Review – ESPN Films’ “Roll Tide/War Eagle”
by Matt Scalici on Nov.07, 2011, under Reviews & Podcasts, TV for Movie People
As someone who was born in the state of Alabama, it’s impossible for me to watch Roll Tide/War Eagle, the latest production from ESPN Films, without feeling some pretty intense emotions. As you’ll see in the film, which airs Tuesday night at 8 pm Eastern on ESPN, being a part of this rivalry means that true objectivity and impartiality is not something you can ever realistically have when looking at the other side, no matter what any journalist covering either of the two teams may tell you. It’s hard to describe to an outsider how all-encompassing, how mind-blowingly intense, and at times how truly miserable it is to be a part of this rivalry – but this movie comes as close as it gets. If I ever need to choose one document to explain what it’s like to live in the state of Alabama, this movie would be it.
That sounds like extremely high praise but it’s really more of an indication of how completely misunderstood this rivalry has been for the length of its existence until very recently. The nation was shocked by the bizarre incident of an Alabama fan poisoning a group of landmark trees on Auburn’s campus last year and while it was certainly an abnormal occurrence, people who live in this state have heard of stranger and more violent happenings resulting from the Iron Bowl rivalry. To the rest of the nation, sports rivalries are something worth getting excited about for a few days a year, the days that the games are occurring. In Alabama, without exception, it’s something that is a part of every single day of your life. That includes Christmas (Auburn or Alabama ornaments on every tree), Thanksgiving (families mentioning Iron Bowl victories among things they are thankful for), and even your own wedding day (so help you God if you planned your wedding on a fall Saturday).
It’s a strange and unique phenomenon that has badly needed exploring by a talented filmmaker and director Martin Khodabakhshian handles it with delicacy by giving both sides equal time to explain their greatest moments and their perspective of the other side. He also chooses both some the most beloved figures from each side (Greg McElroy and Mark Ingram from Alabama, Pat Dye and Bo Jackson from Auburn) as well as some of the most controversial figures from each side (Harvey Updyke, the aforementioned tree-poisoner from Alabama, scandal-plagued Heisman-winner Cam Newton from Auburn) for interviews and manages to get some real insight from every person involved, which is no easy feat considering they are talking about one of the most sensitive subjects they’ve ever been a part of.
ESPN Films in its short life has already produced some of the most fascinating and deeply moving sports documentaries of all time, particularly during its 30 for 30 series that ran on ESPN last year. It has explored much darker and more serious subjects than the Iron Bowl in films like June 17th, 1994 and The Two Escobars (their two finest works so far, in my opinion) but when it comes to getting to the heart of a unique American sports phenomenon, I don’t know that ESPN or anyone else has done a better job than what we see in Roll Tide/War Eagle.
The segment of the film focusing on the strange and sad story of Harvey Updyke was probably the most effective part of the film for me, even though it is the least representative of the normal state of affairs here in Alabama. Updyke is a man who feels both ashamed and astonished at what he did but also deep down has some satisfaction and justification and even pride about what he did. He serves as a parable of what can happen when one lets this rivalry burrow too deeply into the mind and heart. At the end of the day, letting the rivalry get your emotions flowing is part of what makes it fun but you have to learn to turn it off or you could end up like poor Harvey.
Perhaps the most impressive feat of the film is the filmmakers’ resistance to draw some sort of narrative conclusion involving the April tornados that ravaged Tuscaloosa. Many of the less nuanced in-state journalists lept at the opportunity to decide that Alabama and Auburn fans had somehow had their perspectives changed by the tragedy, that it had brought them together and made them forget their silly, petty quarrels. The problem with that viewpoint is that it assumes there is something inherently wrong or petty about the Iron Bowl rivalry. There are freaks out there who take things too far but for the majority of us fans, it’s the source of some of our greatest joys in life. The truth is, people in Alabama love this rivalry and wouldn’t know what to do without it. That’s why the rivalry didn’t diminish one bit after the tornadoes and why it never will as long as both teams continue to care deeply about football.
How the James Bond Franchise Needs to Shrink after Skyfall
by Ben Stark on Nov.03, 2011, under Speculatin' a Hypothesis
The 23rd James Bond film has been announced. Titled Skyfall, the film will see Daniel Craig return, will be directed by Sam Mendes, and will not continue the Vesper/QUANTUM arc from the first two Craig 007 films.
Of course, rumors of this type have been flying around for months. Javier Bardem will, in fact, play a villain, and the script will be written by Bond vets Purvis & Wade, in addition to star screenwriter John Logan (Any Given Sunday, The Aviator, Rango). I’ve only been burned by Bond films twice. Die Another Day was an experience I did not enjoy, but Quantum of Solace really stung. I loved Casino Royale for its sure-handedness, twisting narrative, and cinematic flair. I was optimistic about Quantum bringing on a German director, and its first trailer was impressive. Fellow Film Nerd Ben Flanagan spied hints of the Bourne Supremacy influence early on, but I maintained that if the series stuck with the style established in Casino Royale, the hand-held frenetic action that worked for Bourne would not be shoe-horned into this franchise. Of course, I was wrong. In addition to a rushed script and a bored, License to Kill -flavored tone, the film was, in fact, very dependent on the 2nd Unit action choreography and photography of Dan Bradley.
So, here we are, and I’m honestly trying very hard to be optimistic, and that’s a big problem. The problem with today’s James Bond series is that these movies cannot afford to be bad anymore. The great thing about the grand history of this series is that it always survived bad or under-performing films. In fact, the ability for a Bond film to be critically or financially disappointing gave us some of the character’s gems – the low-grossing masterpiece On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, for example. When I walked out of The World Is Not Enough, which has a thrilling first act that quickly loses steam, I wasn’t hopeless that Bond would disappear forever. In fact, there was another film already in the works. What I didn’t know was that this film would be financed, packaged, and released in a fashion similar to a Lord of the Rings or Spider-Man movie. Die Another Day had to be one of the biggest films of the year, or it would be considered a failure. Consider this: GoldenEye was produced for $58 million. It was a huge success, so Tomorrow Never Dies (an underrated entry, in my opinion) was rushed into production, finally breaching the $100 million budget mark. James Bond movies are no longer kitschy, escapist adventures. Now, they have to be full-on event movies with budgets usually reserved for Roland Emmerich pictures.
Here’s what I’d like to see from the franchise, which has been mostly well-protected from the Hollywood economic system from producers Barbara Brocolli and Michael G. Wilson.
There is Safety in Numbers.
Tone down the budget, crank down the risk. I’d much rather see a fun, creative Bond film every two years than a big, bloated “event” Bond movie every five. Treat it like a TV show, hire a writing staff, and crank some of these out. I should credit The Hollywood Saloon’s John Jansen with opening my eyes to this Bond philosophy. Again, so much of the strength of EON Productions is their insular nature. The only thing these guys need the studios for is distribution, so why even let Hollywood in the door to begin with?
Stay Away from the Auteurs.
Can you really blame kitchen-sink directors like Marc Forster and Sam Mendes if they flub a James Bond movie? The appeal of these movies are not the directorial vision or thematic strength they show off, rather their suspense and character moments. Both of these directors do care about character, but they usually prioritize character under theme (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty, Stay, Finding Neverland). When the series excels, it is under the guidance of a scrappy, skilled craftsman with an ear for dialogue and a mind for visual strategy (Peter Hunt, John Glenn, Martin Campbell). I’d prefer the producers hired a team of young British directors in the vein of Attack the Block‘s Joe Cornish to trade between smaller films, rather than putting such a big task on one man’s shoulders.
Make it British.
I understand that Bond’s adventures were always on a global scale, but I think it’s important to continually show us his regional centrality. In the 60′s, Bond represented a meddling empire. In the 90′s he represented a progressive, humanist “fixer”. It’s important for us to see the “Britishness” of James Bond, as well as his contrast with the government (which has been handled nicely in the newest films). This is why it’s important for a Bond actor to have roots in the Commonwealth, as well as Bond directors. Again, this shouldn’t be a global property just because of its global implications.
Make it Fun.
Contrary to popular belief, Casino Royale was an extremely fun motion picture. Its Bond was brash, rude, and funny, unlike the icy Bond of Quantum of Solace. The action scenes in Casino Royale are among the most playful and imaginative of recent years. In fact, the two biggest action scenes in that film – the opening foot chase and airport car chase – end with quite an ironic punchline. I hope that in Skyfall, as well as in future Bond productions, this wry sense of mischief isn’t traded for icy brutality. On the whole, I could certainly use more Brosnan “smugness” and less Craig “thugness”. I do think Craig has it in him to crack some jokes, but it’s up to the writers, producers, and directors to give him that playground.
Again, I’m forcing my optimism for Skyfall, and I really wouldn’t have to if I knew there was a 24th Bond film that could potentially redeem it. I’m troubled by the scale and risk of these productions. However, I’m also encouraged that, at the very least, the producers are attempting to put some sort of polish on their films. I guess I’ll see everyone at the theater next year, listening to Tom Petty’s newest 007 single, “Skyfallin”.
*In Wonder Mill Films news, we’ve announced our third major project, as well some updates on our newly released feature film, The Nocturnal Third. Check out all the details at www.facebook.com/wondermillfilms and www.thenocturnalthird.com!
FilmNerds Recommends: Halloween 2011
by Matt Scalici on Oct.31, 2011, under FilmNerds Recommends
It’s that time of year again, Halloween. More than most other holidays, Halloween is a movie-lover’s dream, or nightmare if you’re Cinematrimony co-host Francesca Scalici. Some of the other FilmNerds decided to bring you some last minute recommendations for your Halloween night movie marathon and while you’ll probably need to beg, borrow and steal to find them at this point, for future viewing purposes we’ve included Netflix links (just click the images). Enjoy!
Classic Horror (pre-1980)
Ben Flanagan’s Pick – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The first time I saw Tobe Hooper’s road movie bloodbath was in the far too intimate confines of the Ferguson Center theater at the University of Alabama. My brother Graham was running the movie series that fall and had dressed the theater lobby up with cobwebs, fake blood and other Halloween decorations, making for a terrific environment for the eager packed house there for a late night screening of the cult classic. Turns out, the intimate setting wasn’t so much as fun as it was horribly upsetting, yet deeply effective for this particular film. Following several of the genre rules it helped write, the film thrusts today’s seasoned viewer into what might seem like cliched moments, but it all feels perfectly new and disturbing, especially the “family dinner,” where I just wanted to leave. By the end, the screaming vixen might have escaped Leatherface’s wrath, but we sure haven”t.
Craig Hamilton’s Pick – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
I grew up on Horror. So by the time I got to college, I thought nothing could faze me. Then I caught The Texas Chainsaw Massacre around Halloween of my freshman year at Alabama (2001) at the Ferguson theatre (I could venture a guess at who was running the show at that time) and was completely floored at what I was watching. The tension building up during the opening minutes that lead up to the inevitable chaos had my heart beating out of my chest. And, of course, that shockingly brutal and graceless first kill. It’s perhaps one of the best ever. I’ll never forget that steel door bursting open and slamming shut following that unforgiving hammer blow to the head and the dragging of the convulsing victim’s body into the hidden labyrinth of that hideous house. That feeling of horror was back inside me and in full force. My jaw was on the floor.
Matt Scalici’s Pick – Alien (1979)
I’ve been derided by my fellow nerds for calling this arguably my favorite horror film of all time but I stand by the pick. Firstly, it’s undeniably a monster movie in its most basic form. Our heroes creep around dark hallways trying and failing to avoid being eaten by a terrible beast. Simple enough. But there are deeper things going on here that explore societal horrors, things like corporate greed gone horribly awry, the paranoia created by ever-advancing technology. I believe Alien still holds up today when it comes to terrifying effects, even when you include the shockingly highly-lit birth scene. Not many horror movies can still effectively turn stomaches 30 years later.
Graham Flanagan Pick – Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Polanski’s classic smash-hit about a woman who unwittingly becomes impregnated with the Son of Satan still exists as one of the creepiest, if not scariest, movies ever made. Polanski takes an absurd, almost laughable premise and stages it within a totally realistic environment. This is what makes the film work: the idea that something so frightening could happen in someone’s comfort zone.
Contemporary Horror (last five years)
Ben Flanagan’s Pick – Let the Right One In (2008) - Available via Netflix Instant
If you can’t already tell from one of his three stellar trailers for “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy,” few directors have a better grasp on tone than Tomas Alfredson, the Swedish auteur behind this beautifully haunting tale of youngish love and survival from 2008. Alfredson and cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema’s depicts a greater scope than the flat and quiet landscape might typically suggest. Alfredson never shoves any of the violent or scary moments in your face, often hiding them and earning every last second. The wintry, desolate atmosphere creates a thoughtful sense of dread and unpredictability, all rocking at a deliberate and steady pace few contemporary horror films have the discipline to match.
Craig Hamilton’s Pick – The Orphanage (El Orfanato) (2007)
I can appreciate a good scare, but when the film is particularly well made, then that’s quite an achievement. The Orphanage is a beautifully made Spanish film set in an old orphanage where Laura, a woman who grew up there takes her family back to live. The film has some extremely creepy scenes, including one great scene involving the Spanish version of Red Light, Green Light. It’s a scene where you know what is going to happen, but the anticipation is where the fun’s at.
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Matt Scalici’s Pick – Paranormal Activity (2007) - Available via Netflix Instant
It’s been a rough decade for horror but in light of the recent (and hugely successful) release of the third installment in this franchise, I’d like to fully endorse the original film to any of you who haven’t seen it yet. Is it deeply and powerfully disturbing in a way that touches on something important in the human psyche? No. Will it make you curl into a ball of suspense in your chair and then jump and scream even though you knew something was coming? Yes, and really is there any more we should ask of a cheap horror film? This is the perfect Halloween night popcorn movie as are both of its sequels.
Graham Flanagan’s Pick – Catfish (2010)
Last year’s underrated indie “thriller” delivered some of the most brilliant movie marketing we’ve seen in years. Its ambiguous trailers portrayed the film as a Blair Witch or Paranormal Activity-esque ‘found-footage’ horror film. Those brave enough to see Catfish found out that the directors had indeed made a horror film: the first one about Facebook, that is.
Most Disgusting
Ben Flanagan’s Pick – The Fly (1986) – Available via Netflix Instant
David Cronenberg’s twisted sci-fi/horror black comedy mixes some Frankenstein with Dr. Jekyll while throwing in some seriously silly gore that still kinda grosses me out. If you’re a fan of bones not snapping on screen, you might avoid it. I remember many years ago when I saw “The Fly” on TV at about 6-years-old and nearly throwing up in my mouth during the climactic showdown between Geena Davis’ editor and Brundlefly, who pukes up this disgusting acid stuff that melts flesh and bone. Ick. For Cronenberg and gore purists, it’s a must, but for your average film fan, it’s a doozy. Jeff Goldblum’s delightfully wiry performance should win most people over.
Craig Hamilton’s Pick – The Last House on the Left (1972) – Available via Netflix Instant
Thanks to Joe Bob Briggs and his recommendations made on the weekly TNT variety show, MonsterVision, my little sister and I decided to rent the film when we were younger and it didn’t take long before we were scarred for life. It’s not really a horror film. It’s an exploitative and unnecessarily violent film; one made with hardly a budget and those are the scariest kind. A girl is kidnapped, raped and murdered by a gang of convicts who end up staying at the house of the parents of the very girl they had just killed. The Last House on the Left crescendos into a spraying of vengeful and horrific acts of violence by the victim’s parents once they realize who their visitors are. This being a recommends piece, I suppose that I’m technically recommending it, but it’s not for everyone. In fact, it’s hardly for anyone.
Matt Scalici’s Pick – Day of the Dead (1985)
As a whole, this movie is pretty talky and philosophical but I wanted to mention it here because it has perhaps the most disgusting and well-executed practical effects I’ve ever seen in a horror film. Late in the film, one of the key characters, who frankly has had it coming, gets rather horrifically drawn and quartered by a group of hungry zombies. We watch as his guts and appendages are torn off as he screams (simple enough, right?) but what’s truly shocking is when we see his still-screaming head ripped from the body. It’s a combination of great sound effects mixed with truly remarkable prosthetics and puppetry but while you’re watching it, all you can think is “they just ripped that dude’s head off!”
Graham Flanagan’s Pick – Evil Dead 2 (1987)
As if this film’s praises haven’t been sung enough since its cult-fueled video renaissance, I feel like I have something somewhat unique to add. I fear this movie’s title and its cover art might dissuade certain audiences (namely women) from giving it a fair chance, which would be a serious shame, since – despite numerous instances of absolutely revolting blood and guts – Sam Raimi’s low-budget masterpiece serves as one of the funniest (with emphasis on the word ‘fun’) entries in the history of the horror genre.
Worth Another Look
Ben Flanagan’s Pick – The Prestige (2006)
You might not find Christopher Nolan’s dueling magician opus in the horror section of Netflix, but fewer films in recent memory give me the creeps than when Andy Serkis shows Hugh Jackman where Tesla gets his power in an infinite field of giant light bulbs. Honestly, whenever Borden (Christian Bale) or Angiers (Jackman) reads the other’s journal, and the narration begins to address the reader, I catch myself looking over MY own shoulder. Nolan toys with an audience as well as anyone working today, perhaps no better than in “The Prestige,” a sophisticated sleight-of-hand that has you guessing at the onset when the opening shot fades in and Bale asks, “Are you watching closely?” The disjointed timeline, off-kilter handheld camerawork and eerie soundtrack make for as pleasant an unsettling feeling as you could possibly imagine.
Craig Hamilton’s Pick – The Shining (1980)
Having just finished the book I think it’s appropriate to recommend the film for another look. Aside from the fact that it’s Kubrick and Nicholson, you should watch it because it has some of the most frightening images and scary scenes ever made. The Shining is just a brilliant work of horror from a director who specialized in making unforgettable images. A family occupies a closed down hotel during the winter season and the snow completely cuts them off from anyone for the entire winter. With Kubrick, you get minimalism and it’s apparent in The Shining. Not only the images, but the story too is minimal. Nearly every shot is creepy and nearly every shot is slow. It creeps along at a stalking pace, but the speed and tension both pick up to an incredible ending.
Matt Scalici’s Pick – Scream (1996) – Available via Netflix Instant
I admit I’m a little behind the curve when it comes to this franchise, which recently released a fourth installment earlier this year. I didn’t watch the Scream films growing up, as I had parents that cared for my mental well-being and kept me away from slasher films at a young age, except of course when they came on USA Network in a heavily-edited format. I marathoner the Scream movies recently with some friends and while I certainly think it must have had a stronger impact in 1996, when being “meta” was still a fresh idea, I still think the original holds up really well today. The plot is so aware of the audience watching and assumes they are as smart as the filmmakers when it comes to familiarity with conventions of the horror genre. That assumption gives even us jaded film nerds a chance to experience something that horror films rarely give us: genuinely surprising and clever plot twists.
Graham Flanagan’s Pick – Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
One of the most underrated movies of the 90s (and perhaps the most underrated movie in Francis Ford Coppola’s vast filmography) Bram Stoker’s Dracula definitely deserves another look… both for its amazing technical merits and its all-star cast, led by… Keanu Reeves!
The Great Scenes: “In Back of This Place” from MULHOLLAND DRIVE
by Craig Hamilton on Oct.31, 2011, under The Great Scenes
The Movie: Mulholland Drive (2001)
Spoiler Level: Low
The Setup: Two guys are sitting in a café. With great trepidation, Guy #1 recounts to Guy #2 the details of a horrific, recurring nightmare that has haunted him. This nightmare not only occurs at the very café where the scene takes place, but stars both individuals. Guy #1, unable to shake the horrible feeling he’s had from the nightmare, has brought Guy #2 to help alleviate his fears. Guy #2 is slightly humored by the retelling of the nightmare as well as by Guy #1’s actual fear of it coming to fruition. After Guy #1’s account of his nightmare it indeed begins to play out as he described. Guy #2 pays the bill and they leave the café; all in accordance with the dream. However, Guy #1, as he stated earlier, knows that there is something or someone very horrible behind the building. Both individuals make a slow walk outside toward the back of the café even though Guy #1 knows it is hidden there looming. Everything else has gone according to the nightmare, yet they make their slow death march in the direction where the evil resides. You can see the hesitance and dread in Guy #1’s manner, but determined he treads on. All the while the eerie score of Angelo Badalamenti helps to set the mood and the occasional first-person camera angle adds to the effect. The editing cuts from Guys to dumpster seem to lengthen the scene and strengthen the suspense.
The Scene:
Why It’s Great: The scene as a whole comes out of nowhere and has very little to do with the rest of the film. Mulholland Drive is an enigma in and of itself and this particular scene only adds to the mystery. It comes a few minutes into the film and has absolutely nothing to do with anything that has happened up to that point. It takes you completely by surprise. The audience is not expecting a scary scene at this point.
David Lynch takes Hitchcock’s “Bomb-Under-the-Table” theory and merges both the surprise and suspense elements. The audience is experiencing the effects of both aspects of this theory.
- Suspense: We know what’s going to happen because Guy #1 told us. The viewer can either believe it, like Guy #1 or can be skeptical, like Guy #2. Either way, you’ve got some idea of what may or may not happen. The description of the nightmare and the long walk to the back perfectly captures the suspense.
- Surprise: The fact that we have been told what is about to happen in no way weakens the scare. In fact, I wager that it increases the scenes potency. The suspense is true, but when the time comes for the payoff, no matter how ready we think we are, it still takes us completely by surprise.
The great acting by Patrick Fischler, the creepy, ambient score and editing of the walk to the back make this an incredible scene and one that I will never forget.
7 Reasons Why Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park Might Be My Favorite Movie of All Time
by Ben Stark on Oct.25, 2011, under Speculatin' a Hypothesis
While on a recent roadtrip with my wife, it occurred to me that Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park might be my favorite film of all time. I have very personal reasons for unabashadly loving the film, which is releasing on blu ray today. I was 10 years old when the Michael Crichton adaptation hit the big screen, and I knew nothing about it going in, except that it had something to do with dinosaurs… unfortunately, I was pretty sure these dinosaurs didn’t talk, unlike those in Super Mario Bros., which I would have rather seen. Yes, my best friend had to convince me to go see Jurassic Park over Super Mario Bros. I relented, and we caught the first showing on opening day.
So, what’s so great about an effects-laden, seemingly brainless early summer creature feature? Well, let’s start at the beginning:
1.) THE SOUND – You can choose John Williams’ amazing score – the main march of which accompanied my wife and I back up the aisle on our wedding day – or the ominous off-screen sound which everything on Isla Nublar seems to exude, or the ear-piercing shriek of the film’s star animals. Whenever your ear tunes into a sound in this movie, there’s going to be something to pay attention to. Gary Rydstrom and his crew deserved that Oscar, and John Williams added another classic to his ever-growing list, 18 years after he did Spielberg a huge favor by giving Jaws its tune.
2.) CHARACTERS – The characters are organic and unimpeded by star wattage. Just look at Alan Grant’s transformation from an obsessed, mission-centered scientist to a protective father figure. Sam Neill, who gained fame as a villain in Phillip Noyce’s Dead Calm*, starts the film typically cold, and ends up a hero. Had Spielberg gotten his first casting picks, rumored to have been Kevin Costner or Harrison Ford, we would have been begging for high adventure from the first time we met Dr. Grant. Add to Neill other fantastic character actors like Laura Dern, Bob Peck, Wayne Knight, Samuel L. Jackson, and the 90’s most unlikely action hero, Jeff Goldblum, and you have a cast that gets out of the way and lets story be the star.
3.) THE THEMES – The subtext of Jurassic Park is clear, unprojected, and perfectly communicated through sharp, to-the-point dialogue. The inevitabily of chaos, he thunderous power of nature versus the invasiveness of discovery, the danger of rampant consumerism, nihilistic commercialism… All at once, the film praises science, then assaults its worship. Jurassic Park is a Frankenstein story, as all great science fiction stories are. Even the script’s more implausible threads – such as the moment where a middle school student “hacks” an entire digital infrastructure – at the very least reflects one of the film’s major themes: the fallibility of technology.
4.) SHOTS – Oh, the shots. Spielberg is at his suspense-building best here, crafting two of cinema’s greatest scenes of tension. He uses off-screen space magnificently in both the first T. Rex attack and the harrowing Velociraptor kitchen hunt. Blink, however, and you’ll miss one of the great uses of “the fifth dimension of off-screen space”. Spielberg buries the subject of the film’s opening shot in the frame itself. Rarely has there been as a great use of misdirection as in the film’s first seconds: Spielberg opens the film looking high at a tree top, as we watch it rustle, expecting a monster to pop out at any moment… and yet, what do we get? Machinery. Technology. A crate, a forklift, and a look at the film’s true threat: the doomed attempt to cage nature.
5.) EDITING – Again, look at the end of the opening sequence: Juxtaposing the harrowing death of a dock worker in a prestine industrial environment against a smary, white-suited lawyer struggling to walk through a muddy jungle. Jump to the end of that scene, as Spielberg and editor Khan cut from one relic of the Cretaceous – the amber-encrusted mosquito – to another – an uncovered Velociraptor skeleton. How about cutting from the ominous shut down of park electricity to a photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer on Nedry’s desk? Again, look at the T. Rex attack. The pacing of that scene is maniacal. The most terrifying moment in that whole sequence is the pause that we have to endure right before the Rex plunges his snout through the sunroof of the kids’ Jeep.
6.) THE DESIGN – My definition of “design” includes everything in the frame of the film – the mis-en-scene, if you will. I’ve glazed over Jurassic Park’s game-changing visual effects because, in the end, they perfectly mesh with the rest of the movie. Production Designer Rick Carter nailed the look of a sanitized, concrete amusement park, as well as realistic jungle sets. Although current Spielberg cinematographer Janusz Kaminski gets plenty of credit these days, one should not overlook the work here from The Thing and Back to the Future veteran Dean Kundey, responsible for some of the most sure-handed and confident camera movement in action cinema. Again, the shots here are solid, on-point, and the typical Spielberg “atmosphere” is perfectly placed, for example, by lights streaming through jungle mist.
7.) IT’S PERSONAL – Look, I like dinosaurs. I always have. I also like jungle movies. Oh, and I like heroes that wear hats. Plus, John Williams music… aaand corporate espionage. Hm, and the Frankenstein archetype… In fact, man’s struggle to control the uncontrollable might be my favorite narrative theme in general… as if to suggest that’s something you can pick.
Although I’m not quite ready to oust Raiders of the Lost Ark, O Brother Where Art Thou, Seven Samurai, or any of the other movies that have held my “favorite of all time” spot, Jurassic Park has certainly climbed to the top of the mountain and wrangled itself into my top five. One of its greatest feats is its unending rewatchability and likability.
Not only is Jurassic Park a formalist example of the kind of directing I strive for as a filmmaker, it also showcases the kind of fun I like to have in a movie, despite it never losing a sense of sharp commentary and intellectual trajectory. Take another look at Jurassic Park. You won’t be disappointed.
*According to poster Christian, “Sam Neill was hardly a villan in Dead Calm, he was the hapless husband. Billy Zane was the villan.” He is, of course, right. My point about Neill being more of a sinister character actor stands, I think. (I hope.)
Podcast: Cinematrimony – The Ides of March
by Matt Scalici on Oct.07, 2011, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt and Francesca Scalici are back with another episode of Cinematrimony! This week, Matt and Francesca take a look at George Clooney’s latest directorial effort The Ides of March starring Ryan Gosling, Evan Rachel Wood, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti. Will this dark political thriller grab become one of the fall’s top Oscar contenders or will audiences run for escapism in this ugly political environment? Quick warning: listen to this SPOILER HEAVY podcast after you’ve seen the movie (or if you don’t mind spoilers).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – The Ides of March
Podcast: Cinematrimony – 50/50
by Matt Scalici on Sep.30, 2011, under Reviews & Podcasts
This week, Matt and Francesca Scalici take a look at the unconventional cancer buddy comedy 50/50. Listen as Matt and Francesca discuss whether this raunchy yet feel-good comedy will make a splash with audiences and whether it could be a dark horse Oscar contender. Click the link below to listen to the full podcast.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – 50/50
The Great Scenes: “All Growns Up” from SWINGERS
by Graham Flanagan on Sep.26, 2011, under The Great Scenes
The Movie: Swingers (1996)
Spoiler Level: High
The Setup: After a night of barhopping in Hollywood, three friends end up at a diner for some late-night breakfast. Throughout the film, the hero Mike (Jon Favreau) struggles to hit his stride with the ladies. However, on this particular night, Mike managed to make a connection with a ‘beautiful baby’ (Heather Graham) he met and danced with at the storied Brown Derby nightclub. When Mike’s friends Sue (Patrick Van Horn) and the drunken Trent (Vince Vaughn) attempt to offer him additional advice on how to handle the new situation, Mike refuses it, confidently declaring “I have it under control.” This ignites a wild burst of emotion in Trent, who explodes into a rowdy exaltation of his friend who, until this point, needed all the help he could get.
Why It’s Great: Like many scenes in Swingers, this one initially seems to be about Mike… but soon becomes (thanks to Trent) all about TRENT… at least that’s how it may superficially appear.
While Trent does, thanks to his state of inebriation, become the center of attention, his attention happens to be solely focused on Mike. Throughout the movie, Trent takes numerous opportunities to offer Mike romantic advice and urges him to be more confident in his romantic endeavors. At times his efforts seem futile, but that doesn’t deter him from believing in Mike and continuing to encourage him.
In this scene, When Mike says (and means) that he has things “under control,” Trent believes him, and his overflowing sense of joy bursts out in a display of unadulterated emotion. I might liken it to how a little-league baseball coach feels when, after weeks or perhaps months of frustrating instruction, a player who might have seemed hopeless finally figures out how to correctly throw the ball.
Men are, at their core, competitive beings. This scene illustrates the fact that men are also capable of deriving joy not only from their own success, but also from the success of others. Trent is genuinely happy for Mike; so much so that the only way he can think of to express it is via the borderline-primal act of jumping on top of a table, yelling, and discarding items of his clothing.
When I saw this scene for the first time, I got so caught up in its intense, comedic spontaneity that I failed to recognize how it movingly defines the relationship between the movie’s two heroes. In a broader sense, it illustrates a basic human trait that defines the progress that the human race managed to make between the eras of pre-civilization and civilization itself: the ability to root for one another.
“Yeahhh! Dig that!”
PODCAST: Cinematrimony – Moneyball
by Matt Scalici on Sep.22, 2011, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt and Francesca Scalici return for another episode of Cinematrimony. This week we have a special early review of one of the fall’s most anticipated releases, Moneyball starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. Check out Matt and Francesca’s thoughts on the film (SPOILER ALERT) and whether they think it has a shot to be a serious Oscar contender when the dust settles.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – Moneyball
The Great Scenes: ‘Tonight You Belong to Me’ from THE JERK
by Ben Flanagan on Sep.20, 2011, under The Great Scenes
The Movie: The Jerk (1979)
Spoiler Level: Moderate
The Setup: While working a kiddie ride at a carnival, the imbecilic Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) meets Marie (Bernadette Peters), a charming and attractive woman with whom he’d fall in love. After the two hit it off on a couple of dates, they take a moonlit stroll across a beach while singing a due t, called “Tonight, You Belong to Me, together before sitting at a campfire, finishing their song and sharing their first kiss.
Why It’s Great: Martin and director Carl Reiner’s ridiculously absurd R-rated comedy rarely gives us a genuine moment that isn’t meant to just make us laugh or shake our heads, but we’re offered a few that at least provoked another emotional response from me. The first is during Navin’s birthday when his adoptive father gives him his Zippo lighter he’s had since the war, and the second is this sweet moment shared between Navin and Marie on the beach that I still find genuinely romantic.
Up to and after this point, we get a straight broad (but brilliant) comedy about this man born a poor black child without any hint of humanity or tenderness, but for whatever reason, Reiner takes a break from the lunacy for a moment that rivals any of what we consider film’s greatest love stories.
Navin might be a jerk, but he isn’t capable of a disingenuous act or feeling. As he plays his ukelele and walks along the shore with the woman of his dreams, we see this film stripped down to its core, losing its inane and often crude tone. We get to watch our hero, a nice guy, enjoy an evening with his girl. It’s the only honest moment of the film, one where Martin seems out of character, but this is exactly who Navin is.
With that, we’re also treated to a beautiful song sung by Martin and Peters, two talented musicians in their own right, softly punctuated with Martin’s ukelele. Of course, Reiner can’t help himself, letting Peters whip out a trumpet for a quick solo to finish the song. Once they finish their duet, Martin tells Peters he wanted to go through end of her horn and through every last tunnel in it until he found the other end and kissed her.
When Navin makes his move, there’s another silly moment as Peters attempts to avoid the smooch at all costs, fearing she will fall in love with him if they share the embrace. But she gives in, and seals their perfect evening with something Navin deserves for just being a nice guy.
