A Touch of Greatness - Joel Scott Davis

“And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything.”

–William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 1

One of the more frequently discussed films to have previously graced the pages of this blog (according to HOM’s power rankings, it’s currently in a three-way tie with Melancholia and Hunger Games for the coveted title of HOM’s most-blogged-about film) is Spike Jonze’s cinematic reimagining of the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are. The plot is a familiar one: a young boy flees from the traumas of reality, seeking refuge and free reign among the benign beasts that inhabit his imagination. Themes of youthful innocence, curiosity, rebellion, camaraderie, and uninhibited creativity combine into a poignant ode to that which is irrevocably lost and left behind in the inevitable process of growing up.

In the 2004 documentary A Touch of Greatness, we are witness to a true story in which the yawning chasm between childhood innocence and grown-up experience has been bridged in an extraordinary way. Surprisingly, the setting for the film is not the innermost realms of a child’s imagination; rather, our story unfolds in the seemingly ordinary confines of a public elementary school classroom in Rye, New York. Within this liminal space, for a brief season spanning the 1950s and early 1960s, a group of young school children were fortunate enough to encounter and engage with Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Sophocles in an unconventional manner: rather than exchanging their youthful dreams for a life-dulling, mind-numbing mediocrity and cookie-cutter conformity, these students instead become the recipients of an education that connects the fantastic with the factual, the poetic with the prosaic, the beautiful with the mundane. But how, you might ask, is such a reversal of the oft-watered-down public school experience possible? Who was responsible for creating such an unexpected spark in such an ordinary environment?

Meet Mr. Albert Cullum, a real-life hero whose highly idiosyncratic approach to elementary ed. blessed the minds, talents, and imaginations of each student who came through his classroom. For those pessimists who continually perpetuate the stereotypical view that “Those who can’t do, teach,” Mr. Cullum initially appears to be yet another stereotypical statistic: as a failed actor, he once made a fateful decision while walking along NYC’s fabled 42^nd street to find another place where he could go to become a star. To his credit, however, his decision took on infinitely greater significance when he vowed that he would instead go some place where he could make everyone else around him a star. Such altruism was the lifeblood of his pedagogy, and his unorthodox, life-changing methods of opening young minds comprise the heart and soul of this touching documentary film. 

With his dramatic flair, slightly mischievous attitude, and a dash of whimsy, Mr. Cullum embodies the Teacher we all long for, but all-too-rarely encounter: he is the real-life, actualized potential of the ideal seen in Dead Poets Society, The Emperor’s Club, [insert inspirational educational film reference here]. Unlike these cherished movies and screenplays, however, the story of Mr. Cullum is real. His students exist as real people with real lives and stories of their own; in light of this, the highlight of this movie, for my money, occurs during the final 5 minutes, when we get the proverbial “Where are they now?” montage, and Mr. Cullum’s lasting influence on future generations comes into full display. (For the record, this film’s closing sequence, with its stirring Penguin Café Orchestra musical accompaniment, ranks right up there with the memorable dénouements of That Thing You Do!, Napoleon Dynamite, The Royal Tenenbaums, and any season finale from The Wonder Years). 

In the end, most of Mr. Cullum’s former students may not have gone on to become elder statesmen/women, A-list celebrities, high-paid athletes, Met opera stars, or award-winning persons of letters; nevertheless, they have each gone on to live lives of meaning and influence in their own respective corners of Anywhere, America, and you can tell that Mr. Cullum taught them an all-important lesson in contemporary culture: to search for that beauty and truth hiding between the covers of a book, or encoded within a mathematical formula, or buried deep inside a historical narrative, and to go forth and share these treasured findings with others. As Mr. Cullum so eloquently reminds us, “Learning’s not painful; learning should be joyful.” Amen, and amen.

Anti-War Movies - Jiro, Baseball, Restrepo

John Lenon and Yoko Ono making Bed Peace. The
documentary in which this protest is featured is memorable.
Also, "All we're saying, is give peace a chance" will get
stuck in your head for days. I suppose there are worse
tunes to be hummin'. 

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a tightly wound, buttoned-up documentary about a man named Jiro and his pursuit of perfect sushi. Roy Tin Cup McAvoy would counsel as EU politicians amidst austerity measures might-- "perfection is unattainable." It's also a war movie. Baseball, the longwinded, robust documentary from Ken Burns is divided into 11 parts (innings). I'm both embarrassed and thrilled by how much time I've spent watching this documentary and loving Garrison Keillor narration. Most of the 25 hours hinge on war, as does baseball. Restrepo was filmed in "the most dangerous place in the world," Afghanistan. It follows a group of Marines into this place--nothing else though, just war.

New French President, Francoise Hollande, representing
the Socialist party's return to power, meets with small business
owners in Tulle market. Complete with an austere agenda
and a name that American's are sure to hate, he'll be
leaning on Tin Cup style wisdom.

Jiro, Baseball, and Restrepo are war movies. The extent to which dosages of war are apporitioned in each varies. However, be it on a pristine, just wiped down, sushi [home] plate or a machine gun turret aimed at shadows, the impact of heaping servings of war is astounding. Not awesome, just astounding. And that's the point.

Jiro made its way to movie theaters and out of the mushy indie doc world because it is minimalist, shouts out to genre top dogs, enhances thoughts with thinker's music, and insinuates several really good questions sans behind-camera-narration. Insinuated question one: what is a good life? See. Good question. Jiro knows the answer and by way of convictions and nearly flawless attendance, PW style, he makes you wonder if he's on to something. That's why there is a documentary about him. Rick Warren claims to know the answer as well. That's why he is overweight, a millionaire, pro-war and still a pastor. It's a compelling story, this one.

Japan's snowboard team before the olympics. Kokubo
center, was fined for not being Jiro enough--he didn't
tie his tie correctly. Notably, Kokubo refuses to alter
his series of tricks in competitions though he rarely wins.
He claims that his tricks are cooler than Shawn White's
so he "stays the course."

Jiro and his staff. His two sons immediately behind him.
His younger son was forced to open his own restaurant
while his oldest son (third from right is Jiro's apprentice;
he is in his 50s.

Jiro has pursued perfect sushi for 83 years. He works harder than every other sushi chef in the world. He demands complete surrender of himself and his employees. His restaurant is open six days out of seven. It is the only sushi restaurant in the world to receive three Michelin Stars. He is very Japanese, as the stereotypes would have us believe, and has not wavered but for two notable happenings and potentially, for a third. Happening number one: smoking almost killed him, had to spend some time in the hospital. Happening (potentially) number two: there is not going to be any fishes because we have over fished our oceans. The "California Roll" is supposedly the culprit. Happening number three: there was a great war. 

Ken Burns has 'an effect' named for him. His documentaries
are long and encompassing--a throwback to a generation
gone-by. His throwing form should not be used to
measure or pass judgement on his abilities to piece
together a throw-back documentary.

In this war, Japan attacked the United States, 
contributed to genocide, had a culture altering bomb dropped on their homeland. Whoa. From sushi to atomic bombs. Insinuated question two: what does a good life mean for one that works diligently in a post WWII Japan? (This is also a really good question.) Were this movie able to sidestep historical realities it would be less interesting. Many work diligently in utopia. We work diligently, though, in a society that for some terrible reasons, goes to war. One can't stop wondering, after seeing this really good documentary, firstly, what the hell has Jiro's wife been up to all this time? Secondly, how much of a response to WWII is the work ethic of Japan's 'Greatest Generation'? In another way, what's next for Japanese culture? Jiro dedication mashed-up with post-Nirvana expectations could be interesting. For real, check out their snowboard team and be inspired. Most of all though, keep your eye on David Gelb. This anti-war documentary has mostl likely catapulted him into Weinstein's office/palace and onto Red carpets.

In the last 20 years there has been a 218
percent increase in latino players in MLB.

Baseball is a little more overt than Jiro. It's a war movie and does little to hide the fact. What tips the viewer off to Ken Burn's Mel Gibsonesque aspirations is the trifurcated storyboard. Baseball before War and baseball after War and then baseball before War and then baseball after War and then baseball before War and then baseball after War. Luckily, for Ken Burn's sake, though he does get off on being exhaustive, we've managed to snuggle baseball close enough to corporate television contracts to keep it from going anywhere--come hell or high water. Though, I'm not sure MLB, ESPN, FOX and Obama are prepared for what would happen to professional baseball if a Hispanic/Latin country goes to war. Ken Burn's would have to leg-out this doc into a twelfth inning, I'd imagine.

A catcher/soldier trying-out for the Army
baseball team and embodying two things
that our nation does really well--war and baseball.

The point is that our nation loves two things: baseball and war. Burns, having spent most of his life with librarian archive specialists, weaves the two together with haggard footage of Babe Ruth "touching them all" and soft overtones of rich white men's quotes about the necessity of each, baseball and war. Leaving the Ken Burn's Effect aside, the viewer is left with a sour taste followed promptly be sweet nostalgia--Sour Patch Kid-like. "Ah, the days when baseball players, men paid little to make much for those at the top, were forced to go to war. That's when we knew what this country stood for." The identity inducing elements of America's pastime, war and baseball, in this documentary, opined on by Ken Burns, put this movie on the McArthy must-watch list.

A member of Second Platoon meeting with citizens of
the most dangerous place on earth, a valley in Afghanistan
home to Taliban (Rebels, Insurgents, Terrorists and
Monsters). Some of the most striking scenes in the
movie show the weekly meetings of Second Platoon's
leadership with village elders. The culture clash could
only be enhanced if the Sergeant were to hand out
California Rolls before explaining the rules of baseball.

Restrepo does nothing to hide from war genre epics. Complete with bullets, tattoos, hero sentiments, and a lack of remorse, Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington put the anti-war movement in the throes of real war. They bravely dig-in with the Second Platoon in one of the most crucial valleys in Afghanistan as the soldiers labor and shoot and labor and shoot. One of the most gripping and unsettling war movies ever made. In the first place, it makes one question Ken Burn's platform--all cozy and acoustically perfect. In the second place, it does well to usher forward the most pertinent question we should be asking, "What the hell are we doing there?!?!" I wonder if Jiro asked a similar question. Especially if he was stationed on Iwo Jima. Did he dream of sushi on that god forsaken island like the Second Platoon dreamed of cheeseburgers in that godforsaken valley? Maybe. Either way, Junger and Hetherington do not let up on a mission set in motion by anti-war documentarians before them. David Gelb, Ken Burns, Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington adhere to one theme: war dominates, sadly.

First Fiscal Quarter Mailbag

Dear HOM,

With Valentine's Day coming up, there's always the possibility of picking up a movie for me and the mrs. to watch. As a 27 year-old male, the problem is I struggle with "chick flicks." What do you recommend that won't make me want to (insert something gruesome)?

Thank you,

Lost in Louisville 

Dear L.I.L,

I have a tall friend that recently told me about a practice he and his wife make use of. They will go to the theater and plan on seeing two movies. They'll each pick one that they want to see that way each party is content enough. This takes time and money, though.

Here's the thing with "chick flicks", L.I.L. There are some worth watching. And this is where you'll need an expert. Next time she wants to queue up a love story, guide her towards some of these less gushy titles (notably, if the romcom features Hanks and Meg Ryan then your enjoyment is sure to be mutual):

When Harry Met Sally - The Holiday - You've Got Mail - Sleepless in Seattle - The Devil Wears Prada - Notting Hill - The Wedding Planner - Fool's Gold

There are many more and here is what I'd nudge you towards. Granted, she will have seen all of these. The great thing about a chick that likes chick flicks is that she'll most likely easily be swayed towards one that she knows is a sure bet, even if it is her 17th viewing. I'll stand by these above titles and add one more bit of advice. Flicks that feature McConauhey are usually superb for one reason - McConaughey. He'll provide genuine entertainment on so many levels. It's the absurdity that becomes the pursuit, you'll be on pins and needles waiting for him to come through with utter unbelievability.

Stay Strong, LIL, and muster up the courage to suggest the same 8 movies every Valentine's day for the next 40 years.

Yours Truly,

HOM

HOM,

The blog looks great. Thanks for keeping me up-to-date! The editor is sexy.

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I have a suspicion that you are my sister. Thanks, I guess.

Peace,

Uncle HOM

Dear HashingOutMovies,

I haven't seen many foreign movies. I've never been excited about having to read subtitles for two hours. I'm wondering if I'm missing out on some good stuff. Can you recommend some foreign movies that are worth my time? Thanks,

American Joe

Privet! American Joe,

Great question! Jacked that you're willing to put in a little extra work to find some worthwhile movies. In the first place let me recommend a practice that I learned from an expert movie goer and lover of all movies - black, yellow, red and white. She taught me how beneficial it can be to watch all movies, english or sans english, with subtitles. Not only does it enhance the script but it also makes subtitles less intrusive. It becomes the norm to read subtitles this way. Some folks roll their eyes when I turn the subtitles on as if to say, "Seriously, could you do anything more cinephile?" I say, yes, I could and then they temper their scoffs for they know that I might watch three hours of extras before the movie starts, then watch the movie, then watch the movie with commentary on.

As to your question. Let me start with just a few that changed my life. Indeed, there are countless others that are worth laboring through two hours of reading but these would be a good start. They are compelling and will most likely ensnare enough of your attention with content to keep subtitles subdued.

Pan's Labyrinth - The best from Guillermo del Toro (one of the best of all time).
The Bicycle Thief - An older flick but the humanity of it trumps anything that might deter you.
Waltz With Bashir - Read up on the history of this one and then watch it - you'll be captivated.
Le Petit Soldat - A first rate thriller from the master Jean-Luc Godard. If you enjoy movies and have seen enough of them you'll notice how many scenes and shots and sorts of dialogue that he create.
Mesrine: Killer Instinct - Saddle up, this one is fast paced and features a top five actor, Vincent Cassel. You will not want to be gangster after this one.

There are so many more but this is a good start. Let us know how it goes.

Shalom,

HOM

I was talking with some friends the other day about the best movies about or featuring horses. I was wondering if you could weigh in on the debate/conversation. What's your favorite horse movie?

Thanks HOM,

Avid Rider

Avid Rider,

If "All the Pretty Horses" was not at the top of y'all's list then HOM won't have much to say on this matter. I'd have to mention "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" if I was going to talk about horses in movies. As much as I appreciated "Seabiscuit", I didn't love it - a little to heavy on the Disney. Slot "Black Beauty" just in front of "The Horsewhisperer" and you have a top five. Leave "Hidalgo" behind but be sure and talk about how brave of a movie it is. 

Toes Up,

HOM

HOM,

Picked up MI: Ghost Protocol last weekend...solid picture. Got me thinking about how the MI movies have gotten better as the series has progressed. 

In your opinion, which series - Bourne or Mission Impossible - has improved the most since the first installment? I know MI has one more movie than Bourne now, but I think we have a large enough sample size to decide.

And a bonus question - If you had to pick between Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne for a one-man mission to save the world, who would you pick?

Thanks,

Lost in Louisville

Greetings to you and yours, LIL,


You've made some strong statements here. I've been thinking about them for like two hours. I came up with this in response:


Have they (Mission Impossible) gotten better? I mean, sure, they spend more money on each new installment and they do what they can to tip their hat to what worked in the previous flick. But I'm not sure that bigger explosions and wringing out excessive, clever quips makes it possible to deem the new superior to the old. I'd have to hear an awfully cogent hashing on how any besides the first is best. With that said, I've answered your first question only partly.


If MI has not improved then we need to establish if the Bourne's have improved. Here's the thing, I find the Bourne's to benefit from a level of pure devotion. Not only are they faithful to the books but they are faithful to mood and pace - two things of monumental importance for a thriller series. In this way, the Bourne's have not improved as much as they have remained (or attained) consistent brilliance. Each is as good as the last, the last is as good as the first. On this note, how do you feel about Jeremy Renner replacing Damon? I'm cool with it. I think the series needs a dose of fresh and I think Damon, himself, needs to move on from the roll that was made for him and he for it. It shall rest in time as one of the best.


Lastly, I'm not even sure that we need to think about this too long. The question could be asked a little differently, though. Do we want everything blown up in our hero's wake or do we want to leave no trace besides a series of prostrated dictators? I'd choose the latter which in turn points me towards Bourne. Sure, Ethan Hunt would be effective but I'd rather rest easy knowing that no one else on the planet knows that Bourne even exists. He also shows less emotion amongst a release of revolutionary information. Ethan gets volatile while Bourne keeps looking for whatever he was looking for. The only tip to the viewer that Bourne even heard the information would come in a brief glance from behind the scope of a sniper rifle or a split second stall. I'll take a stoic hero over a dramatic one any day. We probably can't lose though, can we?


Thanks LIL,

HOM