(by James Davisson) It’s summer time, and I’m a movie man, so I figured I’d review a few films that you may have missed or not seen in a while. In each review, I’ll give you a little background, a theme or two I think are important, and the reason you should watch it over the summer. There’s also a bonus Double Feature section for each movie, in case you have a long night or afternoon and want to spend all of it in front of the tube. Which, you know, I do all the time. Especially in summer!
Master and Commander
Setting:
It’s the early 1800s, and Napoleon has essentially been waging World War 0. The action of the movie is on a British ship at sea, at war with the French. One ship chases another, the other chases back, fighting and adventure ensues, and great times are had by all—at least, everyone in the audience.
Why it’s cool:
I love the depiction of friendship between the two main characters. The captain, played by Russel Crowe, is a stubborn, proud, and relentless man; the ship’s doctor, played by Paul Bettany, is level-headed and rational. Though the two often fail to see eye to eye, they demonstrate care for one another’s well-being, to the point where one abandons the mission at hand to save the other’s life. Also: explosions, storms, fights, and all the wildness and fury of the high seas.
Why it’s great for summer:
This is a great movie to watch after a day at the beach, or before one. There’s nothing so wonderful in summer as the call of the ocean, and the thrill of a high-seas swashbuckling adventure is the best way to hear that call.
Bonus Double Feature:
Another great summer-fun sea adventure is the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie: it’s fairly short, funny, and filled with oceanic adventure aplenty. If you’re looking for something a bit more classic, there’s always The Pirate Movie, a weird, cheesy, fun adaptation of the musical Pirates of Penzance, with bad 80s music sprinkled throughout. I am personally a big fan of this one, and it definitely makes for great summer fun.
Hellboy/Hellboy II
Setting:
These are comic book movies par excellence; they both center around a team of paranormal experts, including a pyrokinetic young woman, a telepathic man-fish, and the titular cigar-chomping red man with a stone hand.
Why they’re cool:
Both movies are throwbacks to the old action movie heroes who dished out punches and one-liners in abundance—this is James Bond, Indiana Jones territory. They’re also full of beautiful, weird creatures and settings. My favorite theme, and perhaps the most prominent one in both, is the problem of being an outcast—even in a world that the main characters are trying to protect. How can one live in a world that hates you, and still love it enough to keep it from blowing up?
Why it’s great for summer:
Summer and action are just made for each other. When it’s warm outside, and the days are full of activity and fun—this is the time to watch dudes punch other dudes and blow things up.
Bonus Double Feature: Like I said, this is James Bond/Indiana Jones territory. My personal pick would be Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, since it is my personal favorite in the series, but the others have their merits—Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom may be your best bet for cheese-ball thrills, which is essentially what you have here.
Children of Men
Setting:
It’s the near future, and human beings have stopped being able to have children. No one knows why—some think it’s a punishment from God, others think it’s been brought on by too much scientific tinkering with the world and with ourselves: too much playing God—but no matter the reason, the world has begun to fall apart. Many people see no reason to behave sanely or kindly in a world which will end within a generation; the story takes place in England, the last place on Earth with a functional society.
Why you should watch it:
The theme that I felt captivated by when watching this movie is the sense of failing to appreciate the great beauty of something—children, in this case—and only really discovering that beauty when it is gone. It’s an important lesson, wonderfully imparted: take time—especially now that it is summer and you are or will soon be free—to appreciate your family and friends, and especially to get to know the children in your life while they are still little. And please, if you haven’t seen this movie, go ahead and do it. (Note: it is rated R, so have a parent watch before you do, or with you, if you do see it. Hopefully it will help them to appreciate their children, too.)
Why it’s great for summer:
Ever have a late, hot, night with nothing to do? Get a few friends together, or watch it by yourself. The dark, gritty style and bleak future setting make for great late-night meditations on the meaning of it all.
Bonus Double Feature:
Another movie with a great look at a dismal future is Blade Runner, which is filled with questions about the nature of humanity, only from a different perspective: robots. If you’re looking for more light-hearted fare to pair with the somewhat downer notes in this one, by all means try Back to the Future II, with its wacky vision of the future that is practically already here. Except, still no hoverboards.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Setting:
It’s the Depression, and George Clooney and two friends escape from a chin gang in search of some buried treasure. Along the way, a veritable cornucopia of 30s-era sights and sounds meet the eye, and hilarious, wild times are had by all.
Why it’s cool:
Here is a story of suffering, trial, and redemption for the ages, all in a movie that’s a lot of fun and deeply interesting to watch. There are pure, naïve characters, tricky, clever characters, downright evil characters, and characters who turn out not to be as terrible as they first appear. It’s a lesson in getting inside other people’s shoes, and in their heads, but also a rollicking good time.
Why it’s great for summer:
This dusty depression setting will remind you that, no matter how hot it gets or how bored you are, things are great by comparison to just a couple generations back. Also, summer is a great time to laugh.
Bonus Double Feature:
Try watching this with an actual movie from the thirties, and see how they compare. Sullivan’s Travels, a movie about making a movie about depression-era poverty, is a good place to start. If that’s not your cup of tea, then you can never go wrong with To Kill a Mockingbird, an acknowledged classic set in the same era.
A Knight’s Tale
Setting:
Jousting! A peasant fakes his way into nobility-only competitions, excels, and everyone has a rollicking good time! Heath Ledger is cool! Alan Tudyk is quirky!
Why it’s cool:
This movie is great because it’s a sports movie with a sport that no one actually plays anymore. The music is all classic rock, weirdly enough, and pretty much nothing about the Middle Age setting is taken seriously by anyone involved in the film. The central theme is self-determination: that no matter who you are, you can change your stars. A little cliché as far as message, but the whole thing is really sweet and fun—I actually really love this one.
Why it’s great for summer:
What’s more fun in summer than sports? Why, sports that don’t exist anymore! And the middle ages, taken as non-seriously as possible of course.
Bonus Double Feature:
As far as movies about sports that normally don’t get made into movies go, there’s always Dodgeball, though that’s a little crude for some tastes. In the other direction, movies which do not take the middle ages terribly seriously are also fun: The 13th Warrior is a fun action movie with Antonio Banderas, and it’s pretty much a ridiculous ride the whole way.