The Fisher King (1991)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 9 out of 10
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruehl
Rated: R
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Runtime: 137 minutes

Jack (Bridges) finds his life spiraling out of control after a sarcastic comment he makes on his radio program leads a man to pull off a mass shooting in a local bar. After Jack hits rock bottom, he finds a savior in Parry (Williams), a crazy homeless man who believes in a world of knights, quests, and the Holy Grail. Unknown to Jack, his new friend is actually one of the victims of Jack's thoughtless comment.

I initially picked up this film for two reasons. One, it was starring Robin Williams, and I honestly think that guy is amazing. I could rant on and on about Robin Williams, but I don't think I'll bother you all with that right now. Two, it was about a homeless man who believed in knights, dragons, and the Holy Grail. I've been in love with Arthurian literature since my seventh grade English class where I first read about the adventures of Arthur, Gawain, Percival, and Lancelot. Seeing that both these wonderful components were in the same film was simply tantalizing, and I had to check it out.

I once heard somewhere (and for the life of me, I can’t remember if it was in a movie, YouTube video, or somewhere else entirely) that you know it’s going to be a serious film when Robin Williams has a beard. And, I guess you can say that The Fisher King falls into that category. However, it’s not all sad and serious. There are quite a few rather funny moments, such as when Robin Williams strips off all his clothes and goes running naked through Hyde Park. The serious bits are well choreographed, though, and you can really feel all the pain and the emotion in each of the characters.

I think one of the best things about this film is just how many interesting characters you have. There’s Robin Williams as Parry, the delusional homeless man who believes he must retrieve the Holy Grail from the mansion of a local architect on the Upper West Side. Jack is beaten down, cynical, and depressed, but still shows that spark of humanity that brings him to reach out to Parry, even though all his life, he’s been selfish and unsympathetic. Anne (Ruehl) is Jack’s girlfriend, the tough as nails video rental shop owner with a soft spot she tries so desperately to hide. And don’t forget two of the most interesting characters: Lydia (Amanda Plummer), the offbeat object of Parry’s affections, and “Venice” (can’t find who played him) the emotional, colorful homeless man Jack and Parry meet during their time together.

This is a powerful, gripping movie; alternating comedy and serious drama with relative ease. If you’ve seen some of Robin William’s other films, such as Jakob the Liar (1999), you’ll understand what I mean. All in all, it was a wonderful viewing experience, and provided a good evening’s entertainment. While I won’t go so far as to say it was my favorite movie, I will say that not only does it grab and hold your attention, but it really makes you think. Our actions don’t just affect us. They have consequences that reach out farther than we may realize. And even though we make mistakes, we can still have a chance at redemption. It may not make everything right and normal again (some things simply cannot be undone), but we still have a chance at forgiveness. Also, it shows that you can’t just judge someone because of who they are or what they’re like. Sometimes, we become the way we are because of things that have happened to us; things that are completely beyond our control. Yeah, this movie carries a couple pretty heavy messages, but it does so in such a way that it’s not too much to take in all at once. It's touching, emotional, funny, romantic, all rolled into one.

This is a perfect film for anyone who enjoys Robin William’s drama/comedies, is interested in the Arthurian legends, or wants a movie with a feel-good ending.

True Grit (2010)

Cinema Sweetheart's Rating: 9 out of 10

Director: Ethan and Joel Coen

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Western, Adventure, Drama

Runtime: 110 minutes

Original Version: True Grit (1969)

When fourteen year old Mattie Ross's (Steinfeld) father is killed in a drunken rage by gunman Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), she makes it her life's mission to see him hang for his crimes.  However, after the murder, Chaney ran away and joined ranks with a band of outlaws.  To track him down, Mattie enlists the assistance of Marshal Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn (Bridges), the meanest, drunkest, most ornery marshal around, old and fat and one-eyed.  It's only reluctantly that she is able to get him to come with her, and once he does, they are both aided and hindered by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Damon), who also wants to arrest Chaney, but plans on retrieving him for a bounty in Texas, where he killed a senator; whereas Mattie wants him to know that he killed her father and that is why he is being hanged.

They often say that the remakes aren't as good as the original, and I'm sure that for most die-hard John Wayne fans, the same holds true for True Grit.  However, since I haven't seen the original, I'll be able to give a less biased opinion.

I thought that True Grit was absolutely wonderful!  Even though it was a drama, and said to be darker than the original, I thought that it was hilarious at many points and very touching at others.  Jeff Bridges was wonderful as the rough, drunken marshal.  His Rooster Cogburn was very funny, especially when drunk.  His sassy attitude and smart mouth made him a character that you liked in spite of yourself.

Matt Damon was wonderful as LaBoeuf the Texas Ranger, and Josh Brolin was a very convincing villain.  However, I have to say that it as Hailee Steinfeld who stole the show.  Her portrayal of little Mattie Ross was not only incredibly convincing, but amusing, too.  She's so serious for someone so young, and absolutely adorable at the same time.  One of the best scenes is where she attempts to bargain a sale of some of her late father's horses back to the man who sold them to him in the first place. 

I think the best part though, would have to be the cinematography.  The scenery was beautiful and made you feel like you were right there in the "Wild West" of Arkansas. 

However, there are a few things that you might want to be aware of.  For those of you who have seen the original True Grit, this film is a lot edgier.  Furthermore, there is one scene in particular which I thought was a little too intense for a PG-13 movie.  I won't provide a spoiler about what happens, but I'll give you a heads up that it takes place when Rooster and Mattie are in the cabin.

All in all, this is a film that I truly enjoyed.  If you like Westerns, then this is a must. Personally, I'm not a fan of Westerns for the most part, but I loved this movie.  Also, to give you the opinion of my dad (a huge John Wayne fan), this was very good for a remake, and better than he expected it to be.  Rating: 8.5