Michael Jackson: In the Closet

Michael Jackson still is on my mind. How can't he be? He taught me to dance and, in some ways, to hear music in new ways. I grew up with him as did so many.

One of my favorite videos of his--and it took somebody like Herb Ritz to get Jackson out of the glam and into a T-shirt and jeans--is the video for "In the Closet," which was recut to ax Madonna's original vocals from it. Pity about that, but it still works. No glove. No sequins. Nothing but Michael and the music--and the dance. Naomi Campbell is surprisingly good here. Even if it was just for the screen, they make a fine pairing. Kind of hot.

I remember watching this for the first time and thinking "Yes! This is how we need to see you. Forget your buckles and brocade drag. Strip it down, show us you."

And here--with serious prodding from Ritz--he did. A seriously underrated song and video.

Check it out--and please excuse the strangeness at the end!

Netflix It: The Widow of St. Pierre: Movie, DVD Review (2009)

Editor's Note: Netflix It is a feature meant to draw attention to older films some readers might have missed, and might consider either adding to their Netflix queue, or renting at their local DVD store. The following review of "The Widow of St. Pierre," never published here before, is the original 2000 review.

Movie, DVD Review
“The Widow of St. Pierre”

Directed by Patrice Leconte, written by Claude Faraldo, 112 minutes, rated R. In French with English subtitles.

In Patrice Leconte’s “The Widow of St. Pierre,” a gorgeous-looking film based on a true story that takes place off the coast of Newfoundland in the French colony of St. Pierre, it’s 1849 and a brutal murder has just been committed against a man stabbed repeatedly in the gut for allegedly being too fat.

If the reason for the murder sounds a bit harsh even by today’s cut-throat standards of what constitutes an unacceptably large waistline, it’s useful to know that the murderer was stone drunk when he hacked his victim to leaner shreds.

Now condemned to death via guillotine (also known as a “widow” in French slang), the murderer, Neel Auguste (Emir Kusturica), is faced with a peculiar situation--since there are no guillotines or executioners in the foggy reaches of St. Pierre, the now sober and deeply remorseful Auguste must sit in a holding cell for several months while St. Pierre’s brilliantly inept magistrates work to ship in the guillotine from Martinique...and find an executioner.

In the interim, Auguste meets a dashing couple who profoundly impact his life--Pauline (Juliette Binoche) and her husband, Jean (Daniel Auteuil), an army captain responsible for Auguste’s care until the time comes to chop off his head.

But as this curious trio comes to know one another--and as the blindly passionate and idealistic Pauline quietly builds community support for saving Auguste’s life--his value as a human being comes into question. Indeed, as Pauline sees it, every man is capable of good and evil. When they slip--even if that slip involves a cold-blooded murder--they’re nevertheless human and deserving of a second chance.

Working from a script by Claude Faraldo, Leconte uses the growing tension between the townspeople who come to love Auguste and the magistrates ordered by law to kill him, as one of the driving forces behind his film.

But just as powerful--and perhaps more interesting--are the scenes shared between Binoche and Auteuil, two superb actors who deliver terrific, restrained performances that become the soul of the movie.

Indeed, as Pauline fights for Auguste’s life, she knowingly puts her husband’s job--and his own life--directly in jeopardy. There’s plenty of irony in that, but Leconte wisely doesn’t offer his own comment on Pauline’s choices. Instead, he goes deeper--and leaves it up to the audience to decide whether those choices were wreckless or absolutely right.

Grade: A-

WATCH: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Clips

Below are two new clips from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which opens wide on July 15, 2009. The first is "Field Confrontation" and the second is "The Cave."

Check them out below. Looks good!

WATCH: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Trailer

Okay, so this looks pretty good--and this is the film's first full-length trailer, which look much better than the teaser trailer released a few months ago. The film opens wide on September 18, 2009, and as far as its synopsis goes, well, just have a look below.

Click on the poster to supersize. And by the way, this also is being released in 3D.

Could this give Pixar a run for their money?

LOOK: New poster for Bruce Willis' "Surrogates."

Bruce Willis looks like he has an interesting film on his hands in the upcoming, Sept. 25, 2009 release of "Surrogates." Click on the new poster above to view it in full size. There, you'll be able to count every one of the gray hair in Bruce beard. And there are lots of them. Do the drapes match the carpet? Please take the time to consider that question.

In the meantime, when did he get so up there in the years?

Age--it's discouraging. The movie? Who knows?

If you haven't seen the very cool trailer, check it out below:

NOTFlix It: Deuce's Wild Movie, DVD Review (2009)

Editor's Note: NOTFlix It is a feature meant to draw attention to older films some readers might have missed, and might consider adding to their Netflix queue, or renting at their local DVD store. Unlike our Netflix It feature, NOTFlix It is designed to keep viewers far away from all the dogs that are out there. The following review of "Deuces Wild" is the original 2002 review. And you definitely should NOTFlix It.

"Deuces Wild"

Directed by Scott Kalvert. Written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale. 97 minutes. Rated R.

While it's doubtful that Scott Kalvert intended to create an instant camp classic with his hilarious film, "Deuces Wild," that's nevertheless what he pulled off--and what a hoot.

Set on a Hollywood back lot--excuse me, set in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the summer of 1958--the film is "West Side Story" without the songs, "The Lords of Flatbush" without the Fonz, "The Wanderers" without a map, a compass, or its own way.

It's a movie about two rival gangs whose swagger and strut are so incredibly exaggerated, what's amazing about the film isn't how bad it is, but that anyone here got through it without breaking a hip.

From start to bloody finish, "Deuces Wild" is an eye-popping exercise in excess and cliches, a melodramatic cheeseball festooned in black leather, white T-shirts and jeans that hits the screen with such misguided aplomb, it can't help but eventually burst apart like a thoroughly whacked piñata.

In the film, the good-guy Deuces and the bad-guy Vipers come to throws when the Vipers decide they want to start selling drugs in the Deuces' neighborhood. That's a big no-no for the Deuces, who lost a member of their gang--a scrappy kid named Alley Boy--to a drug-related death three years before.

Alley Boy's brother, Leon (Stephen Dorf), now king of the Deuces, is determined to avenge his brother's death by making certain that the Vipers don't put a crack pipe and a bong in every home.

The problem for Leon and his crew of brass knuckleheads? The Vipers, as led by Jimmy Pockets (Balthazar Getty) and the freshly paroled Marco (Norman Reedus), are being bankrolled by the local mob boss, Fritzy (Matt Dillon), who is very comfortable with the idea that the neighborhood kiddies should be addicted to smack.

Toss into this mix a rape, some gang violence shot in slow motion, and a love affair between Leon's brother Bobby (Brad Renfro) and a tough-as-tanks babe named Annie (Fairuza Balk)--who just happens to be a sister to one of the Vipers--and the tension, you can imagine, becomes enough to make these Deuces wild.

At my screening, there were moments when I was convinced I was seeing the film with a group of asthmatics-there were those who couldn't stop gasping at the absurdity. Apparently, even MGM knows it's dealing with a dog. "Deuces Wild" has been sitting on their shelves for two years. The fact that they waited to release it opposite "Spider-Man" says it all for how the studio itself views the movie.

Grade: D-

GIVEAWAY: Mad Men: Season Two!

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of
Mad Men: Season Two!

Own it on DVD July 14, 2009!

Thanks to our friends at Lionsgate
for this opportunity!

Product description: "Set in 1960s New York City, Mad Men explores the glamorous and ego-driven "Golden Age" of advertising, where everyone is selling something and nothing is ever what it seems. And no one plays the game better than Don Draper (Golden Globe-winner Jon Hamm), Madison Avenue's biggest ad man - and ladies' man - in the business. Returning for its second season, the Golden Globe-winning series for Best TV Drama and Actor continues to blur the lines between truth and lies, perception and reality. The world of Mad Men is moving in a new direction - can Sterling Cooper keep up? Meanwhile, the private life of Don Draper becomes complicated in a new way. What is the cost of his secret identity?”"

The contest will end on August 18, 2009.

We are giving away THREE copies.

To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Mad Men Season 2 DVD contest! 3 Copies! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Good luck!

Christopher

New to DVD and Blu-ray Disc

“The Carmen Miranda Collection”
Includes five films from the Brazilian queen of the fruited hat--and it’s a strong collection, with Fox coming through with some of Miranda’s best films, many of which lifted the sprits of plenty during the Second World War. The set features 1943’s “The Gang’s All Here,” with Miranda, Alice Fay and James Ellison all backed by Busby Berkeley and the Benny Goodman Orchestra; 1944’s “Greenwich Village,” with Miranda cast as a fortuneteller opposite Don Ameche and Vivian Blaine; and 1944’s “Something for the Boys,” in which Miranda’s Chiquita Hart literally saves herself, Vivian Blaine and Phil Silvers from financial straits. Rounding out the set are 1946’s “Doll Face” and 1946’s “If I’m Lucky,” each with Blaine and Perry Como. The latter finds Miranda singing “Bet Your Bottom Dollar,” which is exactly what audiences should do on this entertaining collection. Grade: A-

"The Glamour Collections"
From Universal, three women, three collections, 15 movies--"The Marlene Dietrich Glamour Collection," "The Mae West Glamour Collection," "The Carole Lombard Glamour Collection." So, yes, that should be enough glamour for anyone--and each is a must. In "Dietrich," fine films are assembled, including "Morocco," "Blonde Venus," "The Devil is a Woman," "Flame of New Orleans" and "Golden Earrings." For West, look for "Go West Young Man," "Goin' to Town," 'I'm No Angel," "My Little Chickadee" and "Night After Night." In "Lombard," slapstick is key in the movies "Hands Across the Table," "Love Before Breakfast," "Man of the World," "The Princess Comes Across," "True Confessions" and "We're Not Dancing." Thing is, all three of these women were dancing--sometimes literally, often metaphorically--with some scenes in these collections proving so memorable, they've become iconic. In "Morocco," for example, Dietrich dons a tux with tails and bends to kiss a woman, which caused a sensation upon the film's 1930 release. In "Blonde Venus," she appears in a monkey suit to sing "Hot Voodoo," and strips to reveal the sort of glamour for which she was known (Madonna learned plenty from her). For West, all she has to do is put a hand on her hip, flash her eyes and screw up her face, and she gets a laugh. It's the surprise that comes out of her mouth, however, that sends you over the edge. Grade: A

“Matlock: Season Three”
Andy Griffith’s career--reborn. After years of slogging through such humiliating guest appearances on such shows as “The Love Boat,” “Fantasy Island” and “Hotel,” Griffith took a cue from Raymond Burr’s “Perry Mason” and realized one of his greatest career successes in a similar show that ran from 1986-1995. This third season surpasses the first two seasons that it fully has settled into itself. On five discs, most of the episodes focus on one culprit, such as “The Other Woman,” “The Starlet,” “The Psychic,” etc. Griffith’s easy Southern charm is in stark contrast to the grisly crime series pop culture now favors, but for many, that’s exactly what will sell it. Grade: B



“Monsterquest: Complete Season Three”
The monsters are real! Well, no they’re not. Or maybe they are! But then again, maybe they’re not. Essentially, that’s how this reasonably entertaining series from the History Channel plays out, with real scientists and high-tech gadgetry hauled in to discern what might be living among us (don’t come seeking definitive answers). The monsters in question include everything from the regulars such as the Loch Ness monster to such other oddities as Cattle Killers, Swamp Stalkers and Snowbeasts. Eye witness accounts abound, some humorous--all dead serious. Grade: B-






“The Tyrone Power Matinee Idol Collection”
From Fox, 10 films featuring that brooding, camera-ready idol, some of them solid, a few of them good, and others only barely up to par. In it are 1936’s throwaway melodrama “Girls’ Dormitory,” with Powers appearing only fleetingly opposite Simone Simon; two energetic comedies in 1937’s “Love is News” and “Café Metropole,” with Powers waxing cute with Loretta Young. It’s Young again in 1937’s “Second Honeymoon,” but third time wasn’t exactly a charm--the movie is second rate. The same also is true for 1939’s disappointing “Daytime Wife,” but not so for 1940’s “Johnny Apollo,” by far the best in the collection, with Powers cast as a gangster in one of his best-regarded films. Look for Joan Fontaine in 1942’s very good “This Above All,” Gene Tierney in 1948’s so-so comedy “That Wonderful Urge,” Jayne Meadows and Cecil Kellaway in the unstoppable “The Luck of the Irish” and Any Blyth in 1951’s “I’ll Never Forget You,” a movie that neatly sums up how many feel about Power himself. Grade: B-

“The White Countess”
A well-acted, beautifully shot movie that’s maddening in its civility. You watch it hoping for a spark, but forget it--this last film from Merchant-Ivory leaves you feeling ambivalent. Set in 1936, the film stars Natasha Richardson as Sofia, a widowed Russian countess exiled to Shanghai who becomes a taxi dancer to pay the rent for her family (Madeleine Day, Vanessa Redgrave, Lynn Redgrave, Madeleine Potter, John Wood). Ralph Fiennes is Todd Jackson, the blind American diplomat with a troubled past who hires Sofia to be the hostess at his swank nightclub. Before war begins, the club is a success, though the movie isn't. It keeps Sofia and Todd’s relationship at arm's length until the very end, when it’s too late to care. Rated PG-13. Grade: C

WATCH: The Box Trailer

Cameron Diaz, James Marsden and Frank Langella have a new movie coming out. It's called (hahahahaha!) "The Box," and no, it's not what you think it's about.

The official synopsis, in fact, goes like this: "Norma and Arthur Lewis are a suburban couple with a young child who receive an anonymous gift bearing fatal and irrevocable consequences. A simple wooden box, it promises to deliver its owner $1 million with the press of a button. However, pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world...someone they don't know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the crosshairs of a startling moral dilemma and face the true nature of their humanity."

The true nature of their humanity? This is a Cameron Diaz film. There can't be any humanity. As for the openly gay Marsden, it is nice to see that Hollywood is getting over itself and allowing actors to--oh, I don't know--act. Here, he's cast as Diaz's husband.

Anyway, below is the trailer. The movie opens wide on October 30, 2009. Let us know in the comments section what you think.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: Movie Review (2009)

Movie Review
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

Directed by Michael Bay, written by Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, 150 minutes, rated PG-13.

Michael Bay has a new movie out, and it’s a crowning achievement--the first English-language film that needs subtitles in order to understand it. It’s called “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” and it’s a shoo-in for the Razzies--Worst Foreign Language Movie in a Non Foreign Language. The film is a masterwork of banality, a champion of stupidity, one of the most over-sold wrecks of the year.

And yes, naturally, it’s the number-one movie in America.

Just why it took the top spot is easy to understand--the first film was good. It had a sense of humor, terrific special effects, nice jolts of action, and a story backed by characters we came to know and like. Mirroring that movie, this beauty also clocks in at 2.5 hours, but unlike the first film, you feel every stinking minute of it.

What happened along the way? Simple. Whereas the last movie was chaos and fun by way of the machine, this new movie is just chaos driving the machine. It’s such a relentless, over-the-top experience, a movie so determined to best the action in the previous film, that the screen can’t contain any of it, and so it spits it out.

Perhaps the best way to understand the experience of watching the movie is to stand in front of a front-loading washing machine. Pack it full with colorful clothing, toss in a few bras if you have them (something that would support, say, a woman with a figure like Megan Fox), and press start. Colors will begin to whirl, things will start to spin, you’ll recognize glimpses of what you’ve seen before, and then, if you’ve really overpacked the machine, really stuffed it full, it eventually will go off balance and shake the room until your fillings falls out. The end.

Here is a movie of two parts. On one hand, you can appreciate the special effects for the effort that went into achieving them. On the other hand, those same special effects are part of the problem. Just as the script is a muddy disaster that does nothing to inform the characters with new levels of interest, that muddiness also is reflected in the storyline, which goes something like this.

Reprising his role as Sam Witwicky is Shia LaBeouf, who is off to his first year at college when he realizes that etched into his brain are symbols the evil Decepticons need in order to harness a machine in one of Egypt’s pyramids in an effort to destroy the sun and thus all life on Earth. Oh, the Autobots are fully behind Sam, and so along with the Sam’s peeps--his love interest Mikaela Banes (Fox), Agent Simmons (John Turturro), Capt. Lennox (Josh Duhamel) and Sgt. Epps (Tyrese Gibson)--they all fight the big fight in an effort to keep the Decepticons down.

While nobody will accuse the movie of being light on action, action alone isn’t the only ingredient necessary to pull off a successful action movie. There must be a connection to the characters. There has to be a level of cohesion to the storyline. Our best action films aren’t those in which you only are in awe of the special effects, but those that also leave you feeling genuine concern for the survival of the characters you’ve come to admire.

On that level, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” fails so spectacularly, it trips itself up from the get-go and it falls flat on its face.

Grade: D

WATCH: Daybreakers Trailer

Below is the new trailer for the upcoming horror film "Daybreakers."

The synopsis goes like this: "Edward Dalton is a researcher in the year 2019, in which an unknown plague has transformed the world's population into vampires. As the human population nears extinction, vampires must capture and farm every remaining human, or find a blood substitute before time runs out. However, a covert group of vampires makes a remarkable discovery, one which has the power to save the human race."

Look for the film to open wide January 8, 2009. Looks good, as far as today's horror movies go. Love the shot of the bodies being sucked free of blood. Check it out here: