No. 84 EASY RIDER (1969)

Of course, don’t ever tell anybody that they’re not free, ’cause then they’re gonna get real busy killin’ and maimin’ to prove to you that they are.

On the surface Easy Rider is a late-sixties film about sex, drugs and bikes – and not necessarily in that order. But when you watch further you realise why this movie made America change the way it looks at itself. Easy Rider is considered to be a very real and innovative look at a chaotic time period – a movie that was the first real indie distributed by a major company. This was also one of the first movies to have a soundtrack of previously recorded music. According to Peter Fonda the music in the film is mostly from his and Dennis Hopper’s record collections. So let’s get into the mood with one of the movie’s classic tracks:

                                              Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild

In the movie two bikers Billy (Dennis Hopper) and Wyatt, aka Captain America (Peter Fonda) make a major drug deal with a LA connection (Phil Spector). With the cash safely tucked away in the stars and stripes gas tank of Captain America’s bike, they head to Mardi Gras for the last party before retiring to Florida. On their way through Vietnam-era America they pick up a hippie hitchhiker (Luke Askew) and take him to a struggling commune in the desert. While driving thru a small-town Billy and Captain America manage to get arrested for parading without a permit. In the jail they meet an alcoholic ACLU lawyer George Hanson (Jack Nicholson). Hanson joins Billy and Captain America on their road trip only to find brief joy in smoking grass for the first time before he meets his grisly end in the hands of Southern rednecks. Wyatt and Billy continue their quest. They finally reach New Orleans and join the Mardi Gras after honouring Hanson’s memory by visiting “the best whorehouse in America” (which they were planning to do together). Billy’s and Captain America’s celebrations climax with a couple of hookers (Karen Black and Toni Basil) and some LSD at a local graveyard. Will they make it to Florida to retire? That’s for you to decide after Billy and Captain America are once again met with bigotry and hatred just because they ride motorbikes and have long hair.

                                           What you represent to them is freedom

Produced by Fonda and shot by Hopper Easy Rider paved the path for socially relevant and documentary-style movies. It takes a sober look at the end of the flower-power era and a country that has lost its ideals. Most of the dialogue was improvised and the realism in being stoned comes from – well – really being stoned. The Mardi Gras sequence was shot first on 16 mm film. At this point Hopper and Fonda had gathered a crew out of their friends and acquaintances. According to both of them it was such chaos and a lot of the people quit because of Hopper’s antics, so after that they hired a professional crew and screenwriter.

                                            You’re stoned out of your mind, man

Both Fonda and Hopper deliver excellent performances as two friends looking for something, yet not quite knowing what. This is the movie that made Jack Nicholson a movie star and he is enigmatic as Hanson who puts into words what everybody is feeling.

                               But they see a free individual, it’s gonna scare ’em

Easy Rider is filled with symbolism – from tossing of the wristwatches, stuffing money into the stars and stripes gas tank to scoring “junk” on a junkyard. It starts as a road trip movie with long sequences of Billy and Captain America riding through iconic American landscapes in the style of Westerns, but it ends with a much deeper look at the ignorance and narrow-mindedness that too often results in unnecessary violence. I found the end such a shock that it will stay with me for a long time. This is a movie that everybody should watch and it would hopefully make them more open-minded.

click to watch video Roger McGuinn - It's Alright Ma

You know Billy, we blew it

No. 95 THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)

Everything Gets Old if You Do It Often Enough

The Last Picture Show, a movie about the dirty laundry of a small Texan town, was considered to be risky and scandalous at the time of its making. It has scenes with full frontal nudity and sex between high school students and married adults. So, pretty much nothing that is currently considered scandalous. But at the time of filming Cybill Shepherd had to consider many times if she would do the nude pool scene and Cloris Leachman refused to get naked on camera and instead waited until her character got under the covers.

                                       Nope – you should not have worn that shirt

It’s 1951 in a small Texas town called Anarene. Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) and Duane (Jeff Bridges) are best friends who play football, go to the movies at an old movie house and hang out at the local pool hall. Both places are owned by Sam The Lion (Ben Johnson), who has a close relationship with Sonny. Both boys also lust after rich Jacy Farrow (Cybill Shepherd), whose mother Lois (Ellen Burstyn) gets around and also had an affair with Sam The Lion.  Jacy is going steady with Duane while Sonny falls into an affair with the football coach’s wife Ruth Popper (Cloris Leachman). After Sam the Lion’s death the pool hall is left to Sonny, who is determined to honour Sam’s legacy while Jacy and Duane head away from Anarene. Sonny and Duane make one last trip to the closing movie house.

It’s a bleak town

The Last Picture Show is based on a book by Larry McMurtry. When the director Peter Bogdanovich (The Mask and The Thing Called Love) saw the book the first time he did not read it – even though he was intrigued about the name. Thankfully he did the second time around and made a movie out if it that went to win 2 Oscars (Johnson and Leachman).

                                                             Lion, Sam The Lion

The movie was filmed in Larry McMurtry’s home town, Archer City. Which is the same town that the book is based on. So no wonder that the film crew was not welcomed with open arms, as the real Duane, Sonny etc. were still there. Even though the actors never got to meet their real-life counterparts. The whole movie is shot in black and white, which was originally suggested to Bogdanovich by Orson Welles who thought that the depth of that period could only be captured in B&W. I have to say that it definitely adds dimension to the depressive atmosphere of the movie.

The Last Picture Show has many great scenes like the one where Sonny is driving Ruth to the clinic and back. So much has been left unsaid and the viewers can decide themselves the reason why Ruth is so upset. Another excellent scene by Cloris Leachman is the final scene between Ruth and Sonny.

                                                                Never you mind

Another scene, which portrays Bogdanovich great talent to concentrate in expressions and emotion instead of dialogue, is when Lois realises that her daughter has been with her lover. Total of eight different emotions run through her face while she walks from the living room sofa to the kitchen. If that’s not powerful acting, I don’t know what is. Bogdanovich’s only advice to Ellen Burstyn was to think the thoughts of the character in that scene.

I found that one of the most powerful scenes in the movie is when Billy dies and Sonny is carrying him away from the street. Once again almost no dialogue for Sonny – only one line: He was sweeping!

He was sweeping!

I am sure that The Last Picture Show is a great movie on many levels and I am glad I watched it. But would I watch it again? No – as I found it extremely depressing, which I am sure just speaks of its greatness.

Yep, nothing much has changed.

JUST GO WITH IT (2011)

I would create a fake family for that

It seems that almost every movie nowadays is a remake of something. So is the Adam Sandler vehicle Just Go With It – it’s a remake of 1969 comedy Cactus Flower, which won an Oscar for Goldie Hawn. I have never seen Cactus Flower, so no clue if that’s as funny as the remake. Yes, I know, I know – all the critics slayed Just Go With It, but I found it surprisingly funny. Then again why would this be surprising – Adam Sandler is a funny guy. And it is directed by Dennis Dugan, who also did Grown Ups – which I thought was enjoyable watching, even though less funny.

                                                                        Let’s do it!

In Just Go With It Adam Sandler plays Dr. Danny Maccabee – a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, who has for years pretended to be married in order to hook up with women. Then comes the day when he meets a young teacher, Palmer (Brooklyn Decker) and decides that it’s time to stop pretending. Unfortunately he is not quick enough with the truth and Palmer finds his wedding ring. All kinds of shenanigans follow when Dr. Danny asks his loyal assistant Katherine (Jennifer Aniston) to impersonate his soon-to-be ex-wife. Things get complicated when Katherine’s kids become involved in the scheme and the whole gang heads to Hawaii with Dr. Danny’s cousin Eddie (Nick Swardson). There they find Katherine’s old college frenemy Devlin (Nicole Kidman). Well, you can guess the rest…

Feels good being honest, doesn’t it?

What the movie lacks in plot is substituted with the onscreen chemistry between Sandler and Aniston. Don’t except this movie to be anything else than a feel-good, entertaining film for the whole family. But then again does every movie need to be something more? Just sit down with a bowl of popcorn and your favourite drink and relax after a hard week at work with this light-hearted rom-com. What could be more relaxing than that? Well, maybe actually holidaying in Hawaii…

               I’ll be taking acting classes and become the next Miley Cyrus, yes I am.

Sandler is his usual self in the role of Dr. Danny, but it’s Aniston who steals the movie by proving that she is a good comedy actress. The most ridiculous character award goes to Swardson as Cousin Eddie with his “The Dolph Lundgren” impersonations. I could not help but laugh out loud. Some scenes are bit tacky like the coconut / dance contest in Hawaii, but most are well executed.

Lundgren, The Dolph Lundgren

So here’s for you critics – go get yourselves a funny bone!

No. 92 GOODFELLAS (1990)

As far back as I can remember; I’ve always wanted to be a gangster.

All you need to know about this movie is the following two words: Martin Scorsese. This on its own should make you want to watch Goodfellas. I must admit that this was my first time seeing this particular Scorsese movie – I have seen more recent ones like The Departed, Shutter Island, Gangs of New York and The Aviator. All great movies, but a tad bit violent. Though the thing about Scorsese and violence is that even though violence goes hand in hand with almost all of his movies, yet he does not glorify violence by any means. Scorsese’s violence is always messy, ugly and well – violent. He portrays violence how it is – an unthinkably horrible act.

Goodfellas is based on a book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi. Pileggi also co-wrote the screenplay with Martin Scorsese. “Wiseguy” is a true rise-and-fall story of a real-life mobster, Henry Hill. As Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) says in the beginning of the movie – he always wanted to be a gangster. So from a young age Henry starts hanging out and running errands for the neighbourhood’s mob boss, Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino). He then starts pulling jobs with Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) and Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro), who are part of the same mob crowd. There are several milestones in Hill’s life: first arrest, wedding to Karen (Lorraine Bracco), mistress number one, mistress number two, jail term and running around behind the mob boss’ back dealing cocaine. But the most profound moment is the murder of Billy Batts (Frank Vincent), when everything changes for Henry. From there begins the fall that concludes on one cocaine-fuelled day in 1980.

Anything I wanted was a phone call away.

Goodfellas is not your ordinary gangster film. This does not make you want to be a gangster and unlike in The Godfather, you do not see the gangsters living in big mansions. You see them fighting for survival every day and night. As the real Henry Hill puts it – it was anything but the American Dream.

                 Jimmy was the kind of guy that rooted for bad guys in the movies.

I don’t think I even need to address the issue that Scorsese is probably the most genius director of our century. The greatness of Goodfellas comes down to Scorsese’s brilliance as a director. And also to his advice to actors who according to Scorsese should not act like the people they are portraying – instead they should behave like them. This gives the movie that magic intensity and sense of reality.

                                                       I don’t mean no disrespect!

The use of voice-over narrative in Goodfellas is just genius. It increases the level of the relationship between Henry and the audience by giving it more intimacy. The casting is perfect. All fantastic performances – Liotta, Pesci – who won an Oscar for his performance -, De Niro, Sorvino… I could go on and on. One of the interesting performances comes from Scorsese’s mum, who plays Tommy DeVito’s mum in that famous dinner scene. Martin Scorsese’s own roots are deep in the Italian-American community in New York – not that different from the neighbourhood is Goodfellas.

Sure, mom, I settle down with a nice girl every night, then I’m free the next morning.

There are many excellent scenes. One is the nightclub scene between Pesci’s and Liotta’s characters. Scorsese shot it with a medium shot (no close-ups), so that the audience is able to see how the people around Tommy and Henry behave. You can see the expressions on their faces changing from laughter into alarm.

                                            Funny how? What’s funny about it?

The 3^rd act in the movie is basically Henry paranoid running around and going home to stir pasta sauce; and then the same again and again – all the time with the same intensity level. Brilliant! Another talent of Scorsese is to take a small detail and blossom it into art – like in the prison sequence the most memorable thing is how thin Paulie cuts the garlic.

Now take me to jail

So has Goodfellas earned its number 92 spot on the list? Absolutely! It’s also a movie, which should be watched more than once to truly appreciate its brilliance.

Today everything is different; there’s no action… have to wait around like everyone else.

TRUE GRIT (2010)

You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing free, except the grace of God.

I am not a huge fan of Westerns, but I am a fan of the Coen Brothers. O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty are amongst my all-time favourite films. Hmm… now when I think of it – both of them have George Clooney in them. Coincidence, I ask? I do like other Coen Brothers’ movies as well and that’s why I wanted to see True Grit – and because it was nominated for 10 Oscars. I started to watch the film with low expectations, but within minutes it won me over. It is a well-done movie, where everything works; there is no weak link.

                                 I always go backwards when I back up.

True Grit is a story of a tough 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who sets to avenge her father’s murder. Mattie’s father was unfairly shot and robbed by Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Mattie hires the toughest U.S. marshal she can find – Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) – the man with true grit, questionable character and a strong liking for booze. Against his wishes Mattie joins him and Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) in tracking Chaney into hostile Indian Territory, where they encounter more questionable characters and finally Tom Chaney himself. Along the way a strong bond develops between Rooster Cogburn and Mattie.

Them men wanted a decent burial; they should have got themselves killed in summer.

The story itself is interesting. It is based on a book by Charles Portis, who is considered to be the greatest writer you have never heard of. The book paints a picture of moments of mundane reality. The Coen’s movie is closer to the original book than the 1969 John Wayne movie was. I love how the screenplay is told from a young girl’s perspective. There is no dull moment in this movie as the screenplay moves along with steady pace.

That didn’t pan out.

The cinematography by Roger Deakins is astounding. He uses the nature is such spectacular way that it provides the perfect emotional backdrop for the actors. The eeriest scene of the movie must be “the hanging man” scene, which was filmed in the middle of dead wintry cottonwoods. All the acting is stellar. Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld and Matt Damon all give fantastic performances.

  Johnny Cash – God’s Gonna Cut You Down

Once again the Coen Brothers have created a movie well worth of watching!

Time just gets away from us.

THE KING’S SPEECH (2010)

Why are you here then – Because I bloody well stammer!

The must-see-movie of this year and I have finally managed to view it. And it sure did live up to all the expectations. The whole movie just reeks of quality – from the beginning to the end. No wonder it won 4 Oscars including screenplay, leading actor and directing.

          What’s he saying? – I don’t know but… he seems to be saying it rather well

The King’s Speech tells a story of King George VI (Colin Firth), who reluctantly becomes the King of England after his brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) abdicates due to a scandalous marriage to American divorcée Wallis Simpson. King George VI or Bertie – to his friends – has been suffering from stammer all his life. At that day and age stammer was regarded as a weakness – a king with a stammer was considered to be an unfit leader for a nation. After trying every kind of treatment Bertie’s wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) finds an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Suspicious Bertie meets with Logue and after a couple of turbulent meetings starts Logue’s unorthodox treatment course. During that course of treatment Bertie and Logue develop a strong bond that becomes a lifelong friendship. England is facing war and its people are desperate for a strong leader. Thankfully Logue’s treatments are working and the whole country gathers around their radios to witness the King’s speech, which will unite them in battle and inspire them through the inevitable war.

Kinging can take a lot of time…

This film has such an impressive cast. Colin Firth is marvellous as the troubled King George VI. He sounds like his has been stammering all his life. Mr. Darcy is all grown up! Funnily enough Jennifer Ehle, who plays Mrs. Logue, was Elizabeth Bennett to Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1995). Mini-series with that famous lake scene of wet Colin Firth…

                                 Is the nation ready for two minutes of radio silence?

Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter give equally impressive performances. Costumes are spot on – like everything in this movie.

Ham; not palm

David Seidler, who wrote the screenplay, wrote a letter to Queen Mother a several years ago asking for permission to make a movie out of King George VI’s story. Queen Mother asked him not to do so during her lifetime, as the memories were too painful for her. Seidler respected her wish and the movie was made after Queen Mother passed away. David Seidler also got very lucky as private journals of Lionel Logue were found a short time before the movie started filming, thus they could be incorporated into the script and give valuable insight into the private relationship between Bertie and Logue.

                                 Do you know any jokes?

At the end of the day this is a bromance story. As Colin Firth recaps the movie: Boy meets therapist – boy looses therapist – boy gets therapist.

If you have somehow missed The King’s Speech you must watch it and enjoy moviemaking at it’s best.

Waiting for me to… commence a conversation, one can wait rather a long wait.

No. 12 THE SEARCHERS (1956)

Texican is nothing but a human man way out on a limb.

It is time to get back to the mission and who better to lead the way than the ultimate man’s man – John Wayne – in a movie that has been quoted as one of the most influential movies ever made. The Searchers is number twelve on the AFI’s list of the 100 best movies and it sure has earned its place there.

                                                         Lone Star

It tells the story of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne), who returns home from the Civil War to his brother’s ranch in Texas. There he hopes to find peace close to the woman – his brother’s wife – whom he is in love with. But peace is not in the cards for poor Ethan. While he is out riding with his 1/8 Native American nephew Martin, a Comanche raid kills most of his brother’s family. Only little Debbie “survives” and is kidnapped by the evil Chief Scar. From here begins a five-year mission for Ethan and Martin to find Debbie and bring her back or as Ethan puts it – most likely to kill her, if she has been “brainwashed” by the Indians.

                                                             Do you know what Ethan will do if he has a chance? He’ll put a bullet in her brain.

Some of the dialogue and subject matter makes you gasp for the same reasons as Mad Men. One of the movie’s best lines comes from Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) when he and Uncle Ethan find Martin’s accidental Indian wife killed by the US soldiers: “What did them soldiers have to go and kill her for. She never done nobody any harm”. I suppose that was the time when you shot first and then asked questions. At the time most of the moviegoers missed that it’s hinted throughout the movie that Uncle Ethan might have had an affair with his brother’s wife. And who knew who really was Debbie’s (Natalie Wood) father.

 No words needed

An additional explanation for Ethan’s fury towards the Comanche is explained in the scene where he finds Debbie’s doll next to his own mother’s tombstone. On the tombstone it reads that Ethan’s own mother was killed by the Comanche.

The Searchers is an impressive Western. It was filmed in Monument Valley, Utah. As that time there were no roads there, the film crew built roads. They also built a whole town for the 250 odd crew and cast. As the closest town was 175 miles away, everything had to be brought in – water, electricity etc. What a hassle that must have been even before they got into filming, but the director, John Ford, was adamant to film at the home of the Navajo.

                                                      That’ll be the day

This movie is a cinematic portrayal of the hard life of the settlers. The screenplay is moving and the story is told with drops of humour mixed in with the dramatic story line. Acting is good all around. John Wayne is perfect as Uncle Ethan who is tortured by his own experiences, but who at the end reconnects with his humanity. The Monument Valley offers a spellbinding backdrop. I can see myself riding there in the Olden Days. Even though I don’t think my life would have been long at all – if it had not been childbirth that would have killed me, it would have probably been a suicide. Just look at the gravestones at an old graveyard in Tombstone, AZ – most of the women there were killed by either one of those.

The Searchers is a movie that does make you think about the fairness and unfairness of the treatment of Native Americans. It is well worth of watching. Even though Rio Bravo still remains as my favourite Western of all time.

Some day this country is gonna be a swell place to live in ~ Well said, my man!

THE AMERICAN (2010)

You cannot deny the existence of hell. You live in it. It is a place
without love.

Ok, so I will watch any movie with George Clooney in it. I even suffered thru Leatherheads (2008) and that was painful! But no such experience with The American, which is based on the novel “A Very Private Gentleman” by Martin Booth. This is a stylish and artsy thriller. The plot is quite simple and the pace is slow at times. There is lots of coffee drinking and gun building and not that much dialogue. But the acting is stellar and the movie is gorgeously shot and directed by Anton Corbijn, whose background in photography shines thru.

I am no good with machines

Jack (George Clooney) is an assassin with a burnout and a newfound respect for life. His last job did not end well. Because of the “no friends” policy, it ended even worse for his Swedish lady friend. Now he is on the run hiding from gun-toting Swedes with vengeance. Jack’s contact in Rome, Pavel (Johan Leysen), suggests hiding in an Italian hilltop town while the Swedish problem is taken care of. Jack is determined to quit his killing ways, but agrees to take a last job building a custom-made assassin rifle. He obviously missed the memo, which said that it is always bad when somebody tells you to consider something as your last job. Jack heads for the hills. While having secret rendezvous with a mysterious assassin Mathilde (Thekla Reuten) about the last job, Jack manages to have heart-to-hearts with a local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and use the services of the local brothel. Jack becomes drawn to another lost soul, the gorgeous prostitute Clara (Violante Placido). They fall in love. That’s when the past and the angry Swedes catch up with Jack. Thankfully the rifle is finally ready and delivered to the buyer, so Jack gets ready to move on. But are Jack and Clara able to find peace together or was Jack right to be suspicious about the purpose of the rifle?

   It’s Jack

This movie was filmed in the gorgeous Abruzzo region of Italy. In Castel del Monte the town’s dentist closed his practice and had a message on his answering machine explaining that he was “unavailable, due to his appearance in a Hollywood film.” When shooting the market scene in Sulmona the actor playing the cheese lady got a lesson from the real cheese vendor how to sell cheese. This proud vendor did not care that the crew was in the middle of shooting the scene; she saw that the actor was doing it wrong and walked into the scene to give directions.

The American provides a new harder look for George Clooney. A loner who is suffering long-term consequences of his past life – a role he has not played before. Anne Carey, who is one of producers of The American, says that audiences trust Clooney. She also points out that Clooney is an iconic actor and audience trust was very important with this character.

One step too many

Anton Corbijn directed this movie in a style of a western, with influences from Clint Eastwood and Sergio Leone. Corbijn was attracted to the screenplay because it deals with seeking redemption and morally changing your life. How a gun chances a man was also an interesting theme to Corbijn.

Violante Placido (Clara) has said that she finds the ending endearing. She thinks that all of us can come to a point when we think our life cannot change, so in that’s sense the characters can give you the possibility to realize that you can free yourself.

Come away with me

I found The American to be a sad story about a man who wants to change, but at the end the universe is against it. The lesson of this movie might be that while the past is past and you can change, sometimes you are like Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights and just cannot catch a break.

Cuby and the Blizzards – Window of my Eyes

GOING THE DISTANCE (2010)

You know like when you get really drunk and you just
kinda black out and you don’t know how much time has gone by

I certainly wish that would have been the case while watching Going the Distance. It just had one too many NYC – SFO trips in it. Maybe I did not understand the premise of this movie because I have never been in a long-distance relationship. Fair enough; but do you still expect me to believe that Justin Long’s character could not find a job in the music industry in California? Then why not take a temporary job as – let’s see – a dog walker to be able to spend some quality time with Drew Barrymore’s character.

The movie itself was lightly entertaining. Drew Barrymore and Justin Long did a good job as a couple who just were not able to live in the same city for more than 6 weeks.

You take my breath away

So there is Erin (Drew Barrymore) who has six weeks left on her internship in a New York newspaper, when she meets Garret (Justin Long). Garret is a newly single – we are talking just off the boat – Top Gun loving / Jonas Brothers hating regular guy. They have a one-night stand, which develops into a summer romance. Six weeks is up. Pop quiz: What do you do? You go long distance even though both of them have doubts. But they have fallen in love and this is just too good to pass. What follows is several trips between NYC-SFO. Garret’s two friends Box (Jason Sudeikis) and Dan (Charlie Day) cheer him on – hilariously. Erin on the other hand receives advice from her overprotective married sister Corinne (Christina Applegate). After a while, everybody comes to the inevitable realization that long distance must be made into short distance. Only if there would be one job available on the West Coast…

  This is not really working

Geoff LaTulippe based the screenplay loosely on the long-distance relationship experiences of his friend. Drew Barrymore was drawn to the script because she thought it was funny. She saw true emotional investment inside the comedy. Barrymore has also said that she likes playing strong female characters. Erin certainly is a person who deeply loves her sister, but at the same time is a little tomboyish and can hang out with the guys. What also made this movie appealing to Barrymore was that it’s an R-rated love story, which are not that common. I agree with her that Going the Distance is a more realistic and adult love story and not based on a fairy tale setting. I just did not find it that funny!

Peep Show

Nanette Burstein, who directed the movie, has a strong background in documentaries and commercials. Justin Long found this exciting, as it meant that Burstein would film as realistic as possible portrait of the two main characters. Burstein herself took this directorial debut because she thought that many people could relate to this love story.

The Boxer Rebellion “If You Run”

Going the Distance does have a realistic feel about it. It does also have some funny lines. As the poster says, it’s a comedy about meeting each other halfway. Unfortunately the movie does only go halfway – its weakest link being the screenplay. Strongest on the other hand is the cast with stellar performances.

Disease free and light – indeed

THEY JUST DON’T MAKE MOVIE STARS LIKE THAT ANYMORE

Paying homage to Elizabeth Taylor (1932 – 2011)

                                                                                 

“My Mother says I didn’t open my eyes for eight days when I was born but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked.”

Sadly after a long battle with serious health issues Dame Elizabeth Taylor passed away yesterday. This truly is sad; she was an icon – movie star in the true meaning of the word.

                                                               “Nobody tells me who to love, or not to love, who to be seen with and who not to be seen with”

She will be well-remembered for her long career that included 54 movies and 2 Oscars. We will also remember her for her turbulent private life – her eight marriages, battles with alcohol, drugs and weight. But also for being a true fashion icon with ever-changing looks and style. Camera just loved her!

Elizabeth Taylor was born in Hampstead, London in 1932. She was only 12 years old when National Velvet (1944) made her into a movie star. Her other memorable silver screen highlights include Father of the Bride (1950), Giant (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butterfield 8 (1960), Cleopatra (1963), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and her final big-screen appearance in The Flintstones (1994). In the 50’s she was voted The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.

With Paul Newman in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to have full control of her own image in the movies. Before studios could release any publicity stills, they had to be approved by her. She could also approve her own make-up, hairstyles and costumes.

When she was filming Cleopatra in London in the 60’s she stayed at the Dorchester and had the following food items flown to her: chilli from Chasen’s in LA, stone crabs from the coast of Florida, smoked salmon from Barney Greengrass in New York, steaks from Chicago, shrimp creole from New Orleans, spare ribs from St Louis, white asparagus from the French countryside and fresh linguine from Genoa, Italy. What a meal, I say!

                                                         With Montgomery Clift on the set of A Place in the Sun

Elizabeth Taylor remained close friends with many of her costars. She even married one of them. She also saved Montgomery Clift’s life in 1956, after he left a party at her house and smashed his car into a telephone pole. She removed his shattered teeth from his throat, thus prevented him from choking.

Elizabeth Taylor did a multi-episode appearance on General Hospital, which she was a huge fan of, in 1981. I love this blooper reel of her scenes. It shows her as a grande dame, but also as a person who can make fun of herself.

It’s ELIZABETH TAYLOR!

Elizabeth Taylor will also stay in our memories as of one of Hollywood’s earliest and most vocal advocates and fundraisers for AIDS and HIV patients. She started to raise awareness of the disease after her Giant costar Rock Hudson died from AIDS in 1985.

                                                           With Rock Hudson, James Dean and George Stevens on the set of the Giant in Marfa, Texas

Debbie Reynolds remembers Taylor, “She was the most glamorous and sensuous star of our generation. No one could equal Elizabeth’s beauty and sexuality. Women liked her and men adored her — my husband included — and her love for her children is enduring. She was a symbol of stardom. Her legacy will last….”

                                                          With Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher in Las Vegas during the early 1958

Michael Wilding (Elizabeth Taylor’s son) said in a statement after her passing away, “We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for Mom having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts.”

“I’m a survivor. I’m a living example of what people can go through and survive”