December 2009

So, Avatar … If I were a blogger worth my salt, I would have written a review within mere minutes of returning from viewing, but in all honesty I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about the film. Was I entertained? Absolutely. (I saw it in regular 2D and will hereby state for the record that you absolutely can enjoy this film outside of IMAX or 3D effects, so don’t let anyone strong-arm you into paying a higher ticket price!) However, there have been many criticisms that – at its basis – Avatar is a wildly unoriginal retelling of films like Dances With Wolves and Pocahontas. And really, any “fish out of water falls in love” story could apply. But what makes it innovative are all the ancillary details that surround the core story. Being set in the year 2154 and taking place on other planets; a human assimilating into another culture whilst operating an avatar into which their consciousness has been transferred; the culture of the Na’Vi people and how they connect to the many and varied lifeforms around them.

However, Avatar isn’t without its flaws. Jake Sully, the “hero” of our story, seems to have been teleported straight out of a 1970’s post-Vietnam war movie. Why is he still operating a manual wheelchair in the year 2154? Or better yet, why is he even in this condition? It seemed like a cop-out that despite all the tremendously sophisticated technology that was displayed in the film, a paraplegic living in 2154 would still be tooling around in an old-school wheelchair. And Grace smoking cigarettes? In 150 years, people will still be choking on cancer sticks? I guess in some ways, showing two of the film’s most vital characters as flawed humans is more relatable than if they had been perfect specimens of humanity. Still, when you set a movie so far ahead in the future, seeing a little evolution in medical advances and intelligence would have been appreciated.

As you can see, I think fully enjoying this film depends upon your ability to suspend reality, forgo cynicism, and overlook the foibles that will occur to you as you’re watching. As such, the first thing that occurred to me as I was leaving the theater was how much more I would have loved it had I been an awestruck 12 year old once more. Because here’s the thing … I go to movies to be entertained or affected in some way. Whether it’s being moved to laughter or tears; riveted with anticipation; on the edge of my seat in excitement; really any kind of emotion that gets stirred up in a satisfying way makes for a great movie-going experience. And I think as you get older, it takes more doing to eek out those instinctual reactions than it did in childhood. So as the credits rolled, I thought about Jurassic Park – a film that came out when I was 13 and was – perhaps still is – one of the most affecting films I’ve ever seen in a theater. Intense, exciting, terrifying, blood-pumping, heart-racing, you name it. These days, thrills in the theater are a dime a dozen, but back then, Jurassic Park was a revelation. And I can see Avatar becoming the younger generation’s Jurassic Park. It has the fantastical storyline, the special effects, the drama, the excitement. It’s already become one of those rare films that people are making noteworthy for the sense of awe and wonder it stirred within them. But to each their own! And in like fashion, I thought I’d share a few of the films that made an indelible impression in my tender years that are destined – in my eyes – to never be faded, replicated, or duplicated.

Although my first viewing of 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was a goodly 15 years after its initial release, it was as bright and shiny and bizarrely-beautiful as anything being made in the mid-1980’s. It’s definitely one of those films that colored my childhood with a vividly-hued brush stroke of slight madness and immense wonder. I remember secretly licking the wallpaper in various friends’ homes and hoping to finally find one that tasted like schnozberries, and throwing pennies into the mall fountains, wishing that someday I’d grow up and have my own edible mecca of candy-flavored delights. I could never open a Hershey’s bar without biting my lip in anticipation and hoping beyond hope for a glimpse of gold. And although I always fast-forwarded our worn out VHS tape through that maudlin “Cheer Up, Charlie” song (easily the low point of the film), the movie as a whole delighted me every time. Gene Wilder will always be Willy Wonka to me, and I pity the fool who saw the Johnny Depp version first (which I abjectly refuse to watch in full). Definitely one of my lifelong, nostalgic favorites. “A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” – Willy Wonka

Speaking of fantastical films that are as timeless now as they were in my childhood, 1986’s Labyrinth has so many brilliant things going for it, it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite element. First and foremost, when you’ve got a film directed by Jim Hensen and produced by George Lucas, it already has “epic” written all over it. Add in the innovative use of Hensen’s Creature Shop Muppets, a fabulously memorable (and quotable) soundtrack, and a truly unique story that’s immensely relateable to kids and teenagers, and you’ve got movie magic. Oh, and there’s the matter of a certain character called Jareth, played by the incomparable David Bowie (although the billing probably should have been shared with his crotch as well!) I also love Jennifer Connelly in this film, and how at times she seemed every bit the bratty teenager, and at other times a worldly soul. Plus she totally cosplayed before it was chic to do so, making her extra full of win! I’ve heard whisperings about a remake of Labyrinth, but I couldn’t find any information to support this (thank goodness!) And besides, no one – but no one – could rock those spandex tights like Bowie! Om nom nom.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) is one of those films that I can practically quote front-to-back, but never fail to find hilarity in re-watching. In fact, I like to think that my repeat viewings over the past 20 years have contributed to my love of dorky humor and innuendo – not to mention, my still simmering crush on Billy the Kid. (What?! He’s a cutie!) It’s also got to be one of the most immensely quotable movies I’ve ever seen (you can barely go 2 minutes without mentally cataloging a favorite line of dialog) and the fact that I randomly ended up moving to the city where Bill & Ted’s was filmed still tickles me to no end. It’s also another one of those films with a fantastic soundtrack, and although some might say that the movie feels a bit aged (the phone booth teleporter, most notably), it doesn’t feel like an 80’s flick in the same way that John Hughes films of the same era tend to. And I have to say, if I were forced to watch only one movie for the rest of my life, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure might just be it. (Don’t get me started on the lackluster sequel …) In closing, I’d like to leave you with this sentiment: “SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES!”

This one came out of left field, hmmm? Although I can’t say I was quite so “tender” in years when it was released, 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon rounds out my short-list of films that have had a profound effect on my movie-watching experiences over the years. You might argue that better Wuxia style films have been made, but CTHD was the first I’d ever seen and I believe it still holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing foreign language film in American history, and was a true breakthrough in a country where many movie-goers turn up their noses at subtitled fare. Having never seen anything like it, I was captured by the martial artistry that managed to be simultaneously delicate and fierce – a lethal ballet, if you will. It had an equally strong story filled with romance, defiance, tradition, and indeed, its fair share of death. I eagerly awaited similar films that followed, such as Hero and House of Flying Daggers, but neither managed to be as emotionally stirring or breathtakingly exciting as CTHD. It’s one of the last films that had me wide-eyed and wowed as I watched it, and that it was filmed on a $15 million dollar budget is testament that you don’t need to spend a fortune to make an effective action-adventure film!

So I’d have loved to see Avatar 15 or 20 years ago; barring that, it would have been interesting to see it with someone who was younger, less worldly and cynical, and more able to be swept up in the story and the effects. And see, that’s the thing – you really can’t review this film without mentioning the special effects, and for good reason. I think they really are done brilliantly, if you’re not one who scoffs at all things CGI. (Personally, I’m all for it!) But strip away the CGI and setting, and you’ve got a familiar story that plays a little tiredly to those of us who have many memorable films to compare it to. However, for many people, Avatar will be the high watermark of film-making for many years to come – and that truly is the touchstone of an effective film, I’d say. After all, three out of the four movies I mentioned above performed very modestly at the box office, but what makes them legendary in my mind is how much I loved them at the time and how much I still adore them to this day. So to all who were awestruck and enchanted by Avatar, remember it well – and go back and see it again if time allows. Some day you’ll be reminiscing about your favorite films, and how you felt the first time you saw them is something that you’ll never forget.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, and I’ll see you again in the new year! ♥

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