Into the Wild

Around three months ago, I read ‘Into the Wild’ by Jon Krakauer. I finally got around to watching the film version tonight. Both are equally good. Despite a few relatively minor differences, they are pretty much of the same quality. The book, of course, provides more in-depth information, but the movie provides some truly stunning visuals that you simply can’t get from the book.

This story is tragic and moving. If you don’t enjoy nature, or deeper thoughts concerning the human condition, then perhaps this story isn’t for you. ‘Into the Wild’ is the story of the life and death of Christopher McCandless. And no, that wasn’t a spoiler. Both the book and the film make it immediately apparent that the main character dies at the end. Perhaps character isn’t the right word for it, as this is a true story. The lead role?

After graduating from college, McCandless gives all of his savings away to a charity and hits the road, hitching rides from strangers, sneaking aboard moving trains, or simply walking alongside the road. He goes west in search of something that cannot be found easily in the business of daily life. He is in search of things that are often found in the solitude of nature. He is in search of himself.

McCandless goes through some truly amazing adventures, experiencing fantastic locations that many people never see. And despite his relative solitude throughout his trek about America as ‘Alexander Supertramp’, McCandless makes some extraordinary friendships and truly has a strong effect on the people he interacted with.

This book made me yearn for the adventure found in travel, but it also made me appreciate the friends and family that I have. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Matt’s Rating:

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Save Blue Like Jazz

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably know I really liked the book “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” by Donald Miller. I said so in this blog post right here. That book was all about the process of turning his previous book, Blue Like Jazz, into a screenplay. One would assume that the screenplay would then be made into a movie.

Unfortunately, due to funding issues, that might not happen. I, and several hundred (thousand?) other fans of the books don’t think that’s a good idea. We’d all really like to see this movie made. And right now it’s looking like the only way that will happen is if we break out our wallets and help to fund the movie ourselves.

Some enterprising fans created the webpage SaveBlueLikeJazz.com, and are working with Director Steve Taylor and Don Miller to try to secure the funding through the fans before the deadline of October 25th. So, if you enjoyed the books and want to see the movie as much as I do, head on over and donate! Oh. And if you donate at certain levels you will be given incentives. So, it isn’t entirely like donating. For $50, you get a t-shirt, a signed movie poster, a digital download package (I’m honestly not sure what this digital download is… but does it matter? I’m sure it’ll be cool), as well as a personal thank you phone call from the director, Steve Taylor. There are all sorts of other incentive levels as well.

If you’re interested in more information, go to SaveBlueLikeJazz.com, or their donation page on Kickstarter.com. If there isn’t enough money raised to fund the film, you will not be charged, so there’s no risk involved. Check it out, and donate. I want to see this movie.

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Clash of the Titans

I’d meant to post about this sooner, but for some reason I didn’t. So, here it is.

Last Saturday, April 3rd, I watched the new Clash of the Titans movie. I had rather high expectations, which is something I hate to do before seeing a new movie, but how could I not? I absolutely loved the first one. I went to the movie theater hoping that I wouldn’t be disappointed and eager to see a childhood favorite brought to life with modern digital effects.

Clash of the Titans (1981), directed by Desmond Davis and starring Harry Hamlin (Perseus), Laurence Olivier (Zeus), Maggie Smith (Thetis) among others, was a real fixture of my childhood. It was a movie that, while not perfect (the specials effects and some of the acting are really quite poor, now that I watch it again), really drew me into the world of Greek Mythology and inspired a lot of further reading and movie watching for me. And having gone back and watched it again, I maintain that it is a fantastic movie. I also noticed that Maggie Smith, who played the Goddess Thetis, a nominal enemy of Perseus throughout the film, has moved on to Harry Potter fame as the actress who plays Professor McGonagall.

So, when I went to see the new movie, I hoped, basically, for a simple refilming with modern special effects. Unfortunately, that isn’t what I received. The movie immediately diverted from the script of the original, as the scarred and disfigured enemy of Perseus from the first movie… isn’t the same scarred and disfigured enemy of Perseus in the new film. Perseus never meets the kindly old playwright from the first film. And while there is a touch of a romance in the new film, it isn’t the one I was expecting. Rather than a story of the romance between Perseus and Andromeda being the driving motivation for Perseus to defeat the Kraken, Perseus is angry at the Gods, specifically Hades, and eager to spite them.

While I enjoyed this film, it strayed violently from the original, and I really don’t think it improved by doing so. What should have easily been my favorite film of the year has fallen regretfully short.

Matt’s Rating: (1981)

Matt’s Rating: (2010)

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Green Street Hooligans

Today I watched the 2005 film Green Street Hooligans starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam, and directed by Lexi Alexander. Elijah Wood is Matt Buckner, a journalism student at Harvard. Unfortunately, as the movie begins, we see he has just been expelled for something he didn’t even do. His wealthy roommate did. Unfortunately, Buckner takes the fall, fearing the wealth and power of his roommates family, he doesn’t even stand up for himself. He travels to England to visit his sister, whom he hasn’t seen in some time.

Upon his arrival in England, Buckner soon meets his brother-in-law’s brother, Pete Dunham (Charlie Hunnam), the leader of a group of football (soccer) hooligans cheering on West Ham United FC. The group is known as the Green Street Elite, more commonly referred to in the film as GSE. Buckner quickly becomes embroiled in the controversy and fighting you would expect from a group of hooligans.

But there is more to the Green Street Elite than simply fighting against the hooligans of the opposing football teams on match day. It is about camaraderie, standing up for your friends, and knowing that your friends will stand up for you. The hooliganism portrayed in the film seems to be at least partially realistic to British football hooliganism, as the story was written by Dougie Brimson, a former football hooligan himself who has written several books on the topic.

If you don’t enjoy violence, then this isn’t the film for you. If you have a really difficult time understand British accents, then this isn’t the film for you. But if you enjoy well-made films featuring real life struggles, then this film is simply fantastic. You wouldn’t think you could learn a lot about yourself hanging out with football hooligans, but you’d be wrong. I highly recommend you check it out.

Matt’s Rating:

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, so I thought I would mention my thoughts on the new movie Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. This movie is very difficult for me to rate, as I really enjoyed the novel. Unfortunately, it seems that someone along the way decided that the novel wasn’t good enough to make a great movie, and decided to do some major tweaking in the screenplay adaptation.

I find this very unfortunate. The novel was great, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. While I realize that it isn’t easy to translate the written word to the big screen, I feel they cut out some very important parts of the novel, and changed the basic premise. With the premise of the novel being changed, I don’t see how they can continue to make the rest of the series into movies without straying farther and farther from the author’s original intent.

My final rating comes in at about 2 out of 5 stars. The movie was at least enjoyable, but it should have been so much more. If you haven’t read The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, I highly recommend you check it out.

Matt’s Rating: (the movie)

Matt’s Rating: (the book)

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