Field of Dreams

So, I just saw Field of Dreams again. I had such a great time watching this movie again I had to write down some of my thoughts on it and share.

I had it on my instant queue for a while, knowing that I liked the movie, but never really in the mood to see it again. Got home late, didn't feel like sleep so I decided to watch this movie again. Upon viewing it, I realized this movie is just as good, if not better, than my number 1 sports movie of all time: Rudy.

I think the last time I saw this I was probably still in high school. At the time, I knew it was a father/son movie, but I missed some of the bigger things that were going on. For example, there are many idealistic and fairy tale elements that blur the lines between reality, and what we aspire to be. What we are, and where we came from, over time become more important to us. The last line in the credits reads "for our parents." I read some other reviews, and one thing another reviewer said was, like all great sports movies, the sports are just a vehicle for telling the story. I couldn't agree more. In Rudy, it was a story about chasing a dream that only you believe in, and in that success, inspiring others. In this movie, yes it was a father son movie, but I didn't understand why completely. Now that I know, I don't know how I didn't see it before.

At one point, Ray says he never forgave his father for getting old. I remember that, but I never got why it was important until the end. It's because as a 17 year old shit, he got into an argument with his Father and stormed off. Of course, 17 year old shits do that all the time, so you can't really hold that against him. Unfortunately, what happens is that his father was very old when Ray was born, so a few years after Ray stormed out, his father died, thus denying Ray the ability to ask for forgiveness. Ray lives with this grief most of his life. The only solace he can find, is in his mind, going back to a simplier time when he was just a kid, and all there was was playing catch with his dad. The movie takes that, adds the fantasy/fairy tale element, and lets Ray forgive himself. Now, that's heavy heavy stuff I did not catch when I saw this a first time. So much so that I was shedding man tears for most of that end sequence. Another reviewer said he was too, despite knowing every twist and turn. Crazy that a movie can do that even when you know its coming.

So, in summation, I think you should re-watch this movie whenever you get a chance. Oh and also, the James Earl Jones "BASEBALL" speech is awesome.

-Chris

Tom Jones

For my first post, I'm going to start on a very specific sub-sub-genre. Now, I am not familiar with this topic and kind of only fell onto it by accident. Why yes, I am talking about Classic British Comedy. I'm fairly certain there are other movies of this ilk. But as it stands, this is the only one I know about. And it seems that it won best picture, director and adapted screenplay for that year.

Tom Jones follows the story/antics of it's titular character through ill-luck, discovery and sex-romp. Tom Jones is played by Albert Finney (completely different looking, if I may add. To think he was a heartbreaker...) magnificently. Good enough for an Oscar nod. Rarely does a comedic part get such acclaim, and it's readily deserved.  The man is so charming you can't help but like him.  He's always there to help men in trouble and women in distress. Especially helping them out (and in) to their clothes. Tom Jones conquers so many women it would put James Bond to shame.

Susannah York's (as the leading lady, Sophie) acting is so effortless and natural you also can't help rooting for her. I have no doubt that she had wrested the hearts of many a British teen. The chemistry between the two actors never falters and is played for laughs at every turn. I even found the idyllic scenes of them comical, although that may be more of an ironic thing. Although, I wouldn't put it pass the director, Tony Richardson, to have come upon that on purpose.

I found the film to be pretty humorous, but I can imagine that many wouldn't think it was so. There are a lot of winks at the camera and some good quips that are new to me. I wouldn't say it's an uproarious comedy, but it IS charming. I would recommend this movie for those who are fans of old school British humor a lá Benny Hill. Over all, one of the better comedies, although it may not hold up too well on some parts. But it's still worth a gander.

 -piecar

What evil lurks in the hearts of men?

I thought this would be an appropriate movie to start with given the sudden abundance of super-hero movies in recent years. It is fun to see how this particular genre has evolved over time. Earlier movies of this type had a more stylistic look than the modern counterparts; while the newer films try to craft more complicated and psychological stories. For the best example of this you should compare Tim Burton's Batman with Christopher Nolan's.

The Shadow was a popular character from 1930s pulp magazines radio serials. Here he is played by Alec Baldwin, who's cool voice sounds perfect for the role. This time the shadow must use his hypnotic powers to save the world from the ruthless Shiwan Kahn. For comic book and super hero fans this is an absolute must watch. The Shadow is a unique character and, while this movie is riddled with outstanding supporting characters, the style is the real centerpiece of this work. The movie creates a dark yet fun 1930-something New York riddled with shadowy alleys, neon signs, and warm street lamps.

The one character I always had a problem with (in the movie adaptation) was Margo Lane. In the original serial she was the Shadow's female counterpart and sidekick, much like Lois Lane to Superman. In this film she is given psychic powers, instead of being a mere damsel in distress. While I enjoy powerful female characters, I thought giving her psychic powers was a poor choice. It would have been more compelling had she used her wit to decipher the Shadow's identity. Also, some of the humor in the movie is very corny, and may fall flat for some people.

Despite a few shortcomings, this is still a very entertaining film, especially if you are a fan of comic book movies. After seeing so many mediocre comic book movies recently, it's refreshing to see one this visually sharp and creative. Who knows if someone would dare reboot this franchise?... The Shadow knows.



-Alex

Welcome to the Cafe.

Hello out there in TV land. I am excited to finally get this idea off the ground and on the web. I have always been an avid fan of film, and after one of my friends casually brought up the notion of recording our conversations as a podcast a few years ago, this pipe dream seems to finally be coming to fruition.

We have already recorded some audio content, and while the initial postings and episodes my be inconsistent as far as posting and quality (we are still learning how to run our blog/podcast more effectively); I will do my best to keep this space updated on what is going on. In the meantime I intend to spruce up some of the site's "flare"; then perhaps I will remove/replace this post with a more proper welcome.

Looking forward to seeing this take shape.

-Alex