For Your Consideration Podcast 

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

 Filmed largely around the Heber City, Utah area 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' is a slasher film about a repressed Catholic embarking on a killing spree in a Santa suit. When scanning through review blurbs on 'Rotten Tomato's' one comment that caught my eye is that this film has a very distinct sense of identity vis-a-vie the other slasher films of it's era. This is true, the film is very distinct in it's vision, technically well executed, and actually subversive, something most slasher films only play at being. For me it was a little too subversive, going far beyond the realms of good taste, it felt rather mean, though the films Christmas theme song "The Warm Side of the Door" is first rate 80's schmaltz. *1/2 

Damaged Lives (1933)

'Damaged Lives' was produced for a Canadian health board, though attracted purulent interest south of the boarder. It's the story of a man who has an affair and then passes syphilis onto his wife and unborn baby. Helmed by famed B movie autor Edger G. Ulmer, the film has a few rather effective visuals, and the director makes the best movie he possibly could off the awkward script, so I kind of respect it. **

A Merry Friggin Christmas (2014)

'A Merry Friggin Christmas' was among Robin Williams last films, released after he died. In addition to Williams the film has a reasonably strong cast, Candice Bergen, Joel McHale, Lauren Graham, Oliver Platt, though the only one who really made me laugh was Clark Duke. Sad really, anemic 'Christmas Vacation' / 'Bad Santa' hybrid. *1/2 

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

 Based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Morton Freedgood, 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three' is the story of the hijacking and ransom of a New York City subway car. From that brief description what you'd probably expect from a film version is an action movie, and that is to a fair degree what you get with the 2009 remake.  However the original 1974 production was more a 'crisis situation procedural'. It was really fun to watch, I love the whole gritty 1970's New York astatic, I loved the pacing, unlike the remake the original was not in a hurry, in fact it seemed to take place in roughly real time. 

A fine cast, Walter Matthau, Martin Balsam, Robert Shaw. Both film versions were main stream releases, but the base intelligence level of a wide release film from the mid 70's to that of the late aughts, night and day, the first film is so much more mature. 

While there is something to say for Tony Scott not going for a straight remake, (leads Washington and Travolta give reasonably committed performances), it's more of a variation on a theme, it just doesn't have the substance of the original, it's flashy, hollow, disposable. While no doubt it was not helped by my beginning the remake roughly 90 minutes after finishing the original, I have no desire to see 2009's Pelham again, but 1974's One Two Three I would welcome repeat viewing. 

1974: ***1/2

2009: *1/2 

Mixed Nuts (1994)

 It's hard to believe that this was Nora Ephron's follow up to 'Sleepless in Seattle', it's such a misfire. Based on a French film 'Mixed Nuts' involves various eccentrics, principally associated with a suicide prevention hotline, which is on the verge of eviction from it's Venice Beach location at Christmas time. This movie seems dependent on the idea that a lot of manic energy means it must be funny, this did not prove true. A talent bomb if ever there was one, this film has a large cast of names, Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Madeline Kahn, Gary Shandling, Juilette Lewis, Adam Sandler, Robert Kline, even Liev Schreiber in his film debut, in a part that hasn't aged particularly well. Just a disaster, an unfunny tone def comedy, just really, really bad. * 

Paradise Hawaiian Style (1966)

 In 'Paradise Hawaiian Style' Elvis and a buddy start a helicopter charter service, there are various misadventures and Elvis predictably has girl trouble, he's dating four at the same time, with his eyes on a fifth. Likable in the easy going manner of much of 'The Kings' film output. It's neat to see the Polynesian Cultural Center as it would have appeared in the mid 60's. One minor compliant, when Elvis needed a solution to financing trouble why didn't he just sing, I mean he's constantly singing, putting on free shows. Monetize Elvis, monetize. **