Fray's Movie Reviews

Beginners

2012-01-31T23:55:00.000-05:00

"Well, let's say that since you were little, you always dreamed of getting a lion. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait, and you wait but the lion doesn't come. And along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe."
"I'd wait for the lion."
"That's why I worry about you."

Oliver Fields (McGregor) is starting over after the death of his father, Hal (Plummer). Oliver adopts his father's dog, Arthur, and tries to restart his life. A few months later, he meets and falls for a free-spirited French actress, Anna (Laurent).

As he learns how to be in a relationship, he remembers his father. After the death of Oliver's mother, Georgia (Keller), his father announces that he is gay. At the age of 75, he feels he can finally embrace his true self. Hal embraces life, joining book clubs and letter writing campaigns, and falls in love with a younger man, Andy (Visnjic). Then he is disagnosed with cancer. As father and son come to terms with the prognosis, can they find love, or do they sink into misery.

I didn't expect to like this film. I thought I had it all figured out... especially after reading many negative reviews. However, the film is intriguing. You know how it ends, his father dies (it's not a spoiler, it's something you learn immediately), but the filmmakers wisely chose to tell the story in a different way. The story is told through Oliver's perspective, with him remembering his childhood with his mother and the end of his father's life. The story manages to walk the line between funny and heartbreaking, dipping into each emotion.

While the story is intriguing, not all of the characters work. Christopher Plummer shines as Hal. You know his ultimate fate, but you can't help but root for the man. People fell in love with the character and Plummer's performance, nominating him for numerous awards, including an Oscar. While Plummer is great, the most interesting character is Hal's wife Georgia, played by Mary Page Keller. I wish her character was involved in more of the film. The other great character is the dog. He is adorable and heartbreaking. Ewan McGregor carries the film well, but is not as interesting as other characters. I enjoyed Melanie Laurent in Inglorious Basterds... she is o.k. here, but I didn't love her character.

Ultimately this is the kind of film that will divide audiences, but I think everyone can agree that Christopher Plummer deserves his award show buzz.

Beginners (2010) 105 minutes
Rating: R for language and some sexual content.
Director: Mike Mills
Starring: Ewan McGregor as Oliver Fields
Christopher Plummer as Hal Fields
Melanie Laurent as Anna
Goran Visnjic as Andy
Kai Lennox as Elliot
Mary Page Keller as Georgia Fields

Bridesmaids

2012-01-29T22:38:00.000-05:00

"Do you want to tell a cop about it? We're just like priests except we would tell everybody afterwards."

Annie Walker (Wiig) is a mess. Her bakery closed, lost all of her savings, dates horrible men, and has worthless roommates (Rebel Wilson and Matt Lucas). The one bright spot in her life, is her best friend Lillian (Rudolph). When Lillian gets engaged to Dougie (Tim Heidecker), she asks Annie to be the maid of honor. At the engagement party, Annie meets the rest of the bridal party: perfect Helen (Byrne) who is married to to Dougie's boss, Lillian's cynical cousin Rita (McLendon-Covey), Lillian's newly married naive co-worker Becca (Kemper), and Dougie's raunchy sister Megan (McCarthy).

Every wedding event is a power struggle between Annie and Helen, constantly trying to out-do each other. Amid the chaos, Annie meets and charms police officer Nathan Rhoads (O'Dowd). Can Annie get her life together enough to support her friend, or will she destroy everything?

Seen as the female answer to The Hangover, this film was the R rated film of the year. It had everyone talking and proved that women can successfully headline a comedy that is not a rom com.

I was cautiously optimistic about this film... I read positive reviews, but also heard it was very raunchy. I put it in my Netflix queue, but ultimately planned to rent it from Redbox (the next time I had a free or discounted rental). Over the last few months, it has received significant awards show buzz, and my friends and roommate sang it's praises. To get a head start on my "Oscar Watch 2012" I decided to take a chance (right before the 2012 Golden Globes). I was pleasantly surprised.

It was a funny, without being insulting ... which I attribute to the writing by Groundlings alum Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, of Saturday Night Live fame. The Academy Awards have honored these women with a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The women are funny, without being completely clueless or ditzy, and unapologetic. The cast is incredible... Featuring Wiig, SNL alum Maya Rudolph (now on Up All Night), Reno 911's Wendi McLendon-Covey, The Office's Ellie Kemper, Mike & Molly's Melissa McCarthy (also known for Gilmore Girls), and Rose Byrne. The women shine and are willing to embrace physical comedy and raunchy jokes for the good of the film. The cast is great, but McCarthy steals the show, playing against type. And now she is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Wiig proves she can carry a film, without crazy over-the-top characters. While I enjoy her on 30 Rock, I prefer her toned-down roles on TV. She has proven to be a talented comedian, actress, and writer. I look forward to seeing more of her writing.

Also, the film earns it's 'R' rating, but doesn't push it to unnecessary / uncomfortable depths. A truly funny, female-driven comedy that appeals to both men and women. Check it out!

Bridesmaids (2011) 125 minutes
Rating: R for some strong sexuality, and language throughout.
Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Kristen Wiig as Annie Walker
Maya Rudolph as Lillian
Rose Byrne as Helen
Melissa McCarthy as Megan
Wendi McLendon-Covey as Rita
Ellie Kemper as Becca
Chris O'Dowd as Nathan Rhoads

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein: 400th Review

2012-01-27T23:55:00.000-05:00

FRAY'S 400TH MOVIE REVIEW*

It took 6 years, but I have finally written 400 movie reviews!

To celebrate, here is a review of a film by a well-known comedy team.
100 focused on Monty Python ... 200 featured the Marx Brothers ... and 300 highlighted Broken Lizard.
This time I went with a comedy duo, best known for a joke about baseball...

"People pay McDougal cash to come in here and get scared."
"I'm cheatin' him. I'm gettin' scared for nothin'."

Chick Young (Abbott) and Wilbur Grey (Costello) work at the railway baggage claim. They receive 2 boxes containing the new exhibits for the McDougal House of Horrors: the Frankenstein Monster (Strange) and the coffin containing Dracula's (Lugosi) remains. They deliver the boxes and Wilbur discovers that Dracula is alive. Dracula reanimates the Frankenstein Monster and takes him a castle laboratory. Dracula, with the help of Dr. Sandra Mornay (Aubert), plans to give the Monster a new brain: Wilbur's brain. Dr. Mornay is dating Wilbur.

Meanwhile, back at McDougal's House of Horror, Mr. McDougal (Ferguson) believes Chick and Wilbur stole his exhibits and has then arrested. They are baled-out by a beautiful woman, Joan (Randolph), who is the insurance agent processing McDougal's claim. And a mysterious stranger, Larry Talbot (Chaney Jr.), is trying to stop Dracula and avoid the next full moon.

That evening everyone is going to a masquerade... can Chick and Wilbur save the day, and Wilbur's brain?

*yes, I already celebrated my 400th post, but this is my 400th movie review.

I have written 418 posts.

The comedic duo of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello never fails to entertain. They are best known for the comedy routine "Who's On First?" but this is one of their best known films. Abbott & Costello have great chemistry and seem to have a blast performing together. Once again Costello is the loveable, dimwitted goof, while Abbott is the bossy, devious straight-man. As usual, the formula works well. Costello's Wilbur is easily terrified, which lends to many comic moments, especially because Abbott's Chick doesn't believe any of it.

While the film is a comedy, all of the monsters are treated with dignity and not made into caricatures (like subsequent comedy films that feature these monsters). However, horror purists don't include this film in the film cannons for each monster. Also, all three of the men portraying the monsters have portrayed the Frankenstein Monster on film. Although Bela Lugosi is best known as Dracula, this was only the second time he played the character on film.

The best film in the Abbott & Costello collection... that I have had the pleasure of seeing numerous times. It gets better with each viewing. Check it out!

Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) 83 minutes
Director: Charles Barton
Bud Abbott as Chick Young
Lou Costello as Wilbur Grey
Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man
Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
Glenn Strange as The Frankenstein Monster
Lenore Aubert as Dr. Sandra Mornay
Jane Randolph as Joan Raymond
Frank Ferguson as Mr. McDougal
Charles Bradstreet as Professor Stevens

Courageous

2012-01-22T21:49:00.004-05:00

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect.

The sheriff's in Albany, GA try to balance work with their personal lives. The sheriff encourages his deputies to spend more time with their families, based on crime statistics. Four of the deputies: Adam (Kendrick), Shane (Downes), Nathan (Bevel), and rookie David (Davies), form a tight bond both on and off the job, and spend time together. Adam employs Javier Martinez (Amaya) to help build a shed, and the two quickly become friends. Soon the deputies embrace Javier, and his family, into their group.

Adam's 9-year old daughter, Emily (Lauren Etchells), is killed in a car accident. As his family struggles to process the loss, Adam turns to the Bible for answers. He realizes he has been lacking in fatherly duties, settling for "good enough," when he could do some much more.

This is the fourth film written and directed by Alex Kendrick (Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof). Like his other films, the majority of the cast is comprised of volunteers from Sherwood Baptist Church, where he serves as a pastor. As such, the film is well done... but the acting (and occasionally the camera work) leaves much to be desired.

The filmmakers chose to focus on the spiritual / faith based aspects of the film. As a Christian, I appreciate a wholesome family that portrays Christians and Christian families in a positive light, unlike Hollywood. However, it is made for the people who already agree with it... everyone else sees it as a too-long, preachy film that is behind the times, which is unfortunate.

The focus of the film is on the role of Christian men in their families. It challenges men to step up and lead their families... As a single woman, I could appreciate the core of the film, but could not relate. In between the somber moments there are police chases and moments of laughter between friends.

A good movie that men / fathers should see... especially as they evaluate their duties as a father, husband, friend, worker, etc.

Courageous (2011) 129 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some violence and drug content
Director: Alex Kendrick
Starring: Alex Kendrick as Adam Mitchell
Ken Bevel as Nathan Hayes
Ben Davies as David Thomson
Kevin Downes as Shane Fuller
Robert Amaya as Javier Martinez
Angelita Nelson as Carmen Martinez
T.C. Stallings as T.J.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

2012-01-20T23:17:00.003-05:00

"Now remember: "Blue is glue!"."
"And red?"
"Dead."

After an important IMF mission goes wrong, they are forced to break Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) out of prison in Russia. Hunt is placed in charge of the team that extracted him: Jane Carter (Patton) and new field agent Benji Dunn (Pegg), with a new mission. They are to infiltrate the Kremlin and search the archives for the identity of "Cobalt" who killed an IMF agent.

However, before they can find the files someone else uses their radio frequency to alert the authorities. As the team scatters, a bomb destroys portions of the Kremlin. The Russians believe the bombing was an act of war by the Americans. The IMF program is shut down and the blame will be placed with Hunt's team. They are given the opportunity to clear their names, by taking down Cobalt. Cobalt is nuclear strategist Kurt Hendricks (Nyqvist), who plans to detonate a nuclear bomb.

The team, joined by analyst William Brandt (Renner), travel to Dubai to stop Hendricks... but with no help from the agency, no backup, and no plan, can they successfully accomplish their mission?

After a four year hiatus, the Mission: Impossible film series returns with a bang! Typically, by the time a film series reaches the fourth film, it is tired and bears little resemblance to the previous incarnations. However, the M:I series have mostly escaped that trend, by putting several years between films (M:I in 1996, M:I 2 in 2000, and M:I 3 in 2006) and hiring a new director for each film. Each film stands alone, while still referencing the rest the of the series, allowing a mass audience to enjoy any film.

This time the film was entrusted to Brad Bird, a man known for his work with Pixar (particularly The Incredibles). It may seem like an unconventional choice, but it works well here. Everything about the film works. The action sequences are intense, especially the scene pictured at Burj Khalifa, and still feel fresh (which is helped by the fact that the actors are mostly doing their own stunts, with minimal to no CGI interference).

The cast is great. Tom Cruise returns the iconic role of Ethan Hunt, and again performs his own stunts. He eases into the role, a little older and wearier, but still the best. Simon Pegg returns to the role of Benji, now a field agent, and provides most of the comic relief. Jeremy Renner delivers another great performance, as the mysterious Brandt, and Paula Patton holds her own among the boys. It was nice to see Michael Nyqvist, of the Swedish Girl with a Dragon Tattoo films, in an American film, and was an interesting villain. I hope to see more of this talented actor.

A fun action film, and an impressive live-action debut for Brad Bird. Check it out.

After the success of this film, I assume a 5th film will happen ... but based on the history of this series, don't look for it for at least 4 years.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence
Director: Brad Bird
Starring: Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt
Jeremy Renner as William Brandt
Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn
Paula Patton as Jane Carter
Michael Nyqvist as Kurt Hendricks
Vladimir Mashkov as Anatoly Sidorov

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

2012-01-10T22:11:00.001-05:00

"Let's talk about how many women you've been with."
"Sexually?"
"Yeah, no. I mean break-dance fighting."

Cal (Carell) is content with his life. He is married to his soul mate, Emily (Moore), who he has loved since they were teens. On date night, she drops the bomb: she has been seeing someone else and wants a divorce. He moves out of the house and drowns his sorrows at the local bar, telling anyone who will listen about his misfortune.

At the bar he attracts the attention of womanizer Jacob (Gosling). Jacob decides to make Cal his new project, giving him a new wardrobe and confidence so that Cal can win back his wife or get over her. Jacob is pursuing Hannah (Stone), a law student who is looking for a relationship, not a fling. Meanwhile, Cal's teenage son Robbie (Bobo) is in love with his babysitter, Jessica (Tipton), who has a crush on Cal. Can they all find love, or will they end up with broken hearts?

Romantic comedies have received lots of bad buzz over the years. Hollywood consistently pumps out uninspired rom coms and chick flicks... anything to attract an audience. Typically the only thing that matters are the stars of the film. Sometimes a rom com pops up that actually has a plot and is funny, like this film, but they are not the norm.

While the plot is formulaic, the main draw of the film is the chemistry of the cast. Steve Carell is invaluable as the center of the film, you root for him and his transformation. Ryan Gosling plays and steals the film... getting the best lines and reactions. Emma Stone continues to make smart career choices, playing a strong woman who isn't willing to settle. Julianne Moore starts abrasive, but grows on you over time. None of the characters are evil or menacing, and in the end everyone is happy. The only character I didn't like was Marisa Tomei, who felt wasted... based on the trailers, it seemed like she would be a larger part of the story.

The film is fun and funny, and doesn't stoop to crude humor. Check it out!

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) 118 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for coarse humor, sexual content and language.
Director: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Starring: Steve Carell as Cal Weaver
Ryan Gosling as Jacob Palmer
Julianne Moore as Emily Weaver
Emma Stone as Hannah
Analeigh Tipton as Jessica Riley
Jonah Bobo as Robbie Weaver
Joey King as Molly Weaver
Marisa Tomei as Kate
Kevin Bacon as David Lindhagen

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

2012-01-01T16:26:00.000-05:00

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

The new Santa Claus at Macy's, Kris Kringe (Gwenn), is a big hit. People flock to Macy's to tell him what they want for Christmas. And unlike other store Santa's, he tells parents where to get the best deals, even if they aren't at Macy's.

The woman who hired him, Doris Walker (O'Hara), has misgivings when she learns Kris claims to be the real Santa Claus. But psychiatrists assure her Kris is harmless. To keep up with the demands at the store, Kris moves in with Doris' neighbor and would-be suitor, lawyer Fred Gailey (Payne). Doris gives him rides to work, and he is able to spend the evening with Doris' young daughter Susan (Woods), who doesn't know how to be a child. Can Kris get Doris and Susan to believe and still make his Christmas Eve deadlines?

A Christmas favorite, that plays on TV every year... but this film is not overplayed to the point that it loses it's charms (like A Christmas Story or It's a Wonderful Life, which are excellent movies but are always on). Don't settle for any of the 4 remakes... the original (in black and white) is still the best!

Edmund Gwenn is great as Kris, truly making the audience believe he is Santa Claus. Apparently he was so convincing, Natalie Woods really thought he was Santa, until she saw him off-set. Woods gives an excellent performance, taking Susan from a no-nonsense child who doesn't know how to pretend, to a little girl desperate to believe. Maureen O'Hara is great, as usual. The film also serves as the debut of actress Thelma Ritter.

This film was so successful and beloved, it has been remade 4 times and turned into a Broadway musical. In 1955 it was turned into a 1 hour TV special, starring Thomas Mitchell (best known as Uncle Billy in another Christmas perennial: It's a Wonderful Life). In 1959, the day after Thanksgiving, it was broadcast as a live TV movie, starring Ed Wynn (best known as Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins). It debuted on Broadway, with a few minor tweaks, in 1963. In 1973 it was remade for TV, changing a few character names, and starring English actor Sebastian Cabot (best known TV's Family Affairs, and for his voice talents in countless Disney animated films). And in 1994, it returned to the big screen. The story was significantly altered and given a serious tone, starring Richard Attenborough (best known as John Hammond in the Jurassic Park films). Despite the many change-ups, the original proves superior.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) 96 minutes
Director: George Seaton
Starring: Maureen O'Hara as Doris Walker
John Payne as Fred Gailey
Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle
Gene Lockhart as Judge Henry X. Harper
Natalie Woods as Susan Walker
Porter Hall as Granville Sawyer

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

2011-12-31T23:00:00.000-05:00

"Come at once if convenient. If inconvenient, come all the same."

Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr) faces his arch nemesis: Professor James Moriarty (Harris). Moriarty is smart and intelligent, and Holmes equal in every way. When England is plagued by devastating explosions, all signs point to Moriarty. But before tackling Moriarty, Holmes has other important matters: Dr. John Watson's (Law) stag party.

At the party, Holmes rescues the gypsy fortune teller, Sim (Rapace) from an assassination attempt. The next day, after Watson's wedding, Holmes and Moriarty meet face-to-face, and Moriarty threatens Watson and his new bride, Mary (Kelly Reilly). Holmes leaves Mary in the care of his brother Mycroft (Fry), while he and Watson look for Sim, to find a way to stop Moriarty. Will they make it in time, or will Moriarty prove to be too smart / prepared for them?

This was an excellent film to see in theaters. It was a great combination of fun, adventure, suspense, etc. A successful sequel manages to build on the original story / relationships, while still crafting a new reason to check in with the characters. This film manages to do both: picking up a few months after the previous film finished and building on the characters, while still creating a brand new story / film.

Once again, the story borrows from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books, while still crafting a fresh story. Fans of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, or any of the other film / TV versions, will pick up aspects of the plot, or have an idea where the plot is heading. According to Wikipedia (which is not the most trustworthy website), there are plans to make a third Sherlock Holmes film... and I am interested to see where they go next.

Also, through the power of Netflix, I discovered the BBC show Sherlock, which re-imagines the characters in modern times. There are various film adaptations of the character, if you find yourself interested in previous incarnations.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) 129 minutes
Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes
Jude Law as Dr. John Watson
Noomi Rapace as Sim
Jared Harris as Professor Moriarty
Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes

Top Cancelled TV Shows #6

2011-12-24T22:08:00.000-05:00

Veronica Mars

"Well, actually, despite popular opinion you really can't beat the truth out of someone."

A year after her best friend, Lily (Amanda Seyfried), is murdered and her father, Keith (Colantoni), loses his job over the case, high school student Veronica Mars (Bell) starts her own investigation. Investigating isn't cheap. To fund the search, Veronica takes cases from her classmates and occasionally moonlights for her father's investigations. With the help of her best friend Wallace (Daggs III), gang leader Weevil (Capra), spoiled rich kid Logan (Dohring), and her ex / Lily's brother Duncan (Dunn), can Veronica find the truth?

I discovered this show after it was cancelled, which is really a shame, since it is that good. The show just starts up, throwing you into the action from the beginning and sets up the main plot: who killed Lily Kane? The story is interesting and the cast engaging. Kristen Bell shines as Veronica, making her 3 dimensional from the beginning: smart, funny, tough, etc. She has great chemsitry with Enrico Colantoni who plays her father; they are the highlights of the show. And it has a great theme song "We Used to be Friends" by the Dandy Warhols.

Every episode features a mini-case for Veronica to solve. Season 1 focuses on the Lily Kane murder. The second season revolves around Veronica's senior year and a mysterious bus crash that killed several students. In the final season, Veronica and friends go to community college, where the problems are bigger and are not fully solved by the end of the season. It's a pity they only got 3 seasons for this show... show creator Rob Thomas later went on to create the Party Down, with several of the characters / guest stars from this show.

Veronica Mars (2004-2007)
Created by: Rob Thomas
Starring: Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars
Percy Daggs III as Wallace Fennel
Jason Dohring as Logan Echolls
Teddy Dunn as Duncan Kane
Francis Capra as Eli "Weevil" Navarro
Enrico Colantoni as Keith Mars
Ryan Hansen as Dick Casablancas
Tina Majorino as Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie
Michael Muhney as Sheriff Don Lamb

Les dents de la nuit: Vampire Party

2011-12-21T18:00:00.000-05:00

Sam (Mille) never misses a party. On a night out with his best friends, perpetually single Prune (Fournier) and newly heartbroken Alice (Bel), they get invited to the most exclusive party ever. The guests are taken by helicopter to a remote island.

Unbeknownst to the guests, the party is hosted by vampires, Le Duc de Journiac (Karyo), who plan to make the guests their next meal. As the vampires descend, the survivors: awkward Edouard (Desagnat), celebrity dentist Serge Krinine (Karmann), ditzy trophy wife Jessica (de Fougerolles), and Paul Lefranc, band together to survive the evening. Will anyone make it home?

I found this film through Netflix... For whatever reason, I was on a comedy-horror kick, and thought this one looked good. The film is in French, with subtitles at the bottom. While a lot happens, you can still read the subtitles and keep up with the action. The plot and action is a bit silly, but it works here.

Not appropriate for children... the film features nudity and language. Despite that, it is a great spoof of the genre. From the opening animated sequence, to the end credits dance marathon, it is a fun-filled adventure movie.

Vampire Party [Les dents de la nuit] (2008) 85 minutes
Director: Stephen Cafiero & Vincent Lobelle
Starring: Patrick Mille as Sam Polisatokoniminsky
Frederique Bel as Alice Wouhou
Julie Fournier as Prune Descoins
Vincent Desagnat as Edouard Slippe
Sam Karmann as Serge Krinine
Helene de Fougerolles as Jessica Conti
Antoine Dulery as Paul Lefranc
Tcheky Karyo as Le Duc de Journiac

Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-12-19T15:12:00.003-05:00

"I asked for an army. All I got is you."

Steve Rogers (Evans) is a short, skinny guy with a history of health problems, but an abundance of determination. He is determined to find a way to join the military, despite many rejections. He makes one last ditch effort, and is met by Dr. Abraham Erskine (Tucci), who offers Steve the opportunity to join an elite military team. The men on the team are the best of the best, undergoing intensive training by Colonel Chester Phillips (Jones), to compete for a top prize.

Despite being the smallest man on the team, Steve continues to impress Erskine, while Colonel Phillips has doubts. In the end, Steve is chosen when he is the only person to pass the final test. Steve is injected with special serum, to make him the ultimate soldier. The project is a success, but the lab is destroyed and Dr. Erskine is murdered. Can Steve's new alter-ego Captain America save the day, or will he be forced to spend his days being a symbol?

The fifth film in the Marvel Studios cannon, this film had a lot to live up to: it needed to be at the same level as the previous 4 films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, and Thor), while psyching the audience up for 2012's Avengers. Thankfully, this film manages to do both. It is an entertaining action film, that works with the Captain America comics, while still introducing the character to a larger audience. The Captain is updated, instead of just serving as a symbol for America, he is a guy trying to do the right thing... making him more accessible to a mass audience. The story also serves to setup the next film, and explain how the Captain can appear, essentially unchanged, in that film.

At first I was a little concerned about Chris Evans portraying this character. I have nothing against the man, but he previously portrayed another superhero: Johnny Storm / Human Torch in the Fantastic 4 films (original and Rise of the Silver Surfer). But now that I have seen the film, I can't imagine any other actor in this role. Good call casting people! Hugo Weaving was an excellent choice to play the Red Skull... he just does menacing so well. And Dominic Cooper was a welcome addition as Tony Stark / Iron Man's father Howard. We first saw this character in Iron Man 2 (portrayed by John Slattery), but it was interesting to see him as a young man.

I'm intrigued to see where TPTB take this character in The Avengers and subsequent Marvel Studios films.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 124 minutes
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America
Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
Sebastian Stan as Sergeant James "Bucky" Barnes
Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Chester Phillips
Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark
Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

2011-12-08T18:15:00.001-05:00

"Don't be sorry, it's my fault. I should have known if a guy like me talked to a girl like you, somebody would end up dead."

Hillbillies Tucker (Tudyk) and Dale (Labine) are headed to their dream vacation home: a dilapidated cabin in the woods. A group of carefree college kids are vacationing nearby. After an awkward encounter and the tale of a hillbilly psycho killer, the college kids are wary of Tucker and Dale. That night, Allison (Bowden) hits her head on a rock and is saved by Tucker and Dale, but her friends see the rescue as kidnapping.

The next morning the college kids, led by Chad (Moss), find the cabin and plan to rescue Allison by any means necessary. Misunderstandings pile up, like the body count. Will anyone survive this bloody vacation?

Writers Morgan Jurgenson and Eli Craig (director) wanted to turn the tables on horror cliches. Audiences are used to the story of the deranged hillbillies that terrorize the vacationing college kids... so why change it up? Here, the hillbillies are the product of many misunderstandings, as the paranoid college kids attack. The film plays as a dark comedy, finding humor despite the blood.

Tyler Labine (Reaper) anchors the film as Dale. His Dale is a lovable, but dimwitted, and gets the best lines / reactions to the events. Character actor Alan Tudyk plays the exasperated straight man, to Labine. Tudyk and Labine have excellent, believable chemistry. Katrina Bowden, of 30 Rock, also has strong chemistry with Labine. While this part is less showy than 30 Rock role, Bowden still shines. And Jesse Moss has the most interesting character, who undergoes the biggest change from start to finish. It is an interesting cast, with Tudyk as the biggest name, that really sell the story.

Despite a brilliant screen and a unique idea, it took over three years for Jurgenson and Craig's vision to come to the big screen. And when it did, it only received limited billing. It was finally released to Netflix in November 2011, nearly a year after it was in theaters. I had been excited about this film, since I first heard about it in 2010. When it finally arrived, I was concerned that maybe it wouldn't live up to all the excitement I felt (I love Tudyk and had just discovered Labine when the film was released in 2010, so I had high expectations), but thankfully it did not disappoint. It may not be the easiest film to find, but it is definitely worth the search.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010) 89 minutes
Rating: R for bloody horror violence, language and brief nudity.
Director: Eli Craig
Starring: Tyler Labine as Dale
Alan Tudyk as Tucker
Katrina Bowden as Allison
Jesse Moss as Chad

The Muppets

2011-12-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

"I always dreamed we'd be back here."
"Dreams? Those were nightmares!"

Walter, a Muppet, has been the Muppets biggest fan since childhood. The Muppets gave him hope, and . He travels to Los Angeles with his brother Gary (Segel) and Gary's girlfriend Mary (Adams) to see the Muppet Studio, but is devastated to find it in ruins. While wandering through the office, Walter overhears a plot to demolish the Muppet Theater to drill for oil, by oil tycoon Tex Richman (Cooper). But there is a loophole, if the Muppets can raise $10 million, they can save the theater.

However, the Muppets have not performed together or seen each other for years. They find Kermit the Frog, living alone in a mansion... surrounded by memories. He agrees to help find his friends, and with 80's Robot behind the wheel, they begin the search.

After finding their friend, the Muppets are repeatedly turned down by TV studios, since they are no longer famous. CDE executive Veronica (Jones) agrees to air the Muppet telethon, after another show is cancelled, if they can find a celebrity host. So Kermit digs into his rolodex to find a host, while his friends get the theater ready.

Meanwhile, Richman and associates, Uncle Deadly and Bobo the Bear, learn of the proposed telethon and begin their plan (including maniacal laughter) to stop the Muppets. Can the Muppets find a host and put on a show

It has been over a decade since the last time the Muppets hit the big screen (Muppets from Space). The quality of Muppet features have declined and left fans wondering if the Muppets would ever return to their former glory. Thankfully the film was written by Muppet fans (co-written by Jason Segel), who manage to honor the Muppet legacy while breathing new life into the characters. Segel proved his skill with puppets in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, when his character wrote and performed a puppet musical about Dracula (which was one of the best sequences in the film).

This film also marked the first time Frank Oz, one of the Muppet creators, did not perform his characters. You can hear it in Fozzie Bear (and is slightly distracting at first), but the voice difference is subtle or completely undetectable in his other characters (i.e. Miss Piggy). The only original Muppet puppeteer to participate in this film is Dave Goelz. Steve Whitmire and Bill Barretta have performed in other Muppet movies (and other Henson Production shows, like Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street).

It is a family friendly film, that doesn’t resort to cheap laughs (except for the fart shoes, but they only appear briefly and don't deter from the film). It doesn’t talk down to the audience, but still provides laughs for all ages. The characters often break the 4th wall and talk directly to the audience or commenting about the film,

“Wow, that was such an expensive looking explosion! I can't believe we had that in the budget.”

The songs are catchy, and written by Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie, check out “Life’s a Happy Song.” They also included new variations of songs from the original movie: “The Rainbow Connection” and “Mahna Mahna.”

The film also featured many Muppets that have not appeared for years. This marks the first time since Jim Henson's death that Rowlf spoke (they felt this character was the closest to Henson's personality, and retired him). They also brought back many obscure Muppets who only appeared in the TV show, and gave Uncle Deadly a plum part. And they pay homage to previous Muppet films: Bobo the Bear (who was the funniest character in Muppets from Space) once again chooses the wrong side, Sweetums has to chase after the car (like The Muppet Movie), etc.

The film features funny celebrity cameos, most appear in the various trailers for the film (but there are still a few surprises I won't spoil for you). All of the celebs join the Muppets to perform a special song over the end credits. An excellent addition to the Muppet cannon.

The Muppets (2011) 98 minutes
Director: James Bobin
Starring: Jason Segel as Gary
Amy Adams as Mary
Chris Cooper as Tex Richman
Rashida Jones as Veronica Martin
Steve Whitmire as Kermit, Beaker, Statler, and others
Eric Jacobson as Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, and others
Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and others
Bill Barretta as Swedish Chef, Rowlf, and others
David Rudman as Scooter, and others
Matt Vogel as Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Camilla, Sweetums, and others
Peter Linz as Walter

Smokey and the Bandit

2011-11-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

"Atlanta to Texarkana and back in twenty eight hours? That ain't never been done before. "
"That's cause *we* ain't never done it. "
"Suppose we don't make it? "
"Hey, we ain't never not made it before, have we?"

Big Enos (Pat McCormick) and Little Enos (Paul Williams) Burdette need a truck driver to transport 400 gallons of Coors beer from Texarkana, TX to their party in Georgia. Everyone they approach gets caught by the police, since it is illegal. Eventually they offer Bo "Bandit" Darville (Reynolds) $80,000 to haul the beer 1800 miles in 28 hours. Bandit accepts the bet. He requests an advance for a fast car to serve as a blocker, while his friend Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Reed) and his dog Fred drive the truck.

They get to the Coors warehouse without any issues, load the truck and head towards Georgia. Once they hit the road again, Bandit stops to pickup a woman in a wedding gown, Carrie (Fields), who ran away from her wedding. She is being pursued by her dimwitted groom Junior (Henry) and his father Sheriff Bufford T. Justice (Gleason). Can Bandit and Snowman make the deadline and collect their sizable payday, or will "Smokey" catch them and send them to jail?

What we're dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.

A definite guilty pleasure kind of movie... Don't worry about plot, it's basically just an excuse for an extended car chase. Yes, it's an awesome car chase, but the plot isn't really important.

Burt Reynolds is awesome! He has an entertaining rapport with Jerry Reed, who also wrote the theme song "Eastbound of Down." The song is catchy and is featured throughout the film. Reynolds also works well with Sally Fields, who was his girlfriend at the time. Jackie Gleason and Mike Henry are a great comedic duo. Gleason does all the heavy lifting, but Henry gets some fun reactions / moments.

Check it out... a must-see for any car-chase junkies!

Smokey and the Bandit (1977) minutes
Director: Hal Needham
Starring: Burt Reynolds as Bo "Bandit" Darville
Sally Fields as Carrie "Frog"
Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford "Smokey Bear" Justice
Jerry Reed as Cledus "Snowman" Snow
Mike Henry as Junior Justice
Pat McCormick as Big Enos Burdette
Paul Williams as Little Enos Burdette

Thor

2011-11-27T16:07:00.000-05:00

"So is this how you normally look?"
"More or less."
"It's a good look!"

After reigniting an ancient war with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, warrior and heir-apparent Thor (Hemsworth) of Asgard is in trouble. His father, King Odin (Hopkins), strips Thor of this heritage and source of power and sends him to Earth. His giant hammer, the Mjolnir, is sent to Earth separately.

On Earth, Thor is discovered by scientist Jane Foster (Portman). Jane was in the midst of an important scientific discovery, when she hits Thor with her car. Jane and her associates, Dr. Erik Selvig (Skarsgard) and Darcy (Dennings), think Thor is crazy, but agree to help him.

Meanwhile, Odin cannot cope with his decision and enters Odinsleep, leaving control of the kingdom in his younger son's, Loki (Hiddleston), hands. Loki has the ability to talk his way out of any situation, but is not a warrior like Thor. With the threat of attack by the Frost Giants, out to reclaim the source of their power, which Odin took when he defeated them years before. Can Thor reclaim the Mjolnir and return to Asgard to protect his home?

The fourth film in the Marvel cannon: following Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man 2, as part of the lead-up to the release of The Avengers in 2012. Marvel Comics created a franchise by making a plan for their films: each film sets up the next, with just a brief scene. Agent Coulson appears in Iron Man 2, and is called away when they find Thor's hammer, which appears in the scene after the credits. And the scene after the credits of this film sets up the Avenger movie.

Kenneth Branagh, a Shakespeare actor / director, directing a comic book movie? It sounds strange, but at the same time I can't imagine anyone else better for the task. Branagh brings his years of experience in classic dramas to create a film that reveres its origins, without reverting to camp. He created the world of mystical world of Asgard and it's frozen counterpart of Jotunheim that look believable and intriguing. His Asgardians and Frost Giants are awe-inspiring, but not completely out of reach.

Chris Hemsworth is an excellent choice for Thor. Hemsworth was an obscure actor, but has been launched into celebrity with this film. Tom Hiddleston also excels in this film, which also rocketed him to stardom. The rest of the cast is good, but it is Hemsworth and Hiddleston that own the film.

An excellent entry into the superhero genre.

Thor (2011) 115 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence.
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Natalie Portman as Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston as Loki
Anthony Hopkins as Odin
Stellan Skarsgard as Erik Selvig
Kat Dennings as Darcy Lewis
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson

Creature from the Black Lagoon

2011-11-21T23:48:00.000-05:00

"We didn't come here to fight monsters, we're not equipped for it."

A team of geologists in the Amazon make a rare discovery: a claw fossil. The leader of the expedition, Dr. Carl Maia (Moreno), leaves the dig to get more help. He turns to Dr. David Reed (Carlson), who is studing marine biology in Brazil. After seeing Maia's claw, Reed gathers a team to help excavate the site. The team includes Reed's girlfriend Kay (Adams), his ambitious boss Dr. Mark Williams (Denning), and Dr. Edwin Thompson (Bissel).

They hire Captain Lucas (Paiva) to take them to the site and serve as their guide in the jungle. But when they arrive, they discover the camp destroyed. They learn that the culprit is the same species as the claw they found. Mark sees this as the ultimate discovery, capturing the "gil-man" and presenting him before the scientific community. David is more interested in keeping their discovery alive, to better study it. As they try to find the gil-man, he is entranced by an unsuspecting Kay.

The story was inspired by legends of half-men half-fish creatures living along the Amazon River. It is an interesting premise, but the actual creature is a bit of a disappointment. Unlike other Universal monster movies, this one does not have much resemblance to a person. Two actors portray the creature, one takes the underwater portions, while the other is the creature on the land. Ben Chapman, who was the creature on land, underwent hours of makeup and prosthetics. He could barely see and confined movements, which translated into his portrayal of the creature. The creature is more interesting when Ricou Browning portrayed him underwater... there is a poetry to the movements, and he is more menacing / intimidating underwater.

The story is too talky, and the creature is a bit of a let down. But the most interesting / stressful sequence is when Kay goes swimming in the lagoon, with the creature mirroring her strokes. Every time she stops or dives under to do flips, you keep waiting for her to notice the creature or for him to do something about her presence. The rest is ok, but not overly memorable.

Ok, but not great... but since there are 2 sequels, someone must like this.

Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) 79 minutes
Director: Jack Arnold
Starring: Richard Carlson as Dr. David Reed
Julia Adams as Kay Lawrence
Richard Denning as Dr. Mark Williams
Antonio Moreno as Dr. Carl Maia
Nestor Paiva as Captain Lucas
Whit Bissel as Dr. Edwin Thompson

Another Thin Man

2011-11-15T22:00:00.000-05:00

"I got rid of all those reporters."
"What did you tell them?"
"We're out of scotch."
"What a gruesome idea."

Nick (Powell) and Nora (Loy) Charles, and their baby Nicky Jr., are summoned to the Long Island home of Colonel Burr MacFay (Smith), who manages their money. On the way to the Colonel's home, they pass a dead body and are met at various checkpoints by men with guns. The Colonel is paranoid that someone is trying to kill him. A disgruntled former employee / ex-convict, Phil Church (Leonard), has dreamed of the Colonel's death twice. His dreams always come true after three times. While Nick dismisses the idea, strange accidents keep happening involving the Colonel.

That night the Colonel is murdered in the way Church described, making him the ideal suspect, but Nick isn't sure. Many people would benefit from the Colonel's death: his daughter Lois (Grey), Lois' fiance Dudley (Patric Knowles), his shady housekeeper (Phyllis Gordon), his assistant Freddie (Tom Neal) who is secretly in love with Lois, Church's associates Dum-Dum (Abner Biberman) and Smitty (Muriel Hutchison)...

The third film in the successful Thin Man series (after The Thin Man and After the Thin Man). The story picks up about 2 years after it's predecessor, with Nick and Nora enjoying time as parents as well as renowned detectives. With the baby in the picture, neither drink as much as the previous films, which is the only major change to the successful formula. The baby isn't a major piece of the story, but does help setup the climax of the film, which begins with a birthday party for Nicky, thrown by ex-cons with baby boys around the same age. It is an interesting premise and gives ample screen time to Shemp Howard from the 3 Stooges.

The story brings back the character of Lieutenant Guild (Pendleton) from the first film, who is a welcome addition to the Charles' sleuthing: a familiar tete-tete. A decent film, but the series is starting to show wear... It's ok, but not great.

Another Thin Man (1939) 103 minutes
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Starring: William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Virginia Grey as Lois MacFay
Otto Kruger as Assistant District Attorney Van Slack
C. Aubrey Smith as Colonel Burr MacFay
Ruth Hussey as Dorothy Waters
Nat Pendleton as Lieutenant Guild
Sheldon Leonard as Phil Church

The Invisible Man (1933)

2011-11-13T22:56:00.000-05:00

"We'll begin with a reign of terror, a few murders here and there, murders of great men, murders of little men, just to show we make no distinction."

A mysterious stranger, wrapped in bandages and wearing dark glasses, arrives in the town if Iping and rents a room in the inn. He expects complete secrecy and spends most of his time working. When he falls behind on rent, the innkeepers (Forrester Harvey and Una O'Connor) plan to evict him... and discover their tenant is invisible.

The invisible man is revealed to be Dr. Jack Griffin (Rains), a brilliant scientist who has been missing for months. Griffin had been assisting Dr. Cranley (Travers), but became obsessed with own research. Griffin found the secret to invisibility, and forces his co-worker Dr. Kemp (Harrington) to help find the cure. The drug that caused the invisibility has also lead to Griffin's deteriorating mental state. Kemp reluctantly agrees, while calling Cranley, his daughter / Griffin's fiance Flora (Stuart), and the police. While the research be successful in time, or will Griffin begin his reign of terror?

After successfully adapting Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" novel to film (Frankenstein), director James Whale turned his attention to H.G. Wells' "The Invisible Man" novel. Once again Whale was met with success and solidified his status as a legendary horror director (he would go on to direct The Bride of Frankenstein two years later). The film used ground-breaking special effects to achieve the illusion of invisibility. When he was completely invisible, wires were used to move items. When he was clothed or removing clothes, Claude Rains (or his double) wore a black suit (also covering the face) and was shot before a black screen... which is similar to the use of green screens in modern films.

Whale made the interesting choice to begin the film during the action. While other monster films setup the characters and legends first, this film opens after Griffin is invisible. There is no flashback to his discovery or his transformation, forcing the audience to imagine it. The beginning also forces the viewer to figure out what is happening, as the scene jumps from the chaos at the inn, back to Cranley's lab where they discuss Griffin's disappearance. Also, the audience is forced to identify with a character they cannot see and that is going crazy. Do you cheer for him, or for the people who are trying to stop him?

Apparently Universal Studios wanted to re-team Whale with his monster, making Boris Karloff the invisible man. Karloff ultimately turned down the role, where he would only be seen for a few minutes. This allowed Whale to use his first choice, the unknown Rains, who had the perfect voice for the role. This part launched Rains successful Hollywood career. This film also marked the first pairing of Whale and Una O'Connor, who played the innkeeper's hysterical wife. O'Connor worked with Whale again in The Bride of Frankenstein. In each film she has a small, but memorably comic performance.

The film keeps most of the characters and action from the novel. The main change is the temperament of Griffin, making him psychotic.

A classic monster movie, still entertaining after all these years.

The Invisible Man (1933) minutes
Director: James Whale
Starring: Claude Rains as Dr. Jack Griffith
Gloria Stuart as Flora Cranley
William Harrington as Dr. Arthur Kemp
Henry Travers as Dr. Cranley

After the Thin Man

2011-11-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

"Are you packing?"
"Yes dear, I'm putting away this liquor."

Nick (Powell) and Nora (Loy) Charles return home on New Year's Eve. They plan to go to bed early and have a nice quiet new year, but they arrive home to find a raging welcome home / New Year's Eve party in their living room. Then they are summoned to the home of Nora's Aunt Katherine (Ralph) for dinner, despite Katherine's dislike for Nick. Nick's skills are needed to find Katherine's missing son-in-law Robert (Marshall).

Meanwhile, Robert is having an affair with nightclub ingenue Polly (Singleton), but Polly is just using Robert for his money. They plan to run away that night, after Robert collects a sizable sum from his wife, Selma (Landi). But Robert is shot leaving his home, and Selma is discovered holding a gun over his body. Nick sets out to prove Selma's innocence, but who shot Robert? Was it Polly, her scheming brother Phil (Paul Fix), her gangster boss / boyfriend Dancer (Calleia), Selma's former fiance David (Stewart) who wanted Robert out of the picture permanently, or a member of Selma's family to get rid of a scandal?

The second film in the Thin Man series, the story picks up a few months later. The script was penned by Dashiell Hammett (author of The Thin Man novel), and features many of the same components as it's predecessor. Like it's predecessor, the screenplay was nominated for an Oscar. This time Nora is more involved in solving the crime, as she is related to the main suspect.

Myrna Loy and William Powell continue to light up the screen, with playful banter and an easy chemistry. There is even a subplot for their dog Asta, who gets a family. The subplot is distracting, but cute. James Stewart is a nice addition to the cast, but his part is rather strange. Once again, the murderer is revealed at a gathering of the suspects: an apartment.

The original is better, but still a great detective film.

After the Thin Man (1936) 112 minutes
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Starring: William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
James Stewart as David Graham
Elissa Landi as Selma Landis
Joseph Calleia as Dancer
Jessie Ralph as Aunt Katherine Forrest
Alan Marshall as Robert Landis
Teddy Hart as Floyd Casper
Sam Levene as Lt. Abrams
Penny Singleton as Polly Byrnes

Tower Heist

2011-11-07T21:38:00.000-05:00

"You know this was a bad idea, right?"
"That's it, I don't want you talking to me for the rest of the robbery!"

The Tower is the most expensive apartment complex in New York, boasting the best service in town. Josh Kovacs (Stiller), the building manager, knows everything about the building and his clients. He enjoys a friendly relationship, and online chess games, with financial guru Arthur Shaw (Alda), who lives in the highest penthouse apartment.

His life is good, until the FBI arrest Shaw for financial corruption. Shaw oversaw the pensions for the Tower employees and the life savings of Lester (Stephen Henderson) the doorman. According to Agent Claire Denham (Leoni), Shaw swindled millions on phony investments. The Tower was his smallest investment, so there is minimal chance their money will be recovered. After Lester attempts to take his own life, Josh decides to take matters into his own hands.

Shaw is released on bail and confined to his penthouse with a round-the-clock guard. The FBI are unable to find the $20 million that Shaw removed from his bank accounts, and it looks like Shaw will get away with his crimes. Josh thinks the money is hidden in the penthouse and recruits a rag-tag team to steal it back: his nervous brother-in-law Charlie (Affleck) the concierge, Enrique (Pena) the new elevator operator, evicted tenant Mr. Fitzhugh (Broderick), and feisty maid Odessa (Sidibe). They don't know anything about stealing, but they know the building. To pull off the heist, he enlists the help of professional thief Slide (Murphy). Josh, Enrique, and Mr. Fitzhugh are banned from the building, and Shaw is careful to cover his tracks. Can they find the money without getting caught, or are they doomed from the beginning?

The latest entry in the comedy heist genre feels familiar. The story sticks close to the “heist movie” formula, but it works here. The story starts slow, but the laughs build as the plot progresses.

Ben Stiller receives top billing, but the film belongs to Eddie Murphy. Stiller’s Josh carries the story and plays the straight man, with occasional funny moments. He comes alive when Murphy is on the screen. Murphy is the best part of the film. This film truly reminds the audience of his comedic talents, which haven't been fully utilized in most of his films. I enjoy Murphy, but I have absolutely no desire to see The Nutty Professor or Norbit, which rely too heavily on stupid body humor and crass jokes. He can pull off those roles, but he truly shines here, especially with good co-stars. His best scenes involve Gabourey Sidibe. They have great chemistry and draw the best performance out of each other. Sidibe was nominated for an Oscar for her first major motion picture, but proves she can do comedy as well. She is an adept comedienne, and should have a strong future in both comedy and drama.

The rest of the cast is decent. Casey Affleck is an unexpected delight as Charlie, while Matthew Broderick sticks with his usual neurotic schtick. The film tries to be a new Ocean's 11, but falls short. It has some funny moments, but never reaches it's full potential. I enjoyed it, but it was not too memorable... the ending is far fetched, but do really expect realism in a film like this?

A fun and funny film, that may be by the books, but still has a few tricks.

Tower Heist (2011) 104 minutes
Director: Brett Ratner
Rating: PG-13 for language and sexual content
Starring: Ben Stiller as Josh Kovaks
Eddie Murphy as Slide
Casey Affleck as Charlie
Alan Alda as Arthur Shaw
Matthew Broderick as Mr. Fitzburgh
Tea Leoni as Agent Claire Denham
Michael Pena as Enrique Dev'reaux
Gabourey Sidibe as Odessa

Tea for Two (400th post)

2011-11-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

Look who made it to 400!

It's hard to believe another 100 has passed... just last year I celebrated the big 300 mark. To celebrate, let's keep with the tradition of reviewing a musical made before I was born... (100 & 200 & 300).

In the wake of the 1929 stock market crash, the future looks bleak for many, but Nanette Carter (Day) isn't worried. Her sizable wealth is handled by her Uncle Max (Sakall), and is tied up in government bonds. In reality, her uncle placed the money in the stock market, and things are not looking good. Their lawyer, Mr. William Early (Goodwin), tells Max they could save a significant sum by saying "no."

Meanwhile, Nanette's friends, composer Jimmy Smith (MacRae) and choreographer Tommy Trainor (Nelson), are having trouble finding financiers for their new show. Their slimy director, Larry Blair (De Wolfe), puts all of his hope into Nanette: if she agrees to fund the show, others will come forward as well. But Larry and Nanette have a checkered past, and she has no desire to invest any time or money into him. Her reaction changes when she hears some of Jimmy's songs. Jimmy and Tommy believe that Nanette should play the lead in the show, which currently belongs to Larry's girlfriend Bea Darcy (Wymore). Nanette dreams of a career on Broadway and accepts. With no other choice, Larry agrees to give her the part in exchange for funding the show.

When Nanette asks her uncle for the money for the show, he refuses. So they make a bet, Nanette has to say to everything for 48 hours: if she wins, she gets the $25,000 for the show ... if she loses, she can't spend any money for a year. They enlist her sarcastic assistant Pauline (Arden) to serve as the judge, while Max does everything in his power to make her lose. Can Nanette win the bet, even if it means losing her budding romance with Jimmy?

Inspired by the Broadway musical "No, No, Nanette," this film bears little resemblance to the show. They kept some character names and a few names, and scrapped the rest. The story is brand new, and several songs were added to the score.

Apparently Doris Day planned to be a professional ballerina, but an automobile accident ended her dream. This film marked the first time she danced on screen, and went on to make several more musicals. Her dancing looks great. She is joined by Gordon MacRae, who has an incredible voice, and Gene Nelson, who dances circles around the rest of the cast. MacRae and Nelson went on to star in Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma (also Rogers and Hammerstein's Carousel for MacRae). Eve Arden is the only cast member to appear in both the Broadway show No, No, Nanette and this film. As usual she just about steals the show.

The songs are o.k., but are not as well known as other songs from musicals. Not the greatest musical ever, but worth seeing early Doris Day.

Tea for Two (1950) 98 minutes
Director: David Butler
Starring: Doris Day as Nanette Carter
Gordon MacRae as Jimmy Smith
Gene Nelson as Tommy Trainor
Eve Arden as Pauline Hastings
Billy De Wolfe as Larry Blair
Bill Goodwin as William Early
S.Z. Sakall as J. Maxwell Bloomhaus
Patrice Wymore as Bea Darcy

My Top Cancelled TV Shows #7

2011-11-04T18:22:00.000-04:00

Scrubs

"Are you an idiot?"
"No, sir, I'm a dreamer."

The staff at Sacred Heart learn to deal with death, relationships, and life. The new interns, awkward dreamer John "J.D" Dorian (Braff), neurotic Elliot Reid (Chalke), and macho surgeon Chris Turk (Faison), are under intense pressure and have to decide what is more important in their lives: career or relationships outside the hospital. The interns are under the care of Dr. Cox (McGinley), who has nicknames for each intern and goes on long rants with every mistake. They are aided by the nurses, led by Carla (Reyes), who are bitter after years of watching hot shot doctors take credit for procedures the nurses completed. The hospital is run by Dr. Bob Kelso (Jenkins), who has no interest in the doctors or the hospital "who has two thumbs and doesn't give a crap? Bob Kelso," and inept sad-sack lawyer Ted (Lloyd). With the psychotic Janitor (Flynn) roaming the halls, and stiff competition for any advancement, can they survive to become real doctors?

While hospital shows are nothing new, "Scrubs" embraced the lighter side to a stressful job. Much like MASH, the doctors played pranks on each other and joked around as a way to cope with the hard times and constant presence of death. The show was narrated by J.D. (except the "His Story", "Her Story", "Their Story" episodes that were narrated by other cast members) who had odd daydreams throughout the day. The daydreams and narration served as the focal point of physical comedy and outrageous situations. The writers managed to straddle the line between absurdity and sentimentality with tact, with the docs dealing the life outside the hospital and the emotional punch of the patients they were treating.

The first 7 seasons appeared on NBC, ending with a fairytale episode told to Dr. Cox's son "My Princess." The show was picked up for an 8th season by ABC. The 8th season allowed the writers and cast to say a proper good-bye to the show, ending with J.D. leaving the hospital in "My Finale." At the end of the 8th season they show was offered the chance to continue, despite the departure of creator Bill Lawrence and star Zach Braff. They decided to reimage the show as Med School, with the Sacred Heart docs serving as teachers / mentors. I prefer to think of the 9th season as a spinoff... while some of the "Scrubs" cast returned for Med School, it wasn't the same show. Braff returned for the first few episodes to co-narrate with his protege Lucy, who become the series lead. I enjoyed the 9th season, but preferred the earlier seasons.

The show worked best when it embraced the eccentricities of the staff. By the end of the 8th season the audience was familiar with the main characters, and all the people they came in contact with: Hooch ("Hooch is crazy"), Snoop Dog Intern, Mickhead (who may have killed his wife), Doug (who is a hopeless doctor and eventually works in the morgue), The Todd (who always spoke in double entendres and believed in high 5's), among others. The writers toasted different writing styles: there was a musical episode (featuring a song called "Everything Comes Down to Poo"), an episode from the POV of a nervous intern, etc.

It wasn't realistic, but it was certainly fun. The show also featured cameos by the cast of Spin City, another show by Bill Lawrence. Lawrence now helms the hysterical Cougar Town on ABC. The show features cameos by Scrubs cast members, as well as a leading role for Scrubs alum Christa Miller.

Scrubs (2001-2010)
Created by: Bill Lawrence
Starring: Zach Braff as J.D.
Donald Faison as Turk
Sarah Chalke as Elliot
Judy Reyes as Carla
John C. McGinley as Dr. Cox
Ken Jenkins as Dr. Kelso
Sam Lloyd as Ted
Neil Flynn as Janitor
Christa Miller as Jordan
Aloma Wright as Laverne
Robert Maschio as Todd

Mad Monster Party?

2011-10-31T23:14:00.000-04:00

"What kind of a monster is he? A ghoul? A demon? A spook, or...?"
"A human."
"They're the worst kind."

Dr. Boris Frankenstein (Karloff), who discovered the secret to life, has finally found the secret to absolute destruction. To celebrate he invites all of his monsters to a party on the Island of Evil. He also invites his clumsy human nephew, Felix Flankin. As they prepare the castle, he tells his assistant Francesca (Garnett) of his plans to retire and name a successor at the party.

When the boat is sighted, he and Francesca are joined by the Frankenstein Monster "Fang" and his Mate (Diller) to welcome the convention to the island. There is Count Dracula, "Wolfie" the Werewolf, the Invisible Man, the Hunchback, the Mummy, Dr. Jekyl / Mr. Hyde, and the Creature. As the guests arrive, the zombie army patrols the skies for signs of the rampaging, diabolical It.

When the monsters learn who will replace the doctor, they decide to get rid of the competition. Who will survive this terrifying convention, and who will ultimately possess the serum?

After making some Christmas family friendly Christmas movies in stop motion animation, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, turned their attention to Halloween. All the classic monsters from the 1920s-1940s appear, and they were able to get the biggest movie monster in the business: Boris Karloff. Karloff lends his likeness to Baron Frankenstein and the Frankenstein Monster, and his voice to the Baron. Comedienne Phyllis Diller is the Monster's Mate, which is a thinly veiled version of herself. She is also the most obnoxious character. Singer / actress Gale Garnett voices the voluptuous Francesca. Allen Swift voices all the remaining characters... Felix sounds like Jimmy Stewart, Yetch is Peter Lorre, etc. For copyright purposes some of the monsters were given different names, i.e. IT is obviously King Kong, Creature is the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The characters of the Mummy and the Wolfman never speak, with the Wolfman in wolf form for the entire film (and dressed as a gypsy).

Not my favorite film in the Rankin / Bass cannon, but still a funny, Halloween film.

Mad Monster Party (1967) 94 minutes
Director: Jules Bass
Starring: Boris Karloff as Baron Boris von Frankenstein
Allen Swift as Felix Flankin / Yetch / Dracula / Invisible Man / Dr. Jekyl / Mr. Hyde / Additional voices
Gale Garnett as Francesca
Phyllis Diller as The Monsters Mate

The Thin Man

2011-10-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

"I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune."
"I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids."
"It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids."

Wealthy inventor Clyde Wynnant (Edward Ellis) has been missing for months. When his secretary / mistress, Julia (Natalie Moorhead), is murdered all fingers point towards Wynnant but no one can find him. His daughter, Dorothy (O'Sullivan) is concerned and convinces renowned detective Nick Charles (Powell) to come out of retirement to find her father and prove his innocence.

Despite believing in Wynnant's innocence, Nick is reluctant to come back to work. However, he is pulled in when the police and reporters working the case and the gangsters with ties to the victim all converge on his apartment. Who murdered Julia? Was it Wynnant's cash-strapped ex-wife Mimi (Gombell), Mimi's deadbeat husband Chris (Cesar Romero), Wynnant's creepy intellectual son Gilbert (William Henry), any of the men in Julia's life?

Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett, this film was the catalyst for subsequent mystery / detective books and movies. While Hammett only wrote one "Thin Man" novel, this film spawned five sequels and a TV show in the late 1950s. William Powell and Myrna Loy have excellent chemistry and portray a married couple that actually enjoy each other. They come from different worlds, have different friends, but they just work. The movie focuses more on their relationship and chemistry than the actual case.

The film introduced the detective genre to revealing the killer to all the suspects simultaneously... the scene were all the suspects are brought together and the detective explains the story and finally points out the guilty party, who is the person you'd least expect. In this film, it is done over a dinner party... where Nick breaks up his narrative by pausing to speak to specific people, putting the person on edge and leads you to believe they are the killer, when in fact he is just asking them an unrelated question.

An excellent film, worth checking out!

The Thin Man (1934) 91 minutes
Director: W.S. Van Dyke
Starring: William Powell as Nick Charles
Myrna Loy as Nora Charles
Maureen O'Sullivan as Dorothy Wynnant
Nat Pendleton as Insepctor John Guild
Minna Gombell as Mimi Wynnant

The Wolf Man (1941)

2011-10-20T14:37:00.000-04:00

"Whoever is bitten by a werewolf and lives becomes a werewolf himself."
"Ah, don't hand me that. You're just wasting your time."
"The wolf bit you, didn't he?"
"Yeah. Yeah he did!"

After eighteen years away, Larry Talbot (Chaney Jr.) returns to the family estate, to assist his father, Sir John (Rains). He immediately falls for Gwen (Ankers), who runs the antique store, where he buys a cane with the image of a wolf. Everyone in town is obsessed with the legend of the werewolf,

Even a man who is pure in heart
and says his prayers by night
may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms
and the autumn moon is bright.

On his first night, he accompanies Gwen and Jenny (Fay Helm) to have their fortunes read by gypsies. But the gypsy, Bela (Bela Lugosi) turns into a werewolf and kills Jenny. While trying to save Jenny, Larry is bitten by the wolf, which he is finally able to kill. The next day everyone in town believes Larry killed Bela, who reverted to his human form, and Larry begins to believe the gypsy's (Ouspenskaya) tales.

With a running time of 70 minutes, this film does not mess around. It introduces the characters, sets up the plot, right to the conflict, climax, and BAM it's over. Why aren't movies like that any more? There are many movies out there that could benefit from having a shorter running time.

With that being said, I have absolutely no desire to see the Benico del Toro's 2010 remake. This film just works... Chaney is an o.k. actor, but he disappears into the character of the werewolf. It seems like an interesting choice... making monster movies, especially since his father (Lon Chaney) was well-known for his ability to disappear into a monster character with grotesque makeup. While I have yet to see any of Chaney's films (they are in my Netflix queue), I think Chaney Jr. worked well in this part. And he must have enjoyed some aspect of being Talbot / Wolf Man because he is the only actor to appear as the Wolf Man in the 1940s films. He also has the distinction of being the only actor to portray the most reputed movie monsters: the Wolf Man (5 times), Dracula (in Son of Dracula), Frankenstein (in The Ghost of Frankenstein), and the Mummy (in The Mummy's Tomb, The Mummy's Ghost, and The Mummy's Curse).

Monster maker Jack Pierce created the makeup for this film... making this his fourth monster for Universal (following Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, and The Mummy). Once again Pierce created an interesting character concept, that continues to be the template for subsequent werewolf incarnations.

A decent monster movie, Frankenstein is still better (but perhaps I'm partial). I am curious to see more Wolf Man movies.

The Wolf Man (1941) 70 minutes
Director: George Waggner
Starring: Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot / The Wolf Man
Claude Rains as Sir John Talbot
Evelyn Ankers as Gwen Conliffe
Warren William as Dr. Lloyd
Ralph Bellamy as Colonel Montford
Patric Knowles as Frank Andrews
Maria Ouspenskaya as Maleva

Charade

2011-10-19T23:09:00.002-04:00

"All right, get set for the story of my life."
"Fiction or non-fiction?"

Regina Lampert (Hepburn) is planning to divorce her wealth husband, Charlie, who keeps too many secrets. When she returns from vacation, Charlie and all their possessions are gone. The police inform her that Charlie was killed, after selling their possessions and trying to leave the country.

After the funeral, Regina is contacted by Mr. Bartholomew (Matthau) from the CIA. He explains that Charlie was wanted by the government for a large sum of money he stole, which is the reason he was killed. However, Regina is in danger. Charlie had three accomplices who want their share of the money: Scobie (Kennedy), Tex (Coburn), and Gideon (Glass). With the help of Peter Joshua (Grant), the charming stranger she met while on vacation, can Regina find the money first?

A funny, romantic, thriller with an all-star cast. Audrey Hepburn is elegant and stunning in an array of Givenchy clothing. Cary Grant is a charismatic leading man (as always), playing serious and goofy simultaneously. Despite the 30+ year age difference, they have sizzling chemistry, with Hepburn as the pursuer. They are chased by George Kennedy and James Coburn, two actors best known for playing "tough" characters. Kennedy is imposing, while Tex is conniving.

The script is funny, with witty dialogue and goofy moments / scenes (Grant's shower while wearing his suit). But there are also serious moments, hyping the drama of the moment. In addition, Director Stanley Donen, makes the most of his gorgeous Parisian setting, almost making Paris another character in the film.

An excellent film for Grant and Hepburn fans, and good for any occasion / mood... come for the spectacular cast at the top of their game, stay for the story.

Charade (1963) 113 minutes
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Cary Grant as Peter Joshua
Audrey Hepburn as Regina Lampert
Walter Matthau as Hamilton Bartholomew
James Coburn as Tex Panthollow
George Kennedy as Herman Scobie
Ned Glass as Leopold W. Gideon

Wait Until Dark

2011-10-17T16:22:00.000-04:00

"I cannot negotiate in an atmosphere of mistrust."

At the airport, a young woman (Jones) gives a small doll to another passenger, Sam (Zimbalist Jr.). Sam is a photographer, who is married to Susy (Hepburn) who is trying to be learning to be self-sufficient after losing her sight in a fire. Sam wants her to be "the world champion blind lady" who doesn't need to rely on others to find her way. When Sam is called away for a last minute photo shoot, Susy is left alone in the apartment.

After Sam's departure three men descend on the apartment to retrieve the doll, which contains heroin. The doll's owner, Roat (Arkin), is a psychotic drug dealer, willing to use any means necessary to collect his merchandise. He blackmails two ex cons, Mike (Crenna) and Carlino (Weston), to retrieve the doll from Susy. Mike pretends to be an old friend of Sam's, while Carlino pretends to be a police sergeant looking for the doll, which he claims is related to a woman's death, and Roat plays double duty as the grieving husband and crazy father who ransacks Susy's home and scares her into helping Mike locate the doll. With one woman already dead for her involvement, can Susy survive the weekend?

An adaptation of Frederick Knott's play "Wait Until Dark," which debuted on Broadway in 1966. While the show did not last long on Broadway, it garnered a Tony nomination for lead Lee Remick. A year later, the story was adapted to film.

The story starts slow, setting up each character, beginning with the ill-fated Lisa... it takes 21 minutes for Audrey Hepburn to appear on screen. Despite it's slow start, the tension builds over time ... with a heart-stopping climax that is still terrifying today. Watch in the dark, if you can handle it, especially the conclusion. When it was a play, the theaters were as dark as possible during this scene, and the movie theaters had the lights as low as legally possible during the scene to heighten the tension. Trust me, you'll be on the edge of your seat.

While Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, the truly memorable performance is Arkin. His Roat is unbalanced and menacing, setting the stage for subsequent slasher movie villains. Parts of the film fall flat, but the final sequences are worth sitting through the slow / boring portions.

Voted # 55 on AFI's "100 Years, 100 Thrills," this film is intense. The action is confined to the Hendrix apartment, escalating the tension as you realize there are only so many places to escape... especially when the villains can see and the heroine cannot. Check it out!!

Wait Until Dark (1967) 108 minutes
Director: Terence Young
Starring: Audrey Hepburn as Susy Hendrix
Alan Arkin as Roat
Richard Crenna as Mike Talman
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. as Sam Hendrix
Jack Weston as Carlino
Samantha Jones as Lisa
Julie Herrod as Gloria

Muppet Treasure Island

2011-10-12T14:39:00.000-04:00

""Take a cruise," you said. "See the world," you said. Now here we are, stuck on the front of this stupid ship."
"Well, it could be worse. We could be stuck in the audience."

Jim Hawkins (Bishop) dreams of having an adventure and travel the world like his late father, but he is stuck working at a local inn with his friends Gonzo and Rizzo. One of the guests at the inn, Billy Flynn (Connolly) regales the boys stories of his days as a pirate burying treasure. But when his old shipmates mark him for death, Billy gives the boys the map to Captain Flint's buried treasure. He tells to boys to beware of the one-legged man and dies,

"He died? And this is supposed to be a kids' movie."

With the inn destroyed by the pirates, the boys decide to sail the seas and find the treasure.

They convince Young Squire Trelawney (Fozzie Bear), a half-wit who listens to advice from Mr. Bimbo, the man living in his finger, to finance the voyage and find a boat and crew for the trip. He agrees, and soon they set sail, with the boys serving as cabin boys. But their excitement soon turns to fear when they meet the ships cook Long John Silver (Curry), a one-legged man, and realize the rest of the crew are pirates. At Captain Abraham Smollett's (Kermit the Frog) suggestion, the treasure map is locked away. Can they make it to the treasure, or will the pirates mutiny and kill them all?

Six years after the death of Muppet creator Jim Henson, the Muppets returned to the big screen under the direction of his son Brian Henson. Muppet regular, Steve Whitmore takes over Jim Henson's characters (with the exception of Rowlf, who was retired after Henson's death, because that is the character that most resembled Henson's personality). Like it's predecessor, A Muppet Christmas Carol (also directed by Brian Henson), this film puts the Muppet spin on the Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island." Most Muppet characters replace characters from the film, Kermit is Captain Smollett etc., with a few exceptions, Gonzo, Rizzo, etc.

The film also sticks to the traditional Muppet formula: good story, many puns, original songs, absurd situations, etc. Broadway star turned movie star Tim Curry shines in the role of Long John Silver. He is charismatic and manages to steal the film from his Muppet co-stars (not an easy feat). The rest of the human cast is functional, but not particularly memorable, with the exception of Billy Connolly chewing scenery as the perpetually drunk Billy Bones. The songs are fun, with Curry's solo "Professional Pirate" ("remember this is my only number") standing above the rest.

I saw this film in theaters when it was released (I was in elementary school) and loved it. Seeing it again as an adult, I still love it. That is one of the great things about the Muppet feature films (the recent made-for-TV specials such as 2002's It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and 2005's Muppet's Wizard of Oz have been horrible) is the way they work for all ages. They are clean and funny, without resorting to farting jokes like many other "kid" movies. There are little moments and jokes that focus on the adult audience, but the entire film is enjoyable for all ages. They also stand the test of time without feeling dated or quaint, how many children / family films can boast that?

The Muppet parodies directed by Brian Henson are brilliant... making the classic stories accessible to all ages without downgrading the stories, and keeping the plot close to the original story for the literature fans. I would love to see Henson step behind the camera again and produce another Muppet parody, but I look forward to Muppet fan Jason Segel's The Muppets (in theaters in the US November 23, 2011, outside the US in early 2012).

Muppet Treasure Island (1996) 99 minutes
Director: Brian Henson
Starring: Tim Curry as Long John Silver
Kevin Bishop as Jim Hawkins
Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and others
Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat, Beaker, and others
Jerry Nelson as Blind Pew, Mad Monty, and others
Kevin Clash as Bad Polly, Spa'Am, and others
Bill Barretta as Clueless Morgan and others
Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam the Eagle, and others

The Muppet Movie

2011-10-10T22:34:00.001-04:00

"I like the movie fine so far."
"It hasn't started yet."
"That's what I like about it."

Before they were famous, the Muppets were living ordinary lives with dreams of success. Kermit the Frog was content living in the swamp, until a Hollywood agents suggests a career in Hollywood. So Kermit packs his belongings and heads west. His long legs, attract the attention of Doc Hopper (Durning), owner of the famous Doc Hopper restaurants that specialize in frog legs. Doc wants Kermit to be the new face of the restaurant, but Kermit refuses. With Doc in pursuit, he teams up with inept comedian Fozzie Bear, plumber The Great Gonzo, beauty queen Miss Piggy, and assorted other Muppets who dream of a career in Hollywood.

I grew up loving the Muppets... starting with the cartoon Muppet Babies and then spreading to their TV specials like A Muppet Family Christmas. Then I fell in love with The Muppet Show and the movies... starting with this one.

Over 30 years after it's release, this film still works. Simultaneously sentimental and absurd, this is the kind of film that only the Muppets can pull off. There are original songs in a variety of styles: sentimental "I'm Going to Go Back There Some Day," funny "Movin' Right Along", irreverent "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along," and classic "Rainbow Connection." While all the songs are great, my favorite is Miss Piggy's solo "Never Before, Never Again." It sounds like an epic love song, and begins that way, but the ending takes you a bit by surprise. Despite hearing this song many times (it was on pretty heavy rotation on my iPod), it still cracks me up every time.

It's the characters you love, with each of the main characters (Kermit, Fozzie, Piggy, Gonzo, Rowlf, the Electric Mayhem, etc) getting a chance to shine. Like The Muppet Show, there is an endless parade of celebrities in memorable cameo roles. Most get a line or two at most, with Charles Durning's Doc Hopper serving as the token human character / villain.

It's funny, quotable, and has a great soundtrack. It spawned all the Muppet movies (good and bad), and proved that puppets can be endearing (and open a film). A must-see film (it's an oldy, but a goody!).

The Muppet Movie (1979) 95 minutes
Director: James Frawley
Starring: Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, and others
Frank Oz as Miss Piggy, Fozie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, and others
Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Robin, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and others
Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Janice, Sweetums, Beaker, and others
Dave Goelz as The Great Gonzo, Zoot, and others
Charles Durning as Doc Hopper

Some Like It Hot

2011-10-03T22:29:00.001-04:00

"Story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop."

Musicians Joe (Curtis) and Jerry (Lemmon) are in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the way to latest gig, they witness the Valentine's Day Massacre and barely escape Spats Columbo (Raft) and his goons. They borrow clothes and wigs from some chorus girls and take a job in an all-girl band: Joe becomes Josephine and Jerry becomes Daphne.

The band heads to Florida, and new complications arise. Joe falls for the band's lead singer, Sugar (Monroe), who is looking for a millionaire husband. Meanwhile, Jerry as Daphne, is pursued by a millionaire, Osgood Fielding III (Brown), who has been married many times and doesn't accept "no" as an answer. Can they keep up the ruse and stay away from the mobsters, while still getting what they want?

This film was named as the #1 comedy film by the American Film Institutes (AFI) (AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs). Over fifty years after it's release, this film still delivers the laughs. Everything works: the plot, the writing, the performances.

While billed as a Marilyn Monroe film, it truly belongs to Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. Monroe is the female lead / sex symbol, but she is only a minor player. Lemmon pulls double duty as Jerry and Daphne. He is incredible in this film (in every film). He has excellent chemistry with Tony Curtis and Joe E. Brown. His interactions with Brown are some of the best exchanges in the film (they share the most quoted line from the film, "Well, nobodies perfect"). Curtis portrays 3 characters: Joe, Josephine, and Junior... with a different accent for each. According to IMDb.com, someone else provided the Josephine voice because Curtis couldn't maintain the higher pitched voice for an entire scene. And Junior is an imitation of Cary Grant. All brilliant.

Everything and everyone works. Still a must-see movie after all these years!
http://andrewsidea.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/some-like-it-hot/

Some Like It Hot (1959) 120 minutes
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Marilyn Monroe as Sugar
Tony Curtis as Joe / Josephine
Jack Lemmon as Jerry / Daphne
George Raft as Spats Columbo
Joe E. Brown as Osgood Fielding III

The Help

2011-09-30T22:30:00.000-04:00

"Courage sometimes skips a generation. Thank you for bringing it back to our family."

Life in Jackson, MS doesn't change. Black maids raise and care for white children, and then the children grow up and turn into their parents. This is the status quo for Abileen (Davis), who has a knack for babies until they reach a certain age. Abileen lost her own son, and since his death she has been working for the Leefolts.

Mrs. Leefolt's (O'Reilly) best friends are Hilly Holbrook (Howard) and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Stone). Hilly runs the social circles with an iron fist, keeping everyone on task and under her thumb. Her mother (Sissy Spacek) employs the best cook in town, Minny (Spencer). Minny is outspoken and is fired, with only one option left: Celia Foote (Chastain) the social outcast.

Skeeter doesn't want the same life as her friends, she has big dreams. Skeeter finished college and is looking for a writing job. A New York editor suggests Skeeter find a unique topic for her writing. She wants to write about the perspective of the help, and asks Abileen and Minny to talk about their experiences as maids. Since it's against the law, what will happen if people find out what they're doing?

I read the book ("The Help" by Kathryn Stockett), based on a glowing recommendation from my mother. She read it because everyone in her boss' family had just finished the book and loved it. So I dove right in. The book was a powerful, well-written story that I couldn't put down. Meanwhile, many of our friends saw the movie and raved about it. So after my roommate finished the book, we decided to spend the $8 to see the movie in theaters, and took along a friend that had not read the book.

Our take: you should wait to read the book AFTER you see the movie. My friend loved the movie, while my roommate and I had lukewarm feelings about it. The movie is good, but if you've read the book you will disappointed by the changes. People that see the movie first, enjoy both and find that the book explains some situations better (obviously there is more detail in the book).

With my literature background, I am a book purist. I like my film adaptations to remain true to the original literature. There are exceptions, but I tend to prefer the book. Obviously you can't fully flesh out the story in a 2 hour movie, and to faithfully adapt a novel to the screen involves making it much longer (like a mini-series), but I hate when filmmakers change a character or scene to make it more friendly to a mass audience.

The movie takes a lighter look at the plot of the book. There are still serious moments, but other aspects of the story focus more on the humor of the situation. Some characters / plotlines are condensed or removed or replaced with new scenes that have the same general feel. Overall I wasn't bothered by the changes, but there were a few that stood out. First, they changed the Constantine plot slightly (the daughter), to keep one character likeable. Also, they took out one of my favorite Celia scenes, when she defends Minny. The scene in the book clearly lays out who Celia is, and cements her relationship with Minny. The scene was replaced with Celia tending to a cut on Minny's face... same premise, but the book version is better.

The cast is great and fully embody their roles. Viola Davis and Emma Stone carry the film, while Octavia Spencer gets to say the things that everyone wants to say.

A decent film ... but the book is better.

The Help (2011) 146 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for thematic material
Director: Tate Taylor
Starring: Emma Stone as Skeeter Phelan
Viola Davis as Abileen Clark
Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook
Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson
Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote
Ahna O'Reilly as Elizabeth Leefolt

That Touch of Mink

2011-09-18T21:47:00.001-04:00

"What happened?"
"I was knocked down two flights of stairs and then viciously attacked by a dog in a taxi. This has been the most satisfying day of my life."

Cathy Timberlake (Day) is a nice girl that has a tendency to date the wrong men. One morning on her way to an interview she is splashed with mud by a passing car. Her new dress is ruined and his interview does not go well. The car that splashed belonged to Philip Shayne (Grant), a rich businessman who is used to getting what he wants. When they meet so he can apologize, there is an instant attraction, and they spend the entire day together.

He wants to take her to Bermuda. She thinks it is a marriage proposal, while he is just planning a fling. Despite warnings from her outspoken and protective roommate, Connie (Meadows), and Shayne's assistant, Roger (Young), Cathy goes to Bermuda... but can she live with being the mistress and not the wife?

They don't make movies like this anymore... Cary Grant was a superb leading man, regardless the role (from his serious turns in Alfred Hitchcock movies to slapstick with Katharine Hepburn to any number of romantic comedies). Doris Day was an iconic woman, playing the sweet and innocent girl in the majority of her films. Their films are great, even after all these years.

This film has lost something over the years... especially now when it is normal for an unmarried couple to vacation together and sleep in the same room / bed. But the film still works because of the strong cast. Grant and Day are perfect. Their are aided by Audrey Meadows, best known as Alice on the TV show The Honeymooners (1953-1956), and Gig Young. Meadows is a great best-friend character, who gets to do the things most women want to do for their best friend. Young steals the show as Shayne's assistant who is in therapy because of his job. He has great chemistry with Grant and delivers the funniest lines. There is also a notable cameo by New York Yankee players Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Roger Maris.

A great Friday-night movie (or for girls night)!

That Touch of Mink (1962) 99 minutes
Director: Delbert Mann
Cary Grant as Philip Shayne
Doris Day as Cathy Timberlake
Gig Young as Roger
Audrey Meadows as Connie Emerson

How to Steal a Million

2011-09-17T23:35:00.000-04:00

"American millionaires must be all quite mad. Perhaps it's something they put in the ink when they print the money."

Charles Bonnet (Griffith), is a wealthy art collector. Many of the pieces in his collection have not been seen for years, including the Cellini Venus sculpture. Bonnet agrees to loan the Cellini Venus to a museum in Paris. However, Bonnet's Venus and his art collection are fakes; the Venus was sculpted by Bonnet's father.

Bonnet agrees to allow the museum to borrow the Venus, much to the chagrin of his daughter Nicole (Hepburn). Nicole's fears are realized when the museum decides to test the sculpture. To save her family reputation, she hires a "society burglar," Simon Dermott (O'Toole), to steal the sculpture before the tests. Nicole met Simon when he broke into her home and she accidentally shot him. Can they pull off the impossible and steal the priceless sculpture without getting caught?

A delightful romp of a heist film. The story is funny and intriguing, with everything building to the heist. Audrey Hepburn glides gracefully into the role of Nicole, delivering a solid performance. Peter O'Toole channels Cary Grant's suave leading man persona as Simon. They have decent chemistry and both work well. The stars are flanked by Hugh Griffith and Eli Wallach. Griffith looks like he's having a great time as Bonnet and gets the best lines. Wallach has a smaller role as a wealthy art dealer... he is entertaining and a good actor, but not noteworthy in this case.

A must-see for Hepburn fans.

How to Steal a Million (1966) 123 minutes
Director: William Wyler
Starring: Audrey Hepburn as Nicole Bonnet
Peter O'Toole as Simon Dermott
Eli Wallach as Davis Leland
Hugh Griffith as Charles Bonnet

The Mummy (1999)

2011-09-07T19:08:00.000-04:00

"You better think of something fast, because, if he turns me into a mummy you're the first one I'm coming after."

Librarian and aspiring archaeologist Evie Carnahan (Weisz) is given a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra. She enlists the help of her cowardly, treasure hungry brother, Jonathan (Hannah), who gave her the map and an intricate box that turns into a key. To get to the city they need the help of Rick O'Connell (Fraser), an American prisoner who's been there before.

At the site they encounter a group of American treasure hunters, led by Rick's old "friend," Beni (O'Connor). Rick, Evie, and Jonathan find the mummy of High Priest Imhotep (Vosloo). That night Evie reads from an ancient book the American team finds, and brings Imhotep back to life. His resurrection means death for the Americans and destruction for the world, unless they can stop him. With help from Ardeth Bay (Fehr) and the rest of the Medjai, who guard Imhotep's tomb, can they stop Imhotep from fully regenerating and resurrecting his lost love, the pharoah's mistress Anck-su-Namun (Patricia Velasquez), into Evie's body.

A remake of the 1932 Boris Karloff film. The plot mimics the original, but the names and places have changed. In addition, this film embraces the action of the situation... feeling more like an Indiana Jones. There is more humor and horror than the original.

This was Brendan Fraser's first action film, and made him into a certifiable action star. His leading man charisma and ability to deliver a sarcastic comment, makes him the perfect leading man. This film also launched Rachel Weisz into stardom... making Evie plucky but vulnerable, smart and strong-willed. She owns the role. John Hannah completes the trio as Jonathan, Evie's bumbling brother. He works well in the role, delivering consistent laughs and working well with the rest of the team. The rest of the cast is good, but not as good as the chemistry of the trio.

The Mummy (1999) 125 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for pervasive adventure violence and some partial nudity.
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell
Rachel Weisz as Evie Carnahan
John Hannah as Jonathan Carnahan
Arnold Vosloo as High Priest Imhotep
Kevin J. O'Connor as Beni
Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay

The Mummy (1932)

2011-09-05T21:26:00.001-04:00

""Death... eternal punishment... for... anyone... who... opens... this... casket. In the name... of Amon-Ra... the king of the gods." Good heavens, what a terrible curse!"
"Well, let's see what's inside!"

In 1921, a group of archaeologists, led by Sir Joeseph Whemple (Byron), uncover the tomb of Egyptian priest Imhotep (Karloff). Buried with Imhotep is a special scroll, which resurrects him when impatient Ralph (Bramwell Fletcher) translates and reads it. When the rest of the team returns, both the mummy and scroll are gone.

Ten years later, Imhotep resurfaces as a modern Egyptian man named Ardath Bey. He goes to the site of the latest archaeological dig, led by Frank Whemple (Manners), whose father led the team that originally discovered Imhotep. Bey offers them a tip: the location of the tomb of Pharoah's daughter Ankh-es-en-amon. Imhoteph's love for Ankh-es-en-amon was the reason for his death by mummification. He wants to resurrect her soul into the body of a modern Egyptian woman, Helen (Johann). But Helen is in love with Frank. Can the Whemple men, with the help of ancient Egyptian scholar Dr. Muller (Van Sloan), save Helen?

In my quest to watch all of the original versions of classic monster movies, I sat down with this film... having already seen the 1999 remake series starring Brendan Fraser. And sadly, I have to admit, I prefer the remake (that never happens). While Boris Karloff is amazing, the film is not as strong (or holds up as well) as other monster movies.

Edward Van Sloan is the VMP of classic (1930s) horror movies: appearing (as essentially the same character) in Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Mummy. Once again, Van Sloan is the voice of reason / the expert in the strange situation.

It's o.k., but I prefer Frankenstein (or Dracula).

The Mummy (1932) 73 minutes
Director: Karl Freund
Starring: Boris Karloff as Imhotep / Ardath Bey
Zita Johann as Helen
David Manners as Frank Whemple
Arthur Byron as Sir Joseph Whemple
Edward Van Sloan as Dr. Muller

Young @ Heart

2011-09-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

"Jean, did you see that white light that everybody talks about?"
[laughing] "No. I refused to look."

A documentary about a senior citizen choir from Northampton, Massachusetts. The group of twenty-two singers, known as "Young @ Heart", are known for their renditions of popular hard rock songs. Director Stephen Walker, and his crew, follow the choir and director Bob Cilman for two months as they prepare the new material for their upcoming home concert and international tour.

The choir interpret songs ranging from James Brown's "I Feel Good" to Sonic Youth's "Schizophrenia." The choir has unique interpretations on the song, making you re-evaluate the song and decipher the lyrics in new ways. In addition to seeing how the songs are brought to life, you are taken inside the lives of the choir.

I don't normally enjoy or seek out documentaries, but this was an exception. It is engaging from the opening scene, as the oldest member of the choir, Eileen Hall, speaks the lyrics to "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by the Clash. You will laugh, and you will cry: I dare you not to get choked up during the performance at the prison, or during Fred Knittle's performance of Coldplay's "Fix You." When I reach that age I hope to have half the energy these people have... and their zest for life. I will not soon forget this movie.

Young At Heart (2007) 107 minutes
Director: Stephen Walker & Sally George

Revenge of the Bridesmaids

2011-08-31T22:45:00.000-04:00

"Tomorrow we go in for the kill. We eliminate the most essential part of this wedding: the bride."

"I guess we have to. I know the estate pretty well, there's a lot of good places to bury the body where they'll never find it."

"Uh Rach, kill is just an expression."

Best friends Abigail (Symone) and Parker (Garcia), left their home town as soon as possible to pursue their dreams. Abigail wrote a bestseller, but can't find a follow-up story. Parker moved to New York to become an actress, but she is not getting call-backs. They go home for Parker's parents anniversary, and are reunited with their other two childhood friends: shy Rachel (Whitehead) and spoiled Caitlyn (Williams). Caitlyn grew up getting everything she wanted, and is now engaged to Rachel's ex-boyfriend, Tony (Brocato).

The learn that Tony and Caitlyn are getting married for 2 reasons: she is pregnant and his family is wealthy. Parker and Abigail decide to go undercover as bridesmaids to break up the wedding and give Rachel the happy ending she deserves.

Sure, this movie was made for ABC Family Channel, but it is still funny and engaging. Raven Symone and Joanna Garcia, both TV vets, have great chemistry and seem to be having a blast. They are a bit over the top, but that is what is needed for the roles. Beth Broderick is evil, in an exaggerated villain. And you can't help but dislike Virginia Williams' Caitlyn. Chryssie Whitehead portrays the most realistic character, Rachel, who gets a few memorable lines. The male characters don't get to do much, but most men don't in wedding films.

Not a great movie, but good for a laid-back girls night.

Revenge of the Bridesmaids (2010) 95 minutes
Director: James Hayman
Starring: Raven Symone as Abigail Scanlon
Joanna Garcia as Parker Wald
Beth Broderick as Olivia McNabb
David Clayton Rogers as Lt. Henry Kent
Virginia Williams as Caitlyn McNabb
Chryssie Whitehead as Rachel Phipps
Brittany Ishibashi as Bitsy
Lyle Brocato as Tony Penning

The Fighter

2011-08-31T22:21:00.000-04:00

"I'm the one who's fighting. Not you, not you, and not you."

Micky Ward (Wahlberg) is a boxer living in the shadow of his older brother, Dicky Eklund (Bale). Dicky is a local legend, the "Pride of Lowell," after a legendary showdown with Sugar Ray Leonard. Dicky serves as Micky's trainer, despite having different boxing styles, while their mother, Alice Ward (Leo), is his manager. Dicky is unpredictable, due to his heavy drug use, and Micky's boxing career suffers.

As Dicky's drug use increases, Micky begins to rethink his boxing career. He begins dating local bartender, Charlene (Adams), who wants Micky to dream bigger. With his family alienating anyone willing to help, including Micky's other trainer Mickey O'Keefe (O'Keefe), what will Micky choose: family and his career?

The film is based on the real-life account of boxer Micky Ward and his older, half-brother Dicky Eklund. Both men were involved in the film, and appear during the credits of the film. Mark Wahlberg is the star of the film, and delivers a fine performance... but he is constantly upstaged by Christian Bale. Bale dives into the character, and spent significant time with Dicky Eklund to be able to accurately portray him and his mannerisms. You can't look away, every time Bale is on screen he takes all of the focus. He definitely deserved all the accolades for the part, and clearly deserved the Oscar for this part (which he received).

The other stand-out performances are the female leads. Melissa Leo, won an Oscar for her role as Alice Ward. While Bale is mesmerizing, Leo is trashy and abrasive. She is not a character you enjoy seeing on screen. I'm not particularly impressed with the actress, who comes off as trashy both on and off screen. Amy Adams plays against type as Charlene, shedding her squeaky clean reputation to play a tough, street-smart woman. She is good, but I prepare sweet Amy.

An excellent film, that is worth checking into. Yes, it is similar to other sports movies, and rather predictable, especially if happen to follow boxing, but it works here.

The Fighter (2010) 116 minutes
Rating: R for language throughout, drug content, some violence and sexuality
Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Mark Wahlberg as Micky Ward
Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund
Amy Adams as Charlene Fleming
Melissa Leo as Alice Ward
Mickey O'Keefe as Mickey O'Keefe
Jack McGee as George Ward

Dracula (1931)

2011-08-24T22:46:00.002-04:00

"Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."

In the Carpathian mountains, the locals fear the night and the Castle Dracula. Count Dracula (Lugosi) hires British businessman Renfield (Frye) to find a new home in England. Unbeknownst to Renfield, Dracula is a vampire. Once their business is completed, Renfield becomes Dracula's servant.

They travel to England and Renfield is taken to sanatorium, run by Dr. Seward (Bunston) in the property adjoined by Dracula's new property. Dr. Seward, his daughter Mina (Chandler), her fiance John Harker (Manners), and family friend Lucy Weston (Dade), welcome Dracula and invite him into their lives. As people begin vanishing mysteriously, and Lucy dies suddenly, Professor Van Helsing (Van Sloan) is brought into find the problem. Van Helsing is an expert on vampires. Can Dracula be stopped, or is he too smart and powerful?

The definitive Dracula film. It was not the first film incarnation of Bram Stoker's classic story, but it is the best known: the barometer by which all other Dracula films are judged.

In addition to being the Holy Grail of Dracula films, it is also the iconic role for Bela Lugosi. Lugosi originated the role of Dracula on Broadway. Although he was not the first choice for the role, he lobbied for it, took a pay cut, and went out of his way to make the film happen. In the end, it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Lugosi delivers all of Dracula's lines at a slow, deliberate pace. Apparently, he learned his lines (for Broadway) phonetically, since he did not speak English at that point. The delivery style and pace stuck, and work well for the character... he's lived for a very long time and speaks his words deliberately.

The rest of the cast is decent, with Dwight Frye standing out as Renfield. Frye subsequently appeared in other monster movies (such as Frankenstein a year after this film).

A classic monster movie, that makes all other Dracula movies / spoofs make a little more sense. Check it out!

Dracula (1931) 75 minutes
Director: Tod Browning and Karl Freund
Starring: Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
Helen Chandler as Mina
David Manners as John Harker
Dwight Frye as Renfield
Edward Van Sloan as Van Helsing
Herbert Bunston as Dr. Seward
Frances Dade as Lucy Weston

Room for One More

2011-08-21T22:04:00.000-04:00

"Sister, if it had been me, I'd have bitten both your ankles!"

Anna Rose (Drake) has a big heart, consistently providing food and shelter for homeless animals. One day, Anna is approached about taking in a foster child, who has had a troubled life. Her husband, George "Poppy" (Grant), says no, since they already have three children: Trot (Gordon), Tim (Cassell), and Teenie (Winslow). But they end up bringing the girl, Jane (Mann), into their home for a trial period. A few weeks later, they bring in a second troubled child Jimmy John (Tatum Jr). Can they be a family, or will personality differences prove to be too great?

I discovered this film during TCM's Summer Under the Stars today (8/21/11). Cary Grant is one of my favorite actors, so I was excited to discover more of his films (I love TCM).

Grant is great as the harried husband, trying to keep the family happy and fed, while secretly loving the chaos. Betty Drake excels as the woman with enough love to reach 5 children, making each one feel loved and accepted. Grant and Drake have excellent chemistry, they were married at the time.

The kids are a delight. Especially George Winslow, in his film debut. Winslow is best know for his deep voice at a young age. He appeared again with Grant in the film Monkey Business, also in 1952. Winslow plays the youngest of the Rose children, with the most to say. He says it like it is, and gets the best laughs. The other Rose children are minor players, revolving around their parents and foster siblings. They each get some good lines, but don't have been great moments. Iris Mann, as Jane, and Clifford Tatum Jr., as Jimmy John, are abrasive at first, but grow on you as they grow on the family. They both do a good job, but are upstaged by the dog, who joins the family around the same time they do.

A heart-warming, goofball comedy. Check it out!

Room for One More (1952) 98 minutes
Director: Norman Taurog
Starring: Cary Grant as George "Poppy" Rose
Betsy Drake as Anna Rose
Iris Mann as Jane Miller
George Winslow as Teenie Rose
Clifford Tatum Jr. as Jimmy John Wilson
Gay Gordon as Trot Rose
Malcolm Cassell as Tim Rose

Into the Woods

2011-08-16T18:52:00.001-04:00

"You need an objective observer to pass the story along."
"Some of us don't like the way you've been telling it."

Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom...
A young woman, named Cinderella (Crosby), wants to go to the king's festival and dance with the prince. A young boy named Jack (Wright), is forced to sell his best friend / cow so he and his mother (Barbara Bryne) can eat. And the Baker (Zien) and his Wife (Gleason) long to have a child, but are under the curse of the Witch (Peters) next door. The Witch gives them a list of items to procure to lift the spell. And everyone enters the woods.

Can they all find their "happily ever after?"

In 1986, Stephen Sondheim debuted a new musical that combined beloved several beloved fairy tales: Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Riding Hood, and Rapunzel; into a new story Into the Woods. All of the characters interact and their storylines cross in the characters of the Baker and his Wife. It explores the fairy tales and what happens when everyone gets what they want or deserve... the first Act is the stories you know and ends with the song "Ever After" which talks about how everyone is now going to live "happily ever after." The second Act begins several months later, as everyone once again wishes for something and realizes that there are flaws with their original dreams.

It is interesting to see how Sondheim and James Lapine imagine these characters... and I like how they use double roles to show more aspects of a character... the role of Cinderella's prince, Robert Westenberg also plays the Wolf, making a comment about the prince's appetite (which makes more sense in the second Act).

When the show opened on Broadway in 1987, it was a hit, garnering several Tony nominations and 3 (Best Actress in a Musical -Joanna Gleason, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score). The original cast was filmed for a television performance in 1991 (this film). It is filmed on the stage, using all the scenery from the live performance. The cast is perfect... particularly Bernadette Peters who dazzles as the Witch.

The songs as mesmerizing, especially "Ever After", "No One is Alone" (my favorite song), and "The Last Midnight." While I adore the original cast, I also suggest the soundtrack from the 2002 Broadway Revival (I prefer Laura Benanti as Cinderella... but Peters is a better Witch than Vanessa Williams). Also, look for clips of Christian Sieber and Gregg Edelman as the princes, singing "Agony."

It's an incredible show live, so check your local theaters (I've seen it live twice, and it was awesome both times!). It's not a show for children... there are "scary moments" and the scenes with the wolf / prince may go over kids heads, but it is a tad risque. Check it out, but leave the kids at home.

Into the Woods (1991) 153 minutes
Director: James Lapine
Starring: Bernadette Peters as the Witch
Chip Zien as Baker
Joanna Gleason as Baker's Wife
Tom Aldredge as Narrator / Mysterious Man
Kim Crosby as Cinderella
Robert Westenberg as Wolf / Cinderella's Prince
Danielle Ferland as Little Red Riding Hood
Ben Wright as Jack

30 Minutes or Less

2011-08-13T19:50:00.000-04:00

"Two guys in masks strapped a bomb to my chest and now I have less than nine hours to rob a bank!"
"And your first thought was to come to a school filled with young children?!"

Dwayne (McBride) and Travis (Swardson) are fledgling criminals with big plans. Step 1) Force someone to get them $100,000. Step 2) Hire a hitman (Pena) to kill Dwayne’s wealthy Vietnam vet father. Step 3) Start a business, which will be the front for an illegal operation.

Setting step one in motion, they order pizza. When it arrives, they don gorilla masks and attack the delivery guy, Nick (Eisenberg). When he wakes up, there is a bomb strapped to his chest and he has 10 hours to rob a bank or die.

Nick is a slacker with no ambitions, until he has a time limit. With the help of best friend, Chet (Ansari) a teacher, can Nick pull off the heist and survive to get the girl of his dreams, Chet’s twin sister Kate (Vadsaria)?

An interesting premise, stellar cast, and memorable trailers made this a must-see film (I saw it opening night). The plot is basic, but delivers solid laughs. Aziz Ansari wins the VMP award for this film. He has excellent chemistry with Jesse Eisenberg, and gets the best and most quotable lines. Eisenberg and Ansari have the funniest scenes in the film, including the actual bank robbery.

While the film was funny, it could have been better. The filmmakers could tone down (or completely remove) the raunchier dialogue and the scene of nudity. They detracted from the story and most people in the theater didn't laugh. While Danny McBride and Nick Swardson are well-known names within the comedy world, their scenes were the raunchiest ones.

This is director Ruben Fleischer's sophomore film. Two years ago he made his directorial debut with the film Zombieland, which also starred Jesse Eisenberg. This is a decent second film, and I look forward to seeing what he does with future film efforts.

To watch clips of the funniest / most quotable scenes check out ranker.com.

30 Minutes or Less (2011) 83 minutes
Rating: R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity and some violence.
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg as Nick
Danny McBride as Dwayne
Aziz Ansari as Chet
Nick Swardson as Travis
Dilshad Vadsaria as Kate
Michael Pena as Chango

My Top Cancelled TV Shows #8

2011-08-06T14:20:00.001-04:00

Friends

"I'm not so good with the advice... Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?"

Six friends navigate life in the real world by relying on each other. Rachel Green (Aniston) is a spoiled rich girl, trying a career and Mr. Right. She lives with Monica (Cox), a chef who is extremely organized and OCD. Monica's brother, Ross (Schwimmer) is a paleontologist who is unlucky in love. Ross' college friend, Chandler (Perry), always has a sarcastic comment. Chandler lives with Joey (LeBlanc), a clueless actor and ladies man. And Phoebbe (Kudrow) is an eccentric musician and masseuse, who used to live with Monica.

How could any top 10 list, for a person who grew up in the 90s / 00s, not include this show? It has been off the air for 7 years, and the reruns are still popular. My friends, particularly my roommate, often quote this show...

"All I hear is blah, blah, blah, dinosaur with wings"

Before the show started, the six leads were essentially unknowns. However the popularity of the show boosted all of them to super-stardom. Jennifer Aniston is the most visible of the friends, with her personal life / relationships and her movie career. Courteney Cox, who was the best known before the show, has since appeared in 2 other TV shows Dirt and Cougar Town, starting it's 3rd season in the fall, and is one of the main characters in the Scream movie franchise. Lisa Kudrow has also moved on to movies, and has a popular new TV show Web Therapy. Matt LeBlanc starred in the Friends spinoff Joey which only lasted 2 seasons. He currently appears on the show Episodes. Matthew Perry has appeared in numerous films, but has not found success on TV. He appeared on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Mr. Sunshine, but both only lasted a season. David Schwimmer also appears in movies, and is the voice of Melman in the Madagascar movies.

A consistently funny show, full of quotable lines and memorable characters.

Friends (1994-2004)
Created by: David Crane & Marta Kauffman
Starring: Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Greene
Courteney Cox as Monica Geller
Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay
Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani
Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer as Dr. Ross Geller

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

2011-08-05T22:10:00.000-04:00

"Oh, wow. I-I never hit anybody before."
"Really? Well you did it perfectly."
"I didn't even break a nail."

When teenagers with strange marks on their necks are killed, the only hope is a cheerleader: Buffy (Swanson). Buffy is a normal teenager, content to spend her time at the mall, but her destiny has other plans. One day she is approached by a man named Merrick (Sutherland), who claims she is "the chosen one," the only one strong enough to stop the vampires who are behind the mysterious killings. She teams up with slacker Pike (Perry) to stop Lothos (Hauer) and Amilyn (Reubens) and their army of vampires.

This film was the precursor to Joss Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV show... but the two could not be more different. The film was written by Whedon, but they kept changing his vision and he eventually left the project. A few years later, he was given the opportunity to bring his vision to life.

The film takes a campy view of the storyline. It is played for laughs and doesn't really have any scary moments. Unlike the TV show, the staked vampires look like dead bodies (in the show they turn to dust). Overall, the film is interesting, but the TV show is better.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) 86 minutes
Director: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Starring: Kristi Swanson as Buffy
Donald Sutherland as Merrick
Paul Reubens as Amilyn
Rutger Hauer as Lothos
Luke Perry as Pike

Walk, Don't Run

2011-07-20T22:08:00.000-04:00

"After 7:45, you can have the bathroom all day if you'd like."
"I wouldn't know what to do in the bathroom all day!"

Sir William Rutland (Grant) arrives in Tokyo, Japan a few days early for his business trip. When he arrives, all the hotels are booked for the 1964 Olympics, and there are no options. While waiting for the American Embassy to help, he finds an advertisement to share a room. The owner of the apartment is a British transplant, Christine Easton (Eggar), who is not excited about sharing her home with a man: what will people say?

The next morning, after surviving a strict morning bathroom schedule, Sir William meets Olympian Steve Davis (Hutton), who also arrived in Tokyo early and also needs a place to stay. He convinces Sir William to rent out a portion of his room. With all three under one roof, Sir William starts match-making the pair.

Cary Grant hand-picked this film, shot on location, as his final film. It is the first in his film career where he is not playing the romantic male lead. He is still the best part of the film. His reactions and physical comedy are hysterical and remind you why he had a long and prosperous career in comedy films. Pay attention to the morning scene after all three leads are living in the apartment... Grant owns the film, and it is apparent by just watching that scene.

Samantha Eggar and Jim Hutton (father of Timothy Hutton) are well matched as the romantic leads. They interact well / have good chemistry, and play off each other well. The rest of the supporting characters work well in their respective roles.

It's a gem... is it the best film in Cary Grants repertoire? No, but it is a good way to leave a stellar career. A must see for any Cary Grant enthusiast... and let's face it, who doesn't love Cary Grant movies?

Walk, Don't Run (1966) 114 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Cary Grant as Sir William Rutland
Samantha Eggar as Christine Easton
Jim Hutton as Steve Davis
John Standing as Julius D. Haversack
Miiko Taka as Aiko Kurawa
Ted Hartley as Yuri Andreyovitch

Persepolis

2011-07-16T21:36:00.001-04:00

"Never forget who you are and where you're from."

While sitting at the airport, Marji Satrapi (Mastroianni) reflects on her life. Her childhood is spent in Iran at the start of the Islamic Revolution. Her outspoken, inquisitive nature often leads to trouble, and to keep her from meeting the same fate as her outlaw uncle, Anouche (Francois Jerosme), her parents (Abkarian & Deneuve) send her to Vienna, Austria. She spends her teen years in Europe discovering herself. She gets homesick and returns to Iran for college.

In 2000 Marjane Satrapi turned her story into a series of graphic novels titled "Persepolis." In 2007, she collaborated with Vincent Paronnaud to turn her graphic novels into a feature film. The graphic novels and film are slightly different. This film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Film, but lost to Pixar's Ratatouille.

The story draws you in from the beginning. The storytelling style (color animation in the present, black and white in the past) is interesting. Marji has a strong voice and strong narrative. You can't take your eyes off the screen, which is good since the film is in French with subtitles.

A good, intriguing film. Worth watching!

Persepolis (2007) 96 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content.
Director: Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi
Starring: Chiara Mastroianni as Marji Satrapi
Catherine Deneuve as Mrs. Satrapi
Danielle Darrieux as Grandmother
Simon Abkarian as Mr. Satrapi

Tangled

2011-07-13T22:14:00.000-04:00

"Something brought you here, Flynn Rider. Call it what you will... fate... destiny..."
"A horse."

Rapunzel (Moore) longs for adventure. She lives in an isolated tower, with only her mother, Gothel (Murphy), and chameleon, Pascal, for company. She dreams of leaving the tower and seeing the world, specifically to see the floating lanterns that are released on her birthday every year. Gothel forbids her from leaving and explains the evils of the world.

Meanwhile, thief Flynn Rider (Levi) is on the run. After the latest heist, he is trying to avoid his accomplices, the Stabbington Brothers (Ron Perlman), and the authorities. While on the run, he encounters Rapunzel's tower, and agrees to be her guide to the lanterns. Can they make the trip without getting into trouble.

Dear Disney,

I was excited to hear about the newest addition to your princess collection. I read about your exciting new film about Rapunzel (then titled Rapunzel) and couldn't wait for 2010 to arrive. And then you changed the title... and kept the trailers devoid of songs. I like Disney movies. I like Disney Princess movies. And I like Disney movies (princess or not) to have characters randomly burst into song. What gives?

I understand that your last princess flick, The Princess and the Frog, was not the commercial success you were hoping for... get over it! It was a good, respectable film that fits nicely into the Disney collection, unlike other previous films that were complete flops and no one remembers. Was that any reason to mark a Disney princess movie to boys? Boys are going to see the movie whether they know its a princess movie or not!

That gripping aside, Tangled, is a cute, memorable, funny film that I watched twice in one evening (because my roommate walked in as the end credits started rolling and wanted to watch it). Rapunzel is a quirky princess, full of spunk and not afraid to fight her own battles. Yes, she was sheltered, but she can still kick butt. She isn't looking for a prince to save her, she is looking for a guide. Mandy Moore was a great choice!

Flynn, as voiced by Zachary Levi, is an interested character, funny and memorable, but completely overshadowed by the non-talking animal characters: Hercules the horse and Pascal the chameleon. The thugs are funny and Gothel is creepy. The songs by Alan Menken are fun, but not super memorable.

A decent entry into the Disney collection, but next time, just admit it's a singing princess movie: you're audience will respect it and as long as it's a good story with some awesome characters and great songs, you'll have success (like Pixar... side note, I'm excited to see what Pixar will do with this genre in their new film Brave).

Thank you,

A concerned fan

Tangled (2010) 100 minutes
Director: Nathan Greno and Byron Howard
Starring: Mandy Moore as Rapunzel
Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider
Donna Murphy as Mother Gothel

Horrible Bosses

2011-07-11T21:09:00.001-04:00

"You wanna explain why you were speeding?"
"I was drag racing."
"In a Prius?"
"I don't win a lot."

Best friends Nick (Bateman), Dale (Day), and Kurt (Sudeikis) hate their bosses. Nick works tirelessly in a financial office for Dave Harken (Spacey), a psychotic man who regularly berates his employees. Dale, a registered sex offender, is a dental assistant for Dr. Julia Harris (Aniston), who continually makes Dale uncomfortable with her sexual advances. Kurt love his job at the chemical waste company, until his boss (Donald Sutherland) dies and leaves the company to his evil, coke addicted son Bobby Pellitt (Farrell). Bobby sees the company as a piggy bank that he can drain on a whim, and forces Kurt to start firing staff.

Over dinner they joke that their lives would be better if their bosses were dead. The more they think about it, the better it sounds... They even hire a "murder consultant" (Foxx), who suggests that they kill each others bosses, to avoid motives.

Featuring stellar performances from three comedy MVPs, this film is a riot. Jason Bateman is the voice of reason (like his performance of Michael Bluth on “Arrested Development), Charlie Day is the awkward guy with great reactions (a variation of his Charlie on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” role), and Jason Sudeikis is charming and hysterical (think “30 Rock”). These TV comedians face-off against seasoned actors, playing to the extreme: Kevin Spacey is truly evil, Colin Farrell disappears behind makeup and prosthetics and goes for broke, and Jennifer Aniston does a complete 180 from her usual “good girl” persona to practically steal the film. And Jamie Foxx is great as the murder consultant, with the scandalous name.

The director, Seth Gordon, best known for documentaries (such as The King of Kong), manages to capture funny performances from each actor, while reining in their tendency to ad-lib. Make sure to stick around for the credits for some examples of their ad-libs.

Like other summer comedies, this is rated R... a great comedy, but be prepared to witness significant swearing.

Horrible Bosses (2011) 100 minutes

Rating: R for crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material

Director: Seth Gordon

Starring: Jason Bateman as Nick Hendricks

Charlie Day as Dale Arbus

Jason Sudeikis as Kurt Buckman

Kevin Spacey as Dave Harken

Jennifer Aniston as Dr. Julia Harris

Colin Farrell as Bobby Pellitt

Jamie Foxx as Dean Jones

Just Go With It

2011-07-09T20:23:00.000-04:00

"I would create a fake family for that."

Plastic surgeon Dr. Danny Maccabee (Sandler) wears a wedding ring, despite not being married. He wears the ring as a way to pickup women without any chance of a long term relationship / commitment. And then meets and falls for Palmer (Decker), who doesn't react well to his ring.

Danny lies and makes up a story that he is getting a divorce, and when she wants to meet his wife, he convinces Katharine (Aniston), his assistant, to play the part. She agrees, and soon they are spinning a web of lies. Danny bribes her children, Maggie (Bailee Madison) and Michael (Griffin Gluck) and his cousin Eddie (Swardson), and soon the whole group is off to Hawaii for vacation. Can they keep up the charade, or will Palmer figure out the truth?

A remake of the film Cactus Flower from 1969, which was a remake of a play. This film is a raunchier romp, in the vein of other Adam Sandler comedies. It is essentially the same story, with some minor variations (and all new name changes).

Some of the changes work, the inclusion of the kids, but too often the jokes don’t work as well. The script is o.k., but defaults too often to base humor. It’s hard to cheer for Sandler, but the rest of the characters have a glimmer of hope. Jennifer Aniston anchors the story as the voice of reason. Brooklyn Decker is just a hot bod (just look at any promotional pictures or the theatrical trailer: all feature her in a bikini). Nick Swardson is funny, but goes to far. There are too many side trails (the Nicole Kidman and Dave Matthews subplot goes way too long) and not enough focus on defining the main characters and jokes. There was potential, but it was never fulfilled.

Ok, but Cactus Flower is better.

Just Go With It (2011) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for frequent crude and sexual content, partial nudity, brief drug references and language.
Director: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler as Danny Maccabee
Jennifer Aniston as Katharine
Nick Swardson as Eddie
Brooklyn Decker as Palmer

Not the Messiah: He's a Very Naughty Boy

2011-06-30T22:43:00.000-04:00

Oh we are humble shepherds and our flocks we keep 
There's nothing we like better than just watching sheep 
We count them every day and night until we fall asleep 
And then we count them once again cuz we love sheep

Brian Cohen has always been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was born in a stable nearby on the same day as Jesus Christ. As a young man he is mistaken as a prophet, and is named as the Messiah, complete with crowds of adoring fans. But all he wants is to fight the Romans, with the People's Front of Judea, and date / marry the pretty, outspoken Judith.

Told as a comic oratorio, based on "The Book of Brian" as narrated by Mrs. Betty Palin. The story follows five performers, as they act out the narrative. Beginning with the background and Brian's conception, the story follows the life of Brian Cohen.

After successfully transforming Monty Python and the Holy Grail into a Tony Award winning Broadway musical, collaborators Eric Idle and John Du Prez set their sights on Monty Python's Life of Brian. The result is an impressive feat: the BBC Symphony and Chorus (several hundred musicians and singers), and four opera singers performing a musical retelling of the film. It won't work for everyone, but any Python fan should check it out.

The film version (available through Netflix), is the October 23, 2009 performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. This performance is special: not only is it the opening night at the Royal Albert Hall, it is also the Ruby Jubilee Anniversary of Monty Python, and features guest appearances by Pythons Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, and frequent collaborators Neil Innes and Carol Cleveland.

The songs and plot make more sense if you know the basic plot of The Life of Brian and some familiarity with the other works of Monty Python, including the BBC television show Monty Python's Flying Circus. For example, during the song "The Temptation of Brian" his mother wants to go to a stoning, and Brian calls her "father"... which makes more sense if you have seen the film. Other songs have little references to Python sketches.

Most of the songs are available on YouTube.com. Check out the song "You're the One."

It's not a musical, it's "a comic oratorio."

Not the Messiah: He's a Very Naughty Boy (2010) 92 minutes
Rating: PG for suggestive material and language
Director: Aubrey Powell
Starring: Eric Idle as Barton / various characters
Michael Palin as various characters
Terry Jones as various characters
Terry Gilliam as various characters
Carol Cleveland as various characters
Neil Innes as various characters
William Ferguson as Tenor / Brian Cohen
Shannon Mercer as Soprano / Judith
Rosalind Plowright as Mezzo / Mandy Cohen
Christopher Purves as Bass / various characters
John Du Prez is the Conductor

The King's Speech

2011-06-30T22:20:00.000-04:00

"Why are you here then?"
"Because I bloody well stammer!"

The second son of King George V (Gambon), Prince Albert (Firth) known as Bertie, has a problem: he stammers. As the second in line to the throne, it is necessary for him to speak in public, but he struggles through speeches. After going through a long line of speech therapists, Bertie is convinced no one can help him. Unbeknownst to Bertie, his wife Elizabeth (Carter), contacts unconventional therapist and aspiring actor, Lionel Logue (Rush).

Despite their reservations, Lionel and Bertie agree to work together. Lionel wants to address the root of the problem: what caused the stammer, in addition to overcoming the stammer. When the king dies, Bertie's rebellious brother, Edward (Pearce) ascends the throne. But Edward is not the king the officials expect, especially with his divorced American mistress (Even Best). Can Bertie step up and be the king, in spite of his speech problem.

An excellent, well-made film... worth all the accolades and awards that it received. It manages to tow the line between history and historical narrative, using the known facts about King George VI and his struggle with speech and his relationship with Lionel Logue as the core of the story. Apparently, excerpts from Logue's case notes were used in the story to keep the scenes between the King and Logue realistic.

The core cast of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter have excellent chemistry. Firth is a strong lead, making you feel his speech struggles. He commands the screen and deserves the Oscar he received for this part. Geoffrey Rush is a formidable co-star, making each scene a little stronger. Firth and Rush have believable chemistry and play off each other well. I don't tend to like Helena Bonham Carter... she's overrated. But in this case she isn't too overbearing, much of that could be because she isn't in much of the film.

This film has no sex (or implied sex) or violence. The film has an "R" rating due to language, which is only used in therapy sessions, which they explain in the film.

Check it out, you won't regret it.

The King's Speech (2010) minutes
Rating: R for some language.
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Colin Firth as King George VI
Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue
Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth
Guy Pearce as King Edward III
Michael Gambon as King George V

The Majestic

2011-06-28T21:03:00.000-04:00

"Do you remember me?"
"No, but I'll sure try."

Peter is a new screenwriter in Hollywood. His first film "Sand Pirates of the Sahara" is in theaters and he is dating the leading lady. Life is good, until he is named as a communist: he is fired from the studio, dumped by his girlfriend, and facing a court date with the "Committee for American Activities (check name)." That night, he gets drunk and has an accident. When the car falls into the river, he gets knocked out and is swept down the river.

When he wakes up, he has no memories. He is taken to the small town of Lawson, where the people mistake him for one of their own, Luke Trimble. Luke has been missing since the WWII (9 years ago), and was presumed dead. Lawson gave a great deal to the war, losing most of their young men in combat. Every window has a plaque honoring the memory of a lost son. Luke / Peter's return brings hope to the town.

Luke's father, Harry (Landau), embraces the return of his "son" and decides to fix up their movie theater. As the town starts to come alive again, Peter starts a relationship with Luke's girlfriend Adele (Holden) and finds a place in the town. What will happen if his memory comes back?

I first saw this film at the theater in 2001. My friends and I went to a refurbished old theater, a single theater with the screen on a raised platform covered by curtains until the show started. It felt like the perfect place to watch this film... sitting in an old theater, watching as the people try to fix up "The Majestic."

Until reaching Lawson, the film is slow paced and doesn't really work... yes it is necessary to set up the rest of the story, but it could have been done better. The cast is good, and the chemistry works. It is a good film, although it received mixed reviews.

The Majestic (2001) 152 minutes
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Jim Carrey as Peter / Luke Trimble
Laurie Holden as Adele Stanton
Martin Landau as Harry Trimble
David Ogden Stiers as Doc Stanton

My Top Cancelled TV Shows: #9

2011-06-25T23:46:00.001-04:00

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"Into each generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a choosen one. One born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires..."

"To stop the spread of their evil blah, blah, blah, I've heard it, okay?"

Strange things always happen in Sunnydale. That happens when your town was built on top of a Hellmouth. There are vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. and several near apocalypses. The Slayer, a teenage girl with superhuman abilities, Buffy Summers (Gellar) lives in Sunnydale and has a destiny to save the world.

She is joined by her Faithful Watcher, the school librarian Mr. Rupert Giles (Head), her friends, and the mysterious Angel (Boreanaz).

And finally the great Joss Whedon makes an appearance on my top TV shows list.

In 1992, Whedon wrote the script for a film called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. However, the script was rewritten to make the film lighter and more of a comedy. A few years later, FOX gave him the opportunity to continue his version of the story. The show follows the continuity of the original version of the films storyline.

This story was a reflection of horror film norms, in which the pretty blonde girl that dresses well is killed first. Whedon took that girl and made her the spunky heroine that rescues / protects the men in her life. But the show thrived for more than just that... It wasn't just a one woman show, it was an ensemble show, giving each character quirks and some memorable / interesting quotes. It made stars of Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz, who got a spinoff show "Angel" (1999-2004), and it started the cult following of Joss Whedon.

Definitely check out the musical episode, "Once More With Feeling." Also, all six seasons of Buffy and all five seasons of Angel are available to watch instantly on Netflix. You won't regret it!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Created by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg
Anthony Head as Rupert Giles
Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase
David Boreanaz as Angel
James Marsters as Spike
Emma Caulfield as Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
Eliza Dushku as Faith

Whip It

2011-06-24T20:08:00.000-04:00

"So, what are you, like, alternative now?"
"Alternative to what?"

Bliss Cavendar (Page) wants to escape her mediocre life. She doesn't fit into the beauty pageant life, despite her mother's, Brooke (Harden), best efforts. While on a shopping trip, she encounters roller derby girls, and talks her best friend, and ivy league hopeful, Pash (Shawkat) into going to a roller derby game. Bliss is captivated by the women and plans to tryout for the team.

At the tryouts her skating skills impress the coach, Razor (Wilson) of the Hurl Scouts, the last place team in the league. Her speed makes her ideal to be a jammer, pass all members of the other team first to get points. Bliss is too timid to fight her way through the pack, so she chooses the moniker "Babe Ruthless" to help her get in the right mindset. With some guidance from the team: motherly team captain Maggie Mayhem (Wiig), unhinged / eccentric Smashley Simpson (Barrymore), etc, Bliss starts to take control of her own life. She lies to her parents, lies about her age, and changes her work schedule to fit the team practices. Can she keep up her double life, and get the guy (Pigg)?

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. This film was adapted from Shauna Cross' novel "Derby Girl," which is based on her experiences in roller derby. I haven't read the book, but am interested in seeing how it differs from the film.

Barrymore does well behind the camera, coaxing great performances out of the cast, while still popping on screen in a small but memorable part. Ellen Page continues to impress. She does not default to overly girly, needy teenage girls, she keeps rocking the quirky, independent chicks. Bliss is an interesting character, that adds to her film resume. Kristen Wiig, best known for her numerous comedy characters on Saturday Night Live, shows enormous control as the motherly Maggie. She is a tough woman, trying to make ends meet, not some crazy overblown comedy character.

The film is better than expected, and I look forward to seeing Drew Barrymore step behind the camera again.

Whip It (2009) 111 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material.
Director: Drew Barrymore
Starring: Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar / Babe Ruthless
Marcia Gay Harden as Brooke Cavendar
Kristen Wiig as Maggie Mayhem
Drew Barrymore as Smashley Simpson
Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven
Jimmy Fallon as Hot Tub Johnny Rocket
Eve as Rosa Sparks
Zoe Bell as Bloody Holly
Daniel Stern as Earl Cavendar
Alia Shawkat as Pash

1941

2011-06-16T23:51:00.000-04:00

"This isn't the state of California, it's a state of insanity."

In the wake of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the city Los Angeles is in turmoil. Panic sweeps the streets and everyone is worried that they will be the next place of attack. Major General Stillman (Stack) is assigned to protect the coast.

Meanwhile, a Japanese submarine is lost along the California coastline. Commander Akiro Mitamura (Mifune) and crew have orders to torpedo Hollywood, but their compass doesn't work, so the Commander sends a group ashore to find out where they are, much to the chagrin of Nazi Captain Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt (Lee).

Meanwhile, panic runs rampant in the Santa Monica / Los Angeles area. The local club is now a USO spot, for military personnel only. And the army puts an anti-aircraft defense battery in the front yard of a coastal home. That evening, at the dance, all hell breaks loose...

Not your typical Steven Spielberg film. Although the opening is reminiscent of Spielberg's Jaws: a woman on the beach alone at night strips down and dives into the ocean, swimming out into the water, and then the notorious "Jaws Theme" as the oblivious woman. From there, the film embraces absurd characters and situations, featuring a slew of big name comedy actors. At the time of it's release, this film was considered Spielberg's first flop. However, since then it has seen some success.

It is a unique movie... following several interlocking storylines. John Belushi steals the show as the slightly off-kilter "Will Bill" Kelso. Most of his screen time is confined to the cockpit of his plane, and he does not interact much with the rest of the cast. Dan Aykroyd and John Candy are underused as the tank crew, but they do get a few laughs. Slim Pickens is another scene stealer, as the prisoner aboard the Japanese sub. The man is hilarious. Tim Matheson does the usual "ladies man" route, which works. Robert Stack's Major General Stillman is the voice of reason, the straight man amid the chaos.

And then there is the love story subplot. Bobby Di Cicco's Wally and Dianne Kay's Betty are teens in love. He just got fired from another job, and she is a new USO host. It is supposed to be the night they win a dance competition, but Wally isn't a cop and isn't allowed in the club. This plot has funny moments, but drags on. Treat Williams is a good villain, but even the prospect of him isn't enough.

In spite of that, everything else works. And the film culminates in the attack on the city, which brings in all of the subplots. It is a great spectacle!

A decent comedy, in the vein of Animal House (which also features Belushi and Matheson).

1941 (1979) 118 minutes
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dan Aykroyd as Sgt Frank Tree
Ned Beatty as Ward Douglas
John Belushi as Captain Wild Bill Kelso
Christopher Lee as Captain Wolfgang von Kleinschmidt
Tim Matheson as Captain Loomis Birkhead
Toshiro Mifune as Commander Akiro Mitamura
Robert Stack as Major General Joseph Stillman
Treat Williams as Corporal "Stretch" Sitarski

Stripes

2011-06-14T22:00:00.000-04:00

"Soldier, I've noticed that you're always last."
"I'm pacing myself, Sergeant."

John (Murray) is having a bad day..."I've had an interesting morning. In the last two hours I've lost my job, my apartment, my car, and my girlfriend." He convinces his best friend, Russell (Ramis), an English language teacher, that they should join the army.

They are placed under the command of Sergeant Hulka (Oates), a tough man with no tolerance for their shenanigans. Hulka has the worst group of recruits, including stoner Elmo (Judge Reinhold), overweight comedian Ox (Candy), and psychotic Psycho (Conrad Dunn). When Hulka is severely injured during basic training, this ragtag crew must pass inspection on their own, or Captain Stillman (Larroquette) will force them to start over again. Their antics impress the General (Robert J. Wilke) and he gives them a special mission. Can they survive the mission and get back to the attractive M.P.s, Stella (Soles) and Louise (Young), that keep getting them out of trouble?

The first film collaboration between Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. Ramis and Murray have excellent chemistry and work well together. A great cast and funny performances. John Larroquette is the right amount of smarmy as Captain Stillman, who balances Warren Oates' hardcore Sergeant Hulka.

Apparently the film was made with the cooperation of the US Army. "The U.S. Army was actually very helpful and cooperative during filming, which surprised Ivan Reitman since the script depicts the military as being made up largely of buffoons." (from imdb.com). It isn't an anti-war or anti-military film, it is an anti-idiot film.

While the entire film is funny, the best sequence is graduation. Check it out!

Stripes (1981) 106 minutes
Rating: R for sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use. (extended edition)
Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Bill Murray as John
Harold Ramis as Russell
Warren Oates as Sergeant Hulka
P.J. Soles as Stella
Sean Young as Louise
John Candy as Ox
John Larroquette as Captain Stillman

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-06-10T20:02:00.006-04:00

"You lied to me by telling me the truth?"
"Yes."
"Thats good! May I use that?"

When the King of Spain learns that the legendary Fountain of Youth actually exists, he sends a ship to claim the land for Spain. The King of England wants to get their first, and turns to pirates for help. Barbossa (Rush), now a privateer after losing a leg and the Black Pearl, is to lead the quest.

Meanwhile, Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), who is in possession of the map to the Fountain. While looking for a ship and a crew, he is shanghaied by an old girlfriend, Angelica (Cruz), aboard her father's ship. Her father is the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (McShane). Blackbeard seeks the Fountain to avoid the prophecy of his death in a fortnight.

In addition to finding the Fountain, they need to perform a ritual to access the powers of the Fountain. The ritual involves capturing a mermaid (Berges-Frisbey). Can they survive mutiny, zombies, voodoo, mermaids, and each other:

The fourth film in the successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, based on the Disneyland ride, had a lot to overcome. The original (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) was an instant success, due to great performances (particularly Depp and Rush) and word of mouth. The second (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest) and third (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End) films took the characters and mythology, and built upon it, making each film longer and more confusing. Each film had bigger budgets and cooler effects, but lost the magic and audience of the original. With most of the plot lines resolved (at the end of the third film), and character arcs completed, who would be Jack's moral compass and who would be the new villain?

A new director, new cast, new mythologies are at the forefront of Jack's new adventure. The film feels different from its predecessors, while trying to rekindle the joy of the original.

Does it succeed? Some aspects work: the chemistry between Depp and Cruz, and Jack still trying to successfully captain the Black Pearl. Some aspects miss the mark: the subplot with the missionary, the lack of Barbossa and Gibbs (where’s the rest of the crew?). The beginning sequence with Jack at the palace (and escaping from it) is spellbinding. The sword fights and other action scenes are done well.

A funny, engaging film ... I enjoyed the experience. It works on it's own merits, as part of the family of the other 3 films. It doesn't try to duplicate the formula of the others and doesn't try to piggy back on the story line of the original. It chooses to stand on it's own, winking at aspects of the other films. It isn't necessary to see the previous films to enjoy this one, but it certainly helps!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) 136 minutesRating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action / adventure violence, some frightening images, sensuality and innuendo.

Director: Rob Marshall

Starring: Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow

Penelope Cruz as Angelica Malon

Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa

Ian McShane as Blackbeard

Kevin McNally as Gibbs

Sam Claflin as Philip

Astrid Berges-Frisbey as Syrena

Shall We Dance? (2004)

2011-05-30T11:57:00.000-04:00

"I mean, a straight man who likes to dance around in sequins walks a very lonely road, I got news for you."

John Clark (Greer) has a good life: a loving family and a decent job, but he isn't happy. Life is monotonous and his wife, Beverly (Sarandon), and children are busy. While riding the train home, he notices a rundown dance studio with a beautiful woman in the staring out the window. Intrigued, he gets the courage to enter the studio and joins the beginner dance class with the owner, Miss Mitzi (Gillette).

The beginner class consists of three men: Chic (Cannavale) who wants to meet women and Vern (Miller) who wants to lose weight. Also at the studio are diva dancer Bobbie (Walter) and the lonely woman that caught John's eye, dance instructor Pauline (Lopez). As John gets comfortable dancing and begins the enjoy the experience, his life changes. Soon Beverly and their children are noticing a change. With an amateur dance competition rapidly approaching, can John continue to hide his secret from his family and co-workers?

I have to admit, I enjoy watching dancing and dancing movies... Yes, dancing movies don't tend to have great stories or acting, but the dancing just blows you away. My mom enjoys this film, and suggested it for our Girls Night, and I was pleasantly surprised.

I have not seen the original Japanese version of this film (released in 1996), but it looks like a sweet, interesting film. And based on discussion boards for both films, seeing the 1996 version makes this film seem dull and uninspired.

Boasting an impressive cast (watch the dancers for brief appearances by Dancing with the Stars pros Karina and Tony), this film is funny and mindless... not the greatest dancing movie ever, but it works. Don't expect too much.

Shall We Dance? (2004) 106 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual references and brief language.
Director: Peter Chelsom
Starring: Richard Greer as John Clark
Jennifer Lopez as Pauline
Susan Sarandon as Beverly Clark
Lisa Ann Walter as Bobbie
Stanley Tucci as Link
Anita Gillette as Miss Mitzi
Bobby Cannavale as Chic
Omar Miller as Vern

We're Not Married!

2011-05-24T16:28:00.001-04:00

"Say one thing about our marriage. If there's such a thing as an un-jackpot, I've hit it!"

Melvin Bush (Moore) is so excited to start his new position as Justice of the Peace, that he marries six couples before his appointment begins. No one catches the mistake until one couple wants a divorce and find out they aren't really married.

To avoid a lawsuit, they send letters to the remaining five couples...

First are the Gladwyns, Steve (Allen) and Ramona (Rogers), who got married to get their own plush radio show. They barely speak at home and fight before every show.
Next are the Norris', Jeff (Wayne) and Annabel (Monroe), she is a beauty pageant winner trying to get sponsors for the "Mrs. USA" circuit, while he stays home and takes care of their son. She is never around and he is frustrated.
The Woodruff's, Hector (Douglas) and Katie (Arden), used to talk about everything, but now they have nothing to say to each other and their lives are boring. He fantasizes about life as a single man.
The Melrose's, Freddie (Calhern) and Eve (Gabor), are preparing for a divorce. He is an incredibly wealthy oil tycoon, and she is planning to take it all in their divorce.
And finally the Fisher's, Willie (Bracken) and Patsy (Gaynor), are saying goodbye. He is going into active military duty overseas, and she is expecting a little surprise.

Give the choice, will they get married again, or choose to leave the relationship behind.

An interesting concept and an exceptional cast... and somehow, this film doesn't live up to it's potential.

The filmmakers chose to show each couple separately, with commentary from the judge about the start of their marriage and then showing the current status. Each couple is a mini show / episode that ties back to the main theme: they aren't actually married and what future will they choose. And while it's interesting to see the changes in the relationships over the 2 years since their fateful wedding, they could do some things better. For example, is it really necessary to show each couple reading the letter and then showing the audience the same portion. We still know what the letter says, we don't need to see it 5 times. And perhaps it would be more interesting to do more flipping between couples, or at least have something that ties them together besides the judge... they wouldn't have to know each other, they could pass on the street or eat in the same restaurant, to provide more continuity between storylines.

Within each sequence there are aspects that do and do not work. The Fred Allen & Ginger Rogers story bookends the film, and they receive top billing. Their story works, but drags on too long. Do we really need to see their entire morning routine to avoid each other? A shorter sequence of their home life, followed by their fights at the station sets up their relationship, we don't need more. The commercials for their show are funny, but drag on a bit. Their story also has the best transition from the couple to the judge and his wife.

The David & Marilyn Monroe story works well and does not drag. They have an interesting chemistry and play off each other well. It is interesting to see a young, less bombshell, version of Monroe. A good sequence. The Louis Calhern & Zsa Zsa Gabor story also works, with Calhern doing the heavy lifting, but drags on too much. The scenes at their home and at the hotel work well, but once they are in Calhern's office it drags. It could be shortened and still pack the same punch. The Paul Douglas & Eve Arden storyline should have been scrapped or revamped. It isn't interesting. There was potential, but nothing ever happens... and the sequence with Douglas imaging his life as a single man is too long. It might be realistic, but it was unnecessary. The Eddie Bracken & Mitzi Gaynor story is a good story to end on. It focuses more on Bracken and his usual shtick, but it works.

While I enjoyed the ending, if you are going to show the final decisions of the couples, you need to show all the couples. Yes, the big finale shows the new, official weddings, but what about the people who do not choose to marry again? It would still work to show them, since you are invested in all the storylines.

A good film... some scenes feel progressive for the 1950s time period, but none of the characters are shown sleeping in the same bed... Interesting to see ten truly talented actors, but not their best work

We're Not Married! (1952) 86 minutes
Director: Edmund Goulding
Starring: Ginger Rogers as Ramona Gladwyn
Fred Allen as Steve Gladwyn
Marilyn Monroe as Annabel Jones Norris
David Wayne as Jeff Norris
Eve Arden as Katie Woodruff
Paul Douglas as Hector Woodruff
Eddie Bracken as Willie Fisher
Mitzi Gaynor as Patsy Reynolds Fisher
Louis Calhern as Freddie Melrose
Zsa Zsa Gabor as Eve Melrose
Victor Moore as Justice of the Peace Melvin Bush

Operation: Endgame

2011-05-17T21:51:00.000-04:00

"How do I know for sure you are who I think you are?"
"Well, for one, we were just speaking in code. And two... I currently have a Para Carry 9mm pointed squarely at your crotch. I'm High Priestess. Nice to meet you."

A hidden underground bunker serves as the workplace for the top government assassins. They make up two teams: Alpha & Omega, that serve as checks and balances for each other. It is the first day on the job for The Fool (Anderson), the newest member of Omega. Before the staff meeting, the Devil (Jeffrey Tambor), the boss, is found dead in his office. And his computer has initiated "Operation: Endgame," a program that locks down the exit and is set to self-destruct in 90 minutes. The above ground control room cannot override the program, and watchers Neil (Michael Hitchcock), Carl (Tim Bagley), and their scary boss Susan (Beth Grant) can only watch the action in the bunker.

Everyone believes there is another secret exit, to find a way out they pair up with their mirror agent:
-Dainty psychopath Hierophant (de Ravin) is paired with burly self-absorbed Judgement (Rhames).
-Anti-social Tower (Jackson) is paired with blunt High Priestess (Q)
-The temptress Temperance (Yustman) is paired with her ex, The Fool
-The cocky Magician (Scott) is paired with angry, cursing Chariot (Corddry)
-And Empress (Barkin), the bored Alpha leader, and Emperor (Odenkirk) the by-the-book Omega leader, are forced to work together

But when the Alpha's start attacking the Omega's, all bets are off. Who will survive? Will anyone find the exit? And what does the mysterious Hermit (Galifianakis) have planned?

I discovered this film on Netflix Instant streaming and it sounded interesting. In addition, it featured a strong cast and I was in the mood for an action film.

From the opening sequence, you are greeted by a consistent stream of cursing. At some point in the film every character lets loose a string of profanity ... unnecessary to the flow of the story and completely jarring.

All of the battles are blood and gruesome. The choreography is good, and the fights are intense... but be prepared for significant blood loss and other moments of nastiness. But the level of violence should not be a surprise, since the film's description is vivid in this area: there will be blood, and if you can't handle that, I suggest staying away from this film.

The plot doesn't make sense... it's an excuse to showcase the fight scenes. There is never a clear explanation why the agents are supposed to kill each other and destroy their fortified workplace, which they are all trapped inside. And the ending comes out of nowhere. Some of this confusion could come from the actors ad-libbing. If you like Rob Corddry's brand of comedy, you might enjoy this film.

In spite of these issues, I appreciate the casting... and they got create with weaponry. Prior to entering the bunker, each agent has to unload their weapons into a locker. There is no weapons stash within the bunker, so the agents have to get creative... paper shredders, golf clubs, a water cooler... it gets gruesome, but at least its memorable.

If you enjoy good comedy, drama, or action ... DON'T watch this film. Some people may enjoy it, but it's not for everyone.

Operation: Endgame (2010) 87 minutes
Rating: R for strong violence and pervasive language including sexual references
Director: Fouad Mikati
Starring: Joe Anderson as Fool
Rob Corddry as Chariot
Ellen Barkin as Empress
Odette Yustman as Temperance
Maggie Q as High Priestess
Zach Galifianakis as Hermit
Adam Scott as Magician
Brandon T. Jackson as Tower
Emilie de Ravin as Hierophant
Bob Odenkirk as Emperor
Ving Rhames as Judgement

My Top Cancelled TV Shows: #10

2011-05-16T19:51:00.000-04:00

The Muppet Show

"Just when you think this show is terrible something wonderful happens."

"What?"
"It ends."

The Muppet Theater houses a weekly variety show. A slew of quirky characters perform musical numbers and comedy sketches for a live audience. The show is hosted by Kermit the Frog, who doubles as the frazzled stage manager and is assisted by the owner's nephew Scooter. Each week Kermit tries to keep the sketches rolling while making time to chat with the celebrity guest and keep the cast happy. His process is hindered by the show diva Miss Piggy, the incompetent comedian Fozzie Bear, the self-proclaimed "weirdo" Gonzo, and others. The show is heckled by two old men, Statler and Waldorf, who never miss a show from the comfort of their balcony.

It's hard to imagine life and popular culture without the presence of the Muppets.

Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and other puppeteers, had a successful TV show involving puppets: Sesame Street (which premiered in 1969). After the success of Sesame Street, they wanted to create puppet characters for adults / families to enjoy. During the first year of TV's Saturday Night Live, Henson and Oz had a recurring puppet sketch... but the sketch was removed by the 14th episode. A year after SNL, Henson and company introduced a new puppet show: The Muppet Show which featured a few characters from Sesame Street.

Borrowing structure from SNL, the show had a new celebrity guest each week and focused more on the puppet characters. The puppets were the main draw, with the guest adding something new to the mix each week. Yes, sometimes it gets weird and sometimes the jokes / gags are cheesy... but it is always funny. The funniest sketch has to be the Swedish Chef... he speaks incomprehensible gibberish and throws things, and the laughter is typically louder during this section as the crew can't hold the laughter in. The Swedish Chef was performed by Henson (the voice and head) and Oz (the hands), who often ad-libbed to make sure the other could keep up.

The success of the show (it was on the air for 5 seasons and could have gone longer) led to several successful Muppet movies (like The Muppet Movie) and a spinoff cartoon, The Muppet Babies (1984), and a different puppet TV show Fraggle Rock. After Henson's death the future of the Muppet franchise was in jeopardy, but they still managed to make a few decent films (Muppet Treasure Island and A Muppet Christmas Carol) and remake The Muppet Show into Muppets Tonight. In recent years the Muppet films have been pretty bad, focusing more on the celebrities and introducing new characters, and releasing the films on TV instead of creating a feature length film to show in cinemas. Later this year a new Muppet film will appear in theaters, The Muppets will be the first feature length Muppet film since 1999. With Jason Segel serving as writer and star, I have high hopes for this film.

The Muppet Show is now owned by Disney. At this point, they have released Seasons 1, 2, and 3 (of 5 seasons) on DVD. I have all three seasons and eagerly await the release of Season 4, although the release date is still unknown.

*Check out the Muppet Central Website for more information about The Muppet Show and other Henson productions.

The Muppet Show (1976-1981)
Created by: Jim Henson & Frank Oz
Starring: Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and others
Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, and others
Dave Goelz as Gonzo, and others
Jerry Nelson as Robin the Frog, and others
Richard Hunt as Scooter, and others

Monkey Business (1952)

2011-05-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

"Mr. Oxley's been complaining about my punctuation, so I'm careful to get here before nine."

Dr. Barnaby Fulton (Grant) is a scientist focusing on creating a "fountain of youth." The research consumes his life and thoughts, making him absentminded at home. After devoting years to the research, he finally has a breakthrough, but the tests on lab chimpanzees are inconclusive.

To speed up the process, Barnaby tries a dose of the formula, which was accidentally mixed with a formula created by one of the chimpanzees. Within moments he is acting like a teenager... ditching the lab in the middle of the day to buy a new sports car and go for a drive with Lois Laurel (Monroe), the boss's ditzy secretary. Soon, his wife Edwina (Rogers) also wants to drink the formula... with disastrous results. Will they figure out the truth before Mr. Oxley (Coburn), the boss, wants the formula?

A funny film, reminiscent of 1930s slapstick, romantic comedies. Cary Grant smoothly transitions between absentminded academic and reckless teen / twenty-something. And he is a riot towards the end, as a child... blending in well with the child actors, including the deep voiced George Winslow (who later appeared in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Henry Spofford with Marilyn Monroe). Ginger Rogers is a good match for Grant, especially as a teen and child. Her character isn't much fun as an adult, but just lets loose after taking the formula. She is funny, while still reminding the audience she can dance. Marilyn Monroe shines in a small, but important role. She is only in a few scenes, but manages to steal the show with her confused comments and interesting facial expressions.

Not the funniest movie by anyone involved, but still worth a look!

Monkey Business (1952) 97 minutes

Director: Howard Hawks

Starring: Cary Grant as Dr. Barnaby Fulton

Ginger Rogers as Mrs. Edwina Fulton

Charles Coburn as Mr. Oliver Oxley

Marilyn Monroe as Miss Lois Laurel

The Seven Year Itch

2011-05-10T22:46:00.000-04:00

"Lately you've begun to imagine in Cinemascope... with stereophonic sound."

Book publisher, Richard Sherman (Ewell) has a vivid imagination, which makes him good for publishing. His wife, Helen (Keyes), and son decide to spend the summer in the country... leaving Richard alone in the hot city. Unlike other husbands who are alone in the city, Richard plans to follow his wife's rules and avoid other women.

His plan starts well, and then he meets the new neighbor (Monroe). She is a model, leasing the apartment above his for the summer to further her television career. She is young and pretty and friendly, and Richard is enamored. Meanwhile, at work, he is reading a book called "The Seven Year Itch" about the desire to have an affair after seven years of marriage. Richard is in the seventh year of marriage, and is worried that he won't be able to resist his alluring upstairs neighbor. With his imagination running wild, what will Richard choose?

Named on AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs list as one of America's Funniest Movies, this film is considered a must-see comedy. And I have to say, it lives up to the hype.

Originally created as a stage show, the story was adapted (and watered down) for the screen. The show, created by George Axelrod, was immensely popular and considered a hot commodity for Hollywood. However, the Hollywood production codes required the producers / writers to change the script and temper the adultery theme. In spite of all the changes, the film still manages to stand up over time.

Some aspects of the show did not translate as well to the screen. In several scenes, Richard speaks his thoughts... something that was necessary for the stage, but could be translated better on the screen. Tom Ewell reprises the role of Richard, which he originated on Broadway. He is the perfect everyman living in a fantasy world. Marilyn Monroe sells the naive but sexy unnamed Girl. She is funny and owns the screen. Monroe and Ewell have great chemistry and work well together.

A must-see comedy!

The Seven Year Itch (1955) 105 minutes
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Tom Ewell as Richard Sherman
Marilyn Monroe as The Girl
Evelyn Keyes as Helen Sherman
Sonny Tufts as Tom MacKenzie
Robert Strauss as Mr. Kruhulik

How to Marry a Millionaire

2011-05-03T22:17:00.000-04:00

"You don't think he's a little old?"
"Wealthy men are never old."

Three single models rent a lavish apartment with one goal: to marry a millionaire. Schatze (Bacall) has the plan and lays the ground rules for the girls: don't pick up men in the cold cuts, pick them up in the meat area. After a failed marriage she knows exactly what / who she wants. Pola (Monroe) can't see very well, but refuses to wear her glasses in public. Loco (Grable) is guy crazy.

After months without success they finally snag a "whale": J.D. Hanley (Powell), an older man with investments in oil. Hanley invites the girls to a party with other "whales" and each is paired with a respectable, wealthy man. Schatze dates Hanley, while being pursued by the obnoxious Tom Brookman (Cameron Mitchell), Pola attracts a shady character, and Loco chases a married man. Will the girls follow their dreams and marry millionaires, or will love get in the way?

The perfect combination of star power and humor, with three huge stars headlining a female-centric comedy. Lauren Bacall is the right combination of vulnerable and aloof, as Schatze. She knows what she wants and willing to do whatever it takes to get there... She is tough, but still wears her heart on her sleeve. Marilyn Monroe, who received top billing, plays the dumb blonde... walking into things and following the wrong waiter because she wouldn't wear her glasses. Betty Grable has spirit, but her character borders on annoying. She is good with the other women, but abrasive with the two male suitors.

The men compliment the female characters and bring out the right characteristics. They don't stand out on their own (with some exceptions), but they fulfill their roles.

Some aspects are outdated, but it is worth it for the performances!

How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) 95 minutes
Director: Jean Negulesco
Starring: Marilyn Monroe as Pola
Betty Grable as Loco
Lauren Bacall as Schatze
William Powell as J.D. Hanley

Hancock

2011-04-30T19:10:00.000-04:00

"You're gonna change the world. Good job."

Ragged alcoholic John Hancock (Smith) has superhuman abilities: he can fly, incredible strength, and invincibility. He has no memory of his past, and avoids human contact as much as possible. Despite numerous acts of heroism, people are not impressed... especially when he leaves significant damage in his wake. One day he rescues Ray (Bateman) from a collision with a train. Ray is a public relations pro, who offers to revamp Hancock's image.

Hancock agrees to undergo a stint, complete with anger management classes, in prison.. and emerges a hero (complete with superhero suit). While Ray's son, Aaron (Jae Head), is impressed, Ray's wife Mary (Theron) wants Hancock out of their lives.

The anti-superhero movie. Unlike most superhero movies, Hancock is not a good guy. He isn't trying to make the world a better place... he is just trying to keep people away. It is an interesting character, and an interesting choice of Will Smith, who usually portrays good guys. Jason Bateman is a good partner: the good guy that wants to change the world. He is good at his job, and a loving husband / father. Smith and Bateman have good chemistry.

Prior to renting this film, I saw the last 15-20 minutes on television... so I knew how it ended and understood the characters a little better. Sadly, I already knew the big reveal, but it changed the way I felt about certain sequences... and noticed little clues throughout the film that relate to the big reveal. A good movie, with a decent cast and story that is unique.

Hancock (2008) 92 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.
Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Will Smith as John Hancock
Charlize Theron as Mary
Jason Bateman as Ray

Hot Rod

2011-04-25T22:09:00.000-04:00

"Did you reinforce the take-off ramp?"
"No, we didn't have time."
"Cool."

Rod Kimble (Samberg) is an aspiring daredevil, like Evel Knievel. He performs stunts, like jumping the public pool with his dirt bike, with the help of his team: mechanic his brother Kevin (Taccone) is the manager and records all the stunts and training, Dave (Hader) is the mechanic, and Rico (McBride) who makes the ramps. The only problem, Rod is a terrible stuntman.

After an unsuccessful stunt, Rod learns that his stepfather, Frank (McShane) is very sick and needs an expensive operation that the family cannot afford. Desparate to win his approval, Rod vows to perform an awe inspiring stunt to raise the money needed: he will jump 15 buses on his bike, one more than Evel Knievel... and then Rod will have more time to prepare to best Frank in battle and win the honor of being a man. Meanwhile, Rod is distracted by the return of his childhood crush, Denise (Fisher), who is dating a jerk (Will Arnett), but wants to join Rod's team.

This film is another example of a movie I didn't really want to see, because the previews looked stupid, but ended up watching because my friends loved it... and ended up enjoying as well. Similar to comedy hit Napoleon Dynamite, this film is stupid... but that's what works: it is ridiculous, but you can't help but laugh. Director Akiva Schaffer and stars Adam Samberg and Jorma Taccone have been working together for years, and found a nice rhythm with this film. While the script was originally written with Will Ferrel in mind, they were able to retool it to fit Samberg's comedic abilities. And they found the right people to fill the rest of the cast: SNL regular Bill Hader and Danny McBride play off each other well.

The women of the film are forced to be the more serious, adult characters, without putting them in a different league: they love the men in the film, and understand / put-up-with their shenanigans. Ian McShane is ridiculous as Frank, still taunting / baiting Rod's anger while laying on a couch. He is gruff and sarcastic, and still able to beat the crap out of Rod.... their interaction is laugh out loud funny!

No, you won't be smarter for watching the film, but you will leave with some great new quotes... the whiskey conversation is great, especially when someone else is around finish your lines. Check it out!

Hot Rod (20) minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude humor, language, some comic drug-related and violent content.
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Starring: Adam Samberg as Rod Kimble
Jorma Taccone as Kevin Powell
Bill Hader as Dave
Danny McBride as Rico
Isla Fisher as Denise
Sissy Spacek as Marie Powell
Ian McShane as Frank Powell

Wasting Away

2011-04-16T23:19:00.001-04:00

"I don't feel like a zombie."

"Yeah, well idiots don't feel stupid but they are."

When a government experiment goes wrong, they send the chemicals to be dumped... but an accident along the way leads to one of the containers spilling. The green liquid contaminates the soft serve ice cream mix at the local bowling alley. Four twenty-somethings: super cautious bowling alley employee Tim (Terry), his slacker best friend Mike (Davis), and the women they love Cindy (Beutler) and Vanessa (Robinson), eat the infected ice cream and die.

When they wake up, none of their works work and no one else can understand them... except for Nick Steele (French), a government agent. According to Nick, everyone else in town was infected with a virus, and it is their job to protect humanity. However, they are the monsters, the green goo turned them into zombies.

A unique perspective on a popular genre... While most zombie films focus on the survivors battling / outsmarting the mindless killing zombies, this film focuses on a different perspective: the zombies side. The first time director, Matthew Kohnen, allows the audience to see both sides of the story. The film begins in black and white, establishing a narrative. Once the main characters turn into zombies, the film goes to color. If the film is black and white, it is the real world, and if the film is in color, it is the zombie perspective.

The story is funny, but doesn't take itself too seriously. This allows the cast to transition between tones, without making any sections drag or seem cheesier than others.

A fun and consistently funny film... you won't see it coming.

Wasting Away (2007) 90 minutes
Director: Matthew Kohnen
Starring: Matthew Davis as Mike
Julianna Robinson as Vanessa
Michael Grant Terry as Tim
Betsy Beutler as Cindy
Colby French as Nick Steele

My Top Cancelled TV Shows ~ #11

2011-04-16T00:43:00.000-04:00

Pushing Daisies

"You're supposed to be dead. You're pushing your luck."
"Yeah, well, luck pushed me first."

Ned (Pace), the Pie-maker, has a special gift: with one touch he can bring something or someone back to life, and a second touch causes the person or thing to die forever. But keeping a person alive for more than 60 seconds causes something or someone else to die instead.

Ned uses his gift to help PI Emerson Cod (McBride) solve unsolved murders by touching the victims so they can ask questions for 60 seconds to solve the crime. He is joined by his recently restored childhood sweetheart, Charlotte "Chuck" Charles," who vows to use her second chance at life to make a difference. In between solving crimes Emerson, Ned, and Chuck try to keep Ned's secret from Ned's feisty waitress Olive (Chenoweth) and Chuck's agoraphobic aunts, naive Vivian (Greene) and abrasive Lily (Kurtz).

The only show on my Top Cancelled TV Shows list that I actually watched from start to finish when it was on network television, this show captured my interest from the beginning. A unique visual style, filled with bright colors and a bit of whimsy, and interesting characters kept me coming back every week. Every scene was bright and mesmerizing, with a slew of fascinating guest stars that delivered memorable characters.

Every episode includes narration, with a unique style. Lee Pace is a great leading man... Anna Friel's Chuck is adventurous, and mildly grating in the first season. Chi McBride makes Emerson a loveable, crocheting, cranky PI... he has a rough exterior, but actually does care. Kristin Chenoweth's Olive is adorably clueless and hopelessly in love with Ned (and she sings)... and is the main reason I started watching this show. But the funniest characters are the Charles sisters: Broadway star Ellen Greene and well-known actress Swoosie Kurtz. Greene and Kurtz have believable chemistry as sisters and best friends, synchronized in life (and in their former profession as synchronized swimmers) despite seeing the world differently.

Creator Bryan Fuller has had two other successful quirky shows: Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me. I am half-way through the first season of Dead Like Me, which has a much darker outlook / comedy style than Pushing Daisies, and focuses on Grim Reapers. I have yet to see Wonderfalls, but plan to add it to my Netflix queue sometime soon.

A delightful, eccentric show... it broke my heart that it was canceled (after only 2 seasons). BUT, Fuller plans to make a 3rd season available as a comic strip.

Pushing Daisies (2007-2009)
Created by: Bryan Fuller
Starring: Lee Pace as Ned
Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles
Chi McBride as Emerson Cod
Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook
Ellen Greene as Vivian Charles
Swoosie Kurtz as Lily Charles
Jim Dale as Narrator

There's No Business Like Show Business

2011-04-11T22:36:00.000-04:00

"You start worrying about your kids the day they're born, and you never stop. Even after they bury you, I bet you never stop worrying."

Vaudeville stars Terry (Dailey) and Molly (Merman) Donahue have their hands full trying traveling across the country performing while raising a family. They perform as a duo, with Molly singing and Terry dancing around her, and the children appearing for the big finale. But Molly does not want to raise the children on the road. They decide to send the children to a Catholic school, but after the children attempt to escape a few times, the family is reunited.

Years later, after all three children have graduated from high school, the act is expanded to include the entire family, "The Five Donahues." Each family member has the chance to shine: oldest son, Steve (Ray) is a gifted singer / musician; daughter Katy (Gaynor) focuses on dancing, and youngest son Tim (O'Connor) is an all-around performer like Terry. The show is a success, but not everyone is happy. Steve leaves the family to become a priest, and Tim falls for Vicky (Monroe) a hatcheck girl with dreams of making it big. With Vicky singing in the same show as "The Four Donahues" will the Donahue family stick together?

All this film is now marketed as a Marilyn Monroe film (she is the only person on the Netflix cover), the film really belongs to Ethel Merman. Merman was a well-known, award winning Broadway star, creating the lead roles in Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and other star-making performances. She has the highest billing, and leads the film as a woman who wants the best for her children and loves the rush of performing. She even gets to sing the title song, yes it was featured in other movie musicals, but it really packs a punch when Merman belts it towards the end of the film. Dan Dailey is the perfect counterpart to Merman, playing her laid back husband. They have great chemistry and come alive while performing together. Monroe is o.k., she gets a few good performances, but seems like more an afterthought to the story. Donald O'Connor, best known for his iconic "Make Em' Laugh" in Singin' in the Rain, is great... showcasing his dancing and acting as the male lead. Mitzy Gaynor, who starred in the film version of Rogers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, is an incredible dancer and shines in this performance. The only casting hiccup is Johnnie Ray as Steve... yes, he can sing, but his acting is atrocious and slows down the rest of the film. Thankfully he isn't onscreen much, but his acting even kills some of his songs. Otherwise, a stellar cast.

It isn't the best musical out there... and some of the songs just don't translate well (Irving Berlin wrote many wonderful songs, but not everything the man wrote is gold)... but it is worth a look, if only for Merman's "There No Business Like Show Business:" that is how you sell a song and all the emotion that comes with it, without squeezing out the tears. The woman was an musical icon, too bad she wasn't in many good movie musicals.

There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) 117 minutes
Director: Walter Lang
Starring: Ethel Merman as Molly Donahue
Donald O'Connor as Tim Donahue
Marilyn Monroe as Vicky
Dan Dailey as Terence Donahue
Johnnie Ray as Steve Donahue
Mitzi Gaynor as Katy Donahue

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

2011-04-05T21:28:00.001-04:00

"You know I think you're the only girl in the world who can stand on a stage with a spotlight in her eye and still see a diamond inside a man's pocket."

Showgirls Lorelei Lee (Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Russell) are best friends, but completely different. Lorelei dates wealthy men and wants diamonds, while Dorothy dates handsome poor men. Lorelei's boyfriend, Gus Esmond (Noonan), is head over heels in love, but can't convince his wealthy father (Taylor Holmes) to agree to the match. To encourage the proposal, and keep the Esmond family out of the way, Lorelei and Dorothy decide to go to Paris.

On the boat, both women get distracted. Dorothy has her sights set on the Olympic team, but there curfew and training gets in the way. Then she meets Ernie Malone (Reed), who is on a business trip. Lorelei is distracted by Sir Francis "Piggy" Beekman (Coburn), who owns one of the biggest diamond mines. The only thing standing between Lorelei and lots of diamonds is Lady Beekman (Norma Varden), Piggy's wife... and her relationship with Gus. With a private investigator, hired by Mr. Esmond, keeping tabs on Lorelei, and Lady Beekman's tiara missing, can the two little girls from Little Rock stay out of trouble.

And so begins my Marilyn Monroe phase...

An iconic Marilyn Monroe film... not as known as "The Seven Year Itch" or "Some Like it Hot", but still as memorable. Her Lorelei is a dizzy blonde, except when it counts. This could be a throw away character, or an overly annoying or obnoxious character, but Monroe portrays a lovable, demanding woman: she knows what she wants, and knows how to get it.

Monroe and Jane Russell have an easy, believable chemistry. They take care of each other, and genuinely care. It is Monroe's film, but Russell gets some of the best lines and scenes, and a few solos. With stars like these, the male characters just fade into the background, especially the suitors who don't bring much to the table.

Not the best musical ever made, but a fun one to watch... with a few good songs and funny dialog. Worth renting... but don't pay too much.

For another take, check out the funny commentary (and a link to the YouTube video of Monroe's iconic performance of "Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend") here

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) 91 minutes
Director: Howard Hawks
Starring: Jane Russell as Dorothy Shaw
Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei Lee
Charles Coburn as Sir Francis "Piggy" Beekman
Elliott Reed as Ernie Malone
Tommy Noonan as Gus Esmond Jr.

The Sting

2011-04-01T18:51:00.001-04:00

"You have to keep this con even after you take his money. He can't know you took him."

Small-time con artists Johnny Hooker (Redford), Luther Coleman (Robert Earl Jones), and Erie Kid (Jack Kehoe) hit it big when they steal from Doyle Lonnegan (Shaw), a tough mobster from New York. Lonnegan retaliates by having Luther killed and putting a hit on Johnny. Johnny wants vengeance, and goes to Henry Gondor (Newman), a legendary con artist.

Gondor and Johnny plan pull off the ultimate con: to steal several million from Lonnegan without retaliation. They pull the best of the best: J.J. Singleton (Walston), Kid Twist (Gould) and Eddie Niles (Heffernan), and Gondor's girlfriend Billie (Brennan), to get the perfect plan. Conning Lonnegan will be difficult

"I don't know what to do with this guy, Henry. He's an Irishman who doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and doesn't chase dames. He's a grand knight in the Knights of Columbus, and he only goes out to play faro. Sometimes plays 15 or 20 hours at a time, just him against the house."
"Roulette? Craps?"
"He won't touch 'em. The croupier at Gilman's says he never plays anything he can't win."

Meanwhile, they have to stay one step ahead of a crooked cop, Lieutenant Snyder (Durning), and a blunt FBI Agent, Polk (Elcar), and the killers after the bounty on Johnny's head.

The ultimate con movie. I could go on and on about this...

A brilliant cast. While it is ultimately Robert Redford's film, Paul Newman shines as Henry Gondor. There is an easy chemistry between Redford and Newman, a product of their previous collaboration (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, also directed by George Roy Hill). Robert Shaw is a menacing Doyle Lonnegan, incorporating a limp (from an injury) into the performance. The remaining cast is comprised of well-known actors / character actors of the time, who dive into their roles and additional personalities as part of the con.

The script and editing are superb, and keep you guessing. You will not see the ending coming! Each section is set up with a title card and an illustration from the film, with the song "The Entertainer" playing throughout.

The costumes are great, by the incredible Edith Head.

An incredible story, that gets better with each viewing. Definitely worth watching!

The Sting (1973) 129 minutes
Director: George Roy Hill
Starring: Paul Newman as Henry Gondor
Robert Redford as Johnny Hooker
Robert Shaw as Doyle Lonnegan
Charles Durning as Lieutenant William Snyder
Ray Walston as J.J. Singleton
Eileen Brennan as Billie
Harold Gould as Kid Twist
John Heffernan as Eddie Niles
Dana Elcar as FBI Agent Polk

The Rocker

2011-04-01T18:11:00.000-04:00

"How dare you call yourself a musician?"
"Loads of bands use drum loops!"
"Loads of elevators play Celine Dion - that don't make it right. Now get your Devil Box outta here!"

In the 1980s, Robert "Fish" Fishman (Wilson) was the drummer for Vesuvius. On the verge of making it to stardom, the rest of the band (Will Arnett, Fred Armisen, and Bradley Cooper) drop Fish to secure a record deal with Matchbox Records and make the owner's son the new drummer.

Twenty years later, Vesuvius is a huge success and Fish is miserable. After getting fired and dumped, he moves in with his sister, Lisa (Jane Lynch). Lisa's son, Matt (Gad) is the keyboardist in a teen rock band called A.D.D. A.D.D. is offered the chance to play prom, but their drummer quits the band. With prom only a few days away, they reluctantly convince Fish to be their drummer.

When Fish's antics get them in trouble, they kick him out of the band. But realizes that the band is something special and goes back to convince singer / songwriter Curtis (Geiger) and cynical bassist Amelia (Stone) to give him a chance at redemption, and they agree. Soon a video of their rehearsal goes viral on YouTube, and they are signed by Matchbox Records, and have a manager, David Marshall (Sudeikis).

Surprisingly good. I expected gross or perverted humor, with a few good moments... but they managed to deliver a funny rock comedy. While it is similar to Jack Black's The School of Rock, this film focuses more on rock musicians. The characters, particularly the members of Vesuvius, are absurd, delightfully over the top with some entertaining lines.

The songs are catchy and fun... you believe that these tunes could become popular hits.

While I enjoy Rainn Wilson in NBC's The Office, I wasn't sure how to feel about him in this film. But his portrayal of Fish is what sells the film. He is talented, arrogant, heart breaking, hysterical, etc. at the right moments and you really want him to succeed. Musician Teddy Geiger brings the teen angst as Curtis. He has a great voice, and sells the songs well. Emma Stone and Josh Gad are great in their respective roles, and get several funny moments. SNL cast member Jason Sudeikis is smarmy and slimy as their manager David, who always wears a smile. The rest of the cast, comedy veterans, brings the funny.

A decent, rocking comedy that doesn't go for the easy, nasty laughs. It isn't tasteless or disgusting, and I appreciate that. It may not be a "high brow" comedy, but it still makes me laugh.

The Rocker (2008) 102 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for drug and sexual references, nudity and language
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Starring: Rainn Wilson as Robert "Fish" Fishman
Christina Applegate as Kim
Teddy Geiger as Curtis
Josh Gad as Matt
Emma Stone as Amelia
Jason Sudeikis as David Marshall

Grown Ups

2011-03-22T21:09:00.001-04:00

"You see that? You just aim for a spot and shoot the ball there?"
"It's true. Your dad has won over 50 games with that shot."
"Really? Because that shot doesn't work on the Wii."
"Well, you should Wii-turn that Wii and get yourself a Wii-fund. Tim Duncan has had over a hundred game winners with that shot."

In 1978, Coach Bobby "Buzzer" Ferdinando (Blake Clark) leads five boys to win the local basketball championship. Thirty years later the boys, who were best friends for years, are reunited at the Coach's funeral.

Lenny (Sandler) was the best player on the team and is now a Hollywood agent, married to fashion designer Roxanne (Hayek), with three children.
Kurt (Rock) is a stay-at-home dad, relentlessly mocked by his two children and angry mother-in-law (Ebony Jo-Ann), while his pregnant wife Deanne (Rudolph) has a corporate job.
Eric (James) co-owns a lawn furniture company and is married to Sally (Bello), who still breastfeeds their four year old son, they also have a daughter.
Marcus (Spade) is a commitment-phobe womanizer who never married.
And eccentric Rob (Schneider) has been divorced three times with three teenage daughters that hate him, he is currently married to Gloria (Van Patten) who is thirty years older.

After the funeral, all five families converge on the cabin where they used to spend summers. They may be adults, but don't expect them to act like it!

Based on the trailers (and Adam Sandler's track record lately), I was wasn't expecting much or planning to see this film. However, my roommate and a few other friends raved about it... so I took a chance and I have to admit it was funnier than I expected.

The cast has great chemistry, and they should since most have worked together before and / or been friends for years. Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider were cast members on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in the 1990s and regularly appear in movies together, or have memorable cameos. They seem to really enjoy working together. Kevin James fits nicely into the group and has an easy chemistry with everyone. A good portion of the rest of the cast, specifically the basketball rivals, are also SNL alumni.

Unlike other recent Sandler films, this film is funny and relatively clean. His films tend to be funny or have a funny premise, but the overabundance of crude / tasteless jokes get in the way... not to say they aren't good comedies, but I don't enjoy them as much. This film managed to be a family film, while still capturing the humor of other Sandler films.

Better than expected!

Grown Ups (2010) 102 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude material including suggestive references, language and some male rear nudity.
Director: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler as Lenny Feder
Kevin James as Eric Lamonsoff
Chris Rock as Kurt McKenzie
David Spade as Marcus Higgins
Rob Schneider as Rob Hilliard
Salma Hayek as Roxanne Chase-Feder
Maria Bello as Sally Lamonsoff
Maya Rudolph as Deanne McKenzie
Joyce Van Patten as Gloria

The Expendables

2011-03-20T22:40:00.000-04:00

"Only an idiot would do this job."
"How much?"
"Like I said."

The best mercenaries are known as the Expendables. Led by Barney Ross (Stallone), the men are good friends, that get the job done. On one routine mission, one member of the team, Gunner Jensen (Lundgren) goes rogue and has to be subdued by the rest of the team, and is fired once they get home.

The team is contacted by Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) with a job offer: to take down a dictator, General Garza (Zavas), in South America. Barney and the team: knife expert Lee Christmas (Stratham), big gun enthusiast Hale Caesar (Crews), martial arts expert Yin Yang (Li), and superstitious Toll Road (Couture).; go to South America and find that there is a worse problem then the general. Former CIA Agent James Munroe (Roberts) and his team of muscle are the puppet masters behind the general's ruling style and actions. Can they save the day, get the girls, and get out with the entire team intact?

Don't go into this film expecting much plot wise. There isn't much of a plot... the film focuses more on the impressive action sequences. The characters are not fully developed. Most of the Expendable team do not have backgrounds and do not appear on screen much. The film focuses on Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham's characters. They are the focus, their characters actually have dimension, unlike the rest of the cast.

The male cast consists of well-known action stars and former athletes, with a few exceptions. With that reputation, the action sequences need to be excellent, and they were. The action sequences are well done. These are the best actors in the genre, and know what they are doing. They each get a chance to shine and get their own battle. There are several fights and many explosions.

The two female characters don't do much. Charisma Carpenter plays the girlfriend of Jason Statham's character. She is in a few scenes, but is not really a necessary character, except to show the personal life of one character. The other female character is Giselle Itie as Sandra, their contact in South America. She is a tough character and gets a decent amount of screen time, but I do not believe her connection with Sylvester Stallone's character. The other extraneous character is Mickey Rourke's Tool. He was only in a few scenes, but there was no purpose for his character.

The acting and plot were .... eh. The action was great!

The Expendables (2010) 103 minutes
Rating: R for strong action and bloody violence throughout, and for some language.
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross
Jason Statham as Lee Christmas
Jet Li as Yin Yang
Dolph Lundgren as Gunner Jensen
Eric Roberts as James Munroe
Randy Couture as Toll Road
Steve Austin as Dan Paine
David Zavas as General Garza
Giselle Itie as Sandra
Charisma Carpenter as Lacy
Gary Daniels as The Brit
Terry Crews as Hale Caesar
Mickey Rourke as Tool

Iron Man 2

2011-03-20T17:04:00.000-04:00

"You have A big gun, you're not THE big gun."
"Yeah, it's called being a badass."

Six months after revealing his secret identity as Iron Man, life has become complicated for Tony Stark (Downey Jr.). Despite using the suit to bring about a time of peace and his immense popularity, not everyone is happy or impressed with Tony's antics. He is under pressure from the U.S. government, led by Senator Stern (Garry Shandling), the military, and the press to turn over the Iron Man suit. His best friend, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Rhodes (Cheadle), is under orders to take one of the suits for the military to study and arm for use in battle.

Russian Ivan Vanko (Rourke) uses the same technology to create his own armor with electronic whips. His father worked on the original technology with Tony Stark's father (John Slattery), and Ivan comes after Tony seeking revenge. After Tony subdues Ivan and sends him to prison, Ivan is rescued by Tony's rival, Justin Hammer (Rockwell). Hammer is sick of losing everything to Tony and hires Ivan to create an army of Iron Man suits.

Meanwhile, Tony learns that the Iron Man suit, powered by the reactor in his body, is killing him. He has been trying unsuccessfully to find a solution. He gives control of the company to his assistant, Pepper Potts (Paltrow), and hires accountant Natalie Rushman (Johansson) to replace her. With Nick Fury (Jackson) from S.H.I.E.L.D. checking in, can Tony find the cure and defeat Ivan?

Sequels can be hit or miss... a good concept that delivers a great movie can be hard to duplicate and improve without boring the audience. While the first Iron Man film was great, this film is just o.k.

The action sequences are great. Executed well without being overly done or hard to follow.

The cast is good. Robert Downey Jr. continues to bring charm and believability to the screen. This film isn't as kind to Tony, he has problems (and dives into alcohol), but somehow the audience still cheers for him. Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as Jim Rhodes and is a good fit for the role. He has easy chemistry with Downey and makes you forget that anyone else portrayed the character. Mickey Rourke brings the creepy and malicious as Ivan, and Sam Rockwell is perfect as the slimy Justin Hammer. Gweneth Paltrow is good... And then there is Scarlett Johansson's Natalie / Natasha. Is there any point to her character other than an excuse to put a woman in a skin tight outfit? Otherwise, the casting is excellent.

**This film is the third in the Marvel Comics film franchise (Iron Man in 2008, The Incredible Hulk in 2008). While each film stands on its own, they all tie together to culminate in the 2012 Avengers movie. The final scene of Iron Man sets up the S.H.I.E.L.D. Initiative with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury who tells Tony Stark about the Hulk. Downey appears in The Incredible Hulk as Tony Stark. This film shows Captain America's shield (Captain America: The First Avenger will be released this year) and the final scene, after the credits, sets up the next film (Thor also set to release in 2011). All of these superheroes, plus a few that haven't had their own films yet, will be the Avengers. Smart move Marvel: creating your own world of interconnected film. Savvy business / marketing. I do look forward to seeing these films... I probably should have seen The Incredible Hulk prior to seeing this film, but that character does not interest me as much.

Not awesome, but still a decent action / superhero pic.

Iron Man 2 (2010) 124 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man
Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. James Rhodes / War Machine
Gweneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts
Scarlett Johansson as Natalie Rushman / Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer
Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko / Whiplash
Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Paul

2011-03-19T13:04:00.000-04:00

"Whats the matter Clive?"
"There is an alien in the kitchen making bagels and coffee."
"Did you want tea?"
"No, I don't want tea!"
"Right, because tea is weird in America."

British comic book fans Clive (Frost) and Graeme (Pegg) are taking an extended vacation to the U.S. to see the sights: Comic Con and a roadtrip, in an RV, of all the alien hotspots in the Midwest. On the first night on the road they witness a car accident and meet Paul (Rogen). Paul is an alien that crash landed in Wyoming in the 1940s and has been living on a top-secret military base. Paul just wants to go home, so Clive and Graeme agree to give him a ride. Along the way they accidentally kidnap Ruth (Wiig), and soon the three timid humans and stoner alien are the run from Agent Zoil (Bateman), two incompetent government agents (Hader & Truglio), and Ruth’s gun-toting uber-religious father (Lynch).

Stars / writers Simon Pegg & Nick Frost lovingly lampoon the sci-fi genre, including cameos by well-known sci-fi staples and stars. With references to numerous sci-fi films and TV shows, it will appeal to fans of the genre with jokes that the rest of the audience will not understand. Fans of their previous collaborations (Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) will be disappointed. It is a funny film, but not as good as their work with director Edgar Wright. Overall, the film feels like Superbad (also directed by Mottola). Pegg and Frost are good writers, but the film is missing something...

The entire cast is comedy gold, with each major player getting a moment to shine. Pegg and Frost have incredible chemistry and Seth Rogen is surprisingly good as Paul, adding an interesting dynamic to their friendship. Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio have the best transformation: from clueless agents that play hide-and-seek while waiting for something to happen, to renegade agents with weapons that work.

There is an entire subplot focusing on Kristen Wiig's Christian character. The script / other characters don't hold back on their feelings about Christianity, and they even have Paul dispel a significant amount of Christian beliefs. It was an unnecessary and a major turnoff for me... maybe that is part of the reason I didn't love this film. I understand there is a significant divide between Christians and scientists, (trust me, I work with scientists, and have had numerous discussions about faith versus science) but was it really necessary to attack a portion of your audience (not all Christians are fanatics, why are we typically portrayed as such?).

Funny, especially if you know the genre… but disappointing to Pegg / Frost fans.

Paul (2011) 104 minutesRating: R for language including sexual references, and some drug use.
Director: Greg Mottola
Starring: Simon Pegg as Graeme Willy
Nick Frost as Clive Gollings
Seth Rogen as Paul
Kristen Wiig as Ruth Buggs
Jason Bateman as Agent Zoil
Bill Hader as Haggard
Joe Lo Truglio as O'Reilly

Easy A

2011-03-15T23:01:00.001-04:00

"The rumors of my promiscuity have been greatly exaggerated."

Quirky teen Olive (Stone) is a good student that tends to fade into the background. But one little lie later and she is the talk of the school. Enjoying the attention, she agrees to a fake fling with friend Brandon (Byrd) who is being bullied. After their public fling, Olive is labeled as a slut and becomes the target of the school’s conservation Christian group, led by Marianne (Bynes).

Their English class, led by Mr. Griffith (Haden Church), is reading “The Scarlet Letter,” which leads Olive to rethink her overall reputation. She buys a new wardrobe and sews a red ‘A’ on every top. While half the school thinks she is sleeping around, the other half are bribing her to lie about having a relationship to promote their school status. Her parents (Clarkson & Tucci) are supportive, but don’t know about her reputation. With her childhood crush, the school mascot, Woodchuck Todd (Badgley), waiting in the wings, what will Olive choose popularity or self-esteem?

Stone's Olive, is funny and smart. She actually knows classic literature, she is the only person in class to actually read "The Scarlet Letter" and not just reference the 1995 film version. This is the type of character that works best for Stone. After memorable, scene stealing turns in "The House Bunny" and "Zombieland," Stone has proved she can do comedy and has leading lady potential.

The cast has great dialogue and chemistry. Tucci and Clarkson standout as Olive's eccentric parents. Their scenes are consistently funny and memorable. The teenage guys, Badgley and Byrd made the jump from TV ("Gossip Girls" and "Cougar Town" respectively), and work well in their roles.

A funny film, but not appropriate for children. Looking forward to seeing Stone headlining more comedy films and seeing where her career goes from here.

Easy A (2010) 92 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving teen sexuality, language and some drug material.

Director: Will Gluck

Starring: Emma Stone as Olive

Penn Badgley as Woodchuck Todd

Amanda Bynes as Marianne

Dan Byrd as Brandon

Thomas Hayden Church as Mr. Griffith

Patricia Clarkson as Rosemary

Cam Gigandet as Micah

Lisa Kudrow as Mrs. Griffith

Malcolm McDowell as Principal Gibbons

Stanley Tucci as Dill

The A-Team

2011-03-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

"Why we in a fallin' tank?"
"Because the plane exploded!"
"What plane, what, when?"
"Recently! Reapers shot it down!"
"Reapers? What reapers?"
"The same ones that are trying to kill us now!"

A group of Army Rangers, known as the A-Team can get any job done and are considered a major asset to the war. The A-Team consists of leader Colonel Hannibal Smith (Neeson) who always has a plan, smooth-talking ladies man Faceman Peck (Cooper), musclebound B.A. Baracus (Jackson), and their crazy pilot Murdock (Copely). The plan is sabotaged during one mission and they are framed for murder and stealing. They are arrested, dishonorably discharged, and imprisioned in different prisons.

A few months later, CIA agent Lynch (Wilson) helps Hannibal escape to catch the real criminals and recover the stolen U.S. Treasury plates. After breaking the rest of the team out of prison, they have to find a way to bring Pike (Bloom) to justice, while staying one step ahead of Face's ex Charissa Sosa (Biel) who originally arrested them.

Growing up, I often watched reruns of the 1980's TV show The A-Team (1983-1987). George Peppard's Hannibal always smoked a cigar and had a plan, Dirk Benedict's Face was usually suave, Mr. T's B.A. had a catchphrase "I pity the fool," and Dwight Schultz's Murdock had a slew of crazy voices and behaviors. It was a fun show... formulaic, but the chemistry between the leads was great and it was usually funny.

The filmmakers tried to capture the spirit of the show, while updating the story and adding some violence & bloodshed (the show was not heavy on action or violence). And overall they succeeded. Liam Neeson hams it up and looks like he is having a blast filling Peppard's shoes. Bradley Cooper is the best choice for Face... he is smooth, charismatic, and sarcastic (he gets some great lines) and a popular actor. Sharlto Copely steals the show as Murdock. He was an unexpected choice, a little known actor who had only appeared in a dramatic film, but throws himself into the role. You can't wait for him to be on screen to see what he will do next. UFC Champion Quinton Jackson is o.k. as B.A. He does alright with the material, especially since he is not an actor. Patrick Wilson is great as the slimy Lynch. Jessica Biel is a more of a plot device... which is good since she isn't a great actress. She makes the part work, but thankfully the character is not the main focus of the film.

Good for what it is... action with a little humor. Check out the TV show before you watch.
The A-Team (2010) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence throughout, language and smoking.
Director: Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson as Colonel Hannibal Smith
Bradley Cooper as Lieutenant "Faceman" Peck
Jessica Biel as Captain Charissa Sosa
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson as Sergeant B.A. Baracus
Sharlto Copely as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock
Patrick Wilson as Lynch
Brian Bloom as Pike

The Book of Eli

2011-03-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

"Its like he's protected somehow, nothing can touch him."
"He's just a man, put a bullet in him and he'll go down like any other."

In a post-apocalyptic world, life is hard. The sun is scorching, requiring sunglasses all day, and water is in short supply, and people stick together to survive. One man, Eli (Washington), travels west with precious cargo: a book. He survives by foraging abandoned homes for supplies and staying away from people.

He comes to a town, ruthlessly run by Carnegie (Oldman). Carnegie is a literate man that remembers the way life used to be. He sends thugs, led by Redridge (Stevenson), on the road to find a book that will give him limitless power. When Carnegie learns that Eli can read, he sends his prize, Solara (Kunis), to convince Eli to stay. But Solara learns that Eli has a book... and is forced to tell Carnegie when he threatens her blind mother, Claudia (Beals). Will Eli ever reach his destination?

I don't tend to watch post-apocalyptic films ... just not interested. But my roommate raved about this film, so I decided to give it a chance.

The filmmakers force you to pay attention... they use silence frequently throughout. The first words are spoken eight minutes into the film. They don't waste time on long soliloquies or overindulgent monologues, every word is intentional. But the focus of the film is the visuals, so pay attention and you'll figure it all out.

An interesting film, worth a look.

The Book of Eli (2010) 118 minutes
Rating: R for some brutal violence and language
Director: Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes
Starring: Denzel Washington as Eli
Gary Oldman as Carnegie
Mila Kunis as Solara
Ray Stevenson as Redridge
Jennifer Beals as Claudia

Winter's Bone

2011-03-04T21:56:00.000-05:00

"Maybe they'll share some of that with us."
"That could be."
"Maybe we should ask."
"Never ask for what oughta be offered."

Seventeen year old, Ree Dolly (Lawrence) has given up school and dreams for the future to care for her family. Her father, Jessup, is in jail for making crystal meth. Her mother is mentally ill, so Ree is left to care for her younger siblings: Sonny (Isaiah Stone) and Ashlee (Ashlee Thompson). When Jessup is paroled, Sheriff Baskin (Dillahunt) pays a visit to the Dolly home. Jessup used the family home as collateral, if he misses his court date, they will lose the house.

But no one has seen Jessup since his release, so Ree begins asking questions and looking for him. Jessup's associates, the Milton family, are less then helpful, and his brother,Teardrop (Hawkes), tells Ree to stop looking. Can Ree protect her family and find her father?

If this film had not been nominated for various awards this year, I probably would never have found it. Unlike other nominated films that turned out to be DUDS, this film delivered. The film has a grayish hue... all the colors are muted (which really makes the blood stand out). The story was interesting... gritty and filled with a slew of fascinating characters.

The cast is comprised of unknowns or character actors who are able to disappear into characters. Obviously the standout performances are Jennifer Lawrence as Ree, who centers the film in an unflinching performance, and John Hawkes as the conflicted Teardrop. Both actors were nominated for these roles. Ree isn't a little princess waiting to be rescued, or a tough girl with weapons and battle training / experience... she is doing whatever it takes to keep her family together: wielding a shotgun and teaching her siblings how to skin a squirrel. It's not pretty, but it is necessary.

Worth checking out!

Winter's Bone (2010) 100 minutes
Rating: R for some drug material, language and violent content.
Director: Debra Granik
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence as Ree Dolly
John Hawkes as Teardrop Dolly
Lauren Sweetser as Gail
Garret Dillahunt as Sheriff Baskin
Dale Dickey as Merab Milton

Life as We Know It

2011-02-27T22:10:00.001-05:00

*I was planning to review The Kids Are All Right as part of my Oscar Watch... I was excited about it. Pretty much every review is positive and Annette Benning is nominated for Best Actress for her role. So I convinced my roommate to watch it with me... Wow. We watched the first 15 to 20 minutes before I turned it off. By that time we had witnessed 3 sex scenes and 2 scenes of nudity. I can deal with minimal nudity / sex scenes... I'm not thrilled when they are included in films, but I can deal... but this was ridiculous. I didn't have a desire to see anymore, and my roommate was already looking at me like I was crazy for picking it... so instead we watched Life as We Know It On Demand, and were much happier with that choice.

"Just because you accept help from someone, doesn't mean you have failed. It just means you're not in it alone."

Holly Berenson (Heigl) and Eric Messer (Duhamel) hate each other. When their best friends, Peter (MacArthur) and Alison (Hendricks) Novak, set them up on a blind date it is a disaster. Holly owns a popular bakery and is a workaholic. Messer works for the Atlanta Hawks as a technical director, and is a perpetual playboy. Years later, Holly and Messer are the godparents of Peter and Alison's daughter Sophie (the Clagett sisters).

Shortly after Sophie's first birthday, Peter and Alison are killed in a car accident... and Holly and Messer are named as Sophie's legal guardians. Holly and Messer move into the Novak's home and try to cope with the loss of their friends and their new challenge. They are embraced by the couples in the neighborhood, who enjoy Holly's cooking and are in awe of Messer... and Holly gets closer to their pediatrician Sam (Lucas). Can they survive parenthood?

From the beginning you know what is going to happen... but there is nothing wrong with that. It is a sweet story filled with beautiful people. The little girls who play Sophie are adorable. Katharine Heigl and Josh Duhamel have great chemistry and are fun to watch on screen. I wish the fantastic Christina Hendricks (from TV's "Mad Men") was in more of the film... I have loved her since her memorable part in Joss Whedon's TV show "Firefly." The supporting cast, as the neighbors, are also fun... such as "Mad TV" alum Will Sasso and "Gilmore Girls" Melissa McCarthy.

Yes, you know what will happen... but it's fun getting there, and you get to stare at Josh Duhamel and Josh Lucas along the way. Is there a downside?

Life as We Know It (2010) 114 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual material, language and some drug content.
Director: Greg Berlanti
Starring: Katherine Heigl as Holly Berenson
Josh Duhamel as Eric Messer
Josh Lucas as Sam
Hayes MacArthur as Peter Novak
Christina Hendricks as Alison Novak
Alexis, Brynn & Brooke Clagett as Sophie

Oscar Picks 2011

2011-02-27T20:24:00.009-05:00

This is my 5th consecutive year blogging and guessing the Oscars. This year I saw 8 of the 17 films nominated for Best Picture (3 of 10) or any of the acting awards. This will limit my wild guessing (which is also tons of fun).

Toy Story 3, How To Train Your Dragon, The Town, Inception

The Social Network, Animal Kingdom, Winter's Bone

The past two years, I have done well: 7 out of 7! We'll see how well this goes...

Best Supporting Actor
*Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winters Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush, The Kings Speech

...who will win... Christian Bale
...who should win... Christian Bale

Christian Bale is an incredible actor... I haven't seen The Fighter yet, but I want to just because he is in it. He gives everything to every performance. Jeremy Renner was great in The Town (and in last year's nominated performance for The Hurt Locker), but he probably won't win. Mark Ruffalo and John Hawkes should appreciate being nominated, but shouldn't expect to walk home with a statue. The only person who could legitimately take the crown from Bale is Geoffrey Rush.... but I don't think it will happen.
WINNER: Christian Bale

Best Support Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The Kings Speech
*Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

...who will win... Amy Adams
...who should win... Amy Adams

There was significant Oscar buzz for Melissa Leo, but her campaigning hurt that. Jacki Weaver was great in Animal Kingdom, but it isn't a big enough film to win it. I don't like Helena Bonham Carter and Hailee Steinfeld is sooo young... and that leaves the always enjoyable Amy Adams.
*WINNER: Melissa Leo

Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
*Colin Firth, The Kings Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

...who will win... Colin Firth
...who should win... Colin Firth

JUST GIVE COLIN FIRTH THE AWARD AND STOP PUTTING IT OFF. I have loved Firth since his Pride and Prejudice days and would love to see him get some award loving. Javier Bardem and Jeff Bridges have Oscars already... James Franco just seems cocky, and he gets to host the awards... Jesse Eisenberg is good in The Social Network, but not good enough to change my mind. Not really seeing this going any other way.
WINNER: Colin Firth

Best Actress
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winters Bone
*Natalie Portman, The Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

...who will win... Michelle Williams
...who should win... Natalie Portman

All the buzz has been about Natalie Portman and Annette Bening. At this point, Natalie is unstoppable. Annette is a good actress, but I hated her film. And where's the love for Julianne Moore? Jennifer Lawrence was great, but it isn't a showy role. I haven't heard much about Nicole Kidman's role... Michelle Williams is great, it isn't a happy film, but I would like to see her win. But the Oscar WILL go to Natalie Portman.
WINNER: Natalie Portman

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, The Black Swan
Joel & Ethan Coen, True Grit
David Fincher, The Social Network
*Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
David O. Russell, The Fighter

...who will win... David Fincher
...who should win... CHRISTOPHER NOLAN!!

The biggest films of the year are The King's Speech and The Social Network. The Social Network will probably win... it is very relevant now and stands a better chance to win. The script is great (very Aaron Sorkin), but it feels like a Fincher film. I'm not even going to talk about the others because they don't stand a chance. The only possible upset is Tom Hooper for The King's Speech. I'm still mad Christopher Nolan wasn't nominated, because he would have my vote!
WINNER: Tom Hooper

Best Animated Film
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
*Toy Story 3

...who will win... Toy Story 3
...who should win... eh, Toy Story 3
WINNER: Toy Story 3

I always vote Pixar. They make consistently excellent films. How To Train Your Dragon was adorable and lots of fun... but for nostalgia alone Toy Story 3 will win. Don't know much about the Illusionist, so it could stand a chance, but I stand by the geniuses at Pixar.

Best Picture
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
*The Kings Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

...who will win... The King's Speech
...who should win... The King's Speech or The Social Network
WINNER: The King's Speech

Inception was awesome. Toy Story 3 was beautiful and heartfeld (a tear-jerker). Winter's Bone was sparse and moving. The Kids Are All Right was weird and I refused to finish watching it. I have absolutely no desire to see 127 Hours, and even though I didn't love the original John Wayne True Grit, I am voting against it on prinicple alone. It will all come down to what people want: is it a moving period piece (The King's Speech) OR the timely story (The Social Network). I think the edge goes to The King's Speech. I can live with either winning.

EDIT: This year I got 5 of 7 categories correct... not bad, but still o.k.
James Franco and Anne Hathaway did a decent job hosting this year. Let me clarify, Anne Hathaway was good... James Franco was o.k. The choir at the end was adorable. Congrats to all the winners!!

Animal Kingdom

2011-02-21T23:24:00.000-05:00

After losing his mother to a heroin overdose, 17 year old Joshua "Jay" Cody (Frecheville) is sent to live with his estranged relatives. The family is led and pulled together by Jay's grandmother Janine "Smurf" (Weaver), who adores and smothers her boys. Her three sons are criminals, all well-known by the police. The oldest, Andrew "Pope" (Mendelsohn), does armed robberies with his best friend Barry "Baz" Brown (Edgerton). Pope is hiding from the police and planning his next heist. The second, Craig (Stapleton), is a paranoid drug dealer with a contact in the police. And the youngest, Darren (Ford), who is just a few years older than Jay, is a pothead who goes along with whatever his brothers do. They have a lawyer on call, Ezra White (Dan Wyllie), and try to stay one step ahead of the police.

When the police start targeting the family, the brothers pull Jay into their lives of crime, violence, and lies. His girlfriend Nicky (Laura Wheelwright), and her family, keep him sane and safe... and a homicide detective, Senior Offier Nathan Leckie (Pearce), tries to save him. As war erupts between the police and the Cody's, Jay has to choose a side, even though he doesn't trust either.

Gripping, gritty, and unflinching, this is the way to make a crime drama! The story grabs you from the beginning, as you watch Jay's world fall apart when his mother dies. Through his narration you learn about the family, and see how his youth is swiftly pulled away. As the film progresses you can feel the tension building... waiting for it to explode on screen. A strong story and direction from first time director, David Michod.

The cast is first rate, although I did not know of them until this film. While the men dominate the screen, it is Jacki Weaver's Smurf that you watch in any scene. She dominates, in an Oscar nominated performance for Best Supporting Actress, as the matriarch of the clan... with an almost incestuous love for her sons and grandson, and a shrewd personality. She knows what needs to happen and is willing to do almost anything to get what she wants / needs. Ben Mendelsohn is menacing as Pope... going from unbridled rage to just wanting to talk it out. He makes you uneasy from the start. Craig Cody is shirtless for most the film and constantly on the move. Luke Ford and James Frecheville are good in their respective roles: going in opposite directions. They are quiet characters, but you trust them more than the others. Joel Edgerton's Baz seems like a decent guy who made some bad decisions, and Guy Pearce is earnest but a little sketchy.

If this film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, it would probably take my vote... An excellent film, my first Australian film. I definitely recommend it!!

Animal Kingdom (2010) minutes
Rating: R for violence, drug content and pervasive language
Director: David Michod
Starring: Ben Mendelsohn as Andrew "Pope" Cody
Joel Edgerton as Barry "Baz" Brown
Guy Pearce as Senior Officer Nathan Leckie
Luke Ford as Darren Cody
Jacki Weaver as Janine "Smurf" Cody
Sullivan Stapleton as Craig Cody
James Frecheville as Joshua "Jay" Cody

The Social Network

2011-02-19T23:10:00.000-05:00

"People want to go online and check out their friends, so why not build a website that offers that? Friends, pictures, profiles, whatever you can visit, browse around, maybe it's someone you just met at a party. Eduardo, I'm not talking about a dating site, I'm talking about taking the entire social experience of college and putting it online."

Harvard computer student, Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg), wants to do something to get noticed. It consumes him. When he gets dumped by girlfriend, Erica (Mara), he spends the evening creating a website that rates the women on campus... while he's drunk. He escapes with probation, and gets noticed by some upper-classmen with a plan. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Hammer) and Divya Narendra (Minghella) want to create a social network site, Harvard Connection, and hire Mark to create the site.

Meanwhile, Mark gets the idea to create a social network site that offers the college experience (see quote above). His best friend, Eduardo (Garfield), provides a thousand dollars to start the site and serve as the CFO / financial end of the company. And his roommate Dustin (Mazzello) joins as a programmer for the site. As the website, called The Facebook, becomes popular, they acquire "groupies" and work towards expanding to other campuses. And Mark faces a lawsuit from the Winklevoss twins.

I did not want to see this film. Facebook was created in 2003... it's too soon to make it a movie. I have a Facebook account and have since it was established at my college (either 2003 or early 2004)... it was called "The Facebook" and had a picture of Mark Zuckerberg in the upper left corner of the screen. It has changed a lot since then. But on principle alone, I wasn't interested in seeing it.

A friend brought it over, and then it was nominated for a few Oscars, so I finally gave in... and I'm glad I did. I don't know how accurate it is, and I genuinely don't care, but it was good. It was written by Aaron Sorkin, who created / wrote Sports Night, The West Wing, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The script and dialogue definitely have a Sorkin flavor... you can hear it in the dialogue. I'm not as familiar with director David Fincher. I've seen 2 of his older films and am anticipating his version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the rest of the films in the Millenium Trilogy. Somehow, Fincher took the Sorkin script and made it his own. It is a well-made film that expects you to keep up with its breakneck pace.

The cast is alright. Jesse Eisenberg's version of Mark Zuckerberg is a jerk... he starts as a jerk that you feel sorry for, and in the end he is an arrogant jerk that you just want to hit. The rest of the male characters are o.k. They all have aloof qualities... some act like entitled jerks and other invoke some pity, but they aren't attainable characters. The women are not memorable. Rooney Mara is in most of the pictures associated with the film, but is barely on screen. Brenda Song brings the crazy, and all other female characters don't have names or personalities.

A well-made, memorable film. It might be a good contender for the Oscars, but not my favorite film of the year.

The Social Network (2010) 120 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg
Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin
Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker
Armie Hammer as Cameron Winklevoss / Tyler Winklevoss
Brenda Song as Christy Lee
Max Minghella as Divya Narendra
Joseph Mazzello as Dustin Moskovitz
Rooney Mara as Eric Albright

To Save a Life (2009)

2011-02-18T21:01:00.001-05:00

"What’s the point of all this if you’re not going to let it change you?"

Jake Taylor (Wayne) has it all: a scholarship to the college of his dreams, dating the most popular girl in school, and a solid reputation. But his entire world comes crashing down after witnessing the death of his childhood best friend, Roger (Bailey). Suddenly Jake's lifestyle isn't enough...

As he struggles to deal with guilt over Roger's deal and trying to find meaning in life. He turns to local youth pastor, Chris (Weigel), for guidance. Nothing feels right. His parents (David Starzyk and Laura Black) relationship is falling apart. His friends, who used to mock Roger are unsupportive ... and his girlfriend Amy (Kreutzberg) doesn't understand. Can he find answers in God?

I watched this movie on a youth retreat... normally Christian made films have their hearts / messages in the right places, but they just can't deliver a quality film. The acting and plot normally suffer... and while they tend to start strong, they just end up sounding preachy. So I admit, I did not have high expectations for this one.

This film works... the acting was good. The story was good, believable for the age. I think that was partially due to the writing. The screenwriter on the film is a youth pastor... and probably drew from his youth experiences. You can find out more about the film at the movie website (http://tosavealifemovie.com/).

To Save a Life (2009) 120 minutes
Director: Brian Baugh
Starring: Randy Wayne as Jake Taylor
Deja Kreutzberg as Amy Briggs
Joshua Weigel as Chris Vaughn
Sean Michael Afable as Jonny Garcia
Bubba Lewis as Danny Rivers
Robert Bailey Jr. as Roger Dawson
Kim Hidalgo as Andrea Stevens

Reefer Madness

2011-02-15T17:09:00.000-05:00

"We are just like Romeo and Juliet. We're happy, young and... [cough] ...hemorrhaging blood!"

The Lecturer (Cumming) gathers the parents of teenagers for an important presentation. He tells them the story of the Harper Incident...

Jimmy Harper (C. Campbell) is wholesome and innocent, and head over heels in love with naive Mary Lane (Bell). Mary is the prettiest girl at school and a great dancer, but Jimmy has two left feet. While panicking about their pending dancing date, Jimmy meets Jack Stone (Weber) who has the answer. Smooth talking Jack takes Jimmy to meet his friends: his girlfriend Mae (Gasteyer), college dropout Ralph (Kassir), and neurotic Sally (Spangler). They introduce Jimmy to the world of marijuana, and soon he looses interest in everything else.

Based on the 1936 exploitation film of the same name, Reefer Madness was turned into an off-Broadway musical in 2001 (it premiered in 1998 in Los Angeles). Most of the cast from the original show reprises their roles here, and the show is mostly the same. The main changes involve the role of Jack... the actor playing Jack (originally Robert Torti, who plays Jesus in the film) plays multiple roles, which are portrayed by other actors in the film.

It is an irreverent musical, often compared to the style of Moulin Rouge!. With fun choreography and bright costumes, it is a fun musical. Not one to watch with the kids... it was on Showtime after all. Lots of swearing and inappropriate songs / moments. I love Kristen Bell, and she is a riot here... which is the main reason I watched this film, and I admit I did enjoy it. Alan Cummings is also worth mentioning... he plays the Lecturer (and other assorted characters) with a sly wink holding the parents in the palm of his hand.

Definitely not for everyone.

Reefer Madness (2005) 109 minutes
Rating: R for drug material, sexual content and some violence
Director: Andy Fickman
Starring: Kristen Bell as Mary Lane
Christian Campbell as Jimmy Harper
Neve Campbell as Miss Poppy
Alan Cumming as Lecturer
Ana Gasteyer as Mae Coleman
John Kassir as Ralph Wiley
Amy Spangler as Sally DeBanis
Robert Torti as Jesus
Steven Weber as Jack Stone

Despicable Me

2011-02-14T17:44:00.000-05:00

"Will you read us a bedtime story?"
"No."
"Pretty please?"
"The physical appearance of the please makes no difference."

When the Egyptian pyramids are stolen, Gru (Carell) and his minions starting working on their biggest heist ever: stealing the moon, after shrinking it. To pull it off, Gru needs a loan from the "Bank of Evil." The bank president, Mr. Perkin (Arnett), thinks Gru is too old and refuses to fund the operation until they steal the shrink ray. When the shrink ray is stolen by new villain, Vector (Segel), Gru comes up with a new plan: distract Vector with three harmless orphan girls.

For the plan to work, he adopts three young girls: Margo (Cosgrove) the smart one, Edith (Gaier) who likes danger, and Agnes (Fisher) who loves unicorns. His elderly assistant, Dr. Nefario (Brand), and Minions start working on the plan, while the girls bond with Minions and Gru.

A fun family film that packs in the laughs. The minions and their gibberish conversations are funny. You won't understand their words, but there actions and crazy laughter make up for that. The minions are adorable and probably the funniest part of the film. Watch the credits to see a few Minions compete... comedy gold my friends (how is this not nominated for an Academy Award this year?)! The girls were great as well, especially the youngest: Agnes "He's sooooo fluffy, I could die!" and her unicorn obsession is endearing and laugh-out-loud funny.

The cast is great... completely throwing themselves into the roles, without overpowering the characters. I actually didn't recognize any of the voices (I knew Steve Carell was Gru, but otherwise I was completely clueless), and that almost made it better... You weren't distracted by going "oh it's (insert actors name here)" and then missing little funny moments. The cast list is impressive, and I'm impressed with each performance.

A cute, clean family film... and Julie Andrew's is in it (as Gru's mom). Is there a downside to this film?

Despicable Me (2010) 95 minutes
Director: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud
Starring: Steve Carell as Gru
Jason Segel as Vector
Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario
Will Arnett as Mr. Perkins
Kristen Wiig as Miss Hattie
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo
Dana Gaier as Edith
Elsie Fisher as Agnes

My Top Cancelled TV Shows ~Honorable Mentions

2011-02-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

I have always loved movies... I love to spend an evening relaxing on the couch, wrapped in a fleece blanket and watching a good movie. But as much as I love them, I can't always enjoy movies. After film classes in college I notice little details here and there that take away from movies I could enjoy. Camera angles, costuming, color schemes, and other things that take me out of the story.

In my first film class, the professor said we would never see films the same way again. Now if I want mindless entertainment, I watch TV. I don't like to talk about shows that are on the air, especially since most TV shows are inconsistent between seasons. For that reason, I am counting down my favorite TV shows that are no longer producing new seasons. These are the shows I turn to when I have free time... they are the characters I love and the shows I quote endlessly.

_____________________________________________________________________

Honorable Mentions
As you can imagine, it was hard to narrow down the field... I got the list down to 11, but then thought of a few more. These are shows I love, but not necessarily my first choices... but for sentimental reasons they appear here.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

"Look, I hate Los Angeles just like everybody else, but I have to work here because in any other part of the country I'm unemployable."

When the Executive Producer of popular sketch comedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip has an on-air meltdown, the future of the show and the network, the National Broadcasting Systems (NBS), is in jeopardy. The new President of Entertainment Programming, Jordan McDeere (Peet) takes a chance and hires the best producer and writer in the business: Danny Tripp (Whitford) and Matt Albie (Perry). Danny and Matt worked for the show years ago, but left over creative differences.

Ratings are down, despite the star power of the Big Three: Simon Stiles (Hughley), Tom Jeter (Corddry), and Matt's ex Harriet Hayes (Paulson). With their old nemesis, Programming Chairman Jack Rudolph (Weber), still in running things at the network it won't be easy. Can they make the show funny and commercial?

This show had so much potential.... a smart, fast paced show that managed to reflect and subvert popular culture and sketch comedy shows. Critically praised, with a strong and intriguing pilot, boasting a great cast, and created by Aaron Sorkin (creator of The West Wing), it seemed like a sure thing. But audiences didn't love it, or didn't understand it... and somehow this show was canceled.

All of my film major friends loved this show and raved about it, so this past summer I watched it on Netflix. I planned to watch an episode here and there, maybe one a day if it was really good... From the opening sequence of the pilot I was hooked and watched the entire series in a matter of days (I didn't do much else during that time, but it was worth it in the end). The cast has great chemistry, especially Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, and command the screen. The plots are interesting, and the writers are able to juggle the task of writing for the show and still making a funny show-within-a-show.

I hate that it's over, but I'm glad it ended where it did. The final episode tied up the loose ends and gave each character a happy ending... had the show lived on, I'm certain there would be new conflicts... but the writers gave us closure, and that's all I ask.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007)
Creator: Aaron Sorkin
Starring: Matthew Perry as Matt Albie
Bradley Whitford as Danny Tripp
Amanda Peet as Jordan McDeere
Steven Weber as Jack Rudolph
D.L. Hughley as Simon Stiles
Sarah Paulson as Harriet Hayes
Nathan Corddry as Tom Jeter
Timothy Busfield as Cal Shanley

_____________________________________________________________________

Saved by the Bell

"I like school. It's just too bad classes get in the way."

Bayside High School will never be the same, especially if schemer Zach Morris (Gosselaar) has anything to say about it. With a little help from his friends: his lifelong best friend, eccentric nerd Screech Powers (Diamond)... brainy feminist Jessie Spano (Berkley)... spoiled fashionista Lisa Turtle (Voorhies)... the girl of his dreams, popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski (Thiessen)... and the newest member of their group, jock A.C. Slater (Lopez); he pulls off elaborate schemes and torment / outsmart the principal, Mr. Belding (Haskins).

This show appears for nostalgic reasons. As a child of the 90's, I grew up watching this show... tuning in for the chance to see what crazy scheme Zach and the gang would get into next. And ever after seeing every episode many times, I would still watch the reruns on Saturday mornings. And now the theme song is stuck in my head...

This show made it's cast stars... although most have yet to find a decent followup. Mario Lopez is the most recognizable cast member, and has gone on to appear in films and Broadway ("A Chorus Line"). Mark Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen are back on TV. Gosselaar was on TNT's Raising the Bar and has a new show in the works. Thiessen is a regular on USA's White Collar. The rest have been in a few things here and there, but have yet to break away from their Saved by the Bell alter egos.

This was the coolest show, and I still have fond memories of watching it. Yes, it is cheesy and outdated. Yes, the acting and writing is not great, but I still love it.

Saved by the Bell (1989-1993)
Creator: Sam Bobrick
Starring: Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zach Morris
Mario Lopez as A.C. Slater
Dustin Diamond as Screech Powers
Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle
Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Kapowski
Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano
Dennis Haskins as Mr. Belding

Red (2010)

2011-02-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

"Do you know what's wrong with this country?"
"They all are trying to kill us?"
"Exactly!"

Frank Moses (Willis) is retired and bored. The only highlight is phone calls with Sarah Ross (Parker), his pension representative. They read the same novels and send each other gifts. After outsmarting a hit squad, Frank rescues / kidnaps Sarah and goes on the road to get answers.

The enlist the help of some old friends (and enemies)...
-Frank's mentor, Joe Matheson (Freeman), provides information from his nursing home
-Paranoid Marvin Boogs (Malkovich) who camouflages everything and would rather shoot first
-Victoria (Mirren) patches them up and lends her target expertise
-And former Russian Agent, Ivan Simanov (Cox) gives them floor pans and an escape route

With a young new agent, William Cooper (Urban) on their trail and obstacles around every corner, the RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) agents have something to prove... just don't call them old.

A great cast, funny previews... it definitely could go either way. Thankfully, this was one of those films that is as good as the previews. The script was funny, with lots of action. The action sequences are good, lots of violence without much blood... and minimal language. I didn't think they made good action movies without lots of swearing and blood.

Like their characters, the cast has something to prove: they can still headline an action film. Bruce Willis is still intimating at 55 and still looks like he can kick butt and take names. I normally don't like John Malkovich, he's just weird, but he was the best choice for this part. His Marvin is crazy and uninhibited and gets some funny lines. Helen Mirren steals the show as Victoria, playing against type as a tough wetwork agent. You keep waiting for her character to appear and shoot people. The rest of the cast is alright, but not overly memorable.

Check it out. And check out THIS review at Film Forager.

Red (2010) 111 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence and brief strong language.
Director: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Bruce Willis as Frank Moses
Morgan Freeman as Joe Matheson
John Malkovich as Marvin Boggs
Helen Mirren as Victoria
Mary Louise Parker as Sarah Ross
Karl Urban as William Cooper
Brian Cox as Ivan Simanov

Miracle

2011-01-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

"You're missing some of the best players."
"I'm not looking for the best players, Craig. I'm looking for the right ones."

With the 1980 Olympics approaching, the U.S. Olympic Committee hires the University of Minnesota head coach, Herb Brooks (Russell) to coach the U.S. Olympic Hockey team. The U.S. has not had a winning hockey team in years. Brooks and Assistant Coach Craig Patrick (Emmerich) are tasked with finding the roster for a winning hockey team.

The best collegiate hockey players come to open tryouts with hopes of making the team, but Brooks already has his team in mind. In a single day he narrows the field to 26, ultimately taking 20 men to the Olympics. They are not necessarily the best players, they are the players that can work the best for the team. They include: goalie Jim Craig (Cahill), who is still reeling from his mother's death and off his game; and old rivals Jack O'Callahan (Mantenuto) and Rob McClanahan (West) who hate each other.

As Herb tries to unite his team, they set their sights on keeping up with the U.S.S.R. team. The U.S.S.R. has the best team in the world: even better than the National Hockey League (NHL). No one can last against them, do a group of college players even have a chance?

This film is based on the true story of the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team. It's a great underdog story. Since it's a sports film, and actually happened, it is easy to guess the outcome. In spite of that information, the filmmakers still manage to make a suspenseful, intriguing film.

According to IMDb.com, the members of the films hockey team were hired because of their skating abilities. Unlike other sports films that are filmed from a distance to allow real skaters / players to do the action sequences while subbing the actors for closeups. In this film, the actors could skate and play hockey well, which allowed plausible action scenes.

Each player has a distinct personality and style, with a few standouts played by good actors. Eddie Cahill stands out as goalie Jim Craig. Kurt Russell works well as the coach that no one understands, but gets the results he wants. Overall, an excellent true story / action flick.

Miracle (2004) 135 minutes
Rating: PG
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Starring: Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks
Patricia Clarkson as Patty Brooks
Noah Emmerich as Craig Patrick
Eddie Cahill as Jim Craig
Patrick O'Brien Demsey as Mike "Rizzo" Eruzione
Michael Mantenuto as Jack O'Callahan
Nathan West as Rob McClanahan

The Court Jester

2011-01-29T23:38:00.000-05:00

"You spent some time in the Italian court?"
"Why, yes. What better place to court Italians?"

When the royal family is killed, Roderick the Tyrant (Parker) assumes the duties of king. Meanwhile, a band of rebels, led by the Black Fox (Edward Ashley), protect the real heir to the throne: a baby with the family birthmark. While the king's men search for the child, the Black Fox assigns entertainer Hubert Hawkins (Kaye) and the Captain of the Black Fox Army, Maid Jean (Johns), to transport and protect the baby. While on the road, they encounter the king's new jester, Giacomo (David Carradine).. and Jean gets an idea: Hawkins could impersonate Giacomo and end their battle sooner.

At the court, Hawkins makes a good impression. King Roderick laughs with Hawkins, and gives him the task of selecting a date for the king. The king's lead counselor, Sir Ravenhurst (Rathbone), hired the real Giacomo to assassinate the king. The Princess Gwendolyn (Lansbury) threatens to kill herself and her maid, Griselda the witch (Natwick), unless she meets her true love. And the king is set on an allegiance with Sir Griswold (Middleton) by forcing a marriage with the princess. With the Black Fox on the way, can Hawkins outsmart the usurpers to the throne and save the day?

This is the perfect film for Danny Kaye, playing to his strengths. He sings all the songs, gets some dance numbers, and makes crazy faces. The film features fast paced dialogue and several memorable exchanges: "the pellet with the poison" speech. He has the ability to change personalities in a second: going from nervous to courageous, etc. And he gets an iconic sword fight with world-class fencing expert Basil Rathbone.

The rest of the cast works well, but it is obviously Kaye's show.

Find it, watch it, adore it. And look for my other favorite film from Kaye's repertoire (besides "White Christmas") "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".

The Court Jester (1955) 101 minutes
Director: Melvin Frank & Norman Panama
Starring: Danny Kaye as Hubert Hawkins
Glynis Johns as Jean
Basil Rathbone as Sir Ravenhurst
Angela Lansbury as Princess Gwendolyn
Cecil Parker as King Roderick
Mildred Natwick as Griselda
Robert Middleton as Sir Griswold