Consequences Of A Corrupt Conscience

A Few Good Men is a film that will last long after we are all dead and gone.  It has a great story, and a superior cast to help tell that story.  I have always enjoyed films that take place inside a courtroom.  There is something about watching the dramatic elements of a movie unfold in a confined space that make these films quite compelling to watch.

A Few Good Men is the story of a military lawyer who defends Marines who are accused of murder.  This film does a couple of things very well that are excellent examples of great film-making.  A Few Good Men takes the time to set up the characters and the story so that we actually care what happens.  The pace of the film is also incredibly well done.  You can feel the tension slowly and methodically build towards the climax and, even though the movie does not necessarily have a storybook ending, you are literally on the edge of your seat taking a deep breath.  There are a couple of plot holes in the movie that I would like to address.  Towards the beginning of the film, it is mentioned that the characters have to travel on a boat to get where they need to go.  Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) then mentions that he does not like traveling on boats.  It would have been nice to actually see a scene with them on the boat.  I think a scene like that would have added some comic relief as the majority of the film is wrought with dramatic tension.  Also, about three-quarters of the way into the movie, Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson (J.T. Walsh) commits suicide.  We then see a scene where Lt. Daniel Kaffee tells Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore) and Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollack) what happened.  It would have been nice to actually see a scene where Kaffee finds out this information.  All in all, though, this is a great film that will keep you glued to your television the entire way through.

Tom Cruise is electric as Lt. Daniel Kaffee.  Kaffee is smart-mouthed, cocky and a bit of a procrastinator.  Of course, if you were the best litigator in the military you would probably exhibit these characteristics as well.  Cruise displays these characteristics with perfection.  Also, even though there is no character in the movie that is the "comic relief", Cruise does display quite a few humorous moments simply because of the nature of his character.  There is also a great character arc for Cruise in this movie.  In the climax of the film, Daniel Kaffee confronts his fears of being an actual courtroom lawyer that is quite dramatic and makes you cheer for the character.  Overall, this is a very fine performance from Tom Cruise.

The legendary Jack Nicholson brings a pure icy demeanor to his role as Col. Nathan R. Jessup.  Jessup is a man with a corrupt conscience.  He believes what he does saves lives, even if it means the death of an officer.  This legitimization of why he does this is what is truly scary about the character.  Nicholson commands the screen like never before, and makes you downright afraid of his character.  Watching Nicholson and Cruise go at each in the courtroom almost makes you tremble because of the tension.  This is one of Nicholson's best performances, and his deliverance of "You can't handle the truth!" is one of the most coldly-uttered lines in cinema history.

Demi Moore shines as Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway.  Even though Galloway outranks Kaffee, Kaffee is very much her equal and the chemistry between Cruise and Moore is one of the highlights of the film.  I love female characters in films that are not just eye candy and Demi Moore, while she is obviously stunningly beautiful, is a crucial part in the telling of this story.  Moore also has a couple of beautiful moments where she encourages Kaffee to really be the lawyer that he is afraid of being.  Moore gives an exceptionally good performance in this movie.

Rob Reiner is the director of A Few Good Men.  This movie thrives on the relationships and interactions between the characters, and every single frame of this film is filled with dramatic tension.  The scenes in the courtroom are particularly well done.  This is film that, in the wrong hands, could have been quite boring.  However, Reiner paces the film in such a masterful way that you cannot wait to see what the next scene will bring.  Personally, I believe that Rob Reiner is one of the industry's most under-rated directors.  If you get the chance, look up his filmography and check out his films.  They are all wonderful.

A Few Good Men is one of those rare films that you can watch over and over again.  Not a single frame is wasted in the telling of this story.  If you just love good movies, A Few Good Men is definitely for you.

Love At First Sight

I do not care what anybody says, a good romantic comedy can be very fun to watch.  However, in order to make a romantic comedy work, you have to get actors who have good chemistry together.  This is one of the many reasons why When Harry Met Sally is the revered classic that it is.

When Harry Met Sally is, naturally, the story of how Harry Burns met Sally Albright.  Even though they have different views on sex and relationships, they are close friends.  There are many reasons to love this movie.  When Harry first meets Sally in 1977, they cannot stand each other which is, of course, how many young relationships start.  Harry is a jerk who thinks he knows everything about relationships, while Sally is genuinely happy and upbeat.  Harry thinks that men and women cannot be friends because sex gets in the way, to which Sally vehemently disagrees.  Even though they find out many things about each other, and obviously disagree constantly, they have made a lasting impression on one another.  As they become better friends, they start acting like an actual couple, even though they do not see it.  At one point they set each other up with their best friends and go on a double date, which of course does not work out.  Naturally, the two of them realize that they have loved each other since they met.  Their relationship has had hills and valleys, but it all works out in the end.  The magic of this movie is that people can identify with it.

There is a very special place in my heart for Billy Crystal.  He is truly one of the greatest gifts that the entertainment industry has given us, and he brings his natural talent to the character of Harry Burns.  One of the things that I love about him in this movie is that he is not just being funny all the time.  He is a very serviceable dramatic actor in this movie, particularly at the end of the film.  He also can be a real jerk in the movie, which is surprising given that he has a genuine "nice guy" attitude in real life.

Meg Ryan plays Sally Albright.  I have heard some people say, "If you've seen one Meg Ryan romantic comedy, you've seen them all", to which I completely disagree. She plays a wide range of characters.  She can be intelligent in one movie, and be completely dimwitted in another.  What makes Meg Ryan so special in this movie is that there are many times where you can see that Sally has loving feelings for Harry, but she never admits it to anyone or even herself.  She also has no reservations about letting Harry know when his theories are completely wrong.  Also, like Crystal, Meg Ryan is just so naturally gifted, and has highly under-appreciated comedic timing.  It is too bad she has never been in a straight-up comedy (at least, not to my knowledge).  That would have been great to see.

Rob Reiner, who directed the movie, is truly a legend.  The movies he has directed span a wide range of genres, which is the mark of a great director.  The thing that I love about his movies, and When Harry Met Sally in particular, is that he is able to create very heartfelt characters with his actors.  In many ways this movie is a very human story, so you need great actors to make these characters feel human.  Rob Reiner is a wonderfully talented director who tells stories with great characters, and When Harry Met Sally is no exception.

When Harry Met Sally is indeed a classic, for all of the reasons I mentioned and more.  This movie has an enduring legacy that will last long after this particular movie blogger's days are done.  There is something about this movie that struck a chord with people, and that is what makes it the gem that it is.

A Rockumentary For All Time

A couple of months ago, I watched This is Spinal Tap for the first time.  Naturally, I had heard how funny this movie is from friends of mine who had seen it, but I must admit I was not entirely prepared for what I was about to see.  Watching this movie was very memorable to me just for the simple fact that I was laughing so uncontrollably and unexpectedly.

The great thing about the writing in the movie is that it clearly makes fun of all the rock bands who take themselves entirely too seriously.  You know, the bands who release DVDs that show them writing songs for all their albums and what the songs mean.  This movie also pokes fun at bands that suffer from drama within them, which is one of the most hilarious things about the movie.

Rob Reiner, while he is the actual director of the movie, also plays the stereotypical director at the beginning of the movie, and he does it in such a profoundly hilarious way.  While the movie is poking fun at bands who take themselves too seriously, Rob Reiner pokes fun at directors during the introduction of This is Spinal Tap.  He is great at the "Let me take you on a journey" type of director.

Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer are brilliant together.  I would not be surprised if this movie was more improvised than actually written.  Their comedic timing in the movie is superb.

When I think of comedies, I usually think of Jim Carrey and Steve Carell.  Parodies and spoofs do not come to mind.  However, it is always refreshing to watch one, especially one I have not seen.  This is Spinal Tap was indeed that for me.  It was, and is, hilarious in so many unexpected ways.

The Ultimate Fairy Tale

I had heard about The Princess Bride many times from my friends.  I had heard how good it is, and how I will love it.  However, it was only a couple of months ago that I actually sat down and watched it for the first time.  I can now state for the record that everything I had heard about this movie is ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

The beauty of The Princess Bride is that it is a fairy tale that a grandfather is telling to his grandson, which in my opinion makes the story more real.  This movie is a romantic comedy, a fairy tale, and an adventure flick all rolled into one.  That's one of the reasons this movie works.

If you look at the list of movies Rob Reiner has directed, he has incredible range.  The Princess Bride was only his fourth movie, and if you look at the movies he has directed since then (When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men), you can truly see that he can do it all.  There is something very admirable and respectable about that.

The Princess Bride is one of the rare films that has a stellar ensemble cast, with not one weak spot.  Everyone down to Andre the Giant and Wallace Shawn are spectacular.  Mandy Patinkin is wonderful as Inigo Montoya,  the son seeking revenge for the death of his father.  

I've been a fan of Cary Elwes since the early 1990's.  He has got incredible range, everything from Days of Thunder to Liar Liar to Robin Hood Men in Tights.  He is an incredible talent, and every movie he is in benefits from the fact that he is in it.

While I'm not the biggest Robin Wright fan, I do know that she is a great actress.  This was her first big role, and she is spectacular in the movie.  The chemistry that her and Cary Elwes have is top-notch, particularly in the Fire Swamp scene.

I am shocked that it took me this long to see this film.  It is wonderful film filled with adventure and excitement, and is just an all-around great movie.  I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.