Movie Quote Quiz Results

The first official ‘Down In Front’ Movie Quote Quiz is now over! Well done to all those who gave it a try. And congratulations to my wife, Shauna! She got all 10 quotes right, as well as the bonus question. I’m so proud. Of course, I would expect nothing less from the wife of an obsessed movie geek.

However, in the spirit of fairness, Shauna has chosen to decline any of the prizes so that others may reap the rewards. And so we go to second place, where there is a tie between my good friend Anthony and my own Mother! That’s right folks, my MOM did better than most of you! Don’t feel bad though, she’s a pretty smart mom.

As promised, there are prizes available to both Anthony and Mom. You can each choose one of the following DVDs:

Cast Away
Fight Club
The Karate Kid
Spaceballs
The Usual Suspects
Walk the Line
Cinderella Man

And for those who did not win, stay tuned to Down In Front. There will a new quiz next week for you to try…with prizes!

Finally, here are the answers to this week’s Movie Quote Quiz:

Title (Bonus) – Fight Club
#1 – 12 Monkeys
#2 – Apollo 13
#3 – The Breakfast Club
#4 – Dances With Wolves
#5 – The Full Monty
#6 – The Fellowship of the Ring
#7 – Men in Black
#8 – My Cousin Vinny
#9 – Saving Private Ryan
#10 – Three Amigos!

Stay tuned!

So far I’ve received several responses to the Movie Quote quiz I posted earlier this week. Good job to all of you have given it a try and for those who haven’t yet, you better hurry! There is definitely a prize to be given away to the winner.

Answers will be posted on Friday (tomorrow) and the winner will be announced at that time.

Good luck!

"I have to believe that when things are bad I can change them."

I’ve been a fan of Ron Howard’s films (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Apollo 13, Ransom) pretty much since 1988 when he directed an amusing fantasy film called Willow. I’m also a big fan of Russell Crowe (L.A. Confidential, The Insider), especially considering he starred in two of my all-time favourite films, Gladiator and Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. Howard and Crowe came together for the first time in 2001 to create another brilliant true-life film called A Beautiful Mind. And when I heard that they were teaming up once again to portray the life of boxer Jim Braddock I expected great things.

I love it when my expectations are realized. Especially when they’re in the form of a $7.99 previously-viewed DVD from Blockbuster.

Cinderella Man depicts not only the life of a supposedly washed-out boxer named Jim Braddock, but also the lives of most people trying to survive the Great Depression of the 1930s. At the height of his career Braddock had never been knocked out and was a contender for the championship. But the stock market crash and resulting depression took nearly everything Jim had. Cinderella Man shows the struggles and triumphs of Braddock and his family as they do everything they can to simply survive. Which just happens to include a return to the boxing ring.

There are a number of factors at work that make Cinderella Man such a terrific film. First and foremost has to be the story itself. There are many inspiring real-life stories out there but I can’t imagine a time when America would have needed one more than during the Great Depression. Ron Howard pulls no punches (pardon the pun) in depicting the quality of life for those affected, specifically Braddock (Crowe), his wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) and their three young children. Watching this family struggle through thick and thin is all the more incredible when you realize that it’s a true story. While Braddock’s rise to fame in the boxing ring is terrifically stirring, it’s Braddock’s character and integrity as a husband and father that are truly inspiring.

Added to a wonderful story is wonderful acting. Russell Crowe does a fine job as the under-estimated boxer Braddock. Not only is it obvious that he prepared physically for the role, but he convincingly displays the traits one would expect from a caring family man who must do just about anything to ensure his family stays together and survives. Renee Zellweger plays the character of Braddock’s wife with enthusiasm and realism. I’m not a huge fan of the Zellweger herself, something about her just irritates me, but I can’t deny that she’s a talented actor (e.g. Chicago, Jerry Maguire) and this is probably the best work I’ve seen her do. Paul Giamatti (Sideways) portrays Braddock’s relentless trainer and promoter, Joe Gould. I’ve always liked Giamatti and I think he’s one of Hollywood’s under-appreciated actors, though he did receive an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Cinderella Man. Gould’s own struggles during the depression are brought to life with an incredible performance by Giamatti.
Bringing the story and the acting together in perfect unison is Ron Howard’s superb direction. There seems to be a lot going on in this film but the pacing is such that you never feel overwhelmed or confused by any of it. Everything from the sets and costumes to the lighting and cinematography are near perfect in every scene. You really get a good feel for the lives of both the rich and poor during the early 1930s while becoming wrapped up in the incredible life of Jim Braddock and his family. It might be hard not to think of Rocky when you’re watching a boxing movie, but Howard makes it easy to realize that Cinderella Man is much more than just a boxing movie. He makes you believe that Braddock really did bring a nation to its feet at a time when it needed it most.

The DVD itself is presented in an Anamorphic 2.35:1 video format and the picture is just fine. The colors are washed out slightly in order to portray a more drabby image of the depression era. However the sharpness and contrast of the film does not suffer one bit and the picture looked near high definition. A Dolby Digital 5.1 track is included and I can’t really find anything to complain about it other than the fact that it’s not DTS (for shame!). To be perfectly honest I didn’t realize pay too much attention to the picture or the sound. The story and the film are just so well done that it probably wouldn’t have mattered. In the end though, the video and audio simply add to an already enjoyable movie experience.

I realized after the fact that a 2-disc Collector’s Edition exists for Cinderella Man. You’d think I know by now there’s always another edition. As it is, the bonus features included on the single-disc version aren’t bad. Several deleted scenes are included, all of which are terrific moments that, in my opinion, could have easily been left in the theatrical cut. I guess I’m in a minority of people who actually enjoy 3 hour films. Also included are no less that 3 full-length feature commentaries and a number of featurettes that I haven’t the chance to watch yet. With all this it’s hard to imagine what else would be included on the 2-disc set. For $7.99 though, you really can’t go wrong with the single-disc version. Beware though! A dreaded ‘Full Screen’ edition also exists. I don’t need to tell you to avoid it like the plague. Right?

Cinderella Man has only increased my appreciation for both Ron Howard and Russell Crowe. They’ve managed to create another fantastic film that entertains and inspires. If you liked A Beautiful Mind I can’t imagine you not loving Cinderella Man. So leave a comment and let me know when you’re coming over to watch it. I’ll have the popcorn ready.

Cinderella Man gets 9 right-jabs (out of 10).

Duck, weave and throw a left-hook here for ‘Cinderella Man’ trivia.

"The first rule of __________ is, you do not talk about _________."

Here’s something fun for all my readers to do while you anxiously await my next blog entry. I’ve been known to create the occasional movie-quote quiz and I thought I would use my blog as an excuse to create one more. So here are 10 movie quotes for you to ponder. The catch is that the title of the movie itself is contained within the quote, which has been removed and replaced with blanks. Fill in the blank and you have your movie title!

Some should be fairly easy, while others might give you a bit of a hard time. Your only hint is that all the answers come from my own personal DVD collection, which can be viewed by using one of the links found on this site. It may come in handy to solve the 10 quotes below and the bonus quote found in the title of today's blog.

You can email your answers to this address. If I get enough responses there might even be a prize in it for you!

Try not to cheat, and good luck!

Quote #1

“Then, they took everything about me and put it into a computer where they created this model of my mind. Yes! Using that model they managed to generate every thought I could possibly have in the next, say, 10 years. Which they then filtered through a probability matrix of some kind to - to determine everything I was gonna do in that period. So you see, she knew I was gonna lead the Army of the ____________ into the pages of history before it ever even occurred to me. She knows everything I'm ever gonna do before I know it myself. How's that?”

Quote #2

"Al Shepard's ear infection has flared up. And we've all been bumped up to the prime crew of ____________. Straight to the head of the line and the Fra Mauro highlands.”

Quote #3

“Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, ____________.”

Quote #4

“You are the only white man I have ever known. I have thought about you a lot. More than you think. And I understand your concern. But I think you are wrong. The white man the soldiers are looking for no longer exists. Now there is only a Sioux named ____________."

Quote #5

“No way, no, and never. In that order, kid.”
“Excuse me? No one said anything to me about ____________."
“But you heard ‘em. We got to give ‘em something your average stripper don’t.”

Quote #6

“Nine companions. So be it. You shall be ____________."
“Great! Where are we going?”

Quote #7

“You'll conform to the identity we give you, eat where we tell you, live where we tell you. From now on you'll have no identifying marks of any kind. You'll not stand out in any way. Your entire image is crafted to leave no lasting memory with anyone you encounter. You're a rumour, recognizable only as deja vu and dismissed just as quickly. You don't exist; you were never even born. Anonymity is your name. Silence your native tongue. You're no longer part of the System. You're above the System. Over it. Beyond it. We're ‘them.’ We're ‘they.’ We are the ____________."

Quote #8

“We have an attorney in the family!”
“Great. Who?”
"____________!"

Quote #9

“I don't know. Part of me thinks the kid's right. He asks what he's done to deserve this. He wants to stay here, fine. Let's leave him and go home. But then another part of me thinks, what if by some miracle we stay, then actually make it out of here. Someday we might look back on this and decide that ____________ was the one decent thing we were able to pull out of this whole god-awful mess. Like you said, Captain, maybe we do that, we all earn the right to go home.”

Quote #10

“Well, you dirt-eating piece of slime, you scum-sucking pig, you son of a motherless goat.”
“Who are you?”
“Wherever there is injustice, you will find us. Wherever there is suffering, we’ll be there. Tell us we will die like dogs.”
“What?”
“Tell us we will die like dogs.”
“You WILL die like dogs.”
“No, we will not die like dogs! We will fight like lions! Because we are…”
“The ____________!"

Roll Credits II

It’s time for another look at the incredible people who work so hard to make the films we love (or hate). A while back I decided to use a portion of my blog to explain some of the titles we often see during the final credits of a movie. In an effort to shed some light on who all those people are and what they do, I bring you Part II of Roll Credits.

Line Producer – This individual is in charge of the movie’s budget. They manage all the expenses right from the actor’s salaries to the everyday costs of keeping the cameras rolling. When you see this credit scroll by on the next big, epic movie you see you can silently thank that person for ensuring that the film’s budget was so exorbitant that you had to shell out an extra $4.50 for a squirt of butter on your $12.75 small popcorn.

Film Loader – Pretty much what it sounds like, this person is responsible for loading and unloading the film magazines onto the cameras, as well as ensuring that the loading room stays clear and clean. This person is also commonly referred to as the ‘Clapper Loader’, because they are also responsible for operating the clapperboard (slate) at the beginning of each take. The loader is a very important job since it’s not only important to ensure the camera has film, but to be certain it is the right kind of film for the shot.

Camera Operator – Again, pretty easy to figure out what this person does. They’re responsible for not only operating the camera, but to ensure that the scene the director wants captured is perfectly framed. And if you’ve ever watched a behind-the-scenes special feature and heard a director yell “Check the gate!” you now know that it’s the camera operator’s job to visually inspect the film gate on the camera after each scene. He’s checking to make sure nothing has jammed in the gate, usually a human hair, which could ruin the entire shot. If there’s nothing in the gate then “It’s a wrap!”

Finding the Bourne Intelligence

A few weeks ago my church had their annual Parish Retreat up near Sylvan Lake. I’ve attended these retreats for three years in a row and they are always a fun, relaxing and spiritually engaging time. I was especially excited this year as the theme of the weekend was ‘Movies!’. In the words of Monty Python, “Say…no…more!”

The idea of the weekend was to see how God can speak to us through mainstream Hollywood movies, even though the movies themselves may not (and usually don’t) intend to have any kind of specific Christian message. There are times when our Pastor likes to use movie clips to help emphasize a point in his sermon and I’ve often heard a specific movie quote or watched a specific scene and thought ‘That would be a good clip to use in a sermon’. But on the whole, I rarely examine an entire movie closely to see if there are any specific themes that could relate to Christianity. It was a fun and interesting exercise to spend the weekend watching films, trying to identify scenes that God could use to illustrate a point or communicate a message.

Our first film was Finding Nemo. One of my wife’s favorites (which was too bad since she was not able to attend). I’ve seen the film a number of times but had never really looked for specific Christian themes. As it turns out, when you go looking for such themes they are all over the place. The father and son relationship, the determination and dedication of the father searching for his child, lost sheep, letting go, trust, love, faith, hope; they’re all there. At the end of the film we got into groups and wrote down the numerous moments we recognized as having a Christian theme or message. I wish I had a copy of that sheet because there were far more than I would have expected. I’m sure that if you go looking for any kind of theme in a film you’re likely to find it, but it was a unique and eye-opening way to watch a movie. Not to mention the fact that Finding Nemo is just a terrific movie on its own. I highly recommend watching it and letting yourself see those moments that maybe you didn’t recognize before. God can speak to us in so many ways.

The next day we watched The Bourne Identity. One of my favourite films. I was really excited about this one simply because Jason Bourne has got to be my single most favourite spy character around. And once again I was amazed at the number of thematic elements that could easily be interpreted with a Christian message. Searching for one’s self, examining past actions/sins and seeing how they form who we are today and who we want to be tomorrow. Forgiveness, redemption, truth, sacrifice, good, evil. I found this exercise of looking for such themes to be a very satisfying addition to an already enjoyable film. Our group started to dig a little deeper in our analysis of The Bourne Identity and started asking ourselves ‘What defines me?’, ‘Who am I?’ One of my favourite films had become one the most engaging and thought provoking.
I found out what the last film of the weekend was going to be a few hours before we actually saw it. And I have to admit that when I was told it was going to be A.I. Artificial Intelligence I was very disappointed. A.I. was one of the worst movies I had ever seen. I had high expectations for it (Steven Spielberg directing, how can you go wrong with that?) and that probably made my disgust even more acute after wasting a good 3 hours of my life on it. I was not at all happy to learn that I would be wasting another 3 hours watching it again.

Fortunately the exercise of looking for thematic elements and quotes made it much more bearable. It’s still a terrible, terrible movie, but at least I got something out of it this time. Another soul searching film that explores who we are and what our purpose is. The relationships that the robot boy, David, forms can be linked to many of the relationships we form in our own lives. Ultimately, however, the film is about unconditional love and the quest to become that which we were created to be. David was made to love and he soon realizes that he must become something different in order to love as fully and as completely as he was created to. It was an interesting way to view a Christian theme that can often be overlooked or underestimated in our daily lives. Who were we created to be and how to we change in order to fulfill that destiny?

As I’ve said if you go looking for any kind of theme or message in a film you’re likely to find it or something very close to it. The point of the weekend wasn’t to prove Hollywood movies are filled with subliminal Christian messages. It was to show that God can speak to us through anything and that He will use anything and everything to remind us of His love for us. It was a very fulfilling exercise and I strongly encourage all my readers (all 6 million of you) to take the opportunity, the next time you watch a movie, and look for some themes or messages you didn’t know were there. You’ll simply be adding to an already wonderful experience.

Your search is over. ‘Finding Nemo’ trivia can be found here.
I could tell you that ‘The Bourne Identity’ trivia is here, but then I’d have to kill you.
Intelligent, but not artificial trivia for ‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence’ can be found here.

I've mostly been remiss in my blogging...mostly.

My sincere apologies to the hundreds of thousands of 'Down in Front' fans who have had nothing to read on my blog in the last month or so. I am ashamed! I admit that my movie watching has suffered somewhat over the last few weeks due to unforeseen circumstances. Ok, well maybe the circumstances weren't completely unforeseen, but honestly, how could I have known that I would get addicted to a new computer game? In the words of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, 'It's not my fault!'.

I have recently posted a brief review of Capote, which you'll find below this post. And in the coming days I promise to get caught up on reviewing a few other movies I've seen. You can find a list of what I've been watching in the sidebar to the right.

I'll also get cracking on the second installment of 'Roll Credits'. I'm sure you're just dying to know what a clapper-loader and a focus-puller are.

So stay tuned! Many great reviews are coming your way soon!

Unless I start getting close to level 30...

"It's the book I was always meant to write."

I’m not sure what’s wrong with me but I haven’t been watching nearly as many movies lately as I should be. I think I only watched eleven movies this month. 11! It’s just not right. I know I should be ashamed of myself. But I’m not. I’m too busy playing computer games. Pretty soon I’m going to have to quit my job so I can play games and watch movies full time. Shauna’s going to love that…

Despite my recent addiction to WoW, I did find time to watch Capote on DVD. This is a fascinating movie about Truman Capote and how he came to write ‘In Cold Blood’, one of the first “non-fiction novels” that relates the real life events of November 15, 1959 when two men entered a house in Kansas and brutally murdered a family of four. Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Magnolia, MI:3) portrays the eccentric Capote who sets out to learn more about the killers and why they did what they did.

Essentially, Capote is a biographical film, of which we’ve been seeing many lately. Though it is one of the only non-musical biographical films I can remember. Ray, Walk the Line, De-Lovely, Beyond the Sea and a host of other films have become quite popular in recent years. Capote is no exception and delivers a thought provoking look at another famous life. Truman Capote himself is intriguing and mesmerizing in his manipulation of others. The saying about genius and insanity being separated by a fine line is evident in the life of this man who is fascinated with a brutal family murder and sees it as his opportunity to produce the greatest book of his time.

“When I think about how good my book could be, I can hardly breathe.”

Phillip Seymour Hoffman is the reason to see this film. I can completely understand why he won the Oscar for Best Actor. This character is unlike any you’ve seen before and Hoffman manages to get to the very core of who Capote was. His mannerisms and speech alone are impressive, but the subtle manipulations and chameleon-esque behaviour are without equal. Several times I was surprised and stunned by Capote’s decisions and motivations. I’ve seen Hoffman before in a number of roles but he completely disappears into this character, creating a totally believable Truman Capote.

The highest praise for this film is simply this; I would now like to read ‘In Cold Blood’ and possibly other Capote novels. At the very least I feel I got an important education on one of history’s more influential authors. It’s a wonderful look at an intriguing individual and I highly recommend it.

Click here for 'Capote' trivia.

May the 4th be with you!

Today is International Star Wars day!! w00t!*

It's nice to know that one of my favorite movies of all-time has it's own International Day. Too bad it's not an International Day-off. Maybe I should start lobbying for that. Then we could all take May the 4th off to watch the Star Wars Trilogy. I think I would be a-okay with that.

In other Star Wars news, it looks like the original trilogy is going to be released on DVD. Again. Actually, this will be the 3rd release of the original trilogy on DVD. Due to overwhelming demand for the unaltered original version, Lucas is releasing this next edition in September which will include the theatrical versions of the original trilogy. That's right Star Wars fans, we'll be able to see Han Solo shoot first! Finally!

Of course, this means I will have to buy yet another copy of Star Wars. This will be my 5th version of the trilogy. Sigh...I'm so weak.

You can read about the upcoming release here: http://www.starwars.com/episode-iv/release/video/news20060503.html

Have a great Star Wars day! And remember, the 4th will be with you...always.

Especially in May. Right after the 3rd.

*See Wikipedia definition of 'w00t' here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woot
(I've been playing too much World of Warcraft lately.)

"And one day there will be no more frontier...but once, we were here."

While out browsing for computer games with a good friend of mine, I came across the Director’s Cut DTS Edition of ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. I had only seen the film once but from what I remembered it was quite good. Since it was only $9.99 and included the ever-coveted DTS audio track I quickly added it to my collection. For the price I paid I’m happy to say that the DVD measures up. Only just barely.

Last of the Mohicans is set in 1757, during the French and British battle for control of the North American colonies. Both sides have the help of various native American war parties and the British troops enlist the aid of local colonial militia men who are afraid to leave their frontier homes unguarded against the French soldiers and native tribes. Three remaining men of the Mohawk tribe, one adopted white son and his native father and brother, find themselves escorting a solider and two daughters of a British officer across the wild frontier. Nathaniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) falls in love with one of the women, Cora (Madeleine Stowe), and risks everything to keep her safe from the vengeful leader of a Huron war party.

My friend Dave would almost certainly be able to provide a better description of what was really going on during the British/French war in the 18th century. The film doesn’t go to great lengths to explain exactly what the battle is about or which side we should be cheering for. This is probably a good thing since the story is not about the war itself, but rather the involvement of the native tribes caught up in it. It’s a sweeping, epic view of the last days of the frontier and the start of the colonization of the Americas.

I first saw Daniel Day-Lewis in the incredible film ‘In the Name of the Father’. His character had a thick Irish accent (which my wife would have loved) and was completely different than his character in Mohicans. I found Nathaniel to be a little over the top and too serious to really take seriously. Er…yeah. I’ve heard that Day-Lewis often goes to extremes to get into character and that he actually spent several months living and camping in the wilderness prior to filming. His character comes across harsh and to-the-point, which is probably what you would expect from a man trying to survive in the war-torn frontier. It does make it a little hard to believe that Cora would fall for him so quickly, which she does. It’s a touching love story but just a little hard to believe.

The real star of the show, however, is the cinematography. As expected the sweeping vistas and scenery of the American frontier in the 18th century is reproduced with stunning results. From grasslands and forests to fog enshrouded lakes and thundering waterfalls, virtually every scene has something beautiful to see. Even the war torn forts, complete with smoking cannonballs streaking across the sky, are displayed as accurately as I would imagine them. The Last of the Mohicans is partially about the changing landscape of the time, which is terrifically displayed through the incredible cinematography.

Although the scenes themselves are something to behold, the video transfer of the DVD itself left much to be desired. I couldn’t help but notice a ton of grain, haze and distortion in many of the scenes. Colors were muted and faded and the print had an overall dissolved look. I’m not sure if this is due to the age of the film (1992) or if it’s simply a poor transfer. My guess is the latter considering the high quality video of many older films on DVD. Had the 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen print been of higher quality this DVD would look amazing. That being said, there is one scene in particular, where Nathaniel leaps through a giant waterfall that looks incredible.

Fortunately there is a 5.1 DTS audio track which makes up for the poor video quality…almost. I definitely felt immersed in the wilderness as the surrounds conveyed all the sounds one would normally expect to find there. Birds chirping, twigs snapping, leaves rustling. And the battle scenes are thunderous, putting the subwoofer through its paces. Overall I was quite pleased with the audio.

As for bonuses, there are none to speak of. So I won’t.

The Last of the Mohicans is an enjoyable film but it seems to lack a certain something. Everything seems to be building to an epic climax but I just wasn’t brought in enough to feel it. The music is fantastic, the scenes are beautiful and the acting, for the most part, is spot on. But the glue that holds it all together is just a little weak. I would say that if you are interested in colonial America and native tribes, then you would certainly enjoy Mohicans. If not, there’s still a chance you would enjoy this film but it’s not going to knock your moccasins off.

The Last of the Mohicans gets 7 tomahawks (out of 10).

Click here for ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ trivia.

"Ask him, Edie, how come he's so good at killing people?"

Most of us recognize Viggo Mortensen from his role as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although it was the role that gave him worldwide renown, it was certainly no where close to being his first major motion picture debut. Viggo has also had significant roles in A Perfect Murder, G.I. Jane, Crimson Tide, Carlito’s Way, Young Guns II and Witness. He’s shown that he has the chops to be a good, dramatic actor, and his latest fare, A History of Violence, is no exception. The movie itself leaves something to be desired, however.

Directed by David Cronenberg, A History of Violence tells the story of Tom Stall, a mild mannered family man and owner of a diner in a small Indiana town. After killing two would-be thieves (albeit, really bad, murdering thieves), Tom is confronted by a man who claims to know his violent past. Tom must attempt to get his life back in order while reassuring his wife and children that he is not the murdering gangster this new arrival claims he is. Or is he?

One of things that I liked about this film, aside from the intriguing plot, was that the director keeps you guessing. Right from the opening scene, Shauna and I were making assumptions and guesses that I assume the director wanted us to make. Most of them ended up being wrong, which is nice, since predictable movies can often be too, er, predictable. You never really learn the truth about the whole situation until about an hour into the film, at which point a lot still needs to be resolved concerning Tom Stall and his family.

Ed Harris (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) gives a chilling performance as Carl Fogarty, a disfigured mobster who claims Tom is really Joey, an equally ruthless criminal with violent tendencies. Some incredible tension is created in the film as Carl continues to push his case against Tom and his family, becoming more convincing with each scene. Figuring out whether Carl is right or not is part of the fun of A History of Violence. In either case, it almost certainly means some terrible consequences for the Stall family.

Although the plot and acting are interesting and entertaining, the film falls apart at several other stages. Maria Bello stars as Tom’s wife, and it seems like her only reason for being in the film is to provide a somewhat accomplished actress who is willing to take her clothes off. She has a knack for starring in questionably sub-par films, including Payback, The Cooler and Coyote Ugly and it doesn’t appear that A History of Violence is going to do anything to change that reputation. Although the film is designed to take a close look at a specific kind of violence in society, there are a number of scenes that simply didn’t need to be there. Some might disagree but I can certainly say that I really didn’t need to see them. Fair warning.

The film is also quite short, which I was surprised by since the plot seemed to have so much potential. That being said, I can appreciate what Cronenberg was trying to do. This is really just a short story, a small excerpt from one family’s life. I will admit that the movie does get you thinking and it’s likely that that is all Cronenberg had in mind. It’s definitely a film that makes you go ‘hmmm’, though I don’t think I’ll want it to make me go ‘hmmm’ a second time. I guess this is one of those movies that might be good to see once but is certainly not a re-watcher.

The DVD is presented in 1.85:1 Anamorphic widescreen, which always looks good on a widescreen television. I didn’t notice anything terrible or wonderful about the picture quality though, as I was too busy analyzing the film and trying to decide if I liked it or not. I’m still not sure on that one. And although the trailers might depict this as an action/thriller, you can be sure that the moments of violence are brief. Don’t get me wrong, those moments are still very, very violent. They're just short, which is probably for the best. Ultimately it's not a movie that really needs fantastic picture quality. The audio is provided via a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack which, again, is adequate enough that I didn’t notice any glaring problems, but is nothing stellar.

There are a number of bonus featurettes included on the single-disc DVD, as well as a director’s commentary and some deleted scenes. I only watched a few of the bonus features and was intrigued by some of the filmmaking stuff, but it seemed like the majority of the information concerned the philosophical issues that the movie raises. Cronenberg’s statement is that human history is rife with violence of all kinds, and this film merely takes a look at one specific instance of violence and how it affects the lives of Tom Stall and his family. There is probably some really interesting stuff in here if you’re into that sort of thing.

In the end, A History of Violence wasn’t nearly as good as I was hoping it would be. In fact, it wasn’t even the kind of film I thought it was going to be. That doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad film, but I can’t say it was a good one either. It had a few entertaining moments and some great acting by Ed Harris, yet it still left something to be desired. There was a lot of potential that just didn’t get realized.

I’m not sure if I should recommend this one or not. Let’s just say that if you weren’t interested in seeing it, you’re not missing anything. And if you really do want to see it, consider yourself warned, but hopefully you’ll still get something out of it.

A History of Violence gets 5 bloody noses (out of 10).

Relax, just click here for ‘A History of Violence’ trivia, and no one gets hurt.

Roll Credits

I thought I would start a new feature here on 'Down In Front' to help explain all those crew roles you see listed in a film's credits. One of the many things I enjoy about watching movies is watching the credits themselves. First of all, the music is often very significant to the end of the film and I find it provides an all-encompassing feeling of what the film was about. When Shauna and I used to go to the theatre, we almost always sat through the entire credits. Usually because we wanted to see who played such-and-such a role or which composer scored the film. But often it was simply to listen to the wonderful music. Sometimes there is so much happening on the screen that we miss the subtle musical cues that can really bring a film to life.

I am also fascinated by the filmmaking process. I love learning about all the tricks and techniques used to create a feature length film. I'm amazed at how much I've learned in the last several years, especially since movie studios started including comprehensive special features as part of the DVD releases.

But I think we would all agree that there are usually just way too many names scrolling by in the credits to bother reading them all. And often the crew title itself is confusing. What the heck is a clapper loader?

Well, in an effort to encourage my readers to sit through the credits more often, I present 'Roll Credits' - a regular feature where I'll define a few of those confusing credit titles. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of what's going on during the film making process, and ultimately give you a greater appreciation of what's involved in creating those movies we all love so much.

Gaffer - The Gaffer is the head electrician on set and reports to the Director of Photography. They arrange the lighting and electrical requirements on set as needed, and supervise the other electricians.

Grip - A grip is a person who works on set with all of the camera support equipment. They organise camera mounts when the director wants the camera on the side of a moving car, they move dollies, cranes, lay tracks and generally make it possible for the director to put the camera in more places than just on a tripod. A Key Grip is the person in charge of the grip crew and reports to the Director of Photography.

Director of Photography - A.k.a. Cinematographer. The Director of Photography is the person who is responsible for the cinematic look of the film, which includes selecting the right film stock, lighting each scene to achieve the director's requirements, choosing cameras and lenses, supervising the grips and electricians, and the other members of the camera department (camera operator, clapper/loader, focus puller, and camera assistants). Together with the Director and the Production Designer, the Director of Photography holds a key responsibility for the final look of the film on screen. In the USA and Canada, Director of Photography is often abbreviated to "DP"; in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, it is normally "DOP".

Cinematographers who have achieved a certain level of recognition amongst their peers are normally invited to join one or more of the national cinematographer societies. Members are identified in the film's credits with a series of letters after their name:

A.S.C. - The American Society of Cinematographers
C.S.C. - The Canadian Society of Cinematographers
A.C.S. - The Australian Cinematographers Society
B.S.C. - The British Society of Cinematographers (not to be confused with the Society for British Cinematographers...splitters!)

"It wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast."

Before the Lord of the Rings films, I had no idea who Peter Jackson was. This was probably true for most people. After grossing more than $1 billion worldwide, I think it’s now safe to say that there are few people who have not heard of Peter Jackson. The Lord of the Rings trilogy blew me away and I was excited to hear that Peter’s next project was a remake of the classic monster flick, King Kong.

When Kong made its debut in the theatres, the critic’s response was less than stellar. The main criticism seemed to be the film’s 3 hour-plus length, though I’m sure many critics couldn’t resist comparing Kong to The Lord of the Ring’s success. Six months later I knew I would see the film on DVD, but was unsure if I would end up adding it to my collection permanently. A few friends, who know me well, advised that the movie was right up my alley and that I would not regret blind-buying the 2-disc Special Edition.

So that’s what I did. And about a week ago I hosted a movie night where myself and several good friends got to watch King Kong for the first time.

Peter Jackson, you’re my hero.

Ironically, although most people know what King Kong is essentially about I would wager that few of them have actually seen the 1933 original. I haven’t. We’ve all seen clips here and there, usually showing Kong high atop the Empire State Building or fighting prehistoric dinosaurs on Skull Island. But considering that few of us have ever watched the original from beginning to end, it’s a testament to Kong’s popularity that we all know who King Kong is. I was excited to finally have a chance to see Kong’s story in its entirety.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong tells the story of Carl Denham (Jack Black), failing filmmaker, who charters a voyage to the mysterious Skull Island to finish his masterpiece. Joining him, whether willingly or not, are Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), a struggling actress, and Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Carl’s scriptwriter. Together they set out to explore Skull Island, where they discover a lost world filled with savage tribes people and terrible monsters. The most fearsome of them all, a 25 foot giant ape called Kong becomes obsessed with Ann Darrow, while Carl becomes obsessed with capturing Kong.

I don’t think I’m giving anything away by telling you what the crew find on Skull Island, or that Carl manages to bring Kong back to New York, where all hell breaks loose. Ultimately this is a story that most of us are familiar with and know exactly how it all ends. The joy of watching King Kong is not in discovering what happens, but rather how it all happens. Peter Jackson stays true to the story of King Kong while showing it to you in a way you’ve never seen before. It’s a wonderful tribute to the original film. It does not attempt to replace the 1933 classic. On the contrary, it made me want to watch the first King Kong. That’s about the best praise a remake film can achieve.

King Kong is a terrific story filled with interesting characters and intriguing circumstances. It’s a good hour before we finally get to see Kong himself, but trust me, it’s well worth the wait. Once on Skull Island, King Kong becomes a thrill ride the likes of which I haven’t seen in a long while. Even though there were only seven of us watching, the room was filled with gasps of surprise, moans of empathy and whatever you call those sounds people make when they get the heebie-jeebies really, really bad. I can’t recall the last movie I saw that produced so much vocal expression from its audience. Peter Jackson definitely knows how to involve you in the action and make it real enough to almost feel.

And talk about action. The roller coaster ride of Skull Island is relentless in its thrilling, terrifying and awe-inducing pace. One minute you’ll be chased by herds of rampaging brontosaurs, crying out as each thunderous footstep narrowly misses (or doesn’t) the fleeing crew. The next minute you’ll be catching your breath as the characters find some haven of relative safety and without warning you’ll be plunged head-first into the fast-paced action once again as the crew realize they are never truly safe on Skull Island. I was amazed at how many different scenarios unfolded before my eyes. It seemed almost too much, and yet Peter Jackson manages to keep you not only interested, but filled with excitement at every turn. Storytelling and characters aside, King Kong is a terrific ride.

King Kong is also filled with some incredible performances, not the least of which is Kong himself. Andy Serkis provides the motion capture and facial expression for the giant ape. That’s the same fellow who gave us Gollum’s performance in Lord of the Rings. While Kong may not have as many lines as Gollum did, the physical performance and emotional expression is on par with Serkis’ incredible ability to give CG characters a life of their own. Jack Black (Carl Denham) also gives his best performance to date. That may not be saying much, considering his somewhat typecast roles. However, I believe his acting ability has certainly gone up a notch. While there are still typical ‘Jack Black’ moments, we do get to see another side of this obviously versatile actor. Adrien Brody (Jack Driscoll) and Naomi Watts (Ann Darrow) do a fine job, though they are easily overshadowed by Kong and Denham.

The special effects alone are worth the purchase price of King Kong. WETA Workshops have raised the bar in the CG department, bringing an entire island of creatures to life. Creating creatures that are believable and realistic gives the film its ability to draw the audience in and achieve those ‘ooh-aah’ moments. I found I could easily ‘buy into’ the creatures – they looked right, they moved right and they sounded right. There was only one moment, during a brontosaur stampede, where the lighting seemed a bit off, giving away the CG illusion. Other than that the only thing convincing you that what you’re seeing isn’t real is the fact that your mind knows it isn’t real.

The DVD is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic widescreen and looks fantastic. The colors are crisp and clear. I didn’t notice any blurring or graininess anywhere. From the depression-era streets of New York city to the lush green jungles of Skull Island, everything looks vibrant and alive. The picture quality is just stunning. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is equally impressive. This is a film that really benefits from a surround sound system and mine was put through its paces and then some. A DTS track is always preferred but I guess there’s only so much room on one disc for a 3-hour film like this one. Extended edition, Mr. Jackson?

The second disc of the 2-disc Special Edition contains an entire collection of Peter Jackson’s post-production diaries. If you have any interest in film making then you’ll absolutely love these featurettes. Shauna and I watched all 3 ½ hours of them in one sitting and were ready for more. The diaries take you through virtually every aspect of the film’s post-production, from scoring and effects to motion capture and editing. There is a completely separate DVD for sale that contains the production diaries (principle photography) which I will almost certainly be picking up. These are some of the best special features I’ve seen since Lord of the Rings. Here’s hoping other directors and studios decide to follow Peter Jackson’s example.

I was completely blown away by King Kong. It was so much more than I was expecting. In all fairness, it was probably more than a lot of other people wanted. The 3+ hour running time is probably frowned upon by most movie go-ers. But then, I’m not most movie go-ers. The longer, the better, as far as I’m concerned. Of course, I wouldn’t say the same thing if I had to sit it out in a public theatre. I’ll take the comfort of my own couch any day of the week (and three or four times on Sundays). If you’re looking for a thrilling adventure movie and are willing to suspend your disbelief (which is the point of most movies) then you cannot go wrong with Kong.

It’s been a while since I’ve given away a 10...but…

King Kong (2005) gets 10 enormous bananas (out of 10)!

Beat your chest proudly and click here for ‘King Kong’ trivia.

Movie Review Catch-Up Part III

I bet you thought I wasn’t going to post Part III today, didn’t you? Yeah, I know you. There you are sitting by your computer refreshing my blog every 30 seconds, hoping for my next posting, which usually happens much earlier in the day. You probably started to get the shakes worrying that maybe I wouldn’t post today. Well have no fear because here it is! The Movie Review Catch-Up Part III.

There’s a quote from Return of the Jedi about “delusions of grandeur”. I think it applies to me.

Courage Under Fire – I can’t even remember where or when I first saw this movie. I’m not even 100% sure how it ended up in my DVD collection. It might have been a gift. Possibly from my wife. Anyway, the point is, like the majority of the movies in my collection, Courage Under Fire is a terrific flick. Although it follows a bit of the same pattern as other military dramas the characters are very engaging and the performances incredibly entertaining. Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damon, Scott Glenn and Lou Diamond Phillips star in this story about the first Medal of Honor to be awarded, posthumously, to a woman for her actions in combat. Combined with numerous flashbacks from different points of view, Courage Under Fire is intelligent and exciting, and will keep you guessing. “It’s the consequences. Imagine a life without consequences.”

Brotherhood of the Wolf – I borrowed this movie a while back and only just got around to watching it a few days ago. I never really knew what it was about but thought it looked cool and had some potential. I knew it was a French film, with English subtitles, but most of the foreign films I’ve seen are pretty good. Well this one starts out really good with some incredible cinematography and impressively choreographed fight scenes. The story is also quite intriguing. (From IMDB) ‘In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast’. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Well, unfortunately the story falls apart about 2/3rds of the way through and what I originally thought would be an intelligent, creative explanation for the killings turned out to be quite weak. I was disappointed. I can understand bad movies being bad, but this was a good movie that went bad. Maybe the ‘best-before’ date expired while I was watching it. “Instead of singing songs, they should be saying prayers.”

The Legend of 1900 – It’s like finding $20 in your coat pocket while searching for your keys – completely unexpected and delightful. The Legend of 1900 is one those movies that few people have heard about but stands out as one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. Tim Roth stars as 1900, born on a cruise ship in the same year (thus the name) and who lives his life on the ocean, never setting foot on land. And as fate would have it, he is a prodigy piano player. Filled with wonderful music and poetic dialogue, Legend is just as much fun to watch as it is to listen to. And the DTS soundtrack just makes me giddy when I play it. It may not have the best acting in the world, but the writing and music more than make up for it. It’s a beautiful, funny, romantic and haunting film that anyone with any taste would enjoy. So, if you don’t like it, you have no taste. My, I’m being quite judgmental today. Well it’s one of the perks of having a blog, I guess. “Land is a ship too big for me.”

The Full Monty – I’m still convinced that it was Anthony who first recommended this film to me but he swears it’s the other way around. Either way this is definitely a film that appeals to the kind of sense of humour that Anthony and I share. First of all, it’s British. And let me tell you, the British know humour. Monty Python. Need I say more? Second of all…well, there really isn’t a second of all. There doesn’t have to be. I mean, it’s British! The Full Monty is about a group of out-of-work steelworkers who get the idea to perform a male strip show in their local town to earn some extra money. And in order to top those Chippendale hacks, they decide to go for the full monty – total nudity. While it may take the novice viewer a few rewinds here and there to fully understand the dialogue, what is clear is that these chaps are not what you would expect in a male dancer. Quite the opposite, in fact. But what they lack in, er, talent, they more than make up for with heart. If you can watch this film and not have a huge grin on your face by the end, then you have no soul. Ok, I think I need to reign in the judgmental-ness a little. “Anti-wrinkle cream there may be, but anti-fat-bastard cream there is not.”

Out of Time – Another selection from my roommate’s collection and one I’ve never seen before. Denzel Washington stars in this “thrilling” film about a police chief who has to race against the clock and his fellow detectives in order to prevent himself from becoming the main suspect in a homicide investigation. Maybe I was expecting more or maybe I built it up in my mind long before I got around to seeing it, but Out of Time just didn’t do it for me. It was entertaining, a little, and had a few funny moments. But in the end it didn’t quite live up to…whatever it was I was expecting. There’s a good chance I was just in the wrong mindset because Denzel doesn’t usually disappoint and I do recall several exciting scenes during the film. Maybe I have to watch it again. Shauna is definitely into these kinds of films so she’s probably a better judge than I am about this one. I’ll have her watch it and then I’ll get back to you. How’s that for a cop-out? “A beer in the hand is worth two in the fridge.”

Well that almost covers all the movies I’ve seen in the last few weeks. I’m only a couple movies behind now so this is probably a good place to end the Movie Review Catch-Up. Thanks for reading! Send along your comments on any of these films, or other films, or anything film-related. Or un-film related. I just like getting comments.

Until next time, turn the volume up loud, the lights down low and the cell-phones OFF!

Movie Review Catch-Up Part II

As part of my quest to catch up on reviewing all the films I’ve watched in the last month or so, here is the next entry in my Movie Review Catch-Up. The fan mail I’ve been receiving in regards to the lack of postings over the last little while has been staggering. Hopefully this small collection of mini-reviews will keep you satisfied.

The Jackal – It’s rare that Bruce Willis plays the bad guy. We’re so used to him being the big action super-star who ultimately saves the day. The Jackal is incredibly entertaining because we finally get to see Bruce play the cold, ruthless assassin who will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission. The brief moments of interplay between Willis and Richard Gere are intense, but it’s hard to know who to root for. Willis’ character is really cool at times, but he’s also really, really bad. A wonderfully entertaining bit with Jack Black rounds off this fantastic flick. “Oh yeah! Bring on the sprawl, baby!”

Walk the Line – I’ve been looking forward to seeing this film ever since I first heard that Joaquin Phoenix was practicing for his then up-coming role as the Man in Black, Johnny Cash. I have been a fan of Phoenix’s work ever since Gladiator and each new film with him in it just reinforces my respect for his ability as an actor. Walk the Line is one more beautiful example of how versatile Joaquin is. His portrayal of Mr. Cash is breathtaking, from the way he speaks to the way he plays his guitar and sings those haunting songs. Apparently it was Johnny Cash himself who chose Joaquin to portray him, after seeing his role in Gladiator, just three years before Cash passed away. Even if you’re not a huge fan of Johnny Cash, and I certainly wasn’t, this is still one to check out. It’s a great biographical story and is filled with incredible performances. “Don’t give me no rules. All I got are rules.”

The Princess Bride – I’m not sure if there’s any point in saying how good this film is. The three people in the world who don’t like it probably aren’t reading my blog anyway. How can you not like this film? It’s got fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love and miracles. It’s one of those movies that has a quote for every situation in life. And best of all, anyone can watch it, from age 5 to 105. The special edition DVD is a wonderfully re-mastered version of this classic and I highly recommend picking up a copy. This is definitely a must-have. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

The Right Stuff – After watching Apollo 13 and the HBO mini-series From The Earth To The Moon, it made sense that Shauna and I would add The Right Stuff to our collection. I had rented the film a couple of years ago but made the silly mistake of watching Disc 2 before Disc 1. I could never figure out why the film seemed so disjointed and confusing. We watched the whole 3 hour flick in the right order this time and I was pleased to see that it made much more sense. Following the real life story of test pilots and America’s first astronauts, The Right Stuff is an entertaining and informative look at the space race. Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Sam Sheppard, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum and a host of other big names star in this classic portrayal of America’s reach for the stars. Does that sound as hokey and cliché as I think it does? “Request permission to relieve bladder.”

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – This film was made for Jim Carrey. From what I understand, the books are nearly as popular as the Harry Potter franchise and appeal to the same audience – that is, anyone with an imagination and a sense of humour. Jim Carrey is the embodiment of imagination and humour and he shines as the deliciously evil Count Olaf. The movie is filled with wonderful characters and incredible sets and ends up being a very entertaining book-come-to-film. If you like Harry Potter and Jim Carrey, you’ll love this series of very unfortunate events. “This would be an excellent time to walk out of the theatre, living room, or airplane where this film is being shown.”

That should tide you over until tomorrow, when I will post Part III of my Movie Review Catch-Up. Now that you’re finished reading about these wonderful movies, perhaps it’s time to come over and watch one. I’ll get the popcorn started.

Movie Review Catch-Up - Part I

Well it has been far too long since my last blog and now that I’m back from my Vegas vacation, I don’t have any excuse for not posting something. I’ve only managed to watch 4 movies since returning from my trip last Friday. I know, I know…I have a lot of work to do in order to get my average back up. Have no fear! I shall not disappoint my multitude of fans who demand nothing less than my obsessive and near-psychotic devotion to movie-watching.

Going back through my diary of movies I’ve watched, I realize that I have seen 16 movies since my last blog about Sahara. How do I pick just one for today’s posting?

I don’t. That’s how.

So how about a recap to bring us up to speed? Here’s part 1 of the ‘Movie Review Catch-Up”:

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – A Steve Martin classic. Ruprecht the Monkey Boy is comic genius. Martin and Caine join forces to con their way to riches and glory. This one is right up there with Planes, Trains, and Automobiles as one of the best comedies of my generation. Definitely a must-see movie. If you're not satisfied, just give me your address and I'll be sure to send you a cheque to make up for it. “To be with another woman, that is French. To be caught, that is American.”

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – How do you possibly condense a 700+ page novel into a 2 ½ hour movie? The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is only a few hundred pages longer and it took over 10 hours of film to capture the epic nature of Tolkien’s fantastic world. The Goblet of Fire may not be as epic as Tolkien’s work, but there is certainly much more going on than the movie can possibly portray. I’m a fan of the novels and the movies are certainly entertaining, but Goblet of Fire falls short of anything incredible simply due to the fact that it cannot hope to compete with the books. A great film. But read the book.

Men of Honor – I love movies about the underdog. Cuba Gooding Jr. portrays the real life story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American and amputee to become a Master Diver in the US Navy. Robert De Niro is fantastic as the racist Master Chief in charge of training, or failing, Brashear. It’s an interesting and entertaining look at WWII diving (before SCUBA was in use) and features some notable performances by Gooding and De Niro. Worth a look. "If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it."

Michael Buble – Caught in the Act – While not a feature film, per se, this live performance is worth seeing, and hearing. Michael Buble has a voice that effortlessly revives the classics of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and many more ‘standards’. He’s a natural entertainer and the music is just plain fun. There's even a suprise appearance by another famous young singer. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that Shauna probably bought this DVD more for her obsession with the guest star than for Michael Buble. Please pray for her.

Beyond the Sea – Kevin Spacey portrays the life of singer/songwriter Bobby Darin (Mack the Knife, Beyond the Sea). While giving a great acting performance, Spacey also manages to sing all the songs himself. The choreography is wonderfully entertaining, especially during 'Beyond the Sea' itself. If you liked De-Lovely, Walk the Line or Ray, chances are you’ll enjoy Beyond the Sea. Even if you're just a big Spacey fan, like me, you'll definitely want to see this one. "Memories are like moonbeams, we do with them what we will."

That should keep you satisfied for at least a day. I’ll be back tomorrow with Part II of the Movie Review Catch-Up.

What have you been watching?

"Why don't you tell your dreams to me? Fantasy will set you free."

We watched Sahara again over the weekend and I took great delight in listening to one of my favourite scenes – the moment when Dirk and Al rebuild a wrecked airplane into a desert wind surfer. Why do I enjoy listening to this scene so much? Well it just happens to use one of my favourite songs, Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf.

When Shauna and I went on our honeymoon in Las Vegas we had a rather unfortunate experience, to say the least. I was woken up at about 4:00am on our second day there by the sound of Shauna screaming, laying on the bathroom floor. I immediately called 911 (there’s a story there, but I’ll let Shauna tell you about it) and we soon found ourselves in an ambulance on our way to the hospital. I ended up riding shotgun in the ambulance and as the driver peeled out onto the street he turned up the radio. I’m not sure if that was to drown out Shauna’s screams or if it was meant to calm me. Strangely, it had both effects, to some degree. While I was 90% terrified about what was happening to Shauna, I was 10% exhilarated to be riding fast in an ambulance with the radio turned up, blasting none other than Magic Carpet Ride – now immortalized as ‘our song’.

Star Trek: First Contact, Apollo 13 and Reservoir Dogs are just a few of the other terrific movies that have used this fantastic song. And every time I hear it, it brings a smile to face.

Every time Shauna hears it I think she grimaces in pain. Turns out she had a kidney stone. For which they gave her lots of nasty drugs, sending her on her own magic carpet ride.

"We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode!"

With my roommate currently in South Africa, I’ve been taking the opportunity to steal movies from his DVD collection and replace them with VHS copies of Three’s Company re-runs. I hope he won’t notice. I recently had the opportunity to watch a couple of “my” new DVDs. One of them was surprisingly entertaining while the other made me miss that one Three’s Company re-run I replaced it with. You know, that episode where there’s a misunderstanding? Classic.

I’m not going to go into the background on the history of the Firefly television series and explain how it got cancelled, gained a cult following and eventually sold enough DVD copies to warrant a feature film. The main reason being that I never watched the original series. I was worried that watching Serenity without having seen the TV show would leave me confused and uninterested. I was just looking for something I hadn’t seen before and that might provide some mindless entertainment. Fortunately, Serenity managed to keep me in the loop and provided some very good entertainment. And not just mindless entertainment either.

Serenity follows the story of the crew of the title-named ship. A Firefly class ship, from what I understand (thus the TV series name). Think of it like a Star Trek movie. All the same actors and characters are here from the television series. Simon and his younger sister, River, have joined the crew after Simon risked all to rescue River from the evil government, known as the Alliance. River was the subject of numerous experiments aimed at turning her into a psychic super-weapon. I know, I know, just stay with me. The rest of the crew are your not-so-run-of-the-mill characters including a war-vet captain, a trigger happy strong man, an inventive mechanic and several others. Together they must fight against the Alliance, and other enemies, to discover the secret that River carries in her mind.

The story sounds a bit cheesy and the characters do seem somewhat cliché, but I was pleased to discover that the interactions between these characters are what make the film so enjoyable. The script has numerous moments of witty banter that could only stem from a cast that has worked together before. You really feel that these people know each other inside and out. The dialogue alone is almost enough to interest me in buying the Firefly series.

The plot has a lot of potential, and sometimes that potential is actually realized on screen, but for the most part this is your basic solve-the-mystery and save-the-universe type of deal. I won’t go into details but there’s enough here to keep you interested, though it certainly won’t blow your mind.

I’m not sure how fans of the series reacted to the film version, but from what little I’ve read on the internet, it appears most of the fans are very happy with it. I don’t know if that’s because the film accurately reflects what they saw on TV or if they’re just glad to see another ‘episode’ of Firefly since the disappointing cancellation.

Apparently the Firefly series is part of the Sci-Fi Western genre. It’s easy to see the Sci-Fi part of Serenity, and occasionally there are moments that hint of a Western. It’s an interesting combination and surprisingly, one that actually works. It was somewhat refreshing to listen to the characters speaking in a dialect that one wouldn’t expect to hear in space. And the lack of laser beams and blasters is also intriguing. It’s just six-shooters and machine guns here. Oh, and the occasional grenade.

Ultimately, I was fairly impressed with Serenity. I never got bored at any point and I don’t recall groaning at anything too cliché that took place. I did laugh out loud on more than one occasion and was definitely wowed by some of the fight sequences. The special effects are also top notch. It’s obvious that CG effects were used but this is one of those ‘smart’ films that manages to make the CG look real. Not like the Star Wars cartoons. I won’t go there right now.

If you’re a fan of Firefly, chances are you’ve already seen Serenity. If that’s the case I’d love to hear your thoughts on the film, so leave a comment. If, like me, you’ve never seen the television show, consider giving Serenity a chance. While the film as a whole may not rock your socks off you might be pleasantly surprised, like me, with what you find.

Serenity gets 7 ½ primary buffer panels (out of 10).

The other movie I watched was Stealth. I know Chris wanted it because it has planes. Well, it does have planes. I'm not sure what else to say about it. The plot revolves around a new jet fighter that operates on arificial intelligence. The plot also revolves around an ackward romantic relationship, a secret political agenda and several other monotonous cliches. Sadly, none of these plots provides much depth or continuity. Once again I was just looking for some mindless entertainment. Well Stealth is certainly mindless. I'm not sure if I was entertained at all. And if I'm not sure about that then I probably wasn't.

Stealth gets 4 1/2, er, planes (out of 10).

Fight the Alliance and click here for ‘Serenity’ trivia.
Click here for ‘Stealth’ trivia. Though I’m not sure why you’d want to.

"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero."

Strive to be like Ferris Bueller

“How could I be expected to handle school on a day like today?”

One of my heroes from childhood has got to be Ferris Bueller. A kid who fakes being sick so he can have the most outrageous day off in the history of days off. How many times have you faked being sick so you could have a day off? I’m willing to bet that anyone reading this has done it at least once. But more importantly, what did you do with that day off? Ferris Bueller’s answer to that question is what makes him so cool.

“The question isn’t ‘what are we going to do,’ the question is ‘what aren’t we going to do?’”

In one day Ferris did more than most of us do in a month. Actually, he does a few things none of us will ever do. Why is that? Well maybe it’s because your best friend’s dad doesn’t own a 1961 Ferrari 250GT California. But what does your best friend’s dad own? Maybe you should think about taking it for a spin.

“A: You can never go too far. B: If I’m gonna get busted, it is *not* gonna be by a guy like *that*.”

How far are you willing to go? Ferris was willing to be the Sausage King of Chicago just to get a free lunch at a restaurant he would never get into otherwise. Ferris doesn’t let a little thing like not being the Sausage King of Chicago stop him. As far as Ferris is concerned, it’s not who you are, it’s who you want to be. Who do you want to be? Are you gonna let a guy like *that* stop you?

“Never had one lesson.”

Ferris plays the clarinet. He’s never been told how to play the clarinet and probably doesn’t play the clarinet in band class. He plays the clarinet because he wants to. It makes him happy. The horrible, squeaky notes (if you can call them notes) are music to his ears. What’s your clarinet? Why aren’t you playing it?

“I asked for a car, I got a computer. How’s that for being born under a bad sign?”

Ferris’ life isn’t all roses, you know? It’s not like life is perfect for him and that’s how he manages to have such a carefree life. Ferris has problems, like the rest of us. But Ferris doesn’t let those problems get in his way. On the contrary, he uses those problems to his advantage. What are your problems? Can you use your problem to improve your situation? Ferris did. Nine times.

“You’re not dying. You just can’t think of anything good to do.”

Ferris understands that boredom is our own making. And boredom leads to sickness. And sickness leads to fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate…wait a minute. Wrong movie. Scratch that. The point is, Ferris understands that the cure for just about anything is a good day off. Not just a day of not working or not going to school. But a day filled with Ferraris and art museums and fancy restaurants and baseball and clarinets. Maybe you’re not really sick. Maybe you just need to sing ‘Danke Schon’ in the annual von Steuben Parade.

“Live moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

"I admire its purity."

Where have all the good suspense movies gone?

A couple weeks ago I watched Alien again. As far as I’m concerned it is the quintessential suspense movie. Ridley Scott practically defined terror through suspense in his heart-stopping film about a terrifically evil Alien. And although the title character is the basis for the film, it only gets about a minute of actual screen time. When you compare this with today’s so-called ‘suspense’ films, well, there really is no comparison.

I have to agree with Alfred Hitchcock in that there is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise’. And I would also agree that most films continually confuse the two. Hitchcock uses the bomb analogy. Suppose two characters are having an innocent chat at a table. And suppose there is a bomb under the table, but neither the characters, nor the audience are aware of it. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden ‘BOOM!’ The table explodes, the audiences screams, surprise is achieved.

Now let’s go back to the same situation but this time let’s tell the audience that the bomb is there. Perhaps the audience saw the bad guy place it there. And let’s allow the audience to see that the bomb is set to detonate at 1:00pm and let’s put a clock on the table. Now show the audience the same scene with the clock showing 12:45pm. That’s suspense.

The key is in having the audience become active participants in what is about to happen. They yell at the screen, telling the characters to stop talking about such trivial things, for there is a bomb under the table! And if the director is really good, like Ridley Scott, that bomb can go off and the audience will still be shocked and surprised, even though they knew it was coming.

Think of the air vent scene in Alien. We know the alien is in there. We’re even given a motion sensor showing the alien’s progress toward Dallas, the unfortunate crew member searching the air vent. Other characters are yelling that the alien is there. We know it’s coming. And yet when the moment happens, it’s pure terror. Why? I have a theory.

The unique concept of the Alien is that we really have no idea what it is. We hardly even know what it looks like. Granted, recent Alien films have shown us exactly what the alien looks like and how it acts. But when all we had was the first film, all we knew was that there was an alien…and that was about it. Ridley Scott knew what Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew – the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. The most terrifying part of a movie is terror itself. All Ridley Scott did was give us something to be terrified of, then he promptly hid it, rarely revealed it and never gave us any details into the motivations or workings of the alien. The rest was up to us and our own minds.

Most of my friends will tell you I’m not a big fan of horror films. It’s not that they scare me, it’s that they don’t scare me. They bore me. Sure, they probably have great moments of surprise and shock, but nothing has ever really lived up to the standard set by Alien. Granted, that could have a lot to do with my age at the time.

I first saw Alien when I was 10 or 11 years old. I was visiting family in Ontario and while staying at my Grandpa’s house I slept on the couch in the basement. This was totally cool for me because the couch was right in front of the TV and after everyone had gone to bed I could stay up late watching television. What a rebel I was!

One of the shows I discovered during my late night viewing was Alien. I had never seen it before then, although I had certainly heard about it. I caught the movie about half way through, right when Dallas is making his ill-fated journey into the air vents. Needless to say, I was scared silly. But I could not turn it off. I even had recurring Alien nightmares. But every time it was on TV I just had to watch. It terrified me and it was fantastic.

Sadly, the initial terror has long since worn off and I no longer have nightmares about aliens. But if I could go back in time and watch it again for the first time I would be overjoyed. Terrified, but overjoyed.

So the combination of innocent youth and the scariest suspense film ever created, in my opinion, were enough to effectively spoil my appreciation for any other movie claiming to be ‘suspenseful’ or ‘terrifying’. There just hasn’t been another movie like Alien. And sometimes I despair there never will be.

For now, I’ll just have to take pleasure in watching other people view it for the first time. Oh man, I can’t wait until I have kids.

In space, no one can hear you scream. But you can still read 'Alien' trivia.