The Matrix (1999)

Tags

Action, Sci-fi, Thriller

Desk worker by day and hacker by night,

Neo is met by a girl who can fight.

This Trinity tells him that Morpheus wishes

To show him a secret that stays surreptitious.

 

When Neo won’t take an escape route too high,

Mysterious agents detain with no why.

He’s interrogated by Smith, a shrewd thug,

Who bugs him with some kind of literal bug.

 

At night, Neo meets up with Morpheus’ crew

Who take out the bug and deliver him to

The dreamer himself, who then offers some pills,

Without quite explaining the subsequent ills.

 

The red pill then causes our hero to wake

And has him soon thinking he made a mistake.

He finds himself nude in a world where machines

Are fueling themselves by the vilest of means.

 

The AI’s took over, and nobody sees,

For people are now used as live batteries.

The world Neo knew is the Matrix, a fake,

To keep people blind to the truth, lest they wake.

 

Recruited at once by the hovercraft crew

He met in the Matrix, who showed him what’s true,

He’s tutored by Morpheus, who first explains,

And cool skills are downloaded into their brains.

 

They enter the Matrix, once training is done,

To find out if Neo is really the One.

The Oracle tells him what he needs to hear,

But they can’t return, for a traitor is near.

 

As Smith captures Morpheus after a fight,

The turncoat exterminates friends in their sight.

He’s stopped, leaving only a browbeaten trio

And Morpheus still in the Matrix, but Neo

 

Insists he be rescued, regardless of threats.

They go in and shoot the heck out of the sets.

The rescue is thrilling and proves, more or less,

That Neo’s the One who can grant them success.

 

When both of his comrades are safe through the phone,

Both Neo and Smith have a duel on their own.

As robots fill Morpheus’ crewmen with dread,

A fight and a chase leaves our champion dead.

 

A kiss and a prophecy Trinity knew

Revive him with powers that Smith can’t subdue.

The robots are halted, and Neo’s inclined

To stopping the Matrix and freeing mankind.

______________

 

Written and directed by the Wachowski Brothers, The Matrix is one of the few sci-fi films that one can call ground-breaking. Star Wars was the original, and many others have tried, such as Inception and Avatar, with varying success, but The Matrix took audiences by surprise with its brilliantly staged action, religious symbolism, and thought-provoking dystopia. Plus, it’s downright cool, and it knows it’s cool. From Trinity’s opening fight scene to the expertly choreographed kung-fu face-offs to the helicopter rescue, the film has all the action moviegoers could want, but it also featured a number of fascinating themes, such as the validity of “reality.” Combine these elements with slick camera work, impressive CGI, protracted but artful use of slow-motion and bullet-time effects, and a trench-coated cyberpunk mystique, and you’ve got a hit.

Keanu Reeves shed his Bill and Ted persona for a straight-faced, chosen-one role of Neo, and Laurence Fishburne proved surprisingly agile as the mysterious Morpheus. Carrie-Anne Moss found her breakthrough role playing the formidable Trinity, and Joe Pantoliano and especially an intense Hugo Weaving make for excellent villains. Weaving’s deliberate pronunciation of “Mr. Anderson” is distinctly intimidating.

The film’s main drawback, aside from language, is its high body count. Those who die in the Matrix die for good, and a number of innocent people are caught in the crossfire, particularly during the bullet-riddled lobby scene. While these scenes remain admittedly awesome, the deaths of neutral parties by “good” characters diminish the overall fun factor.

The Matrix isn’t completely original: it owes much to anime, such as Akira, and to martial arts films.  A few first-person shots with Neo running through an apartment at the end were even reminiscent of the foot chase in the Coen brothers’ Raising Arizona. Still, The Matrix is a sci-fi masterpiece that stands much higher than its two sequels.  (I may review those someday.  Essentially, they continued the breathtaking action of the first film but emphasized pointless exposition and ended on a thoroughly unsatisfying note.)  Taken on its own, The Matrix is a provocative thriller that the Wachowskis have yet to match. (We’ll see about their upcoming sci-fi effects extravaganza Jupiter Ascending.)

Best line: (Morpheus, to Neo) “This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.”

 

Artistry: 10

Characters/Actors: 8

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 10

Originality: 9

Watchability: 9

Other (violence, language): -4

 

TOTAL: 51 out of 60

 

Next: #110 – To Kill a Mockingbird

© 2014 S. G. Liput

213 Followers and Counting

 

Ghostbusters II (1989)

Tags

Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

Dana Barrett has a baby,

But out on the street one day,

Oscar in his baby carriage

Very nearly rolls away.

 

Though the former Ghostbusters

Were forced to locate other work,

Dana asks them to inspect

To see if any dangers lurk.

 

Working at an art museum,

Dana feels uneasy toward

Vigo the Carpathian,

Whose portrait is to be restored.

 

Peter Venkman and his cohorts

Dig into First Avenue,

Where Ray finds a ghastly river

Full of pink slime flowing through.

 

Once the ‘Busters prove they’re sane

By vanquishing two apparitions,

They begin to find more business,

Fueling slime-induced suspicions.

 

When the slime tries grabbing Oscar,

Dana flees to Venkman’s flat,

While the others check the sewers,

Where the moody slime is at.

 

Egon, Winston, Ray, and Peter

Are arrested once again,

And poor Oscar soon is kidnapped

To the art house, Vigo’s den.

 

Once he starts his reign of terror,

All the Ghostbusters are freed,

And they use a certain giant

Statue in their time of need.

 

Crashing evil Vigo’s party,

They destroy his floating head.

Having rescued Dana’s baby,

Peter fills her ex’s stead,

And the Ghostbusters are honored

As defeaters of the dead.

___________________

 

Most probably disagree, but yes, I like the second Ghostbusters more than its predecessor. Perhaps it’s because I saw it first for some reason.  (Similarly, my VC saw Superman II first and prefers it to the original).  Ghostbusters is always hailed as being full of hilarious lines and incidents, but to me, Ghostbusters II is even more so. The pathetic birthday scene seems to indicate the franchise’s fall from grace early on, but it just keeps getting better and better. From Venkman’s side-splitting looks on his psychic TV show to the courtroom scene with Louis Tully’s awkward reappearance to the inversely scary and funny effects of the pink slime (long before the whole ground beef controversy), the hilarity just keeps coming.

Some critics complained that the sequel didn’t add anything to the franchise. Though it doesn’t try to exceed its predecessor, it continues its clever script with even more potent quotables.  For example: “Doe, Ray, Egon.”  In addition, Venkman’s baby banter makes him much more likable than in the first film, and while the villain Vigo is just as soberly menacing as Gozer was, he has a welcome addition in Peter MacNicol as Dr. Janosz Poha, whose Eastern European accent inevitably elicits crack-ups. Plus, while the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was a fictional character, the climax with the Statue of Liberty not only looks more realistic but has the desired uplifting effect on the audience as well as the characters.

I may be in the minority, but I feel that Ghostbusters II was an improvement on the first film, with a similarly absurd plot and lovable characters spouting lines worthy of repetition. There may not ever be a third film with the original cast, but Ghostbusters II is an outstanding swan song for the franchise. Though it may soon return from the dead…with women….

Best lines (so many): (the mayor) “Being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker’s God-given right.”

 

(Venkman, upon being asked why they drilled a hole in the middle of the street) “Well, there are so many holes in First Avenue, we really didn’t think anyone would notice.”

 

(Egon, analyzing Oscar’s nursery) “Cozy. My parents didn’t believe in toys.”

(Ray, later on) “You mean you never even had a Slinky?”

(Egon) “We had part of a Slinky. But I straightened it.”

 

Artistry: 7

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 10

Visual Effects: 8

Originality: 8

Watchability: 10

Other (language): -1

 

TOTAL: 51 out of 60

 

Next: #111 – The Matrix

© 2014 S. G. Liput

213 Followers and Counting

 

The Untouchables (1987)

Tags

Drama, Thriller

When Prohibition was the law

And Al Capone Chicago’s king,

The liquor and the violence raw

Pervaded nearly everything.

 

When Treasury agent Eliot Ness

Arrives to bring Al’s business down,

He fails to make the least progress,

For rackets fill this crooked town.

 

Considering his efforts vain,

He meets a cop out on the beat.

This James Malone converses plain,

And Ness refuses to retreat.

 

Soon after, Ness recruits Malone,

Accountant Oscar Wallace, and

Italian novice cop George Stone,

Who plan to make a daring stand.

 

The four complete a couple raids,

Impounding booze and shooting skulls.

Capone enlists his lethal aides

To slaughter these “Untouchables.”

 

Ness hopes to put Capone away

For hidden income tax evasion,

But leads and Ness’s men fall prey

To Al’s nefarious persuasion.

 

When Ness and Stone succeed at last

In capturing Capone’s bookkeeper,

He testifies of misdeeds past,

But Ness perceives that bribes run deeper.

 

Despite the deck he stacked so well,

Capone is sentenced, thanks to Ness.

Although some valiant lawmen fell,

The justice-minded found success.

___________________

 

The Untouchables isn’t the kind of movie I would expect to enjoy:  it has plenty of foul language and some shockingly violent scenes, which isn’t surprising considering director Brian De Palma’s prior films like Carrie and Scarface. I’m not exactly fond of the gangster genre either, as evidenced by my placement of The Godfather at #300 on my list, due to the acting and production quality rather than the story. Yet, The Untouchables matches its impeccable period sets and costumes and doesn’t just focus on the gangsters but on the coppers too. Whereas acclaimed films like The Godfather and Goodfellas are all about crime bosses’ violent actions leading to their downfall, The Untouchables features the justice-seeking lawmen in addition to the violent criminals. To me, the latter without the former tends to be depressing and excessive, regardless of the artistry with which it is done.

Kevin Costner found a great role in Eliot Ness, displaying both a kind, family sensitivity and a fierce dedication to justice. Sean Connery won his lone Oscar playing shrewd policeman Jimmy Malone, and his final scene with Costner is genuinely moving.  (The two would reunite briefly in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves four years later.) Charles Martin Smith as Wallace and Andy Garcia as Stone round out the quartet of Untouchables, and Robert De Niro owns the slimy arrogance of Al Capone, having already played a young Vito Corleone thirteen years prior.

On an artistic level, the drawn-out arrest scene overuses slow motion, but De Palma’s penchant for long shots is expertly enacted in the invasion of Malone’s home, creating palpable tension, intensified by Ennio Morricone’s Grammy-winning score. The infamous baseball bat scene may be heinous, but it attests to the kind of man running Chicago during Prohibition and why he had to be brought down by any means necessary. It’s based on a true event, though the film frequently departs from the actual accounts of Ness’s success, such as the fact that none of his men were actually killed. Ness’s revenge on Capone’s henchman is both unnecessarily brutal and sickly gratifying, but Capone’s comeuppance is the moment of triumph that The Godfather sorely lacks: good triumphing over evil. The Fugitive is often singled out as a surprisingly exceptional film based on a ‘60s TV series; let’s not forget that The Untouchables achieved that excellence first.

Best line: (Malone) “You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way! And that’s how you get Capone.”

 

Artistry: 10

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 8

Watchability: 8

Other (violence, language): -2

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #112 – Ghostbusters II

© 2014 S. G. Liput

213 Followers and Counting

 

The Right Stuff (1983)

Tags

Drama, History

Test pilots were the fastest men alive,

And Chuck Yeager was famous as the best.

But soon man found a new frontier—to strive

Toward space, and certain valiant men impressed.

Shepard, Grissom, Slayton, Cooper, Glenn,

Carpenter, Schirra—these were their names.

America was smitten with these men,

Who dared for fame which could well end in flames.

When countless tests had readied them for flight,

They blasted skyward. Shepard was the first;

The next was Grissom and his slip and slight;

And then Glenn and the orbits he traversed.

These seven proved ideas are not enough;

Achieving dreams requires the right stuff.

_______________

 

I believe The Right Stuff should have won Best Picture for 1983 (over Terms of Endearment, a VC favorite). No other film that year and few films since have provided such a sweeping, mostly accurate, and entertaining view of turning points in history. It also boasts an ensemble of ‘80s heavyweights, including Dennis Quaid as Gordon Cooper, Ed Harris as John Glenn, Scott Glenn as Alan Shepard, Fred Ward as Gus Grissom, and Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager, plus smaller roles for Barbara Hershey, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Shearer, and Jeff Goldblum (who also appeared in The Big Chill that year).

As I stated in my Apollo 13 review, my grandfather was directly involved with the space program and was present for many of the sometimes humorously unsuccessful rocket tests shown in a montage halfway through. Though the film doesn’t celebrate the men behind the scenes, as Apollo 13 did, it pays homage not only to the seven initial astronauts who braved the unknowns of the Mercury program but also the test pilots who paved the way by risking their lives to break down barriers, as Yeager did on October 14, 1947, when he hit Mach 1.

Yet The Right Stuff isn’t just an affectionate tribute to the early space program. It also testifies to the fortitude of pilots’ long-suffering wives; to the camaraderie of men daring to face a challenge together; to the ridiculous chutzpah of the media and how they whitewashed anything unsavory or unfavorable; to the wonders and thrills that drive men to risk life and limb, push envelopes, and go where no one has gone before (yes, I like Star Trek).

Beyond that, it’s also great fun to watch, particularly the rigorous testing the would-be astronauts endured. The beginning with Yeager is a tad slow and Levon Helm’s drawling narration a bit discordant, but once Shearer and Goldblum’s bumbling recruiters step in, the over-three-hour film passes quickly. A few scenes were unnecessary, such as the fan dance toward the end, and an unscientific and rather silly “explanation” for the fireflies John Glenn witnessed, but overall the film rarely misses a beat. Each game-changing event is given ample attention, with both humor and grief involved, such that one feels uniquely educated by the film’s end. The Oscar-winning score by Rocky’s Bill Conti matches the subject matter beautifully, aided by Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and Holst’s The Planets. Though lesser-known players, such as Lance Henriksen’s Wally Schirra, are not given much screen time, The Right Stuff recreates the original real-life “star voyagers” who captured America’s collective imagination and prepared the way for future leaps for mankind.

Best line: (Jack Ridley, after Gus Grissom’s perceived fault with the second Mercury splashdown) “Nothing these guys do is gonna be called a failure… But you’d think the public’d know that they’re just doing what monkeys have done….”   (Yeager) “Monkeys? You think a monkey knows he’s sittin’ on top of a rocket that might explode? These astronaut boys, they know that, see? Well, I’ll tell you something, it takes a special kind of man to volunteer for a suicide mission, especially one that’s on TV. Ol’ Gus, he did all right.”

 

Artistry: 9

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 9

Watchability: 8

Other (language): -1

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #113 – The Untouchables

© 2014 S. G. Liput

211 Followers and Counting

 

The Hunger Games (2012) and Catching Fire (2013)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

(Major spoilers ahead)

 

The land of Panem has twelve districts or so,

Who all rose up seventy-four years ago.

The Capitol beat them and since has drawn names

Of two teens from each district to fight Hunger Games,

A televised, glamorized duel to the death,

Which only ends once a lone victor draws breath.

 

In poor District 12, Katniss Everdeen wants

To help sister Primrose and mom, so she hunts.

She goes with young Prim and her handsome friend Gale

To the annual Reaping, where all their hopes fail.

The vain Effie Trinket draws Prim, who had fears,

But Katniss steps forward, and she volunteers.

 

Once Peeta Mellark, the town baker’s son,

Is picked as the male and goodbyes are all done,

They leave on a train that is meant for the rich

And meet the lone victor from 12 named Haymitch.

He may be a drunk, but he gives them advice:

To earn sponsors, they have to act friendly and nice.

 

Like Effie, the Capitol’s full of vain posers,

Multi-hued, glossily shallow brownnosers.

Their stylist Cinna can’t help but admire

Brave Katniss. His clothing designs can catch fire;

This earns welcome praise as both tributes hold hands,

Making 12 the new favorite for those in the stands.

 

As Peeta and Katniss are lavished with pleasures,

They’re rather uncomfortable with all these treasures.

In training, they both earn some slight recognition

From twenty-two others, who’ll be competition.

While Peeta can paint camouflage and is strong,

It’s Katniss the archer who shines all along.

 

In televised interviews, Peeta admits

That he’s loved Katniss secretly, giving her fits,

But this makes them popular, letting folks delve

Into tales of the two star-crossed lovers from 12.

Though scared when the day of the contest arrives,

Both Katniss and Peeta will fight for their lives.

 

A forest environment is their terrain,

And both avoid being the first of the slain.

While Katniss runs off to try hiding from view,

Her counterpart Peeta joins with 1 and 2,

Who’ve teamed up to hunt down the weak that remain

Before they start fighting each other again.

 

The gamemaker Seneca Crane uses flame

To drive Katniss back to the heart of the game.

When cornered by tributes, she takes out a foe

By dropping a wasp nest on those down below.

Assisted by District 11’s young Rue,

She blows up the enemies’ food supply too.

 

When Rue meets her death and her friend is grieved by it,

The men in 11 start causing a riot.

To give people hope, Crane adjusts what has been

So that Katniss and Peeta can both perhaps win.

She finds him and helps save his life and, what’s more,

Confesses her love, just as he had before.

 

Attacked by Crane’s beasts, they seek refuge until

They’re assaulted by one last opponent to kill.

When they are alone and they think that they’ve won,

They’re told that the earlier change is undone.

With poisonous berries, they bluff suicide,

But needing a victor, Crane’s fit to be tied.

 

Crane lets them both win, a choice sure to cause strife,

And for this decision, he pays with his life.

Both Katniss and Peeta, relieved from the threat,

Return to 12, maybe to try and forget.

But threats exist outside the Hunger Games, though,

And they have displeased mighty President Snow.

_______________________

 

Though Katniss and Peeta have safely returned

To bleak District 12 with the prize that they’ve earned,

Though they now have comfort they never have known,

Poor Katniss feels guilt with no way to atone.

 

They now have to go on a victory tour

To give people hope, which is misery’s cure,

But President Snow knows that Peeta and she

Were faking their love for the districts to see.

 

He says that they’d better convince with their act

And make folks believe, to keep Panem intact.

He shows her a picture to say, if they fail,

He’ll punish their loved ones, including friend Gale.

 

Yet, by the people, they are not endorsed;

They’re not in the mood for a love that seems forced.

They want to rebel, just as Katniss had done

When she used the berries to spoil Snow’s fun.

 

They mingle and mix at a Capitol ball,

And how people live cannot help but appall.

There Katniss runs into Plutarch Heavensbee,

The newest gamemaker who took the job free.

 

When Katniss suggests she and Peeta be wed

To keep people happy, though strife is widespread,

This Plutarch tells Snow that they ought to crack down

To make people hate her in her wedding gown.

 

Snow’s soldiers attack on a much larger scale,

And Katniss steps in when they start whipping Gale.

This open defiance leads Snow to desire

The victors destroyed to extinguish the fire.

 

The seventy-fifth Hunger Games will excel

At granting his wish; it’s a rare Quarter Quell,

And Snow soon announces that tributes will come

From the group of contestants who’ve already won.

 

Since Katniss is 12’s only female to win,

It’s Peeta or Haymitch who’ll also be in.

When Haymitch is picked, Peeta does volunteer

To fight beside Katniss just like the last year.

 

They meet prior victors, like Finnick Odair,

Who’s friendly but cocky and acts debonair,

And Beetee and Wiress, who let science fight,

And 7’s Johanna, who’s forward all right.

 

They train as before, but the tributes are sore

For having to fight for survival once more.

They try to subvert the support for the games

But are not successful at thwarting Snow’s aims.

 

For using his fashions to rouse and incite,

Her stylist Cinna is dragged from her sight.

The Games then begin, as the tributes all rise

And figure out who are their chosen allies.

 

They fight on a lake and then everyone hides

In the jungle that stretches away on all sides.

Both Katniss and Peeta join Finnick of 4

And run into force fields and dangers galore.

 

First near-deadly shocks and then poisonous mist

And then killer monkeys, and all they resist.

They flee to the center and find, through a yell,

Johanna and Wiress and Beetee as well.

 

They realize this place is set up like a clock,

With dangers in sections and force fields that block.

Soon Wiress is killed, and the whole clock is spun

To mess up their plan and confuse everyone.

 

Still, Beetee decides they must go to a tree,

Where huge lightning bolts strike regularly.

From there they can shock all the foes that remain,

And what follows that is not made very plain.

 

The group is ambushed as they try Beetee’s route;

Johanna cuts Katniss’s tracker right out.

She’s cut off from Peeta and goes to the tree

To find Beetee hurt to an unknown degree.

 

Confused at what’s happening, Katniss is given

A chance to shoot Finnick; instead, she is driven

To shoot up an arrow connected to wire,

Which shocks the arena and causes a fire.

 

The whole dome shuts down, leaving Snow quite aghast,

And Heavensbee’s gone, having gotten out fast.

Though Katniss is injured, she still is okay

And sees a ship swoop in and lift her away.

 

She wakens to learn Heavensbee’s on her side,

And half of the tributes were slyly allied.

The plan all along was to get Katniss free,

And take her to District 13 covertly.

 

But Katniss is mad at Haymitch and distraught,

For Peeta, as well as Johanna, were caught.

She further learns Gale and her family are fine,

But District 12’s gone, and now Snow’s crossed the line.

____________________

 

I was initially dubious about The Hunger Games, viewing a tale of juvenile gladiatorial games as a new low in a culture craving “bread and circuses.” I had not read Suzanne Collins’s books and had only heard rumors about their violence and unfortunately young fan base. Once I finally saw the film, I was impressed, not only at how relatively restrained the bloodshed was but also at how the themes of violence were subtly denounced and subverted by stronger themes of compassion and sacrifice. For instance, Katniss only kills in self-defense (and even that haunted her afterward), and her grief at Rue’s death includes a beautiful tribute both to the fallen friend and to extinguished innocence itself. It still bothers me that a seven-year-old at my church was singing its praises, but The Hunger Games is certainly a worthwhile story for young adults and up.

Then the second film made it even better. Not only did it avoid the kids-killing-kids concerns (I know, adults killing adults isn’t much better), but it provided a much stronger freedom-fighting angle while retaining the positive themes and laudable characters. Not to mention the action of the Games themselves, at once clever and frightening, with a touch of paranoia, moral quandaries, and relieving humor. In both films, it takes an inordinate amount of time just to reach the titular tournament, but this setup is necessary for the characters and the drama to build to the climax, which doesn’t disappoint.

I probably admire the second film more, thanks to its more detailed arena and its game-changing twist ending, but my VC enjoys the first more because it develops its characters further. Catching Fire does suffer from a host of new secondary characters that we aren’t given quite enough time to trust, much less grow fond of, such as Finnick and Johanna. Yet I was distressed by Cinna’s fate, even though he only had some brief scenes in the first film; I expect the other characters will grow similarly in the next two installments of the series.

The love triangle is uninspired, but there’s little negative to say about Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth as Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, respectively. At this point, I believe these will be their most enduring roles. Supporting players are also at the top of their games, including Woody Harrelson as drunk but faithful Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks as vain but surprisingly caring Effie Trinket, Donald Sutherland as the menacing President Snow, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as turncoat Plutarch Heavensbee.

Post-Harry Potter, The Hunger Games remains the shining example of a young-adult-book-sensation-turned-movie-series. Twilight tried and failed; Percy Jackson tried and didn’t exactly succeed; and further attempts to match its success have continued this year with Divergent, The Giver, and The Maze Runner. It’s not every film that features some pop culture-worthy lines and an instantly recognizable whistle. The quality of acting, script, and overall production sets The Hunger Games apart and manages to overcome its less pleasant aspects. I’m not one to jump on many band wagons, and, not having read the books, I’m unsure how the next two films will work without the integral Games, but I’m definitely looking forward to Mockingjay – Part 1 (even though Part 1 = the Quest for More Money). Who isn’t?

Best line from The Hunger Games: (President Snow, speaking for any authoritarian dictatorship) “Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous. Spark is fine, as long as it’s contained.”

Best line from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: (Katniss) “Nobody decent ever wins the games.”   (Haymitch) “Nobody ever wins the games. Period. There are survivors. There’s no winners.”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: 10

Originality: 8

Watchability: 8 (surprisingly)

Other (violence): -1

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #114 – The Right Stuff

© 2014 S. G. Liput

209 Followers and Counting

 

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

John Connor is ten and a bit of a punk

And thinks his mom’s tales of the future are bunk,

But two Terminators time-travel there still,

The one to protect him, the other to kill.

 

One looks like the cyborg from ten years ago,

Who sought Sarah Connor, but now he’s no foe.

The other’s mimetic and liquid-metallic

And has his sights set on the fledgling smart aleck.

 

The good Terminator saves John from the other,

And John then insists that they rescue his mother,

Who’s gone off the deep end with her apprehension

And had to be locked up in mental detention.

 

They barely escape and intend to head south,

But Sarah learns more from their cyborg’s own mouth.

She plots to dispatch Miles Dyson, the man

Developing Skynet according to plan.

 

She cannot go through with her cruel homicide,

But when Miles hears of destruction worldwide,

He helps them to enter his lab that same night

To wipe out the research that leads to their plight.

 

They blow up the lab, which is Dyson’s undoing,

And flee with the bad T-1000 pursuing.

Within a steel mill, he is shattered to bits

But reintegrates since he can’t call it quits.

 

A chase and assault and grenade to the chest

At last leaves it melted and un-coalesced.

John’s faithful protector knows this won’t suffice;

To stave off the future, he pays the last price

And stops Judgment Day with a brave sacrifice. (or so it seems….)

________________

 

The first Terminator was an effective combination of sci-fi, horror, and action, but its acclaimed 1991 sequel pitches the horror in favor of all-out, jaw-dropping action (sort of like Cameron’s Aliens, though that still had plenty of nightmare fodder). I’m sure it was tricky turning such an iconic villain into a force for good, but James Cameron did just that, earning Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 a spot on both AFI top Heroes list and their Villains list.

The film starts out with mounds of human skulls, so the audience will know they’re in for a good time. This bleak future provides a goal for the characters, namely to prevent it, and the setup with the two time travelers keeps it unclear who belongs to the dark side. Robert Patrick as the T-1000 acts human enough at first, leaving doubts as to whether he’s another cyborg or a freedom fighter like the first film’s Kyle Reece (though the trailers gave that away from the start).

The robots are perfectly cast, but the humans are less than ideal. Edward Furlong has the required leadership potential for John Connor, but he’s a foul-mouthed delinquent who doesn’t deserve termination but certainly prosecution. Likewise, Sarah Connor is no longer an attractive waitress but a haunted, violent nutcase whose tales of the future have gotten her committed. Their cause is admirable, but they’re hardly admirable as people.

The film itself has plenty of brief but deep themes (women create life while men tend to destroy; the potential and need to value human life), though it doesn’t even try to address the paradoxes they create in attempting to change the future. It’s also interesting how Sarah Connor’s extreme concern for life becomes a disregard for life when she sets her sights on Dyson, practically turning her into a Terminator before she remembers her humanity. T2 contributed some famous lines to pop culture, like the kick-butt “Hasta la vista, baby” while also offering a unique reversal of lines from the first film, such as “Come with me if you want to live,” which I actually attributed to this film before I was reminded that Reece said it first. Let’s face it: Arnold does say it better than Michael Biehn.

And I haven’t even mentioned the Oscar-winning, cutting-edge effects. The water column in The Abyss was impressive enough, but the malleable T-1000 is a true achievement in special effects and a huge leap forward compared with films even a couple years before. Honestly, the visual effects are still Oscar-worthy by today’s standards, even 23 years old. As with the first film, the chase scenes are a main focus but are ramped up to epic heights with helicopters and trucks carrying liquid nitrogen. The first half contains most of the objectionable content, including some shockingly violent scenes, but the second half is nearly perfect, with ultimate action, awesome explosions, and a lower body count.

Terminator 2 could easily have ended the franchise, and, as yet another reboot is being prepared for a 2015 release, it’s hard to imagine any Terminator film topping it. I’d much rather see it cut, but it’s one heck of a sci-fi joy ride.

Best line (avoiding the obvious): (Sarah, in a voiceover) “Watching John with the machine, it was suddenly so clear. The terminator would never stop. It would never leave him, and it would never hurt him, never shout at him, or get drunk and hit him, or say it was too busy to spend time with him. It would always be there. And it would die to protect him. Of all the would-be fathers who came and went over the years, this thing, this machine, was the only one who measured up. In an insane world, it was the sanest choice.”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 10

Visual Effects: 10

Originality: 10

Watchability: 9

Other (language, violence): -6

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #115 – The Hunger Games and Catching Fire

© 2014 S. G. Liput

209 Followers and Counting

 

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Tags

Action, Drama, Romance, Superhero, Western

Don Diego de la Vega is the hero of the poor

Known as Zorro, who has allies and sworn enemies galore.

When the governor Montero learns of his identity,

He arrests him and abducts his child Elena wickedly.

 

Twenty years go by before Montero seeks his captive foe,

Bringing his adopted daughter back with him to Mexico.

De la Vega then escapes, intent on his revenge and hate,

But the sight of his Elena causes him to hesitate.

 

In the meantime, Alejandro Murrieta is well-known

As a bandit with his brother, but he soon is all alone.

Army Captain Love attacks and cruelly claims his partners twain,

Prompting in him dreams of vengeance, which at this point are in vain.

 

Zorro takes young Alejandro, seeing some potential there,

And he trains him in sword fighting in his secret Zorro lair.

After lessons hard and long, the newest Zorro tries his hand,

Posing as a wealthy don to learn of what Montero’s planned.

 

Alejandro is intrigued by beautiful Elena, who

Cannot help but be enamored of this masked intruder too.

When Montero tells his plot to buy the nation with bravado,

He shows off poor peasants forced to labor in his El Dorado.

 

Alejandro steals a map and fences in the poor’s defense,

Even as the bad guys try mass murder to hide evidence.

Both the Zorros, old and recent, battle their respective foes,

And Elena helps their struggle, thanks to shocking truths she knows.

 

Alejandro takes revenge, and de la Vega follows suit,

Though the latter man is wounded, dying worthy of salute.

Alejandro weds Elena now that justice has been won,

And he shares their grand adventure with Joaquin, their infant son.

_________________

 

The Mask of Zorro isn’t exactly an origin story, but a changing of the guard from one Zorro to the next, a difficult endeavor that was amazingly satisfying. The opening action scene of Errol Flynn-style derring-do conveys a lifetime of such heroics, and expert thespian Anthony Hopkins as the elderly Zorro pulls it off, even if his accent is out of place. Antonio Banderas fits in perfectly both because he is actually Hispanic and because his swashbuckling swagger is one of the film’s main pleasures. Banderas was a natural at sword fighting, according to fight choreographer Bob Anderson, and I’m not surprised. Another big draw is his on-screen chemistry with Catherine Zeta-Jones, who manages a seductive Latina allure despite being Welsh.

The film is basically a revenge tale set against a historical backdrop. Historical events, such as the Mexican-American War, are mentioned in passing, and Alejandro’s brother and accomplice were real Mexican bandits who met the same grisly fate (more or less) as in the film. Any historical inaccuracies are not as glaring as in the 2005 sequel The Legend of Zorro, which pales in comparison to the drama of this original.

Though a few scenes during de la Vega’s prison escape recall Spartacus and The Count of Monte Cristo, the film is still dashingly original while paying tribute to its many predecessors from the first half of the century. At a time when overblown reboots were just starting to become the Hollywood norm, The Mask of Zorro favored practical stunts and emotional narrative over gimmicks or cinematic extravagance. It’s a thrilling and mostly clean film (aside from one or two scenes) that brings to life one of the original “superheroes” of pulp fiction.

Best line: (Diego, referring to Alejandro’s sword) “Do you know how to use that thing?”   (Alejandro) “Yeah, the pointy end goes into the other man.”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: 9

Originality: 7

Watchability: 8

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #116 – Terminator 2: Judgment Day

© 2014 S. G. Liput

209 Followers and Counting

 

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Tags

Drama, Family, Sci-fi

When ten-year-old Elliot hears things behind

His house but his friends don’t believe,

He has an encounter (it’s of the third kind),

Which makes him stay up the next eve.

 

He welcomes an alien into his home,

Since it doesn’t seem dangerous,

And stays home from school to attend to the gnome,

Who’s hungry and quite curious.

 

Once Elliot’s siblings uneasily meet

The squat little creature from space,

They keep him a secret, and yet ‘cross the street

The government watches the place.

 

A croaker dissection debacle in class

Reveals Elliot and E.T.

Both share a connection, but E.T., alas,

Is rapidly growing sickly.

 

The extra-terrestrial makes a transmitter

They set up on Halloween night,

But when they next find the unfortunate critter,

He’s nearing his death, a pale white.

 

The government moves in to monitor him

But cannot save Elliot’s friend.

It’s not till his spaceship is close that his vim

And vigor return in the end.

 

A chase upon bicycles races and flies

From those scientists’ interfering,

And E.T. and Elliot say their goodbyes

Before his ship soars from the clearing.

________________

 

Often considered one of the finest science fiction movies ever made, I tend to think E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a little overrated. Nevertheless, it’s one of those timeless friendship stories that captured people’s hearts much more than another alien film The Thing, which was released the same month.

The majority of films in general feel like simply a paycheck for the filmmakers, but E.T. is one of those in which director Spielberg’s palpable affection for the material is obvious. Inspired by his own childhood imaginary friend, E.T. himself is a wonder of practical effects. Nowadays he would have been a CGI creation (and was for a few scenes of the 2002 re-release), but the use of puppetry gives him a more realistic presence, aided by the amalgamation of sounds and voices Ben Burtt used for his vocalizing.

There have been plenty of critical deconstructions of the film, with analysts comparing it to Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and even the story of Jesus. I believe there’s a point where one can dig too deep, though some of these ideas are interesting, such as both E.T. and Elliot being “alienated” in different ways, E.T. by his abandonment and Elliot by the absence of his father. The film doesn’t actually say some familiar wildlife clichés, such as “He’s as scared of you as you are of him” and “He must be free to live,” but it obliquely applies them in an alien pet context. Along with these potentially deep themes, the film throws in a good deal of humor, such as some sly Star Wars references and Elliot’s drunken reaction when E.T. drinks a beer. Henry Thomas as Elliot and a young Drew Barrymore as Gertie got most of the praise, but I very much liked Robert MacNaughton as older brother Michael, who delivers some of the funniest lines.

It’s not quite perfect: Peter Coyote’s involvement is never fully explained, nor is why he went out to the forest at the beginning or why he began surveillance of Elliot’s house. Also, the space suit invasion scene has got to be one of the cheesiest sequences in an otherwise sterling film. Even so, with an iconic, high-flying John Williams score and a number of classic scenes (the moon scene even became Spielberg’s logo for Amblin Entertainment), E.T. is a time-honored heart-tugger that successfully pulled off the he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind cliché and reminded audiences that not all visitors from space are unfriendly.

Best line: (Elliot) “He’s a man from outer space, and we’re taking him to his spaceship.”

(Greg, one of Michael’s friends) “Well, can’t he just beam up?”

(Elliot) “This is reality, Greg.”

 

Artistry: 9

Characters/Actors: 9

Entertainment: 8

Visual Effects: 7

Originality: 9

Watchability: 8

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #117 – The Mask of Zorro

© 2014 S. G. Liput

209 Followers and Counting

 

Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)

Tags

Drama, Musical, Romance

(Can be sung to the title song)

 

Well, here’s the tale of Miss Loretta Lynn.

She grew up poor, and no one thought it sin.

Kentucky fit her fine,

Her daddy worked in the coal mine,

And life went on as it had always been.

 

But then one day, a man by the name of Doolittle

Caught her eye, and she caught his as well.

Their romance sure was fast,

Her parents were both aghast,

But soon the couple were wed, no ring to tell.

 

It was rough at first, but once they moved away,

They settled down and had kids without delay.

When Doo bought her a guitar,

Who would guess she’d be a star?

Soon she could play it well and sing all day.

 

When her husband urged her on to singing fame,

They both traveled ‘cross the land to earn acclaim.

Her first song climbed up the charts,

And she moved the minds and hearts

Of country fans that made her a household name.

 

Yeah, she soon was best of friends with Patsy Cline,

But Doo was growing jealous all the time.

While she was off on tour,

He raised their kids and more;

They stayed together ever since that coal mine.

 

Though the touring took its slow, exhausting toll,

She bounced right back and sang straight from her soul.

With Doo there by her side,

She sang out countrywide,

This star once born as a coal miner’s daughter.

________________

 

There’s no shortage of musical biopics; the lives of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and (most recently) Frankie Valli and James Brown have all gotten the Hollywood treatment. In many ways, Coal Miner’s Daughter follows the same formula as many of these, depicting Loretta Lynn’s early poverty, her rise from obscurity, and her marriage and drug issues that luckily did not destroy her like so many others. The script even features a number of lines that could apply to other biopics, such as “Getting’ here’s one thing. Bein’ here’s another” and “If you slow down, they forget about you.” Despite the danger of falling into the not-yet-established clichés, the film succeeds mainly due to the pitch-perfect acting and the endearing way of life shown with both bad and good alike.

After playing a telekinetic misfit in Carrie and a country friend of John-Boy’s on two episodes of The Waltons, Sissy Spacek found her most acclaimed, Oscar-winning role as Loretta Lynn and was specifically chosen for the film by Lynn herself. The fact that Spacek sang all of her songs (as did Beverly D’Angelo as Patsy Cline) raises the film above dubbed biopics and makes it more fascinating to watch. Other films like The Buddy Holly Story and Walk the Line have done the same, but Spacek has a heart and an unaffected earnestness that sets her apart. Tommy Lee Jones as Doo portrays both his faults and his unabashed confidence in his wife with likable pushiness, particularly when he irritably growls “like a big ol’ bar.” Though his attraction to a young teenager is potentially creepy, their relationship is sympathetic and affectionate enough to make them a realistic married couple. The other actors, including Levon Helm as Loretta’s father, are all well-cast, but the leading pair is the heart of the film.

There aren’t many biopics on my list, but Coal Miner’s Daughter is one of my favorites. With its classic country soundtrack and a realistic rise to fame (with only a minor fall), it’s an endearing and straightforward look at a down-to-earth legend.

Best line: (Doo, after complaining about Loretta’s uselessness) “What are you doin’ in this bottom, anyway?”

(Loretta) “I came to see the doctor.”

(Doo) “What for, you sick?”

(Loretta) “Yeah, I’m sick all right; I’m goin’ to have a baby.”

(Doo, laughing) “You know, Loretta, we may have found something you know how to do!”

 

Artistry: 9

Characters/Actors: 10

Entertainment: 9

Visual Effects: N/A

Originality: 8

Watchability: 9

Other (country soundtrack and Spacek’s actual singing): +6

Other (language): -1

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #118 – E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

© 2014 S. G. Liput

209 Followers and Counting

 

#120: Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

Tags

Biblical, Drama, Musical

(Can be sung to the tune used in “The Temple” and “The Arrest”)

 

Hippies drive to a desert land,

A raucous, happy, and long-haired band,

To recreate Jesus Christ’s last days,

The most musical of all passion plays.

 

Jesus has followers galore,

But Judas fears there is pain in store.

The high priests plot to cause Jesus’ fall

Before His actions destroy them all.

 

He enters into Jerusalem,

Hosannas ring out to welcome Him.

By cleansing temples and man’s disease,

He keeps on gathering enemies.

 

Judas feels a relentless pull,

Although he fears it is damnable,

To give the Christ to His rivals’ hands

And be the traitor the tale demands.

 

While Jesus begs in His garden prayer,

The soldiers come to arrest Him there.

The high priests stir up the hateful mob,

And Pilate gives in to save his job.

 

Judas hangs himself in shame

But sings one last song all the same.

When Jesus Christ is crucified,

The actors leave, one less to ride.

______________

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber has created some of the best stage musicals ever produced. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was a worthy early effort, but Jesus Christ Superstar was his first real triumph. Webber exhibits a tremendous capacity for hummable tunes, some full songs (the lovely radio hit “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”), others short character motifs (“What’s the Buzz?” and “Always Knew That I’d Be an Apostle”). The Passion Week wouldn’t have been my initial idea for a rock opera, but it works, thanks largely to the plethora of memorable music and Tim Rice’s lyrics, which take the place of spoken dialogue.

As a Christian, I must point out that the musical is not always biblical, focusing on Christ’s humanity much more than His merely implied divinity. Some almost harem-like scenes suggest a physical relationship with Mary Magdalene, and the wording for the Last Supper is strangely twisted, as is Jesus’ fatigue from the incessant crowds. (I don’t believe He would ever have said “Leave me alone,” or “Heal yourselves” as in the stage version.) Plus, the film ends abruptly with the crucifixion, but without the resurrection denouement of The Passion of the Christ; instead, it borrows from Ben-Hur to show an obscure shepherd leading his sheep before the sun-circled cross. Aside from these religious issues, Jesus Christ Superstar also makes some odd artistic choices. While there is much symbolism and natural rock formations are favored over extravagant sets, the filmmakers throw in tanks and jet planes and hard hats, things that make no sense in this kind of movie.

It’s not above criticism, but Jesus Christ Superstar boasts a number of Broadway hits, sung by rocker Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, and a host of less famous vocalists. One scene in particular is incredibly effective, the scene from the Bible that best displays Jesus’ humanity. His song in the Garden of Gethsemane may not be the catchiest, but it builds to a poignant series of painted crucifixion scenes that makes Jesus’ anxiety completely understandable. My VC even credits the song with deepening her Christian life. The song sung by “Simon Zealotes” is her favorite, though, and “This Jesus Must Die” and “Superstar” are mine. Almost every song is perfect, though Herod’s is uncomfortably derisive, if true to the character. Jesus Christ Superstar is neither the most faithful nor the most blasphemous of Jesus movies, but it’s one of the most watchable, as well as listenable.

Best line: (Jesus to the priests, in one of the few lines bespeaking His divinity) “Why waste your breath moaning at the crowd? Nothing can be done to stop the shouting! If every tongue were stilled, the noise would still continue! The rocks and stones themselves would start to sing!”

 

Artistry: 8

Characters/Actors: 8

Entertainment: 10

Visual Effects: 5

Originality: 8

Watchability: 10

Other (great music): +4

Other (aforementioned issues): -3

 

TOTAL: 50 out of 60

 

Next: #119 – Coal Miner’s Daughter

© 2014 S. G. Liput

207 Followers and Counting