Tag Archives: Sci-fi

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

04 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by in Movies, NaPoWriMo, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

,

 
They came from the stars with one mission in mind,
To slowly invade us and conquer mankind!
When Doctor Bennell and his lovely old flame
Became more aware of the creatures to blame
For copies of loved ones devoid of emotion,
They tried to resist the invasion in motion.
But who can escape these pod people when vexed?
You dare not nod off or else you may be next!
_______________
 

Though I missed the first three days of April, this is my first official post for National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), for which I will attempt to write a post a day, sort of like the majority of last year. While I probably won’t always follow the official website’s idea prompt, I’ll try when I can, based on whatever movie I review.

Following up a little late on a prompt about stars, today I chose an science fiction classic, which for some reason I’ve never seen. The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers has the title of a laughable B-movie, but it actually takes itself seriously and manages to be unusually gripping for a black-and-white thriller from the 1950s. While it feels more or less like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone, it’s an exceptionally good one, even if its villains are essentially plants.

Before the science fiction takes hold, the relationship between Doctor Miles Bennell (Kevin McCarthy) and Becky Driscoll (Dana Wynter) feels right at home in a romance film, with witty repartee and a likely second chance at love. Soon, though, paranoia sets in as various townspeople fear their family members have subtly changed for the worse, and enigmatic duplicates begin appearing and disappearing. By the time the main two realize what’s happening, mere escape may be impossible, let alone stopping the invaders.

While some involved with the film’s production have stated that there was no political message in mind, many reviewers since have latched onto perceived Cold War themes, such as the secretive invasion of America, defiance against involuntary conformity, and the “turning” of friends into foes. Whether viewers study such topics or just enjoy the film’s building tension, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is intelligent viewing and one of the better entries in the alien invasion genre, taking a less destructive but perhaps more pernicious path compared with War of the Worlds. Even if the final depiction of a character’s “replacement” goes against previously established revelations, it’s still chilling, and Kevin McCarthy’s warnings of “You’re next!” are no less unsettling than they were sixty years ago.

Best line: (Dr. Bennell) “In my practice, I’ve seen how people have allowed their humanity to drain away. Only it happened slowly instead of all at once. They didn’t seem to mind. All of us, a little bit, we harden our hearts, grow callous. Only when we have to fight to stay human do we realize how precious it is to us, how dear.”

 
Rank: List Runner-Up
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

290 Followers and Counting

The Maze Runner (2014)

22 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

, , ,

 
 
Within a Glade within a Maze are boys without their memories,
Trying to survive and build the best of boy communities.
Outside the Glade, within the Maze are Grievers no one’s lived to see,
And the walls protect as well as hold them in captivity.
 
A final boy is planted here and wonders at the mysteries;
Thomas breaks the rules, impressing some but making enemies.
In search of freedom and some answers, gutsy curiosity
Opens doors as it explores and hopes to set the captives free.
_________________
 

Despite the glut of young adult films based on young adult book series starring young adults, The Maze Runner was one of the few films last year that I actually wanted to see in the theater based on the trailer alone. While I didn’t get to view it until just recently, I found it to be just what I was hoping for, a better-than-average YA thriller that rises above its brethren due to sheer intensity.

Like The Hunger Games, it’s a story built around one central but entertainingly provocative concept: a collection of amnesiac boys trapped in an enigmatic maze. Honestly, I’m surprised this idea was adapted into a book and film before it became a video game, what with its survivalist circumstances, plot-specific terminology (Grievers, the Changing, etc.), and lack of in-depth characters. (I can easily envision “Mini-Games with Minho” as players map and memorize the Maze. It makes me wonder what Halo or Portal would have been like had the game not come first.) Though none of the characters have an explained backstory as yet, they all become more real and likable over time. As second-in-command Newt says, it doesn’t matter who they were but who they are now, and almost all of them are sympathetic and supportive of each other as they band together to face the unknown with surprising maturity. My VC pointed out that the script could have been full of wit or clever dialogue, but instead the character’s lines are very much what real people might say, adding to the realism of the performances.

These YA series seem to act like this generation’s Red Dawn or The Breakfast Club, introducing many fresh faces sure to have promising careers ahead of them. Dylan O’Brian and Kaya Scodelario portray the game-changers Thomas and Teresa, alongside Aml Ameen as leader Alby and Ki Hong Lee as runner Minho. I was excited to see Will Poulter as Gally, a very different role from that of weaselly cousin Eustace Scrubb in the Narnia film The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and my favorite of the boys would have to be Newt, played by baby-faced Thomas Brodie-Sangster, known to me as the voice of Ferb on Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb.

While there’s no Lost alert for any of the actors, several similarities to that great show occurred to me afterward. Think about it: there is a group of people banding together in isolation, hoping to escape, while receiving supplies from a mysterious acronymed organization obsessed with experiments (DHARMA=WCKD) who leave cryptic video messages, all while being terrorized by an unseen creature which emits roars and mechanical clicking noises. On top of that, there are lies built upon lies and mysteries upon mysteries, which foster Lost-style speculation about what it all means (at least for those of us who haven’t read James Dashner’s books). According to IMDb, even director Wes Ball originally called the film “Lord of the Flies meets Lost.”

While the social commentary is not as pronounced as in The Hunger Games series, The Maze Runner surprisingly prompted far more discussion between my VC and me. We mainly debated the morality of Thomas’s search for the truth, which led to many casualties and didn’t better their situation (at least in this installment). On the one hand, she sympathized with Gally, who didn’t want to upset the status quo, a hard-fought peace that had made the Glade more or less an idyllic community. While Thomas wanted to find the truth, he did spoil that peace with his revolutionary curiosity, which ended up costing many lives. On the other hand, I countered that, as Thomas states, the situation in the Glade could not last forever, and his actions may have actually saved more lives (my reasoning behind that would be too spoiler-prone). In addition, the tantalizing idea of freedom and the desire to not be controlled or contained were understandable driving forces for his dissenting inquisitiveness.

The Maze Runner may draw a little from Aliens and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, mainly with respect to the frightening Grievers, but it’s an intense and intriguing first installment for a series in which I’m now thoroughly invested, full of tense moments and glowing Broadway musical reviews (after all, “Wicked is good,” right?). That being said, don’t expect a lot of answers to your questions. The ending explains a couple issues but raises even more, and since my VC was not expecting this to be a trilogy, she was unsatisfied by the conclusion. If you enjoy sci-fi thrillers and don’t mind cliffhangers, this film is a must, but if that’s not the case, you might wait to watch after all the films have been released, like I did after Lost’s final season. Guilty as charged. 🙂

Best line: (Newt, to Thomas) “He’s right. It doesn’t matter, any of it. Because the people we were before the Maze, they don’t even exist anymore. These Creators took care of that. What does matter is who we are now and what we do right now.”

 
Rank: List-Worthy
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

286 Followers and Counting

#6: Star Wars Trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983)

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, ,

(Well-known spoilers ahead)
 
In a galaxy far, far away,
The evil Empire holds sway.
As Darth Vader attacks,
Two robots make tracks
With plans, while the princess falls prey.
 
The humorous droids land unseen
On the desert world of Tatooine,
Where they are sold soon
To a boy of this dune,
Luke Skywalker, only nineteen.
 
A message on R2-D2
Sends Luke on a quick rendezvous.
Ben Kenobi tells him
Of his father’s fate grim,
Of the Jedi and lightsabers too.
 
When the Empire’s search has begun,
He and Ben and the droids have to run.
They arrange for a flight
With Han Solo, who might
Owe a crime lord a difficult sum.
 
The Millennium Falcon evades
The Empire’s fighter blockades
And heads for a sphere
That is no longer here;
The Death Star destroyed it in spades.
 
The Empire’s weapon surprises
The Falcon, which misjudges sizes.
From out of this mess,
They all save the princess,
Who helps as the group improvises.
 
Though Vader fells Ben with one blow,
The others escape even so.
The rebels afar
Plan to kill the Death Star
With a weakness, of which they now know.
 
Luke joins all the fighters’ attack
And shakes off the villain in black.
With a shot to the core,
The Death Star is no more,
And all rebels welcome them back.
_________________
 
On Hoth, Luke is met by a vision
Of Ben and is faced with decision.
On this planet of ice,
Rebels pay a dear price
As troopers attack with precision.
 
While most flee with Leia and Han,
Luke heads for where few men have gone;
A bog planet hides
Where old Yoda resides,
A great Jedi Master withdrawn.
 
As Yoda and Skywalker train,
The Falcon is running in vain.
At last, Han seeks out
An old friend with some clout;
This Lando seems suave and urbane.
 
When Vader appears to reveal
That he and Lando had a deal,
Luke’s friends are now bait,
And refusing to wait,
Luke disregards Yoda’s appeal.
 
In Cloud City, Solo is set
In carbonite for Boba Fett,
Who heads for the Hutt
To acquire his cut,
While Luke by Darth Vader is met.
 
Their duel ends when Vader unveils
That Luke is his son and prevails.
Confused in disgrace,
With a hand to replace,
Luke flees with his friends from his fails.
_______________
 
On Tatooine, Luke plans to save
Solo from a carbonite grave,
But Jabba intends
To watch both of their ends
And make Princess Leia his slave.
 
With Lando and Chewie’s assistance,
Our heroes escape and make distance.
Ere Yoda’s demise,
Luke then learns as he dies
Of another Skywalker’s existence.
 
His sister is Leia, he knows,
Who’s back with the Empire’s foes.
They learn a Death Star,
Though not finished so far,
Will soon be too great to oppose.
 
With Luke, they all land on Endor
To nix the shield, but not before
They’re caught unawares
By some wild teddy bears,
Ewoks, who help them with the war.
 
Luke faces his father, as well
As the Emperor, keen to compel
The boy to collide
With the Force’s Dark Side
And to watch them all die who rebel.
 
The battle below on the moon
Goes well for the rebels, who soon
Disable the shield
Ere their doom has been sealed
And find the moment opportune.
 
Both father and son fight once more,
But Luke has improved since before.
The Emperor pays
When his servant betrays,
And Vader’s no threat anymore.
 
The Death Star’s destroyed not too late,
And rebels at last celebrate.
Jedi will increase,
And, his father at peace,
Luke now has fulfilled his own fate.
__________________
 

In reviewing the original Star Wars trilogy, one of the most popular franchises of all time, I will do my best to avoid overusage of the words “iconic” and “classic,” even though nearly everything in these films fits those descriptions. Few movies have such a perfect blend of comedy, action, romance, and imagination, which have yielded such a widespread and devoted following and a universal appeal.

The first film was a bolt from the blue in 1977. My mom remembers seeing it on a recommendation, being surprised at a jam-packed theater, and being so captivated by this new level of cool that she returned to watch it 7½ more times (yes, she once paid to see only half of it; that’s all she had time for one afternoon, and that was better than not seeing it at all). Every aspect of George Lucas’s brainchild exemplifies those two words I mentioned earlier: the commanding presence and deep voice of Darth Vader (surprisingly, James Earl Jones was not credited on the first two films’ initial release), the endearing companionship of R2-D2 and C-3PO, Kenobi’s wise introduction of various mythic elements like the Force and lightsabers, the astounding size and power of the Death Star, the roguish appeal of Han Solo (the role that made Harrison Ford a true movie star), the danger and humor of their rescue of Leia, the trigger-happy escape that makes one wish for an arcade, and the explosive finale. Plot points and individual scenes have become so ingrained in popular culture that their parodies and homages are more ubiquitous than even those of The Wizard of Oz and other films that have been around much longer. Among the film’s most arresting aspects was John Williams’s music, the greatest movie score of all time. Without it (as well as the groundbreaking visual effects and Ben Burtt’s ingenious sound effects), Star Wars might have been simply a cute little sci-fi film, but the bombastic score is what truly earns it the title of space opera. By today’s standards, the characters and their interactions might be considered a tad cheesy, but like Indiana Jones, they tap into their creator’s love of pulpy adventures and are so much fun that viewers today merely enjoy the ride and quote the film verbatim. It made household names of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, and in my opinion, the original remains the best film in the entire saga.

Rarely are middle films the most popular, but The Empire Strikes Back has grown over the years to be the most esteemed of all the Star Wars films. It featured the memorable battle on Hoth, the introduction of wise outcast Yoda and dashing Lando Calrissian, the deepening of Han and Leia’s romance, and that classic shocker involving Luke’s parentage, a revelation so iconic that children today will be lucky if they can see the original surprise before some all-too-common spoof (there, I used them just once). As lauded as Empire Strikes Back is, I hold an unpopular opinion: it’s my least favorite of the original trilogy. Perhaps it is carryover from my mom recounting how she was disappointed when she first saw it, with the cliffhanger ending followed by three years of waiting, but I prefer the first and third films. Its darker tone doesn’t carry quite as much humor as its predecessor, and Luke’s training with Yoda slows everything down, even if it’s a necessary step in his progress as a Jedi. Plus, not once, not twice, but three times does the hyperdrive fail to work, a fact that allows for a great climax but a less-than-pleasing middle. I know practically everyone else disagrees, but that’s my opinion. It’s still a fantastic film that thickens the epic plot and relationships to unparalleled new levels; I just like Episodes IV and VI a bit better.

Why is Return of the Jedi just a little better? It’s not simply because of the presence of the satisfying conclusion, but the absence of any inner dislike on my part. Just as I didn’t mind Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace, I don’t mind the Ewoks of Endor, who, compared with Binks, actually serve a purpose and manage to be more than just cutesy sidekicks. With all the weird and quirky aliens seen in Mos Eisley and Jabba’s palace (some of which are admittedly silly), I don’t understand why the Ewoks supposedly detract from the picture. Their primitive warfare with the Empire’s walkers creates some cheer-worthy victories; so what if they’re cute too? The slowness on Dagobah is kept to a minimum, and the film as a whole seems much more exciting than Empire. The battle on Jabba’s sail barge is one of the best, while the speeder chase through the forest is the most thrilling sequence of the whole film. (That chase also features an old-fashioned film technique at its best; the high-speed race through the trees was filmed by a camera just slowly advancing through the woods, which was then sped up for the finished product.) In the end, what this film and basically the whole saga is about is the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker, and, even though he had been solely villainous before Episode VI, even disregarding his depicted fall in the prequels, I actually felt sorry for Darth Vader. That’s one aspect that George Lucas definitely succeeded in; Luke’s confrontation with the Emperor and Vader’s subsequent salvation are what all the other films prepare and anticipate, a sad yet satisfying climax for one of the best trilogies of all time.

Who would have guessed that a cool idea in the mind of a young filmmaker would blossom into such a monumental success of a franchise? It’s not yet over too; by the end of this year, we’ll have the beginning of the next chapter in the Star Wars cinematic universe, courtesy of J. J. Abrams. Based on his work with Lost and Star Trek, I have high hopes for The Force Awakens this December. There’s nothing quite like the original films, though, with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Darth Vader, characters as endlessly watchable as they are iconic (I couldn’t help myself).

Best line from Star Wars (could have been the whole script): (Han Solo and a general) “May the Force be with you.”
 
Best line from The Empire Strikes Back (could have been most of the script): (Darth Vader) “If you only knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.”   (Luke) “He told me enough! He told me you killed him!”   (Vader) “No. I am your father.”
 
Best line from Return of the Jedi: (Han Solo, captured by Jabba) “How we doin’?”   (Luke) “Same as always.”   (Han) “That bad, huh?”
 
 
Rank: 60 out of 60
 

© 2015 S. G. Liput

284 Followers and Counting

#26: The Avengers (2012)

08 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

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

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

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

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

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

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

© 2015 S. G. Liput

278 Followers and Counting

#28: Star Trek (2009)

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, ,

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

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

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

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

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

© 2015 S. G. Liput

277 Followers and Counting

#35: Spider-Man Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007)

22 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,

(Spoilers ahead)
 
Poor Peter Parker, a nerdy outsider,
Is bitten by one super-modified spider,
Which grants him the power of webbing defense,
As well as a precognitive “spider sense.”
His crush Mary Jane Watson lives just next door,
And yet he has not tried to make friendship more.
 
Although Peter’s uncle attempts to explain,
His nephew tries using his powers for gain.
His bitterness costs him his dear Uncle Ben,
So Peter does hero work time and again.
Meanwhile, his friend Harry Osborn’s own dad
Attempts an experiment, which then goes bad.
 
As Peter fights criminal thugs and prevails,
The newspaper calls him a menace for sales,
But when the Green Goblin arrives on his glider,
He proves a formidable foe for the spider.
It’s Norman Osborn, with whom Pete has connections
And who likes to argue with his own reflections.
 
When Osborn learns Spider-Man’s identity,
He goes for the heart with his villainous glee.
Brave Peter saves MJ and others in danger
And learns that the Green Goblin isn’t a stranger.
When Osborn is killed, Spider-Man gets the blame,
And Harry wants vengeance on Spider-Man’s name.
________________
 
Although New York’s safe under Spider-Man’s guard,
Pete’s personal life is continually hard.
His best friend still wishes his hero self dead,
And Mary Jane soon has a spaceman to wed.
Although money’s tight, Peter’s thrilled he can meet
Doc Otto Octavius, a genius to Pete.
 
Another experiment Oscorp is backing
Goes horribly wrong when stability’s lacking,
And Otto is fused with mechanical arms,
Which turn him to crime and don’t care whom he harms.
He plans to remake the experiment new,
Bigger and better, more dangerous too.
 
Meanwhile, ol’ Peter, affected by stress,
Is losing his powers, though not from bad press.
Deciding that all of his cares can be solved,
He lives as a man, with no spider involved.
His job and his schoolwork improve every day,
But he doubles back when Doc Ock takes MJ.
 
He fights his old mentor on tower and train
And ends up abducted with no Mary Jane.
Pete’s taken to Harry, who made Doc a deal
And is taken aback by the shocking reveal.
Pete learns from his friend of the doctor’s new crime
And swings to the harbor to stop him in time.
 
Octavius puts up a fight once again,
But Peter convinces him, like Uncle Ben,
To give up his dreams and to stop all the strife,
And Doctor Octavius pays with his life.
His secret revealed to both MJ and Harry,
Pete now has his love and a new villain scary.
_________________
 
All seems to be going well for Peter Parker,
But now his persona’s about to get darker.
He has Mary Jane and romantic contentment,
But Harry attacks him in growing resentment.
The newest Green Goblin, he battles his friend
But suffers amnesia they did not intend.
 
Meanwhile, Flint Marko, a crook close at hand,
Falls into a hole and is turned into sand.
Meanwhile again, Peter’s peer Eddie Brock
Upstages him till he is shown as a crock.
Meanwhile once more, a black symbiote slime
Attaches to Spider-Man’s suit in no time.
 
The black stuff from space changes him for the worst;
Since Flint killed his uncle, he bears a blood thirst.
His attitude’s changed, Mary Jane notices,
And Peter despises what everyone says.
When Harry remembers, Pete causes more pain
And even is jerkish to poor Mary Jane.
 
At last, he decides that enough is enough
And goes to a church to peel off the black stuff.
Once Venom’s created when Eddie’s infected,
He teams up with Flint that revenge be perfected.
They take Mary Jane (she is captured a lot)
And call Spider-Man that their fight may be fought.
 
Appealing to Harry to help him save her,
Pete gains back his friend and a super partner.
The battle is rough, full of Venom and sand,
But Peter and Harry prevail and withstand.
It comes at a price, but once evil’s subdued,
Pete’s reconciled romance is slowly renewed.
________________
 

Before Iron Man and Captain America began setting box-office records, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films set new highs for the superhero genre. Typically, the first two are lauded and the third decried, but I find all three enormously entertaining and pitch-perfect in spirit and tone for their source material.

The first Spider-Man is among the best and most faithful comic book adaptations around, nailing who Peter Parker is and how he becomes everyone’s favorite webslinger. The casting is exceptional; while not everyone’s a Toby Maguire fan, he captures Peter’s innate lovable geekiness to a tee and effortlessly shows a much wider range of emotion than Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man reboot. While the first movie skips Gwen Stacy in favor of Pete’s inevitable love Mary Jane Watson, Kirsten Dunst is a beautiful girl-next-door love interest who shares that iconic upside-down kiss with Spidey. Their romance is sweet and heart-felt, pure and innocent, though not immune to the typical bumps along the road of love. On top of them, there’s Cliff Robertson as wise Uncle Ben, Rosemary Harris as equally wise Aunt May, and J. K. Simmons as antagonistic J. Jonah Jameson, all superbly owning their roles, especially Simmons who couldn’t be replaced for the reboot. While the Green Goblin’s mask is rather hokey, Willem Dafoe is an effectively creepy villain with his intentionally devilish voice. So many scenes are simply untouchable that the reboot was forced to avoid some of the best and most essential aspects of the story, such as the whole “With great power…” conversation, and changed much of what it could for the worse. Not to say The Amazing Spider-Man is a bad film, but it simply cannot compare with the original, particularly Toby Maguire as my ideal Peter Parker.

As good as the first is, though, the second surpassed it to become one of the best superhero films ever. With all returning actors, including James Franco as Harry Osborn, the relationships are deepened, secrets revealed, and cliffhangers formed; in short, it does everything a successful sequel ought to do. It also introduced Alfred Molina as another favorite villain Doctor Octopus, turning the consistently villainous comic book character into a tragic role both dangerous and sympathetic. The train battle is one of the most exciting and awesome superhero fights I’ve seen, and Peter’s temporary departure from being Spider-Man further develops his struggle with his hero identity. One thing I’ve noticed about these films is that there are different perspectives from the people he defends. Superman is universally lauded by everyone, while the X-Men are mostly feared and hated for their mutations. Even with the Avengers, most opinions are debated among high-profile leaders, except for a few brief scenes. Spider-Man is applauded by most of the everyday New Yorkers, but certain non-fans (police and mainly Jameson) inexplicably see him as a menace and have the power to sway others’ views against him. It’s a balanced approach that makes hero work into a tricky public image nightmare, though even Jameson misses Spidey when he disappears.

The third film has its detractors, who often dislike it for its over-packed plot and those scenes with the “dark” Peter dancing stupidly. Yet, in many ways, it delivers a purely enjoyable comic book mish-mash of villains and subplots. The action scenes are amazing, from Peter’s mid-air battle with Harry to his face-off with Sandman among subway trains to the big climax which is as close to an epic villain team-up as we may get outside of the comics. As stuffed as the plot is with concurrent storylines and coincidences, nothing is overly random and the various subplots do tie together smoothly; Flint Marko’s reappearance and the vindictive wiles of Harry Osborn spark Peter’s desire for revenge, which is aggravated by the symbiote-soon-to-be-known-as-Venom. I can even defend the silly dance scenes since the symbiote increases Peter’s aggression and confidence but doesn’t necessarily diminish his inherent geekiness; such is the result. I do wish that the Venom symbiote had had a better introduction than a convenient meteorite landing near Peter and MJ, and that the film had ended on a happier note, considering it would be the last of the original series. It would have been nice for Raimi and company to collaborate on one more film, though it was not to be. They seemed to be setting up the Lizard storyline that was ultimately used in the reboot; notice that Peter’s college professor Curt Connors only had one arm, and in one scene in the third film, there were lizards he was studying in the background. Oh, well.

While the animated TV shows (especially The Spectacular Spider-Man) often do the characters justice and the reboot has at least expanded on Gwen Stacy, all three Raimi films are such excellent comic book adaptations that no other Spider-Man movie could add anything to their chosen storylines but additional special effects and more villains (I’m sure they’ll get to the rest of the rogues gallery, like Vulture, Kraven, Black Cat, Scorpion, and maybe Hydro-man or Carnage one of these days). Tobey Maguire will always be Peter Parker for me, and these films will remain comic book classics.

Best line from Spider-Man: (Peter, at the end) “Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: “With great power comes great responsibility.” This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I’m Spider-Man.”

Best line from Spider-Man 2: (a witness, after pizza-delivery boy Peter changes into Spider-Man) “He just stole that guy’s pizza!”

Best line from Spider-Man 3: (Peter, at the end) “Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. My friend Harry taught me that. He chose to be the best of himself. It’s the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what’s right.”

 
Rank: 58 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

270 Followers and Counting

#42: Jurassic Park (1993)

14 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

The wealthy John Hammond has spared no expense
To bring to life dinosaurs grand and immense
And keep them behind an electrified fence.
 
A paleontologist named Alan Grant
Is brought to the isle where dinos enchant,
Where life is contained and humility’s scant.
 
With Hammond’s grandchildren, a mathematician,
A lawyer impressed by old Hammond’s ambition,
And Grant’s colleague Ellie, he gains free admission.
 
The ultimate theme park to wow everyone,
Jurassic Park’s ready for its trial run,
Until an unfortunate hurricane’s begun.
 
When one fat employee gets greedy and flees
And shuts down the fences and power with ease,
The T. Rex emerges from out of the trees.
 
As Hammond and company try as they might
To reconnect power, resolving their plight,
The T. Rex wreaks havoc and death in the night.
 
The children and Alan survive as they can.
When raptors break loose, not according to plan,
The pile of dinosaur poop hits the fan.
 
The running and screaming begin all the more,
As raptors learn how they can open a door
And cause greater terror than eons before.
 
The park and the isle to nature are lost;
Survivors escape from it, though at a cost,
For life finds a way when the wrong lines are crossed.
__________________
 

Jurassic Park is without a doubt one of the most thrilling sci-fi action films ever, an original spectacle predating the devolution of the genre into numbing banality. Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel was my first introduction to how terrifying a real dinosaur could be, as opposed to the more cartoonish depictions on television.

I can usually handle action films just fine, even when horror elements are involved like in Aliens, but Jurassic Park is one of only two films that I’ve caught myself actually on the verge of hyperventilating from the breathless danger and close calls (the climax of Oliver! was the other time; weird, right?). My mom had a similar reaction; she actually saw it in the theater while she was pregnant and got such an adrenaline rush that she was concerned for the baby me afterward. Assisted by one of John Williams’ most outstanding scores, Spielberg and company created some iconic edge-of-your-seat sequences that never fail to thrill, from the T. Rex’s initial attack with the vibrating water glass to its pursuit of the jeep to the raptors’ cat-and-mouse chase with the kids (a.k.a. someone’s in the kitchen with dinos).

Even if the characters exist solely to be attacked, threatened, or eaten, the actors succeed in creating memorable victims, from Jeff Goldblum as odd, wisecracking mathematician Ian Malcolm; Wayne Knight as slovenly mole Dennis Nedry; Samuel L. Jackson as ill-fated Mr. Arnold; Sam Neill and Laura Dern as two likable dinosaur experts; and Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello as the requisite children in danger, one an up-and-coming scream queen, the other an amateur paleo-aficionado. As starry-eyed entrepreneur John Hammond, Richard Attenborough illustrates the blind hunger for success in those who “spare no expense” to make their dreams realities, proving he was as skilled at acting as directing. As is typical, Goldblum gets the best lines and stood out enough to warrant his own return to the world of dinosaurs in the good but lesser sequel.

Unlike the sequels, which succumbed to the cliché of people in danger acting stupid, there’s an air of intelligence to the original thriller, aided by the plausible method by which the great lizards are said to have been resurrected. Though there’s a winsome subplot about Dr. Grant’s bonding with the kids, the film is overall a science fiction frightfest, one of the greatest ever made, a nonstop thrill ride that nonetheless captures the wonder of a lost world and concludes on a placid, breath-catching note. Ignoring fictional aliens and shapeshifters and whatnot, the real terrors belong to the past, and I can only hope that scientists never play God and reanimate the worst of carnivores. I’m cautiously optimistic about the upcoming Jurassic World; let’s hope it’s a return to the excellence of the original.

Best line: (John Hammond) “All major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked!”  (Ian Malcolm) “Yeah, but, John, if The Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don’t eat the tourists.”

VC’s best line: (Ian Malcolm) “God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.”  (Dr. Ellie Sattler) “Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth.”

 
Rank: 58 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

268 Followers and Counting

#50: Inception (2010)

04 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Extractor Dom Cobb has an interesting job,
To steal people’s secrets through dreams.
On one inner outing, the target starts doubting
And knows all is not as it seems.
 
This Saito solicits their service illicit
To plant an idea in one’s brain.
With just one exception, attempting inception
Has always been ventured in vain.
 
Cobb gathers a team to invade someone’s dream,
The rich Robert Fischer, an heir,
But the image and strife of Mal, his dead wife,
Lurks still in his mind’s inner lair.
 
They enter the dream with a qualified scheme
That’s more hazardous than designed.
Each resolute sleeper goes deeper and deeper
Through levels of Fischer’s taut mind.
 
As deep as Cobb goes, there is guilt to expose,
And he must let go of his wife.
The mission complete, the rewards for the feat
Allow Cobb’s return to his life?
____________________
 

Even with his prior success with The Prestige and two popular Batman movies, Christopher Nolan’s Inception was a bolt from the blue, a film so startlingly original in plot and scope that it cemented him as a truly brilliant director. It also is the only film I’ve seen (or wanted to) that allows me to see Leonardo DiCaprio as anything but Jack from Titanic. On top of that, it’s the only film that so blew my mind that I was left with a thunderstruck “Whoa” at the end.

There is so much going on in this movie that anyone who left to get popcorn surely missed something. Nearly every scene held meaning, whether to understanding the mission, Nolan’s rules of the dream world, or the relationships between Cobb and Mal or Fischer and his father. One thing my VC does not enjoy is not knowing what’s going on in a movie without some quickly forthcoming answers. Mystery is one thing; it’s another to give a strange, random train riddle in the first hour and then not explain its significance until almost the end. While it was all too much for her, I was impressed that everything did have significance. Nothing was thrown in without a reason, a reason I felt was worth waiting for. The mazes and time differentials and dreams within dreams and dreams within memories within dreams can get confusing on the first viewing (or the fourth), but the audacious complexity lends itself to watching over and over with new appreciation.

I mentioned way back in my review for Entrapment that I’m no fan of heist films, due to their convincing audiences to root for those committing an illegal act, which they typically get away with. While that concern is still present, Inception has so much else involved—visually, emotionally, artistically, technologically—that the morality of the central plot falls to the wayside, for good or ill. Cobb’s ultimate reason for taking the job, to be reunited with his kids, does raise the emotional stakes, but considering the unforeseen results of his previous success at inception, I can’t help but wonder what will happen to Fischer.

The cast, composed of many Christopher Nolan favorites, fill their roles admirably, with the standouts being (of course) DiCaprio as Cobb, Ellen Page as Ariadne, Marion Cotillard as Mal, and Ken Watanabe as Saito. Despite not having much screen time or deep personality, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, and Cillian Murphy do an outstanding job with their supporting roles. My VC did comment on the film’s lack of character development for these minor players, a reason to care for them, but such a deficiency need not detract from the ensemble and the awesomeness of their mission. Besides, the pathos of Cobb and Fischer is surprisingly well-realized considering how swiftly the plot moves along.

With its philosophical discussion of dreams and the frustratingly dubious conclusion, Inception was sure to spark conversations. There are plenty of theories as to the meaning of totems and what scenes might or might not have been dreams. Did the top fall or keep spinning? Was Cobb’s totem really his wedding ring, which he only wore in his dreams with Mal and was not wearing in the final scene? Was Mal right, and Cobb was in limbo the whole time? Was it all perhaps an inception on Cobb to rid him of his obsession with his dead wife? I tend to accept the straightforward, happy ending, but few films have garnered such consistent mind-boggling debate.

The film as a whole was rewarded with Oscars for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects, as well as several other well-deserved nominations. With some astoundingly memorable visuals (that gravity-shifting fight with Gordon-Levitt is stupefying), a climax that is extremely fast-paced and layered, and an emotional payoff that left me satisfied despite that darn top, Inception is a modern cinematic wonder.

Best line: (Cobb) “Listen, there’s something you should know about me… about inception. An idea is like a virus, resilient, highly contagious. The smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you.”

 
Rank: 57 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

264 Followers and Counting

#56: Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

28 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

The Earth and all inhabitants
Remain a target for
The all-consuming Borg,
Who try to conquer it once more.
 
They travel back in time,
Where planet Earth stands little chance,
And Enterprise pursues them
And destroys them at first glance.
 
The captain leaves Will Riker
To ensure that all goes right
With Zefram Cochran’s rocket
And the premier trans-warp flight.
 
While Cochran’s disconcerted
By the weight of history,
Picard aboard the Enterprise
Finds Borg are running free.
 
Assimilation’s rampant,
And when Data too is seized,
Their tempting Queen cajoles him
With sensations; he is pleased.
 
Picard and crew impede them,
Yet despite revenge’s thirst,
Picard attempts their last resort
But must find Data first.
 
As Cochran’s making history,
Picard confronts the Queen,
And Data proves his loyalty
To man and not machine.
 
The Enterprise returns home,
Now that Cochran did attract
A survey ship of Vulcans,
With whom Earth makes first contact.
__________________
 

Here, at last, is the height of television-based Star Trek. Star Trek: First Contact (or Space Zombies from the Future, as it could be called) combines everything I love about the series into an action-packed plot that fully deserves its feature film status. What does it have? The Borg, the single most formidable, non-cosmic antagonist the Enterprise encountered; time travel, that most favorite of science fiction devices; a perfect balance of drama, tension, and humor that so eluded the subsequent two Next Gen films; impressive visuals, from the Borg’s pasty-faced make-up and prosthetics to well-defined action sequences; strong acting from Patrick Stewart as Picard, Alfre Woodard as uninitiate Lily, and James Cromwell as Zefram Cochran, plus everyone else; clever references to the series, such as Barclay’s hero worship of Cochran and a return to the Dixon Hill holonovels; and cameos from a series even closer to my heart, Star Trek: Voyager (Ethan Phillips as a holographic maître d’ and Robert Picardo as the EMH doctor). Talk about shooting high!

As a continuation of Picard’s assimilation story in the fan favorite episode “Best of Both Worlds,” the film brought to light Picard’s personal grudge against the Borg, comparing him to Captain Ahab and his quest for vengeance against Moby Dick. The filmmakers made full use of the Borg and their unique form of menace. Essentially, they’re zombies with vampire-like tubules to infect people with their individuality-draining nanoprobes, yet they’re thinking zombies (collectively speaking), which frighten on a different level from the mindless kind. This comparison is heightened by horror-inspired scenes in which they ambush “red shirts” and grab people to drag them away underneath doors. Alice Krige does a marvelously disquieting job as the Borg Queen, a creepy and seductive villainess, who returned for Voyager’s series finale.

Many found fault with Cromwell’s drunken portrayal of Zefram Cochran, who bore no resemblance to the young, cultured Cochran seen in The Original Series’ “Metamorphosis.” Considering that episode depicted a revived Cochran who was under the influence of an energy being, I didn’t mind the character’s reimagining and actually enjoyed Cromwell’s dynamic performance. Despite his unsavory behavior before, the actual first contact at film’s end does indeed feel like a moment of historical gravity that Cromwell nails, assisted by Jerry Goldsmith’s score.

A major issue of mine with other Next Gen films (and many episodes) is the continual focus on Picard and Data while the other characters are given little to do, especially Dr. Crusher. Insurrection was the worst offender, but First Contact balances its characters by splitting them up, with Picard, Data and Worf fighting Borg aboard the ship, while most of the others have their own mission on the planet. I especially loved certain character moments, like the epic launch to Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride” and Deanna’s drunkenness (paired with Riker’s reaction).

Surpassing all other Next Gen films and even those of Captain Kirk, First Contact is everything fans could desire in a Star Trek movie. And yes, it’s even-numbered.

Best line: (Deanna Troi, sloppy drunk from her meeting with Cochran) “I’m just trying to blend in.”   (Riker) “You’re blended all right.”

 
Rank: 57 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

259 Followers and Counting

#60: Back to the Future Trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990)

25 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, ,

(Spoilers ahead)
 
Marty McFly is a likable guy
Who’s known as a slacker at Hill Valley High.
His dad is a nerd in each sense of the word,
Who often is bullied by Biff undeterred.
Emmet Brown is a doc, whom most people just mock;
He has an invention to turn back the clock.
 
The Doc has created a time machine dated,
A tricked-out DeLorean; Marty’s elated.
When Doc Brown is shot for the fuel that he got,
McFly speeds away for the sake of the plot.
When he goes too fast, Marty’s stuck in the past,
1955, where there’s quite the contrast.
 
He sees George McFly, still Biff’s least favorite guy,
And saves his own dad, who is painfully shy.
The blow he prevents Marty quickly laments,
For now he has changed the whole course of events.
His mother Lorraine now has him on the brain,
And his interference could be his own bane.
 
With Doc, still alive in 1955,
They plan for a carefully-engineered drive
To harness the spike of a timed lightning strike
And send Marty back to the time they all like.
Yet first he must try to conspire and lie
To pair up Lorraine and the proper McFly.
 
George steps up when needed, and Biff is defeated,
But even though Marty’s maneuvers succeeded,
He speeds down the block for the requisite shock
To send him back home to the still-living Doc.
It seems all is well, and the future will tell,
But why wait when there is a sequel I smell.
____________________
 
When Doc Brown returns with some pressing concerns,
He takes Marty back to the future. He learns
That mischief is done with McFly’s only son,
So Marty must stop it before it’s begun.
In 2015, Marty meets on the scene
Old Biff and his grandson, both terribly mean.
 
Their efforts succeed, but temptation toward greed
Lets Biff get away with a self-serving deed.
Unaware of the slime, they return to their time
And find ’85 full of sorrow and crime.
A sports almanac that the old Biff took back
Allowed his young self to grow rich from the track.
 
This present nightmare, full of death and despair,
Can only be changed by the time-travel pair.
They go back once more to the dance long before
To steal back the book and the future restore.
Both Marty and Doc do their best not to walk
Into their other selves, who must meet at the clock.
 
The book time demands several times changes hands,
And Marty gives chase ere Doc’s flying car lands.
The duo prevail, but the car in the gale
Is shocked to the past, as explained in the mail.
The Doc is alive in 1885,
And Marty needs past Doc to help him arrive.
___________________
 
With help from the Doc, who passed out at the clock,
Marty finds the DeLorean hid under rock.
He sees and is stressed that Doc in the Old West
Died days after writing his final request.
Doc doesn’t condone, but still Marty, alone,
Goes back to save Doc from his coming tombstone.
 
The time machine’s harmed, and soon Marty’s alarmed
When Biff Tannen’s ancestor threatens him armed.
Doc saves his young friend and endeavors to mend
The time machine ere his unfortunate end,
But they find, alas, that the car’s out of gas;
A train is the only way they can go fast.
 
A woman nearby nearly learns how to fly,
But Doc rescues Clara and catches her eye.
A hoedown that night deepens Marty’s new plight
When “Mad Dog” demands that they schedule a fight.
Now Marty’s in danger, and Doc the time-changer
Breaks up with his Clara with truths that estrange her.
 
Doc Brown is distraught, and Mad Dog wants a shot
At Marty, who learns when to fight and when not.
With this Tannen bested and swiftly arrested,
They hijack the train in which all is invested.
Clara comes on the scene as they push Doc’s machine,
And with her in danger, Doc must intervene.
 
He rescues his mate, but the car travels straight
And travels through time when it hits eighty-eight.
Though Marty makes it, the DeLorean’s hit,
And all’s back to normal, as time will permit,
And Doc on a train that he tricked out again
Tells Marty the future our lives will ordain.
_______________
 

What can I say about the Back to the Future films that hasn’t already been said? Robert Zemeckis hit a home run with this, the original convoluted paradox movie. Full of clever twists and turns, all three films interconnect in amazingly imaginative ways, with running jokes and scenarios repeated in different time periods. The situations are so pervasive that I forgot that Marty’s whole “chicken” hang-up was only introduced in the second film rather than the first.

Michael J. Fox as Marty and Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown were impeccably cast, creating for each of them their most iconic roles. Fox especially exhibits a wide range, from his cool 1985 self to his wimpy 2015 son to his wise 1885 ancestor to even his own daughter (I swear I just noticed that last one!). Lea Thompson as Lorraine/Maggie McFly and Thomas F. Wilson as Biff/Griff/Mad Dog Tannen also span several unique but similar identities throughout history. Supporting performances are also excellent, such as Crispin Glover’s geeky mannerisms as the first film’s George McFly. The role of Marty’s girlfriend Jennifer changed from Claudia Wells in the first film to Elizabeth Shue in the sequels; perhaps it’s simply because she has more screen time, but I think I prefer Shue.

I’ve always loved time travel, and though even more complex films have been made since, Back to the Future’s various paradoxes, alternate time lines, and potentially universe-destroying encounters boggle the mind while remaining altogether fun. The second film is particularly complex, yet it’s probably my favorite, with its visit to a positive but not idealized future and its more active time traveling. The first is the most classic; the second is the most breathlessly entertaining; and the third boasts the best action sequence, the train-hopping finale with a thrilling crash that is much more impressive and real-looking than the similar climax of The Lone Ranger.

The films are also famous for their humor, such as the irony of building a time machine out of a DeLorean. My favorite comedic moments are the reactions: Doc’s crazed gaze when Marty convinces him he’s from the future, Marty’s stunned expression when his younger mother kisses him, Jennifer’s shock at seeing herself older/younger, Doc’s “Great Scott!” when Marty says he’s “back from the future,” Doc’s reaction to the Wake-Up Juice, etc. By the time of the third film, much of the situations are too familiar, but even then the Wild West milieu offers a different lens for everything; I might compare the trilogy to the Disney show Phineas and Ferb, in which a highly predictable formula is altered in small clever ways to still be entertaining and funny.

Back to the Future was one of my dad’s favorite films, and though over time he has complained that it’s dated, each film boasts endless watchability. Even my most recent viewings have yielded new details I had never noticed, like how Twin Pines Mall becomes Lone Pine Mall after Marty runs over one of Mr. Peabody’s two trees in 1955. Though the company went out of business before the first movie was filmed, the DeLorean will always be remembered as Doc Brown’s time machine, and Fox and Lloyd will always be fondly known as Marty and Doc. With its thirty-year anniversary approaching, including a London musical (and a 2015 that unfortunately doesn’t quite possess all the conveniences shown in Part II), Back to the Future still remains as fun as ever.

Best line from Back to the Future: (George McFly) “Last night, Darth Vader came down from Planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn’t take Lorraine out, that he’d melt my brain.”

Best line from Part II: (Doc, as 1985 Jennifer is being taken to her 2015 home) “I foresee two possibilities. One, coming face to face with herself thirty years older would put her into shock, and she’d simply pass out. Or two, the encounter could create a time paradox, the results of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space time continuum and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that’s a worse-case scenario. The destruction might, in fact, be very localized, limited to merely our own galaxy.”

Best line from Part III: (Marty) “Listen, you got a back door to this place?”  (bartender) “Yeah, it’s in the back.”

 
Rank: 56 out of 60
 

© 2014 S. G. Liput

255 Followers and Counting