Saturday, December 10, 2016

Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made - 8 stars out of 10

Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made - 8 stars out of 10

“Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” is a quirky documentary, but it is also kind of genius.  This story is 30+ years in the making and its origins are just as fascinating as its current predicament.  In 1982, a trio of 11-year-old friends began work on a shot-for-shot recreation of “Raiders of the Lost Arc.”  Not only did they decide to take on one of the greatest action films to date, but they had to do so before VCRs and home video was an option!  Their early storyboarding of the film is incredible on its own, but the actually filming is even more fantastic.  The documentary is full of stories that involve nearly burning down a house, almost being run over, dealing with the police, and the resourceful MacGyver-like techniques used to bring these special effects to life on a budget that consisted of… their allowances.  Unfortunately, there was one scene that was impossible to film with their lack of resources: the airplane explosion.  Their incomplete film became a cult favorite at film festivals but now, it is time to invest the money into completing this final scene.  One of the coolest parts of the film is seeing these boys grow up and watching the support that they now receive from their own children in pursuing their dreams.  But there is a greater theme to this film than following your dreams.  I feel that it really captures the imagination of a generation that didn’t need the newest phone, tablet, and video game system to have fun.  It is that group of “Sandlot” kids that would play baseball all summer, the group of “Goonies” kids who went on one final adventure.  But the people in this documentary are not characters – they are real kids who lived the dream of every nostalgic coming-of-age film.  “Raiders!” captures a piece of our childhood that has been lost in modern generations.  Get ready unrefined acting, improvisatory special effects, and a strong dose of nostalgia.

[Pictured: This seems like the least-likely crew to recreate "Raiders of the Lost Arc"]

Friday, December 9, 2016

Paycheck - 6 stars out of 10

Paycheck - 6 stars out of 10

“Paycheck” is an interesting sci-fi thriller whose clever story is the driving force of the film.  The main character, a reverse engineer, steals the inventions of competing companies and then undergoes a “memory wipe” in order to avoid implicating himself or his employers.  This creates a fresh new take on the amnesia or short-term memory loss plot device.  Things really get interesting when  the FBI is trying to track him down and he is able to evade capture through a series of everyday objects contained in a mysterious envelope.  I would go on about how clever the script is but I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises.  Director John Woo maximizes the potential for action sequences and intensity within this story.  The issue is that the script and direction are undermined by the acting.  Ben Affleck is one of my least-favorite actors.  With the exception of “Gone Girl,” I have never found his performances to be believable.  Something about the delivery of his lines always seems fake and this is a prime example.  When you pair him with Uma Thurman, another star that I don’t care for (with the exception of “Kill Bill”), this was a recipe for disaster based on my personal taste.  Conversely, Paul Giamatti is one of my favorite character actors and Aaron Eckhart is always entertaining.  They just were not in the film enough to draw attention away from the awkward chemistry between Affleck and Thurman.  Even though the acting leaves something to be desired, I will probably watch this film several more times in my lifetime.  “Paycheck” isn’t as good as a lot of other sci-fi thrillers but it delivers the satisfaction of seeing a series of unrelated puzzle pieces and slowly revealing how they fit together.  And you don’t even realize that there is one piece missing until the credits begin to roll!

[Pictured: "Paycheck" has plenty of action and intrigue, but this picture captures the awkwardness of the lead actors]

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Allied - 7 stars out of 10

Allied - 7 stars out of 10

“Allied” is an unexpectedly good romantic thriller from director Robert Zemeckis.  Though we all recognize him as the director of “Back to the Future,” it is easy to forget (or not even realize) that his credits include “Cast Away,” “The Polar Express,” “Contact,” “Forrest Gump,” and many others.  He is a diverse director with hits that span several different genres so it should be no surprise that this non-science-y film is so good.  The story is fascinating, the mystery keeps you guessing up until the very end and, even though there are so many wrong ways that this film could end, it has the perfect conclusion.  The previews emphasized the romanticism of the story but the final product reads as a WWII period piece with an emphasis on the challenges of serving in the military.  This disconnect is created by the pacing of the script which spends half of the film developing the characters before the actual love story even begins.  The end result is a feeling that we watched a war film and not a love story.  The setting is brought to life through impressive costume design and sweeping shots of the Moroccan desert that are reminiscent of “Lawrence of Arabia.”  I appreciated the moments of beautiful cinematography, especially the mirror shot in the club.  I also found the assassination scene to be visually arresting and the ending engages us so well (I shed a tear) because of the cinematography.  This visual beauty pairs well with the emotional, multi-faceted acting of Marion Cotillard.  Her performance definitely makes a strong argument for an Oscar nomination.  Her complex character is complimented by Brad Pitt whose French is surprisingly good (but as the plot of the film dictates, much more Quebec than Parisian).  I don’t think that this is his best performance but Cotillard makes him look so good that they both come out looking brilliant.  While the film has so much going for it, it is ruined by gratuitous sexual content that is simply not necessary.  I understand that half of this story is about a passionate relationship that clouds the characters’ judgment but a lot can be implied without showing so much skin and thrusting.  A prime example is the car scene.  The symbolism of the sandstorm is beautiful as it rapidly escalates from calm to tumultuous and reflects what is happening in the car.  There are so many perfect moments to cut away and let the weather tell the rest of the scene… but it doesn’t.  Instead of enjoying a beautifully crafted piece of cinema, we experience a growing apprehension of “are they really going to show more?”  These scenes should enhance the love story but they are so uncomfortable that they take us out of the moment.  It is a shame because those few scenes (combined with a slew of unnecessary f-words) undo much of the good that comes from the strong acting and beautiful camerawork.  “Allied” is an interesting story that brings the espionage aspect of WWII to life but I will stick to watching an edited version on tv in order to avoid several scenes that I do not care to see again.

[Pictured: The costumes and cinematography give the entire film a stunning visual appeal]