DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

30 from the 90’s month (Post 4 of 30)

Dances With Wolves

When a film wins a Best Picture Oscar, is a big hit and gets almost unanimous good reviews when it comes out, it seem almost inevitable that years down the road, one could look at it and ask, why did this movie win Best Picture again? (For lack of a better term, I call it Howgreenwasmyvalley Syndrome)

As far as Dances With Wolves goes, it hasn’t helped that Kevin Costner’s later directoral efforts are not considered as being very successful (Though I confess to liking Waterworld). It’s hard not to look through Dances With Wolves (or Driving Miss Daisy or The English Patient or Titanic) as having a higher standard because of the little Oscar fellow it has to carry on its back. How Green Was My Valley doesn’t stand a historical chance because it had the temerity to beat out Citizen Kane for Best Picture in 1942.

Looking at Dances With Wolves now, the down side includes a not totally satisfying ending and the fact that some of the same territory was already covered in Little Big Man.

On the positive side, it has a wonderful John Barry score, great locations and a story whose heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, it may be remembered as a sidenote to the trivial pursuit question, “What movie undeservedly beat out Goodfellas for Best Picture in 1991?

Read More

CLERKS (1994)

30 from the 90’s month (Post 3 of 30)

Clerks

Moviegoers tend to have very differing opinions on the films of Kevin Smith. They either think he’s a genius or hopelessly infantile. I went through a period where I watched most of the Kevin Smith films, but he’s one of those filmmakers that you tend to feel less about the older you get. The relentless bathroom humor doesn’t quite seem as hilarious as it once did. However, I do think one Kevin Smith movie should be in the 1001 book and Clerks does seem like the obvious choice. It’s his first movie and it does have a lot of clever dialogue (as well as some tasteless dialogue as well) and there are many funny situations. The best lines in the film come from Randal (Jeff Anderson).

If you've never seen a Smith film, Clerks can serve as a Beta test for Smith fans. If you like it, you may want to try Chasing Amy. If you don’t like Clerks, you probably want to stay away from Dogma.

Read More

THE PLAYER (1992)

30 from the 90's (Post 2 of 30)

The Player

There is a central plot in The Player about filmmaker Griffin Mills (Tim Robbins) receiving threatening letters and being involved in a murder, but the main appeal of this movie is the overall dynamic by which the Hollywood system operates. How do movies get made? How do studios justify spending millions of dollars on film production when they usually have no idea if a movie is going to be successful or bankrupt the studio? That question isn't resolved of course, but it's a lot of fun to see it played out here.

There are dozens if not close to a hundred cameos and bit parts played by some of the most famous movie stars alive at the time this movie was made, but I think special mention should go to two lesser known players. One is Richard E.Grant, who plays a passionate screenwriter who makes a detailed pitch to Griffin about a movie that is art and uncompromising in nature and…Cynthia Stevenson as Griffin’s put upon girlfriend who is the one character who truly seems to stand for something in this film. We, the audience sympathize with her, but nobody actually in the film seems to.

This is probably my favorite Altman not made in the 70’s.

...and you got to like any movie that has dialogue between characters who have just seen the movie Freaks.

...and has some of those same characters going to a screening of The Bicycle Thief.

Bruce Willia and Julia Roberts in The Player's non-existent film-within-a-film Habeas Corpus

Read More

PULP FICTION (1994)

I have looked back at all the movies I have posted a blog on (Be it one word or 18 pages) and have seen a lack of posts of movies from the 1990’s. Perhaps that's because 90’s movies aren’t really current anymore, but they aren’t old enough to really be have reached a point of nostalgia with me. I’m sure there are people in their early 20’s who talk about Forrest Gump as a popular movie from their childhood, but that’s not me. I'm more of a Love Story and Airport as popular movies from my childhood kind of guy. Anyway, I’m going to try for 30 posts on movies from the 90’s this month just to give my “films I’ve gone through list” a little more balance on the back end of the timeline.

30 from the 90’s month (Post 1 of 30)

Pulp Fiction

I remember how big this movie hit when it came out. Who was this Quentin Tarantino fella? He had already done Reservoir Dogs, but I didn’t see that one until after Pulp Fiction made a splash. Seeing Pulp Fiction again, for probably the seventh or eighth time, it may no longer be in my imaginary top ten favorite list, but it’s certainly in my top twenty. I’m not sure what to say about it, so I’ll just list five things I still like about Pulp Fiction.

1. The Dialogue from Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary-The best known example is probably the famous royale with cheese scene between John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, but other examples of memorable dialogue include Christopher Walken’s monlogue on the watch, Marcellus Wallace's (Ving Rames) speech to Butch (Bruce Willis)on being a washed up fighter and the histrionic interactions right before the needle is plunged into Uma Thurman’s chest.

2. More nostalgic references-There are plenty of these in any Tarantino movie. The most obvious example from Pulp Fiction is the 50’s themed restaurant Jack Rabbit Slims, where the waiter is Buddy Holly, your host is Ed Sullivan, your waitress is Jayne Mansfield and you dance to Chuck Berry songs. Even having John Travolta dancing to Berry is actually a nostalgic 70’s reference to Travolta's dancing from Saturday Night Fever. I guess you could label this as a crossover 70’s reference within a 50’s reference.

3. Plot Twists and Mysteries to Ponder- Just when you thought Vincent (Travota) might sleep with Mia (Uma) and get in trouble with Marcellus, the movie has Mia overdose instead. And who would would have thought that the battle between Butch and Marcellus would lead to an S & M rape scene?
Additional mysteries to ponder: What’s in the stolen case? And just who the hell is The Gimp?

4. Perfomances-Sam Jackson as Jules clearly steals the show, but the movie also really benefits from the addition of Travolta. But really everyone is good here, even in the smaller roles played by Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Ving Rhames, etc. I could basically just list the whole cast here. An additional bonus might be the casting of Travolta and Bruce Willis may have saved us from an additional Look Who’s Talking movie.

5. Plot Construction I love the way the story is presented. Here is the order it comes to us in the movie.

1. Scene 1-Ringo and Hunny Bunny in the Dinner
2. Scene 2-Jules and Vincent retrieve the case
3. Scene 3-Marcellus Wallace advises Butch to throw the fight
4. Scene 4-Vincent buys drugs and has a date with Mia Wallace.
5. Scene 5-Flashback to the Officer giving the young Butch the watch
6. Scene 6-Butch throws the fight, encounters Marcellus
7. Scene 7-Return to the second half of Jules and Vincent retrieving the case

If this had been presented chronologically, this would be the order:

Scene 5 would be first
Scene 2 would be second
Scene 7 would be third,
But is simultaneous with Scene 1, so they are both third
Scene 3 would be fifth
Scene 4 would be sixth
Scene 6 would be seventh
So chronologically the last line of the film should be, “Zed’s dead baby, Zed’s dead.”

I think I have this right, but I may have missed something. Anyway, the chronology works like a charm.

After listing all the positives, I’ve decided to put Pulp Fiction back into my top ten list. What the hell, the list is imaginary anyway.

Read More

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (2009)

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (if written by a Boston Red Sox fan)

Once upon a time in a New England wood...

Baseball star Johnny Damon is propped up on top of a giant rock. His hands are tied behind his back and is close to unconsciousness. A splash of water onto his face causes him to awaken quickly.

ALDO: Wake up sleepy head! I need your full attention, Private Damon.

DAMON: (Becoming alert) What? What? Who are you? What’s going on? Why am I tied up?

ALDO: (holds up his hand as a sign for Damon to stop talking) Please, Private Damon. You inquiries will be shortly addressed. But first let me introduce myself. I am Aldo the Apache and I render justice to those that perpetrate offenses outside the jurisdiction of the American legal system.

DAMON: This is outrageous! You can't do this to me. Let me go at once-

Aldo throws another bucket of water into Damon’s face.

ALDO: Please Private Damon. I was still talking. I will kindly ask you to not interrupt me again. However, since you appear to be the impatient type, I will get right to business by giving you a quick recap of what led us to the predicament you find yourself in. If you recall, you were a member of the grandest organization in sports, The Boston Red Sox. During the 2004 postseason you became quite a hero. I certainly thought of you as a hero. Many others did too. You could have been set for life as a member of the Red Sox. But do you know what you did after that?

DAMON: I…I…I

Aldo throws yet another bucket of water into Damon’s face.

ALDO: I will now tell you what happened. The devil tempted you and you put your name on the dotted line to be one of his foot soldiers. Yes, you signed with the New York Yankees.

DAMON: Oh, my God! Are you going to kill me?

ALDO: Kill you? You really wound me, Private Damon. Though you may find my accent to be one you might associate with the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, let me assure you that I am a gentleman of New England through and through. I am not some common Brooklyn street thug. No, grievous as your offense is, it does not constitute a capital punishment. Though that which you have perpetrated does require justice of some kind.

DAMON: But this isn’t fair! I don’t even play for the Yankees any more!

ALDO: I’m sorry, Private Damon. When you are accepted as a Hatfield, you just don’t start hanging out with the McCoys. I’m paraphrasing the honorable Curt Schilling, of course. You took Yankee money when you could have gotten plenty elsewhere. Do you think you’d be in this situation if you had signed with the Milwaukee Brewers? Besides, you can take off that Yankee uniform you once wore, but the Apache in me can still can smell it on you. But not everyone has my nose for truth, but I’ll get to that momentarily. As I said, this is not a capital crime, but to forgo any punishment at all? This, I cannot abide. You need to learn that actions have consequences, though I think your punishment should be a little more than me just making you eat a straw hat.

Damon begins to say something, but Aldo again raises a hand for him to stop. Aldo turns into the direction behind him.

ADLO: (Shouting) Cpl. Yastrzemski! Private Damon here once said he wanted to be a Yankee for life. Oh-blige him!

There are several thumps from a dark tunnel behind Aldo before the figure of a strapping Polish man with smart, dark sideburns and a Red Sox baseball cap emerges outside. He comes into the light twirling his bat like a baton.

YASTRZEMSKI: Yahoo! I’m Teddy Williams and I’m about to go the other way and belt one over the historic Green Monster. And the crowd here at Fenway goes wild!

As Yastrzemski comes next them, Aldo smirks and Yastrzemski reluctantly puts the bat down. Aldo reaches into his pocket and tosses him an all-purpose Swiss Army knife. He nods in Damon’s direction and Yastrzemski quickly takes the knife to Damon’s forehead and goes to work.

An hour later.

ALDO: (looking at Damon) My God, Cpl. Yastrzemski! You do mighty impressive work. Looks just like the emblem on their cap! This is much better than the one you did on Reggie Jackson. Anyway, he’s still out, but you can go ahead and cut him loose now. It looks like the bleeding has stopped and we need to get a move on before he wakes up.

YASTRZEMSKI: Did he really think we were going to kill him?

ALDO: That’s the mentality, Cpl. Yastrzemski. That’s the mentality. As always, I thank you for your good work here today, but it is once again time for us to part our ways as some in our society still don't recognize our way of administiring justice.

Yastrzemski shakes Aldo’s hand and begins walking away from Aldo.

ALDO: (Shouting back) Oh, Cpl. Yastrzemski. Let's remember to keep our knives sharp, I hear A-Rawd might be retiring soon.

Read More

Posted in 2000's | No comments

THE TREE OF LIFE (2011)

(Rod and Chip Go To the Movies 6: Rod vs. Chip! The Final Battle! Armageddon! Night of the Living Dead!)

The names have been changed to protect the innocent. The events depicted are real…sort of.

Sometime during the 21st Century

Mobile’s Crescent Theater had become about the only place Chip would go see a movie these days. Located in the middle of downtown Mobile, Alabama, the theater’s intimate and cozy atmosphere reminded him of some of those theaters he went to in Atlanta during the early 80’s. The Silver Screen…The Rhodes …those were the days. Days long ago, but days he always thought about whenever he went to the Crescent and watched whatever film was playing and always with a Anchor Steam bought from the lobby. At the front of the theater there were eight plush leisure chairs, but you had to get there early to claim one of them. Yeah, this was it, all right. Plopped down in a leisure chair with your Anchor Steam at the front of the Crescent watching whatever was on the screen. Setting mattered more than the specific movie that was playing for Chip these days.

Playing tonight was the Terrance Malick film, The Tree of Life. The film was unconventional in its narrative and Chip wasn’t sure if his wife, Dana would like it. The crowd was sparse, but enthusiastic. An interesting assortment of educated upper middle class middle age types and young college age intellectuals would certainly be filling the seats shortly. The setting was just like the old days in those theaters of old…Almost… Well, not really. But it was pleasant. After getting his Ales, Chip noticed the break that he and Dana were one of the first in the theater. He scooted her up to the front and sat down on the second leisure chair on the end. Chip pointed for Dana to claim the leisure chair next to him, but Dana hesitated.

“What’s wrong? You’ve got to get these seats while you can,” Chip said.

Dana looked a little squeamish for some reason. “Not yet. I’m going to see if I can get some popcorn,” she said.

Chip was a little annoyed at this, but signaled for her to go. Chip’s unspoken law of the Crescent was to grab the comfortable seat whenever it was open because you wouldn’t get a second chance.

After Dana went out front, Chip was surprised that no one asked him if the seat was taken. He was going to guard it for her, but the lack of interest as the back rows of the theater began to fill up was surprising to him. He took a sip from his drink as he tossed the coat he had been holding on his lap onto the empty seat.

“Hey, watch it!” A voice from the seat came at him.

Chip did a spit take as he spun his head to his left.

Chip couldn’t believe who was sitting in the chair next to him! It was his old friend, Rod!

All Chip could do was stare. It was Rod all right. The person that had sat to the left of him at hundreds of movies in the past was next to him again. But how could this be?

“Hey, don’t waste your Ale, old man. Does my presence here really startle you that much?” Rod asked.

Chip stammered before finally finding the resolve to speak coherently. “How are you here? Now? In this theater? In this town?”

“Calm down. Let’s just say that I got a special theater pass to come tonight. What was the last movie we went to together? Schindler’s List, wasn’t it? That was many moons ago. Of course, I’ve seen you at a few movies since, though I know you haven’t been able to see me.”

“This is unbelievable. Are you telling me that you’re-“

Rod interrupted him, “Let’s just say that the plane on which I reside is not something you can totally understand at this time.”

Chip took a deep breath. “Oh, man! It’s...just...crazy to see youin this form. bit I admit I'm really glad you're here! Can anyone else here see you?”

“Unlikely. Too bad they aren’t showing Harvey, eh? I could be your imaginary bunny friend. Let me get to the point since my pass is only good for a limited time. I know you are married. You have a couple of daughters now. You love them, but they give you hell sometimes. You have steady employment, which shows how people can change, eh? Oh, and you came here tonight because you wanted to see this with your wife because you thought she wouldn’t get it and you could pose as her intellectual superior to feel better about yourself.”

“Rod, I thought you majored in Anthropology, not Psychology.”

Rod lifted a finger. “I’m not finished. You came here to this same theater two nights ago and watched the same film with your…ahem, mistress so you could feel intellectually superior to her as well. You’ve become one insecure individual, my friend.”

Chip shook his head. “You’ve been keeping tabs on me. And you’re judging me. Geesh! This whole thing is mind blowing. I’m thinking back to that time you saw Frank’n’Furter in that theater. You remember? You clearly saw him in your mind, but I couldn’t>”

“Of course, I remember. Frank may have been here tonight, actually. I doubt you’d have been able to see him. Don’t ask me why. It’s difficult to explain. And don’t think I’m judging you by calling you insecure. You have to live your own life. Well, unfortunately my ticket is just about to expire. I’ve got to move on.”

“Wait! When will I see you again? I’ve got so many questions. Aren’t you going to stay and watch the movie?”

Rod laughed. “I’ve seen it. I like it. It gets some things right. It’s no Night of the Living Dead, but what is? Of course, you’re favorite was always that Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie Pillow Talk, wasn’t it?”

“You’ve been making that same Pillow Talk joke since 1977! I do kind of like Pillow Talk, truth be told. Ha. So, Rod, If you really have to leave, could you at least give me a closing line?”

Rod stood up and cleared his throat. “I have always been and shall ever be your friend….Live long and prosper, Chip.”

Wrath of Khan, Northlake Festival, Summer 1982...” Chip closed his eyes in remembrance before a voice from his right startled him.

“Hey, can you move over one?” Dana said.

Chip looked in her direction for a moment before staring back to the chair by to left of him, which was now empty. He moved over to the open seat that Rod had occupied a moment earlier and Dana sat down in the seat next to him.

“What’s this movie about again?” She said sitting down as the lights dimmed.

“What’s it about?” he asked. “It’s about…it’s about life!”

Read More

SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)

(Rod and Chip Go To the Movies, Part 5: Revelations)

The names have been changed to protect the innocent. The events depicted are real…sort of.

Sometime in 1993, 1994 or thereabouts

Rod and I met that night at the Phipps Plaza Mall to see a movie. It seemed like an impersonal if not corporate place to go see a film, but the theater was well kept, I must admit. Besides, I hadn’t been to see anything with Rod in quite awhile and was looking forward to his company. As we approached the ticket booth, he surprised me with his question.

Rod: “So, what do you think? Dumb and Dumber?”

Chip: C’mon. We haven’t seen a movie together in over a year. Don’t you think we need something with a little more substance?

Rod: (Eyeing the marquee) I know what you’re thinking, but sometimes I’m just not in the mood to see a holocaust movie. Actually, that’s most of the time.

Chip: Remember when we were in college and I wanted to see The Elephant Man, but you wanted to see Mother’s Day?

Rod: Vaguely…Yeah, I remember.

Chip: And we went to see Mother’s Day.

Rod: Hey!..I liked Mother’s Day. It had a certain appeal of its own. Not quite good and not quite campy, but somewhere in that happy space in-between. It was no Night of the Living Dead, but what is? But, uh. Yeah. I can’t really categorize it. It was a limbo movie.

Chip: A limbo movie? Yeah, I guess. Kind of like that movie Bug. You know, the one where the bugs begin to talk and spell words and take over the town and cause earthquakes.

Rod: No that one was closer to bad.

Chip: Anyway, my point is that we went to see what you wanted to see that night. Don’t you think you owe me?

Rod: No I don’t. But if you’re pea pickin’ heart is set on Schindler’s List, I guess I can tough it out.

Rod and Chip go buy a coke and Raisinets and some Chocolate Stars before heading into the theater. After finding a couple of seats near the middle of the theater, Chip notices Rod staring at an empty seat.

Chip: What are you staring at?

Rod: What? Oh, nothing...Hey, do you remember that guy Frank that we always ran into when we went to the Silver Screen or the Rhodes Theater?

Chip: Frank n’ Furter? How could I forget Frank n’ Furter? Or when we went to see Rocky Horror at a matinee and those people threatened Frank’s friends when they kept talking back to the screen?

Rod: (Imitating Chip) “It’s part of the show. Let them speak!” Yes, I’ll never forget you yelling that out. A rare public political statement from our man Chip.

Chip: That just kind of came out of me. And I’ll never forget my applause. And that actually shut them up if you recall and Frank acknowledged me with just a slight nod of his head.

Rod: Yes, you are now world renowned for the preservation of performance art in movie theaters everywhere.

Chip: (Sarcastically) You mock me sir! Like I always tell you. If you mock, I won't share. Anyway, what made you think about him?

Rod: Hang on. The movie is about to start.

Roughly three hours later

After watching Schindler’s List, Rod and Chip leave the theater and sit down on a bench outside the mall.

Chip: That was something else. (Rod doesn’t respond) What did you think, old man?

Rod: I think I need to do something.

Chip: Bathroom is right around the corner…. (Rod doesn’t respond) Fine, I’ll bite. What kind of something do you need to do, Mr. Rod?

Rod: How many movies have you and I gone to see together over the years?

Chip: I don’t keep a running total. I do know the first one we saw was L'Avventura. I confess I didn't like it at age 14. Of course, it's one of my all-time favorites now. As far as a total number, I'm sure it’s well into the hundreds by now, I’m sure.

Rod: Yeah, in the hundreds. That sounds about right.

Chip: So what is it you want to do?

Rod: I think I’m going on that dig out West.

Chip: You mean actual archaeology? Use your degree? I thought you said you weren’t interested in that.

Rod: Look, Chip. We aren’t nineteen anymore. I have this opportunity and I think I should do it. It’s a bit romantic to say that I want to find the origin of man or whatever may else may rise to the surface beneath a pickaxe. But it would be a first hand look into our past. How man became what he is today. For better or for worse.

Chip: Boy, all these life revelations just because we saw this movie. I’m wishing we had just gone to see Dumb and Dumber now.

Rod: You know who I saw in the theater? In that empty seat?

Chip: No. But I think you’re going to tell me.

Rod: Frank. Our old cross dressing friend Frank n Furter. He was there. I swear! He was watching us. Watching us from another plane.

Chip: Like a ghost? You’re saying we were being spied on by a transvestite Casper?

Rod: Now it’s your turn to mock me. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably do the same, but I know what I saw.

Chip doesn’t respond. They both rise.

Rod: I think I’m going to head for home. I need to start packing right away. That bus leaves tomorrow. And don’t look so glum. I may be back some day.

Chip: I know. If you don’t get on that bus, you’ll regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but by next week I’m sure regret will have kicked in by then. Well, all I can say is good luck. I would hug you, but we aren’t really the hugging types.

Rod: You can go hug your kid.

Chip: Huh. He’s three years old and we’ve never even had a conversation about him before.

Rod: Yeah. Sometimes the two of us can be a little superficial aren’t we? Very well.. No hugs, but I could give you a hearty hand clasp.

Chip: That would be okay.

Rod: What’s that from again?

Chip: The Bank Dick. Or was it It’s a Gift? I know it was one of those W. C. Fields movies.

Rod: (Giving Chip a hearty hand clasp) You know Louie, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Rod waves before starting to walk away

Chip: (As Rod begins to walking away) Here’s looking at you, kid!

As Rod goes out of view, Chip sits back down and pulls out the box of candy from his pocket and notices there are a couple of Raisinets that stuck to the bottom of the box, which he consumes.

Chip: (to himself) He’ll be back.

Rod and Chip never went to a movie together again.

OR DO THEY? JOIN US NEXT FOR OUR FINAL INSTALLMENT TO FIND OUT!

Read More