Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Entertainment Rating: 5 of 5

With the recent passing of Elizabeth Taylor I thought I’d look for a movie with her in it on Netflix. I didn’t remember ever seeing anything with her in it before and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was well praised and had garnered some awards at the Oscars in its day, so I thought I’d add it to our instant queue. The few plot summaries I read weren’t terribly interesting so I was a little hesitant to spend two hours of my time watching it. The hesitancy continued a little way into the film, but quickly dissipated as the story unfolded and the relationships between the characters became more intense. I’d have to say this is now one of the best movies I have ever seen. I’m not sure how close the film is to the Tennessee Williams play, but on its own this was one heck of a movie. You should go out of your way to see this, but expect to have to think pretty deeply.

Moral Rating: 5 of 5 - World Shaker

Don’t look at the names of the characters and judge the movie, just laugh and keep on reading. It really is a good show.

Big Daddy (Brick and Gooper’s father) has cancer and is not expected to live much longer. He’s got 28,000 acres of land as part of his legacy that he plans on passing on. Gooper’s wife, Mae, insists that they are the ones who deserve it since they’ve actually got kids (Brick and Maggie don’t have any yet), Gooper is a hard working man, and Brick is nothing but an irresponsible drunk and a has-been pro-football player.

Big Daddy really wants to leave his inheritance to his younger son, Brick, but can’t find any logical reason to. He then sets out to find out the truth behind Brick’s drinking and persists beyond Brick’s superficial initial response that he’s sick of all the lying and cheating (mendacity) in the world. Brick later reveals that he’s really disgusted with himself. Big Daddy feels that he’s done nothing but loved his family by giving them everything they ever needed or could want and they haven’t appreciated one ounce of it. Brick eventually helps his father realize that love is not made up of things. You can’t buy love. Love comes from memories made together, time spent together, and happiness and trials experienced together.

Big Daddy and Big Momma have been married for 40 years and they no longer seem to love each other. They put on a show as if they do (at least Momma does). Big Daddy says some pretty harsh words to her that break her heart, but Brick’s talk with him down in the cellar seem to make Big Daddy realize how much he really does love her.

The relationship between Brick and Maggie is on the breaking point and Brick doesn’t seem to want to do anything to make it better, except drink (which supposedly makes it better to him, since he can’t think straight about it.) Brick has recently lost a “good” friend who played football with him. Brick is seen with a lot of crutches (literal and figurative) that he’s been leaning on, but the one person he should have leaned on all along was his wife. He’s never appreciated her or loved her as he should and that’s part of the reason he feels so guilty and has taken to the bottle. Maggie’s undying love, support, and defense of her husband throughout the film helps Brick realize the type of person she is and that no matter what he’s done, she’ll be there for him - as long as he learns to trust her.

There are more intricacies in these and other relationships throughout the movie that I won’t spend time on here. Generally when when one of our reviews is longer than normal, it’s either because the movie was deplorable, or, in this case, amazing. Let me know what you think once you see it!

Inception (2010)

This review is coming only after one viewing of the movie, so I'm sure I'll miss something. This is a show that has to be watched multiple times.

Synopsis

Cobb is an expert extractionist (stealing mentally kept secrets) who longs to return home to his children. He's offered a chance to return if he can perform inception (implanting an idea) on the inheritor of a large energy business and get the inheritor to dissolve the company. Cobb is one of the few who knows inception can actually work, but he has some personal issues he must overcome for the plan to get pulled off.

Entertainment Value

Rating: A

This movie was amazing. This is what all directors should aspire to. Occasionally it is nice to be able to sit back and not have to think, but this is more than just a thinking movie; you get totally immersed in the film as if you were dreaming it yourself! Nolan has created a totally unique story so complex and deep that it begs for multiple views. Hans Zimmer does a wonderful job with the score as well. You have to see this in the theater.

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate?

Rating: 5

I'll try to avoid any spoilers, though there might be some minor ones (whether the movie ends happy or sad, so read on at your own risk).

The movie does a great job of illustrating a mindset that Elder David A. Bednar related in a youth fireside that was printed in the June 2010 Ensign entitled, "Things as They Really Are." (You should read through this before you see the movie and it will really help it sink in). Basically Elder Bednar discusses his concern that we look more towards cyber experiences that distract us from real experiences; real life experiences that actually help us progress spiritually and emotionally far better than any online game or website can. In the movie we see people who choose to live their lives through dreams. Because their dreams become more interesting and exciting than their actual life, they get lost in multiple levels of subconscious dreaming, making them ultimately unable to tell what's real life any more. Elder Bednar states,

"Sadly, some young men and young women in the Church today ignore 'things as they really are' and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple—sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood—experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing. A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, 'Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known' (D&C 60:13)."

One of Cobb's personal issues he is confronted with is a strong feeling of personal guilt for something he has done (revealed in the movie). He learns, through the help of a friend, that he has to forgive himself in order to move on. This forgiveness isn't only important to Cobb's personal progression, but for the well-being of those he's working with. As he learns to confront his fears and realize what is real and what is a distraction, he's able to continue on his mission with a brighter hope of being united with his children.

The love Cobb displays for his children (seen primarily through his dreams and discussion with others) is the love we should exhibit for our family at all times. It wouldn't hurt to imagine yourself being in such a situation to realize how much you need your family and how much they need you.

The PG-13 rating is primarily for the intense scenes of action and violence (though nothing graphic is displayed). There are some profane references to deity, but little else. No sex or nudity.

Cool Hand Luke

Synopsis

This is the story of a man who fought against the system. Lucas Jackson gets thrown into a work camp for "destroying municipal property," and even while there continues to fight against anything that gives him rules to follow. The men in the camp admire him; and even Dragline, the assumed leader of the prisoners, gives Luke his respect. Luke gets tired of being the only one who seems to care about breaking free, even God seems to have abandoned him. Read on to find out why this is one of my favorite movies.

Entertainment Value - A

For the longest time this was my absolute favorite movie and it still ranks among the top ten. Paul Newman's and George Kennedy's performances are awesome. The multiple attempts at escape from the prison never get boring. You never get tired of the constant change and rebellion Luke introduces to the prison. Some people can't seem to make it through the first part of the movie, and I can't understand why! Mostly people who have a hard time watching anything that isn't newer than the 1980's (though that's even pushing it for some!).

Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 5

Why is this movie the theme for our blog? For one, it was one of my favorite movies and "Cool Hand Critics" had a nice ring to it. From there, we were able to introduce other elements of the movie into our reviews (World Shakers, Nights In The Box, etc.). Here are some of the reasons why it is among my favorite movies:

Unwritten Rules

At the beginning of the film, when Luke first comes to the camp and the other prisoners are playing cards, he makes pretty clear his disdain for rule makers. Dragline and the other prisoners are explaining all the "unwritten" rules of the prison and that Dragline is basically the king of the coop. Luke just laughs and when confronted, he responds that there just seem to be "a lot of guys laying down rules and regulations."

Unwritten societal rules (e.g., might makes right, herd mentality, etc.) sometimes keep us from progressing, whereas true rules (i.e., commandments, covenants, etc.) should help us in our progression as human beings and children of God. This isn't the case for all unwritten rules (e.g., etiquette, chivalrous manners, etc.), but we need to do more than just follow someone blindly like most of the prisoners ended up doing with Dragline and later with Luke. We need to live/know for ourselves and understand what impact our decisions and actions have on our spiritual and physical well being.

"Nothing Can Be a Real Cool Hand"

Luke and Dragline had a boxing match and even though Luke was very badly beat-up, he never gave up; in fact he told Dragline, "you're gonna have to kill me." Luke later ends up winning a poker game with a hand of nothing and states that, "Sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand." Dragline admits that he was beat in the fight with nothing just as Koko was in the poker game (meaning even though Luke didn't beat Dragline physically, Luke sure didn't lose).

Sometimes by just standing your ground, no matter what the odds are against you, you can come out on top. This constancy exhibited in one's faith and conviction of principles or standards can define a person's being.

"Get Out There Yourself!"

After one of the many times Luke escapes the prison and is brought back (bloody and beaten) all the men can do nothing but comment on what a grand ol' time he must have had while he was out (particularly because Luke had sent them a picture of himself between two attractive ladies, revealed at this time to be a phony). Exasperated he yells, "Stop feedin' off me! Get out there yourself! I can't breathe!"

How often do we live our lives through other people's experiences instead of getting up/out and doing things for ourselves?

Later on, after Luke has been "broken" by the bosses (forced to labor to the point of physical exhaustion and beaten brutally in the process) and enters the sleeping quarters where all the prisoners (who sat and watched the breaking process) are gathered, he collapses. Not a single person went to him to help him out. They were disillusioned by the breaking of the high and mighty man they once esteemed as their hero. Luke was never a real person in their eyes; they invented a person who was invulnerable, a superhero that could never break. When he broke they became the selfish, brutal, despicable creatures men tend to be when they see good men fall. They were too weak (too smart?) to try to break out of prison themselves, to push the rule makers to the limit, to discover who they really could be, making them all the more happy to see strong people fall. It makes them feel good about themselves, even if they aren't truly happy (still locked up, never having attempted to get out in the open).

Failure to Communicate

During Luke's last escape attempt, Dragline can't help but come along with him. Dragline's as giddy as a school boy to see that Luke was "never" broken. But Luke corrects him and tells him he was as broke as anybody could have been. After Dragline starts planning all the world shaking he, Luke, and Koko are gonna do when they're all out Luke says that he's "done enough world shaking for a while." At this news Dragline doesn't know how to react, he begins to regret ever leaving the camp realizing that he only had a few years left if he would have stayed put. (The disillusionment sets in again.)

Luke approaches a church and decides to enter it and that it's time he has a talk with God. He wants to blame God (not angrily but questioningly) for his situation. Luke feels that God has things "fixed" against him and at the same time made him like he was, so how was he supposed to fit in? When does it all end? What does God have in store for him? What should he do now? Luke then gets on his knees to ask and concedes that he's a hard case and ends up supposing that he'll have to find his own way (not having received any communication from God).

This failure to communicate comes up a couple of times in the film, and is up there with some of the best known lines in cinematic history. There seems to be a lot of failed communication, a lot of "unwritten rules" that seem to catch people off guard left and right. You could argue that it wasn't God that was messing up the communication, but Luke. He never wanted to submit to any kind of authority, and he was constantly running away from it or flat out pushing back. Even Luke says "there ain't a whole lot worth listening to" (specifically referring to all the rules and regulation being put out). How many times do we say we want an answer but do nothing to make sure we are prepared to hear what we need to be told?

With regards to this movie review site, I hope we can communicate some of the insights we receive on the quality and moral value of films that we see. We in no way assume our ideas and interpretations are the only way to view the content of the films, but invite others to comment and help us mold our philosophy in a non-threatening way.

On the Waterfront

Rating: 5, World-shaker

This movie is a world-shaker.  It is very inspiring and really makes me want to stand up to the Jonny Friendly's of the world.  The internal struggle with Terry Malloy and how his conscience weighs on him to do what's right is very inspiring.

The movie realistically shows the difficulty of changing your philosophy on life and how crucial role models are, especially those of family.  The film showed how much Terry loved his brother Charly (and vice-a-versa).  This is particularly evident in the famous "I coulda been a contender, I coulda been somebody..." scene.  When Charly got killed the contrast of this brotherly love and the supposed "family" bond of the union bosses clearly teaches the important influence (for good or bad) family members can have on each other.

Another important message is the pastor's humility and his realization of the need to stand up and practice what is preached.

Terry's choice to be a "canary" lets him see who his real friends are.

I felt disgusted as the longshoremen just looked on and didn't seem to care when Terry took on Johnny and his cronies.  Maybe the longshoremen weren't supposed to get into it, but they sure did out number them, they cared more about their jobs under corrupt union bosses (their lives could have been at stake, but when they out number them what could they do?) than breaking free and standing up for what's right.  If you've never seen this, make it a point to do so and tell us what you think.

You Can't Take it With You

Luke
Rating: 5, World-shaker

This was an excellent movie! My parents told us how much they enjoyed it and that sparked our interests. It's a Frank Capra film, so I expected it to be as good as his other films (It's a Wonderful Life, Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, etc.). It was better! Maybe only because this was the first time I've seen it and I've seen all the others a dozen times, but it is definitely a world-shaker in my books.

The film displays the importance that family and friends are over one's career. It stresses that money can never buy happiness, and that happiness comes from doing what you enjoy. We should be happy with what we're doing, if we're not, something needs to change (unless you're an odd ball that likes being unhappy).

The importance of strong familial relationships (particularly father/son) is depicted. We see how humility can help strengthen or reforge those bonds if they've been damaged by pride and selfishness.

There was a bit of a similarity to The Bucket List when Mr. Kirby's ruthlessness to his customers ended him up in jail (Nicholson's character was similarly ruthless and he ended up, though coincidentally, a patient in his own poorly accommodating hospital.)

I'm not sure what the whole IRS situation had to do with anything, if anyone has any insights, I welcome them...

I was waiting for several moments in the film to turn "corny" or laughable, but every scene was genuinely entertaining and endearing. You'll miss out on a lot if you pass this one by.

Carr

Rating: 5, World Shaker

Wow! This movie was absolutely amazing! It is now my all-time, number one, favorite movie ever! Not only does it have an uplifting and valuable message, but it achieves it through good, clean humor. My favorite character is the grandpa who could seem a little bit crazy at first, but proves to be the most sane person of them all. While kind and good to everyone, he proves his humanness when he breaks down and chews out the selfish and greedy Mr. Kirby. Instead of being inhumanly patient, he gives the man what he really deserves: a severe chastisement. (Who doesn't need a good lecture now and again?) Not without apologizing after, of course. It was this tongue lashing that made a difference in Mr. Kirby's life. MILD SPOILER: Of all the names he was called, the one that really gets to him is that he was a bad father. Of all the rotten things he had done, hurting his son was what hurt him the most.

The son (Tony Kirby) is also a great character because he is not interested in making money and being high up in the business world. He respects his father (Mr. Kirby) and desires to please him, but luckily his heart is still young and pure. In him we can see hope for the father, perhaps that he was once young and innocent before his corruption set in. The son falls in love with the daughter of a carefree family who always does just exactly as they please. Since Tony is from a rich family, the girl (Alice) is naturally nervous and knows that she will not easily please his family, particularly since her family can be a bit peculiar. She wants to put on a show to really impress his parents, but Tony just wants his parents to know the girl that he loves, all appearances aside. He could care less that they are somewhat strange or poor, he enjoys their company and he loves her. It makes him kind of a hero. Except that it is this honest desire that creates major problems...but there wouldn't be a movie without the problems, right? :)

It has several valuable messages, but basically it's what the title says. You can spend your whole life trying to make money and it won't make much difference in the end because when you die, you can't take it with you. But even more than that, each day of our life is important and having good friends makes us rich, no matter how poor we are materially. We should spend our time building lasting relationships through kindness, service, and humor instead of cutting people down on our climb to the top. This movie makes the point that life is to be enjoyed. Why go to work every day at a job you don't really like? Find something that makes you want to get up in the morning and brings a smile to your face. Most importantly it emphasizes the importance of family. When consumed by greed and a desire to be number one in the corporate world, family relationships can suffer. In the end, what's more important? What can you take with you when you die?

I love that the movie ends up well, but by taking a different path than expected. It keeps it unpredictable. I recommend it to everyone of all ages. It's totally clean and fabulous; no filter needed. It will definitely be a family classic in our home!