Rewind





You guessed it... this section contains reviews for older films. If you're 15 or under you're probably wondering what those black, rectangular shaped things are in the picture above? It's called a VHS Tape. Yes, we used to store our movies in a plastic box. And, we had to "rewind" them before taking them back to the video store. My, how times have changed. Anyhow, here you can find reviews for some of those older movies you might not have watched in ages, or ever! Maybe you'll rediscover them again after reading these reviews? So lets go back in time then...

In this section...

* Rudy (1993)
* Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)
* October Sky (1999) 
* Finding Neverland (2004)
* X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
* Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
* Ray (2004)
* The Squid and The Whale (2005) 



 Rudy

Joliet, Illinois, the 1960’s. In a town where it’s economy was based on steel, the local Mill is where everyone worked. One such family, lead by Daniel Ruettiger (Ned Beatty), and his sons, go through life knowing they are destined to work in the mill and live out their lives there. But one of his sons, Rudy, is different. He’s a dreamer. And his mind can’t think of anything else but football. He watches the games on TV, of local college team The Irish, and fantasises about running out onto the field someday. 

We then see Rudy again in school, played by Sean Astin. He’s a little tyke, but fearlessly plays football with the best and biggest guys in his school. As his graduation approaches, Rudy has one last training session and at the end, his coach offers each guy on the team a shot at running down a line and try to knock him down. The coach is behind a padded guard, and as fast and furious as he runs, Rudy just doesn’t have the strength to knock the coach down. The lesson behind this test? The coach says those who don’t knock him down will probably never play football again. Rudy and his close friend Pete, both fail the test, and walk off the football field, for what feels like the final time for both of them. 
 
Over the next four years, Rudy joins the family tradition and picks up a job at the Steel Mill. Through the hot, hard work, he keeps his chin up, and every now and then shares his dream, which has still not left him. “One day, I’m gonna play football for the University of Notre Dame”. If you’re not aware, this is one of the most prestigious colleges in America, located in Indiana, and home to Rudy’s favourite football team, the Fighting Irish. His dad and brother beg him to drop the dream, in a town of working-class men where dreams have been left behind for the 9 to 5 grind. But Rudy doesn’t give up that easy. In fact, his high school mate Pete is the only who still believes in him, and as a token of his trust in his friend’s dreams, gives him an old, tattered Notre Dame jacket. Rudy puts it on, and never takes it off again. 



Soon after, tragedy strikes at the steel mill, which is enough to push Rudy once and for all to have a shot at this dream. Almost instantly after the accident at the mill, he boards a bus to Indiana, and heads straight to Notre Dame. Arriving in the early hours of the morning, the only person working is the security guard at the gate. Rudy is determined to speak to someone about studying there immediately, so the security guard points him in the direction of the College Chaplain. Rudy meets the genuine old man, who is completely real with Rudy about his chances of getting into Notre Dame, so does the next best thing, and enrols him in the nearby Holy Cross College. If Rudy can pass two semesters there, he’ll have a short at applying for Notre Dame next year. With sheer determination and no idea of the meaning of the word quit, Rudy applies himself in every way possible, and discovers his greatest test of all – his own endurance and ability to never give up. 

It’s interesting how some movies come into your life. Back in the early 90’s, I knew who Sean Astin was, as he’d starred in one of my favourite childhood movies, “The Goonies” and had a couple of hits in the early 90’s with “Toy Soldiers” and ‘Encino Man”, both movies I had seen and enjoyed. The film Rudy must have slipped in and out of cinemas in Australia, maybe because it is a film about football at first glance, so they haven’t always hit it big Down Under. But as you watch the film, you realise the football is just the backdrop for this story (based on a true one) about the best kind of winners there are in my opinion – a Dreamer who just won’t Quit. How I came to hear of this film was through my wife, who worked on a summer camp in Indiana, and became good friends with another counsellor who studied at the University of Notre Dame. Her pride and passion for her college, and its legendary football team, was strong, and she raved on about this film called “Rudy”. At some stage over the seven years my wife worked at that camp, she picked up a copy of the DVD, and it sat on our shelf of many films as one we would get around to watching one day. 



But it was just a couple of months ago, during one of my late night’s working on the business or writing, and listening to music on YouTube, that the soundtrack to Rudy came up in my suggestions. The film title rung a bell, so I listened to the music. The score, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, was touching and inspiring right from the start. It connected with me, as a piece of music that signified the memory of humble beginnings, then gradually journeying far from home to discover something special. The music has stayed with me ever since (and I’m listening to it while writing this review actually), and then I said to Nicole “Let’s finally watch Rudy”. And watch it we did. 

Right from the beginning, this film grabs you. It’s beautifully shot, well-acted, and carried by the sensitive and centred performance of Sean Astin in the title role. He fits the role of Rudy Ruettiger perfectly, being a short guy himself, but with determined eyes, and a strong presence, that shows you this college student isn’t your average kid from a working-class town. He’s got something else in him, few from his hometown had – heart. In fact, this doesn’t go unnoticed by some key characters who meet Rudy in his early days on campus. They each recognise the gargantuan task of what this kid is trying to accomplish, but give him their faith, encouragement and confidence none the less.

Against all odds – and there are many – Rudy, works harder than any other student on campus, sleeps rough, and even gets a job working behind the scenes at the college football stadium. Any way he can, for however long it takes, Rudy will play football for that team. His upbringings are nothing he wants to go back to, and his future is a dream that is so strong in his mind and heart, he can’t see himself doing anything else. It’s this determination and persistence by Rudy – portrayed brilliantly by Astin – that reels you in and keeps you hooked for the entire film. 



Even if you don’t like movies about American football, College or anything not made in the last fifteen years, then ditch all those pre-misconceptions. The football is just the backdrop, the college is a beautiful place to visit, and this movie harks back to the final days of Golden Inspirational Cinema in my opinion; the early nineties. 

Looking for inspiration? Watch Rudy. It gets to you, as a film that wears its heart on its sleeve and sweeps along to its magnificent music. It proves that if you’ve got a dream, and its more important to you than anything else, it’s worth fighting for, worth living for, and even worth dying for. The world needs more dreams in my opinion. Rudy was one the great dreamers, and just hop on line to check out the massive following and impact this movie has had, via the comments to it’s music or trailer on YouTube. If this review doesn’t inspire you to go watch it, those comments will.


 







Riding in Cars with Boys (2001) 

The 1960’s. In the mid to later years of this decade, the world shifted all at once, into a movement of free love, free speech and free choice. There were no longer just kids and adults; this era saw the emergence of the teen and young adult – Youth – and they were loud, proud and horny. That segway is a good indicator of what sets up events in the coming of age tale, “Riding in Cars with Boys”. I watched this film because it starred Drew Barrymore, my teenage crush, and it was streaming on Netflix. I’m enjoying discovering many movies for the first time that way.


I knew nothing about the movie before watching it, and could only guess what it was about from its title. I recall when it came out all the way back in 2001, and it was about Barrymore playing a mother reconnecting with her son, or something along those lines. It’s always a refreshing experience going into a movie blind, with no idea, no standards and no assumptions as to what it will be like. And glad to say, I enjoyed this film and was surprised by what was on offer.

We meet the character of Beverly, who lives a happy and simple life in suburbia. She has a younger sister, a stay at home mum and her dad is the loca sheriff. Their relationship in particular is close, but it all quickly changes when Beverly becomes a teenager. Her upbringing is told in flashback, as the film centres around a young man called Jason (Adam Garcia) driving his mum across the state for an important publishing meeting. It’s Drew Barrymore, playing older than she is, with her hair done and make up crafted in such a way, she looks like an uptight woman trying to hide the pain. It’s obvious from the start of this car trip, the relationship between mother and son is strained at best, and we figure out why in the continued series of flashbacks to Beverly’s youth.

As she becomes a teen, she meets Ray (Steve Zahn); a local high school drop out and overall drop kick, who means well but isn’t all that bright. Against type, Ray and Beverly form a relationship, and at the age of fifteen, she falls pregnant. Her law enforcing dad (James Woods) is not impressed, letting the little girl he once loved know she was a major disappointment that had let him down. Ouch! Parents can be so damaging with just a few words, and this theme is explored at great length through the film. In preparation for the unexpected package arriving, Beverly and Ray get married, and move into a dump of a house in a residential area that is falling apart at the seams. 

Bevery raises her son half-heartedly, trying to chase her dreams of getting into college and being a writer. But as life would have it, she doesn’t realise the burden of parenthood, a dopey husband and a demanding dad who regularly lets her know what a screw up she is. And so the film shifts between pivotal moments in Beverly’s life and the car trip with her son, and two stories unfold here. The first story is the journey of a girl from teenager to adult, from daughter to mother, who becomes a parent, a wife and whatever else she needs to be to survive and try to provide for her son. And it seems that whatever happens to her is everyone else’s fault, especially her sons. And the second story is the long road trip with mother and son, sorting out their differences and trying to put the past behind them.

I believe this was the film that showed Barrymore’s true maturity as an actor. Up until 2001, she had starred in a handful of rom-coms and some successful dramas, but here she showed there was a long, bright future in store for this former child star that had seen her fair share of dramas off screen. But at just 27 years of age here, Barrymore proves that acting can be hereditary, and it shines in all her scenes as not just acting skills learned, but a naturalism with performing that can only be handed down by her long ancestry of acting family members. She takes on many roles in the one character in this film, playing an unpleasant woman most of the way who still manages to connect with the viewer. You believe what she’s going through and can sympathise that she was just a girl who made a mistake and saw herself paying for that mistake over twenty years, when in fact it was that “mistake” who ended up growing into a successful young man who taught his mother the meaning of life. 

I recommend Riding in Cars with Boys, for its authentic, dramatic and often hilarious portrayal of a life, youth and love lost, carried effortlessly by Barrymore and a dependable performance by Steve Zahn who continued to show himself here as being one of the most underrated actors of his generation.




October Sky (1999)

There’s that old saying “Reach for the moon. You not might make it but you’ll fall amongst the stars”. I guess that’s the case for a lot of people who don’t achieve their dreams in life, but can still experience the light and magnificence of others who do. But in the case of Homer Hickam, he reached for the moon, and beyond. And like only a select few, he achieved his dream.

In the late 1950’s, the eyes of the world where on Sputnik; the first satellite launched into space by Russia. It was the early days of the Space Race, and the world was captivated by mans newfound ability to send devices into space via rockets. The first man in space was a few years away, and man on the moon wouldn’t be for another decade. With these milestones still to be achieved, the imagination of every person on the planet was captivated, and probably none more captivated than that of young Homer.

Growing up with his family in the town of Coalwood, it’s tradition for the boys to leave school, and become the men who work in the town’s coal mine. The women became their wives, and that’s how life was in this working class town. Homers father John, was the Big Chief of this mine, and a hard working man. His life was spent underground, digging in the dark and breathing in coal fumes. It’s what he was made for, but Homer couldn’t see himself following in his father’s footsteps. After watching the launch of Sputnik into outer space, Homer gathers up his three pals to help him build rockets and fire them off.

At first, the boys struggle with the process of building and launching even the smallest rockets, and blow up Homer’s garden fence and almost get hit a few times themselves. They become the laughing stock of the school, populated by boys who would all play football, and it doesn’t help that Homers father has no faith in his son’s obsession and determination, essentially telling him to get his head out of the clouds and keep his eyes to the ground; become a coal miner like him, and like everyone else in town expected him to be.

But along the way, Homer has some support by his teacher Miss Riley (Laura Dern), who wants to see at least one student break out of the town and coal miner fate and be something more. She recognises the potential in Homer before he sees it in himself, and encourages him to keep building rockets until he can make it work. After many failed experiment’s Homer and his mates slowly get more confident and crafty in their mission to build and launch a rocket.

October Sky is heartfelt and inspiring little film. Starring a young and then unknown Jake Gylenhall, he showed his acting chops were well refined even at the age of 19. He’s joined by a strong cast in supporting roles, including Chris Cooper as his dad, who audiences will recognise from “American Beauty” as the father of Richie, the weird kid with the video camera. Cooper carries the burden of a man who has accepted his lot in life and gets on with the job, but still shows humility and understanding under the surface, even when he sees his son Homer start to step out of the dark, gloomy town and way of life that is Coalwood and become something more.

The story in the film is based on the novel written by the character himself. Homers journey here is one that will determine the course of his life, and no matter what challenges are thrown his way, whether that be the town ridiculing him, his school trying to shrink his enthusiasm and his father constantly putting him down, Homer perseveres. He has a mission; to fly his rockets. And he has a dream; to go into space.

October Sky is a classic example of the dreams of youth, which can so often be dispelled by the mundane existence that life can become, especially in a small place with small minds that don’t dare venture into the unknown. It will inspire you to revisit those childhood dreams, rise above the limitations around you and shoot for the stars. If you work long enough and hard enough, you can get there. Homer Hickam did, going on to train astronauts for NASA after graduating from college. 



 Finding Neverland (2004) 

The allure of the myth and magic behind Peter Pan continues to inspire today. It appeals to us all; the story of a boy who can fly, never has to grow up and goes on adventures with his pals, The Lost Boys, and battles pirates and crocodiles. Shifting easily between the real world and the fantasy world, Peter Pan sought out adventure and freedom, but also longed for a family of his own.

The highlight of “Finding Neverland” was of course, the performance of Johnny Depp. The rest of the cast are equally as good, including the always reliable Kate Winslet and young Freddy Highmore as Peter. Managing to tell a modern day story, but set in the past, the whole film was beautifully acted, cleverly written and had an uninterrupted flow, making it very easy to watch and follow. I was surprised by the transition in filmmaking style by Marc Foster, who had previously directed “Monster’s Ball’ before this. I think he will be a director to keep an eye on in the near future.

Depp portrays playwright J.M. Barrie. We encounter him when his career is at a low point; his latest play flops, his producer is losing faith in him, and he’s feeling distanced from his beautiful wife. To be honest, all of this is his own doing as Barrie spends less time in the real world, and more time secluded in his own fantastic imagination. One day, while writing in the park, Barrie comes across a family of young boys with their mother. Being the curious, people person that he is, Barrie connects with the boys right away, and tells them a story. The boys are galvanized and Barrie feels a kinship with them, so quickly befriends the boys and their mother Sylvia, played by Kate Winslet. Spending the day at their house, Barrie plays games of make believe with the boys which starts to give him inspiration for his new play. He’s not sure what he is creating, but we the audience have an inkling what that is…

Finding Neverland was actually filmed prior to the first Pirate’s of the Caribbean movie, but came to theatres after that, as its original release date would have clashed with P.J. Hogan’s “Peter Pan” in 2003. However, there is one subtle indication in Finding Neverland that it was filmed before ‘POC’, in a scene where Barrie is playing pirates with the boys; wearing a bandanna and wielding a sword, Depp's voice and mannerisms here are similar to that of Jack Sparrow, hinting at the character he was yet to play.

Entertaining and emotional, Finding Neverland was an original story and demonstrated another side to Depp’s maturity as an actor. He is obviously better looking than the real J.M. Barrie probably was, but his performance is brilliant and he nails the Scottish accent perfectly. His character isn’t quirky, like the ones he is so famous for playing; instead Depp embodies his character just as he was – a man. Barrie was a normal man, but with an abnormal imagination. Being the writer who invented Peter Pan and the world of Neverland, his legacy continues to live on today. How could he have foreseen the influence his creation would have? The idea has spawned countless plays, several books, a few movies, and was even the inspiration for a certain pop stars approach to life, resulting in him naming his home after the land Peter Pan lives in. Know who I mean?

I can definitely see more adaptations of the Peter Pan world coming at us in the future, because it appeals to children and adults alike. There is something timeless and deep in how it connects with all of us – to be a kid again, never having to get old and where magic is possible.        




X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Those good old X-men Movies. Why are they so appealing I wonder? Well the super hero genre has always been appealing, but there is something special about the X Men idea that appeals to all of us. For starters, there are so many different characters anybody can find one they like. Also, it classes these "mutants" as outcasts and not heroes such as Batman, Spiderman or Superman, which relates to how people with special powers would be judged in real life anyway; wierd, dangerous, unpredictable.

I quite enjoyed this film. The trailer signified a shot in the arm for the franchise from the over-long and over-plotted second instalment. This film knew it would be the last of the series and it plays out that way. It does this in a few ways. Quite brutally, a few of the main characters are killed off or majorly affected before the half way point of the film. I won't tell you which ones though, and by now I think most of us have seen the film, if the opening weekend figures are anything to go by. This instalment also doesn't take itself too seriously as there are a few lounge in cheek laughs to be had along the way.

The action is top rate and it goes to show that Brett Ratner can pull off an action film, even if he hasn't decided exactly what kind of director he wants to be yet. I mean from “Rush Hour”, to “Red Dragon”, then “After the Sunset” and now, X-Men 3. You've got some very different films there but all of them deal with the one idea I think; and that is placing their characters outside of their comfort zone and putting them into a situation they, and we the audience, didn't imagine they could survive in.


And that is what this new X-men film is all about. As I mentioned earlier, a few key characters are killed off which puts the remaining ones into a situation they never thought they'd be in. The mutants are also faced with whether or not they would like to be cured and become "normal" humans. All of the characters face this question individually, some with co-operation, others with resistance, while a few sit on the fence.

But rising above this issue of a cure is probably the highlight of this instalment, and that is the return of Gene Grey, but not as the psychic doctor - she is now the Phoenix. An unstoppable being with powers greater than anything or anyone. The scenes in which we are shown the powers of the Phoenix are very well done and quite frightening.

As you can see, when I and probably anyone else starts talking about the X-Men movies it's easy to get trailed off and mention lots of different ideas and issues. To save yours and my time, I won't talk about the film anymore.

In conclusion I'll say that if you're a fan of the films, or if you aren't, this is an entertaining movie that's worth seeing. It stops the possibility of anymore X-Men films as such, but not of the characters themselves. The feel I got from the film is that it was looking back on the past 6 years and where it all started.


Out of all the trilogy's I've seen, I don't think there is or ever will be one like the X-Men trilogy.




 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

I went and saw this film today not really knowing what to think. I had seen the trailer several times, read reviews and read words on the film itself, but I just couldn't piece it all together. Perhaps it was because the film's star was Jim Carrey and this role was quite different and unique for him. So I went and saw it to make up my own mind. And I must say that I quite enjoyed it.

The movie was excellently filmed and reminded me a lot of the Addams Family movies with it's look and art direction. The performances were very good, not just from Carrey, but from the young actors as well. They took on their characters with a confidence and each of them showed they have special experience and were in the hands of a good director. Jim Carrey impressed me by taking on quite a different character from his previous performances, even though he's done this sort of transformation thing before, i.e. The Grinch. He showed through his performance that his character wasn't really showing the audience everything that he could be and do, which made me think that if they made a sequel(s) which is hard to say depending on how well this one does and where Carrey will stand on the offer (he's only reprised the same character once in another movie - Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), then the films could get better with each entry. They could progress the same way the Harry Potter films have. When the Philosophers Stone came out (what we call it in Australia for those used to the Sorcerer's Stone), it was recieved as amazing and terrific. But as the following books have been adapted they have shown that each one before, although good, was only going to be improved on. With sequels being so bankable these days, film-makers are taking the steps to make the first instalment look dazzling but really leaving the best stuff for later.

Despite the darkness, cruelty and "unfortunateness" that this film thrived on, there is actually a re-assuring message contained within its last moments. It tells us that yes, there is a lot of bad, evil and unpleasantness in this world and a lot of the time it feels like all we are living for is to fight against it. But there is good in the world, more than there is bad, and to find it you just have to look hard enough.

Lemony Snicket is just another example of
Hollywood realising that a film can be a success (based on children?s books with dark undertones and well-drawn characters) if the one that started it all does well. However much it may be inspired by the success of Harry Potter, which I'm sure most movie-goers will be referring to it as, Lemony Snicket was an entertaining and creative film in its own right. Maybe this will lead to Hollywood realising that at the moment the most entertaining, and larger-audience films are the ones based on well-written books. If computer animation films don't take over entirely (which may well happen) than perhaps we will see more great novels turned into movies out there that most people don't even know exist. I sure enjoy them.



 Ray (2004)

The central performance by Jaime Foxx is what carries this somewhat 'seen it before' type of biography but the actor does a phenomenal job.

Personally, I knew almost nothing about the life of Ray Charles Robinson, and I did leave the theatre with knowledge of his young life and how he climbed to the top. For example, I had no idea he had a younger brother that died as an infant, he became addicted to heroin and he was a bit of a player with the women.

The film itself is about 2 1/2 hours long and they certainly crammed a lot in. Like most movies of that length that have follow a slow pace, 'Ray' moves fast, spending only minutes at a time only on certain years of the musicians life. 

The film was well directed and showed me a change of pace for Taylor Hackford, who I think lastly helmed 'Proof of Life'. I think he likes to explore stories about characters who are placed in situations where they are wandering in dark places and everything passes them by so quickly they miss it all. Such was the life of Ray Charles. 

Back to the performance of Foxx though. If you want a convincing portrayal of the man, not just convincing, but want to feel like you are actually watching Ray Charles, then look no further. Foxx has had a small career up until recently with roles in 'Any Given Sunday', and 'Bait' but when he appeared in 'Collateral' last year, he showed the world he was one to watch. This film will shoot him into the A list of actors with no halts and I will be suprised if he doesn't take out the Best Actor Oscar at the end of the month. The film has been nominated in 6 other categories but mainly it's the portrayal by Foxx that carries it. 

All the major songs of his career are covered from their conception to their performance and the way 'Hit the Road Jack' came about was under quite interesting circumstances.

See 'Ray' not only of you're a fan of the man and his music, but if you want to learn about an extraordinary life and see an actor absolutely blow you away and remind you that A list stars can bring characters to life instead of just gracing you with their presence.




 The Squid & The Whale (2005)

Movies about the lives of writers always make for interesting and conversational pieces of entertainment. And this offering is just the same, and even more so. 

It's not about a battle between two sea creatures, but it is about a battle between a man and wife, who early on in the film separate, which has many effects on their two sons and turns everybody's lives upside down. 

Joan and Bernard (played by Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels) are both New York writers of varying success. They have two sons, each of whom seems to favour one parent over the other. They're not your usual family. Their topics of discussions revolve mainly around books, and they speak as writers, dissecting every thing from all angles and never agreeing on anything as a whole family. 

When the parents let the boys know they are separating, the joint custody begins and this affects the boys a lot. The parents just seem to get on with it as adults do - they both quickly find new partners to satisfy their needs. But the characters who go through the real transitions here are the two boys, one 17 the other 13. They begin to become curious about sex, relationships, and masturbation. 

It's a unique film and as it only runs for just over 70 minutes it still manages to fit a lot in. The script (which was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year) is witty, intelligent and multi-layered. The dialogue is sharp and snappy and the actors do a great job. Jeff Daniels was great as usual, but I felt Laura Linney was a little underused. She is a fine actress, but her character this time seemed to be very withdrawn and her performance was sort of one note. 

And what does the title have to do with it all? Well, that comes to make sense at the end of the film, but you can spot the references throughout the entire movie. We are dealing with two strong figures who can sometimes get along, but at other times will attack each others position and egos. They are both caring parents, but in the end it's clear that they put themselves first. 

I guess that's how a squid and a whale would live their lives....?



 


No comments:

Post a Comment