Today's Movie: Quiz Show

Every so often there will be a movie that has been recommended to me or that I've heard is pretty good for a while, and I just never got around to checking it out. That's been the case with the 1994 film Quiz Show.

In a nutshell, the film is about a 50's game show called 'Twenty One' on NBC that is rigged in order to generate more public interest, thus increasing ratings and generating more money for the show's sponsor. Eventually when the ratings plateau, the two men who run the show Dan Enright (played by David Paymer and Albert Freedman (played by Hank Azaria) convince the recurring champion Herb Stempel (played by John Turturro) to lose on purpose, so that a good-looking, marketable guy named Charles Van Doren (played by Ralph Finnes) can be the champ. Of course after throwing the game, Stempel is bitter and he'll tell anyone who will listen that the game is rigged. It doesn't take long for a young congressional lawyer named Dick Goodwin (played by Rob Morrow) to catch wind of the possible rigging and he heads to New York to investigate. 

From there it's a lot of Van Doren feeling guilty, Stempel being angry, Goodwin trying to build a case, and Enright trying to cover it all up, but it's done in a very entertaining way. For the most part it's all well written, well directed, and well acted which is especially important because this one could have very easily been a dull, run-of-the-mill, corruption movie. I particularly liked Rob Morrow and Ralph Finnes in the film, but even some of the smaller roles like Christopher McDonald as the game show host and Martian Scorsese as the 'Geritol' executive manage to stand out.

Overall, it's a good movie. It's not one I foresee myself watching over and over, but I definitely enjoyed it. 

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

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Best of 2016

2016 has come to a close and, as with every year, there were plenty of great movies and disappointments to hit theaters.
 I originally thought about doing a sort of every-man version of the Oscars and pick my favorite actor, director, supporting actor, film score, etc. from this year, but I ended up with just too many categories. So, I decided to break it down into three categories that stood out to me after all my trips to the theater this year.

Best Comic Book Movie:

Captain America: Civil War

Comic Book movies get their own category because now more than ever before there is no shortage of action-packed hero flicks hitting the big screen every year. There was a lot to be excited about going into 2016, but i would say there were more negatives in this category than positives. Civil War was pretty awesome and Dr. Strange was good but, for me, movies like X-men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and Suicide Squad either didn't live up to the hype or were flat-out disappointments. Some of these movies would have a good action scene or a fun character but Captain America: Civil War was thoroughly enjoyable and, as a result, was the one that really stood out from the rest of the pack.

Best Animated Movie:

Moana

Much like the Comic Book category this wasn't a close call for me. It had been a while since an animated film came around that I absolutely loved, and then Disney's Moana came out. I wasn't the biggest Finding Nemo fan so I didn't expect Finding Dory to thrill me,and it didn't. I found Trolls hard to sit through, Storks was funny, I didn't even get through all of Secret Life of Pets, Zootopia didn't really move the needle for me, I skipped out on yet another Ice Age sequel... Moana was the only one that really had me entertained, and I even went back to see it a second time.

Best Thing I wasn't Expecting:

Hacksaw Ridge

There were a quite a few movies I really enjoyed this year that caught me off guard. I was surprised how much I liked The Jungle Book remake, but the toss up was really between Hacksaw Ridge and In a Valley of Violence. Both were films that weren't even on my radar until right before they came out, and I thought both were really entertaining. In this category, I give the edge to Hacksaw Ridge because I think it's a bit of a better all-around film but I do recommend checking out both of them if you have the opportunity. (Here are links to both reviews Hacksaw Ridge, In a Valley of Violence)
As a bit of a side note: One movie that wasn't quite as good as I was expecting was Rob Zombie's 31. I liked it but it didn't blow me away.

  A big thanks to everyone who has been reading my reviews this year.

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Western Wednesday: The Man from Utah (1934)

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for a Western!
 This week's film is 1934's The Man From Utah.

Now, I've included John Wayne films in some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' post, such as The Big Trail and True Grit. So, let's take a look at another movie featuring the man synonymous with the genre. 

In this one John Wayne plays John Weston and he is, as the title would suggest, a man from Utah. He rides into a small town one day seeking work. However, shortly after he arrives three men rob the local bank and, being the man of action he is, John guns down two of the robbers and shoots the gun out of the hand of the third. After the marshal sees how easily this man stopped the three criminals, he decides he can use the sharp-shooting Weston to help him in his investigation to figure out who's behind a crooked rodeo. Weston enters the rodeo, he does really well, and from there everything you'd expect to happen pretty much does. The Duke infiltrates the rodeo gang, figures out how they operate, and, of course, saves the day.

So, is this one of the great John Wayne films? No. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot is pretty basic. Overall, it's watchable, and it's only about a hour long (unfortunately a significant portion of that is rodeo stock footage). If you're a big John Wayne fan then I recommend it, but otherwise it's not a must-see.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

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The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother is one of the often forgotten Gene Wilder films, perhaps partly because it came out just 1yr after arguably his best film; Young Frankenstein. Wilder directed, wrote, and stars in this underrated 1975 comedy. If you haven't seen it, it's a hilarious movie with a solid cast.

Gene Wilder plays Sigerson Holmes, who's older brother Sherlock (or "sheer luck" as Sigerson calls him) delegates some cases to him while he and Dr. Watson lay low for a while. If the cases are still being solved then criminals will never know that Sherlock is taking some time off. Sigerson soon teams up with a Scotland Yard records clerk named Orville (played by Marty Feldman). Orville has the unique ability to recite conversations as if they were recorded. Soon after the two meet, a habitual liar named Jenny Hill (played by Maldeline Kahn) comes to Sigerson's apartment seeking help.

  Jenny has been blackmailed by an opera singer named Eduardo Gambetti (played by Dom DeLuise) to give him a secret document that she has stolen from her fiancee in return for a lewd note that she had previously written. Gambetti intends to sell the document to Sherlock's famous nemesis Professor Moriarty and, of course, it's up to Sigerson to retrieve the mystery document and foil Moriarty's plan.

It's not a perfect film by any stretch but, it is entertaining from start to finish and there are a ton of really funny moments. This is one I definitely recommend, particularly if you like Gene Wilder.

Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5. 

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Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Brandon Routh is a man desperate to play a comic book character and yet it doesn't seem to be a role suited for him. In between the disappointing Superman Returns in 2006 and his poorly written role as 'The Atom' on T.V., he played Dylan Dog in the 2011 film Dylan Dog: Dead of Night a horror/comedy that fails to provide either scares or laughs.

Dylan Dog is a private investigator in New Orleans, where monsters hide in plain sight just trying to get along like everyone else, and he used to specialize paranormal cases but has since given it up. However, after a couple of people are murdered, one of them being his friend Marcus (played by Sam Huntington), he gets breaks out his old gear and goes searching for the killer. He soon finds his friend who is now a zombie, and Dylan wants to find out why the undead are suddenly on a killing spree.   Along the way he encounters werewolves, vampires, and zombies. Admittedly, I'm not super-familiar with the 'Dylan Dog' comics, but I get the sense that there are probably some cool ideas in the comics that they just failed to execute in the movie.

Now, not every film that is panned by critics is poorly acted or stupid, and not every box-office flop is terrible... in this case the film is all of those. The writing feels lazy, the action scenes are sub-par, Sam Huntington as the comic-relief sidekick is just awful, and the monsters look lousy.

Overall, this isn't one I recommend. 
 I give it a 1 out of 5.


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Rogue One - a review by The Bored Enthusiast

Hello Enthusiasts,

Star Wars is a franchise that has been going on for about four decades now, and there are still stories to tell. Take the newest film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, for example. This story isn't a direct part of the normal anthology. Instead, it focuses on the boots-on-the-ground aspect of war, something we have only gotten glimpses of in the past films. The Rogue team's mission? Steal the plans to the Death Star for the rebels.

Overall, the film was pretty solid. The characters could have been flushed out a little more, and some of the cameos (C3PO and R2-D2) were unnecessary, but it was still an enjoyable movie. The final act of the film feels like an actual war movie, with various tactics and equipment. The humor and dialogue are enjoyable, the acting is believable, and the whole film feels a lot shorter than it actually is. There are several really enjoyable scenes with a character from the original trilogy, but I'm not looking to give anything away.

If you're a fan of the Star Wars movies and haven't already seen this, go see it. If you don't like the franchise, know that this film shifts its focus away from the Jedi and that aspect of the universe, and instead looks at the actual war among the stars. It still might not be the film for you, but it is a great addition to the series.

I give Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a 4/5.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Today's Movie: Dr. No

Before all the fancy gadgets and huge action set-pieces would become common-place in Bond films, there was a simple but entertaining spy movie that would kickoff the James Bond franchise. That movie is 1962's Dr. No.

The film is based on the 1958 Ian Fleming novel of the same name and it's one of the few James Bond stories that I actually have not read so I won't compare the two, but as far as the film goes plot is pretty simple: James Bond (played by Sean Connery) is sent to Jamaica after a British Intelligence radio transmission regarding the disruption of rocket launches from Cape Canaveral is unexpectedly interrupted. Once in Jamaica he learns of this mysterious guy named Dr. No (played by Joseph Wiseman) who owns an island called Crab Key. No one who ever goes to Crab Key comes back alive, but since it seems that Dr. No may be behind the rocket launch tampering Bond goes to the island. Of course Dr. No is the bad guy and he works for the evil organization SPECTRE. In the end, Bond foils Dr. No's plan, kills him, and gets the girl in the end.

So, with 24 Bond films to choose from why does this one stand out? First off, Sean Connery (the best Bond in my opinion) is really good in the film. Also,Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) is one of the most iconic of all the 'Bond Girls'. Now, like I stated before, the film doesn't get caught up in all the fancy (and sometimes stupid) gadgets: there's no invisible car, rocket cigarette, or alligator submarine. Sure, one could argue that Dr. No's plan is kind of dumb, but there are far more convoluted and idiotic evil schemes in other Bond films.

Overall, I think this one is a fun, entertaining, and it's one of my top James Bond flicks.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

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Today's Movie: RoboCop 3

The day has arrived to finish out the reviews of the RoboCop trilogy.

I've already reviewed 1987's RoboCop and the 1990 follow-up RoboCop 2, and I'll leave links to those reviews at the bottom of this post, but now it's time to look at 1993's RoboCop 3.

Right off the bat, two departures from the previous films hurt this one:

 1) It's rated PG-13, not R. At a glance that may not be that big of a deal but, if you're a fan of RoboCop as I am, then a PG-13 rating takes a lot of the edge out of a film who's franchise never shied away from harsh language and violence. 

2) Peter Weller didn't return as RoboCop/Alex Murphy for this one and was replaced by Robert Burke. But hey, no big deal right? The actor playing RoboCop is almost completely covered by the suit, so you probably can't even tell that it's a different guy. Wrong. It's noticeable from his first line in the film that they swapped out actors and, though it never sounds quite right, I could've looked the other way if the movie was great... or good... or even just OK.

To the movie's credit, this isn't one of those sequels that has little-to-nothing to do with the previous films. The 'Delta City' project is still moving forward and the destruction of old Detroit has begun, the Police have gone on strike, and RoboCop still has the same partner Officer Anne Lewis (played by Nancy Allen).

Unfortunately, the film isn't well written, there is an annoying child computer-whiz character, Anne Lewis dies pretty early on (Spoiler Alert), and there is an underground resistance group without a single likeable character in the bunch. The movie also has a robot-ninja, which probably sounded really cool in the script but in the actual movie it's pretty lame. Add in the fact that RoboCop has a jet-pack in the film, something that was clearly added in just to sell toys, (Admittedly, I had the RoboCop jet-pack action figure as a kid) and you get a disappointing end to the RoboCop trilogy.

It's still a RoboCop movie and I love the character, which makes it hard to give it a zero.
So, I'll give this one a very unenthusiastic 1 out of 5.


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Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check out my reviews of the other RoboCop films.

RoboCop
RoboCop 2

Western Wednesday: Young Guns

Another Wednesday, Another Western!

Young Guns is not great movie, but there is a lot to like about 1988 Western. It has, what was considered at the time to be, a strong cast and the movie is fun.

John Tunstall (played by Terence Stamp) is a rancher in New Mexico, who hires young troublemakers to live and work on his property, and he acts as a sort of father-figure. this group consists of Doc Scurlock (played by Kiefer Sutherland), Jose Chavez (played by Lou Diamond Phillips), Richard  Brewer (played by Charlie Sheen), Steve Stephens (played by Dermot Mulroney), Charlie Bowdre (played by Casey Siemaszko) and newcomer William Bonney (played by Emilio Estevez) who later in the film will be dubbed "Billy the Kid".

Pretty early on in the film Tunstall is murdered by the men of his competitor Lawrence Murphy (played by the legendary Jack Palance). Shortly after Tunstall's death a lawyer/friend of his, Alex McSween, manages to get the group deputized and gives them warrants for the arrest of Murphy's henchmen. The group calls themselves 'The Regulators' and it isn't long before Billy's hot-headed nature causes problems. After he kills a couple guys rather than arresting them, Billy and the team are stripped of their badges and become fugitives themselves. It's around this point in the film when Billy adopts the name "Billy the Kid" given to him by a local newspaper.
The gang eventually becomes infamous and pretty soon the U.S. Army is out for them. But, they can't run forever and, as in so many Westerns, the film ends in a big shootout.

As stated at the beginning, it's not a great Western. There are a few scenes that could've been cut out completely, but for the most part it's entertaining. 

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' Review?

Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check out some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' entries.

River of No Return
True Grit

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
The Big Trail 
Shalako
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Today's Movie: The Verdict

I've never been the biggest fan of courtroom drama films, so I had put off watching 1982's The Verdict for a while despite it being recommended to me several times.

In this one Paul Newman plays attorney Frank Galvin, a washed-up, alcoholic, ambulance-chaser who has only has only had 4 cases in the last 3 years and he's lost them all. One day a friend and former teacher Mickey Morrissey (played by Jack Warden) hands him a case that should result in a quick, easy, out of court settlement. Two well respected doctors, working for a Catholic hospital, accidentally gave a woman the wrong anesthesia during surgery leaving the woman in a permanent coma. If it were to go to trial it could look badly on the church and permanently damage the reputation of the two doctors, so they want to settle it and sweep the whole thing under the rug. However, once Galvin visits the hospital to take some photos of the woman on life support, he realizes that this may be his chance do the right thing for the first time in a long time. 

From a plot standpoint, this isn't going to offer up anything you probably haven't seen before. The church has an army of top-notch, well-respected lawyers working on their behalf and a solid case. Frank and Mickey on the other hand, have a hard time even getting a credible witness. So, it's the classic in-over-his-head attorney, fighting for justice for the common man story and it plays out mostly how you'd expect.

However, the film does largely overcome this predictable, paint-by-numbers plot with some solid writing, decent tension, and good performances throughout, particularly by Paul Newman. Overall, I thought it was a really good film, and I give it a 4 out of 5.

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Dial M for Murder

"...in stories things usually turn out the way the author wants them to; and in real life they don't... always."

Dial M for Murder is a 1954 crime/thriller Directed by the great Alfred Hitchcock. This one didn't quite make my '10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies Everyone Should See' list (which you can check out by clicking here), but that doesn't mean that it isn't a really good film. Like so many of Hitchcock's films, it ropes you in early on and keeps you locked in all the way through.. he's not called 'The Master of Suspense' for nothing after all. So, if you haven't seen this one, I'm just going to give the setup and a few other thoughts without spoiling how everything unfolds.

Ray Milland plays Tony Wendice who is a former professional tennis player and has discovered that his wife Margot (played by Grace Kelly) has been having an affair with an author named Mark Halliday (played by Robert Cummings). Instead of directly confronting her, Tony keeps his knowledge of the affair a secret and proceeds to plan the perfect murder. He figures that by having his wife killed he not only gets his revenge, but will also get the money left to him in her will. So, Tony gets in touch with a low-level criminal who happens to be an old college classmate of his, lays out the plan, and offers the man a substantial amount of money to carry out the murder. But, not everything goes as planned...

This movie was filmed in 3-D but it isn't one of those that looks ridiculous if you just watch it on your TV without 3-D glasses. There is the occasional object in the foreground that looks a tad off, but Hitchcock pretty much filmed it like he would any other film, and didn't resort to 3-D tricks like things popping out at the audience. The acting is solid, the story is interesting throughout, and I recommend checking it out if you've never seen it.

It's a classic and I give it a 5 out of 5.

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A Look Back At: Beetlejuice (1988)

Released in 1988, Beetlejuice is a comedy Directed by Tim Burton and stars Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, and Micheal Keaton. Like many Burton films, this is a strange but fun watch. That being said, every time I see it I always seem to have similar thoughts by the time I reach the end credits. But first, let's take a quick look at the plot:

Barbara and Adam (played by Davis and Baldwin respectively) are spending their vacation decorating their country home but one day as the two are driving, Barbara swerves to avoid a dog and their car plunges into a river. After they return home, they discover a book titled 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased', and they then begin to realize that they did not survive the car accident.
Well, the house is soon sold to the Deetz family and that's where the films main conflict comes into play:

Delia Deetz and an interior designer named Otho transform the house into a bizarre modern-art project. Hating the changes to their home, Barbara and Adam consult the handbook, and soon learn that if they want the Deetzes out of the house, it is up to them to scare them away. Unfortunately for them, their attempts at scaring the Deetz family off prove to be ineffective as the only person who is able to see them is the Deetz's daughter Lydia. 

Desperate to get their house back, Barbara and Adam try to scare the Deetz's odd  but when that doesn't seem  work they seek out the help of a "bio-exorcist" ghost named Betelgeuse (played by Keaton), to get rid the Deetz family. At first, they are unaware that "Betelgeuse" is pronounced "Beetlejuice", and so they initially have trouble summoning him. But once they do the force of nature that is Micheal Keaton takes over the film as the crude troublemaker and, without spoiling the second half of the movie, I'll just say that it's a wild ride.

So, what are the conclusions I always seem to come to? Micheal Keaton is awesome, Geena Davis is solid, Winona Ryder is OK, and Alec Baldwin's performance is unimpressive. The plot is OK, some of the effects haven't aged well at all and not all of the comedy sticks the landing, but Danny Elfman's score, particularly the main theme, is great.

 Is it one of the all-time great movies? No, but overall it is fun and entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.


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Today's Movie: The End (1978)

This one was recommended to me recently so I decided to go ahead and check it out.

In this 1978 comedy Burt Reynolds plays Sonny Lawson, a man with a fatal blood disease who is told that he has less than a year to live. He's so distraught by the diagnosis, and not wanting to suffer a slow painful death, that he decides to commit suicide. After a mixture of sleeping pills and alcohol fails to do the trick, Sonny wakes up in a mental hospital where he meets a loyal, schizophrenic named Marlon (played by Dom DeLuise) who happily vows to help his new friend kill himself. After several failed attempts, including not being able to find a tall enough building at the hospital to jump off and chickening out of hanging himself because it hurts too much, he decides to escape. Once he's out, Sonny heads for the ocean determined to drown himself. However, while he's under water he starts thinking about his daughter and, in the end, he decides that he wants to live.

Right from the opening scene, this movie provides some really funny moments and I found myself laughing out loud throughout. It has a fun blend of dark-comedy and slapstick, and the dynamic between Reynolds and DeLuise works pretty well. Overall, I definitely wouldn't call it a great movie but it is entertaining and I'm glad I took the time to watch it.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.

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Western Wednesday: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Taking a break from the usual classic Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Big Trail, and True Grit, today's film is a much more recent Western. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was released in 2007, and unlike many modern Westerns, it isn't half bad. Since it's a bit of a lesser known title, and I do recommend checking it out, I won't give away much about the plot in this review. 

The film has a pretty strong cast consisting of Brad Pitt as Jesse James, Casey Affleck as Robert Ford, and Sam Rockwell as Charley Ford just to name a few. The performances are strong throughout, particularly Brad Pitt. The narration, cinematography and music all work in concert to give this one a sort of low-key and intimate tone as opposed to the grand, gunslinger, wild west type of film typically associated with the genre. For a movie with a runtime a little over 2 1/2 hrs it's fairly well paced, but there are a couple scenes that drag on a bit and probably could've been cut down without damaging the final product.

Overall, I don't think this one will ever be regarded as one of history's great Westerns but, if you're a fan of the genre it's worth adding to your DVD or Blu-ray collection.
 I give it a 3.5 out of 5.


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...and be sure to check back every Wednesday for another Western

A Look Back At: The Untouchables

"You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word."

The Untouchables is a 1987 crime film Directed by Brian De Palma, and featuring a strong cast consisting of Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, Charles Martian Smith, and Sean Connery. Speaking of Connery, he nabbed a Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actor' for his role in the film, and in a movie with solid acting, a really good score, and top-notch cinematography, he still manages to steal every scene he's in.

The film takes place during Prohibition with Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro) running nearly the entire city of Chicago and, opposite him is a Treasury agent named Eliot Ness (played by Kevin Costner) who has sent to stop him. Ness soon builds a team consisting of a beat cop named Jimmy Malone (played by Connery), a rookie fresh out of the Police Academy named George Stone (played by Andy Garcia), and an accountant named Oscar Wallace (played by Charles Martian Smith).
 Early on they successfully raid a Post office warehouse full liquor owned by Capone, who later kills the henchman in charge of the warehouse with a baseball bat as a warning to the other top men working for him. After that initial raid, Wallace discovers that Capone has not filed an income tax return for several years and suggests that Ness try to build a tax evasion case against him, as they likely won't be able to directly tie him to any other crimes. It isn't long before Malone learns of an incoming liquor shipment and, seeing an opportunity to hurt Capone again, the team heads to the U.S.- Canadian border to intercept it. After a shootout with some of Capone's men, they convince a bookkeeper to testify against Capone. But, once they arrive back in Chicago, one of Capone's henchmen kills the informant, as well as, Wallace.

 After realizing that it was the police chief who tipped of Capone, Malone forces him to reveal the whereabouts of Capone's top bookkeeper, Walter Payne. The stakes are further raised that night, when Malone is shot by the same guy who killed Wallace. Luckily, before he dies Malone is able to tell Ness which train Payne will take out of town. Later, at the train station, Ness and Stone find Payne being escorted by several gangsters. Then, a gunfight breaks out resulting in arguably the best scene in the entire film and when all is said and done all of the henchmen have been killed and Payne is taken alive. 
  Payne then testifies at Capone's trial, Ness kills the guy who killed Malone, and Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison. The film ends with a reporter asking Ness what he'll do if Prohibition is repealed, and he replies, "I think I'll have a drink."

Overall, this one is really entertaining from the opening scene to the very end. For me, everything in this movie just clicks, it's up there with some of my favorite movies about organized crime and I highly recommend it. I give it a 5 out of 5.


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...and don't forget to check out my '10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See' list by clicking here.

Today's Movie: Terror Firmer

 

Terror Firmer is a 1999 horror/comedy released by Troma Entertainment. For anyone that is a fan of Troma films this is going give you everything you'd probably expect: over-the-top violence, sex, gross-out moments, blood, guts, wacky characters and immature humor.

The film centers around the crew of a low-budget film, and their odd-ball, blind Director, Larry Benjamin (played by the films real-life Director, Lloyd Kaufman). These are the two biggest reasons I find it entertaining, as a lot of the film's best humor comes from Kaufman and it being a low-budget film about making a low-budget film. Larry is convinced that the movie he's making is a work of art but, along with the typical problems that could arise on a movie set, much of the crew is being murdered one by one at the hands of a serial-killer. in the midst of all this, there's also a love triangle going on between three of the main characters; a production assistant named Jennifer, a boom-mic operator named Casey, and special effects named guy named Jerry. There are also nods to other popular Troma films throughout, my favorite being Sgt. Kabukiman just wandering around the set.

 Well, it doesn't Sherlock Holmes to predict who is responsible for the murders is pretty early on and, in the end the crew bands together and defeats the serial-killer.

If you like Troma films you'll probably really enjoy this one. I wouldn't call it a terrific movie, and it's definitely not for everyone, but it is entertaining. I give it a 2 out of 5.

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Western Wednesday: Shalako

This 1968 Western stars Brigitte Bardot and Sean Connery, and was one of the films that just barely missed the cut on my "10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See" list (you can check out that list here).

The film starts off with a group of wealthy Europeans who are on a hunting trip in New Mexico. For whatever reason they've ventured into Apache territory, and that proves to be a terrible idea.

 A French countess named Irina Lazaar (played by Brigitte Bardot) wanders off and she is soon confronted by some Apaches. Luckily for her she is rescued by Sean Connery wearing cowboy hat... I mean, "Shalako".

Shalako is a former Civil War cavalry officer and has been sent by the Army to get the party out of Apache territory. However, the leader of the party, Frederick von Hallstadt refuses to leave and the Apache soon raid the party's camp. To make matters worse, the party's guide Bosky Fulton takes off with the stage coach, guns and ammunition, and supplies, leaving the party stranded. But they have Shalako, and he's gonna to lead them on foot to an Army fort. Along the way, some Apaches catch up with the hunting party and there is a one-on-one spear fight between Shalako and the Apache chief's son Chato. Shalako is about to win and kill Chato, but the chief intervenes and offers to let the party go on their way safely to the fort if Shalako will agree to spare his sons life.
So, they get to the fort, the hunting party is safe, and Shalako and The Countess ride off together.

Overall, it's not great but it's a decent movie and pretty entertaining. I like Brigitte Bardot in the film and Sean Connery, though not someone you'd typically cast in a Western, is still good.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.


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Singin' In The Rain (1952)

Singin' In The Rain, for those who don't know, is a musical released in 1952 and it stars Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor. It also happens to be one of my favorite movies.

Gene Kelly plays Don Lockwood, a silent film actor who rose to fame starring alongside leading lady Lina Lamont (played by Jean Hagan). But, when 'talkies' become the new hot thing, all the studios jump on the bandwagon. A romance also soon starts between Don and a talented, though unknown, actress named Kathy Selden (played by Debbie Reynolds), and the "You Were Meant for Me" scene between the two is one of several really memorable moments early on.

Well, it's quickly decided that the latest Lockwood and Lamont picture The Dueling Cavalier is going to be the first 'talkie' for Monumental Studios. There's just one problem; in addition to being both dumb and pretty insufferable, Lina Lamont has an atrocious voice, and an early screening of the film is met with a less than ideal response. Fortunately, Kathy and Don's best friend, a musician named Cosmo (played by Donald O'Connor), have the brilliant idea to dub over Lina's lines using Kathy's voice and to turn The Dueling Cavalier into a musical. It's here, during the heart of the film that we get two of the best song and dance sequences: The "Good Morning" scene with the three dancing and singing through Don's house, and the iconic "Singin' In The Rain" scene with Gene Kelly at his best, joyfully dancing with his umbrella down the street in the rain.

 The next day, Don and Cosmo pitch the idea of a musical re-titled The Dancing Cavalier to the head of the studio and filming begins.

At the premiere, The Dancing Cavalier is a huge success and the audience, not knowing Lina's voice was dubbed over, cheer for her to sing a song live. Don, Cosmo, and the head of the studio tell her to just lip sync while Kathy, hidden behind the curtain, sings the actual song. While Lina is pretending to sing, they raise the curtain, exposing Lina as a fraud and Kathy as "the real star of the film". The film ends with Kathy and Don in front of a billboard advertising their new film, Singin' in the Rain.

This isn't just arguably the best musical ever made but, also one of the great films of all-time. It's fun, the comedy works, the characters a very likeable, the songs are catchy, the choreography is top notch... I challenge anyone to watch it and not crack a smile. 

It's an absolute joy and a true classic.
 I give it a 5 out of 5.

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Today's Movie: Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

The Fantastic Mr. Fox is a 2009 stop-motion animated film Directed by Wes Anderson, and features a pretty impressive cast of voice actors including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Willem Dafoe. But is it any good?

 

Mr. Fox (voiced by Clooney) is a thief that gives up his dangerous profession after his wife Felicity (voiced by Streep) reveals that she's pregnant. A few years later and bored with his life as a newspaper columnist, Mr. Fox plans to steal poultry and cider from three farms with the help of his opossum friend. The farmers get angry and attempt to kill Mr. Fox, but only manage to shoot off his tail. So now Mr. Fox, his family, and a bunch of other animals are on the run from the farmers that are determined to kill him. With the farmers distracted and camped outside of Mr. Fox's home, he and some of the other animals dig underneath all three farms and steal everything. It all has seemed to work out pretty well, but Fox's son Ash and his cousin Kristofferson go to steal back Mr. Fox's tail and Kristofferson is soon captured. So, Mr. Fox plans an elaborate rescue mission to get him back and, of course, they succeed. In the end the Fox family makes a new home underneath a supermarket where they have access to all the food they need.

The film has that distinct Wes Anderson style but I don't consider it his best film, and that's sort of my feeling towards the film in many respects. It's a good story but not mind-blowing. I don't think it's the best George Clooney movie. The animation is solid but there is better out there... Overall, for me, this one is good but doesn't quite make that leap to great. I know a few people that love this one, and if you like Wes Anderson films, or are a big animation fan then I definitely recommend it. Otherwise, I wouldn't call it a 'must-see'.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

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The Smurfs (2011)

 

With a new Smurfs movie coming next year, I figured I'd take look back at the first one.

The Smurfs is a 2011 comedy combining computer-animation and live-action and it's based on the characters from both the comics and the 80's "hit?" cartoon of the same name. I'll let you know right up-front, this movie is not very good. 

The film starts with the Smurfs preparing for a Blue Moon Festival which is soon interrupted by a wizard named Gargamel (played by Hank Azaria) and his cat. The Smurfs run into a cave where they find a magic water vortex and they jump in hoping to escape. Of course, the vortex sends them to New York City, because there has never been a fish out of water story where an innocent character(s) end up in NYC. *cough* The Muppets Take Manhattan *cough* Big *cough* Mr. deeds Goes to Town *cough* George of the Jungle *cough* Coming to America *cough* Crocodile Dundee *cough* Splash *cough*... You get the idea. 

It's not an original premise and you see every joke in this one coming from a mile away. The plot is pretty basic: The Smurfs need another blue moon to open up a portal to get back home and during their time in New York they get into all sorts of mishaps, and befriend two human characters played by Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays, all the while trying to stay one step ahead of Gargamel. Oh and you can't forget the classic cliche of having the lovable screw-up character ending up as the hero in the end.

Overall, The Smurfs is not that funny or well written and the animation isn't impressive, but God bless Hank Azaria. It may be a bad movie and he could've phoned it in, but man he gives it his all so I've gotta give him some credit. I have a 4yr old and movie kept him entertained but, unless you have a little kid, I wouldn't recommend it.

I give this one a 1 out of 5.

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A Look Back At: RoboCop 2

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"

RoboCop 2 is the 1990 follow up to 1987's RoboCop (you can check out my review of that one here), and it suffers from what so many other sequels do: It gives you more of what you liked from the first film, tries to go bigger and bolder, but ends up unable to recapture the magic of the original.
A half-man/half-robot police officer is already a pretty nutty premise, and so what does RoboCop 2 offer? Another half-man/half-robot, except this one has the brain of a former drug dealer and is addicted to narcotics... 

Just like in the first film, Omni Consumer Products (OCP) is dead set on tearing down old, crime-riddled Detroit and, in it's place, building 'Delta City'. To increase public support for the Delta City project, OCP (who owns the Detroit Police Department) cuts the police salaries which leads to a police strike and an increase in crime. RoboCop however doesn't go on strike because he's a robot, what does he care?

 Early on, RoboCop raids a manufacturing plant where they make a new, highly-addictive drug called Nuke, and he kills all the criminals except for a kid named Hob, a character that is arguably the worst part of this movie. Meanwhile, OCP is trying to develop a "RoboCop 2", with the intention of replacing all of the police officers, and for some reason a psychologist named Dr. Juliette Faxx thinks that putting the brain of a criminal in the robot is a good idea. It isn't long before a drug lord named Cain (played by Tom Noonan) is killed and his brain is placed inside of a model 2 RoboCop. As you would expect, this was a terrible idea and creates the big villain of the film. Of course, in the end, the original RoboCop defeats the new model.

As I stated at the beginning, they tried to duplicate the success of the first film by having just as much violence and action, but somewhere in the process they forgot to write a good movie. Now, it's not unwatchable and it's definitely not as bad as RoboCop 3. There are some fun moments, decent action scenes and solid special effects, but unless you really loved the first film, I wouldn't recommend this sequel. 

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

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10 Movies To Watch This Holiday Season

It's December, it's getting colder outside and Christmas is fast approaching. Between battling the crowds at the mall and attending Christmas parties, you may find some time to watch a couple of movies to really get you into to the holiday spirit. So grab and glass of eggnog and plate of gingerbread cookies, because I've got 10 films to make your holiday season a little brighter.

#10 The Santa Clause -1994

Although I'm not a fan of the sequels, The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006), I think this one is a solid movie. It's not perfect, but it's one of those films that the whole family can sit back and enjoy while having some hot cocoa on a chilly winter evening.

#9 Die Hard -1988

For those who want an action-packed holiday movie, nothing beats Die Hard. For anyone that hasn't seen this one, Bruce Willis plays a New York cop named John McClane who travels to Los Angeles to attend his estranged wife's Christmas party at Nakatomi Tower. But, a group of terrorists seize the tower, take hostages and it's up to McClane to save the day.

 

#8 A Charlie Brown Christmas -1965

For many people, myself included, watching this one has become something of a Christmas tradition. The Peanuts characters are iconic, and there are some funny moments, but what sets this this apart from so many other animated Christmas movies is that it directly addresses the over-commercialization of the holiday and reminds the viewer of the true meaning of Christmas.

#7 The Nightmare Before Christmas -1993

Love Christmas but sad Halloween is over? Then this is probably the go-to film for you. It's all the cheer and joy of one mixed with the spookiness of the other. The songs are great, and the movie is a ton of fun anytime of the year but particularly when watched during that 54 day span between Halloween night and Christmas morning.

#6 Elf - 2003

Elf is arguably the best Christmas movie to come out in the last 20 years. Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a wide-eyed, naive, man-child that travels to New York City to find his Dad. Buddy spreads Christmas cheer wherever he goes in this hilarious, modern Christmas classic.

#5 Christmas Eve on Sesame Street -1978

"I hate Christmas! And if you want the truth, I ain't so crazy about Thanksgiving or Labor Day either!" -Oscar the Grouch

If there was ever a stick in the mud to rival Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch, it's Oscar the Grouch. In fact, he's part of the reason that ever since I was a little kid this has been one of my favorite holiday movies. All of the best Christmas films need a character that is devoid of Christmas cheer, because it helps illustrate how the holiday has the power to bring out the best in all of us.
 Even though this one is aimed towards children, I surprisingly enjoy it just as much as an adult.

#4 Batman Returns -1992

Batman + Christmas, You can't go wrong. It's Christmas time in Gotham City and Batman is up against two iconic villains, the Penguin and Catwoman... Plus, Christopher Walken is in it. So, take a break from building that gingerbread Batcave, and pop in Batman Returns.

#3 Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! -

You can keep Santa, and Rudolf, and all the elves because when I think of great Christmas characters I immediately think of the Grinch. In a way it's the perfect Christmas story, because a lot of us are cynical jackasses throughout much of the year, but when the holiday season rolls around our hearts often grow a few sizes.

 #2  The Muppet Christmas Carol -1992

 Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of the most famous Christmas stories ever written, and there are a ton of film adaptations of that story. My favorite version just happens to be the one starring the Muppets. Michael Caine plays a great Scrooge, and that Muppet brand of humor blends surprisingly well with the story.

#1 It's a Wonderful Life -1946

 I could have possibly moved around or swapped out a few films on this list but if there is one must watch film for me, it's this one. It's a timeless classic and it's not only a great Christmas movie, but one of my favorite films in general.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone. 

Have a suggestion for a review or want to recommend a Christmas movie that didn't make it onto this list? Leave it in the comments below.

Western Wednesday: The Big Trail

Another Wednesday means another Western!

Today's film is The Big Trail, it was released in 1930 and was one of John Wayne's earliest starring roles.
John Wayne plays Breck Coleman, a trapper who has returned to Missouri to avenge the death of a fellow trapper. He was killed for his furs by a man named Red Flack and his associate Lopez along the Santa Fe trail. While in Missouri, Coleman is asked by a group of settlers headed West to scout their caravan. He initially declines, but he soon changes his mind and agrees to scout for the train after he learns that Flack and Lopez were just hired to boss a bull train along the Oregon Trail to a trading post north of Oregon. Coleman figures that he can keep an eye on Flack and Lopez and kill them as soon as they reach the trading post. As the wagon train heads West, Coleman falls in love with a settler named Ruth (played by Marguerite Churchill), Flack does everything he can to have Coleman killed before he finds any proof of what he had done, and the group of settlers faces several hardships and obstacles along the way. Eventually, as expected, the villains meet their end and Coleman and Ruth presumably settle down together in Oregon.

Overall, though not as well know or iconic as some of John Wayne's others like 1956's The Searchers, 1962's The Man Who Shoot Liberty Valance, or 1969's True Grit (you can read my review of that one here) I'd argue that The Big Trail should still be placed among that top tier of his films.

Whether you're a John Wayne fan or just a fan of Westerns in general, I'd definitely recommend this one. I give it a 4 out of 5.


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Tangled (2010)

I had recently gone to see Disney's newest film Moana (you can check out my review of that film by clicking here). Afterwards, I got into a conversation about Disney's other computer-animated films and realized I hadn't seen 2010's Tangled since it was in the theaters, so I decided to re-watch it.

Walt Disney Animation Studios had previously released a few computer-animated feature films like 2005's Chicken Little and 2008's Bolt, but this was a cut above. 

The plot isn't anything mind blowing: A magical golden flower with the power to reverse aging, and heal illness and injury, etc. is used to heal a sick Queen and, soon afterwards, the Queen gives birth to Princess Rapunzel. But it isn't long before Rapunzel is kidnapped by an old woman named Gothel (voiced by Donna Murphy) who had been using the flower to temporarily regain her youth and has discovered that Rapunzel's hair has the flower's same magical properties. The only problem is that if Rapunzel's hair is cut, it loses it's healing powers, so Gothel keeps her locked away in a tower in the forest. However, as Rapunzel grows up, she eventually wants to leave the tower and see the world a little bit, particularly the lanterns that the whole kingdom releases into the air once a year on Rapunzel's birthday. Gothel, of course, wants to keep Rapunzel's magic hair all for herself and doesn't allow her leave the tower. Eventually, a thief named Flynn Ryder (voiced by Zachary Levi) who is on the run from both the authorities, as well as, two other thieves that he double-crossed ends up finding the tower. From there, the rest of the film pretty much plays out as you'd expect. Flynn and Rapunzel have a wild adventure, and while being pursued by Gothel, and the Kingdoms soldiers, and the two other thieves, they fall in love and eventually live happily ever after.

This is Disney's bread and butter, as Tangled is a film very much in their classic fairy tale formula: There's a princess, an evil old woman, a fall-in-love in just a couple of days love story, an animal sidekick, the songs are good, the animation is good etc. So, it could've easily been a forgettable, paint-by-numbers family movie. However, there are things that do set this apart from many other movies with similar plots. It's entertaining all the way through with some really funny moments along the way, Rapunzel's pet chameleon Pascal in particular that provides quite a few laughs. The voice-acting of Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy is solid, but it's Mandy Moore that really stands out as the voice of Rapunzel and brings that character to life. Overall, It's not my all-time favorite Disney movie but, there's a lot to like about it and it is thoroughly enjoyable.

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

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Today's Movie: Don't Say A Word

Don’t Say a Word is a 2001 thriller with a halfway decent premise and a pretty solid cast. It’s apparently based on a novel of the same name, but I’ve never read it so I won’t be making any comparisons to the book. 

A gang of thieves pull off a heist and steal a $10million gem but, two of the gang members double-cross their leader, Patrick Koster (played by Sean Bean) and take off with the gem. Some years later, a psychiatrist named Dr. Nathan Conrad (played Michael Douglas), is invited by his former colleague to examine a disturbed young woman named Elisabeth Burrows (played by Brittany Murphy) who is in an asylum. After he is released from prison, Patrick kidnaps the psychiatrist's daughter with the hope that he can force the doctor to acquire a 6-digit number from Elisabeth's memory. Elisabeth’s father was one of the gang members who double-crossed Patrick and the number is, of course, the key to finding out where hidden the gem is hidden. So, Dr. Conrad has to earn Elisabeth’s trust, get the numbers from her, and rescue his daughter.

This is one of those movies that seems like it should pretty good, but for whatever reason kinda falls flat. Maybe it’s just too predictable to be a really great thriller, or maybe they just couldn’t get what worked for the novel to translate well in a 2hr film. It’s definitely not horrible, just underwhelming. 

I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

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 ...and don't forget to check out my review of Disney's newest film Moana by clicking here.