Welcome back gang. I'm coming at ya with a new post of the week. Some good stuff going here, but sadly nothing I love. Nothing eternal that will stick with me. But I still enjoyed them all the same to varying degrees. Only three movies, but with wildly varying tones and genres. There's also a new release in the mix, so I'm actually kind of timely for once (a week late, fuck off). So I invite you all to read, and hopefully enjoy. Dig in.
A Fish Called Wanda (June 22nd, 2014)
Director: Charles Crichton
Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Palin, and Kevin Kline
This was pretty good. Gotta get that out the way. This was very enjoyable all around. But it wasn't without it's faults. For one, some of the humor hasn't aged well/there's some dry spots in the movie. I also didn't really buy the Jamie Lee Curtis character. She seemingly has no motivation except for looking out for herself. But that is thrown out the window later in the movie when she actually, kinda falls for Cleese. It's a random development that comes off as undercooked. The story in itself leaves a bit to be desired, as if no one knew how to make a crime story. So the humor outweighs the narrative in this. Which is fine, but a little distracting. The cast is all game. Cleese is at his Cleese-iest. Curtis is like a flightier version of her Trading Places role. Kline is funny, but a little too broad. He shouts alot, thinking that alone is funny. If the role wasn't as good, it would be much more grating. But luckily it's not. But to me, the MVP is Palin. The man slays me in this movie. His stuttering, would be assassin is just killer. His quest to kill the elderly witness is beyond funny and lifts the movie up. So the movie is a bit disjointed, but it is a good little 80s comedy with more staying power thanks to the cast involved.
Rating: 8/10
Jersey Boys (June 24th, 2014)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza, Erich Bergen, and Michael Lomenda
This is a bit of a disappointment, because the show that it is based on is phenomenal. I am not the biggest fan of staged plays, but this show holds a very special place in my heart. So I was excited to see it. And it's not bad. It's just that Clint may not have been the best man to handle the material. He's had a laid back, laconic style to his movies since Unforgiven. And that works with some movies, like Unforgiven or Mystic River. But sometimes it doesn't, like J Edgar or Invictus. Here it kinda doesn't, but the story and the music propels the movie past Clints easy going directing. Chronicling the 4 Seasons, the story itself is inherently interesting. So right off the bat, an easier sell than Invictus. It also helps that the cast is very game, with the MVP being Vincent Piazza. Taking time away from being one of the many cast members that are more interesting than Steve Buscemi on Boardwalk Empire, he steals the show as the reckless and selfish Tommy Devito. He is phenomenal and should hopefully have a long career. The only one who doesn't do so well is Christopher Walken, because he just plays Walken. Admittedly, he does have one really good scene. The music is great, so that part of a musical is sort of done before the camera rolls. By basically not filming it like Les Miserables, it's shot well enough to not be distracting. Mainly, the problem with the movie is it doesn't move the way it should. The play is like a Scorsese movie, constantly humming along with music playing and the story unfolding. It would have been great to see Marty do it, or even Jon Favreau who was attached before Clint. Either way, there are worse ways to spend money at the theater this week.
Jersey Boys (June 24th, 2014)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: John Lloyd Young, Vincent Piazza, Erich Bergen, and Michael Lomenda
This is a bit of a disappointment, because the show that it is based on is phenomenal. I am not the biggest fan of staged plays, but this show holds a very special place in my heart. So I was excited to see it. And it's not bad. It's just that Clint may not have been the best man to handle the material. He's had a laid back, laconic style to his movies since Unforgiven. And that works with some movies, like Unforgiven or Mystic River. But sometimes it doesn't, like J Edgar or Invictus. Here it kinda doesn't, but the story and the music propels the movie past Clints easy going directing. Chronicling the 4 Seasons, the story itself is inherently interesting. So right off the bat, an easier sell than Invictus. It also helps that the cast is very game, with the MVP being Vincent Piazza. Taking time away from being one of the many cast members that are more interesting than Steve Buscemi on Boardwalk Empire, he steals the show as the reckless and selfish Tommy Devito. He is phenomenal and should hopefully have a long career. The only one who doesn't do so well is Christopher Walken, because he just plays Walken. Admittedly, he does have one really good scene. The music is great, so that part of a musical is sort of done before the camera rolls. By basically not filming it like Les Miserables, it's shot well enough to not be distracting. Mainly, the problem with the movie is it doesn't move the way it should. The play is like a Scorsese movie, constantly humming along with music playing and the story unfolding. It would have been great to see Marty do it, or even Jon Favreau who was attached before Clint. Either way, there are worse ways to spend money at the theater this week.
Rating: 7.5/10
Tightrope (June 28th, 2014)
Director: Richard Tuggle
Starring: Clint Eastwood
We jump from a movie Clint directed, all the way back almost 30 years to a movie he starred in. This isn't the best movie he's done. For his 80s run, it was high up. Only things above it are Pale Rider and Sudden Impact (and for ironic tastes, Any Which Way You Can). The movie is surprisingly sleazy and sexual for a movie he's in. He's never shied away from it, with a few of his movies actually having rape in it. But this goes beyond that, to where it feels icky. But for the story, it makes sense. It deals with a serial killer going after sex workers. He rapes them and kills them. So, dirty enough already. But it also deals with Clint getting involved with these dirty, on the fringes sex workers. He's a lonely divorcee, and he just wants to get off. So he has fun, until the killer starts going after the women he's been with. Then, shit kinda gets real. Not really, because it sort of runs a little too long. But Clint gets his man and ends up with a new woman. All in all, a good days work. Now, I still like the movie. The only movie I've seen of his that I don't much care for is Firefox. But this might be right above it.
Rating: 7.5/10
- Tom Lorenzo
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