42

As I sit here, writing a review of a movie that portrays strength of character over the power of hate, all I can think of is that I locked my keys in my car. 

That has nothing to do with the movie 42. 

It most certainly is not anything like the obstacles that Jackie Robinson faced breaking down the color barrier in Major League Baseball. 

It is, however, the one thought playing over and over and over in my mind, as I mentally whack myself for being so stupid. It's not even a good story. 

I'll tell it anyway.

I was trying to prevent my crazy dog from strangling himself on his seat-belt-leash-thingy as he tried to escape from the car, and I simply dropped my keys on the seat in order to get some air down his windpipe. Then I closed the locked door. There are still leftovers in the trunk. That's the worst part, honestly.

Maybe I'll tell people I was doing battle with a wild animal of some sort, kind of like this guy. 

Makes for better story.

(deep breath)

I think I can write now. 

http://blacksheepreviews.com/42-review/

Did you know Jackie Robinson's jersey number has been permanently retired?

This biography of Jackie Robinson is worth watching- great baseball sequences, an inspiring story, and I wish I could show it to my students. It has too many inappropriate words- authentic to the time period, of course- but 7th graders aren't quite capable of separating historical accuracy from "He said a bad word! Phmmf...(suppressed giggle)."

It is, however, a slightly flat film, like a pop you're excited to drink, but realize it's been left open to long.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/12/showbiz/movies/42-movie-review/index.html
Just keep stealing bases- those are your best scenes.

Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson felt stale- no fire, no spunk, though that was kind of the point. He wasn't supposed to react. He was supposed to absorb and deflect all the action, so that no one could have a valid argument to keep a black man from baseball.

The over-done musical score really wants you to feel certain emotional responses in regards to Robinson, and while I was happy enough to follow the uplifting story, I couldn't help but be aware of the strategic trajectory.

Harrison Ford, on the other hand, gave a spectacular performance.

http://www.npr.org/2013/04/12/176785008/earnest-42-buffs-up-a-golden-baseball-moment
His body suit seemed to show a bit in the back, though.

His portrayal of the Dogers' general manager, Branch Rickey, was evocative and his lines were some of the best. His bravery is certainly not overlooked, but Jackie Robinson was the one receiving daily death threats. To its credit, 42 points out that important and horrifying fact in its best scene.

I've heard that people who watch this are reminded of The Help, a great story all around, but a story that seems to prove a movie about race in America must come with big-name white actors to attract crowds. 

I personally think America needs to stop tip-toeing around political correctness, acknowledge that race is an awkward subject due to the baggage of suffering it carries with it, and continue to cast amazing actors of all colors that can build off of each other. Chadwick Boseman just can't compare to Harrison Ford, who seems to be getting even better at growling his lines with every passing year.

http://www.listal.com/list/a-6699

You may even surpass the classic Clint someday, Harrison.

Political correctness aside, it is a well-done biography, worth watching for history's sake, and Harrison Ford's great performance.

World War Z

http://impruvism.com/world-war-z/

It seems the rest of the world has seen this movie (especially all my students). While it took me a while, I finally saw it. 

I stupidly watched it right before I went to bed. 

Me = dumb.

I have totally been avoiding this movie on purpose, because the book by Max Brooks was an amazing trek through terror, and I loved every freakishly terrifying word. The themes of fear and uncertainty, with an emphasis on survival, helped me realize the need for an emergency pack in my bedroom, my car, and the garage, plus an extra gas can, a plan to get out of major city areas, and, finally, to purchase a bat (because that doesn't run out of ammo).

Am I prepared for a zombie apocalypse?  Well, as prepared as anyone can be after reading Brooks' how-to-oral-history, I suppose.

With your knowledge of my slightly strange love/respect/reverence for the book, you may understand why I'm a bit split in regards to my opinion of World War Z, which has practically nothing in common with its namesake. 

So, I decided to write this post in two perspectives: first, as if this were just any other zombie movie, and second, as a zombie movie based on one of the best books ever.

Just a Zombie Movie

If nothing else, this movie is a thrilling zombie flick, with quite a few jump-back-in-your-seat-and-scream moments. I really did enjoy watching it, especially after I decided not to keep a running tally of differences from the book.

I recommend watching it if you're in the mood for an exciting apocalyptic tale, but I do have a few, well, observations.

Spoiler alert!

First of all, the opening credits. Can I just say...Terminator, much? The scrolling letters, the music, it was practically screaming "End of the world! Humanity is doomed! The robots...I mean, zombies are coming!"

Secondly, isn't it convenient for Brad...I mean Gerry and his family that he is so important a helicopter + sharp shooters are sent out to collect them? Sorry everybody else. And I mean EVERYBODY. I guess there wouldn't have been a story otherwise...

Third on my list were the zombie piles. I get the reference to the ants in the opening credits, and it's totally freaky, but I take umbrage when I see a running zombie. It's like seeing a sparkly vampire: wrong, just wrong. 

Next, there is a point made that the zombies will pass over a dying host because they need a healthy body to infest...with the virus of being...the un-dead. Just let that sink in for a second. 

I appreciate the movie trying to bring hope amid a broiling mass of flailing, running and flying zombies, but part of the true terror that creates such zombie fever with fans is that you don't know what spreads the infection. Don't try to science-ify it. Just make them groan, "BRainS!" and we'll be happy. (by the way, this is one of the mistakes I think The Walking Dead TV show made- that whole CDC scene was such a mistake).

Those are all small complaints, and I was freaked out...I mean entertained, by this movie.

World War Z: The Book

http://blog.pshares.org/index.php/book-vs-movie-world-war-z-a-ploughshares-playlist/

Did I mention this movie was NOTHING like the book? 

If Hollywood had just stepped out on a limb and tried to tell the story in a different way than "tough-special-handsome UN investigator must go into the danger zone and save the world, because only he (and his stubble) can do it" plot, then they might have been able to create something unique.

That was half the draw of World War Z: it was such a different take on a story rehashed a hundred times.

If you haven't read the book, you should, and I hear the audio book is really well done too. It follows a UN postwar commission agent trying to discover the cause of the zombie war ten years after the fact by interviewing important survivors: those that might know something or who gave vital contributions to humanity's survival.

Here's what I would have decided to tell the director if I were the Empress of Hollywood: don't hire Brad Pitt.

http://lifetimereadingplan.blogspot.com/2011/02/troy-wars.html

I say that knowing he's the only reason 

I re-watch the massacre that is Troy.

While I hardly believe I typed those words myself, I want you to think about that for a moment. Without his huge 14 million dollar paycheck, just think of all the other actors that could have been hired to actually do the oral history justice. 

For example, how could you abandon such a salty character as Tomonaga Ijiro, a blind, Japanese gardener turned zombie assassin...armed with only a shovel who practically rids the island of Japan of zombies single-shovel-dly?

Or what about fascinating predictions of what countries would fall and which would rise, with North Korea abandoned, its citizens presumed to have retreated to underground bunkers, while Israel closes its borders and pretty much survives the war? (that was hinted at in the movie, but the strangely agile zombies destroyed even that reference)

Or the terrifying prospect of mobs of zombies crawling along the ocean floor, devouring all sea life?

Or, you know, the fact that this was called WORLD War Z, not Brad Pitt saves the World.

(sigh)

Anyhoo, I hear that the powers that be are trying to make this into a trilogy, and with its box office success, that seems to be a real possibility for World War Z. 

I'll probably go see the next installment.

Or maybe I'll wait for the rental, so I can watch it alone, in the dark, right before bed.