Tag Archives: drama

#160- Sullivan’s Travels

Quick recap: John Sullivan is a popular director of comedy films who wants to make a socially conscious film. Upon realizing that he is a rich white guy, Sullivan sets out to ‘find trouble’ in order to better understand the plight of the poor.

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Fun fact: The Coen brothers chose the name to their film O Brother, Where Art Thou? as an homage to director Preston Sturges. The title comes from the book Sullivan writes about his experience.

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My thoughts: Paul Blart Mall Cop is one of the greatest movies ever made and you should feel like a jerk if you didn’t love it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Schindler’s List is worthless and you are a pretentious jerk for appreciating it because that is not what society needs. Stop being a jerk! This is basically what I learned from watching Sullivan’s Travels, although the point was a little more subtle than what I said. I’m sorry I called you a jerk, by the way. I didn’t mean it.

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                                 Comedy. Gold.

Sullivan’s Travels is a comedy about how important comedies are. In 1941, America was still going through the Depression and things sucked, for the most part. It was no secret that people were suffering, especially the people living it. The last thing they wanted was a ‘socially conscious’ film about their plight because, really, what would that do? This is what Sullivan learns in his travels, as he becomes a homeless man and then later comes into some real trouble when he is sent to a labor camp for almost killing a railroad conductor. It’s quite a complex plot which I don’t have the energy to hash out right now but I will say that its complicated nature pleasantly surprised me when I watched it.

So, is Sullivan’s Travels a ‘good’ movie? I guess that’s not really my place to make a judgement. I didn’t love it or really even like it because physical comedy doesn’t do much for me, but that’s not to say that it wasn’t worthwhile to someone at some point. The plot, as I stated before, was much more complex than I expected and I never got bored. The most profound part of the movie was when Sullivan completed his first attempt to live like someone in poverty and decided to give money away to show his appreciation. Spoiler alert- it didn’t work out too well for him. It wasn’t until he actually became someone without anything that he understood that money doesn’t solve everything, and that what people really need is a temporary vacation from their troubles.

Final review: 4/5. I wanted to give this a lower rating because the physical comedy didn’t do much for me but considering the amount of time I have spent trying to sort my thoughts, I guess it deserves my respect.

Up next: Top Gun

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#158- Gomorrah

Quick recap: Gomorrah is a (faintly veiled) fictional look at what crime is really like in Italy. 

I can't say this is what I pictured

           I can’t say this is what I pictured

Fun (?) fact: ‘Gomorrah’ is a pun on the name of the Mafia type featured in the movie, the Camorra. Also, the writer whose work this movie is based on, is on permanent police protection because for whatever reason, the Mafia doesn’t really like people outing them and their illegal activities. Go figure.

not Camorra

not Camorra, although the stabby part is most likely true

My thoughts:  I, like most people, was brought up on the ‘Disney’ version of fairy tales where everyone lived happily ever after, like Snow White marrying her prince. Come to find out, most of those stories also contain some sort of fantastical violence like the Queen from Snow White being made to wear burning hot shoes as punishment and dancing until she dropped dead. So, a bit different from the cartoon version and kind of a shock upon learning the truth. This is how I felt after watching Gomorrah last night. I feel like I have been given a glossy version of mob life when the reality is much darker and bloodier.

In case there is someone reading this who is like me and only thought of The Sopranos when the word ‘Mafia’ is mentioned, there is more than one kind. The Mafia most people think of is the Sicilian Mafia, the dudes who have an order and wear nice clothes and perform hits on people. The Mafia this film shows is the Camorra, which is the hot mess of organized crime. The structure of the Camorra is built horizontally, which often leads to war between clans and lots of dead bodies in the street. On the upside (if there is such a thing), when bosses get arrested it doesn’t effect the group like it would in the Sicilian Mafia.

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So, as you can probably piece together, this movie was super violent. It didn’t bother me all that much until the end when I had gotten invested in the characters. There isn’t a main character in Gomorrah, but instead several characters that work within the mob. One of them is a young delivery boy who gets initiated into a gang while another is a tailor who is secret paid by the Chinese to teach them how to sew. I liked that the director didn’t go out of his way to make the characters interact with each other because many times I felt like I was watching a documentary rather than a fictional movie. I think this is also what increased my dread toward the end because I saw the characters as real people. When the deaths did occur it all seemed very realistic, as if I was watching a murder taking place on screen.

This movie certainly isn’t for everyone, but it opened my eyes to a part of the world I had not known up until this point. When I think of Italy, I think of beautiful ancient structures, amazing food and of course, the Mafia. What I have never thought about is the real people who live there, people who live in poor neighborhoods and who must join a gang in order to survive. This is the Italy the tourist books don’t want you to see. Then again, America has its own ‘dirty little secrets’ we sweep under the rug and hide away so that tourism will continue.

Final review: 5/5 although I don’t know if I could sit through it again.

Up next: hopefully Terminator 2

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#156- Sex, Lies, and Videotape

Quick recap:  Sex. Lies. Videotape. Andie MacDowell’s sickingly sweet southern accent.

That’s pretty much it.

oh, and James Spader's flowing locks. Can't forget those.

oh, and James Spader’s flowing locks. Can’t forget those.

Fun (?) fact: Andie MacDowell wasn’t even considered for awhile because her last movie was called Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.

Actually, I'd totally watch this. That ape looks like he is throwing down some mad wisdom.

Actually, I’d totally watch this. That ape looks like he is throwing down some mad wisdom.

My thoughts: Andie MacDowell has been in 3 movies on my list so far: Groundhog Day (I liked her alright), The Player (Meh.), and Four Weddings and a Funeral (NOPE.). Let’s see where she lands after this review!

First of all, the SEX. John is sleeping with Ann’s sister, Cynthia, and although I never saw the actual sex, I got to see them panting and sweating afterwards. So I assume it was good? Could also be because they live in Louisiana and if you’ve ever been there, you know that you sweat from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. And then continue to sweat in your sleep. But anyways, the sex. Graham (played by James Spader) is not having any sex because he is impotent (caused by lies. More on that later.) so instead he just films girls talking about sex and then gets off. There were a few scenes where he is laying around naked and the way he looked made me wander if he maybe killed all these girls because that would be a great premise. I’ll end with a picture of a naked Peter Gallagher, covered by a potted plant. Do girls go for that?

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Now for the LIES. John is lying to his wife Ann and so is her sister and Graham kind of does too. It’s not really hard to see why Ann is in therapy because she is surrounded by horrible people. Well, I suppose Graham isn’t too bad because he used to be a pathological liar, but that made him impotent (is that a thing? I think he maybe should’ve gone to a doctor instead of diagnosing himself). I can’t think of any lies Ann told but she is so bland I’m not really sure what she would make up, except maybe saying she vacuumed a room when she didn’t. Moving on.

Finally, the VIDEOTAPE. So, this movie is one of those that wouldn’t exist if the internet had been around. Basically, Graham has a ‘fetish’ for videotaping women talking about sex. Yeah. Buddy, I don’t think you know what ‘fetish’ means. Throw in an octopus and clown shoes and now we’ve got something, but talking about sex? That’s just normal. In the end, he and Ann get together which is perfect because they are the most bland people on earth. What’s that you say? ‘but Graham wears black! He’s brooding! He’s complicated!’. No he’s not. He’s a guy who has trouble with intimacy so he watches bland porn. That’s it.

Final review: 2/5. I would’ve given it a 3 but I took off a point because Graham never had lemons for his iced tea. Savage.

I'm judging too, Andie MacDowell.

I’m judging too, Andie MacDowell.

Up next: Swing Time

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#153- Straw Dogs

Quick recap: An American and his English wife move back to her childhood town where everyone is out to get them. It’s seriously messed up.

Thankfully, the movie and song aren't related. *shout out to the two of you who get this!*

What does it take to be a super hero in my world?/make no mistake that these villains always get the girl/we can escape and then we’d skate away from all of this/ but no one ever does

Fun(?) fact: Dustin Hoffman says he only took the role for the money. Not being a fan of violence (most people aren’t, buddy), in the scene where Hoffman beats a guy to death on the floor, he instead used coconuts to hit. You can see bits of it flying around in the movie during that scene.

at times, Hoffman reminded me of a much darker Ted Mosby. Now THAT would've been a more controversial ending to HIMYM

at times, Hoffman reminded me of a much darker Ted Mosby. Now THAT would’ve been a more controversial ending to HIMYM

My thoughts: Oh, boy. At first glance, this is just a very violent movie. When I finished it the other night, I was ready to give it a 1/5 because it made me so uncomfortable. The more I thought about it, though, the more Straw Dogs began to remind me of A Clockwork Orange, another seemingly senseless violent movie that actually has a deeper meaning.

So, first of all, I suppose I should start with the concept of a ‘straw dog’. Straw dogs were ceremonial objects in Ancient China, but the reference in this film comes from an old text that says, ‘Heaven and Earth are heartless / treating creatures like straw dogs’. So I guess that would make the characters David and Amy the straw dogs? Honestly, the whole thing is beyond my ability of thinking. What I got from the movie is that violence is not always personal, it just happens and as David showed in the end, violence is in all of us. What a fun lesson!

The beginning of Straw Dogs confused me because the editing was so weird. It would jump to David and Amy about to have sex and then in the very next scene, she is crying in his office after he has said something to hurt her feelings. It made everything seem so turned around and off-putting, which is exactly what director Sam Peckinpah wanted the viewer to feel. And as for that rape scene most people know this movie by, I think it’s vitally important to discuss, since it has become a controversial issue lately. Rape has always seemed black and white to me but then in watching Straw Dogs, I get the grey line- what if a woman consents at first, sends mixed signals, or appears to enjoy herself? It’s still rape and there is still a crime being committed, yet some people feel that it legitimizes it in some way, as if there is only one kind of rape to be had.

Final review: 4/5, but grudgingly. Also, there’s a dead cat so I’m not giving it a full 5.

Up next: The House is Black

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