Monday, April 24, 2006
Peter Jackson Beat Me Up
This review is a little late coming. I watched King Kong a couple of weeks ago. But you will have to pardon me because it has taken me over two weeks to catch my breath and get my heart rate down.
I spent the first hour of this movie wondering if anything was going to happen and when? And spent the last five hours wondering if it was ever going to stop? The ride this movie carries you on is unreal. There is a great build up in the beginning, which was not boring, but seems so in retrospect. Peter Jackson paints a beautiful landscape before he unleashes his beast upon it. Setting the stage with wonderful shots, most memorably of the ship and the sea and of course the creepy skull island. He smartly establishes his actors very firmly before allowing the monkey to steal the rest of the movie. This way you look back on the film and think Jack Black, Naomi Watts, and Adrien Brody did a fantastic job. If the ape would have came in sooner you would barely remember their characters though. Naomi Watts really stands out in this movie because she really brought her character to life. She stands by her morals early on and displays an always believable and endearing emotional capacity throughout the entire film. I can't say I have been a fan of hers in movies past like I was with Adrien Brody and Jack Black, both of whom I remember fondly from other pictures. Naomi Watts has made many pictures most of which I have never had any interest in watching. The only real point of reference I had for her going into the movie was The Ring, a movie which I loathed but thought she did an okay job in. But she did a great job in King Kong of establishing herself as an up and coming actress, by playing an actress who is trying to be up and coming.
Now the second part of the movie. I don't know what to write here. I really don't. It was simply amazing. Kong shows up in the movie with still two hours to go, but those are two hours you barely notice. There is no chance to turn and look at the clock, or desire to. When Peter Jackson decides to start throwing punches he doesn't quit. Peter Jackson is also not content to just physically excite you, he excites you emotionally. Getting you behind characters and leaving cheering and screaming at your television. The battle between the one hundred T-rexes and Kong was not only intense, Jackson did a fantastic job of making it harrowing by letting you experience it not just from Kong's perspective, but from Ann's also. Later you found yourself cheering for Adrien Brody in his attempts to rescue Ann, but at the same time you felt pity for Kong.
There is little I can say about the special effects that hasn't already been said. Peter Jackson is the new Steven Speilberg and George Lucas. Only he may actually be better. Kong looked and acted so real that during the movie you could actually suspend belief and accept that there might be an island somewhere with a giant ape on it. But to continue to harp on the emotional aspect, Kong's emotional depth is what really brought him to life. His curiosity at finding Ann. His rage at those who would take her away, and in what maybe my favorite scene his humor at watching Ann amuse him. I am not sure who should get the credit for all that, Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis, or maybe just the CGI team, but bravo.
The single biggest surprise of the movie was the ending. Yes I knew how the movie would end, but what amazed me was that even knowing this I was touched by the ending. It was very sad and very beautiful. This was Naomi Watts finest moment in the movie, she was the one who really sold the end, although once again that deeper emotion than I was expecting was right there in Kong.
One criticism of King Kong I have heard it that it was just "too much". I can see that and can understand how that would hurt the movie for some. That too much factor was a good reason why I loved it. Too much makes me want to see it again to see all that I missed. Too much was a nice surprise when so many movies offer too little. But it does make it hard for anything to stand out in a movie with too much.
One last thing, for all my pop culture knowledge, for all my ability to notice sublte influences in other movies, for all my expertness on picking up the roots and branches of films. I never realized until I watched this version of King Kong that Jurassic Park: The Lost World was a homage to King Kong. How did I not notice that? That couldn't be more obvious and yet somehow I missed it? My powers, they are failing.
I spent the first hour of this movie wondering if anything was going to happen and when? And spent the last five hours wondering if it was ever going to stop? The ride this movie carries you on is unreal. There is a great build up in the beginning, which was not boring, but seems so in retrospect. Peter Jackson paints a beautiful landscape before he unleashes his beast upon it. Setting the stage with wonderful shots, most memorably of the ship and the sea and of course the creepy skull island. He smartly establishes his actors very firmly before allowing the monkey to steal the rest of the movie. This way you look back on the film and think Jack Black, Naomi Watts, and Adrien Brody did a fantastic job. If the ape would have came in sooner you would barely remember their characters though. Naomi Watts really stands out in this movie because she really brought her character to life. She stands by her morals early on and displays an always believable and endearing emotional capacity throughout the entire film. I can't say I have been a fan of hers in movies past like I was with Adrien Brody and Jack Black, both of whom I remember fondly from other pictures. Naomi Watts has made many pictures most of which I have never had any interest in watching. The only real point of reference I had for her going into the movie was The Ring, a movie which I loathed but thought she did an okay job in. But she did a great job in King Kong of establishing herself as an up and coming actress, by playing an actress who is trying to be up and coming.
Now the second part of the movie. I don't know what to write here. I really don't. It was simply amazing. Kong shows up in the movie with still two hours to go, but those are two hours you barely notice. There is no chance to turn and look at the clock, or desire to. When Peter Jackson decides to start throwing punches he doesn't quit. Peter Jackson is also not content to just physically excite you, he excites you emotionally. Getting you behind characters and leaving cheering and screaming at your television. The battle between the one hundred T-rexes and Kong was not only intense, Jackson did a fantastic job of making it harrowing by letting you experience it not just from Kong's perspective, but from Ann's also. Later you found yourself cheering for Adrien Brody in his attempts to rescue Ann, but at the same time you felt pity for Kong.
There is little I can say about the special effects that hasn't already been said. Peter Jackson is the new Steven Speilberg and George Lucas. Only he may actually be better. Kong looked and acted so real that during the movie you could actually suspend belief and accept that there might be an island somewhere with a giant ape on it. But to continue to harp on the emotional aspect, Kong's emotional depth is what really brought him to life. His curiosity at finding Ann. His rage at those who would take her away, and in what maybe my favorite scene his humor at watching Ann amuse him. I am not sure who should get the credit for all that, Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis, or maybe just the CGI team, but bravo.
The single biggest surprise of the movie was the ending. Yes I knew how the movie would end, but what amazed me was that even knowing this I was touched by the ending. It was very sad and very beautiful. This was Naomi Watts finest moment in the movie, she was the one who really sold the end, although once again that deeper emotion than I was expecting was right there in Kong.
One criticism of King Kong I have heard it that it was just "too much". I can see that and can understand how that would hurt the movie for some. That too much factor was a good reason why I loved it. Too much makes me want to see it again to see all that I missed. Too much was a nice surprise when so many movies offer too little. But it does make it hard for anything to stand out in a movie with too much.
One last thing, for all my pop culture knowledge, for all my ability to notice sublte influences in other movies, for all my expertness on picking up the roots and branches of films. I never realized until I watched this version of King Kong that Jurassic Park: The Lost World was a homage to King Kong. How did I not notice that? That couldn't be more obvious and yet somehow I missed it? My powers, they are failing.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Brokeback Mountain: A Chick Flick With No Chicks
Okay, it had women in it. In fact, despite being a gay cowboy movie, it had boobies in it too. Not only did it have boobies it had Anne Hathaway's boobies. If you don't know her by name she is that bubbly girl from such Disney movies as The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted. I would have to assume that exposing your breasts in a gay cowboy movie means you have to give up the right to be in Disney movies for the rest of your life.
I knew from the get go that this movie was not going to be easy for me to watch. As liberal as I am, and as non-homophobic, I still find it to be a little gross for two men to be kissing. And this movie worked quickly to not alleveate these fears. Not more than twenty minutes into the film there were Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal kissing and buggering each other. Luckily the roughest stuff to watch was over early. I would compare this to Saving Private Ryan in that sense. Sure there was a bit of gore throughout Saving Private Ryan, but they packed the worst hardest to watch stuff right at the beginning. Brokeback Mountain did this too, the first thirty to forty-five minutes was uncomfortable to say the least. The rest of the movie was about this theme, but it was blessedly free of the most uncomfortable stuff, you know, like two guys buggering each other.
I didn't hate the movie, but I didn't like it either. In the end it was just a romance movie. A romance combined with a tragedy. Let me give praise where praise is due though first. Heath Ledger was amazing. Until this movie I didn't like Ledger and did not think him much of an actor, but his performance is amazing and totally believable. Gyllenhaal was good, but nothing special. The other notable performance was Michelle Williams as Ennis Del Mar's(Ledger) wife Alma. She unfortunately suspects what is going on between her husband and his fishing buddy and spends the movie in anguish grappling with this knowledge. Her character is as tragic and the two lovers who can never really be together. Ang Lee's direction was simply beautiful. The shots of the landscapes and the scenery were breathtaking. The music was so perfectly blended in the movie that it affected your emotions and much as the performances did. My only complaint to Mr. Lee would be that the film was about thirty or forty minutes too long. My wife lost all interest by the time end came. And it was a great ending, not the best I have ever seen, but a great ending nonetheless. I was almost as bored as my wife, but I did find myself touched by the end of the film. Without that ending the movie would have slipped below mediocricy, but the end elevated it to atleast average in my opinion.
It was boring, despite the good characters it was very boring at one point. When you even try to remember the movie after watching it you can't recall what happened for about an hour and a half in the middle of the movie, because it seemed to go nowhere very slowly. The beginning of the movie does not prepare you or set the groundwork for Ennis's and Jack's romance. One night the two characters are lying in a tent. Not more than three or four days from having met. One minute they are asleep the next they are buggering each other. That is far from the reluctant setup you would expect from outdoorsmen in an era of sexual repression. Also, I have a social objection to this movie. First let me state that I am a liberal. Why should we be praising and feeling sorry for these characters and there love we dare not speak of. When they first meet Ennis is engaged to be married. After their wild summer and by the time the two meet again both men are married with children. For years after they carry on this secret affair. Maybe I am looking at this all wrong, but an affair is still an affair even if you are having sex with someone of the same gender. I know the morals of our country are always questionable, but isn't sleeping around on your wife still a bad thing. I do realize that these two didn't feel they could ever be together and they tried to get on with their lives and be as normal as possible, but their wives are paying the price for societies bigotry and their husbands lusts. But like I said maybe I am missing the point somewhere. I am all for gay rights and social acceptance and I am glad this movie brought those issues to the forefront for a while. I am most hopeful that the movie can touch some of the people that see homosexuality as wrong and maybe make them rethink these thoughts. But if you are just looking for a good, entertaining movie, maybe you should rent King Kong instead.
I hoped I could write this article with out bringing up the word Oscar, but I can't I have to say this. The Academy of voters got everything comepletly right. Ang Lee won for best director and as well he should have. The movie was beautiful and wonderfully shot. Paul Haggis did a great job with Crash, but Ang Lee did a better job with Brokeback Mountain. Crash was the better of the two pictures on almost every level. People want to attribute social signifigance to Brokeback, but it is not as strong laid out in the movie as you have been led to believe. You don't watch this movie and think, "Damn, why can't society be more accepting of homosexuals?" You simply think, "Damn, was that sad." Crash left you think and pondering the way you interact and think of people of different races, and isn't that what a socially signifigant movie does, leave you thinking and questioning. Crash was more entertaining and while that isn't the only factor, to me it is the most important. Crash has excitement, a little humor, and scenes that leave you an emotional wreck, "Thank god for invisible magic capes." When you watch Crash you feel you watched something important, when you watch Brokeback Mountain you feel like you watched a slightly above average romantic tragedy.
I knew from the get go that this movie was not going to be easy for me to watch. As liberal as I am, and as non-homophobic, I still find it to be a little gross for two men to be kissing. And this movie worked quickly to not alleveate these fears. Not more than twenty minutes into the film there were Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal kissing and buggering each other. Luckily the roughest stuff to watch was over early. I would compare this to Saving Private Ryan in that sense. Sure there was a bit of gore throughout Saving Private Ryan, but they packed the worst hardest to watch stuff right at the beginning. Brokeback Mountain did this too, the first thirty to forty-five minutes was uncomfortable to say the least. The rest of the movie was about this theme, but it was blessedly free of the most uncomfortable stuff, you know, like two guys buggering each other.
I didn't hate the movie, but I didn't like it either. In the end it was just a romance movie. A romance combined with a tragedy. Let me give praise where praise is due though first. Heath Ledger was amazing. Until this movie I didn't like Ledger and did not think him much of an actor, but his performance is amazing and totally believable. Gyllenhaal was good, but nothing special. The other notable performance was Michelle Williams as Ennis Del Mar's(Ledger) wife Alma. She unfortunately suspects what is going on between her husband and his fishing buddy and spends the movie in anguish grappling with this knowledge. Her character is as tragic and the two lovers who can never really be together. Ang Lee's direction was simply beautiful. The shots of the landscapes and the scenery were breathtaking. The music was so perfectly blended in the movie that it affected your emotions and much as the performances did. My only complaint to Mr. Lee would be that the film was about thirty or forty minutes too long. My wife lost all interest by the time end came. And it was a great ending, not the best I have ever seen, but a great ending nonetheless. I was almost as bored as my wife, but I did find myself touched by the end of the film. Without that ending the movie would have slipped below mediocricy, but the end elevated it to atleast average in my opinion.
It was boring, despite the good characters it was very boring at one point. When you even try to remember the movie after watching it you can't recall what happened for about an hour and a half in the middle of the movie, because it seemed to go nowhere very slowly. The beginning of the movie does not prepare you or set the groundwork for Ennis's and Jack's romance. One night the two characters are lying in a tent. Not more than three or four days from having met. One minute they are asleep the next they are buggering each other. That is far from the reluctant setup you would expect from outdoorsmen in an era of sexual repression. Also, I have a social objection to this movie. First let me state that I am a liberal. Why should we be praising and feeling sorry for these characters and there love we dare not speak of. When they first meet Ennis is engaged to be married. After their wild summer and by the time the two meet again both men are married with children. For years after they carry on this secret affair. Maybe I am looking at this all wrong, but an affair is still an affair even if you are having sex with someone of the same gender. I know the morals of our country are always questionable, but isn't sleeping around on your wife still a bad thing. I do realize that these two didn't feel they could ever be together and they tried to get on with their lives and be as normal as possible, but their wives are paying the price for societies bigotry and their husbands lusts. But like I said maybe I am missing the point somewhere. I am all for gay rights and social acceptance and I am glad this movie brought those issues to the forefront for a while. I am most hopeful that the movie can touch some of the people that see homosexuality as wrong and maybe make them rethink these thoughts. But if you are just looking for a good, entertaining movie, maybe you should rent King Kong instead.
I hoped I could write this article with out bringing up the word Oscar, but I can't I have to say this. The Academy of voters got everything comepletly right. Ang Lee won for best director and as well he should have. The movie was beautiful and wonderfully shot. Paul Haggis did a great job with Crash, but Ang Lee did a better job with Brokeback Mountain. Crash was the better of the two pictures on almost every level. People want to attribute social signifigance to Brokeback, but it is not as strong laid out in the movie as you have been led to believe. You don't watch this movie and think, "Damn, why can't society be more accepting of homosexuals?" You simply think, "Damn, was that sad." Crash left you think and pondering the way you interact and think of people of different races, and isn't that what a socially signifigant movie does, leave you thinking and questioning. Crash was more entertaining and while that isn't the only factor, to me it is the most important. Crash has excitement, a little humor, and scenes that leave you an emotional wreck, "Thank god for invisible magic capes." When you watch Crash you feel you watched something important, when you watch Brokeback Mountain you feel like you watched a slightly above average romantic tragedy.
Monday, April 03, 2006
I Believe This is One of the Signs of the Apocalypse
A transcript of a momumental event has come into my possession and I want to share it with. The setting is the apartment of John Heffernan. Late one night about two years ago he was hanging out with a friend of his, David Dalessandro.
[Something being lit and inhaled, although both men are known non-smokers]
John: Hey dude, got some big news.
David: Really, what?
John: You are not going to believe this man.
[inhaling]
David: Stop dicking around and tell me man.
John: New Line Cinema just gave me a shitload of money to write a movie.
David: Kick ass, what movie, what's it about?
John: Don't know, they said they didn't care, they would make whatever I gave them.
David: Well, surely you got some kind of idea what they want?
[more inhaling and coughing]
John: No really man, they don't care. They said the movie business is going right down the crapper and I think they blame themselves. So they decided to take themselves out of the equation and just let someone else take a shot.
David: Wow, that is awesome, but why you?
John: Same reason I just gave, they want new blood, someone fresh.
David: But John, you have never wrote anything. I mean back in high school I know you did some writing for your school paper. I mean was it any good, can you write?
John: Nah, I sucked at it then and I can't imagine that I would be any good now. Besides they said all I had to do was come up with the idea and write a rough draft they would get someone else with a little background in writing to help me out.
David: John, this is so awesome, congratulations.
John: Yeah, I know, and you know what man.
[more inhaling]
David: Huh?
John: I want you to help.
David: Wait John, I have never written anything in my life, nothing.
John: How many times do I have to tell you it don't matter. I got a lot of money and I am offering it to you just to help me come up with an idea. So you in?
David: Well,....sure, why not.
John: Great.
[long silence]
David: John
[silence]
David: John!
John: Sorry I kinda zoned out there for a minute.
David: When do you want to do this.
John: Hell, let's go ahead and get this over with tonight.
David: Tonight, John we can't do this in one night.
John: The hell we can't, I ain't gonna waste days pouring over this for a few million bucks.
David: John?
John: Forget man, let's get started the quicker we get this over with the quicker I can go to sleep. First, we need a setting.
David: How bout New York.
John: Nah, that will be too much work. You have to secure sections of the town you are going to shoot in and getting all those extras. Somewhere smaller so we don't have to change sets alot. Somewhere where we can only have a few people, less than a hundred.
David: How about a train?
John: Nope, too romantic. Too roomy too.
David: Plane?
[inhaling]
John: Perfect. So we have a place. what is going on there?
David: Damn that's big question.
John: Yeah I know, but keep it simple. I don 't want a complicated plot. Just somebody trying to kill someone else. Things like that.
[long silence and more inhaling]
John: I got it. One man is trying to kill another man.
David: It took you all that time to think of that. What's the hook?
John: Hook?
David: What makes this different from any other movie about killing a man.
John: Since when do movies have to be unique or original?
David: I got it maybe the one man is using a wierd weapon to kill the other man.
John: Okay, Okay. I am with you so far.
David: What if it is a tiger?
John: On a plane, what are you smoking?
[both men laugh heartily]
John: I do like the animal idea though, but go smaller.
David: Rats
John: No
David: Snakes
John: No, ..... wait. Snakes sure that could work. CGI snakes though.
David: Of course, who wants to spend all day around real snakes, probably couldn't get them to do what you wanted anyway. Besides with all the money were getting paid we can make some little snakes look good. Have you seen what Peter Jackson is doing with a giant ape.
John: We could make them look real, but that take time and money. I don't think I want to spend money on that and I know I don't want to take the time to do it right, that could take over a year in post.
David: So we have snakes on a plane, what are we going to call it.
[silence]
John: Snakes on a Plane.
David: Yeah, what are we going to call it.
John: Snakes on a Plane, that's what we are going to call it.
David: Simple and catchy I like it. But still?
John: What?
David: This is pretty stupid.
John: Yeah, so.
David: The studio will be upset if it doesn't make some money. People aren't going to watch it when they hear how stupid it is and see how bad the effects are.
John: Well, tell you what. Let's get a recognizable star to be in it.
David: Well, it can't be anybody to picky.
John: True.
[inhaling and silence]
John: Hey, I got it. Who has been in more movies since 1990 than any other actor.
David: Don't know?
John: Well, does these help, Amos and Andrew, Fluke, The Great White Hype, Shaft, The Man.
David: Wait, Sameul L. Jackson.
John: Sure why not, he made Deep Blue Sea, and that could have been called Sharks on a Ship.
David: You know you maybe right, I bet he would do it.
John: Sure he would, now where is your computer let's write this down.
[sounds of typing and murmuring]
Forty-five minutes later.
John: Well, that should do it.
David: Damn, we wrote it all in under an hour. Do you think this is how most movies get started.
John: David, have you been to the movies lately? I think we put in more work on this than most filmmakers do.
[yawning]
John: Well, that's all for me, I am going to bed. I'll call New Line tomorrow.
David: I'm going then. Call me when we need to meet with them.
I only wish the preceding transcript was a work of fiction.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417148/maindetails
John: Hey dude, got some big news.
David: Really, what?
John: You are not going to believe this man.
David: Stop dicking around and tell me man.
John: New Line Cinema just gave me a shitload of money to write a movie.
David: Kick ass, what movie, what's it about?
John: Don't know, they said they didn't care, they would make whatever I gave them.
David: Well, surely you got some kind of idea what they want?
John: No really man, they don't care. They said the movie business is going right down the crapper and I think they blame themselves. So they decided to take themselves out of the equation and just let someone else take a shot.
David: Wow, that is awesome, but why you?
John: Same reason I just gave, they want new blood, someone fresh.
David: But John, you have never wrote anything. I mean back in high school I know you did some writing for your school paper. I mean was it any good, can you write?
John: Nah, I sucked at it then and I can't imagine that I would be any good now. Besides they said all I had to do was come up with the idea and write a rough draft they would get someone else with a little background in writing to help me out.
David: John, this is so awesome, congratulations.
John: Yeah, I know, and you know what man.
David: Huh?
John: I want you to help.
David: Wait John, I have never written anything in my life, nothing.
John: How many times do I have to tell you it don't matter. I got a lot of money and I am offering it to you just to help me come up with an idea. So you in?
David: Well,....sure, why not.
John: Great.
David: John
David: John!
John: Sorry I kinda zoned out there for a minute.
David: When do you want to do this.
John: Hell, let's go ahead and get this over with tonight.
David: Tonight, John we can't do this in one night.
John: The hell we can't, I ain't gonna waste days pouring over this for a few million bucks.
David: John?
John: Forget man, let's get started the quicker we get this over with the quicker I can go to sleep. First, we need a setting.
David: How bout New York.
John: Nah, that will be too much work. You have to secure sections of the town you are going to shoot in and getting all those extras. Somewhere smaller so we don't have to change sets alot. Somewhere where we can only have a few people, less than a hundred.
David: How about a train?
John: Nope, too romantic. Too roomy too.
David: Plane?
John: Perfect. So we have a place. what is going on there?
David: Damn that's big question.
John: Yeah I know, but keep it simple. I don 't want a complicated plot. Just somebody trying to kill someone else. Things like that.
John: I got it. One man is trying to kill another man.
David: It took you all that time to think of that. What's the hook?
John: Hook?
David: What makes this different from any other movie about killing a man.
John: Since when do movies have to be unique or original?
David: I got it maybe the one man is using a wierd weapon to kill the other man.
John: Okay, Okay. I am with you so far.
David: What if it is a tiger?
John: On a plane, what are you smoking?
John: I do like the animal idea though, but go smaller.
David: Rats
John: No
David: Snakes
John: No, ..... wait. Snakes sure that could work. CGI snakes though.
David: Of course, who wants to spend all day around real snakes, probably couldn't get them to do what you wanted anyway. Besides with all the money were getting paid we can make some little snakes look good. Have you seen what Peter Jackson is doing with a giant ape.
John: We could make them look real, but that take time and money. I don't think I want to spend money on that and I know I don't want to take the time to do it right, that could take over a year in post.
David: So we have snakes on a plane, what are we going to call it.
John: Snakes on a Plane.
David: Yeah, what are we going to call it.
John: Snakes on a Plane, that's what we are going to call it.
David: Simple and catchy I like it. But still?
John: What?
David: This is pretty stupid.
John: Yeah, so.
David: The studio will be upset if it doesn't make some money. People aren't going to watch it when they hear how stupid it is and see how bad the effects are.
John: Well, tell you what. Let's get a recognizable star to be in it.
David: Well, it can't be anybody to picky.
John: True.
John: Hey, I got it. Who has been in more movies since 1990 than any other actor.
David: Don't know?
John: Well, does these help, Amos and Andrew, Fluke, The Great White Hype, Shaft, The Man.
David: Wait, Sameul L. Jackson.
John: Sure why not, he made Deep Blue Sea, and that could have been called Sharks on a Ship.
David: You know you maybe right, I bet he would do it.
John: Sure he would, now where is your computer let's write this down.
Forty-five minutes later.
John: Well, that should do it.
David: Damn, we wrote it all in under an hour. Do you think this is how most movies get started.
John: David, have you been to the movies lately? I think we put in more work on this than most filmmakers do.
John: Well, that's all for me, I am going to bed. I'll call New Line tomorrow.
David: I'm going then. Call me when we need to meet with them.
I only wish the preceding transcript was a work of fiction.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417148/maindetails
