Back to the Future Trilogy

Back to the Future
Year: 1986
IMDB / Wikipedia / Trailer

Back to the Future, Part II
Year: 1989
IMDB / Wikipedia / Trailer

Back to the Future, Part III
Year: 1990
IMDB / Wikipedia / Trailer

Starring:
Michael J. Fox
Christopher Lloyd
Crispin Glover
Lea Thompson
Thomas F. Wilson
James Tolkan
and Mary Steenburgen

Though I watched this trilogy a couple of weekends back, I can still write this post as nearly every frame of these three films are ingrained in my mind. As a child, I watched movies. A lot of movies. This trilogy, at one point, was up for my favorite movies of all time (in a tight race with Ghostbusters for sure). There were a lot of nights where I would lie awake and imagine myself in a Marty McFly-esque predicament and one way to fix things was to hop in a supped-up car and hit 88 mph to travel to the past or the future. I still think about time travel, its potential, its pitfalls, and what opportunities I would take if given the opportunity. But I digress.

The films hold up well, not only because I loved them once, but because they are structurally sound. They were popcorn films but forced the audience to pay attention and not switch off their brains for a couple of hours. It’s this level of nerd-like detail and love that has inspired science-fiction comedies ever since, including the just-ended Futurama, which is the only example in the genre that comes close to its attention to detail. But the stories are engaging, the characters are well-drawn and well-acted, and the action is just the icing on the cake. It is, at its heart, an 80s movie, but it sets itself apart thanks to the efforts of filmmakers who held themselves to a higher standard.

Most Valuable Actor: It’s easy to put Michael J. Fox in this slot since he was the driver of the entire series, but I have always been partial to Christopher Lloyd’s character, Dr. Emmet Brown. Doc was a great character because he was part Einstein and part Jim Ignatowski, and those two characters could only be amalgamated by someone with the acting and comedic chops of Lloyd. He’s not a caricature, he’s not a buffoon, he’s an eccentric with good intentions and that is why he’s here.

Back to School

Starring Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Downey Jr, and Sally Kellerman
Directed by Alan Metter
Year: 1986
IMDB / Wikipedia

Continuing on my journey, I come across another classic 1980s screw-ball comedy that aligns just in time for the start of the new school year. In Back to School, Dangerfield plays Thornton Melon, an uncouth fashion mogul who enrolls at his son’s (Keith Gordon) college to get the education he missed out on while making millions while also helping his son loosen up and get the full college experience. With his trusted friend/chauffeur (Burt Young) in tow, he romances his English professor (Kellerman), makes an enemy of his up-tight economics professor (Paxton Whitehead), tolerates his son’s hipster anti-social roommate (Downey), and makes fast friends with the dean (Ned Beatty) and diving coach (M. Emmet Walsh). All of this with cameos from Oingo Boingo and Kurt Vonnegut make this one of the more quintessential 1980s films.

The most fascinating aspect of this film is that, though there’s a sports angle in the film (almost every movie about college has some sort of sports slant), it is of an unconventional sport, in this case competitive diving. Though not a popular sport by any means, the film does a good job showing the drama and the common threads of the sport as it pertains to the college social hierarchy as well as showing the bond in the father-son dynamic. I always felt this was something truly remarkable even though Dangerfield’s “Triple Lindy” is as preposterous as it is nearly physically impossible. I’m just glad the proposed remake never happened and this comedy can remain an unparalleled, yet underappreciated, classic.

Most Valuable Actor: One of the driving forces in almost every movie Rodney Dangerfield starred in (with the obvious exception of Caddyshack) is that he is allowed to be the main hub around which the film lives or dies. This can be said about this film in a positive way. Despite the fact he recycles some old lines from his comedy albums, he is still charming and downright likable enough to carry the entire production on his back. Thankfully, due to some deft casting, this wasn’t necessary, which made the film that much stronger.

Trailer:

Bachelor Party

Starring Tom Hanks, Adrian Zmed, and Tawney Kitaen
Directed by Neal Israel
Year: 1984
IMDB / Wikipedia

Now, this is the kind of 1980s comedy I can get behind, if only because it has what every good 1980s comedy has: cheap laughs, decent storyline, solid acting, and gratuitous nudity. Oh, and Tom Hanks in his natural element as a comedic actor, let’s not forget that. Almost everything else in this film could have been replaced by another actor or setting or what-have-you, but Hanks is a comedic genius. I’m not going to go so far and say that winning an Oscar ruined him, but I miss funny Hanks and the only time I get to see him anymore is on his rare appearances on The Colbert Report.

But the movie is still some good 80s comedy gold about a bachelor party for a wild man thrown by his wild friends that quickly spirals out of control into a fit of hilarity. All the while, the relationship is being undermined by the bride’s father, a jealous suitor, and a hotel manager that turn the night into one wild ride that is funny from beginning to end. If you’ve ever wondered where other movies get their ideas about how a wild night can get out of control, they often look to this film as many scenes and gaffes get recycled in later films. Still a good film to see the genesis of those laughs.

Most Valuable Actor: I know I fawned over Hanks in the starring role, but I have to give this one to Adrian Zmed as Hanks’ best friend Jay who orchestrates the entire night of debauchery all with a winning smile on his face. It’s a shame we never really saw Zmed ever again.

Trailer:

Baby Mama

Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Greg Kinnear
Directed by Michael McCullers
Year: 2008
IMDB / Wikipedia

This movie should have been made in the 1980s. It would have worked then. Films about parenting, babies, trying to get pregnant, what to do when you’ve become pregnant, and mis-matched buddy films were all the rage in that decade. If this film wanted to do something special it would have tried to give it a new perspective or a new form, not just a re-hash of something from 30 years ago.

The film is about a woman who wants a baby but cannot have one (Fey) and the surrogate mother she has chosen to carry her child (Poehler). The surrogacy is the only original part of the film that is packed with cliches: Fey, thinking she cannot find a suitable mate actually finds one in Kinnear; Poehler, trying to scam Fey actually ends up carrying a child; the list can go on but I’m done with it. The only saving grace of the film is the sparse well-written lines and the charming performances given across the board. Kinnear was an odd choice for his role, but that’s really my only acting gripe. Honestly, I would rather carry a child myself for 9 months than watch this film again any time soon.

Most Valuable Actor: The acting was solid in this film and Tina Fey did not let herself become a two-dimensional character. She adopted some of her Liz Lemon persona for the role and it worked out well. I just wish the chemistry between her and Kinnear was more convincing.

Trailer:

RED 2

Starring Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, and John Malkovich
Directed by Dean Parisot
Year: 2013
IMDB / Wikipedia

My wife surprises me from time-to-time and, when she told me she wanted to see the original RED when it came out in 2010, I thought she was either messing with me or didn’t fully understand what the movie was about. So, we went to the theater, watched it, and she actually liked it. She wasn’t ga-ga about it, but she had positive things to say. She didn’t bring it up too much and never pushed to buy a copy of it so I thought she tolerated it. However, when the first trailer for the sequel came out she immediately said we should see this one, too. Another surprise. It’s good when your spouse can keep surprising you.

The second was much like the first, lots of explosions, a lot of gunplay, people being killed indiscriminately, plenty of laughs, and a plot that requires a suspended sense of disbelief as a pack of retired CIA spooks trot the globe to find a missing nuclear weapon and the people who want to see it ignite a geopolitical incident. Though implausible, the script is well written, the actors seem to lose themselves in their roles and, in a film where everyone has license to overact, they all seem to share the screen equally well without one overshadowing anyone else. It’s a fun way to spend a couple of hours but don’t look for anything terribly original or groundbreaking. It’s a good ensemble film and the next one will probably be some sinful popcorn fun as well.

Most Valuable Actor: The strength of this cast is their ability to work well together but that also makes awarding this honor next to impossible. Willis is steady but unremarkable, Malkovich and Mirren are both wonderful but don’t get enough screen time to warrant the honor. Newcomer Byung-hun Lee adds a good element to the film but his character isn’t drawn as well as the others. This leaves Parker who is essentially Nancy Botwin in a different life in this film. Fuck it, they all get the honor.

Trailer:

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Directed by Tomas Alfredson
Year: 2011
IMDB / Wikipedia

Every now and then, I will find it necessary to break protocol to tend to my extremely large Netflix queue. This is one of those times.

There are times when I feel that sometimes a story is too involved to be interesting or, at the very least, accessible. At times, I have found films with a myriad of characters and twists too complex to follow and, in turn, lose interest in any sort of conclusion because it will not be satisfying. Perhaps that’s just me and I should pay more attention to these kinds of stories so a masterpiece is not lost on me.

With this film, the story is certainly complex and, yes, I did get lost in it but was able to catch up  at several points. The search for a Soviet mole in the British Secret Intelligence Service had its share of characters, motives, opportunities, twists, turns, and shifts, and it was all cobbled together by a director who fancied himself the second-coming of Stanley Kubrick. While enjoyable, I felt that there were issues with the film trying to do too much in the time allotted and that kept me from becoming fully invested in the development or the outcome. What I did enjoy was the character development and the splendid portrayals of these flawed people by every member of the cast. I may have to watch this one again to get a real sense of the film and maybe discover something the second time around.

Most Valuable Actor: It would be too easy to put Oldman in here, especially since he received an Oscar nomination for his role as George Smiley, but I have to tip my cap to Mark Strong here, an agent whose actions and seemingly innocuous backstory made him the most interesting character in the film. His role may have been small but he truly was the one who was the common thread through it all. A powerful role that was obviously overlooked.

Trailer:

Skyfall

Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, and Judi Dench
Directed by Sam Mendes
Year: 2012
IMDB / Wikipedia / Official Song

During the summer months you may have the opportunity to see a movie in the park. If it’s as good as this one, I suggest you do not pass up on the opportunity. 

Whenever James Bond returns to the big screen we are witnessing both a cinematic landmark as well as a bit of a resurrection. The epitome of the static character has found a new dimension with Craig that hasn’t been seen since George Lazenby‘s turn as the British super-spy and I am in the vocal minority of people who is glad to see its return. An emotional Bond, with flaws and the ability to be hurt or even killed, is infinitely more interesting from a character development standpoint and makes for a better film. However, with top-shelf writers and Sam Mendes at the helm, the world of a new, raw, and gritty Bond can mesh seamlessly with the archetype that has been developed over the last 50 years.

And with a new Bond we get a new breed of villain that still casts the traditional large shadow, but is also more devious and has more than just a single motive. With Skyfall, Bardem fills the role with the first Bond villain that is truly terrifying and a bit twisted to boot. His character is to the Bond universe as Heath Ledger‘s Joker was to the Batman universe and that was to push the protagonist to his mental limits, testing boundaries, and even dredging up the past to make a point. Bardem’s role raises him to the upper-eschelon of Bond villains but he is not the …

Most Valuable Actor: which goes to Judi Dench as M. Before she took the role during the Pierce Brosnan era, M was much like Charlie on Charlie’s Angels–appearing at the beginning to give Bond his assignment and at the end telling him good job right before the credits rolled. Dench made M something more and that is a major reason the character had a much larger role in this film. Only a terrific actor can shift a paradigm like this in a franchise that seems afraid of change.

Trailer:

Apollo 13

Starring Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris
Directed by Ron Howard
Year: 1995
IMDB / Wikipedia

During the summer months you may have the opportunity to see a movie in the park. If it’s as good as this one, I suggest you do not pass up on the opportunity. 

Films like this tend to remind me that real life can be as dramatic as anything we can imagine. Watching this in the park amongst families with small children, I wondered how many of these kids will have their minds blown when their parents explain to them later that this actually happened. There were three astronauts on a “routine” mission to the moon and their capsule suffered a catastrophic explosive failure; then, the combined efforts of those three and hundreds of people back on Earth helped get them home safely. A truly remarkable story of the power of people in intense situations.

And it is the realism that makes this movie great. Much of the the dialogue of the astronauts in the capsule was taken verbatim from transcripts and recordings made during the flight though some of the sub-plots were embellished for dramatic effect. And the actors didn’t try and over-act in scenes, they let them manifest organically. The feeling of this film was almost that of a documentary at times but it was still a wonderful piece of historical drama. Yes, there’s the theme of human perseverance and teamwork but those seem like by-products in a film that focused on the events and the people rather than slipping on the historical rose-colored glasses and telling a syrupy-sweet story. This is how history should be captured on film.

Most Valuable Actor: This is a real head-scratcher because there are so many deserving candidates for this honor. The obvious choice of Tom Hanks would be good, Kevin Bacon is another fascinating choice, as is Ed Harris as the flight director Gene Krantz, and even Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell but I think Gary Sinise as the left-out astronaut-turned idea-cog Ken Mattingly gets the nod here. Sinise is good at making sure his performance fits the role and not the other way around. His grounded portrayal of Mattingly was sincere and powerful without becoming a focal point or a burden on the movie. Truly a fine performance.

Trailer:

Babel

Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Rinko Kikuchi
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Year: 2006
IMDB / Wikipedia

I received this movie a few years ago as an Easter present from my folks. I didn’t know it at the time but they presented me with a horribly depressing film about death and human misery as a way to celebrate Christ’s Resurrection. I don’t want to read too much into it, I just thought it would be an interesting factoid. Another interesting factiod about this movie: Pitt and Blanchett are the two least-interesting characters in this entire marathon of celluloid agony. Two wonderful actors sharing screen time with a story that is limp, lifeless, and only seems to exist to make the other stories connect in some way.

Much like the other film of his I watched, 21 Grams, Inarritu weaves seemingly disconnected stories together to show how the actions of one can have international repercussions. The film follows two Moroccan brothers, an American couple, a Mexican maid, and a young Japanese girl in a story about accidents, character, humility, and forgiveness. This film does a good job at making a simple point long and the resolution on all the stories are left wanting, but that is the trademark of Inarritu. To follow these stories to their end would probably result in a much longer feature and, I guess, not knowing makes a statement, unfulfilling as it may be. Not the kind of movie I will yearn to watch repeatedly but it was a nice piece of cinema for a lazy day.

Most Valuable Actor: Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi turned the most memorable performance in the film as the sullen deaf-mute teen girl who is looking for some sort of attention and affection following the tragic suicide of her mother. Her work was so fine, in fact, that she became the first Japanese woman in over 50 years to be nominated for an Oscar for this role.

Trailer:

Field of Dreams

Starring Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta, and James Earl Jones
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson
Year: 1989
IMDB / Wikipedia / Trailer

During the summer months you may have the opportunity to see a movie in the park. If it’s as good as this one, I suggest you do not pass up on the opportunity. 

It’s been a few weeks since I actually sat in a north Boulder park and watched this film with about 50 other people, but I can still write about this film with all of my emotion because I have seen it so many times. It was a landmark film, it touched everyone’s life–even if you didn’t like baseball, because it was so much more than just a film about a man who builds a baseball field in his corn field so the late, great “Shoeless” Joe Jackson‘s spirit could play baseball again. It’s a story of recapturing the past, cherishing it, and learning to believe in yourself as you look forward into the future.

Part of Costner’s unofficial baseball trilogy that includes Bull Durham and For Love of the Game, this story, like those, transcends sports and that’s part of what makes it great. It is about finding what we love about baseball inside of all of us. Some like the rhythm of the game, some like the aura of the past, while others see it in more quantifiable terms, regardless if it’s in dollars and cents or in batting averages and ERA. Baseball has a connection to everyone, whether they are a passive observer or a rabid fan, everyone can come away from this film with something. Watching it on a grassy field on an evening after fathers played catch with sons and people gathered in a picnic-style atmosphere, it was almost too perfect. Almost.

Most Valuable Actor: James Earl Jones, for many reasons, but mostly for this.