Final Post--The Great Dictator

Movie: The Great Dictator

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Stars: Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Rated: "Approved"

Synopsis: "Dictator Adenoid Hynkel (Chaplin) has a doppelganger, a poor but kind Jewish barber living in the slums, who one day is mistaken for Hynkel." (imdb.com)

Commentary: Since this will be my last blog post, I thought I'd do something a little different and write about a classic movie.

Charlie Chaplin was a genius when it came to movies and in one of the few "talkie" movies he did, that's still no exception. Here, Chaplin parodies Hitler and Nazi Germany, showing Hitler as nothing more than a power hungry tyrant, but even he makes this parody dictator charming in a way, especially during the classic globe scene where Hynkel is alone in his office, bouncing a globe balloon around.

I really recommend seeing this movie to just about everyone. If you love old movies, Chaplin movies, WWII movies, or even just comedy, you should see it if you haven't already. Even decades later Charlie Chaplin is still hilarious, ground breaking, and moving. Especially in a scene I think everyone should see which still moves me to tears: Hynkel's speech at the end.

Fun Facts:

• Charlie Chaplin made around 83 movies between 1914 and 1967 and only spoke in 8 of them.
• The Great Dictator was Chaplin's first true talking picture and his most successful film.
• In 2000, The Great Dictator was ranked #37 in the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Laughs" list.

The Blind Side and "White Savior" Movies

Movie: The Blind Side

Director: John Lee Hancock

Stars: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates

Genre: Drama, Biography

Rated: PG-13

Synopsis: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) was going through life homeless until a woman named Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) takes him in and with her and her family's love and support (and football), he grows to love them in return.

Commentary: I'm not a big fan of sports movies, they can be good but sports isn't really my field. The Blind Side was a good movie though, focusing more on the family aspect than the football aspect. Football was just a way for Michael and Leigh Anne to get to know each other and do something they both love. I'd recommend this movie, it's a touching, heart warming film that gives us hope that good people are still out there.

That being said, "white savior" movies seem to be coming out more and more lately. White Savior movies are when a black or other minority individual or group learns to succeed by a white person. Some critics didn't like The Blind Side because there are already so many white savior movies out there.

Some examples of white savior movies are: The Freedom Writers, Dances with Wolves, Gran Torino, Glory, here's a list for more. And I haven't seen 42 yet, but it looks like that's potentially one too.

Personally, I think it's alright for someone to help another person regardless of race, but I also think it's wrong that Hollywood uses this story arch constantly. It sends the wrong message, whether it's realized by the audience or not.

Fun Facts:

• Contrary to the movie, the real Michael Oher knew how to play football before he met the Tuohys. He said he enjoyed the movie except for that one part where they had to teach them how to play football.
• Tim McGraw's (who plays Sean Tuohy) "Southern Voice" was used as the song for the ending credits.

Watchmen and Sexism in Comics

Movie: Watchmen

Director: Zack Snyder

Stars: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley

Genre: Action

Rated: R

Synopsis: In an alternate universe set in New York 1985, an old superhero is mysteriously murdered sending vigilante superhero, Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), into an investigation that could change the fate of the world.

Commentary: To be honest, I didn't much care for Watchmen when I saw it in theaters. It was a little better when I saw it at home but overall it's not as good as other superhero movies (I hear the comic is better). The only decent character is Rorschach; he's not your classic superhero, he doesn't mind killing criminals or torturing them or mutilating them based on what they've done.

But what I really wanted to talk about was the sexism not just in movies but in superhero movies especially. Usually there's only one female superhero to keep it from being a complete sausage fest and to attract any women that might go and see the movie. Name any superhero and chances are there is only one maybe two female character in there and usually they don't interact with each other except maybe for a few seconds.

The Dark Knight trilogy--Rachel, then she dies in the second movie and in comes Catwoman.

Spiderman--Either Mary Jane or Gwen Stacy (not including Peter's Aunt)

The Avengers--Black Widow, Pepper Potts, and Maria Hill

Iron Man--Pepper Potts

Not to mention the "boobs and butt" posters superhero movies are so infamous for.

http://akwos.com/images/2013/03/the-avengers-1235-wallmages.jpg

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/2800000/Watchmen-Banner-Art-the-watchmen-2810456-1654-2560.jpg

I'm not saying that men can find women attractive or anything like that but one female superhero shouldn't be stuck in a movie just to give guys something to ogle at. If you're gonna stick a character in a story, male or female, you have to give that character a purpose. Not just to make money off their poster.

Fun Facts:

• One of the writers of the comic Watchmen hates Hollywood and didn't want his name in the credits of the movie.

Big Fish

Movie: Big Fish

Director: Tim Burton

Stars: Ewan McGregor, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Marion Cotillard, Danny DiVito

Genre: Drama, Fantasy

Rated: PG-13

Synopsis: A son tries to dig through to the truth of his dying father's life as said eccentric father tells him a series of seemingly tall tales.

Commentary: I haven't seen this movie in years but it still stands out to me as one of the best. A Tim Burton film without Johnny Depp (gasp!), but there's still Helena Bonham Carter and a slew of other great actors that will have you crying by the end.

The father tells a series of supposedly fictional stories about his life that his son doesn't believe, like the time his car was covered in honey and bees got stuck to it and flew the car away. But Big Fish is wonderfully written and beautifully done cinematography that by the end you'll be wondering if the father's stories were really just tall tales.

Fun Facts:

• Miley Cyrus appears in the movie as an 8 year old Ruthie and was credited as Destiny Cyrus.
• Tim Burton said of the film, "Big Fish is about what's real and what's fantastic, what's true and what's not true, what's partially true and how, in the end, it's all true."

Lincoln Movie

Movie: Lincoln

Director: Steven Spielberg

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Genre: Drama, History

Rated: PG13

Synopsis: In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) is fighting to win the war but also to pass the 13th Amendment to free the slaves throughout the country. As the President tries to pass this groundbreaking piece of legislation, he finds he must work around the clock to gain the votes before the deadline and balance his family life all while thousands of soldiers are dying around him.

Commentary: This is a great movie. The cinematography is beautiful and Daniel Day-Lewis kills it as Lincoln, he deserved that Oscar. Sally Field did a great job as Mary Todd Lincoln, if it weren't for Anne Hathaway's performance in Les Misérables then I think Sally Field would have won Best Actress.

All that being said, it's really pretty boring. To give you an idea of how boring it is, I saw this earlier this year when it came out, and when I started this blog and thought of what movies I could use, I didn't remember I saw this movie until a few weeks ago. That doesn't mean it's a bad movie, I'm just saying it's a movie about passing legislation, it's not exciting. The only remotely exciting movie about passing legislation is probably the classic "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and even that has some boring moments.

Should you go see it? It is a great film. Very well done and an excellent portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. I can see it being shown in history classes or maybe if you're a fan of the president or if you want to see a good movie about America then I would recommend it, otherwise I don't think it's a must see.

Fun Facts:

• Liam Neeson was originally cast as Lincoln in 2005, but left the project because he felt he was too old to play the president. Sally Field said in an interview that she thought it was because Neeson lost his wife earlier in 2010 and was still in mourning.
• Originally, the script had the movie centered around Lincoln's friendship with Frederick Douglass.
• Steven Spielberg did not want Sally Field as Mary Todd because Mary Todd was younger than Lincoln and Sally Field is older than Daniel Day-Lewis, but she and Lewis managed to convince him.

The King's Speech

Movie: The King's Speech

Director: Tom Hooper

Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Genre: Drama, History

Rated: R

Synopsis: King George VI of Britain (Colin Firth) did not have an easy life. From an early age he had a stutter which made him unable to speak clearly, and being a prince required him to give public speeches on occasion. But when his brother abdicates the thrown, he is forced into a life he never wanted and as World War II looms over Great Britain's head, he must be the public speaker he never was in order to give the world the courage it needs to fight.

Commentary: I saw this movie when it first came out in theaters and first let me say that Colin Firth's acting was amazing in this movie. He deserved the Oscar he got from this role; his stutter sounds spot on. Geoffrey Rush did a great job too as his the therapist and friend of the king who helps him overcome his disability. As did Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth.

This movie was directed by Tom Hooper who also directed Les Misérables and if you haven't seen that either, GO SEE IT. It's fantastic.

Should you go see it? The cinematography and acting are amazing and the story of a man, a king, overcoming his own disabilities and people's opinion of him to become one of the greatest monarchs in Great Britain's history is worth the watch.

Fun Facts:

• King George VI's wife, who is played by Helena Bonham Carter, didn't want them to make this movie until after she died.
• Queen Elizabeth II said she liked the movie and thought they did a good job portraying her father and her family.
• The film has an R rating because of a scene where the king shouts profanities because it was supposed to help with his stutter. The actors and director defended the scene saying that the cursing was not used in violence, but the Motion Picture Association would not change the rating unless the scene was cut or the swears were muted. Tom Hooper refused to cut it, but some versions in the US had the swears muted.

Here is a video of the actual speech from King George VI.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Movie: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Director: Tim Burton

Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen

Genre: Horror, Musical

Rated: R

Synopsis: Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp) was a man who had it all--a beautiful and loving wife, a newborn baby girl, and a successful barber shop--until he was sentence to life in prison by a corrupt judge who lusted after his wife. Fifteen years later, he escaped from prison and has come back home to find his wife dead and his daughter in the care of the judge who sent him away to rot. With the help of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), the woman who now owns the pie store downstairs from his barber shop, he is determined to kill the judge who ruined him and anyone else who stands in his way.

Commentary: This is my favorite movie ever. I don't usually like horror movies but when they have a good plot I tend to overlook the blood and gore especially when they're done tastefully like Sweeney Todd.

Like Les Misérables, the singing isn't that great but what they lack in singing they make up for in passion and acting abilities. And with a cast like this movie you know it has to be good (and Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen were in both Sweeney Todd and Les Misérables).

And the songs, written by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim, are wonderful! (Although I recommend Patti LuPone's version to the movie's and Angela Lansbury's versions.)

Should you see it? If you are a fan of musicals or want a beautiful thriller then yes! Tim Burton's team of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter tends to work and it definitely does here. But, don't let the musical part fool you, it is still a horror story about an insane barber slashing people's throats and his baker assistant baking them into pies and serving them to the unsuspecting people of London.

Fun Facts:

• The tale of Sweeney Todd has been alive since 1846 and has even been performed as a ballet in the 1950s. There's even an old 1936 film. Historians dispute whether it's based on a true story.
• Sweeney Todd is the third movie Helena and Johnny have done together with director Tim Burton.