Program – Wit and Wisdom of Mia Wallace

Three tomatoes are walking down the street - a poppa tomato, a momma tomato, and a little baby tomato. Baby tomato lags behind. Poppa tomato gets angry, goes over to the baby tomato and smooshes him - and says, "Catch up."

So it's time to catch up -- maybe in chronological order.

It really is a beautiful movie. Made in occupied France, in black and white, Jean Cocteau's "Beauty and the Beast" (French) isn't a children's movie. It is a fairy tale, and if you saw the animated musical, you'll get it.

Cocteau adapted his novel, "Les Enfants Terribles" (French) for the screen. Jean Pierre Melville produced and directed it. Melville made a variety of movies before he specialized in gangster and war movies. "Les Enfants Terribles" is stylized and poetic. Classic.

To keep the deal rolling, you'll find Melville featured in Godard's first full-length movie, the masterpiece, "Breathless" (French). It's been 50 years since this was released. Melville allegedly suggested to Godard the "jump cut" technique that is still fresh. "Breathless" is so cool. You don't like these people, but you want to hang out with them.

Arturo Ripstein's "La Perdicion de los Hombres" (Spanish) is the last movie he directed that is on American dvd. Ripstein who also directed "Deep Crimson" (Spanish) is a mainstream Mexican moviemaker. "La Perdicion de los Hombres" looks like an low budget eastern European movie. It moves a little slowly, a little strangely. By the third act, the movie opens up and moves you.

"Zombieland" is a nice road comedy zombie movie. Charming young people. Kind of reminded me of the 1980's movie, "Night of the Comet". It features Woody Harrelson. It has a fun cameo by Bill "Groundhog Day - Ghostbustin' ass" Murray.

"The Ghost Writer" is the latest from Roman Polanski. It's good Roman Polanski, not perfect Roman Polanski. If you choose to watch Roman Polanski movies, you can watch this. It won't change your life or anything, but it's well made.