Movies About Movies (Take 2)

I find it a lot of fun when a movie has movie-making as part of its plot. Five years ago I wrote a blog post on these kinds of films and listed the following as what I considered great examples: King Kong (1933), Ed Wood (1994), Bowfinger (1999), Adaptation (2002), The Artist (2011), All About Eve (1950), Cinema Paradiso (1988), Be Kind Rewind (2008), and Tropic Thunder (2008). That was five years ago. Let’s take a look at a few more greats:

• The Aviator (2004) – A biopic with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Howard Hughes. Early on in the film it depicts Hughes’ shooting scenes in the sky for a film about planes. He realizes that clouds give the audience perspective; without them it looks as if the planes aren’t going fast. And he grows impatient when the beautiful day on which he is filming doesn’t give a single cloud in the sky.

• Me & Earl & the Dying Girl (2015) – There are two types of teen movies: 1) ones that try to be cool, hoping that teenagers will buy a ticket to watch them, and 2) ones that just happen to be about teenagers and can be enjoyed by just about anyone. M&E&TDG is an example of the latter, and is one of the best ones out there.
  

• Hugo (2011) – One of very few movies that depicts filmmaking in the early days, as in 1890’s-1910’s. It is a charming little movie and is one of the most visually beautiful pictures to come out in the last decade.

• Dolemite is My Name (2019) – This was an eye-opening movie for me, as I knew very little about black movies and blacksploitation movies for most of my life. It’s another biopic, this time with Eddie Murphy playing the lead in an outstanding performance. Very interesting and fun to watch.
  

• Nine (2009) – This is a remake of an old b&w Italian movie (dir: Fellini) called 8½ (1963), only it is a musical starring Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Fergie (Yes, from the Black Eyed Peas!) with Daniel Day-Lewis playing the lead. If you like musicals, this one should keep you entertained.

• The Act of Killing (2012) – While making a documentary in 2003, two director/producers were learning a lot about mass killings that took place in Indonesia in the 1960’s. They decided to make a documentary on that very subject when they discovered men who were not only willing to talk about their involvement in genocide, they were proud of it. They wanted to make sure they got the credit! The documentarians work with them pretending to make a movie celebrating their self-perceived greatness. But what they made instead was an expose that wasn’t for them, but for the rest of us. It’s one of the greatest documentaries ever made.
  

• The Disaster Artist (2017) – Before watching this movie it would be best to watch it’s subject matter: The Room (2003), not to be confused with Room (2015). The Room has earned the reputation for being “The Citizen Kane of bad movies.” It truly is a wonder to watch, and as bad as it is, I can promise that it will entertain you. It’s horribleness has earned it a cult following which inspired this biopic on its making. 
  

• Sherlock Jr. (1924) – If you’ve never watched a Buster Keaton silent movie, maybe you should check out this one, free on YouTube. It only takes 45 minutes, and though I prefer Chaplin, Keaton is one of the greatest influencers in comedic movies.

• Singin’ in the Rain (1952) – I can’t believe this one wasn’t on my 2017 list. It’s one of the best musicals of all time in my own humble opinion. Such a fun movie.
  

• Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) – I was so glad that this one got the votes this week. As much as I love the others, this is my new favourite Tarantino movie. Like Inglourious Basterds, it is an imagining of how things could have happened differently in an historical event. The focus of this in Inglourious is World War II. For OUATIH, it is the Charles Manson murders in 1969. I can throw this movie on the screen at any time and enjoy it. 

Congratulations Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. This is your week. 

And the Oscar goes to…

Best Actress:

Kerry Washington as Broomhilda Von Shaft in Django Unchained. Though I am also partial to Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate in OUATIH.

Best Actor: There are so many, but I think the best is Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. He was also a great Dr. King Schultz in Django.

Best Quote: “My name is Lt. Aldo Raine and I’m putting together a special team, and I need me eight soldiers. Eight Jewish-American soldiers. Now, y’all might’ve heard rumors about the armada happening soon. Well, we’ll be leaving a little earlier. We’re gonna be dropped into France, dressed as civilians. And once we’re in enemy territory, as a bushwhackin’ guerrilla army, we’re gonna be doin’ one thing and one thing only… killin’ Nazis.” – Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine in Inglorious Basterds

Here’s how I’d rank the Tarantino-directed movies I have seen:

1. Death Proof (2007)

2. Jackie Brown (1997)

3. Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (2003)

4. The Hateful Eight (2015)

5. Kill Bill, Vol. 2 (2004)

6. Django Unchained (2012)

7. Pulp Fiction (1994)

8. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

9. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

10. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)