Episode 4 October 27th, 2010

Here is our fourth episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? a bi-weekly podcast looking at the top box office earner and the Best Picture Academy Award Winner of the same year. This episode we watched the films of 2007, with No Country For Old Men representing the highbrow and Spiderman 3 representing the lowbrow.

No Country For Old Men, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a tale about Llewelyn (Josh Brolin) a man on the run from the villainous Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) after taking loot from a bloody shootout. Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Bell, looking for answers in an increasingly violent world. This movie continues the trend of excellent Coen Brother offerings, chock full of relatable characters and an engaging story. Some may even call this a perfect movie with nary a weak moment. Even the slower portions of the film serve as a welcome respite from the brutal goings on.

Spiderman 3, directed by Sam Raimi, is the third installment of the Spiderman series. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has to confront villains galore, from Green Goblin (James Franco) to Sandman (Thomas Haden-Church) to Venom (Topher Grace), all the while dealing with his own dark side and the whims of his lady-friend Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). Like all the other Spiderman films, this one is filled with intense action, an uplifting score and vibrant special effects. However, the cast and crew show a little wear and tear, at times looking as if they are just going through motions.

How did these two movies compare to each other? Was the excitement and fun of Spiderman 3 enough to stand up to the pitch-perfect tone of No Country For Old Men? Check out the latest episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? to see.

Spiderman 3

"Spiderman 3" is campy, but there are enough fun moments to keep it entertaining from start to finish. It is far from a masterpiece, but the production is so expensive and luxurious that if you get bored with the story and the mediocre acting there's always something pretty to look at. Two new villains are introduced in this one, giving our pal Spidey some new nemeses to face off against. Also, our hero Spiderman has to battle some demons within himself. But you already know how this one works out: our hero triumphs, gets his girl, and they live happily ever after. Unfortunately, everyone in "Spiderman 3" looks tired, all of them wanting to reach this saga's finish line so that they can move on with their lives and careers. Is anyone waiting with baited breath for "Spiderman 4"? I doubt it. It's time for this comic book hero to take an extended vacation from the big screen.

No Country For Old Men

For me, this is a perfect film. A tremendous cast and a gripping story anchor the production. Javier Bardem is outstanding as Anton Chigurh. He brings a sinister, cold edge to his role as a nihilistic assassin. The story revolves around a satchel of money and a manhunt. One would be hard-pressed to dream up a more generic premise, but the filmmakers - the Coen brothers - are almost peerless in their filmmaking prowess, and their work here never descends into cliche. In "No Country For Old Men" they add enough idiosyncratic elements that the film rewards many repeated viewings. After just watching it for a second time I'm already looking forward to seeing it again. 

White Ribbon

One of the most stunning films anyone could wish to see. Yet I hope to never watch it again. It presents an encompassing darkness that may prove difficult to shake after viewing. "White Ribbon" focuses on the brutality adults can inflict upon children. Boorish fathers dominate passive mothers, beating their progeny frequently. The abuse depicted is emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual. Not one child in the cast is spared from the ferocity. The film, set in 1910's rural Germany is presented as a foreshadowing of the sea change wrought by the Third Reich in decades to come. It is fascinating to watch and to  contemplate, but viewer discretion is strongly advised.

Cinderella

Call me sentimental if you will - I was delighted by this film. Watching this felt like a cleansing. Themes are uncomplicated and completely straightforward. Cinderella = good, Stepmother & Stepsisters = bad. Lucifer, the cat, is also not to be favored (no shock, with that name). Cinderella's mouse friends Jacque and Gus are a regular laugh riot. The animation is awesome and the songs are top-notch. Despite knowing the ending by heart, I still found myself rooting for Cinderella and her band of sympathetic animals at the end. Yes, she and the prince live happily ever after. I loved every minute of it.

All About Eve

"All About Eve" is a view into the lives of those who work in the theatre. It takes a close look at the level of ambition required to rise to the top of this profession. I don't believe this to be a "perfect" film as many others do, but nonetheless it is quite enjoyable. The performances are excellent, and the script is top-notch. This is a film that has aged well. It remains thought-provoking, gripping, and worthy of a viewing by any serious film aficionado.

Episode 3 October 10th, 2010

Welcome to the third episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? where we look at the Academy Award winner for Best Picture and the top box office earner of the same year. The midway point of the 20th century, the year 1950, brings us our latest picks: Cinderella (the top box office earner) and All About Eve (the Academy Award Best Picture Winner).

All About Eve, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, is the story of a young ingenue making her way through the world of theater by any means necessary. Starring Bette Davis as the aging actress Margo, and Anne Baxter as the ambitious starlet Eve, this film plumbs the depths of desire, fame and idolization. Utilizing a Rashomon-style storytelling method, several different characters provide the narration, from the conniving Addison Dewitt, played by George Sanders, to the honest Karen, played by Celeste Holm. This was a thoroughly riveting film we both enjoyed, a timeless classic unmarred by age.

Cinderella, directed by Clyde Geronimi and Wilfred Jackson, is the classic fairytale of one girl's dream to meet her handsome prince. With the voices of Ilene Wood (Cinderella), Eleanor Audley (Lady Tremaine) and James Macdonald, this animated story offers a mixture of enchanting songs and slapstick humor to keep the whole family entertained. Though this story maintained a sense of child-like wonder throughout, it can lack some sophistication.

So what won over our hearts more? The animated fantasy of Cinderella or the engaging drama of All About Eve? Check out this latest episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? to see.

Cleopatra

First off, let's state the obvious: the 4-hour running time is oppressive. I don't care how many weeks it took for the set designers to paint the walls of Cleopatra's inner chambers - cut, cut, cut! Either deliver a more concise single film or give us 2 installments. "Cleopatra 2", you ask...? Sure why not. I will say that even the mere act of watching "Cleopatra" felt luxurious. Everything looks so expensive! Unfortunately the cast is never amazing, as they deliver one tedious speech after another (although I did enjoy Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar). It often seems like the director's primary fixation was devising new and imaginative ways to showcase Elizabeth Taylor's cleavage. Worth a look for the pageantry, but by no means is this a great film.