After a strong start, we haven't kept up a torrid pace to knocking movies off the AFI 100 list. But we did manage to take two off.
It's a Wonderful Life (1942): I could not believe it when the wife told me she hadn't seen this movie from start to finish. We've probably watched A Christmas Story 11,000 times over the years during the Christmas season, but she'd never seen this Jimmy Stewart classic. It's always amazing to watch this and remember how hot Donna Reed was. Stunning lady. If there is someone else besides the wife who hasn't seen this movie yet, just know it's a holiday classic that is must-watch status. Even though it has some cheese ball moments (including some of the hammiest "we're drunk" scenes from guys who are not even remotely intoxicated), there is still some great stuff to think about in this movie. Themes of appreciating what you have, knowing what's important versus what isn't, and don't ever wander across a bridge during a snowstorm are all touched upon. I'm not saying you have to watch this movie instead of seeing Ralphie shoot his eye out, but you could do much, much worse.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1946): This was a rare one on the list that neither of us had seen. Which is only shocking because it has a lot of singing and dancing, something that I think was drilled into my wife from the moment she exited the birth canal. Ok, maybe that was a little strong. But in any case, it was weird to see that she hadn't at least seen it. I thought it was fiction at first, but learned it's actually the true biographical story of George Cohan, a vaudeville actor who ends up being the biggest badass in Broadway history. This movie charts his life beginning with his family and then making a name for himself. There are about 18 musical numbers in this movie, many of which are war songs that the wife's grandfather absolutely loves and has on CDs that he plays in the house when people are around. Good stuff. I'm not sure if they play this movie during 4th of July or Memorial Day weekends, but they should; it's very patriotic stuff. I'm honestly not sure if I'll ever watch this again because it wasn't the greatest movie I've ever seen (probably why it was the last movie to make the cut on the list), but hey, it did make the list so it means it had to be watched.
Not long after my bowling outing with friends, I had a nagging feeling that out there, somewhere, was a documentary about this sport. And because of my psychotic love for documentaries about odd things (Darkon, Bingo, Trekkies), I found one that came out not too long ago called The League of Ordinary Gentlemen.
This is pure gold for people who grew up in the Midwest, where bowling was something we may not have done every weekend as a kid in the '80s, but it was something we did often enough that even our schools had bowling outings because it was cheap, it kept everyone engaged, and everyone was contained in a large room with little chance of escape.
This movie has it all. Drama? You bet. Well, drama if you consider watching washed-up bowlers in the 40s try to reclaim their glory. On a bowling alley of all places, and when it fails they walk 20 feet and start setting up their karaoke machines for the side business they're running (yes, this happens). Comedy? Absolutely. Especially when the wife of one of the bowlers gives probably the moneyshot line of the whole flick, but I'm not going to spoil it for you (just wait until she's wearing the nearly hand-stitched American flag sweater ... then you know priceless material is coming up.
One of the good parts early on is when the new marketer/president of the PBA gives a pep talk to the bowlers in a preseason meeting. Pretty sure Lombardi and William Wallace would have taken notes from this guy.
I'll apologize right off for the rambling/incoherent nature of this post. It's going to serve double-duty. Because in the span of a week I got to educate myself on the war in Afghanistan in two ways, both profound in their own right.
It started with reading Sebastian Junger's new book, War. Those who know my reading tastes know I have an affinity for his work. Beyond his fantastic writing for Vanity Fair and other magazines, I've thoroughly enjoyed his books The Perfect Storm and A Death in Belmont. He creates a narrative and storyline that make it impossible to put the book down, and gives such vivid descriptions of scenes and people its as if you know them personally by the time you are done.
It's this excellence that makes War such a unique book. For one year he embedded with one platoon in the Korengal Valley, by all measures the most dangerous fighting location on the planet. He hangs in there as the soldiers are getting shot at, no kidding, every single day. Now, over time things improve and the platoon goes maybe a week or two without contact, but when things hit its intense and crazy. Let's just say the way he tries to cover all the angles of a firefight quickly resemble the firefight itself: information from all directions, confusion, misdirection, massive amounts of ammunition laid down, and then the amazing quiet and shock of quiet when it's all over.
The book stands as an efficient exploration into the modern soldier; what they go through mentally, physically and whatever other descriptor you case to use. It blows my mind reading the sequences when the commanders try to relate to the local elders in the Valley. The scenes go beyond the Beltway bullshit we hear about on cable TV or radio or newspapers. Here, you read how something as simple as a cow can destroy months of "boots on the ground" work. Chapters after reading about how superhuman these platoon members are thought of as being, you turn the page and remember the reality of what a bullet can do. It's heartbreaking and emotional and real in a way that takes that bullshit TV you watch on Bravo or MTV and shames you. Or, at the very least, it should shame you. Because as much as I hate guns and I hate war, I can't deny the reality that this is happening and there are guys who are shooting into mountains at the same age that I was attending keggers and bitching about statistics classes. When Junger layers the on-the-ground scenes with military studies on the concept of bravery, and it's extraordinary stuff. In re-reading this review I can tell this sounds preachy, but screw it, I can't explain it better, this book is just powerful stuff.
Then Monday came the companion piece, Restrepo.
I got to attend a special screening at National Geographic where they showed the film to a limited audience. It was mainly Vietnam and other Iraq/Afghanistan vets, and some other VIPs. Don't ask me how I got in. Let's just say, the power of Facebook is strong.
What makes it such a critical piece to the story is that it gives you the visuals that help bring the book's depth to life. After reading about these soldiers for 300 pages, you now see their faces, and know that the reality that will hit them later in the doc is all-too real and not some novel you buy on the sale rack at Borders.
Plus, because like the book the political discussions of whether this war is right or wrong are never addressed; you find yourself plunged right into the platoon and live their life as best you can from your theater seat. And once you start watching you remember that the politics and the nonsensical talking and jostling back in Washington doesn't mean shit in there, and they don't know nor care what is taking place outside of the outpost they are defending.
The event had an awesome Q&A afterward with Junger, and two of the soldiers who completed their deployment in the Korengal, a place that is so much smaller in size and compact than I realized when seeing it on film than on the page. And you could hear it in their voices how much they struggled to come to grips with the situations they encountered or the frustrations they ran into. I realize this is not the most eloquent of reviews. I'm just impressed by the book and the film and I wish more subject matters were tackled in such a manner. Another, better critic than myself said it best: "We owe the men in 'Restrepo,' at the very least, 90 minutes or so of our attention. If nothing else, this film, in showing how much they care about one another, demands the same of us."
I remember when watching the Super Bowl ads used to be one of the highlights of the night. Companies pay millions for the airtime because of all the eyes that will see them. About three years or so ago the ads started sucking. Last year, they were not great at all. Last night, they were downright atrocious. It was bad enough that they showed no creativity whatsoever. Add in the fact that they were nearly all so blatantly misogynistic (and I don't care that the target audience is men, that is not a good enough excuse anymore), it got to the point where the commercials were getting uncomfortable to watch after awhile. I'm only declaring one commercial worthwhile:
It was funny in certain moments, actually had a point to it that made sense (besides buying Bud Light or Doritos), and it used a remake of a Cheap Trick song that I used to like (which I also destroy on Guitar Hero). Watch the other ads below if you wish. And don't even get me started on the Tim Tebow ad. He's a jackass. That ad made no sense and after watching it again, whatever message they were trying to convey I think gets totally lost. In the end, it looks like a Match.com ad (if you were looking to hookup with a mom). And I think an ad that stupid only makes me celebrate a woman's right to choose that much more.
The Campbell holiday tradition continues, this time with the Clooney flick, Up in the Air.
Like most movie-going folk, I am a Clooney fan. He's fantastic when being in serious films like "Good Night and Good Luck" or when hamming it up and being a good sport like in "Oceans Eleven." This movie has a bit of both going through it. There are a fair share of humorous moments sprinkled throughout this movie, but it mainly centers on the serious, the moments (primarily quiet moments) when you see how good an actor he is and how he sells the character he's playing.
Up in the Air has him playing a professional hitman, but of the corporate type. He goes into firms and fires the employees because the bosses are too chickenshit to do it themselves. These scenes of how he handles it, from one victim to the next, show his ability to be both humorous and reactive without seeming fake. The main thrust of his character and the story is that because of our shitty economy, his services are in high demand, and this feeds his desire to be traveling and alone at all times.
This lifestyle, which seemed really nice in my opinion, gets a wrench thrown into it when he encounters two distinctly interesting women. First is Natalie, a new firebrand sidekick he must show the ropes to. She's got plans to use technology to usurp his usefulness, but their scenes are fantastic as she realizes that the flashiest and sexiest tech isn't going to always solve the world's problems; you need the human touch sometimes. That human touch comes in the form of the second woman, Alex, who challenges Clooney's character for frequent flier miles and need for on-the-road desire. They hit it off, and you just love seeing them together and their interaction. I subscribe to the belief that there are not enough good women roles in Hollywood. So seeing her kick ass against him in this movie was a welcome sight to the typical wet blanket stuff normally shown on the screen.
There are a few key plot turns, but I saw them coming, and only one of them truly disappointed me because I was hoping for the movie to buck convention on one moment but it didn't. I only point it out because the Up in the Air defies other plot conventions that make it a welcome addition to the movie theaters. It's just not always done, and when it is you can't help but be pleased to see it.
Up in the Air, in the end, is a movie that wants to be about making connections to other people and how they can affect the way you live and the course your life can take. I appreciated it, but also saw the film that respected the ability for people to be happy in the quiet and solitude that you inevitably run into now and then. Check out the movie, you don't need to be depressed when you leave, although you might want to, it's not the message.
A Campbell family Christmas tradition is to go check out movies. It started many moons ago and continues to this day, and it's always fun to talk to my mom and plot which movies we shall conquer during my stint back in Louisville. First up, Sherlock Holmes with the always-cool Robert Downey, Jr.
There was little doubt we were going to see this one. For one thing, it looked like a cool movie. Second, my mom has loved Robert Downey, Jr. since time began. She thought he was hot stuff all the way back when he was in Chances Are. I saw enough of his movies as a kid to convince myself that, for a time, being like him would be good. Except, you know, for the whole debilitating substance abuse problem. Glad I went a different direction.
Anyway, thankfully Downey, Jr. has made a nice little comeback in recent years, and along with looking forward to the kick-ass looking Iron Man 2, I was interested in seeing how this movie turned out. This is mainly because, with mom's heavy hand, I ended up watching a good deal of Sherlock Holmes movies as a child and even read a few of the novels as I grew up and figured out that reading was a good thing to do. Especially influential was watching Young Sherlock Holmes, a guilty pleasure movie if there ever was one for me. It's not the greatest thing ever made, but it was actually the first film to ever use CGI (yeah, look it up). So at least I can have a guilty pleasure movie that has some historical significance.
Pairing Downey, Jr. with a classic character like Holmes and you've got a movie I will see. And it's a lot of fun. Not an Oscar winner or anything, but a fun movie. Downey, Jr. does a solid job as the eclectic detective, and brings a witty charm and grit to the character that stands in contrast with the usual stuffy, older English types that portray the character. Jude Law is even passable as Watson, and he's not an actor I particularly enjoy watching. But here as Watson he does a decent job being cool. Rachel McAdams is the wet blanket of the movie. It is another thankless role for a female in a male-dominated film, and someone had to play the part. The dude who plays the bad guy and several of the other bit players do their job and keep the scenes interesting.
What I think the movie does best is make the puzzles and intricacies of solving the crimes much more interesting. Shows that fancy gadgets and techno-wizardry doesn't always have to solve every problem. Instead using your wits and actually showing that to the viewer and explaining it can make it very fun for the audience. I say check it out and enjoy the fun.
This is another of the really, really few fiction authors that I will spend my time on. The first book of his I read was Degree of Guilt. And honestly, it wasn't like it came recommended or anything. Nope ... back in the day, I was needing a book for a flight, and the cover intrigued me. Then I read the back and it had to do with a reporter and a trial, and I thought, what the hell? Little did I know that I was gleefully jumping into a whole world of intertwining characters and compelling court cases that would have me thinking about all the issues I enjoy contemplating.
What I really love about his novels is that he pairs a trial case with a particular social issue he finds worthwhile. One book is about gun control. Another is about a woman being nominated to be chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another is about abortion rights. He deftly weaves in realistic social causes with well thought-out court cases. He puts that hack John Grisham to shame, yessir.
The Spire is his latest, and it lacks some of the spirit his previous ones had. After two departures from his normal work (Eclipse and Exile), I thought maybe he was taking on more global issues with his work. He mainly partook in American political affairs, but after those two global-themed tomes he returned to quieter subject matter. The Spire is just about a lawyer who is asked to be president of his alma mater. As normal, things are not what they seem. But instead of being a shoot-em-up or some medical thriller, instead in typical Patterson fashion, he delves into the more psychological fare.
It was great to read his newest, and I wish it had been stronger. It just drug on at parts, and didn't have the depth of characters all the way around that he is used to churning out. Hopefully he won't take as long to put out a new one book and that he'll return to the form I know him well to providing. But for now, it's back to the nonfiction.
Say what you want about the legalization of pot and whatnot, but I have to tell ya, meth right nows seems to be the worst thing man ever created, maybe next to nuclear bombs and Glen Beck.
Some dumbass way back in the day thought this drug could have a purpose, and instead it has evolved over the years and now is one of single biggest problems facing people under the age of 35. Don't believe me? Fine, then watch American Meth and let's talk it out.
When I visited my sister in Denver in the spring, I chuckled and took a snapshot of an anti-meth billboard. I've watched the new Breaking Bad TV show and it's good but certainly makes cooking meth seem like hanging out with Tony Soprano, and it doesn't do a good enough job making you realize how crazy this drug makes you. I've read stories in magazines about meth addiction, and Fast Company even did a huge feature on the lengths the state of Montana is going to try and stop people from doing this drug.
Instead of just showering you with horrible images and vignettes that tear you apart (it does that, don't worry), the documentary also spends lots of time with people who are recovering and others who are making every effort to spread the word.
The scariest thing I have learned about meth from reading up on it is how powerful it hooks you, from the first hit. I've read more than one user say that unlike any drug ever created, meth gives you a high that is so good that you are hooked after the first hit. I know tons of people who have smoked weed, dropped acid, did X and cocaine and whatnot, and the ones I know of who have seen people do meth say it's unlike anything they've ever witnessed.
Just watch the doc and see the 24-year-old mother of four who looks like she's 57 and tore up. Or the mother who used meth all 8 months she was pregnant and listen to her talk about her baby having meth in its system when she was born. It's not a totally depressing movie, though I certainly may make it sound that way. I just think, beyond anything else, kids should be shown the 5-minute clip where the guy goes through all the materials used to cook meth. Cat litter, battery acid, drano, antifreeze. I know there are people out there who just wanna get high, but this is some crazy shit, and I can only hope it never gets hold of someone I know.
For Inglorious Basterds, what really surprised me was how underwhelmed I felt after leaving the movie. Yes, it's a good movie. There is no doubting it. But I feel like a lot of things were missing and other aspects left half-finished. He doesn't come out with new movies all that often, so perhaps I expect too much from him. Either way, the movie left me wanting more, and that is because I felt it gave me so little.
For one thing, for a movie that is 2 1/2 hours long, there is not very many Basterd scenes in it. Brad Pitt is fantastic in this movie, and shows once again that when he abandons the serious stuff (like Benjamin Button) and explores characters that are kooky or more interesting (Burn After Reading, etc.), he excels. But the other Basterds are hardly ever on screen. You don't get to know them, and the only one with more than 8 lines of dialogue is Eli Roth, and the only time he speaks is when he's bashing in this dude's head. Funny, yes, but there were 7 other soldiers in this outfit and getting to see their exploits and tactics would have been cool.
Landa, the Nazi SS bad guy, is absolutely fantastic and steals the show. There are some other great characters and dialogues, but rarely do any of them have anything to do with the Basterds themselves. You get to know more about the cinema owner's boyfriend than the main protagonists, and it just doesn't make much sense.
As I said, the dialogue is awesome and classic Quentin. The french basement/bar scene is great and heavy on tension as you wait for the scene to unfold. And the way certain stories and the way they refold themselves back into the plot is vintage Quentin and those are moments you live for to see in his movies. The only other real disappointment was the music. At times it was pitch-perfect. Other times it sounded like he recycled the Kill Bill soundtrack, which while genius doesn't fit into this movie's tone and comes off as cheating. That, and it seems like cheating also when he uses the same font type in the credits as in Kill Bill.
I hope he doesn't take too much time off in making his next movie, because I feel like I only got 3/4ths of a Tarantino movie. I need more to get the real fix.
I have no doubts that Sandler, Rogen, Mann, Apatow and the rest of cast are indeed funny people in real life. But holy crap they are not that funny at all in this movie. Sorry, but this movie should have been called Useless People.
Rogen is good as his character, a fledgling comic trying to make the break. His two buddies are more successful but pathetic in their success. Sandler has moments in the movie, but most of the time he's just a spoiled brat who lacks humor unless it's ripping Rogen's heart out every 10 minutes. Mann starts off sincere but then plays the traditional wet rag role women seem to all have to play in Hollywood comedies these days.
I know the movie was supposed to have all these adult-centered themes about growing up and families and responsibility and all that crap. Well, it's just hard separating it from the reality that all these people are enormously rich and are probably more like Sandler's character than I had wanted to admit. It's good Will Ferrell, Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and some others steered clear of this movie because I would hate for all the comics I like watching to be sullied by this movie.
I think the only redeeming thing about the movie was that Sandler wears a UK t-shirt during perhaps the only 7 funny minutes in the movie. That was nice.
I snagged tickets to go see Spring Awakening when the national tour rolled through the Kennedy Center. I will first admit that I paid little attention to the show when it was first released back in 2006. I think some of this was because much of what I read during this time was about how it was a down time on Broadway for creative work. Instead of rolling out truly original, inspiring performances, these works were taking a backseat to retreads of old revivals and Disney-fied shows like Tarzan that just missed the mark creatively and musically.
So when I went to the Kennedy Center, I my expectations for this play were low. The play is actually a revival of a play written in 1890 in Germany. Instead of being a straight dramatic play (as it was written then), it's been now turned into a musical. This had me a little tripped out, since a play written in 1890 about sexual tension, freedom and puberty in teenagers seemed a bit strange to be turned into a musical. Even more trippy to me was that the music was written by Duncan Sheik, whose music I was no fan of.
By the time the show ended, and after subsequent listenings to the music, I dig what the show accomplishes and tries to get across in its messages and staging. Child rape, virginity, the teachings of religion, the power of authority in schools and parenting, there are a lot of themes going on in this 2-hour show. Not all of them are handled particularly successfully, in my opinion, but I appreciate the attempts. One of the more important accomplishments of the show is how they have seating on the stage for audience members. It's a refreshing take on Broadway to see young theatergoers there on the stage and in a small way be part of the show.
Songs like The Dark I Know Well, Bitch of a Living, Touch Me, The Guilty Ones and Totally Fucked are songs which sound well but also have meaning behind them and don't come off just as pop-theater music. In the end, I'm just more surprised at how Frank Wedekind could write a play like this in 1890s Germany. No surprise, the governments of European nations banned it not long after its release, but to think that more than a century ago this guy wrote about things that are still very much prevalent today is pretty wild to consider.
Anyway, don't hesitate to check this musical out if it comes your way. It's not fluffy Cats bullshit. This is some modern Broadway that is very palatable for everyone.
All I heard for weeks on end was that The Hangover was the best comedy of the decade. Friends of mine on Facebook were ribbing me for not having seen it on opening weekend and even more stupid for waiting weeks and weeks to check it out.
Well, jackoffs, I saw it. And I have to say, I was not sold. This isn't to say the movie was bad. It was, in fact, a decent movie and had some great comedic bits in it. But best comedy of the decade? Far from it. Maybe it's my sensitivity on what I consider funny these days. Old School, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, these were all great comedies and I can almost quote them verbatim, especially Old School.
Sadly, I just think Hangover relied on too many old tricks. For awhile, it did a great job of sticking to traditional humor of put-downs between guys and some slightly awkward scenes of guys being silly. But after awhile it fell back on stuff that I just don't think are particularly "fall out of your seat" kind of humor. The youngins today laugh nonstop at watching Ed Helms puke three times and Zack Galif-whatever be nearly naked. Me, I'm just not that into puke humor. Gotta sell me another way.
The Rain Man scene was awesome, and beyond the stuff with Mike Tyson and the tiger (which is not nearly as funny as this scene with someone wrestling an animal), the best part of the movie was the photo slideshow during the credits. That almost had me falling out of my chair. But when it's the credits that make you laugh that hard, it's probably a bad sign because you shouldn't have to wait 90 minutes for that kind of laughter in a comedy. Oh well, it was still a solid flik, and I will hopefully find more to enjoy when seeing it on cable.
I miss rock climbing. Damn, I was good at it, and maybe I still am. Who knows, maybe it's like riding a bike. I've never camped before, not once, but watching movies like Blindsight makes me think it could be really fun. Especially if there was a goal like the summit of Mount Everest at the end of it. Just kickin it at the gorge in Kentucky just isn't enough.
Watching Blindsight is something you should do if you're just looking for a pure-hearted documentary. It starts with a guy named Erik Weihenmayer, who was the first blind person to scale Everest. Think about that for a second. Oh, hell, think about it for a few minutes. A blind guy climbed to the top of the highest peak on the planet (and seven of the other highest peaks in the world as well). I'm happy when I catch the train on time in the morning.
Erik then decides that as a confidence builder and life-changing experience, he's going to get guides and lead a team of 8 blind tibetan children to the top of Everest. Sounds crazy, right? We're talking about a mountain and an experience that kills even the most seasoned climbers. Read Into Thin Air and tell me I this sounds like a good idea for a bunch of young kids with no climbing experience.
Well, in the end the movie breaks down some stereotypes and also shows the insides to cultures I thought I knew about but clearly only the surfaces. Gives you a better understanding of the power of giving yourself something to strive for that may be bigger than you can think possible.
It's amazing how good going to the movies feels when you realize you have not been in a really long time. Sure, there are tons of movies out right now that I really do want to see, but I've just not had the time and so I have been making do with massive Netflix viewings. But I was able to free up a couple hours to see the new Harry Potter movie, since it's been tradition that the wife and I go on opening weekend, and to let her down now would mean I'd have to sleep outside with all the bugs and I am not up for that.
Being the sixth movie and with only two more left (they are splitting the final book into two films, in case you hadn't heard), this means that the Half-Blood Prince was probably going to leave me with more questions than answers. Well it did. I guess I could be one of those millions of people who actually read the books themselves, but I am way too busy reading other stuff and my interest in the story and characters is quenched just fine by the films, thank you very much.
For those who grew up with the books and the subsequent movies, I bet they are interesting and fun to watch. I do wonder how those parents with kids around 9 or 10 are feeling about these movies, though, because they are by no means easy going. People are dying, the plot is getting more and more depressing and dark, and beyond your typical teenage puberty-induced recognition of the opposite sex, there is not much in the light-hearted, family film nature within this movie. It's one thing to have aged along with the actors who are playing these characters; you get used to it as the movies progress. Jumping in now at a younger age has got to be inducing some nightmares in these kids.
Seeing the movie in our new local cineplex was nice. At least it didn't turn out to be the talk/cell/text fest that Gallery Place or Bethesda theaters have become. The only real weirdness (and I have heard it from others) is that males are getting a little too into Emma Watson. I don't deny that she's cute and probably going to be quite the looker in years to come, but I'm getting a little weirded out listening to guys in the theater start talking about nailing that girl. It's just creepy.
In any event, the movie itself was tense and while I still wish I could see more of Alan Rickman (love that guy) and Helena Bonham Carter (ditto for the gal), I think the final two movies are going to be a great finale to a fantastic film franchise. I just wish they treated Marvel and DC franchises this well.
If nothing else, you should see this movie because rarely do you get to see a female-dominated story that has nothing to do with 27 bridesmaid dresses, Julia Roberts, teen pregnancy or trying to fall in love with the guy who is your best friend and you two just didn't know that it was love and not friendship. And best of all, it's a movie that is pretty darn good.
Frozen River is also the rare film that has strongly written female leads in a compelling and present-day tale of economics and race. Ray and Lila have an unusual and needed friendship that relies on trust, which neither of them has. Ray (Melissa Leo in her Oscar-nominated role) is making every end meet in order to raise her two children and make payments on everything from keeping the TV to a new house. The house is a double-wide, not some McMansion. There is a daily urgency in her passion to keep her youngest believing in the mystery of their lives while her oldest fights to become the man of the house while possessing no real maturity to do so. Lila delivers a natural understanding to the native communities and their own struggles, which are one-in-the-same with Ray's but yet rooted in a completely different perspective.
They are both searching for a form of freedom, and therefore their decision to partner together (even if not by choice) makes perfect sense while their scheme is wrought with tensions and pitfalls. Whether they achieve their goals is for you to watch and discover, but I can say the 90 or so minutes is worth the viewing.
I actually watched this miniseries from the Discovery Channel months ago, but since this is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, I thought I would toss out this review now.
Watching a beautifully edited miniseries about NASA and its quest to reach the moon, it definitely left me in awe of the men and women who did this kind of work and the enormous amounts of physical and emotional stress those astronauts experienced. Seeing all this in Blu-Ray format is something I highly recommend. I can definitely see Kelly and Douglass getting into a DVD set like this. The three of us always talk about random programs we have watched on Discovery, National Geographic or History channels, so I think they would dig it. Plus, Douglass all but has stars and stripes tatooed on his chest so an all-American video like this is right in his wheelhouse.
Unfortunately my appreciation of space travel and exploration is marred by the Discovery and Challenger explosions. The Challenger explosion is perhaps the first real "Where were you when ...?" moments of my life and probably my generation. But even those terrible moments don't detract from the amazement I feel when listening to these guys talk about what they went through, and the beauty of seeing the videos of the first space walks and the famed Earthrise photo, still considered 40 years later as perhaps the most influential environmental photo ever taken. So make a point to watch this DVD series. You won't be disappointed.
Growing up, I listened to a lot of west coast rap. NWA, Ice Cube, Ice T and others. I'll be honest, I thought the lyrics were cool and the beats even better. It was just great music to play football and basketball to in my neighborhood. My friends and I once watched Colors and we thought the movie was crazy and no way could it be true. But let's be honest also, I was a white middle-class kid from Kentucky, so it's not like I really knew what the hell they were talking about.
Obviously as I have grown older and read more and watched more to educate myself on this world of ours, I get to experience some mediums that better open my eyes to how certain cultures are created. And the story of the Bloods and the Crips, the most violent gang rivalry in American history, is one that cannot be overlooked when discussing eras in our nation's history where we have failed a large number of our citizens.
It's not a perfect documentary, by any means. Too many times the film seems to give a free pass to the gangs simply because of America's racist history. I completely see how the poverty-stricken culture and psychologies prevalent throughout South Central were fomented by the uber-racist housing policies, a lack of job creation and an equally racist police department. Where the film fails is properly challenging the gang members and others interviewed about how all of this pervades and continues when so many of them seem to want to change but are not asked why they do not.
It's definitely a documentary worth seeing, if nothing else for besides the interesting lesson in how these gangs were created, it briefly but importantly touches upon the 1965 and 1992 riots in Los Angeles. These riots were not random events by a bunch of miscreants. Here were large communities pushed to a brink and having a flash point ignite their rage. Plus, I think for a bunch of us midwesterners and others who thought the rap we listened to back then was just for show or money or whatever, it's worth seeing that there is real pain and anger behind it.
Stacy Peralta made a great doc his first time out with Dogtown and Z Boys. This time he tackles a more precarious subject, which is not one to avoid but to dig deeper into to truly understand the problems and potential solution. Sadly we only skim the surface here.
Beyond just reviewing the movies I see, I am sometimes compelled to tell this audience that a movie is so important that you darn-near need to drop what you are doing and watch it. Dear Zachary is that kind of movie. And it’s such a good movie that I don’t even want to discuss all the contents and plot of this documentary, because I fear that even a cursory discussion of the story would give away a crucial details. This is such an intimate story of six people (plus tons more outsiders) that you cannot help but be riveted by the developments as they progress. All I can say is that when you are done seeing the movie (and not before), I encourage all of you to check out dearzachary.com and learn more about this family and their cause. It’s worth your time to see how this story unfolds.
It was a movie-filled weekend for me. Luke was in town, needing the escape from Lexington. The weather was pretty crummy this weekend (and for the last month, as well), so after grubbing down a burger and a few beers we went and checked out a movie. Then Sunday night the goddess divine and I decided to bust through two quick movies. In all, it was a 3-for-3 experience. All three were solid.
Star Trek I have never claimed to be the biggest Trek fan. When I interned at the St. Pete Times, the copy desk folk as a parting gift gave me a Mugato doll after one morning we had an epic Trek discussion in which I ridiculed for 20 minutes how classic the Mugato's costume was (pretty much a gorilla outfit spray-painted white with a horn duct taped to the head). But I never watched the TV series all that much, and I never saw a single episode of any spinoff.
I can say that I learned a lot of my Trek knowledge from two of the greatest documentaries ever created, Trekkies and Trekkies 2. I cannot overstate enough how fantastic these are. Must-sees for anyone who enjoys comedy and people who admit way too much about their lives.
To the new Trek movie, Luke, Dan and I were pleasantly surprised by how good this reboot was. I have never been a fan of anything JJ Abrams has done, but he handled this material quite well. The action is edited a little too hectically. And the plot devices are a bit of a stretch. But the dialogue has classic quips from the characters and everything just came together in a tight package that was well worth the $11 we shelled out for a matinee show (yeah, thanks for that matinee discount ... what a ripoff). So check this movie out if you want a welcome introduction to summer blockbusters.
Doubt Whew, a tad of a heady flick here. No explosions here. No fancy CGI. Just some quality performances from some of the best actors in the busineess. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Viola Davis. Just a crazy good cast. Superb dialogue. Solid camera work and working script to let these people do what they do best. The pacing is just right and I was riveted, even if the story is bleak and the resolution left purposefully opaque.
As a child of Catholic schools and the current era of priests doing bad and the church having to pay off truckloads of money to make amends (guess those novenas weren't enough for forgiveness), this movie does touch a nerve and mean a little something more to me, even if it is set in 1964. Again, not the most uplifting film, but if you want to see a damn fine film, you should put this on your list.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist In the era of Superbad and Juno, this movie initially didn't appeal to me. Figured it was too much in the wheelhouse of the crap my sister likes, but the wife was complaining about me picking too many depressing movies so I had to lighten it up every once and awhile. And she's got a innocent but funny crush on Michael Cera, so it was an easy pick.
I gotta say ... not a bad movie. Not winning an Oscar. Not winning a Golden Globe. Hell, probably getting shut out in the MTV Movie Awards, which pretty go to anyone named Michael and Cera. This does not diminish how fun the movie is to watch. It's got some interesting characters, and while they say typical stuff, it's nice that they are not entirely stereotypical. The big draw (given it's title) is the music incorporated into the film. Most of it is teenage pop stuff, but there are some nice tracks thrown in to boot (plus a solid track from one of my favorite bands, The National).
This movie may divide viewers, as some may hate it while others love it. Me, I thought it was pretty good. It has at least reached the tier of movies that if nothing else is on cable, I can watch it without completely ignoring it.
Being a fan of Kevin Smith films has never been hard for me. Some people grew up on certain musicians and cultural lightning rods. One of mine was certain Clerks and all the other subsequent films Smith made. Chasing Amy was the perfect (if not refined) date movie and its still great to see Ben Affleck and Jason Lee before they got huge. Also, Mallrats is an underrated classic.
Clerks 2 was decent but not great, and Jersey Girl was kinda crap so I was worried he had lost his schtick. But luckily he rebounded well with Zack and Miri, another "date movie" if you can call it that. I like Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogan was awesome in Knocked Up and his side stint in Superbad was solid. The movie has great pottymouth jokes and has some good rambles and one-liners you expect from Smith.
Even seeing a sobered up (maybe???) Mewes was a nice sight, even though he's just getting worse looking by the day, and I can only hope he's kicked the habit. And I love the guy who plays the warehouse guy in The Office. He's doing a great job of not taking any lead roles just yet and just continuing to rock things out from the sidelines. For some good laughs and funny faux porn scenes, this is a worthy movie to check out.
It's a Wonderful Life (1942): I could not believe it when the wife told me she hadn't seen this movie from start to finish. We've probably watched A Christmas Story 11,000 times over the years during the Christmas season, but she'd never seen this Jimmy Stewart classic. It's always amazing to watch this and remember how hot Donna Reed was. Stunning lady. If there is someone else besides the wife who hasn't seen this movie yet, just know it's a holiday classic that is must-watch status. Even though it has some cheese ball moments (including some of the hammiest "we're drunk" scenes from guys who are not even remotely intoxicated), there is still some great stuff to think about in this movie. Themes of appreciating what you have, knowing what's important versus what isn't, and don't ever wander across a bridge during a snowstorm are all touched upon. I'm not saying you have to watch this movie instead of seeing Ralphie shoot his eye out, but you could do much, much worse.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1946): This was a rare one on the list that neither of us had seen. Which is only shocking because it has a lot of singing and dancing, something that I think was drilled into my wife from the moment she exited the birth canal. Ok, maybe that was a little strong. But in any case, it was weird to see that she hadn't at least seen it. I thought it was fiction at first, but learned it's actually the true biographical story of George Cohan, a vaudeville actor who ends up being the biggest badass in Broadway history. This movie charts his life beginning with his family and then making a name for himself. There are about 18 musical numbers in this movie, many of which are war songs that the wife's grandfather absolutely loves and has on CDs that he plays in the house when people are around. Good stuff. I'm not sure if they play this movie during 4th of July or Memorial Day weekends, but they should; it's very patriotic stuff. I'm honestly not sure if I'll ever watch this again because it wasn't the greatest movie I've ever seen (probably why it was the last movie to make the cut on the list), but hey, it did make the list so it means it had to be watched.
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