A Mystery Come to Life

In 1985, director Jonathan Lynn brought a movie version of the board game CLUE to the big screen.  This not only was Lynn's directorial debut, but it was the first movie to be based off of a board game.  Despite not performing well at the box office, this movie has gained a cult following among fans.

I like that they added humor to the movie instead of making it a straight-up murder mystery.  If you're going to make a movie based on a board game, you don't want to take it too seriously.  I think that if they had not put humor in the movie, it would have possibly turned people off from playing the game.

Jonathan Lynn brings a very B-movie style feel to this movie.  You don't feel like you are watching a movie.  You feel like you're watching a play and being part of an experience.  However, this movie is serious when it needs to be, and it succeeds at doing so.

The star of this movie is clearly Tim Curry.  I first saw him in The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the age of ten.  He scared the bejezzus out of me.  Ever since then, I have been both delighted and frightened at seeing him in a movie.  I have to admit he is brilliant in the movie, especially at the end.  Only an actor like Tim Curry could do what he does so well in this movie.

Clue is an example of game-turned-movie done right.  This a very entertaining movie and I highly recommend it....especially on a rainy night.  I mean, it's better than Battleship right?

Sweaty Nerd Fandom: Part 1

Let me begin this blog by saying that I am huge fan of comic books.  My knowledge of them runs deep, and I thoroughly enjoy when a movie based on a comic book is released.  So it is only fitting that my fourth blog be about...the Fantastic Four movie.

I really enjoy the writing in this movie.  The writers take the time to introduce the characters for those people who are not well versed in the comics.  The characteristics of the characters are fleshed out very well, and you really get the sense that this is the first family of comic books.  Reed Richards is the scientist who is married to his job.  Johnny Storm is the smart-ass who gets girls.  Sue Storm is the mother figure of the group, and Ben Grimm is the "bodyguard" of the group.

One of the reasons I enjoy this movie is because it is an ensemble piece.  All members of the group work together to defeat the enemy.  There is conflict between them every now and then, but it all gets resolved at the end of the movie.

This movie doesn't take itself too seriously, nor should it.  This is clearly a "popcorn flick", a movie where you just sit back and have fun.  There are some cheesy moments as well.  For example, when Victor Von Doom utters, "Call me Doom."  That line is worse than the line from Batman and Robin, "Hi Freeze.  I'm Batman."

Personally, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis make this movie watchable for me.  Chris Evans, while being the great Captain America that he is, just oozes confidence and arrogance as the Human Torch.  Michael Chiklis, with the personality he has, really brings the "tough guy" persona to the movie.  Of course, with a name like Victor Von Doom, a handsome man like Julian McMahon is playing the part.  I mean, aren't all arch-nemeses devilishly handsome?  Ioan Gruffudd brings the perfect personality to his character.  Mr. Fantastic is one of the smartest superheroes in the Marvel Universe, and Mr. Gruffudd projects that with confidence.

There's a very touching moment in this movie after Ben Grimm turns into the Thing.  There is an action scene on a bridge, after which the newly-crowned Fantastic Four are praised for their work.  At the end of this scene, Ben Grimm's wife is shown approaching the crowd.  Unable to cope with what her husband has turned into, she takes off her wedding ring, and leaves it on the ground.  The most heartbreaking thing about this, however, is that because of his transformation, Ben can't even pick the ring up off the ground.  Mr. Fantastic walks over, picks it up, and hands it to him.

Director Tim Story sets a good tone for the film, despite a couple continuity errors.  There are a number of shots in the movie that I really enjoy.  When Johnny Storm and the nurse are skiing, there are a number of great aerial shots.  Also, when Johnny is being tracked by the missile, there is a tracking shot of Johnny flying through the city that lasts a few seconds that I absolutely love.  There are a couple of great shots of the Thing coming in contact with the semi truck during the bridge scene.  Also, towards the end of the movie, Reed Richards is falling from the top of a building.  There is a shot that looks straight down the building that really shows off Mr. Fantastic's stretching capabilities.

The visual effects for this movie aren't great, but they aren't terrible either.  Truthfully, they feel a little dated.  However, it is clear that most of the budget for the visual effects went towards the Human Torch.  He looks absolutely amazing.  The Thing's makeup looks great as well, particularly in the facial features.  The way he is able to articulate his expressions is very impressive.

Fantastic Four is not a great comic-book movie, but it is far from being the worst.  If you're looking to stay in on a Friday night and order pizza, Fantastic Four is a great movie to watch.  Director Tim Story knows how to make fun and enjoyable, and that is exactly what he does here.

One Fantasy Tale To Rule Them All

The first chapter in The Lord of the Rings tale, titled The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces you to nine characters in their quest to destroy the Ring of Power.  I myself have read the first two books, and I am in the process of finishing the third book right now.  Even though I have not finished all three books, I have talked to people that have.  My personal opinion, and the opinion of others that I have spoken too, is that The Lord of the Rings movies follow the books very well.  There are a few arguments that could be made about certain things that are/are not included, but other than that there are very few complaints.

Anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings knows that eventually the fellowship is broken and the other characters break off and start their own journeys.  When you take a book like The Lord of the Rings and turn it into a movie, you have to condense it down to the central story, while at the same time serving justice to the stories of the other characters. This is done extremely well, giving each character their due.

Before The Lord of the Rings movies, director Peter Jackson was known for doing horror movies.  This kind of background definitely shows during the battle scenes.   However, the intimate dialogue scenes are handled with extreme care as well.  As The Fellowship of the Ring is the start of the journey, naturally there are many shots of the group walking to different destinations.  These shots are very dynamic, and you really get a sense of how arduous their journey is, and will be.  

I thoroughly enjoy fantasy writing.  Obviously for these movies, they did not just take the book and turn it into a script verbatim.  However, you do get the sense that they wanted to do J.R.R. Tolkien justice in the script, and they do so immensely well.  My personal favorite exchange of dialogue is in The Fellowship of the Ring.  In the mines of Moria, Boromir inquires, "What is this new devilry?", and Gandalf replies, "A Balrog.  A demon of the ancient world."  That is fantasy writing at its finest.  

The entire cast does an excellent job of capturing their characters.  For me in particular, there are two performances that stick out.  First is Ian McKellen as Gandalf.  In my opinion, this performance is the greatest of his career and it certainly carries the movie.  Second is Elijah Wood as Frodo.  I was never a big Elijah Wood fan, however it never ceases to amaze me how good he is in this movie.

I absolutely love when movies combine practical and digital effects, and this movie does that superbly.  The Moria sequence is particularly breathtaking.  When you read the books, you wonder how they are going to bring this world to life.  Then, you see the movie and it is exactly how you imagined it.

Years ago, I personally do not think you would have associated a name like Peter Jackson with The Lord of the Rings.  However, he has proven to be one of the few directors who is able to do a sweeping epic film.  He cares about the story first and foremost, and that is what makes him special.  

This House Doesn't Want Your Sorrows

A few weeks ago,  I watched the movie Animal House for the first time.  I have to say I loved it.  It is one of the funniest movies I've seen, and I immediately saw why it is the timeless classic that it is.

Of course, you cannot mention Animal House without mentioning John Belushi.  I personally believe that were he alive today, he would be among such greats as Jim Carrey and Steve Carell.  Some might say that his legend far surpasses them.  I certainly would not make an argument against that.

The other name we cannot forget is Harold Ramis.  Sadly, Harold Ramis passed away recently.  His contributions to the cinema world, and to the craft of comedy, will surely never be forgotten.  His involvement in such films as Caddyshack, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, and of course Animal House was truly a testament to the success of those movies, and he will never be forgotten.

All of the actors truly inhabit their characters.  You feel for Flounder because he can't fit in.  You idolize Eric Stratton for sleeping with the Dean's wife.  You want to be Schoenstein because he is
the leader of the group.

Director John Landis really captured the essence of the college experience.  This film looks and feels like someone went to an actual frat party and started filming.  Animal House truly is the definitive college movie, and rightfully so.

After Nearly 40 Years...You Should Still Stay Out of the Water

      Let me preface this blog by saying that Steven Spielberg is my personal hero.  He is one of the sole reasons why I am attending film school, and if I am ever able to emulate him in my films while at the same time having my own voice, then I will have accomplished more than I could ever  hope to do.  Therefore, my opinion about his films might be a little biased.

      That being said, Jaws is a landmark masterpiece of a movie.  To this day, I still hear stories from people who saw it when it was released back in 1975.  They tell me how the movie made them jump three seats down the aisle, and how they haven't been swimming since then.

      Jaws tells the story of a Great White killer shark that is attacking Amity Island and eating swimmers.  After two deaths, three men decide that enough is enough and hunt him down and kill him.  Their names are Brody, Quint, and Hooper and they are played by Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss respectively.  It is very graphic, and in my opinion, had there been three deaths in the film it would have gotten an R rating.  Throughout his career, Spielberg has covered every genre imaginable.  Jaws is certainly a thriller, but I would even go so far as to say it is a horror movie just because of its nature.

      The writing in this movie is top-notch.  When you are writing a movie like this, you have to take it seriously and not make it silly.  In the wrong hands, Jaws could have easily been a silly movie.  Because of the dialogue, you really feel for the three main actors, and you feel for the city that is deathly afraid of going in the water.  There is a scene in the movie with the Mayor and Chief Brody.  The Mayor says, "You yell 'Barracuda!', everybody says 'Huh? What?'.  You yell 'Shark!', we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."  That piece of dialogue rings true for the entire movie.

      If anyone has watched Richard Dreyfuss in interviews for his movies, you know that he has a great sense of humor which comes across easily in the movie.  When he tells Chief Brody, " 'Scuse me.  You know those eight guys in the fantail launch out there?  Well, none of 'em are going to get out of the harbor alive.", you see him smile afterwards because it's not gonna be his fault if they don't listen to him and they die out there.  Watching Robert Shaw in this movie is a great pleasure.  Because of the kind of actor he was, you really believed that he was the experienced, older fisherman who knew what he was doing.  If you listen to Quint, you'll come home with a butt-load of fish.  Roy Scheider is an actor who has always remained close to my heart.  I grew up watching him on a show called Seaquest D.S.V.  It wasn't received very well, and it only lasted three seasons.  I always like to think of the show as Star Trek underwater.  Despite all of this, I really enjoyed the show.  I remember when he died back in 2008, and it really was heartbreaking.  Someone I had watched on television was no longer going to be there.  Thank Odin for DVDs.  When Quint smashes the radio, Roy Scheider's Brody turns into this grumpy old man who isn't getting his way, and now there's nothing they can do.  Those are the kind of memories I have of watching Roy Scheider.
 
      Spielberg was in his late 20's when he directed Jaws.  Even though Steven Spielberg was not the bankable name back then that he is today, as a director he hasn't changed at all.  You can watch Jaws and then watch Catch Me if You Can and you can tell he is exactly the same director.

      John Williams is the most iconic and celebrated movie music composer of all time, and rightfully so.  In my opinion, he is the greatest ever.  He won his first Oscar for Original Score for this movie, and it was well-deserved.
 
      The great miracle of this movie is that the mechanical shark never worked.  Had it worked properly, the movie would have lost all meaning.  Spielberg definitely knew what he was doing even at the young age of 27.  He cranked out an iconic movie, and to this day he is one of the most influential directors of all time.