Favorite Movies @ MindSay

I finally got to see Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette last night and I was so happy with it, I immediately re-watched it.  Finally there's a film out there that really went into detail about what life was really like at Versailles on the cusp of the French Revolution, yet juxaposed in between all the lushious and sometimes down right boring details, the film was done with some artistic license (the hairdos and make-up were not entirely accurate, they needed to be more elaborate) and 20th century touches (including an early '80s New Wave soundtrack complete with references to Adam Ant, especially in the opening fantasy "bad queen eating cake" sequence) to bring late 18th century history to life for a more hip contemporary audience.  I was intimidated at first by the soundtrack and the casting of Kirsten Dunst as Antoinette, but by the first scene, I was hooked by the rich costumes and elegant performances by American and English actors masquerading as French aristos who weren't "over the top" at all (yet could've been). 

 

Sofia's vision of Antoinette seems to be a lost and ill-fated version of Cinderella.  Young Antoinette is literally thrown out of her somber motherland (Austria) into an opulent world of strict etiquette and intrigue (France) where her fate hangs on whether or not she can produce an heir, yet her equally young and stifled husband (Louis Auguste) is no help.  It's not that he doesn't like her, he's just an insecure dork.  Out of all the performances, I enjoyed Jason Swartzman the most as Louis Auguste (King Louis XVI).  He is the one actor who doesn't look entirely like the man he is playing, but emotionally he literally becomes Louis, even right down to his walk, posture, underhanded way of speaking, and obsessions with hunting and science.  In contrast to Louis, Antoinette was much more interested in art, music, and dance.  She was like a little caged bird and he was like a boy in love with nature. 

 

However, what they didn't show enough of was a more mature version of Antoinette and Louis.  Sofia really focused on the couple as teenagers ruling the palace and playing games, and we never see them interested enough in politics to save their country.  Often Louis encouraged Antoinette to indulge in gaming and gardening to distract her from interfering in politics.  Louis ruled much through the instruction of his advisors and was very much interested in knowing the hearts of the people, yet he was prideful, taught to be a king not a politician, and kings back then were believed to be ordained by god.  Much of what went wrong in France was not due to their fault, but the poor decisions of their ancestors.  By the time Louis and Antoinette reached the throne, there wasn't much they could do to balance the debts or maintain the support of their subjects.  Antoinette and Louis were basically scapegoats sacrificed to the fires of revolution, and Sofia portrays them as mere innocents, which no doubt was the reason why some critics booed the film at Cannes.  Even though they were just as much victim to their station in life as anyone else at the time, they certainly weren't children, and they were brave and stubborn enough to face their enemies when the time came for it.  Louis himself even approved of the motives of the Revolutionaries, but disapproved of the methods.  Theirs is a story that would later be repeated in history, making me always ask this question:

 

Why have societies executed their monarchs?  Perhaps I'll never understand that.  The French Revolution was a holocaust in the sense that it called for the extermination of whole families of people whose only crime was that they were born aristocrats, many of whom never had much of a say in government anyway.  In order to have a brand new way of life, it required the total destruction of the previous one, but one so soaked in blood that it couldn't possibly work either.   

 

Based on Antonia Fraser's Marie Antoinette: The Journey, whenever I review the book and compare it to the film, I have to say that Sofia Coppola really shines as a writer and adapted Fraser's material well.  The film is literally a companion to the book; a rarity amongst many films too often poorly adapted from printed page to screen.  I also love Sofia's bold choice in not showing the bloody end of Antoinette's life.  We don't need to see her get her head lopped off, we know it's coming, and so does Antoinette. But as we prepare for the end, I want to rewind and stay just one more night in that beautiful palace surrounded by good friends where the air is ripe with gossip and whisps of dresses and fans delicately brush me into a fantasy of capes, candy, and champagne.

 

And this leads me to add  Marie Antoinette to my list of favorite movies based on 18th century history.  Here's the rest of the list (some astute readers of my blog will recognize a few movies I've already mentioned in my favorite movies list part one and my favorite movies list part two):

 

Amadeus (1984) Most likely the very best movie set in the period, this film follows the short and decedant life of Amadeus Mozart. My favorite line: "I love them all! Why can't I have three heads?" said by Amadeus in the wig salon.

La Nuit de Varennes (1982) In June of 1791, a group of passengers in a stagecoach find themselves caught up in the events of the French Revolution, when they find themselves in the city of Varennes when revolutionists arrest the fleeing King Louis XVI and his family.  Be sure to check out Harvey Keitel starring as Thomas Paine (his voice is dubbed in French)!

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) Based on the classic eighteenth-century novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, this gem of a film focuses on the Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and her lover the infamous Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich). The Marquise makes a devious deal with Valmont to seduce the young daughter of her cousin, Madame de Volange (Swoosie Kurtz), thus having revenge on a former lover, the man to whom young Cecile de Volange (Uma Thurman) is promised in marriage. At first, Valmont refuses her proposition: he wants to seduce the prudish Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is spending time at his aunt's house while her husband is abroad. But, as fate would have it, Valmont falls in love with Madame de Tourvel and war is declared between the Marquise and Valmont which ends in diaster for all.

Valmont(1989) Also based on Les Liaisons dangereuses, this film stars Colin Firth in the role of Valmont and gives us another sexier take on the story.

The Lady and the Duke or L'Anglaise et le duc (2001) The story of Grace Elliott (1760-1823) and Philippe, the Duke of Orleans. Set during the French Revolution, Grace and Philippe remain close friends after a torrid affair and both struggle to survive and both have to make drastic decisions to either save themselves or their friends. In 1792, Grace must escape Paris on foot. We watch her on her difficult journey, her feet bloodied and ravaged, a desparate figure slowly and painfully making her way to unknown safety with the landscapes of old Rococo paintings behind her (all the actors were filmed in front of green screen -- making them look like moving paintings -- a bold choice). This movie is very stylized, but moving in its portrayal of the real historical characters.

Beaumarchais, The Scoundrel or Beaumarchais, l'insolent (1996) The true life story of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, the son of a clockmaker, who writes "The Barber of Seville" and "The Marriage of Figaro" who also worked as a spy, provided American Revolutionaries with weapons, and gets into all sorts of sexual encounters (despite being happily married). There's an interesting costuming decision in this period film -- everyone who isn't loyal to the monarchy is dressed in creamy white or beige, even the beggars on the streets of Paris look clean, and only a few select "good" characters will appear in loud colors to make a point. Despite being good entertainment, it is clearly a film that favors the Revolutionaries.

The Madness of King George (1994) Lovely performance by Nigel Hawthorne as King George III who suffers from a disabling psychosis brought on by porphyria, a blood disorder. Not much was known about such disorders back then, but since the King is integral to the proper functioning of government, a race is on to "cure" him. Ian Holm plays Dr. Willis who employs all sorts of sordid punishments to correct the King's behavior.

Plunkett and Macleane (1999) Captain James Macleane (Jonny Lee Miller) and Will Plunkett (Robert Carlyle) are highwaymen from opposite ends in 18th century English society. Macleane is a disgraced gentleman soldier down on his luck and Plunkett is a former apocathary who lost his partner in crime to a vicious "Thief Hunter General" named Chance. Plunkett employs Macleane as his new partner when he discovers him digging up the corpse of his old friend to retrieve a ruby he stole. The two men are captured for grave robbing and their odd partnership/buddy friendship begins after they buy their way out of prison with the ruby (evacuated out of Plunkett's bowels). Soon they become famous highwaymen, but their relationship is complicated with Macleane falls in love with Lady Rebecca Gibson (Liv Tyler) and is seduced into Lord Rochester's (Alan Cumming) gambling parties in order to extract information about who is the richest of the rich. Very enjoyable and lively. We need more swashbuckling romances like this.

Tom Jones (1963) A young and irresistably cute Albert Finney stars as Tom Jones, a likeable rake who adores, and is adored, by women, but his one and only is the gentle Sophie Western (Susannah York). But being suspected a bastard, Tom cannot marry a woman of higher standing. Sophie is forced by her family to accept the unlikeable fellow, Blifil (David Warner). Blifil and several other members of society influence Tom's guardian to banish him. During his travels, Tom has many adventures almost ending with him being hanged. He is soon saved, Blifil is disgraced, and he is free to marry Sophie.

Farinelli (1994) The true life story of Farinelli (known as Carlo Broschi at birth) a famous Castrato who led a real rock star lifestyle in the 18th century. Contrary to what some may think, Farinelli, and other castratos like him, were able to have richly sensual love lives, but sadly were not allowed to marry because they could not produce children. Farinelli was castrated against his will in order to retain his angelic voice, a betrayal brought about by his older brother. A very intense drama rich with lavish set and costume design.

Triumph of Love (2001) Based on a play of the same name by Pierre de Marivaux, the story follows the romantic conquests of a princess (Mira Sorvino) who learns that the rightful heir to the throne her family stole is a handsome prince named Agis (Jay Rodan). Agis has been instructed to hate her and reject all love, but he's much too pretty to stay unmoved by passion for long. The princess falls in love with Agis at first sight and vows to woo him, but Agis is guarded by a brother (Ben Kingsley) and sister (Fiona Shaw) team who also seem to be prudes. In order to get close to Agis, the princess cross dresses to win the hearts of the brother and sister. To further add to the confusion, this entire story seems to be play acted in front of a modern audience who distress the sister when she tries to escape seduction. It totally gives you the feeling that you are watching the play outside in a country garden.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) Possibly my favorite Terry Gilliam movie second to Brazil, this is a pure late 18th century fantasy featuring the Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences with his band of misfits. A must see.

Mesmer (1994) Those of you who lust after Alan Rickman in his Snape costume will love him as the infamous Franz Anton Mesmer, the eighteenth century Viennese physician who used unconventional healing techniques and mumbo-jumbo to cure the severely ill. He was proved to be a quack yet he perfected a mode of hypnotism based on his theory of "animal magnetism" leading to the use of his name to describe the exertion of strong will power used to overcome a person and induce them into a trance-like state where they are ripe for seduction; mesmerism.

Quills (2000) Stunning performance by Geoffery Rush as Marquis De Sade trapped in a post-French Revolutionary/pro-Napoleonic era insane asylum where he tests the faith of The Abbe du Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix), annoys the fight out of Dr. Royer-Collard (Michael Caine), and nearly seduces Madeleine 'Maddy' LeClerc (Kate Winslet) out of her petticoats. All are based on true life characters but much artistic license is given to the story to make it more entertaining. For instance, in real life Abbe du Coulmier was of dwarfish height, Madeleine really was De Sade's lover at the tender age of 14, and De Sade's wife (played by Rush's wife in real life) remained ever faithful to him, even though he did tend to pick on her a lot like the movie suggests.

Ridicule (1996) Beautiful movie, already previously reviewed it, loved it, although I could've done without all the propaganda against the aristocracy!

 

 

MOVIES

i've watched a few movies lately. you probably don't care but here's what i think about them.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

this movie was really funny. my brothers kept making fun of that emo kid. it's still pretty sad, though. i didn't like the part where they showed the pagent. it's stupid how people let little kids dress like whores. yeah.

SAW 3 

i was really exited to watch this movie cuz i loved the first two. i was pretty disappointed.this one had too much of a story and not enough of the cool jigsaw machine-things. the end sucked, too. everyone fucking dies. and that jeff guy pissed me off cuz he wasted those people's time by talking to them. he coulda just helped them and talked later. i liked the part with the surgery, though. lotsa blood

BAD SANTA

this was pretty funny,too. it was surprisingly heartwarming and even my mom liked it.  that's all.

DONNIE DARKO

I LOVED THIS MOVIE! it is so weird and creepy and it makes you think alot. frank is awesome. this is definately the mest movie i've seem this year so far. everyone should watch it.  go watch it.

I'm FINALLY going to present my top three favorite movies.  Click here for a recap of the top seven movies on the my list. Be warned, my top three movies are considered "chick flicks".

 

 

3) Closer (2004) - Two couples comprised of four devious liars.  Backstabbing and deception abounds in this damn near tragic story about relationships. Do we truly know the people we love? Do we truly know what love is?  This movie is based on a play written by Patrick Marber so you can expect the dialog to be beautiful! As attractive as Jude Law is, I have to say this is the movie that sparked my poignant crush on Clive Owen. He was powerful and oozed alpha male sex appeal.

 

 

*sigh* Oh, Clive *sigh*

Favorite Quote(s):

Dan: (a writer): You think love is simple. You think the heart is like a diagram.
Larry:(a doctor) Have you ever seen a human heart? It looks like a fist, wrapped in blood! Go fuck yourself! You writer! You liar!

 

2) Dangerous Liasons (1988) - Based on the famous French novel, Les Liasons Dangereuses, by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (published in 1782), this movie follows the written correspondence between members of the French aristocracy before the French Revolution.  The Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Marteuil are former lovers and rivals who love nothing more than using people as pawns in their games of chance.  The Vicomte de Valmont has made a wager with the Marquise de Marteuil that he could seduce the very beautiful,  very virtuous and MARRIED Madame de Tourvel. He wants to seduce her because he wants to delight in watching her betray everything she believes in.  The Marquise de Marteuil doubles the stakes and employs the Vicomte de Valmont to seduce and soil the virgin, Cecile de Volanges, who is the daughter of her former friend and is just recently out of the convent to marry the Marquise's former lover (who spurned her most dreadfully).  The Marquise de Marteuil knows her former lover still has a tendre for her so she makes herself the prize. If Valmont is successful and wins both wagers, she promises him one single night of unadulterated passion. 

 

This movie is beautifully directed and the performances are top rate -- well except for Keanu Reeves' performance. But with such powerhouse actors as Glen Close and John Malkovich as leads you can forget Keanu's dead pan performance. This is definitely one movie I can watch over and over.

 

*Side note. The movie Cruel Intentions is a modern verison of this story.

 

Favorite quotes:

Valmont:   Why do you suppose we only feel compelled to chase the ones who run away?
Mertueil:   Immaturity?
Valmont:  I shan't have a moments peace until its over. I love her, I hate her. My life is a misery.

 

   

 

1) Gone With the Wind (1939) - This film is an adaptation of Margret Mitchell's book of the same title.  The story takes place in the Antebellum period of the South, and ends during the Reconstruction Era. It is the story of the vain, shallow, strong-willed Katie Scarlett O'Hara, who is a the privileged daughter of a plantation owner.  Her father has instilled in her the importance of land and family and throughout the movie (and the book) Scarlett proves she will do any and everything in her power to preserve them both. This movie was filmed in Technicolor and the look of it is beautiful.  Vivian Leigh's performance was first rate and I believe she created the mold for many soap opera actresses who play similar characters including Susan Lucci as Erica Kane and Joan Collins as Alexis Colby Carrington.  Of course the most famous quotes from the movie are "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." and "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies." but, my favorite quotes are:

 

Scarlett: That man looking at us and smiling. The nasty, dark one.
Cathleen Calvert: My dear, don't you know? That's Rhett Butler. He's from Charleston. He has the most terrible reputation.
Scarlett: He looks as if... as if he knows what I look like without my shimmy.

 

 

Scarlett:  Oh Melly, you couldn't drag a cat!

 

 

 

 

In my entire 19 years of existence, when asked what my favorite movies are, I would always answer, "The Back to the Future trilogy!" without hesitation.

 

Now, I find that my favorite trilogy may actually be sharing a spot at the top!

 

That is because upon evaluation, I have seen that I love love love Pirates of the Caribbean, both The Curse of the Black Pearl and Dead Man's Chest. Why? Because both are exceptionally wonderful brews of history, literature, and mythology placed into one--or rather, two, soon to be three--amazing films with great plot, great intrigue, and a storyline with just the right balance of fact, myth, and fiction. Plus, it's a movie that makes me think. And it's got a fabulous sountrack. And most of the men are hot. Delicious.

 

So . . . if Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End is going to be as spectacularly mind-boggling and fantastic . . .

 

The Pirates trilogy will definitely make it to the top spot of my favorite movies, along with my original Back to the Future trilogy.

 

I'm so excited!

 

Come to think of it, okay. I will ask myself again:

 

What are you favorite movies?

 

My answer now is:

 

"Why, the Back to the Future trilogy and the two existing Pirates of the Caribbean movies!"

 

Wait . . . actually, let me make an addition to that that I also just recently realized.

 

"Why, the Back to the Future trilogy, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the two existing Pirates of the Caribbean movies!"

 

Hopefully At Worlds End will make it to the list, though I'm pretty sure it will.

 

Yay!

Good:

• Âge d'or, L' (1930)
• The Adjuster (1991)
• Amants, Les (1958)
• Beau mariage, Le (1982) My favorite by Eric Rohmer!
• Bidone, Il (1955) Fellini is spectacular in this early film of his!
• Boulangère de Monceau, La (1963) / Carrière de Suzanne, La (1963)
• Charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Le (1972) B for Bunuel, B for Best.
• Dolce vita, La (1960) Yes! More Fellini. I saw this one with Friends.
• Down by Law (1986) A Jim Jarmusch film (the funnest director ever!)
• Lacombe Lucien (1974)
• Lost Highway (1997) I was surfing myspace during this movie. I admit I do this a lot, but I paused this wonderful David Lynch film, so I wouldn't "miss a thing".  I go back to the electric chair scene, and crack up laughing. David Lynch chose George Michael's "FATHER FIGURE" to go in the scene where a man is DYING!????? Whaaaaaaaaa? Then the song continues thru the scene when I realize that I had left my myspace window open and that song was on someone's profile. *Sigh*
•  Une femme est une femme (1961) (second viewing) & Masculin, féminin: 15 faits précis (1966) This was a Jean-Luc Godard double feature I saw with friends! That took the WIND out of us! OMG. But it was good to see "A Woman is A Woman" again. And Masculin feminin was a riot including cameos from Brigitte Bardot & Francoise Hardy, two great French singers of the sixties.
• Music from the Inside Out (2004) This was a great documentary playing in the L.A. area for a short time.
• Panic in the Streets (1950) Elia Kazan. He's always good!
• Pauline à la plage (1983) My second favorite Eric Rohmer film.
  
• Pickpocket (1959)
• Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970) An obscure film w/Faye Dunaway. This film was at times a bore with cute little things thrown in. But I love Faye! And it was a treat to see it at the theater.
• The Red Shoes (1948)
• Shichinin no samurai (1954) I finally saw this! Pretty good, but very long of course. That's what stopped me from seeing it all the way through before.
• Ta'm e guilass AKA Taste of Cherry (1997) A friend recommended this Iranian film. It was too slow for me, but the theme was similar to a script I was working on, so I thank him for the recommendation.
• Triplettes de Belleville, Les (2003) Recommended by foolmoonchild  who has disappeared! Samara, come back.  I accidentally put this in the wrong category first time around. I DID like this!!  Thank you maz for pointing this out.
• Spartacus (1960) Brilliant film with a brilliant actor (Kirk Douglas) and a brilliant director (Stanley Kubrick!)
• Underground (1995)

Couldn't enjoy:

• Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (1920)
• Chute de la maison Usher, La (1928)
• Failure to Launch (2006)
• Kinsey (2004) This was very interesting and had good actors, but wasn't well-made at all!
• Rayon vert, Le (1986) Someone told me this was their favorite Eric Rohmer film, so I rented it.  It was one of my least favorites by this wonderful director.
  
• Speaking Parts (1989) Weird film by a director I like.
  
•  Three Kings (1999) I love the director (David O. Russell) but I really didn't know what he was trying to do!

Whoa, I'm embarrassed to even have this on my list (racy):

• École de la chair, L' (1998) I rented it because it was with Isabelle Huppert, my favorite actress. But it was about a sugar mama & a hustler! Not for the faint of heart.
  
• Japón (2002)
• Lilja 4-ever (2002) This is on a lot of people's top favorites. While I liked it, it is about a girl that descends into a certain lifestyle. They show her w/all these guys and it was too much for me.
• Valseuses, Les (1974) This was really good, but I was disgusted by the sexist nature of the director.  That being said, I rented another one of his movies to enjoy this weekend!

Turned off in the middle:

• Affinità elettive, Le (1996) This is the one with the French actors that had their voices dubbed in Italian!
• Idioterne (1998) Lars von Trier at his most "idiotic"
• Jules et Jim (1962) I only turned this one off, because I didn't have time. I love Jim & Jules, and this is my second viewing! I got 3/4 of the way through it last weekend, but more urgent stuff was calling.
• Plein soleil (1960) This is the French version of the Tom Ripley books based on the Patricia Highsmith novels. I'm sorry, but The Talented Mr. Ripley is much better.
  
• Solyaris (1972) 10 minutes into it and I realized it was not my thing.  I decided not to waste any more time on this one!
• Town Without Pity (1961) I loved Spartacus, so I rented another Kirk Douglas film.  By the time he made his first appearance on-screen, I had already tired of the movie. Click!
  
• The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) I didn't turn it off, but I fast-forwarded thru it and skipped whole chapters.  This was one of the raciest and pointless movies I have ever seen.  That being said, they threw in some politics to make it seem like it was actually about something. But it was the biggest piece of junk I have ever rented.  I was looking forward to it, since Juliette Binoche, Daniel Day-Lewis & Lena Olin were in it.  It was a film that was early in all of their careers.  I'm glad to say all of them chose better roles in the future!
  

sub-total: 35 movies  +
7 movies I turned off.... = 42 movies total. I am getting rid of netflix.  They are slow and their selection sucks.  Most of these films were library rentals or films seen in the theater! Okay, 16 of those were netflix, and that is over a period of 4 1/2 weeks. They were very fast during the free trial, but once they had my $, they slowed WAY down.  So forget them.  I am canceling in a few days, before my renewal date.