Jackie (2016): Grief Embodied

In the last few months, the political climate has been profoundly perplexing to say the very least. It seems only fitting that a month and a half after this bizarre election, cinema allows us to turn back the clock to a different world of politics, one still complex, but elegant rather than crude in its complexity. Jackie (2016), however, is not a political film, nor should it be mistaken as one. It is a film that feels almost coincidently set in the world of politics rather than forcibly relying on it for drama. This is not about John F. Kennedy's Presidency, nor is it a film that is preoccupied with recreating a glossy version of his tragic assassination. In fact, this isn't even really a film about Jackie Kennedy when examined closely enough. While yes, the plot does detail her intimate struggles in the immediate aftermath of her husband's death, Jackie seems to stand in as a representation for something more substantial and perhaps even more resonating than a mere First Lady in mourning. Jackie's experiences in the days following the loss of her and this country's beloved King of Camelot is representative of how grief is capable of taking on a life of its own within a person.

The constant extreme close-ups and chilling score that carries an air of grandness with every violin stroke both do an extemporary job of detailing Jackie's personal strife as she comes to terms with life as a single mother, who has the eyes of the world glued to her every move. The movie is scattered, told non-sequentially as if to describe the distortion of mind and body that a mourner often elicits so soon after the death of a loved one. Jackie goes through stages of grief much like the way one watches the houses swoosh by while riding a train and looking out the window, with volatile and introverted enthusiasm.

Grief, at some point, becomes little about the person that has died and much about the mourner themselves. In Jackie, we catch Mrs Kennedy crying over the loss of herself and her continued worrisome plight that she's insufficiently capable of becoming someone new; Someone the public will still revere and admire. Natalie Portman imbues this performance with acts of both selflessness and selfishness. Jackie was far from one-sided, and Portman's portrayal allows her to be shown as the complicated multidimensional prism she was. Her witty quips and editorial notes to the journalist interviewing her prove that self-image was always a concern for her, First Lady or not. Still, however, it does not go unnoticed that the film has little to do with the Kennedy Legacy or even the legacy of this fine, often charismatic woman. No, Jackie excels because it makes the viewer feel in an all-too-real genuine manner the disturbingly cathartic sensation of human loss. Jackie Kennedy was truly grief embodied, but she refused to let this define her entire life. Those who suffer the loss of a great love one should take notice to do the same. When grieving you may allow it to take over you for a brief time, but true strength and growth is expelled once we take control of our grief and move on to tomorrow's harrowing journey, renewed and wiser than before—God Bless JFK, God Bless Jackie, and in a bizarre twist of emotion, God Bless Grief.

A Christmas Carol, a Christmas Story for the Ages.

There have been countless cinematic and television incarnations of Charles Dickens classic Christmas tale about a begrudged Christmas-hating miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. A Christmas Carol encompasses themes of greed, benevolence and the human capacity to love and be loved in return. While many esteemed actors from Albert Finney to Jim Carrey have portrayed the old grump, my personal favorite has always been George C. Scott's portrayal in the 1984's version of the story, brought to life on the screen by director Clive Donner. While Scott's version may not critically be considered the "best", I grew up watching it and after seeing many of the other versions, adamantly feel that this version of the tale resonates with me the most on a spiritual, emotional and psychological level. It's riddled with dry humor, dark subtext and moments of genuine warmth.

An interesting fact about this particular version of A Christmas Carol is a minor detail involving the wardrobe. In all the previous versions of the story (including the original novel), Scrooge is seen wearing a male nightgown and matching cap throughout the majority of the merrily eerie tale. George C. Scott, a prominent actor of the time, refused to parade around, sometimes in the winter snow, wearing pajamas! At his insistence, Scrooge wears his worn maroon suit during most of the film's running time. To a certain extent, Scott's pretentious wardrobe demand reinforces the essence of Scrooge's inner self. Scrooge is far too prideful and rigid to allow even a spirit to make him walkabout in his nightclothes. No, if he is going to have to face the facts of his tumultuous life, he shall do so in his business suit, calm and collected for however short a time. Yes, as he learns and discovers more about himself, it becomes tattered and tarnished, but it remains intact. While Scrooge does change, in the end, a part of him will always contain this external shell of his former self. A reminder of his past misdeeds which he must never repeat or risk facing the dire consequences. Scrooge's suit covers so much more than his body; it's an external representation of the façade he has put out onto the world. A poor reflection of his cold father, misguided business partner Marley and even his scorned long-ago lover, Belle. By Scott keeping it on throughout the film, Scrooge feels more ruthless and stifled and yet more human and conflicted as well.

A Christmas Carol may not be as visually appealing as The Nutcracker or as humorous as How The Grinch Stole Christmas, but it remains a timeless classic. I firmly believe this is because its message of love and appreciation of the power of the Christmas Spirit forever rings truth in the hearts of even the most stressed or strife-ridden holiday goer. Tiny Tim's sentiment, while occasionally overdrawn with emotional sentimentality is nevertheless accurate; "God Bless Us Everyone" yes, even those who may seem to lack any sort of merriment or jubilation in their candor, much like Mr Scrooge himself. God Bless them as well. Smile at these poor ignorant souls and remember at least, it's never too late for someone to change for the better. The holidays bring about an opportune time for such life improvement. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

And to those who hate movies...Bah Humbug!

Nine: 9 Ways Movie Musicals Lose Their Way

Movie Musicals have been a part of cinema's history since soon after the innovation of sound on screen. They are spectacles of epic, yet often intimate stories told through song and dance. However, movie musicals are not the easiest films to write and produce. Execution of a top-quality movie musical requires a perfect storm of creative forces coming together at the right time with the right materials at their disposal. Nine (2009) came out in the winter of 2009 and was a movie musical based on a play (of the same name), that was also based on a movie, 8 1/2 (1963) . That's some pretty meta shit if you ask me.

Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical story of Guido Contini, an esteemed Italian film director plagued by writer's block and the numerous women in his life, is a story of disparity and desire. It was no wonder that Rob Marshall, acclaimed director of the film version of Chicago (2002) chose to translate this tale back to the big screen. It has the glamour and glitz of any Hollywood blockbuster, which is also a part of its problem. The film, unfortunately, ended up falling severely short of expectations with both the critics and the box office. While the film has its many faults, it is still an enjoyable watch nonetheless, primarily thanks to its immensely talented ensemble cast. Where did the film go wrong? How do movie musicals that should be so easy to entertain, end up leaving us befuddled instead of bemused? I decided to use Nine as the test subject for this bewildering question.

Here are...

The Nine Do's and Don't of Movie Musicals.

9. Don't give it a complete rewrite.

If a musical is going from stage to screen, adjustments will need to be made so that the transition is smooth and effective. However, when the plot and story are changed too drastically, then the new version may get to the point that it feels reductive. The film version of Nine is not only altered greatly but is reduced to mere bones in certain areas of its skeletal story structure. This diminishes the psychological significance of the source material. You could also look at the film version of Rock of Ages (2012) to understand why complete story rewrites from stage to screen are a less than brilliant idea.

8. Do give the audience time to get to know the characters.

Movie Musicals are supposed to provide richly, memorable characters whose personal journey's are guided by music and dance. However, if the film is rushing to get to the singing and dancing before it gives us enough insight on who these people are and what they want out of life, the audience won't care what kind of songs they sing or how many tap dances they can do! Nine suffers from too short of a running time to give adequate enough character development to its characters. We have a brief introduction's to each before the singing starts, and they remain on screen for only a short time after. We catch fleeting glimpses into the lives of Guido and the women he loves, but we never watch them truly live and experience life.

7. Don't add characters unless they add significance.

While Kate Hudson is fabulous in her role as Stephanie in the film, she is essentially relegated to a glorified cameo as is the seriously underused Sophia Loren. Hudson's character is given little to nothing to do besides her 60's retro musical number "Cinema Italiano". She clearly represents temptation and Guido's insatiable lustful appetite, but she is not so much a character as she is a caricature. Her role could have easily been expanded had the writers been more thoughtful to how a female journalist may act and feel in a world dominated by powerful, successful men like Guido. Instead, she's more of a glossy groupie, and Kate Hudson already played that role much better in Almost Famous (2000). If your musical needs more characters, give them purpose, not just a glitzy costume and back-up dancers in sharp suits.

6. Do make good use of your setting.

This is something Nine got pretty right, its aesthetics. The use of the actual movie set as the setting for the musical numbers and the exquisite exterior shots of Rome in all its 1960's glory is extremely effective in setting the tone and vision for a film that's clearly about people obsessed with the visual images life has to offer them. Musicals are larger than life and Nine definitely resembles the renaissance of stylistic elegance that Italy was in the 1960's. That doesn't mean that the spaces are used well, only that they look good. 

5. Don't end on a whimper

"You Can't Stop The Beat", "We Go Together", Moulin Rouge's "Finale Medley". Musicals should end on a high note, pun intended. If possible the last song should be an ensemble number, because all of the storylines have come to fruition at this point in the climax. If the last song isn't a showstopper, it should have emotional resonance, a profound statement of change and evolution in the characters lives. Nine fails at this, giving Guido, and the women, only an orchestral accompaniment as they quite literally take their final bows in the film's conclusion. Yes, his wife is returning to him, and he has matured and grown, that's beautiful, but this is a musical for God's sake, sing about it!

4. Don't do clichés, unless they work.

Many musicals are campy at heart, and this is not a bad thing. It's an inevitability of a fantasy world of song and dance. Grease (1978) camps up the '50s and Hairspray (2007) certainly made full-blown campiness out of the '60s. Nine almost restrains itself too much. It shows its beautiful Italian setting with aplomb, but never really dives into its intimate innards. The studio-set where the musical numbers are featured feels artificial in the worst way. If every musical number had the campy energy of "Cinema Italiano" and "Be Italian", the movie would at least feel more fun. Musicals are meant to be made BIG!

  3. Do have a valuable message.

Musicals are not simply about singing and dancing just for the sake of it. Musicals are about an emotional build-up, about larger than life meanings and symbols being evoked through lyrical and rhythmic interpretations. If a musical has nothing to say, it doesn't matter how good the songs are or how mesmerizing the dance sequences are executed. Nine is a film that loses much of its meaning because the plot is significantly altered for the screen. The tale of a desperately conflicted man coming into his own with the aid of the underappreciated women in his life is itself undervalued and underwhelmed by glossy Hollywood melodrama.

2. Do contain, and take advantage of, chemistry amongst the cast.

Nine has a large ensemble of insurmountable talent, and from behind the scenes videos and cast interviews, it appears they all got on very well. On-screen, their chemistry is palatable enough, but unfortunately, most of the vibrantly talented women in the cast hardly get any screen time together. It's an unfortunate and unnecessary loss that if changed, could have helped elevate the film to greater depths.

1. Don't butcher the musical score!

Nine's greatest cinematic musical offense? The complete overhaul of the exquisite score Maury Yeston had created. The added songs don't do the film any wrong. "Cinema Italiano", "Guarda La Luna" and "Take it All" actually give the story more edges and curves rather than narrow it out into boredom. It is definitely a positive that Yeston, himself wrote the new songs. However, the film's story suffers greatly from Rob Marshall's poor misguided attempt at maintaining all the musical numbers inside the protagonist's head. It's even worse to know that several more numbers were filmed and then cut! Songs like "Simple" and "Getting Tall" give the plot of the musical its true meaning and invigorate audiences with the kind of passionate, poignant emotions one should feel when watching a musical of this stature. In the end, Nine cuts far too much and adds far too little to make up for it. It is simplified into insignificance, which is a shame because I believe its themes and messages have sizable weight to them. The musical score is the bone marrow of a musical, and it should be extracted and infused with great care and delicacy, for its implications are grand and purposeful. Nine may have missed the mark, but the incredible thing about musicals themselves is that they can still manage to entertain and bring delight even with faulty plot structures and mishandled musical scores. Musicals work on a level all their own.

Except for From Justin to Kelly (2003)....that movies just bad. In fact, it never happened.