What I've Learned from Listening to Kevin Smith

Over the past few years now, Kevin Smith has done quite a lot. He’s made a couple films, unveiled a controversial distribution plan for his next, Red State, and built up an undeniably powerful internet podcast network entitled “SModcast.” I’ve been listening to Smith’s podcast for a while now, and still continue to spend hours upon hours hearing the content he delivers, despite never really being a big fan of his movies. In that time, I think I’ve learned a few things from Smith, and these are the most important elements I take in my own life.

1. Just Do It

In the spirit of Smith himself, I won’t bury the lead and start right off with the simplest yet most important element that I’ve taken from listening to him. Smith is the perfect example of someone who might not necessarily have all the talent of a great filmmaker, but what he does have is a passion to tell a story. It might be a backhanded compliment to say, “If Kevin Smith can make a movie, then anybody can”, but I don’t think it’s a sentiment that Smith would totally disagree with. In fact, I’ve heard him herald it himself. Even though I’m not a huge fan of his filmography, it’s still an example of telling a story no matter what the cost and finding an audience. I may not like his films, but I certainly respect that aspect of his life.

2. Love the Man, Hate the Artist

This is a variation of the idea that you should love the art but hate the man (though “hate” is a strong word I’m using for effect only). Generally that idea is what I’ve clung to, as great filmmakers like Roman Polanski and Mel Gibson have seedy personal lives that are at odds with their great work. When it comes to Smith, I’ve never been a fan of his films. Since I’ve been listening to his podcasts, he has made three different films and only Red State has peaked my interest, though that might have more to do with his excessive promoting and talented cast he has gathered around him. For the most part, his films are visually flat and not half as charismatic as he is on a stage. However, if you take away the camera and give him a microphone instead, I’m completely riveted. It’s strange since there’s little difference between Smith the man and Smith the filmmaker, but I respond much more to one than the other. Smith proves the norm isn’t always what it seems to be, and he’s probably glad for it.

3. The Opinion Doesn’t Matter. Having the Platform Does

You know what they say: opinions are just like assholes; everybody’s got one. In that respect, Smith is no different than any other guy on a low-rent website that is sprouting an opinion. Where Smith holds the high ground is that he has an entire podcast network to shout his views and give it legitimacy. I’m not saying he should, because Smith has all the right to do so, and when he attacks someone it only has legitimacy because of the network he built up. In the end, the message is that if you want to have legitimacy in this life, you need the time and credentials behind you, as well as the audience, to back you up.

4. Respect Should Be Delivered All Around

This might be the only negative thing I’ve contributed to Smith since listening to him. Everyone knows about his falling out with critics and the press, and it’s not my place to govern his own thoughts and feelings. He can burn whatever bridges he wants; I don’t care. What I do find rather annoying about some of his personality traits is it seems he’s quick to totally destroy those around him he feels misrepresents him. He has all the reason to be upset, but when he gets into ten minute shouting tirades about a critic or journalist, I don’t like that because it doesn’t feel like he’s accomplishing anything. He preaches to a choir and act like a disrespectful little kid throwing a temper tantrum. I prefer Smith when he’s bathing in laughter rather than malice, and I’m just glad that the happier side is shown more.

5. Don’t Fight the Laughter

Life is far too short to not enjoy the things that give you pleasure. I think there are a lot of people who avoided embracing Smith because of his films, myself included. After listening to his podcasts, I constantly laugh at every episode, and even though I enjoy the others on his network as well, the one consistent element is Smith. I now say with confidence I’m a Kevin Smith fan even without liking the movies. I’ve spent too much time trying to modify my affection for him, thinking I’d throw allegiance behind the movies. That doesn’t matter, what matters is I laugh, and I can’t thank him enough for that, no matter what medium I find it in.

5 Reason to Look Forward to 2012 More than This Year

This would normally be the time of the year when I make out my list for the best films released in theaters so far. Generally I’d compile a list of five or six exceptional films, picking one that’s at the top, and then name one that is the worst film. However, I’m saddened to say that 2011 has been a very disappointing year for films, which is why my blog has been lacking updates lately. Nothing has been really grabbing me. So, firstly, I make this simple. The best film so far: Rango. The worst: Battle: Los Angeles. So there you go.

Now that’s out of the way, I can look forward to the beginning. However, I have to look further into the future until I find something that’s worth getting excited about. In fact, I have to look all the way to next year. So instead of reviewing the year so far, I’m going to give a rundown as to why I’m looking forward to 2012 much more than the next six months. At the beginning of the year, I’ll do an official list of films to look forward to, but for now I’ll give a brief rundown.

5. Gritty Spy vs. Gritty Spy (Bond vs. Bourne)

There’s been a bit of a hiatus in the Jason Bourne and James Bond series, and I admit that void hasn’t been filled yet. As far as the former goes, I’m only really excited for it because it’s written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the director of Michael Clayton and Duplicity, as well as the original screenwriter of the Bourne series. Gilroy gets better as a director with every film, and him returning to the series makes me excited to see what he can do. I’m not totally sold on Jeremy Renner, who’s approaching overexposure, but he’s a guy that I like and a worthy successor to Damon.

As for James Bond, I’m a HUGE fan of the franchise, and eagerly await every new entry. However, I was greatly let down by Quantum of Solace and am very hungry for another good film. With Sam Mendes at the helm, a cast that could possibly include Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes, and cinematography by Roger Deakins, that only amplifies my excitement. Just in time for Bond’s 50th birthday.

4. Return of the Masters

Next year also sees films released by many great filmmakers whose work I enjoy seeing time and time again. Bryan Singer might not be respected in all corners, but he’s a guy that I really respect and admire and try to support him, which means I’m looking forward to Jack the Giant Killer. Ridley Scott’s Prometheus was almost an Alien prequel, but now that’s abandoned, the film sounds much more interesting, with Michael Fassbender in the lead of an interesting sci-fi epic from a true master at the genre. Ang Lee also comes back with a project that could match his Oscar-winning one, Life of Pi, Peter Jackson goes back to Middle Earth with part one of The Hobbit, and Quentin Tarantino surrounds himself with Jamie Foxx, Christoph Watlz and Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained. A lot of great filmmakers are getting the spotlight again next year.

3. 2 Shots of Tim Burton

Not everyone likes the man, but I still admire Burton’s films and still get excited about his new projects. Just like in 2005, he’s directing both a live action and animated film. This time it’s the adaptations of the soap opera Dark Shadows and his original short film Frankenweenie, which will become a 3D stop motion film. Predictably, Dark Shadows will feature Johnny Depp but still indulge in the gothic scene that Burton does well, not to mention that the 1970s timeframe might be a nice nod to the Hammer Films era. Frankenweenie actually intrigues me a little more because, not only do I love his stop motion style, but it also does not feature Depp in the cast, a first in almost ten years. A little break is needed every now and then, and we’ll get it in this one.

2. 2 Shots of Abe Lincoln

Next year we’re also getting two very different perspectives at probably the most notable American president. First we’ll get Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (produced by the aforementioned Burton). I’m all for revisionist Civil War epics, and this sounds weird enough to be interesting. The second is a straight forward biopic on the man, the long awaited film being directed by Steven Spielberg. Even though he’s got War Horse out this year, this is the one I’ll see as his real comeback after the misfire that was Indiana Jones 4. And with a cast that includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you’ll have to practically barricade me in my room to prevent me from seeing this.

1. Superheroes (we actually care about)

The summer of 2011 has had plenty of superhero projects, but I have to say that the likes of Captain America, Thor and Green Lantern don’t really interest me as much. Next year we’ll have the conclusion of the epic experiment known as The Avengers, and I just want to see if this big chance that Marvel is taking can actually pay off. We’re also getting reboots of Spider-Man and Superman. I’m not a huge fan of the latter, but with Christopher Nolan godfathering the project and a Chicago location being featured, that helps to overcome the choice of Zack Snyder as director. Spider-Man is being directed by Marc Webb, whose debut feature made me very impressed to follow him onward, and a fantastic cast that’s headlined by Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. And then, there’s The Dark Knight Rises. I don’t think anything else needs to be said about that one.

Come on 2012, get here quickly.

New Review: Super 8

Monster Mush

I probably shouldn’t be surprised, but the movie-going experience lately has left me completely depressed. This summer in particular has been quite upsetting, with nearly every film being a disappointment on some level or another. In truth, the only one that I have enjoyed thus far is Thor, and that’s because my expectations were way low. I’m not sure exactly what I expected with this film, but I way excited enough for it, coming from a group of filmmakers that I highly respected. Too bad I was royally wrong yet again.

As a nod to the nostalgic era of current working filmmakers, the film sets its focus on a group of middle-schoolers in 1970s Ohio. Their ambitious plan as of now is to complete the mini-feature of their friend (Reilly Griffiths), which is shot on the illustrious Super 8 film. The lead is played by Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning is along as the love interest for the main character. But while filming, the group witnesses a train accident: one in which a horrible creature is unleashed and wreaks havoc on the small town.

I really like J.J. Abrams, as his reboot of the Star Trek franchise is one of the most entertaining films in a long while, but here he goes for a more personal path and it fails. It fails miserably. What Abrams sets out to do is create a nostalgia drenched piece that harkens back to the days when he and producer Spielberg were falling in love with film. There’s a lot of homage to the master, but most of them are just ideas. There’s no point at all to this film: it’s just overbearing nods and mediocre storytelling. There are some good moments in the film, such as the initial crash sequence, but it’s one of the few that stick out.

What is most bothersome in the story is how divided the narrative is. One half focuses on the puzzle-box mystery surrounding the monster, and the steps that the kids go to in order to uncover the mystery. The other is the intimate, personal relationships between the kids. Problem is that neither one reaches a level of interest. The monster’s motivations are never clearly defined, leaving all scenes involving it to be slick looking mess. The personal relationships are intriguing, but all of them dangle on the surface; none of them are explored to a meaningful level. There’s nothing of value within the characters or the story.

The cast filled of mostly unknowns do a serviceable job, but nothing extremely noteworthy. Courtney’s performance actually feels like it’s one crafted out of clever editing rather than genuine talent. Fanning’s is inconsistent and the others are just downright annoying. The parents are all stand ins and completely useless. However, all of that could be forgiven if there was a hint of diversity in this cast, at least who weren’t used as self-sacrificing ideologues or expendable military pawns. It’s an element that rarely gets talked about in movies today, and even sometimes is unwarranted, but it needs discussion every once in a while.

I had hopes for the film, like a lot of people did. I certainly don’t knock the impressive visual effects or the Michael Giacchino score that does its best John Williams impression, but for the most part I really disliked this film, borderline hating it. It’s all idea and no substance, no point at all in watching it. It’s really sad that people as talented as Abrams and Spielberg can make a film that feels so empty on the inside. As much as I may have hoped otherwise, my depression this summer marches onward.

C-

New Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Stolen Treasure

In spite of my better judgement, or maybe even because of it, I have always found some portion of enjoyment in all of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. The first one is without a doubt the best, and I even say that between Johnny Depp’s three Oscar nominations, that is the film he should have won for. The two succeeding sequels are of lesser quality, obviously, with the second being overstuffed with action and the third being overly-complicated with endless plot. However, I’ve enjoyed pretty much all of the films with varying degrees. I can’t quite go that far with this film, which redeems itself with a streamlined plot but still indulges in numbing action.

As we all know, this is the fourth film in the surprisingly successful Disney franchise that’s inspired be a theme park ride, before that notion was commonplace. Depp is back once again in the role of the notorious and flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow and he’s on the search for the Fountain of Youth. But we need people to contest his search, and among them are the returning Geoffrey Rush as Barbosa, now inducted into the British Navy, Ian McShane as the notorious Blackbeard, Penélope Cruz as Blackbeard’s daughter and old flame of Captain Jack, and the entire Spanish armada. It’s a crowded field indeed.

Say what you will about the Pirates sequels, but I think the reason they stayed afloat was because of the direction of Gore Verbinski. He knew how to juggle the massive storylines as well as craft some interesting notions out of the gigantic action spectacles. Rob Marshall might be a more honored filmmaker because of his directorial debut, but it’s abundantly clear that the goodwill from Chicago is all but gone. To be fair, his flashy musical tendencies can make for some interesting action scenes, but his touches feel lightly peppered in, and a lot of it becomes dull. He’s also another filmmaker who can’t optimize 3D at all, and despite starting off the film on a high note with a nicely staged breakout scene with Sparrow, it’s a series of diminishing returns with his direction combined with an even more useless script.

Sparrow has been reduced to nothing more than a paycheck for Depp at this point, so in trying to judge his performance, it’s nowhere near as fun as it was or ever will be. At this point, I just hope Depp can turn down some of his theatrics that went out of control in the last sequels, and to his credit he does. Still, I’m not every to get as much enjoyment out of Depp in these movies like I did from the first one. People like Cruz, McShane and Rush are scenery that aren’t worthy of anything in this film. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly have been replaced by Sam Claflin as a captured missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as the mermaid he falls in love with. The main problem here is that these characters are given hardly any backstory, making their participation feel stunted and unnecessary.

I’d definitely say that there are worse ways for you to spend your summer, but as it is now, I think there’s also better. There’s some interesting action scenes in here, and Depp isn’t quite as annoying as he used to be, but to be honest, this thing barely passes as a summer tentpole. Most of it is uninspired under the direction of Rob Marshall and it becomes rather dull and useless by the end. I have to say that this is the first Pirates film that I haven’t come to fully recommend, which is why I’ll probably be saying the same once the fifth one comes out.

C+

New Review: Thor

Hammer Time

I have to be perfectly honest and admit that even though this was the film was chosen as the official start to the summer movie blockbuster season, I wasn’t particularly looking forward it. I’m severely limited in knowledge for most comic book superheroes, and Thor is probably one of those that’s furthest from my mind. I wasn’t too familiar with Chris Hemsworth, but considering he wasn’t even able to carry the five emotional minutes at the beginning of Star Trek, I wasn’t holding out hope he could carry an entire film. Even all of trailers and clips for the film did very little to impress me. The only thing that was attracting me to the film at all was the notion of a classically trained director like Kenneth Branagh handling such action heavy material. Understandably, my expectations were considerably low. Perhaps that’s the reason why I ended up enjoying this film pretty much all the way through.

If you’re like me, and unfamiliar with the backstory of the Marvel superhero, here’s the brief rundown. It turns out that the Norse gods that were worshiped hundreds of years ago were actually just plain old folks on a distant planet, still called Asgard and still holding control over some powers on Earth. Asgard’s kingdom has beaten the Frost Giants and have taken their source of power. In the present, as Thor, played by Hemsworth, is about to succeed his father King Odin (Anthony Hopkins), there’s an attack on Asgard and he leads a party to counterattack. As punishment, Thor and his hammer are banished to Earth until he learns his lesson. It’s here where he strikes a budding romance with a scientist (Natalie Portman) and keeps bumping into those mysterious S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

As strange as it was to here the news, I think that Kenneth Branagh was a perfect choice to direct this material. I often wondered what Branagh’s Shakespearean background could bring to this material, and it pays off well, particularly in the ambitious family dynamics that happen on Asgard. There’s a serious dramatic quality that Branagh brings to the material, and it’s well felt. Branagh even handles the action sequences quite well, maybe not in any spectacular fashion, but considering that serious action is not his pedigree, I was quite impressed with it. He does have some difficulty with the romantic scenes between the Thor and his ladyfriend, and the climax does feel a bit rushed, but for the most part his direction is the saving grace of the film. The screenplay also works well with Branagh’s direction, particularly with some familiar yet still funny “fish out of water” humor. Towards the end, the script does start to have a bit more clunky lines that start to drain on the film a bit more, but it’s still a serviceable screenplay for this material.

Another saving grace for the film is Hemsworth, and I swear that I didn’t believe that I would be saying that. He actually carries the film very well, providing the source for a lot of the film’s heart and humor. He’s a quick comedian when he needs to be, and can be quite tender and emotional when those scenes call for it as well. Hemsworth is a valuable asset for the film, and it’s very entertaining to watch him. Hopkins also gives one of better performances and doesn’t use this opportunity to just stand there and cast a check. Portman is actually kind of unimpressive here, and doesn’t add anything really to the film. Her friend Kat Dennings has that quirky charm, and a lot of the other supporting cast is effective also.

Like most starts to superhero franchises, this one does come up short in some of its exposition and some of the relationships cause the film to drag in the middle and then feel rushed towards the end. However, it’s the winning combination of director Kenneth Branagh and star Chris Hemsworth that makes the film a success. Add to it a worthy supporting cast, a nice sense of humor, and a great look (which maybe has something to do with me not seeing it in 3D), I think this is a great start to the summer movie season. I can’t wait to see if the rest of the summer can be just has entertaining.

B+