Movie #262 Beginners *2011*

This is what my blog looks like in 2011.
This is what it looks like when I write a post like everyone else's.

The first two sentences of this blog is a reference to a narrative device used in Mike Mills Beginnings.  The film opens on Ewan McGregor packing up things at his recently deceased fathers house.  We find out quickly that his mother had died about 6 years earlier.  We also find out that right after his mother died, his father announced that he has cancer AND that he is gay.  He is also ready to start living his life as a gay man.

The father is played wonderfully by Christopher Plummer.  He joins many "gay pride" organizations and begins going to clubs and even finds a boyfriend.  I have more to say about the boyfriend later.  I don't want to make to big a deal out of the gay issues.  Mostly because the film doesn't.  I appreciated the the film took a fresh approach to the father being gay.  It was a topic, but it was not played for jokes.  There was little to none of the stereotypical, over-the-top, super gay writing that unfortunately pervades too many Hollywood films.  The cancer issues was handled fairly too.  Having a father that just fought cancer I was pleased that they didn't use that to try and manipulate people.  This is a very honest film.  Much like The Kids are All Right from last year.


Then there is the Ewan McGregor character.  He is having to deal with all these things going on.  The movie jumps around in time, but mostly we are presented the years after his mother has died and before his father passes away.  He has been unlucky in love.  Unlucky may not be the right word.  He is passively destructive.  We spend time with his character, Oliver as he battles mild depression.  He meets Melaine Laurent's character Anna at a costume party.  She has laryngitis and can't talk.  Can you say manic pixie dream girl?

The movie borders on the edge of indy preciousness, but I don't think that it crosses that line.  Although there is a dog that has subtitles so......  I also like that device that I badly stole at the beginning of this blog.  It could come off as quirky and artsy fartsy, but I thought it was a great way of presenting back story and character development and motivation. 

Now about the boyfriend.  I really don't know how to feel about this guy.  He seems very child like and immature. I am not sure if that is a result of being cast against Christopher Plummer or if the role was written that way.  It made me really dislike him.  Also he was overly assertive and defensive about his sexual orientation.  I think he was being shown as a character that was not comfortable in his skin, but I'm not sure.  I don't know what the writer / director was trying to portray with this character.  I won't that he wasn't effective because I still enjoy pondering this character.  I would love to have a conversation about his role.

I enjoyed Beginners very much and I look forward to seeing what Mike Mills has in store next.  Also this is a great soundtrack with classic American tunes.  I give Beginners ★★★★.

Movie #236 Harold and Maude *1971*

I am about to do a great dis-service to some wonderful movies.  I am almost 20 posts behind on my blog and quite frankely I don't have the time to catch them all up.  I was on vacation in Hollywood for a week and then off to Japan for a week for me "real" job.  During that time I saw quite a few moives.  I will give a very brief opinion of each, or do a 3 reasons for most.

I can't do that to Harold and Maude however.  I love this movie.  I had the pleasure of watching this quirky little comedy in a vintage theater in Santa Monica.  After the show Peter Bart and Cameron Crowe had a discussion and Q&A session.  I was fortunate to buy Mr. Bart's book before the show at a book store across the street and then meet him and have him sign it.  Peter Bart (for those of you that don't know he was in charge of Paramount Studios in the late 60's and early 70's.  He was part of films like Godfather I & II, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, Love Story, Chinatown and Harold and Maude) asked me if I was in "the business".  That is like having Michael Jordan ask you if you "shoot hoops".  I was totally star struck.

A little about Harold and Maude.  It is a film that was way misunderstood in its time.  Most critics paned the film and it did not connect with a mass audience.  It has maintained and gained a large following of film fans and is now considered one of the best comedies ever and a major player in the "New Hollywood" era.

It is the story of a 17 year old boy obsessed with death, and an almost 70 year old eccentric woman who lives life to the fullest.  They meet at a series of funerals and fall in love.  Much to the chagrin of Harold's high society mother.

The movie is filled with a Cat Stevens soundtrack that could not be anymore perfect.  It captures everything this movie is about, without being heady or melodramatic.  The sequences where Harold fakes his own death in an attempt to disturb his mother are shot masterfully.  This style of film making would go on to inspire many of film makers.  I think it is safe to say that without Harold and Maude, Wes Anderson would not have a career.  Harold and Maude was directed by Hal Ashby.  I have only seen a few of his films, but so far I have liked what I saw and I plan on making my way through his entire catalog. 

I saw this movie with my girlfriend.  She had never seen it before.  There is a big surprise at the end, and when it happened my girlfriend was so into the movie she actually put her hands in front of her mouth in shock and concern.  I was really special to have someone that I care so much for react to a movie that I love so dearly in nearly the same way I did when I first watched it.

I remember when I watched it for the first time I was walking around the room talking to myself about how great the movie is.  That type of response doesn't happen nearly often enough, but when it does it is very special.  I had the feeling watching the movie again that I could watch this movie once a week and never grow tired of it. 

Great movie, great evening.  I give Harold and Maude ★★★★★.