dual personalities

I watched several good movies this weekend. The first was recommended by a friend with discriminating film tastes--Sunshine (1999) starring Ralph Fiennes and a host of English and Hungarian actors.

The film follows a Jewish family living in Hungary through three generations, rising from humble beginnings to positions of wealth and power in the crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fiennes plays all three characters: the grandfather who changes his name to become a Judge, the son who converts to Catholicism to get into the right fencing club in order to win an Olympic Gold medal and the grandson who ultimately sees the futility of it all and changes his name back to Sonnenscheim (sunshine).

It is a really well done movie filmed beautifully in Europe, which makes a good point without hitting anyone over the head. One must never sacrifice one’s “self” to a government, because they are all imperfect and will betray you in the end. The grandfather who loves the monarchy is let down and the son who acquiesces to the National Socialists is betrayed by the Nazis and murdered at Auschwitz while the son watches. He, in turn, becomes a Communist after the war in order to avenge his father’s death, but comes to learn that the Communists are ten times worse than even the Nazis. He learns that one must be true to oneself and one’s family in order to breath freely.

A Canadian-Hungarian production, it was not nominated for one single Oscar–gee, I wonder why? It won several European awards and the Genie for best Canadian Film. Ralph Fiennes is outstanding, although I wonder if he has a clause written into his contract that he will participate in up to but no more than three mad, impassioned sex scenes involving standing up with a woman or in some awkward position in the woods or on a table. Because of technology, you can fast forward through these.

Anyway, it held my interest for three hours and I recommend it.

I  also watched Monsters University which I enjoyed very much.

You gotta love Mike Wazowski. And this guy:

On Sunday night I watched Cabaret (1972) which I had DVR’d when it was on TCM a while ago. I have to admit, I had never seen it before!

Directed by Bob Fosse, it stars Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles, a nightclub performer who “romances” two men in 1930s Berlin. Liza won an Oscar and, although she plays a decadent and amoral gal, she is by far the most appealing person in the movie. However, try as she may, there is nothing remotely sexy about Liza and it all seems very tawdry and sad. Maybe that is the point. The men all look alike. It was a big hit in 1972 when I was in high school. It won eight Oscars. I’m glad I watched it, but it isn’t really my cup of tea. Give me Seven Brides for Seven Brothers any day!

This weekend was filled with lots of real-life Nazi monsters and not-so-scary animated Monsters. Weird.