20050104
real flicks
Hollywood gets America right
Chicago Tribune, Jan. 1
for all you movie buffs.
but i still think michael moore put words into president bush's mouth, during that scene moments immediately after a security detail told him about the planes hitting nyc.
and i think the producers of "seed of chucky" are compensating for something. no one can be that dumb... right? it's simply not possible. :expressionless:
For all the talk that Hollywood values and culture somehow pollute the real America, many who make films manage to create art that illuminates the human condition, tells a good story, reveals something about ourselves and brings in the crowds. At their best, the movies make us laugh, make us cry, make us think.
This year, more than most others, movies inspired a lot of thinking, a lot of news and a lot of controversy.
There was young, confused love in "Garden State," old, controversial sex in "Kinsey" and middle-aged malaise in "Sideways." There were films that brought fresh maturity to questions about love and relationships, two subjects that always preoccupy us.
Blockbusters were less muscular, less mean, more earthbound. The heroes were filled with doubts in dark times.
"Spider-Man 2": Insecure, guilt-ridden kid yearns for romance, gets the girl and saves the day in New York, a city on the rebound after Sept. 11.
"National Treasure": Treasure hunter solves riddles, makes peace with dad, hooks up with a brainy woman and saves the Declaration of Independence. In these times, some things really are worth fighting for.
The bookends to the tumultuous year were the two movies that came to represent red and blue America, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."
The natural inclination is to think that "The Passion" drew the conservative, religious George W. Bush crowd, and "Fahrenheit 9/11" drew the liberal John Kerry crowd. If that's the case, Red won by a landslide at the box office and by a squeaker in the election.
But those two movies were perhaps more alike than they seem. They were independent efforts, had difficulty finding major distributors, and offered far more than the conventional Hollywood romance and action dramas. Know what? Many people enjoyed both films, found them to be profound and provocative.
The year ended with the arrival of a morally ambiguous and heartbreaking movie, Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby." Here, in the shadows of boxing gyms, cheap diners and tawdry hotels, is an American story about family, race, religion and class. It's as real as the greasy dollar bills that waitress-boxer Hilary Swank collects as tips. It's a world where losers and heroes work the same side of the street and they all chase a dream. It sends a blunt message: protect yourself. The climax of the film is one of the most controversial seen in years.
OK, this is still an industry that insists on scaring people silly with films like "Seed of Chucky."
But there was more than usual in the fare from Hollywood in 2004. More to make you think, cry, laugh and get mad, more that reflected on America. It was a good year for going to the movies. ¶ 1/04/2005 10:07:00 PM
Chicago Tribune, Jan. 1
for all you movie buffs.
but i still think michael moore put words into president bush's mouth, during that scene moments immediately after a security detail told him about the planes hitting nyc.
and i think the producers of "seed of chucky" are compensating for something. no one can be that dumb... right? it's simply not possible. :expressionless:
For all the talk that Hollywood values and culture somehow pollute the real America, many who make films manage to create art that illuminates the human condition, tells a good story, reveals something about ourselves and brings in the crowds. At their best, the movies make us laugh, make us cry, make us think.
This year, more than most others, movies inspired a lot of thinking, a lot of news and a lot of controversy.
There was young, confused love in "Garden State," old, controversial sex in "Kinsey" and middle-aged malaise in "Sideways." There were films that brought fresh maturity to questions about love and relationships, two subjects that always preoccupy us.
Blockbusters were less muscular, less mean, more earthbound. The heroes were filled with doubts in dark times.
"Spider-Man 2": Insecure, guilt-ridden kid yearns for romance, gets the girl and saves the day in New York, a city on the rebound after Sept. 11.
"National Treasure": Treasure hunter solves riddles, makes peace with dad, hooks up with a brainy woman and saves the Declaration of Independence. In these times, some things really are worth fighting for.
The bookends to the tumultuous year were the two movies that came to represent red and blue America, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11."
The natural inclination is to think that "The Passion" drew the conservative, religious George W. Bush crowd, and "Fahrenheit 9/11" drew the liberal John Kerry crowd. If that's the case, Red won by a landslide at the box office and by a squeaker in the election.
But those two movies were perhaps more alike than they seem. They were independent efforts, had difficulty finding major distributors, and offered far more than the conventional Hollywood romance and action dramas. Know what? Many people enjoyed both films, found them to be profound and provocative.
The year ended with the arrival of a morally ambiguous and heartbreaking movie, Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby." Here, in the shadows of boxing gyms, cheap diners and tawdry hotels, is an American story about family, race, religion and class. It's as real as the greasy dollar bills that waitress-boxer Hilary Swank collects as tips. It's a world where losers and heroes work the same side of the street and they all chase a dream. It sends a blunt message: protect yourself. The climax of the film is one of the most controversial seen in years.
OK, this is still an industry that insists on scaring people silly with films like "Seed of Chucky."
But there was more than usual in the fare from Hollywood in 2004. More to make you think, cry, laugh and get mad, more that reflected on America. It was a good year for going to the movies. ¶ 1/04/2005 10:07:00 PM
