When creating a great action or science fiction film or both, the filmmakers can make a choice. They can choose the blue pill: a film loaded with mindless action that will last a week sitting high in the box office. Or they can choose the red pill: try something different regarding plot and effects that will last in our memories forever. The Wachowski brothers managed to piece together an action movie that addressed the question of our existence. Whether or not this is a serious question about our existence, it is an interesting take that makes the audience think.
The plot on the surface is nothing too special: ordinary man discovers he is destined for great things, struggles to develop, until ultimately realizing his purpose and potential. If you think about it, this plot is sorely overdone. However, the added element of science fiction allows the mind to wander with imaginative guidance by the premise of the film.
The films most memorable sequences come in the action scenes as we get to see special effects never applied to the screen before. The slow motion and bullet dodging is something you don't forget the first time you see it. Conclusion: Watch It
What a long movie. I have nothing whatsoever against longer movies; however, there are times when it is unnecessary. Unfortunately, this is one of those instances. A rather beautiful story that follows a media mogul approaching death and his daughter's relationship with a man she met from a coffee shop. The curve that is thrown is that the man, a charming and charismatic young fellow, is killed after he says goodbye to the mogul's daughter. What comes after death? Regarding this movie, the better question is to ask what comes before death?
Bill Parrish, the media mogul played by Anthony Hopkins, is neither dislikable nor likable, so immediately there is a dilemma regarding character development. Perhaps the face that people have come to associate with the psychotic cannibal Hannibal Lecter is not one that should be used in a film where we have to believe the father is a noble and charming person who has led a complete life. This is my only complaint, and it can be dismissed. The man in the coffee shop, played by Brad Pitt, does have and immediate clumsy charm about him once he appears on the screen. His little flirty interaction with Susan Parrish, Bill's daughter, is brief but heartfelt by two young people seeking love and company. As the two leave (we notice that they didn't even introduce themselves), they look back at each other several times, unfortunately missing eye contact on each turn back. The man realizes he must do something, only to be struck down by a taxi. Oh what could have been.
The movie then takes a regretful turn as the story heads back to Bill's business life. Unexpectedly, the man from the coffee shop enters Bill's life, but it is not the same man that Susan fell for. Instead, it is death personified by the man, coming for Mr. Parrish. In exchange for guidance, death gives Parrish more time. The seemingly singular reason as to why Bill does not want to leave the world behind is the reputation of his business as his own. Death personified, who we come to call Joe Black, leads an awkward existence as he sticks by Parrish's side for a majority of the movie, including when Bill needs to handle business. As Bill realizes that he has been mutinied, he accepts his fate as he declares he is ready for death. Joe Black somehow manages to restore the business under Parrish's name before the witching hour. So why was the glacially slow storyline of the business necessary?
I would say that the only significant part of the Joe Black-Bill Parrish storyline is Joe's interaction with Susan. Don't get me wrong, this is the a very significant part of the story, one that movies are made of. Joe, or death, learns little from his interaction with Bill; however, he learns to love Susan. This love that cannot be teaches Joe a lesson of life as he debates on whether or not to take Susan with him, a sort of Hades-Persephone relationship with mutual affection. However, in the end, Joe doesn't condemn Susan to the afterlife through love, because true love is limiting one's needs to satisfy the partner's needs. As death learns this lesson and takes Bill's life, he returns the man in the coffee shop to Susan, an ultimate sign of love. Since death could not live with Susan, he did the one thing he could do to make her life happy. Conclusion: Worth A Watch
Saving Private Ryan is a celebration of superb cinematic prowess. It features everything in a great film: strong character development, recognition of the past, entertainment, special effects intended to create a better viewing experience, and a powerful story.
I'm sure that many people remember the cinematic year of 1998. Cinema managed to put a slew of excellent movies on the screen, highlighted by Saving Private Ryan and Life is Beautiful, which both observed the past. The travesty that I don't think the Academy can ever redeem itself for is that neither film won Best Picture. Instead nine Oscars were inexplicably handed to the cast and crew of Shakespeare in Love. I'm not going to sit here and knock on that terrible movie in this post. Instead, I am going to convince why this was a travesty and why exactly it was committed.
Steven Spielberg's second best film had his directorial hand's fingerprints all over it. Effects added to a better visual experience and strong acting performances by Tom Hanks and Matt Damon made it possible for the audience to have an emotional connection and sympathize with the soldiers. The idea of a group of men risking their lives to save one man creates a story full of key decisions that all guide to the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal of this film was to remind us all of sacrifice, especially the sacrifice made by the men who fell on the beaches of Normandy.
Perhaps the film did too great of a job reminding the audience about D-Day. Survivors who attended the premiere in theaters left in tears after the opening scene due to its gratuitous violence which created the most realistic reenactment of the battle ever set to film. Due to the general knowledge of the graphic violence, many people were drawn away from watching the film altogether. Including members of the Academy. This is the first step where they went wrong. The next fatal flaw was that members of the audience watched Gwyneth Paltrow's Shakespeare in Love. Paltrow's father, a member of the Academy, showed the movie to many other people in order to promote his daughter. And hey, it worked.
Saving Private Ryan should have won Best Picture. There is nothing the Academy can do to redeem itself now; however, we can all do the film and our history its due justice by watching this masterpiece. Conclusion: Must See
Fargo is a Coen brothers classic. It has everything a good Coen movie should have: dark humor, gratuitous violence, a complex yet silly plot, and Frances McDormand.
The story follows car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's complex scheme to have his wife kidnapped in order to indirectly collect the ransom. The two henchmen set up to do the kidnapping are polar opposites, one is a squirmy and talkative fellow while the other is an essentially mute and cold muscle. Lundegaard is painfully awkward while the protagonist Marge Gunderson, the officer set on their trail, is witty and clever. The story is then weaved together and sent to the woodchipper, leaving the audience with an experience of something different.
Naturally, Joel Coen's wife McDormand had to have a flattering role as an intelligent and likable character; however, Frances' performance really added more to her character. Whether it's her goofy midwestern accent or the exaggerated facial expressions she makes, she becomes the unlikely protagonist to lead such a well written story.
William H. Macy's Jerry Lundegaard is a painfully awkward and unlikeable character to be stepped on. If he was a bit smarter or had a bit more of a spine, the audience would likely have been more inclined to sympathize with him. Instead, the shy Lundegaard becomes a character who fouls up the entire situation, setting an intriguing story into action.
Fargo is a drama heavily highlighted with dark humor. It is well written, directed and performed, making it one of the best films the Coen brothers have ever put to screen. Conclusion: Watch It
Very rarely do you find a film that is as good if not better than its predecessor. Even more rare is a sequel that delivers upon expectations when made by a different director. Aliens essentially delivered on everything that a science fiction sequel with a higher budget and an established fan base should: more aliens.
Aliens is bigger and badder than the first. Though many sequels will be tempted to draw away from plot, the original had so much set up that could be continued upon. For a start, an iconic movie monster had already been established and a cliffhanger had been left. What happens to Ripley after she is jettisoned into space? Well, she is naturally found in the vast and immeasurable expanse that is space and naturally, the planet that had the alien has now been colonized. And naturally, that monster has spread and established a colony and hive, like killer bees feeding on the colorful flower of mankind.
The second film took more time to develop and look into the characters. While a crew of army marines may have the look of any other action film, the connection that they all share is vital to their survival. The acting isn't there, but the chemistry is. Ripley's relationship with the orphan Newt creates for a mother-daughter relationship without any element of romance from a significant other male character, a nice touch to a film driven by its action.
The first rated-R film that I ever saw, Aliens delivered with action more action than its predecessor while also maximizing the potential of the franchise's original monster. Conclusion: Watch It
Back to the Future is a fantastical thrill ride that lets the mind wander in one of the more fun and intelligent manners ever put to the silver screen. The premise of time travel makes what is bound to be a great movie. The story and filmmakers make the movie even better.
The story follows Marty McFly, son of George and Lorraine McFly. After setting up the film, we see that George is bullied by Biff and that's how it has been for quite some time. Since high school as a matter of fact. So, when Marty looks to forget about life at home, he goes off to check on his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. Doc is always working on some experiment, but one day, he has an impressive time machine set up in a Delorian. The background is set up for a wonderful and fantastic film.
The ensuing time travel sees a brutally awkward crush, younger parents, and a school dance. Marty's existence in the past causes problems, so while he is there, he needs to make things right. I wouldn't necessarily say that Michael J. Fox's acting performance is brilliant, but it is delightful and one to remember as it is a career defining role. Christopher Lloyd's performance as Doc is equally delightful as Lloyd is as goofy as possible without being plain silly. Zemeckis' direction and use of special effects to help enhance the viewing experience adds more to the wonder of this film.
The first chapter of an excellent saga is one for all to enjoy. If you and your family have not seen this film yet, I definitely recommend that you see it as soon as possible. Conclusion: Must See
Simply put, Alien is a classic thriller. It draws you in the entire length of the film and it refuses to let go. Without much introduction, the viewer wakes up to the screen just as the characters wake up to a desolate space ship. As the crew slowly regains consciousness and realize there purpose and goal, they come across a deserted planet and a crashed spaceship on its surface. For the crew, everything takes a turn for the worse.
Once the alien face hugger latches on to a crew member and holds the host hostage with acid blood and a python-like grip, no one knows what will happen next. After the face hugger detaches itself, all seems well, but then hell breaks loose once an alien bursts from the chest of the victim and escapes into the depths of the ship. What now?
The rest of the film is a claustrophobic thriller as each crew member is slowly picked off by the xenomorph. The audience doesn't know much about the alien till the end, but honestly, we don't have to know much. We know of its acts and its disregard for humans as it acts on animal instinct. And we are oh so scared of it.
One part of this film that I thought was thoroughly interesting was the social commentary of the alien. the entire process of birthing the alien is quite similar to the act of rape. This social commentary creates such a brutal, disgusting, and vile picture and representation of rape, which serves its purpose to leave a bad taste in the audience's mouth.
If you haven't seen this film, you must watch it. It is intelligent and well made and unrelenting in its representation of a monster. Conclusion: Must See
