Nowadays, a trip to the theater is as much a culinary experience as it is a cinematic one. Armed with nachos, popcorn, soda, hot dogs and an assortment of candies, we watch our favorite stars bust their acting chops on the screen while we chow down in front of it. Therefore, it only seems appropriate that the Dartmouth Film Society present a spring film series called "Eat Me," proudly proclaiming that "we are what we eat -- and we are what we watch." Promising to introduce movie fans to "23 of the world's most succulent films," "Eat Me" features a diverse array of works from almost every decade since the 1920s.
The DFS, comprised of students, professors, and film enthusiasts from the Dartmouth community, meets at the end of each term to decide the itinerary of films to be screened in the term after next; "Eat Me" was in fact chosen during the Fall term. Usually, a DFS series is meant to educate and entertain in equal measure, but this term's series, containing several well-known features, leans a bit more towards entertainment. "In general, 'Eat Me' will prove to be a crowd-pleasing series," said Brendon Bouzard '06, a longtime member of the DFS and member of The Dartmouth staff. "A lot of really popular recent films are in our series, and we've got a number of classics that everyone I know has been meaning to see."
The series kicks off tonight with "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," a subtle commentary on race in America masquerading as a gross-out comedy. Going against convention by casting a Korean-American and an Indian-American as the leads, the film provides big laughs and whets your appetite at the same time. Bouzard is especially passionate about this feature, calling it "one of the funniest and most heartfelt comedies to come out of Hollywood in years" and "an exciting sign of where mainstream comedy is currently headed."
Also, those who did not catch Oscar fever this past February need not worry. This term, three of this year's five Best Picture nominees and a nominee for Best Documentary are part of the DFS series.
"Million Dollar Baby" was the big winner at this year's Oscars, walking away with four awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Clint Eastwood's story of redemption in the boxing ring follows small-town waitress and aspiring pugilist Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank in an Oscar-winning performance) who dreams of becoming a title contender. Eastwood, as veteran trainer Frankie Dunn, takes her on as a pupil despite his reservations about training a female, and he forges an intimate connection with her in the process. A deeply affecting film, "Million Dollar Baby" was pronounced to be a "masterpiece, pure and simple" by celebrated film critic Roger Ebert. Catch it on April 6.
Eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, once the richest man in the world, is the subject of legendary director Martin Scorsese's latest epic "The Aviator," which took home five Academy Awards last month. Though not a food fan in his later days (excepting his fondness for milk), the late engineer and filmmaker still makes a fascinating subject for a biopic. In telling the story, Scorsese is aided by Robert Richardson's breathtaking cinematography, with the aerial sequences proving especially stunning.
Yet Scorsese's film is elevated by a trio of great players. Leonardo DiCaprio gives the performance of his career as Hughes, shedding his teen heartthrob label once and for all. However, he is easily upstaged by the ethereal Cate Blanchett, who meticulously recreates the mannerisms and quirks of the iconic Katherine Hepburn, from her tomboyish charm right down to her distinctive walk. She infuses the first half of the film with life, and it was no surprise that she won an Oscar for her depiction. Seasoned thespian Alan Alda keeps the film humming along after Blanchett's exit with his portrayal of a greasy U.S. Senator who accuses Hughes of being a war profiteer. Even as Scorsese increasingly focuses on Hughes' extreme germ phobia, the film never gets boring mostly because of its sterling cast. "The Aviator" is playing on April 13.
"Sideways," another nominee for Best Picture at this year's Oscars, was a particular favorite of critics across the spectrum. Paul Giamatti plays Miles Raymond, a high school teacher and failed writer who agrees to take his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) on a road trip through California's wine country before the latter's impending marriage. Witty and often poignant, "Sideways" plays tomorrow night. Don't miss it.
Two little-seen foreign films, "Shaun of the Dead" and "Bad Education," hit the Spaulding screen on April 1 and April 3 respectively. When it was released last fall, "Shaun of the Dead" garnered accolades for its entertaining twist on the zombie film genre, featuring an unwitting hero scrambling to save his ex, his mom and his flatulent flatmate in the face of a zombie uprising in London.
Celebrated Spanish director Pedro Almodvar (whose work is the subject of a freshman seminar this term) helms "Bad Education." Dealing with fetishism, homosexuality, transvestites and a boy-abusing priest, "Bad Education" sees Almodvar in classic form.
For those seeking more classic fare, the DFS presents two Marx Brothers films, "Animal Crackers" and "Duck Soup," in a double feature on April 10, and "Wild Strawberries," Ingmar Bergman's meditation on existence and aging, on May 8th.
Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction," one of the most acclaimed motion pictures of the last decade, is also being screened this term. Divided into self-contained segments, "Pulp Fiction" ties together the fates of an assortment of interesting characters, including a mafia boss, a never-been actress, two philosophically-inclined contract killers who speak in monologues, a renegade boxer and a shrill pair of married restaurant robbers. Sure it looks disjointed on paper, but the narrative actually comes together beautifully. Most students on campus have likely already seen this masterpiece and thus know exactly what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris. However, for those who haven't, "Pulp Fiction" is playing on May 22.
Morgan Spurlock's controversial documentary "Super Size Me" makes it evident that food on film doesn't always spur the appetite. Conducting an experiment on the effects of fast food, Spurlock chronicles the physical and psychological changes he experiences when he switches to an all-McDonald's diet for a month. Needless to say, the results aren't pretty.
"Super Size Me" gained notoriety last year when, prior to a wide release of the film, the McDonald's corporation announced that it would phase out the "Super Size" option from its menu. Conspiracy theorists attributed the decision to the negative publicity that Spurlock's release generated, but McDonald's has denied these claims. However, while the segments involving Mickey D's are entertaining, Spurlock's forays into America's affair with unhealthy food, and especially his examination of school kids' diets, are what truly redeem the film. At times sickening, occasionally educational and often hilarious, "Super Size Me" is not to be missed. Watch it as part of a double feature with "Hamburger America" on May 1.
Other notable movies to be screened in the series include: "The Leopard" (April 17), Luchino Visconti's sublime film about the fading stature of an aristocratic family, featuring Burt Lancaster's finest performance; "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (April 20), Wes Anderson's whimsical tale of an adventuring crew of deep-sea documentary film-makers; "Bananas" (May 8), Woody Allen's hilarious comedy about a loser who becomes a South American political revolutionary in order to impress a girl, and "Delicatessen" (May 4), a visually striking film by Amlie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet depicting a futuristic food-deprived France.
Tickets for the DFS series go on sale 30 minutes prior to show time at the Hopkins Center Box Office. Tickets cost $5.00 for students with Dartmouth IDs and $7.00 for the general public. DFS passes are also on sale for $12.00 to students with Dartmouth IDs and $18.00 to the general public.
