Favorite Moment of Star Wars III? The Credits.
Spurred on by my Golden Ole Movie Review friends, I’ve finally prepared my Top Ten of 2005 list. You remember 2005, right? Way back when with all the Tom Cruise hoopla and the Terri Schiavo business and everything?
Anyway, this list is organized in terms of my favorite overall movies, but I’ve chosen to write about my favorite “movie moment” in each. For the sticklers among you, note that I am defining “moment” with rather broad strokes.
1. Musicians Attack, Kung Fu Hustle: How to pick but one scene from this movie? To sum up how much I love KFH, let me point out that it is the only film from 2005 that I have seen more than once. And I have seen it FOUR times. This particular scene, like every scene in the movie, is hard to describe – largely because so much depends on the over-the-top Looney-Tunes-meets-Pulp-Fiction tone that is set up so well.
Anyway, the scene. So these snaggled musician dudes play their stringed instrument things. And the music cuts cats in half. Hee. And it’s all dark. And evil gangsters are watching from the sides. And our heroes all die. And the only thing that can stop the musicians and their weird knife music is the scream of the landlady we previously thought to be our antagonist.
See how stupid it all sounds when one types it out? But trust me. It’s that rare scene that simultaneously makes one clench up in fright and double over in laughter. LOVE it.
2. Pregnant Tessa Walks Around in Africa, The Constant Gardener: For whatever reason, this simple scene nicely captures what I like most about the movie: the tragic earnestness of Tessa and the hand-held realism of her surroundings. A credit to the actress and the director, respectively. [I should note that I normally hate earnestness. But I make an exception when it is tragic earnestness.]
3. Laura Linney Explains Why She Calls Her Kids “Chicken” and “Pickle,” The Squid and the Whale: Okay, this scene didn’t actually happen. THANK GOD. I spent much viewing time petrified that the film would conclude with a lengthy, tear-filled exegesis of these almost-too-cute nicknames. Didn’t happen, though. Nor did a scene in which the Squid and Whale analogy/whatever gets spelled out in an excruciatingly detailed monologue. The filmmakers chose brevity and less-is-more. And for that I am thankful.
4. Heath Ledger Says Nothing, Brokeback Mountain: What can I say? Ledger was really convincing in his silence. I was moved. And yet confused. What’s next? An Oscar-worthy role for Saved By the Bell’s Screech?
5. Scarecrow Bouncing About, Howl’s Moving Castle: Last two minutes aside, this is a lovely movie. And I have to say that the faceless scarecrow just bouncing here and there had far more personality than all of the characters from Star Wars III: Something About the Sith combined.
6. Bad Cop Saves That Beloved Chick, Crash: Easily the gut-punching-est moment from a gut-punching movie. As for the movie itself? It now forces one to put an asterisk behind the statement, “Sandra Bullock movies suck.”
7. Shit Blows Up Behind Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds: George Lucas? Pay attention. Matrix boys? Grab a notepad. THIS is how special effects are done. The focus throughout remains squarely on Papa Cruise and Young Dakota, whilst amazing special effects fly by at the edge of our vision. Not only does this peripherizing make everything seem more natural, but it lets us in the audience feel very clever for noticing every flipping car or new alien tripod. Special effects should not be sledgehammers.
8. Conversation in the Car After the Movie, Syriana: I love a good argument. And nerdy over-analysis. Thus, my favorite scene in Syriana is actually the scene among my viewing friends after watching this intriguing-yet-confusing film. I still don’t understand what the hell Clooney was doing at the end, yet I much enjoyed the conversations trying to figure it out.
9/10. I Can’t Think of a Favorite Moment, Murderball/Batman Begins: Good movies, though.
Anyway, this list is organized in terms of my favorite overall movies, but I’ve chosen to write about my favorite “movie moment” in each. For the sticklers among you, note that I am defining “moment” with rather broad strokes.
1. Musicians Attack, Kung Fu Hustle: How to pick but one scene from this movie? To sum up how much I love KFH, let me point out that it is the only film from 2005 that I have seen more than once. And I have seen it FOUR times. This particular scene, like every scene in the movie, is hard to describe – largely because so much depends on the over-the-top Looney-Tunes-meets-Pulp-Fiction tone that is set up so well.
Anyway, the scene. So these snaggled musician dudes play their stringed instrument things. And the music cuts cats in half. Hee. And it’s all dark. And evil gangsters are watching from the sides. And our heroes all die. And the only thing that can stop the musicians and their weird knife music is the scream of the landlady we previously thought to be our antagonist.
See how stupid it all sounds when one types it out? But trust me. It’s that rare scene that simultaneously makes one clench up in fright and double over in laughter. LOVE it.
2. Pregnant Tessa Walks Around in Africa, The Constant Gardener: For whatever reason, this simple scene nicely captures what I like most about the movie: the tragic earnestness of Tessa and the hand-held realism of her surroundings. A credit to the actress and the director, respectively. [I should note that I normally hate earnestness. But I make an exception when it is tragic earnestness.]
3. Laura Linney Explains Why She Calls Her Kids “Chicken” and “Pickle,” The Squid and the Whale: Okay, this scene didn’t actually happen. THANK GOD. I spent much viewing time petrified that the film would conclude with a lengthy, tear-filled exegesis of these almost-too-cute nicknames. Didn’t happen, though. Nor did a scene in which the Squid and Whale analogy/whatever gets spelled out in an excruciatingly detailed monologue. The filmmakers chose brevity and less-is-more. And for that I am thankful.
4. Heath Ledger Says Nothing, Brokeback Mountain: What can I say? Ledger was really convincing in his silence. I was moved. And yet confused. What’s next? An Oscar-worthy role for Saved By the Bell’s Screech?
5. Scarecrow Bouncing About, Howl’s Moving Castle: Last two minutes aside, this is a lovely movie. And I have to say that the faceless scarecrow just bouncing here and there had far more personality than all of the characters from Star Wars III: Something About the Sith combined.
6. Bad Cop Saves That Beloved Chick, Crash: Easily the gut-punching-est moment from a gut-punching movie. As for the movie itself? It now forces one to put an asterisk behind the statement, “Sandra Bullock movies suck.”
7. Shit Blows Up Behind Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds: George Lucas? Pay attention. Matrix boys? Grab a notepad. THIS is how special effects are done. The focus throughout remains squarely on Papa Cruise and Young Dakota, whilst amazing special effects fly by at the edge of our vision. Not only does this peripherizing make everything seem more natural, but it lets us in the audience feel very clever for noticing every flipping car or new alien tripod. Special effects should not be sledgehammers.
8. Conversation in the Car After the Movie, Syriana: I love a good argument. And nerdy over-analysis. Thus, my favorite scene in Syriana is actually the scene among my viewing friends after watching this intriguing-yet-confusing film. I still don’t understand what the hell Clooney was doing at the end, yet I much enjoyed the conversations trying to figure it out.
9/10. I Can’t Think of a Favorite Moment, Murderball/Batman Begins: Good movies, though.
posted by OleNelson at 10:04 AM
2 Comments:
My favorite Star Wars 3 moment was sitting through the movie with people who were equally underwhelmed and willing to mock it as I was.
Still, Erica made the wiser choice—not going in the first place.
Completely agree with the comment about the War of the Worlds special effects. I didn't like the movie at all but man, those effects were so convincing. Even Peter Jackson could take a page out of that effects book. Another movie w/ great effects - Harry Potter! They were also willing to sacrifice the sledgehammer style for overall believability.
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