Drug Lords in Film

Wow! $5,000,000 reward. Who will turn El Chapo in? Is it worth the money to be gunned down by the drug lord's cronies. I don't think so.

El Chapo must have watched lots of films about drugs and dealing. That's probably how he got so rich. There are dozens and dozens of films of this genre. Here are some of the best. But don't get any ideas and try to emulate these characters. You'll see that crime doesn't pay.

My very favorite drug movie is Blow starring Johnny Depp. To watch him go from naive drug dealer to hobnobbing with South American cartels is really mesmerizing. I think it's the best acting job ever by Depp. And what an interesting insight into the whole drug trafficking business. And it's based on a true story. Fascinating.






The next film, Traffic, is so realistic, it's downright scary. Didn't it start out as a TV series? Anyway it's a really interesting and well made film about the drug business. It stars Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta Jones, etc. Douglas plays a judge who is appointed by the President to spearhead America's war against drugs. And then finds out that his daughter happens to be an addict.




I've read that Al Pacino's role of Scarface is one of the best characterizations of a drug lord. I haven't seen the film but I definitely will add it to my Netflix que. Then I'll decide if Johnny Depp or Al Pacino should win the prize. What do you think? Or do you have another favorite drug dealer role?

Films About Immigration

Isn't the news horrible right now - about all those poor souls trying to get from their war torn countries to Italy, Spain or anywhere they can get to on overcrowded, dangerous boats - in search of a better life. It made me think of a few films about immigration.

The first one is from 1983, El Norte. If you haven't seen it, you should rent it. It's one of the best ones I've seen about the immigration experience. It's about a brother and sister from Guatemala who trek North and end up in Los Angeles. You'll cry about their difficulties getting across the border, you'll laugh at their culture shock trying to navigate around life in Los Angeles. It's a heartwarming film that lets you feel every emotion of their experiences.


The next film is a little lighter. It's Green Card starring Gerard Depardieu as a Frenchman wanting to stay to the United States. The only way he can do it is by getting married to an American. So this is where Andie McDowell comes in. She agrees to marry him (there is a trade off, you'll have to see the film) just until he gets his green card. And then they will supposedly get a divorce and everyone will be happy. It's a fun movie. I especially love the part where he gives a piano concert to a group of socialites. Hilarious

.


The Visitor is another excellent film about the immigration experience. Tarek, a Syrian and his girlfiend, Zainab are living in a NY apartment they've rented illegally not knowing that it is owned by Walter, a college professor from Conneticut (Richard Jenkins). Walter surprises them when he's decided to stay in his apartment in New York for a while. Walter reluctantly allows the couple to stay in the apartment with him and they develop a friendship. A friendship later develops between Walter and Tarek's mother. She's come to NY to try to get Tarek out of a detention center where he was sent because of a subway infraction. This is a really wonderful film. It's actually more about Walter and  how he is inspired by Tarek.  But there's plenty here about the injustices of the immigration system. Richard Jenkins was nominated for an Oscar for this role.

There are other excellent films about the immigration problem. I just wish that some kind of progress could be made to help those who are trying to stay here in search of a better life.

The Weather in Film

I was watching a film the other night which gave me an idea for this month's Cimilar Cinema. I've decided to do this post about weather in film.



This is the film that I recently saw. It's Rain with Joan Crawford and Walter Huston. This 1932 classic is about religion, redemption and rain, lots of rain. Joan plays the prostitute, Sadie Thompson, Huston plays the hard nosed missionary. It's a wonderful film, I think my favorite role for Joan Crawford. You can watch the entire film here. See what you think.




The next film, The Wind, I saw quite a while ago. It's one of the most depressing and suffocating films you'll ever want to see. It was filmed in 1928 and the cinematography is absolutely amazing.
Lillian Gish stars in this film that deals with human suffering. I suffered all the way through it! But it's so interesting to see. It was the last silent film from MGM.




Here's another film I suffered through because it was so depressing. But it's so good at the same time. The acting is phenomenal and the weather scenes are fantastic. The film is Ice Storm, directed by Ang Lee and stars Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver and Elijah Wood. It has a nice Mad Men quality to
it because of the 1970s atmosphere. The film is about relationships, family and ice, lots of ice.




Have I missed any other weather films? I thought of Twister, but I've never seen it so wasn't sure whether to include it or not. But it sure works for the category.

Stay tuned for next month's post where I will focus on films about... (Oh, I don't want to tell you now and spoil the surprise).

Boys and Their Pets

I was watching The Red Balloon Saturday and I thought, "Hey, this story is so familiar." What did it remind me of. It reminded me of several Boy and His Pet movies. I don't mean films like Lassie Come Home or Old Yeller. The pets I'm thinking of are a caterpillar, a balloon and an alien. I dare you to binge-watch these three films and see how much the plots resemble each other. It's uncanny. Or is it just the fact that all stories come from the same plot?

Why do I think these plots seem similar? Well, they're all about a boy getting a pet, boy gets attached to the pet, enemies try to do away the pet, boy has to let the pet go. Sob.

First we have the strangest of the three films. It's called Once Upon A Time, from 1944. It stars Cary Grant and a little boy and his caterpillar. When I saw it, I was shocked that Cary Grant would have signed on for this silly movie. But I guess in the old studio days, the actors had to star in whatever movies were assigned to them. But watch it and see how similar the plot is to The Red Balloon and ET.  It's a very interesting comparison. This trailer is not great. The boy and his caterpillar never make an appearance. But it was the only one on YouTube.









The Red Balloon was filmed in 1956. It's an incredible film. I don't know how they filmed it in the days before computers. The director of the film, Albert Lamorisse, used his son as the main character. And what a cutie he is. Perfect for the part.

ET The Extra Terrestrial, a film by Steven Spielberg from 1982 is about the boy, Elliot who befriends the alien. You all probably remember this film. But wouldn't it be fun to rewatch it along with the other two.?


 

It's an interesting trio. See what you think.

Never A Winner

There seems to be quite a controversy right now about the films that didn't make the 2015 nominations for best film academy awards. If they can choose 10 Best Films, why did they only select 8? Why not give a nod to Gone Girl or Unbroken? Would it kill them (whoever they are)?

It seems every year there are complaints and controversies about the Academy Awards. - the snubs and omissions. This year the big controversary is about the all white nominations, no diversity in the selections. That controversary has been going on a long time. Every once in a while a black person will win something, but not often. Not too many latinos have won, maybe Rita Moreno and Anthony Quinn and more recently Benecio Del Toro. How many Asians? I can't think of any.

But I'm interested today in films that were never nominated for Best Picture. The three that amaze me are:

1951 - The African Queen!!  What, how could this fabulous film not be nominated for Best Picture?

 




1952 - Singing in the Rain - I know that musicals don't often get selected, but no Singing in the Rain! What!




1957 Paths of Glory - Maybe the anti-war sentiment was too heavy for the academy. But this was a beautiful film and should not have been overlooked.



There are other interesting omissions -
Did Alfred Hitchcock ever win a best picture award? Here are the ones that weren't winners - The 39 Steps, Lifeboat, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho!!!

And Charlie Chaplin!! His films, City Lights, Modern Times and Monsieur Verdoux were all overlooked. O.K. so they gave him a lifetime achievement award or something. But sheesh - it's too bad his movies weren't honored at the time.

Here are some other random omissions that are surprising -
His Girl Friday
Sullivan's Travels
Meet John Doe
Harold & Maude
In Cold Blood

If you're interested in more on this topic, click here - it's a very interesting site:

non winners

Do you have a favorite that either didn't win or wasn't nominated?

She's Just Not That Into Him

Last month I wrote about men who just weren't that into their women. Examples of the films were Madame Bovary, A Place in the Sun and The Heiress. The three women in these films were all jilted by their lovers. So now we need to get even, don't we? The following films all include women who jilt the men. 

This is Claudette Colbert in all her wedding finery right before her wedding. You can tell she's not very happy. She's marrying the wimpy pilot who actually flies what looks sort of like a helicopter to the middle of the estate where the wedding's taking place. Ellie (Claudette) makes her way all the way to the alter but at the last minute bolts to a waiting car and a waiting, handsome Clark Gable. I love the scene where she's running across the grass with her filmy veil flying in the wind.

A very similar scene happens in The Graduate. Katherine Ross is also right at the alter when she hears Dustin Hoffman yelling from the choir loft of the church. She screams, "Ben!!" and then also bolts and ends up with Ben (Dustin) in a bus which carries them away to...not sure where.






Julia Roberts is the quintessential Runaway Bride. She doesn't appear to be into anyone, having made several trips to the alter, only to make her getaway. Until, of course, she meets Richard Gere.



Have I forgotten any jilters? Do you have a favorite? I was also thinking of Sabrina - she doesn't actually make it to the alter. But she does jilt William Holden, so I guess that counts.

He's Just Not That Into Her

I recently watched Madame Bovary on TV and I was struck with the comparison of that film and The Heiress. Both films have a scene with the love sick woman waiting in the road with her bags packed waiting for her lover to pick her up and carry her away. There are probably lots of films with this particular theme, but I'm going to focus on three.

First is Madame Bovary, based on the controversial novel by Gustave Flaubert. It's amazing when you see this film today how tame it is. Emma (Jennifer Jones) has a 4-year affair with Rodolphe even though she's married and has a small child. He promises to carry her away to Italy. She's to meet him with her bags packed at midnight and there she is, waiting, waiting. A carriage drives up only to keep on driving and not stopping for her. Rodolphe never shows. He just wasn't that into her.



The same exact scene appears in The Heiress. Catherine (Olivia de Havilland), a wealthy heiress who is very plain with not a whole lot of personality meets Morris (Montgomery Clift) and he seems to be smitten. But her father insists that he's only after her money. Catherine doesn't think so and decides to elope with him. She packs her bags and waits and waits only to be left, pretty much just like Emma. Morris just wasn't that into her. But she does get her revenge. You'll have to see the movie to see the
ending.



A Place in the Sun features Montgomery Clift again (the cad!). In this film he plays George who proposes to Alice (Shelly Winters). Then later meets and falls in love with Angela (Elizabeth Taylor). Alice is all packed and plans to meet him at the lake (where he's cavorting with Angela). George takes Alice out in a boat and she kind of actually falls out of the boat (?) and drowns. George just wasn't that into her.



The moral of the story is to never pack your bags unless you're absolutely positive he's that into you.

Do you have a favorite film where he dumps the girl?

Next month - films where she dumps him. Stay tuned.