Stand By Me

      To finally have all of those questions answered after so many years! Way back in 1986 I watched this little coming of age movie starring some amazing up and coming actors. It has been a favorite of mine ever since.  Stand By Me (1986) will always have a soft spot in my heart.  I can’t explain why. It's probably one of those movies that planted the seed for my love of movies in general.  I just love it!

     There are a lot of people that don’t realize that Stand by Me is a Stephen King movie.  It is based on a short story entitled The Body. Stephen King wanted to write a story compiling events that happened to him and his friends, and what it was like for him growing up. So, which parts actually happened to Stephen King and which are made up? The leeches are true; the milk money story is true. Stephen King was the good kid that they trusted. A lot of it is true and the feeling of being 12 in 1959 is all true.

    Since this movie came out in 1986 I am guessing you watched it years ago or have never even heard of it. If you are going to watch it, whether for the first time or just the first time in years, watch the special features. There is an  exclusive featurette called “walking the tracks the summer of stand by me”. It was so good! I absolutely loved it and that is where I got the answers to all of my questions.  It is so different from what we think is typical Stephen King for one thing.  I mean not all of his works are horror. The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption aren’t horror either. I always wondered where the story of Stand By Me came from, and if it was somewhat autobiographical.

     Another question I always had was about Gordy’s hat.  There is a scene in which the hat Gordy’s brother gave him is taken by the bullies. He never gets it back and it seems to be forgotten about. Why?  Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Toy Soldiers, Leverage, The Big Bang Theory) who plays Gordy, asked the director about that. He was told that the bully threw it away as soon as he walked around the corner. The hat scene is mainly used to push Wil’s character forward to the final scene. Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys, Young Guns, The Sentinel, Phone Booth) plays Ace Merrill, the leader of the gang of bullies. It was one of his first roles and I have been a fan of his ever since. When he talked about stealing the hat he wanted to put it on. He was told no he couldn’t, “you wouldn’t care that much and you would never mess up your hair that way.” Rob told him.

     I should mention that the director of Stand by Me is the famous Rob Reiner (All in the Family, Bullets Over Broadway, The Story of Us, The Bucket List) He is amazing! He is what they like to call an actors director. He has done it all, actor, director, writer and producer. In the featurette he talks about casting the boys for this film. “when you are casting 12 or 13 year old boys you need to stay close to who they really are. They don’t have the craft at that age to go far beyond that.” That shows how gifted he is that he would know that and then could find such talented boys to fill those roles. It is so well cast. Because they were so young it was kind of a first for some of them.

   Jerry O’Connel (Jerry Maguire, Scream 2, Sliders, Obsessed) was one who had never acted before. He had only done one commercial. He said that Stand by Me was the first film he made that he felt was a reflection of him or an extension of himself and a  coming of age for him. Wil Wheaton pretty much felt the same. I adored Jerry and have liked watching him grow and evolve.  I am a fan but I don’t really like the movies he does or the acting choices he makes. Tom Cats (2001) ughh! Need I say more?

   I could go on and on, obviously, about how much I enjoy this movie and how much I loved the featurette. The featurette even made me cry at the end.  It had a beautiful tribute to River Phoenix (My Own Private Idaho, Running On Empty, Sneakers, Little Nikita) whom I absolutely love.

Rock of Ages

    Wow! I am not sure if that is a good wow or a bad wow.  There where a lot of things I really liked about Rock of Ages (2012) but, there where also a lot of things that I really didn’t like, at all!  The music is great, I really enjoyed it! As a child of the '80s of course I loved the music. The stars did their own singing and I was impressed. Tom Cruise (Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, Minority Report, Knight and Day) actually did a pretty good Bon Jovi cover.  I am very biased when it comes to anyone singing Bon Jovi, but Tom Cruise wasn’t that bad. Diego Boneta (Pretty Little Liars, Mean Girls 2, 90210) was great as the nervous, shy, up and coming new rock star. He was adorable. The cast did a great job and I loved the acting and all of the singing.

    So, that being said why didn’t I like it? Rock of Ages is a rock Broadway musical using classic rock hits from the ‘80s. It opened in L.A. in 2005. It is more light hearted and comedic than a lot of what you would see on Broadway.  That is kind of what bothered me to be honest. I am not a prude or anything don't get me wrong. The movie is about sex and rock and roll though.  That isn't what bothered me.  What bothered me was how it was handled. The kissing scenes where so bizarre and over the top ridiculous that is made me want to gag. It was really ridiculous. I know I know ……. I just made  a lot of people very upset.  That is just how I felt.  I liked the story line, it was fun and the way they make the music fit the story is great.  However, I think I will buy the soundtrack and just listen to it.  I don’t think I want to watch it again.

The Lucky One

     Oh shoot! I shouldn’t have watched that movie! Ughhh! …. Wait for it! …… here it comes…. I liked Zac Efron (New Year’s Eve, The Paperboy, The Lorax) in it. I know! How could I? That is exactly what I asked myself.  I read The Lucky One (2012) back in 2008 when it first came out. I absolutely loved it! Yes I am a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks.  I have to say though that I like his books more than his movies, as a matter of fact I have never read the books that his more popular movies are adapted from. Examples, I have never read Dear John, A Walk to Remember or Message in a Bottle. I have read tons that haven’t been made into movies though.  Some of them are now in that transition.  I am very excited for Safe Haven (2013) another wonderful book and the movie looks promising.

   The movie does fall short of the book. The sheriff is a lot creepier and more of a sleaze in the book. There is one scene in particular that shows what a creep he really is and it was completely left out of the movie. Logan is way more awesome in the book! I really liked him. He was so suave and tough. That was my worry with Zac Efron. Logan is a Marine who served in Iraq. He is on leave and decides to start walking.  I don’t want to spoil anything, which is why I am leaving out details. Anyway, he has walked from Colorado to Louisiana. One of my favorite lines is when Beth asks Logan, “What kind of person drives from Colorado to Louisiana to work in a dog kennel?” To which he replies “I wouldn’t know I walked”.  So, the question then becomes can Zac play a tough, suave Marine that would walk across the country just to meet the woman that saved his life? The answer, he wasn’t perfect but he did pull it off.  He wasn’t too bad.

      On the other hand Blythe Danner (The Prince of Tides, To Wong Foo, The Proposition, The Lightkeepers) was perfect as Ellie, Beth’s grandmother. The grandmother was one of my favorite characters in the book. She is so funny and quirky. I just love her. She was wonderful in the movie as well.  Just like I had pictured her.

     The movie was entertaining and I did enjoy it. However, as usually happens, the book is way better. So, in the end, the movie just made me want to go back and reread the book.

Like Crazy

      I enjoy independent movies. I really like something out of the norm.  I love to see something new that challenges the Hollywood blockbusters.  I wasn’t crazy about Like Crazy (2011) but I can appreciate it as art. It was beautifully filmed and the score was amazing.

     Dustin O’Halloran (Remember the Daze, An American Affair, Now Is Good) is the composer for Like Crazy.  I haven’t seen, or should I said heard, any of his other movies. But I really liked the music he composed for Like Crazy.  Drake Doremus (Spooner, Moonpie) was the director, he hasn’t done a lot. He is also a writer and wrote the screenplay for Like Crazy.  I really like his directing style and this movie made me want to watch more of his stuff.  His way of telling a story through images was wonderful. I loved the match dissolves and jump shots to show the passage of time. He also used motion control shots and skip dissolves so well.  This movie moves quickly over a long period of time and he uses all of these techniques so well to help move it along and show passage of time in a beautiful way.

      While I didn’t like the story line the acting is superb and as I have stated the directing makes it enjoyable to watch.

The Bourne Legacy

      What a wonderful movie! It continues the story after the Bourne trilogy very well.  I have really enjoyed the Bourne movies.  I do have to say that the old made for TV mini series is still a favorite.  The Bourne Identity (1988) starred Richard Chamberlain (Dr. Kildare, Shogun, Leverage, The Perfect Family) as Jason Bourne and Jaclyn Smith (Charlie’s Angels, Rage of Angels, Free Fall, In The Arms of a Killer) as Marie. The old one was wonderful, I loved it, but it is very different than The Bourne Identity (2002) starring Matt Damon (Inside Job, The Departed, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Rounders) and the two that followed with Matt Damon.
     
     The Bourne Legacy (2012) doesn’t have Matt Damon in it.  I know that is a very hot issue for people. “What are they doing?” “Why did they do that?” “Why no Matt?” I don’t really understand myself, nor do I have any answers to these questions. I thought maybe it followed the books and Jason Bourne wasn’t in the book. It turns out that The Bourne Legacy is nothing like that book at all! I enjoyed the movie. It is a very action packed, fast paced movie with a lot of fun chase scenes.
     
      Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Avengers, The Town, Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol) plays the new hero, Aaron Cross. Even though the story line is different then the book, it is a very good story line, and told well. Edward Norton (Fight Club, The Illusionist, Primal Fear, Rounders) plays Retired Col. Eric Byer, USAF. If you have read my other posts, you can’t miss how much I love Edward Norton. He is an amazingly talented man and I love his variety of roles. So of course he does a great job in this movie and I loved his role.

       It was so nice to see Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Fountain, Chain Reaction, The Lovely Bones).  I loved her in the Mummy movies and was so sad when they replaced her for the third. She is adorable and so talented. She did a great job as Dr. Marta Shearing, very believable and really pulled you in.  The life threatening lab scene was terrifying!  It was so intense and she played it so well. The chemistry between Jeremy and Rachel is very good. It was the subtle touches and eye contact that I really liked.  There is one moment where Marta reaches out and touches Aaron’s arm.  That one touch and that quick camera shot of it said so much.  They develop a real bond and a need for each other without it turning into a typical “bedroom scene”. There wasn’t even a kiss.  I kind of liked that because that has become such an easy way out for a romance movie. I know this isn’t a romance movie but if you know anything about Robert Ludlum, the author,  there is always a romance going on amongst all of the action.

The Music Never Stopped

      You could say that I am almost as passionate about music as I am about movies.  Not nearly as knowledgeable but I love it just the same.  This is a wonderful movie for music lovers.  I mean the real passionate type that feel it not just listen to it.  The people who know and appreciate how much music plays a role in our lives. The Music Never Stopped (2011) is a beautifully told emotional drama of a father and his estranged son trying to learn to reconnect.  When I saw People Like Us (2012) I was surprised at the "old fashion" feel of it.  Just a really good story about a family trying to figure life out. The Music Never Stopped is very much the same feel. 

      Lou Taylor Pucci (Carriers, Beginners, Horsemen, The Go-Getter) plays Gabriel Sawyer.  I have never seen Lou Taylor in anything before. What a talented young man. He did an amazing job.  Gabriel is a man who hasn’t seen his parents in 20 years. The movie takes place in 1986.  That is important because it sets the time period for the music and what was taking place in the world.  When Gabriel and his parents are reunited it is not under good circumstances.  Gabriel has been diagnosed with a brain tumor and is unable to create new memories and barely remembers the old ones.  He is just not connecting with anyone or anything.  The movie tells the story through flash backs of various events.  Lou Taylor played the part so well.

      Gabriel’s father started sharing his love of music with his son at a very young age.  He would play a song and ask his son to name the song, the artist and the story of the first time his dad had heard it.  What a fascinating idea! While the dad is trying to connect with his son who doesn’t speak and is pretty well catatonic he comes across an article.  It is about a therapist who believes music can be used as therapy.  Our brains are so amazing that they make very strong connections to music and events in our life.  The dad thinks it is his music that is awakening something in his son but it's not. It is Gabriel’s own music that he is connected to. The songs from his own time and his own stories that bring him back.

      The Music Never Stopped is a very touching, beautifully told story.  I really liked the idea of music connecting us to memories. I know how true that is. To this day there are songs that I hear and I am back in high school or some other important time in my life. 

People Like Us

      People Like Us (2012) is a very interesting movie dealing with family secrets.  I have yet to see a movie that shows how keeping secrets is a good thing. Family secrets only lead to more secrets and that is never good. Eventually these secrets will come to a head and generally it is bad timing and only causes more problems.  People Like Us is a good example of this.  It has been a while since I have seen a really good emotional drama. I think this one filled that void.  It is about a very dysfunctional family. Chris Pine (This Means War, Unstoppable, Just My Luck) plays Sam, a very crafty, talented, fast-talking salesman who is avoiding his family.  When he receives a message that his father has passed away he tries very hard to avoid returning home for the funeral. 

      When Sam’s girlfriend finally gets him home, which she doesn't accomplish until after the funeral is over, he is greeted by a very depressed and angry mother, played beautifully by Michelle Pfeiffer (LadyHawke, Batman Returns, Dangerous Minds, Stardust). The chemistry between Chris and Michelle is wonderful.  I could really feel their bond as mother and son. That is important to me in a family drama.  You have to buy into the relationships.  You have to really believe it. This movie did that well. 

      While settling his father’s estate Sam finds out about a half-sister he never knew he had and the son she is raising on her own.  His father wants him to give them some money and help take care of them.  He is very torn about what to do. The relationship between Sam, Fankie and Frankie’s son Josh is very well developed and beautifully portrayed. I really enjoyed the casting in this movie, everyone is amazing.  That being said I have to admit that Michael Hall D’Addario (John Adams, Little Spirit: Christmas in New York, Sinister) who plays Josh is brilliant. He steals every scene.  What a talented young man. 

     One of the fascinating things about People Like Us is the fact that it is loosely based on actual events. This is writer/director Alex Kurtzman’s (Fringe, New Day, Star Trek, Cowboys & Aliens) feature-film directorial debut. He met his sister when he was 30 years old. He knew that his father had another family but had never met them. When he started thinking about his half-sister and half-brother this image came to him – the last image of the movie. I don’t want to spoil it because it was a pretty neat scene. Alex said, “What you see is I think in many ways very autobiographical and in other ways there’s a lot of invention in there. But I certainly think there’s a lot of emotion and emotional truth for a lot of people in my family in there.”

      In the movie Sam’s father is a huge music producer named Jerry. Much of the music business memorabilia in the “Jerry’s Study” set belongs to co-writer Jody Lambert’s father Dennis Lambert. He is a Songwriter’s Hall of Fame nominee whose hits as writer and/or producer include “Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got)”, “Rhinestone Cowboy”, “Baby Come Back” and “Nightshift”. The set even includes photographs of Lambert himself and his actual Gold Records.

      This is a very dysfunctional family with deep rooted anger and regrets. The movie is about how you deal with that anger and those regrets.  How people react and the choices they make when the truth all comes out. In the end even with all of their flaws they truly love each other and that is really what's important.