KPBS Film Club airs tomorrow - Time to bash spielberg!
May 20th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Just a reminder that the KPBS Film Club of the Air rages on tomorrow with reviews of four new films. Join Beth Accomando, Tom Fudge and the King Of All spielberg Haters when we discuss Thomas McCarthy’s The Visitor, Claude Lelouch’s Roman De Gare, Santosh Sivan’s Before the Rains and little stevie’s You’ll Need Crystal Meth to Sit Through Indiana Jones’ Skull.
The Film Club airs at 10 am (Pacific) and if you live outside the San Diego area, I’ll post the podcast here.
Tags: BEFORE THE RAINS, Beth Accomando, Film Club, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, KBPS, Radio, ROMAN DE GARE, THE VISITOR, Tom FudgeFiled Under KPBS Radio Shows, News
Phil Donahue joins KPBS-Radio’s Film Club of the Air
April 23rd, 2008 by Scott Marks
Eddie Vedder, Tomas Young, Ellen Spiro, Phil Donahue
On this morning’s Film Club we were joined via telephone by Phil Donahue who is making the rounds promoting his exceptional new anti-war documentary Body of War which he co-wrote and directed with Ellen Spiro. Phil spoke with great passion and intensity about the film’s subject Tomas Young, a paralyzed veteran cut down after only five days of service. The film details the unspeakable indignities the 25-year-old vet must endure on a daily basis as well his rapidly changing feelings concerning the merit of Bush’s “war on terror.”
Sadly, more people will see Morgan Spurlock’s giggle fest than Body of War. It’s not often that I use the word important when it come to cinema. I was hipped to this after seeing the trailer for A Night at the Opera which refers to the Marx Bros. romp as one of “the most important comedies ever made!”
Generally, if a poster contains the loaded term I break out in hives. That said, this is one of the most important films I have seen in years, and even though I’m a born pacifist and a die-hard Bush-hater it has forever changed the way I look at war.
I’ve talked this film up to like-minded friends as well as strangers at the checkout stand. (I hold back by not mentioning the catheter scene or that I cried all the way through it.) Unfortunately, the reaction is almost always the same: “I don’t know if I want to see it. It sounds too depressing.” It angers me that our society is pulling a blanket over their collective eyes as I am convinced that films like this (not Redacted) will help bring about an end to the war.
Since starting this blog I have never once insisted that you see a film, not even one of Marty’s. I’m doing it now. Please, hold off on seeing Harold and Kumar and if you’re smart, skip The Life Before Her Eyes and Deception altogether. Break away from your computers and home entertainment centers and see this movie opening weekend.
Also on the show, three concise minutes on Shine a Light, reviews of My Blueberry Nights, Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden and Redbelt in addition to some closing fireworks over Zombie Strippers.
Note to San Diegans: Ellen Spiro will be making a personal appearance at this Saturday night’s 7:15 pm screening at The Ken.
Download the Film Club podcast here.
Tags: Beth Accomando, BODY OF WAR, Documentary, Eddie Vedder, Ellen Spiro, Film Club, Film Club of the Air, Film Reviews, Harold_and_Kumar, KPBS, KPBS Radio, MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS, Phil Donahue, Podcast, Radio, REDBELT, Scott Marks, SHINE A LIGHT, Tom Fudge, Tomas Young, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN, ZOMBIE STRIPPERSFiled Under News
KPBS Film Club of the Air this Wednesday!
April 21st, 2008 by Scott Marks
The Wong Kar-Pie
If you live in San Diego and are near a radio this Wednesday morning be sure to tune into KPBS, 89.5 FM when the Film Club of the Air reviews a bunch of new releases.
I’ll be there with my partner in crimes against cinema Beth Accomando and These Days host Tom Fudge to talk about David Mamet’s Redbelt, Wong Kar-Wai’s My Blueberry Nights, and a comparison between two war documentaries Ellen Spiro’s Body of War and Morgan Spurlock’s Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden. We’ll also take a few moment to discuss Marty’s Shine a Light and that soon-to-be family favorite, Zombie Strippers.
If you can’t join us live, make sure to download the podcast.
Tags: Beth Accomando, Film Club of the Air, Film Reviews, KPBS, Podcast, Radio, Scott Marks, Tom FudgeFiled Under News
KPBS Film Club of the Air - March 19, 2008
March 20th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Is Horton pro-abortin’?
Appearing monthly on These Days, the Film Club of the Air features local film critics Beth Accomando and Scott Marks discussing films in San Diego theaters.
Film Club: Horton Hears a Who!, Chicago 10, Funny Games, Married Life, Snow AngelsMarch 19, 2008
Tom Fudge: We’re going to begin this Film Club talking about a bit of news that sprang up around last week’s opening of a new movie called Horton Hears a Who! Dr. Seuss fans will no doubt recognize the name of that famous children’s book, which has been made into a feature film starring the voice of Jim Carrey. The theatrical opening of this new movie was remarkable because its premiere attracted a group of anti-abortion protesters.Why? The protesters latched onto one of the famous lines from the book which, of course, is also spoken in the movie. The line comes when Horton, the kindly elephant, says “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” The abortion protesters handed out flyers after the film, telling folks that Horton, in that statement, tells us why we need to protect the unborn. Dr. Seuss, real name Ted Geisel, lived in San Diego where his widow, Audrey, still lives.Audrey is actually a buddy of our political correspondent Gloria Penner. Gloria got on the phone with Audrey just yesterday to ask her about the politicization of Horton’s proclamation.
Chicago 10 is the name of a new documentary film about the protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. Several men, normally called the Chicago 8, were arrested and charged with inciting riot at the convention. Film Maker Brett Morgan calls his movie Chicago 10, because he thought the lawyers who defended these guys should get a little credit, too.Chicago 10 is a documentary that relies on 40-year-old film footage to show us what happened in the streets of Chicago during the convention. To tell the story of the trial, the film uses animation and the voices of a few famous actors. The dialogue in the trial is taken from official transcripts. The film is filled with music, much of it contemporary rap and rock.
Our next movie is called Funny Games. It’s directed by German film maker Michael Haneke. In fact, this is a remake of a German-language film he made about ten years ago. In this movie, a wealthy family of three is vacationing along the coast when they are visited by a couple of unfriendly neighbors. These neighbors are clean-cut 20-something guys, who may look innocent, but in fact they break into the house, hold the family hostage, and start to terrorize them by threatening to kill them and so forth.
Married Life is the name of a movie, set in late Forties America. The action takes place in an unnamed big city where a successful businessman, played by Chris Cooper, is thinking of leaving his wife. He confides this fact in an old friend, played by Pierce Brosnan. First, the husband’s plan is to divorce his wife, and move in with a young sweetheart. But after time, the man decides the best plan is to kill his wife. This is does not tell his friend. He decides killing is wife would be more merciful, because it would save her the suffering the divorce would bring. It’s an odd form of compassion.Over time, the murder plan takes shape, and the husband takes steps to get the job done. What happens next is not something I’m allowed to tell you. But I think I can say the end of Married Life was surprising, to me at least. Married Life is directed by Ira Sachs. It also stars Patricia Clarkson and Rachel McAdams.
The last movie we’re going to talk about today is Snow Angels. Snow Angels is set in a small town, and the opening scene of this film kind of sets the tone. We’re watching a high school marching band rehearse when shots ring out from some nearby woods. The movie then goes into a couple weeks flashback to show us the events that lead up to those gunshots.
Snow Angels is a slice of small town life, in which we’re introduced to many different kinds of people with varying degrees of happiness and hopefulness. Director David Gordon Green has made a few other movies, some of which have gotten critical praise. They include George Washington and All the Real Girls. Snow Angels features the actors Kate Bekinsale and Amy Sedaris.
Guests
Gloria Penner, political correspondent and host of Editors Roundtable for KPBS. She also writes a weekly political blog for KPBS.org.
Beth Accomando, KPBS film critic.
Filed Under KPBS Radio Shows
KPBS-RADIO SHOWS
March 1st, 2008 by Scott Marks
Pineapple Express, Man on Wire, The Last Mistress, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Baghead
Aug 06, 2008
There’s a new documentary about the man who walked a wire between the World Trade Towers in the 1970’s and a horror movie that satirizes indie movies. We talk about these films and more on this Film Club of the Air.
Mongol, Up the Yangtze, Savage Grace, The Wackness, Mother of Tears
Jun 25, 2008
On this Film Club of the Air, we talk about a new epic film made in the old Hollywood style about Genghis Kahn, a documentary about the modernization of China, a stoner comedy with heart, and a tragic drama about a wealthy family with no sense of boundaries.
Indiana Jones, The Visitor, Before the Rains
May 21, 2008
We’ll talk about the new Indiana Jones movie as well as fan tribute to the first film in the franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark. We’ll also get our critics to weigh in on an independent film called The Visitor, the latest from Merchant and Ivory, and a new French thriller called Roman de Gare.
My Blueberry Nights, Body of War, Zombie Strippers, and More
Apr 23, 2008
We talk about Wong Kar-Wai’s first English language film “My Blueberry Nights” and Phil Donahue joins Beth Accomando and Scott Marks to talk about his new documentary “Body of War.”
Horton Hears a Who!, Chicago 10, Funny Games, Married Life, Snow Angels
Mar 19, 2008
The Academy Award nominations were announced yesterday; we agree and disagree with the Academy’s choices. We also talk about ‘There Will Be Blood,’ the new Woody Allen movie ‘Cassandra’s Dream,’ a documentary called ‘War/Dance,’ and a family movie called ‘The Water Horse.’
Sweeney Todd, Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Savages, Youth Without YouthDec 19, 2007
There are a lot of movies to see this holiday season and we make sure to recommend the best of the bunch. Our critics for this Film Club of the Air will discuss Sweeney Todd, Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Savages and Youth Without Youth.
Jan 31, 2008
Once a month, local film critics gather to discuss some of the new films opening in theaters. Film Club of the Air is broadcast as a regular segment on These Days with host Tom Fudge.
No Country for Old Men, Redacted, Dr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Margot at the WeddingNov 20, 2007
During this Film Club of the Air, we’ll talk about the Coen brothers’ dark new thriller “No Country for Old Men,” as well as a war movie from Brian DePalma and some family fare with “Dr. Magorium’s Family Emporium.”
American Gangster, Rendition, Control, Finishing the GameOct 30, 2007
Ridley Scott’s take on the gangster movie opens in theaters this weekend. We’ll also talk about a comedy called “Finishing the Game,” Ben Affleck’s directorial debut and a new biopic about Joy Division’s tragic lead singer Ian Curtis.
Eastern Promises, The Brave One, Across the UniverseSep 19, 2007
David Cronenberg has a new film set in the underworld of the Russian mafia, and Paul Haggis follows his Oscar-winning “Crash” by turning to the Iraq War with Tommy Lee Jones in the lead. We’ll also talk about Jodie Foster in “The Brave One” and Julie Taymor’s Beatles extravaganza, “Across the Universe.”
David Lynch, King of Kong, No End in Sight and ColmaAug 29, 2007
David Lynch’s latest feature film goes straight to video, but we’ll talk about it anyway. We’ll also discuss two new documentaries, one about the Iraq War and the other about a little known war between two classic video game champions. Finally, we’ll look at a modern-day musical set in Colma, California.
The Simpsons Movie, Rescue Dawn, The Interview, SunshineJul 25, 2007
The longest running sitcom in television history heads to the big screen this weekend. On this Film Club of the Air, we’ll talk about “The Simpsons Movie”, Werner Herzog’s new film “Rescue Dawn”, Steve Buscemi’s film “The Interview”, and the latest sci-fi thriller from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle.
Michael Moore’s Sicko, A Mighty Heart, Broken English, Killer of SheepJun 27, 2007
We speak with two film critics about the films in area theaters, including “Sicko”, the new Michael Moore documentary and “A Mighty Heart,” which tells the story of the kidnapping of journalist Daniel Pearl.
Paprika, Chalk, Knocked Up and OnceMay 31, 2007
While the third “Spiderman” and “Pirates of the Carribean” break box office records, we explore some of early summer’s smaller releases. We talk about a modern-day musical from a former member of The Frames, an adult-oriented anime movie called “Paprika,” and we’ll see if the comedies “Chalk” and “Knocked Up” make us laugh.
Hot Fuzz, Jindabyne, Red Road, Black BookApr 25, 2007
New films by Paul Verhoeven and the team behind “Shaun of the Dead” are currently in area theaters. We’ll talk to our film critics Beth Accomando and Scott Marks about what they think about what’s on the big screen in San Diego. We’ll also get a DVD recommendation from the film curator at the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art.
The Lookout, The Namesake, The Hoax, Color Me KubrickMar 28, 2007
Beth Accomando and Scott Marks discuss The Lookout, The Namesake, The Hoax, Color Me Kubrick, and more.
Academy Awards, Zodiac, Black Snake Moan, The Astronaut Farmer, The HostFeb 28, 2007
Film critics Beth Accomando and Scott Marks join These Days host Tom Fudge for a review of the Academy Awards, as well as new films currently in theaters, including Zodiac, Black Snake Moan, The Astronaut Farmer and The Host.
Venus, Breaking and Entering, Pans Labyrinth, Rules of the Game and Smoking AcesJan 30, 2007
Film critics discuss some of the new films in local theatres. Films include “Venus,” “Breaking and Entering,” “Pans Labyrinth,” “Rules of the Game,” and “Smoking Aces.”
Apocalypto, The Good German, Notes on a Scandal, The Painted Veil, DreamgirlsDec 20, 2006
Beth Accomando and Scott Marks are back with another hour of film. They cover controversial films like “Apocalypto,” smaller independent releases like “Notes on a Scandal,” and the blockbuster options like “Dreamgirls.”
Borat, Volver, Babel, Casino RoyaleNov 15, 2006
Beth Accomando and Scott Marks are in studio for opinionated talk about new films. Expect a mix of ranting and laughter as the Film Club critics review “Borat,” “Volver,” “Babel” and “Casino Royale.”
The Departed, Flags of Our Father, Jesus Camp and MoreOct 12, 2006
Film critics Beth Accomando and Scott Marks come together for an hour on new movies. They cover Martin Scorsese’s new film “The Departed,” Clint Eastwood’s “Flags of Our Father,” a documentary “Jesus Camp,” Sophia Cappola’s “Marie Antoinette,” and Hou Hsiao Hsien’s “Three Times” screening at the local Asian Film Festival.
Black Dahlia, Hollywoodland, The Last Kiss, and more…Sep 13, 2006
Film critics discuss some of the new films in local theatres. Films include “Black Dahlia,” “Hollywoodland,” “Factotum,” and “The Last Kiss.”
Woody Allen’s Scoop, Clerks II, and more…Jul 27, 2006
Film critics discuss some of the new films in local theatres. Films include Woody Allen’s “Scoop,” “Clerks II,” “Lady of Vengeance,” “Wassup Rockers” and the local “Alt Picture Show.”
Who Killed the Electric Car, Road to Guantanamo, and more…Jul 13, 2006
Film critics discuss some of the new films in local theatres. Films include “The Road to Guantanamo,” “Strangers with Candy,” “Who Killed the Electric Car,” and “A Scanner Darkly.”
Filed Under Rants
KPBS Film Club of the Air - January 23, 2008
January 24th, 2008 by Scott Marks
Appearing monthly on These Days, the Film Club of the Air features local film critics Beth Accomando and Scott Marks discussing films in San Diego theaters.
Film Club: Oscar Nominations, David Elliott, There Will Be Blood, Cassandra’s Dream, War/Dance, The WaterhorseTom Fudge: The first new film we’re going to talk about during this film club of the air is There Will Be Blood, which was just nominated for eight Oscars. This movie is loosely based on a novel by Sinclair Lewis called Oil. The film is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who’s known for making Boogie Nights and Hard Eight.There Will be Blood tells the story of a fictional oil man, named Daniel Plainview, who is portrayed as a pioneer in the American industry. He begins as a miner out West, but soon discovers that oil will become, by far, the most profitable of all the earth’s bounties. He works with a small crew putting up makeshift derricks. He eventually gains skill and a wide reputation, and he ends up in the oil fields of California. Along the way, he adopts the son of one of his workers who was killed in a mine, and in the town of New Boston, he strikes it rich with a huge gusher.Along the way, Plainview develops a relationship with an ambitious preacher, who worships money as much as any oilman. The preacher gets involved in a complex land deal with Daniel Plainview. In the end, let’s jut say that Plainview becomes very rich but very happy. This movie stars Daniel Day Lewis in the leading role, and newcomer Paul Dano as the preacher.There Will Be Blood is currently playing in area theaters.The next movie we’re going to talk about is a documentary about life among refugee children in Uganda. It’s called War/Dance. Most of the activity in War/Dance takes place in a refugee camp in the northern part of the county. The main characters are children from villages that are in the grip of war. Many of them had been abducted, or have seen their family members murdered by soldiers in a vicious rebel group called the Lord’s Resistance Army.
We see these children, and we hear their stories. But the overarching story in this documentary is about music and dance. The kids in the camp are preparing for a trip to Kampala, where they will take part in a national music and dance competition. In the course of the movie, we see them practicing, performing, and otherwise living life and enjoying life as best they can.
War/Dance opens at Landmark’s Ken Theater this weekend.
Our final movie is a family and children’s movie called The Water Horse. It’s a story that takes place in Scotland during World War II. A young boy lives in a manor house that is managed by his mother. His father is away at war. The boy marks dates on the calendar to keep track of the time he expects it will take for his dad to return.
The boy lives along the shore of Loch Ness, and one day he finds an oblong rock that turns out to be an egg. As you may have guessed by now, the egg contains a baby water horse, known to most of us as the Loch Ness monster. The baby monster hatches from the egg and adopts the boy as a parent. The monster grows and grows until he has to be returned to the Loch.
But there’s trouble in store for the monster, since the boy’s village is home to a British artillery unit, that’s looking for German subs. Is it possible the army gunners will think that the monster is actually a German sub, that’s arrived from the sea? This movie stars Alex Etel as the little boy. You’ll remember him if you saw the recent movie called Millions.
The Water Horse is currently playing in area theaters.
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“This is not a tough job. You read a script. If you like the part and the money is O.K., you do it. Then you remember your lines. You show up on time. You do what the director tells you to do. When you finish, you rest and then go on to the next part. That's it.” - Robert Mitchum
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