My Life In Movies Flashes Before My Eyes: The Rock, 1996

This could be the only time I praise Michael Bay in this blog, like ever. It also might be one of the few times I praise Jerry Bruckheimer, you see, Jerry, I just don't need multiple films about pirates from a theme park ride. Anyway, the film in question is The Rock, and it's an action film but what distinguishes it from the rot that characterizes the genre today is that it's not about franchises or robots blowing up, there's an actual script and that script has something called a story, not just an excuse for explosions. Also, it's before Nicolas Cage started making a lot of crap.

The idea is this: some Marines have taken over Alcatraz led by Ed Harris, joined by David Morse and Tony Todd. I only mention Tony Todd because he played Old Jake Sisko in the saddest, greatest Deep Space Nine EVER, The Visitor and this is my blog so I can mention stuff like that if I want. I'll even show a clip if I want.



In this movie though, Captain Sisko would not be proud of him. They holding the leaders of the US hostage with VX Poison Gas, which looks like green bath pearls but will kill you and melt your skin. They want to get money for the families of Marines who go on secret illegal missions and get disavowed by the government. I think they should have had a bake sale. Anyway, so they take Alcatraz in this scene and threaten to gas San Francisco.



See? Ed Harris has a heart. So, they call in chemical expert Nicolas Cage, a scientist more comfortable with his Beatles LPs than fighting terrorists and Sean Connery, who is an MI6 agent that's been imprisoned by the US, disavowed by his own government and is basically leading the life James Bond would lead if he ever got caught. See, he's the only man who's ever escaped Alcatraz, so naturally they need him. This leads to trouble as he attempts to escape on the streets of San Francisco in an amazing car chase sequence and oh, yeah when all the Navy SEALS get killed and Connery and Cage are forced to work together to save San Francisco. Naturally, hijinx ensue.

There's great chemistry in this film, it's brilliantly cast. I love the Cage-Connery teaming up, I even love the hero villain face off between Connery and Harris as follows:


Also, I love this scene towards the end of the film. It really shows how good Nicolas Cage was before he started making crap and not paying the IRS.


Oh, as a tip of you go to Alcatraz and love this movie, try to go with someone who will know what you're referencing when you stand by the cell (they don't let you go in like in the movie) and start doing the speech from that film. Did I go to Alcatraz because of this movie? Yes. Yes, I did. There's a place by the boat dock that makes a breakfast pizza if you're interested. The audio tour also does not feature film clips like it should. Just a suggestion to the Park Service. That's all.

My Life In Movies Flashes Before My Eyes: GoldenEye, 1995

I want to take you back to a time and a place where I did not know much about James Bond. The world was about to get a new 007 in Pierce Brosnan and I had never had one to start with. So, one November night, I went with my mom and brother to see GoldenEye. Then I went back the same weekend with my dad because somehow I saw every Pierce Brosnan Bond film in the theaters more than one time. Seriously.


Now, I know what you want to say. Sean Connery is the greatest Bond ever, right? But there's a difference between the best Bond and my Bond and Pierce Brosnan is undoubtedly my Bond. You see, after Timothy Dalton (a.k.a. Rassilon) took the franchise to the edge of dramatic destruction with his uber-seriousness and total inability to execute a punchline, Brosnan brought the franchise back into the world of humor, though not quite into the world of the ridiculousness that Roger Moore ocassionally took it to. I mean, they were in space, people. There was a laser fight in space. And George Lazenby, I mean what a freaking catastrophe. And I know someone out there is rooting for Daniel Craig, but I can never get over him being blond and also, he's too touchy feely sometimes. To me, Brosnan strikes the right line because this is a new post Cold War era Bond so he can't go around smacking secretaries on the ass, but we still want him to kill people.

But, the first thing you need for a great Bond film, well, after a great James Bond is a great James Bond theme song and this one has one with Tina Turner written by Bono and The Edge. BONO AND THE EDGE. You know, from U2? Did I ever mention I love U2? And it's awesome.


Then, of course, we have the new M played by Dame Judi Dench. And you don't want to screw with the new M.


What else? We have the cars, although Bond controversially drives a BMW Z3. I must say I used to like the Z3. Now, I'm about to sound like a presenter on Top Gear, but every middle aged man having a midlife crisis bought a Z3 and then the Z4, so it's just not cool anymore. Aston Martin, still cool, but they only get like seven miles to the gallon. Well, at least that's done. We have the villain, 006, played by Sean Bean who I knew not to trust. Also, Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp, one of the most bizarre Bond villainesses ever. There's a plot in there, but while you need a decent plot for James Bond, it's more about the getting there, unless the plot is just so stupid you can't ignore how stupid it is. I will say the low point of this film is the main Bond girl, Natalya Simonova, because she does the whole thing where she whines about him going around, killing people, do we really need that? The whining? Joe Don Baker as a slightly crazy CIA agent, Robbie Coltrane as an old adversary of Bond's and oh, yeah, Minnie Driver in the greatest James Bond cameo ever, singing Stand By Your Man with a Russian accent. I seriously get angry when they cut that part out on TV, as if we don't need it. We do! Oh, my favorite sequence in this film is undoubtedly the tank chase through the streets of St. Petersburg. Of course, now would be a good time for either a clip of Minnie Driver or the tank chase, but once again, YouTube says no. Bastards.

And now come after me with your James Bond opinions.

My Life In Movies Flashes Before My Eyes: The Lion King, 1994

So, The Lion King. I know this must seem in the sequence of films we've had so far, but I love it. I haven't been able to watch it, though, because all the copies have vanished off the face of the Earth in anticipation of a 3D release and a new release on DVD in November, so I have to go off what I remember and what I can find on YouTube. So, Disney corporate, that's my excuse for the clips, okay?

The first thing is the amazing opening sequence that shows you the splendor of the African landscape and creatures. This is a world unto itself and the scene has no dialogue, but for the Circle of Life song, the first in a brilliant soundtrack by Elton John and Tim Rice. Incidentally, I have a distant relative called Abaku who was in The Lion King on Broadway. I'm not sure if that's how you spell it, anyway, distant. The scene is fantastic, it's giving you the entire stakes of the film and mesmerizing you at the same time.


Then of course, we have some joyous, happy time but this is Disney and that can never last. I'm talking about Mufasa's death.

I cried, you cried let's just all admit it. I do not like death scenes, Disney is trying to give me serious psychological scars. Also, does it seem like as king of the animals, Mufasa probably should have just yelled at the wildebeests to stop for a minute while he got his kid? Any future lion kings, just keep that in mind.

Then, what do they do? They give you a warthog and a meerkat singing quite possibly the catchiest tune ever.


At its core, this song exemplifies the challenge Simba is going to face. Is he going to keep on with his carefree lifestyle and stand idly by as Scar rules the kingdom into ruin and decay? Or is he going to defeat the demons of his past, step up and become the Lion King? I think I just seriously over analyzed that.


And we have another lion king. And I cry. Again. Freaking Circle of Life, making me cry. Let's see what the Tenth Doctor has to say about it.


What else? Seriously, Rowan Atkinson plays a bird. You've got great performances, an epic story. One of my favorites, comments, concerns, that's what the comments section is for.

My Life in Movies Flashes Before My Eyes: The Fugitive, 1993

For 1993, I have selected one of the truly greatest thrillers of all time. I feel like I say that a lot, but in this case it is definitely true. Rationally, a film based on an old TV show shouldn't be this good, but it is.

The Fugitive is the story of Richard Kimble, an escaped fugitive, jailed for the murder of his wife, which he didn't commit. It's equally the story of U.S. Marshal, Deputy Sam Gerard, played by Tommy Lee Jones, who won an Oscar for this performance and is also a fellow San Antonio Spurs fan. You may not feel like you needed to know that, but I dare you to find a Lakers fan who would have done a better job. The supporting cast is rounded out by Sela Ward, Samuel L. Jackson's wife, G'Kar from Babylon 5, Ralph Cifaretto and Sue Sylvester.


Anyway, this movie is all about the chase and I've always found the dynamic interesting because while Kimble is clever and heroic, Gerard definitely gets the best lines in the film. Even though he's chasing our hero, he's not a baddie, he's just a man with a job to do. The difference between a man on a mission and a man with a job to do is at the crux of the argument of the film, as exemplified in this scene following a great chase sequence through a dam.


The film also makes excellent use of the city of Chicago. You really feel like Kimble's lost in it and it adds a lot of atmosphere to what otherwise might take place in any city. The chase in the subway, the cop atmosphere, the scene in the prison. Note the excellent St. Patrick's Day parade sequence, a last minute addition to the shoot.


It's about as perfect a film as you can get, all about the cat and mouse game being played by Kimble and Gerard. They're opposing forces headed towards each other and you just wonder how it's all going to turn out. It is one perfect chase after another and what's great is you don't feel like it's just another chase sequence and there's a story, not just running. Great action and great characters and a great story. And again, Sam Gerard has the best lines ever. Basically, everything he says during the course of the film.

I know I picked The Fugitive, but I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't show you Charlton Heston in Wayne's World 2.


Comments on The Fugitive, your favorite Sam Gerard lines? Well, that would be what the comments section is for.

My Life In Movies Flashes Before My Eyes:1992 Got Complicated: Patriot Games & Wayne's World

So, there has been a delay for which I apologize. You see, the year 1992 happened and it has been the most difficult year thus far. This year contains four personal favorites: Patriot Games, Wayne's World, The Last of the Mohicans and The Bodyguard, which I am a little ashamed to admit to. Okay, so that one was out. Then I pared away The Last of the Mohicans. Then I was still left with Patriot Games and Wayne's World.


So, Patriot Games is once again the story of Jack Ryan, this time played by Harrison Ford. He's on vacation in London when he thwarts an assassination attempt on the life of a member of the royal family led by Sean Bean and Polly Walker, more commonly known as Atia of the Julii from Rome. Other people miss Rome, right? It's not just me? Anyway, Harrison kills Sean's brother in the process and Sean decides to take revenge following him back to America.

Here is in my mind one of the greatest scenes in Patriot Games as Jack Ryan watches the operation he instigated carried out via satellite. Sorry about the quality.


I mean, this is the movie where I learned not to trust Sean Bean and so far that's paid off. In GoldenEye, in Lord of the Rings, I hear on Game of Thrones he may not be evil, but he's dead or something? I don't have HBO right now. It also features the stellar supporting cast with James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Anne Archer and Richard Harris. Also, the final sequence is just great and tense and everything. It is everything an action film and a thriller should be.

Wayne's World is of course, the film based on the long running SNL sketch with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, where they play Wayne and Garth and pursue their dream of getting to host their cable access show for money. It of course features the iconic scene featuring Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody:


I mean, how can you not be happy after that? I love everything about this movie, the way Wayne and Garth talk to the camera, Tia Carrere's cover of Ballroom Blitz, Ed O'Neill's crazy doughnut store manager, the way Wayne and Garth react when they meet Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper lecturing on the history of Milwaukee...


The three endings. The way the guy in the guitar shop tells Wayne "No Stairway." Robe Lowe's entire part. It's a film that doesn't fire for any particular reason, but manages to fire on all cylinders, it doesn't really have a dull part in it.

So, here we are, 1992 and I can't pick a film. So, Patriot Games or Wayne's World? Your opinions, please.

Again, am I the only one who misses Rome and especially Atia?