My response to Zero Dark Thirty and Silver Linings Playbook, and the issues approached in those films

A couple more of my Facebook movie reviews:

Mike and I saw an early showing of “Zero Dark Thirty” at the Davis Theater in Chicago yesterday, and there were things we liked and disliked about this film.  The depiction of torture in this film has left many critics wondering if this movie is responsible enough about its stand on the use of torture.  Are we a gang of vengeful bloodthirsty agents who want to take down terrorists by any means necessary, or are there more humane forms of getting information out of suspects.  I would call this movie partially irresponsible, but yet we see Obama on a tv screen taking a stand against torture in the military.  When torture becomes prohibited by Obama, then we get to see objectively what really happened in the process to capture Osama bin Laden.  It’s harrowing to watch, yes, but necessary because much of it is based on true events.  Many critics have called it a masterpiece of war drama, and it is brilliantly told in exciting dialogue, but I had mixed feelings about calling these potty mouthed agents American “heroes” or “heroines.”  I’m on the side that says “you don’t have to become a monster to stop a monster,” but I was relieved as anyone else with the capture of bin Laden.  Closure yes, but feeling like terrorism will end, no.  This senseless war is costing us too much already, and we need to stop and count our blessings, and hope a war like this never happens again.  Also, the high level of Islamaphobia in this movie made me very uncomfortable, and made me almost feel like these people can’t be trusted, but that is racism to me.  The truth we need to educate ourselves on human rights issues, like reading the Universal Declarations of Human Rights, so that we realize what these violent films are trying to do to us.  We must not let us become morally irresponsible to torture,  and we must take a stand to see the full truth of the matter.  This movie has some violent scary moments that are situated in true events, but we need to watch carefully to take a stand against extreme torture, and defend human rights of innocent people.  Peace, Human Rights, Equality, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

Mike and I saw “Silver Linings Playbook” and we both liked it quite a bit.  All the performances are very good in this movie, and this unique approach to the romantic comedy, made them nominate it for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.  Argo and Zero Dark Thirty were not nominated for Best Director, but this “comedy drama” is.  Why are critics all saying good things about this movie?  I think it’s because it takes a touchy issue like Bi Polar Disorder or Mental Health, and makes us feel that people with Mental Illness have a chance of getting their life together, and staying stable if given the chance, and with a little help from therapy and medication.  Another issue in the movie, shows how ex-husbands can become obsessed and stalk their ex-wives at uncomfortable levels.  Bradley Cooper’s character was difficult to watch because of his obsessive determination to get back with his ex-wife, yet his parents and friends love give him hope to go on, because his friends and family would not give up on him.  Will this movie win Best Picture?  I don’t think so, but it’s a brave little story about Bi Polar Disorder in the middle class, that it deserves attention by all classes.  It could win an Oscar for writing, I suppose. Also, I still think My Cherie Amour is a very sweet song, and how they used football “Playbooks” in the movie is very witty and unique.  Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.
Sincerely, Ruben Santos Claveria

www.rubenandmike.blogspot.com

My response to the Oscar Nominations for the 2013 Oscars for films in 2012

The Oscar nominations for films in 2012, were announced today.  Mike and I have seen five of the films nominated for Best Picture, because we read good reviews about them by Roger Ebert at www.RogerEbert.com.  “Lincoln” is Mike’s favorite movie of last year, and I loved Les Miserables. 

Many people online are surprised that Tom Hooper was not given a Best Director nomination for “Les Miserables,” and Kathryn Bigelow was not nominated for Best Director for Zero Dark Thirty.  Other snubs that stood out were: Marion Cotillard not being nominated for Rust and Bone; Leonardo Dicaprio was not nominated for “Django Unchained,” and “Cloud Atlas” was ignored.  These award ceremonies always leave somebody out, which is why no one is ever completely happy with them.  I only like them because they have made me watch some very interesting films, that I otherwise would have passed up.  People on Facebook called the Oscars a selfish venture of the industry, and many people did not like some of the films nominated, one calling “Lincoln” a “snooze fest.” 

Yet, when you are surprised by great performances like Quvenzhane Wallis as Hushpuppie in “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and Anne Hathaway in “Les Miserables,” and Daniel Day Lewis in “Lincoln,” and Suraj Sharma as Pi in “Life of Pi,”  it makes it all worth it somehow.  Although many films that get nominated won’t get watched more than once, because of difficult subject matter, other films like “Les Miserables” are worth repeated viewings because you want to learn the music enough to sing the melodies to yourself, if you love singing that is. 

I’ve heard good things about “Silver Linings Playbook” and plan to watch it since someone in all the acting categories was nominated for that film.  I also want to see “Amour,” a movie that surprised people with five nominations.  Emmanuelle Riva, at 85, is the oldest Best Actress nominee for “Amour,” and Quvenzhane Wallis, at 9, is the youngest Best Actress nominee for “Beasts,” and they are both competing for the same award! 

A lot that you need to learn about life, you can learn from great movies, with great stories, which is why “Lincoln” and “Life of Pi” and “Beasts” all deserve their nominations.  The competition is very tough, and it’s hard to pick the winners, but I think Lincoln should win the most awards, because of the great script by Gay Playwright, Tony Kushner.  It’s award winning dialogue.

I think “Les Miserables” should win for Production or Set Design, and “Life of Pi” for Cinematography and Special Effects. 

I want Anne Hathaway to win for “Les Miserables,” but, like I said, the competition is tough.  Mike and I both think that Daniel Day Lewis will take home the Oscar for “Lincoln,” and maybe Tommy Lee Jones for “Lincoln,” too. 

The awards are in February this year, a little over a month away, making it difficult to watch all the movies nominated.  Sometimes we wait to see who wins in certain categories, like sound, costume, and music, to see the film. 

There are some great films out there with great messages, and I’m glad we get to see them all.  Some movies with bad reviews, that people say is difficult, and not interesting to watch, like "The Master" we'll probably pass up, but with all those nominations, maybe it'll be worth a watch on video.  Some movies are now on video, like "Beasts," "Brave," "Moonrise Kingdom," and others.  It's all a matter of taste.

Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

Some of my reviews of movies on Facebook, for awards season.

Here are some of the mini reviews that I posted on my facebook page about movies that Mike and I have seen.  We are getting ready for the awards seasons.  These films are already nominated for Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild awards, and more.  Here they are:

Mike and I saw “Hyde Park on the Hudson” today, and enjoyed it.  I have a new respect for Bill Murray as an actor, who played Franklin Delano Roosevelt in this film.  Laura Linney, as his mistress is very good.  It made me do some research on Wikipedia, and I found that FDR used the song “Happy Days are Here Again” as his campaign song for his 1932 election, when he won for the first time.  I admit, it is a bit strange to see such a sensitive, liberal, democratic President portrayed as a womanizer and a philanderer, but I’m glad the story is being told.  Now the truth is out, and that’s good.   The two actors who played King George and his wife Elizabeth were a delight to watch, because they come off as being offended that FDR would make them eat hot dogs at a picnic.  The movie is based on a play that was based on the letters and diaries of Magaret Suckley, aka “Daisy,” who had a life long affair with the former president.  Here you can listen to a 1930 recording of “Happy Days are Here Again” and think optimistically for the democratic party.  We need a liberal president again.  Happy New Year’s Eve, and best wishes for 2013!  Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.  http://youtu.be/gqsT4xnKZPg

 

Mike and I saw "Life of Pi" today, and made it through the harrowing parts, like animals attacking each other, just preparing you for it if you plan to see it. Overall it is fascinating storytelling, with a slightly disturbing twist. I have the book now, and plan to read it. I like that Pi was a bit of a Universalist Unitarian, liking a little bit of all religions. Pi says in the film, "knowing many religions is like being in a house with many rooms." Truly, it is a story of survival, and making peace with God in face of violence and disaster. It is a great film, with great acting and filmmaking by Ang Lee. Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

 

Mike and I saw Les Miserables, and we loved it. We don't believe the Tribune review that panned it, we like Rolling Stone's review and give it three and half of four stars too. Mike loved Samantha Barks voice the most, and he was impressed with Hugh Jackman's and Anne Hathaway's singing. The songs are sung slightly imperfectly, but they are much more emotional and human that way, by the middle of the film it made sense. I love everything about Les Miserables, I've read the book(The short version of it at least), I saw the stage musical, I listened to the soundtrack, and I read about the French Revolution on wikipedia. This is a movie that not only depicts the senseless violence of bloody revolution, but it's mainly about Valjean's saintliness, self-sacrifice, and search for redemption. I loved the constant motion in this film, and the fabulous sets. This is a must see film for any fan of classic nineteen century literature, and any fan of musical movies. Note: Victor Hugo was inspired to create the character Gavroche, the little boy in the barricades, after seeing the painting "Liberty Leading the People" by Delacroix. What a great film, and Oscar worthy! Peace, Equality, Human Rights, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike

 

Mike and I saw an early showing of "Hitchcock," and liked Anthony Hopkins' and Helen Mirren's performances. Very witty script, and story that revolves around the fear that his longtime wife, Alma Reville, has taken a lover. We know it's one of the greatest love stories of Hollywood that Alma and Alfred married in 1926, and stayed married until Hitchcock's death in 1980 at the age of 80. Pretty long life for a man who ate like an elephant and drank like a fish! I was a little disturbed, and annoyed by the presence of Ed Gein, as the inspiration for why Hitchcock made the movie Psycho, but every director must do his research, and this is one researched, and well filmed movie. Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

 

Mike and I were lucky enough to get into an early show of "Lincoln" today, and we think it's one of the best movies we have seen in years. Extremely intelligently written by Gay playwright Tony Kunshner, who spent six years researching and writing the script for this moving film. It takes place in the three months in Lincoln's presidency while he drafted and attempted to pass the amendment freeing the slaves or the 13Th Amendment. Lincoln faced many prejudiced members of congress who refused to see African Americans as equals, and deserving of the same freedoms. Sally Field is amazing as Mary Todd Lincoln, but Daniel Day Lewis is nothing short but superb, deserving of an Oscar nomination. Robert Todd Lincoln, was Lincoln's only of four sons to live to old age. This is a powerful moment in history, a movie that begs for equality for all people. A movie not to be missed. Go early, some showig may sell out!! Peace, Democracy, Freedom, Equality, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

 

Mike and I saw Argo at the Patio theater, which was exciting, and darkly comic political thriller based on a true event, though heavily dramatized. We are living in a time of ruined diplomacy, and since the September 11th bombing in New York, we have seen quite a few films that dramatize this state of ruined diplomacy between the muslims and the people of the western world. Only time will heal such a terrific scar, but people will never forget. This movie, like some others in recent history, has a certain level of Islamaphobia, that made me a bit nervous to watch. I believe in celebrating diversity, so if something seems racist to me, I have to speak out. That's the whole purpose of this film. After the innocent lives of Americans killed in the Libyan embassy, I worry about how fanatic people have become about politics and religion. Embassies are supposed to be places of peace making, not war making. I pray, and hope for better times, when immigrants won't be feared, and people can live in peace, without fear of terrorism. But when? People have to trade hatred for human rights activism, democracy, and civilized places of meeting like the movies. That's why this movie is important, and should at least win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. What do you think? Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Miked with Hugh Jackman's and Anne Hathaway's singing. The songs are sung slightly imperfectly, but they are much more emotional and human that way, by the middle of the film it made sense. I love everything about Les Miserables, I've read the book(The short version of it at least), I saw the stage musical, I listened to the soundtrack, and I read about the French Revolution on wikipedia. This is a movie that not only depicts the senseless violence of bloody revolution, but it's mainly about Valjean's saintliness, self-sacrifice, and search for redemption. I loved the constant motion in this film, and the fabulous sets. This is a must see film for any fan of classic nineteen century literature, and any fan of musical movies. Note: Victor Hugo was inspired to create the character Gavroche, the little boy in the barricades, after seeing the painting "Liberty Leading the People" by Delacroix. What a great film, and Oscar worthy! Peace, Equality, Human Rights, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

On Watching the 84th Academy Awards in 2012 With Mike

Mike and I made oven baked chicken wings, and homemade onion rings from scratch, to eat while watching the 2012 Oscars.  We have spent the last month, hurriedly seeing some of the movies nominated for Academy Awards, and we managed to view all of the Best Picture nominations, and many of the acting nominations.  There's always a few films that we leave until after the Oscars to watch, just to see if they win, like Best Foreign Language Film, which was won by a movie from Iran this year, called "A Separation."  That's next on our list.  We were happy to find quite a few of the nominated films on video this year, which was helpful to precocious cinephiles like us. 

After watching the Golden Globes, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, I was sure that Viola Davis would win for "The Help," but she lost to Meryl Streep, the most-nominated Actor of all time, for a movie where Streep plays a conservative.  Mike and I saw "Iron Lady" and thought that Streep did well as Thatcher, making us think of her as a anti-communist war-monger, but also as a sensitive woman's rights advocate trying to make a name for herself in a male-dominated Parliament.  Mike thinks that the Academy, which is 94 percent white, and 77 percent male, decided to give it to Streep, as an a way for rewarding her for all the great performances she did not win for, like The Hours, which I loved, and Julie and Julia, where she was great.  Viola was slightly robbed though.  It should have been a tie, but that doesn't happen very often.  Streep's acceptance speech was funny though, saying self-referentially, "Oh god, not her again...whatever."  She needs be given some kind of lifetime achievement award, like Charlie Chaplin, who received an honorary Oscar at 83, but he didn't win it in an acting category, making Christopher Plummer the oldest acting win in Oscar history at 82. 

Plummer was very charming accepting his award for playing a Gay senior citizen in "Beginners," thanking his beautiful wife, and telling his Oscar, "Where have you been all my life?"  Plummer was very good in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" as well.  Mike and I cheered when they called his name.  Plummer has won so many Awards for "Beginners" that it was not surprising to see him win an Oscar. 

The Artist and The Hugo, two films about film nostalgia that urge viewers to help in film preservation, both won five Oscars each.  Hugo, a love letter to film preservation and classic cinema, won in technical categories.  Mike and I loved "Hugo" as much as "The Artist" and "Midnight In Paris," so it was hard to see those films lose to each other, which is probably why Woody Allen doesn't go the Oscars ceremonies.  I was only slightly surprised to see "The Artist" win Best Picture and Best Director, because it was such a great film.  So many of those great movie palaces--built for silent film era films--are now Broadway in Chicago venues.  It would be nice to see "The Artist"--which won for Best Original Score--performed live with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at one of these old palace theaters, for the sake of nostalgia. 

Mike and I saw "My Week With Marilyn" at the beautiful, vintage Patio theater at Irving Park and Austin in Chicago, and we loved it. Somehow it is a touching, sweet, funny film that magically recreates some great and desperate days for Marilyn Monroe. Colin Clark, son of the wealthy art historian Kenneth Clark, lovingly falls under Marilyn's spell of charm, and takes her on a personal tour of his world in England, including Windsor Castle, Eton College, and the pretty countryside. It's a great film filled with great performances, especially Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier, the demanding Prima Donna. The Patio is a great place to watch a film about an actress whose films are rich with nostalgia, because the Patio is a magical place rich with Nostalgia for old movie palaces.  Michelle deeply deserved this nominated for portraying Monroe as a woman looking for respect, true love, and stability, in a dangerously flirtatious way.  Mike and I are saddened that pills and alcohol has taken so many talented people from the world, like Monty Clift, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, and Michael Jackson, and so many others like Marilyn, just needing a stable, loving place for recovery and healing. What a moving "In Memoriam" sequence, with a beautiful, solemn rendition of "What a Wonderful World."  Mike and cried a couple of times. 

 

It was good to see Woody Allen win an Award for "Midnight In Paris," his most successful film in years, which we loved, because of the colorful "real" characters in it, like Gertrude Stein, Hemingway, Cole Porter, Picasso, Dali, Fitzgerald, and many others.  It was a very clever, unique script, and deserved the Best Original Screenplay award that it received.  What was Woody doing the moment he won?  Probably listening to those great old jazz records of his, that he loves to put in his films.  Mike and I love Cole Porter's music, and go to the Cole Porter Festival every year, listening to Ella Fitzgerald singing the Porter songbook on the way to Peru, Indiana.  I'm a nostalgist like the character in "Midnight in Paris." We live in an apartment filled with old books, movies, records, that people once gave away to resale shops, like the Brown Elephant, which raises money for the Howard Brown Clinic in Chicago, for treatment and care for people living with HIV.  I'm one of them.  I love the Howard Brown, who was rescued from financial problems just recently!!

 

I'm glad to hear that Elton John is still raising money for his HIV/AIDS charities.  He is a great soul, which makes me wonder why he didn't get nominated for his song in "Gnomeo and Juliet," a movie Mike and I liked, because it introduces classic literature to children.  Mike and I love watching inexpensive Shakespeare productions as well.  We just saw "Twelfth Night" at Northeastern Illinois University, and it was excellent.  It made me think of Gwyneth Paltrow in "Shakepeare in Love." Gwyneth is my friend on Facebook, and she's very nice to me.  Mike and I bought tickets to see Paltrow's husband Chris Martin, and his band Coldplay, perform live this year.  Exciting!!

 

So many movies produced by the Weinstein brothers this year, that I can't help thinking that they are single-handedly keeping the Hollywood film industry alive! 

 

Mike and I liked Billy Crystal as a host.  He's still very funny at 63!  The opening montage was hilarious!!  The funny parody introduction to the Best Pictures sung by Crystal was funny too.  Was I seeing things, or did Jennifer Lopez' left nipple, seem to be peeping out of her dress?

 

The orchestra, lead by a guitarist, was excellent.  Also, the Cirque De Soleil sequence was amazing, and dazzling!!  Oprah getting the Humanitarian Award was very moving; it was well deserved.  Oprah got a standing ovation.  Excellent.

 

At one point, it felt like they were jogging through handing out the awards, and then it was over at three hours and ten minutes. 

 

I was happy to see the Muppets make an appearance, and I was happy to see Uggie, the dog from "The Artist," go on stage with the cast to accept for Best Picture.  Uggie deserves his Golden Collar award.  I wanted to hear the Muppets sing "Life is a Happy Song!!"  Oh to be 7 years old again!!  Mike and I still watch animated films though, keeping the child in us alive, and giggling.  Chico and Rita is a great animated film, but it's not for children!!  Rango won for Best Animated Film, which was very good. 

 

In all, my only concern, was that Octavia Spencer wasn't given enough time to say something important against racism for the history books.  She should have written something down. 

 

In the end, Mike and I didn't Outguess Ebert, which is a shame.  We would have loved a trip to Los Angeles!!  We have his autograph in signed books though.  What an intelligent soul!  Ebert got nine of the eleven right this year.  I guessed four right, and Mike five. Mike thought the Academy would vote for "War Horse," and I voted for "The Help" for Best Picture.  Competitions can be so unfar, but they lead us to discover some great films!  Oh well! C'est la vie!!

 

My brother Juan wanted Moneyball to win something, because it's about baseball.  My friend Tania wanted George Clooney to win, because she loves him.  I told her on Facebook that George Clooney has Puerto Rican cousins via Rosemary Clooney's marriage to Puerto Rican Actor Jose Ferrer. 

 

It was a good year for the Oscars.  Like Roger Ebert wrote to me in one of my inscribed books, "See you at the movies." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oscar Nominations or Academy Award Nominations for 2012

The nominees for the 2012 Academy Awards were announced this morning, and Hugo leads with 11 nominations, and The Artist follows with 10 nominations. We've seen quite a few of the Best Picture nominations this year; Hugo, Midnight In Paris, The Artist, The Help, Moneyball, War Horse, and Tree of Life are our favorites for the best picture noms. Mike and I loved Hugo, The Artist, and Midnight in Paris because they are essentially about nostalgia: nostalgia of film(Hugo and The Artist), and nostalgia for Paris of another time(Midnight in Paris.)  Owen Wilson's character in "Midnight in Paris" calls himself a nostalgist, which means he loves Paris in the 1920's.  I love all the references to writers, artists, and songwriters(Cole Porter) in the film.  Cole Porter makes an appearance in "Midnight" which is so wonderful that it brought tears to my eyes.  Mike bought Ella Fitzgerald's autograph for me for my birthday, because I love Ella singing the Cole Porter songbook.  We then went on to buy Ella's complete songbooks, and listened to them while making scrapbooks together of our trips to Michigan, Peru, Indiana--for the Cole Porter festival--and our "staycations" to Chicagoland outings like the Art Institute, the Chicago Botanic Gardens, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the Friday Night at the Movies events--I loved West Side Story played by the CSO last year.  They played along to the film perfertly on time and with passion.  Certainly, one of my favorite films of all time. 

 

Also, Mike and I just rented "The Magic of Melies" and The Landmark of Film documentaries after seeing Hugo, and loved the sweetness and Humor in Melies' classic short films like "A Trip To The Moon."  Hugo is a love letter to the creator of cinema, Georges Melies, and it is a love letter to film preservation.  Last year, Mike and I sadly saw the Bank Cinema close in Chicago, but film buffs want to continue the tradition by playing rare and classic films at the old, Portage theater in Chicago.  We saw quite a few films at the Bank Cinema, and were sad to see it go.  It was like the scene in "Cinema Paradiso" when the teary-eared townspeople gathered around to see the tearing down of the town cinema house.  And, Mike and I found Harold Lloyd's classic silent film "Safety Last" at the public library and watched it.  Hugo and his girl friend Isabelle watch that film together in "Hugo."  It's very sweet. 

 

I loved how the movie "The Artist" revived interest in silent film.  That's what the Broadway in Chicago theaters like the Cadillac Palace and the Ford Oriental where built for: for silent films with a big symphony.  Mike and I love Broadway in Chicago.  We have seen so many musicals there like The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Beauty and The Beast, Shrek The Musical, Les Miserables--which is being turned into a film, and, most recently, La Cage Aux Folles.  We love "La Cage" and think it would make a good musical movie, along with "The Secret Garden" The Musical, which we also saw last year. 

 

I realize that Jean Dujardin is drinking illegal alcohol in "The Artist."  "Midnight in Paris" and "Hugo" were also set during the 1920's or the Prohibition of Alcohol in the U.S.A.  Mike and I gave tours at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace in Oak Park, and learned that Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises" during the Prohibition, and was most likely thumbing his nose at the laws that banned alcohol, because his characters drink like fish in the book.  I liked Hemingway's presence in "Midnight in Paris." I could tell Woody Allen did his research to write the screenplay, which was also nominated for an Oscar. Some critics think "The Artist" might win the most awards this year, but I also want Hugo and Midnight in Paris to win some, because these are films that moved me.  Is the disturbing trend of violent nominated films over?  I won't complain.

 

I wonder why Woody Allen doesn't like the Oscars, and still hasn't picked up his past awards yet.  Maybe he doesn't like that great films have to compete with each other, which leaves many good films snubbed.  Is it a East Coast/West Coast thing?  Maybe he's too New York for Hollywood.  I like that he puts old jazz classic songs in his films.  He should make a film about Ella Fitzgerald.

 

I love that Christopher Plummer was nominated for playing a Gay senior citizen in Beginners, and Mexican Actor Demian Bichir was nominated for A Better Life. The Help was great, deserved its nominations. We still have to see The Descendants, My Week With Marilyn, Bridesmaids(Huh?), A Better Life, Iron Lady, Pina. Jane Eyre, at least, got a Best Costume nomination.

 

Jean Dujardin is so handsome and charming, he deserves his nomination. Michael Fassbender was ignored in this year's Oscar noms. I liked Fassbender in Jane Eyre.  I heard he was good in "A Dangerous Method" too.  J. Edgar was ignored this year, probably because it feels homophobic that a conservative director--Eastwood--made a film about a closeted man who was conflicted about his homosexuality.  DiCaprio wore a dress and kissed a man, but didn't get the nomination.  Christopher Plummer gets kissed by a man in "Beginners" a few times, which makes the movie sweet, and bit touching.  "Beginners" was a very interesting film to Mike and me.

 

I think Harry Potter deserved an nomination for Best Picture because it made me feel so war-ravaged, and weary in the end, and very sympathetic for it's characters. 

Biggest films of the year (by number of nominations):

Hugo (11 nominations) The Artist (10 nominations) Moneyball (6 nominatons) War Horse (6 nominations) The Descendants (5 nominations) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (5 nominations) The Help (4 nominations) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (3 nominations) Midnight in Paris (3 nominations) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (3 nominations) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (3 nominations) The Tree of Life (3 nominations) Bridesmaids (2 nominations) Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2 nominations) My Week with Marylin (2 nominations) A Separation (2 nominations) The Iron Lady (2 nominations)

It's time to see more movies.

See complete list of nominations at this link: http://oscar.go.com/nominees or go to www.wikipedia.org
  Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

The Up and Coming Oscar Nominations and Possible Contenders for 2012 Academy Awards

Mike and I just rented The Help from the Redbox and liked it. Viola Davis and some of the other actresses all deserve nominations for this great film, about racism in the south around 1963. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actor's Guild Award for this movie, so she's destined to be nominated for an Oscar when they announce the nominations on January 24, 2012. I like that the...y mention Medgar Evers in the film. Bob Dylan wrote a song about Medgar Evers called "Only a Pawn In Their Game" and he sang it in 1963 at the March on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream Speech." I'm amazed that the book The Help has sold over five million copies. It proves that people want to believe in racial equality. What a great movie, and only slightly painful. I laughed, I cried.
I'm also looking forward to see if Hugo, and Midnight in Paris are nominated: two films that made Paris look wonderful. Mike and I are beginning to watch some of the films that might be nominated, such as Moneyball. It's crazy. This year the Oscar nominations will be announced on January 24 and the Oscars will be only one month later on Feburary 26th. How are people going to find time to watch all the movies nominated for Best Picture?

The 84th Annual Academy Awards Facebook page announced that the following movies are being considered for nominations: "Albert Nobbs", "Anonymous", "The Artist", "Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "Hugo" & "The Iron Lady".

Mike and I saw Hugo, Harry Potter, and want to see "Anonymous" because it's about Shakespeare. "Iron Lady" and "The Artist" look interesting. I'm wondering if "The Descendants," "Moneyball," "Tree of Life," "J. Edgar," and "Midnight in Paris" will make the list. We just have to wait and see.

Peace, and Best Wishes, Ruben and Mike.

My review of "Sonnets for an Old Century" playing at the Steppenwolf Gararge Theater through April 24, 2011

The Mystical Reality

Review of the play Sonnets for an Old Century by Jose Rivera

Produced by the Urban Theater Company

Playing through April 24, 2011

By Ruben Santos Claveria

February 17, 2011

When I first entered the Steppenwolf Garage Theater to see a play by Jose Rivera, I heard strange disembodied music or more like ghostly sounds coming from the speakers.  These sounds set the mood for the eerie yet mystical journey of watching the play Sonnets for an Old Century, produced by the Urban Theater Company, running through April 24, 2011.  The play was written at the end of the twentieth century—2000--seems to embody some of the harrowing stories we hear on the news in Chicago on any given day.  We know this city is filled with tragedies and heroism.  In “Sonnets” we here the stories of people who lived through these tragedies, and hearing the testimonies of these stories is a form of heroism to me because it breaks a silence of the human condition, with all its alienation and despair.

For ninety minutes we are allowed to visit the lives of many characters, played brilliantly by a talented multi-cultural cast, whose vivid articulation of the stories of their lives leaves us as an audience feeling like host of angels bearing witness to so much frustration, angst, and despair.  It reminded me of walking through the Holocaust Museum in Skokie, watching videos of many people telling harrowing stories of struggle and survival.  These many, often nameless characters, are only connected by the fact that one spirit character with a notebook is recording in a collective book, the importance of these characters lives. 

Madrid St. Angelo’s directing creates performances that are riveting, and full of intensity.  These actors portraying voices lost in the limbo of the post-twentieth century afterworld give the audience a glimpse of the otherworldly spoken powerfully in the form of magical realism.

While watching “Sonnets,” I couldn’t help but think of the best of Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio, or Edgar Lee Master’s Spoon River Anthology.  Those two works, and Rivera’s play, tell the stories of people lost since passed away.  Some people who believe in ghosts will say that ghost appear to try to find redemption from sins, or to seek justice for an injustice.

I grew up in the gritty parts of Chicago, surrounded by impoverished people, mostly Latinos, and I know that “Sonnets” is giving voice to the voiceless, or the undeserved of society, the very poor.  I left the theater feeling so glad that I watched it, being another witness to the hard truths that we need to tell as human beings, in order to find healing in therapy.  “Sonnets” is not unlike sitting in group therapy, letting people’s hurt have their way with you until the healing starts.  I think that is why so many people pray, which is to try to get an angel involved in our lives to give us a sense of redemption.  In the film It’s a Wonderful Life, we hear all about George Bailey’s life told through a mystical voice, leaving us in tears, because we hear people’s hopes and prayers for a better world. In George Bailey’s life, like the characters in “Sonnets,”we as an audience go from hope to despair then back to hope again.  “Each man’s life touches so many other lives,” Clarence, the guardian angel, tells George. 

It is true that too much reality can make us jaded, yet being exposed to some realism also makes us more human and down to earth.  I saw myself in the characters in “Sonnets.”  I saw my Puerto Rican and Guatemalan yearnings and hopes.  I saw my troublesome relationships and all the love I had in this world.  In the end, “Sonnets” may not help us find connection with each other on the planet, but it points the way toward unity, redemption, healing, sacrifice, fraternity, equality and justice.  We want to be better people because of it.  It makes me want to keep writing letters to www.Congress.org in hopes of being the voice of the voiceless and the disempowered.  Just like the plays The Diary of Anne Frank and West Side Story, makes us want to fight prejudice, injustice, and war-making, “Sonnets” made me want to a kinder, gentler human being.  As a gay person living with HIV, it’s hard to find people you can trust with your innermost feelings.  Rivera shared the innermost feelings of many people like me with “Sonnets.”

Jose Rivera, being a Puerto Rican American like me, gives me hope that talent from that tiny little island in the Caribbean can be heard and can make a difference.    Last December, I bought U.S. postage stamps with Julia De Burgos on them.  I was proud to see a stamp given to a Puerto Rican poet like De Burgos who lived a terrible short life, filled with frustration and beauty.  I mailed the stamps with my Christmas cards, in hopes to spread the word about Julia and her lovely poems.  The title “Sonnets” makes us think of poetry.  The only things that united these characters in this production of Rivera’s play are the costumes which all had painted glitter on them, and the shadowy screens filled with cosmic light beams.  At the end of the play, the audience is allowed to leave a note or a name of someone you care for that might have passed on.  I wrote on my leaf, “To those who have departed into glittery light. Peace and Poetry.”  We need a spiritual support group like the one that “Sonnets” suggests.  We need those stories given voice, brilliantly and powerfully.  We need more poetry in our lives.  I leave you with a line by William Carlos Williams, a Puerto Rican-English American poet, who wrote appropriately:

It is difficult to get the news from poems yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.

By Ruben Santos Claveria

Peace Activist and Poet

Read my book of poems for free at:

www.Ruben.Openhill.com

Ruben Santos Claveria

3345 W. Hollywood Ave.

Chicago, IL 60659

773 642-6019 (cell)