#275. Government Agencies

Ronald Reagan has said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” One of the reasons for the truth behind this statement is the sheer bureaucracy tied to anything with the government. There have been a few films that have made light of this, including Brazil (1985) and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005), both of which play off of the ridiculous and circuitous nature of the government and its propensity for filling out forms. Depending on your political opinion, you may think the government should control everything . . . or you may think they should control nothing but the national defense. Needless to say, many government-run agencies perform some function to help their constituents. This week’s two films examine real and fictional government agencies.

Men in Black 3
Year: 2012
Rating: PG-13
Length: 106 minutes / 1.76 hours

While many people want transparency in their government agencies, the simple fact of the matter is that much of what they do is classified. Somehow, that secrecy is part of what makes these agencies so appealing for use in cinema. Eventually, these secrets become unclassified so the real-life stories can be told. No agency is immune from this. From the FBI and J. Edgar (2011) to the CIA and Argo (2012) to the NSA and Snowden (2016), these real situations are sometimes all too unbelievable. On the other side of this coin, one could argue there are fictional agencies so secret that nobody knows about them. For instance, the Impossible Missions Force (or IMF) from the Mission: Impossible franchise or the Men in Black (or MIB) from its own, titular franchise have given us glimpses into the possible services super-secret government agencies could provide.

For many decades, the Men in Black have helped to cover up the existence of aliens on Earth. Part of the reason for this is due to the ArcNet, a defense system in orbit around the planet that keeps hostile alien races from attacking Earth. One of these hostile races, the Boglodites, is able to finally penetrate the system when one of their own, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), travels back in time to prevent the implementation of the ArcNet. This altered timeline isn’t noticed by anyone, except for MIB Agent J (Will Smith). He has noticed his partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) has gone missing and takes it upon himself to travel back to 1969 to thwart Boris and save K (Josh Brolin). Along the way, he learns some important history regarding the MIB, as well as some essential information regarding his father.

Contagion
Year: 2011
Rating: PG-13
Length: 106 minutes / 1.76 hours

One motif that tends to run through these aforementioned government agencies is the theme of “protecting the people.” What the populace doesn’t know can’t hurt them, so the goal of the FBI’s and CIA’s is to take care of the threats against the people they are sworn to protect in such a way as to not induce a country-wide panic. Now, these threats are often in the form of terrorists, which are people set on harming the citizens of a particular country or ideology. But what about the threats that come from nature itself? While NOAA can see weather trends (as in The Day After Tomorrow (2004)), there’s little they can do to stop them. Sometimes, nature can even cross the boundaries of countries, making it a global problem. This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) exists, and partly why it is featured in World War Z (2013). At home in the United States, we have the CDC to help keep us healthy and safe from the nature of sickness.

Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home to her family with a cold she believes she obtained while on her trip to Hong Kong. Unfortunately, this is no cold. Soon she has infected her son, both of whom die shortly afterward. Upon the loss of two of his family, Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon) is distraught but also quarantined because the authorities think he may be infected as well. Meanwhile, research is being done at the Centers for Disease Control to determine the origin of the virus and to develop an antidote for it. Popular blogger, Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) suggests there is a natural cure for the disease, which proves to be nothing more than a false statement to help his financial interests. Pressed for time to save the world, Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle) tests an inoculation serum on herself that then proves her vaccine works. Now it’s up to the CDC to inoculate the remaining survivors.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 awesome agencies

#246. The Price of Simulation

What is reality? Is it the things we see? The ability to touch something? Do you have to smell or taste it? If we believe what our senses tell us, then reality is the manifestation of those sensory inputs. With the proliferation of screens and technology, a few of these senses might be tricked into thinking something is real when it is merely a simulation. All of our senses can be fooled, but if we’re oblivious to it, our perception of reality will remain unchanged. Similarly, if we know something is a simulation, we are likely to take more risks because we know the consequences are limited. We place such an inherent trust in reality that when our trust is broken, our minds have a difficult time processing it. This week’s two films highlight the dangers of simulation and the price paid for replacing reality.

Ender’s Game
Year: 2013
Rating: PG-13
Length: 114 minutes / 1.9 hours

Perhaps the best example of the simulation/reality dichotomy is that of the Matrix franchise. At the start of The Matrix (1999), Neo (Keanu Reeves) finds out that everything he’s ever known has essentially been a dream inputted directly into his brain by post-apocalyptic machines. It takes some time, but once he realizes the Matrix is a simulation, Neo evolves to a point where he can control the physics of it. By The Matrix Reloaded (2003), he has mastered the simulation of the Matrix but is now also limited by the reality of the real world. When it comes right down to it, Neo’s acceptance of the simulation allowed him to break the barriers that would normally be placed upon him in the real world. Of course, the simulation of Ender’s Game (2013) is a little different, as it was put in place to protect the savior of the human race from the startling reality of war.

Andrew “Ender” Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) attracts the attention of Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) due to his aptitude in simulated space combat. Ender shows that he knows how to play the game and will win at all costs, which leads Colonel Graff to send the child to a Battle School in outer space. While there, Ender continues to show his technological dominance while also quickly developing strategy skills to use in a zero-gravity training room. In his spare time, he plays a game set in a fictional world that is meant to test his mental strength. Having arrived at the top of his class, Ender is taken to the battlefront and given the task to complete war-time simulations between the enemy Formics and the united forces of Earth. While he has some losses, he does eventually win his way to the final level: a battle at the Formics’ home planet. Only after his victory does he learn the horrifying truth.

The Truman Show
Year: 1998
Rating: PG
Length: 103 minutes / 1.72 hours

Technology has always been a vehicle for simulation, but it will always have its limitations. From the visual obstacle of the “uncanny valley” to the difficult-to-replicate smells of our daily lives, sometimes the best simulation for reality is reality itself. Many technological simulations must rely on peripherals like screens and speakers to convey its version of reality. If these output devices aren’t needed, then the simulation imitates life just that much better. Just like a play on a stage will evoke a greater sense of reality than a movie on a screen, the amount of freedom we are given as observers to notice the minutia not directly related to the primary action of the scene merely enhances the simulation. But what if someone went so far as to create an entire simulation around a single individual? An entire world would need to be created to accurately simulate this person’s life.

The simulated world of Seahaven was created to house the single, unsuspecting subject of a long-running television show: Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey). Behind the curtain of this literal reality show is Christof (Ed Harris), the creator of the ambitious project to use Truman’s life as the basis of an un-scripted television phenomenon. However, the artifice of Seahaven cannot last forever. Now in its 30^th year, “The Truman Show” is close to its series finale when Truman starts discovering cracks in the façade of his simulated world. The only thing keeping him on the island is the fear of water implanted in him from a fabricated story about the death of his father. Once he realizes the entire world revolves around him, he finally builds up enough courage to take sail and leave Seahaven. Despite Christof’s best efforts, Truman arrives at the edge of the world: a painted backdrop with a single exit door.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 suspect simulations

#229. Terry Gilliam

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about animators after many years of viewing their work on YouTube, amongst other places, it’s that they are perhaps the most dedicated and artistic people around. Anyone can paint something, but when you have to paint that same thing over a million times, you make sure you know precisely what you are doing and what you want to do. And while there are plenty of amateur animators out there, the classically trained ones tend to stand out. Because animation can give you the flexibility to view things in whatever way you want, sometimes the best animators are the ones who have been educated in film so that they know the rules of traditional camera angles and shots and will then know how to obey or break those rules in their animation. While this week’s two films are not animated, they were directed by former animator, Terry Gilliam.

Brazil
Year: 1985
Rating: R
Length: 132 minutes / 2.2 hours

Very early on in his directing career, Gilliam set his artistic style and has stuck to it ever since. Perhaps due to his extended time working as an animator, many of his films are quite fanciful, filled with bizarre settings and characters. Even the most mundane of occupations can suddenly be given an artistic theme to differentiate it from an even more imaginary world. It’s easy to animate these crazy realms, but to achieve the same effect in live-action can be a bit more difficult. Nevertheless, Terry Gilliam has shown it can be done with such films as Time Bandits (1981), The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), 12 Monkeys (1995), and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). This being said, while adhering to his style, his most controversial title was Brazil (1985), mostly due to the director’s vision not matching up with what studio executives wanted to release.

Working in the bureaucracy of the banalest of government positions, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) often finds himself daydreaming, imagining a more classical world where he can save the archetypical damsel in distress. When he is put on task to fix a mistake that led to the unintended death of an innocent man, he runs across Jill Layton (Kim Greist), the very same woman he had been fantasizing about. Even though they have never met, Sam knows they are meant to be together, even if she is hesitant. Transferring to another governmental position, Sam now has access to Jill’s records and an opportunity to learn more about her. Unfortunately, the government soon comes after Jill, confirming her fears. Sam comes in and saves the day, but they are soon captured and tortured. While Gilliam’s ending is a bit depressing, the two do manage to escape, even if the reality is false.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Year: 1975
Rating: PG
Length: 91 minutes / 1.52 hours

I have written earlier of Terry Gilliam’s work in animation so I would be remiss if I did not mention his work with Monty Python. Those who have seen the television show, Flying Circus, will recognize Gilliam’s work in the oddball cut-out animations that often act as scene transitions between skits. When the comedy troupe made the transition to the big screen, Terry Gilliam was right there with them, co-directing Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) with fellow Python player, Terry Jones. While his iconic animation appears at a few points in the film, the traditional story of Arthurian legend was put on its head in the most amusing of fashions. Perhaps this was why, years later, Gilliam decided to direct another film based on stories from childhood, The Brothers Grimm (2005). Needless to say, Holy Grail stands as Monty Python’s crowning achievement.

King Arthur (Graham Chapman), riding alone with his squire, Patsy (Terry Gilliam), sets out to gather knights join him at Camelot. After collecting a handful of men, he dismembers the Black Knight (John Cleese) and arrives home, only to reconsider when he realizes it is a “silly place.” At this point, heaven opens up, and God commands them to find the eponymous Holy Grail. After an unsuccessful attempt at a French-controlled castle, the group splits up to cover more ground. As each member faces the challenges of the Knights who say Ni, a Three-Headed Giant, an Amazonian castle filled with women, and an unwanted wedding in Swamp Castle, they soon find they are no better off than before. Reforming the group, they find Tim the Enchanter (John Cleese) and proceed to face a deadly rabbit, Beast of Aaargh, and a perilous quiz before finally coming upon the Grail in the French castle again.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 terrific Terry Gilliam titles

Bacon #: 2 (Monty Python and the Holy Grail / John Cleese -> The Big Picture / Kevin Bacon)

#228. Robert DeNiro

We all know Robert DeNiro’s acting career is practically synonymous with the films directed by Martin Scorsese. Movies like Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), and Casino (1995) all helped establish Robert DeNiro as a de-facto mafia character actor. While he has used this to his benefit, the acting skills of DeNiro are much more varied than a flat, archetypical Mafioso. And while his career has followed a somewhat similar path to Christopher Walken, in that he had more serious roles earlier in his career, only to now play in more slapstick comedies, both men have been successful in their own rights. This week’s two films highlight some different roles Robert DeNiro has performed apart from the classic mobster roles: from stoic to silly.

The Deer Hunter
Year: 1978
Rating: R
Length: 183 minutes / 3.05 hours

The heyday of Robert DeNiro’s career was definitely in the mid-1970s to early-1980s. By the time he appeared in The Deer Hunter (1978), he had already won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II (1974). Before he was nominated for Best Actor in the 1978 Best Picture winner, he was also nominated for Best Actor in the aforementioned Taxi Driver (1976). And while he has received nominations for Best Actor in Awakenings (1990) and Cape Fear (1991), as well as Best Supporting Actor in Silver Linings Playbook (2012), his only other win has come through his long-time collaborator, Martin Scorsese. Raging Bull (1980) saw DeNiro acting at his best and Scorsese directing at his best. Still, The Deer Hunter was an important step for Robert DeNiro to eventually claim that gold statue.

The titular Deer Hunter is none other than Mike Vronsky (Robert DeNiro), a young man who lives in Pennsylvania with his two friends, Nick Chebotarevich (Christopher Walken) and Steven Pushkov (John Savage). Mike holds to the hunting mantra of “one-shot,” and kills a deer with a single bullet on a hunting trip before the three friends are shipped off to the Vietnam War. Years later, they find themselves in a prison camp where the guards force the prisoners to play Russian roulette. In a risky move, Mike plays a round with three bullets and manages to take down his captors and escape. Another few years pass and Mike finds that Stephen has returned home, but Nick has not. Tracing Nick’s whereabouts, Mike ends up in Saigon right before its fall, finding Nick playing Russian roulette for money. Unfortunately, “one-shot” is all it takes to settle things between the two of them.

Brazil
Year: 1985
Rating: R
Length: 132 minutes / 2.2 hours

While some actors can take their craft very seriously, Robert DeNiro seems to have fun with it. Of course, with as many violent and intense films as he has been in, it is refreshing to see him in some minor, bit parts that don’t revolve around the mafia. One such example is that of “Captain Shakespeare” in the 2007 fantasy film, Stardust, wherein the flying pirate puts on a tough exterior for his men while hiding a sensitive, sophisticated, and intelligent inner core. These roles are often funny, playing on DeNiro’s dry comedic timing, no doubt enhanced by the plethora of mobster roles he has had to perform in the past. In the case of Brazil (1985), DeNiro actually wanted a bigger part but was rebuffed into a smaller role because the character he wanted to play was already promised to a long-time collaborator of the director.

Archibald Tuttle (Robert DeNiro) is a heating engineer who works by his own rules. Unfortunately, this leads to him being labeled as a terrorist by the government. Through a mistake made by a misprinted form, a Mr. Archibald Buttle is taken away, and Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is sent to investigate the error. While there, he runs across Jill Layton (Kim Greist), a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the damsel in distress who regularly appears in Sam’s daydreams. It is around this time when Tuttle appears and helps Sam escape two agents from Central Services. Things spiral out of control for Sam as he tries to learn more about Jill. Because of the misuse of his position, Sam is strapped in a chair and tortured by his friend, Jack Lint (Michael Palin) until Tuttle arrives and saves him. Of course, as the film ends, the audience finds that not all was as it seemed.

2 sum it up: 2 films, 2 delightful DeNiro roles

Bacon #: 1 (Sleepers / Kevin Bacon)