lindsayw739
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IMDb Member
13 years
Reviews
50 to 1 (2014)
Heartwarming, especially for us underdogs!
The odds were 50 to 1 on Mine That Bird at the 2009 Kentucky Derby. In fact, for much of the race, Mine That Bird was dead last. During the final turn at Churchill Downs, though, jockey Calvin Borel hugged the rail and stunned the crowd and the race announcer. Mine That Bird burst to the front and won.
This Hollywood story in the making, though, is much more than just about a horse with long odds winning the Kentucky Derby. "50 to 1" is the story of an eclectic group of cowboys, trainers, and ranch owners who marshaled their talents and surprised themselves and race fans.
Set in the enchanting lands of New Mexico, and along the roads to Kentucky, the beauty of this country appears almost as another character in this great horse story.
Producer/Director Jim Wilson ("Dances With Wolves") and collaborator Faith Conroy ("Thor") immediately visualized the story on film, and thus their journey began to secure rights to tell it. Wilson contacted the horse's owners, Mark Allen and Leonard 'Doc' Blach. Then he co-wrote a spec script with Conroy, presented it to Allen and Blach, got their approval, and secured funding from many in the horse racing industry.
Chip (Skeet Ulrich) and Mark (Christian Kane) are rodeo riders whose paths first cross when Chip rescues Mark in a bar brawl. That's that until 10 years later. The horse-training business Chip runs with his brother Bill (David Atkinson) is about to fail. Chip overhears Mark's name on the news in a story about a high-priced auction, and decides to track him down.
Chip shows up at Mark's ranch. After a crazy party with Mark and his cousin Kelly (Todd Lowe), Chip is sent by Mark to check out a horse in Canada called Mine That Bird. He persuades Mark and Mark's business partner - 'Doc' Blach (William Devane) - to buy him.
The horse, though, is a loser and meanwhile, Chip breaks his leg. Rider Alex (Madelyn Deutch) is brought in to help with the training. She and Chip clash. She's a tattooed pierced exercise rider; he's a good ol' cowboy. When Mine That Bird is selected for the Kentucky Derby (based on winnings in Canada), this motley crew is shocked.
The film about friendship and hope also highlights the beauty of the hot dusty deserts, with a backdrop of blue-gray mountain ranges or bronze-colored mesas. Locations were discovered, on occasion, inadvertently. Chip's ranch was found when Jim Wilson stopped by a feed store. The woman working there told him of a ranch outside of Las Cruces. It fit the bill.
Jim Wilson and Faith Conroy came across the bar used for the fight scene as they were leaving a location that wasn't going to work for that scene. Here are Faith's words: "So we're driving along, chatting away, and I see this sign pointing down a road, advertising a place to get beer. I said, 'Jim, we should check that out.' We almost missed it on the way back from the other bar, but 10 minutes down that road we find this place that had been there since 1948." Jim continues the story, describing how they stopped a passerby and asked her if she knew about the bar. She told them to check with the folks next door. "So we go inside and we meet Pat, the owner's sister, who'd been working there since she was 13," Wilson says. "No one had ever shot a film there before, so I said, 'Will you let me do a big brawl in here?' They said, 'Have at it, flip the tables over.'" They also got permission to shoot at Churchill Downs, and shot there in over 20 locations, including the actual jockeys' room, the barn, and the stall where Mine That Bird was housed. In fact, the jockey of the winning horse, Calvin Borel, plays himself in the film. It is his world.
Borel even brought his own tack for use with the horse. He helped with the design of the set of the jockeys' room. And of course, on the horse, he naturally fell right into riding as he did in the 2009 Derby (though footage from the actually Derby was also incorporated into the film.) Art imitates life which imitates art in this film. For instance, Chip Woolley and Mark Allen were on the set quite a bit, ensuring authenticity. Mark even loaned Harleys so that Kane and Lowe could ride from New Mexico to Churchill Downs as the cousins Mark and Kelly actually did. And, Chip loaned Ulrich the shirt he wore on Derby Day.
Woolley, leg in a cast, follows the Harleys in a truck as he hauls Mine That Bird 1700 miles to Churchill Downs. Alex (an amalgam of several people) accompanies him, and they clash as people do whose outlooks are so different. As they travel along the open roads, a begrudging kind of respect develops.
The open-hearted character of New Mexicans comes through in the genuine friendships that build in the story. When in Churchill Downs, Chip, Mark, Alex, Doc, and his family ignore the snubs of the blue bloods of the horse-racing world. They simply have a good time. The friendship between Mark and Chip is honest. This film is filled with humor and hope. You may cheer or cry at the unexpected and spectacular victory.
This Hollywood story in the making, though, is much more than just about a horse with long odds winning the Kentucky Derby. "50 to 1" is the story of an eclectic group of cowboys, trainers, and ranch owners who marshaled their talents and surprised themselves and race fans.
Set in the enchanting lands of New Mexico, and along the roads to Kentucky, the beauty of this country appears almost as another character in this great horse story.
Producer/Director Jim Wilson ("Dances With Wolves") and collaborator Faith Conroy ("Thor") immediately visualized the story on film, and thus their journey began to secure rights to tell it. Wilson contacted the horse's owners, Mark Allen and Leonard 'Doc' Blach. Then he co-wrote a spec script with Conroy, presented it to Allen and Blach, got their approval, and secured funding from many in the horse racing industry.
Chip (Skeet Ulrich) and Mark (Christian Kane) are rodeo riders whose paths first cross when Chip rescues Mark in a bar brawl. That's that until 10 years later. The horse-training business Chip runs with his brother Bill (David Atkinson) is about to fail. Chip overhears Mark's name on the news in a story about a high-priced auction, and decides to track him down.
Chip shows up at Mark's ranch. After a crazy party with Mark and his cousin Kelly (Todd Lowe), Chip is sent by Mark to check out a horse in Canada called Mine That Bird. He persuades Mark and Mark's business partner - 'Doc' Blach (William Devane) - to buy him.
The horse, though, is a loser and meanwhile, Chip breaks his leg. Rider Alex (Madelyn Deutch) is brought in to help with the training. She and Chip clash. She's a tattooed pierced exercise rider; he's a good ol' cowboy. When Mine That Bird is selected for the Kentucky Derby (based on winnings in Canada), this motley crew is shocked.
The film about friendship and hope also highlights the beauty of the hot dusty deserts, with a backdrop of blue-gray mountain ranges or bronze-colored mesas. Locations were discovered, on occasion, inadvertently. Chip's ranch was found when Jim Wilson stopped by a feed store. The woman working there told him of a ranch outside of Las Cruces. It fit the bill.
Jim Wilson and Faith Conroy came across the bar used for the fight scene as they were leaving a location that wasn't going to work for that scene. Here are Faith's words: "So we're driving along, chatting away, and I see this sign pointing down a road, advertising a place to get beer. I said, 'Jim, we should check that out.' We almost missed it on the way back from the other bar, but 10 minutes down that road we find this place that had been there since 1948." Jim continues the story, describing how they stopped a passerby and asked her if she knew about the bar. She told them to check with the folks next door. "So we go inside and we meet Pat, the owner's sister, who'd been working there since she was 13," Wilson says. "No one had ever shot a film there before, so I said, 'Will you let me do a big brawl in here?' They said, 'Have at it, flip the tables over.'" They also got permission to shoot at Churchill Downs, and shot there in over 20 locations, including the actual jockeys' room, the barn, and the stall where Mine That Bird was housed. In fact, the jockey of the winning horse, Calvin Borel, plays himself in the film. It is his world.
Borel even brought his own tack for use with the horse. He helped with the design of the set of the jockeys' room. And of course, on the horse, he naturally fell right into riding as he did in the 2009 Derby (though footage from the actually Derby was also incorporated into the film.) Art imitates life which imitates art in this film. For instance, Chip Woolley and Mark Allen were on the set quite a bit, ensuring authenticity. Mark even loaned Harleys so that Kane and Lowe could ride from New Mexico to Churchill Downs as the cousins Mark and Kelly actually did. And, Chip loaned Ulrich the shirt he wore on Derby Day.
Woolley, leg in a cast, follows the Harleys in a truck as he hauls Mine That Bird 1700 miles to Churchill Downs. Alex (an amalgam of several people) accompanies him, and they clash as people do whose outlooks are so different. As they travel along the open roads, a begrudging kind of respect develops.
The open-hearted character of New Mexicans comes through in the genuine friendships that build in the story. When in Churchill Downs, Chip, Mark, Alex, Doc, and his family ignore the snubs of the blue bloods of the horse-racing world. They simply have a good time. The friendship between Mark and Chip is honest. This film is filled with humor and hope. You may cheer or cry at the unexpected and spectacular victory.
Go for Sisters (2013)
Don't miss this rare female buddy film - SPOILER ALERT
SPOILER ALERT The film opens with Bernice encountering a parolee with a plausible story to explain why she was consorting with criminals. Bernice doesn't buy the story, and sends her to a hearing, commenting "I listen to people sugarcoat their bullshit all day." Next, Bernice's former high school friend - Fontayne - shows up. Bernice tells her she has to assign her to another agent, but listens to Fontayne's story. While she suspects Fontayne's story may be BS, she decides to give her a break. Fontayne offers to help her out if she needs anything in the future, but Bernice looks at her dismissively.
Later, the scenes cut to each woman at her home. Their modest apartments are shot in warm sepia and amber tones, but a picture is painted of two lonely women.
Bernice learns that Rodney is suspected of being involved in human trafficking from Mexico. Though her son has been alienated from her since he returned from the Middle East, Bernice simply wants to find him and keep him safe; one of his partners in crime, Fuzzy, has just been found murdered. Bernice has to turn to Fontayne to begin investigating the world of criminals from the inside.
Entwined within the story is Sayles' critical eye on injustice and poverty. This spirit infuses most of Sayles' films and his writings. An indie director, Sayles is best known for, I suspect, "The Brother from Another Planet" (1984) "Matewan" (1987)(one of my favorites), "Passion Fish" (1992, another female buddy film of sorts), and "Lone Star" (1996). He is also a prolific writer, my two favorites being "Union Dues" and "A Moment in the Sun."
Fontayne agrees to help find Rodney. These women begin to switch roles, if you will. Bernice bends the law in order to find her kidnapped son. Meanwhile, Fontayne is appalled that Bernice is moving her back into the world of drug dealer and thugs. She is struggling to do the right thing. Bernice tries to assure her: "I will get you out of this clean. I promise."
Freddy, meanwhile, weathered and burdened with macular degeneration, wants to feel important. Retirement has not served him well, though he seems to have a loving wife who is worried about his journey. He is Bernice's and Fontayne's entry to Tijuana, where the trio encounters an odd assortment of thugs, murderers, traffickers, and other dangers, all while searching for Rodney.
This rich character study takes place in settings that brim with authenticity. The NA meeting rings true as people share their stories, as does the journey to Tijuana, capturing the colors, sounds, and rhythm of this border town. The scenes in the desert highlight the barren but beautiful nature of that locale.
A glance at those who pay to cross the border under risky and even deadly conditions is done with empathy, not judgment. Small roles by Harold Perrineau as Wiley, Isaiah Washington as Vernell, and Hector Elizondo as Jorge, add to the richness of the characters in this film.
In the end, as Bernice, Fontayne, and Freddy return to their lives in Southern California, there is a bit of hope. Bernice remarks to Fontayne, "I don't have that many friends," and they make plans for the evening.
Later, the scenes cut to each woman at her home. Their modest apartments are shot in warm sepia and amber tones, but a picture is painted of two lonely women.
Bernice learns that Rodney is suspected of being involved in human trafficking from Mexico. Though her son has been alienated from her since he returned from the Middle East, Bernice simply wants to find him and keep him safe; one of his partners in crime, Fuzzy, has just been found murdered. Bernice has to turn to Fontayne to begin investigating the world of criminals from the inside.
Entwined within the story is Sayles' critical eye on injustice and poverty. This spirit infuses most of Sayles' films and his writings. An indie director, Sayles is best known for, I suspect, "The Brother from Another Planet" (1984) "Matewan" (1987)(one of my favorites), "Passion Fish" (1992, another female buddy film of sorts), and "Lone Star" (1996). He is also a prolific writer, my two favorites being "Union Dues" and "A Moment in the Sun."
Fontayne agrees to help find Rodney. These women begin to switch roles, if you will. Bernice bends the law in order to find her kidnapped son. Meanwhile, Fontayne is appalled that Bernice is moving her back into the world of drug dealer and thugs. She is struggling to do the right thing. Bernice tries to assure her: "I will get you out of this clean. I promise."
Freddy, meanwhile, weathered and burdened with macular degeneration, wants to feel important. Retirement has not served him well, though he seems to have a loving wife who is worried about his journey. He is Bernice's and Fontayne's entry to Tijuana, where the trio encounters an odd assortment of thugs, murderers, traffickers, and other dangers, all while searching for Rodney.
This rich character study takes place in settings that brim with authenticity. The NA meeting rings true as people share their stories, as does the journey to Tijuana, capturing the colors, sounds, and rhythm of this border town. The scenes in the desert highlight the barren but beautiful nature of that locale.
A glance at those who pay to cross the border under risky and even deadly conditions is done with empathy, not judgment. Small roles by Harold Perrineau as Wiley, Isaiah Washington as Vernell, and Hector Elizondo as Jorge, add to the richness of the characters in this film.
In the end, as Bernice, Fontayne, and Freddy return to their lives in Southern California, there is a bit of hope. Bernice remarks to Fontayne, "I don't have that many friends," and they make plans for the evening.
Sudoeste (2011)
Stunning Cinematography and a Magical Tale
"Southwest" (Brazil, 2011), a black and white film with an extremely wide aspect ratio opens with a slow panning shot of a dirt roadway from behind brush. Gradually, we recognize the clip clop of horse hooves and then see a slow moving horse drawn wagon. The land is stark and barren, with a lake in the background. A coachman with a passenger come into view. There is no dialogue. In fact, there is none for the first 10 minutes of the film. The imagery prevails. A narrow road winding between two bodies of water is the last part of this trip. There are squawks of chickens and creaks of windmill blades as the woman - a bruxa (witch) (Léa Garcia) - arrives at an inn, and then enters.
Dona Iraci, the bruxa, is taken to a room where a deceased young woman lies face up in a bed. A faint cry is heard. The bruxa waves a plant over the body. Finally, there is a bit of dialogue as the bruxa and Conceiçåo (Dira Paes) briefly talk about death.
From the first moments of this film, the extraordinary cinematography, mystery, and themes of death and rebirth draw one in and take the viewer through an unexplainable but profound day in the life of Clarice, the baby born at the inn. Clarice lives her entire life in that one day. The viewer should suspend logic and simply immerse oneself in her journey. Clarice's path heads perhaps to familiar places, but it is for the viewer to sort out the story and meaning.
Clarice, as a young girl (Raquel Bonfante), leaves her hut (on stilts in the middle of a lake) where she lives with Dona Iraci. She heads to the lands, docking her rowboat near saltpans where men mine salt. She befriends a young boy, Joåo (Victor Navega Motta), someone she bonds with immediately. Soon she meets Joåo's mother, Luzia (Mariana Lima). Luzia is mourning the death of her daughter, also named Clarice. Luzia's husband Sebastiåo, owner of the salt farm, is brittle and biting, like the mineral he mines. He expresses little sympathy toward his wife's lamentations; he just wants supper. Further, his behavior towards the young Clarice creates uneasiness.
I was reminded of the style of David Lynch (slow takes and long pans, respect for silence, use of shadows, candles and low lights as in "Elephant Man," and use of the dream motif). Others (such as writer Heiter Augusto) suggest the influences of Andrei Tarkovsky, a Russian filmmaker lauded for his beautiful imagery, extremely long takes and panning shots, themes of memory, childhood and dreams, and composing shots placing characters within their larger environments.
In the book "Tarkovsky" (ed. Nathan Dunne, to be reissued November 2013),Andrei Tarkovsky is quoted: "Juxtaposing a person with an environment that is boundless, collating him with a countless number of people passing by close to him and far away, relating a person to the whole world, that is the meaning of cinema." This is an apt description of how Nunes develops the Clarice character in "Southwest." Her relationship with Joåo is probably the most telling and meaningful. In a significant moment, Clarice tells Joåo, "Close your eyes. Now ... listen to the sound of rain."
This film is the debut feature film of director Eduardo Nunes. It has been critically acclaimed and has won several awards, including the award for Best Latin American Film and Best Cinematography (Mauro Pinheiro, Jr.) at the 2011 Rio International Film Festival, and for Best Director and Best Cinematography at the 2013 Sao Paulo Assn. of Art Critics Awards. Nunes studied film at the Fluminense Federal University in Rio de Janeiro. He has directed documentaries beginning in 1998 and five short films, one of which, "Reminiscence," won several awards at the Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival in 2002.
This is a beautifully rendered and thoughtful film. The long takes and panning shots give the viewer plenty of time to explore the mythical world in which Clarice is living (has lived). The wide screen suggests the breadth of life and the panoramic view that surrounds people as they go about their day-to-day lives. Moments of silence allow for reflection. The focus on the two Clarices leads to thoughts about life, identity, and memory. The ideal viewing is on the big screen due to the film's inherent beauty and the dreamlike quality of its storytelling. "Southwest" gives the viewer time to enjoy the amazing art, storytelling, and cinematography of this film.
This film, part of the Global Lens 2013 series, is my favorite film this year.
Dona Iraci, the bruxa, is taken to a room where a deceased young woman lies face up in a bed. A faint cry is heard. The bruxa waves a plant over the body. Finally, there is a bit of dialogue as the bruxa and Conceiçåo (Dira Paes) briefly talk about death.
From the first moments of this film, the extraordinary cinematography, mystery, and themes of death and rebirth draw one in and take the viewer through an unexplainable but profound day in the life of Clarice, the baby born at the inn. Clarice lives her entire life in that one day. The viewer should suspend logic and simply immerse oneself in her journey. Clarice's path heads perhaps to familiar places, but it is for the viewer to sort out the story and meaning.
Clarice, as a young girl (Raquel Bonfante), leaves her hut (on stilts in the middle of a lake) where she lives with Dona Iraci. She heads to the lands, docking her rowboat near saltpans where men mine salt. She befriends a young boy, Joåo (Victor Navega Motta), someone she bonds with immediately. Soon she meets Joåo's mother, Luzia (Mariana Lima). Luzia is mourning the death of her daughter, also named Clarice. Luzia's husband Sebastiåo, owner of the salt farm, is brittle and biting, like the mineral he mines. He expresses little sympathy toward his wife's lamentations; he just wants supper. Further, his behavior towards the young Clarice creates uneasiness.
I was reminded of the style of David Lynch (slow takes and long pans, respect for silence, use of shadows, candles and low lights as in "Elephant Man," and use of the dream motif). Others (such as writer Heiter Augusto) suggest the influences of Andrei Tarkovsky, a Russian filmmaker lauded for his beautiful imagery, extremely long takes and panning shots, themes of memory, childhood and dreams, and composing shots placing characters within their larger environments.
In the book "Tarkovsky" (ed. Nathan Dunne, to be reissued November 2013),Andrei Tarkovsky is quoted: "Juxtaposing a person with an environment that is boundless, collating him with a countless number of people passing by close to him and far away, relating a person to the whole world, that is the meaning of cinema." This is an apt description of how Nunes develops the Clarice character in "Southwest." Her relationship with Joåo is probably the most telling and meaningful. In a significant moment, Clarice tells Joåo, "Close your eyes. Now ... listen to the sound of rain."
This film is the debut feature film of director Eduardo Nunes. It has been critically acclaimed and has won several awards, including the award for Best Latin American Film and Best Cinematography (Mauro Pinheiro, Jr.) at the 2011 Rio International Film Festival, and for Best Director and Best Cinematography at the 2013 Sao Paulo Assn. of Art Critics Awards. Nunes studied film at the Fluminense Federal University in Rio de Janeiro. He has directed documentaries beginning in 1998 and five short films, one of which, "Reminiscence," won several awards at the Belo Horizonte International Short Film Festival in 2002.
This is a beautifully rendered and thoughtful film. The long takes and panning shots give the viewer plenty of time to explore the mythical world in which Clarice is living (has lived). The wide screen suggests the breadth of life and the panoramic view that surrounds people as they go about their day-to-day lives. Moments of silence allow for reflection. The focus on the two Clarices leads to thoughts about life, identity, and memory. The ideal viewing is on the big screen due to the film's inherent beauty and the dreamlike quality of its storytelling. "Southwest" gives the viewer time to enjoy the amazing art, storytelling, and cinematography of this film.
This film, part of the Global Lens 2013 series, is my favorite film this year.