Swingers (1996)

Here's an awesome oral history of the classic Swingers, starring Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau when they were unknowns as hipsters trying to score chicks in L.A. in the 90s but wishing it was the 60s.

The lengths (via the short ends) that they went to make this movie was quite revealing.  "To make a movie, you need a little larceny in your heart".  Classic.  So Money!

Watching this again, I thought I was watching it out of order.  The Las Vegas scene was in the beginning, not the end.  And the golf and the answering machine was in the end, not the beginning.

The music made the movie - a lot more than I anticipated.  The swing band at the end - the house band at the Derby.

Lots of references to other movies:  Tarantino, Scoresce, but with some L.A. touches which were nice.  Somewhat derivative - very Seinfeld

* * *

August: Osage County

Take a dysfunctional family and add in a few doses of suicide, cancer, adultery, drug addiction and more and you've got a real star vehicle for Meryl Steep and Julie Roberts.  Could this get any more fun?

The movie based on a play wants to start with you down and keep you there.  From the dark curtains of the old house to the sepia tones, you're in for the long haul down with this family.  If you loved Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or Streetcar Named Desire or Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe you'll feel right at home.  If that's the kind of home you like to be in.

Julie Roberts plays Barbara who has come home to Oklahoma after her father has died of suicide.  Her mother Violet is drug-addled and takes out her frustrations on the family, Barb for "leaving", her other daughter Ivy for staying and Karen for whatever reason.  All of the daughter's mistakes in life are fair games for fighting.

The plot finally picks up once all the characters get introduced.  Cast included Benedict Cumberbatch, Abigail Breslin, Sam Shepard, Dermot Mulroney so its got a few things going for it.

* * 1/2

New movies on the 2014 List

Here's the To-Watch list for this year, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly:

2/7 Monuments Men

2/12 Robocop

3/21 Divergent

5/2  Amazing Spider Man 2

8/1  Get on Up (James Brown biopic)

10/3 Gone Girl  (Directed by David Fincher)

Trent Reznor to do soundtrack 

11/14  Dumb and Dumber To  (So you're saying there's a chance!)

11/21  Mockingjay, Part I   (Hunger Games part 3 of 4)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

 I saw this movie 3-4 times back in senior year at Austin High.  It was a classic of our Gen X era for no good reason, kind of like our whole Gen X existence :)

After going back to the Summer of 1982, I realized "You Can't Go Home Again".  How I ever thought this was a classic is a question I'd have to ask a younger me.  30 years later it was not that funny.  And the quotes not that quotable... "Hey Bud, Let's Party!"

It was still a bit shocking to see the bong hits, the topless scenes of the high school girls, the multiple sex scenes and the abortion clinic.  Those topics have been made off limits in movies.  Perhaps that's why this was a VHS cult classic, before internet porn and such.

* * 1/2

The Princess Bride (1987)

I saw this as part of the Cinemark Classic Series - a movie I had never seen.  It was billed as a cult classic so I thought I should join in.

Upon reflection the biggest thing it had was the dialogue - witty and clean, fast-paced, slightly dry.  I had to read a selection of quotes afterwards to appreciate it.

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/09/25-great-quotes-from-the-princess-bride.html

Buttercup loves Westley, a poor farm boy,  but he is kidnapped by pirates and believed dead.    Later the local prince sends for Buttercup as the fairest maiden for his marriage and sends his three henchmen to find her, an unusual trio of a giant, a swordsman and a nasaly leader.  But they are chased down by a masked man and the princess gets away with the masked man.

The story is told as grandfather (Peter Falk) reading an old story to his grandson (Fred Savage).

Without giving more away, it was a fine movie.  A good addition to the 1987 Collection.

* * * 1/2 of 4

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Ben Stiller's take on an Indie film, based on the famous fictional daydreamer.  Ben plays Walter who is a corporate schub for Life Magazine - at least he is in New York City.  The movie starts with him wearing a Michael Douglas Falling Down outfit.  Hard to tell at first when this is to be set as there is a 60s vibe to everything.  But then the laptop and the eHarmony pop in to bring us to the future.

Walter is a Negative Asset Manager (nice, huh?) and is in charge of the film room with his buddy another schlub.  When Corporate comes in to announce that the last issue is being made, Walte realizes that he has been entrusted with the last cover photo and, very schlub -like, Stiller-esque, he has lost it and must find it.

Here is where the movie blooms.  Walter sets out on a world wide road trip (There's Something About Mary) where he searches for his cool buddy Sean Penn (playing the Owen Wilson part) while enduring many slights (Meet the Parents).  I told you it was a Ben Stiller movie.

The cinematography and costuming make this a good watch.

* * * of 4.  Better than expected.