JayDee's Movie Musings

Directed by
Shane Black

Written by
Shane Black
Drew Pearce

Starring
Robert Downey Jr.
Guy Pearce
Ben Kingsley
Gwyneth Paltrow
Don Cheadle

Iron Man 3

Plot – Following on from the Avengers' epic battle in New York, and his vital role in the victory, you would expect that Tony Stark's (Downey Jr.) ego would be bigger than ever. Except that he appears haunted by what he has experienced; struggling to sleep, having nightmares and suffering from anxiety attacks. When a terrorist attack leaves his friend Happy Hogan battling for life, Tony may just be pushed over the edge. The man responsible for orchestrating the attack was The Mandarin (Kingsley), a maniac terrorist hell-bent on bringing chaos to America. When Tony issues a personal challenge to him, The Mandarin brings the fight to his doorstep. Literally. It is a battle that will test his body and mind to their utmost, but it's not his only problem. He also has to deal with problems in his relationship with Pepper (Paltrow) and the return of an old acquaintance in Aldrich Killian (Pearce), who it turns out is not a particularly big fan of Tony.

When it comes to sequels, and indeed threequels if a franchise is lucky enough to make it that far, it's pretty common to find the film staying on very safe ground; not taking too many risks and just sticking with what has already worked thus far. So it's rather refreshing to find that Iron Man 3 proves to be one of the boldest and bravest of superhero films that has so far appeared on the market. It's bold in the way it grants its hero a sense of fear and uncertainty, and brave in the way it makes a huge break from the Iron Man mythology that has been established in the comic books. It's a move that is likely to incur the wrath of numerous die hard fans, but more on that later.

When it comes to the third film in a franchise it seems to be a concrete rule that you have to go darker. And while there may be some truth in that here I'm not sure darker is the word I would necessarily go for, perhaps deeper and more complex would be more apt. As a result it is probably not as consistently funny as the previous outings for the character, though it still does have a good number of laughs.

In terms of stories told on the page, Demon in a Bottle is amongst the most famous and revered tales in Iron Man's comic book history. It was a story arc which detailed Tony Stark's battle with alcoholism. Despite its iconic status in the Iron Man legacy it's not really a surprise that it has not been directly tackled on the screen, I'm not sure it's really the medium to try and tell such a narrative. This third entry in the series does replace his alcoholism with some other demons however. Tony Stark is one of the the smartest, if not the smartest men on the planet. He is a man who can understand and build just about anything. But since his last solo outing, Tony Stark has encountered aliens and gods, and been to another dimension. He now struggles to deal with everything he has seen and encountered. He finds it almost impossible to sleep and when he does he is plagued by nightmares. He also suffers from a form of PTSD in the form of anxiety attacks which befall him when he things about what happened to him. His arrogance now seems like merely a front, attempting to hide the shadow that he now is of his former self.

Film Trivia Snippets - For the role of Maya Hansen various people were considered including Gemma Arterton, Diane Kruger and Isla Fisher. Jessica Chastain was actually cast but had to drop out as a result of scheduling conflicts, with Rebecca Hall eventually landing the role. /// While for the role of Aldrich Killian, Downey's Sherlock co-star Jude Law was considere. /// On their first day together on set, Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Kingsley took and photo together and sent it to their mutual friend Richard Attenborough.

Now let's move onto what will undoubtedly be the main topic of conversation for many people, and indeed the main bone of contention for a number of people I would imagine; the film's villain - The Mandarin. In the land of the comic book, The Mandarin is Tony Stark's most formidable foe. Batman has The Joker. Superman has Lex Luthor. Thor has Loki. Captain America has the Red Skull. And Iron Man has The Mandarin as his arch nemesis. As with all those hero-arch enemy relationships, The Mandarin represents the completely opposite viewpoint of Iron Man. Now the problem with The Mandarin is that when he was introduced back in the 60s it was a very stereotypical, Fu Manchu-like creation. And in this day and age it has come in for many accusations of being racist. Indeed none other than Shane Black himself called the character a “racist caricature”. So despite being the most recognisable foe from Iron Man's rogues gallery it's no real surprise that they decided against taking on the character in the first two films.

*****MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS ARE REVEALED IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH*****

When it was announced that he would indeed feature in this third instalment there was quite a lot of questioning and reservations about it. How exactly would they tackle the character on screen? Well I personally think they came up with a rather ingenious solution to a potentially tricky proposition. They played into the unique manner of the character, revealing that Ben Kingsley is not actually The Mandarin that we've come to know on the page. He is actually a British actor named Trevor Slattery and the whole thing has been a fraud orchestrated by Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian. The reveal left me completely rocking for a couple of minutes, but after I got past the shock I kind of loved it. He is revealed to be a hammy and frequently drunken actor and Kingsley plays it perfectly, producing a lot of laughs with his behaviour and his interaction with the bemused Tony. It does however risk bringing the narrative to a halt for some people, and I certainly imagine that such a massive twist on an iconic character will not sit well with a number of die-hard comic book fans. In fact I think I can hear the fanboy howls of derision right now! I however thought it was a highly creative way to try and avoid a potentially dangerous pitfall for the film. It also allows the film to work as a satire, and a relevant commentary both on the impact of the media on our lives, our prejudices and the fear that such characters can create in our lives. It shows how the media can create such threats through fearmongering. It shows that through a manipulation of footage a completely different narrative can be created. And it plays into the prejudices and expectations that exist the world over, and certainly here in the West. Indeed Pearce's Killian even states at one point that he gave the people the villain they were expecting in Kingsley's extremist terrorist. Kingsley is rather fantastic. For the initial period under the guise of The Mandarin he appears only in video messages that are broadcast on TV, and does so in a very eccentric and enigmatic manner. It's a tough character to get a bead on which works in the film's favour, creating fear through the uncertainty and creepiness. Then after the rather shocking revelation he proves to be extremely spirited and entertaining as Trevor Slattery.

In Their Own Words - “Our ambitions were to make sure that we had the movie that felt like a worthy successor to the two previous Favreau films. To Marvel’s credit, they said, “We’ve done The Avengers. We made a lot of money. But, let’s not do that again, right now. Let’s do something different.” And they allowed for a different, stand-alone film, where we got to be more character-centric and go back-to-basics with what Tony Stark would do next and what was left to tell of his story. That was very appealing to me. To make it more of a thriller and to make it more about Tony, and less otherworldly and grounded more, was our intention. I hope we succeeded.” ~ Shane Black

Opposite him it's no surprise to find Robert Downey Jr. still in sparkling form as Tony Stark. I think Downey remains the most perfect piece of casting yet to grace a superhero flick. With his charm, charisma, willingness to play into the arrogant nature he sometimes gives off and his own past of personal demons, RDJ really is Tony Stark. As Stark's other nemesis this time out is Guy Pearce in the role of Aldrich Killian. The character itself may be a little limited and standard for this type of fare, but to be fair to the film I think the purpose of the character is more how he works in relation to Stark than as a character in his own right. He is created as a result of Tony's past actions and serves as a reflection of the man he may become if he is unable to reign in his obsession. As you would expect from Guy Pearce however he gives it his all to bring as much as possible to the character and does a fine job. He excels both as the slick, slimy suit character that Killian initially inhaibts; and as the more extreme, insane adversary that he becomes. His later incarnation and all of his Extremis enhanced soldiers owe a lot to Terminator 2 in terms of design. There really is an air of Robert Patrick's T-1000 about them. No matter what you do to them they reform, they heal and they just keep coming at you.

As has become rather common in superhero flicks these days, our hero spends much of his time out of his suit. So in terms of the number of action set-pieces its not an overwhelming amount. When they do arrive however they are massive and pretty epic in their scope. There is of course the attack on Tony's home which results in it sliding into the ocean; the scene which got everyone drooling when it featured prominently in the trailer. It's certainly an explosive way to initiate the Iron Man-Mandarin rivalry, and you may assume that it's the biggest set-piece IM3 has to offer but the film has some more tricks up its sleeve. There's a quite ridiculous mid-air rescue from Air Force One in a scene which will likely adopt the shorthand of the 'barrel of monkeys sequence'. It sees Tony remotely piloting one of his suits in an attempt to catch 13 people falling from the sky. Jarvis informs him that he is only capable of carrying four people so he needs the people to work together and hold onto each other. It's an incredible scene which amazingly was achieved not through any CGI, but through practical means. They really did throw 13 people out of a plane, 10 times a day for 8 days and just filmed it. Using a Red Bull stunt team it really is one of the most amazing pieces of stunt work I've seen in quite a long time. And then to close out the film they saved the biggest battle of all, a huge face-off between dozens of Iron Man suits and numerous Extremis-infused villains aboard an oil drilling platform. This will seem like a strange reference but I actually found it reminiscent of Monsters Inc's bedroom door sequence, taking place as it does across numerous levels, rising and falling aboard bits of machinery and Iron Man's suits. And the scene rather literally results in fireworks.

With each subsequent appearance for the character, Iron Man's tech has gotten more advanced, more creative and quite simply just cooler. And Iron Man 3 holds true to that tradition. The big advance here is in Tony's ability to control his suits remotely, and a suit which assembles onto him piece by piece. These upgrades allow for some entertaining and wonderfully creative moments throughout the film. In the action sequences there are several innovative uses of the suits, with highlights including him battling a series of suited goons with just half a suit, and his suit assisting him in an underwater rescue. And the suits also generate some laughs in his relationship with Pepper, with a particularly great comic beat when the suit turns it head and looks judgementally at Pepper during an argument she is having with Tony.

Film Trivia Snippets - The original budget for Iron Man 3 was $140 million, but after after The Avengers was such a massive hit, Marvel Studios upped it to $200 million to allow Shane Black to make the best movie he could. /// According to Kevin Feige (the President of Marvel Studios), the Mandarin character was partly inspired by Colonel Kurtz from Apocalypse Now. “He wants to represent this sort of prototypical terrorist, someone who worked for the intelligence community, who went nuts in the field and became this sort of devotee of war tactics."

When it comes to a Shane Black film there are a few elements that you can quite safely rely on showing up - sharp and witty dialogue, lots of action, a Christmas time setting and a buddy relationship. They're all present, and in terms of the last aspect there it is achieved through a couple of relationships, one of them somewhat of a surprise. After the Mandarin's initial attack leaves him beaten, battered and stranded in a rural area of Tennessee, Tony is found and befriended by a precocious young boy named Harley. I had some initial fears that we may be heading down some corny and hokey territory but they were quickly dispelled. In fact it proved to be one of the most entertaining stretches of the whole film. The reason it works so well is that the script does not change Tony into some cuddly uncle figure. He remains his usual smug, irreverent self; and what develops is a unique father-son like relationship which felt somewhat reminiscent of Eastwood's A Perfect World. It provides the film with a degree of heart, and proves to be a nice breather in between the large scale action set-pieces. I don't think it's purely done for the laughs and emotion however, I think it works in terms of the story and Tony's character development. As I noted earlier Tony is a man struggling with his place in the universe, who has become completely obsessed with his suits. The youthful tinkerer that is Harley is like a young Tony Stark, proving to be a reminder of who Tony was as a boy and helps him to find himself again. It's a similar case with Guy Pearce's Killian who is like a glimpse into the potential insanity that resides in Tony's future if he continues his obsession with technology and the suits.

The other 'buddy' relationship is a much easier one to predict, that between Tony and his friend, Colonel James Rhodes. Shane Black's most famous creation to this point has been the Lethal Weapon series, and in the friendship between these two there is a definite echo of the Riggs and Murtaugh relationship. You've got the wild, unpredictable Riggs-like character in Tony, and the more uptight, harassed figure of Murtaugh in Cheadle's Rhodey. Anytime they appear together on screen is pretty much a guarantee of laughs, with the War Machine/Iron Patriot issue proving a fun running joke. This also allows Rhodey to finally come into his own a bit more. Perhaps they've not done quite enough yet to justify handing Cheadle a spin-off outing, but it's getting there.

Oh and as has become commonplace for Marvel's output, and superhero films in general, IM3 does feature an after-credits scene. Unlike those found in other Marvel efforts however it doesn't really have any importance to the plot of either this film or any future film. Nothing important is revealed, no hints are dropped. It is purely there as an extra little slice of entertainment featuring a cameo from one of his Avengers buddies. And it's a neat little coda that I got a nice kick out of.

Conclusion - There have been a number of stories going around for a while about whether we will see a fourth entry in the Iron Man series or not. If this does indeed prove to be the last outing for old shellhead, at least with RDJ occupying the suit, then I think this film brings it to a nice and appropriate close. It brings a sense of resolution to both the character and his story. It may not quite top the character's 2008 debut but that's certainly more of a comment on how much I loved the first film, as opposed to any negative views I have for this film. As a way to kick off Phase II of Marvel's assault on cinemas, it's hard to think of a much better way to do so than this film accomplishes. Though with its surprising twists on the established Iron Man mythology and break from being a purely standard popcorn flick I can certainly see this being perhaps the most polarizing film of the Iron Man series. Already looking around and while most critics love it, fans appear pretty split.

__________________

Whereas Hitchcock had that tendency to build up suspense, Jordan quite smootlhly transitions into a shocker. I thought that Dil's performance was so convincing that her sexualty had me fooled at the start. That vulnerability was truly haunting and compeling.
You are right that the movie makes some viewers ask some possibly difficult questions of themselves.
I guess, I'm fortunate that I've never been in a similiar situation, but for me the answer is clear.

Plot - For the last three years Los Angeles has been plagued by a string of bank robberies committed by a group called the Ex-Presidents. They are a highly skilled crew of four individuals who wear masks of former US Presidents to hide their identity. When FBI agent Angelo Pappas (Busey) is assigned a new rookie partner, Johnny Utah (Reeves), he tells him of his theory that the Ex-Presidents are a group of surfers. They hatch a plan to send Utah undercover as a surfer in hopes that he will learn the identities of the bank robbers. In his attempts to blend in to the surfer scene, Johnny falls for Tyler (Petty) and befriends a surf god by the name of Bodi (Swayze). Through these growing relationships he finds himself being drawn deeper and deeper into this new world and lifestyle

Point Break is a film that really does come across as goofy and corny at points, but I think it's done very much on purpose. Some of the dialogue and in particular the surfer spirituality are roll your eyes cheesy but it works. Yes the film feels pretty dumb, but it's smart dumb. Bigelow may not quite be going for a full-on deconstruction or spoof of the action genre but she certainly knows what she is doing. And one thing that cannot be ignored is the film's rather camp and homoerotic overtones, very much in line with the likes of Top Gun. Again however I think it's very knowing and indeed deliberate when it comes to taking this direction. The relationship that Bodhi and Johnny share is a very interesting one, with Reeves and Swayze sharing a real chemistry. And there are a few quotes which make it damn clear that the film is deliberately aiming for such campness, lines such as “I know you want me so bad, it’s like acid in your mouth.”

Now I know Keanu Reeves is a favourite punching bag for many a movie watcher, and I'm not going to put up an argument for him possessing great acting ability. However I do find that he has a certain something about him that allows him to flourish in certain ventures, even if I'm not entirely sure if I'm able to put my finger on it. He has a very easy-going, relaxed nature about him (almost akin to the stereotypical surfer dude in fact), and doesn't seem particularly desperate to really show off and make the camera pay attention to him. Sometimes it results in some pretty dreadful outcomes, however in the likes of Speed, Bill & Ted, The Matrix and here in Point Break it gives him a sort of effortless charm and affability. The other individual that makes up the film's bromance is Bodhi; leader of the bank robbers, expert surfer and a spiritual preacher of sorts. And in the role, Swayze is pretty bad ass! Initially he may seem like an unusual choice but he pulls it off; succeeding both at capturing the strong, athletic aspect of the character and the hippyish, surder dude schtick.

Film Trivia Snippets – It may be tough to imagine but the role of Johnny Utah was initially offered to Matthew Broderick. Other people to turn down the role where Val Kilmer and Willem Dafoe, while both Johnny Depp and Charlie Sheen were among those to audition. /// When explaining to Johnny who Bodhi is Tyler tells him "That's Bodhi. They call him the Bodhisattva." Bodhisattva is a term in the Buddhist religion which means an enlightened being who, out of compassion, forgoes nirvana in order to save others.

In the potentially dull and tricky role of 'the love interest', Lori Petty provides a strong showing and a pleasantly surprising character. Her Tyler is about as far as you could possibly imagine from your typical surfer chick; there's not a strand of blonde hair in sight. The strength and attitude that Petty imbues the character with make her a very sexy and very appealing proposition. It really does provide a nice contrast against the stereotypical surfer chick you may be expecting. And then of course there is the enigma that is Gary Busey. He may be better known these days for his unique behaviour, and as a favourite punch-line for many a chat show host, but no matter what you want to say about him I don't think you can deny that there are very few actors who have ever commanded your attention the way that he does when he is on screen. You just can't help but be fascinated by what he is doing. Indeed you're never really sure what he's going to do next, a likely result of the fact that he probably doesn't know himself! I honestly believe that at any point during this film he could have suddenly donned a purple wig and started quoting lines from North by Northwest, and you still would have accepted it as part of the character; as Busey just being Busey! Oh and lastly, props to John C. McGinley for making a huge impression in the fairly minor role of FBI Director Ben Harp. His interaction with Reeves and Swayze, and the frustration it causes him, make for some great moments.

The film is excellently directed and edited throughout, particularly when it comes to the action. The sequences of surfing and skydiving are filmed in two disparate styles, capturing the duelling aspects of the activities. At times the camera just caresses what is in frame in beautiful slow-mo, creating the resplendent and spiritual nature of the enterprise; while at other moments it is presented in a fast and furious manner, mimicking the sheer adrenaline rush of these extreme pursuits. And then of course there is the film's rather famous chase scene which sees Reeves chasing one of the Ex-President bankrobbers through the houses, gardens and alleys of suburban California. It is far and away the greatest foot chase I've ever seen, and is well worth a place up amongst its vehicular counterparts in a list of the best cinematic chases period. The camera has so much life about it, and just places you right there in amidst the action. Oh and the film also looks terrific, featuring as it does some gorgeous photography of the surfing and skydiving.

Conclusion - I just think this is one of the best action flicks out there, an absolutely macho adrenaline rush of football, surfing, skydiving, guns and bank robberies. The central bromance and its surfer-dude teachings just adds to it. It's a wonderfully fast-paced flick with some great action sequences and stunts. It's got a series of engaging and charming performances, and all in all is just a terrific slice of fun. It's a film that has developed a bit of a cult following, and well deserving of it.

Point Break is one of the few action films from high school that hold up for me. I know a lot of these films borrow from each other, but Fast And Furious seemed like such a blatant rip-off of this film. I think that is why I never enjoyed that series. Good review as per usual.

__________________
Letterboxd

You know you're getting + rep for that. However, I think you've underrated it.

Going against all my better judgement, a friend got me to watch The Fast And The Furious by telling me it was Point Break with cars. It's not, but I could say why he said so. What I couldn't understand was, as he'd seen Point Break, why he thought it was. F&F is to Point Break as Charmed is to Buffy. You can see why someone would compare them, but you can't really understand why anyone would think they're alike.

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

Agree 100% HK well said. I hate F&F. Glad to know I wasn't off base calling it a Point Break rip-off, any other time I have said that people look at me like I'm growing a second head.

Only seen Point Break once. Is that the movie in which Keanu fires his gun in the air whilst doing his 'I'm a ridiculously lousy actor'-schtick?

It's the one where Keanu is "AN F.B.I. AGENT!!!!"

Plot - Forrest Gump (Hanks) is a simple man with a low IQ, but with a big heart. Sitting at a bus stop he relays his life story to the strangers who happen to be sharing the bench with him. And what a life story it has been! He has been present at some of the most important events that have shaped America and indeed the world from the 50s through to the early 80s, and met some of the men who helped to shape the world. He has met Presidents, fought in wars and and changed the world in which we live in today. And yet the one thing that continued to elude him is th only thing that was truly important to him; the love of his lifelong friend, Jenny (Wright).

Now we come to one of the more seemingly divisive films on the board. It's a common addition on numerous favourite film lists, but at the same time it would probably appear on a few people's least favourite film lists. While I obviously love it I can perhaps understand why some people don't like this film. Quite often it's the type of film I'd probably hate, turned off its manipulative and schmaltzy nature. You just have to go into it without any trace of cynicism or bitterness about you, and you should be able to love it and its saccharine ways. Yes the arguments that its schmaltzy and overly sentimental may hold some water, but for me it all just comes across as a lovely, warm-hearted, whimsical little fable. With Tom Hanks once again providing an incredible performance.

Hanks is right up there amongst my favourite ever actors, and he is fantastic here as the simple-minded titular character. It's performance of great comic timing and a vulnerability which makes the character easy to love. Some people may accuse his performance of simply being a gimmicky showing, composed of nothing but catchphrases. In amongst his utterances of “stupid is as stupid does” and “life is like a box of chocolates” however lie some truly wonderful moments of acting which made his Best Actor Oscar well deserved. My absolute favourite snippet is the point where Forrest learns about his son, and the way that Hanks conveys it. Initially clueless, the knowledge slowly begins to dawn on him and we see a wave of fear and trepidation sweep across his face as he wonders whether his son is 'normal'. And when he learns that he is, the sense of relief and joy that replaces those feelings is heart-warming. A beautiful piece of acting. A real snapshot and showcase of his talents. Hanks really does completely create this character; one of the most iconic characters of 90s cinema. He does such an amazing job that it's all but impossible to imagine anyone else in the role, but that almost was the case. John Travolta was the first choice but turned it down, as did Bill Murray and amazingly Chevy Chase!

While it would be easy to remember the film as a completely one man show, Hanks does have some more than adequate support. This is never more evident than with the contribution from Gary Sinise. He is terrific as Forrest's Commanding Officer in Vietnam, Lieutenant Dan. Vibrant, wild, aggressive and at times downright hilarious his character goes on quite the journey and Sinise's performances ensures that we go right along with him. Sally Field also proves a charming presence as Forrest's mother and in many ways its a shame that her role is so limited. The only performance that I still struggle to really warm to is that of Robin Wright. Though in all fairness to her I believe a lot of that is down to her character. Her Jenny is a very flawed, tragic individual who more often than not just seems to be dragging Forrest down and bringing strife into his life. I understand Jenny has been tremendously damaged by her childhood traumas but Forrest is such a good guy that I just want him to be happy.

Film Trivia - Following the film's success, Winston Groom wrote a sequel to his original novel. Titled 'Gump & Co.' it actually referenced the movie as if it had been released in Forrest's world; he mentions that the movie was inaccurate and brought him unwanted press attention. Amongst his new adventures Forrest goes on The David Letterman Show, attends the Oscars and at one point actually meets Tom Hanks. A film version has been mooted for many years but has yet to materialise. A large obstacle to the production was the horrific attacks in New York on 9/11. A finished script was actually delivered the night before that infamous day, but afterwards it was felt that the world had completely changed and it would not now be relevant.

I think that even for those people who don't like the film, they will be able to admire how well made the film is in a lot of technical departments. The film spans some thirty or so years, and to bring life to the numerous eras and events featured Forrest Gump is blessed with some beautiful cinematography, great sound design and a tremendous soundtrack that is just overflowing with recognisable and iconic tunes of the times. They all go a long way to immersing us in the world of Forrest and all that it entails. I mentioned the beautiful cinematography and it really does create some gorgeous images throughout, such as the landscape shots of America when Forrest is running across the country. The absolute triumph of the cinematography however would have to be the stretch detailing Forrest's stretch in the Vietnam War. It is beautifully presented and scores higher than many actual war films. It is also during this period that the soundtrack of iconic songs really comes to life. The film also benefits hugely from impeccable visual effects work from Industrial Light & Magic, used not only to digitally place Tom Hanks into archive footage but allowing him to interact with characters and objects within the footage. These scenes are fantastically effective and endearing. It's a trick that was put to similarly positive use in the previous year's In the Line of Fire. The effects are also used to digitally remove Gary Sinise's legs when Lieutenant Dan becomes an amputee. It's a tremendously convincing piece of trickery, so much so that if I didn't know who Sinise was and that he was not actually an amputee I may have wondered if he really was.

Forget about all your comedies and cult flicks, if you're looking for the most quotable film of all time then this one has certainly got to be in contention. Through a combination of the scipt and Hanks' delivery, the film just has so many lines that have permeated into popular culture and remained there. And come on, is there really anyone who's seen this film and not tried to imitate at least one or two of his lines? Surely even the most miserable of us has busted out a “stupid is as stupid does” or a “life is like a box of chocolates” every once in a while. The script also triumphs in an avenue where Rain Man succeeded; it is able to find a large amount of humour in the character without it ever actually being at the character's expense. We are never laughing at him. Yes the laughs come from things that Forrest says or does but we're laughing at the situation and at others reaction to him.

Film Trivia Snippets - Forrest and Dan's Shrimp Emporium “Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.” is now a theme restaurant with outlets in 40 locations around the world in countries such as America, Japan, China, Mexico and Malaysia. /// Six years previous to Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks and Sally Field co-starred in Punchline. In that film they played love interests, while here Field plays Hanks' mother. /// Inspired by his character in the film, Gary Sinise co-founded a rock and roll cover band called “The Lt. Dan Band.” The band often goes on USO tours to play for military personnel stationed around the world, and also plays various benefits for veteran-related causes. /// Warner Bros. were actually the initial holders of the film's rights but gave them up in 1988 in exchange for Executive Decision. They felt that the project had lost its commercial potential following the release of Rain Man. The film would go on to gross close to $700 million. Oops!

One of my favourite aspects of Forrest Gump is in its connections and allusions to real-life events and slices of popular culture. One of my all-time favourite TV shows is the brilliant Quantum Leap. And that had a very similar concept; something they called 'kisses with history'. It was a term used for when the main character, Sam Beckett, interacted with historical characters (perhaps shaping their future), introduced a piece of popular culture or was present at the birth of something important. In this film, Gump has met numerous historical figures of huge importance and affected so much of the world we live in today. Amongst numerous other events he helped create the icon of Elvis Pressley, gave John Lennon the lyrics for “Imagine”, uncovered the Watergate scandal, gave birth to the phrase 'sh*t happens' and the smiley face icon, was involved in the Vietnam War and met one President after another.

So for all its quirks and its decades-spanning story, what exactly is Forrest Gump all about? I don't know that I'm entirely sure. Is it perhaps saying that for all of the world's kings and queens, presidents and prime ministers, more often than not it's the small, everyman that Gump represents who finds themselves changing the world. Or is it understanding that for all the amazing things that happens in his life, the things that are most important to Gump are friends, family and love; as it should be for all of us. Is it merely a fly-by, cliff notes style telling of a tumultuous period in America which did much to shape the country and indeed the world that remains today? Or is the film quite simply just saying that its nice to be nice?

Forrest Gump is a man who has been at the centre of one historical event after another, has captured the hearts and minds of America over and over again, met one President after another and has affected so much of the world we live in today; but all he cares about is a girl. About love. He may not be a smart man but when it comes to priorities in life, he may just be a bit of a god-damned genius!

Conclusion - There have been a few discussions on the board about future classics, and films which will still be watched 60, 70, 80 years from now. Well I think that Forrest Gump is a very strong contender for such a category. As part of my argument I would cite the work of Frank Capra. In terms of films from Hollywood's Golden Age, Capra's efforts remain amongst the most fondly remembered and popular. And I think Forrest Gump shares numerous similarities with his output. There is something of an indefinable magic about it; a sense of wonder. It's old-fashioned, fantastical, whimsical and timeless stuff. A film that truly touches people. Utterly charming.

Perfect film, love Forrest Gump. This is the film that made me a Hanks and Sinise fan. Ironically there are two films from '94 that I love just a bit more. By far my fave year in film.

Yeah, like totally dude!

Forrest Gump... one of a few blockbusters I've yet to review.

Decent film, but not one that has me rushing out to buy. Not sure what it is really, just not my sort of thing.

I felt it was kinda twee in places.

Nice review too JayDee as always.

__________________

stupid is as stupid does

__________________
100 Favourites From The Future: REWIRED

You know me... I prefer things like JP3, Matrix Revolutions and 2012.

The last two Matrix movies are better than the first movie, in my opinion, but I prefer Reloaded a lot more.

I prefer not caring. But I do think The Matrix sequels are abysmal, whilst JP3 is an abbreviation I've never heard of, and 2012 was shat out of a flea bitten Pug's arse. When the sh*t's been shat as they say...

Jurassic Park 3

Holy shat sh*t Jurassic Park 3 is the best one...

I read all of that review JayDee, even though it's a film I have mixed thoughts about and right now would probably rate around , reading your review it's great to see how so many people find this a 'magical film' and I know Skepsis had it high up in his top 100 too, but unfortunately in the one time I watched it I just wasn't able to connect with the film and go on a two hour journey of enjoyment. The next time I see it on TV I will definitely give it a record and watch it again and see if I can enjoy it any more.

One thing I noticed from your review though:


That doesn't surprise me as my favourite animation, Rango, is the first (and likely only) full-length feature animated film from ILM, and I honestly think it is has the best visual design I have seen in an animation.

__________________

I went to one. They ask you questions about the movie and give you free stuff if you get them all right. The food is awesome too, from what I remember.

Forrest Gump is quintessential blockbuster filmmaking, for me. Grandiose is every way, rousing music, great performances. Maybe a little manipulative emotionally, but I'm on board with that all day long.