There is something about the Jewish way of humor and storytelling I've always found enormously appealing. I memorized material by Henny Youngman and Myron Cohen at an age when, to the best of my knowledge, I had never met a Jew. I liked the rhythm, the contradiction, the use of paradox, the anticlimax, the way word order would be adjusted to back up into a punch line. There seemed to be deep convictions about human nature hidden in gags and one-liners; a sort of rueful shrug. And the stories weren't so much about where they ended as how they got there.
The serious man is consoled by the friend who has stolen his wife
The Coen brothers' new film, "A Serious Man," tells a Jewish story. It is largely about misery and bad luck, and it's very funny. Its hero's first two words must have been oy vey. The Coens, who have a way of following their vision with unwavering consistency, do not flinch from the problems of poor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), which include a wife, son and daughter who cause him misery, a deeply flawed brother-in-law who has taken up residence on the sofa, three rabbis who are no help, and an exhibitionist neighbor who goes heavy on the eye liner and smokes during sex. If you aren't Jewish when you go into this movie, you may be when you come out.
I want to briefly discuss several films I've seen at Toronto his year, so this isn't the time for a full-dress review. But let me praise the brothers, Ethan and Joel, for making no attempt to "mainstream" the story in a misguided attempt to appeal to the goyim. Being specific makes their movie more accessible, not less, because there's some Larry Gopnik in all of us.One of the big festival hits at this point is Lee Daniels' "Precious" The story of an abused and overweight black girl, given new hope (but after much trauma) by an inspirational teacher and a determined social worker. There's a story about the film's lively press conference over on my home page.
The informant taping in the toilet
Steven Soderberg's "The Informant!" is about a true story you may vaguely recall, about the highest-ranking corporate whistle-blower in U.S. history. That was Mark Whitacre, who in 1995 exposed a price-fixing fraud by Archer-Daniels-Midland in Decatur, Illinois, one of the 50 largest corporations in America. So global are its operations that a great deal of the tofu in Japan comes from Illinois soybeans. Matt Damon plays Whitacre, a man described as "an American hero" by FBI agents who worked with him, which doesn't entirely explain how he ended up with a prison sentence three times as long as the executives he fingered.Soderbergh hasn't made quite the movie you might be imagining. This isn't a corporate thriller so much as a sly comedy fascinated by the complexities of Mark Whitacre himself. The film is fascinating in the way it reveals two levels of events, not always visible to one another or to the audience. A second viewing would be rewarding, knowing what we find out. Matt Damon's performance is deceptively bland as the character grows quietly more bizarre. He comes from a world of true-blue Downstate people, without affectations, surrounded by some of the richest farmland in the world. Whitacre's determination to wear the FBI's wire leads to situations where discovery seems inevitable, but he's seemingly so feckless that suspicion seems misplaced. What he's up to, is in some ways, so very simple. Even if it has the FBI guys banging their heads against the wall.
Ellen Page leads the charge in Roller Derby
Ellen Page, who conquered the 2007 festival with "Juno," is here with "Whip It," Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. Page plays a small-town Texas girl who escapes from what she sees as a backwater by sneaking away to Austin to become a Roller Derby star. Yes. She's still in high school, and she keeps this a secret from her parents all season long.The film confirms what's been clear to me since "Hard Candy" (2005) and probably to others for much longer: Page is not only a great actress, but a daring one. Barrymore begins with a story whose broad outlines are potentially conventional and uses quirky personal details to bring it to life. Among her other achievements, she makes it clear exactly what the rules and strategies of Roller Derby are, and now that I understand them, I find they're so simple I must have been trying too hard. The movie has a lot of convincing-looking action involving Derby stars with stage names like Dinah Might (Juliette Lewis), Malice in Wonderland (Kristen Wiig) and Smashley Simpson (Barrymore herself, who apparently doesn't ask her actors to do anything she won't do).
It's fairly routine at a film festival to hear a director praise somebody else's film. But Lone Scherfig, the Danish director of the wonderful "An Education," went a little further than that. Of Michael Haneke's "The White Ribbon" she told me, "I think it may be the best film I have ever seen." The film, which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes 2009, couldn't be more different than Haneke's much-admired "Cache" (2005), about a family disrupted by the arrival of videotapes indicating someone has inexplicable access to their lives. Yet in a way it's similar.
Haneke's Palme d'or winner "The White Ribbon"
Set in Germany on the eve of World War One, it involves a small rural community torn apart by a series of horrible crimes. Who is committing them, and why? Haneke is too original a director to make anything as simple as a whodunit. His film is not about the identity of the killer but about the nature of the community. Where does suspicion fall, and why, and what does that imply -- about society in general, and Germany at that time in particular? In a buried sense, the real subject of the film may be the rise of the Third Reich. No, suspicion doesn't fall on local Jews. The film is more about the nature of guilt and suspicion itself.Diablo Cody, the now-celebrated ex-stripper who wrote "Juno," is here at Toronto with "Jennifer's Body," starring Megan Fox, who of course has inspired paparazzi fever at the festival. It's sort of a "Twilight" for boys, with Fox in the Robert Pattinson role, except that Pattinson was shirtless and to the dismay of her fans Fox is not. Cody's character Juno has undergone is a 180-degree reversal, with the heroine now transformed into a fiend who eats the flesh of teenage boys. Can you imagine Juno's poor boyfriend, Michael Cera, covered with steak sauce?
Fox did her career a lot of good with the two "Transformer" movies, but this is her first chance to really act, and you know what? She comes through. She has your obligatory projectile vomiting scene and somehow survives it, she plays the role straight, and she looks convincing in a blood-drenched dress with her hair all straggly (below).
The film is directed by Karen Kusama, who in the splendid "Girlfight" (2000) introduced Michelle Rodriguez. She handles this material efficiently and with a certain relish. It's not art, it's not "Juno," it's not "Girlfight" for that matter, but as a movie about a flesh-eating cheerleader, it's better than it has to be.
When I wrote about George Clooney in "Up in the Air" the other day, I mentioned how comfortable he is with intelligent, complex dialogue. I received comments on that blog entry from readers who like the George Clooney they find in challenging films a lot more than the films where he plays more conventional leads.
The other Toronto entry Clooney has this year is Grant Heslov's "Men Who Stare at Goats," a comedy about a secret Special Forces unit devoted to waging psychic warfare. The title comes from the theoretical ability of these warriors to kill a goat by simply staring in its eyes. The movie has a nice absurdist humor, and another Clooney performance that indicates he's a compleat actor. He's a Jedi Warrior (that's an Army unit, not a "Star Wars" fan) who takes the notion paranormal warfare very seriously. I think.
¶A website to treasure: Old Jews Telling Jokes.
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The trailer for Soderbergh's "Informant!"
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Ellen Page in "Whip It"
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Trailer for "Men Who Stare at Goats"
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I'm sure I'm not the only person to point this out, but Matt Damon only plays Mark. His name remains Matt.
How good is "A Serious Man" compare to other movies by the coen brothers?
I'm going to be very honest, I laughed out loud when I watched that clip from The Men Who Stare At Goats. George Clooney can really range himself as an actor, and once again proves to be hilarious, even if it was just a thirty second clip. And Up In The Air just looks great. Jason Reitman just might have an even better career than his father.
I'm really looking forward to seeing The Informant! later this week, and am interested in seeing how Whip It plays itself out. As for Jennifer's Body I might see it, and not because of Megan Fox. I personally don't find her as attractive as most people do. Diablo Cody obviously delivered a great script with Juno, but this looks only decent.
If The White Ribbon plays near me, I'll definitely have to see it. If not, DVD or Netflix, or something. I'll find a way.
Yay - for the props to us Downstaters!
Can't wait to see all of the movies listed here. And I'm glad for the continued success of Diablo Cody and Ellen Page. All of them, actually.
Maaattt Daaaammoonnn
I think there's something in that for everyone don't you think?
You have, of course, seen Old Jews Telling Jokes. And I'm sure a dozen other comments have already suggested it.
Films sound great. Looking forward to seeing them. Thanks Roger.
I did see The Men Who Stare at Goats and it was hilariously and satirically wonderful. I definitely need to pick up the non-fiction book that it was based on. Great performances all round and a marvelous screenplay. The item in the journal entry above is a clip (great one though) rather than a trailer.
The trailer can be found here:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/themenwhostareatgoats/
Hopefully a major distributor will pick up this film. It deserves a large audience.
Ebert: I've subbed the link. I post these entries late at night. :)
It wasn't so long ago that you wrote that the cinema was heading directly into a "dark-age" where intelligent films that actually challenge and probe the brain were becoming all but obsolete. I was wondering that if this years TIFF was giving you any inspiration that the future might not be as bleak as you once prophesied.
Ebert: September annually reawakens my optimism. But you should hear the stories here about the difficulties of finding distribution.
"Can you imagine Juno's poor boyfriend, Michael Cera, covered with steak sauce?"
This is, perhaps, one of the funniest things you've ever written.
By the way, all these notices are positive (to varying degrees). Other bloggers from Toronto that I read (I find your fellow Chicagoans in the A.V. Club to be quite good) are more than happy to post negative reactions. Are you actively avoiding commentary on the bad movies you've seen? Or have you simply seen all good movies so far?
Ebert: Unless it's something I'm truly offended by, I prefer to wait for the official review, instead of trashing a film that hasn't has a chance to open, or maybe even to find a distributor. Also, I always see a festival film a second time, if I have the opportunity. Festivals are like pressure cookers.
All of these TIFF articles have been great to read Mr. Ebert.
I have so many films I am anticipating, this looks like it could be a stunning Award season. If you had to pick, which film have you been most impressed with so far (if you can even choose yet)? It seems like you've been impressed with most of them.
At this point, my most anticipated is Precious, simply because I have read the book. I was blown away by Sapphire's work and the trailer is breathtaking. Can't wait to see some of these films!
Roger,
I read my first review of yours on a large cardboard ad in the lobby of a theater while waiting for my parents to pick a movie. It persuaded me to insist on seeing Million Dollar Baby, and I've been a fan of your writing ever since. I almost always agree with your reviews (thanks for recommending The Hurt Locker, by the way), so it came as a surprise to me when I just "kind of" liked Juno. Well filmed, intelligent dramedies like Lost in Translation and Almost Famous make up a large part of my list of favorite films, and I was so sure that Juno would blow my mind that I *almost* wore a helmet. Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe it was the group of friends I saw it with, I'm not really sure. But with three new projects by Juno's three breakout talents, your glowing references over the weekend have convinced me to give it another shot. Keep up the great writing.
Whip it originally sounded not really my cup of tea. The trailer, however, possibly changed my mind. Page was great in Juno but I still think her best performance was in Hard Candy. She basically carried that entire film and she was what, 16 at the time? Amazing. I remember seeing it and said to myself - who is that girl? I knew she would be around for a while then.
Clooney was so good in Up in the Air. There was a scene towards the end where the three siblings were standing on the curb that was heartbreaking. I was amazed at how vulnerable he was.
I think his gift lies in the ability to deliver both intelligent and complex dialogue AND sharp comical timings, and be able to shuffle easily between the two. Of course, looking good in a suit never hurts anyone either.
I read Men Who Stare at Goats a year or so ago. I must say, the idea of it being a movie, much less starring George Clooney, never once crossed my mind.
I may be the umpteenth one to point this out, but "Matt Damon', not "Mark Damon as was written in the paragraph about the informant. Also, Clooney is, i'm sure, a "Complete" actor, not a 'Compleat" actor. That's the end of me being a pedantic prick(with plenty of mistakes of my own in my post, I am sure). Have fun. Roger.
And I may be in the majority here, but I prefer Cloney in his more "Hollywood" roles. Why? How many actors can do what he has done in the serious films such as "Michael Clayton" or "Syriana"? Hundreds, I think. He maybe the best "superstar" who can act very well- better than, say a Tom Cruise or a Will Smith- but he is hardly a better dramatic actor than a Phillip Seymour Hoffman or an Edward Norton. There are hundreds of very good dramatic actors, Clooney is just one of them.
But remember the opening scenes of "Out of Sight'? Remember how Clooney walked up to a bank teller, and committed a robbery so perfect in it's execution and charm, that you can't help but smile at how ridiculously "cool" Clooney can act without even trying to be that way? Clooney is the only modern actor who can hold a candle to the sheer aura of a Clark Gable or a humphrey Bogart. let's celebrae that, instaed of trying to cheer him on to become a poor-man's Edward Norton. Not saying he shouldn't do overly serious dramatic roles downplaying his charm, just don't think that's what he's best at, or the most unique, he's a "Star". A genuine one. The only one,even. Let's cherish that.
Ebert: Damn. I must have gotten that from "Mark Whitacre."
But no, compleat is the right word. A special spelling with a special meaning.
Already, "A Serious Man" is the best trailer of the year. Hands down. What movie do you believe has the best ad this year? Or of any year?
What did you think of Precious? You mentioned it in TIFF#1 and have now only said that everyone else loved it. Not even an 'I liked it' or "I didn't like it'?
Ebert: I loved it.
What's amazing about both the Informant! and Men Who Stare at Goats trailers is that they both merely hint at what the movie is possible of being rather than showing us all of the best scenes. Unfortunately, some friends feel that the movies look weak but I keep insisting to them that this is all that's unveiled to us right now... just imagine what each of these premises is capable of doing. Then realize that given the talent involved, these films have the capability of being twice the film we hope they are.
I'm hoping this is a new trend in trailer editing and not merely two flukes.
I think Ellen Page is going to be a huge presence in cinema in the years to come.
Also, any film that features the name Dinah Might has done half the work in making my year-end list of the best movies. (Joking -- I think)
Do you have a favorite thus far, Roger?
Ebert: Precious, An Education, The White Ribbon...
Glad to get an early positive word on so many movies I've been looking forward to seeing. I'm hoping that WHIP IT will help draw some attention to a long-forgotten documentary, Robert Kaylor's DERBY, which not only details the behind-the-scenes action but also one unique fellow determined to make a career in the sport. You gave it a rave review on its original release, which is prominently featured on its DVD cover. Do you perhaps remember any of that film all these years later?
Ebert: I do. A terrrific doc.
My wife and I are excitied to see Whip It and Precious. Thanks for the heads up.
I saw The White Ribbon this weekend and loved it. I can understand the rise of the Third Reich aspect but I remember that Haneke said at Cannes that he doesn't want people to believe that this is a movie about fascism. His statement was something about how people will classify it as a movie about German problems when they attribute it to fascism when he wanted to make it about society in general. I'm not saying that you shouldn't bring in the Third Reich though, those comparisons are definitely going to be used no matter what (besides there's other countries that can be used as examples, since this is German the Nazis are the easiest example to bring up). I just wanted to point that out.
Is it ok if I ask what you think is the best looking movie this year? I'm stuck in between Ribbon and Antichrist, both of them are shot beautifully and deserving of cinematography nods.
Ebert: White Ribbon looks great. I haven;t seen "City of Life and Death" yet, but people are raving about the cinematography.
If you like Jewish humor, you'll love Old Jews Telling Jokes: http://oldjewstellingjokes.blip.tv/
Ebert: I've recommended that before. Damn! Meant to include it as a link. Now I will.
I saw "Precious" a few months ago.Since the day I walked out of that screening,I tell everyone that they must see it. I hope the subject matter does not keep people from seeing it.Some people I know have seen the trailer and say they "can't handle it".The honesty and artistry in "Precious"is what I wait & hope for on screen.
I thought it was one of the most beautifully made movies.I could go on and on...
I'm glad you loved it too Roger.
Thanks for the Jewish semi-digression. Starting the day with "old Jews telling jokes" is a real joy--mekhaye, maybe?
You reminded me of something I used to indulge in many years ago in my English classes. Inspired by Leo Rosten's wonderful The Joys of Yiddish, I would write out a sentence, showing how the meaning changed--not by re-arranging modifiers or restructuring syntax, but merely applying stress to different words. It went something like this:
You want I should buy tickets to your daughter's recital? (Spoken to an enemy.)
You want I should buy tickets to your daughter's recital? (Why don't you buy them, you want me to go so bad.)
You want I should buy tickets to your daughter's recital? (What, they're not free?)
You want I should buy tickets to your daughter's recital? (Where were you when my daughter had her recital?)
You want I should buy tickets to your daughter's recital? (How good is this kid that I should have to buy tickets to listen to her sing?)
You can work variations on this all day, implying Yiddishness while using only English words. A truly oral language, one who's nuances can be appreciated in writing only if one can hear the Jewish/Yiddish attitude in one's head.
A joke:
How many Jewish grandmothers does it take to change a light bulb?
"What, don't worry about an old lady. I'll sit in the dark."
Mr Ebert
I've been fortunate enough to have seen 7 films so far (as of Monday morning), and among those was "A Serious Man". I hated it! I found the characterisation utterly ridiculous. Whereas the Coen brothers appear to revel in such over the top people, I cannot find any interest in such characters or the absurd situations in which they find themselves.
Please go see "City of Life and Death". It is one of the most violent films I have ever seen, with some scenes in particular really haunting me.
Well, I certainly enjoyed Clooney in "Michael Clayton" and nearly as much in "Burn After Reading" (especially since he was playing somebody so completely not serious, as were the other actors and actresses).
I read "The Men Who Stare at Goats"...for me the payoff was how the early satirical chapters eventually led to some dark places as the psy-ops techniques were taken far too seriously by the army, CIA and other groups. Without giving too much away, is the film a straight satire or does it delve deeper?
Just to make sure everyone knows: part of the reason that the action in Whip It is so convincing is that many of the extras were real derby girls. Some of them are players on the Detroit Derby Girls--and at least one of them is on Roger's home team, the Windy City Rollers. That would be Athena DeCrime, who plays Kristen Wiig's stunt double.
Ebert: Athena DeCrime. Of course.
No one beats Woody Allen for Jewish humor (especially his films from the 70's and 80's)...and I guess the Coen Brothers themselves did a rather strange variation of it in Barton Fink, which I love. In fact I wouldn't shy away from calling that film a masterpiece, as good in its' own way as Fargo. Anyway, I forget if you pointed this out, but their new film seems to share some similarities with Barton Fink. Anyway I can't wait!
Speaking of Haneke, I think Caché is a real masterpiece, one of the most fascinating and intriguing pieces of cinema around; and it got me hooked on his career. I've always wondered what you thought of Funny Games US, if you ever saw it (Or the Austrian original for that matter)? Quite a problematic film.
Ebert: If you aren't Jewish when you go into this movie, you may be when you come out.
Awesome. When it comes out, I have to find a theater where a large number of audience members might pick up on subtleties that I wouldn't otherwise notice.
Likewise, I know which theater I'm going to go to for "Precious."
That's obviously not to say that these films will or won't be great in any format. It's one thing to watch "Malcolm X," but it's something different to watch "Malcolm X" at the old Hyde Park theater, a few blocks from one of the central points of the story, and, back then when Rodney King was fresh in our minds, and Mandela had just been released from prison.
The point I'm making is that film on its own is an experience. I remember being a kid watching "The Deer Hunter" on my father's black and white TV and being so thoroughly moved. But it is so much more deep when the experience transcends not only the screen, but the walls.
It also helps to make the hearts synchronize their beats.
I hope all is well.
Omer M
Further to Gouthem's comment: There is indeed a Mark Damon (producer, former actor) though... and he gets many silly phone calls asking if he's Matt Damon's father.
Re:Your remark about stories concerning distributing difficulties
A month or so back was visiting relatives in Springfield, Illinois. Was still hyping "The Hurt Locker." Called the local theater number to see if it would be opening while I was in town. Pleasant young lady promptly told me about 'having problems getting a print.' Well I learned one thing- I wasn't the first to enquire, but still in the dark about the 'print problem' related to where and when a film would appear.
Then just yesterday I was on the THL Wikipedia page again and they now featured a section on distribution citing Brian Mackey from The State Journal-Register(Springfield), titled "Declare your love for indie film."
I found it most enlightening and thought I would pass it on, with a tip of the cap to Mr. Mackey-easy to find on THL wiki page, note 57. Just maybe, might you expand your thoughts on this topic down the road sometime.
Here is just one perplexing example from Wikipedia, boxofficemojo.com and the Mackey column. Summit Entertainment is distributor for The Hurt Locker, which peaked at 565 screens. THL performed the best of any new releases during its first two weeks and remains one of the highest per screen averages in markets nationwide throughout its run. Yet somehow Summit couldn't/wouldn't expand distribution citing both the subject matter and worries about recouping the high print costs(about 2500k)as major reasons. Yet this weekend Summit came up with enough prints for 2,665 screens for a slasher lemon called Sorority Row, which has immediately underperformed. What's up here?
Finally, to my fellow readers, go light on the picayune quibbling on Roger's occasional typos. Just be grateful he takes the time to read your comments in the first. Obviously the gent who quibbled on 'compleat' had never read "The Compleat Angler," but now that I think about it, who has?
I saw a Trailer for "The Informant" last June, I think it was, here at the local theater. Have been waiting for it ever since...
Roger....Have you seen "The Bad Lieutenant" yet??? I know you wrote an article saying it was one of the movies you were most excited for, and I had not even heard of it until you wrote that. So I did some research on the movie and watched the trailer and I cannot wait. Nic Cage is my favorite actor and I think he was robbed for Matchstick Men, so I'm really excited for this movie.
I have a couple other questions, and I hope you answer because I have no other way of getting a hold of you, but how come SHUTTER ISLAND got pushed back to next year? I heard it did great in the pre screening and its a Dicaprio and Scorsese movie. I was so excited for that.
Also ,did you ever see "Snow Angels" with Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell??? That movie was robbed last year, and should have gotten Sam Rockwell a nomination. Also....did you ever see "He was a quiet Man" with Christian Slater? That was a comeback performance for Slater. Just your thoughts on those because you never reviewed those movies would be nice. Hope you respond. I love your work and think you are brilliant. I look forward to reading your reviews and updates every single week!
Somebody call Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt. We've got a poster here who doesn't know the word "compleat."
Men Who Stare At Goats: novel & movie based on a true story?
Prob'ly. Over the course of a year, mindin' me own business, and for no reason at all, I encountered:
A man whose niece participated in the "remote viewing" experiments for Lockheed. She told him the gov't had been monitoring him since the first publication of his own books. "I can't tell you how what that feels," he wrote me. His niece told him the "remote viewing" project had been abandoned.
A man who quit the DoD psy-ops division (his credentials looked real enough) who said the "remote viewing pool" was 100% accurate.
A man whose dad was in the NSA, with a story about a young woman who could "make water dance." (And also that his dad's CIA friends were planning to "get even with Dubya Bush." Doesn't look to me like they have...)
A woman who'd been married to both CIA and M-1 agents, who said the CIA gave LSD tests to all prospective candidates, and she failed because her behavior was "too selfish" while on LSD. She spent the whole trip lying on the beach, she said.
A woman whose father was in the ONI (the most dreaded of all American spy agencies) who'd volunteered her for various gov't psychic experiments as a teen. If she wasn't lying, this movie couldn't possibly convey just how idiotic these charlatans can be on our taxpayer dollars. A bunch of boofy-haired psychics.
I think I'll go see it to find out.
Re: The Informant!--I know the details of the case are public record, but for those of us who didn't follow the Archer-Daniels-Midland case closely you've really ruined the movie here.
Ebert: You have no idea.
I know you hate ranking movies, but where would you put A Serious Man among past Coen Brothers movies? Or if you don't want to rank, which one would you compare it to? Not just in terms of quality, but in terms of tone, humor, and everything else?
And great journal entries all the way through. Every time I think I have this year's movies figured out, I'm opened up to a new wave of them. White Ribbon, the mentioned An Education, Ellen Page's new movie...it all looks so good.
Keep it up sir, you are more than just a way for me to hear the news of the latest and greatest in cinema: You are an inspiration, and I couldn't imagine this journey without you.
I absolutely love roller derby. It is, beyond doubt, my favorite fringe sport. It might be the sport itself, that there's something inherently awesome about roller skates, or that the girls come up with stage names akin to something like what Russ Meyer would come up with on a bet, but I love it to death and I'm pretty freakin' happy that Drew Barrymore, who I'm always a bit skeptical of, seems to get it...even if poor Ellen Page would likely be crushed were she to actually play.
Sad news just broke.
Rest in Peace, Patrick Swayze :( -> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/movies/15swayze.html
Your mention of Myron Cohen reminds me of the time William Buckley invited Groucho to discuss comedy on Firing Line. The interview was great (I really wish I'd had a TiVo back then) except for one moment when Buckley started to ask about other Jewish comedians like Myron Cohen. Groucho stopped him right there, glared at him and said, "I loathe Myron Cohen. I despise Myron Cohen", and not another word about him. So Buckley shifted to another topic and moved right along. When you talked to Groucho did you ever make the mistake of mentioning Cohen? I've no idea what he had against the man; I remember watching Myron Cohen on the Sullivan show as a child in the '50s (I acquired my repertoire of dialects and accents from comics on Sullivan and Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows). I was just learning to be funny. Clearly something rubbed him the wrong way, but ... ????
It's so great to see Ellen Page come out with another strong female character.She is undoubtedley one of the great actors of her time.
"Set in Germany on the eve of World War One, it involves a small rural community torn apart by a series of horrible crimes. Who is committing them, and why?"
Let me guess. Haenke never tells us who is committing the crimes or why. And many critics will find this brilliant, because the movie isn't actually about pre-war Germany, but about the times we live in now, and it doesn't really matter who is committing the crimes. And those viewers who might care about how these questions are resolved are unenlightened and don't get it.
Sorry, Rog. I'm not slagging you, but I saw "Cache" a couple years ago and am still a little sore about it.
Roger, I am surprised at you. Posting a link to Old Jews Telling Jokes. Did your mother never teach you how to be decent? So crude. So vulgar. So funny. A man could die laughing at such jokes.
I am intrigued by the format. Am I getting this right--the producers are distributing this video over the internet and paying costs through internet ads? Is there more of this going on that I have missed?
Ebert: I think a DVD may be coming out.
Those roller derby names are a tad on the tame side. Our local team, the Bellingham Roller Betties, features names that are a little bit more colorful. In fact, when I discovered that I knew one of them and mentioned her name was a bit raunchy, she said if just a bit raunchy, then it wasn't good enough - that would be Ophelia Cox.
im not sure if whip it sounds like a stupid film or not. i mean, its kind of similar to juno in the fact that shes doing something her parents dont want her to do and keeping it a secret. well in juno it wasnt a secret but yeah. and shes finding herself. i bet the real girls in roller derby arent so sweet and feel good. i think ill pass.
plum
Don't Be a Plum
When I used to review movies, I never really cared about trailers. You know how it goes, Roger? Sometimes the best scenes in the movie make up the trailer, and then look what you are left with. When I saw the trailer for "Precious", I felt I had seen too much, because I do not want anything to spoil my experience at what looks to be an extraordinary film. This is the first movie trailer that I can say that didn't have me feeling like a skeptic at the end. This is the real deal and makes you thirst for more. If the trailer is that powerful, I can not wait to experience the rest of the piece.
Though I haven't seen the film, your description of "The White Ribbon" reminds me very much of a classic episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." That story, too, is not as much about the monsters as it is about those in the community. Just thought I'd throw that out there!
You wrote: "The movie has a nice absurdist humor, and another Clooney performance that indicates he's a compleat actor."
Who cares if it's the lowest form of humor? That one made me laugh out loud.
Was the cut of Precious any different than the one at Sundance?
Ebert: Dunno. Why do you ask?
The shot of the marching soldiers at 26 seconds into the "Men Who Stare at Goats" trailer was shot in the Hagerman Barracks of my high school, New Mexico Military Institute, in Roswell, NM. I literally jumped out of my seat and scrambled for the mouse to make sure. I mustered out at 0600 every morning for two and a half years in that yard. The only other time I've seen it on film was in "Dress Gray"(1986). Thanks for the unexpected 10-year graduation anniversary present, Roger!
Actually, it looks like all of the military base stuff was shot on the NMMI post. Funny, funny, funny!
Can the pedantic grammarians please stop correcting Ebert? We get it: you are smart with grammar. But unless you literally cannot understand the logic behind a sentence due to poor grammar then, please, stop correcting the guy. It's incredibly annoying.
Hi Roger,
Just curious as to if you've seen 'Chloe', the new film by Atom Egoyan. I'm hearing great things about the film, including comparison to 'Fatal Attraction'.
Ebert: Check out TIFF #7.
Hi Ebert, this is a random one, but I'm having trouble getting "Ebert talks with director Fuller at Cannes in 1980".
Is it on the website still?
Ebert:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19800817/PEOPLE/8170301/1023
Watching "Hard Candy" two weeks after "Juno" was unforgettable moment. She can be charming clever girl, and then she also can be chilling clever girl. Ellen Page is really wonderful young actress.
I have been big fan of Coen brothers, although I do not like some of their works. I hope to see their new movie pretty soon.
Sometimes I was horrified by Michael Haneke's movies, but movies like "Cache"(or "Hidden") have intrigued me a lot. Does he still seem to be cold and misanthropic in his new movie?
Your feigned lack of knowledge on the rules of roller derby, brought back memories of a rumor circulating in the 70's that you were then involved in a rather tumultuous affair with a derby girl. It was around the time the epic "Kansas City Bomber" was in release. I believe she was a Bay Area Bomber checker with the nickname 'Boom Boom.' Care to comment?
Ebert: There is no one in my history meeting these qualifications, but I urge you to do all you can to spread this rumor, which can only enhance my reputation.
It bears comparison with the rumor that Elizabeth Taylor and I once stripped naked, covered ourselves with talcum powder, and rode bareback on a silversmooth stallion to a fjord from which the ancient Norwegians sailed their dragon ships.
any idea on the rating for "A Serious Man"?
Re: Old Rumors
Contacted the fools responsible for this dastardly rumor and they were adamant about its validity, stating she was a sweet, pretty girl but with a helluva temper. Horseswaggy I say!
But I corrected them sir. A million pardons.
Concerning the second rumor, the version I heard substituted Swedish beauty, Anita Ekberg for Ms.Taylor. Actually somewhat more believable I guess concerning the setting. Anyhow in this version your tryst would have gone totally undetected, except during that most intimate moment of human interaction, you understandably did lose a bit of your self control, shouting out Ragnar style,"Odin...Odin...Praise Odin," which was unfortunately overheard by nearby fishermen.
Now this tale DEFINITELY enhanced your reputation in certain circles sir, no matter how outlandish the rumor might in fact be.
Ebert: Contrary to many reports, Mickey Rooney was not involved.
Based in the UK I have never understood the American obsession with 'Jewishness' and Jews in general. I see references to Jews in most American programmes, serious and comic so can anyone enlighten me as to why us Brits just don't have the same attitude towards Jews as Americans??