Good things come in small cinematic packages
August 8, 2003 | 12:00am
Last year’s mega hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding broke box office records as the highest grossing romantic-comedy, and most importantly, was the fifth highest grossing movie of 2002; just behind such giants as Spider-Man, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The film, which was budgeted at just $5 million, earned a staggering $240 million in the US alone. Its word-of-mouth campaign succeeded despite its lack of studio advertising and opened new doors for other indie films. This summer, indie films, documentaries and foreign films are everywhere and earning big, even without help from big-named studios. Here are a few of the most recent:
Bowling for Columbine – Provocateur Michael Moore went up the stage during the 75th Academy Awards last March to claim his Best Documentary Oscar for Bowling for Columbine. He received the trophy, and then, during his acceptance speech, bashed President Bush for starting the war against Iraq. The audience jeered, and few cheered. How was it that the same voting body that awarded him this honor for his controversial and provocative documentary were booing him for being controversial and provocative himself? And when he went backstage for his press statements, the media gave him a standing ovation. Well, despite what the hypocrites of Hollywood say, Moore still got the last laugh, as his documentary about gun culture in America received positive reviews and earned a record-setting $21 million plus.
Winged Migration – It’s amazing how something so simple can turn into something so special. Nominated for Best Documentary at the 75th Academy Awards, this film about birds migrating may sound boring, but its breathtaking shots and dazzling visuals may make you believe that the director used special effects, despite the disclaimer during the opening credits. The stunning shots of different species of birds are simply astounding; the elegant camerawork and cinematography are so gorgeous you feel as if you’re flying with their flock. And in just 150 theaters in the US, it has already raked in $7 million. If there would be one documentary that would be the exact definition of art and beauty, Winged Migration would be it.
Spellbound – Can you spell "hit"? The answer: S-P-E-L-L-B-O-U-N-D. This was another Oscar-nominated doc last March, this time about a group of kids and their trials and tribulations about being in the National Spelling Bee. The kids, coming from very different backgrounds, reveal an emotional, very human story behind the contest. (Can you believe the National Spelling Bee is actually shown on ESPN?) Touching, moving, and at times exciting and poignant, this documentary is E-X-C-E-L-L-E-N-T.
Capturing the Friedmans – This Sundance-winning documentary about a Long Island family entangled in a pedophilia scandal may not sound like the ideal popcorn-summer fare, yet this gripping doc has managed – in a puny 75 cinemas – to earn almost $3 million. Devastating, haunting and riveting, this is one piece of cinematic brilliance.
28 Days Later – Budgeted at just about $8 million and has already taken in $40 million, this terrifying surprise hit from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle is about a small group of people in London who survive a deadly virus that has wiped out most of the earth’s population. The virus, which was accidentally released by an animal rights group, turns people into zombie-like creatures. Unsettling, at times disturbing, this is definitely one of the most frightening films of the year.
Whale Rider – This summer, we’ve seen a number of girl power movies such as Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, The Lizzie McGuire Movie and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. Another one that could be added to that list (and undoubtedly is the most intellectual) is Whale Rider, a feel-good drama based on the beloved novel by Witi Ihimaera. It revolves around Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a New Zealand tribe who believes that she’s destined to become the tribe’s new chief. Her grandfather Koro, however, is bound to traditional and wants to pick a male leader, so Pai sets out to prove to him and the whole tribe that she is worthy of the position. This is one uplifting, inspiring, touching film that will leave you cheering.
Bend It Like Beckham – A delightful British treat, Bend It Like Beckham could probably be renamed as My Big Fat Indian Soccer Game. Jess, an Indian girl who lives with her family in Britain, is obsessed with soccer and soccer star David Beckham and dreams of playing with the pros. But her family, who is more occupied with finding her a husband and making sure she knows how to cook curry, says that this is the wrong path to pursue. Clever, charming and witty, this teenage coming-of-age comedy follows in the footsteps of Billy Elliot and About a Boy as a great British film. (David Beckham himself and his wife Victoria, a.k.a. Posh Spice, have cameos in the movie.
The Magdalene Sisters – Strong controversy has already sprouted from the release of this award-winning, critically-acclaimed film based upon events in the Magdalene Sisterhood convent during the 1960s. The story is about four young women banished by the Catholic Church to wash away their sins in the convent. At the hands of the nuns, the girls are abused, both physically and emotionally, and unbearable cruelty occurs. Criticized by many Christian groups for "attacking Catholicism," The Magdalene Sisters has received top honors at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and has been praised by critics for its "powerful" and "devastating" portrayal of the matter.
It’s usually independent films that turn out to be better than the big-budget types; indie filmmakers are willing and courageous enough to take risks and aren’t yet corrupted by what prominent studios like Universal or Warner Bros. are after: money. Independent films prove that some corrupt producers and directors in Hollywood really don’t deserve to be where they are. Maybe the producer of Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life?
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