Fellow Film Club Members & Movie Buffs:

 

For now our heat wave has ebbed, and June has begun giving us more moderate temps and halcyon days. The TFC, this Friday, June 12, 2009, is proud  to present a classic Chinese film, THE KING OF MASKS, aka BIAN LIAN (1996). This movie only had limited distribution in America, but it was shown at the Grand. It was directed by Wu Tianming, a fifth generation filmmaker director, producer, actor, who was made the head of XI’AN Studios in 1984. He has only directed 7 films since 1980. Another which was popular was RED SORGHUM (1987). 

 

KING OF MASKS, aka BIAN LIAN (1996)

Directed by Wu Tian-Ming @ 91 minutes.

Starring Yu Zhu, Zhou Ren-Ying, Zhigang Zhang, and Zhigang Zhao.

Synopsis: An aging street performer in 1930’s China, is called the “King of Masks”, because of his mastery of the silk masked Sichuan Change Art. Sadly, he has no male descendant to pass this dying art to. One day he is sold an orphaned young boy, and he joyously embarks on the child’s apprenticeship. Things progress well until a secret the child has is revealed and their life becomes much more complicated–based on a true story. Roger Ebert wrote, “This is a new Chinese film of simplicity, beauty, and surprising emotional power.” It was a film pick by TFC member Mohsen Mirghanbari.

 

The film is about a street performer named Wang who practices the change-mask opera art of bian lian as “The King of Masks”. Seeking to pass his art to a grandson, Wang buys what he believes to be an orphan boy at an illegal child market, but quickly learns his new disciple is in fact a girl. As tradition dictates that he cannot pass his art onto a girl, he tries to abandon her, but she stubbornly stays with him. While looking at his masks, she accidentally sets his humble residence on fire. Out of guilt, she runs away. When Wang is falsely accused of kidnapping a rich family’s child, he is thrown in jail. His former disciple goes to one of his friends, a famous performer in the local opera, threatening to kill herself if he or any of his guests, including a local military leader, are unable to help Wang. The King is eventually freed, and finally agrees to teach her the art of bian lian.

 

James Berardinelli of ReelViews wrote, “One of the film’s key themes is that, when it comes to companionship, initiative, and courage, daughters can yield the same benefits as sons. For a Western audience, this may seem like an obvious message, but, in the patriarchal Chinese culture of the era, male children were greatly prized, while females were not (one can argue at great length about how true that remains today). And, while The King of Masks falls far short of a cry for sexual equality, it nevertheless seeks to demonstrate the social shortcomings of the simple yet painfully shortsighted ideal of not valuing girls. While a host of movies to have emerged from China during the ’90s have been political in nature (often overtly so, resulting in bans), The King of Masks is an exception. Despite being uniquely Chinese in many ways, the basic narrative has a universal appeal. The touching, human aspect of this story has the capacity to warm the hearts of all but the most cynical of movie-goers.”

 

So join us this Friday, June 12, 2009, for this rare glimpse at a lost art in 1930’s China, THE KING OF MASKS. It will be screened at the Center For Spiritual Learning, located at 206 N. J Street, on the corner of J and Division in Tacoma. Come around 6:00pm and mingle with many of us downstairs in the kitchen where we will be enjoying fellowship and a sumptuous entree prepared for us by the Phantom Director and Farishta. The meal will be served at 6:15pm. Take part in a fun Raffle if you chose to–the winners getting a cash prize (40% of the collected funds), or a DVD. Those who are so inclined feel free to bring along add-on goodies like bread, cheese, wine, dessert, or soft drinks. A short film will screen promptly at 7:00pm, and then we will hold the raffle, and introduce the main film–which will screen immediately. July will be the TFC vacation month, and we will only screen one film during the Summer Gathering and picnic, to be held at our meeting hall, 924 Broadway. See you at the movies!

 

Glenn

Fellow Film Club Members & Movie Buffs:

 

May has meandered, leaving sultry late spring temps and light-footed wanderings for all of us. June has come onto the stage of our lives, yet again, and this Friday, June 5, 2009, we are pleased to present a screening of THE VISITOR (2007). This film was well received at the Grand Theater last year, and some of you were lucky enough to see it. Staying with our theme of “immigrants in America”, our new America where suspicion, bureaucratic arrogance, apathy, and ignorance reign in the hallowed halls of officialdom, this film is a fine book end for GOODBYE SOLO, presently enjoying its run at the Grand Theater; be sure to get out and see it too. 

 

THE VISITOR (2007) was written and directed by Tom McCarthy (ironically whose middle name is Joseph). I think he is mostly considered an actor, having appeared in 33 film roles since 1992–mostly on television series until he was in THE GURU (1992). We also enjoyed him acting in GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (2005), SYRIANA (2005), ALL THE KING’S MEN (2006), FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS (2006), and was a regular on HBO”s THE WIRE (2008). The only other film he wrote and directed was the wonderful movie, THE STATION AGENT (2003)–which TFC screened and discussed in the past.  

 

John Anderson of VARIETY wrote, “Some films click from the moment they’re cast, and that is certainly the case with “The Visitor,” writer-director Tom McCarthy’s first feature since his popular “The Station Agent,” and a perfect vehicle for Richard Jenkins. An actor whose face is far better known than his name, Jenkins plays McCarthy’s transfigured hero to a tee. A combination immigrant/resurrection tale, “Visitor” tilts toward the soulful rather than the political, and could be this year’s humanistic indie hit.”

 

Jan A.P. Kaczmarek wrote the musical score for THE VISITOR. A very imaginative composer, he wrote the scores for 41 films since 1984. He won an Oscar for his score on FINDING NEVERLAND (2004). McCarthy used his friend, Oliver Bokelberg as the cinematographer on THE VISITOR. He was top lenser on 35 films since 1995; prominent among them were THE STATION AGENT (2003), and working with Martin Scorsese on NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN (2008). 

 

Roger Ebert wrote: “This is a wonderful film, sad, angry, and without a comforting little happy ending. But I must not describe what happens, because the whole point of serious fiction is to show people changing, and how they change in “The Visitor” is the film’s beauty. So much goes unsaid, and unseen. Events in Walter’s professorial job happen off-screen. We are left to listen to the silences and observe the spaces.
Of course the film, written and directed by Tom McCarthy, is about a great deal more — about illegal U.S. residents and stupid bureaucrats and drums and love and loss.”

Richard Jenkins was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his leading role.

Professor Walter Vale: [Walks up to the phone number on the wall, walks back to the window] You can’t just take people away like that. Do you hear me? He was a good man, a good person. It’s not fair! We are not just helpless children! He had a life! Do you hear me? I mean, do YOU hear ME? What’s the matter with you?

 

 

THE VISITOR (2007) 

Directed by Thomas McCarthy @ 104 minutes.

Starring Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleimn, Danai Jekesai Gurir, and Hiam Abbass. Synopsis: A recently widowed lonely and bitter college professor keeps an apartment in NYC that he has not been to for a time. Traveling there he is suddenly confronted with a Syrian musician and his Senegalese girlfriend living in it; apparently victims of a real estate scam. He decides to share the apartment with them and an unlikely friendship develops. This is a story torn from today’s events, wonderfully heartfelt–a tale of growth, change, and renewal. Tagline: Connection is everything.

 

So let’s have a good turn-out this Friday, June 6, 2009 when we screen THE VISITOR at the Center For Spiritual Learning, at 206 N. J Street, on the corner of Division and J in Tacoma. Come early and come downstairs to the kitchen area to enjoy both fellowship, a raffle, and a delicious entrée set up for us by the Phantom Director and Farishta. Food will be served at 6:15 pm, and those of you who would like to contribute to the festivities by bringing bread, cheese, a dessert, wine or soft drinks–please feel free to do so. There will be a short film shown promptly at 7pm, and then we will pick the raffle winners, providing a cash prize, followed by a DVD prize, and then introduce our film, THE VISITOR, which will screen right after that. See you at the movies!

 

Glenn

Fellow Members & Movie Buffs:

Now is the time, Friday May 29, 2009. The Grand has opened up our theatrical film GOODBYE SOLO right on schedule. Please remember the drill–the Grand often only runs a film for one to two weeks. This is an excellent film but who knows what kind of box office it will generate. I had an opportunity to lead the discussion on this for tomorrow, but opted to attend my daughter’s birthday dinner instead.

GOODBYE  SOLO (2008)
Written and Directed by Ramin Bahrani @ 91 minutes.
Starring Souleymane Sy Savane, Red West, Diana Franco Galindo, and Mamadou Lam. Synopsis: Solo is an immigrant, a Senegalese cab driver, whose American dreams are still in their infancy. William is an old redneck whose life is rife with regrets. Somehow they forge an unlikely, unique friendship and spiritual bond that illustrates just how the true face of our America is changing. Roger Ebert gave it four stars, and wrote, “Bahrani is the new great American director. He never steps wrong. Wherever you live, when this film opens, it will be the best film in town.”

Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post wrote,” One of the most cheering cinematic trends of late is the blossoming of a style that could be called “American Postindustrial Neorealism”–like the Italian neorealists of the 1940’s, these new films are deeply rooted in their time and place. The master of the movement is Ramin Bahrani, an American of Iranian descent, who made a quietly sensational debut in 2005 with MAN PUSH CART, following it up with an even more accomplished CHOP SHOP. Bahrani’s new movie GOODBYE SOLO offers further proof that he is one of the best reasons to keep going to the movies. GOODBYE SOLO is visually simple and stunning, especially the haunting nightscapes of Solo’s perambulations; shot by cinematographer Michael Simmons. But more important, GOODBYE SOLO is driven by deep feeling and sensitivity.”

The Grand feature times for this week are:

2:45, 4:50, 7:00, and 9:00.

So hey folks, do not procrastinate. Get out there and see this fine film while you can–so that our discussion of it on June 17th will be spirited and informed. See you at the Grand!

Glenn

The Producer’s Committee Film Picks for June 2009

Theatrical; Opening at the Grand Theater May 29, 2009

GOODBYE  SOLO (2008) 
Written and Directed by Ramin Bahrani @ 91 minutes.
Starring Souleymane Sy Savane, Red West, Diana Franco Galindo, and Mamadou Lam. Synopsis: Solo is an immigrant, a Senegalese cab driver, whose American dreams are still in their infancy. William is an old redneck whose life is rife with regrets. Somehow they forge an unlikely, unique friendship and spiritual bond that illustrates just how the true face of our America is changing. Roger Ebert gave it four stars, and wrote, “Bahrani is the new great American director. He never steps wrong. Wherever you live, when this film opens, it will be the best film in town.”

DVD Choices

THE VISITOR (2007) 
Directed by Thomas McCarthy @ 104 minutes.
Starring Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleimn, Danai Jekesai Gurir, and Hiam Abbass. Synopsis: A recently widowed lonely and bitter college professor keeps an apartment in NYC that he has not been to for a time. Traveling there he is suddenly confronted with a Syrian musician and his Senegalese girlfriend living in it; apparently victims of a real estate scam. He decides to share the apartment with them and an unlikely friendship develops. This is a story torn from today’s events, wonderfully heartfelt–a tale of growth, change, and renewal. Tagline: Connection is everything.

KING OF MASKS, aka BIAN LIAN (1996)
Directed by Wu Tian-Ming @ 91 minutes.
Starring Yu Zhu, Zhou Ren-Ying, Zhigang Zhang, and Zhigang Zhao.
Synopsis: An aging street performer in 1930’s China, is called the “King of Masks”, because of his mastery of the silk masked Sichuan Change Art. Sadly, he has no male descendant to pass this dying art to. One day he is sold an orphaned young boy, and he joyously embarks on the child’s apprenticeship. Things progress well until a secret the child has is revealed and their life becomes much more complicated–based on a true story. Roger Ebert wrote, “This is a new Chinese film of simplicity, beauty, and surprising emotional power.” It was a film pick by TFC member Mohsen Mirghanbari.

GOODBYE SOLO is slated to open at the Grand Theater Friday, May 22nd or May 29th.

THE VISITOR will screen @ CSL Friday, June 5, 2009.

KING OF MASKS will screen @ CSL Friday, June 12, 2009.

Click on these links to see ratings of films discussed during our May 2009 meeting:

August Rush

Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford

The Soloist

Fellow Club Members and Interested Friends:

Just another friendly reminder that tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 20, 2009,  the Tacoma Film Club will NOT be meeting at King’s Books; and we will meet at 7pm at 924 Broadway, across from the Pantages Theater, street level in the Pythian Temple. Roger and I will be there at 6pm to set up chairs and the snack table. It should be fun to do our thing in a new space, with plenty of room, and a little less time constraints. Anyone interested in socializing, or helping with set up, just show up early. Look for our 3-sheet TFC Poster in the window, welcoming each of you. So–see you all on Broadway!

Glenn

The L.A.Times columnist becomes an unlikely advocate and friend to a mentally ill homeless man who was once a musical prodigy.

By Edward Humes
April 21, 2008

 

LOS ANGELES’ skid row, as Steve Lopez writes in “The Soloist,” is the homeless capital of the nation.

Hidden in plain sight just down the street from City Hall and mere steps from the offices of this newspaper, skid row is a reeking repository of disease, drugs and desperation that most of us avoid when possible or hurriedly step past when necessary, averting our stares from hollow cheeks and hollow eyes, as if they were invisible.

 

“The Soloist” is Lopez’s compelling and gruffly tender account of what can happen when you don’t step past.

In his unsparing portrait of this universe and the plight of the homeless mentally ill, Lopez offers not a moment of wonkery or preachiness — just his keen observations and eye for telling detail as he unfolds the story of his unintended and improbable friendship with a homeless, schizophrenic classical musician, Nathaniel Ayers.

Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, is an old-school news guy in the tradition of legendary columnists Mike Royko of Chicago and Jimmy Breslin of New York. This means he is no pundit but instead favors getting his butt out of the newsroom (you’d be surprised how rare that is) to dig up character-driven stories and, whenever possible, to poke a sharp stick in the eye of authority. Writing two to three consistently good columns a week is one of the hardest jobs in journalism, and Lopez is very good at it.

“The Soloist,” his fourth book but first work of nonfiction, grew out of a series of columns he wrote about Ayers. I had some doubts that those fine columns I’d read would provide enough meat for a book, but he has fleshed out the story beautifully and engagingly. (I should note that, beyond sitting on a book festival panel with him once, I don’t know Lopez.)

His involvement with the homeless middle-aged musician began when Lopez impulsively stopped to chat with Ayers after hearing him play some haunting refrains from Beethoven on a partly strung violin on a downtown Los Angeles street. Only semi-coherent, his possessions jammed into a shopping cart at his side, Ayers nevertheless cut a memorable figure, an “image of grubby refinement” that Lopez figured just might be worth a column.

A few more conversations and a little checking revealed that the man’s unlikely story of being a former prodigy and student at the famed Julliard School in New York was true — and Lopez had himself a nice human-interest story of a talent, a fall and promise unrealized. The headline: “He’s Got the World on Two Strings.”

nd that would have been that, except the response to that first column outstripped anything Lopez had ever written. Offers flooded in from people who wanted to donate cellos and violins to the homeless musician. Lopez was roped into being a conduit for the donations, then into finding a place where Ayers could keep them, then into trying to find a place where Ayers could stay and possibly receive treatment.

Suddenly Lopez found himself sucked in, his life upended. He was no longer just a columnist; he had taken on a measure of responsibility for Ayers’ welfare. Several more columns ensued, then a series of front-page stories about skid row and the homeless, a book, a movie deal and, perhaps strangest of all for Lopez, whose columns project a rather curmudgeonly image, an unusual — and mutually rewarding — friendship.

And that’s just the setup for the story told in “The Soloist.”

Most of the book consists of the surprisingly suspenseful roller-coaster chronicle that follows Lopez’s initial involvement with Ayers, of the hopes and frustrations that arise as he tries to understand and to deal with the intractable problems of homelessness and chronic mental illness.

Lopez also digs into Ayers’ past, his musical promise as a youth and his eventual descent into mental illness, homelessness and ostracism from his family. But the most immediate, involving part of the tale lies in Lopez’s efforts to help Ayers and the uncertainty of the outcome.

Ayers’ wild mood swings and unpredictability — except when it comes to his passion for music — challenges Lopez’s patience and resourcefulness at every turn. The journalist’s initial instinct was to assemble the ingredients that would fix things quickly, then let him move on, back to his wife and child and regular workday, which doesn’t normally involve a daily rendezvous with a homeless guy who wears bandannas made of yellow police crime scene tape.

But there were no easy answers, Lopez found. Just tell me the best course of treatment, he demanded, only to find that the experts couldn’t agree. He wanted to know if Ayers should be compelled to take medication, but that was a mixed bag too, as was any thought of coercing or forcing him off the streets and into housing for his own good.

Ayers had left Julliard at age 21 after suffering a breakdown; now he was in his 50s and had been on the streets most of his life. You can’t change that behavior and lifestyle with just a pill and a clean apartment, Lopez learned. Somewhere along the line, Lopez found that he was asking questions less like a journalist and more like a family member. As a result, “The Soloist” puts a deeply personal face on the world of mental illness, offering a very human drama that is hard to put down.

Crossing a line

Lopez’s columns got the mayor and an inter-governmental task force on the skid row case after many years of not so benign neglect, although, as he notes, nothing short of universal health care, a living-wage economy and housing for all will cure the blight of homelessness, and none of those things are likely to be on the task force’s agenda.

It’s also worth noting that Lopez’s personal advocacy for Ayers ensured that that homeless musician received consideration and opportunities unavailable to most other skid row denizens, including hiring a lawyer for Ayers and arranging a backstage meeting with famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. But this ended up demonstrating less about the value of having a big-time columnist in your corner (except perhaps for the Yo-Yo Ma part) and more about the importance of having a friend watching your back — which is something most homeless schizophrenics lack.

To his lasting credit, Lopez crossed the line on this story from dispassionate journalist to advocate. He deserves congratulations for being the one person who did not avert his eyes and walk past the grubby man with the violin.

Edward Humes, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is the author of numerous books of nonfiction, most recently, “Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America’s Soul” and “Over Here: How the G.I. Bill Transformed the American Dream.”

 

La Strada

by George Bilgere

A dollar got you a folding chair
in the drafty lecture hall
with a handful of other wretched grad students.

Then the big reels and low-tech chatter
of a sixteen-millimeter projector.

La Strada. Rashomon. HMS Potemkin.
La Belle e Ie Béte, before
Disney got his hands on it.

And The Bicycle Thief, and for God’s sake,
La Strada.

You can’t find them
at the video store anymore. Only the latest
G-rated animated pixilated computer-generated prequels.

That’s just the way it goes.

Even if you could,
you’d see them on DVD,
restored, colorized, scratch-free,
on a plasma-screen TV. With your wife,
your dog, your degree. You’d get up
to answer the phone, check on the baby.

You’re just not young enough,
or poor enough, or miserable
enough anymore to see—really see

Les Enfants du Paradis, or Ikiru,
or The 400 Blows. Or, for God’s sake,
La Strada. 

“La Strada” by George Bilgere. Reprinted with permission of the author.
Posted on the Writer’s Almanac by Garrison Keillor.

Roger K. found this gem and sent it to me. Thanks for sharing.

Glenn

D E A D    O R    A L I VE

It is kind of a fun trivia game to try and remember which celebrity is still alive, and who has passed away. I will make up some lists and you test your recall.

1. Richard Widmark  ___DEAD or ___ALIVE
2. James Garner         ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
3. Donald Pleasence   ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
4. Jack Lord                ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
5. Harry Belafonte      ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
6. Harvey Korman      ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
7. Peter Boyle              ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
8. Joan Collins            ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
9. Doris Day                ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.
10. Ray Walston           ___DEAD or ___ALIVE.

10 is a terrific number, so that one’s percentile scores can move in 10% increments.

So I guess 10/10 would be a 100%, like a genius trivia expert.

8/10 is 80%, and we can consider that very good trivia knowledge.

5/10 is 50%, and we can consider that a bit questionable.

2/10 or 20% accuracy is just sad, but try again.

Put your guesses in the Comments section, and I will tally them up, as well as reveal the true stats later on down the line.

Glenn

Fellow Film Club Members & Movie Lovers:

 This Friday, May 8, 2009, the Tacoma Film Club is pleased to celebrate the end of the first week of May with a happy film, a very modern remake of OLIVER TWIST, with a sprinkling of fantasy, that is an incredible paean to music, and a sentimental visual poem to love, AUGUST RUSH (2007). It was directed by the brash new director, Kirsten Sheridan, daughter of Irish director Jim Sheridan. She has been an actress and writer as well. A screenplay for COMING TO AMERICA (2002), co-written with her sister and father garnered her Oscar nomination. This screenplay was a “family affair”, since it was based on an 8 year period of time that the family lived in NYC, before moving back to Ireland in 1989, and Jim Sheridan hit it big with MY LEFT FOOT. Kirsten played Daniel Day-Lewis’ little sister in that film. She also directed the audacious DISCO PIGS (2001). Sheridan, when talking about Evan Taylor, her protagonist in AUGUST RUSH, said, “This child had to be borderline autistic—a kid with no agenda, just a clean slate, honest and emotional and vulnerable, and no matter how much he gets hurt he still opens himself  up for more.” At first she wasn’t sure about casting Freddie Highmore as Evan, for he is a real trouper already—but he won her over with his openness and vulnerability. Highmore has already made 23 films, starting his career at 7 years old. He was in THE MISTS OF AVALON (2001), FINDING NEVERLAND (2004), CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (2005), and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (2008).

 The cinematographer was John Mathieson, who is a very talented cameraman, having lensed 27 films since 1991. His list includes GLADIATOR (2000), MATCHSTICK MEN (2003), PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2004), and the very impressive KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (2005). His work in AUGUST RUSH was described as

“having the required sweep and brio, with moments of stunning beauty.” The musical score, a necessary component of this film, was done by veteran Mark Mancina, who has composed 53 scores since 1987—some memorable ones were for SPEED (1994), TWISTER (1996), CON AIR (1997), and TRAINING DAY (2001). The script was written by the duo of Mark Castle, who co-wrote HOOK (1991), and directed THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986), and James V. Hart, who wrote TUCK EVERLASTING (2002), and THE LAST MIMZY (2007).

 Roger Ebert wrote, “There is something brave about the way the film declares itself to be sentimental, and then goes all the way with coincidence, melodrama, and skillful tear-jerking.”

 AUGUST RUSH (2007) directed by Kirstan Sheridan @ 114 minutes.

The film stars Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, and Mykelti Williamson. Synopsis: This is a magical film, part fairy tale, part Charles Dickens and part today— all framed in a sparkling halo of music, Classical, Celtic, and Rock. An 11 year old boy in an orphanage, who believes that his parents are out there somewhere, discovers that he is a musical prodigy, ending up shining at Julliard. The boy feels strongly that if he plays his music loud enough to enough people—somehow his parents will hear it, recognize it, and be drawn to it and to him. Tagline: “An incredible journey moving at the speed of sound.”

 So shake off the fall doldrums, embrace spring, music, and love while joining us this Friday, May 8, 2009 for a screening of AUGUST RUSH (2007) at the Center for Spiritual Learning, located at  206 North J Street, on the corner of Division and J. Many of us like to gather for fellowship, food, and musings in the basement kitchen area. You can join us as early as 6pm. The Phantom Director and Farishta will have created some kind of incredible entrée, and it will be served from 6:15pm on. For those who like to play raffles, we will have ours there for you—a dollar a ticket, with two winners guaranteed to win either 40% of the collected funds, or a neat DVD movie. A short film will play promptly at 7pm, calling to the assemblage to come upstairs. Then will hold the raffle, and introduce AUGUST RUSH. Come join the fun! See you at the movies!

 

Glenn