In order to help me understand why the Senate can't get anything done, I decided to have a mini-film fest on the theme of Senate corruption.
I started with Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. This 1939 Frank Capra classic stars Jimmy Stewart as Jefferson Smith, a naive boy's club leader appointed to a vacant Senate seat. The governor appointed him to be a "stooge," or someone who would simply vote however the senior senator from the state voted Although Smith is naive to the ways of the Senate, he is not dumb. He quickly finds a suspicious provision in a bill that threatens the very same land in his home state where he wants to build a federal boy's camp. He fights to remove the provision and unwittingly takes on the political machine that controls politics in his state.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a good primer on the workings of the Senate and how a bill becomes law. It also explores political machines, and how the drive to be re-elected corrupts even the most honest of politicians. I give this movie 3/4 stars.
I followed Mr. Smith with Advise and Consent, a 1962 political thriller. The movie opens with the President nominating a new Secretary of State. The rest of the movie follows the process of his Senate approval. Although this sounds like a boring plot for a movie, it is actually quite captivating. Themes of blackmail, homosexuality, and communism are explored by an all-star cast (Henry Fonda, Burgess Meredith, Peter Lawford, Walter Pidgeon, Don Murray, Charles Laugton, and Betty White in her first role). What is particularly noteworthy about this movie is how it depicts the backroom negotiating that goes on between the Senators. I give this movie 4/4 stars.
My film series on Senate corruption was illuminating, but left me even more disillusioned with our current Senate!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
A Smorgasbord of Reviews
Avatar 3.5/4 stars
This is the first 3D movie I haven't felt scammed by. I don't know if the 3D made the movie better, but it certainly didn't distract me like other 3D movies (see review on Harry Potter 6!). But one thing is for sure, the special effects and visual landscape of this movie were absolutely outstanding.
A lot of viewers have commented that the plot is weak. I had no problem with the story. It was was pretty much Pocahontas set in the future. Its not the story that is weak; it is the dialogue. There were way too many one-liners tossed out by the cast. These zingers reminded me that I was watching a movie and took me out of the land of Pandora. But in the end, the visual effects single-handedly carry the movie. If you enjoyed the remake of King Kong, then you will enjoy Avatar.
One other note: Did anyone else find it hilarious when the robot pulled a knife out of his sheath?
Sherlock Holmes 3.5/4 stars
The newest Sherlock Holmes portrays the great detective as an action hero. I found the Guy Ritchie version thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Move over Brad Pitt - Robert Downey Jr. has replaced you in my heart.
Humpday 3/4 stars
This low-budget comedy takes the bromance story to its extreme. I'm too modest to say anything more about the plot. This movie is slow at times, but overall, I found it thoughtful and original.
Anvil!: The Story of Anvil 4/4 stars
A real life This is Spinal Tap! This documentary follows the story of a Canadian heavy metal band that was briefly popular in the early 1980s. As the band members reach their 50s, they struggle to keep their 15 minutes of fame alive.
Up in the Air 3.5/4 stars
Up in the Air stars George Clooney as a professional firer. Companies hire him to fire/lay-off employees when the managers don't have the guts to do it themselves. Set in the present, he is extremely busy and consequently is always flying across the county. He flies so often that he is about to reach 10 million skymiles, which is his life's goal.
This movie is a front runner for the best picture award at the Oscars. However, after seeing the film, I don't think it has the stuff to win. It was flawless in its execution (acting, cinematography, original story), but it just didn't resonate with me the way that a best picture should. I saw it a week ago, and already I barely remember seeing it.
Elizabeth 3/4 stars
I rewatched this movie after finishing a historical fiction novel about Queen Elizabeth's reign. I enjoyed this movie 10 years ago, but now I find the movie too pretentious. The quick editing, elaborate costumes, and historical details that characters rattle off with bravado seem like pure Oscar bait to me. In fact, if I hadn't recently finished the novel on Elizabeth, I am not sure I would have been able to follow this movie at all.
The Gold Rush 4/4 stars
I saw Charlie Chaplin's masterpiece at Orchestra Hall with live accompaniment by the Minnesota Orchestra. Originally released in 1925 during the silent era, Chaplin re-released his movie in the 1940s with a new score that Chaplin worked on himself. I defy anyone to watch the potato dancing scene without laughing!
This is the first 3D movie I haven't felt scammed by. I don't know if the 3D made the movie better, but it certainly didn't distract me like other 3D movies (see review on Harry Potter 6!). But one thing is for sure, the special effects and visual landscape of this movie were absolutely outstanding.
A lot of viewers have commented that the plot is weak. I had no problem with the story. It was was pretty much Pocahontas set in the future. Its not the story that is weak; it is the dialogue. There were way too many one-liners tossed out by the cast. These zingers reminded me that I was watching a movie and took me out of the land of Pandora. But in the end, the visual effects single-handedly carry the movie. If you enjoyed the remake of King Kong, then you will enjoy Avatar.
One other note: Did anyone else find it hilarious when the robot pulled a knife out of his sheath?
Sherlock Holmes 3.5/4 stars
The newest Sherlock Holmes portrays the great detective as an action hero. I found the Guy Ritchie version thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. Move over Brad Pitt - Robert Downey Jr. has replaced you in my heart.
Humpday 3/4 stars
This low-budget comedy takes the bromance story to its extreme. I'm too modest to say anything more about the plot. This movie is slow at times, but overall, I found it thoughtful and original.
Anvil!: The Story of Anvil 4/4 stars
A real life This is Spinal Tap! This documentary follows the story of a Canadian heavy metal band that was briefly popular in the early 1980s. As the band members reach their 50s, they struggle to keep their 15 minutes of fame alive.
Up in the Air 3.5/4 stars
Up in the Air stars George Clooney as a professional firer. Companies hire him to fire/lay-off employees when the managers don't have the guts to do it themselves. Set in the present, he is extremely busy and consequently is always flying across the county. He flies so often that he is about to reach 10 million skymiles, which is his life's goal.
This movie is a front runner for the best picture award at the Oscars. However, after seeing the film, I don't think it has the stuff to win. It was flawless in its execution (acting, cinematography, original story), but it just didn't resonate with me the way that a best picture should. I saw it a week ago, and already I barely remember seeing it.
Elizabeth 3/4 stars
I rewatched this movie after finishing a historical fiction novel about Queen Elizabeth's reign. I enjoyed this movie 10 years ago, but now I find the movie too pretentious. The quick editing, elaborate costumes, and historical details that characters rattle off with bravado seem like pure Oscar bait to me. In fact, if I hadn't recently finished the novel on Elizabeth, I am not sure I would have been able to follow this movie at all.
The Gold Rush 4/4 stars
I saw Charlie Chaplin's masterpiece at Orchestra Hall with live accompaniment by the Minnesota Orchestra. Originally released in 1925 during the silent era, Chaplin re-released his movie in the 1940s with a new score that Chaplin worked on himself. I defy anyone to watch the potato dancing scene without laughing!
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