Fireproof (2008)

Tags

Drama, Family

Caleb Holt’s a firefighter

Choosing work and overnighters

Over Catherine, his own wife,

Who seems to him a cross backbiter.

Quick to nag him and berate,

She seems to not appreciate

That every day he risks his life.

He’s sick of having still to fight her.

 

She in turn believes him rude,

Quick to scorn her and exclude.

Plus, he has a porn addiction

And a surly attitude.

Every time they both are present,

Both can’t help but be unpleasant.

Marriage offers naught but friction

And a never-ending feud.

 

Both agree that their best course

Would be to file for divorce,

But Caleb’s father tells his son

To wait, or there will be remorse.

He hawks a forty-day affair,

The marriage-salvaging Love Dare.

He says to follow it till done,

And it may be a changing force.

 

Caleb does it, day by day,

Resisting nasty things to say,

Buying flowers, doing chores,

And hating it in every way.

His sudden change may be too late.

Again, she can’t appreciate

His “loving” work, which she ignores,

Assuming it’s a greedy play.

 

Caleb’s soon prepared to quit,

Not seeing any point to it.

He’s simply going through the motions,

Which his dad helps him admit.

His father’s counsel brings him toward

A closer friendship with the Lord,

Which changes Caleb’s selfish notions,

Helping him to now commit.

 

Still fighting every risky blaze,

He tries for real for several days.

He kicks his nightly porn obsession,

Proving this is not a phase.

He tells off Catherine’s friend at work,

A suitor and potential jerk.

As kindness comes in quick succession,

Catherine’s floored by Caleb’s ways.

 

When she learns he paid a price

To offer her a sacrifice,

She chooses not to push divorce.

Instead, she hugs and seeks advice.

They both affirm fidelity,

Renewing vows for all to see.

They’ve learned that God is love’s true source,

Who helped them fall in love now twice.

____________________

 

I said at the beginning of this blog that, despite my faith, my list would not be full of usual Christian fare, and Fireproof is the first film so far that could be considered a strictly Christian movie, though A Walk to Remember featured a young girl unashamed of her faith who helped bring a troubled lad closer to God. Still, while that film was more romance with some language to spice it up for secular audiences, Fireproof is a movie made by Christians for Christians, with a soundtrack of current Christian songs and a clear evangelistic message. Those who cannot stand such films may not enjoy Fireproof, but it remains one of the best independent Christian films to date, with some powerful themes and lessons that even non-Christians should be able to appreciate.

I’ll be honest: the acting is not the best. The everyday interactions with people, particularly on the part of Erin Bethea as Catherine Holt, just seem stilted, like they’re all reading a script. On the other hand, the moments between Catherine and Caleb (played by Christian all-star Kirk Cameron) are the most compelling scenes, whether for good or bad. Their arguments sound like real marital strife with both at fault to some extent, and their reconciliation is believably slow to develop, with the final scenes admittedly touching (my parents couldn’t help but tear up). The best character development involves Caleb’s true change, from trashing his porn habit by massacring his computer (I hope there weren’t any important files on there) to admitting he’s on day 43 of his 40-day challenge.

One thing that makes Fireproof impressive is the intense firefighter scenes, including a train barreling toward a crushed car and a close shave in a burning house. The production values are quite high, considering this film was made predominately by volunteers of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Because it is church-sponsored, it has the typical evangelical message that some don’t like, but it’s handled pretty well and doesn’t take up a lot of screen time. Also, considering how many marriages fail each year, the film offers some important messages: a relationship with Jesus can help other relationships too, never leave your partner behind, pornography is destructive, and love is not about feeling but commitment. Thus, even if people out there are wary of overtly Christian films, Fireproof is well-worth seeing.

Best line: (Caleb) “Marriage isn’t fireproof.” (Caleb’s friend Michael) “Fireproof doesn’t mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it.”

 

Artistry: 4

Characters/Actors: 4

Entertainment: 5

Visual Effects: 5

Originality: 7

Watchability: 5

Other (moral value): +3

 

TOTAL: 33 out of 60

 

Next: #281: We Are Marshall

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Puss in Boots (2011)

Tags

Action, Animation, Comedy, Dreamworks, Family

This legend of the Puss in Boots,

Who some may know from Shrek,

Is of a lover and outlaw

Who’s on a lengthy trek.

 

He hears the tale of magic beans

That Jack and Jill will use

To grow and climb the famed beanstalk

And steal the Golden Goose.

 

He tries to steal them from the pair

Of outlaws. Nonetheless,

Another skillful cat with boots

Prevents him from success.

 

They fight with dancing and with swords,

But Puss is shocked to find

He fought one Kitty Softpaws, who

Can swiftly steal him blind.

 

He learns she works for Humpty Dumpty,

Quite a crooked egg,

Who wants his help to steal the beans

And isn’t shy to beg.

 

Puss then tells Kitty of his past:

The egg and he were pals,

Two orphans seeking magic beans

To boost their low morales.

 

Puss was the toast of San Ricardo,

Future looking bright,

But Humpty tricked him into helping

Rob the bank one night.

 

So Puss abandoned him to jail

And has been running since.

The two get Puss to help their plan,

Though he’s hard to convince.

 

They snatch the beans from Jack and Jill

And fly where Humpty knows

They’ll sprout into the tall beanstalk

And up, up, up it grows.

 

They find a golden gosling, plus

A giant unseen beast,

And take the goose back down to earth,

Their fortunes now increased.

 

But Jack and Jill attack that night

And leave Puss all alone.

He follows them to San Ricardo,

Where the truth’s made known.

 

It all so far was Humpty’s plan

For vengeance on his friend,

And everyone from Jack and Jill

To Kitty helped pretend.

 

While Puss in Boots is locked away,

The city celebrates,

For Humpty’s bought it with the gold

The giant goose creates.

 

The goose’s even bigger mom

Attacks, as Humpty’d planned,

But Puss convinces his old friend

To help him save the land.

 

Reuniting mom and child,

Humpty’s death’s implied.

He plummets from the city bridge,

Revealing gold inside.

 

Once San Ricardo’s safe and sound,

Puss gains respect once more.

Though wanted still, both he and Kitty

Seek their next big score.

__________________

 

The Shrek universe got a welcome addition in 2011’s Puss in Boots. It already had a number of memorable characters, such as Donkey, Fiona, Gingy, Prince Charming, and so on, but none deserved their own film like the big-eyed feline that stole the show in Shrek 2. Puss in Boots is an imaginative origin story that plays up the similarity between Puss and Antonio Banderas’s role as Zorro. The Hispanic tone makes the setting feel a little more like the real world, even though no one is surprised at talking feline outlaws or anthropomorphic eggs.

Several more interesting characters are introduced, from the conflicted Humpty Dumpty to the sultry love interest Kitty Softpaws, played by Zach Galifianakis and Salma Hayek, respectively. Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris are also memorable as the pig-loving ruthless killers Jack and Jill. The animation is also marvelous, and the story itself is much more original, intricate, and entertaining than the awful Shrek the Third. Plus, it’s very funny with a number of jokes intended for adults, including a Fight Club reference and even a drug joke.

While there’s nothing really objectionable, I can’t help but feel that the story gets a bit too weird in its imagination. The filmmakers at times fracture the fairytale to the breaking point, so to speak, turning the giant’s castle into a humongous lost world, the Golden Goose into Godzilla, Little Boy Blue into a literal blue-skinned boy, and Jack and Jill into evil hillbillies. Sometimes, the action becomes so frenetic that a blink can cause you to miss something. Still, combining Humpty Dumpty with the Goose that lays the golden eggs was inspired, even if his ultimate fate is rather open-ended.

Also, the ending is good for this film, but it’s unclear how it ties into Shrek 2. In some ways, Puss in Boots is akin to Prometheus, offering a prequel of sorts that can stand alone but doesn’t connect with the next installment quite the way we would expect. What happened to Kitty Softpaws? How did Puss end up in Far Far Away where the king found him? Perhaps DreamWorks is planning a Puss in Boots 2 to answer questions like these.

Best line: (Puss in Boots, leaving his latest conquest) “I will never forget you… Margherita.” (annoyed cat meows) “I mean, Rosa.”

 

Artistry: 5

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 7

Watchability: 6

Other (some weirdness and unanswered questions): -7

 

TOTAL: 33 out of 60

 

Next: #282: Fireproof

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Raising Arizona (1987)

Tags

Comedy

H. I. McDonough (said like “hi”)

Is just a simple, laid-back guy.

He doesn’t really have a job,

But likes convenience stores to rob.

Every time the crook is caught,

A cop named Ed takes Hi’s mug shot.

 

Due to their rendezvous, though grim,

Hi falls for Ed, and she for him.

They wed when Hi’s freed by his jailer

And settle down within a trailer.

Through frequent practice, Ed discovers

They’re unproductive as two lovers.

 

Hi’s past will not permit adoption;

Therefore, it seems they have one option.

Unpainted furniture big shot

Nathan Arizona’s got

Quintuplets. Hi and Ed decide

To take one as their joy and pride.

 

Hi, after all the babes’ hi-jinks,

Takes Nathan, Jr. (well, he thinks).

They love him as their very own,

But soon the couple aren’t alone.

Two friends of Hi’s drop in, in spite

Of breaking out of jail that night.

 

But Hi dreams something that appalls,

The demon biker Leonard Smalls,

Who’s hot on Nathan, Jr.’s trail

To send Hi somewhere worse than jail.

When Hi gets angry at his boss,

It ends, of course, with his job loss.

 

Hi robs a store, with little to lose,

And one long funny chase ensues.

Since criminality’s no savior,

Ed is mad at Hi’s behavior.

Hi thinks, without him there, his wife

Might have a more fulfilling life.

 

Before he leaves, though, Hi’s pals learn

Of Nathan, Jr., who could turn

Into their gold mine, so they take

The child for a ransom’s sake.

Then, by a full bank, they’re enticed

And bring the baby for a heist.

 

Forgetting Nathan at the scene,

The two don’t get away quite clean.

Hi and Ed reach the scene of the crime

In search of Nathan just in time

For Smalls to snatch the little one,

But Ed grabs Nathan back and runs.

 

Hi’s punished for his escapade

But blows Smalls up with a grenade.

The babe’s returned by Hi and his spouse

To Nathan Arizona’s house,

And, in a dream that transcends laughter,

Hi sees their happy ever after.

_____________________

 

I wrote that Millennium Actress is probably the weirdest film on my list, and it is, but Raising Arizona is a close second. Every character’s behavior and dialogue are so out there that the film is almost one long string of laughs. Raising Arizona is one of the few movies done by the Coen brothers that I’ve seen or want to see, and it’s certainly their funniest, as evidenced by its placement on AFI’s top 100 comedies list (#31).

Each actor pours the maximum amount of quirk into every scene. Nicolas Cage as Hi is the kind of guy who craves the excitement of robbing convenience stores with empty guns and panty hose over his head. Holly Hunter as Ed is a poor example of a police officer, insisting that Hi kidnap a child for her, but this is tempered by her realization of their wrongdoing at the end and subsequent return of Nathan, Jr. Trey Wilson is also a hoot as Nathan Arizona, Sr., the kind of loving father who just stares at the ceiling when there’s a noise upstairs or lays down a presumably loaded gun in a baby’s crib (did anyone else notice that?!). John Goodman and William Forsythe as Gale and Evelle Snoats, Hi’s buddies, are the most hilarious of all, as they scream for extended periods of time for either no reason or a very good reason.

The source of all this humor is, of course, the Coen Brothers’ inspired script, which blends white trash criminal stupidity with Hi’s almost poetic narration. Their unique camera angles also give us the hilarious points of view of anything from the biker’s motorcycle to the crawling babies to Hi’s backside. Plus, there are some great enduring lines (“Well, okay then”; “Turn to the right!”) and scenes, such as the Snoats’ breakout, which is like a bizarre reimagining of the climax to The Shawshank Redemption, though some years before that film was released. Some portions of the middle act pursuit (one of the funniest film chases ever) even reminded me of some chase scenes in The Matrix.

It’s unfortunate that the filmmakers once again had to throw in a good amount of foul language and a rather violent death by explosion. Still, Raising Arizona is a well-made laugh-a-minute fun ride which manages some transcendent ideas that make the final scenes actually rather touching.

Best line: (the Snoats brothers) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (if you’ve seen the film, you understand what part I mean)

Other best line: (Evelle Snoats, referring to some balloons) “These blow up into funny shapes and all?” (convenience store clerk) “Well, no, unless round is funny.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: 5

Originality: 9

Watchability: 6

Other (language, violence, and some subject matter): -9

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #283: Puss in Boots

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Stuart Little 2 (2002)

Tags

Comedy, Family

The Little family’s doing fine

With everything they’ve ever wished,

But Mrs. Little always worries

Stuart somehow might be squished.

 

As a mouse, he can’t relate

To children many times his size.

He wrecks his brother’s model plane

But still stays positive, or tries.

 

But one day, driving home from school,

A bird named Margalo drops in.

They narrowly escape a falcon,

Though it broke her mother’s pin.

 

Her wing is hurt so Stuart says

That she should stay with them, not roam.

He finds and fixes her small pin

And makes the bird feel quite at home.

 

But Mrs. Little’s diamond ring

Is inexplicably just gone.

They don’t suspect that Margalo

Works for the falcon as a con.

 

When she goes missing too, the mouse

Decides the falcon took her back.

He blackmails family cat Snowbell

To join the search and help him track.

 

They reach the Pishkin Building’s top,

Where Falcon lives with Margalo.

When Stuart learns the tricky truth,

He’s dropped and lands far down below.

 

Though he survives, he ends up on

A garbage barge, to his dismay,

But then he finds his brother’s plane

And fixes it to fly away.

 

Poor Snowbell’s having some close calls,

While Margalo defies her boss.

She’s saved by Stuart in his plane,

Who leaves the falcon fiercely cross.

 

While all the Littles watch below,

The falcon tries to kill the pair.

Their faceoff ends with Stuart’s plane

Colliding with him in midair.

 

With everybody safe and sound,

Freed Margalo returns the ring.

She finally can migrate south,

But she’ll be welcomed back next spring.

____________________

 

Following E. B. White’s beloved novel somewhat more closely than its predecessor, Stuart Little 2 is a purely enjoyable sequel to 1999’s Stuart Little, and I fondly recall seeing it in the theater with my grandmother when it first came out. While it doesn’t have as many good quotes and is at times more cutesy than quirky, it creates some more wonderful characters to join the returning cast from the first film. Melanie Griffith as Margalo is a great counterpart to Michael J. Fox’s Stuart, and James Woods gives one of his trademark villainous voiceovers as the evil Falcon, who is a much stronger and more malevolent bad guy than the first film’s Smokey.

The film also has a marvelous soundtrack, mostly made up of uplifting pop songs that fit well for the target audience, including Celine Dion’s “I’m Alive,” which deserves a spot in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. With a good mix of humor, excitement, and fine voice acting, Stuart Little 2 is one of those perfect family films that anyone can enjoy.

Best line: (Snowbell, after he believes Stuart was killed) “I wish I were the one that was dead!” (Margalo) “Really?” (Snowbell) “No. But I am very unhappy!”

 

Artistry: 4

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 6

Watchability: 6

Other (nothing objectionable; I just like other films more) -5

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #284: Raising Arizona

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

“Crocodile” Dundee (1986)

Tags

Comedy, Romance

The newspaper writer Sue Charlton flies

To try an Australian report on for size:

The tale of a man who had finished a croc

After losing his leg, so that he didn’t walk

But crawled on for miles, at last reaching aid

Before going back to the bush, unafraid.

 

She finds, in a rough Outback hole-in-the-wall,

The great Mick Dundee, who is still standing tall.

Sue’s meeting this bloke makes her more undeterred

In wanting to see where this story occurred.

Alone in the Outback, Sue watches Dundee,

Admiring his wilderness powers with glee.

 

However, when Sue tries to show that she’s tough,

A croc proves that pride and resolve aren’t enough.

Though Mick’s jaunty lack of opinions may chafe,

Sue loves that this man always makes her feel safe.

At last, Sue’s return she can no more defer,

So she offers that Mick come to New York with her.

 

The Big Apple’s disregard stands in contrast

To Mick’s friendly manner, indifferent to caste.

Sue’s rich fiancé condescends to the Aussie,

Who hits him, as well as an angry pimp’s posse.

Once Dundee’s endeared himself ‘most everywhere,

Sue gets a proposal, which brings Mick despair.

 

He plans to leave town to traverse the U.S.

And leaves for the subway, to flee his distress.

When Sue finds him gone, she runs to proclaim

She really loves Mick, not her snooty old flame.

When they can’t reach each other in such a packed place,

Mick walks on the crowd into Sue’s warm embrace.

______________________

 

“Crocodile” Dundee is one of those 1980s films that created an iconic role that came to define the actor that filled it. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Terminator, Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, and Paul Hogan most definitely is Mick Dundee. I bet that this film, more than any other, has shaped Americans’ views about Australia and the Outback, and Hogan himself wanted to make the film to give Australia an original folk hero of sorts, almost like Davy Crockett or Paul Bunyan.

The film has a loose plot and casual pacing to mirror Dundee’s laid-back way of life. Unlike the two lesser sequels, there is no villain per se, considering Sue’s fiancé and the vengeful pimp are only in a few scenes. The growing romance between Dundee and Sue is the main driving force of the movie, and their admission of love is the only real climax. The majority of the film is dedicated to funny character moments, first showing Dundee in his element in the wild and then revealing his naiveté about the big bad city. Despite all the drugs, prostitutes, and hostility he encounters in New York, he remains chivalrous, capable, and completely likable, and those he comes in contact with cannot help but be fond of him. Hogan’s unrestrained likability is what made “Crocodile” Dundee the huge success it was and the best role of Hogan’s career.

There is, of course, some profanity and even a surprising F-bomb, along with a few crudities, but the film remains a classic of the ‘80s and a lighthearted comedy that almost everyone should enjoy.

Best line: (Dundee, intimidating a punk and his tiny dagger) “That’s not a knife. THAT’S a knife.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 7

Watchability: 8

Other (language): -4

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #285: Stuart Little 2

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Tags

Action, Sci-fi, Thriller

A grown John Connor roams around,

Still fearing Judgment Day,

The deaths of billions by machines

He thought he’d kept away.

 

But soon a female Terminator

Travels back through time

To kill still young resistance members

Ere they reach their prime.

 

This T-X hunts for Katherine Brewster,

A lovely local vet,

Who’s caged the drug-addicted John

Because he was a threat.

 

Meanwhile, another Terminator,

Like the one John knew,

Arrives just in the nick of time

To save her right on cue.

 

He locks up Katherine, then saves John,

Who flees with her inside.

The T-X shoots her counterpart

And steals a massive ride.

 

An epic chase ensues, which leaves

A trail of vast destruction.

The good cyborg slows down the bad,

Then gives his introduction.

 

He tells John he has been sent back

To guard Katherine, of course,

But John is now in danger from

A much more deadly force.

 

They try to tell the girl the truth,

But she is none too pleased.

They drive to Sarah Connor’s grave,

With Katherine feeling seized.

 

They pick up weapons just in time

For cops to cause delay.

And Katherine’s met by that T-X,

Who’s killed her fiancé.

 

The good cyborg saves them again

And tells what will occur.

He killed John in the future

And was reprogrammed by her.

 

For Katherine will be Connor’s wife

And second-in-command.

As Judgment Day looms very close,

She gives him a command.

 

They go where Katherine’s father works.

He’s just released Skynet.

The T-X comes to shoot him down

So he can’t stop the threat.

 

The good and villainous machines

Face off, and she prevails.

She tries to turn him bad as well

But ultimately fails.

 

Katherine and John are told to fly

To distant Crystal Peak,

Where they believe they’ll find the way

To stop this that they seek.

 

The T-X follows them again,

But their ally arrives

To mow her down and blow her up,

And neither one survives.

 

They think that they’ve found Skynet’s core

To blow it up as well,

But Crystal Peak’s a bunker that

Will shield them for a spell.

 

They realize Judgment Day could not

Be stopped; it never could.

They simply had to live through it

And fight for what is good.

____________________

 

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines seemed like an unnecessary add-on when it first came out. The filmmakers could have left well enough alone after the huge success of T2, but they had to keep milking this franchise for all it was worth, with or without James Cameron. Yet T3 is one of those sequels that is surprisingly good once you give it a try. It follows the second film’s precedent, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a reprogrammed Terminator to save John Connor once again from a more advanced cyborg. While this plotline is familiar, the filmmakers take it in some unexpected directions with well-spaced revelations throughout the movie.

Kristanna Loken is appropriately laconic and lethal as the T-X, as is Ahh-nold, who gets some great one-liners and self-referential moments along the way. The main drawback for the second film was the human protagonists. Sarah Connor had gone nuts and her son was quite frankly a punk, but in T3, Nick Stahl fills the role of John nicely, even if he’s now a haunted drug addict on the run, and Claire Danes as Kate is my favorite of the new cast. Since no one in the film’s universe has seen the Terminator films, her reactions are priceless, from her initial shock and anger to her transformation into a robot-slaying Rambina. Her relationship with John isn’t really developed into a romance, but it’s at least set in motion with a clearly defined end.

The action and effects are outstanding, with the epic central chase being one of the best and most destructive car chases ever. The clever ways that Ahh-nold gets rid of the T-X and the myriad of explosions make it an excellent popcorn blockbuster.

Of course, there’s a good amount of unnecessary language and violence, especially when the T-X suddenly jams its arm through someone’s chest to drive a car from the back seat (bleh). The movie has its worst stumble, though, at the very end. While the first Terminator ended with tension and a looming threat and the second film had somewhat of a happy bittersweet climax, this film’s final scenes are just plain depressing. Almost the entire world is nuked by Skynet, and now the characters have nothing to look forward to except a long, painful war, plus John’s foretold demise. It’s an okay setup for another sequel (Terminator: Salvation, which I have not yet seen), but, by itself, it’s a weak end to an otherwise awesome action flick.

Best line: (John, after Kate zealously shoots down a drone) “You remind me of my mother.”

 

Artistry: 4

Characters/Actors: 6

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 9

Originality: 5

Watchability: 7

Other (language, violence, and poor ending): -8

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #286: Crocodile Dundee

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Tags

Action, Animation, Dreamworks, Family

Within a brief prologue, a proud peacock prince

Turns to the dark side and kills pandas since

A goat has foretold one will bring down this Shen.

Though banished, Shen plots to return once again.

 

The fat panda Po and the Furious Five

Are doing quite well till a wolf pack arrives.

They’re gathering metal and quickly escape

While Po is distracted by some random shape.

 

The band of kung fu-ers soon learn a large town

Was captured with weapons that brought masters down.

They find there that Shen and his wolves have moved in;

A firework cannon has helped them to win.

 

They’re captured at once when the wolves all step in

But break free, destroying the peacock’s weapon.

Yet Shen has built many and shows off their power

By toppling down his own ancestral tower.

 

Our heroes get out by all working together,

But Po is disturbed by the shapes on Shen’s feather.

Small flashbacks suggest that when Shen turned bad

Was the last time that Po saw his real mom or dad.

 

His friends want him safe so they leave behind Po,

Who needs to know what happened so long ago.

When Po confronts Shen, disobeying his team,

He’s shot by Shen’s cannon and falls in a stream.

 

Surviving, he’s helped by the goat to recall

That night when so many poor pandas did fall.

His mother hid him but was murdered by Shen;

His goose “father” found and adopted him then.

 

Thus coming to terms with his turbulent past,

Po goes to stop Shen, whose strength’s growing fast.

Po battles Shen’s ships and releases the Five,

And Shen doesn’t care if his own troops survive.

 

He launches the cannon, and none can deflect it,

But Po’s inner peace helps him redirect it.

He offers this peace to his foe, standing tall,

But Shen’s thirst for vengeance begets his downfall.

 

When Po and his friends return home once they’ve won,

He tells his goose dad he’ll always be his son.

But far, far away from both Po and the Five,

The panda’s real father can sense he’s alive.

_______________________

 

Not all of DreamWorks’s films have deserved sequels. Shark Tale, Bee Movie, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Megamind certainly did not, and I personally don’t think Madagascar warranted a trilogy, plus an upcoming movie centered on the Penguins. Yet Kung Fu Panda held promise and untapped questions that could be further explored in future films, the most obvious being “Why is Po’s father a goose?”

The tragic answer to that question, which Kung Fu Panda 2 provides, gives the film much more heart than its predecessor. While the first movie had some minor awww-worthy character development surrounding Shifu’s relationship with Tai Lung and Tigress, the pathos was relegated to pretty much one scene, with the rest of the film busy with humor, action, training, worrying, lesson learning, and the like. In Kung Fu Panda 2, the emotions take center stage as an integral part of the plot and the history of both Po and Shen. I like how the Furious Five have clearly warmed up to the chubby panda, even if they remain underdeveloped as characters. Yet the scene in which Po’s mother leaves him and lures away the wolves blows away anything in the first film, and the poignant exchanges between Po and his goose father should touch anyone, whether they have a connection with adoption or not.

All that is to say that this sequel has pretty much all the same ingredients as the first one: an all-star cast, a mix of animation styles, some funny lines, awkward moments, thrilling action set pieces (I particularly love the collapse of the giant pagoda), and another great villain (gleefully voiced by Gary Oldman). But the moments of sentiment are what make it a better film, in my opinion. Here’s looking forward to Kung Fu Panda 3 (and the much closer How to Train Your Dragon 2).

Best line: (the goat soothsayer, speaking to Po and anyone with a less-than-ideal childhood) “Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that doesn’t make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 6

Watchability: 6

Other (I just like other films better): -7

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #287: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Tags

Action, Animation, Dreamworks, Family

A corpulent panda named Po likes to dream

Of joining the fabulous martial arts team,

The Furious Five, who include Crane and Monkey,

Viper and Mantis and Tigress. But chunky

Young Po knows that they are way out of his league:

A noodle shop job is enough to fatigue.

 

His “father,” a goose, doesn’t know Po’s desire,

And so he is shocked when he sees Po conspire

To see the foretold Dragon Warrior named.

They’re all thunderstruck when it’s Po who’s proclaimed.

Great Master Shifu is not happy one bit

And does all he can to convince Po to quit.

 

But Po endures lots of ferocious abuse

And takes it in stride as the pain is let loose.

But Tai Lung, a pupil that Shifu did fail,

Who’s greedy for power, has broken from jail,

So Shifu then follows his master’s advice

And trains Po much better by using his vice.

 

With dumplings and soup, Po improves his kung fu,

And Shifu’s impressed at what pandas can do.

Po’s heroes run off ere their foe can arrive,

But Tai Lung defeats the famed Furious Five.

Po doubts he can win; Tai Lung’s out of control,

And Po gets little help from the blank Dragon Scroll.

 

When Tai Lung arrives, he beats Shifu to pulp,

But Po calls him out with an uneasy gulp.

Their fight gives Tai Lung the best part of abuse,

And Po puts his overweight flab to good use.

Defeating Tai Lung with a move few can do,

The new Dragon Warrior proves his kung fu.

______________________

 

Kung Fu Panda is an exciting homage to the Chinese wuxia genre with lots of fighting and humor and one big panda. When the film first came out, I wasn’t interested in the least, as has been the case with several CGI movies of late, but, once I gave it a chance when it came on television, I was favorably impressed. Quite a few famous actors lend their voices to DreamWorks’s characters, and, though most aren’t given much to say, Jack Black as Po, Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, and Ian McShane as Tai Lung are certainly the most well-cast roles. Jack Black’s fanboy enthusiasm alternates between hilarious and annoying, but he makes Po endearing overall. The film also has some lovely animation, though I don’t care for some of the character designs and did not find the animation as stunning as many critics hailed.

The main draw for me, though, is the action. I haven’t seen many martial arts films, but some of the choreographed fights in this movie took my breath away. It all gets a bit repetitive by the end, particularly with the overuse of slow-motion shots, but Tai Lung’s rope bridge fight with the Furious Five and especially the villain’s jailbreak are among the best animated action sequences, in my opinion.

While there’s some “kung fu-ey” mysticism and the end has a hackneyed “believe in yourself” lesson, Po’s zealous perseverance in the midst of difficulty is admirable, and Shifu’s relationship with Tai Lung manages to evoke some pathos as well. Kung Fu Panda succeeds in combining laughs and thrills in an entertaining way that has made it one of DreamWorks Animation’s most successful franchises.

Best line: (Shifu, as Po is doing this) “Panda, we do not wash our pits in the Pool of Sacred Tears.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 6

Entertainment: 7

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 4

Watchability: 6

Other (some awkward, less-than-funny scenes): -4

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #288: Kung Fu Panda 2 (yep)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

#290: The Quick and the Dead (1987)

Tags

Western

Duncan McKaskel hits town and a snag on

His journey out west with a loaded down wagon.

He, wife Susanna and little boy Tom

Encounter Doc Shabbitt with civil aplomb.

 

But, once they have left, Doc suggests to his forces

They ought to appropriate this family’s horses.

Meanwhile, a man by the name of Con Vallian

Rides up to tell Duncan he’s missing some stallions.

 

The non-violent husband goes back into town,

And Vallian assists in a rousing showdown,

Which sees Duncan flee with the horses they stole

And kills off Doc’s son, making vengeance his goal.

 

From then on, the family flees further west

While Doc’s gang pursues, getting further obsessed.

The gravel-voiced Vallian rides on as their guard

And picks off Doc’s men without showing his cards.

 

Con’s clearly attracted to Duncan’s fair wife,

And they share a kiss in the midst of the strife.

Yet chivalrous Vallian guards all the McKaskels

And tries to discourage ol’ Doc and his rascals.

 

But Vallian desires revenge on another,

An Indian half-breed that murdered his mother.

This “breed” rides with Doc and injures his foe,

But Vallian recovers and brings the “breed” low.

 

Once Duncan and company locate the home

Susanna’s own brother built, no more they roam.

But Doc and his gang, who have shrunk now to three,

Catch up to their trail and approach them with glee.

 

Susanna herself shoots an outlaw point blank,

And Duncan and Con kill the last from their flank.

Now that the McKaskels are safe from their thrills,

Con bids them farewell and rides off toward the hills.

________________________

 

This The Quick and the Dead is a 1987 HBO film starring Sam Elliott as Con Vallian, not the 1995 Sam Raimi film featuring Sharon Stone. While both are westerns, this 1987 movie is based off a novel by the prolific western master Louis L’Amour. Elliott is at his best as the mysterious cowboy defending a family of eastern greenhorns, and the chemistry between him and Kate Capshaw as Susanna makes this one of my VC’s favorite films.

The cinematography starts out flat, like the initial plains the McKaskels are first shown traveling through, but it gets more spectacular as they journey into the gorgeous mountains of Wyoming. The plot itself struck me as almost a reversal on that of a horror film, with the bad guys being the ones picked off one by one by the heroic good guy, who usually shoots only when he or others are being threatened. His vendetta against the Indian, his infrequent profanity, and his prurient glances at Susanna threaten to make him more of an anti-hero, but I appreciate that he at least has the chivalry not only to defend her husband but to curb his own passions, much like Robert Redford in The Horse Whisperer.

The Quick and the Dead is one of the few westerns on my list. It’s not that I don’t like westerns per se; I just think that most of them are rather repetitive and less than original, which is why I believe they have fallen by the wayside in modern cinema. Yet this film features many western clichés in a very entertaining and straightforward way: the family in search of a better life, the enigmatic gunslinger out for blood and justice; the gang of outlaws brought low by the heroes. Tom Conti does a good job as Duncan McKaskel, who may not be as ruggedly appealing as Vallian but at least sticks up for his wife and has the courage to walk up to armed bandits with only a single rifle. Considering her more well-known role in the second Indiana Jones movie, it was also nice to see Kate Capshaw getting her hands dirty and not whining for a change.

This film may contradict my statement a few posts ago that I’ve never watched a film with “dead” in the title (it still isn’t about zombies though), but it remains one of my favorite westerns.

Best line: (Vallian to Duncan) “The meek ain’t gonna inherit nothing west of Chicago.”

 

Artistry: 6

Characters/Actors: 7

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 6

Watchability: 8

Other (brief language): -3

 

TOTAL: 32 out of 60

 

Next: #289: Kung Fu Panda

© 2014 S. G. Liput

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

Tags

Animation, Anime, Fantasy

When sickly young Shawn comes to visit

His Aunt Jessica in the woods,

He sees a small lass

Swiftly pass in the grass

With an armful of miniature goods.

 

This “Borrower” is named Arrietty,

Who lives with her mother and dad.

They live under the house

As discrete as a mouse,

But Homily’s scared of the lad.

 

Pod calms his poor wife and her worries

And leaves with his daughter to borrow.

Arrietty is quite

Animated tonight,

But excitement soon changes to sorrow.

 

She loses a gained sugar cube,

And much worse, she is sighted by Shawn.

The girl’s disenchanted

And leaves empty-handed,

But Pod comforts her once they’ve gone.

 

From then on, Shawn tries to leave gifts,

Like the sugar cube he’d seen her drop.

Her dad is suspicious,

For humans are vicious,

So she tells the boy he should stop.

 

When a crow almost gets Arrietty,

Shawn saves her and earns growing trust.

He donates some wares

From a dollhouse upstairs,

Which leaves the girl’s parents nonplussed.

 

Pod feels that they now have to leave.

Arrietty then tells Shawn goodbye.

He tries to impart

That he has a weak heart,

But the girl says to live, or to try.

 

But Hara, Aunt Jessica’s maid,

Has suspected small people for years.

She searches with care

And finds Homily there

And grabs her, confirming their fears.

 

She puts Homily in a jar

And calls Pest Control to catch more.

When she sees her mom’s gone,

Arrietty, with Shawn,

Sneaks out from behind a locked door.

 

She locates her mother and frees her.

The maid later searches in vain.

Any vestige or trace,

Shawn was quick to erase

So that Hara looks rather insane.

 

The Borrowers quickly depart

With help from a boy of their race.

Arrietty and Shawn

Say farewell at the dawn.

Shawn suspects they found some safer place.

__________________

 

The Secret World of Arrietty, one of Studio Ghibli’s more recent efforts, is a sweet film that successfully shrinks the audience to see an ordinary house as a place of danger and wonder. Staples become ladder rungs; pins become swords; roly-polies become balls; and a single bay leaf can last a year. Ghibli’s typically whimsical imagination is given free rein here to create an almost magical world within our own.

The animation is almost on the level of Howl’s Moving Castle, and the studio continues to deliver beautiful hand-drawn films with amazingly detailed backgrounds. The Borrowers’ home is especially well drawn. The English dub is pretty good as well, though it doesn’t have as many big name stars as other Ghibli films. Bridget Mendler as Arrietty, Will Arnett as Pod, and Carol Burnett as Hara particularly fill their roles well, though characters go “hmm” a bit too frequently. Also, while it’s based on an English book series and the location has been moved to Japan, the music has a distinctly Celtic air to it that is quite lovely.

While there are some who will have a problem with the fact that the Borrowers steal for a living, it is not much of an issue for me since (a) their size and vulnerability warrant it, and (b) they make a point of only taking things that will not be missed. (Others have delved deeper into the moral implications, such as film critic Steven Greydanus.)

A good point that makes up for this ambiguous aspect is Arrietty’s respect for her parents. Several times, she compliments her mother and father and shows them the honor that is noticeably lacking in Western cartoons. In the end, both of their views on humans are vindicated; Arrietty is proven right in that not all humans are bad (Shawn), but her parents’ fears are clearly warranted since others (like Hara) are not as trustworthy. This end stands in marked contrast to the kid-is-always-right mentality of most American animation.

One minor issue is the film’s pacing. While it’s fascinating to explore Arrietty’s miniature world, the film borders on becoming boring at times. Thus, some kids and adults who require constant jokes or explosions in their entertainment won’t be able to stick with it. Still, it has better visuals and more of a plot than Ghibli’s more acclaimed but less interesting children’s movie My Neighbor Totoro.

Offering new perspectives and touching on some more mature subjects like death and survival, The Secret World of Arrietty is a charming recent reminder of the magic that hand-drawn animation can achieve.

Best line: (Arrietty, when Shawn talks about resigning oneself to fate) “Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for the things that are worth fighting for. You have to survive. That’s what my papa says.”

 

Artistry: 7

Characters/Actors: 6

Entertainment: 5

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 7

Watchability: 5

Other (slow pace): -6

 

TOTAL:  32 out of 60

 

Next: #290: The Quick and the Dead (1987)

© 2014 S. G. Liput