Bobby

Bobby, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, is a wonderful film that illustrates the need that a country--and it's citizenry--has for effective and inspired leadership, and the despair that can occur when that leadership is denied.

The film takes place almost exclusively within the Ambassador Hotel, during the 12 hours or so before Robert F. Kennedy was shot shortly after making a speech. Although Kennedy himself is a minor character in the film (his face-time on camera is from archival film footage, after all) his presence and the hope his possible election to the presidency has for a country in chaos is as much a character as those portrayed by the cast.

It was 1968, and the US was experiencing turmoil. Each of the individuals portrayed in Bobby are struggling in their own ways with an unpopular war, race relations, poverty, oppression and a government that was becoming less and less "of the people." The characters handle the distress that's occurring in their personal lives in various ways: pretending the distress doesn't exist, making poor choices, through alcohol and drug use, for example.

Where Estevez is most masterful is in how he overlays that distress with the promise that Kennedy offers. And then, how that promise is stripped away when Kennedy is killed.

It may have more to do with my politics than the film itself, but I really enjoyed Bobby. And I believed it, which for me is the true measure of a drama.

Disturbia

I like Shia LaBeouf. He's a terrifically talented young actor, and has a huge future of substantial work ahead of him if he keeps his head on straight. Much was made about his movie Disturbia being a rip-off of Hitchcock's Rear Window. I've seen Jimmy Stewart movies. Jimmy Stewart movies helped shape my interest in flicks. At this point in his career LaBeouf is no Jimmy Stewart, nor is Disturbia no Real Window.

It might be better.

Look, I don't really mean that based on historical perspective. Window is a artistic masterpiece, while Disturbia is a slick, let's-make-a-star-outta-this-guy vehicle designed to separate dollars from tweeners. Let's be clear where I stand here.

But I watched Rear Window recently (again) and walked away this time with sort of a "eh, so what" feeling. Great plot, terrific acting for sure. But the pace can't fit today's industry. It can't satisfy a generation diagnosed with attention deficit.

One aspect of Disturbia I liked much better than Rear Window was getting to really know the villain. David Morse, as serial killer Robert Turner, was outstanding. I liked Morse as the good guy in St. Elsewhere back in the 80s so much, and now he scares me more and more with the career he's making out of playing the villain. Morse made this movie something better than a simple teen flick.

He made it a real movie.

Whatever Happened To... Bowzer, From Sha Na Na

In the late 70s, Sha Na Na was syndicated in my region on Saturday nights at 7:30pm. It came on after SCTV, and as I recall was opposite Hee Haw. Since I watched SCTV and didn't Hee Haw, I stuck around to catch Bowser and the group do their thing.

I used to laugh when Jon "Bowzwer" Bauman would strike that pose. You remember the pose: the one where he flexed his arm and wrist and looked as if he was gonna ram his fist down his own throat.


Priceless.



The group often sang a cover of the song Donna, by Ritchie Valens.

I had a girl, Donna was her name
Since she left me, I've never been the same
'Cause I loved my girl,
Donna, where can you be? Where can you be?

I liked a girl named Medina, who was older and in 6th grade. She broke up with me, and I had a hard time with the rejection. Donna sounded pretty close to Medina, so I sang that song a lot, and substituted the name. It was good therapy. But while I loved the show, I always got a little uncomfortable when the group dressed in their gold uni-tards for the show's finale.

Something just wasn't right about that to an 10 year old adolescent.

Bauman made a lifelong living off Bowzer, performing at state fairs and cruises and working the game show circuit in the 80s and early 90s. He also formed his own production company, Jon Bauman Productions, which produced the ten hour series The Golden Years Of Rock 'n' Roll for the A&E Network.

Doh-doh-de-oh-doh...Goodnight, sweetheart

Film Scenes That Matter: Glengarry Glen Ross

David Mamet's play-turned-flick has a steller cast, and can be a difficult film to watch. The despair and the urgency that's at the core of this film gives Mrs. Film Geek the Danny Gut.

But Alec Baldwin's seven-minute-plus scene is brilliant! And that alone is worth the rental price for Glengarry Glen Ross.

"Coffee's for closers only."

(Be prepared for some profanity.)

Film Scenes That Matter: Monty Python And The Holy Grail

I think I saw The Holy Grail at a time when I still thought Monty Python was a person. I felt a real connection with the humour, and the flick became pretty important to me back in the day.

This scene with the Black Knight illustrates what I liked most about Python comedy: irony, and absurdity.

"All right, we'll call it a draw."

Firehouse Dog

Dear Maddisen, Griffyn and Jaden:

One of the things I enjoy most about being a father is watching you children grow up. Each of you has made me proud so many times with your thoughtfulness, kindness and sincerity. Those personal characteristics help people become really cool adults, you know. You're already on the right path.

Although I enjoy seeing you grow up, I'm also sort of saddened by it. It used to be easy to spend time with you kids. I was in charge of the schedule, after all! It was the time-line kept by your mother and me that determined when we went here or there, when we cuddled on the couch while watching a movie or when we kicked a soccer ball around in the back yard.

Now? It's not so much my schedule as it is the three of yours.

Cheer-leading, dances, school events, gymnastics, birthday parties, pre-school activities, sports; all of it takes some precedence over spending quality time with me. And while I expect that--and even understand it--I'm still getting accustomed to it.

That's why, more than anything else, I enjoyed Firehouse Dog.

For the first time in a long, long time I realized all of us were in the house at the same time. No place to go, no plans to go anywhere. No work was on my schedule, the laundry was done and the house fairly clean.

The stars were aligned perfectly.


That you all answered: "Yes!!" so enthusiastically when I asked if you wanted to watch the flick together made me smile. That you watched it with me even when it became a bit boring made me happy. And when each of you asked in your own way if I liked the movie after it was over made me proud.

So, go on about your day and your schedule for now. I'm good for a while. But thanks. Especially for small moments like that.

Shooter

I generally enjoy movies that explore emotional and philosophical perspectives such as honor, pride and patriotism. Although we humans tend to have a common understanding of each, we experience them differently in terms of depth and appreciation. Flicks with that theme gets my popcorn popping every time. Throw in some bombs and guns and revenge-based violence?

You had me at conspiracy.

Mark Wahlberg is fine in his role as the double-crossed Marine marksman Bob Lee Swagger. Although pretty savvy and highly cautious, Swagger finds himself chin-deep in a governmental conspiracy he didn't see coming. He's forced to rely on some people he barely knows to work through the ordeal, including disgraced FBI newbie Nick Memphis (played by Michael Pena).

And we've now stumbled onto the real problem with Shooter. The character names, like Swagger and Memphis, and later a bad guy named Payne: the flick suffers from being a caricature. It tries to entertain us with an interesting war story, but really it's full of cliche and predictable plot themes. As I said, the acting is fine and the action is interesting, but that's about all that makes this movie.

And that's too bad. It had real potential.

Film Scenes That Matter: Taxi Driver

For some it takes a lifetime to achieve stardom. For others, it can happen with a single scene. I still get chills when I watch a young De Niro work this scene from Taxi Driver.

"Well, I'm the only one here."

Another of my all-time favorites.

Film Scenes That Matter: Say Anything

Some film scenes are so important--so vital--that they shouldn't be forgotten. Many speak volumes about our society, our culture and the human condition, while others are just damn fun to remember.

I'll let others decide which side this scene from Say Anything falls on. All I know is, it's one of my all-time favorites:

Flashback! Bad Movies That Haunt Me: Gymkata

Waiting--along with 50 other parents each week, on over-stuffed couches and lounge chairs--for my children to finish up their gymnastics lessons can make for a long evening. I've tried bringing along a book for pleasure, and last week even resorted to taking work with me to do while I wait.

No matter what I do, though, each week I struggle with the same traumatic memory:






Gymkata!







The mother to the left of me smiles as her young son lands perfectly off the trampoline. "The skill of gymnastics..." I think. My daughter does a round-off and effortlessly moves into a high toe-touch.

I smile. "...the kill of karate."

It's a whole room full of little Kurt Thomas' just waiting to become Jason Bourne.