Well, I was just rejected from the Northern Iowan for movie reviewing, because they already have someone to do it for them. Since this is only the second time I've applied for a position somewhere and the first I've been rejected, I feel sadder than I should.
From the archives, a review of 1981's Eye of the Needle. The review isn't as good as what I'm writing now, though it is still light years ahead of what 99.9% of college students could do.
Eye of the Needle is an unfortunately forgotten WW2 thriller that likekly couldn't be produced anymore. It was directed by Richard Marquand (Return of the Jedi) and stars Donald Sutherland as 'The Needle', a ruthless Nazi spy with intelligence so important that he is scheduled to meet with Hitler himself. First, however, he must escape England, not so easy with the authorities on his trail.
The Needle soon finds himself stranded on a small island occupied by a young couple, their son, and the drunken lighthouse keeper. The husband is distant and callous towards his wife after an accident that left him crippled, and approximately five minutes go by before his wife and the Needle are having fireside chats of the wordless variety.
Tension, excitement, and a touch of thoughtfulness are the film's strengths. Despite the length and the realization that history dictates that the Needle's mission can't possible succeed, Sutherland's chillingly sympathetic performance injects suspense into nearly every frame. The Needle is a remarkably interesting character; while he ruthlessly kills everyone from old women to soldiers to his own contact, he never seems evil. Murdering to avoid capture gives him neither pleasure nor remorse, because there is a war going on, and it is his job. One could write screenplays for a hundred years and never create such an interesting lead.
Eye of the Needle unfortunately finds its weakest points to be the ending stretch. While the film is mostly exciting and smart without being clever, the end treads ground that would have been familiar for thrillers before my parents were born. An excellent film, though not the Hitchcockian masterpiece it could have been.
3.5 out of 5
2 comments:
Were the Northern Iowan people interested in allowing you to share the position? I'll bet the guy in charge likes the current reviewer's personality. I suggest getting to know the present reviewer and get to like him whether you like him or not, then when you've gained his trust stab him in the eye with a fork. Or, better yet, very gradually begin to suggest to him that you do a "Siskel and Roper" for the Northern Iowan.
Actually, forget what I just said. The Northern Iowan sucks. Its a university newspaper, and university newspapers are usually full of crap written by under-grad kids who think they know what they are talking about but are actually still just high-school mentality idiots who perpetuate the ridiculous and evil nonsense of pop-culture and pop-politics without even trying to think or ponder or philosophize about what they are saying. You are probably better off not being associated with that. Or were you interested because you wanted to put that on a Resume some day?
I did want to write for the NI for resume purposes, but I also wanted to expose my reviews to a larger audience. I've never had more than a few people take a look, and I'd love to see what people think.
I've written things pretty well before, but I'm positive that I am good at these. Throughout my life I've typically been shitty at most of the things I actually enjoy, but this I am good at. Maybe someone else will agree...
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