Sequels, Reboots and Remakes – Movies Spotlight – June 2015

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Sequel/Reboot/Remake

We all know that Hollywood is overrun with sequels, reboots and remakes. Just look at the films we are most excited to see this year: Avengers: Age of Ultron (sequel), Mad Max: Fury Road (sequel/reboot), Jurassic World (sequel/reboot), Terminator: Genisys (sequel/reboot), Ant-Man (sequel of sorts), Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (sequel) Fantastic Four (reboot), Spectre (James Bond sequel), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (sequel), Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (sequel). Why all the sequels and reboots? Plainly, if a Hollywood studio is going to spend a bunch of money on a film, they would like it to be as secure a bet as possible, so why not bet on established properties. Original blockbusters are often based on successful books, comics, video games, television series, or something that came prior. There are very few truly original blockbusters. And when Hollywood does give us a good one, like Disney’s Tomorrowland, which came out in May to mixed reviews and mild box office returns (not reaching its audience – I genuinely think it is great film), no one goes to see it. Or worse, Jupiter Ascending, an original blockbuster from the Wachowskis that bombed in every way. This only increases the likeliness of Hollywood to stay away from original ideas, as there is much more risk.

So, we are likely stuck in a world of constant sequels and rehashes of the same established characters, stories and properties.

At first, I was annoyed by the very idea of someone making a new film based on an old film or character that I loved. A good example is Steve Martin’s The Pink Panther. Steve Martin is a very funny comedian and a good actor, but why would he ever want to attempt Inspector Clouseau – a losing proposition at best? A character made famous in the 1960s by Peter Sellers (probably film’s greatest comedic actor to this day). Martin could never approach what Sellers brought to the character, all this new film could do is soil the reputation of the character (is what I initially thought).

This is an overreaction. At worst, the new Pink Panther films scar younger viewers, preventing them from seeing the Peter Sellers’ films (but let us be honest, they were not going to watch them anyway). At best, the new viewers would love the character of Inspector Clouseau and seek him out in other films, finding their way to Sellers’ genius. Also, do not forget that the Clouseau character has been played by other actors before Martin took over in 2006 (Alan Arkin in the 60s and Roger Moore in the 80s, as well as Roberti Benigni, in spirit, in 1993’s Son of the Pink Panther). Martin was in no way tarnishing a character that was not already grinded up and spit out in many other subpar forms.

I came to understand that remaking or reboot a beloved character/series/film really has no effect on the original (or the version I love most). If I do not like the new vision for the character then I still have the original, and if the actors and filmmakers bring something new or different to the story/character then all the better. I take more of a wait and see approach now than one that finds me immediately upset before seeing how the new film even turns out (and if it does turn out to be terrible, I do not have to see it or even acknowledge its existence – like the Star Wars Prequels or Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I just live my life as if they do not exist). I will always have the version I love.

Now on to sequels. So many sequels. They crowd our summers and holiday seasons. Yet, many of them are films I love. I love The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I love the Harry Potter film series. I love Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. I love Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. I love what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become during Phase II (especially Joss Whedon’s brilliant Avengers films) and cannot wait for Phase III. Of course I love these big adventure/action/fantasy films. I grew up on Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters. When these big films are done well, they capture all that film can be.

So why is there such a stigma? Well, I think it is twofold. First, and chiefly, for each sequel, reboot or remake there is money not going to an original idea film, blockbuster or otherwise, which has led many of our great auteurs today to work solely in indie film (for better or worse). Secondly, many of these tent pole blockbuster sequels, reboot and remakes are just not good. For every great film like The Dark Knight, there many more films like Catwoman or Batman and Robin. Or forgetting the downright terrible, most of these blockbusters are just the same old thing, nothing special and bland. Even Jurassic World, which just opened to the biggest box office weekend ever, is painfully banal and uninteresting. It is entertainment for the moment but not good enough to be lasting (like Jurassic Park).

We are just tired of the endless parade of these boring action films that try to thrill us by being massive, but offer little in the important areas of character and emotional resonance. They may grab us in the moment, but they fail to stay with us, inspire us or capture our imaginations.

How does this change? The answer is easy. If we do not give our money to these films, Hollywood will stop making them; but as Jurassic World proves, audiences are just fine with thrills over substance. Thus, I say take a similar approach to blockbuster sequels as you do with reboots and remakes. Revel in the films that are great and ignore and move past the ones that are marginal or bad.

Because honestly, who is not passionately eager to see the new James Bond film, the new Star Wars, the next Marvel Cinematic Universe film (Captain America: Civil War), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Warner Bros.’s new Harry Potter prequel series), Disney’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast, Pixar’s Finding Dory, the conclusion of The Hunger Games series, or the third iteration of Spider-Man (now a part of the MCU)? I know I cannot wait to see all of these.

Top 100 Films of the 20th Century – Part 2: 100-96

Introduction

Rank: 100

Title: Rushmore

Release Year: 1998

Genre: Comedy

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Olivia Williams

Plot Summary: Max Fischer loves his school Rushmore. He is the president of dozens of school clubs, but that does not leave much time for his schoolwork. Additionally, he develops a crush on one of the school’s teachers Rosemary Cross and a friendship with one of the school’s benefactors Herman Blume. Max’s world starts to collapse around him, however, when he is expelled trying to impress Mrs. Cross, and to make matters worse Blume also has a crush on her, putting Max and Blume at odds.

What Makes It Special: Wes Anderson introduced himself to the world with Bottle Rocket, but that film did not wholly exhibit his unique style and gift for aesthetics. With Rushmore, Anderson changed American independent cinema, influencing almost every indie dramedy made since by young filmmakers (Anderson himself is heavily influenced by past filmmakers as well – most notably those of the French New Wave). In addition to being a one of the most important films in the rebirth of both American independent film in the 1990s and American auteurism, Rushmore is simply a very funny movie featuring wonderful performances from Schwartzman (launching his career) and especially Murray (serving as his comeback performance in many regards).

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray

Rank: 99

Title: Ghostbusters

Release Year: 1984

Genre: Comedy/Supernatural Adventure

Director: Ivan Reitman

Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver

Plot Summary: After being kicked out of grad school for doing seemingly bogus research, three unemployed parapsychology professors decide to go into business for themselves setting up a ghost-removal service.

What Makes It Special: While George Lucas and Steven Spielberg invented the blockbuster (with films such as Jaws – the first true summer blockbuster – Star Wars, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Ghostbusters infused the developing genre with comedy (and great special effects) while still maintaining all the adventure and fantasy aspects. Blockbusters have since strived to be big, fun, entertaining, and family friendly with equal portions of laughs and action. Ghostbusters is an essential piece of cinema in the study of how to make a brilliant summer movie (and a big part of many childhoods – mine included), influencing every filmmaker who approaches the genre today.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Rank: 98

Title: The Big Lebowski

Release Year: 1998

Genre: Comedy/Detective Mystery

Director: The Coen Brothers

Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Steve Buscemi

Plot Summary: Deadbeat Jeffrey Lebowski, who goes by The Dude, is pulled into a kidnapping mystery when he is mistaken for a millionaire of the same name. Seeking restitution for a ruined rug, The Dude tries his hand at being a private detective, hoping to get a new rug and maybe some money out of it.

What Makes It Special: When The Big Lebowski first came out, many did not know what to make of it and it mostly went unnoticed. However, it has since become a cult classic and a staple of modern pop-culture. Auteur writer-directors The Coen Brothers have taken the hardboiled detective genre and molded it into a farce of sorts on early 1990s Gulf War Era America, resulting in a hilarious and endlessly quotable film (that seems to never deteriorate in quality with each additional viewing).

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Rank: 97

Title: The Wages of Fear

Release Year: 1953

Genre: Thriller

Director: Henri-George Clouzot

Cast: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Folco Lulli, Peter van Eyck, and Vera Clouzot

Plot Summary: Hoping for a better life, many foreigners traveled to South America, only to find nothing but famine and hopelessness. Now marooned in one such decrepit village, some of these foreigners jump at the chance to escape – the problem is that to earn the money to buy their freedom they must transport an urgent shipment of nitroglycerine (which is highly unstable) many miles in unsafe equipment. It is a suicide mission, but that is how desperate four men are to get out.

What Makes It Special: With The Wages of Fear, Henri-George Clouzot has made one of the most psychologically engaging thrillers in cinema history. It is unflinching in its ability to keep its viewers very nervous while watching it. However, what makes it all the more interesting is Clouzot’s study of his characters. The best and worst of humanity are beautifully explored in the film. It is also interesting to see the other side of imperialism as many foreigners are reduced to stranded beggars, unable to find work or afford transport home (something also very present in John Huston’s Treasure of the Sierra Madre).

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Rank: 96

Title: Roman Holiday

Release Year: 1953

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Director: William Wyler

Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, and Eddie Albert

Plot Summary: Princess Ann is bored of being trapped in her very structured and restrictive life. So, while on an official tour through Europe, she decides to escape for a night to experience the world as a commoner. Newspaper man Joe Bradley comes across her and at first sees it has his big break – an exclusive story about the Princess in Rome – but as he spends time with her he begins to fall in love.

What Makes It Special: William Wyler is maybe Hollywood’s greatest filmmaker, with the ability to make wonderful films in any genre and on any scale. Roman Holiday is maybe the best romantic comedy ever made, building off the great screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s but adding more emotional depth. After all, this is not a romantic comedy that sees its leads end up together in the end (as much as we want them to). The film also launched the career of one of the great actresses: Audrey Hepburn.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Streaming

95-91

Movie of the Week – Ghostbusters

This week’s movie is Ghostbusters (1984).

The adventure comedy is about three scientists who decide to open up a ghost-catching business in New York, the first of its kind – little do they know, business is booming because it is the end of the world. In its original conception, the film was much different – taking place in the future with time travel, and it was written as a vehicle for Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi (but Belushi died). The script by Aykroyd and co-star Harold Ramis was reworked with director Ivan Reitman and star Bill Murray coming on board – Reitman coming off the comedy hits Meatballs and Stripes, both with Murray starring. Murray agreed to take the role if Columbia also made his passion project The Razor’s Edge (a film that I think is very underrated). Another change from the original plan was that John Candy was to feature in the supporting role that went to Rick Moranis (who is great in it) but could not due to scheduling conflicts. The rest of the cast is great with Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Ernie Hudson. The film has an excellent crew with composer Elmer Bernstein (whose score is one of my favorites, if not my favorite), cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and production designer John DeCuir. What I love about the film is how good a film it really is, and how well it has stood the test of time. Many of the films of my childhood (this chief among them) are not nearly as good now as they were then. But, this is not the case for Ghostbusters. The jokes are still very funny (Bill Murray’s dry zaniness is timeless). The story is tight. The aesthetics, directing and performances are all wonderful. Plus, the film champions New York City and is clearly a NYC film (despite all the interiors being shot in a studio in LA). This is one of those films that everyone should see – cinematic entertainment at its best. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming, and to Rent

Bill Murray – Movies Spotlight – November 2009

Bill Murray, 62, is known for his wacky humor, dry wit, and deadpan delivery – and as one of the comic geniuses to emerge out of the early days of SNL. He continues to be not only one of the funniest but also one of the best actors working today. This month he is featured in the supporting voice role of Badger in the upcoming new film from Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Early Career:

Bill Murray got his start on SNL in 1977 as one of the troupe’s stars. In 1979, he made the jump to his feature lead debut in Meatballs and quickly parlayed that into breakthrough supporting roles in Caddyshack and Tootsie, both of which are generally considered to be movie stealing outings by Murray.

In Caddyshack, Murray’s antics are pitted against many of the top comedians of the late 70s and early 80s including Rodney Dangerfield and Chevy Chase, and yet it was Murray that made the biggest impression and garnered adoring fans. It is also with Caddyshack that Murray first worked with future multi-collaborator Harold Ramis, who was directing.

Tootsie was nominated for multiple Oscars in 1983, though Murray’s supporting role was not recognized with a nomination, but in retrospect, his performance is considered the highlight of the film.

Collaborations with Ivan Reitman:

However, it was Murray’s collaborations with Ivan Reitman that made him a star. First, getting his feature break in Reitman’s Meatballs, and then in Stripes. It was the director and actor’s third film together that propelled Murray to international fame – Ghostbusters. Reteaming with SNL buddy Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, Ghostbusters perfectly brought together comedy, special effects and adventure the make it one of the biggest blockbusters of the 80s, spawning the next collaborations between Reitman and Murray, Ghostbusters II and the upcoming Ghostbusters III (assuming it ever actually happens).

Personal Projects:

With the success of Stripes, Tootsie and Caddyshack, Murray had his choice of any project. It was in his best interest to continue make bigger releases like Ghostbusters. So he made a few forgettable comedies like Scrooged and Ghostbusters II, and took a supporting role in Little Shop of Horrors to round out the 80s.

However, he then turned his attention to a more personal project in The Razor’s Edge, a film that he got Columbia Pictures to finance for doing Ghostbusters, an idea he got from Aykroyd, not being able to find a studio to make the film. Here, Murray took a role to grow as an actor, which features his unique quirkiness but also the film has a lot of sadness to it. The film is about a man who serves as a stretcher-barrier during WWI. He is not quite able to recover from the tragedies that he experiences in the war, and so upon his return stateside, he is unable to be with the women he loves and moves to France. The film deals with his journey to find enlightenment and love. The film was not well received at the time, as most people wanted Murray to be funny as opposed to a serious actor, but the film is quite good and deserves another look.

Murray next tried his hand at directing, as he (actor/producer) and Howard Franklin (writer) could not agree on a new director with Jonathan Demme dropping out, with Quick Change, a bank heist comedy co-starring Randy Quaid and Geena Davis; this would be the only time that Murray would be in the director’s chair, again the film was not well received.

1990s, Some Good, Most bad:

The early to mid-90s saw Murray make a hit, and couple cult favorites, and a few not so good movies. 

Murray decided to collaborate again with Harold Ramis, a partnership that had blossomed both critical and commercial successes for the pair. Groundhog Day is the highlight of this part of Murray’s career. It perfectly mixes his brand of comedy with philosophical questions about humanity. However, Murray and Ramis often argued about the tone of the film (Murray wanted it to be more philosophical, while Ramis wanted it to be a comedy) and they had a falling out and have yet to work together again.

Murray then took supporting parts in Tim Burton's Ed Wood and The Farrelly Brothers' Kingpin, in both of which he delivers scene-stealing performances. The rest of this time was spent toiling around in subpar films, highlighted by the absurd Wild Things and the awful Larger Than Life.

Rebirth, Collaborations with Wes Anderson and Jim Jarmusch/Lost in Translation:

Starting in 1998 with Rushmore, Murray reinvented himself as hip once again, whether it was by his project choices, or the new directors that he started working with, he became popular again for a new generation (and a new audience). He transformed himself as the go-to comedian for the independent scene.

Wes Anderson, coming off the indie success of Bottle Rocket, cast Murray as the co-lead in his film Rushmore, which sees Murray battle Jason Schwartzman for the affections of a school teacher. Murray’s performance is wonderful, mixing dry humor, sadness, and hope. There is a sense that their budding friendship saves each of the characters’ lives.

Anderson would continue to work with Murray in some capacity on all his future projects, seeing Murray in supporting roles in The Royale Tenenbaums and upcoming Fantastic Mr. Fox, a cameo in The Darjeeling Limited, and starring in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, another film in which Murray is able to show his great capacity for emotion with almost effortless style, blending dryness and sadness. Murray also kills in a supporting role in Anderson’s latest film Moonrise Kingdom.

With Jim Jarmusch, Murray delves deeper into the indie scene starring first in a film involving a series of conversations in cafes, Coffee and Cigarettes, and then in Broken Flowers, about a man in search of his son, who is in turn looking for him. Murray is also featured in a supporting role in Jarmusch’s latest, The Limits of Control.

Sticking with the indie scene, Murray also made Tim Robbins's fantastic ensemble musical about the turmoil of the 1930s New York, Cradle Will Rock, playing an aging relic (aka a vaudevillian ventriloquist). He then took a chance in a supporting role in Ethan Hawke's reimaging of Hamlet, following it with Andy Garcia's passion project about Havana The Lost City.

In Sofia Coppola's wonderful Lost in Translation, a role that would earn him his first and only Oscar nomination (which he sadly did not win), Murray is brilliant, turning in possibly the best work of his career.

With the critical success of Rushmore and Lost in Translation, along with his masterfully perfect performances in each, Murray has reestablished himself as not only a top comedian, but more importantly as a top actor. However, a purely independent career does not pay the bills (at least not the bills of a movie star), nor does it get an actor the exposure to a broad audience.

Other Films:

So, Murray also took many Hollywood roles during his time reimagining himself. Most supporting parts, Murray notably co-starred in Charlie’s Angels, Osmosis Jones and the lead voice role in the two Garfield films.

Lately, Murray has taken roles in Gil Kenan's follow-up to Monster House, the underrated City of Ember, the indie crime drama Get Low, and he plays FDR in Hyde Park on Hudson.

Cameos:

For those who remember Space Jam from the 90s, know that Murray can be excellent in cameo appearances, and that still continues today. Murray has featured in a few films through memorable cameos in recent years. Some of which work, his cameo in The Darjeeling Limited as a man trying to catch his train at the beginning of the film is likely the best opening to a Wes Anderson film to date. Some of which do not, his cameo in Get Smart, like the movie, is not very good or funny. And some of which steal the movie, his cameo in Zombieland is the highlight of the film as he reenacts a scene from Ghostbusters and pretends to be a zombie.

Future Projects:

Upcoming, Murray is set to feature in both George Clooney’s new film The Monuments Men and Wes Anderson’s seventh feature The Grand Budapest Hotel – both due in late 2013

The Monuments Men is about a crew of art historians who set out on a mission to rescue and recover renowned works of art stolen by the Nazis, before Hitler destroys them. In addition to Clooney and Murray, the film also features Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin, and John Goodman.

As impressive as the cast Clooney has assembled is, Anderson has him beat with The Grand Budapest Hotel. It stars (in addition to Murray) Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, and Mathieu Amalric. The film takes place is the 1930s and 1960s and is about Mr. Gustave, the hotel’s concierge, as he deals with the guests while trying to train his protégé.

Career Highlights:

1)      SNL (1977-1980) – main cast member (DVD, Streaming)

2)      Meatballs (1979) – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

3)      Caddyshack (1980) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

4)      Stripes (1981) – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

5)      Tootsie (1982) – supporting (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

6)      Ghostbusters (1984)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

7)      The Razor’s Edge (1984) – writer, lead (DVD, Trailer)

8)      Little Shop of Horrors (1986) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

9)      Groundhog Day (1993)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

10)   Ed Wood (1994) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

11)   Kingpin (1996) – supporting (DVD, Trailer)

12)   Rushmore (1998)* – lead (Blu-ray, Trailer)

13)   Cradle Will Rock (1999) – supporting (DVD, Trailer)

14)   The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

15)   Lost in Translation (2003)* – lead (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

16)   The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)* – lead (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

17)   Broken Flowers (2005) – lead (DVD, Streaming, Trailer)

18)   The Darjeeling Limited (2007) – cameo (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

19)   Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

20)   Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – supporting (Blu-ray, Streaming, Trailer)

*Editor’s picks