Quick Look: A Hanuted House (2013)

People in the Movie: Marlon Wayans, Essence Atkins

Director: Michael Tiddes

Pigeonhole: Spoof / Comedy

The Horror: A Haunted House was written by Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez, and is a spoof (primarily) of the found-footage horror film Paranormal Activity.  Being a horror spoof and because of Wayans’ involvement, the comparisons to Scary Movie were going to be inevitable, and unfortunately this film does not measure up to its predecessor.  

A Haunted House, like Paranormal Activity, is presented as “found footage” style with the audience seeing the bulk of the activity through the view of either a home video and/ or a mounted security-type camera.  Malcolm (Wayans) and Kisha (Atkins), a couple, have decided to move in together.  Strange things start to happen and while Kisha believes there is a ghost responsible, Malcolm initially rejects the idea.  However, as the ghost’s activity escalates, Kisha reveals she has previously made a deal with the Devil for a pair of shoes.  Soon it appears Kisha is possessed by the evil spirit, so Malcolm calls in Father Doug (Cedric the Entertainer) to perform an exorcism.  Everything appears to work out, with the ghost being exorcised, but then Kisha kills Malcolm in the last shot of the film.  Parodies of The Devil Inside and The Exorcist are also worked in, with nods to several other horror films, as well.   

It Dies: Woven through the basic plot and patchwork of the 5-6 minute “sequences” is plenty of toilet humor, racial jokes, sexual/ homosexual themes and one-liners.  Some of the moments worked, and came off as very entertaining, but where A Haunted House fails overall, in my opinion, is that it used the gags and comedy to drive the film, rather than letting the “serious” plot drive the film and then highlighting each new “scary” situation with a comedic moment or bit.  Instead, this movie comes off more like an episode of In Living Color, where anticipation for the punch-line is holding your attention more the action going on around it.  In that regard, the “spoof” is lost.    

Recommendation: You know what you are going to get with a film like this; it’s really just matter of “how funny”, overall, it is going to be.  As I noted earlier, A Haunted House has several good moments that I could say make it worth seeing.  The downside is that some of the not-so-funny bits are the ones that seem to go on the longest, or show back up in a later scene and remain unfunny.  ‘R’ rating is for language, sexual content and comical violence.

Review: Kuroneko (1968)

Kuroneko, also called ‘The Black Cat’ and ‘A Black Cat in a Bamboo Grove’, is a 1968 Japanese horror film that I recently watched. With many elements expressed – revenge, true love, honor, and the afterlife – Kuroneko is an interesting movie to check out. It is directed by Kaneto Shindo; it is not rated, but I would consider it like an ‘R’ for brief nudity, violence, and sexual situations. The language spoken is Japanese, and the presentation is in black and white.

**spoiler alert** Kuroneko is set in one of the feudal eras in Japan; we are not given an exact date, but reading further about the film, I learned it is supposed to be during the Heian Period which was from 794-1185 AD. A woman and her adult daughter are seen eating inside their run down hut near a bamboo grove. A group of barbaric looking soldiers come out of the forest, descend on the hut, rape and murder the women, then set the dwelling on fire. Later, in the ashes of this moment, we see the two women’s bodies being examined by a black cat.

Soon we see Shige (the daughter) out late in a town square where she meets a samurai on horseback. She asks him to see her home so she is not attacked by bandits. They proceed to her nice looking large house where she invites the samurai inside. Her mother appears from another room, and serves the man several drinks. The mother leaves the room and we see her initiate an eerie looking dance. Shige then begins to seduce the samurai, but just as quickly as the moment starts, we see Shige tear out his throat with her mouth. Several more samurai are lured by Shige, seduced, and killed in this manner.

Meanwhile we see young solider fighting in a battle; he kills the enemy leader. He decapitates the body and brings the head to the local governor named Raiko. The solider is made a samurai for his accomplishment. The new samurai, Gintoki, then heads to his home, only to find it burned down and his wife and mother missing. Raiko has also now been informed of the killings of the other samurai, so he dispatches Gintoki to investigate and destroy the monsters responsible.

Gintoki comes across Shige in the town square, and goes with her back to the house as the previous samurai had also done. However, Gintoki begins to comment to Shige and the mother that the two of them look exactly like his wife and mother, but three of them seem reluctant to acknowledge this fact. Rather than kill him, Shige instructs Gintoki to leave and come back the next night, which he does. At this point they both embrace the fact that they are husband and wife, now reunited. Each morning Gintoki leaves, and comes back at night to be with Shige. After 7 nights, Gintoki returns to the house and Shige is gone. He does not understand, and questions his mother, who then proceeds to explain that she and Shige were murdered. They prayed to the gods of the underworld to allow them to take their revenge. The two were permitted to live on earth by drinking the blood of the samurai they killed, however, Shige forsook her vows (killing samurai, including Gintoki) to have one week of love with Gintoki again, and she is now in hell, forever. Gintoki is overcome with grief, but reports back to Raiko that he has destroyed one of the two ghosts responsible for the killings. Raiko sends Gintoki back to destroy the remaining spirit. Gintoki confronts his mother, and cuts off one of her arms, but she later returns to retrieve it from him. The last scene of the movie we see Gintoki failing about helplessly on the floor of his former home, the burned out cottage while snow falls and covers his now dead body.
Let me start by noting that while the film is considered in the ‘horror’ genre, I think of it more like a supernatural thriller. There are a few shocking elements, but compared to what is on TV and in film today, it is extremely mild.
The pace of the movie is somewhat slow and not overly tense, but the director does an excellent job of masking the “horror” of these murderous spirits by having cast beautiful women. Further, Shige and mother also move through the scenes like delicate Japanese royalty, and, as I mentioned earlier just prior to each of the killings the mother is seen dancing gracefully. This dichotomy is something I truly appreciate about Kuroneko. Also, using the samurai, a symbol of honor in the history of Japan, as the protagonist, the antagonists, and victims, was masterful as far as the story-telling went.
You will not be scared watching Kuroneko, the Japanese horror film, but you will be intrigued by these characters as their fates play out, almost like a Greek tragedy. The visuals throughout, while simplistic, are quite beautiful, which is not something you will often hear associated with a “horror” film.

Happy Thanksgiving

Maybe you like the parade, and the football games on Thanksgiving...

But if your day is not otherwise filled with these late November staples, look for an awesome movie to see.

Awesome Movie Quotes: Mallrats (1995)

"When Lord... when do I get to see the sailboat?!!"

Review: Flowers in the Attic (1987)

Principal cast: Louise Fletcher, Victoria Tennant, Kristy Swanson, Jeb Stuart Adams
Director: Jeffrey Bloom
Tags: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

The Basics: Based on the novel by V.C. Andrews, the film tells the story of four children (two teenagers and two pre-school aged kids) who are brought to their mother’s family estate after the tragic loss of their father. From day one the children receive nothing but hostility and hatred from their tyrannical, Bible beating grandmother who lock the four children into a single bedroom with access to a large attic. Locked away and hidden from the world, the children are captive to a grandmother who hates them for a sin they did not commit, and a mother who slowly disappears from their lives. The older of the children plot their escape; at first to find their lost mother, but the struggle for freedom becomes a fight for survival.

Recommendation: This is a dark family drama with elements of mystery, psychological thriller, and claustrophobic suspense; and fans of these styles should appreciate this film. Fans of V.C. Andrews’ novel will enjoy this movie as well.
 My Two Cents *Spoiler Alert* For the most part, this film stays true to the source novel, taking only a few, yet substantial liberties, with the story (which we’ll get to shortly.) It starts off by showing the quaint yet happy all American life of the Dollanganger family, and in the next heartbeat, the lives of the main characters are derailed when the father is killed in an auto accident, forcing the mother and her four children to seek refuge with the grandmother, which turns out to be the veritable gates of Hell for the siblings. So, the film wastes no time in thickening the plot, and as soon as the tension is introduced, it never lets up. As soon as the viewer begins to catch their breath, something else happens to tighten the atmosphere and keep the tension going. And, unlike many thrillers of today, there are no cheap, superlative jump scares or false alarms to give any semblance of reassurance. It isn't made clear as to how until later in the film, but from the moment the four kids enter their bedroom prison, the audience just knows their lives are in danger.
 The casting for this movie was as close to perfect as one is going to get. Louise Fletcher is downright frightening in her role as the hateful, Bible armed grandmother. Her physically overpowering and hostile stage presence fit the character so perfectly that one could believe she walked right out of the pages of the novel onto the screen. Victoria Tennant also does a very good job as Corrine, especially in the way she portrays the evolution of her character from token housewife and mother to a murderous, self-serving upper class socialite. Both Kristy Swanson and Jeb Stuart Adams do a wonderful job in showing how their respective characters grow from naïve and optimistic children into broken hearted young adults who have to fight for their own survival as well as their younger siblings. And, Ben Ganger and Lindsay Parker perfectly fit into the rolls of the young twins: the powerfully loud Carrie and the adorably sweet Cory. It’s impossible not to melt when little Cory, stricken with illness looks up and quietly utters, “Hello John” as his last words on Earth.
 As I said, there were some liberties taken from the novel in making this film; some of which are understandable, some not so much. Number one; in the novel, the children were locked away in the room and attic for over three years, while in the film, the time frame is closer to one year. I can imagine that this was done to accommodate the fact that the film would be shot over a period of months rather than years; and while older actors could pull off the growth from 14 to 17, it would be harder to pull off a growth from five to eight in that time frame. That could be a reason, but in the novel, Carrie and Cory barely grew in their seclusion because they had barely any exposure to sunlight and fresh air, and their diet was far from balanced. I could see this as not an easy decision to make, especially when considering the audiences that have not read the book.
 The second element that was changed for the film was the relationship between the older children. In the novel, Christopher and Cathy grow into physical, emotional; intellectual, and most importantly, sexual maturity during their time in the attic; but their captivity and the abuse they suffer has it’s effect on this growth. In a way, the Dollanganger children have become a sort of family unit with the older children becoming parents to the younger twins. This, coupled with their fight for survival causes a sexual link between the two which leads to a climactic act of incest. Their fight for survival and their surrogate parentage for the twins are present in the film, but the sexual aspect is left out. I can imagine this was done to keep the movie from being rated R, and while it doesn’t bother me per se, I still think this was an important plot element to show the coming of age of the two older kids and how it is twisted by the greed of their mother and the hatred of their grandmother.

 To me, there was only one liberty taken from the book that has no excuse, which is the plot line and ultimate fate of Corrine, the mother. The film stays true to a point. She starts out by keeping her children a secret until her dying father forgives her for marrying her Uncle and writes her back into his will, and as soon as he passes away, they get the money and can start a new life. Throughout the story, Corrine visits her children less and less. Fearing for her life, the two older children find a way to leave the room and explore the house, only to find that their mother is living in extreme comfort and happiness while they suffer in their prison. According to the grandfather’s will, if it is discovered that Corrine had children from her marriage to her uncle, even after the grandfather passed on, she would be disinherited all over again and would have nothing, which prompts Corrine to attempt to murder her children in an attempt to keep them a secret forever. In the film, the children confront their mother during her wedding to Bart Winslow, the family lawyer, and in a tussle with Cathy, Corrine in thrown from a balcony and hanged to death with her own wedding veil. In the novel, Corrine marries Bart Winslow halfway through the story and tells her children about her wedding and their honeymoon to Europe. Bart lives with the family in their giant house, and during one of their nighttime searches, Cathy sees him sleeping in a chair and lightly kisses him as he sleeps (which becomes important in the next book of the series.) When the children leave the house in the end, the mother is very much alive. The reason for this change is a little less clear, but I can guess that it was changed to give the movie a more climactic ending. It might have also been altered to end the movie with a sense of justice; that Corrine did not win the fight and does not get the money, or her life. I still think this was a mistake seeing as how Corrine is an important presence in the second novel, which was intended to be made into a movie as well. There is a definite social commentary made by this story about the evil of wealth and the lengths some will go to in order to acquire/keep hold of their gold. It shows how the desire for riches and comfort can corrupt the human soul, and it is the innocent that will pay the price for their greed. But this is a story about a family; about death and survival, good and evil; love and hate, with both God and the devil watching.

The Breakdown 

Cast Performance - Perfect. The cast shines in this film. There is not one performance that is less that great, and I almost never say that.
Violence - Mild. There is some hard slapping, including a strike against a young child.
Nudity - none. Plot elements that would have called for nudity were omitted.
Ambience/Music- Excellent. The bedroom and attic set were almost exactly as they were described in the book. The main theme of the movie is memorable and beautifully haunting.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0

Interesting Notes
-Louise Fletcher and Kristy Swanson were both given scripts for the second book of the series, “Petals on the Wind.” The movie never went into production. Swanson described the movie as “all sex.”
-Kristy Swanson was introduced to V.C. Andrews, and the author said that she was just how she pictured Cathy.
-V.C. Andrews makes a cameo appearance in this film (she’s a old lady washing the windows.) Sadly, the author passed away before the film was released.

Bob's Quick Look - The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)

Based on the first book of the bestselling series, this film centers on a teenage girl who is thrust into a world of dark mysticism when her mother disappears, and evil forces hunt for her and an ancient artifact her mother was hiding. As she searches for her lost mother, and learns about the angel blood in her veins and the power she possesses, she is torn between her closest friend and the young warrior who is sworn to protect her. *Spoiler alert* I’ve heard quite a few people describe this movie as Harry Potter meets Twilight. I can see that. As with both, the main story element centers on a “normal” person being thrust into a supernatural environment. Visually, it has a bit in common with the Harry Potter films; especially with the scenes inside “the Institute” and visual effects such as the dimensional portal. It also carries the love triangle aspect and the teenage target audience of the Twilight saga. Even though this film would not have to reach far to do so, it does possess a level of sophistication that these other two franchises lack. Even though there were times that felt like the writers wanted to take us from point a to point be a little too quickly, the movie had a good flowing motion with a decent balance of action scenes and story telling to keep the plot moving. And I will say that this is a beautiful movie to watch on the big screen. While the motion was fluid for the most part, it does get choppy at a couple of points. It also seemed at times that there were things going on that one might understand if they had read the novel. When I saw this movie, I had not, so I was left with questions such as, “Why could Simon not see Jace in the club, but could see him later on?” This is answered in the book but not the movie, as far I remember.
All in all, I would say this is a pretty good summer movie; visually striking with an interesting premise. This film could have used a rewrite or two of the script before being filmed with focus on the fact that not everyone in the theater has read the book.

Quick Look: Back to School (1986)

People in the Movie: Rodney Dangerfield, Keith Gordon, Sally Kellerman
Director: Alan Metter
Pigeonhole: Comedy

Basics: Thornton Melon (Dangerfield) is a millionaire businessman who owns the successful chain of clothing stores called "Tall and Fat".  His son, Jason (Gordon), is a freshman at Grand Lakes University, but is questioning his desire to continue at GLU after a mediocre first term.  Thornton decides to enroll - having never gotten a higher education himself - to motivate his son, and to party, but quickly learns that his challenges in the classroom are not like the challenges of being a successful entrepreneur.  Somehow, Thornton is able to balance his academic life and personal life by starting a romance with one of his professors, Dr. Diane Turner (Kellerman).

Recommendation: Back to School has some of the actors and elements of the best 80's comedies including: Dangerfield's irreverent "no respect" type humor; Robert Downey, Jr. in a supporting role; William Zabka as the bully/ antagonist to one of the main characters; Sam Kinison as a history professor and Burt Young as the sloppy, low-talking manservant.  While it is not the "best" movie for any one of the actors, it is a funny, well-paced movie, and you get exactly what you are expecting.

At the Dead Man's Party we Twist and Shout: **spoiler alert**
After divorcing his cheating, gold-digging wife at the beginning of the film, Thornton hops in his limo to visit his son at school.  Jason tells his dad he does not like it there; he did not make the diving team his first semester, his only friend is Derek (Downey), and he is not doing "that great" in class.  Thornton's answer to move in with Jason and Derek - by buying several rooms on Jason's floor and remodeling them into a giant party suite - and enrolling in classes.  Thornton falls for his literature professor, Dr. Turner, (on the first day of his class, no less) which has the typical ups and downs of a fling in a comedy.
While the plot unfolds in a very formulaic manner, there are enough laughs to keep it moving along.  Kinison is a professor of Contemporary American History who likes to unleash his crazy screaming on students.  Oingo Boingo headlines Thornton's dorm party "of the year" with a nice musical bit.  Zabka, known for his high school bullying in Karate Kid and Just One of the Guys, graduates to college, to bully Jason as the captain of the swim team.  At the end of the film Thornton shows off his ultimate trick dive called the "Triple Lindy" to win a swim meet, in a kind of Animal House/ Revenge of the Nerds 80's victory.

Extras:
- Dangerfield was actually a trick diver in his younger days
- The film was shot mostly at the University of Wisconsin- Madison

   

Awesome movie quotes: Ghost Busters (1984)

<sees giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in the distance>

"Now there's something you don't see everyday..."

Awesome movie quotes: In The Line Of Fire (1993)

"Do you have any idea what I've done for God and country? Some pretty FUCKING HORRIBLE things! I don't even remember who I was before they sunk their claws into me!"

Awesome movie quotes: When Harry Met Sally (1989)

<Meg Ryan just finishes her "fake orgasm" in the deli>

woman nearby:  "I'll have what she's having..."

Quick Look: Friends With Benefits (2011)

This is an entertaining little romp starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis; while the plot is absolutely predictable, the comedic moments, dialogue, and supporting cast make it worth seeing. It is directed by Will Gluck, and is rated 'R' for language and sexuality.

Friends: Jamie (Kunis) is a New York head-hunter, and recruits Dylan (Timberlake) away from his job in Los Angeles to come work for GQ Magazine. Not knowing anyone in New York, Dylan hangs out with Jamie, and they become fast friends seeing each other frequently, but this relationship inevitably turns sexual. Jamie and Dylan make a pact for their relationship not to turn romantic, attempting to do as the title suggests - be friends with "benefits" - but as the plot unravels we discover both characters have intimacy issues linked to their parents and remaining just friends with benefits is an impossibility.
Dylan cannot fully commit because his mother left his father (and family) after it was discovered his father had Alzheimer's disease, and she chose to abandon them. Jamie cannot commit (from what I gather) because her mother is a free-spirit and cannot stay committed to men in any relationships, highlighted by the fact that Jamie's mom remembers almost nothing about Jamie's father. But, this being a romantic comedy - all works out in the end and they get back together after resolution of the "conflict".

The Benefits: Timberlake and Kunis have good on-screen chemistry, and you could believe the two were actually friends.  This is definitely more of an adult 'R' rated comedy because of the dialogue being interlaced with a fair amount of profanities, and the subject matter being more about how 2 adults attempt to kept their friendship and their sex compartmentalized versus the building of their romance.  Of course, common sense dictates that in life and in film, there really is no true way for people to be friends and sexual partners without the romantic and/or emotional attachments, as well.
Jenna Elfman turned in an excellent supporting role as Dylan's sister.  She lives in L.A., is a single mom, and is taking care of Dylan's father.  Elfman was a serious character (compared to her typical comic roles), but still very happy and bright in light of her circumstances.  I would also say she was the proverbial glue holding Dylan's family together.  Woody Harrleson plays a flamboyant, gay co-worker of Dylan's at GQ, and offers perfect comic relief at multiple moments through the film.

Recommendation: I do not consider myself a big fan of the rom-com genre, but Friends With Benefits is worth seeing.  I hold this on the same level as I hold 'When Harry Met Sally', as far as entertainment value.

Bob's Quick Look: The Conjuring (2013)

James Wan (Saw, Insidious) directs this haunted house film which is based on a true case from the files of noted paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are famous for investigating the notorious “Amityville” house.

The Perron family have moved into a picturesque farm house in Rhode Island, and from day one their lives become a living nightmare. Their dog refuses to enter the house (it’s often noted that animals can sense the supernatural) and the next day, she is found dead. The mother wakes up every morning with bruises, and the daughters are all terrorized in different ways; being pulled across their bed, induced into sleepwalked, etc. The demonic attacks only get worse, and the Perrons enlist the help of Ed and Lorraine Warren to clear their house of the evil spirits.
There have been movies in the past, such as “The Fourth Kind,” that were supposedly based on true events, but were later debunked as either embellishments of otherwise non-noteworthy events, or just downright hoaxes. It came out in the mid 90’s that the Amityville case was a mortgage scam. But, in the case of this movie, no debunking has happened yet, and the Perrons and Lorraine Warren were deeply involved in this movie’s making (Ed Warren sadly passed away in 2006.) So, as far as I know, the events in the movie are true.

*Spoiler Alert*  The first thing I liked about this movie is that Wan creates a tense atmosphere once we are brought into the home, and never lets up on the tension. In a lot of ways, this is a better way to get the audience with a jump scare than to build the tension then snap, then let the tension die away. There is no sense of safety for the characters until the very end, which was an effective way to bring the viewer into the character’s fear for the hour and 50 minutes we’re together. There was one element missing that many screenwriters use to create tension in films like this; which is internal family tension, such as sibling rivalry or marital problems either in place before or caused by the haunting. I was quite happy about this as it never creates tension but does cause annoyance, kind of like the French fry scene in “The Possession.”
As far as the ghosts and haunting elements themselves, one has to remember that this film was based on true events, because there is nothing here that has never been seen before. James Wan has said in an interview that he did not embellish the events to raise the scare factor, but it is a horror film and not a documentary. As a horror fan, I would say that the balance between realism and fright factor is well maintained.
At the risk of sounding bitter, I will say that this movie is rated R for no real reason. There is very little (if any) blood, there is no nudity, only one very slight allusion to sexuality between a married couple, very little in the way of adult language, and nothing really that has not been seen in a PG-13 film. The only conclusion Wan could see is the MPAA were concerned about the fact that this was based on true events and the overall intensity of the film. I, on the other hand, am of the opinion that the MPAA are a bunch of power hungry Nazis who were trying to exercise their authority over movies in general, or extort money from the studio for a lower rating. I for one am happy that the studio accepted the R rating, but it concerns me that films like this might start being rated NC-17 for the aforementioned reasons.
Overall, this is a good example of what can be done in a haunted house movie. It gets my high recommendations.
Interesting stuff:
*The case from the Warrens’ career involving a possessed doll named “Annabelle” was shown briefly in the beginning of the movie. In the film, “Annabelle” is a porcelain doll with some facial damage. In real life, “Annabelle” is a rag doll.
*In the film, Bathsheba Sherman is a witch who, in the name of Satan, cursed those who inhabited her family’s land before hanging herself. In real life, Bathsheba Sherman was suspected of witchcraft and murder of an infant, but was found not guilty by the court of law. She also died of natural causes.

No we haven't gone dark...

My brother and I are both still alive and well, but in the dog days of summer it seems we have been unable to get much writing done.
Never fear, posts are on the way.

Awesome movie quotes: Friends With Benefits (2011)

"Welcome to New York! Go and fuck a dick!"

Awesome movie quotes: Caddyshack (1980)

"What are we waiting for these guys? .... Let's go, while we're young."

"Do you mind.. we're trying to tee off."

"I bet you slice it into the woods, 100 bucks."

"Gambling is illegal at Bushwood, and I never slice."
<slices ball into in the woods>
"Damn!"

"Ok, you can owe me."

"I owe you nothing!"

Awesome movie quotes: Gangs of New York (2002)

"You see this knife? I'm going to teach you to speak English with this fucking knife!"

Quick Look: Thank You For Smoking (2005)

Thank You for Smoking is an excellent satirical comedy, and is a perfect slap in the face to the politically correct agenda of the time.  It stars Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Suspect Zero), and is directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, Up in the Air) in his feature film debut.  'R' rating is for language, and sexuality.

**spoiler alert**
Nick Naylor (Eckhart) is handsome, intelligent, and the smooth-talking lead spokesperson for "Big Tobacco".  His job is to defend tobacco by publicly questioning research linking smoking to health impacts, and to advocate for personal choice to smoke.  The story is narrated by Nick, and focuses on his relationships with his friends, his 12 year old son that he is trying to be a role model for, and how he does his job.
Every week Nick has dinner with friends Polly Bailey (Maria Bello) and Bobby Jo Bliss (David Koechner).  Polly is a lobbyist for alcohol, while Bobby is lobbyist for firearms.  The three humorously refer to themselves as the "Merchants of Death" and discuss the ups and downs they experience in each of their respective industries.
Because cigarette sales are down, especially among young smokers, Nick believes some product placement in movies will help boost the numbers.  Nick is sent to Hollywood and he takes his son with him - teaching him about the "power of argument".  Nick meets with Jeff Megall (Rob Lowe), an agent, attempting to convince him to have actors start smoking on-screen.  Jeff seems onboard with Nick's ideas.  Nick is also tasked with bribing Lorne Lutch (Sam Elliott), the original 'Marlboro Man', who now has cancer, to discontinue his campaign against smoking.
All seems to be going well for Nick until a tabloid reporter named Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes) - that Nick was sleeping with - blows the lid off all of Nick's recent spin tactics.  Nick is fired, and it seems his hard work has been "undone".  While initially depressed at this turn of events, Nick goes before a Senate hearing and argues successfully against over-zealous Senator Finistirre (William Macy), who wants to place a skull and cross bones on packs of cigarettes, getting this absurd measure defeated.
Reinvigorated, Nicks open a private lobbying firm, while Nick's son wins a school debate using the argument tactics his dad him throughout the film.

The beauty of this film is the writing and the dialogue execution.  It is funny and sharp, with Eckhart still being able to come off as a very likable character, despite being a lobbyist for tobacco.  I have to give extremely high praise to both Eckhart and to Reitman for the casting and direction.  I highly recommend this film, I consider one of the best films of the 2000's.  I would warn anyone who does not like satirical-type comedies because the air of this film is thick with it.  (Get what I did there?)

Interesting Stuff:
- No one is seen smoking in the movie, which was intentional
- Sam Elliott's was based on the real-life Marlboro Man who did get cancer and advocated for anti-smoking legislation
- The screenplay is based on a book of the same name written by Christopher Buckley, whose father columnist William Buckley, died of emphysema.

Awesome movie quotes: Thank You For Smoking (2005)

"Bobby Jay works for S.A.F.E.T.Y., the Society for the Advancement of Firearms and Effective Training for Youth. After watching the footage of the Kent State shootings, Bobby Jay, then seventeen, signed up for the National Guard so that he, too, could shoot college students. But, the National Guard recruiter was out to lunch, so Bobby Jay ended up shooting Panamanians instead. Which is almost as fun as shooting college students, only they shoot back."

RIP: James Gandolfini

Best known for his role as Tony Soprano on HBO's The Sopranos, but also had several dozen good supporting roles in film, as well.
My 2 favorites are in 8MM adn True Romance.

(beyond a) Quick Look: Bully (2001)

People in the Movie: Brad Renfro (Apt Pupil), Nick Stahl (Terminator 3), Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner
Director: Larry Clark (Kids)
Pigeonhole: Drama/ True Crime/ Indie

Basics: *spoiler alert* Bully is based on the real-life murder of Bobby Kent (Stahl), who was killed by a group of friends as a result of his continued physical and psychological abuse against several of them.
Marty Puccio (Renfro) and Bobby, both 20 years old, have been "friends" for years.  Bobby comes off like sociopath - we see him beat up Marty at several points in the movie, unprovoked.  At another point Bobby breaks in on Marty and his girlfriend Lisa Connelly (Miner) having sex, knocks Marty unconscious and rapes her.  To complete the trifecta of abhorrent behavior, Marty rapes his own girlfriend Ali (Phillips).

Lisa soon discovers she is pregnant, and wants Marty to get away from Bobby so they can be together without the continued abuses Bobby delivers.  Marty, however, seems either unwilling or unable to just "walk away" from Bobby.  Lisa decides that the only way she and Marty will truly be free of Bobby is to kill him, and she feels genuinely justified in her actions because of Bobby's cruelties.  Lisa and Marty, with the assistance 4 others lure Bobby out one night and kill him in cold blood.  However, being young, somewhat naive and unable to conceal their involvement in the murder by keeping quiet about it, all of the conspirators are soon arrested and prosecuted for the crime.

My take: This film is almost difficult to watch at points because even though some elements were fictionalized, it is hard to stomach that this group of young adults have such little regard for themselves, as far as their behaviors go, and that Bobby Kent ends up dead, as a result.  However, Larry Clark's films all tend to highlight despondency and self-destruction, with Bully being no exception.
Those elements noted, Bully is a very good film with excellent performances being turned in by the 4 leads.  Stahl as Bobby came off perfectly in his role; violent with all his friends, the "perfect" young adult around his dad, and exhibiting OCD behaviors when alone at different moments.  While I would not consider Marty likable, I think we feel genuinely sorry for him, in that he cannot ever seem to stand up for himself.  He even begs his parents at one point to move away from this neighborhood, to "escape", but without elaborating about his plight, the discussion is dropped.  Ultimately, the interactions of the characters all lay the path for Bobby's eventual demise.
Sex and drugs seem to be the only fuel in the daily lives of Marty, Bobby, Lisa, and Ali, beyond the violence that Bobby is inflicting.  In an almost strange irony, they all seem to have semi-stable home lives, so they do not appear to be stuck in cycle of abuse; more that their lives are nihilistic and they are passing time for some unknown end.  That is, of course, until it is time to face the music for the murder/conspiracy charges.

Art imitating life, or life imitating art?
- Sadly, Brad Renfro died from a drug overdose in 2008, with documented drug use and arrests going back to 1998.
- Nick Stahl has supposedly been know to "disappear", and in 2012 had documented issues related to him going in and out of rehab.
- Bijou Phillips had noted drug and alcohol problems in her teen years.

Recommendation: I highly recommend seeing Bully, it is a very raw, hard-hitting drama.  That it is based on a real crime only adds to impact.  The soundtrack is excellent, I purchased the CD shortly after seeing the movie. 
The version I have is 'Not Rated', although there may be 'R' version out there on DVD.  Either way: there is continued use of profanities, drug and alcohol use, nudity, sexual situations, and violence, so I would highly caution anyone who is sensitive to those elements.

  

Awesome movie quotes: Heathers (1988)

"..let's face it, our way is 'the way'... we scare people into not being assholes..."

Review: Chernoybl Diaries (2012)

Chernobyl Diaries is a small budget horror/thriller written and produced by Oren Peli (of Paranormal Activity fame).  It is directed by Bradley Parker; 'R' rating is for language, gory images, and implied violence.

2 Sentence Version: A group of six people (4 Americans, and a recently married foreign couple) go on an "extreme tour" of the ghost town of Pripyat, Ukraine, now abandoned due to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, which sits just a few hundred meters from the town.  Pripyat, they discover, is hiding secrets beyond the crumbling buildings and lingering radiation.

*spoiler alert*
Chris and Natalie (a couple) with their friend Amanda are cavorting around Europe and decide to meet up with Chris' brother Paul, who is currently living in Kiev, Ukraine.  Paul meets a man named Uri, an ex-Soviet Special Forces operative who now runs a tourist business.  One of Uri's tours goes to Pripyat, to visit the site of the formerly thriving city before that fateful day in 1986.  While somewhat reluctant at first, the other three agree to go with Paul and Uri.  Michael and Zoe, a couple back-packing through Europe, also join in with this trek.
Upon arrival at the 'Exclusion Zone', the Ukrainian military standing guard at a gate inform Uri he cannot take the group in.  Uri drives away from the checkpoint, but heads into the woods nearby onto a dirt road and goes through an old, unmanned checkpoint towards Pripyat.  The group wander around outside for a bit with little fanfare, but then head into an old apartment building.  Uri points out a view the old power plant, and then wanders alone into another apartment where he discovers a small recently-extinguished fire.  Sensing trouble, he suggests they leave - when a large bear comes running through the building without seeing the tour group.  After having the "fun scare", they all pile into Uri's van which now won't start because the wiring has been chewed up by "something".  Everything goes downhill from here.
Night has fallen and Uri has been unable to reach the military guys on a walkie-talkie to come pick them up.  Chris and Uri ignorantly head outside to investigate a noise; Uri gets killed and Chris' leg gets mauled.  The 6 surmise to remain in the van for the night, deciding to walk it out during the day to avoid another attack, but before daybreak we see some wild dogs jump up on Uri's van.  Were these the animals that attacked Chris and Uri?  Of course not. 
Chris, unable to walk, stays in the van with Natalie while the other 4 venture back out to Pripyat.  They venture in and out of some buildings and realize they are being stalked by "something" - in addition to having to dodge the wild dogs.  Finding an old parking lot still full of cars, Michael gets the piece needs to repair Uri's van, so they head back narrowly avoiding the dogs, only to find it flipped over and Natalie and Chris missing.  Back to the buildings they go to find their two missing friends, and one by one the group gets killed by a horde of human-looking creatures.
Paul and Amanda (the only ones alive at this point), making their way through sub-tunnels, eventually end up in the old Chernobyl power plant and begin getting radiation poisoning.  The skin starts to blister on both of them, and Paul soon goes blind.  Finally making their way back outside after having avoided their pursuers, Paul is shot to death by the military guardsmen (all who are seen wearing radiation suits), while Amanda is taken to a "hospital".  She is questioned about what happened by two doctors, and she is told the creatures she saw are "escaped patients".  The film ends with Amanda being thrown into a dark room with the same creatures they had been evading throughout, because she "has seen too much". 
Glowing:
- The basic premise of visiting Pripyat and a brief teaser trailer drew me to this movie.  The setting, as well as the unknown elements of what could happen to nature with extended exposure to high radiation levels both lend themselves well to a horror movie plot.  I think that using Pripyat as a backdrop was single the best element of the film.  The movie is shot very well, as if we were seeing the events unfold as another member of the tour group - but without this being a guerrilla/handheld/ POV style, that seems to be dominating the lower budget horror landscape right now.  The apartments and surrounding grounds were eerie, beyond just being deserted; the shots we see make the area look very foreboding.  Towards the end, the scenes in and around the power plant were equally hair-raising, even ignoring the fact the characters were being stalked/followed by the creatures.  I especially liked that there was a scene inside the old control room.  I want to give very high marks to the cinematography to create such an excellent backdrop.
- None of the actors stood out as "excellent" to me, but none of them degenerated into a cliche caricature, either.  Every part was acted to what his/her role called for, and I appreciated that.  By choosing unknown actors, the audience is much better able to take in everything else going on, in this case.
-Most of the violent action was kept off screen.  The creatures were also not shown for any length of time, so we were left to let our minds imagine the horrors the were taking place off-screen. 

Radioactive: 
- In most horror films there always seems to be an opportunity for the main characters to make a good decision about escape and survival, which they typically fail at.  And it happened here; there are moments when the characters could have left the area, but didn't.
- I don't really understand the title using the word 'diaries'.  Had this been a "found footage" or POV style film, it would have made much more sense to be called Chernobyl Diaries.
- Ambiguity in film can be an excellent tool to let the audience make their own decisions about what "could be" as far as motivations, actions, character traits, off-screen details, etc..  However, this element is a double edged sword in that "not knowing" what is happening at any given point in a movie can detract from the experience.  I bring this up because as far as this film is concerned we did not really "see", nor did we learn anything useful about the humanoid creatures who were attacking the protagonists.  They were called "escaped patients" at the end, but that's really it.  Based on the action, they must primarily attack in the dark, and somehow may be immune to the effects of radiation.  We do not know if these are mutated humans, if they were victims of the 1986 disaster, if this is a Russian experiment, etc..  I think giving us even a skinny fragment of info could have gone a long way to make the events just slightly more palatable.
Instead we are left to guess, and my initial thought as the credits rolled was that we were intentionally left hanging because Peli had already planned a sequel.

Recommendation: A great concept and a well filmed environment - but lacking in character development or plot beyond being "someplace we shouldn't, and now we have to run for our lives".  I did not feel any real tension, probably because of the predictability, but I still enjoyed it enough to say "see it", and I have to give props for this being a small(er) budget film.
At the end I did feel like I was set up to watch another installment.

Extras:
- This was filmed in Hungary and Serbia, not actually at Pripyat.  Looking at photos of the abandoned town, you can see it is much larger and spread out than what was portrayed.  Pripyat does look very eerie, to this day.

Awesome movie quotes: Sixteen Candles (1984)

"I mean, I've had men who've loved me before, but not for six months in a row."

Happy Anniversary: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

On this day in 1986, one of the all time great high school comedies debuted on the big screen.
This is one of the few films that I can quotes daily, and no matter how many times I watch it, it is still funny every time.

Profound movie quotes: Donnie Darko (2001)

"Some people are just born with tragedy in their blood."

Awesome movie quotes: Back to School (1986)

"What's your favorite subject?"

"Poetry."

"Really... well maybe you can help me straighten out my Longfellow."

Awesome movie quotes: Sideways (2004)

"If they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot."

"No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!"

Funny Slide Show: Honest Movie Posters

These are pretty funny :

http://www.chacha.com/gallery/2778/what-if-movie-posters-were-honest

Happy Birthday: Mel Blanc

Maybe the best voice actor, ever, for cartoons.
Best of the best include : Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam

Quick Look: The Tall Man (2012)

I decided to watch the The Tall Man based purely on the movie poster, and the fact Jessica Biel was the lead.  I was left scratching my head about many of elements of the film, and beginning to end what the audience was to glean from this story.
It was written and directed by Pascal Laugier, and is rated 'R' for violence, and language, although I would consider it more like a 'PG-13' than an 'R'.

*spoiler alert* The story takes place in Cold Rock, Washington, a former mining town that now seems to be little more than a diner, a small police force, decrepit buildings and its impoverished residents.  We meet Julia (Biel), our protagonist, the town nurse; she is a widow and her husband was the town doctor.  Julia has a son named David, who stays with a nanny at their house outside of town while Julia works.  Julia tries to assist the local residents as best she can with limited resources, and some of the townsfolk's inescapable situations - like women refusing to leave their abusive, alcoholic men.  Julia also notices the children are the ones who seem to be suffering the most.
We also learn that several of the local children have gone missing and are presumed dead at the hands of a local legend called the "Tall Man".  So, after a long day, Julia falls asleep, but is awakened to a strange noise, and discovers David has been taken.
She pursues the kidnapper, that we assume is the Tall Man - and that is when the film takes a very strange turn.  After finally catching up to this person at an abandoned factory, a disheveled looking woman assaults Julia and claims to be David's birth mother, stating that David was, in fact, kidnapped by Julia.  After escaping their "crazy" captor, Julia and David go back to her house, where she takes him down the basement and he is not seen after this, until much later.
Meanwhile a teenage girl named Jenny (Jodelle Ferland) has been witness to much of what has been going on in the periphery (including some of this most recent incident with David) and asks Julia if the Tall Man could take her, too.
Julia is soon arrested (for what we assume was related to David's kidnapping) and shortly after that Jenny is taken by the Tall Man, who we learn is actually Julia's (thought to be dead) husband.  They are part of an organization that "rescues" children from bad situations like extreme poverty and abuse, then places them with well-to-do families.
What is left, is the aftermath.

What was good: The film was beautifully shot.  Cold Rock looked and felt like a dirty, rundown hole.  The characters were all acted very well, everyone just seemed to fit into his or her role.  Very good supporting roles were done by William B Davis, Stephen McHattie, and Ferland.
The director did a good job to use rich colors minimally, except at the end when we see Jenny and David with their new families.  Lots of gray tones, night shots, shadows, and cloudy day time shots were used perfectly.
I really liked the concept of the movie, and even the moral questions that are brought up - were they really helping these kids to escape to a better life.

What went wrong: The film starts off like a horror film (a dark figure that kidnaps kids), but ends like a families-in-crisis drama.  The concept and the story were both very workable, but the execution just came off horribly hodge-podge, almost like two different films crashed together.  This is especially highlighted by Julia's dialogue and tears seen after she has been arrested.  I am not sure if we are to think she is upset about being caught, or if she is questioning her decision to be taking children at all.

The final sequences shows us Jenny in her "new life", living an upper middle class lifestyle and her talent at art being encouraged by a new mother.  However, Jenny sees David with his new family while she is out walking one afternoon, and there seems to be an ambiguous moment they share while looking at each other.  Jenny questions where her life is now in a voice-over, and is everything really better than it was for not just her, but all the kids who have been moved.  She does accept that in her case she specifically asked to be taken away by the Tall Man.
I did not feel there was a good tie off as to Julia's fate, other than going to prison, or the fate of her husband. 

Recommendation: If you like the idea of feeling a little frustrated at a movie's ambiguity, then The Tall Man is one to see.  Biel was not spectacular in her role, but she was also not out of place.  The visuals and environment were enough to keep me watching, but I think the director/ producer's decision to make us question the bigger issue of whether removing kids from a cycle of poverty and abuse was "the right thing to do" did not unfold in an engaging manner.

 

Worst Movie Endings: The Fog (2005)

This movie is a remake/reboot which makes it an easy target for "worst" lists, but I am always willing to give any movie a try.  I must admit some of the effects were good, and the soundtrack was decent.  The ending however, well...

*spoiler alert*
Where this movie fails - beyond Maggie Grace's inability to change the expression on her face at any given moment - is the conclusion. 
So let's set it up: the ghosts of doomed voyage have wreaked their havoc/revenge, and the reveal has been made to the main characters that their ancestors were murdering thieves.  A big downer, yes, but let's top off the cake.  
Elizabeth (Grace), a descendant of one of the 4 previously mentioned conspirators is also the reincarnation of William Blake's (the leader of the leper colony) lover.  Elizabeth willingly kisses Blake and she transforms into a ghost too.  Then they leave everyone else standing there with their jaws open.

Um, ok.  One young woman is both the descendant of a murderer and the reincarnation of a victim of said murderer?  They probably could have tied this together by having a line or two of dialogue, or maybe some better background or a good flashback or two - but as it stands this event just unfolded.  Horribly.

Bob's Quick View: Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

After the heart of Starfleet is attacked by a lone terrorist, the Enterprise crew is sent to the edge of the Neutral Zone to take down their enemy who is hiding on the Klingon home world. Once there, a moral conundrum forces Kirk and company to disobey orders and risk galactic war by capturing the fugitive rather than killing him from a distance. This choice throws Kirk and company into a battle resolve and ethics that could cost the lives of billions across the stars.

I know I’ve only seen this once, but it’s going on my list of top science fiction films. J.J. Abrams has once again delivers a Trek film that easily rivals the best of the originals in quality and experience. Even though time has passed between the previous film and this one, it still feels as if we pick up right where the last one left off, which in this case is a good thing. We continue to see the friendship between Kirk and Spock grow, as well as Kirk growing and evolving closer to the character old school Trek fans have come to know over the years. The story (I’m doing my best to avoid spoilers) hooks the viewer in early and never lets go. There is plenty of awesome action to satisfy the summer movie viewers, but they serve to further the story and never feels forced or inserted into the movie simply to get the adrenaline going. The version I saw was in 2d (I feel 3d is getting old) and the special effects were amazing and well used; i.e. no “Phantom Menace effect” here. Part of the movie is set on the Klingon homeworld, yet Klingons as characters are only seen in one scene of the movie. I’m not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, they’re roll in the conflict of the movie isn’t a direct one, so not a lot of screen time is needed on their part. On the other hand, Klingons are highly popular in Trek fandom and giving them more of a physical presence might have been a little more satisfying, especially given the fact that certain members of Starfleet are about to start a war with their world. Maybe for the next film? Newcomers to Star Trek will enjoy this film without difficulty, but unlike the previous film, there are many calls and references to the franchise that only long time fans such as yours truly will pick up on.
All in all, I give this movie my highest recommendations; and it’s not just because I am a life long Trek fan.

Awesome movie quotes: Thank You for Smoking (2005)

"Now what we need is a smoking role model. A real winner."

"Indiana Jones meets Jerry Maguire..."

"Right, on two packs a day."

Happy Birthday: Mr. T

his birth name is Lawrence Tureaud... best know for his roles on the 80's TV show The A-Team, and in the movies DC Cab and Rocky 3, both comedies.

Awesome movie quotes: Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)

"Did Doogie Houser just steal my fucking car?"

Happy Birthday: Dennis Hopper and Bill Paxton

Dennis - with excellent movie roles over multiple decades - Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Speed - he remains one of my favorite actors.

Bill - has been in many movies and TV roles, but probably is best known now for his lead role on HBO's series Big Love. 

Review: Red Dawn (1984)

Red Dawn is an interesting 80's action movie that had a group of fast rising stars (at that time) as the leads including: Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, C Thomas Howell, Jennifer Grey, and Lea Thompson.  It was written and directed by John Milius, and is rated 'PG-13' for violence and language.

Basics: World War III starts, with Russia and some pro-communist Latin American troops invading the United States.  The prologue informed us that the United States is basically alone in this fight, as NATO has dissolved, and no other European nations will assist.  Several large cities including Washington DC were destroyed by nuclear strikes, however, neither side is using nuclear weapons anymore due to the fear of the fallout.

The story takes place in and around the fictional town of Calumet, Colorado, where students at the local high school witness the hostile forces parachuting down and begin killing civilians.  A group of "kids" led by brothers by Jed (Swayze) and Matt (Sheen) take off into the woods/mountains outside of Calumet during the invasion.  They are able to gather some supplies and weapons at a sporting good store owned by Robert's (Howell) father before leaving, ahead of the hostile forces.  After several weeks in the woods they venture back into town to discover that many of the local men have been placed in re-education camp at the town's drive-in movie theater and the enemy military controls everything.

The group picks up two new members Toni (Grey) and Erica (Thompson) while visiting an elderly couple, and then the "fun" begins.  The group, now calling themselves the "Wolverines" (their high school mascot) begin guerrilla-style attacks on the invaders with a lot of success for several months.  However, the Russian special forces arrive and several of the Wolverines are killed in some skirmishes.

The films ends with Jed and Matt wandering back into town in a "final showdown" fighting, while 2 of the other Wolverines escape to 'Free America', where the Americans are still in control.  The epilogue states that the Soviet forces were later repelled.

What you might like:
- This is a very pro-American, anti-Soviet, "us-against-them" themed piece, that really highlights what the Cold War in the Regan years was all about.  The idea that these high school aged kids from "Anytown, America" would stand up to the cold, arrogant, evil commies and fight is enough to make any red-blooded United States citizen smile.
- Howell truly transformed throughout the film.  His character Robert started out as the scared teen, but quickly turned into an "adult" as Matt and Jed taught him to hunt deer, in a particularly interesting scene as Robert consumes some blood of his first kill.  Robert slowly degenerates into a cold killer as the Wolverines' campaign progress - not that he enjoys it, but that he accepts it as part of their lives.  He is finally killed attempting to stand in the open, as if invincible, against a Russian helicopter attack. 
- There is plenty and gunfire and explosions to keep action fans satiated, and there is no sad attempt to force a romantic storyline in.  Plus, we are meant to think that "we won".  Yay.

What you might not like:
- Outside of Howell, the other leads were emotionally flat.  The lines from the script were being delivered, but there was just nothing there.  I would have understood if it came off like shell-shock or PTSD - which Howell did - but everyone else looked like they were in a high school play.  We saw very little interaction between them after the beginning, to build any kind of personalities or dynamics.
- The believability factor really gets pushed.  The idea that these teenagers are fighting against trained military and winning every battle - early on - is laughable.  Not only are they winning (killing all of the enemies and damaging or stealing their equipment), none of the Wolverines are getting hurt.  We never see the kids training to use some of the heavy duty weapons, for example, rocket propelled grenades and .50 caliber machine guns, yet all of them can fire these tools of war with precision. 
Again, with the tone being pro-American, the enemy soldiers are made to look like complete idiots.  The leaders bellow out grandiose orders, and the underlings run scattered about.  So the question begs, if they are such idiots how did they even succeed in the initial invasion?  
It also seemed like in the town, the citizenry just threw up their hands and said "we give up" and the only people fighting back are this group of kids.  There was also no explanation as to why certain citizens were sent to re-education camp after the invasion, while others were permitted to basically go about their business.    
- The flow of the movie, especially the "sense of time" as to how much (action) has happened, over how long of a period (days/weeks/months).  It's as if a bunch of action scenes and drama segments were spliced together, almost haphazardly.  It made me feel at points like I was watching something that was edited for TV, even though it wasn't.  We see this group of kids that have supposedly been fighting for months, yet other than slight costume changes and snow on the ground (at one point), we would not know the difference from the beginning or end of the movie.  From one scene to the next it is impossible to fill in the blanks as to what preceded the action that is happening now.  (This goes along with the believability factor.)
- Other than a verbalization near the end of the movie that Jed and Matt were "used up" from all the fighting, there was seemingly no acknowledgement what this war was doing to the characters.  Like my comments about the flat emotions, it seemed like the action was just going through the proverbial motions at times. 
- Getting back on the topic of the other townsfolk: wouldn't have anyone else joined in the fight with the Wolverines once it was seen they were winning against the clearly inferior invaders?  That made very little sense that no one was really rising up to actively assist these kids.   

Final Recommendation: The movie is comic book entertaining, and seeing the all the stars in their younger days is a treat.  Red Dawn offers little in the way strong characters and relies mostly a hodge podging of action scenes to drive the plot.  If you were a child/teen of this deacde, like me, then it could be easier to relate to this film, however, I do not consider one of the better films of the 80's.


Extras:
- There is reboot version of Red Dawn that came out in 2012, the invaders were North Korean
- Swayze and Howell starred together in The Outsiders
- Swayze and Grey starred together in Dirty Dancing

Profound movie quotes: Menace II Society (1993)

Opening voice-over: "Went into the store just to get a beer. Came out an accessory to murder and armed robbery. It's funny like that in the hood sometimes. You never knew what was gonna happen, or when. After that I knew it was gonna be a long summer."

Concluding voice-over: "After stomping on Ilena's cousin like that, I knew I was gonna have to deal with that fool someday. Damn.. I never thought he'd come back like this, blasting. Like I said, it was funny like that in the hood sometimes... I mean you never knew what was gonna happen or when. I've done too much to turn back, and I've done too much to go on. I guess in the end it all catches up with you. My grandpa asked me one time if I care whether I live or die. Yeah, I do. Now it's too late."

(more than a) Quick Look: Menace II Society (1993)

As the cover of the DVD notes 'This is the truth. This is what's real.'; Menace II Society is a gritty, urban drama that unfolds around an 18 year old street hustler named Caine (Tyrin Turner) over one summer.  The film was written and directed by Albert and Allen Hughes (aka The Hughes Brothers), in their debut to the big screen.

'R' rating is for continual use of profanities, violence, and sexual situations.

*spoiler alert*

The film opens with Caine and his friend O-Dog (Larenz Tate) going to a convenience store for beer.  O-Dog ends up shooting both of the owners for disrespecting him, and this is just the beginning.  Menace II Society takes place in south central Los Angeles; we learn Caine lives with his grandparents because his mother is dead from an OD and his drug slinging father was killed in a deal gone bad when Caine was 10 years old.

Caine deals crack in the neighborhood, and half of his friends are also street thugs just like him.  

The summer continues to unfold with Caine getting tangled in a series of "bad situations".  Caine and his cousin Harold are out driving after a party one night, and some gang members shoot and kill Harold over some "prior incident".  O-Dog soon learns the identity of these guys so he, Caine, and their friend A-Wax track the two shooters down, and kill them them in retaliation.  

After this, Caine and O-Dog try to steal a car which lands Caine in jail for short time, O-Dog being a minor avoids jail.  Now back out, Caine buys a stolen car for himself, then car jacks a guy, solely to steal his rims.  He meets a girl named Ilena that he gets pregnant, but does not want to take any responsibility for.  Ilena's cousin shows up to confront Caine about her being pregnant and Caine's response is to sucker punch then stomp him while he is on the ground.  Driving one afternoon soul searching about where his life is headed, Caine and his friend Sharif get pulled over by the LAPD, assaulted, and then left in a Latino gang's neighborhood.  The Latinos, however, assist the two by taking them to the hospital. 

Caine soon becomes involved in a sexual relationship with a mentor's former girlfriend named Ronnie (Jada Pinkett Smith). This father figure/mentor we learn is in jail (for life) for murder.  The film winds down with Caine deciding to leave with Ronnie - she was moving to Atlanta with her young son.  Ilena's cousin, as retaliation for the prior beat down, pulls a drive-by shooting on moving day, killing Sharif and Caine.  Credits roll.

My take:
Menace II Society is one of the great films of the 1990's for the writing, direction, acting, and production.  This film looks and feels rough and tense; it is very capable of making people feel uncomfortable about many of the social problems and criminal activities that were highlighted throughout.  It is hard to call Menace straight entertainment versus what is (likely) a fictionalized account of real life and/or real incidents occurring in the Watts/ Compton areas of Los Angeles for black young adults in the early 1990's.  I will note I have not read or seen any background on the characters of this movie as to whether or not they were based on real people.
Turner does a brilliant job as Caine; he is able to walk the tightrope of giving us a central character that we can never really love or hate, outright, in either direction.  I feel like there were shades of redemption possibly arriving by the end, only to see Caine cut down as a result of his prior actions.  In a voice-over at the conclusion there is recognition by Caine for the events that led him to this point, but "..now, it's too late."
Strong supporting actors in Samuel L Jackson, Charles Dutton, Smith, and Tate show us how Caine seems to pulled in multiple directions through the summer, and what what we believe ultimately leads to his undoing. 
Unlike other similar urban drama films in the early 90's, there appeared to very little hope at the end of this, outside of the characters who reportedly "leaving".  It seems we are meant to think life for these young adults will either end in a violent death or they will end up in prison.  I very much appreciated that beginning to end, there was nothing I felt that was sugar-coated, and that is very rare in film. 
The Hughes Brothers have given us a very "in your face" film in Menace II Society; while the overall outlook may be somewhat grim, I consider it outstanding and I highly recommend seeing it.

Extras:
- The word 'fuck' and its variants was used over 300 times, which was a record when this movie came out.
- Tupac Shakur was originally cast in the film as Sharif, however, he got into a fight with Allen Hughes which got him fired and landed him in jail for 15 days.

Awesome movie quotes: Return of the Jedi (1983)

"It's too late for me, son..."

Happy Birthday: George Lucas

Probably most famous for being the writer and director of the film THX 1138...
Or was it the creation of the Star Wars universe as we know it?

Either way, happy birthday

Happy Birthday: Jeffrey Donovan

Star of the recent TV show Burn Notice, but had a great part in Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows

Happy Birthday: Kevin Peter Hall

Best known for his costumed roles as 'The Predator', in Predator 1 and 2, as well as 'Harry' in the film Harry and the Hendersons (which also was lame short-lived TV show with Hall in the same role).

Bob's Quick Look: Stitches (2012)

In this horror/comedy from Ireland, a disgruntled party clown is killed as a result of a practical joke at the hands of a group of children he is trying to entertain. Six years later, he returns from the grave on the eve of the boy’s birthday party to exact his revenge of the children who caused his untimely death.
*Spoiler Alert* Think of the basic setup of the teen slasher flick, make the killer a supernatural clown, use your imagination, and you can get an idea of what your gonna get with this movie. It’s basically Beetlejuice meets Scream with a lot of blood and gore. Like most horror films of this type, the story is pretty simple, which is a good thing. With an 86 minute run time, an overly involved plot line would only slow down the movement of the film, especially in a movie going more for laughs and splatter. The cast performance is adequate, but even though this film was shooting for humor along with the horror, I did feel there was a certain lack of fear and terror in some of the actors that left me wanting, especially in a couple of characters I wanted to see get mauled horribly. I did like the humor aspect of the film, and it did succeed in making me laugh. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Stitches makes a sundae out of a victim’s brains. There is also no shortage of gore in this film, which will satisfy most, if not all the gore fans out there. The story is a very simple one, but it is rooted in an idea that some could argue could have been developed into a much more serious story. The main character does research into the history and mythos of clowns to explain something he saw when he was a child, and in doing so, introduces the viewer to a cult type secret society of clowns which explains Stitches’ ability and need to return from the grave. I’m a fan of what some might call “torture porn” but I can see where some would say this was an oversimplification of an idea that could have been taken to greater lengths. I was a little surprised to be able to catch this one in the theaters. I was expecting to have to wait till Blu-ray release to see it, but as luck would have it, a theater in my area ran a midnight release of the film. There is something to be said for bloody gore splatter on the big screen, and I definitely felt I got my money’s worth. I knew what to expect; a lot of blood and some dark humor that kept me laughing. It’s not a movie to make one think or challenge social issues or ideas. It’s a movie to watch over a pizza with some friends. Some say it could have been more, but what we have works well enough.

I would recommend this one to fans of gore based horror. Rated R for strong violence and gore, adult language, some sexual content and drug content involving teenagers.

Review: Soul Man (1986)

People in the Movie: C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, Red Dawn), Rae Dawn Chong (Commando), James Earl Jones (The Sandlot, Conan the Barbarian)
Director: Steve Miner
Pigeonhole: Comedy/ Satire

Only Skin Deep: Mark Watson (Howell) and his friend Gordon (Arye Gross) are both bound for Harvard Law School.  Mark, however, gets a last minute rude awakening when his father decides to "let" Mark pay for it himself.  Mark, rather than looking for a job or some other means to earn his way through (and also otherwise used to his white upper-middle-class lifestyle) decides instead to bilk a scholarship fund by pretending to be African-American.  He accomplishes this deception by taking a large amount of tanning pills.
So off to Harvard he goes, thinking everything will work out, since this is "the decade of Cosby", but he learns that even at a prestigious institution of higher learning, racism (in many forms) is still abound.  All is not lost as he does find love with another law student named Sarah (Chong), and Mark may even learn important life lessons along the way.

Recommendation: I highly recommend this film, as the message is still relevant today.  Some of the scenes are all time 80's comedy classics, and Howell pulled them off extremely well.
I will note that this presentation of a white man pretending to be a black man has drawn its share of criticism, and there are stereotyped images used - comedically.  I will elaborate on these further, but if satiric humor is over your head, then this movie could offend.
'PG-13' rating is for language and sexual references.

Black, White, and Grey Matter: **spoiler alert**
Mark navigates his way through the semester through a variety of "moments" that relate to people's perception of him as a black person, as opposed to just a student - contrary to his initial belief.  For example, Mark gets involved in a relationship with a girl named Whitney (who is also his landlord's daughter), who remarks, after having sex with him, about his penis size not being what she expected.  At dinner with Whitney's family one night each of her family members hilariously envision Mark in various roles including Prince (the musician), or a pimp, despite the fact he is conservatively dressed.
Conversely, it seems when Mark tries to act as he believes other black people do, he is usually wrong.  Mark shows up to a "black interest group" dressed like a Black Panther, but finds all the other members dressed in everyday clothes.  Mark quickly covers by asking "did anyone call for a cab" as he turns tail.  Mark also takes a law course with Professor Banks (Jones) thinking he might get some better treatment from a black professor.  Banks, however, informs the entire class there is no special treatment for anyone.
In another funny scene Mark is quickly selected to play basketball in a pick up game, despite his insistence that "he is not that good".  Another black player is there, who Mark then tries to emulate, but only ends up embarrassing himself trying to dribble between his legs (he hits himself in the junk) and dunking (he gets the ball wedged between the rim and the backboard).
The serious element of the film revolves around Mark getting to know Sarah, another law student.  Mark learns two facts that start to make him rethink this entire ruse; Sarah is a single mother working her way through school while trying to support her son George, and that Sarah would have received the scholarship had Mark not gotten it.  Mark and Sarah become closer, with Mark wondering what would happen if she finds out the "truth" about him being white.
Mark's house of cards finally collapses all in one afternoon as his parents (who don't know he is feigning his racial identity), Whitney, and Sarah all converge on his apartment at the same time.  He soon has come clean to everyone, including Professor Banks, in what comes off as a mock trial in a law classroom, with Gordon as his representation.  Almost all the students are heard muttering "no wonder" as the reveal is made Mark is, in fact, white.

The reason I like this movie is because it took a serious issue - racial divide - and satirized it.  It is also likely because I fell into the movie's target audience - white and middle class - the funny moments especially appealed to me.  I understand why some might be offended; Howell spends the majority of the movie in 'blackface', complete with a curly wig.  But the whole point of the movie was pointing out the fallacy of stereotypes, as well as the fact that perception of behaviors of whites and blacks towards themselves and each other are often skewed.  Soul Man broached these issues with comedy, and I really appreciated it.  No one I have ever conversed with about this film, white or black, said that he or she felt offended.  The common feeling about Soul Man is that it is a goofy 80's comedy that used the stereotypes to drive the humor almost like Saturday Night Live sketches.
      
Extras:
- C Thomas Howell dated and later married Rae Dawn Chong.  They divorced in 1989.

  

Happy Birthday: Dwayne Johnson & Brian Tochi

Dwayne aka "The Rock" is slowly building an impressive list of movie roles, including the recent hit GI Joe: Retaliation.  My favorite of his is still The Scorpion King.

Brian - best known for his role as Toshiro Takashi in the Revenge of the Nerds movies, but also played the goofy Japanese recruit in Police Academy 3 and beyond.

Happy Birthday: Julie Benz

One of my current favorite actors - TV vet with great roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dexter and more recently Defiance. She also had good movie roles in Saw V, Punisher: War Zone, and a great role in Boondock Saints II.

(more than a) Quick Look: Idenity (2003)

I had the opportunity to see Identity again recently, and I had forgotten what an entertaining mystery movie it is.  While I am just short of calling the cast "ensemble", nearly every actor is well established (or better) including: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Ray Liotta, Alfred Molina, John Hawkes, John McGinley, Clea DuVall, Jake Busey, Rebecca De Mornay, and Pruitt Taylor Vince.  The film is directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma).  'R' rating is for violence, and language.

Very Basics: Within 24 hours, convicted murderer Malcolm Rivers (Vince) will be executed for 6 murders that he previously confessed to committing.  His psychiatrist, Dr. Malick (Molina) has just recently come across some evidence that may allow a judge to stay the execution.
Meanwhile, 10 random people, end up stuck in a roadside motel, in the middle of the Nevada desert, during a heavy rain storm.  One by one, these people are found murdered, with the remaining persons becoming increasingly scared and hostile trying to discover who is the murderer among them.
All is not what it seems, and these 2 plots are linked in ways in which we could never imagine.

**spoiler alert**
I think what I found amazing about this film is that it is only 90 minutes, yet the story did not feel full of holes, and I did not feel that the characters were underdeveloped.  The tapestry woven by the writer and director is a true sight to behold.  In fact, most of the characters at the hotel seemed to have some secret that he/she was concealing but was brought to light.
Here is a brief rundown of said characters and their part in this twisted plot:
Alice York is struck by a limo while standing on a rainy 2 lane Nevada road while her husband George (McGinley) was changing a flat tire.  Alice's 9 year old son (and Geroge's step-son) Timmy is with them.  Ed Dakota (Cusack) is the limo driver, chauffeuring 80's actress Caroline Suzanne (De Mornay) on the road.  Ed, feeling responsible even though it was an accident, takes the 3 Yorks into the limo and they proceed to the motel, run by Larry Washington (Hawkes) searching for help.  The phones are down at the motel, so Ed goes back out to get medics, trying to drive to the nearest town, 30 miles away.  He crashes into a flooded ditch and runs into Paris Nevada (Peet), also stranded.  They are picked up by Lou Isiana and his new bride Ginny (DuVall) who just got married in Las Vegas, but appear to angry at each other.  The 4 head back to the hotel resigned to be stuck there through the storm.  Also now present at the hotel are police officer Rhodes (Liotta) who is transporting a felon named Maine (Busey).  So the with the characters all assembled at the motel, the murders begin.
So here is a little more about the some of the characters :
- Ed used to be a Los Angeles police officer, and seems to "take charge" of the group when the chaos begins to ensue.  I would consider him the "lead" of the film beyond anyone else.
- Paris is a now-ex-prostitute on her way to Florida.  Larry is the most vocal about his dislike of her due to her former profession.
- Larry is the manager of the motel.  Larry, we learn, was actually a down on his luck gambler who blew his life savings in Las Vegas, and came to the motel discovering the manger dead.  Larry then assumed the role of manager, thinking someone would eventually show up looking for the former manager, but no one ever did.  Finding the old manger's body in a storage freezer, the group suspects Larry of being the murderer.
- Rhodes turns out to not actually be a cop.  He and Maine were partners and killed the cop transporting them.
- We learn that Lou and Ginny got married because Ginny had claimed to be pregnant.  She wasn't.  This is one of the many problems between the two.
  
That's extreme:
So about an hour and five minutes into Identity, the audience is thrown for a total loop with a reveal about what is "reality" in the case of this story, and suddenly everything starts to make more sense.  We learn that everything happening at the motel is going on in Malcom's mind.  He is suffering from dissociative identity disorder, and each of the people we have seen are Malcom's multiple personalities.  Dr. Malick is trying to end all of the multiples, especially the homicidal one so that Malcom might avoid the death penalty.
We are thrown for one more twist at the very end, but I will not ruin that one here.

Recommendation: Start to finish this is an excellent neo-Hitchcockian-type thriller mystery, with excellent writing, direction, story weaving, and acting - highlighted by Cusack and Vince. 
My one criticism would be that because of the number of flashback sequences, the timeline seems a little disjointed at early points in the film.  I should also note that because of the overall "fast pace" of the movie it is easy to miss the little "hints" about what you later learn.  
I highly recommend seeing it.

Extras
- The plotline of the 10 strangers being murdered one by one is based on an Agatha Christe novel titled And Then There Were None.

Awesome movie quotes: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

"Are you suggesting that I am not who I say I am?"

Review: The Hunter (2011)

The Hunter is an Australian film starring Willem Dafoe, and based on a book of the same name written by Julia Leigh.  It is directed by Daniel Nettheim.  'R' rating is for language, and brief violence - I would consider more like a PG-13.
**spoiler alert**
Martin David (Dafoe), that we quickly discern is a gun-for-hire, is contracted by a biotech company called Red Leaf to goto Tasmania and collect DNA and organ samples from the supposedly extinct Tasmanian Tiger.  Red Leaf's contact states they have good information that there is at least one or more alive.  Upon completion, they also want Martin to destroy any other Tasmanian Tiger specimens so no one else can also get the valuable DNA.

Martin heads to Tasmania and is set up through a local contact named Mindy (Sam Neill) to room with a family in relative vicinity to the wilderness where the Tiger has been sighted.  The family consists of a single mother named Lucy (Frances O'Connor) and 2 children named Katie and Jamie.  The house is a mess and has no electricity due to a broken generator.  Lucy lays in bed all day, taking some sort of pills, depressed over the loss of her husband Jarrah, gone since the previous year and presumed dead.  Martin, though frustrated, deposits his belongings and packs gear for his first trek out into the wilderness.  An important note - no one locally knows Martin is there for the Tiger, he is using the cover that he is a naturalist studying Tasmanian Devils while he conducts his hunt.
Martin is soon driven out to the woods by Mindy and while conversing he learns several things: Jarrah was working for Red Leaf too; Mindy "helps" the Armstrong family and is supplying Lucy with the meds; also that the local population is wary of outsiders for multiple reasons.  So Martin (now by himself), using a map, hunts through various areas of the Tasmania wilderness for 12 days at a time, and then returns to the Armstrong house for a few days to re-stock his supplies in between each outing. 
On one of his return trips he fixes the generator and tells the kids to assist Lucy getting off the pills, which they agree to do.  By his next return trip she is seemingly sober and the household is returning to some sense of normalcy while we see Martin is slowly becoming somewhat attached to the three.  Lucy later reveals to Martin that Jarrah was hunting the Tiger for Red Leaf, but he decided instead to turn away from them to support the environment - which we are supposed to figure led to his demise.
Now the movie turns dark... Martin on his next trek out locates Jarrah's body (on an anonymous tip) and buries him.  He also eventually locates the den of the Tiger and evidence that it is alive and still living here, but does not see the creature.  Martin is soon attacked by another mercenary who was sent by Red Leaf, but Martin is able to kill him instead.  Martin discovers the bad guy had been at the Armstrong house, so now he wants to conclude this "mission".  He finally locates the Tasmanian Tiger, shots it and then cremates the body.  Martin returns to the Armstrong house to find it was attacked and set on fire by the aforementioned mercenary (before he made his way out to the wilderness to find Martin).  Lucy and Katie were killed, while Jamie escaped.
The movie ends with Martin calling Red Leaf and informing them that what they were looking for is gone forever, and that he will also be gone, too.  Martin then finds Jamie at a boarding school, presumably to adopt him. 

Thoughts and Recommendation:
The Hunter is more of an indie style drama than it is an action movie, even though my description of Martin cavorting about in the woods may conjure that image.  The pace is somewhat slow and deliberate using the Tasmanian landscape and Martin's calculated independent tracking to fill the minutes.  Martin's interactions with the Armstrongs, Mindy, and some of the locals is also very thoughtful and nuanced.  The only real "action" I would point to is when the other Red Leaf mercenary shows up and he and Martin have a confrontation eventually leading to Martin shooting him in what amounts to self-defense.   
This is a beautifully filmed movie, as it was actually shot in Tasmania.  The scenery alone honestly made me want to travel there.  It is also not often that a movie can prompt me to want to research elements, but after seeing this film, I immediately wanted to know more about the history of the Tasmanian Tiger and if there has been actual sightings.
Dafoe shines in his role; his transformation from the "loner" into a more "attached" human-being was subtle but great to watch.  Neill and O'Connor despite limited screen time were both excellent choices in their supporting roles.  (Sam Neill is a favorite actor of mine as it stands.)
When all is done the topics of conservation, hunting, animal extinction, human interaction, and generally the philosophy of where of each of us are in the natural world versus the technological "greedy" society we now live in - all come into light.  I highly recommend it.