Movies & Malcolm

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford



I enjoyed this film very much, in spite of its overlong running time and my less-than-ideal viewing circumstances. The theater was crowded, and I was sitting right by the craziest person I’ve ever been trapped next to in a movie. He was smacking his lips and making grunting noises throughout the film. He would also occasionally make sounds that sounded as if he was about to vomit, and then would put his head down on the seat in front of him for extended periods of time, then stretch his arms out, sit back, and start smacking his lips again. He spent quite a large chunk of the movie not even looking at the screen. It was alarming to say the least. Ryan was sitting to my left, and I was scooted so far over to his side that I was practically in his lap. Aside from that, I’m impressed that such an artsy Western managed to get a wide release (I guess anything with Brad Pitt in it is guaranteed a release). I can’t really imagine that this movie has very broad appeal, yet moviegoers all over the country will be force-fed something very atypical just because they want to look at Brad Pitt. I would like to see this movie again without a raving lunatic sitting next to me. The music was excellent (composed by Nick Cave, who also has a cameo appearance), and everything just fit together well. There’s also a sequence leading up to a train robbery which is one of the most beautifully composed setpieces I’ve seen in recent memory.

The Darjeeling Limited



This was a pretty minor movie, but still entertaining and easy to watch. It did make me think about how most Hollywood movies are about independently wealthy people, and no one is ever strapped for cash. That’s probably the most annoying thing about Wes Anderson films – his movies are about the emotional problems of insanely rich people, and therefore his characters are less accessible. I saw this movie with my friend D, who also started a conversation about how dubious it is for rich people to travel to the third world to find themselves, and how it’s a form of reverse colonialism. Aside from all that, the movie is enjoyable, and the settings are spectacular, of course. One of the only scenes that actually hits hard is a scene involving Owen Wilson and his injuries. Other than that, all of the issues in the movie seem surfacey and slight. I’d still say it’s worth watching, especially for people interested in traveling to India (you know who you are).

Never Apologize!



This screening was awesome, and also shocking. The awesome part: It was a documentary about Lindsay Anderson, who is one of the most fascinating directors working during the British New Wave movement, and also a somewhat obscure figure due to the fact that he only made five movies and died quite awhile ago. I finally found out more about him – the film was basically Malcolm McDowell telling stories about the filming of If…. and O Lucky Man, and anecdotes about other actors and directors, etc. McDowell somehow carried the entire running time without ever centering on himself or seeming the slightest bit pretentious or conceited. The film was riotously funny (OK, I’m a little bit of a film snob, and a lot of people maybe wouldn’t think it was funny)… Regardless, McDowell’s bit about John Gielgud walking by a set during the filming of Caligula and exclaiming “I’ve never seen more cock in my life!” was so funny I was practically choking on my tongue.
Anyway, the shocking part: Malcolm McDowell was there, and was scheduled to be there the whole time, and the film was shown in one of the smaller theaters, and it was STILL not sold out! Seriously, Malcolm McDowell! He’s fucking Alex from A Clockwork Orange! He’s one of the greatest living legendary actors of our time! He’s even in Heroes, if you care about that stupid TV shit…. And there were seriously not even 150 people there to see him live, answering questions and discussing his work. My friend Craig accompanied me, and wondered what kind of corner we’ve turned, where Malcolm F’in McDowell can’t even sell out a smallish theater in Chicago… Seriously, what the hell?
But I’m pleased that I saw him, and he was more articulate and hilarious and charming than I could have ever hoped for. He helped shape my entire life when I saw A Clockwork Orange at an inappropriate age, and I’ll always love him for that.