Day 15: Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.

Day 15: Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983, Dir. Richard Marquand)

(2004 DVD Edition)

Just over 2 weeks ago when I started this blog I decided there would be no better place to start than The Empire Strikes Back; so it seems only fitting that I follow up with the 6th Star Wars film. Return of the Jedi is the perfect climax in the Star Wars saga, not only working as a brilliant adventure film in its own right, but an amazing ending to one of the most loved film franchises of all time.

There are a great deal of highlights throughout the film, a fantastic space battle, an emotionally charged lightsaber fight, a heart pounding speeder bike chase, a vast array of visual delights and classic characters plus even a musical number thrown in for good measure. The film ticks all the right boxes whilst hurtling towards its conclusion. And of course as always, John Williams’ music and Ben Burt’s sound design enhance the films performance making this film another classic that will always be remembered in cinema history.

However Jedi seems to carry around a great deal of negative associations, perhaps most obviously this comes in the form of the Ewoks. Whilst a bit fuzzy compared to some of the other aliens of the series they’re not really all that bad, and whilst they do stretch the believability of the plot to its limit, it’s ultimately forgivable.
Even this recent DVD release of the film has been a topic of some debate amongst Star Wars fans with its inclusion of Naboo in the final celebrations and the appearance of a certain ghost. As with my review of Empire, I am fully in support of these changes and tweeks, and whilst being controversial I believe they have all been added for the benefit of giving the best possible story.

Darth Vader cuts a very different figure here compared to that of A New Hope or Empire; whilst still iconic and imposing, here Vader predominantly seems like a defeated man. A man recovering from defeat at the end of Empire and fighting for his place and purpose in the universe. This conflicted struggle and eventual salvation is a fantastic pay off to a film series which ultimately tells the story of the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. And having watched the characters story it is impossible for the viewer not to be taken in with the emotion of his redemption.
It is The Emperor that brings the real villainous element to Return of the Jedi, and he does so fantastically with a genuinely unnerving presence and performance. The venomous dialogue which he delivers easily places him amongst cinemas most memorable villains, and certainly one of the series greatest characters.

My opinion of this film is always going to be a very personal one, having grown up as a big Star Wars fan when I was younger for many years the was my absolute favourite film, but I certainly don’t think my high praise was misplaced. Jedi offers impressive excitement, drama, terror, spectacle and thrills all in abundance; delivering a powerful and fitting conclusion to the Star Wars saga.

9/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/

Extra: If I get round to reviewing Battle for Endor prepare for a slightly less gushing review…

Day 14: Chasing Amy.

Day 14: Chasing Amy (1997, Dir. Kevin Smith)

It’s quite easy to forget that Chasing Amy is not just a Ben Affleck romantic comedy or an ironic slice of Kevin Smiths Askewneverse; with Jay and Silent Bob popping up for good measure, but a seriously well crafted moving and heartfelt drama; which can be very funny too.

Queering of relationships and sexual politics was a topic that was delved into a fair bit in the 80’s and 90’s, especially in alternative American cinema. There are varied takes on the subject matter all with varying levels of success and some very different approaches. Chasing Amy is a very unique view of this culture and can be poignantly summed up by its posters tag line “It’s not who you love. It’s how.” This proves to be an interesting standpoint showing how complex a relationship can truly be, and how learning about your lover can cause your whole world to come crashing down. The various opinions about gay life addressed in the film by various characters proves to be a fascinating factor too, further addressing the fact that a relationship and someone’s sexuality isn’t simply black or white. This backdrop for the film is a very effective one, never feeling like it is stereotyping the gay community nor feeling like it is being preachy; but instead showing a very complex and confusing way of life that effects a lot of people.

Ben Affleck delivers a performance which ranks up there with the highlights of his career. Indeed in recent years it became cool to say Affleck is a bit of a hammy actor, but that certainly can’t be said after watching this film. His character Holden, is not only likeable but also annoyingly flawed at the same time, and it is these flaws which make him such an interesting character to follow. This perhaps most effectively climaxes with Holden’s relationships all unravelling into an emotional crash crash, we know what is coming from his confrontation at the end of the film but you can’t tear yourself away from the situation he is creating for himself, whilst also genuinely feeling for him.

Smith too proves he is not just restrained to comic irony, observations and a slew of cultural references, but can deliver an effective emotional punch. Of course the humour that runs throughout this film and can be considered amongst his best, with some fantastic comebacks and one liners. But it is the raw emotion that is tapped into which is Smiths strongest suit, the situations and story telling which all sound like they have came from his real life, and are shown here as a realistic and effective exploration of relationships, a topic that many viewers will be able to relate too.

Jason Lee has to be mentioned too, providing a classic comedy character in Banky, whilst outrageously vulgar he remains undoubtedly funny.

Even if Chasing Amy is beginning to look its age with some questionable 90’s styles on display here (all of Affleck’s wardrobe!) and some ideas that don’t quite manage to work or pan out, the film stands as one of the directors and stars best to date. Effortlessly jumping from being devastatingly witty to painfully heart wrenching, intelligent and unique to provocative and sharp, and then back to incredibly funny again, a must see.

7.5/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118842/

Extra: Also, how young is Matt Damon here?

Day 13: Them!

Day 13: Them! (1954, Dir. Gordon Douglas)

The threat of Nuclear exposure and the red menace proves to be as much of a threat as giant ants in this creature feature; effectively praying on Cold War fear and paranoia whilst providing some genuine scares.

Whilst the ant effects might not cut it by today’s high tech standards, this film still manages to be a pretty creepy watch. A tense plot is held together with fear and suspense, developing from a police drama into a sci-fi horror, with a bit of a science lesson thrown in for good measure. The backdrop of the Cold War gives this film an interesting setting and lets us look at how national threats could be dealt with at the time; well at least if those threats were giant bugs. The fact is this film never gives in to being a campy or silly B-movie but carries itself with real drama and suspense, and doesn’t merely rely on the creatures themselves for cheap scares. It is interesting to consider how much horror conventions have changed today, and how a modern film would often struggle with the subtlety of suspense to deliver an unnerving scene or a fright.

Of course despite these real world comparisons the film is still a lot of fun; and it is pretty amusing seeing the dodgey giant ants for the first time, but you’ll probably get a bit creeped out along the way too!

Them! easily stands the test of time by not merely relying on retro cheesiness to appeal a modern audience, but delivers a strong and gripping story of terror in 50’s America. A film that effortlessly takes its place amongst the classic monster movies of all time.

7/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047573/

Extra: Apparently when this movie was first released in Sweden, it was strangely named "Spindlarna" (which translates as 'The Spiders')

Day 12: Hercules in New York.

Day 12: Hercules in New York (1970, Dir. Arthur Allan Seidelman)

You know when how people say “Well that’s an hour and a half of my life I’m never going to get back” when they’ve watched a bad movie? Well fortunately this movie is only 87 minutes long!

It is stupid from start to finish, with ropey acting and a budget of about 50p to go on, but to be honest its quite good fun, and not to mention campy and kitschy as hell. There is a lot of muscles on show here, and a lot of shirts being taken of and all because… actually there isn’t a reason behind it, just a lot of big men deciding to take their tops off whenever they do anything. The plot is outrageous but is quirky and fun if you manage to just switch your brain off, plus it never really lingers long enough to become dull.

Hercules comes off as a douche for a good chunk of the film; at the start he is like a whiney teenager who is bored and angry at his dad, then when he comes to Earth he just starts beating a lot of people up for no good reason. But soon enough you get used to his fish out of water antics and they can be pretty amusing, whilst always verging on the bizarre. From recognising statues of Greek Gods as friends, calling cars chariots and being a bit sexist too his antics are strangely compelling and entertaining. Plus he fights a bear! A bear! I mean I ask you!

But anyway, as Arnies first big screen appearance this is a strange one, he hasn’t quite made the leap from strong man to film star yet, but he certainly exudes a strange presence every time he is on screen which keeps you watching. It is interesting that because of his accent, the original release of this film was dubbed; though the current DVD is all Arnold, and all the better for it! This version of the film shows his raw and somewhat shakey performance in all its glory. In many ways its strange to think that this man would go on to be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood and then on to being a politician. Here though you can just sit back and take in a very perculiar performance, but one which is undoubtedly his. Ah well, hang in there Arnie, only a decade to go before Terminator…

I would recommended watching this film, even if I’m not entirely sure why. It’s an oddity, but a fun one and definitely one which you’ve got to see to believe!

4/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065832/

Extra: Anyone else just a bit excited to see Arnie, Sly and the gang in The Expendables later this year?

Day 11: The Simpsons Movie.

Day 11: The Simpsons Movie (2007, Dir. David Silverman)

There seem to be some mixed feelings about The Simpsons these days, a lot of people seem to think the show has lost its way, is no longer funny and is simply inferior to the many other animated comedy shows out there. Well they mustn’t have seen The Simpsons Movie.

For me, there are many reasons why this movie works but on a ground level its simple, this movie is funny. And its not just funny for Simpsons fans; it’s a genuinely smart comedy giving out one liners, sight gags, slapstick humour and clever witticisms left, right and centre, truly delivering something for everyone. A pivotal factor in The Simpsons jump to the big screen is that it never feels small; it isn’t just a couple of episodes loosely strung together, it’s a great and compelling story that has you giggling from the get go. It seems common when a television show gets bigger it rarely gets better, but this is a testament that it can be done and done well by a talented team, remaining as funny as it has ever been and having a strong story to match.

The team in question use classic Simpsons humour, mixing it alongside doses of the outrageous style the show seems to have adapted in recent years, but both methods are effective; and with both ways working there is twice the amount of great comedy. The thing that will always put The Simpsons ahead of its peers is that it is not only very funny, but its very clever too, and it knows its clever. The film, much like the show takes every opportunity to cram in joke upon joke into every scene. This depth demands viewers to want to make repeat viewings, and in doing so you get a new laugh every time.

We also get to see the strength of the films writing with the eco sub-plot. Not merely a plot device, but a point highlighting a serious issue and something that the films creators seem to have a genuine concern about. However it is the ability to make light of this whilst still showing it is an actual real world problem that makes this factor work particularly well, being funny and also educating viewers.

The animation makes everything in this film look fantastic, and that’s no easy feat. After 20 years of the programme being on our screens it would be very easy to become complacent and just use the regular animation we’re used to. Fortunately the animation on display here is so loving crafted it is on par with any of the better feature animations out there today, hand animated and CG alike. Plus with the added bonus of the widescreen ratio, the film is given exceptional depth and detail, which treat us to the hard work that has gone into the art of every scene.

All of the Springfield regulars get a glimpse at the big screen too with everyone’s favourite getting a one liner along the way, it’s a shame we don’t get to see more from some of the classic characters but its always better to be left wanting more. And in doing do we get some ace new characters instead, especially the fantastic President Schwarzenegger and Tom Hanks scenes!

No, this film isn’t perfect but it does get a lot right on the money; for everybody watching there will be a few dud jokes and misfires (Alaskan tribes woman?) but the rapid rate of high class comedy will have you laughing again soon enough. Let’s just hope its not another 20 years before The Simpsons 2!

8/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462538/

Extra: I still think Simpsons is better than Family Guy too!

Day 10: Shiri.

Day 10: Shiri (1999, Dir. Kang Je-gyu)

This South Korean thriller is an entertaining enough film following attempted assassinations and a rocky relationship all whilst the nation prepares for a football match with North Korea, or something like that…

Disregarding a great deal of plot development and instead drawing heavily upon a Hollywood action movie style, this film manages to be a pretty convincing thriller but there is little else on offer. Kang Je-gyu proves he is a competent director when it comes to gun fights and increasing the explosive tension for the films climax. And Some of the action is indeed effective, but often feels unnecessarily big, brash and pointless, especially when there is another darkly lit shoot-out slotted into the narrative every 15 minutes or so.

The real drama here revolves around the thorny subject of Korean reunification in the late 90’s, and this is a very unique context for a thriller, providing an interesting social setting whilst highlighting issues facing both countries, issues which continue to be topical to this day. Unfortunately any narrative interest that is created through the political aspect of the story is countered by the romantic elements, which quickly turn from an intriguing emotional connection to an overly bloated plot point; slowing down the film and losing the audiences interest in any of the drama it has created.

Shiri never really punches above being an adequate action film; some nice ideas, ok characters, a few exciting fights and set pieces all wrapped up in an interesting political setting, but it never manages to gel enough to make this the great action thriller its wants to be.

5/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192657/

Extra: Not a good film for fish fans either. Eek…

Day 9: Horse Feathers.

Day 9: Horse Feathers (1932, Dir. Norman Z. McLeod)

Despite not sharing the high acclaim of Duck Soup or A Night at the Opera, this Marx Brothers film still delivers in spades; with all of the anarchic humour, witty one liners and general absurdity you’d expect.

Each of the 4 brothers adds something distinctly of their own to the mix, if you don’t find yourself what’s happening on screen one minute then there will be something right round the corner that’ll get you instead!

The opening music number is one of the most peculiar song and dance numbers you’ll ever see on screen, but its classic Groucho and if you’re anything like me it’ll be stuck in your head all day too! The token harp and piano sequences are sliced into the film as any Marx fan will have come to expect, but its not all that bad. Plus all 4 variations of “Everyone Says I Love You” work very well, from the romantic to the bizarre, see Harpo whistling to his horse to see what I mean.

The films college football and gangster sub plots adequately string the jokes together, but you never really have to worry about any of that kind of thing as they always take a bit of a back seat to the comedy, and you’ll be glad it they do with the some of the classic one liners on display. Though it is perhaps these weaker plot points that makes Horse Feathers pale in comparison to some of the other early work by the Brothers, and in some ways makes the film seem a bit forgettable.

It’s a shame that the only version of this film that exists today is incomplete; over the years due to damage, decay and censorship; however it still manages to hold up despite a few jump cuts. By the end you’ll be wanting to watch some more fantastic Marx Brothers comedy soon, I know I am!

7.5/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023027/

Extra: Over 100 blog views – thanks all!