A Week of Movie Recommendations: Escapism 3
Ever since shelter in place began in March, on my Facebook page, I have been recommending a film daily. Several people have asked if I could compile those recommendations. So this begins a series of recommendations where each day I recommend a movie based on a theme.
As I said the last time I did escapism films, there are so many different interpretations to what is an escapist film: fantasy, innocent, something ridiculous and action packed, or a comedy among many others. Will try to offer a variety. Also, I am recommending films that I did not give 4 stars. So less talked about movies.
Escapism 3
Day 1 Movie Recommendation
Since today is Easter, I have chosen a wonderful innocent movie from director Lasse Hallstrom, who specializes in this type of joyful film.
"Chocolat" ****
Juliette Binoche, one of the great underrated actresses, plays the main character who moves to a small french village in 1959 to open a chocolaterie, but this is an extremely conservative and traditionally small village, led by the pious mayor, played by Alfred Molina. It is Lent and he believes that the new chocolate shop will lead people astray. Let us not forget the reason that Devils' Food Cake is called... devil's food cake
Through the opening of the chocolaterie, a grandmother is able to reconnect with her grandson, a young woman finds refuge, and another falls in love. Through it all, the village is transformed and the ending is surprising and melodramtic, but wonderfully simple all the same. The last day in the film ends on Easter and it is indeed a new beginning for the main character, the mayor, and the entire town.
Day 2 Movie Recommendation
For today's escapist film we go to the rare genre, the comedy western. No, it is not "Blazing Saddles" which is a masterpiece (again recommending less talked about films), but rather a card hustling film based on a famous TV show.
"Maverick" *** 1/2
I know it is hard to recommend a Mel Gibson movie these days... that being said, so many other extraordinary talents went into making this movie. Richard Donner is a great director and this is a forgotten work of his. William Goldman, one of the greatest screenwriters in history, penned this gem of a screenplay, witty, funny, wildly funny with set ups and payoffs; plays brilliantly with how the western uses its usual racist portrayal of Native Americans (Graham Greene, a great Native American actor is particularly good in his small roll). Jodie Foster is fantastic as an almost screwball comedy heroine dropped into a western.
Maverick is a card player. He is not a traditional western fighter. In a great sequence he demonstrates he can draw a gun quickly, but the fight he gets into was staged to demonstrate his manliness to his rivals. Later when he actually has to take on some bandits, he needs all the guns he can get because while he's a fast draw "I'm a lousy shot". Indeed, he is!
Maverick needs to make it to the largest stake poker game of the west. Not for the money, but to prove to himself that he is the best. In his way is a righteous former sheriff, a greedy con artist, a hired gunslinger, and his friends who owe him money but will do anything to avoid paying him back. In one hysterical sequence, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover meet and the two have a moment where they look like they recognize each other, before Danny delivers his line "I'm getting to old for this s^%#". Great "Lethal Weapon" reference, also made by Richard Donner.
So even with that caveat, I enjoy this film and show parts of it to my Western Lit class.
Day 3 Movie Recommendation
For today's escapist movie recommendation, we go to a film whose outlook on a difficult time, the launching of Sputnik which caused such fear in America, is met with hope rather than despair. Reminding us of the quotation from Albus Dumbledore that in the darkness all we must remember to do is turn on a light.
"October Sky" *** 1/2
For Homer Hickman (a young and great Jake Gyllenhaal), there was only one future for him. His family had been coal miners for generations and his father as well as his society expected that of him as well. But after Sputnik is launched, Homer becomes obsessed with building rockets. Against his father's wishes and with the aid of a teacher and several friends, they break the odds.
A wonderful and inspiring story, proving that sometimes reality is more fantastic than fiction (although let's be honest, all 'based on a true story' are in fact fiction because of the needs of narrative conventions), shows such optimism and hope associated with youth and a belief that we can change our world. This is certainly the message I need right now.
Day 4 Movie Recommendation
Continuing in recommending escapist films, this time we go to a film that causes one to ponder long after it is over. For some that doesn't sound like escapism, but in this case, I think the pondering over the plot, how it happened, where the con was, is consuming in a good way. It removes our anxiety from our own world by making us figure out this intricate puzzle and it is indeed a puzzle.
"The Spanish Prisoner" *** 1/2
David Mamet is famous for writing stories about the con-game, none better than his masterpiece "House of Games". Again, I am trying to recommend films though that are less talked about. "The Spanish Prisoner" may be his most complicated film plot wise. It is indeed a film that entraps its audience, confusing them about what is going on as the protagonist, Joe Ross (a great Campbell Scott) tries to get what's his at first, before trying to prove his innocence.
Joe Ross has developed "the process", a mathematical formula that will make his company millions (what exactly it does is never quite spelled out, making it a great McGuffin in the typical Hitchcock sense). Everyone wants it, and so Joe has to be careful, but he is afraid his employer is going to stiff him on what is rightfully his. He meets and starts a friendship with a strange man, Jimmy Bell (Steve Martin in a brilliant non-comedic roll). After his company doesn't give him the reward he wants, he turns to Jimmy Bell for help. Shortly, he has had the process stolen, found out the FBI is after Jimmy Bell, agreed to aid them, all with the help of his assistant, Susan Ricci (Rebecca Pidgeon), and then is framed for murder. As the ground is continually pulled out from under Joe, the plot deepens and deepens.
I will admit, this film probably needs more than one viewing to try and make sense of, but it's an entertaining puzzle of a film.
Day 5 Movie Recommendation
Next in Escapism film recommendations, returning to comedies and a screwball comedy of sorts no less, here's to one of the Coen brothers' lesser works, but still a wonderful film.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" ***
Loosely based upon "The Odyssey", this is a tale of of a man "of twists and turns". Ulysses Everett McGill has just escaped from prisoner, chained to two other prisoners to try and retrieve the fortune from a bank heist. Along the way, they will meet a blind prophet named Homer, a one-eyed Klansman, a group of seductive singing women, be pursued by Hades himself, and also meet a colorful list of characters from history (Baby Face Nelson for one).
The best part of the movie is probably the music, whose soundtrack brings to life this story and provides some wonderful set ups and pay offs.
Wild, wacky, and one of a kind, "O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a great ride.
Day 7 Movie Recommendation
For our last escapist film of the week, we will return to the action film. The genre that I grew up loving and I think because of its absurdity, certainly allows you to turn your brain off for a couple hours. But before we do, next week, I will continue my series for a week on showcasing female directors. For the coming weeks, if you would like to suggest a category (genre, director, thematic, etc) for recommendations please do!
"Con Air" ***
Of all of the over the top 90's action stars (Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, etc) perhaps none contain as much manic energy as Nicolas Cage. In this, an absolutely absurd movie, but extremely entertaining, Cage plays Cameron Poe, a former Army ranger who is being paroled after serving time for killing men who threatened his family. On his ride home, he goes on "con air", an airplane loaded with the craziest group of serial killers and evil men that only a movie could provide. At one point, Poe remarks that somehow they managed to get every freak on one plane. And that is the wonderful tone of this movie. It knows its absurd and plays with it.
In a role he seemed born to play, John Malkovich plays the ring leader, Cyrus the Virus, and is accompanied by a black militant (Ving Rhames), a serial rapist (Danny Trejo), a serial killer named Graham Greene (Steve Buscemi) who is obviously based on Hannibal Lector and to whom Cyrus tells him of his 37 murders "I love your work".
Of course, guest what? This band of criminals takes over the plane and now it's up to Nic Cage's Cameron Poe to take them down. Colm Meany has a wonderful guest roll as a DEA agent who might actually have to right idea, which is to blow them out of the sky, but, if he did that there would be no movie.
