Worth 1,000 Words: ROY ROGERS & TRIGGER at the ALAMO
DURING A WORLD WAR II TEXAS TOUR, The King of the Cowboys ROY ROGERS and TRIGGER strike the cowboy pose in this unpublished photo taken in front of the ALAMO as their fans happily observe. Rogers, Trigger, and The Sons of the Pioneers stopped by the famous landmark between entertaining at military bases and selling war bonds. [from Steve Crum’s showbiz memorabilia collection]
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Enjoy some Roy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYKLed9eoeE
Emotionally wrenching ‘Precious’ features standout Mo’Nique, Sidibe performances
By Steve Crum
Viewing Precious is a classic example of either seeing a movie to be solely entertained, or seeing a movie because it truly means something. Precious is truly meaningful.Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire (actual title) is a wrenching, emotional ride into living hell that features extreme family violence, incest, AIDS, and baby rape amidst poverty and its hopelessness. Sapphire’s best seller has been adapted by screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher with Lee Daniels (Shadowboxer) at the directorial helm. While events spiral down into grimness, morality ultimately prevails.
Central character Claireece Precious Jones, an overweight 16-year old convincingly portrayed by first time actress Gabourey Sidibe (who is actually 26), is an illiterate, junior high student and single mother living in Harlem with her controlling mother, Mary. Mary is played by stand-up comedienne Mo’Nique, who will surely be Oscar nominated for her standout dramatic acting as the most abusive, profane mama of all time.
As the film opens in 1987 Harlem, Precious struggles both at home in her dreary apartment and at public school. Her mother, who sits in her easy chair, incessantly smokes cigarettes as she watches TV, and insults her daughter by telling her she will never succeed at anything because she is too stupid and ugly. It is not unusual for mother Mary to bounce an ash tray or plate off her daughter’s head as Precious has her back turned while preparing dinner or washing dishes. Mom hates Precious, but Precious perseveres.Note Daniels’ cleverly inserted dream sequences that illustrate Precious’ self esteem fantasies. For example, she looks in a mirror and imagines she is in a beautiful gown at a film premiere, surrounded by adoring fans. It is an escape valve from her depressing existence, which is a welcome break for the audience too.
Meanwhile, Precious’ school life suffers. She is a loner, friendless, and barely speaks to anyone. When teachers try to help her, Precious’ mother threatens and curses them. Precious discovers she is again pregnant, so she agrees to attend an alternative school. Her class is taught by Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), who becomes a positive force in Precious’ life. There are sequences at the welfare agency, featuring a surprisingly good turn by singer Mariah Carey as the sympathetic counselor, Mrs. Weiss.
Without revealing too much, be aware of a major plot turn which involves possibly the most disturbing and graphic fight scene (between mother and daughter) ever filmed. Realize that with conflict, even this extreme, a good story like this must proceed to resolution. Stay with Precious, although by the conclusion you will have been emotionally yanked multiple ways. Sure, Precious showcases the stereotypical welfare recipients who are resentful, immoral money grubs purposely cheating the government by dodging work in favor of living off taxpayer money. Conversely, the film makes its case for needy innocents such as infant dependents and underage mothers. Precious is an important film, a social document, driven by its gritty style.
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On an A to F Grade Scale: A-
Neither the sun nor many positives shine on dark love story ‘New Moon’
By Steve Crum
“You can’t trust vampires, believe me,” warns central vampire Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He is so right. But you can trust New Moon to deliver teen angst by the bloody bucketful. Nifty werewolf and vampire special effects barely mask New Moon’s soap opera bathos and melodramatics. Those who can’t get enough of either Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight novels or the first movie will no doubt be in hormone heaven over New Moon. For the rest of us, New Moon is 2+ hours of cheesy, adolescent lust wrapped in werewolves’ clothing.Homage to Shakespeare peppers Melissa Rosenberg’s screenplay. As the central teen characters study and recite Romeo and Juliet in English class, the tale of true love among feuding families plays out in real life. Instead of Capulets versus Montagues, however, we get the Cullen vampire family versus the Quileute wolf pack.
As this part two of the Twilight Saga begins, 18 year-old Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) still pines for Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). He and his family have left rustic Forks, Washington, endeavoring to keep Bella safe and humanly alive. That is opposed to being vampire-alive, which is what Bella really desires so she can forever be with neck-biter Edward. Throughout New Moon, Bella waxes suicidal via drowning, driving, and putting herself in harm’s way with a bad vampire. (Twilight is populated with both good and bad blood guzzlers. Edward is one of the good ones.)
As if Stewart’s Bella is not already the most emotionless soul on the planet, with the sullen Edward both out of town and touch, she becomes even more zombie-like. During lunch at school, she sits alone at Edward’s old table, staring into space. Constantly reminding her of Edward is the fact his image and voice pop up whenever she has any quandary. Enter a major conflict in her life, long time pal Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Now that Edward is away, Jacob makes the play. Surely it is not a spoiler to remind (rather than reveal) all that Black is a closet werewolf. In fact, he is part of a werewolf pack who also live alternate human lives. As Bella and Jacob become closer, Edward reappears in the flesh (cold as it is), out of jealousy as well as fear for Bella’s well being. There is a funny scene of the three at a movie theater with Bella sitting between them. Both Edward and Jacob anticipate her holding their hand, to no avail. It is a cleverly subtle moment.
It is unfortunate that most of New Moon lacks such clever bits, since all its psuedo-Shakespearean love dialogue and pre-kiss panting wear thin early on. With too few action pieces like fights (between vampires, between werewolf and vampire, and between werewolves) occur, New Moon stretches longer than it is. We are given an iceberg tip sort of preview of what will happen in next year’s Eclipse installment of the series when Bella, Edward, and his family encounter the head council of vampires in Italy for some life (and death) threatening challenges. Watch for a too brief introduction of Dakota Fanning’s hurtful, red eye piercing vampire, Jane. Reportedly, Jane will reappear big time in Eclipse.
New Moon, under the mediocre direction of Chris Weitz, is more of an event than a satisfying film unto itself. Fans will love the bare chested Jacob and Edward, and Bella’s sleep deprived tossing and turning. One fan defended Jacob’s constant chest baring when she told me it was a necessity since he could turn into a werewolf at any time. If that is true, why is he wearing pants? In fact, his pants disappear and reappear in his back and forth transformations. Must be special wolf weave. Of course, it would change the film’s rating if it were otherwise. If you are not a Twilight fan, just savor moments like Bella accidentally pricking a finger or a hand or an arm (all occur), as a nearby vampire licks his chops watching the blood drips in slow motion. Try counting the number of times Bella is in either Edward’s or Jacob’s close proximity, as she speaks to their respective CHINS.
Bella is an eye contact avoider of the first order.
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On an A to F Grade Scale: C-
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Worth 1,000 Words: DAKOTA FANNING & fan
THIS WEEK, 15 YEAR-OLD DAKOTA FANNING joins the vampires and werewolves populating the Twilight franchise. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON opens this Friday, Nov. 20. (She is already working on another installment which opens next year, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE.)
Four years ago, on Oct. 12, 2005, it was 11 year-old Dakota who was in Kansas City as part of a cross country trek promoting her newest movie, Dreamer. During the hour-long interview, she told me (and a handful of other film critics) about working with Kurt Russell on Dreamer, as well as her just completed film, The War of the Worlds. And did she talk–and gush–about acting with Tom Cruise!
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Pictured is yours truly with Dakota, following the interview, in a photo taken by Dakota’s mother. After the other critics had left the suite and headed home, I was still with Dakota (and her mom), since she was signing autographs for me. She then walked over to a nearby piano, and played a tune, expertly so. Later I bragged to the other critics that had they stayed around, they would have been treated to a private piano concert by Dakota Fanning. As it turned out, I was the only one so honored. She was–and probably still is–a very sweet, well spoken (great diction), and intelligent young lady. [from Steve Crum’s showbiz memorabilia collection]
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Worth 1,000 Words: FRANK SINATRA at the SANDS
A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS UNIQUE PRESS PHOTO was taken, FRANK SINATRA [Dec. 12, 1915-May 14, 1998] had received a career boost when he won the Oscar for From Here to Eternity. Sinatra holds the hands of two show girls.
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Dated June 10, 1954, the caption reads: Wynn Terry (seated, left) and Gladys Gardner (in front of her), Ziegfeld Girls prior to 1930, watch Frank Sinatra dance with their 1954 counterparts in a revival of the Ziegfeld Follies at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. Miss Gardner starred from 1913 to 1919, and is “Dean” of the Ziegfeld Girls. [from Steve Crum’s showbiz memorabilia collection]
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To see and hear Frank Sinatra winning his Oscar, proceed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubcVEuA55jc