Monthly Archives: January 2015

#19: War Horse (2011)

19 Monday Jan 2015

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A Devon-born horse with four white socks and star
Is bought at an auction by Ted Narracott.
The drunkard, discouraged by how their lives are,
Lets Albert, his son, give the horse his best shot.
 
His training of Joey allows him to plow
And buck expectations of them and their field,
But when the War starts, there’s a greater need now
For money, and horses for England to wield.
 
Assigned to the cavalry, Joey is passed
From Britain to Germany following fights.
Two brothers persuaded by promises past
In fleeing to safety surrender their rights.
 
An elderly Frenchman and his young granddaughter
Are next to take in this miraculous horse.
They try to protect him from bondage and slaughter,
But callous war comes to reclaim him by force.
 
Through marches and trenches, he tries to survive;
Through wire and fences, he ventures to flee,
But only when care and compassion arrive
Do rivals join forces to set Joey free.
 
By chance or by fate or by Providence’ will,
The unlikely promise that young Albert swore
Is kept when the both of them reunite still,
Two tired, admired survivors of war.
__________________
 

In vying for Oscars and popularity, most films nowadays constantly experiment to make themselves new. As well-done as they may be, many award-winners are becoming more dependent on gimmicks, whether it be a retro silent picture, a coming-of-age tale shot over twelve years, a drama meant to appear as one continuous take, or a musical that does away with pre-recorded tracks. Few films return to the pure, old-fashioned filmmaking of Hollywood’s Golden Age as wondrously as Steven Spielberg’s 2010 masterpiece War Horse, a return to a time when epic journeys could indulge in straightforward schmaltz and emotion without being called “sentimental,” as if that were a bad thing.

Paulie already proved that “meet ‘em and move on” films could feature an animal protagonist, but unlike that film or Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron or the Michael Morpurgo book on which War Horse is based, the animal involved is not anthropomorphized to provide narration. He acts as a character but also a sounding board for those he meets along his odyssey. In doing so, he experiences the many angles of World War I depicted throughout the story: the confident bravery of the war’s beginning, the early losses, the fears and misgivings on both sides, the heartbreaking cost forced upon innocent civilians, the devolution of battlefields into ravaged wastelands, and the unexpected kindnesses displayed throughout.

As a war film, it manages to show multiple perspectives and never demonizes one group or the other. As with every war, there are sympathetic angels and hard-nosed warriors on both sides. A scene of cooperation between a British and German soldier acts as a microcosm of the previously reviewed Christmas film Joyeux Noël, uniting them over shared humanity and sympathy for an injured innocent. One way in which the film recalls the war features of yesteryear is in its realistic but sanitized depiction of battle; despite much loss of life and some intense sequences, there’s no blood and no unnecessary brutality. I applaud Spielberg for that.

My VC doesn’t believe War Horse should be this high on my list (she’s not partial to any film with a suffering animal), but for me, War Horse is the most recent film to find a special place in my heart. Certain movies like this, Heart and Souls, and Whisper of the Heart just retain an unusual personal fondness that can’t be fully explained. The opening might be a little slow, but it highlights the formation of a life-leading friendship that compels the viewer to follow this special horse, and certain elements are made more relevant and poignant as the film progresses. In addition, the breath-taking cinematography and scenery of Devon, England, are more than enough to hold one’s attention, especially when combined with yet another moving score from John Williams. The actors are all excellent as well, from newcomer Jeremy Irvine as Albert, a heartfelt and consistently admirable lad whether in the turnip field or battlefield, to a number of recognizable English thespians, including Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Eddie Marsan (Inspector Lestrade), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Smaug, Sherlock, Khan, etc.).

War Horse indeed feels like classical filmmaking, like that of John Ford mixed with Lassie, but updated with Spielberg’s artistic touch and more natural acting. Shots of the Devon sunset carry a painterly beauty, while a scene of an execution is evocatively hidden by a turning windmill. The Artist may have been more lauded for its innovative take on classic Hollywood, but I consider War Horse the best film of 2011.

Best line: (Rose Narracott to her husband Ted, after he fears his failures will alienate her) “I might hate you more, but I’ll never love you less.”

 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

282 Followers and Counting

#20: The Incredibles (2004)

17 Saturday Jan 2015

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In a comic book world full of heroes and powers,
Which nonetheless isn’t too different from ours,
Strong Mr. Incredible uses his skills
To stop evil, you know, just everyday thrills.
The day that he marries Elastigirl, though,
Is one he’ll regret, for in fighting a foe,
He makes one, and supers are forced to lie low.
 
Years later, he’s stuck in a job that he hates,
With kids and a wife who’s content with their fates.
In trying to relive his old glory days,
He captures a secretive agency’s gaze.
Things start looking up when he stops a robot,
Until he’s betrayed by his sponsor and caught.
A fan has become the new villain Syndrome,
Who plans to wreak havoc and falsehoods back home.
 
When Helen goes searching for him high and low,
With speed demon Dash and shy Violet in tow,
They’re threatened as well, but when family fights,
They do so together…and in matching tights.
They race to the city to stop Syndrome’s plot
And take out his deadlier rampaging bot.
When Syndrome is vanquished and peace is renewed,
These heroes defend when new villains intrude.
_____________________
 

While The Avengers is a better movie strictly in the superhero genre, The Incredibles offers even more: a believable family dynamic, an insightful comparison of talent versus fitting in, and yet another example of Pixar’s groundbreaking animation. Released during Pixar’s golden years, The Incredibles didn’t quite please me upon my first viewing for some reason; perhaps it was because I had already seen two other films in the theater that day. Future watchings have only improved my opinion of this exciting family favorite.

The world full of supers depicted at the beginning is practically a comic book come to life, full of routine heroics, gleeful admirers, fancy tech, and “playful banter”; from what we’ve seen, it’s not surprising that Mr. Incredible thinks they’re untouchable. Yet the story takes an unforeseen realistic turn, with lawsuits and accusations and an eventual suburban nightmare in which Bob Parr, like Jack Campbell in The Family Man, finds no satisfaction. (The only major plot hole I can see is that of supervillains, which I assume existed in the world at the beginning. It seems to me that the main reason for the existence of superheroes is to combat supervillainy, which wouldn’t obey some government sanction anyway. With all the heroes off-duty, who’s to stop the likes of Bomb Voyage or worse?)

Craig T. Nelson is ideal for Mr. Incredible, able to vocalize both oppressive boredom and heroic spirit, while Holly Hunter brings feminine resilience to his wife Helen/Elastigirl. Their son Dash (Spencer Fox) fits perfectly into the mischievous son archetype, while Sarah Vowell as daughter Violet is a bit annoying until she gets into costume. Indeed, all of the Incredibles look better with their black masks; perhaps it was intentional in the character design, but they all seem lacking without their matching red super suits. Other great voice performances come from a pre-Nick Fury Samuel L. Jackson as Bob’s pal Lucius/Frozone and director Brad Bird himself as snooty fashion designer Edna Mode.

As with so many of Pixar’s Oscar-winning features, The Incredibles combines a number of outstanding elements to perfection. Michael Giacchino’s suave yet bombastic score blends with the stylish gadgetry to create a distinctly James Bond feel, while the familiar superpowers (borrowed from the properties like Mr. Fantastic, the Flash, and the Invisible Woman) are used to ingenious effect, particularly Elastigirl’s elongated scuffle with guards and Dash’s thrilling jungle chase with those awesome bladed hovercraft. Not to mention the costume lesson that caused us to never look at capes the same way.

One of the few great superhero films to not possess a comic source material, The Incredibles won Academy Awards for both Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing. Mature enough to take seriously matters of marital infidelity and superhero genocide, yet lightweight and comedic enough for repeated family viewing, The Incredibles continues to be one of Pixar’s best. While most of Pixar’s films don’t need sequels (though that hasn’t stopped them), The Incredibles is one that could certainly deserve one, which is in the works, last I heard. I only hope it can compare to the original.

Best line: (Lucius) “Honey?”
(Honey) “What?”
(Lucius) “Where’s my super suit?”
(Honey) “What?”
(Lucius) “Where – is – my – super – suit?”
(Honey) “I, uh, put it away.”
(Lucius, after an explosion) “Where?”
(Honey) Why do you need to know?”
(Lucius) “I need it!”
(Honey) “Uh-uh! Don’t you think about running off doing no derring-do. We’ve been planning this dinner for two months!”
(Lucius) “The public is in danger!”
(Honey) “My evening’s in danger!”
(Lucius) “You tell me where my suit is, woman! We are talking about the greater good!”
(Honey) “’Greater good?’ I am your wife! I’m the greatest good you are ever gonna get!”
 
 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

281 Followers and Counting

#21: Cast Away (2000)

16 Friday Jan 2015

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Timing is the great obsession
For Chuck Noland, whose profession
As a FedEx problem solver leads him on a distant track.
Never lacking phone and beeper,
Chuck yet wants his romance deeper
And is planning to propose to Kelly once he journeys back.
 
Travel o’er the stormy ocean
Crashes Noland’s plans in motion,
And he’s left upon a beach no foot has touched upon before.
Cast away upon this isle,
Left with but a picture’s smile,
Chuck is forced to learn survival on this godforsaken shore.
 
With a volleyball attendant
On whom Noland grows dependent,
He has difficulty finding simple joys, like food and fire.
Long he waits upon the isle,
Fitter, wiser from the trial,
Till the day the brutal tide bestows a blessing to inspire.
 
Seizing chances when extended,
Noland builds a raft intended
As his freedom from the island that has been his home for years.
Rescue comes and resurrection,
And in need of new direction,
Noland mourns the loss of love until a plainer path appears.
____________________
 

Before All Is Lost, before Life of Pi, before Lost, there came Cast Away. While not the first film about an island-bound survivor, it is the most emotionally powerful, all thanks to actor extraordinaire Tom Hanks. He poured quite a bit of time and commitment into the role of Chuck Noland, first gaining weight in order to look like a chubby executive, then spending a year getting starkly thin with a full beard for the later island scenes. Many actors are at their best not saying a word, and his struggles against the surf, coconuts, and personal pain fill the long stretches of silence on the island with fascinating desperation and ingenuity.

I love the layers and hints sprinkled throughout the beginning: the Elvis connections, the ranch sign later seen partially missing, the underlying story of divorce playing out behind the scenes and waiting to become relevant to Chuck Noland, even the little copier dance with Chuck and Kelly (Helen Hunt). After a harrowing plane crash (with a scene of Chuck hanging underwater to watch sinking debris, which has been borrowed by Life of Pi and The Incredibles), Chuck is stranded on an isle not nearly as hospitable as Gilligan’s Island. While there are no wild animals or headhunters, there’s also nothing to attract distant search parties, nothing to encourage his eroding sanity, not even a single sound from an insect or a background score. He is alone. The audience is pulled into Chuck’s solitary struggle to sympathize with his loneliness, celebrate his small victories, and meet a volleyball named Wilson. (Despite all the product placement with FedEx and Wilson sporting goods, the film never feels like a commercial, instead simply using these familiar names as integral aspects of the story.)

By the time he escapes his island prison, Hanks had already earned his Oscar nomination for Best Actor, but his reaction to his subsequent loss should have clinched a win. (I think Hanks should have won, and Russell Crowe could have won the next year for A Beautiful Mind.) It’s a perfect example of how the loss of a “character” or even an inanimate object can deeply affect the audience simply by how it affects another character. I didn’t care about Wilson; he’s just a volleyball, but he was also Noland’s only friend. Hanks’s performance makes the loss far sadder than many a human death in other movies. Now that is acting!

The film is not quite perfect; despite repeated angelic symbolism, the film has no religious perspective on Noland’s plight, and a scene in which he buries a dead pilot is rather brusque in its lack of sentiment. Yet Cast Away works on many levels, not only as a story of forlorn seclusion; it’s a beautifully shot adventure, an example of the many survivalist uses of ice skates and evening gowns, a testament to the power of hope and endurance, a meditation on the simple conveniences we so often take for granted, and a lamentation of how life goes on and sometimes leaves us behind. Plus, it was the inspiration for Lost, at least in part. The suggestion of a Cast Away television series led to J. J. Abrams’ great show four years later, and it even bears a few familiar elements (a plane crash, a failed SOS; if Noland had looked harder, he might have found a hatch or a smoke monster). In many ways, Cast Away could easily have been titled Lost, best represented by the four-way dirt road in its final scene. As Alan Silvestri’s short but lovely score plays, it seems Noland has found his way; I’m not partial to many ambiguous and open-ended conclusions, but Cast Away’s is one of the best.

Best line: (Chuck Noland, to Wilson, as he is attempting to light a fire) “You wouldn’t have a match by any chance, would you?”

 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

281 Followers and Counting

#22: Heart and Souls (1993)

14 Wednesday Jan 2015

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A waitress, a singer, a thief, and a mother
Get onto a bus but don’t know one another.
That changes tonight when a bus accident
Deprives them of life, leaving no one content.
 
Remaining as ghosts, they are tied to a boy,
Newborn Thomas Reilly, their pride and their joy.
Yet as he grows up, his invisible friends
Perceive that their presence is starting bad trends.
 
They vanish from view, and through maddening years,
They wait in his shadow, where none interferes…
Until a bus driver arrives for the souls,
Explaining they should have all settled their goals.
 
Their unfinished business now has urgency,
And Thomas has no choice but help with their plea.
Meanwhile, relationship troubles persist,
Especially with all the ghosts in their midst.
 
A wrong now made right and a brave second chance,
A sudden reunion and broken romance
Fulfill everyone as the souls each depart
And Thomas decides to be true to his heart.
__________________
 

Have you ever gotten on a bus with a bunch of total strangers? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend eternity getting to know them, whether you liked it or not? I first saw Heart and Souls as a kid, enjoyed it tremendously, and then promptly forgot about it for some years. When I rewatched it more recently, I was surprised to find it just as funny and touching as I remembered it.

This was my first introduction to several famous actors, particularly Robert Downey, Jr. as Thomas Reilly. Though his career quickly went downhill in the subsequent years (before his triumphant comeback), Heart and Souls came right after his Oscar-nominated role in Chaplin and utilizes some of the slapstick talent he displayed in that film. His acting chops are obvious, as his character is forced to do impressions of his invisible companions when they take over his body, with hilarious results. All the other actors are in top form, including Elizabeth Shue as Thomas’s girlfriend Anne, Charles Grodin as timid would-be opera singer Harrison, Kyra Sedgwick as vacillating lover Julia, Alfre Woodard as devoted mother Penny, and Tom Sizemore as lecherous burglar Milo. Their interaction with each other is just one of the film’s strengths, since spending decades within ten feet of the same people would understandably wear on the nerves while also building unexpected friendships. Their relationship with Thomas is sweet throughout, whether entertaining him with “Walk Like a Man” as a child (played by Eric Lloyd, or Charlie from The Santa Clause) or berating his jerkish tendencies as an adult.

Though the transcendent impetus for their unfinished business may imply reincarnation or guardian angel fallacies, the film is not concerned with religion but rather with the ghosts’ unfinished lives. Each of them has something that would fulfill them, whether it’s realizing a dream or learning of those they left behind, and as each ambition is achieved, there’s a satisfying sense of accomplishment worthy of a triumphant cheer or a wiped-away tear. Heart and Souls is a film I will always be fond of, for it touches both heart and funny bone in all the best ways.

Best line: (Thomas, when Harrison assumes he will remain a failure) “No offense, Harrison, but you died a failure because you never tried.”

 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

281 Followers and Counting

#23: Pirates of the Caribbean (2003, 2006, 2007)

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

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(Spoilers ahoy!)
 
Elizabeth Swann was a girl when there came
A boy from the ocean, Will Turner by name.
She feared him a pirate and took a gold coin
And hid it for years to protect him from shame.
When both are now grown with a love they won’t share,
The Commodore Norrington tries to declare
An offer of marriage she’s not quick to join,
Till Captain Jack Sparrow arrives debonair.
 
Locked up for his crimes, he’s surprised at the sight
Of his former ship, the Black Pearl, in the night.
Attracted by gold, the fiends capture Miss Swann,
Who lies to convince them to shove off forthright.
The Captain Barbossa abducts the lass too,
Revealing the curse on himself and his crew.
As they sail away, Will is adamant on
Releasing Jack Sparrow to hotly pursue.
 
Collecting a crew in Tortuga, Jack sails
For Isla de Muerta, where lies and betrayals
Come out and succeed in imprisoning Will,
While Jack and Miss Swann are marooned by details.
With Norrington’s aid, they return to save Will,
And swordfights galore offer many a thrill.
Barbossa is slain, and true love they fulfill,
While Jack takes the Black Pearl to roam the seas still.
_______________
 
When Lord Cutler Beckett, for whom business reigns,
Desires Jack’s compass, he goes to great pains,
Convincing first Will, then Elizabeth too,
To find Jack or else be committed to chains.
While Jack’s being Jack, he is shocked at a guest,
Old Bootstrap Bill Turner, Will’s father oppressed,
Who says Jack must pay up the debt that is due;
For now Davy Jones wants his soul on request.
 
Jack flees to an island, which Will also finds,
Where cannibals threaten with changeable minds.
Escaping the danger, they take a detour,
And witch Tia Dalma lends help of all kinds.
Jack haggles with Jones for the sake of his soul
And buys three more days at a difficult toll.
Tortuga yields souls, since they needn’t be pure,
While Will gives his father a promise and goal.
 
Jack finds Norrington and Elizabeth Swann,
Both desperate but willing to quickly move on,
For Jones’s live heart beats within a locked chest,
And he who should find it could make him a pawn.
The chest is discovered, but fighting begins
‘Twixt Norrington, Jack, and Will, none of whom wins.
As Jones’s own crew arrives at his behest,
The heart’s snatched to make up for Norrington’s sins.
 
As Jack tries to run, Jones awakens his pet,
The Kraken, to finally settle the debt.
His crew fleeing, Jack has no choice but to stay;
His unwilling sacrifice might end the threat.
With Jack and the Black Pearl devoured away,
The heart is Lord Beckett’s, to Jones’s dismay.
A plan to bring Jack back is soon underway,
With help from an old foe, whom death could not stay.
_________________
 
As Beckett is wiping out all buccaneers,
Assisted by Jones and his heart-involved fears,
Barbossa and friends are in far Singapore
In search of a map to the final frontiers.
With help from Sao Feng, one of nine pirate lords,
They head for the edge, after drawing their swords.
In Davy Jones’ Locker, they find Jack ashore,
Where he is kept company by crabby hordes.
 
So, one green flash later, there’re lies and betrayal
With Sao Feng and Beckett and all who set sail.
They learn that Calypso was Davy Jones’ lover,
A sea god imprisoned with flesh as her jail;
Barbossa will free her to aid in their plight.
Elizabeth’s made pirate lord in the night.
To Shipwreck Cove, all of the pirates take cover,
Debating on whether to lie low or fight.
 
Elizabeth’s named as the new Pirate King,
Deciding their one hope is swashbuckling.
They set free Calypso, who’s in a bad mood,
For Jones once betrayed her, a deep-seated sting.
The Pearl and the Dutchman engage in a storm,
A gift from Calypso, now back in true form.
Jack goes for the heart, that the fight may conclude,
Though he who kills Jones must his duties perform.
 
The maelstrom keeps raging amid the bloodshed.
While fighting, both Will and Elizabeth wed.
Though Jack had intended to finish the heart,
Another has more need for Davy Jones dead.
The tables are turned as the cannons restart,
And Lord Cutler Beckett’s own plans fall apart.
While true love endures, Sparrow’s shipmates depart,
But Jack’s well-prepared for a new course to chart.
____________________
 

With all the uninspired movies reading “based on a video game,” who could have foreseen that a series of swashbuckling greatness could be derived from a theme park ride? Pirates of the Caribbean was certainly a surprise when The Curse of the Black Pearl came out over a decade ago, but subsequent viewings have only raised my opinion of this action-packed, often convoluted franchise. Don’t bother with On Stranger Tides, though; it’s just not the same.

The Curse of the Black Pearl is the one that started it all, one of the few modern films to effectively introduce an instantly iconic character, Captain Jack Sparrow. Johnny Depp has always been drawn to the weird and eccentric, and his career has fluctuated wildly because of it; but here he hit his ideal stride and earned a Best Actor nomination for it. Sparrow is dashing, cunning, a bit creepy and disgusting, yet strangely alluring in a grimy sort of way, usually one step ahead of the rest, full of comic bravado and a latent good heart. He steals every scene while complementing all the other actors, like Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann, semi-iconic characters in their own right. Their love story has its predictable ups and downs but also possesses that epic romantic quality that eludes many other films. A good villain always improves a film, and Geoffrey Rush is one heck of a pirate. His sneering negotiations and ruthlessness make him a memorable antagonist, and the creepy but incredible skeleton curse just augments the menace of him and his crew. Add in some powdered wigs, wondrous sword fights, clever dialogue, Oscar-nominated special effects, and one of the greatest scores of all time by Klaus Badelt (seriously, no other score captures and enhances the spirit of the film itself as this rip-roaring soundtrack, taken over by Hans Zimmer for the sequels), and Disney had a winner on their hands.

I don’t know how the filmmakers did it, but Dead Man’s Chest ups the ante in every way and remains the only Pirates film to win an Oscar, for Best Visual Effects. It introduces yet another historic villain in the form of Bill Nighy’s squid-faced Davy Jones and, to a lesser extent, Tom Hollander’s Godfather-like Lord Cutler Beckett with his obsession with “business.” This second film is the king of set pieces, varied, outlandish, and absolutely awesome! From the swinging cages on Pelegosto to the Kraken’s attacks to the astonishing three-way water-wheel duel, Dead Man’s Chest is replete with some of the best action sequences I’ve seen. As pure entertainment, it’s a twisting, crowd-pleasing thrill ride with a jaw-dropping surprise ending that left everyone in the theater clamoring for more.

When they finally got more, some may not have been entirely satisfied. Shot back-to-back with its predecessor, At World’s End has much of what made the first two great (the characterizations, breathtaking action on an even larger scale) but mixed with an unfortunate bloatedness. Even after several viewings, the film can seem like an overstuffed mess, with loads of conflicting motivations, changing allegiances, mythic plot devices, and ship-hopping. It all evens out by the finale, but the middle of the film is unnecessarily confusing. Plus, Jack’s eccentricities are morphed into full-fledged bizarreness, with strange visions of the afterlife adding nothing to the plot and scenes of multiple Jack Sparrows thrown in seemingly just for the sake of spending the film’s colossal budget. In addition, the expansion of Tia Dalma’s role brought out the fact that her Jamaican accent is incomprehensible at times; as with Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back, my VC couldn’t understand her the first time out. All that being said, ongoing viewings have increased my overall opinion of the film, including its bittersweet ending. The most impressive scene is easily the long final battle amidst a raging whirlpool that would put Charybdis to shame. As a stand-alone film, At World’s End is rather weak, but as an epic conclusion to the trilogy, it’s better than it seemed at first.

Though Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is being shot now for a 2017 release, I doubt that Jerry Bruckheimer’s lightning will strike again, as it did with the original films, especially the first and second. Rarely have action, characters, music, and romance been combined into such an entertaining package. This year’s Tomorrowland seems to be Disney’s next shot at adapting one of their attractions, but it’s unlikely to compare to one of Disney’s most surprisingly successful franchises.

Best line from The Curse of the Black Pearl: (Captain Barbossa) “You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner.  You’re in one!”

Best line from Dead Man’s Chest: (Elizabeth) “There will come a time when you have a chance to do the right thing.”  (Jack) “I love those moments. I like to wave at them as they pass by.”

Best line from At World’s End: (Barbossa) “Aye… we’re good and lost now.”   (Elizabeth) “Lost?”   (Barbossa) “For sure, you have to be lost to find a place that can’t be found, elseways everyone would know where it was.”

 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

281 Followers and Counting

#24: Tarzan (1999)

10 Saturday Jan 2015

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(Best sung to “Son of Man”)
 
To the jungle, humans come
And are challenged to survive;
Soon only a babe is left alive.
 
Then adopted by gorillas,
He is raised stalwart and strong,
Strong to face the jungle’s killers
And labor to belong.
 
Son of man and of primate,
Tarzan is amazed to see
Strangers like him who await
Sightings of gorillas roaming free.
 
When one is soon in danger,
He swoops in and rescues Jane,
Who’s enamored of this stranger,
This lord of his domain.
 
Tarzan is forbidden to
Put his family in harm’s way,
But he learns so much that’s new
That he sneaks away to Jane each day.
 
In trying to delight her,
The gorillas he reveals,
And wicked Clayton follows on their heels.
 
Though he thought to leave his homeland,
Tarzan returns to fight
And defend his friends and withstand
The poachers in the night.
 
Son of man and of primate,
Tarzan then is joined by Jane;
Ruler of the jungle great,
Tarzan will remain to yell and reign.
__________________
 

Sometimes cited as the last great film of the Disney Renaissance, Tarzan is indeed one of the most beautifully created animated films I’ve seen. It came out right when I was getting old enough to enjoy movies as more than just a juvenile distraction and was one of the first Disney films I fully understood. Oh, and it made me cry at the end. That’s always list-worthy.

Adapted from the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan puts the Disney spin on its source material, with funny animal sidekicks and musical accompaniment, but it doesn’t feel as potentially incongruous as The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Rosie O’Donnell and Wayne Knight are ideal comic reliefs as Terk and Tantor, while the resonant voice of Brian Blessed adds an ingratiating menace to Clayton, who meets an unusually horrific end. (Then again, this is the studio that has smashed, dropped, disintegrated, eaten, shattered, dragged to hell, and shish-kebobed their other villains, so perhaps it’s not unusual.) Tony Goldwyn is rather average as Tarzan, aside from an outstanding yell, but Minnie Driver’s voice fits Jane perfectly, bookish and British. Not to mention, there’s Lance Henriksen as stern Kerchak and Glenn Close as Kala, who provides a touching example of adoption and maternal love.

No other Disney film matches the lush imagery of the African jungle, created with a pioneering and award-winning animation technology called Deep Canvas. As Tarzan swoops effortlessly through the trees, the bright foliage provides an incomparable living environment, put to good use in the often spectacular action scenes. Even the water has a uniquely fluid appearance.

Of course, I must mention Phil Collins’ remarkable soundtrack, one of my favorites of any Disney film. Though The Lion King had a couple songs performed by background singers, Tarzan stepped out of the box in having most of the music not sung by the characters. Phil Collins provides the vocals for the brisk and memorable montages, such as “Two Worlds,” “Son of Man,” and “Strangers Like Me.” The tender lullaby “You’ll Be in My Heart” won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and I was once temporarily obsessed with the percussion-filled “Trashin’ the Camp.” As kids, my cousin and I would play it over and over and over, just jamming and rewinding with glee.

Tarzan relies heavily on montages, but they are among its finest moments, allowing for much humor, heart, and character development in a short time. Unlike Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the language barrier is not simply written away but gradually lowered over time, and the believable romance between Jane and Tarzan is handled with particular skill and beauty. I know that Burroughs’ book is substantially different, but this adaptation carries all the emotion and grandeur of Disney’s best, including a bittersweet happy ending.

Best line: (Tantor, finally standing up to Terk) “That’s it! I’ve had it with you and your emotional constipation! Tarzan needs us, and we’re gonna help him! You got that? Now pipe down, and hang on tight! We’ve got a boat to catch.”

  
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

279 Followers and Counting

#25: Les Misérables (2012)

10 Saturday Jan 2015

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(Best sung to “At the End of the Day”)
 
At the end of his sentence Valjean had grown bitter.
Nineteen years of unkindness had done him no good,
But a bishop understood
And presented Valjean with a blessing,
An example to do the right thing, whene’er he could,
With the faith he’s professing.
 
At the end of eight years, Valjean, never a quitter,
Has broken parole and become a town mayor.
Though a worker is dismissed,
He is much too distracted by tension
From the new chief of police Inspector Javert,
Who displays condescension.
 
At the end of a spiraling time of degrading,
The desperate Fantine’s at the end of her rope.
Though Javert shows no concern,
It’s Valjean who attempts to repair her,
But he too lets the world learn
Of the truth all because of an error.
But a promise he must obey
At the end of the day.
 
At the end of the day, Fantine’s daughter is lonely,
So Valjean becomes father to little Cosette.
Then in Paris they both hide, but Javert isn’t one to forget,
And Valjean’s always aware of this old threat,
As the years are progressing.
 
When Cosette is of age, per Valjean’s resolution,
A glance captures the heart of one Marius, who
Is devoted to fight in the new revolution,
As planned by his young and impractical crew.
 
When the fight starts to break out,
Amid jealousy, love, and betrayal,
Jean Valjean rescues the lad, ever devout,
With Javert on his trail.
 
At the end of the battle, Valjean is confronted
By the merciless man to whom mercy he showed.
Though Javert does what is right,
He can’t live with the law he has broken;
When Valjean makes his last flight
And his final goodbyes have been spoken,
In peace his soul will stay
At the end of the day.
______________________
 

As much as I love musicals, I truthfully have had little exposure to those productions restricted to the stage, and until Les Miserables was adapted to film, I had never heard its music, aside from “I Dreamed a Dream.” I was definitely missing out. The fantastic music alone is enough to make Les Mis list-worthy, but director Tom Hooper’s dramatization has all the artistry and exceptional acting to make it one of the greatest musicals ever.

I’m a bit puzzled that Les Miserables received mixed reviews upon release, with some viewers lauding its production values and acting while others could only complain. Staunch fans of the stage musical claimed the actors’ voices couldn’t compare to the great singers of past productions, and some cynical critics decried its melodrama and the gimmick of having the actors sing live, as opposed to relying on the usual pre-recorded tracks. One reviewer grumbled about a first half of actors who can’t sing and a second half of singers who can’t act. Open your eyes, people! Are a few flat notes really enough to overshadow such a powerful story of forgiveness, love, and triumph?

When my family and I saw Les Mis on Christmas Day, we had nothing to compare it to. Having since taken an interest in the music and having watched the 25th Anniversary Concert with Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, I will admit that some of the voices are not up to the high standard set by the stage. Yet Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe still excel with Oscar-worthy performances, and even if they’re straining during “Bring Him Home” or “Stars,” they both are entirely pleasant to the ear. Amanda Seyfried certainly hits the high notes for Cosette, and Eddie Redmayne is perfect in voice and emotion for the role of torn lover/revolutionary Marius. Samantha Barks had played Eponine in the 25th Anniversary Concert, and her performance here is just as excellent. Anne Hathaway earned a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her brief but incredibly moving role as Fantine, and though she was the target of some inexplicable hate, I think anyone who watches her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” again will remember why she deserved that Oscar.

As for the songs and lyrics, there’s not much I can say other than they are awe-inspiring. “At the End of the Day,” “Who Am I?,” “Red and Black,” “On My Own,” and “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” are exquisite beyond words, and “Do You Hear the People Sing?” ends the film on an unparalleled note of magnificence. Even the Oscar-nominated new song for the film “Suddenly” fits in beautifully, fleshing out Valjean’s early relationship with Cosette in a way to which all parents can relate. My main complaint for the soundtrack and the film in general is the Thenardiers and their tavern showstopper “Master of the House,” which is unnecessarily profane in an otherwise devout story. As comic relief, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter do well, but I feel their characters’ presence is sadly degrading to the film for the most part. Yet even they play a role in creating my favorite song of the film “One Day More,” the culmination of all prior melodies. Every character takes part in making it truly glorious, one of the high points of musical cinema, period.

The story of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables was excellent enough to already earn placement on my list in the form of the 1998 non-musical version with Liam Neeson, and the music is grand, sumptuous, and classic. Putting them together with some talented actors at their best created, in my opinion, the best film of 2012. Oh, that more musicals would reach the screen so majestically!

Best line:  (the Bishop, played by Colm Wilkinson, the original Jean Valjean) “But remember this, my brother, see in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by the Passion and the Blood, God has raised you out of darkness; I have bought your soul for God!”

 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

279 Followers and Counting

#26: The Avengers (2012)

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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When Loki arrives with a sinister plan,
Nick Fury calls in more than just Iron Man.
The heroes we know
Are called in for this foe,
Who brainwashes many good guys since he can.
 
With Captain America, Black Widow, Thor,
Iron Man, Hulk (there are soon to be more),
Nick Fury believes
In this ace up his sleeves,
And Loki’s caught, more easily than before.
 
A huge helicarrier carries the team,
Who don’t hold each other in too high esteem.
When Loki is freed
And appears to succeed,
A “push” sends the supers to scuttle his scheme.
 
In New York, as alien armies invade,
The so-called Avengers put up a blockade.
The big battle rages,
Till one nuke engages
And narrowly ends the Chitauri crusade.
 
The earth and the Cosmic Cube now well-protected,
And all the Avengers both thanked and respected,
They go their own ways
Until Marvel’s next phase;
Again they’ll assemble when danger’s detected.
___________________
 

The Avengers was an unprecedented endeavor; never before have characters from different films been brought together, and certainly never so successfully. Joss Whedon’s direction and treatment of the characters are nothing short of brilliant, allowing every hero to be themselves while interacting with each other and working together as only seen in comic books.

One of the great joys of comics is the crossovers (Hulk vs. Wolverine!, Spider-Man teams up with Captain America!; though, don’t plan to see those on film anytime soon), and Marvel’s establishing their cinematic universe had thus far been restricted to details and cameos. To put all these characters in the same film and to do it so well approaches a level of awesomeness the comic-loving world had not yet known. There’s Robert Downey, Jr.’s charismatic Iron Man, the “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” who started it all. There’s Chris Hemsworth’s hunky Thor, whose Shakespearean trappings offer a noble, often amusing counterpoint to the modern environment and dialogue. There’s Chris Evans’s thawed Captain America, whose patriotism and war experience transform into full-fledged team leadership. There’s Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/the Hulk, stepping gracefully into the shoes vacated by Edward Norton and becoming the newest go-to giant green rage monster. There’s Scarlett Johansson’s lithe superspy Black Widow, with a past still yet to be explored, and Jeremy Renner’s super-archer Hawkeye; though we still know very little about either of them, not having films of their own thus far, they round out the team to include unpowered humans who still pack a punch. In addition to other characters from past Marvel films, there’s also Samuel L. Jackson as duplicitous but well-meaning S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury, Clark Gregg as unfortunate Agent Coulson, Cobie Smulders as newcomer Agent Maria Hill, and of course Tom Hiddleston as the ever-watchable villain Loki, who expertly balances cunning and megalomania, despite a rather ridiculous horned costume.

There are so many amazing scenes and even a few newly iconic ones, like that long continuous shot spanning the entirety of the New York City battlefield or that silent post-credits scene that introduced everyone to shawarma. The film opens with a bang even before the title appears, and the helicarrier ups the ante with high-tech grandeur while indulging in inter-character squabbles and showdowns. The final full-scale conflict becomes a new high among superhero battles, again letting every character have their moment to step up, kick butt, or earn a laugh. Even the details were well-planned, like some fleeting mentions of a cellist Coulson was seeing, which was expanded on in Whedon’s TV show “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

The Avengers is the culmination of Marvel’s cinematic Phase One, and it paid off beautifully, creating one of the most tremendous, smart, and entertaining action blockbusters in recent memory. Plus, it’s one of the cleanest Marvel films, catering to every taste and age group. Joss Whedon, well-known for his witty banter, was the right man for the job. This film is a “marvel,” and I can’t wait for the second one this summer.

Best line: (Bruce Banner) “I don’t think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy’s brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy on him.”
(Thor) “Have a care how you speak! Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he is my brother!”
(Black Widow) “He killed eighty people in two days.”
(Thor) “He’s adopted.”
 
 
Rank: 59 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

278 Followers and Counting

#27: Ben-Hur (1959)

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Beneath the mighty Roman yoke,
The Jewish people still invoke
The promise of a Christ to come
Who’ll save them from the Romans’ thumb,
And many eagerly provoke.
 
Returning to Jerusalem,
Messala comes to manage them
And reconnects with his old friend,
With Judah Ben-Hur to extend
A jilted offer to condemn.
 
Their friendship strained by Hur’s dissent,
It’s worsened by an accident.
While Judah’s made a galley slave,
His mother and his sister brave
Long years in prison and torment.
 
A naval battle frees Ben-Hur
By making him a rescuer,
And he becomes a Roman son,
Remembering the evil done
And vengeance promised to occur.
 
A skilled and lauded charioteer,
He goes back home to reappear
To cold Messala and demand
His family’s freedom close at hand,
But they are lepers, sparking fear.
 
Believing they are dead, no trace,
Ben-Hur competes within a race,
A chariot battle at high speeds.
Against Messala, he succeeds;
The fallen grieves him to his face.
 
He finds his mother and his sister,
Forced to live apart and fester,
And through mourning, he then tries
To seek out Jesus ere one dies,
At the urge of lovely Esther.
 
But the prophet is on trial,
Soon to die in savage style.
A kindness for which Hur once yearned
Is unexpectedly returned,
And healing springs from death worthwhile.
__________________
 

Hollywood still makes epics, even the Biblical kind it so enjoys messing up, yet all of the special effects and big names can’t compare with some of the best of yesteryear, especially 1959’s Ben-Hur, the first of only three films to win eleven Academy Awards. Indeed, this film that garnered one of the greatest Oscar sweeps of all time deserved every one; the sets, the scope, the emotions, the acting, the moral message are all conjured so impressively from the pages of Lew Wallace’s bestseller that no film has bested its number of Oscars, only equaled.

Coming only three years after Charlton Heston’s other Biblical epic The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur weaves a story of lost friendship, vengeance, and redemption alongside brief but potent glimpses from the life of Jesus, whose face is shrewdly hidden, allowing the viewer to imagine his appearance as they will. Heston won Best Actor for his title role, which may not be as imposing as his turn as Moses but carries far more emotion. Unlike Cecil B. DeMille’s Exodus story, vain histrionics are kept to a minimum in favor of excellent dramatic acting from Jack Hawkins as Quintus Arrius, Stephen Boyd as Messala, Haya Harareet as Esther, and Oscar winner Hugh Griffith as Sheikh Ilderim. While the film is most notable for its action scenes, the character moments are often powerful; the scenes of mercy between Judah and Jesus are quietly profound high points.

Even so, the film boasts some of the most thrilling scenes of Hollywood’s golden age, full of magnificent sets, a cast of thousands, and some brief but unusually violent images for 1959. The galley battle is a vivid turning point for the film, creating both a provident moment of grace and a memorably rare depiction of ancient naval warfare. Of course, the film’s most intense sequence is the famous chariot race, about nine minutes of action filmmaking at its finest. The upcoming Ben-Hur remake will no doubt rely on CGI for this part, but the original is all the more monumental for its reality and lack of computer enhancement.

I don’t watch Ben-Hur but once a year typically, mainly because of its exhaustive length (over 3½ hours), but it will always be a milestone of epic cinema.

Best line: (Quintus Arrius) “In His eagerness to save you, your God has also saved the Roman fleet.”

 
Rank: 58 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

278 Followers and Counting

#28: Star Trek (2009)

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

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In deepest space, a mining ship of Romulans comes through
A black hole leading to the past and starts to search for Spock.
The captain Nero opens fire upon a Starfleet crew,
And George Kirk fights unto the end to save his fleeing flock.
 
Years later, his son James has grown, a cocky, flirty punk,
And Captain Pike suggests to him that he could shoot for more.
Enlisting as a new cadet and never one to flunk,
He makes a name and breaks directives, making young Spock sore.
 
The Vulcan home world soon is under Nero’s swift attack,
And Starfleet empties to prevent this futuristic threat.
The Enterprise alone survives, but Pike can’t make it back,
And Vulcan is annihilated, making Spock upset.
 
An unexpected visit to a hostile sphere of ice
Acquaints young Kirk with Spock but older, from another time.
Explaining Nero’s animus and giving Kirk advice,
Spock sends him back with Mr. Scott to stop the next war crime.
 
As Nero’s ship is targeting the earth, Kirk takes command
And rallies his assembled crew to rescue it and Pike.
Another black hole’s opened that the foe cannot withstand,
And Kirk and friends are honored with a series you might like.
____________________
 

When Star Trek: Nemesis came out in 2002 and disappointed me and my VC for the most part, it seemed that Star Trek was over. Gene Roddenberry was dead; Captain Kirk was dead; Data was dead; and so was the franchise. So when a reboot was announced, I certainly had reservations, even though J. J. Abrams was at the helm (this was before I fell in love with Lost). What a surprise then that 2009’s Star Trek, with an almost completely revamped cast, remains my favorite Trek film thus far! Abrams actually pulled it off, a reboot so original and somehow familiar that it transcends most or all of its predecessors.

Who could possibly play Captain James Tiberius Kirk, other than William Shatner? Who could possibly play Mr. Spock or Dr. McCoy or Scotty without the entire performance feeling like a parody impression? Casting is everything here, and there isn’t one misstep. Chris Pine is the new Kirk; Zoe Saldana is the new Uhura; Karl Urban is the new real McCoy; and so on with Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, and the amazingly Spockish Zachary Quinto. Even the supporting roles are well-cast, with Bruce Greenwood as a mentoring Captain Pike, Ben Cross as Vulcan father Sarek, and Winona Ryder as Spock’s sympathetic human mother. They all act akin to their previous incarnations, while embracing their own interpretation of the characters, all neatly explained by the conveniences of time paradox.

In addition to the up-and-coming young actors, the film as a whole carries a constant excitement, as if the filmmakers are like the audience in eagerly wanting to reach the next exhilarating set piece, chase, or battle. It all moves briskly, yet it excels at that elusive trait of the best Trek films, giving every character something important to contribute. Some critics pointed out the lack of consequences, such as failing to offer any tribute to the deaths of Kirk’s fellow Starfleet cadets massacred by Nero (a complaint the sequel remedied with just such a scene), yet it’s to the film’s credit that it can be enjoyed nonetheless. Not to mention, there’s some fantastic creature effects (it’s the only Trek film to win an Oscar, for Best Makeup), startling new technology, an underdeveloped but menacing villain played by a bald Eric Bana, a savvy script from frequent Abrams collaborators Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, a brilliant Michael Giacchino score, clever referencing and explanations of past films and details, and a good deal of humor. If Abrams can do for Star Wars what he’s done for Star Trek, there is at least some hope left in this world.

Best line: (Scotty) “I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system—which is easy, by the way—I could do it with a life form. So, I tested it out on Admiral Archer’s prized beagle.”
(Kirk) “Wait, I know that dog. What happened to it?”
(Scotty) “I’ll tell you when it reappears. Ahem. I don’t know, I do feel guilty about that.”
  
 
Rank: 58 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

277 Followers and Counting