Thursday, May 22, 2008
Sabbatical Notice
Actually, I'm not an academic, nor am I getting paid to not write my blog, but I am taking some time off to do some personal writing. I expect to be back in July. If you are one of my regular readers, I hope you'll indulge me.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Flawless, He Said
Starring Demi Moore as the career impaired American in the multinational behemoth London Diamond Corporation and the always interesting Michael Caine, as the unseen Janitor. this highly unlikely pair manages to bring the powerful and greedy men who run this monopoly to it's knees. Both, for their own reasons, has a need to strike back at the puppeteer who pulls their strings, and strike they do
Caine's character Hobbs is another in the long string of charming rascals that he does so effortlessly. Hobbs is just one of the janitors in the sparkling clean and sterile offices of the Corporation. At one point the career obsessed Laura Quinn asks him how he has access to so much information about her and the inner workings of the company. He tells her that people discuss things in front of him as if he wasn't even there. Than given the access to all of the office waste and the information that contains, Hobbs has a unique perspective on this super-secretive organization. Hobbs convinces Laura that he only wants to steal a small amount of diamonds to secure his retirement. He recruits her because he knows that not only has she been passed over for advancement six times, but that she is going to be fired. Once she verifies that he is correct, she steals the secret combination to the main vault.
Laura is a reluctant participant in the crime and at every turn becomes Hobb's accomplice and worst problem as she vacillates from wanting to succeed and fear of failure. when the film opens and older Laura Quinn is giving an interview to a clueless young reporter who is writing a puff piece on the women who forged the path for women in the all boys club atmosphere of the business world in the nineteen sixties. Laura wipes the smugness off the young woman's face when she pops a legendary diamond out of her purse and implies that the gem was the cause of her imprisonment until the very day they were meeting.
When we get pulled back to London in the sixties, we see young Laura as an ex-patriot American trying to work her way up in the corporation. Quickly we learn that her intelligence and are both a asset and threat to the men who run the company. We can see even if Laura won't admit it that she is going no where in this firm for one reason and one reason alone, she is a women in a mans world. Her manipulation by Hobbs is almost as ruthless as the neglectful corporation, for it soon becomes apparent that Hobbs has and agenda that is wider than enhancing his self-styled retirement fund.
This film is a fun romp of a "how'ed he do it" and look at the way things were and continue to be for women in the man's world. I know the Demi Moore is the actress that critic's love to hate, but this role is one she handles as easily as "G. I Jane", where she ventures into this war of the sexes. Caine as alternatively the resourceful thief and father figure compliments her completely. The script is tight and the ending completely a surprise.
Caine's character Hobbs is another in the long string of charming rascals that he does so effortlessly. Hobbs is just one of the janitors in the sparkling clean and sterile offices of the Corporation. At one point the career obsessed Laura Quinn asks him how he has access to so much information about her and the inner workings of the company. He tells her that people discuss things in front of him as if he wasn't even there. Than given the access to all of the office waste and the information that contains, Hobbs has a unique perspective on this super-secretive organization. Hobbs convinces Laura that he only wants to steal a small amount of diamonds to secure his retirement. He recruits her because he knows that not only has she been passed over for advancement six times, but that she is going to be fired. Once she verifies that he is correct, she steals the secret combination to the main vault.
Laura is a reluctant participant in the crime and at every turn becomes Hobb's accomplice and worst problem as she vacillates from wanting to succeed and fear of failure. when the film opens and older Laura Quinn is giving an interview to a clueless young reporter who is writing a puff piece on the women who forged the path for women in the all boys club atmosphere of the business world in the nineteen sixties. Laura wipes the smugness off the young woman's face when she pops a legendary diamond out of her purse and implies that the gem was the cause of her imprisonment until the very day they were meeting.
When we get pulled back to London in the sixties, we see young Laura as an ex-patriot American trying to work her way up in the corporation. Quickly we learn that her intelligence and are both a asset and threat to the men who run the company. We can see even if Laura won't admit it that she is going no where in this firm for one reason and one reason alone, she is a women in a mans world. Her manipulation by Hobbs is almost as ruthless as the neglectful corporation, for it soon becomes apparent that Hobbs has and agenda that is wider than enhancing his self-styled retirement fund.
This film is a fun romp of a "how'ed he do it" and look at the way things were and continue to be for women in the man's world. I know the Demi Moore is the actress that critic's love to hate, but this role is one she handles as easily as "G. I Jane", where she ventures into this war of the sexes. Caine as alternatively the resourceful thief and father figure compliments her completely. The script is tight and the ending completely a surprise.
Friday, May 9, 2008
The Visitor, He Said
This skillfully written and presented "little film" stars the familiar but little known Richard Jenkins as Walter Vale, a discontented economics professor. Jenkins is one of the many character actors, we see in films and on television, but until now has not been asked to carry the film. Ably supported by Haaz Sleiman as the illegal immigrant Tarek and his also illegal street vendor girl friend Zanib played by Danai Jekesai Gurira.
The story begins by slowly revealing Walter in his life as professor on a small campus, who is clearly burned out uninterested in his career. We know almost from the beginning that the book he is working on is not going well and his reluctance to teach, he only has one class, is a symptom of a greater discontent. Walter returns to his apartment in the New York City because he is forced to present a paper that he co-authored to a seminar.
When he gets to the apartment, he finds that someone has rented the unit to two illegals, Tarek, and Zanib. At first, he merely wants them out of his apartment, but when he sees that they are decent people, he invites them back on a temporary basis. As they pursue their living, Tarek is a musician and Zanib as a street vendor, Walter attends the seminar. They begin to get to know each other and relate to each others cultures. Walter has tried to learn to play the piano with little success, but when Tarek offers to show Walter to play the African drum, Walter begins his transformation.
When Tarek is arrested for a bungled attempt to get he and his drum through a subway turn-style, his status is revealed and he is interned in a holding prison in Queens, NY. Sanib dare not visit him because she will also be arrested. Tarek does not want his mother, who lives in Michigan, to know what is going on because she will worry to much.
Walter tries to get Tarek released by hiring a immigration attorney. When Tarek's mother comes to New York because she hasn't heard from him, our story takes a different turn. Their sweet and evolving relationship makes Walter realizes the the loss of his vitality and desire to live has been dashed by the death of his wife and his disillusionment with his career.
Thomas McCarthy's script and direction does not permit the Hollywood ending that we might hope for, but the scene with Walter drumming on the platform of the New York subway is probably more telling and inspiring than what Hollywood would usually provide.
This film is worth more than the tale of redemption. Walter, Tarek and Sanib's story tells us more about what it's like to be and illegal immigrant in this country. As in the film "Under the Same Moon", we are forced to see the bad things that happen to these generally good people. I don't think these films have any answers to the problems that illegal immigration bring to our table, but it forces most of us, who don't have to face the conditions of these people on a daily basis, look and feel their plight.
The story begins by slowly revealing Walter in his life as professor on a small campus, who is clearly burned out uninterested in his career. We know almost from the beginning that the book he is working on is not going well and his reluctance to teach, he only has one class, is a symptom of a greater discontent. Walter returns to his apartment in the New York City because he is forced to present a paper that he co-authored to a seminar.
When he gets to the apartment, he finds that someone has rented the unit to two illegals, Tarek, and Zanib. At first, he merely wants them out of his apartment, but when he sees that they are decent people, he invites them back on a temporary basis. As they pursue their living, Tarek is a musician and Zanib as a street vendor, Walter attends the seminar. They begin to get to know each other and relate to each others cultures. Walter has tried to learn to play the piano with little success, but when Tarek offers to show Walter to play the African drum, Walter begins his transformation.
When Tarek is arrested for a bungled attempt to get he and his drum through a subway turn-style, his status is revealed and he is interned in a holding prison in Queens, NY. Sanib dare not visit him because she will also be arrested. Tarek does not want his mother, who lives in Michigan, to know what is going on because she will worry to much.
Walter tries to get Tarek released by hiring a immigration attorney. When Tarek's mother comes to New York because she hasn't heard from him, our story takes a different turn. Their sweet and evolving relationship makes Walter realizes the the loss of his vitality and desire to live has been dashed by the death of his wife and his disillusionment with his career.
Thomas McCarthy's script and direction does not permit the Hollywood ending that we might hope for, but the scene with Walter drumming on the platform of the New York subway is probably more telling and inspiring than what Hollywood would usually provide.
This film is worth more than the tale of redemption. Walter, Tarek and Sanib's story tells us more about what it's like to be and illegal immigrant in this country. As in the film "Under the Same Moon", we are forced to see the bad things that happen to these generally good people. I don't think these films have any answers to the problems that illegal immigration bring to our table, but it forces most of us, who don't have to face the conditions of these people on a daily basis, look and feel their plight.
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