Tag: Romance

Cairo Time (2009)

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This little gem of an indie film (written/directed by a 2nd gen Arab-Canadian woman, Ruba Nadda) reminded me of old Hollywood romances though it’s set in busy, modern-day Egypt.  If you like thoughtful, slow-paced, character-driven stories, you’ll enjoy it.  The cinematography and lighting alone will WOW you!       

Juliette Grant (Patricia Clarkson), an American magazine editor from NYC, travels to Cairo for the first time, expecting to spend some time w/ her hubby, who runs a UNHCR camp in Gaza.  At the airport, she’s greeted by the former head of her hubby’s protection detail, Tareq Khalifa (Alexander Siddig).  Now retired from his job, Tareq runs a tea shop/spends time w/ pals.  After a few days of jet lag and hanging around the hotel, Juliette decides to venture out and experience the city.  Tareq will be her guide on this journey. 

Juliette, w/ her serene and observant ways, seeks to adapt herself to the ways of Cairo.  (She’s not content to sit about complianing w/ the typical diplomat wives.)  With the gentlemanly Tareq, Juliette sees and begins to understand the real city, full of beauty, history, and contradictions.  They learn about each other, too.

Yes, that is Dr. Bashir from Star Trek: Deep Space 9.  (Sid impressed the producers SO much that had he been a bit older, he would’ve been cast as the captain!)  It is SO refreshing to see a Muslim-background character portrayed as a sweet, thoughtful, and all-around normal guy.  Check out Syriana if you haven’t seen it yet, b/c he has a meaty role there.      

Related Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0896529/

http://www.cairotime.ca/

Angel Face (1952) & Midnight Cowboy (1969)

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Angel Face (1952)

Ambulence driver/paramedic Frank Jessup (Robert Mitchum) underestimates 19 y.o. heiress-to-be Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons) in one of famed director Otto Preminger’s lesser-known (noir) films.  The couple meet under odd circumstances- an accident (or maybe not) occurs at the SoCal mansion where she lives w/ her novelist father and his wife, potentially fatal to the stepmother.  Frank is intrigued by Diane’s beauty and moody/mysterious ways.  She  takes it a BIT more seriously…

Later that night, Diane drives into town and approaches him for a date.  Though Frank has a steady gf (a nurse) he decides to take Diane out for dinner and dancing.  It’s all harmless fun, or so he thinks…

This film has twists and turns- it kept me guessing.  It’s a psychological drama, for the most part.  Frank, who’s older and more experienced w/ life, thinks he can handle Diane.  But he doesn’t realize the complex/troubled mind she has, or what this petite lady is capable of.  Diane offers him a cushy job as the family chauffeur w/ an apt.

Jean Simmons REALLY shines in her role of the (unexpected) femme fatale, going toe-to-toe w/ Mitchum.  She creates a complicated, troubled, yet VERY watcheable character in Diane.  Mitchum, on the other hand, is sometimes TOO calm/collected.  (I wanted to see more anger/emotion from Frank.)  But his screen presence, charisma, and confidence almost make up for it.

 

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

I never saw this film until last week, though it’s quite famous/controversial.  The two leads (Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman) do a FINE job, no doubt about it!  However, this film is difficult to emotionally connect to at times.  The shooting style is unusual, esp. for its time.  There are flashbacks that provide glimpses into a character’s troubled past, BUT don’t tell the complete story.  There is a weird, disjointed, lengthy scene at a party towards the end.

Joe Buck (Voight) is a handsome 28 y.o. dishwasher from small-town Texas who comes to NYC looking to work as a “hustler.”   He dreams of charming and seducing older ladies and making big money.  But he’s totally clueless.  He happens to meet Ratso Rizzo (Hoffman), a talkative/street-smart trickster w/ a bad leg.

An unlikely, yet mutually beneficial, friendship develops between the two opposites.  In Joe, Ratso sees the strong, able-bodied guy he’d like to be.  Ratso helps Joe navigate through the cruel city, and shares what little he has w/ the wide-eyed innocent.

Our Mutual Friend (BBC, 1998)

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I saw this miniseries (based on Dickens’ final novel) a while ago, and was VERY impressed by it!  There is glam, grit, unconventional romances, and many quirky characters.  There are several plots intertwined.

The stand-in for the viewer (or perhaps the author) is level-headed gentleman, Mortimer Lightwood (Dominic Mafham, pictured right).  Though the entire cast is strong, the standout actor is Paul McGann (pictured left w/ mustache).  This is b/c his interpretation of aimless gent Eugene Wrayburn, who falls deeply (and unexpectedly), in love is SO natural.  The voice, snobbery, and swagger show that he has BECOME the character.  Eugene and Mortimer are both barristers and best pals, though Eugene is not interested in furthering his career.  He’s dissatisfied w/ life- searching for some purpose.

Lizzie Hexam (gorgeous Keeley Hawes) is a shy beauty who works w/ her father on the Thames River.  They search the water for dead bodies- YIKES!  She saves up to send her younger brother Charley to a decent school, realizing that the slum is no place for a bright boy like him.  Hawes can convey LOT w/o speaking, as this role demands.

While Eugene starts out carefree, quiet and serious John Harmon (Stephen Mackintosh) has a definite plan when he comes to London from the West Indies.  His dead father left him a fortune; he also had plans for his personal life- an (arranged) marriage.  John says his last name is Rokesmith, takes a job as a humble secretary to Mr. Boffin, who made his fortune from dust heaps.  (Yup, that’s historically true!)  John finds a room to rent from the humble Wilfer family.

Though Bella Wilfer (petite/fiesty Anna Friel) was born poor, she yearns for more.  She doesn’t like the idea of the arranged marriage to a stranger, BUT likes the idea of being rich.  Like Eugene, Bella (a “Daddy’s girl” w/ a sense of entitlement) changes her character over the course of the story.  Friel fits her role VERY well, showing different shades of a young woman in (and out of) high society.

Fans of tall/handsome David Morrissey (recently seen on South Riding) may be surprised to see him cast as a VERY jealous/repressed baddie here.  He plays Bradley Headstone, a teacher at a boys’ boarding school who develops a dangerous obsession.

I’m crazy about Crazy Heart!

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This is a must-see film from 2009, esp. for fans of classic country music and Jeff Bridges, who completely disappears into his role of alcoholic/world weary/singer-songwriter Bad Blake.  Gone is the easygoing California-bred star; here Bridges is overweight, terribly dressed, and quite cranky (for most of the film).  The 57 y.o. Bad (his preferred nickname) has been reduced to performing in bowling alleys and hole-in-the-wall bars throughout the Southwest.  He hasn’t written a song in 3 yrs.  He’s under the power of his fave brand of whiskey for most of the day (and night).  But most sadly, he has become a disappointment to himself.

But he still has many fans out there, including a young arts reporter from Santa Fe, Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal).  Bad agrees to an interview w/ Jean; they have an easy rapport from which a romance quickly develops.

Jean has an adorable 3 y.o. boy, Buddy, who is very excited to meet Bad and spend time w/ him.  This is not the only kid in Bad’s life…

Bad needs to earn some real money, so he turns to country star Tommy Sweet (Colin Farrell).  Tommy, a very thankful protege, would love to get some songs out of his mentor, but Bad is not sure he has it in him anymore.

Bridges is very watcheable (a character actor w/ a star’s looks, charisma, and confidence), bringing non-showy authenticity to the role.  He can sing very well, too.  My fave songs from Crazy Heart are Hold on You and I Don’t Know (2 versions sung by Bridges and Ryan Bingham, the young singer-songwriter who makes a cameo).

Bad is the main character of a novel by Thomas Cobb.  His personality is a mix of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.

East of Eden (1955)

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But you must give him some sign, Mr. Trask, some sign that you love him… or he’ll never be a man.  All his life he’ll feel guilty and alone unless you release him.

Director Elia Kazan wanted Marlon Brando for the lead role that went to breakout star James Dean.  In this film, based on John Steinbeck’s novel, Dean plays bitter/tortured teen Caleb (Cal) Trask, who is constantly overshadowed by his sunny/easygoing brother Aron (Richard Davalos).  The boys’ farmer father Adam (Raymond Massey) is deeply religious, reading the Bible aloud each night.  He’s an emotionally closed-off man who admits that he’s “never understood” Cal’s moods/behaviors/desires.

Aron’s girlfriend Abra (Julie Harris) is a pleasant/kind girl who finds Cal frightening at first, then slowly gets to know (and even sympathize) with him.  The setting, early 20th century Salinas valley of California, is “ironic” in this film because of the conflicted people (critic Kenneth Turan noted).  Cal believes Adam only loves Aron.  He (instinctively) finds out about his long absent mother, Kate (Jo Van Fleet).  Adam is described as “kind” and “conscientious” by his friends/neigbbors; Kate is a former “drifter” who is running a “sinful” house (where men drink, gamble, etc.).

East of Eden contains (obvious) biblical themes; Cal and Aron are compared to Cain and Abel at one point.  This film contains universal themes and intruiging characters who don’t always act how you expect; for example, Aron is strongly against fighting (WWI).  Viewers of his time must’ve been surprised by Dean’s performance, but he’s not unlike today’s  teenagers who are trying to prove their worth and and fit in.