Snakes on a Plane is a great movie. I think, in fact, it might be the perfect definition of a 'movie' (as opposed to a 'film'). You can tell everyone involved in making it was having a great time, and this makes you enjoy it more. You know exactly what you're going to get: snakes on a plane. But it's how they present it, how they play with your expectations, denying them and then fulfilling them, that's excellent. Samuel L. Jackson is great as always, and clearly having a lot of fun. The moment when he says the line that fans from the internet had urged him to include is perhaps one of the best moments in cinema from last year. I had wanted to see this film from the moment it came out, but somehow didn't get around to it for a while. Now that I have, it definitely goes in the top ten films from last year. Rent it, invite your friends, and drinks lots of beer. A good time for all.
Still I can't think how to answer the question I posed on Friday. I'm narrowing it down, though. I believe it would have to be a contemporary film, one that is both intellectually stimulating, as well as just good fun. It has to have great special effects, and good music timed to the action. Everything that shows what film can do. But what movie specifically? I can't decide, yet.
2 comments:
Well it is interesting that you mention this as a consideration. I think Star Wars really does do so much of the cinematic things in one place that it really does deserve a chance.
My first thought was actually Koyaanisqatsi which is cinema as an art form in the extreme.
But obviously that doesn't do everything that cinema can do.
My first thought though was a film that you mentioned only days ago. The thin red line. It is a movie of such extreme beauty that it is almost impossible to miss the art that is evident within it.
Is it the most complete film that there could be? No of course not. But I think it might be the kind of film that would turn the head of someone who deems to consider cinema not an art.
They are clearly idiots and would probably consider Star Wars puerile before they would give it a chance to prove that it has almost everything.
That's the worry I'd have with showing Star Wars: they'd just see it as fantasy and escapism. We need something that absolutely amazes and shocks them. Children of Men did do that to me, but I don't have a very good objective perspective on it.
Once Upon a Time in the West is fairly amazing in regards the music timed to the action, but it is quite a slow film.
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