Taken

Liam Neeson always makes me believe him. Even in some of his poorer works --remember Darkman, anyone?--Neeson has the ability to suck me into the world of his character, and make me think, even for a short time, that this world is real.

Taken is the story of Bryan Mills, played by Neeson, whose daughter, Kim, is abducted while on a trip to Europe, and sold into the sex slave trade. It's a simple, basic story told in a straightforward manner: there are no montages, extensive flashbacks or minutes wasted in this flick. Taken is rather like watching an episode of 24; at an hour-and-a-half, the film is tight, with little excess, and the main plot is always in focus.

Mills is searching, frantically, for his daughter, and the audience feels the urgency along with him.

Taken succeeds despite its flaws. The first 20 minutes sets up Mills as a misunderstood father and retired government operative, desperate to re-connect with his 17-year-old daughter. He's paranoid and overly cautious, and too controlling when it comes to Kim's safety.

There's a lot of information to cram into that 20 minutes, and Taken suffers a little in character development.

Neeson also doesn't look like a bad-ass early in the film. He's a bit reticent, and dweeb-ish. A plot device used in the first act to establish his ruthless physical skills is effective, though, and I didn't doubt Mills for the rest of the flick.

The final 70 minutes is a rush of action played out with intensity and high drama. At the end of Taken, I found myself almost celebrating the ending out loud. "Hell, yes!" I cared about Mills and Kim, and wanted everything to work out for them.

Neeson made me believe.

Gran Torino

I don't know dick about cars. Truth is, I had to wikipedia-up the Gran Torino to find something out about the 1972 Ford for which the movie, Gran Torino, is named.

But I do know a thing or two about Clint Eastwood flicks: I know there hasn't been an Eastwood movie in the past 20 years I've not liked, and I know that many of Eastwood's recent movies have subtle themes that transcend the obvious plot of the movie.

Gran Torino is no exception.

Classic muscle cars are nice to look at, but are mostly useless if left to simply sit in a garage. They get dusty, and stale. To reach their full potential, they have to be cared for; loved by someone, and given the chance to perform for that person. Driving the Gran Torino up and down the strip once a week helps shake off the dust and rust, and keep the timing fluid.

The same can be said for humans. Especially when we become older, and more limited. Without having people to care for us, we too easily box ourselves into simple routines, and small ways of thinking. Without having people to love, we forget the power of intimacy and the satisfaction that comes from providing for others. And without people to love, we never experience the selfless joy that comes from sacrifice.

Eastwood reminds of of those things in this movie. Gran Torino is a great story and terrific movie with very good--although not great--acting. This may not be Eastwood's best work, but considering the times it may be his most relevant.

Lie, Film Geek, Lie

It was an unusually warm day in early December, and Bryan and I were with a couple of girls on a double date. We'd just gotten our driver permits that summer, and we'd staked out all the best places to go parking. The abandoned road behind Mt. Nebo elementary school was occupied, as were our favorite spots along Muddlety. We decided to drive to Mountain Manor Campground, which was closed for the season.

We'd have the whole place to ourselves, we reasoned. We might even build a fire.

Arriving at the campground, we found the entrance closed off by a large gate, locked up tight. Feeling desperate, we ...well, we found a way to solve the problem, get through the gate and get closer to the making out we all knew was inevitable. Bryan stayed with his date near the car; my date and I took a long walk, down over a hill.

Ten minutes or so passed, and I heard shouting near the car.

"I'll ask you again, son. What are you doing here? The campground is closed" The guy dressed like a Park Ranger looked pissed. I walked a little faster to where he was standing. Before Bryan could answer further, I said loudly:

"We can't find him anywhere, Bryan."

The Park Ranger turned to look at me, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"We're here looking for our dog, Joe. A couple weeks ago, before the campground closed, we lost him in this area. Every couple of days we stop in, to see if we can find him. He's a great dog, really a part of our family."

The Park Ranger looked at Bryan, then the two girls with us. Bryan nodded.

"Listen" I said, "Since you're here all the time, how about we leave his description with you."

"Sure," the Park Ranger said. I knew at that moment we had him, and we were safely outta trouble. Suddenly, the opening theme narration of Run, Joe, Run popped into my head.

"Male German Shepard. Black and tan. Answers to the name of Joe."



The Park Ranger was scribbling fast, trying to keep up.

"He's a great dog, and although some people think he's vicious, he's not. Not at all. In fact, he likes to help people."

Still a little suspicious, the Park Ranger asked what he thought was the key question. The question that would allow him to get us later, if it turned out we were just punks telling a lie: "If I find the dog, who should I call?"

The list of friends I didn't mind saddling with this dilemma ran through my head.

"My name's Kevin Duffy, and you can call me." I then gave him Kevin's telephone number and street address. He wrote it all down, shook my hand and promised to call as soon as my dog Joe was found. We drove out of the campground quick-like, and headed to I-19. Somewhere along the way I had to explain the TV show to the other three in the car, but I don't think they ever really got it.

Muddlety wasn't that far a drive, after all.

Things I Miss On Saturday Morning: Part 4

Another Watchmen Update

Watch a way cool video journal on the Minutemen at this link, from Ain't It Cool News.

My Top 5: Movies That Made Me A Better Person

What with all the resolutin', ball-droppin' and promises-not-yet-broken, I'm in the mood for My Top 5: Movies That Made Me A Better Person

In no particular order.

The Last Temptation Of Christ - Watching an almost-human Jesus struggle with his destiny and decisions helped me in my personal evolution regarding spirituality. It was an important step in my letting go of the need to have a supernatural deity monitoring my every move.

Roots - The TV mini-series taught this tweener, from a 98.8% all-White West Virginia county, a lot about history and a lot about life.

To Kill A Mockingbird - Want a lesson in in integrity? Pop in the DVD.

12 Angry Men - The original flick helped me recognize the most obvious answer isn't always the correct answer. Add to that the idea that if a human life is at stake, you put in the time.

Schindler's List - The movie that reminded me that sticking my head in the sand doesn't make the odds against me any better.

Please, Make It Stop: Part 17

Oprah has decided she has more insight to share.

"I wanted to disappear," Oprah Winfrey said on her show today, explaining her 40-pound weigh gain, which has led to her tip the scale at 200. "All the money and all the fame and all of the attention and the glamorous life and the success doesn't mean one thing if you can't control your own being. It doesn't mean anything if you can't fit into your clothes. I am mad at myself. I am embarrassed. I can't believe I'm still talking about weight!"

Neither can I.

Listen, O. There are a lot of folks who struggle to fit into their own clothes who still lead lives filled with happiness. They aren't angry, or embarrassed. They don't live in despair. They are confident, and they don't buy into your belief that success "doesn't mean anything if you can't fit into your clothes."

Oprah's advice to those who see life like O?

"I'm on my To Do list. You gotta put yourself on the list."

Like I said, Oprah's got some insight.

Waitress

Jenna's life just got worse.

Married to an abusive, controlling husband in a small rural town with little opportunity was bad. That little in life made Jenna happy, save for her ability to make unique, delicious pies at the diner where she worked as a waitress was pretty bad, too. Even at her young age, Jenna's life was fixed and limited, and suffocating.

Then she got pregnant with her jerk-of-a-husband's kid, and life got a whole lot more complicated.




Keri Russell is wonderful in the lead role of Jenna, the pie artist stuck in a rut from which she can't get out. She's given a brief respite from her misery after meeting Dr. Pommater, played with some comic flair by Nathan Fillion, but their relationship is simply a bridge she uses to find her own inner strength. Which is, of course, the plot of Waitress.

I think I just saw one of the Top 10 movies of 2007, during the first week of January, 2009.

Read about the tragic events that happened to Waitress writer, director and co-star Adrienne Shelly here. Shelly was a very good writer, and her turn as Jenna's best friend Dawn is well done in this movie.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons

Random thoughts as I watched The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons, my favorite Brad Pitt flick since A River Runs Through It:

• Life isn't determined by fate, or kismet or some all-knowing-guy with a white beard. Instead, life is about recognizing and seizing opportunity;
• Hope I'm as hot looking at 70 as Pitt is in this flick;
• Cate Blanchett at 23 is selfish, arrogant and whimsical. What does Benjamin see in her?
• Note to self: Live more in the moment in 2009;
• Ah, we're supposed to be selfish, arrogant and whimsical in our youth;
• Damn, Brad Pitt at 40 is much hotter than I was at 30;
• Note to self: Figure out quickly why I'm obsessed with how hot Brad Pitt is in this movie!
• This is a great story, told brilliantly with incredible effects and remarkable acting;
• Sacrifice for those you love is a noble thing to do.
• Mrs. Film Geek cries hard at movies, but she doesn't make fun of me when I do, too.

Boy A

Most folks, I'd hazard to guess, wish once in a while for a do-over. The chance to remedy a mistake and re-set back to the default life path, off which we somehow ventured. A Life-Mulligan, available to help get us out of the rough we accidentally sliced ourselves into. Those opportunities rarely happen, of course. That's just not the way life works.

Boy A is the perfect example of why.

Boy A is the story of twenty-something man attempting to assimilate back into society after spending most of his childhood in a juvenile prison. Given a new identity, Jack struggles with the re-adjustment: he doesn't know how to socialize and isn't sure who to trust. He craves acceptance and love, but doesn't recognize those qualities easily. Jack's biggest challenge, though, is overcoming the feeling that he is being dishonest about who he really is to those friends and acquaintances he's made since being released.

The do-over was nice, but the emotional turmoil that results may be too difficult to overcome.

Andrew Garfield is brilliant in the role of Jack. Garfield succeeds in creating a character the audience can connect with and root for, despite the horrific act Jack was involved with earlier in his life. Jack is at once innocent, naive, curious, heroic and flawed. Deeply, deeply flawed. Garfield conveys those qualities to the audience in this movie as well as--or better than--any young actor working today.

With the new year upon us, Boy A is an appropriate reminder: we are a culmination of our life experience. Perhaps we should embrace and use those experiences to better ourselves, rather than attempt to change the very fabric of what makes up our identity.

Life-Mulligans are, all too often, simply McGuffins anyway.