#123- Dead Man

A big thank you to S for recommending this movie. My favorite part was that it was an ‘art house’ film that didn’t make me want to drink heavily.

Quick recap: Johnny Depp plays William Blake (not the poet), an accountant on the run from the law. After murdering a guy, Blake is shot. Thus begins his journey as a dead man (wanted for murder) and a dead man (because he got shot).

Johnny Depp pre judging himself on later film roles

Fun (?) fact: Many of the lines spoken by Nobody are taken from the real William Blake’s poetry.

My thoughts: My thoughts on Johnny Depp the actor are as follows: I have none. I’m aware of his career and I’ve seen many of his films but I wouldn’t call him a favorite by any means. Or even an actor that I hate (yeah, Bill Paxton, you’re still number one for that). I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal that he has done so many films with Tim Burton because he is well suited for those roles. It is nice, however, to watch a movie like Dead Man and be reminded how talented Depp really is.

Of the many aspects of the film, it was the scenery I was drawn to most. I read trivia that cinematographer Robert Müller ‘s idea to shoot in black and white was based off of Ansel Adam’s photographs. For a fantasy film, the setting was entirely realistic and I imagine that’s exactly how it would’ve looked and felt back in the 19th century. With the school year starting, my wanderlust has picked back up and I now find myself fantasizing a trip up north to make my own trek through the woods that Blake and Nobody rode through.

What interested me most about Dead Man is that although there are plot elements, the emphasis is really on the journey. There aren’t any monologues concerning Blake’s thoughts on his impending death or what he will leave behind. He is just along for the ride and for whatever happens. The scene where Nobody brings him to his tribe is a great example of this, as Blake just lays there and watches what is being done around him. He doesn’t fight death or argue about it. It just is.

Final review: 5/5. I’m shocked at this rating because immediately after watching it, I had planned on giving it just a 3. Considering I’m still talking about it to people and thinking about the meaning behind some parts, I felt it best to bump it up to a more deserving score.

Up next: The Thin Blue Line

#118- Muriel’s Wedding

Quick recap: In this ‘comedy’ (more on that in a bit), Toni Collette plays Muriel, an overweight, socially awkward woman who still lives with her parents and does nothing for a living. She’s obsessed with weddings and also ABBA because why not?

Fun (?) fact: There’s a line in the film when Muriel is shopping for a wedding dress and the attendant asks when she is getting married. Muriel replies, ‘September’ and the attendant says, ‘spring!’. I’ve always known that Australia has opposite seasons than the US but still, that line made me think about all the many things that are weird about Australia. Australia is weird, you guys.

weird.

My thoughts: If I were ever kidnapped and tied up, I can think of no worse torture than forcing me to watch movie after movie with the ‘romantic comedy’ label. Thankfully, Moonstruck is the only movie I’ve had to watch with that label on this list so far, and it wasn’t that bad once I realized I would have Nicholas Cage for entertainment. After sitting through so many war movies recently, Muriel’s Wedding seemed like an appropriate change for a bit. And it was Australian, so that seemed a little classier than most romantic comedies. I thought it might be a nice change of pace to see my thought process as I watched the movie instead of just commenting on what I observed:

Title sequence: My prediction is that this is going to be a movie about an unattractive girl who has a make over and then falls in love and marries.

1:42: These beautiful women are all berating Muriel for catching the bouquet. I guess the director didn’t want to beat around the bush to let us know Muriel isn’t well liked. *pops open a beer*

4:49: Muriel is arrested and led out of the wedding party for stealing a dress. I mean, I know it’s wrong but she looks so sad and embarrassed.

9:58: Muriel’s family is at a restaurant,listening to their father mock them and call them all useless. I’m beginning to see that this isn’t a typical ‘ugly duckling’ story but instead one about a girl with serious problems.

13:32: Oh, good! Muriel has friends! These are the same girls who made fun of her at the wedding, but that’s what friends do sometimes. All in good fun!

16:41: Nope! They are kicking her out of the group for being weird, fat and ugly. And now Muriel is crying. Oh my god, this is awful. *finishes first beer, throws the can in a corner and cracks open a second. Starts chugging immediately.*

Muriel is showing exactly how I feel right now

20:57: Oh, Muriel. I know it was harsh to be kicked out of a group but then to show up on their vacation is just asking for trouble.

21:15- They throw a drink in Muriel’s face. Why are you doing this to me, Muriel??? Stop it! *on 3rd beer now. This one won’t last long*

25:00– Muriel has found a friend! Oh, thank god. And this friend also likes ABBA and hates the girls. Things are looking up.

35:48: Muriel’s dad found out that she stole his money to fund the trip and she has now run away to Sydney. And she looks good! I’m ready for the comedy part.

42:04- Muriel brings a date back to the apartment she shares with Rhonda but freaks out when the boy starts taking her clothes off. I’m still going to count this as a success for Muriel.

46:29– After drunkenly falling down, Rhonda (Muriel’s only friend) is diagnosed with cancer. *Quickly finishes 3rd beer and grabs the vodka bottle*

54:20- Rhonda finds out Muriel has been trying on wedding dresses for fun because in her mind, she will have truly changed if she can find someone who loves her. Don’t do this to me , Muriel!

59:50- Rhonda’s cancer is back and she will never walk again!

1:01:53– In an effort to stay in Sydney, Muriel has answered an ad to marry a guy so that he can get on the Australian swim team. Dude is visibly grossed out by her.

1:08:27- They get married, but dude is still visibly grossed out. Muriel’s dad has divorced her mom. Mom shows up to wedding carrying a gift but isn’t noticed because of course not. She looks more sad than Muriel ever has.

1:19:23- Muriel’s mom tries on a pair of shoes because her current ones hurt her feet so much. She forgets to pay for them and is arrested.

1:21:17– Muriel’s dad yells at her mom and makes her feel awful.

1:22: 54- Muriel’s mom kills herself! *throws empty vodka bottle into corner with other beer cans*

End of movie: Muriel realizes she needs to start being honest with herself and breaks off the Not Marriage to the swimmer, but after having sex with him. Good job, Muriel.

Final review: 4/5. This was in no way a comedy. Most depressing movie ever? Maybe. Worth watching just for Toni Collette but don’t make me sit through it again without expecting some sort of alcohol poisoning.

Up next: Out of Africa

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#114- Wild Reeds

Quick recap: A coming of age story set in France during the Algerian war (another war movie because of course), four teenagers in boarding school explore their sexuality and also explore who they are becoming.

also lots of nudity. Did I mention it was a French film?

Fun (?) fact: The Algerian War was seen as taboo by the French for many years. Although the war ended in 1962, it wasn’t until 1999 that French officials decided to start referring to it as the Algerian War instead of The Thing That Happened That One Time.

My thoughts: I’m starting to understand that the term ‘coming of age’ in American culture is much different than that in French culture. In America, a coming of age film might involve an awkward teenage girl or boy with a crush and usually some harsh reality like death. In France, coming of age could mean anything from exploring homosexual feelings to incest. I’m grateful that compared to what I learned in Murmur of the Heart, Wild Reeds is more of a film that I can identify with.

Usually in an American teenage film, there are the stereotypical roles like Jock, Cheerleader, Misunderstood Artsy Student, Nerd and so on. In Wild Reeds we have the Communist Feminist, the Homosexual, the Algerian Nationalist and the Brooding Son of a Farmer. So, it’s sort of the same thing I suppose. As pretentious as the roles sound, it worked well for the movie. They all had a lot to deal with, and yet that didn’t stop them from the usual teenage desires. I admit to knowing nothing about the Algerian War before watching this movie, otherwise I might have understood the tension and later attraction between Maïté and Henri a little better. It didn’t take away from the heart though.

My favorite character (although all of them interested me) was François. He dated Maïté in the beginning of the film but then started to have feelings towards his friend Serge. His coming to terms with being gay is a great example of character development and his crush on Serge felt incredibly realistic. François was sincere throughout the film and knew what he wanted but as a teenager, didn’t know how to attain it.

Those French sure know how to brood

Final review: 4/5. Although the movie was French and dealt with a war I knew nothing about, I was still able to identify with the characters and enjoy myself.

Up next: All Quiet on the Western Front

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#100- Shawshank Redemption

Special thanks to Mike for requesting this movie! I especially appreciate that it wasn’t a French film.

Quick recap: Andy Dufresne, former banker, is now a prisoner serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife and lover. Although he has been wrongly convicted, all is not lost as Dufresne now has plenty of time to devote to his hobby of rock carving.

Fun (?) fact: Normally I don’t find trivia about actors who were considered for a role to be very interesting. However, I could practically hear the Sad Trombone of Regret when reading that Kevin Costner turned down the role of Dufresne to star in ‘Waterworld’.

Yeah.

My thoughts: I chose Shawshank Redemption as my hundredth movie because I feel it to be one of my biggest pop culture holes. Considering it is currently ranked as the #1 movie to see according to IMDb, I decided to go ahead and watch it. One thing you should know about me is that the more something is recommended to me, especially with a plea like, ‘you will love it!’, I most likely will not. I prefer to find things I love on my own and there’s just something about loving something that everyone else does that makes it less special. Totally doesn’t make me a hipster, though. (Side note: The Lumineers and Mumford and Sons are dead to me.)

I hate this meme too

All that to say that as much as I tried to find fault in this movie, I couldn’t find one. And I tried really, really hard. I had a whole set up written about how schmaltzy and too convenient the ending is, but after thinking about it, I don’t know if I would’ve enjoyed something darker. It did bother me how quickly the entire prison warmed up to Andy but then again, this is Stephen King we are talking about. That’s kind of his thing: good vs. evil in the most simplest of terms. Andy is Good, supernaturally Good. His one character flaw of helping the Warden funnel money into secret accounts is actually another example of Goodness. And the Warden is evil and so must be destroyed by the power of Good. So in terms of how a King story is supposed to turn out, this one is spot on.

The acting is flawless, the scenery beautiful and tragic, and the plot runs at a perfect pace. As for what I took from the film- not much. The theme that hope keeps us alive in the most dire of circumstances is not a new one and Shawshank Redemption, although flawless in many ways, doesn’t completely sell the idea to me. Andy had hope for getting out but he was also really smart and in the end, saved himself. It wasn’t hope so much as a detailed plan. And as for his friend Red, he had hope that eventually got him out of prison but what really saved him in the end was a good friend.

I was sucked into Shawshank Redemption from the very beginning. I’m definitely glad I chose it for #100 because it was a great reminder why I’m doing this project in the first place.

Final Review: 5/5.

Up next: A very special announcement and a recap of what I’ve watched so far

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1001 Movie Nights

Tag Archives: 1990’s

#123- Dead Man

#118- Muriel’s Wedding

#114- Wild Reeds

#100- Shawshank Redemption

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