MOVIE: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

The Day the Earth Stood Still
1951
direction: Wise, R.
screenplay: North, E.

quickie:
Aliens have arrived! And we shot them for no good reason! Good thing they’re pacifists!

general impression:
Surprisingly smart.

lows:
It’s… science fiction.

highs:
Really, really smart. The misanthropes will be pleased.

notes:
After watching this movie, I wanted to just promote to everyone I know. Which I didn’t do because I don’t know a lot of people who enjoy movies.

That aside, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a great, great film. It is not cinematic genius and not particularly engaging but it illustrates what is wrong with us as a society.

The alien eloquently puts it this way “you’re letting fear get in the way of logic”

I originally was not at all interested in seeing this film because I hate science fiction and aliens aren’t really my thing. But this is not about aliens at all. It’s about us.

The alien. Klaatu, is a brilliant character. He is the kind of hero that would inspire you. He works with the problems he encounters along the way. The fun bit is that he does not contradict the things that his society or whatever stands for. It’s just brilliant how his character was written and fleshed out.

The movie is concise and moves at a great pace which makes it easy to watch despite the fact that it is decades old and is in monochrome. I highly suggest seeing this movie.

FINAL RATING:
[5] out of [5]

MOVIE: Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Thank You for Smoking
2005
direction: Reitman, J.
screenplay: Reitman, J.

quickie:
Lobbyist Nick Naylor and his magnificent talent of creating truth.

general impression:
Passionate. Hilarious. Fresh. Inspiring.

lows:
If you’re anti-smoking or a non-smoker, you probably won’t like this. Also, this obviously is not the movie to watch for people who want the truth. And this movie also defends (a little) the big industries which benefit from the little folks doing “bad” things

highs:
Effectively highlights the fact that what the big industries are doing is the same as what the “good guys” are doing. Puts a friendly face on the big industries we like to hate. Beautiful dialogues between Nick Naylor and his son. MOD Squad!

notes:
Thank You for Smoking is awesome. It’s a wonderfully written, wonderfully directed film that draws its strength from the beauty of its characterizations. Strong characters are best. I was laughing from the first five or so minutes of the movie. It’s witty and it’s highly entertaining. Aaron Eckhart was pure brilliance. Cameron Bright, who plays Eckhat’s kid, had this quality to him that is so endearing. Great comedic timing too.

It amazingly evades making the big industries assholes while at the same time avoiding the pitfall of making them too human or too decent. They’re people.

They don’t think they are absolutely right but they don’t wallow in guilt over what they do. If anything, they give a lot of credit to other people. They assume that people possess intelligence.

Jason Reitman represents not the industries but the need for people to have a choice. Because choice is a great thing to have. This is what I love about the movie. It is not because I think that it’s good for people to smoke but I think that if people wanted to, they should be able to.

Humanity and liberty. What’s better than that?

FINAL RATING:
[5] out of [5]