scorp_gal_03

So who is this Rodney Bingenheimer? One can describe him as the "Mayor of the Sunset Strip," but in my opinion, "King of the Groupies" is more accurate. If you live in LA, you may be somewhat familiar with him due to his radio show. If not, you're still going to love this film if you're at all a fan of rock and roll music.

"Mayor of the Sunset Strip" is sort of a cross between "Zelig" and "This Is Spinal Tap," but unlike those pics, this is a not a mockumentary...Rodney Bingenheimer is a real guy. And there isn't a famous rock musician with whom he hasn't hung out, or been photographed. Lest you think this guy is just some kind of a Photoshop genius who never actually met Lennon, Bowie and the rest...well there are plenty of folks out there who will corroborate his life story. And these folks are featured in this documentary...everyone from Deborah Harry to The Doors' Ray Manzarek, plus the most famous groupie of all time, Pamela Des Barres (and I must admit that when I was 15 years old and read "I'm With the Band, I so wanted to be her).

Rodney began his career as a professional hanger-on when he got hired to play Davy Jones' double in "The Monkees"—although aside from the height and hair, he really doesn't resemble Davy Jones at all. However, Rodney was somehow able to turn this 15 minutes of fame into four decades at the top (or outskirts, depending on how you look at it) of LA's social scene. Little 5'3",100 lb, not least-bit handsome Rodney propelled himself into a world where he knew every rock and roller, and they all knew him (I, for one, am convinced this is due to the fact that, next to Rodney, celebrities could feel good about themselves by appearing taller and more attractive). By the time he opened his famous "Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco" in the early 70s, Rodney was apparently, as we learn in the film, getting more girls than even Robert Plant. And when Michael Des Barres speaks of Rodney's success with women, he declares that the guy had a "posse of p*****." This fact is remembered fondly by the beyond middle-aged Rodney in the film…I found that scene particularly hilarious.

By the time disco music actually became popular in the latter part of the 70s, Rodney wanted to close his "English Disco." He had long since moved on to punk rock, worshipping the likes of the Ramones and the Sex Pistols. In the 80s, Rodney was able to establish himself as a DJ who brought the latest and greatest music to Southern California. Without a good radio voice, Rodney was able to turn his knowledge of the music into a paying job. Fast forward to the 90s, and we see Rodney, looking like a 60-year-old in a Paul Weller wig, still seemingly at the top of the rock and roll ladder, hanging out with the likes of Coldplay and Oasis, the latter he claimed to be playing on the radio when their music was still only available on tape (Well, I personally happen to have seen Oasis play very early on in a small club with only about 100 people in the audience, but I digress…) From the very beginning of the film, we see that life is getting tougher for Rodney. For one thing, it's hard to make a living when you don't have any particular skills, and your claim to fame is that you know (or used to know) a bunch of famous people. That's the tragedy of it.

All in all, it's the little things that make watching this documentary so entertaining...from the conversations in Bing & Zelda Bingenheimer's garishly decorated California home, to the scenes of Rodney driving around LA in his tres uncool automobile. Then there are the scenes of Rodney's friend Isadore Ivy singing his ode to Jennifer Love Hewitt, and his other friend, Kim Fowley(?) discussing the amazing sexual capacity of the male organ. Anyway, you can easily forget, while watching this movie, that Rodney Bingenheimer and the weirdos around him are not fictional characters. And that's what makes it all so chuckle-inducing.

In closing, it's films like "Mayor of the Sunset Strip" that are exactly the reason I enjoy watching documentaries so much.

It's a rare thing when a movie comes along that I loathe so intensely. I went to this movie with no great expectations about it being an exceptional or original comedy, but "Love Actually" was so horrible that I left the theater mid-way through it. And I don't think I've ever left a movie before that I actually paid to see in a theater. I know what you're thinking--It can't be THAT bad can it?? My answer to that is--Yes, it is THAT bad and then some! On the surface, it appeared this would be a likable enough comedy, and it featured an extensive cast of talented actors. And generally these are actors I enjoy seeing on screen, but the characters were so inane and the intertwining plot lines so ridiculous, I couldn't hold back from whispering several times to my husband, and not so quietly, as the show went on…"this movie really sucks…" I kept waiting to find something to laugh at…and I just found myself laughing at how stupid the whole thing was.

It was a lame enough idea to have Hugh Grant play the British Prime Minister in the movie…but a SINGLE Prime Minister who happens to fall in love with a caterer (or whatever she was)? And then he stands up to the bullying US President because the guy supposedly tried to grope his love interest? (And the US Pres. was some sort of bizarre cross between GWBush and an ultra-sleazy version of President Clinton…yeah, whatever!) Then there was the sappy story about the widower (Liam) and his supposedly cute (but actually just freaky-looking) son who is so hopelessly in love? First of all, this kid looked like he was about 8 years old. Second, he's so in love that he's in "total agony" over it? Didn't buy it! And who can forget the romance between the porn movie stand-ins, one played by Martin Freeman?…whom I love from "The Office" by the way. Gees…what a romantic plot line (not!)…what was the point of this anyway? To demonstrate that porn movie stand-ins are really just regular people like you and me who might happen to fall in love while on the job…or was the whole thing just a really poor attempt at kitschy humor? I still don't know. Might I also add that Laura Linney's talent was completely wasted here too…that plot was just forgettable.

I left the theater ACTUALLY upset that I'd paid money to see this thing…and I only paid $3 at a second-run movie theater. On the way home I became even angrier just thinking about how and why this movie had gotten made, and why any of the cast members signed onto this thing… Were they blackmailed??? If not, did they bother to read the script?

Fellow Movie Fans….Please don't bother renting this DVD…doing so only encourages the studio execs to make even more of this kind of crap in the future!

This is a movie I knew I was going to like within the first 2 minutes. The first scene is a fantasy sequence in which our protagonist, Max Fischer, dreams of being able to effortlessly solve the most difficult math problem in existence. He casually heads to the chalkboard, coffee cup in hand, and with perfect calligraphic handwriting, quickly jots down the lengthy answer…he's correct and everyone in the class cheers. Fast forward to a scene not too long after, and we learn that Max is actually "one of the worst students" at Rushmore Academy. For while Max is, hands down, the most enthusiastic student at the school, he has difficulty making time for any actual studying. Max is involved in enough extra-curricular activities for a half-dozen students. If he's not directing and performing in one of his over-the-top productions from the seemingly far-from-amateur "Max Fischer Players" ("you'll find a pair of safety glasses and ear some ear plugs underneath your seat...feel free to use them"), then he's acting as Russia in the Model U.N., managing the school's La Crosse team, or beekeeping.

Then one day, Max's attentions are turned to love whole when he falls for a teacher at his school, and doesn't seem to mind or notice that she's about 15 years too old for him. That's because for Max, nothing appears out of reach. (He plans to apply to Oxford and La Sorbonne, but Harvard is his "safety school.") He is unflappable and determined no matter what happens in his life (even when he is eventually expelled from his beloved Rushmore Academy and is forced to go to public school). Max's love interest isn't sure how to handle the situation because at first she finds his interest charming, but then his infatuation becomes, as with everything else in his life, completely over the top. Max simply doesn't understand why she's not attracted to him ("Max, you're 15 years old…attraction doesn't enter into it..."), and just thinks he needs to try harder to win her.

There's not a whole lot of plot to "Rushmore," but even if there hadn't been, I think I would have enjoyed just watching the characters interact and do their thing. Jason Schwartzman (and Wes Anderson) have created in Max Fischer one of the more entertaining and original movie characters I've seen in years.

But perhaps the best part about this movie is the rockin soundtrack. It simply draws you in. (If you don't already own all of these songs separately, buy the soundtrack.) Anyone who is a fan of Wes Anderson's work must necessarily appreciate his wonderful taste in music, and his talent for matching the perfect song for the moment on screen. Anderson creates what I like to call "musical vignettes" that one feels compelled to rewind, watch and repeat (well, I always feel compelled). I get the feeling that Anderson personally loves each one of these songs to the point where he can direct a film around them.

I've seen the movie enough times, (mostly in pieces, but at least once the whole way through) so it's about time I commented. First just let me say…I'm a sucker for any well-made period piece, and this one seemed so detailed in every respect. This movie is often classified as an action movie, which aren't really my thing, and "Master and Commander" doesn't wholly qualify as one. I'd categorize it as part of the "drama set on the high seas" genre.

"Master & Commander" isn't what I'd call a "chick flick" (whatever that is), but it's as close as you can get for a movie with about .08 minutes of total female screen-time. That's because it appeals to its audience in a somewhat heart-tugging fashion—you come to feel for the characters because they're so well-drawn. (Once while watching this movie, my husband even tried to console me by saying that perhaps the Will Wharley character was able to swim to the wreckage and then was washed safely ashore!…I know, that's really silly.) Every little, last minor character appeared so sensitive, gritty and real…and I could even imagine the stench emanating from the crew quarters. I love the entire supporting cast, from the complaining Captain's steward, to the grouchy old George Innis seaman character…I could go on and on, they're all brilliant.

The overall particularly stand-out performances in my mind are: Russell Crowe, who provides such a performance of depth, as always, that it made me wonder what's really going on inside the mind of Jack Aubrey. Also, Bryan Dick as Joseph Nagle the rebel Carpenter's Mate…I'd never seen or heard this guy before, but the BBC ought to share him around more. Paul Bettany was excellent too as Dr. Stephen Maturin. Out of all of the characters in the film, his was the warmest and most appealing to me. His performance here made me want to go back and view some of his other films (but I'll gladly wait for "Wimbledon" to come on cable). And that Max Pirkis guy seems to have quite a career ahead of him. I adored the scenes in which he is tutored by Paul Bettany's character.

….Oh, and did I mention that the string duets in this movie were absolutely beautiful? Make sure you always listen to this movie in Dolby Surround Sound.

I adored "Dead Poets Society" (another movie I must have watched a dozen times)…and Peter Weir has done it again. Actually, that movie is similar to "Master & Commander" in a lot of ways…I mean, it even ended with all of the students saluting, "Oh captain, my captain!" Oh, what a tear jerking scene that is! (Maybe I'll have to comment on "Dead Poets Society" next!)

If you only happened to see the pilot episode of this series, please give the show another try. Yes, the pilot was pretty much a verbatim rip-off of an episode of (what I personally refer to as) "The Office UK"….and yes, that was disappointing. But since then, I've actually been enjoying this show, and I hardly ever watch sitcoms or anything on TV besides movies and documentaries. But this IS supposed to be a documentary, right? That concept always seemed superfluous to be on the original series. I do enjoy the documentary-style touches, of course.

How does this series differ from its British counterpart? Steve Carell is no Ricky Gervais. He's not even as funny as he is/was on "The Daily Show," but he's still good. Gervais mastered the fine subtlety of being an absolutely clueless jerk, while Carell is just out there. "The Office USA" is not nearly as raunchy as the UK version, and you can either loathe or embrace that fact (maybe if the show played in an even later time slot it could get away with it?) For one thing, there's no equivalent character to the UK version's Finchy (not yet, anyway), and I would be very surprised to see a vibrating dildo, for example, or hear any of the characters be so very descriptive about a particularly naughty email going around the office, or talk about a getting a quick one from behind (or get a quick one from behind for that matter!)

This being an American version of "The Office," it will no doubt spend most of its time focusing on the Jim and Pam (Tim and Dawn, UK) flirtation, with a particular emphasis on the competition between Pam's two love interests. I am actually enjoying this part of the series. John Krasinski plays the pining office chump so well…he could be working in my office. You really feel for him.

The episodes that focus on "diversity celebration" (or lack, thereof) in the workplace are especially entertaining. In the US version, this theme seems to take the place of the ongoing raunchiness subplot of the UK version. In the US, there's so much more to work with on that topic. I'm just waiting to see an episode that focuses on politics in the workplace…not "office politics," mind you…but Politics at the office. Now that would be an interesting episode.

If I had to pick just one word to describe this movie it would be, "silly." And even if you aren't a fan of this film, you have to at least admit the premise is original. What if Deep Throat were actually a couple of typical 15-year-old girls? What if they just happened to be witness to the Watergate break in, then canoodle their way into jobs as Nixon's dog walkers through bribing the White House guards with a few homemade cookies….(which unbeknownst to everyone involved happen to be spiked with marijuana?) What if Dick Nixon himself ended up taking such a liking to the cookies that he served them to Brezhnev….thus creating an historic peace agreement with the Soviets? …. "Dick" lovingly explores these possibilities.

So you don't think such a concept could work? Well, throw in two members of "The Kids In the Hall"...(my two favorite members, by the way)…Bruce McCulloch as Bernstein and Dave Foley as Haldeman, then toss in Will Ferrell as Woodard. And I have to admit that Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams are tremendously believable as two giggling teenage girls.

Okay, now I was too young to actually remember the Watergate scandal, but I've always been a fan of "All The President's Men," and I was actually enthralled by a four hour long documentary on the whole topic (yes, I'm a political junkie). Oliver Stone's "Nixon" was good, but why should everyone who touches this subject matter go about it in such a serious manner? After all, it did take place in the SEVENTIES! Give this movie a try! If you can relate at all to what it's like being a clueless 15-year-old girl, you too (just like the Michelle Williams character) won't be able to stop thinking about "Dick."