The TV Addict 

Back when I was a wee teenage lad, having just returned to America after a stint in Germany, I stumbled into a theatre on July 4th weekend to see INDEPENDENCE DAY. From that day on, I knew July 4th was a special day in movies, one where you could sit down to a veritable feast of special effects, explosions, and gloriously over-the-top fun action drama. So here in no particular order are the best (and worst) Independence Day weekend movies I’ve seen in theatres.

Best FilmsSPIDER-MAN 2
Not only the best SPIDER-MAN movie, one of the best super-hero movies too date, but clearly in the top ranks of Independence Day weekend movies. It had everything an actually great film should have, regardless when it comes out. That being said, SPIDER-MAN 2 was a refreshing July release because it not only provided exciting action and high stakes, but thanks to its screenwriters also legitimate, accomplished drama.

TRANSFORMERS
I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t like TRANSFORMERS, but it is quintessentially what a July 4th movie should be like (right down to its flaws). Admittedly, perhaps I was able to enjoy the movie’s grand spectacle so much because I was never attached enough to the TV show to cringe in horror as the robots in disguise were turned into slightly goofy sidekicks. I also have nothing against Spielberg or Bay, at least not when they’re firing on all mainstream cylinders as they are here. Sure, it’s not a great film, but it’s a good summer movie, which is sort of the point of Independence Day movies.

TERMINATOR 2
If you even have to question why this movie is on the list, I’m not sure you’re a film buff. TERMINATOR 2 is one of the greatest action films ever made. Do I really need to say more?

INDEPENDENCE DAY
The one that truly started the whole Independence Day trend we have today. Sure, there were other movies, but I’d argue it was really INDEPENDENCE DAY – in all its silly epic grandeur – that truly set the standard for what type of movies people were looking for in July, and what type of movies would be made to cater to that demand. It also established for green-eyed studio heads how much friggin money can be earned on Independence Day weekend with the right high-profile product. As for the film, well, having re-watched it recently on Blu-Ray it holds up surprisingly well. Still silly, but still lots of fun.

MEN IN BLACK
Though I’m not sure I’d like it so much anymore now, at the time of its release I adored MEN IN BLACK. Probably the main reason was not only because it was perfect high-concept summer material, but because unlike many of its July kin it wasn’t bogged down by a case of self-importance and top-heavy seriousness. Instead it gave us an refreshingly funny and quirky spin on the summer movie that was most welcome, and that hasn’t really been reproduced in a Independence Day weekend film since. Well, except for … well, keep reading.

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First off, to all the REELaddict readers whom I am honored to call my fellow countrymen and women, I’d like to wish you a wonderful Canada Day, no matter where you may be spending it, and who with. Second, for those of you who may accidently stumble onto the internet and this site during the course of your day, I thought that in honor of Canada Day I’d throw out a quick list of ten of my favorite Canadian actors. Because all Canadians rock, and today shouldn’t be about competition, I’ve only listed them alphabetically.

Please feel free to contribute your own favorites. You can even throw in other Canadian filmmakers if you like, whether it be directors, producers, screenwriters, etc. Also if there are any Americans out there who also have Canadian filmmakers they love, please feel free to throw in your two cents as well.

Will Arnett
Though he is making his way more and more into film, Will Arnett will forever hold a special Canadian place in my heart for his consistently hilarious performance as Gob on the much-missed TV-show ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

Sarah Carter
I’ve had a pretty big crush on Sarah Carter since her sexy guest spots on both SMALLVILLE and ENTOURAGE. After a few unsuccessful films, Carter has found a permanent place on the TV show SHARK, making her one of the many Canadian actors representing our country on the boob tube. Hm. That was probably a bad time to use the expression “boob tube.” Pun not intended. I think.

Tom Cavanagh
I wish Tom Cavangh were my best friend. I think he’s awesome, whether it be his charming roles on the now defunct show ED and LOVE MONKYE, his amazing recurring character on SCRUBS, or his turns in the films ALCHEMY (with fellow Canadian, Sarah Chalke), GRAY MATTERS, or BREAKFAST WITH SCOT. Besides the latter was not only a Canadian film, he played a former Maple Leafs hockey player. It doesn’t get more Canadian than that folks.

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A while back I posted my list of Top Pixar Films, but since posting it I came to realize I would need to slightly reorder my evaluation of certain films. So, in order to accommodate that, and in honor of WALL-E hitting theatres this Friday, I thought I would repost the list here again in a snazzy 2.0 version. For those of you who haven’t had the chance to read and comment on the list (with your own order, of course), please contribute your thoughts and own lists and also check out some of the orders provided by readers in the older post (linked above).

8. CARS
Something was just missing from this one. The story wasn’t very fresh or exciting, the characters (except for Mater) were just not quintessentially Pixar, and the film just seemed to be missing the big heart we’ve come to expect from Pixar. Personally, I think a big part of it was the fact that it’s hard to get much emotional expression of out of windshields functioning as eyes. The only thing I really adored about this film was this.

7. A BUG’S LIFE
I know this has always been an early favorite in Pixar’s canon, but it’s just never done much for me. Yes, it’s a great little underdog story, with a classic case of humorous mistaken identity (via the circus performers), but what was at stake just never seemed dramatic enough for me to become invested in the story and shed my indifference.

6. TOY STORY
TOY STORY finds itself a bit lower on my list largely because I find its sequel a vastly superior film. That and the fact that even though it’s still a fantastic film, there are times when elements of its storyline grate on my nerves a little, such as the sheer insanity of Sid, Buzz’s frustrating existential ignorance, and Woody’s immature jealousy hampering his inherent likeability.

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Now that we’ve entering the month that heralds the halfway mark of the year, it seems like as good a time as any to take stock and evaluate what has been the best the year 2008 has produced so far.

1. THE BAND’S VISIT
Though at the beginning of the film THE BAND’S VISIT assures us that “not many remember” the events of the film, and that in the end “it wasn’t that important,” precisely the opposite is true. It’s a lovely told little story, an ode to the potential power of brief yet burning moments. Moments fueled by human interaction that then can culminate years of day-to-day living into a sudden burst of piercing reflection, self-awareness, and realization, before that day-to-day routine returns once again. The fact that most of that message is conveyed through the dazzling performances of both Sasson Gabai and Ronit Elkabetz is all the more impressive. It is a film that is nothing short of a revelation and revelatory.

2. THE VISITOR
Tom McCarthy’s excellent follow-up to his previous THE STATION AGENT is once again a quiet, but thoughtful and emotional story of a man who emerges from a self-imposed exile within himself. This time that man is powered by the hopefully to be Academy Award recognized performance by Richard Jenkins, as well as a strong supporting cast that infuse the film with its peaceful, delicately sweet energy that makes it film you gladly welcome into your emotional centre, and let it envelop you with its poignancy.

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During the summer everyone is always talking about anticipating this film or other, but a lot of times the reason we’re looking forward to a particular film is not just its concept, but the acting performances it promises. So with my Top 10 Most Anticipated Summer Movies list already up, I thought I’d highlight a few of the actors – in no particular order - whose work I’m most looking forward to seeing this summer season.

Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly, STEP BROTHERS
These two are a perfect comedic duo, and the concept of STEP BROTHERs – purportedly devised by the two actors themselves – is a perfect, simple vehicle to let their humor shine. Above all else, I’m just so happy to see John C. Reilly finally breakout, even if after years of solid character roles it turned out to be comedy that would get him noticed.

Robert Downey Jr., TROPIC THUNDER
It’s really hard to imagine Downey Jr. could top his performance in IRON MAN, but I’m incredibly curious to see how he is going to pull off playing a white Australian actor who in the film is in turn playing an African American. Inherently it seems like a politically incorrect disaster (then again, the Wayans did turn themselves white a while back), but based on all the trailers it looks like he pulls it off perfectly and – most importantly – hilariously.

Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Before you get the wrong idea, I’m not morbidly looking forward to Ledger’s performance in THE DARK KNIGHT because it was his last. I’m looking forward to it because it looks phenomenal. Based on the trailers, it just blows my mind how Ledger all but disappears into the role of the Joker, both in manner and appearance. It seems like such a seamless melding with the psychopathic spirit of the villain, that HYPERLINK “http://www.cinematical.com/2008/05/14/discuss-could-heath-ledger-land-an-oscar-nod-for-his-dark-knig/” some are already wondering whether it may deserve an Oscar nomination.

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Editor’s Note: Our Top 10 Anticipated Summer Movies was actually written in April, but posted late due to theTVaddict’s unfortunate addiction to TV!

Honorable Mentions: THE HAPPENING, THE INCREDIBLE HULK,

Guilty Pleasures: MAMMA MIA!, SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS 2, THE ACCIDENTAL HUSBAND , WANTED, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR

10. GET SMART (June 20th)
I’ll concede that there’s a pretty substantial chance that GET SMART might not end up being very good. The thing is I grew up loving the TV show (when I lived in Germany the only English-language channel we got was one that played older shows like “Bewitched,” “I Dream of Jennie,” etc), and Steve Carell is ideally suited for the role – both in terms of appearance and humor. I also never cease to enjoy watching The Rock poking fun at himself, nor seeing Anne Hathaway get increasingly more attractive and diverse with her roles.

9. STEP BROTHERS (July 25th)
The interactions between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in TALLEDGA NIGHTS were the highlight of the film for me, and the notion of pitting them together as boy-men stepbrothers is nothing short of comedic gold. I mean, I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much during a trailer. The “Did we just become best friends?!” line cracks me up every time. It’s good too to see that Will Ferrell is taking a role that is also ideally suited for his brand of humor (and isn’t making fun of a sport/career).

8. TROPIC THUNDER (August 15th)
Robert Downey Jr. playing an over-the-top method actor playing an African American solider? That’s all I pretty much need right there. But sure, having Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte and a handful of cameos doesn’t hurt either, nor does the film’s motivation to spoof war films like APOCALYPSE NOW and the way they attempted to immerse their actors in the war experience.

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Reminded by the recent STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING (you can read my review here) of how much I love films about writers of all shades and colors, I thought I’d recall which ones I’ve enjoyed the most.

Honorable Mentions: MISERY, SHATTERED GLASS, MISERY, STRANGER THAN FICTION, THE SHINING, IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS

10. THE TV SET
Though the film ends up beating you over the head with its message a bit, it’s a great darkly funny and cynical look at the emotional wringer a writer (David Duchovny) is put through when trying to get his pilot – and series – picked up by a major network that has everyone’s interest in mind except the writer’s original vision. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more scathing critique of corporate/network dumbing down of artistic material for the sake of the lowest common denominator, or a more heart-breaking portrayal of how a lot of writers get treated in the film and television industry.

9. STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING
STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING stands out because, as I pointed out in my Richard Yates, one of my favorite authors, and one of the greatest writers of the 20th Century that most people have never heard of.

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5. William Wyler
Though Wyler began most of his early career directing Westerns, and later directed classics of the genre (THE WESTERNER, BIG COUNTRY), his work was much more diverse than that. In several cases one can argue he gave us some of the foremost examples of those genres. After all, I feel anyone attempting to make an epic, a romantic comedy, a human war drama, or a musical biopic, is knowingly or not indebted to Wyler’s BEN-HUR, ROMAN HOLIDAY, MRS.MINIVER/ THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, and FUNNY GIRL. Other notables are DODSWORTH, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, THE DESPERATE HOURS, THE COLLECTOR, JEZEBEL and THE LETTER. Wyler should also be recognized for having the distinct talent of catapulting fledgling actors to fame, whether it was Bette Davis in JEZEBEL, Audrey Hepburn in ROMAN HOLIDAY, or Barbara Streisand in FUNNY GIRL.

4. Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott has always distinguished himself as a director who leaps drastically from genre to genre with each subsequent film he makes. In chronological order we have: THE DUELLISTS, ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, LEGEND, BLACK RAIN, THELMA & LOUISE, 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE, WHITE SQUALL, G.I. JANE, GLADIATOR, HANNIBAL, BLACK HAWK DOWN, MATCHSTICK MEN, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, A GOOD YEAR, AMERICAN GANGSTER. Though some are better than others, surprisingly most of them good, and some are just flat-out classics (ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER). What’s up next? An Iraq movie (BODY OF LIES), a revisionist take on the Robin Hood legend (NOTTINGHAM), an adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy novel (BLOOD MERDIAN), as well rumors of a big-screen adaptation of the board came MONOPOLY, and this crime film.

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With the recent news that James Mangold is possibly attached to direct CYCLOPS, I found myself impressed with the versatility of the director. In his career Mangold has directed a wide range of films: serious dramas (COP LAND, GIRL INTERRUPTED), a romantic comedy (KATE & LEOPOLD), a horror/thriller (IDENTITY), a music biopic (WALK THE LINE), a Western (3:10 TO YUMA), and soon with CYCLOPS, science-fiction. I’ve always admired directors who don’t limit themselves to one particular genre, so I thought I’d list some of favorite and most versatile directors.

Honorable Mentions: Steven Soderberg, Norman Jewison, George Cukor, Fred Zinneman, Peter Weir.

10. Tim Burton
Initially I wasn’t sure whether or not I should include Burton on this list or not. It’s not that he hasn’t been versatile in terms of genres. He has obviously, having done adaptations of television shows and comic books (PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE and BATMAN), as well as remakes of sci-fi and family classics (PLANET OF THE APES and CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY). He’s brought us beautiful fairy tales (EDWARD SCISSORHANDS), twisted animated family films (NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS/THE CORSE BRIDE), a different take on the old headless horseman tale (SLEEPY HOLLOW), a poignant drama (BIG FISH), a musical (SWEENY TODD), a biopic (ED WOOD), and some things that are just, well, insane (BETTLEJUICE, MARS ATTACKS!). So why the hesitance to put him on this list? It’s just that whatever genre he dabbles in, there’s always a consistent tone. A dark whimsicalness, one might call it. But in the end it is pretty hard to argue with his filmography.

9. Steven Spielberg
Though science-fiction seems to hold a special place in Spielberg’s heart (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, E.T., ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, MINORITY REPORT, WAR OF THE WORLDS), he’s also branched out into fantasy action adventure (HOOK, JURASSIC PARK, INDIANA JONES), holocaust drama (SCHINDLER’S LIST), period dramas (AMISTAD, EMPIRE OF THE SUN, THE COLOR PURPLE), romantic comedies (THE TERMINAL), war films both serious (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) and not so much (1941). He’s done horror (JAWS, DUEL), a violent and political revenge film (MUNICH), and a fun little romp that is more or less a cat-and-mouse con film (CATCH ME IF YOU CAN).

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5. Night of the Living Dead
Even without its rife political and racial insinuations, the ending of THE NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is devastating to watch just because the main protagonist – who has out survived everyone else for the entire film – ends up shot in head just because he is confused with the very things he survived from. Dramatic irony doesn’t even begin to cover it.

4. The Mist
Admittedly a very recent film, but that by no means should dull the impact of its devastating ending that leaves you feeling like someone punched you in the stomach. It’s not just that Thomas Jane carries out a suicide pact that involves him killing his own son, and leaves him alive to deal with the emotional fallout. It’s that when he steps outside to leave himself to the monsters, he is instead greeted by the military. Had he waited only five minutes more, everyone would have survived. It’s like something right out of a Greek tragedy.

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