Fear and Desire (1953)

The first Stanley Kubrick movie I watched was The Clockwork Orange. That movie surprised me with its vulgarity and sinister plot. Stanley Kubrick is a legendary movie maker, I knew from then onwards. But the movie that really impressed me was 2001. It had everything, plot, acting, amazing fx and my god the music. Like every track is still being overused in everything. Then I StumbleUpon this. A Kubrickan movie that I never knew that I had.

The dialog is a bit contrived, but that is expected of a 1950ies movie. Bit the acting does stand out. Even the assaults on unsuspecting victims are played out in a manner which seems Kubrickian and makes you queezy.

It seems really ordinary at first . But the characteristics of what makes a Stanley Kubrick movie stand out slowly emerges. With the narration turning in to monologues of self reflection and similies, and sudden murders and queezy shots, be assured that this is far from being ordinary. You are gonna get the Kubrick treatment from this too. Of course you'll know that there will be something special if you've seen the poster, and also the RT scores.

But that's only what it drills down to. Just a bunch of soldiers pondering about life and everything. There isn't a very convincing plot. Still if one is interested in philosophical thoughts about Destiny and the purpose of everything, and doing things that matter,  there will be something to take from the words spoken. To be honest, I wasn't interested that much and I just let it flow and watched the plot unravel.

Kubrick is to find the true greatness in the future movies to come. But not in this one.

"Seems like when people get in a hole, they begin to get jealous of dogs."

Frozen

Disney movies were the BOMB when we were wee lil lads. It’s history in making animated movies for kids is unmatched, running back 75 years now. And Kids love them. It more often than not, is a beautiful re-mastering of a well known children’s story or a fairy tale. Admittedly most of them are just very much made to spoil little girls in to thinking that beauty and money is everything, unintentionally I’m sure. It’s always to do with winning the heart of a prince. Even if it’s a thief, he will eventually become a wealthy prince in order to satisfy the princess. I really did not care for those ones. But it always had good nice, fluid animations (nothing beats Anime though) good enough songs to boot, and not too bad in the humor department as well.

I haven’t watched all the Disney Movies, but there are those really special ones which is close to my childhood. Possibly one of my earliest memories of a movie is of Bambi. Did it make that 5 year old me cry? I dunno, but it certainly laid its imprint on my mind. Then there is The Lion King. Before Toy Story came out, this was the animated movie that I was absolutely a great fan of. The songs, the sad but fulfilling story, The Elton John hit song, everything speaks out of its grandeur. I watched it multiple times, and loved it every time. I need to watch it again. It’s got a great reputation as one of the greatest Disney movies ever made and not much was able to reach that pinnacle in years to come.

Then there came out Frozen in 2013, and one of the Tagline reviews for the movie which I saw in the trailer or somewhere is that This is the best Disney movie since The Lion King. I must say that they made a good decision picking that line, because that certainly speaks more than any review can say IMO. That’s a great thing to say something like that, but to prove that would be the challenge that Frozen has to overcome. I have to admit, despite that line, I wasn’t so much interested in watching Frozen, because lately Animated movies seems like a bore to me. Because there is so much coming out and they all try to be funny, and people overrate them and that makes me hate them. But at the first day of 2014, on an impulse went to check out the movie with some pals. And During watching it, I remembered that promise that this movie made, and it’s getting great ratings. Little by little it all made sense, why that Frozen is the greatest Disney movie since the Lion king. And I’m going to explain why to you now. And yeah  SPOILER ALERT!!!

It starts out with an oh so sad intro, almost like that one at the beginning of UP. This one speaks of sisterly love and how they are forever drifted apart by fear and care. I think everybody’s hearts sank a notch when that black veil was thrown down over the portraits of the King and the queen. The growing up with the songs thing, although clichéd, was outdone in this one too, because it shows the yearning for contact and the loneliness the sisters had to go through forever.

Then comes the Prince Charming of the many Disney cartoons, Hans, this almost made that mediocre Disney cartoon tradition materialize in this one. Almost got disappointed with the movie with that, and it seemed predictable. The Prince was the perfect Disney hero prince, with the handsome features and good manners and everything. Then after the story progressed, there came the biggest twist which I bet very few actually would anticipate. When Hans almost gives the kiss of true love and then didn’t and revealed his true nature, that was actually shocking. That was like a big slap across those spoiling Disney movies of yesteryears. Because here is your beautiful princess, and handsome prince and it’s a Disney movie and at the end they will get together and live happily ever after right?  But no, even the most handsome, well mannered person which shows true love on the outside can be evil. With the arrival of the other guy, Kristoff kinds of a giveaway that something gotta happen with Hans, but honestly I did not expect that twist.

That last act, the sequence in the Blizzard. I remember the silence that fell over in the cinema when Anna was frozen in front of her sister to save her. Everyone got hit by it I guess, that is not the way that its supposed to end. (Then a kid asked “what’s wrong with her, dad?” and everyone laughed, anyways…) Then a more overwhelming thing, the act of true love is not the clichéd kiss, it’s the act of saving your own sister itself. Now that is just so fucking beautiful! That fact itself, makes this movie so special among others.

I thought the story was woven by the great John Lecester, and while watching it Elsa constantly reminded me of the Snow Queen in the Snow queen fairy tale we used to know when we were kids. Turns out this is based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson who wrote Snow Queen. Wait… Gosh, why didn’t I see that before! my mind is so blown right now by the fact that it is really based on that story.  Because that fairy tale also speaks of saving the life of frozen boy with the true loves kiss of that girl Gerda, and how Gerda seeks the help of a reindeer to reach the castle of the snow queen! Wow didn’t see that coming. It’s amazing to think how they have transformed that fairy tale in to this masterpiece.

It’s got good humor too, with Olaf and Sven the dog like reindeer. Very well made components which makes the movie all the more fun to watch. Also the songs. My personal favorite is the one in which Elsa makes the castle. And FIY, if you are gonna watch a Disney movie, you better not moan whenever a song comes up! Jeez. ..

Although on a impulse I sure am glad I started the year by watching this movie. It’s a solid 9/10 from me. Recommended watch.