Day 55: The Big Lebowski

The Dude: "Fuckin' Quintana...that creep can roll, man."


Walter Sobchak: "Yeah, but he's a pervert, Dude."


The Dude: "Yeah."


Walter Sobchak: "No, he's a sex offender. With a record. He served 6 months in Chino for exposing himself to an 8 year old."


The Dude: "Oh!"


Walter Sobchak: "When he moved to Hollywood, he had to go door to door to tell everyone he was a pederast."


Donny: "What's a ... pederast?"


Walter Sobchak: "Shut the fuck up, Donny."

Fuck. Such a powerful word yet it can easily be relied on too much to make something feel convincing, especially in the world of Comedy. The Big Lebowski uses the word more than any movie I have ever seen. In this case, it makes every line in the film that much more enjoyable. I mean really? Do you actually think this film would be as hilarious without Walter repeatedly telling Donnie to shut the fuck up? I didn’t think so either. The Big Lebowski is so much more than a dark comedy; it’s a reminder that the Coens are masters at making the most idiotic characters seem like the triumphant heroes. Who else can make a film that revolves around a deadbeat middle-aged man fighting nihilists and Pornography executives, in order to get back his rug? The list is short and so are the reasons why you can watch this movie and not die laughing after every scene. Okay, I should probably control my inner fan boy and actually attempt to review this film.

Day 54: Amélie

"Amélie has a strange feeling of absolute harmony. It's a perfect moment. A soft light, a scent in the air, the quiet murmur of the city. A surge of love, an urge to help mankind overcomes her."

Since the dawn of cinema, the films most adored by critics and called "the greatest movies of all time" have been dramas. The Godfather, Schindler's List, and Goodfellas, among other (great) films, are filled with crime, anger, pain, and sadness. 2001's Amélie, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, manages to be a truly special film while focusing mainly on the positive aspects of life and human emotion - love and happiness. Anchored by lead actress Audrey Tautou (who plays the title character) Amélie is lighthearted, funny, charming, and heartwarming all at once, and in a unique way.

Day 53: Gilda

"I hate you so much that I would destroy myself to take you down with me." 

Maybe it’s just me, but does Hollywood now only seem to have bombshells that can’t act? Obviously there are outliers amongst the Hollywood starlets, but to me, in a film world more focused on the teen demographic and inducing erections in teenage boys, some actresses have no depth beyond the lushness of their lips. What happened to actresses that could stun you with their beauty, but knock you on your ass with their acting ability? Where are the Monroes, the Rogers, etc.? Instead, we’re stuck with women who are being exposed by the Michael Bay’s of the world to be only worth the amount of sex appeal they can bring to a film. Sex certainly sells, but now it lacks any semblance of substance. We have to go back to the 60’s, 50’s, and even 40’s to see a woman whose buxom persona didn’t outweigh her acting ability. You know what, let’s do that. Let’s go back in time and look at a film that features a woman that ignites the screen, but does so without having to constantly bite her lower lip or feel the need for a nip slip. Said movie is the underrated 40’s noir “Gilda”. “Gilda” is one of those gems from the 40's that seems to be overlooked simply because it doesn't have a Clark Gable nor the award prestige, but I would say it’s one of the best films to hail from that time period.

Day 52: The Air I Breathe

"Sometimes the things you can't change end up changing you."

Continuing along with my recent journey through independent films, this week brings me to a directorial debut of Jieho Lee, who not only directed “The Air I Breathe” but also wrote the script along with Bob DeRosa. As an independent movie, it really boasts a stellar cast. Starring in the movie is Brendan Fraser, Keven Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The amazing part is that all of these characters have a large effect on the story. It's not often that you find a movie where so many people affect its message. A typical movie layout would be a protagonist vs. antagonist, but Jieho Lee went in a whole new direction.