#84: Aliens (1986)

Tags

Action, Horror, Sci-fi, Thriller

When Ripley and her dormant cat are woken from their sleep,

She learns that decades have elapsed while she was counting sheep.

The Company through Burke assures her everything is fine;

The hostile sphere she visited shows no unfriendly sign.

Though she insists an alien originated there,

Burke tells her that a colony was founded with no scare.

 

But when contact is lost with it, Burke wants to check it out,

Convincing Ripley to advise, despite initial doubt.

She meets some swaggering marines, all eager for offense,

And android Bishop, whom she hates from past experience.

The colony is empty, though there clearly was a fight,

And only Newt, a shaken girl, survived the violent fright.

 

Their search for captured colonists in dark and sticky halls

Soon threatens their survival as the creatures climb the walls.

Their numbers are diminished, and when they attempt to leave,

Their landing ship is totaled; it’s game over, they believe.

Retreating to the building where they hole up to prepare,

They learn that Burke had other plans he did not want to share.

 

He tries to salvage his whole plan and traps Ripley and Newt

With two facehuggers in a room with nothing they can shoot.

The two are rescued just in time for everything they feared,

Which thins the herd to only three when Newt is commandeered.

The complex is about to blow, but Ripley follows Newt,

Retrieving her and ticking off the alien queen to boot.

 

Though Bishop swoops in just in time to clear them of the blast,

The queen appears on board the ship to menace to the last.

Within a power loader, Ripley fights the ugly face

Until she blows the giant nightmare into outer space.

The few survivors settle down for travel stasis then,

And Ripley’s free of aliens…until she wakes again.

_________________

 

How convenient that a sci-fi horror should fall on Halloween! Just as James Cameron turned his unnerving The Terminator into a slam-bang actioner, he traded the ominous chills of Ridley Scott’s Alien for all-out combat (and added an s) for its sequel.  In doing so, he created one of the best of all three genres: action, horror, and science fiction. Aliens has reckless gun fights, punk Marines, and giant explosions, coupled with claustrophobic interiors, spidery stalkers, and a terrifying addition to the lineup of giant movie monsters. All of it combines to keep hearts racing in every scene (and perhaps a little the following night as well).

In films like this, most of the characters are mere afterthoughts meant to be exterminated, but Cameron succeeds in creating memorable individuals amid all the hysteria. Bill Paxton’s panicky Hudson, Paul Reiser’s weasely Burke, Jenette Goldstein’s brawny Vasquez, and Michael Biehn’s level-headed Hicks feel like real characters amid all the action, even though they lack the mundane setup of the first film’s victims. Lance Henriksen’s Bishop tows the line between creepy and reliable, thankfully offering the opposite of the original’s Ash. Above all, Sigourney Weaver continues her compelling role of Ripley and gets an opportunity to display motherly tenacity as she bonds with the traumatized Newt. Her fierce performance even gained her an unforeseen Oscar nomination.

For still being a fairly new director at the time, James Cameron brilliantly recaptures the mood of the original while intensifying it in some ways. How do you enhance a creature feature? Answer: by turning one monstrosity into hundreds. What’s more affecting for an audience than a cat in danger? Answer: a child in danger. Although it’s much more fast-paced than the original, there’s still plenty of nightmare fodder, particularly some now iconic scenes, like the aliens crawling through the ceiling or one rising up behind Newt.

Aliens also stands in my memory as the first film in which I heard the F-word. That could have been cause for me to dislike it, but ignoring the profanity, the chest-bursting, and the character being torn in half, the movie’s thrilling entertainment value makes up for these negative aspects and leaves the first film in the dust. My VC also loves the film, even though she had to check under her bed after first viewing it. This was the Alien franchise’s high point (don’t bother with the other sequels) and a high point in multiple genres.

Best line: (Hudson) “That’s it, man. Game over, man! Game over!”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

236 Followers and Counting

 

#85: Shadowlands (1993)

Tags

Drama, Romance, Triple A

C. S. Lewis is content to live as he has always done,

To teach and study, chat with colleagues, answer questions he presents.

He is happy to debate on arguments he knows he’s won.

Both he and Oxford rarely change, for they’ve got all the common sense.

 

Then in 1952, he meets Joy Gresham, who’s a fan,

A poet and American who leaves him speechless now and then.

Soul and intellect converge to make her special to this man,

Whose own experience with love is only in his reading den.

 

Fleeting visits with her son endear her to the author till

Divorce allows them to relocate to the London she admires.

By entreaty, Lewis marries Joy, a sign of their good will,

But even then he does not see the happiness that she inspires.

 

Sadly, Joy is cancer-stricken, and the promise of her loss

Convinces Lewis that he loves her deeply, though he knows not how.

He requests a holy marriage as he helps her bear her cross.

When she recovers for a time, they both are faithful to their vow.

 

Honeymooning is idyllic until Joy reminds instead

That as a part of happiness, they can’t ignore the coming grief.

Death arrives, and life goes on despite the tears her darlings shed.

Experience best helps us learn of truest love, however brief.

__________________

 

Shadowlands is one of the purest and most poignant of biographical romances. From the popular Narnia series to the insightful The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis (Jack, to his friends) ranks among my favorite authors, and no one could bring him to life like Anthony Hopkins. Coming only two years after his star-making role in The Silence of the Lambs, there is no trace of the deranged serial killer here; instead, Hopkins embodies Lewis’s intelligence, wisdom, and genuine surprise at the advent of love. Oscar nominee Debra Winger may have seemed like an odd choice to portray his beloved Joy Gresham (pen name Joy Davidman), but their interactions have a warmth and reality that gradually morphs their professional respect into personal chemistry.

The late Richard Attenborough was a skilled director, but even his Oscar-winning Gandhi does not compare to Shadowlands. Instead of the sweeping view of a legendary life, he gives us a quiet, contemplative story of unexpected romance that, to me and my VC, is much more moving and intimate. The direction is understated but beautiful throughout, allowing emotions, reverence, and beauty to permeate every scene. On top of all that, the script is intelligent, being based on William Nicholson’s TV and stage productions.

Early monologues by Lewis establish his views on pain as “God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world,” but he has never experienced such pain since childhood. His attachment to and loss of Joy might have made him contradict his prior beliefs, but even when his and Douglas’s faith is shaken, it isn’t repudiated. Rather, the main intellectual conflict is the disparity between knowledge and experience, without either really negating the other. It’s a classic case of “easier said than done”; philosophizing is fine on one level, but experience challenges the detached serenity with which Lewis views the world as an Oxford professor. His prior lesson still applies, but the moral difficulty of pain becomes more real when it is endured firsthand. Even when we know the suffering yet to come, we love anyway, a mystery of being human that even Lewis could not fully explain.

At the beginning, the film claims that “This is a true story,” which is only mostly true. It does omit Joy’s other son David Gresham, only depicting the more well-known Douglas (played by young Joseph Mazzello, who was in Jurassic Park that same year). Also, the film focuses on Lewis’s academic and personal life without touching on his literary life: he published numerous books during the film’s events, including several Narnia installments. Even so, the story is undeniably powerful, though it is rather slow and best watched when one is fully awake, eating, or both. My VC, who “adores” Anthony Hopkins in this rare romantic leading role, would rank Shadowlands in her top 50 and just recently was able to view it without crying. Beautiful and heartbreaking, Shadowlands is Attenborough’s masterpiece.

Best line: (Harry, a friend) “Christopher can scoff, Jack, but I know how hard you’ve been praying, and now God is answering your prayers.”   (Lewis) “That’s not why I pray, Harry. I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God; it changes me.”

VC’s best line: (Lewis, to Joy) “Will you marry this foolish, frightened old man… who needs you more than he can bear to say… who loves you, even though he hardly knows how?”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

235 Followers and Counting

 

#86: Hook (1991)

Tags

Action, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

When Peter Pan grows up at last,

Forgetting all about the past,

Of Neverland, Lost Boys, and fairies,

He just settles down and marries

Wendy’s daughter Moira and

Becomes a father, dull and bland.

 

A businessman now, Peter spares

No time for Jack and Maggie’s cares,

Until they’re nabbed by Captain Hook.

The Pan has no clue where to look,

But Tinker Bell with pixie dust

Arrives, despite his lack of trust.

 

She spirits him to Neverland,

Where Hook has his kids close at hand,

But Peter’s weak and scared of heights

And not prepared for fights or flights.

So Tink compels old Hook to grant

Three days to sharpen this transplant.

 

The Lost Boys, led by Rufio,

Are quick to ambush those that grow;

They doubt this codfish is the Pan,

Yet Peter’s face persuades the clan.

His training yields no vindication

Till he finds imagination.

 

In the meantime, Hook ensnares

Young Jack by putting on such airs

To make the boy loyal to Hook,

The famous pirate chief and crook.

Though Peter’s shaken by this fact,

He finds his happy thought intact.

 

His love and hope of fatherhood

Bring back old Peter Pan for good.

He plays, he fights, he crows once more

And takes the battle to Hook’s door.

Pan rescues Maggie from her cell

And proves himself to Jack as well.

 

He duels with Hook and bests the fop

Before Hook’s swallowed by a prop.

Then Peter names his new right hand

And, with his kids, leaves Neverland.

Distractions will no longer be

A thorn for Peter’s family.

________________

 

Steven Spielberg’s contribution to the Peter Pan mythos wasn’t especially well-received in 1991, but it has become a family favorite since. The late Robin Williams is perfectly cast as the grown-up Peter, combining his proven dramatic ability with the comedic juvenility of his man-child persona. Likewise, Dustin Hoffman owns the title role, utterly unrecognizable under the elaborate wig and pirate costume, and embodies both Hook’s villainy and his preening arrogance. Other excellent performances come from Bob Hoskins as the bearded Smee and Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, whose “pixie” cut (J) and perkiness hid well her engagement turmoil at the time of the film’s production.

What many criticized was the film’s supposedly halfhearted re-creation of Neverland, but while it’s not the most memorable of wonderlands, Spielberg’s Neverland has a charm of its own. The sets are obviously sets, yet they somehow fit the story, as if recalling Peter Pan’s stage origins. The pirate village is a particularly impressive mise en scène, with all the theatricality of an elaborate play, which I sometimes prefer to the overly wrought CGI dream worlds that have become routine nowadays. The games the Lost Boys play feel like genuine activities such unsupervised youngsters would invent in a magical world, and they’re given more unique personalities than the Disney version, which essentially differentiated most of them simply by their costumes. There is silliness on both sides, as well as some pirate-y violence, but even when the film’s tone shifts, it retains a giddy adventurousness that is continually entertaining.

One aspect that raises Hook above other Peter Pan films is the message of fatherhood. The idea of Peter Pan growing up might seem unimaginable, but his desire for a family, to be a daddy, is an admirable reason for the end of a legend. While his focus on work at the expense of his family is practically tragic at the beginning, his fully-realized love for his kids creates a satisfying return to priorities by the end. In the interim is a fanciful tale of Peter rediscovering the joy of both being a child and becoming a father.

Best line (just the way Williams says it): (Peter) “I do not believe in fairies.”

(Tinker Bell) “Every time someone says ‘I do not believe in fairies,’ somewhere there’s a fairy that falls down dead.”

(Peter) “I do not believe in fairies!”

[Tink feigns an overly dramatic death scene]

(Peter) “Oh my God, I think I’ve killed it.”

 

Rank: 53 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

235 Followers and Counting

 

#87: Young Frankenstein (1974)

Tags

Comedy

When Victor Frankenstein—I mean,

When Dr. Victor Fronkensteen

Is told he has an old estate

From great-granddad (who is dead bait),

He leaves his fussy fiancée

To see this castle, old and gray,

And meets the humpbacked help Igor

(Pronounced Eye-gor to underscore)

And adjunct Inga, who both bring

The doctor to his castle wing,

Where he explores the secret rooms,

Becomes the man the world assumes

And, gripped by mania, begins

To resurrect old bones and skins

To bring to life a creature, his,

But “abby normal” its brain is,

And to his horror it’s released,

The monstrous, strong, dim-witted beast,

To terrorize the neighborhood

Until he lures it back for good

And gives the brute a second chance

To be his own and sing and dance,

Yet villagers are not impressed

And plan to kill the giant pest,

Who flees and has a fling that day

With Victor’s willing fiancée,

Until he’s gently drawn once more

By Victor, Inga, and Igor

And given part of Victor’s brain

To make him cultured and urbane,

At which point everything works out

And neither has to do without,

For both have love and seem benign,

Both monster/man and Frankenstein.

________________

 

Often ranked among the funniest films of all time, Young Frankenstein is Mel Brooks’s finest film. With its haunting score and black-and-white cinematography, it brilliantly feigns solemnity while piling on absurdities both familiar and new. It indulges in Brooks’s penchant for sexual humor without wallowing in it and reminds everyone just how funny Gene Wilder could be. The script by Brooks and Wilder has a screwy charm, with lines like “Walk this way” being turned into opportunities for unforeseen silliness that reward multiple viewings. (That line even inspired the lyrics of Aerosmith’s single “Walk This Way.”)

All the actors are at the top of their comedic game. Wilder has a unique talent for acting maniacally crazed, while Marty Feldman’s bug eyes make him an ideal Eye-gor, shifting hump and all. The comedians are at their best when they themselves struggle to keep their composure, such as when Wilder and Feldman discuss the “abby normal” brain. Madeline Khan and Kenneth Mars reunite from What’s Up, Doc?, and Mars’s capacity for inscrutable accents continues to be hilarious. Cloris Leachman is especially memorable as the frigid Frau Blücher [horse neighs in fright]. Lastly, Peter Boyle as Frankenstein’s monster, perhaps the straightest role, combines lumbering pathos, a short temper, and some self-aware glances at the audience. Plus, one can’t forget Gene Hackman’s cameo as an espresso-making blind man.

The best parodies have a comedic voice of their own besides just pointing out their similarities with other films. On one level, Young Frankenstein works as an homage to Universal’s old Frankenstein movies, even employing the same mad-scientist equipment from the 1930s; on the other hand, it spoofs them with abandon, delivering endless original laughs with spinning bookcases, aimless dart games, and mute pleas for “sedagive.” Even now, forty years later, this is Mel Brooks at his best.

Best line (out of too many): (Igor, poking his head out the door as a test) “Blücher!” [horses whinny]

 

Rank: 53 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

234 Followers and Counting

 

#88: The Ten Commandments (1956)

Tags

Biblical, Classics, Drama, Family

The land of Egypt built its wonders high

Upon the backs of Hebrew slaves of old,

Who prayed that God salvation would supply,

And so He did, His people to uphold.

A baby borne upon the Nile’s waves

To rescue him from edicts merciless

Proceeded from the desperate blood of slaves

But found a home in Pharaoh’s house to bless.

Though Moses prospered as a faithful prince,

He learned the truth, and crime forced banishment.

At last, with burning bush, God did convince

His chosen one to turn and represent.

Though Moses wielded power from the Lord,

His “brother” Rameses would not free his race.

The death of every firstborn by God’s sword

Allowed the Hebrews freedom from this place.

Through sundered sea and senseless sin, God led

His people with commandments all have read.

_________________

 

A TV favorite around Easter/Passover, Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments is undoubtedly dated but still retains the sense of grandeur that made it such an epic experience in 1956. While not his best role, Charlton Heston is a formidable Moses, exuding heroic dignity in every scene, even when he’s supposedly at the end of his rope. The eloquent voiceover narration and the jaw-dropping production values add to the overall grandiosity of the film.

Its biggest “flaw,” so to speak, is the overacting, with characters frequently looking off into the distance while spouting poetic dialogue about love, faith, or beauty. While this is at times unintentionally hammy, the melodramatic parlance has an archaic quality that is still somehow credible in the film’s antiquated setting. The story itself is well-formed, instituting simple yet complex character relationships among all the pomp and pageantry. The interplay among Moses, Rameses, and Nefretiri has a Shakespearean element that grounds the film in real, if exaggerated, emotion.

Anne Baxter as Nefretiri is the worst offender as far as magnified theatrics go, though her smug confidence about the power of her beauty adds to the interpersonal tension of the second act, even if Moses dismisses it. Likewise, Yul Brynner is stiffly arrogant at first, sharing with Baxter one of cinema’s truly awkward kisses, yet he grows into the role of Rameses until his lofty refusal to “let the people go” establishes him as a great Pharaoh in “de Nile.” (Get it?) The rest of the cast is large and adequate, with Edward G. Robinson as the standout naysayer Dathan, who’s the kind of guy everyone wants to punch now and then.

While The Ten Commandments is not completely accurate in the Biblical sense, it takes the source material seriously, applying it to an overall message of freedom and faith. It even transforms some Hollywood additions into clever speculations, such as a scorned lover causing the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart and his reversal after releasing the Hebrews. Above all, the film achieves scenes of visual vastness, from the labors of the slaves to their emancipation and immense leave-taking. The cast of thousands is stunning, and scenes like the parting of the Red Sea still hold an impressive power that can bring some, like my VC, to tears of awe. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore, not this long nor this extravagant, but The Ten Commandments stands as DeMille’s most successful accomplishment.

P.S. I don’t hold out much hope for Ridley Scott’s upcoming redux version Exodus: Gods and Kings, but we’ll see.

Best Biblical line: (Joshua) “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Best original line: (Moses) “There can be no freedom without the Law.”

 

Rank: 53 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

233 Followers and Counting

 

#89: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy (1999, 2002, 2005)

Tags

Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-fi

(Spoiler Alert)

 

The Trade Federation’s blockading Naboo,

So Jedi are sent to negotiate peace.

A battle with droids and evasion ensue

As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight for release.

 

Below on Naboo, Qui-Gon rescues a twit,

A Gungan outcast who is called Jar Jar Binks.

In gratitude, Jar Jar assists them, to wit

He leads them to where he is branded a jinx.

 

The Gungans live deep underwater, they learn,

But don’t wish to help anyone in the least.

One dark shortcut later, the Jedi knights turn

To Queen Amidala, whose fears have increased.

 

The Jedi and queen flee the threatened Naboo,

But their ship is damaged by enemy snares.

With help from a droid known as R2-D2,

They land on the sphere Tatooine for repairs.

 

While searching for parts, Qui-Gon locates a slave

Named Anakin Skywalker, only a boy.

This Anakin may be “the One” meant to save,

To bring the Force balance and peace to enjoy.

 

A bet and a pod race free Ani at last,

But he’s forced to leave his own mother behind.

They fight off Darth Maul, like a Sith from the past,

And head back to Coruscant with their new find.

 

The queen’s handmaid Padmé is rather friendly

With Ani, who’s introduced by Qui-Gon Jin.

The whole Jedi Council is loath to agree

With Qui-Gon’s assertions about Anakin.

 

Soon, everyone’s on their way back to Naboo

And seeks out the Gungans to help intervene.

At last, they agree to do battle anew,

When Padmé reveals she is really the queen.

 

As Jar Jar leads Gungans against battle droids,

The Jedi and Padmé sneak into the base.

Through luck, little Anakin somehow avoids

The fight on the ground for a battle in space.

 

Young Obi-Wan steps up to deal a death blow

To Darth Maul, who duels and dispatches Qui-Gon.

The droids are defeated, and peace seems to grow,

As Anakin’s trained under wise Obi-Wan.

_______________

 

When Padmé, now senator rather than queen,

Still serving Naboo with unflinching resolve,

Returns back to Coruscant, death unforeseen

Fuels fears that the peace may yet further devolve.

 

In light of the recent attempts on her life,

The Chancellor Palpatine bids her lie low.

The Jedi assign her two guards against strife,

With whom she’s familiar from ten years ago.

 

Young Ani has grown, and he clearly is smitten

With Padmé, though Obi-Wan bids him resist.

Soon after, they save her before she is bitten

And race to catch up with this antagonist.

 

Their target is nixed, so they go separate ways.

While Anakin takes Padmé back to Naboo,

His master does research and doubtfully pays

A visit to cloners deleted from view.

 

There, Obi-Wan learns that an order’s been met

For countless clone troops the Republic can claim.

He’s introduced to the clone-ee Jango Fett,

A cold bounty hunter, who flees to hide blame.

 

On Geonosis, Obi-Wan is detained

By evil Count Dooku, who chose the dark side.

Meanwhile, Skywalker is thoroughly pained

By dreams of his mother he cannot abide.

 

Returning to Tatooine, Padmé in tow,

He learns Tusken raiders abducted his mom.

He finds her in time for her final death throe

And yields to revenge as a coldhearted balm.

 

Both Padmé and he learn of Obi-Wan’s plight

And on Geonosis are captured as well.

Confessing their love, they are driven to fight

Three monsters in front of a large clientele.

 

The Jedi come calling with armies of clones,

And Jango and droids are no match for them all.

As Dooku retreats with some escorting drones,

Our heroes pursue for a lightsaber brawl.

 

Though Dooku defeats Obi-Wan and his ward,

When Yoda arrives, Count is nearly outmatched

And flees with some top-secret blueprints on board

To where his dark master has plans to be hatched.

 

Though Anakin lost his arm due to Dooku,

Because of the clones, this one battle was won.

As Padmé and Anakin wed on Naboo,

An unforeseen clone war has swiftly begun.

__________________

 

When General Grievous, who’s mostly a droid,

Abducts Palpatine in a militant raid,

Two Jedi and hundreds of clones are employed

To rescue the chancellor from this crusade.

 

With some difficulty, they breach the lead ship,

And Anakin finishes Dooku in rage.

They crash-land, and Grievous then gives them the slip

To find some more trouble in which to engage.

 

When Anakin learns that his wife is expecting,

He’s eager to end all the secrets they hide,

But more dreams of death make him doubt his protecting

Will save Padmé’s life since they will not subside.

 

As Chancellor Palpatine builds up his ego

And asks that Skywalker speak on his behalf,

The Jedi are doubtful about his amigo

And don’t wish the dark side to have the last laugh.

 

While Obi-Wan executes Grievous in flame,

His Padawan learns Palpatine is a Sith,

But Palpatine’s pledge to save Padmé by name

Convinces Skywalker to serve him forthwith.

 

His turn to the dark side at last is complete:

He massacres younglings as he is directed.

The order goes out to the clones in deceit

To kill all the Jedi that they have protected.

 

Though Yoda and Obi-Wan cheat death, the rest

Are caught by surprise and are exterminated.

When they learn of Anakin, both are distressed,

And Padmé refuses to trust what is stated.

 

When Anakin heads to a volcanic sphere

To wipe out the Separatist leaders at last,

His wife follows him, and his worry and fear

Are changed into anger when she is aghast.

 

He clashes with Obi-Wan furiously

As Palpatine barely bests Yoda as well.

Disturbed at the “Chosen One’s” deviancy,

Kenobi disarms and leaves him where he fell.

 

The Chancellor/Emperor’s now in control.

As Padmé gives birth to her predestined twins,

Darth Vader is painfully somewhat made whole

And ready for when the next chapter begins.

 

Though Padmé is lost and two Jedi alone,

The twins are divided and safely will stay.

Both Leia and Luke will have tales of their own

One day in that galaxy far, far away.

__________________

 

Many will probably disagree with my placement of George Lucas’s three-part return to the Star Wars universe. I have heard all the scorn for this trilogy: Jake Lloyd is the worst child actor of all time. What’s with all this Midi-chlorian crap? Hayden Christensen is so whiny and insipid as Anakin. The romantic dialogue is as corny as a popping machine and less entertaining. The politics drag, and the acting is mediocre. Nothing is as good as it should have been. These films are an embarrassment to the originals. Jar Jar Binks must die!

With all these criticisms, how then did the Star Wars prequels earn a place in my top 100? Quite simply, it’s because they’re far better than most people give them credit for. Do they compare with the first three as a whole? No. Are they flawed? Yes. But amid the minor annoyances that have garnered so much loathing, there are genuine moments of brilliance, with the visuals especially, that do make them worthy of the Star Wars name.

Episode I: The Phantom Menace is the weakest of the three because of its two most hated elements: Jar Jar Binks and the young Anakin Skywalker. Neither one ever bothered me much. There are much worse child actors than Jake Lloyd out there, and Jar Jar’s comic relief is not totally without charm, though it’s overplayed compared with the Ewoks of Return of the Jedi (again, I don’t mind the teddy bears). I agree that Lucas should not have tried to explain the Force with inscrutable talk of Midi-chlorians, but to me, these minor frustrations are overshadowed by the exciting, effects-laden sequences and the otherwise solid casting. Liam Neeson and Samuel L. Jackson (the first time I’d seen either of them) lend respectable sobriety, which is needed next to Jar Jar, and Ewan McGregor plays an up-and-coming Obi-Wan Kenobi who grew to become my favorite character in the next two films. Though his demise was a bit shocking at the time, Darth Maul also proves to be a formidable adversary. The pod race is far from pointless, as some detractors claim; it’s meant to buy Ani’s freedom and to be tense, impressive, and above all fun, and in my opinion, it succeeds, as do the battle scenes at the end. And let’s not forget John Williams’s magnificent score, which truly qualifies the film for its genre of space opera; no score could come closer to matching his musical achievement with the original Star Wars.

The first film was certainly closest to deserving its opprobrium, but Episode II: Attack of the Clones is as close to perfect entertainment as the prequels get. Perhaps I’m biased by the fact that it was the first Star Wars film I viewed in the theater, but it’s easily my favorite of the prequels. From the speeder chase on Coruscant to Obi-Wan’s rain-drenched duel with Jango Fett, Attack of the Clones offers the most exciting plot, as well as several explanations to burning questions, such as “What do all those stormtroopers look like?” While I think the first film’s obvious age difference between Anakin and Padmé was written away with the casting of Christensen, their relationship is sufficiently progressive to make it believable, even if the dialogue is indeed shallow. Plus, Anakin’s return to Tatooine is certainly a plausible prelude to his descent to the dark side. Episode II also possesses what is probably my favorite sequence of the entire saga: the Coliseum battle and its combination of giant monsters, droids, clones, bounty hunters, Jedi, a few pithy lines, and hopelessly romantic epicness, not to mention a subsequent peek at Yoda’s latent lightsaber prowess. I, for one, did not leave that theater disappointed.

I enjoyed watching Genndy Tartakovsky’s animated Star Wars: Clone Wars, which was released between the second and third films and set the stage for Episode III; thus, I was excited for Star Wars’ supposedly final installment. Revenge of the Sith is not an obvious favorite, not because it is bad (it actually received the best reception of the three), but because it is a tragedy, one that is surprisingly well-told. It essentially explains how Darth Vader came to be and how his children were separated. Anakin’s fear for Padmé’s life, foreshadowed by his premonitions about his mother in Episode II, is an effective catalyst for his moral plunge, though his embracing of murder is no less shocking or frustrating. The special effects of Episode III far surpass any other Star Wars film, and from droid commander General Grievous to Yoda’s showdown with the Emperor, from breathtaking beginning to tragic end, it is truly a feast for the eyes. (I love how the Yoda fight turned the long-established setting of the Senate chamber into an extravagant set piece.) The lava duel finale at last achieves the visual and emotional awe that words like saga and space opera imply; plus, the Emperor’s political intrigue provides timely, if occasionally ponderous, insights into the clandestine machinations of dictators. As splendid as Revenge can be, it’s depressing as heck and “ended” Lucas’s films on a disheartening note sorely in need of A New Hope.

Haters and critics can ridicule and underrate these films all they want, but George Lucas’s complete vision of the Star Wars saga is an absolute spectacle that earned him an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award after Revenge of the Sith was released. Yes, the dialogue is its weakest point, but the actors do their best with the sometimes clunky lines, such as Darth Vader’s lame climactic “Noooo.” Quiddities aside, the entire story of Anakin Skywalker deserved a full telling, and the Star Wars prequels supplied a fantastically realized narrative and some of the finest action sequences of the modern CGI era. I’ll be interested to see what J. J. Abrams has in store for the continuation of the franchise. Considering what he’s already done with Star Trek, I have high hopes for Episode VII.

Best line from The Phantom Menace: (Jar Jar Binks) “How wude!”

More serious best line for The Phantom Menace: (Yoda, to Anakin) “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.”

 

Best line from Attack of the Clones: (Anakin, as their coliseum execution begins) “What about Padmé?”  (Obi-Wan, as Padmé climbs onto a pillar) “She seems to be on top of things.”

More serious best line from Attack of the Clones: (Queen of Naboo) “We have to keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.”  (Padmé) “Let’s pray that day never comes.”

 

Best line from Revenge of the Sith: (Anakin, crash-landing Grievous’s ship) “We lost something.”   (Obi-Wan) “Not to worry. We’re still flying half a ship.”

More serious best line from Revenge of the Sith: (Padmé, as the Emperor takes over with full senatorial support) “So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.”

 

Rank: 53 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

232 Followers and Counting

 

#90: Star Trek into Darkness (2013)

Tags

Action, Sci-fi, Thriller

When Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise crew,

Decide to save Spock in a crisis that grew,

They break regulations no captain should break,

Which leaves Kirk demoted for one Vulcan’s sake.

 

Meanwhile, John Harrison, some renegade,

Employs terrorism that’s sadly well-played.

To the Klingon home world, he flees after his strike,

Which murdered Kirk’s advocate, Admiral Pike.

 

Intent on revenge, Kirk demands a pursuit,

And Marcus bestows some torpedoes to shoot.

A clash with the Klingons endangers their mission,

But Harrison helps, yielding no opposition.

 

His ship somehow stranded, Kirk speaks with his catch,

Who dares him to open his torpedo batch.

They find human popsicles, centuries old,

Through whom Harrison was discreetly controlled.

 

Explaining that Khan is his real name (who knew?)

And that all the sleepers are his ancient crew,

He tells them that Admiral Marcus had plans

To start a war with weapons safe in his hands.

 

The Admiral shows up to wipe evidence,

But sabotage spares them some time for offense.

When Khan and Kirk seize the ship, Khan takes control

Till Spock turns the tables on Khan’s vengeful goal.

 

Both ships are quite damaged, but one sacrifice

Gives Enterprise power but at a steep price.

Khan’s vessel, however, crash-lands on the earth,

And Spock threatens him till he learns of Khan’s worth.

 

Despite heavy losses, Kirk’s crew and ship make it;

A five-year assignment appears, and they take it.

With Marcus’s daughter as part of his crew,

Kirk boldly goes searching for ventures all new.

_________________

 

Since readers know that Lost is my favorite TV show, it should be no surprise that show creator J. J. Abrams would contribute films to my top 100. After his game-changing reboot of the Star Trek franchise in 2009, fans were eager for the next installment, and Star Trek into Darkness did not disappoint. Some accused its reworking of Wrath of Khan to be plagiarism rather than homage, but the film clearly possesses enough originality to offset the cries of its detractors.

While Sulu and Chekhov are underused, the rest of the Enterprise crew continue to be memorable revisions of The Original Series cast. Particularly, the relationship between Chris Pine’s rebellious Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s conformist-yet-cheeky Spock is a highlight of character-building, and Simon Pegg’s Scotty is given a chance to engage on a deeper level than the usual engineer role. Peter Weller’s villainous turn as Admiral Marcus is all right but pales in comparison with Benedict Cumberbatch’s potent, authoritative presence as Harrison/Khan. Being a fan of Cumberbatch in Sherlock and Amazing Grace, I believe his casting as Khan was genius (even if it was criticized as “whitewashing” Khan’s original ethnicity) and, along with The Hobbit, will forever cement him as a go-to villain.

If I had to criticize the film, I suppose it would be for its obvious attempts at a plot twist. We’re not supposed to see twists coming, but they’re not particularly well-hidden. For instance, Alice Eve’s portrayal of Carol Marcus is originally under the name Carol Wallace. Why? Fans of Star Trek could see that coming simply from Admiral Marcus’s inclusion, and for non-fans, the name Carol Marcus doesn’t hold any significant meaning. Khan’s fake identity makes a bit more sense in the plot but wasn’t all that necessary. While many have pointed out plot holes in the film, the only major discrepancies I noticed were the diminution of distances, with transporters and warp engines traversing great spans much faster than they should at this point in Star Trek history. Also, while a certain scene echoing Wrath of Khan is quite effective, its consequences are wrapped up far too quickly.

While the film’s action sequences don’t quite hit the zenith of the first film’s drill showdown or ice planet chase, the special effects are well-employed to create some awesome visuals, such as during the tense space jump. The Enterprise’s descent into the atmosphere is a particular wonder, with gravity shifting to turn the ship into a giant Tilt-A-Whirl. So many films sacrifice their intelligence in favor of spectacle; J. J. Abrams and Marvel seem to be the main ones able to balance the two to create entertaining films, worthy of multiple viewings. With clever references to The Original Series and the introduction of Klingons to this altered timeline, Star Trek into Darkness stands on its own and sets the stage for what I hope will be an even more impressive threequel.

Best line: (Dr. McCoy, after helping to save Kirk) “We synthesized a serum from his… super blood. Tell me, are you feeling homicidal, power-mad, despotic?”   (Kirk) “No more than usual.”

 

VC’s best line: (Kirk, speaking of Spock, to Uhura in turbolift) “Wait, are you guys… are you guys fighting?”

(Uhura) “I’d rather not talk about it, sir.”

(Kirk) “Oh my God, what is that even like?”

[Turbolift opens to reveal Spock, and Uhura walks by him coldly]

(Kirk, to Spock) “Ears burning?”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

 © 2014 S. G. Liput

231 Followers and Counting

 

#91: October Sky (1999)

Tags

Drama

In Coalwood, West Virginia,

Coal is undisputed king,

The mine the source of all the town can claim.

In 1957,

Sputnik I is orbiting

And elevates young Homer Hickham’s aim.

 

He takes a sudden interest

In the field of rocketry,

And three school friends assist his doubtful dream.

His father thinks it’s foolish,

And his brutal honesty

Discourages their unexampled dream.

 

As Homer’s group experiments

With rockets by the tens,

They finally achieve successful flight.

The town begins attending

Homer’s launches with his friends,

But Homer’s dad dismisses each invite.

 

A forest fire begins nearby,

A reckless rocket’s blamed,

And Homer’s forced to give up his pastime.

He goes into the coal mine

When his father’s nearly maimed,

Until he clears himself of any crime.

 

He wins the county science fair,

And nationals awaits.

Though his display is robbed to his chagrin,

His father still assists him,

Overcoming their debates,

So Homer and his Rocket Boys can win.

 

When scholarships are theirs,

They intend one final launch

In honor of their teacher, parents, friends.

John Hickham finally arrives,

The miner ever staunch,

To watch the rocket blaze as it ascends.

_______________

 

How many movies have we seen about a young upstart daring to follow his/her dreams, eliciting nothing but criticism from an autocratic parent? The Little Mermaid, How to Train Your Dragon, The Greatest Game Ever Played, and countless others have established this cliché as a favorite Hollywood source of familial tension. Why then is October Sky so fresh, so moving, so inspirational? Perhaps it’s the winsome appeal of Jake Gyllenhaal as Homer Hickham, exemplifying wide-eyed wonder long before his grittier, more adult roles of late. Perhaps it’s the complex relationship with his father (a stony Chris Cooper), which provides the tired tension with which we’re all familiar yet refuses to demonize him, even tempering his disparagement with intermittent heroism that depicts him as a misguided but admirable role model nonetheless. Perhaps it’s the film’s period soundtrack and soothing, hymn-like score or its Appalachian backdrop, at once comforting and oppressive, similar to “Butcher Holler” in Coal Miner’s Daughter. Perhaps it’s the inspiring accomplishment of “a bunch of hillbillies” through science rather than the usual sports or music, and the heartening support of the townsfolk and their schoolteacher (Laura Dern). Perhaps it’s all of the above.

Regardless, October Sky (an anagram of Rocket Boys) is a film that stands the test of time. I first viewed it as a kid before it fell off my radar, and when I saw it again years later, it was just as uplifting. Surely, many people like me can identify with Homer Hickham; I too have been galvanized by others’ works of creative genius to push myself to similar heights of ambition. Seeing such initiative rewarded is gratifying enough; seeing it win over even the harshest of critics qualifies October Sky as a personal favorite.

Best line: (Homer, to his dad, toward the end) “Look, I know you and me don’t exactly see eye to eye on certain things. I mean, yeah, we don’t see eye to eye on just about anything, but Dad, I come to believe that I got it in me to be somebody in this world. And it’s not because I’m so different from you either; it’s because I’m the same. I mean, I can be just as hard-headed and just as tough. I only hope I can be as good a man as you are. I mean, sure, Dr. von Braun is a great scientist, but he isn’t my hero.”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

231 Followers and Counting

 

#92: Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Tags

Disney, Drama, Family, History

Before Mary Poppins

Met cinema screens,

The gruff P. L. Travers

Kept her by all means.

 

The magical nanny

Was family to her,

And Disney would never

Take her, she was sure.

 

But life’s money troubles

Convinced her at last

To see what the mouse king

Was planning so fast.

 

Disappointments built up,

And her fears were confirmed:

The script and song writers

Explained as she squirmed.

 

Their Poppins too frivolous,

Songs too carefree,

They just could not please her,

Nor could Walt Disney.

 

Their cruel Mr. Banks

Brought back pained memories

Of her drunken father

Who tried so to please.

 

Despite a stern aunt

Whipping all into shape,

The cares of this world

Travers could not escape.

 

It took some script changes

For her to begin

To see the film project

As more than a sin.

 

But when animation,

Which she could not stand,

Was still to be present,

She left for England.

 

When Disney himself

Made a sudden house call,

He calmly assured her

He would not appall;

 

He’d bring Mr. Banks

To life, a road paved

By all of her stories,

And he would be saved.

 

Her father was dead,

But there on the screen,

Both perfect and flawed,

His salvation was seen.

_______________

 

The most recent of my top 100 films, Saving Mr. Banks is not even a year old at the time of this post, yet its acting and insightful peek at a laborious creative process marked it as an instant classic. More and more films are resorting to the depiction of creating other films (think Hugo, The Artist, Hitchcock), yet such films continue to offer compelling stories and fascinating details that haven’t gotten old yet, and Saving Mr. Banks is no exception.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is known for infamous snubs, yet the fact that Saving Mr. Banks did not receive one acting nomination is unforgivable (Thomas Newman’s score was nominated—that’s it). Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson contribute astounding performances to their already distinguished careers; Walt Disney and P. L. Travers come to life in a powerful, character-driven way that spans every emotion, from joy to disgust to sorrow to utter frustration. Yet despite some weighty backstories for both, the entire film has the light, optimistic ambience of Disney World (the Disney World that kids see, minus all the lines and headaches). Thompson’s pomposity and rudeness don’t fit in this land where cartoons and songs are the norm, but every minute of her gradual easing into something like fulfillment (and I do mean gradual) is a pleasure to watch. Likewise, Hanks’s Disney is con man, big cheese, and lovable uncle all rolled into one familiar package, yet with astute glimpses into previously unseen aspects of the master entertainer.

I applaud films that bring little-known players to the fore, such as Mary Poppins co-scriptwriter Don DaGradi (Bradley Whitford) and the talented Sherman Brothers musical team (B. J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman), not to mention Paul Giamatti’s genial turn as Travers’s fictionalized chauffeur. Lovers of the Mary Poppins film are sure to enjoy the details that seem to be directly inspired by Travers and the development of a childhood classic. Like in Holes, flashbacks are woven through the narrative, revealing additional inspirations for the Mary Poppins characters and providing Colin Farrell a heart-breaking role as the author’s good-natured but alcoholic father.

Considering that Saving Mr. Banks was released at the height of the Christmas season, it was obvious Oscar fodder, and it deserved so many more accolades than it received. Was it because it was too clean? Was it because Tom Hanks’s performance, coupled with the one in Captain Phillips that year, was somehow overlooked in favor of non-Oscar winners? I don’t know, but Saving Mr. Banks is a worthy behind-the-scenes look at the beloved Mary Poppins, even if it Disney-fies proceedings that were even more problematic than the film depicts. Regardless of how much was fictionalized, it was one of the best films of 2013.

Best line: (Walt Disney, reassuring Travers toward the end) “George Banks and all he stands for will be saved. Maybe not in life, but in imagination. Because that’s what we storytellers do. We restore order with imagination. We instill hope again and again and again.”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

231 Followers and Counting

 

#93: Holes (2003)

Tags

Drama, Family

Stanley Yelnats is unlucky, always has been, always will be,

All because his great-great-granddad broke a promise long ago.

When a pair of famous shoes fall from the sky, he’s branded guilty

For their theft and sent away to pay the debt he’s said to owe.

 

Camp Green Lake is hardly green, a dried-up, dusty desert basin,

Full of juvenile delinquents boasting nicknames none can shake.

Everyone digs daily holes to “build their character” and chasten,

But they must beware of lizards, deadlier than any snake.

 

Mr. Sir and “Mom” Pendanski supervise the rowdy felons,

And when Stanley finds a trinket, Warden Walker joins the site.

Stanley also bonds with Zero, called the emptiest of melons,

And instructs the homeless boy on how to read and how to write.

 

In a moment of contention, Zero flees, to death most likely,

And soon after Stanley follows in the hopes of finding him.

They find refuge on a mountain, where the curse is broken rightly.

Feeling lucky, both sneak back to burrow further on a whim.

 

There, amid a swarm of lizards, they discover buried treasure,

Robbed from Stanley’s great-grandfather by a tortured femme fatale.

Though the warden hopes to claim it, Stanley clutches it with pleasure,

As his thriving family’s lawyer rescues him from this locale.

 

As he and Zero split the loot, with luck at last upon their side,

Camp Green Lake enjoys the change new management and rain provide.

___________________

 

Holes could easily have been another lame Disney Channel movie, but the filmmakers put surprising effort into adapting Louis Sachar’s award-winning novel into a mature and entertaining family film. Before Holes, Shia LaBeouf was only known as Louis Stevens on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens, for which he won an Emmy, but this film cemented him as an up-and-coming actor with real potential. Though The Greatest Game Ever Played is his best single performance, his quiet, agreeable role as Stanley Yelnats IV is the pillar upon which all the various plotlines of Holes are moored.

With disparate elements all converging with ingenious precision, Holes is storytelling at once intricate and coherent, like a kid-friendly Shawshank Redemption. Flashbacks range from Latvian curses to forbidden Old West love, and as long as viewers are paying attention, it never gets confusing. Aside from a few hasty transitions, this is how flashbacks should be done. So much is covered in just under two hours: poisonous lizards, kissing outlaws, hog growth, Eartha Kitt laughing, smelly shoes, peaches and onions, palindromic monikers, obsessed searches, punkish camaraderie, desert loneliness, false accusations, fate, love, destiny! Not many films touch on so many subjects and boast a similarly diverse and striking soundtrack.

While most of the young actors haven’t gone far in the movie biz, several notable thespians add star power, including Henry Winkler, Patricia Arquette, Tim Blake Nelson, a surly and hilarious Jon Voight as Mr. Sir, and an imposing Sigourney Weaver in the unusually shady role of Warden Walker. Her abrasive catchphrase is a small detail onto which my VC latched as a memorable character trait. As capable as the cast is, the true star is the story, which ends with a rewarding and smile-worthy conclusion that wraps up its sundry plot threads beautifully. Though not all of Shia LaBeouf’s film choices have been well-received, his first in Holes remains a high-point among book adaptations and family-friendly dramas.

Best line: (Sam, a kindly onion grower, as he woos a schoolteacher with his handiness) “I can fix that.”

VC’s best line: (the Warden, indignantly and repeatedly) “Excuse me?”

 

Rank: 54 out of 60

 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

229 Followers and Counting