Seven More Classics I Recently Saw for the First Time

The Sting (1973):

Why it’s a classic: For reuniting the two biggest stars of Hollywood four years after they made a big splash together with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and packaging it with excellent production values at a time when period pictures were in (think The Godfather, Chinatown, Murder on the Orient Express), “The Sting” was awarded Best Picture in the 1973 Oscar race. On top of that, the “Sting” is a positively loaded crowd-pleaser.

Did it live up to the hype? From the expansive supporting cast to the sepia-toned color palate to the complimentary age-appropriate score, there is a lot to like about this show. Even more than “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, this is a testament to Redford and Newman’s star power and even a meta-commentary of sorts on the nature of the star. Hard to also discount Robert Shaw’s turn as a terrifying villain. The man is so still and focused, I could have easily been convinced I didn’t see him blink.

Poseidon Adventure (1972):

Why it’s a classic: In the 70’s, disaster films were among the highest grossing films of their day, had some of the best casts, and were nominated for Oscars all over the place (“Airport” and “Towering Inferno” even got BP nominations). The Poseidon Adventure, set aboard a cruise ship, pulled together five Oscar winners (Shelley Winters, Red Buttons, Jack Albertson, Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine) along with Roddy MacDowall and Arthur O’Connell.  As evidence of its cult status, the film has even been looked upon as a religious allegory (it features two preachers with contrasting views) and spawned re-showings and convention-type events.

Does it live up to the hype?: Like the best of Roland Emmerich’s films (the filmmaker of “Independence Day” and “Day After Tomorrow” and spiritual successor of this trend), this is a tightly-scripted action film on a scale of grandeur that’s beautifully pulled off. It also can’t be underestimated that the first time watching this film, you don’t know how it will end and it’s pretty clear that all casualties are on the table. It also helps that none of the big-name actors at the time were stars that overshadowed the rest of the cast so the film has a great even-keeled ensemble feel with an even spread among multiple compelling stories.

Carrie (1976):

Why it’s a classic: The opening tracking shot during the credits is up there with “Touch of Evil” as the greatest in history and it is the first Stephen King adaptation to be put to film (his debut novel no less). It is one of the most highly acclaimed horror films in history in terms of mainstream appeal.

Does it live up to the hype?: The film is primarily known for being such a well-told tale of adolescent carnage and while it’s tonally difficult to grapple with, I could accept that there was some heavy symbolism that would take some effort to work out with (generally a good thing).

What stuck out to me for the strong characters and relationships. Sissy Spacek (who would go on to be nominated for six Oscars) is the epitome of that feeling all puberty-ridden teenagers have of feeling alien in their own body. Carrie’s singularity is also better defined by the happy-go-lucky coterie of girls who so casually exhibit cruelty towards her and Nancy Allen (who plays the ring leader) deserves credit for that. Piper Laurie was nominated for an Oscar for her role as the fundamentalist mother but Betty Buckley can’t be underlooked for her performance as a gym teacher so sweet and understanding that I kept wanting to press the reset button on my adolescence so I could have her in it.

King Kong (2005):

Why it’s a classic: Peter Jackson followed up his blockbuster-defining trilogy Lord of the Rings and his cache of Oscars with a remake of the 1933 classic that was one of the most ambitious films of its day. Jackson cited the original King Kong as his first cinematic love and media reports suggested he drove himself to exhaustion trying to recreate it for the CGI era. Although the film didn’t deliver Titanic-levels of return at the box office and lost the December battle to “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, its $218 million domestic gross ($550 million international) was solid enough to call it a success. More importantly, it garnered excellent reviews and had enough buzz to merit an outside shot at a Best Picture nod (exceedingly hard for Blockbuster films in the 5-film era).

Did it live up to the hype? Although a little on the long side, it’s definitely worth it. The film’s first act doubles as a scene piece of Depression-era struggles (like “42^nd Street” or Tim Robbins’ “Cradle Will Rock”) that could be its own movie, the second act is a cheesey romance and comedy of manners between Adrian Brody and Naomi Watts, the third act is essentially a giant monster film like Godzilla, and the fourth act is an allegory for the follies of man in thinking they have a right to cage the animals.  The quality of the film on every level ties the disparate parts together and it’s hard to understate how amazing Naomi Watts is in playing off a CGI age.

Princess and the Frog (2009)

Why it’s a classic: This late entry into the canon of animated Disney musicals is the first Disney musical to feature an African-American role in the archetypical princess character. It also made headlines for its retro method of 2D animation at a time when animated films were trying to push the uncanny valley of realism (the worst offender would be the utterly pointless “Lion King” remake a decade later). The film was nominated for two Best Song Oscars from Randy Newman’s score and competed in an incredibly deep Animated Film category (“Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”, “Coraline”, and “Up” came out the same year).

Did it live up to the hype? Definitely! I give this film three zip-a-dee-do-dahs and a chim-chim-a-ree. The film sets itself apart through a regional specificity that comes from doing great research and sprinkling it organically into the story. The map of New Orleans, the details about Mardi Gras, the culinary and architectural delights of the city, and the mystique of voodoo (used in both the characterizations of the villain and the wise elderly savior character) are all things that have some footing. The film also dares to imbue characters with regionally speficic and often unintelligible accents, fear of backlash be damned, and it’s beautiful. The downtrodden protagonist Tianna is juxtaposed with her wealthy friend Lottie and his father Big Daddy Bouffet and the privilege of the Bouffet clan isn’t ignored while the bond between the two parties and the lesson of voluntary benevolence is celebrated.

Nine to Five (1980)

Why it’s a classic: The 2^nd highest grossing film of 1980 is probably best known for its iconic title song that doubles as an anthem for punch card working life resiliency. The unlikely pairing of Hollywood royalty Jane Fonda, comedienne Lily Tomlin, and singer Dolly Parton produced a lightning-in-the-bottle chemistry that led to a lifelong friendship.  The story of rebelling against a handsy boss (Dabny Coleman) through a haphazard hostage scenario likely resonated as a feminist power ballad in 1980 and probably resonates more with the #metoo movement today.

Did it live up to the hype? The days when a simple comedy can jump that high on the box office charts are long gone so it’s hard to judge it along the scale of today’s most popular comedies which rarely crack the top 15 in yearly box office. “The Hangover” might be the best example of a critically well-received blockbuster that made a dent in the box office charts today (“Crazy Rich Asians” and “Bridesmaids” were a little more successful critically but not financially).  The chemistry between the three is a-sparking and Dolly Parton, who was likely cast as herself, brings a certain amount of welcome pluck. It’s a bit broad as a comedy but entirely pleasing. The special effects to depicting the three women’s revenge fantasies also didn’t do much for me.

Pawn Broker (1965)

Why it’s a classic: It’s not well-known among Sidney Lumet’s repertoire but it’s one of his most personally affecting and stylistically innovative films. The story of a jaded Holocaust survivor who owns a pawn shop in Harlem is the first film to approach the tragedy from the point of the view of its survivors. It is also a massive stylistic departure from the New Wave with a jazz score, black-and-white, and raunchy realism (it’s the first film to show a topless woman in some context).

Does it live up to the hype: This film is more of a hidden gem than a classic, so there’s not as much hype to live up to and that’s a shame. The film is visually rich, meaningful, and doesn’t look or feel like other studio films from the era. It isn’t necessarily a light popcorn film but its darkness isn’t without meaning and there are slivers of a redemptive arc worth holding out for.

Themes of all 2017 Films I've Seen To Date

All films, even schlock, have thematic messages. In that spirit, I'm challenging myself to see if I can draw out three themes from every film I've watched in 2017. Incidentally, this is also my ranking of these films from best to worst.

1.       Florida Project-Invisibility of the lower class; lower class stretches across color lines; incredible and unexpected capability of children to maintain innocence

2.       Baby Driver-Possibility of redemption; neither criminals nor life in general can be trusted rendering future planning pointless; nature vs nurture (Baby’s influenced by being raised by a deaf man and having no parents, yet has natural ability)

3.       Big Sick-Religious tradition vs. decisions about marriage are never easy; effect of family/parents is inescapable; power of camaraderie/comedy to combat suffering

4.       Dinner with Beatriz-Capitalism as inevitable enemy of good; complicitness vs obedience of social mores; female intuition vs. male capitalist-based thought 

5.       American Made-The universality and thinness of the American Dream (Seal's life is so exciting because everyone can envy what he has), draconian nature of American bureaucracy; opportunity favors the bold (and perhaps a better chance at fortune as the original proverb states)

6.       Beguiled-Sexuality as a legitimate danger to youthful development; underlying violence behind sexuality; emasculation

7.       Lost City of Z-The pursuit of new knowledge can be worth even more than human life; challenging the Euro-centric view of the third world; sacrifice of greatness (in this case, the protagonist is an absent husband and father)

8.       Murder on the Orient Express-Illegal isn’t always wrong; the ripple effect of an evil act (one man’s kidnapping plot has destroyed so many lives); Inevitability of being caught for a crime (more of a fictional trope than something that happens in real life)

9.       Logan Lucky-Creating your own luck in the face of socio-economic expectations;  Karma/morally relative universe; challenging red-state stereotypes (the idea that the family is cursed fits in with our idea of how red staters are disadvantaged)

10.   Mudbound-Prejudice is cyclic and inherited like poverty; war buddies as a metaphor of understanding through shared experience; the scarring effect of racial hostility (in this case, the metaphor is enforced literally)

11.   Wind River-Invisibility of Native Americans; the danger of male sexual aggression when left unchecked; Community can be adopted and that can be good

12.   Dunkirk-War makes human life fragile; war as a time and place that creates heroes for those who step up; honoring the greatness of those who fought and contributed to the war effort (if these themes don’t strike you as very complex, it also should be noted, I didn’t think Dunkirk had much to say outside of special effects)

13.   Circle-Beware of utopia; the costs to emotional connection in living your life online; the addictive nature of sharing yourself and the dangerous consequences 

14.   Wonder Wheel-Love and morality are two different spheres (taken to its logical conclusion, Allen argues in favor of wronging someone if you’re following your heart); the promise of a better future as a driving force to get one through the day (it worked positively for Humpty and Carolina and led to Carolina’s downfall); love and jealousy being intertwined

15.   Cars III-How a heroic figure deals with aging; self-determination vs corporate interests; power of self-belief in victory

16.   Wonder Woman-Women as keepers of security; fruitlessness of war; maturation through the classic odyssey (as in leaving your homeland and going into the unknown a la Homer’s epic)

17.   Deidra and Laney Rob a Train-The increase in pressure to succeed when you’re in poverty; the cyclical nature of poverty vs the power of family (in this film, sticking together as a family and being supportive helps them fight poverty); legally wrong vs morally wrong

18.   The House-Legally wrong vs morally wrong; the stifling financial burden placed on the American middle class; the thrill of illegality

19.   Colossal-He who brings peace to himself brings peace to all the universe (this comes from a Hebrew prayer); cross-culture cultural consumption as an alien force; redemption

20.   Little Hours-Destructive libido can appear in women as well as men; questioning whether human sexual suppression has matured throughout history; be careful what you wish for  

21.   Get Out-The limits of white allies to the black rights movement; the reduction of blacks in the genre; the American black experience being fundamentally different than the white experience through perception of others

22.   Kong Skull Island-The dangers of the militaristic mindset; the essential goodness of nature (even though, in this case, it’s presented through laughable means); human inclination to fear nature when it’s large and foreboding

23.   Atomic Blonde-The capability of the female as action hero; betrayal as part of human nature; war begets cynicism

24.   How to be a Latin Lover-Valuing love for your family (of birth) over romantic goals; value of sincerity in courting; don’t be defined by age

25.   The Great Wall-Challenging history from a Euro-centric view; contributions of both genders in war; positive power of cultural assimilation (the Matt Damon hero is empowered in war through learning Chinese ways of warfare)

26.   The Discovery-Dark side of scientific progress; possibility of love in dark times; genius is blind (the man who invented the afterlife couldn’t foresee the effects)

Definitive top ten list part I: 2005

My take on a definitive list for 2005's top 10 films. This isn't my own personal opinion but what I believe the overall consensus was. Call it "10 Most Successful Films."

2005:

1. Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee

Usually, in my system, the best picture Oscar gets a film an automatic number one spot, at least in the near future. However, it seems Brokeback Mountain which sparked an angry contingent of people insisting the film was robbed has more going for it. Like Saving Private Ryan, the last #1 on my lists to lose the best picture race, the closeness between Brokeback and Crash is reflected in the classic director/picture oscar split. More than that, however, Brokeback Mountain is ranked number one on both cream of the crop and all critics on the moviecritictop10.com. Unlike Crash, it was recognized by pretty much every major group (including the Golden Globes) as among the elite, and was one of three films to score an A- on EW’s sampling of entertainment reporters. It also swept the LA and NYC film critic awards, where Crash didn’t win any critics’ groups. It also made it big on the pop culture phenomenon and was one of the highest grossing pictures in the month of December. Brokeback also garnered oscar buzz and came closer to winning Oscars for more of its actors. Crash won the SAG award for best ensemble but it’s a better indication of the film in my opinion if it got more buzz for its Oscars, and Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams were contenders to win their categories.

2. Crash, Paul Haggis

Crash did win best picture and had an intense following, that included nation’s top film critic Roger Ebert who ranked it #1. It did win the best picture and secured its place in history and while people refer back to Crash’s “upset” as a debate between what should’ve won between “Crash” or “Brokeback Mountain,” so history is placing it in the top 2, at least.

3. Good Night and Good Luck, George Clooney

The debate over rankings 3-5 of the best picture nominees is tough, but Good Night and Good Luck was considered a lock for best picture early on and was recognized by more groups including National Board of Review which gave it the top award, the Golden Globes. It also placed 3^rd on movie critic’s top 10.

4. Munich, Stephen Spielberg

The debate between Munich and Capote might be decided by more people thinking that Munich was #1 oscar-winner potential, whereas Capote was just thought of to be #1. Directing Guild and Producing guild noms were also awarded to Munich. The main argument to be made, is that it had critics such as Boston Globe, Rolling Stone and Newsweek calling it either his best film ever or best film in years, and you have to make the film pretty damn good to top Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List. It was thought of by some to be comparable, at least. Munich was also a better all around production than Capote scoring more oscar nods total in categories such as editing and score.

5. Capote, Bennett Miller

Capote had an incredibly high rottentomato rating going for it, and it was a frontrunner for the SAG ensemble award, but just because it was garnering praise for an ensemble shouldn’t be equated with best picture buzz, and it appealed to writers like Stephen King who put it high on his top ten list. Was a possible upset contender for screenplay nominee. Its top 5 status was solidified with a directors guild award and Oscar nomination for its director in addition to its picture nomination, considering its director is an unknown.

6. Walk the Line, James Mangold

Walk the Line was considered the just-missed the nomination category. It won best musical/comedy and acting prizes for both of its leads. It’s box office returns and word-of-mouth popularity was stronger than any other also-ran. This might have been in part due to it being comparable in quality to last year’s nominee Ray. Slight indications like the hosts of Good Morning America asking “Why not Walk the Line?” and winning “EW’s who got snubbed” poll. It also appeared in place of Munich on the Producers Guild of America poll.

7. Constant Gardener, Fernando Meirelles

Seven is a tight race between History of Violence and Constant Gardener. Between the two, Constant Gardener was received just a little better based on the more popular reputation of Meirelles (although Cronenberg is going more mainstream, his fan base is very much a small niche). The marriage of Meirelles and novelist La Carre led to a screenplay nom. Constant Gardener was an almost universally liked film with powerful performances that garnered more oscar buzz and better results (including walking away with an Oscar for the film) than History of Violence. It also garnered more total noms than some of the other films with editing and score noms. Its golden globe nom and director nom at the golden globes help its case as well. Also on Rolling Stone’s top 10.

8. History of Violence, David Cronenberg

History of Violence didn’t do as well at the Oscars as Constant Gardener squeaking a best supporting actor and screenplay nod. It also didn’t have as much word of mouth, hype, or box office draw as any other top ten contender but those who saw it liked it plenty. It was ranked 2nd on moviecritictop10.com for the year and finished a top one of the entertainment weekly top ten lists. It was just one of three films to get an A- on Entertainment Weekly’s newspaper sampling, made the top ten on Rolling Stone and Premiere’s top 10. It also appeared on 2 of the 3 New York Critic’s top 10. It was also EW’s pick in their oscar preview for the 6^th director slot.

9. Syrianna, Stephen Gaughan

The general critical response was the film was good but a little confusing. Looking at it in more detail, Syrianna did quite well and got a lot of top ten nods. It was Roeper’s top film of the year and Ebert’s 2nd, it placed 10^th on moviecritictop10.com, 3^rd on Peter Traver’s list and it was on both NBR and AFI’s top 10 nods with NBR’s screenplay award. It also was one of a handful of films to walk away with an award on oscar night and it merited an ensemble nod at the SGA’s and a WGA nod

10. King Kong, Peter Jackson/Match Point, Woody Allen

This is a virtual tie between the two. The main arguments for Woody Allen’s inclusion are its high number of 4 star reviews and overall satisfaction of viewers, the fact that that it’s considered a return to form for Woody Allen and its golden globe nod.

King Kong did walk away with 3 Oscars and transcended the blockbuster genre to get oscar buzz. With the saturatuation of big-budget blockbusters as of late, that is an increasingly hard task to pull off. It’s rotten tomato rating was very high and it placed 5^th on moviecritictop10.com’s top 10 list. It’s box office take was pretty high and fitting for a blockbuster.