Tag: Friendship

The Hobbit (2012)

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Thorin: [singing] Far over the misty mountains cold / To dungeons deep and caverns old
Dwarves: [singing] The pines were roaring on the height / The winds were moaning in the night / The fire was red, it flame spread / The trees like torches blazed with light…

The Hobbit poster featuring Richard Armitage and Martin Freeman

Well, I can honestly say this was the most anticipated film for me in 2012.  I saw it with my mom and little brother on New Year’s day (in Fishers, IN).  We saw the 2D, since none of us are fans of 3D.  Mom and I were most excited to see one of our favorite (British) actors, Richard Armitage, on the big screen for the first time.  The eyes and the voice are the same! 

Thorin: Loyalty, honor, a willing heart, I can ask no more than that.

Poster featuring Martin Freeman as Bilbo

Bilbo Baggins: I have… I have never used a sword in my life.
Gandalf: And I hope you never have to. But if you do, remember this: true courage is about knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.

We had seen Martin Freeman in the Sherlock series (BBC) and earlier in Love Actually, and thought he was a very fine actor as well.  (That Brit rom com is one of my little sister’s favorites.) 

Illustration of ThranduilActor Lee Pace

Lee Pace plays Thranduil, Legolas’ father, in two brief (yet crucial) moments in the film.  Unlike most of the cast, he’s an American. 

Luke Evans as The Bard and Orlando Bloom as Legolas - Entertainment Weekly magazine

Legolas (Orlando Bloom) will appear in the later films (so no worries, teen gals)!  There will also be a new (human) character, played by Luke Evans. 

Bilbo smoking pipe

FYI: Martin’s co-star in Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, will provide voices for two characters in the later movies.  I thought he’d be good as an elf.  Elijah Wood is back, as are Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis (Gollum; second unit director), and the much beloved Gandalf, Ian McKellan.

Dwarves overtake Bag End

In the introduction to the story, we see old Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm) and his young nephew/heir Frodo (Wood), in their cozy home in Hobbiton.  (For this prequel to The Lord of the Rings, Elijah’s 30 year old face was de-aged using computer technology.)  Bilbo is planning his birthday party and also putting the finishing touches on his memoirs.  He thinks back (60 years), and we transition from Holm to Freeman smoking a pipe outside Bag End.  The wizard dressed all in gray, Gandalf, comes to his door and mentions an adventure.  “No!  We don’t want any adventures here!” Bilbo exclaims.

Bilbo riding a pony

Gandalf: Home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

In time, the reluctant hobbit meets 13 dwarves (some young/inexperienced, some battle-hardened), who are on a quest “to claim their long forgotten gold” and their homeland, which was taken over by the dragon Smaug.  The group are lead by a displaced king, Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage). 

Still from the official trailer

These dwarves are nothing like Snow White’s friends- they love to drink (like hobbits), fight (get better with age), have a lot of pride, and are secretive in nature.  We learn why dwarves distrust the elves.  In this film, they uncover some elvish weapons, which they quickly adapt to using.  Bilbo finds a little sword, too. 

James Nesbitt as BofurAs Leo on BallyK

Fans of the Irish TV series Ballykissangel may recognize one dwarf, Bofur (James Nesbitt).  From 1996-1998, the Belfast-based actor played Leo, the big city journalist.  Bofur likes to have fun! 

Dean O'Gorman as Fili and Aidan Turner as Kili

Fili (Dean O’Gorman) and Kili (Aidan Turner) have been termed the “hot dwarves,” which Turner said makes him “cringe a little.”  LOL!  Since they are young dwarves, they are eager to see some fighting and contribute as much as they can.   

Galadriel and Gandalf

Galadriel: Why the Hafling?
Gandalf: Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That’s because I am afraid and it gives me courage.

Cate Blanchett as Galadriel

Cate’s part is not big, but she looks more beautiful than ever as Galadriel (The Lady of Light)!  She has a different sort of crown and a cool dress (with a long train, of course). 

Hugo Weaving as Elrond examines map

The company go to Rivendell, where Elrond (Hugo Weaving) helps the company by reading ancient dwarvish on a very important map.

Company meet The Goblin King

Orcs and trolls are different in The Hobbit than in the trilogy.  They are more developed; they also look different. 

Jed Brophy as Nori

One of the toughest orcs is now a dwarf- Jed Brophy (a New Zealand actor and skilled stuntman) plays Nori.  Even his eyebrows are braided! 

Gollum in his cave

Bilbo Baggins: Why don’t we have a game of riddles and if I win, you show me the way out of here?
Gollum: And if he loses? What then? Well if he loses precious then we eats it! If Baggins loses we eats it whole!
Bilbo Baggins: Fair enough.

We find out how Bilbo got the ring.  He and Gollum have a battle of riddles in a cave.  Well, don’t want to give too much info… 

The music (composed again by Howard Shore) is even better than in the trilogy.  The Misty Mountains song is sung by Richard and the company of dwarves- very cool!  The (New Zealand) scenery, along with the special effects, are stunning.   The acting is quite fine, especially from McKellan, Armitage (creating a natural leader/heroic), and Freeman (who makes the perfect hobbit).   

Imitation of Life (1959)

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This melodrama is based on a novel and directed by Douglas Sirk (known for his distinct style and focus on “women’s problems”).  In our time, his influence can be seen in Todd Haynes’ Far from Heaven and the AMC’s Mad Men.  

Widowed/single mother, Lora Meredith (Lana Turner), temporarily loses her 6-year old daughter, Susie, at the beach on Coney Island.  She scrambles to find the girl amid the crowd, and runs into a handsome photographer, Steve Archer (John Gavin), who offers his help.  When she finds Susie, she is with a kind black woman, Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore) and her 8-year old daughter, Sarah Jane (who has dark brown hair and looks white).  “Her father was almost white,”  Annie explains to the surprised Lora, who thought Annie was the girl’s nanny.  It turns out that Annie is also a widow, and she and her child have no place to stay.  Lora asks them over to her humble Manhattan apartment. 

In no time, the four are functioning as family.  Lora goes out into the theater world to seek work as an actress; Annie takes care of the home, kids, and picks up little jobs now and then.  The girls go to school and grow up like sisters, though conflicts arise when Sarah Jane insists on hiding her true racial identity.  For many months, Steve and Lora date.  Though he loves his art, he gets a stable job in marketing.  He’s good with Susie, too.  But he’s not as perfect as he seems…

In time, Lora achieves the success she dreamed of professionally.  She becomes a star of theater, then movies, working with notable directors.  The family moves to a spacious house on Long Island.  Annie is always there- the “wind beneath her wings”- serving as a homemaker, confidant, and partner.  In one poingnant scene, Lora admits that Annie was more of a mother to Susie than she was (because of her high ambitions).

The girls grow into beautiful, charming, independant-minded teenagers.  Susie (petite, blonde Sandra Dee) has a positive outlook on life, though Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner, an actress of Czech and Mexican heritage) is troubled and restless. 

There is much to admire in this film, but also troubling aspects (reflecting the limitations of Hollywood and US.)  Why is Annie always humble, obliging, and wise?  Why doesn’t she have weak moments, like Lora?  Why weren’t African American actresses chosen to play Sarah Jane (as in the 1934 version)?  I’ll have to watch that version, too.  Some of the themes in this film are very modern: navigating a man’s world without a husband, raising a child as a single parent, and mother-daughter conflicts. 

Lora and Annie are like two sides of a coin- one has the strength to face the outside world (with her beauty and confidence), while the other has a quiet, inner strength (stemming from her spirituality).  Moore won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance. 

I was impressed by Kohner’s performance; I thought she did a fine job of a rebellious, conflicted individual seeking a place in the world. 

Not as a Stranger (1955) starring Robert Mitchum & Olivia de Havilland

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At the opening, Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum, one of my favorite actors) is an idealistic intern at a private hospital.  Luke has dreamed of being a doctor since childhood, though he comes from very humble roots (his mother is dead and his father is a drunkard).  His best friend is Alfred Boone (Frank Sinatra in a fine supporting role), the jovial son of a comfortable family who loves chasing women.  Al comments to a classmate that though they all want to be doctors, Luke “wants it more- he has to.”  Luke works as a lab researcher, usually late into the night.

While working, Luke strikes up a friendship with a 1st gen. Swedish-American nurse from Minnesota, Kristen (Olivia de Havilland).  She even arranges it so that he and Al can watch an important surgery.  When Luke’s father spends the money his mother saved for his education, he’s desperate (though he conceals it well).  He gets some help from Al and his teacher, Dr. Aarons (Broderick Crawford), but it’s not enough.  Dr. Aarons, who is Jewish, went through a lot of trouble to become a doctor, and sees great potential in Luke.   

When Kris invites Luke and Al to dine with her friends Bruni and Oley (Harry Morgan from M.A.S.H.), Luke learns that Kris has saved quite a bit of money.   It’s obvious that Kris likes Luke more than a friend, so he asks her out.  (After all, she’s a fine nurse with a “pretty face” and “nice figure.”)  After a few dates, he decides to propose, though Al reminds him that he doesn’t love her.  They nearly come to blows (Luke has a hot temper).  “It’s not like that.  Things are not always black and white,” Luke replies.

They marry and move into her little apartment.  They continue with their respective work; Kris helps Luke prepare for his exams and with his people skills.  (Since he has such high standards, it’s difficult for him to tolerate weakness in others.) 

Marsh, you’re one of the most brilliant students we’ve ever had here.  You’ll be a great physician.  Stop living your life like a Greek tragedy, or you’ll muff it!  -Dr. Aarons
After graduation, the couple move to a small town, where Luke shares a practice with Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford), the most experienced doctor in the area.  Dr. Marsh is pleasantly surprised to learn that the older man keeps up with the latest research.  The life of a country doctor is tougher and more tiring than anticipated.  

There is also temptation- a wealthy young widow, Mrs. Lange (Gloria Grahame), summons Dr. Marsh to her home late one night (to check him out).  He’s taken aback by her looks and boldness.  At home, Kris wants to start a family. 

The secret of Robert Mitchum’s success(ful) appeal as an actor was his ability to easily combine tough masculinity and tender vulnerability in one persona, unlike any of his peers (John Wayne, William Holden, Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston).  One felt that Mitchum concentrated more on fully and honestly showing all sides of whatever character that he was playing, even the weak and not-so-tough moments… 

–A commentor on YouTube

This film is a must-see for any fan of cinema!  It has well-developed characters, great dialogue, and takes the viewer on a journey.  The editing and pacing are also well done; this is important since the film clocks in at 2 hours and 15 minutes.  (The director is a groundbreaker in the field, Stanley Kramer; he also directed Inherit the Wind, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and many others.)  The ending is fitting and very fulfilling- I got a bit teary-eyed.

Film classics to watch on YouTube

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Hey all!

Recently, I rewatched Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) on YouTube.  I’d seen it a few years ago, but didn’t recall the ending.  The stars of the film are John Dall, Farley Grainger (who later starred in Strangers on a Train), and one of my favorite actors of all time- Jimmy Stewart.  This film is very different from the English play it’s based on, mainly because of the censorship rules of its time.  The film is pretty great, technically, which is expected from Hitchcock.  Some of you may also be interested in Rope Unleashed, a 30 minute behind the scenes look with Hume Cronyn, Granger, Patricia Hitchcock (the director’s daughter), and writer Arthur Laurents.

Below are some (full-length) film classics that you can watch (FREE) on YouTube!

Thanks for visiting!

-EMMA

Mary Galante – 1934; starring a young Spencer Tracy

Pygmalion – the inspiration for My Fair Lady; 1938; starring Leslie Howard

Love Story – 1944; inspiration for An Affair to Remember; starring Margaret Lockwood & Stewart Granger

The Stranger – 1946; starring Orson Welles & Edward G. Robinson

Borderline – 1950; starring Fred McMurray, Clare Trevor, & Raymond Burr (best known as Perry Mason)

Witness to Murder – 1954; starring Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, & Gary Merrill

Some Quick Film Reviews

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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

Well, you really CAN’T go wrong w/ such a stellar cast!  (Dev Patel, just 21 y.o., said how BIG of an honor it was to work w/ all these legends, in a recent NPR interview.)   My fave characters were portrayed by Judy Dench, Bill Nighy (he surprised me w/ his skill), & Tom Wilkinson.  Some viewers commented that Patel’s acting was very one-note (& I mostly agree w/ that).  Perhaps he got bogged down in the Indian accent (he’s a British desi, after all); perhaps he just needs to learn more.  The complete change of heart from Maggie Smith’s characters didn’t ring QUITE true IMO.  There are some GREAT life lessons in this film, BUT it’s NOT schmaltzy or stereotypical. 

Empire Falls (2005)

Fans of Paul Newman will be surprised by his (antihero) role in this HBO miniseries!  There are some  fine performances, esp. from Ed Harris, Aidan Quinn, Robin Wright Penn, & a young Danielle Panabaker.  I thought it started out quite strong, BUT there is something disjointed about it.  It’s set around two VERY different families in a working-class town of Maine. 

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Three reasons to see this film (in order): 1) Russell Crowe 2) Kevin Spacey 3) Guy Pearce.  I’m pretty sure this film was a star-making turn for Crowe.  Also, this is one of the BEST edited films I recall seeing.  I was surprised that Kim Basinger was so capable- she didn’t annoy me in this film!   I think you need to see it twice to appreciate it- I don’t think I paid attention the first time.

The Horseman on the Roof (1995)

This historical French film is GORGEOUS (& not just b/c of the two leads)!  There’s a LOT of natural beauty- greenery, mountains, snow, etc.  Olivier Martinez, who you may recall from Unfaithful,  portrays a true “romantic” (a individual of high ideals).  Juliette Binoche is perfect (as usual), though there is NOT much dialogue.   Plus, you have to give props to a woman who’s not afraid to act w/ a man prettier than her- LOL!   La Binoche never disappoints.