FS #278: Where the Wild Things Are / High and Low / Top 5 Nostalgia Movies (Redux)
Little Sammy and the Mystery of Filmspotting Island
By Ayn Ballgame
Sammy was a little boy who loved making mischief (many would argue his acting out stemmed from Sammy’s lack of a relationship with his estranged father).
One day, young Sammy was making so much mischief around the house that his mother sent him to his room without supper (while she went to the phone to schedule another appointment with her therapists, Dr. Friedman and Dr. Jim Beam).
Alone in his room (with only his X-box, his Wii, his action figures, his Legos, his board games, his DVDs, his iPod, and his toy trucks to keep him company), Sammy sulked and moped and exclaimed, “I’m so bored!”
“Hellllllllooooo, young Sammy!” boomed a voice from out of nowhere.
“Why are you using a Jamaican accent?” boomed another voice from out of nowhere.
“It’s not a Jamaican accent! I’m trying to sound authoritative, you know, cool,” whispered voice number one.
“You sound like you’re doing a bad imitation of Punjab from Annie,” countered the other voice.
“Does Punjab even talk in that movie?” rebutted the voice from "Cool Runnings."
The booming unseen voices then began to bicker for ten minutes.
Finally, young Sammy shouted, “Who are you guys!?”
“We’re the Monsters of Filmspotting Island!” boomed the two voices in unison.
“Jinx,” whispered the invisible Jamaican.
“Filmspotting island?”
“It’s a fantastic place with no moms to make us do things, where we play all day and watch movies every night!” answered the unseen voice with the weird accent that now sounded a little like a bad Ricardo Montalbán.
“Sounds great!”
“It is great!” answered the voices.
“Can I come visit?” asked Sammy.
“Oh, hah, heavens no. You’re a rude little boy who makes too much mischief. Besides, it would be totally creepy if you were to come hang out with two much older Monsters on our island. Think of the liability.
"Ugh, creeps me out just thinking about it,” answered the more neurotic sounding voice.
“Oh,” said a disappointed Sammy. “Then why are you talking to me?”
“Because we wanted to let you know about our latest show. When we’re not playing all day and stuffing our bellies with gumdrops for dinner and Big League Chew for desert, we like to discuss the movies we watch. This week, we’re talking about Spike Jonze’s latest "Where the Wild Things Are," Akira Kurosawa’s "High and Low" and we list our Top 5 Nostalgia Movies from when were wee little Monsters just like you.”
“You just wanted to tell me about your show?” asked Sammy.
“Yeah, while you’re being punished, why not make something of it? Help your poor mom out, learn a thing or two. Way you’re headed right now, best you could hope for is to start working on your phrasing of ‘You want fries with that,” taunted the invisible Bob Marley. “I guess it could be kind of freeing knowing you’ll never have to deal with the attendant pressures of being a Rhodes Scholar.”
“I’ll show you, you jerky Filmspotting Monsters!” shouted an angry little Sammy. “I’m gonna grow up and direct awful movies just so you have to discuss them!”
“Little Uwe? Is that you?” teased the voice that didn’t sound like he came from the outskirts of Kingston.
And with that the Monsters' howling laughter began to fade away until little Sammy was once again alone in his room, a broken former shell of himself, now haunted by the prospect of his college choices.
The End
Also on the show: Music by Mittens On Strings and Massacre Theatre -- presented by Pixar Talk. This week's winner will get the Pixar DVD of their choice.
Filmspotting #278
:13-19:48 - Review: "Where the Wild Things Are"
Music: Mittens On Strings, "Lou Reed Says"
20:49-25:28 - Massacre Theatre (Winner: J. Pascal)
25:29-31:35 - Voicemail, Polls
31:36-47:20 - Kurosawa #6: "High and Low"
Music: Mittens On Strings, "Big Brother"
47:44-58:01 - New DVDs/Donations
58:02-1:17:23 - Top 5: Nostalgia Movies
1:17:24-1:21:12 - Close/Next Show/Outtake
NOTES
- Jeff Goldsmith's Creative Screenwriting Podcast can be accessed through iTunes here.
- Follow more notes and corrections at http://twitter.com/filmspotting.
Labels: Akira Kurosawa, High and Low, Spike Jonze, Top 5 Nostalgia Movies, Where the Wild Things Are
posted by Candace @ 5:14 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
"See, this guy gets it." That's Carol in Where The Wild Things Are, but it's also me listening to your review. Thanks, guys. Didn't think I could tear up listening to a movie review, but you both hit so many heads of so many nails... Kudos.
Good collection of cameo appearances:
http://filmbabble.blogspot.com/2007/06/20-great-modern-movie-cameos.html
I agree whole-heartedly with your WTWTA review. It was great. But I hesitate to highly recommend it to people because their subsequent expectations will be too high to appreciate it. It's just one of those movies that it really helps to approach with an open mind.
Oh, wow. Just heard your praise for Wendy and Lucy. It got my top 2008 honor in the category of "Film by a person who has no business making a film on the grounds that they have nothing but contempt for the concept of entertainment."
I heard some people talking about this film and somebody said "what that kid needed was an ass whupin'"
Great to hear your positive take on "Wild Things." But come on, guys. Neither of you has read the book? All 48 pages, most with a single sentence - if that? Those of you w/children (ahem!) should go back for re-training. Maybe the movie will inspire you to take the time to check it out. You can download for less than $2, but you'd miss the art. So take 15 minutes.... Love the show!
Adam...
no BEASTMASTER!?
We are the same age and this thing had to be on HBO/Showtime 10 times per week when we were growing up. Damn I wanted to be Marc Singer. I'll take Dar over Conan any day of the week!
Cute, clever, and I imagine, a therapeutic little tale Ayn Ballgame. The "Inglorious Basterds" episode provided a much more fulfilling format to discuss that film despite Adams redonkulous dislike of Brad Pitt. But I can forgive that POV considering that a small portion of the audience did share in having a negative reaction to the over the top nature of Aldo Raine. I didn't. If he was played straighter I feel it would've deflated the tension of some of the other scenes. I think he provided a much needed contrast to the other characters and made the final scene much more effective, similar in a way to how Raimi mixes horror and comedy.
"Where the Wild things are," is definitely a piece of art, but I can't say I was really enchanted by the meandering story. I do hope people get out and support it in some way though.
I agree "High and Low" can feel uneven. But the last 3-5 minutes, especially the final shot, just might be the most haunting scene in Kurasawa's filmography, and if the film as it is was the route by which it got to that moment, than I'm more than satisfied by the artistic choices made.
Thanks for your time and efforts,
sometimes still grudgingly an occasional listener,
PEter
Hey Adam and Matty,
Loved your Wild Things review. I went to see it a couple weeks ago and wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It may have been the uncomfortable seats at the theatre I went to, but it dragged in the middle for me. I loved the beginning like Adam did, but I felt like I would have to see it again to really form an opinion on the rest. Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts on it. You should definitely go find the picture book though... not sure how Adam managed to have kids and not run into it.
- jess
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