Star Making Roles Part 3: John Hughes

I woke up in this morning and was in the mood from lighthearted 80s fun, so what's better than John Hughes film.  I picked my one of my favorite Hughes' films, Sixteen Candles (1984) starring the iconic 80s star Molly Ringwald.  Except for the somewhat racist gong that signals Long Duck Dong's every action this film is a great movie and introduced the world to one of the first actors who played a significant role in John Hughes films and in the landscape of popular culture during the 80s.

John Hughes was an incredible magic maker with film in the 80s and early 90s.  What people assume is that he directed most of the film he is associated with, but in reality he only directed 8 films which included: Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes Trains and Automobiles, She's Having a Baby, Uncle Buck, and Curly Sue.  Hughes was also associated with many other films as a writer, there films included: Vacation, Some Kind of Wonderful, Christmas vacation, Home Alone and Home Alone 2.


Hughes had a great deal of impact in the world of film. He was never nominated for an Academy Award nominated, and none of his films deserved a nomination, but the cultural impact of these films was indelible.  Even though he never had a nomination from the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences (the Oscars), at the ceremony two years the actors who helped make his films what they are honored him in a special in memoriam.  Hughes past away at the young age of 59 in August 2009.

The first crown jewel in his career is the star of his first film Sixteen Candles.  Molly Ringwald represented the average girl of the 1980s; she was cute, and represented the average young woman well.  The current film landscape often prevents actresses that look like her from becoming major leading ladies in films (but that's another story.)  Sixteen Candles was he first film with John Hughes.  Prior to this Ringwald's big screen success she had a major role in the first season of the television series The Facts of Life, when the cast was trimmed down Molly was let go, and it was probably one of the best things that happened, in her early career.  Sixteen Candles was her first major film role, and it launched her on the fast track to being one of the most memorable names in film.  Ringwald became part of what is known as the Brat Pack.  The Brat Pack emerged primarily from Hughes films.

The most interesting thing about Ringwald's career is that her fame came from three films, all either written, directed, or produced by John Hughes.  After Sixteen Candles she starred in two other films both written and produced by Hughes.  The first film was The Breakfast Club (1985) where Ringwald played the spoiled popular girl in high school who lands in detention.  In 1986 Ringwald starred in Pretty in Pink where she played Andie the girl from the other side of the tracks who fell in love with a popular rich boy played by Andrew McCarthy.  These three films had a tremendous impact on the 80s and the teen generation of this time.  I grew up watching these movies with my parents.  Hughes Molly Ringwald films represent the time period and act as a time capsule of youth culture during this time period.  Molly Ringwald was an it girl of the 80s.

Today Ringwald's career has taken a nose dive throughout most of the 90s she had roles in failed television shows, and bit parts in film.  One great cameo was in Not Another Teen Movie where she mocked the cliche aspects of high schools films.  Ringwald currently has a starring role on the hit ABC Family series Secret Life of the American Teenager.  This marked her her first successful vehicle in more than a decade.  While her career has faded Ringwald still represents some of the best moments in 1980s cinema.

Of course after watching Sixteen Candles I had to watch one of my other favorite John Hughes film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  The star of the film Matthew Broderick has had one of the longest careers in his post John Hughes world.  Broderick only starred in one of his films, but Ferris Bueller was an incredible film that launched this guy into superstar status.  Critic Richard Roeper cites this film as one of the best films of all time, and his favorite.  The film has an energy, and it's Hughes best directorial work ever.

After starring in this film Broderick established a decent career in film and television landing roles in Glory, The Freshman, doing voice work for the animated feature The Lion King, and guest starring on hit shows like 30 Rock.  While the mainstream public may know his wife better (Sarah Jessica Parker) Broderick's Broadway career has allowed this man to have a truly wonderful career.  Broderick has two Tony Awards, and is cited as one of the youngest Tony winners of all time;  he is also a part of the dynamic duo that brought one of the most famous musical to the stage, The Producers.

While Broderick and Ringwald's careers have had different trajectories they have one thing in common, John Hughes.  Hughes started many careers, but these two had the most impact.  Hughes also not only started a dynamic change in film, and for that I say, danke schoen.

War Horse Feels as Though it were Made to Win an Oscar not to tell a Moving Story About a Young Boy and his Horse During World War I

War Horse (2 1/2 out 5 Stars)

Directed by Steven Spielberg (Schindler's List, Munich, Catch me if you can)

Written by Richard Curtis (Love Actually) and Lee Hall (Billy Elliot)

Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson

War Horse feels as though it were made to win an Oscar not to tell a moving story about a young boy and his horse during World War I.  Steven Spielberg can make magic happen in films, but this film feels as though the "magic" is forced.

The film follows the story of a Horse who is bought at an auction and named Joey by its owner Albert (Irvine). Albert's family is poor and when his father buys Joey he uses the money that is needed to help pay the rent for the land they have.  Albert forms a bond with Joey and together these two work to make sure the land is plowed and form a friendship.  Joey's father decides he must sell the horse to pay to keep their home, and Joey's horse is bought by a soldier going off to fight in World War I.  The horse survives the different elements and becomes intertwined in different stories making an impact on its owners for being strong, determined, and a creature that battles out its underdog status to become a symbol of hope.

This all sounds incredibly moving.  The problem is that inter-spliced between Spielberg's great direction and Janusz Kaminski's utterly stunning cinematography there there is a story that feels disjointed.  Within each different story of this film the connection is this horse, and within each story the horse represents some different emotional context.  The problem with this is that some of the stories work, and some of them fall flat.  I liked watching the bond between Albert and Joey this felt real, but also cliche within the context of the first story.  The best story within the film was when a British and German soldier come together to help cut Joey from barbed wire.  This moment was incredibly poignant, but also felt out place.  The film does not completely register on an emotional level that it should.

While it never registered as a film its interesting that this was one of the most successfully crafted plays on Broadway.  The play won 5 Tony awards including Best Play, and is still running on Broadway because of its incredible success.  The play uses puppets for the horses which is obviously different from the film, but what makes this successful on Broadway and not as a film?  The play hit at something a little bit more genuine while the film forces the emotion onto the audience.

When you adapt material from being something real like a play, the creative teams needs to make up for the different emotional journey the audience will experience.  Plays create in an intense live experience where the audience feels the genuine struggle because the actor presents these emotions vividly in front of them.  

Spielberg 's direction was solid but his films are not evolving.  War Horse feels like a classic film without the great quality.  I wanted to like this film, in fact, I tired to like this film more than I did.  Yet the film feels forced and as if it were trying to force emotional experiences rather than let them happen naturally.

American Reunion has Enough Nostalgia on its Side to Make me Care About the Characters Again, but Falls Flat

American Reunion (1 1/2 Stars out of 5 Stars)

Directed by Jon Hurwitzand and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay) Written by Adam Herz, Jon Hurwitzand and Hayden Schlossberg 

Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Sean Williams Scott (and the rest of the gang)

Exactly 30 years ago in 1982 the raunchy high school film Porky's was released.  Porky's is not that  different film from the original American Pie.  The film was set in 1954 and is about high school boys trying to lose their virginity, the only extra element is the titular establishment Porky's.  Porky's is a sleazy night club where the boys make an attempt to lose their virginity, but they are humiliated, and the vow revenge on the owner and his friends.

While the characters change, films have used this story of young men attempting to lose their virginity throughout the years.  Looking back at the cast of Porky's the only person who has made a name for themself is Kim Cattrall who played one of minor supporting characters, Honeywell.  American Reunion attempts to never let the audience forget the past, and uses a millennial tactic of nostalgia to bring back every significant character from the first film.

Thirteen years ago the gang from the American Pie film was in their senior year of high working on losing their virginity, except for the Stiffmeister (Sean William Scottt).  Now thirteen years later each of the characters has moved on and attempted to grow up. Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) are still married, but now they have a child.  Oz (Chris Klein) is a sportscaster and a famous reality star. Kevin (Thomas Ian Nichols) is a stay at home husband and architect-although his story about his life is not explored as fully as it should.  Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) is supposedly a world traveler with thinly veiled stories.  Then there is good ole Stiffler who is a temp and still has not grown up and lives as though he is still in high school.

Even the supporting ladies from the first film returned.  Tara Reid with her unfortunate plastic surgery and even worse acting returned to play Vicki Kevin's first love.  Oz's choir girlfriend from the first two films Heather (Mena Suvari) was still the same; she returned to play Oz's moral compass.  Jim's dad Eugene Levy and Stiffler's mom payed Jennifer Coolidge returned to raise hell with their children.  How could you do a reunion without the MILF guys, Jessica, the Sherminator, and the hot lacrosse team.  How can any of this go wrong?

While this films has pretty funny moments the creative team focused too much on the nostalgic factor thinking that just getting every back into one film would make the movie good.  The story is silly, and yes all of the first three had that, but silly tends to be less funny when the characters are not the same people.  The point of the film could and was in a sense that some people change and some people do not after they leave high school.  Throughout Reunion the writers do a decent job getting this message out their, I think they forgot something, these jokes have been done before and just aren't adding anything to the story.

The first film ended on a poignant moment, even the second and third films made you feel as though these guys were becoming adults and figuring things out.  So thirteen years later all of that changes, and they have what 30 Rock calls Revertigo?  They go back to being teenagers.  I did not expect a Citizen Kane type storyline, but I expected that the laughs combined with the nostalgia of the 90s would make this film worthy of a follow-up, and unfortunately masturbation and shit jokes just make this film incredibly less funny.

To Kill a Mockingbird Celebrates 50 Years!

Last year I celebrated West Side Story's triumphant 50th anniversary, and now this year it's To Kill a Mockingbird's turn.  In recent weeks this film has become more and more salient.  People assume that temperament like this racist ideology in this film is gone, or decreased.  While things do not happen exactly like they did in this film, there are still numerous issues.

The recent death of Treyvon Martin proves there are still many people who racially profile based on appearance.  Then after this young boys death you have people on FOX news like Geraldo Rivera spouting off statements like young teenage Black and Latino boys should not wear hoodies, and the network citing that no one talks about black on black crime.  I have worn a hoodie at work everyday since this has happened.

This type of dialogue is not only happening within the context of real life situations, but within the world fandom and popular culture.  When the The Hunger Games was released 3 weeks ago CNN reported that many fans were outraged that Rue and Cinna were both played by black actors (Amadla Stenberg and Lenny Kravitz).  People will always complain about casting, but I have never heard such negative remarks about casting associated with race, here were some of the tweets:

"why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie"

"EWW rue is black?? I'm not watching"

"Sense (sic) when has Rue been a n****r"

One person complained that their picture of Rue as a blonde haired blue eyed girl ruined was ruined by the films.  In the books Rue is described as dark skinned, with dark hair, did this person even read the book?

To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the point of view of Scout the daughter of Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression era south.  Atticus Finch is one of the most heroic men in the history of film and literature.  In a time when racial issues were slowly intensifying this man stood up for someone who was different, and helped tried to save him from false rape charges from a white woman.  Atticus is a good man and a good father he wants to show he children how to stand up for something you believe a midst the pressure of societal discrimination.

Atticus is the epitome of the everyday man fighting for injustice, and Gregory Peck does a flawless job in this role.  Peck was one the best actors of his generation, and it feels as though with such natural acting abilities he was born to play this role.  Peck beat out some heavy hitters to win the Best Actor trophy at the Academy Awards for this role role, including Peter O'Toole for Lawrence of Arabia.  The film itself was nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Director.  This was also the film that introduced the world to another great actor, Robert DuVall who played Boo Radley.  This film made a difference in people's lives and it made a difference in the film industry.

To Kill a Mockingbird represents a trend that took off in Hollywood, the white crusade for the black cause. Some people have issues with this because they feel as though this takes away the genuine voice from the person who is struggling.  This has been a contentious issue even up until this past year with the film The Help.  The Help centered around a white female writer working to tell the story of the black maid is Mississippi.  While I understand the pros and cons to this style of story telling these two films have something in common, morality.  The two films center around characters who regardless of their race are standing up to fight for what is right.

Harper Lee wrote the novel the film is based on, and she herself is represented in the character Scout (her best friend in the film is said to be a young Truman Capote).  I remember being in 7th and my literature teacher told me specifically that it was a requirement I read this book.  I could not put it down, and since then this has been one of my favorite books, and also one of my favorite films of all time. I made my sister sit and watch this movie with me when she was younger in hoping she would love the film, and live the message; she always talks about this memory, and about how much she loves this film.  The message from my teacher Mrs. Black, and the book itself is one of standing up for injustice in the world.  Mockingbird helped me to be the person I am today someone who stands up for what they believe in, and that works be a little bit more like Atticus everyday.

In Memoriam: Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace is one of the most famous new journalist of all time, and while I did not get to see most of his first hand his legacy lives on within the television series 60 Minutes,  throughout other pieces of popular culture.

Mike Wallace was with the news program 60 Minutes from the beginning (1968), and while the show was not a massive hit from the beginning, the show became a top ten hit in 1977-1978.  The show remained in the top ten until 2001, and was often the most watched program of the year.  Mike Wallace was one of many new reporters but his solemn reporting often drew people to admire and respect the work that he did throughout the years.

Wallace hit hard at everyone from the public to private sector.  Challenging different people from members of the Nixon administration in the post Watergate era to Barbara Streisand.  His interview style challenged the interviewees.  Wallace did his research on the people he was interviewing; he also was the master of point out the obvious with questions that clarified and phrases like "forgive me but...." or "come on."

One the major situations Mike Wallace reported on was the 1995 was the whistle blower for tobacco industry Jeffrey Wigand.  Wigand had accused Brown & Williamson of intentionally putting extra nicotine in cigarettes.  The story ended up falling flat because CBS feared they would be sued for releasing an interview with Wigand because he had signed a non-disclosure deal with the company.  The New York Times released pieces of the story and showed this element, and exposed the unfortunate events at the end of Wallace's career.  In the final broadcast Wallace showed dismay over the story that had been gutted.  This represent not a low point, but the sign of changes in journalism.  If this sounds like a film, you are right this even was eventually made into a movie called The Insider where Russell Crowe played Wigand and Christopher Plummer played Mike Wallace.

Wallace is regarded as one of the best television journalist of all time, and his legacy will live out in quality work he put in throughout the many years on 60 Minutes, and even after he retired.  This man was   an incredible new reporter, and his memory will live on.

Religulous Revisited!

Today while I was relaxing my father called me saying he was sad I was not coming home for Easter.  My response was simply I am sad I will not be able to see you, but "I don't celebrate Easter."  My father talked about his own lack of religious yearnings, but mentioned how people tend to come home around holidays, and he missed my youth and getting me an Easter basket filled with candy as he saw people buying these things at Target.  I have to admit I miss the chocolate, but not church.

A few hours later I called my grandmother to thank her for the nice card she had sent for Easter; she to had wished i was coming home for the holiday.  I did not have the same conversation about religion with my grandmother, it would have been a moot point.  Like most of the people who raised Catholic from her generation (in the northeast) mass/religion are more about tradition and center on ways to bring the family together.  The same sentiment was in my father's thoughts.

As the day went on I thought a lot about not being home with my family and celebrating with them, and how we all used to celebrate Easter together with ham (which I hate).  Then when I got in from the gym with dinner my TiVo with some magic recorded, in the suggestion area, the film Religulous (2008).  Religulous is a documentary directed by Larry Charles (Curb Your Enthusiasm) about Bill Maher's perception on the current state of world religions.  While this is not the best documentary there are some great perspectives about different religions that are explored by Maher.

Maher is a self proclaimed atheist, and throughout his movie he goes to speak with a wide variety of people whose religion are the central part of their life.  Maher starts by going to a Church for truckers (Christian church), goes to speak with an ex-gay who tries to help people with their "transition", he goes to holiest lands from the Vatican, to places in the Middle East, and in the end he speaks with former Mormons, and people from Islam.  Maher conversations with these religious people are edited with scenes where Maher speaks with his mother and sister about their familial and his own life experiences with religion.  Each of these conversations centers around Maher's disbelief, and his thought that people cling to religions (not faith necessarily) which claim to have divine authority.

The film is filled with numerous memorable statements that provide some incredibly thought provoking moments like:

"The irony of religion is that because of its power to divert man to destructive courses, the world could actually come to an end. The plain fact is, religion must die for mankind to live. The hour is getting very late to be able to indulge in having in key decisions made by religious people. By irrationalists, by those who would steer the ship of state not by a compass, but by the equivalent of reading the entrails of a chicken. George Bush prayed a lot about Iraq, but he didn't learn a lot about it. Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. It's nothing to brag about. And those who preach faith, and enable and elevate it are intellectual slaveholders, keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned and justified so much lunacy and destruction. Religion is dangerous because it allows human beings who don't have all the answers to think that they do. Most people would think it's wonderful when someone says, "I'm willing, Lord! I'll do whatever you want me to do!" Except that since there are no gods actually talking to us, that void is filled in by people with their own corruptions and limitations and agendas. And anyone who tells you they know, they just know what happens when you die, I promise you, you don't. How can I be so sure? Because I don't know, and you do not possess mental powers that I do not. The only appropriate attitude for man to have about the big questions is not the arrogant certitude that is the hallmark of religion, but doubt. Doubt is humble, and that's what man needs to be, considering that human history is just a litany of getting shit dead wrong. This is why rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize that the solace and comfort that religion brings you actually comes at a terrible price. If you belonged to a political party or a social club that was tied to as much bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, violence, and sheer ignorance as religion is, you'd resign in protest. To do otherwise is to be an enabler, a mafia wife, for the true devils of extremism that draw their legitimacy from the billions of their fellow travelers. If the world does come to an end here, or wherever, or if it limps into the future, decimated by the effects of religion-inspired nuclear terrorism, let's remember what the real problem was that we learned how to precipitate mass death before we got past the neurological disorder of wishing for it. That's it. Grow up or die."


This quote from Maher made me think a lot about religion and the power it has over people today.  I do not know where I stand at the moment.  I grew up in a Catholic family went to Church every Sunday was an alter boy, and believed in everything that my religion centered.  As I grew up and started to learn more about the world outside of religion I began to ask questions.  In the world of the Catholics there is a do as I say mentality, and I do not often play by the rules.  I was also gay.  There were so many things priests, deacons, and bishops would say and I just fundamentally disagreed with them.  I felt/feel conned.  My own spiritual development is still in flux.  I do not know if I am spiritual or what if anything I believe in.  This statement made me think deeply about what I believe in and made me want to assess where I am at, and where I am going.


Film can have a powerful influence over thought processes, but in the same breath, my own emotional journey is not defined by film.  I have many friends who believe in different things that I no longer understand.  I respect/appreciate their journey and their beliefs, but like Maher I often find myself on the sidelines thinking why do we let the undefinable define who we are as people.  I do not know if I would characterize myself as an atheist on the level of Maher but I appreciate his voice in today's society as some challenges the common thoughts centered around religion.  Maher is, after all, not incredibly likeable (even thought I like him).



Maher including his family in this film was one of the best aspects of this film and helped viewers to have a better understanding of his religious journey, and allowed me to know him better.  One of my favorite moments was Maher's mother talking about Bill being angrier that there was no Santa as opposed to losing his connection with religion.  While Maher often comes across as pretentious, and stubborn.  The moments with his family give him more humanity as the narrator of the story.  Maher's analysis of other's faith can seem jarring, but as he says throughout the film "I'm just asking a question" and he is doing just that.  Maher is an outsider and talks about the fact that people who have his disbelief rarely can have honest/candid conversations about religion with those who have strong faith.  I agree with this statement but also wish he went deeper into other religions that are defined by spirituality or religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, and even Satanism, but maybe in a sequel.

April Movies to See and Movies to Skip!

March had a strong set of films.  Within the last three weeks 21 Jump Street and The Hunger Games provided a lot of entertainment, and strong box office numbers.  April on the other hand begins with some nostalgia bringing back the team from the American Pie series, and Titanic in 3D, but the rest of the month seems to start to fall flat.  I do not want to wish April away, but there are too many May movies I excited to see.

April 6th

American Reunion

Titanic in 3D

American Reunion's preview looks pretty hilarious, and all of previous installments were pretty hilarious/entertaining (the third being the weakest).  Revisiting this franchise does not seem cheap because of the premise of the story, a ten year reunion, sign me up.  Will Kate Winslet's breast pop out of the screen?  While I enjoy Titanic it's not one of the films I want to go see again.  I do think it is a net concept though.

April 13th 

The Cabin in the Woods 

The Three Stooges

Lockout

This is wear April starts to fall flat.  While I was excited that Joss Whedon produced the thriller The Cabin in the Woods, the preview made me change my mind.  The Three Stooges went through several cast changes, directors, etc. and when the preview released my exact thoughts were "What a waste of time" and "This tarnishes the reputation of the television series."  I think the film looks and will be awful.  Lockout looks like Taken in space..do I need to say more?

April 20th 

The Lucky One 

Think Like a Man 

Chimpanzee

Zac Effron takes on Nicholas Spark; he looks hot, but Spark's stories are so predictable, cheap ploys at getting emotions.  The only reason I will see The Lucky One is to watch him shirtless (honest).  Chimpanzee will be a cute family friendly film that may surprise and be more successful than people think.  Think Like a Man which is based on Steve Harvey's book looks like mindless fun entertainment.

April 27th 

The Five-Year Engagement

The Raven

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Safe 

As the middle two weeks of the month feel painful the last week is where things may start to pickup.  I think Engagement looks good, and Seagal and Blunt will make a great time on screen.  I have seen previews for this damn Pirates movie for forever (it seems), and I think it looks hilarious.  The Raven looks painful, time reassess your carer John Cusack.  Jason Stratham thanks for making the same movie  over and over again, I appreciate it!

Movies to see:American Reunion, The Five-Year Engagement, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Titanic3D

Movies to Skip:The Three Stooges, Lockout, Safe, The Lucky One, The Raven