Tuesday, February 13, 2007

That Infernal Marie Who Lets Them Eat Crack

Today on DVD

The Must See
My love for Sofia Coppola's third film Marie Antoinette has not always been met with 'to each their own' kindness. But give it a chance. It's dreamy, brave, and a rather compelling portrait of the hermetic world of royalty. For this moviegoer it wipes the floor with The Queen and is so dreamily committed to its own point of view that it probably doesn't even notice Elizabeth II's frumpy muffled indecisive protests as it does so. It's impressive stuff and people missed the boat. Don't be one of them.
Viewing tip: It's a leisurely paced movie so ixnay on the distractions. Have finger licking good pastries at the ready. Turn the sound up.

Oscar Goodies
Half Nelson had a tiny run in theaters so you probably haven't seen it. Ryan Gosling got a well deserved Oscar nomination for his crack addict junior high school teacher so witness his impressive command of his craft. The movie plays well on DVD, too since it's already "small"

The Departed also arrives. You've probably seen it but if not, catch up before every last detail has been spoiled for you.
Viewing Tip: Watch it with a group. This'll help approximate that rather electric moviegoing experience of watching it with an audience clearly on the movies wavelength and loving every twist and turn.

Indulge Your Curiousity
The Infernal Affairs Trilogy. Insert clichéd ad copy here "If you loved the Departed...". But seriously. If you wonder why I rave about Tony Leung Chiu Wai so much, this is as good a place as any to start. His role is played in the American version by Leonardo DiCaprio. The Matt Damon role was originated by Andy Lau who you'll remember from House of Flying Daggers' romantic triangle.

My Mother Will Be Excited
Beauty & the Beast: The Complete First Season. Younger readers may not remember this series at all but it stars Linda Hamilton (Terminator's Sarah Connor) as the beauty and Ron Perlman (Hellboy) as a lion-like man who lives underneath the city. It was actually critically acclaimed back in the day with Golden Globe noms for the stars.
Viewing Tip: Go cold turkey on the romance novels for a week and you'll probably be in the right salivating mood for this.

7 comments:

Beau said...

Ron Perlman scared the shit out of me when I was a kid. He was, quite literally, my childhood fear. My grandmother used to watch this show when I was, what, 1-4 years old? That music, that sight of the beast lurking in the sewers... I was always under the assumption he was trying to kill Belle. (heh)

It's a miracle my mother got me into the Disney version at all. I'm surprised I didn't throw a shit fit the moment the lights went down. Thank God she did though... the film became (and still remains today) my favorite Disney film.

Anonymous said...

Perlman is kinda creepy yes, but he had perfect chemistry with Linda Hamilton on this show. (P.S. I can't be the only one who thinks Hamilton's a much better actress than she has ever gotten credit for, can I? Love her!)

NATHANIEL R said...

Huh? hopefully people recall Tony from everything. He's been great for a long time.

Anonymous said...

I am so excited to pick up my copy of Marie Antoinette today after work.

Such an underrated masterpiece.

Yaseen Ali said...

I am saving Marie Antoinette for the end of the week as a gift to myself for all my hard work at uni (this week = hellish; I feel like a walking, talking corpse.) Can't wait to give it a spin and not feel guilty for putting off school work...

Dame James said...

I just rented "Marie Antoinette" today and I was impressed. I mean it was worth it just for the visuals. And the costumes were fabulous. I almost gasped at the scene where Marie first arrives at the Palace and everyone is standing there waiting for her. Oh my God those colors were breathtaking.

Ammonart said...

Thank you for correctly spelling InFernal Affairs! It has pissed me off no end to see it repeatedly referred to as In ternal Affairs. Cameron Diaz(i blame the coke) and Scorcese(i blame his nodding wife) himself called it Internal affairs.
Will be seeing Marie Antoinette at the moonlight cinema here in Sydney next week. Can't wait :)