It's a quiet week for new studio releases. "Cadillac Records" is reasonably entertaining, given a high-profile cast that includes Jeffrey Wright (above right) as Muddy Waters, Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, and Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and it's great that the film lets the actors sing (and well) without resort to lipsyncery. But Beyonce Knowles ain't no Etta James (for that, see the bottom of this entry), and the fact that there's only one Chess brother here (Adrien Brody as Leonard, above left; Phil Chess apparently refused to be involved in the production) seriously queers the deal. Chess Records was and still is a major and underacknowledged force in American pop music of the last half century, but "Cadillac Records" gets the music right and no more. Still, decent fun for a night out.
At the MFA, the overview of Russian director Karen Shakhnazarov continues until Saturday. Experimental filmmaker Nathaniel Dorsky turns up at the Harvard Film Archive tonight (Friday) and Saturday, after which the HFA's more-than-necessary Nagisa Oshima retrospective kicks in. Oshima's a great, ballsy, groundbreaking filmmaker who never got the attention that Japan's Big Three (Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu) did. The series starts off with 1983's "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," arguably the second-best movie David Bowie ever made (after "The Man Who Fell to Earth"). Oshima's most notorious film, the proto-porno-art "In the Realm of the Senses" (1976), screens on December 19, but make time next Saturday for the absolutely stunning "Boy" (1969), based on the true story of a couple who involved their young son in traffic accidents for the money. Actually, scan the series and make time for as many of these films as you can; they're impossible to find on video and they're almost all excellent.
Fresh print of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" at the Brattle, in honor of the late, great Mr. Newman.
Before I leave you, allow me to share the glory that is the real Etta James, from a 1966 TV show. Beyonce -- sorry, honey -- you just ain't worthy.
