The Epidemic of Passable Movies

This guy makes some pretty astute observations about "passable movies."  Although I agree with much of what he is saying, he doesn't give enough credit to the social value of films, particularly popcorn flicks.

Nerd U: Ep. 05 - Why Wonder Woman is the Most Important Movie of the Year

Jeff covers what promises to be the must-see super-hero film of 2017.  He makes some good points about what the movie has going for it.

To My Sister...

To My Sister…

There isn’t a word yet
For two different stories written on the same page,
Following separate, winding paths that, although intersecting at key points,
Have a disunity in which they seem to fight for space

Yet, as the tales progress, growing richer and more detailed,
They gently guide each other,
Shaping each other’s plot, molding perceptions of the characters,
And offering hope of a resolution

They bring counterpoint
And illumination
On the events of one
The tone of the other

Making them each stronger and more defined

And those mutual page turns-
They can be exciting,
And sometimes sad,
But they are always worth the passage into a new understanding

There is no word for any of this,
No single way to encompass the push and pull
Of the enriched overall narrative

Brother
Sister
Sibling

Are the closest we get.

Nerd U: Episode 01 - Intro to the Channel

My buddy, Jeff, has started his own YouTube channel.  I vehemently disagree with him on several things (because DC is better than Marvel, LOTR is superior to Harry Potter where it really counts, and Spider-man 2 with Tobey Maguire is actually the best Spider-man film done so far), but his coverage of all-things nerdy is quite interesting to watch.  Check it out!

Steve's Top Ten Films: Star Wars

Star Wars is a forty-year-old film this year.  I turn forty-two today, which means I existed for two whole years in a world without Star Wars.  I have no clear memories of those two years, so I don't remember a time when the film wasn't part of my life in some way.

I am told my Uncle Wayne took me to see the film sometime during its first release, but I don't remember seeing it for the first time.  I wonder what my two-year-old self experienced in that first viewing.  Was I scared?  Thrilled?  Awestruck?  More than likely it was a combination of all those and more.

What I do remember is the excitement I felt whenever the film came back around for limited re-release.  One of those releases marked the first time I was ever allowed to go see a film by myself, more than likely fueled by my parents having absolutely no desire to see the film again.  Likewise, I distinctly remember going to see the two sequels: Empire was at the Seaford Twin Cinema, an initial attempt by my father taking my sister and me to see it thwarted by a sold-out theater; Return of the Jedi was at the Midway Theater in Rehoboth along with my mother, my Aunt Vicki, my sister, and two female cousins.  None of whom cared at all about seeing the movie, at least not at the level I did, so I might as well have been seeing it by myself.

But, my excitement over those two films resulted directly from the deep connection I felt (and still feel) to the first Star Wars movie, a film whose existence is interwoven with mine on a primal level.  I honestly don't know what kind of person I would be if Star Wars hadn't existed in my life.  And, on a certain level, I don't understand people who are indifferent to the film because feeling that way would mean an essential part of me would disappear.

I have to confess that although my top ten films receive nearly equal admiration from me, I saved Star Wars for last because at forty years old it has been part of my awareness the longest out of any film I've ever seen.  And, it continues to be an active part of my life as new Star Wars films are made, and I have been able to share the experience with students, my Nerd Circle buddies, and, most importantly, my nephew, who has recently made a point of watching all the films in the series and has come to me with questions about the story and characters.

So, the significance of this film in my life perpetually evolves into something more than it was before.  That means something.

Steve's Top Ten Films: It Happened One Night

In light of the debacle that was last night's Oscars ceremony, it might be appropriate to take a look at one of the classic Best Picture winners, one that unmistakably swept the top five categories of Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.  Of course, the same could be said for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but It Happened One Night has the distinction of being the first film to be so honored.  And, it accomplished the feat despite being a movie that no one, not even the stars, believed in except for the director, Frank Capra.

Made in the heyday of the Hollywood contract players, Clark Gable was loaned out to do the picture as a business move by his home studio; Gable was a reluctant participant as a result.  Claudette Colbert had to be coaxed into doing it with an increased salary and a promise to have her filming completed in one month.  Reportedly, she was a prima donna on set and would throw tantrums almost daily.

Despite the trials and tribulations of the production, the end result is one of the most smartly-written romantic comedies ever put to film.  And, being made before the enforcement of the MPAA production code, the film has a sense of daring even by some of today's standards.

There are a number of iconic scenes in the movie: Clark Gable undressing in front of Claudette Colbert, Colbert stopping a passing car by showing her leg.  But, my favorite scene is when the two of them seemingly improvise an argument to avoid capture by the police.  They pretend to be a married couple who are instigated into an old argument by the presence of the police officers.  Although the actual scene was scripted, the direction and performances make the exchange seem completely ad libbed, and it is a moment of real connection between the characters.  From then on, everything the characters say and do is seen within the context of them falling in love.

Unfortunately for modern romantic comedies, I judge them based on how they measure up to the film I believe set the standard for the genre.  Very few are able to match the wit and charm of It Happened One Night.

Steve's Top Ten Films: Chasing Amy

Some might find it interesting that Chasing Amy is the only comic book-related film in my top ten.  And, it is only a comic book movie in that it is set within the workings of the comic book industry and makes references only those familiar with the genre would clearly understand.  One of the opening scenes takes place at a comicon, and it remains to this day one of the most authentic-looking depictions of a con I have ever seen on film.  Sure, it ventures at times into cartoonishness with the inker vs. tracer debate and the comic book panel discussion in which the character of Hooper X delivers his hilarious deconstruction of the Star Wars trilogy.  But, the feel of the con is spot on, right down to how the attendees look and act.

Written and directed by Kevin Smith, a comic book aficionado himself, Chasing Amy was something of a comeback for Smith, who had an indie success with Clerks but then misstepped in a big way with the dead-in-the-water Mallrats.  Chasing Amy showcased his writing talent and his ability to create interesting characters who find themselves in situations that involve authentic emotions, not just tongue-in-cheek slapstick or toilet humor, although there is plenty of both in Chasing Amy.

The story is about a comic writer/artist named Holden, who befriends and then falls in love with a fellow comic book writer/artist named Alyssa.  The problem initially is that Alyssa is openly gay, and so it seems there friendship will not advance to romance.  But, one thing leads to another, and the two begin a romance.  More problems arise when details about Alyssa's past comes to light, and Holden is torn on how to handle knowing the information.

Yes, this sounds like the typical set up for a standard romantic comedy, but Chasing Amy transcends the genre by having the characters' choices carry real weight and ramifications.  There are no sudden revelations that fix all the conflicts, no last minute reconciliations that give everyone a happily-ever-after.  Instead, we get a story about characters who are maturing into adults, accompanied by all the pain and heartache that comes with it.