My little weekly experiment is now officially a year old! (Actually a little more than.) And, because I’m recording Part 30 this week, I decided I would put together another recap post for all of you. And, I plan to do another for Parts 21-30 here in the next few weeks.
While the first 10 iterations were a bit rough, I feel like we — that being me and the Nerds — started to get into a rhythm with these next 10. I picked out a pretty diverse set of movies; I was recording my little sound blurbs in a timely manner; and I set a weekly reminder for myself to send them to Nerds every Friday evening. And the Nerds became very good about regularly including them as part of the show.
So, because I don’t want to transcribe everything I said about these movies on the podcast, the blurbs below are a condensed version of my various voice recordings that I sent the Nerds.
I don’t have time to go back and find every single episode that these CtC iterations appeared on, but I can tell you that CtC-Part 20 was during Reel Nerds Podcast Episode 392: Dead Cat Walking (Pet Sematary review).
And, a quick note: the ratings for all the movies are out of five stars. So 5 stars is perfect, 4 stars is really good, etc.
Also, SPOILER WARNING FOR ANY/ALL OF THESE MOVIES!
So, without further ado, here are recaps of the next 10 iterations of Catching the Classics (with Corinne!)
Catching the Classics – Part 11: Shaun of the Dead
Overall, wow, this is such a good movie! I was blown away by how tight the writing is, how much everything connects, and how everything comes back into play at some point. The gore effects were convincing, but not super disturbing. It’s probably more rated R for the language and not so much for the gore. It’s probably on a similar level to Zombieland in that respect.
Of anything, the writing really stood out to me as a very efficient and direct film. It puts you right into the action; and the opening scene is a great way to introduce your characters succinctly.
Shaun of the Dead: 4 or 4.5 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 12: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Surprisingly, I didn’t know too much about the movie — basically that it was about aliens and that it was directed by Steven Spielberg. And, while I understand it’s a very popular movie in many circles, I didn’t care for it.
There were a few good sequences, don’t get me wrong. One example I can give is when the aliens come to abduct the kid at the farmhouse. And another is the shot of the alien’s ship flying over the truck while the main character is surprised and confused about it. But, overall, I feel like a lot of other ‘alien encounter’ movies do this same premise but far better.
Two major problems with the movie are how unlikable the characters are, and how it ultimately feels long and boring. The last 30 minutes or so — where the aliens come in to the human base at Devil’s Tower — takes forever, and really doesn’t make a lot of sense when you stop to think about it. Why did the aliens abduct all those humans? Why are they giving them back now? Why are these other humans, like our main character, deciding to go with them? How did the humans and the aliens arrange for this little exchange? Wouldn’t the government be upset with the aliens for abducting all those other people earlier? Why would they think it was okay for our main character and the others to go with the aliens now?
So, all in all, the movie didn’t land for me whatsoever, giving this series its lowest-rated movie so far:
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 2 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 13: The English Patient
This is a movie that the Nerds said was going to be long, drawn-out, boring and horrible. And, really, it wasn’t as bad as they had led me to believe. Sure, some parts of it were long, but I’d be willing to watch it again some day. Maybe not anytime soon, but some day.
While I knew the basic premise and some of the cast members, I was pleasantly surprised at how it all came together. I enjoyed the score, the overall look and cinematography, the costumes, the sets, and the performances. It’s a very beautiful movie all around.
I really didn’t mind that things were told out-of-order, but one thing that bugged me about the story was how it felt like there were scenes missing sometimes. One example is after Colin Firth’s character finds out about his wife’s affair with Almasy, we never see any fallout from that until the sequence with the plane. And there seemed to be a big gap in the timeline between when he found out about the affair and then tried to kill himself and/or Katharine and/or Almasy. But, there was no buildup to this weird homicidal/suicidal rage. Why decide to do that now? So, it probably would’ve helped to see the immediate fallout of him finding out. Did he share any tense scenes with Katharine or Almasy? Granted, the movie is 3 hours long so you can’t get bogged down in the weeds, but it would’ve helped to have those scenes, because otherwise, it feels like there are pieces missing to this story.
The biggest drawback, though, is how unlikable the characters are. I’m not rooting for the main couple to be together, because she’s already married and I can’t root for people whose relationship — by definition — is deceitful and unethical. Also, not sure why the scene where she tells him about the thimble was made out to be this big reveal. She told Almasy multiple times throughout the movie that she was in love with him, but that she couldn’t be with him because she was already married.
Also, side note, I was far more invested in Hana and Kip’s relationship than I was in Katharine and Almasy’s. I’m so thankful Kip didn’t die in that scene where he’s defusing the bomb.
The English Patient: 3 or 3.5 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 14: It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
I remember watching Rat Race as a kid, which I believe is a remake of this movie. And, to be honest, I think I like Rat Race better. (I haven’t seen it in years, but I enjoyed it when I was young.) Overall, the film has some great stunt-work and comedic bits, but it’s way too long.
The premise is an interesting idea, and you see how it all unfolds from the initial five men who go down to see the dying guy at the beginning. But, the filmmakers easily could’ve cut the movie down 45 minutes or an hour, and it would’ve been just fine. Many of the bits go on for far too long, to the point where they’re no longer funny — they’re just awkward.
I also didn’t appreciate the way the movie treated its female characters. The mother-in-law is unbelievably annoying, to the point where it’s exhausting; her daughter gets one nice moment in the state park, but that’s it; and the dentist’s wife is beyond dull — so dull that they could’ve replaced her with a sack of potatoes and it would’ve been more interesting. And, then the police captain is certainly a product of his time — ogling his female coworker in one of his first scenes.
Now, I actually watched the movie with my mom when I was home on vacation. She recorded it as part of a “car race” double-header on Turner Classic Movies. The other movie in the doubleheader was The Great Race, which I grew up on and enjoy far more than this movie. Also, it treats its female characters with actual respect — giving them agency, personalities and senses of humor. And for another movie about a car race — although a more formal one than Mad World‘s — it keeps the plot moving, and characters aren’t lingering in any one location for too long. Which isn’t the case here.
In summary: just go watch The Great Race instead, because it’s a much better movie!
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: 2.5 or 3 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 15: Sixteen Candles
The only reason I watched this movie was because someone on the Screen Junkies’ Movie Fights had tried to make the case that this was the worst romcom of all time. He had argued that the movie is terrible because it portrays date-rape and sexual assault in a very casual way, in addition to being misogynist/sexist, racist and homophobic. And, I have to say that I agree with most of that.
Initially, it started off well, though, with the opening sequence at the main character’s house. There are a few funny bits of dialogue and sequences with her parents and grandparents. Overall, the movie has some comedic elements that still land, but, the actual plot and content hasn’t aged well.
My biggest grievance was with the male love interest (pictured above with Molly Ringwald’s character). He comes off as super-creepy in his interactions with her, but he’s somehow even worse when he’s dealing with his current / soon-to-be-ex girlfriend, whom he “trades” to ‘the nerd’ for his crush’s underwear. Ugh.
I had fun with it, weirdly, but it was more in research sort of way since the whole point was to see how poorly it had aged.
Sixteen Candles: 2 or 2.5 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 16: Pretty in Pink
Another John Hughes movie! Even before I watched it, I knew James Spader and Molly Ringwald were in it; that there was a character named Ducky; and that it was another John Hughes teen-romcom.
On the whole, it’s far less problematic than Sixteen Candles. Initially, I found Ducky’s obsession with Andie and his inappropriate comments to her and other girls very problematic; but by the end, you could see that he had grown and realized he shouldn’t force a relationship with someone who didn’t want to be in a relationship with him.
I was also definitely rooting for Andie and Blaine; I thought they were remarkably mature and honest with each other for 18-year-olds. The whole part where Andie confesses that she doesn’t want him to see where she lives — I thought that was a great moment for her.
One thing that irked me the whole time was the continual emphasis on the characters needing to fit in with their high school social strata. It makes sense in most other teen-romcoms and ‘coming of age’ movies, because they’re usually underclassmen. But, here, they’re graduating in a few weeks. So who cares what your friends think about the person you’re dating! After graduation, you don’t have to see any of these people ever again. (And you probably won’t anyway.)
So, yeah, I really enjoyed it. I’d definitely watch it again, especially because James Spader is in it. Yes, he’s a douche bag, but he plays a douche bag as only James Spader can. 😉
Pretty in Pink: 3.5 or 4 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 17: The Truman Show
Of all the movies I’ve watched for the CtC series thus far, I think this is the one that has aged the best. While I knew the premise and the ending beforehand, I immensely enjoyed this movie’s setup, characters, and writing.
It has a perfect mix of drama and comedy. One sequence that stands out to me is when he’s trying to leave town in the car with his “wife,” and he goes through the roundabout, then makes her drive over the bridge, and then drives through the fire line. It’s both hilarious and is a dynamic scene that keeps the energy up.
And, even though I knew how it ended, I was so engulfed in the finale where the creator/creation dynamic between Truman and Christof culminates. You can see that Christof looks at Truman with genuine paternal feelings, but he’s only a father to Truman in the most unethical way possible. And, of course, are his attempts to stop Truman driven more by his feelings, or is it because he doesn’t want the show to end? I believe it’s more of the latter, but you can see the mixture of both in Ed Harris’ performance.
Also, this might be my favorite Jim Carrey performance ever, but then again, I haven’t seen him in most of his dramatic stuff. So I have a small sample size.
By the end, I wanted to see more than just Truman walking through that door at the end. I wanted to see him actually encounter the ‘real world’ for the first time, reconnect with Sylvia, and maybe go to Fiji. But, I know that’s not the story they were trying to tell. It’s about “The Truman Show” (the show within the movie) and not just Truman. It was about the experience of the show, what it means for the world of entertainment, what it’s done to Truman and his psyche, and those who watch it.
So, I’m happy to say that this movie has earned the CtC series’ third-ever perfect rating:
The Truman Show: 5 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 18: Se7en
This was another entry where pop culture osmosis ruined basically every plot point of the movie — the premise behind the murders, the characters’ motivations, and the ‘twist’ ending. I think this is to the movie’s detriment, because my experience as a first-time watcher was ruined given that the cool build-up and suspense was gone. I didn’t love it or hate it; it was okay. It was worth watching, but I doubt I’d watch it again.
Overall, the performances were great — Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Gwyneth Paltrow. And while Kevin Spacey is a problematic human being, to say the least, he can play a creepy and privileged white guy really well. Weirdly, the part of the movie I liked the best was the credits at the beginning. Also, shout-out to Howard Shore — his music worked well at building up the tension in several scenes.
Se7en: 3 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 19: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Let me say right off the bat that I’ve never seen the first Terminator or any movie in the franchise, except for Terminator: Salvation, weirdly. And while I don’t remember much from it anyway, pop culture osmosis had already ruined many of the movie’s plot points for me, such as which time-traveling character is the bad guy and which one is the good guy. And, that the film ends with the T-800 “dying” voluntarily to preserve the timeline, and that John Connor was really broken up about it.
In actually watching it, though, I felt like the movie was really long. The last action scene, in particular, seems to go on forever. But, I did like how the movie gave you just enough exposition — not too much or too little — about what had happened in the previous Terminator movie, which would help people like me to catch up. The adult actors do a great job; the kid isn’t the best but he’s not terrible. The best part for me was the second act where John and the T-800 are bonding — it reminded me a lot of the Iron Giant. And, as an aside, the effects hold up really well.
T2: Judgment Day: 3.5 or 4 stars
Catching the Classics – Part 20: Night of the Living Dead
While I recognize its value as a cultural touchstone, it was hard to get past the low production value and awkward acting. I wondered at the time whether it was an independent film — and the Nerds later confirmed it is — but with these, I like to judge films on their own merit, without looking over IMDB trivia or special features or directors’ commentaries, etc. If it’s a “classic,” it should hold up to modern audiences without giving you a bunch of context, right? (Now, granted I have cheated on this a few times. I think I looked up some background on Grave of the Fireflies, which I cover in Part 29. But, from now on, I’ll try to refrain from doing that, because I want to be consistent in how I approach these films.)
My overall impression of the movie, though, is a cross between The Twilight Zone and Birdemic. It has the philosophical ambition of a Twilight Zone episode, because it wants to capitalize on paranoia and mob mentality, which is prevalent in much of TZ. I really like how it examines the psychology of these characters as they face the crisis of a zombie epidemic. I really enjoyed the second act when the guys come up from the cellar and have a conversation with the main character as to who’s in charge, who they should listen to, etc. And, I liked the opening scene with Barbara running away from the cemetery during the initial zombie attack.
But, at the same time, it’s weighed down by a low production value, occasional wooden acting, and filming techniques that sometimes reminded me of an awkward student film. I was frustrated at the 180 Barbara’s character did — from intelligently running away from the zombies and taking refuge in the farmhouse, to just sitting on the sidelines while everyone else made the decisions.
I don’t generally like horror movies because I get really tensed-up, which is what happened during the initial sequence in the cemetery and Barbara running away; but by the third act, it all felt incredibly cartoonish and I didn’t even care anymore.
So, while it was a movie that generated a lot horror tropes, and I feel conflicted about my overall experience in watching it, the weaker points really hold it back from getting a higher rating from me:
Night of the Living Dead: 3 stars