The Wendell Baker Story
Before you do anything else... I don't care if you have planned for this weekend an outrageous orgy chock-a-buck full of nubile young men and voluptuous yet lithe women, cancel it to rent this DVD: 2005's "The Wendell Baker Story".
See, I'm not a film critic. I just know what I like, and what I don't like. What I don't like is a movie that starts strong, but has a second act that draaaaaggggsssss onnnnnnn foreeeeevvvvverrrrrr to resolve the plot, by the end of which you're saying "Thank God!".
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I'm a simple chap, raised from infancy into the smalltown community theatre. I may not grasp the complex purpose of the three act structure of a stage play. I'm sure I could Google it and learn in a matter of seconds, but I'd rather figure it out for myself. What I do know is the simple two act play, with an intermission bursting with dollar store cookies and beverage based on 7-Up and Hawaiian Punch. These translate well into good movies.
What I've learned... Act One: establish the characters, plot, and conflict. Act Two: Protagonist gains courage, turns the proverbial tables, faces one final (seemingly insurmountable) struggle against the antagonist, puts foot to ass, and perseveres to eliminate the conflict and win the girl.
Savour the ensuing curtain call bow to as thunderous an ovation as a 250-member audience can muster. Shake hands, give hugs, cold creme off the stage makeup, and don't over-do it at the cast party. Stories of such drunken antics can carry on for decades. This I know this from indirect experience.
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Anyhoo, "The Story of Wendell Baker" is about as perfect a movie as I can think of. The conflict is not too strong as to induce anxiety. The leading lady (Eva Mendez) is smoking hot yet easy to relate to as a normal human. The progagonist and antagonist are Luke and Owen Wilson (respectively), and the movie is directed by the unknown ugly duckling third Wilson brother, Andrew, who is an expert storyteller who brings the movie to a swift and satisfying conclusion. Not a single moment or line of dialogue was wasted. I could call the singular fade-out from one scene and fade-in to the other that marked the intermission break between Acts One and Two. What a director!
...funny we should bear the same first name. We ugly ducklings have to stick together, you know. I've got your back, Andrew Wilson.
Not since "The Darjeeling Limited" have I enjoyed a movie so thoroughly.
---
Speaking of the flesh-meltingly hot Eva Mendez... she reminds me a lot of Dark Haired Girl. With DHG's Blackfoot Native American blood, she's got the dark hair, eyes, and olive complection.... YUMMY! :-)
See, I'm not a film critic. I just know what I like, and what I don't like. What I don't like is a movie that starts strong, but has a second act that draaaaaggggsssss onnnnnnn foreeeeevvvvverrrrrr to resolve the plot, by the end of which you're saying "Thank God!".
---
I'm a simple chap, raised from infancy into the smalltown community theatre. I may not grasp the complex purpose of the three act structure of a stage play. I'm sure I could Google it and learn in a matter of seconds, but I'd rather figure it out for myself. What I do know is the simple two act play, with an intermission bursting with dollar store cookies and beverage based on 7-Up and Hawaiian Punch. These translate well into good movies.
What I've learned... Act One: establish the characters, plot, and conflict. Act Two: Protagonist gains courage, turns the proverbial tables, faces one final (seemingly insurmountable) struggle against the antagonist, puts foot to ass, and perseveres to eliminate the conflict and win the girl.
Savour the ensuing curtain call bow to as thunderous an ovation as a 250-member audience can muster. Shake hands, give hugs, cold creme off the stage makeup, and don't over-do it at the cast party. Stories of such drunken antics can carry on for decades. This I know this from indirect experience.
---
Anyhoo, "The Story of Wendell Baker" is about as perfect a movie as I can think of. The conflict is not too strong as to induce anxiety. The leading lady (Eva Mendez) is smoking hot yet easy to relate to as a normal human. The progagonist and antagonist are Luke and Owen Wilson (respectively), and the movie is directed by the unknown ugly duckling third Wilson brother, Andrew, who is an expert storyteller who brings the movie to a swift and satisfying conclusion. Not a single moment or line of dialogue was wasted. I could call the singular fade-out from one scene and fade-in to the other that marked the intermission break between Acts One and Two. What a director!
...funny we should bear the same first name. We ugly ducklings have to stick together, you know. I've got your back, Andrew Wilson.
Not since "The Darjeeling Limited" have I enjoyed a movie so thoroughly.
---
Speaking of the flesh-meltingly hot Eva Mendez... she reminds me a lot of Dark Haired Girl. With DHG's Blackfoot Native American blood, she's got the dark hair, eyes, and olive complection.... YUMMY! :-)
posted by Grover at 1/24/2008 11:32:00 PM
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