Author Archives: Marya E. Gates
Oscar Vault Monday – Little Miss Sunshine, 2006 (dir. Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris)
2006 is one of my least favorite Oscar years in the last decade. Mostly because I think Children of Men was the best film to come out that year and although it got a few tech nominations, I think it deserved a Best Picture nod over several of the nominees that year. That’s why I’ve waited so long to write about this year. As it happens, I don’t love any of the nominees from 2006 (and actively dislike one of them, in fact.) But I do like Little Miss Sunshine, thus I am writing about it. I think this film is more about the performances than it is the story. I mean, it has a fun story, but it is weak in more places than people like to mention. The performances, however, I think are flawless. Although, I guess the Academy disagrees with me because it won for its screenplay. Go figure. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning two: Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Supporting Actor Alan Arkin (won), Best Supporting Actress Abigail Breslin, Best Picture. The other films nominated for Best Picture that year were: Babel, Letters From Iwo Jima, The Queen and winner The Departed.
Movie Quote of the Day – Dark Passage, 1947 (dir. Delmer Daves)
Dr. Walter Coley: Ever see any botched plastic jobs? If a man like me didn’t like a fellow. . .he could surely fix him up for life. Make him look like a bulldog, or a monkey. I’ll make you look older, but good. I’ll make you look as if you’ve lived.
Vincent Parry: I have, doc.
A 2011 In Films Special: 1000 New-To-Me Films
So I did it you guys. I saw 1000 new-to-me films this year. And it’s…only November. So I’m guessing by the end of the year I’ll be well past this goal. It’s been a great experience watching all of these films. I’ve never felt so intellectually stimulated in my whole life. There are just so many wonderful films out there to watch. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the time to watch as many films as I have had this year, so I’m glad I took advantage of the time while I had it.
I chose Bruce Robinson’s cult classic Withnail & I as my 1000th film because I’d been meaning to watch it for years. It did not disappoint.
Oh, and in case you’re curious you can see what the 1,000 new-to-me films were here.
Movie Quote of the Day – Key Largo, 1948 (dir. John Huston)
Frank McCloud: You don’t like it, do you Rocco, the storm? Show it your gun, why don’t you? If it doesn’t stop, shoot it.
Movie Quote of the Day – Double Indemnity, 1944 (dir. Billy Wilder)
Walter Neff: It’s just like the first time I came here, isn’t it? We were talking about automobile insurance, only you were thinking about murder. And I was thinking about that anklet.
Movie Quote of the Day – Murder, My Sweet, 1944 (dir. Edward Dmytryk)
Philip Marlowe: “‘Okay Marlowe,’ I said to myself. ‘You’re a tough guy. You’ve been sapped twice, choked, beaten silly with a gun, shot in the arm until you’re crazy as a couple of waltzing mice. Now let’s see you do something really tough – like putting your pants on.'”
New Poster for My Week With Marilyn
I’m bummed to see that My Week With Marilyn isn’t opening until November 23rd now (that is gonna be one booked weekend for me), but I do love this new poster.
Movie Quote of the Day – The Big Sleep, 1946 (dir. Howard Hawks)
Carmen Sternwood: Is he as cute as you are?
Philip Marlowe: Nobody is.
Movie Quote of the Day – Kiss Me Deadly, 1955 (dir. Robert Aldrich)
Velda: Do me a favor, will you? Keep away from the windows. Somebody might. . .blow you a kiss.
Shorts, Documentaries and Horror, Oh My! October 2011 in Film
This was a great month of films for me. I saw all kinds of fantastic films, including several 2011 releases (and one 2011 release that was just awful). As usual, I also saw several really great classics on the big screen at the Castro (Brighton Rock, The Third Man, Dinner At 8, Libeled Lady, the Moroder version of Metropolis, The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus). I also went to the Roxie theater for the first time this month. This Saturday Midnites for Maniacs did a triple feature of Laura, the Twin Peaks pilot and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. I did an interview with Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, who runs Midnites for Maniacs, over at YAM Magazine. You might notice I also watched a lot of short films this month. This was mostly due to a class I am taking that requires us to watch three to five shorts a week outside of class and then often we watch one or two in class. I really recommend you watch Validation if you’ve got about 17 minutes to spare. It is fantastic. As always, full list of films after the cut.
the diary of a film history fanatic 