100W: The Fast and the Furious

As a writer, it is a regular expectation to keep to a strict word count. Every time you pick up a magazine, articles can be a small 100-word write-up or a 1000-word review. My own notes for the many films seen are always over 100 words - so this is a new feature that will focus on reviewing films in a concise 100 words.

The Fast and the Furious (Dir. Rob Cohen, 2001)

Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) is top-dog in illegal street-racing LA, as Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) tries to join in. An opening race establishes a simple world whereby the diverse cars match the diverse cultures that clash in this criminal world. But, an early reveal – that Brian is a cop – places this film in the clear-cut “good-guy-is-white” category – against the illegal criminals who seem to be anything but. Through brilliant stunts and a bass-pumping soundtrack you breathlessly see unbelievable races – and an unbelievable outcome as it portrays an America whereby crime’s allowed if (a white man decides) you’re a nice guy.

Further Reading: http://www.filmsnobs.com/www/shimes/fastfurious.htm

American Pie 2 (J.B. Rogers, 2001)

My brother said by the end of the summer I'll get the big picture. And I see it. No matter what, times change, things are different. But the problem is, I don't want them to be.

Introduction

The American Pie Reunion post got me thinking about the group. In fact, it even prompted me to re-watch all three films and write about them - I've already written about American Pie, so this is next up. I'll admit the temptation to watch the four films released since American Pie: The Wedding did linger a little longer than it should have in my mind but I think the only thing I would want to see is  Eugene Levy's scenes - and I have a funny feeling that he was paid lots for a one-day shooting schedule. I'll turn to YouTube for that methinks. But the second film at any rate was ambitious - 11 characters on the poster and 11 stories that had to be shown - inevitably there was going to be problems, but I remember that personally I was incredibly excited to see it and the fact that everyone was back merely heightened my excitement for it.

Small Fish in a Big Pond

The whole 'next step' mantra that Kev seems to live by is what propels us into this next film. Rather than the four guys tackling small issues and making them into big-dramatic-story-arcs (losing their virginity is hardly a big issue but, as a teenager, it is), now it seems they are tackling much bigger issues that everyone can relate to: Kev still obsessed with an ex-girlfriend, Jim concerned about his sexual-ability and, even Oz and Heather tentatively try and cope with a long-distance relationship.High School is a small place - and their presence seemed big, but now they are at different Universities across the world and when they are apart they are not as strong or as confident. We see characters mature and become much more sensible in their outlooks - and this is a great way to continue the story.

Even Stifler is fleshed out that little bit more. Originally, Chris Penn filmed multiple sequences as Rick Stifler, his Dad, but these were cut out of the film on the grounds that it was a bit too dramatic - they were replaced by Stifler's brother instead. It still stands though that Stifler kicking out two guys from his party as they disrespected his Mother ("she was a Saint!") alongside how his bully-antics are acknowledged on multiple occasions as he is either pee-ed upon or, in the most revealing scene, he comes across as so shallow that he will "kiss every guy and grab every ass" to sleep with the girls that he believes are lesbians. In the first film, Stifler was more of a scene-stealing side-character: he held parties, he mocked the guys and his Mum was hot. In this film, it is clear that Oz and Stifler have become much closer at University and that what makes him such a good friend is that despite all his male-chauvenistic shortcomings, he still pitches in and helps out and he is ultimately after the same thing: lots of fun with friends. Unlike American Pie: The Wedding, this film shows how Stifler is realistically still a part of their group. 

Sex-Obsessed and 'The Next Step'

What is great about American Pie 2 is the change in Jim. American Pie presents Jim as sex-obsessed throughout - the vast majority of situations he found himself in - the pie, the tube-sock, the double-come - all happened as he was simply desperate for sex. In American Pie 2 this is not so much the case - in fact it is merely his clumsiness which is the problem. All the band-camp scenes ("Come on Petey!") are rarely sex-based, just clumsiness whilst the glue-sequence is again just unlucky. His arc changes him from sex-obsessed ("you suck") to sex-comfortable. And that's a big change that I believe most men don't make until much older than Jim's 19-year-old self. Then again, Oz has already made that step and his original plot involving both himself and Heather cheating on each other, though tragic and lacking comedy, would be the 'next step' in relationship challenges. Instead, I think Oz becomes a character who is a rock - he stands by his girlfriend and celebrates the fact that he has found 'the one'. Stifler is constantly mocking him for it but it is realistic to assume that Oz's comfortable and confident attitude towards sex and relationships (which is equally reflected at the end of American Pie as he doesn't even want to discuss his private sex-life) inevitably influences his friends  -and namely Jim.

The Creator of the Pact

The creator of the pact in American Pie, Kev, is the friend who 'comes up' with the beach-house plan (again, a great Casey Affleck cameo in there too). But, much like the first film, Kev's pro-active nature is what, by the end, we are expected to disagree with. If you remember in American Pie, what makes the film interesting (and makes the spin-offs less so) is how, despite all four guys making a pact to all have sex - and indeed, they all do - the moral of the story is that it doesn't matter. Kev sitting on the steps ready to go home because of the pressure he put on others and how unfair it may be to Vicky. In American Pie 2, again, Kev goes off in a sulk. This time ending up on the beach (originally, he went back to the school but the location jarred with the sequences on either side so it was re-shot) and he reveals that the reason he organised the trip was to re-claim old times ... but in fact, he needs to move on. It seems strange that the attraction to the films and the entire set-up is always belittled whilst we, as viewers, get to enjoy watching the films on the basis that the idea of four-guys-trying-to-get-laid and our favorite characters all together on the beach is actually what is interesting. At least in American Pie: The Wedding it didn't end with Kev going off in a sulk and everyone agreeing that weddings are unnecessary.

Unfortunately when the four guys have the conversation on the beach, despite interesting points being raised - nothing is really answered. It is a simple case of "I have a feeling things are going to get better" and they go back to the party.

Good Effort

I think that Adam Herz worked so hard on this script and put his heart and soul into a huge amount of plots that ultimately got cut. They even got filmed too. I think with a blu-ray release being inevitable, they need to put all the Stifler's-Dad and Heather-and-Oz plots back in just for shits a giggles. Keep the normal version of the film - the theatrical and the 'uncut' version - but a three-hour epic version would be an incredible watch. Bottom-line is that the film is a just a little too busy and it plays a little bit weaker than the first film - but I still laugh heartily to the trumpet-ass joke, "c'mon Petey!" and Nadia getting excited about The Sherminator. I think a few problems also lie in the very limited perspective on homosexuality - as if lesbians are only alive for sex-jokes. I think they realized this and dealt with this in the next film ...

Curb Your Enthusiasm: Series 2 (Created by Larry David, 2001)

Introduction

Lets keep this quick - first off, followin the first series this season contnues many themes from the first. Obviously the Larry-getting-shit-upon never changes but how this series is established is interesting. Episode 1, The Car Salesman, not only explores, with a little more depth, how lucky Larry David is (the 'idea' of being a car salesman would be 'easy') but also sets up a new home for Cheryl and Larry.

You also get more Seinfield references in cameos by Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus - as Larry attempts to pitch his 'new show' that sounds a little similar to Curb as it has that self-referential edge and too-close-real-life set-up.

The series does get better and this season additionally has the flawless poker game ending with the awkward use of the 'c' word.

The Controversial Position of "Others"

Lots of comments on the last post so, to single you out:

Fletch, I am glad I'm not the only one who is gutted they can't 'share' the comedy. Every time it is on I get a groan from Sarah and whenever she can she will make some 'this-is-not-as-good-as-twin-peaks' (not only a completely ridiculous comparison, but merely a way to force us to watch Twin Peaks, which we are

Band of Brothers (2001, Based on a novel by Stephen Ambrose)

"What were you thinking? Dragging our asses half way around the world, interrupting our lives... "

Introduction

So I did watch this a long time ago. Initially with Al and Ollie (a man who appeared in Aberystwyth over a summer in 2003 and never returned...) and then again when I purchased the boxset. A tin boxset at that something I was incredibly proud of until I found that you could get the tin boxset for £15. Bloody HMV. Nevertheless, for God-knows how long I have been telling Sarah to watch it and, following a failed viewing of a scratched-DVD of Generation Kill and completing series 2 of Mad Men we thought now was the time to embark on Band of Brothers. Not to mention howit (a) featured Donnie Wahlberg (who was often mentioned recently in the house due to the Saw franchise topic of recent weeks) and (b) the semi-sequel to Band of Brothers beginning its publicity run. The second series is called The Pacific and starts in 2010 ... starring no-other-than Joseph Mazzello, aka, Tim from Jurassic Park. As a 10-year old boy, it was he I always wanted to be.

What I reckon...

This could be a very long post because there are so many facets to the series, but I shall try to summarise differents aspects on an episode-by-episode basis.

Currahee
This was the critically-acclaimed beginning to the series. If I recall, this opening episode was a huge success as it showed the exceptionally high-quality of the series. Not to mention it starred Ross from Friends. I must admit, as soon as you see him its a bit awkward, but within a minute or two - "contraband!" - he shakes of his Ross-attributes and is the excessive Liet. Sobel. We see the boot camp that the 'Band of Brothers' - aka, Easy Company, aka, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment who were assigned to the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Phew. Its only a 10-part series and we are expected to get to know a huge range of characters and this section gives us a little taste of the main members of the group - namely Winters (Damien Lewis who is flawless in this. I was excited to watch Dreamcatcher following this series and then my expectations of Lewis was lowered again... bloody Stephen King adaptations), Nixon (Livingston), Lipton (Wahlberg of Saw II, III and IV), Malarky (Grimes whom I''ve seen on the DVD sleeves for ER ... will he be the next Clooney?) and 'Shifty' Powers (Youngblood Hills), Luz (Gomez), "Bull" (Cudlitz) ... and loads more. My personal favourite is Guarnere (Frank John Hughes who, strangely enough, I have only recently seen in Series 7 of 24 and he turns out to be in the last series of The Sopranos) and Martin (Dexter Fletcher, aka, Babyface from Bugsy Malone and Soap from Lock, Stock).

Currahee is the hill Sobel constantly orders the company to run, jog, walk up every weekend as they break minor rules. Interestingly, Sobel in reality post-WWII actually tried to shoot himself and failed and was in an institution until he died. Weird. Strangely enough also, 'Currahee' is an Indian word that means 'stand[s] alone'. So, maybe this means how the company worked together to split away from Sobel and went against standing on their own, instead opting to work as a team. The actual guys in Easy company claim that, though they despised Sobel, his demanding expectations were what got them through the war.

Day of Days
This is where we first meet Speirs - another favourite role. We see, in detail, a specific operation called Brécourt Manor Assault that, apparently, is still taught in military academies across the US. The start of the episode shows us the company landing on D-Day as people completely detroy planes attempting to drop off troops. Its crazy because you just have to imagine the horror as you see a plane alongside - scratch that - you see loads of planes doing exactly the same as you being shot out of the sky. You are inevitably going to think you are going down next. Then, upon landing, you have to navigate your way to the grouping point. We have the subtle introduction of the idea that the enemy is exactly the same as yourself - namely, malarky speaks to a 'Kraut' who was actually in America and brought up in a place close to him but was recalled for the war effort in Germany. Then you have the infamous sequence with Speirs as he offers cigarettes to the German POW and then guns them all down ... a rumour that gives Spiers a fear that stretches across the company and demands respect.

Carentan
An episode told from the perspective of Blithe (Marc Warren) - a soldier controlled by fear. We first see him staring into the sky, far away from his company. He tags along with E-company and others soon see him as a soldier who ducks for cover - it is Winters and Spiers who give him a different perspective. Spiers advice: think that you're already dead... (no positive thinking really) and then Winters who simply forces Blithe to accept his role: to support and help others. It is after this that he gains confidence - eventually leading others into a house, only to be shot. Many people feel this is the best episode and I think, unless you are in the military, you would always fear that you would be the one ducking for cover, constantly saving your own ass and hoping you won't die. The credits tell us that, in reality, Blithes died a few years later in the forties. Thats not true, he lived on into the sixties. These small discrepencies don't ruin much but, as a character, I think the fact that soldiers who might have got over their fear still died for others.

Replacements
This is interesting as we see a mission that failed - notably called Operation Market Garden. This is also within the context of a topic regarding replacement soldiers - soldiers who would replace others who died and would therefore have difficulty fitting in. Interesting cameo as James McAvoy is one of the replacements ... see how it all pans out for him in this episode. We also see the episode from the perspective of 'Bull' - a soldier who is alot kinder to the replacements than the other men of E company.

Crossroads
This episode is directed by Tom Hanks and so has to be held up a little higher than other episodes, but considering Hanks produced the series he had first pick, no doubt, of which one to direct. This episode is different to the others - non-linear and showing Winters last bullet fired during the war. Some incredible themes as we see how difficult it is to adapt to civilian life - with memories haunting you. While we see Winters adapt to a more office-bound promotion.

Bastogne
Up until now, you see the war as similar to a computer game. Great teams, working together, shooting the bad guys. This episode shows the reality of war during the forties before 90% of the things we have. Low on ammo, low on supplies, low on medical provisions and, ultimately, low on morale. This is from the perspective of 'Doc' Rowe aplyed increidbly by Shane Taylor and we see how many people died simply under the conditions -freezing conditions wearing no socks loses you your foot. We even find how Buck, mind the pun, is buckling under the pressure of war and the casualties of war.

The Breaking Point
From Lipton's perspective as he attempts to keep people positive even though everyone is dying and everyone is ill and hope is almost lost. They have an awful CO who dodges any responibility and leadership leaving Lipton to lead everyone. We then see Speirs in action as he assumes responsibility by putting his life on the line ... amazing episode that brings us out of the depths of despair in Bastogne.

The Last Patrol
We now begin to see the war finish and talk of the war ending. Nobody wants to take unneccessary risks and therefore no-one wants to fight anymore ... they had got this far, they don't want to die in the final stretch. Its fascinating as we see this from the perspective of Webster as he missed out on Bastogne and, to some extent, is dislike because of this. It is really great to see the specific organisation and the realistic implications on taking on such a mission - the last patrol refers to a patrol and capturing of German troops that a specific unit is assigned to for the sake of information. The expendability of troops by their superiors is clearly shown here ... but we do see Winters human side and how he decides to tackle such a difficult issue.

Why We Fight
This is great because is focusses on, at this point, why the soldiers continued on. People had died for this war and they were seeing selfish Nazi soldiers surrendering and the thought taht the soldiers who are dead are not worth the Nazi's that survived ... but it answers this question by showing the reason why they fight. For the victims who are innocent. For the civilians who have done nothing wrong. The jews in concentration camps. The German children who are unaware of the atrocities of their fathers. You have a great coda whereby a destroyed village is being cleared up by the villagers - a camera pans across the entire site beginnning and then ending the epidoe with a four-piece string quartet.

Points
The war is all but over and E-company are sent to the eagles nest where Hitlers holiday getaway is based. The idea that 'in a different situation we could be friends' with reference to the nature of war is a prevailing topic and it finishes the series. We see French and American allies murder others and the brutality and violence war creates. Who is good and who is bad is blurred here and so, we don't think "Well done us, we won the war" - it was more, what is the point? A great finale as we are revealed who the war-veterans who introduced each episode is and where their lives ended up. A nice suprise mid-episode as Captain Winters has to demand a Liet to "Salute the rank, not the man"

This has an amazing cast - and it is not suprising than the majority went on to do better and those who didn't must have made some enemies somewhere because a role in this must have been gold on a CV. In 2001, this was the beginning of the new-wave of credible TV. It makes Saving Private Ryan appear to not have enough scope and, to be honest, I reckon only computer games with their impressive length can cover so much ground. But, as a TV-series, this shows how the depth of The Wire and the gradual growth of character sustains and makes a TV-series better than cinema. Then again, the series demanded cinematic value. An episode directed by a cinematogapher for The Abyss, Mikael Salomon, music by Robin Hood: Prince of Theives composer Michael Kamen, Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel, Wimbledon director Richard Loncraine directing other episodes and obviously Spielberg and Hanks makes it a series that is more cinema than TV - but alas, the depth could never be covered in a three-hour film. Maybe TV series should begin to be shown in the cinema because this, in a cinema, would be incredible ...