WHAT RISES HIGH IN "FLIGHT" MUST SURELY COME BACK DOWN...

Well now, this one was a curveball. I had completely and utterly assumed I was going to see an action film of sorts. Very much my own fault, I have been working like a woman possessed this last month, I freely admit that I am more than a little behind when it comes to cinematic research. I’d had a bit of a week of it when I got to watching this. I genuinely thought I was just going to see a well-acted action film that would take my mind off things. Instead, I found a film that made me think long and hard about very important stuff. Hey, it took my mind off things. Just not in the way I expected.

Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) is a pilot. One of the best there is. And he has more than ample chance to prove it when he saves almost all the souls on board using an almost impossible manoeuvre after a mechanical failure. The thing is though; he completes this impossible manoeuvre when drunk. And under the influence of cocaine. As you can imagine, this comes up pretty quickly in the medical examination. Now there is a race against time as his union rep and lawyer desperately try to quash the medical reports and keep Whip in line. And Whip, a raging alcoholic, takes one heck of a lot of keeping in line. For all his bravado however, Whip is guilt-stricken about the six people who died. This event is, in fact, a very good chance for him to face up to his past, his mistakes and his demons. Thing is, does he see it that way?

Ok, I love this film for so many reasons. Not least because it paints a realistic portrait of alcoholism and the destructive force it brings to the life of everyone around it. I know alcoholics. I know the children of alcoholics. Believe me, I am in a good position to judge these things.

In the film, I especially love the scene where Whip is “fighting the minibar” as it were. You’ll know what I mean if you watched the film. If not, you’ll know when you see it. I’m also impressed with the way it seems to be connected to such a random event – but so well connected. I NEVER expected a film about alcoholism and facing your demons based on the wonderful, nail-biting opening action sequence. But hey, this is Robert Zemeckis. Only the guy who directed Back to the Future. No biggie.  And who better to portray it than veteran actor Denzel Washington? Every time I see him acting I am even more convinced that he deserves every award he gets and more.

But I do have a few problems with it. The ending. Spoiler alert people, look away now if you don’t want to hear about the ending. I don’t usually do this, I know but I passionately feel the ending is “wrong” so I MUST talk about it. What can I do, I’m an Aries. Ok, this is Hollywood, obviously they have to show him kicking the habit (of course they have to. This is not my problem), making peace with himself and “killing” his demons. There is, of course, an estranged ex-wife and a son he doesn’t talk to also in the picture. Now, like I said I know both alcoholics and the children of alcoholics. I felt that Whip making “complete” peace with his son was a little too much, too soon. Not that I’m saying that would never happen. I would, however, be happier with an “open” ending. You know. A tentative and slightly awkward meeting in the prison café for example. Positive, but no big hugs and kisses. If I may say this, living with an alcoholic means you get lied to by the person and hurt on a regular basis. And life experience tells me complete trust takes time to grow, especially if the matter has grown to the point that you haven’t spoken to your own father/son for years. That kind of hurt doesn’t just go away like magic. Ok, supposedly Whip has been sober for a year but I don’t know… It didn’t seem right to me. I mean yes, classic Hollywood dictates that the family unit must be re-united by the end. And to give it it’s due, this is a surprisingly modern family unit as Whip has a new girlfriend (albeit a rather cheesy storyline of a fellow addict (drugs) kicking the habit who he met in hospital. I know, I agree. But it’s better than nothing) thus the family is, you know a “modern” family with divorces and stuff. Like I said, I would have preferred a more tentative reunion. Because in real life, there is a good chance the family unit does not come back together again. In this film, this is not really even portrayed as a possibility…

So basically, Flight is a sensitive, though provoking film that portrays a lot of original and exciting stuff interspersed with some very typical Hollywoodisms. Oh well. With the sheer saturation of Hollywoodisms about these days, I’m just as happy with a mixture.

AND WHEN YOU LOSE HOPE IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU : "REMEMBER THE TITANS"

I’m going to be a little bit partial here. I’m going to go out on a limb. There really is nothing like a Disney film, is there? I reckon this goes not only for the cartoons we all – well, almost all – know and love so well. They’re good at selecting pick me up, feel good movies of a more grown up kind too. Now, it may seem to the untrained eye that a feel-good movie is a easy thing to knock together. If you think about it, the biggest criticism these films get is that they are a little too simplistic in their approaches and solutions. This is precisely the trap inherent in making a film like this. Sure, you want a solution, you want things to be alright in the end, but hey, you want it to be realistic too if you want people to “actually” get a kick out of the film. So what better thing to do than to base yourself in real life? Oh don’t shake your head at me like that. I’m as much a “realist” as the next person. And true, life is never just “black or white”. But occasionally you know, things work out spectacularly well. As it did in the case of the Titans.

Of course for our generation this seems both antiquated and foolish, but back in the day racial segregation was a part of life. And people, as you may well know, are not that partial to their day to day lives just “changed” like that. This is what happened when a small town in suburban Virginia  in 1971 when the local highschool is forced by law to racially integrate. Mayhem rules supreme at the very thought, but nowhere as much as in the highschool football team. Not only must the team now be “mixed race”, but the team has a new coach. And Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is not only replacing the beloved former coach, coach Yoast (Will Patton) but he is also, well, black. Coach Boone is determined to show everyone he is more than capable of being a good coach to his team but even if he somehow manages to get his players to integrate and become a true team, will they be able to resist peer pressure and sustain that team spirit throughout the year? Will Coach Boone be able to withstand the constant pressure on him personally and make his fledgling Titans truly great?

It is truly bizarre to think that people as recent as in 1971 were thrown into an uproar at the very idea of a racially integrated school. It is even more incomprehensible that people who actually still think the same thing exist today. But it is a comfort to know that for the most part, most of us have left this kind of shallow prejudice well and truly behind us. I mean, of course this is basically a sports movie and a buddy movie combined. It is a well-made “mainstream” film and some might add “and nothing more”. But I would disagree. The film has done well to borrow from real life as unlike a lot of films of its genre the finale is far from being a glowing, all round positive. But then again, not everything in life glows – or is positive. On the other hand this doesn’t stop the good overcoming “generally” either.

The other good thing about it is that the characters are also presented warts and all. Coach Boone is far from “the perfect coach”, and there are times even a child can (and vociferously does) point out his mistakes and shortcomings. The film, at this point, does what we all should strictly speaking do. Concentrates on the good and not the bad. Moves forward to create something good and new. Cue fuzzy warm feelings inside – no wonder this is so many people’s favourite film… 

IN MEMORIAM OF TONY SCOTT : "DEJA VU"

Well, I would be no kind of cinema lover if the (newly) late Tony Scott didn’t get a mention in the blog sometime soon now would I? Think what you will personally of Tony Scott, the man was one of the greats. He is one of those rare gems who can actually walk the thin line between art pieces and popular cinema (I think we’re all in agreement that these are two totally different things, right? Right. ). Now, for some, this means that Tony Scott’s films were neither one thing nor the other, making him sort of a Jack of all trades  / master of none kinda guy. I think those who support that idea need to think twice about that statement. If you’re a creative person, it is hard enough, on some level, to constrain yourself to the “rules” of classical filmmaking (Oh come on, you DO know what I mean). But then again if you adhere too closely, chances are you’re going to be able to pay your rent and all that but just fade away as a filmmaker. It is notoriously hard to show originality without going off on a tangent. It is, as I said a very fine line. And Tony Scott, God rest his soul, was an artist and an entertainer who was able to revolutionize classic genres (notably the action film) AND create perfect art pieces at the same time.  I strongly feel that this film was one of his best, so here it is. 

Our story starts in New Orleans, when a ferry carrying the crew and families of a navy vessel is blown up. Among the first on the scene, is BATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) is among the first on the scene.  But if you thought all that can be done at that point is piece together the clues left behind to catch the culprits, you are mistaken. There may actually be a way to save them. Carlin learns this when he becomes attached to an as yet experimental FBI unit. The methods they use are dangerous and even the most brilliant scientists are unsure as to the full capacities of their machinery but the lives of hundreds are at stake. And among those hundreds is the woman Doug has fallen in love with. Without ever having met her… I would like to close my summary with the film’s tagline, which I find particularly poignant: “If you thought it was just a trick of the mind, prepare yourself for the truth”…

And if at this point, you’re going “Oh, so what, they’ve invented time travel” err, no. It’s a tad more complicated than that. What the heck do I mean by that? You’re simply going to have to watch the film and find out. First of all, respect for Tony Scott. In the first place, the film is a class A action film. All the ingredients are there, charismatic hero, wild chase sequences, the pyrotechnics, special effects… Every box ticked. Then, there’s the sci-fi part of it. Now, like I said, it’s not just about sending agents back in time “Terminator” style. It’s more complicated than that. And Scott does NOT just gloss over the explanation. He actually explains it. I mean, we watched the film as a group, there were moments (more than one – and we’re all postgraduate students by the way) where serious explanations to the question of “what just happened??” were necessary. So it’s a genuine, serious and intelligent sci-fi movie too. And on top of that of course, there is the romantic angle. And I mean, first of all , come on peeps, it’s love. That’s NEVER a cliché. Secondly, Denzel Washington and Paula Patton (who you may remember from such films as Ghost Protocol and Precious amongst other things) are spot on with the chemistry. For one minute I want you to now stop and think about how hard it is to take three almost completely unrelated genres (not two, three. Two might work – it usually does. Three is where it gets complicated) and mix them in such a way that the result is smooth, classy and nail-bitingly, arm-of-the-chair grippingly exciting. Just “sticking them together” simply does not work out. You have to watch this one to know what I mean. 

TRUE STORY WEEK : CRY FREEDOM

Violence, as we have just said is a terrible thing. And even though we all know this, we cannot seem to be able to find a way to live together without murdering each other on this big planet of ours… Human beings are, of course, complicated, and that makes coexistence all the more difficult… This is even worse when history and prejudice “complicates” things so to speak. On the other hand, of course, we have the people who are ready to stand up and do something for change… People like Stephen Biko. He had set himself a tough task and was quite willing to succeed or die trying. Although Biko ended up dying trying, it is some comfort in knowing that his cause at least, succeeded. He was a black political activist rebelling against the Apartheid Regime in South Africa…
In the middle of the 70’s, Biko (played in the film by a young and very dashing Denzel Washington) was an important political activist in South Africa. His name was widely associated with change. His message was not one of “black supremacy” against the white supremacists but one of equality and humanity. He called on the people of South Africa to be proud of who they were, their culture and their heritage. He tried to break the mindsets setting the whites as “master” and the blacks as “servants” on both sides of the divide. As you can imagine, the Apartheid regime did NOT approve of this point of view at all. Biko had his work cut out because the prejudices ran deep and the opponents weren’t afraid to play dirty. Well meaning white liberals like Donald Wells (Kevin Kline) did NOT help the cause. Wells, the chief editor of a newspaper in Johannesburg is white and liberal. And as far as he is concerned, Biko is just pushing black supremacy; advocating the same regime as the Apartheid, just “switching the colors round”. After a particularly critical article, one of Biko’s close friends bursts into his office. If Wells must write about Biko he must at least get his story right. Thus Wells is introduced to Stephen Biko. The headstrong young activist impresses Wells and gains his respect and in time the two men become fast friends. Wells is now much better informed on the true horrors of the Apartheid… And the horror of it actually hits home when his good friend Stephen is finally “disposed of” by the regime. Donald feels he must share what he has learnt with the world – but in such a regime; this is easier said than done…
So, first of all, make no mistake the film is one of excellent quality. Richard Attenborough holds the helm; Kline and Washington give us a brilliant show of their considerable talents… All this however, does by no means take away from the fact that this is a “film with a message”. The screenplay was adapted by two books Wells wrote on Biko and his time in South Africa, so there is a lot of dialogue put there mainly to express Stephen Biko’s ideas… It started out bothering me a tiny bit, but the whole film is far from being just “ideological”. No, there are clear demonstrations of life under Apartheid rule. As the film progresses – and it progresses quite a bit at a grand 2 hours and 31 minutes – the mood change from politics to adventure… After seeing the theory, we move on to the practice so to speak; and we sweat as Wells does as he tries to outwit the regime to get out of the country and get his voice heard. Hand on heart, it’s no easy task making a film “with a message” and making it exciting at the same time. Attenborough has, basically, succeeded. I mean, as you can probably tell, I possibly wouldn’t have put all the “message” bit in one clump at the beginning (to put it in basic terms!) but then again maybe this is the best way to get a balanced view of the story… Well, I can tell you that both the ideas and the story are most definitely well worth listening to.