Image = Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Rise to Cool

Today is a huge day for Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Don Jon - the first film that he has written and directed, is finally opening.  Don Jon got a ton of acclaim on the festival circuit and its opening today is so big, IMDb dedicated their entire homepage to all things JGL. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt started acting at the age of 6 and has had a great deal of success on the traditional Hollywood route.  Now, he’s using that mainstream cred to make his own films and while he’s at it, change the way films & TV are being made.  His website www.hitrecord.org is an “open collaborative production company.”  Artists can upload their work and contribute to diverse film projects – and get paid.  What a concept!  The newest hitRECord project is its most ambitious yet - a variety show for the brand new Pivot network.    

 

I have been a JGL admirer for years – even when he was only doing small roles & tiny indies.  500 Days of Summer is what changed everything for Joe (as his friends call him).  He was finally a leading man in a not so tiny indie and he nailed the gamut of emotions in his doomed relationship with Zooey Deschanel.  In the past few years, I’ve felt like a proud mama (even though I’m not that much older than him) because of Joe’s big time success & exposure in movies like Inception, Lincoln & The Dark Night Rises. 

JGL on Roseanne

JGL is empirically talented but what’s more fascinating is that he’s redefining cool.  He is very stylish and always smiling and his positive energy makes you want to root for him, hang out with him – or maybe even hire him.  Joe just seems like the nicest guy.  Like Jimmy Stewart, he is private and he has never been part of any scandal.  Instead of resting on his laurels, he is helping other artists do their thing and get compensated.  He is at the top of his game so he’s decided to change the game and just see what happens.   

You go, Joe! 

For pure unadulterated entertainment (and evidence of JGL’s insane talent), check out his lip synch battle with Stephen Merchant on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4ajQ-foj2Q

 

Image = Jake Gyllenhaal's Time is Now?!

I need to propose a question that has plagued me for a long time: Why isn’t Jake Gyllenhaal a huge movie star right now?  He was heartbreakingly brilliant in Brokeback Mountain and nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.  Since then though, his career has not evolved very much.  He has only made a handful of movies in eight years and a few have gotten critical notice, but nothing has come even close to Brokeback.

So, what is it?  Does Jake have bad management?  Born into a show business family, he should have the inside track to mega-stardom.  He is young, gorgeous and talented, so what’s missing?  Why isn’t he a movie star on the level of Clooney, Damon & Pitt? 

Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain

After Brokeback, what happened?  (I mean Prince of Persia?  Really?  I couldn’t even sit through the trailer for that one).  Last year Jake also did an Off-Broadway show, which boggled my mind.

What I’m saying is I want to see much more of Jake Gyllenhaal (literally & figuratively!).  From what I have seen, he is much more than a pretty face and he has not shied away from diverse roles.  Early in his career, he helmed October Sky as a budding rocket scientist and will always be recognized for the cult favorite Donnie Darko.  He was both creepy and adorable in The Good Girl and compelling in the surprisingly impactful Love & Other Drugs, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

Whatever the missing link - maybe things will change after this this weekend.  Gyllenhaal stars in the eagerly anticipated thriller Prisoners, opening today.  Will this much promoted film with an all star cast (including Hugh Jackman) put Jake back on the A-List where he belongs?  Let’s hope so because I cannot quit him.       

Image = My Top 100 Favorites

Over the years I've thought a lot about my favorite films but never made a list. This summer, Entertainment Weekly published their 100 Greatest Movies and their list was missing so many important films (in my not so humble opinion) that I was inspired to produce my own Top 100 List.  What frustrated me most about EW’s list is that they gave no explanation for the creation of it. Genre? Who voted? Why does 79 rank 1 higher than 80? Etc, etc… So, here’s the method to my madness for film. 

My list is based upon the impact films have always made on me. The Top 10 are to me THE BEST because I have watched them over & over and they never lose their effect, 10-20 were seminal to my film education and after that the list is in no real order. I did group indies and films that are similar (in tone or greatness) just for the sake of organization. Creating this list was no small feat and I am not even confident that it’s complete. It was very challenging to choose 100 - I've seen thousands of movies.  

My criteria for a great film:

• Excellent writing, affecting drama/hysterical comedy and extraordinary acting.
• Clever & innovative filmmaking or approach to telling the story.
• I want to see it again & again and it gets better upon repeated viewings.  Funnier, more sad, or more brilliant.  {NOTE: There are movies that are a one hit wonder of viewing, like Beverly Hills Cop. The first time, I laughed my ass off but the second time just wasn’t the same}.
• I forget I’m watching a movie. 

Some Like it Hot gets more & more hilarious and I have yet to see anything more unique, well-written & artfully executed, so it reigns supreme for me above all other films. The Color Purple is my favorite drama because in addition to brilliant performances and gorgeous cinematography, it is heart wrenching and I cry at the same parts every time. {NOTE: There are movies that are great but too emotional to ever see again like The Accused, Million Dollar Baby & Slumdog Millionaire so they are not on my list}.  

DISCLAIMER: I admit to an affinity for comedy, drama and yes, “chick flicks” and I do not watch much sci-fi or certain acclaimed filmmakers’ work – namely Kubrick, early Scorsese, Lynch, Tarantino, Rodriguez, etc. because I’m a wimp and can’t handle graphic violence. Being raised on Broadway, I feel there are countless great movie musicals, so I was rigorous about including only a few which blow me away. I’ve seen countless great films that are not on this list because despite their excellence, they didn’t stay with me (The King’s Speech, Slingblade). There are also many films with a great performance by the lead (Milk, The Queen, La Vie en Rose) that are not listed because that one performance was not enough to warrant my Top 100. Many indies made the cut because they are distinctive or groundbreaking, and again because of the experience I had seeing them for the first time in a theater.  

I hope this offers insight into my image, my theoretical orientation and why I write this blog.

My Top 100 All Time Favorite Films:

1. Some Like it Hot 
2. The Color Purple
3. The Philadelphia Story
4. What’s Up Doc?
5. Annie Hall
6. The Breakfast Club
7. The Big Chill
8. When Harry Met Sally
9. Arthur
10. Moonstruck
11. Star Wars
12. Grease
13. On the Town
14. Broadcast News
15. The Goodbye Girl
16. Terms of Endearment
17. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
18. Au Revoir Les Enfants
19. Cinema Paradiso
20. This is Spinal Tap
21. On Golden Pond
22. Stealing Home
23. Tootsie
24. Midnight Run
25. Hannah & Her Sisters
26. Manhattan
27. It Happened One Night
28. Lady & the Tramp
29. The Purple Rose of Cairo
30. Shakespeare in Love
31. Forrest Gump
32. Diner
33. St. Elmo’s Fire
34. Dead Poets Society
35. Good Will Hunting
36. The Fisher King
37. Sideways
38. Sex Lies & Videotape
39. Swingers
40. Clerks
41. The Brothers McMullen
42. Do the Right Thing
43. Drugstore Cowboy
44. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
45. Dirty Dancing
46. The Shawshank Redemption
47. Amadeus
48. Shine
49. Thelma & Louise
50. Steel Magnolias 
51. Parenthood
52. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
53. Fearless (1993)
54. Scent of a Woman
55. Birdy
56. La Vita e Bella
57. Crash
58. Brokeback Mountain
59. Ma Vie en Rose
60. Chocolat
61. The Commitments
62. Muriel’s Wedding
63. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
64. Sliding Doors
65. Home for the Holidays
66. The Apartment
67. Platoon
68. Amelie
69. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
70. High Fidelity
71. Love Actually
72. Auntie Mame
73. The Aviator
74. American Beauty
75. The Hurricane
76. The Station Agent
77. Little Children
78. A Home at the End of the World
79. Chasing Amy
80. Dogma
81. Reality Bites
82. Lars & the Real Girl
83. Victor Victoria
84. Yentl
85. The Birdcage
86. Airplane!
87. Strangers on a Train
88. Happythankyoumoreplease
89. Mumford
90. Something’s Gotta Give
91. Juno
92. L’Auberge Espagnole
93. Run Lola Run
94. Beginners
95. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
96. Lost in Translation
97. (500) Days of Summer
98. The Social Network
99. The Artist 
100. Argo

Image = Woody's Dark Side

I love Woody Allen. To me, he is an unparalleled genius. I’ve been a fan of his films for years and I have always felt connected to him. He & I share a birthday, he is a year younger than my mother and he grew up in Brooklyn like my parents. In the past few years I’ve studied Woody’s life & process. What fascinates me most is his work ethic. He has literally been employed continuously since he was 16 years old. No other filmmaker in history has made a film per year for over 40 years. I literally don’t know how he does it, especially at age 77 ½.

Yesterday, I witnessed firsthand how people still show up for Woody in New York City. His new film Blue Jasmine opened Friday and there were sold out shows and crowds outside of theaters on the East Side and as usual on the Upper West Side at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas, where I go every year to see the new Woody. I spoke to one man who said simply, “It’s a New York thing.”  I think it is much more than that.

Woody Allen is considered a comedy legend by many but what few know is that he is actually much more interested in drama.  When Woody talks about his favorite films, he doesn’t mention Billy Wilder, but Ingmar Bergman and Akira Kurosawa. And he’s not very sentimental. He said he has never been able to get through Casablanca because it is boring. This is fascinating through the lens of image. For years, the public demanded him to be funny and criticized him when he first tried drama in Interiors. Years later, one of his most successful films (and his personal favorite) is MatchPoint which is in no way funny. In Blue Jasmine he masterfully blends comedy & drama, showing how they are not that far apart. The reviews are great and I hope that Cate Blanchett grabs a bunch of awards for her brilliance. 

I think sometimes about how long Woody will keep doing what he does every year. Woody’s parents lived until 96 and 100 so he’s got great genes. I voraciously look forward to another 20 years of Woody’s work – funny or not. For everything you always wanted to know about Woody, I highly recommend two books by his longtime biographer Eric Lax: Conversations with Woody Allen: His Films, the Movies & Moviemaking and Woody Allen: A Biography.               

Image = Superheroes Gone Ballistic & Blah

Superman - 1978

Am I getting old or have superhero movies become super dark & violent?  I remember seeing Superman when I was a kid and loving it.  The special effects of the time were exciting - we suspended our disbelief  and believed Christopher Reeve could fly, the dialogue was funny and I felt a sense of “everything’s gonna be okay (or even better)” at the end.  Superman was invincible and saved everyone in his path in an effort to protect truth, justice and the American way.  And, he would do no harm (except to Lex Luthor) in the process.  In the new Man of Steel, Superman hides his powers for most of his life and then fights General Zod to the death, causing a wake of unreal catastrophe and saving only Lois Lane.  Cue disappointing music. Wah, wah. wah.......   

The fight scenes in Man of Steel go on forever and the destruction that these two beings from Krypton do to everyone & everything in their path is preposterous and incredibly unnecessary.  First of all, they can both fly so why not fight in the sky?  Second, what was the point of all the fighting anyway since they are both indestructible?  I don’t even understand how Zod is finally defeated after he survived Superman dragging his head through countless office buildings and parking lots.  The amount of damage is unthinkable, including leveling Manhattan and blowing up numerous gas lines.  Didn't A LOT of people get hurt or killed while Kal-El and Zod were senselessly demolishing buildings and cars, etc?  What's the point of saving the human race if there's nowhere left for people to live or work?

Henry Cavill in Man of Steel

Man of Steel is dark, boring and outrageously violent.  It is more like a video game than a movie.  I realize that there have been major leaps and bounds in digital technology since the 1970’s but must we use every bit of it in every Hollywood film?  It’s called “live action” for a reason.  Let’s keep filmmaking an art, not a science.  The biggest problem of Man of Steel is what I heard two reviewers say – this film is “joyless.”  It’s much ado about nothing and then there’s no payoff.  

Most of this iteration is about Superman trying to come to terms with his specialness, which is mostly sad and at times heartbreaking.  This is a common theme among superheroes and although it's important to address it, I don't think anyone wants to see a 2 hour multi-million dollar movie about just that.  It's simply a bummer.  I think that in these uncertain times, we need a little magic.  I want to be inspired by superheroes, not worried about them.  

I've seen all the Chris Reeve Superman movies, the Michael Keaton Batmans and the Tobey Maguire Spider-Mans and enjoyed them all.  I saw Batman Begins with Christian Bale and enjoyed it but the much lauded The Dark Knight was way too dark for me.  Unfortunately, I think that Christopher Nolan (also a producer of Man of Steel) has started a "dark" phenomenon that is getting darker.  Despite popular opinion, I am a superhero movie fan and I feel sad that maybe I can't go to see them anymore.  I was pulling for Man of Steel to be good.  I went to see it with an open mind on opening day and truly wanted it to be good and even, since it's almost 2.5 hours - get better.  But it didn't.  I never cheered for our hero or wanted Kal-El and Lois Lane to live happily ever after because Henry Cavill didn't do anything make me and he and Amy Adams have zero chemistry.  The film has a great cast btw, with the exception of Amy Adams.  Lois Lane - I think not.  Honorable mention goes to Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon.  The script is far from great but these two actors are.      

The saddest moment for me was when walking out of the packed theater, I heard two eight year old kids yelling “best movie ever.” I am truly concerned about the next generation.
 

   

Image = Crowdfunding for Famous Actors?

Zach Braff has gotten a lot of publicity this week – both positive & negative.  He’s been criticized about his crowdfunding campaign but he’s also raised $2.5 million on Kickstarter for his new film Wish I Was Here.  Personally I am torn about Braff’s fundraising success.  In his Kickstarter video, Braff says he didn’t want private “money people” to have final cut or dictate casting choices.  This is a very good argument.  Woody Allen built an entire career based upon this after a horrible experience making What’s New Pussycat.  But there are a lot of indie filmmakers (Ed Burns, Noah Baumbach, Mark & Jay Duplass, etc.) who have commercial success and Hollywood connections (like Braff) and also make indie after indie without selling their souls.  But it also doesn’t say anywhere on Kickstarter’s website that one has to be starving artist to apply.   

It’s easy to criticize famous people – because they’re out there – visible.  I heard one criticism on TV (I think it was SNL?!) - “Hey Zach – here’s an idea - how about using some of that Scrubs money?”  But in his very funny, very persuasive video, Braff is very convincing about involving all backers in the process and also confirms that he is in fact contributing an “ass-ton” of his own money.  It’s an interesting process – based on how much you donate, there are benefits promised, from t-shirts to invitations to screenings.  And apparently backers receive a lot of updates during the process as well.  It sounds cool.  I’m actually thinking of kicking in (pun intended) $10 just to get emails from Zach Braff.  He’s a funny guy.                    

I think the idea of crowdfunding in general is creatively brilliant & just plain inspired.  People need money for something and they ask THE WORLD for help.  Love it.  Recently, actress Karen Black raised over $45,000 on Gofundme after she spent all of her money from making movies with Jack Nicholson trying to cure her cancer.  Essentially, the world can help save her life.  That’s damn cool.  Is making movies anywhere near as important as saving a life?  Maybe.  I personally can’t imagine my life if no one ever made another independent film. 

The world is changing very rapidly.  We live most of our lives online.  The economy sucks.  A lot of things are harder than they used to be.  Even Woody Allen left New York to make movies for a while because it was easier to get funding in Europe.  Zach Braff is very social media savvy.  Maybe this is the only way that he can conceive of doing this project.  Maybe he just doesn’t want to be alone.  Maybe Braff’s a trailblazer and this is the way of things to come.  All I can say is that Garden State is one of the most unique films I’ve ever seen and I’d like to see what else he has to offer. 

Let's continue a dialogue about this.  What do you think?