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Superbad (2007)
American Pi, It Isn't
If you're going into this movie looking for a better version of the "American Pie" trilogy, stop right here. "Superbad" is not going to give it to you. Seth Rogen is one of the most overrated people in Hollywood and he can't really write. Thanks to Judd Apatow (a somewhat mediocre director/producer) and The Apatow Company's newly-found clout combined with the studio's publicity department, "Superbad" somehow did really well at the box office (as did the equally mediocre "40 Year Old Virgin", and the somewhat better "Knocked Up", thanks to good acting).
Not coincidentally, the two main characters of Superbad are named Seth and Evan (after Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg.) Jonah Hill, playing Seth, couldn't act to save his life. For 2 hours, all he/his character does is rant and yell. Michael Cera, playing Evan, is a bit better, but not much. The men of the hour in "Superbad" are newbie Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogel aka McLovin, and SNL's Bill Hader as Cop #2 (Seth Rogen plays Cop #1 - and he wisely trimmed his usual Cabbage Patch Kid hair for the role). Plasse plays the quintessential geeky high school misfit (who, like Finch of the American Pie movies, has a wild side that is uncovered over the course of the movie.) The best scenes are the ones with Plasse and Hader, particularly the great liquor store sequence - the chick who plays the cashier and the Mexican employee are EXcellent. The rest of the movie is filled with Kevin Smith-style filth (only the storyline is nowhere near as good as any of what's in Kev's films.) Nearly all of the humor is very forced and exaggeraged - a beautiful case in point being the party sequence where the tone-deaf Cera sings to a room full of coke addicts, and when Hill gets (oooh!) "period blood" on his pants while dancing with the fiancée of the guy throwing the party. I just about puked when the party guest put his finger on Hill's pants to see what that "curious red stain" was. YUCK.
Now, let's address the issue of the chicks. Could they have gotten two UGLIER, less-appealing girls to play Becca and Jules?! The actress who plays Jules almost seems lesbionic (not that that's a bad thing at all, but it was definitely miscasting.)
The best aspect of the film is the relationship of Seth and Evan, and how they deal with the impending separation as they go to different colleges. There are some touching moments - especially the ending. But other than that, plus the scenes with Hader and Plasse...."Superbad" really doesn't cut it.
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
It's funny, but not 'all that'
It's funny and there are some good scenes, but the humor often feels pretty forced. There are quite a few things that could easily have been changed (or edited) and it would've made it a better movie. The whole scene with the first girl that Andy meets, who vomits shellfish while driving, should've been cut. Really disgusting stuff. The card-playing scene at the beginning is very hard to sit through. It's so painfully obvious that Andy is a virgin from the get-go, that it's almost unnecessary...but supposedly that's what helped Steve Carell sell the movie. The SmartTech boss with her inappropriate "f--k buddy" speech to Andy...igh. It's kinda cute that Trish, a woman who has definitely been "around" - and many, many times over - would fall for an inexperienced geek like Andy...I guess it could happen but it just isn't convincing. The ending is absolutely pathetic and a convenient wrap-up - presumably because Carell and Apatow couldn't decide on a good way for the movie to end...right down to that beaten-to-death wedding music. What's worse, Andy clearly hasn't grown up as the movie has progressed - he's the same guy he always was, a wimp...with one little thing changed. I'd have to give most of the props to Romany Malco, Paul Rudd, and Seth Rogen. They insist on sticking with him for the long haul...and while it might not be pleasant for them, they prove to be true friends! The best scenes in the film are the ones featuring Trish's daughter Marla...the actress who played her did superbly. Very realistic...unlike the movie as a whole, which is not very realistic.
Fawlty Towers: The Hotel Inspectors (1975)
What can I do for you three gentlemen?!
This was the very first "Fawlty Towers" episode I saw - and I think it is a good 'first episode' to see. Unlike some others that move at an insanely fast pace (or a few others much slower), this one is timed just right and seems to let the 'comic rays' shine brightly. A lot of attention is given over to the main character, Mr. Hutchinson (portrayed wizardly by Bernard Cribbins) and it does pay off nicely, although there are many other small bits that deserve mentioning. The scenes with James Cossins (whom Basil mistakes as a hotel inspector) are terrific...Cossins plays Mr. Walt one-hundred percent deadpan and it is downright hilarious. Andrew Sachs probably does some of his best work in this one, too...in the later episodes, Manuel's English gets a bit better, but in this one, he's hopelessly dense (check out the scene where Basil starts crying, and Manuel comes in, clueless, wondering what the hell is going on, staring back and forth at Basil and Walt.) And, in usual Fawlty Towers spirit, the main character DOES get what they deserve after putting the hotel through agony, and Basil escapes unscathed...almost.
Fawlty Towers: The Wedding Party (1975)
We've Been to a Wedding
The title of this episode is kind of a misnomer, as the wedding element is really tertiary. It's quite funny, though - and sex is indeed the focus. Basil immediately gets his back up when a young couple, The Wilsons, come in and ask for a room. It turns out they are old friends of Polly's, who are in town to attend a wedding. As usual, Basil makes an ass out of himself when the young man comes down to the front desk to ask for "some batteries" (which Basil mistakes for 'sexual stimulants'!) The best moment comes when Basil passes by and hears erotic noises - immediately after which, Polly emerges from their room. Meanwhile, an attractive older French lady, Mrs. Peignoir, is tempting Basil, much to the consternation of Sybil - and Manuel is celebrating his birthday as best he knows how, in typical wild 'Barcelona' style. This episode doesn't doesn't have much of a climax or spectacular finish, but it's got the usual quota of laughs throughout.
The Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
I loved it!
I don't see why everyone hates this movie - I thought it was really funny. The story is pretty good...in the same vein as the original series. The main problem is in the casting - Burt Reynolds was the WRONG guy to play Boss Hogg (c'mon, nobody can even come close to doing what Sorrell Booke did with the part, and Reynolds ain't even fat.) Seann Scott and Johnny Knoxville are great in their own ways - to compare them to Tom Wopat and John Schneider is impossible. I really found the character of Sheev, played by Kevin Heffernan, to be an interesting addition - although I think Kevin coulda played Boss Hogg far better than Reynolds. The ending sequence with the racing was weak and went on too long, but the beginning is great - the first car chase that leads to the brawl at the Boar's Nest is a hoot. Everyone who is a die-hard fan of the original series has to immediately recognize that a movie remake isn't supposed to replace what was done on TV - the characters are the same but it's not like we're looking at Bo and Luke Duke 25 years later...we're seeing them in a Hazzard County of 2005, not 1979.
Mumford (1999)
This is a GREAT film
I was appalled when I saw that this movie had a budget of 28 million, yet it only did 4.5 at the box office. A shame. Kasdan cast the movie (almost) perfectly and everything else was superb as well. Super-original storyline, about people starting over again; photographed beautifully, and dead-on direction. Loren Dean is not a well-known actor, but he should be...and he should get more work than he gets. His performance is flawless, although at times it seems that he lacks energy...but maybe that was the way Kasdan wrote the character. Jason Lee is at his usual best...just listening to that guy talk, I realize how perfect his diction is. He makes the most out of the funny dialogue. Alfre Woodard plays the town cafe owner, Lily -jeez, I wish *I* had a neighbor like her! A young Zooey Deschanel does great as the town's bad high school girl who Mumford sees "pro bono" (or as she says, "pro boner?") If there is any weakness to "Mumford," I'd have to say it comes from Hope Davis. Her early scenes with Loren Dean are good and convincing, but as the story progresses, it all just seems to slip. By the end, it's as if she's really forcing the dialogue badly. Martin Short, Dave Paymer, and the supporting cast are great (including Ted Danson playing a rich idiot and Jason Ritter playing the stepson who hates him). Dana Ivey, playing Hope Davis' mother, is so rotten you can almost smell her! At a slightly long running time of 1 hour and 46 minutes, the audience definitely gets the entire picture of life in Mumford. Seems like a great little town.
The Party (1968)
Birdie Num Num
Peter Sellers' Hrundi V. Bakshi has got to be the best characterization of an east Indian ever done in a movie. The guy is so naive and such a klutz - but very lovable and well-meaning. While this movie is a favorite, I have known some who really find it dead. Indeed, there is a fair amount of seeming emptiness - Blake Edwards did a lot of atmosphere shots and wanted it to play in 'real time', as if the viewers were actually at the party themselves. The performances are quite good - my personal favorite is Steve Franken as the lush waiter who causes the whole catastrophe at the dining room table (although I wonder why the head waiter didn't really strangle him after awhile!) Gavin MacLeod, later the gentle Murray Slaughter on "Mary Tyler Moore" and Capt. Stubing on "The Love Boat", plays the typical 'No sex? Then no work!' womanizing Hollywood producer. I wish they'd used the actress (Jean Carson) who played the nanny quite a bit more...her scratchy voice is just great. The great thing about "The Party" is that it really hasn't dated much...and there will always be people like Hrundi Bakshi attending such events in Hollywood...maybe not as clumsy, but definitely out of place amongst a group of big-wigs. I'm not sure if they filmed it in a Bel Air mansion or in a studio, but the decor still looks ahead of its time.
Fawlty Towers: Gourmet Night (1975)
They're in a Terrible Fix!
The episode with the famous 'Basil gives the car a "damn good thrashing" with a tree branch' scene, "Gourmet Night" offers some spectacular comedy. This is another of the Fawlty's efforts to raise the hotel's status and level of clientèle. Their idea is to have 'gourmet nights' where the chef will serve haute cuisine to a group of VIPs in the Torquay area. On the debut evening, they find out that Curt the chef, is gay and has been rejected by Manuel, then he gets plastered and can't cook the meal. The hotel staff is left to fend for themselves, with their usual 'cover-up' routines that backfire badly (check out the dining room scene where Manuel, Polly, and Sybil try to distract the guests with their own entertainment!)
This episode was one in particular that had perfect casting of the guest stars - Allan Cuthbertson as the brash Colonel Hall, who suffers from a constantly-twitching neck muscle, with Ann Way as his diminutive wife. Also great are Steve Plytas as the drunken chef Curt, and the very French Andre Maranne as the local restaurant owner and consultant to the Fawlty Towers kitchens.
"Gourmet Night" is probably the best for Cleese's physical comedy. The scene in the kitchen where he derisively hurls the duck at Curt is side-splittingly hilarious. But who can forget the scene with Basil attacking the car with the tree branch, and the sight of him running up the driveway carrying the evening's meal... Who's for trifle?!
Fawlty Towers: Communication Problems (1979)
Si que what, and C.K. Watt
"Communication Problems" is one of the only episodes to focus almost entirely on one of the hotel guests - Mrs. Richards, who is visiting the hotel from Brighton. Portrayed flawlessly by the late Joan Sanderson, I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find anyone more acerbic and tactless than this old battleaxe. But it's a familiar problem in hotels - guests like this come along often and all the staff can do is deal with them until they finally check out. Then, of course, there is the subplot of Basil secretly betting on the horses after a long absence (Sybil: "We don't want that avenue of pleasure opened up again, do we, Basil?!" Basil: "No YOU don't, dear.") which serves as the lead-in to the story's punch line. Thanks to Andrew Sachs, the Mrs. Richards head-banging scene stayed in (Basil: "Is this a piece of your brain?!") In a recent interview, he mentioned that John Cleese and Connie Booth didn't think it was any good and wanted to replace it. The entire scene is screamingly funny. Ballard Berkely (the Major Gowen) is at his most virtuosic as the dense and forgetful old codger. Many great lines, but the best have to come from the confrontation between Polly and Mrs. Richards regarding the toilet paper, and the one between her and Manuel ("Si que what?!")
Fawlty Towers: The Psychiatrist (1979)
Weekend Holiday in Torquay
"The Psychiatrist" is a brilliant, brilliant farce. Basil Fawlty is probably the world's greatest ass-kisser, and this story features his fawning over the two (or three??) Dr. Abbott's, who are down in Torquay for a holiday out of London. Meanwhile, a hippie man named Johnson is staying at the hotel, and sneaks his girlfriend into his room (sign of the times, eh?), making for a highly entertaining subplot as Basil tries to catch sight of her and throw them both out. But there's yet another subplot - the appearance of a beautiful lady named Raylene Miles from Australia who shows up, and Basil can't help but become infatuated with her (or so Sybil thinks.) Sybil's hair is at its beehive-best in this one, complete with Basil's reference to it: "the dormant organ you keep hidden in that rat's maze of yours!" The two 'hand on boob' scenes and Basil's breaking into guest rooms "just to check the walls"' are side-splittingly funny, as is the entire episode. Definitely one of the best-written ones in the series.
Fawlty Towers: Basil the Rat (1979)
Would You...Care for a Rat?
Fawlty Towers faces a shut-down when the public health department pays them a visit, finding such things as storage of cooked and raw meats being stored in the same tray, and dead pigeons in the water tanks! During the cleanup process, Basil finds a 'filigree' Siberian hamster in Manuel's room - which has been his pet for awhile. Worried that this will only contribute to the hotel's list of infractions, Polly finds a new home for him...much to Manuel's dissatisfaction (as he wears a black mourning arm band!) The "new home" is the shed out back, but the rodent loves the hotel so much that he finds his way back in!
This episode is one of the funniest - and is filled with the usual comedic failed attempts to discreetly rectify the problems. We all knew it was coming - the day Fawlty Towers gets threatened with shut-down. John Quarmby is superb as the anal Mr. Carnegie, the public health inspector. The look on his face when Basil opens up the tin of biscuits at the very end is absolutely priceless. A nod of approval should go to Brian Hall, who plays Terry the chef - he does quite well in the part.
The bit where Basil tries to capture the hamster by rummaging through the lady's purse - and gets clawed badly before it jumps out and scurries across the floor, is classic. The scene in the bar where the Major spots the hamster on a table in the bar is also a hoot (quick cut to Polly running in with a moth net!) Supposedly the cast got extra rehearsal time for this particular episode, and it definitely paid off. "Basil the Rat" is a beaut, and it ends the series pretty much as it began, as a fainted Basil gets dragged off by Manuel. Sybil, unfazed by this, gets the last words: "Oh, I'm afraid it's started to rain again...."
Fawlty Towers: The Builders (1975)
An Aesop's Fable!
Hire the cheapest contractor, and (usually) get even less than what you hoped for. Basil and Sybil decide to block off a couple doors and put in a couple new doors instead - the notoriously bad construction company in town, run by airhead Mr. O'Reilly, is hired by Basil because they work for cheap. All hell breaks loose when the Fawltys go away for the weekend, during which time O'Reilly's men do great damage to the hotel lobby. The incomparable (and always underweight!) David Kelly does splendidly as unscrupulous O'Reilly, who has about as much knowledge of construction as a garden gnome. This episode shows Sybil at her most caustic, "nest of vipers" self - Basil and O'Reilly don't stand a chance against her when she catches a glimpse of the remodel. John Cleese has stated that this episode is probably the weakest of the series - but there really is no weakness. The situation itself was perhaps not one that would evoke much comedy, but it has its great moments, such as the bit where Manuel gets attacked by Basil when he can't figure out how to get into the dining room because the door is missing...then, as usual, the Major comes in and puts the icing on the situation, wondering what's going on. BASIL: "Well, I was silly enough to leave the hotel for a few minutes."
Fawlty Towers: Waldorf Salad (1979)
Those Mickey Mouse Americans and their Mickey Mouse Money
"Waldorf Salad" is funny, like the rest of them, but it's just a bit too uptight on the whole. The character of Mr. Hamilton (played acidly by Bruce Boa) is just too much of a jackass and even though Basil, at long last, gets a wake-up call when dressed down in front of a room full of guests, Hamilton doesn't ever get what HE deserves. It's obvious from the beginning that Basil isn't going to beat The Hamiltons with the hotel's usual low standards - they want their screwdrivers made with FRESH orange juice, they want their steak done rare...and they want their Waldorf salad. The usual quota of humorous lines is there (Basil: "What is a Waldorf, anyway? A walnut that's gone off?!") The bit where Basil rifles through a box of potatoes and other vegetables in order to find the right ingredients is quite a hoot. In short, it seems like "Waldorf Salad" underscores what was patently obvious about the hotel from the beginning...that it's a house of problems!
Fawlty Towers: The Germans (1975)
A Prawn Goebbels, a Herman Goering, and Four Cold Meat Salads
Although it isn't my personal favorite, "The Germans" is arguably the most 'classic' of the 12 episodes. It's the one everyone seems to know or remember. Sybil is laid up with an ingrown toenail (Basil: "I wish it was an ingrown tongue"), but meanwhile she has to make sure the hotel doesn't fall apart, demanding even more things from Basil and calling him every few minutes to make sure things are getting done. There are many hysterical moments to be had, including the whole moose-hanging sequence, replete with The Major thinking that the stuffed concoction can talk. The German guests obviously don't know what to make of it all, but we see Basil at the upper bound of his own insanity. The best part comes at the end when the African doctor shows up at the hotel - I won't give it away for anyone who hasn't seen it.
Fawlty Towers: The Kipper and the Corpse (1979)
All About Sausages
Fawlty Towers was notorious for rotten customer service, and this episode is a dissertation on it. It complements "Waldorf Salad" and "Basil the Rat" (the final episode) quite well - this time, dead bodies with a subplot involving ill-prepared kippers (and sausages) are brought into the mix. A group of executives drop off Mr. Leeman at the hotel - he dies during the night, but the hotel staff think it's a result of food poisoning of that morning's breakfast. Painstaking efforts are made by Basil, Manuel, and Polly to hide the body - carting the corpse up and down stairs, eventually depositing it first in one of the closets in a guest room and then in the kitchen. As Andrew Sachs has mentioned, they cast the Leeman character with a small man (Derek Royle) so as to make all the hauling a bit easier. The supporting cast in this one are especially good (Geoffrey Palmer as the snobby sausage-loving Dr. Price, and Mavis Pugh as Mrs. Chase, owner of the sausage-loving shi-tzu dog). Gilly Flower, who plays Ms. Tibbs, got a fairly big part in this episode after many episodes with one and two-liners, and she did it very well.
This is the episode with the well-known 'Basil pokes Manuel in the eye' scene and a bit where Basil walks in on a guest preparing to have his way with an inflatable sex doll. By episode's end, it seems like just about everyone has 'had it' with the lousy hotel - even Manuel belts out a firm, "Meeester Fawlty, I no wan' to work here anymore! I on strike!" But in the end, Basil is the one who gets the respite and once again, leaves Sybil to solve the day's problems. Personally, I think this would've been a good episode to end the series. Although unintentionally, it rounds out the other episodes nicely and pretty much drives home the fact that Fawlty Towers is a hotel that's beyond help.
Fawlty Towers: A Touch of Class (1975)
Hello, and Goodbye, Lord Melbury
While it lacks the fast pace of most of the other episodes, "A Touch of Class" was certainly a classy way to get the series started. We're introduced to all the characters, not in great depth, but even a reference is made to the fallible construction worker Mr. O'Reilly, who would later make an appearance in all his fouled-up glory. Sybil is at her peak, nagging Basil to get fifty things done while she spends the day trying to catch up on the fifty things that he was supposed to do the day before. We get a good idea of Polly's role at the hotel (that of straight-man and organizer) and Manuel's probable intelligence deficiency. In retrospect, it's a bit saddening that Michael Gwynne, who played the conartist Lord Melbury so superbly, died less than a year after this was shot. Basil Fawlty would fawn over many such guests, but nothing beats the treatment he gives Melbury...and the payoff of Basil realizing that he was "had" is screamingly funny ("YOU BASTAAAARD!!")
Fawlty Towers: The Anniversary (1979)
Fancy Footwork
For the first time (except maybe in "Gourmet Night"), Basil really makes an effort to do something nice for someone - and it of course goes totally sour. "The Anniversary" takes the meaning of 'fancy footwork' to a whole new level. The storyline itself is definitely not the best or most entertaining of the series, but it's still fairly fun. Basil and Sybil have had a fight over Basil forgetting their 15th wedding anniversary - but Basil didn't really forget - he's throwing a surprise party. Meanwhile, Manuel and Terry the chef fight over who will cook the Spanish Paella for The Fawlty's anniversary dinner. The performances are good (namely Ken Campbell as Roger, the wise party guest who isn't fooled by Basil's lies as to why Sybil isn't at the party). Una Stubbs is also a very good addition to the cast, playing the ultra-sweet friend Alice (wife of Roger), with a high-register soprano vocal inflection. There are a few good short bits between Basil and Manuel, particularly the one where Basil sneaks away from the madness for a quick drink of booze, only to be interrupted once again by Manuel, who only exacerbates things once again.
Kicking & Screaming (2005)
Not the deepest, but one of the funniest
"Kicking and Screaming" is probably one of the funniest juvenile comedies ever done - it's more of a parody than anything else, and of course, it can't be taken too seriously. Its greatest strength is that it is very identifiable - the whole intra-family competitiveness theme is a tried and true one, especially when it comes to athletics. In this movie, it is bolstered by brilliant comedy with an extremely talented group of actors. Will Ferrell is always best when he does the wacky stuff. Here, he is Phil Weston, an idiot suburban father who tries way too hard, takes himself way too seriously, and makes a fool out of himself constantly as a result. The awkward predicaments he seems to inflict upon himself are the heart and soul of the movie - take the scene where it dawns on him that two lesbians are actually parenting one of the kids on the soccer team. He openly admits to them that he doesn't understand and then BOING!, he suddenly gets it. He has a countless number of great moments like that. Phil is a bundle of neuroses, not the nicest guy in the world, but he's very well-meaning. His gradual move from coffee-hater to coffee addict was a great subplot. Duvall has never been a comedian, but he definitely knows how to play the hard-ass jock dad. They were lucky to get him to do this "little" movie. The addition of cigar smoking Mike Ditka playing himself was also a lucky strike. He doesn't disappoint, referring to Italians with a redneck-decisive emphasis on the "I". Of course, the focus of the movie is the kids, and there are some big talents in the group. Steven Anthony Lawrence does well as the quirky Mark Avery, and Elliot Cho is hysterical as Byong-Sun, the smallest kid on the team and adopted son of the lesbians. The boys who play the Italians, brought over from Italy, obviously opened up new territory for the writers. They have a few good lines here and there -and they seem to accept that the kids on the team, and the neurotic adults, are just products of a nutty culture. After seeing Jesse Dylan bomb hard with "American Wedding", I almost promised myself I'd never watch any more of his films. I was pleasantly surprised, and after about ten viewings, am still laughing at "Kicking and Screaming."
American Pie 2 (2001)
Sequel supersedes original
The first "Pie" movie was good, and a sequel seemed inevitable. Evidently the writer of Pie 1 (Adam Herz) wasn't overly excited about doing another but it's fortunate that he did, because he surpassed what was done in Pie 1 on many levels. Herz and the supporting story editors gave the characters and giving their lives more dimension. We see them all again here one year later (although produced two years after Pie 1), having all gone through the pivotal first year of college. In some ways, we're seeing a re-vamp of the events of Pie 1...but now we go a few steps further. For instance, the character of Michelle Flaherty was seen ever so briefly in Pie 1 and Pie 2 and now we get to know her almost completely. Steve Stifler is his usual obnoxious self, and he's become even more-so in a year's time. Then of course, there's the principal character, Jim Levenstein - no longer a virgin but still quite innocent - and by the end of the movie, he's pretty much come full circle. The acting is pretty superb all around, and the director got the best out of the actors. Jason Biggs is not a big talent, but he has many small-but-bright moments throughout, and his adeptness at physical comedy is given a good display here. Seann William Scott's comedic range over the two flicks is huge, and it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the part of Stifler. The supporting actors (who all returned from Pie 1) are at their best as well, with splendid newcomers George Wyner playing the Senior Counselor at band camp, and Denise Faye & Lisa Arturo playing the house owners. The subplots in Pie 2 (Band Camp, the guys' summer job of painting houses owned by beautiful women, and so forth) bring hilarious results. Adam Herz has a unique ear for dialog and characterization - I hope we see more of his work in the future. Personally, I think Pie 2 would've been a good place to stop. Pie 3 was a bomb and Pie 4 bears only a tiny resemblance to Pies 1, 2, and 3. The greatest aspect of Pie 1 and 2, but especially 2, is that they appeal to a surprisingly large audience, like "Animal House", "American Graffiti", and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" preceding them by 20 years and longer.
Twilight Zone: The Definitive Edition Interviews (2005)
Superlative.
These interviews with actors who acted on and writers who wrote for the original "Twilight Zone" television series are splendid. Most of the actors from the original series are long deceased (Agnes Moorehead, Telly Savalas, Gig Young, et al.) but were are a great many still alive as of 2004. The producers of these truly **rare** interviews got such great talents as Anne Francis, June Foray, as well as a number of others who probably haven't interviewed on camera for 30 years or more (Carolyn Kearney, Nancy Malone, Paul Comi, Michael Forest, and others). The actors speak with great reverence about their work on "Twilight Zone", and some of them remark that "Twilight Zone" is one of the few things they're remembered for at all. The interviews were obviously edited down a lot, but the things they discuss about the time period of the early days of television are amazing. Writer Earl Hamner's interview is particularly nice known as one of the "forgotten" writers on the series, Hamner wrote 8 episodes, and for over 40 years, no one really knew much about the rhymes and reasons behind those eight story ideas
some of which are of a quality right up there with any of Rod Serling's best work. Rumor has it that about 30 of these interviews were actually done, but only nine appear on Seasons 4 and 5 "Definitive Edition" releases. Hopefully in time, the rest will be released. For any "Twilight Zone" fan, and everyone who is just getting to know "Twilight Zone" for the first time, viewing of these interviews is essential.
Empire of the Ants (1977)
Not totally without value
Bert Gordon gave this film a good shot - and the results were not altogether bad. It was pretty well cast, too. What really kills it is the cinematography and some of the staging. The ant attacks are just not convincing and the special effects are horrid (especially the boat blowing up). The leads do an OK job, but the script just had tons of dead air and there's not much good dialogue. The bit where Margaret Ellis (played well by Jacqueline Scott) reminisces in the boat about her being fired after 20 years of working for the same boss is nicely delivered, but falls painfully flat. Things perk up a bit when Albert Salmi comes in as the sheriff. I guess Joan Collins' character got what she deserved in the end, but she doesn't seem like a truly evil person. Some sense of fulfillment is reached in the end when the two couples (seemingly in love) manage to escape. Still, a good drive-in flick and the whole set-up of the "real estate sales outings" seemed to be popular in the late 70s/early 80s when the market was really starting to boom. I guess I like this flick because four of the actors (Jacqueline Scott, Albert Salmi, Robert Lansing, Irene Tedrow) starred in episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and this movie certainly has elements of that great TV series. Bert Gordon's daughter, Susan, also starred in a "Zone" episode.
King Kong (2005)
Great but too long
Great acting and special effects all around, but it goes on too long. WAY too long. I was starting to fall asleep near the end. Some of the special effects really go to ridiculous lengths (i.e., when Bell tries to shoot the nematodes off Brody, and the dinosaur stampede...come on!) If about an hour was cut out of the movie, it woulda been better. The final sequence with Watts and Kong, and Kong chasing Brody thru the theater, then ripping apart New York, are just downright silly. Major, major kudos to Jackson for making New York of the 1920's look 100% authentic. Major kudos also to Andy Serkis for his dual role of Kong and Lumpy.
Waking Ned (1998)
Simply Fantastic.
This is a tremendously funny movie - and it is heartbreaking to realize that Ian Bannen died so soon after it was released. The plot is certainly clever enough, but the performances make the material much better than it is. David Kelly, one of Britain's greatest talents (who is probably the most under-weight actor to ever hit the screen!) is as comically appealing as Don Knotts and the motorcycle sequence is a hoot. This is the most crucial part of the story and he pulls it off magnificently. The music propels the movie to new heights, as does the candid photography. The dramatic final sequence that leads to the demise of Lizzie Quinn (played to perfection by Eileen Dromey) has got to be among the few, if not THE best examples of poetic justice in all of film. I guess if there is any real weakness to the picture as a whole, it would be the possibility that the truth about Ned Devine might eventually come out....but it doesn't take away from an otherwise splendid, and touching, story. The villagers of small-town Tullymore get quite a boost - and they deserved it richly. One keen subplot that keeps things moving is the interaction between the young boy and the visiting priest - some of their exchanges are as comical as the bulk of the movie (Bannen and Kelly). Highly recommended for any viewer of any age.
Chow Down (1994)
Good stuff
This DVD is good - Asian Chow Down on one side, and some extended bonus material on the other. The first and last sequences of Chow Down are probably the best - the middle two are not as good. The girls seem to enjoy themselves more than the guys do, although for guys, it's almost never bad. Great little story about Hung Lo, the owner of a Japanese restaurant, whose employees seduce his four wives. The narrator should have been Japanese, though. And there should have been music going the whole time (it starts and stops). The guys and girls make it look comfortable, doing it on countertops and in chairs. Really good for times when you might be alone or feeling inadequate. This will help get you in the spirit again.
American Wedding (2003)
Huh??
I don't know what Adam Herz (writer) and the producers of the first two Pie movies were thinking when they decided to do this sequel-to-the-sequel. Pie 2 was superb (way better than Pie 1, which was already great). What was the frigging point of doing a Pie 3? And why did they mess it up so badly? In a few words, this movie is empty. Over half of the key characters from the first two flicks are gone (Shermanator, Nadia, Vicky, Oz, Jessica). Jesse Dylan, directing, doesn't seem to have a clue - except about the photography and lighting (which is great). Jason Biggs does better than he did in Pie 1 and 2 - it doesn't sound like he's reading off cue cards this time - but there wasn't any physical comedy for him to do (and that's what Biggs is best at.) Somehow, Stifler seems like he got even more mentally messed up than he was in the first two (overacting by Seann Scott, which was probably the director's idea). It's like it's not even the same person. Michelle has grown up a bit, but some of her lines....ugh. The best parts of the movie are the bachelor party, with ultra-sexy Nikki Ziering and Amanda Swisten, complete with Ziering shoving Deborah Rush's face down into her tits (in the unrated version)A couple more classic heart-to-heart's between Jim and his dad are quite funny, too. Finch does shine a bit brighter - he's less geeky now. Good job, Eddie Kaye Thomas. January Jones mixes things up well as Michelle's sister...would have been nice if she'd gotten together with Finch. But these are just a few bright spots amidst a dark cloud. The whole sexcapade with Jim's Grandma is just stupid, as is the Stifler dog crap-eating scene with the wedding ring, and Jim removing his "other hair". The completely unnecessary character of Bear (a gay guy played to the hilt by Eric Kramer) is just that...completely unnecessary, and the sequence in the gay bar where he and Stifler break-dance was clearly just a time-filler. It was good that Jennifer Coolidge once again made an appearance at the end - although she looks about 50 pounds heavier than she was in Pie 1. But unfortunately, even the two M*I*L*F guys seem somewhat uninspired when they see her, ending the trilogy on a very pale note. I think a good assignment for film school students who are looking to write comedies, would be to go back and write a new Pie 3 script.