Saving Private Ryan

Title: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Edward Burns, Adam Goldberg, Barry Pepper, Tom Sizemore
Rank: 71

It's not often that a film comes along that has such a compelling story and astronomical acting performances that it moves people deep inside. Saving Private Ryan is that kind of film- it completely captivates the audience with an amazing plot, carried by the best performances of many of the stars' careers.

Many are familiar with the story of Saving Private Ryan, and the aim of this blog has never been to give a synopsis of the films but rather to dig in to why it is on AFI's list and what social relevance the film has. This film's plot is the relevance, though. The story is of Captain John Miller (played by Hanks) and his crew that venture off to find Private Ryan, who has lost all three of his brothers to combat, and send him home to his mother. The group of men are just every-day Joes. Captain Miller is an English Composition teacher at a high school in Alabama when he's not serving his country. It shows us this: courage isn't the lack of fear, but rather going ahead with what you need to do when fear is present. These men, although there was certainly fear in them, went ahead with a mission that most of them thought was foolish and futile. They had a duty to perform, and some even sacrificed their lives for this mission.

A great acting performance is no easy feat. If it was, then anyone and everyone would be able to deliver Oscar-worthy performances in every project they take on. Great acting requires dedication, discipline, and a willingness to expose your vulnerabilities, as well as a slew of other traits. When a film has once exceptional acting performance, it is spectacular, but when a film has an entire cast that delivers award-worthy performances that can bring the audience to tears, it is truly a grand achievement. There is not a single actor in Saving Private Ryan who does not give himself wholly to his character, who does not completely devote himself to his craft in this movie. The cast is perfect- great chemistry with each other, total realism in their role, and consummate devoutness to telling a great story with their art.

Although, the great acting performances are not only because of exceptional actors, but also because of a director who is absolutely astounding at what he does. This is definitely not the first time we've come across a Steven Spielberg film on this list, nor will it be the last time. The name "Spielberg" is associated with great movie-making. Whether he directs or produces, his films are a great contribution to cinema. He is even one of the co-founders of DreamWorks. There are at least three of Spielberg's films on AFI's list that involve World War II or Nazis, and with good reason: Spielberg, who is Jewish, suffered from anti-Semitic attacks when he was a child. (source: Contactmusic News) His films that deal with Nazism are always so astonishing because of his personal passion for the subject. Antisemitism is not something that should be taken lightly, nor is any other form of discrimination, but making films that hit close to home for the filmmaker always make them much more powerful.

I hope that everyone will see this film, especially those who are interested in acting. Saving Private Ryan is a spectacular film, and I enjoy it (and always get emotional) every time I watch it.


Movies to Go: 75

Intolerance

Movie: Intolerance (1916)
Director: D.W. Griffith
Starring: Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, Margery Wilson, Frank Bennett, Josephine Crowell, Alfred Paget, Howard Gaye
Rank: 49

"Your political views are different than mine, so I don't have any respect for you."

"I have different beliefs about the existence of a higher power than you do, so you must not be as smart as I am."

"My paycheck is much bigger than yours, and it must be because you're not as deserving as I am."

"You don't look as good as I do, so therefore I don't have to be nice to you."

"I don't understand your sexual orientation, so I don't think you should have access to the same things I do."

Yesterday morning, you went outside. You took a leisurely stroll down the street, enjoying the beautiful weather. While you were out, there was someone who judged you because of what you were wearing. Later in the afternoon, you got in your car and ran a few errands. As you drove down the street, someone tailgating you judged you because of your bumper sticker. That night, you went to dinner with a friend without realizing you had a stain on your shirt, and someone judged you because of it.

That sounds fair, right? I mean, isn't it easy to know who isn't our equal just by looking at them? It gets even easier when we find out little bits of information about them. It's safe to assume that anyone who is a Christian just isn't that bright, just like anyone who is an atheist is immoral. Illegal immigrants are the sole ones responsible for our current economic woes. The homosexuals are destroying the morals of the nation and are going to corrupt our children. Obese people, well, they're just too lazy to make a worthy contribution to society.

Sometimes, it feels as though we label each other because we are just too busy with life to be bothered to get to know who a person really is. We make judgments based on one past experience that we've exaggerated in our own minds or some out-dated stereotype that was never based in reality to begin with. Sometimes it seems like we fight so hard to eliminate anyone who is not like us. The world would be easy if we all shared the same ideas and beliefs, right?

Wrong.

Life has never been, nor will ever be, easy. (Personally, I think that's one of the things that makes life beautiful.) But if we were all the same, new ideas would never evolve. If we all agreed, if no one ever stood up and questioned why things are the way they are, we'd still be living in caves. If life were like that, it would be dull, and cease to exist.

I doubt if many of you have seen the film Intolerance. To be frank, I'm certain most of you never will. Sitting through a three-hour silent film about hate and injustice isn't many people's idea of a Sunday afternoon, but if there were any lesson I'd hope you would get out of my 100 Movies project, I hope it's from this film here. I'll be honest and say that I was both excited about seeing this film and dreading it at the same time. In cinema classes of years past, Intolerance always comes up as a point of discussion at one time or another, yet none of my film teachers ever showed it in class. Most likely, I'll never watch this film again, but it will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Intolerance follows four stories. All of the stories are long and involved, and moving, but I'm not going into plot synopsis. (If you really want the plot, you should look for it through Google or IMDb.) All four of the stories deal with intolerance, of looking down upon another human being because of a difference of opinion, class, culture, and religion. In all stories, love in blocked by injustice and bigotry, and in two of the stories the lover's die without ever being able to be with the one they desire. It is because of blind hate that love cannot bloom, because of judgments of trivial details rather than who a person really is.

Throughout the film, there is a shot of a woman rocking an empty cradle, and the words "Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking" appear on the screen. This is a reference to a poem by Walt Whitman, about a bird who loses his mate. The bird has an unyielding love for his mate, and when she disappears he searches for her, anxious to find her once again. But they cannot be together because of forces larger than themselves, and so the bird eventually gives up, and in a way, he dies. Much like this poem, the love that could've conquered the world is crushed by the evil of judgment in Intolerance.

The sad thing is, though, that even though this film is just six years shy of being a century old, the same thing still happens in the world today. We are constantly judged for the little details about ourselves. And whether or not we want to admit it, there has been a time when we ourselves have judged others for something on the surface. The beautiful thing about being human, though, is we have a choice about how we view people. You may not be able to help how people view you, but you can control how you choose to see others.

Do you want to know how things will change, seriously? What could possibly make the world a better place? Us!! We can change the world, really. We cannot change others, but we can change the things we do. There are so many forms of discrimination and prejudice out there, but it's not something that is built into human nature, it is something that is learned! Stop saying sexist jokes, stop using racial slurs, because even if you don't believe yourself to be prejudice you are still fueling the fire by keeping the stereotypes alive. You never know who may be taking you seriously, or who may be hearing what you are saying! People who judge others based on superficial trivia learned to do so from someone else. Don't let it spread! Hate ends here, if we want it to.

Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Rocking


Movies to Go: 78

The Sound of Music

Title: The Sound of Music (1965)
Director: Robert Wise
Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Rank: 40

"If you have faith and persevere, you can follow every rainbow."
-Julie Andrews

Those are the words that introduce the Special Edition DVD of The Sound of Music, spoken by the star herself. Personally, I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for years, and never took the time to sit down at watch it. Now, I wish I would've watch it years ago, as it easy is now one of my favorite films.

There are so many reasons that The Sound of Music is on the list. First off, the production value is spectacular- beautiful sets, great script, and an excellent cast make this movie a joy to watch. Of course, the music is astounding! Add to that the worst kind of villians in history (the Nazis, which appear in several movies on the list, one of which being The Raiders of the Lost Ark) and a splendid story and it makes The Sound of Music easily one of the most memorable films of all times.

But what I particularly like about The Sound of Music are the bits of inspiration it has to offer. The character of Maria is so full of spirit. She has strength, courage, and a genuine lust for the beauty of life. When she enters into the Von Trapp household, she changes them. Bringing back music to their house is not just bringing back and art form, but bringing back the intimacy the family shared before their mother passed away. There is something truly magical about music, something that has the power to bring people together. My family shares a connection with music: each time we have a family reunion, we spend time singing old American folk songs together- TV off, cell phones silenced, and a couple of uncles playing the guitar as the rest of us sing along. To many people, this may seem a bit corny, but some of my fondest memories with that part of the family is when we're sitting around singing "Grandfather's Clock" or "Grandma's Feather Bed," songs that are all much older than I am. We may not be quite as musically inclined as the Von Trapp family, nor do we ever break out in synchronized dances while we sing those old songs, but the connection is the same. As The Sound of Music illustrates time and time again, family is of the utmost importance. The children all band together each time a new governess comes into the house, the family looks out for each other throughout their daily activities, and eventually Maria becomes a part of the family (literally- she married Captain Von Trapp). The most important time the family bond comes into play is when they are fleeing from the Nazis, heading towards an uncertain future in the hopes of keeping their safety and freedom. They know that no matter what they face, as long as they face it together, they can conquer even the hardest of situations.

Through Maria, we see that just as important as family is the tendency to be true to oneself. Life is too short to live it as someone the world expects you to be, and far greater things can be accomplished when we just be ourselves and stop worrying so much about "presentation." Maria starts the film as a nun, but realizes that this is not the path for her. There's nothing wrong about being a nun, but there's also nothing wrong with being Maria. Some of us may feel out of place, sometimes even a bit odd, but who isn't? And as Sister Margaretta says "After all, the wool from the black sheep is just as warm." Be yourself, no one else can do you as well you can.


Movies to Go: 80

Sullivan's Travels

Title: Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake
Rank: 61

It's amazing the things a person can learn just from observing others. "Take a walk in another man's shoes" is a common phrase, but not something commonly practiced these days. Sullivan's Travels is about a director, John Sullivan, who wants to make a dramatic film about the lives of poor people. His investors, however, think this is a terrible idea: What does wealthy Sullivan know about the life of the poor and hobos?

Wanting to make an exceptional movie, Sullivan goes in disguise as a hobo to try to gain insight for his film. His first attempts to blend in are frivolous, and don't yield much understanding for Sullivan. He does, through a case of mistaken identity, end up living life as a hobo in chains for three years. When he is finally returned to his luscious life in Hollywood, he has a new appreciation for life, a genuine understanding of the hardships of a life on the street, and a realization that he doesn't want to make a drama about the hobo life. Instead, he wants to make a comedy: while on the streets, he observed first hand how laughter takes away the stressfulness of any situation, and knows that he wants to make a comedy to lighten the spirits of the less-fortunate as a sign of gratitude for all they taught him.

Laughter is, indeed, the best medicine. Scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase mood, and is even heart-healthy! (Source: Laughter is the Best Medicine) Sullivan learned through his experiences that when a person is in a discouraging situation, it is better to make them lighten up with humor rather than reaffirm their sorrowful circumstances. The film even opens with a dedication to humorous people:
To the memory of those who made us laugh: the motley mountebanks, the clowns, the buffoons, in all times and in all nations, whose efforts have lightened our burden a little, this picture is affectionately dedicated.

But more importantly than just learning the value of laughter, Sullivan learns what life is like through the eyes of another. All of us have our hardships in life, and all of us have the good points about life, too. Whatever the situation is, there's always someone who has a situation we would consider worse than our own. It takes a great deal of intelligence to learn through the observation of others rather than continuously making our own mistakes, and this holds true with learning about sorrow. Life is beautiful, but has complications. Life isn't easy (and if it was, it would certainly be boring and uneventful), but we can learn to appreciate the positive things in our lives rather than dwelling on the negative.

Sullivan's Travels touches on the benefits of showing charity and kindness to others. While Sullivan spends time as a tramp, people show him mercy at times. Some people give him food, sometimes it's as simple as just not turning him into the cops or letting him sleep in a place for the night. When he returns to his normal life, he pays the favors forward, giving $5 (which was a lot more back then than it is today) to all the hobos on the street. He even gives $100 to a man who gave him food when Sullivan had no way to pay for it. A gift of kindness, given without anything expected in return, is the purest form of love. Just remember this: even simple gestures of help can make a big difference. Giving to others is one of the most satisfying things a person can do. If the tables were turned, wouldn't you hope there would be someone out there willing to look past your situation and give you a little bit of a break?


Movies to Go: 81

BEN-HUR

Title: Ben-Hur (1959)
Director: William Wyler
Starring: Charlton Heston, Haya Harareet, Stephen Boyd
Rank: 100

First, let me say thanks for sticking around during this hiatus. I've missed my 100 movies project deeply, and I've missed writing about the movies! Today I'll be (finally) writing the posts for the five movies I've watched since writing up The Grapes of Wrath nearly two months ago. Hopefully, there will be no more breaks after this!

Ben-Hur is an amazing film, one that molded the face of epic cinema. These days, it is common for film budgets to reach into the tens of millions, but back in 1959 MGM spent the astronomical price of $15 million to produce Ben-Hur. No expense was spared, and the results were well worth the price. It grossed an estimated $70 million, and saved MGM from bankruptcy. (source: IMDb/B.O.Mojo) But aside from saving one of the best-known studios from going under, Ben-Hur is a legacy, leading the ways for such films as Spartacus, Shindler's List, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, (all of which are on AFI's list) and many other appreciated epic movies. Every detail of this film was planned out and given careful attention, making it an absolutely beautiful film to view. The extras, the soundtrack, the sets, the script- everything about this film is grand and glorious! (Just make sure you have some time: Ben-Hur runs about three and a half hours long.) Ben-Hur raised the bar for films, calling them to be grander and push the bar of greatness.

The plot of Ben-Hur is one that touches many people. Judah Ben-Hur (played by Charlton Heston) is a man who, though wealthy, respects all people. Even though he is offered security and a high official rank if he gives the names of Jewish people who speak against the emperor, he turns it down without second thought and assertively protests the emperor to free all the Jews. Later, a controversy arises and he is made a slave. After three years of torture, he saves the life of the man who had beaten him down all those years when a boat accident nearly kills him. He never loses faith, never gives up hope, even when there is nothing he can see to hope for. He is freed after saving his slave-driver's life, and uses his freedom and new found social rank to fight for the rights of the people.

The story of Judas Ben-Hur parallels a story that is one of historical importance. Whether or not a Christian, nearly everyone is familiar with the story of Jesus Christ. Throughout Ben-Hur's journey, he comes across Jesus several times, and even though it is seemingly insignificant in gesture, Christ influences Ben-Hur each time they intertwine. When Jesus is being led to crucifixion, Ben-Hur is there watching in agony over the torture he is witnessing. Risking his own life, he gives Jesus a drink of water, returning the same favor Jesus gave him years prior. What is great about this is that the audience never sees Christ's face nor hears his voice, which instills the power of this man on the people, the mystery, and faith.

An epic movie is nothing without a good story to tell, but with an excellent and compelling story, Ben-Hur is a film that defines what an epic really should be. Fifty-one years after it was made, it still continues to be a major piece of discussion in any cinema class and a powerful influence on filmmakers today.


Movies to Go: 83

The Grapes of Wrath

Title: The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Director: John Ford
Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine
Rank: 23

A failing economy, hundreds of thousands of people unemployed, citizens losing faith in their government, countless banks and businesses failing, and desperate times for the entire country. Does this sound familiar? Unless you've been living in a cave for the last two years, then it would come as no surprise if you think I'm talking about the current state of our country. Really, though, this is about the film The Grapes of Wrath, based on the book about a family's struggles to survive in the Great Depression.

Following the Joad family on their cross-country journey from Oklahoma to California is not an easy one to view. They've lost the farm and head out to California in the hopes of finding jobs and new opportunity. They are just one family of hundreds that make the journey hoping for the same outcome, and when they arrive in California they find disappointment when there really is not enough jobs to accommodate for everyone. It is the employers who have the edge here, able to cut down wages to next to nothing because there are so many people desperate for work.

The Joad family may be fictional, but the situation definitely was not. The sad thing is, this is a pattern the economy has fallen into: we go through a recession every few years, and every so often they become a depression. (FYI: Two recessions in a row equals one depression. "Experts" are saying now that we are about to enter into a second recession, making this another depression.) Right now, it is extremely difficult to find a job, much less find a GOOD job. People are short on cash, forecloser rates are at record highs, and people are getting desperate.

What frustrates me is the fact that this is, indeed, a pattern. If things continue as normal, we'll get out of this recession (either this one or the second one that has been foreseen) and go back to normal, then a few years down the line we will go through another recession. Doesn't this seem like a sign that we need to change things?! Even though this may seem like a crazy idea, but we are in control: if we decide to change things, then things would change. Perhaps we need to reform the government, perhaps we need to better prepare ourselves for tight times. It is just unfathomable that we would allow this to continually happen repeatedly when we do in fact have the power to change the situation. Maybe this is too far-fetched, but I've never been one to harbor small ideas. There's no point in dreaming if you don't dream big.

There is a positive side to a recession and depression, though. People begin to realize how much we really need each other; kindness becomes contagious. In The Grapes of Wrath, the family is unable to afford food. They make a stop at a restaurant and ask to buy a loaf of bread. Through the kindness of strangers, the Joad family is given a loaf of bread and is sold candies at two for a penny, when the candies are really one for a nickel. Being kind to other people can come back to us in the best of ways. I once saw on a church marquee as I drove by: "Kindness is the one thing which the more you give it, the more you get it back."

I had seen The Grapes of Wrath back when I was in high school, and it bored me to death back then. But watching it now I really enjoyed the film, probably because it is so relevant to the current events going on in today's world. But even if we can't change the pattern of recessions, we can at least spread kindness to each other. Give kindness, and you'll get it back. I promise.


Movies to Go: 84

The Shawshank Redemption

Title: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman
Rank: 72

What is it about corruption that is so tantalizing to us? Why are we so drawn to scandals?

The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite films. There are so many elements of life packed in to this movie. The characters never give up on the hope of life, for one, and make the best of their situation. Red and Andy become good friends while in prison and Andy brings a new life to the inmates. He's an interesting man who is wrongly convicted to begin with, but later becomes a crook while in prison. The warden and his guards are the ones who are really corrupt.

In a way, it is something that we all dream about. A good man is given the raw end of a deal after a little bad luck, while paying for something he didn't do being punished by people who get away with evil things, but gets his justice in the end in such a powerful way. We've all had a time where we were screwed over with no redemption. Seeing those who get away with wrongdoings get their comeuppance in the end is always satisfying.

The most remembered line from the film is when Andy says "It comes down to a simple choice: get busy living, or get busy dying." It took Andy years of work to get his justice, but he never just sat back and gave up hope. In life, we need to be proactive. If we just sit back and do nothing but complain about the negative things in our life, then nothing will ever change. When we take action in our life, we get results. I have this posted on my wall to inspire me to be positively proactive in my life: "If you want it, you must work for it. You can't get what you want without sacrifice. If you stay the same, then your situation will stay the same. You can have it all if you put your blood, sweat, and tears into it. Nothing is impossible- give it all you've got!"

Trivia:
• Tim Robbins was in another of the top 100 movies that I've already watched for this project: He had a small, non-speaking role in Network as one of the assassins at the end of the film.


Movies to Go: 85

Side Note: I just want to say thank you to all of you. I've been dealing with a painful medical condition in my jaw and it has been completely exhausting me. I appreciate your patience and understanding of the delay between the posts! I'm starting to feel much better and the doctors I've been seeing are really helping, so there will (hopefully) be no more breaks between the posts!

A Streetcar Named Desire

Title: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Director: Elia Kazan
Starring: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Rank: 47

I had never seen A Streetcar Named Desire before, but I really enjoyed the film. It was full of tension, and was hard to take my eyes off the screen while watching this.

It's amazing what people will put up with to feel as though they belong. Stella, completely aware of Stanley's behavior, refuses to leave him and at times seems to love him that much more because of his violent behavior. Stanley (played spectacularly by the very handsome Marlon Brando) is a brute. He's a violent, drunk who pushes around Stella and her sister, Blanche. Stella is very nonchalant about Stanley's animal-like behavior, and Blanche tries to get Stella to get out several times. In the infamous "Steeeellaaaaaa!" yelling scene, Stanley has just had a fit of rage and Stella and Blanche have vacated the apartment in fear. Stanley yells for Stella, until she comes out, then he embraces her while on his knees and begs her never to leave him. She feels as though he needs her on some level, even if he doesn't treat her that great. Just wanting to be needed, even if it is only an illusion, is powerful enough to stay in an abusive relationship. Stella (and Blanche, while she's there) lives in raw fear and rarely has a moment to breathe easily, yet she never leaves Stanley.

This is an amazing piece of Brando's performance, and the most famous scene from the film:


Blanche longs to belong as well. She goes to her sister's home after being run out of town for seducing a 17-year-old student of hers. She flirts with the men, longing to be desired, and acts as though she is the ultimate voice of reason in Stella's life. It is a common human want to be desired, needed, and relied upon. We want people to want us around, we want to be irreplaceable. We may not be anything more than a number to our government, we may be nothing to the world, but when we know that our family and friends need us and think highly of us, it is satisfying, even if it is only an illusion.


Movies to Go: 86

The Last Picture Show

Title: The Last Picture Show (1971)
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ben Johnson
Rank: 95

I really enjoyed watching The Last Picture Show. It's a black and white feature, made in the seventies but set in the fifties, about a small town in Texas. The people in the town grow, learn, and collide with each other throughout their lives. It's a coming of age story about two best friends, as they go from boyhood into manhood together.

There's always a point in our lives where we feel it is the official end of our childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Most people have that one defining moment when they feel they have become an adult, marking an official close to their adolescence. For Sonny and Duane (Timothy Bottoms and Jeff Bridges), that time comes when they watch the final showing of a second-run movie in the town's tiny cinema. Watching the last picture show (where the title comes from) in the cinema before it closes forever marks the close of their teenage years and their entry into manhood and the next phase of life.

The story is full of awkward sex scenes, most have the character's intention of trying to use sex as a sign of maturity. The group of boys, lead more often than not by Duane, tries to lose their virginity and conquer different sexual feats. Even Jacy (played by Cybill Shepherd in her film debut) tries to grow up using sexuality. She is the most desirable girl in the school, and she knows it. She wants to lose her virginity to Duane just so she can sleep with another (older) man, but something goes wrong with Duane and he is unable to perform. Jacy lies to her friends and tells her that the sex was the most indescribable experience she's ever had, making them envy her. It is not uncommon for teenage girls and boys to use sexuality as a vehicle to make them seem more grown up. Through experience I can tell you that it isn't the sex that makes a person mature, though. Maturity comes through developing yourself as a person and treating others in the best way you know how.

Part of learning and growing comes from colliding with other people in our lives. In the film, everyone knew each other and was involved in one another's lives. Like Miss Mosley said, "A person can't sneeze in this town without someone offering them a handkerchief." There are no secrets in a small town. Everyone knows about the different shenanigans of the boys, everyone knows about Sonny and Ruth's affair, everyone knows about the sexual promiscuity of Jacy. The people of the town conflict in what they want, and they clash with each other often. If we all had the same desires, views, opinions, and beliefs, life would be extremely boring and offer little opportunity for personal evolutions. When we meet someone who disagrees with us, then it makes us think, and making us think helps to form new ideas and new opinions. Meeting someone who has ideals that conflict with ours can be a very positive thing, so next time someone disagrees with you, listen to them! This doesn't mean that you have to change your ideals to match theirs, but it means you should have a respect for what they are saying, and see if you can understand their reasoning. You might be surprised on the things you can learn.

In the end of the film, Duane and Sonny both reach manhood, better because of the experiences they have lived through. People never have to stop learning and growing, as long as they are alive. Just because we feel a certain way today doesn't mean we will feel the same in ten years, five years, or even one year from now. It all comes down to how open-minded we allow ourselves to be. I, for one, hope I never stop learning and growing up, because I know there is still so much more out there that I have yet to experience.



Movies to Go: 88

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Director: Milos Forman
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Will Sampson, Louise Fletcher
Rank: 33

Before this project, I had never seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, but I am glad that I have seen it now. Having never read the book either, I knew next to nothing about the story or the characters, but it was a nice experience being able to send time in their world (and also nice to be able to escape back to mine).

Jack Nicholson plays R.P. McMurphy, a man who fakes mental illness to get out of working. He is sent to a mental facility where he forms a comradeship with the other patients and causes chaos for the nurses and attendants.

The main point of the story seems to be fighting against establishment: While in the mental asylum, McMurphy bonds many of the other patients together and fights against the nursing staff, being defiant at every chance he gets. He causes trouble, does some dangerous things, and is always willing to take a self-imposed dare when he knows it'll upset the nurses. Most people have an inner voice that makes them want to defy authority (though some people's inner voices are louder than others) and live by their own rules. Whether it is parents, a boss, or the government, there is always a part of a person that wants to rebel and do things their own way. It seems only natural to want to rebel against one thing or another, even if it is just rebelling against a trend or boycotting a fast food restaurant. It makes me wonder if we were even made to conform and be told what to do or if it is something we have imposed on ourselves as a society over time.

The other interesting point of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the setting of the mental asylum and the characters who live in it. Each of them has their own little quirk; something that makes them unique. I have yet to meet someone who is completely "normal" and does not have some strange little feature about themselves. This doesn't have to mean that they should be in a mental facility, it just means that they are human. For example, I have an irrational fear of the garbage disposal in the sink. I cannot turn on the garbage disposal if no one else is home, and here's the (strange) reasoning: If there is something down there, like a spoon or fork or a piece of glass, then if I turn it on it's going to shoot up into my neck, and since I'm home alone no one will be there to save me from bleeding to death. I can't stick my hand down there to check, because I'm certain that the moment my fist is completely down there the garbage disposal will turn on by itself and rip my hand to shreds. So every time I absolutely need to turn on the garbage disposal when I'm home along, I have to get out a pot and hold it over the hole before turning it on to protect myself.

When a person's quirk comes together with a natural tendancy to want to rebel, the results can be amazingly interesting. In McMurphy's case, (SPOILER!) he ends up being overtaken by the "establishment" of the mental asylum, but the things he does inspired another patient faking mental illness, known as Chief, to escape and start living his life. (end SPOILER) Inspiring others to go for the right thing, no matter how crazy it may seem, can be even more satisfying than getting it yourself.

Alright, extra credit homework: post a comment telling about a quirk that you have. We all get a little strange sometimes, right?

Trivia:
• Before they were as famous stars as they are today, Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd both had supporting roles in this film as patients at the psychiatric hospital.
• Many of the extras in the hospital scenes were actual mental patients.


Movies to Go: 89

Raging Bull

Title: Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty
Rank: 4

I watched Raging Bull last night, and it marks the tenth film in this project. That means I'm 10% done already! January is already over, and I have a feeling that this year (and this project) is going to go by fast.

Although Raging Bull centers around the life of a boxer, it really isn't just about the sport of boxing. (In fact, there is only a few minutes of the film that actually shows boxing.) Throughout the whole film, there is anger, rage, and fighting. Not only is it about the fights between the characters, but the general battle of life that we all go through.

As beautiful as it is, life is rarely easy. There is no one out there who does not experience hardships, whether they are financial, social, health woes, or anything else. If we want a satisfying life, we have to fight for it. We may often feel like we are K.O.'d by life, but there will always be another round if we are strong enough to get back on our feet. Jake La Motta (played by De Niro) goes through his boxing career wanting to be the champion, and although he doesn't ever win the title he wants, he does not ever give up or let himself fall. Sometimes, that's enough- as long as we keep fighting for it and don't let ourselves stop, we're doing alright. It is more about the journey than the actual destination: we learn so much going through life, riding over the bumps in the road, and trying to figure out exactly where we fit in. Life is an adventure.

Raging Bull is also about dealing with inner demons. La Motta finds his own downfall, both in personal relationship and professional, because of his own inner demons. Often our inner demons come from our own perceptions of how the world is; sometimes we become paranoid and judgmental because of one bad past experience, and because of that past experience being sour we assume any experience that is similar will also be sour. We become jaded, and our hearts harden. Distrust comes out to play, and we see things in an altered point of view.

Fighting our own demons can be a life-long battle. As long as we don't let them own us, we're doing pretty well. "Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye."
Helen Keller



Movies to Go: 90

Titanic

Title: Titanic (1997)
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Rank: 83

It's no surprise to see Titanic on AFI's list. Not only is it an outstanding movie about a tragedy that many people have a deep interest in, but it is also a beautiful love story. Titanic changed the face of Hollywood, setting new standards for the way films were made from that point on.

Essentially, the film is two stories that intertwine together, on real and the other fiction. There is the real story of the sinking of Titanic- the tale of living through the event, the passengers who died, and the legends that will live on forever. Just a few years shy from the 100th anniversary (April 14, 1912-April 14, 2012) of the actual sinking, and the story is still just has powerful and saddening as it was back then. It was an event that shook the world, and rattled the confidence that mankind had in itself. Deeming the ship "unsinkable" only to have it flounder on its first voyage was a hard reminder that we are not the most powerful force on earth, and that the beauty of nature should never be underestimated. It was also a wake-up call for a society that based status and worth completely on the amount of money each family had. After Titanic sank, stricter safety regulations were implemented for the sailing world, now making it mandatory to have enough lifeboats for all passengers aboard each vessel.

The other story is that of the fictitious romance. Jack and Rose are basically Romeo and Juliet- they come from two vastly different worlds, not supposed to love each other, and they don't end up together in the end due to death. Most people are suckers for a good "Romeo and Juliet" story, myself included. Many people fantasize about the ultimate love, one in which there is nothing that is capable of tearing the lovers apart from each other. Seeing a tale of ultimate romance on the screen allows the viewer to live vicariously through the characters.

Perhaps one of the most prominent reasons that Titanic is on AFI's list is the affect it had on the film industry. Titanic had an astronomical budget of $200 million, but because of the success of the film it is common for major many films these days to have budgets that reach in the hundreds of millions. It also brought the "blockbuster" status higher- instead of reaching $100 million to be deemed a blockbuster, films now have to hit the $200 million mark* to earn that title. Titanic was also the film that brought Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio up to A-List star status, and it also paved the way for films that were less star-driven. These days, moviegoers are more attracted to the concept and story rather than the headlining names. (Which is great news for those of you who are beginning acting careers out there- Hollywood is always looking for new talent. There are tons of Hollywood movie-makers who are eager to discover the next big star!)

It would be a crime to not mention director James Cameron's current box-office feat, Avatar, in this post. Once again, Cameron has changed the face of movie-making, having put new film technology that he himself developed on the map and making 3-D so much more than a passing novelty. (Of course, this isn't the first time 3-D has been popular, and only time will tell if this time it will become a long-term film feature, like color and sound were back in the day, or just another fleeting trend.) This also marks the end of Cameron's Titanic as reigning champion of highest-grossing film ever, Avatar having passed up the record just this past week. I, for one, am interested to see what James Cameron will bring us in another twelve years. It's no doubt he will once again setting new standards for film making.

*Source: Markovitz, Adam. "Did Titanic change Hollywood?" Entertainment Weekly 22 Jan 2010: 32

Trivia: (source: IMDb.com)
•The studio originally wanted Matthew McConaughey for the role of Jack, but James Cameron insisted on Leonardo DiCaprio. (I can't imagine McConaughey in the role of Jack- he just wouldn't fit the part in my opinion!)
•The scene during the sinking in which water crashes through the glass dome into the Grand Staircase had to be done in one take because the set and all the furnishings would be destroyed in that take.
•Gloria Stuart is the only person who worked on this film who was actually alive when the Titanic actually sank. (She was born July 4, 1910 and will celebrate her 100th birthday this year!)
•James Cameron is currently the director whose films have grossed the most money world-wide, even surpassing the great George Lucas.



Movies to Go: 91

Network

Title: Network (1976)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall
Rank: 64

There is a great debate on whether people are naturally good and turn evil, or are inherently bad and must over come it to become pleasant and kind. In Network, all of the characters seem to have an easy enough time doing evil deeds. Extra-marital affairs, cheating others for profit, and even murder, all because of television ratings.

It is interesting to see the lengths people will go to gain something for themselves, whether they want power, money, fame, or all three of them. Some people will do anything for success, without regard for the feelings and well-being of others. At one point or another, everyone gets selfish and does things that aren't the most honorable to benefit themselves. It is tempting to do mischievous things to get what we want, and people willing to do those things are not in short supply. Especially with the economy in the state it is right now, there are people who are doing some pretty sleazy things for money, scamming defenseless people who still have trust in humanity.

Lying, cheating, stealing, and all those other sinful doings are, sadly, not uncommon in this world. We tend to not trust others until we get to know them because of personal experiences and stories we hear from others and on the news. It is hard to know who to trust and who not to trust, especially since it is so easy to lie these days- people can become anyone on the internet. (How do you know I am really a 23-year-old woman living in Southern California? For all you really know, I could be a 97-year-old man living in Scandinavia, or even a purple horse who has been given fingers to type and the ability to speak English from a old wizard who owed him a favor. You never really know!)

In Network, everyone speaks with such an eloquent quality and in educated language, even when the scene is intense. There is a scene in which Max Schumacher (played by Holden) tells his wife (played by Beatrice Straight) that he is having an affair. Mrs. Schumacher gives this speech to him, ever so eloquently, and the final line is this: "I'm your wife, damn it. And, if you can't work up a winter passion for me, the least I require is respect and allegiance. I hurt. Don't you understand that? I hurt badly." If I had just found out my husband was cheating on me, I would use much harsher words towards him than "winter passion" and "respect and allegiance." This use of vivid language makes it that much easier for people to do deceptive things. Hitler, for example, was a very good speaker and very convincing of his points, even though the things he did were absolutely appalling. We must be cautious of falling victim to people like this, because it is these people who can sway the most followers and do the most damage.

It often astonishes me to hear about the deceitful things that people do to each other. Sometimes it is hard not to completely lose faith in humanity when we see stories like Network or watch the evening news, but there are still plenty of good people out there. Unfortunately, they don't always get as much attention as the ones who do dirty deeds. Perhaps we need to shift our focus and praise more of the good and leave out a little more of the bad. Think positive, be positive.

Trivia: (source: IMDb)
•Won 4 Oscars (1977): Best Screenplay (Paddy Chayefsky), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Faye Dunaway), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Peter Finch), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Beatrice Straight).
•Peter Finch became the first actor to receive an award in an acting category posthumously.



Movies to Go: 92

~*~Be sure to check out the things that are coming in February, and VOTE to let me know what you want to see! Go here.~*~

Swing Time

Title: Swing Time (1936)
Director: George Stevens
Starring: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Rank: 90

There are a lot of old movies that I absolutely love, but Swing Time isn't one of them. The dancing and the singing are fantastic, and the story is easy to follow, but the plot is not very strong and the main character, Lucky (played by Astaire), is not the best of guys.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are a fantastic pair on screen, and it is amazing to watch their routine. The singing is beautiful, the dancing is astronomical, and the songs are catchy and fun. Because of their chemistry and fame as an on-screen pair, it is not surprising to see an Astaire and Rogers picture on AFI's list. Swing Time was one of ten films that the duo did together.

The character of John "Lucky" Garnett is a bit of a sleazy guy. He forgets his own wedding to Margaret due to a gambling problem, only to show up hours late when everyone has gone home. Then, he makes a deal with Margaret's father that he'll go to New York to earn $25,000 and come back and marry Margaret once he's proved himself worthy by earning the money. After being in New York for only a few minutes, Lucky meets Penny and becomes instantly smitten with her, following her around. He then proceeds to pursue a romance with Penny, all the while talking behind her back about returning to marry Margaret. He also lies to Penny and says that he is giving up his gambling, only to give in to temptation the first time it arises. At one point, Lucky mentions that he isn't sure if he would rather go back and marry Margaret or stay in New York and be with Penny. In the end, it is only by chance that Penny and Lucky end up together when Margaret confesses that she doesn't really love Lucky. If Margaret hadn't confessed that she didn't really love Lucky, it seems almost as though he would've went through with marrying her.

Even though the plot may be weak, I do have to appreciate the entertainment value of the film. Astaire and Rogers put all their effort into each film that they did, and Swing Time is no exception to that. For the "Never Gonna Dance" routine, everything kept going wrong and it took 47 takes to get it right, and Ginger Rogers' feet actually bled due to the repetition of the intense dancing. Not many people can honestly say they put that much effort into their job!

Movies to Go: 94

Do the Right Thing

Title: Do the Right Thing (1989)
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Bill Nunn, John Turturro
Rank: 96

I saw Do the Right Thing when I was a teenager in a History of Cinema class, and from what I remembered from it, I was not looking forward to watching it again. I was actually glad that it came so early in the year so that I could get it done and over with. When I watched it that first time, I walked out of the class feeling low, depressed, and a little dirty. Now, though, after a few years of growth and a little bit of wisdom under my belt, I watched this film with a different perspective. As soon as I saw Do the Right Thing on the list, I told myself that even though I didn't want to see this movie again, that I would watch it with an open mind and try to leave out all of my previous feelings about it.

It is without a doubt that Do the Right Thing will be one of the more intense films on AFI's list. Set in Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year, the subject matter of this movie is as heavy as the temperature is high. It deals with several groups of people- blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Italian-Americans, and one white guy with a stutter, all of whom are mostly portrayed as the utmost stereotypes of their group. It isn't easy to watch this film- there is a lot of anger, hatred, racial slurs, and violence. I am a self-proclaimed egalitarian- I believe in equality for all, that we are all human and no one is better than another. (Some people who do terrible things fall below the human level, but that's a whole other story.) Watching a movie so full of tension was difficult for me, and at times I wanted to shut it off.

The movie has a general orange-yellow color to it, showing the heat of the day and also creating more of an uncomfortable feeling for the audience. Do the Right Thing is blunt about the violence, racism, and hate that exists. Spike Lee (who wrote, directed, and starred in the film) didn't hold back or censor anything, which actually is good. Sadly, racism still exists today, there are still people who do abominable things to another just because of skin color. With all the progress the human species has made in the past one hundred years- splitting the atom, curing so many diseases, amazing technological advances- it's amazing that racism can still be a problem. It is so easy to send a man to the moon, to talk to someone on the internet who lives on the other side of the world, and yet it is still difficult to reach out to a next door neighbor who is a little different from us.

Since this film has brought into light such a difficult and touchy subject so bluntly and forward, I'm going to share something personal that I am very ashamed of: I once held a fear of men of a particular race because of an event that happened to me. A few years ago, I was working as a teller in a bank and one day we were robbed at gun point. The robbers happened to be three young black men, and for a couple of weeks after the robbery, I would always find something else that "had" to be done when a young black man walked into the bank, myself being afraid to help him. It wasn't too long before I realized how irrational and idiotic I was being, and I am very embarrassed that I once held those feelings, even though it was only for a brief period. I know so many people of so many different races, all of them are wonderful people. (I even have members of the family who are black, Asian, and Hispanic! One of my grandfathers even told me that there is African in our bloodline several generations back, among so many other races that run in my veins.) In any group, there will always be good and bad apples. If you were to separate all people into groups- blacks, whites, Asians, Christians, Jews, atheists, blondes, red-heads, homosexuals, heterosexuals, bisexuals, people with curly hair, people with straight hair, smart people, dumb people, beautiful people, ugly people, skinny people, fat people, etc- in each group there would be people who are amazing, kind, and generous and also people who are mean, hypocritical, and manipulative. These traits (whether they are good or bad) don't come from the features that puts them into one group or another, and so it is illogical to base judgments on physical traits.

Thinking about it, though, watching a film like Do the Right Thing can be beneficial. It isn't always a good thing to live in a bubble and deny that violence from racism still happens. The sad truth of it is that there are still people who judge each other all the time based on things that a person can't help, whether it is the color of their skin, their sexuality, their religion, or the shape of their body. It is time we moved past these things, and embraced our differences for the wonderful things that they are. If we were all the same, life would be pretty damn boring. By bringing attention to a situation like this we can move forward to help dissolve the problem. I know it will still be years before racism (or any other negative -ism) is a thing of the past, but one positive step forward is still worth it. Besides, as Confucius once said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." If we all make a single step, then together we can make that thousand miles.

I'll leave you tonight with this, a quote from Do the Right Thing. Radio (Bill Nunn) is talking to Mookie (Spike Lee), and Radio wears knuckle rings on each hand: on the left, one that says "HATE" and on the right, one that says "LOVE":
Radio Raheem: Let me tell you the story of "Right Hand, Left Hand." It's a tale of good and evil. Hate: It was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love: These five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: Static. One hand is always fighting the other hand; and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But, hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that's right. Ooh, it's the devastating right and Hate is hurt, he's down. Left-Hand Hate K.O.ed by Love.

Trivia:
•Samuel L. Jackson has a small part as a radio disc jockey, and he is credited as "Sam Jackson."
•Supposedly, President and Mrs. Obama saw this movie on their first date in 1989.

Movies to Go: 96

Rocky

Title: Rocky (1976)
Director: John G. Avildsen
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith
Rank: 57

Tonight's film was a treat for me, because this was the first time I had ever seen Rocky. Of course, I have seen the shot where Rocky is on the top of the steps in Philadelphia, raising his arms, jumping around, with Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" playing, along with many of the spoofs of it there are out there. (Take a peek at the film version here.)

It is not hard to guess why Rocky made it on to AFI's "100 Years 100 Movies" list. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, this film is about inspiration. Rocky comes from nowhere- he is no one special, living nowhere special, doing nothing special. As luck would have it, he is picked to fight in the championship fight against heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. (Creed only picked Rocky to fight because he liked the name the "Italian Stallion.") This is a dream come true for Rocky, and he wants nothing more than to go all the way in the fight.

Even though he doesn't win, Rocky does succeed. He lasts through the entire fight, the winner determined by points instead of a knockout. Rocky is ecstatic about the fact that he gets this opportunity, and completely satisfied with the outcome. The story of it is what everyone hopes for- we all have that "Mount Everest" that we want to achieve, whether it is becoming a record-setting athlete, discovering the cure to a disease, raising kids, becoming a world famous actor, or getting a chance to fight the champion. Most people have a dream, something they want to accomplish in their life, the one thing they want to be remembered for above everything else. It doesn't have to be something has big as becoming the CEO to a worldwide company, but it is something that will define us for who we are. Rocky was the underdog- no one expected him to make it, but he did, defeating the odds. We all believe ourselves to be the underdog at some point or another, and when those times come we have the choice to either let it break us or put in all we've got to overpower it. The only limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves.

The amazing thing about dreams is that it is never too late to have a dream, nor is it ever too late to pursue a dream. Rocky is thirty years old when he is given the chance to fight Apollo, having spent more than half his life thinking about this dream but never doing anything about it. When the opportunity presents itself, he takes it and trains as hard as he can, letting the fight take over his life and consume his every thought. He conquers his "Mount Everest" in the fact that he was able to withstand the entire fight and go the distance. To Rocky, winning wasn't the objective, it was withstanding the battle.

Rocky, however, had luck on his side. It was by pure coincidence (and that catchy name) that he was chosen to be the contender in the big fight. Not all of us will have that luck, and we often have to make our own opportunities. In most cases, there is no luck- it is all about persistence. Like the Japanese proverb says "Fall down seven times, get up eight." Any dream takes hard work and perseverance to be welded into a reality, and there will be times when you fall. It may feel like a failure, but as long as you stand back up then it is only a bump in the road. Besides, if you learn something from it, then it really isn't a failure at all.

We all have a dream or two, and nothing is impossible. (Walt Disney once said "If you can dream it, you can do it.") Dreams take work, though, but they are worth all the blood, sweat, tears, and time that go into them. It is never too late to make YOUR dream come true. We only have one life to live, and as Mickey Goodmill said: "You ain't gonna get a second chance."

Movies to Go: 98