It's the 9th film from Quentin Tarantino and there are a lot of familiar faces: Brad Pitt, Leo Di Caprio, Kurt Russell and so forth. An original story where Leo plays Rick, an aging movie and TV actor. Rick's friend is Cliff, played by Brad. Cliff drives Leo around as his go-fer when he's not working, which is more than not. Cliff picks up a hitchhiking hippie that leads him down an interesting rabbit trail.
You'll hear that its set about the time of the Manson murders. Rick happens to live next door to Sharon Tate played by Margot Robbie. Like the movie Tangerine, two characters converge on one location.
Take some time out to see this movie clocking in at 2:41. You'll see the usual QT: quirky characters, deep movie references, and good ol' bloody almost cartoonish Bugs Bunny violence. Don't say you didn't know.
* * * * of 5
Ford v. Ferrari - out November 15
Starring Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as Ken Miles
Bull Durham (1988)
A fine movie written by Ron Shelton who recently also wrote Just Getting Started which had some good similarities.
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
The riffing of the characters is amazing here. Seth Rogen, Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd have come a long way since this breakout hit.
More Top Gun
I was... we.... we were inverted
Gen X hasn't been this excited about a new movie Top Gun Maverick since 2015 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release date for Top Gun 2 is June 2020.
Gen X hasn't been this excited about a new movie Top Gun Maverick since 2015 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release date for Top Gun 2 is June 2020.
Blue Like Jazz (2012)
My good friend Paul gave me this book which was an autobiographical look at Donald Miller's questioning of his Christianity. Now that might not sound like the premise for a fictional movie, but that's what creativity will do for you.
Don (Marshall Allman) is a teenager in Houston with more than typical teenager problems. His parents are divorced and he and his mother are both cozy with the youth minister at their church. Seeking to get away, he takes his father's offer to go to Portland OR to Reed College, a famously unorthodox college.
I like the fish out of water aspect of him there and even associated myself to some degree with the story. I laughed out loud at the Texas flag, as I had one on my dorm wall as well. There was a nice buildup as he made more friends, got close to getting a cool girlfriend Penny (Claire Holt) and faces his fear of "being ashamed of Jesus".
A South by Southwest selection in its day, it's a well done and thoughtful movie. A bit eclectic but that is a good thing. No wonder they chose it for SXSW.
***** (highest)
Don (Marshall Allman) is a teenager in Houston with more than typical teenager problems. His parents are divorced and he and his mother are both cozy with the youth minister at their church. Seeking to get away, he takes his father's offer to go to Portland OR to Reed College, a famously unorthodox college.
I like the fish out of water aspect of him there and even associated myself to some degree with the story. I laughed out loud at the Texas flag, as I had one on my dorm wall as well. There was a nice buildup as he made more friends, got close to getting a cool girlfriend Penny (Claire Holt) and faces his fear of "being ashamed of Jesus".
A South by Southwest selection in its day, it's a well done and thoughtful movie. A bit eclectic but that is a good thing. No wonder they chose it for SXSW.
***** (highest)
Stuber
This month America received some bad news: MAD magazine is shutting down after many years of juvenile satire of current events. Good news: the movie Stuber is probably written by those former MAD magazine writers.
Kumail Nanjiani is Stu, an Uber driver in Los Angeles. So his nickname is Stuber. Desperate for extra income from his soul-crushing job, he takes another soul-crusher driving for Uber.
Dave Bautisa is Vic, an LAPD cop out to avenge the death of his partner at the hand of the evil Tedjo. But, fun fact, he can't see to drive or shoot or anthing. So he calls an Uber, who is Stuber, and forces him to drive him around for One Crazy Night. It's almost like they are chained together. Stu keeps up the driving to protect his elusive 5 star rating.
If that sounds like Midnight Run or Heat, then you see where the MAD magazine writers come in. It plays more like a parody of every buddy cop, 80s movie that you can think of. To keep you in on the joke, every few minutes there is a reminder: Sarah Conner, Dolph Lundgren, Cobra Kai, etc.
Kumail Nanjiani is the star of the show. It'd probably be a better movie with just him. Dave Bautista does the hack acting job of the former wrestler turned actor. Dwayne Johnson and John Cena must have been too expensive for this modern update on a genre that didn't need updating.
* * * of 5
Kumail Nanjiani is Stu, an Uber driver in Los Angeles. So his nickname is Stuber. Desperate for extra income from his soul-crushing job, he takes another soul-crusher driving for Uber.
Dave Bautisa is Vic, an LAPD cop out to avenge the death of his partner at the hand of the evil Tedjo. But, fun fact, he can't see to drive or shoot or anthing. So he calls an Uber, who is Stuber, and forces him to drive him around for One Crazy Night. It's almost like they are chained together. Stu keeps up the driving to protect his elusive 5 star rating.
If that sounds like Midnight Run or Heat, then you see where the MAD magazine writers come in. It plays more like a parody of every buddy cop, 80s movie that you can think of. To keep you in on the joke, every few minutes there is a reminder: Sarah Conner, Dolph Lundgren, Cobra Kai, etc.
Kumail Nanjiani is the star of the show. It'd probably be a better movie with just him. Dave Bautista does the hack acting job of the former wrestler turned actor. Dwayne Johnson and John Cena must have been too expensive for this modern update on a genre that didn't need updating.
* * * of 5
This is Where I Leave You (2014)
An ensemble cast about a family whose children have all grown up are forced to come together after the death of Dad and at the request of Mom (Jane Fonda) are to sit Shiva in mourning of their father. The adults revert to familiar kid roles. Hilarity ensues. Starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Corey Stoll.
Based on the book by Jonathan Tropper
* * * *
Based on the book by Jonathan Tropper
* * * *
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, it's got a lot of his favorite touches in it: The older handsome man (Cary Grant), the younger femme fatale (Grace Kelly) and an location that become a character (here the French Riviera).
Cary Grant is John Robie "The Cat" a retired thief. That's an interesting career! Like a retired streetwalker, everyone seems aware of his past. But when more thefts come up, he is forced to "find the real thief" in order to prove his and others innocence as well as to show that he "Can Still Do It".
Not a bad movie for its time. The car chases were exciting and had some good aerial camera work. An interesting ending as well.
In general the Hitchcock films which may have been cutting edge suspense and complex psychological motives for the time have lost some edge over the past half century. They have their moments, though.
* * * of 5 Available on Amazon Prime for #free
Cary Grant is John Robie "The Cat" a retired thief. That's an interesting career! Like a retired streetwalker, everyone seems aware of his past. But when more thefts come up, he is forced to "find the real thief" in order to prove his and others innocence as well as to show that he "Can Still Do It".
Not a bad movie for its time. The car chases were exciting and had some good aerial camera work. An interesting ending as well.
In general the Hitchcock films which may have been cutting edge suspense and complex psychological motives for the time have lost some edge over the past half century. They have their moments, though.
* * * of 5 Available on Amazon Prime for #free
July releases
July 12 - Stuber, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista
July 19 - The Lion King (live action) starring Beyonce
July 26 - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo Di Caprio, Margot Robbie
July 19 - The Lion King (live action) starring Beyonce
July 26 - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo Di Caprio, Margot Robbie
To Rome With Love (2012)
A spiritual successor to the well-done Midnight in Paris (2011) both directed by Woody Allen, it's a type of story dubbed "Magical Realism". Otherwise know as a dreamlike state.
The real star of course is the Eternal City where all is shot on location. Wonderful shots of the ruins, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and more that I probably don't recognize, since going to Rome is still on my list of things to do. Starring Woody Allen, of course, along with some more marketable ensemble stars, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig (pre-Lady Bird), Ellen Page and Penelope Cruz.
It's a Love Actually type of plot with several intertwined stories that all resolve at the same time. I particularly liked the imaginary friend played by Alec Baldwin helping out Jesse Eisenberg. That storyline rang pretty true to me.
A fun time and an imaginative premise, even if some things turns out a little silly like the opera singer in the shower.
* * * * of 5
The real star of course is the Eternal City where all is shot on location. Wonderful shots of the ruins, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and more that I probably don't recognize, since going to Rome is still on my list of things to do. Starring Woody Allen, of course, along with some more marketable ensemble stars, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig (pre-Lady Bird), Ellen Page and Penelope Cruz.
It's a Love Actually type of plot with several intertwined stories that all resolve at the same time. I particularly liked the imaginary friend played by Alec Baldwin helping out Jesse Eisenberg. That storyline rang pretty true to me.
A fun time and an imaginative premise, even if some things turns out a little silly like the opera singer in the shower.
* * * * of 5
The Hangover (2009)
It's the 10 year anniversary of this classic film and it's now on Netflix for a while. Win/win. This movie ushered in a stream of R Rated comedies, but it is really more of a mystery movie about "Where's Doug?" Three buddies, Doug, Stu and Phil along with the new brother in law to be Alan go to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. But when they wake up the next day, they are missing Doug who they need to get back for the wedding and they can't remember any of the events of the last night.
So they have to piece things together: A trashed hotel room, a baby, a tiger, a missing tooth, a missing car. And it all comes together, eventually.
A huge box office succcess, spawning 2 terrible sequels. But this original is a nicely crafted movie that gets you rooting for the otherwise unlikeable characters.
***** (highest
So they have to piece things together: A trashed hotel room, a baby, a tiger, a missing tooth, a missing car. And it all comes together, eventually.
A huge box office succcess, spawning 2 terrible sequels. But this original is a nicely crafted movie that gets you rooting for the otherwise unlikeable characters.
***** (highest
Rush Hour (1998)
Continuing the string of 90s movies that I missed when I was busy raising children, we have Rush Hour, a fine continuation in the string of buddy cop movies with Odd Couple features (48 Hours, Lethal Weapon, Midnight Run). Chris Tucker (Friday) and Jackie Chan in his first Hollywood big show are Carter and Lee.
When Soo-Jung the diplomat's daughter is kidnapped for ransom, her father brings over his man Lee (Chan) from Hong Kong. But the local FBI was to put Lee on ice, so they enlist Carter from LAPD to babysit Lee. They still manage to get involved in the investigation and find themselves at the grand finale.
Reminiscent of other good 90s action movies (Die Hard 1, 2, 3, 4, Lethal Weapon 1, 2, 3, 4) there's a lot of wisecracks, car chases, shooting and foreign bad guys.
Interestingly this movie was the impetus for the movie review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Per my Wiki research:
Rush Hour was the primary catalyst for the creation of the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The site's founder Senh Duong, a Jackie Chan fan, was inspired to create the website after collecting all the reviews of Chan's Hong Kong action movies as they were being released in the United States. In anticipation for Rush Hour, Chan's first major Hollywood crossover, he coded the website in two weeks and the site went live shortly before the release of Rush Hour.[9][10] The film holds a 60% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 6/10. The site's consensus reads: "A kick-ass addition to the cop-buddy film genre."
When Soo-Jung the diplomat's daughter is kidnapped for ransom, her father brings over his man Lee (Chan) from Hong Kong. But the local FBI was to put Lee on ice, so they enlist Carter from LAPD to babysit Lee. They still manage to get involved in the investigation and find themselves at the grand finale.
Reminiscent of other good 90s action movies (Die Hard 1, 2, 3, 4, Lethal Weapon 1, 2, 3, 4) there's a lot of wisecracks, car chases, shooting and foreign bad guys.
Interestingly this movie was the impetus for the movie review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Per my Wiki research:
Rush Hour was the primary catalyst for the creation of the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The site's founder Senh Duong, a Jackie Chan fan, was inspired to create the website after collecting all the reviews of Chan's Hong Kong action movies as they were being released in the United States. In anticipation for Rush Hour, Chan's first major Hollywood crossover, he coded the website in two weeks and the site went live shortly before the release of Rush Hour.[9][10] The film holds a 60% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 6/10. The site's consensus reads: "A kick-ass addition to the cop-buddy film genre."
Spider Man: Far From Home
An interesting mix of two studio cultures. Spider Man locked into Sony Pictures but Marvel Avengers is part of Disney.
The two play nice here to present an extension of Avengers: Endgame with Peter Parker as the reluctant new Avenger while continuing the New York wisecracking "Friendly Neighborhood Spider Man".
The unbelieveable 16 year Peter Parker goes on a class trip with his school to Venice, Prague, Berlin (hence the far from home) and encounters a new superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhall) who turns out to be not what he seems. So Spider Man must reluctantly come to save the day when all Peter wants to do is give one kiss to M.J. (Zendaya).
A pretty good story, poorly acted, with a lot of cool special effects. We're having the Usual. But it gives a kitchy comic book feel like the other Spider Man movies (at least 6?)
* * * * of 5 (feeling generous)
The two play nice here to present an extension of Avengers: Endgame with Peter Parker as the reluctant new Avenger while continuing the New York wisecracking "Friendly Neighborhood Spider Man".
The unbelieveable 16 year Peter Parker goes on a class trip with his school to Venice, Prague, Berlin (hence the far from home) and encounters a new superhero Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhall) who turns out to be not what he seems. So Spider Man must reluctantly come to save the day when all Peter wants to do is give one kiss to M.J. (Zendaya).
A pretty good story, poorly acted, with a lot of cool special effects. We're having the Usual. But it gives a kitchy comic book feel like the other Spider Man movies (at least 6?)
* * * * of 5 (feeling generous)
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