"Look at that child! She's so sad."
"Is she poor?"
"She's forgotten."
It is only a brief moment of the film, but this conversation encapsulates the message of BIG EYES quite nicely. Everyone wants to make their mark on the world, and even those who have the skill to do so still have some anxiety about their image... And those who don't have the skill still have that desire, that drive to be remembered. So what happens when a skilled painter marries a skilled talker who wishes he was a skilled painter?
Enter Margaret Doris Hawkins (Amy Adams). Margaret loves to paint -- specifically, she likes to paint women and children, all with oversized eyes. She sees eyes as the windows to the soul. After leaving her first husband and trying to build a life for herself and her child, Jane (Delaney Raye, and later played by Madeleine Arthur), Margaret begins to realize that just because she has talent with a paintbrush doesn't mean she will be able to make a living off of it. That is, until she meets Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz). After a whirlwind romance that rivals lightning in its speed, the couple marry and begin trying to sell their art in local galleries; but Walter begins to take credit for Margaret's paintings, saying that no one will buy a woman's work. Margaret reluctantly acquiesces to her husband's fraud, recognizing the profit they're making, but as her art gets more and more popular, and the art world resists (they do not see the waifs of her paintings fit as "art", no matter how popular they may be), Margaret becomes more and more uncomfortable with the arrangement.
What makes this story even more incredible is that it is true. It follows, with minor changes, the actual story of Margaret Keane, whose artwork continued in popularity well into the 70's, and is even fairly popular today. Such a life fits perfectly on the big screen, especially with the same writers of ED WOOD (Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski) crafting the story and Tim Burton helming the project.
But given this line up of filmmakers, what you get is not exactly what you'd expect. Tonally, the film is a bit confusing at times. Other than Walter's odd charisma and a few disjointed moments in which Burton's bizarre, zany personality peeks through, the story is much more straightforward than his previous works. Take this as you will... it is interesting to see a more grounded piece from Tim Burton, but not as interesting as it would have been to see his trademark style in full reign. That being said, it's not a bad film... the story is empowering and brings about its own charm, bringing forth a feminist story from the grasp of the 60's. And the solid cast is sure to keep your attention. Christoph Waltz has a knack for playing the cheerful villain, and though it's not one of her best performances, Amy Adams makes it her own.
Ultimately, BIG EYES is a good film, but nothing to get overly excited about. Still, I enjoyed it... perhaps it will follow Margaret Keane's work, not quite on par with other films in theaters, but certainly a popular film to watch. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema!
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
FAMILY FILM SERIES
Join us for our newest series of films, great for the whole family, kids of all ages, and the young at heart!
January - THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984) G, 94min
Sat Jan 17 at 12PM, Sun Jan 18 at 2PM, and Tue Jan 20 at 7PM | Kermit and his friends go to New York to get their musical on Broadway only to find it's a more difficult task than they anticipated..
February - MATILDA (1996) PG, 102min
Sat Feb 14th at 12PM, Sun Feb 15th at 2PM, Tue Feb 17 at 7PM | Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.
March - CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009) PG, 90min
Sat March 14th at 12PM, Sun March 15th at 2PM, and Tues March 17th at 7PM | The most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the beloved children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain.
April- HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989) PG, 93min
Sat April 18th at 12PM | The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
May - MARY POPPINS (1964) G, 139min
Sat May 16th & Sun May 17th @12:30PM | A magic nanny comes to work for a cold banker's unhappy family.
January - THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984) G, 94min
Sat Jan 17 at 12PM, Sun Jan 18 at 2PM, and Tue Jan 20 at 7PM | Kermit and his friends go to New York to get their musical on Broadway only to find it's a more difficult task than they anticipated..
February - MATILDA (1996) PG, 102min
Sat Feb 14th at 12PM, Sun Feb 15th at 2PM, Tue Feb 17 at 7PM | Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.
March - CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (2009) PG, 90min
Sat March 14th at 12PM, Sun March 15th at 2PM, and Tues March 17th at 7PM | The most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the beloved children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain.
April- HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989) PG, 93min
Sat April 18th at 12PM | The scientist father of a teenage girl and boy accidentally shrinks his and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects. Now the teens must fight diminutive dangers as the father searches for them.
May - MARY POPPINS (1964) G, 139min
Sat May 16th & Sun May 17th @12:30PM | A magic nanny comes to work for a cold banker's unhappy family.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Sam's Blog - Happy Valley
The events involving Jerry Sandusky are still fairly fresh in our minds: in 2011, after two years of grand jury investigation, the Penn State assistant football coach was convicted of serial child molestation. Joe Paterno was dismissed from his position as head coach due to to his indirect involvement, in that he reported a case to school administration in 2001 but not to the police.
Lately there have been plans for not one but two films based on these events, both named "Happy Valley": one, which is still in preproduction, will be a dramatic account of the film, with Al Pacino and John Carroll Lynch in talks. The other is a documentary that sums up the details of the trial, the events that followed, and the reactions from the surrounding community and fan base of Penn State. It covers three different perspectives of the events: that of Matt Sandusky, the adopted son; Joe Paterno's family; and Penn State fans.
The majority of Matt's interview is focused on his upbringing and the trial. Matt describes his desire to be loyal to the family because it was the only "family" he ever really had... which made his decision to stand against his adopted father even harder than it already was. "He probably didn't think that he was hurting anyone," Matt says, adding a disturbing thought to an already sickening situation. "He thought that what he did was love."
But though the film does a good job laying out Sandusky's case, it focuses more on Joe Paterno: the man who did something, but possibly not enough. Interviews with Paterno's family describe the backlash he received once word started getting out about his involvement, and the support he received from Penn State fans. Even after Paterno died, the footage shows conflict about the man. This conflict is most succinctly summarized in Michael Pilato's Penn State mural: first Pilato removes Sandusky from the painting, putting a blue ribbon in the empty chair, and then he paints a halo over Paterno's head... until more evidence becomes public through the Freeh Report, heightening the responsibility that he had. Then Pilato removes the halo, saying, "By removing the halo, that means we're all human beings."
The film really shows the power of memory in society: some, like Paterno's wife, just want their loved ones to be seen in a good light, and others would rather the whole situation be defused to get back to the way things were. Scenes show Penn State struggling to get back on its feet after the events, as the heavy reminder of past events now puts a damper on the festivities of the field... what seems like a nightmare in the realm of sensitivity is very real to a fanbase that just wants its game back.
It's a very well-made film, though perhaps it could have been about twenty minutes shorter. Not that the film is very long -- it clocks in at about and hour and forty -- but some of the information gets reiterated in an attempt to stretch out the content of the film. But for those who did not know too much about the situation, HAPPY VALLEY is very informative and fairly engaging. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Lately there have been plans for not one but two films based on these events, both named "Happy Valley": one, which is still in preproduction, will be a dramatic account of the film, with Al Pacino and John Carroll Lynch in talks. The other is a documentary that sums up the details of the trial, the events that followed, and the reactions from the surrounding community and fan base of Penn State. It covers three different perspectives of the events: that of Matt Sandusky, the adopted son; Joe Paterno's family; and Penn State fans.
The majority of Matt's interview is focused on his upbringing and the trial. Matt describes his desire to be loyal to the family because it was the only "family" he ever really had... which made his decision to stand against his adopted father even harder than it already was. "He probably didn't think that he was hurting anyone," Matt says, adding a disturbing thought to an already sickening situation. "He thought that what he did was love."
But though the film does a good job laying out Sandusky's case, it focuses more on Joe Paterno: the man who did something, but possibly not enough. Interviews with Paterno's family describe the backlash he received once word started getting out about his involvement, and the support he received from Penn State fans. Even after Paterno died, the footage shows conflict about the man. This conflict is most succinctly summarized in Michael Pilato's Penn State mural: first Pilato removes Sandusky from the painting, putting a blue ribbon in the empty chair, and then he paints a halo over Paterno's head... until more evidence becomes public through the Freeh Report, heightening the responsibility that he had. Then Pilato removes the halo, saying, "By removing the halo, that means we're all human beings."
The film really shows the power of memory in society: some, like Paterno's wife, just want their loved ones to be seen in a good light, and others would rather the whole situation be defused to get back to the way things were. Scenes show Penn State struggling to get back on its feet after the events, as the heavy reminder of past events now puts a damper on the festivities of the field... what seems like a nightmare in the realm of sensitivity is very real to a fanbase that just wants its game back.
It's a very well-made film, though perhaps it could have been about twenty minutes shorter. Not that the film is very long -- it clocks in at about and hour and forty -- but some of the information gets reiterated in an attempt to stretch out the content of the film. But for those who did not know too much about the situation, HAPPY VALLEY is very informative and fairly engaging. It is now playing at the Midtown Cinema.
Sam's Blog - Dear White People
For his first feature film, writer/director Justin Simien has really hit it out of the park. DEAR WHITE PEOPLE is an intellectually driven film laced with satirical humor that shows how, even in the company of the brightest students in the country, racism can run deep. The film follows a handful of black students at the (fictional) predominantly white Ivy League school, Winchester University, and focuses on the political backlash that stereotypes and insensitivity cause when the staff of a humor magazine hosts a Halloween party with an outrageously offensive theme. At first, the story feels like a racially focused, college-age version of MEAN GIRLS, with its mocking of stereotypes and categorizations -- except instead of popularity, the Winchester students strive for achievement as well as acceptance -- but as the film continues, it goes much further than that with its message.
Though I won't dabble too much in the plot, because that is where you will derive the most enjoyment (and moments of purposeful discomfort), I would like to comment that the story addresses more than just racial politics... it also deals with racial identity. And with identity on the mind, it isn't surprising to see all sorts of different characters come to the screen.
Of the plethora of people you will meet throughout the film, all of whom have very opposing viewpoints on the issue of identity, two stand out the most (and perhaps consequently, the best performances given were for these two characters). Sam White (Tessa Thompson), a biracial student whose interests include hosting a radio show called "Dear White People" and radical filmmaking, is ready to carry the entire Black Student Union on her back as she takes on the culture war between whites and blacks... to the point where she seems to endorse segregation to protect her culture. Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) is not so willing to carry BSU, or any particular social group, for that matter. He is the gay black freshman stuck in between his fellow black students and white students -- he doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. His social ineptitude is endearing to the audience, but not so much to his fellow students, and this results in poor Lionel being shuffled back and forth around campus as he tries to find his place.
Other notable characters are Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P Bell), model student and son of Winchester's dean -- the kind of guy who "downplays his blackness" (and amps it up) according to the need of the situation; Coco Conners (Teyonah Parris), the black girl who wants to be white; and Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner), the ultimate white rich kid who seems to have nothing better to do than pick on anyone who falls outside the boundaries of straight white men. Far from stereotypical and flat, these characters jump off of the screen at you with their intricacies. Many of them vacillate in and out of the boundaries of likability, but isn't that exactly what happens in college? Many a young mind has taken the train wreck route of discovering themselves, trying to achieve all that they can achieve and sometimes finding their dark side in the process... this is realism, and is exactly what Simien gives us.
There are a few moments where the acting falters a bit, and due to the swarm of characters, it can be difficult at first to navigate the different threads of the story, but overall, this is a strong film. Not only will it make you laugh, but it is sure to stimulate some deep and incredibly important conversation. Check out DEAR WHITE PEOPLE this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Though I won't dabble too much in the plot, because that is where you will derive the most enjoyment (and moments of purposeful discomfort), I would like to comment that the story addresses more than just racial politics... it also deals with racial identity. And with identity on the mind, it isn't surprising to see all sorts of different characters come to the screen.
Of the plethora of people you will meet throughout the film, all of whom have very opposing viewpoints on the issue of identity, two stand out the most (and perhaps consequently, the best performances given were for these two characters). Sam White (Tessa Thompson), a biracial student whose interests include hosting a radio show called "Dear White People" and radical filmmaking, is ready to carry the entire Black Student Union on her back as she takes on the culture war between whites and blacks... to the point where she seems to endorse segregation to protect her culture. Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) is not so willing to carry BSU, or any particular social group, for that matter. He is the gay black freshman stuck in between his fellow black students and white students -- he doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. His social ineptitude is endearing to the audience, but not so much to his fellow students, and this results in poor Lionel being shuffled back and forth around campus as he tries to find his place.
Other notable characters are Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P Bell), model student and son of Winchester's dean -- the kind of guy who "downplays his blackness" (and amps it up) according to the need of the situation; Coco Conners (Teyonah Parris), the black girl who wants to be white; and Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner), the ultimate white rich kid who seems to have nothing better to do than pick on anyone who falls outside the boundaries of straight white men. Far from stereotypical and flat, these characters jump off of the screen at you with their intricacies. Many of them vacillate in and out of the boundaries of likability, but isn't that exactly what happens in college? Many a young mind has taken the train wreck route of discovering themselves, trying to achieve all that they can achieve and sometimes finding their dark side in the process... this is realism, and is exactly what Simien gives us.
There are a few moments where the acting falters a bit, and due to the swarm of characters, it can be difficult at first to navigate the different threads of the story, but overall, this is a strong film. Not only will it make you laugh, but it is sure to stimulate some deep and incredibly important conversation. Check out DEAR WHITE PEOPLE this week at the Midtown Cinema!
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