Catching Up, Part 4

Four in a row! After over two years of gathering dust on the virtual shelf my blog seems to be alive once again. It feels great to be writing again and I'm excited about sharing my thoughts, opinions and unparalleled knowledge of all things "movie" with the world. I know you all missed me.

Here is the fourth and final part in my Catching Up series. Enjoy!

Casablanca


I’ve been trying more in recent years to catch up on all the “classic” films from long before I was old enough (or even alive) to appreciate good filmmaking. I had a number of films from this category that I considered including in this catch-up list (Citizen Kane, To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, to name a few) but in the end it seemed appropriate to include, arguably, the most well-known classic of them all, Casablanca. I’m always interested to see if these older movies have stood the test of time. Are their characters, plots and writing still relevant? Can it still capture the attention of a 30-something guy who enjoys a good mainstream, apocalyptic film with (or without) killer robots? Well in the case of Casablanca I’m happy to announce that it does indeed pass that test. At least for me. The writing is just brilliant, but that’s no surprise for a movie that has no less than six of its quotes on the A.F.I. Top 100 Movie Quotes of All Time. The story is tried and true and Bogart is at his best. This film personifies the highest echelon of filmmaking. I’m glad I finally saw it and I’m glad it matches the hype. That’s impressive for a film that’s almost 70 years old.

Vertigo

Another in my series of movies-I-need-to-watch, though I include it for almost the opposite reason as Casablanca. Now I might be stirring up some dissention by saying this (Michael H., I apologize) but I was totally underwhelmed by this Hitchcock “classic”. I really tried to give it a fair shake, but the film bored me for the most part, confused me in some other parts, and just generally left me thinking “Really?” In this writer’s opinion, this film has not stood the test of time. The writing and acting just don’t measure up and the convoluted plot just doesn’t fit. Again, that’s one man’s opinion and I know I’m probably in the minority. But there it is. It just left me dizzy. (I agonized about including that pun, but felt it had to be done.)

True Grit (1969)

The Coen Brothers make some great films. I’m a big fan of Raising Arizona, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou? and No Country For Old Men. The scripts are superb, the acting is top-notch and the films themselves are a pleasant break from typical Hollywood fare. When I heard that they were going to remake True Grit I knew I had better watch the original first. I’ve said before that I’m a fan of westerns, but I had never seen the 1969 John Wayne classic that earned him is first (and only) Academy Award. So I wrangled up a copy (see what I did there?) and popped it into Ye Olde Blu-Ray player (that’s a bit of an oxymoron I think). This is a great western. The dynamics between Cogburn, La Boeuf and Mattie Ross are very engaging and entertaining. And my hat goes off to Kim Darby who gives an incredible performance as young Ross. I was surprised by how well this film has held up over the years. Now I can’t wait to see the Coen Brothers’ version. Has anyone seen both? Thoughts?

The Social Network

If there’s one thing that has changed significantly in the last two years, it has to be the emergence of social networking. Facebook. It has changed the way an entire generation interacts with one another. The story behind the creation of this worldwide trend is incredible and, I think, important. Going into this film I was most interested in learning about the birth of Facebook and the people involved (that is, their involvement, not their births). What I didn’t expect was to discover one of the most well-crafted films I’ve seen in a long time. Regardless of your interest in the Facebook phenomenon, The Social Network is a brilliantly made film. From the score and cinematography to the writing and acting, this film earns high marks across the board. It’s even a technological marvel in some areas (did you know that the Winklevoss twins were portayed by a single actor?). There’s a lot more going on here than just the creation of Facebook. This is a story about character, ideas, ownership, relationships and vision. And a very well told story at that. Highly recommended.

TRON Legacy

TRON Legacy makes the list because it is the most recent “blockbuster” I’ve seen. Just last week Shauna and I sat down and had ourselves a TRON double-feature, watching the original classic and the updated ‘Legacy’ back to back. If you’re a fan of the 1982 original, which was groundbreaking with its digital effects and computerized scenery, then you’ll love Legacy which takes a good thing and builds on it. The special effects are dazzling, especially during the “games”. The light-cycle race alone is worth the price of admission. But beyond great visuals, the film also surprises with an intelligent plot and a clever villain. This is a fun visit back to “the grid” and a well made film that rightfully earns a spot in my collection.

"It feels good to be back on the grid."

It's been fun going back over some of the more memorable films I've watched during my 2-year break from the blog. I would love to hear your comments on these films, as well as some your most memorable movies from recent years. Which stand out in your mind as the most impressive? The most disappointing? The most bizarre? Let me know. I'd love to hear from all my readers. Both of you.