Let’s not beat around the bush. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is glorious!!!!! The film is so enjoyable, so entertaining, so smartly written, so well crafted, so beautifully lensed and so well acted that I didn’t want it to end. This is without a doubt the best film of Quentin Tarantino’s career and one of the best pictures of 2009, not to mention making it into my Top 50 all time faves. That little golden guy named Oscar will definitely come knocking at this door with nominations aplenty starting with Best Picture and Best Director and, dare I say, at this stage of the game, a sure fire winner with a Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Waltz. Simply superb! Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
All posts by Debbie Lynn Elias
MOVIE REVIEW: MY ONE AND ONLY
How many of you out there don’t know who George Hamilton is? Betcha most of you are more than familiar with him. Some generations may remember Hamilton as an okay actor from Hollywood’s golden years in the 50’s. Others, for his fun and devil-may-care persona he exhibited during the 70’s celebrity game show blitzkrieg. Most recently, you may know him for his very entertaining stint on “Dancing With The Stars”, an over-the-top hysterically funny performance in “L.A. Riot Spectacular” or his self-deprecating comedic ads that always manage to incorporate his perennially perfect tan into the product pitch. Or is it his penchant for always having a gorgeous woman on his arm, from Liz Taylor to Alana Stewart? For myself, Hamilton represents one of the last bastions of Hollywood in its heyday and an era with manners, elegance, a little mystery, style and above all, class. But what is it that makes Hamilton, Hamilton? So suave, so debonair, so dynamic, so diverse and above all, so tenacious so as to adapt, survive and even flourish in the ever changing mecca of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. The answer my friends may be found this week with the opening of MY ONE AND ONLY. Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: MY ONE AND ONLY
MOVIE REVIEW: IT MIGHT GET LOUD
Things will definitely get a little bit loud with the rockumentary IT MIGHT GET LOUD, a sit down with three generations of rock legends, guitarists Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2) and Jack White (White Stripes). Three very different gentlemen. Three very different backgrounds. Three very different styles. One common passion. This is one room in rock ‘n roll heaven.
Director Davis Guggenheim could have done no better than his subject selection so Page, White and The Edge. Each represents a significant era in music history. For Page, he has been around since the advent of rock-n-roll and, thank heaven, heavy metal. White, celebrates the bluesey-ness of the depression era but moves forward and vacillates into the angry punk era or the 80’s without compromising his musical skills, knowledge or talent. The Edge is the epitome of melding talent and technology. Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: IT MIGHT GET LOUD
MOVIE REVIEW: JULIE & JULIA
I still remember the very first” meal” that I ever cooked for someone. It was in my first apartment and for my favorite former Marine – hot dogs boiled in water and green beans with almond silvers. (Strange, I know, but one doesn’t argue with the taste buds of a Marine.) Not the greatest culinary master except when under the tutelage of my grandmother cooking or baking, I burned the hot dogs – and I mean burned. An event warranting a reminder over 30 years later, you can imagine my horror, and his, at my then lack of skill in the kitchen. Thank heavens for Julia Child as that very week I trotted to the local bookstore and bought myself a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. What impressed me most about the cookbook was Child’s use of butter. Having spent my life eating my grandmother’s butter laden German cooking, how could any chef or cookbook not be good when espousing the beauty of butter. It didn’t take long before I was soon able to debone a fish, make perfect whipped cream, bake a chicken, and plow my way through the recipes for a myriad of other tasty delights. So when Julie Powell embarked on her Julie & Julia project (cooking all 524 recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 365 days) some years back, needless to say, my curiosity was piqued. In a manner of speaking, Julia Child had helped saved my life – at least from total embarrassment in the kitchen – and Child was now saving Powell from the horrors of turning 30, all with the help of 524 recipes.
Fast forward to 2009. Enter uber-scribe and director, Nora Ephron. Calling on two best selling memoirs, My Life in France by Child and Julie & Julia by Powell, Ephron whips together one of the tastiest treats to satiate the hunger of any filmgoer, melding time and space through food, cooking, creativity, food, marriage, life and food (did I say food?) with the charming JULIE & JULIA; a perfect recipe for comedic delight with the lightness and texture of the sweetest souffle. Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: JULIE & JULIA
MOVIE REVIEW: THE COVE
Powerful. Impressive. Visceral. Heartbreaking. Humbling. Inspiring. Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: THE COVE
The Cove Interview
You all probably remember, or at least know of, the beloved television series “Flipper.” An integral part of the success of “Flipper” was Richard O’Barry who, in the 1960’s was the world’s leading authority on dolphin training. The Flipper lagoon, dock and house were actually O’Barry’s and it’s where he trained and cared for the dolphins who took turns playing Flipper. Well cared for and free to swim in open waters, it all came to a screeching halt with the cancellation of the tv show and the dolphins being sent to a seaquarium. It was there that O’Barry’s special dolphin, the one who played the majority of Flipper scenes, Kathy, died in his arms. Continue reading The Cove Interview
MOVIE REVIEW: THE ANSWER MAN
This time around, I just have to give you the answer before you even ask the question. In short, the answer is “YES” to THE ANSWER MAN! I love this movie! As soon as it was over, I wanted to see it again. More importantly, I would love to revisit the characters in this film. First time writer/director John Hindman has certainly found the answer for a winning combination in a film with THE ANSWER MAN. From the indefatigable emotional roller coaster of Jeff Daniels as Arlen Faber to the comedic perfection of Nora Dunn to the free-spirited joy of Lauren Graham to a script that speaks with love, laughter, heart, (did I say laughter??!!), the whole package makes your heart smile and leaves you wanting more. Beautiful. Touching. Sincere. Simple. No frills. Genuine. Priceless. Continue reading MOVIE REVIEW: THE ANSWER MAN
EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH BUZZ ALDRIN
As we all know (or should know), July 19, 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon. Kicking off the 40th anniversary year last summer was the enchanting 3D animated fantasy film on that infamous mission, FLY ME TO THE MOON, that combined history, complete with NASA technology, blue print drawings, audio and Dr. Buzz Aldrin himself, with a fanciful tale of three adventurous little flies that stowaway on Apollo 11 and share in the magic and wonder of this turning point in history. FLY ME TO THE MOON is now available in 3D on DVD. Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: INTERVIEW WITH BUZZ ALDRIN
THE POKER HOUSE
Lori Petty, a Venice local, has conquered the silver screen with her indelible performances like Kit Keller in “A League of Their Own” or Tank Girl in, well, “Tank Girl.” She dazzled on the small screen as well producing and starring in the tv hit “Lush Life” on Fox and made her mark on Broadway back in the 90’s. An accomplished painter, in March 2008 she had a solo exhibit of her work at the Deborah Page Gallery in Santa Monica in follow-up to her earlier one-woman show at 72 Market Street in Venice and has been a regularly featured artist on the Venice Art Walk. So, it seems only natural that sooner or later directing would be her next step. In 2008, Petty also wowed audiences at Los Angeles Film Festival with not only her skills as a writer and director, but with her heartfelt honesty and emotion, telling one small chapter from her own life story, with THE POKER HOUSE.
Agnes, Cammie and Bee are an incredible group of siblings. Continue reading THE POKER HOUSE
SEVERED WAYS: THE NORSE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
It is a real privilege and pleasure for me to bring you my review of SEVERED WAYS: THE NORSE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, a film which debuted at Los Angeles Film Festival in 2007 and which was one of my “Must See Festival Films” as well as a hot contender in the Narrative Feature competition. Just to show all you filmmakers out there that festivals do garner distribution deals, SEVERED WAYS now makes its way into theatres starting July 17, 2009.
Slightly off-beat and definitely not what one would expect with a Viking movie, producer/writer/editor/actor and first time feature director Tony Stone brings us a rather unique perspective of the coming to America by Vikings in 1007 AD. Shot over the course of almost 4 years (although not a 4 year time span in the film) using only natural lighting from the sun, the moon and fire, the results are at times magical.
Obviously one with a fertile imagination, Tony Stone creates a fictional story drawn from the actual Vineland Sagas, stories which tell the tale of Viking and Norse exploration of the New World starting with Lief Ericson. Continue reading SEVERED WAYS: THE NORSE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA