Both films critique bourgeoisie excess and the decline of French (and to some extent, Western) civilization. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie manages to do all of the above while keeping the tone light and stimulating, while La Grande Bouffe (The Great Feast) takes forever and a day to set up the story, makes an obvious argument, and then beats a dead horse for another hour and a half of repetitive orgiastic nonsense.

The film runs over two hours long, which is roughly an hour longer than it really ought to be. The first act is entirely forgettable, save an unnerving scene between Philippe (Philippe Noiret) and his incestuous, mother-like relative. The plot is simple and too bluntly satirical: four men decide to literally stuff themselves to death by consuming mass quantities of gourmet food.

The film makes obvious arguments regarding French civilization and the consumerist classes. Many of these arguments come straight from the mouth of pastry chef Ugo (Ugo Tognazzi). La Grande Bouffe features excellent French and Italian actors, well known for their times. However, the script doesn’t leave much room for the actors to maneuver. Philippe is immature and needs women with ample bosoms to pander over him. Ugo likes cooking.  Marcello (Marcello Mastroianni) lieks sex. Michel (Michel Piccoli) is possibly gay.

The only character with any depth is Andréa Ferréol‘s  Andréa, a Rubenesque schoolteacher with a surprisingly hedonistic sensibility. Ferréol imbues the role with a tender sensitivity that at once contrasts and complements her character’s voracious appetite. Andréa joins the men in their orgy of decadence, but, unlike them, she never grows pale with exhaustion. She remains fresh and dewy under director Marco Ferreri‘s soft Golden Age lighting. The other characters are filmed in neutral light.

Ferreri succeeds in making his point about consumption and excess. He includes a bounty of symbols, most of which are obvious. The humans and animals make similar sounds as man loses his civilized qualities. The Bugatti can run, but never makes it out of the yard; the men waste their abilities, unable to leave the mansion.

The first act is overly solemn. The second, exuberant but strained. The third, monotonous and much, much too long. Ferreri uses crass humor, graphic (and idiotic) sex, and disgusting scenes of overconsumption to prove his point. It’s a point that could have easily been made in a thirty minute short film. Over two hours? Torture.

The movie itself isn’t particularly clever or insightful, but romantic comedies don’t need to be. Tatou plays Émilie, a streetwise salon owner, who receives a note from a secret admirer. Unbeknownst to Émilie, that admirer is none other than the salon’s janitor, Jean (Bouajila), who also has a few surprises up his sleeve.

There are some interesting issues of class and race that play out in this film. A scene with two Asian women is pivotal, though it mostly plays as comedy to the audience.

Complications arise when Émilie decides to copy her admirer’s note and send it to her mother Maddy (Nathalie Baye), a depressed divorcee unwilling to leave her home. The thought of a secret admirer invigorates Maddy, which inevitably leads to Émilie continuing to send letters in the guise of the nameless admirer. Eventually Jean is drawn into the scheme as well, and hilarity (and heartbreak) ensues.

I found the movie fairly compelling, for rom com fare. However, I must point out that the last act includes plotting that might not mesh well with typical American values. We in the states tend to like our lines drawn clear, at least in rom coms and action films. Émilie never quite becomes a likeable person. In fact, the character has few redeeming qualities, save her love for her mother. Furthermore, Maddy’s little revenge near the end of the film will come as a shocker–and an unnecessary one, at that–to  American audiences.

My verdict? I liked the film. It was fresh and fun, and moved at a lively pace. Director Pierre Salvadori has a keen eye for humor and the light syncopation of flirtation and lust. There was just enough variation in plot and tone to differentiate the film from the usual genre fluff, though not enough variation to push the movie to the top of 2010′s offerings.

Tautou is lovely, as always, and Bouajila makes a believable, albeit passive, leading man. Though talent could be found in all aspects on screen, the scene-stealer was certainly Nathalie Baye. With Maddy, Baye manages to create a character who is at once pathetic and endearing, with both a loving heart and a malicious streak.

I screened this film at the ColCoa French Film Festival earlier this year, and it was a treat to be able to sit back and enjoy some lighter fare, along with darker films such as My Piece of the Pie (Ma part du gâteau) and more sentimental pieces like My Afternoons With Margueritte (La Tête en friche). Reviews of both of those films coming soon.

Well, not so much the unibrow, but you get the point.

In that vein (in that brow?) here’s a lovely clip, for those of you who haven’t seen it yet:

I think Wilde would approve of the Jersey Shore cast’s hedonism, but definitely not their sense (or lack thereof) of style.

SMG‘s new series, Ringer, is an action-packed mystery thriller, a wonderful complement to the vastly improved Nikita.

Gellar will play dual roles as twin sisters Bridget and Siobhan. After witnessing a crime, Bridget runs from her dysfunctional life and, through a series of events, decides to take over her missing sister’s life.

Naturally, unbenownst to Bridget, Siobhan is apparently alive and deeply inolved in a complex web of lies and violence. Intriguing!

Catch the video after the jump.

Ringer starts September 19, on theCW. I know I’ll be watching.

This is the Weeds we used to know and love. The past few seasons have been spotty, and this season’s first few episodes have been touch-and-go, but “Fingers Only Meat Banquet” is a bona fide classic in the making.

This episode flawlessly integrates all of the main cast, weaving together the sometimes disparate storylines into a cohesive whole. Doug (Kevin Nealon) has troubles at his office, where Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) now works. Nancy and her attorney (Martin Short) fly to California, with Silas (Hunter Parrish) in tow, for a custody hearing. Shane (Alexander Gould) pays for the tickets with his student loan money.

There’s more than just those plot arcs, though. This episode is stuffed with different character narratives, as well as opportunities for growth and future problems. The last scene is a great kicker too–a huge payoff for loyal fans.

Critics have turned their backs on Nancy these past few seasons. She started off as a caring suburban housewife who was forced to turn to drugs to support her children. Later, her reckless streak and manipulative nature made her less and less emotionally likeable. The past few seasons have shown again and again how flawed Nancy is as a mother.

However, it’s important to note that, despite her flaws, Nancy never loses sight of her priorities. She is always fiercely protective of her sons, and this episode sees a return to the characterization of Nancy as a maternal figure. Silas has been openly resentful of his mother this season, yet Nancy chooses to bring him as a character witness in the custody trial for Stevie. During this process, Silas comes to terms with his mother as a human being. He gives a touching speech to the judge, but also to the audience, who is likely used to years of judging Nancy.

While Silas is convincing the judge, Nancy has a confrontation with her sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her brother-in-law (Mel Fair), and a neighborhood security officer. Scott, the brother-in-law is sympathetic to Nancy, but fears his wife. The security officer has a surprisingly large role for a bit part. I’m pretty sure we’ll see at least one of these men play a pivotal role later in the season. Nonetheless, this episode sets up the conflict well, with Nancy practically in tears when unable to see her son.

Back in New York…

–Doug finds out that his company has been reporting false figures for a while now. His boss (NAME) implies that Doug should continue the practice, which kills Doug’s usual relaxed vibe.

–Shane finally enrolls in college, bribing his way into a Criminal Justice class. Figures.

–Andy (Justin Kirk) breaks up with Maxeen (Lindsay Sloane) after finding himself uncomfortable with the prospect of dating a woman whose husband has terminal cancer.

Lest we forget, Nancy is still missing a weed supply, which brings us to the fantastic closing sequence. The director focuses on Silas and Nancy driving in an unknown area, with the judge’s convenient voiceover suggesting Nancy pursue a return to basics, a return to her roots and the things and people that surrounded her when she was a “good mother.”

And then we see Heylia James (Tonye Patano). Boom.

My writing background has mostly been in arts and entertainment, and in that beat, I usually focus on music. I love music, but really, who doesn’t?

I never meant to ignore the glories of the musical form, but I find that I no longer have the time or impetus to see as many shows as I used to, or listen to as many albums in full. However, as always, I am full of opinions (bursting!), and the best and worst part of keeping in the know with music is the fast turnover rate. A band is unknown one day, hot the second, disbanded or forgotten by the next.

Long story short, this post will be the start of many. I will post and (briefly) discuss songs that I’m enjoying, or songs I find intriguing. Possibly songs I detest. Who knows.

First one follows after the jump.

Here’s a tune that I love. It’s mellow, but with a driving beat and a beautiful rise and fall. I particularly like the bit around 1:34.

Enjoy.

Also unecessary: Andy’s romance. Andy’s antics are often comic relief, but, in the past, his storylines have at least somewhat intersected with the main narrative (Nancy). Instead, in this episode, Andy (Justin Kirk) continues his fling with Maxeen (Lindsay Sloane), the artist from last ep., only to find himself in a polyamorous pickle. No connection whatsoever to the rest of the characters.Meanwhile, Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) is still fighting to retain custody of her youngest son, Stevie. She hires a new lawyer, whose odd predilections come across as extremely affected.

In general, this episode suffered from wooden acting. Knowing what the actors on Weeds are capable of, the dead expressions and stilted speech of this episode are probably the fault of the director, Eric Jewett. Jewett previously directed last season’s “Bliss,” which was convincing, if a bit disjointed.

Note the pep talk Silas (Hunter Parrish) gives Shane (Alexander Gould). Actually, note every conversation between or including either Silas or Shane. One of the worst effects of the time jump between Season 6 and 7 is the forced aging of the two “child” actors. I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. A bit of facial hair and a new dye job do not three years make.

In the past few seasons, Shane has grown to be possibly the most compelling character on Weeds. However, the show hasn’t given him any material of worth this season. He plays one mode in this ep.–sad little Mama’s boy. He also seems to have gone back to his anti-drug morals.

Silas, on the other hand, does have a new character arc. He is now rebelling against his mother. Oh wait, except that isn’t a new arc. Throughout the series, Silas has repeatedly attempted to distance himself from Nancy, and every time, he falls back in with her and the rest of the family. Case in point: this episode’s crunchy chicken. It’s not exactly growth if a character just hits the same beats over and over again.

I suppose that can be a complaint about the series, not just this particular episode. The first three seasons of Weeds were stellar, as critics and fans alike can attest. However, as I’ve said before, one of the interesting themes on Weeds was the idea of the normal, suburban family hiding a secret criminal life. After the third season, that core conceit gradually ebbed away. Now, we’re just watching the hijinks of a crime family, and I’m sorry to say it does get repetitive after a few years of the same stories: Andy’s unrequited love, Silas’s inability to leave the flock, Nancy’s irresponsible mothering, etc.

Luckily, Mary-Louise Parker is still fantastic. She always manages to keep Nancy just on this side of likeable. In “A Hole in Her Niqab,” Nancy convinces a lawyer (Martin Short) to represent her pro bono, convinces Doug (Kevin Nealon) to give her a job at his new corporate office, convinces Silas to deal the weed for her and on her terms, and convinces Shane to give her the remaining cash from his student loan check (after he spent the bulk of it recreating the Agrestic bedroom for her). That’s a lot of convincing, but Nancy’s power has always been her wiliness.

Unfortunately for Nancy, sometimes even she can’t force her way out of situations. Her weed contact runs dry. She can’t afford to send her sister a check for Stevie’s private school tuition. She’s still living in a halfway house, and every shot of Nancy in another terrible hand-me-down dress is more proof of how the mighty and casually chic have fallen.

But the ubiquitous Starbucks iced coffees are back. Surely the rest of Nancy’s charmed life is only a few episodes away.

“Game-Played” opens with the resolution for last episode’s cliffhanger. Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) did test positive for marijuana, after she–uncharacteristically– smoked with her former cellmate’s brother. Since sending Nancy back to jail would make Weeds fairly boring, sitcom law allows Nancy a second chance.

Oh also, Andy (Justin Kirk) is the saddest character ever. More on that later.

There’s an odd consequence of the time jump that Weeds took between last season and this one. Three years is a short period of time. However, in order to show that three years have passed in an otherwise timeless show, each character was either visibly changed or drastically changed in spirit and tone.

This is most evident in the “children” of the show. After the time jump, Shane (Alexander Gould) is now 18, and Silas (Hunter Parrish) is 22. Shane went through a dark storyline over the course of the past two seasons. Once the moral center of the family back in Agrestic, Shane became morbid, withdrawn, and violent. However, he never stopped loving his flighty, irresponsible mother. (Too much love? Who else remembers Season 4 Episode 9?)

On the other hand, Silas started off as a sunny teen who was fairly optimistic and easygoing. He participated in the family business even when Shane found it immoral. As the two boys grew older, their roles in the family switched. Shane turned toward the criminal, violent, and lawbreaking side of their lives, while Silas grew more and more tired of his mother’s antics, hoping always for a “normal life.”

This season, Silas has dyed his hair, and with the new darker hair comes a new darker personality. He’s standoffish toward his mother and, when he sees Nancy hiding weed in the new Botwin home, Silas demands his cut. Hunter Parrish has never been the strongest dramatic actor in the group, so his anger is a bit one-note.

The rest of the episode is similarly monotone, another placeholder before the action really begins. Nancy’s drug test results lead her to drug counseling, which only results in her taking notes on dealers (future competition) in the neighborhood. I’m not sure that the audience will readily believe there are only two drug dealers in all of New York City, but Weeds has never been the most realistic show. Nancy completes the sale of weapons for weed, conveniently sleeping with her former cellmate/lesbian lover’s brother (Pablo Schreiber) in the process.

Before said implied sex occurs, we get a heartbreaking scene between Andy and Nancy.  Andy’s unrequited love for Nancy has long ago crossed the border from romantic to depressing. I understand that resolving the central romantic tension effectively ends a TV show (see The Office), but Andy’s undying affection needs to either be resolved or–who am I kidding, it needs to be resolved. Knocking Nancy from her pedestal (via an increasingly negative portrayal these past few seasons) has only made Andy’s love seem more pathetic.

Other happenings this episode: Doug (Kevin Nealon) gets a cush corporate job. Shane applies for college loans. Andy has a new possible love interest. (Didn’t he just get one of those last week?)

Preview for next week shows Nancy working for Doug and finding drug connections through him. We’ve been here before, Weeds. Please return some dignity to the characters before you wrap up the series.

Outstanding Drama

Impressive nod to Game of Thrones in its freshman season. Obvious nods to Mad Men, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire. Friday Night Lights is in its final season, and hasn’t won yet, but for the show to go home with the big prize would still be somewhat of an upset. This season of Dexter hasn’t lived up to the marvelous plot-twisting of last season. Mad Men, on the other hand, is a show that ages like a fine wine. My vote:

Mad Men

Outstanding Comedy

30 Rock and The Office are well past their prime, though The Office gets a boost for last season being Steve Carrell’s farewell. Glee and Modern Family, the two breakout comedies of 2010, lost a bit of their freshness in 2011. Modern Family went home with the Emmy last year, but Season 2 was much more uneven. On the other hand, voters and viewers love the show. (Spoiler: I love the show as well.)

The Big Bang Theory is a solid middle America lowbrow pleaser, with a considerable geek cachet. However, it’s not amazing television, and not nearly as smart or inventive as the other nominees. I’d take last season’s How I Met Your Mother over last season’s The Big Bang Theory any day, even with the increasingly delightful Miyam Bialik. Parks and Rec is an underdog, but an underdog that has been gaining speed and viewers. It’s a simple, fresh comedy that has a unique voice. My vote:

Parks and Recreation

Outstanding Animated Program

It’s a truism that the Emmy ballot looks roughly the same every year. Perhaps it’s no truer for any category than it is for Outstanding Animated Program. In a genre with characters that rarely age and longstanding longevity generated by DVD sales, the same shows do tend to be nominated over and over again.

It’s jarring to realize that South Park‘s reputation has far eclipsed its beginnings as  a rebellious upstart show with toilet humor and a penchant for annoying celebrities. Now, its nomination is expected. South Park is definitely part of the television establishment now, especially with this latest nomination. The past season was lackluster, but like The Simpsons, South Park has achieved a consistently high quality, so much that voters ignore the specific achievements of each season.

Futurama‘s nomination should also come as no surprise, with the show’s predilection for heartwarming tear-jerkers. Honestly, the only show in the bunch that has really been making creative strides in recent years is Robot Chicken, an underrated show that has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception. My vote:

Robot Chicken

Outstanding Children’s Program

I can’t vouch for any of the shows, as I’m not familiar with current children’s programming, but I have to point out one. Degrassi, the over-the-top teen soap, submitted a particularly potent episode this year. In “My Body Is a Cage,” a character deals with his transgender identity, first through self-harm, but later through support from family and friends. In the same episode, a teen becomes a class clown in an effort to get a higher grade. It’s this duality of serious, controversial issues and ordinary sitcom fare that makes Degrassi a culturally important television program.

More discussion to come in a later post. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Emmy noms. Comment away!

It’s easy to make a generic movie about race relations. Throw in a few slackjawed racists, and some do-gooders, and in the end, everyone gets along and sings Kumbayah. This is not the case with Do The Right Thing.

The film follows Mookie (Spike Lee), a young African American man, as he trasverses through a neighborhood filled with different people of different races. It’s the hottest day of summer in New York’s Bed-Stuys neighborhood, and the heat brings racial tensions to a boil.

In a telling and clever sequence, characters spout racial epithets in a round robin showing the cyclic nature of hate. The Black man hates the Italian man, who can’t stand the Mexicans, who detest the Koreans, and so on. It’s a fast and sharply-written sequence that shows the futility of racism. It’s brilliantly ended by a loudly-shouted “Stop!” by the local DJ (Samuel L. Jackson).

Do the Right Thing focuses on an Italian-American owned pizzeria in the middle of a predominantly Black neighborhood. Danny Aiello‘s compellingly complex turn as Sal, the pizza shop owner earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination. (The movie, as a whole, was shamefully overlooked by the Academy.)

Throughout the day, tension mounts as the temperature rises. Lee shows us little conflicts. Black men turning a fire hydrant to spray a White man’s car. A group of Mexican men engage in a sort of radio battle with Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), a Black man whose passion is walking around with a boombox that plays Public Enemy‘s “Fight the Power” on repeat. Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito), a local agitator, attempts to boycott Sal’s pizzeria.

Tensions escalate until a fight breaks out in the pizzeria, police are called, and Radio Raheem is needlessly killed by local police.  Radio dies with little fanfare. Even the movie itself diverts little focus to the actual circumstances of his death. The ensuing riot is almost a reaction to that absence of reaction, not to the death itself.

It’s important to note that, in this film, there are no good nor bad characters. Sal is kind to his customers and takes interest in many of the people in the neighborhood. But, when push comes to shove, he unleashes a string of racial epithets that turns his customers against him. Is Sal racist or not racist? Who in the film is racist? More importantly, who isn’t?

Do the Right Thing raises more questions than it answers, and Lee portrays racism as a multifaceted issue, without pandering to any audience. The film is a sad film. There’s something terribly depressing about the futility to any effort made to unite the characters in the film.

Do the Right Thing is an excellent film, but it does have its flaws. I found the ice cube scene a bit gratuitous, if not exploitative. However, Spike Lee‘s choice of creating a Puerto Rican girlfriend for the main character and a biracial baby was a nice, realistic addition to the already diverse cast.

Mookie, as a main character, was fairly flat. He didn’t have a strong moral center, but served well as a tabula rasa for the audience to project their own opinions and emotions. The real hero of the film is Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), an old drunkard who has seen the pain of racism past and tries to save the present generation, multiple times.

The film ends with two quotes, one by Dr. Martin Luther King, decrying the senselessness of violence; and one by Malcolm X, advocating violence as a means of self defense against oppression. The motif of Martin Luther King versus Malcolm X is repeatedly depicted in the film. A mentally disabled man named Smiley (Roger Guenveur Smith) walks through the neighborhood selling photos of King shaking the hand of Malcom X.

In the aftermath of the riot, we see Smiley tacking one of his photos on the crumbling wall of Sal’s pizzeria, and then running off by himself, for once without words to stutter. In the face of America’s long history of racism and prejudice, aren’t we all a bit like Smiley? Incapable of rational thought, our words deprived of meaning.