Interstellar

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Ann Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, and Topher Grace
Tagline: Mankind was born on Earth.  It was never meant to die here.
Synopsis: When Earth becomes increasingly uninhabitable, a group of scientists journey beyond the solar system to find a new home for humanity.

Review

This is one of those very rare movies that I'm totally glad I saw, but really don't feel the need to see again.  So while I recommend seeing it because it is beautiful and thought-provoking, I have no idea if you'll actually like it.  Interstellar does a number of things right, but it does have its flaws.

If I could sum up the movie in one word, it would be "ambitious."  Wow, it is an ambitious film.  I love Christopher Nolan's stuff (primarily the Batman trilogy and Inception).  He has such an incredible vision.  His films are original and imaginative.  And even though they are filled with special effects, Nolan does as many as possible as practical effects (i.e., without the use of CGI).  Because of all that, the worlds he creates are so immersive, and Interstellar is no different.

Another strength of Interstellar is that it is so original.  For the entire movie, I had absolutely no idea where it was going or how it was going to get wherever it was going.  I had no clue how it would end until it actually ended.  You don't find that in many movies these days.  Most films have some element of predictability.  And while some degree of predictability isn't bad, it is refreshing to watch a film where you just aren't sure what's going to happen.

Another signature element of Nolan's movies is his subtle humor.  His films don't try to be funny.  But there is humor because it comes naturally from the character or the situation.  Given that the fate of humanity rests on these scientists and the people back on Earth are struggling to survive, the human characters don't provide a whole lot of humor in the film.  Thankfully, there is TARS, a robot with an adjustable humor setting who serves to lighten the mood from time to time.  And just to make sure his human coworkers know when he is joking, he has a cue light.  Nice.

Interstellar is certainly a film that demands your attention.  A lot of science is thrown about, and the filmmakers did their homework to be as accurate as possible.  Still, unless you are a physics major, most of the science can be a bit much.  I found it was simplest to just suspend my disbelief and accept whatever science they spouted as accurate for this cinematic universe.

All the actors do a terrific job in their various roles.  Matthew McConaughey shows a lot of depth in his role as absentee father.  Ann Hathaway is also great, as always.  And it never gets old hearing Michael Caine recite lines from Dylan Thomas' famous poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night."

My criticisms all involve spoilers.  Suffice it to say here, Interstellar is a fascinating and beautiful movie that is certainly worth at least one viewing.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I really loved the idea of some cosmic "Them" who was helping to save humanity.  I wish the film had left it as that: mysterious benefactors.  The film lost me when Cooper "realizes" that all this time it has just been future humans reaching back through time.  Time travel, even when you have time become a dimension, is tricky.  It just seemed like the film created a time travel paradox.  Humans can't reach back and save themselves from extinction.  They have to survive into the "future" in the first place.

My biggest peeve with the movie comes at the very end.  The entire movie has been about the importance of love and family.  So much importance is placed on Cooper's love for his son and daughter and how much he wants to get back to his family.  And then he does.  But by that point, Murphy is old and has a family of her own ... but nobody seems to care.  Cooper enters a room filled with his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and possibly great great grandchildren.  But he doesn't acknowledge them and they don't acknowledge him.  What kind of family reunion is that?  And what happened to Tom and his family?  It's sad that the film seems to say "family" and "love" only apply to the people you know, not the generations you don't.

This is just a nitpick, but how is it Cooper and TARS are able to simply commandeer a spaceship and take off with it?  Worst security ever.

After the film, I found myself wanting one more scene, maybe a post-credits scene.  I wanted to see Cooper reach Brand and then she gives him a slap to the face A) for lying to her about his plan to get sucked into the black hole, and B) as an "I told you so" when she said they should go to Edmunds' planet instead of Mann's.  Her woman's intuition and desire to follow her heart were right.

Oh, and how the heck did Edmunds die?  If that is truly a viable planet for life, it would be good to know why the first person didn't survive.

Quotable Quotes

• "We used to look up at the sky and wonder at our place in the stars.  Now we just look down and worry about our place in the dirt." -- Cooper
• "Love is the one thing that transcends time and space." -- Brand
• "What's your trust setting, TARS?" "Lower than yours, apparently." -- Cooper and TARS
• "Do not go gentle into that good night." -- Dr. Brand

ISFS

Big Hero 6

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Don Hall and Chris Williams

Starring: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Daniel Henney, and Maya Rudolph
Synopsis: When a mysterious supervillain threatens San Fransokyo, five science nerds and an inflatable healthcare robot transform themselves into high-tech heroes.

Review

Before I get to the feature film, let me just mention the short that preceded it.  It's called Feast and is about a dog, his owner, and the food they share.  In true Disney form, it is a beautiful little short that is also quite charming.  I grinned the whole time.

In case you don't know, Big Hero 6 is loosely based on a relatively obscure Marvel comic book series.  As such, it is a fun crossover of the Marvel and Disney brands, bringing the best of both into a family-friendly action romp.

First off, Big Hero 6 is gorgeously animated.  The fictional city of San Fransokyo is beautifully and richly imagined.  It is a slightly futuristic metropolis that still feels grounded and relatable, just full of possibilities.  The city is so fun to admire, you almost want Baymax to do another flyby just to take more in.

The story basically comes down to a superhero origin story.  That is not always the easiest thing to tackle.  Fortunately, these characters are unknown, so their story manages to be both fresh and familiar.  Rather than shy away from what it is, the film is self-aware enough that it acknowledges and pokes fun at its being an origin story.

While the story starts out strong and engaging, it loses a little of that power toward the end.  To borrow a fitting thought from a review I saw, it kind of turns into an episode of Scooby Doo by the end.  It's just Scooby Doo with superheros and an inflatable robot instead of a Great Dane.  The problem is the villain.  I can't say much without getting into spoilers.  But the villain went from menacing to bland.  It's terrific that the villain in the kabuki mask is completely no nonsense.  He is both mysterious and menacing as he immediately goes after our heroes once they are on his trail.  He says nothing.  They are in his way, so he tries to get rid of them.  That's awesome.  But then he's unmasked and it really does feel a bit like Scooby Doo with a bunch of meddling kids foiling an elaborate plot.

Aside from the villain, all the other characters are fun, quirky, and endearing.  You can't not love Baymax.  His gentle naivete is refreshing.  And he gives the best fist bumps ever.  Hiro (the main character) and his older brother have a great, believable relationship and both are characters you just want to root for.  But it's the other members of the team that are so fun.  Go Go is the no nonsense adrenaline junkie.  Honey Lemon is the unflappable optimist.  Wasabi is the down-to-earth neat-freak.  And Fred is the uber-excited fanboy.  Each is just so fun.  And rather than super powers, they are all super nerds, in the science sense (well, except Fred).  They each use their specialized science skills to become high-tech heroes.  Science has never seemed so cool.

How all those characters come together and work together is one of the charms of the movie.  And it's really funny to watch them interact.  And because each character is so different, there's someone relatable for almost everyone.  I personally liked Wasabi best, especially when Go Go disrupted his meticulously organized tool set.

True to the Disney brand, Big Hero 6 is not only funny, it also has a lot of heart.  For a movie geared toward kids, it does a good job dealing with some of the weightier emotions that drive the plot.  You care about the characters.  It's a pleasure to spend time with them.

While it is not without its flaws, I highly recommend Big Hero 6.  It's beautiful, funny, heart-warming, and action-packed.  You could see it for Baymax alone and get your money's worth.

*** Spoiler Section ***

A good villain is crucial.  What would The Avengers be without Loki?  Or Batman without the Joker?  Or the Incredibles without Syndrome?  This kind of movie needs a strong villain who is not only menacing but engrossing and/or unexpected.  When Hans revealed himself as the villain in Frozen I was blown away.  I did not see that coming.  But the moment Professor Callaghan was introduced I thought, "Well, there's the villain."  And as soon as Alistair Krei was introduced I knew he was the decoy we were supposed to think was the villain.  That right there is a fairly classic Scooby Doo misdirect.

Now I'm not saying revenge isn't a good motivation for a villain.  It works.  It has worked hundreds, even thousands of times.  But this time it just wasn't believable.  Callaghan is introduced as a kind, attentive professor who shows interest in his students.  For him to turn around and be completely callous at Tadashi's death just doesn't fit.  Nor does it fit that in his grief he would now seek to kill his former students.  Yes, grief can do terrible things to a person.  But I found it hard to believe.  If he was so grief-stricken and consumed with thoughts of revenge, how has nobody noticed?  And all it takes is one cool science project to push him over the edge into a homicidal supervillain?  I'm sure there were easier ways Callaghan could have gotten revenge on Krei.

To me it felt like Callaghan would want to kidnap Krei and force him to resume work on the teleportation technology in the fragile hope that his daughter might somehow be alive, trapped in the realm between the portals.  That would have fit the character better.

I loved the film, but Callaghan as a supervillain was a major disappointment.  If he hadn't been so worried about his daughter, I really would have expected him to utter the familiar, "And I would've gotten away with it, if it weren't for those meddling kids."

Quotable Quotes

• "This is like our origin story!" -- Fred
• "Why are you stopping?" "The light's red."  "There are no red lights in car chases!" Go Go and Wasabi
• "Flying makes me a better healthcare companion." -- Baymax

ISFS

Toy Story of Terror!

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Angus MacLane

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Carl Weathers, Timothy Dalton, Wallace Shaw, and Don Rickles

Synopsis: During a road trip with their owner, Bonnie, the Toy Story gang get stuck at a roadside motel where strange things begin to happen. 

Review

Like my last post, this is a bit of a departure from the norm.  Instead of a feature film, Toy Story of Terror! is a TV special that came out last year.  But that doesn't make it any less terrific.  I actually really enjoy where Pixar has gone with its beloved Toy Story franchise.  The shorts and this special provide opportunities to spend time with the lovable characters without having to come up with a contrived, drawn out plot.  That said, it was just announced that Toy Story 4 is happening.  Here's hoping they have a good plot ... but that's beside the point right now.

While it may not be feature length, Toy Story of Terror! is still made with all the skill and artistry we've come to expect from Pixar.  It looks fantastic, just as good as any of their movies.  And all the original voice actors are back to do their part.  While the story is relatively simple, that's what you want in a 21 minute show.  Simple is not boring, and the show keeps you engaged (and laughing) the entire time.  Plus the story has a nice message and a good little character arc for our favorite yodeling cowgirl, Jessie.

Like most things Pixar, the film is filled with subtle gags you can only pick up on repeat viewings.  One of my favorites is when Mr. Pricklepants (a hedgehog) is erroneously referred to as a "German beaver."  Also fun is the rubber bat (with a visible wire no less) in the horror movie the toys are watching from the start.

The Blu-ray (and I assume DVD) is also filled with terrific extras that add to the fun.  You can watch a special version of the show that has "commercials" where the TV breaks are.  The commercials are specially made for the video release and are for a few of the new characters in the story.  Also included are the three Toy Story Toons that have been released: Hawaiian Vacation, Small Fry, and Partysaurus Rex.  Each is a fun little jaunt back through the Toy Story world.  Plus there are deleted scenes and a little behind-the-scenes documentary.

I highly recommend Toy Story of Terror!  It's fun, clever, and populated with familiar friends.  If you can, check it out on TV.  Or go ahead and buy the Blu-ray (or DVD).  If you love the Toy Story gang, you won't regret it.

Quotable Quotes

• "Only a kitty cat.  Classic misdirection." -- Mr. Pricklepants.
• "We're gonna stay here all night?" "Dun dun duuuun." -- Rex and Mr. Pricklepants
• "Combat Carl never gives up.  Combat Carl finds a way." "Are you 'Combat Carl'?" -- Combat Carl and Jessie

ISFS

Meet the Mormons

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Blair Treu

Tagline: Six ordinary individuals.  Six extraordinary stories.

Synopsis: Get a glimpse at the lives of six individuals from around the country and around the world, all united by faith.

Review

This isn't a review like my other reviews.  Partly because this film isn't like the films I usually review.  I have no criticism to offer.  The closest thing I've got is wishing the film had been a little longer so it could have gone a bit more in depth.

First off, let me point out the documentary is called Meet the Mormons, not LDS Theology 101.  The film is not meant to be an introduction to Church doctrine.  Of course you can't discuss the lives of members without discussing some of what we believe.  After all, what we believe is inextricably intertwined into who we are.  The focus of the film shines on living our beliefs as well as finding common ground with all religious traditions, whether it be Baptist, Catholic, or Hindu.

Primarily, this is an introduction to us as a people.  The clear intent being to dispel the prejudices and misconceptions others have about us.  The film even begins by acknowledging the most common stereotypes and misunderstandings.  With each subsequent segment, the film basically says: "You think you know who Mormons are, think again."  The growing diversity within the Church is emphasized and celebrated throughout.

For those who haven't seen it yet, I'm not going to spoil any of the stories.  Suffice it to say, the first few stories are nice, lighter fare.  For me at least, the stories got more gripping as the film went on, with the last story being the most compelling of all.  That was the story of the single mother whose entire life was changed by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Beautiful stories would have been enough, but the film itself is also absolutely beautiful.  At times the cinematography is just breathtaking.  One segment is in Nepal.  We see pictures of the Himalayas quite often.  We don't often see the Himalayas as someone's backyard view.  Stunning.  And I clearly need to go ziplining in Costa Rica.

Just as a fun last tidbit, I'd like to point out that the film's editor was Wynn Hougaard, one of my professors when I was a film student at BYU.  Neat.

My final assessment is simply to go see Meet the Mormons.  It's 100% worth your time and 100% worth your money (which is being donated to the American Red Cross).

Quotable Quotes

• "God is the author of diversity." -- The Bishop
• "I'm not close to perfection, but I'm perfect in one thing: I'm perfect in trying." -- The Humanitarian
• "One choice can change everything." -- The Single Mother

ISFS

The Giver

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Phillip Noyce

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, and Alexander Skarsgard

Tagline: You Can Make Things Better
Synopsis: In a seemingly perfect world, one young man learns what it truly means to live.

Review

Yes, I have read the book for this one.  But it has been a few years and I don't remember all the details that were different.  I never read this as a young adult.  Somehow I just missed it I guess.  So I don't have the eye-opening attachment to the story that perhaps others do.

In terms of the movie, I was on the fence about seeing it.  But having gone in with fairly low expectations, I was rather pleasantly surprised.

For starters, the movie is quite beautifully composed.  The world of the "Community" feels very real, and very sterile.  Which is exactly how it is supposed to feel to the audience.  The film makes excellent use of color.  It's not simply black and white versus color.  Depending on which characters we are with, the hues have differing saturation.  It helps set the tone and feel of the movie.  And it is just fun to watch the colors gradually unfold.

Another thing the film did quite well was not shying away from the darker themes the book addressed.  It tackled those ideas head on but also with the proper delicacy.  While I don't remember many of the details of the book, the themes are what have stuck with me.  So it was nice to see the film try to embrace them.  The film is both earnest and genuine about its themes of learning what it means to live and being willing to accept pain and heartache in order to know joy and love.

Jeff Bridges does an excellent job as the Giver.  He's enjoyable throughout.  After seeing him, I can't imagine anyone else in the role.  Meryl Streep also completely fits her role as the Chief Elder.

While the film was enjoyable and certainly had the best of intentions, it still had some problems that left me disappointed.  First of all, the pacing was problematic.  It wasn't a very long movie.  But it felt rushed in some areas and sluggish in others.  We needed more time easing into the memories with Jonas.  When he gets the memory of war all I could think was, "What, already?"  Receiving those memories is supposed to be a long, somewhat jarring process.  Brenton Thwaites did a good job of embracing the joy of color and music, laughter and dancing.  But it felt like he should have been much more conflicted by the contrast of the world he lives in and the memories he's gaining.

The Giver (as a novel) predates nearly all the young adult fare that is so popular these days.  And yet it seemed to try to fit in with that crowd.  In the book, Jonas and his friends are 12.  In the movie they are 18.  Much of the tension between Jonas and his friends, Fiona and Asher, is invented for the film.  The same goes for most of the climax.  The Community is all about "sameness," so it is a pity the film falls prey to the same trap.  It felt far too anxious to "fit in" with all the other dystopian, young adult movies.  It needed to dare to be unique.

The bigger problem was heavy-handedness.  The film didn't trust the audience as much as it should have (and as much as I remember the book did).  By the film's climax (the part completely invented for the film), the Giver and the Chief Elder are practically just spouting ideological quotes at each other.  Certainly it is straightforward, rather than manipulative, which is good.  But it is also simply telling rather than showing.  I was told what to think, rather than allowed the time to discover it for myself.

I wanted the film to trust that if it presented me with the "facts" and the "truth" that I would choose for myself which world was better.  More than just watching Jonas' journey of discovering joy, music, color, and love, I wanted to go on the same journey.  And the film only kind of allowed that.  Given that the movie is about the power to choose, that was a major blunder.

The choice presented in both the novel and film is of fundamental importance.  It is whether we will taste the bitter to know the sweet; will we endure pain to know joy; will we allow hate in order to embrace love.  It is the same choice made by Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden, the first choice made on earth.  While we may not be confronted with the choice to the degree Eve or Jonas was, it is a choice every human must come to terms with.  Otherwise they'll hop from pleasure to pleasure, never finding joy.

The film had an opportunity to really show how lost humanity would be without the power to choose or the power to truly live.  It tried to.  It had good intentions about an excellent theme and message.  And it partially succeeded.  It was an enjoyable film that I'm glad I saw.  But I'm more glad I read the book.  I want to read it again now.

Quotable Quotes

• "A dwelling is not a home.  A home is more." -- The Giver
• "Is that the pain everyone talks about?"  "Not even close." -- Jonas (after getting the memory of being stung by a bee) and the Giver
• "I apologize."  "I accept your apology." -- Pretty much everyone except the Giver
• "We are living a life of shadows, of echoes." -- The Giver
• "I loved her."  "Precision of language!"  "Couldn't have been more precise." -- The Giver and the Chief Elder

ISFS

When the Game Stands Tall

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Thomas Carter

Starring: Jim Caviezel, Alexander Ludwig, Michael Chiklis, and Laura Dern

Tagline: It's not how hard you fall; it's how you get back up.
Synopsis: Teamwork and high moral values (apparently) win football games.

Review

Let me start off by saying my fantastic company treated me and everyone else to a movie (this movie) and lunch, all during work hours even.  I'm immensely grateful to work for an employer who is so thoughtful and gracious.  And I recognize this film was probably chosen because it would be inoffensive and uplifting.

I've debated for two weeks about whether or not to critique this movie.  It seemed harsh to criticize a movie with good intentions.  If the movie had been merely mediocre and poorly constructed, I might have given it a pass.  But the more I've thought about it, the more it has irked me.  Good intentions notwithstanding, the film was a failure.  And worse, the message it ultimately sends is more dangerous than uplifting.

As for the movie itself, well, it was extremely flawed.  Basically it was a rather cheap dot-to-dot of all the possible sports cliches, rigidly following the game plan of better movies that preceded it.  And the thing with dot-to-dots, while they may ultimately reveal a picture, they do so in a very stiff, blocky manner.  The movie had a lot of elements all thrown together, but none of the components really worked together to create a unified whole.  A plot point would be dutifully brought up, momentarily dealt with, and then end up relegated to the back burner to deal with a new plot point.  For all the issues brought up, very few ever received any sort of resolution.

It didn't help that the main character, Coach Bob Ladouceur, wasn't particularly likable or relatable.  I've liked Jim Caviezel in other things, but here his performance was just wooden and almost aloof.  They set him up to learn and grow and have a character arc.  But then they never do anything with it.  All the issues he had at the beginning of the film are still there at the end.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm a firm believer in a good character arc.

And then there's "trophy dad."  The more scenes he was in the more completely over the top he seemed.  All he wants is for his son, quarterback Chris Ryan, to break the state record for touchdowns.  He's obsessed and practically insane in his lust for that glory.  I'd like to believe no father is truly that crazy.  And if there are fathers like that, I'm guessing there are some sort of psychological scars they are trying to compensate for.  Yes, he's supposed to be an antagonist within the film, but his motivation is so completely superficial he comes across more as a caricature than a person.

If those had been the film's only flaws, I'd have simply skipped it and not written this post.

What finally spurred me to write was seeing a user review on IMDb claiming the film encapsulated the struggle between good and evil forces in the world.  It's high school football.  There's no evil.  Trophy dad is arrogant, clueless, and a jerk.  The players on the opposing teams have stories of their own.  How many of them were just looking for a way to go to college and to get out of the neighborhoods they grew up in?  The closest thing to "evil" is the shadowy teen who kills one of the students.  An evil act?  Yes.  But although we are given no motive (or any amount of information or closure), it seems likely the killer was either drunk or high and looking for money.

That same user review also claimed the film epitomizes the strength and values of this nation.  Whether that is accurate or not I do not say.  But ultimately this is a film that says even though winning isn't everything, let's focus on winning and the belief that there's no problem that can't be resolved by sports.  But after the celebrations are all over, what have they won?  T.K. is still dead in a senseless act of violence.  Mrs. Ladouceur is still a lonely wife.  Couch Ladouceur still has no relationship with his sons.  Trophy dad is going to be furious with his son.  And all the students have to eventually face real life off the gridiron.

The movie is called When the Game Stands Tall, but what is it standing for?  The entire movie focuses on winning.  It says if you have high moral values and work as a team you'll win.  Really?  If underdog teams always won in real life they wouldn't be called underdogs.  I'm 100% in favor of perseverance and teamwork.  But they don't guarantee success.  At least not the success this movie glorifies.  In every game, one team wins and one team loses.  Do we really believe all opposing teams aren't working together?  Do we really think that because "our" team is morally upright the "other" team must of necessity be morally bankrupt?

And really, where were those "high moral values"?  They were talked about a lot.  A day of service at a Veterans Hospital is a very good deed.  But it's a deed, not character.  The film quotes Matthew 23:12: "And whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."  The words are there.  But the actions of the movie merely drive home the idea that such exalting of the humble ought to come in this life in the same worldly sphere one hopes for.

For a film that claims to be faith-based, I was surprised by one of the early scenes.  One player asks another player, Beaser, about his relationship with his girlfriend.  Beaser responds that they are waiting and have made a purity pledge.  The other player actually taunts his teammate and asks what cult he belongs to.  Beaser responds with the name of a local church, naively oblivious to the fact his teammate just insulted him and his beliefs.  Granted, the other player is shown to be a bit of a jerk for the first half of the film.  But at no point does the film ever reconcile this interaction.  There is never an apology or even any other interaction between the two characters.  It's never brought up again.  Thus there is no indication the film itself is defending Beaser's beliefs.

The film also makes a huge deal about the idea that if you are a good person, good things will come to you.  That is one of the most dangerous half truths the world at large and Christianity in particular have a tendency to fall for.  Note that it is a half truth.  Obedience and righteousness certainly bring blessings.  The danger comes when we build our foundation on the equation good deeds/character = good life/success.  It can.  It does.  But it doesn't always.  Just read the book of Job or the history of Joseph Smith.  Good deeds and character are not a shield against suffering or setbacks.  Nor do they guarantee any sort of worldly success.

The movie certainly shows that some of the characters, though good, have difficult lives struck by tragedy.  And the brotherhood of the team helps them cope and get through.  That message is there, but it is not central to the story.  It ends up being overshadowed by the main plot.  For 151 games, the Spartans went undefeated.  We are shown what an upstanding, unified group the varsity squad is.  Of course they won, they were like brothers.  We then see the rising class, the new seniors.  They are arrogant, self-assured, and lacking in any semblance of unity or comradery.  So it is no surprise when they lose.  But as soon as they start doing good deeds together and acting like a team they start winning again.  The film then hammers it home: if you have high moral values and work as a team you'll win every game.

Maybe that was true for the real life Spartans.  But it is not true of life.  I recently saw a post on Facebook that said: "If you fight on your knees, you'll win every battle."  I understand the sentiment and fervently advocate prayer.  But I disagree.  For one thing, it is human nature to do our own defining of "battle."  Our definition may not align with God's.  How many valiant men, women, and children have "lost the battle" with cancer?  How many faithful men and women still constantly battle with addictions?  I don't know that God promises we'll win every battle.  He knows we won't.  That's why we have a Savior.  God's promise is that if we keep fighting the good fight, no matter how many times we fall, we'll ultimately win the war.

Coming down from my soap box now.

The film did have a few redeeming merits.  While I'm no football fan, the cinematography and choreography for the different games were interesting and (reasonably) gripping.  And Michael Chiklis as the assistant coach was terrific.  He had all the best lines in the movie and was the most likable character.

Final analysis: I'm glad I didn't spend my own time or money on this film.  If you want an uplifting football film, go find Remember the Titans or Rudy.  And if you want a more realistic portrayal of teamwork and perseverance, maybe start with Monsters University.

***Spoiler Section***

By the time we got to the climax, I was quite ready to be done.  But as Ryan purposefully gave up his chance to beat the state touchdown record, I got a little emotional.  And it made me kinda mad.  Why?  Because I knew full well it hadn't earned those emotions.  One of the things I learned as a film student is to tell when I'm being manipulated by the media.  Most movies to some degree or another manipulate because they want your time, your money, your emotional investment, and your suspension of disbelief.

It can be a fine line to walk.  Filmmakers want people to connect with their stories.  Ideally you connect with the characters and the story.  That must be the foundation, and everything else is just supplemental.  But if the foundation isn't there, if the story is haphazard and the characters are flat, the connection fails.  At that point, cue the music, the cliches, and/or the adrenaline rush.

Honestly, what's the ending even about?  Is it saying "it doesn't matter if you win or lose?"  Because they won the game and the championship.  So what was Ryan's sacrifice for?  Yes, to a degree it shows the state record doesn't matter to him.  But we already knew that.  There were other ways to show that.  For one thing, it meant breaking his promise to his father.  Yes, it was a pretty rotten promise that was forced out of him.  But he gave his word.  Also, the big push of Coach Ladouceur was to always give a "perfect effort."  I'm not sure refusing to play out those last few seconds of the game really constituted a perfect effort.

As symbolic gestures go, I simply didn't get this one.  And Mrs. Ladouceur spouting off things like "he's making your son into a man" to trophy dad were without real foundation.  It was just another sports cliche platitude.

Now I don't know if Chris Ryan was a real person or made up for the movie.  I don't recall there being anything about him in the credits.  Maybe that's what really did happen.  Or maybe it was artistic license.  I just really hope no actual father was as completely insane as trophy dad.

Quotable Quotes

• "It's a contact sport.  You're allowed to hit people.  It's encouraged even!" -- Asst. Coach Terry Eidson
• "Good waffles." -- Asst. Coach Terry Eidson
• "I'll give everything until I die out there."  "Collapse.  Not die.  It's just high school football." -- Player and Coach Bob Ladouceur

ISFS

Guardians of the Galaxy

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, and Lee Pace

Tagline: All Heroes Start Somewhere
Synopsis: After a stolen artifact puts entire worlds in danger, an unlikely group of misfits comes together, puts aside their differences, and saves the galaxy.

Review

From the start, I had my reservations about Guardians of the Galaxy.  It looked like a far cry from the Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America I was used to.  And then the trailers came out ... and I was even more leery about what the movie was going to be like.  But, I decided to trust in Marvel (and the 92% on Rotten Tomatoes).  I'm so glad I did.

Guardians of the Galaxy is terrific.  It's definitely one of the most entertaining movies I've seen all year.  And it is just plain fun from start to wacky finish.

Before I rave about all it did so awesomely right, let me just mention that it did have some things I could have done without.  I was surprised at how much swearing there was.  It wasn't horrendous, but it was certainly more than I was expecting based on previous Marvel films.  And of course there was Peter Quill's crude gesture, which was not "censored" like it was in the trailer.  Seriously?  Did we need that?  No.

I was afraid most of the humor would be along the lines of the above.  Not so.  The movie was seriously hilarious.  I laughed so many times.  Practically every scene had some quotable line or funny interaction between characters.  It was tough picking just a few for the section below.  And it was never forced jokes or laughs either.  It came from the characters being themselves and from the absurdity of some of the situations (e.g., a humanoid tree whose entire vocabulary consists of "I," "am," and "Groot," in that order).  Where Iron Man is snarky and Loki is clever, the Guardians are just sorta nuts and crazy.  And it works.  Where else could the range of jokes include references to Kevin Bacon, John Stamos, and Jackson Pollock.

As with all Marvel movies, the special effects in Guardians of the Galaxy were terrific.  The film is beautiful to watch and the various worlds and ships are exquisitely imagined.  They feel like real places.  Seriously, the attention to every detail is almost mind-boggling.  They also do a great job making Groot and Rocket totally believable.  And considering one is a humanoid tree and the other is a talking, trigger-happy raccoon, that's no small task.

I was pretty dubious when "Hooked on a Feeling" was the music for the first trailer.  All I could think was, "Seriously?"  But what was a little strange in the trailer worked perfectly in the final execution.  Those 70s and 80s songs are an integral part of Peter Quill's character, as the audience almost immediately learns.  They suit him and they suit the story.  They also serve as a constant reminder that, even though the film takes place in a far off galaxy, Quill is human and relatable.

In a couple of ways, Guardians of the Galaxy is a bit like The Lego Movie.  For starters, Chris Pratt is the main character in both and plays an unlikely hero.  But both films also had somewhat misleading trailers.  The trailers certainly showed that their respective movies would be zany and funny.  But none of the trailers intimated at how much heart was in the films.  I expected the various "Guardians" to be funny.  I didn't expect to care about them as much as I did.

From the very opening scene, the film pulls you in emotionally.  And while you then spend a lot of time having fun, you also get to know and gradually understand each of the characters.  You can see why these characters have come to that point, and why they are ready to come together in a crazy alliance.  None of them is just comic relief.  They are each genuine, with anger and hurt.  Well, except Groot.  Groot only gets angry when his friends are in peril.  Most of the time he has a childlike innocence, which is quite refreshing next to the other characters.  Groot is simply good.  And in many ways, it is he who brings the other Guardians together and keeps them together ... all with his limited vocabulary.  [Vin Diesel apparently recorded 1,000 variations of "I am Groot."]

Basically Guardians of the Galaxy is what you'd expect if Looney Tunes were crossed with the Avengers and then got thrown into the Star Wars universe.  And if you are a fan of any one of those things, you should check it out, preferably on the big screen.

***Spoiler Section***

Hands down, one of the greatest moments in the film is when Ronan the Accuser has crash landed on the planet Xandar and he gives his very typical, very evil, I'm-going-to-destroy-you-all monologue.  And then Quill just starts singing and grooving.  The juxtaposition is perfect.  Ronan is so utterly dumbfounded by this man he views as an imbecile, all he can do is stammer, "What are you doing?"  It's so unexpected for Ronan and for the audience.  Who breaks out into a dance-off when an entire world is at stake?  Peter Quill.  That's who.  And the method to his madness is that he's serving as a distraction.  Brilliant.

My favorite moment, though, has to be earlier on when the ragtag group is trying to escape from prison.  Rocket is explaining to Quill and Gamora what items he needs to execute their escape.  While they're arguing, Groot, in the background of the shot, is calmly in the process of acquiring one of the "impossible to retrieve" things they need.  It's a fantastic use of staging and timing.

Quotable Quotes

• "I am Groot." -- Groot
• "We've already established that you destroying the ship I'm on is not saving me!" -- Quill to Drax
• "Metaphors go over his head."  "Nothing goes over my head!  My reflexes are too fast ... I would catch it."  -- Rocket and Drax
• "I have lived most of my life surrounded by my enemies.  I would be grateful to die surrounded by my friends." -- Gamora
• "What!  What are you doing?" -- Ronan the Accuser

ISFS