2nd Blogiversary and 2015 List Additions

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Lists

Well, I’ve officially been blogging for two years now! It all started on New Year’s Eve of 2013, after which I counted down my top 365 list of movies. It took longer than a year, but it gave me a sense of accomplishment. I’ve since been able to watch and review plenty more films and even take part in the occasional blogathon, and I believe my poems and reviews have improved with time and practice, especially since I don’t include so many spoilers like I did at first. While I’ve seen many movies (though not nearly as many as some people), the last year has introduced me to more new films than any other, some new releases and others I’ve just now caught up with.

For starters, this is not a best-of list for 2015 since I’ve only seen about seven movies from this year, and there are many more qualified bloggers reviewing all the Oscar-worthy stuff. (Heck, I just saw the Best Picture of 1991! I’m in no rush.) Throughout the year, I’ve been ranking each movie as List-Worthy, List Runner-Up, Honorable Mention, Dishonorable Mention, and the rare Bottom-Dweller. I’ve been liberal with the List-Worthies, and I think it doesn’t mean much if I don’t actually add these new favorites to my original list.

That’s what this post is all about. Before I post the updated list, this top twelve is dedicated to the movies that made it onto the list, based solely on my personal preferences. There were a lot of great films to choose from, including some close runners-up (Nebraska; Memento; Frozen River; Same Time, Next Year), but these are the best for me. While I have yet to review them all, I will get to each one eventually. I’ll start with the top twelve, then the fifty-five others that earned the rank of List-Worthy, followed by the original list-makers that were booted off this time (all of which I still love).

I’m struck especially by the diversity of the films that made it, including two horrors, six anime, three TV dramas, six superhero movies, and even a direct-to-video found-footage film. Any sequels, such as The Winter Soldier and Mockingjay: Part 1 and 2, will be grouped with their originals so they won’t actually have a separate place on the list. (There might be some additional grouping; Teachers, for example, will be listed with Won’t Back Down because of similar themes.) Most of these additions were new to me, though some I just needed a reminder of how good they were (such as Adventures in Babysitting and A View to a Kill).

A big thank-you to all who have followed and liked over the last two years. It’s been great fun, and I hope to see many more movies to add to my next list, while still working my way through college and writing my novel. So without further ado, here are my favorite additions to “THE LIST,” as of 2015.

 

 

12. Ant-Man (2015) – Just as everyone else seemed instantly in love with Guardians of the Galaxy (I’ve warmed up to it), Ant-Man became a hit in my house. Harking back to the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe before the extinction of all mankind became a threat in practically every movie, the smaller and funnier tone of Ant-Man hit all the right notes for an origin story.

 

 

11. Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) – The best of the new anime films I’ve added to the list, this fantasy combines all the best elements of Studio Ghibli’s films to create something familiar yet unique, weird yet deeply poignant. Plus, the animation is second to none.

 

 

10. Source Code (2011) – Clearly combining the likes of Quantum Leap and Groundhog Day, this Jake Gyllenhaal time-bender puts a soldier on a repeating time loop of sorts as he tries to uncover the terrorist behind a train bombing.

 

 

9. United 93 (2006) – A fitting tribute to the heroic victims of the fourth plane on September 11, Paul Greengrass’s taut drama builds suspense while keeping everything highly realistic.

 

 

8. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015) – I know I’m in the minority here, but I felt Mockingjay’s second half was the best of the series, a heartbreaking but satisfying conclusion to Katniss Everdeen’s story.

 

 

7. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) – What can I say? I like superhero movies, and Bryan Singer’s return to the franchise redeemed the awful mistakes of The Last Stand while telling an entertaining time-travel tale of revenge and second chances.

 

 

6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) – I’m still on the fence about this one. I enjoyed the balance of nostalgia and reinvention, but I’m placing it this high with faith that future viewings will smooth over my criticisms. Still, at this point, I can’t say I like it better than the prequels. (Sorry to all the prequel-haters who just fainted.) J.J. Abrams did well, though, and I look forward to the rest of this new chapter of Star Wars.

 

 

5. Inside Out (2015) – Oh, Pixar, you did it again. The fittingly emotional tale of anthropomorphized emotions inside the head of a displaced young girl is a shoo-in for Best Animated Feature and a return to form for the celebrated studio.

 

 

4. Big Hero 6 (2014) – Superheroes again, but this time paired with my other favorite genre, animation. Disney’s animation department has really improved over the last few years, and Big Hero 6 became an instant favorite with its lovable robot Baymax and the mix of vengeful action and heartfelt friendship.

 

 

3. Taking Chance (2009) – One more thank-you to MovieRob for introducing me to this powerful HBO drama of a real-life soldier accompanying the body of a fallen comrade back home. It offers touching character moments and genuine military honor for those who have fallen in the line of duty. Only this and the next two were able to crack my Top 100.

 

 

2. Serenity (2005) – Clever and fun yet dark and intelligent, Joss Whedon’s big-screen conclusion to his cancelled sci-fi TV show Firefly was everything I could have hoped in a series finale.

 

 

1. The Truman Show (1998) – Jim Carrey’s first dramatic film was actually supposed to be on the original list but was skipped for some reason. This story of a sheltered man whose entire life has been a popular reality show offers paranoia, ethical questions, a bit of Jim Carrey’s trademark goofiness, and some outstanding acting from Carrey and Ed Harris.

 

 

And here are all of the other additions, in alphabetical order:

 

(500) Days of Summer (2009)

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Adventures in Babysitting (1987)

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Almost Famous (2000)

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

A View to a Kill (1985)

Being There (1979)

Cannery Row (1982)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

The China Syndrome (1979)

Coma (1978)

The Conjuring (2013)

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)

Cross Creek (1983)

Die Hard 2 (1990)

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Ernest and Celestine (2012)

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Footloose (1984)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Harrison Bergeron (1995)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)

Immediate Family (1989)

The Judge (2014)

La Bamba (1987)

Lunopolis (2011)

The Maze Runner (2014)

The Miracle Worker (1962)

Misery (1990)

My Name is Bill W. (1989)

The Naked Gun (1988)

Ordinary People (1980)

The Others (2001)

Patema Inverted (2013)

The Prestige (2006)

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Quiz Show (1994)

Roman Holiday (1953)

Separate But Equal (1991)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Soapdish (1991)

Song of the Sea (2014)

Soul Man (1986)

Teachers (1984)

Time after Time (1979)

The Towering Inferno (1974)

Vantage Point (2008)

Watership Down (1978)

The Way Back (2010)

The Wind Rises (2013)

Wolf Children (2012)

 

And here are a few unofficial “awards” to compliment the best aspects of these additions:

 

Best opening scene: Cowboy Bebop: The Movie

Best final scene: The Way Back

Coolest scene: Serenity

Biggest emotional impact: United 93

Oldest film: All Quiet on the Western Front

Most recent film: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best soundtrack: Almost Famous (followed by (500) Days of Summer)

Best score: The Truman Show (followed by A Beautiful Mind)

Best special effects: Guardians of the Galaxy

Most mind-bending: The Prestige

Most family-friendly: Ernest and Celestine

Most mature: Die Hard with a Vengeance

Scariest: The Conjuring

Funniest: The Naked Gun

Most controversial: Soul Man

Best VC Pick: Cannery Row

Best male performance: Peter Sellers in Being There

Best female performance: Kathy Bates in Misery

Most represented year: 2014, with eleven films

 

Farewell to these 57 films (in alphabetical order) that were part of the original list and have now been replaced. Most are from the very bottom of the original list, but they are still among my favorites. They shall not be forgotten.

 

The African Queen (1951)

A Goofy Movie (1995)

An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000)

Apollo 13 (1995)

A Walk to Remember (2002)

Balto (1995)

Cats Don’t Dance (1997)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

City of Ember (2008)

Despicable Me (2010)

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Dinosaur (2000)

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Entrapment (1999)

Eragon (2006)

Fireproof (2008)

Gaslight (1944)

The Godfather (1972)

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Hitchcock (2012)

The Horse Whisperer (1998)

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Ice Age (2002) and Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Inkheart (2008)

The Jungle Book (1967)

The Karate Kid (1984)

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

The Killing Fields (1984)

King Kong (2005)

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Megamind (2010)

Millennium Actress (2001)

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

Moonstruck (1987)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

The Muppets (2011)

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

The Pagemaster (1994)

Panic Room (2002)

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Puss in Boots (2011)

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

The Secret of Kells (2009)

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

The Spongebob SquarePants Movie (2004)

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003)

Thor (2011) (my first review)

We Are Marshall (2006)

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Willow (1988)

Witness (1985)

Working Girl (1988)

 

Here’s to another fun year of blogging!

 

Genre Grandeur – Lunopolis (2011) – Rhyme and Reason

Here’s my first review for MovieRob’s December Genre Grandeur of Found Footage films. While I know and like little of this genre, Lunopolis was a fascinating sci-fi surprise.

MovieRob

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Found Footage Movies, here’s a review of Lunopoils (2011) by SG Liput of Rhyme and Reason

Thanks again to Tim of FilmFunkel for choosing this month’s genre.

Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Natasha of Life of This City Girl We will be reviewing our favorite Sci-Fi Movies.

Please get me your submissions by the 25th of January by sending them to scifinatasha@movierob.net  Try to think out of the box! Great choice Natasha!

Let’s see what  SG thought of this movie:

_____________________________________

While the crazies tell their tales

Of aliens and hidden trails,

Perhaps the biggest secret fails

To earn the notice it demands.

Human cities on the moon,

A day of portent coming soon-

If claims like these sound like a loon,

Just watch the proof none understands.

_______________

MPAA rating: Not Rated (probably R, solely for the…

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi

 

I recall the feeling still,
The fascination and the thrill
Of seeing something fresh and new,
Of satisfaction sown with skill.
I remember it; don’t you?

Over time, the feeling’s stayed.
The prize is praised; the piper’s paid,
And yet I wait for even more,
For further fun that will not fade,
Another epic to explore.

Waiting is rewarded, yes,
And yet I feel I must confess
I doubt if ever it will be
That future favorites and success
Will bear the same delight for me.
________________________

MPAA rating: PG-13

 

At last, I’ve seen the biggest movie of the year, combining two of my favorite things, Star Wars and J.J. Abrams’ directorial talent. Ever since I heard Abrams would direct the next entry in the Star Wars canon, I knew he was the right guy for the job. Lost is phenomenal, his Star Trek reboots were sheer fun, and he has a special talent for both visual storytelling and character-building. Here, he brings it all to George Lucas’s beloved space opera franchise, the continuation of the story last visited on film in 1983’s Return of the Jedi, the film that has been endlessly marketed and hyped for over a year now, and…I’m left divided.

Some spoiler-free reviews I’ve read have been the “oh-my-gosh-this-movie-is-just-so-great-and-wonderful-I-could-burst” type, but most seem to be the “this-is-a-really-good-movie-but…” kind of opinions. I wanted it to be the former, but sure enough, it’s the latter for me. Time to think it over has only deepened my ambivalence. On the other hand, my mom (with whom I saw it) has grown more displeased with it. She saw the original Star Wars in the theater eight-and-a-half times and, based on the reviews, had high hopes, which weren’t exactly dashed but at least unfulfilled.

Let me try to explain my feelings about Star Wars: Episode VII. I won’t get into specifics, but I’ll probably go into more detail than some reviews, so a warning for those like me who have tried to remain spoiler-free. First, the Light Side. Like so many critics have said, The Force Awakens does feel like the original trilogy, a little less polished than the prequels and with far more humor and natural dialogue. Abrams’ talent with ensembles comes through, balancing both the new characters and old with fresh concepts and proper nostalgia. Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Leia, Peter Mayhew as the apparently ageless Chewbacca, and (barely) Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker all make triumphant returns, and despite the thirty-two-year hiatus, it feels as if they never left. Of the new cast, Daisy Ridley’s heartfelt Rey and John Boyega’s excitable Finn are the standouts, dropping hints at guessable but unconfirmed backstories that will surely play a larger part in the inevitable sequels. The backstory we do get is that of Kylo Ren, the Darth Vader wannabe whose conflicted allegiance to the Dark Side keeps him interesting, even as the other villains are given little to do. While many have complained about the underuse of various actors, the most overlooked to me seemed to be Gwendoline Christie as Stormtrooper Captain Phasma; like in Mockingjay – Part 2, Christie oddly lands a role in a big-budget blockbuster and then has hardly any screen time. Those secondary players who do get screen time make the most of it, including Oscar Isaac’s daring pilot Poe Dameron and, of course, the cute beachball droid BB-8. I also enjoyed seeing Ken Leung (Miles from Lost) as a Resistance admiral, a token actor from Abrams’ past work.

There, I liked it, right? But then, the Dark Side makes itself felt. For one thing, it’s sad that, within thirty years, the galaxy is right back in the middle of tyrant-battling war, with the Republic barely present. In addition, with the exception of Episode III, which everyone knew would be dark and tragic, all the Star Wars movies end with a thrill, whether it be a smile of success or an urge to learn what’s next. While both types of thrill are attempted, they are overshadowed by a climactic blow to the childhood that hit my mom especially hard. When the credits had finished, we didn’t leave the theater reveling in the glow of a great movie; we left in silence, trying to digest what J.J. Abrams had done. It makes for potent drama, but it stings nonetheless.

In addition, the story itself becomes weak in its attempt to pay homage to the original Star Wars. Plot elements are recycled a bit too often, and the originality suffers. There’s a wanted droid with important hidden information; there’s a cantina full of exotic aliens; there’s a desert planet (Jakku, not Tatooine); there’s a planet-destroying weapon; there’s a black-masked villain reporting to a holographic uber-villain (head of the First Order, not the Empire); there’s a Jedi apprentice turning against his master; there’s a close shave with a tentacled creature; there’s the difficult scene I mentioned that recalls Darth Vader’s run-in with Ben Kenobi; and there’s a mission to blow up the enemy base, which is even cooler and less simple than the Death Star’s destruction. There’s also a deleted star system, a la Attack of the Clones. For all their faults, the prequels always presented something new, even if the new didn’t please fans. In trying to appeal to everyone’s nostalgia for the original trilogy, the writers made the story far too similar. I wonder if Episode VIII will feel like The Empire Strikes Back.

At this point, I can’t tell if I’m trying to be honest or overly critical. It’s still a fantastic action-packed movie, the one we’ve been waiting for for decades. Despite the overly familiar plot points, I love everything original in The Force Awakens, from the new protagonists to the impeccable visual effects and awesome action. I still can’t decide where it ranks next to the prequels (I like them; sue me), but it’s certainly worthy of the Star Wars name. My mom and I will still see it many more times, and our admiration will surely improve. (She didn’t like Forrest Gump the first time either, and now it’s a family favorite.) I doubt The Force Awakens will ever have the same appeal as the original trilogy, but just as I grew up with the prequels, this is the Star Wars of the next generation.

Best line: (Han, about the enemy weapon) “How do we blow it up? There’s always a way to do that.”

 

Rank: List-Worthy

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

352 Followers and Counting

 

VC Pick: The Christmas Card (2006)

Tags

Christmas, Drama, Family, Romance

 

You speak a word or you write a card,
And think perhaps that they have no effect,
The same clichés by triteness marred
That lead to an “Aww,” then most likely neglect.

But none can know where their kindness ends
And where a larger design can begin,
Where welcomed strangers grow into friends
And holiday spirit makes room at the inn.

You might send a hundred clichés someone’s way.
A heartfelt word may brighten more than their day.
____________________

MPAA rating: Not Rated (definitely G)

 

I’m sorry I’m getting into the Christmas spirit a little late this year. I thought about compiling a top Christmas movie list, but it would be the same old popular favorites for the most part (A Christmas Story, Home Alone, etc.). Instead, I decided to turn over the holiday reins to my VC, who is fond of this little Hallmark movie that I gave her as a Christmas gift a couple years back.

While it’s perfect for the holidays, The Christmas Card is far from the best Hallmark has to offer. It starts out in Afghanistan, where Sgt. Cody Cullen (John Newton) receives an encouraging Christmas card from a woman out west. When a comrade is killed in action and Cody visits his widow on leave, it turns out that she lives conveniently in the same town as the woman who sent him the card. That would be Faith Spelman (Alice Evans), who conveniently has the same tastes as he does and attends the same church he visits. Conveniently, she has a father (Ed Asner) who takes an instant liking to the handsome soldier and would like nothing more than to fix him up with his daughter. Then, of course, there’s her jealous fiancé and split affections and, well, you see where this is going. While the plot is wholly predictable romantic novel stuff, it’s still rather sweet and enjoyable, though that’s largely due to the scenery.

The Christmas Card always fills my VC with drooling envy, thanks to its setting. The Spelmans live in the quaint mountain town of Nevada City, California, a beautiful hamlet brimming with holiday spirit and warm small-town hospitality. Not only is it the kind of town that could lure my earthquake-phobic VC to California, but the Spelman’s home looks like an HGTV dream house, a palatial but cozy log cabin with a roaring fireplace and a Christmas tree that stands above the rafters. Just looking at this snug residence is enough to put us in the Christmas spirit, perhaps to wrap in a blanket and sip hot chocolate. While the environment keeps my VC’s attention, Alice Evans keeps mine, with her sweatered loveliness and charm holding the affections of two jealous men, though I’m surprised half the town isn’t after her. It’s also cool to recognize her as the younger Eloise Hawking on Lost.

The Christmas Card is nothing deep. John Newton is particularly wooden as the stoic veteran, and neither the acting nor the script is great, though Ed Asner did get an Emmy nomination for his role as the buoyant matchmaker father. While its technical merit is low, it nevertheless rings with Christmas warmth and generosity and brings attention to the soldiers who are away from their families during the holidays. There are better Christmas movies out there, but we keep coming back to The Christmas Card. Merry Christmas to all!

Best line: (Cody, upon meeting Faith’s father Luke) “It’s a real honor to meet you, sir.”   (Luke Spelman) “Honor? I guess you haven’t caught wind of my reputation.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

352 Followers and Counting

 

Serenity (2005)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi

 

When we reach the distant future,
Full of ships traversing space,
What if life were not that different
With the same self-seeking race,
Governments with dark agendas,
And the sins we can’t replace?

How could anyone continue
In ideals that aren’t esteemed?
Only with a firm believing,
Truer than it ever seemed,
Can a world of lies and secrets
Be perhaps in part redeemed.
__________________

MPAA rating: PG-13

 

After my introduction to Joss Whedon’s cult classic TV show Firefly (and its inclusion on my Top Twelve TV Series list), I had to check out its big-screen conclusion Serenity, and it was a home run! In the same way that Firefly was criminally underrated when aired and was canceled after merely eleven episodes, I’ve seen Serenity in the bargain DVD bin for $3.99 when it deserves so much better. Putting all of Whedon’s considerable talent on display, Serenity offers an equally entertaining alternative to Star Wars and Star Trek.

Luckily, all of the main cast of the show returned to reprise their roles, a winning ensemble of mostly lesser-known TV actors, with the villain played by then-lesser-known Chiwetel Ejiofor. The crew of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity aren’t freedom fighters against the imperialistic Alliance nor noble voyagers exploring the ‘verse; instead, they are simply in search of their next job, which typically entails smuggling or some other less-than-legal enterprise. Captained by hard-nosed Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion, who continues to reference the show in other roles since), Serenity includes his old war comrade Zoe (Gina Torres), her pilot husband Wash (Alan Tudyk), amusing cutthroat Jayne (Adam Baldwin), cute engineer Kaylee (Jewel Staite), and the Tam siblings Simon (Sean Maher) and River (Summer Glau), who are fugitives from the Alliance and grudgingly welcome guests aboard the ship. Also included are those who have left the ship, peaceful but secretive Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) and Mal’s unacknowledged love interest Inara (Morena Baccarin), a Companion or respectable prostitute.

With all that information and more previously established in the show, Serenity is an impressive balancing act, offering a conclusive episode for the fans hungry for more and a surprisingly accessible adventure that can still appeal to newbies. Such is Whedon’s talent with ensembles, whether it be his cult TV series or movies like The Avengers. In some ways, I might compare Serenity with Guardians of the Galaxy, another fast-paced space tale with an ensemble of potential unknowns. Like Guardians, Serenity throws out all the information viewers need to know along with ample humor and characterization and doesn’t waste time ensuring that the audience is keeping up. Instead of the pop culture references of Guardians, though, Serenity combines its sci-fi trappings with a western desperado style to craft a unique blend of East, West, and future.

Serenity also proved to be an outlet for Whedon’s creativity. Within the first fifteen minutes, there’s a dream within a holographic log and an ingenious four-and-a-half minute tracking shot that introduces us to the entire ship and crew. Likewise, the dialogue is another Whedon trademark, full of clever colloquialisms, Chinese exclamations, and so much breakneck wit that I wonder why it wasn’t nominated for Best Original Screenplay. I also admire that, despite his atheism, Whedon emphasized the presence of religion and belief in this space-faring future, something Star Trek only did with alien cultures. (No aliens here.) In the first few minutes, I even recognized a knockout gadget that Whedon reused in his Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series.

All this fawning over it, and I’ve hardly said anything about the actual plot. Throughout the series, River had acted consistently weird due to the government’s experiments on her, and brother Simon acted as her rescuer and advocate, though there were hints that she could take care of herself. While the actual explanation and solution for her behavior don’t make total sense, the film offers insights and resolutions for many elements that the show didn’t have time to conclude: River’s actual rescue, Kaylee’s crush on Simon, the Alliance’s reasons for wanting River back so adamantly, River’s untapped talents, and the nightmarish Reavers, the bands of space maniacs as mindless as zombies and ten times as ferocious. Mal is not only caught between the Alliance’s coolly murderous Operative (Ejiofor) and an unrecognized threat on board his ship; he’s also caught in a web of right and wrong, heroism and disillusionment, cynicism and belief. This futuristic world is unforgiving and sometimes painfully harsh, but Whedon keeps a masterful balance among the dramatic, comedic, and jaw-droppingly awesome. One scene toward the end is especially stunning and practically gave me goosebumps.

If you haven’t seen Firefly and happen to have fourteen hours to burn, watch it first, but there’s so much excellence evident in Serenity that I recommend everyone see it regardless. A few aspects of the end may not be ideal, but the film as a whole is an exciting success as both a standalone film and the finale Firefly never got. Like Firefly, it’s an underrated science fiction treat.

Best line: (Mal) “Half of writing history is hiding the truth.”

 

Rank: Top 100-Worthy

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

350 Followers and Counting

 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

 

Children fought within the Games,
As posh patricians praised their names,
And through the safety of TV,
Let death abound for all to see.

Now death has bounded through the screen,
And at the urging of a teen,
The poor plebeians meant to lack
Have gained the courage to fight back.

When tyrannies use violent means
And worship death on TV screens,
It then should come as no surprise
In violence do the people rise.
For freedom, violence intervenes,
For can mankind learn otherwise?
________________

MPAA rating: PG-13

 

After watching the final Hunger Games film and contemplating whether I liked it or Catching Fire best, I’ve come to the conclusion that Mockingjay – Part 2 is the best installment of the series. The final chapter of any franchise is typically meant to be the grandest and most important, a rare but desirable feat that is indeed met by this last portion of Katniss Everdeen’s story.

Though I’m one of the few people not to have read the books, I’m well aware that Mockingjay is the least favored of Suzanne Collins’s trilogy, and some reviews for Mockingjay’s two film adaptations have been similarly blasé, since they say the book is better and its predecessors are better still. Yet Part 2 delivers on the setup of Part 1, trading in the previous film’s relative lack of thrills for the fast-paced intensity of the Maze Runner series.

I’ll try to be general to avoid spoilers: Katniss (ever-outstanding Jennifer Lawrence) and President Coin’s rebels aim for President Snow and the Capitol, even as the archer struggles with her split affections and Peeta’s recent brainwashing. Considering how Part 1 used Peeta’s sudden indoctrination as its climax, I was glad that it wasn’t swept away as a minor setback; instead, it becomes an ongoing risk, as well as a satisfying method of ironing out the reality among all the lies. The actual mission grows in importance as they continue, and the Hunger Games-style dangers encountered make Mockingjay – Part 2 the most intense film of the franchise, with one sequence that seemed fit for a horror movie.

Considering everything that has come before, it should be no surprise that there are many deaths along the characters’ difficult journey, and I suspect this is part of what many fans disliked. Killing off characters is most painful when it seems unfair, and such displeasing deaths can cause fans to be angrier at the storyteller than the characters responsible. (A recent example I disliked was in How to Train Your Dragon 2). Mockingjay – Part 2 has twists that aren’t exactly what fans would want or expect, but the story makes the best of them and ends up sadder but wiser, yet still fulfilling.

While the biggest complaint about Mockingjay is how it has been split into two parts for the sake of money, Part 2 actually served to vindicate that decision for me on the narrative level, at least somewhat. One hope I had for the Hobbit trilogy was that, by stretching the dwarves’ screen time, their characters would grow more familiar and not just be thirteen interchangeable companions. While Jackson failed in that regard, I felt Mockingjay succeeds. With so many new characters introduced between Parts 1 and 2, it made sense to establish some earlier on to distinguish them from the redshirts who don’t have enough screen time to leave an impression. (To use a Marvel comparison, whose death had more impact, that of Coulson, who was seen in multiple films, or that of Quicksilver, who had one?) While the decision did Part 1 no favors, it works to Part 2’s advantage.

As the capstone of The Hunger Games franchise, Mockingjay – Part 2 is both an exciting blockbuster and a dark climax for a dark series. While some elements may not satisfy, such as the resolution to the whole love-triangle friction, the majority do. The expansive cast perhaps aren’t fully utilized, but plot progression is more important than characterization at this point, since we’ve already gotten to know the important players over three films. (I was glad that Philip Seymour Hoffman’s role as Plutarch Heavensbee wasn’t much affected by his death earlier this year; his absence was only felt in one scene and was well sidestepped.) Most importantly, amid the chaotic action and sci-fi spectacle, the film reaffirms the franchise’s ultimate message. As Katniss has grown from fighting for survival to fighting for freedom or revenge, the struggle has not simply been against monosyllabic presidents but against anyone with contempt for life. It’s a theme still very much relevant today and one I hope will be ever in our favor.

Best line: (Katniss) “There are much worse games to play.”

 

Rank: List-Worthy (joining the other three in the series)

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

349 Followers and Counting

 

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Tags

Drama, Horror, Thriller

 

Evil comes in many forms,
In the loner and the swarms,
In the wielder of the knife,
In the prober of your life.
Though it hides or means to try,
It draws your interest and your eye.

Dark are deeds we’d never do,
Yet they still are dared by few.
Justice runs to halt the spread,
But if it wins, there’s still the dread.
Evil loves to carve its notch,
But why do any choose to watch?
_________________

MPAA rating: R
After years of hearing how great it is and seeing most of Anthony Hopkins’s performance through clips, I decided to finally watch the Best Picture of 1991. The Silence of the Lambs is everything critics have praised over the years: a dark mystery, a dramatic powerhouse, a compelling character study of two opposing forces, one seeking justice and the other too demented to be fully understood. It is both Hopkins’s and Jodie Foster’s finest hours, winning both of them Academy Awards, as well as Oscars for Best Director and Best Screenplay. And it is a great film which I have little desire to see again. The Silence of the Lambs is one of those movies that I can admire without being able to fully embrace as a favorite, more due to my personal sensitivities than to any flaws on the film’s part.

It’s an ingenious setup, pitting an eager but untested FBI agent-in-training (Foster) against the memorably evil serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) with the aid of the even more memorably evil killer Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins). Clarice Starling is a woman trying to prove herself to her superior Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) and to save other women, who are being killed and skinned by Bill across the Midwest. Jonathan Demme’s directorial tactic of filming actors as they look directly into the camera is even more effective than in his next film Philadelphia (which perhaps served to compensate for the allegedly homophobic aspects of Silence). As Crawford or Lecter or various men stare at Clarice and by extension the audience, it feels as if she is being sized up, measured, evaluated as an asset, a threat, or a toy. It’s an uncomfortable sensation but unique and intriguing enough to constantly hold our attention and keep us and Clarice on our toes.

Of course, the most remarkable element of the film is Anthony Hopkins, who amazingly won Best Actor for only sixteen minutes of screen time. He’s unflinchingly malevolent yet unsettlingly polite, a performance so captivating that it nearly dwarfs the rest of the film (hence, Best Actor rather than Best Supporting Actor). As diabolical and conniving as Lecter is, it’s Levine’s performance as Buffalo Bill that I found deeply disturbing. While Demme used much restraint in depicting the violence, Bill’s perverse cruelty doesn’t leave the mind easily, and I’ll probably just skip his scenes whenever I attempt a rewatch. It’s a wonder Levine has been able to move on from such a vile role.

Beyond Bill’s foul obsessions, I suppose my tepid appreciation stems from the fact that The Silence of the Lambs made me consider why serial killers are so popular. I don’t mean the supernatural types like Freddy Krueger (though I don’t like them either), but the modern focus on potentially real people who commit horrendous acts. Real-life killers like Ed Gein and Ted Bundy have inspired films like Psycho and Silence of the Lambs, and serial killers are still trendy in TV shows like Dexter and Hannibal. What is it that is so compelling about these experts of violence? Most people would never dream of committing such acts, and yet we watch them or hear about them; we study their modus operandi and are fascinated.

The Silence of the Lambs offers some insight into its killers, whether it be the deductive clue-chasing of the FBI agents tracking Bill down or the dehumanizing way Bill refers to his victims as “it.” Lecter represents the enthralling, psychological aspect of these butchers, while Bill epitomizes the disgust. It’s fascinating, yet I can’t help but feel guilty and repulsed by my own fascination. The Silence of the Lambs is a masterfully disturbing thriller, but I don’t often like being disturbed. I don’t want Hannibal Lecter inside my head.

Best line: (Hannibal Lecter, with his most iconic line) “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Sssffff.”

 

Rank: List Runner-Up

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

348 Followers and Counting

 

VC Pick: Soul Man (1986)

Tags

Comedy

 

Being black and being white
Can form opinions, wrong and right,
Attitudes and points of view
Based solely on another’s hue.

Most get only one perspective,
Rarely totally objective.
Maybe, though, we’d change our views
If we were in another’s shoes.

Although we may be still behind
On growing fully colorblind,
Insight instead of reprimand
Might help us further understand.
_____________________

MPAA rating: PG-13

When I watched Soul Man at my VC’s suggestion, I had no idea it was considered a controversial movie. After I’d seen it, I was surprised at the number of sites that listed it as shamelessly racist alongside films like The Birth of a Nation and Song of the South. It also seemed to impede C. Thomas Howell’s rise to stardom, since he’s mostly been resigned to TV and low-quality roles ever since. And yet, I liked Soul Man, which may be surprising too since I’m not a racist. I suppose, as a precaution, I should say up front that I am not black, and I apologize for anyone that this movie or my appreciation of it might offend. But I liked Soul Man.

In addition to Red Dawn and Gettysburg, I would even go so far as to call it one of C. Thomas Howell’s best movies. In it, he plays Mark Watson, a spoiled white guy whose father seeks to teach him a lesson by cutting off his funds right on the eve of his freshman year at Harvard Law School. Faced with giving up his college plans, Mark applies for and gets a scholarship…an African American scholarship. He does so by overdosing on tanning pills, an improbable and inadvisable method which doesn’t make sense, is never further explained, and serves merely as a superficial reason for Mark passing himself off as black.

With just his one friend Gordon in the know (Arye Gross), he goes in with several presumptuous, perhaps racist ideas of what being black is all about, such as assuming a black professor (James Earl Jones) will give him special treatment. “This is the Cosby decade,” he says. “America loves black people.” It doesn’t take long, though, for him to get a taste of other people’s racism, whether it be the prejudiced jokes of the local school bigots or the overly suspicious eye of a policeman (and those kinds of reports are still in the news). Over time, his perspective changes, based on both his own experience and his gradual relationship with fellow classmate Sarah (Rae Dawn Chong, whom Howell later married…for a year). Of course, this is a comedy, so the drama usually gives way to Mark’s hilarious attempts to avoid detection as his ill-conceived plan spirals out of control, and I must say that Soul Man had me laughing harder than I have in a long time, particularly when Mark does his Stevie Wonder impression.

So beyond whether I enjoyed it or not, I suppose the main question is this: is Soul Man racist? No, I don’t believe it is. Yes, there are racist stereotypes present, such as when Mark visits a girlfriend’s family (including an underused Leslie Nielsen), who all have ridiculously prejudiced views of Mark just because he appears black. Yes, most of the white characters have biased opinions of African Americans, from assuming they must all be good at basketball to automatically expecting to be robbed by them. Yes, the N word is uttered, though not nearly as much as in other movies. And yes, C. Thomas Howell wears black face to pretend to be black. If that in and of itself offends you, then steer clear of Soul Man.

Yet I have to believe that a film can present negative elements without endorsing them. The film could be compared to Arye Gross’s rather overblown legal argument toward the film’s end, offensive and derogatory if taken at face value but actually with the opposite meaning for those willing to see it. Viewing racism through a comedic lens may not carry universal appeal, but Soul Man is not meant to be a comprehensive critique of the subject, and even Mark admits that he couldn’t possibly understand what it means to be black. Characters and their viewpoints can be absurdly racist, but the movie intends for us to laugh at them and perhaps consider our own views and assumptions about others at the same time. Some jokes also happen to be funnier in retrospect, such as Mark’s white girlfriend suggesting an erotic novel called Shades of Gray. Very interesting…. Soul Man may be anathema to the politically correct, but if not for the controversy, I bet it would be an ‘80s classic by now.

Best line: (Gordon to his roommate, with impeccable timing) “We should get an ocelot!”

 

Rank: List-Worthy

 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

347 Followers and Counting

 

Opinion Battles Round 16 Favourite Film Set in Space

Be sure to vote on the last Opinion Battle of 2015 and pick your favorite film set in space! I chose Gravity, a film that truly gives you an idea of the immense beauty and danger of space itself. I’m looking forward to the new round of Opinion Battles beginning next year!

Movie Reviews 101

Best Film Set in Space

For the final round on year one we are looking at the best film set in space, mainly to celebrate the upcoming release of Star War Episode 7. We have plenty of films that have been released through nearly all genres that are st in space but what is our favourites?

If you would like to join in next year’s Opinion Battles send an email to moviereviews101@yahoo.co.uk for more details.

Darren – Movie Reviews 101

Event Horizon

I have selected Event Horizon because I feel it could easily be one of the most underrated horror films that built on what films like Alien created, it offers a new enemy in space rather than the easy option of aliens giving us a manmade terror. I will like to point out this is one horror film that could easily be missed but the pure levels of gore…

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Genre Grandeur – The One I Love (2014) – Rhyme & Reason

Here’s my final review for MovieRob’s November Genre Grandeur of alternative romances, this time for the Twilight Zone-ish The One I Love.

MovieRob

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Alternate Love Story Movies, here’s a review of The One I Love (2014) by SG Liput of Rhyme & Reason

Thanks again to Abbi of Abbiosbiston.com for choosing this month’s genre.

Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Tim of FilmFunkel  We will be reviewing our favorite Found Footage movies.  In order to get a better idea as to what this genre might include, check out this post by Tim.

Please get me your submissions by the 25th of December by sending them to TisTheFFSeason@movierob.net  Try to think out of the box! Great choice Tim!

Let’s see what SG thought of this movie:

_____________________________________

The One I Love (2014)

The one I love and I fall short

Of perfect pairs with shared support.

We disagree repeatedly,

And yet my love will always be

The only one I love.

Though…

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