Gideon58's Reviews

BROOKLYN RULES
The 2006 drama Brooklyn Rules is rich with good intentions but suffers due to lackluster direction, some questionable casting, and a story that liberally borrows from too many other movies, primarily Goodfellas.

It is Brooklyn 1985 where we meet three childhood friends, Michael, Carmine, and Bobby who witness a wiseguy brutally assaulting someone in broad daylight, an event that frightens Michael and Bobby but fascinates Carmine. Later, while walking along a beach, the boys encounter a body in a car with a bullet hole in the skull and each decide to take a souvenir from the scene...Carmine takes the guy's cigarettes and lighter, Bobby takes a puppy he finds in the backseat and Michael takes a gun he found in the glove compartment.

The story then flashes forward to our trio as adults: Michael (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is in college and working part time in a butcher shop; Bobby is looking for a job and struggling to keep his marriage-minded girlfriend in check and Carmine has developed a friendship with the wiseguy (Alec Baldwin) who he saw beat the crap out of someone when he was a kid. We then watch Bobby and Michael try to warn Carmine about his involvement with the wiseguy, but Carmine just gets in deeper, getting his two childhood buddies caught in different kinds of crossfire.

Director Michael Corrente attempts to bring some semblance of originality to Terence Winters' practically plagiarized screenplay, borrowing elements from just about any mob movie you can think of, especially Goodfellas, including a cliche-ridden narration done by Freddie Prinze Jr. that almost sounds like it was written for a comedy, though there is nothing really funny here and attempts to inject levity into this depressing and violent story were an epic fail.

Freddie Prinze Jr., who I thought had fallen off the face of the earth, could have stayed wherever he was because his attempt at playing a reformed Brooklyn bad boy fails to convince, no matter how many times he says "dese" and "dose". Scott Caan looks great in a wife beater but is equally unimpressive as the wiseguy wannabe and Jerry Ferrera, who looks like he was just at the beginning of his magical weight loss, just seems to be phoning it in. Alec Baldwin goes the Robert De Niro route as the head wise guy but I just never bought him as this mob kingpin. Mena Suvari is wasted as a potential love interest for Prinze Jr. as well. I'm trying to think of something that really worked here, but I'm drawing a blank. If you're a fan of Baldwin, it might be worth a look, but I don't think so. Even the title displays a lack of imagination.

I havent seen this and Baldwin immediately grabbed my attention because I like him a lot. Then saw your 'urgh' in the rating thread. Think I'll give it a wide berth. I trust your judgment.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY
From the "Put your brain in check and enjoy" school of film making comes a raunchy and hysterically funny film called Office Christmas Party that had me laughing until I was crying and I'm pretty sure will be a new addition to my list of guilty pleasures.

The 2016 comedy takes place at a fictional New York technology firm called Zenotek, where we meet Josh Parker (Jason Bateman), whose BFF Clay Vanstone (TJ Miller) is president of this branch of the company, which was left to him by his late father. Clay's sister, Carol (Jennifer Aniston) is the company's CEO and runs the rest of the corporation and has decided the only way out of the company's financial troubles is to cut Christmas bonuses and fire 40% of the staff. Clay and Josh, with the assistant of Josh's assistant, Tracey (Olivia Munn) think they can save the company by landing an important client (Courtney B. Vance) and think the way to do it is by inviting the man to the office Christmas party to end ALL office Christmas parties.

Must confess that I was expecting to hate this movie, but this movie was spectacularly funny, thanks to a surprisingly deft screenplay by Justin Malen and Laura Solon that turns political correctness on its ear and delivers equal parts raunchy, sexy, and adult humor that may offend some but will have others, like myself, doubled over with laughter for the entire running time. An office setting provides an opportunity to introduce the kind of characters we expect, including Josh and Stacy, who have been hiding feelings for each other that bubble to the surface now that Josh is divorced and brassy variations on characters we expect like the uptight HR director, the nerd who hires a prostitute to pretend to be his girlfriend. the divorced secretary in relationship hell and the guy who likes to be treated like a baby in diapers when he's having sex.

Directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck clearly were raised on films like Animal House and Caddyshack, providing a breezy directorial hand where it is required and trusting the talent they've hired to deliver the raunchy and outrageous without ever abandoning realism.

Jason Bateman is a perfect straight man for all the insanity around him and TJ Miller does a star making turn as the crazy man/child Clay. Jennifer Aniston delivers another sexy villain that rivals her work in Horrible Bosses. Courtney B. Vance is a lot of fun as the important client who really lets his hair down after being accidentally dosed with cocaine and Emmy winner Kate McKinnon steals every scene she's in as the tightly wound HR director who also lightens up. There is also standout work from Rob Corddry as the office bad boy, Jillian Bell as a female pimp, Vanessa Bayer as the secretary with relationship issues and Randall Park as the guy with the baby fetish. Nothing groundbreaking or important here, just consistent laughs from opening to closing credits.

I think I'd like to see that^^one.

If you can believe it, I haven't seen Silkwood or Apollo 13.

I've seen Silkwood a million times. Great movie.

__________________
I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

You'd freak if I listed all the classic movies I've never seen.

You need to watch more classic movies

Are you sending in a list to SilentVamp for the Top 100 1940s Movie Countdown? If you not, you should! There's lots of 1940s films I could recommend to you, that I'm sure you would like. And there is still 2 months left until the deadline to send in your voting list.

I would except that I have a really hard time finding older movies online.

They are easier for the most part.

Not for me

THE BODYGUARD
It's the cinematic equivalent of cotton candy, but 1992's The Bodyguard left this reviewer's sweet tooth satisfied thanks to some stylish direction and a chemistry between the stars that was off the charts.

Fresh off his triumph with Dancers with Wolves, Kevin Costner vacated the director's chair to star as a former Secret Service agent named Frank Farmer (terrible character name) who, for the bargain price of $3000 a week, agrees to be the bodyguard for a Hollywood superstar named Rachel Marron (the late Whitney Houston) who is in more danger than she realizes.

Credit must go to director Mick Jackson, whose only other directorial effort I was familiar with was the Steve Martin comedy LA Story, who manages to make a screenplay rife with predictability and red herrings at every turn, seem fresh and compelling by utilizing his camera to make a not-so-interesting-on-the surface story worth investing in, not to mention being keenly aware of the other gold that materializes here and not getting in the way of it.

The other gold of which I speak is the kinetic sexual/romantic chemistry between the stars. I have not seen such smoking hot chemistry between romantic leads since Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. From the moment Frank and Rachel meet (one of my favorite moments in the film, BTW, beautifully underplayed), we know exactly where the story is going and we are more than willing to strap ourselves in for the journey, even though we know it's going to take a minute, but every minute we had to wait was charged with a sexual tension unlike anything I've seen in quite awhile.

I especially loved the crafting of the Frank Farmer character, which surprisingly, had very little to do with what the screenplay provides...a lot of it comes out in Jackson's presentation of the character...through the director's eye, we are able to see a man who is completely about the job, knows exactly what he's doing, and best of all, has been unable to get past something in his career that went wrong. I love the scene where he and Rachel are dancing and someone drops a glass, and Frank's work reflexes completely overcome the personal feelings he is developing for his client.

Costner is quietly sexy as Frank and Houston proves to be a viable leading lady, a lot of which must be credited again to director Mick Jackson. Bill Cobbs, Mike Starr, and Ralph Waite provide solid support in key supporting roles, but it's really the Kevin/Whitney show and they totally own this movie. The director clearly wanted to showcase his leading lady's acting abilities, but did allow her to show off those amazing pipes. Houston had the biggest hit single of her career when she stole Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" and made it her own, though I personally preferred the haunting "I Have Nothing". It ain't Merchant/Ivory, but it's richly entertaining. Miss you Whitney, RIP.

I really enjoyed the Bodyguard.

LIFE (2017)
The writers of Zombieland and Deadpool hit another bullseye with 2017's Life, an eye-popping, heart-pounding sci-fi thriller that left a few more things unexplained than I would have liked, but large chunks of this movie scared the bejesus out of me.

The film is about a team of scientists aboard an International Space Station who are researching the possibility of legitimate life form on Mars and manage to bring one such life form on board where it is cultivated and cared for and even named (Calvin), but the life form has the crew confused when it's growth process suddenly comes to a halt and when one of the crew has figured out a way to resume its growth process, he creates an outer space Frankenstein that threatens the lives of the crew as well as the entire planet earth.

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have constructed a story that is steeped in a little more realism than their above referenced work and I think that might be one of the problems with the story. These are writers who are very accustomed to telling stories at such a lightening pace and not allowing the viewer time to think that a story that requires a little thought and a little more than imagination might have been foreign territory for them because there is a lot left unexplained here. I was troubled by the revelation that this life form turned on its saviors and the lack of rhyme or reason in its mission was never clear, but the story just didn't give me time to figure any of that out, I just had to go with it, and experienced some serious "Boos" along the way.

Director Daniel Espinoza reveals a gift for the short term "Boo" as opposed to the Alfred Hitchcock form of suspense building, which for this film was OK, because once this life form starts its destruction, this story isn't really about building suspense, it's about genuinely scaring the audience and on those terms, this one delivers.

Espinoza has employed a solid cast, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds who serve the story and a first rate production team, with film editing and visual effects a standout...the scene of this life form destroying a lab rat is something that's going to be burned in my memory for quite awhile. If you're not big on logic and into geniune scares that will make you jump out of your seat, have your fill here. If you're a fan of the Alien franchise, you will be in heaven here.

Enjoyed reading your review as always. And it's nice when you review something that I just seen and reviewed to, as I can compare notes, so to speak. I think the first half hour was pretty intense after that the film lost me.

Oh I didn't know you had reviewed this...I'm going to find it and read it right now.

Passengers (2016), have you seen that? It's a surprise hit, a lot of people who don't like sci fi are loving it.

Yeah, hearing nothing but good things about it...have added it to my watchlist.

MOANA
Disney struck gold with 2016's Moana a colorful and splashy animated musical that initially resembles earlier Disney work, but quickly establishes its own credentials as an independent work through its endless imagination and the creation of yet another independent-minded animated heroine who will steal your heart.

Based on a Polynesian legend, the title character (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) is the princess/heir apparent of a Polynesian village who learns that the only way she can save her island, whose food resources are dwindling and causing the slow death of her village, is to travel beyond the reef, something she has been told since she was a child she must never do (a Disney heroine doing something she was told not to do...shocking) and finds the key to helping her village rests with a shift-shaping demigod named Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) who she has heard tall tales about since she was a toddler but now finds her destiny tangled up with Maui's restoration of his own.

This dazzling animated gem initially appears to rehash earlier Disney films like Mulan, The Little Mermaid and Pocohontas, but the vividly imaginative screenplay by Jared Bush and Ron Clements stands on its own with its new approach to crafting a unique group of characters together to tell a story. The characters in this story are not all human and dramatic license is utilized beautifully here as the ocean itself becomes Moana's personal guide to her destiny, showing her what she needs to know as a toddler and assuring her that the ocean will always be her friend and ally. This is also the first time I have seen a character's backstory actually come to fruition on the character's back...the tattoos that cover Maui's body come to life at appropriate times not only to reveal parts of his past and help us to understand who he is, but are also his conscience and best friends, always reminding him of the right thing to do, even if he isn't always doing it.

The story is also aided by a rich musical score from current Broadway genius Lin-Manuel Miranda, the genius behind the Broadway smash Hamilton, who has provided some wonderful songs for this story including "Where You Are", "You're Welcome", "Know Who you Are", "Shiny", and the Oscar-nominated "How Far I'll Go."

Can't conclude without talking about the look of this film...the animation is lush and eye-popping, the palate of colors applied to each and every frame here is an absolute joy to behold and the detail in the animation is to be applauded as well...look at the moment where Moana is washed ashore and she wakes up covered in sand...it actually looks like sand! The film also features a perfect voice cast and Oscar-worthy film editing, providing the final decorative touches to one of the most captivating animated adventures I have seen in a long time. Disney does it again.

AIRHEADS
If you're looking for some silly and pointless fun at the movies, the 1994 comedy Airheads should fill the bill. Despite an occasional plot hole or slow spot, the movie delivers consistent laughs thanks to a terrific cast , many at the beginning of their careers.

Brendon Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler play the members of a band called The Lone Rangers who actually take a radio station hostage in order to get their demo tape played on the air. Complications keep the demo from immediate airing and before you can say Dog Day Afternoon, what these guy are doing turns into a media circus.

Director Michael Lehmann and screenwriter Rich Wilkes have mounted a raunchy and over the top comedy aimed directly at that cherished 18-34 ticket-buying demographic. The three lead characters don't have a brain in their collective heads, but they are also completely likable and like a lot of movie characters, do a lot of wrong for the right reasons. If you really want to scrutinize these characters, they are lazy and looking for the most painless path to Easy Street but you can't help but like them.

Lehmann gets some terrific performances out of a cast who play this over the top story with totally straight faces. Brendan Fraser is effectively sincere as the band's front man and Steve Buscemi brings his explosive screen demeanor to another demented character. Adam Sandler reveals the genesis of the angry man/child character that would make him a lot of money later on in his career. Kudos as well to Joe Mantegna as a DJ, Michael McKean as the tight-assed program director, and the delicious Amy Locane as Fraser's girlfriend. Michael Richards also has a couple of funny moments as an employee of the station who our heroes don't know is in the building and is crawling through the air-ducts, a la John McLane. No classic, but there are worse ways to spend 90 minutes.

THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR
Fans of classic movie melodrama will be in heaven with a gem from 1947 called The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a film where everything works, particularly the non-romantic romance at the center of the story, some imaginative direction, and a lovely chemistry between the stars.

Set at the turn of the century, this is the story of Lucy Muir (the radiant Gene Tierney), a young widow with a daughter who decides to get away from her in-laws and moves into a seaside cottage with her daughter and her maid, despite the fact that her initial visit to the house revealed that it's being haunted by its former owner, a sea captain named Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison).

Mrs. Muir gets a visit from her in-laws who inform her that there is no money coming from her late husband's estate and that she won't be able to afford to stay at the seaside. In order to raise the money to stay, the Captain suggests that Mrs. Muir, a former writer who stopped writing when she got married, "ghost write" his biography, which, naturally becomes a bestseller but also brings Mrs. Muir in contact with Miles Fairley (George Sanders), a writer of children's books, who instantly falls in love with her, setting up a very unconventional love triangle.

Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who a couple of years later would rack up four Oscars for A Letter to Three Wives and All About Eve, proves to have a golden touch with melodrama, presenting a lilting story of star-crossed lovers who really aren't lovers at all. Mankiewicz and screenwriter Phillip Dunne, who adapted the story from a novel by R.A. Dick, also scored in the creation of this central character...we are in love with Mrs. Muir thirty seconds into the movie and through dialogue and direction, her backstory is revealed without her saying a word...it is clear five minutes into this movie that Mrs. Muir's marriage was not a fairy tale romance and that she can't stand her in-laws and I love the way the backstory is confirmed...she is told all of this by Captain Gregg five minutes after he meets her.

This is also another one of those movies centered around a non-romantic romance. It's not just the practical aspect in that Captain Gregg is actually dead, but the fact that both characters are in deep denial about their feelings for each other. The Captain bristles whenever another man comes within five feet of Mrs. Muir and she actually feels guilt when she enjoys the attention of another man. The relationship reminded me of Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I and the chemistry between the actors is just as strong.

Gene Tierney, an actress who the camera loved intensely, is enchanting as Mrs. Muir and Rex Harrison eases into the role of Captain Gregg quite smoothly and we want these two to be together so badly even though it never can be. George Sanders was even more smarmy than he was in All About Eve and little Natalie Wood is adorable as Mrs. Muir's daughter. The film is shot in beautiful black and white, with Oscar-nominated cinematography and also features a lush musical score by the iconic Bernard Hermann. Classic film buffs should eat this one up. Almost 35 years later, the movie was adapted into a television comedy with Hope Lange and Edward Mulhare in the title roles,
but that show was but a pale imitation of this amazing movie.