Al's Top 100 Favorite Drama Films Part 2

Part 1

80:  East of Eden

Drama Of: Cal Trask.

The Film: A solid film and a solid adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel, complete with a captivating performance by James Dean. It's the story that makes it good though, and it is a deep, fascinating tale that mirrors the original legend of Cain and Abel. There's nothing more dramatic than themes of original sin permeating through the clash of characters.

My current score: 4/5
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79:  The Social Network

Drama Of: Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin, founders of Facebook.

The Film: In 2010, nobody could have thought that a movie about Facebook would amount to much, but David Fincher took a simple subject and made it interesting. Part of it is the style - the film looks good, has decent performances, and a swell soundtrack. Above all, the film's emphasis on conflict between the characters keeps the drama rolling hard and fast. In the end, it's an interesting character study that makes you question Zuckerberg's intentions.

My current score: 4/5

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78:  12 Angry Men

Drama Of: 12 jurors.

The Film: The story by nature is gripping, as one juror goes up against eleven to raise a shadow of a doubt and invoke a passionate debate. The clash of personalities reveals this simple courtroom drama to be a microcosm, with all the jurors representing the different perspectives and personalities that stands behind judgement. With quality filming and performances, the movie has cemented itself as a classic for good reason.

My current score: 4/5

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77:  Shame (2011)

Drama Of: Brandon Sullivan, the man obsessed with sex.

The Film: This is a film that doesn't hold back. By that, I don't necessarily mean the graphic sex (of which there's some, but it's not overbearing, especially when compared to Nymphomaniac). It's the raw emotions that are blasted at full strength; Michael Fassbender's performance exudes passion and desperation as his obsessions take him through so many ups and downs, before inevitably ruining his life and everybody else around him. It is a quality film, but it is also pretty heavy-duty.

My current score: 4/5

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76:  Sling Blade

Drama Of: Karl Childers.

The Film: Billy Bob Thornton worked in front of and behind the camera to tell this bittersweet tale of a mentally-stunted man struggling to fit into society. The character really takes the spotlight and becomes somebody we can care about, before the film takes some rather gnarly twists. Despite the bleak outcome, it is a good story told in a straightforward fashion.

My current score:  4/5

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75:  The Outsiders

Drama Of: Greasers.

The Film: A solid, fairly gripping, and endearing portrayal of gang violence in the 60s. The film has its share of violence, but it's inherently touching to watch these kids come together through the thick and thin of it to support and protect each other. Some make it out unscathed, some don't, but their experiences overall make for some decent drama.

This film has been re-released as a "Complete Novel" edition, which boasts 22 minutes of new scenes, plus a redone soundtrack. Purists may not care for this version, but I didn't think it was bad at all.

My current score: 4/5

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74:  Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka)

Drama Of: Seita and Setsuko, orphaned children in a time of war.

The Film: Few films are as tragic as this. For much of the film, you grow to love the characters in all their childhood innocence. But when war rears its ugly head and forces them to try and survive on their own, it becomes a depressing tear-jerker. It's easy to label this as an anti-war film, but it also also carries a stark moral concerning responsibility, community, and sympathy.

My current score: 4/5

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73:  The Godfather Part II

Drama Of: Michael Corleone, picking up where his father left off.

The Film: Easily one of the best sequels ever made; this film is very much on-par with its predecessor, if not better. The continued struggle of Michael Corleone is loaded with intense struggle and conflict. The occasional flashback scenes are pretty awesome. It all adds up to a rather bitter climax, which underscores the rise of power and the fall of morality within the criminal underworld.

My current score: 4/5

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72:  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Drama Of: Benjamin Button, the man who was born old and died young.

The Film: I never truly loved this film until revisiting it, but I've come to see that the film is a beautiful piece of work. The imagery is great throughout, and the performances are good. The story doesn't have much conflict to it, but it is a bizarre yarn, and the film digs up some touching themes regarding life and the passage of time.

My current score: 4/5

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71:  The Untouchables

Drama Of: Eliot Ness, who teams up with Jimmy Malone to bring down Al Capone.

The Film: A classy production with quality performances and some great setpieces. The hunt for Al Capone has never looked so good, and has never been so intense. The characters are likable and determined, and their struggles against crime and a corrupt system are constantly engaging because of it.

My current score: 4.5/5

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70:  Tree of Life

Drama Of: The O'Brian family throughout the years...and the cosmos.

The Film: If nothing else, this is one beautiful film with loads of incredible imagery. Why, this film even diverges into the birth and death of the universe. Most of the film's actual drama focuses on a family in rural Texas, and their interactions generally lay out the best and worst of human life in general. It's a very random movie, but it is a compelling stream of consciousness with some invoking metaphysical themes.

My current score: 4/5

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69:  On the Waterfront

Drama Of: Terry Malloy, dockworker.

The Film: One of the great classics, this film sports great-looking locations, great photography, and great performances. The film focuses on the corruption plaguing longshoremen, and it builds up to a rather intense and bloody climax.

My current score: 4/5

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68:  Contact

Drama Of: Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Ann Arroway, the scientist who makes first contact.

The Film: The film is most impressive for its style and visual effects, which include a fantastic opening scene that takes us across the breadth of the universe. However, the film's drama is what keeps is going hard and strong. It is an inherently intense struggle as Ellie faces pushback at every turn, from people stealing her thunder, fanatics trying to sabotage the mission, political and legal battles, and more. It is satisfying when she finally gets to go where no man has gone before. There are a few sappy parts, but the film overall is quite the solid and invoking journey.

My current score: 4/5

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67:  Hunger (2008)

Drama Of: Bobby Sands, member of the IRA who led a hunger strike in prison.

The Film: This film has a few rough parts, its pacing is pretty slow, and it can be tough to watch the main character waste away like he does (it is especially remarkable how much weight Michael Fassbender lost in this role for those scenes). However, it is an interesting study of non-conformity, and the film paints a surprisingly beautiful picture of a slow and agonizing death.

My current score: 4/5

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66:  The Illusionist (2006)

Drama Of: Eisenheim, man of illusions.

The Film: Coming out at the exact same time as The Prestige, it's hard not to compare the two. While I personally prefer Nolan's film, this one is a pretty decent drama with its own share of unique twists. It's well-made, it has good performances, and it's just good overall.

My current score: 4/5

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65:  The Wild One

Drama Of: Johnny Strabbler, biker dude.

The Film: Things get interesting fast when these characters roll into town and start whooping it up, to the chagrin of the locals. Marlon Brando is as cool as ever as the main character, and the film has a heck of a style that makes it stand out even to this day.

My current score: 4/5

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64:  Rebel Without a Cause

Drama Of: Jim Stark, a kid just trying to find his way.

The Film: This is the film that really makes James Dean a household name. His performance as Jim is an earnest and compelling one, which allows the audience to sympathize with him as he continuously defies all figures of authority (parents, teachers, and even the police) and has to always prove something to the punks around him. No real reason is given to Jim's outbursts, other than he's just another teenager trying to get along. That in itself is a fundamental and compelling drama, and it's handled well in this film.

My current score: 4/5

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63:  Raging Bull

Drama Of: Jake LaMotta, boxer.

The Film: While the story of Rocky is a continuously inspiring one, the story of Jake LaMotta is a pretty bizarre experience that feels more like a descent of morality. Jake's story is not all about boxing, as he consorts with mob bosses and dabbles in the nightlife often, in a manner not too dissimilar to other Scorsese pictures. It is a well-made film with some interesting ups and downs, and it is a worthwhile experience overall.

My current score: 4/5

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62:  The Place Beyond the Pines

Drama Of: A bank robber, a cop, and their children.

The Film: In three distinct acts, this film takes its time to chronicle two generations of cops and robbers. Ryan Gosling provides an invoking, heartfelt portrayal of a man just trying to provide for his family, no matter what. Bradley Cooper plays the cop trying to do his job, confronting not just the crime, but also the corruption. The offspring of these two characters come together in the last act to twist around the moral roles, to the point where it's hard to tell where the role of a cop or robber really comes from. Even though the last act loses some steam, the storytelling overall is apt, intriguing, and the film looks mostly splendid.

My current score: 4.5/5

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61:  Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Drama Of: Bonnie and Clyde. They rob banks.

The Film: It's a pretty rough and bloody affair; Bonnie and Clyde are a violent and mischievous pair who gleefully defy all law and order to become legendary outlaws. With a solid filming style and solid performances, the film stands out as a tough and entertaining account of this infamous duo.

My current score: 4/5

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To be continued...

Al's Top 100 Favorite Drama Films Part 1

Drama is probably the most fundamental genre of any storytelling medium. In film, it's got to be the biggest, broadest, longest-running, and most prestigious genre of the lot. Most classics and big award-winners will be dramas by nature.

For me personally, it's not just a matter of quality or acclaim; a drama has to captivate me, and some will captivate me more than others. A lot of my favorite dramas will be intense and hard-hitting, and some of my favorites are some of the most depressing stories ever made. Some of these films have a real flair for style, and some of them get so far-out that they venture into realms above and beyond reality. Many happen to be crime dramas and gangster films.

What really defines them, however, are the characters. Unlike most other films, where external forces and conflict drives a plot, drama specifically focuses on characters, and they are the ones who drive the conflict and push a plot forward. Thus, a drama could embody itself in any number of subjects (sports, prison, crime), settings (historic, modern, futuristic), and genres (film noir, romance, horror, sci-fi, etc).

Within these constraints, I've sorted out my top 100 favorite drama films: all compelling narratives about people and their struggles through all manner of adversity. Sometimes they fail and other times they are triumphant, but in all cases, these films underscore the strong pathological truths and characteristics of the human spirit, and all these films speak to us in their own unique ways. Everybody's taste in dramas tend to vary, but I hope you'll see value in my list and take a chance on some of these invoking stories.
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100:  Breaking the Waves

Drama Of: Bess McNeill, a woman who will do anything for her man...

The Film: It's not an easy picture to watch. Part of it is because of the style, which is purposefully rough around the edges. But it's the story that makes it so whack; the idea of a husband sending his wife off to make love to other men flies in the face of what we normally think of as good, healthy, holy matrimony. With the setting of an extremist Calvinist community, strong themes of morality, faith, and prejudice emerge, and make the drama all the more compelling.

My current score: 4/5
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99:  Crash (2004)

Drama Of: Several characters in LA whose lives crash into each other.

The Film: I've seen a lot of bad reviews over this one, partly accusing the film of being overrated (probably due to all the Oscar hype), and for the nature of the story, which is admittedly contrived and heavy-handed. However, I do believe that it is a gorgeously-made film with a strong bittersweet tone, which digs up some intriguing racial and social themes worth exploring. I can't say that all the characters and events are all that likable, but the way they collide makes for some intriguing entertainment.

My current score: 4/5

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98:  The Graduate

Drama Of: Benjamin Braddock, college graduate being seduced by Mrs. Robinson.

The Film: A classy film with classy music and classy performances. It is an interesting story that questions whether it's better to give into short-lived temptation or hold out for a longer-lasting happiness. The characters go far to ensure the latter, even at the expense of antagonizing others. The turnout is ultimately bold and satisfying.

My current score: 4/5

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97:  Great Expectations (1946)

Drama Of: Pip.

The Film: I can't say I found this story all that enjoyable while studying it in school, but on film, it looks great with quality photography and quality acting. The story is pretty easy to digest, and the whole thing exudes a classy Charles Dickens level of class.

My current score: 4/5

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96:  A Streetcar Named Desire

Drama Of: Blanche DuBois.

The Film: A straightforward adaptation of the famous play, but it's one that boasts decent performances, and a style that exudes nothing but heat and seediness from the settings. The story drags a little, but it has some explosive emotions that underscore key themes of desire, civility, and truth.

My current score: 3.5/5

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95:  Judgment at Nuremberg

Drama Of: All the people associated with the Nuremberg trials.

The Film: It's a long courtroom drama, but it's a good-looking film that focuses on the hard, cruel truths behind the inhumanity of the Holocaust. The film is big and broad, with its immense and talented cast. Even after all these years, the film holds up well as a mirror looking back on the complexities of the situation following WWII.

My current score: 4/5

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94:  The Right Stuff

Drama Of: The test pilots and the first astronauts of Project Mercury.

The Film: It's a long film, but it gets more and more interesting when the guys finally get to break past the Earth's atmosphere. The characters, always struggling to prove who's the fastest and who has "the right stuff," provide the dramatic dynamics to make the story evenly entertaining, while a few good visual motifs draw some interesting metaphors worth exploring.

My current score: 4/5

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93:  Nymphomaniac Parts I and II

Drama Of: Joe, the woman who can't get enough.

The Film: This epic two-part saga chronicles the exploits of the main character throughout her life, showing how insatiable lust pushes her further and further down darker paths of pleasure and pain. The film certainly doesn't leave much to the imagination, but it is a well-told tale that entwines expressionistic images with the plot, and brings up some interesting points on sexuality overall. However, the ending of the whole thing might leave you feeling bewildered.

This film is available as a director's cut, which extends the total runtime of the whole saga to over five hours. Most of the new scenes are seamless, but there is one extremely graphic scene that everybody's better off not seeing.

My current score Part I: 4/5 Part II: 3.5/5

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92:  Edward Scissorhands

Drama Of: Edward.

The Film: The man has scissors for hands! How crazy is that? Of course, it's difficult for Edward to really grab and hold things. But what really makes his life a compelling struggle are the same characteristics that endure in other Tim Burton films: the themes of simply being different than everyone else and being an outsider, especially in the midst of an idyllic, clean, conservative suburb. Edward is a tragic and gothic character who's out of his element, and the film is at its best when it focuses on Edward's struggle to get along with others.

My current score: 4/5

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91:  The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon)

Drama Of: Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man with locked-in syndrome.

The Film: This lovely-looking film boasts some innovative photography, as it literally puts the audience into the character's head for most of the film. The character's thoughts provide the narration, and even though he's not always an endearing fellow, his struggle to communicate and eventually break free of the constraints of his body drive is a compelling story.

My current score: 4/5

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90:  Precious

Drama Of: Claireece Precious Jones.

The Film: This is some messed-up drama here. Precious is a character who endures so much disabilities and abuse that it becomes impossible not to pity her. Her situation is tragic as it is, living in poverty, suffering from obesity, pregnant, and struggling with education. The matter is compounded exponentially by the horrific abuse of her parents. And she's only 16. The sheer cruelty causes her to escape into fantasy, much the same way the characters in Heavenly Creatures do. Fortunately, the film ends on a more inspiring note, as Precious eventually finds help, and helps herself, rise out of adversity.

My current score: 3.5/5

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89:  A Bronx Tale

Drama Of: Lorenzo Anello and his son.

The Film: I have to admit that it's been a long time since I saw this film, but from what I remember, it's a darn good film with some hard-hitting violence and a heartfelt story. The gang wars that erupt are intense, but at its core, the film's focus on a father trying to protect his son is a powerful and evoking tale worth telling.

My current score: 4/5

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88:  How Green Was My Valley

Drama Of: The Morgans: Welsh miners.

The Film: This valley is shockingly not all that green; the film is a really grungy-looking picture, showing a world coated in soot and smoke from the intense industrialization and exploitation of the beautiful landscape. In the midst of this unhealthy landscape, the Morgans' daily struggles become compelling, and one can't help but to feel for them as they try to eke out a living. Performances are good, and the photography (even while focusing on the dirty settings) is gorgeous.

My current score: 4/5

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87:  Heavenly Creatures

Drama Of: Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme, girls whose friendship is so close that they share a common fantasy, and may even share a desire to murder.

The Film: From the real-life tragedy, this film outlines the reasoning behind why these girls felt the need to kill Mrs. Parker. As disturbing as the tale is, the film successfully evokes sympathy for the girls, as it tracks their gleeful friendship and their vivid fantasies. They become characters we can love and root for, especially when confronted by a whole society of judgmental, conservative, controlling attitudes. The tension builds little by little until it all leads to a desperate and bleak climax. Peter Jackson's style naturally brings this simple story to vivid life with his eccentric camera work, geniune New Zealand settings, and a lively cast.

My current score: 4/5

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86:  Ace in the Hole

Drama Of: Chuck Tatum, news reporter who can make his own news in thrilling new ways!

The Film: The premise of this film is that a news reporter responds to a man trapped in a cave, by keeping him trapped there and developing a total media circus around him. What a slimeball. And yet, how much truth could there be to this? How willing is the press, to contort truth and put lives at risk for the sake of a story that's bound to be an ace in the hole? I find this story evoking as a testament to the cruel power of greed and ambition, and it's something I think is frightfully plausible.

My current score: 4/5

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85:  Dolores Claiborne

Drama Of: Dolores Claiborne and her daughter, resolving crimes of the past and the present.

The Film: Few can make drama more hard-hitting and grotesque than Stephen King, and this tale presents a few of his signature themes: domestic violence, alcoholism, child abuse, to name a few. The film strikes a stark tone, and it becomes relentlessly brutal when the domestic violence hits. For the most part, it's the characters and their relationships that comprises their struggle to uncover the truth of whether justice needs to be served, or if murder is justifiable.

My current score: 4/5

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84:  The Wrong Man

Drama Of: Christopher Emmanuel "Manny" Balestrero, the man wrongfully arrested, tried, and imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.

The Film: One of the few films Hitchcock made based on a real-life case, but the man's signature suspense permeates through this classy film-noir picture thanks to the desperation of the character as he's churned through an unsympathetic justice system like meat going through a machine in a factory. As I understand it, Hitchcock had a natural distrust of the poilice, and his paranoia shines through this film as we follow the character all the way to jail. The story by nature evokes sympathy and outrage, and it gets to the point where you want justice to be served right in the end.

My current score: 4/5

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83:  Escape From Alcatraz

Drama Of: Frank Morris, one of the few men to have escaped from Alcatraz.

The Film: Like any prison movie, it's gritty and rough-around the edges. Clint Eastwood delivers even more grit to the experience with his signature tough-guy performance. It is a modestly thrilling experience to watch these guys plan and execute their escape, and it is an experience I find modestly satisfying.

My current score: 4/5

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82:  A Night To Remember (1958)

Drama Of: Passengers of the RMS Titanic.

The Film: This dramatization of the Titanic's sinking is quite well-grounded in fact and personal accounts, providing a documentary-like perspective on the famous ship's final night at sea. Characters aren't a huge standout here, but there are many of them, and their combined perspectives provide a macro-view of the pandemondium that ensued during the ship's sinking. It gets most engaging when the ship sinks, but the attention to detail and quality filming makes it a classic, definitive Titanic movie. The only thing better is, arguably, Titanic, which covers a lot of the same ground, but provides a romantacist plot to evoke a deeper pathos, and a grander spectacle.

My current score: 4/5

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81:  Of Mice and Men (1992)

Drama Of: George and Lennie.

The Film: Even though I favor the 1930s version more, this version has its merit. It is a colorful film with all the same edge and storytelling nuance of the novel, and a decent cast to bring the characters to life well. The two leads - Gary Sinise and John Malkovich - are the biggest reasons to see this version. Otherwise, it's generally good.

My current score: 4/5
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To be continued...

Book Review: Doctor Sleep (Stephen King)

It's been 36 years since one of Stephen King's biggest and most famous titles, The Shining, hit bookstores and made a huge splash in the world of horror fiction.  It had a simple premise of showing a family haunted, tormented, and pulled apart by ghosts haunting a hotel; they found salvation only in their gifted son, who used his shining - telepathy - to call for help.  As simple as it is, the book remains a horror classic thanks to its imagination, its nuanced attention to stark themes of domestic violence and alcoholism, and King's signature laid-back ethos.

Personally, I would have been happy if The Shining remained a one-off.  It told the story it needed to well, and ended in a satisfying manner.  However, when the question came up about what could have happened to the little boy who survived the ordeal of the Overlook Hotel, King decided to answer that question for himself, by writing this novel, Doctor Sleep.

The book picks up on Danny Torrance's life since the events of The Shining, and it's not always an endearing tale.  Danny becomes something of a lost soul, who decides to drown out his shining abilities and his painful memories in drinking.  Once he feels he hits rock bottom, he picks himself back up, tries to live a cleaner life, but inevitably his path clashes with a new main character.  The story of Danny becomes entwined with the story of Abra Stone, a girl with super-duper shining abilities.  The two connect psychically, but as Abra grows and matures, she draws the attention of a new kind of evil.  Things get really interesting and gripping when The True Knot - a group of vampire-like people who roam around America feeding off of kids with the shining - target and hunt Abra.  It all builds up methodically to a psychically-charged climax at the site of the Overlook Hotel.

It is a breezy and thrilling book, easily among King's most accessible works.  It is a meaty book, but it's not too wordy that it becomes bloated.  The book strikes a good pace and a good balance between dialogue, description, and action.  King's laid-back style makes the words flow by well, and the plot by nature makes you want to read more to see what will happen next.  Conflict runs strong - even during the less exciting scenes, the focus on the supernatural and characterization keeps it engaging.

The story is pretty cool and new.  It's thankfully not a rehash of any kind, and it presents a plethora of great new characters.  If anything, character-building is the book's greatest strength;  Danny's life story is so full of ups and downs that you can't help but to sympathize with him.  Strong themes of alcoholism and history repeating itself emerge strongly through his story.  On the flipside, Abra is a great, perfectly-lovable character, who also exudes a great amount of attitude and spirit.  Side characters are pretty decent, and the villains (especially Rose) are classic King villains so despicable that we love to hate them.  There's a lot of strands in the plot that get juggled around.  I can't say that the revelations concerning Dick Hallorann are all that endearing or even necessary (it's actually kind of sick, but I guess it ties into the ongoing theme of child abuse), but other than that, the story ties everything together into an elegant braid of complex characters and thrilling situations.  It's especially inspiring to see how King evolved this world from the small-scale settings of the Overlook Hotel and expanded it to encompass the entire nation.  And yet, everything is connected quite sublimely.

This book is written in King's classic style; a slick combination of elegant description and down-to-Earth wording.  Dialogue is really sharp and good, descriptions aren't too overbearing, details seem well-researched and refined, and the book matches up with the original Shining well.

Doctor Sleep is a grand supernatural adventure with heart, thrills, and a group of superb characters.  It's easily one of the best books in King's repertoire, and even though you can read The Shining on its own merits, this is an excellent follow-up.

4.5/5 (Entertainment:  Very Good | Story:  Very Good | Book:  Very Good)

Film Review: John Wick

If it's one thing action movies can teach us, it's that you don't mess with people who have nothing left to lose. John Wick hinges on the simple premise of a retired hitman who plows through the Russian mafia and leaves a mile-long body trail, all because they killed his puppy. And stole his ride. Somebody has to pay!

As silly this may sound, the film plays it all with a straight face, and it works because there is a good amount of heart to the setup. In the opening scenes, we see that this is more than the story of a man, his car, and his dog; it's the story of a loss and betrayal. Once the appropriate pathos is established, John Wick rises as the tough and skilled action hero we can root for. It doesn't take long for the butt-kicking to commence, but once it does, it's densely-packed, fast-paced, relentlessly-brutal, and very well-executed. Whether shooting, punching, stabbing, or running bad guys over, it is quite a rush to watch Wick descend into the criminal underworld and find payback.

As exciting and stylish as the film is, what really keeps it from falling into mediocrity is the title character. The film successfully evokes sympathy for Wick - the man who lost his wife, before losing everything else - and it provides a solid reasoning for why we should care about whether or not Wick succeeds. As the film goes on, Wick's journey takes him through a bizarre criminal world with its own set of rules, codes, and even currency. It turns out that it's a world Wick is already familiar with, and he has a history with most of the minor characters that pop up. Thus, the film unearths stark themes of how the past, present, and future are entwined.

This film is well-shot, with great-looking photography and editing. It is especially refreshing that the action scenes are solid and steady, with no fast-cutting or camera shake. I also think the color schemes and nighttime cityscapes lend the film a dark and grimy type of neo-noir appeal. Acting is fine for what it is; you may not think much of Keanu Reeves, but this film is proof that the man can act. His portrayal of John Wick is quite spot-on. And he can kick a lot of butt very impressively. Writing is not the best, but it gets the job done. This production has pretty good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Music choices, and the music score, feature really heavy beats and hard rock cues, and I found it awesome that way.

John Wick, much like A Bittersweet Life, is a dark crime movie with lots of action, but also a lot of emotional backing behind its characters. It's a simple story that's told well and features plenty of satisfying setpieces. Recommended for at least one viewing.

4/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Film: First Thoughts on Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

It's finally here:  the first teaser trailer for the next Star Wars film.  It's been almost ten years since the prequel movies were rounded off, fifteen years since they were first released, and 37 years since the original came out and rocked most of everybody's world.  Since the prequels, LucasFilm has left Fox and joined up with Disney, much the same way as Marvel left Fox and Sony to join Disney.  You might think it's weird for Disney, the company best known for animated classics like Mickey Mouse, would take the reigns for the Star Wars franchise.  Truth is, George Lucas probably can't ask for a better studio partner, given that Disney will leave creative control to him, but still provide a proactive role as producers, marketers, and distributors.  They are currently planning for a whole slew of new movies, which not only include Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, but also a number of spin-offs for all the different characters (such as Yoda and Boba Fett).  As for the next episode, Lucas has relinquished the director's chair to JJ Abrams, the man responsible for 2009's Star Trek and its sequel.  I know Abrams gets a lot of flack for his jittery camera work and use of lens flares (and fans have griped a lot about the storytelling decisions in the new Trek films), but if Super 8 was any indication, the man has a certain heart and energy that's on-par with the early works of Spielberg.  Letting Abrams direct may be the best decision Lucas has made of late, not only because Abrams will undoubtedly make an exciting film, but also because Lucas' direction has not been all that endearing; the prequels undoubtedly still leave a bad taste in people's mouths, due to the acting, writing, and massive use of CGI.

Even I will say that it's easy to get burned out on Star Wars.  I've always been a shameless fan, and I've ignored most of the movies' shortcomings up till now.  Only now will I admit that, yes, the prequels are rather bland, the acting is rather bad, the Ewoks are kinda dumb; I think it's only my personal maturity as a film viewer that has allowed me to put aside personal preference and recognize the films' critical shortcomings. Above all though, the whole saga has been spread so far and wide, across all manner of films, TV shows, books, games, and more, that it can become hard to get enthused about something that's been done and redone repeatedly.  All that being said, I do think the saga overall has been the brunt of a lot of undue hate, thanks to fans ravenously complaining about the prequels and changes in the original films, causing them to all cry out against George Lucas himself like he's the son of the devil or something.  Seriously, one of the sentences I hate the most is  "George Lucas raped my childhood," and it's regurgitated day after day across the Internet.  Although I understand the meaning - that a person's most influential childhood film has been defiled - I personally think it's flaky that one's entire childhood can be nullified by something new.  As I see it, childhood is an intangible essence that's come and gone, and can never be taken away from someone (unless we develop the technology to alter memories).

In light of the love/hate relationship people now have for Star Wars, I have no doubt that people will look at the upcoming film with reservations.  I do believe that we shouldn't have anything to worry about.  Lucas' role in the next film has been purely in the creative process, leaving the actual film-making to other hands; the things that made the prequels weak shouldn't carry over.  Folks may have their own reasons to hate Abrams' direction, but aside from how he handles the camera, I think we can all count on him capturing the same nostalgic magic that has been desired since the original films.  We can always count on the films looking good, with no expense spared on each set, prop, costume, vehicle, weapon, or special effect.  If there is anything to worry about it's where the story's going.  Rumors about the sequel trilogy have been floating around since the 80s, but from the few who've read the story treatments, the feedback has always been positive.  The real icing on the cake may be the return of the original cast and crew members - they may be aging a lot, but they will be familiar faces playing familiar roles, and they will undoubtedly stir up some kind of emotional fervor in all us fans.

Filming has been ongoing over the past year, with extreme secrecy and a lot of rumors floating around (the same tactics Abrams used in the Trek films to dissuade leaks; any rumors you read online should be dismissed as disinformation until you hear otherwise).  Finally, we have a first glimpse of the upcoming film, thanks to the following trailer:

My reaction to this trailer is naturally positive.  It's short and doesn't reveal much, but I personally prefer it that way, so as not to ruin too much of it all when I finally see the film.  I'm especially enamored by the way the camera focuses on a desert, before John Boyega's head appears (it's almost like the way The Good The Bad and the Ugly started off).  The look of panic on his face definitely warrants interest.  The scene with the X-Wings over water is a thing of beauty.  And, of course, the final shot of the Millennium Falcon is incredible.  It does prove that Abrams will use some pretty wild camera moves here, but I was personally impressed by the way the camera tracked it upside down and everything, while still giving us a good view of the ships' details.  It's exactly the kind of thing that made the original films so good - the slick combination of unique camera work, editing, and special effects.  That scene in the trailer generally reminded me of the Falcon's approach to Yavin IV, or the Death Star battle, all of which had pretty wild camera moves for their time.

Here are some more specific thoughts on what I've seen in this trailer:

• John Boyega's brief scene seems to suggest that he's in distress (some would even joke that he's really one of the troopers in the first film, still looking for those droids).  It may be speculation, but the current belief is that he'll be one of the main characters - a stomtrooper who defects and joins the main characters.  Could this mean that he's part of a unit that goes through some kind of traumatic event? Could it be connected to the next shot showing advanced stormtroopers on a dropship?
• I got to admit, the "football" droid is pretty weird.  Not sure what to think of that at this time.
• The design of the new stormtroopers look great; it's just like the classic design, but seems sleeker and more futuristic.  The question now is, can they actually shoot straight?
• Not sure who the woman is who mounts the flying hovercraft and takes off, but it is a cool-looking vehicle, and she looks like an interesting rough-around-the-edges character.  Could she be a merc? A bounty hunter? An assassin? A heroine? Just another working-class citizen of Tatooine?
• The shot with the robed figure seems to have caused some controversy, thanks to his bizarre lightsaber with the added blades on the hilt.  Many people are asking what the point and practicality of that is; others defend it saying that practicality in Star Wars is a moot point.  I personally do think it's a cool-looking lightsaber; it is something new and unique.  I also learned that it's been used before in other media.  The bigger question should be directed at the figure himself.  Who is he? Some have speculated that Darth Revan will be the villain of the movie.  Others have suggested Darth Plagueis.  In any case, it sounds like the Sith are definitely going to be the source of the overall conflict.
• The various designs of the pilots and X-Wings look on-par with the original films.  It is quite refreshing and exciting to see things match up with the older films (I've read plenty of people griping about how the prequels looked "too shiny and new").
• You may notice that the Millennium Falcon now has a square radar dish.  You might think that's odd, but do remember that the original dish was knocked off the dorsal hull while Lando flew inside the Death Star II.
• You may notice that the words "Episode VII" don't appear anywhere.  It remains to be seen whether those words will appear in the film's opening crawl (they most likely will), but the omission in the marketing will likely keep it in line with previous sequels (Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi never had episode numbers; they were really only needed in the prequels, to let people know that they are in fact prequels).  I personally like the way the secondary title squeezes in between the Star and Wars.

That's pretty much all we can extrapolate from this brief one-and-a-half minute clip.  There's still no telling how this new storyline will play out, but after thinking it over some more, I have my theories.  Given that all the trilogies up to now have followed the same basic pattern, then it may be safe to say that Episode VII will follow after Episodes I and IV.  Meaning, it will likely start with some kind of battle, causing a spaceship crash on Tatooine (it was confirmed in some news I read that a ship does crash on a desert planet).  Given that we see a troubled stormtrooper in the middle of the desert, perhaps it's the stormtrooper dropship that crashes or suffers some major incident, causing this specific trooper to desert and find help elsewhere on his own.  Maybe he'll group up with a bunch of new heroic characters.  Of course, the Falcon is seen flying over Tatooine, so maybe it's the ship that crashes (or maybe multiple ships crash, and the stormtrooper winds up allying with Han Solo and other heroes).  In any case, the heroes will undoubtedly gather on Tatooine, before taking off on some new adventure.  There are rumors that Luke Skywalker will become a Jedi so powerful that he can move mountains (which may be true, given that everybody in the original films claimed that he would be more powerful than Darth Vader).  He may even be a recluse up to this point (which seems to fly in the face of what's in all the books, but unfortunately, it is confirmed that the Extended Universe will be ignored for the next batch of films).  Above all though, I realize that the film will have to go above and beyond the normal scope of previous Star Wars films to confront the main antagonists who have always existed, but never really made a full-blown appearance.  The other movies have been about the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire; I believe this next film (and probably the two that follow it) will indicate that the Empire is just a small part of a larger Sith conspiracy to defeat the powers of good or light.  The most well-informed fans will know that Anakin Skywalker was actually the result of a Sith plot by Darth Plagueis, who manipulated life (midichlorians) to create "The Chosen One." Chances are that this will play into the next few stories to create an overarching conflict between good and evil.  This could be similar to the scope of Mass Effect, which started off small (colonies under attack), but eventually ballooned into a galaxy-wide struggle between various forms of life; I can easily see Star Wars going the same route, starting off with the galactic politics scene, but ballooning into a much larger struggle that will put earlier events into a new perspective.

I think it is exciting-looking stuff, I do believe Episode VII will be a great film to look forward to, and I already can't wait for next year when it comes out.  It remains to be seen whether general audiences will embrace the new film or not, but the film will surely make millions no matter what.  As the hype continues to build and I'll undoubtedly be geeking out over every other detail that emerges, I am confident that this will be one of the biggest movie events since Marvel's Avengers (although Avengers:  Age of Ultron will be a huge competing force next year).  I'm certain that I'll love Episode VII all the same, and I'm sure that other devoted fans will too.  It's an exciting time as ever to be a Star Wars fan.

Film Review: Interstellar

There always comes a time when children have to leave their parents. As children of the Earth, human beings may someday have to face a terrifying decision: leave mother Earth in search for a new home, or remain here to die. In the film Interstellar, mankind approaches this crossroad when the very dust of the Earth turns against us: a bleak future that mirrors the dustbowl, but on a global scale. As the film goes on, it becomes apparent that, thanks to the valor of the characters, we will not "go quietly into the night."

Space opera films are slow-burners by nature, and Interstellar is no exception. Although it runs more briskly than most, it still takes its time with the narrative. The first act is dedicated solely to the Earth-based drama (a bit along the lines of like The Right Stuff), which sets the scene and the necessity for the mission that follows. Once the characters reach space, the film's visual splendor emerges, offering stunning views of Saturn, of wormhole travel, of far-away planets, and more. The conflicts are subtle, but they come to a full boil towards the end, before the film delivers a really bizarre reality-bending twist. The denouement is ultimately satisfying, although it does leave off with a few loose strands that the audience will have to reconcile on their own.

What makes Interstellar especially noteworthy will be its creditability. Regardless of how far-out the plot goes, the film sports some very real-looking designs for the spaceships, robots, and Earth-based scenes. The depictions of black holes, wormholes, planets, and all their related phenomenon (including the laws of gravity, relativity, time, and extra dimensions) are handled far more realistically than most other films on the market. The film even manages to visually represent what a tesseract could look like; I personally never thought that extra-dimensional space could be portrayed on film at all, but Interstellar succeeds in a plausible manner.
Unfortunately, the experience may be spoiled for many by various issues. The film has a penchant for exposition, including detailed explanations of the science involved. There are moments where the music and sound design drowns out the dialogue. There are moments where characters act less than rational. The film also makes an overt attempt to really yank on the audience's heartstrings. Whether or not these same issues affect you may depend on your disposition on Christopher Nolan's other work (in which a lot of the same issues are apparent, especially in Inception), and the genre.

Despite those contrivances and script issues, I found the story to be quite impressive. It is a grand tale with a lot of big, high-concept ideas. The film's story meticulously weaves the characters, plot, and science in a tight knot. It is ultimately twisted around on itself to form a complex, but easily-digestible moebius strip of a tale. What makes it most endearing will be its characters, which show a tremendous amount of heart and emotional power, and the themes. The film makes some very bold assertions on human progress, suggesting that the stars hold our destiny, in addition to overarching ideas of love, life, and death.

The film is well-made, featuring quality photography. There are impressive visual moments throughout the film, but it's rarely frivolous. Sharp and quick editing ensures that the film uses only what it needs to for the storytelling. The actors do their jobs well: Matthew McConaughey is quite spot-on as the main character, and I enjoyed the performances of Anne Hathaway, and David Gyasi. I found Matt Damon's and Wes Bently's characters the least endearing, but not necessarily because of their performances. Michael Caine and John Lithgow are effectively typecast in their signature smart-old-guy roles. Despite all the clunky exposition, writing is pretty decent. This production has really functional and real-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects are phenomenal. Locales are great. Hans Zimmer's music score is majestic and powerful, and really adds to the experience. As noted before though, the mixing of the music, sound, and dialogue could have been done better in some scenes.

Not everybody will be captivated by Interstellar - some may find it dull, overrated, annoying, contrived, or something. As far as space operas go though, it is as strong of a film as Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, with themes and intellect that can rival Tarkovsky's Solaris. It is a natural evolution of Nolan's storytelling prowess, which he exercised previously in Memento and Inception. For its strengths as a story and film (and especially as a work of hard sci-fi), Interstellar is worth seeing at least once.

4.5/5 (Experience: Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

Out of the Blue: Excerpt, Chapter 3

For this year's National Novel Writing Month project, I decided to try and draft a sci-fi detective story.  This is one of those ideas I had that molded into shape with no real plot or characters in mind, until later on; I always fancied that it could be interesting and fun to play around with the tropes and styles of hardboiled detective fiction.  I came up with a simple premise of a pair of brothers who are at opposite ends of the scale - one is a righteous clean-cut federal agent, and other an amoral rough-around-the-edges private investigator - and one day the PI is framed for the death of his brother.  From then on, he struggles to find the truth, which plants him in the crossfire of an intense conflict between powerful corporations.

The excerpt below is where the plot really kicks into gear - the PI had previously lost his gun while on a routine investigation.  He then met with his brother, the FBI agent, who warns him that his partner may be dirty.  This whole story represents a lot of experimentation on my part - it's my first time writing in present tense, and I find myself messing it up often.  I really wanted to use more slang in this story, but for now I'm sticking with a plain, straightforward prose (words can be swapped around in editing).  It may seem rather dry for now, but for a first draft, I think this scene turned out swell.  Hope you enjoy it!
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    It’s not a pleasant feeling knowing that there are people out there with your biometric data and your firearm, capable of planting it somewhere to implicate you for a crime.  I know it’s coming soon, and I need to keep moving to stay ahead of whoever is behind all this.
    When I return to my apartment/office, I find myself slumping in the chair behind my desk.  My legs are tired from so much walking, and the Californian heat makes me want to fall asleep.  Any motivation I had to keep moving suddenly vanishes, and my hand decides to move on its own, opening the bottom drawer of the desk to pull out a half-empty bottle of scotch.  I take a big, long gulp straight from the bottle, and I feel the smooth, burning liquid sliding down my throat.  I start to feel numb and loose.
    Moments pass, before somebody knocks at my door.  I check my phone, which connects to the camera I have mounted in the hallway.  I see a man standing there, flanked by two LAPD officers.  It must be Gabriel’s partner.
    I don’t bother to answer the door, hoping they’d assume I’m gone and leave on their own.  Instead, the federal agent plants a device over the door handle.  It slides a thin rod into the keyhole, and nanites expand out of it to fill up the lock.  The machine unlocks the door in about five seconds, and the man walks through with a look of triumph on his smug little face.
    Approaching my desk, the agent asks, “Marco Salinger?”
    “Yeah?” I say. “What’s the big idea, busting in here like this?”
    “When was the last time you saw your brother, Gabriel?”
    “Before I say anything, can I see some ID?” I demand.
    With an annoyed sigh, the man pulls out a small acrylic slide and holds it up.  A projection of the FBI seal appears, along with the agent’s name, grade, and credentials.  I read the man’s name – Agent Jay Schwab – before he tucks the device away.  He’s a young man, probably freshly-hired by the Bureau, no more than twenty-three years old.  He’s lean and fit, but he has a baby face that looks like it can be punched to a pulp easily.  His jet-black hair is neatly-combed and groomed, and his suit looks freshly-ironed and pressed.  He strikes me as a total newbie, with an air of arrogance and self-righteousness.  I’m certain this must be Gabriel’s partner, and I find it easy to believe that he can be corrupted and coerced as easily as Gabriel feared.   Jay just looks like a pathetic little snob.
    Jay says, “I work with your brother.  Do you know where he is now?”
    “Nope,” I answer.  And it’s true; Gabriel could be on Mars for all I know.  After meeting with him at Century City, we parted ways, totally oblivious to each other’s whereabouts.
    “When did you see him last?”
    I lie this time, telling the snotty agent, “It’s been months; I haven’t seen Gabe since mom’s funeral earlier this year.  You’re in the Bureau, why don’t you tell me where my good-for-nothing brother is?”
    “Well, I can tell you that.  We found him at Santa Monica, on the beach.”
    “So, he decided to take a walk.  Good for him.”
    “You shot him in the back, while he was taking that walk.  Your gun was found at the scene, with your fingerprints on its handle and all over Gabriel’s jacket.  I’m sure that a simple DNA test will place you at the scene.”
    And with those words, the prophecy is fulfilled; whoever stole my weapon has truly also stolen my fingerprints and DNA, and used them to set me up for my brother’s murder.  I feel sick in my stomach.  I would have expected a random stranger or somebody I never heard of to get shot with my weapon – but Gabriel, I never expected anybody to have the gall to shoot a federal agent and get away with it.  But with the evidence stacked against me, the real killer has committed the perfect crime.
    Jay is in on it, I’m certain.  Gabriel suspected him, and looking at the young agent’s face, I’m also convinced that the smug twerp is being paid off.  I can’t arbitrarily accuse or attack him with the LAPD escorts, and without evidence.  I realize how badly this sucks, because Jay and the law have all the evidence to put me away for good, and I have no way to prove my innocence.
    Pulling his phone out, Jay flashes a document on the screen:  an arrest warrant.  He says, “Marco Salinger, you’re under arrest for the murder of Gabriel Salinger.”
    The two cops start to make their move, pulling out their titanium handcuffs.  As they close in, I realize that once those cuffs are put on my hands, I’ll be powerless.  Even if I do go in quietly and peacefully, and get a good attorney, there’s no way to disprove the hard evidence planted against me.  I have only one alternative:  resist arrest, get the hell off the grid, and figure this out myself.
    Like an animal backed to a corner, I feel a burst of adrenaline that punches through the drowsiness from the heat and liquor; I immediately seize the bottle of scotch and smash it against the nearest officer’s head.  The bottle shatters and the liquor pours over the officer, drenching him.  A big gash appears on his forehead, oozing blood.  He shouts in pain, but I kick him in the gut to knock him to the ground.
    The other officer comes around the desk and tries to flank me.  He goes for one of my arms; I pull back and grab one of his arms.  Flipping his hand down, I get him to latch one end of his handcuffs to his other arm.  Thrashing his free arm up, he hits me in the face, and I stumble backwards into the wall.
    Jay pulls out a gun and points it at me.  It doesn’t scare me:  I’ve dealt with plenty of creeps on the street before, and I even took bullets from all kinds of guns.  Sure, they hurt and they get messy, but aiming is everything.  In tight quarters, with so much commotion, Jay’s aim couldn’t be worth jack s#!t, even if he had any kind of fancy FBI training.
    I lunge at the agent sideways, ramming myself into him with my shoulder.  The gun goes off, and a single bullet cuts through the air and hits the wall behind my desk.  With my weight bearing down on him, I slam him into the floor and slug him in the face.  Blood spurts from his mouth, but somehow there’s still a stupid little smile on his face.
    The cop approaches me from behind; I fling my foot backwards and kick him in the gut.  He falls backwards on my desk.  I turn to face the policeman, but he rebounds off the desk fast and throws his fist into my face.  It feels like a brick hitting my jaw; there’s a sudden throb of pain, and a sharp flash of red across my vision.  He grabs my hand, intending to handcuff me, but I yank it away and punch him in the gut.  When he keels over, I grab his arm with the handcuff, and latch the free end of it to his leg.  With his arm attached to his leg, the officer is stuck in place, bent over awkwardly.
    Turning, I see Jay climbing to his feet with his gun in his hands.  I kick him in the @$s, knocking him back to the floor.  With a sharp kick to his hand, I knock his gun free, and pick it up.
    Glaring up at me, the agent says, “Resisting arrest, and your failure to acknowledge the charges, confirms your guilt.”
    It’s true that the Miranda rights were abolished some years ago, and if I was smarter I would have denied all charges before making my move.  What’s done is done though, and I need to move fast.  I quickly move to a closet across the room, and open up a box I have hiding there.  I pull out a wad of emergency cash.
    Jay stands back up, but I point my gun at him.  When he puts his hands up, I tell him, “It’s true I hate my brother, but I didn’t kill him.  Somebody stole my gun and my biometrics, and I think you have something to do with it!”
    “I am a federal agent,” Jay defends. “Gabe was my partner.  Has been for months.  I’m more of a brother to him than you ever were.”
    It’s bulls*#t and I know it; Gabriel told me himself that he suspected Jay.  But Jay doesn’t know that I met with Gabriel already, and I even have a card full of FBI intel that may give me some answers.  Of course, Jay can’t know I have the card; he might spin it as motivation for killing Gabe.
     All I tell him is, “You’re full of it, and I’m going to find out what’s really going on.”
    “Come on, you can’t deny the evidence,” Jay says, stepping closer. “Just give me the gun–”
    I can tell that he’s reaching to disarm me, so I shoot.  The bullet cuts through his hand, drilling a bloody hole through it and exploding out the other side.  Jay shrieks loudly, clutching his arm, his eyes wide in disbelief.  I leave him there, busting through the door and running out of the building.