Remembering Carrie Fisher

I was at an early screening this morning and just got in to learn of the passing of Carrie Fisher at 60.

I was hoping for the best after her heart attack and subsequent hospitalization Friday, but in the back of my mind I was bracing for the worst. At least get her through Christmas, I thought.

Carrie Fisher was my first childhood crush. I was six in the spring of 1977 and had just experienced a bigger-than-life space adventure called Star Wars. The film had everything a young boy could love: spaceships, robots, alien creatures, dashing heroes, a terrifying villain and a beautiful princess.

In her form-fitting white robe and bun-curled hair, Leia Organa commanded your attention the moment you first saw her on screen. Striking to look at, sure, but as spunky and courageous as any of her male counterparts. From the second she starts to verbally spar with the imposing Darth Vader, you knew she was more than just a pretty face. Leia's mettle is underestimated throughout the film, but every person she tussles with - from Governor Tarkin to Han Solo - comes to eventually respect her unrelenting spirit and fortitude.

That spunkiness was on display even more in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back. As a respected leader of the Rebel Alliance, Leia can't admit she has feelings for Han Solo, no matter how hard the scruffy smuggler goads her on. Her building frustration is classic to watch unfold - looks of distain, mumbling to herself - and really is one of the main reasons Empire is considered the best of the Star Wars saga today.

I could have cared less about dolls growing up. But you better believe I had every Leia action figure released from 1978-1983. Every guy my age did, whether they admit it or not.

Fisher was always best remembered for Star Wars, but she did have a career outside of the popular space franchise, providing memorable turns in films like The Blues Brothers, Under The Rainbow, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Burbs and When Harry Met Sally.

They say you always remember your first crush. Well, rest assured, sweet princess, in that galaxy far, far away, you will never be forgotten.

Quick Flick Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The story of how the Rebel Alliance stole the plans to the dreaded Death Star that ultimately enabled Luke Skywalker to destroy the Empire's planet-killing superstation has intrigued legions of Star Wars fans for nearly 40 years.

The brainchild of Lucasfilm visual effects veteran John Knoll, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story finally shines a light on that crucial missing chapter, the first non-episodic SW film in the franchise's five-decade-long history.

Rogue One centers around the plucky Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), the long-since-abandoned daughter of Imperial scientist Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) who the Alliance learns has dispatched a messenger to rebel extremist Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) with information on a new super weapon the Empire is close to testing. It seems Jyn and Gerrera are old acquaintances, a bond the Alliance hopes to exploit so Gerrera will share his valuable bestowment.

Jyn reluctantly agrees to act as the go-between and is teamed with rebel intelligence officer Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the sardonic K-2S0 (Alan Tudyk), a repurposed Imperial droid who frequently can't help but convey his "bad feelings" about the mission.

Unfortunately, the reunion with Gerrera is cut short and the information lost when the Empire decides to test its new weapon on the city surrounding the extremist's compound, forcing Jyn and her companions to find a new way to retrieve the crucial data.

Of course with the Death Star lurking overhead, they've got some Imperial baddies standing in their way. There's Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), the ambitious head of weapons research, who shares a secret past with both Jyn and her father, a predominantly featured, CG-enhanced Grand Moff Tarkin (good to see a "resurrected" Peter Cushing working again) and, yes, a certain Dark Lord of the Sith of some repute, who doesn't get a lot of screen time but undeniably makes his presence "felt" in every scene in which he appears.

Speaking of appearances, several characters from the original trilogy make smile-worthy cameos (Walrus Man, anyone?), the most notable of which coming at the very end and providing a seamless transition to the initial 1977 film.

The film does throw a lot of characters (many with heavy, hard-to-follow accents) and plotlines at its audience and the narrative becomes a bit convoluted at times. Also working against the film is the fact that as much as you want to like these new heroes, you know you'll never see any of them again going forward in the saga, making it hard to establish any kind of connection or root for their success.

And while the action is consistent and swiftly paced, much of it comes off as contrived and gratuitous, especially the climatic "heist" sequence at the end of the film that feels more Mission: Impossible than Star Wars.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story serves its purpose for the most part, giving fans the backstory they've desired for years and providing enough nostalgia to remind all of why returning to a 40-year-old space saga never gets old. Grade: B-

Merry Christmas!

Dec. 30: Top 5 Films of 2016

Citizen Kane: Still Sublime After 75 Years

The wife and I screened Citizen Kane last weekend. I hadn't seen it in about five years, my wife in more than two decades.

As we sat there in the dark, I kept thinking how incredible it was that a 75-year-old black-and-white film could still seem so fresh and illicit such awe in this day of glossy, highly kinetic computer-generated entertainment.

But such is the cinematic power of Orson Welles' 1941 tale of newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, a film highly praised at the time of its release but quickly forgotten, only to be rediscovered decades later and universally anointed the greatest film ever made.

Welles was just 25 when production began on Kane in August of 1940. He had achieved great success in radio with his Mercury Theatre company and RKO Pictures had come courting, offering the untried auteur a film contract with complete artistic freedom. Welles was both star and director, had co-written the script and cast the film with actors from his theatre troupe, all virtually unknown to Hollywood.

The film unfolds in flashbacks and follows the life of a young country boy who in 1871 is transferred into the custody of New York financier Walter Thatcher (George Coulouris) by his mother after a literal gold mine is discovered on the family's property. Mary Kane (Agnes Moorehead) wants a better life for her son, a proper education and to be free from the clutches of her abusive husband.

When we next see Charlie Kane he's 25 (now played by Welles) and in full possession of his $60 million-plus fortune. One of the assets that intrigues him is the New York Inquirer. As he writes Thatcher: "I think it would be fun to run a newspaper."

So with the help of college friend Jed Leland (Joseph Cotton), Kane begins to raise the circulation, via salacious journalism, allowing him to acquire more newspapers and slowly build an empire. Soon he's marrying the President's niece and mounting a run for governor of New York. But things take a turn for the worse when his affair with aspiring singer Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore) is revealed, costing Kane his marriage and derailing any political chances he once had.

Kane in turn becomes a recluse, retreating to his palatial Xandadu compound where he makes it his mission to turn the talentless Alexander into a singing superstar.

I first saw Citizen Kane in a high-school film class and was instantly taken by its masterful script (it won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay), effortless acting and exquisite photography. I saw it again in college and my affinity only grew.

Over the years I've sought out a revival screening or two (even taking my mom to one) and each time I've left the theater in a state of sheer awe, in both craft and relevance decades after its release. It's not one I revisit every year, but it is a film that unequivocally reminds me of why I love cinema every time I screen it.

You can count on one hand the films that still resonate today 75 years after their release. Citizen Kane is one that will continue to be studied and admired by generations of movie lovers: old ones like me, and new ones yet to discover its charms. I'm envious already.

Happy Thanksgiving!

American Cinematheque Lands Exclusive Exhibition Rights To 2001: A Space Odyssey

Southern California cinema fans rejoice! The L.A. Times is reporting today that The American Cinematheque has obtained an exclusive five-year exhibition deal with Warner Brothers for a newly struck 70mm print of Stanley’s Kubrick’s 1968 classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The deal calls for two extended runs per year, rotating between the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.

The first screening will be this Sunday at the Egyptian as part of Beyond Fest. The next one will be an eight-day run in December, also at the Egyptian.

Hopefully this will encourage other studios to return their classics to the big screen, where they belong. Can you imagine if a film like the original Star Wars returned to theaters twice a year instead of playing on TNT? We can dream.

Quick Flick Review: Sully

Clint Eastwood's Sully is a swiftly directed, efficiently acted docudrama that plays more like a History Channel special than a feature film.

Based on the real-life account of US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger's "Miracle on the Hudson" landing in 2009, the film stars Tom Hanks as the eponymous hero who, despite saving all 155 souls on board his disabled passenger jet, found his career in jeopardy during the subsequent National Transportation Safety Board investigation.

We experience the events leading to the "forced water landing" through pilot recollection and NTSB simulations, leaving no detail unturned as professionals sift through all the conditions and variables. It's technical, sure, but effectively engaging.

As far as learning a little more about the man, we're afforded two quick glimpses into Sullenberger's life: a flight lesson as a teenager and a harrowing landing as an Air Force pilot. Other than a few interactions via phone with his wife (Laura Linney), we really glean nothing as far as character background. It's pretty apparent Eastwood feels the 208 seconds of Sullenberger's miraculous flight are all the insight we need.

Hanks is quietly effective as Sullenberger: cool, calm and professional. Aaron Eckhart offers some levity as Sullenberger's co-pilot and Anna Gunn provides a few nice moments as a NTSB member.

Tightly crafted at just ninety-six minutes with credits, Sully is well acted and engaging, but with little to no characterization, it comes off as nothing more than a big-budget TV dramatization without commercials.
Grade: B

Where No Show Has Gone Before: 50 Years of Star Trek

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry's iconic space adventure Star Trek.

Yes, on September 8, 1966 audiences tuning into NBC that night were first introduced to Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest of crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they began a five-year mission to "explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before."

Billed as "Wagon Train to the stars," the show was not a ratings hit during its initial run, but it did develop enough of a following, due mainly to its likeable crew, nifty effects and frank portrayal of race and social issues, to warrant 79 episodes over three seasons before its eventual cancellation in 1969.

My first exposure to the Star Trek was as a child in the early '70s. The show was experiencing a resurgence of sorts through syndication and seemed to be playing every time you flipped the television on. I loved the brightly colored uniforms, cool gadgets and all the wonderful sounds emanating from the bridge and transporter room.

Star Trek: The Animated Series debuted in 1973 and only helped to bolster my affinity for the show. Soon Mego Toys was creating 8" action figures and a fold-out bridge with rotating transporter. I was in heaven.

It wasn't until the success of Star Wars in 1977 that we got to see Star Trek transferred to the big screen. Star Trek: The Motion Picture arrived with much anticipation a few weeks before Christmas in 1979. New, Star Wars-size action figures debuted ahead of time as did Trek-themed McDonald's Happy Meals.

Unfortunately, the film contained none of the engaging, adventurous qualities of the original series and seemed more interested in dazzling its audience with Star Wars-like special effects. It was too long and slowly paced, and despite being a box-office success and featuring a beautiful score by composer Jerry Goldsmith, deemed a failure.

The brand was given a second chance for cinematic sustenance with 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It was more action driven, contained a classic villain and featured the dramatic death of a key crew member. It possessed everything that made Star Trek, well, Star Trek. And like that, a franchise was born.

Four more films would follow with the original crew over the next nine years. In the middle of that period, we got a another TV series with an all-new crew. Eventually they made their own four films that paved the way for more TV incarnations and a film reboot featuring a younger Enterprise crew.

It's hard to believe Star Trek has consistently been a part of our lives, in one form or another, for half a century. What makes it endure? Well, for me, beyond promoting the timeless themes of hope and adventure, it's all about the original crew, mainly the relationship between Kirk, Spock and Dr. McCoy, three drastically different personalities who all seem to function as one symbiotic force.

Each needs the other to provide something the other is lacking: courage, logic, conscious. They're really the main reason I've returned to the franchise over the years. Their interaction always makes me smile and reminds me how powerful an ally friendship can be.

Thank you, Star Trek, for 50 years of thrills, laughs and tears. You truly blazed a path where no show has gone before.

Ferris Bueller Finally Gets A Soundtrack

Here's a little nugget of news to share at your Labor Day barbecue. After 30 years of waiting, fans will finally get a soundtrack album to John Hughes' beloved 1986 classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off later this month.

Hughes never authorized a commercial release back in the day as he thought kids wouldn't want to listen to the likes of the Beatles' "Twist and Shout" and Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen" on an album with contemporary '80s tunes.

Well, now film-score specialty label La-La Land Records is letting fans decide for themselves with a limited-edition, 35-track compilation of songs and score cues from the iconic film.

In addition to favorites like "Danke Schoen" and Yello's "Oh Yeah," you get rare gems like the Flowerpot Men's "Beat City" and Blue Room's "I'm Afraid." Alas, there's no "Twist and Shout" nor the English Beat's "March of the Swivel Heads" due to licensing issues, but you can easily download those from most online retailers.

You can order your copy of the Ferris Bueller's Day Off soundtrack directly from La-La Land Records (www.lalalandrecrecords.com) or Screen Archives Entertainment (www.screenarchives.com) beginning Tuesday, September 13. Better take the day off.