Emile Hirsch in "Into the Wild"
courtesy of Paramount Vantage
"Ah, Wilderness"

There is something about the movie "Into the Wild." From seeing the trailer you might think it is not a movie you would enjoy, but once you start watching it your appreciation grows and grows. Now it is out on DVD and you can take your time and enjoy it. And after you finish you might even want to read the book on which it is based. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer, which in turn was based on the true story of Chris McCandless. 

McCandless was a young man who wanted to leave civilization behind and commune with nature. To do this he severed relationships with his family and friends and took off on a pilgrimage to the wilds of Alaska. The film documents his experiences along the way.

Chris (Emile Hirsch) graduated from Emory University in Atlanta. His parents (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) were thrilled he planned to attend Harvard Law in the fall. His sister Carine (Jena Malone) knew his plans were not as concrete as his parents thought. In fact that summer after graduation Chris took off and headed west. He never communicated his itinerary or his plans to his family.

Chris burned his social security card as well as all his money. He wanted to be completely on his own with no ties to his past. Along the way he worked at menial tasks and lived off the land. Two people he met up with were Rainey (Brian Dierker) and Jan (Catherine Keener). They are a hippie type couple who take him in. Chris seems to see a mother figure of sorts in Jan.

Later he spends some time with an elderly man named Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook). In Ron, Chris appears to find a father figure. Ron is a man with a strong religious faith and some of his beliefs seem to rub off on Chris.

Always at the forefront of Chris' mind is getting to Alaska. When he eventually does get there he finds an abandoned bus in the wilderness and it is there that he decides to live. The movie actually moves in flashbacks from the bus to his adventures in getting there.

Hirsch is terrific as Chris. He has the requisite idealism in his eyes and the physical endurance in his body. Many times in the film he is on screen alone but he manages to hold the audiences' attention totally. This is a star-making role and Hirsch plays it to the fullest.

Holbrook is also outstanding as Ron. He gives this man the vitality as well as the emotional core that is necessary for the character. The scenes between him and Hirsch are some of the best in the movie. They are matched only by Hirsch's scenes with Keener. Keener is an earth mother of sorts and that stands her in good stead in this role.

Sean Penn directed the film and this is one of his best directing efforts ever. He knows how to pace his story and how to squeeze the maximum emotions from each segment. He never goes overboard on sentimentality but actually underplays the emotions of the characters. 

It is hard for some of us to understand what drives McCandless in the film. He is so obsessed with being "free" that he comes off almost deranged in his intensity. Still watching him meet his goals and live his life the way he wants, makes for a fascinating entertainment experience. So get the DVD and enjoy this truly distinct and enjoyable film.

Another good film available this week is "Fierce People." This film stars the extraordinary actor Donald Sutherland and the amazing actress Diane Lane. Lane plays a down on her luck and drug dependent woman who is looking for a way to get her life back. She gets the chance to move with her son (Anton Yelchin) to a guest house on the estate of super wealthy Ogden Osbourne (Sutherland). But moving on up is never easy and the resentment and hate these two people encounter makes up the heart of the movie.

The DVD of the movie has some extras including deleted scenes, a behind the scenes look at the making of the film, and commentary from its director Griffin Dunne. All of this plus a better than average movie makes "Fierce People" a DVD you need to watch.

"ER" is a TV series that is still going strong. It is the show that takes a lickin' but keeps on tickin'. Actors and characters come and go but the show always manages to bounce back one more time. In the DVD of "ER: The Complete Eighth Season" we have the farewell appearances of Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Dr Benton (Eriq LaSalle). And we have the introduction of two new characters played by Sharif Atkins and Mekhi Phifer.


There is always something new happening on this show but the one character who has helped glue it all together is Dr. Carter played by Noah Wyle. And in this eighth season he is more than centerstage, he is everywhere. So when you watch this DVD you can see his character grow and affect the lives and happenings of those who work in the ER.

"The Jane Austen Book Club" is based on the popular novel by Karen Joy Fowler. All the heart and humor of the book is captured in this film about five women and one man who get together to study the books of Jane Austen. As they read the stories and discuss the events in the pages they begin to see that some of today's situations and problems are not so different from those that Jane Austen described. 

The wonderful cast includes Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Hugh Dancy, Jimmy Smits, Amy Brenneman, Maria Bello and Maggie Grace. It is a great cast and each and every one of them adds something to this enjoyable film. If you like the movies that have been made from Jane Austen novels then you should also enjoy "The Jane Austen Book Club."

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowrey follow up their hit Disney original film "Twitches" with a sequel titled "Twitches Too." Once again the women play Alex Fielding (Tia) and Camryn Barnes (Tamera) two sisters who were raised by different adoptive parents and only got to know each other on their 21st birthdays.

They now live in the land of Coventry and work their powers to bring peace to all that live there. This means they have to fight a dark force that threatens the land. It will take their combined strength to fight the good fight. Your kids will love this movie so get it for them today.

Jennifer Lopez stars in "Bordertown" a film based on a true story. This film concerns a newspaper reporter who went to Mexico to investigate some murders of women working in a factory. She finds one woman who survived the attacks and gets her story down. But she knows that if she tells the story of this woman it will put her in jeopardy.

Antonio Banderas, Martin Sheen and Sonia Braga co-star in this gripping film. They provide wonderful support but it is Lopez' movie all the way and she does a good job. You probably missed this one when it was released on the big screen, so now is a good time to catch up.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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