4.5 Razors

To Infinity, And Beyond

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: WALL-E
  • IMDB: link

It’s not easy being an animation fan today.  It’s obvious that a fraction of the animated film is anything but pure corporate product.  Disney has lost its way.  AFI named Shrek one of the top ten animated films of all time (WTF?)  I might totally give up on the genre if if weren’t for two names – Hayao Miyazaki, and Pixar.  In the thirteen years since the latter released Toy Story, the already-legendary picture house has yet to produce a bad film.  And after WALL·E, the studio’s ninth and quite possibly best film, all of the shortcomings of the animation industry suddenly seem so easy to overlook.

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • IMDB: link

“Snakes.  Why does it always have to be snakes?”

raiders-of-the-lost-ark

We meet Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in the jungles of South America.  He survives the traps of the temple only to loose his prize (a golden Aztec idol) to a rival archaeologist, Rene Belloq (Paul Freeman).

The first sequence, involving traps, spikes, a very larger boulder, poison darts, and a tribe of natives, tells us everything we need to know about the character.  His intelligence, his knowledge, his adventurous spirit, and humor are all on display, as is the fact that this is a hero who doesn’t always win.  Only the later scene involving a swordsman on the streets of Cairo is more memorable.

On returning to the States Dr. Jones is hired by the US Government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazi’s can unearth it.  His adventure will include being reunited with an old flame (Karen Allen), racing against time for the prize, surviving being trapped in a pit full of snakes, and stowing away on a Nazi submarine.  And that’s just a few of the adventures packed into the film’s two-hour running time.

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Young at Heart

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Young@Heart
  • IMDb: link

“Oh yes we can, I know we can can, yes we can can, why can’t we?  If we wanna, yes we can can.”

young-at-heart-poster

The documentary by Stephen Walker follows the the Young@Heart Chorus as they learn new songs and prepare for their next live performance.  This, however, isn’t your average chorus.

The Young@Heart Chorus is made up of senior citizens, all over the age of 70, from the New England area.  Led by director Bob Climan, the group has been performing since 1982, although not the type of music you might expect from a senior citizen group.  No, the Young@Heart sing contemporary and classic rock and pop songs such as “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones and “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash.

For their upcoming concert the group is practicing hits ranging from “Yes We Can Can” by the Pointer Sisters to “Schizophrenia” by Sonic Youth.  We get to meet each some of the members of the chorus, including two former members who have returned after serious medical conditions to perform one last time with their friends.

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Dewey Cox Walks Hard on DVD

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
  • IMDB: link

walk-hard-dvdLast year the combination of writer/director Jake Kasdan and writer/producer Judd Apatow produced one of the best parody films in recent memory, and one of my favorite films of 2007.  Although the film received generally favorable reviews it struggled at the box office.  Those who missed out on their opportunity to see the film in theaters can finally check it out on DVD.

The film centers around the fictional life of music legend Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly).  The script, which parodies a variety of music biopics including Walk the Line, Ray, Great Balls of Fire!, Beyond the Sea, and others, is filled with the clichéd moments these films have been known for: tragic childhood, bad parents, drug use, affairs, etc.  For more on the film check out my original review.

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Hoosiers

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Hoosiers
  • IMDb: link

“Welcome to Indiana basketball.”
 

Hoosiers DVD review

Loosely based on the true experiences of Milan High School’s basketball team’s championship in 1954 the film tells the story of Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) who lost his last head coaching job due to his temper and a violent outburst directed at one of his players.  Now considered untouchable Dale is given the opportunity by an old friend (Sheb Wooley) to coach a small high school in Indiana with barely enough players to field a team.

What Hickory, Indiana does have however is a vocal local fanbase of knowledgeable basketball fans who aren’t too keen on the new coach or his system of team ball.  Earlier on the coach spends more time deflecting, and ignoring, their unsolicited advice than actually coaching.

With support of the town’s best player (Maris Valainis) and the knowledge of an alcoholic assistant coach (Dennis Hopper), Coach Dale manages to keep his job long enough to start winning some games and make a run at the state championship.

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