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Saturday Night (2024)
If You Like "30" Rock...
On the day of the launch of the first ever SNL, comes this chaos of juggling mentally ill people. Through the eyes of a mousy placating young Boomer icon Lorne Michaels.
The tale follows him through all the familiar faces of that era. If you don't know any of them, this isn't going to be THAT interesting. However, if you are filmmaker, you will enjoy the technical aspects of what use to be known as "blocking" Characters fly in and out of shots. And the timing of that is impeccable. DIrector Jason Reitman injects his frame with a lot of energy with a ticking time clock which most likely is playing in Lorne's head. Though, curiously, he doesn't seem phased.
Cocaine George Carlin is the first guest host. And we get a glimpse of his opinion of what will become iconic.
The initial episode is clunky, as most shows are. They aren't particularly funny. One of the most aggravating things is when you have the actors laugh at something simply to get the idea that what is said is funny. But it's not. I guess you "had to be there"
Any way, I never though John Belushi or Andy Kaufman was all that funny either. That doesn't matter here. They are caricatures of caricatures. It wasn't until the 80's where SNL really hit their stride.
A day in the life of a sketch show that has become part of American culture is remarkable. Simply because it was hatched by a non-aggressive Canadian. It's a solid watch and wouldn't be surprised at Oscar noms for those involved.
White Bird (2023)
Heavy Handed But A Good Watch
"White Bird" has a LOT to say about what kindness can do in the face of true evil. In this case, Nazis and more specifically Nazi youth.
Director Marc Forster lately seems to be stuck in fairy tale theater. With "A Man Called Otto" we get the same message. It's like a child's perspective in an adult world. "Christopher Robbin" as well.
It's not that the cruelty in this film is sanitized, it's nearly the backstory behind a crippled young man who falls for a Jewish girl he has to hide. This is how forgettable a film "Jojo Rabbit" is. It is essentially the same plot.
Yet this one is MUCH more cinematic.
With having Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson in it, it is surely elevated to a more adult tone.
Everything happens as it should. There are no surprises. And the "message" isn't the least bit subtle. It hammers the idea into your head, that it almost does the opposite of its intention.
Close call there, Marc.
Moonlighting (1985)
Yuppies Mysteries
Decades later, I'm re-watching the show as a middle aged man. It doesn't have modern sensibilities which is joy of the series. It's sometimes sexist, but that was what passed as charm back in the glorious 80s. Regardless, the powers that be pushed an uptight former model with a brutish detective and it worked.
Bruce Willis's motormouth wise-acre David Addison is a complement to Cybil Sheperd's vain Maddy Hayes. Together they solve mysteries with banter reminiscent of the screwball comedies of 40's.
The issue is that sometimes the drama comes from shoehorning action to service the run time. Which seems very phony. For instance, when in the pilot they climb atop the Eastern Building and for some inexplicable reason, Addison's plan was to climb on a ladder to dissuade a former Nazi.
Yes, they understand this is very silly. But it's not about logic. It's about shenanigans. So, as we've become a much more cynical bunch, this may not be modern day audience's cup of tea.
The series gets out of control quick. And by season 3 you can see the fractured relationship between Willis and Sheperd. There are episodes where they flat out aren't in the same room. As Willis's career shotput him into mega-stardom, Sheperd's relegated her to more sitcom work.
It may depress you to see the decline of their relationship and a shift in their personalities. What started as sweet innocent banter, you can feel the friction within the scenes. It makes you wonder what could've been.
Transformers One (2024)
A Twinge Of Sadness
Long are the days of me coming home from school and going over to a neighbor's house to play with his Transformers. At best, we got GoBots. As they were cheaper and Mom often found them at the Goodwill.
This is origin story of where the 80's toy phenom came from. Quite frankly, as a kid the idea that a robot changed into a car and being able to see the intricacies of it, was mind blowing.
I guess today we are much less embracing of wonder.
Transformers One attempts to bring back that sense of wonder. Here is the story of how two lonely toilers in an energy mine became who they are in the 80s. In this case, we will know them to become Optimus Prime and Megatron.
The 1986 flick was very traumatic as they made the movie simply to make way for new toys. Though we did get a glimpse of why they left Cybertron. Something tragic in how that unfolds, the way the ending of this will be.
We know that most will survive, so hardly fear of our protagonists. But it's a fun journey.
I wouldn't consider this completely a "kid's movie" It lingers in the beginning with the idea of them being laborers. Hardly something a kid wants to see.
Otherwise, a fine flick.
Some of the action is a little too much. Beware if you're epileptic.
Newhart (1982)
Skated Through Two Different Decades
An extended version of "Baby Boom" The city folk of Bob Newhart who plays Dick Loudon to Mary Frann who plays Joanna Loudon purchase an inn. Dick had big city success but they both now have settled into a more relaxed lifestyle. So they think.
It starts off as the fish out of water, so they need to navigate the small town vibe.
Bob Newhart is the basset hounded faced dude who can stammer into any joke. Even though you see it coming, the delivery is magic. Hate the Larry Daryl & Daryl thing. In hindsight, I'm sure William Sanderson regrets it. The addition of Michael Harris (Peter Scolari) starts to get grating as well. A immature, self-absorb man-child goes so far. Not sure what Stephanie (Julia Duffy) remained with him, other than she's more obnoxiously shallow as he is.
Few people know that writer David Mirkin went on to write for "The Simpsons"
A very solid series of the 80's to 90's.
The Last Castle (2001)
Awful
There's something always smug about progressives. For one, they think a 3 star general looks and acts like Robert Redford. Not even in a movie is this remotely believable. Second, they love to gaslight you. As if their love of America means they overthrow a prison warden (who played within his duties) as the villain.
Typical of director like Rod Lurie whose previous flick "The Contender" seemed to think a political candidate's personal life has no bearing on their professional one.
No, Rod or Rob, it does. In fact, their poor choices in life is a direct correlation in how one would act.
So, Redford gets sent up to prison with a (I can't stop laughing) reputation of military honor. Never mind that in the circle of grunts, they'd already know this nitwit sent their friends to get killed despite direct orders. Chances are Redford would be shiv'd within a few seconds.
IF this is suppose to be Leavenworth... man did these people not do their research. The prisoners aren't moralistically patriotic people. They're monsters.
The logic in this makes me fume. To fix the film... cast Gene Hackman as the lead. Make Gandolfini's character much more sadistic towards inmates. Make the motivation for the protagonist be much more about the moment he was able to save men instead of continue to watch them die (death is casually dismissed in this flick, which is off-putting).
This movie is absolute garbage. Nicely filmed by Shelly Johnson though.
Drive-Away Dolls (2024)
Oh Man What A Mess
I truly appreciate silly and absurd but this was amateur, at best. If student films had a budget, this would be that movie.
Made even more surprising that it comes from one of the Coen Bros. Why oh why does this look like cheap video? At least shoot it on 16mm!
The story is of two listless lesbians who take a "road trip" which isn't the adventure. They "accidentally" get a car that has a severed head and a secure case. Two goons chase them. That's it. The humor of what's in the case falls flat. The lesbian love scenes are staged precisely for women who are clearly not lesbians. Go see "Bound" for a great representation of steamy romantic sapphic love.
Meanwhile, Ethan Coen is desperately shoe-horning fast dialogue to pretend the words mean anything. Margaret Qualley spits out the words as if she's reading the lines (horrible Texas accent, sounds like her Mom, Andie McDowell).
Just plain awful flick.
Coens seem to think if you slap their name on something, it'll be fine. Have some respect for your reputation.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Give It Time For You To Realize It's Not That Interesting
Ugly dogs aren't funny. Regardless of what Marvel thinks. They're deeply off-putting. And pandering at that level for laughs is pathetic, at best. Oh how edgy we must be to have one of the most repugnant looking dogs that looks like a Sloth mated with a rat.
So, here we are with the self-referential laughs. Part Quatre.
Deadpool starts off by killing so many people, you grow numb to it. And groin stabbing things get really old fast. As do their homosexual innuendo jokes.
There's a moment in this flick that Wolverine says everything I've always wanted to say to Ryan Reynolds. You aren't that funny. And not everything is this level of a joke. Reynold's performance is that of a frat kid whose frat was the least popular at school. So it comes off as arrogant insecurity. Exhausting.
Still, some good moments with Blade, Elecktra and a few other cameos.
Could've had more heart and less predictable snarky banter.
Longlegs (2024)
Nic Cage Is Tiresome
Imagine if LongLegs was a normal looking dude with none of the albino painted weirdness of Nic Cage. Another perfectly good flick ruined by Cage's inability to just be normal, which would unnerve people more.
Instead, he draws attention to himself. Because, why wouldn't you do so if you were the conduit for Satan.
Yes, Satanist tend to be this annoying. But, he looked more Joker than anything. And, honestly, if people were looking for a serial killer...it would be this dude immediately. Oz Perkins is requiring you to NOT believe an entire town wouldn't be looking for him. And he's not hard to miss.
The ending is so dumb I'll mention it. This Longlegs fella delivers dolls laced with Satan essence so that families would kill each other. Would make sense if Longlegs wasn't so centralized. And the Feds are too dumb (in this movie) to connect the dots.
Alicia Witt is the only thing good in this. Maika Monroe's blank looks and monotone delivery gets old fast.
Cuckoo (2024)
A Millenial's Fever Dream
Imagine having a comfortable life, made so easy that you offer no skill at life. Are thrown jobs at a resort. And at the end of the entire thing, you uncover a plot about surrogate Motherdom.
Yep.
This is THAT movie.
While it does hold a level of fascinating originality, it fails miserably because the lead character is painfully off-putting. She sulks, hunches and drags her feet when doing anything. Her life isn't difficult. Aside from factors and details we aren't given. How very German.
So we're left to just go along for the ride until we get to the "cuckoo" metaphor. Whatever that is.
I'm sure this makes more sense in Europe than it does for Americans.
This movie is aggravating to sit through. Gretchen (Hunter Schaefer) puts herself in stupid situations. But also, when a former detective helps her, she still stabs him. And, the two guys shooting at each other at the end can't hit the broad side of a barn.
Ecologia del delitto (1971)
If You Aren't Into Studio Style Horror Flicks
A lot of good horror begins with relationship set-ups. Yes, this one lacks a lot of clarity when it comes to who is related to whom. But they do have flashbacks to guide you through the maze.
This is closer to Agatha Christie than it is to Sean S. Cunningham. A wealthy family murders each other off. Which, in 1971, was quite novel. Though director Mario Bava did this out of necessity rather than fully intentional.
Still, this film has a sleazy sensibility to it. For instance, what was the point of introducing these non-essential young couples if only to have them be murdered in gruesome ways.
The effects of this flick are still shocking. The brutality of the kills are pretty amazing. I think better than the later "Friday The 13th"s. Not so much that they look real but they come with no warning.
Ding Dong. Open door. Machete to face.
Jason Vorhees isn't even that efficient.
Take it for what it is. An easy watch.
The Bikeriders (2023)
A Character Study On Clubs & Community
This flick will not appeal to everyone as it's mostly spinning its wheels much like its characters. What elevates the material is the performances of Jodie Comer, doing a pitch perfect upper mid-west Illnois accent and Tom Hardy's sad sack Brando impression. A conceit that director Jeff Nichols embraces. The weakest point is actually Austin Butler. A pretty boy who would most likely be a stooge for Michael Shannon's character. Someone who was born to play a biker.
The concept is basic. A man starts a club because he wants to be cool. Then the club gains so much popularity by disenfranchised midwestern men, it engulfs the one who started it. It is a frustrating exercise in the idea that you can create something and then it does what it wants to do. In fact, Hardy says it out loud. Same could be said of social media or...presently A. I. We never stop to think long term as the culture itself is too cool not to do it
A sort of tragedy in that sense or how you view "inventions" of influence.
Yea. It could be as simple as making a photo book come to life and giving them a voice. But, maybe next time give Butler more depth. The script refuses to allow Butler some background simply to have the end be a gut punch. At that point it's too late to care.
Again, Comer has an incredible future in more grounded stories like these.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)
Middle Of The Road
The concept of the original "Bad Boys" was that it was hip, fresh energetic and frenetic. If you're actors become middle aged and settled down, you probably don't want to write towards that because A) you're attempting to get a new audience B) the old audience thinks it's silly.
Here are Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett at Mike's (Will Smith) wedding. He's settling down (oof). So now you have the tiresome trope of "thought you'd never settle down." This is the setup for Mike's now consideration for life and risk. Because now he has someone to love. Never mind NONE of us who've watched any of the other flicks even know who she is. She's just someone they plopped in so that Mike has to go through something.
Marcus (Martin Lawrence), on the otherhand, is still a junk food junkie and has grown fat. So much so he suffers a heart attack and has seen the future and now spiritually defies death.
These are where the jokes hang.
There are a lot of re-treaded jokes of spirituality and female nursing and whatnot. This time it's something about donkeys and stubborness. This has always been the humor of this series. So, if that's up your alley, you'll be happy.
Look, the constantly movement and explosions and gunplay will satisfy ADHD crowd and teenagers, but as a movie, it's sub-mediocre. Which is perfectly fine as a summer thing. To me, the movie just drags on and on. Until I forget what the movie was even about. Just there to see the innovative ways the bad guys get killed. Which isn't healthy experience.
By the way, seeing producer Don Simpson in the credits is unnerving. Yes, I get Jerry Bruckheimer is giving him due credit on this, but if this movie failed would a dead man be incurring the cost as well? What silliness is this?
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
It's A Mad World
I probably should remind a few of you here that Charlize Theron DID kill her Dad to save her Mom from domestic abuse. I would say, she is Furiosa incarnate.
Yes, that happened. And that makes her one of the baddest of the bads.
Anya-Taylor Joy is too scrawny for the wasteland. But does a solid job in glowering in every frame.
A lot of this had hints to previous Mad Max flicks. For which I found much more fun than "Fury Road" In fact, "Fury Road" bored me to tears. It took me some time to realize that that was about women being the precious resource. All these Mad Max installments are about resources. Here you have three. Fuel, Food & Guns (or bullets to be precise). There is a trade going on between them. Until Dementus (played wonderfully by Chris Hemsworth) decides he wants it all.
Now, my biggest gripe of the post-Mel Gibson Mad Maxes (okay, there's only one)) is that there isn't much to do in the Wasteland. Here, we see the people a bit more. Especially the land where Furiosa comes from "The Green Place". Which is dubbed "The Land Of Abundance" by the dumb mauraders.
Regardless, the stunts here are wild, as always. There's that moment on the truck rig where young Furiosa starts to gain knowledge of all her skills. Though life is quickly extinguished, she powers forward to get the job done. They do shoe-horn a sub-adventure that has nothing to do with Dementus. But, damn is it fun.
Also, I like how director George Miller explores more of what makes the new society so ugly. Cannibalism, child brides, mutated brains. The gore is on full display. Keep in mind the world has gone...well...mad. Survival is the key. In previous Mad Max films, you do see implements of all of it. Smart writing when you can implement fruit into this world when last we saw it being used for leverage was in "Beyond Thunderdome" Which they also do a tiny nod to it here.
For the fans of pre-Fury Road, I really dig this one. It's really a little bit of fan-service for those of us who loved the original trilogy.
Too bad this didn't make the money it needed to for another installment. George is too old to make one more. And, maybe if it's a hobby of his to do so, will revisit. I do have to say, it's nice that ONE director is responsible for the series. It adds a nice cohesion to the tone of the flicks.
Beyond the Law (1993)
Sheen Is Never Believable As Biker
As "Bikeriders" is about to come out, it's probably a good time to get acquainted with scumbag bikers and outlaw morals.
This would be a great compendium to "Stone Cold" and "Rush" (not the stupid Ron Howard movie, the one with Jason Patric)).
But this would be the last flick before people start to fall asleep.
Apparently this is based on the true story of Dan Saxon, a townie cop turned FBI undercover motorcycle gang narc.
Charlie Sheen plays Saxon. And, to be honest, he is so out of his league. He lacks the darkness that is more given to someone not as pretty as he is. In fact, the movie makes light of his nice face a few times. Not only is he babyfaced, but when he speaks, it sounds really phony. And surely the likes of head bike boss Michael Madsen would've ended up quickly. Sheen would never convince anyone he ever he is a greaseball.
Director Larry Ferguson has a pretty impressive pedigree as a writer "Hunt For Red October" "Highlander" and "The Presidio" to name a few. But here...I can see what he was attempting to do. At some points you can see his artistic integrity come through. He adds a Native American spiritual spin. The likes of which you could add "Thunderheart" to the undercover cop mix.
But those movies mentioned above are far more elevated than this one that feels made straight to video or late night Skin-a-max
The bright spot, and also baffling is Linda Fiorentino as a photographer. She seems lost in terms of documenting biker life. And then, more or less disappearing. She is onboard mostly to show her boobs and have vulnerability. But the rhythm of this movie is so disjointed. She hangs at the bar shooting pool when sure any other bar would've had greaseballs macking on her. They play her as a tough woman but we find out she is also a mother. It's that type of writing that makes it hard to like.
Madsen is also suppose to be really hard ass in it. For an hour and a half, all he does is tell us how badass he is. It doesn't play. I never felt the fear or anxiety with being around him. They put the scene where he does irrationally murder someone in the wrong place. This would've added a heightened fear. And Sheen never plays the character as he's all that afraid. Which he's suppose to act like he's not. I get it.
There also seems to be a buggy thought in your head. Madsen's character pays off the townie sheriff for bad townie behavior. Are we saying he's that corrupt. The smart writing would've had you had Madsen ask his corrupt stooge sheriff do research for him. As in "who's this new biker from Cleveland, Ohio?" The the audience has that fear for Sheen's character.
But, it's fun to watch stupid 90s biker movies. It's not too stupid where you hate the people who made it.
Men at Work (1990)
Even As A Gen X'er, This Is Horrid
Much like what most people who rated this a 1, it was an offer on Amazon to watch as part of the prime membership. I recall my generation thought this to be one of the quintessential low-key funny movies of that era. It is not. It is horrible and anyone who liked it then probably fried their brains on acid. As I recall, the 90's were a re-tread of late 60's early 70s.
This movie is a blah mess. A mess is funny, this lacked any nuance of comedy. As was never Emilio Estevez's wheelhouse anyway. Charlie Sheen seems to already be in sitcom mode. Mugging painfully to illicit a laugh. Not but a year ago, he was the funniest thing in "Major League" here, he is exhausting. They're suppose to be dumb slackers. They don't play it right. They just aren't the type of actors the role required.
This movie is absolute garbage.
Full disclosure, I couldn't finish it. In honor of Keith David's dignity.
Horrible waste of space flick.
Biloxi Blues (1988)
A Drab Bland Play
I think Neil Simon is a bit dated. Anchored with the typical New York Jewish fella's humor, I'm sure this played better as a play. In this Matthew Broderick plays a young Jewish G. I. who endures the southern boot camp a few weeks before he is to be shipped out. These are the memoire that will be included in the meta take on this movie itself.
Touted as a comedy, this lacks all things funny. There are no offbeat moments that don't seem forced. I think this is because director Mike Nichols has that thing where he thinks he's more clever than he is.
This movie is middle of the road plain. He can't even do anti-semitism correctly. In fact, the way he directs the actor who plays Epstein to have verbal affectations, you, as the audience almost wishes he were bullied more. Bad direction there.
So maybe Nichols isn't a comedic director. "Catch-22" isn't funny in the least. It's uncomfortable. Made worse that he thinks he's being funny. A failed attempt at absurd dark humor. Maybe it's the way he stages shots. It just doesn't work.
"Working Girl" is suppose to be a comedy, but he gives Joan Cusack the same "hey, this is a funny line" mug line the same he gives to everyone in this flick. This movie is way too obvious yet sort of meandering. There is no real story here. Only moments of bootcamp. At times you want it to really soar with drama and feeling. But, again marred by the words of Neil Simon or the poor direction of Nichols. There was so much to mine here. And, while it's great to not depict the Polish Americans in this movie as raging racists (I'm sure this was based on real people) it still makes for bland cinema.
Not sure how Neil Simon got so big. I think "The Goodbye Girl" was a solid Neil Simon flick...this one...not so much.
I guess I hate Mike Nichols movies.
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
You Know Why John Carpenter Is A Filmmaker
Admittedly a remake of "Rio Bravo" this movie is an excellent compendium to an old fashioned western.
Austin Stoker plays a cop who is tasked to supervise an old police precinct that is about to move. Meanwhile, a mass killer is on his way to death row. They make an unexpected stop and have to work together to stave off a local gang who has marked them for death. The gang is reaping revenge for the murder of of one of their own by a man whose daughter was murdered by one of these thugs.
The low key cheap and raw feel is on display here but is highly effective.
The gang members are depicted as faceless animals. Which adds to the dread. They cannot be stopped or reasoned with. What other movie can you think of where there are humans involved and not one exchange of words. Just menace.
It was no wonder that a few years later Carpenter would helm "Halloween"
A wonderful short burst of a film that is absolutely rewatchable. A classic.
I wish Carpenter would feel more closeness to projects like these. And be more efficient in making something like this. He much too old now. And much more cynical.
Challengers (2024)
Films Aren't Made Like This Anymore
About 20 minutes into this flick my mind wandered into why movies like this aren't made anymore. There are no people in spandex throwing each other through concrete. Nor are there murders or violence or gore. Just a simple story of a love triangle in the world of high stakes tennis.
Though I tend to hate the sport since my own teenage years were cut short of playing competitively, this gem by director Luca Guardino rocks the drama well.
Though it tends to sometimes stink of fluid sexuality, it doesn't become crass. The boys who grew up together play together. And for those squeamish about male full frontal nudity, it's on display, in somewhat casual sense. Had to have that in there eh, Luca?
That aside, the volley of girl who likes two guys thing wasn't done in a way where it nauseates. There are moments when Zendaya's aggressive nature could be a big turn off, she really rides the fence perfectly of a girl becoming woman made sense. If you know female tennis players and their competitive nature, this feels so natural. They all also seem to play well. It teeters on some believability. As one of the characters seems too John McEnroe/Andy Roddrick in the new modern era of tennis. But, like most of Luca's films, this feels a bit out of time (with the occasional synth pulse that puts it in 80s mindset...it's not 80's).
The style is great, the camera work by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom is stellar.
All around solid watch on the big screen. Watch for it on Amazon.
One Eight Seven (1997)
A Weak Film
It was the 90's where everything had to look like a music video. This is no different. However, this was in the hands of a middle aged dude who just was attempting to remain youthful and comes off as Dad trying to make a movie. Every music video trick is on full display here. Dated flash frames, montage with music and so forth. This extends the movie to a perplexing near 2 hours slog.
Director Kevin Reynolds, whose previous producing efforts on "Dances With Wolves" proves not everyone should be in the director's chair.
The story is of a teacher Trevor Garfield (Samuel L. Jackson) who gets stabbed by a student in an inner city NYC school. So months later he goes to the next inner city school to get more of the same. Does that make sense? No.
Well, hold on.
He attempts to educate gangbangers in "The Valley" of Los Angeles. We know it's a tough school by the high contrast brown orange hue cinematographer Ericson Core throws on it ala OG "Fast & Furious". The look of this flick is so generically 90's. It's painful to go through these moments.
So he gathers the ire of the local thug gangbanger, Benny and his mini-gang (one being a very young Clifton Collins Jr. Not to be confused with Cliff Curtis) Slowly, the pot boils (or was suppose to). And then students start to disappear.
A solid premise though the movie has no idea where it wants to go. It wants to paint Jackson's character as an education focused teacher, in reality. But again, our expectation of this movie is that he gets at least, a little angry. He sulks throughout. Which is extremely frustrating to watch. He is mostly inactive. Except for things he does off-screen. That doesn't do much for the viewer.
He also takes on a love interest in the form of a computer science teacher, Ellen Henry (Kelly Rowan), who inexplicably takes a liking to him. No reason given really. Only that he seems like he can protect her from danger.
I think Reynolds was attempting to make us feel as frustrated about the system as Jackson was. But it doesn't compute.
There's a baffling moment when Ellen's dog is murdered and she grouses how Benny is threatening her life and her family and when he goes missing and Trevor admits he was involved, she is incensed by it. Why?! His death improved the community. Which is why this movie will be confusing to some of you. The set-up wants to be raw and real but the resolution isn't very Hollywood.
I can see when the director suddenly didn't know what movie it was suppose to be.
The tone of the movie never gets past slow simmer.
It's a slog to watch.
One of the saddest Sam Jackson movie he's ever been in.
The Bedroom Window (1987)
A Slog Of A Film
The movie poster is illicit in that it features the piercing eyes of the nubile Elizabeth McGovern. What follows is a paint-by-numbers potboiler anchored by the perplexingly glib smug mug of...Steve Guttenberg?
Look, I want every actor to get out of his wheelhouse, but this is proof not everyone can do everything.
Steve is an every man, sure, but in this case, his every man ignores a few emotional beats. After his lover is murdered, the next scene is him going to McGovern's place and they have sex. Yep. Like nothing ever happened. These emotional beats are due to a poor script and a very poor decision by Curtis Hanson. This scene didn't need to be there. They could've survived without. These are the dumb things that derail the plausibility of the film. Also, the serial killer thing.
Though ahead of its time, there is no sense of dread or fear. After the assault, McGovern goes about her life as if it was just a simple thing. There is a brief moment where we hear that she hasn't been sleeping due to the trauma. This piece of dialogue is in the wrong place.
Things like this frustrate you to no end.
Re-casting...Steve Guttenberg...go with James Spader. I mean, (directot) Curtis Hanson works with him a few years later on "Bad Influence" Spader would seem more at home with this material.
The Homesman (2014)
Needs A Better Director And Book
In better hands this wouldn't be the drudgery that it is.
The story starts out VERY strong.
A lonely frontier woman needs to get three mentally ill women to a church for treatment along the way, she picks up a scalawag claim jumper who helps her journey. Sounds great, right?
Okay, the thing that Tommy Lee Jones doesn't understand is that the premise has it where his redemption isn't that he follows through with his promise, it's that he sacrifices himself as his entire being is that he is a selfish cur. That would've elevated this movie into a classic rather then the sad depressing never give a person a break.
I think that he was battling the case of being real and raw and going with a mythical tale. To me, frontier movies are more about the grander romanticized world. Perhaps he was also going so deep into the character of Briggs that he lost sight that it had to have an uplifting ending. Or maybe he was just following the book to a tee.
Any way --
There is a moment when he burns down a hotel because he was slighted. The easier solution was just to take the food.
Maybe I'm blaming the wrong thing. It is the source material and not the maker.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Dr. Zeus Dr. Zeus Rock Me Dr. Zeus
Can Hollywood ever get past the "humans suck" mentality?
Here Noa is a elevated chimp who is just trying to live his best lives with his pals. His world is invaded by some outside ape force (think "Conan The Barbarian") and he sets on the journey to find his tribe which was ape-napped(?).
A solid premise that reminds me of "The Searchers" as well. He comes across a human Mae, who they befriend each other, as only human and ape can (did I mention this is about 200 years after the Battle of Apes flick). Apparently, in this world humans are feral idiots (suppose that's us now). Especially online.
So they trek to find a king Ape (I know I'm saying "ape" a lot, as I am terrible at identifying the specific primate). Okay, so this community, I guess, is imprisoned to serve this King Ape who is being taught hierarchy or Roman history by a scholar of some kind. This is Proximus. Who takes on the teachings of Caesar (remember the previous ape movies, because I don't). This community worships this King. So they're also trying to get this massive door opened (think "Fallout") which is actually a vault shelter that once housed humans during a nuclear problem. Or, in this case, apes going nutty. Incidentally, I side with Proximus. All he wants to do is to learn things the humans did. Granted, only to subjugate his people. But at least he takes initiative.
Well, mysteries aside, a pretty decent start to kick the franchise back into gear. The CG is incredible. I mean...insanely good. And if this is the future, it is convincing. It's painstakingly seamless.
Story wise...meh. It still feel lackluster in pace. 2 hours and 40 minutes feels a little too indulgent for a movie about cuddly simians. That's another thing...why make them looks so cuddly? I guess they are. Fraya Allen's Mae is solid too. If you're looking for sentimentality between her and Noa. Forget it. Mae is a tough cookie. But quite understandable. After all, monkeys started controlling stuff her species made. And also, they have the ability to eradicate them. And, in this case, perhaps the kindness is not doing so.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Bafflingly Bad
There is absolutely no reason for this movie to be THIS bad. They didn't even have to follow a template from the 80s show!
At every turn when things could be fun, it isn't. The jokes are flat...if you can call them that. And everyone seems bored. Or not invested. The lines land flat with a thud. The whole experience feels like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. And the logic is non-existent.
For instance, the item in need is a cellphone that shows a crime. Do these braindead people understand the concept of a cloud? Why must this phone be a thing. MacGuffin as it may be, you spend a great deal of time wrapping your brain around the idiocy of everyone involved.
Okay, call it a paycheck or to keep their entertainment health insurance, this is mainly as a love letter to stunt people. A pitch to have them in the Oscars next year. Truth be told, this most likely put a nail in any push for a stuntman Oscar (which I've pitched since the late 90s).
I love the original show. It was campy, silly BUT Lee Majors just has something Ryan Gosling is missing. Yes, he has the muscles but Majors wasn't jacked. He was a working man with a half grin. Gosling plays him like a stoner loser.
Can ANYONE explain to me why he had to leave after his back accident?
Also, that comes and goes too.
There's no coherence to any of it. Emily Blunt looks lost. She could've easily been a character who wants to make arthouse flicks but is stuck making dumb action movies. Get the character of Chloe Zhao. She failed in a big actioner after "Nomadland."
As it is, she doesn't have the body type nor the disposition of a camera operator turned director. I laugh even typing this.
The meta jokes are really stale.
I truly wanted to love this movie. It is an absolute disaster of a movie.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop (2023)
Absolutely Blown Away
Have you ever watched a documentary and just wanted to ask the questions yourself? Whomever put this one together got into the mind of 12 year old me and asked every question and found every person you wanted to hear from. EVERYONE, is in this. From the bittiest of roles to the top Peter Weller (who comes off as a madman). This is the ultimate documentary on the making of a iconic film. I loved every minute.
I found myself asking about little details about the flick. In 1987, I felt like a scumbag for liking this movie so much. Because, it isn't what you would call an American flick. It has dark humor and ultra-violence. Something addressed in the movie. Weller was correct when he said you needed a European sensibility with mental illness to make this the film that it is.
A brutal look at a society that allows corporations to guide behavior. And it is ugly.
But at the same time sleek and modern. But it comes with a price.
This movie doesn't not feel like from the 1980s.
This documentary is quintessential to anyone who wants to make a movie or...loves this movie.
Excellent!!!