Five Forgotten Fantastic Feature Films
Five Forgotten Fantastic Feature Films
Or: How I Learned How to Stop Worrying and Love Alliteration
by Grant Kanigan
Without Limits (1998)
Steve Prefontaine is probably the most fascinating figure to ever grace the running track, trashing normal conventions, breaking records and pushing the limits of the human body and his own psyche. His greatest strength; his unwillingness to be bound by the preconceptions of running, was also his greatest weakness. Like a modern day Icarus, Prefontaine's story is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions, but remains a story and life that is as inspiring and compelling as the day it happened. Likely marred by the far inferior Prefontaine that was released a year earlier, (with Jared Leto in the title role), Billy Crudup's Prefontaine is a deeply felt portrayal of a man searching for meaning in his life. Without Limits, is the definitive story, with creative camerawork, a great turn by writer-turned-director Robert Towne, inspirational and heartbreaking moments, and oscar calibre performances by Crudup and Donald Sutherland. Without Limits is available on iTunes.5/5 STARS
Without Limits Trailer
The Siege (1998)
The Siege is terrifyingly prescient; set in 1998, it follows a group of FBI agents as they try to stop a terrorist cell from continuing bombings in New York city. A huge attack is on the horizon, the government knows that it's coming, but not where from, who is exactly doing it, and what to expect. How do they react? Cool and collected? Start interment camps? Round up the ethnic groups suspected? Declare martial law? Is it okay for one of the characters to torture a suspected terrorist to get valuable information? These were questions asked in 1998. Before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Before the US was waterboarding people. Before the Patriot Act became law. When The Siege came out in 1998, some critics lambasted it's heavy handedness and seemingly 'over the top' scenes; critic Roger Ebert stated "They'll leave the theater thinking of Arabs (who are handled as an anonymous group), not of dangers to the Constitution--which can be dismissed as the fevers of one man (Willis), who is handled like a traditional megalomaniac. ("This is the land of opportunity," he tells Arab-Americans. "The opportunity to turn yourself in.") Most people will not be watching a political movie, but a popcorn movie. They may even be a little restless during the speechmaking toward the end."
- Roger Ebert, (1998).
Yet, with Trump in office literally tearing babies away from their mothers, Trump's abandonment of the Iran Deal and demonization of Iranians, to sending troops to the US/Mexico border, the characters, especially Willis' General, who acts like Trump, (albeit a version of Trump that can speak comprehensible English), the Siege is a prophetic look at the USA of tomorrow. While it may follow some formulaic filmmaking conventions, that doesn't mean it's still not a brilliant exploration of the political climate we find ourselves living in, and a thorough exploration of the idea that 'evil triumphs when good men do nothing.' The Siege is available on Netflix.
5/5 STARS
The Siege Trailer
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Ashton Kutcher is by no means a good actor. From his turn as the lovable idiot on That 70's Show to the dude-in-chief in Dude, Where's My Car, the dude in My Boss' Daughter, the loveable idiot in No Strings Attached to the surfer dude-cum-swimmer in The Guardian, and the absolutely hilarious and tone deaf dude-bro idiot title character in the god-awful Jobs, Kutcher has proved himself an incapable thespian. However, Kutcher is a fantastic humanitarian in the real world, and, maybe, just maybe, he can be a capable actor when he's actually passionate about a project; enter the Butterfly Effect.
Following a childhood rife with bullying, abuse and tragedy, young Evan Treborn, (Kutcher), attends a prestigious university studying neuroscience. Partly because he's interested in the science, and also to ascertain the reason behind random blackouts that plagued his childhood, Treborn soon discovers he's able to revisit his his childhood memories as if he were literally there, just by reading his journals from the time. Before long, he realizes he literally is revisiting his memories, and can not only experience them, but change them. However, like the proverbial butterfly flapping it's wings on one coast and causing a hurricane on another, Treborn learns that his actions have consequences, and that he has to find a way to return the world to it's natural order, or he'll lose everything he ever loved.
Ultimately, the premise alone is riveting and compelling, and there's so much the filmmakers could have done with it. The Butterfly Effect isn't perfect, but it's wholly unique, completely engaging, pulpy, grotesque, and surprisingly heartfelt. With a cast of characters who seemed to fizzle out carrier wise post-Butterfly Effect, Kutcher, Amy Smart, Elden Henson and William Lee Scott give it their all in their performances, and leave the audience with a finished work to be proud of. Keep an eye out for the DVD which features the rare directors cut that completely changes the meaning of the film. I prefer the theatrical cut, but I've heard quite a few think the Directors Cut features a bolder, and more meaningful ending. The Butterfly Effect is available on iTunes.
4/5 STARS
The Butterfly Effect Trailer
Wind River (2017)
Taylor Sheridan first came onto my radar with the explosive, heartbreaking and timely Hell or High Water. That film was a zeitgeist-capturing dramatic thriller, with a killer cast and Oscar worthy performances. His earlier Sicario, too, was a wickedly smart thriller - albeit more of a Denis Villeneuve project, as that director seems to have an auteur style grasp over all of his projects, (see Prisoners, Arrival or Blade Runner 2049 to see what I mean). With Wind River, Sheridan, (finally directing his own material), seems to have created his masterpiece. Part mystery, thriller, action film, a winter-western, a call to arms and a tragic spotlight on the missing and murdered indigenous women in North America, Wind River is a masterwork in directing, action, tight plotting and cinematic thrills. Elizabeth Olsen, the incomparable Graham Greene and Tantoo Cardinal are brilliant, and Renner immerses himself in a brutally compelling and multifaceted role. Although it didn't quite make the splash at the box office I'm sure the producers hoped for, I wouldn't be surprised if Wind River becomes respected as one of the definitive examples of the genre. Brilliant, taut and completely original filmmaking. Wind River is available on Netflix.
5/5 STARS
Wind River Trailer
Remember Me (2010)
If you haven't seen Remember Me, I implore you to view it before reading any further, as I'll talk about some specific details regarding the end of the film. With Remember Me, audiences were treated to something that is becoming increasingly rare; a long, complex drama about two young adults finding their unique selves at the beginning of the Aughts. Rife with complications regarding their respective familial troubles, the couple, Abby and Tyler, (Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson), try to piece back together their broken homes without breaking each others hearts. It's a rich, mature and enjoyable drama with two transcendent performances from Pattinson and Pierce Brosnan, and a well rounded supporting cast. The human condition is on full display as the audience watches and engages with familiar struggles well as triumphs and become invested in the characters.
Then the film has an unexpected, wholly tragic turn, and one of the characters is left dead, with no closure. It's an ending that alienated most viewers, but I thought was brilliant. Tyler is a normal character, with human struggles who is ripped from existence by an act of unspeakable cruelty, like many others were when the film is set. The visceral reaction I had was what I assume a lot of people had on September 11th, 2001. Unexpected, cruel, tragic, and irreversible. We never know when our lives, or our loved ones lives may end - so cherish them while you can. Remember Me is a tough watch, but it's an essential film; in its simplicity regarding the important minutia of familial relationships, true love lost, and what was really lost in an american tragedy - innocent lives of thousands of everyday people. Remember Me is available on Netflix.
5/5 STARS
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