Movie of the Week

This week,

MINORITY REPORT (2002)

Starring- Tom Cruise, Max Von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton

This neo-noir, sci-fi thriller is one of the more overlooked and under appreciated films in the Steven Spielberg canon. Not only are the action and special effects first rate, the story is a compelling one that twists and turns and makes you think. There is almost so much to think about it is good to see it a few times so that you can drink it all in. Spielberg does a great job in borrowing from multiple genres for this film, as well as using innovative techniques like desaturating the color of the film to give it a very unique, modern look.

The story is set in the not too distant future, where Washington, D.C. is the hub of PreCrime, a police force that uses the talents of three 'pre-cogs' to see murders before they happen and prevent them. John Anderton (Cruise) is the tortured head of the team who, while good at his job, struggles with an addiction to narcotics after the loss of his son. While Anderton and his team are being audited by the Department of Justice the pre-cogs predict a murder that shows Anderton as the killer. What follows is a furious chase as Anderton tries to prove his innocence while being hunted by his own men and the ambitious Department of Justice representative Danny Witwer (Farrell).

Throughout the frenetic and tense manhunt there are intimate, expository moments that get into the deeper layers of the story. The film's main theme is the question of free will vs. determinism, and whether or not the future can be determined or not. Spielberg wisely avoids directing the viewer toward one point of view or another, and allows the film to play out to its conclusion. Also up for debate is the issue of what role government should play in the protection of its people, as well as the ethics of holding innocents hostage and using their skills for the greater good.

I am reluctant to say much more about Minority Report because the layers are so many that this review could easily get too long, as well as the fact that I don't want to spoil what is a very engaging who done it. Cruise does a nice job as the conflicted hero, as does the always watchable Max Von Sydow as PreCrime's creator. If you plan to watch this film be prepared for a thrill ride, but also be prepared to do some in depth analysis. This is and isn't just an action movie.

Things to watch for-

Peter Stormare's snot rocket
Personalized advertising
Anne Lively
The 'hot' nurse
The Cyber Parlor

"There hasn't been a murder in six years. The system, it is perfect."

Movie of the Week

This week,

JAWS (1975)

Starring- Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw

As people start to head to the beach for the start of summer, I am here to make sure they are afraid to go into the water with a review of Steven Spielberg's classic shark tale. Based on the bestselling novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws is the story of a hungry little great white shark that chooses to make breakfast out of the residents of Amity Island. It is then up to an unlikely trio of heroes to hunt down the beast and make sure that it cannot return for many, many sequels.

Sheriff Brody (Scheider) is afraid of water, and that's even before a nubile coed gets gnawed by the shark, but after her death, he takes on the tough task of figuring out what to do to protect the beach goers of Amity. Despite little help from city officials, Brody does his best to be vigilant, especially after a little boy falls prey to the shark. Help arrives from Brody in the form of Matt Hooper (Dreyfuss), a marine biologist, who specializes in great white sharks. The two men finally determine that it is indeed a great white they are hunting, and go to kill it. It is then that they enlist the help of Quint (Shaw), the eccentric shark hunter, to help them find and destroy the shark in his boat the Orca.

So much of Jaws is now iconic, the score, the opening scene, the fact that we don't see the shark until more than halfway into the movie. Even though this film was incredibly difficult to film, and the mechanical sharks were very uncooperative, it stands out as one of the all time greats. The main characters of Brody, Hooper and Quint are now iconic as well, with their fabulous interactions on the boat as they track the shark. I think this film ranks among Spielberg's best, and it has appeal beyond just being a thriller. Jaws is an adventure story that makes you want to go along with Hooper, Quint and Brody. It also has some great comedic moments as well that are expertly balanced with the ever present tension.

Don't let Jaws ruin a summer trip to the beach for you, but do be careful if you are a sexy teenager or a little boy because to sharks you are like filet mignon.

Things to watch for-

Fingernails on the blackboard
Quint's shark monologue
John Williams' score
The mayor's anchor blazer
The Amity Billboard

"Here's to swimming with bow-legged women."