A Prairie Home Companion ****

"Every show is your last show. That's my philosophy."

-Garrison Keillor

The concept of this film is so bizarre that I cannot do it justice in words. It is the most fitting possible tribute to the wonderful live radio show, A Prairie Home Companion. It is an account of the final show of a fictional live radio show, also called A Prairie Home Companion, which is almost identical to the actual show, but I suppose this allows the filmmakers to take some liberties with it (like Meryl Streep as one of the show's longtime singers and Kevin Kline as Guy Noir, recast as the show's security man). (Interestingly enough, a few weeks after the film came out, Meryl Streep sang on the actual show)

It is very fitting that Robert Altman's last film should explore death so much. Death is the film's major motif. It even has a character symbol of death, a mysterious angel (credited as 'Dangerous Woman'). She shows up not only to take people away when their time is up, but also to comfort those in grief. "The death of an old man is not a tragedy," she reminds one grieving woman.

A Prarie Home Companion is a testament not only to the skill of Robert Altman, but also to the skill of every performer. He gave a very "hands-off" approach to directing the film and captured performances with multiple cameras at all times. "This stuff was caught, rather than captured," he says in one interview. Every actor in this movie is great. It really feels like you are watching their life, rather than a movie. This movie also has wonderful music, which not only is enhanced by the expressions of the performers, but also provides a masterful soundtrack to the events occurring backstage.

I love this movie. Everything about it is great. I have not mentioned yet that it is a comedy. Yes, it has a major theme of death, but Garrison Keillor's signature dry humor is sprinkled all around. Kevin Kline gives us a laugh out loud hilarious experiment in slap-sticky awkwardness. I have seen few movies that blend substance and entertainment really well. This is one of them.

My Kid Could Paint That ****

"Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth"

-Pablo Picasso

This film is a fascinating documentary about a young girl, Marla Olmstead, whose paintings were selling for tens of thousands of dollars. It goes on an intimate journey with the family, recording their frustrations as the media become cynical about the origin of Marla's paintings. The film also chronicles the filmmakers' own doubts about the paintings and his resulting discomfort.

This documentary is presented like a mystery movie. It gradually presents evidence for or against Marla as the author of the paintings and, in the end, lets you decide. Video footage of Marla painting 'Ocean' is presented, but when the painting is being sold, a potential buyer expresses her doubts about the quality of the painting. Bar-Lev shows us, side by side, 'Ocean' and her some of her previous attributed works and lets us decide. My opinion? Marla provided the intitial painting on the original paintings, but her father finished up and added the polish and style that is apparent when Marla's earlier and later paintings are compared. I, however, am not denying that the original works were great art, and I do beleive that whoever did the paintings had consdiderable talent.

My Kid Could Paint That is an excellent documentary which really asks the question, "what is art". It asks this question particularly of modern art, but also of the documentary itself.

Have you seen this movie? Who do you think painted the paintings? Be sure to comment. Please subscribe! You can do this via rss or email by clicking on the links in the top left.

Rear Window ****

"That's no ordinary look. That's the kind of a look a man gives when he's afraid somebody might be watching him."

-L.B. Jeffries

When L.B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart) is laid up in his apartment with a broken leg, he gets to looking out of his window. As he observes, he begins to suspect a neighbor of murder, but cannot prove it. The film is an exploration of "rear window ethics". Says Jeffries, "I wonder if it is ethical to watch a man with binoculars and a long-focus lens. Do you, do you suppose it's ethical even if you prove that he didn't commit a crime?"

This film is remarkable in the fact that it is entirely filmed within Jeffries' apartment. It is not so much a credit to the brilliance of director Alfred Hitchcock that the movie was filmed from Jeffries' vantage point, but instead that the film is never dull. Instead, the incredibly complex apartment building courtyard is framed both by the apartment window and cinematographer Robert Burk's camera.

Rear Window is an incredibly complex film. Many essays can and have been written on this film. Every time you watch it you will find something new or make a new association. I could explore this film much more, but in the interest of your time I will merely encourage and hopefully, entice you into seeing this film. This is more than a **** film: it is a great film, one that can be chewed on and digested.