AWN Blogs

This Oscar nominee for Best Live-Action Short Film is an absurdist comedy that careens from one unfunny gag to the next, leaving a hundred-gag pileup in its wake. Set in an Italian middle school, director Andrea Jublin gives us a few peeks into the lives of the stereotypical teens before thrusting his crazed substitute onto the class. This manic juvenile adult leaves the class of students in shock at first, but as he prances around the room like an ADD patient on acid, he forces the students into bizarre behavior to beg for high grades.

Jublin plays Il Supplente so over-the-top that none of the humor hits. The pacing is at a fever pitch from the start, making the audience warn out quickly. In many ways, the often mean-spirited "teacher" reminded me of an Adam Sandler character. Let's not hope for an American feature length remake. When the supposedly humorous twist arrives, it is no surprise to the audience, because it could only be the logical outcome to the substitute's actions. The film is trying to embrace the joy of youthful silliness and exuberance, but does so in creating an adult character that doesn't come off as young-at-heart, but as psychotic. Jublin dedicates the film to "all the people who have problems with conduct." This class clown has never grown up to discover that his childhood antics were annoying back then, and even more so now that he has grown.

In some ways this week's lineup is a sequel to the March 12, 2008 This Weekend's Film Festival theme of "life and death." However, this week's five films deal with the latter more directly. Some tackle the issue of dying, or in one case not wanting to die, in satirical ways. One of the entries is a bittersweet drama about a dying man whose last days are filled with family and friends. Two films deal with the troubled health care system. And the final two films argue opposite sides of what to do when one is left disabled. THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY inspired this week's films. It's a lineup I have been looking forward to ever since I first say Julian Schnabel's daring and heartbreaking portrait of a man left prisoner in his own body who inspires with his will to live.

Following two years after Walt Disney's first Latin American feature, SALUDOS AMIGOS, this film is longer, more daring, less propagandistic, but ultimately less bearable than its predecessor. Upon the failure of this film, a planned Latin American trilogy was scrapped, saving the world from CUBAN CARNIVAL. Unlike AMIGOS, THE THREE CABALLEROS has a more flowing structure, reminiscent of the final sequence of the first film. It's definitely the trippiest Disney production and makes one wonder what's in that cigar that Jose Carioca is always smoking.

Like AMIGOS, CABALLEROS starts off like an anthology film, but soon morphs into a more free-flowing musical experience. A framework of Donald Duck receiving presents from his friends in Latin America introduces the first two segments. "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" follows the penguin Pablo, who dreams of relocating to warm climates. Next, "The Flying Gauchito" involves a little Argentinean boy who enters a horse race with the winged donkey he discovers. For the third segment, "Bahia," Donald meets up with wisecracking parrot Jose, shimmies the samba with live-action dancers and salivates over the beautiful women. In "Las Posadas," the lively rooster Panchito Pistoles tells of the Mexican Christmas traditions, leading to Donald try his hand at the piñata. This is followed by "Mexico" where Panchito takes Donald and Jose on a flying serape through the gorgeous beaches of Mexico where Donald can't control chasing a bevy of live-action beauties. But in "You Belong to My Heart," Donald focuses his affections of the popular Mexican singer Dora Luz. The film concludes with "Donald's Surreal Reverie," which sends Donald on a "love is a drug" infused tour, filled with lush colors, flowers and pretty live-action woman.

CABALLEROS is much closer to being a Latin American spin on FANTASIA than AMIGOS, however, the songs are forgettable and Donald's love crazed antics wear out their welcome long before the movie is over. Like in AMIGOS, Donald doesn't resemble the cantankerous fowl that we know. He's a bit more of a troublemaker, but he lacks the charm of his more manic personality featured in Disney shorts. Jose and Panchito never stand out, relegated to severing as simple tour guides and obstacles to Donald's love lust. While some of the most vibrant, freeform moments have much more originality than anything in AMIGOS, the film still feels like its been fused together from spare parts. The first two sequences end up feeling like tacked on shorts before the real movie begins, while the final three segments blend together into one long mishmash of music and hallucinogenic imagery.

Animation fans will find many standout pieces to enjoy throughout the film — "The Cold-Blooded Penguin" with some nice sight gags, Mary Blair's vibrant color schemes, and Donald, Jose and Panchito's rendition of "The Three Caballeros" fueled by Ward Kimball's anything-goes animation are all highlights. Nonetheless, these quality bits don't add up to a successful whole. Many of the animated/live-action integration scenes come off dated at best and cheesy at worst. The whole film turns out like a less-than-melodious jazz jam session.

This film is featured as bonus material on the "Classic Caballeros Collection" DVD.

This Walt Disney short marks two firsts. It was the first full-fledged solo short for Donald Duck and was the first appearance of Donald's girlfriend — here Donna Duck, who would later become Daisy. In the short, guitar-playing Donald rides his tired burro into a Mexican town where he tries to woo senorita Donna. Donald proves not the most skilled suitor as he often laughs at Donna as she trips and falls. Trying to win her back, he trades in his donkey for a red car, which he hopes will be a chick magnet. But what kind of car can you get for the price of a burro?

Painting Donna or Daisy in the stereotypical hot-blooded Latina fashion is actually not a bad move. She has the right attitude for dealing with the foul-mouth duck, much better than a simple bland object of affection. This early Disney short is a solid example of character leading to good gags and driving the story. While some complain that Donald isn't quite suited for role-playing, the song and dance elements here don't seem unsuitable for the character's cocky side. Both for its place in Disney history and for its solid dose of humor, DON DONALD is a great solo debut for one of Disney's great anthropomorphic creations.

Read my review of the theatrical release for more details.

After audiences at test screenings disliked the originally planned ending, the studio and filmmakers decided to release the film with a much different conclusion. Both versions were filmed and the visual effects teams didn't start working on the ending that ending up in theaters until very late in the game. Ironically, the version that made it to theaters is actually sadder than the alternative version, which is closer to the source material and more open ended. Anyone who doesn't want to know any part of either ending should not read any further.

Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman is one of the best actors working today. In 2007, he appeared in three wonderful films — two of which made my top 25. With all three of those films now on DVD, it makes for an opportunity to highlight his amazing talent. It would be obvious to chose his Oscar-winning work in CAPOTE, so for the two additional films I chose a stellar starring performance that many people have not seen and a brave supporting turn as a despicable character. So sit back and witness five great films featuring some of the best acting in recent years.

Placing #8 on my top 25 of 2007, BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD puts Hoffman in a role of an resentful businessman whose life is spinning out of control. In my original review, I said, "Hoffman gives yet another brilliant performance in a resume of performances that any actor would be envious of." Hoffman's Andy puts on a slick, cocky persona that masks his inner turmoil. He's amassed large debts due to a nasty drug addiction. He can barely keep his trophy wife Gina, played wonderfully by Marisa Tomei, happy. So he devises a plot with his desperate brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) to rob their parents' jewelry store. When the job goes wrong, Andy's issues with his family, especially his father Charles (Albert Finney), will come to a head. Hoffman plays Allen with ice-cold precision. His whole life is a stab at his dad and there is no way he can admit that he's failed. His greed and ego drive this thrilling crime drama that peeks into the dark corners of family pressures.

SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941) (***)
(First Reviewed 9/18/01)
Considered by many as a comedy classic, I found it a bit dated. Film buffs might just want to check it out because of its place in history and others might just want to watch it for Veronica Lake. This slapstick film follows a movie director who is tired of making comedies and wants to make a social message film (which were very popular in the 1930s when this film was made). Due to his privileged life, he decides to head out into the world with 10 cents in his pocket to find trouble. However, the studio determines he’s too valuable and sends a busload of people out after him to make sure that he doesn’t get himself killed. His adventures often lead back to Hollywood and at the moment when he decides to give up is when he really learns about hardship. It is considered the film that justifies the existence of slapstick in general; making the point that laughter is all that some people have. If you like films with witty banter and people falling down a lot then this is a film for you.

The theme of unexpected pregnancies of course is inspired by the arrival of the Oscar-nominated sensation of 2007, JUNO, on DVD. Most of the films deal with teen pregnancies, but I also wanted to through in a film that deals with the problems of having an unwanted pregnancy when you're an adult and even married. There's a sprinkling of comedies and dramas; one of which is devastating. Several deal with the religious implications of teens getting pregnant. This is a lineup I have been waiting eagerly to right about, so sit back, read about my picks and enjoy.

The Friday opener is a 2007 film I just haven't gotten around to including in a This Weekend's Film Festival. WAITRESS is a charming romantic comedy that has winning performance from Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion and Andy Griffith. As I said in my original review, "Writer/director Adrienne Shelly brings a female touch to the genre… There is a more realistic view of romance, keeping in mind that women have more things on their mind than finding a good man even when they are trying to find a good man." Jenna (Russell) is a waitress at a pie diner who is saving her tips so she can move away from her oppressive husband Earl, played nicely by Jeremy Sisto. Then she ends up pregnant and falls for her new handsome gynecologist Dr. Pomatter (Fillion). While the film has a cheery tone, Russell's Jenna is less than a cheery person. She is filled with resentments over lost dreams, which the unexpected pregnancy only represents one more obstacle to deal with. Shelley contrasts the thoughtful doctor and uniquely abusive husband nicely. Griffith's foul-mouthed diner owner is more than your typical "wise man" character with the right advice for the moment. Jenna's pregnancy serves as a catalyst to finding what has been missing from her life.

Peter Hedges understands family dynamics. In his novel and then screenplay for WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE?, he crafted a unique family dynamic with an obese mother dependent on her children. In DAN IN REAL LIFE, which he directed, as well as co-wrote with Pierce Gardner, Hedges crafts a film more akin to his directorial debut PIECES OF APRIL, which dealt with a dysfunctional family coming together for Thanksgiving. While there is a vein of a traditional romantic comedy running through the film, Hedges' arena in which the romantic comedy takes place contains a real, and may I say, surprisingly supportive family.

Dan (Steve Carell, TV's THE OFFICE) is a columnist widower, trying to raise three daughters. Jane (Alison Pill, PIECES OF APRIL) is driving, which makes the cautious Dan very uneasy. Cara (Brittany Robertson, KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS) is 14 years old and really into boys, which makes the cautious Dan very uneasy. Lilly (Marlene Lawston, FLIGHTPLAN) is his youngest, and the one that often gets overlooked in the craziness of their lives. It's the time of year when they travel to they family vacation home to spend time with the aunts and uncles and Dan's parents. With Dan's relationship with his daughters rocky, his mood is less than pleasant. So when his mother sends him into town, he meets the interesting Marie (Juliette Binoche, CACHE), but they separate after a long heartfelt conversation. Unbeknownst to him, Marie turns out to be the new girlfriend of his younger brother Mitch (Dane Cook, GOOD LUCK CHUCK).