Today's Movie: Parkland (2013)

Based on real events, this film takes place in Dallas, Texas on the day of the JFK assassination, as well as, the days following. The film follows the events of those few days from the perspective of a couple different people that were affected, including Robert Oswald the brother of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Early on we meet Abraham Zapruder (played by Paul Giamatti) who was filming the President’s motorcade when the assassination happened. As you’d probably expect, much of the film deals with the secret service and FBI.  Ron Livingston I thought was particularly good as FBI agent James P. Hosty. On the other hand, you have Billy Bob Thornton playing a secret service agent and his performance is pretty forgettable.

In addition to Giamatti, Livingston, and Thornton the film also stars Zac Efron, who plays a doctor at the Parkland Hospital where the recently shot President Kennedy is taken and later pronounced dead. Nothing against Zac Efron, but I just don’t buy him as a medical professional. He seems a little out of place in the film.

Overall, the film is a mixed bag. There are a couple of good performances, and though the film is about a memorable event in American history there really isn’t anything in the film that you haven’t seen before. It’s a pretty cut and dry retelling of events.

Not an awful movie, but nothing special either.

I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See

     

          I've already looked at Sean Connery, John Travolta, and Arnold Schwarzenegger in these '10 Movies Everyone Should See' pieces. So, I thought today it would be fun to look at an iconic Director's career, and my all-time favorite Director is Sir Alfred Hitchcock. As in previous posts, this isn't meant to be a ranking of a person's films but instead, a list of films that I think best represent a person's career and are some movies that like the title suggests"Everyone Should See".

1)      Psycho  -1960

I think most film lovers have a favorite Hitchcock film and this one is mine (narrowly edging out the #2 film on this list ‘Vertigo’). Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins) is a fantastic character, I love the music, the pacing, the cinematography, and the plot draws me in even though I’ve seen the film countless times.

2)      Vertigo -1958

I’ve already written an article on why this is a masterpiece so I won’t go into this one too much. It’s a great psychological thriller about fear and obsession. It’s also often regarded as Hitchcock’s best work, and for that alone it’s worth checking out.

3)      Rebecca -1940

This film has an eerie, haunting quality, and it’s full of mystery that really draws you in. It also has the distinction of being Hitchcock’s first American film and it did win ‘Best Picture’ at the 1941 Academy Awards.

4)      Rear Window  -1954

Photographer L.B. Jefferies (played by James Stewart) is recovering from a broken leg with nothing better to do than to look out the back window at the people in the apartments across the courtyard from his own. Then one night he hears a woman scream and soon realizes that one of his neighbors (played by Raymond Burr) may be a murderer. This was the second pairing of James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock (the first being ‘Rope’) and they hit a home run with this one.

5)      North By Northwest –1959

Whether it’s the scene where Cary Grant running down a dirt road while being shot at by a plane or the chase scene atop Mt. Rushmore, this movie is a fun ride from start to finish.

6)      The Lady Vanishes –1938

An English tourist (played by Margaret Lockwood)is traveling by train in Europe. She meets a kind elderly woman on the train and they talk for a bit. A little later, it seems that the old woman has disappeared from the train, and all of the other passengers deny having ever seen her. From there the search is on for clues that may lead to the missing woman.

7)      The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog -1927

This silent film is one of Hitchcock’s earliest, and actually one of my favorites. In the film there is a ‘Jack the Ripper’ type serial killer on the loose and after the most recent murder, a strange man who matches the description of the killer happens comes to town. Could he be the killer or is this just a coincidence?

8)      Marnie -1964

This one also made it onto my ’10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See’ list and for a similar reason; it’s a damn good movie. However, because Sean Connery would play more iconic roles (like James Bond) and Hitchcock would make more memorable films, this is underrated and often forgotten classic.

9)      Rope -1948

This is one I recommend to people constantly. Just for the thrill of it, two guys murder one of their friends, put the body in a chest in the middle of their living room, and then hold a dinner party with the body still in the room. It’s such a simple, yet suspenseful movie.

10)   The Birds -1963

This might not be one Hitchcock’s strongest film but at the same time it is remarkable how good he was able to make a movie that’s about birds attacking a small seaside town. Also, Tippi Hedren is fantastic.

Honorable Mentions: Frenzy (1972), The 39 Steps (1935), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), To Catch a Thief (1955)


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A Look Back At Caddyshack (1980)

Well, the last two movies I reviewed ('American History X' and '31') were darker in tone so today I wanted to watch something fun.

Directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Douglas Kenney, as well as Ramis, ‘Caddyshack’ is a comedy classic filled with memorable moments, and quotable lines.

 In addition to being a great comedy, it’s also regarded as one of the best sports movies of all-time. In fact, the American Film Institute has ‘Caddyshack’ listed at #71 on their ‘100 Funniest American Movies Of All Time’ list and it’s listed at #7 on their ‘Top 10 Sports Films’ list.

But even if you're not necessarily a fan of screwball comedies or sports movies it's still worth a watch.

The main plot centers around a caddy named Danny Noonan (played by Michael O’Keefe) who is working at the Bushwood Country Club so he can earn enough money to go to college. From there you’re treated to one of the all-time great comedy casts and tons of wacky shenanigans.

 In addition to O’Keefe, the film stars Chevy Chase as Ty Webb (a calm, cool, and talented golfer), Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik (who is essentially just Rodney Dangerfield on a golf course), Tim Knight as Judge Smails (a stuck-up country club member and co-founder of Bushwood), and Bill Murray who is incredibly funny as Carl Spackler (the off-beat assistant groundskeeper who becomes obsessed with killing a troublesome gopher). These main stars, as well as, the supporting cast all provide tons of laughs throughout the movie.

Whether it’s Bill Murray blowing up the golf course, or Rodney Dangerfield dancing to the radio that’s built into his golf bag, or Tim Knight getting hit in the crotch by a golf ball, the movie is a fun and entertaining ride from start to finish.

I give it a 4 out of 5

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A Look Back At American History X (1998)

Tonight's movie stars Edward Norton and Edward Furlong and centers around a neo-Nazi movement in Los Angeles, California.

It's a gritty, and incredibly compelling movie.

Derek (played by Edward Norton) has just been released from prison only to find that his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) has been getting mixed up with the same white supremacist group that he was a part of before being locked up.

We also see, via flashbacks, the circumstances that lead to Derek's incarceration as well as his time in prison and how this has changed his perception of everything. Derek convinces Danny that he needs to change his ways, but it's too little too late.

Norton is especially good in the film, and it's arguably the best performance of his career to date.

I highly recommend this one.

4.5 out of 5

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Tonight's Movie: 31 (2016)

I've been looking forward to this one for a while and I was not disappointed.

In this film a group of carnival workers get abducted on Halloween and are forced to participate in a 12-hour game of survival. This game, know as '31', involves the group being hunted down by vicious murderers that are dressed as clowns. The easy to follow plot and enjoyable characters make it a pretty fun movie.

If you've ever wondered what a cross between a Rob Zombie film and 'The Running Man' would look like then this is the movie for you.

There were a couple of performances that stand out for one reason or another: 

Sheri MoonZombie is always good in Rob Zombie's movies and this one is no different. 

Malcolm McDowell has a small part in the film and I would've liked to see more of his character.

But the most interesting characters in the film are the clowns, Richard Brake as Doom-Head, Pancho Moler as Sick-Head, Lew Temple as Psycho-Head, David Ury as Schizo-Head, E.G. Daily as Sex-Head, and Torsten Vogas as Death-Head.

Overall, you're mostly going to get what you'd expect from a typical Rob Zombie film; a blend of gore, sex, foul language, and humor. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you generally enjoy his films then you'll probably have a good time with this one.

This one is a solid 3.5 out of 5

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A Look Back At Viva Las Vegas (1964)

Overall, Elvis Presley's movies are hit or miss. This 1964 musical is one of the good ones, maybe even his best.

Elvis plays Lucky, a race car driver (that can also sing, dance, and play the guitar for some reason) who needs a new motor for his car so he can win the big Las Vegas Grand Prix. Opposite Elvis is Ann-Margaret who plays Rusty and she's a lifeguard/dancer/love interest in the film.

The plot is a bit formulaic and predictable. He's interested in her, she initially wants nothing to do with him, there's some singing and dancing, and by the end they're married.
It's not exactly a movie you put on if you feel like watching a psychological thriller.

What it does offer is an enjoyable, lighthearted, musical set in Vegas, and it absolutely delivers. The big race at the end is a ton of fun. There are plenty of good song and dance sequences like the 'The Lady Loves Me' scene around the hotel pool, which is one of the movie's highlights.

It's a good time and an all around solid movie.
I give it a 4 out of 5.


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Tonight's Movie: Killing Season (2013)

This is one that didn't make my list of '10 John Travolta Movies Everyone Should See' but I wanted to rewatch and review it.

This movie was panned by most critics and subsequently holds a whopping 11% on Rotten Tomatoes.

But is it really THAT bad?
I say no, but before going into why it's worth watching, let's look at some of the problems.

I'll start with the cast, because I think that's where most people's issues with this movie stem from. It comes down to two things; Expectation and Execution.

I really like Robert DeNiro and John Travolta, as I think most people do. They're both really good, very accomplished actors that have been in some great films. Right from the get-go expectations are higher than if some no-names where in this film. The problem is that both seem miscast in this one.

And that's where execution comes in.
These are talented guys in the wrong roles. Robert De Niro is going for a sort of southern accent and it fades in and out throughout the film, perhaps because it's so unnatural.
Likewise, Travolta's Serbian accent sounds kinda like a cartoon villian. I would love to see these two in a movie together, I just don't completely  buy them in this movie.

In addition to some misguided casting choices, the plot is a bit too thin. I think this may have made a better 1hr TV movie. As is, there are a few scenes that could've been cut out without losing any of the story.

Now that all of that is out of the way you may be wondering "is it worth watching?"

Yes, and here's why.
While I do believe the plot is a bit thin, that doesn't mean the story isn't interesting. Also, though they don't seem ideal for these roles, both De Niro and Travolta do have that high enough likability factor that makes them watchable in almost anything. Plus, much of the movie is a pretty entertaining thriller.

Give it a try. I don't think it's as bad as its reputation.

2.5 out of 5


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A Look Back At The Hellboy Films

‘Hellboy’ and ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ were released in 2004 and 2008 respectively, and are live-action films based on the Dark Horse Comics series created by Mike Mignola. (There are also two animated ‘Hellboy’ movies but I’ll save those for a different day)

For those not familiar with the title character, Hellboy (played in the films by Ron Perlman) is a demon that was discovered as a baby by Allied Troops during WWII and who now works for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Joining Hellboy, both in the comics and in the films are Liz Sherman (played by Selma Blair) who has pyrokinesis powers, and Abe Sapien (played by Doug Jones) who is sort of like a telepathic Creature from the Black Lagoon. 

Guillermo del Toro directed and wrote the screenplay for both movies, and he was the perfect filmmaker for the job. Anyone who has read the comics, like myself, will likely be pretty impressed by not only how well the characters were translated to live action but also how well the overall feel of the comics was brought to life. Both films are filled with adventure, comedy, likeable characters, bizarre creatures, and solid action scenes. In addition to all of that, it’s worth discussing just how well a lot of the visual effects were done.

 A combination of makeup, practical effects, puppets, and CGI are all blended really well. A lot of post-2000 films with this much of a fantasy aspect and with so many creatures, could’ve heavily relied on CGI to create nearly all of it. It really adds to the film that Guillermo del Toro decided to use these various methods to put as much in front of the camera as possible, and use CGI much more sparingly than many others would have. By comparison, ‘Fantastic Four’ (2005), ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (2009), ‘Hulk’ (2003), and ‘Ghost Rider’ (2007) are just some examples of comic book movies that came out around the same time. Those films have visual effects that don’t hold up as well, yet they were made with much larger budgets.

Overall, both are fun, solid movies that I highly recommend. ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ did slightly better with critics and was the more financially successful film but, while really enjoy them both, I am a little higher on the first one.

I give Hellboy a 5 out of 5 -and- Hellboy II a 4.5 out of 5

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