My June recommendation is another example because the 90's decade was a better year for movies in general. I rediscover this great but overall dark humored film while attending Blues Legend Chris Pronger's Jersey Retirement Ceremony, and after the game when I went back to me and my brother's hotel this movie suddenly appeared, and I was just blown away by how unique but also horrified through the final moments of the movie. You may find this surprising, but The Truman Show was the first ever movie I was introduced to Jim Carrey, me and my brother did go to this movie in the theaters when it was out in theaters and although as a kid, I really didn't understand the whole movie at first, now after watching the movie I was completely amazed by the concept but is also horrified at the same time. For many reasons it's kind of like how would you feel if your whole life was a TV show without you knowing it and how would you react when you realized your whole life was a lie.
He doesn't know it, but everything in Truman Burbank's (Jim Carrey) life is part of a massive TV set. Executive Producer Christof (Ed Harris) orchestrates "The Truman Show" a live broadcast of Truman's every move captured by hidden cameras. Christof tries to control Truman's mind, even removing his true love, Sylvia (Natasha McElhone), from the show replacing her with Meryl (Laura Linney). As Truman gradually discovers the truth, however, he must decide whether to act on it.
Like when I was talking about Ghostbusters in my last review. The 80's and 90's during that era they were still making fresh and new movies moreover weren't afraid to take risk and I should add the 70's as well just to be safe because let’s be honest, they still had great films like The Godfather, Taxi Driver and Star Wars plus Alien. This movie alone is, I have to say is ahead of its time because this was basically a purpose to create a reality TV, now we have shown like The Bachelor, Jersey Shore and the Kardashians but try to imagine they don't even know they're on a TV set and how would that happen if they were trapped, and to think we owe all our thanks to the creators of the Truman Show and Jim Carrey. This is one of those films I will say kind of like Westworld, where you feel like this would definitely happen in futures to come, because I always view Westworld as like Disney now where they're going to build these live like worlds where you can finally be a princess for the first time and fall in love with prince charming, while the Truman Show, I definitely believe corporate television producers will be so deranged and feel like their Gods that they will most certainly do something like this. The direction of the film I have so many questions in terms of how they were able to make this so believable and Peter Weir does such a fantastic job in making a believable world that's a fantasy world but also a Television studio like world in the background and yet we don't even see the outside world when the viewers are watching the show, and Peter Weir is the same guy who made movies with Mel Gibson Gallipoli and Harrison Ford who of course did Witness together and surprisingly did The Mosquito Coast for which I do remember watching that movie growing up and yet don't understand why Ford was deranged when he should be the hero? Either way the man retired from Hollywood in 2010 when things got s**ty, so I may have to take a trip down memory lane and re-watch some of his movies. In terms of actors really what make this movie possible is both Jim Carrey and Ed Harris who really don't have full on-screen scene together kind of like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the Godfather Part II. I think of all films I've seen of Jim Carrey's entire career this is one of his best films ever, when it comes to dramatization of a movie roles. Moreover he was a perfect actor for this role because he does such a great job playing a character whose both tragic and so cartoony that you root for him throughout the entire movie and even when he's playing for laughs he's amazing since his insanity was still in check back in the late nineties and his ability to make the film so serious that even that was just beautiful acting, and this was the same guy who never got in Academy Award for which I think is the biggest rob when it comes to actors who should of been recognized for this movie as well, but let’s face it the Oscars can't even take themselves serious even today, and sure I haven't seen this for quite a long time but even I look at this as one of Jim Carrey's best films and if I was in charge of the Oscars I would of given Carrey his award for this great performance, though it's kind of too late now because the man clearly lost his mind, but in fairness all we can do now is remember the good times of Jim Carrey's past works. Now I would go ahead and talk about Ed Harris performance, but I realized that I need to squeeze in Laura Linney and Noah Emmerich because these two helped Jim Carrey realizing he's been living a lie, also show give some credit to Paul Giamatti for also bringing out the villain side of Harris's role. Both Linney and Emmerich do such a great job playing the loved ones in Carrey's life but slowly realize that they aren't what they believe to be from some of the bizarre advertisements and being fed lines that once you get to the second act you truly see the most horrifying dread and terror you see in Jim Carrey's performance even you as in audience member are just feeling so much emotions you want to look away but you can't all because you want to see how it goes in the end. And the two of them do such a great job in trying to make Carrey believe they were trustworthy but really are not in the final frame. Ed Harris who plays the God like creator of the show does such a great job playing a man whose both charming and deceiving, but with a calm state he's just great to watch when you finally see him in the final part of the second act, then you see the more Lucifer side to him that even his staff like Paul Giamatti try to define him during the climax of the film, that it’s scary to see. The Truman Show is one of those great underrated science fiction comedy/drama's that is well made and needs to be re-discovered to be cherished again and most importantly be understood as a triumph of the human spirit. And as luck would have it this film is on both HBO Max and Hulu, so if you're having a movie night this be one of your choices.
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