Are movies over-hyped?

 
More specifically, are movies over-hyped to the point our expectations for a particular film are raised so high, it makes it next to impossible to truly enjoy that movie?

In the era of the internet, film connoisseurs, geeks, nerds, all have 24-7 access to information regarding any film that's due to come out later in the year (or the year after that!). When I was a kid, the only inside access we had was either movie trailers that we'd see on TV or at the movies, or heading to the local corner store to pick up the latest issue of various film magazines. Word of mouth seemed to be the hype machine 30 years ago, and it wasn't uncommon for a films box office to go up in the second or third week of release as opposed to the first. From my perspective, that limited amount of exposure films received until released, offered a sort of innocence along with going to the movies. Now it's just too damn easy to get access to the latest tidbits, and rumors regarding a highly anticipated film.

For example, Ridley Scott's Prometheus has been over-hyped from day one of being announced it was green lit back in 2011. Maybe for good reason, a lot of closet geeks like myself want to see if he has the ability to catch lightning in a bottle twice, by returning to the "ALIEN" universe he successfully delivered on screen back in 1979. OK, great, but what if it sucks? And what if that suckage really stems more from the constant stream of news related to its production, it's leaked plot information, and all of the current movie fandom websites that spew something new every other day about this film? Time will tell what kind of palpable effect it has on the audience opinion.

It makes me wonder if all of this overabundance of information sort of destroys the point of movies altogether. JJ Abrams, who is a writer/director/producer in Hollywood has always hammered home the point of keeping things a mystery to film audiences. The longer you can keep the audience wondering what the movie is about, the better the payoff when they actually get to see the film firsthand. I agree. It gives you a better chance to be in awe once the theater lights go dark.

In the end, it's probably better to avoid the internet all together when it comes to leaked, upcoming film information. Watch the trailer, and leave it at that until you pay your 10 bucks or whatever the hell it costs to see movies these days. Nuff said.

Retro Review: The Conversation (1974)

Some would argue, myself included, that Francis Ford Coppola was at the top of his game when he made The Conversation in the mid-70s. I've spoken with a few people who viewed it and felt it was boring, and slow. I couldn't disagree more. There's a lot of building in this film from start to finish. It all starts with it's main character, Harry Caul, played so masterfully by Gene Hackman. Caul is an extremely private man, and very paranoid within the confines of his world. His one outlet is playing the saxophone while he's not on the job, a job that has him running surveillance of people he's hired to track. One gets the feeling this guy never has any fun, and his only true outlet is his work.

As the story begins he's tasked with tracking a young couple, in park in San Francisco. The deeper we get into the film's second and third acts we see how increasingly paranoid Caul is that this couple he was spying on in the beginning of the film, are going to get murdered. Add to it, he thinks it will be at the hands of the person who hired him to track their every move. (Uncredited character played by Robert Duvall, as well as his assistant played by a young Harrison Ford) Surrounded by this major plot element are more intimate details of Caul's life, and the relationship he has with his main co-worker, Stan, played by the late John Cazele. Stan never feels as if Caul lets him into the know on what's really going on with their work. That drives Caul to the point of quitting as his right hand man. It all connects to the complexity and darker side of Caul. A very private man who wants to do things his way, regardless of anyone else's opinions. It also lends a connection to how he feels about the women in his life. We see a scene where Caul visits what seems to be his main love interest in the film (played by Teri Garr), yet he keeps his distance from her. It's obvious from this scene Caul is a loner, and has no real need for a woman to be living with him. All of these emotions are sold so well by Hackman in the role, you almost forget he is even acting. Even better, midway through the film, Caul is treated to a party from co-worker friends, and essentially a call girl spends the night in his dark, murky apartment. When he wakes up and realizes she isn't there, it really sets off a rage in his face that lets you know he's got some hidden demons when it comes to the relationships of his past. This is a man who has indeed been hurt before.

So as the story nears the films climax, Caul is running around watching his back, and ever so paranoid about what may happen to this young couple that he's convinced will be taken out by his former boss. There's no time to spoil what happens, but if you've never seen this film, the end result of Caul's findings will more than likely have you covering your mouth. Sure, it's not as extreme as some of the vivid things you see in the cinema today, but for 1974, it was a pretty big deal! The rest of this classic is wrapped up beautifully by the soundtrack of David Shire (Some may remember his contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack a few years later), as well as the fantastic sound design, that brought the audience into the world of a surveillance expert. You get to hear so many unique and interesting sounds, and voices you've probably never heard mixed in a film before. For that reason alone, this film begs a viewing on blu-ray, in 7.1 surround sound. You'll think your sucked into the world that Coppola created with this tense, and dark masterpiece. I'm even going to say this film reminded me a lot of the same themes you see in another classic of the same era, Taxi Driver. Two main characters who really start to open their eyes at how dark the world can be, without any light at the end of the tunnel. Nuff said.

Retro Review 2: Rocky II

 
Rocky II has to be one of the more underrated sequels to any movie franchise in the history of cinema. The film's writer/director/actor, Sylvester Stallone, managed to take a character that went through an incredible character arc of the first film and classic, Rocky, and give the character new life. Definitely not an easy thing to do from a writers standpoint. So how did he (Stallone) accomplish this? He wrote a tale about life after a taste of the spotlight.

Yes, Rocky II picks right up where its predecessor left off, and you see a badly bruised and injured Rocky Balboa in the hospital recovering from going the distance with his nemesis Apollo Creed. There's a scene early on in particular that really gave this movie a sense of humility early on. Rocky wakes up in the middle of the night and walks over to Apollo's hospital room. He quietly asks Apollo if he did indeed give him his "best". Apollo (played so well by Carl Weathers) responds by saying he did, and in a tone of voice that exudes mental and physical exhaustion. This wasn't the norm for Apollo's character, who usually is as bombastic sounding as real life boxer Muhammad Ali. Not only did this scene add a true sense of complexity to Apollo's character, it also reminded the audience of just how important the final fight was in the first film.

From there, you get to see Rocky try and find a real job, and life after boxing. He's been told he should never fight again, due to the eye damage incurred from the beating he took from Apollo. Not only going on the job hunt, Rocky and Adrian get married. A lot of subtle, yet touching scenes that continue the magic both characters displayed on screen in the first film. However, after several attempts at finding a regular job, and the frustration that goes along with that, Rocky decides he has no choice but to try and fight again. Not only does he want to do this to support Adrian, but the child that Adrian is now carrying. This leads to seeing Rocky become extremely vulnerable, having to relearn how to box now that he has the added distraction of a wife, and a child on the way. The conflict's that brew central to this character also come from his manager, Mickey, who truly doesn't think it's a smart idea that Rocky goes back into the ring. Add to this, even Apollo's character is going through his own arc of being told he's a loser by fans for allowing Rocky to take him the distance. This motivates Apollo to really go after Rocky in the media, cementing a motivation and drive that forces Rocky to want to fight him again to prove the first fight wasn't just luck.

Now, let's get to the real gem of this film. The final fight. This is in my opinion the best choreographed boxing match I've ever seen in the cinema. Sure, it may not be completely realistic in terms of how many punches are thrown, but it's just a thing of beauty to watch nonetheless. Add to it, the insanely classic score from Bill Conti, and it truly sucks the audience into it, and gets the adrenaline pumping at key points during the fight. It not only tops the fight from the first film, it ups the stakes in the best way possible. I couldn't imagine seeing this film for the first time, before the internet and fan boards ruining plot details, and wondering whether Rocky or Apollo will get up before the ten count. Absolute edge of your seat drama, and I'm not sure many films of today have that kind of gravitas going for it in the third act.

So take a trip down memory lane. Watch Rocky II (especially if you haven't seen it before, shame on you!), and make sure you do it with an adequate surround sound set-up to really make the movie pop the way it should. Nuff said.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol- A one look pony..

For those of you who have seen the previous installment of the Mission Impossible series, Mi:III, and who enjoyed that entry, may find a different feel to the newest installment, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. For starters, JJ Abrams didn't direct this, he "produced" it, which can mean a great many things in terms of how much control or fine tuning he had on the final product. Add to it a new director, Brad Bird, and you have a very different feel for this film compared to the last. That's good and bad in my opinion.

Let's start with the good. The action scenes don't let up, everything is choreographed beautifully, and in a way you're not going to feel sick from trying to keep up with what's being punched, kicked, or thrown out of a window on the screen. Brad Bird shot this film's action scenes in the best way possible, so he gets top billing for that in my book. Even the opening scene has a certain charm to it, with Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt character having to break out of a Russian prison, and I won't spoil what gives it that extra zeal. I would even go as far as saying fans of the original 60s TV series, may sense the same vibe of the classic show in spades throughout this film. Even Michael Giacchino's soundtrack truly pays homage to the classic TV series in a big way. These are all nice touches, but I still came away from this film feeling it missed some things that made the third entry work so well.

So what did it miss? This film lacked that emotional resonance the third one had, and I think that was due in part because Ethan Hunt didn't have his wife to directly worry about as the course of the film went on. Her character was essentially written out of this installment, and only mentioned a few times. There wasn't that major payoff like you had in the last film where Hunt and his wife go to hell and back together and win. Secondly, the films main villains in this were no names compared to the kind of acting chops brought to the table by Philip Seymour Hoffman's villain in the last film. That was the final nail in the coffin preventing me from giving this movie full marks. Every action film has to have that definitive alpha male villain, without it, it prevents it from reaching greatness status. Every classic action film has had them in the past, this one did not!

However, it's definitely worth an evening, and one bowl of popcorn. The action sequences alone hold this baby together, even without a big emotional payoff in the end. Getting to see Tom Cruise act crazy and (no stunt doubles, really!) scale the worlds tallest building in Dubai warrants 2 hours of your time.  Nuff said.

American Reunion: A successful one!

Alright, I'm going to get to the point. If you don't remember the American Pie films from the late 90s, early 2000s, then you just may not see the nostalgia factor in the latest, and most likely final installment of this franchise. However, for someone like myself, who was in their senior year of high school when the original came out in 1999, it was a welcomed trip down memory lane.


The beauty part about this fourth entry in the series is the entire gang is back from the original three films. Does everyone have something worthwhile to do? No, but the main characters you want to see have the most fun, and get their due screen time in this installment. The great story arc to this movie is you get to see a group of friends who have gone on to do various things in their lives 13 years later, and every one of them is having doubts about where they're at in adulthood. It's the kind of thing most people my age can truly relate to, and something that transcends the overtly funny laughs and gags of this film. Sure you get to see Stifler, Finch, Jim, Oz, and Kevin getting into trouble, and getting out of trouble, but the main theme of this film is the fact they all sort of realize they're doing OK in life by the end of the reunion. Many people from my generation will most assuredly enjoy the chance to escape for a few hours and get lost while watching characters going through similar transformation in their life.

Now, the important stuff, Stifler's mom? check. Jim's dad, check. Both are in here and provide some hilarious moments that keep the films comedic pace moving along without any hiccups. Eugene Levy is in top form playing Jim's dad.  The best surprise of all? We get to meet Finch's mom for the first time. That's right, and I wonder how many people will be able to figure out what famous actress she is? She brings new meaning to the term "cougar", and I think you'll find that Stifler agrees!

So go out, enjoy American Reunion, you won't regret seeing the old gang back together again for their high school reunion that couldn't go worse, but yet make you pound your kneecap in laughter wanting more!

Retro Review: License to Kill

It should be noted that most people don't even remember this entry into the James Bond franchise. When I organized a screening for this hidden gem into the Bond films on Syracuse University's campus, not one person ever remembered the title of this film, let alone the actor who played Bond in this criminally underrated entry. Why? Probably because their parents never knew about it either. United Artists and Eon Productions originally spent millions on marketing materials for this film to have a different title: License Revoked. However, at the last minute, producers assumed American audiences wouldn't understand that title had any connection to 007, and instead mistake it for having ones drivers license revoked. Don't laugh, it's true! In the end, they pissed all the money away on a marketing campaign they couldn't use in the U.S.

Having said that, this film brought Bond films back to the 60s flare and style. It had a serious villain, exotic locations, and didn't have an over the top plot that had the film's main villain wanting to take over the world. In this case, the lead villain Sanchez, played by Robert Davi (you may remember him as a special agent in Die Hard, as well as one of the Fratelli brothers in The Goonies) merely wanted to be the king of cocaine dealing for the free world. He was truly one of the best Bond villains in the history of the Bond franchise, adding more than just a one dimensional layer to his character. Davi's portrayal would have you believe Sanchez appreciated loyalty from his workers, and was consistent with rewarding that concept. You may also recognize a very young Benecio Del Toro, playing Sanchez's hencemen, Dario. He was very effective, with a few choice lines that helped elevate his character beyond the few words of dialogue his character was given. Not to be forgotten, the two women playing the Bond girls for this film, Carey Lowell, and Talisa Soto. Both brought more of an edge to the stigma of being a Bond girl. Carey's character Pam Bouvier, plays a CIA operative, and really sells the tough girl persona throughout the film. Talisa's character of Lupe Lamora makes you not only believe why Sanchez would be obsessed in not let letting her out of his grasp, but you also gets the sense she can only take so much abuse before snapping herself.  And last but not least, the actor playing James Bond, Timothy Dalton, did a lot of his own stunts, and tried to earnestly project a persona that Ian Fleming wrote about for the Bond character in the original novels. This wasn't Roger Moore, ham it up Bond. This was grab the girl by the throat, and not even have the courtesy to wink at her or the camera "intense Bond", projected so effortlessly by Dalton. The real shame? He (Dalton) never really started getting credit for his portrayal of Bond until about 17 years later when Daniel Craig played Bond in very similar fashion. It took American audiences almost two decades to really appreciate what Dalton was trying to do with the role in this film and his first entry into the series.

Overall, this film hit all the right notes with amazing action stunt sequences from the films opening montage as Bond and Felix Leiter take to the skies in a DEA helicopter to reel in Sanchez, to the films climax in which Bond uses a tanker truck to his advantage in trying to seek revenge on the death of Leiter's wife. I'm not going to spoil the rest of this film, but it's got some of the best, if not the best action scenes ever put on the silver screen. The pace of the film just works. Just when you think it's going to slow down and suffer from the same fate as a lot of the Roger Moore entries, it picks right up and never lets go. Not to be underrated a fantastic score by the late Micheal Kamen, who scored other action films such as Die Hard and Lethal Weapon during the same era. It's a shame poor marketing, and being released in the ultra competitive "summer of 89" prevented it from becoming the blockbuster it should have been financially.

Hopefully, like many films from decades past, it will continue to become more of a fan favorite as time goes on. One of the Bond producers recently said the film was too dark for the time it was released, and I can only help but wonder what a blockbuster it could have been if released in our current era of darker themed heroes and films. Nuff said. 

Broken Flowers/2005/Bill Murray...

This will not be a conventional movie review blog. I'm going to review whatever comes to mind in a given week and is fresh in my mind for reflection. Having said that, I'm going to give my review for the 2005 film Broken Flowers starring Bill Murray. A film I doubt many of you have seen since it falls into the indie genre...

This film follows the journey of a character named Don Johnston, who suddenly is forced to reflect on who he may have had a son with years ago. You learn in the beginning of the movie that he's obviously a bit of a loner, and a bachelor. The first shots of him in his house show a random woman deciding to leave him.  He doesn't do much to stop her. As the first act progresses you meet his close friend, Winston, played by Jeffrey Wright (you may remember him from the most recent James Bond films, playing Felix Leiter) who examines the pink envelope and letter Don receives from a nameless ex-girlfriend, claiming they had a son together who may be looking for him. From there he tries to plan the best plan of attack for Don to re-visit five ex-girlfriends to see which may have been the mother of his son.

This film is absolutely a character driven piece that examines the journey an emotionless character like Don takes as he tries to find the meaning of why he was sent that letter. By the time you reach the films conclusion you'll either throw something at the TV or you'll be content with the ending. (Which I'm not going to spoil for all of you who must be dying to see this film!) Either way I feel it's an excellent performance by Bill Murray, along with solid performances from Jeffrey Wright and the rest of the cast. Bottom line, if you enjoyed Murray in the 2003 film Lost in Translation, your going to enjoy this film. If not, don't even waste your time. This isn't the Bill Murray of the 80s or 90s, rather it's his best version of a serious actor. I think he's wonderful in his subtlety and mannerisms, but I realize that many mainstream viewers may not be able to stomach that kind of performance.

Lastly, the soundtrack suits the films tone marvelously, and it's well-shot throughout the different locations Murray's character travels to in the story. If your looking for a bit of an escape, check this film out! Nuff said.