Episode 6: Everything I need to know I learned from the Movies!

Episode 6: Everything I need to know I learned from the Movies!

Topic Author: Joel Brashear

Posted: 10:28 AM Sep 26, 2008

Replies Posted: 3 comments

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Every fall, students old and young return to campus to begin the latest semester. The new school year has me thinking about my time in college. While at Georgetown, I was fortunate enough to study under some wonderful theatre and film professors. Dr. Ed Smith (A great director, who is responsible for my first acting role) once told me, “Some movies you watch because they’re good and you WANT to. Other films you watch because they are good for you and you NEED to see them.” What he meant by this is that while we all love a good popcorn flick, sometimes we need to expand ourselves through the movies that we watch. It is with that in mind that we begin the sixth issue of The Director’s Chair, where I’ll share some movies that not only entertainmed me, but taught me as well. These will also get you thinking about who you are, where you came from and where you are goning. So, even if National Treasure 2 just came in from Netflix and HBO is running The 40 Year Old Virgin again, give those brain candy movies a rest and see what else is out there.

I love Pi! And while my mother’s iron skillet chocolate pie is amazing, I’m not talking about that kind of pie. Pi, as we’re taught in math class, is the representation a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is also an independent film written and directed by Darren Aronofsky. This is a small film about big ideas, as everything from Wall Street finances to Creationism are explored through the prism of numbers. I know how dry this sounds, but the plot is thrilling and complex. And while this film has a distinctly “low-budget” look, the gritty nature of the film along with the stark black and white images only add to the experience. When I first saw Pi several years ago, the complexity of the story and the intelligence of the writing floored me. To this day, I still go back tothis film for inspiration as to what can greatness can be accomplished on a small budget. This isn’t an easy film, but one that will challenge you and your view the world.

Another Aronofsky film that I am a huge fan of is The Fountain. Staring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, this film tells three interconnected tales of love, mortality and hope. Part period piece and part science fiction, The Fountain draws inspiration from the Mayan mythology of the Tree of Life, along with the Ponce de Leon tale. Unlike other modern Sci-Fi films, there is little use of computer-generated graphics. Instead, a macro-camera was used to film microbial bacteria and various fluids to create one of the most unique space sequences I have ever seen. When I watched this film with my wife a few years ago, it struck me how powerful the emotions the filmmakers are able to generate. Especially with such a dense subject. If you are a fan of mythology, than The Fountain is one that you shouldn’t miss.

Another interesting Sci-Fi film that should be required viewing is Donnie Darko. Explaining this film is sort of like explaining green to a blind person; it’s next to impossible. There’s a plane crash, a man in a giant bunny suit, psychoanalysis, physics, time travel, religion, self-help guru’s and a great 80’s sound track. The special effects are beautiful and the storyline is unlike any other film you’ve ever seen. Donnie Darko isn’t a film that you can sit and passively watch to be enjoyed. Think of it like a jigsaw puzzle where you’ll take time to fit the pieces together. If you enjoy the metaphysical, you’ll love this film.

Other “puzzle” films that may strain your brain are Memento and Mulholland Drive. These films will forever be linked for me, as I wrote a thesis on their use of time and the perception of reality as it is used in cinema. Memento is the story of a man who cannot form new memories. After the apparent murder of his wife, he uses notes, Polaroid’s and tattoos to track down her killer. The film is edited in such a way that the viewer is often left wondering what exactly is happening. A special edition DVD of this film has a edit where the film’s events are shown chronologically, but the real joy of Memento is experiencing the struggle the protagonist feels dealing with his affliction. Brilliant film from Chris Nolan, who would go on to make Batman Begins and this summers biggest hit, The Dark Knight. If you enjoyed those films, you owe it to yourself to see Memento.

Mulholland Drive is perhaps the most unique film experience I have ever had. On one level, this is a simple love story mixed with classic Hollywood film noir of the 1940’s. On another, it’s a dream within a fantasy that never fully explains itself. Naomi Watts stars as a fresh face to Tinsel Town, hoping to be a big star. She becomes involved with a beautiful raven-haired femme fatale who suffers from amnesia. The two attempt to solve a murder, only to have reality warp around them when a tiny blue box is opened. In this “other” reality, the same characters exist, only more gritty and real. I don’t want to give too much away here, only to say that this is perhaps David Lynch’s best film. There are plotlines that don’t get resolved, and I STILL have questions years later, but it’s so smart and different that you can’t miss this one.

    Finally, a film that may be the most controversial I will ever review for this site. CSA: The Confederate States of America is a fictionalized documentary depicting a world where the Union lost the Civil War. As a teen, I loved “What-If” stories, ranging from WWII fiction where the Nazi’s were victorious to Fantasy tales of gunpowder being discovered by Merlin in Arthur’s Camelot. CSA, however, is the most disturbing what-if you will ever come across. In this film, we are shown a world where the Confederacy has taken control of much of North and South America, with only Canada escaping their authority. Slavery is still a legal practice in the CSA, with commercials for a Shop-at-Home style show where slaves are sold over the phone featured in the film. Another satirical element found here is “Runaways” a spoof of the Fox series Cops, where escaped slaves are tracked and returned to their owners. The iconic image of Apollo 11 is also skewed, with the CSA Battle Flag replacing Old Glory on the moon.

This is not an easy film to watch. While it must be considered a comedy due to it’s satirical slant on modern and historical America, the laughs sting. It is easy for those of us under 40 who never experienced the Civil Rights movement to forget that segregation is not that far removed from our history, but this film presents these racial themes in a way that modern audiences can see them for that that were and are. This film tackles race relations like no other film I have seen and it does not flinch. Watching this is uncomfortable, even painful at times, but I cannot recommend it enough. With the modern political climate being what it is, and the possibility of our first African American President, it is important to remember the scars of our history.

     That will do it for another episode of The Director’s Chair. I had so much fun looking back over the journals looking for films that really left me expanded and enlightened. We’ll have to revisit this topic somewhere down the line. Next time, as promised, we’ll finish up the summer blockbuster talk with The Dark Knight and The Incredible Hulk. Until then, save me a seat in the back row!

Post Your Comments

Posted by: RB Location: Lexington
Thanks for the recommendations. These films seem like just the "something different" I have been looking for.

Posted by: Anonymous I really enjoy the "puzzle" movies and have seen Memento and loved it. I will have to watch Mulholland dr.

Posted by: RKB Location: Huntington
This is an interesting blog. I had to watch PI for a class a few years ago and it was interesting although I would have never chosen it.I'll watch Mulholland Drive on your recomendation since Ilove 40's murder mysteries and I'll let you know what I thought of it.