Category: Movies

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #73

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Mission Impossible, Movies1 Comment

#73: Mission: Impossible (1996)

Mission Impossible
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight and Emmanuelle Béart
Plot: “An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organization.”
Stock: Up
Previous Ranking: #96

“Would you consider the cinema of the Caribbean? Aruba, perhaps?”

Mission: Impossible was one of the first movies that fell in the, “I need to watch that again, category.” A re-watch was necessary so I could pay closer attention to certain details and see what I had missed the first time around.

For an eleven-year-old kid, this is a pretty big deal. Up to this point in my life, movies were straight-forward by design. Their main purpose was to give my parents a break from parenting. Thanks to Mission: Impossible, my entire perspective changed as to what a film could be.

I didn’t enjoy all the other Mission: Impossible films nearly as much as I did the original, so don’t go expecting to see Ethan Hunt any more in my top 100. Instead of focusing on the twists of the story, I felt as if the first couple of sequels created action at the expense of plot.

What I appreciated the most from Mission: Impossible is that it had thrilling and tense sequences, it was cleverly written, and it had a strong and constant moving plot. Seems rather simple, but you’d be surprised how difficult it is to have all those parts play an equal role in any film’s equation.

UPDATE

I first watched this film at home with my Mom. When it was over I remember being excited for my Dad to view it and told him before he started, “now Dad, you have to pay very close attention the entire time.”

In other words I was trying to give my Dad a heads up that this movie wasn’t like the hundreds of others he took me to. He wasn’t allowed to doze off like he did during Matilda.

Mission: Impossible was a turning point for me with movies … and thankfully, for my parents as well.

Fun Fact: The only Mission: Impossible film that doesn’t feature any shootouts/gunfights.

Hint for #72: Apparently King Kong doesn’t have anything on this man.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #74

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, The Sandlot1 Comment

#74 The Sandlot (1993)

The Sandlot
Director: David M. Evans
Starring: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar and Patrick Renna
Plot: “A new kid in town is taken under the wing of a young baseball prodigy and his team. Together, they get themselves into many adventures involving rival teams, lifeguards, and a vicious dog.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #75

“You’re killing me, Smalls!”

I had a great childhood … couldn’t have asked for a better one. The summers were filled with baseball, either around the neighborhood playing wiffle-ball or on an actual Little League diamond. What more could a kid ask for? Whenever The Sandlot comes on it takes me back a much simpler time and I always end up smiling.

Yes, The Sandlot has some solid one-liners and is an overall funny movie, but that’s not why it’s on this list. It’s here because it resonates so well with me. It makes me forget about the real world and brings me back to my youth. And any film that can consistently do that deserves recognition.

UPDATE

Despite the constant fluctuation of this list, it’s comforting to know that The Sandlot only moved one spot in the last four years. And to be honest, I can’t think of a better compliment to give, because it perfectly describes The Sandlot’s place in a lot of our lives, especially those in my generation.

We grow older, we grow larger, we marry, we divorce, we have kids, we have jobs and we have responsibilities. And even though our childhood has been forcefully removed, every once in a while we need to remember our younger days. And that feeling, will never change.

Fun Fact: The older and younger Benny are played by real-life brothers, Pablo Vitar and Mike Vitar.

Hint for #73: The fifth installment of this franchise was just released last July.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #75

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, The Fighter3 Comments

#75: The Fighter (2010)

The Fighter
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams
Academy Awards (2): Christian Bale for Best Supporting Actor and Melissa Leo for Best Supporting Actress. Nominated five more times. Best Picture, Amy Adams for Best Supporting Actress, David O. Russell for Best Director, Best Writing and Best Editing.
Plot: “A look at the early years of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward and his brother who helped train him before going pro in the mid 1980s.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #63

“I’m the one fighting, okay? Not you, not you, and not you.”

The Fighter earns this spot because of the acting performances, the story-line, and the fact that it is based on a true story.

Both Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg are tremendous in this movie. The chemistry they possess makes you feel that they are actually brothers. That chemistry is the life-blood for this film. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are terrific as well in supporting roles. Great acting all around.

The story-line shifts often but never loses focus, which is a hard thing to do. Instead of focusing solely on Wahlberg’s character (Micky Ward), it bounces around to Bale’s character (Ward’s brother Dicky), to their estranged family, to Micky’s girlfriend. It’s a delicate tight-rope but well executed.

I had heard of Micky Ward prior to this film, but had no idea all the trials and tribulations he had to deal with. It’s an underdog story if there ever was one. He was fighting battles not only in the ring but out of it as well. A great film that will probably do some climbing in the near future.

UPDATE

Even if Christian Bale is a prick in real-life, it’s still worth watching his portrayal of Dicky Ward. He absolutely steals and owns every scene he is in. The main character is Micky, but Bale is so good as Dicky, he ends up being the center-piece.

The Fighter loses points for not having the most realistic boxing scenes, but the acting, led by Bale, is what has it inside the top eighty.

Fun Fact: Mark Wahlberg waived his own salary and took no upfront fee for this film. Christian Bale was paid only $250,000 for his role.

Hint for #74: This film will teach you how to correctly pronounce Babe Ruth.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #76

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, Stand By Me1 Comment

#76: Stand By Me (1986)

Stand By Me
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix and Corey Feldman
Academy Awards: Nominated one time, for Best Writing.
Plot: “After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #66

“It happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of our lives, like busboys in a restaurant.”

This film was based off of Stephen King’s novel called “The Body,” and it reinforces the fact that King is one of my favorite authors. Stand By Me (despite the fact it’s directed by Rob Reiner) is a terrific movie and one that I will always watch whenever it comes on television.

What I love about Stand By Me is that the four main characters are all kids. They are just barely teenagers going on a journey together. They do what four best friends would do. They bond. They tell ghost stories. They poke fun at each other. They have serious discussions.

As I get older I appreciate this movie more and more. It’s told as a first-person narrative, but from the perspective of the main character thirty years after-the-fact. He’s all grown up, has kids of his own, and is simply re-living a memorable moment of his childhood. He talks about how they all grew up, moved away, and fell out of touch. Life has a way of doing that to us.

Lest us forget the great song “Stand By Me,” used as the theme for this film … every time I hear it, I think of this movie. They are synonymous with one another.

UPDATE

Every once in a while as I read my old work I’ll think to myself, “you know, that’s pretty good.” I did just that as I went over this Stand By Me review from 2011. There really isn’t anything else to add.

Fun Fact: In an interview by Stephen King in the special features of the DVD, he reveals that the scene with the leeches actually did happen to him, when he was a child.

Hint for #75: Mark Wahlberg takes his shirt off in this movie … a lot.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #77

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, Mystic River1 Comment

#77: Mystic River (2003)

Mystic River
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon
Academy Awards (2): Sean Penn won for Best Actor and Tim Robbins won for Best Supporting Actor. Nominated four more times. Best Picture, Clint Eastwood for Best Director, Best Writing and Marcia Gay Harden for Best Supporting Actress.
Plot: “With a childhood tragedy that overshadowed their lives, three men are reunited by circumstance when one has a family tragedy.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #44

“Maybe some day you forget what it’s like to be human and maybe then, it’s ok.”

Throw Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, and a murder mystery together in a Boston town and you have all the ingredients for an awesome movie. The three main characters grew up together, experienced a tragic event at a young age, and are now going through another tragic event thirty years later.

Clint Eastwood has an amazing knack for providing such incredible depth to his films. All of the main characters are not only fully developed but superbly acted. There’s a reason both Penn and Robbins won Academy Awards with Eastwood getting a director nomination.

UPDATE

After finally getting a chance to read some of Dennis Lehane’s work, it’s no surprise the plot/story is so well developed. Eastwood had plenty to work with thanks to Lehane. This won’t be the last time we see a Lehane book on this list.

Fun Fact: For the scene where Jimmy wails and thrashes in anguish at the discovery of Katie’s body, Sean Penn requested that a tank of oxygen be standing by after he finished the take.

Hint for #76: Stephen King wrote the short story that was the basis for this film.

Peace Be The Journey.