Based on the book and true story, Friday Night Lights is like no other sports movie I've ever seen. It's a contradiction in many ways, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The film has a lot of hand-held camera work and flash cutting like so many other modern movies, and while typically I hate that sort of thing, the cutting is well-timed and performed with obvious restraint. In other words, the film never goes full-out MTV generation on us. On the other hand, and here's the contradiction, at times Friday Night Lights feels more like a documentary than a movie. It's hard to put your thumb on why exactly this is, but to some degree it must indicate that the performances from the entire cast -- from Billy Bob Thornton down to the local fans -- are superb.

There are also several moments that ring so true that if you didn't know it was based on a real story you would've guessed. In fact, the film is also a contradiction because in many ways it ignores character and focuses on the overall story of the team, yet the character moments are where it excels and you'd think there'd be a few more of them.

The most notable of these moments involves the young man at the center of this sports tale, the team's star player, James "Boobie" Miles. The kid has so much raw talent he was bound to fly through college ball and be tearing up the NFL before long, but what he didn't expect was to tear a ligament in his knee. The great scene that encompasses what the severity of this injury really means comes long after he leaves the playing field; he's watching a black man, like himself, toss garbage into the back of a dump-truck. And then it hits: football wasn't just a meal ticket, it was the very core of his life and identity, and he'll never be the same again.

For all of the film's flash cutting and hard hits, this moment is by far the most jarring to your senses. It's also a prime example of Friday Night Lights' emotional subtext, which is why it's more than just your average football flick.

Posted January 19, 2005 | link | 0 comments

Shaun of the Dead is a movie that I didn't really pay much attention to when it was in theaters last Fall; it had some buzz and if I recall correctly received some pretty decent reviews, but it just came and went and that was it. When I saw the film was now on DVD, I was intrigued, especially with a tag-line that reads, "A smash hit romantic comedy. With Zombies."

What I can say with a great degree of confidence is that Shaun of the Dead is like no other movie you've ever seen. Put simply, the story follows a guy named Shaun who's a bit of a deadbeat and constantly hangs out with his friend who seems to be holding him back. As a result, his girlfriend decides to end the relationship, and this all happens amidst the city's citizens being transformed into zombies.

Sounds strange? It is. But did I mention the film is also quite hilarious? As the zombies begin to take over the city, Shaun and his buddy are so obtuse that they don't even notice until the situation literally confronts them head-on (and even then it takes a few minutes). What ensues is a battle to survive, albeit a very funny battle.

You know how when something physically horrible happens to someone and even though it looks painful you can't help but laugh? (Don't tell me I'm alone here - there's a reason America's Funniest Home Videos is still on the air). This film taps directly into that spirit, and if you're open to it you'll have a good time.

Posted January 8, 2005 | link | 0 comments