Hello Dear Readers. I know it’s been awhile since my last blog post. With the Corona Virus Pandemic and all the changes in our world, I understand some of you might be feeling down at this point. You might be out of work, have limited things to do because of the virus, or you’re upset with all the racial discrimination going on. Well I have a treat for you. Here is a list of films that fit in to these troubling times to help lift your spirits up. Some of these are all time classics while some are more recent favorites. But all of them have the power to enlighten, inform, and entertain.
It’s A Wonderful Life: One of my all time favorites, It’s A Wonderful Life still lifts the soul years after its release. There might be some people right now who might feel the same way George Bailey (James Stewart) was feeling. But this film always reminds us of two things. One is that life is a great thing. The second is that “every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings”. You may think this is a Christmas/holiday movie, but that was not it’s original intent. Frank Capra wrote it upon return from WWII and wanted it released in January 1947 after the Oscar deadline. But the distributor wanted a movie released in time for Christmas. A dud at the box office initially, it has grown over the years to be one of our most cherished holiday classics.
The Wizard of Oz: Whether you are young or old The Wizard of Oz is a great film. We find Dorothy (Judy Garland) who lives in a poor farm area, swept away to a land of magic and happiness. Only to discover she was home all along where happiness and love surrounded her. Synonymous with the great depression when it was released, this is a movie that inspired people to dream of a place where all their worries are left behind. Still relevant today because like Dorothy, to look for “somewhere over the rainbow” you sometimes don’t have to look far at all.
To Kill A Mocking Bird: The greatest of all anti-racist statements. Just like the book it’s based on To Kill A Mocking Bird is an uplifting and thought provoking tale. Equal parts a story of growing up in the south, and legal drama, it surely is a magnificent movie. Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) said it best, “there is a lot you can learn about a man when you put yourself in his shoes”.
Nothing But A Man: One of the most underrated movies of all time. Nothing But A Man works because it is seen through the eyes of a black man (Ivan Dixon) who faces racism and prejudice in the deep south. Ivan Dixon’s performance is one to be remembered.
BLACKkKLANSMAN: Spike Lee’s fact based film is a truly stunning thriller. With a great cast, script, and direction it has you on the edge of your seat while also teaching a valuable story.
Green Book: The “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” of anti-racist movies. Green Book is not just a good buddy film but also a great movie, period. With a great true story and outstanding chemistry between Vigo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali it’s no wonder it won the academy award for best picture.
Remember The Titans: Celebrate the 20th anniversary of a movie that really shows there can be a brotherhood with people of different colors. A perfect movie for fans of football or those looking for an inspiring true story. Also featuring one of Denzel Washington’s best performances in his prolific career.
That’s my list. I hope these movies help get you through this difficult time. But also hope for one other thing…. Stay safe and stay healthy.
Every now and then there is a film that starts off a legacy. And what I mean by that, is one film in particular that leads to several other films. In 1962 one legacy started off with “Dr.No” which later became the James Bond series. In 1977 “Star Wars” was released which gave way to one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. And in 2008 “Iron Man” started what is called the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While these three all started with a bang, a legacy doesn’t always have to start in America or Britain.
Japanese movie producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, decided to make a monster movie for Toho Studios that grew into quite the legacy. While America had “King Kong”, “Frankenstein”, and “Dracula” at the time, there wasn’t a monster movie that stood out in Japan. What Tanaka wanted was a monster that came about from nuclear testing similar to the creature in the American film “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms”. At first his concept was for the monster to be in the form of a giant octopus. Then he decided it would be better if it was in the form of a humongous dinosaur. Taking physical features from different dinosaurs and combining the Japanese words for “gorilla” (Gorira) and “whale” (Kujira) the end result was the fearsome Gojira.
Although here in America people would know him as “Godzilla”. He has become a worldwide icon. This is the film that brought this devastating monster to life. It begins right away with the title credits similar to such films as “Psycho” or “Alien” which gives us chills. At first we hear large footsteps that sound as if a monster is coming. That’s our first warning until we finally hear a distinctive screeching roar along with a magnificent score by Akira Ifukube that lets us know the monster is here.
Causing ships to sink out in the Pacific Ocean, it is clear to the people of Tokyo that the ancient legend of Gojira has been awakened. With a theory that the monster is a surviving prehistoric creature exposed to radiation from nuclear weapons the only question they have is “how do we stop it”. Or can it be stopped?
While it serves as an entertaining monster movie it also serves as a teachable allegory. Gojira is really a man in a rubber monster suit in this early production. He gives us such thrills as he destroys the set of Tokyo, but there is a lot more underneath that. Since the creature is believed to be the outcome of nuclear testing, it gives us a sense of what could happen if we continue to use nuclear weapons. And in this case it’s in the form of a gigantic monster that will stop at nothing until it gets it’s revenge.
While the film’s creators wanted to send the message of how bad nuclear weapon usage could be, they never thought that the creature would become an overall pop sensation. Godzilla being the first “kaiju”(“giant monster” in Japanese) went on to star in more than ten films, was rebooted two times in America, and was the gateway for many more giant creatures.
Mothra, Anguirus, Rodan, and King Ghidorah to name some of those giant creatures, but you surely could identify Godzilla as “the King of the Monsters.” A title given to him from the 1956 American release of the film “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.” Starring Raymond Burr as an American news reporter traveling to Japan and finds himself in the wake of Godzilla’s wrath. This version contains a mixture of scenes from the original Japanese release, some from that production that were not used, and some have been cut out. Although it still retains the greatness of the Japanese version.
Featuring a well thought out story, outstanding directing from Ishiro Honda, and one of the best monsters that movies have to offer, it’s no doubt why this movie became a success. This film along with others just might be a contender for being recognized as the Citizen Kane of monster movies.
Well folks it looks like things are starting to heat up for awards season. The Golden Globes have been given out and the announcement of the Oscar nominations are just upon us. With that in tow, here are some truly outstanding pictures that are getting awards buzz to get you into the spirit…. just in time for the big event.
1917: Beautifully shot and undeniably gripping, 1917 is a war epic worthy of it’s praise, and shows director Sam Mendes at the height of his powers.
Knives Out: 2019’s answer to “Clue”. Knives Out is a beautifully written, funny, and suspenseful mystery that keeps you guessing. With an all star cast just to add to it’s glamour.
The Irishman: With a great cast, a smart script, and an atmosphere of classic gangster movies, The Irishman has director Martin Scorsese and star Robert De Niro back at their best.
Joker: Haunting and featuring a powerhouse performance from Joaquin Phoenix, Joker not only succeeds as a interpretation of the comic book character, but also as an intense psychological crime thriller. A definite front runner for best actor.
While those are some of the movies I’ve seen that deserve some Oscar recognition, here are some other movies I’ve seen that are also worth a watch.
Ford vs. Ferrari: A true pedal to the medal thrill ride with some great performances from Christian Bale and Matt Damon.
Harriett: Cynthia Erivo brings the Civil War era hero to life in an entertaining and informative biopic.
The Two Popes: Jonathan Price and Anthony Hopkins have great chemistry in a film that is both riveting and visually stunning.
Here are some movies which I haven’t seen, but I would like to because of their acclaim.
Even the most talented of filmmakers have their weakest movies. Some of them could be because they tried too hard, they didn’t know what to write, or the directors went out of their usual style. For the Coen brothers the weakest point in their career was Hail, Ceasar!. While they have given us some classics like Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country For Old Men, I usually think of Hail, Ceasar! as an abomination.
A satire on 1950’s cinema Hail, Ceasar! is not pleasing in any way whatsoever. There is absolutely no point where the story is going, the cast give mediocre performances, and the dialogue tries to be humorous but ultimately doesn’t come close. One of the reasons why we go to the movies is to enjoy a good story. As it turns out there is no story to this movie, making it utterly pointless. It was as if the Coen brothers had the concept for this movie but did not know how the plot should progress.
While featuring an all star cast that includes George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, and Channing Tatum, they are all wasted on this movie. Since their is no story the cast have no idea on how to portray their characters. Part of what makes a great performance is for the actor or actress to know how the story goes. It’s a shame that such talented people were paid to play in a production that wouldn’t give their performances any meaning.
Since it is a satire it is bound to have some quotable and memorable dialogue. Sadly it’s not present in Hail, Ceasar! While the Coen brothers have brought some very great dialogue in their movies, there isn’t a single line of dialogue that would be remembered in this movie. The dialogue in some of their previous movies has been either humorous, quotable, or both. For this one it tries to bring some laughs but unfortunately misses the target. In contrast, Quentin Tarantino is a master of dialogue, and in pretty much all of his movies there is character interaction that is rich in humor and quotability. More so then the Coen brothers themselves.
I went and saw Hail, Ceasar! when it first came out in theaters with my family. The end result felt like we wanted our money back. This movie is not worth the money or a single viewing. So don’t waste your time on this movie, which tries to be a masterpiece, but sadly isn’t. If you want to watch any Coen brothers movies watch some of their classics. Just not this one.
You may be thinking right now “really, you’re writing about a TV show, I thought you write movie reviews?” Well let me explain, “Game of Thrones” is not a normal TV show. It’s not done like a TV show, it is done in a very cinematic and detailed way, very much like a movie. It is unlike anything else that’s been done on TV before, there has never been something as epic in its scale, scope, cast, story, and production efforts. Over its eight season run it has garnered millions of fans, won multiple awards, and has overall become a pop culture phenomenon. It is also unlike any other TV show and it means a lot to me for many reasons.
I first got into Game of Thrones when my eyes first rested upon the words of George R.R. Martin just when I was getting into the wonder of reading. It really showed me what the written word could do, with telling a story, creating new worlds, and giving brilliant insight. It really changed my life when I read the books that inspired the show. I always told my mother that it would be something she likes because I know she likes fantasy along the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter”. So then at one point I decided to get started on the show and was just taken away by it. My mother eventually joined me in watching it and absolutely fell in love with it. Although she wasn’t impressed with The Lord of the Rings movies as compared to the books, she thought Game of Thrones was a much more well done adaptation of an epic fantasy novel. Little did I know that I would get my younger brother into it too. With the three being fans and watching it together, it made me feel like a hero.
Then for a time we, along with all of the millions of GoT (Game of Thrones) fans, had to wait for the final season due to extra production work. The much anticipated Season 8 release came and we are watching it and we have been on the edge of our seats! Then we started hearing all these negative things about the last season. Having heard the reasons fans and critics are disappointed in the final season, we find it hard to believe that people would complain about such things. I’m not saying people shouldn’t have their own opinions, but I would like to open up their minds to what I see and help them think about the positive things about Season 8.
SPOILER ALERT: The following will contain spoilers to the series so if you’re not caught up with the series don’t read just yet, but if you are current on the series, please read on.
For one thing people complained about “The Battle of Winterfell” episode because it was dark and it was hard to see. Well the point of the episode was that it was supposed to be dark. It was supposed to add to the experience of such a great battle, as if you were there, in the cold night, with the snow escalating and blowing all around you. It was presented as it was for the characters who had trouble seeing as well as exampled when a major battle strategy to signal Daenerys to light the trenches was not effective due to the harsh weather and darkness of the night. Besides there are a lot of great movie moments that take place in the dark but you don’t hear people complaining that they’re hard to see. In the original “Halloween” movie for example, there’s the memorable scene where Michael Myers stalks Laurie Strode in the dark. At that moment it’s intended to be dark so it can be scary and suspenseful. In response to the backlash to this episode of GoT, I even read on the internet that the cinematographer for the episode spoke up about the complaints of it being too dark. He said that it was supposed to be dark and Game of Thrones as a whole is best watched with the lights down.
Another thing is that some fans spotted a Starbuck’s coffee cup in one of the episodes and complained about it. It was just a small editing mistake. There are so many mistakes made in movies (even the most critically acclaimed ones) that on I.M.D.B. you can read about them under “goofs”. One editing mistake I read about and actually saw in a movie was in the classic adventure movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. In the scene where Indiana Jones saves Marion from Nazi agents, you can see that his gun rapidly changes from a revolver to a Colt .45 pistol. Yet Raiders of the Lost Ark is wildly considered to be one of the greatest movies of all time. Simple mistakes do not hurt a production in anyway. It does nothing to the story or the performances from a talented cast.
Most importantly many think that the season did not go in the direction the were expecting it to. Most notably in the fifth episode when Daenerys Targaryen turns Kings Landing into a city of fire. Even a good friend of mine agreed that it was unlike her character. How I see it is that we all know Daenerys is a power hungry character and they were building her up to that event. So I must ask you something. Did Daenerys really save many slaves and gather up all these followers in an effort to help people, or did she do all that just to create an alliance of loyal followers to help her gain the throne? Whenever we go to the movies or read a book we imagine what would happen, but we don’t actually know what will happen. In most recent memory many people were looking forward to “Avengers:Endgame” and so they were imagining what would happen. When people finally got to see it, there were some things that didn’t go as fans were expecting and yet it’s the biggest movie that’s currently out there. No one is asking for a rewrite on Endgame simply because the story didn’t go as they hoped. Come to think of it GoT is full of unexpected twists. It has never in its entirety gone in the way fans were expecting. When they killed Rob Stark during the “Red Wedding” scene back in season three, fans were shocked, but they didn’t give up. It’s also the same when they beheaded Ned Stark in season 1 and when Jaime Lannister pushed Bran Stark out a window in the pilot. A story that doesn’t go the way people want it to go, does not hurt the story itself. The only people who can control a story are the storytellers themselves.
The way I see it since TV shows often either keep or lose their quality over time, people are sensitive if Game of Thrones would lose it’s quality. So that is why they are complaining about the smallest things, even though they don’t make sense. It is a very well done show. It is meant for viewers to simply relax and enjoy it, and not get upset about it.
Hearing about all this negativity about season eight I think it’s a real shame. Because people don’t see season eight for what it is. It must really hurt the cast and crew since they worked so hard on this season and so many fans are complaining. One thing I recommend is to put yourself in their shoes and think about how they feel. They are people just like you and me. It also hurts me too to hear about all this criticism. I have enjoyed all of Game of Thrones so much that I think it’s a very good piece of work that will stand the test of time. So that’s why I’m writing to you about how I feel.
Again I’m not saying people shouldn’t have there own opinions, but I do hope this article helps them understand. Who knows? Maybe someday when you look back at Game of Thrones and have the final season on your mind, you will say to yourself “what a great end to a great saga”.
Seasons change, and there is always something to reflect on different seasons. Whether it’s a holiday, the weather, or special things people do. But as the year goes by, there are also certain movies to reflect on certain seasons. At Christmas time we watch “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “A Christmas Story”, or “Miracle on 34th Street”. Around Halloween we watch horror movies and on St.Patrick’s Day we watch “The Quiet Man”. Around Easter no other movie fits better than Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments”.
Played on television during the Easter season The Ten Commandments tells the tale of Moses (Charlton Heston) from his orphanage across the Nile river, to the mighty forging of the Ten Commandments tablets. It is a very long movie running almost four hours long, but some stories are worth telling.
Having previously directed a 1923 silent film of the same name, Cecil B. DeMille remade his own movie using the latest advancements in filmmaking at the time (1956). The end result is one of the most beautiful and visually striking films of all time. Massive in its scope, cast, music, story and production values, The Ten Commandments is a true cinematic epic. Having been the last film Cecil B. DeMille ever directed, it’s also a fitting conclusion to a great director’s legacy.
Since it is broadcast on T.V. around Easter, The Ten Commandments has become part of the Easter tradition. Just like Easter egg hunts, going to church, and ham dinners. One might visualize Moses in the form of Charlton Heston because they grew up watching the movie during this time of the year. Playing Moses is also one of Charlton Heston’s most iconic roles. He is often considered a legend of the big screen. Playing alongside him is Yul Brynner as the vile dictator Ramses. A power hungry pharaoh who is so cold blooded that we can’t help but love to hate him. A performance that Yul has very much perfected. Because of these two performances, The Ten Commandments could also be seen as a showdown between two great actors.
So while you’re preparing for Easter, painting your eggs and getting dinner ready, keep in mind you could be in for a real treat that is not in your Easter basket. Check your T.V guide for when this movie comes on. Be prepared to celebrate your Easter with a bang!
One of the hardest processes in movie making is how to adapt a book into a motion picture. Some of the factors involve getting permission from the author and how big the book is. A book could have so much content that it could be very difficult to cut it down to a 2-3 hour long movie. Most importantly, it depends on the filmmakers who decide how to visualize it for the screen.
It’s hard to come up with a way to take a story written on the page and tell it in a cinematic way. Books allow us to let our imaginations run wild with things. And if you read my review on “Watchmen” I pointed out that it was based on a graphic novel so they already had a sense on how to visualize it. Book adaptations often have their ups and downs. One author in particular who has had his fair share of movie and TV adaptations of his works, is Stephen King.
A talented writer and visionary, Stephen King has terrified, thrilled, and delighted millions of people whether through his books or the many adaptations of his works. The reason why there have been many Stephen King adaptations is because he tells a good story. He is probably one of the greatest storytellers of all time. But let’s take a trip back to the very first Stephen King adaptation, which was also his first novel. “Carrie”.
Meet Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) a lonely and shy teenage girl who has nothing in her life but misery. She is often bullied by her schoolmates, especially all the hot shot girls who are all about partying and making out with their boyfriends. They all hate Carrie for no good reason when she did nothing wrong. At home she is hurt furthermore by her abusive, religious obsessed mother Margaret White (Piper Laurie). But little do they know Carrie has a special gift.
She is a telekinetic which allows her to move things with her mind. At the same time she is discovering this, a boy asks her out to the senior prom giving her a chance to shine. But her number one enemy Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) plans to humiliate her once and for all. With the help of her boyfriend Billy Nolan (John Travolta) they’ll pull the ultimate prank on Carrie at the prom. Carrie’s gift will become a curse to her enemies.
I often enjoy reading a good book. There are times when I am impressed with a book’s adaptation. Before I watched the movie I read the novel by Stephen King and I remember I couldn’t put it down. So then I watched the movie and I surely was impressed. This has to be one of the best book adaptations I have ever come across.
Featuring one of the most memorable scenes in all of horror, Carrie is a real heart stopper. Director Brian De Palma masterfully brings Stephen King’s first novel to life in a very stunning way. While some Stephen King adaptations are either great or mediocre this one is definitely one of the best. It paved the way for all other Stephen King adaptations and made him a household name. Particularly associated with horror. A fitting first movie for an author’s first novel, which like the book is great.
Let’s not forget Sissy Spacek’s performance. While Carrie White is not evil like most of Stephen King’s creations she is driven to the point of insanity. This role made quite a reputation for Sissy Spacek. It actually brought Sissy Spacek into stardom.
But Carrie White is also very sympathetic. Since she is both the victim of bullying and abuse we feel sorry for her. And I felt sorry for her both when I read the book and saw the film thanks to Sissy Spacek’s portrayal. This role not only gave her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, but it also gave us one of the most hunting characters in horror movies. A truly great performance that ranks Sissy Spacek along with Jack Nicholson, Bill Skarsgard, and Tim Robbins for portrayal as one of Stephen King’s most memorable characters.
Although remade in 2013, the original 1976 version is a classic. When most people think of Carrie they think of the original. It introduced a lot of people to Stephen King’s wicked imagination. Most remakes of classic movies aren’t very successful. Before you try to see this movie, there is something I should warn you about.
Sometimes a movie’s tagline says it all. It tells us what we are in for with a few words. The tagline to this movie surely let audiences back in 1976 know what they were in for. I should bring it up to you now if you are planning to see it. “If you’ve got a taste for terror…take Carrie to the prom.”
Probably one of the most popular forms of cinema is war movies. For almost as long as movies have been around, war movies have shown us the brutality, tragedy, and emotionality all caused by the horrors of war. An important lesson for all of us to learn. Some of the most memorable examples of these teachable films are “All Quiet On The Western Front”, “Saving Private Ryan”, and “Apocalypse Now”. Not only can movies teach us about war, but war can also have a huge effect on the film industry. As it does to the people who it surrounds.
“Five Came Back” is a Netflix mini documentary series consisting of three episodes. It tells the story of five classic movie directors who enlist in the U.S. Military during WW2 to shoot propaganda movies. Frank Capra (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) , George Stevens (“The Diary of Anne Frank”), John Ford (“The Grapes of Wrath”), William Wyler (“Ben Hur”), and John Huston (“The African Queen”) are the five visionaries who went out to the fields to make these movies. They each made it out of the war just in time to work on what would be known as their masterpiece. If you know who these men are for the great films that they’ve made (I’ve only listed a few above) you will surely know them better when you watch Five Came Back.
A perfect watch for both film and history buffs alike. It is brilliantly narrated by legendary actress Meryl Streep. Whose voice is perfectly suited for this true to life story. It also features breathtaking WW2 footage and insightful interviews from some of today’s great directors. Stephen Spielberg, Guillermo Del Toro, Paul Greengrass, Francis Ford Coppola, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. They all share what it was like for the five filmmakers during the war and how the films of these great past directors have helped inspire their own works.
A very well done documentary series that is both teachable and emotional. If you have a Netflix account I highly recommend you watch this series. You will surely think of the movie industry differently while also learning more about the effects of war.
The Academy Awards will be celebrated on Sunday, February 24 at 5pm PST /8pm EST and broadcast live on ABC.
They’re in! The 91st Academy Award nominations have been announced. Some of you might be surprised by what got nominated or what was left out. But I do hope some of your favorites made the cut. Now all that’s left is to find out what will win the gold.
Best Picture Black Panther BlacKkKlansman Bohemian Rhapsody The Favourite Green Book Roma A Star Is Born Vice
Best Director Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War) Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) Adam McKay (Vice)
Best Actor Christian Bale (Vice) Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Willem Defoe (At Eternity’s Gate) Viggo Mortensen (Green Book) Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
Best Actress Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) Glenn Close (The Wife) Olivia Colman (The Favourite) Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born) Sam Rockwell (Vice) Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)
Supporting Actress Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) Amy Adams (Vice) Marina De Tavira (Roma) Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) Emma Stone (The Favourite)
Adapted Screenplay The Ballad of Buster Scruggs BlacKkKlansman Can You Ever Forgive Me? If Beale Street Could Talk A Star Is Born
Best Original Screenplay The Favourite First Reformed Green Book Roma Vice
Animated Feature Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Mirai Ralph Breaks the Internet Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Foreign Language Film Capernaum (Lebanon) Cold War (Poland) Never Look Away (Germany) Roma (Mexico) Shoplifters (Japan)
Best Documentary Free Solo Hail County This Morning This Evening Minding the Gap Of Fathers and Sons RBG
Best Cinematography Cold War The Favourite Never Look Away Roma A Star Is Born
Best Costume Design The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Black Panther Mary Poppins Returns The Favourite Mary Queen of Scots
Film Editing BlacKkklansman Bohemian Rhapsody The Favourite Green Book Vice
Makeup and Hairstyling Border Mary Queen of Scots Vice
Original Score Black Panther BlacKkKlansman If Beale Street Could Talk Isle of Dogs Mary Poppins Returns
Original Song All the Stars (Black Panther) I’ll Fight (RBG) The Place Where Lost Things Go (Mary Poppins Returns) Shallow (A Star Is Born) When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Production Design Black Panther The Favourite First Man Mary Poppins Returns Roma
Sound Editing Black Panther Bohemian Rhapsody First Man A Quiet Place Roma
Sound Mixing Black Panther A Star Is Born Bohemian Rhapsody Roma First Man
Visual Effects Avengers: Infinity War Christopher Robin First Man Ready Player One Solo: A Star Wars Story
Documentary (Short Subject) Black Sheep End Game Lifeboat A Night at the Garden Period. End of Sentence.
Short Film (Animated) Animal Behavior Bao Late Afternoon One Small Step Weekends
Short Film (Live Action) Detainment Skin Marguerite Fauve
If you were to ask someone “what is your favorite superhero movie”, the answer would probably be something like “The Dark Knight”, “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “The Avengers”, or “Deadpool”. But the answer would least likely be “Watchmen” and it is very unbelievable why it wouldn’t be. Watchmen is not considered to be one of the worst superhero movies, but it is quite possibly the most underrated.
Based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985 in which some of American history’s events have been rewritten and all superheroes have been outlawed. Like the graphic novel we first see the retired superhero The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in his hotel room drunk as a pig when suddenly a mysterious figure bursts into the room beating him to a pulp and throwing him out the window to his death. We then see a montage of images throughout history beautifully set to “The Times They Are a Changing” by Bob Dylan. These images show the man who was just killed was actually part of a superhero team and how all the team members came to where they are now.
The murder of The Comedian is investigated by none other than Rorsach (Jackie Earl Haley). A vengeful vigilante who was one of The Comedian’s fellow crime fighters. Through his investigation he suspects that someone is killing former superheroes and warns all of his old co-workers of the situation.
Dark, intense, and filled with mind boggling scenes this movie is highly relevant to the source material which inspired it. If you either read the graphic novel first or see the movie first you realize how masterfully almost each panel was brought to life. The movie actually feels like the graphic novel. I actually watched the movie first then read some of the graphic novel and I saw that it was very much like the movie. What I also admire about this movie is it’s characters and it’s cast.
It features a wide range of unique characters. Each played by an actor that is relatively not that big of a name, however they portray the characters with stunning accuracy. But the real star of the show is probably Jackie Earl Haley as Rorsach. He plays him with edginess, savageness, and no guts no glory. Although he is probably not the first one to come to mind when you think of how one actor played a superhero well. You might think Christopher Reeve, Toby McQuire, or Christian Bale because those are the ones most people talk about. But Haley is very undisputed in this movie as is the movie itself.
Although the graphic novel became an instant bestseller and was ranked as one of Time magazine’s 100 greatest novels of all time, the movie didn’t get the appreciation it should have gotten. Every time I watch it I wonder why it was so missed. In an age when superhero movies rule the big screen, I hope some day people will come to respect this movie for the classic it is.
David Gorzell's World of Cinema 