Taking Back the "Football" Films

The Blind Side debuted on November 20, 2009.  I, however, am just getting around to seeing it (On Nov. 20, I decided that attending my wedding seemed infinitely more important than seeing a movie – GASP!).  So last Friday, the hubby and I had a date night at the movies and we agreed upon The Blind Side.  I’m so glad we did!  After seeing a string of depressing films recently (a sure sign that it’s Oscar season) with not-so happy endings, The Blind Side centers on a young man who is rescued from his sure-to-be unfortunate fate to become an All-American football player. 

Based on the true story, Michael Oher, homeless and traumatized, lives in the Memphis projects where most of the young men his age fall victim to gang shootings or drugs.  As a boy, Michael and his brother are removed from their home by child protection services due to their cocaine-addicted mother.  Shortly after a stroke of luck lands him at Wingate, an affluent “white” Christian high school, he meets the Tuohy’s, a well-to-do white family who change his life forever.  Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy in an Oscar-winning performance.  Leigh Anne is a tough as nails, take no prisoners southern woman who takes Michael off the street – literally - and into her home.  Michael stays with the Tuohy’s and they become family, encouraging him in his studies and fine-tuning him to become one of the greatest left tackles in NFL history.

The term “blind side” is a football reference, actually, (I learn something new every day) that is credited to Lawrence Taylor's 1985 hit on Joe Theismann that created the shift in offensive football strategy where teams started to choose large players to fill the position of the left tackle and protect the "blind side" of right-handed quarterbacks.

I'll explain that further for the football challenged like myself (I had to ask my husband to verify this next bit): Let's say a quarterback makes a right-handed pass.  Since he is right-handed, the side in which he cannot see is naturally, his left.  That’s where the left tackle comes in.  It’s the paramount job of the left tackle to protect the quarterback’s left side, his blind side.  Michael learns to become a great left tackle by honing in on his best natural instinct, protecting those he loves.

The Blind Side, a wonderfully executed film, covers the full spectrum of human emotion, which, in turn, is what makes films similar to The Blind Side so successful – an unlikely hero with an ill-fated past who meets someone of significance who has the tools and the means to change the hero’s life forever.  And of course, results in a happy ending. 

Theatre Creme de la Creme

For my birthday, my husband treated me to a movie night at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood.  This was my first ArcLight experience.  What is the ArcLight you ask?  I'll let the ArcLight's website do the honors: 

"Designed to exceed THX standards of presentation excellence, ArcLight auditoriums begin with a 'black box' design aesthetic which favors undistracted viewing over opulence, and feature the best in sight and sound technology, allowing films to be presented as the filmmakers intend.  Auditorium comfort levels are unsurpassed.  All cinema chairs are 3 inches wider than current megaplex standards, with 6 inches more legroom.  Even the retractable armrests are 'double-wide.'"

(Note to potential ArcLight visitors: I agree with the "best in sight and sound technology" bit, but the chairs, though they may be wider, are not any more comfortable.  In fact, they aren't comfortable at all.  My tookus was quite numb after two hours of watching Crazy Heart).  

To avoid having to wait in long lines or the embarrassment of having to save seats for your mom, dad, sister, sister's boyfriend, and your annoying next-door neighbor who are across the street at Starbucks ordering lattes, the ArcLight also offers reserved seating and the convenience of printing your tickets at home or picking them up at the automated kiosks.

Entering the lobby of the ArcLight is like stepping through the doors of Grand Central Station with its giant ticking clock and digital board(ing) of movies and their respective showings.  The ticket counters resemble a concierge desk at a four-star hotel.  Once you've bought your ticket and secured your seat, you are invited to relax in their cafe bar before your movie.  Yes, you heard me right, their cafe bar.  So we did.  We sipped martinis and enjoyed fried ravioli bites, cheese quesadillas, and delicious warm bread pudding for dessert.  Not your average movie theatre.  

The actual cinemas, or "black box auditoriums," are located up the grand staircase.  Were we attending a movie or a live theatre performance?  The "special attraction" of the concessions are the ArcLight's signature caramel popcorn or regular popcorn with real butter - mmm!  The screens inside the auditoriums are extra wide and curved to maximize peripheral view and minimize projection distortion.  Before your feature presentation, a crew member welcomes you to the ArcLight and stays after the lights go down to ensure that quality of the sight and sound meet ArcLight's high standards.  Not too shabby.

For $15.50 ($11.00 for matinees) you are paying not just for the movie, but for the experience.  

The Hurt Locker v. Other War Movies

James Cameron's comment on ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow's film: "I think this could be the Platoon for the Iraq War."  Well, Mr. Cameron, if The Hurt Locker is the new Platoon, then Avatar is the new Pocahontas (even the Na'vi used bow and arrows and wore loin cloths).  I digress.  The one thing that The Hurt Locker has in common with Platoon is Willem Dafoe.  Bit o' trivia: Dafoe was originally set to star alongside Colin Farrell and Charlize Theron in Hurt Locker and Dafoe actually starred in Platoon, playing Sgt. Elias Grodin.  

What I'm trying to say is, The Hurt Locker doesn't hold a candle to the 1986 Vietnam war film.  Not to say it was a just another war movie.  Au contraire.  With its documentary-style of filming, The Hurt Locker distanced itself from the big budget war films that rely heavily upon special effects and focused more on character studies of three soldiers in the company.  With Ralph Fiennes and Guy Pearce starring, I thought I'd have some pretty decent eye-candy to counteract the intense, heart-pounding portrayal of Bravo Company's elite team of soldiers whose job it is to disarm bombs in the heat of combat.  Not so much.  Both Fiennes and Pearce are in the movie for all of five minutes.  Oh well.  

Bigelow's movie, which was filmed in Jordan, was, for the most part, realistic - moving between high intensity and longer periods of breathless anticipation (I literally found myself holding my breath more than once!).  And if it wasn't realistic (having no combat experience myself, I can't truthfully claim that the film is indeed a realistic account of the horrors of war) then it certainly fooled me.  For all the war movies that result in grunts and eye-rolls (I'm speaking to you, Jarhead!), The Hurt Locker holds its own with the other heavyweights in its genre.

Precious-ly Depressing

I was getting cabin fever so I decided to brave the rain and head to Sunset 5 to see Precious.  I'll be honest, if it wasn't for a potential Oscar nod, I normally wouldn't see a movie like Precious simply because I don't like paying $11.00 to sit in a dark theatre and be depressed for two hours.  On the rare occasion I do see a film that highlights the unfortunate (a severe understatement!) lives of children or young adults who are victims of sexual and/or physical abuse, neglect, or rape, I ponder why it is that some people are handed a fate that seems so hopeless, so incredibly painful.  Precious the movie is hauntingly narrated by Precious the teenager and it's through her narration that we witness her daydreams which create a more fascinating and flattering world than the one in which she lives.

Gabourey Sidibe plays Claireece "Precious" Jones, an overweight, illiterate 16 year old who lives in Harlem in the late 1980's.  Precious is pregnant with her second child by her father (her first child has Down syndrome and lives with Precious's grandmother).  Her abusive mother, Mary, flawlessly portrayed by Mo'Nique, lives off of welfare and spends her days in front of her television.  After Precious becomes pregnant for the second time, she is suspended from school.  Her junior high principal arranges to have her attend an alternative school which she hopes can help Precious change her life's direction.  Through the inspiration and encouragement from her new teacher, Precious is finally able to open up about her dysfunctional family and take charge of her own life.

Mariah Carey's role as Mrs. Weiss, Precious's social worker, is a surprising one.  Mariah effortlessly loses the diva persona (shocking!) and steps into the shoes of a character who is, well, definitely not a diva.  Mo'Nique, who recently won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Mary Jones, will certainly receive an Oscar nom, and probably the Oscar.  Her last monologue in Mrs. Weiss's office at the end of the film should secure her win.  Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe mumbles through most of the film and relies on her costars to provide the drama and to move the plot along.  Your heart goes out to her character, Precious, so it's easy to see how the viewer can get reeled into her world, however, Gabourey's acting is almost non-existent.  She shouldn't get nominated for this role, but she probably will.

Even though Precious's message is a hopeful and eye-opening one (and reminds you to count your blessings!), I have to say I'm glad movies like this don't come around very often.  If you enjoy going to the theatre for escapism (which, let's face it, why else would you go?), this is not the movie for you.  If you want to get out of the rain and you've already seen Avatar 13 times, seeing Precious won't be a total waste of time.

Your Leading Lady

Hello Silver Screen Sergeants and Movie Maniacs!

An "amateur" is a person who engages in an art, sport, science, or other activity as a pastime rather than as a profession.  Literally speaking, "amateur" is a French word meaning "lover of."  That being said, I am an amateur of motion pictures.

I love movies.  Always have.  I love movies like Rhett loved Scarlett (Gone with the Wind - 1939), like Rick loved Ilsa (Casablanca - 1942), like Linus loved Sabrina (Sabrina - 1954), like Nickie loved Terry (An Affair to Remember - 1957), like Tony loved Maria (West Side Story - 1961), like Harry loved Sally (When Harry Met Sally - 1989), like Jack loved Rose (Titanic - 1997), like Will loved Viola (Shakespeare in Love - 1998).  Get the picture?  (Pun intended)

Since Oscar season is upon us and because I never keep my New Year's resolution so I might as well surprise myself (a blog being my NYR for 2010), here it is - drumroll please - Reel Reviews from an Amateur Critic.  Subject: Movies.  So if you fancy reading, writing, and talking about movies - blockbusters and busters - like I do, please read further.  You may not (read: probably won't) agree with me on most things (read: everything) I write about, but rest assured that nothing pleases me more than an intellectual (and sometimes superficial) discussion about all things relating and related to films.

This blog is for anyone who has seen a film.  Here's looking at you, kid.

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