The Rake Magazine

Tag: movies

  • Monkeywrench Movie Review. Part One.

    I am a gearhead, or as they say across the pond, a "petrolhead." While this ostensibly disqualifies me from writing a movie review, my British friends think otherwise. Particularly if I am writing about British films.

    The flim you need to watch is called This Sporting Life from 1964. It is a classic of the British New Wave (predated the French) and perhaps the most famous of the "kitchen sink dramas" set in the economically-depressed regions of Nothern England.

    It is directed by the great Lindsay Anderson (his first feature film) who went on to direct the scandalous …If with Malcom McDowell at the end of the decade. It also features the performance of a lifetime by Richard Harris (his first feature flim lead) and Rachel Roberts (nominated for an Oscar, as was, I think, Harris.)

    For a critical appraisal of this classic, simply read the review on the Criterion Flims website (get all your flims–buy and own them— from this website and waste no time with anything else) or check out Strictly Film School.

    For a monkeywrench review, here are my thoughts:

    This is a brutal flim. Many consider it the finest British flim ever made (questionable, but worth considering). It is unflinching and unstinting in its attention to emotional and aesthetic detail.

    What really makes it work for me, however, is Richard Harris’ perfomrnace and that of Ms.Roberts. While it was said at the time that Harris was aping Brando in This Sporting Life, I feel he provides a far more emotionally nuanced performance of an athlete with feelings than "I coulda’ been a contenda" Marlon and his assorted women.

    I wonder if there is even such a thing as a British method actor?

    Leave it to the Americans to coin a buzz phrase. Leave it to the British to mint the finest actors on the planet. (Think Tom Hollywood Hanks in Forrest’s Hump versus Peter Sellers in Being There.)

    Alas, why should you watch this film about sports?

    1) Because it is about sports.

    2) Because it is about women.

    3) Because it has not one, but two classic Bentleys.

    4) Because it shows that apes like you and I can have feelings.

    5) Because it says something about living life over keeping your head in the sand (whether in the suburbs or the skyscraper you inhabit downtown).

    Part Two, including a very greasy plot synopsis, to follow soon. I am too drained from watching. I have feelings.

    (Impatient? There’s always Wikipedia.)

  • 12 Things about the Mighty Ducks Movies that Bothered Me

    The Mighty Ducks trilogy is easily the best movie franchise ever to come out of Minnesota (as far as I know). Still, I take issue with a few things in the movies. Specifically, twelve things.

    1. Coach Bombay must have been on something if he was under the impression that he had a shot at pro hockey. Considering that the reason he started coaching the Ducks in the first place was related to community service for his drunk driving transgressions, it’s safe to say that he was more than likely on something — and Disney neglected to inform viewers of this fact. (D1&2)
    2. How many kids play hockey in Trinidad and Tobago? Are there even enough hockey-playing kids in Trinidad and Tobago for kids to scrimmage against each other in order to improve their skills? Even if there are, how the hell did Trinidad advance to the World Championships while Canada didn’t? (D2)
    3. What kind of gerrymandering put a rich kid from Edina on a team with a bunch of poor kids from Minneapolis, yet preserved the rest of the Edina team? Wait, Adam Banks lives within the poor kids’ boundaries? How did no one else figure this out before Bombay? How didn’t the rich parents on his team take care of this by relocating him to one of their homes? FAIL. (D1)
    4. At the very least you’d need a helmet to be out on the ice playing; it’s highly unlikely you’d be able or want to play without all the necessary equipment. And lassos and whatnot are neither necessary nor legal .(all)
    5. The image of a fancy hockey hall loses its impact when you know that it’s really the Blake Lower/Middle cafeteria. (D1)
    6. Mickey’s Diner: Not in Minneapolis. Not even on the same side of the river as south Minneapolis. Try St. Paul.
    7. MSHSL rules would make the team ineligible for varsity for a year due to transfer rules. That means you, Adam Banks. It seems like there would be some provision banning giving out athletic scholarships too. I’m just not sure. (D3)
    8. Anyway, why would you give athletic scholarships to a bunch of people who aren’t good enough to play varsity? (D3)
    9. Also, there really wouldn’t be that big of a conflict between the Ducks and the rich hockey players of Eden Hall because, well, that many rich kids complaining would probably get their way. (D3)
    10. Olympic/Goodwill/Global Domination Championship teams are usually made up of the best players in the country not the best team in the country. (D2)
    11. The "Flying V" doesn’t really work that well as a hockey strategy. My JV hockey team tried it in a game against South St. Paul. We won that game but failed miserably when it came to the "Flying V." (all)
    12. Rollerblading is not allowed in the Minneapolis Skyway system. Those kids would have been sent to juvie — or at least gotten kicked out of the skyway. Wait, there were kids of color. They totally would have been sent to juvie. (D1)