REEL REVIEWS COLUMN: Rent, don't dent your wallet
By Justin Smith
Summer is swiftly approaching and with it the biggest (read as “biggest budget”) movies of the year. No doubt “Pearl Harbor,” “The Mummy Returns,” “Tomb Raider,” “Planet of the Apes,” and “Jurassic Park III” will be among the most popular summer films, but who has $6.50 to see each one? As a solution, I suggest waiting the few months until those blockbusters come out on video.
Until then, I recommend renting some movies that I suspect many of you have not seen. These are films that will probably only cost you under $1, are guaranteed (by me) to be good, and can be viewed from the comfort of your own couch.
“Waiting for Guffman” - If you’ve seen and liked “This is Spinal Tap,” I strongly urge you to check out “Waiting for Guffman.” The film takes place in the small town of Blaine, Missouri while planning it’s sesquicentennial. For the celebration a local drama instructor writes a musical called “Red, White, and Blaine” to be performed for the townspeople. I laughed almost the entire film and with the quirky characters and hilarious dialogue this film provides, you will too.
“Smoke Signals” – This film justifiably won the Sundance Film Festival’s Filmmaker’s Trophy in 1998. It follows two Native-American boys named Thomas and Victor as they travel across the desert to recover Victor’s father’s ashes. The film, while funny, is a sad commentary on the state of Native-American reservations.
“Roger & Me” – When smart-ass director Michael Moore goes after multi-millionaire Roger Smith the results are hilarious. This documentary about layoffs at a Flint, Michigan car manufacturing plant that ruins a town is both saddening and comical. Michael Moore is a very funny man and an American hero who fights for the benefit of one small town by attacking the rich corporation that gives up on it.
“A Simple Plan” - When three men find four million dollars in a downed plane in the snowy woods they must decide how to manage the situation in order to keep the money. However, everything soon gets out of hand and mounts into something none of the men expected to deal with. This film is a very realistic portrayal of human nature and desire. So close in fact, that I found myself questioning my own actions if put into their situation.
“Twenty Bucks” – This is one of the most original films I’ve seen in a very long time. The premise is relatively simple. It follows an ordinary twenty-dollar bill around from person to person, briefly telling each person’s story. From the bill’s “birth” at an ATM machine to its eventual demise at the hands of a dispirited man, the film never lost my attention.
“Dawn of the Dead” – This movie is campy horror at its best. Made in 1978, the film puts a group of people in a shopping mall surrounded by earth-walking zombies. It’s a world of total chaos and director John Romero’s view of it is amazing as zombies wander aimlessly and humans attempt to stay alive.
“Say Anything” - This film, written and directed by Cameron Crowe (“Almost Famous,” “Jerry Maguire”) is the quintessential romantic comedy. I guarantee even guys will enjoy this “chick flick.”
Save money this summer, forgo expensive movie theatre prices and watch a few of my film suggestions. Make some popcorn, invite company, and soon you won’t believe you used to pay $6.50 per movie.