The Secrets

The Secrets has a certain kind of exotic appeal. Any movie that deals with Jewish mystical rituals as well as women going against the grain in a male dominated society already has an uphill climb. Suffice it to say that those who stick with The Secrets will be rewarded before the movies end, but it's not the kind of reward that gets you into heaven.
The Secrets (Ha-Sodot) is a 2007 Israeli film that centers on two women going through an awakening in their lives. One, Noemi (Ania Bukstein) has just lost her mother and her rabbi father wants her to wed immediatly. Noemi asks to attend a women's seminary in the city of Safed (birthplace of the Kabala). Here she meets Michelle (Michal Shtamler) who rebels at rules like smoking in the room, and brings a European sensibility along with her tall, dark and beautiful nature. Noemi herself has mesmerizing eyes to go with her enchanting natural beauty.
The duo bond when they start helping an older French woman with a terminal disease (Fanny Ardant who adds another dimension to the film as Anouk) who seems to be stuck in the elevated city. There's also a cool dude who while very orthodox has the ability to charm with his klezmer music along with some other members of the school who seem like stereotypic characters (the heavy set chick, the patient teacher). Soon Noemi and Michelle are helping Anouk go through a series of religious cleansing rituals, some of them banned to women. One scene where they bathe nude in holy waters sets the tone for a salacious plot twist.
The Secrets has lofty ideals and for the most part achieves what it wants. It's a tale of women rebelling against the status quo and the sharp production values (particularly photography and set design) lend credence to areas where the plot launches into melodrama. That Noemi and Michelle become lovers isn't a surprise. Even though the story is set in the present, there are no tell tale signs (like cultural artifacts or cars or dress) that indicate the story couldn't be taking place a decade ago.

As for Buzz

When I was growing up in San Antonio, during the first season of Star Trek I watched it religiously. The episode The Menagerie was a two-parter and the second part was on Thanksgiving evening. Star Trek was on NBC at 7:30 and the CBS Evening Movie that night, Jason and the Argonauts, was at 8 pm.
My cousin Buzz was visiting and my Mom said he could determine what we watched on television that night since he was a guest. Natch, Buzz wanted to watch Jason and the Argonauts, so I had to miss the last half hour of that particular episode, which if you know Star Trek was one of the best ever. It introduced Commander Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) and used footage from the original unaired pilot of Star Trek. It took forever until I was able to see the conclusion. Remember in the mid-60s there was no DVD, video on demand or recording devices to capture such electronic signals.
As for Buzz, never heard from him again.

Lauren Bacall @ River Oaks Three

On Wednesday evening, March 11, Lauren Bacall will make an appearance at the Landmark River Oaks Three movie theater. The evening starts with a screening of To Have and Have Not at 6:30 followed by a Q&A with Ms. Bacall.





Popular movie lore has a young Andy Williams dubbing Bacall's voice in the above clip. Starring Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, directed by Howard Hawks and scripted by William Faulkner, based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway, the movie with its war torn melodrama actually gets better with age. Bacall was married to Bogart until his death in 1957.
The event is part of the Brilliant Lecture Series and tickets are $65. For more info call 713 974 1335.