Donlevy Super Triple Monday! A Tribute to Harold Ramis, Cosmos and The Room...

I've got a SUUUUPER Special Monday for you all today! Well sort of, seeing as it's just three shorter segments comprised into one. So maybe not that special. But hey, The Emporium strives for content and variety, and today you shall have both! First though, I'd like to start off on a more sombre tone. Something that I neglected to talk about last week, and by now I'm assuming most of you have heard of, was the passing of one of the greats: Harold Ramis, on February 24, at the age of 69. Yeah, 2014 has not been a very happy year so far.

The news of Harold Ramis' passing struck me harder than I would've thought. Mostly because the movies he's directed or starred in are some of the most memorable films of my youth, and realistically speaking, of the past few decades. So in respect, here are a few of the notable movies that Ramis made better, and I think you definitely need to see if you have not already.

Stripes

Starring Bill Murray and Ramis, with writing credit from the latter, Stripes is a military-based comedy with some of the most memorable quotes and scenes I know of. Absolutely humorous, witty and charming, and not without some parody, Stripes is a must watch, if also to see a breakthrough performance by John Candy as well.

Caddyshack

Directed and co-written by Ramis, Caddyshack is goofy, crude and funny as hell. The first feature film directed by Harold Ramis, it stars Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, and of course, Bill Murray. It's another movie with an endless stream of quotable lines, and one with a propensity for some slapstick humour thrown in. I recommend this movie for the gopher alone.
 
Groundhog Day

Speaking of rodents and Bill Murray...
Once again directed by Ramis, Groundhog Day is awesome. Bill Murray is at the top of his game in an endless cycle of Groundhog Day in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. There's never a dull moment in this movie, and it's pace and writing are fantastic. I won't spoil this movie at all. A must see.


Ghostbusters

You're goddamn right. The legacy of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, and Ramis' Egon Spengler is the definition of timeless and memorable. I don't have anything else to say about freaking Ghostbusters, other than...nope, got nothing. It's Ghostbusters. It's amazing. It's a part of many people's childhood that never really leaves them. Losing a Ghostbuster is like losing an old friend, and to that I say: Farewell Egon. Your proton pack shall remain always at the ready.

Rest in Peace, Harold Ramis.

Right, on to something else now. And actually, it's time for something a little different! This Emporium on Mondays is mostly for movies and such, so I've been reluctant to get into anything TV-related because it's so vast, and there's already lots to mention. But, last night was a special occasion that I can't really pass up! The first part of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey aired, and given it's precedent, hell yeah it's worth talking about!

Hosted by the awesome astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and produced by Seth MacFarlane, this iteration of Cosmos is the successor to Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, and as such, has quite a bit to live up to. The original Cosmos is a wonderful and significant journey to the stars for people of all ages, and made even more memorable thanks to the incredibly influential Carl Sagan as the host. Sagan brought the mysteries of space and time into the lives of people everywhere, and his legacy is still at the forefront today. A Spacetime Odyssey, and Tyson himself, make mention of Sagan's journey and Voyage in a heartfelt and honourable manner, and there is a great amount of respect and admiration found throughout Odyssey for him and his legacy.

A Spacetime Odyssey is keen to make one point clear right away: Earth, and particularly it's inhabitants, are microscopically small and almost insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe. Yet, it does not shy away from how important an introspective look at humanity is to how we perceive and think about the cosmos. Understandably, the first part of the series focuses on our Cosmic Address, and how the solar system and humans came into being. Using a "Spaceship of Imagination," Tyson guides us through the reaches of our local space, in a visually stunning and magnificent display of scope and grandeur. Returning to Earth, Tyson presents us with a Cosmic Calendar, which details and highlights the time in which the universe and it's contents formed, by using a scaled Calendar for a point of reference. What results is a fantastic and slightly overwhelming look at how we got to where we are, as we stand on midnight of December 31, with the Big Bang having been January 1st. As Tyson describes,  humanity only evolved in the last few minutes of the final hour of the Cosmic Calendar. The perspective is monumental.

A portion of the first part focuses on the life of one Giordano Bruno, a man from the 16th century whose vision of the stars far from Earth spurned the wrath of colleagues and the Church. This is all told in a unique animation that doesn't shy away from expressing the thoughts and brutality of the people of the time. It's very interesting, and even though it seems maybe a little out of place when compared to the scope of it all, the lesson and history that it provides is hugely important to how we view the cosmos today. And that's where the first part ends, though not before Tyson shares a bit of personal history with Sagan, which makes for a really good end that connects and establishes both the scope and personal links that bind the shows and the viewers together. It's ultimately a very, very well done episode for what is sure to be an awesome series, so look forward to Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey in the near future!

And lastly....(yes I'm just jumping all over the place today. I have a lot I want to talk about!)

 

Okay I know what you're all thinking, but no, I am NOT reviewing The Room. No. I will not. I can't. 

"But Donlevy, why are you even mentioning The Room? Why in the name of Wiseau are you bringing this up so suddenly and randomly?"

Well since you may or may not have asked, I am bringing up The Room because I recently had an experience with it. An experience I can describe as...an out of body experience, mixed with audience participation involving good friends, plus a couple of beers.

See I'm not "reviewing" The Room because, one, I literally do not have words to describe it other than that it's "The Room," and secondly, because it's an event unto itself that is better witnessed firsthand than described.

The Room is often regarded as the worst film ever made. I have no comment on this, other than that this...whatever it is...exhibits signs of not really being a movie at all. And yet, it is also possibly the greatest achievement in our history. It is so much not a movie that it becomes something else entirely. A reflection of why we do things. Why lovers cheat. Why pictures of spoons exist, and why....
WHY IS DENNY DOING DRUGS?
WHY IS HE NOW IN A PILLOW FIGHT?
WHY IS HE HERE!?!
HI DENNY!!
BYE DENNY!

My god that must have been a quick walk to the police station.
Breast cancer? No, that's not something to worry about at all.
Hey, why not just enter through the front door! I mean, you apparently don't have a kitchen. Do you get your various food and beverages from across the street?
Oh hai Mark.

I apologize, I lost my mind there for a second. Really though, The Room is something else. It's also entirely hysterical with the right group of people. I witnessed The Room in a theatre setting, with spoon throwing and football tossing included. Together, we all became a part of the movie, chanting a pan shot of the Golden Gate Bridge, waving bye to Denny, and gleefully mocking the re-used shots and strange logistics of the love scenes.

Did any of that make sense? No? Than you're in the right mindset to see this movie. A few drinks couldn't hurt either.

And lest I injure myself passing a football around for less than a minute, I will see you all Friday.