"They're really annoying, especially in the workplace. "'They’re like, "Nah, I’m not feeling it today, I’m gonna come in at 10:30 a.m." Or in emails, I’ll tell them, "This is all grammatically incorrect, did you not check your spelling?" And they’re like, "Why would I do that, isn’t that kind of limiting?"' - Jodie Foster on Gen Z
The Three Amigos Jodie Foster, Robert DeNiro & Martin Scorsese
Here we are at another Monday and I have to wonder "You Talkin' To Me?" - Robert DeNiro's immortal line from the classic Taxi Driver is a vibe at present. No I'm not feeling homicidal or anything like that! Heck, I'm not even in a bad mood. I'm simply feeling nostalgic for the art of filmmaking, which is pretty non-existent these days.
Thus I surfed the web and found what I think is an awesome behind the scenes photo of Jodie Foster, Robert DeNiro and Director Martin Scorsese engaging in some on set levity. Well Foster and DeNiro seem to be at least, Scorsese is being himself, meaning you really can't get a read on what's happening with him in this moment.
Taxi Driver is one of those films I saw when I was in my twenties and need to re-watch now, as I am sure it will be even better and resonate even more with me, now that I am a man of worldly experience and such.
In fact it will be part of this week's agenda to do just that as it is on Netflix. I knew that subscription had to be good for something Damn It!!!
With Ant Man and the Wasp opening, well today - I thought it was perfect timing to run this most curious photo of Paul Rudd that I stumbled across on the WWW..."Yes" minions welcome to Freaky Friday. This weeks edition of FF does not include any body switching, sorry Jodie & Lindsay. No, this looks to be something of a totally different head. Poodle painting perhaps? The Poodle of a different color? Or ??? Whatever the case, it's definitely an image that will stick in your mind all Motherf#cking Friday, and perhaps, beyond. Does that make me diabolical because I have inserted this into your consciousness? Perhaps a little more intriguing? Yeah, I figured as much... It's time to let your freak flag fly, it's Friday after all!!! Paul on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0748620/
In case you have been distracted by other things the 2016 Cannes Film Festival has been happening and a movie with the title Money Monster played it and opened this past Friday. No,I have yet to see it. Yes, it is on my list of films to do. Hey it stars George Clooney & Julia Roberts with Jodie Foster at the helm. Yeah, that puts it in "must see" territory for me. So, I said to myself: Let's kick off the post Friday the 13th weekend with a really hot image of the trio and Clooney's catch of a wife Amal to start Monday the 16th off on a too cool note. According to my favorite film buff Erik Rimmer: "Money Monster was a great film. I loved it. Tight direction and very suspenseful . Julia Roberts and George Clooney were fantastic." Bask, it's Monday. Enjoy your week!!! Money Monster on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2241351/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Taxi Driver Turns 40!
l-r Cybill Shepherd, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster and Harvey Keitel
"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talking... you talking to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? Oh yeah? OK." Not being a film critic I don't want to attempt to break down why Taxi Driver is the classic film it is. Suffice it to say it has endured because of it's excellence. Being a film buff, I knew of it's reputation and was glad for home video technology which is how I was able to see it initially and have seen it many times since. The quote above is the most known from it. Directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese Taxi Driver recently celebrated it's 40th Anniversary at the Tribeca Film Festival where the famed filmmaker and his cast consisting of Jodie Foster, Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd and Harvey Keitel reunited and posed for the above photograph. This image is everything and recalls a time in cinema history that was golden. Have a Super Sunday peeps! "You Talkin' To Me?"Taxi Driver on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/?ref_=nv_sr_1
Yes, it's true...I have met Jodie Foster. Her speech tonight at the Golden Globes (except for that weird sound glitch) was heartfelt and honest, and from my perspective I agree with the content of it 100%..!!
Cut to my second job upon arriving in Los Angeles, CA. I worked for the now defunct Orion Pictures in the mail room. Jodie had her production company there at the time Egg Pictures.
Well she had just directed and starred in her first film via the truly independent movie making machine "Little Man Tate" about a child prodigy. The whole company got invited to the premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
It was a great afternoon! Jodie graciously introduced the film and the supporting cast members and the party in the lot adjacent was truly amazing.
Cut to a few days later...while delivering the mail, I saw Ms. Foster speaking with her assistant at the desk outside her office.
Although the film was formulaic (Hey, what isn't?!) It still was a lovely valentine to humanity with Jodie's personal experience blended in as a child prodigy in her own right.
Me (to Jodie): "I really liked "Little Man Tate".
Jodie: "Please, tell me what you liked about it"
Me: "It was a film of honest moments and humanity"
Jodie: "Thank you for taking the time to tell me that".
Jodie you are the best, I have always loved your honesty, your truth and your class.
Here is a clip from my favorite Foster Academy Award Winner (for her as well) "The Silence of the Lambs"
Where do I start? Having not seen the Swedish version of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” and not having read the book, I went into David Fincher’s version with no real expectations whatsoever….Rooney Mara.
This is what I came away from it with, TGWTDT is and adult movie with a capital “A” … and I do not mean for it’s violent & sexual content (we will get to that later).
It is a film for grown ups who like character exposition and plots you have to pay attention to. The first half of the film is dedicated to establishing who Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) & Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) are as people before their two paths cross. At first I thought this part of the movie to be a tad long, but the more it sat with me, the more I loved it!
When I see a movie and I think about it after the fact, well that is a good sign to me, it is better than it being disposable.
Thus TGWTDT is a fascinating character study. My only quibble is, I wished Mikael Blomkvist was as interesting as Lisbeth Salander. Rooney Mara, OK, time to move past it, David Fincher has directed some of my most favorite in your face movies “Se7en” “Fight Club” & “The Social Network” …which, is one of the things I find quite interesting about TGWTDT -
The sex and violence are quite subdued…. Seriously lets site a couple of Jodie Foster films that illustrate intense quite well, Oscar winner “Silence of the Lambs” way more freaky violence wise, and “The Accused” a rape scene that had me so upset I wanted to lay it down on the next guy I saw on Hollywood Blvd. who even gave a woman that look.
Yeah, TGWTDT is quite tame by the abovementioned standards. So one of my fave directors, Fincher, has remained true to himself, yet oddly grown up. Did I like TGWTDT? Heck yeah! It was a really great film for adults…and in case I did not mention it Rooney Mara is amazing!
Note: Hey Mr. Fincher - you never disappoint, however, next time you want to be a big boy, a little up in people’s grill would be a nice addition.
