Face the "Heat"

People who read this probably think that I just give every movie a good review, but the truth is I'm actually a fairly tough reviewer. I've just been lucky (and selective) enough to see lots of good ones over the past several days.

Last night I saw Michael Mann's "Heat" which was REALLY good, though it could have used some trimming. I thought "Colaterall" was great, but "Heat" kicked its butt (hell, it had Al Pachino AND Robert deNiro!). Many directors seem to start out so-so and get better, while others start with a bang and then go into a downward spiral (Shyamalan, anyone?). Frankly, after reading so-so reviews of "Miami Vice" I think Mann might sadly be the downward-spiral type. Still, after seeing "Heat" I can safely say Mann's spiral started from pretty high up, so it'll take him a while to hit the rock-hard ground. Maybe he'll even be able to pull up and wow us again. We can hope.

I also saw a Korean film called "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring" that was also really good, about the life of a Buddhist monk growing up. Though subtitled, the film didn't really need to be, since it was told with hardly any dialogue. It was kind of like watching a long and REALLY good 290, since everything was done so deliberately without words. Highly recommended for people who are into eastern peace stuff, or even people who like looking at lakes and pretty mountains. Hell...if you're the patient type, you should check it out. Plus, it was nice to see snakes finally symbolize something good instead of evil (snakes are so COOL...why does the Bible have to give them a bad wrap in western film?).

Also, I'm realizing now I've spent WAY too much time writing my own fun feature movie scripts this summer instead of working on developing a solid 310 script, but that's OK. I'll just work on it REALLY REALLY hard before Friday next week.

Sports Movies

A few entries ago I briefly touched on how "Friday Night Lights" was a pretty gosh-darn good sports movie. And this is true.

However, that's all it was. A very good, technically superb, SPORTS movie chronicling one high school team's football season.

"Miracle" on the other hand is far more than just a sports movie. Not only is it about hockey (which I find more dynamic and interesting to watch than football) but it is about the triumph of human will and spirit over talent alone.

The best "sports" movies are the ones that are about more than just the game. They make us realize how comraderie and hard work can bring out the best in us. And they show how human emotions and relationships are affected (and sometimes suffer) by devoting oneself so much to one ultimate final race, game, or performance. And they often touch upon real-life issues or events. "Miracle" is just such a movie, and it is made all the more astounding because we know that what actually took place in the film really happened in real life.

Personally, I think sometime they ought to do a movie about the 1976 US women's swim team against the East German swim team. The East German team DOMINATED the Olympics, but it was suspected that they were using steroids. However none of this could be backed up at the time, and many accusing teams were simply called sore losers. Yet one US girl even went into the locker room while the East German women were there, and assumed that "men had been let into the locker room" because of the East Germans' unnaturally deep voices.

Yet when it came down to it in the 4x100 relay, the US team managed to beat the East German team and get the gold. It was not because the US team was physically stronger or better. It was because they put the most heart and energy into their race, and worked the best as a team. Later, after the Berlin wall fell, it was proven that the East German team really WAS using steroids, and (I believe) they were stripped of their gold medals for all their other races. Yet even when the East Germans WERE pumped full of drugs, the US team still came together and pulled through in the relay.

Besides, I can't think of any swimming movies out there at the moment, and I find swimming to be a pretty neat sport, though I could be biased. And "Swimfan" which doesn't count.

And you really should check out "Miracle" too. Aside from being a great movie, Kurt Russell gives a great performance. His best since "The Thing" (ha!).

POTC Old-School

So I just watched the immensely entertaining 1930s swashbuckler "Captain Blood" starring Errol Flynn. I think it is undeniable that POTC was very much inspired by this film. Much of the costumes and set design simply looks like black-and-white versions of the same thing, and there are a number of other uncanny similarities as well, some of which I will list here:
1) Emphasis on silly side-characters for comic relief.
2) An early attack on a harbor by pirates is shot almost identically to the attack at the beginning of POTC.
3) Tortuga is shown a pirate-happy place full of rum and women.
4) While in Tortuga, a guy even throws water on another guy to wake him up like in POTC.
5) There is an emphasis on how important the governor's daughter (well, niece here) is for ransom to a crew of pirates.
6) There is an attack on Port Royale, just like in POTC.
7) It is mentioned that if anyone breaks the pirate law, they will be marooned on an island with a pistol that has ONLY ONE BULLET!!!

Also, I'm betting that the third POTC movie will have a battle in the riggings and crow's nests of a ship, since that is the climax of "Captain Blood." You heard it here first! And as some of you know, my POTC predictions have been right so far.

Tonight also marks the first night where I drank alcohol with one of my parents. I guess there's a first time for everything.

In other geek-related news, the next Batman movie has officially been announced as "The Dark Knight." I like this title quite a bit. Heath Ledger has also officially been cast as The Joker. I am NOT such a fan of this. I really like Heath Ledger, but he doesn't seem to Jokerish to me, but we'll see...