Scribe & Green on the BIG screen

There are far too many people out there writing “reviews of movie-films & articles about them with absolutely no clue what the hell they’re talking about." Here are 2 more of them! (Well, one of us knows what the h___ we're talking about, but we'll leave it up to you to decide who that is...) Ultimately, can two people as opposite as Scribe and Green agree on anything?? That's where the fun begins. Won't you join us? (Every now and then we'll add a guest review, just for kicks.)

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

GREEN’S BEST FILIBUSTER IN HOLLYWOOD HISTORY REVIEW:

An ever so brief plot summary would be that Mr. Smith, an idealistic compassionate, full of love for the American ideal, small town yokel becomes a US Senator when one of the other senators from his state dies suddenly while in office. The political machine of Washington politics wants to use him as a mindless stooge but get a not so welcome surprise. The cynical Washington press has a field day with the naive Senator and Clarissa Saunders, a jaded Senate staffer, wants nothing more to do with Washington politics or the baptism by stupidity of the young Mr. Smith until they, and she, get more than they bargained for.

Make sense? No? Then watch this movie. I promise you won't be disappointed. After all, it did win one Oscar (Best Writing, Original Story) in 1940 and was nominated for ten others, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

James Stewart is, well, James Stewart. 'Nuff said. Jean Arthur is awesome. Sexy. Must have been the heartthrob of her day, gravelly voice and all. Imagine if today's paparazzi and tabloid mags existed back then? Wow. Claude Rains... What can you say about a man who can hold his own acting along side the likes of Stewart in this film and Bogart in "Casablanca"? Pretty impressive company if you ask me.

What, you didn't ask?? Shame on you.

Many of the cast of this film will also have roles in another great Capra piece to be made seven years later. See if you can find them all.

This is another piece of classic American cinema which you should own, if you're into that sort of thing. If you don't feel good as an American after watching this movie, then there's something wrong with you. Yes, you. And you, and you in the back trying to sneak off of this blog without leaving a comment! I see you!!!


***** out of *****

Scribe-o may add his bit to this review. He said he would. We'll see if he actually does...

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Monday, September 22, 2008

Flash Gordon

GREEN'S HOW MUCH CHEESE WOULD YOU LIKE? REVIEW:

Some movies are so campy and stupid with such horrible acting that they are good in spite of the stupidity, campiness and horrible acting. This is clearly one of those films.

I won't ruin the story for you by summarizing the plot, since Scribe will do so nicely below. However I'll just say that if you have never bothered to see this movie before, you really should rectify the situation, just because you can.

At the time this film came out, audiences had witnessed the first two original "Star Wars" movies and the first feature length "Star Trek" film. It was obvious in which direction the science fiction movie genre was going. The makers of this movie chose rather heartily to go against the grain and the result is... idiotic, ridiculous and surprisingly good in spite of itself.

Plus, how can you go wrong with the soundtrack of the film written and performed by Queen? Obviously you can't, in my opinion.

Max Von Sydow (Ming), an actor who you would think too uppity to be in a film like this, embraces his excellent inner-evilness and a pre-007 Timothy Dalton (Prince Barin) lead a cast of virtual unknowns and Hollywood never wases, like Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon). This is one of the few feature films Melody Anderson (Dale Arden) acted in. Her acting career was spent in bits and pieces of television shows. Ornella Muti provides more eye candy as Princess Aura. Topol (Hans Zarkov) is better known for his singing in "Fiddler on the Roof" and actually plays a believable straight man compared to anyone else in the film. Perpetual voice-over man Brian Blessed (Prince Vultan) steals most every scene he's in.

Frankly, what makes this film work is the B-movie special effects combined with the actors not attempting to be dramatic - playing up to the desired cheesiness level.

While watching, I could vividly picture Charlize Theron in the role of Dale Arden, should someone ever be foolish enough to do a remake of this movie, not because Theron is a bad or campy actress but because I saw a slight resemblance in the two actresses.

I found the special features on the DVD informative and worthwhile to watch.

Wait a minute.... Just our luck!!

Apparently a remake is in the works. I know, just what we need...

Trivia: What is the relation between this film, "Batman", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and the original "Star Wars" film? ANSWER BELOW


**** out of *****

SCRIBE'S LET'S NOT DIGNIFY THIS MOVIE WITH THE WORD "CHEESE" WHEN "CHEESE-WIZ" IS MORE APPROPRIATE REVIEW:

DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM FLASH! Aaaahhhh-aaaahhhhh He’s a miracle!!!! FLASH! AAAA-AAAAHHHHHH He saved every one of us!

And with that incredibly corny opening song provided by Queen, a 1930’s comic strip and movie serial was brought screaming and struggling into 1980 by that great purveyor of crap, Dino De Laurentiis. Eventual B movie staple Sam Jones played the title role as a goofy, awkward dork that thinks he’s cool… except, I don’t think the filmmakers realized this when they wrote and filmed the movie!

Flash Gordon has long been one of the better science fiction comic strips and this movie does it little justice. Embracing a cheesy end-of-the-Seventies style, the 1980 Flash is a self-absorbed jock more interested in tapping intrepid reporter Dale Arden than in being a stern, super-serious “savior of the universe.”

Through a comedy of errors involving a dark and stormy night, Flash and Dale wind up in the home of one Professor Zarkov, a seemingly mad scientist who has built a rocket ship in his rec room. Zarkov plans to fly toward a series of odd signals that he feels might be causing all the storms and weird climatic shifts currently happening on Earth. Naturally, he pulls a gun on the duo and forces them to come along for the ride when his assistants cut and run.

This is pure space opera so questioning things like how do these two people who haven’t been tested for negative g’s survive a rocket ship ride and what are the odds of the planet Mongo having a breathable atmosphere considering Zarkov didn’t bring any breathing apparatus are not allowed. This is fun, pure and simple. It’s also really, really, REALLY dumb.

Upon their arrival, the minions of Ming the Merciless led by the really cool General Klytus abduct the traveling trio. Max Von Sydow portrays Ming with a genuine menace and evil that almost seems displaced in this corn muffin of a movie. Our first real clue that this isn’t your classic Gordon film occurs when the Emperor of Mongo decides to imprison the Earth folk and Flash grabs a golden globe-like object. What follows next is something right out of a bad burlesque show as Flash uses the globe-thing as a makeshift football and tackles and runs it in like the jock he is. For a moment, this upstart human looks like he might emerge victorious, but it is not to be, much to the disappointment of the observing aliens who secretly despise Ming and his power rings.

From there our heroes get split up so we can gain a better perspective on the worlds and the people Ming rules with an iron goatee’. Naturally, Flash winds up convincing a far more advanced people to rebel and fight for freedom, leading them to victory in a move equivalent to us overthrowing a dictator with the help of a Neanderthal.

What makes this movie so shockingly watchable is its total and unrepentant descent into utter camp. No effort is made to take the source material seriously or to portray the Flash Gordon universe in a realistic fashion. It’s not witty or highbrow enough to be parody and it’s not well crafted enough to be actual science fiction. The film is a pretty train wreck replete with silly asides and hammy overacting. Sam Jones’ Flash Gordon is a dimwitted buffoon with a goofy hairstyle. The women are hot, hot, HOT! Especially Ming’s daughter. The only believable thing in this entire cartoonish romp is the absolute hell Flash goes through to convince Ming’s subjects to join his crusade. Even though this is another in a long line of Great White Hunter Saves the Day flicks, it doesn’t come easy for him in this version of the tale.

George Lucas originally wanted to make this movie but was unable to acquire the rights, so he made Star Wars instead. The world continues to breathe a sigh of relief, but one wonders how kick ass his version would have been.


*** out of ***** for the sheer stupid fun of it all.

TRIVIA ANSWER: Actor William Hootkins, who played Munson in this film, Lt. Eckhart in "Batman", Major Eaton in "Raiders" and Red Six aka Porkins in "Star Wars". Another "Flash Gordon" - "Raiders" connection: Actor George Harris, who played Prince Thun of Ardentia in this movie and Captain Katanga in "Raiders".

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Monday, September 8, 2008

Reservation Road

SCRIBE'S DEAD KID ON THE ROADSIDE REVIEW:

After this movie had ended, I knew two things for sure: (1) Bluez, who challenged us with this film, loves films dealing with moral ambiguity and the consequences of our actions, and (2) Jennifer Connelly no longer has huge breasts.

Pretty sure you can guess which of those two things disturbs me more, but let's get to the film.

Reservation Road centers around abrupt change in the lives of two families and the a bit too convenient plot contrivances...er, I mean, developments that occur as a result.

Underrated Vincent D'Onofrio for a younger generation Mark Ruffalo is the attorney with an inability to be responsible, whose love for his son and baseball are the only things keeping him going. When his ex-wife, portrayed by a suprisingly sexy Mira Sorvino, calls him for the ten-thousandth time during a Red Sox game, he feels compelled to drive like a Klansman from a Black Panther convention.

Enter Joaquin Phonenix and Connelly, the idealized white American couple of affluence with two perfect kids who are about to lose a large portion of their happiness in the form of Ruffalo's carelessly driving ass.

The kid dies, of course. I gave that much away in my review title. What results is a gripping, powerful and emotional tale of one man (Phoenix) obsessed with making his son's killer pay and another (Ruffalo) torn between turning himself in and giving his son some good memories of his screw-up dad. As time goes by and it looks like there is no chance of his getting caught, Ruffalo's character starts to lean toward letting it all pass. But Phoenix's college professor starts to remember more details about that night...

This is an extremely well-acted film. Even the kids are great, including Dakota's Fanning's lookalike sister, Elle. The only fault with this film lies in the earlier mentioned plot contrivances. What are the odds of Phoenix hiring Ruffalo as his attorney to light a fire under the cops' asses? What are the odds of Sorvino being Phoenix and Connelly's daughter's music instructor? What are the odds of Ruffalo showing up to a family function wearing the one thing that triggers a buried memory in Phoenix?

Still, the drama and the direction keep the viewer unconcerned with the less believable aspects of the story. This is, after all, a story. and it was good enough to cause me to to go to the library and borrow a copy of the novel.

(Really gettin' sick of movies about Easter Coasters, though)


***1/2 out of *****

GREEN’S INCREDIBLY GUILTY CONSCIENCE REVIEW:

This film was actually recommended for us to watch by Esther (and not Bluez this time) who thought of me while watching it because of the prominent role the Boston Red Sox play in the film and knowing that I happen to be a life-long Red Sox fan. [Thirty-three years and counting...]

How do you deal with a hit and run accident if you’re the family of the victim?
How do you deal with a hit and run accident if the victim is your child?
How do you deal with a hit and run accident if you’re the driver of the offending vehicle?

These are the questions that are raised in this film.

On one hand you have the parents, with a father (played by Joaquin Phoenix) who becomes obsessed with finding his son’s killer and the grieving mother (played by Jennifer Connolly) trying to return to normalcy and hold the rest of her family together.

On the other hand, you have the driver of the car (played by Mark Ruffalo), who tries to hide what he did while fighting feelings of incredible guilt.

The cast in this film is excellent, with the lead actors each giving wonderful, intense and dramatic performances, despite some questionable areas in the script.

I can handle that both the victim‘s family and the hit and run driver living in the same town. What I thought was a bit too coincidental was that the driver, Dwight Arno, is an attorney and that the father of the victim, Ethan Lerner, just happens to choose the law firm Arno works at for help and that Arno himself is assigned to the case. It does heighten the drama but is a bit contrived. And I totally forgot about the other two instances that scribe-o mentions above.

The ending of the film is also contrived and goes way overboard. Like we need any more tension and drama in an already emotionally heavy movie. I can understand Lerner’s grief and rage building throughout the story, imagining how I’d feel if one of my kids were killed in this way. I think I can also understand the guilt that Arno is feeling as it builds throughout the story. But the confrontation between the two at the end borders on the ridiculous.

What helps to redeem this film is that Arno was set to turn himself in before the questionable confrontation.

I do like the fact that the author of the novel that the film is based on had an active role in developing and writing the screenplay. I think that that consistency helps fully realize the author’s vision for his story as it is being transformed to the big screen.

The film is flawed but still very good.


*** out of *****

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