The Big Chill; The Sober End to College Craze.

-from FunniestMemes.com, image by Scott Adams

            Michael, Meg, Harold, Sarah, Nicolas Sam, and Karen haven’t seen each other since college. Fate decides to intervene with the death of their close friend, Alex, giving all of them the excuse they apparently needed to seek each other out. But getting together has some unintended consequences as old tensions and old feelings come to light with blunt honesty.  Now that the gang’s all back together it’s time to talk about the past, reevaluate your life, and only get minimal restitution from it.

            Now, take that statement in step, as this movie is most certainly not speaking to my generation. In fact, as someone who hasn’t graduated, gotten a full time job and developed a full life, I am quite confident that I am the last person this film was aiming for; but here I am.

The plot is cynical, tempered with lots of regret and shame. Life has not turned out in the way any of these guys pictured, and that hits them just as hard (if not harder) than the death of Alex. Seeing each other again is less than pleasant as it seems to just remind all of them of what they used to be. In a way, it makes you question if the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia are ever really healthy.

            And then...it’s done. This comes to one of my biggest problems with this film as it just ends with no real resolution.  Now everyone walks away with a better idea of what they’ve done, but only a few of our characters are leaving any different than when they came. Maybe this is the more realistic ending, but it hardly leaves the viewer feeling accomplished or satisfied. The end just comes out of nowhere, cutting you off from the characters and leaving you to wonder what, if anything, did they ever really solve

Once again, the story is just a framing device for our seven very distinct, very well written characters: We have Meg, a snarky Lawyer who acts like she has a biological time-bomb instead of a clock; We have Nicolas, a war veteran with ‘damaged equipment’ who never found his niche in life; Michael, a journalist who claims to know everything while attempting to sleep with any woman in the room; Sam, whose life as a James Bond clone has been plagued by family problems and self-esteem issues; Harold and Sarah, married and content with life but still rebounding from a bump in the road; and finally, Karen, a mother who has become the antithesis of her college self thanks to a sensible husband with the sensible job. Each of them is written and acted well with great dialogue, but I felt estranged from each of them.

While I didn't feel too much of a connection with any of our characters, I still think you should see this movie. It has some genuinely funny and touching moments with great pacing, and you can't go wrong with a great soundtrack like this. While the film will speak much louder to an older generation, it'll still give you something worth thinking about for later in life.

Next Review: Lost Boys

Labyrinth; Music, Makeup and More.

 “A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoting dialogue, and audience participation. Inclusive definitions allow for major studio productions, especially box office bombs, while exclusive definitions focus more on obscure, transgressive films shunned by the mainstream.”

-Wikipedia Definition, “Cult Films.”

            Fifteen year-old Sarah Williams has the same problems any teenager of the 80s has; her stepmother is incapable of affection, her father is henpecked, and her step-brother is pulling all the attention away from her. Fed up with her perceived problems, the childish teen wistfully wishes that Goblins would take her baby brother away. A sparkly, leather-clad Goblin King answers her call and tells the distraught girl that she can have her brother back if she solves a labyrinth that acts like the lovechild of The Phantom Tollbooth and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Along the way, she’ll run into all kinds of interesting creatures while the audience is treated to some 80’s-tastic music. It’s cheesy, predictable, and one of my all time favorite movies.

            Now, the story isn’t anything too special, and lacks any sense of complexity. What it does bring to the table is this strange mix of ”totally serious fantasy movie” and “tongue-in-cheek humor” that has a hit-or-miss streak to it. There is also an overflux of content at a breakneck speed, not allowing for anything to be really flushed out. The ideas are interesting but in sore need of some pruning shears.

One could almost argue that the story is here simply to allow our main characters to shine. Sarah Williams, played by then-newcomer Jennifer Connelly, connects nicely with the teenage audience while also being just mature enough that I don’t want to yank my hair out in frustration. Jareth, portrayed by the ever eccentric David Bowie, has some very obvious glam rock influences while coming across as the juvenile leader of some street gang. It’s quirky, but he makes it work in a way he only could.

            But it’s impossible to talk about a Jim Henson film without talking about the puppets. This is some of the most creative use of puppets and animatronics I have ever seen from Henson studios; Hoggle, the cranky dwarf that aids Sarah, gets to have very expressive facial features thanks to some heavy work in animatronics; The giant robot that protects the Goblin City, the biggest puppet they ever made, absolutely towers over our human actors; and the fact that someone can actually wear and move in Ludo’s costume is insane. People and puppet blend well in this film, creating a very visually interesting space to move about it.

            Speaking of being visually interesting, this film isn’t afraid of getting creative with it’s camera.  While a few close-ups and POV shots have a tendency to be disorienting and/or claustrophobic, most of the shots are actually quite nice. Wide angles to make our labyrinth look expansive, flipping the camera to make Jareth defy the laws of gravity, and many others.  While not extraordinary in its cinematography (that’s fancy film talk for actual use of the camera), the movie does get a gold star for effort.

            Lastly, I cannot, CANNOT, talk about this movie without bringing up the music . You could argue that the entire cult around this movie came from Bowie’s soundtrack considering most of us will eagerly parrot out the lyrics when cued (“You remind me of the babe”). I admit with complete honesty that the music usually doesn’t move the plot forward in any way. In fact,the music utterly stops the plot in its tracks most of the time. But can you really get angry at stopping for a dance break?The music is diabolically catchy, and very easy to sing back to fellow admirers. Whether it’s Bowie belting out a love song or a group of dancing fire demons having a good time, you’ll enjoy yourself.

            So, in summary, I believe you should see this movie because it’s easy to watch and enjoy. It’s a fun little 80s fantasy movie with good music, a good setting and fairly decent story. While lacking in complexity, and probably needing an editor for the overflow of content, none of that detracts from having a good time with it.

Next Review: The Big Chill