Harry Potter – Six Degrees of Film

6 Degrees: Fall Film News

168816805 FOR 6 DEGREES COVER PHOTO SHOT — 6 Degrees of Film

The Fall Film Newsletter is here! Predictably, there are the expected comic book heroes, Aquaman and the anti-hero Venom, there are the historical films about Mary Queen of Scots, Lizzie Borden, Robert the Bruce and astronaut Neil Armstrong; we preview sequels and serial films including a new Halloween, the Fantastic Beasts, and even a new version of the Nutcracker in time for the holidays. Check out this list of films highlighted for the Fall Film Season:

September:

Lizzie 2018 Film

• Lizzie with Chloe Sevigny is the adaptation of the true story of the accused axe murderess Lizzie Borden. This film is described as a ‘speculative lesbian love story’ that is spun to explain the real-life murders of which Borden was accused in 1892.

Colette 2018 K Knightley

• Colette with Keira Knightley is a period piece that follows the writer Colette from her youth through marriage and touches on her private life that included numerous affairs with women.

• The House with a Clock in its Walls featuring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black in this fantasy adapted from John Bellairs’ book about an orphan who, with his uncle, explores a magical manor that holds a mystical clock.

SIsters Brothers 2018 Western

• The Sisters Brothers is a Western with John C Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix cast as the two brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters. The film is an adaptation of a novel about the Sisters Brothers, contract killers who worked at the height of the Gold Rush in the 1850’s.

• Robert Redford is starring in what he has announced will be his last film: The Old Man & the Gun; a movie billed as a mix of ‘drama, comedy and romance’ and is loosely based on the true story of a career criminal, Forrest Tucker. Redford says of Tucker: “He robbed 17 banks, and he got caught 17 times. But he also escaped 17 times.”

• Smallfoot is a children’s animated film starring Channing Tatum. It’s about an abominable bigfoot who discovers proof there are humans-A.K.A…Smallfoots.

October

*The Great Buster: A Celebration is a documentary film on the life of comedian and silent film star Buster Keaton.

Venom stars Tom Hardy in the comic book genre tale about a journalist (Hardy) who finds that his body is invaded by an alien-Venom. The two become one as anti-heroes with journalist Eddie (Hardy) still managing to investigate stories. Hardy says: “They bring out the very best and the very worst in each other.”

The Happy Prince starring Rupert Everett depicts the life of famed writer Oscar Wilde. Everett wrote, directed and stars in this film about the final years of the writer’s life in exile, and begins with Wilde’s spiral downward after being imprisoned for ‘gross indecency’; depicting Wilde battling Victorian conventions as a homosexual who shocked the existing norms of the day.

Apostle with Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey fame, is another period film, set in 1905, with Stevens attempting to save his kidnapped sister from a mysterious religious cult led by a charismatic leader.

First Man is the bio-pic story of the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, as portrayed by Ryan Gosling.. The film goes for authenticity for the times in which it was made. Director Damien Chazelle, reteaming with Gosling after La La Land, said First Man was made to feel like a documentary, “just like we’re a fly on the wall grabbing moments in these families’ households.”

Halloween returns in a new sequel to the original starring Jamie Lee Curtis. The film has Curtis reprising her role of Laurie Strode and is billed as a direct sequel to the 1978 movie, with the interesting concept of simply ignoring the scores of films that have been made previously in this franchise-shades of Dallas! The plot has Curtis as a woman on a mission, having waited four decades to track down and end the menace of masked killer Michael Myers.

November

Nutcracker 2018

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is another offering in a series of films that tell the classic story of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, who based his famous ballet on an 1816 story by E.T.A Hoffman. The fantasy film is a big-budget number, with designs and sets that adhered to ‘a strict historical cutoff from the year 1879”.

Benedict Cumberbatch will put up his Sherlock Holmes cap to play another classic character, the Grinch, in Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.

The Outlaw King is a period piece about Robert the Bruce, the legendary Scottish king who united his people in their fight for independence from British rule. Chris Pine stars as King Robert.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is in the Harry Potter sub sequel of a prequel category, introducing fans to a new cast of adorable characters from the Wizarding World. In this film, we meet baby Nifflers, a Kelpie (a Scottish underwater monster) and a Leucrotta-described as a large, moose-like creature.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is another children’s film with some grown up proclivities, including the star John C Reilly who is also breaking the internet with multiple films out this year. This film is the sequel to 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph from Disney, where arcade heroes Ralph (With Reilly’s voice), and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), go on the internet in search of a replacement game part and adventures ensue accordingly.
Robin Hood returns to the screen with Taron Egerton starring as the overworked man of the forest in this action adventure film that someone must have clamored for…?

December

Mary queen of scots 2018

Mary Queen of Scots is yet another period piece with Saoirse Ronan (of Brooklyn and Lady Bird fame) starring as the doomed queen. This film is based on a 2004 biography of Mary by John Guy. Historically, the famous Queen of Scots and the Virgin Queen Elizabeth never met, but there are several noteworthy plays and films that have these two women interacting and emoting together. Margot Robbie co-stars as Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen of England.

Mary Poppins Returns in an original story, not a remake of the original, with Emily Blunt playing that Poppins woman. This film is set 25 years after the initial action in the Banks’ family home, and a tragic death leaves Jane, Michael, and Michael’s three children adrift. Enter Poppins.

Aquaman 2018

Aquaman debuts with Jason Momoa as the king of the sea. The film is directed by James Wan, and centers around Aquaman’s quest to regain the Trident of Neptune and battle Aquaman’s menacing brother, King Orm (played by Patrick Wilson.)

Holmes & Watson is a comic offering of the familiar Sherlock Holmes story with Will Ferrell as Holmes and his ubiquitous sidekick John C Reilly starring as Watson in this comic rendering of the classic story.

There are a few other films of note that include Bumblebee (Hailee Steinfeld); Green Book (Viggo Mortenson); The Girl in the Spider’s Web with Claire Foy; Johnny English Strikes Again with Rowan Atkinson; The Ballad of Buster Scruggs with Tim Blake Nelson and The Other Side of the Wind, a documentary on the unfinished work of Orson Welles
One never knows when reviewing all the myriad number of choices that Hollywood lays before us as critics. There seem to be a smattering of superhero dusted with old familiar story tropes sprinkled with a light layer of sequels and old favorites thrown in for good measure. The originality is often found in children’s films, as I’ve noted for several years. The Harry Potter themed movies always do well, with the imagination of CGI and set designers running wild. The Nutcracker film may be another Fantasia type experience, we shall see. I’m hoping that the Mary Poppins film puts a nice spin on the original, which was so clever and cutting-edge when it was released in the early 60’s. So, too, the idea of the superhero genre, with the acting chops of Tom Hardy, may add another layer in the rather tired superhero film mold. Stay tuned!
We seem to be coming out on the other side of the #MeToo era with a renewed interest in women filmmakers and screenplays and stories told from the female perspective. Let’s just hope that this too doesn’t become overused in the predictable fashion of Hollywood and their method of overkill in all things. The idea of a “Taken” style film with Jennifer Garner(Peppermint) as the vigilante pursuing the bad guys admittedly made me wince. It’s so predictictable and so “YOU” Hollywood!?
As noted, stay tuned, film fans. We shall see which films are the big breakout classics of 2018. The summer has given us a big hit with Mission Impossible times …..100 Plus?! So one never knows, but it seems what’s old is new again- again, in Hollywood. Till next time, stay classy and see you at the movies!-ML

Some Spiritual Films to Watch & Record

On this Easter weekend, here is a previously compiled list I made of ten films suggested to watch with the spiritual aspects of the filmmakers in mind. Some are surprising (Harry Potter & Star Wars), and others come from traditional religious subjects and themes. But they all hammer home the message that the spiritual nature of our lives is found not only in churches and in religious settings, but in all aspects of our existence, and in all corners of the universe-even in galaxies “Far, Far Away”….! Happy Easter from Six Degrees!

For some, modern films have less meaning and less deeply spiritual content than films of old. Although there are many recent films that do convey deeply meaningful messages, the great films of the past have the benefit of time to preserve their spiritual themes. But too often, these classics are seen as just old movies with little to say to milennials and they don’t connect with our lives today. As with great classic books, these messages are timeless and not to be over-looked, and the spiritual content of the films endures. Here is a list of ten films-some of them familiar to us, some that are shown on television frequently, some fairly recent, but all with some spiritual message that still speaks to us.

The 3 Godfather’s from 1948 – This John Wayne film is one of the most spiritual films he made. John Wayne stars as one of three outlaws who are transformed through the act of love. They become Godfathers by accident, as they are charged with watching over an innocent baby whose dying mother pleads with the men to protect and care for her infant. The three men, against all odds, facing sure death and agonizing hardships as they cross a desert and battle outlaws, are changed by their unselfish love for the child.

The Wizard of Oz from 1939 – This film is not at first seen as spiritual, but it remains notable for many of us from the moment the audience sees a transformed landscape as the door opens from a black & white cinematic shot of Kansas into a new color-filled world of Oz. The transformation is a kind of metaphor for the realization of a spiritual awakening as found in Christianity and in other religions. It’s a spiritual awakening we all take part in as our eyes are opened to a new life filled with the spirit and mindfulness of being. The message is carried throughout that what lies within each of us is the only true way to our salvation…and to discover it, we need to step outside of ourselves and look within, and be grateful for the lives we have been given

The Sound of Music from 1965: We need to take note that this film was directed by Robert Wise, who was a noted Film Noir director from the forties and fifties. The back shots of the scenes in the abbey give a spiritual aspect to this film that has often been dismissed as light and fluffy family entertainment. As the Mother Superior sings one of the memorable songs, “Climb every Mountain”, it serves as a metaphor for the film.

We all must endure the mountains of want and hardship, of suffering and loneliness, and we must scale them to achieve our dream. For Christians, and for other religions, it is an act of faith in life itself, and the promise of eternal Salvation. The Baroness is depicted as so materially grounded, and such an obvious contrast to Maria, who literally has to give up everything to climb a mountain in the end, that many may look at this portion of the film as a typical ‘cat fight’ between two women and just dismiss the purpose. However, when the film is seen in its entirety, the cinematic grandeur of the backdrop, combined with the emotional impact behind the messaging which was based on true events-a family fleeing the Nazis-we see the film as a message meant for a generational message that carries deep emotional impact.. We can look back at the spiritual moments of this film and reflect that it does leave us uplifted and feeling there is a deeper meaning here.

LadyHawke from 1985: Matthew Broderick and his talks with God set this film apart. Broderick is introduced as a thief, and we see him as the Everyman and a flawed hero. Although the film was marketed as a love story between two doomed characters, Broderick’s thief is the one we can most identify with in this story. The spiritual nature is shown when we see there are two parts to every man, portrayed as the wolf and the hawk in the characters of Michelle Pfeiffer as the “LadyHawke” and her wolf-lover, played by Rutger Hauer. The two combine to illustrate that we are both the sinner and the redeeming healers, and the two parts are found in each of us.

The Harry Potter series from 2001 through 2011: Good vs Evil are often very obvious symbols in the battle between Harry Potter and the evil Voldemort. But the theme running through the story of Harry Potter-of nothing is as it seems-found in all of the books and films, is a deeply spiritual message. The message throughout is to be careful of things that seem too good to be true. And the films tell us that we must look beneath the surface to find the true treasure within. The treasure in Harry Potter ends up being the friendships forged and the magic of Love, and the final message that Love triumphs over Evil.

Groundhog Day from 1993:The theme is that the ultimate power of Redemption can change everything; it brings true love and meaning to our otherwise empty lives. We see this in the character of a broken and shallow man, portrayed in one of the best roles Bill Murray has ever brought to the screen, and the life that he must forge as he begins to awaken to this new way of living. He has lived as an invisible man, choosing a non- existence and he is forced to confront his life and transform it into a richer and more fulfilling path. It is a path where he must help others and find the meaning of true love. This is the ultimate Redemption film, and one with deep Spiritual overtones.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back from 1980: Not only is the Star Wars mythology of all the films deeply embedded with the symbolism of Good vs Evil; but this particular film highlights the redeeming power that comes from within; when we reject our own dark side even at a great cost.
The message is that we will prevail and come out a better person, and perhaps a different one than we were-in Luke Skywalker’s case, he even has a new limb! The Dark Side is within us all; the power of evil and darkness is all around us, a powerful force throughout the universe, but love will prevail, even with great hardships that we endure

Risen from 2016: with Joseph Fiennes starring as the Roman Soldier. Risen is more than just a “puff-piece” regarding the nature of the Resurrection. This film explores the idea that someone can witness a miracle such as the resurrected body of Jesus, returned in the flesh; and have a transformative experience of faith, and use that power to reject the glory and the material wealth of their lives to follow the true way.

The Nativity Story from 2006: This is the story of the birth of Christ shown warts and all, meaning it reveals the historic timeline that puts us into the scene of where Christ was born and the harsh reality of life for those under Roman rule. The beauty of the story is captured and the simple purity of the tale of the Holy Family comes through in this version.

Marvin’s Room from 1996: We see three great actors, Diane Keaton, Leonardo Di Caprio and Meryl Streep, combine to tell the story of our own lives. It shows us the selfish nature of our existence in the character of Meryl Streep; the capricious and angry emotions that we carry in DiCaprio’s role as a young and troubled teen son, and the burdens and the joys of love in its purest form found in Diane Keaton’s part of the caregiver who is faced with her own mortality.
We are witness to all of this with the themes of love and redemption. There is love for others, in the caregivers role that Keaton has taken on, and the love for family and the love that is willing to sacrifice all in the end. It comes full circle as Meryl Streep eventually redeems herself, from a self-centered sister, daughter, and mother, she gradually learns the meaning of true love and sacrifice for others.

There are many films that give us a glimpse into the human condition, which depict the parts that make up the whole of our humanity, and these films are just a small preview of the many other movies that help us discover our own spiritual selves as we watch and process these stories from some of our greatest filmmakers.
****

6 Degrees Capsule Review: Beauty and the Beast

The positives in this review lie in the beauty of this film’s cinematography and costuming. There is no plot or character development to dissect. But the stand-out performer in this live action fairy tale film would be Kevin Kline, playing Belle’s father.

He is given the chance above all else to emote gentle affection and sincere dialogue with nuance and humor. Other than that, there’s little to distinguish this movie from the original animated version, other than the ability of our times to project Computer Graphic Imagery onto the big screen.

This would be an enjoyable time spent for a mother daughter duo of any age. It seems to be entertaining enough on all levels to recommend for family viewing, but from times past, this would be considered a “chick flick”.

There is a definite feminine bent, not feminist, to the portrayals and the entire illusory vision whipped up in this fable. Frozen and other animated tales in recent times have given rise to the more feminist versions of the trapped princess. And although there is nothing to object to in terms of PC standards in this portrayal of the young Belle, played solidly by Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame, there is conversely no real dilemma lying outside the constricted world of the fairy tale maiden in distress.

This is recommended for families who seek a world of escapist cinema with beautiful visuals and innocuous story lines. In that regard, this is the chick flick you may have been waiting for.

**Go See this if you are “Female seeking Escapism”.

The Top Ten Highest Grossing Films of all time

It looks like all Avengers all the time when scrolling through the 6 Degree Magazine on Flipboard. We have listed all the recent articles and they seem to be completely fascinated with the huge box office numbers that the Avengers movie is racking up. So to appease those who may have an interest in box office totals, (Box Office Mojo keeps a running count at www.boxofficemojo.com), we are going to list some of the current film box office champs in the Global race to the top.

Number One: Avatar. From 2009, James Cameron’s Avatar, the one he had worked for over a decade to bring to the screen, still holds the Number One spot. Special effects and CGI are still the big draws for bringing people in to the movies. (2.78 Billion)

Number Two: Titanic and James Cameron again. This is the oldest film on the list, from 1997, and it tells us that some movies contain drawing power with something other than special effects. Of course, the effects of the sinking ship are spectacular, but a young Leonardo DiCaprio and the love story also were a powerful draw. (2.18 Billion)

Number Three: The Avengers. Still. This film from 2012 gives us an idea of the drawing (and staying) power of the Marvel Cinematic Comic Book Universe. The troubling news? 25 films are planned in the next four years. When will the public reach saturation point, I wonder? (Or begin to care about the Infinity Stones?) (1.5 Billion)

Number Four: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. from 2011, this film embodies the enduring popularity of the Harry Potter series. The good news is that literary minded people will agree that JK Rowling’s books were the catalyst for this explosion of movie madness. (1.34 Billion)

Number Five: Frozen. Girls rule! This film exploded onto the scene in 2013 and quickly overtook many of the classic Disney characters and animated films. Women and young girls are hungry for the role model provided by the Disney character of Queen Elsa of Arendelle. (1.2 Billion)

Number Six: Iron Man 3. This comic book series stands apart with the help of a gifted actor in Robert Downey Jr. This film was from 2013. (1.2 Billion)

Number Seven: Fast & Furious 7. The latest installment, released in 2015, has overtaken the competition and landed in the top ten moneymakers of all time. Predictably, F & F 8 is in the works. (1.1 Billion)

Number Eight: Transformers: Dark of the Moon from 2011. Another popular series of films that keeps cranking out sequels and will continue to do so as long as they make money! (1.1 Billion)

Number Nine: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. This 2003 film is relatively older in the scheme of things. Another book to film series that has kept audiences coming back for more. (1.1 Billion)

Number Ten: A Surprise! …at least to me it was. Skyfall, the James Bond movie from 2012 and one of the oldest continuing series of films-over 50 years-that is still incredibly successful thanks to a new lease on life in the form of Daniel Craig. (1.1 Billion)

Next, we’ll look at some of the surprising movies on the list of the top 100 current films making money for Hollywood markets…

What would you guess is the oldest film currently in the top 100 list?
*Hint: May the Force be with you.