Only a couple of years after the first installment of this series, the sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious followed. This time Paul Walker as 'Brian O'Conner', is joined by Tyrese Gibson as his side-kick and Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki and Ludacris.
The recipe is still pretty much the same. Undercover, fast cars, pretty people and attitude. It does not work nearly as well as the first time around. The story is thinner and more annoying with its obvious plot twists. There's still some really cool sequences still managing to keep the entertainment at a decent level, and I kind of enjoy Devon Aoki in her support role.
Monday, April 26, 2010
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Writer: Magazine article "Racer X": Ken Li Screenplay: Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, David Ayer Screen Story: Gary Scott Thompson
Cast: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Fast cars, Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. The recipe is simple, but it worked very well and it still holds its candle to most almost ten years later. The story isn't that important. The street racing and action is what drives the movie. I was entertained, and in these kind of movies the entertainment level is the most important part as they seldom reinvent the wheel.
Children of a Lesser God (1986)
Never heard about Children of a Lesser God until a few days ago, when I came across it mentioned in a list of eighties drama's worth checking out. I love the title. I'm sure I've heard it before somewhere, but it speaks volumes. Checked out the cast and as soon as I read Marlee Matlin I knew I was gonna watch this soon.
I've mention on my TV-blog about The West Wing's first season and quite possibly about watching the entire show more than once. I've always been impressed by Matlin's 'Joey Lucas' there. She's acting with so much attitude it's quite unresistible. Early in this movie we'll see Matlin in her film debut portraying much of the same attitude. And what a debut. She got the Oscar for 'Best Leading Actress' for her 'Sarah Norman', and I've read somewhere she's the youngest ever to achieve that as she was only 21 years old at the time.
It's no doubt a story worth telling and William Hurt and Matlin does well portraying the leads, but I'm still left feeling they didn't manage to reach its potential. It's based on the Broadway production with the same title, screenplay written by Mark Medoff who also produced the Broadway play, and it ran according to IMDB 887 performances. The play won the Tony Award for 'Best Play' in 1980, and maybe the play managed to achieve the balance I feel lacked in the movie. I don't know. I've obviously not seen the play.
What I do know is this. I feel like they didn't manage to tell the story within, even with a Marlee performing at an Oscar winning level. And quite honestly a much deserved one indeed. Still they've got almost two hours runtime, but doesn't manage to capture the essence of the potential presented. It's still a movie worth your time, and after watching you might choose like me to use the movie as a platform to imagine the story on your own. It's sure got plenty of substance to reflect on.
I've mention on my TV-blog about The West Wing's first season and quite possibly about watching the entire show more than once. I've always been impressed by Matlin's 'Joey Lucas' there. She's acting with so much attitude it's quite unresistible. Early in this movie we'll see Matlin in her film debut portraying much of the same attitude. And what a debut. She got the Oscar for 'Best Leading Actress' for her 'Sarah Norman', and I've read somewhere she's the youngest ever to achieve that as she was only 21 years old at the time.
It's no doubt a story worth telling and William Hurt and Matlin does well portraying the leads, but I'm still left feeling they didn't manage to reach its potential. It's based on the Broadway production with the same title, screenplay written by Mark Medoff who also produced the Broadway play, and it ran according to IMDB 887 performances. The play won the Tony Award for 'Best Play' in 1980, and maybe the play managed to achieve the balance I feel lacked in the movie. I don't know. I've obviously not seen the play.
What I do know is this. I feel like they didn't manage to tell the story within, even with a Marlee performing at an Oscar winning level. And quite honestly a much deserved one indeed. Still they've got almost two hours runtime, but doesn't manage to capture the essence of the potential presented. It's still a movie worth your time, and after watching you might choose like me to use the movie as a platform to imagine the story on your own. It's sure got plenty of substance to reflect on.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sixteen Candles (1984)
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Molly Ringwald, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Dooley, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Jami Gertz, Brian Doyle-Murray
Genre: Teen, Comedy, Romance
Including Molly Ringwald in the lead and Anthony Michael Hall as 'The Geek', the Brat Pack had two of their members around like usual in a Hughes movie. Both did by the way an excellent job in this one, and we also see a young John Cusack as one of 'The Geek's boys, 'Bryce'. Today other familiar names would include Joan Cusack and Jami Gertz.
The entire movie is a reflection on the eighties, and in many ways it reminds me of why I Love You, Beth Cooper didn't work. The humor and ideas is pretty much the same in both, but while Sixteen Candles reflects the eighties I Love You, Beth Cooper never did reflect its time. And you can't possibly use the same recipe now as they did back then, and still expect anything other than being considered a rip-off out of touch with the era. Sixteen Candles is the real deal, and no-one would ever consider accusing John Hughes of being out of touch with the eighties.
Yes. As a movie on its own I might find it hard to defend my rating of it, especially considering my reluctance towards humor based on embarrassments, but this is one of the few times a movies influence helps elevating it. Being who I am, how can I deny the effect this movie have had on my pop cultural interest? I can't. I won't.
Say Anything... (1989)
Cameron Crowe had written and produced on earlier works, but this movie was his debut directing. His own writing, his own directions and an amazing result. Say Anything... is made with so much heart it's seen in every scene, and there are line's and dialogue in it screaming instant classic.
That's the first half of the tagline..., and John Cusack is excellent as 'Lloyd Dobler'. I've never hidden my admiration for him as an actor, and as late as yesterday I mentioned in my review of Grosse Pointe Blank that he's heading for my Wall of Talent. The revisit of Say Anything... makes it an even safer bet I'll have to write him up there soon. Cusack gives life to the character 'Lloyd' like probably no-one else could have done. Crowe's writing and direction paired with the cast of Cusack in the lead was a match made in heaven.
..and that's the second half of the tagline. Ione Skye haven't become a household name, but she's been around doing smaller parts all over the place. She'll always have 'Diane Court', and she did a great job in this role. She's very credible as the valedictorian without social experience, and along with John Mahoney as her father the most important and accomplished supports for Cusack.
There's some problems with Crowe's debut. It's not exactly balanced in how it spends its time. There's much runtime used to present the main characters and their relationships to others, and it's spent quite a while at one party. Then there's a prolonged time hardly covered at all. Overall in the end it works quite well, but with better focus and grasp of the complete story this could have been a masterpiece.
There's one-liners and dialogue in it, I've got to restrain my self not to burst out reviewing this movie. And I've got this visual image of a moment in the movie, a image I've later seen printed on t-shirts. There's a reason for both, just as they are among the reasons this is such a cult classic. Much like with Office Space, Grosse Pointe Blank and Bang Bang You're Dead, I had also seen Say Anything... before, but forgot just how good they are. My advice? If you haven't met 'Lloyd Dobler', it's much overdue. If you have met him, I'd say it's about time to reacquaint yourself with 'Lloyd Dobler'. Remember. To know him is to love him.
To know Lloyd Dobler is to love him.
That's the first half of the tagline..., and John Cusack is excellent as 'Lloyd Dobler'. I've never hidden my admiration for him as an actor, and as late as yesterday I mentioned in my review of Grosse Pointe Blank that he's heading for my Wall of Talent. The revisit of Say Anything... makes it an even safer bet I'll have to write him up there soon. Cusack gives life to the character 'Lloyd' like probably no-one else could have done. Crowe's writing and direction paired with the cast of Cusack in the lead was a match made in heaven.
Diane Court is about to know Lloyd Dobler.
..and that's the second half of the tagline. Ione Skye haven't become a household name, but she's been around doing smaller parts all over the place. She'll always have 'Diane Court', and she did a great job in this role. She's very credible as the valedictorian without social experience, and along with John Mahoney as her father the most important and accomplished supports for Cusack.
There's some problems with Crowe's debut. It's not exactly balanced in how it spends its time. There's much runtime used to present the main characters and their relationships to others, and it's spent quite a while at one party. Then there's a prolonged time hardly covered at all. Overall in the end it works quite well, but with better focus and grasp of the complete story this could have been a masterpiece.
There's one-liners and dialogue in it, I've got to restrain my self not to burst out reviewing this movie. And I've got this visual image of a moment in the movie, a image I've later seen printed on t-shirts. There's a reason for both, just as they are among the reasons this is such a cult classic. Much like with Office Space, Grosse Pointe Blank and Bang Bang You're Dead, I had also seen Say Anything... before, but forgot just how good they are. My advice? If you haven't met 'Lloyd Dobler', it's much overdue. If you have met him, I'd say it's about time to reacquaint yourself with 'Lloyd Dobler'. Remember. To know him is to love him.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
I'd like to mention Grosse Pointe Blank has a certain cool to it that elevates it from other movies otherwise managing to gain the same entertainment score from me, but it's just quite not enough to give it a better rating. I'll also mention I've recently realized I'm more than just a little impressed by John Cusack. When I get around to it he'll join the lonely Ellen Page at my Wall of Talent.
Two years after the release of this movie, both The Sopranos and Analyze This popped up. Gangsters going to shrinks. 'Martin Blank' did it here, but whether or not that had some impact on De Niro and/or the HBO success show is nothing I know much about. It's still nice to remember Cusack didn't float on their cue. On the other hand Léon and Assassins had recently been released on the hit-man theme.
Anyways. Cusack and Minnie Driver have a nice chemistry in this movie. It's one of the reasons it works as well as it does, because there's more than enough moments throughout it you feel they should have been more focused in the script department. The Cusack/Driver connection helps you forget and forgive its flaws. It also helps having Piven, Cudlitz, Arkin and Joan Cusack around. Others praise Aykroyd for his part, but I think he's too tied with those moments dragging the movie down.
In the end Grosse Pointe Blank lives and dies with your view on John Cusack. If you're a fan or at least admire or respect his work, you'll probably enjoy the ride. He's not only the lead on paper, he carries this movie on his shoulders and does so in style.
Two years after the release of this movie, both The Sopranos and Analyze This popped up. Gangsters going to shrinks. 'Martin Blank' did it here, but whether or not that had some impact on De Niro and/or the HBO success show is nothing I know much about. It's still nice to remember Cusack didn't float on their cue. On the other hand Léon and Assassins had recently been released on the hit-man theme.
Anyways. Cusack and Minnie Driver have a nice chemistry in this movie. It's one of the reasons it works as well as it does, because there's more than enough moments throughout it you feel they should have been more focused in the script department. The Cusack/Driver connection helps you forget and forgive its flaws. It also helps having Piven, Cudlitz, Arkin and Joan Cusack around. Others praise Aykroyd for his part, but I think he's too tied with those moments dragging the movie down.
In the end Grosse Pointe Blank lives and dies with your view on John Cusack. If you're a fan or at least admire or respect his work, you'll probably enjoy the ride. He's not only the lead on paper, he carries this movie on his shoulders and does so in style.
Bang Bang You're Dead (2002)
When the end credits of Bang Bang You're Dead are done, I'm sadly left wondering just how good this movie really could have been. It launches like a rocket, it forces you within the realm of high school and it makes sure we all understand what might happen.
Unfortunately, in my book, the movie is a little too in love with the play Bang Bang You're Dead. It forgets the movie on its own merit are heading towards the sky, like the launch intended. So, I'm not left wondering how good it could have been because its bad. I'm left wondering because even with that annoyance painting too much of the play over the movie, it's still such a great movie. It demands attention, just like the play intended. It asks questions, it holds up a mirror and whether or not you like what you see there; It demands you take a good hard look at what's looking back.
Being who I'm, it always bother me quite a bit when a movie or a TV-show steps off in the wrong direction. Especially when it should have been so obvious to all involved. It's much like when comedians try to explain their jokes during the silence, even if they should know we got the joke. We just didn't think it was funny.
Back to the movie. The reason I keep mentioning this, is because I'm left feeling it was heading for instant all time classic status. It had the actors to back it. Ben Foster is great in the lead. Moloney, Paetkau and Harrison are strong supports, but Tom Cavanagh is much like Foster one of the actors really elevating it. Add the parents, several others of the students and teachers and those of other families, law enforcement and so on, and we're talking an ensemble. And Jane McGregor. I can't believe I've never seen anything from her again. And behind the actors are a great idea of a movie reflecting on the play in question. We're talking hot subject. We're talking about high school's hierarchy, bullying, pressures and the worst case scenario of massacres. We are talking about gun control, society these days and prejudice. We're talking about choosing between being the label or being an independent soul searching for our destiny no matter what label others have us pinned as.
And it was heading there. I could see it coming. I could feel the movie aim there, but in the end it didn't detonate. Thankfully, the impact alone was more than enough to do more than other movies achieve even when they do detonate. I could feel betrayed it didn't even come close to fulfill it's potential, but I'll rather look at it this way. It aimed so high, that even as it fails it leaves you praising its intentions.
Unfortunately, in my book, the movie is a little too in love with the play Bang Bang You're Dead. It forgets the movie on its own merit are heading towards the sky, like the launch intended. So, I'm not left wondering how good it could have been because its bad. I'm left wondering because even with that annoyance painting too much of the play over the movie, it's still such a great movie. It demands attention, just like the play intended. It asks questions, it holds up a mirror and whether or not you like what you see there; It demands you take a good hard look at what's looking back.
Being who I'm, it always bother me quite a bit when a movie or a TV-show steps off in the wrong direction. Especially when it should have been so obvious to all involved. It's much like when comedians try to explain their jokes during the silence, even if they should know we got the joke. We just didn't think it was funny.
Back to the movie. The reason I keep mentioning this, is because I'm left feeling it was heading for instant all time classic status. It had the actors to back it. Ben Foster is great in the lead. Moloney, Paetkau and Harrison are strong supports, but Tom Cavanagh is much like Foster one of the actors really elevating it. Add the parents, several others of the students and teachers and those of other families, law enforcement and so on, and we're talking an ensemble. And Jane McGregor. I can't believe I've never seen anything from her again. And behind the actors are a great idea of a movie reflecting on the play in question. We're talking hot subject. We're talking about high school's hierarchy, bullying, pressures and the worst case scenario of massacres. We are talking about gun control, society these days and prejudice. We're talking about choosing between being the label or being an independent soul searching for our destiny no matter what label others have us pinned as.
And it was heading there. I could see it coming. I could feel the movie aim there, but in the end it didn't detonate. Thankfully, the impact alone was more than enough to do more than other movies achieve even when they do detonate. I could feel betrayed it didn't even come close to fulfill it's potential, but I'll rather look at it this way. It aimed so high, that even as it fails it leaves you praising its intentions.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Defendor (2009)
Defendor is Peter Stebbings' director debut, and you wouldn't have guessed looking at the quality. It's something as simple as just another superhero movie, and still so much more. Woody Harrelson is 'Defendor', and that's with an O-R, not E-R. 'Defendor', and he flips out if you get that wrong.
Do yourself a favor. Check it out. It's funny, it's character driven, it got a lot of heart and superheroes will never be the same again... ever! There's some really great scenes with 'Defendor' facing evil, but even more often there's great scenes about how he sees himself and the people around him. I think the best part is how this movie should speak equally well to those who doesn't usually enjoy superhero movies, while still having so much to enjoy for those who've seen quite a bit of 'Superman', 'Batman', 'Spider-Man' and all those others floating around on the big screen every so often.
I salute Woody Harrelson. I remember I enjoyed Kat Dennings in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, and I do so here as well. Sandra Oh, Elias Koteus, Michael Kelly and Clark Johnson is also doing well, but this is mostly about a well written script, good timing and a great performance from Woody.
Edit September 2010: 2nd review posted here.
Do yourself a favor. Check it out. It's funny, it's character driven, it got a lot of heart and superheroes will never be the same again... ever! There's some really great scenes with 'Defendor' facing evil, but even more often there's great scenes about how he sees himself and the people around him. I think the best part is how this movie should speak equally well to those who doesn't usually enjoy superhero movies, while still having so much to enjoy for those who've seen quite a bit of 'Superman', 'Batman', 'Spider-Man' and all those others floating around on the big screen every so often.
I salute Woody Harrelson. I remember I enjoyed Kat Dennings in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, and I do so here as well. Sandra Oh, Elias Koteus, Michael Kelly and Clark Johnson is also doing well, but this is mostly about a well written script, good timing and a great performance from Woody.
Edit September 2010: 2nd review posted here.
Office Space (1999)
Office Space is Mike Judge's feature movie based on his 'Milton' animated shorts, and includes scenes of pure genius. Ron Livingston as the lead really doesn't do that much for me, but there's several others doing great and the movie's real strength is its grip on the office job and the gangsta scenes.
I recently watched the entire NewsRadio TV show, and I would never have guessed the actor playing 'Milton' in Office Space is the same I've laughed of as the eccentric billionaire 'Jimmy James' at NewsRadio. It's another great performance of Stephen Root, and to make it even harder to grasp it's him acting in both; the last season of NewsRadio aired the same year as this movie was released. Jennifer Aniston was in the midst of Friends, and this is one of her better movie choices. Others like David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Gary Cole and the rest of the cast helps breathing life to the office and diner.
Anyhoo. The gangsta scenes. Oh, my. This movie is from the end of the 90's, a decade when Quentin Tarantino popularized violent gangster movies in his own vision. Then watching director Judge giving the office-geek-twist on some of the scenes in this movie is nothing short of legendary. They're alone well worth the time of finally getting around to this, or even to revisit it. I lack words.
The general feel of the movie is great, and it's got those memorable scenes elevating it above the masses. Overall Office Space is a disturbingly overlooked late 90s classic.
I recently watched the entire NewsRadio TV show, and I would never have guessed the actor playing 'Milton' in Office Space is the same I've laughed of as the eccentric billionaire 'Jimmy James' at NewsRadio. It's another great performance of Stephen Root, and to make it even harder to grasp it's him acting in both; the last season of NewsRadio aired the same year as this movie was released. Jennifer Aniston was in the midst of Friends, and this is one of her better movie choices. Others like David Herman, Ajay Naidu, Gary Cole and the rest of the cast helps breathing life to the office and diner.
Anyhoo. The gangsta scenes. Oh, my. This movie is from the end of the 90's, a decade when Quentin Tarantino popularized violent gangster movies in his own vision. Then watching director Judge giving the office-geek-twist on some of the scenes in this movie is nothing short of legendary. They're alone well worth the time of finally getting around to this, or even to revisit it. I lack words.
The general feel of the movie is great, and it's got those memorable scenes elevating it above the masses. Overall Office Space is a disturbingly overlooked late 90s classic.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Leap Year (2010)
As I'm a self-admitted romantic fool, I do have an almost mythical admiration of Ireland and I'm most definitely not shy admitting to liking romantic comedies as a genre. Then it do take a special kind of skill to make one of them happen in Ireland starring Amy Adams, where I'm not only un-enchanted by the lady in question, but also quite honestly rather bored throughout the movie. Leap Year at least then manage the unthinkable, but in this case that's not helping.
I've never before seen a movie where Amy Adams have been so abused as an actress as in this. Her character is flat and they play on all the wrong strings of her abilities. If it wasn't so sad, it would almost be funny how they've managed to miss all the cues on how to best use her skills for the part.
Leap Year is very predictable, but then again that's often the case in this genre. So, why should it be punished for its predictability? It's because it's unoriginal, lacks chemistry and maybe worst of all; 'Louis' is the most interesting character in the movie. Thankfully it seems the screenwriters also recognize this, and I've actually awarded an extra point on my rating thanks to him, but it's really a sad state of affairs when a Louis Vuitton carries a movie like this. Luis Vuitton and Amy Adams, because let's face it; Even when she got as little to work with as here, she's still something special... at least in my book. Still, I think you'd be a lot better of watching her in Enchanted. And I predict I would've been better of if I finally got around to watch Junebug.
I've never before seen a movie where Amy Adams have been so abused as an actress as in this. Her character is flat and they play on all the wrong strings of her abilities. If it wasn't so sad, it would almost be funny how they've managed to miss all the cues on how to best use her skills for the part.
Leap Year is very predictable, but then again that's often the case in this genre. So, why should it be punished for its predictability? It's because it's unoriginal, lacks chemistry and maybe worst of all; 'Louis' is the most interesting character in the movie. Thankfully it seems the screenwriters also recognize this, and I've actually awarded an extra point on my rating thanks to him, but it's really a sad state of affairs when a Louis Vuitton carries a movie like this. Luis Vuitton and Amy Adams, because let's face it; Even when she got as little to work with as here, she's still something special... at least in my book. Still, I think you'd be a lot better of watching her in Enchanted. And I predict I would've been better of if I finally got around to watch Junebug.
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