Month: June 2016

Gambit (2012)

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It’s amazing how much easier it is to see the flaws in a remake when you watch it back to back with the original. I just HAD to go out and watch the “modern” version of the film, with Cameron Diaz and Colin Firth in the roles originated by Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine, respectively. That previous sentence should actually clue you in on the first flaw. Colin Firth is a good actor, but just not right for this role, at least the way it’s written. But whoever thought Cammy would be a viable substitute for Shirley should probably find a new way of making a living. Oh, I’ve seen her do some decent work, but again, not for what this role needs. But all the blame can’t be put on them. The Coens. Damn your spotty genius! They have a penchant for making those “quirky” films, and when they work, they work brilliantly (Barton Fink, Raising Arizona, Fargo). When they don’t….The Hudsucker Proxy.  (“You know…for kids!”) Continue reading →

Gambit (1966)

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Okay, I was all set to write a review of this that completely contradicted my view on horror remakes (see my Poltergeist review). I hadn’t heard of this film until someone recommended it to me, and as I was watching it, I kept thinking “this is great, but you know, this is one of those films that might benefit from a remake.” There’s nothing wrong with it—it’s funny, got great performances (especially from MacLaine), and was fairly well directed. It even reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of “Laverne and Shirley” in its execution. But it felt a little dated, and some of the storyline seemed a little unbelievable for a modern viewer. Besides, it wouldn’t be like remaking a film after 20 or 30 years; this film is pushing 50. Continue reading →

Get Hard (2015)

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This could be the easiest review I’ve ever written. Have you seen a Kevin Hart movie? Have you seen a Will Ferrell  movie? Then you’ve seen this one. Hart talks loud and fast; Ferrell mugs and acts stupid. Pretty much what you’d expect from these two, but with 50% more prison rape jokes. Seriously, there’s a disturbing amount of prison rape jokes.

IMDB: 6.2; me: 5.5 (the .5 is for Alison Brie in lingerie)

Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants (2013)

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This film is two years old, and I’m wondering why I haven’t heard of it before now. If you haven’t heard of it, or seen it, you’re going to want to correct that. Soon. It’s really a gem of a film, and if you have younger children, you’re especially going to want to share it with them. It’s unlike any animated film I’ve ever seen; the backgrounds are all “real”: real rocks, real trees, real roads, etc. But our characters are all animated. And although there’s not a word of dialogue (the insects all speak in buzzes, much like Charlie Brown’s teacher), the brilliant score by Hervé Lavandier more than makes up for it. Continue reading →

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (2014)

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Every once in a while, I come across one of those films that, whether I enjoyed it or not, I think “how am I going to write about this one?” This is one of those films. It’s a quirky film that is at times sweet, funny, but also heartbreakingly sad. And I know that if I recommend it, there are going to be at least a few people out there who will see it and hate it. One look at the reviews at IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes makes it clear that it’s a polarizing film. Most people seem to either love it or hate it. Continue reading →

Hooper (1978)

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Revisiting an old favorite. Where else are you going to get Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sally Field, Brian Keith, Robert Klein, James Best, AND Terry Bradshaw (with hair!) all on the same screen? It’s dated, in the sense that there’s a lot of drinking (and driving), fighting, non-PC language, and drinking, but the central theme, watching Reynolds as movie stuntman Sonny Hooper coming to grips with growing old in a constantly changing industry that always values youth over experience and loyalty still plays pretty damn well. And it’s a really “fun” movie, as well, and I feel like they don’t make many of those anymore. There’s no CGI here; this is old-school, land-on-the-airbag stuntwork, and it’s one of those roles that just seems tailor-made for Burt. IMDB gives it a 6.2, and they’re probably just about right on that. (But just between you and me, I REALLY want to give it an 8.) (running time 1:39)

Poltergeist (2015)

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If I could say three things to the “geniuses” who continue to remake classic horror films, they would be:

  1. Stop it.
  2. No, really. Stop it.
  3. “More” is not always “better.”

Regarding one and two, let’s just admit that it’s about the money. But there are lots of “not so classic” horror films out there that would probably benefit from a remake/reimagining. And there are lots of writers out there just waiting to get a crack at doing something a little more original. Perhaps Hollywood could take advantage of those. Number three is the result of just a warped, wrongheaded understanding of what makes the “classic” horror film classic. Poltergeist has some great examples of that. Continue reading →

The Expelled (2010)

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Based on what I had read about this one, I had semi-high expectations for it. I probably shouldn’t have. It does very little new in the slasher genre, none of the characters are very developed beyond a single trait (“he’s an alcoholic,” “he’s a coward,” etc.), and the ending was frustrating. The worst thing, though, by far, was the “slasher.” And although I NEVER want to reveal the ending to a film, in this case I’m going to make an exception. If you really don’t want to know, skip the entire following paragraph. Continue reading →

Maggie (2015)

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What would you sacrifice for your child? That’s a question that keeps cropping up in Maggie, the feature debut by director Henry Hobson. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Wade is the father of the title character, and has more to deal with than prom dates and puberty.  Maggie has been bitten by one of the infected, and is slowly going through “the turn.” The authorities want the infected to be able to spend as much time as possible with their families, but the threat of “quarantine” and what happens there is always looming. This is not your usual zombie pic. It’s not about killing zombies in lots of nasty and cool ways. It’s a film about watching a loved one suffer, and being able to do little to stop it. It’s an entire movie about that emotional aspect of the zombie genre that most films address with maybe one or two quick scenes. This could just as easily have been a drama about a father trying to deal with his daughter’s terminal cancer, for example. Continue reading →