Critical Decision Time: Part 1 of the Most Ridiculous Series You Will Ever Maybe Read

As I settle into the relative monotony of adulthood (and the slow, steep slope toward the time when my elderly person tendencies will become socially acceptable), many important questions make themselves known to me.  What do I want to do with my life, you know, on the chance that my pipe dream of becoming a novelist fails to pan out? (Jury's still out on that one.)  Am I employable?  (So far, survey says NO.)  What am I doing to be the best possible version of myself?  (Um...does having lots and lots of fleeting, halfhearted ambitions count?)

But (probably) most important of all:  Do I need to watch the Star Wars movies?

Laugh if you want; I am at least 40% serious.  I, as a devout connoisseur of all things film and media, have never seen the original three Star Wars films.  I know, I know, it doesn't add up.  "Andrea," you say, "Aren't you a huge nerd?  Then it follows than you can't possibly have missed out on this huge piece of nerd culture!"  But I have defied logic for over 23 years, and have never even attempted to watch one of the films from beginning to end.  Given my current wealth of free time, it would make sense to set aside a few hours for this momentous viewing; however I've recently found myself wondering, will it be worth the effort?

Think about it. If I want the full experience I'll have to track down the films on DVD rather than waiting for them to show up on TV.  And since they're old, not on Netflix, and I hate Blockbuster, I'm either going to have to go through the library or borrow them from someone who owns them (and I hate asking people to borrow their stuff, probably because I hate lending out my own...but that's for another time).  This will take time, energy, and effort on my part, and if these movies aren't everything I've ever heard them praised as, I'm going to be one deeply disappointed camper.  The arguments for and against are plentiful, but what I'm really looking for is the input of a Star Wars viewer (fan or otherwise) who can guide me to the right decision, and settle this question once and for all.  Here are some of my considerations:


I already know a lot of the story details.  This is just how popular culture works, especially with the explosion of the Internet and the fascination with being "Meta" in film and television.  I know Luke and Leia are brother and sister, and that Darth Vader is their father.  I know that Han Solo is kind of a tool, but that he's also one of the heroes of the story.  I know that Yoda's syntax is weird and I will probably hate listening to him talk.  I know that something called the Millenium Falcon and something else called the Death Star come into play at some point.  I know that "the Force" is something very powerful and almost as cool as having magical powers.  And I know that it's really hard to decide based solely on Google Images photos whether ewoks are cute or creepy.

They're old.  I'm not completely against watching a film that was made before I was born, because a lot of them are darn good.  Unfortunately, there are also a lot that are darn terrible.  And I may not be an expert on CGI or any other such nonsense, but I'd hazard a guess that the special effects in these films are shoddy looking at best, laughable at worst. It's also set in space, and was written prior to a lot of knowledge we've acquired since.  I mean, are they going to reference Pluto as still being a planet?  (Because that'll just be heartbreaking.)

They're important.  Like it or not, Star Wars is part of cultural canon.  And I am definitely a person who hates being out of the loop on frequently made references.  So maybe I owe it to myself to just suck it up and endure six hours of a potentially ridiculous story in the hope of filling in some of the gaps in my mental pop culture encyclopedia.

Hype.  This could go either way.  I've heard so many rave reviews of these films from all corners that it seems impossible they could be less than amazing.  However, that's just it-- what if all the hype has made it impossible for these movies to reach my expectations?  I'm expecting a lot from these films based on the derision I've endured at my admittance that I've never watched them, and the idea that this anticipation might backfire is, well...it's annoying.


Random reasons that probably aren't important to anyone other than me.  (1)  I have been told on a couple of occasions that I have a kind of resemblance to Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia (and no, it was never clarified if this was an appearance or personality based comparison, but I'm guessing the latter), and I'd be interested to know if I was being complimented or insulted.  (2)  I think watching it might shut up some of the fellow nerds in my life who've been appalled by the revelation that I've never seen these films.  (3) Last, but certainly not least, if I see all three of the original Star Wars films, I will be able to more successfully and accurately make my case that the Harry Potter books/films are, in fact, far superior.

So is this something I need to do to enrich my probably unnecessary knowledge of popular culture?  Or is this something that, once I've gone more than 2 decades without experiencing them, I can simply continue to let slide?  Can I coast by on my limited knowledge of the most well-known factoids and trivia indefinitely?  This decision may not be weighty, but I feel a need for a justification either way.  And let's face it, I'm not making any other life-changing choices at the moment, but that's no reason to break the habit of considering things from all angles.

Oh, and one last factor.  I did see whichever of the new movies was released in about 1999 or thereabouts, and it was awful.  I've been told, however, that this is irrelevant to my enjoyment of the original saga.  Fact or fiction?

Magic Movie Moments with Harry, Part 1: Sorcerer's Stone

Anyone who is even a casual reader of this blog knows that I am a huge Harry Potter fan.  Seriously, it borders on unhealthy, this obsession I still somehow have.  And this summer marks the very last time that it's going to be (marginally) socially acceptable for me to gush over all things HP.  (This doesn't mean I won't continue to do so, it just means that it will be all the more annoying to everyone around me when I do).  Anyway, the final film comes out in just a few weeks' time, and I thought I'd take a look back at the previous seven films, the last ten years of this big-screen phenomenon, and pick out some of my favorite moments.  

Harry, Ron, and Hermione have the meet-cute of a lifetime on the train to Hogwarts.
Our Trio's First Scene Together! 
Harry and Ron bond over a mutual fascination with each other, and their love of candy (because really, who doesn't love candy?).  Hermione introduces herself with more snobbery than 99% of eleven year olds on the planet-- good thing that turned out to be a misdirect.  I loved the way each of them acted in this scene; the personalities of the three characters were well-articulated even in their first moments together.  Oh, by the way, Hermione?  That boy you're passing judgment on?  The ginger kid with the dirt on his nose?  Yeah, you're gonna marry him.

Harry's Big Game

 The quidditch scene addresses our wondering of how the hell they would convey this wacky sport on the big screen. I have to say, I'm still amused by just how brutal it was made to look here (three of Harry's teammates are down for the count by game's end, and no one seems terribly concerned), and given the limited technology of 2001, the whole thing is pretty darn impressive for its time.


Mirror Images

Our Harry takes a nighttime stroll in his newly acquired invisibility cloak, and comes across a treasure in a secret room.  This scene is probably my favorite in this book, and definitely my top 10 of the series, for the simple poignancy.  Harry is an eleven year old boy, and as such could be hoping for any number of silly things, and yet his dearest ambition is to see an image of his parents one more time.  My heartstrings had officially been tugged when I read this scene, and the wide-eyed longing with which baby-Dan Radcliffe played this scene was just perfect.  And of course, it's from this scene in both book and movie that we learn one of the most important lessons Dumbledore will teach us:  "It does not do to dwell on dreams, and forget to live."

Life-sized Chess!  Ron sacrifices himself!

This scene, apart from being so darn exciting in the book, is a huge moment of achievement for all three members of the trio.  Ron steps up to the plate in a big way, leading the team to a victory that neither Harry nor Hermione could have achieved; Hermione realizes that her brand of intelligence isn't enough in every situation (though admittedly it comes through in many of them); and Harry faces the fact that he can't be the only one to make sacrifices all the time (of course, he seems to forget and re-learn this lesson in all seven books).  And amid all the epiphanies, there's of course the really cool visual of giant chess pieces facing off in a battle to the death.


"I'm not going home, not really."

Harry finds his place at Hogwarts and we, like him, eagerly await the journey back.  I love that the film ended on this note, with John Williams' beautifully composed score swelling optimistically as the train rolls away.  It just seems to perfectly sum up the feeling in Harry's heart when he leaves this first year of magic and so many new discoveries.  There's also a bit of a bittersweet note-- Harry knows now what he's returning to, and what he's leaving behind.  Fortunately, this time it's only for a summer.

Stay tuned for part two, when I dig through the denseness that is Chamber of Secrets for its best moments.

Discussion: Will Deathly Hallows Part 2 Live Up to the Hype?

It has begun.  (Actually, it began a few weeks ago, but it's only now I have time to pause and reflect upon it, take it all in.)  The hype train is in full motion for Deathly Hallows Part 2, and it is shaping up to be quite the campaign.  Yes, the major advertisements and such have been cropping up quietly in various corners of the Internet, but I think this is just because WB has learned that word of mouth is these films' most valuable marketing tool.  The trailer went viral approximately 10 seconds after it made its appearance (I posted it here only to find that all my blogger friends had done the same within the same 10 minutes or so), and the amount of stills and clips and the usual jumble of spoilers has been much more sparse this time around. 

I for one like that the marketing team seems to be going minimalist for this film.  Even the posters that have just been released are understated, just a photograph and the "IT ALL ENDS" caption, which for me is more than sufficiently epic, but when compared to your average movie poster is incredibly scaled down.  This leads me to believe that not only are they relying on us fans to spread the word and generate buzz due to our tragically mingled excitement and sadness about the series' final film, but that the film may just be capable of speaking almost entirely for itself.  I tend to judge films before their release based on the choices made in their marketing (how early, how frequent, etc), and generally the movies that truly blow us all away are the ones that didn't have the loudest, most explosion-y commercials or a million and one scenes leaked on the web.  They're the ones that some sects of the movie-going community started talking about ages before their actual release, and that have the least to prove at the box office.  Because let's face it, even if Deathly Hallows 2 tanks (which it won't, because I'm pretty sure myself and my nerd friends' ticket money could single-handedly keep it afloat), the franchise is already swimming in cash.  Even if this movie is a huge financial disappointment, there is so much emotion behind it for everyone who made it and everyone who'll watch it that it is impossible for it to be a true failure.

My optimism, however, doesn't blind me to some of the nagging questions I have about the final installment.  I am always slightly wary of these films, just because there are so many tiny places where re-writes of the text can make or break my favorite scenes and characters.  What does give me hope is that Deathly Hallows Part 1 was my favorite by far in terms of accuracy and interpretation, so I'm going to venture a guess that it's sister film can't diverge too widely from this achievement.  I am concerned, though, about some of the changes they seem to be making.  The first is something we all got a glimpse of halfway through the trailer, and something which the producers talked about during filming:  Harry and Voldemort are going to have a physical altercation during the final battle, trading blows that do not take place anywhere in JK Rowling's book (and rightfully so-- writing a fist fight is hard enough; writing a fist fight between a 17 year old boy and a 60-something year old man would be doubly strange).  I understand the motivation here-- it is a movie after all, and that kind of drawn-out fight appeals to the thrill seeker in us, and if I'm being honest I think we can (halfheartedly) admit that in Rowling's version, the final actual confrontation (that is, the moment when Voldemort is actually killed) is just a wee bit anti-climactic.  I could write you a thesis on why it's written that way (I have no doubts it was very intentionally done), but that isn't the point.  What I'm concerned about is whether this scene will come off in the film as well as those responsible for the re-write seem to be hoping.  I can make peace with it as long as it's believable, but if it isn't I worry that this critical moment could turn into a near parody of the text it seeks to bring to life.

My other primary concern (and it's kind of miraculous that at this point I've really only got two) is the Snape and Lily relationship and how it will be portrayed/revealed.  The films have already flubbed this once, cutting Lily completely out of the "Snape's Worst Memory" scene in Order of the Phoenix, so it will be that much more difficult for them to make the Snape plot twist both clear and believable without a whole lot of exposition.  As far as movie-watchers know, Snape and Lily might never have even met one another-- this is a problem as by the film's end we have to buy that he was in love with her, and so much so that he was willing to die for her son with the man he loathed.  And don't forget that this all has to be done without turning the film into the Snape Show.

Overall, I'm excited.  Everything looks pretty great so far, and I think there is an inflation factor for many of us that will make the film seem even better than it truly is just because of our emotional investment in it as the end of an era.  If ever there were a time when "graduation goggles" were going to work in someone's favor, it would be now, and I think the marketing gurus at WB are just savvy enough to realize that.

Film Talk: "Exit Through the Gift Shop"

I tend to go through extended periods where I'm not particularly inclined to watch documentaries, if only because my attention span doesn't seem to want to permit it, but I broke my streak with "Exit Through the Gift Shop."  I've finally jumped on the Netflix bandwagon, so I think you can reasonably expect an increase in film reviews/discussions on this blog, especially as I go to heroic lengths to avoid homework.

This film was so intriguing on several levels, I literally couldn't look away from it.  I've thought Banksy is a genius for a while now (I did a research piece on him for a class a few months ago), but seeing the influence of his work as well as the breadth of the street art movement was just plain cool.  I love the idea that this secretive, subversive community exists and is doing such interesting work despite the increased threat of arrest.  But the aspect of the film that I think really appealed to the casual viewer in me was the focus on Thierry Guetta, the cameraman who filmed hours upon hours of street artists doing their work, initially without any intention of actually making a film.  I loved what he had to say about the value of capturing moments on camera, of preserving his memories because he'll never see them the same way again-- there was something just beautifully striking about that, and it made me agree with Banksy, who at the film's beginning says that when he met the man hoping to make a documentary about him, he found Guetta to be much more interesting than himself.

And of course, I loved it just because the entire concept of street art appeals to my inner anarchist.  I wholeheartedly believe that street art should be allowed and even encouraged, especially if the people doing it are talented or spreading a message.  No, I don't think some forms of it are necessary (I think people writing their names or making a mess for the sake of it, for instance, should stop wasting their time), but on the whole I think art needs to be more liberated in this way.  There is less and less emphasis on it in the public school system, especially in this country, and it saddens me to think that every time we suppress an aspiring creative, we miss out on the full realization of his or her talent and potential for greatness.

I'm not sure how I felt about the last third or so of the film, which focused on Guetta's foray into the world of street art.  His attempts to emulate Banksy rapidly spiraled into what felt largely like a ploy for attention and money, which of course goes against everything the movement he's spent the film documenting is about.  Yes, Banksy and fellow street artist Shepard Fairy sounded more than a little resentful in their commentaries on the huge success of Guetta's show, but can you blame them?  They must have been feeling how I felt when Snooki got a book deal, or how musicians feel when people like Rebecca Black strike it rich with no talent.  It's just a disappointment, and I think Banksy summed it up best when he said it made him question whether art is just a joke.  As much as Guetta's change in attitude bothered me, I did like that the film ended here, on a note of uncertainty.