GRINDHOUSE GLORY

City Cinemas Village East provided the appropriate venue for the New York premier of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s gloriously fun double-feature "Grindhouse." There are surprises galore to be had in this gleeful two-for-the-price-of-one cinematic treat.

I was reminded of my first grindhouse experience in Richmond, Virginia when my dad took me and my boyhood buddy to the Towne Theater on Broad street to see a double bill of "Five Fingers of Death" and "Enter the Dragon" in December of ’76—Grindhouse lives!

Sizing Up Cannes 2007

Michael Cimino, Wim Wenders, Lars von Trier, Amos Gitai, Abbas Kiarostami, Manoel de Oliveira, Chen Kaige, Hou Hsiao-hsien and Tsai Ming-liang, Wong Kar Wai, Theo Angelopoulos and last year's Palme d'Or winner Ken Loach will join nearly 30 other directors in contributing three-minute movies to help celebrate the festival’s 60^th anniversary.

Stephen Frears ("The Queen") will preside over this year's competition jury whose votes will be announced by guest emcee Diane Kruger at the closing ceremony.

Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's Thirteen" will premiere at Cannes (out of competition) and the full roster of films in this year's festival will be announced on April 19.

Word is that Tarantino will premiere a longer version of his "Grindhouse" movie "Death Proof" that might just slip into competition for the festival.

Robyn Hitchcock's Sundance Channel Documentary

Music fans of all genres might want to check out a great doucumentary about Robyn Hitchcock that's showing on the Sundance Channel on March 30 and 31st.

I watched it last night and enjoyed every bleeding second of it.

Here's how the doc is described: "One heady week last summer, Robyn recorded a group of new songs in his London house , with help from famous musician friends, including REM's lead guitarist Peter Buck, legendary songwriter Nick Lowe and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin."

This documentary eavesdrops on Robyn at work as he adds to his stockpile of dark ,witty and surreal rock songs and explores with contributors including Gillian Welch and David Rawlings what makes Hitchcock's songs so memorable. The film culminates with the band taking the songs on the road in America for Robyn's latest album Ole Tarantula. Includes live performances of 15 new and old songs!

Netflix Find: "Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember"

I have luxuriated in three hours and 20 minutes worth of evocative anecdotes, thoughts and memories of Italy’s finest actor. It’s easy to dismiss Marcello Mastroianni as doing for acting what Frank Sinatra did for singing; they both made it look effortlessly easy. But watching Marcello’s fantastic versatility, displayed in numerous clips from his films—he made over 170, makes you aware of what a master-craftsman he was.

Marcello said, "Sensitivity limits actors and makes them mediocre, while intellect and composure makes actors great."

Indeed, Marcello Mastroianni’s elegant restraint and balanced intelligence comes through in every scene he ever played.

Made in 2000, the documentary/memoir was directed by Marcello’s companion of 22 years, Anna Maria Tato. Marcello Mastroianni passed away in 1996.

"Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember" is a great choice for the old DVD library.

Little Dieter Needs To Fly

After seeing "Rescue Dawn," I finally got around to pulling down Herzog’s documentary "Little Dieter Needs To Fly," about Viet Nam war survivor Dieter Dengler. Under Herzog’s deft guidance, Dengler recounts his life and tells the most harrowing story of wartime capture, torture and escape that I have ever heard. Dengler’s indomitable German spirit and brisk optimism makes him an ideal subject for Herzog, who captures the sensitivity and intellect of truly remarkable man. I would recommend seeing "Rescue Dawn" before viewing "Little Dieter Needs To Fly" due to surprise elements in the story.

First Looks: "Rescue Dawn"

I got a look at Werner Herzog's phenomenal new film "Rescue Dawn" with Christian Bale as former real-life Navy pilot Dieter Dengler (see Herzog's acclaimed documentary "Little Dieter Needs To Fly." It's a stunner of a film that marks a powerful return for Herzog to the kind of films he is best known for making. Set in a Laotian jungle, Dieter becomes the only American to ever break out of a POW camp. Jeremy Davies gives a riveting performance as one of Dieter's fellow prisoners, but it's Steve Zahn that surprises with what is arguably his first real job of acting, and man he's great. Herzog is back with a vengeance, and this movie is incredible. First Verhoeven (with "Black Book," and now Herzog! European cinema's old guard are going strong as ever.

The Passing of a Giant

 Premiere Magazine Goes Under

It was announced last week that Premiere magazine will be shutting down. As a fan of the magazine, I am saddened by the passing of an institution that, for 20 years, provided readers with a brief encyclopedia of cinema knowledge. It was a great resource, and its inspiration will be sorely missed.