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Man on Wire

On August 7 (my birthday) 1975, wire walker, Philippe Petite walked across the newly built Twin Towers.

I don’t remember where I was celebrating my own big day and I don’t remember anything about this daring and gorgeous act, but I will never forget reliving this moment as I watched this riveting documentary, directed by James Marsh, with the shadow of 9/11 looming close once again.

A rag-tag group of young French and American 20 somethings planned and orchestrated, with their passion and the ’70’s spirit of adventure, Philippe’s walk across the Towers. A covert operation, under cover of night, draws a sharp contrast with the motivations of 9/11. How life has changed from the innocence of the 70’s.

The reviews for this film have been wonderful and even though Tuvia was only mildly interested he was game to join me at the small Tenafly theater, now showing 4 great flicks: Woody’s latest, Tell No One, Elegy and Man. Now that would make a great way to spend a Saturday-moving from one film to the next with a few trips to the bathroom and a few buckets of popcorn. But that was another life.

Petite is the center of Man on Wire, as he shares his memories of his daring feat. He speaks with articulate animation that is as riveting as his walk. How smart he was to document his wire walker experiences. He has stills, video of his childhood, his early days on his home made wires and the romance that he brought to his passion that he shared with his circle of friends. His passion became theirs and that’s all documented.

What’s brilliant about the work of the film’s director, is his ability to put it all together weaving interviews from Petit’s group, merging the past and present reflections.

I was immersed in this piece, realizing that the documentary genre has become my own creative passion. I have great challenges ahead: an SI piece is in the making, a wedding this weekend.

This is a film to own and study.

Wonderful!

Labor Day Weekend and of course we find ourselves in dark movie theaters. Last night we hit the road for Traitor, after getting a stamp of approval from Jeffrey Lyons and reading a few short pieces on Rotten Tomatoes. With Don Cheadle, center stage and the focus of the movie on terrorism we are drawn to it.

After a lovely walk in nature, an early salmon dinner we were ready for engaging entertainment.

Don Cheadle, plays Samir Horn, born in Sudan, and at 12 watched his devoutly religious father die in a car bombing, forcing his mother to flee to Chicago and raise her son in an inner-city housing project. Thirty years later, Samir, well trained in explosives by the United States Army and living in the Middle East, seems to be working with terrorists and that’s where we begin.

From start to finish we are engaged, honestly it was too real and too tense for me. I wavered often, ready to blot the theater for a nearby Borders for some peaceful reading but Tuvia would have followed me and I knew he was engaged differently. For me it was all too real, the way I find the popular Showtime series, Sleeper Cell. Too realistic. They strike the chords of my deepest fears about terrorism.

If you can sit still, this movie is really well done. Don Cheadle is supported by wonderful characters on both sides of the political spectrum: a loyal terrorist “brother” and a few bright and perceptive FBI agents (Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels).  And surprise, surprise, written by Steven Martin. Yes that Steve Martin.

Even though we watched in a full theater, I wonder how many people will actually get to see this flick. I hope, A LOT!

Powerful! What’s next on our Labor Day movie list?

Bonnie

Movie UPdates:

Looks like Vicky Christina Barcelona and Tell No One are doing well.  Both can be found at the local movie theater in Ridgewood, NJ.

Tuvia and I  were wowed by Penelope Cruz last week in the new Woody Allen movie and once again in, Elegy, where she is paired with Ben Kingsley. Based on a Philip Roth novel, maybe more auto-biographical, Ben Kingsley is a successful professor, author, interviewer, man-about-town, lover of the ladies. He is aging and is beginning to feel it. Penelope Cruz walks into his class and he is stricken and doesn’t realize just what this relationship has to offer him.

So far, you might be ho-humming this account, but remember, it’s Ben Kingsley working with Penelope Cruz and they transform a potentially cliched younger woman-older man affair into something that might leave you sobbing, tearing into the depths of your heart. Both Tuvia and I felt the authenticity of this piece. I don’t want to say too much, actually I can’t. I’m digesting.

This is a movie that will linger, and we will share it together when we turn the lights out tonight.

It’s really a masterpiece. Don’t pass it up!

What an absolutely sexy, romantic romp of a movie in the golden Gaudi city of Barcelona. Wine for everyone and Javier Bardem for….me!

Woody scored with this one. From start to finish I was loving the experience, grabbing Tuvia’s hand every chance I could get. It took me back to a time when I salivated for another Woody Allen masterpiece: Annie Hall, Manahattan(my all-time favorite) Hannah and her Sisters…on and on and then lots of films that left me unsatisfied, remembering the past. And then I stopped going until Matchpoint and the one after that and still I walked out with Tuvia feeling cheated, not getting it.

But this one, I got! Two young American women accept a golden invitation to spend their summer in Barcelona. The dark-haired, serious, down-to-earth Vicky (Rebecca Hall) is engaged to a serious, safe and dependable guy back home. Christina (Scarlett Johansson) is still searching for adventure and passionate love. Juan Antonio,(Javier) a successful and colorful artist, likes both women and invites them to join him for a weekend of adventure and great sex. Christina accepts, Vicky comes along reluctantly. Both sparkle with Javier.

The movie moves along in its golds and earthy tones and when we least expect another surprise, surprise,Penelope Cruz arrives, as Juan’s ex-wife, Maria Elena and then Vicky’s preppy fiance joins the group to soak up the romance of the city and marry his Vicky there before their fancy formal event back home.

And the plot thickens as Woody keeps us guessing.

As I consider moving away from my personal struggles with the classical guitar, Woody uses one of my Spanish pieces, how about that?

Let me know what you think.

Bonnie

TELL NO ONE! is a French thriller that holds you captive for 2 hours and 5 minutes and you savor every moment.

Even though the new Batman installment, The Dark Knight, is filling theaters with no end in sight, I’m telling everyone I know to be on the look out for TELL NO ONE.

I did drag Tuvia to Batman’s opening on Friday. Great reviews, but it was hard to watch. It was dark, the violence was suffering and the chase scenes were loud and long.

There was great acting from the late Heath Ledger, from the Dark Knight, Christian Bale, who brought depth to his character once again. Pretty boy Aaron Eckhart was terrific as the human hero. Fold in the minor character dynamic duo of Michael Kane and Morgan Freeman and love squeeze, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Credit must be paid to the director/screenwriter: Christopher Nolan, but I didn’t enjoy the experience.

I was pretty sure about Tell No One, just from the trailer. It’s in French for starters, the language that sounds like love The hero(Francois Cluzet )is someone who could pass for a young Dustin Hoffman.

Kudos to director-screenwriter Guillaume Canet, who adapted Harlan Coben’s English-language best seller with Philippe Lefebvre.

Let me share its set up:

A young doctor is visiting his childhood summer place with his lovely, loving wife. They visit the lake they remember as children. They undress, swim and nap, wrapped together on a platform. It’s turning dark. She returns to shore. He lingers. She screams. He is knocked unconscious and falls into the lake. Eight years later a widower and lost without his wife, he receives an email from her: I am alive but Tell No One, they are watching.

Now I ask you, can you stay away? I couldn’t. In fact, I can’t wait to see it again. Tuvia is grateful that there was life after The Dark Knight.