Patch Adams (1998)

Genre: Comedy / Drama / Biographical

Directed by: Tom Shadyac

Starring: Robin Williams, Monica Potter, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Running time: 115 minutes

This 1998 film is based on the life story and the beliefs of Hunter “Patch” Adams. Feeling suicidal, Adams commits himself to a mental hospital. Gaining back his will to live with a raising desire to help other people, Adams decides to go back to school to become a doctor. Patch’s approach to medicine goes against the grain of the establishment, but the aspiring doctor persists, because he believes that, by showing more compassion towards patients and making them laugh, we can better help them. Patch Adams goes on to build his own clinic, with the purpose of offering healthcare services that better reflect his personal views on the matter.

Patch Adams, the movie, was widely criticized in the various reviews. It is indeed sweet, almost to a fault. The purpose here is to jerk the tears out of you, and it is being done with force. Nonetheless, for some reason, while other similar movies would have gotten on my nerves, I found this one charming. Maybe it is Robin Williams, of whom I have always been a fan, who salvaged it for me. Though the late comedian playing a man who pulled himself out of his own depression by making others laugh is a tad creepy in retrospect. It was also always a treat to see Philip Seymour Hoffman on screen, even in a smaller role.

Even the real Hunter Adams spoke against this film, saying it simplified his life’s work and made him to be nothing more than a funny doctor. I can certainly understand why a man so passionate about what he has done would feel that way.

Patch Adams is a guilty pleasure of mine. It severely lacks subtlety in its delivery and the sweetness level is heavy, but I like it still. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a very cute feel-good movie. As somewhat of a clown, I could see a bit of myself in that desire to help others through laughter.

Rating: ««««

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Genre: Comedy / Science-Fiction / Western

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen

Running time: 119 minutes

Like the previous sequel, Back to the Future Part III starts where the other ended. Stranded in 1955, Marty receives a letter from Doc, who is stuck in 1885 with a broken time machine. Unable to fix it due to the primitive technology in the time period he’s in, he hides it for Marty to find in 1955, along with instructions on how to fix it. The scientist tells his younger friend to do the needed repairs and then go back to his regular life in 1985 without coming for him. As he is about to do what he’s told, Marty finds out that Doc Brown was shot and killed a few days after writing the letter, so he decided to go back to 1885, in the Old West, to save his pal from doom.

In this third part of the trilogy, the franchise started to lose some of its magic and luster in my opinion.

Fox and Lloyd still do a very good job working opposite each other. Mary Steenburgen was also the right choice to play Doc Brown’s love interest. You can actually believe that these two off-beat characters could fall for each other.

I simply find that they tried to stretch things out a little too much with a third movie, diluting the sauce in the process. The western motif was cute, though the sets really looked fake, but the plot dragged on. By the end of it, it offered a nice closure to the series, but it came off as a little too bland for my taste. It certainly pales in comparison to the first two.

Rating: «««

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Genre: Comedy / Science-Fiction

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Running time: 108 minutes

The second movie starts where the first one ends. After repairing the damage he did to his personal history with the help of Doc. Brown and his DeLorean time machine, Marty McFly plans to resume his teenage life with his family and his girlfriend Jennifer. But, Doc comes back to get him, saying they have to go to the future to prevent Marty and Jennifer’s future son from ending up in jail and thus bringing doom upon the family. They travel to October 2015 (yes, I know). Unfortunately, in the process, they do some more life-changing damage to their history, which they will have to repair by going back to 1955 again.

While not as solid as the original, Back to the Future Part II is still a very entertaining flick. Now that we are actually in October 2015, it is quite interesting to see the vision the filmmakers had for these times over 25 years ago. Flying cars and hoverboards, everything automated and technology-galore; while much of it was outlandish, it is still fun to see it and notice that technology has indeed taken over our lives, even though not quite to that extent.

It was also a nice touch to go back to the events of the first film, in a time-travel back to 1955, and see it with a different point of view.

The chemistry between Fox and Lloyd is still solid in this sequel. They work well off each other. Some of the cast, namely Crispin Glover and Claudia Wells, needed to be replaced, but many of the originals were back at it too.

As for the plot, it got convoluted at times because they tried to squeeze a little too much in a film lasting only 108 minutes. Nonetheless, the charm of the characters and the basic storyline still operated. Years later, I am still entertained by it, and that’s really all you can ask from this type of movie. It is not meant to be an accurate account of the future we are in now. In that sense, Zemeckis and co. did a great creative job. They may have gone a tad overboard in terms of plot, but they still managed to deliver a very good movie.

Rating: ««««

Back to the Future (1985)

Genre: Comedy / Science-Fiction

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Running time: 116 minutes

Marty McFly is a teenage aspiring musician who hangs out with an oddball scientist, Doc. Emmett Brown. One night, Doc. Brown summons him to the town’s shopping mall where he unveils a time machine he built from a modified DeLorean car. It is powered with plutonium the scientist stole from Libyan rebels. When these rebels arrive to seek out revenge and shoot his friend, Marty gets in the car to escape but he activates the time machine and is sent back to 1955. That’s when he will come in contact with his future parents, as high school students, and cause a breach in history. Before he finds a way to come back to 1985, with a time machine out of fuel, he will need to repair the damage done to his own history and make sure his parents do fall in love and end up with each other.

Back to the Future is a guilty pleasure of mine, as I’m sure it is the case for a lot of people from my generation and beyond. Yes, there is a certain dose of cheesiness to the whole deal, but it is still such a good movie. Even years later, I find so much to enjoy in this flick.

Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd have such a great chemistry on screen as the two main characters. Fox was nearing his mid-twenties at that point, but he looked much younger. He was the perfect choice to play Marty McFly, bringing a boyish rebel charm to the role, with a nice touch of vulnerability. I’m sure he made skateboards more popular than ever after this came out.

Marty was a kid who did not necessarily fit in with the rest of high school students, other than his girlfriend, so it would be easy to believe that he would strike a friendship with Doc. Brown. Christopher Lloyd was such a great choice to play the scientist. He had already proven his ability for oddball comedy on Taxi, and, in Back to the Future, he brought to life the character he would be the most known for even 30 years later.

There is a little bit of everything in Back to the Future. It is a great mix of science-fiction, comedy and romantic comedy. The filmmakers did a great job illustrating the various time periods on screen. Whether it was 1955 or 1985, the transition was seamless and natural, and it all felt like a real voyage in time.

This is a film I have in my collection, and it will always be a pleasure to go back in time in the future to watch it again.

Rating: «««««

Bad Boys (1983)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Rick Rosenthal

Starring: Sean Penn, Esai Morales, Clancy Brown, Ally Sheedy

Running time: 123 minutes

Mike O’Brien is 16-year old delinquent mostly known for petty crimes. One night, he decides to mess with a rival of his, Paco. It all goes awry, and, while fleeing from the cops, he accidently runs over and kills Paco’s little brother. He is sent to a juvenile detention center. While he is in there, Paco rapes Mike’s girlfriend as a way to seek revenge and then gets locked up in the same place.

Sean Penn was in his early twenties when this film was made, but he truly looks like a teenager. While he had not hit his peak yet, there was a lot of promise in that early performance of his and it would sure come to fruition later.

Bad Boys is a gritty crime drama movie where most of the action takes place in the rough section of a juvenile detention center. It is dirty and violent, not for the faint of heart.

Penn’s performance makes what could have easily become a generic exploitation film a good movie. Some of the other actors were not as good as the versatile and volatile Sean Penn, but, for the most part, they did their job well. The story of this movie is compelling enough to keep us hooked for the two hours it lasts. The lesson taught about rehabilitation and doing the right thing was nicely put in the end, not too thick as to be made totally obvious.

All things considered, this lesser-known movie is well worth a watch.

Rating: ««««

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Baz Luhrmann

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan

Running time: 142 minutes

This 2013 film is an adaptation of the famous novel of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. Nick Carraway is a WW1 vet being treated for alcoholism in a psychiatric hospital. He discusses with his doctor his interactions with Jay Gatsby, the only man he truly admires. Since Carraway finds it difficult to voice his thoughts properly, the doctor asks him to write them down, since writing is his passion.

In this film adaptation of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, it is quite easy to recognize Baz Luhrmann’s signature. The use of music, colours, textures, decors and visual theatrics; it is all very typical of the famous Australian movie director. The thing is, though, it is not my thing. I quickly became bored by this movie. I found the actors irritating in the portrayal of their characters and the way the source material was brought to the screen did not appeal to me. It was a constant battle not to turn it off.

I will give the movie some marks for its visual qualities, but, as for the rest of it, it might be some people’s cup of tea, but it is not mine.

Rating: ««

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Drama

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine

Running time: 114 minutes

This second film adaptation of James Thurber’s short story of the same name (the first dating back to 1947) tells the story of Walter Mitty, a negative assets manager at Life magazine who goes through life daydreaming adventures for himself instead of actually living them out. He is in love with a coworker, but he is too scared to act upon it. When it is announced that Life magazine will close down, a final cover picture is chosen. Unfortunately, Walter cannot find the negative for it. He might just have to snap out of his constant reverie to find the needed photo.

This remake was in talks for a very long time before it was actually made. Maybe the people involved were daydreaming. At one point, it was rumored that Jim Carrey would play the lead. In the end, Ben Stiller directed it and played the title role. Personally, I feel that was a good choice for Walter Mitty, as the American actor brought a good mixture of humor and sensibility to the character. Others may have done well too, but Stiller did an awesome job. He was funny, without ever going over the top with it. He could also show vulnerability, without too much cheesiness.

Visually-speaking, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a sight to behold. The daydreaming scenes are very well done. The film goes in overdrive at times in the motivation department, but it manages to deliver a very compelling story wrapped in a nice message. Dreams are indeed good, but actions are necessary to get anywhere.

Rating: ««««

Boyhood (2014)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Richard Linklater

Starring: Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke

Running time: 165 minutes

Boyhood tells the story of Mason Evans Jr., who grows up with his older sister Samantha and his divorced mother Olivia. When the movie starts, the boy is six, and we get to see the world through his eyes, as his mom tries to rebuild her life after her divorce, moving from one place to the other and one bad relationship to another trying to find a better deal for herself and her family.

The production of this 2014 coming-of-age drama started back in 2002. Scenes were shot every year in between, so we can see the characters age before our eyes without there being a need for excessive transformation through makeup. That kind of approach, though not very practical for filmmakers in general, really does give the whole story a big dose of reality. We see these kids grow up, and the fact that it is the same people playing the roles at different times in their lives helps the viewer relate so much more to the characters.

Richard Linklater, who wrote and directed this movie, needs to be commended for his work. Boyhood truly was a major undertaking, and, as the process of filming went along, he adapted the script to what his actors and actresses were going through in their own lives.

Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke all offered solid performances in their respective roles. The filmmaker truly hit the jackpots with four actors and actresses that would age well and keep delivering on screen. When you are dealing with kids, it is not always easy. As a matter of facts, it can be tricky with artists in general.

I found that Boyhood ran a tad long and lost a bit of focus at certain points, but it was all brought to a solid closure in the end. This movie needs to be seen at least once in a lifetime, if not more.

Rating: ««««

The Who: Live in Hyde Park (2015)

Genre: Musical / Documentary

Directed by: Chris Rule

Starring: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop, Robert Plant

Running time: 120 minutes

To celebrate The Who’s 50 years of existence in the rock n’ roll world, the two surviving members, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend played a concert at Hyde Park, in London, England, accompanied by the musicians who join them on tour these days.

This celebratory event was recorded for posterity. Before the concert begins, we hear comments from such legends as Iggy Pop and Robert Plant, who both talk about the impact that The Who had on them and on music in general. Some younger musicians also give their thoughts, showing that the band has endured the test of time quite well and is still recognized as relevant today.

The two living original members of The Who also share their thoughts about their legacy, but the bigger emphasis here is put on the music. We see Daltrey and Townshend at work on stage, and, in spite of the fact that they are both over 70 years old, they can still go. Sure, the voices are used-up and tired a bit, but rock n’ roll was never made to be pure. The songs are still good today and all the biggest hits can be heard here. I was a tad disappointed to not hear Squeeze Box, though I was not really expecting to do so.

The Who: Live at Hyde Park is a very good rock n’ roll show that fans on the British band will truly appreciate.   

Rating: «««««