New Year's Resolution

Ok.  Everybody makes New Year's Resolutions and then don't keep them.  I haven't posted reviews on this blog with the frequency I intended to.  The Bad Catholic New Year's Resolution is to start watching all the DVDs and Blue Rays in the Bad Catholic's house and review them.  We're going to try to do at least one a week.  We'll see how it works out.

Tony Rome (1967)

In 1967's Tony Rome, Frank Sinatra plays a tough as nails detective in this "neo-noir" adaptation of a detective novel by Marvin H. Albert.



"The Chairman of the Board" and the Fabulous Jill St. John on location at Miami Beach

This movie just seeps cool. From the opening showing Sinatra aboard Tony Rome's houseboat with daughter Nancy Sinatra singing the swinging theme song, Tony Rome is the stereotypical swinging 60s crime drama.

Tony talks with his beautiful client (Sue Lyon)

Sinatra plays this like he just walked on the set and started playing himself. Apparently every woman in Miami beach is totally horny and ready to drop her panties for Tony. Of course, Tony's too busy to be bedding some broad at the moment cause he's got a case to solve.

The plot is almost irrelevant. This movie was really just an excuse for the Chairman of the Board to swagger around smoking and drinking and exchange a lot of snappy dialogue with the other actors.  The other cast members include some fabulous babes like Jill St. John, and Sue Lyon.

The convuluted plot involves a quarter of a million dollars worth of missing jewelry and the murder of Tony's former partner. Tony shows us how to act cool even when the bad guys get the jump on him. Tony even gets his ass beat in style!

Tony interrogates a witness

The movie was filmed on location in Miami Beach which only adds to the atmosphere of pure cool. the film was directed by Gordon Douglas and based upon Marvin Alpert's novel Miami Mayhem.   The Bad Catholic gives it three out of five gumshoes. 

My Night At Maud's

 

In My Night at Maud's (Ma Nuit Chez Maud) (1969), Jean-Louis Trintignant plays a 34 year old devout Catholic who is seeking to live a moral life while still satisfying his sexual desires.

The film opens with Jean-Louis attending Mass where he notices a beautiful girl, Francoise (Marie-Christine Barrault). Jean-Louis tries to follow her in his car but loses her. Jean-Louis is an engineer who works for Michelin who has just returned to France after working in Canada. Later in the film we learn that in violation of the moral teachings of his Catholic faith, Jean-Louis has had a number of live-in girlfriends. Even though he genuinely cared for these women, each of the relationships have ended due to circumstances. Jean-Louis is an amateur mathematician and is seen in a bookstore browsing through the religious writings of the seventeenth century mathematician and Christian mystic Blaise Pascal.

 

Maud (Francoise Fabian)and Vidal (Antoine Videz)

 

On Christmas Eve, Jean-Louis runs into an old friend, Vidal (Antoine Videz) at a cafe. Vidal teaches philosophy at the local University and is an ardent Communist. Although Vidal does not believe in God, he does believe in the Marxist notion of the historical dialectic. This is the idea that history is headed toward a utopian socialistic state. Vidal acknowledges that he has, in a sense, accepted "Pascal's Wager.".    "Pascal's Wager" is the idea advanced by Pascal in his "Pensees,"  or book of theological reflections, that it does one no harm to believe in God since, if God does exist, one has everything to gain, but, if God does not exist, one loses nothing. Vidal says that even though he does not believe in God, by believing in the Marxist dialectic, he has accepted Pascal's Wager.

 

Vidal tells Jean-Louis that he is smitten with a beautiful recently divorced woman named Maud. Vidal tells Jean-Louis that if he goes to Maud's apartment alone she will sleep with him "just to pass the time" and that this is not good for either of them as they are not compatible for a long term relationship. Jean-Louis agrees to go with Vidal to Maud's if Vidal will accompany him to Midnight Mass.

The next night Vidal and Jean-Louis have dinner with Maud in her apartment. (Maud is played by the stunningly gorgeous Francoise Fabian). Three different world views are represented at the dinner table: Jean-Louis the theist, Vidal the Marxist, and Maud the hedonistic free thinker. At dinner the three discuss philosophy and religion again centering on the thought of Blaise Pascal. 

 


Maud in bed

After dinner, Maud comes out wearing only a nightshirt and settles into her bed in the living room. She announces that she always removes the nightshirt and sleeps in the nude because she cannot stand being tangled up in clothes. Since it is snowing heavily she says that it is not safe for Jean-Louis to try to drive home to a rural town and that he should spend the night in the extra bedroom. Vidal then leaves. Jean-Louis and Maud stay up late into the night discussing life and love. Maud admits that her marriage ended because both she and her husband were engaged in affairs. The sexual tension between Jean-Louis and Maud increases as the night goes on. Finally, Jean-Louis asks where the extra bedroom is at. Maud tells him there is no extra bedroom. There are only two bedrooms and her small daughter is asleep in one room and the maid is asleep in the other.  Jean-Louis will have to sleep with Maud. At first Jean-Louis tries to sleep in a chair but then finally gets in bed next to the nude Maud. That morning, Maud wakes up and rolls over and begins making love to Jean-Louis. At first Jean-Louis responds but finally pushes Maud away.  With her feelings hurt, Maud races into the bedroom and slams the door in Jean-Louis' face.

After leaving Maud's apartment, Jean-Louis runs into Francoise on the street. Jean-Louis approaches her and asks if he can take her out. Francoise is evasive but does not close the door.  That afternoon, Jean-Louis joins Maud, Vidal and another woman to go skiing in the mountains. Jean-Louis and Maud kiss and Maud agrees to have dinner with him.  That evening, after dinner in her apartment, Maud announces that she will soon be leaving Clermont and that she will probably never see Jean-Louis again. Jean-Louise bids Maud farewell and leaves.

 

Jean-Louis (Jean-Louis Trintignant) tries to kiss the hard to

get Francois (Marie-Christine Barrault)

 

Jean-Louis' courtship of Francoise begins in earnest when he gives her a ride home in a snowstorm and is forced to stay the night because his car is stuck. Unlike Maud, who immediately tried to sleep with him, the chaste Francois stays in her bedroom and doesn't even want to kiss Jean Louis. In the morning they attend Mass together. 

As their relationship gets more serious, Francois admits that she is suffering from guilt because she had an affair with a married man. Jean-Louis admits that he has had other lovers. Francoise says that they should never speak of it again.

 





Maud, Francoise and Jean-Louis Five Years Later

 

 

The post script to the film occurs at a beach where Jean-Louis, Francois and their young son are on vacation. As they are walking to the beach they pass Maud who recognizes both Jean - Louis and Francoise. Jean Louis introduces Francois as his wife. Jean-Louis is surprised to learn that Maud and Francoise know each other. Maud tells Jean-Louis that she has remarried but it is not working out. Maud and Jean-Louis then say adieux for the last time. Francois appears upset. At first Jean-Louis thinks she is upset because she thinks he once slept with Maud. He is about to tell her that nothing happened begween him and Maud when He realizes that Francois is worried that he will discover that she was the mistress of Maud's husband. The film ends with Jean-Louis, Francois and their young son running hand in hand into the surf.

My Night at Maud's was the third film in director Eric Rohmer's film series Six Moral Tales. Movies like this are an acquired taste and probably only appeal to those of an intellectual bent. I enjoyed My Night At Maud's a great deal.  Even though not much in the way of action happens, a lot is going on with the characters. Quentin Tarantino has said that Eric Rohmer is one of his favorite directors due to his mastery of long sequences of involved dialogue. This is movie that will make you think about life. Each of the characters is motivated by his or her world view. Ideas do matter and we see the difference which they make. Maud, the hedonistic free thinker, is ultimately alone while Jean Louise and Francois are seen to live happily ever after. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for best foreign language film of 1969 and was nominated for the Palm d'Or at the 1969 Canne Film Festival.

I look forward to seeing more of Rohmer's work. Au Revoir.

Luther

I recently re-watched the 2003 biopic Luther starring Joseph Fiennes in the title role.  When this picture first came out I had to practically beg my wife and a friend of ours to go see it with me.  Apparently, the thought of spending a Saturday afternoon engrossed in the Protestant Reformation appealed to nobody but me.

Catholic Priest Martin Luther celebrates Mass

This was an independent film produced by a Lutheran group.  As the Wikipedia article points out, there are many historical inaccuracies and anachronisms in the film.  But, hey, after all, this is a movie.  Luther provides and entertaining, painless history lesson and that's all that counts.

Joseph Fiennes as Martin Luther posts the 95 Theses

In its' overall outline, the film does accurately depict Martin Luther the monk and his struggle with scruples.  As a scripture scholar at the University of Wittenburg, Luther posted his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church.  Luther's talking points challenged the right of the Pope and the bishops to sell indulgences which purported to forgive the punishment due for sin in the afterlife.

Former Monk Martin with his wife, former nun Katharina

The acting in the film is excellent.  Joseph Fiennes does a fine job of portraying the brilliant but emotionally disturbed Martin Luther.  Alfred Molina puts in a great performance as the Dominican indulgence seller, Johann Tetzel.  The late Peter Ustinov (1921 - 2004) is convincing as Prince Frederick the Wise of Saxony.

If you want an entertaining movie about the Protestant Reformation, Luther is what you're looking for.

Dinner With (the Evangelical Protestant) Jesus

Despite the fact that I have a good many quibbles with the theology presented in these films, I couldn't help but like The Perfect Stranger (2005) and its sequel Another Perfect Stranger (2007).    These two independent Christian films are based upon novels by Evangelical Christian writer David Gregory.  I understand that there is a third sequel called The Perfect Gift which I have not yet viewed.

The Perfect Stranger is the story of attorney Niki Cominsky (Pamela Brumley) who is struggling with problems in both her private and professional life.  As an attorney Niki works long hours in a large firm whose partners are cheating clients by over billing.  At home, Niki is faced with a stagnant relationship with her husband and not enough time to spend at home with her 10 year old daughter, Sarah.

Pamela Brumley as Niki Cominsky

Niki is disappointed when her husband would rather go to a baseball game with his friends than spend a romantic evening with her at a posh Chicago restaurant.  When Niki goes to her office she is surprised to find a dinner invitation to the restaurant she wanted to go to.  The invitation is signed "Jesus Christ."  Thinking that she is the victim of a practical joke, Niki goes to the restaurant where she is met by a man in a business suit claiming to be Jesus (Jefferson Moore).  The majority of the film is takes place in the restaurant where Jesus talks with Niki and answers her questions about life and faith.

Jefferson Moore as Jesus Christ

Although as a practicing Catholic I have to quibble with some of the theology presented, over all, the movie was very good.  Even though it primarily involved a dinner table conversation,  the film holds the viewer's attention well.  Niki, who is almost persuaded that Jesus is who he says, is finally convinced when she sees the nail scars in his wrists.  At the end of the film Niki, who up until now was an agnostic, throws herself into the arms of Christ and resolves to become a Christian.  In good Evangelical fashion Jesus leaves Niki with a Bible verse to look up.

The sequel, Another Perfect Stranger, was much more theologically objectionable than the first movie.  It's now ten years later and Niki's daughter, Sarah, who is already an accomplished artist, is seeking admission to a prestigious art institute in Portland, Oregon.   Just before leaving on an airplane flight to Portland,  Sarah (Ruby Marie Lewis) has had a huge fight with her mother and father over religion.  Niki has told Sarah about her dinner with Jesus ten years earlier.  Sarah thinks that her mother is nuts.

Jefferson Moore reprises his role as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Of course, guess who's seated next to Sarah on the airplane, has coffee with her during her layover and is seated next to her again on her connecting flight.  Once again, after a painless theology lesson, Sarah slowly realizes the identity of her new friend and by the end of the film has been "saved.".

Sarah Cominsky (Ruby Marie Lewis) has coffee with Jesus

When Sarah says that she's turned off by religion, Jesus (once again played by Jefferson Moore) says that he doesn't like religion either.  Jesus defines religion as "trying to use ritual to work your way to God" as opposed to having "a personal relationship." These are Evangelical Protestant buzzwords against Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, High Church Anglicanism and other sacramental forms of Christianity.

Nevertheless, both movies are fun to watch and have a nice feel good message about faith in Jesus Christ.  The Bad Catholic gives both films three and a half Bibles.

The Girl Next Door (2004)

Last Friday night I picked up the “unrated” DVD of The Girl Next Door (2004) out of the bargain bin at Wal-Mart in a nearby town for $5.00.

Being an old fogey of 47 who spends most of my time working, The Bad Catholic knew nothing about this movie and had never heard of the stars Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert.  When I pulled the movie out of the bargain bin I was with a friend of mine, another old fogey of age 68 who made me promise not to watch it without him.  The selection of this movie was made totally on prurient interest, and I have to say our prurient interests were totally satisfied.

This starts out as just another high school comedy.  Matthew, played by Emile Hirsch is an honor student who falls for the girl who moves in next door to him.  After going out a couple of times and having a number of wild hi-jinks, like skinny dipping in the school principal’s swimming pool, Matthew is head over heels in love with the beautiful Danielle, played by Elisha Cuthbert.

Matthew’s friends, who are big fans of porno movies, recognize Danielle as being a porno movie star.  Matthew is heart broken and wants to break off the relationship but his friends convince him that he needs to try to take Danielle to bed.  This is where the movie takes a serious turn.  Matthew takes Danielle out and suggests that they get a motel room.  By this time Danielle has suspected that Matthew knows who she is.  When they get to the cheap motel room, Danielle begins playing her porn star role.  When Matthew says “What are you doing?”  Danielle tearfully says ,”This is what you want isn’t it?”  She tells him that she knows that since he found out she has sex for a living on film that he figured it wouldn’t be any big deal for him to take her to a motel and sleep with her.

Everybody else’s performance in “The Girl Next Door” is pretty pedestrian, but Ms. Cuthbert has the potential to be a good dramatic actress.  She is very convincing in the role of the girl who is trapped by her adult film star past who desperately wants to leave the porno film lifestyle and be in a normal relationship.

Danielle’s past comes calling for her in the form of Kelly (played by Timothy Olyphant), Danielle’s former producer, who wants to get her back in adult videos as fast as possible.  The prurient interest of viewers is very much satisfied when Kelly takes Matthew to a strip club.  On the commentary on the DVD, Emile Hirsch says that they filmed in the strip club for a week and that he was around, “more naked women than I ever have been in my life.”

Of course, the predictable thing happens.  Danielle, who has very low self-esteem is convinced that she is only fit to be in porno movies and lets Kelly convince her to return to the adult film industry.  Matthew and his geeky friends follow Danielle and Kelly to the adult video convention in Las Vegas where much hilarity ensues along with the serious plot of Matthew telling Danielle that he loves her and knows that she is better than this.

When Danielle finally leaves Kelly and returns to be with Matthew, Kelly, who has lost a lot of money by his star backing out on him, comes after Matthew for revenge.  After Kelly sabotages Matthew’s chance for a scholarship, tries to have him arrested for burglary, and steals $25,000 that was supposed to be used to bring a Cambodian exchange student to the U.S., Matthew, Danielle and their geeky friends plot revenge.  Danielle calls up some of her adult film star friends, and more hilarity ensues as they make a sex education video called “Adult Education.”

The Girl Next Door is not a great film by any stretch of the imagination but it’s worth watching at least  once.  Gentlemen viewers looking to satisfy a prurient interest will be satisfied.  Elisha Cuthbert is stunningly good looking and there is a lot of flesh on display.  My biggest criticism is that the movie is over long and tends to drag toward the end.  The Bad Catholic gives it two and half stars.