Enola Holmes - Elementary, dear viewer!

Stream it on Netflix. 

Enola Holmes is a movie with so much enthusiasm, charm, and intelligence that it is virtually impossible not to love it. It is a grand showcase of a fantastic new take on a popular character from classic literature, an intriguing mystery with relevant social commentary, and a showcase of a rising star's talent as an actor. Typically, you would likely find only one of these qualities in any given film, but rarely all three at once. It is akin to watching a master juggler add more things to the mix without dropping any of them. The more you watch, the more appears, and the more enchanted you become. 

Based on the novel by Nancy Springer, the story follows a young girl named Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), who is the younger sister of England's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes. Enola typically spends every day with her mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), learning literature, mathematics, deduction, and even combat. In-between lessons, they play tennis in the parlor, practice archery in the library, and play word games in the attic. Life seems delightful. That is, until Enola's 16th birthday when her mother has mysteriously vanished. Things take a turn for the worse, however, with the return of both her older brothers Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Clafin). Mycroft, the bitter and arrogant pompous ass he is, takes on Enola as his ward and decides the best course of action is sending her away to a boarding school to be "broken" into a proper young lady. Enola is not having any of it and forms a plan to escape to London to search for her mother. With all of her skills at the ready, Enola is sure to become a proper detective and solve the mystery, whatever it takes. 

The movie wastes no time establishing its playful tone, as showcased by its choice to break the fourth wall. Like the classic comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Enola speaks directly to the audience, as she lays out her plans and comments on her various situations. It's a storytelling technique that can be ingenious when done right, and pretentious when done poorly. Enola Holmes is the former. Thanks in large part to the incredibly talented Millie Bobby Brown, whom some of you may recall as Eleven from Stranger Things. 

Millie Bobby Brown has the full range to showcase her ability as an actor. Every second she's on screen, you find yourself blown away at how effortlessly she carries the story on her shoulders. The best part about her performance is her genuine sense of conviction. Never at any point does she feel contrived or too silly in her fourth-wall-breaking. Her charm causes us, the audience, to feel as though we are right there in the moment with her. I have always enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown as a performer, but now I am incredibly eager to see what she will do next. 

The film also features a surprisingly delightful performance from Henry Cavill. After his lackluster performance as Superman and his not-so-convincing work in the latest Mission Impossible film, I was beginning to suspect that Mr. Cavill was just a good-looking guy, but could not act all that well. However, watching him in Enola Holmes gives me a sliver of hope that there might be some talent in him after all. I'm not saying that he's suddenly transformed into Sir Alec Guinness overnight, far from it. I only mean that I have not given up on Mr. Cavill quite yet. 

The writing is where this film shines the most. Penned by Jack Thorne, the script successfully walks the tight rope of being a faithful presentation of 19th century England, while providing some modern flair. The dialogue practically sings off the page, the pacing never feels rushed, and all relevant characters receive a healthy dose of growth and proper development. Best of all, without spoiling anything, the story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, while remaining open for further possible adventures. Should they maintain this level of quality with the material, I will be ecstatic to see more. 

Enola Holmes is a manic ball of energy that makes you smile regardless of your present condition. It is the equivalent of a friend who always makes you feel better no matter how bad things seem to be. I cannot recommend this film enough. Open up Netflix and get this movie in front of your eyeballs immediately! 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

My Octopus Teacher - A lesson in curiosity

 

Stream it on Netflix 

While I have not seen many nature documentaries, most of the ones I have seen have either been fascinating or dull. In my experience, your enjoyment of any given nature documentary depends on the subject matter. If you are interested in the animal or natural wonder in question, you will likely enjoy it. Today's film, My Octopus Teacher, is a bit of a rare beast. Aside from the runtime feeling too long and a little repetitiveness, this movie is truly a wonder. It is a decent story of how much closer to nature we as people are. 

The film follows the discoveries of a diver in South Africa, who makes friends with a small female Octopus. At least, we assume it's female. For almost a year, the man dives into the reef every day to visit and observe his Octopus friend, as she goes about her day hunting for food and evading predators. Armed with his camera, the man captures every nuance of his little friends' daily life, learning something new with each visit. Discovering how intelligent this little squishy creature is and how much alike they are in many ways. 

Visually, the film is beautiful. The underwater cinematography is breathtaking, the many colors and forms of life under the sea are magnificent to behold, and watching the little Octopus showcase its intelligence while forming a friendship with a human is astonishing to witness. The same can be said of the sound design & music, both of which capture the sheer wonder of ocean life and the terror that can be lurking just around the corner of your eye. 

The only nitpick I have with the film is that it feels a bit too long. A few of the movie shots repeat in some areas, and parts of the narration feel as though they could have been shorter. Also, while the slow movement of the visuals and the soothing sounds of the music and ambiance is appropriate, it can sometimes be too relaxing, causing you to fall asleep potentially. Not out of boredom, but from how calming everything is (mostly). 

My Octopus Teacher is a beautiful curiosity. If you got nothing else to do for a little while, give it a look. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.    

The Purge - Needs a Reboot

One of my most hated, destained, and anger-inducing film franchises are The Purge series, which is unquestionably the shining example of a wasted opportunity. I was not too fond of the first film, loathed the second one, and flat-out refused to consider watching the third movie, especially considering its distasteful political undertones. And don't even get me started with the prequel. 

You might be wondering, rightfully so, why I am even discussing this franchise if I despise it so much. To put it plainly, I love the story's idea and all of its wasted potential. 

For those of you who don't know, The Purge series occurs in a future where for one day out of the year, all crime, including murder, is legal for twelve hours. People are free to do whatever the Hell they want, and not only are there no police to stop you, but you have no fear of punishment or repercussions for any of your actions during that one day. This idea is incredibly creative and fascinating for a story, as it has limitless possibilities to explore what could happen in such a situation. There is such a wide plethora of things to explore and comment on that you could build an entire successful franchise out of all the ideas to explore, which makes the series as it stands all the more frustrating and disappointing. 

In the words of MovieBob, The Purge series appears to "take place in an Alternate Universe where the only thing people want to do on a crime-free Holiday is to be Jason Voorhees." In other words, the whole franchise devolved into a generic slasher series where they don't have to come up with a reason why no one calls the police. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of stupidity the scripts have when it comes to political and social commentary, preferring cartoonish levels of evil characters over intelligent and imaginative storytelling. Also, the scientifically inaccurate idea of human beings as an inherently violent species needs an annual release valve to function correctly. That part probably stings the hardest for me. 

This conscious decision to not even bother trying anything innovative or even entertaining with this concept drove me mad, which is why I believe this franchise not only deserves a reboot but would also benefit from a fresh perspective. I have just the idea of making this series much better. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I present to you TheNorm's pitch on how to improve The Purge. 

The first thing we do is not to make another movie. Instead, we will relaunch The Purge as a television series. Most likely on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. Whichever company will pick it up, because this story takes over twelve hours, the show will take over twelve episodes, with each taking place over a single hour. Not to mention an additional chapter at the beginning to establish the characters and steaks for the story, making a total of thirteen episodes. 

The first episode will introduce the main characters and the plot, which is as follows. A small group of people is driving through the city to a medical facility to deliver medicine and supplies to a secret organization known as The Shadow Clinic. A private group of unlicensed but fully trained medical professionals offering free health care and available medical research. Their vehicle mysteriously breaks down along the way, and they have no choice but to continue on foot. So they load up their supplies into a few backpacks and start making their way through the city. Unfortunately for them, the annual Purge is about to begin. They find themselves trapped in the middle of the event but must persevere through the chaos. 

For the sake of maintaining a sense of tension and danger for the presentation, we will keep the general chaos found in the original films with small riots and psychopaths roaming the streets looking to cause confusion and hurt people. However, because we are maintaining a more intelligent execution of this concept, there will be no Government sponsored murder squads who break into poor people's homes and kill them just so the economy can have a boost. Likewise, there will be no groups of malicious wealthy citizens who take patriotic pride in slaughtering the poor and homeless. All of which is present in the current Purge movies, and while plausible, is too stupid for this concept. In this brand new version, the only people who will be out about causing mayhem and murder will be wild idiots. They would use the Purge as an excuse to do so, such as gangs, unchecked gun enthusiasts, and troubled people with no access to mental health care and all those in-between. 

Our heroes will find themselves with no other option but to make their way through the city as carefully as possible. Now, here's where the show becomes interesting. 

Each episode will convey a specific activity or event that would most likely be occurring during the Purge. For example, for one episode, our heroes find themselves in an apartment building, which turns into a temporary headquarters for insider trading during the Purge. People are deliberately manipulating the stock market for their benefit. To spice things up, they could also be conducting massive deals with drug dealers and warlords, which would be a ripe opportunity to comment on shady business practices and unchecked capitalism. Another episode could be about the sale and purchase of goods that would otherwise not be possible at any other time. Such as specific books, art pieces, and historical items. Black Market kind of stuff. 

As I stated earlier, the idea of The Purge as a story is full of all kinds of possibilities. Had the script for the first film been given proper time to be polished, and handed over to a more competent director and producer, I firmly believe it could have been a damn good movie. However, it is nothing more than a dull slasher flick with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The Purge is one franchise in dire need of a reboot with more intelligence by its side. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.  

The Burnt Orange Heresy - Art has rarely been this intriguing

Rent it on Amazon, Red Box, Google Play, and YouTube. 

Movies about artists can be a dime a dozen, if for no other reason than it is a favorite amongst many filmmakers. The cliche of the “troubled artist” has been a famous staple in cinema pretty much since its conception. It takes a certain kind of adequate energy to present a fresh and original take on the idea. Probably the closest we have ever been to a perfect film about art and artists is Loving Vincent, the drama about the mystery about the death of one of the most famous painters, Vincent Van Gough. A film that, in and of itself, redefined how to think about and view art. Today’s movie, The Burnt Orange Heresy, may not have that level of prestige as the film mentioned earlier, but it is still a pleasant surprise. 

The story follows an art critic named James Figueras (Claes Bang), who visits a renowned art dealer named Joseph Cassidy (Mick Jagger...yes, THAT Mick Jagger) for a particular assignment. Accompanied by his recently acquainted lover Berenice (Elizabeth Debicki), the two make their way to Mr. Cassidy’s house, where they are informed by Mr. Cassidy himself that a famous wold artist is living just down the road. Jerome Debney (Donald Sutherland), who, despite apparently still maintaining his craft, has not presented any new painting in nearly fifty years. Mr. Cassidy hires James to interview with Mr. Debney, and, in the process, “acquire” one of his paintings. From there, James conducts a plan that has all the potential of spiraling out of control. Who knows how this will all turn out? 

This film is a delightful watch in every way. Aside from one small section of dumb writing, the otherwise witty and elegant script made all the more noticeable by the majority of the movie's presentation is top-notch. 

The acting is what sells the story, and the whole cast is stellar. Mick Jagger, in particular, successfully presents his character with conviction and a decent about of range. I know how much of a gifted performer he is, but I was honestly surprised at how well he portrayed his character. I guess Rock & Roll is right for you in more ways than one. 

The cinematography is probably my favorite aspect of the film. Photographed by David Ungaro, the lighting style maintains a feel of naturalism throughout. Most interior shots appear to be lit by open windows, giving the visuals natural and almost painted quality. It is the kind of lighting I favor most in cinematography, as it allows the audience to feel more engaged with the story. At least, it does for me. 

The Burnt Orange Heresy is a tense, well-crafted, and engaging drama that will have you hooked within the first five minutes. If you’re looking for a decent thriller about artists and their work, this is one piece worth contemplating. Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Robocop Remake Showdown

 

The original Robocop, released in 1987, is one of the most incredible and influential science-fiction cinema works ever crafted. An action-driven satirical commentary on the dangers of privatization, the film boasts a wide variety of brilliant writing, expert direction, spectacular special effects, and a profound & impactful story that drives home the inhumanity of corporations while showcasing the true nature of humanity itself. Showing that even when you've lost your body, you are still human if you have a free-thinking mind. 

However, the remake released in 2014 is a shining example of modern Hollywood not getting the message. 

The simplest way to describe the two films' primary differences in as few words as possible is the difference between grit vs. polish, commitment vs. safety, and intelligence vs. stupidity.  The 2014 remake is a prime example of what happens when Hollywood prioritizes name recognition over compelling content. Let's start with the basics. 

The Story 

While both films share a general plot and a few story beats, they are not the same. The 2014 remake was most likely a completely different script entirely, and the Studio superimposed the Robocop title onto it purely for name recognition. I assure you, it would not be the first time that happened. 

The original Robocop featured a script committed to telling a story full of moral ambiguity, brutal criticism of corporate business practices, and satirical observation of the human condition. It showed audiences what the Nation would be like if we continued to subscribe to the idea of treating America like a business. By allowing private interest control of our security, in this case, the Police force, we have effectively surrendered our civil liberties in exchange for the illusion of safety. Sound familiar? 

On the other hand, the remake chooses to abandon any amount of creative moral ambiguity of any kind, preferring to cram in as many variations of Saturday morning cartoon villains nagging over Drone war fair rights. Instead of intelligent satire, the remake likes giving first-grade lectures about evil corporations and the human soul's invincible power. It's downright insulting just how stupid the movie thinks the audience is. 

Presentation 

Aesthetics mean a great deal in a film, as they can dictate how a movie feels and how the audience will react to it. The people behind the original Robocop, especially director Paul Verhoeven, realized this and applied aesthetics that best suited the film's tone and directing. The production design conveyed a dirty and gritty world, only further exemplified by the film grain from the capture format. The violence is brutal and harsh, as it should be due to the tone of the story. When you see the world presented in the original Robocop, there is no doubt in your mind that it is a harsh and cruel world that needs a new kind of hero. 

On the other hand, when compared to the remake, you find yourself questioning why Robocop even needs to be there. The world, as presented in the remake, is too clean, slick, and shiny. Nothing about the production design, environments, and mostly the capture format conveys a world that is so desperate for a new hero, let alone an Uber powerful one as Robocop. Because the remake's presentation feels so familiar and polished, there is no feeling of desperation for a hero. In case you are wondering, I am excluding the Marvel movies because their sleek style is part of their identity, and has been from the very beginning. 

Main Character 

Alex Murphy, the man who becomes Robocop, is a simple guy who becomes a Police Officer out of a desire to help people. He has a wife and child, a best friend on the force, and an appreciation for old-fashioned cowboys. While these properties of the character are present in both versions of the film, the original 1987 incarnation is not only more relatable and sympathetic, but the actor portraying him is and always will be a far superior performer. 

Peter Weller, the original Robocop, put a tremendous amount of effort into bringing his character to life. He trained with a professional dancer to learn how to move like a Robot correctly. He practiced various vocal performance styles to accommodate for half of his face covered for most of the film, and he possesses the emotional range necessary to portray a man rediscovering his humanity. In short, it's damn near Shakespearean. 

Joel Kinnaman, who played Robocop in the remake, is hands down the most boring, lifeless, and whiney version of Robocop I have ever seen. Kinnaman has no sense of range. He doesn't make any effort to change his physical movement from being part-robot. Worst of all, he demanded that he not have his helmet on for most of the film because he could not perform with his face covered at all times. Joel Kinnaman is better suited for television acting, and there is nothing wrong with that. 

There is no beating around the bush about this, my beautiful readers. The 2014 remake of Robocop is an absolute disaster in every way. It fails to understand the original's heart, treats its audience like total idiots, and offers nothing new or substantial to an already powerful story. If you still haven't seen the original yet, please get right on that. Avoid the remake at all costs. Don't even buy it for a dollar. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Adopt a Highway - A film after my own heart

 

Stream it on STARZ and STARZ via Amazon. 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV. 

Minimalistic dramas are probably the most challenging kind of stories to tell. They require expert craftsmanship, committed performances, and a visual style that feels real while maintaining individual flair. All of these elements demand the utmost professional level of quality to deliver a compelling story worthy of any audience investment of time. When done right, it can transform a simple film into a genuinely great one. Such is the case with today's movie, Adopt a Highway, which, had I seen it when it came out last year, would have been a firm contender for my best film of 2019. 

The story follows a middle-aged man named Russell (Ethan Hawke). Recently released from prison after serving twenty years for his third offense, Russell is doing his best to get by with a sturdy job at a local Burger joint. One night, as he is closing the shop, something happens to him that will change his life forever. While taking out the garbage, Russell finds an abandoned baby girl, no more than a few months old, inside the dumpster with only a note proclaiming her name. Uncertain of what to do, Russell does what any person in their right mind should do and rescues the child. Russell takes her to his temporary home and contemplates keeping her to raise as his own. However, this idea goes out the window when he realizes that taking in a baby that is not your own is technically kidnapping even under these extreme circumstances. Now, Russell must figure out a way to save himself from yet another criminal offense while ensuring this little girl gets a chance to thrive. 

Adopt a Highway is a heartwarming movie through and through. Aside from the expected tension that comes from suddenly taking care of a lost baby, the story succeeds in providing relevant social commentary on our prison system. A shining example of this is when Russell is on his last parole legs and must hand in his paperwork via email. Except, he has never had an email account before, let alone used the internet, implying a severe lack of education or empathy within the system. Under most circumstances, this would not likely be a big deal. However, when you come to realize why Russell was in prison in the first place, and you see how sympathetic he is, you quickly realize that something is wrong with the system. 

Ethan Hawke delivers his usual professional level of quality to his performance. He makes his character so likable and sympathetic that you want him to have the opportunity to raise this lost little girl. Ethan Hawke has always been an enjoyable talent ever since his break-out Oscar-nominated performance in Training Day. I have yet to see a movie he was in, other than The Purge, that I haven't liked or felt his performance was lacking somehow. 

Logan Marshall-Green, whom some of you may recall as the leading man in the 2018 sci-fi masterpiece Upgrade, makes his writer/director debut with Adopt a Highway, and he hits it right out of the park. His dialogue feels natural, his sense of framing is spot-on, and his ability with actors is damn near profound. I mean, given that he is also an actor himself, I'm not all that surprised, but still. If this is the level of quality I can expect from this guy, I cannot wait to see what he will do next. 

Adopt a Highway is a hidden gem of a film. I deeply regret not knowing about this movie when it was initially released. Had I learned about this film back then, I would have demanded that you see it in theaters if it played near you. Therefore, to make up for the lost time, I encourage you to watch this film this very second. I assure you, it will make your day. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Remakes and Do-Overs

 

Hey everyone, 

I've had something on my mind I have wanted to talk about for a while now. It has to do with my opinions on remakes, reboots, and other such Hollywood practices that start with "re." Some are good, most are terrible, and many of them have no purpose of existing other than cashing in on nostalgia value. 

The biggest problem with this situation, arguably, is that they are only remaking movies that were already well crafted in the first place. The purpose of a remake is to do something better than before, to enhance rather than merely retread. Therefore, it stands to reason that it would make more sense to remake films that were bad and make them better, rather than rehashing the ones that are already recognized as masterpieces. 

Therefore, I have decided to pick a few remakes of classic films that I think were utterly unnecessary and explain why. Also, I will take a few movies that I like, but are not as good as they deserved to be, and explain why I would love to see a remake of it. As always, I am open to suggestions. If you know of a remake that you despise or thought was better than the original, please let me know. 

You can leave a comment here on my blog, on my Facebook page, or email at normanlucecinema@gmail.com 

Let's explore the wide world of remakes together. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Readers Request - Portrait of a Lady on Fire

 

Stream it on Hulu. 

Rent it on Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV. 

French Cinema has a long and glorious history. After all, one of the earliest filmmakers who pioneered movie magic was a French magician named Georges Méliès, whom some of you may recall portrayed by Sir Ben Kingsly in the Martin Scorsese picture Hugo. One aspect of French Cinema that seems to make it stand out more is how "flexible" it can be with traditional filmmaking guidelines. While stories will generally have a beginning, middle, and end, renowned French director Jean-Luc Godard once stated that they don't have to be in that order. Which has prompted Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright David Mammet to respond with, "...that's why French films are so F-ing boring." While I respectfully disagree with Mr. Mammet, I can understand his position. Most non-American Cinema has different expectations of their audiences. As such, viewing a foreign-language film without proper cultural or historical context can be daunting. Today's film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, while gorgeous in its own right, it will not become a new favorite of mine anytime soon. Not out of dislike for the film, but rather out of personal preference. 

Taking place in the eighteenth-century on a small island in Brittany, the story follows a painter named Marianne (Noémie Merlant), who is preparing to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman named Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Héloïse is not happy with being pushed into an arranged marriage and protests by refusing to pose for a portrait, causing Marianne to improvise by accompanying Héloïse on her regular walks on the Beach, picking up pieces of her likeness to apply to the painting. Over time, the two women develop a friendship only for it to evolve into passionate love. Having found each other, they must now come to terms with the inevitable truth that their union will only be temporary. 

For the most part, I much appreciated this film. It tackles a few social and feminist issues that I care deeply about, and it does so in a somewhat intriguing way. Although, to be honest, some of its artistic choices did not meld well with me, and I will discuss that in greater detail in a moment. 

Visually, the film is gorgeous. Aside from the French coast's glorious landscape shots and the elegant sets, the film's use of color is staggering. The first thing that stuck out to me was the shade of Blue in the Ocean. It was almost a light and seemingly transparent hue that I can't recall ever seeing before. Things like that stem from the film's stark use of color, as it does its best to replicate the color style found in eighteenth-century paintings. 

Furthermore, this is a film that relies heavily on the performance of the cast. Primarily consisting of only a handful of characters, the vast majority of them women, they all provide remarkable and convicted performances. The chemistry between the two leads is, hands-down, the best aspect of the film. I hope to see both of these talented women again in another movie. 

My only issue with the film is that of personal preference. The overall tone and pacing of the film maintains a deliberately slow and meditative mood, which, while understandable, is not my cup of tea. In my opinion, if you're going to make a film that mainly consists of a handful of characters predominantly driven by dialogue and performance, it should be executed in a manner that creates a sense of motion through camera work and editing. While there is a great deal of camera movement in the film, a lot of it consists of slow pan shots. I'm not saying that the film needed shaky-cam, not at all, but I could not help but feel that the lack of compelling movement caused the film to feel a bit monotone. At least to me. 

This notion gets further exacerbated by the sound design and the lack of score. There are too many moments of silence in this movie. Even when characters talk to each other, there is hardly any atmosphere conveyed in something like simple background sounds, save for the overwhelming roar of the Ocean. I do not doubt that these choices were deliberate and intended to give a specific mood, which I understand; I tend to prefer that there be some sense of motion even in slower stories such as this. I'm not saying the film needed explosions; I am not that dense. I'm just not fond of too much silence in my movies. 

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an elegant film through and through. It has compelling characters, jaw-dropping visuals, and a relevant narrative. The only reason it will not become my new favorite is purely for personal preferences, which I must emphasize are purely my own and are not intended to be taken as definitive nor dogmatic. While I cannot say I thoroughly enjoyed this film, I can say that I appreciated it. I wholeheartedly recommend you check this one out for yourself. It has a certain je ne sais quoi to it. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Retro Review - Harry and the Hendersons

 

Rent it on Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play. 

Imagine you're a kid, and you are visiting a lovely little bakery in your home town. The master baker crafts a special cupcake for you, and it is exquisite. At that age, you mainly focus on the sweetness and the simple fact that it's a cupcake. Anything else about its creation likely goes over your head. It's not until you get a little older and a bit more mature and return to that same bakery to enjoy that lovely cupcake again that you gain a better appreciation for how much effort goes into making even the simplest treats. You also get to know the baker, learn about what makes him/her enjoy baking so much, and how they turned to the craft to better the human condition. Suddenly, that cupcake you remember enjoying as a kid has a much more profound impact. So when you want that same cupcake again as an adult, it suddenly tastes even better than before. Such is the case with one of my favorite films from my childhood, Harry and the Hendersons. I have always been fond of this movie and grew a deeper appreciation for it well into adulthood. 

The story follows a family of four returning home from a camping trip. George (John Lithgow), the father, is an expert hunter and marksman. While he is not necessarily a complete "alpha-male" jerk, he isn't entirely sympathetic towards the creatures he kills. That is until George accidentally hits a strange and massive beast with his car. Upon closer inspection, he discovers that he hit none other than the legendary Bigfoot. Uncertain/unsympathetic of the creature's well being, George convinces his family to take it home for fame and fortune. Once they arrive, Bigfoot turns out to be alive and well and wreaks havoc on their house. Despite the chaos of the moment, George and his family learn a great deal about Bigfoot: he's intelligent, a vegetarian, and sympathetic towards other animals, as evidenced by Bigfoot burying the taxidermied animal heads found throughout George's house. Upon witnessing this display of empathy, George has an epiphany of sorts and realizes the error of his ways. He is sparking a friendship between himself and Bigfoot and the rest of his family, gives him the name Harry, and even consider keeping him around as a member of the family. However, that idea goes out the window when they discover another expert hunter on the Bigfoots trail. Now, George and his family must do the right thing and return Harry to his home in the woods. The only question is, will they succeed before the hunter finds him first? 

This beautiful story's overarching theme is empathy, learning to care for something or someone by obtaining a better understanding of their perspective. There's also some commentary on the dangers of jumping to assumptions with a little anti-gun mentality for good measure. There isn't a "villain" per se; instead, the story's antagonistic force is, arguably, fear itself. Those who do embody more antagonistic tendencies are won-over by example rather than defeated. It's a beautiful demonstration of how setting a good example can have a lasting effect on the young and the old. 

Another prominent feature of the film is the incredible creature effects. Like most memorable films of the 1980s, Harry and the Hendersons brings the legendary Bigfoot to life with practical effects. A combination of traditional body-suit costuming accompanied by an animatronic helmet. Special make-up effects artist Rick Baker was the creative mind behind Harry's costume and mask development. Incidentally, Harry and the Hendersons earned Rick Baker his second Oscar. The gentleman who had the honor of dawning Harry's costume is actor Kevin Peter Hall. A giant of a man who stood over seven feet tall. Some may recall Kevin Peter Hall as The Predator in the original 1987 film and the 1990 sequel. Sadly, Kevin Peter Hall passed away in 1991, though his legacy as the loveable giant Harry will always live in the hearts of those who see the film. 

I've always noticed something new that I never have before in all of my years watching this film. For example, minor spoilers, there is a scene when a police car accidentally crashes into an electronics shop with a bunch of televisions playing the local news. The moment before the car crashes in the window, there is a billboard advertisement for seat belt safety located in the foreground, featuring the iconic Crash Test Dummies that took the world by storm. Then, when they crash through the window, one of the televisions lands on the car's hood, playing one of the many commercials featuring the Crash Test Dummies. I only noticed the clever joke when I recently watched the movie again for this retro review. I do not doubt that when I see the film once more, I'll catch something else. 

Harry and the Hendersons is the quintessential "feel-good" movie. Its lovable characters, charming story, and heartfelt message about empathy and compassion, along with its expert delivery, makes this film a classic in every way. If you have not yet seen this piece of golden cinema, I encourage you to take some time out of your day and give it a look. I promise that it just might make your day. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.