October 5, 2009
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Movies: Again with the movies?
Listen, there are two ways I look at movies: Great movies, and entertaining movies. Every now and again there’s a special “sweet spot” that nails both categories, but before we get to that, let’s see what I mean.
Great movies are the ones with the deep plot, great cast, phenomenal cinematography. They’re not always big-budget, either, but they can be. They arrive, change the way we see movies, give us a dozen years of people trying to emulate them… or they become cult classics, and 12 years later someone tries to “make the next X” movie. Blade Runner and The Right Stuff are the top picks in this catagory for me, when it comes to big budget, Citizen X and The Killing Fields are the smaller budget verson.
Entertaining movies don’t have to have all that, though Right Stuff for me, proves they can. They’re popcorn and soda films, a way to lose three hours with friends and family. They can be comedys, blockbusters, or indie films. I’ll admit, I loved all those 80-90s “teen” films from Gleaming the Cube to Pump Up The Volume, to Airborne. I also love some of the classics. Despite the negative connotations that go with the film for me personally, I cannot put aside The Great Race (like I have with both Groundhog Day and In The Line of Fire, both which I believe are pretty crappy movies 15 years on). The Quiet Man, likewise has a regular place in the rotation. Blockbusters such as Independence Day (god, this is campy), Running Man (Richard Dawson, woo!) and the Fast and the Furious films (1-3… I’m not sure 4 should count) let me zone out.
But you know what’s funny? The sweet spot is occupied by a pair of animated directors. Brad Bird and Don Bluth have found success in making deep meaningful and terribly enteraining movies. The Secret of Nimh is, to this day, one of the most magical and amazing movies ever brought to life. My sister has totally hooked her kids on her favorite animated film, the Land Before Time. And Bird’s now brought us Pixar’s Incredibles, but made a more lasting effect with me with his Iron Giant.
I’m not sure what it is about non-Disney animation… let me take that back, because I enjoyed Robin Hood and Fox and The Hound… but recently they’ve been not-up-to-snuff, eh? But there are certain animated movies I can appreciate on many levels, from story to art to voice acting… I can laugh at Dom Deluse’s Jermey as he’s tied up by the Brisby kids, I can’t help but be moved to tears when Charlotte sings “Mother Earth and Father Time”, I can’t help but be stunned by the visuals of the Iron Giant, and I could spend hours talking about Michael Ansara’s performance as Mr. Freeze.
I just wish there was more good ones, ’cause I got most of them already.
