Movie Remakes

Where do movie ideas come from?  Very often from other movies.  Hollywood is a business and is always looking for a sure bet.  They understand that if a foreign audience is excited about a movie so likely will an English speaking audience.  Original ideas are really an arrangement of already established ideas.  Seeking entertainment is one of our most time consuming activities which also makes it challenging.  People crave novelty while also wanting familiarity.  One of the most divisive factors in humanity is language.  But that has some advantages.  First language itself aggregates unique culture.  Second while imposing barriers it also creates opportunities to those clever enough to cross those barriers.  In my observation it is often the original that is better.   Most films are made to make money and those that aren't are financed by those who already have money, in many cases including profitable films.   Each film is a risk--they are budgeted and scheduled, but things go wrong and costs sometimes run up--anticipated profits can be affected by unknown factors such as poor publicity, competition, national economic or political problems

Akira Kurosawa was an admirer of John Ford's westerns.  "Seven Samurai" came out in 1954 set in Japan with its cultural history.  You may be more familiar with the 1960 version starring Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen and directed by John Sturges.  Or such a good idea was updated in 2016 with Denzil Washington and Chris Pratt directed by Antoine Fuqua.  The two American versions might remind you of John Ford, but in fact it ithe Japanese writer/director who came up with the plot.   The Japanese version actually had 2 Oscar nominations ( for art direction and costume design) while the first American version only received one (for musical score).

 "Infernal Affairs" which came out in 2002 was recommended to me shortly after, but it was a few years before I actually saw it.  The plot revolved around the idea of the police setting up undercover in criminal group while simultaneously the criminal group was setting up a mole in the police with each trying to learn about the other.  Lots of tension co-written and co-directed by Alan Mak starring Andy Lau and Tony Chiu-Wai Leung.  "The Departed" came out in 2006 borrowing the plot, but set in America directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson won 4 Oscars and actually had a slightly higher IMDB rating (8.5 to 8.0).  The Oscars included for best adapted writing.

"Open Your Eyes" (Abre Los Ojos 1997) written and directed by Alejandro Amenabar and starring Eduardo Noriega and Penelope Cruz.  The plot revolved around a vain handsome man having an auto accident that severely damaged his looks.   A few years later "Vanilla Sky" (2001) borrowed the plot and Penelope Cruz with Tom Cruise as the leading man.  Cameron Crowe directed and adapted script. Amenabar is a director I greatly respect.

 'Blind Chance" (1987) was written and directed by Krzysztof Kielowski  taking an event and then backtracking to the beginning and changing one detail which changed everything else.  He ran into censorship concerns with Polish authorities.  The concept struck film makers as a new opportunity.  Using the same concept  "Run Lola Run" (Lola rennt) embellished with new technology German in 1998.  "Sliding Doors" came out the same year with Gwyneth Paltrow.  "Mr Nobody" (2009) was a Canadian adaptation starring Jared Leto, Sarah Polley and Diane Kruger.        

I had already been turned on to Argentine actor Ricardo Darin when "The Secret in Their Eyes" (El secreto de sus ojos 2009)  came out and won the Oscar as best foreign film.  Ricardo is joined by Soledad Villamil.  Juan Jose Campanella directed and co-wrote and had once directed an episode  of an Emmy award series.  Billy Ray directed and adapted the script "Secret in their Eyes" (2015).  Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Chiwetel Ejiofor starred.  You can read more about Ricardo Darin whose movies are always above average at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/04/ricardo-darin-brings-charm-from.html

 

"After the Wedding" (Efter brylluppet 2006) is when I discovered Mads Mikkelsen who has since left his mark on both sides of the Atlantic to.  The director Susanne Bier is one I have followed and she too has been involved with American films.  This Danish film also starred Rolf Lassgard, a Swedish actor who has portrayed Kurt Wallander and later starred in "A Man Called Ove" (2015) and has appeared in Norwegian, English and German films.   I have often listed this movie as my all time favorite, "After the Wedding" (2019) was remade with Bart Freundlich as director, script adapter and producer.  They decided on a gender switch for the lead character who was Bart's wife Julianne Moore   More  on Mads Mikkelsen:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/05/mads-mikkelsen-helping-denmark.html   Mads was also the leading actor in the recent "Another Round" which won the 2021 Oscar for best foreign film. 

So far I have only discussed movies that ended up in America, but the same process goes on elsewhere and if you can check out what other film entities are checking out you might not be surprised to see good ideas that could end up elsewhere.

 I saw the Bollywood remake of "Bluffmaster" (2005) with Rohan Sippy and starring Abhishek Bachchan and Priyana Chopra first.  It was harder to see the Argentine original  "Nine Queens' (Nueve reinas 2000) with Ricardo Darin  and I ended up buying a copy.  It seemed strange, but I was amazed at some of the weird clips that were duplicated.  Fabian Bielinsky wrote and directed and later wrote and directed "The Aura" which was the film where I first encountered Ricardo Darin. 

"Badla" (2019)  left a strong impression and I didn't realize they had done a gender switch and was already strange as set in Scotland rather than India.   The remake was directed by Sujoy Ghosh who had also adapted the script and written and directed my favorite surprise ending movie, "Khahaani" (2012).  Starred Amitabh Bachchan and Tapsee Pannu. "The Invisible Guest" (Contratiempo 2016), the original was based in the Catalan region of Spain.  Oriol Paulo wrote the script with Mario Casas and Ana Wagener starring.  Read more on both films with a comparison:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/a-masterpiece-film-and-very-good-remake.html    Both worked beautifully.

Within India there huge language segments that are always looking to borrow a proven idea.  Telegu  cinema came up with "Arjun Reddy" (2017) which proved popular nationwide,.  It was the first writing and directing effort of Sandeep Reddy Vanga and starred Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Pandey.    Bollywood responded with "Kabir Singh"(2019) which did extremely well at the box office.  Sandeep Reddy Vanga directed and was listed as one of the writers.  It starred the well established Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani.  The lead character performed outrageous acts, but had a mesmerizing influence including with the audience.  Read more comparing the two at: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/arjun-reddy-and-kabir-singh.html                    

"Vicky Donor" (2012)  is the movie where I discovered Ayushmann Kurrana and Yami Gautam.  Directed by Shoojit Sircar and written by Juhi Chaturvedi (I follow her).   "Dharala Prabhu" (2020) in the Tamil language made a somewhat different emphasis between comedy and drama that seemed a worthy contribution to the concept.  Directed by Krishna Marimuthu and starred Praveen and Aditya.    Read more about the two films:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/04/vicky-donor-cf-dharala-prabhu.html    The donor referred to in the title is a sperm donor which of course lends itself to a lot of comedy, but both films have a dramatic conclusion.  

 

A few years back I read "The Devotion of Suspect X" by Japanese author, Kiego Higashino that offered a unique perspective on crime stories.   I was reminded of this when I first watched "Drishyam" (2015) where we were shown a murder and then how the innocent perpetrator escaped detection.  The Bollywood version.  This version was directed by Nishikant Kamat and the script was adapted by Upendra Sidhaye.  I especially enjoyed the cast, Ajay Devgn, Shryiya Saran and Tabu.   The original was seen after I discovered the Malayalam cinema.  Jeethu Joseph directed and wrote the original script for 2013 in Malayalam.  Mohanlal, a well established actor plays the lead  The same crew came out with "Drishyam" (2021) which carries the story forward with a twist and I would say is an excellent sequel that I hope the Bollywood crew can be reassembled to remake this version as well.  I wrote a review of the remake:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/11/driishyam-bollywood-remake-masterpiece.html

Miss Granny might be the most remade film in a short number of years.  The original film was Korean and came out in 2014. and was directed by Dong-hyuk Hwang.  By 2015 a Mandarin version had come out followed in 2018 by a Filipino version.  In 2019 the Telegu version, known as "Oh Baby" came out and I was able to watch it attracted by the star Samantha Ruth Prabhu.  It was directed and adapted by B.V. Nandini Reddy.  The plot which uses a fantasy tool deals on the desire for eternal youth, but also unfair discrimination against the elderly.  Of special interest to me as they remind me of my wife's grandmother .  You can read about the Korean and Telegu versions at:   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/comparing-two-grannies.html

For those of you who get to see two or more versions of the same movie there is an extra element of understanding.  Although remakes make an attempt to upgrade the original there is still a link that helps you appreciate both better.  Of course you are going to compare and sometimes technology can make a difference.  If you have seen the English speaking re-make do yourself a favor and check out the foreign original.  You may still be more comfortable with familiar actors and culture, but you should still be able to appreciate the original idea that inspired a remake.

Hispanic Cinema spans the globe

Spanish movies have an advantage.  The language is spoken by over 350 million people making it the third largest language behind only Mandarin and Hindi. There are well developed television networks with shows distributed globally.  When Russia gained television freedom they used Colombian serials to help fill in the empty gaps.  Actors, directors travel not only to other Spanish speaking countries, but also other nations making this a big topic for movie lovers.

One of my first Spanish language movies was "Like Water For Chocolate" from Mexico which had been recommended by my sister Rebecca who has a pretty good track record, but at first I did not pay attention and missed most subtitles.  A little unexpected sex did catch my attention, but I didn't notice plot or keep track of all the characters  After a discussion I was convinced I should watch it more carefully and caught a wonderful story with heavy emphasis on food.  The male lead was Italian who has done a number of Italian, Spanish and English speaking roles. 

Another of my early Spanish movies was one directly from Spain I spotted at a video shop and took home to enjoy.  "Open Your Eyes."  It was different and I did pay attention.  First saw Penelope Cruz and Eduardo Noriega.  I would also say one of the most impressive directors (who also writes scripts and even music) Alejandro Amenabar was a critical participant.

Another early Spanish movie  was  "Aura"  shown in a film series put on by Art Gallery of Hamilton.  Ricardo Darin, now a favorite actor from Argentina.  It was awhile before I saw another, but afterwards sought his movies out.

These movies were all interesting and encouraged me to explore further, but it is a very big field--the big players are Spain, Mexico and Argentina, but there are many others.

Alejandro Amenabar did two other movies that I loved.  "The Sea Inside"  with Javier Bardemn (see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/paralyzed-men-in-4-foreign-movies.html )  and "Agora" (he wanted to do something with an astronomical theme and ended up with ancient Egypt.)  Rachel Weisz played Hypatia of Alexandria who had no time for men, but only science.  Demonstrated some early breakthroughs in understanding the universe.  In addition to "Open Your Eyes" Alejandro wrote the Hollywood version that starred Tom Cruise and with Penelope Cruz repeating her role.

Spanish director  Pedro Almodovar has an agenda that is aggressive when it comes to sex and religion.  He writes and directs most of his films.  Some good examples include "Volver" with  Penelope Cruz;  "Talk to Her" which won an Oscar for best original screen play; "The Skin I Live In" with Antonio Banderas and "Bad Education" (not seen) with Gael Garcia Bernal.

"Cell 211" with Luis Tosar is a prison drama, brutal and well done. A new prison guard starts work the same day as a riot breaks out and goes undercover.

"Pan's Labryinthe" was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro.  A very unique juxtaposition of the Spanish Civil War with an incredible fantasy.  Guillermo, born in Mexico has made a reputation in English speaking cinema with the likes of two Hobbitt movies (not seen).   He has been the winner of many festival awards.

"Dark blue Almost black"  offers an interesting love triangle with a twist.  An infertile prisoner wants his brother to impregnate a female prisoner to bond her to him.  An obvious danger that might be a source of a comedy.  The outside brother has an old girl friend who wants to renew their relationship so it evolves into a four person scenario. Good drama.

The infamous "Y tu Mama También" was directed and co-written by Carlos Cuaron and his brother Alfonso Cuaron.  Carlos also directed and wrote "Rudo y Cursi" and seems to have stuck around Mexico, while his brother Alfonso has gone onto to big things in the English medium including "Gravity," "Children of Men", a Harry Potter movie (not seen) and "The Shock Doctrine" (not seen, but read the book by Naomi Klein).

Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu is now highly regarded for "21 Grams," "Babel" which won award at Cannes,  "Biutiful" and "Birdman" not yet seen and "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkagan" (not seen).  An early movie for him was "Amores Perres" with Gael Garcia Bernal.

Gael Garcia Bernal has a world wide presence.  For many their introduction was with "Y tu Mama También," with a level of explicitness not normal, but underneath the adolescent sex fantasies portrayed are satirical social and political comments.  Gael paired up again with his good friend Diego Luna in " Rudo y Cursi"  Diego went on to have a major role in "Milk."  Gael was able to have many international roles such as "Even the Rains" (with Luis Tosar)  "Rosewater" (Jon Stewart directing about Canadian journalist), " Motorcycle Diaries"  One that interested me and highly recommend was "No" in  Chile during the referendum on Pinochet.  All the opposition parties wanted to divide up a limited amount of time they were given, but instead the role of Gael with an advertising background went for a more pointed effort that succeeded.

"Silent Light" crossed my radar as Canadian novelist Miriam Towes has a role in it and her book, "All my Puny Sorrows" was recently selected for Hamilton Reads.  It was directed and written by Carlos Reygadas of Mexico and is set in Chihuahua, northern Mexico.  There is only a little contact with the Spanish speaking world as the Mennonites speak an obscure dialect, Plautdiesch amongst themselves.  It is a simple story, told at a slow pace and is not for impatient people.  It  reminds me of a young Mennonite boy from Mexico who used to help me delivering papers--Jake was the hardest worker I have ever met.  At the time it seemed strange that Mennonites migrated from Mexico to Canada, but this movie opened my understanding a little bit  (actually suggesting more questions).  Won a jury prize at Cannes and several other festival awards.

Argentina is the major South American Spanish producer.   My interest was sparked by Ricardo Darin and I was able to pick up a few of his films and expand my knowledge.  Juan Jose Campanella directed two of the more famous ones "Son of the Bride" and, Oscar winning  "Secret in their Eyes"  Campanella also won Daytime Emmy award and spent most of his career in America.  "Nine Queens" was another well known one, for which I had seen a Bollywood copycat version.  Beautifully done, with the viewers being left in the lurch as much as the victim.   "XXY" had an unusual theme as a child had been born a hermaphrodite and was undecided which sex to choose and it gets complicated by a doctor with an agenda and a young boy discovering he is gay.  Directed and written by Lucia Puenzo who also did "The German Doctor", about a Nazi hiding in Argentina doing experiments as well as doctoring.

"The Education of Fairies", filmed in Spain" had an interesting line, ' I fell in love with two people at the same time" (mother and son).  "Carnacho" was literally about ambulance chasers.  Ricardo has made a lot of films that sound interesting, but are not accessible for me.  One I haven't seen, is "The Stranger," an English speaking film.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/04/ricardo-darin-brings-charm-from.html

Norma Aleandro's most famous movie was probably "The Official Story" which was political and very emotional.  I had seen her in an English language movie set in Uruguay,   Another famous film was "Son of the Bride.'  with Ricardo Darin.  She now seems to play grandmothers and mothers of grown children.  "Andres doesn't take Naps" also had a political undertone.  "Anita," a delightful movie about a woman with Downs syndrome whose mother is missing after a bomb explosion at a Jewish financial building.  She wanders around, at first interrupting a variety of personal situations, but also spreading love.  Norma Aleandro played the mother, but unfortunately was finished off early in the movie.  She is still active as she approaches 80.  The director/writer, Marcos Carnevale also wrote "Elsa and Fred" that I had recently seen a Hollywood version with Christopher Plummer and Shirley McLain.

"A Boyfriend for My Wife" in 2008 was the most popular film in Argentina that year.  Man feels henpecked by his wife and decides to find her a lover to take her off his hands.  His plan works, but he discovers that his wife has become a much more likeable person and he wants her back.

"Lilli's Apron" from 2004 was promoted as similar to "Mrs Doubtfire," but had a very serious undercoating.  Funny in many scenes with a man dressing as a woman to get a maid's job, but in this version he was covering for his wife who was suffering depression.

Peru got a movie to my local library,  "Undertow," which I avoided as I have seen enough gay movies, but this did have a different angle.  A happily married man with a wife about to give birth had a male lover, but the man died, and came back as a ghost.  The movie was about being yourself.  Excellent and memorable cinematography and music, some of which I bought on iTunes.

Last year I wrote a bit about Paraguay having an enjoyable movie called "7 Boxes."  Fairly simple and low budget, but well done.

From Colombia I saw"La Sirga"  which was a bleak film. The director was making political point, without talking politics or showing violence.  Colombia has a reputation of violence and corruption and rebellion and eventually you sense that is the pressurizing background.

With the millions of Hispanics in United States there is an American market for producing Hispanic films.   Tv networks are well established and reflect the American Hispanic culture. "Ladron que Roba a Labron" (to rob a thief")  was a con job movie.  They took the theme of tv commercials being (in some cases ) criminally misleading, particularly taking advantage of immigrants from Hispanic nations.  Many of the actors were chosen from American Hispanic television, but others with backgrounds in Argentina, Mexico and Cuba.

"Alambrista" is about an  immigrant from Mexico to California.  Robert M Young, an independent  producer released this film in 1977.  Most of the actors were inexperienced.   Some of the themes included 2nd marriages on the other side of the border and the concept of anchor baby at end.  Edward James Omos, better known for English speaking roles had a small role and does a special feature 33 years later.  He said the movie was meant to make you feel it is real, almost a documentary.  What would you do in their shoes?  Won a Cannes award and Robert M. Young went on to do many films and documentaries.

Spanish and English seem to work in parallel universes but there is overlapping.  The movies mentioned are all ones I have watched, (with a few noted exceptions. although a few of them were seen many years ago.

MOVIES WORTH SHARING FROM 2013

There are more movies (even good ones) than a person has time to view and try to make sense of.  My interests have been expanding to international, classic, and documentaries.  This is really just a list of favorite movies that I saw during 2013.  I actually saw 246 movies, most of them worth the effort, but a few duds.   My hope is that some people will learn of something to pursue.

Early in January saw one of the best of the year, "Lincoln."  I had read the book that it was loosely based on "Team of Rivals" of which this was only a small section.  The key thing was how Lincoln accomplished his goals.  From the book I realize he put his most serious rivals into his cabinet recognizing that they were intelligent men, but also in a place where he had some control over them.  He went to great lengths to flatter, bribe, shame many of the opposition to pass the 13th amendment that put an end to slavery before the end of the Civil War.  Viewers were made conscious of the terrible tragedy of the war and of his domestic trials.

"The Shawshank Redemption" tops on all time lists and deserves to be.  On other lists appears "Vertigo", another masterpiece.

"Lawrence of Arabia" released in 1962 still seems like a modern day blockbuster.

Some classics worthy of the label include "Wait until Dark," "Key Largo," "City for Conquest," "Strangers on a Train," The 39 Steps" and "Harvey."

"The Terminal" from 2004 directed by Steven Spielberg was funny, critical of bureaucracy and an example of adaptability.

"The World's Fastest Indian" was only watched as I was curious about the New Zealand connection.  It was a very interesting film.  Also watched "Boy" that had been part of film festival in Hamilton a few years back and enjoyed.  Started the year with "Once were Warriors" a very powerful film.

A niche I explored was horses.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/horses-in-movies.html

Some other English language features I enjoyed included "Silver Linings Playbook" and "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas."

Documentaries.  Most of my life I have made an effort to read more non fiction books than fiction, but I think of movies as entertainment, but they also can be effective advocates for a point of view.  A chance encounter with Art Dyck opened up a new door.  "The Cove", "Who Killed the Electric Car?" "Client 9," "Why We Fight," "Half the Sky," "A Place at the Table."  were some that were thought provoking.

Danish films continue to impress me.  With the limitations imposed by a small populations Denmark is punching much above their weight class. " A Royal Affair," nominated for an Oscar and "In a Better World" that won an Oscar were two outstanding examples.  I also watched "Adam's Apples" which was a very different movie than you would see from Hollywood. Mads Mikkelsen, Trine Dryrholm and Ulric Thomsen are becoming familiar faces.

Expanding my interest in world cinema I started noticing films from South Korea.  My early awareness indicated they were heavily into violence.  "Silenced" was very graphic, but made a very strong point in a very impressive manner.  We may not have that particular problem, but no need to be self righteous,  We have had similar problems and have similar culture of social coercion.  "JSA" was about a unique Korean situation, the border between North and South Korea where guards stare at one another with guns.  A lot of tension and an interesting plot.   "The Gifted Hand" seen during an Air New Zealand flight.   Saw my first romance-comedy from Korea, "After The Banquet" and found it very enjoyable.  "Masquerade" was another gem with a similar factual theme as "A Royal Affair."

"Inside the Sea"  Alejandro Amenabar directed and Javier Bardem starred in this 2004 release based on a real story of a quadriplegic who asked for assisted euthanasia.  Projecingt his mind was an excellent way of demonstrating his frustration.  He was a very intelligent man who wrote-poems.  Alejandro incorporated classical and folk music into film, but altered to match the flow of the movie which was very cleverly explained in his commentary.  Won best foreign film Oscar.  This was my favorite movie I watched this year.

2007 "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"  American crew working in French--locked in syndrome--the movie used a fly to play a signficant role in this and another movie.    http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/paralyzed-men-in-4-foreign-movies.html

In Spanish language films I was impressed with "Amores Perros" and "No," both with Gael Garcia Bernal.  Also enjoyed "Nine Queens" with Ricardo Darin in Argentina

French movies continued to impress me.  "Rust and Bones" got tangled up in Oscar politics, but could easily have been best foreign film.  I also enjoyed "Little White Lies" (also with Marion Cotillard) and from classics "Three Colors--White, Red and Blue."  I also finally got to watch three movies that had lured me with their trailers that caused me to read all three original books.  The movies lived up to the billing: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/three-french-movies.html

I re-discovered Hiam Abbass who usually gets supporting roles and leading roles in little watched movies.  She is fantastic.  Saw her in "A Bottle in the Gaza Sea," "Miral," "Amreeka," "Paradise Now," "Syrian Bride," and "The Visitor".  More on her next year.

There is more to Bollywood than song and dance. "Vicky Donor" turned out to have more substance than I anticipated from the subject of a sperm donor.  "English Vinglish" was excellent.  "Bhaag Milka Bhaag" (one of the best overall films of 2013), "Lootera," "Kai Po Che,"  "Special 26," and  "Raanjhaana" (like a film noir) were also enjoyable.  Going back to classics I discovered Srivedi.  Realized how she was a logical choice for "English Vinglish".   Other Bollywood favorites include  "Mr India", " "Ek Hasina Thi" (2004)"   I watched two films by Prakash Jha, a director noted for political themes "Arrakhsan" released in 2011  had a strong impact on me http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/aarakshan-study-on-education-inequality.html, plus "Satyagraha" from 2013.   I have a tendency to think of all films from India as Bollywood, but there are several variations that stand on their own.  One interesting film was in the Telegu language, "Morning Raga" acquainted me with Carnatic fusion with its hypnotic fascination.  Two posts for Bollywood novices are:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/01/bollywood-star-system.html  and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/kissing-bollywood-vs-hollywood.html

There were lots of other movies I enjoyed and had some impact, but a list becomes meaningless if too many are included.  Your thoughts are welcome--I will simply add to my list of movies to try to make room for.

Looking forward to (movies I missed) including "Gravity," "The Hunt," "12 Years a Slave," "Philomena," "The Past" etc. etc.

Check last year's films  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/12/favorite-movies-of-2012.html

PARALYZED MEN IN 4 FOREIGN MOVIES

Even those of us in poor physical shape take a lot for granted.  We are mobile enough to get from one point to another, to feed ourselves and to easily use a remote control.  We don't like to think about it, but being totally helpless is almost or even more frightening than death.

Many movies have portrayed this helplessness and I have chosen to discuss four foreign ones where the lead character is physically helpless.  "The Sea Inside", "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", "Guzarrish", and "The Intouchables".  They were all well done and perhaps because they personalized a great human fear each left a strong impact.  SPOILER ALERT--the endings are important to the discussion.  I think you can enjoy these movies even after knowing the endings.

To create sympathy for the main characters there had to be a contrast between what was before, and what happened after the cause of paralysis. Usually either a flashback or some pre event coverage established the dynamism for the main character.  Another method was by projection where the main character was imagined to be doing something impossible and desirable, especially well done in" The Sea Inside", but also in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and "Guzaarish".

Another common denominator is that each protagonist had a sense of humor which helped them to get through the ordeal.  In "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" the viewer was privileged to hear the protagonist's thoughts and we could laugh even though the other participants didn't get the humor. Each protagonist displays a humorous perspective on their situation.  The rest of us can be so pompous and deluded that we can't laugh at ourselves or our situations.

"The Sea Inside" (2004) was based on the life of Ramon Sampedro who was noted for spreading joy while campaigning for his own death.  Javier Bardem portrays Ramon as a charming mostly bed-ridden man who writes poetry and has connections to the outside world.  Most of those close to him are part of his team in his campaign for the right to die, except his brother whose house he lives in.  We learn that many women love him and in reality Ramon actually had more women enamored of him than was in the movie script.  Belen Rueda, an especially beautiful actress, is brought in as his lawyer and later we learn chosen because she also has a debilitating disease.  Javier is confronted by priests who try to convince him his wish to die is sinful.  After a court rejection he arranges his own death with the help of his network of supporters.  Won Oscar as best foreign language film as well as several international awards.  Directed by Alejandro Amenabar who I have admired in other blogs


"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (2007) starts with us the viewers looking through a hazy veil from what we soon learn are the eyes of the protagonist, played by Mathieu Amalric  who is not sure what has happened.  He takes awhile to realize he can't speak and can't move.  We viewers are also privileged to hear his thoughts and go through some of his confusion.  The staff at the hospital have already devised a scheme to help him communicate, but it is very arduous requiring the therapist to go through the alphabet (arranged by most heavily used letter to least used) and stop when Mathieu blinks with his left eye.  His speech therapist played by Marie-Josee Croze becomes very upset and leaves the room when she learns he wants to die, but comes back and apologizes.  She later takes him to church to meet with a priest.  She has one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever enjoyed at a movie.

Director Julian Schnable elects to use flashbacks and projections. Mathieu had left one lover (mother of his children) for another, but after his paralysis his wife (in the screen version) tended to him, but at one point she had to pass on a message that he wanted to see the other.  This total type of paralysis was labeled "locked in syndrome" and he could only move his one eyelid and part of his tongue. Julian Schnable director, and  Ron Harwood, writer, created movie based on autobiography of Jean-Dominique Bauby.  Emmanuelle Seigner, and Max Von Sydow had significant roles.  At one point a fly that Mathieu cannot shake away is used to illustrate his helplessness.  In real life Jean-Dominique Bauby, was an editor at Elle magazine and spent most of his time writing his autobiography.  At the end we are told that Mathieu's character dies a natural death.  Won at Cannes. Originally saw this movie because I had checked movies with Niels Arestrup (a Rod Steiger type of character) and noticed this one.  Niels had only a small role, but I got to see a big movie.

"Guzzarish" (2010) Hrithik Roshan is the top male dancer in Bollywood and is often seen in muscular roles so a contrast was strongly made.  He really can act and in this he plays a magician where one trick went tragically wrong causing him to be a quadriplegic.  He becomes a popular disc jockey who occasionally gives inspirational speeches to other quadriplegics.  His nurse is the actress, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, once considered the most beautiful woman in the world who secretly loved our hero.  Near the beginning of the movie, a fly on the nose is used to illustrate how helpless Hrithik is, but in this case after trying to wave his head to get it to move Hrithik actually smiled calmly when the fly sat on his nose.  Towards the end of the movie he is tortured by constant raindrops on his head with no one to protect him.   Like Javier, Hrithik has to deal with priests who try to deter him from his wish to die.  When he got angry he sometimes asked his nurse and others to break a vase to help relieve his tension.  He doesn't win his court case despite persuading trial prosecutor to be in a box to illustrate how unbearable helplessness can be.  He is alive at the end having just married Aishwarya, but I am not sure what his intention was as she married him knowing that his fortune had been long gone and she would inherit nothing.  Won awards for special effects--Hrithik's "mishap" is shown with spectacular realism.

"The Intouchables" brings a rich man together with a poor man. Francois Cluzet is introduced to us as a wealthy, cultured quadriplegic in the process of hiring a male nurse aid.  Omar Sy is just trying to keep getting his welfare money and wants the protagonist to sign a form.  Francois is intrigued and ends up hiring him and it is an adjustment for both of them.  Omar is forced to sit through a number of high cultural events, but eventually he lures his quadriplegic boss to another level of culture which they both enjoy.  Omar expands the quadriplegic in different ways eventually bringing him to marry a woman he was too shy to approach directly.  Francois kicks back a bit with a little deception of own and the two go para gliding, the activity that caused the paralysis.  This is based on a true story and ends with a note explaining that two real characters were still alive and enjoying life.  This movie was entertaining and successful commercially.  There were a few scenes of physiotherapy where you could appreciate the problems keeping a quadriplegic healthy.  Unlike the other movies there was no court case.

Switching to an earlier English language version, "Whose Life is it Anyway" originally a British tv drama in 1972 then turned into a theatre play performed in London and New York.  Written by Brian Clark.  In 1983 it was redone for a movie with Richard Dreyfuss.  The former sculpter becomes a quadriplegic as the result of a car accident.  The play is about philosophical arguments for and against being allowed to die.  In a court case he fails to win his desire.

Christopher Reeve deserves a mention as he really was paralyzed after an equestrian accident.and did do a few movies that in some ways hit just as hard because the viewer had seen him as Superman.  He was known as an actor who turned down glamorous roles for more worthy challenges.  He accepted Superman because of the challenge of also playing Clark Kent.  By being open about what it was like to be a quadriplegic Christopher made more people aware of it and raised money for spinal chord research, some of which has had impacts.  He went to Israel as they were more advanced in research. He became a political activist as there was right wing religious resistance to stem cell research.   He also headed an organization to make independent living for paralyzed people more feasible.  He died of complications.

Legal issues revolved around the right to die. All court cases resulted in denying an end to suffering. In all cases the protagonist struggled with a sense of purpose.  Life and death matters concern us all. All living creatures naturally seek pleasure and avoid pain.  As thinking beings we think we can evaluate our own circumstances.  As feeling beings we are subject to emotions overwhelming logic. We do not allow animals to suffer, but a fellow human being is too close to us and we can't usually imagine suffering enough to want to die.   Sometimes a life and death decision is called for.  Who gets to decide?  Who wants to decide?  A natural concern is that those with a vested interest might manipulate.

What do you say to someone who has lost the ability to take care of themselves, to enjoy the things that made life enjoyable to them and who feel helpless and dependent on others.  Even though we may love them they feel horrible about being a burden.  Ultimately I believe the decision should be made by the person involved, although as outsiders we want to be assured that is a real and informed choice.  As outsiders we take a lot for granted and we can be self righteous about the importance of things.

For us the viewer--how often do we take the gift of life for granted.  How often do we complain about our limitations?  How often do we abuse our bodies and minds with junk?  Some people think bad misfortune is for a reason and that people can benefit from their challenge.

This has been my 200th post.  Thank you readers for encouraging me to get this far.

JAVIER BARDEM A GIFT FROM SPAIN

Spanish ranks among the most common global languages.  It stands to reason they might have cultural elements that spread to the rest of us.  For example, Don Quixote, Picasso, tortillas, flamenco, paella,   Another example is Javier Bardem.

The first time I watched Javier was in "No Country for Old Men"  He played a cold blooded murderer with an unusual way of executing his victims.  Before seeing the movie I watched him at the Academy Awards where he had been nominated (and won) Best Actor in a Supporting role. Instead of a glamorous spouse or girl friend he went with his mother.  A big contrast to the image the movie gave him.

Born in 1969 in the Canary Islands to a show business family.  Starting at age 5 he started appearing in tv series.  His first movie was in  1990.  He developed a strong reputation in Spain before attracting wider attention..

"Love in the Time of Cholera", my second Bardem movie displayed a comic touch in a romantic role.  Set in Colombia and written by a famous Latin author it was screened for an American audience.  I enjoyed it.

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" was another vehicle for Javier in the American market.  Directed by the venerable Woody Allen and starring Rebecca Hall and  Scarlett Johanson with Javier creating a love triangle that expanded beyond.  Real life wife, Penelope Cruz won the Academy Award for best supporting actress..  A strange movie in many ways, allowing Javier to demonstrate his comic talents.

"Eat, Pray Love" with Julia Roberts.  He represented the Love part helping to conclude the movie.  He made a late appearance, but took over when he did.

At about this point I was so enjoying Javier's English performances that the next step was to check out his Spanish performances.  He looked so comfortable in a variety of English speaking roles, but most of us are at our best in our own environment.

"The Sea Within" demonstrated a versatility I wasn't expecting.   An excellent movie from conception to execution.  About a real Spaniard who was paralyzed and campaigned to legalize euthanasia.,   Despite my description Javier displayed a comic touch and surprisingly romantic. Directed by a favorite director Alejandro Amenabar.  My favorite of all Javier's movies.  Read more at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/paralyzed-men-in-4-foreign-movies.html

"Before Night Falls" was brutal, and fairly explicit.  Here he played an historical Cuban gay and dealt with discrimination and AIDS   He received an Oscar nomination  which was rare for foreign language performance.

He received yet another Oscar nomination for "Biutiful" another brutal story highlighting his dramatic skills.  Difficult to watch all the suffering.

With "The Dancer Upstairs" another movie set in South American (unnamed, but seemed to be modeled on politics of Peru) he played a married man attracted to a woman who turned out to be a revolutionary;  a youthful talented Italian actress Laura Morante who happened to be in her mid 40's.   Most of the actors were Spanish actors, but English was the main language.  He played a gentle character during a radical underground troubles.  John Malkovitch directed.

Having done all this watching I decided to add "Skyfall".  I was an early James Bond fan, but got bored with the formula.  This most recent Bond movie was enjoyable from a lot of good acting (Daniel Craig, Judy Dench and of course Javier), music (especially Adele) and action.   Some commentators said Javier was the greatest Bond villain.  I thought he was fairly unique and enjoyable, not sure if I would make the same claim.  

Movie watchers tend to fantasize about their favorites and I admit I was pleased Javied married another of my favorites, Penelope Cruz and they now have two children.  Actors appear to want to be good at both comedy and tragedy.  Javier Bardem actually is.

FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2012

Everyone has their own idea of what the best movies are and I can't pretend to be any wiser than any of you.  Movies mentioned indicate my preferences.  Your thoughts are more than welcome in fact it is my hope to check out some of your ideas.  The movies mentioned are movies that I watched in 2012, many of them were made in previous years and come out of over 130 movies.  Many more are deserving of mention, but this is not intended as a list.

Director commentaries and special features often helped me appreciate something I would not have appreciated on my own.  Others think the movie must stand on its own.  Like everything else movies have a context and if you don't understand the context you will not fully appreciate the movie.

There is still a foreign language bias in my preferences and that means there are more choices than time.  Years ago it was common advice not to invest your money in any one country as it might not be safe.  Watching foreign movies doesn't mean that Hollywood is no good, but rather that there are wonderful ideas out there and you would be foolish not to enjoy them.  Like foreign foods they will add spice to your life.

Let's start off with the English speaking movies.

George Clooney figured in two I enjoyed, "The Descendents" (directed by Alexander Payne who also wrote the screenplay after winning Oscar for Sideways) was a family drama where a father draws his two daughters back into the fold while also deciding on a family heritage.

"Ides of March" was directed by George as well as playing one of the lead characters.  George seems to have a cynical view of politics which I share to some degree.  The movie has a few twists and has excellent acting by George, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Paul Seymour Hoffman.

"J Edgar," (directed by Clint Eastwood) was recommended to me by one of my wife's closest friends, Barb Martin.  It was a fascinating character study of a man who liked to take credit for things he didn't actually do.  Still he was a skillful manipulator with a strong impact on American history.

"The Debt" (directed by John Madden) had two sets of actors to play younger and older versions of the same people.  It is a cover up thriller type of movie very well done.  Helen Mirren plays a key role.

"Water for Elephants," (directed by Francis Lawrence) was a drama played out on a Depression era circus background.  One thing I remember is that Robert Pattinson is more than a teenage idol.  An enjoyable movie.

"People Like Us" ( directedby Alex Kurtzman also writer, with music by a favorite Bollywood composer, A R Rahman).   Apparently the director had gone through a similar experience as the lead male actor and probably that helps give a feeling of authenticity. Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks and Michelle Pfeiffer all give effective performances.

Filmed in 2009 "Agora", an English speaking film directed by a Spaniard, Alejandro Amenabar got my attention.  The movie stars Rachel Weisz in a woman centric role.  The director was very fascinating as he explained in a special feature that he had wanted to do something that involved astronomy and ended up setting his story in ancient Alexandria focusing on a woman scientist.  Based on fact, but not necessarily 100% factual the director demonstrated how some ancients may have deduced that the earth goes around the sun and even that it uses an elliptical orbit.  Alejandro also co-wrote the script and has written the music for several movies.  An earlier movie of his that impressed me was "Abre Los Ojos" re-written by him as "Vanilla Sky".  Someone to watch out for.

One classic I watched (for the first time) was "Unforgiven."   Directed by Clint Eastwood.  It was numbing.  It was crude and brutal, but in a very realistic sobering manner.  Attitudes were stripped to their cores.  Crudity was brought out as part of every day life.  It was well worth viewing, but you need to have a strong stomach and be open minded.

"The Maltese Falcon" was a classic I had seen before, but was able to take a closer look at.  Black and white movies seem too old fashioned, but they perhaps should be judged by how well they used their more limited resources.  I have always felt the key factor in a movie is the story.  Actors enhance it and directors are the key resource managers.  Technology can sometimes take over and distract from the story. I understand this was the first movie that John Huston directed.  This movie helped Humphrey Bogart elevate himself to a higher level of stardom.  An enjoyable movie.  Just before Christmas I watched "The African Queen" again directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogard and Katherine Hepburn with excellent cinematography.  All around very enjoyable..

One of the last movies of the year for me was from a childhood memory, "Captain Blood".  I had first watched it with my father who was an Errol Flynn fan (and I suspect like myself also an Olivia de Havilland fan).   Later I watched it in stages with my young son Michael while waiting for school.  It was one of the first movies with music by Erich Korngold.  It might look a bit dated, but I loved it when I first saw it and it still gave me a thrill during the holidays.

A strange category with just one entry, "The Artist".  It is English, but it is subtitled.  It justifies the fuss.  One line in there was "mugging", implying without words actors tended to over act.  Some truth to that, but watching the movie it was interesting how they captured the mood without spoken words.  The acting was different, but the emotions came through loud and clear with the two French leads excellent.  A wonderful collaborative effort between French and American staff.   The cinematography was also noteworthy, and perhaps not noticed because in black and white.  Michel Hazanavicius directed it.

If you can't be bothered with subtitles the rest of this blog is like a tease.  You will be tempted, but you might get headaches or eyestrain or you will be forced to concentrate more than usual.  If you give in to the temptation you just might feel you have discovered a brand new joy in life.  The next three listed are my favorite three of the year.

Perhaps my favorite movie overall of the year was "A Separation."  In North America one gets used to thinking of Iran as a backward nation filled with fanatics.  This movie shows they are civilized and have the same sorts of personal tensions we are familiar with.  The story has mysterious elements, but I would emphasize the personal dynamics are done much better than standard movie fare.  The director set out to give the movie a documentary feel and succeeded.  The movie had to work around censors.  The writer and director (and his daughter played I would say the very significant third lead) was Asghar Farhadi who had to deal with Iranian censors and is not really appreciated by Iranian authorities.

Another top favorite is "The Intouchables" from France.  I assumed it wouldn't be shown at commercial theatres in my area, but it was picked up by the Art Gallery of Hamilton film fest.  Francois Cluzet plays a paraplegic in contrast to a previous role in an action movie, "Tell No One."  Omar Sy plays a cultural contrast.  The two give different pictures of modern Paris, the one very elegant and the other more desperate.  The story, based on real lives is funny in unanticipated details and uplifting.  The two characters at opposite ends of both wealth and health helped each other squeeze more out of life.   Directed and written by the team of Oliver Nakache and Eric Toleando.

From Bollywood, one that totally fooled me was "Kahaani".  It wasn't so much that the killer was a surprise, but the whole setup was in line with "Sixth Sense" or the "Usual Suspects" and for most of you this description will not spoil it.  Watching Vidya Balan, even playing an 8 month pregnant wife is one of life's pleasures.  The movie steadily tightens the suspense, but you are not really prepared for the resolution.  The most moving music is at the very end during the credits with religious overtones sung by Amitabh Bachchan, someone who I respect, but had not realized he sang.  Directed by Sujoy Ghosh.

"Barfi" was confusing to me at first.  The trailer indicates there would be a lot of comedy and there certainly was.  Also there would be some sort of love triangle and there was.  In many reviews at IMDB there seemed a reluctance to give out plot details and I now appreciate why they felt that way.  The movie is really about  relationships and was much deeper and richer than I anticipated.  Music played a strong role as it does in most Bollywood movies, but not in its familiar form.  The presentation is different with high reliance on flashbacks.  Directed by Anurag Basu.

"Don 2," heavy on plot, action and special effects was enjoyable. Filmed in Malaysia and Germany with wonderful cinematography.  The plot was convoluted keeping you on your toes.  Shah Rukh Khan showed he is more than just a romantic hero.  Directed by Farhan Akhtar.

"Stanley Ka Dabba" caught me off guard.  I had the idea it was a children's movie and it proceeded in many ways like I expected.  But towards the end I realized it wasn't a chidren's movie, but deeply concerned with education and a social problem in India.  Checking the special features I learned that it was filmed after a series of special classes initially without a script and very low budget.  The brain behind it was Amole Gupte who was also involved with "Taare par Zameen" another excellent movie that focused on an education issue.

Also watched a Bollywood classic, "Sholay".  I am so used to seeing Amitabh Bachchan as a strong father figure I didn't appreciate he got started as a young macho star.  It was very action packed from beginning to end with a few surprises along the way.  Directed by Romesh Sippy.

Canadian movie, 'Monsieur Lazhar.'  Also up for Oscar with "A Separation".  A very good movie, based on a one person play.  It fooled me into thinking they might have a tidy happy ending, but did have a realistic one.  For 2011 I felt "Incendies" was the best film I got to watch.  After watching "Monsieur Lazhar" I followed up an earlier movie of director/writer Philip  Falardeau, "Congorama" and was very impressed with its subtlety.  This year the best Canadian film and one of the best overall was "Monsieur Lazhar" which just demonstrates the strength of Quebec in international movies.

A Dutch film of 2011, "Bride Flight" was interesting following some Dutch women (and one man) headed to New Zealand after the war.  A soap opera plot, but well done and some wonderful scenery in New Zealand.   Directed by Ben Sombogaart.

"Headhunters" from Norway was one that interested me as I had just discovered the original author, Jo Nesbo.  They did an excellent job of dealing with Hollywood standards on a paltry Norwegian budget.

A recent French classic, "A Very Long Engagement" directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunnot who had done the more famous "Amelie" also with Audrey Tautou.  In this movie which was a lot more complex than I had imagined I was surprised to see Jodie Foster in a French speaking role.  Marion Cottilard who is becoming one of my favorites also had a signficant role.

Other movies worthy of watching came from Sweden, Turkey, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Argentina, and Brazil.

  

"El Mariachi" has become a classic. Originally intended for the Mexican video market with a $7,000 budget it drew attention at the Sundance festival.  It is a reasonably entertaining action film, but more entertaining was the director, Robert Rodiguez's commentary where he explained in almost every scene how he kept the cost down.  Most of the actors were not paid, the scenery was taken as it was found, props were improvised and the film was carefully monitored as they couldn't afford re-takes.

Looking forward to:  Life of Pi, Talaash, Lincoln, Cloud Atlas, Midnight's Children, Rust and Bone that have released in 2012.  I also plan to watch a number of classics, movies that told a meaningful story without all the modern technology.

If I didn't mention one of your favorites tell me and also why you liked it.  For my favourites of 2011 check outhttp://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2012/01/movies-i-enjoyed-in-2011.html