Tag Archives: Drama

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Steve’s dating Curt’s sister, but Laurie’s withdrawn 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

 

#320: The Killing Fields (1984)

15 Saturday Feb 2014

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When Vietnam was falling to
The ever-spreading Communists,
Cambodia was next in line,
Braved only by some journalists.
 
One such is Sydney Schanberg, who’s
A writer for The New York Times,
And risks his life to detail both
American and local crimes.
 
His translator and colleague is
Cambodian Dith Pran, who aids
Syd’s efforts to expose the truth,
But then the enemy invades.
 
The U.S. embassy bugs out
Before the Khmer Rouge arrive.
Pran sends his family away
But stays and hopes he will survive.
 
When Sydney and some others are
Arrested fast and violently,
It seems they might be executed
Until Pran helps set them free.
 
The French take in the group, but Pran
Must stay, a fate that’s undefined.
Despite a forged passport for him,
It fails, and Pran is left behind.
 
While Sydney rakes in accolades
For stories of his work abroad,
His friend is forced into a camp
Where freedom’s dead and so is God.
 
The leaders teach the children there
To hate and murder many men,
And those who miss their former lives
Are caught and never seen again.
 
An act of mercy sets Pran free
To flee through dangerous unknowns.
His daunting journey ushers him
Through fields of bodies, pits of bones.
 
Enduring hell for four long years,
Pran sights Thailand and knows he’ll live.
He reunites with Sydney too
And says there’s “nothing to forgive.”
_______________________
 

The Killing Fields is an undeniably powerful story of Communist brutality and the human will to survive. For having never acted before, Dr. Haing S. Ngor does an incredible job as the persistent Dith Pran, and his Oscar-winning role is the main draw for a movie that puts a spotlight on a sad time in history.

I could compare The Killing Fields to that more recent Oscar winner about ethnic suffering Slumdog Millionaire. Both are extremely well-made films, but the bulk of their running time is, quite honestly, difficult to watch, though the endings of both are supremely satisfying and almost make up for all the heartache that preceded. However, while Slumdog Millionaire presented the squalid conditions in India just for the sake of showing them, The Killing Fields manages to be exciting and more thought-provoking in the process. The scenes showing the characters at gunpoint are so unnerving that my heart couldn’t help but beat faster. Also, while there are certainly some gruesome scenes, including some shocking executions, the violence for the most part is comparatively restrained.

Such restraint does not carry over to the language department, and several characters, especially John Malkovich, let F-words and profanity just roll off their tongues. Also, while Pran and, to a lesser extent, Sydney are very sympathetic (if unwise for remaining in Cambodia), my VC pointed out that the majority of the secondary characters have little backstory or character development. As with many powerful films, including some higher up on this list, The Killing Fields may not be very entertaining, but it is a film that needs to be seen, if only as a reminder so that such atrocities are never repeated.

Best line: (Pran’s voiceover while in the camp) “The wind whispers of fear and hate. The war has killed love. And those that confess to the Angka are punished, and no one dare ask where they go. Here, only the silent survive.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 7
Watchability: 4
Other (violence and language): -7
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #319: Sneakers

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Hitchcock (2012)

14 Friday Feb 2014

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Hitchcock is the undisputed “Master of Suspense,”
The biggest man in Hollywood (in almost every sense).
Fresh off another grand success, he wants something unique,
Not just another rehash of his former winning streak.
 
Then he finds a book called Psycho, quite a horrifying tale,
All about Ed Gein, who murdered on a most disturbing scale.
Deciding that this nut will be his next film’s inspiration,
He pours into the project his macabre imagination.
 
But the bigwigs up at Paramount think Hitch has lost his touch
And, despite his past successes, don’t support him very much.
They agree to distribution of his next film, if, that is,
He can find the needed funds for this bizarre project of his.
 
With the help of Alma Reville, his dear wife and confidante,
Hitchcock mortgages his home so he can finance this new jaunt.
He chooses Joe Stephano, whom he trusts to write the script,
And then Alma does the rewrites, though her credit’s often skipped.
 
With Janet Leigh to play the lead (who meets a grisly fate),
The famed director has the parts to make his movie great.
But Alma seems to always be with Whit, a writer friend,
And Hitchcock’s clearly bothered by this ever-distant trend.
 
But he himself has problems: He’s a shameless peeping tom,
And he ogles female’s photos; Alma knows it but stays calm.
With the censor being stubborn and his wife perhaps unchaste,
Hitchcock’s anger makes his body and his movie start to waste.
 
When he’s sick in bed, however, Alma steps up to the front
And directs in place of Hitch and films as he would want.
The final cut is less than great and stays that way until
Both Hitch and Alma reconcile and fix it with their skill.
 
The score in place, the censor soothed, at last his Psycho plays,
And, thanks to genius marketing, the crowds line up for days.
The shower scene is shocking but admired nonetheless,
And both Hitch and Alma celebrate their stunning shared success.
__________________________
 

The fact that a movie about the making of Psycho is higher placed than the film itself probably says more about me than about the merit of the two films. Psycho is a masterpiece of filmmaking and was totally unique when it was released in 1960, terrifying audiences across the nation simply because they didn’t know what to expect. Now, 54 years later, though, I must admit that it has lost some of its power. Probably because we have been jaded by ever-worsening violence, Psycho is still fascinatingly disturbing, but it’s not the most grandly horrifying thing ever filmed, as it was decades ago. Thus, with its most compelling parts diminished in that sense, much of the film is slow and dated, to be honest; therefore, Hitchcock manages to be more entertaining as a whole than the original.

Also, while Anthony Perkins was perfect as the deranged momma’s boy Norman Bates, the rest of the cast were just okay for the most part. In Hitchcock, just about every actor is at the top of their game, making it a definite Triple A movie, since it’s All About the Acting. Anthony Hopkins may not exactly look and sound like the great director, but he vanishes into the Oscar-worthy role just as much as he did in Silence of the Lambs. Helen Mirren is also wonderful as she brings Hitch’s long-suffering wife to life, and her impassioned rebuff during the couple’s big argument is one of the great soliloquies in recent films, leaving her husband and the audience utterly speechless. While the film is a rather kind treatment of Alfred Hitchcock, who would probably have just been a dirty old man without his great contributions to cinema, it is a compelling and ultimately sympathetic biopic of the man behind the silhouette.

Best line: (Hitchcock) “I’m under extraordinary pressures on this picture, and the least you can do is give me your full support.”  (Alma) “Full support! We’ve mortgaged our house! I’m your wife! I celebrate with you when the reviews are good. I cry for you when they are bad! I put up with all those people who look through me as if I were invisible because all they see is the great and glorious ALFRED HITCHCOCK!”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #320: The Killing Fields

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Good Will Hunting (1997)

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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The young William Hunting has a genius IQ,
But he isn’t intent on becoming a star.
He’d rather do janitor work and make do
And show up wise guys in a South Boston bar.
 
When Gerald Lambeau, a professor of math,
Puts up a problem that few men have worked,
Will solves it in secret to sidestep his wrath,
But Lambeau is more flabbergasted than irked.
 
When Will’s taken in for assaulting a man,
Lambeau has a plan that he’s glad to unveil.
If Will studies with him, as part of the plan,
And takes therapy, he won’t be thrown in jail.
 
But all of Will’s visits with therapists flop.
He’s smarter than they, as he smugly confirms.
So Lambeau, who won’t let his therapy stop,
Requests one with whom he must now come to terms.
 
A strong-willed psychologist named Sean Maguire,
Who was Lambeau’s friend till a harsh falling out,
Starts meeting with Will with reluctant desire,
And thinks he can help him, though Will has some doubt.
 
Though Will is unwilling at first to comply,
Maguire’s straight talking and patience prevail.
Because of abuse, Will is now scared to try
Uncertain relationships, since they might fail.
 
Professor Lambeau attempts all that he can
To maximize Hunting’s unbounded potential.
Jobs fall at his doorstep, according to plan,
But Will treats his future as less than essential.
 
When Will’s girlfriend leaves for the sunny west coast,
He can’t bear to follow; he’d simply prefer
Subsisting in manual labor at most.
He’d rather stay put here than chase after her.
 
First, Will forsakes Lambeau, then Sean forsakes Will.
Will cannot stand risks, even though he’s so smart.
But then his own friend says he ought to fulfill,
Not waste, his potential. Will takes this to heart.
 
When Hunting agrees to accept a good job,
Maguire and Lambeau and Will reconcile.
And once Will and Sean have a good, poignant sob,
Will follows his girl, finding risks are worthwhile.
_________________________
 

I must preface my endorsement of this movie with this fact: I have only seen Good Will Hunting once and heavily edited, and, unlike most critics and filmgoers, that is the only way I would ever suggest seeing it. As powerful a movie as it is, the frequent language (mainly the F word) greatly detracts from its enjoyment. The worst part of it is that the nearly 100 obscenities serve no purpose whatsoever. I can halfway see using such language in times of great distress, but, aside from a few emotional breakdowns toward the end, nothing at all warrants it. It’s simply presented as a part of life for these people, and it is movies like this that have unfortunately led recently to the likes of The Wolf of Wall Street and its 500+ F bombs. I think that the obscenity was added to simply degrade what might otherwise be considered a Hallmark movie.

Ignoring the language and the requisite sex scene, though, the film as a whole is excellent. The acting is superb; Robin Williams, in particular, deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and his monologue about his wife and love is one of the greatest soliloquies ever filmed. The script also, which won Matt Damon and Ben Affleck their Oscar, is extremely clever and insightful (minus the F words). If obscenity doesn’t bother you, then, by all means, view the original film; otherwise, I would certainly recommend seeing the cut version. It’s much less distracting.

Best line: (Sean speaking to Will) “You don’t know about real loss, ’cause that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself. I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 10
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 6
Watchability: 5
Other (language): -7
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #332: Balto

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Perfect Storm (2000)

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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The sea’s fed and fostered the brave men of Gloucester,
Who sail out to harvest its plenty,
But the ocean has claimed several thousand strong names
And has left many families empty.
 
They’re stories worth telling, both sad and compelling,
But there’s one that stands out as a tale.
Six seamen were drowned and their bodies not found
In the wreck of the Andrea Gail.
 
Ol’ Captain Bill Tyne is not like a fine wine,
Bringing in less and less as he ages.
All his friends say too much that he’s losing his touch,
And his crew isn’t keen on their wages.
 
So both Tyne and his men plan to set out again:
Bobby Shatford, whose girl tends to worry,
Murph and Sully are there, as is Alfred Pierre,
And, with Bugsy, they leave in a hurry.
 
Their efforts don’t fly, and their tensions run high,
As a shark, then an accident spooks them.
Sully saves Murphy’s life, though he stole Murphy’s wife.
When they want to turn back, Tyne rebukes them.
 
They almost leave the map for the famed Flemish Cap,
Where both swordfish and jeopardy flourish.
As their fortunes emerge, three storm systems converge
And on warm Gulf Stream waters are nourished.
 
The swordfish abound; the ice maker breaks down,
So they must make a choice now together:
Let the fruit of their toil just sit out and spoil
Or attempt to sail home through the weather.
 
Wishing no more to roam, they decide to head home,
And the hurricane soon crashes around them.
They drive through the night, and yet, try though they might,
By morning, the tempest has drowned them.
 
Their friends grieve together, will miss them forever,
Will honor their fruitless travail.
Their memory survives, though they all lost their lives
In the wreck of the Andrea Gail.
______________________
 

The Perfect Storm is a disaster film that, while not as cataclysmic as many other such movies, focuses on the main six lives that were lost when the Andrea Gail sank below the Atlantic. While these six men are all flawed, they seem genuine in their actions and relationships (though Bugsy’s appeal to that single mother is inexplicable), and the eulogy at the end is truly touching. However, The Perfect Storm, like Witness, also lovingly presents a way of life that seems foreign to outsiders like me. While I would not want to be part of that world of sailing and fishing, I can still admire the unsung heroes who work so hard to bring in fish that most of us take for granted.

It’s not a perfect disaster film, in part because it tries too hard to show the extent of the disaster. My poem makes no mention of the three-person crew of the Mistral or the Air National Guard helicopter that comes to rescue them. These scenes present how the storm affected more than just the Andrea Gail, but they also distract from the six people that are otherwise the center of the movie. The Coast Guard scenes drag on a bit too long, and I can’t help but feel that they were added just to make the film longer. This, plus the strong sexual innuendo and frequent language that are probably not as bad as on most sailing vessels, detracts from what is otherwise a film with great acting and special effects. It’s just a shame that those men lost their lives just trying to make a living.

P.S. Try reading the poem to the cadence of Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Best line: “I’ll be asleep, and all the sudden there he is, that big smile. You know that smile. And I say, ‘Hey, Bobby – where you been?’ but he won’t tell me. He just smiles and says, ‘Remember, Christina: I’ll always love you; I loved you the moment I saw you; I love you now; and I love you forever. There’s no goodbyes – there’s only love, Christina; only love.’ Then he’s gone. But he’s always happy when he goes so I know he’s got to be okay – absolutely okay.”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
Other (innuendo and language): -7
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #335 – 9 to 5

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Psycho (1960)

29 Wednesday Jan 2014

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Marion Crane is in love with a man
But has not the money to wed her dear Sam.
So, after a tryst, she endeavors to scram
 
With 40K trusted to her by her boss.
She leaves town before he’s aware of the loss.
While driving, her mind starts to worry and toss.
Her guilt soon becomes an unbearable cross,
 
So she stops for the night at the old Bates Motel.
The young Norman Bates, who can scare or compel,
Checks Marion in to the lodging from hell.
They chat, and he shows her her quarters as well.
 
He tells her his mother is mentally ill.
That night, in the shower, Miss Crane’s cries are shrill
As a figure appears with a knife meant to kill.
When Norman arrives, Miss Crane’s body is still.
 
So both her and her car, Norman sinks in a lake.
Soon, Marion’s sought for her stolen loot’s sake.
Sam and Lila, her sister, think there’s a mistake;
It’s hard to believe she would lie, steal, or take,
 
So she’s being searched for by the sleuth Arbogast.
He finds the motel, where he thinks she was last,
And Norman is spooked by the questions he’s asked.
It seems that he feels he is being harassed.
 
The detective sneaks into Bates’ home, but is slain.
Then Lila and Sam, who grow close in their pain,
Go also in search of poor Marion Crane.
While Sam distracts Norman, who seems less than sane,
 
Young Lila goes into Bates’ house with aplomb.
The tension builds up like a volatile bomb.
She goes in the basement and loses her calm
When she locates the dead corpse of Norman Bates’ mom!
 
Then Bates, dressed as mother, attacks with a knife,
But, lucky for her, valiant Sam saves her life.
A doctor tells them Norman’s internal strife,
 
The death of his mother, which Norman had done,
The messed-up relationship of mom and son,
 
Caused Norman to take on her psyche and traits
And murder, believing he was Norma Bates.
But, now that he’s stopped, an asylum awaits.
___________________
 

Psycho was the new height of violence and shock value when it was released in 1960. While the “surprise” ending is almost as well-known and unsurprising as Darth Vader’s I-am-your-father revelation, this Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece is still as creepy as ever, and the shower scene still just as traumatic.

I haven’t seen many Hitchcock movies, and what I have seen (Notorious, North by Northwest) hasn’t really impressed me. Yet Psycho is not a mostly boring spy yarn but the original slasher film, which, unlike more recent examples, is restrained enough in its violence to still be watchable. Buoyed by unique camera shots that cleverly hide Norman’s schizophrenic secret and an amazingly evil performance by Anthony Perkins, Psycho manages to retain Hitchcock’s artistic touch while still delivering the horrors in which he so reveled. What is it about playing psychopathic killers that brings out the best in an actor, from Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs to Kathy Bates in Misery? Whatever it is, Perkins is certainly the best part of the whole movie.

Best line: (Norman, while in custody at the very end) “I’ll just sit here and be quiet, just in case they do… suspect me. They’re probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I’m not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching… they’ll see. They’ll see and they’ll know, and they’ll say, “Why, she wouldn’t even harm a fly…” (one of the best evil grins ever)

Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 6
Watchability: 3
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #336: The Perfect Storm

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Gaslight (1944)

27 Monday Jan 2014

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In the foggy and dark London air,
There’s a horror at 9 Thornton Square:
A singer’s been strangled;
Her things are all tangled,
Yet all her possessions are there.
 
Her niece is one Paula Alquist,
Who is escorted out in the mist.
She is taken to dwell
And learn opera as well
With a maestro who’s glad to assist.
 
She meets Gregory, who composes.
Though a stranger, he quickly proposes,
He’s French; what’s to check?
So she says, what the heck?
She needs loving, so why oppose his.
 
By an obvious rule that’s unwritten,
One will do anything when she’s smitten.
When Greg says he would care
For a house in a square,
They choose Paula’s aunt’s home in Great Britain.
 
They lock her aunt’s things all upstairs,
So that she won’t be subject to scares
From that night long ago,
But it seems, even so,
Paula’s edgy, yet nobody cares.
 
She’s forgetful, which Greg’s quick to mention,
So often it raises her tension.
Her own husband claims
That she steals picture frames,
And his charges cause her apprehension.
 
At night, while her husband is out,
She hears somebody walking about
Upstairs; the lights fade,
And it isn’t the maid,
So her sanity now is in doubt.
 
She feels like her house is a trap.
Greg thinks that she’s ready to snap.
Paula isn’t consoled,
For Greg’s callous and cold,
And he only makes her feel like crap.
 
But one Brian, who’s from Scotland Yard,
Takes notice that Greg acts so hard.
His investigation
Leads to accusation,
And Brian becomes Paula’s guard.
 
He proves that she still has her brain
And that Greg is the cause of her strain.
His rebukes and his claims
Were a bunch of mind games,
In the hopes he would drive her insane.
 
Their marriage was only a tool,
All his tactics and being so cruel.
When the lights seemed to dim,
It was really just him,
In the attic in search of a jewel.
 
For Gregory is Sergis Bauer,
Who killed Paula’s aunt with his power.
He wanted her gems,
But he couldn’t find them
So has searched for them many an hour.
 
That night, though, he meets with success.
They were hidden, sewn onto a dress.
But he’s caught by police,
And his wife finds release
Now that he cannot cause her distress.
___________________
 

Gaslight is an old black-and-white film that earned seven Oscar nominations when it was released in 1944, winning two. A remake of a much lesser-known 1940 British movie, it is clearly based off a play with nearly every character converging at the very end. Like 12 Angry Men, most of the action happens in limited spaces, mainly a few lovely Victorian rooms, with only a couple outside scenes added to relieve the claustrophobia. In some ways, Gaslight angers me much like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington did, because Gregory gets away with his constant manipulation of his wife throughout most of the film. It isn’t until the final act that his deception is fully revealed, but, unlike the sudden happy ending of Mr. Smith, Paula is able to get back at her evil husband with some mind games of her own, creating a satisfying serves-you-right kind of ending.

Ingrid Bergman is excellent as her character’s sanity is slowly chipped away, and she definitely deserved her Oscar win. Charles Boyer is sinister, but his malevolence is a bit too obvious due to his mannerisms and coldness. Also, while the film features Angela Lansbury in her first role, I must say that her presence throughout adds little to the film and seemed unnecessary overall. Despite some flaws, such as Joseph Cotton’s lacking a British accent and a laughable scene in which the cameraman is clearly seen reflected in a window, Gaslight is nonetheless a classic mystery.

Best line: (Paula, when she taunts Gregory at the end) “How can a mad woman help her husband to escape?”

 

Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 6
Watchability: 4
 
TOTAL: 28 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #338: Summer Wars

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

23 Thursday Jan 2014

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Lars is a quiet and self-conscious guy,
An unsocial introvert, painfully shy.
He stays with his brother and sister-in-law,
But lives in the garage, where he’s quick to withdraw.
At work, he shows up but seems always distracted,
Ignoring a girl who (somehow) is attracted.
His brother Gus thinks Lars prefers loneliness,
But his wife Karen worries he’s mad or depressed.
 
Then one day, Lars shows up on Gus’s doorstep,
Displaying (for Lars) an unusual pep.
He says that a girl that he first met online
Is there from Brazil for the very first time.
She doesn’t speak English and needs a wheelchair,
But since Lars is so pleased, Gus and Karen don’t care.
It’s the first time that Lars has (at will) come to call.
They’re thrilled . . . till they see she’s a life-size sex doll.
 
They’re speechless and don’t know just how they should feel,
For Lars seems so earnest in thinking she’s real.
They take this Bianca with Lars, through a ruse,
To a doctor named Dagmar, and hope for good news.
Gus and Karen don’t care for the doctor’s conclusion:
She says they should play along with his delusion.
They spread the word quickly throughout the small town,
Who agree they will humor Lars when he’s around.
 
Bianca is met with both worry and shock,
But the town supports Lars, once they’ve had time to gawk.
He talks to her, walks with her, takes her on dates,
And tells everyone of her laudable traits.
But visits with Dagmar reveal Lars’s fears
Of death and of contact he’s cooped up for years.
As folks treat Bianca as if she were living,
They distance Lars from her, but Lars has misgivings.
 
His light-hearted ignorance starts then to dim,
When his childish delusion’s not centered on him.
He starts to grow close to one Margo at work,
But Bianca’s a burden he cannot yet shirk.
It’s not till she’s dying, at least in his mind,
That he finally leaves his Bianca behind.
The town that so loved Lars mourns too for his girl,
But perhaps now he’s ready to face the real world.
____________________________
 

Lars and the Real Girl is a dramedy, a comedy that’s dramatic and a drama that’s funny. It’s a quirky movie that is gentle and caring in its humor, just like the townspeople that help Lars grow out of his delusion. With the sex doll and an obvious mental illness, the plot could have so easily become disgusting and insulting, but instead it showcases some fine acting and an excellent script. Ryan Gosling is amazingly believable as Lars and plays off Bianca the doll quite convincingly. Paul Schneider as Gus and Emily Mortimer as Karen also shine, and, by the end of the movie, I could honestly say that I liked all of these characters. Though the script is full of awkward silences and hesitant answers, which make the movie feel slow overall, the dialogue seems very realistic, as if capturing real conversations. My VC thought it was rather weird and slow, but she at least appreciated it.

While the entire town is unrealistically supportive, from electing Bianca to the school board to sending an ambulance for her, their concern for Lars is admittedly sweet, though it’s unclear what he’s done to warrant such love and attention from them. I liked that Lars never used the doll sexually and respected it as he would a real woman. I also appreciate the presence of a kind and unmocked church that helps Lars and (partially) puts forth the great message of the movie: 1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Not many films apply morals from the Bible anymore.

While Lars and the Real Girl is not as funny or as dramatic as other films, it successfully makes the audience care for the characters while enjoying a few laughs along the way.

Best line: (Gus, when Lars asks him about being a man) “You grow up when you decide to do right. Okay, and not what’s right for you, but what’s right for everybody, even when it hurts.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 7
Watchability: 4
 
TOTAL: 28 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #342 – The Incredible Hulk

© 2014 S. G. Liput

#350: 12 Angry Men (1957)

16 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

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,

A teen from the slums has been tried for the death
Of his father, and nobody’s holding his breath.
With two witnesses, it’s an undoubted fact
That the young man is guilty of this heinous act.
But there’s a lone juror who will not walk out
Until he’s convinced beyond reasonable doubt.
The other eleven who make up this jury
Respond then with skepticism or with fury.
An irascible sadist who’s quick to lay blame,
An impatient guy who’d prefer a ball game,
A foreign watchmaker, a prejudiced bigot –
They all hear his speech, but at first they don’t dig it.
 
Yet this lone Juror 8 who just won’t let this go
Begins earning allies who see they can’t know
For sure the boy’s guilty; what first was baloney
Begins to reveal holes in some testimony.
“Perhapses” and “Maybes” turn hearts of all kinds,
And one by one, everyone changes their mind.
From the knife that was used to the loudness of trains,
Their reasoning wins till one loudmouth remains.
This man who had claimed that he wished justice done
Realizes he’s mad at his own estranged son,
And, choosing to not take it out on this youth,
He changes his vote for the sake of the truth.
__________________
 

12 Angry Men, a film based off of a teleplay, takes place almost exclusively in a single room. Since it’s very obvious it was meant to be a play, there is little action, and the entire plot centers around 12 men talking and arguing. It might be called the Angry Dozen. It’s the kind of film that could not be made today with modern man’s focus on explosions or violence. No one would pay today’s ticket prices to see such a simply made film. (Few people did when it was released in 1957. The movie failed miserably.)

Yet it is a classic with brilliant performances from its dozen actors and deductive dialogue that would make Sherlock Holmes proud. Its claustrophobic use of camera angles and use of close-up scenes, with the actor staring into the camera (long before Jonathan Demme earned acclaim for this technique), allow its relatively boring plot to remain interesting. The stakes of a young man’s life are never forgotten and help with the tension as well. This is what I call a Triple A movie because it is All About the Acting. It’s not the kind of film I like to watch regularly, but there’s no denying its status as a true film classic.

Best line: (speaking of the young man) “Bright? He’s a common, ignorant slob. He don’t even speak good English.”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 4
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 5
Watchability: 2
 
TOTAL: 28 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #349: Dinosaur

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Movies

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Sam Foley, senator, suddenly dies,
And his state’s governor has to just improvise
When he’s caught between voters and James Taylor too,
A tycoon who owns him and says what to do.
They now need a stooge to replace dear old Sam,
Who won’t get in the way of a scandalous dam.
To avoid inquisitions and pleading the fifth,
They go with the unwitting Jefferson Smith.
 
Beloved by Boy Rangers, Smith seems quite the choice,
So naïve (they think) that he won’t have a voice.
While Taylor and most politicians are realists,
Jeff Smith is among the few wide-eyed idealists.    
Jeff goes on a tour when he comes to D.C.,
And leaves people searching for the green absentee.
He turns up at last at his office, unwary,
And meets a Miss Saunders, his own secretary.
He speaks with the press, but he loses his cool
When they twist his words, making him look like a fool.
Then Senator Paine, whom Jeff holds in esteem,
Suggests he should write a bill to realize his dream
Of a national boys’ camp set up by a stream.
 
Jeff writes it with Saunders, but Taylor’s men wilt
When they hear it’s the stream where that dam’s to be built.
Some scrutiny might just expose Taylor’s graft,
So he offers to bribe Jeff or give him the shaft.
When Jeff learns the truth and will not let it lie,
Paine, who’s in Taylor’s pocket, becomes the bad guy.
He lies to the Senate, accusing Smith wrongly
Of graft himself, spouting his calumny strongly.
Paine set Jeff up well, for his name is defamed,
And his anger and shock make him look most ashamed.
The Senate’s about to expel Smith to jail,
But Saunders and he will not let lies prevail.
Smith takes to the floor, and, with all he can muster,
He makes the truth known in a great filibuster.
Jeff’s boys fight for him against the Taylor machine,
Who won’t let the truth of Jeff’s speeches be seen.
Even when Jeff’s at the end of his rope,
When Paine has tried all to demolish his hope,
Smith says he’ll fight on, but he can’t help but wilt.
It’s then that Paine’s filled with such terrible guilt,
That he comes clean, insisting that Smith’s in the right.
Although he’s unconscious, Smith still wins the fight.
_________________
 

Considering that Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is one of the great 1939 movies and is in the top 30 on AFI’s list of the greatest films, it might seem strange for me to put it at #358. It’s a very well-made film, but, despite its exceptional cast and message, it angers me more than any film should. The scenes where Jeff is publicly shamed by Taylor’s lies enrage me because such things still happen in today’s politics, such as with Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin. This realism detracts from the film’s entertainment value and makes Paine’s sudden turnaround at the end unlikely and unrealistic. Nevertheless, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a classic of classics with a bravura performance from Jimmy Stewart. The powerful scenes at the Lincoln Memorial and during Smith’s filibuster are worth “the price of admission”, so to speak.

Best line: “Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders.” Amen!

VC’s best line: “You had faith in something bigger than that. You had plain, decent, everyday common rightness, and this country could use some of that.” Double Amen!!
 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment:  5
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
Other (unrealistic ending): -2
 
TOTAL: 27 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #356: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

© 2014 S. G. Liput