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Reviews
The Wanderers (1979)
An Excellent Film of a Bygone Era
The Wanderers is a film I highly recommend. It is so much fun to watch!
I didn't grow-up in early 60s Bronx listening to Dion and The Belmonts, but I saw the film as a teenager, and I think every young person can identify with its main themes: teen angst, unrequited love, and the struggle to find your identity.
This movie touches your sense of nostalgia and makes you yearn for a simpler time before the Kennedy assassination stole our innocence and the Vietnam War turned us into hardened cynics. It captures the times beautifully.
I'm acquainted with people who grew-up in these multi-ethnic neighborhoods during this era, and while there were certainly rivalries, occasional fisticuffs, and prejudice, people learned to coexist in a way that doesn't seem possible today. I've seen grown adults get 'teary-eyed' reminiscing about friendships with people from all races and ethnicities: Blacks, Poles, Asians, Italians, Irish, Jews. It's a shame this camaraderie has been broken, and it's this sense of communal bonding that The Wanderers captures so well.
The film is wonderfully cast. Ken Wahl (Richie) makes a promising career debut as the charismatic leader of the Wanderers, while John Friedrich (Joey) plays his loyal but insecure sidekick to perfection. Other standouts are veteran character actor Dolph Sweet as the intimidating but well-meaning neighborhood 'kingpin', and a young Karen Allen as the pretty stranger whose allure and beauty almost single-handedly destroys the 'Wanderer Universe'.
However, the real 'scene stealers' in this film are the colorful neighborhood gangs that round out the remainder of the cast. You have the pugnacious 'Baldies' who never miss a chance to stomp on a neighborhood rival, the mysterious 'Wongs' who fight like Bruce Lee but dress like Arthur Fonzarelli , and the bloodthirsty 'Ducky Boys' whose mere appearance can make the toughest guy wet his pants.
The performances aren't exactly 'Brando' but that's irrelevant because they're delivered with such youthful innocence and authenticity that each character leaves his indelible mark. The Wanderers is a film that involves you in its world in a way that very few movies can with its intelligence, humor, and touching moments. Its honest and romantic portrayal of the times along with its infectious energy will certainly make you smile!
Major Dundee (1965)
A Western for Grownups
Charlton Heston always mentioned Major Dundee as his favorite film, and I can understand why. Personally, Sam Peckinpah ranks as one of my favorite directors for his honest films and willingness to take risks. Maverick filmmakers are a rare commodity these days, especially those who have something to say.
Heston, of course, is known for playing larger than life characters in some of Hollywood's most epic films, which is why I think the 'gritty realism' of Major Dundee must have appealed to him. Major Dundee is a character with very real flaws, and the role gave Heston a chance to stretch his acting abilities and show another side of himself.
Peckinpah's westerns--more than Sergio Leone--gave birth to the anti-hero. His films are original because there's nothing romantic about them. The characters make no pretense about being perfect, and the audience can relate to them immediately.
For the record, there are many westerns in the romantic vein that I love. John Ford's films come to mind. The Searchers with John Wayne is one of my all-time favorites. However, Peckinpah makes westerns that resonate with grownups, and it's the realism inherent in each one of his characters that makes the audience become so absorbed in his stories.
Major Dundee is driven by a powerhouse ensemble of some of my favorite character actors: Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, Slim Pickens and James Coburn. Richard Harris (Captain Benjamin) was an offbeat choice for the role of the imprisoned Confederate officer forced to join Dundee's Union troops in search of the Apache tribe that massacred a group of soldiers.
It's the interplay between Heston (Major Dundee) and Harris (Captain Benjamin) which serves as the film's anchor. The characters have a personal history which has oscillated between friendship and betrayal throughout the years. The tension that arises between them adds a dramatic flavor to the story, which makes it compelling to watch.
There's nothing black or white in either tone or substance about their relationship. Past mistakes and personal frailties weigh both men down, but despite their struggles and mutual animosity, they are bound by their duty as soldiers to complete a mission they swore to fulfill.
Major Dundee's realistic depiction of how soldiers relate to one another in battle sets it apart from other movies which treat this subject. Oftentimes, soldiers might not like each other, but it's fascinating how they somehow manage to pull together in the heat of battle. This dynamic plays out in the film's climactic scene and what we take away in the end is that virtuous qualities, such as loyalty and heroism, can come from the most unexpected sources.
Major Dundee, a film skillfully directed from start to finish, is worth watching not only for it fine acting but because like life itself it takes us on an unpredictable journey filled with twists and turns which make us wiser and stronger in the end. Give it a watch. You won't regret it.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
A movie every young person should watch
I vividly recollect film critic Roger Ebert's harsh review of Dead Poet's Society. He loathed its 'preachy' tone and condemned what he referred to as the director's cynical attempt to appeal to our emotions. It's unfortunate he missed the point of the film, and it's his failure to discern its underlying premise which will be at the heart of my review.
In Ebert's defense, I don't think the filmmakers' themselves realized the impact the movie's true message would have. What appears on the surface as a coming of age film is really a critique of our culture and of the systems we've put in place that supposedly prepare our children for life.
The 'prep' school, which serves as the film's setting, is simply a variation of our American education system's practice of using a 'one size fits all' approach in developing our children. Dead Poet's Society shows clearly how the very management principles which drive our industrial sector are also applied in the schooling of our children, oftentimes with tragic consequences.
Though Dead Poet's Society is composed of an ensemble cast, it's the character of Neil that ultimately takes center stage and whose personal journey drives home the film's core message. On the surface, he was a model student and a perfect son, but underneath this façade, lay a youth with a ardent desire to be someone else. His true self.
Neil, played admirably by Sean Patrick Leonard, feels trapped in a world built around everyone else's expectations but his own. His taskmaster father expects him to become a Harvard educated doctor, his school expects him to be a perennial honor student who sets an example for his peers, and his friends simply expect him to be the popular, dynamic leader of their clique.
Neil isn't the only one among his peers who's submitted his will to others. In fact, his entire circle of friends has resigned itself to follow the same road as its parents, a group made up of bankers, lawyers and other high end professionals.
The boys are well on their way to fulfilling these parentally driven dreams of Ivy League educations and upper-middle class lifestyles when the arrival of an eccentric teacher totally upends their plans. Professor Keating, played to perfection by the late Robin Williams, makes no pretense of using the same old methods employed by previous generations of school masters. To him, teaching is not an exercise in building content knowledge for it to be later regurgitated on a test. His mission consists of something more daring and life-affirming. His job is to encourage students to actually think for themselves.
Keating's philosophy is very straightforward. His poetry class should not be used as a simple stepping stone to gain acceptance at an Ivy League school. Instead, he wants his students to use poetry as a window through which they can look to appreciate both the beauty of life as well as the inevitability of death.
By making his student's cognizant of life's fleeting nature, he's hoping this realization will awaken them from their reverie and force them to reexamine their lives so each can find out who he truly is. Keating's approach is not only at odds with the philosophy of the prestigious boarding school which employs him, but it runs completely counter to the fundamental principles upon which our educational system is built.
Keating sees how the rigidity and controlling nature of our schools hinder the self-discovery process which is critical for defining your life's purpose. And that brings us back to Neil.
Whether the film intended to or not, Neil's journey of self-discovery readily exposes the shortcomings and cracks within our system which fail so many of our children. As I alluded to earlier, Neil is a born leader who eagerly accepts his teacher's challenge to use poetry as a way to explore a whole new world that could help to open-up new doors.
On his own initiative, he revives Keating's Dead Poet's Society, a secret club for Poetry aficionados that Keating founded when he was a student at the school, and it is through these ritualistic poetry readings that these hitherto well-schooled students begin to see life in a different light. What Neil and his brood are quick to discover via these nightly escapades is that there is more than one way to grow up, one that is more aligned with their true selves.
This journey of self-discovery culminates with Neil's decision to pursue his true passion: acting. This decision was much to the chagrin of his stern father, who initially relents but who later forces Neil to give up on his dream so he can resume the meaningless life that his family had mapped-out for him.
The thought of being an actor in someone else's script was too much for him to bear, and he predictably acted out his pain by committing suicide. There's a sad irony to Neil's fate. He was an aspiring actor who in reality was a tragic character trapped in a story authored by someone else's pen.
Roger Ebert's criticism of the director's use of this plot device rings hollow to me considering how prevalent teen suicide is in today's world, especially among the middle-classes. Suicidal ideation can have many triggers but a common thread among the suicidal is this sense of being cut off from themselves.
Few children have the coping skills to deal with life's problems effectively, which is why Neil's decision to use suicide as a way to escape his situation resonates with so many who have faced similar challenges. Whether it likes to admit it or not, Dead Poet's Society is an indictment of the erroneous approach we take in raising our children. It teaches us some very important lessons.
Cynics correctly point out that not all people are cut out to become famous artists but that totally misses the point of the movie. The crux of the film's message is that the greatest gift you can give anyone is the freedom to be himself. Our children are our greatest gift. Don't you think they deserve it?
Encanto (2021)
A Pale Imitation of Better Films
Encanto is a disappointing effort by the same studio that brought us the much superior film 'Coco'. It's an ironic
film title to say the least because 'encanto', which means 'charm' or 'charming' in Spanish, has to rank as one the least charming family movies I've seen in a long time.
Encanto has many problems, but its main one reminds me of something I read by a rock critic as I was leafing through Rolling Stone Magazine many years ago. In essence, he gave a bad review to an album on account of its being 'overproduced' and that is the perfect way to characterize 'Encanto. It is an 'overproduced' mess!
What made a movie like 'Coco' so endearing was that it combined stunning visuals with a good story and engaging characters, and while 'Encanto' scores high in the visuals department, its characters are lifeless and its basic storyline lacks any genuine emotional substance. It saturates the audience with a heavy dose of excruciatingly long musical sequences, which I believe is a very desperate attempt by the filmmakers to cover-up a very thin screenplay, and to be brutally honest, none of the music on this soundtrack is either 'catchy' or particularly memorable.
In contrast, 'Coco's' use of musical numbers was not only more restrained but more complementary to the story's key moments, adding an emotional lift to each scene, which made you feel much closer to the characters. Encanto never even comes close to achieving this same level of intimacy with its cast. Mirabel-the main character-never involves you in her journey the way that 'Miguel' does in 'Coco'. The characters in Encanto are so poorly fleshed out and so lacking in sympathetic qualities that you simply tune them out! It's like the filmmakers thought that attractive visuals and non-stop music would be more than enough to win over the audience, but all the special effects in the world can never save an 'underwritten' story.
The movie uses Columbia as its cultural framework, and it's a shame 'Encanto' underwhelms because it could have been a good opportunity for people to learn something meaningful about the country's customs and general way of life. It tries to use Nobel Laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez's literary technique of 'magical realism' to spark your sense of wonder and fantasy, and while technical artistry can be appealing at first, it is not enough in itself to sustain a film from beginning to end. Coco does a better job of helping the audience fully absorb the cultural significance of Mexican traditions such as the 'Day of the Dead'/DIa de los Muertos because it makes you care about it's characters. You not only walk away from the movie feeling entertained but you also leave the theater feeling enriched for having learned something new.
In conclusion, films like 'Encanto' and 'Coco' have shown us that film technology in the area of animation has come a very long way since the early days of Mickey Mouse, but 'cutting edge' technology alone can never serve as a substitute for a heartfelt story. The creators of Encanto failed to fulfill what the creators of 'Coco' provided us in droves: A story with some heart.
Turning Red (2022)
Good Family Movie
I saw Turning Red with my six year old daughter and really enjoyed it. It's not a flashy movie by any means but it has some good family-themed messages that really resonated with me, The film's premise is very simple. There is a long held family secret about the spirit of a red panda that suddenly comes to dominate the life of a 13 year old Canadian-Chinese girl named Meilin. However, the movie is more than just about how a mystical panda turns everyone's life upside down.
What intrigues me most about this film is the dynamic between Meilin and her mother and the cultural backdrop in which their relationship plays out. Meilin is a typical 13 year old going through the growing pains of early adolescence. It's an awkward age for anyone, but it's particularly difficult for a young girl like Meilin who is trying to forge an identity which conflicts with the values of the traditional Chinese culture in which she is reared.
I vividly recall students like Meilin from my own school experiences. They always topped the class rankings and virtually all of them were admitted into the prestigious college of their choice. Nothing less than perfection was expected of them from their ambitious families and any deviation from their life's plan was considered sacrilegious and dishonorable. It's interesting how many of these former classmates with whom I've run into later in life have come to regret not having made more time in adolescence for personal exploration and fun, and it's precisely Meilin's inner-conflict between following her heart and living up to her family''s expectations which lies at the heart of her personal dilemma.
I don't think I'm providing any spoilers by referencing the movie's main plot line involving Meilin's ability to transform from human to red panda, as this plot point is readily given away in all the film's trailers and previews. In my view, this plot point is more than just a device to keep the story going. I think the director uses the 'red panda' as a metaphor to represent all the incomplete parts of ourselves-both good and bad-that swirl beneath our surface and that are always fighting to get out.
This film not only teaches children about the travails of early adolescence, but it also illustrates the suddenness of how life can force us to make important choices at a moment's notice. Meilin, with the support of those who care about her, ultimately makes those choices and becomes a more whole person because of it. She learns that good and bad reside within each of us and that the best navigational instrument to sail through these choppy waters is to stay true to yourself.
Turning Red is a nice coming of age movie filled with important life lessons that the entire family can enjoy. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Mr. Scorsese's Opus
There's not much I can add in praise of this 70's classic than what other critics more eloquent than I have already stated. The best I can do is give my very unique perspective, and I say unique because my personal experiences have allowed me to gain a much deeper appreciation of the film than most.
I remember taking my first trip to New York City in 1979 which wasn't far removed from the movie's original release. I was 9 years old and felt like I had just entered the mouth of the beast. Imagine coming from a lily-white suburb in Middle America straight into the clutches of the urban monster known as New York City.
I'll never forget my first journey through Times Square. The pulsating lights. The lurid glow of adult bookstores beckoning you to take a peek. Hustlers lying in wait for their next victims. The depravity was palpable. I saw more darkness in one day than I had seen in my previous 9 years put together. When I saw Taxi Driver for the first time a few short years later, I felt like I had gotten on board a time machine that took me straight back to the first dose of reality I had ever experienced.
Taxi Driver is the ultimate character study. If Martin Scorsese had not brought us Travis Bickle, someone would have needed to invent him to remind us how skillfully we create the monsters we sanctimoniously to condemn. Travis Bickle was a freshly minted Vietnam Vet who was forced to internalize a very primitive value system. Not only was he taught that killing is a legitimate way to resolve conflicts but that it becomes a moral imperative when you're on a crusade for good.
Battle induced psychosis can certainly distort a man's reality while simultaneously blurring his sense of right and wrong and while Vietnam taught Travis to hate an armed enemy, he learned that in NYC the most dangerous enemies come at you with handshakes and smiles. Robert De Niro managed to pull off something pretty remarkable in his performance. He made us see the humanity behind the main character's acts of gratuitous violence.
Whether it was 'offing' a budding presidential candidate or saving a young girl from a life of despair, Travis Bickle took it as his moral duty to use the instrument of violence to make the world a better place. You can see the purity and innocence behind his motives and the fact that De Niro was able to ennoble violence so convincingly makes his performance one for the ages.
While Travis Bickle clearly suffers from serious mental problems, he astutely sees the hypocrisy of those who put on airs of respectability but who hold people like him in the deepest of contempt. It takes an act of vigilantism to get the world to notice him, and he skillfully learns to play by society's rules. His violent rampage exposes the world's neglect of the very people it systematically keeps invisible and who only serve as electioneering props for the rich and powerful. The fact that De Niro's Bickle is the only character who walks away with his soul intact is an important lesson of how redemption can sometimes come from the most unexpected places.
Many criticize De Niro for the blatant commercialism that characterizes his later and present acting career but at the very least, he gave us this masterful performance. Raw, honest films like TD are no longer made in today's corporate climate, which is why keeping it among your personal collection is an absolute must. It's filmmaking at its finest by a director and actor at the very top of their game!
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977)
A fun piece of nostalgia/Light Spoilers
I remember watching the original film starring Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal at my neighborhood movie theater back in 1976. It was a fun roller coaster ride, and it definitely goes down as one of my favorite films growing up.
Matthau and O'Neal passed on this sequel and in a way,
it turned out to be a blessing because this sequel opened
the door for Jackie Earl Haley to show us his acting ability. While the sequel lacks the depth and compelling dramatic narrative of the original, it's still fun to watch
While on the surface the film may seem like a story about the Bear's continuing adventures on the baseball diamond, the most compelling facet of the movie involves the subplot centering on Kelly Leak's reunion with his Dad--played by Wiiliam Devane. Both Devane and Haley really shine in their roles and provide some much needed substance to the light-hearted antics which prevail throughout most of the film.
I've always liked William Devane's work, and his long and varied filmography as a character actor is a testament to his quality. While his performance is more restrained than Walter Matthaus's was in the original, it is still more than worthy as he ably plays a man trying to come to terms with past mistakes. However, it is Jackie Earle Haley's poignant performance which is the movie's biggest revelation. His transformation from budding juvenile delinquent to a three-dimensional character yearning to reconnect with his long lost father is the movie's greatest accomplishment. It gives the movie a moral weight which keeps it from degenerating into a 'campy' farce. As you watch his performance unfold, you'll definitely catch a glimpse of the talent that ultimately earned Haley an Oscar nomination many years later for a different film.
The movie has a special meaning for me as it was set in my hometown of Houston, Tx. Watching the movie now stirs-up a wave of childhood memories. It serves as a visual time capsule of what the city was like in the mid-seventies. Newer generations may find it quaint and a little humorous over how awe-stricken the characters were at the mere thought of playing in the Astrodome. Even for those of us who lived through that period in history, it's hard to wrap your head around the fact of how the Astrodome used to be the only 'domed' stadium in existence, but in 1976(when the movie was actually filmed), it was still universally acknowledged as being the '8th Wonder of the World'. How time flies!
The film's plot borrows heavily from it's successful predecessor with a mostly familiar cast of actors ably reprising their roles, and to be honest, the movie offers very little in the way of surprises and was obviously made on the heels of the original to capitalize on its commercial success. The ending was certainly predictable, but I still highly recommend this film for those who enjoyed the original because there are still enough laughs and good performances to carry you all the way through the end.