Friday, August 26, 2005

TOO WONG FOO...A Romp On The Wild Side


"Ready or not...here comes mama!"

Sure enough, right before our very eyes, two especially
testosterone-laden Hollywood actors transform themselves into
certifiable New York drag queens in Director Beeban Kidron's
flashy "Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar".

None other than Wesley Snipes (who achieved well-deserved
international stardom for his dynamic performance in the high
action drama, "Passenger 57") and Patrick Swayze (the "Dirty
Dancing" hunk) play, respectively, Noxeema Jackson and Vida
Boheme in this frolicking road picture replete with delicious
dialogue and a pulsing soundtrack throughout.

Talk about high concept. And the transformation is remarkable,
indeed. Good enough for Noxeema and Vida to tie for top honors
in a highly competitive Drag Queen Pageant ("Nobody here tonight
is winning Miss Congenialty," notes Noxeema). And good enough
for an uncredited Robin Williams to be smitten at the sight
of them. "I feel like a compass pointing due North!" he giggles.

Top prize is a trip to the City of Angels for the national
finals, and Vida decides they should cash in their plane tickets
for a 1967 Cadillac and invite Chi Chi (John Leguizamo in a
remarkable gender-hopping role modeled after Rosie Perez) to
come along. Noxeema is horrified, "She might be a Sandinista
or something", but Vida prevails and the threesome hit the open road.

All goes relatively well until a red-neck Sheriff (played with
comical glee by the appropriately portly Chris Penn) makes a
move on the voluptuous Vida and discovers the hidden truth.
One punch later and Vida is back behind the wheel of the Caddy,
her traveling companions in tow. Unfortunately, the Caddy breaks
down and until a part can be shipped they are marooned in a
broken-down small town that makes Cotopaxi, Colorado look
cosmopolitan. The dreary hotel room and the dreary lives of the local
inhabitants, especially the down-trodden women, just won't do,
and so Vida et al initiate "Operation Decorator Storm", and the
make-over begins.

Engaging moments abound as Snyderville and its populace
rediscover a sense of self-esteem. One-by-one long-repressed dreams
are remembered and pursued and the cumultive effect is a heart
warming scene of the entire town dancing in the streets to the
beat of Johnny Mathis singing "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me."
As Vida notes, "Sometimes all it takes is a fairy!"

Costume designer Marlene Stewart deserves special mention for
concocting an outrageous array of audacious clothes. Supporting
actors Arliss Howard, Blythe Danner and the always-solid
Stockard Channing earn individual kudos as well.

The marquee-unfriendly title comes from an autographed photo
of the statuesque Julie Newmar ("The only catwoman!" declares
Vida -- and I wholeheartedly agree) which hung on the wall of a
Chinese restaurant. Credit Douglas Carter Beane for a sassy,
hip screenplay chock-full of marvelous little details and
rife with references such as Moms Mabley, Sally Struthers, Tex
Avery, Emma Peel and Mary Jo Kopechne. If these names
mean anything to you, then "To Wong Foo, Thanks For
Everything, Julie Newmar" is probably your cup of tea.

It is with some irony that I first saw "To Wong Foo, Thanks
For Everything, Julie Newmar" when it was playing at the
Majestic Theater in Crested Butte, Colorado during the opening
weekend of the Third Combined Colorado Hunting Season. Just
as little Snyderville was being visited by three irrepresible drag
queens on the screen, our small burg was playing host to a different
kind of cross dresser -- the ubiquitous, red-necked, all-American
deer hunter.

Gold lamy vs. green camouflage. Pink feather boas vs. day-glow
orange gimme caps. Bloomingdale's vs. L. L. Bean. And yes,
Hum Jobs vs. Hummers.

Do clothes really make the man?

HAIR STYLES FROM HELL -- Part II


I am extremely happy to report that my fears were unwarranted -- Lynda looked just fine standing there outside the Southwest Airlines bagage claim at the San Antonio International Airport yesterday afternoon. That pesky Tulsa-based Wal-Mart Greeter notwithstanding, everything is once again hunky dory at the Nowotny household. Well, almost everything...

You see, it appears that a photo has surfaced taken of yours truly while having a bad hair day of his own -- this being on Prince Edward Island at the Anne of Green Gables complex a year or so ago. Fully realizing that this unflattering picture will soon be maiking the rounds at some of the world's most widely circulated tabloids, I have elected to beat the muck-raking paparazzi at their game and publish this unfortunate photograph here and now; heaven help me...

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Hair Styles From Hell



I can think of two famous (or should I say infamous) people who always seem to have a bad hair day. I don't believe anyone will disagree with my selection of Alois Schicklgruber's son -- Adolf. As for a more contemporary choice, how about Ms. Condoleezza Rice? In fact, it appears they may share the same hair stylist -- a virtual impossibility given the span of time, but then again the similarity is frightening...

I only mention this because yesterday my wife was told something no man ever wants his wife to hear, at least not from a Wal-Mart Greeter -- especially a frickin' Wal-Mart Greeter in God-damn Tulsa, Oklahoma. I haven't slept a wink since she happened to mention this over the telephone yesterday afternoon. I won't sleep tonight either...

"Nice hair," he said. Yikes! Lynda has been gone for only three weeks working on an audit in Okie-land while I was in both Crested Butte, Colorado and then here in Hot-As-Hell Texas. It is true I haven't seen her for twenty-one days, but the question is what will I see when I pick her up at the airport tomorrow? "Nice hair," said the Tulsa Wal-Mart Greeter. "Nice hair!" Egads...what will Lynda look like? What could have happened in a mere twenty-one days? Will I recognize her? Will I want to? Stay tuned -- there's more to come.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Kucinich/Van Susteren Non-Photogenic Poll #1 -- Baseball Players



Here are your two choices for the least photogenic major league baseball player circa 1955-1970. The significance of this historic poll can not be overestimated. Befitting the magnitude of this occasion the final tabulations will be sent via Western Union to Cooperstown for enshrinement...

Kucinich/Van Susteren Non-Photogenic Poll #1





Let's face facts -- some folks are just downright unfortunate looking. Take Greta Van Susteren (please). Even after some well-publicised "tweaking" around the eyes, Ms. Van Susteren remains Coyote Ugly. I'm sorry if some of you find this to be offensive, but it's the God's Honest Truth and you know it.

As for the guys, how about Dennis Kucinich? During the Democratic Presidential Candidate Debates, more often than not, Mr. Kucinich seemed to make more sense than his rivals. Yet, seated side-by-side, he managed to make John Kerry look decent -- and that man has a face only a filly would find attractive.

Just think if these two were married and had children -- the mind boggles.

For our first poll I am limiting the "Non-Photogenic" contestents to major league baseball players. Should this new feature prove successful (based on the number of responses received) I will make this a regular part of needtovent-movies.blogspot.
Future contests may be composed of actors/actresses, football coaches, defrocked priests, Miss Idaho contestants and just about any other subset of humanity one can imagine.

THUMBSUCKER -- "I Really Liked That The Film Sucked"



For those of you in New York City and Los Angeles it is time to mark your calendars; THUMSUCKER will be opening on September 16. A wider release by Sony Classics is anticipated shortly thereafter. Lou Taylor Pucci won Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival and followed that with a Special Jury Prize for his on-screen performance at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Supporting cast members include Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'Onofrio and Keanu Reeves. You have to like a film whose official poster includes the line: "I really liked that the film sucked." It also postulates the following: "What do we know? Nothing. When do we know it? I don't know."

What I do know is that I'm looking forward to seeing THUMSUCKER. I hope you are as well...

DANNY DECKCHAIR -- Haiku Review




Matey malarky...
From Land of Oz comes fun film
Danny Deckchair soars

Sunday, August 21, 2005

'87 Topaz -- A Gem Of A Short Film, A Rhinestone Of American Engineering

IMPRESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND -- PART III -- Bill Kersey, Talented Filmmaker

O.K. -- here's something to ponder... Name a car, any domestic car in the automotive history of America. Old, not-so-old or new. I will bet that none of you blurted out "Mercury Topaz!" I know I sure as heck wouldn't think of that model -- it just might be one of the all-time "ho-hummers" (pun intended) ever to be dumped on an always unsuspecting American car-buying public. Since the turn of the century the Big Three Detroit automakers have introduced more trash than Jerry Springer; the not-so-gemlike Topaz ranks right up there with the Chevy Vega as one of the more likely vehicles you will see mounted on concrete blocks in front of a house trailer in De Queen, Arkansas. (An aside, did you know that the local newspaper there is called De Queen Bee?).

I prefaced this Crested Butte Reel Fest article with the preceding automotive comments because when I first saw that one of Bill Kersey's short films programmed at this year's event was titled 87 TOPAZ I never, ever thought it was in reference to the Mercury sedan. Not in a million years. This documentary utilizes Bill's grandfather's diaries as the source for this excellent 7 1/2 minute reflective and heartwarming look back at what was a very different time in America. What is probably not all that surprising is that the diaries are dominated by entries referring to work, family, religion and the family car. What is surprising is that this "family documentary" does not come across as self-serving or limited in its appeal. Only a skilled filmmaker can pull this off, and Bill Kersey succeeds where so many others have failed miserably.

87 TOPAZ is the fourth short film selected for screening at the Reel Fest within the past three years. Each of these productions share two things in common, they are each "gems" and they are each quite different -- SOLACE is a drama, GARPENFARGLE is a comedy, PERMIAN FLOW is basically experimental (and a very accessible one at that) and, of course, 87 TOPAZ is a documentary. In automotive parlance -- Bill Kersey's body of work is like a plethora of Panhards.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

"She smells like angels ought to smell." -- SIN CITY Review Is Posted Below

SIN CITY: Castrations Never Looked So Dreamy


God damn it to Hell... SIN CITY is a movie that I absolutely love. SIN CITY is a movie I absolutely hate. What's a reviewer to do?

Let's start with the good stuff --

This incredible digital feature is unlike anything you have seen before. I can not emphasize enough the stunning beauty of what is stylistically one of the most incredible black&white features since Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS (1927). Robert Rodriguez captures perfectly the "look" of Frank Miller's graphic novels (think "comic books" on steroids) that this film is based upon and from a visual and technical point of view, SIN CITY may prove to be a landmark production in cinema history. Time will tell...

On the other hand, the underlying story (actually what we have are four different stories ineffectively merged into a fairly non-cohesive whole) is, in a word, a mess. I cannot deny that the titillating depravity, the lurid edginess and the savage sadism which literally explodes off the screen is presented in rapid fire and truly visceral fashion. Clearly SIN CITY is a place to avoid visiting. But with all of the non-stop action and mayhem (the bad guy getting sliced into a "Pez dispenser" notwithstanding), SIN CITY is all style over substance. The narrative peters out quickly, failing to muster even a modicum of continuing suspense or interest. Clocking in at two hours and four minutes, it is the running time that is the biggest "sin" in this city.

Observation Number 1 -- The character "Yelow Bastard", played by Nick Stahl, sure reminds me of the goofy guy doing the Fiesta Texas ads. Makes me think twice about going there...

Observation Number 2 -- Mickey Rourke is truly phenominal as "Marv", the damn-near-impossible-to-kill street fighter with a penchant for band aids. For my money, the entire film could have relegated itself to his "story" and thus come in at a respectable one hour and forty minutes. This is a classic example of what often happens when the same person serves in the capacity of both the Director and the Editor. Scissors, anyone???

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

IMPRESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND -- Part II


One of the most intriguing short films at this year's Crested Butte Reel Fest was PREACHER WITH AN UNKNOWN GOD. This documentary follows Reverend Billy and his disciples from the "Church Of Stop Shopping" as they travel from California to New York exorcising everything from Wal-Mart to Starbucks to Safeway to the Republican National Convention. High in visual energy and edited with elan, this sixteen minute production leaves the audience wanting more.

Reverend Billy's mantra goes something like this:

"We live under absurdities. We have forgotten what evil is."
"Monopoly is called democracy."
"Patriotism is called shopping."
"Racism is crime fighting."
"Sweatshops mean efficiency."

Agree with Reverend Billy or not, it was refreshing to see at least one "politically incorrect" film in the festival. Hallelujah!

IMPRESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND -- Part I


The 8th Annual Crested Butte Reel Fest was a tremendous success by all standards. There were over eighty deserving short films screened as well as pristine 35mm prints of both EASY RIDER and PAPER MOON thanks to the generosity of our Honorary Festival Chairman -- Laszlo Kovacs. In addition, BE HERE TO LOVE ME (A Film About Townes Van Zandt) played to an overflow audience. From among all those films, it was this documentary that provided the single best lines of dialogue:

British Interviewer: "Mr. Van Zandt, why is it that all of your songs are sad?"

Townes Van Zandt: "Not all of my songs are sad, why I have at least three or four that are hopeless."

As they say, the truly great die young...

Baseball's All-Time Greatest


Maybe it is just me, but I don't think baseball is near as much fun as it used to be. Far too many players today are totally despicable (Barry Bonds, for example) or they are obvious steroid users (Mark McGwire AND Sammy Sosa -- trust me on this) or they are a little bit of both (Rafael Palmeiro). How I harken for the good old times when guys played the game for the love of it -- and no one in the history of baseball ever did so with more heart and with more willingness to do whatever was needed to help the team than Cookie Rojas. Need a stolen base? Cookie is your guy. Need to advance the runner? Yep, Cookie could do that with the best of them. Need an occasional home run? Cookie came through more than most remember. Need to turn a key double play? Cookie was the pivot player you wanted on your team.

Perhaps the least known "Shrine" in America is the one dedicated to Cookie Rojas. It is located at 6001 Creekwood Pass in Spring Branch, Texas. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

THE BOB AWARD


The Bob Award is given to the one entry at the Crested Butte Reel Fest which "pushes the envelope" the farthest. This year the award will be given to Grant Davis, a highly talented high school senior in Philadelphia whose short film is appropriately titled CATTLE MOVIE. It is unique, it is entertaining, it is going to be a huge hit on the film festival circuit and it cost less than one hundred bucks to make.

Of the six previous Bob Award winners, three were student filmmakers and two of these are now completing their first 35mm feature. Todd Rohal is in the final phases of post production on THE GUATEMALAN HANDSHAKE. You can learn more about this extraordinary project at www.ghandshake.com -- it is quintessential Rohal which means "you ain't seen nothin' like this before." Eduardo's film is CURANDERO and it is slated for a September 9th release by Miramax Films. His Bob Award-winning short was DAUGHTER, screened at Crested Butte in 2002; it remains the most disturbing short film I've ever seen, anywhere, anytime.

The 8th Annual Crested Butte Reel Fest runs from August 10-15. It will once again feature some of the best short films from around the world. Why not come and see for yourself?

HOLLYWOOD UNEMPLOYMENT LINE


Finding a good movie today is about as hard to find as a Sushi Chef in Crested Butte, Colorado -- but it can be done.

In the case of the Sushi Chef, he was a nineteen year old high school graduate from a small town in Oklahoma who loved skiing and who moved to Crested Butte in search of gainful employment. When I asked his landlord what the heck does a nineteen year old high school graduate from a small town in Oklahoma know about sushi he replied, and I am not making this up: "He's reading the book now." And so it came to pass that Lil's Seafood on Elk Avenue began a tradition of serving truly outstanding sushi -- some of the best in the Rocky Mountain West.

As for this year's feature films -- especially those brought to you by Tinseltown's corporate cretins -- the pickings are slim, indeed. One notable exception is MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. French director Luc Jacquet and Cinematographers Laurent Chalet and Jerome Maison have crafted what is undoubtedly the coolest movie of the Summer, both literally and figuratively. Narrated by Morgan Freeman and blessed with an excellent musical score by Alex Wurman, this National Geographic Special is worth the price of admission.

One other thing worth the price of admission comes to mind -- that being a front row seat watching a gaggle of Hollywood studio executives waddle towards the unemployment office. I'd love to film that -- and I think I'd title it MARCH OF THE PINHEADS.

Sunday, August 07, 2005

The Worst Actor and the Best Actor (Respectively) in THE DUKES OF HAZZARD

More "Hazzardous" Than Chernobyl -- And Less Funny

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD starts off slower than a Winn-Dixie check-out line in Chattahoochee and proceeds to go nowhere fast. I counted an absolute maximum total of two, yes two, mildly amusing scenes in one hundred and six minutes of screen time -- one is when Luke and Bo are in the holding cell in Atlanta and the second is when Willie Nelson emerges from the "smoke shack". That's mighty slim pickings; a bucket of Church's chicken necks offers more to savor. Throw in one amusing cameo with Rip Taylor during the end credits and you still have less bang for the buck than a non-sale item at Cabela's.

It is way too early to prognosticate the winner of the next Oscar or Emmy, but I can say without hesitation that THE DUKES OF HAZZARD is the forerunner for the first-ever Schaivo -- an award given to the most lifeless, brain dead movie of the year.

Saturday, August 06, 2005

THE DUKES OF HAZZARD -- Will It Be Hazzardous To Your Health?


Uncle Jessie: "What do you get when you cross a donkey with an onion?"
Luke Duke: "What?"
Uncle Jessie: "A piece of ass that brings a tear to your eye."

God-Damn-It-To-Hell --- If that's as good as the dialogue gets in THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, then be prepared for a truly scathing review -- perhaps a new high on the "ventometer" will be coming your way.

(I hope to have my review posted by Monday afternoon).

"When did an Irishman need a prayer in a fight?" Father Francis P. Duffy in THE FIGHTING 69th.

THE FIGHTING 69th

The next time Turner Classic Movies airs THE FIGHTING 69th I urge you to tune in. This excellent film was originally released in 1940, and it tells the tale of the famed New York Irish 69th Regiment and its beloved Chaplain, Father Francis P. Duffy, played perfectly by Pat O'Brien. Other real-life members of this historic Army unit in WWI were "Wild Bill" Donovon (George Brent) who was accorded the Congressional Medal of Honor and Joyce Kilmer (Jeffrey Lynn), the poet whose most well-known poem was THE TREE -- "Poems are made by fools like me, but only God can make a tree."

Joining O'Brien, Brent and Lynn is an all-star cast featuring Warner Brothers Stock Veteran Company actors like Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan and Alan Hale. The star of THE FIGHTING 69th, however, is James Cagney who plays the fictional character Jerry Plunkett, a smartass, street punk from Brooklyn who, surprisingly, becomes a coward when he is finally face-to-face with the horrors of battle. In the end, Plunkett does somewhat redeem himself, but it is a testament to Cagney that we find ourselves drawn to what is undoubtedly one of the all-time great silver screen antiheroes.

Given the nature of this blog I am sure you are wondering why I am writing about this "oldie but goodie." THE FIGHTING 69th, after all, is but one of many patriotic films produced during the Second World War that were designed to glorify the bravery of our troops and to reassure us of the need to stand united, one and all, against what was the most terrifying enemy our nation had ever faced. And that, my friends, is exactly why I am writing about this wonderful film right here, right now -- because it is time for the Hollywood mongoloids (I mean moguls) to take a lesson from the past and to again release positive, uplifting films that depict the bravery of our troops and the historic resolve of our citizenry against any outside threat we face, whether it be from Hitler's Germany, Tojo's Japan, Bin Laden's Afghanistan or wherever...

Instead, these retread retards are giving us a steady diet of ballyhooed baloney that are nothing more than pathetic remakes of films and TV shows from the past -- and none of these have come close to capturing the magic of the originals. BEWITCHED, THE HONEYMOONERS, STARSKY & HUTCH, THE BAD NEWS BEARS, not one, but two CHARLIE'S ANGELS, and the list goes on and on.

I close by making the following statement, in part a tribute to Joyce Kilmer who died on the battlefield in France in 1918. It is intended to be read by each and every current studio exec:

"I think I shall never see
A film worth a shit from thee."

Friday, August 05, 2005

Sitting Bullshit

The NCAA has taken political correctness way too damn far with their announcement that beginning February 1, 2006, no college team with an Indian mascot name that could be construed as being "hostile or abusive" will be allowed to participate in a post season tournament unless all such references first be removed by the teams from their uniforms and from other clothing that may be worn by the team. Presumably this refers to warm-up jackets, etc. Additionally, the NCAA plans to ban colleges using Indian nicknames from hosting any type of future preseason event. As for those already selected to host a tournament site, the universities would be required to cover any "offensive logos" that might exist anywhere at the sports facility to the satisfaction of the NCAA gestapo.

What a crock... Looks like my high school was way ahead of the times when it comes to picking something other than a "hostile or abusive" nickname -- the result, of course, was that the New Braunfels Unicorns failed to strike terror into the hearts of any of their opponents, at least not while I was roaming the hallowed halls back in the mid 1960's.

I fear this decree may only be the first of many to come down in the name of political correctness. My guess is that any college team with a "sexual reference" of any kind will soon suffer a similar fate. Yep, anything that might smack of a wee bit of nooky will surely need to be exorcised from the face of collegiate athletics, and trust me when I say the list of schools that will be affected is larger than you might initially imagine. We can start with the University of Southern California Trojans for obvious reasons. Same for the Oregon State Beavers and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Lets not forget the Alabama Crimson Tide (that time of the month) or the Oklahoma Sooners (premature ejaculation) or even the Akron Zips (which opens the door to a guy's manhood). Other schools in jeopardy are the Purdue Boilermakers (once the preferred drink of choice to get that Tri-Delt drunk and in the sack) and the Florida Gators (named after the 1960's dirty dance craze). Of course the Oklahoma State Cowboys suffer double jeopardy with "Cowboys" being the ying to the "Indians" yang, plus the possible allusion to bestiality down on the ranch. Even my Texas Longhorns might be in danger of sanctions should the NCAA get a hard-on, Bevo notwithstanding.

Let's take to the field and replay the Battle of the Little Bighorn -- the NCAA deserves to be scalped.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

POMPOUS -- Here's The Photo You Will Find When Looking Up This Word At Bob's Dictionary:

Bob's Photo Dictionary -- Today's Word Is "Pompous"

POMPOUS -- 1. Marked by pretention or self-importance. 2. Ostentatious. Synonyms: Vainglorious; boastful. What better photo to illustrate these characteristics than that of pasty-faced Rush Limbaugh? Yes, Rush-a-Dope and his self-proclaimed "Insti-toot for Conservative Studies." You know, a nanosecond is an eternity compared to the period of time General Field Marshall Limbaugh takes to interrupt his callers and begin pontificating yet again. This man is such a big asshole his hemorrhoids were named by NASA.

The Best Caption Received Before Midnight, August 7 Receives A Prize!

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Rachel McAdams -- A Rising Star (See Review Below)

THE NOTEBOOK

THE NOTEBOOK is an exceptional film, clearly one of the better movies produced within the past few years. Among the many things that makes this movie remarkable is that they very rarely make movies like this anymore -- by "they" I mean Hollywood, independents, anyone and everyone now that the sequel/prequel/retread craze is in full swing. Let me also add that when Hollywood (especially) attempts a project that is steeped in personal, heartfelt human emotions they usually screw it up beyond comprehension.

An example of what I mean is WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, the equivalent of a technicolor pap smear that ranks among the worst movies of all time. Another dud was FORREST GUMP -- the big budget Tom Hanks hanky panky that was so annoyingly retarded in its execution I personally feel everyone responsible should be executed. Both of these diabetic duds were pretentious beyond belief, and so it was with considerable reservation that I rented this filmed adaptation of the best selling book by Nicholas Sparks. I expected Hollywood's equivalence of a "Big Chief" Notebook, or worse. I was very pleasantly surprised; not since the days of Douglas Sirk has an unabashed "weepy" been so beautifully crafted.

Under the skillful direction of Nick Cassavetes, John's son, and with a practically perfect cast, THE NOTEBOOK succeeds in every aspect. Rachel McAdams is brilliant beyond belief as the young Allie Hamilton. Her electric performance sizzles thoughout -- this gal is destined for stardom. And if you happen to be a Gena Davis fan, then God help you. Ms. McAdams' energetic performance will leave you secreting from every orifice of your body. Opposite her is Ryan Gosling, an actor I had not seen before but whose steady, winning performance insures a long career ahead as well. Ryan's skillfully nuanced portrayal of the young Noah is a perfect counterpart to the vivacious Allie -- these young actors capture an on-screen chemistry that is something to behold. Of course, Gena Rowlands (Nick's mom in real life) is excellent, as always, as is James Garner, an actor whose entire body of work remains both solid and underappreciated. Throw in Joan Allen and Sam Shepard and you have a film that is as well cast from top to bottom as MATEWAN -- and I don't say that lightly.

Special mention also must be given to Cinematographer Robert Fraisse, whose beautiful camera work provides a striking, saturated "look" that is both rich and appropriate for this idealized story of love, of love lost and of love refound in stunningly scenic South Carolina.

On your list of films to rent in the days ahead I urge you to pencil in THE NOTEBOOK...and be sure to have a full box of Kleenex handy. If you are like me, you'll feel as dehydrated as an Egyptian mummy when the closing credits appear.

Monday, August 01, 2005

"Dream Girl" Heidi Klum

JOKE OF THE WEEK

I was recently in Farmington, New Mexico and I visited a roadside store selling Navajo curios. They had "authentic dreamcatchers" on sale for $29.95, so I bought one. What a rip off -- this suposedly authentic dreamcatcher hasn't caught a damn thing. It then dawned on me that I already owned a dozen or so dreamcatchers. Why just last night my Fruit-of-the-Looms caught two dreams I had featuring Heidi Klum. (This from Larry The Cable Guy as slightly paraphrased by yours truly).