CHUD.com - A Movie Website and SO MUCH MORE. - Blogs

The best film of the year so far...

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

was on HBO tonight.

RECOUNT re-examines the events of the 2000 Presidential Election, and although we know what happened, director Jay Roach (the AUSTIN POWERS movies? Really?) and writer Danny Strong (BUFFY!) made a terrific film that made legal arguments over hanging chad (chad is plural, by the way) and disenfranchised voters completely compelling, and they turned in a film that was, in my opinion, one of the best political thrillers ever made. If this had been released in theaters I'm convinced it would have been nominated for many awards at the end of the year.

The best performances were Kevin Spacey as Ron Klain and Tom Wilkinson as James Baker. Each were passionate for their candidate, and you can understand the reasoning behind their passion. It's a fascinating documentation of how events snowballed into the historical travesty that we all laid witness to in 2000. At one point, the film goes inside a polling machine and shows just how a hanging chad could have skewed the vote in George W. Bush's favor. The film ends with a shot pulled straight out of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, where we see boxes of ballots, all uncounted, a metric ton of democratic failure. It's never dull or pedantic, and there's a real drama to the proceedings that keeps the film from becoming too preachy.

I've often found that fictional retellings are more effective than documentaries at getting at the emotional truth of historical events. What this film showed to me, and what I've felt for some time, was that the greatest aspect of the political left is the same as its greatest weakness - all viewpoints are given equal weight, and sometimes, there's what's right, and everything else is wrong. Although the recount could well have given Gore the victory had it been allowed to continue, I feel that the disorganization of his election team was the chief reason that he was denied the office. The Bush team, for all their moral failings, was completely and totally focused on the goal of the presidency, while the Gore team were constantly questioning the larger ramifications of what they were doing. And in the end, Gore lost because of that.

To me, the film seems pretty convinced that Gore won, but I'm a leftie, and that's just how the film played out for me. Someone on the right could see it and feel differently. But if I see a better film than RECOUNT this year I'll be extremely happy. If it had been a theatrical release Spacey, Dern (as Katherine Harris) and Wilkinson would have easily gotten nominations. Denis Leary and John Hurt were also very good. Make sure you see this as soon as possible.

Tugging On The Beard: INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Sat, 17 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

There's been quite a bit of discussion lately about whether or not INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL will be any good. I don't have any idea at this point. I know that I've lowered my expectations quite a bit. I'll see it, for certain, and it'll be a mix of nostalgia and good will over both Harrison Ford and the character he plays. I'll hope for the best, and prepare for mediocrity. That seems unusually harsh, coming from me. But you can't mess with perfection.

I'm not the only one to say this, but RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is a perfect movie. It does exactly what it's supposed to. It is completely aware of itself, and there's very little ambiguity about the film. It is a perpetual entertainment machine, and it's only improved with age. It's relentless in its desire to entertain you. It's got punchy, kickass dialogue, great action moments, and characters you care about. There's something to be said about making a movie that feels so effortless. Not many filmmakers can pull it off. So why am I writing about TEMPLE OF DOOM instead?

It's a fascinating film to me. At times, it's brutal, to the audience and to its characters. It gets unapologetically silly. There's definitely tones of racism and sexism in it. The mid-section is about as bleak as Spielberg has ever gotten. And yet, I prefer it to the mostly bloated LAST CRUSADE, because unlike that film, TEMPLE OF DOOM doesn't pull any punches. There's a real sense of darkness and danger to the film that, at some points, not even RAIDERS equals. And in a strange way, you can see the Lucasisms that show up later in the Prequels, but here they work.

Some people claim that Short Round is some sort of pre-Jar Jar, but I disagree. For one thing, Short Round's a terrific character. He's funny, he can take care of himself, and he brings out an aspect of Indy that we haven't seen before - a paternal instinct that makes him somehow more endearing. Harrison and Ke Huy Quan have a great chemistry together in the scenes they share. If anything, Willie (Kate Capshaw) is more of an annoying presence, but her character comes from a long line of archetypes from screwball comedies, and she makes up for it with the sexual banter she has with Indy at Pangkot Palace.

Is the movie racist? I'd say so. It certainly treats the Indian culture with more than a little disdain, and I'd like to think it was Spielberg's subconscious way of getting back at GANDHI for winning Best Picture over E.T. in 1982. It's a little sexist too, but it's a pulp movie, and they're all a little bit sexist. But in the context of the movie, it all works. Mola Ram is probably the most over-the-top villain in Spielberg's catalog. I love the foreboding over-the-shoulder shot of Ram as he walks up to the sacrificial cage, much like the fin in JAWS.

As for Harrison Ford? He's completely, totally Indy in this movie, even more to me than in LAST CRUSADE. The camera gets every iconic pose and silhouette of the character. You don't even need to see his face. The way Ford responds to Willie's pleas to leave the Temple - "Yes, all of us" - is about as heroic a delivery as Ford's ever given. Certainly more so than "Get off my plane!" He's witty, charming, and he kicks ass. That's the Indy I remember, not the guy fumbling through a stupid accent as he tries to rescue his dad from some bumbling Germans.

No, the story's not perfect, but its imperfections make it more interesting. I like that the film just drops into its story without a lot of exposition. I have no idea whether or not the Sankara Stones are actual Hindu myth, and I don't care. I think the reason some people don't like TEMPLE OF DOOM as much as the other films is because it doesn't come from a Christian perspective. Sure, we can believe in the Ark or the Holy Grail, those are from God. But this is an alien culture to most of America and that's why I think this film's more difficult for them to embrace.

There are some things that TEMPLE OF DOOM can be blamed for, and the biggest one is that this is the film that caused Steven Spielberg for the next several years to pull his punches. The audience reaction to DOOM surprised and upset him, I imagine. Children were put in real danger, and there's a violence to the film that would make parents uncomfortable. It's the film that was the biggest influence in creating the PG-13 rating, and we're still struggling with that nebulous system today. When is too much too much? Thing is, the over-the-top nature of the violence works. It's scary, pulpy, and fun. When Indy goes bad in the middle of the film, it's uncomfortable, but it's that good kind of uncomfortable where you have no idea where the movie is going to go next. Even watching it now, it's a really unnerving part of the film and it reminds me in a way of Scorsese, how he makes the audience squirm a bit in TAXI DRIVER, but in a way this is more disturbing because he's subverting the whole hero iconography. It's a dangerous moment in the film, and it's a shame that audiences couldn't get past that and enjoy the ride.

The last 40 minutes of TEMPLE OF DOOM are about as over-the-top as Spielberg's ever gotten. He throws everything at the end, and it's as if those Saturday morning serials suddenly were dipped in cocaine. When watching or reading interviews with Spielberg about it, he seems regretful that the film turned out the way it did, even though he met his wife on the film. He shouldn't feel that way. The movie still holds up today as an intense film experience, and it's more true to the pulp roots of the series than LAST CRUSADE is. I get the feeling that Robert E. Howard would have loved the shit out of INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. It's pure entertainment.

It's My Fault.

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT

I could list all the things that's kept me from blogging: the election, GTA 4, work intrigue, home stuff, but the fact is that I've been lazy. I said I was going to do a series on Spielberg films, and I've screwed the pooch on that too, but I promise to get on the ball with that this weekend. I'll have some free time to contemplate all things Beard.

Some personal things of note - I'll be in Chicago this summer for a little more than a week, visiting my sister and her family, who I haven't seen in going on 5 years. My mom's coming too so it'll be a real family reunion and I'm looking forward to it. Feel free to mail me things that I need to see while I'm there that's a little off the beaten path. I already expressed that I want to see some cool gangsta shit. I'm also going to a Cubs game because I'm dying to see Wrigley Field, even though the Cubs aren't my team (they sure as hell are for my wife though). I'd love to do a Springer episode and get all trailer park on national television.

GRAND THEFT AUTO IV is a gooddamn masterpiece of a game. I've been run over by AICN's Moriarty once and shot in the face by Andre Dellamorte (although I did manage to blow him to kingdom come with a rocket as I died). I find myself bowling a lot in the single player game. Bowling is like Spanish fly to the chicks. I even got Dwayne to smile, and that sad sack of shit bitches about everything. Once I figure out the math to darts, I might be pretty dangerous. I ain't saying anything most of you don't already know, though. Vast hours of productivity have been sucked down Rockstar's hole, to hear Moriarty tell it. It's all the rage of the Hollywood hoi polloi.

This weekend offers me the first opportunities to do some serious writing, so I'll try to take advantage. I even got a game for the little one to play so I won't be tempted to get on the PS3. So I think there's a good chance you'll see me then. Have fun all!

Album Review: ACCELERATE - R.E.M.

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT

If you've read past blogs from me here or on Myspace, you've heard me rant about my favorite rock band on earth, R.E.M. Flat out, their last album, AROUND THE SUN, sucked. And the two before that weren't great shakes either, not in comparison to their heyday in the 1980s and early 90s. Their last completely successful album was probably NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI, which incidentally was drummer Bill Berry's last foray with the band. And believe me, the subsequent albums showed his absence.

There's a common joke that you know that a band is breaking up when the drummer announces that he's written a song. But I think drummers turned artists like Dave Grohl, and the game ROCK BAND, have given the drummer newfound respect in rock and roll. R.E.M.'s tour drummer, Bill Rieflin, added some necessary punch to many of the UP, REVEAL, and AROUND THE SUN songs played live. Scott McCaughey also added an extra layer of sound to the live shows, and no matter how in the stratosphere the studio albums sound, the live versions are solid rock performances.

Now, with ACCELERATE, R.E.M. finally moves on from Bill Berry's loss. If it were up to me, R.E.M. would just go ahead and announce Rieflin and McCaughey as full-fledged members of the band and leave Berry to his farming. ACCELERATE is a breath of fresh air to the increasingly stale R.E.M. catalog, and the album sounds like something they wrote in their heyday instead of the flights of aural fancy that they have been taking in recent years. It's short (only 34 and change minutes long), focused, and angry.

Much of my complaints about what was missing in recent R.E.M. albums were the backing vocals and melodies of bassist Mike Mills. I'm convinced Mills is one of the most unsung musicians in rock. Classically trained, and decidedly less flashy than, say, the Red Hot Chili Pepper's Flea, he was always a grounding force in their songs, and his harmonies were beautiful and very complementary to Michael Stipe's vocals. But since HI-FI those have been largely missing. They come back with full force in ACCELERATE, and the result sounds reminiscent of older albums but also definitively modern. Peter Buck, as well, always sounded restrained in recent years, but not any longer.His brand of melodic rock punches a hole right through the folksy nature of AROUND THE SUN. ACCELERATE is decidedly a rock album, with maybe one song that could be considered something of a ballad.

I've always suspected that R.E.M. times their album releases with election cycles. Yeah, call me conspiratorial, but ever since AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE I've noticed how albums get surreptitiously released right before an election. "Ignoreland" was certainly a shout-out against Republican interests in 1992. AROUND THE SUN was released in October of 2004, but although it was very much a political album, the lack of sales didn't spark much interest in their message. Well, with ACCELERATE, Michael Stipe comes screaming right out of the gate, demanding your attention. In "Living Well Is The Best Revenge," Stipe snaps at useless pundits who predict everything and contribute nothing: "Don't turn your talking points on me/History will set me free/The future's ours and you don't even rate a footnote" and it's sung at a breakneck rhythm while Buck and Mills go to town. Much of ACCELERATE is informed with Stipe's anger at the establishment. "Man-Sized Wreath" is Stipe furious with empty gestures while people continue to die in pointless wars: "Well I'm not deceived by pomp and odious conceit/Or a tearful hymn to tug the heart/And a man-sized wreath - ow!" Songs like "Houston," about Hurricane Katrina, or "Mr. Richards," a bit of schadenfreude about a disgraced politician, have Stipe singing with barely contained fury. Even the single, "Supernatural Superserious" has a decidedly MONSTER-esque guitar riff as Stipe sings about a repressed gay youth. No ambiguity here – this is a very pissed off album and it's no accident that it comes out now, with time for the general election in November for its issues to play in voter's minds. It's not subtle, for sure, much like Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT.

"Sing For The Submarine", on any other R.E.M. album, would be the closer. It sounds like the encapsulation of all of R.E.M.'s themes, and even references other songs in their catalog. It feels like the last song R.E.M. ever wrote. Instead, it's third from last, with two thunderous rock songs as the album closer, "Horse To Water", and "I'm Gonna DJ," which was also the closer on the R.E.M. LIVE album. The album closes with a song about death, as Stipe rants that he won't be leaving this place until "I'm good and ready."

The final lines of the album, "Music could provide the light that you cannot resist/You cannot resist, you cannot resist, yeah!" feel like a new beginning for this band, who have re-invented themselves so many times that it's not sure who the "real" R.E.M. is. Some fans will say this album hearkens back to their original sound, some people will claim it's more modern, and in the end it won't matter. This band's refusal to be pinned down is why they have remained so compelling to me over the years, and as my doubts get washed away amidst guitar riffs, Stipe-rants, and glorious backing melodies, I realize that I don't ever want to pin this band down. I want them to continue to surprise me, to intrigue me, and ACCELERATE fills that need considerably. It's one of this band's best albums, and one of the best of this year.

My Five Songs

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT

John Cusack in HIGH FIDELITY is always doing top 5 lists about certain situations. As this is a blog and I have no original thoughts, I thought I'd list the five songs that define me as a person.

5. "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," Billy Joel.

I actually lived behind an Italian restaurant for six months in my twenties (no, it wasn't an Olive Garden, thanks). Ate there all the time as they were exceptionally good. Does admitting I love Billy Joel give me poser status? Well, fuck it. I really identified with the post-teen angst of this song, as at the time I discovered it I was swiftly learning that life after high school wasn't what I expected it to be.

4. "Rainbow In The Dark," Dio.

I karaokied the fuck out of this song a few years back. There's nothing like a really bad song that's written and performed with such passion that it makes it a cheeseball classic. Who knows what the fuck Dio was singing about, but he MEANT it, goddammit, and it demands attention. Or something.

3. "Rhinestone Cowboy," Glen Campbell

My uncle owned a hamburger joint in Houston when I was just a little kid (Roznovsky's Hamburgers, for any Houstonians out there - the original one) and I played this song over and over and over on the jukebox. I knew it by heart and would sing it to the patrons whenever it came on. I was a weird little kid.

2. "The Flowers Of Guatemala," R.E.M.

Easily my favorite R.E.M. song. They've only performed it a few times live. Apparently Michael Stipe wrote it after his grandfather died and it has a special meaning to him. I love the soundscape of it, intimate one moment and epic the next. This is a video of someone's missionary trip to the region, and the only one I could find on YouTube, sorry. I'm not too tech-savvy.

1. "Real Love," The Beatles

Yeah, this ain't nothing more than a mash-up, but it bears the significance of being the first song that I danced with my wife. It could have been worse... it could have been the goddamn "Macarena."

What's your Top Five?

This Election Drove Me Insane

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST

Sorry I haven't blogged for the past couple of weeks. More Spielberg reviews on the way, I promise. I've been very busy,

If you know anything about me personally, you'd know that I'm a little more involved with politics than the average bear. That's because I work for a Justice of the Peace here in Harris County, and he's elected every presidential cycle. It makes for some interesting stories because I take time off to work the polls for him and push his cards all over Houston.

I worked at what was considered the busiest early voting precinct in all of Texas, the West Gray Multiservice Center, and I saw some strange stuff. The AARP was pimping bi-partisanship with this tiny little girl (with that lower back tattoo) in this giant blow-up half-mutant purple donkey elephant that walked around the parking lot. At one point, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo trail ride came by with about 30 people on horseback. I didn't meet any of the presidential candidates, sadly, but I heard stories of people almost literally running into them on the campaign trail. Houston hasn't been this interesting politically since Lyndon Johnson.

Yesterday, I electioneered at a church, and one of the people there pushing cards was the head of the Houston Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Political Caucus. That's a mouthful. Yeah, I went there. Anyway, she was the president, and surprisingly the GLBT Caucus has some serious political pull in Houston. We have probably the largest gay community in the South. It was a tie vote for the presidency endorsement, and she was the deciding vote. They went for Obama. A very nice lady too. It's too bad people have to take transgenders at face value the way they do; she is a successful contractor in town who helps people get the right permits for any buildings done in town and from what I understand she makes quite a bit of money doing what she does. She also executively produced a western TV show that has yet to air (the premise is basically BLAZING SADDLES taken seriously, but I liked the concept a lot).

I saw two older women for Hillary practically threaten about five big Obama guys to fistfights. Those Clinton people out there were ANGRY, let me tell you. I got along much better with the Obama people, who seemed to have a sense of optimism that was contagious. I tried to explain my rationalization for voting for Obama to the Clinton-women but they had none of it. It's hard to explain, but when two candidates are so similar in policy to each other, you do go with the one that engages you more. And Obama has something that makes me as an American to get more involved. My apathy is at an all time low right now and I have Barack Obama to thank for that.

I met a lot of people this week and shook a lot of hands - judges, state representatives, people running for sheriff and Congress, and just regular folks who wanted to take part in something historic. I got sunburned pretty goddamn badly and peeled like a salamander all this week. My legs feel like rubbery goo. But it was worth it to be involved, even though I was on the sidelines, of the most fascinating election I've ever been a part of. I'm looking forward to a little downtime, and I'm going to be relaxing today. Have fun.

Tugging On The Beard: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

Over the next few weeks, I'll be doing a little critical analysis, as well as my own personal retrospective, on the films of Steven Spielberg. Granted, I won't do all of them. I've done one for Ain't It Cool News for E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (you can read that one here) and although Spielberg is probably my favorite living director I'm not going to go into films like 1941 or HOOK. There's a myriad of reasons why those films don't work, and I don't think I can expand on that any better than the many others who have written about them. I'm not a critic. What I can do is give my personal take on what these films mean to me, and why Spielberg's work continues to amaze and thrill me over the years.

An analysis of Steven Spielberg's work is a bit like reviewing Coca-Cola. There seems to be little point. Like Coke, he's everywhere. He's probably the most famous filmmaker alive, recognized the world over, a juggernaut of box office profits and marketing. Hell, I knew who he was when I was seven years old, back in 1977. On the surface, he seems to be simply a brand name instead of an artistic talent. Over the years, we've watched that talent grow up and seemingly put away childish things to dwell in the adult world. But I think he's still ostensibly the same filmmaker, through JAWS, through E.T. and RAIDERS, through SCHINDLER'S LIST and MUNICH. In the wonderful documentary SPIELBERG ON SPIELBERG, Spielberg himself suggests the common link through his films is the joy, the frustration, and the triumph of communication, and the dramatic power that it holds on screen. It's as simple as one person yearning to connect and touch another, whether it be over the staggering space of a million light years, or the space between a Jew and a Palestinian deciding what radio station to listen to.

The first film I'd like to talk about is CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. When it was released in its original version in 1977, it came out under the shadow of STAR WARS, and I'm sure Columbia was hoping for just that kind of success. I imagine it was a difficult film to market. The title is unwieldy and without context makes little sense, there's no real villain to speak of, and the protagonist spends much of the film going mad and treating his family like crap. In a way, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND feels like the last pure Spielbergian film, a film made before profit margins dominated. It feels like a merger of the personal films of the 1970s with the blockbuster movies that JAWS and STAR WARS paved the way for.

There's a charming naiveté about CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (referred to hereafter as CE3K), a sense of hope and wonder that's been diluted over the years in Spielberg's work. It's still there, but in a different, more adult way. Here, Spielberg has a big heart on full display, unashamed of itself. It's very much the work of an idealist, and it goes with the major theme of Spielberg's work as he yearns to understand, to communicate, to find the common ground between what would seem to be diametrically opposed forces.

Roy Neary is Spielberg's Everyman, and the audience's window into the strange and amazing events that transpire over the film. Played by Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Neary is a man very much in touch with his inner sense of wonder and the child within us all. His favorite film is PINOCCHIO and in one scene he tries to push it on his kids, much like I've tried to push some of the films of my youth onto mine. They aren't buying it. On the way to a job after a power outage, Roy Neary basically has a Saul to Paul conversion as unexplained phenomena, UFOs for lack of a better term, fly over his truck and around him down the street. When Roy drags his wife Ronnie (Teri Garr) out in the middle of the night to show her what he saw, he's not even paying attention to her. His need to show her doesn't stem from a place of sharing but instead a place of self-justification, to prove to himself that he's not crazy.

In the original cut, Neary's far less sympathetic and bordering on mania. The scene in the director's cut, with Neary in the bathtub, shows a man tortured by these visions in his head, but without it in the original he just seems like a odd man, ignoring his family and their needs. When he loses his job, he doesn't attempt to try to find another and instead lets his obsessions control and manipulate him. Later when Roy trashes his house it can be seen in two ways - of a man who is driven by his vision to understand and try to answer this great question that's been put to him, or of a man so sick and tired of his monotonous home life, so unsatisfied in his ambitions, that he destroys his home to escape it.

The relationship between Roy and Gillian Guiler (Melinda Dillon) isn't so much one of romance as it is of two desperate people, clinging to each other as proof of their sanity. Her child Barry (Cary Guffey, all of 4 years old at the time) has been abducted by the aliens, and her struggle is to have her child returned to her. She also wants an answer - why her child? Why is this happening? It drives her as much as it drives Roy, and apparently many others across the country as these people begin to have visions of a strange mountain, which means something important. It has caught the attention and involvement of Claude Lacombe (François Truffaut), who with his interpreter David Laughlin (Bob Balaban) seek to understand what it all means. Truffaut brought a sense of serious clout to the film, and it's a great performance. As Spielberg has kept his sense of wonder intact, so did Truffaut, and it shows in his acting.

There's some aspects about Roy Neary that make him an interesting character for Spielberg, some of which I'm not sure he was aware of until years later. In one of the documentaries about CE3K, Spielberg talks about how he was a different man when he made the film, and that he'd never leave his family the way Neary left his, no matter what wonderments lay in store for him. I'm not sure that's quite correct, though. The family in CE3K, whether or not Spielberg realizes it, is seriously dysfunctional. Roy is an absentee father already. There's several scenes between Roy and Ronnie that already suggest that the marriage was in trouble, even before Roy's obsession takes hold of him. Garr has a fairly thankless role here as his suffering wife, and we don't know what kind of relationship they had before the UFOs came into their lives, but from the way she reacts to Roy during their midnight excursion it's obvious that the romance in their relationship is long gone. It's also evident in Roy's impatience with his children, who seem strangely distant from him. We fill in the spaces with aspects of our own family lives, but it seems in this film Spielberg may be channeling his own disconnect from his youth with his own family. When he made CE3K, he wasn't yet a father, wasn't yet married, and it's evident that he's drawing from his own experiences as a child with his parents. Spielberg was very much a child of divorce, and it is a fascinating aspect of the film to watch.

Finally, during the climax of the film, the aliens and the humans make contact. It's a spectacular scene and iconic, and it's difficult to think of UFO phenomena without referencing the imagery. Through music and lights, the breach between worlds is bridged, and we come to understand the truth - that we are truly not alone. It's a comforting, beautiful sentiment. These aliens aren't about to burst through our chest or shoot us with death rays. They yearn, as we do, to reach out. As the people abducted over the years return to earth, Barry returns to Gillian and she begins to understand the grand scope of it all. Roy finally gets the answer that he's been seeking, and in the end goes with the aliens, leaving Earth behind, to explore the universe. As a child, I thought, "Of course he left. Who wouldn't?" But as an adult, with a family, I could never bring myself to do that. Spielberg understood that in his later years, but it's to his credit that he didn't change it, to have his family show up on the runway yelling "We believe you!" and have them be one happy family, because that wasn't in Spielberg's experiences at the time. It made sense to him that Roy leave, because that's what he would have done then. It's a fascinating window into Spielberg's thinking at the time.

I purchased the Blu-Ray box set (buy it here!), and I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful picture, sounds terrific, and the colors are gorgeous, for lack of a better word. The supplements are pretty much the same as the DVD release, but this time we get a 20 minute interview with Spielberg, and all three iterations of the film, including the original 1977 release which hasn't been seen since then. There's a real difference between it and the director's cut, which I prefer. The original edit doesn't humanize Roy as much as in the director's cut. In the original he seems less tortured and less relatable. As far as the inside of the mothership scene in the special edition, I don't really need it. I prefer to imagine myself what it looked like.

I've read many opinions that Spielberg was a better, purer filmmaker when he made CE3K as opposed to now, where some feel his endings have been compromised with the marketer's need to have a happy ending to them and damn the logic. I don't think he's necessarily a better or worse filmmaker now, just different. I don't think he could make a film like CE3K today, and not just because of the ending. It's a film that shows much of the true nature of the man, whether he intended to or not. It's very autobiographical in a sense and it's easy to see why he embraced the world of filmmaking like he did - because it's those visions that compel him, that drive him, and in making them he shuts out the less comfortable, more difficult parts of his nature and of his childhood. In later years it becomes less easy to see the aspects of Spielberg in his films, but with CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, we see the filmmaker laid bare, and it still feels like the work of a genuinely original voice, 31 years later.

The Format War, Pixar, And Assorted Ramblings

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

According to everyone in the know about these things, the Format War (it feels oddly appropriate to capitalize those words) is over. HD-DVD is dead, and long live Blu-Ray. It's VHD Day (as opposed to VD Day which doesn't end with a guy kissing a girl in the street, but with stinging pee and cold sweats) and there is much rejoicing.

I was witness to an odd skirmish in the Format War in December. When I attended Harry Knowles' Butt-Numb-A-Thon 9, we were all told that we would be getting free Toshiba A3 HD-DVD players. The war wasn't over by then, but it was obvious that Cornwallis was being surrounded at Yorktown. Toshiba did a 20 minute presentation, showing off their player's capabilities by showing parts of 300 and MIAMI VICE on the giant Alamo Drafthouse screen. And it was impressive, I must say. Sharp as any good film print, loud, and the colors were bright. I'm certain Toshiba's motive in all of this was to take these players home, hook them up, and ooh and aah the friends and neighbors into buying one themselves.

So I took it home... and in the box it stayed. I never cracked it open. Eventually a couple of weeks later I gave it to my brother-in-law. Yeah, it was a free HD player. But it just wasn't hitting me. I had already made up my mind: it was going to be Blu-Ray. The reason could be summed up in one word: Pixar.

Disney has an exclusive deal with Blu-Ray. And I am a Pixar junkie. Call me an apologist, whatever. I think Pixar is the one studio right now that is making the most inspirational, the most wonderful films. It's not just that they're family oriented. It's that you're not ashamed to take your kids. Pixar films never talk down to the adult or the child in the audience, and that's a neat trick, to make a movie that resonates on those multiple levels. A child can enjoy the stories and the wonderful visuals, while the adult can appreciate the deeper resonating themes of their stories. Their films aren't made to sell Happy Meals, although they sell quite a few. Pixar films feel to me like a marketing nightmare. "How in the hell do we sell a movie about a cooking rat?" "A dysfunctional family of superheroes? Are there any fart jokes?" On their face, they aren't easy sells.

Pixar films work because the story is what dictates all, not marketing choices or theme park rides. It's why the first Disney films are such classics. Animated films by other studios, with few exceptions, feel like they're made by committee, especially the abysmal SHREK films which even my kid despises. It seems some studios are getting wise that it's the film and not the ancillary products that are key, but even when Pixar is off (A BUG'S LIFE and CARS, while good, are definitely weaker efforts) they still have more going on behind them than most other animated films. When Jessie sings her song in TOY STORY 2, it's not only a toy mourning the loss of her best friend but a parent mourning her child growing up and leaving her. FINDING NEMO has much of the same themes. A BUG'S LIFE is an odd riff on Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI. THE INCREDIBLES deals with the struggle to remain special and relevant in a world where mediocrity is treasured. Even a film like RATATOUILLE talks about the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors.

This summer, Pixar's releasing WALL-E, and I can't wait. It's easily my most anticipated film for this year. During BNAT 9, Pixar brought a 15-minute presentation of the film that brought tears to my eyes. It was beautiful. WALL-E puts the awe back into space. The visuals were so stunning it was difficult to take in everything. I imagine WALL-E will do for kids what films like JAWS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS did for me. When those films came out I read everything about sharks and UFOs that I could get my hands on. I think kids who see WALL-E will start consuming everything they can about robots and space. Films like that, it seems to me, come along once in a generation or so, a film that inspires a genuine life change, or that spark that creates a passion that ends up taking root and affecting their entire lives. I'm certain I'll be accused of hyperbole about this movie, but I don't care. I'm not going to let cold, hard reasoning get in the way of something so awe-inspiring and beautiful.

This week I bought a Playstation 3, mostly because of the Blu-Ray player, but I also grabbed some games. The Blu-Ray titles I bought were CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, BLADE RUNNER, and RATATOUILLE. When I put in RATATOUILLE, it practically jumped off the screen, and I'm still rocking a tube television set. BLADE RUNNER and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS looked amazing as well. It's the best purchase I've made in months. I plan to upgrade to a LCD HDTV this summer as soon as I possibly can (thank you, Bush Blood Money Stimulus!) and I can't wait to see it on there. Meanwhile, my XBox 360 is waiting for yet another white coffin-box to come in the mail so I can send it off for repairs. And I have to say, I'm loving my PS3 right now. It's quiet as hell, sleek, makes a nice Blu-Ray player, and I'm able to access my PC's music through it with real ease. On Friday I'm having some friends over and I intend to deal them some electronic death as I perforate them in CALL OF DUTY 4. Let the ass kicking commence!

I Don't Own A Cell Phone

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

So we got our tax refund this weekend, and my wife decided that she wanted a Blackberry Curve. I got a PS3, five games (Rainbow Six Vegas, Uncharted, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4, and The Simpsons Game for my daughter) and three Blu-Ray discs out of it (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, BLADE RUNNER, and RATATOUILLE). I think I got the better end of the deal. That's okay, though, she's happy with it.

Anyway, we went to T-Mobile so she could get her plan discount. The salesman smiled and said, "You know, once you go Blackberry, you never go back... berry." Another gentleman in line behind me laughed at that. "My kid's addicted to the damn thing. I don't see the big deal myself." After all was said and done, my wife ended up spending almost $350 and she considered every penny well spent. She's been playing with the thing for most of the weekend.

Before you accuse me of being all Luddite, I'm really not. I love technology. I'm completely fascinated by it. The PS3 is something to behold, and I've been playing with it pretty much non-stop since I got it. I love our PC. But I just can't stand cell phones. I had one once a couple of years ago, and I just ended up canceling the thing because I didn't like the idea that someone can get a hold of me any time, any place.

Here's the thing - I'm firmly convinced that cell phones have played a major role in the slow decay of modern discourse in this country. Yeah, it sounds like I'm talking out my ass, but hear me out. I'm not the most important guy in the world. My job doesn't require me to be in contact with my boss at all times when I'm away from it. So I spend my free time watching movies, reading, playing games, enjoying my family and visiting with friends. I don't want the constant barrage of people asking what I'm up to every minute of the day. It makes sense in the case of emergencies, but I don't want to call a hundred people whenever I have a brain fart and I certainly don't want them calling me. I don't think I live that interesting a life regardless, so steady communication with everyone about what I did that day seems frivolous to me.

I want my communications with my family and friends to be special, face to face. The relationships I have weren't formed over the phone. I think we'd all be surprised by how much of our lives are spent talking on the phone to people, especially nowadays. I'd rather just go over their house to see them instead, and enjoy their company. I'm not trying to be holier than thou here, but I can't tell you how liberating it is to actually be somewhere, disconnected from the rest of the world for a few hours, and the peace of mind that it brings.

Plus, I hate texting, just despise it. I don't see any reason for it. If you're going to talk to me, friggin' talk to me. Whenever I see those damn blue lights in a movie theater I just want to shove that phone in an unpleasant place. I just don't understand the appeal. If you don't want anyone to know your business, then wait and tell them in person.

Sorry, this is getting all preachy. If your life is made easier by your phone, I'm no one to judge, especially if your career pretty much demands constant communication. But I've sat down in a restaurant, read a good book while eating or enjoyed good conversation, and all around me people are wearing Blueteeth and looking like hipper than thou Borg. Maybe I like the fact that if people want to make plans with me, they have to make that extra effort to deal with me. I'm not some anonymous series of words on a tiny screen. When I'm not blogging, anyway.

Now get off my lawn!

It's Up To Texas

no@spam.com (Alan Cerny) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST

Hillary Clinton, 825 delegates. Barack Obama, 732. I was hoping for more wins for Obama, but he's put in a good show so far.

I told my wife at the beginning of the election cycle, "It's going to come down to Texas." I just had that feeling all along that the race was going to be tightly contested until then. She thought it would be over for Hillary after yesterday, and it certainly did feel like Obama had the momentum. There's something electric about his candidacy, and he certainly hasn't done anything to assuage that feeling. A vote for Obama feels like a rebellious act, like the opening shots of a new revolution. I've caught it; I've caught the fever. He's a rock star, and it seems I've become a groupie.

I was an Edwards man at first. I felt like he was the only guy who could reasonably seize the White House in the endgame. I liked his honesty and I liked his brutal truths about how we treat the poor in this country. But he never had the fire that Clinton or Obama had. To put it bluntly, his being a white guy cost him the race. I'm certain of that. Although I think he was an excellent candidate, voting for Edwards had all the passion of sorting socks. And in this election year, people want to feel like they matter, and that they truly are making a difference. After so many years of being beaten down, of hearing over and over how their vote didn't count, each vote in this Democratic election is a singular voice crying out that they will be heard, dammit; that they aren't just a statistic.

And now it seems that it's going to come down to my home state of Texas. I'm excited and nervous about that, because I know what the majority of the country, and especially the left, thinks of us. We're not quite inbred hicks, mostly because we can't seem to get out of the farmyard. But I know that's not true. I've grown up around people of labor, and how they really do think progressively. Austin is about as hippie as it gets; I'm surprised they don't have lanes for skateboarders in traffic there. I've been to many political events here in Houston where the fire is obvious, and people want to make a difference. I'm proud that it may come down to us, and I think we'll do a good job. I'm hoping Obama takes the state, while my wife is rooting for Hillary. The house is split amicably, as each of us tries to convert our daughter to our cause. Like it matters - she's only 9, but it will be seen as a moral victory regardless of the outcome.

Politics has depressed me over the past years, but I'm glad that there's a spark of hope back in it for me. It's going to be interesting for sure; there's supposedly a debate here in Houston later this month, and I'm going to try to attend. But it looks like Texas may decide the whole thing, and if you're worried... well, I'd say still be worried. But you might be surprised how it turns out.

As far as the Republicans go I hope McCain takes the whole thing because I, foolishly maybe, think he'll play above the fray. Imagine the debates between McCain and Obama, if it plays out that way. We may actually have legitimate discourse in this country for the first time in a long time. We'll see.

The primary in Texas is March 4th. I'll be there.