Yep, this is a David Lynch movie. Which is to say that, despite some of the haunting imagery, it has many of the typical flaws of a David Lynch movie (and I wouldn't say that this is his best one). Following on the heels of the television series, Twin Peaks the movie is in actuality a prequel to the series. Whereas the series explored the mystery of Laura Palmer's murder after the fact - putting the pieces of an intriguing puzzle together bit by bit - this movie (which spoils the TV series - be warned) takes a look at the last days of Laura Palmer's life, leading up to her death. As such, it works better as a character study of a young woman spiraling into the abyss (via surreal dream sequences and a plot sometimes only loosely connected to any thread of logic). It doesn't really answer any significant questions that are not at least strongly hinted at in the series, but it does help you to get a firmer grasp on some of the details.
Many of the characters from the series return, although some of them only briefly - I missed Sheriff Truman, as well as both Benjamin and Audrey Horn; Agent Cooper had only a minor role to play; and for some reason Donna Hayward was recast (my guess would be that the original actress didn't want to do a topless scene). On that note, this movie is considerably more graphic (in terms of both gore and nudity), but I'm not sure that adds anything, as the series was very effective at unsettling (and even occasionally titillating) the audience without resorting to those shortcuts. It also seems to play very strongly on the central theme of abuse, to the effect of reducing the supernatural elements to the level of metaphor (depending on interpretation, as always). While your English lit teacher would undoubtedly appreciate this symbolism, it's my view that demons are more interesting when they really are demons, and not just a creative way to visualize "the evil that men do".
Ultimately, the familiar, quirky atmosphere of Twin Peaks as found in the TV series is absent in the film, and I can't honestly rate it as must-see (like the series is). Certainly, if you loved Twin Peaks and can't get enough of it, or want to see more of the events leading up to Laura Palmer's death, then it's worth a watch. But, especially considering that it might be a little hard to get a hold of, I wouldn't go too far out of your way to watch it. The series is perfectly capable of standing on its own.
Showing posts with label surreal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label surreal. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2016
Monday, November 16, 2015
The X-Files - S6:E21 "Field Trip"
[ S6:E20 "Three of a Kind" <<< Season 6 >>> S6:E22 "Biogenesis" ]
If The Unnatural kind of pissed on what The X-Files once stood for - by turning its mythology into a running joke - Field Trip starts off as a love letter to the classic monster-of-the-week formula. The opening segment features a gruesome death under strange circumstances (two hikers end up as skeletons embracing in the woods, in connection with some strange goo - later described as "bog sludge"), Mulder introduces Scully to the case via the classic slideshow method, and rambles on about another UFO hotspot - the Brown Mountain Lights of North Carolina (also the subject of a found footage film titled Alien Abduction), and Scully puts in her requisite time performing autopsies and looking through microscopes. But - not content to simply be a throwback episode - it takes a left turn and veers into all-new territory, making it a unique episode in the X-Files canon. It's very surreal - probably the closest this series ever got to what an episode written/directed by David Lynch would be like. I love it.
To say more would spoil much of the mystery and intrigue that this episode thrives on, so I'll limit myself to a few comments, with a warning that if you haven't seen the episode, you should stop reading this review now, as the rest of it will contain spoilers. In one scene, it appears that Mulder has been killed in the line of duty. And while we've been given enough information at this point to conclude that it is almost certainly a hallucination, it does still give the viewer a moment to reflect on how depressing it would be if Mulder really did die on one of these cases, given all the times they've put their lives in danger. How sad would it be, for Scully to have to go on without him? The show has teased this possibility in the past (like in the cliffhangers to Anasazi and Gethsemane, for example), but having something as solid as a skeleton sitting on a table...even if you do know that it's going to end up being a hallucination, it's so solid, and so real (like that gray in that other scene), that as long as it's there, it really makes you consider that possibility.
Another great thing about this episode is its exploration of Mulder and Scully's conflicting viewpoints. It's very self-conscious, but in a straight-faced, rather than humorous (à la Bad Blood) manner. In their corresponding hallucinations, Mulder is led to believe that his wildest theories are true, and Scully is forced to resort to her logical explanation as a conclusion, but neither one is fully committed to their own positions (the "weirdness" of being completely right ultimately being the key that unlocks the chemical deception - a fantasy reality more compelling than the one encountered in Kill Switch), demonstrating the vital importance of the cross-contamination of their perspectives. They each pull a little too hard in their respective directions - Mulder's crazy theories, and Scully's scientific rationalizations - when the truth is often somewhere in the middle, and they rely on each other to ultimately land there. The true explanation is frequently not the first conclusion Mulder jumps to (and it would be boring - Mulder would be too perfect - if it was), yet is often something beyond the explanation of the scientific theories Scully immediately resorts to. But that's why they work so well together.
Memorable quotes:
Mulder: There's been no scientific, credible explanation, but there are those of us who believe that these strange, multicolored lights are really --
Scully: UFOs. Extraterrestrial visitors from beyond, who apparently have nothing better to do than buzz one mountain over and over again for 700 years.
Scully: Mulder, can't you just for once, just...for the novelty of it, come up with the simplest explanation - the most logical one - instead of automatically jumping to UFOs, or Bigfoot, or...
Mulder: Scully, in six years, how often have I been wrong? No, seriously. I mean, every time I bring you a new case, we go through this perfunctory dance - you tell me I'm not being scientifically rigorous, and that I'm off my nut. And then, in the end, who turns out to be right, like 98.9% of the time? I just think I've earned the benefit of the doubt here.
(Mulder has a point, and I love that the series is addressing this issue - hanging a lampshade on it, if you will. Granted, Mulder's not really right that much of the time, but the point still stands - they've encountered enough paranormal phenomena in six years that Mulder's "crazy" theories do deserve at least a modicum of respect. And whereas Mulder is quick to change his theory based on the evidence, Scully is awfully stubborn about her science. I'm not saying she should abandon her rational approach - after all, it's her job to apply science to the cases they investigate, and for good reason - but she's awfully quick to reject Mulder's theories. Rather than disregarding them only after rigorously examining their scientific credibility, she seems to almost lazily reach for the remotest possible scientific explanation that can be used to discredit them. Mulder deserves better than that).
Mulder: Scully, I want you to put aside your scientific bias for a moment, 'cause what I'm about to tell you is gonna change your life forever - your life, my life, the life of everybody on this planet.
Scully: Mulder...
Mulder: It was out there. And I found it.
Scully: What?
Mulder: The truth.
Mulder: Whatever happened to the most logical explanation?
Scully: This is it, Mulder.
If The Unnatural kind of pissed on what The X-Files once stood for - by turning its mythology into a running joke - Field Trip starts off as a love letter to the classic monster-of-the-week formula. The opening segment features a gruesome death under strange circumstances (two hikers end up as skeletons embracing in the woods, in connection with some strange goo - later described as "bog sludge"), Mulder introduces Scully to the case via the classic slideshow method, and rambles on about another UFO hotspot - the Brown Mountain Lights of North Carolina (also the subject of a found footage film titled Alien Abduction), and Scully puts in her requisite time performing autopsies and looking through microscopes. But - not content to simply be a throwback episode - it takes a left turn and veers into all-new territory, making it a unique episode in the X-Files canon. It's very surreal - probably the closest this series ever got to what an episode written/directed by David Lynch would be like. I love it.
To say more would spoil much of the mystery and intrigue that this episode thrives on, so I'll limit myself to a few comments, with a warning that if you haven't seen the episode, you should stop reading this review now, as the rest of it will contain spoilers. In one scene, it appears that Mulder has been killed in the line of duty. And while we've been given enough information at this point to conclude that it is almost certainly a hallucination, it does still give the viewer a moment to reflect on how depressing it would be if Mulder really did die on one of these cases, given all the times they've put their lives in danger. How sad would it be, for Scully to have to go on without him? The show has teased this possibility in the past (like in the cliffhangers to Anasazi and Gethsemane, for example), but having something as solid as a skeleton sitting on a table...even if you do know that it's going to end up being a hallucination, it's so solid, and so real (like that gray in that other scene), that as long as it's there, it really makes you consider that possibility.
Another great thing about this episode is its exploration of Mulder and Scully's conflicting viewpoints. It's very self-conscious, but in a straight-faced, rather than humorous (à la Bad Blood) manner. In their corresponding hallucinations, Mulder is led to believe that his wildest theories are true, and Scully is forced to resort to her logical explanation as a conclusion, but neither one is fully committed to their own positions (the "weirdness" of being completely right ultimately being the key that unlocks the chemical deception - a fantasy reality more compelling than the one encountered in Kill Switch), demonstrating the vital importance of the cross-contamination of their perspectives. They each pull a little too hard in their respective directions - Mulder's crazy theories, and Scully's scientific rationalizations - when the truth is often somewhere in the middle, and they rely on each other to ultimately land there. The true explanation is frequently not the first conclusion Mulder jumps to (and it would be boring - Mulder would be too perfect - if it was), yet is often something beyond the explanation of the scientific theories Scully immediately resorts to. But that's why they work so well together.
Memorable quotes:
Mulder: There's been no scientific, credible explanation, but there are those of us who believe that these strange, multicolored lights are really --
Scully: UFOs. Extraterrestrial visitors from beyond, who apparently have nothing better to do than buzz one mountain over and over again for 700 years.
Scully: Mulder, can't you just for once, just...for the novelty of it, come up with the simplest explanation - the most logical one - instead of automatically jumping to UFOs, or Bigfoot, or...
Mulder: Scully, in six years, how often have I been wrong? No, seriously. I mean, every time I bring you a new case, we go through this perfunctory dance - you tell me I'm not being scientifically rigorous, and that I'm off my nut. And then, in the end, who turns out to be right, like 98.9% of the time? I just think I've earned the benefit of the doubt here.
(Mulder has a point, and I love that the series is addressing this issue - hanging a lampshade on it, if you will. Granted, Mulder's not really right that much of the time, but the point still stands - they've encountered enough paranormal phenomena in six years that Mulder's "crazy" theories do deserve at least a modicum of respect. And whereas Mulder is quick to change his theory based on the evidence, Scully is awfully stubborn about her science. I'm not saying she should abandon her rational approach - after all, it's her job to apply science to the cases they investigate, and for good reason - but she's awfully quick to reject Mulder's theories. Rather than disregarding them only after rigorously examining their scientific credibility, she seems to almost lazily reach for the remotest possible scientific explanation that can be used to discredit them. Mulder deserves better than that).
Mulder: Scully, I want you to put aside your scientific bias for a moment, 'cause what I'm about to tell you is gonna change your life forever - your life, my life, the life of everybody on this planet.
Scully: Mulder...
Mulder: It was out there. And I found it.
Scully: What?
Mulder: The truth.
Mulder: Whatever happened to the most logical explanation?
Scully: This is it, Mulder.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Escape From Tomorrow (2013)
I read about Escape From Tomorrow in Entertainment Weekly and was intrigued by the fact that this was a "horror" movie filmed in Disney World - or Disneyland, or maybe both (but not sponsored by Disney) - since I think Disney's image is far too pure and pristine. Well, this movie's got sex, and this movie's got violence, but that doesn't necessarily make it good. It's full of promise and potential, and certainly the method of filming is ambitious, but it falls short of delivering any kind of coherent vision. It's also filmed in black and white, which is a peculiar decision. Perhaps it's to emphasize the draining of life in this "trouble in paradise" tale of hardship (not that there's anything new about that) in the so-called "Happiest Place on Earth". But I still think I would have enjoyed it more in color.
I'll tell you what, Escape From Tomorrow is a head trip. It's a surreal experience that starts out like that last childhood vacation your family took before your parents got divorced, when all they could do was argue with each other, and evolves into what seems to be the fever dream of a schizoid alcoholic, who may or may not be suffering from the symptoms of "cat flu". Unfortunately, it's closer to a feature length version of a short from The ABCs of Death than Itchy & Scratchy Land (which I was hoping for). The subplot about a family man [innocently] stalking two hot French teens around the park was painfully relatable (although he totally goes overboard, neglects his kids, and makes voyeurs everywhere look bad - as the visible cases always seem to do), that could have made some poignant commentary had it felt inclined to. Alas, it's a very imaginative film, but I'm afraid that it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
I'll tell you what, Escape From Tomorrow is a head trip. It's a surreal experience that starts out like that last childhood vacation your family took before your parents got divorced, when all they could do was argue with each other, and evolves into what seems to be the fever dream of a schizoid alcoholic, who may or may not be suffering from the symptoms of "cat flu". Unfortunately, it's closer to a feature length version of a short from The ABCs of Death than Itchy & Scratchy Land (which I was hoping for). The subplot about a family man [innocently] stalking two hot French teens around the park was painfully relatable (although he totally goes overboard, neglects his kids, and makes voyeurs everywhere look bad - as the visible cases always seem to do), that could have made some poignant commentary had it felt inclined to. Alas, it's a very imaginative film, but I'm afraid that it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
I'll be damned if this movie makes any sense at all (although it helps to know that it was a failed-TV-pilot-turned-one-off-film, and this analysis makes me think twice), but you know what? I didn't even mind, because David Lynch has such a talent for creating an atmosphere of mystery and uneasiness. This is true art, and while it makes you think, you don't so much want to put the pieces together as you revel in the feelings that it can evoke in you.
Also, Lynch has an uncanny knack for faces, and he creates such intriguing characters. There's even some real eroticism in this movie, like you so rarely see, between the two female leads - the one of which, Naomi Watts, is, in my opinion, stunning in this role.
I wonder if maybe David Lynch would be better suited to creating shorter pieces (his movies seem frequently to exceed the two hour mark), since he's masterful at creating atmosphere, but his stories rarely seem to tie themselves together in the long run (at least not without extended analysis).
For example, the scene in this movie where the man at the diner is talking about a frightening dream he had. One of the most amazingly unsettling scenes in a movie I've ever seen, and I think it would be just as effective out of context of the rest of the movie - in fact, its connection to the rest of the plot is tenuous at best (or at least not obvious).
And the scene where Bettie goes to audition for the soap role - it's unreal. I'm not even sure what the hell that blue box is, or what the film set has to do with anything - although The Cowboy character was fascinating, and intimidating in his own way.
But as I said, I didn't even care that I couldn't fit all the pieces together, because it was the experience of it, the feelings of uncertainty that David Lynch evokes in you, that make it so captivating. And the music is not only perfectly suited to the mood of the piece, but it's fantastic in its own right.
I very much recommend this movie, even more than the other two Lynch pieces I've seen - Blue Velvet, which wasn't quite as effective for me as this one, and Eraserhead, which was very effective, but perhaps too out there for general audiences.
Also, Lynch has an uncanny knack for faces, and he creates such intriguing characters. There's even some real eroticism in this movie, like you so rarely see, between the two female leads - the one of which, Naomi Watts, is, in my opinion, stunning in this role.
I wonder if maybe David Lynch would be better suited to creating shorter pieces (his movies seem frequently to exceed the two hour mark), since he's masterful at creating atmosphere, but his stories rarely seem to tie themselves together in the long run (at least not without extended analysis).
For example, the scene in this movie where the man at the diner is talking about a frightening dream he had. One of the most amazingly unsettling scenes in a movie I've ever seen, and I think it would be just as effective out of context of the rest of the movie - in fact, its connection to the rest of the plot is tenuous at best (or at least not obvious).
And the scene where Bettie goes to audition for the soap role - it's unreal. I'm not even sure what the hell that blue box is, or what the film set has to do with anything - although The Cowboy character was fascinating, and intimidating in his own way.
But as I said, I didn't even care that I couldn't fit all the pieces together, because it was the experience of it, the feelings of uncertainty that David Lynch evokes in you, that make it so captivating. And the music is not only perfectly suited to the mood of the piece, but it's fantastic in its own right.
I very much recommend this movie, even more than the other two Lynch pieces I've seen - Blue Velvet, which wasn't quite as effective for me as this one, and Eraserhead, which was very effective, but perhaps too out there for general audiences.
Friday, January 4, 2008
My Favorite Movies
Note: This review was originally posted on Bridge To Better Days. I am reposting it here for archival purposes. It has been backdated to the date of its original posting.
(More recent additions can be found at the end of the list)
I love watching movies. Maybe it's not as intellectual or high-brow as reading a book, but it's easier because you can put in a two-hour commitment and then you know you'll be finished. Plus, it's just less effort. Anyhow, my favorite genre is horror, but I enjoy drama, fantasy, and sci-fi flicks quite a bit as well. For those that know me, there may or may not be any surprises in this list, but here is generally what I consider to be my favorite movies of all time (not necessarily in any particular order):
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Strangely, it seems that most of my favorite movies are ones that I inadvertently caught on TV unexpectedly once or more times, and slowly grew on me over time. The first time I saw Jacob's Ladder was in the month of October, during one of the major channels' horror showcases. I don't remember what year it was, but it can't have been later than 2000, and it wasn't more than a couple years earlier than that. I only caught part of the movie, so I had even less of an idea what was actually going on, but that didn't dull its effect on me. I specifically remember the dance-party scene, with the bloody snapping dog skull and the grind-beast. Boy, that totally blew my mind, that a movie could have such horrifying and yet realistic depictions of demonic beings, in a sophisticated manner, where the filming style and pacing of the story add a very disjointed and psychological aspect to the imagery. And then the story itself was so sublimely emotional, and the film was shot in a very careful manner, that you could jump between a confusing scene where you don't quite know what's going on as horrific images pass by left and right, and then enter a serenely peaceful scene that's relaxing yet carries a sad sense that things are not going so well and that hell could break loose again at any time. I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe this may have been the movie that ignited my deep fascination with the theme of "the journey to the afterlife".
Dead Man (1995)
I was attracted to this movie for Neil Young's score alone, but the film managed to win me over completely. The subject matter of journeying into the afterlife parallels the theme of Jacob's Ladder, but deals with it in a distinctly unique, and somewhat more abstract and symbolic, manner. In case I haven't made it clear, the soundtrack is downright spectacular. Some of Young's most haunting soundscapes, not tied down to the usual barriers of "words" and "songs". In fact, the soundtrack is almost like another character in the movie, lurking in the background, waiting to jump out and accentuate certain sections here and there. Johnny Depp plays an excellent confused accidental-outlaw, who gradually comes to accept as fact the riddles Nobody offers him (Nobody is his enigmatic Indian guide), confusing him for the poet William Blake, with which Depp's character shares a name. The story is bizarre, and moves along slowly, but the atmosphere is consuming. Though it appears to be a western on the surface, Dead Man is really far from the genre stereotype. This movie (in addition to Blow) turned me into a Johnny Depp fan. Anyone who would play the lead role in a film this obviously eccentric, and pull it off so well, deserves my respect and admiration.
Midnight Express (1978)
This is another movie I first saw on TV. My dad was watching it, and he deserves the honor of having introduced it to me. I caught the beginning of the movie over dinner, knowing nothing of what I was in for. William Hayes (the movie is based on the real life story of William Hayes) gets busted in a foreign country for trying to smuggle drugs over the border. He gets tossed into a rather frightening Turkish prison, and all his attempts to legally extricate himself from the situation get quashed by a political system that wishes to make an example of Hayes, to discourage smuggling. The sheer terror of being stuck in a foreign prison, so far from anything that is familiar, with people that don't even speak your language, and above all that, being a victim of some injustice your family and your country can do nothing about, is terrifying indeed. I was gripped by the movie and continued to watch the rest of it in my room. The physical and psychological torture that William Hayes endures, as he faces thirty years in a dirty foreign prison for a petty crime, and the painful journey he makes to try to escape from it beyond the unjust 'rules of the game' are incredibly intense and emotionally powerful. This is a story of true struggle, against the unfair odds that life sometimes throws upon us, and the ultimate lengths to which we must go if we are to have any hope for the future. An absolutely outstanding story, executed to perfection in this film adaptation. To think that it is based on a true story is terrifying, indeed.
The Passion Of Darkly Noon (1995)
Yet another movie that I caught on TV first. I saw this one a long time ago, then forgot about it for awhile, before remembering it once again and bringing it back to the forefront of my knowledge. This is truly a bizarre tale, but beautiful in so many ways. At times it seems like something that could have really happened, other times it feels like a fairy tale. The underlying theme, as indicated by the title, is passion, and the power it has to consume our mortal souls. Ashley Judd plays a convincing Callie (Kali?), part lonely wood nymph, part evil seductress. Brendan Fraser ropes in a mesmerizing performance as the innocent Darkly Noon, raised strictly by his ultra-religious parents, whom he is separated from by a fire which precedes the opening of the story. Now lost and alone in the middle of an unfamiliar forest, he is befriended by the beautiful Callie, for which he begins having feelings he doesn't quite know how to handle. An old woman who lives elsewhere in the forest provides a darker characterization of Callie, leaving the viewer uncertain of her true nature or intentions. Naturally, when Callie's mute lover returns from a long voyage, Darkly's jealousy gets the most of him, and he seems to summon up the rage of the devil himself just before an incredible climax. The plot aside, it is the beautifully enchanting and surreal atmosphere of the film, juxtaposed against the all-too-normal scenes, that really gives this film a unique and engrossing flavor. The scene with the floating circus shoe is just downright brilliant. But not only because it's random. If that were the case, I'd have much less respect for it. But because it has such a normal, rational explanation, yet the coincidence of its appearance yields something very profound, just makes it so magical for me. Fantastic all around.
Lost And Delirious (2001)
Unfortunately, this film doesn't get exactly the kind of attention it deserves, being a love story set in an all-girls dormitory, but make no bones about it - this film is modern Shakespeare. It is at times endearing, watching these young girls shedding their innocence, and at times heartbreaking, watching them crack under the pressures and realities of life. Watching this film had a profound effect on me, because I was simultaneously in awe of its beauty, and depressed at its inevitable conclusion. Is there anything in life more powerful, more important, than love? Can love truly destroy all barriers? And is love even more important than life itself? How do you deal with life when it takes away from you the one thing that truly matters? Do you try to move on, and conform to the role that's been laid out for you, or are you resolved to remain free and enlightened for eternity, at the ultimate cost? "Once you're up there at the top, looking down on everyone else, you're there forever, because if you move, you fall."
School of Rock (2003)
Originally, I didn't give this film much attention, because I figured a movie about kids starting a rock band would naturally be a little low-brow for me. I was wrong. And even though Jack Black isn't really my kind of comedian (not that I'm really into comedy much, anyway), I think he was perfect in this role. The philosophy of the movie is spot on, about the power and importance of music in life, and what it means to rock out. And I have to say, the kids are adorable, and the jokes are actually damn funny. This is one of those movies that I agree with on many levels, but don't really have to think about to enjoy it. I can just sit back and watch it over and over again and love every minute of it. I'm really not that kind of a movie-watcher, but this one is good enough to be an exception! That should explain enough.
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
I guess this means that I can't ever say that remakes are terrible based on principle alone! But this one does it right, by going back to the source material and taking advantage of what the previous effort ignored. The result is a fantastic story with a very paranoid and claustrophobic atmosphere. Set in a research base out in the middle of Antarctica, a team of scientists becomes the target of an extraterrestrial lifeform, freed from the ice, which can disguise itself like a chameleon by assimilating the cells of its victims and morphing into an exact biological duplicate. This is an excellent premise, as the story focuses on the paranoia experienced by the scientists, who have no idea which one is the alien, hiding behind a familiar face, waiting for the right moment to strike. And before you start thinking that this is just a ploy not to have to design any complicated monster fx, the truth is that this movie has some of the most spectacular special effects in any movie I've ever seen. Not all of it is exactly believable, but it's convincing within context, and the effects themselves are very well-done and so over the top that it can't help but give you nightmares. The problem with most monster movies is that they either don't show enough of the monster, or they do and it looks terrible (either it looks fake or just not scary). But this movie doesn't have this problem. Add to that the tense atmosphere and suspenseful pacing, and you have a true winner of a horror film. Top grade.
Legend (1985)
Peter Jackson's fantastic adaptation of The Lord of The Rings aside, Legend is probably my favorite fantasy film. It paints such a picture, with the engrossing environments, and the simply out-of-this-world soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. My older brother also did his part in hyping up the movie in my younger years, remarking at how scary it was, with the depiction of Lord Darkness and all ("Black as darkness, black as pitch, blacker than the foulest witch!"). In my mind, everything about this film, from the characters to the lines, even to the character's voices and the way they say their lines, is classic. I love the dichotomy in this film, between light and darkness, and between hope and despair. You've got princesses, unicorns, elves and faeries, goblins and demons, the devil himself, enchanted forests and labyrinthine tunnels. And the best part is that it doesn't feel childish. It's all dead serious. And very artistic. I love it.
The Matrix (1999)
Probably my favorite sci-fi film, The Matrix is mind-blowing. And although the first movie gets the most exposure, you really can't talk about it without bringing in the continuation of the story in the two sequels. Still, the premise of the original alone is enough to get people's attention. What if the world as we know it is just an illusion, a computer program created to deceive us humans, so that we never realize that we are slaves to a race of machines out in the real world, who rely on our energy as their primary power source? Maybe the idea has been thrown around in various forms over the years, but this movie encapsulates the confusion of such a hypothesis in such a simultaneously entertaining and engaging manner. Meanwhile, it manages to ask all the myriad other philosophical brain-fuck questions that college students tend to ask when they're sitting up late, drinking some coffee after a last-minute study session before the next day's exam. This movie is cool.
Aliens (1986)
The Alien movies had a huge impact on my youth, and of the original trilogy, it was the middle child that made the biggest impression on me. The first movie was groundbreaking, and terrifying, but the first sequel upped the ante by literally multiplying the alien threat many times over. This movie gave me nightmares. The hive, with the victims all gooed up, awaiting their inevitable and torturous death; the paranoia of the team with the aliens closing in and them not knowing how to escape or survive; and the Queen, by god, the Queen. Absolutely terrifying, and so powerful in its execution. Few movies (particularly horror and sci-fi) have ever managed to create such a believable and terrifying creature design, but H.R. Giger pulled through on the general form of the xenomorph. Well done.
Omissions (movies that should have been included on this list, but were omitted):
28 Days Later (2002) [and 28 Weeks Later (2007)]
Not only did 28 Days Later reinvent the zombie horror subgenre, it's the movie that made me a horror fan. And what's more, it also introduced me to a whole new genre of music - post-rock, thanks to the perfect placement of a Godspeed You! Black Emperor song in the scene just after Jim wakes up in a hospital to learn that, as far as he can tell, the entire world has been wiped out while he was unconscious. Well, except for those bloodthirsty "zombies" scattered about the city, all of which are twenty times faster - and angrier - than your typical Romero-style undead. This is an intense movie, and one of the best post-apocalyptic approaches I've yet seen in film. The sequel, 28 Weeks Later, is also not to be missed.
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
I'm not typically a fan of musicals. I don't like movies that periodically break out into ridiculous song and dance routines. However, Jesus Christ Superstar is a different kind of musical - actually more of a rock opera. The whole thing is music, and it's not crappy music, but good 70's rock-tinged music. As for the story, not only is it one of the biggest stories of all time (I mean, the crucifixion of Christ, come on), but this adaptation of the story has an approach that I really dig, even though I'm not a very religious person. I was singing this rock opera word for word, start to finish, when I was young, and it still comes back to me every now and again.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) a.k.a. Master Killer
The truth is, I enjoy watching martial arts movies, but I haven't seen a whole lot of them. Still, Shaolin Master Killer stands out from the crowd. Any self-respecting martial arts flick has its share of kickass fight scenes, but what sets Master Killer apart is its focus on the training process. The bulk of the film, between the setup and the conclusion, follows our main character (played by Gordon Liu)'s efforts at mastering the 35 chambers of kung fu at the Shaolin temple - first training each part of his body, and then learning various weapons and fighting styles. By giving the moves this kind of contextual meaning and background, the fights are far more interesting and satisfying to the viewer. Even apart from that, it's an all around good film.
Additions (movies that have been added to my favorites since the original posting of this list):
Innocence (2004)
The Runaways (2010)
Bug (2006) - A claustrophobic character study (adapted from a stage play) of a burn-out and a schizophrenic (played by Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon, respectively) who together descend into paranoiac insanity when they begin to suspect they are at the heart of a government conspiracy to implant the public with organic insectoid transmitters.
The Beguiled (1971) - Clint Eastwood stars in this erotic thriller set during the American Civil War. A wounded soldier in enemy territory ends up at a girls' seminary school, and attempts to charm each of the women there in the hopes of making an escape - but the women may not be as vulnerable as they seem.
Kissed (1996)
Black Snake Moan (2006) - Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci star as a farmer and a nymphomaniac in search of spiritual peace in this soulful, blues-drenched erotic drama.
(More recent additions can be found at the end of the list)
I love watching movies. Maybe it's not as intellectual or high-brow as reading a book, but it's easier because you can put in a two-hour commitment and then you know you'll be finished. Plus, it's just less effort. Anyhow, my favorite genre is horror, but I enjoy drama, fantasy, and sci-fi flicks quite a bit as well. For those that know me, there may or may not be any surprises in this list, but here is generally what I consider to be my favorite movies of all time (not necessarily in any particular order):
Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Strangely, it seems that most of my favorite movies are ones that I inadvertently caught on TV unexpectedly once or more times, and slowly grew on me over time. The first time I saw Jacob's Ladder was in the month of October, during one of the major channels' horror showcases. I don't remember what year it was, but it can't have been later than 2000, and it wasn't more than a couple years earlier than that. I only caught part of the movie, so I had even less of an idea what was actually going on, but that didn't dull its effect on me. I specifically remember the dance-party scene, with the bloody snapping dog skull and the grind-beast. Boy, that totally blew my mind, that a movie could have such horrifying and yet realistic depictions of demonic beings, in a sophisticated manner, where the filming style and pacing of the story add a very disjointed and psychological aspect to the imagery. And then the story itself was so sublimely emotional, and the film was shot in a very careful manner, that you could jump between a confusing scene where you don't quite know what's going on as horrific images pass by left and right, and then enter a serenely peaceful scene that's relaxing yet carries a sad sense that things are not going so well and that hell could break loose again at any time. I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe this may have been the movie that ignited my deep fascination with the theme of "the journey to the afterlife".
Dead Man (1995)
I was attracted to this movie for Neil Young's score alone, but the film managed to win me over completely. The subject matter of journeying into the afterlife parallels the theme of Jacob's Ladder, but deals with it in a distinctly unique, and somewhat more abstract and symbolic, manner. In case I haven't made it clear, the soundtrack is downright spectacular. Some of Young's most haunting soundscapes, not tied down to the usual barriers of "words" and "songs". In fact, the soundtrack is almost like another character in the movie, lurking in the background, waiting to jump out and accentuate certain sections here and there. Johnny Depp plays an excellent confused accidental-outlaw, who gradually comes to accept as fact the riddles Nobody offers him (Nobody is his enigmatic Indian guide), confusing him for the poet William Blake, with which Depp's character shares a name. The story is bizarre, and moves along slowly, but the atmosphere is consuming. Though it appears to be a western on the surface, Dead Man is really far from the genre stereotype. This movie (in addition to Blow) turned me into a Johnny Depp fan. Anyone who would play the lead role in a film this obviously eccentric, and pull it off so well, deserves my respect and admiration.
Midnight Express (1978)
This is another movie I first saw on TV. My dad was watching it, and he deserves the honor of having introduced it to me. I caught the beginning of the movie over dinner, knowing nothing of what I was in for. William Hayes (the movie is based on the real life story of William Hayes) gets busted in a foreign country for trying to smuggle drugs over the border. He gets tossed into a rather frightening Turkish prison, and all his attempts to legally extricate himself from the situation get quashed by a political system that wishes to make an example of Hayes, to discourage smuggling. The sheer terror of being stuck in a foreign prison, so far from anything that is familiar, with people that don't even speak your language, and above all that, being a victim of some injustice your family and your country can do nothing about, is terrifying indeed. I was gripped by the movie and continued to watch the rest of it in my room. The physical and psychological torture that William Hayes endures, as he faces thirty years in a dirty foreign prison for a petty crime, and the painful journey he makes to try to escape from it beyond the unjust 'rules of the game' are incredibly intense and emotionally powerful. This is a story of true struggle, against the unfair odds that life sometimes throws upon us, and the ultimate lengths to which we must go if we are to have any hope for the future. An absolutely outstanding story, executed to perfection in this film adaptation. To think that it is based on a true story is terrifying, indeed.
The Passion Of Darkly Noon (1995)
Yet another movie that I caught on TV first. I saw this one a long time ago, then forgot about it for awhile, before remembering it once again and bringing it back to the forefront of my knowledge. This is truly a bizarre tale, but beautiful in so many ways. At times it seems like something that could have really happened, other times it feels like a fairy tale. The underlying theme, as indicated by the title, is passion, and the power it has to consume our mortal souls. Ashley Judd plays a convincing Callie (Kali?), part lonely wood nymph, part evil seductress. Brendan Fraser ropes in a mesmerizing performance as the innocent Darkly Noon, raised strictly by his ultra-religious parents, whom he is separated from by a fire which precedes the opening of the story. Now lost and alone in the middle of an unfamiliar forest, he is befriended by the beautiful Callie, for which he begins having feelings he doesn't quite know how to handle. An old woman who lives elsewhere in the forest provides a darker characterization of Callie, leaving the viewer uncertain of her true nature or intentions. Naturally, when Callie's mute lover returns from a long voyage, Darkly's jealousy gets the most of him, and he seems to summon up the rage of the devil himself just before an incredible climax. The plot aside, it is the beautifully enchanting and surreal atmosphere of the film, juxtaposed against the all-too-normal scenes, that really gives this film a unique and engrossing flavor. The scene with the floating circus shoe is just downright brilliant. But not only because it's random. If that were the case, I'd have much less respect for it. But because it has such a normal, rational explanation, yet the coincidence of its appearance yields something very profound, just makes it so magical for me. Fantastic all around.
Lost And Delirious (2001)
Unfortunately, this film doesn't get exactly the kind of attention it deserves, being a love story set in an all-girls dormitory, but make no bones about it - this film is modern Shakespeare. It is at times endearing, watching these young girls shedding their innocence, and at times heartbreaking, watching them crack under the pressures and realities of life. Watching this film had a profound effect on me, because I was simultaneously in awe of its beauty, and depressed at its inevitable conclusion. Is there anything in life more powerful, more important, than love? Can love truly destroy all barriers? And is love even more important than life itself? How do you deal with life when it takes away from you the one thing that truly matters? Do you try to move on, and conform to the role that's been laid out for you, or are you resolved to remain free and enlightened for eternity, at the ultimate cost? "Once you're up there at the top, looking down on everyone else, you're there forever, because if you move, you fall."
School of Rock (2003)
Originally, I didn't give this film much attention, because I figured a movie about kids starting a rock band would naturally be a little low-brow for me. I was wrong. And even though Jack Black isn't really my kind of comedian (not that I'm really into comedy much, anyway), I think he was perfect in this role. The philosophy of the movie is spot on, about the power and importance of music in life, and what it means to rock out. And I have to say, the kids are adorable, and the jokes are actually damn funny. This is one of those movies that I agree with on many levels, but don't really have to think about to enjoy it. I can just sit back and watch it over and over again and love every minute of it. I'm really not that kind of a movie-watcher, but this one is good enough to be an exception! That should explain enough.
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
I guess this means that I can't ever say that remakes are terrible based on principle alone! But this one does it right, by going back to the source material and taking advantage of what the previous effort ignored. The result is a fantastic story with a very paranoid and claustrophobic atmosphere. Set in a research base out in the middle of Antarctica, a team of scientists becomes the target of an extraterrestrial lifeform, freed from the ice, which can disguise itself like a chameleon by assimilating the cells of its victims and morphing into an exact biological duplicate. This is an excellent premise, as the story focuses on the paranoia experienced by the scientists, who have no idea which one is the alien, hiding behind a familiar face, waiting for the right moment to strike. And before you start thinking that this is just a ploy not to have to design any complicated monster fx, the truth is that this movie has some of the most spectacular special effects in any movie I've ever seen. Not all of it is exactly believable, but it's convincing within context, and the effects themselves are very well-done and so over the top that it can't help but give you nightmares. The problem with most monster movies is that they either don't show enough of the monster, or they do and it looks terrible (either it looks fake or just not scary). But this movie doesn't have this problem. Add to that the tense atmosphere and suspenseful pacing, and you have a true winner of a horror film. Top grade.
Legend (1985)
Peter Jackson's fantastic adaptation of The Lord of The Rings aside, Legend is probably my favorite fantasy film. It paints such a picture, with the engrossing environments, and the simply out-of-this-world soundtrack by Tangerine Dream. My older brother also did his part in hyping up the movie in my younger years, remarking at how scary it was, with the depiction of Lord Darkness and all ("Black as darkness, black as pitch, blacker than the foulest witch!"). In my mind, everything about this film, from the characters to the lines, even to the character's voices and the way they say their lines, is classic. I love the dichotomy in this film, between light and darkness, and between hope and despair. You've got princesses, unicorns, elves and faeries, goblins and demons, the devil himself, enchanted forests and labyrinthine tunnels. And the best part is that it doesn't feel childish. It's all dead serious. And very artistic. I love it.
The Matrix (1999)
Probably my favorite sci-fi film, The Matrix is mind-blowing. And although the first movie gets the most exposure, you really can't talk about it without bringing in the continuation of the story in the two sequels. Still, the premise of the original alone is enough to get people's attention. What if the world as we know it is just an illusion, a computer program created to deceive us humans, so that we never realize that we are slaves to a race of machines out in the real world, who rely on our energy as their primary power source? Maybe the idea has been thrown around in various forms over the years, but this movie encapsulates the confusion of such a hypothesis in such a simultaneously entertaining and engaging manner. Meanwhile, it manages to ask all the myriad other philosophical brain-fuck questions that college students tend to ask when they're sitting up late, drinking some coffee after a last-minute study session before the next day's exam. This movie is cool.
Aliens (1986)
The Alien movies had a huge impact on my youth, and of the original trilogy, it was the middle child that made the biggest impression on me. The first movie was groundbreaking, and terrifying, but the first sequel upped the ante by literally multiplying the alien threat many times over. This movie gave me nightmares. The hive, with the victims all gooed up, awaiting their inevitable and torturous death; the paranoia of the team with the aliens closing in and them not knowing how to escape or survive; and the Queen, by god, the Queen. Absolutely terrifying, and so powerful in its execution. Few movies (particularly horror and sci-fi) have ever managed to create such a believable and terrifying creature design, but H.R. Giger pulled through on the general form of the xenomorph. Well done.
Omissions (movies that should have been included on this list, but were omitted):
28 Days Later (2002) [and 28 Weeks Later (2007)]
Not only did 28 Days Later reinvent the zombie horror subgenre, it's the movie that made me a horror fan. And what's more, it also introduced me to a whole new genre of music - post-rock, thanks to the perfect placement of a Godspeed You! Black Emperor song in the scene just after Jim wakes up in a hospital to learn that, as far as he can tell, the entire world has been wiped out while he was unconscious. Well, except for those bloodthirsty "zombies" scattered about the city, all of which are twenty times faster - and angrier - than your typical Romero-style undead. This is an intense movie, and one of the best post-apocalyptic approaches I've yet seen in film. The sequel, 28 Weeks Later, is also not to be missed.
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
I'm not typically a fan of musicals. I don't like movies that periodically break out into ridiculous song and dance routines. However, Jesus Christ Superstar is a different kind of musical - actually more of a rock opera. The whole thing is music, and it's not crappy music, but good 70's rock-tinged music. As for the story, not only is it one of the biggest stories of all time (I mean, the crucifixion of Christ, come on), but this adaptation of the story has an approach that I really dig, even though I'm not a very religious person. I was singing this rock opera word for word, start to finish, when I was young, and it still comes back to me every now and again.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) a.k.a. Master Killer
The truth is, I enjoy watching martial arts movies, but I haven't seen a whole lot of them. Still, Shaolin Master Killer stands out from the crowd. Any self-respecting martial arts flick has its share of kickass fight scenes, but what sets Master Killer apart is its focus on the training process. The bulk of the film, between the setup and the conclusion, follows our main character (played by Gordon Liu)'s efforts at mastering the 35 chambers of kung fu at the Shaolin temple - first training each part of his body, and then learning various weapons and fighting styles. By giving the moves this kind of contextual meaning and background, the fights are far more interesting and satisfying to the viewer. Even apart from that, it's an all around good film.
Additions (movies that have been added to my favorites since the original posting of this list):
Innocence (2004)
The Runaways (2010)
Bug (2006) - A claustrophobic character study (adapted from a stage play) of a burn-out and a schizophrenic (played by Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon, respectively) who together descend into paranoiac insanity when they begin to suspect they are at the heart of a government conspiracy to implant the public with organic insectoid transmitters.
The Beguiled (1971) - Clint Eastwood stars in this erotic thriller set during the American Civil War. A wounded soldier in enemy territory ends up at a girls' seminary school, and attempts to charm each of the women there in the hopes of making an escape - but the women may not be as vulnerable as they seem.
Kissed (1996)
Black Snake Moan (2006) - Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci star as a farmer and a nymphomaniac in search of spiritual peace in this soulful, blues-drenched erotic drama.
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