The Caine Mutiny based on the Pulitzer Prize Winner

The Caine Mutiny based on the Pulitzer Prize Winner

This film is included on the New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.

And the original material has won the Pulitzer Prize.

In a strange manner, I have almost missed a chef d'oeuvre.

When I had started reading the book, first the large size, then the introduction to the narrative did not appeal to me.

So I have placed this aside and thought that reading hundreds of pages about men isolated and mutinous on a ship is not my cup of tea.

But luckily, I tried this again and what a treat I have been given.

The film is excellent, even if I prefer the novel.

It is based on a story that never happened.

It is made clear from the start that the American navy has never had a mutiny on board one of its vessels.

Or maybe they said not a successful one.

Anyway, even if this is purely fictional, it is still a gripping account.

The captain of the Caine has so many elements of madness.

He is obsessed with the tail shirts of the sailors under his command to an absurd point.

In fact, while he is reprimanding someone on the ship, the vessel is cutting its own line.

Paying attention to a minor detail, the commanding officer made a much graver mistake of letting the ship sail in a complete circle.

In another instance,scared and afraid for his life, the captain increases the speed of the Caine beyond the limit at which it could be followed.

The attack teams that were supposed to sail with the ship are left to follow a yellow line on the water.

Therefore, the captain became The Yellow Stain.

This neurotic man is continuously playing with steel balls in his hands.

And he becomes crazy about some...strawberries!

The captain finds out that there are no more strawberries and he decides to have an investigation!

Someone has eaten maybe five hundred grams of the fruit and that is unacceptable.

So, in the middle of the night, this commander makes his officer search for e culprit.

He has everyone looking for the...key.

He is sure that the criminal has  made a copy, unlocked the strawberries and has eaten them.

Someone in the right mind would have balanced the gains and losses of this stupid, exhausting action and given up.

Not the captain of the Caine.

And there are other crazy things he does, recorded in a book by the second in command.

In a typhoon, the latter takes over and states that the captain is unfit and cannot control the vessel.

And I totally agreed with that.

Consequently, I was cheering for the mutineers in the following trial.

The accusations wee very serious and the accused could be hanged if found guilty. A

They are fortunate because they are defended by an exceptional lawyer.

Nevertheless, the proceedings of the trial are not favorable for the accused.

It seems that the witnesses, even those thought favorable, do not help their cause.

On the contrary.

But then the captain aka Humphrey Bogart takes the stage.

For some minutes, he appears to be the sane, good commanding officer.

And then there is a dramatic change.

The phenomenal surprise takes place out of court though.

And all that the reader has been made to believe is shattered.

The Caine Mutiny is an astounding, memorable masterpiece.

Lone Star, writer, director John Sayles, Nine out of ten

Lone Star, writer, director John Sayles

Nine out of ten

Lone Star is an excellent film that was produced in the same year with The English Patient and Fargo

The writer John Sayles had to compete with the latter, Shine, Jerry Maguire and Secrets and Lies for the Oscar and Golden Globe

Chris Cooper is formidable as Sam Deeds, the sheriff of Rio County, in the Lone Star State of Texas.

At the debut of the movie, some human remains are found in the desert and finding the identity of the dead man will become an activity that uncovers many secrets from the past of the town.

That skeleton had been buried for decades, but the dental information and the sheriff star found help identify it:

-          It was Charlie Wade

Many narratives have a good and an evil character and this Charlie Wade has been as evil as one can get.

Notwithstanding the fact that he had been the sheriff, he did not respect the law and abused his position.

He took money from any illegal activity that took place in the small town and punished anyone who tried to cross him.

That retribution was more than cruel and it meant most often violent beatings, but also killing men.

Charlie Wade has a confrontation with Buddy Deeds, the father of the sheriff that the viewers see in the first scenes of the film.

The narrative involves travelling in the past to learn about the different events that explain the gruesome discovery from the desert.

Buddy Deeds has been a much-respected sheriff who took over from Wade, after the latter…disappeared.

The common wisdom is that after the open conflict, Wade had been killed and then his body disposed of by Buddy.

Witnesses or those who have suffered at the hands of Charlie Wade recount ghastly scenes from the past.

However, Sam Deeds is unhappy with what he finds about his own father, who has been committing crimes.

Although Buddy has been not just much better than the man he replaced but seen as most inhabitants as a kind of protective angel, this sheriff did get people to work at his house, was involved in various illegalities and cheated on his wife.

Nevertheless, Wade was something else…an outrageous brute, which stole and killed with impunity until his end came.

In one instance, he walks into this bar where he takes money as a protection fee and abuses his power.

One new waiter is humiliated and made to understand who the boss is by despicable, sadistic means.

At another moment, a Mexican man who takes illegal refugees across the border has a problem with his truck.

Sheriff Wade drives his patrol car and stops to ask about the traffic with people and mentions, as always that he has to take a cut out of every business.

The sheriff asks about guns and when he is told that the driver has a hunting rifle, he asks to see that.

This is just a trap and the means to have an alibi in case he needs one to explain how the man was shot…

Because as the Mexican man is touching the rifle, he is shot and killed in cold blood, without any reason whatsoever.

There is a love story with a strange twist that is told parallel with the investigation into the death of Wade.

Sam Deeds has been in love since high school with Pilar Cruz, the daughter of a prominent local businessperson.

His father has been very determined in opposing their relationship and making every effort to stop it.

At the end, we see why.

Lone Star is an excellent film, included on The New York Times ‘Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made List:

http://www.listchallenges.com/new-york-times-best-1000-movies-ever-made/checklist/13

The Square, written and directed by Ruben Ostlund

The Square, written and directed by Ruben Ostlund

The Square is one of the remarkable films of 2017.

Maybe we should say one of the best of the decade.

It is thought provoking, fresh, unusual, combining humor with drama.

The Square is a work of modern art with a message:

Within this square drawn on the floor, " we all have equal right and obligations ".

This motion picture deals with political themes, such as inequality, immigration, discrimination.

Christian is the hero of the narrative and he is the head curator of the Modern Art Museum of Copenhagen.

Early on, he has an interview with Anne, a journalist who is portrayed by Elizabeth Moss.

And the audience is soon invited to think about

What is art?

If I take your bag and place it in the museum on display, does that make it an object of art?

As a matter of fact, piles of gravel are arranged in a room and they constitute part of the exhibit.

In order to attract attention and funding, the museum decides to work with an agency.

The young men explain that it is difficult to get the attention on the Internet, when there are so many news and events competing for an ever decreasing attention span.

So they suggest something that will take the elements that get people to watch and exploit them...

Beggars, violence

And what they come with and this will shock and cause outrage is a video with a five year old Blonde beggar who is blown up in front of the Museum of Modern Art...

This will get you the attention you crave...and indeed it got a lot of coverage.

While in a public square, Christian is robbed, his phone, wallet are taken.

With tracking devices now widely available, he is able to locate the phone.

The building where it is, not the exact apartment.

So letters are printed and delivered to all the mail boxes, accusing the receiver of being a thief and threatening and asking for the phone and wallet back.

The possessions are returned, but during this process, an innocent child is hurt.

His parents get the letter and are convinced that the innocent boy has committed the crime.

Christian shows here the ugly face of his character.

Although a smart, Creative, Open-minded, sophisticated man, he is also arrogant and at times obnoxious, cruel and discriminatory.

He has sex with the journalist Anne and this is the occasion for some strange situations.

After the intercourse, the woman asks for the condom.

He would not give it, albeit she insists.

The outre moment becomes really outlandish when they both start pulling the used condom.

Perhaps to top it all or just to add another absurd, bizarre occurance, a chimpanzee comes to the other room...

There is another bizarre performance, involving an artist called Oleg, who is acting like a primate.

This "performer" pushes things further and further, until he attacks a woman from the audience, bent on raping her, hurting and pulling the victim by the hair.

Finally, men intervene, but now it is their turn to act viciously and with horrendous brutality.

You have nothing

This is written on the wall of the piles of gravel artwork.

In another exhibition, visitors are asked to make a choice:

If you trust people, enter this door

With mistrust as the chosen option, there is another door.

Christian takes his two daughters and once they reach The Square, they are asked to leave the phones and wallets in that space.

They find that difficult, given the extreme and absurd attachment we all have with out phones aka our souls.

Very provocative, creative, unusual and memorable motion picture.

It was nominated for a Golden Globe and, just a few hours ago, for an Academy Award for

Best Foreign Motion Picture

I'd say it deserves to win as much as First They Killed My Father, Nelyubov aka Loveless, which are the other significant films that I have seen so far in this category.

For a BAFTA Handmaiden has been nominated, but I would vote for The Square instead.

The Animal by Tom Brady, Five out of 10

`              The Animal by Tom Brady

Five out of 10

                The Animal is a ridiculous film

Nevertheless, this is also the case with so many productions from Hollywood and elsewhere, with works like:

-          The Avengers, Transformers and so many more

The premise of the film is preposterous:

Marvin aka Rob Schneider is working at the police department, but in an unimportant capacity.

One day, there is an emergency call from a store that is being robbed, only the staff are off…this is a ridiculous comedy, remember?

While his colleagues are at a game, Marvin is the only one who can take the call and try to find help.

He is unable, so he takes action himself.

On the way to the unfolding event, the would be cop has an accident as he tries to avoid an animal.

In addition, he becomes…The Animal.

One better version of this note is ending here.

Since the comedy is not so interesting and humorous, why go on with a long note that does not add much, if anything…

-          Much Ado About Nothing!

-          That’s why

The car of the hero is overturned, not once, not twice, but multiple times and the driver would be dead.

In a serious film.

Moreover, this is not such a motion picture.

The audience is offered an interval wherein the protagonist is acting weird and we do not know the reason.

For instance, in some of the few worthwhile scenes, Marvin is running fast and appears different.

Whereas before the accident, he was mauled and taken down by the dog of his neighbor, things have changed now.

-          The Animal  is an Alpha Male now

-          So there is a new Pack Leader in town

 In addition, not just that.

This outré character is able to run faster than the rest, including a horse rider, who tries hard to pass The Animal.

The galloping horse is no match for this Brute.

Moreover, the public has the explanation, when a doctor comes out of the woods and explains how he cured the hero, destroyed has he had been after the accident.

Only this creature is not in control of his urges:

When he sees an attractive woman on the street, he engages in sex with a mailbox and attacks other animals, stakes, almost anything that tempts him.

Marvin east from the garbage bin and when he is attending a party, he jumps and attacks the cat of the hosts.

As he is fired from the police force, there is another outrageous development, as this combination of seal, with goat, monkey and other species is given the opportunity to save a boy.

In another incident, and then later in the film, Marvin is tempted by a…female goat that is in heat.

This is the kind of humor that is predominant in this silly comedy that actually has only a couple of minutes of honest entertainment.

There are some macaws early on and since I have two that I love, I continued and watched this silly film.

The female protagonist even says about parrots:

-          They have the IQ of a five year old…well, I don’t know about the humor level of those who wrote this script

Sullivan’s Travels, writer and director Preston Sturges

Sullivan’s Travels, writer and director Preston Sturges

                Sullivan’s Travels has been included on prestigious lists of the Best Films ever made:

-          http://www.listchallenges.com/new-york-times-best-1000-movies-ever-made/checklist/22

John Sullivan is a celebrated director in Hollywood, many decades ago, when the action of this film takes place.

Nevertheless, he wants to take a break.

The producers that are in charge of his motion pictures and at that time, to some extent the director himself, oppose the idea.

Sullivan is interested in seeing the life of the poor people for himself and therefore is bent on going out in the world.

In addition, Sullivan would take along only 50 cents or about 100 dollars in today’s money.

The studio executives do not want to lose a creative man that has produced some successful comedies.

Therefore, they send a team with him, driving in a bus that keeps a distance of a few meters away from the director.

When a teenager, who is only fourteen, takes Sturges off the road, there is a chance to break free.

For that boy drives like crazy, at…forty miles an hour or so.

This in those days was like 300 kilometers per hour.

This trip ends though and the hero tries to have a drink and some food in a small bar near the road.

As he only has enough, or less, for a coffee, Sullivan has to go to the bus and ask for money to pay the Good Samaritan

The owner of that place has Kindness, Mercy and Spirituality, all Character Strengths and gave the hero food for no money.

He is recompensed when the studio team gives him back much more money than the meal was initially worth.

Sullivan tries again to take the road in order to experience what the live of destitute men is like.

He meets The Girl.

Moreover, one of the greatest stars of that and all time play her: Veronica Lake, an actor I am not crazy for.

She is Open-Minded, Merciful, Brave, Fair, Persistent, Kind, Grateful, Hopeful, Spiritual and has Vitality, among other Signature Strengths

After she pays for some ham and eggs for the hero, the latter offers her a ride and some help with her career.

The Girl wants to be an actor, but is on the point of giving up the struggle and returning to her home.

-          Can you give me a letter for Lubitsch?

-          Of course…Who is Lubitsch?

Sullivan says he has a friend and he could get his car so that The Girl does not have to take the train.

However, they end up in jail, because even if the car belongs to the rich director, he is dressed as a beggar.

In addition, the police do not believe him when he says who he is and that will happen again in the movie.

The rich director invites The Girl to his mansion and pool, after they are released from prison and a love affair is born.

The two go again on the road, as homeless, poor people and they are involved in serious events.

During one of them, Sullivan is robbed and hit on the head by one homeless person and train kills the latter.

The body is disfigured by the fatal accident and with the evidence they find, it is concluded that the director has died.

What is the end of all this?

Well, it is both meaningful and thought provoking, making this one of the best comedies ever made.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High, written by Cameron Crowe

Fast Times at Ridgemont High, written by Cameron Crowe

This will be an attempt to look at Fast Times at Ridgemont High using a Positive Psychology lens…

Therefore, it should be a take…

Through a Glass…Brightly

Cameron Crowe has awed me with his Almost Famous, a motion picture for which he wrote the script and directed

He wrote the screenplay for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Jerry Maguire and the less astounding…We Bought a Zoo

The stars of Fast Times contribute as well to the success of this comedy that has been included on some Best Humor lists…

Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Forest Whitaker, Ray Walston and the rest of the cast are very good in this film

Sean Penn is the main character, although he does not have much more screen time than the others do.

Jeff Spicoli is smoking marijuana or some other drug for most of the narrative and this makes him rather slow.

Humor is very important in Positive Psychology and in fact, it is a Character Strength, figured in

The Martin Seligman chart, available on the internet

Spicoli is one of the main funny elements in the story, with his confused apparitions and relaxed attitude…

Well, too relaxed approach.

In school, he is always late and this annoys his history teacher, Mr. Hand who insists that Spicoli is wasting his time…

-          Well, we are here, you are here

-          Yes…

-          This means it is…our time!

Jeff Spicoli has a point there, although his Persistence is not one of the Character Strengths, not in the way he uses it.

This naughty student comes to history class without a shirt on and he pushes his Creativity to invent wrong events.

At one point, during the same history class, a man comes to the door of the room to knock and disturb…

-          Who are you?

-          I am the pizza guy

-          Who ordered the salami with cheese

-          It’s over here…says Spicoli

Only the history teacher also has Open Mindedness and Perspective in this occasion and invites the class to eat the slices.

Outside class, Jeff Spicoli gets involved in other incidents, one of which is dangerous as it involves driving.

The young man is driving recklessly, while under the influence of drugs, and at one turn he provokes an accident.

Stacy Hamilton is another one of the main personages and she in the process of discovering her sexuality.

As she has sex with an arrogant teenager, the girl becomes pregnant and decides to have an abortion.

The cost is $ 150, which was the equivalent of a few thousand dollars in today’s money…I guess.

Mike Damone, the pretentious, selfish male does not contribute to the sum and does not even show up.

Notwithstanding the fact that he promised both to pay half the cost and to drive Stacy, he does neither.

The comedy is good.

However, I would not include it among the very best.

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

This is a very good novel from the genius author of

Catcher in the Rye

I must say that it was not as exhilarating as The Catcher in the Rye, but Franny and Zooey are memorable characters in an excellent book.

I will insist on what has impressed me and confess that there are large parts that I did not get...

Or dig, as some would say...

These would be passages that I did not really see the point of

In fact, they gave me the impression of a game.

It was like Salinger was playing.

But as I said, I did not really engage with those sections and let me just write about what was inspiring.

Franny and Zooey are extremely intelligent, special siblings.

Franny is Zooey's sister and we meet her first.

She is very interested-in the first place I wanted to write obsessed- in a prayer and the story of a Russian pilgrim.

A very simple man, after suffering traumas, the death of the members of his family, he starts a search for God.

For the truth.

He meets a monk that is very familiar with the Holy book and also religious practices and this saintly individual teaches the Pilgrimhow to pray to Jesus Christ.

The idea, or the conviction is that it does not even matter what the human repeating this mantra believes!

If he repeats it continuously and with a special rhythm, this will just reach the soul...

It is not a quote, but what I gathered.

This speech pattern will somehow affect the beatings of the heart.

In another place, references are made to chakras.

The Eastern incantations are mentioned and their similarly with the prayer of the Pilgrim.

I thought this is fabulous!

Formidable!!

I was thinking to start uttering this myself, in spite of my lack of faith.

But they say it works anyway!

On the other hand, it reminds me of that syllogism

Believe in God:

If he does exist, you win...you go to heaven

If he does not, you lose nothing...

Only it does not work like that.

Plus, Nathaniel Branden has a different take on this.

The classic author of Six Pillars of Self Esteem writes that religion is rather catastrophic for the well being of humans.

Zooey is very taken with Jesus.

However, he has the opinion that his sister does not understand the life of Jesus and what he stood for.

If God wanted someone like Francis of Assisi, he would have gotten him.

But Jesus Christ was extraordinary.

He said that we have Heaven within ourselves...

Or words to that effect.

Indeed, if I am not yet Redeemed and I do not yet believe in God, I am nevertheless convinced that if He does exist, we have to take the holy books as metaphors.

The fundamentalists who insist that the earth is only as old as the bible says, literally, do more damage to religion than so many atheists.

Karen Armstrong, maybe the most respected expert on religion, underlines that the scriptures had myths, legends that are not to be interpreted in a simplistic, ultimately stupid manner.

Overall, the reading of Franny and Zooey was a pleasure.

But there have been sections that I did not really enjoy.