list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Little Children on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Little_Children/261948/default.aspx Title: Little Children
Year: 2006
Director: Todd Field
Plot: Oscar-nominated filmmaker Todd Field teams with novelist Tom Perrotta to adapt Perrotta's acclaimed novel concerning the suburban malaise experienced by a handful of small-town individuals whose intersecting lives converge in a variety of surprising, and sometimes ominous, ways. Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, and Patrick Wilson star in a cinematic adaptation that doesn't aim so much to simply reproduce the book for the screen as it does to re-imagine the written word by exploring new possibilities for the characters and situations originally presented in Perrotta's 2004 best-seller. Sarah (Winslet) is a suburban outsider who, unlike the other playground moms, isn't afraid to approach the dreamy but long-absent father whom smitten housewives have taken to calling the "Prom King." Long days at the local community pool with their respective children soon find Sarah becoming acquainted with local husband and father Brad (Patrick Wilson) -- who seems to share in her seething discontentment with life in their quaint commuter town. An English literature major who never envisioned a fate as a soccer mom, Sarah has a growing dissatisfaction with her successful husband (Gregg Edelman) that parallels Brad's increasing frustration with his inability to pass the bar and connect with his wife, Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), a successful documentary filmmaker. It's not long before the dejected pair is meeting for a series of illicit afternoon trysts as their unsuspecting spouses work and their children lie quietly napping. Meanwhile, after the community is riled by the return of a convicted sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) who leaves the concerned parents scrambling to protect their young ones, an attempt made by Sarah and Brad to legitimize their clandestine relationship by dining together with their respective spouses begins to awaken Kathy's suspicions about the fidelity of her husband. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 39
Number of Lists: 36
Number of blog posts: 12
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:44:47 GMTLittle Children2006Todd FieldOscar-nominated filmmaker <a href="/players/P____23343/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Todd Field</a> teams with novelist Tom Perrotta to adapt Perrotta's acclaimed novel concerning the suburban malaise experienced by a handful of small-town individuals whose intersecting lives converge in a variety of surprising, and sometimes ominous, ways. <a href="/players/P___198332/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kate Winslet</a>, <a href="/players/P____14510/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jennifer Connelly</a>, and <a href="/players/P___356977/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Patrick Wilson</a> star in a cinematic adaptation that doesn't aim so much to simply reproduce the book for the screen as it does to re-imagine the written word by exploring new possibilities for the characters and situations originally presented in Perrotta's 2004 best-seller. Sarah (Winslet) is a suburban outsider who, unlike the other playground moms, isn't afraid to approach the dreamy but long-absent father whom smitten housewives have taken to calling the "Prom King." Long days at the local community pool with their respective children soon find Sarah becoming acquainted with local husband and father Brad (<a href="/players/P___356977/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Patrick Wilson</a>) -- who seems to share in her seething discontentment with life in their quaint commuter town. An English literature major who never envisioned a fate as a soccer mom, Sarah has a growing dissatisfaction with her successful husband (Gregg Edelman) that parallels Brad's increasing frustration with his inability to pass the bar and connect with his wife, Kathy (<a href="/players/P____14510/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jennifer Connelly</a>), a successful documentary filmmaker. It's not long before the dejected pair is meeting for a series of illicit afternoon trysts as their unsuspecting spouses work and their children lie quietly napping. Meanwhile, after the community is riled by the return of a convicted sex offender (<a href="/players/P____29701/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jackie Earle Haley</a>) who leaves the concerned parents scrambling to protect their young ones, an attempt made by Sarah and Brad to legitimize their clandestine relationship by dining together with their respective spouses begins to awaken Kathy's suspicions about the fidelity of her husband. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide39Tag Target (>10)361243http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u28456ym2bi.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Little_Children/261948/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_January_19_Neighborhood_Watch/625/39691/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/20/2009 12:36:40 AM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] Nowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films? [/quote] Just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you! Try watching The Marathon Man one more time and you might get it... The Neighbors is a good example of this kind of movie...
]]>Tue, 20 Jan 2009 05:36:40 GMTDr_GorWeekly Theme1/20/2009 12:36:40 AM[quote user="mercurial"] Nowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films? [/quote] Just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you! Try watching The Marathon Man one more time and you might get it... The Neighbors is a good example of this kind of movie... http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_January_19_Neighborhood_Watch/625/39687/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/19/2009 9:26:53 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"] Nowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films? [/quote] Now this is a kick-ass theme.How could anyone forget Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. I just bought Brian DePalma's Sisters to add to my Criterion Collection umm collection. Anyways it too is about a reporter who witness a murder in a window across the street. Than it just gets more twisted from there. And for some reason, I'm reminded of the neighborhood community feel of Stir of Echos. Kind of a guilty pleasure of mine.
]]>Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:26:53 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme1/19/2009 9:26:53 PM[quote user="mercurial"] Nowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films? [/quote] Now this is a kick-ass theme.How could anyone forget Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. I just bought Brian DePalma's Sisters to add to my Criterion Collection umm collection. Anyways it too is about a reporter who witness a murder in a window across the street. Than it just gets more twisted from there. And for some reason, I'm reminded of the neighborhood community feel of Stir of Echos. Kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_January_19_Neighborhood_Watch/625/39682/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/19/2009 8:37:32 PM
Body: Nowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films?
]]>Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:37:32 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme1/19/2009 8:37:32 PMNowadays, the American Dream is tough. Finding a decent paying job. Looking for love. Buying a house. Mowing your lawn. And just when you think you've got it, some jerk has to move into your perfect little neighborhood and ruin it all. You know who I'm talking about. The pyscho mass murderers, the pedophiles, or worse, one of those weird French guys with their creepy accent and stupid looking berets. Whether you're looking out for the safety of your kids (like Sarah Pierce and Brad Adamson in Little Children), suffering from OCD (like Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets), or just plain racist and homophobic (like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino and Col. Frank Fitts in American Beauty), there is always some reason to take an overactive interest in your neighbors and plot to drive them out of their homes (or kill them). So with that said, what are your favorite Neighborhood Watch films? http://www.spout.com/blogs/kowalski76/archive/2008/10/11/36190.aspx Post By: Kowalski76
Post To: Rebellious Celluloid
Post Date: 10/11/2008 2:09:05 PM
Body: 2006 (USA) dir Todd Field Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer ConnellyLittle Children centres on a group of young marrieds, whose lives intersect on the playgrounds, town pools and streets of their small community in surprising and potentially dangerous ways.The film doesn't hit the right notes for me. Its story is excessive, the perverts fate is ridiculous and if you can listen to the narrator throughout, without feeling even slightly annoyed then you deserve a medal. It's obvious the writers struggled to adapt the original text and settled for the easy option... fill it with decent actors and hope the audience doesn't notice.Kate Winslet is far better than the material, but she's still not a big enough reason to watch this mess.
]]>Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:09:05 GMTKowalski76Rebellious Celluloid10/11/2008 2:09:05 PM2006 (USA) dir Todd Field Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer ConnellyLittle Children centres on a group of young marrieds, whose lives intersect on the playgrounds, town pools and streets of their small community in surprising and potentially dangerous ways.The film doesn't hit the right notes for me. Its story is excessive, the perverts fate is ridiculous and if you can listen to the narrator throughout, without feeling even slightly annoyed then you deserve a medal. It's obvious the writers struggled to adapt the original text and settled for the easy option... fill it with decent actors and hope the audience doesn't notice.Kate Winslet is far better than the material, but she's still not a big enough reason to watch this mess. http://www.spout.com/blogs/lminsk/archive/2008/9/9/34936.aspx Post By: lminsk
Post To: lminsk Blog
Post Date: 9/9/2008 12:12:15 PM
Body: If you struggle with loneliness or disillusionment this movie definitely has something for you. There are some touching scenes between Sarah and Brad--without a doubt. Kate Winslet has some very nice moments--she really makes the movie worthwhile.
]]>Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:12:15 GMTlminsklminsk Blog9/9/2008 12:12:15 PMIf you struggle with loneliness or disillusionment this movie definitely has something for you. There are some touching scenes between Sarah and Brad--without a doubt. Kate Winslet has some very nice moments--she really makes the movie worthwhile. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/8/1/33404.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM
Body: Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:01:40 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com8/1/2008 2:01:40 PM Andrew Sarris may be one of the most influential American film critics, but here’s a claim, located within his recent review of In Search of a Midnight Kiss, that may not hold up to some of his better-remembered theories: “Even when we confront 40-year-old virgins of either gender, movies refuse to show them compensating for the lack of a sexual partner. There is lasting shame involved in this spectacle.” Not to ever, ever profess superiority over Sarris, but I’ve nonetheless compiled today’s list as a way of proving the man wrong. There are actually tons and tons of masturbation scenes found in non-porn movies, from the low brow to the high brow, from as indirect as the boy wizard playing with his wand under the covers in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to as direct as the non-simulated masturbation in Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs and John Cameron Mitchell’s Shortbus (which would probably feature my #1 pick, from the sound of it, if I ever bothered to see it). The following 10 films are some of the most memorable masturbation scenes, excluding any movies that might be considered examples of, in Sarris’ words, “the fringe exploitation genres” (I’ve even gone so far as to leave out mainstream horror like The Exorcist, considering it’s crucifix masturbation is far from the self-pleasuring moments Sarris is clearly interested in). Oh, and I’ve attempted to chart these films artistically from lowbrow to high. 10. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Everybody remembers this scene because of the fantasy: Phoebe Cates emerges from a swimming pool in slow motion and removes her bikini top. And then Cates’ character walks in on the fantasizer, Judge Reinhold, for one of the most awkward moments in the history of awkward comedy. There’s been plenty of uncomfortable scenes of guys being caught in the act, including those moments in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Little Children and the most obvious masturbation movie, American Pie. 9. Léolo - Speaking of masturbating with food, not even pie-fucking beats the scene in this French-Canadian gem in which our young titular hero decides that his real father is a man who jerked off with a tomato, which later impregnated Léolo’s mother when she fell onto it. There are other less memorable masturbation scenes involving liver and chicken, too. Yum! 8. Spanking the Monkey - I always found the masturbation scenes in this movie so interesting because of how clean a “job” Ray Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) does with his personal business. I guess when you’re probably fantasizing about your mother, your mind is dirty enough, and so (seemingly) uncomfortably jacking off while sitting on a toilet is the best way to go. But couldn’t he just do it in the shower, like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty? I’m surprised that Sarris forgot about this one, since the title alone refers to the act. 7. The Squid and the Whale - If I have to select one movie involving a little kid masturbating (and writing this sentence has already got me feeling immensely ashamed), I pick this one over Todd Solondz’ Happiness (”I came!”), because while both scenes in question are quite disturbing, the one featuring the real-life son of Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates jerking off in a library and then wiping his hands off on some books is at least a little amusing. A lot amusing if you take into account his mother’s appearance in movie #10 above. And if you need another little kid masturbating movie to choose from (I’m not judging), Babel has one too. 6. But I’m a Cheerleader - That Natasha Lyonne sure loves to masturbate! is a quick response to the realization that she pleasures herself in both this film and the earlier Slums of Beverly Hills. The reason that this movie is the more significant of the two is because the masturbation scene is very tastefully done, and yet in its original form, it controversially garnered the film an NC-17 rating, only because, as argued in the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated, it deals with both homosexual desire and female sexuality. The main evidence: American Pie was released in the same year with an R rating. 5. Mulholland Drive - A less beautiful yet no less exploitive depiction of female masturbation occurs in David Lynch’s enigmatic film. Despite the fact that guys tend to enjoy watching a girl pleasure herself, only the most sadistic of men could be turned on by Naomi Watts crying and painfully attempting to get off. 4. Bad Lieutenant - When I first heard about the scene in which Harvey Keitel’s corrupt cop masturbates in front of two teens in a car he pulls over, I thought it had to be the most debauched scene in film history. Of course, I was only 15 when it came out and wasn’t yet familiar with a lot of cinema. By the time I actually bothered to watch the scene many years later, it was less shocking than I expected. Still, as far as depraved things a character can do in a movie — at least in theory — it’s up there, and it’s certainly one of the first scenes that comes to mind when I think of movie masturbation. 3. Amarcord - Oh, right, here’s another movie with little kids masturbating. But it’s a Fellini movie, so obviously it’s incomparable to the three referenced earlier. Although an amusing scene, featuring a bunch of kids masturbating in unison in a car, it’s much less disturbing, as it simply displays the act as a part of growing up. 2. Being There - “I like to watch.” Hopefully you’ve seen this wonderful film, and that’s all I need to say. But just in case you’re not familiar, here’s the scene: Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine) attempts to seduce the rather simple Chauncey Gardner (Peter Sellers), who responds by saying, “I like to watch.” Of course, he means the television, but Eve takes the statement to mean he wants to watch her pleasure herself. And so she proceeds to humiliate herself on the floor while Chauncey hilariously takes enjoys an exercise show on the TV. 1. Adaptation - Really, the whole movie is one big masturbation scene. There is a literal masturbation scene, though, in which Charlie (Nicolas Cage) fantasizes about Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), and it’s pretty good on its own. But it takes the top spot for affirming that screenwriter Charlie Kauffman created the literary equivalent of beating off. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/dibot/archive/2008/6/3/30449.aspx Post By: dibot
Post To: dibot Blog
Post Date: 6/3/2008 11:19:01 PM
Body: I really enjoyed Dark Victory. Bette Davis ("Wicked Stepmother") stars as a young socialite diagnosed with a brain tumor. She then must decide how to live out the last days of her life. I couldn't take my eyes off Davis, she just lights up the screen, even when she's dying. Humphrey Bogart ("The Harder They Fall") has a cameo as a horse trainer and his scenes with Davis are some of the best. Though the plot description sounds depressing and I did end up crying, it's not necessarily a sad film. There's a lot to think about here. Also, a young Ronald Reagan ("The Killers") puts in an appearance. Jezebel is another Bette Davis film, and though this is directed by William Wyler ("The Liberation of L.B. Jones"), Davis won an Oscar for her role and the film was nominated for best picture, I had some real problems with it. I know it's set in the Pre-Civil War South and Davis plays a Southern Belle, but really, the racism was hard for me to take. I know that slavery was not even part of the story, but it kept distracting me. It's really a love story/character study of Davis' character Julie and how she looses the man she loves and does many horrible things trying to win him back. Some of it was interesting, but in the end, this is just one of the classics that doesn't live up to it's reputation. Little Children is one of the most perfect looking films. Each shot is well composed and lit and feels right. Good job director Todd Field ("In the Bedroom"). It's also well acted, I especially loved Kate Winslet ("The Holiday") and Jackie Earle Haley ("Semi-Pro"), one of the creepiest child molester characters ever. The stories just seemed a bit off. I know everything was supposed to tie together and make us uncomfortable and think. And I was uncomfortable, several times, I just didn't think the whole added up to the sum of it's parts. It seemed like I had seen this movie before. I always hear people say that Zathura is just another Jumanji, and that may be true. But is it really a bad thing? Director Jon Favreau ("Iron Man") has a knack for creating a bright, vivid, fun world and still not skimping on the emotion. Brothers Danny (Jonah Bobo, "Choke") and Walter (Josh Hutcherson, "Firehouse Dog") fight constantly, and this continues throughout the film in a very realistic, amusing style. But the game brings them closer together, of course, in the end. I really enjoyed this film. It's not new, but it's a good way to pass a dull evening. The biggest reason to see The Big Sleep is the chemistry between Humphery Bogart ("The Harder They Fall") and Lauren Bacall ("The Walker"). They are just burning up the film. It's also a really interesting story that's impossible to follow. I can't really even break it down except to say that Bogart plays Philip Marlowe, a detective investigating the involvement of a society girl in the death of a pornographer. (Thank you TCM). Just see it. I plan to watch it again. And possibly even again.
]]>Wed, 04 Jun 2008 03:19:01 GMTdibotdibot Blog6/3/2008 11:19:01 PMI really enjoyed Dark Victory. Bette Davis ("Wicked Stepmother") stars as a young socialite diagnosed with a brain tumor. She then must decide how to live out the last days of her life. I couldn't take my eyes off Davis, she just lights up the screen, even when she's dying. Humphrey Bogart ("The Harder They Fall") has a cameo as a horse trainer and his scenes with Davis are some of the best. Though the plot description sounds depressing and I did end up crying, it's not necessarily a sad film. There's a lot to think about here. Also, a young Ronald Reagan ("The Killers") puts in an appearance. Jezebel is another Bette Davis film, and though this is directed by William Wyler ("The Liberation of L.B. Jones"), Davis won an Oscar for her role and the film was nominated for best picture, I had some real problems with it. I know it's set in the Pre-Civil War South and Davis plays a Southern Belle, but really, the racism was hard for me to take. I know that slavery was not even part of the story, but it kept distracting me. It's really a love story/character study of Davis' character Julie and how she looses the man she loves and does many horrible things trying to win him back. Some of it was interesting, but in the end, this is just one of the classics that doesn't live up to it's reputation. Little Children is one of the most perfect looking films. Each shot is well composed and lit and feels right. Good job director Todd Field ("In the Bedroom"). It's also well acted, I especially loved Kate Winslet ("The Holiday") and Jackie Earle Haley ("Semi-Pro"), one of the creepiest child molester characters ever. The stories just seemed a bit off. I know everything was supposed to tie together and make us uncomfortable and think. And I was uncomfortable, several times, I just didn't think the whole added up to the sum of it's parts. It seemed like I had seen this movie before. I always hear people say that Zathura is just another Jumanji, and that may be true. But is it really a bad thing? Director Jon Favreau ("Iron Man") has a knack for creating a bright, vivid, fun world and still not skimping on the emotion. Brothers Danny (Jonah Bobo, "Choke") and Walter (Josh Hutcherson, "Firehouse Dog") fight constantly, and this continues throughout the film in a very realistic, amusing style. But the game brings them closer together, of course, in the end. I really enjoyed this film. It's not new, but it's a good way to pass a dull evening. The biggest reason to see The Big Sleep is the chemistry between Humphery Bogart ("The Harder They Fall") and Lauren Bacall ("The Walker"). They are just burning up the film. It's also a really interesting story that's impossible to follow. I can't really even break it down except to say that Bogart plays Philip Marlowe, a detective investigating the involvement of a society girl in the death of a pornographer. (Thank you TCM). Just see it. I plan to watch it again. And possibly even again. http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/12/28763.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/12/2008 10:38:53 PM
Body: Little Children is a masterpiece, a deeply moving film about people that will seem just a real those that you know, some of whom you will love, some of whom you will hate. I have never been more involved in a movie romance than I have with this movie. I didn't care about the people they would hurt, the families that would break up, or the pain they would put their children though. I wanted these people to be together. The lovers are Sarah (Kate Winslet) and Brad (Patrick Wilson) both of whom are married and of whose marriges are in trouble. We sense that the problem with Brad and his wife is mores ituational than emotional. as the couple hardly has any time together after the birth of their children. The same cannot be said for Sarah, whose husband (Gregg Edelmen) is distant addicted to internet porn. One day, while taking the kids to the park, the two meet and fall for each other. This sounds like traditional material, I know, but there is nothing formuliac about this film. I literally did not know what was going to happen next, but I knew what I wanted- on some basic level, Todd Field got me to feel what the characters were feeling- that they just HAD to be together no matter what. It is not a relationship forged out of desperation, but out of excitement. They need each other because they need irresponsiblity and adventure, and love, things that are in no sense guareenteed as they enter middle age. There is another plotline in the film that is both frightening and heartbreaking. A sex offender named Ronnie (Jackie Earle Halley) has just been released from prison and has moved into the neighboorhood with his mother (Phyllis Sommervile). I hated Ronnie for something perverted that he did relativley early in the film (I won't reveal what). But then the hate turned into pity and disgust- Ronnie is a sick man who has done evil things, but he is not evil- he knows what he's doing is wrong, but is unable to stop. Watching his mother's pathetic efforts to give him a normal life and his inability to treat others as he wants to made me very sad for him. It is a testament to the emmense talent of Field that he allows us to feel sorry for Ronnie without taking away the henious nature of his actions. All of the characters lives will reach a turning point on the same night. I won't reaveal what happens, but I will say that I left the theatre sad, wondering whether Sarah and Brad did the right thing. In the end, they did the moral thing, but I am not sure it was the right thing. Regardless, this is a film that I am sure I will watch over and over again throughout my life. As I grow, I think the film will too. And I hope to God that I will one day love a woman in the way Brad loves Sarah-pure, exciting and erotic. I just hope I won't be married to someone else. Little Children (2006)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 02:38:53 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/12/2008 10:38:53 PMLittle Children is a masterpiece, a deeply moving film about people that will seem just a real those that you know, some of whom you will love, some of whom you will hate. I have never been more involved in a movie romance than I have with this movie. I didn't care about the people they would hurt, the families that would break up, or the pain they would put their children though. I wanted these people to be together. The lovers are Sarah (Kate Winslet) and Brad (Patrick Wilson) both of whom are married and of whose marriges are in trouble. We sense that the problem with Brad and his wife is mores ituational than emotional. as the couple hardly has any time together after the birth of their children. The same cannot be said for Sarah, whose husband (Gregg Edelmen) is distant addicted to internet porn. One day, while taking the kids to the park, the two meet and fall for each other. This sounds like traditional material, I know, but there is nothing formuliac about this film. I literally did not know what was going to happen next, but I knew what I wanted- on some basic level, Todd Field got me to feel what the characters were feeling- that they just HAD to be together no matter what. It is not a relationship forged out of desperation, but out of excitement. They need each other because they need irresponsiblity and adventure, and love, things that are in no sense guareenteed as they enter middle age. There is another plotline in the film that is both frightening and heartbreaking. A sex offender named Ronnie (Jackie Earle Halley) has just been released from prison and has moved into the neighboorhood with his mother (Phyllis Sommervile). I hated Ronnie for something perverted that he did relativley early in the film (I won't reveal what). But then the hate turned into pity and disgust- Ronnie is a sick man who has done evil things, but he is not evil- he knows what he's doing is wrong, but is unable to stop. Watching his mother's pathetic efforts to give him a normal life and his inability to treat others as he wants to made me very sad for him. It is a testament to the emmense talent of Field that he allows us to feel sorry for Ronnie without taking away the henious nature of his actions. All of the characters lives will reach a turning point on the same night. I won't reaveal what happens, but I will say that I left the theatre sad, wondering whether Sarah and Brad did the right thing. In the end, they did the moral thing, but I am not sure it was the right thing. Regardless, this is a film that I am sure I will watch over and over again throughout my life. As I grow, I think the film will too. And I hope to God that I will one day love a woman in the way Brad loves Sarah-pure, exciting and erotic. I just hope I won't be married to someone else. Little Children (2006) http://www.spout.com/blogs/hensdill/archive/2007/9/22/20058.aspx Post By: hensdill
Post To: hensdill Blog
Post Date: 9/22/2007 7:46:59 PM
Body: unlike the deniro/streep film, this movie flies like a phoenix and busts into beautiful flames. no happy ending..perhaps. still a great night out...or in. wonderful acting. wonderful dialogue. i can almost hear the train coming now...
]]>Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:46:59 GMThensdillhensdill Blog9/22/2007 7:46:59 PMunlike the deniro/streep film, this movie flies like a phoenix and busts into beautiful flames. no happy ending..perhaps. still a great night out...or in. wonderful acting. wonderful dialogue. i can almost hear the train coming now... http://www.spout.com/blogs/slipofthetongue/archive/2007/6/17/11285.aspx Post By: slipofthetongue
Post To: SlipOfTheTongue Blog
Post Date: 6/17/2007 4:56:00 PM
Body: Director Todd Field certainly knows how to get good performances out of actors but the thing that stands out about LITTLE CHILDREN is that it feels as though the director is watching all the action from the crow's nest far above.  Watching the film I was reminded of domestic dramas such as American Beauty and even a bit of Donnie Darko.  There is a dispassionate, objective cast over the material which is primarily an exploration of the loneliness and frustration of middle class suburban life.  LITTLE CHILDREN shows us bahavior (much of it narcissistic and immature) and lets the exposure of such behavior speak for itsself.  The movie (rarely) stoops so low as to telegraph the emotional intent of a given scene.  The experience is one of watching something and wondering when things will explode.  Of course, when things finally do go bad it's in a way that you don't exactly expect, which is a tribuite to the material.  The movie, though a bit conventional at times, is more artfully balanced and less heavy handed than the blend used in American Beauty and to some extent it defies labels.   The story is set against the internal (and external) struggles of a domestic suburban house wife (Kate Winslet), an emotionally inert stay at home dad (Patrick Wilson, whom local women call the prom king), and a convicted sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) who has returned to live in the town.  One of the stark and fascinating results of Field's casting is that in the case of Winslet and Wilson (who are stunning to look at) we see them initially as the ones to relate to.  How could they not want to break out of their own constrictive and hypocritical suburban existences?  Could these be counter cultural heroes in the making (like Spacey's character in American Beauty)?  Contrast that against  Haley who is shrunken and pallid, expressionless as he stares at the children he menaces from afar.  You can see where a viewer might think this is all going.However, in the dispassionate non-judgemental way that Field shows us the actions of his main characters he also lets the casting work for him in unexpected ways.  As we become invested in the secret affair of Winslet and Wilson , we simultaneously wait to see if Haley's story will reveal either that he is monster or a mis-understood victim.  In the end the film never stoops to judge Haley in either of those ways.  Field hoodwinks us (and we hoodwink ourselves) into becoming invested in the pretty couple while Haley is really the one to watch.  Only in retrospect however, after the movie is over, do we relate to him on a greater level than we do Winslet and Wilson.  We never do know quite what to think of the whole thing though.  What conclusions can we draw?  The lives of these people still feel tragic.  I think what the film finally does say is that we can be the victims of our own narcissism, our own ill-advised self-important actions.  In some cases, we can reverse our courses or perhaps redeem ourselves by apologizing or trying to make up for what we have done.  Even if the only option for those in this suburban sideways hell is to go back to status quo, it's still perhaps the best choice.  Such communities peacefully quiet down to go to sleep at night and no one ever really knows what is going on down the block, inside all those houses.  One is never really sure if it's possible to change things anyway, or to make them better.  Often in trying to improve our own existences we only serve to make things worse.   
]]>Sun, 17 Jun 2007 20:56:00 GMTslipofthetongueSlipOfTheTongue Blog6/17/2007 4:56:00 PMDirector Todd Field certainly knows how to get good performances out of actors but the thing that stands out about LITTLE CHILDREN is that it feels as though the director is watching all the action from the crow&#39;s nest far above.  Watching the film I was reminded of domestic dramas such as American Beauty and even a bit of Donnie Darko.  There is a dispassionate, objective cast over the material which is primarily an exploration of the loneliness and frustration of middle class suburban life.  LITTLE CHILDREN shows us bahavior (much of it narcissistic and immature) and lets the exposure of such behavior speak for itsself.  The movie (rarely) stoops so low as to telegraph the emotional intent of a given scene.  The experience is one of watching something and wondering when things will explode.  Of course, when things finally do go bad it&#39;s in a way that you don&#39;t exactly expect, which is a tribuite to the material.  The movie, though a bit conventional at times, is more artfully balanced and less heavy handed than the blend used in American Beauty and to some extent it defies labels.   The story is set against the internal (and external) struggles of a domestic suburban house wife (Kate Winslet), an emotionally inert stay at home dad (Patrick Wilson, whom local women call the prom king), and a convicted sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) who has returned to live in the town.  One of the stark and fascinating results of Field&#39;s casting is that in the case of Winslet and Wilson (who are stunning to look at) we see them initially as the ones to relate to.  How could they not want to break out of their own constrictive and hypocritical suburban existences?  Could these be counter cultural heroes in the making (like Spacey&#39;s character in American Beauty)?  Contrast that against  Haley who is shrunken and pallid, expressionless as he stares at the children he menaces from afar.  You can see where a viewer might think this is all going.However, in the dispassionate non-judgemental way that Field shows us the actions of his main characters he also lets the casting work for him in unexpected ways.  As we become invested in the secret affair of Winslet and Wilson , we simultaneously wait to see if Haley&#39;s story will reveal either that he is monster or a mis-understood victim.  In the end the film never stoops to judge Haley in either of those ways.  Field hoodwinks us (and we hoodwink ourselves) into becoming invested in the pretty couple while Haley is really the one to watch.  Only in retrospect however, after the movie is over, do we relate to him on a greater level than we do Winslet and Wilson.  We never do know quite what to think of the whole thing though.  What conclusions can we draw?  The lives of these people still feel tragic.  I think what the film finally does say is that we can be the victims of our own narcissism, our own ill-advised self-important actions.  In some cases, we can reverse our courses or perhaps redeem ourselves by apologizing or trying to make up for what we have done.  Even if the only option for those in this suburban sideways hell is to go back to status quo, it&#39;s still perhaps the best choice.  Such communities peacefully quiet down to go to sleep at night and no one ever really knows what is going on down the block, inside all those houses.  One is never really sure if it&#39;s possible to change things anyway, or to make them better.  Often in trying to improve our own existences we only serve to make things worse.    http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/comedy/MemberTagFilms.aspxcomedy
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