High Society

"You could play football in this room."
"I know, but can you rehearse?"
"Is that chandelier tied tight up there?"
"If it gets to swinging a little put a mute in your horn."

Tracy Lord (Kelly) is preparing for her perfect wedding to handsome, self-made-man, George Kittredge (Lund).  All the preparations are going well, until Tracy's first husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Crosby) arrives the day before the wedding to open his home (beside the Lord home) to the jazz festival musicians, specifically Louis Armstrong and band.  Dexter is still in love with Tracy, and even wrote a song for her...

Meanwhile, Tracy's Uncle Willie (Calhern) is coerced into allowing two reporters from Spy Magazine, Mike Connor (Sinatra) and Liz Imbrie (Holm), to do an article on the wedding to stop an "unsavory" article about her father, Seth Lord (Sidney Blackmer), and his affair with a dancer.  Tracy, with a little help from her sister Caroline (Lydia Reed), decides to give the reporters a story... and switch the personas of their father and Uncle Willie.

As the wedding draws nearer Tracy starts to have doubts about George and is drawn to Mike.  Who will Tracy choose?


Take a successful Broadway show... turn it into an award winning, popular screwball comedy FILM ... turn that film into a musical with new songs by Cole Porter, and you have High Society. It is rare when a remake of a popular film is good... but this one works.  Yes, The Philadelphia Story is a great film.  It has an "A" list cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart; and plenty of slapstick and other funny moments.  And High Society does not take away from that film, or try to do the same things.  Yes, it is the same plot, most of the characters are the same, and some of the dialog is verbatim, BUT there are some interesting changes.

The role of George has been downsized and lost any interesting characteristics, which did not seem possible.  The role of the sister, Dinah in The Philadelphia Story and Caroline in this film, is a little different.  Caroline has more interaction with Dexter and the other characters, but her role is played down in the pool scene and the story of her "dream."

While the first film may have better actors and embrace the comedy of the situation, this film also works well.  The leads are talented actors... and the male leads (Crosby & Sinatra) have careers in music and musicals.  Crosby's Dexter is different than Cary Grant's Dexter.  He may not be as smooth or suave, but when he starts to sing you know he's the right man for Tracy.  Sinatra's Mike is a little smoother than the one James Stewart portrays, and he falls for Tracy (through song) sooner.  Grace Kelly is more believable as the icy Tracy.  Hepburn is great, but I prefer Kelly's version.  She does not sing as much as her co-stars (she performs a duet with Crosby), but she holds her own.

While the leads are great, they can't hold a candle to the supporting cast.  Louis Armstrong steals the show as the narrator / Greek chorus.  He starts and ends the film and you look forward to his appearances.  Also memorable are Celeste Holm and Louis Calhern.  Holm is a great side-kick as the sarcastic Liz.  Ruth Hussey was better in The Philadelphia Story, but Holm works.  Calhern is fantastic in every film, and this is no exception.  His Uncle Willie is funny and memorable and just about steals his scenes.  You know the character, and while you may be repulsed, you do want to know what happens next.

A decent revamp of a classic film.  Not the best musical ever, but there are some great songs (check out the Crosby and Sinatra duet of "Well, Did You Evah?").

High Society (1956) 111 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter Haven
Grace Kelly as Tracy Samantha Lord
Frank Sinatra as Mike Connor
Celeste Holm as Liz Imbrie
John Lund as George Kittredge
Louis Calhern as Uncle Willie
Louis Armstrong as Louis Armstrong

The Philadelphia Story

"Doggone it, C.K. Dexter Haven. Either I'm gonna sock you or you're gonna sock me."
"Shall we toss a coin?"

Wealthy socialite Tracy Lord (Hepburn) is preparing for her second wedding.  Everything is perfect: her new beau, George Kittredge (Howard) is a handsome "man of the people" who worked his way to the top.  They are planning a lavish ceremony at the Lord estate, and nothing could ruin the day... except for the arrival of her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant), and two reporters, Mike "Macaulay" Connor (Stewart) and Liz Imbrie (Hussey), from Spy magazine.

The editor of Spy magazine, Sidney Kidd (Henry Daniell), plans to publish an article about Tracy's father, Seth Lord (John Halliday), and the affair he is having with a ballet dancer.  To prevent the publication of the article, the women of the Lord family decide to give the reporters a show... which includes switching the identities of Mr. Lord and Uncle Willie (Roland Young).  Meanwhile, Dexter tries to prove he is the right man for Tracy... while she seeks the affections of Mike.  Who will win Tracy's heart?


A quintessential screwball comedy with big stars and big laughs.  The combination of Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart makes this a must-see film and the perfect example of a great screwball comedy.  This film was adapted from the Broadway play, starring Hepburn (who owned the rights to the film).  The play was written for Hepburn by a friend, to serve as her comeback to Broadway... and the film was to serve as her big comeback.  Hepburn had the ability to select director, the writer, and the cast... she had to settle for her male co-stars.

They might not be her first choice, but I can't imagine anyone else appearing in the film.  Grant is charming and has great chemistry with Hepburn (they appeared together in several films prior to this one).  When they fight or are getting along, you can't help but hope they get back together.  Stewart steals the show as the bitter writer, who has strong opinions about the idle rich.  He has sizzling chemistry with Hepburn, especially after the party.  Stewart owns the second half of the film, especially the party scene.  This role won him an Oscar.

The film wouldn't work without help from the support cast.  Ruth Hussey nails the part of Liz, with the fast dialogue and a little look here or there.  She isn't the main focus of the film, but she delivers a stellar performance that helps the rest of the cast shine.

If you're a Grant, Stewart, or Hepburn fan, OR you love screwball comedies, OR you just love a good film, check it out!

The Philadelphia Story (1940) 112 minutes
Director: George Cukor
Starring: Cary Grant as C.K. Dexter Haven
Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord
James Stewart as Macaulay Connor
Ruth Hussey as Elizabeth Imbrie
John Howard as George Kittredge

Sgt. Bilko

"I'm paralyzed from the hair down. Make the bad man stop."

At the Fort Baxter army base, life revolves around the antics of Master Sergeant Ernie Bilko (Martin).  The base Motorpool, under his command, is the home of the base gambling activities.  There is a roulette wheel and a bar and a computer system of other scams.  They are always looking for new ways to scam people out of their money: a tug of war contest between a horse and Private Doberman (Edwards), starting a daycare center in the storeroom with the motto "they won't die."  Bilko's men adore him and eagerly engage in each scam; and their commanding officer, Colonel Hall (Aykroyd), ignores their indiscretions.

When the army sends high-strung Major Colin Thorn (Hartman) to investigate the base, he runs into an old acquaintance: Bilko.  Thorn worked with Bilko, until he was blamed for one of Bilko's scams and sent to Greenland.  Now Thorn is bent on revenge... making Bilko's men run obstacle courses and performing random dorm checks.  He even brings in two accountants (Chris Rock and Catherine Silvers) to track every scent of the Motorpool.  And Bilko's fiance, Rita (Headley), has had enough.  After being left at the altar many times, she is done waiting... she gives him an ultimatum: put a ring on it by the end of the month or they are done.  With all this pressure, what will Bilko do?


My roommate and other close friends love this film and quote it to an excess.

"Make the bad man stop!"

"All I want is a puppy dog with big brown eyes that will lick my face and love me no matter what kind of a person I am."

"I have a plan, a P-L-A-N [spells P-A-L-N]"

So it was high time I watched this film.  And I have to say it was great; a constant stream of laughs.  Steve Martin is in top form scheming and talking his way out of any (and every) jam.  And Phil Hartman oils his way across the screen.  Hartman was a genius on SNL and found a home in movies, always playing the slimeball you love to hate.  The Motorpool crew really sell their parts and steal some laughs here and there.  The only character that is lacking is Glenne Headly's Rita.  Perhaps it relates to how the character was written, but the character just doesn't measure up to the rest of the ensemble.

According to various message boards, this movie pales in comparison to the original TV show starring Phil Silvers.  Silvers is a talented comedian, and I have no doubt that his Bilko is awesome, but I have yet to see the TV show.  Interesting fact: Silver's daughter Catherine appeared in this film as one of the accountants.

Another slam dunk from Martin.  This film gets better each time you watch it!

Sgt. Bilko (1996) 93 minutes
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Starring: Steve Martin as Master Sgt Ernie Bilko
Dan Aykroyd as Col John Hall
Phil Hartman as Major Colin Thorn
Glenne Headly as Rita Robbins
Daryl Mitchell as Pfc Walter Holbrook
Max Casella as Spc Paparelli
Eric Edwards as Pvt Doberman
John Marshall Jones as Sgt Henshaw
Pamela Adlon as Sgt Barbella

Scrooged

"All day long, I listen to people give me excuses why they can't work... 'My back hurts,' 'my legs ache,' 'I'm only four!'"

Frank Cross (Murray) is the youngest president of IBC television network.  He avoids prolonged contact with his brother James (John Murray) and overworks his employees.  It is Christmas Eve and Frank is producing a live broadcast of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol that will air around the world.  The head of the network brings in a young over-achiever, Brice (Glover), to help with the live production... who is gunning for Frank's job.

With the stress mounting, Frank is visited by the rotting corpse of his mentor, Lew (Forsythe).  Lew died seven years prior and is paying for his decisions in life... He has come to suggest Frank make some changes and to warn of the visit of three ghosts.  As the cast begin to rehearse, Frank is kidnapped by the Ghost of Christmas Past (Johansen), a cigar smoking taxi driver with an obnoxious laugh, to visit Frank's past.  This journey to the past leads Frank to a lost love, Claire (Allen).  Claire runs the local homeless shelter, where she spends the majority of her time.  Later he is attacked by the Ghost of Christmas Present (Kane), a fairy princess with a mean right hook.  Will the ghosts make an impact, or will Frank be lost forever?


Since AMC decided to show this film for 24 hours on Christmas day this year, I finally got around to watching this film.  I've seen the end numerous times, but somehow I always miss the beginning (and middle).  Everyone knows Charles Dickens' classic story, A Christmas Carol, and this is an interesting take on the classic.  You get to see parts of the story, as the show within the show... and the modern portion of the film reflects the story.  This is best illustrated towards the end of the film, during the live broadcast when the Scrooge character (Buddy Hackett) is about to meet the third ghost, and you can begin to see the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come creeping up the TV screens in Frank's office.

Bill Murray is doing his usual schtick... a scumbag who is just a smidge lovable.  He abuses everyone in his wake, and has some funny lines.  You know he will eventually come around and be a decent guy, but do you really want to see that?  It is a strong performance without being too over-the-top.  Bobcat Goldthwait (what a name) gets some great moments late in the film, with his interesting voice.  The delivery and voice just make you laugh the whole time.

A funny Christmas film... not quite a classic, but an interesting one to watch over the holidays.  It's missing some of the holiday warmth, but works overall.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Scrooged (1988) 101 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Director: Richard Donner
Starring: Bill Murray as Frank Cross
Karen Allen as Claire Phillips
John Forsythe as Lew Hayward
John Glover as Brice Cummings
Bobcat Goldthwait as Eliot Loudermilk
David Johansen as Ghost of Christmas Past
Carol Kane as Ghost of Christmas Present

A Muppet Family Christmas

"Aren't they adorable?"
"Hey, don't encourage them!"

The Muppet gang decide to surprise Fozzie Bear's (Oz) mother, Emily (Nelson), and spend Christmas at her farm.  Meanwhile, at the farm, Emily Bear is getting ready to leave for a week at the beach, and meeting Doc Christian (Gerard Parkes) and his dog Sprocket (Steve Whitmire) who are renting the farmhouse for a "nice, quiet Christmas."  But plans change when the Muppets arrive and take over the house.

"Excuse me! You promised me a nice, quiet Christmas."

"You think you're disappointed? I just took three months of surfing lessons for zip."

They are soon joined by their friends from Sesame Street.  With reports of a major blizzard on the way everyone gets comfortable in the warm farmhouse... but Miss Piggy (Oz) is still in the city with other commitments and determined to spend Christmas with her friends.  Will she make it to the farmhouse or get stuck in the city / on the way.


A sweet, family Christmas story from the Muppets.  This TV movie emphasizes the importance of family, especially spending time with family at Christmas.  My grandparents had a tape of this film and we used to watch it every Christmas.  I haven't seen it for years, and looked everywhere for it.  Thankfully the entire movie (all 42 glorious minutes) are available on YouTube, so I decided to see if I would still love it after all these years.

That's the great thing about the Muppets, or at least the old Muppet movies.  You love them as a child, and years later you are still entertained as an adult.  I love that this movie featured all the characters from Jim Henson's four TV shows: The Muppet Show, Muppet Babies (as puppets), Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock.  It really is the WHOLE family getting together for the holidays.  They sing lots of Christmas carols and have a new Christmas song, the Fraggles sing about their holiday tradition with the song "Pass It On."  My favorite song is Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem singing "Jingle Bell Rock," which is my favorite version of the song.

If you are a Muppet fan, and have the opportunity, definitely look for this film.  They certainly don't make Christmas specials like this anymore.  Also, watch for a Jim Henson cameo towards the end.

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) 42 minutes
Director: Peter Harris & Eric Till
Starring: Jim Henson as Kermit / Rowlf / Swedish Chef (et al)
Frank Oz as Fozzie / Animal / Miss Piggy (et al)
Dave Goelz as Gonzo (et al)
Jerry Juhl as Scooter (et al)
Jerry Nelson as Emily Bear / Robin (et al)

Quantum of Solace

"You lost somebody?"
"I did."
"You catch who ever did it?"
"No, not yet."
"Tell me when you do, I'd like to know how it feels..."

Still reeling from the death of the woman he loved, Vesper (Eva Green), MI-6 Agent James Bond (Craig) jumps at the chance to take down the people that killed her.  While trying to interrogate Mr. White (Jesper Christensen), the man responsible for her death, Bond and M (Dench) learn that he is part of a larger organization that has people planted everywhere... including M's personal bodyguard who helps Mr. White escape.

MI-6 has no knowledge of the organization, Quantum, and a search of the bodyguard's apartment turns up minimal answers.  One clue leads Bond to Haiti, where he saves Camille (Kurylenko) from an assassination attempt.  Her boyfriend, Dominic Greene (Amalric), hired a hitman to get her out of the way.  Greene is the head of an ecological company and a member of Quantum, and is collaborating with a Bolivian general, Medrano (Joaquin Cosio), to overthrow his government.

After learning their plans, he teams up with an old ally, Mathis (Gianni) to stop Greene and Medrano.  Meanwhile, the FBI sends two agents, including Bond's friend Felix Leiter (Wright), to negotiate with Greene... and convince MI-6 to send Strawberry Fields (Arterton) to remove Bond.  Will Bond avenge Vesper, or will he fall victim to Quantum?


This film picks up minutes after the end of Casino Royale, and is the first direct sequel in the James Bond film franchise.  But unlike it's predecessor, QoS does not work.  Casino Royale revamped the Bond franchise.  The story was easy to follow and the action sequences were awesome.  Somehow the powers that be decided it would be a good idea to ignore everything that worked there when making this film.

There is too much going on... too many side plots and it gets confusing.  The action scenes are still good, but the rest of the movie can't keep up.  The villain is...eh.  He isn't menacing or even a little intimidating.  And his reasons / master plans are just a little weak.  Also, is it necessary to have 2 Bond girls?  Olga Kurylenko's Camille is good and has an actual reason to join forces with Bond... Gemma Arterton's Strawberry Fields is unnecessary.  Her character is barely in the film and doesn't contribute to the plot.  Daniel Craig is still a decent Bond and Judi Dench continues to make her character a highlight.  In fact, the filmmakers give her more screen time in this film.

Not even close to the worst Bond film, but not as good as I was expecting.

Quantum of Solace (2008) 106 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content.
Director: Marc Forster
Starring: Daniel Craig as James Bond
Olga Kurylenko as Camille
Mathieu Amalric as Dominic Greene
Judi Dench as M
Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis
Gemma Arterton as Strawberry Fields
Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter

A Charlie Brown Christmas

"Get the biggest aluminum tree you can find, Charlie Brown, maybe painted pink."

Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer...
Christmas is right around the corner for the Peanuts gang and everyone is getting ready for the big day.  Everyone is excited, except for Charlie Brown (Robbins):

"Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.  I just don't understand Christmas, I guess....I always end up feeling depressed."

Everyone around him is consumed by the holiday, and how much stuff they can get.  Charlie Brown's dog Snoopy, enters his doghouse in a house decorating contest... and his baby sister Sally (Steinberg) sends a letter to Santa asking for lots of money.  Still confused, he turns to Lucy (Stratford), as a therapist.

Lucy thinks the best way to get Charlie Brown in the holiday spirit is to make him the director of the school Christmas play.  But no one else takes him seriously, choosing to ignore his directions and dance (see picture above).  Will Charlie Brown ever find a way to enjoy Christmas?


A holiday classic!!  It isn't Christmas until I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas.  My all-time favorite Peanuts film and favorite Christmas film, everything works with here.  Charles Schulz was ahead of his time... if he thought consumerism was bad then, how would he react now?  His straight forward depiction of American consumerism (we want so much stuff) and how we typically miss the mark at this time of year (check out Straight No Chaser's song "The Christmas Can-Can" which is a funny take on this same topic).  It is a powerful film, especially Linus' speech on the stage (Luke 2:8-14).  But it isn't all serious: there is plenty of humor and quotable / memorable moments.

According to IMDb.com, this film changed the rules for Animated Christmas Specials: no laugh track and children provided the voices for children.  I'm glad Schulz and producers Bill Melendez (the director) and Lee Mendelson decided to break these rules: I can't imagine any Peanuts special any other way.

The score is amazing.  Vince Guaraldi's music is the perfect addition... what would the Peanuts be without their theme song "Linus and Lucy"?  "Linus and Lucy" was introduced in this film, with all the characters dancing their hearts out (pictured above... check out YouTube to see this scene set to Outkast's "Hey Ya").  That scene is one that everyone remembers and tries to replicate.  All the songs enhance the film and make you nostalgic for your childhood.

As close to perfection as possible.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) 25 minutes
Director: Bill Melendez
Starring: Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown
Chris Shea as Linus van Pelt
Tracy Stratford as Lucy van Pelt
Cathy Steinberg as Sally Brown
Chris Doran as Schroeder & Shermy
Geoffrey Ornstein as Pig-Pen
Karen Mendelson as Patty
Sally Dryer as Violet
Ann Altieri as Frieda

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

"Still shootin' first, askin' questions later?"
[shoots cigar to pieces] "Still smoking cheap cigars?"

James Logan (Jackman) and his brother Victor Creed (Schreiber) have extraordinary talents: they don't age and have incredible healing powers.  They serve in every war that comes their way and try to keep a low profile.  Eventually they are discovered by Colonel William Stryker (Huston), and are recruited to join a special team.  Stryker's team of mutants includes Agent Zero (Henney) who is a marksman, Wraith (will.i.am)
who can teleport, Fred / Blob (Durand) who has super strength and invulnerable, Wade (Reynolds) who talks a mile a minute and wields swords, and Chris / Bolt (Monaghan) who controls electricity.  James is unimpressed with their missions and walks away.

Years later he is living a normal life, living in the middle of nowhere with his girlfriend Kayla (Collins) and working at the local lumberyard.  He is content with life and wants nothing to do with his past, even as his former friends start disappearing.  When Stryker comes to visit, James' world collapses and he volunteers for an experimental new procedure to exact vengeance...


This film is another example of the powers that be taking something / someone that worked in one place and then ruin it...  Wolverine is a character that worked well in the X-Men film franchise, and is a favorite in the comics.  It seems like a good idea to take a beloved character and flesh out the backstory / character... but this film crashes and burns.

They try to fit too much information into one film.  The character backstory is disappointing... really, that's the best you can do?  They try to pack too many characters into the film.  Yes, it is a nice nod to the fans of the comics, but they don't fully develop any of the characters.  Wolverine is an interesting character, but he just washes out here... and you are left wanting more of the other characters, specifically Wade.

A major disappointment.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) 107 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some partial nudity
Director: Gavin Hood
Starring: Hugh Jackman as James Logan / Wolverine
Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed / Sabertooth
Danny Huston as Colonel William Stryker
Will i Am as John Wraith
Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox
Kevin Durand as Fred Dukes / Blob
Dominic Monaghan as Chris Bradley / Bolt
Taylor Kitsch as Remmy LeBeau / Gambit
Daniel Henney as David North / Agent Zero
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool

Stardust

"You know you sort of - glitter sometimes. I've just noticed it. Is it... Is it normal?"
"Let's see if you can work it out for yourself. What do stars do?"
"Hmm... Attract trouble?"

The town of Wall is surrounded by a wall, which is guarded by an elderly man.  On the other side of the wall is the mystical kingdom of Stormhold.  One day a falling star, Yvaine (Danes), crashes in Stormhold.  Soon the star is sought by several groups of people...

-A boy from Wall, Tristan (Cox), promises to give the star to Victoria (Sienna Miller) to keep her from marrying someone else.
-A trio of evil witches, led by Lamia (Peiffer) want to cut out the heart of the star to stay young and beautiful forever.
-And the living princes of Stormhold, Primus (Jason Flemyng) and Septimus (Strong) need the necklace Yvaine is wearing to claim their father's throne and rule the kingdom.  The king had seven sons (named for their place in line for the throne... Primus, Secondus, Tertius, Quartus, Quintus, Sextus, Septimus), but they have been killing each other for years to eliminate the chances of someone else ruling the kingdom.

With magic guiding each search who will get there first?


Adapted from the novel with the same name by Neil Gaiman, this film has something for everyone.  There is humor, romance, betrayal, magic, sword fights, pirates... I'm excited just thinking about it!

A strong, interesting storyline and a talented cast bring the story to life.  All of the main characters work well... most of the characters that live in Wall, such as Sienna Miller's Victoria, are boring and one dimensional.  But if you can survive that portion of the story, it picks up once Tristan crosses the border to Stormhold.  The characters in Stormhold are more interesting and more enjoyable, with the exception of Ricky Gervais' Ferdy the Fence.  He is funny, but goes too far with the character.  If he toned it back a bit, his character would be a highlight... Gervais is funny, but sometimes he goes too far and the characters / comedy bits just fall a little flat.

Michelle Pfeiffer throws herself into the part of Lamia and looks like she's having a blast.  While the character of Lamia is interesting, she doesn't hold a candle to the pirates.  Robert De Niro's notorious pirate Captain Shakespeare only appears in a few scenes, but he manages to steal the show.  The princes of Stormhold are comedic relief and interesting characters, especially the dead ones.  Charlie Cox and Claire Danes have good chemistry and really embody their characters.

A good family film... the filmmakers manage to keep the language clean AND avoid showing blood / gore.  Yes, some of the characters die during the film and other characters are already dead, but they don't rely on gore to portray these deaths.  And the characters that are already dead are played for laughs.

Definitely worth taking a chance on a fantasy film!

Stardust (2007) 127 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for some fantasy violence and risque humor

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Starring: Claire Danes as Yvaine
Charlie Cox as Tristan Thorne
Michelle Pfeiffer as Lamia
Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare
Mark Strong as Septimus
Ian McKellan as the Narrator

The Guardian

"How do you choose who to save?"
"I swim as fast and as hard as I can, for as long as I can. And the sea takes the rest."

After losing his team to the sea, lauded Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Ben Randall (Costner) is benched from active duty.  With his marriage to Helen (Ward) in ruins, and unstable emotions, he is ordered to serve as the lead teacher, the Master Chief, of the Rescue Swimmer school.

At the school Randall throws his students into the deep end, making them tread water for an extended amount of time and testing other skills they will need as a Rescue Swimmer.  If they can't keep up, they get cut.

"Can you die from chlorine poisoning?"
"I can't feel my legs. I'm serious."
"I don't know about you guys, but I feel good."
"This Randall guy, he's operating on some whole other cylinder. What is it, two weeks, and he's failed half the class already?"

The best student, beating every record, is Jake Fischer (Kutcher), who can't seem to get on Randall's good side.  With a no-tolerance policy, will anyone survive Randall's teaching methods and graduate Rescue Swimmer School?


Have the tissues handy for this one... there are a few tear inducing moments.  Don't try to hold it in, everyone else with a heart will be crying as well, especially if this is your first time watching the film.  Maybe it is a tad formulaic, like most of this genre, but it works here.

The acting is alright... Costner and Kutcher aren't great actors, but they do alright here.  The female characters, Sela Ward as Costner's wife Helen and Melissa Sagemiller as Kutcher's love interest Emily, don't get to do much.  They are around to love the men and give them a reason to survive their dangerous jobs.  The rest of the cast doesn't get to do much either, but there are some funny and memorable sequences at A-School.  A decent movie... always enjoyable.

The Guardian (2006) 139 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Director: Andrew Davis
Starring: Kevin Costner as Ben Randall
Ashton Kutcher as Jake Fischer
Sela Ward as Helen Randall
Melissa Sagemiller as Emily Thomas
Clancy Brown as Captain William Hadley

The Slammin' Salmon (Broken Lizard)

"The Champ is going to kill me. There's no way I can get out of last place."
"Donnie, he's not going to kill you."
"Didn't you hear? Last place is a broken rib sandwich!"
"Well, you see? Breaking your ribs won't kill you."

The Slammin' Salmon restaurant is owned by heaveyweight champion Cleon "Slammin" Salmon (Clarke).  His employees live in fear... especially the wait staff who call him "The Champ".  When the Champ needs to raise $20,000 by the end of the evening to pay a Japanese businessman.  To reach the goal, he puts the wait staff in competition.  The waiter with the most tips will win $10,000 in cash and the loser with receive a "broken rib sandwich" compliments of the Champ.

The scores are tallied by mousy manager Rich Parente (Heffernan), who will get punched if they don't reach $20,000.  The competitors are...

-Nuts (Chandrasekhar), the awkward waiter who is medicated to keep his alter ego Zongo under control
-Connor (Lemme), the actor who was recently fired from the popular TV show CFI: Hotlanta
-Guy (Stolhanske) the tanned narcissistic ladies man
-Mia (Bowlby), the pretty ballerina who uses her looks to get bigger tips
-Tara (Smulders), who has the job to pay for Medical School
-And the new guy, Donnie (Soter) got the job because his brother Dave (also Soter) is the head chef.  It's Donnie's first day, and he gets promoted from bus boy to waiter to compete with the rest of the wait staff

Will they make enough money, and who will get knocked out by the Champ?


This is Broken Lizard going mainstream... or at least trying.  It has the same feel as their previous films (Puddle Cruiser, Super Troopers, Club Dread and Beerfest), but lacks the raw, unbridled quality.  There is minimal nudity and no gratuitous female nudity...which is a good thing, all the nudity is annoying in other films.

There are more well-known actors and actresses popping up in brief cameos, and regulars returning to create quirky minor characters.  These additional characters work, but many are drawn out too long... such as the sequence with Sendhill Ramamurthy, which is drawn out much longer than necessary.  The female characters don't get to do much, and serve as romantic interests to the Lizards.  The main bright spot in the film is Michael Duncan Clarke as The Champ.  He has a catch phrase, which I won't post here, and other hilarious lines / moments.  He alone can't save the film, but he puts up a good fight.

Not a knockout, but not the worst in the Broken Lizard arsenal (that would be Puddle Cruiser... blah). 

The Slammin' Salmon (2009) 90 minutes

Rating: R for pervasive language and sexual references

Director: Kevin Heffernan

Starring: Jay Chandrasekhar as Nuts

Kevin Heffernan as Rich Parente

Steve Lemme as Connor

Paul Soter as Dave / Donnie

Erik Stolhanske as Guy
Michael Duncan Clarke as Cleon Salmon
Cobie Smulders as Tara
April Bowlby as Mia

Beerfest (Broken Lizard)

"This is that moment that only exists in sports - where the coach gives a speech on the jumbotrom to get the hometown fans fired up! We're the bad guys and they're the good guys, and I'll be damned if we let the good guys win!"
"Uh, we're the good guys and they're the bad guys..."

When their beloved grandfather, Johann (Sutherland), dies, brothers Jan (Soter) and Todd (Stolhanske) are sent to Germany to put his ashes in the family burial ground.  They arrive in Germany in time for Oktober Fest, and they discover the secret underground Beerfest for hardcore beer drinkers... the penalty for telling others about Beerfest is death.  After the German victory, the brothers learn they are related to the German team... but there is bad blood between the families: they accuse the brothers great grandmother, Great Gam Gam (Leachman) of being a whore and a thief.

The brothers return to the states bent on revenge.  They want to put a team together to take on the Germans at Beerfest.  They recruit 3 old friends: drinking machine turned competitive eater Landfill (Heffernan), science / alcohol whiz Fink (Lemme), and drinking games expert Barry (Chandrasekhar), and begin training for Beerfest.  With only a year to train, can they really beat the Germans and defend the family honor?


After the mediocre reception of their previous film Club Dread, the Broken Lizard Comedy Troupe really stepped it up with this film...  The writing is better and there is a consistent storyline.  Yes, there is still a unnecessary amount of nudity and some of the jokes fall flat, but overall this story works.

The German team adds to the fun with their over the top performance.  The combination of Will Forte, Nat Faxon, Eric Christian Olsen, Ralf Moeller, and Gunter Schlierkamp is comedy gold... specifically the performances of Forte, Faxon, and Olsen (Forte and Faxon have appeared in other Broken Lizard films).  Cloris Leachman is a riot as Great Gam Gam, but not on screen enough.

Super Troopers is still better, but this is a fine return to form!

Beerfest (2006) 110 minutes

Rating: R for for pervasive crude and sexual content, language, nudity and substance abuse.

Director: Jay Chandrasekhar

Starring: Jay Chandrasekhar as Barry

Kevin Heffernan as Landfill

Steve Lemme as Fink

Paul Soter as Jan Wolfhouse

Erik Stolhanske as Todd Wolfhouse

Cloris Leachman as Great Gam Gam

Club Dread (Broken Lizard)

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Coconut Pete's Pleasure Island. You have the right to fun. If you choose not to have fun, fun will be provided for you."

For spring break the place to be is Coconut Pete's Pleasure Island in Costa Rica.  Coconut Pete (Paxton) is a washed up rocker who runs the island resort in the mantra of one of his songs.  The staff enjoys a life of partying and sleeping with the guests, until they start being brutally murdered.  The surviving staff are giving orders by the killer, via a blackboard, to do their jobs and keep the secret from the guests or they will be next.  But who is the killer?  Is it

• Coconut Pete, unwilling to actually give ownership of the resort to someone else?
• Is DJ / stoner Dave (Soter) still bitter about the death of his parents?
• Is arrogant tennis pro Putman (Chandrasekhar) really crazy?
• Is diving instructor Juan's (Lemme) checkered past catching up to him?
• Is masseuse Lars (Heffernan) using his "magical" hands for harm and not good?
• Is it the trigger-happy tequilla shooter, Fun Police Officer Sam (Stolhanske)?
• Or it is exercise guru Jenny (Daniel) who inherited an exercise empire under shady circumstances?

No one is safe...


An intriguing concept... a comedy slasher flick.  Sure it's been done (badly) many times (think the horrible "Scary Movie" films), but I was hoping this film would break the tradition and actually be good.  Sadly, this film had potential, but wasn't good enough.

The main characters are well developed and have some funny lines interspersed...  Not as funny as the Broken Lizard's previous film (Super Troopers), but still better than other comedies.  The beginning is blah, but it does get better later in the film.

Too much nudity... and the film drags on too long.  It's an o.k. film, and you will probably laugh, but it won't crack your top 10 comedies.

Club Dread (2004) 104 minutes

Rating: R for violence/gore, sexual content, language and drug use.

Director: Jay Chandrasekhar

Starring: Jay Chandrasekhar as Putman

Kevin Heffernan as Lars

Steve Lemme as Juan

Paul Soter as Dave

Erik Stolhanske as Sam

Brittany Daniel as Jenny

Jordan Ladd as Penelope

M.C. Gainey as Hank

Bill Paxton as Coconut Pete

Super Troopers (Broken Lizard): 300th Review

FRAY'S 300TH MOVIE REVIEW*

After over 3 years of writing movie reviews I have finally reached my 300th review.  Once again I will be reviewing a film by a well-known comedy troupe.  To celebrate 100, I wrote about my favorite Monty Python film... and for 200, I wrote about my favorite Marx Brothers film.  This time I chose to write about a film that was made during my lifetime...

"But our shenanigans are cheeky and fun!"
"Yeah, and his shenanigans are cruel and tragic."
"Which... makes them not really shenanigans at all."
"Evil shenanigans!"

A group of Vermont state troopers spend their days messing with the drivers on their stretch of highway and fighting with the local cops.  With budget cuts coming, the state troopers need a big impressive bust and to keep their antics under the radar, until the governor (Lynda Carter) makes a decision about the finances.

When a dead body is found in their section of the highway, it is up to Captain O'Hagan (Cox) and his boys to save the day: the "serious" leader of the squadron Thorny (Chandrasekhar) who everyone thinks is Mexican, the rookie Rabbit (Stolhanske) who is the recipient of many pranks, Mac (Lemme) the uninhibited daredevil who likes to start fights with the police, Foster (Soter) can't grow a mustache and is secretly in a relationship with police officer Ursula (Coughlan), and obnoxious Farva (Heffernan) is on permanent radio duty after an altercation with a school bus.  Can they catch the killer and outsmart the local drug lords to keep their jobs?


The first 10 minutes are the best... the film opens with Thorny and Rabbit terrorizing a group of college age stoners and then chasing after a suspicious redneck vehicle.  It sets up the film and the relationships between the team.  And the ending brings back this sense of fun and mayhem and the same characters.  The rest of the film isn't quite as good, but there are standout moments.

This is the breakout hit of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe.  The writing, acting, and production is better than their first film Puddle Cruisers.  The cast look like they are having fun... especially when they are pulling pranks.  Steve Lemme seems to be having the most fun as Mac, the craziest character.  You really don't know what he is going to say or do next.  Kevin Heffernan, who also directed this film, also gets to go over the top as Farva.  The remaining Broken Lizard's do a good job, but can't compete with the crazy.  It is funny, but some jokes don't work...  I would suggest watching it on TV where they cut out the unnecessary nudity and off color jokes that detract from the joy of this film.  Not perfect, but worth a look.

*yes, I already celebrated my 300th post, but this is my 300th movie review.

I have had 10 non-review posts.

Super Troopers (2001) 100 minutes
Rating: R for language, sexual content and drug use.
Director: Kevin Heffernan
Jay Chandrasekhar as Thorny
Kevin Heffernan as Farva
Steve Lemme as Mac
Paul Soter as Foster
Erik Stolhanske as Rabbit
Marisa Coughlan as Ursula
Brian Cox as Captain O'Hagan
Daniel von Bargen as Chief Grady

Puddle Cruiser (Broken Lizard)

"Greetings earthing. At the lazor please record your communication... And take me to your leader." 
"That is the funniest message I've ever heard."

Felix (Lemme) is an average college student, content to mock his slacker friends and troll for hot girls.  He finally meets his match in the beautiful Suzanne (Butler).  She has a boyfriend at another school, Traci (Selby), but they begin an affair anyway.  In addition, she is serving as the defense counsel for Felix's slacker friends, Matt (Soter) and Grogan (Heffernan) who were caught stealing food from the cafeteria.

Meanwhile, their friend Zach (Chadrasekhar) is trying to call the girl of his dreams (Mia Perrson), but only has 6 of the 7 digits for her phone number.  And the druggy mailroom guy, Freaky Reaky (Stolhanske) dolls out advice, secrets, and occasionally mail... while chasing after the resistant Emily (Clapp), who tries to do everything continues to fail.


The film that started it all... back in the day, the men of Broken Lizard met at Colgate University.  They performed stand-up routines together, and decided to tackle the world of film.  Sadly, their first effort is an epic fail.

It just doesn't work... the characters have little glimmers of something funny, but don't deliver.  The exception is Erik Stolhanske's Freaky Reaky.  The character is outrageous, over-the-top, and not on screen enough.  The chemistry between Matt and Grogan is good, and they have funny moments.... like their discussion with the prosecutor, "No book bag no deal! No book bag no deal!" and when they tried to defend themselves in court.  The rest of the characters border on obnoxious, specifically the female characters.  The ending is subpar and makes you feel like you've just wasted 102 minutes of your life that you will never get back.  Skip it, unless you're a hardcore Broken Lizard fan.

Puddle Cruiser (1996) 102 minutes
Rating: R for language, sexual content and brief drug use.
Director: Jay Chadrasekhar
Starring: Jay Chadrasekhar as Zach
Kevin Heffernan as Grogan
Steve Lemme as Felix
Paul Soter as Matt
Erik Stolhanske as Freaky Reaky
Alison Clapp as Emily
Kayren Butler as Suzanne
Jamison Selby as Traci Shannon

How to Train Your Dragon

"Most people would leave, but not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues."

In the Viking town of Berk everything revolves around killing dragons: your status, occupation, etc. centers on the ability to fight and gut a dragon.  Hiccup (Baruchel) is an unusual Viking: he doesn't possess super strength (he can't lift the weapons) and his "helpful" inventions tend to cause more harm than good.  His father, Stoick (Butler) is the leader of their tribe and the strongest, toughest dragon killer around.  One night Hiccup tries out a new invention and hits the most feared of all the dragons: a Night Fury, but no one believes him.

With most of the adults going away to find the dragon's nest to destroy it, Hiccup discovers the injured Night Fury.  Instead of killing it, he uses this opportunity to learn about the dragons... and eventually help the Night Fury, which he names Toothless, fly.  Meanwhile, back at the village, he is placed in Dragon Training led by Gobber (Ferguson) the blacksmith.  Gobber believes the best way to learn about fighting dragons is to be thrown in the ring with dragons.

While the rest of the class is...

• Smarter: Fishlegs (Mintz-Plasse) who knows random facts about every dragon
• Stronger: Snotlout (Hill) who trash talks everyone else
• Tougher: twins Ruffnut (Wiig) and Tuffnut (Miller) who fight each other more than they fight the dragons
• Faster: Astrid (Ferrera) the love of Hiccup's life who is the best in the class

Hiccup has a secret weapon: he actually spends time with a dragon.  Will Hiccup ever be accepted by the tribe, or will he and Toothless be banished?


What a cute movie!  The characters are funny, without talking down to the audiences.  The dragons are fun and funny, especially Toothless.  Toothless is adorable, and my roommate now wants to own a dragon...

The voice talents are great... I figured out some of the characters right away (Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler and Jonah Hill), and others stumped me.  I was pleasantly surprised when I learned the identities of the remaining main characters.  The story was good, the animation was good.... good job non-Disney people!

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) minutes

Director: Dean DeBlois & Chris Sanders

Starring: Jay Baruchel as Hiccup

Gerard Butler as Stoick

Craig Ferguson as Gobber

America Ferrera as Astrid

Jonah Hill as Snotlout

Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fishlegs

T.J. Miller as Tuffnut

Kristen Wiig as Ruffnut

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

"What does it mean, industrable?"
"In-des-truct-i-ble. It means it cannot be destroyed."

Many centuries ago the elfin king, King Balor (Roy Dotrice), created an indestructible Golden Army for his battle with humans.  They kill without mercy, which leads the king to destroy the crown which controls them and create a truce with the humans.  In modern times, King Balor's delinquent son Prince Nuada (Goss) wants to put the crown back together and awaken the army.  He gathers the first piece of the crown from an auction.

Meanwhile, Hellboy (Perlman) and the other BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) Agents, his girlfriend fire starter Liz Sherman (Blair) and fish man Abe Sapien (Jones), are called to the auction house to figure out what happened.  Hellboy yearns for life outside the bureau and gets his wish when he is dropped into headlines.  At the same time, they offer to protect the elvin Princess Nuala (Walton) and the last piece of the crown  from her brother Prince Nuada.


Again, director Guillermo del Toro knows what he is doing... sticking close to the source material of the Hellboy comics.  Most of the characters are the same.  The main exception is the character of Abe.  In the first film Doug Jones was the character, but David Hyde Pierce provided the voice.  In this film Doug Jones is the character and the voice, which is a little disarming at first... but as the film progresses you realize that his voice suits the character.

This film deals focuses more on relationship: the relationship between Hellboy and Liz and the potential relationship between Abe and Princess Nuala.  The Hellboy and Liz relationship is interesting and works well, they have good chemistry.  The Abe and Princess Nuala relationship had potential, but just didn't work.  Some of the new characters are weird, but the effects are good.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) 120 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ron Perlman as Hellboy
Selma Blair as Liz Sherman
Doug Jones as Abe Sapien
Luke Goss as Prince Nuada
Anna Walton as Princess Nuala
Jeffrey Tambor as Tom Manning

Frozen

Best friends Dan (Zegers) and Lynch (Ashmore) have a skiing tradition: convincing the lift operator to give them free rides on the lift.  This time Dan's girlfriend Parker (Bell) intrudes on their guy time.  At the end of the evening, they convince the lift operator to let them have one more run.  But when he gets called away, a mixup leaves them stranded on the lift.  With bad weather approaching, and the resort closed for the next few days (it is Sunday and the resort isn't open again until Friday), what will they do / how will they survive?

TERRIBLE MOVIE!

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

A friend rented this, not knowing anything about the film.  We just knew it was supposed to be a horror film.  We were less than impressed... when it was over we looked at each other and said "well, I just lost an hour of my life."

• Sub-par acting (sooo bad)
• Stupid characters... you will literally scream at the screen throughout because they are soooooooo stupid (that's your best idea?  REALLY?)
• Really gross... I can handle blood in movies, but this was just nasty.  Not overly gory, just really disturbing
• The writing... I know it's just an indy horror film, but that's really the best you could do?  Booooo

Why would you write this?  And even better, why would you give someone money to make this crap?  Apparently the writer / director, who I refuse to honor by writing it here, is supposed to be the next big thing, but I'm not really seeing it.  I'm adding him to my "don't watch" list.  I would give it negative stars for the time I lost watching it.  

Frozen (2010) 93 minutes
Rating: R for some disturbing images and language
Director: Adam Green
Starring: Emma Bell as Parker O'Neil
Shawn Ashmore as Joe Lynch
Kevin Zegers as Dan Walker

Don't watch this film... especially don't watch this film at night.  Regardless, watch something happy after this, because you will need something incredibly uplifting or you'll be depressed for awhile.

I feel better now.  Venting about crappy movies is great therapy.

Hellboy

"I hate those comic books. They never get the eyes right."

During WWII leading Nazis turn to the occult in an effort to win the war.  The notorious Grigori Rasputin (Roden) opens a portal to a hell dimension to unleash unspeakable evil on the world.  But before anything can come through, he is thwarted by the Allies... lead by occult expert Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm (Kevin Trainor).  They are able to close the portal, taking Grigori along, however since the portal was open for a few minutes, something did get through: a small red creature with a penchant for Baby Ruth candy bars.  The soldiers name him Hellboy.

Sixty years later Hellboy (Perlman) works for the United States government in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), as the leading agent, known as Red.  He is joined by fish-like man named Abe Sapien (Jones, voice by Pierce), who is incredibly intelligent and telepathic.  The third member of the team is fire starter Liz Sherman (Blair), who is living in a mental hospital and trying to learn to control her powers.  They work with Broom (Hurt), who Hellboy calls "father."  Broom is old and in failing health, so he procures newbie FBI Agent John Myers (Evans) to be Hellboy and Abe's guardian / caretaker.

Meanwhile, a blast from the past, Grigori, his ageless Nazi girlfriend Isla (Bridget Hodson), and top assassin / masochist Kroenen (Ladislav Beran), returns to unleash new terror on the world.  Soon it is up to the BPRD to stop Grigori from destroying the world.


Apparently I'm on a comic book kick lately (Scott Pilgrim, Kick-Ass, Watchmen...).  I've seen parts of this film before, but never really understood what was happening (it helps to have a basic understanding of the comic book).  But watching it now... knowing a little more about the directors style and doing a little more comic book research... it makes more sense.

It is obvious director Guillermo del Toro enjoys the Hellboy comics... he sticks close to the original material, only changing a few aspects of the story for the film.  The tone and styling work well; del Toro does well with fantasy settings and crazy characters (apparent in his  film Pan's Labyrinth).  The casting is excellent.  Ron Perlman looks like he's having a blast.  Snarky and consistently puffing a big cigar, the character is fun and funny, while still showing lots of heart (with his little kittens).  The character of Abe is also a delight, despite only appearing in a few scenes.  The combination of Doug Jones performance and David Hyde Pierce's voice work well together.  And Jeffrey Tambor tries to steal the show as the frustrated head of BPRD Tom Manning.  He doesn't get respect and isn't supposed to be a character you like, but he manages to win you over.  Selma Blair is ok, but the character is gloomy and doesn't get to do much.  The only sour spot is Ruper Evans' John Myers.  The character / actor don't really add much to the film.  He's o.k., but doesn't help.  The villains are interesting, but there is not much focus on their characters.  Hopefully they will find a way to bring them back in subsequent sequels.

The creatures are cool, the CGI is pretty good... the story itself is a little scattered, but overall everything works together to make you want to spend more time with Hellboy and the gang.

Hellboy (2004) 132 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and frightening images.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Ron Perlman as Hellboy
John Hurt as Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm
Selma Blair as Liz
Rupert Evans as John Myers
Karel Roden as Grigori Rasputin
Jeffrey Tambor as Tom Manning
Doug Jones as Abe Sapien
David Hyde Pierce as Abe Sapien (voice)

Watchmen

"Once a man has seen society's black underbelly, he can never turn his back on it. Never pretend, like you do, that it doesn't exist."

In an alternate 1985, masked superheroes known as the Watchmen have been outlawed.  After years of protecting the people and averting / ending wars, it is illegal to wear a mask and dispense justice.  Most of the Watchmen have retired their masks and try to live a normal life, but everything changes when one of their own is murdered: "A Comedian died last night, and nobody cares."  Masked vigilante the Comedian, known as Edward Blake (Morgan) is brutally murdered in his home.

Rorschach, (Haley) the only active Watchmen, believes someone is targeting people in masks and contacts the rest of the group: nerdy Dan (Wilson) known as Night Owl, super smart businessman Adrian (Goode) known as Ozymandias, blue scientist with superhuman abilities Jon (Crudup) known as Dr. Manhattan, and his girlfriend Laurie (Akerman) known as Silk Spectre.  They think Rorschach is paranoid until Adrian, the only Watchmen to reveal his secret identity, is attacked and former foes turn up in unexpected places.  And Dr. Manhattan relocates to Mars when longtime co-workers blame him for giving them cancer.

With the US and USSR on the verge of a nuclear war who wants the Watchmen out of the way?


I'm familiar with the comics, although I have not read them all... yet.  I am far from an expert, or super fan, but I was looking forward to this film.  That being said, the film was too long (3 HOURS!!).  It would work better as a mini-series, that way you could watch in sections or be a crazy person and watch the whole 3+ hours in one sitting.  It would also appease the Watchmen purists who were miffed that certain sections of the comics were axed or condensed.

The casting was decent.  Jackie Earle Haley shines as Rorschach, giving him a mesmerizing voice that conveys all the emotion (since his face is covered by the ever changing ink blot mask).  And Jeffrey Dean Morgan steals most scenes with his morally ambiguous Comedian: he's a jerk and he knows it, and you kinda love him for that.  Everyone else works, but they don't stand a chance when on screen with Rorschach or the Comedian.


Overall, the film worked well.  The filmmakers tried to style the characters and scenes as they appear in the comics, and they were able to pull off some cool scenes.  But in some ways they missed the mark, do people not familiar with the Watchmen world really understand what happened (and what the writers are trying to achieve) or are they let down by an ending they don't understand?  Good, but they could do more.

Watchmen (2009) 162 minutesRating: R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II
Billy Crudup as Jon Osterman / Dr. Manhattan
Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias
Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach / Walter Kovacs
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian
Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg / Night Owl II

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

"You've heard of the fury of a woman scorned, haven't you?"
"Yeah, I guess I have."
"Well, that's nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of trick-or-treats."

It's fall and everyone is excited.  Charlie Brown (Robbins) and his dog Snoopy rake leaves, which Linus (Shea) proceeds to jump into.  And Lucy (Dryer) is ready with to "help" Charlie Brown kick the football (pictured below).

They are even more excited about going trick-or-treating that evening and going to a Halloween Party afterward.  Linus is going to skip trick-or-treating to fulfill his annual tradition of sitting in the pumpkin patch and waiting for "The Great Pumpkin."

"He'll come here because I have the most sincere pumpkin patch and he respects sincerity."
"Do you really think he will come?"

"Tonight the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch. He flies through the air and brings toys to all the children of the world."
"That's a good story."

Everyone else mocks him, except Sally (Steinberg), who wants to spend the evening with Linus.  Meanwhile, Snoopy battles the Red Baron for control of the skies.

It's not a holiday if there you don't watch a Peanuts holiday special.

I love the Peanuts characters and the various specials they make.  My grandma had all of the specials when we were growing up... I've seen all the classics (soooo many times), and I still love them!  I don't have anything specific to say about the quality or anything.  I love it and can't separate my memories from serious film criticism.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (1966) 25 minutes
Director: Bill Melendez
Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown
Chris Shea as Linus Van Pelt
Sally Dryer as Lucy Van Pelt
Kathy Steinberg as Sally Brown

Last of the Living

When a zombie epidemic sweeps New Zealand, only a handful of people remain unaffected.  Three friends, Morgan (Williams), Johnny (Faith), and Ash (Southam), chose to enjoy their circumstances, spending their days playing video games in deserted mansions.  Whenever they need to go out, they band together and carry blunt objects to survive.  Self-proclaimed ladies man Morgan favors a bat and a baseball cap.  Semi-crazed drummer Johnny wield a pair of drum sticks and is perfecting his ultimate fighting technique: going berserk.  And nerdy Ash (Southam) wears arm and knee pads and a hockey mask and swings a golf club.

Believing they are the only people left, they are shocked to find and rescue a woman, Stef (Paddon-Brown) during a routine grocery trip.  Stef is a researcher trying to collect blood from zombies to create a cure.  She lost the only sample when zombies attacked and killed her father (Mark Hadlow).  The guys agree to help her get a sample and take it to the lab, while secretly fighting over her.  With the zombies congregating near the lab, will they survive the trip?


Think Shaun of the Dead... if it was set in New Zealand, with a smaller budget, and less main characters.  The film focuses mainly on the characters: they are well formed... you know these people.  The characters are the main focus, the blood and zombies are secondary.

Funny film, much better than expected.  Check it out on Netflix!

Last of the Living (2008) 88 minutes
Director: Logan McMillan
Starring: Morgan Williams as Morgan
Robert Faith as Johnny
Ashleigh Southam as Ash
Emily Paddon-Brown as Stef

The Town (2010)

"I need your help. I can't tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later, and we're gonna hurt some people."
"...Whose car we takin'?"

A group of masked men: the brains of the operation Doug MacRay (Affleck), the ex-con who loves weapons James "Jem" Coughlin (Renner), master car theif Albert "Gloansy" Magloan (Slaine), and computer expert Desmond Elden (Owen Burke); rob a bank in Boston.  When the silent alarm is tripped, they take the bank manager, Claire (Hall), hostage and then drop her by the side of the road.  With the FBI asking Claire questions and investigating the robberies, Doug starts tailing her.  They have a connection and begin a relationship.

Meanwhile, the FBI, led by Agent Adam Frawley (Hamm) and local Agent Dino Ciampa (Welliver), start looking into shady characters in the town of Charlestown, MA, the robbery capital of the United States.  They setup surveillance and narrow the list of suspects... while the team continue to rob banks while wearing masks and destroying evidence.  Will Doug find a way to get the girl and get out... or will old loyalties pull him back into the fray?


Ben Affleck in front of the camera... um, maybe.  Ben Affleck behind the the camera... heck yes.  In his sophomore directing, after 2007's Gone Baby Gone, Affleck proves adept behind the camera.  Creating a gritty crime film that keeps the audience on its toes with all eyes glued on the screen.


Everything works... the story, the accents, the cast, etc.  Jeremy Renner steals the show with his slightly off-balance, violence and weapon obsessed Jem.  You never know what the character will do next or how he will react, and you are captivated.  Jon Hamm, best known for his role on AMC's Mad Men, is also a highlight as Agent Frawley: going for broke as an unconventional FBI agent.  And Blake Lively of the CW's Gossip Girl, fully inhabits Krista... making her seem very real.  It is quite the transformation.  The rest of the cast also works well, although the women don't get to do much.


Excellent action flick.  See it....NOW!


The Town (2010) 125 minutes
Rating: R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use.
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay
Rebecca Hall as Claire Keesey
Jon Hamm as Agent Adam Frawley
Jeremy Renner as James Coughlin
Blake Lively as Krista Coughlin
Titus Welliver as Dino Ciampa

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (300th post)

Happy 300th Post

 My how time flies when you're having fun!

To celebrate, let's keep with the tradition of reviewing a "classic" musical... (100 & 200).  Originally I wanted to review Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera, BUT with Halloween approaching, and the upcoming Glee tribute, I decided to change tunes...

"Do you think I made a mistake splitting his brain between the two of them?"

After a friend's wedding, straight-laced Brad Majors (Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Sarandon) get engaged.  They decide to immediately to visit their old teacher, Dr. Scott (Adams), who taught they class where they met.  Along the way they get a flat tire and walk in the rain to a nearby castle.

But the inhabitants of the castle are not what they expect.  The owner, Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Curry), is a transvestite mad scientist.  They have arrived in time to witness the unveiling of his latest creation: a muscle man he deems Rocky (Hinwood).  The castle staff, Riff Raff (O'Brien) and Magenta (Quinn), are eccentric and don't fulfill traditional staff roles.  Also in the castle is Frank's tap dancing groupie Columbia (Campbell)... and frozen bad boy she loves, Eddie (Meat Loaf).  No one wants to help the stranded motorists... will Janet & Brad leave the castle with their morals intact?


A controversial musical, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (adapted from the stage show The Rocky Horror Show) is a film that inspires strong emotion: you either love it or hate it.

Check any message boards on film sites (imdb, Netflix, etc) and you will find people passionately arguing the merits and downfalls of the film; it is a slippery slope.  It's revolutionary subject matter and ability to speak to the outcasts (or people who feel like outcasts) stirs up strong emotions in many.  With the numerous well-known stage versions and the interactive midnight showings, this film has a cult following and is considered a cult classic by many.

I would fall more into the love category... to clarify I like the film, I love the stage shows.  The songs sound better and the cast seems to be having more fun on stage.  I have several Rocky Horror songs on my iPod, but none are from the film soundtrack.  The best choice is the The Rocky Horror Show Roxy Cast.  It seems like the kind of show that is better when you can interact... sing along with the rest of the audience, dance in the aisles, etc.

The film is great in that it immortalizes the iconic performances of the stellar cast.  Tim Curry became a star when he appeared on this show, and this film was his breakout film role.  Richard O'Brien (who also wrote the film), Patricia Quinn, and Little Nell originated their roles in the Original London production... and Meat Loaf stole the Roxy and the Original Broadway show as Eddie.  Jonathan Adams was the Narrator in the Original London production.  And director Jim Sharman directed the Roxy production.  The only newbies were cast because they were big names: Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, and Charles Gray.

A fun film, but not as much fun as seeing the show live!

Be sure to check out the upcoming Rocky Horror tribute episode of Fox's Glee (10/26/10).  The soundtrack goes on sale 10/19/10.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) 100 minutes

Director: Jim Sharman

Starring: Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter

Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss

Barry Bostwick as Brad Majors

Richard O'Brien as Riff Raff

Patricia Quinn as Magenta

"Little Nell" Campbell as Columbia

Jonathan Adams as Dr. Everett Scott

Peter Hinwood as Rocky Horror

Meat Loaf as Eddie

Charles Gray as The Criminologist

Killers

"How weird is this going to get? Because some things you cannot unsee."

While on vacation in France with her parents, the recently single Jen (Heigl) meets the perfect man, Spencer Aimes (Kutcher).  Spencer is charming, attractive, and nice... and a hit-man on assignment.  In between fulfilling his mission, he dates Jen.  And then quits his job.  After a whirlwind romance, he meets her parents, overprotective dad (Tom Selleck) and alcoholic mom (O'Hara)... and they get married.

Three years later, they are living an idyllic life.  They have successful careers and lots of friends, with her parents just a phone call away.  But something is not right.  Their relationship is stuck in a rutt.  Spencer's old boss, (Martin Mull), made contact... and now there is a $20 million bounty on his head.  Can Jen accept the truth about her husband before it is too late?


The combination of Katherin Heigl and Ashton Kutcher could be great.  Both are big names, consistently in the press, well-known personas... there is potential.  Both have the ability to play charming, comic personas.  And director, Robert Luketic, made Legally Blonde, which is a great comedy.  The supporting cast is populated with talented comedic actors.  So why isn't this film better?

It was ok... not as bad as expected, but not great.  The story was predictable, with a few little curves.  Funny moments here and there but nothing overly memorable.  Kutcher is charming, but not completely believable as a hit man... he plays Spencer with a wink, and it works.  Heigl meshes well with Jen, creating a character that is completely believable and a tad quirky.  Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara are great as the odd couple parents.  The problem is the story... which has decent moments, but can't maintain a consistent tone.  Good to watch at night when you're already tired.

Killers (2010) 93 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for violent action, sexual material and language.
Director: Robert Luketic
Starring: Ashton Kutcher as Spencer Aimes
Katherine Heigl as Jen Kornfeldt
Tom Selleck as Mr. Kornfeldt
Catherine O'Hara as Mrs. Kornfeldt