An American In Paris or Goodness Gene Kelly is a Good Dancer!

It's taken me over 2 years to watch an Oscar winning movie from the 50's and I guess An American in Paris is as good as any to get me started.

If you are feeling down, An American in Paris is one of only a handful of Oscar winning films that can lift your spirits. It is based by a Gershwin musical and includes the iconic songs "I Got Rhythm", "S Wonderful" and "Our Love is Here to Stay."

The story revolves around the very handsome Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) who is an aspiring artist living in Paris after World War II. He is friends with fellow artist wanderers including a piano prodigy Adam (Oscar Levant) and famous French singer Henri (Georges Guetary). Jerry befriends a rich American Milo (Nina Roberts) who is interested in promoting his art.

The beginning of the movie is a bit off the wall with the men constantly singing catchy jingles and Kelly dancing the hell out of his tap shoes. I've always found tap dancers to be pretty incredible and Kelly is no exception.

The story gains a bit more substance after Jerry runs into a young french woman Lise (Leslie Caron) at a party and falls madly in love with her. She doesn't exactly share the sentiment and Jerry has to work extra hard to get her to agree to a first date. From there starts a twisted love story including Jerry, Lise, Henri and Milo.

I was thoroughly enjoying the light story until the end when they decided to attach a 17 minute difficult to understand ballet at the end. I can't deny the cinematography is nice and the costumes and dancing are beautiful, but when it comes to ballet I'm a total dunce. I try to understand it, but am always left scratching my head.

Please, if you have seen this ballet and can explain to me what's going on, by all means go ahead. Maybe you can restore my interest in this movie.

Because like a good meal ruined by a bad dessert, An American in Paris left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I thought the ending (ballet aside) was really weak, unbelievable and way too predictable. Maybe I'm just bitter because I didn't agree with who ended up with who.

I decided to give the movie a 3 because I really did enjoy the cute songs, several comedic moments and Kelly's tap dancing.

If only he was still around to give me a lesson!

Favorite Moments

• Jerry: Honey, believe me. I'm no enemy...Lise, I don't know whether you're a girl of mystery or just a still water that doesn't run deep (Bahaha! I love it!) 
• The scene where Adam is trying to keep it together when Henri and Jerry are talking about the "girls" they are in love with. The double smoking, double brandies, match after match. Poor guy!
• Jet Propelled New Year's Eve?? No kidding!! Btw awesome outfit Gene Kelly 
• Really any scene with Gene Kelly dancing. I mean not a lot of guys could pull off those tight pants. 

Boo Moments

• Ugh. Lise's dress on her first date with Jerry. Is she a waitress or parking vallet? 
• The look on poor Jerry's face the last time he meets Lise down by the river. 
• The look on poor Milo's face at the New Year's Eve party

Did You Know?

• Screenwriter Alan Jay Lerner finished the script in a 12 hour stretch the night before his wedding. 
• The ballet itself cost $500,000, the sets took six weeks to finish, with 30 painters working nonstop and took a month to film.
• During filming Nina Roberts came down with the chicken pox, so makeup had to cover all her scars. 

The Godfather Part I & II or How 375 Minutes Slipped Through My Fingers

It's impossible to talk about critically acclaimed movies without mentioning The Godfather. It's referenced in nearly everything, including one of my favorite fluff movies of all time.

That being said my interest in seeing The Godfather has been nil for the first 25 years of my life. But my little movie project, tiramisu and promise of spaghetti and "meatballs" was enough to change my mind.

Plus it's just something you do. Everyone has to watch Schindler's List just like everyone has to watch The Godfather.

Part I (and Part II for that matter) tell the story of the Corleone family, a mafia family living in New York post World War II. Marlon Brando plays the patriarch "The Godfather" of the family, Vito. Al Pacino plays his son Michael who has just returned from the war and has no interest in his family's business. However his future has other plans for him and Michael finds himself involved in the family in a major way.

Part II is the long drawn out story of how Vito became "The Godfather" and how Michael is now taking his place. I wish I could tell you more, but honestly all my attention was spent trying to keep myself awake after eating carbs, carbs and more carbs.

Which brings me to the bottom line. I absolutely hated The Godfather Part II. I thought the story too dry, far too long and put me to sleep. Even if I hadn't gorged myself with pasta and garlic bread I think I still would have fallen asleep. Major fail part II, major fail. For now, I give you a 1 out of 5.

However Part I had it's charms and kept me interested, although I still think it was far too long. I don't think any move should be longer than 2.5 hours. Past that point my mind slips away. But Brando puts in a solid performance and Pacino is just downright bad ass. I give Part I a 3 out of 5.

Would I watch either again? I think I have to. The Godfather movies need to be watched more than once. I'm not even sure if I understood Part II at all and it's unfair to judge a movie when you can't follow the story.

Maybe in another 25 years I'll work up the energy to give them another try. 

Favorite Moments 

• Uh, remind me to stay on Al Pacino's good side. Yikes!
• Appolonia's days of the week.
• When Part II ended. (Harsh, I know)

Boo Moments

• Poor Sonny :( 
• Poor Appolonia :( 
• Poor horse :(

The Departed Or How I Discovered My Inner Southie

For two years The Departed has been sitting on a bookshelf in my living room, sandwiched between The Dark Knight and Despicable Me. I had plenty of opportunity to watch it but for some reason had this preconceived notion that I would hate it.

I mean shoot em up crime movies aren't really my cup of tea. More often than not I can't find a plot in crime movies. It's just a race to see who can blow each other's head off the fastest. Yawn.

But The Departed has since restored my faith in crime movies. Impeccable acting, a little romance, a truckload of F-bombs and plenty of blood splatter to please the whole family. Plus who knew that Matt Damon could be such a prick? I didn't know he had it in him.

The basic plot of the movie centers around two Boston policemen who are acting as moles inside the Irish mob. The twist is the police knows about one mole, Billy Costigan (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) but are unaware one of their top detectives Collin Sullivan (played by Matt Damon) has been working with the mob Frank Castello (played by Jack Nicholson) since Sullivan was a kid. The movie revolves around the police trying to pin a major crime on Castello and discover the mole. It is a gripping movie that leaves you glued to the screen to the very end. While I was totally disappointed by the end, I understand it had to be that way. What do you all think?

I quite frankly am shocked that Leo didn't get nominated for his performance. He got a nomination for Blood Diamond, but not this? Really?? I thought he did a phenomenal job playing Billy the scared sh*tless, vulnerable and volatile undercover cop who never let his hands shake. The whole movie he looks like a deer caught in the headlights but still manages to fool everyone.

Matt Damon also gave a stellar performance but goodness was I so glad to see Mark Wahlberg in his apartment in the end. Got what he deserved. And all I can say is I pray that Madolyn's baby is Billy's for her sake. I was so terrified that Sullivan was going to kill her in the end. I mean he's that crazy that he would kill his unborn child.

I give The Departed a solid 4 out of 5. It is definitely a movie I will watch again especially when I'm in the mood to let my inner Southie out. Isn't it fun to curse at everything in your path and pretend like you're a big shot when you're really not?

Favorite Moments

 

• Any time Mark Wahlberg was on screen putting someone down. Classic.
• Scene when Madolyn and Billy first meet. 
• Mark Wahlberg's get up in the end.

Boo Moments 

• What the heck was in the envelope??? 
• Can those elevator doors just stay shut? Do they have to open? 
• Martin Sheen + Building.