Musings on movies

I dunno about this blog business. The assumption is that some bored ass people will be interested in my opinions and musings. Hell, I'm usually not that interested in them myself. And as you well
know, when you assume, you make an ass out of ume. What the fuck - I'm off!!

Went with my 14 year old daughter, Emily, to see the movie DADDY'S HOME last night.  Not what I would call a GOOD movie, but it made me laugh. A lot. So I guess it was a good movie. I'm not sure what it says about my sense of humor or taste in general, but I found that watching a skateboarding accident that ended in electrocution and a kid in a wheelchair being knocked on his ass by a ferociously tossed basketball, hilarious. I think I'm becoming more lowbrow as I get older. Fuck a bunch of Noel Coward.

I love movies. Always have. My father, Lee Krieger (who died when I was 16)  was an actor, and my nephew, (also  Lee) is a director. His last film THE AGE OF ADELINE is a beautifully made fantasy/drama that contains Harrison Ford's best performance to date. I also did some  acting in my youth but that's another story. Where am I going with this? OK - recommendations of movies I've viewed recently.

AMERICAN ME - As far as I know, it's the only film James Olmos directed. He also stars in it. He and William Forsythe give brilliant performances. It's a dark, stylized, atmospheric story of the Mexican Mafia and it's wielding of power from inside prison walls. It's also the only movie I can think of that  boasts of three scenes of anal rape!

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE - Although there are no anal rape scenes in it, I still love this movie. Frank Capra is one of my favorite directors. He's frequently accused of saccharine-like sentimentality and of being  old fashioned  ("Capracorn" was a popular expression amongst film critics of the time) but a darkness both philosophically and visually permeate most of his films. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is a prime example. It does end with tears of joy and good deeds being rewarded, but the antagonist (the evil Mr Potter, played to the unrepentant, venal hilt by a  Lionel Barrymore) never receives a comeuppance, the hero, Harry Baily ( the always marvelous James Stewart) is denied his dream of travelling the world , and is punched in the face in response to a prayer. The scenes  prior to and just after his suicide attempt (in "Pottersville") are visually more akin to a Val Lewton horror movie than the usual feel good holiday attraction. I'm not sure why, but no matter how many times I watch this movie, I still tear up in the same scenes. If there was an anal rape scene in it, it would be nearly perfect.