Why 'Eyes Wide Shut' has stood the test of time

Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut

I can think of few recent movies that have been redeemed through time and distance more than Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Despite a handful of rave reviews when it was initially released, the movie was ridiculed and reviled by most audiences, many of whom were inexplicably expecting a more explicit and accessible thriller.

What they instead got was a darkly funny and prescient meditation on the preoccupation with infidelity.

Like most Kubrick projects, it was development for years. Kubrick even considered casting comedic actor Steve Martin in the lead at one point (he was a huge fan of The Jerk) which speaks volumes about the inherent humor the director saw in the material.

It's definitely not a traditional genre picture, but then again none of Kubrick's films were, And like nearly all of his films, its reputation has improved dramatically over time as if audiences finally caught up with what he was doing.

A Clockwork Orange was initially viewed as an orgy of senseless violence, but more adept viewers now understand the film as a work of pitch black satire. Believe it or not, The Shining was dismissed by some critics when it first came out as not scary enough, whereas today the movie is routinely name-checked as perhaps the most unsettling horror film of all time.

When Eyes Wide Shut first came out in 1999 there was anticipation of X-rated antics from Hollywood's hottest couple. And while Kidman shows lots of skin and the couple does engage in some chaste cavorting, sex is not the primary preoccupation of this film.

It's hard to sell audiences on a film fascinated with the mind, but then again that's ultimately what 2001 and most of Kubrick's work was about. He was an unapologetically cerebral filmmaker that almost never chooses the easy narrative route.

Some may quibble about the quality of his work, but few can knock the craftsmanship. And the visual details of Eyes Wide Shut, like all of his classic films, stick with you long after the movie is finished.

Take, for instance, the infamous orgy scene. Now that it's been restored to its uncensored glory on DVD (the film released in theaters was compromised to get an R-rating) it's an unsettling and surreal experience. The costumes, the heightened dialogue, the whole ominous feel of it still hasn't quite been matched since.

While films like Fifty Shades of Grey make unconventional sexuality look laughable, Eyes Wide Shut is actually interested in making you think and indulging your fantasies.

Of course, there will always be those that see this film as lesser Kubrick. Tom Cruise is polarizing to say the least, the script's circuitous language (characters often repeat every question they're asked) and the film's piano-plinking score can be tiresome. But I still like this movie more every time I see it, because its bursting with ideas, because it raises real questions and because it's damn sexy too.

Black Panthers 'Vanguard' documentary is relevant and revealing

The Black Panthers; Vanguard of a Revolution

The lack of literature, cinema and ephemera dedicated to the Black Panthers is truly astounding considering the social and political impact they had for almost a decade. It's a testament to how incisive and dangerous they were.

It is within this vacuum that Stanley Nelson's compelling documentary, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution, arrives in theaters in select cities over the course of this month.

It's a moving and memorable tribute to an ambitious organization that unfortunately collapsed under the weight of infighting and oppression at the hands of a hostile federal government.

Coming on the heels of the equally powerful Listen to Me Marlon, it's an important film for young people to see, because at the very least it provides context for something that a lot of people have heard of and maybe are vaguely familiar with -- but little else.

As with any film on a topic as polarizing as the Panthers, there will be detractors with this film. It paints the organization's founder, Huey Newton, in a very unflattering light. There are several prominent figures in the movement (like Bobby Seale) who declined to participate. And the film focuses on 1966 to 1973, so there are certain aspects of the Panthers' history that are not explored in great detail.

Still, this was a film several years in the making and it shows. This is definitely a warts-and-all documentary, which looks at what was both inspiring and infuriating about the Panthers.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution

Yes, some of their goals were improbable and occasionally their methods were unorthodox, but one walks away from this film with a sense that America needed the Panthers, whether they realized it or not.

This documentary is also yet another example of how there are so many stories of non-white American culture that need to be told and inexplicably haven't been. We've seen countless films romanticizing white America's role in excursions both abroad or at home, while the history of communities of color has been largely relegated to the sidelines.

It's easier to sell a film like this because it's commercial prospects are minimal and there's not the same risk there is in mounting a production with sets, actors and international distribution. But as Straight Outta Compton proved, audiences of color are hungry to see their stories on screen.

Sure, there was an attempt to bring the Panthers' story to screen once in the mid-'90s, via Mario Van Peebles, but the time is ripe for a revisit of this material. In the meantime, see The Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution if and when you can, it's a movie of this moment in the very best way.

The top 10 fall/winter movies I can't wait to see

Now that it's September, what has become increasingly well know as the "good movie season" is about to begin.

Michael B. Jordan in Creed

Sadly, the major studios have been increasingly unwilling to release Oscar-caliber movies until the last 2-to-3 months of the year, forcing us to sit through mindless blockbusters the rest of the year.

It's unfathomable to some people that Silence of the Lambs came out in February of 1991 or that a prestige movie like Saving Private Ryan competed with traditional action films in the thick of the summer of 1998.

That said, I think it's been a very strong year for movies so far, with a couple of titles (Mad Max: Fury Road and It Follows), that I wouldn't be surprised to see in my final top 10 list). And there are some very exciting titles still on the horizon. This is one of those years where the genre pictures of the winter are way more interesting to me than the summer fare.

There are still so many films that I haven't seen trailers for yet or have enough buzz to make a judgment, but as of right now -- these are the top 10 movies I am marking my calendar for.

Honorable mention: Miles Ahead - I have literally only seen a photo of actor-director Don Cheadle as Davis and I'm very intrigued. This has been a passion project of his for years and I'm so excited to see how he brings his jazz icon onto the big screen and introduces him to a new audience. I am an enormous Miles fan and he is a challenging subject for a film. As Straight Outta Compton proved, you can make entertaining biopics that can transcend their core audience. Waiting and seeing on this one.

10) Spotlight - A dream cast (Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, to name a few) anchor this real life story of Boston reporters who brought national attention to the child molestation by Catholic priests that was covered up for decades. It should be a stirring and fascinating film if the trailer is any indication and since the story is not something I am not overly familiar with, there's sure to be some surprises too.

9) Rock the Kasbah - Bill Murray looks like he's returning to vintage pure comedy form in the trailer for this one and I couldn't be more excited about that. I've been a big fan of his more dramatic late career turns, but have also wanted to see a glimpse of the old wild and crazy Murray. His character in this movie seems a little more grounded, a rock manager stranded in the Middle East.

8) Truth - This drama about the downfall of Dan Rather should provide Robert Redford with another one of his great late career roles. He has long been one of my favorite movie stars, and after All Is Lost he's finally starting to get some of critical appreciation he always deserved. If he nails this performance he should be a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination. As a journalist still one really intrigues me and its a genre Redford's done wonders with before (see All the President's Men).

7) The Revenant - I was never a big fan of director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu until Birdman, and now I can't wait to see what he does next. This new film, which boasts a trailer that was appropriately mysterious but exciting, was shot in all natural light lending it an intense and gorgeous immediacy. It stars two of the best leading men acting today -- Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy -- and already gets points for originality in my book. Could be a major player in the Oscars if it's legit.

6) Sisters - It's not a golden age for American comedies by any means, but the trailer for this one had me laughing hard out loud in a way I haven't since perhaps Bridesmaids. This one boasts a similar pedigree and party atmosphere. We already know Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have amazing chemistry together and it's nice to see them swapping comedic personas a bit and playing against type. Sisters should be a lot of fun and hopefully will avoid Trainwreck's unfortunate moralizing.

5) Black Mass - I thought I was done with Johnny Depp and then I saw this incredible looking trailer for this Boston-based crime epic. The movie could turn out to be terrible, but it looks like a real transformative performance for an actor I used to really admire, but who recently seemed content to crank out cheesy pirate movies every couple years. I'm intrigued to see him play one of the only full-blown villains of his career (the feared gangster Whitey Bulger).

The Force Awakens

4) Creed - This project has had me really excited for a long time. I thought Rocky Balboa was a fitting finale for the beloved boxing character, but when I learned that rising star Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan were taking over the reigns of the franchise. And Sylvester Stallone is widely ceding the spotlight. He's finally playing his age and it could be the comeback dramatic performance of his career.

3) The Hateful Eight - Quentin Tarantino doesn't make movies often, but when he does they are always unforgettable. This does feel like the first time he's retreating to totally familiar territory -- another western on the heels of Django Unchained, but that was my favorite movie he ever made -- and with a cast like this (Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bruce Dern) I can't complain. Perhaps he'll finally get the Oscar love that has eluded all but his screenplays.

2) Star Wars: The Force Awakens - You'd think after nearly a decade of dreadful prequels all of the magic of Star Wars would have evaporated by now, but J.J. Abrams' old school approach has me believing again. I can't wait to see the original cast reassemble one more time (although I am still really bummed about the omission of Billy Dee Williams). The use of real sets, practical effects and the emphasis on story really comes across in the little footage we've seen. This could be a real game-changer.

1) Spectre - Hands down the movie I'm most psyched about this year. Skyfall is not just my favorite Bond movie all time -- it is one of my favorite movies period. It'll be an incredibly tough act to follow both critically and commercially but this new film wisely seems to be building off of that film's DNA. It's yet another look deeper into the background of Bond, a character we don't truly know after over 50 years in the movies. Daniel Craig has been owning this role for nearly a decade now and I expect great things.

Why first-time film viewings with friends are the best

Lorraine Bracco in Goodfellas

This past weekend I had the pleasure of watching two classic genre movies with people who had never seen them before. I watch This Is Spinal Tap with my future wife, Liz Rosado, and I watched Goodfellas with one of my best friends, Olivia Kestin.

Unlike some people who act appalled when someone hasn't seen some iconic movie, I relish the chance to introduce them to something special, because watching it with someone who has a fresh pair of eyes is often like experiencing it for the first time all over again.

It helps that both of these women are adept film connoisseurs -- who love to devour new things and generally approach movies with an open mind. Knowing how great both these films are I knew both ladies were in for a treat. Still, watching these movies with them made me reflect on some elements of the projects that I've either overlooked or taken for granted over the years.

This Is Spinal Tap

This note-perfect comedy doesn't waste a single moment and it remains my favorite mockumentary film of all time. Liz, as I suspected, loved it -- and here are a few things she made me think about:

The music is actually impressive: Yes, the songs are all jokes ("Sex Farm," "Big Bottom," etc.) but they are performed earnestly by the film's stars -- Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean. The fact that they wrote the songs and played the music lends authenticity to the comedy.

The best moments are the awkward ones: Director Rob Reiner does a spectacular job of letting quiet little asides, and halting pauses play out for maximum comedic effect. Characters misspeak and dig themselves into verbal holes in a way that is both hilarious and utterly realistic.

Rob Reiner had an interesting career going their for a while: Speaking of Reiner, until he became bogged down making middle-aged rom coms, he was a very versatile director. Take this film and pair it with the unforgettable thriller Misery and you'd think you were dealing with a true virtuoso. I'm not sure why his career tapered off in the late '90s, but his work here is sublime.

Goodfellas

Olivia is a burgeoning film buff in her own right, and generally speaking our tastes align, so I fully expected her to like this film. Scorsese if my favorite director, and Goodfellas is arguably among his five best films, so clearly I was on board.

The violence of this film is still shocking: Even for a gangster film, Goodfellas is an aggressively gory piece of work, but always with a purpose which I appreciate. It always has been a visceral experience -- from its nostalgic opening to its cocaine-fueled finale. The movie is so adept at making organized crime seem appealing but also underlining how senseless, and deadly, it can be.

Ray Liotta's laugh: Like the movie it's both unsettling and oddly endearing. Ray Liotta's laugh is too distinct to not be natural and it erupts frequently in Goodfellas in moments that should not be the least bit comical, which is in-and-of-itself, funny. Goodfellas is a hilarious movie about a deadly serious subject matter.

Joe Pesci's performance is pure genius: I've written before about how much I adore Pesci's work as a character actor, and this movie may feature his greatest performance ever. He won the Oscar for his incredible portrayal of pure id -- this is a sociopath who is both scary and frighteningly charismatic. It's fascinating how, despite how vile his character is, his tragic fate always provokes sadness from audiences. This is both a tribute to Pesci and Scorsese as a filmmaker.

How I learned to stop worrying and admit I love '80s movies

Most modern film geeks are pretty slavish to the 1970s and to a lesser extent the 1990s when it comes to determining the greatest era for Hollywood films. Of course, some purist will say the 1930s or even the silent era.

Personally, I have always had a strong affinity for '70s era films. I have frequently called it my favorite period for movies. I like their brooding cynicism, their risks, their creativity. It's still on the whole my most cherished decade of cinema. And yet, after completing a self-imposed art project to create alternative posters for my all-time favorite films, I was surprised to see that more than half came from the 1980s.

Now, I should caution 'favorite' does not mean 'greatest.' These are movies that I could watch any time and love with the same intensity, films I can quote liberally and just bring me a lot of personal joy. They are not all Oscar-worthy, in fact quite a few were pretty much despised by critics, at least when they were initially released.

I was born in the '80s and have always been a pretty huge fan of the period's pop culture (if not its politics). But for whatever reason that decade's films have always gotten a bad wrap. It's somehow ok now to love '80s fashion and music without irony, but the films all seem to be piled into a Top Gun purgatory. What I mean is that the Reagan era has become more defined for birthing the behemoth blockbuster than for contributing a credible dose of quality films.

There is no disputing that contention. From E.T. to Batman, the '80s produced the modern event picture, for better or worse. And while the '90s had its fair share of that too, enough iconoclastic indie filmmakers made their mark (Tarantino especially) that its remembered as an edgier more eclectic time for the movies.

And yet the '80s produced Spike Lee, the Coen Brothers and Jim Jarmusch. The '80s was the decade when comedy icons Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy and Rodney Dangerfield did their best work. And it was a period when a lot of celebrated filmmakers like Scorsese and Spielberg took some real chances outside of their comfort zones.

The years 1980 and 1984 in particular produced a number of my favorites movies, these are years where there was clearly some holdover from the '70s aesthetic mixed with a flakier but also more fun sensibility which was a little bit less jaded but also sleeker and perhaps more clever.

Alex Cox's film Repo Man is a perfect example. It's both an uproarious satire of '80s consumerism and malaise but it tosses in a highly entertaining albeit absurd sci-fi subplot to boot. The soundtrack of early hardcore punk is a classic and its dialogue is full of existential excellence. It's not as sophisticated a film as something like Shampoo or The Conversation, but it has a junk food deliciousness to it.

It's not as easy a decade to pin down from a movie perspective and there was undeniably a lot of junk that muddies the conversation. The '80s birthed slasher movies, a lot of awful sex comedies (thanks to the success of Porkies) and a lot of action movies that are stunningly laughable.

But the '80s are growing on me. I was too young to see or appreciate most of the films when they were initially released. And yet, when I view them now I do get a nostalgic feelings and I find that they're movies I can just relax and have a good time with.

So long live the 1980s. And long live me, too. 

'Brian's Song': The top 10 movies that always make me cry

Brian's Song

I'm not a big crier in real life. It's not that I am some sort of unemotional robot, it just takes a lot for me to go full blown ugly cry. That said, films have a unique ability to produce waterworks from me --I think honestly because of swelling music scores. If I actually had a soundtrack of maudlin music playing in the background of my life I'd probably be sobbing on the regular, but alas that isn't an option for me.

I do however, believe in the healthy concept of a "good cry." Many times -- especially after a bad romantic break-up -- I have sought solace in films that I know will elicit a certain physical emotional reaction. I don't know why it's cathartic for me to cry, I'm not smart enough to explain that, but there is something very powerful about letting yourself be moved to tears.

Recently, I revisited the classic 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, which is sort of infamous for being the one film that breaks the heart of even the biggest jocks in the world. The story has the added virtue of being based on a true story and its running time is largely devoted to the comradarie between two opposites attract pro-athletes played exceptionally well by James Caan and Billy Dee Williams.

And then the hammer comes down -- the sudden terminal disease -- and the movie becomes a total weepfest. One of the things I really appreciate about this movie is that the illness really does come subtlety, there isn't that cliched scene when a character starts coughing and indicating to the audience that they're about to get really sick (even Straight Outta Compton makes this hackey mistake). The movie also takes time to set up the relationship between the Caan and Williams characters so the payoff is well-earned.

Watching this movie got me thinking about the other tearjerkers that always get me going. Here are the examples that immediately leap to mind:

Field of Dreams - I don't recall ever playing a game of catch with my father and yet there is something universally stirring about the climax of this whimsical fantasy where Kevin Costner's Iowa farmer is miraculously able to toss a baseball back and forth with a younger version of his own long-deceased father. It's a gorgeously rendered moment that always bring a tear to my eye.

Fruitvale Station - One of the most unjustly overlooked films of recent memory is an intimate and realistic portrayal of the last hours in the life of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was senselessly killed by an Oakland police officer on a subway platform. The film's central theme -- that all lives have value -- is made compelling by the performances, especially Michael B. Jordan's in the lead. When I saw it in theaters there wasn't a dry eye in the audience.

Up - The opening of this Pixar masterpiece is infamous for the impact its had on audiences. It's a silent nearly 6-minute montage that just floored me, perfectly capturing the arc of a relationship over several decades. I saw this one right after a break-up and found myself sobbing underneath my 3-D glasses. I am sure the children seated around me were appropriately uncomfortable.

Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby - I feel like this one really snuck up on most people. Audiences came in expecting a rousing female version of Rocky and left emotionally pulverized by a last act that takes a dramatic and tragic turn. Hillary Swank and Clint Eastwood make an incredible combo, with the latter giving perhaps the most vulnerable performance of his career. To this day, if I listen to the soundtrack on my iPod I get choked up.

The Shawshank Redemption - There's just something about Morgan Freeman's voice, it's both steely and sensitive at the same time. He works wonders in this prison drama, which ranks among his greatest roles. In its last act where (SPOILER ALERT, but seriously if you have cable television you have seen this movie by now) he is reunited with his best friend (played by Tim Robbins) always leaves a lump in my throat. It's the swelling music, the overhead shot -- an audience pleasing moment of perfection.

Kramer vs. Kramer - This Oscar winner really piles on the emotional weight. A superb Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep play a separated couple fighting over custody of their son. It's the young Justin Henry as the boy who really blows my mind. He manages to give a very mature performance without ever not seeming like a real kid. When Hoffman has to break some sad news to him late in the film I fall to pieces every time, even when I know it's coming.

Terms of Endearment - Often cited as The Godfather of tearjerker movies, this familial drama does pack a wallop, especially since it plays like a heartwarming comedy for most of its running time. Although they apparently despised each other in real life, Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are totally authentic as mother and daughter in this moving movie that took home best picture and was a box office blockbuster. Not as corny as its reputation suggests, trust me.

Antwone Fisher - Whenever I feel like I want to cry I watch this ultimately uplifting Denzel Washington-directed drama about a young seaman who plumbs the depths of his troubled childhood in order to become a more socially adept adult. Derek Luke gives an exceptional performance here (that sadly he never capitalized on) and the film is just full of emotionally gut-wrenching confrontations and moments and remarkably it was written by the person who the film is based on.

Four Little Girls - Spike Lee's devastating documentary about the four young women killed at the height of the civil rights movement in the bombing of a Birmingham church is probably the most powerful film of its kind I've ever seen. I literally remembering having to pause it to collect myself at one point. It's not manipulative in any way and unlike some of Lee's narrative films it's totally stripped of excess -- is just that compelling and sad a story.

Selma - This recent film about Dr. Martin Luther's King's historic voting rights campaign was wildly underrated and ridiculously overlooked by the Oscars. Director Ava DuVernay wisely does not spare us the ugly side of segregation or the emotional toll oppression took on activists and their families. Rarely does a movie move me both because of its brutality and its inspiration. Hopefully, it will find the audience it richly deserved now that the smoke has cleared over its so-called controversies.

'Straight Outta Compton' a powerful portrait of rap royalty

Straight Outta Compton

For a movie where one of the main protagonists dies of AIDS, Straight Outta Compton is a lot of fun.

Its first half in particular comes close to being a total dramatic masterpiece -- few films have captured the rebellious and politically astute nature of classic hip-hop better than this one.

And although the film has its fair share of unfortunate misogyny and musical biopic cliches, it is never less than riveting entertainment and truly deserving of all its unprecedented success at the box office.

The film features a trio of star making performances in the roles of Dr. Dre, Eazy E and Ice Cube, with the standout being O'Shea Jackson Jr., playing his own father -- Cube -- in uncanny, charismatic glory. If nothing else, I hope this blockbuster film provides a launching pad for their careers as leading men.

Like Dope before it, Straight Outta Compton brilliantly incorporates the current climate of racial tension over biased policing into its narrative. Naturally, the film was in production long before the upheaval in cities like Baltimore and Ferguson, but nevertheless the project does a remarkable job of making a story that takes place largely in the late '80s and early '90s feel totally relevant to modern audiences.

Also, as an African-American film lover, I'm heartened to see that the increasing segregation of movie audiences can still occasionally be neutralized. Here is a film with an overwhelmingly black cast and subject matter (although Paul Giamatti works wonders with his supporting role) that has clearly struck a chord with all audiences and become a bonafide phenomenon.

Is the film perfect? No, it starts to lose momentum towards the end when it tries to cover too many benchmarks in the careers of the protagonists, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

I was also pleased to see that it was director by F. Gary Gray, a black filmmaker her first rose to prominence in the '90s making so-called black films like Friday with crossover appeal.

This is by far his most accomplished movie. It's a visual tour-de-force at times that totally captures the kinetic appeal of the hip-hop concert crowd and the raucous behind-the-scenes lifestyle of the performers. This is not always a pretty picture, but it rarely feels like a less-than-authentic one.

Hopefully, this film will inspire a new generation to rediscover NWA's compelling first album, but also to revisit the events of the Rodney King beating and subsequent acquittal of the LAPD officers who participated in it.

This historic moment is used very effectively in Straight Outta Compton and it's a searing reminder of why "gangsta rap" once provided an important voice and counterpoint to the mainstream.