THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT

Movie of the week:
THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT

This movie gets the little old gray-haired lady seal of approval.

What is that, you ask? I first saw this movie years ago, shortly after it came out on video - certainly not in the theater, movies like this never never play in my town - or the next town over - or the one after that either. I rented several movies that day, and when I brought the tapes (Hey! Remember tapes?) up to the counter, the young girl girl singled this tape out of the pile and said, "Oh my god! This movie is sooooooooo good! You're going to love it." (No, she didn't have gray hair - I'm getting to that.) So I took it home and watched it, and she was right. It was good.

I've recommended this film to lots of different people over the years without any bad reviews. It came up in conversation again just recently and I decided to feature it here. I wanted to watch it again to refresh my memory of it, so I went where I usually go to get instant movie gratification - the public library. I took my selections up to the circulation desk to check out (as usual, I found a handful of good stuff). The little old gray-haired lady, who had to be at least 80, looked through my selection, which included some great old classics, and singled out PRISCILLA. She stared at it for a few seconds, her mind replaying bits of the movie. Finally, she tapped one bony finger on the DVD case, let out a long sigh, " ......aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh. This film is won-der-ful! It's so good, you're really going to love it! It's a beautiful film!" She assured me no less than 4 times before I left the library. And thus was created the "Little Old Gray-Haired Lady Seal of Approval."

Oddly enough, this isn't the sort of movie I would have expected to receive this status. It's essentially a "road" picture. That is, three friends travel through the Outbacks of Australia in a bus nicknamed "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". You're probably thinking of all the possible plot hooks here, but remember, this is NOT a Hollywood film. A Hollywood studio would sensationalize this story in order to sell tickets. So, the following Hollywood-type premises have absolutely nothing to do with this story.

1. They are attacked by cannibalistic mutants, evolved because of the hole in the ozone layer. The bus becomes both their refuge and their weapon in their fight for survival. But then they run out of gas ........
   
2. They travel from small town to small town, village to village to rob banks. They're folk heroes, of a sort, dubbed "the Pink Gang". They've never actually had to kill anybody, but one day an over-zealous bank guard changes all that. Can they stay one step ahead of the law in the Outback?
   
3. They are out to explore the caves of the Outback. In one they find more than they bargained for. Before they can back out without waking the "thing" lying dormant there, a cave-in traps them, and now the "thing" is awake.
4. They're drug dealers, looking for the ultimate high. The legendary pink blossom known as "Priscilla" (hence the dual meaning of the name), supposedly creates the perfect euphoria, and is reported to grow deep in the Outback. If they find it, they can score big and become rich. But will they, themselves, fall victim to its allure, and will the indigenous people allow them to take it just like that?
   
5. A priest and a rabbi and a monk travel the Outback competing against each other for the souls of those who live there. They're all good friends but as the competition heats up, and the dirty tricks begin, can their friendship survive? Contains the improbable line, as the walk into a pub together, the bartender says, "What is this, some kind of joke?"
   
6. Two female impersonators and one transsexual put on glitzy costumes and lip-sync to ABBA - across the Outback. They're on their way to Perth to put on a big show. Features a lively ABBA soundtrack. Is in no way related to the musical Mamma Mia, also based on ABBA's music.
   
7. Three college coeds embark on a journey of sexual awakening and strive to commune with nature ................ and get as drunk as they possibly can. They find that nature doesn't want to commune back. In their frustration, they totally annoy the crap out of the locals who ask them to please be on your way and sexually awake somewhere else if you don't mind.
8. Two hobbits and one dwarf are off on a bus in search of a Lord of the Rings convention. The three friends remain in convention costume throughout and amazingly enough, find themselves in a real life Middle-Earth type adventure. Can they defend the village against a marauding band of poachers (orcs)?
9. Three researchers from the department of archeology at the University of Sydney, drive off in a bus into the Outback to investigate rumors that a long dead ancient civilization may not be as long dead as everybody thinks. They are, in fact still secretly thriving, deep in the back lands, guarding a very important artifact -------- from space!
10. "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" is one of the entries in the annual "Across the Outback Road Race". The three friends must drive around the clock and negotiate the dangerous terrain to edge out the competition. Lunacy and hilarity ensue.
    

Oh dear. It seems I lied about #6. That is indeed what this film is about (I bet you thought it less probable than several of the others). Ok, that's kinda funky. How does get to pass the Little Old gray-Haired Lady test? The film doesn't spend a lot of time dwelling on what they do rather than who they are. The story is about the friendship between these three men (?), and their camaraderie along the way. There is no sex between the men (?), that's not the basis of their relationship, nor is there any sex between the men (?) and anyone they come across. There's real comedy and also real drama, and when the men do put on their show, it seems logical and right.

The movie is about opposites. There are the opposites of men and the women they portray. There's the opposite of glittery costumes against the bleak backdrop of the Outback. There is also the opposites of the characters and the actors that portray them. The film stars Terence Stamp as Bernadette, the transsexual. He is a veteran movie actor and always plays strong male roles. Hugo Weaving plays Mitzi del Bra, the leader of the trio. It's his ex-wife they are traveling cross country to visit. He is most notably known as Agent Smith in the Matrix films, and for a go-gillion other roles, from Elrond in The Lord of the Rings, to V in V for Vendetta. Guy Pearce plays Felicia Jollygoodfellow, the young "pretty one. You may remember from such films as Memento, The Proposition, and LA Confidential. I think that seeing these actors in these roles adds to the visual absurdity of the film, along with the colorful outlandish costumes.

This whole premise would possibly go horribly wrong if one tried to capitalize on the lunatic fringe concept by exaggerating the stereotypes - but they don't. The men are real men (except for Bernadette), with real emotions. The Aborigines don't stare aghast when the men put on their act. The simple Outback folk that they come across are not ignorant rubes, and extend their hospitality even to such as these men. It is, in short, a feel-good movie that promotes positive social values. Hence the little old gray-haired lady testimonial.

"It's so funny you'll laugh so hard your lashes will curl all by themselves."

Enjoy.

HALF NELSON

Movie of the week:
HALF NELSON

What the hell’s the matter with the guys that run the theaters?

A quick look at the marquee at my town’s cinema today showed the following:

• 300 – a pretty good movie, but it goes down very quickly from here.
• Zodiac – don’t know, haven’t seen it.
• Ghost Rider - Oh
• Norbit - my
• Premonition - god
• Wild Hogs - what
• Music and Lyrics - crappy
• The Number 23 - movies!

Please don’t take offense if you really liked any of these movies. A movie doesn’t necessarily have to be good to enjoy it. The point is, all these movies play for weeks at the multiplex, and yet this week’s movie, HALF NELSON, never made it there. Not in my town. Not even for a day. I mean, it’s an independent film for goodness sake – how much could it have cost them? Even though Ryan Gosling was nominated for a best actor Oscar for this film, they totally ignored it. Theater owners have absolutely no faith in you, the film go-er. They apparently think you aren’t smart enough or refined enough to be able to appreciate a drama that’s layered and textured and profound enough to make you think, past your time in the theater. I’d complain if I were you. But I know better. I believe that you (that most people, in fact) can appreciate the difference between a well made film and a cookie-cutter B-movie. This one is the first kind.

I try not to know too much before I watch a movie, but sometimes that’s hard. You just hear things. For example, the buzz about this film was that the acting performances were extraordinary strong and powerful. When people say stuff like that, I like to think just the opposite, because it’s often just hype and promotion. But, god damn it, they were right! This is a really good film. Ryan Gosling was robbed at the Oscars.

Gosling plays a young idealistic inner city junior high school teacher. He’s good at it. He's the kind of teacher you would wish for your own children. He’s the kind about which you would say, “the world needs more teachers like him.” He's the kind that wins awards. He's the sort that movies get made about, and who get written up in the NEA union magazine. He knows how to grab the kids’ attention and hold it, and mold it. He makes kids want to come to school because maybe, just maybe, they could make something of themselves and maybe be a little more like him.

Except that he’s a drug addict.

A teacher like him, has a lot of stress. He feels responsible for the future of his students. After all, if you can change just one child, you change the future. It’s all him. It’s all on his shoulders. He needs a little something to even himself out – take the edge off. Yes, he’s a drug addict and one of his students knows it. "Just because you know this one thing about me .....", he says. "One thing doesn't make a man."

This story is about his downward spiral, and about the unusual friendship that develops between him and that one student – you know – the one that he can change – for the future’s sake. I think you’ll like this one. It’s deep and textured, has many levels, is inspiring and moving, and it’ll make you feel good. Does it all turn out good in the end? But that would be telling now – wouldn’t it?

So here are 10 ways you’re thinking that this could possible turn out – but would be wrong!

1. He wins the “Teacher of the Year” award and is presented the keys to the city by the mayor. At the award ceremony, he passes out from an overdose of heroin.
2. He organizes the students to put on a presentation for their parents who are mostly moved to tears in pride for their accomplishments, ......... during which he passes out from an overdose of heroin.
3. He takes the students on a field trip to the Museum of Science. But instead takes them to a field trip to the street to score dope. Students learn important lessons on how to “eyeball” dime bags and judge purity by color and taste. He doesn’t pass out from an overdose of heroin, but three students do.
4. He passes out from an overdose of heroin during an exceptionally strange orgy of sex and drugs and is later found by student who says, “WTF? Why wasn’t I invited?”
5. He travels home to visit his parents, and remembers why he started taking drugs in the first place. Passes out from an overdose of heroin before dessert – damn!
6. He gets fired from his job. Goes into rehab and gives up heroin. Passes out from an overdose of crack cocaine instead, considered by many NOT to be a big improvement.
7. Students organize an “intervention” to get him to turn his life around. As a teacher, it’s important for him to relate to them, to understand them, and to inspire them. They succeed in getting him to give up drugs in favor of getting high on “life”. At the prom he passes out from an overdose of life.
8. He has an epiphany when certain incidents start to bother him, like that time he was on the bus, and the guy with the big hunk of deli meat was cutting pieces off and asked him if he wanted some, probably because he looked hungry, which of course he was, because he was homeless, even though he wasn't technically a widow. ……. but then takes drugs to push that out of his head.
9. He doesn’t win “Teacher of the Year” award, instead, wins the Irish Sweepstakes so he waits until spring vacation and books passage to Ireland, then he goes from village to village, pub to pub, inquiring as to where he can claim his winnings but nobody has a clue what he’s talking about, so he tries looking up the Irish Sweepstakes office in the phone book – but no go, until finally and old woman in a bar tells him that there hasn’t been an Irish Sweepstakes for 20 years or more but before he can register his disappointment, he passes out from an overdose of Guinness.
10. Bueller? Bueller?

I lied before. One of these outcomes is actually true (hint: not #10).

Warnings for the meek: Although it’s the kind of movie that everyone should see, it may be unsuitable for young children. It features language, and drug use (lots of drug use), and sex. But despite that, it’s really kind of, I don’t know - nice? Listen, don’t listen to me. Watch the film for yourself and make up your own mind. (BTW: It scored a 91% on the tomatometer)

HALF NELSON
Enjoy.

WATER

Movie of the week:
WATER

Sometimes what seems like a good idea at one time, doesn’t seem so wise when you look at it much later.

I remember an episode of The Twilight Zone, about a couple who were having financial problems. Suddenly, a man appeared at their door with a box and offered them an interesting proposition. He would leave the box with them for a while, and if they pressed that button, he would return and give them a large sum of money. However – as a consequence, someone that they did not know and had never met, would die. This is an interesting dilemma. The decision to press the button couldn’t possibly affect them – they would probably not even hear of the death. And besides, people die every day – maybe it was their time to die. They were so far removed from that person that, in the end, they pushed the button. But, of course in the end, it did effect them.

No sooner had they pressed the button, the man was at the door with their money. He collected the box and turned to go. The couple asked him, “Did someone die?” “Yes, of course. But don’t worry, it wasn’t anyone you know or have met.” “And,” they persisted, “Will you give the box to someone else?” “Yes, of course,” he answered. “Who will you give it to?” “Someone you don’t know, or have ever met”, he replied.

WATER takes place in India in the late 1930’s. It illustrates the plight of widows in traditional Hindu society. According to Holy Scriptures, a widow had three choices upon her husband’s death. She can either marry his younger brother (apparently, an older brother just won’t do), or she can join him on his funeral pyre (I wonder if they expected many women to go this route), or she can go to live in an Ashram ( a refuge where widows live in poverty and self denial for the rest of their lives, to atone for the sin of – I don’t know – widowness – or widoletry, I guess). In the Ashram, women support themselves by begging on the street or by prostitution (I guess widow=prostitute according to Holy Scripture). I suppose when they first thought this up, it seemed like a good idea. It’s a good bet that no widows were on that committee. I’m sure that it was easy for the Holy Scripturers to draft up this policy because it didn’t direct affect them. They didn’t have to think past themselves to be convinced of the logic. Widows are inconvenient – what to do? Marry them off, or kill them, or stow them away out of sight, or turn them into prostitutes. They never thought of the consequences. They never thought about what happens to the box with the button after they were done with it.

The story is told through the eyes of 9-year-old Chuyia. At the age of – I don’t know, maybe 5 – she was given to a man in marriage. By the age of 9, she was a widow. She never remembered getting married. She didn’t remember her husband. And she doesn’t understand that she faces spending the entirety of the rest of her life in the Ashram with the other widows. “How awful!” you say. “How utterly and heartbreakingly depressing!”

….but it’s not.

If there were no redeeming value to this film, I would not be able to recommend it. There are two bright shining lights in the otherwise darkness of the widow house. One is Kalyani, a young woman of extraordinary beauty, who takes it upon herself to look after Chuyia. WATER is mostly a story about her. While it is customary for the women to shave their heads in the house, Kalyani is allowed to keep her hair intact. This is so that the house elder can pimp her out for sex to wealthy men, and thus raise money for food. She does it willingly (what choice does she have?), but she keeps her spirits up and one day it may be possible to escape.

The other bright beacon is Shakuntala, an older woman who seems stern at first, but becomes a mother figure for the young girl. In the end, it is she who acts decisively when things go horribly wrong.

It’s interesting that even though not as widespread, the widow policy is still in practice today. I figure that there must be some unconscious guilt going on because this film was banned in India and Pakistan. Although taking place in India, this film is not specifically an indictment of Hindu society. This is probably true of any society that has no place for women outside of marriage

So why watch it? It’s gorgeously filmed. It’s uplifting (in spite of my rant above). It’s an enjoyable watch – so watch it.

WATER (in Hindi, with subtitles).
Enjoy.

ROCK SCHOOL

Family documentary of the week:
ROCK SCHOOL

Too young to rock & roll? Not on your life!

I like films because some of them, the good ones, can make you think. They can make you look at things in ways you never have before. They can inspire you. They can provoke you. They can even amuse you. Yes, movies can amuse you, but documentaries can amaze you.

“But Frank, I don’t like documentaries. Documentaries are booooooring. Documentaries are for intellectual snobs. I don’t want to learn anything new. I just want to be entertained.” I get this a lot whenever I talk about documentaries. “I just don’t ‘do’ documentaries.” The thing is, you probably watch them all the time and don’t realize it.

If you ever watch any TV episodes of “Nova”, those are documentaries. If you ever watch anything on the Discovery Channel, or Meerkat Manor, or even a news show, those are documentaries. Those are real. But not reality shows! There's nothing at all real about those.

A few years ago, Richard Linklater made a film called School of Rock, starring Jack Black. Linklater has made some movies that I’ve featured in the past, such as A Scanner Darkly, Before Sunrise, and Before Sunset. In “School of Rock”, Jack Black plays a man pretending to be a substitute teacher who comes into a school and teaches his young students how to be rock stars. It was hilarious! This is not that movie!

Jack Black’s character in “School of Rock” was based on a real-life guy, Paul Green, of Philadelphia. ROCK SCHOOL, this week’s movie, is about the real Paul Green and the after-school program he runs. His clients range from age 9 to 17 years. These are our future rockers. Wait, what am I saying – these are our present day rockers!

Paul Green is a self-proclaimed natural-born teacher. He can teach anybody anything. He can teach you how to take a punch. What he does teach, though, is the ABC’s of rockin’ and rollin’. How to play your axe, how to turn your amp up to 10 (11 if you got it), how to sing, how to look, etc… Basically how to get into the right mindset to rock, because if you’re in that zone you can rock the audience’s brains out. This documentary, however, does not make Paul Green a hero. He is often pretty obnoxious, and he's not afraid to let people know it.

He’s often bad-tempered. He screams at the kids, he insults them, swears at them, and demeans them. It’s hard to agree with his methods – but it’s also hard to argue with the results. To see how much these kids accomplish in a relatively short time is both inspiring and amazing. From the jaw dropping opening sequence to the climactic music festival in Germany. You have to keep reminding yourself that these are real kids (not actors) and that they are really playing their music. The interviews with Paul Green and the kids are very candid and telling, and you get a real sense that you are peeking into the internal machine of the process behind the scenes. It's very easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm that both Paul and the kids exude.

ROCK SCHOOL is the kind of film that, unfortunately, you normally don't get to hear about (especially where I live in suburbia). It relies on underground word-of mouth from someone that may have heard about it either on college campus or from someone who follows Sundance or Cannes or one of the other film festivals, or perhaps seen a trailer (as I did) while watching another movie on DVD. It's a shame that so moving and entertaining a film isn't given more of a chance to be seen, but don't get me started on that.

I think this is a film that may really inspire young children who may have an interest in music. The kids in the film accomplish a great deal, especially starting from very little. And so, I recommend ROCK SCHOOL for the whole family, even with the liberal use of the “F” word. But f***, that’s how most kids talk.

ROCK SCHOOL (not “School of Rock”, although that’s good too!)
Enjoy.

101 REYKJAVIK

This weeks movie:
101 REYKJAVIK

I can’t decide why I like this movie.

I saw this film a few years ago and instantly liked it, but I’m not sure I can explain why. So, forgive me as a ramble for a while until I find the right thread.

You would like a movie, if it takes place in a different land (other than where you live), to give you some idea of what it’s like there. It’s not necessarily important to the storyline, or to character development, or to your enjoyment of the film. But it’s nice when it happens. This movie, 101 REYKJAVIK, more than most I’ve seen, really conveys a sense of place, and what it’s really like to be there. In this case, it’s Iceland.

I’m told by people in the know, that I’m right about this. This movie will show you just what Iceland is all about. It has nothing to do with the storyline, or to the characters, or to your enjoyment of the film. But it’s nice, nevertheless. I’m sure it’s not a complete picture, but it is a glimpse beyond the picturesque snowy land travelogue version that you’re usually shown.

Iceland is a fascinating place that I hope to be able to visit someday. This film actually made me want to move there – to relocate, but I understand it’s not that easy. Nevertheless, here are some interesting facts about Iceland you might not be aware of (don’t worry – I’ll get to the movie in a minute).

1. Iceland is one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world. It has the highest number of broadband internet connections in the world. They’re probably reading this right now!
2. It's the cultural capital of the North Atlantic, and they have a flourishing film industry.
3. They have one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Smart people know what they’re doing.
4. Lowest child mortality rate. Lowest poverty rate.
5. The population of the entire country is less than a half million.
6. They rank 5^th in the world in terms of gross national product (GNP) per capita, and 2^nd in human development.
7. The president of Iceland’s phone number is in the book – and you can call him! Try doing that in your country!
8. Their cars run on hydrogen and the bulk (over 99%) of their energy comes from hydro-electric and geothermal. While we sit here complaining that “hydrogen cars and geothermal energy is a pipe dream”, “the technology is decades away”, “we won’t see it in our lifetime”, “it’s too hard, it’s too expensive”, and other bulls**t excuses that we – the “greatest technology producers in the world” – can only come up with, Iceland is doing it right now!
9. Drinking and sex are national pastimes. I’ll repeat that. Drinking and sex are national pastimes. I don’t see anything wrong with that, do you? They seem to have gotten everything else right, I figure they deserve that.
10. Hot springs! The Gulf Stream! Fjords!

So now the story: 30 year old Hlynur is what some may call “a real slacker”. He lives with his mother, has no job, and because he collects unemployment compensation, has little incentive to find a job. He spends his time drinking during the day with his daytime drinking buddies (mostly old retired men), and his nights drinking and carousing with his buddies (who mostly have day jobs). When he isn’t drinking, he spends time downloading porn on his broadband internet connection, and when he’s not doing that – he has his girlfriend.

The story makes us like its hero, Hlynur, even though he’s often unlikable. His girlfriend adores him, but he mistreats her or worse, ignores her. He’s not a bad guy, but he's having a life crisis. He has absolutely no idea whatsoever, what to do with himself. But change is in the air.

Without giving away too much of the story, let’s just say that it all works out in the end. Getting there, of course, is the fun part. It’s a comedy after all. Not a laugh-a-minute kind of comedy, but a realistic one, laced with dramatic moments and tension and conflict that ultimately lead to a satisfying watch. There’s a bit of sex in it. It’s not gratuitous, after all it’s a national pastime, but if that bothers you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The dialogue is in both Icelandic and in English. Why English? The story involves a Spanish dance instructor. She doesn’t speak Icelandic and Hlynur and his mother don’t speak Spanish – but they all speak some English.

So, have I figured out why I like this movie? Yes! Because it’s good!
Enjoy.