Sunday, August 31, 2014
To Please a Lady (1950)
Vehicle for stars Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable, unfortunately it comes about a decade after seeing such a screen paring would have been interesting (though the two stars did share the screen briefly in the 1931 film Night Nurse, but not as love interests). Anyway the forced plot cast Stanwyck as Regina Forbes a wildly successful columnist and radio personality who seemingly destroys the car racing career of bad boy former medal of honor winner Mike Brannan (Gable). The two have a hate/hate, followed by a love/hate, then a hate/love, and finally a love/love relationship. The film is weak, clichéd, and mostly boring, even the casting of the usually enjoyable Adolphe Menjou as Stanwyck's assistant doesn't add much to the proceedings. The only real interesting parts of the film are the period racing sequences, and that's largely because they serve as interesting artifacts of IndyCar racing pre Mario Andretti era. Disappointing. **
Trollhunter (2010)
Norwegian 'found footage' style film concerns a group of student film makers hunting down a suspected bear poacher, only it turns out that this mysterious man known only as 'Hans' (Otto Jesperson) is in fact not a poacher, but an agent of the Norwegian government tasked with hunting down out of control Trolls, whose existence the government is trying to keep secret. The conceit of the film is fun and creative, it's spin on the mythology of trolls well thought out, and the execution well done visually and otherwise (though I for one would have asked Hans better questions then these student filmmakers did). Enjoyably unique. **1/2
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe leaves the confines of the Earth, and Asgard, to explore its quirkier cosmic side with this adaptation of the 2008 rebooted version of the titular space faring super hero team. Peter Quill ( a likeable Chris Pratt) was abducted from his home on Earth as a child, events that I suspect will be further contextualized in the next film in this series. Anyway Quill left Earth in 1988 with only a full backpack and an awesome mix-tap collection, and was raised by space pirates, he's now struck out on his own to hunt down a mysterious artifact, which it turns out could hold key to the balance of power in the galaxy. Circumstances put Quill in the company of"'a rag tag group of misfits" including a green skinned assassin (the lovely Zoe Saldana), the blue hued Drax the Destroyer (Dave Batista), and the CGI pair of raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and tree creature Groot (Vin Disel). Lee Pace and Karen Gillian are the main bad guys.
A fun feature, which I saw in 3D and on rumble seats, but it would work about as well without them. The movies sense of humor and tone work, and it doesn't bit off more then it can chew. The movies soundtrack is memorable strong, and strikes a great tone for the film. The plot its self is nothing amazing, if anything its a tad weak, but the characters, effects and dialogue carry the movie. I expect there will be more to the sequel, but for an introduction to these lesser known comic book heroes, it hits all the desired points. ***
A fun feature, which I saw in 3D and on rumble seats, but it would work about as well without them. The movies sense of humor and tone work, and it doesn't bit off more then it can chew. The movies soundtrack is memorable strong, and strikes a great tone for the film. The plot its self is nothing amazing, if anything its a tad weak, but the characters, effects and dialogue carry the movie. I expect there will be more to the sequel, but for an introduction to these lesser known comic book heroes, it hits all the desired points. ***
Monday, August 18, 2014
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Sequel to the 2011 franchise reboot Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which raises the question what is the difference between a "dawn" and a "rise", as they pertain to planets of Apes? Anyway this film picks up about 10 years after the events of the previous movie, the ALZ-113 Virus which was just starting to spread at the end of the previous film, has now succeeded in wiping out 95+% of the human race, we learn of this through a fairly well done opening sequence that brings us up to speed on the events of the last decade. Caesar's group of super smart Apes have succeeded in establishing a successful colony in the California redwoods. Caesar thinks of the humans often even though the apes haven't seen sign of them in years, that is until a small group of humans headlined by Jason Clarke (an actor whose career I am glade to see humming along) and Keri Russell (whom I'm always glade to see) happens upon them. There is a brief tense standoff but Caesar sends these well meaning humans away and then sends Koba and a few others to follow them back to where they came from.
It turns out there is a colony of surviving humans being lead by a surprisingly reasonable Gary Oldman in San Francisco. Caesar, Koba and many other apes visit the human colony to warn them to keep too themselves and leave the ape settlement alone, however as the humans are running out of power and Clarks group had gone to the redwoods to reactivate a hydroelectric dam there, conflict seems inevitable. Clark prevails on Oldman to let him try to come to a peaceful agreement with the apes, and he comes very close to success with this, were it not for Koba's pride and obsessive hatred of humans, who of course once brutalized him.
Entertaining and mildly though provoking this movie does a good job of moving the new ape saga along, with interesting characters and good action. We learn nothing more about the mission to Mars crew that was quite deliberately set up in the last film, but I guess they will come into play later. Also it seems that there are a fair number of human survivors left so increased conflicts between man and apes seem to be more or less a given for the next film in this series. In another node to continuity James Franco even makes a brief appearance in this film by way of camcorder. ***
It turns out there is a colony of surviving humans being lead by a surprisingly reasonable Gary Oldman in San Francisco. Caesar, Koba and many other apes visit the human colony to warn them to keep too themselves and leave the ape settlement alone, however as the humans are running out of power and Clarks group had gone to the redwoods to reactivate a hydroelectric dam there, conflict seems inevitable. Clark prevails on Oldman to let him try to come to a peaceful agreement with the apes, and he comes very close to success with this, were it not for Koba's pride and obsessive hatred of humans, who of course once brutalized him.
Entertaining and mildly though provoking this movie does a good job of moving the new ape saga along, with interesting characters and good action. We learn nothing more about the mission to Mars crew that was quite deliberately set up in the last film, but I guess they will come into play later. Also it seems that there are a fair number of human survivors left so increased conflicts between man and apes seem to be more or less a given for the next film in this series. In another node to continuity James Franco even makes a brief appearance in this film by way of camcorder. ***
Friday, August 15, 2014
Ratcatcher (1999)
I was not consciously aware of just how much I really do appreciate having not grown up in a Glasgow slum in the 1970's until I saw this movie. A dark, dank, coming of age story set amidst the backdrop of lower class government housing in 1970's Glasgow Scotland, and during a garbage strike no less. The main character is roughly 12 year old James Gillespie ( William Eadie, quite good) the middle of three children living with his parents in a decaying and depopulating government housing complex. For more of the plot summery I borrow from Wikipedia: (Spoilers)
"The film opens focused upon James' friend Ryan Quinn, being forced to put on his wellington boots to go to visit his father, who is in jail. He'd rather play with James instead and runs off while his mother is not looking. Ryan meets James at the canal and during some rough-house play he is drowned, clearly with James bearing much of the blame for not having raised the alarm. James believes his inaction has gone unnoticed.
The film follows the sensitive James as he tries to come to terms with his guilt, and make sense of the insensitive aspects of his environment.
His one escape comes when he takes a bus to the end of the line and ends up in the outskirts of the city, where a new housing estate is under construction. He explores the half-built houses, and wonders in awe at the view from the kitchen window: an expansive field of wheat, blowing in the wind and reaching to the horizon. In a scene central to the film, he climbs through the window and escapes into the blissful freedom of the field.
James befriends a girl, Margaret Anne, whom he tries to help after her glasses are thrown into the canal by the local gang. James and Margaret Anne become close friends. She is his only other relief from his home environment. She has problems of her own, allowing herself to be abused by the local gang. The two find comfort in each other's company.
In a memorable scene, one of James's friends, Kenny, receives a pet mouse as a birthday present. After the gang throw the mouse around to make him "fly", Kenny ties the mouse's tail to a balloon and we see it float to the moon where it joins a whole colony of other mice frolicking on the moon.
The same friend falls in the canal later and is rescued by James' father, making him briefly into a local hero.
Ryan's family are eventually re-housed and on the day of leaving, Ryan's mother gives James the pair of brown sandals she had bought for Ryan on the day of his death.
Though the military eventually comes and cleans up all the garbage in the neighborhood, James realizes that his situation will most likely never change. He plunges himself into the canal, and we are shown a brief scene is which James's family is moving into a new neighborhood."
So needless to say a rather dark film, though with some almost playful fantasy sequences thrown in. James lives in harsh environment both physically and emotionally and he nurses a great deal of guilt. James seems to carry on because the prospect of his family's potential move, and his growing relationship with Margret Ann help provide enough hope and promise to motivate him too, that is until they are both taken away and he discovers that his role in Ryan's death was in fact witnessed, he then commits suicide by drowning himself in the same dirty ditch. Because of the stylistic choices in how the end of the film is presented it could be possible for some viewers to miss James suicide, but I'd be hard pressed for another coherent interpretation. Ratcather is powerful film making that leaves an impression. ***1/2
"The film opens focused upon James' friend Ryan Quinn, being forced to put on his wellington boots to go to visit his father, who is in jail. He'd rather play with James instead and runs off while his mother is not looking. Ryan meets James at the canal and during some rough-house play he is drowned, clearly with James bearing much of the blame for not having raised the alarm. James believes his inaction has gone unnoticed.
The film follows the sensitive James as he tries to come to terms with his guilt, and make sense of the insensitive aspects of his environment.
His one escape comes when he takes a bus to the end of the line and ends up in the outskirts of the city, where a new housing estate is under construction. He explores the half-built houses, and wonders in awe at the view from the kitchen window: an expansive field of wheat, blowing in the wind and reaching to the horizon. In a scene central to the film, he climbs through the window and escapes into the blissful freedom of the field.
James befriends a girl, Margaret Anne, whom he tries to help after her glasses are thrown into the canal by the local gang. James and Margaret Anne become close friends. She is his only other relief from his home environment. She has problems of her own, allowing herself to be abused by the local gang. The two find comfort in each other's company.
In a memorable scene, one of James's friends, Kenny, receives a pet mouse as a birthday present. After the gang throw the mouse around to make him "fly", Kenny ties the mouse's tail to a balloon and we see it float to the moon where it joins a whole colony of other mice frolicking on the moon.
The same friend falls in the canal later and is rescued by James' father, making him briefly into a local hero.
Ryan's family are eventually re-housed and on the day of leaving, Ryan's mother gives James the pair of brown sandals she had bought for Ryan on the day of his death.
Though the military eventually comes and cleans up all the garbage in the neighborhood, James realizes that his situation will most likely never change. He plunges himself into the canal, and we are shown a brief scene is which James's family is moving into a new neighborhood."
So needless to say a rather dark film, though with some almost playful fantasy sequences thrown in. James lives in harsh environment both physically and emotionally and he nurses a great deal of guilt. James seems to carry on because the prospect of his family's potential move, and his growing relationship with Margret Ann help provide enough hope and promise to motivate him too, that is until they are both taken away and he discovers that his role in Ryan's death was in fact witnessed, he then commits suicide by drowning himself in the same dirty ditch. Because of the stylistic choices in how the end of the film is presented it could be possible for some viewers to miss James suicide, but I'd be hard pressed for another coherent interpretation. Ratcather is powerful film making that leaves an impression. ***1/2
Sunday, July 20, 2014
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947)
From roughly 1940-1944 writer/director Preston Sturges had an almost unheard of period of creative cinematic output. Classic screwball comedy's with Sturges unique flavor just kept pouring out of him, The Great McGinty, The Lady Eve, Sullivan's Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, all classics, and the occasional lesser but still good film like Hail the Conquering Hero and Christmas in July made Preston about the safest bet in the industry. This prompted Millionaire Howard Hughes to put in with Sturges in 1944 and launch their own studio, California Pictures. At first they had a number of projects in percolation but only one was ever released, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock, a box office underperformer that all but spelled the end of Sturges career (he would release one more significant film, Unfaithfully Yours in 1948), as well as California Pictures (Hughes would later buy and later liquidate RKO Studios).
Sturges's idea with Diddlebock was to team with an ideal of his, silent comedy legend Harold Lloyd, who he managed to coax out of retirement. The film even begins with a slightly altered, sound added version of the famed 'football match sequence' from Lloyd's class 1925 film The Freshman, for which Diddlebock serves as a kind of sequel. After winning the football match Lloyd is hired by a university alum to serve as an accountant for his advertising firm, Lloyd spends the next 20 plus years wasting away at that job until his boss fires him for lack of initiative. Diddlebock, a life time tea-totaler then proceeds to get drunk, become very lucky at betting on horse races, and then spend that money on a failing circus. When Harold comes out of his drunken stupor he has no memory of what he's done with the last several days and comedy ensues.
Sturges was known for his witty dialogue which makes a teaming with Lloyd seem kind of odd, but the silent screen legend does a pretty good job delivering Prestons words, he also gets to play to his old strengths, particularly with a prolonged sequence involving a lion loosed on the ledge of a New York City high-rise. The film however is an uneven one, alternating between long talkie bits, the setups seem to take way to long (which is perhaps way Hughes would later cut 13 minutes from the film an re-release it in 1950 as Mad Wednesday), and the physical comedy bits aren't what they would have been had Lloyd made them at the top of his game, and in fact what physical comedy there is in the film is highly derivative of stuff he'd already done. So the two creative minds feel like they are jockeying for control of the picture which ends up not a bad movie per say, but not a great one, more on par with Christmas in July then with The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. The film does boast a great 'topper' however and is about worth seeing for that alone. Interesting as a creative artifact, an experiment that didn't quite work out as imaged, likely because the parties involved seem to have been imagining different things. **1/2
Sturges's idea with Diddlebock was to team with an ideal of his, silent comedy legend Harold Lloyd, who he managed to coax out of retirement. The film even begins with a slightly altered, sound added version of the famed 'football match sequence' from Lloyd's class 1925 film The Freshman, for which Diddlebock serves as a kind of sequel. After winning the football match Lloyd is hired by a university alum to serve as an accountant for his advertising firm, Lloyd spends the next 20 plus years wasting away at that job until his boss fires him for lack of initiative. Diddlebock, a life time tea-totaler then proceeds to get drunk, become very lucky at betting on horse races, and then spend that money on a failing circus. When Harold comes out of his drunken stupor he has no memory of what he's done with the last several days and comedy ensues.
Sturges was known for his witty dialogue which makes a teaming with Lloyd seem kind of odd, but the silent screen legend does a pretty good job delivering Prestons words, he also gets to play to his old strengths, particularly with a prolonged sequence involving a lion loosed on the ledge of a New York City high-rise. The film however is an uneven one, alternating between long talkie bits, the setups seem to take way to long (which is perhaps way Hughes would later cut 13 minutes from the film an re-release it in 1950 as Mad Wednesday), and the physical comedy bits aren't what they would have been had Lloyd made them at the top of his game, and in fact what physical comedy there is in the film is highly derivative of stuff he'd already done. So the two creative minds feel like they are jockeying for control of the picture which ends up not a bad movie per say, but not a great one, more on par with Christmas in July then with The Miracle of Morgan's Creek. The film does boast a great 'topper' however and is about worth seeing for that alone. Interesting as a creative artifact, an experiment that didn't quite work out as imaged, likely because the parties involved seem to have been imagining different things. **1/2
Sharknado (2013) Rifftrax Live (2014)
Every once in a while a film comes along that has just the right horrible gimmick for its time, whose tongue-in-check awfulness the public finds they can enthusiastically embrace, and which thusly permeates the zeitgeist, Sharknado is one such movie. It's a horrible movie, not one I'd want to sit through un-aided, and while The Nostalgia Critic and Cinema Snob did a good job at skewering this film, I felt there was more humorous potential to be minded from it. That and its been stressful at work lately so I just felt like watching something really stupid. Rifftrax, a company/service put together by MST3K alums provides snarky audio commentary on feature films, and in this case did a live show simulcast to theaters across the company, though what I actually watched was a rebroadcast of this live show. I can't rate this, either the commentary or the movie on a traditional scale, suffice it to say both are juvenile but entertaining. At the broadcast they mentioned that the Rifftrax crew were going to do another live skewering, this time of the God-awful 1998 American version of Godzilla, and I'll probably pay to see this. In short Sharknado is awful, but awful humor makes it more bearable.
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