O Brother Where Art Thou? (Movie Review)

     Now and then in school and in college, we’d see movies in class, some regarding class topics or because the movie touches on the subjects and events where learning about, and I can honestly say that there is no other movie I’ve seen more frequently in school then the 2000, Coen Brothers comedy classic “O Brother Where Art Thou?” Seriously, this film would always pop up in my history classes, literature classes, film is art classes and plenty others.  Now the Coen Brothers have done some classic hit movies including “The Big Lebowski”, “Fargo”, “Blood Simple” and “No Country for Old Men”. Even though “O Brother Where Art Thou?” never reached the same critical praise as those films, it has gained a devoted fan base over the years and has become a cult classic, personally it’s my favorite of their movies.

      The plot goes like this, it’s 1937, the time of “The Great Depression” and three prisoners named Pete, Delmar and Everett Ulysses McGill have just escaped a chain gang. There setting out to retrieve $1.2 Million in treasure that Everett claims to have stolen from an armored car and buried before his incarceration. Time is not on their side, they only have four days before the area in which he buried the money gets flooded. From that point on the film moves like a road trip movie, they get into one loony scenario and then they leave only to pick up and get into the next loony scenario. It’s all about the journey rather than any big twists and turns an individual character’s story might go through. Everything revolves around these silly people as they play off of all the unique things they encounter.

        It may sound like a simple premise but it’s the characters that make the movie worthwhile. George Clooney plays Everett Ulysses McGill, who leads the group, he acts like an intelligent and sophisticated fellow but in reality, he’s just as dumb as the other two. Now George Clooney has always been a hit or miss actor, sometimes he can be really good in a role and other times he’s just George Clooney acting like George Clooney. Well, I can safely say that Clooney is outstanding in the role of Everett Ulysses McGill, honestly, it’s my favorite performance he’s ever done. Clooney completely looses himself in the role and is clearly having a lot of fun with it. He just livens up this character with so much charm, personality and some very quotable lines. Whenever the three get into trouble, Clooney always says “Blast, where in a tight spot!” But he delivers this line in a way that only Clooney can make it funny. Next is Pete played by John Turturro, he’s the grumpy guy of the group and the perfect guy to offset Clooney. Then at last we have Delmar played by Tim Blake Nelson. He’s the pore looser of the group, very short on intelligence but he has a big heart, he’s the kind of character that people refer to as the dumb nice guy. With their distinct personalities and individual charms, all three make a perfect comedic trio, the same way that Laurel and Hardy are a perfect comedic duo.    

      The story is actually a modern satire that’s loosely based on “Homer’s Odyssey”. It’s a Greek poem that centers on the hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. In the same way, these characters are on a journey that will take them back home after the fall of their once proud economy and along the way they encounter characters that are reminiscent of things you’d read about in Greek fantasies. They encounter a blind man traveling on a manual railroad car who claims to have no name but he can foretell their futures, that they seek great fortune and promises them that they will “find a fortune, though it will not be the one they seek”. So he’s like an ancient fortune teller or profit. There later mugged by a one-eyed man played by John Goodman, this character represents a ferocious “Cyclops”. They also encounter three women who seduce them through the power of bewitching music and good looks but it’s a ploy to drug them, and make them disappear, which is a nice little nod to the “Sirens” of Greek mythology. My favorite running joke in the movie by far is when Delmar believes that his close friend Pete has been bewitched and transformed into a toad, when he really finds Pete and discovers that he’s not transformed, it leads into a silent conversation (whispers back and forth) that results in one of the most subtle laugh out loud moments ever put into film. Then there’s this law official with a hound dog who’s tracking them down, however, he’d rather kill them on the spot rather then put the three back in prison. So he’s like a representation of “Death” (or Grim reaper) dogging at their heels. The title of the movie is a reference to the 1941 film “Sullivan’s Travels”, in which a director wants to film a fictional book about the Great Depression called “O Brother Where Art Thou?”    

  

        When the movie isn’t referencing “Homers Odyssey”, it takes full advantage of its time period. We get several different representations of how people lived and acted during the depression, including children trained to shoot down people from the bank if they approach the house. Even the look of the film makes you feel like you’re in the 1930’s, all the color is muted against bright, glaring sun light, it might just be one of the first movies to extensively use digital color correction to give the film a sepia-tinted look. The locations and sets are also fantastic to look at, putting you in the right mind set of the time. Our hero’s also come across some fact based people from this time. The craziest period based encounter of all involves a wild bank robber named George “Baby Face” Nelson. He robs banks simply for fun and shoots down cows for amusement, money doesn’t seem to matter to the guy, he just wants to make a name for himself. Unfortunately for him, he has a very childish looking face, so the only name people associate with him is “Baby Face”.

       We also have a frightening encounter with the Ku Klux Klan, our three hero’s have to rescue their Negro friend from being hung at one of their rally’s. This is actually where I first learned of the KKK and I always thought of this movie when they were brought up in history class. Even though this scene doesn’t feature anything graphic and it’s not meant to be taken too seriously, it still has this genuinely unsettling feel of what a KKK rally is like. Now the scene is once again supposed to mix historical facts with a reference to “Homer’s Odyssey”, however, I can’t help but think of “The Wizard of Oz” whenever I see this. The song the Klan chants sounds almost identical to what the Wicked Witches guards were chanting. Also, our three hero’s steal clan outfits and sneak in to save their friend the same way Scarecrow, Lion and Tin-man discussed themselves as guards to rescue Dorothy. I don’t know if the Coen Brothers had “The Wizard of Oz” in mind when they wrote this scene, but it is very similar.

     Speaking of historical facts from the 1930’s, the radio was the only source of joy for people back then, so we get many scenes with characters listening to radio broadcasts and period folk music. It’s an effective touch and you hear this variety of music throughout the whole picture. One of the films big highlights is when our three heroes’s put together their own little band called the “Soggy Bottom Boys” to make money at a radio station, the name is a homage to the “Foggy Mountain Boys”. My favorite scene is when the Soggy Bottom Boys get on stage and perform a number titled “Man of Constant Sorrow”, it’s just a real delight to watch.

        Overall, it’s a really fun film and my favorite Coen Brother movie to date. It may not be the biggest laugh out loud comedy ever but it still really funny and the way it balances references of Greek Mythology and historical pried pieces makes it all the more unique to watch. But the big reason to watch this movie is the three main characters, there’s just a very genuine charm that comes from these three talents and it’s an instant joy watching them go from one crazy predicament to the next. I give “O Brother Where Art Thou?” 4 stars out of five.             

Little Woman (1994) (Movie Review)

  Along with Charlies Dickens “A Christmas Carol”, Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel “Little Woman” is one of the most frequently adapted works of literature, and most of its adaptions to film are quite successful. It’s simply one of those rare easy books to make a good movie out of and can stay fresh no matter how many times it’s been adapted. For me, I was introduced to the source material through the 1994 movie version of “Little Woman”, and while I can’t argue if it’s the objective best, it’s the version I have the most fondness for, and the one I feel most like putting a spotlight on.

  Set in Massachusetts, in the mid-19^th-century, amidst the Civil War, we focus on a family of four siblings, collectively referred to as the March Sisters. As war wages, we see how these four young ladies live out their lives, and comfort each other through all the financial shortages, health struggles, growing pains, and romantic flings that arise from the changing times. 

At the center of attention is "Jo", who’s the second eldest of the siblings, is on her own personal journey of independence, and aspires to be an author. She occasionally finds herself at odds with her loving mother, as well as her cranky Aunt March, and develops feelings for two men, one of them being an impulsive neighbor, and the other being her considerably older linguistic professor. In essence, this is one of those humble little “Slice of Life” stories, and when done right, the formula can be quite special. Life is interesting, it can be magical, it can be scary, it can be unpredictable, and above all else, it’s engaging.     

  Before I get lost in the details, let’s highlight the cast, all of whom are ingrained in my mind as the figure heads of these literary icons. Winona Ryder leads the charge as Jo, and it’s the role that garnered her first Oscar Nomination for Best Leading Actress. The year prior, she was nominated best supporting actress for “The Age of Innocents”, so this was the next big step in her career. 

While not my absolute favorite character performance of hers, she certainly elevates the films warmth and charm with her presence. Typically, when I think of Winona Ryders memorable roles, I think of her acting with a “thousand-mile stare”, but in this film, her smile and jubilant personality is absolutely infectious, and can stand out. It’s also kind of amusing to see her play a Massachusetts girl in this film, only two years before she’d deliver another memorable portrayal of a Massachusetts girl in “The Crucible” … polar opposite characters but highlights the range in Ryder’s acting.    

  Not to be overlooked is Claire Danes, who before her more famous roles in “Romeo & Juliet” and “Stardust”, made her film debut here as the third sister "Beth". 

Her character arguably has the most emotional baggage, as she battles scarlet fever, yet still maintains a sweet demeaner. Susan Sarandon is both dignified and charming as the family mother, and Trini Alvarado played the eldest sister Meg. A young Christian Bale is the love-struck neighbor named “Laurie”, and it’s always fun to see him in his pre- “American Psycho” years. Gabriel Byrne is also good as professor Bhaer, who eventually develops romantic feelings for Winona Ryders character Jo. Truthfully, even with the two acknowledging their gap in age, I never quite got on board with their romance … although the actors do a convincing job making their feelings genuine. The cast as a whole have wonderful chemistry with each other, and it feels like everyone just had a great time making this.

  Of course, I can’t forget Kirsten Dunst, who was riding the high of her breakout performance in “Interview with a Vampire” and plays the youngest of the March sisters named Amy. Once again, she owns every scene she’s in with her delightful and lively charisma. Regretfully, she's only in the first half, as her character grows up, with Samantha Mathis playing her seventeen-year-old appearance in the second half of the film. I’ve actually enjoyed Samantha Mathis in a number of roles, playing Princess Daisy in the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” and voicing Crista in “FernGully: The Last Rainforest”, but for whatever reason, I didn't care for her older portrayal of Amy in this film. She isn’t bad, but I never once believed she was an older version of the same character who Kristen Dunst brought to life with so much personality.         

  My only other reservation with this film is its “time transitions”, as the segues between events aren’t always the smoothest, and some events happen off-screen, forcing the audience to play catch-up. Thankfully, most of the sequences work great on their own. Without going into specific details, there’s a moment with a family member on their death bead, and it’s a perfectly constructed sequence. The scene starts off rather comedically, then gradually gets more sympathetic, and through brilliant direction … a character looking out a window with a ragging storm outside is our only clue that someone is about to pass away … it's very effective. The great Gillian Armstrong directed the picture and really stuck the landing where it mattered.     

  The score was composed by Thomas Newman, who’s credentials are too high to recount, so for simplicities sake, he’s a great composer, and his music for “Little Woman” garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score. The film also had one last nomination at the Oscars for Best Costume Design. Most important of all, this film manages a perfect tone that balances its sentimental moments with touches of the dramatic, and it never goes too far with either. The film already had a winning “slice of life” template to work with, and getting the tone right was crucial, otherwise the final product could risk being overly sentimental or too melo-dramatic.

  While the film can be labeled as a character Drama, and has its share of emotional punches, the experience is still quite uplifting and works as a cozy family film. I suppose it can also pass as a “Christmas movie” of sorts. The film opens on Christmas, and the holiday comes back a second time before a four-year time-jump. I don’t view this as a traditional Christmas movie exactly, but it’s a good one to watch during December post-Christmas, in which the feelings of the holiday are still in the air, just not the center of attention. 

  When I first saw this movie, I was a young middle school kid, and a film about four sisters comforting each other during their daily lives was the last thing I wanted to experience at the time … and yet, through the film’s simplistic charms, it somehow won me over. I’d say I appreciate the movie more than I actually love it, as I don’t re-watch it often. With that said, it’s nice to have as an option, and whenever I do watch it, the film still leaves me feeling just as delighted and optimistic as ever. It’s charming without feeling manipulative, the cast is wonderful, and it’s one of those simple experiences that's just plain good for the heart. If you’re unfamiliar with the source material, I’d say this movie is a good starting place, as it may encourage you to either read the book, or view any of the other terrific film adaptations of this story.  

Thanks for reading my review of the 1994 adaption of “Little Woman” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!  

 

Top 10 Underappreciated movie sequels

    

   

Movie sequels can be a real mixed blessing, sometimes they surpass expectations and are even better than the original but then there are those that don’t hold a candle to the first film and are written off as plain bad. Caught in-between are the sequels that do a great job continuing the series but still aren’t as great as the original and they have a tendency to sneak below the radar. So for this list, I’ll be counting down sequels that may not be as good as the original but are still very good on their own. This is my top ten most underappreciated movie sequel countdown.

                                                           10. Back to the Future: Part 3 (1990)

While “Back to the Future Part 2” was a fun and energetic, Sci-Fi adventure it just didn’t seem to capture the spirit of the original. Personally, I think Part 3 comes much closer, the story has heart and while it’s not as fast passed, it still has a lot of charm and I love that Doc. Brown gets most of the attention. He was always my favorite character from the series and his story in this film is great. It’s charming, enjoyable and is a satisfying ending to the series, not to be over looked.  

                                                9. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) 

I’ll admit, this is the least good of the Indiana Jones trilogy but it certainly isn’t terrible either. It’s just a fun, classy adventure flick, full of spectacles, excitement and even some really good comedy. Sure the films overtone is a little too dark for some and it doesn’t leave you with that same triumphant feeling like at the end of “The Last Crusade”. But there’s still nothing wrong with a wild and over the top adventure flick like this, it’s simply good old fashioned entertainment in one memorable package. 

                                                                    8. Stuart Little 2 (2002) 

You may think I’m crazy for including a film like this on my list but once again, I just feel like it’s not appreciated enough. Family films today are just so frantic, so dark, and just so blotted that they lack any good qualities. ”Stuart Little 2” on the other hand is just so gentle, sweet, and features a story that’s both competent and simplistic. There's also just enough visual flare and creativity to keep viewers entertained but it’s all presented in a way that doesn’t feel manipulative. It’s all very wholesome entertainment that comes off as just plain good for the heart and it’s the kind of film that I really wish more kids would be exposed to.   

                                                            7. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) 

You’d think that after the large fan base of the first Gremlins, the sequal would get more recognition, well then again, it’s not as subtle as the original and is extremely over the top. It might just be the wildest sequal I’ve ever seen, full of forth wall jokes, movie references and self paradise. But that’s what I like about this film, it’s just non-stop entertainment and even build’s on the original. We get a bunch of brand new gremlin characters that keep things feeling fresh and new, even the setting has gotten bigger and better than before. If you can get passed its mind-numbing overtones, you might just be able to have a really fun time with it.

                                           6. Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)

       
The Madagascar movie’s have a certain talent for taking everything that was great with its previous installment and making it even better with each new film, and this third entry in the series stands as solid family entertainment, with an ensemble of fun new characters, lots of energy, fast jokes and some dazzlingly colorful animation. It may not be up to par with films like "How to Train Your Dragon", but it is still very good entertainment for kids and even adults that are young at heart. 

  

                                                                   5. Return to OZ (1985) 

Now here’s a sequel that’s completely different from the original but awesome in its own unique way. The first "Wizard of Oz" was a classic, nostalgic gem, full magic and joyful overtones. This sequel on the other hand is very dark and intense but also very imaginative and expands the world of Oz in an interesting new way. The effects are really cool, especially by 1980’s standards and the characters are still very likable. It may feel like a really depressing flick, especially compared to the original, but if you view it simply as an individual, fantasy adventure from the 80’s, then you may find it to be a fun, dark, thrill ride. 

                                                                       4. Predators (2010) 

After countless bad sequels and spinoffs, the Predator finally got an awesome sequal that it absolutely disserved. It stays true to the source material, keeps the jungle setting alive but also gives it a new twist and expands on the universe that this creature came from. It does everything that a good sequal should do but for some reason it’s just not appreciated that much and is regarded as average. Well, to each his own, but personally, I think this film outdid itself and continued the franchise in a stylish new direction that completely revives this dying series.  

                                                                    3. Wayne’s World 2 (1993) 

The first Wayne’s World is one of my favorite comedies of all time and it just get’s funnier every time I watch it. I’m sure it was challenging to capture that same charismatic charm and laughter a second time around but this sequel sure gives it a damn good try. The characters are still just as endearing as ever, the plot is completely fresh and new and it even delivers some really funny new jokes. Sure some things are recycled from the original but their so minor that it hardly matters, I still think this is one of the funniest comedy sequels of all time. 

                                                  

                                             2. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) 

Granted this movie is following on the heels of two of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time and it makes this film seem very week by comparison. However, if you look at this as just a fun action movie, then it’s an absolute blast. Plus, there’s still enough smart writing and character traits that keep it from just being dumb entertainment. It’s certainly not as thought provoking as the first two but if you simply want a good action flick, then this movie is entertaining as hell.  

                                              1. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) 

Even though I love the first “Chronicles of Narnia”, I still consider this to be a very close sequal. The story is bigger, the characters go through new internal battles, the morals are very effective without being shoved in your face and the action scenes are thrilling. Most people dismiss this one because it comes off like a tamer version of the “Lord of the Rings” Movies, but that’s why I like it, this is an adventure that the whole family can enjoy but it still presents the world of Narnia in a more mature manner then its predecessor. It's a big spectcale and the story can certainly hold your interest. For all this and more, I consider this to be a very underappreciated sequal that certainly deserves more attention.  

                                                                       The End