Michael Douglas

Behind the Candelabra: when sugar daddy is a queen

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BEHIND THE CANDELABRA

HBO’s Behind the Candelabra is the well-worn story of a rich older guy and his pretty young thing – except the rich older guy is Liberace.  Michael Douglas (of all people) completely inhabits the character of Liberace, nailing his every mannerism of speech and gesture and delving deeply into his ego, neediness, self-absorption and genius for showmanship.  Matt Damon (of all people) enthusiastically and skillfully plays Scott Thorson, Liberace’s boy toy of the late 1970s.

We have all seen the arc of this story before, with the relationship doomed by the power imbalance between the lovers.   Of course, this is the story of a celebrity who was tightly closeted while he was intentionally projecting the persona of a flaming queen.  And because Liberace was the Emperor of Excess, we don’t get often a chance to witness such extravagance (except for historical movies about Louis’ Versailles, Cleopatra’s Egypt, etc.).

Steven Soderbergh directed Behind the Candelabra in the smart and economical way he uses to elevate genre films like Side Effects, Haywire and Magic Mike.  Rob Lowe is hilarious as a 70s Dr. Feelgood plastic surgeon to the stars.

There’s not that much to Behind the Candelabra, but it is entertaining.  If you were missing Liberace, Michael Douglas definitely brings him back to life. 

DVD of the Week: Haywire

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One of the first 2012 releases, Haywire is a rockem sockem spy action thriller by Steven Soderbergh, starring Gina Carano.  I was not familiar with Gina Carano, who is an accomplished star of mixed martial arts.  Haywire is a vehicle seeking to launch her as an action film star.  And why not, for she is attractive (with “real girl”, not Hollywood, looks), well-endowed and can kick ass?  She can, after all, kick ass for real, not just pretend to in a movie.

As an actor, Carano is plenty good enough.  She’s way better than Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan and the Rock, and is at least as good as Schwarzenegger.  And, when she beats up a swat team, it is believable (and fun).

Soderbergh is always interesting, as he moves between high brow/arty (sex lies and videotape, The Good German) and lowbrow/popular (Ocean’s Twelve, Contagion).  Here he takes an inexperienced leading woman and an unremarkable story and makes the most of it.  It’s a good watch.

Soderbergh delivers fast pacing and great locations (Barcelona, Dublin, New Mexico).  Soderbergh and Carano benefit from a top rate cast:  Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Michael Angarano and Bill Paxton.  Overall, it’s good entertainment and, for once,  I’m actually looking forward to the sequels.

Haywire: an action star is born

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One of the first 2012 releases, Haywire is a rockem sockem spy action thriller by Steven Soderbergh, starring Gina Carano.  I was not familiar with Gina Carano, who is an accomplished star of mixed martial arts.  Haywire is a vehicle seeking to launch her as an action film star.  And why not, for she is attractive (with “real girl”, not Hollywood, looks), well-endowed and can kick ass?  She can, after all, kick ass for real, not just pretend to in a movie.

As an actor, Carano is plenty good enough.  She’s way better than Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan and the Rock, and is at least as good as Schwarzenegger.  And, when she beats up a swat team, it is believable (and fun).

Soderbergh is always interesting, as he moves between high brow/arty (sex lies and videotape, The Good German) and lowbrow/popular (Ocean’s Twelve, Contagion).  Here he takes an inexperienced leading woman and an unremarkable story and makes the most of it.  It’s a good watch.

Soderbergh delivers fast pacing and great locations (Barcelona, Dublin, New Mexico).  Soderbergh and Carano benefit from a top rate cast:  Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Michael Angarano and Bill Paxton.  Overall, it’s good entertainment and, for once,  I’m actually looking forward to the sequels.

 

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

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Again, Oliver Stone makes the movie equivalent of one of those glossy fashion editions – kinda fun to page through, but really nothing there.  But it is glossy.

Stone sets this drama at the onset of the 2008 financial collapse, but really doesn’t have anything much to say about it, other than Josh Brolin’s character is an especially bad man.

Here’s what really ticks me off (modest SPOILER in this paragraph only).  The screenplay keeps raising the issue of moral hazard (whether to bail out people from the consequences of risks that they knew they were taking).  Yet, at the end, the two flawed main characters each get exactly what they wanted at the beginning of the film despite making risky or evil choices throughout.  The movie’s payoff (things will turn out OK no matter how badly or foolishly you behave) is exactly opposite of the movie’s sermonette.

Michael Douglas is excellent in another delicious turn as Gordon Gekko, but he isn’t the main character.  The protagonist is played by Shia LaBeouf. Will someone explain to me why Shia LaBeouf seems to be a movie star?  I just can’t figure it out.

Once again, Carey Mulligan is good as the moral center of the story.  Unfortunately, the power of her performance is undermined by the improbable and inconsistent happy ending.

Another problem is Stone’s use of nuclear fusion as an example of renewable energy that would save the planet if the bad money guys would only invest.  There are very promising alternatives in renewable energy, but fusion ain’t one of them.  It’s an insult to folks who are serious about being Green.

New Trailers: Wall Street and Funny Story

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First, the big Hollywood release Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps:  I wasn’t a huge fan of Wall Street, and I’m not a fan of Shia LaBeouf, but this trailer makes the sequel look really good.  Having Carey Mulligan helps.  Michael Douglas’ fine performance in Solitary Man looks to be an excellent tuneup for another turn as Gordon Gekko. Releases September 24.

And now the indie It’s Kind of a Funny Story. It’s a dark comedy set in a locked psychiatric facility by Directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson, Sugar).  It’s hard for me to find humor in psych wards, but I found the trailer to be winning.  Keir Gilchrist stars with Zach Galifianakis and the very promising Emma Roberts.  Also releases September 24.

Solitary Man

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Solitary Man: Michael Douglas plays a man whose selfishness and charm know no bounds, and whose impulsiveness drives him into spiraling self-destructiveness.   Douglas’ performance  keeps us caring about this unattractive character and there is humor in his comeuppances.  Mary-Louise Parker, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Jenna Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg and Olivia Thirlby round out the excellent cast.