Shariq’s Département

Going in to see Ron Howard’s “Frost/Nixon”, I was a little skeptical.  Ron Howard has never been one of my favourite directors.  He has had a historical tendency to simplify stories and sugarcoat them, as he did in “A Beautiful Mind”.  So I wasn’t expecting too much from this new movie, but something was drawing me to see it.

First of all let me say that the movie is absolutely fantastic.  Even if you have no affinity for Nixon at all, the script is marvelous, maintaining constant tension as the two counterpunchers attempt to get the best of each other, and their initial successes go against our preconceptions of them, and away from the way we want history to go.  So when Frost (played by a fantastic Micheal Sheen, who, I am afraid, will miss out on another Oscar nomination) finally corners Nixon, there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction that ripples through the audience. 

Frank Langella as Nixon is riveting to watch (and he will get the Oscar nomination).  And here is why the movie is so important to watch right NOW.  Langella, in his portrayal of Nixon, captures the Cheyney-esque approach to power and politics: I’m a bigwig - I deserve the fancy houses and the private golf club memberships; I’m defending what’s right, and I’ll do what it takes to win.  This is the politics of fear, politics for the few and for the rich. 

This portrayal of Nixon’s admission of his failures is poignant and timely as we shift to the new Obama administration on January 20th.  An administration committed to hope and change where everyone can participate in the American dream, not just for a chosen few who got the golf club membership.  This is an amazingly exciting time, as the world and most humans will change dramatically in 2009.

Set the right tone by watching Nixon wallow and dissolve in this fine movie.  Then open a bottle of champagne and celebrate the future and stay positive through all the hiccups that change always brings about.

“Gran Torino” is a parable for our times.  A bitter old man who believes himself to be alone, who believes that the world is out to get him, slowly finds his beliefs shattered.  The so-called others, the chinks, the foreigners, those who are invading his turf and are responsible for all the ills in his life transform into loving, caring neighbours.  He realizes that we are all one, that outside racial characteristics that are different have no bearing on the heart, where true beauty lies.

We are talking, of course, about Clint Eastwood who brings a fusty, Dirty Harry-turned-protect-the-neighborhood-old-man-vigilante to the movie.  He makes racist comments and is a miserable man.  It is only when he allows himself to make gestures of kindness and generosity that he start to feel happy and at peace with himself.  Clint overacts a bit, but thats ok, since the move is interesting, and the ending is a surprise.

The Asian actors who play the neighbours, and whom Clint ends up protecting from street gangs have a certain non-acterly innocence about them, but the young boy, especially, seems like he is really ACTING in a very high school production sort of way.  Also, the script is very deliberate and obvious with 2 minutes scenes designed to define stereotypes - there is very little room for ambiguity or subtlety here.

As a parable, though, the movie still works, and is worth seeing.  As we go through 2009, more of the illusion of separation among the peoples of the world will dissove.  The more we love those who appear to be different from us, the happier we will be, the more fulfilled we will feel in our journies.

Allow yourself to transform and be happy, as grumpy old Clint does in “Gran Torino”.  And indeed he chooses to let go of his prized Gran Torino car, realizing that material possessions are ephemeral and cannot be the basis of our self-worth. 

Kudos to Clint for making the move.  Without his backing it probably would never have been made.

Daniel Boulud’s opulent “DB Brasserie”, facing a magnificent waterfall with multi-colored images and sound, at the Wynn in Las Vegas, is unlike his more muted and reverent restaurants in New York. 

The service is as gracious and solicitous.  Hoever, the food is a hit-or-miss affair.  It can be sublime (my tuna appetizer, picture 1 -a fantastic vitello tonnato with crispy sweetbreads and radishes) or disappointing (my beef main -picture 2, which was very pedestrian  and P.’s salmon main - picture 3, since the texture of the fish was quite slimy, without being silky).  The much-hyped peekytoe crab salad (picture 4) that P. ate was also apparently a bit bland - it didn’t stand out.

Overall, though, this one-Michelin star effort is a very romantic experience, with the view.  P. got to celebrate his birthday again! (picture 5).  The wine from Provence (picture 6), an unusual 1999 vintage, was an excellent choice and set the tone for a French brasserie evening, where, as most of you know who have been to Paris, expect the unexpected.