Category Archives: Movies

The Horse Whisperer (1998)

04 Tuesday Mar 2014

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When Judith and Grace
Try to go for a ride
Astride Pilgrim and Gulliver out in the snow,
They climb up a hill,
But the horses just slide.
Then a truck comes along going too fast to slow.
 
Judith and her horse
Are killed upon impact,
But Pilgrim and Grace are both injured and sore.
Grace loses a leg,
And a vet says, in fact,
That it’s better for Pilgrim to suffer no more.
 
But Grace’s mom Annie
Refuses consent,
For she can’t make that choice when her daughter’s so hurt.
But Grace soon becomes
A depressed malcontent,
And they each think the other one treats them like dirt.
 
Meanwhile, poor Pilgrim
Is savage and scarred,
And the sight of young Grace only fills him with fear.
So Annie decides,
Though the trip will be hard,
She must go to a pro on Montana’s frontier.
 
Forsaking her husband,
With whom she’s at odds,
Annie drives both the horse and her daughter out west
To horseman Tom Booker,
Whom a magazine lauds
As a “horse whisperer” who can calm the distressed.
 
He doesn’t expect her,
But, seeing the horse,
He says Grace must help out before he proceeds.
The therapy starts,
And Tom doesn’t use force;
He gives Pilgrim the distance and love that he needs.
 
Tom’s brother invites
The New Yorkers to stay
In the ranch’s guest quarters while Tom does his work.
So little by little,
Tom’s efforts do pay,
And soon Pilgrim’s no longer going berserk.
 
But little by little,
It seems Annie’s growing
More closely attached to this handsome cowboy.
And Grace also lets
Her own smile start showing.
They find that this new way of life they enjoy.
 
It’s still difficult
For both Pilgrim and Grace
To get over the trauma that brought them so low,
And yet, with Tom’s help,
They both learn to face
All the fears and distress that they couldn’t let go.
 
Though Annie is torn
By her love for dear Tom,
Who returns her emotion but doubts it’s enough,
She decides to depart
And remain wife and mom,
And Tom watches her leave from a large grassy bluff.
___________________________
 

Since today is my VC’s birthday, I felt it only appropriate to include one of her favorite movies on this day of my film countdown. Honestly, she loves this movie way more than I do, probably putting it in her top 50. I’m more cool toward it, but I’ll still admit that Robert Redford is as charming as ever as Tom Booker and actually does a nice job as both actor and director.

I don’t love, love, love this movie like my VC, simply because it is somewhat of a chick flick and a long and slow-paced one at that. Still, there is much to admire, mainly in the acting and cinematography. Kristin Scott Thomas as Annie gets more likable as the film goes on, and Scarlett Johansson shines in one of her early roles as the traumatized Grace. The scenery of the Montana ranch is breathtaking and truly glorious. Plus, the birds-eye views of the highway snaking through the countryside during Annie’s road trip across America offer unique perspectives I haven’t seen elsewhere.

I also appreciate the moral ending. I mentioned in my post on Witness that the end of that film was unsatisfying since the Amish woman had already slept with John Book, acting on her passions, before deciding to remain Amish as if nothing had happened. Here, Annie is clearly tempted by Tom, and he by her, but neither does anything to really put the other over the edge. In the end, her leaving is sad but more understandable since she was essentially stopping herself before their romance went too far. This decision wasn’t popular with some critics, but it’s one that I respect much more than the one in Witness.

Overall, The Horse Whisperer is a well-made film with magnificent vistas and an interesting view of a way of life foreign to most, one that, like the Amish lifestyle, I do not envy for myself but I certainly admire. I will say, though, that this romance will mainly appeal to Robert Redford fans and horse enthusiasts, like my VC.

Best line: (Annie) “I don’t jog, Mr. Booker, I run.”  (Tom) “Well that’s lucky for you. The grizzlies around here mostly go for the joggers.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: 5
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
Other (language): -3
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #306: King Kong (2005)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

The African Queen (1951)

03 Monday Mar 2014

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When World War I had scarce begun
The Germans were superior
In Africa’s interior,
Where they assumed that they had won.
Their killing spree makes natives flee
Away from the Ulanga stream
And from a missionary team,
Two British siblings, scared but free.
 
The foes’ control does take its toll
On Samuel, who gets sick and goes
To God and leaves his sister Rose,
Who hates the Germans as a whole.
And yet Rose soon receives a boon
When Charlie Allnut joins the scene
Aboard his boat the African Queen
And rescues her that afternoon.
 
This British pair are quite aware
They’re in unfriendly territory,
But their steamboat’s inventory
Gives to Rose a plan to share.
Rose tells her host what matters most
Is, in this land of tropic beauty,
To do their patriotic duty,
And fight the Germans near the coast.
 
Her forceful vote is to devote
The ship to be a bomb of sorts,
In hopes their crazy mission thwarts
The Queen Louisa, a big gunboat.
Though Allnut doubts what she’s about,
He does agree to aid her quest,
And, with some coaxing, he is pressed
To sail down by a risky route.
 
They steam on fast and sail right past
The German guns at Shona’s fort
With minor damage to report,
And, after that, are not harassed.
The next speed bump for them to trump
Is rapids, three whitewater falls,
And, by the end, the paddle stalls,
Which throws their plan into a slump.
 
While they are stayed to fix a blade,
A romance clearly has begun.
The rapids turned out to be fun,
And they grow close in their crusade.
They next get stuck within some muck
Around the river’s delta mouth,
And their whole enterprise goes south,
As they are lost and out of luck.
 
A quick downpour saves them before
They meet their end, so Charlie then
Creates their planned torpedo when
They’re ready to engage the war.
Their plan embarks that night, but hark!
Their launch becomes a big mistake;
A storm blows up upon the lake
And sinks the Queen in rain and dark.
 
Charlie, then Rose are saved by foes
Aboard the target ship Louisa.
So Rose decides to quickly seize a
Chance to tell, so someone knows.
The girl’s harangue confirms they’ll hang.
The couple beg the captain to
First marry them before they do;
They then are ready, but then BANG!
 
The sunken Queen does intervene.
The two ships luckily collide,
And their bomb strikes Louisa’s side
And helps them get away unseen.
As Rose had vowed, they stood unbowed,
Prepared to die, but each survives
And they both plan to share their lives,
Now having done their country proud.
_______________________
 

The African Queen is a wartime adventure starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in roles perfectly suited for them. While I like Katherine Hepburn on the whole, I’m not a big fan of Bogie, finding his typical presence so “iconic” that it’s rather boring. But his performance as Charlie Allnut here is out of type, rough and uncouth but still attempting to be a gentleman in his own way. Perhaps that’s why he won his only Oscar for The African Queen.

The two’s romance is well-handled, developing gradually from initial distant uneasiness to excited camaraderie as they share in the toils of their trek. I also admire the difficulties endured by the cast and crew as they withstood sickness and much difficulty shooting many parts of the film on location in central Africa. While the climax involving the African Queen’s “vengeance” of sorts is different from the ending of the book on which the film is based, I actually think it was a nice touch that helped compress several events, such as the couple’s marriage and the sinking of the Queen Louisa. Still, as with many old movies from the 1950s and earlier, I thought the film ended rather abruptly and could have used some additional scene, perhaps of Rose and Charlie making it to shore.

All in all, while it’s not quite as exciting as a description makes it sound, The African Queen nonetheless offers a wonderful blend of humor, action, and romance that the whole family can enjoy.

Best line: (the Louisa’s captain as he marries Rose and Charlie) “By the authority vested in me by Kaiser William II, I pronounce you man and wife. Proceed with the execution.”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 3
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #307: The Horse Whisperer

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Moonstruck (1987)

03 Monday Mar 2014

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Loretta Castorini is Italian and it shows
In the bickering of father Cosmo and her mother Rose,
In the frank, straightforward way that she insists he do it right
When her boyfriend Johnny suddenly proposes one odd night.
But Johnny’s rather hesitant to want to set a date,
And he has to leave for Sicily; his mother’s death won’t wait.
 
Before he goes, he begs his bride to call his brother Ronny,
Who’s held a grudge for many years against his brother Johnny.
Loretta visits Ronny at his bakery and pad,
And she learns he blames his brother for an accident he had.
When Ronny was engaged, his brother came to buy some bread,
And the slicer chewed his hand off and his dear fiancée fled.
 
Ever since, he has been bitter, and he hollers at Loretta,
Who is unimpressed with Ronny and his ludicrous vendetta.
When she cooks a steak for Ronny and explains his life to him,
Ronny sweeps her off her feet and promptly beds her on a whim.
Both Ronny and Loretta and her family all swoon
When they see the aphrodisiac that is the shining moon.
 
When morning light arrives, Loretta instantly regrets
Her own passion, and the fact that Ronny loves her now upsets.
She still agrees to go with him to La Boheme that night
And, after confession, primps herself so she will look just right.
That night, both she and Ronny meet each other at the Met,
And she notices her father with a date that makes her fret.
 
When Ronny gives a speech on love and bids her come to bed,
She falls again, unlike her mom who curbs temptation’s spread.
But Johnny’s back from Sicily; his mother’s gotten better.
He needs to tell her something that cannot be said by letter.
When Loretta comes back home, her mother knows what she has done,
And they wait for Johnny’s entrance, but he’s not the only one.
 
First, Ronny shows up, wanting to announce that they’re a pair,
Then Cosmo grudgingly agrees to end his own affair.
The grandpa, aunt, and uncle come and fill the kitchen table,
Then Johnny shows and says, as far as marriage, he’s unable.
If he marries, he’s afraid his mom will die, so Ronny moves
And proposes with his brother’s ring, and everyone approves.
__________________________
 

Moonstruck is a romantic comedy that presents a quirky snapshot of Italian life in New York, minus the car bombs and shootings of a certain other film about Italian Americans. Cher is enjoyable to watch in her Oscar-winning performance, one of the few to win Best Actress for a comedy. Nicholas Cage also stand out as Ronny Cammareri, as do Olympia Dukakis as Rose and Vincent Gardenia as Cosmo. The film is loaded with excellent quotes, from Cosmo’s rehearsed oration about copper pipe to Cher’s classic “Snap out of it!” when Ronny professes his love. Not to mention, my VC and I both love the wacky mannerisms and idiosyncrasies of Loretta’s expressive but loving family, Cosmo’s throwing up his hands and insisting “I don’t wanna talk about it,” Johnny constantly forgetting his bags. The grandfather’s reaction to the kitchen table conversation at the end is just hilarious.

All that said, I don’t care for a main aspect of the “romance.” Loretta and Ronny’s liaison seems centered on making love, which, while passionate, seems to build their relationship on lust rather than real love. They hardly know each other during their first tryst, and there isn’t a whole lot of connecting before the next one either. Loretta is clearly attracted to him in a better way, but Ronny’s impassioned speech ends with “get in my bed,” which is kind of a letdown since Loretta’s main appeal to him is apparently just sex. Still, faithfulness is nicely extolled in Rose’s refusal to cheat on her own philandering husband.

I also appreciate the filmmakers’ comparative restraint concerning nudity and language, which allows the ingenious screenplay to shine without a bunch of unnecessary profanity. Moonstruck is an entertaining film that features some great performances and dialogue and pokes fun at Italian eccentricities that everyone should get a kick out of. (Again, my VC would have it much higher on her list.)

Best line (a hard choice): (Cosmo) “You’ll have your eyes opened for you, my friend.”
(Johnny) “I have my eyes open.”
(Cosmo) “Oh yeah? Well, stick around. Don’t go on any long trips.”
(Johnny) “I don’t know what you mean.”
(Cosmo) “I know you don’t. That’s the point. I’ll say no more.”
(Johnny) “You haven’t said anything!”
(Cosmo) “And that’s all I’m saying.”

 

VC’s best line (in reference to an earlier line): (Rose) “Do you love him, Loretta?”
(Loretta) “Aw, ma, I love him awful.”
(Rose) “Oh, God, that’s too bad.”

 

Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 6
Watchability: 7
Other (language and Ronny’s apparent shallowness): -6
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Next: #308: The African Queen

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

#310: The Karate Kid (1984)

02 Sunday Mar 2014

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When Daniel LaRusso moves to the west coast
From New Jersey because of his mom,
He isn’t too pleased with the run-down apartment
And shows it and yet remains calm.
 
His feelings start changing when kids his own age
Invite Daniel to beach party fun.
Attracted to Ali, who’s lovely and rich,
He thinks a good thing has begun.
 
But then her ex-boyfriend named Johnny shows up
And pummels poor Dan to the ground.
From then on, our hero is picked on and bullied
Whenever adults aren’t around.
 
But Daniel begins to befriend a repairman
At home by the name of Miyagi.
He knows of karate and thrashes Dan’s foes
When the boy is all battered and groggy.
 
While Daniel is eager to learn how to fight,
Miyagi insists he be smart
And talk to the bullies’ karate instructor,
Who’s ruthless in his martial art.
 
Miyagi suggests that all fighting be done
In a tournament two months away.
The teacher agrees that the violence should stop
But only to train for that day.
 
The next several weeks, Daniel feels like a slave
As he’s told to do chore after chore,
Like waxing and painting and sanding and such,
Which turn out to be something more.
 
These tiresome tasks may at first have seemed dull,
But they train Daniel’s arms and his hands.
With time, Daniel’s balance and technique improve,
And he fathoms Miyagi’s demands.
 
He learns that Miyagi was in World War II
And lost both his wife and his son.
When Dan has a birthday and need of a car,
His caring sensei gives him one.
 
His friendship with Ali, meanwhile, seesaws
Since he fears that he’s too poor for her.
He overreacts but admits his mistake,
And they’re soon just as close as they were.
 
The tournament comes, and the boy does quite well,
And both Daniel and Johnny advance,
But Johnny’s sensei tries to get Daniel hurt,
And he thinks that he’s ruined Dan’s chance.
 
Miyagi, however, helps Daniel recover,
And, back in the ring, Daniel tries
A kick that he noticed Miyagi once doing
And wins both respect and the prize.
______________________
 

The Karate Kid is a typical 1980s underdog tale that is essentially a martial arts version of Rocky set in high school, even sharing the same director as the 1976 boxing classic. Nonetheless, it rises above its overfamiliar plot elements (the newbie in town, the “cool” bullies, etc.) to become an inspiring classic in its own right with a unique young/old friendship found in only a few other movies, such as Up. (I will say that the beginning bears much resemblance to 1987’s The Lost Boys, minus the vampires—one of my VC’s personal favorites.) Many scenes are time-honored favorites, from Miyagi’s “wax on, wax off” lesson to the iconic crane kick that ends the film on an undeniably uplifting note. I also like the way it deepened Mr. Miyagi’s character, pointing an oblique spotlight on the afflictions of the Japanese Americans at Manzanar, as well as the heroism of the Nisei soldiers in Europe. Plus, the soundtrack is pretty good too, featuring hits like “Cruel Summer” and “You’re the Best.”

Despite brief language and some cruel high school antics, The Karate Kid is one of the great underdog stories on film, and, though I have not seen the remake with Jackie Chan, between “Pat” Morita’s quiet portrayal of Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio’s likable if immature Daniel, I doubt it can be done better.

 

P.S.  Sorry for the recent hiatus last week. I had to focus on my taxes, but I hope to make up for it in the (hopefully near) future.

 

Best line: (Daniel) “I’m not by myself. I’m with you.”  (Miyagi) “To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 4
Watchability: 7
Other (language): -1
 

Tomorrow: #309: Moonstruck

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

24 Monday Feb 2014

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When England’s left without a king,
It seems that swords will likely ring
For a successor to be named,
And yet a method is proclaimed.
 
A sword is set within a stone,
And he who frees it gets the throne.
The sword becomes the nation’s judge.
Though many try, it will not budge.
 
The wizard Merlin says a sooth,
That he will welcome soon a youth,
But Archimedes, Merlin’s owl,
Scoffs and mocks him with a scowl.
 
But sure enough, that very day,
An arrow search for grumpy Kay
Has scrawny Arthur crashing through
Their cottage roof, as Merlin knew.
 
He stays for tea, and it is stated
That Arthur must be educated.
When Arthur says that he must leave,
He sees a thing he can’t believe.
 
The wizard shrinks his many things
To fit in one bag, which he brings.
Then, carrying his magic goods,
He leads young Arthur through the woods.
 
They go to Arthur’s home, a castle
Where the “Wart” is but a vassal
For his foster father Ector,
Who’s more employer than protector.
 
The wizard tries to teach the boy
And thinks his student would enjoy
A different view. He grants a wish
And turns the lad into a fish.
 
He shows the small fry how to swim,
And, when attacked, he cheers for him,
As Arthur’s hounded by a pike,
Which tries to eat the little tyke.
 
Once Archimedes saves the day,
The boy must work and walks away,
But Merlin’s magic does his chores
And washes plates and sweeps the floors.
 
When Merlin turns them into squirrels,
Young Arthur learns the world of girls,
And things he’d never reckoned of
Like gravity and the woes of love.
 
Still later, Wart becomes a sparrow,
Flying higher than an arrow,
But when a hawk tries snatching him,
He finds the home of Madam Mim.
 
This wicked witch plays cat-and-mouse
With Arthur all around her house.
But Merlin saves him (he’s in school),
And fights with Mim a Wizards’ Duel.
 
They change themselves to varied beasts
And try to make their foe deceased.
Though Mim breaks rules, she’s left infirm
When Merlin beats her as a germ.
 
When Arthur’s glad to be Kay’s squire,
Merlin’s mad he won’t aspire
To bigger, more refined pursuits.
Thus, to Bermuda Merlin shoots.
 
In London, Kay fights for the crown
But needs a sword that’s not around.
So Arthur finds the stone-held sword
And pulls it out; the town is floored.
 
He pulled the sword from out the stone
And must be destined for the throne.
He’s frightened to be chief of state,
But Merlin tells him he’ll be great.
________________________
 

The Sword in the Stone, based off of the book by T. H. White, is a lesser-known Disney classic that nonetheless is a whimsical fantasy that kids and adults alike can enjoy. My dad once called it a perfect drive-in movie, the kind to keep the kids safe in the car and glued to the screen while the parents got popcorn. The plot is episodic and so seems rather weak, considering that the actual Sword in the Stone is only at the very beginning and end. Still, these comical vignettes featuring a young Arthur transformed into various creatures are quite entertaining and nicely merge Arthur’s wide-eyed wonder with Merlin’s anachronistic, curmudgeonly wisdom. The duel with Madam Mim is also both funny and exciting, and Arthur’s pulling out the sword is a truly classic scene.

It also has some references to other films, such as Merlin cleaning up with animated brooms like in Fantasia. His ever-spacious travel bag is also reminiscent of Mary Poppins, which actually came out the next year. While the songs are less than memorable, they are some of the early work of the Sherman Brothers, who went on to write much better songs for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Jungle Book. One song in the film did stick out because of its similarity to Andy Serkis’s ad-libbed tune in the Forbidden Pool scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Perhaps he was subconsciously inspired by this much earlier Disney ditty.

The Sword in the Stone may not be able to claim the iconic depiction of these characters, but I much prefer its portrayal of Arthur and Merlin than some other films’, like the awful Shrek the Third. While it certainly isn’t the best Arthurian film adaptation, it is nonetheless a classic of childhood that teaches the age-old lesson of brains over brawn.

Best line: (Merlin, speaking of Archimedes the owl) “When he stays out all night, he’s always grumpy the next morning.”  (Arthur) “Then he must stay out every night.”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 4
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #310: The Karate Kid

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

23 Sunday Feb 2014

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Max is feral; Max is free,
As wild as he wants to be.
He much prefers his fantasy
To real-world life and pain.
He’s jealous of his sister’s friends,
Who crush the igloo he defends.
He wrecks her room but then he mends
The mess he made in vain.
 
His mother has a handsome guest,
But Max’s rage won’t be suppressed.
He screams and runs and is a pest
And bites his mom as well.
Alarmed, he flees and yells a while.
He sees a boat, sails to an isle,
Finds some natives to beguile,
And thinks of lies to tell.
 
These Wild Things are in conflict,
But Max insists he can evict
All loneliness and has them tricked.
They make the boy their king.
His first directive to impart
Is that the wild rumpus start,
And everybody plays their part
In one big wild fling.
 
His first friend Carol’s feeling blue
For some girl named KW,
Who’s left her old friends for some new,
And Carol now is jealous.
But Max insists they build a fort,
And so they do; they then cavort
In one big dirt clod-throwing sport,
And some are overzealous.
 
KW gets Carol hurt,
A joke that stings much more than dirt.
The fighting tends to just subvert
What ought to bring them closer.
They all are sullen once they’ve played,
And their respect for Max degrades.
The worried Carol feels betrayed
When Max is called a poser.
 
Then Carol rips off someone’s arm
And tries to do the young king harm.
Max flees the monster in alarm.
KW protects him.
Max sees himself in Carol’s rage,
And chooses then to disengage
From his unstable island stage
Where everyone suspects him.
 
They mourn their loss while he’s in sight,
Including Carol, who’s contrite,
And Max sails on into the night
Upon the ocean’s foam.
When he returns, Mom can relax
And with a hug forgives his acts.
She gives him dinner warm, and Max
Is glad to be back home.
____________________
 

Where the Wild Things Are is a rather odd movie. It’s based off the classic children’s picture book by Maurice Sendak (which my mom read to me growing up), but the tone of the entire film has a distinctly adult sensibility. Except for a few scenes, I can’t really see a kid enjoying it, since even my VC couldn’t hang with it and disliked the dysfunctional family and out-of-control kid (whose behavior probably stems from too little parenting). The film is often boring and wordy and is honestly pretty depressing, what with all the talk about the sun dying and the messed-up relationships that aren’t really resolved.

From this film and what I’ve heard of his others, I would say that director Spike Jonze tends to take seemingly outlandish plotlines and turn them into artistic films that can be taken seriously. He certainly has done just that in Where the Wild Things Are, which may not be meant for young kids but at least avoids the adult content of his other films, like Being John Malkovich and the recent Her.

The appeal of this movie is in its depth and insight into Max’s psyche, which is broken down and given life in the form of the Wild Things he meets. Ira represents his desire to be appreciated; pessimistic Judith is his angry insistence to be taken on his own terms, accepting only love and understanding as an answer; Alexander is his fear of him being ignored and his pain not understood; and Carol is his jealous selfishness and his ferocious temper. Seeing the Wild Things’ relationships break down and particularly Carol’s going “out of control” (as Max did in the beginning) is like Max looking in a mirror and resolving to change. His goodbyes and departure from the Wild Things were actually surprisingly touching.

Unfortunately, Max’s “change” only goes so far. In the final moments with his mom, I kept expecting him to say “I’m sorry,” but those magic words are left unsaid, with only knowing and sympathetic looks to take their place. However, the CGI-enhanced puppets from the Jim Henson Creature Shop are some of the most life-like puppets I’ve ever seen, making the film notable for its visual effects as well. All in all, it’s a well-made but divisive film that is worthy of a much more detailed analysis than I’ve given and one that will only appeal to those who “get” its underlying message.

Best line: (Douglas, when his arm is pulled off during Carol’s vicious tantrum) “That was my favorite arm!”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 3
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 3
Other (slow parts): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #311: The Sword in the Stone

© 2014 S. G. Liput

War of the Worlds (2005)

22 Saturday Feb 2014

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A narrator reveals that hostile aliens are hard at work;
So let us watch their conquest through the eyes of Ray, a selfish jerk.
He’s immature and slovenly; his ex-wife knows this (hence the ex),
And when she leaves their kids with him, their presence only serves to vex.
Both Robbie and his sister Rachel aren’t too happy being there,
And Ray ignores them overall until a storm creates a scare.
 
The lightning strikes the same location twenty-six alarming times.
When Ray investigates the place, from underground a tripod climbs.
The giant alien machine starts zapping people left and right,
And Ray recovers both his kids and drives until it’s out of sight.
His ex-wife’s empty house is where they hide and try remaining calm.
The three are woken in the night by loud explosions, like a bomb.
 
The next day, Ray emerges to a sprawling field of plane debris,
And learns the foe is everywhere, at home and out across the sea.
The three set out for Boston, where they hope to find Ray’s former wife,
And dead or desperate folks abound and make them each fear for their life.
Their car is fiercely taken (since most vehicles no longer start).
They then attempt to take a ferry, which turns out to not be smart.
 
A tripod rises from the river, capsizing the ferryboat,
And tentacles reach down to snatch the men who dare to stay afloat.
Escaping from this massacre, they all continue on their quest,
But Robbie wants to join the fight to stop the uninvited guest.
He gives his father little choice, and Ray is sad to see him go,
But he and Rachel flee and join a man with shelter down below.
 
This Harlan Ogilvy soon proves that he has clearly gone insane,
And rants about survival and the chance to fight their own campaign.
They’re rattled by some narrow shaves with aliens and periscopes,
But Harlan’s thirst for vengeance and his folly threaten all their hopes.
He freaks out when he sees the foes collecting blood from human slaves,
And Ray feels he must silence him before his ranting digs their graves.
 
But Ray and Rachel still are found; a tripod lifts her in the air.
Her father follows with grenades and frees the captives from their snare.
Again with Rachel, Ray continues into Boston’s wrecked downtown,
And sees the aliens are dying, helping us to take them down.
He reconnects with his ex-wife and Robbie, whom he’s glad to see.
The narrator reveals that germs brought down the hostile enemy.
__________________________
 

Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, the most advertised and successful of the three film adaptations released in 2005, is gripping, thrilling, frightening, insightful, and compelling. From the opening/closing narration by Morgan Freeman to the uniquely grainy cinematography to the inclusion of the very real threat of an EMP to wipe out all electronic devices, it’s a modern retelling of H. G. Wells’ classic story that is also the best adaptation I’ve seen so far. Tom Cruise is at his best as Ray Ferrier, and Dakota Fanning is entirely believable as his increasingly traumatized daughter Rachel. In the words of the judge from The Shawshank Redemption, Tim Robbins plays Ogilvy as “icy and remorseless,” but also with a wide-eyed edge when threatened. (It’s a shame he and Morgan Freeman never got a scene together.) The special effects and the design of the alien tripods are also well-done and often unnerving.

The drawbacks are the bad language (though it’s a bit more understandable under such extreme conditions) and, basically, the character’s story. The main goal of the film is to show this harrowing what-if situation through the eyes of a single American family, an objective that is mostly well-realized. The main problem is that the family the writers chose is unnecessarily dysfunctional, and Ray, as mentioned in the poem, is a juvenile jerk. While he has a positive character arc, particularly when he realizes what a poor father he is, unable to even sing his daughter a decent lullaby, I think the filmmakers could have chosen a more relatable guy who was less of a lowlife. He saves his daughter, but there’s little indication what his relationship with his kids is going to be like from now on. Plus, the subplot with Robbie wanting to abandon his sister to participate in a fight he can do little to help and somehow surviving it all is weak and makes Robbie even less likable than he already was. Also, the changes in the alien plot, adding in the burial of the tripods eons ago to be ready for the invasion here and now, is a little unbelievable, considering they must have learned on their first visit about the microorganisms that would later kill them. Still, War of the Worlds is an engaging, if rather morbid, feast for the eyes, and, in my opinion and my VC’s, creams the original 1953 version for special effects and entertainment value. (My VC would have it even higher on her list.)

Best line: (Robbie) “What is it? Is it terrorists?”
(Ray, speaking of the tripods) “These came from someplace else.”
(Robbie) “What do you mean, like, Europe?”
(Ray) “No, Robbie, not like Europe!”

 

Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
Other (language and weak elements): -8
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #312: Where the Wild Things Are

© 2014 S. G. Liput

The Secret of Kells (2009)

21 Friday Feb 2014

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Apprenticed to illuminators,
Ancient Christian illustrators,
Brendan is a boy within a monastery’s walls.
His uncle Cellach is the abbot,
Who obsesses in his habit,
Building up the wall around before their culture falls.
 
For Vikings threaten day by day,
Not caring what they crush or slay.
A refugee who’s fled from them is Aidan of Iona.
Young Brendan’s heard of Aidan’s skill,
Drawing wonders from his quill.
Brendan is excited by this new and fresh persona.
 
When Aidan shows the boy the Book,
On which the sinners dare not look,
Brendan wants to aid completion of this awesome text.
He sneaks into the outer woods,
To get for Aidan needed goods,
Berries used for making ink, though Uncle will be vexed.
 
With Aidan’s feline Pangur Ban,
Brendan quickly comes upon
Wolves, that stop their hunting when a white-haired girl appears.
This Aisling treats him with suspicion;
Nonetheless, she aids his mission,
Showing him the forest’s wonders and its deadly fears.
 
While Aidan’s glad to have the ink,
He’s lost the Eye, a precious link
To sages past, a crystal that improves an artist’s sight.
When Brendan’s locked inside the tower,
Aisling frees him with her power.
Brendan finds Crom Cruach’s cave and takes its Eye that night.
 
The pagan god consumes his tail
And Brendan draws for him a jail.
The Eye of Crom helps Brendan to begin the Book’s next part.
Though Cellach isn’t pleased at all,
Many just ignore the wall
To watch as Brendan practices illuminating art.
 
But soon the Viking hordes attack,
And Cellach’s wall can’t hold them back.
The abbot’s wounded as the Northmen raze the town of Kells.
Escaping from the cruel combat,
Brendan, Aidan, and the cat
Take the Book from Viking hands, which Aisling’s pack repels.
 
The three depart the ravaged land,
And Brendan wields his steady hand,
Illuminating every page as many years take flight.
When Brother Aidan’s laid to rest,
And Cellach’s tired and depressed,
Brendan comes to show the Book that turns the dark to light.
_____________________
 

The Secret of Kells is an Oscar-nominated, independent, mainly Irish animated film that is highly unique in its animation, drawing from ancient Celtic art and scriptural illuminations. To be honest, the animation takes some getting used to. I didn’t care for it at first, but, within 20 minutes or so, I grew accustomed to it and could better appreciate its detailed beauty. My VC tends to dislike most non-Disney/Dreamworks animations, like this one, viewing them as inferior and often too symbolic, but I don’t think it’s inferior at all, just different. In certain brief scenes that are given a moment of stillness, the hand-drawn animation looks like an ancient work of art.

As far as the story, there’s the oft-used cliché of the overly stern authority figure squelching the young protagonist’s imagination and eventually realizing his mistake (seriously, too many animated movies include this in their plots). Yet the story as a whole is quite fascinating with its fusion of beings from Celtic paganism and the religious monks who kept knowledge alive through the Dark Ages. While some of the references don’t make sense to a casual viewer, the filmmakers’ use of historical tidbits is actually quite clever (Crom Cruach was an ancient god worshiped with human sacrifice and ousted by St. Patrick; an Aisling is a type of poem involving a Faerie encounter; Pangur Ban was a white cat to which an unknown 9th century monk dedicated a poem in the margin of his manuscript).

As with Rise of the Guardians, however, The Secret of Kells seems to be avoiding any mention of God or the actual contents of the Book of Kells, the Gospels. There are some welcome scenes of generic prayer and talk of how strong the monks’ faith is, but these religious aspects have little substance. The latter half is also surprisingly dark, killing off nearly every minor character (offscreen), and the last scenes are touching, but not quite as grand and epically bittersweet as it tries to be. Overall, it’s certainly a film worth watching, one that uniquely presents the monks whose work helped to preserve light in darkness.

Best line: (Brendan) “You can’t find out everything from books, you know.”  (Brother Aidan) “I think I read that once.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 4
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
Other (animation takes getting used to): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #313: War of the Worlds (2005)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

American Graffiti (1973)

20 Thursday Feb 2014

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The year of this tale is 1962,
And many remember it fondly; do you?
The young Curtis Henderson and his pal Steve
Are planning tomorrow to finally leave
Modesto for college as two cool hot shots,
But Curt, unlike Steve, has some real second thoughts.
 
Steve’s dating Curt’s sister, but Laurie’s withdrawn 
When Steve wants to date other girls while he’s gone.
Steve loans his Impala to Terry the “Toad,”
A nerd who will care for his ride on the road.
There’s also John Milner, a local skirt-chaser,
Whose yellow deuce coupe makes him quite a good racer.
 
First, Terry the “Toad” begins cruising the street
And picks up a girl who seems shallow but neat.
He lies to this Debbie and says it’s his car,
And his fictions of grandeur are working so far.
At Debbie’s insistence, he gets some hard booze
From a liquor store thief who has nothing to lose.
 
Both Terry and Debbie go parking, but soon
The Impala gets swiped by the light of the moon.
They regain their wheels when they get back in town,
But Steve takes it right back to track Laurie down.
The “Toad” tells the truth about all that he’d done,
But Debbie decides that they both still had fun.
****
Meanwhile, Steve’s having some issues with Laurie,
Who’s mad over Steve’s plans of college-bound glory.
She wants him to stay so that he can stay hers.
At the sock hop, she snubs him, and feuding occurs.
He woos her somewhat, but it’s soon clear to him
That their love, if he leaves, will look more and more grim.
 
When Laurie gets mad, she kicks Steve from her car
And hitches a ride with a new racing star.
She sits with Bob Falfa, who races ol’ John.
When his car overturns, she is angry and wan.
But Steve, who has gotten his car back from “Toad,”
Consoles her and says he will not hit the road.
****
Meanwhile, John Milner is going through heck
When he picks up a 12-year-old pain-in-the-neck.
Young Carol wants action that she rarely gets.
Not letting John leave her, she keeps making threats
That she’ll scream or cry rape if he won’t let her stay,
So he does, and some fondness grows from his dismay.
 
They trash someone’s car for a water balloon,
And cruise around town by the street lights and moon.
John drives her home, though she at first had objected,
By offering more “action” than she’d expected.
He then races Falfa, who crashes with style
But survives, and John knows he’s still king for a while.
****
Meanwhile, Curt doubts if he should leave so fast,
But he sees a cute blonde in a T-bird drive past.
For the rest of the night, he obsesses about
That girl, and his longing replaces his doubt.
He also becomes a hostage for a time
By the Pharaohs, a gang that he helps with a crime.
 
Curt earns their respect, as uncouth as they are,
And rips the rear axle right off a cop car.
When freed, he then visits the great Wolfman Jack,
The famous DJ, who is glad to give back.
The Wolfman says hi for him over the air
To that blonde who he thinks is listening somewhere.
 
Curt gets a brief call from this girl he has dreamed,
But she stays as elusive as she ever seemed.
In the end, he decides to fly off and leave town,
And below is the T-bird when Curt glances down.
Curt leaves, and Steve stays, and “Toad” scores, and John wins,
And they’ll each have that night as their new life begins.
_______________________
 

American Graffiti is a classic, plain and simple, and it is a perfect snapshot of what it meant to be a teenager in 1962, at least seen through the eyes of the pre-Star Wars George Lucas. Starring many marvelous before-they-were-famous actors, the casting is perfect, with Ron Howard as Opie – I mean Steve –, Richard Dreyfuss as Mr. Holland – I mean Curt –, Cindy Williams as Shirley – I mean Laurie –, and Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones – I mean Bob Falfa. Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Mackenzie Phillips also shine in roles perfectly suited for them. Much of the film’s realism is owed to George Lucas, who left in several apparent goofs in order for the proceedings to seem more believable. His editing is also wonderful, switching seamlessly between the four stories that I had to separate in order to translate into a coherent poem.

The main issue once again is the language, which seems a bit more frequent than I would expect for 1962, even if the moral carryover from the ‘50s was dying out. Watching several scenes, such as John Milner and Carol attacking the car of the water balloon culprit, I also can’t help but think how juvenile many events in the film are. Still, it is that youthful immaturity that is so fondly remembered by those who recall those days of cruising and parking. These two matters are the only real drawbacks of a film that has one of the best soundtracks ever, made up of pre-Beatles rock ‘n’ roll, and is deservedly on many other top film lists as well.

Best line: (Debbie, at the end of the night) “I really had a good time. I mean, you picked me up, and we got some hard stuff, saw a holdup, and then we went to the canal, you got your car stolen, and then I got to watch you get sick. And then, you got in this really bitchin’ fight. I really had a good time.”  (Terry the “Toad”) “Yeah, well, I guess I have a pretty good time just about every night.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 3
Originality: 7
Watchability: 5
Other (language and immaturity): -8
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #314: The Secret of Kells

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Chicken Run (2000)

19 Wednesday Feb 2014

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Within the Tweedys’ chicken farm,
The chickens aren’t content to scrape.
They know they’ll only come to harm,
And so they always plan escape.
 
When all their tactics go awry,
Their leader Ginger gets the blame.
She never hesitates to try,
But all her schemes end up the same.
 
The failure’s hard on everyone,
Until a rooster falls with style
Into the Tweedys’ chicken run
And brings to Ginger’s face a smile.
 
This Yankee rooster Rocky Rhodes,
Although his wing is rather bruised,
Becomes their proof that other modes
Of getting out can still be used.
 
Though Rocky’s cocky (and it shows),
The chicks are awed that he can fly.
He says he’ll teach them all he knows,
If Ginger hides him, so they try.
 
The circus rooster guides them through
Some odd and silly exercise.
Days later, none seem closer to
Their plan of taking to the skies.
 
Although the hens had always been
Producing eggs the Tweedys sold,
Their owners’ profits have grown thin,
And selling eggs has gotten old.
 
So Mrs. Tweedy sees an ad
And buys a giant loud machine.
Since loud machines are always bad,
The chicks don’t know what it may mean.
 
The Tweedys’ plan is chicken pies,
And they choose Ginger on a whim!
But Rocky saves her, or he tries,
And Ginger ends up saving him.
 
They sabotage the pie machine
And buy themselves some time to fly.
They practice harder, still unseen,
Since no one wants to be a pie.
 
But Rocky knows the truth of it
And leaves the chicken run that night.
When he departs, he does admit
A cannon helped him with his “flight.”
 
At first, the chickens feud and cry,
But Ginger has one last idea.
They build a plane to help them fly,
Their much-awaited panacea.
 
Once the Tweedys have repaired
Their tool, they try to stop their hens.
But Rocky comes back undeclared
And helps to save his threatened friends.
 
So Mrs. Tweedy’s caught inside
A giant gravy mushroom cloud,
While all the chickens now reside
In open spaces, free and proud.
_____________________
 

Unlike many of the poorly received animated films on my list recently, Chicken Run was quite a success and is currently the highest grossing stop-motion feature. Fusing parodies of old POW movies like The Great Escape with an untold number of chicken-related puns, the film creates a surprisingly fresh and funny take on material that could have devolved into unentertaining silliness. Chicken Run stars Mel Gibson (before his descent from popularity) along with a host of less familiar British actors who, along with the skilled puppeteers, create unique and lovable characters out of clay figurines. I also love the score by the great Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell, which is more instantly recognizable than memorable.

While the animation is seamless, it’s a tad distracting in its unrealism. Unlike real chickens, more “meat” is put into the animated chickens’ thighs rather than their breasts (for obvious reasons, considering it’s a family film), and my VC doesn’t care for Aardman Animations’ habit of giving the characters large mouths that stick out on either side. Despite this, with a hilarious script and some instantly classic scenes, such as the trip through the pie machine, Chicken Run is my favorite stop-motion film, outdoing other works like Wallace and Gromit and The Pirates: Band of Misfits, which are good and entertaining but can’t rival the imaginative genius of this film.

Best line: [the plane is being dragged down by Mrs. Tweedy] (Ginger) “Great Scott, what was that?” (the Scottish hen Mac, after a string of Star Trek references) “A cling-on, Cap’n, and the engines can’t take it.”
 
VC’s best lines (she can’t make up her mind): (Ginger) “Listen. We’ll either die free chickens or we die trying.”  (Babs) “Are those the only choices?”
and
(Bunty, the negative hen) “Oh, face the facts, ducks. The chances of us getting out of here are a million to one.”  (Ginger) “Then there’s still a chance.” 

 

Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 6
Other (aforementioned look of the animation): -5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #315: American Graffiti

© 2014 S. G. Liput