Nov 2: Time Bandits

"A young boy accidentally joins a band of dwarves as they jump from time-period to time-period looking for treasure to steal."

Directed by: Terry Gilliam, Rated: PG, 116 minutes

Time Bandits is what happens when you take Monty Python humor, throw in a bunch of little people, time traveling, and Sean Connery. Yes, that sounds like all sorts of awesome but the finished product isn't as glorious as one would assume. It's a very friendly adventure through time and space but it lacks a focused point of view and, instead of saving the world, we must settle with a bunch of thieves jumping into all sorts of eras and ages. While director Terry Gilliam does a wonderful job with his bizarre style and look at things, Time Bandits feels like it's lacking something that you can never really pinpoint.

Heeeeyyy!!! (these guys just make you cheer and smile)

Kevin is a young boy who's much more interested in learning new things than his parents, who spend their evenings watching mindless game shows on TV. One night, a band of little thieves emerge from Kevin's closet and tell him that they're jumping through time and robbing from whoever they run into to build up a vast fortune. On their tail is the Supreme Being (God) who's looking to get back the map of time the thieves stole. Along their adventures, the group encounter Napoleon (Ian Holm), Robin Hood (John Cleese) and Agamemnon (Sean Connery), all in their respective time periods. Also looking for the map is the Evil Genius (David Warner), who is pretty much the devil. He's wanting the map to use it to allow evil to take over the world.

'God' has never looked so creepy

Terry Gilliam crafts a beautiful film that utilizes the greatest of practical effects on huge set pieces that scream his style. The film jumps around time periods, both historical and fictional, and the characters that the time bandits encounter grow more and more bizarre. The acting is also superb, with the cast of little people stealing the show. David Rappaport is a terrific, yet greedy bandit leader and his supporting mini thieves fall in line right behind him. However, the film isn't much more than a series of humorous events and good acting, as the linear story that ties everything together feels rather lacking. It's part chase, part adventure, and part heist, but no one aspect takes control. While the film is clearly meant more for children (minus a handful of innuendos), you can understand the lack of a central focal point as the film has the attention span that a child would have. It's a shame because the film has great ideas and Gilliam's twisted charm plays its part front and center, but it never takes off.

Why can't we have more movies like this? 

While the film has its faults, it's still worth checking out for the imagination alone. Gilliam is a genius in every one of his films, from Brazil to The Imaginarum of Doctor Parnassus. He utilizes practical effects that come across as magic and reminds you that the glam and glitter of computer effects are not the greatest substitute for the effects of old. The set pieces Gilliam also creates are just as beautiful and the world he manages to create is fleshed out more than enough to have you wanting to live in it. Had Time Bandits found its central core and a more focused...focus, it could easily be an absolute masterpiece. However, it falls short but still manages to be memorable in its own wild way.

The Good:

terrific effects, elaborate set pieces, and solid acting

The Bad:

a lack of focus that distracts from the film

The Ugly:

wondering why something this original has not been remade, but then thinking about the destruction of CGI that would be wrecked upon it

7.2/10

Discussion Question:

Do you think the use of practical effects and large sets is a dead art? Or is there no hope for such things in this digital world?

Trailer:

Sept 14: Raiders of the Lost Ark

"Archeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis."

Directed by: Steven Spielberg, Rated: PG, 115 minutes

I must admit, I've been pretty spoiled this week when it comes to movies. Not only was I able to see The Princess Bride on the big screen but I was also able to catch Raiders of the Lost Ark in IMAX- glorious, glorious IMAX. How often does anyone get the chance to watch two movies that have been out for over 20 years on the big screen? Raiders of the Lost Ark is a film for movie-lovers and turns a regular theater-going experience into something memorable. And after seeing it again, it's even harder thinking that it's a thirty year old movie. It has stood the test of time in all its glory and reminds me of the good ol' days of Indiana Jones, everyone's favorite adventurer. 

As everyone knows, Indiana Jones is an archaeologist and treasure-seeker, always looking for the world's greatest artifacts for the sole purpose of knowledge. He doesn't care about the money or the fame, but simply wants to see our history in a museum for everyone to see. Known for getting the job done, Jones is approached by the US government, asking him to acquire the Ark of the Covenant, an artifact said to carry the actual Ten Commandments. The United States hopes to find the Ark before the Nazis, who are looking for the Ark to give Hitler the "unlimited power" the relic is said to hold. As any secret treasure would hold, the Ark is not an item you just find. You need the pieces, specifically the Staff of Ra, to discover it's location. So Indy heads to Nepal and asks Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), the daughter of Indy's mentor as well as his former lover, for a piece of the Staff. She joins in the search with Indy and the two head to Cairo, where they gain another ally in Sallah (John Rhys-Davies), who's known as "the best digger in all of Cairo". The Nazis, led by rival archaeologist Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman) have already begun their excavating and Indy must race against the Germans, and time, to find the Ark before them. 

It's all goooooooooooooooolllllddddd.

The best part of any Indiana Jones film (except... yeah, we won't go there) is the action. Spielberg is an avid fan of using practical, live effects in all of his films and Raiders of the Lost Ark is a perfect example of that. Each sequence, whether Indy is running from a giant boulder or driving a truck along the cliffs of Cairo, implements some of the best stunt-work I have ever seen. As a lover of film and, in my opinion, somewhat knowledgeable about movies, seeing this technical aspect of the film on the big screen gave me the biggest smile you can imagine. Using stuntmen adds a level of suspense you can't achieve with CGI and seeing an actual person in peril, hanging on the edge of a cliff, running from a real explosion, or dragging his feet while hanging onto the back of a truck, leaves you in awe. I really wish more techniques used in Raiders of the Lost Ark were still used today, as they really look better than anything else you can create with a computer. 

Moving onto the acting, Harrison Ford is absolutely perfect as Indiana Jones. He's as iconic as the character and re-watching his introduction film reminds you that he's one of the greatest movie, nay fictional, characters of all time. Ford brings his charisma and machismo we saw in the Star Wars trilogy, and adds another layer of genius and courage that shows all of his motives are for the ultimate good. He can tell you the history behind Tanis, a lost city in the Middle East, and then the next moment go hand to hand with a bunch of Nazis. As good as any hero can be, he's never as strong without his allies, and Indy has quite the group of friends behind him. Karen Allen does a great job as Marion, kicking just enough ass and holding her own in a fight to be an equal match for Indy, as well as having her few moments of "damsal-in-distress-ness" to give Indy someone worth fighting for. John Rhys-Davis, best known for his role as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, is the jolly, loyal giant Indy needs in a strange land and proves his value on several occasions. He's a big lug you can't help but love and his excitement in the search for the Ark is a joy to watch. And, as always, a hero is nothing without a villain and Paul Freeman absolutely delivers as Balloq. He's just as charismatic as Indy, and even a damn good archaeologist in his own right. He just so happened to choose the wrong side in the fight of good vs. evil and plays Indy's counterpart wonderfully. 

He wears a white suit the only way a villain knows how- with Nazis in the background. 

Raiders of the Lost Ark is everything you could ask for in a movie. It's full of adventure, action, humor, and glorious set pieces you never see anymore and shows you what the magic of movies really is. Although Raiders has never been my favorite Indy flick (The Last Crusade for the win!), I still love the hell out of it and respect it on a technical aspect. Seeing it in IMAX made me appreciate every little detail in the film, from the exotic locations to even the costumes. But as great as the movie looks, it sounds even better. John Williams' iconic score inspires your own sense of adventure and hearing Indy's theme in a packed theater gave me all kinds of chills. Along with the suspense of the stunt work and action, Williams manages to heighten it even more, knowing when to hit the action and cue Indy's theme. 

Thank you, you musical wizard. 

I don't even think I have to go and say I'd recommend this movie. It's universally loved by practically everyone and it's place in cinematic history has been cemented for decades. It's a damn near perfect film that is like nothing we've ever seen (and still haven't seen) and reminds us what a true story of adventure holds. As a kid, I watched all of the Indiana Jones movies over and over, and as I can imagine the same with other young people, made me really, really want to be an archaeologist. Indy's main message is that knowledge is sacred and that the more we learn, the better we are as people. With all of the films, even though a dose of supernatural is added in the mix, the curiosity it inspires fits that message. Raiders of the Lost Ark, as a film, does exactly what the titular character wants, and encourages all of us to go on our own adventures and explore the world. 

Overall: 9.7/10

Trailer:

May 17: An American Werewolf in London

"Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists."

An American Werewolf in London is a great horror comedy (?) about a man struggling with his new curse- being a werewolf. David (David Naughton) and his friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) travel to the English countryside and stumble across a little village. When the two enter a bar and meet the locals, they're turned away and sent back outside to roam the English moors. They're attacked by a creature that mauls David but kills Jack. David wakes up three weeks later in a London hospital, unsure of what it was that actually attacked him. Haunted by his dead friend, David becomes aware that he may have been turned into a lycanthrope, or werewolf. After recovering from his wounds, David goes home with Alex, one of the nurses who watched over him during his recovery. Cue the romance and a little character development. Then, on a night with a full moon, David changes into a beast. He turns into a werewolf and goes on a killing spree through the streets of London. Like a hairier, more testosterone filled Jack the Ripper.

With fangs, claws, and amazing makeup and prosthetic work. 

The best part of American Werewolf is indeed the special effects and makeup. Made in 1981, the film is well ahead of its time and makeup artist Rick Baker is a master at work. The Academy Awards actually created the Best Makeup Award specifically for An American Werewolf in London, awarding Baker with the first Oscar. David's transformation scene is exciting, disturbing, and so mind-blowingly cool that you can't help but wonder how it's done. It brings the film to new heights and, without the effects I don't think the film would be as good as it is. The creature effects and gore are really their own characters in the film. 

And it only gets better from here. 

I would definitely recommend An American Werewolf in London. It's considered a horror classic and even led to the director, John Landis, making arguably the greatest music video of all time- Thriller. It does have its flaws, in just okay acting and a very rushed story towards the end. But, with state of the art special effects and makeup, great dialogue with both horror and comedy bits, and the terrific direction of John Landis, An American Werewolf in London is definitely worth a watch. 

The Good:

amazing, ground-breaking makeup work by the now legendary Rick Baker

The Bad:

a lead actor who doesn't kick in the good "acting" until halfway through the film

The Ugly:

realizing that a werewolf transformation like this one has yet to be matched, 30 years later

Overall: 7.8/10

Trailer: