It's As Easy As...(Movie Challenge A-F)

 

 

 

The first part of the latest movie challenge is here! If you need a refresher on what I decided to look at over the next couple of months, you can find it  here.

I didn't really have any rules when it came to finding films that fit this criteria, the exception being I tried sticking with choices that I have never seen before. So to see if I followed through on the first part of the challenge, continue on reading...

 

 

A) Airplane! (1980)

 

 This first choice is so famous and yet I have never seen it until recently. Airplane! is a comedy, in the style of a spoof. It follows the character Ted, who catches a flight to be with his girlfriend who he has recently broken up with. Though what makes the situation much worse is that Ted is terrified of flying due to his time as a pilot in the war. During the flight, an unusual illness breaks out, leaving the flight crew unconscious and unable to fly. Of course, the only person aboard the plane who knows how to fly is Ted, who has to overcome his PTSD to get everyone to safety. Wacky hijinks ensues as the film parodies many disaster movies of the 1950s, with actors who had only starred in serious roles up until this point, being featured (Leslie Nielson, Peter Graves, and Robert Stack to name a few). This helped to convey the scenes as deadpan, leading to a much funnier premise.

Knowing the film from some of the famous scenes (the 'egg' scene) and quotes ('I am serious, and don't call me Shirley') made watching Airplane! enjoyable. Though some of the jokes are a bit dated for modern audiences (the camp air control character fell a bit flat), I think the film still holds up as a decent comedy. It is easy to see how influential it has been to future comedies.

B) Blade Runner (1982)

 

 The running theme of this challenge is famous films I haven't seen until recently, Blade Runner being one of them. Blade Runner is a Sci-Fi Dystopian set in Los Angeles, 2019. The film focuses on Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former 'Blade Runner', a type of policeman who tracks down an artifical intelligence known as 'replicants' and retires them (i.e. kills them). Deckard is pulled back into action by his former employer to track down four replicants who are on earth illegally. Tension rises when Deckard has to track down a particularly nasty replicant, Roy (Rutger Hauer) and a sci-fi game of cat and mouse is played out between the two characters. 

I have to be truthful here, I was really expecting so much more than what I got when watching Blade Runner. It's a film that consistently pops up on lists of Greatest Sci-Fis and I was always curious to discover why. I'm still left wondering. Nothing really happened in the film: the future is dystopian, robots/cyborgs are bad, everything is hellish; the same with most films in a similar genre. The only thing I did get a kick out was to see Rutger Hauer play Roy, a role he seemed to have relished. I can't say the film stood out from any other dystopian Sci-Fis I have seen. I was expecting to be wowed and instead left feeling a bit disappointed.

C) Cape Fear (1991)

 

 For the next choice, I went with Cape Fear, a remake directed by Martin Scorsese and starring his long-time collaborator, Robert De Niro. De Niro plays Max Cady, a deranged psychopath who has just recently been released from jail where he was serving time raping a 16 year old girl. This charmer decides his next game of play is to stalk and terrorise his defence lawyer, Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) who he blames for losing 14 years of his life (clearly has trouble accepting responsibility). Max ups his game by tormenting Sam and his family, with events leading up to an explosive finale on a river boat. Luckily, Sam and his family escape the madman and go on to live happily ever after, while never mentioning the events again (I mean, maybe try therapy?)

Ordinarily I would have loved this type of film: the plot is intriguing, the cast and director are all renowned, the tension remains high throughout. However, I do have a gripe that sticks out when thinking back on the film: the weird camera shots that are used throughout. There's fast panning, and extreme close-ups of characters, making me feel as though I was watching a parody at times (the memory of watching The Simpsons' take on it, probably didn't help). Also, the Max Cady character was constantly surviving ridiculous situations and kept coming back for more. At one point, he could have realised it just wasn't worth it and moved on. Saying that, even with the ridiculous camera shots, it was still quite entertaining.

D) Deliverance (1972)

 

 For the film beginning with D, I chose to view Deliverance. A film I have been wanting to watch for a while (though now I've watched it, I'm not entirely sure what my reasoning was) Deliverance follows four friends on a seemingly straight-forward trip to the rapids, to enjoy the river before a dam is installed. The men, Lewis (Burt Reynolds), Ed (Jon Voight), Bobby (Ned Beatty) and Drew (Ronny Cox) all have varying levels of outdoor experience, with Lewis being the most knowledgeable and Bobby and Drew not knowing much. Before the four proceeds with their canoe trip on the river, they come across the locals in the area. It's clear from how the locals act that something is amiss. The four go off and all is well, until the group gets split up and Ed and Bobby are held up on a riverbed by two local thugs. It is here when the film goes from an upbeat drama of male bonding to a taunt and tense thriller, where each character is left tarnished by the events that follow.

Whew, this film was something. The only things I knew of this film before going into it, was the famous theme (Dueling Banjos) and er, something to do with a pig (oof). The subject matter is dark and not for the faint-hearted. The pace is quick and you realise you're holding your breath as the film continues. I think the film could have had a more impactful conclusion as after all the build-up, it kind of fizzles out but I do appreciate the one last image that remains as the film ends.

E) Eighth Grade (2018)

 

 A change of pace to my previous choices, the film I decided to watch next was: Eighth Grade. Compared to my previous two choices, this film was like a breath of fresh air. Kayla is an awkward teenager, trying to survive her final week as an eighth grader before moving onto her first year at high school. The film is a typical coming-of-age story, with each scene focused heavily on Kayla. Adding to the character's existing anxieties involve Kayla being brought up by a single dad, not having any friends or struggling to make new acquaintances and feeling like she has not reached the goals she has set herself. The film concludes with the characters graduating middle school and looking towards the future.

I quite enjoyed this film. Even though nothing major happened, the depiction of Kayla by Elsie Fisher was a realistic one, helped by the fact that Fisher was 13 years old at the time and also enjoyed making YouTube videos, like her character. I very much related to Kayla and she was someone I could empathise with. Eighth Grade was the perfect antidote to the heavy themed films I had previously watched in this challenge.

F) Fruitvale Station (2013)

 

 For the final film in this first part, I viewed Fruitvale Station, a true story based on the events leading up to the murder of Oscar Grant, by the hands of the police. The way Fruitvale Station is shot, it is easy for the audience to forget what they ultimately know is coming. Even though the film begins with actual footage of the brutality Oscar endured, I still found myself rooting for him to survive. Oscar is a 22 year old guy who strives to become a better version of himself to support his girlfriend and their young daughter. The film takes place around New Year's Eve with Oscar celebrating his mom's birthday and turning down the opportunity to start selling weed again. He, and his girlfriend Sophina, catch the train to take in the festivities and all have a good time. It is when they are returning on the train back home that things turn to tragedy. A fight breaks out, leading the transit police to detain Oscar, and well we all know the story here. Oscar is killed, shot in the back by police for something that was not even his fault, but because of the colour of his skin. The film concludes with footage of Oscar's real-life daughter shown at a celebration for Oscar's life.

This film was heavy. Not in the same way as the previous darker films were, as this film felt very much as if I was viewing today's news events. It conveyed realism and Michael B Jordan did an outstanding job portraying Oscar, with his final moments a sucker punch to the audience viewing such unspeakable moments. It's a film that I'm sure will stay with me long after the credits have finished.

 

That's it for part 1. Make sure you stay tuned for part 2 of this Movie Challenge!

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