The Drive In: Home Version

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Happy Birthday: Jay

Jason Mewes - best known as the drug dealing slacker Jay from the Kevin Smith movies, and a favorite character of mine...

Awesomely disrespectful quote: Godfather, Part II

"It wasn't a miscarriage. It was an abortion. An abortion, Michael. Just like our marriage is an abortion."

Monday, June 11, 2012

Awesome movie qutoes: Urban Legend (1998)

"Please, Damon is the biggest practical joker I know. He once convinced a sophomore that he was the middle Hanson brother just so he could get laid."

Josh Jackson - good roles in Cursed, Urban Legend, and Shutter

Gene Wilder - great comedic actor.. my favorites of his are Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Young Frankenstein

Hugh Laurie - aka the now retired Dr. House

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Review: Jade (1995)

People in the Movie: David Caruso, Chazz Palminteri, Linda Fiorentino

Director: William Friedkin

Pigeonhole: Erotic Thriller / Mystery / Suspense

The Basics: A San Francisco Assistant District Attorney named David Corelli (Caruso) catches a murder case involving a rich, politically connected businessman named Kyle Medford who was killed in his home. The investigation uncovers a blackmail scheme involving friends of Corelli, as well as the highest office holder in the state of California. The search for the truth leads to more secrets, a car chase through the streets of San Francisco, sex, and murder.

Recommendation: If you like the thriller-mystery type movie, and you are familiar with the noted actors, then you will like Jade, it is an entertaining film in my opinion. ‘R’ rating is for violence, sexuality, and language. There is also an unrated version with more sex and on-screen gore.

My Take: There is a lot of negativity out there about this film, which in my opinion is not so much about the final product, but more about “failed expectations”. This was a big budget film; the 3 lead actors were all marketable names; the supporting cast included Richard Crenna, Michael Biehn, Kevin Tighe, and Victor Wong (all successful seasoned actors); the director was a well-respected, award-winning vet; and the screenplay writer Joe Eszterhas had recent box office success in the same erotic thriller/ mystery genre, specifically with Basic Instinct and Sliver. So all the elements seemed to be in place for this to be a huge success, and yet, it fizzled. Many fingers were pointed at Caruso’s acting, which, to me, is absurd because he is essentially playing the exact same character he plays on CSI: Miami. There was nothing “off” about his performance. However, there are some items I will discuss which – along with these heightened expectations – could have led to the backlash.

**spoiler alert** The investigation leads Corelli and the police to discover that Medford was facilitating a high-end sex ring for rich people, but unbeknownst to his clients he was video-taping these liaisons (which were taking place at his beach house), and which he later intended to use as blackmail. One of the men Corelli sees in some of Medford’s blackmail photos is the Governor of California, Lew Edwards (Richard Crenna). This now makes the murder investigation politically charged, as the governor cannot be “mixed up in this”, and his aides work against the investigation. The case also takes a personal turn as a discovered video tape shows a former lover of Corelli’s, Trina Gavin (Fiorentino), having sex with a man - not her husband. Her husband, Matt Gavin (Palminteri), happens to be Corelli’s best friend, further complicating things.

As the story moves along, someone attempts to kill Corelli by cutting his brake line, and in San Francisco, you can imagine how dangerous that would be. Several witnesses are questioned, but then 2 of them are killed, and pretty gruesomely I might add. The investigation clues seem to point to one mysterious woman involved in the sex ring, who is known only as Jade. She seems likely to be the killer - mostly by default since she is the only person not known or dead, yet. When the reveal is made, and the movie is over, there was no big surprise. All in all, still an enjoyable ride that does have pretty good tension at moments and in my opinion is way above the negative wrap that is out there about it.

So what were the problems?

- Even if you were not trying “to figure it out”, the killer is revealed fairly early.

- Corelli did more “street level” investigating than an ADA would have. He was more like a detective/inspector, than an attorney… I have wondered about this, if he was supposed to originally be cop versus an ADA.

- It did not seem like Linda Fiorentino’s character was developed the way it should have been. She is a Clinical Psychologist (which was an interesting element), but she is also Jade. She was clearly not remorseful about having wild sex with many other men, and she even possibly knew Medford was making the recordings and continued with her encounters, but there was nothing as to “why” she was leading this double life, other than a brief mention of Matt cheating on her in the past. So there was not enough development of the title character, which did not make much sense.

- The theatrical cut truly seems like are “things” missing – like you walked into a movie 5 minutes late. The ‘unrated’ version plugs up several plot holes which were not otherwise explained in the theatrical version, and even in the extended version, there were still some items left hanging (e.g. who actually killed the witnesses, and who cut Corelli's brake line). I honestly felt like there could have been another hour of footage added that could brought everything in the movie full circle, as well as hiding the killer just a little better.

Final Thoughts/ Extras/ For Fun: Joe Eszterhas later noted that William Friedkin made so many changes to the story that he did not even want his name attached to the movie. That makes me wonder how the story may have played out differently if the director would have stuck to the “original story”…

Little Known Facts: Face/Off (1997)

Nicholas Cage originally turned his part down, stating he had no interest in playing a villian.
When told he would actually be the "hero" for most of the movie, he accepted.

Happy Birthday: 3 lovely ladies

Jeanne Tripplehorn - my favorite roles of hers are in Basic Instinct and The Firm

Elizabeth Hurley - good comedy roles in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Bedazzled

Gina Gershon - my favorite roles of hers are in Showgirls, Bound, and Face/Off

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Happy Birthday: McFly, Dillenger, and Evey

Michael J Fox - even though he was older than the character was, he was great in the Back To The Future movies, plus a good role in The Secret of My Success

Johnny Depp - is a rare talent that seems to turn every movie he is in, into gold... my favorites roles of his are in From Hell, Sleepy Hollow, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Public Enemies

Natalie Portman - quickly building a resume of great movies... my favorites of hers are Leon: The Professional, Beautiful Girls, Black Swan, and V for Vendetta

Quick Look: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)

This is the third installment of the Underworld series, and is a prequel to the original Underworld film. It centers on the origins of the vampire/lycan (werewolf) feud that we have already been witness to in the two prior films. The main characters are Lucian (Michael Sheen), Viktor (Bill Nighy), and Sonja (Rhona Mitra), and it takes place in the Dark Ages (it is not really more specific), mainly in and around Viktor's castle. It is directed by Patrick Tatopoulos.

**Spoiler Alert**
The movie opens with Lucian being born to a captured female werewolf. He is the first lycan that can switch from his human form to werewolf and back again. But rather than kill him, Viktor imagines using Lucian and all his future kind as slaves to the vampires - both as daytime protectors and laborers. The film cuts quickly ahead; Lucian is now an adult working as a blacksmith and is portrayed as the "Uncle Tom" of the lycans, almost gladly accepting his role as slave to the vampires. We learn that the vampires protect the local human population from werewolf attacks in exchange for protection money, and that Sonja, Viktor's daughter, appears to be the fiercest warrior among the vampire clan. Sonja and Lucian are also having a highly forbidden romantic relationship, which they have been keeping hidden from all others. Sonja becomes pregnant, and Viktor condemns her death because "there can be no mixing of the bloodlines". As a result of this and all the other prior abuse, Lucian escapes captivity, frees and leads the shape shifting slave lycans, as well as all the "werewolves of the wild" into a large battle against the vampire clan.
Having seen the prior two Underworld installments, this film's formula and plot were fairly predictable, but the on-screen product, as well as Nighy and Sheen's excellent performances, made this one very much worth seeing, in fact, I hold this one dead even with Underworld 2 as far as entertainment value. Mitra, very much resembling Kate Beckinsale's Selene from the 2 prior Underworld's also holds her own as a good supporting actor to Sheen and Nighy. The lack of guns and high tech weapons is made up for with better action sequences, great physical work from the actors, and attractive looking swordplay. The dreary medieval era is illustrated well with good sets, costumes, and filming. Portraying Lucian as the hero-figure also gives very nice contrast to his character in the original Underworld.

I definitely recommend for fans of the Underworld series, fans of vampire and werewolf movies, and for fans of dark ages/fantasy type movies. This movie also can easily stand by itself (meaning you would not have to see the two prior Underworlds to enjoy it). 'R' rating is for violence, and one scene of sexuality.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Happy Birthday: U.N. Jefferson

Bernie Casey - best roles in Revenge of the Nerds, and I 'm Gonna Git You, Sucka

Summer is upon us - who saw Prometheus this weekend?

leave some feedback, I want to hear about it...

Awesome movie quotes: Airplane! (1980)

"Stewardess... I speak jive."