The Movie Guru

by Brandon Athey
Features Editor

As I have not had the time to see any important recent releases lately due to my incredibly busy schedule as a senior at MC, The Movie Guru has decided to return to his post after a lengthy absence from The Courier with an article featuring some overlooked and underappreciated gems (some actually quite recent) that I feel are worth checking out.

My first pick for an underappreciated gem is director John Madden’s adaptation of David Auburn’s prize-winning play “Proof.” Despite the presence of heavy hitters such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film came and went from cineplexes as quickly as a cool fall breeze. The joy of this film is in its ability to allow its audience to discover the many facets of its three-dimensional characters. To reveal the film’s secrets would be criminal, so I’ll summarize the basic elements of the plot as succinctly as possible. The film centers on the relationships between a brilliant mathematician (Hopkins), his daughter (Paltrow), and a mathematician (Gyllenhaal) who wishes to research Hopkins’ work. “Proof” is a profound and moving drama, with its mathematical labyrinth of a plot and complex characterizations that actually resemble people, not cardboard cutouts standing in for special effects. One of the best films of 2005 that no one saw, “Proof” is worthy of 4 stars.

Another 2005 release that somehow managed to slip past moviegoers’ fingers is the war drama “The Great Raid.” I managed to see this one in a theatre, in an auditorium that, including myself, had only six others in it. However, in spite of its low box office returns, I feel it is one of the better war films ever put on celluloid. The film, based on a staggering true story, revolves around a POW rescue mission in the Pacific Theater. Character actors like Benjamin Bratt, Connie Nielsen, and Joseph Fiennes help bring the exciting and emotional story to life. It may lack the gritty blood-and-guts approach of such films as “Black Hawk Down” and “Saving Private Ryan,” but “The Great Raid” is worth a look for those interested in history, as well as those who may have lived it. I give the film 3 stars.

In terms of box office dollars, 2005 was a subpar year for Nicholas Cage. However, this does not mean that he turned in two of the best performances in his distinguished career with “The Weather Man” and “Lord of War.” “Weather” is a dark, insightful dramedy that features a self-centered meteorologist suffering several personal crises: he is despised by his viewers, tries to mend his relationship with his famous father (played by Michael Caine), and attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife (Hope Davis) and children. I think the reason the movie failed in theaters is because the ads made it look like it was a laugh-out-loud riot. The film is too meaningful to be just a standard Hollywood comedy. There is plenty of humor to be sure, but the film is contemplative and asks viewers to sympathize with a person who is not entirely sympathetic. Those who are looking to watch something unconventional and thought-provoking should definitely check out “The Weather Man.” I give it 3.5 stars.

“Lord of War,” the other “lost” Nicholas Cage film from 2005 is yet another home run for Cage. Again, he plays a self-centered individual who is not entirely sympathetic, but this time he plays an arms dealer. Ethan Hawke plays the Interpol agent trying to hunt him down. “Lord of War” is among the most intriguing dramas I have seen. Not since “Goodfellas” has a film presented an unflinching slice-of-life approach to the career of a criminal so well. While sometimes too preachy for its own good, “Lord of War” has the most inventive opening sequence I have seen in a film for quite some time, and the film is never boring. I give “Lord of War” 3.5 stars.

My last underrated feature for this week is the 1999 thriller “Arlington Road,” starring Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, and Joan Cusack. When I first saw this film at the time of its original release, I dismissed as nothing more than an entertaining popcorn movie with good performances and a whopper of a twist ending reminiscent of the 1974 flick “The Parallax View.” However, since 9/11, the film has taken on a more important stature in relation to current events. It’s a popcorn thriller, to be sure, but the questions it raises are timely and on the mind of many, I am certain. What would you do if people you suspected of being terrorists moved in next door? That’s exactly the situation Jeff Bridges finds himself in within “Arlington Road.” Although some moments are too “Hollywood,” this overlooked thriller features very good performances and an unforgettable twist ending that still gives me chills. “Arlington Road” deserves a spine-tingling 3 stars.