I love a good buddy movie. I know, I know, they are potentially rife with racism, misogyny and homophobia but the good ones find a way to rise above such cliched tropes. The good ones have jazz-like banter that sticks in your head and give you characters that develop a bond of brotherhood with a love (spoke or unspoken) based on mutual respect and admiration. The first tier of classic buddy movies would include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 48 HRS., Lethal Weapon, and Midnight Run. My 2nd tier would include Stakeout, Shakedown, and The Last Boy Scout. And just below that 2nd tier, but definitely worth a mention and discovery would be 1991’s Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. From Di
It's officially the first day of summer, so this is the perfect time to catch up with some of the summer movie releases we haven't gotten around to reviewing, and that you might not have made it out to the theater to see yet. These won't be full reviews, but more my quick impressions (good and bad) of the last few movies I've watched. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) Directed by: Michael Dougherty Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, and Ken Watanabe Thoughts: This is a sequel/side-quel to two films I haven't seen - Godzilla from 2014 and Kong: Skull Island from 2017. Regardless, this movie stands on its own just fine, and keeps things fairly simple: giant monsters
Who doesn’t love a good musical? Seriously, because if you don’t, I would recommend seeking professional help. Yes, I love film in general but there is something about escaping the banality of real life for two hours into a world of boisterous song, spirited dance, and endless energy. From the classics like Singin' in the Rain to An American in Paris to Guys and Dolls to West Side Story (my personal all-time favorite) to more modern fare like Chicago, Once and Sing Street, I am at my happiest escaping into a cinematic world of limitless musical possibilities. And to this list I will add Breakin’2: Electric Boogaloo. Yes, that film. I remember watching it as a child and enjoying the dance, en
Title: Good Omens Genre: Fantasy/Comedy/Adaptation Stars: Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Adria Arjona, Jack Whitehall, Sam Taylor Buck, John Hamm, and Frances McDormand Adapted by: Neil Gaiman from the novel he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett Bias: I'm a huge Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett fan, and the novel was shockingly formative for me. Grade: A In a Nutshell: As prophesied in the Book of Revelations, it's time for the final battle between Heaven and Hell. There's only one problem - their respective representatives on Earth, the angel Aziraphale (Sheen) and the demon Crowley (Tennant) aren't quite ready for things to end. They're happy with their lives and (against their better judgment) t
A few weeks ago I wrote about A Shock to the System and the difficulty of making a successful Black Comedy. Another difficult but equally rewarding sub-genre of comedy would have to be the mockumentary. The ability to craft and hone a faux documentary in which one spoof’s an individual or genre requires both endless inspiration and attention to detail but most importantly the ability to show some level of restraint. The best mockumentaries are all about poking fun and finding humor but without being overly cruel. From This is Spinal Tap to Waiting for Guffman to Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon to What We Do in the Shadows, a good mockumentary has fun at the expense of a subject th
Title: The Dead Don't Die (opens in theaters June 14th) Genre: Horror-Comedy Stars: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Waits Director: Jim Jarmusch Bias: I've only seen on Jim Jarmusch film, have a limited interest in zombie movies, but horror-comedies are my preferred subgenre of horror films, and, y'know, it's Bill Murray. Grade: B In a Nutshell: In the town of Centerville, a zombie apocalypse seems to have broken out, and it's up to the local sheriff (Murray) and his two deputies (Driver, Sevigny) to try and do something about it. The Critique: The expression "What did I just watch?" can work a couple of different ways. It might refer to a film that's shocking
Having spent almost a decade in Los Angeles I can confirm that nothing and no one is ever what they seem. That is, LA is the perpetual land of dreamers - full of hard-working people who are doing one thing to get by while waiting on something else to pan out. As someone who moved westward with dreams of being a screenwriter, I saw all of this and more firsthand working as a full-time casino prop player. I worked alongside aspiring actors, writers, singers, musicians, chefs, models, real estate agents, and so on and so on. And while others found ways to keep their dreams alive, I eventually acquiesced to the old saying, “What you do instead of your real work….is your real work.” 2003’s Hollyw
