Five Great Movies to Watch for Thanksgiving

Christmas isn’t the only holiday that gets love from Hollywood. Though there are a lot of movies set at or around Christmastime, what many people may not realize is that there are just as many great movies set around Thanksgiving as well. Beyond sitting down with the family for a nice turkey dinner this year, consider popping in one of the following classics to really let you enjoy the holiday with a little extra help from people like Steve Martin, John Candy and acclaimed directors Terrence Malick and Woody Allen.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles” stars Steve Martin and John Candy as two very different guys trying desperately to make it home for Thanksgiving. This comedy classic is a staple of cable television around November and December, and with good reason. Between Steve Martin’s deadpan comedic timing and John Candy’s broad sensibility, this is one holiday classic that you need to have in your collection.

The New World

“The New World” is director Terrence Malick’s take on the founding of Jamestown, Virginia and the historical legends of John Smith and Pocahontas. If you want to bring a little history into your home with your Thanksgiving dinner, “The New World” is one of the best ways to do just that. The film stars Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale and Q’orianka Kilcher.

Hannah and Her Sisters

“Hannah and Her Sisters” is Woody Allen’s third greatest film that happens to be set at Thanksgiving. It tells the story of very different people over an entire year and is as heartwarming and dramatic as it is downright hilarious. Highlights include Woody Allen as a hypochondriac who learns that his greatest fears may have come true, and a bravado performance by Michael Caine in what is still one of his finest roles.

Funny People

“Funny People” tells the story of comedy legend George Simmons as he mentors up and coming standup comedian Ira through the trials and tribulations of his own career. George learns that he has a very serious form of cancer and starts to take another look at the decisions he’s made in his life. Perhaps the most poignant scene in the film takes place at Thanksgiving dinner where George recounts experiences from his youth and tells everyone that “these are the times you’ll always remember.”

Dutch

Before he was Al Bundy, Ed O’Neill was the titular character in the Thanksgiving comedy “Dutch.” Dutch is tasked with getting a young boy from his private school to his home for Thanksgiving, which requires long hours in a car with two people who couldn’t be more different and absolutely can’t stand each other. In the pantheon of road trip comedies, “Dutch” is definitely near the top.

Random Thoughts Regarding "The Dark Knight Rises"

 Instead of a traditional review, I've decided to just post random thoughts that I had while watching "The Dark Knight Rises" this weekend. Note that there are some mild spoilers, so if you're one of the three people who haven't seen it yet you might want to avoid what follows.

• Why did Bruce Wayne need to be broke? Just so he could give Talia the "please don't use this bomb as a bomb" bomb? Wayne Enterprises is a publicly traded company that was already tanking. Couldn't they have just... done that? Without Bane doing that?

• I was disappointed when Bane wasn't disguised as a janitor like he was in that comic for kids. The fact that he was disguised as a biker in the world's largest biker jacket helped, though. Still not as good.

• I don't understand why they didn't just have Blake's real name be Dick Grayson. I thought that's what they were doing, until they made one of the most bizarre left turns in history (hyperbole!)

• I had secretly hoped that John Blake was going to turn out to be this kid, and was mildly disappointed when he wasn't:

• Bale's befuddled Batman stare will never not make me laugh. SO MANY TIMES there will be a shot of someone talking, and then they cut to the reverse of Batman and he's just standing there like a dope.

• It's weird to see Batman walk so many places. He just walks casually a shocking amount in that movie.

• Cillian Murphy showing up was the best. It's the one thing about Batman that Nolan seems to truly understand: The Scarecrow is at his best when he's someone else's bitch and is enjoying himself despite that. "Death... by EXILE!" made me laugh out loud.

• They definitely re-dubbed Bane in the prologue, but it's almost like they did it begrudgingly. It's SO LOUD in places, and Tom Hardy totally doesn't sound into it. Most of the rest of the movie just sounds like he did in the prologue, so it feels like they just went "Ugh. Fine. Here."

• This movie had a shocking amount of silly comic book movie conceits. When Bane breaks everyone out of prison, he does so by blowing up a conveniently placed giant door. In order to hurt Bane, Batman has to punch the little tube things on his face. Which Talia immediately replaces and he's fine again. I don't understand why he couldn't just do that himself. Only like two of them were broken. Grow a pair, Tom Hardy.

• For the most part, Tom Hardy's eye acting was awesome. Except that one scene where he's giving that long speech and his eyes are going INSANE. I wonder what the original dialog was there, because that intensity really doesn't match the delivery of the voice over.

• I don't know why they had to have the movie take place over the course of a year when they were just going to time jump everything anyway.

• Nolan has this incredible ability to make a three hour long movie where every scene is integral to the plot and it's still mostly boring. I don't understand it. You can't argue that it isn't impressive.

• I don't understand why Jim Gordon thought it was a good idea to open a speech with "You guys wanna know the truth about Batman and Harvey Dent? Ehh... nevermind. On that same subject, Harvey Dent was definitely pretty sweet..." I think it would have raised some questions.

• Is the implication that Joseph Gordon Levit-Batman is going to hand pick his new Robin from the boy's home upstairs? He can have ALL THE ROBINS!

• Christopher Nolan just made his THE GODFATHER PART III.

The Five Best Documentaries About Filmmaking

With the advent of the DVD home video format, more and more releases of popular films came packaged with documentaries detailing their production. Some of these documentaries were “fluff” pieces of little to no artistic merit. Everyone has seen one at some point – a five minute piece where the director and lead star only talk about how much fun they had and how good they think the movie is. Other documentaries are made by people with a real love of the craft and of the people and films that they are covering. Certain documentaries are better than the movies they actually cover. If you’re an aspiring filmmaker or just have an interest in how hard people work to bring entertainment into your home, there are a few documentaries that you’re not going to want to miss.

Dangerous Days: Making 'Blade Runner'

Produced expertly by Charles de Lauzirika, “Dangerous Days” chronicles the making of Ridley Scott’s 1982 science fiction epic. The documentary clocks in at over three hours, which is longer than the actual film itself. Every aspect of production is covered in amazing detail, from the original conception to pre-production all the way through the film’s initial lukewarm release and eventual rise to cult status. Nearly every key member of the crew is interviewed at some point, and many are very candid in their responses. This documentary is available on all versions of “Blade Runner” released on DVD or Blu-ray from 2007 onward.

BUY: Blade Runner (Five-Disc Complete Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Requiem for Krypton: Making 'Superman Returns'

If you want to know what it’s like to make one of the most expensive genre movies of all time, “Requiem for Krypton” is the documentary for you. Produced by Robert Meyer Burnett, this documentary actually begins before director Bryan Singer ever signed on to direct the movie in the first place. The casting process and all the way through the end of production are covered in great detail. What makes “Requiem for Krypton” special is that much of it is told from the point of view of Brandon Routh, the unknown actor plucked from obscurity to become the next Man of Steel for a new generation. This documentary is available on the two-disc “Superman Returns” DVD, the one-disc Blu-ray release and in the “Anthology” collection DVD and Blu-ray sets with the other three Superman theatrical films.

BUY: Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology, 1978-2006 [Blu-ray]

Wreckage and Rage: The Making of 'Alien 3'

“Wreckage and Rage” chronicles the troubled production of the third film in the “Alien” franchise. The movie seemed doomed from the start, as promotional material was being made even before a script was finished. First time director David Fincher (who would later go on to direct “Se7en” and the American “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” remake) must navigate troubled waters and deal with studio interference, a lack of support and more. If you want to find out what can go wrong for first time directors, this documentary is for you. It is available on the “Alien Quadrilogy” and “Alien Anthology” home video releases, as well as in the two disc “Alien 3” DVD release.

BUY: Alien Anthology [Blu-ray]

Full Tilt Boogie

“Full Tilt Boogie” chronicles the making of “From Dusk Till Dawn,” a movie written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Robert Rodriguez. What makes this documentary special is that the “story” of the film’s production is told almost exclusively from the point of view of the crew. People who you would never get to see normally, like the first assistant director or assistants, are put front and center. This documentary is available on the two disc DVD release of “From Dusk Till Dawn,” as well as its own standalone DVD release.

BUY: Full-Tilt Boogie

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

“Hearts of Darkness” chronicles the immensely troubled production of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now,” the film that almost cost him his career in the late 70s. Filmed by Coppola’s wife, this intimate portrait shows what happens when a man confronts the worst possible scenario at every corner. Coppola had to contend with one alcoholic star, a crew that was ready to mutiny at any moment and even a nearby war. This is available on the three disc Blu-ray release of “Apocalypse Now” and as its own standalone DVD.

BUY: Apocalypse Now (Apocalypse Now / Apocalypse Now Redux / Hearts of Darkness) (Three-Disc Full Disclosure Edition)  [Blu-ray]

Why Do We Suddenly Hate Auteurs?

“au·teur

noun

a filmmaker whose individual style and complete control over all elements of production give a film its personal and unique stamp.”

----------

Aaron Sorkin’s new show “The Newsroom” premiered on HBO last week to big ratings and a massively polarizing reception. Many of the negative reviews focus on his distinct writing style in particular and cite both characters and plots that are similar to his previous shows like “The West Wing” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”

My question is, why is this a bad thing? I thought that writers everywhere aspired to have a unique and instantly recognizable voice in their work. Say what you will about Aaron Sorkin, but if anything he’s ever written comes on television that fact becomes immediately obvious after only a few minutes of watching. This is most certainly not easy to do, and it used to actually mean something.

A similar backlash (albeit a significantly smaller one) happened earlier in the summer with Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers.” While the film broke box office records and got stellar reviews, a certain vocal minority criticized the film for Joss Whedon’s trademark style. Whedon is another writer with an instantly recognizable style. The way his characters speak, particularly to one another, is a style unlike that of any other writer out there. And yet people see this as a negative for some reason.

These are two of my favorite writers for that exact reason. They’re both masters of their craft, and there’s something particularly comforting to know that I’m about to sit down and watch someone who is absolutely wonderful at their job. There are few people out there who are more consistently entertaining than these two.

Other examples of writers with unique voices are people like Joel and Ethan Coen, Kevin Smith, Diablo Cody and William Goldman. It’s perfectly acceptable to say that you didn’t like their particular style, but to say that they’re “bad writers” simply because they have a style is preposterous. They’re supposed to have a style. They’re supposed to have a voice. They’re writers. That’s what writers do.

I’ve heard certain people in the past criticize both Whedon and Sorkin for not writing “the way people talk.” While I certainly can understand this point of view, I absolutely don’t agree that it’s a negative. People in real life may not talk like they were written by Joss Whedon or Aaron Sorkin, but I for one wish they did. People would be a lot smarter, and would certainly be a whole lot more fun to argue with.

A video appeared online recently called “Sorkinisms – A Supercut.” It collects together clips from Aaron Sorkin’s various television shows including “Sports Night,” “The West Wing,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and a few of his movies. The collection is designed to show off reused dialog and thematic elements across his body of work. Though the author of the video claims that it was done out of respect, a lot of people online have jumped on it as if they now suddenly have “proof” that Sorkin is a hack.


My response is a bit different. Every single clip is instantly identifiable as having been written by Sorkin. It’s all in his voice and style, and it’s all immediately recognizable. There’s that “auteur theory” again. And secondly, the man wrote hundreds of hours of television (allegedly) by himself. He was writing the first season of “The West Wing” and the second season of “Sports Night” at the same time. If you want to hate on the man, you’re going to have to try a little harder than just to pull together seven minutes of clips that span hundreds of hours of work.

So what is the problem, exactly? Why, now of all times, do people suddenly hate work that stands out from everything else? Why do we suddenly want more movies and TV shows that blend in with all other movies and TV shows ever made? Does nobody like that feeling they get when they’re watching something wholly unique? Because I do.

And why didn’t anyone bother to tell me? It could have saved me a lot of time.

Ten Things I Learned From the Movie "300"

A little movie came out a few years ago called 300. I really wasn’t a fan when it came out, but I decided to give it another shot when it aired recently on cable.

If you haven't heard of it, it's (sorta) the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, which is where a small army of 300 Spartans (and, y'know, some other folks - but "shhhh") were able to hold their own against the massive Persian Empire. If the battle been lost, Western civilization as we know it would not exist.

It was, as they say, kind of a big deal.

I've read about the Battle of Thermopylae in history books, and it's pretty fascinating. I've learned a lot. However, after watching 300 I realized that I really knew very little about what went on in central Greece over two thousand years ago.

So with that, I present to you Ten Things I Learned While Watching 300:

1. The Persian Empire (and though not explicitly said, it's implied that by association modern-day Iran) was filled with horrific, gay, evil, gay monsters.

2. The 300 Spartans were able to hold off an army of 150,000 to 250,000 Persians using only their prettiness combined with the awesome might of their sexuality. (HETEROsexuality)

3. Sparta was absolutely a free, democratic society. Nope, no slaves in Sparta. What. So. Ever. Holy crap, what a crazy idea that is. Slaves in Sparta? Stop taking crazy pills, ya hippie!

4. Spartans will charge into battle barely dressed, with no armor whatsoever, use the phalanx formation that they're prided for exactly once, and they'll STILL kick the crap out of your giant army. In slow motion. That's how sweet they are.

5. Leonidas, King of Sparta, had a very blatant, almost Sean Connery-esque Scottish accent.

6. A Spartan, apparently, COULD NOT CONTROL THE VOLUME OF HIS VOICE.

7. Ancient Sparta, on the whole, looked a lot like a mid-90s alt-rock music video that you would see on MTV at 3:00 in the morning.

8. Spartans, at least in 480 BC, had as of yet not mastered the art of “Not getting your helmet knocked off every three seconds during battle.” Still didn’t need it, though. For more information, see “Number 4.”

9. The Battle of Thermopylae would have lasted about forty five minutes, except everyone made the curious decision to fight in slow motion for much of the time.

10. In Hollywood, it is possible (and evidently quite easy) to fail upwards, as after this director Zack Snyder would go on to make “Watchmen”, that movie with the owls that wear helmets, and the upcoming Superman reboot “Man of Steel.”

I hate 300.

Ranking the Movies of 2011

What follows is a quick list ranking all of the films I was able to see theatrically in 2011. The criteria for this list is simply that a particular movie came out either in the United States or in its native country during that year, and that I was able to see it during its original run. The list is ordered from “First” to “Worst,” starting with the best and moving on down to the… not so best.

ATTACK THE BLOCK
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
RED STATE
SHAME
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
50/50
TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL
SUPER 8
PAUL
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
OUR IDIOT BROTHER
CONTAGION
THE MUPPETS
MONEYBALL
CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP
30 MINUTES OR LESS
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3
ARTHUR
THE GREEN HORNET
CEDAR RAPIDS
THOR
STRAW DOGS
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
GREEN LANTERN
THE HANGOVER PART II

The Top Ten Movies of the 2000s

10. The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan

I can't be a comic book fan and a movie fan without mentioning "The Dark Knight." Though it can be *insanely* convoluted at times, it really is the most mature comic book movie ever made. Plus, it answers a question I've long pondered: "What would happen if Batman and the Joker were in the movie 'Heat'?"

9. Zodiac (2007)

Director: David Fincher

Writer: James Vanderbilt

If for nothing else, "Zodiac" is impressive because David Fincher literally ends the "serial killer" genre. After this, there's nothing left to say.

8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Director: Wes Anderson

Writers: Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson

This will probably end up as the best thing Wes Anderson ever does. One of the last true auteurs, this is a perfect mixture of his signature style and a hell of a lot of substance.

7. A History of Violence (2005)

Director: David Cronenberg

Writer: Josh Olson

I didn't think Viggo Mortensen was a real actor until "A History of Violence."

6. The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Director: Noah Baumbach

Writer: Noah Baumbach

Jeff Daniels gives the performance of his career in Noah Baumbach's divorce-dramedy. This is one of those movies that people will still be talking about in 20 years.

5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Director: Edgar Wright

Writers: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright

Not so much a parody but a "tribute" movie, it's amazing how funny and emotional this movie can be, often at the same time.

4. Almost Famous (2000)

Director: Cameron Crowe

Writer: Cameron Crowe

If you don't tear up during the "Tiny Dancer" sequence, you have no soul.

3. High Fidelity (2000)

Director: Stephen Frears

Writers: D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack, Scott Rosenberg

Every once and awhile I wonder what Rob Gordon is doing now, over ten years after the movie premiered. I ultimately decided that he still works at Championship Vinyl, only now he's happy. And Barry still tours with "Kathleen Turner Overdrive."

2. 25th Hour (2002)

Director: Spike Lee

Writer: David Benioff

Edward Norton stars as Monty Brogan, a man in the process of reevaluating his life in the 24 hours prior to beginning a seven year prison sentence. In a rare Spike Lee film that isn't overly bogged down by the subject of racism, 25th Hour is a story of friendship, love, and consequence. It's a movie I'm truly happy to be able to say I caught during its initial theatrical run. I've used this movie to weed out acquaintances in the past. If you don't like "25th Hour," I don't want to be friends with you.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson

Daniel Plainview is one of the most fascinating characters of the (admittedly short) 21st century. "There Will Be Blood" is essentially the story of a man who, when presented with the opportunity for redemption, thinks about it and decides "Nah, I'm going to go on being evil. Thanks, though." Truly extraordinary.

Honorable Mention:

Superman Returns (Bryan Singer, 2006)
X2 (Bryan Singer, 2003)
Inglorious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky, 2004)

How the Movie "Prometheus" Relates to the Movie "Alien"

The movie “Prometheus” marks director Ridley Scott’s first entry into the science fiction genre since the early 1980s. His last sci-fi film, “Blade Runner”, was released in the summer of 1982. Not only is he returning to a genre he once left an inarguable mark on, he is also returning to a franchise he created – the world of the “Alien” films. According to pre-release and promotional material, determining how “Prometheus” fits in with the other films in the franchise including “Aliens”, “Alien 3” and “Alien: Resurrection” is a bit more complicated than calling it a simple “prequel.”

The film that would eventually be called “Prometheus” started life very much as a literal prequel to “Alien”. In cinematic terminology, the word “prequel” means that a particular film takes place chronologically before a film that has already been released. Ridley Scott himself even identified “Prometheus” as such in promotional material included with the “Alien Anthology” Blu-ray boxed set, released in late 2010.

Though “Prometheus” started out very much tied to the previous film, things got a bit more complicated when writer Damon Lindelof became involved in the project. Lindelof, who many genre fans will know as one of the driving forces behind the hit television series “Lost”, rewrote an existing script and turned the film into something else entirely. His draft is the one that was used when production began.

The finished film “Prometheus” is still very much a part of the larger “Alien” universe – however, it has now just become one small part. Chronologically, the film still takes place an undetermined amount of time prior to the events depicted in “Alien”. However, the story of “Prometheus” no longer concerns itself with simply answering questions that were posed by that previous movie. Instead, it tackles larger questions like “Why are we here?” and “How did humanity come to be?”

Tonally, “Prometheus” shares a lot with “Alien.” The looks of the two films are very much in sync, with both being dark, gothic takes on similar material. Both films are also a blend of science fiction and horror, with thrilling elements thrown into the mix.

A staple of the “Alien” franchise since its creation has been the sinister Weyland Yutani Corporation. This is the organization that the characters in the first film worked for, and the entity that was behind the crew of the Nostromo checking out a mysterious distress call. “Prometheus” features the corporation in its infancy, when it was called Weyland Industries and before it ever merged with the Yutani Corporation.

“Prometheus” also features a character that was present in the film “Alien.” In “Alien”, a corpse of a large, hulking creature dubbed the “Space Jockey” by Ridley Scott himself makes an appearance early on inside a derelict ship. The film “Prometheus” also features creatures from this race, still very much alive.

When you sit down in the theater (or at home, to enjoy the eventual DVD and Blu-ray release), it is best if you go into “Prometheus” not expecting a literal prequel to “Alien” but instead an entirely new story. Though the story is set in the same world and features similar themes and production design, expecting to see pretty much the same thing again will only lead to disappointment.