2008 Woodie Awards
Thanksgiving break holiday movies to see
Priscilla and Aaron Mizell
Aaron: Wow, this is one that wasn't a copy of the one that came before it. It is a classic sequel to the sequel that came before it. The movie was a decent speed and then just took off. My guess is they ran out of time before Christmas and had to put too much into the movie before the end. There were several loose ends that were never tied up because they just sped through it too fast. It was a decent speed, then it went 300 miles per hour, and then it hit a brick wall-a really thick, ridiculously corny brick wall.
Priscilla: I certainly enjoyed watching my first Christmas movie of the season, but as Aaron wrote, The Escape Clause is a typical sequel. Some parts are pretty creative (especially introducing other Holiday figures like the Easter Bunny and Mother Nature into the council) but overall, the film isn't that special. The kids in the audience seemed to like it just fine, and it was fun seeing "Charlie" all grown up, but this isn't nearly as good as the original. Unless you have kids in tow, you many want to wait for another film to bring in the season.
Flags of Our Fathers
Priscilla: For the life of me, I will never understand why people put themselves through the cruelty of war. Flags of our Fathers features a part of war which Hollywood rarely portrays-the effects of the violence and loss on the soldiers afterwards. I was fascinated to find out what became of the heroes of Iwo Jima. This movie is heartbreaking--the ending alone is worth seeing. Usually, I try to avoid war movies, but I wholeheartedly recommend this film.
Aaron: This is a great movie that has a wonderful concept-the fact that the line between good and evil, be there one at all, is very thin. The characters talk about what a soldier does in war and that they are not necessarily things that they should be revered for. It is not poetic about how wonderful and holy death and killing is in war-it is honest. That was something that I found very admirable. They showed that both sides, no matter how they are viewed, be it good or evil, are human. It shows people come running up over the hill just as determined as our heroes to kill, for they know that if they don't do it first then they will be the ones that are dead. The question of, "what is after death?" comes to mind. Is God waiting to welcome us into heaven, are we to be pulled into a World of the Dead by Hades, or is there anything at all? It's a scary thought-which is it?
Stranger than Fiction
Aaron: A delightful movie-one of the best I've seen in a long time. Wow, this was a great one that makes your jaw drop because of the fact that Will Farrell does have the ability to be serious in a movie. The marks of a true actor is whether or not you can play any role-no matter how funny, scary, or serious it may or may not be. Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, and William Ferrell are four of those people, all of which are in this beautiful film. We even have the entertaining guys from the sonic commercials. All in all, this was one great movie and I am definitely going to push you toward it. If you don't see it at the movies or rent it sooner or later, then surely the Egyptian goddess of gifts and punishments, Bast, will curse your every step.
Priscilla: Well, Aaron certainly has been having fun on his new mythology kick! Interesting allusions aside, this truly is a wonderful film. I was surprised at how deeply it moved me. The depth of the characters is truly remarkable, and as an English major, I loved the references to literature and the insight into writing. However, the film did have a very odd quirk. Throughout much of the film boom mics are easily visible along the top of the screen. In one scene, you can actually see the entirety of the microphone, the attached pole, and the wires wrapped around with a good foot of space above. Obviously this film snuck into theatres without experiencing that part of the editing process. Yet, even with the awkward microphones, and the audience's laughter at the microphones, this is the best movie I have seen all year.
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