*Mild Spoilers!*
How do you get away with murder? In the movies, a murderer always has a fatal flaw; he leaves a piece of evidence behind, some hot shot cop gets him to crack under an intense interrogation, or the rookie who just joined the force figures out the puzzle. Strangers on a Train asks: what if there is no motive? What if a murder is seemingly purely random? It's not like the police have some giant database with all of our fingerprints and a sample of our hair to match evidence with. If you murder a person you've never met in a city where you've never been, could you get away with it? Or maybe, how could you NOT get away with it?
Strangers on a Train has all the makings of any good Hitchcock movie. Murder, infidelity, blackmail, and mystery. Guy Haines (Farley Granger) is an up and coming tennis star. He's dating a senator's beautiful daughter. He has only one problem: his cheating wife. Haines meets Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) on a train on his way to see her about a divorce. After striking up a conversation, the two figure out that they both have people in their lives they could do without. Bruno has idea that he jokingly, at first, brings up to Guy: what if they switched murders? Bruno would kill Guy's wife, and Guy would kill Bruno's overbearing father. By Bruno's logic, the plain is fail safe. Neither killer would have a motive for their victim, and thus, no chance of getting caught. Guy ends up brushing the conversation off as a joke, but a few nights later he gets a surprise visit from Bruno, who has gone through with his part of the deal. Guy refuses to fulfill his obligation, claiming it was only a joke, making Bruno more upset.
Robert Walker is absolutely the best character in this movie. At first he comes off as an innocent and somewhat goofy guy with a weirdly dark sense of humor. But we see his character completely change when he murders Guy's wife, Miriam. This scene is classic Hitchcock. Bruno tails Miriam at a carnival for what seems like forever. Miriam playfully notices him, and goes back to flirting with the two guys she is with. Bruno continues to follow her onto an island. I wasn't sure whether or not Bruno was going to through with it until he wrapped his hands around her neck. A very jovial scene gets dark very quickly. Then, Walker's character is seen for what he really is: a deranged lunatic. While unassuming in stature, Bruno is still scary. I think this is because the killer who is more clever than everyone is way more frightening than any villain that is big and strong. Bruno seems to have everything wrapped up, and has Guy right where he wants him.
Where this movie suffers is the rest of the cast. Every female character in the movie is pretty forgettable. This is strange for a Hitchcock film, as great female characters are littered in his movies. Grace Kelly in Dial M for Murder, Kim Novak in Vertigo, and Janet Leigh in Psycho are just a few. Haines' girlfriend Anne (Ruth Morton) and her sister Barbara (Patricia Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter), aren't really given much to do. Farley Granger is decent as Haines, but he is nothing to get too excited about. The story is gripping and full of suspense, but the performances bring it down a bit.
One very interesting tension builder is a tennis match late in the film. The police are waiting to nab Guy for questioning after the match, while Bruno makes his way back to the scene of the crime to plant evidence. The tennis match goes on for several minutes, all the while each destination gets closer, and the audience is left waiting for the result. It's funny, it is extremely reminiscent of the rowing scene in The Social Network. In both, the sport has nothing to do with what's going on on the surface, but under the surface, each says a lot about what's going on around the characters. It's cool when you see where inspiration comes from.
Strangers on a Train is probably in the middle of the pack in terms of Hitchcock films. I'd put Rebecca, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, Dial M for Murder, and Rear Window ahead of it (granted, there are still many that I have to see). But a middle of the pack Hitchcock movie is still pretty great. Definitely recommended for any Hitchcock fan.
3.5/5
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Sling Blade
Sling Blade should be required viewing for every Arkansan. The movie is set in rural Arkansas, and was filmed in Benton. Writer-director-star Billy Bob Thornton so captures the state in the characters, dialogue, and believable southern accents. Sling Blade is dark, funny, and uplifting.
Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) is a mentally handicapped man just released from the state mental hospital. Karl had murdered his mother and her lover as a boy, and had been placed in the hospital ever since. Twenty or so years later, he has served his time and is ready to be sent back into the world. Upon his release Karl meets a young boy named Frank (a very young Lucas Black), and the unlikely pair quickly strike up a friendship. Karl has a hard time adjusting being back in the real world, especially when he runs into Frank's mother's boyfriend Doyle (Dwight Yoakum). Doyle has made life a living hell for Frank, his mother, and her gay best friend Vaughan (John Ritter). As Karl becomes closer with Frank and his family, it becomes painfully clear that Doyle will not allow them to find happiness.
At the heart of Sling Blade is the relationship between Frank and Karl. Frank accepts Karl for who he is. Being a kid he doesn't know any better. Both just seem to "get" each other. Frank's father having passed away when he was just a boy, he is eager for a father figure in his life. Karl tries to be that, but knowing his past and who he is, he just can't. Karl does his best to love and protect Frank and his mother just the same. There are some incredible scenes with Frank and Karl talking at Frank's "secret place" by the pond. Karl is the only adult that will actually listen to Frank, hear his fears and hopes, and give him encouragement. Frank and Karl are what every friendship strives to be. Each listen to each other and help each other, and like the other for who they are. Karl is nervous about his past, but Frank takes it in stride, swearing that he won't tell his mother. Their unlikely friendship is what you root for the entire film.
Meanwhile, there's Doyle Hargraves. Country music star Dwight Yoakum creates one of the most evil, vile, and hated villains ever. Doyle is selfish, proud, and mean. He has no qualms about calling Karl a "mental retard" to his face, and is constantly giving Frank a hard time. Doyle's view on life is that Frank's mother Linda is there to serve him and his needs. A darkly funny scene involves Doyle's ridiculous band coming over to Linda's house, ending in Doyle kicking everyone out in a drunken rage. "We ain't got no BAND, RANDY!" Karl desperately wants to protect Frank and Linda, but being who he is, does not have the ability to stand up for them. I think that every Arkansan can identify with someone who is just a mean drunk like Doyle. He treats Linda as if she should worship the ground he walks on, and that she should feel lucky just to be with him. Linda knows that she is trapped in an abusive relationship, one that breaks your heart to see. Frank hates Doyle to his very core, and Doyle hates him just the same. Every scene involving Doyle leaves you on edge, hoping that he doesn't do the worst.
Sling Blade is easily one of the most quotable films of all time. You've probably heard someone quoting some of it using the voice of Karl, even if you didn't realize it. It is full of dark humor. Doyle's self-centered attitude create some absurdly funny lines from his character. Karl's unique voice is hilarious, and he has some great lines as well. "I'd like me some of them French fried potaters mmm-hmm." My Dad and I have talked to each other in Karl Childers voice hundreds of times!
Most people probably know Billy Bob Thornton as the weird guy that was married to Angelina Jolie while she had a vial of his blood around her neck. Born and raised in Arkansas, he captures small town Arkansas perfectly, and creates an incredibly entertaining film. Several non-actor Arkansans appear throughout the film (it's pretty easy to spot them too, being amateurs!). Sling Blade is available on Netflix, so give it a rent!
4.5/5
Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) is a mentally handicapped man just released from the state mental hospital. Karl had murdered his mother and her lover as a boy, and had been placed in the hospital ever since. Twenty or so years later, he has served his time and is ready to be sent back into the world. Upon his release Karl meets a young boy named Frank (a very young Lucas Black), and the unlikely pair quickly strike up a friendship. Karl has a hard time adjusting being back in the real world, especially when he runs into Frank's mother's boyfriend Doyle (Dwight Yoakum). Doyle has made life a living hell for Frank, his mother, and her gay best friend Vaughan (John Ritter). As Karl becomes closer with Frank and his family, it becomes painfully clear that Doyle will not allow them to find happiness.
At the heart of Sling Blade is the relationship between Frank and Karl. Frank accepts Karl for who he is. Being a kid he doesn't know any better. Both just seem to "get" each other. Frank's father having passed away when he was just a boy, he is eager for a father figure in his life. Karl tries to be that, but knowing his past and who he is, he just can't. Karl does his best to love and protect Frank and his mother just the same. There are some incredible scenes with Frank and Karl talking at Frank's "secret place" by the pond. Karl is the only adult that will actually listen to Frank, hear his fears and hopes, and give him encouragement. Frank and Karl are what every friendship strives to be. Each listen to each other and help each other, and like the other for who they are. Karl is nervous about his past, but Frank takes it in stride, swearing that he won't tell his mother. Their unlikely friendship is what you root for the entire film.
Meanwhile, there's Doyle Hargraves. Country music star Dwight Yoakum creates one of the most evil, vile, and hated villains ever. Doyle is selfish, proud, and mean. He has no qualms about calling Karl a "mental retard" to his face, and is constantly giving Frank a hard time. Doyle's view on life is that Frank's mother Linda is there to serve him and his needs. A darkly funny scene involves Doyle's ridiculous band coming over to Linda's house, ending in Doyle kicking everyone out in a drunken rage. "We ain't got no BAND, RANDY!" Karl desperately wants to protect Frank and Linda, but being who he is, does not have the ability to stand up for them. I think that every Arkansan can identify with someone who is just a mean drunk like Doyle. He treats Linda as if she should worship the ground he walks on, and that she should feel lucky just to be with him. Linda knows that she is trapped in an abusive relationship, one that breaks your heart to see. Frank hates Doyle to his very core, and Doyle hates him just the same. Every scene involving Doyle leaves you on edge, hoping that he doesn't do the worst.
Sling Blade is easily one of the most quotable films of all time. You've probably heard someone quoting some of it using the voice of Karl, even if you didn't realize it. It is full of dark humor. Doyle's self-centered attitude create some absurdly funny lines from his character. Karl's unique voice is hilarious, and he has some great lines as well. "I'd like me some of them French fried potaters mmm-hmm." My Dad and I have talked to each other in Karl Childers voice hundreds of times!
Most people probably know Billy Bob Thornton as the weird guy that was married to Angelina Jolie while she had a vial of his blood around her neck. Born and raised in Arkansas, he captures small town Arkansas perfectly, and creates an incredibly entertaining film. Several non-actor Arkansans appear throughout the film (it's pretty easy to spot them too, being amateurs!). Sling Blade is available on Netflix, so give it a rent!
4.5/5
Thursday, May 10, 2012
The Avengers
The wait is finally over for Marvel's mega-king-size-gigantic comic book blockbuster. The Avengers is an incredible ride, full of action, humor, and over the top sequences. It is a fun sci-fi action film, and definitely worth a viewing.
Beginning with Jon Favreau's Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has been teasing us with the Avenger's team up with a slew of super hero summer flicks. The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and most notably Thor have all led to The Avengers via post credit extra scenes and Samuel L. Jackson cameo's. I give it up to Marvel's marketing strategists. Sticking to the Avengers idea from the start has paid off, and it really shows here.
The villain from Thor, Loki, returns as the main bad guy. Loki (Tom Hiddleston, looking exactly like Tim Lincecum) has come to earth to steal the Tesseract, a small cube capable of sustainable clean energy and is slightly reminiscent of the all spark in Transformers. Just like in Transformers, the Tesseract is really just an object to get our heroes to join together and stop Loki. The team is assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., to recover the Tesaract, but mostly to get the action started. The team consists of Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo, replacing Edward Norton), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). The team must band together, or Loki has threatened to bring an alien army to take over the earth to fill the hole in his heart left by his daddy issues.
The characters are quite fun. Each one brings a unique talent to the team, and their interactions are playful and humorous. Mark Ruffalo does a fine job filling in for Edward Norton, who played Bruce Banner/The Hulk in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Ruffalo comes off as a very likeable guy on screen, which is the perfect comparison to the enormous green monster he becomes as The Hulk. The Hulk comes off as the most powerful Avenger, which was something I did not expect, considering that the demi-god from space Thor is there as well. The Hulk is basically a one monster wrecking crew, destroying everything in his path. Imagine having invincibility and unlimited ammo on Goldeneye for N64. This was a blast to watch on screen, even if there was not much tension.
One character who seemed underutilized was Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye. Of the six heroes, Hawkeye had by far the least amount of back story portrayed in the former movies, only making a brief cameo in Thor. Hawkeye gets almost no character exposition for the first 2/3 of this movie, leaving a pretty slim connection for the audience. As much as I loved Renner in The Town and The Hurt Locker, I was disappointed with how little his character was emphasized.
Meanwhile, Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America were all excellent. All three play well off of each other, having such diverse backgrounds. Pretty much any movie with Robert Downey Jr. being sarcastic is going to be entertaining, and the Avengers oozes with it.
When seeing The Avengers, the thing I want the most is great action. There is absolutely no lacking in action in this movie. But action without a connection or any sort of care for the characters (ahem, Transformers), falls flat. Being a person who has seen every movie that has led up to it, it was joyous to watch all of these superheroes exist in the same universe, play off each others strengths, all the while having incredibly witty banter that any great action flick MUST have. I had a major nerd happiness moment at Iron Man's Lord of the Rings reference.
I'm very glad to see such a mainstream film be so sci-fi. The Avengers blends aliens, gods, and superheroes in a magnificent way. Somehow, director Joss Whedon gets you to buy into the fact that all three of these can exist in the same universe and be cool.
One final note: For any other Pulp Fiction fan, it's going to be a jarring experience to watch Samuel L. keep his language tame. His character finally breaks out in the third act, but as in any other Sam Jackson movie, I wanted him to start (mis)quoting Ezekiel right before he capped someone.
The Avengers is an incredibly fun summer action movie. The story is nothing to think twice about, but the execution is where it excels. Two and a half hours will fly by, in an experience definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
VERDICT: See it in theaters!
4/5
Beginning with Jon Favreau's Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has been teasing us with the Avenger's team up with a slew of super hero summer flicks. The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and most notably Thor have all led to The Avengers via post credit extra scenes and Samuel L. Jackson cameo's. I give it up to Marvel's marketing strategists. Sticking to the Avengers idea from the start has paid off, and it really shows here.
The villain from Thor, Loki, returns as the main bad guy. Loki (Tom Hiddleston, looking exactly like Tim Lincecum) has come to earth to steal the Tesseract, a small cube capable of sustainable clean energy and is slightly reminiscent of the all spark in Transformers. Just like in Transformers, the Tesseract is really just an object to get our heroes to join together and stop Loki. The team is assembled by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., to recover the Tesaract, but mostly to get the action started. The team consists of Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo, replacing Edward Norton), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). The team must band together, or Loki has threatened to bring an alien army to take over the earth to fill the hole in his heart left by his daddy issues.
The characters are quite fun. Each one brings a unique talent to the team, and their interactions are playful and humorous. Mark Ruffalo does a fine job filling in for Edward Norton, who played Bruce Banner/The Hulk in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Ruffalo comes off as a very likeable guy on screen, which is the perfect comparison to the enormous green monster he becomes as The Hulk. The Hulk comes off as the most powerful Avenger, which was something I did not expect, considering that the demi-god from space Thor is there as well. The Hulk is basically a one monster wrecking crew, destroying everything in his path. Imagine having invincibility and unlimited ammo on Goldeneye for N64. This was a blast to watch on screen, even if there was not much tension.
One character who seemed underutilized was Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye. Of the six heroes, Hawkeye had by far the least amount of back story portrayed in the former movies, only making a brief cameo in Thor. Hawkeye gets almost no character exposition for the first 2/3 of this movie, leaving a pretty slim connection for the audience. As much as I loved Renner in The Town and The Hurt Locker, I was disappointed with how little his character was emphasized.
Meanwhile, Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America were all excellent. All three play well off of each other, having such diverse backgrounds. Pretty much any movie with Robert Downey Jr. being sarcastic is going to be entertaining, and the Avengers oozes with it.
When seeing The Avengers, the thing I want the most is great action. There is absolutely no lacking in action in this movie. But action without a connection or any sort of care for the characters (ahem, Transformers), falls flat. Being a person who has seen every movie that has led up to it, it was joyous to watch all of these superheroes exist in the same universe, play off each others strengths, all the while having incredibly witty banter that any great action flick MUST have. I had a major nerd happiness moment at Iron Man's Lord of the Rings reference.
I'm very glad to see such a mainstream film be so sci-fi. The Avengers blends aliens, gods, and superheroes in a magnificent way. Somehow, director Joss Whedon gets you to buy into the fact that all three of these can exist in the same universe and be cool.
One final note: For any other Pulp Fiction fan, it's going to be a jarring experience to watch Samuel L. keep his language tame. His character finally breaks out in the third act, but as in any other Sam Jackson movie, I wanted him to start (mis)quoting Ezekiel right before he capped someone.
The Avengers is an incredibly fun summer action movie. The story is nothing to think twice about, but the execution is where it excels. Two and a half hours will fly by, in an experience definitely worth seeing on the big screen.
VERDICT: See it in theaters!
4/5
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Rating System
I use a rating system with 5 being the highest, and 1 being the lowest. Here are some examples for each number:
5- The Lord of the Rings
4.5- Minority Report
4- (500) Days of Summer
3.5- The A-Team
3- Iron Man 2
2.5- Runaway Jury
2- Die Another Day
1.5- Spider-Man 3
1- Gymkata
Kind of a random assortment but you get the idea. And I briefly considered putting Gymkata as a 5. Seriously, this movie is so unreal bad that it is hilarious to watch. To give you an idea, here's the trailer. Enjoy!
5- The Lord of the Rings
4.5- Minority Report
4- (500) Days of Summer
3.5- The A-Team
3- Iron Man 2
2.5- Runaway Jury
2- Die Another Day
1.5- Spider-Man 3
1- Gymkata
Kind of a random assortment but you get the idea. And I briefly considered putting Gymkata as a 5. Seriously, this movie is so unreal bad that it is hilarious to watch. To give you an idea, here's the trailer. Enjoy!
Purpose
Welcome! I am a twenty-two year old law student, who loves to discuss and write about movies! The reason this is here is twofold. First, to serve as an outlet for me to discuss movies in the nerdy way that I normally love to do, and second, to give (hopefully) valuable insight on movies from a FAN's perspective, rather than a pretentious critic.
A problem I have found with film criticism today is that there is way too much focus on the "craft" of film, rather than it's entertainment. I believe that entertainment is the absolute core of what a movie is supposed to bring. A movie's "importance" or "technical brilliance" are better served to be discussed in a film class, rather than a movie review. Most people want to know one simple thing when going to a movie: "Is this going to waste my time?" Hopefully I can give some insight into this.
My vision for this site is to give candid and honest perspective on a film's quality and fun. I want to be able to recommend movies to others in a way that actually appeals to normal people. A huge problem that has plagued the Oscars is that real people don't go see the movies that are nominated. Notice that within the past few years the Academy has expanded the nomination of Best Picture to ten films, and has included fan favorites such as The Blind Side and Toy Story 3. While I do appreciate artfully made films, I also appreciate the fact that it first has to serve some entertainment value. Just because a movie is goofy (Wayne's World, Nacho Libre, to name a few of my favorites), does not make it any less great. Meanwhile, just because a movie is critically lauded for its polish and technique (There Will Be Blood, to give an example) does not make up for the fact that it is painfully boring. While there is a certain sect who do appreciate these characteristics, it is my belief that 95% of us don't. We want to go to the movie theater or pop in a DVD (or Blu ray for the snobs like myself) to escape from reality a little bit, and have some fun. Do I care that the prisoner transport scene of The Dark Knight is absolutely riddled with holes of logic and plausibility? Absolutely not, as it is an incredibly entertaining action sequence. Suspense of disbelief (to an extent) is at the heart of enjoying a movie.
Hopefully after reading some insight as to what I enjoy about movies, I will be able to pass some knowledge on to you. I am about as avid of a reader of IMDB as can be (I can scare people sometimes with my knowledge of obscure character actors), and try to watch as many films as I can. If you are looking for some deep evaluation of a film and how it is made, this is not for you. But if you are interested in a fun look at a movie and its quality, I hope you enjoy!
My plan is to blog about movies I have recently seen, as well as older (or maybe not so old) films that are some of my favorites, to hopefully expand their audience.
A problem I have found with film criticism today is that there is way too much focus on the "craft" of film, rather than it's entertainment. I believe that entertainment is the absolute core of what a movie is supposed to bring. A movie's "importance" or "technical brilliance" are better served to be discussed in a film class, rather than a movie review. Most people want to know one simple thing when going to a movie: "Is this going to waste my time?" Hopefully I can give some insight into this.
My vision for this site is to give candid and honest perspective on a film's quality and fun. I want to be able to recommend movies to others in a way that actually appeals to normal people. A huge problem that has plagued the Oscars is that real people don't go see the movies that are nominated. Notice that within the past few years the Academy has expanded the nomination of Best Picture to ten films, and has included fan favorites such as The Blind Side and Toy Story 3. While I do appreciate artfully made films, I also appreciate the fact that it first has to serve some entertainment value. Just because a movie is goofy (Wayne's World, Nacho Libre, to name a few of my favorites), does not make it any less great. Meanwhile, just because a movie is critically lauded for its polish and technique (There Will Be Blood, to give an example) does not make up for the fact that it is painfully boring. While there is a certain sect who do appreciate these characteristics, it is my belief that 95% of us don't. We want to go to the movie theater or pop in a DVD (or Blu ray for the snobs like myself) to escape from reality a little bit, and have some fun. Do I care that the prisoner transport scene of The Dark Knight is absolutely riddled with holes of logic and plausibility? Absolutely not, as it is an incredibly entertaining action sequence. Suspense of disbelief (to an extent) is at the heart of enjoying a movie.
Hopefully after reading some insight as to what I enjoy about movies, I will be able to pass some knowledge on to you. I am about as avid of a reader of IMDB as can be (I can scare people sometimes with my knowledge of obscure character actors), and try to watch as many films as I can. If you are looking for some deep evaluation of a film and how it is made, this is not for you. But if you are interested in a fun look at a movie and its quality, I hope you enjoy!
My plan is to blog about movies I have recently seen, as well as older (or maybe not so old) films that are some of my favorites, to hopefully expand their audience.
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