Saturday, October 19, 2013

Nos. 96, 95, 93, 92

OK. Got a little behind. Here's my thoughts on the last few I've watched:

No. 96: "Do the Right Thing"
Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Didn't really get it.

No. 95: "The Last Picture Show"
Actually kinda liked this one.  Don't really see why it's supposed to be one of the best movies of all time, but that's just me.

No. 94 is "Pulp Fiction," which I have seen but will watch again for this. I accidentally got out of order, though.

No. 93: "The French Connection"
Again, I don't get it. It was OK. No characters to connect with, very little dialogue, and an abrupt and anticlimactic ending. Maybe I'm more into mainstream action flicks than I realized.

No. 92: "Goodfellas"
Accidentally watched this a couple months ago forgetting it was on this list, and I most certainly will not be watching it again. Ever. If I had wanted to listen to 2 1/2 hours of Ray Liotta saying the same things over and over again, I would have found a YouTube channel and looped it. The only thing I appreciated was this movie explaining to me what a "made man" is, which I'd been wondering since my brief stint playing Mafia Wars.

So, recap: next up in "Pulp Fiction," followed by "Sophie's Choice."

Saturday, January 19, 2013

There will be no more country for old men with all this blood

I have been trying to fill in gaps in my cinematic education, and two films that were much talked about upon their releases, "There Will Be Blood" and "No Country For Old Men," were two such gaps. I don't know why I always associate the two in my mind, but I do. Both came out when I was in college, when free time was touch-and-go. Apparently they both happened upon a no-go period. I watched both recently. "No Country For Old Men" I not only appreciated, I enjoyed. The ending is a bit unsatisfying, but, the journey was interesting, the performances compelling and the film well made. For "There Will Be Blood," however, I got no enjoyment from the film. I can appreciate Daniel Day Lewis's brilliance as an actor. I can appreciate the filmmaking. But that doesn't mean I enjoyed it. Not even a little. You can't ask me to sit through 2.5 hours of the least-redeemable douchebag ever caught on screen (Plainview) and enjoy it. My friend Brian Anderberg sums it up better than I could: "That guy made me hate milkshakes."

Thursday, July 19, 2012

No. 97: Blade Runner

It's hard to believe, but the era of 1982's sci-fi film "Blade Runner" is upon us. Set in 2019, what is now considered a cult classic can be described with many the same words we use to describe most futuristic science fiction works: "dystopian," "dark," and, at times, "really friggin' weird." In a Hollywood inundated with science fiction/action/"stick-it-to-the-man" themes, why should someone dig out a film from 30 years ago? Well. For one, I'm guessing this film is the reason for some of the basic tropes we see in our generation's sci-fi flicks. For two, it's also loosely based off the novel, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" which in my opinion, makes it worth anyone's attention. The film follows Rick Deckard (Han Solo-era Harrison Ford), a "Blade Runner." They're like cops, except all they do is track down robots, er, replicants. See, in the future (which is sorta now), big corporations created replicants of human beings. They look, sound, and act like humans. But, due to Matrix-like issues, their use on Earth was banned, so it is the job of the Blade Runners to find them and "retire" them. Deckard, who was a superstar of the Blade Runner community, is recruited to track down four specific replicants. He's not told why, just that if he doesn't, he'll die. This serves as sufficient motivation for him. As usual, there's more going on than just what the powers that be are telling, and, as usual, it's up to our hero to figure out what that is. It's like "I, Robot," except with a plot in place of 2,000 explosions. Though it uses what have become staples of the science fiction genre – cars that fly, voice-activated everything, etc. – "Blade Runner" also has a few things that help it transcend the typical robot film. As previously mentioned, a complex plot. Suspense. Interesting characters. And a fantastic creep factor with the replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer). It's not a fast-moving film. And while the setting and plot points place it firmly in the science fiction genre, the thoughtful frames, suspense build-up and trench coats give it nuances of noir. More "Dragnet" than "Dr. Who." Deckard says little and thinks a lot, which doesn't always work well on the big screen, but Ford has the gravitas to pull it off. The relationship between him and Rachael is a little abrupt, and there are elements of it I find troublesome, but it's not a deal breaker. And Hauer brings both a viciousness and a vulnerability to Batty that makes him seem, less, well, batty. Watching this film in the 21st century in some ways might diminish the originality of "Blade Runner." However, director Ridley Scott's filming and casting have cemented it as more than just a cult classic - it's a quality film.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Yankee Doodle Candy (No. 98: Yankee Doodle Dandy)

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" is the story of George M. Cohan, a celebrated playwright, composer, producer, actor/singer/dancer during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Cohan penned the well-known American patriotic tunes "You're A Grand Old Flag" and, of course, "The Yankee Doodle Boy." He was hugely instrumental in the worlds of music, theater, and was the first entertainer to receive a Congressional Gold Medal from the president. So, while it is fitting that this man's story be told through a musical film, I have to admit, it did not always hold my attention. The story is told, theoretically, from Cohan's (James Cagney) perspective as he talks to President FDR, about how he got started with his parents and continued a lifetime in vaudeville, Broadway, and show business. He starts out as a cocky, downright obnoxious kid who gets himself blacklisted from the theater world. Then, suddenly, he turns into a decent guy who learns how to have a career without trying to be the center of the universe. The film shows the change as it does everything else - briefly, and without much exploration. The film covers a lot of ground in two hours, from the boy's birth to nearly the end of his life, fraught with musical numbers and rapid-fire dialogue the entire way. In truth, it's more a celebration of Cohan's talents than his life, as it spends far more time showcasing as many songs as it can from his repertoire of some 500 numbers than delving too deeply into the man himself. You get glimpses of his love and loyalty to his family, his need to be on stage, his quirky sense of humor, but only in between curtain calls. Maybe that also is fitting – a man as dedicated to the stage as Cohan probably only lived life in the margins, second billing, in between shows. If you like musicals, vaudeville, Broadway, or even just old Hollywood, this film will entertain you. It doesn't have any one piece that stands out, but it has a little bit of everything - some singing, some dancing, some humor, some drama, and even a few poignant comments about patriotism and family that are just as relevant now as they were during World War II.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

"To infinity...and beyond!" (No. 99: Toy Story)

Seventeen years ago, (yes, 17...it made me sad, as well) Disney joined forces with a little-known company called Pixar to create the first fully computer-animated feature-length film. Forgive me for being dramatic, but, in that endeavor, a star was born. Several stars, in fact.
"Toy Story" was released in 1995, and is one of the first films I remember going to see in the theater. I have only seen it a handful of times since then, but I'm not being dramatic when I say it changed the film industry and influenced an entire generation with its style, humor, and catchphrases like, "That's not flying – that's falling with style!" Maybe more than one generation.
As a kid, I loved it because it was funny, it was fast-paced, it was something different, and it created characters every kid my age could believe in. I'd always wanted to believe that animals and stuffed teddy bears could talk – this movie helped keep the dream alive for a few more years.
Watching it for the first time as an adult, I only appreciated it more. First of all, I appreciate more the influence it has had on the film industry. Secondly, I appreciate the first film as a labor of love, rather than the "Toy Story" franchise Disney has marketed to death. But, mostly, I appreciate the film.
The characters are hilarious and empathetic. The writing is fantastic. The villain, Sid, who traumatized my entire generation, is still fairly creepy and more than a little disturbing.
Another fun thing for adult viewers are all the little extra "inside jokes" Pixar puts into its films. I don't want to give anything away, but, if you're paying attention, you'll see them.
To me, that's what makes a family or "children's" movie timeless – when it is as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. Like the Genie in "Aladdin" or Cogsworth in "Beauty and the Beast." It's funny when you're a kid, and even funnier when you're an adult and realize you didn't completely get it as a kid. "Toy Story" does that – it transcends. Nostalgia aside, the film creates a world filled with fun and color and action, a little bit of danger, and a lot of laughs. And some great lines. Next up: "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

No. 100: Ben Hur

I made it. I found 3 1/2 consecutive hours to get this project started, and, we're off to a grand start, with the 1959 epic film (no, really...it's an epic) "Ben Hur."
Let me begin by making a shameful confession. This is the first time, as far as I can remember (and I'm pretty sure I'd remember) watching this entire film at once.
I went in with a certain amount of fear and trepidation after getting Disc 1 and Disc 2 and thinking that frankly, if you can't fit it on one disc, it's just too dang long.
Other than the fact that my leg is cramping from being in one position for almost four hours, the film did make me re-think my initial assessment.
For one thing, the film made me miss the true epics. It reminded me that there are films that truly are epic, unlike most of the epic fails that have been churned out in the last few years.
It starts out showcasing a bit of the grandeur of the Roman Empire at its zenith, right at the birth of Christ. We then jump to the beginning of the command of Messala in Jerusalem. He and his old friend Judah Ben-Hur are overjoyed to be reunited, until they realize that as adults, Messala being a patriotic Roman and Judah being a loyal Jew means they can't be friends.
After Messala falsely accuses Judah of a crime and imprisons not only him, but his mother and sister, Ben-Hur vows vengeance.
By several miracles, he winds up not only surviving his slavery, but coming back to Jerusalem as a free man - with one thought in mind: find his family, and kill Messala.
I wish I could watch this the way it was meant to be seen, on a huge screen with the right film, etc. Still, on my old TV, it's impressive. The sets, the scenery, the costumes, the characters. It starts out a little slow, a little hard to relate to because it's so stylized and so different from how we relate to characters in modern films. But, it doesn't take long before it draws you in. I wanted to know what was going to happen. I felt invested. Was it hard to see what was coming next? No, not especially. It's still fun to watch it happen, though.
Most notable is, of course, the famed chariot race. Many smarter than I have expounded upon it, so let me just say, it is intense. There's no music. There's no dialogue. There's no extreme close-ups of the hero's or the villain's nose hairs or furrowed brows or sweaty palms to try to generate a response. You just watch this race take place and hope that someone makes it out alive. It doesn't matter that the stunts aren't as "sophisticated" as today's - when a driver got dumped out of his chariot and trampled, I cringed. Each time a driver went down, I leaned forward to make sure the ambulance crew got in and out with the injured person in time. It's a true action sequence. It's fantastic.
I also love the character of Esther. Unlike many female characters in films like these, she's neither a flailing damsel in distress nor a femme fatale. Esther is beautiful, chaste, composed, and incredibly strong, brave and faithful. Despite her constant goodness, she too recognizes her need to be redeemed - and embraces it.
But ultimately, this is a story about Jesus, not Judah Ben-Hur. Oh, sure, Jesus is only in a few scenes and we never actually see his face - but he determines the entire direction of the film. It is Jesus who brings Judah back to Jerusalem. Judah and his entire family are changed by Jesus and his gruesome death and life-giving words. William Wyler could have chose to make the film more directly about Jesus, but instead he gives us a character with which to relate, who is flawed and angry and, at times, a little selfish and stupid.
More than 50 years after its release, "Ben Hur" is still heralded as one of the best and "most inspirational" films of all time. It may be long, but maybe that's one of the things that makes it inspirational. Any film that can hold my attention for 3 1/2 hours deserves all the acclaim it can receive.

Next up: "Toy Story"

Monday, February 13, 2012

Cinematic Adventure

I have decided.

Since I don't seem to get to the theater much these days, and when I do the film has already been out for at least a month everywhere else (thanks, Ogallala), I am switching gears. Rather than write film reviews in a non-timely manner, both in terms of release dates and the time lapses in between blogs, I'm going on a quest. An adventure, if you will. A cinematic adventure.

Ok, it's not really that exciting, but, it is a project. I'm going to go through the American Film Institute's Top 100 films of all time*, and the plan is to write a review on each of the films as I go.

I'm doing this for two main reasons: One, my life is very boring right now and I need things to do besides work and organize my Netflix queue. Two, there are a great many landmark films that I have not seen, and, since I have this blog, I figure I should educate myself. I realize the list is by no means comprehensive, but, it's a starting point.

I'm estimating this will take me about a year to get through...although, the first film on the list is Ben Hur, and it's been sitting on my TV for more than a week as I attempt to figure out where I'm going to find four hours to dedicate to viewing it properly.

So, that's it. Join me if you like, and we can discuss as we go. Happy viewing!
1 CITIZEN KANE 1941
 2 THE GODFATHER 1972
 3 CASABLANCA 1942
 4 RAGING BULL 1980
 5 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 1952
 6 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
 7 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
 8 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993
 9 VERTIGO 1958
 10 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
 11 CITY LIGHTS 1931
 12 THE SEARCHERS 1956
 13 STAR WARS 1977
 14 PSYCHO 1960
 15 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
 16 SUNSET BLVD. 1950
 17 THE GRADUATE 1967
 18 THE GENERAL 1927
 19 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954
 20 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
 21 CHINATOWN 1974
 22 SOME LIKE IT HOT 1959
 23 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940
 24 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
 25 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962
 26 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939
 27 HIGH NOON 1952
 28 ALL ABOUT EVE 1950
 29 DOUBLE INDEMNITY 1944
 30 APOCALYPSE NOW 1979
 31 THE MALTESE FALCON 1941
 32 THE GODFATHER PART II 1974
 33 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975
 34 SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 1937
 35 ANNIE HALL 1977
 36 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957
 37 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946
 38 THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE 1948
 39 DR. STRANGELOVE 1964
 40 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965
 41 KING KONG 1933
 42 BONNIE AND CLYDE 1967
 43 MIDNIGHT COWBOY 1969
 44 THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 1940
 45 SHANE 1953
 46 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 1934
 47 A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 1951
 48 REAR WINDOW 1954
 49 INTOLERANCE 1916
 50 THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING 2001
 51 WEST SIDE STORY 1961
 52 TAXI DRIVER 1976
 53 THE DEER HUNTER 1978
 54 M*A*S*H 1970
 55 NORTH BY NORTHWEST 1959
 56 JAWS 1975
 57 ROCKY 1976
 58 THE GOLD RUSH 1925
 59 NASHVILLE 1975
 60 DUCK SOUP 1933
 61 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 1941
 62 AMERICAN GRAFFITI 1973
 63 CABARET 1972
 64 NETWORK 1976
 65 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951
 66 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 1981
 67 WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? 1966
 68 UNFORGIVEN 1992
 69 TOOTSIE 1982
 70 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE 1971
 71 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
 72 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
 73 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID 1969
 74 THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 1991
 75 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967
 76 FORREST GUMP 1994
 77 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976
 78 MODERN TIMES 1936
 79 THE WILD BUNCH 1969
 80 THE APARTMENT 1960
 81 SPARTACUS 1960
 82 SUNRISE 1927
 83 TITANIC 1997
 84 EASY RIDER 1969
 85 A NIGHT AT THE OPERA 1935
 86 PLATOON 1986
 87 12 ANGRY MEN 1957
 88 BRINGING UP BABY 1938
 89 THE SIXTH SENSE 1999
 90 SWING TIME 1936
 91 SOPHIE'S CHOICE 1982
 92 GOODFELLAS 1990
 93 THE FRENCH CONNECTION 1971
 94 PULP FICTION 1994
 95 THE LAST PICTURE SHOW 1971
 96 DO THE RIGHT THING 1989
 97 BLADE RUNNER 1982
 98 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942
 99 TOY STORY 1995
100 BEN-HUR 1959