When Apple Original Films shared a first look atFinch, I started mentally ticking off all the boxes for why this film was of the caliber where I’d watch it, even if it was already on for 53 minutes, with commercials and cussing-bleeped. Top of the list is Hanks. We love to watch that man struggle with grace and humor. We have a cuddly canine to project all of our fuzzy feelings on, which we usually reserve for our furry family members. Then we have our robot. NotThe Terminatorkind, theShort Circuit,WALL-Ekind. The character showing us our strange world seen through the eyes of a child. Scoop all of those cherished creatures up and toss them into a post apocalyptic world that they must survive? We never had a chance. If you haven’t see the trailer yet, here it is, so you’re able to feel me.
In theFinch trailer, we’ve got our beloved Tom Hanks, who has proven he can captivate us, all by his lonesome, inCast Away, though it could be argued that it was a buddy movie with WIlson the volleyball speaking volumes with his silence. We’ve got our Hanks up against unbeatable odds, which we love, as proven inApollo 13,Philadelphia,Joe Versus the Volcano, andThe Money PIt. His relentless optimism battling with his full grasp of the situation gives him and the audience the boost to get back on that horse. A hysterical example is this gem.
When wepair Hanks with a dog?Turner and Hoochis a buddy cop dog comedy. We’re getting warmer. Watching Hooch win Turner over, helping solve the case, becoming part of the family and then…then… let’s not think about it. Here, let’s lighten things up with Hooch’s bath time.
Next we introduce the robot, that he’s seen building, to take care of his fur babe in case he dies. He programs it to protect the dog. Come on! This is not the snarky high-strung golden robot, or the naked Schwarzenegger death machine. This cute creation is the Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy variety. The “Input” sweetie pie who wants to learn everything about our fascinating world. You saw in the trailerTom Hankswas teaching his companion contraption how to drive, right? Number 5 was learning all kinds of things inShort Circuit.
Imagine ifNumber 5was all alone on our detroyed planet. Lonesome and surrounded by destruction for hundreds of years, he discovers a visitor, and falls in love.WALL-Eis so much more than that. They make us cry over a trash compactor. And last but not least, we have a post-apocalyptic world our nearest and dearest have to endure to survive? And as if that weren’t enough, they even throw in the obligatory challenge ofThe Walking Dead,Sweet Tooth,Mad Max humans gone bad.
So many reboots and remakes announcements have folks declaring they are ruining the classics, but some of peoples' top 10 films are (unknowingly) remakes of films their grandparents cherished. Art is subjective, I know, but if a movie is good, it’s simply good. You need one of the four types of conflict to drive a story: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Society, or Man vs. Nature.Finchhas ALL OF THEM. We’re going to love it. It’s going to be a staple. It’s being released on November 5, smack in the middle of the winter holiday season, and that clinches it. Welcome to the holiday rotation,Finch. So glad you’re here.
