Recommended for colorful small-town creepiness and old-fashioned visual excess.
This is a film from first-time director James Gunn, a Troma Entertainment veteran who (among other things) wrote the screenplay for the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. I rented it partly to see what Nathan Fillion was like when he wasn't playing Malcom Reynolds, Captain of the Serenity. And in fact, he’s a lot like Mal, even when he’s the sheriff of Wheely, a little town someplace in the heartland.
Wheely is the kind of town where they welcome deer season with a beer fest, and where the police have a hand grenade in their arms locker (taken from someone who was going to use it to do a little trout fishing). The lonely hearts hang together at the karaoke bar, and the high school is named after Earl Bassett, one of the heroes of Tremors. These folks are average in an aggressively average, inbred way.
There are few surprises as far as the plot. Strange meteorite lands in woods, little slug-like thing crawls out, local is infected and proceeds to lay the foundation for general world domination. In that sense, you’ve seen it all before. What makes it lovable and different is the way the characters take things in stride. The way the local's lovely wife (Elizabeth Banks) still looks at him fondly when he’s more squid than human. ("You’re just sick, is all, honey...)
Since they went for the R rating, we also have the kind of language that’s appropriate to the situations, instead of the usual PG-13 stuff. So when the sheriff is confronted with a particularly horrific moment, he can express himself with great honesty: "Now that is some fucked-up shit."
Showing posts with label Comedies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedies. Show all posts
23 May 2007
13 April 2007
Who has time for movies? Me, once in a while...
I'd like to thank Netflix and some recent insomnia for allowing me to see a number of movies recently... and whatever luck that most of what I've seen recently has been pretty good. Quick rundown:
The Departed ****
I'm generally not a fan of Scorsese or DiCaprio, but I thought this was excellent. A dizzying spiral of who's-working-for-who and who's-betraying-who. Loved the parallel stories of the Matt Damon and DiCaprio stories - nice to see Damon has some range, here playing the bad guy for a change - with increasing tension as you know eventually they're going to come to a head. Jack Nicholson is over-the-top as ever, but there's a very nice understated Martin Sheen to balance him out. Pretty bloody, but not so much as a lot of gangster movies.
Children of Men *** 1/2
Dystopian near-future story, fabulous cinematography. Well-done overall.
Casino Royale ****
Worth watching for the few seconds Daniel Craig is in the blue bathing suit. Just kidding, husband of mine! Seriously, the best action movie I've seen in a long time, as it's just as character-driven as action-driven. The riveting opening action sequence involves "Free Running", starring the founder of this unique sport himself. The film tells the story of Bond just after he's been made a 00 agent, and he's a very different Bond... gritty, physical, ruthless, street smart, tough. Not so much the buttoned-down tuxedo-wearing martini-drinker of later films. Nice to see a smart, quick-witted Bond babe, too.
Curse of the Golden Flower ** 1/2
Thought this was going to be an Arty Kung Fu movie, along the lines of Hero... was disappointed that it was mostly Arty, not so much Fu. Depressing, tragic, full of opulent cinematography.
Cars ****
My 2-year-old son's favorite movie, I think he would watch it twice a day if I let him. Fortunately it's quite good, with two very nice voice performances by Paul Newman and Owen Wilson, and a little lesson about stopping and enjoying life rather than racing through and focusing on fame and glory.
The Devil Wears Prada ***
Light little movie, lots of fashion and a silver-haired and silver-tongued Meryl Streep.
The Prestige *** 1/2
Well-done, suspenseful, great performances by Michael Caine and Christian Bale. Rival magicians in 19th century England sabotage each other's careers and personal lives. I was shocked that I figured out the big twist of the end partway through the movie and turned out to be right. I never see these things coming but I thought this one was telegraphed... still a good movie. Disturbing the lengths to which a man will go for his art/career.
Munich ** 1/2
Very, very violent. Moving on some levels, but not sure it really worked. Seems like it wants you to sympathize with the Israeli assassins hired to retaliate for the murder of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists, but that didn't work for me. Sort of questions the wisdom of retaliation and the endless cycle of killing the other side, but not enough.
The Departed ****
I'm generally not a fan of Scorsese or DiCaprio, but I thought this was excellent. A dizzying spiral of who's-working-for-who and who's-betraying-who. Loved the parallel stories of the Matt Damon and DiCaprio stories - nice to see Damon has some range, here playing the bad guy for a change - with increasing tension as you know eventually they're going to come to a head. Jack Nicholson is over-the-top as ever, but there's a very nice understated Martin Sheen to balance him out. Pretty bloody, but not so much as a lot of gangster movies.
Children of Men *** 1/2
Dystopian near-future story, fabulous cinematography. Well-done overall.
Casino Royale ****
Worth watching for the few seconds Daniel Craig is in the blue bathing suit. Just kidding, husband of mine! Seriously, the best action movie I've seen in a long time, as it's just as character-driven as action-driven. The riveting opening action sequence involves "Free Running", starring the founder of this unique sport himself. The film tells the story of Bond just after he's been made a 00 agent, and he's a very different Bond... gritty, physical, ruthless, street smart, tough. Not so much the buttoned-down tuxedo-wearing martini-drinker of later films. Nice to see a smart, quick-witted Bond babe, too.
Curse of the Golden Flower ** 1/2
Thought this was going to be an Arty Kung Fu movie, along the lines of Hero... was disappointed that it was mostly Arty, not so much Fu. Depressing, tragic, full of opulent cinematography.
Cars ****
My 2-year-old son's favorite movie, I think he would watch it twice a day if I let him. Fortunately it's quite good, with two very nice voice performances by Paul Newman and Owen Wilson, and a little lesson about stopping and enjoying life rather than racing through and focusing on fame and glory.
The Devil Wears Prada ***
Light little movie, lots of fashion and a silver-haired and silver-tongued Meryl Streep.
The Prestige *** 1/2
Well-done, suspenseful, great performances by Michael Caine and Christian Bale. Rival magicians in 19th century England sabotage each other's careers and personal lives. I was shocked that I figured out the big twist of the end partway through the movie and turned out to be right. I never see these things coming but I thought this one was telegraphed... still a good movie. Disturbing the lengths to which a man will go for his art/career.
Munich ** 1/2
Very, very violent. Moving on some levels, but not sure it really worked. Seems like it wants you to sympathize with the Israeli assassins hired to retaliate for the murder of Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists, but that didn't work for me. Sort of questions the wisdom of retaliation and the endless cycle of killing the other side, but not enough.
27 April 2005
THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA
An affectionate homage to the cheesy SF films of the fifties and sixties.
Made for $100,000, and it looks it. Uneven, but hugely entertaining at its best. Just tough it out until the aliens change themselves into Earth people and visit the Nice Scientist and His Wife in the cabin.
*** for effort, genuine strikingly original entertainments, and making a movie for a dollar. WARNING: Some of this dialog betrays a writer's tin ear, or the absence of an editor, or having been written in five days. Don't be surprised. But some of the situations, characters, and dialog are a pure hoot.
Made for $100,000, and it looks it. Uneven, but hugely entertaining at its best. Just tough it out until the aliens change themselves into Earth people and visit the Nice Scientist and His Wife in the cabin.
*** for effort, genuine strikingly original entertainments, and making a movie for a dollar. WARNING: Some of this dialog betrays a writer's tin ear, or the absence of an editor, or having been written in five days. Don't be surprised. But some of the situations, characters, and dialog are a pure hoot.
24 March 2005
SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES
Big surprise, under the radar. I walked in cold, dragged by a friend who assured me I would be Happy, because it had accordions in it. [A current obsession, BTW.]
It is the kind of loving, quirky comedy you'll not see in the US much. It moves slowly, patiently, with exquisite comic timing. It loves its character to pieces. It has wonderful redeeming spirit. It has glorious screen composition, with delightful tension and asymmetry. It has long patient periods without dialogs, just watching movement and faces, charmed and burbling with humor. The audience was small... maybe 20 people... but there were constant, separate moments when the pleasure would be just too much, and someone in the audience would break and giggle and groan with pleasure... usually one at a time, because the humor is not from gags, but from situation, anticipation, and lingering irony.
I'm not going to tell you what it's about. You can find that out from internet research if you want. But it's the kind of movie I'll show as a Rolston Movie Night some time, because I'd love to watch people's reactions, and because music is at the heart and soul of it, and because it is the sort of movie most people will never hear about or think to go see themselves.
Four Stars for Entertainment... with possible elevation into the Five Star category, if it satsifies me as much on the next viewing.
It is the kind of loving, quirky comedy you'll not see in the US much. It moves slowly, patiently, with exquisite comic timing. It loves its character to pieces. It has wonderful redeeming spirit. It has glorious screen composition, with delightful tension and asymmetry. It has long patient periods without dialogs, just watching movement and faces, charmed and burbling with humor. The audience was small... maybe 20 people... but there were constant, separate moments when the pleasure would be just too much, and someone in the audience would break and giggle and groan with pleasure... usually one at a time, because the humor is not from gags, but from situation, anticipation, and lingering irony.
I'm not going to tell you what it's about. You can find that out from internet research if you want. But it's the kind of movie I'll show as a Rolston Movie Night some time, because I'd love to watch people's reactions, and because music is at the heart and soul of it, and because it is the sort of movie most people will never hear about or think to go see themselves.
Four Stars for Entertainment... with possible elevation into the Five Star category, if it satsifies me as much on the next viewing.
17 March 2005
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
Be a Teen Loser in Idaho.
A pleasant comedy with vivid, exaggerated comic characters. Genuine sense of place and of the burden of being a loser despite the broad comic exaggeration. Done on the cheap, with some really appealing details... like the opening credits being presented as meals on plates, marked with names infood-pasty squiggles. A Sundance independent film, and an inspiration for how a good story... a story with a distinctive style and voice... can be written and produced for modest money, find an audience, and make Big Bucks.
A pleasant comedy with vivid, exaggerated comic characters. Genuine sense of place and of the burden of being a loser despite the broad comic exaggeration. Done on the cheap, with some really appealing details... like the opening credits being presented as meals on plates, marked with names infood-pasty squiggles. A Sundance independent film, and an inspiration for how a good story... a story with a distinctive style and voice... can be written and produced for modest money, find an audience, and make Big Bucks.
11 February 2005
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Okay, it's a comedy, but none of the comedy bits make the film worth seeing. In fact, they are pretty weak, both in the original text and in this production.
Al Pacino's Shylock, on the other hand, is a lot of fun to watch.
The trailer was unappealing... probably because there's not much in the play a trailer maker can work with. So I came with low expectations. And was pleasantly surprised when it was not painful, and was, in fact, riveting when Shylock was on screen.
As a costume period drama, it's fine. It begins slowly, with too much music... always a bad sign. But once Shylock gets on the screen, it's absorbing. I guess he's the villain. But I sure was rooting for him more than the silly protagonists. He's sympathetic and mistreated, and we're in the Jew's corner in a way that neither Renaissance Venice nor Elizabethan England would appreciate. I only wish he'd gotten a good lawyer. "I will not take a drop of his blood. Does anyone have a cup? I will save every drop, and feed it back to him."
Here is a good opportunity for a sequel. THE REVENGE OF SHYLOCK. I figure he makes a golem, and it goes on a rampage in Venice. I am also sure that it appears in disguise before the Duke as a young doctor of law. In the end, however, Shylock is overcome by remorse for his creation and enslavement of the golem, and his displacement of his vengeful cruelties upon its innocent 'soul'. He sets the golem free, after creating a 'soul' for it [a la WIZARD OF OZ]. Then Shylock goes off and kills everyone involved with the screenplay and production of 'VAN HELSING' and 'LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN'.
Al Pacino's Shylock, on the other hand, is a lot of fun to watch.
The trailer was unappealing... probably because there's not much in the play a trailer maker can work with. So I came with low expectations. And was pleasantly surprised when it was not painful, and was, in fact, riveting when Shylock was on screen.
As a costume period drama, it's fine. It begins slowly, with too much music... always a bad sign. But once Shylock gets on the screen, it's absorbing. I guess he's the villain. But I sure was rooting for him more than the silly protagonists. He's sympathetic and mistreated, and we're in the Jew's corner in a way that neither Renaissance Venice nor Elizabethan England would appreciate. I only wish he'd gotten a good lawyer. "I will not take a drop of his blood. Does anyone have a cup? I will save every drop, and feed it back to him."
Here is a good opportunity for a sequel. THE REVENGE OF SHYLOCK. I figure he makes a golem, and it goes on a rampage in Venice. I am also sure that it appears in disguise before the Duke as a young doctor of law. In the end, however, Shylock is overcome by remorse for his creation and enslavement of the golem, and his displacement of his vengeful cruelties upon its innocent 'soul'. He sets the golem free, after creating a 'soul' for it [a la WIZARD OF OZ]. Then Shylock goes off and kills everyone involved with the screenplay and production of 'VAN HELSING' and 'LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN'.
27 January 2005
THE SNAPPER
Recommended as a closely observed view of an exotic foreign locale, with well realized characters and buckets of entertaining chit-chat.
THE SNAPPER is a Stephen Frears film from 1993, and to my reckoning lies somewhere between the lands of comedy and drama. It's the second installment in Rody Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy, a set of novels (and films) which begins with THE COMMITMENTS and ends with THE VAN. All three take place in the same Dublin neighborhood, and feature many of the same characters. Colm Meany (a.k.a. "Star Trek's Colm Meany") is in all of them, and is arguably the star of this one.
It's the story of an oversized Irish family stuffed into a small, one-bathroom flat in a self-contained country village that's masquerading as a modern city neighborhood. Sharon is the 20-year-old eldest daughter who discovers she is pregnant, and the anticipated arrival of her little "snapper" is the basis of the plot.
No one seems to wrestle that much with the abortion question, which is perhaps a function of being Catholic and Irish. In fact, all involved take the situation pretty much in stride, and no one mentions the Magdalene alternative. There's an element of mystery in Sharon's refusal to identify the father, although people get used to that too, given time. Even Dad (Meany) is more interested in the details of the pregnancy itself, buying a book about women's sexuality that has him trying out some new tricks with his wife. ("And where did you learn that!" says his wife, giving him a slap to the head. "Out of a book, Kay! Out of a book!")
That's pretty much it, story wise. This is a film to see for its characters, who are warmly drawn if sometimes flawed and foolish. Even Sharon's man-eating friends are not too bad, since they're having so much fun at it. The folks in Barrytown are not as cute as the ones in WAKING NED DEVINE, but on the whole, that's probably a good thing.
One of the joys of NetFlix is the way it lets you program your own floating film festivals. This film is part of my ongoing Stephen Frears Retrospective, recently inspired by seeing DIRTY PRETTY THINGS for the first time. The festival will continue with MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, a film to which Ken and Pat introduced me back in the day. That one is still down the queue a ways, and it'll be interesting to see how I feel about it 20 years later.
Of course, THE COMMITMENTS is now on order, and THE VAN is on my watch list. The former is from Alan Parker, and the latter is also from Stephen Frears. Not available on DVD yet.
And all of this reminds me in a perverse way of the teachings of William Bly, who once said to me: "Everything is hypertext."
THE SNAPPER is a Stephen Frears film from 1993, and to my reckoning lies somewhere between the lands of comedy and drama. It's the second installment in Rody Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy, a set of novels (and films) which begins with THE COMMITMENTS and ends with THE VAN. All three take place in the same Dublin neighborhood, and feature many of the same characters. Colm Meany (a.k.a. "Star Trek's Colm Meany") is in all of them, and is arguably the star of this one.
It's the story of an oversized Irish family stuffed into a small, one-bathroom flat in a self-contained country village that's masquerading as a modern city neighborhood. Sharon is the 20-year-old eldest daughter who discovers she is pregnant, and the anticipated arrival of her little "snapper" is the basis of the plot.
No one seems to wrestle that much with the abortion question, which is perhaps a function of being Catholic and Irish. In fact, all involved take the situation pretty much in stride, and no one mentions the Magdalene alternative. There's an element of mystery in Sharon's refusal to identify the father, although people get used to that too, given time. Even Dad (Meany) is more interested in the details of the pregnancy itself, buying a book about women's sexuality that has him trying out some new tricks with his wife. ("And where did you learn that!" says his wife, giving him a slap to the head. "Out of a book, Kay! Out of a book!")
That's pretty much it, story wise. This is a film to see for its characters, who are warmly drawn if sometimes flawed and foolish. Even Sharon's man-eating friends are not too bad, since they're having so much fun at it. The folks in Barrytown are not as cute as the ones in WAKING NED DEVINE, but on the whole, that's probably a good thing.
One of the joys of NetFlix is the way it lets you program your own floating film festivals. This film is part of my ongoing Stephen Frears Retrospective, recently inspired by seeing DIRTY PRETTY THINGS for the first time. The festival will continue with MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, a film to which Ken and Pat introduced me back in the day. That one is still down the queue a ways, and it'll be interesting to see how I feel about it 20 years later.
Of course, THE COMMITMENTS is now on order, and THE VAN is on my watch list. The former is from Alan Parker, and the latter is also from Stephen Frears. Not available on DVD yet.
And all of this reminds me in a perverse way of the teachings of William Bly, who once said to me: "Everything is hypertext."
25 January 2005
THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU
Recommended Entertainment
This is one of few films I've seen in the theater in the past several months, but wanted to send it some praise in response to Ken's dislike of its trailer.
Synopsis: A Wes Anderson film, featuring Bill Murray as Steve Zissou, a documentary filmmaker whose latest films focus on some very unusual marine specimens, and who is surrounded by some zany folk, played by Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Anjelica Huston and Bud Cort.
The film did not receive many good reviews (49% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I find this to be yet another example of finding that my sense of humor does not correspond to that of most of the rest of the world. The plot does take some bizarre turns, and there is some unsettling and unexpected violence... but I felt the whole film took place in a slightly bizarro universe. And so I forgave its zigzag narrative. And I also forgave Zissou's numerous obnoxious and immature qualities, also because I found Bill Murray's deadpan performance to be hilarious. I don't think I can say too much more without giving anything away, but for Wes Anderson or Bill Murray fans, I definitely recommend this one.
This is one of few films I've seen in the theater in the past several months, but wanted to send it some praise in response to Ken's dislike of its trailer.
Synopsis: A Wes Anderson film, featuring Bill Murray as Steve Zissou, a documentary filmmaker whose latest films focus on some very unusual marine specimens, and who is surrounded by some zany folk, played by Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Michael Gambon, Anjelica Huston and Bud Cort.
The film did not receive many good reviews (49% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I find this to be yet another example of finding that my sense of humor does not correspond to that of most of the rest of the world. The plot does take some bizarre turns, and there is some unsettling and unexpected violence... but I felt the whole film took place in a slightly bizarro universe. And so I forgave its zigzag narrative. And I also forgave Zissou's numerous obnoxious and immature qualities, also because I found Bill Murray's deadpan performance to be hilarious. I don't think I can say too much more without giving anything away, but for Wes Anderson or Bill Murray fans, I definitely recommend this one.
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