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4 The Clackamas Print Wednesday, April. 20, 2011 aced@clackamas. edu ‘Conspirator’ unfolds histor By John Simmons s I Copy Editor Few films these days seem have any sort of.merit to them. We are so constantly bombarded with such drivel as “Grown Ups” and “Sex and the City 2” that we for get what a good movie looks like. But that’s where “The Conspirator’ ’ sweeps in and reminds us all that film companies can, indeed, still achieve excellence. “The Conspirator’ ’ is the debut film of the American Film Company, which produces feature films on true stories from American history. The company believes that real life is often more compelling than fiction, and I for one, have to agree with them. Highlighting a dark time in our nation’s past and the past of our judi cial system, the film tells the story of Mary Surratt (Robin Wright), the only woman charged as a co conspirator in the Abraham Lincoln assassination and the first woman to be executed by the United States fed eral government Mary was the pro prietor of the boarding house where several of the conspirators had stayed leading up to the assassination and was the mother of conspirator John Surratt The story begins with the Lincoln assassination itself and then proceeds from there, focusing mainly on the trial of Mary. She is given a military tribunal rather than a civilian trial, and her judges are all men who served under Lincoln. Senator Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) believes Maty should not be tried in a military trial but could not take the case himself because he was a Southerner and would nega tively impact her case as a result, so he has Ins mentee Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), a Union war-hero, take it. Frederick is reluctant at best because of the crimes she is accused of and the damage it may do to his career, but he eventually agrees. As the film progresses it becomes more and more apparent that the evidence against Mary is largely cir cumstantial: a picture of John Wilkes Booth found in her boarding home, an account of a private conversation with a known drunk in which she allegedly made some incriminating remarks, her failure to recognize at night a man who had been staying in her boarding house in disguise and under a false name. Unfortunately for Mary and her lawyer, the jury had already made up their minds on the subject of her guilt The worst part of it all is not that she was executed but that there was no way of proving she was guilty. She was convicted as a scapegoat for her son’s crimes and died for no reason other than to appease the bloodlust of a grieving nation. Overall, die acting in “The Conspirator” is strong. McAvoy proved to be a pleasant surprise. I was a little dubious about whether he could handle a leading role as I have not seen him in anything big, but he certainly rose to the occasion. His scenes with Wright are very touching at times, and his courtroom speeches are some of the best in the film. Wright is the one who truly shined, though. She is amazing in her role and brings such poise and devotion to the character of Mary that it is hard not to be in awe every time she’s on camera. Although she wasn’t the main character, Wright carried the film. It was her power ful and moving performance that brought true emotional weight to the movie. There were a few casting deci sions that I found odd, such as Justin Long and Alexis Bledel as Frederick’s best friend and wife, respectively. They are both fine actors in their own right, but I felt that they (especially Long) did not suit the mood or intensity required for the film. Despite those poor casting choic es, the cast as a whole succeeded in bringing history to fife, which is hard to do. At times I was on the edge of my seat as the action unfolded, caught up in every word o trial and anxiously hoping thing Frederick said would impact on the tribunal an them in her favor. For most of the film I w lutely infuriated about the I of it all, which is a testa the script writing, the act the directing (done by thJ actor Robert Redford. . >und| Sundance Film Festival). I A movie has not affect«! this in a very long time, andl the theater was inspired lol into the world and do soim help bring an end to injusd this. That’s when you kn have a good film on you when it ¿uly inspires you to 11 $ ût ¡5 le Students recommend top ten best movies you ’ve never se MEL By Brittany Anderson The Clackamas Print Have you ever been told to see a movie but never got around to it? Most of us forget or simply get too busy. Others blow the sug gestion off; but should you? What makes a movie so great that everyone needs to see it? And what movies make this fist? Digital Multimedia Communications instructor Thomas Wasson is hoping that some will look in to the tollowing: “Street of Crocodiles,” by the Quay Brothers;- “Madame Putli,” made in 2007 by Lavis and Szczerbowski; “A Movie,” by Bruce Connor, “Scorpio Rising,” by Kenneth Anger and ‘Teter and the Wolf” the 2006 version by Susie Templeten. The above movies are all animated. “I’m kind of a geek when it comes to the obscure animated films,” Wasson said. “Most of these are masterpieces and should be watched. They fit in this area of film. It’s like an experimental area that expands your mind. They will change your entire concept of what a movie is.” Some have a quite different view of what the greatest movies that most have never seen are. Some, like Clackamas Community College student Jessica Porter, said, “I don’t watch too many movies, but I’ve nSver got ten to the end of‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’” Other CCC students such as Trent Beaver, Ethan Reviere, Anthony Headrick and Aria Kjelland were able to come up with a list of 12 fantastic movies in a matter of minutes. Headrick said, “Anything by Gene Wilder or Mel Brooks should be on the list” The top ten best movies most people have JOHN RICK BROOKS CANDY MOHINI! MIL BROOKS' MGM Studios never seen are: “This is Spinal Tap,” a mockumentary film about a band trying to make it big and their adventures while on tour. “The Princess Bride,” a positively hilari ous story. Mix together several bandits, a pirate, true love, revenge, a big-headed prince and his unwilling princess, and you know something great is to come. “Space Balls,” a “Star Wars” spoof where in a princess is captured and one man and his loveable companion are her and her world’s ^nlyhope. “Donnie Darko,” a serious film that focuses on the main character and his delu sional visions. This story follows his path to find meaning and significance, along with an obsession with what the future holds. “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” por trays the story of King Arthur riding around Act 11 Communications the country side, banging coconuts together to mimic file sound of a horse and collecting Knights of the Round Table, all during his quest to find the Holy Grail. “Robin Hood Men in Tights,” a spoof of the classic story of Robin Hood: how he meets Little John, rights the kingdom and finds his true love. Chastity belt and genitalia jokes are definitely in there so get ready to laugh. “Schindler’s List,” the story of a Nazi scientist who doesn’t believe in the Nazi cause and his journey to save those he can from the horror of concentration camps. “Pulp Fiction” is an ironic mix of humor and violence. The movie has a lot of swearing, guns and everyone is set on the possession of a locked briefcase, one of which includes a crime boss and his rather violent associates. “Blazing Saddles,” a spoof western movie 1 ■ with racial tension, which goes thrJ eral movie sets and has good evil ana “Young Frankenstein,” a doctcl ashamed of his family history must! family home, which is now passel through a will. The witty word playfl out gives this clever take on “Frankl humorous, if not brilliant, feel. I “Rocky Horror Picture Show,”! of an unsuspecting engaged couplcj flat tire in the middle of nowhere. Tl upon a mansion containing a transvl his friends. When events force thefl the night, the trouble really begins. H Other movies to check out im “The Gingerdead Man,” “Strange E “Mallrats,” “Willy Wonka and the fl Factory,” “Top Gun,” “Camp ifl “Fat Camp,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” an Monkeys.”
