Can there ever be another movie so effortlessly entertaining and comfortable as "Casablanca"? This movie is able to juggle 11 balls effortlessly, and leaves the viewer wanting more without sacrificing the integrity of the story. It's rhythms are at once familiar and jarring. Its story is completely sappy, yet as hard as nails. How does a film do this? This is one movie that proves that sometimes, the sum is greater than its parts.
The film was a standard Hollywood drama that somehow catapulted itself into legendary film making. There was nothing unique about its production that foretold of its greatness. The signature song of the film was a throwaway piece that was used merely because the Warner Brothers owned it. The story is nothing special at first glance. Yet the decisions the characters make, the actors who portray said characters, and the music and the mood all combine to create dynamite storytelling.
For those who don't know, the film centers on the town of Casablanca in Morocco. For many, this town is the last stop on the way out of the Old World to America. Out of Casablanca lay hopes of escaping Europe and the difficulties of World War 2. In Casablanca, the story centers around Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a New Yorker who has left America and has built a life for himself by running a bar in Casablanca. He has established himself as a cynical, worldly and streetwise businessman who "sticks his neck out for nobody." With him is Sam, a piano player who seems to travel everywhere with him. Things are going as Rick planned...he is making money, playing God in his own way with peoples' lives, and not letting anything into his heart. Then, one night, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergmann-a woman who my wife never fails to describe as beautiful) walks into the bar with her husband Czech war hero Victor Lazlo, and his tough shell is cracked. It turns out he has a history with Ilsa, and, to quote Bogart, "...of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine."
The story goes from there. Surrounding it is a wonderful cast of characters, most notably Claude Raines' Louis, a corrupt French official who "oversees" immigration and other legal matters for the French government. His cynicism and corruption personify Casablanca, and the decisions he makes seem close to the heart of the film, right along with the decisions that Bogart's Rick makes.
Along with a captivating story of intrigue, the film sports amazing dialogue and great scenes that are executed perfectly. My favorite is the scene depicts Lazlo leading the whole bar in a singalong of La Marseillaise (the French national anthem) against the German officers singing a German folk song. Rick's implicit agreement with Lazlo's action is one of the first signs of his shell beginning to crack.
The movie sports many other memorable scenes. There are so many, and they are so good, that I do not wish to spoil them. Suffice to say that it is one of the few films that still gives me goose bumps every time I watch it. The level of execution of this melodrama is so high that it never fails to move me. As we see Rick fall again back into his sentimental past, we see ourselves, and the struggle all of us face between controlling our lives, and letting conscience and love guide us to a better place. When one has seen this film many times, it is much like an old friend. And, if you have not seen this film, once you do, it may, as Rick says, "Be the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
10 Movies that Changed My Life
Art changes lives. It seems unlikely, but it's true. Over the years, I have increasingly gravitated to this art form of cinema, and there have been times when I actually felt the experience to be life changing. These are the times when one sits in stunned silence as the credits roll. These are the times that you find yourself crying, or laughing so hard you cannot stop. We each have our own list of movies that mean a lot to us. If I have already blogged on these, I will include a link to read my entry on the movie. Chances are, I have already written on it. These are not the top ten, but ten that came to mind. I will probably have other entries in the future based on interest. I will include the director and the year they were made. Enjoy, and feel free to comment!
10) Babe, Chris Noonan, 1995
An unlikely entry, but this movie is amazing. Maybe its just the sheer imagination of the thing, but this movie is one of the most exciting and exhilarating movies I have ever seen. I first saw it at a friends house while chowing down on...ahem...pepperoni pizza. The story of an unlikely pig hero tugs at your heart. The special effects give the animals on the farm real life. The photography is gorgeous. And the underdog story is not only wonderful, but just off kilter enough to give the film just enough of an edge. Also, it has been a movie that I have enjoyed sharing with my kids.
9) The Truman Show, Peter Weir, 1998
Peter Weir's story of the ultimate reality show came out before the reality show craze took off, and that's what makes it all the more brilliant. But what truly was surprising to me the first time I saw it was how great Jim Carrey was in the title role. The movie has so many different things to say, and some of that depends on the baggage one brings to the film. Some think it a condemnation of Christianity. I saw it as more of a straight satire of our media age. Wherever the viewer ends up, this is truly a merciless critique of our obsession with the lives of other people, which reminds me...
8) The Lives of Others, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006
This is my favorite movie of the past 10 years. It is a movie which speaks about the power of art to move us, and in so doing, will move most anyone who experiences it. The film follow an East German interrogator who is assigned to a writer. He begins listening in on his life, and the effect that it has on him is unexpected. It has so much to say about art, love, freedom and friendship. A truly remarkable movie.
7) Glory, Edward Zwick, 1989
I think this was the first R rated film I ever saw, so it was kind of a personal rite of passage for me. It has been some time since I have seen it. It would be interesting to see if it still affects me. Whether or not it does, this movie will always be special for me because of its message, as well as how emotional it made me the first time I saw it. The movie follows the story of the first African American regiment to fight in the Civil War. The movie is rich because it deals with all its characters, white or black, as people who have the same fears, hang ups and diversities of opinion. If you can hold back tears as the regiment embarks on its final mission in the film, you are stronger than I am.
6) Life is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni, 1997
Another tear jerker, but one that is bathed in hope. One of the reasons this movie will always mean so much to me is that I saw it on an early date with my then girlfriend, now wife. As I described in my opening paragraph, this was one of those movies that left me (and Stephanie) in stunned silence). It follows a Italian Jewish man who is sent to a concentration camp with his wife and son. In order to protect his son from the horrors of the camp, he makes the whole experience into an elaborate game that they have to try to win. An unlikely and in some ways preposterous story, but seen as a simple fable, it works very well. Plus, the first half is uproariously funny.
5) Airplane, Jim Abrahams, 1980
At some point, when a movie's dialogue makes its way into your every day conversation, your life has been changed. Many comedies have done that for me ("What's up Doc?", "Spinal Tap" and others), but none as much as this one. The movie is hilarious not just because the jokes are good, but because at some point, the sheer number of jokes begins to impress. If you talk to anyone who has watched this movie a lot, the lines will begin to come out, and the laughs will come out, and you realize that this movie has seeped into you, whether you like it or not.
4) Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, Nicholas Meyer, 1982
I had to include this, I just had to.
3) Singin' in the Rain, Stanley Donen, 1952
This is one of those movies that I saw over and over again on television growing up. Every time I did, I always loved it, even during the years when I wasn't that crazy about musicals. The movie improves with repeated viewings. It is able to combine the musical numbers with wonderful comedy. As a fan of movies, this one has influenced me because it stands as a standard by which other musicals can be measured. This movie somehow naturally blends the musical numbers with the clever plot of the film, which is rare. And finally. it is another one that I have been able to pass along to the kids.
2) The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson, 2001
I don't think I have ever been so spellbound in a theater. This movie had received rave reviews, so I was not totally surprised at how good it was, but the experience exceeded my expectations. I would argue that since the 3 films that make up the story are really one film. I would also argue that the third installment is even more emotionally satisfying. However, this installment was the first glimpse of Jackson's work, and it took my breath away. More than anything, I have never seen any director take characters in a book and realize them so well on screen. Add to that extraordinary realizations of vistas not of this earth (though all shot on this earth), and the story stands as almost a miracle of cinema. I remember actually feeling tired at the end of Fellowship, and I marveled at what was yet to come. As we await the arrival of Jackson's vision of "The Hobbit", it is a great time to remind ourselves what an amazing gift Jackson and crew gave to movie lovers.
1) Star Wars: Episode 4: A New Hope, George Lucas, 1977
I suppose most people my age would have to include this one on this kind of a list. Suffice to say, it is a movie that it is hard to imagine hasn't always existed. Episode 5 is, to me, the "best" of the 6 Star Wars movies, but this one will always be the one the changed me the most. From the first time I saw it flicker across that drive in movie screen to the day last fall when I bought the Blu-ray DVD with my 3 children, this movie has always been with me, and always will be.
10) Babe, Chris Noonan, 1995
An unlikely entry, but this movie is amazing. Maybe its just the sheer imagination of the thing, but this movie is one of the most exciting and exhilarating movies I have ever seen. I first saw it at a friends house while chowing down on...ahem...pepperoni pizza. The story of an unlikely pig hero tugs at your heart. The special effects give the animals on the farm real life. The photography is gorgeous. And the underdog story is not only wonderful, but just off kilter enough to give the film just enough of an edge. Also, it has been a movie that I have enjoyed sharing with my kids.
9) The Truman Show, Peter Weir, 1998
Peter Weir's story of the ultimate reality show came out before the reality show craze took off, and that's what makes it all the more brilliant. But what truly was surprising to me the first time I saw it was how great Jim Carrey was in the title role. The movie has so many different things to say, and some of that depends on the baggage one brings to the film. Some think it a condemnation of Christianity. I saw it as more of a straight satire of our media age. Wherever the viewer ends up, this is truly a merciless critique of our obsession with the lives of other people, which reminds me...
8) The Lives of Others, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006
This is my favorite movie of the past 10 years. It is a movie which speaks about the power of art to move us, and in so doing, will move most anyone who experiences it. The film follow an East German interrogator who is assigned to a writer. He begins listening in on his life, and the effect that it has on him is unexpected. It has so much to say about art, love, freedom and friendship. A truly remarkable movie.
7) Glory, Edward Zwick, 1989
I think this was the first R rated film I ever saw, so it was kind of a personal rite of passage for me. It has been some time since I have seen it. It would be interesting to see if it still affects me. Whether or not it does, this movie will always be special for me because of its message, as well as how emotional it made me the first time I saw it. The movie follows the story of the first African American regiment to fight in the Civil War. The movie is rich because it deals with all its characters, white or black, as people who have the same fears, hang ups and diversities of opinion. If you can hold back tears as the regiment embarks on its final mission in the film, you are stronger than I am.
6) Life is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni, 1997
Another tear jerker, but one that is bathed in hope. One of the reasons this movie will always mean so much to me is that I saw it on an early date with my then girlfriend, now wife. As I described in my opening paragraph, this was one of those movies that left me (and Stephanie) in stunned silence). It follows a Italian Jewish man who is sent to a concentration camp with his wife and son. In order to protect his son from the horrors of the camp, he makes the whole experience into an elaborate game that they have to try to win. An unlikely and in some ways preposterous story, but seen as a simple fable, it works very well. Plus, the first half is uproariously funny.
5) Airplane, Jim Abrahams, 1980
At some point, when a movie's dialogue makes its way into your every day conversation, your life has been changed. Many comedies have done that for me ("What's up Doc?", "Spinal Tap" and others), but none as much as this one. The movie is hilarious not just because the jokes are good, but because at some point, the sheer number of jokes begins to impress. If you talk to anyone who has watched this movie a lot, the lines will begin to come out, and the laughs will come out, and you realize that this movie has seeped into you, whether you like it or not.
4) Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, Nicholas Meyer, 1982
I had to include this, I just had to.
3) Singin' in the Rain, Stanley Donen, 1952
This is one of those movies that I saw over and over again on television growing up. Every time I did, I always loved it, even during the years when I wasn't that crazy about musicals. The movie improves with repeated viewings. It is able to combine the musical numbers with wonderful comedy. As a fan of movies, this one has influenced me because it stands as a standard by which other musicals can be measured. This movie somehow naturally blends the musical numbers with the clever plot of the film, which is rare. And finally. it is another one that I have been able to pass along to the kids.
2) The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson, 2001
I don't think I have ever been so spellbound in a theater. This movie had received rave reviews, so I was not totally surprised at how good it was, but the experience exceeded my expectations. I would argue that since the 3 films that make up the story are really one film. I would also argue that the third installment is even more emotionally satisfying. However, this installment was the first glimpse of Jackson's work, and it took my breath away. More than anything, I have never seen any director take characters in a book and realize them so well on screen. Add to that extraordinary realizations of vistas not of this earth (though all shot on this earth), and the story stands as almost a miracle of cinema. I remember actually feeling tired at the end of Fellowship, and I marveled at what was yet to come. As we await the arrival of Jackson's vision of "The Hobbit", it is a great time to remind ourselves what an amazing gift Jackson and crew gave to movie lovers.
1) Star Wars: Episode 4: A New Hope, George Lucas, 1977
I suppose most people my age would have to include this one on this kind of a list. Suffice to say, it is a movie that it is hard to imagine hasn't always existed. Episode 5 is, to me, the "best" of the 6 Star Wars movies, but this one will always be the one the changed me the most. From the first time I saw it flicker across that drive in movie screen to the day last fall when I bought the Blu-ray DVD with my 3 children, this movie has always been with me, and always will be.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Movies for families
I have had a couple of people ask me for film recommendations. As a father, one way I have been able to share my love of movies with my kids is through this fantastic resource from Ty Burr, film critic for the Boston Globe. This is a very entertaining and useful book! Here is the link on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Old-Movies-Families-Watching/dp/1400096863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329598651&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Old-Movies-Families-Watching/dp/1400096863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329598651&sr=8-1
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