As for the rest of y’all, it looks like you can make it a Brooklyn Decker double feature weekend with the following two releases:

Also on offer …

In addition, there are a couple of Tribeca Film Festival entries this week …

HYSTERIA

POLISSE

MANSOME

So what, if anything, will YOU be watching this weekend?

‘Nuff said

From one of my favorite sources, Total Film, here are a few bits:

• Anchorman 2 Poster Reveal
• TF’s “Can’t Wait to See” at Cannes
• iPad  App Launch! (check out video below)

From the Guardian (UK) Newspaper

• Alan Sorkin to pen screen adaptation of Steve Jobs’ biography 
• The BFI’s Five Year plan

From the New York Times Film section

(hope you have not exceeded your 10 article a month allowance)

• Feature on Ridley Scott and Prometheus
• Feature on Greta Gerwig
• Film Sexuality (from a Female Perspective) - see Hysteria

Miscellaneous Items

• MTV Movie Awards Scheduled same time as Obama’s Convention Speech (source: Vanity Fair)
• IMDb Summer Movie Guide
• i luv cinema fave Michael Fassbender is GQ’s June cover boy

The film is primarily seen from Peter Colt’s (Bettany’s) perspective. He is a professional tennis player in his waning years – in fact, after his participation in the upcoming Wimbledon tournament (he gets into tournament as a wildcard), he has plans to retire and work as a pro at a posh tennis club.

A ‘happy accident’ leads to Peter bumping into brash American upstart Lizzie Bradbury (Dunst). Sparks fly but the course of true love never did run smoothly. An overbearing tennis parent (in the form of Sam Neill), sees his daughter’s budding interest with Mr. Colt as an impedance to the glory on grass that (obviously) awaits. Add to the mix the pressure of the Wimbledon competition and you have a recipe for several peaks and valleys before our film reaches its satisfying climax.

Although Wimbledon is a fairly straightforward tale, it is a winner in my book down to a well-written script and solid performances from the leads and supporting characters. Of note are Jon Favreau as Peter’s opportunistic sports agent and James McAvoy as Peter’s ne’er do well younger brother, Carl. Also having been filmed in and around London and Brighton does not hurt either

* be sure to visit Todd Mason’s blog for more great overlooked titles!

Kay Hammond as Elvira

For the past couple of weeks I have been going on a bit about the Noël Coward celebration taking place in NYC and the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Coward on Film programming series to go along with it. This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of catching a double feature of Brief Encounter and the subject of this post, the highbrow comedy Blithe Spirit.

This was the third of four collaborations between Coward and renowned director David Lean and based on Coward’s long running West End play (ran for nearly 2000 performances – longer than the whole of WWII)!

This screening was especially exciting because the audience was treated to a newly restored 35mm print of the film (in vibrant Technicolor, no less). This guaranteed that seeing it on the big screen would not disappoint. Thank you BFI (British Film Institute).

In terms of plot, the BFI  (website) offers this very succinct and on point synopsis:

A harmless séance at the home of novelist Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) and his wife Ruth (Constance Cummings) summons up the ghost of Charles’ glamorous first wife Elvira (Kay Hammond in a reprisal of her stage role).

With respect to the end product, Coward himself thought the film was a largely inferior product to the stage play. In fact he used words which are not suitable for this website to describe it.

For my part, there were enough moments that had me cracking up, most notably …

• The interaction of Charles, Ruth and Elvira in their scenes. I can only imagine how wonderfully this translated on the stage.
• The scene in which Charles and Ruth are arguing and the subject of past relationships comes up - ”If you’re trying to compile an inventory of my sex life, I feel it only fair to warn you that you’ve omitted several episodes. I shall consult my diary and give you a complete list after lunch.”  This was line was excised from the American release of the film (deemed too risqué). Source: Wikipedia
• The revelation of the cause of Elvira’s death – I was floored!
• Madame Arcati’s absent-mindedness and incompetence at 1) not realizing what she has unleashed and 2) her several failed attempts at trying to make it right. Rutherford does scatter-brained very well.

One thing that absolutely DID NOT work to for me was the desired affect was the ghastly ghostly makeup – the ethereal, ectoplasmic other-worldliness that was the goal was completely lost in the Technicolor haze. Instead of Statue of Liberty oxidized green, maybe they should have gone for a white or off white.

Another issue of concern is David Lean’s direction. Granted, this film was quite early in his career (well before the grand, sweeping epics that would become his trademark), but it is clear that his comfort zone is in the realm of drama, not comedy. In fact, Rex Harrison allegedly was not happy with how Lean handled the production.

In the end I was able to overlook these issues because the writing and acting worked well.

A BIT OF TRIVIA: Ironically, according to Coward scholar and introducer of the film, curator Brad Rosenstein, Margaret Rutherford  (Madame Arcati) did not  ”get” the humor of the play or film. This is ironic because she delivers a great share of the laughs in the film.

In honor of the day, I asked my own mother what her favorite films are. What I received in return was a very succinct set of classics from the 1950s-60s.

IMITATION OF LIFE (1959)

The Fanny Furst novel on racial politics gets the Sirkian melodrama treatment. Stars Lana Turner, Juanita Moore, John Gavin and Sandra Dee.

CARMEN JONES (1955)

Otto Preminger’s filmed version of Oscar Hammerstein’s all-black adaptation of the Bizet opera Carmen stars Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. Dandridge was nominated for an Academy Award for her role.

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (1958)

Sultry adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ stage play. Stars Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER (1967)

A groundbreaking film at the time, this film stars Sidney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn and in his final film appearance, Spencer Tracy.

Some very good selections indeed – mom certainly has good cinematic taste

In other words, I will not be headed to the cinema this weekend

But if you are interested in the third still, the film associated with it God Bless America is also available OnDemand – so you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home.

Well for me, Saturday is packed! Have a dance recital followed in the evening by the Noël Coward double feature in NYC – I simply cannot wait! And then Sunday is of course Mother’s Day in the States.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

In RUBY SPARKS, Calvin (Paul Dano) is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writing — as well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him.  When Calvin finds Ruby (Zoe Kazan), in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person. Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Here’s the trailer:

RUBY SPARKS is set for release July 25th.

What do you think?

• GOOD: Timer
• BAD: Neo Ned starring Jeremy Renner and Gabrielle Union;

or to follow along a television series in a continuous manner; or better yet, to OBSESSIVELY follow a series from beginning to end (a la Battlestar Gallatica).

In the midst of this, every now and again I like to take a ‘state of the state’ of my Netflix queue, which seems to grow exponentially.

Recently I have decided to practice a little ‘organization’ when it comes to watching some of these films; so I have created a mini Netflix Festival for myself.

The result means that I will be programming blocks of films to watch in succession. The one criteria being that I can not have previously seen the film. So far it is early days but here are a couple of the blocks that I have come up with (all synopses are directly from Netflix):

While she has gotten a lot of buzz in the past 18 months, I would like to still see a bit more of her body of work. This means unearthing a smattering of Brit-indies that would not have seen the light of day if not for Netflix.

Albatross (2011)

The studious life of Oxford-bound Beth is turned upside down when would-be novelist Emelia takes a job at the seaside hotel owned by Beth’s family. But things get dicey when the free-spirited Emelia begins a fling with Beth’s feckless father.

Chalet Girl (2011)

Ex-skateboarder Kim Matthews is transplanted to the world of alpine sports, an environment she finds foreign … until she tries snowboarding. When her Finnish friend Mikki offers to coach her, Kim is on her way to being tops in a new event.

Cheri (2009)

When French courtesan Madame Peloux (Kathy Bates) sets her pampered son, Chéri (Rupert Friend), up with middle-aged fellow courtesan Lea de Lonval (Michelle Pfeiffer), she wants to ensure that he learns everything he needs to know about lovemaking from the very best. But the affair lasts for years, creating problems when it’s time for Chéri to marry a wealthy woman. Stephen Frears directs this romantic drama, based on a novel by Colette.

Cemetery Junction (2010)

After taking a new job to escape a bleak existence as a working-class stiff in a small English town, Freddie Taylor gets involved in more drama than he bargained for when he runs into his former flame in this inspired coming-of-age tale.

These are essentially films that as a cinephile, I am ashamed to admit I have yet to see; the time is now, darnit.

Metropolis Restored (1927)

In the year 2026, when the populace is divided between workers who must live underground and the wealthy, who enjoy a futuristic city of splendor, a man from the upper class abandons his privileged life to join oppressed workers in a revolt. Perhaps the most famous & influential of all silent films, German director Fritz Lang’s masterpiece has now been magnificently restored to include the original 1927 orchestral score.

Carnival of Souls (1962)

While on her way to take a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) is haunted by a bizarre apparition. It compels her to an abandoned lakeside pavilion, beginning an eerie and macabre chain of events. Herk Harvey’s macabre masterpiece, while made on a modest budget, has gained a cult following on late-night television.

The Gold Rush (1925)

Charlie Chaplin’s comic masterpiece centers on the hardships of life on the Alaskan frontier. The Little Tramp plays a pathetic, lonely prospector who journeys to the Klondike hoping to discover gold and make his fortune. Instead, he gets mixed up with some burly characters and falls in love with the beautiful Georgia (Georgia Hale).

The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1919)

In this silent 1920s masterpiece, an insane asylum inmate explains to his psychiatrist how he came to the institution, telling the shrink the story of the evil hypnotist Caligari (Werner Krauss) and his unwitting pawn, the sleepwalker Cesare (Conrad Veidt). This stark expressionist film from German director Robert Wiene astonishes with the power of its sets and visuals, and the creepy plot easily raises hackles on the back of one’s neck.

I have only started getting acquainted with the genre a little deeper and here are a few to watch in my game of catch up.

Food, Inc. (2008)

Drawing on Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, director Robert Kenner’s provocative, Oscar-nominated documentary explores the food industry’s detrimental effects on our health and environment.

The September Issue (2008)

Director R.J. Cutler’s documentary offers a rare look inside Vogue as the fashion magazine’s influential editor, Anna Wintour, and creative director, Grace Coddington, produce the highly anticipated September issue.

This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Kirby Dick’s provocative documentary investigates the secretive and inconsistent process by which the Motion Picture Association of America rates films, revealing the organization’s underhanded efforts to control culture. Dick questions whether certain studios get preferential treatment and exposes the discrepancies in how the MPAA views sex and violence. Interviewees include John Waters, Darren Aronofsky, Maria Bello, Atom Egoyan and more.

American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010)

Since his tragic death from cancer at age 32, comedian Bill Hicks’s legend and stature have only grown, and this unique documentary tells his story, blending live footage, interviews and animation to fill in the details of a life cut short. A comic’s comic and unflagging critic of hypocrisy and cultural emptiness, Hicks was one of a kind, a Lenny Bruce for the late 20th century, and few are more deserving of this in-depth biographic treatment.

Man on Wire (2008)

Philippe Petit captured the world’s attention in 1974 when he walked across a high wire between New York’s Twin Towers. This Oscar winner for Best Documentary explores the preparations that went into the stunt as well as the event and its aftermath.

A showcase of French film.

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

Amelie’s Audrey Tautou stars as Mathilde, a young Frenchwoman who vows to find out what happened to her missing fiancé (Gaspard Ulliel) during World War I. He appears to have died after a court-martial, but she needs to know for sure. As she looks for the truth, she discovers unexpected things about herself and the people she meets along the way. Jean-Pierre Jeunet directs this foreign-language adaptation of Sebastien Japrisot’s novel.

Paris (2009)

As Pierre (Romain Duris), a young cabaret dancer sidelined by a heart condition, awaits a risky transplant surgery, he and his sister, Élise (Juliette Binoche), closely watch the streets of Paris, their lives gradually intersecting with a diverse array of strangers. Written and directed by Cédric Klapisch, this visually striking tribute to the City of Lights co-stars Fabrice Luchini, Albert Dupontel and François Cluzet.

A Pain in the A** (2008)

Staking out his next target, professional hit man Ralf Milan (Richard Berry) finds his patience severely tested when suicidal stranger François Pignon (Patrick Timsit), who is staying next door at the same hotel, manages to keep botching the assignment. As Milan struggles to shake off Pignon’s pestering presence, the two men land in one embarrassing situation after another in this French farce from writer-director Francis Veber.

Heartbreaker (2010)

Alex (Romain Duris) and his sister, Mélanie (Julie Ferrier), and her husband, Marc (François Damiens), earn money by breaking up relationships. But when Alex falls for a client’s (Jacques Frantz) daughter, Juliette (Vanessa Paradis), he has to decide if he’ll bust up her wedding to Jonathon (Andrew Lincoln), who’s truly perfect for her. Pascal Chaumeil directs this romantic comedy filmed in Monaco.

Certified Copy (2010)

In Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami’s captivating meditation on art and love, British writer James Miller meets a beautiful gallery owner in Tuscany and begins — or possibly continues — a romance with her.

Love Crime (2010)

French director Alain Corneau delivers a chilling tale of two ambitious women — a senior executive and her eager young assistant — whose professional appetites grow dangerously personal as they jockey for power.

That is all I have (a bit ambitious), but it looks like way more than enough to get started, especially if I plan on doing this on a regular basis.

Now the challenge will be to set aside the time to actually watch these as part of a larger series. I am tentatively targeting late June/early July.

Will keep you posted.

• More Kick Ass? Universal Studios is in talks to make Kick-Ass 2.
• File this under I had no idea (originally published on May 1st): Mark Ruffalo has a 6-Picture Marvel Deal.

•  A great cover story from THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER featuring Marion Cotillard (part of THR’s Cannes issue).

(Photo credit: The Hollywood Reporter)

• On the VARIETY website, news has come that Stephen Frears will direct a forthcoming Freddie Mercury biopic, starring Sasha Baron Cohen.
• Late last week, it was reported that NY-based Cablevision Systems Corporation is seeking to sell the Clearview Cinemas chain, which includes the historic Ziegfeld Theater, one of the last great old-school movie theaters in the United States.

• Real or Fake? Over the past day or so, there seemed to be a little confusion about the possible leak of the poster for Judd Apatow’s THIS IS 40.
• “Clip Joint” from the GUARDIAN newspaper – a look at arguments as portrayed on the silver screen (shown: still from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor).

•  SALON magazine’s breakdown of THE AVENGERS’ record-busting box office returns.

That’s me done. Are there any movie-related stories that have piqued your interest?