Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Footloose

    So, I just found out that they are remaking this movie.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I have heard all of the rumors and followed the stories.  Somehow I just figured it wouldn’t ever happen.  Well, it is going to happen and yes I will watch it.  But before I see the remake and tarnish my image of the old one I wanted to write about the original.      Confession, I am a child of the 80’s and I love 80’s movies. I am a huge Kevin Bacon (Sleepers, Apollo 13, Mystic River) fan as well.  As a matter of fact I have all of the Bacon Brothers CD’s.  Having said that, I love Footloose (1984) I own the DVD and have the whole movie memorized.  My favorite scene is of course when Ren is dancing alone in the warehouse.  There are also some really good quotable lines in this movie.  John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun, Cliffhanger, Harry and the Hendersons) is amazing as Reverend Shaw and Dianne Wiest (I am Sam, Edward Scissorhands, The Lost Boys) plays his wife.  The way they grow as a couple, and as individuals, is so well done. And I can’t forget about Sarah Jessica Parker (The family Stone, Sex and the City, Ed Wood) She plays Rusty and this was her first movie and one of her first roles. She is Rusty! Footloose was directed by Herbert Ross (Steel Magnolias, Secret of my Success, Undercover Blues) I am a fan of his as well.  I like his movies and his directing style.  Footloose was probably one of the first movies that I started noticing camera angles, wide shots, close ups, all of those kind of things.
       Being a child of the 80’s of course means I enjoy those coming of age teenage dramas. I like seeing the new kid trying to fit in, his struggle with a town that is so scared of losing their kids that they go overboard to protect them.  It is a tough thing as parents to know where to draw the line.  They are just trying to do the right thing.  As Ren says, “there was once a time for this law, but not anymore.” Sometimes it takes an outsider to see the big picture and maybe it is time for a change.  Footloose is a movie that makes me think.  Does music have an influence on how we behave?  Of course it does.  How can it not? Can dancing be inappropriate?  I have heard many stories of high schools today not having prom because of inappropriate or suggestive dancing.  Does that mean they shouldn’t be allowed to dance at all? 
       My first thought was they can not remake a classic like Footloose. No one can ever replace Ren.  But, I guess it does still transfer to todays teens and I know how my kids feel about 80’s movies.  They usually roll their eyes when I put one in.  It would be nice for a new generation to see the story and it will be interesting to see what they do with it.  In my opinion it doesn’t really need updated.  It can apply to any generation.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

     
     This movie has forever changed my view of mermaids.  Well, now that I think about it, they were pretty different in the Peter and the Starcatchers books as well as in the Harry Potter books and movies.  Not that that is a bad thing. Just different.  I really liked the mermaids in Pirates, even though they were very scary.  They were very cool.
      The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been a very fun one.  As it usually goes I liked the first one best.  It is just awesome.  I know there is a lot of controversy about whether or not the other two were good.  I enjoyed them all.  They are just fun, I loved Will and Elizabeth and that whole story line.  I do enjoy most of Orlando Blooms performances.  He is fun to watch.  I am not a huge Keira Knightley fan but liked her in the first two Pirate movies and she was fine in the third, didn’t really bother me. 
      This newest installment of Pirates is all about Jack Sparrow.  In case you didn’t know Jack Sparrow is played by, and was created by Johnny Depp (Secret Window, Benny and Joon, Sweeny Todd)  Huge fan of Johnny Depp right here. Lets be honest he has been the best thing about the whole Pirates franchise. Watching him play Jack Sparrow you can’t help but smile, and maybe chuckle a bit.  This may have been his best Jack.  I am a little biased so it’s hard to say, but he was great.  Penelope Cruz (Blow, Vanilla Sky, Nine) played opposite Johnny Depp. They had great chemistry but this is acctually the second time they have worked together.  She played Johnny Depp’s wife in the movie Blow (2001). So, of course she did great as the love interest. What can I say you kind of know what you are going to get with Cruz and she delivers. Feisty and gorgeous. Geoffrey Rush (Shine, the King’s Speech) returns as Barbossa and Ian McShane (Kung Fu Panda, Love Joy) joins the cast as Blackbeard, that was a fun twist.
      All in all this was a fun movie with some very cool mermaids and Jack Sparrow antics. (However, I am a little bias when it comes to Johnny Depp.) 

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

I Am Number Four

     Sometimes when watching one movie it will lead me to various other thoughts. So I am not as interested in that movie as I am the other things that movie has made me think of.  What can I say, I am easily distracted.  This is what happened while watching I Am Number Four (2011) It is a very entertaining movie and I enjoyed it but I had this feeling I was missing something.  So, I watched it a second time in an attempt to fill in the gaps in my mind.  That didn't work.  So, now I am going to buy the book and read it.
     The book is generally better then the movie and sometimes they can even complement each other.  I really like that when they go hand in hand and you can enjoy both. Goal this week - buy the book I Am Number Four. 
      Now back to the movie.  Alex Pettyfer (Tormented, Beastly) plays John Smith or number four.  He did a really good job.  I enjoyed watching him; he is very interesting on screen.  Note to self - keep an eye on Alex Pettyfer.  It will be interesting to see where he goes.  That was my other wandering thought.  Watching I Am Number Four made me want to watch Beastly (2011).  I found myself wondering about his performance in that role.  The previews looked good and it was one I had already wanted to see but now even more so. 
      Enough side tracking.  I Am Number Four, good movie, entertaining, cool CGI stuff and a good storyline.  It was a little different and that was kind of nice for a change.  I kind of felt like the end just fell back into the same old stuff but still liked it. 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Shall We Dance

   While visiting with a friend a few weeks ago she expressed concern over her nieces.  They had said that Moulin Rouge (2001) is a beautiful love story.  My friend was very upset by this comment.  "That is not a love story!" she said.  "It's not real, and teenage girls shouldn't view it that way." She has never even seen the movie and some of her other comments and concerns didn't really apply but that is neither here nor there. I can however see her point and I understand where she is coming from, I even agree in a way. Having said that I do have to admit that I LOVE Moulin Rouge. (Another blog maybe?) Not only that but my girls, ages 17 and 15, also love the movie.  We watch it a lot. 
    Moulin Rouge may not be a "love story" and it may not be "real" but, Shall We Dance (2004) is. My girls and I watched Shall We Dance the other day.  It is such a beautiful story I thoroughly enjoy it every time.  John Clark, played by Richard Gere (Pretty Woman, Chicago, Primal Fear) is a very happily married man. He has a loving wife played by Susan Sarandon (Thelma and Louise, Lovely Bones, Dead Man Walking) and a loving teenage daughter played by Tamara Hope (The Deep End, Saint Ralph).  He feels that something is still missing. The family is kind of in a bit of a rut. They just go through the routine of the day.
      This leads to John taking ballroom lessons. In the beginning he takes lessons just to get to know Paulina. Paulina is played by Jennifer Lopez (Angel eyes, Maid in Manhattan, Monster-in-law, An Unfinished Life) He tells her, she looked on the outside the way he felt on the inside. What a statement.  His daughter begins to notice how happy he is, then she and her mom begin to wonder at the change.  John finds out that he loves dancing and it makes him happy. I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't seen it yet but it is very good!
      About ten minutes into the movie my 17 year old daughter asked "Is he going to fall in love with his wife?" I will tell you that he does. He never really fell out of love with her but they do find a new passion. Shall We Dance is a beautiful, "real" story about marriage. It takes honesty, communication, room to grow and change to make a marriage work. 
      My husband and I were married at a young age. Some of the best advice my mom gave me was to give each other the time and space to grow.  I believe that applies to every marriage no matter your age or how long you have been together. 
      One of my favorite scenes is when John and his wife Beverly finally talk about what has been going on.  He tells her "The one thing I am proudest of in my whole life, is that you're happy with me. If I couldn't ..... if I couldn't tell you that I was unhappy sometimes, it's because I didn't want to risk hurting the one person I treasure most. I'm so sorry."  By this point I am crying and my girls are laughing at me.  This movie makes me cry no matter how many times I watch it.  It didn't help that my husband walked in at that point and agreed with Richard Gere, "it's true, that is all I want is to make you happy."
       Some movies have a way of becoming very personal to me. They just get under my skin and burrow their way into my being. Those are the ones I love the most!