June 2016
Festina Lente in
The Empire State Meet the Superheroes:
Batman & Superman v Themselves + Not Just a Kid from Brooklyn
Summer Previews +Local Events
Table of Contents Vignette
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Controversial Hong Kong film Ten Years, consisting of 5 vignettes and depicting a dystopian future of Hong Kong in Communist government control wins Best Film Award at HK Film Awards amidst rising tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China.
I, Daniel Blake wins Palme d’Or, the first place prize at the Cannes Film Festival, making Ken Loach one of few filmmakers to have have been given award twice. It’s Only the End of the World wins Grand Prix, becoming the highest placing Canadian feature film to date. Dean, Junction 48, and Do Not Resist take top awards from the Tribeca Film Festival. Sony announces Oscar-nominated biopic Ali (2001), starring Will Smith, to return to theaters in limited release to honor late boxing legend.
Marvel’s new film Dr.Strange faces harsh criticism for replacing “the Ancient One”, a Tibetan in the comics, with Game of Thrones actress Tilda Swinton. Co-writer Robert Cargill explains that the choice was largely an effort to prevent angering the Chinese government, removing the “Ancient One’s” backstory to avoid raising sympathy for the Tibetan Independence movement.
Chiaroscuro Festina Lente in the Empire State Chiaroscuro Meet the Superheroes Establishing Shot+Local Events Summer 2016 Screening Room Star Wars: The Force Awakens Breaking the Fourth Wall Mr.Baxter
Editors In Chief Everett Shen Siyu (Sarah)Hou
About the Artist Cynthia Ma, ‘16 Cynthia Ma is pretty cool. She’s a student by day, magical girl by night. Rumor has it, she is related to Genghis Khan.
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Copy Editing
Brian Lu
Staff
Teddy Tenzilinger Alan Wo Emily Erlichson Frank Lou
Contributors
Thomas Martin Miles Bardzilowsky Charles Lu Brian Lu
Graphic Design
Cynthia Ma
Advisor
Mr.Sullivan
Special Thanks
Mr.Baxter Mrs.Bedford (Princeton University) Firework Cleanup Squad
Princeton High School 151 Moore St, Princeton Nj 08540
Festina Lent e in the Empire State Writing: Sarah Hou and Everett Shen Layout:Sarah Hou Title Page Designed by Cynthia Ma
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It’s
been portrayed as a place of both immense opportunity and extreme decadence. It’s the multi-storied playground of lovers, socialites, gangsters, and alien invaders all alike. It’s both Gotham and Metropolis, both a suffocating mental prison and an alluring heaven on earth.The city is always an irreplacable cast member in the films where it’s depicted, one that’s a bustling hive by day, a crawling underworld by night, and a bohemian international village always. The city’s remarkable turnaround since the 1970’s has made casting it the easiest way of chronicling the vicissitudes of America without getting the entire nation involved, making it an extremely resilient universal solvent, fully flexing to filmmakers’ tastes and needs. Some of cinema’s most unforgettable characters are inconceivable and utterly uncompelling when removed from its great backdrop, and the asphalt pavements, having soaked up an immeasurable volume of tears and blood, are a profound testament. Following that line of thought to see where it led, the editors of 151MM took a trip to NYC during Spring Break of 2016, and took in sights, sounds, and smells, while searching for traces of film in a day of wandering. Here’s what we found!
The Museum of the Moving Image
Despite its modest size, Astoria’s Museum of the Moving Image is the country’s only museum dedicated to the “art, history, technique, and technology of the moving image in all its forms”, and has the nation’s largest and most comprehensive collection of artifacts relating to them. Its exhibits are constantly changing, and feature everything from old cameras to the mask that actor Peter Mayhew used to play Chewbacca, to Batman lunch boxes and retro gaming consoles (the museum’s name means video games are also in its realm of focus). The museum’s two beautiful screening rooms are capable of playing all formats from 16mm to 70mm, and showcase over 400 films annually. MoMI is attached to the historic Kaufman Astoria Studios, and is the 6th highest rated museum in the New York area on Yelp.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) Fifth Avenue and 57th Street
Taxi Driver (1976) Columbus Circle
The Godfather (1972) Radio City Hall
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Image caption: During our visit, the museum was showcasing a special exhibit titled To the Moon and Beyond, a fascinating collection of letters and concept sketches that led to the creation of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Incredible to see the amount of rendering and research going into a single film!
Birdman (2014) 700 8th Avenue
Captain America (2011) Times Square
IFC
If you’re visiting NYU, stopping by this iconic art cinema is a must. When its five screens aren’t running their customary schedule of foreign and domestic independent films, they rotate between showing classics on the weekend, short films before every feature, and cult movies on Fridays and Saturdays at midnight, named “Waverly Midnights”. The theater hosts the highly praised Doc NYC festival during November, providing a platform for the flourishing documentary scene. Don’t forget to stop by the concessions stand for organic popcorn with Image caption: While we were there, we caught a screening of April real, natural butter! (We’ve tried it, it’s good). and the Extraordinary World, a French animation about a girl and her cat set in a dystopian steampunk Paris. Charming and exotic!
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Home Alone 2 (1992) The Plaza Hotel
Sex and the Ciry (2008) 405 Park Avenue
Scarface (1983) Roosevelt Island Tramway
The society’s physical nuclei are located in the center’s Walter Reade Theater and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center on W. 65th Street. The organization itself was founded in 1969, and has evolved into a living, breathing cultural treasure for people of all walks of life, one of New York’s most essential. It was here that countless directors, including Martin Scorsese, Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, and Spike Lee, have made their name in America. The center is home to the 17 day New York Film Festival (NYFF), and a myriad of other festivals, all hosted in its state-of-the-art amphitheaters, studios, and screening rooms.
North by Northwest (1959) Grand Central Terminal
The Avengers (2012) 100 Park Avenue Image caption: French director Arnaud Desplechin’s My Golden Days was showing when we went in, so we stayed to watch! A melancholic but radiant take on the process of maturation!
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Tribeca Film Festival A coveted swatch of real estate to the south of Canal Street (as suggested by its name “Triangle Below Canal”),TriBeCa is perhaps one of the more artsy neighborhoods in Manhattan, boasting warehouses full of industrial history converted to lofts, galleries, and performance spaces and homes to artists such as Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, and Gwyneth Paltrow. In 2002, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff founded Tribeca Film Festival to celebrate New York City as a major filmmaking center, and as its mission states, to “enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience”. It has certainly not disappointed. Besides recognizing a variety of independent films including documentaries, narrative features and short films, the fest also features studio premiers, panel discussions, movie screenings, and music concerts. It now assumes a quintessential role in revitalizing lower Manhattan and regenerating TriBeCa’s economy, drawing an estimated three million people and generating $600 million annually. The festival, currently in its 15th year, was held from April 13 to 24. For the first time in its history, there were separate U.S. and international narrative competition categories. The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature went to the coming-of-age comedy Dean, about a young illustrator (Demetri Martin) who stares blankly at the future, while dealing with his love interest (Gillian Interest), his father, and his father’s (Kevin Kline) love interest. In his directorial debut, Martin took home the triple screen credits of writing, directing, and acting. Best International Narrative Feature went to Israeli drama Junction 48, which also won the Audience Award at Berlin Film Festival, depicting a young protagonist’s usage of rap to confront a family tragedy in the shadow of the 1948 Palestine War. The film stars Tamer Nafar, who also co-wrote the screenplay incorporating his own experience as a rapper growing up in Israel. Best Documentary Feature went to Do Not Resist, a study of police militarization, shot over two years and 11 states by director Craig Atkinson (USA). Next year’s Tribeca film festival will be begin on April 12th and end the 23rd.
Dean
The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature
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Junction 48
Best International Narrative Feature
Do Not Resist
Best Documentary Feature
Meet the Heroes
8 Peppy Character Analyses of Hollywood’s Long-Standing Love Interests
Batman and Superman v. Themselves Over the Years By Everett Shen Remember the Superman who preached nothing but truth and justice to boys and girls, and the Bat who operated in the shadows while on the police’s blacklist? Back when times were simple? Well now the Son of Krypton is the one facing international indictments for collateral damage and operating without a check, while the Caped Crusader is vowing to take him down in order to make the world a safer place. Times have changed irrevocably. Let’s take a look at that change.
Adam West
Appearances (excluding TV): Batman: The
Movie (1966) Where to begin with this one? You know something’s wrong when Gotham begins to looks like the set from The Truman Show there’s a milder Caped Crusader (what?! . And for a milder Gotham, He doesn’t even have chiseled abs!). As you sit through this 2 hour PSA (which politically incorrect), you’ll realize that desp is somehow still hilariously ite the overwhelming presence of not one, not two, but 4 punny co-conspiring sides evil plan is surprisingly genius), the real villain how ruffians (whose s in this film are alcoholism, hooliganism, and tobacco. In this paragon of the Silver when moral regulation of the medium ran Age of Comics, a time rampant, and fan power wasn’t really a thing, watch as the persona of the Dark violently defenestrated, and Bruce Way Knight as we know it is ne operates in broad daylight, while police halt to salute, senior citizens nod their appr in excitement. To fight crime, he utilizes oval, and bikini girls wave his (“bat” prefixed gadget name goes here ), his array of three word devices endin impeccable (meaning unfathomable) analy g in ‘-er’ and the most sis skills seen to date. Seriously, “The Wor ld’s Greatest Detective” is no exaggeration theoretical physicist, star chemist, gadg here. He’s a diplomacist, et master, and 007 all rolled into one. You’l l gawk at the lever pulling, button smashing, Dynamic Duo, who operate in dead seriousne cocoa drinking slapstick ss with no-nonsense faces, though you’ll probably struggle to maintain one yourself. starts to seem like a live action Looney Tune But before the whole thing s, you’ll realize that there’s no way the creators were in earnest, and that the Still, who knew Batman had so many epith film is highly tongue-in-cheek. ets?
Christopher Reeve
an III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)
Appearances: Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superm
Superman has in common with for this one. Not surprising, seeing as how the only thing this Bet you didn’t know that Mario Puzo wrote the screenplay hello to the original handssay nd olis--a Metrop mean I ahem, . Welcome to pre-9/11 NYC-Michael Corleone is that his father is played by Marlon Brando perfectly acceptable. were d over each other to buy newspapers, and briefs over pants on-hips Man of Steel, back in a time where people still crawle the fact that there’s about ned frighte or ed the public doesn’t seem remotely surpris Forget the Superhuman Registration Act. This was a world where he proudly includes when him, love but do they can What and he’s a man of the people. a laser shooting alien saving the world. The police adore him, and leaves it in boat a crime He’s a Kryptonian with a taste for showy exploits (picks up ‘the American way’ in his list of reasons of why he’s here? stuck in trees, kittens and Lane Lois small--you’re telling me he has the time to save the parking lot of the city court), and there’s truly no job too with the speaks ne everyo where e populac l genera a supporting cast of archetypes and but he’s too busy to intervene in Nicaragua or Iran? With a ison. Sure, he compar in pale a Americ of rest the makes visibly yet and unintentionally same congenial accent, Superman is truly the model citizen, you see him mature al benefit, but he’ll make your heart break anyways, first as person for powers his using about ever whatso ations has no reserv mortal learning the a ally eventu and ality, person optimist with a recurrently inconsistent from a homespun, coming of age Kansas farm boy to a grinning ought to pay him really od Hollywo day Modern IV. and III parts in the series’ downward spiral consequences of giving up his powers, and then as you witness ds and Deadpools of the world have to satirize? gratitude. Without him, who else would the ‘morally gray’ Starlor
Michael Keaton Appearances: Batman Nothing screams Tim (1989), Batman Retur Burton as loudly as a ns (1992) snowy, christmas-y, go In the two Batman film th-y, chorus-y, nightt s that he directs (Joel ime shot paired with Da Schumacher took ove decided the films need nny Elfman’s candy sto r and directed the lat ed to be more mainstre re soundtrack. ter two installments of am), Burton adds au well-balanced and ma the anthology after Wa teuristic strokes of fun ture take of the Dark rner Bros. k, moodiness, and ex Knight, and the seeds reticent, low-energy aggeration into what of inspiration for the Bruce Wayne with Je is overall a Nolan films are quite rry Seinfeld’s hair, wh scenes. He’s a maste ub iquitous. Keaton plays ich thankfully means r of disguise, since he a relatively we’re spared from ove walks openly on the str visually, he’s just an rly sentimental death eet without being rec average, chill dude. Do /flashback ognized...which might n’t confuse yourself confusion etched on his also have to do with the though. Although he’s face, he’s smooth as fact that a stultifying conversat velvet, looks pretty me wonder if these are rea ionalist, and usually ha nacing donning the Ba lly kids’ movies despite s a look of tsu it, the flamboyant colors and is a hero we can suggest otherwise. No cheer for. You may sta and frivolity, as the cu t that all traces of 19 rsing, innuendos, and ge rt to 66’s version take have and the occasional ch neral lack of qualms ab vanished. There’s still eesy one liners from villa out murder the couple of bat shape ins. And who could eve d vehicles, impractical r forget the classic Ke bat cave entries, aton Batman battle cry “Eat floor”?
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Brandon Routh
Appearances: Superman Returns (2006) to stomach. In fact, the version of Kal-El is probably easier for modern audiences This more down-to-earth (no pun intended), less charismatic the edges. Intended to around d roughe and ess campin in down ones from 1977, toned personalities of this darker take are more or less the same of old characters and s and IV, Superman Returns features non-jarring reintroduction serve as a sequel to Superman II, ignoring the events of III He’s burdened with planet. his for ing an who’s returned to earth after years search their idiosyncrasies, and an older, quieter, melancholic Superm hero who’s more ling compel a He’s series. original the g who were kids growing up watchin adult responsibilities, and is appropriately relatable to adults good reason), without not hides (Reeves’ Clark Kent was utterly cringeworthy, though effeminate (meaning still very manly), shedding of his dorky crisis makes tial existen an of hat of their element. The fact that he’s plagued by somew and proving that even the all-powerful can sometimes feel out franchise ero superh a all es sometim that proves s director of X-Men, Superman Return his actions even more admirable and selfless. Coming from the needs is a (Bryan) Singer’s touch.
Christian Bale
Appearances: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), The Dark Knight Rises (2012) It’s difficult not to compare all the other portrayals with this one, since Nolan’s legendary trilogy captures the Dark Knight’s story in full cycle, and hits home like no other. An incredible first installment, which set the benchmark for all other origin stories, introduced us to all of the imperfections of a young Bruce Wayne, and made us a sucker for him every time he’d appear on the screen. The key word here is ‘young’. Because even though Thomas and Martha Wayne’s death is probably one of the most reenacted scenes in cinema, Nolan’s take is the only one that really shows how the trauma shapes Bruce, and leads to the creation of Batman, instead of fast forwarding and directly cutting to the veteran crime fighter that he turns out to be. His youthfulness and inexperience add weight to his immense struggles and self-imposed restrictions, and the stubborn, boyish aura never really seems to leave him. He’s an enigmatic recluse, but also a visionary who strives to be a beacon of hope for the city that’s his last remaining connection to his parents. Between all the witch-hunting by the police and internal crises concocted by his enemies, he’s constantly redefining true heroism. There will always be popular things from an era that will go down in history as weird and tacky. Like fanny packs. Or bowl cuts. Or Top Gun. Maybe even the Bale Batman. But for now, let’s just acknowledge that he’s the up-by-the-bootstraps ninja bat that all of us need.
Henry Cavill
Appearances: Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
(2016)
of his people in Man of Steel, or the mythical, grim faced figure in the Whether you prefer the fearless young upstart keen to adopt the customs of the outsider. He’s fully aware that he’s unparalleled in power, exuding role sequel, one thing’s for certain: he’s the Superman that best embodies the n who can do wrong in the public eye, reflecting growing levels of societal a cynical sense of confidence, but he’s also the first live-action Superma of waging a furious vendetta...well of course he is. How else would we have paranoia. Not to mention that Cavill’s Man of Steel is one who’s capable strive to be a symbol, isn’t above stealing, and is ready to strike preempBvS? It’s evident that the filmmakers feel no urge to perfect him: he doesn’t his predecessors, and he’s not obsessed with intervening in every case than tered self-cen tively. This economical interpretation of Superman is more . but he’s prepared to make sacrifices greater than anyone ever imagined where someone needs saving (probably for the good of his character arc), day, the of end the At ble. respecta him makes what that’s but to be saved, Sometimes he needs to convince himself that the people of the world want words, “I’m about as American as it gets.” own his In back. look doesn’t then and ntly, persiste acts decision, a he makes
Ben Affleck
Appearances: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justic
e (2016) Affleck brings the Batman of the comics to life. This is a humorless, cold blooded pragmatist who takes no chances, and acts like a veritable commando. Not to mention that he’s got the body of a MMA heavyweight, substituting heavy blows for the stealt h and agility based combat style of 2005’s Batman (which probably has to do with the fact that he’s meant to be an older, more experienced version of Bale’s character). As Bruce Wayne, he’s severe-faced, modern, and a responsible boss, and makes Keaton’s Wayne seem like a kindergarte n teacher in comparison. He’s fully in control of all his spheres of influence, as we see him taking an active role in managing Wayne Enterprises and the family foundation’s philanthropy. He’s over the tribulation of his parents’ murder, isn’t grippe d by incessant self-conflict, and doesn’t care much for being a symbol. Instead, he’s steadfastly utilitarian, and acts out of an unspoken sense of responsibility for Gotham. The fact that his face never breaks into a smile contributes to his look terrifying determination. And is it just me, or may of it also have to do with the fact that there’s just never been a particularly comfortable looking batsu it?
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In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Joe and Anthony Russo showed the growing separation between Captain America and Steve Rogers. In Civil War, they broke the two completely apart. One of Steve’s struggles in the new century is his inability to connect with others due to his celebrity. People approach him primarily as Captain America, and secondarily as Steve Rogers. Because of this, he can rarely connect with new people. He is burdened by the weight of the persona he seemingly must carry on his own, a persona that is obnoxiously pure, nauseatingly good, and impossibly perfect. Captain America is not just Steve Rogers. He’s a combination of three people and their ideas, all of whom have been present since the series’s first installment: Steve Rogers, Peggy Carter, and Bucky Barnes. Steve Rogers is the man typically associated with Captain America. He’s the one who wears the suit and carries the shield. Most people believe he embodies the heroic ideals — selflessness, honesty, loyalty — but I rarely find that to be the case. Steve’s first action as Captain America is to save the captured men of the 107th in 1943. But it’s only after he confirms Bucky’s captured status that he decided to go after the men, because his involvement makes it personal. I wouldn’t call that particularly selfless. Since the revelations made in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve actively conceals his intentions and motivations from his fellow Avengers, and this deception is ultimately the cause for the fallout between him and Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War. I wouldn’t call that particularly honest. As for loyalty? Steve is unconditionally loyal to one person only: Bucky Barnes. So long as they don’t prevent him from protecting his friend, Steve is allegiant to his teammates, but that’s as far as that alliance goes. Civil War proved as much. Steve is still a genuinely good person and he always acts in the moral right, but not always in what is best for the majority. Protecting Bucky is right, but in the process of protecting him Steve defies the will of 117 countries, otherwise known as most of the world. In fact, it has always been Peggy Carter that I believe to be more “Cap” than Steve. Peggy was an agent for the Strategic Scientific Reserve and then the founder of SHIELD, and the filmmakers make sure the viewer understands that she embodies everything that Captain America is. The moment in the first movie when the audience knows that Steve has what it takes to be Captain America is when he jumps on a grenade to shield his fellow soldiers from the blast. The whole thing is a test — the grenade doesn’t blow up and was never intended to — but the act of selflessness defines the character and endears him to the audience long before he becomes the Captain. Steve jumps on the grenade and becomes a hero.
Peggy runs towards it too. It happens on the edge of the frame, but she runs a few steps intending to do exactly what Steve does, but he’s closer. Later, when Steve makes the decision to save the men from the 107th, Peggy decides to help him, without a personal relationship with any of the captured. This trend is continued into the sequels. In The Winter Soldier, Steve visits an ailing Peggy and admits that her involvement in the creation of SHIELD is the only reason he stays in it. In Civil War, there’s this line:
Not Just a Kid from Brooklyn By Emily Erlichson “Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right, even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say, ‘No, you move.’” This line, adapted from the comics, is attributed to Peggy. It sums up everything that Captain America is. It conveys honor, strength, and responsibility to the moral good. In the comics, it’s given to Steve. The decision to give it to Peggy acknowledges her role in the creation and sustainment of the Captain America persona. Peggy’s faith in Steve is integral to his ability to act as Captain America; without her he falls apart, as we see in Civil War. Bucky Barnes, who eventually comes back as the Winter Soldier, is Steve’s childhood friend. Fighting alongside during World War II, Bucky does the
things Steve can’t. Steve carries the shield and a small handgun while Bucky carries a machine gun and snipes the people who would otherwise kill his friend. Steve can maintain the righteous Captain character only when Bucky has his back, saving him from committing the atrocities which would stain his public image. Steve depends on Bucky in all three Captain America films. Each film has shown us what Steve becomes without Bucky — in the first film, shortly after Barnes “dies”, Steve crashes a plane into the Arctic, fully believing that he too would be killed. Rather unsurprisingly, he doesn’t. In the second film, Steve leaps onto a helicarrier to fight the brainwashed Winter Soldier, ready to accept death if he fails to restore his friend. In the latest installment, Steve gives up the shield, walking away from the title of Captain America when keeping it means he’s unable to protect his friend. The name “Winter Soldier” is a reference to the writings of Thomas Paine. In his pamphlets titled “The American Crisis” he writes: “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” The unnamed “he”, presented as the antithesis of the summer soldier and sunshine patriot, came to be known as the winter soldier by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), who referred to the Vietnam War Hearings as the “Winter Soldier Investigation”. In his testimony during the hearings, to-be Secretary of State John Kerry explained the origin of the term and its meaning. The winter soldier is the one who continues to fight after the battle is no longer glorious. Captain America cannot exist without the Winter Soldier, and never has. Bucky Barnes has always been by his side. Steve Rogers, America’s golden boy, is the face of Captain America, but the hero falls apart without the guidance and ideals of Peggy Carter and the steadfastness and strength of Bucky Barnes. The character carries a compelling political message, as does almost anything involving Captain America: this country relies upon the faith and counsel of some to lead it down the morally righteous path, and its success on that path is dependent on the willingness of others to get some blood on their hands.
Establishing Shot Summer 2016
Finding Dory
June 17th
Andrew Stanton, who helmed the classic first movie, returns to continue the tales (plenty of pun intended) of Marlin, Dory, and Nemo. This time, Dory is the one to find, and while her friends return to the scene to try and track her down, they all learn something new about the real meaning of family again.
Swiss Army Man
June 24th
Revel in Daniel Radcliffe’s triumphant less-ismore acting job as he portrays a virtually omnipotent man-appliance, and offers much more than just a chance of survival to a castaway in this hilarious and extremely high-concept film. Visiting the cleverly thought-out publicity site swissarmyman.com will give you a pretty decent idea of what you’ll be seeing, and will either make you a diehard fan, or lead you to swear against ever wasting time on such rubish. Don’t worry about the seemingly ubiquitous fart jokes though. Sundance apparently thought it was funny enough to give it a best direction award.
Independence Day: Resurgence June 23rd Roland Emmerich, father of the disaster movie, returns for this larger-than-life sequel to 1996’s blockbuster Independence Day. The aliens are back, and while humanity’s been preparing for the next alien invasion, so have the aliens. Featuring both new and returning stars, this summer blockbuster promises big action and bigger explosions.
Purge: Election Year Life, Animated
July 1st
This documentary is based on the book from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind, written about the obstacles faced by his autistic son, Owen, who became mute around his third birthday and ceased to understand speech. Growing up, he would cry inconsolably, except when watching his favourite animated Disney movies, and these films aided his parents with communication. Life, Animated snagged the Directing Award for a U.S. Documentary at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
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July 1st
The Purge: Election Year is the third installment in the Purge Trilogy, set two years after the events of The Purge: Anarchy. Frank Grillo returns as Sergeant Barnes, an ex-cop who now serves as security for the presidential frontrunner Senator Roan. The Senator’s plank of ending the purge, an annual one-night period in which all crime is legal, leads her to be a target on the same night that took her family15 years ago.
Selected and written by 151MM staff Layout by Everett Shen
Under the Sun
July 6th
Not long ago, Russian doc director Vitaly Mansky and crew received unprecedented sanction of the DPRK government to film in the world’s most secretive nation. But there was (obviously) a catch. Official minders intervened in every step of the process, and maintained absolute control. Mansky cleverly circumvents a pre-penned script intended to portray prosperity, and turns his limitations into an advantage, unleashing the full power of documentary by using visually ironic editing, and dually meaningful narration, while exposing a seasoned machine of manipulation and brainwashing.
Captain Fantastic
Our Little Sister
Secret Life of Pets
Viggo Mortensen stars in this indie film about a father and his children forced to rejoin society after a decade living isolated in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. It premiered at the Sundance in January, and in May was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving commendations all along the way. This film offers a compelling look into the cost of idealism and the struggle to live an authentic life.
July 8th
This foreign film tracks three sisters and their half-sister, who are united upon their biological father’s death. It explores themes of family, loyalty, and responsibility through the reserved interactions of the four women, telling a delicate story that packs significant punch.
July 8th
The Infiltrator
July 13th
Bryan Cranston, of Breaking Bad fame, returns to the screen to take on the opposite side of the drug war in this period piece about the Colombian drug trade and money laundering.
July 8th
Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present their fifth collaboration on a fully-animated film, a comedy about the daily lives of pets after humans leave for work. For animal lovers, it is a great opportunity to appreciate overwhelming fuzziness and cuteness.
Cafe Society
July 15th
With his 46th directed feature, octogenarian Woody Allen became the first to have had a grand total of three films be selected as the curtain opener of the opening night at Cannes. In Cafe Society, the buzz-generating cast (including Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, and Blake Lively) works together to re-deliver classic Allen themes of love and pursuit, and tells the story of a young Brooklynite who becomes ensnared in the glamor of New York’s high-end nightclub scene after falling for his uncle’s secretary in 1930’s Hollywood.
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Lights Out
Godzilla Resurgence
July 22nd
July 29th
Following in the tremendous footsteps of 2014’s Godzilla, Toho Studios is bringing the King of the Monsters back to his domain. Evangelion director Hideaki Anno heads Godzilla’s first solo romp since 1984, and this time, the big G’s looking more terrifying than ever.
After 2013’s award-winning short film Lights Out, director David F. Sandberg received the greenlight from Warner Bros. Pictures for a box office release. This upcoming supernatural horror flick will add to short story’s premise of a supernatural entity who only appears in the dark, with the intent of terrorizing humans.
The Space Between Us
August 19th
This film chronicles the experiences of Gardner Elliot, the first human to be born on Mars. He develops an online friendship with a teen in Colorado,Tulsa, and visits Earth for the first time at age sixteen. Completely unsocialised, and with little sense of belonging, he explores Earth with Tulsa and attempts to place himself in the greater scheme of the universe.
Kubo and the Two Strings August 19th Set in ancient Japan, this beautiful stop-motion film follows a young boy as he sets out to find his samurai father’s lost armor, battling mythical foes with the help of a monkey and a beetle. Featuring a star-studded cast, including Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey, and animated by the studio behind such films as Coraline and The Boxtrolls, this is a must-see for any fan of animation or adventure.
Southside with You
Ben-Hur
August 26th
August 19th
The third film based off 1880’s classic novel BenHur: A Tale of Christ, BenHur chronicles the journey of the eponymous protagonist, a Jewish prince betrayed by his adopted brother and sent into slavery. Director Timur Bekmambetov promises that the adaption will reimagine the novel while staying true to its source material.
Admiring the Obamas’ feel-good first date in Chicago’s South Side in 1989 seems to be a fitting way to seal off the POTUS’s legacy as his second terms near an end. After taking a glimpse at this classy, 80 minute rom-com portraying a 28 year old Barack Obama, perhaps even the most zealous birth certificate hunters will lay down their pitchforks for a while just to say “awww”.
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5th Day of NY Asian Festival
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Top Gun @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
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Painting the Modern garden: Monet to Matisse 12:30
Raiders of the Lost Ark @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
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Purple Rain @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
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Planet of the Apes (1968) 2:00 & 7:00 PM
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The Lego Movie @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
Three Days of the Condor @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
Last Day of NY Asian Film Festival
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The Searchers 7:00 PM
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The Omen @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
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The Palm Beach Story @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
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The Maltese Falcon 7:00 PM True Grit 8:30 PM
Pretty in Pink 7:00 PM
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Charlotte’s Web @ Palmer Square 8:30 PM
Dr. Strangelove 7:00 PM
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Imitation of Life 7:00 PM Princeton Student Film Festival
Monty Python and the Holy Grail 7:00 PM Princeton Student Film Festival
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Sullivan’s Travels 7:00 PM Planet of the Apes 2:00 & 7:00 PM
Casablanca 7:00 PM
Local Events Calendar Princeton Garden Theater
Summer 2016
AMC Hamilton 24
NYC
Princeton University
Princeton Public Library
August 2016 Sun 31
Mon 1 Harvey @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
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National Lampoon’s Animal House 2:00 and 7:00 PM
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Painting the Modern garden: Monet to Matisse 12:30 PM
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The King and I 2:00 and 7:00 PM
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High Plains Drifter @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
15 The Big Chill @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
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Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan @ Bryant Park 8:00 PM
29
Tues 2
Beverly Hills Cop @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
9
Reservoir Dogs @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
Wed 3 M*A*S*H 7:00 PM
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Invasion of the Body Snatchers 7:00 PM
Thurs
Fri
Sat
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Sweet Smell of Success 7:00 PM Brave 8:30 PM
The Man who Knew Too Much 7:00 PM
Long Island International Film Expo Begins
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Pitch Perfect @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
Labrynth @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
30 Aliens @ Valentino Pier 8:30 PM
The Public Enemy 7:00 PM National Lampoon’s Animal House 2:00 and 7:00 PM Father of the Bride 7:00 PM
The King and I 2:00 and 7:00 PM
Funny face 7:00 PM
To Catch a Thief 7:00 PM
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs @ Palmer Square 8:30 PM
13 /Local Events
Star Wars: The Force Awakens S
tar Wars: The Force Awakens will undoubtedly go down in history. It was enjoyed universally and marked the Star Wars franchise’s return to form—at least as far as movies are concerned (fans of The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels argue form was held in the animated series). Some believed that perhaps it was too similar to the original trilogy, with a screenplay that was nearly copy-and-pasted from Episode IV: A New Hope and cinematography so remarkably alike to A New Hope it felt like 1977 again. They’re not wrong. The movie’s cinematography is classic—shot on film and bursting with practical effects, the movie feels remarkably grounded in the original style from the seventies and comes across as nearly tangible, leaving viewers with the feeling that all of it really just happened before their eyes. While all too large a number of movies are desaturated for the sole purpose of giving the film some “grit”, the colours of The Force Awakens invigorate and engage. It bests films like Man of Steel, in which washed out color palettes bog down even the most idealistic and hopeful of protagonists. Many of the movie’s shots are ferociously breathtaking. They surround and excite you with their vivaciousness and you can’t help but smile, no matter what your personal history is when it comes to Star Wars. The necessity in this is obvious, as Star Wars must inspire, and the return to the techniques used in the originals both accomplishes this, owns up to the legacy of the franchise, and allows the new filmmakers to build off of it. The filmmakers borrowed more than just cinematography from the first film. The plot of The Force Awakens is nearly identical to A New Hope, but I believe only so the
14 /Screening Room
by Emily Erlichson innovation of the film still feels connected to the legacy of the originals. The main source of this innovation lies in the new characters, who we’ve never seen before in such a context. Rey is a refreshing protagonist—her independence is incredible but it is the result of such absolute isolation that every relationship she forms is new and exciting for her, and thus the same for us. Poe is a child of revolution, born of and bred on the camaraderie that comes from uniting behind a single cause. Finn is perhaps the most interesting of them all, his first act being to claim his personhood. By doing so he shatters stereotypes and revolutionises the discussion of morality within the Star Wars universe. Previously, Stormtroopers were no more than cannon fodder—there to die, provide some resistance for the heroes, and create a tiny bit of cinematic tension to keep the viewer engaged. Finn brings new perspective to their stories. He shows that they are beautifully and painfully human. Even if they don’t have names and are indoctrinated with the hatred of the Empire/First Order, they are people with unsatisfied wants and desires. The Force Awakens makes it much more difficult to watch them die in battle without wondering exactly who they were. Furthermore, witnessing their deaths raises the question, “was it right?” Similar evaluations of morality have rarely been broached upon in Star Wars films. There’s always been a clear good, a clear evil, and a struggle between them. We never stopped to seek justification for the casualties on the Death Star, and we didn’t dedicate a thought to the right to life of the nameless, faceless thousands who were on board when it was destroyed. This film offers a rich dis-
cussion of the moral grey—and there’s still colour in it! Another innovation of The Force Awakens is the structure of the new trio. There are two protagonists, contrasting from the traditional one, a fact much ignored by critics and fans alike. Lineage and interconnectedness define the Star Wars universe. The Force “binds the galaxy together,” and discovering your identity means finding the place in which you belong, allowing you to exist in harmony with the Force. Such an existence is central to the arc of a successful character, especially if they are Force-sensitive.
Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Directors: J.J Abrams Cast: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Release date: 12.18.2015 Runtime: 136 min MPAA: PG-13 Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Box Office: 2.066 billion USD One defining aspect—perhaps requirement— of every protagonist in the Star Wars films is that they begin their arcs not knowing who their parents are. Anakin failed to find his place until the very end. Luke succeeded much earlier. Rey and Finn are both still looking. All of our other main characters have been alone in their search for identity, but Rey and Finn have each other. Perhaps the filmmakers will once again expand our definitions of home and belonging to include those relationships which we hold dear but are not familial. For now, we can only guess
as to which approach they will take. The plot of a movie is relatively unimportant in comparison to its characters because there is never anything truly new under the sun. Every action has been executed, every word has been spoken, every conflict has already been resolved. The most compelling part of a story, any story, is the people. That’s
why we watch dozens of adaptations of Romeo and Juliet (forbidden love), The Odyssey (the journey home), and Cinderella (rags to riches) and still leave with an appetite for more. The cause behind our insatiable desire for rehashed plots is the fact that, at its core, every story is a study of human nature.
What we truly desire in a story is not a conflict we’ve never seen before, but a conflict involving people we’ve never met. The best movies, are the ones that give us new characters to emulate, adore, loathe, and learn from. In all of this, The Force Awakens delivers beautifully.
Breaking the Fourth Wall with
Mr.Baxter
How many movies do you watch on a monthly basis? Probably 3 or 4. Can you name any recently released movies you particularly liked and tell us why you enjoyed them? I think I’ve only seen one movie in the last two months in a theater. I should have made a list! The last movie that I saw was Money Monster, was it? [It was] with George Clooney, and I didn’t enjoy that. I had high expectations for it and it didn’t meet them. One movie that I watched...was The Big Short. That I enjoyed very much. I watched it on the plane; I thought it was fantastic. What I liked about it was that it was based on true events; it was informative and entertaining. As a history teacher, do you think it’s acceptable for filmmakers to occasionally sacrifice historical accuracy for the purpose of telling a better story? To a certain extent, yes, absolutely. And I think it’s almost a necessity in that if it’s straight history, we’re limited to only the known record. If you try to take history and put it into a real movie, you almost have to step into the realm of historical fiction, because you have to create dialogue in all likelihood and that dialogue is historically lost. One of my favorite series is the HBO [series] John Adams, which is based upon a book by David McCullough, which isn’t straight history, but there are things like taking letters and turning them into a conversation between John and Abigail for example, that moves it from being history...into [being] historical fiction. Do you think there is always a trade off between the two? Yeah. In government and politics class, we watch Argo, and...because most of my knowledge of that rescue is based upon the film...I can’t judge the film for all of its historical accuracy, but my understanding is that the airport scene, with the plane taking off, the cars right behind the plane, that kind of action really didn’t occur. That’s not hard to imagine, right? So is it ok that they threw that in there? I think yeah. Probably an awful lot of people think that. But even if people [believe it happened]does that really change the substance of the story? Favorite political drama? Game Change comes to mind, about the choice of Sarah Palin. I don’t know if that’d be my favorite of all time, but that’s one of the more recent ones that I’ve watched, that’s well done. Uh, All the President’s Men would probably be very high on that list, if not at the top. Another good one was Recount, about the 2000 recount in Florida. One of the themes that has appeared consistently in this month’s issue is the increasing dominance of dark, gritty atmospheres in Hollywood films. Do you think this has to do with a more pessimistic national mood? How has film varied depending on the atmosphere of an era? I think it definitely happens, because Hollywood is trying to tap into a mood to be successful. I’m not aware of the types of techniques they use, but I think the types of movies they choose are largely based on what’s going on in the public. In class, [one of the films we watch] is The Last of the Mohicans, and I tell the students that sometimes the film tells you more about the time that the film was made than the his-
PHS History Teacher
torical period that it covers. The Last of the Mohicans is pure fiction, in that it’s based upon a novel written in the 1820s. But that the book was popular in the 1820s...tells you more about the 1820s, than the French and Indian War. So I think, why was that film made in 1992? Well, if you look at it as the end of the Cold War, and you look at it as America being victorious, it’s largely about the French and Indian War, it largely sets up the American Revolution, portraying the British as the bad guys. My sense, (I have no reason to believe this), is that [at] the end of the Cold War, this was kind of a good time for America to return to its roots. What event or person in history deserves it’s own film or remake? Right now there are a lot of films about the Civil Rights Movement, and I think that’s a period that’s very deserving, and getting a lot of attention now. A few years ago, there was the film Let There be Blood, about the oil drilling, lying and the famous line ‘I drink your milkshake’, and I think that was the Gilded Age period, and I think that right now, given what we’re going through, [it] might not be bad to show how [in] the Gilded Age and Progressive age, the government actually did good things in terms of regulating business. Are there any films that you think have in any way changed the course of history? I think I mentioned All the President’s Men; I think the film and the underlying story [about] Nixon’s impeachment and the Washington Post’s role in that, I think that did change journalism in the US, and the relationship between the press and the presidency, and the national government overall. What is your favorite movie of all time? I’m reminded of what I said in first grade...The Son of Flubber was once my favorite movie. Let’s just throw that out there! What is now my favorite movie? We’re watching clips from the movie Lincoln... Amistad? That was another one. I want to say Lincoln, but I reserve the right to send you an email later today if another movie pops into my head! [Mr. Baxter later sent an email indicating that his favorite films are The Hours, Apocalypse Now, and Lincoln] What is the perfect date movie? *Laughs* What is a date movie? That’s a perfect movie for two people who are trying to get to know each other, without it being an uncomfortable [experience]?...I was going to say Pocahontas...I’m going to have to send you another email today [The result was When Harry Met Sally]. Do you prefer watching movies in the theaters or at home? I think in a theater. I mean I enjoy watching them at home, and I love the access to movies [so] that you don’t have to go out, but I was just over at Market Fair, and my goodness, those chairs were just unbelievable! But even before that, I enjoyed watching with the big screen and the sound, with no distraction around you, in a dark theater. That’s more powerful, I think, and you’re pulled into it more, and the movie just flies. [That doesn’t] quite happen when you’re watching a movie at home; you’re attempted to put it on pause, and go on to the kitchen or something. I remember watching Apocalypse Now when that movie first came out, and I went to see it by myself, and I intentionally sat right in the front, so it was a little bit uncomfortable looking up *laughs*, but that big screen was great Interview by Alan Wo and Everett Shen
15 /Breaking the Fourth Wall