ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930), 1917 (2019)

In the trenches in All Quiet on the Western Front

There is a lot of criticism of a lot of the early Best Picture Academy Award choices, but the 1930 Best Picture choice of All Quiet on the Western Front is a decision that has stood the test of time. Even prickly alternative Oscar writer Danny Peary thinks the Academy got this one right.

The film is of course based on the anti-war novel by Erich Maria Remarque and depicts a group of young soldiers excitedly joining the German army during World War I only to find their dreams of heroism brings them mostly horror and death. I don't think that there were any war films like this in the early talkie era and one can only imagine the impact the sounds of warfare had on audiences of the time.

Read the book...see the movie.. then.go do something to make the world a better place.

Corporal Schofield (George Mackay) tries to get a message

 to the front in 1917

All Quiet on the Western front was only ten years removed from the end of World War I and this year we have another Oscar contender one-hundred years removed from the event. The film is 1917 and is director Sam Mendes's recount of stories passed down from his grandfather Alfred Mendes about the Great War.

The story depicts about soldiers in the British Army who have to get a message to company commanders to cancel an attack that aerial surveillance has discovered to be a set-up from the enemy. 1917 follows these soldiers (Schofield and Blake) as they try to make it to the front in time. The film is noted for being shot in one take and that is a most impressive technical trick. The set design is really stunning. I may watch this whole film again and just try to catch everything that is going on in the background! There has been some criticism that the movie is made for the video game generation. Maybe a little. I can see 1917 on Nintendo being a thing...But  it's still an impressive work and the latest Awards Watch post has 1917 as winning Best Director and Best Picture. Roger Deakins should be a shoo-in for the Cinematography Award and the picture may clean up on many other technical award categories. Except editing, of course. We'll see on February 9th.

MOVIES FROM THE 1990'S (MONTH 1)

MOVIES FROM THE 1990'S REVISITED

Since I still had quite a few movies from the 90's left on my 1001 list, I decided to re-watch ten this month that I have seen but haven't seen for awhile.

The Big Lebowski

If you're a movie lover, you gotta like The Big Lebowski. You gotta be able to quote it, love the characters and just have a fun time with the stoner dude and all his eccentric friends. I liked it when I first saw it and the subsequent cult status of the film is well deserved. And who wouldn't want to go bowling with The Dude, Walter and Donny? I will certainly see it again at some point as I spill a beverage in your honor.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder is a roller-coaster hallucinogenic head trip dealing with life and death, unconsciousness and consciousness, reality and imagination. I didn't remember many specifics from my first viewing other than the weirdness of it, but it is truly a worthwhile film that isn't always easy to figure out. Several scenes I watched over to fully appreciate how it all comes together...sort of.

Seven

Seven is one that I've only seen once before and if you know the big spoilers going in, you might not enjoy a movie like Seven the second time around. But knowing what was going to happen made it a different viewing experience. It loses some of the shock value, but you get to figure out this intense police procedural with the officers more as you go when you know where it is headed.

The Usual Suspects

The same repeat viewing spoiler problems may be found for The Usual Suspects, which (like Seven) also stars Kevin Spacey. Yet, it makes it easier to answer the questions of what exactly is going on with these crooks? What force is leading them together? And who or what is Keyser Solze? Another one to watch with someone who hasn't seen it to see if they can figure out the many puzzles presented here.

L. A. Confidential

Since I'm a fan of film noir, I'm especially prone to have affection for L. A. Confidential, based on James Ellroy's crime novel of the same name. Lots of twists, lots of action that goes far, but not too far and boasts a formidable cast led by (who else) Kevin Spacey. Just a thought: I wonder if Rolo Tomasi and Keyser Solze have ever met?

American Beauty

And my 90's Kevin Spacey film festival ends with the Academy Award winning film, American Beauty. This film has one of my all-time favorite screenplays (Sam Ball). The characters are vivid and cleverly written (though not overwritten) and very-well acted by the cast led by Mr. Spacey...Now that I think about it, I might need to watch Glen Glenngarry Ross or House of Cards again.

Goodfellas

Goodfellas is one of director Martin Scorcese's most critically lauded films and I would say deservedly so. I'm impressed with how the film mirrors the actual events of mob informant Henry Hill to dramatic effect. Many think that Goodfellas should have beaten out Dances With Wolves for Best Picture in 1990, but for the record, my wife thinks Dances With Wolves was the right choice.

Casino

I wanted to make sure I re-watched Casino right after Goodfellas, as the movie features the same subject (organized crime-though in Las Vegas this time), the same director (Scorcese), the same star (Robert De Niro), the same psychotic co-star (Joe Pesci) and the same original author (Nicolas Pileggi). But Casino is more than just Goodfellas-lite and definitely stands on its on in the classic crime drama category. And Sharon Stone is surprisingly good!

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is a movie whose title has become synonymous with living the same day over and over. It's obviously very funny, but their is a lot of poignancy and character growth in Bill Murray's Phil as the movie progresses. And how could you not love the perennially obnoxious Ned Ryerson?

Babe

After seeing a bunch of harder-edged movies in a row, it's a good break to re-watch the talking pig movie Babe. It's a movie with cute talking pigs, dogs and sheep! It's sweet and touching and when Babe the pig asks Fly the dog if he can call her mamma...well, I'm going to need a tissue now.

Plenty of more 90's movies to revisit. Will work on tackling some more of those next month.