The evolution of visual effects

This image comes courtesy of NewBlueFX and connects the history of movie visual effects and its relationship to the Academy Awards.

The 85th Academy Awards airs on ABC on Sunday, February 24. The full list of nominees can be found at http://oscar.go.com.

The reactionary blame game

In the days following the Sandy Hook shootings in Connecticut, I started to think about the many ways in which popular culture – the movies and video games specifically – would be blamed for this tragedy. Sure enough, people started appearing on news networks and writing columns for newspapers describing how this terrible event and others could have been prevented if America didn't digest so much violent entertainment. It's an old argument.

In fact, as I write this, a group in Connecticut is organizing a drive to collect and destroy violent video games. This is the natural course of events that follows such mass murders in our nation. While I can agree that these violent acts occur far too often – once is more than enough – I do not blame video games, movies or television shows. Neither do the experts. The latest study was published in The Atlantic.

I started to do some research for facts I could use to make my point that pop culture shouldn't be the scapegoat for the violent tendencies of a few people. In doing so, I ran across a column from author Stephen Marche for Esquire magazine, titled "Why Culture Is Never Responsible For Mass Murder." His thoughts mirror mine, and I certainly couldn't have written anything on this topic as well as he does, so I am sharing his article with you. I encourage you to read it and to share your thoughts with us here.

The best way to begin to tackle gun violence in this country is to talk about it. Most people – most politicians – avoid the subject entirely. It only becomes part of our national discourse when tragedy strikes. Well, by then it is too late. We must examine this issue constantly and with an open mind. The reactionary blame game gets us nowhere.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the Sandy Hook victims and their families and friends.

Update (1/9/12): Connecticut town cancels plans to destroy video games.

Giving Football Movies More Respect

Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. Photo: Georgia Dept. of Economic Development

As much as I love watching professional and college football, it occurs to me that I don't give football movies as much respect and attention as I willingly give baseball movies. (I've already written about my favorite baseball movies below on this blog.) So with football season well underway, I decided to make a list of my favorite films set on the gridiron. However, it quickly occurred to me that I hadn't yet seen many of the movies considered among the best football films. How could this be? I wasn't intentionally avoiding these movies. I don't let many baseball movies slide past without at least a glance – save for those movies where some kid ends up playing professionally, or angels help a team win games.

Instead of making a short list of my favorite football movies among the ones I've actually seen, I decided to make a list of the ones I want to see. There are many films that depict the dramatic and comedic lives of football players (and their families). Films that have won Academy Awards. Films based on best-selling books. Films that are considered classics. But before I get to the classics (Brian's Song, North Dallas Forty), I'm going to watch a collection of modern football movies, perhaps in a marathon fashion. Below is a list (in no particular order) of some of the modern football movies I most want to see. Upon reading, please let me know what your favorite football films are and what other football films I should see.

Leatherheads – This is a comedy about the early days of football, when actual protection from bodily harm was relegated mostly to a leather helmet. The movie stars George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, and John Krasinski. The plot is loosely based on Chicago Bears owner George Halas' pursuit of Red Grange. I like all three stars in the movie, especially Clooney, so why have I not seen this?

The Blind Side – Based on Michael Oher's life story (Oher plays for the Baltimore Ravens), this film stars Sandra Bullock (who won an Oscar for her role) and Tim McGraw (personally, I like my country singers-turned-actors in the form of Dwight Yoakam, but still...). It's a drama about how a poor kid – with the help of a wealthy family – makes it to the NFL. This movie grossed more than $200 million domestically, so even casual sports fans found this one entertaining. But again, I somehow missed it.

We Are Marshall – Stars the two Matthews (McConaughey and Fox) and David Strathairn. This film is about the tragic plane crash that takes the lives of virtually the entire Marshall football team in 1970, as well has how the team, the school, and the community copes and rebuilds. I know all about the tragedy – it still is talked about during Marshall football broadcasts today – but I haven't seen this dramatization. Long overdue.

Friday Night Lights – Texas football. Does it get any better? No, it does not, which is why so many football movies are set there. This one is based on H.G. Bissinger's book of the same name about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas. This story would eventually be made into a popular TV series, which I also haven't seen. I gotta get with the program, right?!

Invincible – This one stars Mark Walberg as Vince Papale, a guy who really did make it as a Philadelphia Eagle during an open tryout. I was aware of the film during its release, but never got around to seeing it. Again, this is another almost-too-good-to-be-true football story – much like The Blind Side – but with an action hero in the starring role. What's not to love? Adding to Netflix queue...

Film is dead. Long live film.

IMAX film negative. Copyright 2012 Company Films LLC.

Is it time to stop referring to movies as “films”? This is a question I’ve been pondering since June, when I read that movie studios will cease producing film prints for major markets by the end of 2013. At the very least, should we stop referring to new movies as films? In most cases, what we’re watching these days was recorded digitally – no celluloid involved. Hardly anything in theaters or on TV is “filmed” anymore; it’s recorded to hard drives. (There are exceptions, such as ABC’s Castle, which we noted here: http://markeemag.com/Article/613/.) So this leaves me wondering if we need a new term for digital movies, or if we just refer to them simply as “movies.”

My only hesitation is that, for as long as I can remember, I have differentiated between movies that simply were made for entertainment (“movies”) and those also made with the intent to educate, inform, document and, perhaps, change the world in some small way (“films”). How would I make this distinction in the future? Fast and Furious 20 certainly is not the same form of entertainment as March of the Penguins. 

I posed this question recently on Quora. (Please add your two cents: http://b.qr.ae/PdpwJb.) Chris Keath, director of production workflows at Current TV, was kind enough to answer. He said: “I see no need. ‘Movie’ and ‘Film’ are already more or less inter-changeable terms for a general public point of view. It may fall out of fashion over time, but I find the whole notion of being able to intentionally remove a common definition from the public lexicon to be pretty suspect.”

I am inclined to agree. For now, let’s leave well enough alone. I suppose we may not need an ideological push in the direction of referring to all films as movies; it may eventually happen without our consent. As our technologies change, so does our vocabulary. For example, we don’t tape our favorite music or TV programs anymore; we simply record them. And many people have taken to using the acronym DVR as a verb. (“I DVR’d that show so I can watch it later.”) So until we’re all DVR’ing documentary “movies” to our web-enabled wristwatches and eyeglasses, you can find me at the multiplex viewing the latest silent “film” from France. 

Note:
There are some in Hollywood looking to make a distinction as well – or least trying to make sense of how this digital transition will affect their business and their lives. For instance, actor Keanu Reeves produced a documentary titled Side by Side, which aims to investigate the history, process and workflow of both digital and photochemical film creation. According to the project's website (http://sidebysidethemovie.com/), "Through interviews with directors, cinematographers, film students, producers, technologists, editors, and exhibitors, Side by Side examines all aspects of filmmaking – from capture to edit, visual effects to color correction, distribution to archive. At this moment when digital and photochemical filmmaking coexist, Side by Side explores what has been gained, what is lost, and what the future might bring."

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

2012 looks to be a banner year for filmmakers and moviegoers alike. There appears to be a great number of potential blockbusters on the calendar, which may help to alleviate headaches among studio executives who view 2011 as a not-so-banner year for box office successes (the rampaging Harry Potter and Mission Impossible sequels notwithstanding). Thus, I present to you my list of the top 5 movies I'm most anxious to see – in no particular order. These five films are sure to find an audience, and very well could be the five highest grossing movies of the year.

Dark Shadows – Once again, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team up for a quirky Gothic tale (this one about vampires) that is sure to delight. Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, a man who is entombed in 1752 and released in 1972 where he must deal with his new surroundings and distant relatives. The movie is based on the cult TV series by the same name, and costars Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, and Helena Bonham Carter (of course). Dark Shadows is set for a May release.

The Bourne Legacy – This Bourne series reboot stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross, another CIA operative with issues. I know, I know: "You can't have a Bourne movie without Matt Damon!" I don't agree. Renner is more than capable of carrying this movie, and with Tony Gilroy behind the camera (He wrote the screenplays for the other Bourne movies.), The Bourne Legacy is going to surprise the skeptics. There are not many details available yet on this film, but it is scheduled for an August release.

Gangster Squad – Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Nick Nolte, Giovanni Ribisi. Do you really need to know more? Really? Well, okay. The movie is about a group of LAPD officers trying to put away the LA mafia in the 1940s and 1950s. There are big shoes to fill in the world of mafia movies and period cop dramas, certainly, but this cast has me dreaming of fancy suits, fedoras, and Tommy Guns. Scheduled for an October release.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Peter Jackson's latest take on Tolkien doesn't arrive until December, but the lines are probably forming now, so invest in a snug sleeping bag and a comfy camping chair. The movie stars Martin Freeman (Sherlock, Hot Fuzz) as Bilbo Baggins who journeys to reclaim a stolen treasure. You don't have to be a sci-fi or fantasy "fan boy" to enjoy the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Jackson has made them accessible and entertaining for us all. This film certainly will be remembered as a classic, just as the Lord of the Rings series before it.

Django Unchained – Two words: Quentin Tarantino. Two more words: Leonardo DiCaprio. Need to know more? Okay. Tarantino returns to action (finally) with this period action thriller about a slave-turned-bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx) who sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner (DiCaprio). You just know this is going to epic. And yes, Samuel L Jackson makes an appearance. Look for this one in theaters in December as well. What a month that is going to be!

Holiday Classics

For many of us, one of the great pleasures of the holiday season is watching our favorite Christmas movies and TV specials. Just like the holidays themselves, these shows and films spark childhood memories of innocent times when our only cares were what would be waiting for us under the tree on Christmas morning, or which of our favorite cousins would be waiting for us at our grandparents' house when we arrived for the annual holiday meal.

Like me, it likely was in your grandparents' living room where you watched many of these holiday classics – such as It's a Wonderful Life or Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – for the first time. Thus, we have a great deal of affection for these classics (which is why they are referred to as classics in the first place) and tend to make them holiday traditions with our own children. My personal favorites tend to be animated, such as A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. But thinking about these old standards this year has me wondering, are there any "new classics" out there? Are there any recently produced Christmas movies or TV specials that will earn a place among the holiday classics?

Every year there is a new crop of holiday programming and new films in theaters, but can you think of any that deserve to be called classics? The movie, Elf, is funny and airs on TV quite often this time of year, but it's not heart-warming enough to become a classic. Home Alone is much-loved, but again, can one consider it classic? I, for one, cannot. I think Tim Burton has come the closest to producing a new classic with The Nightmare Before Christmas. (Burton wrote and produced the film, which was directed by Henry Selick.) Close, but no cigar, as the saying goes. Don't get me wrong; I adore this claymation film, but I don't anticipate watching it every December. Perhaps there is a younger crowd out there that does.

On television, some more recent programming has tried to acknowledge older TV classics, such as Rudolph, with old-school style animated programs, though they tend to do so with a sense of humor. Last year's Community (NBC) holiday episode (pictured) and the recent holiday episode of Eureka (Syfy) spring to mind. Both shows were quite funny, especially if you're familiar with the material that is being lampooned, but they're certainly not destined to become classics.

So, what are your favorite holiday shows and movies? Please share your memories and family traditions with us.

About the image: Community (NBC) Christmas episode, Dec. 2010. Image courtesy of Eden FX. Originally appeared in Markee Nov/Dec 2010 issue.

Top 9 Baseball Movies

Moneyball (Sony), starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, is a hit with critics and is doing quite well at the box office. The movie, which is about Oakland’s team struggling to be competitive with a highly limited budget, has the potential to become a classic among baseball films. Thus, I’ve been thinking about my favorite baseball movies, so I decided to create a list of the Top 9 Baseball Movies as I see them. Why nine? Well, I think that’s obvious, but if you don’t know, then you’ve probably never seen the films on this list anyway.

9. Major League – Shows the funny side of baseball and all professional sports, really. Grown men who get paid to play a game and thus haven’t quite grown up.

8. For Love of the Game – Shows the romantic side of the game and how it can be hard for an aging athlete to let it go.

7. The Rookie – Based on a true story, this film is an uplifting story about a man who never gave up on his dream of playing professional baseball.

6. Eight Men Out – Also based on a true story, this film tells the story of how the 1919 White Sox may have intentionally lost the World Series. The stellar cast includes Charlie Sheen, who would later star in Major League.

5. Soul of the Game (TV movie) – This movie is about a few of the now-legendary Negro League players’ attempts to break the color barrier into the Major Leagues. There’s a deep well of stories within the Negro Leagues that have yet to be told on film.

4. A League of Their Own – This 1992 blockbuster recounts a story of two Oregon sisters who played in the female professional baseball league during World War II. Tom Hanks and Geena Davis gave terrific performances, and the ending still makes me tear up.

3. Bull Durham – I think I’ve seen this movie more than any other on this list, perhaps because it seems to be on TV often. Both funny and poignant, this movie shows the gritty side of the game – the guy who plays just for the thrill. Kevin Costner’s character, Crash Davis, doesn’t want money or fame. He just wants to play.

2. Field of Dreams – The third Costner movie on this list and my favorite of the three. (Hey, you can’t name a list of great baseball movies without the guy.) This one shows how deeply baseball is rooted in America and more importantly, how baseball often is the catalyst for fathers to relate to and bond with their sons. Beautiful film. Interesting note: Costner’s role originally was offered to Tom Hanks.

1. The Natural – Stars Robert Redford, of course. This isn’t just one of my favorite baseball movies, it is one of my favorite movies, period. It’s a fantasy about a guy who may or may not have died before getting his first chance to be a star player. The second time around, he doesn’t make the same mistakes.

Some of your favorites may be on this list; many may not. So share your thoughts here. Let me know what other films I should check out, and tell me why those movies are among your favorites.