It's that magical Thursday, folks! Although it's not as magical today because Gabriel is sick - rundown, tired, sinus-y, beset by allergies and slight cold-like symptoms. Just like his dad! Sick the day the tournament starts.
Here are my elite 8 teams: Kentucky, Baylor, Louisville, Missouri, Syracuse, Florida St, North Carolina, Kansas. We'll see how these picks hold up a week from this coming Sunday.
Book Reviews:
I'm over a decade late to The Hours party, but I'm glad to have finally read it. It's a beautiful novel - its exquisite, delicate prose and flowy, flowery stream-of-consciousness an impressive recreation of Virginia Woolf's. It's a downer, to be sure, a weight of sodden sadness looming over the proceedings. Who exactly is this book for besides college students, Woolf admirers, and critics?
In spite of the book's brevity, Cunningham has set up a formidable task: essaying the inner turmoil, desires, and outlook of three women in three different time periods, all of whom are in some way connected to Woolf and Mrs. Dalloway. Of course, there's Virginia herself, gloriously contemplative during a day in the London suburbs in 1923. Her sadness and curiosity color the entire novel. In 1949 Los Angeles, Laura Brown, a recessive housewife unsure of the meaning of her existence, is reading Mrs. Dalloway. In 1998 New York City, Clarissa, known as "Mrs. Dalloway" to her dying gay ex-lover Richard (the revelation of his genetic identity at the end giving the novel a full, poignant closure) is, like her literary namesake, spending the day planning a party, reflecting on the past, realizing how beautiful and sad life is.
Cunningham's novel is well-researched and respectful of his source, adding to one's appreciation of the often difficult Woolf. In fact, I would rather read this book again than I would anything by Woolf herself. I guess that's a compliment, right? (**** out of 5)
I greatly enjoyed Michael Stanley's debut novel, A Carrion Death, which introduced the corpulent, jovial, whip-smart Inspector Kubu. I remember learning a lot about Botswana, basking in Stanley's lovely, harsh descriptions of the Kalahari, the roads, the game preserves, the sensuous, aromatic foods. The mystery was layered but exciting.
The second entry in the series, 2009's The Second Death of Goodluck Tinubu, isn't as successful a read for me. I discovered stuff here I didn't know - I knew next to nothing about the Rhodesian Civil War - and Kubu & co. were charismatic and colorful this time around too. The initial - or should I say, first - mystery in the story here - an Agatha Christie-esque quandary about two brutal murders at a bush camp - is intriguing, but the plot was a little too convoluted and drawn-out for me and there was no reason the book had to be over 460 pages. (***)
Nick Knight (#12)
A groundbreaking, visionary British fashion photographer who consistently challenges the notions of conventional beauty. He has collaborated with many designers (including Alexander McQueen) and created campaigns for, among others, Christian Dior, Levi Strauss, and Calvin Klein. He founded and (still directs) the award-winning fashion website Showstudio.com.
He has been quoted as saying: "I don't want to reflect social change. I want to cause social change." Hence, his work has often dealt with racism, disability, body issues, ageism. He experiments with complex technologies: ring-flash photography, 3-D scanning, digital sculpture. Fun fact: he orignally planned to study biology and be a doctor - but he was also drawn to the culture of skinheads.
Best Pictures
The 90s
Dances With Wolves (1990) Should you watch it? Yes.
The first of what would be a decade of no bad Best Pictures, Kevin Costner's lengthy, sensitive, sympathetic (some would say whitewashed) epic about a Civil War vet's adventures on the frontier is accessible, likable, easy to watch, shot beautifully. (***1/2)
Silence of the Lambs (1991) Should you watch it? Yes.
Maybe the luster has worn off Hannibal Lecter's devilish insidiousness, but it's still a haunting, well-made genre pic, directed with flair and poise by Jonathan Demme. Jodie Foster is perfectly fine, but it's Anthony Hopkins (and to a small degree, Ted Levine's hulking, bizzare Buffalo Bill) who lifts this film into another stratosphere. (***1/2)
Unforgiven (1992) Should you watch it? Yes.
Clint Eastwood's finest hour as a performer and director. David Webb People's script measures how hard it is to defy and deny one's true nature. Gene Hackman's Little Bill is one of cinema's greatest villians: equally folksy, logical, sadistic, detestable. Arguably one of the greatest, most rousing climaxes in modern film - nothing is forgiven. No one is going to heaven. And Eastwood's William Munny is certainly no better than the scum he has sent to hell.
Schindler's List (1993) Should you watch it? Yes.
Director Steven Spielberg's most profound, personal achievement - and that's saying something indeed. Ralph Fiennes' SS officer Amon Goeth's is the heart of darkness. I think this was a lot of audience's - including my generation - first immersion (via senseless, unfeeling, impersonal violence) into just how terrible and horrific the Holocaust was. (****)
Forrest Gump (1994) Should you watch it? Yes.
I know, I know, Pulp Fiction should have won. But this cozy, fanciful take on the whims of fate and history is one of the most beloved, quoted movies of all time for a reason. A technical achievement for the time too, and who else but Tom Hanks could have made this simpleton so enchanting? (***1/2)
Braveheart (1995) Should you watch it? Yes.
I know, I know, Babe should have won. But this forceful, powerful, throat-clearing series of well-choreographed, suspensefully-staged battle scenes is one of the most beloved, quoted movies of its time for a reason. The drama and characterizations - okay, not so much. But its quite moving by the end, and doesn't bog down in unnecessary scenes. What guy doesn't like this movie? (***)
The English Patient (1996) Should you watch it? Why not?
Yeah, and Fargo should have won this year. But from an Academy standpoint, this has it all - a literary source, a love story defying circumstance, flashbacks involving World War II, beautiful British stars (and an Oscar-winning Juliette Binoche), long shots of undulating sand dunes, a lush, mournful Gabriel Yared score that tells you how to feel. Anthony Minghella was an intuitive, intelligent director. The film is overrated to be sure, far too long and dry at times, but very cinematic. (**1/2)
Titanic (1997) Should you watch it? Like you haven't seen it.
L.A. Confidential should have won. But James Cameron showed us things we had never seen before. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, in the first flushes of their stardom, were appealing as imaginable, and so what that Cameron can't write dialogue and Billy Zane overacts like a cartoon villain? (**1/2)
Shakespeare in Love (1998) Should you watch it? Eh.
Cute and fun, with a literate, knowing script by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman, but vastly overpraised. Gwyneth Paltrow has never been put ti better use, and Judi Dench did deserve an OScar despite - what, 30 seconds of screen time? It's Shakespeare for everybody! Probably ages okay. (***)
American Beauty (1999) Should you watch it? Absolutely.
Alan Ball and Sam Mendes's razor-sharp, tragi-comic portrait of malaise, longing, and fruitiness in the suburbs, with pitch-perfect work by Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, and Mena Suvari. This is darkness light enough for audiences to groove along with and find funny, but with characters dipped far enough in the real world for us to forgive them, love them, be embarrassed by them. (***1/2)
Finally, let's look at the movies opening this weekend:
21 Jump Street A possibly bad idea that is, to my shock, getting rave, first-class reviews. Richard Grieco and Johnny Depp are updated as Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. Good notices too for Ice Cube and James Franco's brother Dave in support. It's supposed to be funny and lively, and with a clever story - our heroes going undercover to expose a high school drug ring. Go figure.
Casa de mi Padre This just seems weird. I know it's supposed to be ridiculous and threadbare and truly stupid, but Will Ferrell as a Mexican who returns to his father's ranch and finds himself embroiled in a war with a drug lord? No, thanks. Although the presence of Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal is certainly appealing. Poor reviews, although some critics have given themselves over to the sloppiness of it.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home Three of every four critics liks this film about a slacker (Jason Segel) who, to the chagrin of his more successful, cuckolded brother (Ed Helms), still lives in mom Susan Sarandon's basement. Kind of loose, fractured, quirky, low-key. Segel and Helms are almost always funny, though, and Judy Greer is here too. Directed by the Duplass brothers, who directed Cyrus - if that gives you an idea of whether or not you should see this.
Seeking Justice Yet another Nicolas Cage movie. I'll be straight: I want to see this. The reviews aren't good. It's kinda like Death Wish with Cage's wife (January Jones) attacked as she leaves her work. Cage, encouraged by Guy Pearce's vigilante, does what the title says. Cage is supposed to be super-intense and crazy here. I'm getting a kick out of some of the reviews that disparage the Ghost Rider, saying that Cage has spent so many years and bad films turning himself into a cartoon that he no longer knows how to play a human being. Directed by Roger Donaldson (The Bank Job).
Detachment Director Tony Kaye hasn't made a film since 1998's American History X but is back here, recruiting Adrien Brody for an intense, sardonic, acidic look at the public school system. Brody is a high school substitute teacher, awash in hopeless and helplessness, unable to get through to his indifferent students. His burnt-out, fatigued, frustrated colleagues include Christina Hendricks (va-va-va-VOOM), James Caan, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, Bryan Cranston, Wiliam Petersen, and Marcia Gay Harden. Better than average reviews, but some are saying it's slick and obvious, not really illuminating the problems it decries.
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