RIP NORA EPHRON - You Are a True Hero Of Mine

"So I have to face the facts - I need to stand up proudly and say: I LOVE NORA EPHRON."

-KITFR, January 2010. 

I didn't see this one coming.

Nora Ephron has had a bigger influence on me than nearly anyone else in the industry. I grew up watching her movies. She was the first writer/director who I sought out film after film. I just loved everything she did.

I have watched 'You've Got Mail' more than any other film.

And 'Sleepless in Seattle' is responsible for what has become a lifelong love for the romantic comedy.

You see, guys aren't meant to like the rom-coms. We're meant to disregard the chick flicks. But Ephron was able to transcend that; at least for me and a lot of guys that I know.

In the modern era, films have become awfully dark and cynical. It's remarkable whenever someone can make something that blooms like a flower and makes your day a little better.

The first time I went to New York, I visited for a week. I spent the whole time at 'You've Got Mail' locations. I was staying with my friend Jenna, and I'd say "come meet me at Cafe Lalo!". I was obsessed.

'Hanging Up' is such a poignant tale about life and death. It's one of the all-time great Walter Matthau performances. He died months after filming it. Will be even more touching to watch this film now, knowing that we've lost Nora.

I can't believe it. I'm genuinely stunned. She was always the picture of health. A beautiful woman with a giant heart and a romantic soul that is so extremely rare, and completely irreplaceable.

'When Harry Met Sally' changed the rom-com forever.

And I'm glad that we have 'Julie & Julia', because it's a very sweet film, and absolutely devoid of cynicism. It has a big beating heart and makes you want to suddenly learn how to be a masterful cook. I don't think there is any other writer/director in the industry who could get me interested in cooking.

Norah's writing was magical. I have spent so much of my time reading her books, hunting down all her articles; anything I can get my hands on, because there's just something in the words, something in the rhythm, it was just a DELIGHT! It's like she painted all the words delicately with a paintbrush. But a magical paintbrush, that only she knew how to use. I can't explain. If you're a fan, you'll know what I mean.

'The screenplay is the big plain pizza, the one with tomatoes and cheese. And then the director comes in and says "you know, it's needs mushrooms." And you put mushrooms on it, and the costume designer throws peppers on. And pretty soon you have a pizza with everything. Sometimes it's the greatest pizza of your life and sometimes you think 'that was a mistake, we should have left it with only the mushrooms.'

-Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron was the mushrooms. We lost a great one. We will miss you. 

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VUE CINEMAS: UK chain's Online Marketing Strategy Manipulates Film Bloggers

So you get an email from VUE CINEMAS, one of the biggest cinema chains in the country. And they want to publish an article on your blog. Amazing, right? Maybe you've finally made it as a blogger? 

Unfortunately, no, this isn't the case. They're using you in a rather cynical way. 

Companies used to pay for advertising. That was the old way, back when things were in print. Now they manipulate people online, for free.

What you might not realise about your blog, is how valuable it is, and how much Google likes what you're doing. The more you play by the rules, the higher up in the rankings you'll get, which means that more people will discover your writing. 

These things improve naturally based on: the amount of years you've been blogging, the quality and relevance of your content, and the amount of people who link to your website. 

Most bloggers have been approached by companies. Often they're mid-size companies that have nothing to do with your content. Like a life insurance company offering you $85 to link to their site. That's a choice you have to make -- do you need the money that badly? Is it worth compromising your site? When Google spots your film website linking to a life insurance website in every article, they know you're not playing the game right, and you'll soon find yourself disappearing from Google searches. 

Vue Cinema are playing a very clever game. They're approaching bloggers and film websites with the promise of 'good content', in exchange for you linking to their website. However; this is purely a selfish act on their part; gaining links to their product, their website.

When people link to them; two things happen. 1) They eventually climb higher in the rankings, taking over their competitors. 2) Your site sinks down the rankings, because you're diluting your site's ranking by branching out to them. 

You get nothing from this - and Myvue.com gets everything. Why does it matter, you ask? When enough bloggers and websites do what they want, they make hundreds of thousands in extra revenue. You get nothing, just a lousy and irrelevant article on your website. 

PENNY LANE 

Maybe it is love, as much as it can be, for somebody--

WILLIAM MILLER

Somebody who sold you to Humble Pie for fifty bucks and a case of beer! I was there! I was there!

I was just about to share the email conversation that I had with the Vue team, who tried to get me in on this scam. But I just read the privacy notice at the end of the email, apparently if I share the content, I may be breaking laws. How convenient! But in my last email back to them, I wrote; "I'm happy to interview you on the website about how you think you are contributing good content to the net and film blogosphere. Shall we do it? Will be a good platform for you to present Vue and their brand through being open about your practices." 

I got no response. 

The film blog community has a great history of supporting itself, linking to great articles and to friends we make along the way. Keep it that way. Your website is important to people and it's valuable. Don't do the corporations any favours, they're doing nothing for you. 

This article was NOT brought to you by Vue Entertainment. 

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Are Films Still Relevant?

The Kids care about gaming. My generation hits up their blackberries before the opening credits end. My elders are watching cooking programmes. Who gives a shit anymore? We can't keep the industry going based on nostalgia, it needs to really have a reason. 

Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler used to be safe bets, but now they're flopping! Is it a wake up call? Of course not. The industry doesn't support artistic achievement. They're not looking for the next 'Annie Hall', they want the next 'Avatar.' And I'm not talking about the artistic merit of 'Avatar', I'm talking about the revenue. 

The best writers go to TV. When you ask people what movies they've seen recently, they mumble about there not being much out there at the moment. When you talk about TV, they DEMAND you buy their favourite DVD box-set immediately! 

The artists keep getting it wrong. At the top end of the industry, you're constantly made to appease studios and sponsors and lots of white men in suits. At the bottom end, everyone is busy promoting themselves on Twitter, but they forget to become GREAT, instead focusing on selling their product. And most of the time, the product sucks! 

But you can hardly blame them. It's capitalism. We make products and sell them. That's how society works, but it's not how art works. At least not at first. A great artist needs an incubation period. Unfortunately, it's 10 years, and who has time for that? 

You can hold out and be all about the integrity. About only following your muse. Problem is, your work SUCKS for years, nobody strikes greatness from the word go. Maybe you ignore the opportunity to sell out at first, because no, you're about the art. But eventually you realise; the bills won't pay themselves. You're never going to fix the leak in the kitchen if you keep making the passion projects. 

So what are your goals? You just want to earn enough to be a player in the Hollywood system? It makes sense, after all, you want to earn some money. But the product is terrible! Maybe we're wrong to bemoan how shit most movies are. After all, why should it be any different? They're products. Built on the assembly line. Is Aniston available? Good. Let's put her in a movie with that guy from that new comedy show. Perfect. Women will love that. We have an audience. It's money in the pot. 

The innovation is in technology. It's in apps and social networks and communication. And the excitement is in gaming. And the great writing is in TV. How many films have you loved in the past five years? Suddenly that two hours seems like a really long time. If the movies keep getting worse and worse, then soon there'll be no come back. 

The industry struggles on -- but where is the passion? Where is the art? 

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TOM PETTY - WALLS

Some days are diamonds,Some days are rocks, Some doors are open, Some roads are blocked
He nails pretty much all of life in those four opening lines. Some days are unexplainable magic that has appeared from nowhere, and you're left marvelling at life. Other days, nothing works out, the road is blocked. 
Sundowns are golden, Then they fade away. And if I never do nothin' I'm coming back some day. 
Cause you've got a heart so big it could crush this townAnd I can't hold out foreverEven walls fall down. 
You can put up all the walls you want, but nothing is ever permanent. And just listen to how he sings that line, "you've got a heart so big it could crush this town," he ain't kidding! You meet someone with a big heart and it crushes you, throws your world upside down. Petty thinks he's the man, thinks he's protected; but now he's vulnerable, his walls have fallen down. 
All around your islandThere's a barricadeIt keeps out the danger Holds in the pain
Sometimes you're happySometimes you cryPart of me is ocean Half of me is sky
You've got a heart so bigIt can crush this townI can't hold out foreverEven walls fall down
You put up a wall, and sure, you can keep the danger outside of yourself. But you hold in the pain! That's why people need therapy; they put up the big walls, but they can't get healed; because the wounds of life get trapped inside.
Some things are overSome things go wrong Part of me you carry Part of me is gone
You've got a heart so bigIt could crush this townI can't hold out foreverEven walls fall down 
'Part of me is gone', that's so true. Life takes from you. It takes and takes. It takes the people we love, it takes your health. Everything is temporary. I remember being at a funeral, and a distant relative of mine was talking to me about my Grandmother, who died when I was a kid. She said to me, in a quiet moment, "Y'know, I never got over your Grandmother's death. Never did." And it's stuck with me ever since. Things end, things pass by, and parts of us get lost forever. 
And what happens when we lose those parts? We close off, put up barriers, try to stop it happening again. We can go YEARS without climbing over them. People try reach us, but the walls are solid. That is until someone cares enough. Until a heart comes along that can crumble you. 
Baby you got a heart so bigIt could crush this town I can't hold out foreverEven walls fall down. 
This is a song about the tipping point, where you decide to live again. You allow yourself to be vulnerable. 

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You've Got One Fine Sleepless Decade: A Celebration of the 90's Rom-Com

1989 saw the release of 'WHEN HARRY MET SALLY', 'PRETTY WOMAN' and 'SAY ANYTHING'. It could be argued that none of the romantic comedies of the proceeding ten years bettered those. That being said, I have a huge affection for the rom-com's of the 90's. They had a huge impact on my love for cinema and storytelling. The criticism of the genre is that it's predictable and always stays the same. This is a concept which I would like to gently challenge. 

I don't rank films based on their complexity or originality. I am more interested in how much I relate to them. This is probably why I have always been interested in the romantic comedies. Within the confines of an often predictable genre, there's the opportunity for fun, randomness, and big laughs, with the occasional life-lesson thrown in. 

'NEVER BEEN KISSED' was released in 1999; and was one of the final films of its kind. The typical yet enjoyable rom-coms that had come in the previous few years, such as 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL' and 'ONE FINE DAY' were being replaced by edgier material such as 'CHASING AMY' and 'AMERICAN PIE'. While traditionalists would perhaps bemoan the different style of material, it was undoubtedly necessary. 'NEVER BEEN KISSED' aside, the other romantic offerings of that year were the likes of the weak 'FORCES OF NATURE' and the atrocious 'THE BACHELOR'. 

In the U.K, one screenwriter was becoming the definitive romantic voice of his generation. 'FOUR WEDDINGS & A FUNERAL' and 'NOTTING HILL' are two of the most watched and loved romantic comedies of all time, and with good reason. When people dislike a genre, it's usually because they know what to expect. The rom-com, at its very worst; is cliche-filled and predictable. You can't relate to the characters because you're screaming at the screen, "this is too obvious!" or "that would never happen!" That's why Richard Curtis' arrival on the scene was great. The rom-com now had something it has seldom had in modern times; a great writer. When I think of his films, I tend to remember them as being cheesy and romantic. But when you sit down and watch them, you realise the most important thing about them is that they're HILARIOUS. Hugh Grant was one of the most important things to happen to the genre in this period, because he was someone we could relate to. His fumbling nature was human, we could connect. 

If there are three films that typify the 90's rom-com, they would be 'ONE FINE DAY', 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL' and 'AS GOOD AS IT GETS'. They are not necessarily the best, and certainly not the coolest, but that's never the job of the rom-com. Films that got greater critical acclaim, such as 'JERRY MAGUIRE' and 'BEFORE SUNRISE' are deserving in their own right, but don't sit as neatly into the rom-com box as the aforementioned flicks. 

What made 'ONE FINE DAY' so appealing was the charisma of its leads. Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney are two of the top actors in the industry. Pfeiffer was at the peak of her career - but Clooney was still proving himself. He had the popularity from 'E.R.' but this was four years before 'O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?' -- he was still finding his way up the ladder and the film proved a good platform for his distinct talent. Pfeiffer and Clooney were able to find that rare and elusive thing: chemistry. Remarkable, considering that most of their screen-time was apart.

A more obvious example of capitalising on star-power was Nora Ephron's two films 'SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE' and 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL'. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, together; were box-office gold. 'SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE' resonated with audiences the world over, and still does to this day. Why? It's hard to say. That's the thing about romantic comedies, some of them just hit. It'd be naive to attribute it solely to the writing, or the strength of the actors. Romantic Comedy is about dealing with matters of the heart. Just like in life --- most of the time these matters will be struck down as being cheesy or ridiculous-- but occasionally, if we're open enough, they get through to us. 'SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE' is one of the most viewed films on television of all time. The formula was repeated again four years later with 'YOU'VE GOT MAIL', one of the first films to deal with finding love over the internet. The film is a personal favourite of mine. Is it one of the greatest films of all time? Of course not. But for many people who love rom-coms, it stands tall. 

As I'm writing about all of these films, I keep thinking about Woody Allen. It's impossible to write about this genre without referring to him. He's not often referred to as being a 'rom com' guy, but I don't think there'd be a Nora Ephron without him. It's interesting to look at what Woody Allen was doing during this time - especially as he wrote and directed one of the funniest and most underrated rom-coms of the decade, 'EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU'. The film was a musical, with a fantastic cast which included Alan Alda, Goldie Hawn, Drew Barrymore and Edward Norton. It's a hilarious and very warm film; probably the sweetest motion picture that Mr Allen has ever made. If you are a fan of this genre, you have to see it. And Woody's scenes with Julia Roberts are comedic gold. 

One of the biggest challenges that constantly faces the genre, is that filmmakers and even actors rarely take it seriously. They see it as a passage they need to get through on the way to more meaningful subject matters. I always find this disappointing because these are the films that people carry with them the most. When people remember Jimmy Stewart, they don't think about the Westerns, they think about 'IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and 'THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER'. The same for Jack Lemmon, we don't think about 'GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS', we remember 'THE APARTMENT'. That's why James L. Brooks is so refreshing. Not only is he one of the all-time great film directors, but he is a master of the rom-com genre. His influence, especially in the ten years I am focusing on, deserves much credit. Not only did he  direct 'AS GOOD AS IT GETS', he also produced 'JERRY MAGUIRE' (as well as 'SAY ANYTHING in 1989'). 'AS GOOD AS IT GETS' was able to cross over from being seen merely as a 'rom-com' to something more palatable to cinematic audiences due to the expertly written and performed character of Melvin Udall, played by Jack Nicholson in one of the best performances of his career. That was matched by Helen Hunt, who was spellbinding as the troubled waitress and mother, Carol Connelly. 

It's also worth noting the hugely watchable film 'THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT', directed by 'WHEN HARRY MET SALLY' helmer Rob Reiner. The film didn't suit everyone, but it's one of my favourite films. It was penned by the great Aaron Sorkin --- and carries all the seeds of his later TV masterpiece, 'THE WEST WING'. 

By the end of the 90's, the romantic comedy genre had gone through many highs and lows. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starred together in two great romantic comedies, both directed by Nora Ephron. And Richard Curtis' unique writing style gave us Hugh Grant and helped hugely reinvigorate the British film industry. It was also a great time for independent cinema. After his breakthrough movies 'CLERKS' and 'MALLRATS', 'CHASING AMY' was an iconic Kevin Smith film which completely ripped apart everything we expect from a rom-com and gave it a fresh new angle. Just a year before that, Richard Linklater released the sublime 'BEFORE SUNRISE', which stripped away all of the typical conflicts that transpire in the genre and instead had two characters walking around a city talking and falling in love. It was refreshing and heartening to see- and is one of the best films of the 90's, of any genre. 

For me, the last solid rom-com of the 90's was 'NEVER BEEN KISSED'. And I'm not saying it's necessarily a great film, but it stuck to the formula and was surprisingly well-crafted. Drew Barrymore's character, Josie Geller, is a reporter who is sent back to high school as an undercover reporter. She falls back into her old habits of being studious and a hard-worker, and therefore, a bullied geek. Her superiors demand that she become popular, so she can get a real scoop. She overcomes her own limitations and becomes exactly that, popular. But of course, that isn't what she needs --- we have to wait until the end of the movie when she finally goes back to being herself, the studious geek, but with more awareness. Now she can see the popular and good looking people for what they are. She finds herself and writes an honest and moving article in a way she has never done before. And as a result, she gets the guy. 

The film nailed the formula perfectly. But sadly, the formula was getting tired -- and the rom-com was ready for a change. 'AMERICAN PIE' took the gross-out route. And although many people just see it as the dick-in-the-pie film, it actually carries within it a lot of heartfelt, romantic moments. Meanwhile, 1999 also saw the release of the cult-hit '10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU'. Although a re-imagining of old ideas and concepts, it's surprisingly fresh, open, and honest; in a way that would come to define the comedies of the following decade. But the optimism and old-fashioned feel-good nature of 'ONE FINE DAY' and 'SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE' was on its way out. 

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