Tron x 2.0

Tron (1982) 

Noms: Costume Design, Sound

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Nom: Sound Editing

Why I watched:

1) My roommate loves the score from Tron: Legacy and I wanted to check it out

2) I can't handle watching things out of sequence, so I saw both

3) luckily they both were nominated for Oscars

I figure I can talk about both in the same post, right?

The original Tron is very obviously 80s, but that makes it hold up better I think. Sure the CGI is pretty awful by today's standards, but the goal was to make it look like the inside of a video game in the 80s. They achieved that goal spectacularly - the graphics were akin to what you see in games from that era. That said, I think it's hysterical that the Academy refused to nominate the movie for Visual Effects because they felt they cheated by using computers. Really?! That's all they judge nowadays when looking at Visual Effects! Separate from the CGI, they achieved the glowing lines in the costuming by coloring in the lines by hand on the film! Isn't that amazing?

Altogether, it's a pretty silly movie, but it's fun to watch.

The sequel is really fun! The visuals are really awesome - I love how they adapted the style from the original and adapted it to a more contemporary sensibility. The CGI Jeff Bridges was pretty impressive, if SUPER creepy. "He" was definitely more successful in some moments than others, but sometimes I was able to look past the CGI-ness of it and just accept "him" as a character. The score is actually really cool - Daft Punk!

The parallels in the plots of the two movies were really striking. They both follow a very similar general trajectory. Young rebel gets pulled into the computer, then forced to compete in the games. Light cycles! Escape from the normal confines of the game to go off grid for a while. The transport vessel that takes them from one part to another that looks like a flower being pulled along a beam of light - that gives them plenty of time to converse about the relation of program and user of course. These are just a few of the direct parallels I saw (admittedly, I watched both over a week ago - I really need to be more immediate about writing these responses....). 

Surprise appearances: Michael Sheen was so awesome in the sequel - one of my favorite parts of the movie by far! Gotta love those totally fucked up character that manage to stay funny.

Promises, Promises

The Apartment (1960)
Noms: Picture, Director (Billy Wilder), Actor (Jack Lemmon), Actress (Shirley MacLaine), Supporting Actor (Jack Kruschen), Original Screenplay, Editing, Sound, Art Direction (B&W), Cinematography (B&W)
Wins: Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Editing

Why I watched it:
1) one of the most nominated movies from the 60's I hadn't seen
2) I heard it was lovely

I just HAD to find this picture! Yes, he is using a tennis racket to strain pasta.

This movie is too darn charming. Really. It is so wonderful and holds up SO well. I loved it. Quirky and funny, with a lot of heart. The performances are wonderful. So great to see Jack Lemmon at the height of his popularity (The Apartment came out a year after Some Like It Hot) - I was familiar with him from some of his later roles, but it's great to see such a screen legend do what he's known for. Shirley MacLaine is so young in this! Amazing to think that she is still in the game, making films and movies over 50 years later.

I watched while donating again and was so clearly enjoying myself (laughing, smiling, etc.) that the workers and others donors were asking what I was watching. I think most of them were really surprised that a twenty-something would be having such a good time watching a black-and-white movie from 1960, but hopefully it convinced them to perhaps check it out.

I couldn't help but connecting this movie with Mad Men. Not really in content per se, but in the world that they take place in. Disclaimer, I haven't actually watched Mad Men that much, but from what I understand, the New York of the 60's created in that show is so spot on to what the movie reflects. It's always so jarring to me to see the rampant adultery and the general schmuck-i-ness of the men at the top. It's just accepted that they will be cheating, the whole office know it, and the wives are none the wiser, believing that they are pulling long hours or that they stayed the night in the office. The movie makes a big point of satirizing that idea, but it still shocks me every time.

Still though, I love the sensibilities of this time period. From aesthetic to content, something about movies from the 60's just does it for me. I foresee myself watching a disproportionate number of them over the next few months.

Next up: I should be watching both Tron and Tron: Legacy soon.

Btw: Promises, Promises is a musical based on the movie :)