Five Easy Pieces

This film that I am going to be talking about is a bit older than a lot of the ones I normally would discuss. Now I don't talk about older movies normally because I feel like most people would have already seen them, not because I don't like them. This one is considered by many to be a classic, but I feel like over the years has been overshadowed by a lot of the other much more popular movies by its lead actor. The movie I am talking about is Five Easy Pieces (1970), and the lead actor is Jack Nicholson. Now most people will say The Shining (1980) is their favorite Nicholson film. Others will say One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Still others might say Chinatown (1974). In my case it is this film. Five Easy Pieces is one of those movies you will watch and be amazed at the depth of the emotions and the acting that Nicholson pours into his character. It had a number of awards poured onto it at the time, and a number of critics gave it high ratings. However, I think that at this point after all the movies Nicholson has done, and the type of movies he has done it becomes ignored.

The movie is about a family of upper-crust individuals who Nicholson is a part of and has completely separated himself from. Most of them are musically gifted, including Nicholson who is an extremely gifted pianist. He has, however, not only left his family behind, but also his wonderful gift with the piano. He seems to have done this almost as a part of leaving his family because it is part of what his father expected of him. He learns that his father is sick and has had a stroke leaving him unable to speak, and also that his current girlfriend is pregnant. So he packs up his car to go see his family who he has not seen in years. He brings along his girlfriend, despite his trying to leave her behind when he goes. He does this at the time not because he doesn't want to bring her, but more because he knows she will not fit in with his family at all. So he leaves his job on an oilfield to go to his family, he stops to see his sister during this, and in a very emotional scene plays the piano for the second time in the film. She tells him he shouldn't have left behind his gift, and that he should try and make up with their father as well since he is so sick. He blows her off and says he needs to go. All throughout the movie you see that he is angry with his family, with himself, and with the world at large. You aren't sure why until a very charged scene where he talks with his father in a one sided conversation since his father can't speak. This monologue completely encompasses what this film is truly about. There are several scenes in this movie that should not be missed, and this is one movie that people should do themselves a favor and watch if they have never seen it. Karen Black is also in this as Nicholsons girlfriend and she is quite good, although I don't know that she deserved the Oscar that she got for her performance. I think in a lot of ways she received it because it was so different of a part from her normal type as a scream queen.

So in the end all I want to say is see this movie with an open mind and put aside any feelings you have for or against Jack Nicholson and his performances in general. If you do you will see a movie that is both humorous at times and heart wrenching, even bleak. It is a powerful film by any standards and deserves to be remembered and seen. You keep reading them, and I'll keep writing them.

All Star Superman The Cartoon Movie

"Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple. Superman."

Now to start off with I want to highly recommend anyone who likes cartoon movies to go out and check out every single direct to video DC Universe cartoon movie that they have put out. Marvel may be winning in the theatrical live action releases right now, but they can't touch DC with the cartoon direct to video market. The titles that they have release all have either Batman, Superman, or both in them so far with one exception (that would be Superman/Shazam because of the short cartoons that they included with that that were far better than the main feature that featured The Spectre, Jonah Hex, and Green Arrow). All Star Superman is the icing on the cake for this argument. It is so excellent and so filled with wonderful story and solid voice acting that I wish I could go back and watch it again for the first time. It is based on the popular Eisner award winning Grant Morrison story. However, those that are coming to the table expecting everything that was in those comics will be greatly disappointed. So if you've read those comics, come to watch this with fresh eyes as best as you can. Those that haven't read it yet, please don't read it until after you see this.

Now as for the story it starts off as most Superman stories start off. Superman has to save the day for some scientists who have been sabotaged by Lex Luthor. What makes this time different is that not only is this a trap for Superman, but this time it works. Superman saves the scientists who are out in space from crashing into the sun. What happens as a result of this though is that Supermans cells get so charged with solar energy that he gains new powers, and greatly enhances his already existing powerful abilities. Doesn't sound so bad, right? Wrong. See what this also has done is that Supermans cells can't handle all this solar radiation. Kind of like a battery that has been overcharged. So now Superman finds out he's dying. This is how the story starts out. From there it goes on to show what he does with his last days, and how he wraps up all of his unfinished business so that he feels like he can die and leave the world safe. That is where the story gets really interesting. I don't want to give anything away, but he does clash with Luthor a few times, and he sees another one or two of his old enemies. He also finds a way to settle things with Lois. This story isn't your grandfathers Superman. It has a lot of depth, heart, and drama. The score to this is so good it makes you want to own the soundtrack. The voice acting, as I've said, is solid. They get people who know how to use their voices properly, and know how to act using just their voices. The animation is really good considering it isn't cell animation. It isn't Pixar kind of computer animation, but rather the new computer animation that is made to look somewhat similar to cell animation. Honestly, you have to watch this one to get why it is so good though. So do yourself a favor and turn off your brain and watch this. It doesn't need a lot of time, just one chance and that's all it ever needed. After you see the movie you'll understand why that was a little bit of a joke.