Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

"My chest hairs are tingling. Something's wrong." 

                                                               - Earl Devereaux 

It's not the best or most realistic looking CGI film out there (though some scenes are really something to marvel at), it's not; Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs it's just a good story with a lot of heart and and and it's funny! 

It’s a bit goofier in its animation style than say a Shrek or Toy Story. Bug eyed reaction shots and exaggerated poses are found all throughout, but it works here. Right alongside the sight gags and slapstick, this cartoonish style has an appeal and charm to it that matches the tone of the story well.

The protagonist, Flint Lockwood, has worked since childhood to invent something special. He finally accidentally creates the FLDSMDFR (pronounced just like it reads) that makes it rain various food. What seems fantastic turns problematic and eventually becomes a sentient being that must be taken down (as these things usually do). It’s fantasy based in reality, much like the animation style of the film. 

There really is something about these computer animated films; they capture heart and emotion so well. The best of this genre knows how to funnel this emotional appeal to both kids and adults at once. I imagine the plot, with its themes of being yourself and love (staples of most kids’ movies nowadays), and the visuals appeal to kids while the pop references and celebrity voice casting maintain the adults’ interests. The casting of Mr. T is amazing here. Really, it’s nothing short of perfection when we says the name Flint Lockwood. 

See it. It's dope. 

Jesus Camp (2006)

"We believe that there's two kinds of people in this world: people who love Jesus and people who don't."

                                                                  -Levi's Mom 

Watching a preteen Christian speaking in tongues while tears stream down their cheeks is intense. Watching them fall to the ground in tears while asking their God for forgiveness feels intrusive. Jesus Camp takes us into the lives of Evangelical Christians and like any good doc it sparks intense conversation, thought, and a variety of emotion.

Largely set in the Midwest US we follow kids like Levi. At 12 years old, we watch as he’s tutored in how to respond to global warming claims and how to respond to those who doubt creationism (which is "the only possible answer to all the questions" his mother assures him). Levi, a kid himself, gives sermons to others younger than him. Like many scenes in this doc the feelings inspired are conflicting. It's exciting to see him practice and do well in front of the crowd yet it's still a bit unsettling to hear such firm beliefs coming from someone so young and inexperienced. Levi is well mannered and polite when he speaks, even when he talks of the "yuckiness" he feels when he comes across non-Christians. This “us vs them” mentality is steady through the documentary and is disconcerting.

The kids presented in Jesus Camp genuinely gather strength from their faith, and they aren't portrayed as blind to doubt or hesitation – for example they are told that Harry Potter is a warlock and not a hero and when one kid admits to watching the films with a smile on his face, others nearby are visibly shocked and excited at the same time. Still, as strong as they appear they are simultaneously portrayed as the fragile beings that they are. They cry so much and so often through the film. They cry when they're happy, sad, fearful, excited...it's powerful and the emotion is so honest. Yet audiences will wonder how much is too much to put on a child. Watching them get lectured about abortion, complete with plastic fetuses to see and hold, is upsetting and feels premature.

The theme of the film seems explore the role children play in the future of Evangelicals’ faith. Repeatedly they are singled out by the adults around them as being vital to the longevity of the Church. It’s an enormous amount of pressure and the approach to the task is interestingly exemplified by the use of two words: train and teach. The distinction between the words is vital and never concretely made throughout the doc. At times the parents claim to be teaching their children the Word of God while other times they are actively training them for what sounds like a war.

Structurally the film is tight and familiar: we’re introduced to the topic of Evangelical Christianity and the kids and adults that we'll follow; then we follow them to religion camp and back. The greatest strength of the doc is that it does well to not poke fingers and make fun, but to show the conflicting sides in a surprising neutral light. The Evangelicals will watch with pride while others will watch in shock and disbelief. The final shot of the film is a telling one. Becky, the religion camp director, drives through a car wash listening to a preacher professing what she already believes. In that moment she’s either being washed over and renewed by hearing her beliefs reinforced to her or she's a deeply confused woman driving through a dark tunnel.

I worry for our kids. I worry that they don't get to be kids as long as they should. I worry that they seem to face so much more information overload and persuasion than I remember facing (though maybe older generations said the same of mine). Nonetheless I worry for them.

(Ted Haggard makes an interesting appearance, chastising homosexuals, considering his sex scandal that emerged in the same year Jesus Camp was released.)

Hard Candy (2005)

"Your conversational skills are really deteriorating as the day goes on."
              - Hayley

Imagine Little Red Riding Hood except for this time the big bad wolf is captured and tortured. On the surface that may not seem like such a bad thing. After all, the wolf would eat Red Riding Hood given the chance. But at what point of capture and torture would you begin to feel sympathy for the wolf?

This is the central question posited by Hard Candy, and boy does it sit with you. Ellen Page stars as Hayley, a mature teen who takes on a suspected pedophile under the guise of prey. Her target is Jeff, played by Patrick Wilson, and for much of the film we are kept in the dark as to whether he really is the pedophile that Hayley believes him to be. What follows is an engaging reversal as Hayley assumes power and tries to probe the truth from Jeff. One torture scene is particularly cringe worthy for any guy watching and it really makes the audience reconsider how we feel about Hayley, our “hero.” How long do we side with our protagonist when they go down a dark path in search of justice? It’s a question that audiences will mull over long after the film ends.

The film take place over the course of one day and much of the story is progressed through dialogue. The setting is (primarily) limited to Jeff’s house and despite such constraints the pace of the story is steady and never slows down more than necessary. Both Page and Wilson carry much of the film’s success through their performances. Both roles require a level of nuance that matches our complex feelings towards them, and it’s really satisfying to see both actors pull it off. The best story telling experiences stick with us for some time, and for a movie to stick with me this long after its release is quite telling. Definitely worth watching and exploring.

Lakeview Terrace (2008)

"I am the police! You have to do what I say!"

                                                              - Able Turner

Obviously casting can influence how easily an audience relates to a character (some actors are amazing and truly become their characters while others suck) but the influence of casting that is displayed in Lakeview Terrace springs from the audience’s preconceived notions of an actor. We live in a country where we know a lot about our entertainers. Whether we actively follow celebrity news or not, all of us are aware of the stereotypical narratives that are out there: the young Hollywood starlet who parties hard, goes to rehab, and makes a triumphant return; the handsome leading man of action who walks away from buildings as they blow up in slow motion; etc. Rather than ask the audience to suspend their disbelief regarding which actor is playing which role, Lakeview Terrace director Neil LaBute steers into our assumptions. 

The film centers on police veteran Abel Turner, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who terrorizes Chris and Lisa, his new interracial next door neighbors. His disapproval (hell anger) towards the recently married couple isn’t easily apparent at first. Viewers will continue to ask themselves well into the film whether Jackson’s character is actively harassing them or if these incidences are just new neighbors learning each other’s idiosyncrasies. For example, when Chris and Lisa are fooling around in their backyard pool, Abel is upset that they are setting a bad example for his children. Abel buys new floodlights for his backyard to “keep any possible intruders away.” When the floodlights end up being aimed directly into the bedroom of the young couple they naturally take offence. This early exchange is just one example and with each new conflict the feud gets further amplified. 

Still throughout the majority of the movie viewers won’t be fully sure of Abel’s intentions. Is he racist? Is he just uptight? We sympathize with the new couple but we don’t completely demonize Able’s actions; we even make excuses with ourselves for them. This is where the casting influence is apparent. Samuel L. Jackson’s off screen identity causes us to give Able waaaay more leeway than we normally would. Jackson is such a popular actor and likeable with fans that we forgive more than we would a no name actor in this role. This same technique was also used to great effect with the casting of Denzel Washington in Training Day. The idea seems to be if you can’t curb people from bring their knowledge of celebrity culture to your movie, then you should use it to your advantage. It’s a great tool and takes what would otherwise be an average movie and makes it something worth watching.

Hustle and Flow (2005)

"Everybody got to have a dream. You hear me?"

                                                                  - DJay

A movie about a drug dealing pimp trying to make it as a rap star doesn’t sound appealing and it shouldn’t, because that’s lame. Luckily this is not what Hustle and Flow is about. It’s about dreams.

Everybody has a dream, even those of the most despicable corners of society. Why you should see this film, and why it’s incredible, is the gradual shift you feel from despising a guy like DJay to rooting for him. Hard. You’ll watch as DJay treats his prostitute, Nola, like shit. You’ll see him sell drugs. You’ll see him do these things and more and by the third act you’ll want him to succeed in reaching his dream of hip-hop glory. You might even hate yourself for it but you will. The director pulls this off is a number of ways: first, you see DJay work hard at his craft; legitimately, he works at this. We may not all sympathize with him due to the choices he makes, but we can empathize with someone trying hard, struggling and progressing. Secondly, you also see him sacrifice. Finally, and this is my favorite of the director’s methods, the person who stands between DJay and his dream is worse than DJay is. It’s a old but effective trick, placing your unlikable hero in juxtaposition with someone even more unlikable allowing them to shine by default, and it really seals our affection for our drug dealing pimp turned rapper.

All of this is pulled off by a great cast led by Terrence Howard as DJay. It takes a strong performance to help sell an audience on the idea that a character like this is worth investing in. It’s a wise investment on our part and it’s a satisfying pay off.