21 JUMP STREET (2012)

March 20, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. The original 1987-91 TV series “jump” started Johnny Depp‘s mega-superstardom career, and yes, he is a generous enough to appear in a brief cameo in this updated film from co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The script from co-writers Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill makes little effort to stay true to the source material and that works in the film’s favor.

We first meet Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) as polar opposites at the same high school. One of them is a pudgy, nerdy looking guy trying hard to throw down an Eminem look, while the other is the ultra-cool jock who is skating by academically. Guess which is which? Flash forward seven years and these two are still misfits … this time at the police academy where one aces the physical fitness tests and bombs academically and the other is just the opposite. Guess which is which? So these two decide to become buddies and help each other live the dream as badass cops.

 Cut to the next scene where they are patrolling a park on bicycles and visualizing their first big bust. When things go wrong … SURPRISE! … they are assigned to Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), an angry man who runs the Jump Street undercover unit out of a Korean church. Since neither Hill nor Tatum look anything like high schoolers, the absurdity is written into the script. They become the most mis-matched brothers since Schwarzenegger and Devito in Twins.

Their mission is to discover the dealers and source for a new drug making its way through a local high school. The drug has already killed one student and it takes these two “brothers” about 5 minutes to uncover the dealers, a group of popular rich kids. The supplier is a bit slower to come and the process involves numerous comedy skits involving Tatum as a science geek and Hill as Peter Pan.

 The comedy skits involve nice work from Elle Kemper, Nick Offerman, Rob Riggle and Chris Parnell. The cool kids are played by Dave Franco (James’ brother) and Brie Larson. Car chases, a keg party, science experiments and the prom all play a role, as do white tuxedos and one of the oddest shootouts ever filmed. What seems like 1200 rounds are fired in a hotel room before someone is actually hit.

In addition to Depp’s pretty cool cameo, there are also appearances from Peter DeLuise and Holly Robinson Peete, both of whom starred in the original TV series. Of course the story is ridiculous and the film never really takes itself seriously, but I was actually somewhat impressed with Channing Tatum’s ability to play deadpan to Jonah Hill’s slapstick. The two worked pretty well together and there are enough laughs to make this one worth seeing.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see Channing Tatum generate some laughs (purposefully this time) OR you just need some mindless giggles

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are expecting a tribute to the original TV series OR you are a fan of realistic police dramas

watch the trailer:

2 Comments | Comedy | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOME (2012)

March 18, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. Jay and Mark Duplass (The Duplass brothers) were responsible for a terrific, creepy little comedy called Cyrus. It dealt with a dark, strange relationship between a mother and her grown, stay at home and do nothing son. The Duplass mumblecore beginnings often used familial relationships to find those moments of discomfort and comedy. Their latest movie brings all of that together as they examine multiple relationships within a family, and the possible role destiny plays.

Jeff (Jason Segel) is an unemployed, 30 year old, childlike pot-head who lives in his mother’s (Susan Sarandon) basement and watches the M Night Shyamalan movie Signs so often that he is convinced there are no “wrong numbers” in life … everything is a sign leading us towards our destiny. After the latest “sign” (phone call for an unknown Kevin), Jeff heads out to complete a simple task for his disenchanted mother. He gets sidetracked by his quest for Kevin, and stumbles into his brother Pat (Ed Helms).

 By this time, we have seen Pat interact over breakfast with his wife Linda (Judy Greer). Note to guys: serving breakfast to your wife will not neutralize your surprise purchase of a Porsche. These two people have clearly lost whatever bond they once shared. One thing leads to another and we are soon watching Jeff and Pat stalk Linda and her male lunch friend … or is he more? While this amateur detective work is playing out, Sharon (their mother) discovers she has a secret admirer at work. Her spirits are immediately lifted as she has pretty much given up on a personal life since the death of her husband years ago. Her friend Carol (Rae Dawn Chong) helps her be receptive to the idea, and this story line provides a nice Duplass twist.

 Despite the fact that none of the characters are extremely likable: Jeff is borderline goofy, Pat is kind of an ass, Sharon and Linda just seem frustrated … the story moves along so that each of them grows a bit and their relationships evolve. The ending is a perfect cap and provides meaning, though initially quite a shock to the system after first three-quarters of the movie.

The Duplass directing style utilizes micro-bursts of quick zoom in many scenes, giving this a quasi home-movie feel at times. As for the acting, I can’t imagine another actor than Jason Segel could have pulled off the role of Jeff. In lesser hands, he would have come off as mentally unstable or just a total loser. Segel’s sweetness pays off. It’s always great to see Rae Dawn Chong back on screen, and I didn’t even hate Susan Sarandon! Judy Greer’s scene in the hotel room is so well played, it’s a reminder of what a terrific and under-utilized actress she is. Don’t expect a laugh outloud comedy, as this is more drama than comedy, though the smiles and chuckles occur in the moment.

* note: the name Kevin plays a part in this story, and it’s also the name of a new documentary short from the Duplass brothers on Austin musician Kevin Gant

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see Jason Segel and Ed Helms inch towards dramatic roles OR you have missed seeing Rae Dawn Chong on screen as much as I.

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you have a deep affection towards Porsches

watch the trailer:

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

TMI (3-16-12)

March 16, 2012

TMI (Today’s Movie Info)

Oscar trivia

 Oscar winners don’t really own their statues. Upon being presented with their award, winners must sign an agreement stating that should they wish to sell their statuettes, they must first offer them to the Academy for $1.00 If they refuse to sign, they cannot keep their trophy. The rule has been in effect since 1950, which means that older statues do sometimes appear on the open market. If you feel like bidding, be prepared to pay a lot more than $1.00, though: Steven Speielberg bought Bette Davis’ Oscar for $578,000 in 2001 and donated it back to the Academy, and Michael Jackson paid over a million dollars for David O Selznick’s award in 1999.

Leave a Comment » | TMI Dailies | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

TMI (3-14-12)

March 14, 2012

TMI (Today’s Movie Info)

Oscar trivia

Who is the only Oscar to win an Oscar?
 
 Oscar Hammerstein II won two Oscars for best original song—in 1941 for “The Last Time I Saw Paris” in the film Lady Be Good (shared with Jerome Kern), and in 1945 for “It Might as Well Be Spring” in State Fair (shared with Richard Rodgers).  This Oscar was also nominated for 3 other Oscars, and currently has 342 song credits for movies and TV. The last song he wrote was “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music (he passed away in 1960). 

Pictured (Hammerstein, right and Richard Rogers, left)

 

Leave a Comment » | TMI Dailies | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

GAME CHANGE (2012)

March 13, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. One sided films can be made about race, gender, religion, occupations and hobbies. One sided films about politics, however, tend to wreak as much havoc as the actual politics. HBO’s latest from director Jay Roach and writer Danny Strong (the team behind Recount) is based on the bestseller from political writers Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. Just as the book did, the film will bring enjoyment and confirmation to the left wingers and much pain and anger to the staunch right wingers … at least those who are unable, even 4 years later, to view the story with a hint of objectivity.

I am not here to debate the political sides of the story, but rather to address how it is presented. The thing that really stands out are the Emmy-caliber performances of Ed Harris (as John McCain), Julianne Moore (as Sarah Palin) and Woody Harrelson (as Steve Schmidt). McCain comes across as a man with true ideals and integrity, who gets caught up in the ambitious push to become President. Palin is presented as the “high risk, high reward” gamble that initially pays dividends, but ultimately backfires. Schmidt is really the key to the story as the campaign strategist who accurately reads the climate, but then fails to do his homework before turning in his assignment.

 The story follows the evolution of the Palin story. McCain’s campaign needs a “WOW” factor and the Alaska Governor provides an energetic, charismatic woman who quickly captures the imagination of the public and media. She then fades under the pressure of being separated from her family, having family secrets publicized, and most crucially, her lack of depth on basic foreign and domestic issues. The note-card budget for this movie must have set a record.

We get a peek behind the curtain of a Presidential campaign, and see the shock on the faces of Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace (played by Sarah Paulson) as they realize too late just what they are dealing with in Palin. It was painful enough to watch what was presented to the public during this actual campaign, but to see what was going on behind the scenes is pure agony.

 Where the movie does its best work is in capsulizing what really happened in this 2008 campaign. We hear Schmidt ask, do you think the people want a “Statesman” (McCain) or a “Celebrity” (Obama)? That really is the key observation on the race. One candidate lacked real a connective personality, but fought for his country and served more upon his return. The other had few accomplishments, but had a dynamic personality that drove him to quickly become one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. McCain mentions “the dark side of the American populism“.  Schmidt understood the need for celebrity and poof … Palin appeared!

The last segment of the film provides a glimpse into the power-hungry, or at least celebrity-enjoying phase of Sarah Palin, and it looks like that persona is still going strong four years later. Even at this stage of the primaries, she mentions that she is open to being President.  The film does provide some insight into the pressures of managing a campaign on the highest stage and I found it quite interesting … even though I had to relive the chagrin I felt as each layer was peeled back on Palin in 2008.

watch the trailer:

Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

FRIENDS WITH KIDS (2012)

March 12, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. Evidently this is a movie for thirty-somethings who need more ammunition to defend their decisions to avoid marriage and parenthood. At least that’s the best case I can come up with … otherwise it’s just a bitter, caustic view of those two topics. It’s pretty obvious from the opening scene where the relationship story is headed, but it’s not an easy road for us viewers.

This movie belongs to Jennifer Westfeldt. She wrote the script, directed the movie and stars as the woman who decides to have a baby with her platonic friend (Adam Scott). These two are part of a group of six close knit friends in Manhattan who start out doing everything together and telling each other everything. One of the couples (Maya Rudolph and Chris O’Dowd) announce “We’re pregnant” and promptly move to Brooklyn. The other married couple (Jon Hamm, Krisen Wiig) start out by attempting to break all Guiness records for sex, and end up evolving into something a bit less exciting.

 The two platonic friends decide to “beat the system” by sharing parenting responsibilities while pursuing separate dating lives until they find “the right person”. Westfeldt has a Lisa Kudrow quality about her that doesn’t play well with me. She was the star and writer of Kissing Jessica Stein, and has been in a relationship with Jon Hamm since 1998.  Here she comes across as insecure and awkward, and not nearly as smart as she would like to believe. Adam Scott (brilliant on “Parks and Recreation“) is quite the ladies man and also views himself as smarter than the masses. Westfeldt finds a “perfect” guy in Edward Burns, and Scott finds happiness with Megan Fox. Of course, you still know where all of this is headed.

 What struck me throughout the film was how every scene and every character was just a bit off. Nothing really worked. Jon Hamm has one really nice scene where he is intoxicated and really stirs the pot at a group dinner. Kristen Wiig has very few lines and spends the movie sulking. Maya Rudolph and Chris O’Dowd have a couple of decent scenes, but mostly the film has little insight to offer and no characters with whom you would like to connect. 

*note: Some critics think more highly of this movie than I, and have even compared it to Woody Allen‘s best work.  As always, the opinions expressed above are my own, and your actual mileage may vary.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to watch a group of friends who don’t get along so well OR you seek further justification for you decision to avoid marriage and/or parenthood

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you have already discovered that, contrary to the movie’s poster tag, that maturity dissolves the need to pick two from: Love, Happiness, Kids

Watch the trailer:

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

SILENT HOUSE

March 11, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. On my never ending trek to find quality horror movies, this one had a couple of interesting things going for it. First, it stars Elizabeth Olsen (sister of the twins) who was so impressive in last year’s Martha Marcy May Marlene. Secondly, the film was reported to have been shot in one continuous take/shot. From a technical aspect, this is one of the more curious claims and brazen filmmaking attempts one can imagine.

Let’s start with the fantastic Ms. Olsen. With very few lines of dialogue and being on screen for 95% of the film, she doesn’t disappoint. The camera loves her face … even when that camera is mere inches away and the lighting is provided by a kerosene lamp or flashlight. She proves very expressive in fear and isn’t afraid of quiet; and more rare these days, she isn’t afraid to look less than glamorous. Ms. Olsen’s future is much brighter than the lighting in this bleak house in which she is stuck.

 The basic story has Sarah (Olsen), her dad (Adam Trese) and her uncle (Eric Sheffer Stevens) returning to the family lake house for some simple rehab and packing, with the goal of putting the place up for sale. Next thing you know, strange noises, a lost key, and dad lay bloodied on the floor. The house itself is a maze of doors, floors and staircases, and because the windows are boarded up and the electricity is dead, the limited lighting will have you straining your eyes to make out location and shapes.

 Directed by the husband and wife team of Chris Kentis and Laura Lau (Open Water), the first 30 minutes of this movie captured my interest and had me on edge. Unfortunately, it kind of unravels and ultimately ends with a disappointing and rather cheap explanation. It’s a remake of a 2010 Uruguay film, which was based on a true story from the 1940’s. I am not sure if the ending to this one follows the “true” ending. As for the single take, I call BS. There were changes to the blood spatters on Olsen, not to mention numerous times where a “blackout” proved convenient to shift camera location. Still, the real time feel is a nice touch, as is the minimal use of music … a rarity in a genre known for blasting crescendos to cue our screams.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to follow the evolution of Elizabeth Olsen on her way to stardom OR you have a “Rainman” fetish for doors

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer your horror films to have a satisfying ending OR you want to believe the filmmaker claim that it was shot in a single take

watch the trailer:

Leave a Comment » | Horror | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE KILLING (1956) revisited

March 9, 2012

 Greetings again from the darkness. What a treat to see this one on the big screen, some 56 years after its release. This is famed director Stanley Kubrick‘s first real feature-length film and is a quasi-film noir near the end of that genre’s run. You undoubtedly know Kubrick’s more famous work on 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining, among others. His amazing eye with the camera is on full display here, but this provides quite a different look from his later works.

Sterling Hayden stars as Johnny, the leader of a gang who plans to rob a racetrack of 2 million dollars. At its core, this is a traditional heist film, but it is presented in anything but a traditional manner. The non-linear timeline and constant flashbacks and flash-forwards influenced many future filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan. For the era, this was incredibly unique and a bit experimental. In fact, the studio forced Kubrick to add the narrator post-production to make it easier for the viewer to follow. The narrator is Art Gilmore, a prolific voice actor, who was heard in numerous movies, TV shows and previews.

 Support work is provided by many familiar character actors that we all recognize. Elisha Cook is best known for his work in The Maltese Falcon and Vince Edwards gained fame as TV’s “Ben Casey”. There are two actresses of note here. Marie Windsor plays the scheming, double-crossing wife/girlfriend whom Hayden’s character claims has a dollar sign right where her heart should be. Ms. Windsor also appeared in Swamp Women, director Roger Corman‘s directorial debut. Coleen Gray plays Hayden’s loyal girlfriend. Ms. Gray had a long, prolific career as an actress, but never achieved the stardom that many predicted.

 As viewers, we are included in most of the strategy involved in the heist and recognize many of the details as they occur. One of the more fascinating scenes is a bar fight featuring Kola Kwariani. This is a very unusually staged fight and is actually quite humorous today, with a touch of The Three Stooges. This was Mr. Kwariani’s only film appearance and it’s quite memorable for a professional wrestler! Another sequence that really stands out features Timothy Carey as a sharpshooter. His speech pattern is a bit bizarre, but we never doubt his commitment to the cause. Carey’s character has a very daring exchange with a race track security guard that is even uncomfortable so many years later.

Kubrick was groomed as a still photographer and his expert eye is obvious in each of his films. His approach to filming the horse racing scenes is spectacular, and stands in contrast to his love of stressed faces in close-ups. Supposedly Rodney Dangerfield appears as an extra during the bar fight, but I missed him. Probably need the DVD for that! This one is certainly worth checking out for a glimpse into early Kubrick and the screen magnetism of Sterling Hayden … who 16 years later (as Sgt McClusky) would break the jaw of Michael Corleone with a single punch, and later be the victim of one of Hollywood’s all-time mob hit scenes in Louis restaurant.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are interested in what early Kubrick looks like compared to his later hits OR you want to see Sterling Hayden in prime form

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: the gangster and heist films of the 40’s and 50’s aren’t to your taste

see the original trailer:

Leave a Comment » | Classics, Drama, Thriller | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

TMI (3-7-12)

March 7, 2012

TMI (Today’s Movie Info)

Oscar trivia

Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro are the only two actors to win Oscars (Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor) for playing the same character in different films: Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather, Part II (1974), respectively.

Leave a Comment » | TMI Dailies | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

TMI (3-6-12)

March 6, 2012

TMI (Today’s Movie Info)

Oscar trivia

There are five writers who have each won 3 Oscars for their screenplays:

WOODY ALLEN: Annie Hall*; Hannah and Her Sisters; Midnight in Paris
CHARLES BRACKETT: The Lost Weekend*; Sunset Boulevard; Titanic (1953)
PADDY CHAYEFSKY: Marty*; The Hospital; Network
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA: Patton*; The Godfather*; The Godfather: Part II*
BILLY WILDER: The Lost Weekend*; Sunset Boulevard; The Apartment*

*Best Picture Winner

 

Leave a Comment » | TMI Dailies | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »