Paul Newman R.I.P. (1925-2008)

One of the most solid actors to walk the planet in the last century has just left us. I suspect many of my fellow film bloggers out there are too young to truly know the depths of his work so I would suggest filling NetFlix queues with Newman’s finest. Undisputed classics such as THE HUSTLER, HUD, COOL HAND LUKE, and Sydney Lumet’s THE VERDICT are highly recommended. As are his fun period piece buddy films with Robert Redford - BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE STING. Extracurricular work would include Sydney Pollack’s ABSENCE OF MALICE, NOBODY'S FOOL, and MR. AND MRS. BRIDGE. Honestly you can't go wrong with a Paul Newman movie - even BLAZE and THE TOWERING INFERNO have their merits. He worked with many of the great directors - Alfred Hitchcock on TORN CURTAIN, Robert Altman on BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS, Martin Scorsese on THE COLOR OF MONEY (which Newman won the Best Actor Oscar for) and even the Coen Brothers on the unjustly underrated THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (pictured at the top of this post). His comical side has been overlooked in many of the obits I’ve read the last day or so but his appearances on Letterman over the years have been hilarious self-effacing affairs - check out this clip on youtube. It’s fitting that his last role was the voice of a 1951 Hudson Hornet Automobile named Doc Hudson in Pixar’s CARS. Nice that the wee ones will get an intro to Mr. Newman there. So put some Newman’s Own popcorn in the microwave, fire up the DVD player and pay proper tribute to the man. More Later...

Moore Is Way Less This Time Out - Free Download Notwithstanding.

SLACKER UPRISING (Dir. Michael Moore, 2008)



“Stream it, download it, burn it now. It’s the first time a major feature-length film is being released for free on the internet. You can be part of this historic moment by logging on now!” – Michael Moore (from an email you’ll get when you sign up for the free download of SLACKER UPRISING).

Watching this new documentary sure doesn’t feel like I’m taking part in an historic moment. It’s a self indulgent infomercial centering on Moore’s tour of colleges in battleground states in the last weeks of the 2004 Bush Vs. Kerry election.

Since we all know how that turned out this is supposed to show Moore and fellow liberal Democrats’ failed but noble attempts as inspirational grass roots measures to encourage voters for the current campaign. It doesn’t quite come off that way though as despite some background to the swiftboating of Kerry, and touching testimonials from the families of soldiers in Iraq (as well as some by soldiers themselves), this mainly shows what Moore credits as “a cast of millions” screaming and applauding him on stage like a rock star over and over as he does his usual shtick.

You know the routine - Bush lied, the war is corrupt, get out and vote, etc. which is all fine but he covered it better, of course, in FAHRENHEIT 9/11 which this film ought to be just a bonus feature on a future Special Edition DVD of.

That’s not to say there aren’t good bits though and not coincidentely they don’t contain Moore’s visage but instead showcase the music on the tour. Steve Earle passionately plays “Rich Man’s War" to a rapt audience, Joan Baez does an acapella version of “Finlandia” and Eddie Vedder, who considers Moore one of “the wonders of the Patriot Act; Michael is a patriot who acts”, does an invigorated solo acoustic version of Cat Steven’s "Don’t Be Shy." *

There is also R.E.M., Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), and singer songwriter Robert Orrall doing his catchy crowd pleaser “Al Gore Lives On My Street”. It’s Moore’s show though and it is commendable that he spends some time dealing with his detractors. Bush supporting students (in small numbers) come to his rallies and even try to get him barred from speaking but Moore has the mike and can yell down any opponent. 

To examine the valid criticisms and anger of the anti-Michael Moore population would have made the movie worthwhile but we just get the same slogans that by now even the choir is tired of.

* This appears to be what inspired Moore to use Steven's original version (written for HAROLD AND MAUDE) as the end credits music for SiCKO.

Shortly after the results of the 2004 election were in a headline in the satirical newspaper the Onion said it best: “Poll: Youth Totally Meant To Vote In Record Numbers”. This sums up whats wrong and ultimately very depressing about this exercise. 

This film would only be vital and necessary if the Slacker Uprising strategy worked. Instead we see 99 minutes of a man drunk on his own applause. Patting himself on the back and believing his own hype even when it turns out to be drastically ineffective. 

It is encouraging that polls are showing that more folks may be getting out and voting in what is likely the most severely important Presidential race in my lifetime but a film like this is hardly going to matter in the grand scheme. 

SLACKER UPRISING is for Michael Moore completists only (if there are such people) and it should have remained with its original title “Captain Mike Across America” as a sideline film, like I said before, only added as an extra on a future DVD re-release. It seems though, as smart and savvy as he is, that he knows this hence its asking price. Yep, that’s right - at least it’s free.

Postnote #1: Actually it’s not completely free - just the download for American and Canadians. DVDs are being sold for $9.95 at Moore’s website.

Postnote #2: For a worthwhile look at criticisms from Moore detractors check out Rick Caine & Debbie Melnyk’s MANUFACTURING DISSENT (Reviewed here November 13th, 2007)

More later...

MOVING MIDWAY Moved Me In Many Ways

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist the Gene Shalit-esque post heading. 

MOVING MIDWAY (Dir. Godfrey Cheshire, 2008)


Though he is based in New York these days, Godfrey Cheshire is fairly well known in my whereabouts (the Triangle Area in North Carolina) because, well, he was born in this area and the movie reviews he has written for the Independent Weekly for a long time (well, since the '80s) and his extensive film historian reputation.

When he learned that a plantation house (the Midway of the title) that has long been in his family was to be relocated away from the strip-mall sprawl of outer Raleigh he decided to finally pick up a camera himself and document the event. 

Along the way he finds that his family is a lot bigger than he thought it was with descendants of the slaves that worked on the house grounds revealing connections that stack up as revelations with further study. Robert Hinton, a African American Historian who has done his own research into the family Midway matters accompanies Cheshire on many of his trips and provides a sober (and sobering) viewpoint far removed from the romanticized South of GONE WITH THE WIND (which we see many vivid clips of).

Ghosts of the past are thought to be haunting Midway and may not be happy about the move but professor Hinton is, speaking about the plans to construct a shopping center with a Target he remarks:

 

“I have the pleasure of knowing that what used to be Midway Plantation will soon be covered with concrete and asphalt” to Cheshire’s somewhat bemused reaction. 

Viewing the massive operation it takes to move such a bulky historical house Cheshire notes that the draped pieces remind him of a film set. This is apt because the filter through which American media milestones like BIRTH OF A NATION, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, Alex Haley’s “Roots” (the book and TV miniseries), the before mentioned GONE WITH THE WIND, and even a clip of the infamous Uncle Remus from the roundly considered racist SONG OF THE SOUTH pour through what could have just been an overly ambitious home movie could only be devised by someone with such a refined but passionate love of pop culture.

MOVING MIDWAY is as funny and touchingly thoughtful as it is educational and intensely interesting. Despite that I have viciously disagreed with many of Cheshire’s opinions of mostly mainstream movies in the pages of a local paper over the years, I still returned to reading his reviews time and again because of the emotion and debate it would stir up in me. 

This labor of love stirred up a lot of feelings as well and as a small independent documentary by a first time film maker that hasn’t gotten a MPAA rating yet or much distribution, I strongly urge folks to seek it out. 

More later...