Robin Williams Tribute Month: Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

It's an accomplishment for any actor to create a truely memorable character. But it's even more astounding to have a male actor playing a male actor create a memorable female character. That's right, I'm talking about the ultimate 'Act-ception' movie, Mrs. Doubtfire.

The classic 90s comedy from Chris Columbus is still as fresh as ever, managing to keep me laughing in stitches all the way through, even on the one-millionth viewing. I dare say it has some of the most hilarious lines and funniest montages in history, and watching Robin Williams dressed as an elderly Scottish nanny beating a criminal away with her handbag never gets old.

Many would consider this to be Robin Williams best film. I think if you treat his comedic and his dramatic performances seperately then this quite probably is the best comedy he every did, but as we've found out over the tribute month, he starred in a wide array of classics. However this could well have been one of the most challenging roles for him. Consider yourself as a short hairy American male wearing a huge body suit, women's clothes, makeup and putting on a pretty damn convincing Scottish (though she claims to be English) female accent, whilst still managing to give an outstanding performance and you'll understand Williams' feat in this movie.

This is one of those hilarious films that you don't complain about when your local TV station plays it every two weeks, because it's so accessable and never, ever seems to get old. I grew up watching this film, and I intend to grow old watching it too. It's another perfect example of the energetic, yet incredibly authentic performances that defined the career of Robin Williams.

Ed

Like with rewatching Aladdin, revisiting this movie had me in stitches. I think Williams was at the peak of his popularity, or he was just very skilled, but this period of his acting career was amazing. Maybe it's because those two movies relied so heavily on his ability as a voice actor.

A lot of this movie's greatest scenes come from Williams interactions with the other characters whilst in makeup. His insane passive-aggression toward Pierce Brosnan is hilarious and tense. His relationship with Sally Field is heartfelt and genuine. He also is a loving father who cares for his kids like the world would be nothing without them.

My favourite scenes would probably be when he interacts with his court liaison (played by Polly Holliday), both in and out of costumes. When he explains the idea of doing voices, I was laughing, but when he was making her tea as Mrs Doubtfire, I was rolling on the floor laughing.

This movie is full of pop culture references, alluding to everything from Dirty Harry to Looney Tunes. Robin Williams even says a James Bond line to the next James Bond, Pierce Brosnan.

This movie was a staple of my childhood and I love it just as much now as I did back then. This is the perfect movie to end our Robin Williams month with. I hope everyone reading this goes back and watches not just this movie, but all the ones he was in.

Jack

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

I am still undecided in my feelings toward the newest iteration of the Spider-Man film franchise. He is my favourite superhero and I grew up with the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire films. I loved those movies as a teenager because they had all the things a Spider-Man film needed. When the first of these new films came out, I was very reluctant to see it because I didn't know what they could change from before. I watched that film a week ago, so that I could understand the new angle that was being put forth and I wasn't blown away or disappointed by the film but I understood the new direction. That way was toward the comics on which it was based.

Of course there are a lot of things that has been created for the films, but the character of Peter Parker is much more like in the comics. Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) trash talks the perps he is chasing. He is fun and bubbly when he is in the suit and moody when he isn't. One aspect that Garfield doesn't really portray is the nerdiness that comes with Peter Parker, a trait that Maguire had down-pat.

In this film Peter's relationship with his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) is pushed to the limit, as Spidey promised her dying father that he wouldn't let any harm come to her. That is a one of the big themes in this film; Peter's relationships with all the other characters, whether as Peter or Spider-Man.

Of course this film also has some action in it, with some new villains as well as a new twist on an old favourite. First up is Jamie Foxx as Electro, a former Oscorp employee who gains electrical powers after an accident involving some electric eels. His genesis was very reminiscent of one of the Batman movies of the 90s, the villains were always falling in toxic chemicals back then. I feel as though Foxx wasn't able to flex his acting prowess in this film, rather just shouting through every scene.

I was also disappointed with the inclusion of Paul Giamatti as Aleksei Sytsevich or The Rhino. He appears only briefly in the film at both the beginning and the end and is underused completely, especially having such a fantastic actor as Giamatti playing him. My only hope is that he makes another appearance in the next film.

James Franco did such an amazing job as Harry Osborn and was such a good character in all three films, so I was understandably shocked with Dane DeHaan's amazing portrayal of the character. Harry is dying of a rare genetic disease which he inherited from his father Norman (Chris Cooper) and believes that Spider-Man's blood will save him. This is where the plot gets too convoluted for me. (Also quick side note before I go on, who thought it was a good idea to cast Chris Cooper as Norman Osborn. Willem Dafoe is the only person who should ever play that character).

Now, the convoluted plot elements come from including Richard and Mary Parker, Peter's parents, in this film. (Also isn't Richard Parker a tiger, or did Spidey's dad come first?) I understand putting them in the first film to make sense of Peter's relationship with The Lizard, but in this one it really just slows down the pace. There is one scene between Peter and Aunt May where bringing up his parents is needed, but that's it.

Verdict: I am still unsure what the point of having this new series of films is or what it's leading to, but these need to get a little better in the story department. We needed to see more of the Green Goblin and Rhino in their suits.

Lincoln

I went into this movie expecting standard Spielberg fare, that we have come to know of late. But I was surprised to find a film that played to filmmaker sensibilities inside me and I can see that a lot of meticulous detail went into making this film the best it could be.

We join Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) in 1865, the Civil War has been going for four years and Lincoln has just been re-elected for his second term as president. Everyone around him, including his wife Mary Todd (Sally Field) and his Secretary-of-State William Seward (David Strathairn) are urging him to make peace with the Confederacy and thus put an end to the bloody and gruesome war.

But Lincoln wishes to banish slavery forever, a condition which the Confederacy will not stand for. So before his inauguration at the end of January, Lincoln wishes to get his 13th Amendment passed in Congress, that will hopefully put an end to the war.

Before I saw this movie, I had no idea how the US Congressional process worked. Now I feel slightly informed, albeit a little confused. But like all democracy, Lincoln must have a majority vote in order to get his bill passed. He must get some votes from noncommittal Democrat congressmen, whose party is opposed to the idea of the abolition of slavery. And he will get these votes anyway he can, he's the president, damn it.

So, William Seward is entrusted the task of hiring some men to acquire these votes (played by James Spader, John Hawkes and writer/director/actor Tim Blake Nelson). These men go about their job and acquire these votes, that lead to the inevitable passing of the amendment, much to the dismay of the Vice President of the Confederacy (Jackie Earle Haley), who had been sent from the South with terms for a peace agreement.

Spielberg has formed an interesting insight into a man who died almost 150 years ago. We not only see the popular public figure that was Abraham Lincoln, but we also get a glimpse at a family man, who consoles his wife when she is sad and fights with his son, who wishes to do his bit and be a part of the fighting.

Although I have not been a fan of his work in the past, Day-Lewis has really earned the praise he has received. He has thoroughly done his job, which is convincing me that that man on the screen is a not a character, but a person. He really plays up the popular person who was Lincoln, whilst at the same time showing the personal struggles that the man went through. He deserve the Oscar for his performance.

David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatium) is excellent as Seward, a man who supports his president, but also wishes to see an end to the conflict. Tommy Lee Jones plays the man in charge of the Abolition movement and gives a stellar performance. A surprise for me was Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fresh from the success of Rian Johnson's Looper, as Robert Todd Lincoln. He played the role with conviction and showed the immense frustration felt by his character.

Steven Spielberg has helmed a masterful cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis, with the story of one of the most beloved US presidents. Even if you're not a fan of the US political system or the history of the Civil War, see this movie for the amazing performances.