I was doing an exercise on this film for my scriptwriting class and decided to add something extra to the assignment. Considering the fact that I’m always referencing the things or people that inspire me, I thought I’d post this.

Enjoy!

Back To The Future has been my favorite movie of all time for as long as I can remember. I would describe myself as being optimistic and hopeful, which is really what this film says. Its message is clear: the future is not written; it’s what we make it. There’s so much hope to that idea that the best way I can describe my feelings on this film is that every time I see it I walk away with a smile on my face. The true joy in filmmaking or even in television is the ability to resonate with an audience and, upon continued viewing, appreciate the film even more. This film continues to inspire me because it reminds me that great films are what got me interested in this profession in the first place.

There’s nothing shown in this film that doesn’t need to be in the mise en scene. Everything within the frame is necessary and is either part of some exposition, an in-joke or a means for providing backstory. Upon this latest viewing, it occurred to me that there’s a beautiful relationship in the father son dynamic of this film. Marty teaches his father to stick up for himself, which in the future leads George to tell Marty that anything is possible. One could not exist without the other and for me it’s one of the more inspiring aspects that the film offers.

The other core emotional element to this film is the relationship between Doc and Marty. I’ll always go on record to say that there has never and will never be better chemistry on screen between two people than there was between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Mulder and Scully on The X-Files. However, Doc and Marty come in at a close second and maybe in some respects tie up with the Mulder and Scully dynamic. Obviously there’s no sexual tension like there was for Mulder and Scully, but that’s not the point. The point is a friendship that exists only on screen that conveys a sense of mutual respect and love for one another. The major defining moment for their relationship is when Marty and Doc are about to part ways and Marty hugs Doc. Brown. He’s torn up about his fate in the future and will do anything to stop Doc’s death, which for me being the sap that I am is quite moving.

If I had to make one complaint about this film it would be the only scene that feels contrived for the sake of plot: when George, who has just saved Lorraine and defined who he is allows another guy to push him away and start dancing with Lorraine, only to knock him down and finally kiss her. It exists only to add more suspense to Marty’s predicament and contradicts the character growth we have just witnessed in George for the entire movie. Thankfully this scene is so small that it doesn’t quite hinder the movie in the way that it could have. In a movie that is so great and so heartfelt, it’s a minor complaint at best.

Back To The Future is a film about filmmaking. The script is the exact blueprint for how great scripts work. Everything fits so perfectly in this film that I’m amazed every time I watch it. The film gave me back the courage to write great things of my own and will continue to be an inspiration in my life for years to come…

I wanted to write a brief summary for The Wolf Man, since I saw it last weekend. I know, I know – you’re wondering why I’m writing a review of a movie that’s over two weeks old. Who bothers with a movie after the opening weekend anymore? Well let me tell you suckers – I DO.

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Written by Bruce Joel Rubin

Directed by Robert Schwentke

The Time Traveler’s Wife is a wonderfully original story about a man who simply can’t always be there for the woman he loves because he jumps through periods of time uncontrollably. The film stars Eric Bana and my favorite, Rachel McAdams, who do a terrific job with their roles. Bana plays Henry, a man who since he was six has been traveling to different points in time because of a genetic defect in his brain. Sounds ridiculous, but many films are out there with their plots. However, the ones that establish the rules early on (which this one does) and never violate them make the world they create believable. McAdams in a truly terrific performance plays Clare, the woman of Henry’s dreams and the one who has to deal with the craziness of being with a time traveler.

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Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber

Directed by Marc Webb

(500) Days of Summer is a wonderfully heartbreaking film that really makes anyone watching it think back to a love they once had. What happens when you look back on past events? What happens when our expectations do not align with reality?  Why is something that should be seen as fate never meant to be? As the poster says, (500) Days of Summer is a story about love, and not a love story.

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Written by Ehren Kruger, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

Directed by Michael Bay

Maybe I’m not qualified to write this review. I was never a huge Transformers fan as a kid. Sure I had the toys and played with them often, but I never knew the different Autobot names, nor that they were in fact called “Autobots”. At any rate I will say that the first film was not bad. Yes, there was a lot of pointless characters (many of which ended up being under served anyway) and yes, the comedy felt forced in a lot of places and I could go on and on. However, for me it worked because it was more of an introduction to the actual bots themselves that I never had when I was a kid. Enough said.

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Written by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter and Thomas McCarthy

Directed by Bob Peterson and Pete Docter

I’ll admit this early on: I’m very partial to PIXAR films. I have seen all but one film from the company and I never walk away disappointed. I’ll also go on to say, as much as I’ll fear for my life after posting this, that I loved this film even more than Wall*E. My primary reason is simple enough, Wall*E is a story about love and Up is focused more on friendship and loyalty. I also need to mention my love for one character in particular in this film, and that’s Dug the dog. Never before in anything I have watched has a dog been more accurately portrayed than Dug.

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Written by Susannah Grant

Directed by Joe Wright

I’ve said before that I have a real problem understanding what a director’s style truly is. Oftentimes I find that I’m looking for the wrong things in a film, which is why I get confused. The Soloist however, is a clear demonstration of how a director’s style can get in the way of the story. I’ll say right off the bat that as always, Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant and Jamie Foxx gives one of his best performances to date. One could easily argue that this is a performance piece, but I think the intent was for more emphasis on the relationship between both men, rather then how good they could be in their roles.

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Written by Robert Siegel

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

The only phrase that I can think of when describing The Wrestler is “wow”. I had a completely different set of expectations when I was going in to see this film. Yes, I know it came out a while ago and I’m behind but I finally went and saw it the other night and loved it. The trailer for the film makes it feel as though this is an uplifting movie. I can assure you it’s not. If anyone reading this has ever seen any of Aronofsky’s work, they’ll know what to expect.

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