WHY RUN A BLOG THAT GIVES AWAY THE END OF EVERY MOVIE?

I remember the first time somebody spoiled a movie ending for me.  It was 1980, and I was excited to see The Empire Strikes Back for the first time.  I have been blessed with two of the greatest parents in the world.  But one of my father’s traits is that he will not wait on line for anything.  If Warren Buffett were personally handing out a million dollars to people in a queue, my dad wouldn’t wait in line for ten minutes to get his free money.

There was no way my folks were going to take me to The Empire Strikes Back on its opening weekend.  The lines were around the block.

My friend Bobby’s father, by contrast, was a man of infinite patience.  Bobby saw the movie on the day it opened.  And the next day he let it slip: Darth Vader told Luke Skywalker that he was Luke’s father!

Oh, how this changed the movie for me.  Two weeks later, when my dad finally relented and took me to the theater, I watched the whole film with a cloud hanging over me.  I knew the surprise twist at the end.  All through the movie, I kept thinking: why would Vader do that if he’s Luke’s dad?  Today, of course, I get it.  Vader had real patience.  There is a time keep things hidden – and a time to reveal them.  And if you’re a movie villain, the time to reveal things is the end of the film!

The truth is that knowing the end of the movie didn’t ruin it.  In fact, it provided clarity to the narrative arc.  One of the reasons I watch movies is to be surprised.  But I watch a lot of movies twice – or more often – to see the deeper meanings that become clear only when the entirety of the work is understood.  I am not alone.  How many people have seen The Sixth Sense only once?  How many more, like me, couldn’t wait to watch it a second time?

Most film criticism is based on the premise that a movie can be properly analyzed without a review of its final act.  To me, that’s crazy.  Often, after watching a film, I read – or re-read – some reviews.  Again, I know many others who do the same.  Where are the reviews for us?  Where are the reviews for people who have already seen the movie?

The answer is right here, at PapaVader.

Of course, you’ve already guessed that PapaVader is named after the reveal of all reveals in my movie-going life.  The playful name also hints at what you can expect here.  We will deal mostly with “movies,” those fun things you like to see that give you happiness and escape.  Sometimes we will deal with “films,” those serious works meant to educate and elevate.  In all cases, we will try to keep a sense of humor and to provide the full picture.

In this endeavor, I am not alone.  I have partnered with Alex Sukhoy, a generous friend and collaborator who also happens to be a top-notch screenwriter, critic, and film professor.

We hope that you like the blog and that you’ll offer your own comments and insights.