – it takes off, and flies solid and true all the way through.

CHARLIZE THERON is MAVIS GARY. to watch her tuck her little lap dog into it’s pink traveling bag, carefully and quickly duck its tiny head under the zipper, and then zip it up, with one flourish – – is to see Mavis having done this, and done it, her entire life. there is no entering a disbelief zone, you are already on the other side.

well, and yeah PATTON OSWALT as MATT FREEHAUF, o.k. the cripple – is incredible. . . as he watches Charlize/Mavis deconstruct and unravel . . . PATRICK WILSON is more than pitch perfect as Buddy – the big lug of an old flame Charlize/Mavis never really put behind her. but my fave is ELIZABETH REASER – as his new wife. and wouldn’t you know it – the coolest fem band drummer in town !!

if you want more on her part, read the DIABLO CODY quotes on the movie’s website !! “She’s really cool, she’s in a band. She sends Mavis over the edge.”

I also really liked the young COLLETTE WOLF, in a difficult role – as Matt’s kid sister, Sandra – who just adores Charlize/Mavis – and gets to give her those famous last words: all’s that’s wrong with you is – you gotta get yourself back out of this town . . . and, can I come along with you ? ( !! )

yeah, for sure: check out the website, though it’s trailer is very brief, short and pretty. the filmmakers’ bios, statements, and the film background texts – are very good.

CHARLIZE THERON as MAVIS GARY, if looks could kill . . . you’d be dead.

yep. CHARLIZE THERON as MAVIS GARY is about to throw a major fit and ruin the little baby’s naming ceremony !! big time. and yep, her nemesis, ELIZABETH REASER, as the new Buddy love – wife and baby mama – is just about to – you know what !! spill that red wine all down Mavis’ new silk dress. fab. fab, and more fab. hard role, Ms. Reaser pulls it off – just the same way she plays those drums – and that’s the reason ‘Young Adult’ wins, the supporting ensemble cast – is incandescent, too.

IMAGES FROM – THE OFFICIAL WEBSITES.

‘SHERLOCKE HOLMES: A GAME of SHADOWS’ – DIRECTED BY GUY RITCHIE, STARRING: ROBERT DOWNEY, Jr. and JUDE LAW
‘A DANGEROUS METHOD’ – DIRECTED BY DAVID CRONENBERG, STARRING: MICHAEL FASSBINDER, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY & VIGGO MORTENSON
REVIEWED BY NANCY SMITH, JAN 12, 2012

‘SHERLOCKE HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS’ – is one sequel that does not quit. In fact it is so good – it leaves you panting for the next. Fast paced, with a great story – tons of action, way romantic settings, and imbued throughout with a dense and gifted production in every nook and cranny – it is a movie for all movie fans across the spectrum, but esp for quick-minded visual artists and graphic designers, to say the least. even the credits roll – with sheer audacity.

The sets are astounding, set in 1891 London – the mad crazy street scenes, esp turn-of-the-century Chinatown in London !! just rush into the solitary overgrown madness of the famous detective’s home office – without missing a beat, and the visual rush just keeps on giving. . . the breath-taking high mountain villa, built over a waterfall, is that a real place ? – is just jaw dropping.

the acting is sublime and the ensemble cast just mesh into one black velvet cape of a caper. not to mention that every time Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law come on screen – which is pretty much always !! – your heart does skip a beat. Magnetic, charismatic, totally taking over the plot and bringing these old literary characters to life again. A rich, ripe, ironic and true – cinematic magic life. It’s not so much that you get involved in the emotionality of the movie and the characters – it’s that you are swept up and surprised and damn well entertained !!

the seamlessness of Guy Ritchie’s movie – he is so better off without Madonnna, is he not ? – is shadowed itself – by a bookend set of wonderfully seamless !! visual puns, pulled off by Robert Downey, involving a full body camo suit of the most curious nature – - and that’s all I’m going to say. The trailer and the film clips might be consumed by the fierce acrobatic action scenes, but yo any artist, in any creative endeavor or field – of any stripe !! – is gonna fall hard for this one – esp in the final frames, ha. wicked. good one, couch potato, NOT !! RITCHIE !!
ok. hint: it involves a hood and some good ole Victorian upholstery.

post script: one review I read put the movie down – because it was “unbelievable”. my godz, to say that is to really miss the point. that’s what it’s really all about. get over that notion – fast. or miss a brilliant movie-making feast. the action is over-the-top – it is a thriller. and even the more so for being an historical thriller at that. but you can ride it, you can suspend your disbelief, and the plot does tie up rather outrageously, but in essence: neatly !! that’s the brilliance of the Conan Doyle stories, after all. and that’s why the foxy Sherlocke Holmes lives to see another – day. mile high rushing mountain water falls notwithstanding.

and if you like to follow that path, for sure hit IMDb – and scroll down to their Did You Know ? section. where they lay out some of the film’s anachronisms, continuity slips, ‘crew or equipment visible’ – caught by sharp eyed historian and/or film buffs. as for me, I’m still digging the running gag on Jude Law’s hand-made knitted scarf, and Downey’s book end scene-stealing – camouflage stunts !!

and p.s. although of course everybody is making, or trying to make media-wise, a big deal of the great gypsy tarot card reader NOOMI RAPACE plays, duh. I thought the low-key RACHEL McADAMS pulls off a terrific, totally believable, and graciously under-played humorous rendering of the long-suffering wife of Dr. Watson. who not incidentally makes being thrown off a train racing across a miles high bridge into the rushing waters below – well, a bit far-fetched – but absolutely and most maddeningly charming. well, that’s the walloping ride of a great movie, for ya – in a fast plunging, and most extravagant – nutshell.

bet Steven Speilberg wishes he could still make movies like that.

watch the trailer: ‘SHERLOCKE HOLMES: A GAME of SHADOWS’

ROBERT DOWNEY, Jr. in one of his disguises, this one – be it ever so tacky !! – it’s a wicked brilliant fast-paced game of shadows, after all.

JUDE LAW, who else could partner with Robert Downey, Jr. and come out – so on point ? droll is the word.
and, yeah. ya gotta love that hand-knitted rag of a scarf around his neck . . . tres beau. nice detail, wonderful production, absolutely top notch.

on the other hand, ‘A DANGEROUS METHOD’ – is absolutely the worst movie I have ever had to sit through, period. except for maybe some contemporary boring and way over-wrought French films. the worst production. the most boring adaption of an historically vivid moment that ever ruined the big screen. the production skills are zilch. the acting is even worse. the narrative is stiff and, I think annoying, is too kind a word for what goes on here.

once you’ve seen VIGGO puff down on his first cigar – you’ve seen it all. and I mean – he isn’t even good at that. they should have shown him doing Freud on coke (cocaine) – now that would have been not only a bit more dramatic and real !! but it would have given Viggo something to get into. acting range-wise, Ms. Knightley is just plain annoying, setting a most un-delightful tone that miscarries throughout. not to mention that she comes across as just plain ole desperate. her accent is the pits. no, she does not a Jewess, make. her jaw wrenching fits made me want to flee, right then and there . . . and if her movie-career can recover from this fiasco – I’d be very surprised. I mean unless you think seeing her full on naked, tied up to the 1920 era bedposts – is the cat’s meow ? ok. so she has her real breasts, is it just me – or does that not in itself a movie – make ?

MICHAEL FASSBINDER is such a woody one-dimensionally flat Jung – that he doesn’t even make it to wormy and deceptive. His performance was so un-nuanced and so un-inspired – it made me want to come home and throw out all my Jung books, and I mean that, tarot card manuals and all. there goes his rep, Jungian hi-end highly illustrated coffee table books be damned. and if cigar smoking ever had a chic – well, no longer. and for sure, take that Freudian clause – off your professional Dr. shingle, pronto.

the only thing that revived me after this clueless and stagnant hoax of a cinematic drama – was catching a real New York City – deli egg cream. and that’s not funny. or Freudian.

the only thing ‘dangerous’ about this movie is that the audience doesn’t come equipped with real rotten tomatoes to throw at it. what a ghastly over-written flop. if the guys who made this misfired production show up at the red carpets – shame on them. and throw the tomatoes – fast and furious.

watch the trailer: ‘A DANGEROUS METHOD’.

MICHAEL FASSBINDER as JUNG, and VIGGO MORTENSON as FREUD, and that’s about as good as this movie gets. once you’ve see Viggo chomping on a cigar – he doesn’t even seem to like it – you really don’t want to see it over and over again . . . not to mention with nary a facial variation, or even a big breathy exhale – to add a little old European spice. ‘A DANGEROUS METHOD’ is like an endless edit gone bad . . . way bad. boring and dumb. curious it could have been, big legends going down here.
so, don’t even bother – except possibly if you’ve got a taste for some celebrity S & M porn, in which case it’s rich fodder for hardcore KEIRA KNIGHTLEY fans.

ALL IMAGES COURTESY – THE OFFICIAL FILM WEBSITES.

yep, this movie is all its cracked up be, and more.
swift script, great story. beautiful beautiful cinematography and editing. all the actors inhabit their roles, and hold you glued to the screen, whether it’s the star – whose golden boy looks have been toned down somewhat, whether it’s Jonah Hill who doesn’t say much – but cracks you up, or PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – with his authentic meaty freckled forearms – the obstinate bull-headed coach who doesn’t get it – to the sweet little girl, KERRIS DORSEY who plays Brad Pitt’s onscreen daughter – and has to sing out loud – in front of Brad Pit (!!) and a huge film audience – and whose nervousness – seems pretty much – just how you’d feel in that mind boggling situation – and never mind, just 13.

an ode to the underdog . . . to contrarians everywhere . . . to people who just know. . . . when the new game is on, the old game is over. . . way before anyone else has even caught on – that things have changed, big time. it’s not exactly the big win – but that’s also what’s so great about it. its all about the: process, the mind-think that turns big ships – 180 degrees. in the opposite direction.

BRAD PITT – is Billy Beane. besides living in a charmingly underscored small home with ‘souvenir’ plates mounted on the kitchen wall (!!) – and he is hyper – a real speedball. his relentless intensity radiates from the screen. spit that tobacco chaw in the paper cup, boy.

JONAH HILL – I guess I started to love him after his brilliant turn in ‘GET HIM TO THE GREEK’. it’s not easy to be the schlump opposite the golden boys. esp the smart one. the first time he comes onscreen in ‘MONEYBALL’ – is just so kick-ass backwards – it’s exquisite. and way underplayed, too. it’s just great. I nearly fell out of my theater seat from laughing and my next door neighbor had to give me a couple of sharp elbow jabs – to get me to settle down. and all he does is, not much. but that not much – is ALL.
it’s like what we like say in the art world: less is more. He just pops up as part of an ensemble of mid-level suits in an office and the camera actually forgets about him, as it pans to the right. oh, what a sweet directorial move. they cut it, just right. right on the digital dot. cracked me up. right there.
(not to mention. just change one single letter in his character’s last name, from Brand to Brant – and you got Peter Brant – a big time art world player. . . a little chuckle for the insiders, or what..)

the rest of the hand-picked crew is right on too. from the colorful cast of gritty two-bit characters who play the hard-knock talent scouts, to the first baseball club owner – the small market league owner. no, no and no – but bring in the wins. that’d be the Oakland A’s. to the suave money no problemo – owner of the big market Chicago White Sox. pitch perfect.

in fact, let’s just leave it at that: ‘MONEYBALL’ – is pitch perfect. obstinate, hyper and contrarian . . . just the way we like it.

see: ‘MONEYBALL’ – the official website

GEORGE HARRISON is the subject of a new documentary directed by MARTIN SCORSESE, ‘George Harrison: Living in the Material World’ – which will be screened in 2 parts – on HBO this WED and THURS – OCT 5 and 6, 2011.

DAVE ITZKOFF of the THE NEW YORK TIMES, wrote an intriguing advance article on the flick – published last weekend, Sunday Sept 25, 2011.

One of the things I found most interesting, was to learn – what an archivist – George Harrison was. He actually maintained “fully packed suitcases from trips abroad that he kept as time capsules.” (!!)

as well, apparently the film’s production team, lead by key production man NIGEL SINCLAIR, who also worked on Scorsese’s brilliant and moving BOB DYLAN ode, ‘No Direction Home’ – “sought out archival footage, while producers conducted interviews with longtime Beatles associates like the bassist and visual artist KLAUS VOORMAN, who designed the cover of ‘Revolver’; the photographer ASTRID KIRCHHERR, who took many of the earliest photos of the band; and the producer PHIL SPECTOR, who in 2009 was sentenced to 19 years to life for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson.”

“Asked how the meeting with Mr. Spector was arranged, Mr. Sinclair said, ‘We were able to capture that interview before he was no longer available to us, which is a very euphemistic way of saying it, isn’t it ?’”

read the article for yourself, here: GEORGE HARRISON, ‘Within Him, Without Him’ – THE NEW YORK TIMES