February 16, 2009 – 3:44 pm
TCFF gear is fairly ubiquitous around TC, especially during film fest. But thanks to the thousands of supporters who visit from outside the area, our name is getting out not just here, but around the world. Grammy-nominated DJ The Scumfrog (Jesse Houk), who hosts his own show on Sirius Radio and has worked with everyone from David Bowie to Britney Spears to Missy Elliott, says he's worn his TCFF shirt at gigs in New York, LA, London and Rome. Here he is rocking it at a recent set:
Hey, we can't ask for better promotion than that. To make your own TCFF statement, click here to check out our store of great merchandise, many items of which are currently on sale. Stock up now before summer hits!
January 22, 2009 – 10:11 am
I just got done watching the live announcement of the 2009 Oscar nominees. Wow.
On the one hand - I love Richard Jenkins and Melissa Leo's nominations for Best Leading Actor/Actress, and Robert Downey Jr's nod for Best Supporting Actor. On the other hand - "Frost/Nixon" over "Dark Knight" for Best Picture? Seriously?
I think I'm good with the list overall, though. Some surprises, like Michael Shannon, kept it interesting. Heath Ledger was inevitable, but it's still comforting to see him get recognized. Also, I'm glad to see my two favorite 08 docs - and TCFF faves - "Man on Wire" and "Trouble the Water" made the cut.
What do you think of this year's round-up? Did the AMPAS get it right - or did they miss the boat? Check out the full list of nominees here, then share your thoughts below.
January 16, 2009 – 12:26 am
The crowd-pleasing, award-sweeping, feel-good-movie of the year is getting an extended run at the State. "Slumdog Millionaire" - which took home Golden Globes last Sunday for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Score and Best Screenplay - will play through January 29, thanks to popular demand. If you haven't had an opportunity to see this movie, or if you've only seen it once, don't miss your chance to experience it (again) on the big screen.
I heard good buzz when I first walked into "Slumdog" over Christmas break, but even glowing reviews could not prepare me for the sheer joy and life force of this movie. It's not a movie that sugercoats its subject matter - indeed, there are several dark and disturbing scenes involving children - but it beautifully celebrates the triumph of individuals who overcome incredibly difficult circumstances to forge a better life for themselves. Critics - and they are few and far between - who criticize the "realism" of the plot miss the point entirely. This is a fable, a fantasy of swooning fairy tale love - but it's grounded in the heartbreaking and all-too-real backdrop of abject poverty in India. From the stunning cinematography to the terrific acting (the three main characters are depicted by nine different actors at various ages - all of whom seamlessly transition the characters' storylines) to the infectious soundtrack, which you'll want to immediately run out and purchase after the movie, "Slumdog" is a visual and emotional feast; the perfect introduction for American audiences to the burgeoning influence of Indian cinema.
Dev Patel and Freida Pinto reunite in "Slumdog Millionaire"
After its stunning success at the Globes, this film is a sure bet for a Best Picture nod - and possible win - at next month's Oscars (the nominees will be announced next Thursday). You have two weeks left to catch "Slumdog Millionaire" in its full glory at the State - I recommend grabbing a friend or family member and making a night out of it. You'll be glad you did.
December 24, 2008 – 12:41 pm
Today is the last day in our annual marathon of holiday films. Before you bundle up and head out to family gatherings and church services tonight, bring the relatives out for a special screening of "It's a Wonderful Life" (at 1:00 p.m.) or "White Christmas" (at 3:30 p.m.). Seeing these classics on the big screen allows you to experience them in a whole new way. Best of all - tickets to holiday films are just $5 each.
Tomorrow begins our two-week run of "Slumdog Millionaire," one of the best-reviewed movies of the year. For those who remember the pleasure of discovering "Juno" at packed viewings at the State last Christmas, "Slumdog" is sure to be another crowd-pleasing hit. The trailer alone is fantastic - check it out here. Look for a full review here on the blog later this week.
From all of us at the State, have a safe and happy holiday season!
December 11, 2008 – 11:12 am
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced its list of 2008 Golden Globe nominees this morning. Leading the pack in nominations: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Doubt" and "Frost/Nixon" with five nominations and "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Slumdog Millionaire" with four noms. TCFF goers will remember "Vicky," Woody Allen's latest, as the film that opened the festival this year, while "Slumdog" (which has been garnering unanimous critical acclaim) will begin its run at the State Christmas Day.
Other movies that played at the State Theatre this year that made the nominee list: "In Bruges" (one of my favorite films of 2008) - three nominations, "Happy-Go-Lucky" - two nominations, "Mamma Mia!' - two nominations, "Wall-E" - two nominations, and "The Dark Knight" - one nomination. There are also a few films on the list that have first-runs coming up at the State in the next month or so, including "Milk" and "The Wrestler." (Keep an eye on the State schedule for more details coming soon.)
This has been a strong year in cinema - there's hardly a choice in the HFPA's list I disagree with. My one disappointment is that "Dark Knight" didn't get a Best Picture nod, though I was glad to see Heath Ledger get recognized (Best Supporting Actor nom) for his turn as the Joker. I know "Knight" is a comic book movie, a genre anathema to HFPA and the Academy - however, not only is Chris Nolan's film one of the best comic book movies ever made, it stands on its own as a dark examination of morality, insanity, and the degrees of good and evil that coexist in every human being. It'll be interesting to see if "Watchmen" has any better luck during awards season next year, or if "Knight" will still get its proper dues from the Academy or the critic circles who haven't announced their picks yet for 2008.
The 2008 Golden Globe Awards ceremony will air live on Sunday, January 11 at 8:00 p.m. on NBC. To view the complete list of nominees, click here.
December 2, 2008 – 12:33 am
The cynic in me hates to admit it, but if I have to choose between optimism and pessimism, I go for the glass that's half-full every time. Life's too beautiful and short to entertain prolonged doom-and-gloom about our pithy existence on this planet. However, a few decades around other humans can give almost anyone pause about the redeeming value of mankind - which is why I generally find relentless optimism nearly as maddening as unremitting pessimism. The key is moderation: to feel hopeful about the future, yes, but to also acknowledge the rough patches and jerks that can make the journey so damn unbearable along the way.
Sally Hawkins as Poppy in "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Poppy, the heroine of Mike Leigh's new film "Happy-Go-Lucky," is not someone I'd spend time with in real life. This much I could tell from the trailer. Aggressively cheerful, upbeat to a fault, Poppy spends her days perpetually peering through rose-colored glasses. In situations where no one should react positively - having your bike stolen, for example - her smile barely wavers. It's the kind of personality that'd drive you crazy on an airplane, and yet - Poppy easily (and quite satisfactorily) fills 120 minutes of screen time.
Much is being made of Sally Hawkins' performance in this film, and she is indeed a revelation as Poppy. But credit must also go to director Mike Leigh, who's famous for allowing his actors an enormous amount of improvisational leeway, and to a few subtle but important dark undercurrents in the screenplay that provide necessary tension between Poppy's idealism and the sordid unpleasantness of real life. Particularly key is Eddie Marsan, who plays Poppy's embittered and angry driving instructor. Polar opposites of one another, the two engage in a seemingly innocous but heated series of debates during Poppy's lessons, until their final encounter during the third act, which takes an unexpectedly serious and heartwrenching turn. Marsan is brilliant in this scene, hinting at past traumas and unleashed rage that Poppy can only begin to guess at understanding. Her climatic realization that she can't, in fact, make everyone happy adds a crucial layer of levity to an otherwise joyous, infectious performance.
As with many films with rich characters, "Happy-Go-Lucky" is light on plot, focusing instead on the development and interaction of its narrative stars. Fortunately, the characters in this film are so entertaining and complex, you're more than happy to sit back and watch as they meet up at pubs, gossip in coffee shops and go about their day-to-day lives. You'll undoubtedly hear a lot about Sally Hawkins this awards season; watching her exuberant Poppy come to life on screen, it's easy to understand why.
"Happy-Go-Lucky" is playing at the State through Thursday. For showtimes and ticket information, click here.
November 29, 2008 – 2:55 pm
Congratulations to the St. Francis Warriors, who won their Division 7 state championship football game against the Ubly Bearcats this morning. Thanks to a great offense by the Warriors and a number of critical errors by the Bearcats, St. Francis handily won the title, 41-13. The game was broadcast live to a standing room-only crowd at the State Theatre.
Last year's Warriors championship game at the State
Photo courtesy Jan-Michael Stump/TC Record-Eagle
From football games to presidential debates to the Met Opera to the latest in independent and classic films, the State is the premier community gathering place for the Northwest Michigan region. For a complete schedule of upcoming events at the State, click here.
November 14, 2008 – 3:30 pm
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Traverse City Record-Eagle, the State Theatre is showing five of the best newspaper-themed films of all time this week. It's a stellar lineup, including a number of films with personal significance to me and a few can't miss-events for film lovers, starting with the granddaddy of cinema itself.
1. "Citizen Kane" - Sunday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m.
What do you say about this film that hasn't already been said? It's impossible to call yourself a movie buff and not have seen "Citizen Kane." On a personal level, Orson Welles has singlehandedly driven my obsessive need to achieve since I first saw the film at age 17. If nothing else, he's a great benchmark to measure your mid-20s by (as in - "Orson Welles made 'Citizen Kane' when he was 26, and I can barely decide if I want to get off the couch and jog today. Real inspiring, Milligan.") To pass on the opportunity to see this film on the big screen is almost a crime against cinema itself. Expect a full house Sunday night.
2. "Newsies" - Monday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Here's where the personal revelations start to get embarassing. "Newsies" is one of those films no adult should ever admit to liking. Period. However - I've had enough conversations where someone accidentally mentions it, there's an awkward pause where everyone decides how to react, and then someone bursts into "Sante Fe" to know that a frightening number of us do, in fact, like it. Not even just like - love. Nonsensical, creepy (what was that prostitute doing with those 12-year-old boys?) and over-the-top cheesy, "Newsies" nonetheless remains my highwater mark for Disney musicals. (I mean, just look at that poster. That is the Dark Knight himself doing a leaping pirouette off a stack of newspapers, people. It doesn't get any better than that.)
3. "Deadline - U.S.A." - Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m.
If ever there's a compelling reason to visit the theater, it's to see a lost treasure that's not available anywhere else on video or DVD. Enter "Deadline - U.S.A.", a great Humphrey Bogart film that inexplicably remains unavailable to moviegoers 56 years later, except for movie screenings like this one. Humphrey takes on a racketeering gangster and tries to close out his newspaper with a bang in this suspenseful and realistic take on the newspaper world in the 1950s.
4. "The Year of Living Dangerously" - Wednesday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Back before Mel Gibson swerved off the racist/religious deep end, he was making some pretty great films in the '80s and early '90s. One of those films was "The Year of Living Dangerously," the story of a young foreign correspondent who gets caught up in a love affair while covering the political turmoil of Indonesia. Featuring an Oscar-winning turn by actress Linda Hunt, this is a classic entry in the journalism film canon.
5. "All the President's Men" - Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m.
What does it take to convince a high school senior that journalism, not marine biology, is the career she should be pursuing? For me, it came down to a combination of working on the high school newspaper and watching "All the President's Men." The journalism gene had been hereditarily present, but until the day I saw Redford and Hoffman wearily pounding the streets, shaking down Deep Throat and pursuing a dangerous and top-secret government story, the gene lay dormant. No more after that. "All the President's Men" remains an inspiration for generations of investigative journalists - even after leaving the newspaper world to focus on marketing, I still get the urge to give it all up and make peanuts chasing leads every time I watch this film.
Regular ticket prices apply for all films in the Newspaper Film Festival. For a complete listing of movies and showtimes at the State, click here.
September 27, 2008 – 2:22 pm
There's a great article in this month's issue of Moving Pictures Magazine about the Traverse City Film Festival. Author Judy Sandra gives background on the festival, talks about film and guest highlights from this year's event and shares her thoughts on the 2008 lineup. You can check out the article online at the MPM website - just click here: "2008 Traverse City Film Festival: Just Great Movies."
September 18, 2008 – 2:16 pm
Musical comedy goes divine in "Hamlet 2"
There will be a free screening of our hilarious first-run feature, "Hamlet 2," for high school and college students tonight at 7 p.m. at the State. The screening is sponsored by Northwestern Michigan College. This also happens to be our last screening of "Hamlet 2" at the State - the fantastic French thriller "Tell No One" opens tomorrow. Non-students can still attend tonight's screening at regular price. (Oh, and if you're wondering what all the "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" chatter is about, I can promise you - it's even funnier and more irreverent than it sounds.)
Come down and check it out!
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