New Woody Allen movie starring Emma Stone
Magic in the Moonlight (limited release 7/25, wide 8/15)
Spy thriller with the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman
A Most Wanted Man (limited release 7/25)
Coming Soon - for the "More Mature Moviegoer"
Of course these will be in limited release - see them if and when you can
New Woody Allen movie starring Emma Stone
Magic in the Moonlight (limited release 7/25, wide 8/15)
Spy thriller with the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman
A Most Wanted Man (limited release 7/25)
New Woody Allen movie starring Emma Stone
Magic in the Moonlight (limited release 7/25, wide 8/15)
Spy thriller with the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman
A Most Wanted Man (limited release 7/25)
Sex Tape
Jason Segal is capable of doing much better (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You Man) but mucking around here with Cameron Diaz as an over the hill couple still thinking that they are fabulous.
Even the name is misleading. For starters, no one under the age of 30 will likely know or care what a "Tape" is. And for a movie about (married) sex, there is none to speak of. Just a cookbook approach with all of the excitement of following a recipe. Even a noted nudist like Jason Segal just get a butt shot of two. And you know you won't see any topless scenes from Cameron Diaz (...yawn). Does the world really think she is so desirable? (The Other Woman - another 1 star movie)
Ironically, one of the main supporting characters is Rob Lowe, he of his own sex tape fame in ... wait for it...1988. 26 years ago! Last century!
Perhaps this premise could work with younger actors (under 26?). But then, they might not care if the world saw them having sex or if the video was leaked. And in return, we don't care about the people (pretending) to have sex here. Not funny, not sexy, not shocking, and certainly not fabulous.
* of 4 (don't even bother trying)
St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
An underrated film of the youthful 80s, overshadowed by its Brat Pack predecessor the Breakfast Club, St. Elmos' Fire is a good example of the Yuppie in that decade.
You might recall (or not) that Yuppie is an acronym for Young Urban Professional, popularized by the Yuppie Handbook which of course was an offshoot of the Preppy Handbook. If you don't know about either, you're not from the 80s. The Yuppie is a city dweller, upwardly mobile, and in the words of Queen, I want it all and I want it now.
They're the 7 best friends, just graduated from Georgetown, making their way in the big city. At its wisecracking, underemployed best, it's a clean spiritual predecessor to the tv show Friends and the influence is quite direct in retrospect. The Jewishness, the spoiled rich kid, the clueless Lothario. Rob Lowe probably has the biggest role as Billy who laments that you can't get "Out of hand" in the real world, and his struggles are the biggest but also the smallest as he's just too dumb to care. Kind of like the real Rob Lowe.
A forgotten character was that icon of 80s womanly perfection, Andie McDowell as the out of reach love interest of Emilio Estevez. As she's not part of the pack, she's the most adult character here. The other women, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham, Demi Moore (chubby and blond) are all relatively helpless, ineffective, and used to various ends by the men here. Like I said, it was the 80s and feminism was somewhat dormant at that point.
In the end, this movie is more about looks than substance. The D.C. settings in the fall were lovely, the characters beautiful, the music moving, the costuming spot-on, the smoking glamourous, the bar scenes rocking. Like I said, it was the 80s.
You might recall (or not) that Yuppie is an acronym for Young Urban Professional, popularized by the Yuppie Handbook which of course was an offshoot of the Preppy Handbook. If you don't know about either, you're not from the 80s. The Yuppie is a city dweller, upwardly mobile, and in the words of Queen, I want it all and I want it now.
They're the 7 best friends, just graduated from Georgetown, making their way in the big city. At its wisecracking, underemployed best, it's a clean spiritual predecessor to the tv show Friends and the influence is quite direct in retrospect. The Jewishness, the spoiled rich kid, the clueless Lothario. Rob Lowe probably has the biggest role as Billy who laments that you can't get "Out of hand" in the real world, and his struggles are the biggest but also the smallest as he's just too dumb to care. Kind of like the real Rob Lowe.
A forgotten character was that icon of 80s womanly perfection, Andie McDowell as the out of reach love interest of Emilio Estevez. As she's not part of the pack, she's the most adult character here. The other women, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham, Demi Moore (chubby and blond) are all relatively helpless, ineffective, and used to various ends by the men here. Like I said, it was the 80s and feminism was somewhat dormant at that point.
In the end, this movie is more about looks than substance. The D.C. settings in the fall were lovely, the characters beautiful, the music moving, the costuming spot-on, the smoking glamourous, the bar scenes rocking. Like I said, it was the 80s.
Jersey Boys
Like a copy of a copy of a copy, eventually even the best things fade upon repetition. Take some great music of the 60s and 70s, check. Layer a good story with the music and make a super successful Broadway musical, check. Take the same stars from Broadway and make a movie. ...Check.
Surprisingly, I have talked to people that didn't know Jersey Boys was a Broadway show. It's a Sinatra-esque story of the tough Jersey kid with pipes of gold who escapes the Mob influence but never quite leaves it all behind. Frankie Castilucci becomes Frankie Valli, and puts a band together with his buddies. Things really take off when Bob Gaudio joins and the Four Seasons are born. Hit after hit ensues, but their lives devolve into a Behind the Music story. With our heroes survive and thrive? Did I mention it was a Broadway show first of all?
Like many a good story, there are moments when you ask, Did that really happen like that? Was Joe Pesci their good buddy? How did they get the name the Four Seasons? Was Gyp Di Carlo their mentor? Could a handshake deal survive all those years? That's a strength of the movie. And if you can't believe that, you're not from Jersey.
* * * of 4
Surprisingly, I have talked to people that didn't know Jersey Boys was a Broadway show. It's a Sinatra-esque story of the tough Jersey kid with pipes of gold who escapes the Mob influence but never quite leaves it all behind. Frankie Castilucci becomes Frankie Valli, and puts a band together with his buddies. Things really take off when Bob Gaudio joins and the Four Seasons are born. Hit after hit ensues, but their lives devolve into a Behind the Music story. With our heroes survive and thrive? Did I mention it was a Broadway show first of all?
Like many a good story, there are moments when you ask, Did that really happen like that? Was Joe Pesci their good buddy? How did they get the name the Four Seasons? Was Gyp Di Carlo their mentor? Could a handshake deal survive all those years? That's a strength of the movie. And if you can't believe that, you're not from Jersey.
* * * of 4
Star Wars (1977) Bar Scene
I was reminded of this scene recently - upon further study, the bar is called the Mos Eisley Cantina.
In a sign O' the times then, the response to "Droids Not Allowed" was a meek acceptance on both Luke and C3PO's part. Don't think you'll see that in Episode VII due December 2015
In a sign O' the times then, the response to "Droids Not Allowed" was a meek acceptance on both Luke and C3PO's part. Don't think you'll see that in Episode VII due December 2015
Upcoming Christopher Nolan movie - Interstellar
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Matthew McConaghey and Anne Hathaway
Out November 7 2014
Starring Matthew McConaghey and Anne Hathaway
Out November 7 2014
Easy Rider (1969)
On July 4 I was looking for an American story and found one in the star spangled gas tank and helmet of Captain American in Easy Rider. And its a darker look at America that is typical.
Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) set off on a motorcycle road trip after scoring a bundle on a drug deal. They "head out on the highway" with the money concealed in the gas tanks. This modern day pony express route takes them from L.A. to New Orleans and further east. We're not quite sure where they are going. Maybe they aren't either.
Passing through the old west, we have several mashups of these modern day cowboys interacting with the old cowboys: Changing a tire/changing a horseshoe, taking in the scenery of Monument Valley (that most iconic old west location), meeting the frontier families.
As they pass further south, they meet up with George (Jack Nicholson) who serves as a guide of sorts to the dark side of Small Town America. Its another contrast of this American footballer v. the cyclists. This rises the tension to a Deliverance level as they go through and are chased out of various places.
They wind up fittingly in New Orleans where there is a nice dream/nightmare sequence which kind of fits the 60s vibe. Most of the movie there is a sense of foreboding that a change is in the air. A strength of the movie is how the story is pushed along by the nice cinematography by Lazslo Kovacs. The proverbial Road to Nowhere.
* * 1/2 of 4
Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) set off on a motorcycle road trip after scoring a bundle on a drug deal. They "head out on the highway" with the money concealed in the gas tanks. This modern day pony express route takes them from L.A. to New Orleans and further east. We're not quite sure where they are going. Maybe they aren't either.
Passing through the old west, we have several mashups of these modern day cowboys interacting with the old cowboys: Changing a tire/changing a horseshoe, taking in the scenery of Monument Valley (that most iconic old west location), meeting the frontier families.
As they pass further south, they meet up with George (Jack Nicholson) who serves as a guide of sorts to the dark side of Small Town America. Its another contrast of this American footballer v. the cyclists. This rises the tension to a Deliverance level as they go through and are chased out of various places.
They wind up fittingly in New Orleans where there is a nice dream/nightmare sequence which kind of fits the 60s vibe. Most of the movie there is a sense of foreboding that a change is in the air. A strength of the movie is how the story is pushed along by the nice cinematography by Lazslo Kovacs. The proverbial Road to Nowhere.
* * 1/2 of 4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)