Tag Archives: Romance

#240 – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

13 Tuesday May 2014

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When Robin of Locksley returns as a team
With a Moor with a life debt to him named Azeem,
He finds England’s changed while he fought the Crusades.
He finds his home unsafe for children and maids.
 
He kills several bullies and lets a few scram,
Which angers the Sheriff who rules Nottingham.
When Robin finds out his estranged father’s dead,
He promises vengeance on this Sheriff’s head.
 
Azeem and a blind aide named Duncan attend
While Robin attempts to go visit a friend.
Maid Marian isn’t much pleased he’s alive,
Especially when Sheriff’s soldiers arrive.
 
To flee, Robin rides to the forest Sherwood,
A place that’s not haunted, just misunderstood.
He meets several bandits but doesn’t once quiver
And earns their respect with some dunks in the river.
 
He leads this small party of woodsmen to fight
And robs every wagon that comes within sight.
The Sheriff is shipping out many a bribe,
But all his gold’s stolen by Robin Hood’s tribe.
 
The outlaw gains friends and support for his pluck,
Including Maid Marian and Friar Tuck,
But Will Scarlet sends him derision galore,
While that evil Sheriff hates him ever more.
 
The Sheriff of Nottingham hires some Celts
To lay siege to Robin and everyone else.
He captures a number of men, even Will,
And plans out a nice public method to kill.
 
In order to marry Maid Marian too,
And merit the throne with her blood, which is blue,
He says he will spare a few bound for the noose
If she will soon wed him, despite his abuse.
 
The Sheriff sends Will, who he thinks is a traitor,
To find Robin’s whereabouts sooner or later,
But Will yields to Robin that he’s his half-brother,
The son of his father and some other mother.
 
While Robin is shocked, the two men make their peace
And plan the best way for the captives’ release.
Azeem gives them gunpowder; John gives them swords.
They infiltrate slyly the castle of lords.
 
Though there are some hiccups, they save everyone,
And Robin soon has Nottingham on the run.
The villain tries marrying Marian, while
Azeem and the archer are locked in the aisle.
 
When Robin breaks in, the two foes have their duel,
And Robin prevails o’er the Sheriff so cruel.
Azeem saves his life, thus repaying his debt,
And everyone’s rescued from Nottingham’s threat.
 
Once they are all done saving lives thrillingly,
Both Robin and Marian wed (willingly).
King Richard himself (someone very well-known)
Thanks Robin of Locksley for saving his throne.
___________________
 

Having seen it recently, I’d say Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves probably deserves a higher place on my list. It is not only a highly entertaining medieval romp but also my favorite cinematic version of the Robin Hood story. Removing King John entirely from the story and mixing up some relationships to make them tragically Shakespearean, the filmmakers created a film that is at once exciting, funny, romantic, and now and then stunning.

Kevin Costner is appropriately heroic and likable as Robin Hood, though his lack of English accent is a major inaccuracy to my mind, and Morgan Freeman turns in another spot-on performance as his Moorish companion Azeem. After spending so much time underwater in The Abyss, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio decided to go with an easier role as the lovely Maid Marian, who manages to be both a strong fighter and a damsel in distress. The most striking role goes to Alan Rickman, who perfectly embodies the villainy of the Sheriff of Nottingham, though, unlike Hans Gruber from Die Hard, most of Rickman’s scenes here carry a strange dichotomy of wickedness and humor. Also, you’ve got to love that cameo at the end.

I suppose a major reason I like Prince of Thieves is its balance. It doesn’t typecast its characters, or at least only minimally. The atrocities of the Muslims during the Crusades are shown during an early scene, but Azeem proves to be likable, loyal, and highly learned compared with the English. Similarly, the Bishop of Hereford is shown to be greedy and treacherous, but faithful Christianity is also extolled, though less strongly. Robin’s initial thanks to God upon returning home is a good example of this; Friar Tuck’s drunkenness, not so much.

Though Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is certainly violent, most acts of carnage are left offscreen or hidden with skillful cuts away from bloody wounds. Language is also minimal, though they threw in a lone F-bomb that surprised me greatly. Despite these elements, the film has able, if occasionally over-the-top acting; a number of good one-liners; gorgeous scenery; and a memorably majestic score by Michael Kamen. (If you’ve ever watched the opener for a Disney DVD, you’ve already heard it.) Also, Bryan Adams’s Oscar-nominated “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” surely deserves a place in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. It’s a perfect romantic wrap-up to a great movie, one of my VC’s favorites.

Best line: (blind Duncan, not having seen Azeem) “Curse those Moors and Saracens. If it wasn’t for their ungodly ways, Master Robin would never have left. What manner of name is Azeem? Scottish, Cornish?”  (Azeem, up close) “Moorish.” (Duncan’s reaction is priceless!)

VC’s Best Line: (Azeem, after foiling an ambush) “No man controls my destiny… especially not one who attacks downwind and stinks of garlic.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 8
Other (violence, languages, etc.): -4
 
TOTAL: 38 out of 60
 

Next: #239 – Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (I’m moving this week so I may be delayed)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

105 Followers and Counting

 

The Girl Who Leapt through Time (2006)

08 Thursday May 2014

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Young Makoto Konno is always behind.
It’s hard to make up all the time she can’t find.
She makes time, however, to play catch each day
With new friend Chiaki and old friend Kosuke.
 
One day in particular seems to run long;
From quizzes to accidents, all just goes wrong.
Then Makoto finds a small nut-shaped doodad,
Which gives a brief vision that scares her a tad.
 
Her journey back home then delivers a thrill
When her bike’s brakes go out riding down a steep hill.
She’s thrown from her bike at the end of the lane,
Right into the path of an oncoming train!
 
She sees the train hit her and hears the bell chime,
Then finds she’s gone backward a minute in time.
Alive but confused, she is told by her aunt
That she can time-leap; Makoto thinks she can’t.
 
Through tentative practice, she picks up the skill
Of leaping to past and to future at will.
She starts by improving that horrible day
And making up time that had once slipped away.
 
Enjoying her power, she doesn’t see straight
That her problems are passed to another schoolmate.
When this poor guy’s had it and finally snaps,
She sees that time travel can damage perhaps.
 
The labyrinth of love is another sore spot,
As Chiaki asks her if she’ll date him or not.
She flees from the question, which never occurs
And causes a rift that she only makes worse.
 
She also tries playing the matchmaker too
For Kosuke and one timid girl, who is new.
Then after she does this, she sees a tattoo
That shows she has one time-leap left on her cue.
 
She wastes it before she sees Kosuke’s mistake
Of taking his girl on her bike that won’t brake.
She sees them rush down that notorious hill
And strike the same rails with the same deadly spill.
 
Then time stops; Chiaki comes forth to impart
He came from the future in search of some art.
He used his last leap to save Kosuke, alone,
But now he must leave since his secret is known.
 
He leaves her, and Makoto weeps for her friend,
Until she takes note of a way she can mend.
The leap that he made canceled out her last one
So she cancels his out to prevent what’s been done.
 
At last, all is right, and there’s no accident,
But Chiaki must leave since his secret is spent.
Though sad, he tells Makoto he’ll wait for her,
And she is content with her waiting future.
___________________
 

I first saw The Girl Who Leapt through Time only last year, but it is apparently a very popular story in Japan, first published in novel form in 1967 and spawning multiple Japanese films since. Both well-received and author-approved, this anime version combines two of my favorite elements: animation and time travel. It isn’t a rip-roaring adventure or a laugh-out-loud comedy but instead a sensitive young adult drama (with some humor thrown in) that has the same kind of quiet tone as another favorite anime of mine, Studio Ghibli’s Whisper of the Heart.

The English dub is better than most anime dubs, as is the quality animation, which is somewhere between the more cartoonish anime and the beautiful artistry of Ghibli. Directed by Mamoru Hosoda, who later directed the previously reviewed Summer Wars, this tale has both charm and some interesting additions to the time travel genre. Regardless of quality, anime most excels at creating striking visuals, and this one is no exception. The scenes of Makoto’s weeping and the shots of characters flying in slow motion in front of a moving train have stuck in my mind long after seeing it.

As is typical of time travel films, you probably shouldn’t think about it too much, since there are a number of unexplained issues. Why did Chiaki laugh at Makoto after hearing her describe finding the time travel device? If he couldn’t return to his time, where did Chiaki have to go after using up his last time leap? In the book, the boy from the future is from the year 2660, so how far in the future did Chiaki come from? It’s from a time obviously after some kind of war and the extinction of baseball, so how can he wait for her or her for him?

It’s true that the logic of the ending falls apart, but it’s touching nonetheless. By the end of the film, with Makoto again playing catch, as she had periodically through the film, I stepped back and said “I liked that movie.” Maybe you will too.

Best line (a constant theme of the film): (Makoto) “Time waits for no one.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 8
Watchability: 7
Other (time travel plot holes): -4
 
TOTAL: 38 out of 60
 

Next: #242 – The Abyss

© 2014 S. G. Liput

100 Followers and Counting!

 

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

05 Monday May 2014

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In 1909, in the bright Christmastime,
A man gives his wife a young pup in her prime.
They christen her Lady, this dog that they’ve gotten,
And pamper and love her and spoil her rotten.
She grows and receives a new collar as well,
Which every dog wants, so she runs off to tell
The terrier Jock and a bloodhound named Trusty,
Whose great sense of smell has become a bit rusty.
 
But Jim Dear and Darling, her folks who adore her,
Soon seem too distracted and start to ignore her.
Old Jock (who’s a Scottish, not Yorkshire or Cairn)
Thinks Darling’s expecting a wee little bairn.
A stray passing mutt called the Tramp overhears
And says things will change, making worse Lady’s fears.
Sure enough, months later, they have a boy,
But Lady protects him and thinks he’s a joy.
 
When Jim Dear and Darling leave home for a while,
Aunt Sarah takes over their quaint domicile.
Her Siamese cats, who are quick to lay claim,
Wreak havoc, and Lady receives all the blame.
When Aunt Sarah muzzles her, Lady escapes
And gets lost in places where she should not traipse.
Tramp comes to her rescue and frees Lady’s snout
And gives her a lovely, romantic night out.
 
The next day, however, while yet homeward bound,
His wild ways get Lady sent to the pound.
She meets the dogs there, whose lives are much colder;
When Lady gets home, she gives Tramp the cold shoulder…
Until a huge rat scurries past in the dark
To the dear baby’s room, causing Lady to bark.
The Tramp swoops right in to destroy the rat first,
But when Aunt Sarah sees him, the maid fears the worst.
 
To the pound with the Tramp, but when they find the rat,
They see he’s a hero who deserves a good pat.
Both Trusty and Jock stop the dog catcher’s cart,
And, though Trusty’s hurt, he does not yet depart.
The next Christmas, Tramp is a part of the home,
And Lady and he have some pups of their own.
_________________
 

Lady and the Tramp is among Disney’s great classics and one of his last impressively animated films (the artistic style seemed to suffer in future endeavors). It’s a classic love story retold countless times, the pampered princess falling for the lovable scoundrel, but it’s not only lovely to look at but also full of endearing characters and memorable moments. I also enjoy how Lady thinks her owners are named Jim Dear and Darling since that’s what they call each other; it has that same naïve misunderstanding as people being called “human beans” in The Borrowers.

Almost any pet owner can commiserate with Jim Dear and Darling in the beginning with Lady as a newborn puppy. Then later on, her banter with Jock and Trusty is downright charming. Yet we also get a glimpse of the darker possibilities of a dog’s life. Tramp has a good, carefree life for the most part, but that scene of adorable despair in the pound is more affecting than most SPCA ads.

We may be cat people, but my VC and I find the Siamese cats’ song positively grating, but Peggy Lee’s “He’s a Tramp” is a highlight of the film (though she sang both songs). And, of course, there is that iconic scene with the spaghetti and meatballs. I had forgotten how good this film was, so, if you haven’t seen this true classic recently, go remind yourself posthaste.

Best line: (Trusty) “Why, everybody knows a dog’s best friend is his human.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
Other (those Siamese cats and the fact that I just like other films more): -5
 
TOTAL: 37 out of 60
 

Next: #245 – X-Men

© 2014 S. G. Liput

97 Followers and Counting

 

Dave (1993)

05 Saturday Apr 2014

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The President is William Mitchell,
Popular but quite the swine.
He lies, philanders, cooks the books,
And looks a lot like Kevin Kline.
 
A busy night requires that he
Get a decent look-a-like
To take his place for just a moment
Just in case danger may strike.
 
The Secret Service finds Dave Kovic,
Who could be Bill Mitchell’s twin.
He does a very worthy job
And likes the role that he is in.
 
But, when Bill Mitchell has a stroke,
Bob Alexander, chief of staff,
Decides to keep Dave on for good
And run the land on his behalf.
 
While Dave agrees to play along,
He knows Bob’s whole plan is shady.
No one notices the difference,
Even Ellen, Bill’s First Lady.
 
The pure Vice President is sent on
Some long African peace tour,
And Bob bribes the few who know
To keep his little plot secure.
 
Although it all goes well at first,
Dave soon wants to help out more.
So he tries to cut the budget,
Something Bob cannot ignore.
 
Because she knows her husband’s crooked,
Ellen knows that something’s wrong.
She catches Dave within the lie, but
Both of them still get along.
 
When Dave decides to take the reins and
Help the country as he should,
He fires Bob and tells the press that
He will try to do more good.
 
But Bob has dirt on Mitchell’s scheming,
And he gives it to the press,
Prompting Dave to go to Congress
And, on live TV, confess.
 
He also offers proof that Bob took
Part in all his past misdeeds,
But suddenly Dave passes out,
And his ingenious plan succeeds.
 
Within an ambulance, they switch out
Dave for Bill, still comatose.
The news reports a much worse stroke,
Which clueless doctors diagnose.
 
With Gary Nance, Vice President, now
Stepping up to chief-of-state,
Dave goes back to his normal life,
But better things may still await.
 
For Ellen’s now in love with David,
Joining him in life mundane,
But Dave still dreams of helping more
And plans to launch his own campaign.
_____________________
 

With a title that gives little hint to its plot, Dave is all about Kevin Kline, who plays both President Bill Mitchell and Dave Kovic. Kline is the magic charm that makes the whole film work, portraying both a jerk and a lovable guy who’s in over his head and barely knows it. His eccentricities, such as the way he embellishes the lines and orders given him (or sometimes doesn’t, to comedic effect) are priceless. Yet, his sympathetic idealism is like something out of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and one can’t help but root for his plans, even if he is lying to the whole country throughout the film (due to Bob Alexander, played by the icy Frank Langella).

While his beneficent proposals are pretty unrealistic (putting every single person to work is not really in the government’s power; see the New Deal), it’s nice to see a film point out the flaws in the system in a fairly nonpartisan way. Comments about the unwieldiness of the budget, the unnecessary programs that gobble up millions, and the selfishness of many politicians make Dave a film to be taken seriously, and many cameos by actual congressmen, senators, and news reporters give it a sense of realism.

Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Mitchell, Ving Rhames as Secret Service man Duane, Charles Grodin as Dave’s accountant friend (having played one in Midnight Run, Grodin must like playing accountants) and Ben Kingsley as Vice President Nance round out the well-cast roles, and I must say that Kline and Weaver have some winning chemistry. (As a side note, when Dave operates two giant robotic arms, I couldn’t help but think that it’s too bad Sigourney Weaver didn’t get ahold of those and fight a giant alien.) As a comedy, the film is amusing throughout but doesn’t have any standout hilarious scene, like other Ivan Reitman films (Ghostbusters, Stripes). Dave nonetheless is an entertaining Prince-and-the-Pauper look at a fictional Washington conspiracy that thankfully hasn’t really happened. I think.

Best line: (Duane, as Dave and he part ways) “I would have taken a bullet for you.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A (except for one scene with the two Kevin Klines)
Originality: 6
Watchability: 8
Other (language): -3
 
TOTAL: 33 out of 60
 

Next: #275 – The Emperor’s New Groove

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

“Crocodile” Dundee (1986)

26 Wednesday Mar 2014

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The newspaper writer Sue Charlton flies
To try an Australian report on for size:
The tale of a man who had finished a croc
After losing his leg, so that he didn’t walk
But crawled on for miles, at last reaching aid
Before going back to the bush, unafraid.
 
She finds, in a rough Outback hole-in-the-wall,
The great Mick Dundee, who is still standing tall.
Sue’s meeting this bloke makes her more undeterred
In wanting to see where this story occurred.
Alone in the Outback, Sue watches Dundee,
Admiring his wilderness powers with glee.
 
However, when Sue tries to show that she’s tough,
A croc proves that pride and resolve aren’t enough.
Though Mick’s jaunty lack of opinions may chafe,
Sue loves that this man always makes her feel safe.
At last, Sue’s return she can no more defer,
So she offers that Mick come to New York with her.
 
The Big Apple’s disregard stands in contrast
To Mick’s friendly manner, indifferent to caste.
Sue’s rich fiancé condescends to the Aussie,
Who hits him, as well as an angry pimp’s posse.
Once Dundee’s endeared himself ‘most everywhere,
Sue gets a proposal, which brings Mick despair.
 
He plans to leave town to traverse the U.S.
And leaves for the subway, to flee his distress.
When Sue finds him gone, she runs to proclaim
She really loves Mick, not her snooty old flame.
When they can’t reach each other in such a packed place,
Mick walks on the crowd into Sue’s warm embrace.
______________________
 

“Crocodile” Dundee is one of those 1980s films that created an iconic role that came to define the actor that filled it. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Terminator, Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, and Paul Hogan most definitely is Mick Dundee. I bet that this film, more than any other, has shaped Americans’ views about Australia and the Outback, and Hogan himself wanted to make the film to give Australia an original folk hero of sorts, almost like Davy Crockett or Paul Bunyan.

The film has a loose plot and casual pacing to mirror Dundee’s laid-back way of life. Unlike the two lesser sequels, there is no villain per se, considering Sue’s fiancé and the vengeful pimp are only in a few scenes. The growing romance between Dundee and Sue is the main driving force of the movie, and their admission of love is the only real climax. The majority of the film is dedicated to funny character moments, first showing Dundee in his element in the wild and then revealing his naiveté about the big bad city. Despite all the drugs, prostitutes, and hostility he encounters in New York, he remains chivalrous, capable, and completely likable, and those he comes in contact with cannot help but be fond of him. Hogan’s unrestrained likability is what made “Crocodile” Dundee the huge success it was and the best role of Hogan’s career.

There is, of course, some profanity and even a surprising F-bomb, along with a few crudities, but the film remains a classic of the ‘80s and a lighthearted comedy that almost everyone should enjoy.

Best line: (Dundee, intimidating a punk and his tiny dagger) “That’s not a knife. THAT’S a knife.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 7
Watchability: 8
Other (language): -4
 
TOTAL: 32 out of 60
 

Next: #285: Stuart Little 2

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)

12 Wednesday Mar 2014

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A boy named Henry disappears
And learns he travels through the years.
He comes and goes at random times,
Buck naked, prompting several crimes.
But, through his travels here and there,
He meets a lovely girl named Clare.
 
She loves his future self she knew
From many a childhood rendezvous;
In turn, he meets her as a kid.
As romance blooms, he’s glad he did.
His odd condition causes dread,
But love prevails, and soon they’re wed.
 
His sudden exits take their toll,
Although they’re out of his control.
But Henry makes it up to Clare
By making her a millionaire.
The lottery allows the two
To buy a home that Henry knew.
 
When they attempt to have a child,
They lose a few, and both are riled.
The babe time-travels too, it seems,
Too soon, a loss which breaks their dreams.
Thus, Henry tries to save Clare pain
And has a vasectomy, but in vain.
 
His wife won’t take kids off the shelf
And so conceives with his past self.
This time, Clare gladly bears a daughter,
Alba, who’s just like her father.
Though all seems well, there looms the thought
That one day Henry will be shot.
 
They saw his future self once, hurt,
A fact he knows he can’t avert.
He treasures every moment till
Clare’s dad hunts deer and shoots to kill.
His wife and daughter know he’s near;
His past self lives and might appear.
_____________________
 

The Time Traveler’s Wife is honestly a very weird romance, but it also is one of the most bittersweet movies I’ve ever seen. Many elements are downright strange in an oddly clever way, such as Clare getting pregnant by Henry’s past self or marrying his future self, but other scenes had me and my VC on the verge of tears. The scene where Henry meets his dead mother on the train is particularly a tearjerker, but that shot toward the end of his handprint fading on the window touches me deeply as well. The continuous shot of the couple’s five years with Alba is also a nice artistic flourish.

According to my VC, Eric Bana is certifiably “cute” as Henry DeTamble and much more faithful and likable than in his earlier role as Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl. Rachel McAdams is equally attractive, and the two make a great pair. (McAdams was also in the recent About Time, playing a time traveler’s wife, so she must enjoy such roles.)

Most of the undesirable elements are in the first half hour, mainly the profanity and Henry’s unfortunate need to steal clothes after every time jump. Even if these thefts are justifiable, the mere concept of a protagonist stealing clothes is problematic; I didn’t like it in Man of Steel, and I don’t like it here. Not to mention, he and Clare sadly fall into bed right after meeting; it would have been better if they had at least gotten to know each other more. (I know Clare knew Henry, but he didn’t know her at all.) Despite these grievances, The Time Traveler’s Wife is quite a unique love story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Best line: (Henry’s past self) “Where’s Henry?”
(Clare) “Uh, I left him sleeping. I needed some time away from him.”
(past Henry) “How’s that working out for you?”

 

Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 7
Watchability: 5
Other (language and aforementioned elements): -8
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Next: #298: I Am Legend/World War Z

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

A Walk to Remember (2002)

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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When Landon Carter and his friends
Decide to pull a high school trick
Upon a fellow kid, it ends
With that lad hurt, but in one piece.
Then all the cool kids run off quick,
But Landon’s captured by police.
 
He’s sentenced to do work at school
And tutors kids each Saturday,
He acts as if he’s way too cool
To deal with penance for his crime.
He also helps the school’s spring play,
But treats it as a waste of time.
 
A girl named Jamie in his class
Does all these things as well, for fun!
A preacher’s kid and lovely lass,
She’s kind and quiet, pure as snow.
Her ways are mocked by everyone
That Landon Carter cares to know.
 
But when his “friends” can’t help him much,
He begs her help to learn his lines.
She offers Christian aid and such,
But is disheartened by the fact
That, out in public, he declines.
Around his friends, he’s just an act.
 
The two of them still play the leads,
Who fall in love within the play,
And Jamie’s character succeeds
In winning over Landon Carter.
Her voice blows everyone away,
And, after that, the lad is smarter.
 
But Landon’s friends do something cruel,
To shame poor Jamie just for sport,
But he stands up for her at school,
Which brings them close but galls his friends.
He asks her dad if they can court,
And, though he’s skeptical, he bends.
 
But Jamie soon admits she’s sick,
Leukemia will claim her life.
But Landon has the nerve to stick
And woos her every chance he gets
Till Jamie says she’ll be his wife.
He loves her till her bright star sets.
 
His time with Jamie made him better;
It gave him dreams and lifelong goals.
He’s never sorry that he met her,
Although she vanished like a wraith.
Their love fulfilled their youthful souls
And helped him understand her faith.
______________________
 

A Walk to Remember is a high school love story that, on the surface, may seem formulaic and weepy, but, upon a closer look, becomes a beautiful romance and tale of transformation that is more touching than most. I particularly like this Nicholas Sparks adaptation over his other more well-known one The Notebook because of the morality central to the story. Unlike the out-of-control preacher’s kids in movies such as Footloose, Jamie Sullivan exemplifies so many virtues that anyone who values faithfulness and authenticity should find her attractive, beyond Mandy Moore’s physical beauty.

Landon’s redemption and love for her are also made more genuine by the fact that he shows his love. In contrast to love-at-first-sight stories like The Notebook, he brushes her off at first, but, by the end, his growth as a person is evident. He piles flowers on her porch, respectfully asks her stern father for permission to date, builds her a new telescope, tries to grant her list of wishes, and spends every moment proving his undying affection for her. Even after she’s gone, he remains an upstanding citizen, holding her memory as his inspiration in life. (Compare this with the way Ryan Gosling’s character went sharply downhill without the love of his life in The Notebook.)

The acting is shaky at first, but everyone grows into their characters nicely, and Shane West and Mandy Moore have undeniable chemistry by the end. Plus, it was nice to see Darryl Hannah and Peter Coyote in a different kind of role for them. Nicholas Sparks’s ability as a writer shines with the quirks he builds into the characters, such as Jamie’s list of things to do before she dies, an event that comes too soon. The end is bittersweet but much more uplifting than other films with similar outcomes, such as 1998’s City of Angels.

While the filmmakers had to add in some obscenities in order to make it more than a Hallmark movie or a low-budget Christian film, Jamie’s laudable faith and Landon’s satisfying turn-around make it a movie that’s a tad corny but well worth seeing. Plus, though I don’t care for Landon’s preferred music at the beginning, the film has a pretty good soundtrack, highlighted by Mandy Moore’s performance of Switchfoot’s “Only Hope.” Also, according to Wikipedia, most critics panned the film, but it is the 28th most liked film on Facebook, with good reason.

Best line: (Landon, reading a quote to Jamie from her book) “‘What is a friend? It’s a single soul dwelling in two bodies.’ -Aristotle.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
Other (moral value): +6
Other (language): -2
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #301: Independence Day

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

King Kong (2005)

05 Wednesday Mar 2014

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Depression-era New York City – that is where our story starts
With lovely actress Miss Ann Darrow having trouble finding parts.
Both work and food are scarce to find, though some demeaning jobs still pay,
But Miss Ann Darrow will not stoop (except to steal some fruit one day).
 
Then Carl Denham joins the scene and offers Ann the perfect role,
The female lead in his next film, the tools of which (turns out) he stole.
The film’s producers doubt his skill, and so, before they shut him down,
He leaves with Ann and his film crew aboard a freighter out of town.
 
He also tricks his “pal” Jack Driscoll, who’s a writer Ann admires,
Into staying on the ship to write the script that Carl requires.
The ship sails on to who-knows-where, according to a cryptic map
That Carl has, which leads to fortune or perhaps into a trap.
 
While Ann and Jack grow close on ship, the crew exhibits trepidation,
Particularly when they learn “Skull Island” is their destination.
Soon they run into some rocks and narrowly avoid a wreck.
When Carl’s crew then go ashore, the captain lets him risk his neck.
 
They meet some dark malicious natives, and they pay a bloody price,
But Englehorn, the captain, comes and stops the hostiles’ sacrifice.
They try to leave, but several natives come aboard and kidnap Ann.
She’s taken to a giant wall and lowered by the wicked clan.
 
A giant ape appears and takes her, just before her friends arrive,
So Englehorn sends out a group to quickly bring her back alive.
With Carl’s movie crew along to film what marvels may await,
The rescue team soon realizes this land holds creatures out-of-date.
 
The great gorilla shakes poor Ann and takes her to his cliffside haunt.
To keep him calm, the girl performs her vaudeville acts she hopes he’ll want.
He likes his toy but plays too rough, which prompts a firm, emphatic “No.”
He yells a bit but then departs, and Ann is unsure where to go.
 
Meanwhile, Jack and all the rest are facing jeopardy as well.
When Carl films some dinosaurs, a stampede shrinks their personnel.
A swampy cruise turns deadly too, and, once they’ve left the lethal bog,
They meet the dreaded ape himself, who shakes the humans off a log.
 
The island’s king then seeks his toy and finds Ann threatened by a rival.
He fights a V. Rex trio for her, and she joins him for survival.
A giant insect pit of death comes close to claiming Carl and Jack,
But Englehorn saves them again, though Carl’s film he can’t get back.
 
When Jack goes on to rescue Ann, he finds her with the mammoth brute,
And, with the help of giant bats, they flee, the ape in hot pursuit.
To make the journey all worthwhile, Englehorn and Carl try
To catch the beast; it’s dangerous, but, in the end, they get their guy.
 
Though Ann is sickened by it, Carl puts the giant on display
And turns “King Kong” into the biggest hit, a sellout on Broadway.
Ann’s stand-in and the camera lights turn out to be too much for Kong;
He breaks his chains and finds a world in which the beast does not belong.
 
His rampage trashes New York’s streets, as Kong goes searching for dear Ann.
She comes to him, and their odd friendship gets as touching as it can.
But then the army trucks arrive, and Kong takes Ann to lofty heights
And scales the tall Empire State Building so that they can see the sights.
 
The airplanes come and shoot at Kong, who’s not as mighty as he’s been.
He saves Miss Darrow from a fall, but, in the end, the airplanes win.
His body plummets to the ground, and people gather where he’s sprawled,
But Ann, who still has Jack, will miss the beast her beauty so enthralled.
___________________________
 

Some films are so classic that the mere thought of a remake is sacrilegious simply because there is no way for them to possibly be done better; such is the case for Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, or It’s a Wonderful Life. But if any old movie deserved, in fact demanded, a blockbuster makeover, it was 1933’s King Kong. The special effects in the original are certainly amazing and even manage to impress by today’s standards, but a modern version was certainly understandable, considering the mixed reviews garnered by Dino De Laurentiis’s 1976 remake. And who better but Peter Jackson to bring Kong to life and turn this 72-year-old story into an epic?

The whole film is a special effects extravaganza and is perhaps too much. The 1930s opening recreates that time very well, but it has a distinctly modern feel too; it looks like a modern reproduction of Depression-era New York rather than the actual thing. The acting is all right with the main standout being Naomi Watts, who manages to scream as effectively as and much less frequently than the original’s Fay Wray. Jack Black plays a good con artist in Carl Denham but seems out of place in the epic way Jackson presents the story (his final famous line falls FLAT as can be), and most of the other actors are just there basically to meet their uniquely grisly deaths on Skull Island. The biggest improvement over the original, besides the digital effects, is the relationship between Ann Darrow and Kong. It’s much less one-sided here than in the 1933 version, with Ann clearly caring for the ape almost as much as he cares for her, but in a more protector/damsel way rather than in a strange sexual way. Thus, it is more of a beauty-and-the-beast friendship than a romance.

The special effects are certainly the film’s biggest draw, with the sauropod stampede and the Kong vs. V. Rex fight being the jaw-dropping marvels of the film. The latter is one of the most exciting scenes in recent years for sure.

Despite all these pluses, the film drags on way too long. Considering what Jackson has done with The Hobbit of late, he maybe could have broken this film into three parts too. Nearly every scene, especially some unnecessary slow-motion ones, could have been trimmed in some way, shortening the film as a whole. Plus, the savage natives’ attack and the insect pit scene indulge too much in Jackson’s proven love of horror and are honestly hard to watch. Plus, there’s plenty of language, and the end is just sad, without any real moral aside from the fact they should have left Kong on the island. Still, for sheer spectacle, King Kong is a wonder to behold. Jackson made The Lord of the Rings so he could fund this film; it probably should have been the other way around.

Best line: (Carl) “Ann, I’m not that kind of person.”  (Ann) “Oh really, then what kind of person are you, Mr. Denham?”  (Carl) “I’m someone you can trust; I’m a movie producer.”

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

Next: #305: The Greatest Game Ever Played

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

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