Help me get his boots, T.C.

This was a better America when Strother Martin was still making Sam Peckinpah movies. They're both gone now, and things have been headed downhill ever since they cashed out their chips.

True Grit

When I was a kid, I enjoyed John Wayne movies like The Alamo, The Horse Soldiers and The Comancheros, and it was only after I was well into my teenaged years that I decided Duke Wayne movies were actually pretty formulaic, even corny sometimes. I rarely watch them now when they turn up on TCM. 

The Duke Wayne movie that held up for me over the years was True Grit, for which Duke captured his lone acting Oscar. Even Glen Campbell, who was a good singer and a poor actor, couldn't ruin that movie with his anachronistic haircut.

A few years ago, I read the novel by Charles Portis that was the basis for the original movie. When I learned that Joel and Ethan Coen were filming their version and that it would be faithful to the book, I immediately made seeing their True Grit a priority for the Christmas season. I'm pleased to write that as much as I've enjoyed watching and re-watching the 1969 True Grit, the 2010 True Grit is a superior movie in every way. When the Academy Award nominations are announced, True Grit should be be included in several categories, and will deserve to win 'em all.

Get Low

A few weeks ago, Mrs. bee heard an interview with Robert Duvall on NPR in which he talked about his new movie Get Low. She told me that she needed to see it when it came to town. After a limited release in July, Get Low made it to the boonies today, so this was a matinee afternoon for the bees.

I was a Robert Duvall fan for many years, but cooled off on him when I read that he was a rightwinger. Fortunately, he keeps his political views to himself, unlike Jon Voight. At any rate, I wasn't enthusiastic about seeing Get Low until I learned that Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek also had featured roles.

The movie takes place in the depression era, and is apparently loosely based on actual events. The last movie I saw, Inception, was major summer eye candy, and Get Low is a totally different kind of film, the kind that's usually nominated for acting awards. Lucas Black, who was outstanding as the boy who befriends Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade, is now a grown man and has a significant share of Get Low's screen time, too. Bottom line: I enjoyed this movie much more than I expected I would, and recommend it to anyone who appreciates intelligent films with subtle performances. Rating = 8.0

Oscar night

Tonight is Academy Awards night, the first one in my lifetime with ten nominees for Best Picture. I've seen four of the nominees: The Blind Side, District Nine, The Hurt Locker, and Up. Of those, I watched The Blind Side in a theater, and the rest on DVD. The Hurt Locker has been predicted as a potential winner, and I could live with that. It isn't in a class with Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, or No Country For Old Men, but few movies are.

District 9 was an interesting concept that unfortunately devolved into a generic sci-fi action flick, and Up was animated eye candy that would've been sensational on the big screen in a theater. The Blind Side was a feel-good movie that was better than I expected, but would be number 4 on my scorecard among the four pictures I've seen. I have a feeling the REAL best movie of 2009 is one of the six I haven't seen yet.