JayDee's Movie Musings

Yep. To be honest, it was probably a bit of an oversight on my part not including it. However, I've not seen it for a good many years now, and those that I hadn't see for a long time, and which were on the bubble, we more often than not, pushed to one side. In the 90's, Rain Man was a mainstay of my top 100.


Of course I'm right. HK's always right. Though you shouldn't think that "serious critics" reserve their top rating for very few films. That said, I guess it depends on what you mean by "serious critic". Personally, if you mean one of those dry, crusty, critics who profess to like certain films because everyone else does, then I say you're better off as you are.

I'm also pleased to see that, on reflection, you're rating for The Birds is more in line with my own thinking.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

I'm not a Tim Burton fan, really. That being said, Ed Wood is masterpiece and easily his best ever film.

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"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."

I sure am a big fan. Ed Wood didn't go without recognition or awards when it released yet does seem to be one of those movies that gets overlooked, maybe because the rest of Burton's filmography overshadows it. But for me it is his masterpiece. Its accomplishment looks deceptively simple, yet it's really quite a remarkable movie. Ed Wood most impresses me because it nimbly walks a fine line between drama and comedy, thanks largely to Depp and Landau, backed up by a fine supporting cast. Bill Murray especially is just wonderful and steals every scene he's in.

The movie can seem silly when viewed superficially but there's genuine humanity underneath. A lesser film would've been contented to simply mock never-do-well director Ed Wood and his crew of misfits but Burton presented them with a real sense of compassion for them as people, not as mere losers or the butt of a joke.

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#31 on SC's Top 100 Mofos list!!

Would it be on your list of honorable mentions if you get round to it at some point

Exactly one of the points I tried to make in my review.

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Plot - Frank Bannister (Fox) is able to see and communicate with ghosts. He acquired this ability years before when a car crash left him badly injured and his wife dead. Since that day he has had a connection to the afterlife, one that he uses as part of a ghosthunting con. He has befriended a trio of ghosts who go and haunt a house which he will then cleanse. For a fee of course! His ability also allows him to see that the reason for numerous deaths of late is a Grim Reaper, a serial killer who is continuing his spree from the grave. Frank is the only one who is able to stop him.

Another personal favourite this one. I think this is a ghoulish little gem of a film. Though I have to admit I'm not one of the 'cool' people who knew about this film before the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was only in their wake when this was given a DVD release that I became aware of and tracked down The Frighteners. And watching it now, as much as I love it, I still find it really hard to believe that the guy who made this weird oddball of a movie would next go on to direct some of the biggest (and in my mind greatest) films of all time.

I can certainly see people not particularly liking the film (Roger Ebert gave it 1 star!), finding it to be quite uneven as a result of the frequent tonal shifts. What starts out as a bit of a screwball comedy in the Ghostbusters vein descends into much darker territory as the film moves along. I however thought Jackson was able to achieve a perfect balance through a combination of his direction and the script he co-wrote with his wife, mixing touches of light and daft humour (flying babies, walking chicken corpses) with darker elements such as the tragedy of Bannister's wife and the hospital massacre. It's certainly not a scary film. There are very few, if any, frights to be found as it settles more for creepy moments and bizarre images. Though the flashbacks of the hospital massacre are quite disturbing.

Film trivia - Bulls have the colour red. And Michael J Fox apparently has white fences. He clearly hates the things! In this film he twice crashes through a white fence in the character's Volvo. In Back to the Future he crashed through a white fence in the Delorean, and in Doc Hollywood he crashed through a white fence in his Porsche.

I will admit that a large degree of my love for the film is undoubtedly down to its star. Michael J Fox is one of my favourite actors. I think he has great comic timing and I just find find him to be insanely likeable. I honestly cannot think of anything I've seen him in that I've not enjoyed. And while I do find him to be one of the most likeable actors out there he doesn't really have a career roster of playing nice guys like a Tom Hanks does. More often than not he plays a really cocky smart-ass, all the way back to Alex P. Keaton in the TV show that made his name, Family Ties. And here he plays with that typical smart-ass persona but it's mixed with a haunted loneliness. It's a character who seems to have rather given up on life after the trauma of his wife's passing. It's a character that goes to deeper depths than is normally required from Fox in his lighter films. Fox is funny and touching but also with a bit of harder edge than he is usually seen with, and really succeeds in making the film a tale of redemption as it edges its conclusion.

Outside of Michael J Fox's lead character the film is populated by a series of memorable eccentrics, brought to life by an ensemble of lively performances. There's the ghostly trio who aid Frank in his ghostbusting con. The trio includes the 70s black gangster Cyrus complete with awesome afro; and the old gunslinger, The Judge, who just absolutely cracks me up - “When a man's jawbone drops off it's time to reassess the situation”. There's the psychotic couple who are behind it all, played to maximumly creepy effect by Dee Wallace and Jake Busey. And then in a cameo of sorts there's R. Lee Emrey as the ghostly army sergeant who marshals all the ghosts in the cemetery, with Emrey very much playing into his hard-assed drill sergeant character from Full Metal Jacket.

And last, but most certainly not least, is the completely oddball Secret Service agent Milton Dammers. Played by Jeffrey Combs, he is just a stupendously ridiculous character with numerous quirks and a Hitleresque haircut. My favourite moment probably would have to be where he believes Frank is trying to psychically stop his heart, but reveals it won't work because of the lead vest he is wearing under his suit. Combs' performance really is exceptionally over the top, and in most films would be a hindrance but in this world that Peter Jackson has created he fits in perfectly. Also just to check, am I the only one that finds Combs to strongly resemble Jim Carrey here both in terms of appearance and his zany performance.

Alongside the game performances and fun script, without a doubt one of the film's great strengths is its CGI. While it may be from Hollywood's early days using it to such a degree it really is a great example of how to use it. Not only is it well done and still able to stand up today's standards for the most part, but it's the way it's employed. It's not merely for show, it's handled with a good deal of creativity and invention; whether it be for horror purposes such as bringing to life (no pun intended) the reaper character, or for laughs such as giving us the opportunity to see the decrepit old Judge getting it on with an Egyptian mummy in her sarcophagus. It also helps when it comes to delivering the thrills, as seen in the car chase where the Reaper attempts to hunt down Lucy.

Conclusion – I think this is just a cracking little bit of entertainment. Working from a smart script (indeed the story was initially planned as a Tales of the Crypt feature but Robert Zemeckis was so impressed by the script he decided it should be a stand alone), filmed with great energy and with a series of likeable and memorable performances I just think it's really good fun. And let's be honest, who can't love a film that features a reanimated chicken walking into a bedroom?

Haven't seen this

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

Omigod, Nebbit, watch it!

I agree, you should watch it, nebs. Much better than those insomnia-curing films he made afterwards.

Been years since I saw The Frighteners... enjoyed it from what I can remember. R Lee Ermey as his Full Metal Jacket Drill Sergeant is one of the things I can remember clearly though.

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Sounds like I have to seek it out

Wow really? That isn't something that happens too often, you seem to have seen most of them. And obviously I will definitely echo everyone's recommendation for you to give The Frighteners a go sometime. How old are your nephews you've mentioned a few times? Depending on their age it would perhaps have made decent Halloween viewing for them as it's not that really that scary as I noted.

*sigh* Do you ever stop?! You never let a chance to take a pop at Lord of the Rings slip by do you!

Think that's me now up to 96 reviews. Should perhaps hit the 100 mark before the month is out hopefully. Not sure whether to go with a special review or not for it, one of my big favourites perhaps

You have to do a special for #100...

... RoboCop...

Charlie's Angels.

Well those are two interesting and disparate suggestions. I'll take them under advisement.

Plot – Richard Chance (Petersen) and his partner Jimmy Hart are Secret Service agents investigating counterfeiting in Los Angeles. When Hart is gunned down while investigating suspected counterfeiter Rick Masters (Dafoe) Chance becomes hell bent on revenge. When John Vukovich (Pankow) is assigned to him as his new partner, Chance explains to him he will do whatever it takes to bring Masters down. And Chance certainly does as his behaviour becomes more and more reckless. Posing as potential buyers of Masters' funny money, Chance and Vukovich are able to arrange a meeting with Masters but aren't granted the $30,000 needed to make the buy. At Chance's behest the duo plan to steal the funds from a smuggler looking to buy stolen diamonds but things go horribly wrong.

What a cracking action thriller this is. It's quite nasty and nihilistic perhaps, but undeniably captivating. I actually found myself being frequently reminded of the classic 80s TV series Miami Vice as the film progressed. Taking place in an exotic sun-drenched location it has that glossy Michael Mann sheen to its aesthetic, it has rather quick fire editing, montages of ne'er-do-wells exchanging cash and then of course it has that very 80s synth-rock/pop soundtrack provided by Wang Chung. Indeed there were particular moments such as the montage which made it look exactly like the Miami Vice opening credits. Indeed the whole thing has quite a strong Michael Mann vibe in general with its penchant for focusing lovingly on the cityscape that its characters inhabit, and its whole appearance of smog-filled skies and the occasionally neon-tinged colour palette that creates this world. As a result it also brought Mann's Collateral to mind.

The story is fairly common for a crime flick, not anything we haven't seen before. However the sharp script, complete with some snappy dialogue, keeps us off balance with a taut and intriguing journey that includes a series of twists and turns, particularly in the film's third act. And they're the best kind of twists; twists you didn't see coming but that completely satisfy in terms of logic. And then the whole thing culminates in an explosive and shocking conclusion which actually made me say aloud “oh s**t!” And while it may be standard cops and criminals stuff it becomes more and more obvious that this is a film about obsession. After the death of his partner and friend, Petersen's character just goes off the rails as he becomes more and more desperate to avenge him. It becomes a tale of revenge that highlights the occasionally thin line between the cops and the criminals. These are cops who follow the Dirty Harry route of the ends justifying the means policing, and find themselves heading down a path to oblivion. It also brings back to mind a quote I spouted recently for another film (though I forget which film it was). It's a great example of the Confucius saying “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

Action wise the film certainly delivers, with some very violent and intense moments that most certainly deliver visceral thrills and shocks. The film also features a car chase that is quite ridiculous in terms of how impressive it is. Beautifully staged and orchestrated it sees our 'heroes' on the run from numerous pursuers, avoiding one obstacle after another as bullets rain down on them, before finding themselves driving down the wrong side of the freeway having to veer all over the road to avoid the oncoming traffic. It's absolutely chaotic, but at the same time beautiful and balletic to behold. There are moments where the camera lifts into the sky to show the sheer scale of the scene as it seems like literally hundreds of cars are involved. The amount of choreography that the scene must have entailed just boggles the mind. I would definitely have to place this right up at the top of the movie pantheon in terms of greatest car chases caught on camera, up there alongside the likes of Bullitt, The French Connection, Bourne Identity etc.

When it comes to the performance of the cast there are no real faults that I can find, and indeed it had a lot of little treats and surprises for me on a personal level. As someone who has grown up associating William Petersen with the character of Gil Grissom on CSI; the rather mild-mannered geeky guy who spent most of his time in the lab with his bugs, it was quite a revelatory experience watching him here as an action-oriented, rule bending and on the edge bad ass! He moves about with an arrogant swagger and becomes more unhinged and vengeful as the film progresses. He breaks the law, he uses a mixture of sex and extortion to gain information from a parolee/informant and pretty much throws his entire code of ethics out the window. Petersen wasn't the only one subverting my expectations. In the role of Chance's partner is John Pankow, another person I grew up watching in much lighter fare, namely the 90s sitcom Mad About You. He gives a strong performance as the by-the-book cop who finds himself dragged down all sorts of dark metaphorical alleys by Chance. And by film's end he has taken on many of Chance's 'qualities' and seems well on his way to becoming a dirty cop supreme.


I can certainly see it not being to everyone's taste, even those who have a strong affinity for the crime thriller genre. The reason being it's quite a mean and extremely cynical film that is lacking any sympathetic characters for us to root for, or even remotely like. The supposed good guys start out as tough cops but descend down to the same level of the criminals they are chasing, on the run from both crooks and law enforcement. People get shot point blank in the face, everyone breaks the law and no-one is safe from being killed off. A tough film to truly love perhaps, no matter how good I thought it was.

Love this film and your review. So pleased you've found it and liked it. Of course, had I know you didn't know it I'd have recommended it ages ago. This is one of the films I considered for my list, but I've not watched it for a very long time, so dropped it. It used to be on my list, somewhere in the 70's or 80's I think.

Well that's review #97. Just started on what I think may be #98. And I've chosen what I'm going to do for #100, but I'm keeping it a secret.

Really pleased that you loved my review. The fact you loved the film as well doesn't really matter to me.

And any recommendations you've got throw them at me. Even if I have seen them it's no big deal. It may take me a while to get to them, maybe not even this decade but I'll check them out.

RoboCop

You shall get nothing out of me! You'll just have to wait.

No other fans of To Live and Die in LA? Is this another of those films were Honeykid is pretty much the only one?

I've got review #98 just about ready but perhaps I should withhold it until rep for the previous review hits a certain number!