Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

"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

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

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 (Dulery), 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

"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

"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

"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

 

 "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 (Field), 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 Field, 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 Field 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

"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

"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

"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)

"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 of 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.  Will 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

"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

"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)

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

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?

"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

"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)

"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

 "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

"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

""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

"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

"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

"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

"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