Day 46: The Deer Hunter

Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steven (John Savage) leave behind their happy lives in Pennsylvania to become soldiers in the Vietnam war. Much like every film about soldiers, the men are wounded psychologically as well as physically and trying to get back to normal life is proving difficult.

Almost the entire first hour of this film is Steven’s wedding. It’s just far too long. Yeah they’re all happy and having a great time, I understand we need to see that but no way did it have to last that long. It was such an enthusiastic wedding reception, I was exhausted just watching the damn thing. Eventually it’s over and they’re off to war. The three of them are taken prisoner and forced to play Russian Roulette by their captors. Those scenes were well acted and you could definitely feeling the tension alongside them. Finally, Michael (total hero throughout), hatches a plan and they manage to escape. All three end up going their separate ways and we follow Michael as he returns home. He doesn’t feel comfortable though and remembers his promise to Nick, that he wouldn’t leave him, and so returns to Saigon to get him. But Nick is too far gone mentally and he can’t even remember Michael anymore. He’s playing Russian Roulette voluntarily this time and he dies playing. Right in front of his best friend. Michael’s face is just heartbreaking.

Before they head off, Linda (Meryl Streep), is with Nick but you can see she clearly likes Michael. And Michael is insanely obvious about his liking of her and he almost kisses her during the wedding but you can see him hesitate and quickly stop himself. When he comes back from the war he doesn’t want to see anyone but her. She’s so happy to see him and just bursts into tears and grabs onto him. In every scene with the two of them, Michael can’t keep his eyes off her and when she looks at him it’s like they understand what the other is thinking. Their relationship is difficult though because she was with Nick and Michael was his best friend. I’m sure it must work though, I mean, she kisses his war scar. If that’s not just such an intimate thing. Must be love.

The film made me feel so claustrophobic and I never feel like that. There were so many people all climbing on top of each other all the time and it was like every scene was so loud, it was rarely ever just quiet. It made me so uncomfortable the entire way through but that was probably the intention. I wasn’t sure I was going to like this film because I’m really not interested in soldiers at all but I ended up surprising myself by how much I did like it.

8/10 

Day 40: Hairspray

Tracy (Nikki Blonsky) wants to be a dancer on The Corny Collins Show more than anything but has a little difficulty as she is discriminated against because of her size. However, after realising that’s not the most important thing and that there is a serious race divide, she decides to take on the lack of integration within the show.

I really don’t like Tracy. First of all, she is a morning person. I don’t get you people, how can you just wake up and be all bouncy and ready to face the day? Ugh. That’s as good as you’re gonna feel all day, you can’t start off like that or it’ll all just go downhill. Another thing, the focus seems to be on her far too much. I know she’s trying to help and all but surely the focus should be on Maybelle (Queen Latifah) or Seaweed (Elijah Kelley)? And she completely ruins their march by hitting a police officer and then running away, leaving everybody else to get arrested. It just seems that there were a whole host of characters who could’ve had more focus.

The main one being Maybelle, obviously. Queen Latifah is such a babe in everything, I love her so much. My notes for whenever she was on screen are all very similar (“QUEEN LATIFAAAH. BE IN MORE THINGS.”) I think I’d much prefer the film to just be The Queen Latifah Show. It doesn’t even have to be about anything, she can just sing and be brilliant. Anyway, I’ve got sidetracked. Her song ‘Big, Blonde and Beautiful’ is my favourite. She seems like the only normal character while all the rest of them are overacting like crazy. Babe.

Link (Zac Efron) bothers me in this film and I’m never sure why. He’s so useless though, so that could be it. In one scene he went from telling Tracy that knowing her would be an adventure to telling her that the adventure would be too big for him. Quickest cop out ever, well done, Sir. And he’s usually so attractive but in this film he looks the strangest. It must be the ridiculous hair he’s got going on. And the fact he keeps winking all the time. Nobody should wink seriously, it is only to be done for laughs. Only men with hairy chests and gold medallions get to wink like that.

Despite all my problems with the film, I still like it. The songs are catchy and Queen Latifah is in it, what’s not to like?

7/10

Day 17: Annie Hall

Today I needed to break out one of my favourite films. I don’t really like to admit to my love of Woody Allen films because well, he married his daughter, y’know? It’s difficult to separate that knowledge from the films themselves but I loved this one before I knew about any of that so it’s ok. Totally justified.

Terminal complainer, Alvy (Woody Allen), falls in love with the adorable Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). We’re given glimpses into the time they spend together and you get a general feel to their relationship. They seem an unlikely couple but they work well together all the same. I like that they almost instantly bond; they’re playing tennis then he goes back to her apartment and they’re getting to know each other then he goes to watch her sing and that’s it, the relationship is set. When they have left the club after she sings, I love that he stops her and just says “Hey listen, listen, give me a kiss.” so they can avoid the inevitable awkwardness later in the night. They just kiss and get it over with so they can continue enjoying being around each other without that looming over them.

Diane Keaton is wonderful here. The way she goes “Hi… Hi… Hi… Well… Bye.” is just great. Spot on awkwardness, I love it. She’s so awkward and nervous you can’t help but instantly be drawn to her. I always find myself giggling when she’s on the screen because I just pick up her energy. I’m always drawn to people who seem to just be overflowing with energy and Diane Keaton is no exception. I can tell I'd already be half in love with her if I was Woody Allen here.

Alvy tries to get Annie to read books that give an insight into who he is and while she complains that he thinks she's not smart enough for him, I think that doesn't really factor into what's doing there. When you enter into a relationship with another person (friend or otherwise), you're getting a crash course in who this person actually is and what's important to them. It makes sense to give this new person in your life films and books and music that reflects who you are so they can more easily understand you. If someone was to take a crash course in who I am, I think I'd recommend a variety of things that would help; Frightened Rabbit songs, 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman, 'Deathless' by Catherynne M. Valente, etc. There'd be a whole host of things, really. I'd love it if, when I met a new person, they just sat me down and said "This is what you need to read/watch/listen to in order to even grasp a little of who I am." There's only so much talking you can do, sometimes you need to immerse yourself in the things they enjoy.

These are the kind of romantic comedy type films I like; where the couple doesn’t end up together but they learn something along the way.

9/10