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Reviews
America's Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil (2009)
Awesome.
Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil reintroduces us to some of our best loved serial killers, American icons who either warm our hearts or chill our blood: 40 something prostitute loving Jack the Ripper, the dashing and charismatic Ted Bundy, the ever youthful HH Holmes, everyone's favorite mensch David Berkowitz, hot tamale Richard Ramirez, and that sick mofo Albert Fish, whose profile really left a bad taste in my mouth (no pun intended). A rabbi, a criminologist at Northeastern, a guy who looks like Mexicat, and Kirk Gill, a so-called 'true crime writer' who lives in his parent's basement, round out the list of lovable misfits who treat the viewers to their opinions.
The narrator really goes to town when reading the letters penned by the killers—Jack the Ripper sounds whispery and devilish, while David Berkowitz sounds like Woody Allen meeting Jerry Seinfeld in a dark alley. I haven't seen the Richard Ramirez episode yet but I can only imagine he will sound like Cheech Marin.
This documentary is also fond of showing long clips from films—if you are interested in seeing 90% of an old movie about Jack the Ripper or Peter Lorrey's soliloquy from 'M' you are in luck..
Considering I think I bought this set for about $3 at WalMart....it's well worth the price, mostly for being so unintentionally amusing.
Reno 911!: Miami (2007)
Apple Martini..and Lube.
This film will have you quoting many things from it..mainly the piece of dialogue looped when the police cars attempt to leave the garage en mass.
Reno 911- Miami is a bunch of vignettes strung together with a hilariously contrived storyline concerning 'The Anecdote' and a 'Mr. Big'. Great cameos-- The Rock, Paul Reubens, and best of all- a bit scene with Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black from 'Wet Hot American Summer'. In fact, when I got home from Reno 911, I just had to put on 'WHAS' again! Paul Rudd's take-off on Pacino in 'Scarface' was ridiculous, as many of the supporting roles were (!!) This is totally on the DVD queue!!
Facing the Music: The Return of Torvill and Dean (1994)
God Save the Queen!
This was one of the most dramatic ice skating documentaries I have ever seen. It charts Torvill and Dean's come-back in 1994. You get to see Jayne getting her hair done, the costume fittings, and the tears from practice. It shows them on talk shows and at-home with their signifigant others.
There is a great interview with Robin Cousins where he talks about how exacting Jayen and Christopher are before a show, even lining up their skate guards.
There is the happiness of winning the Euros against the evil Grishuk and Platov and the agony of coming 3rd at the Olympics. They take it in stride. There is also great camera-work throughout their performances-- and it really works to build suspense even though you know the outcome.
I know a lot of people were upset at how intense Chris was in the practice and how upset Jayne got..but that's real life. You got to get it done. I don't envy Jayne for having to work with him all the time, but you know-- you gotta make sacrifices to best the best ice dancers of all time.
You Must Remember This (1994)
Great show!
As the mostly cornball world of skating shows go, this one is sophisticated and very well-done.
The number most people remember from this is 'Singing in the Rain'. Kurt skates as Gene Kelly and indeed it is raining, which I'm sure was very difficult to film. Sandra Bezic choreographed and produced this, and she did a fantastic job. On the other end of the spectrum, Kurt was equally effective at the end skating to 'Have a Little Faithin Me' simply dressed at his practice rink.
'The Big Melt' is incredible, it highlights Kurt while also showcasing the best talents of Josee Chouinard and Hough & Ladret. Tuffy Hough is perfect in her bombshell role and Hough and Ladret's performance to 'Harlem Nocturne' is fantastic!
My favorite part is set to 'Simply Irresistible' by Robert Palmer. It's meant to scream 'Kurt likes girls!' and features him with Tuffy, Josee, and Kristi Yamaguchi showboating around in a series of indulgent outfits.
There is the requisite territory of Kurt skating with kids, and Kurt practicing ballet which I didn't really care for.
There's also an awesome gag reel during the credits. Katarina even makes a cameo!!
The Goodbye Girl (1977)
Dreyfuss is adorable, but i cannot be happy with the message of this film
**SPOILERS**
Let me start by saying I love a lot of things about The Goodbye Girl. The Eliot character is adorable excitable really cute late 70s Richard Dreyfuss. And Quinn Cummings is fantastic. Both their roles are cleverly written. But this film is backwards from a feminist perspective, when other late 70's films like Annie Hall, were showing women as independent and competent beings wanting to change themselves.
This is not the case with the Goodbye Girl. While the film can boast witty dialogue, looking at it from a feminist perspective, it is just wretched and boasts no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Mason's character is co-dependent and immature at the beginning of the film and shows herself to be the same way at the end. Mason's initial sass is promising, but once Dreyfuss wins her over, she falls back into her co-dependent patterns. I could not, could not, be happy at the end of this film or feel any sort of contentment with the ending. I can't feel happy at Mason's unbridled enthusiasm; she jumps when Eliot calls and has no reservations about leaving her 10 year old daughter to follow him on a movie set. Even though she doesn't go, it is clear her priorities lie with her man's interests, not her daughter's, providing a terrible message that having a man in your life should be your top priority --and that you should give up your career or any kind of individual aspirations once you find one.
Maybe what bothered me is that Mason gave 100 percent of the power in the relationship to Dreyfuss-this is apparent in the end, it seems like the future and happiness of both Mason's Paula and her daughter is hinged on the whether Dreyfuss' Eliot is coming back or not. That doesn't leave me happy and it doesn't leave me satisfied and it doesn't leave me pleased that the characters are back together. In contrast, Annie Hall, with its more complex ending, was more satisfying. Annie had grown and changed throughout the movie. I thought this was more a reflection of the late 70's woman, or what woman were trying to become in that era.
Pretty in Pink (1986)
Bests Breakfast Club Anyday...
Needless to say, Pretty in Pink is by far my favorite brat pack movie. I think it was realistic. Class differences most definately still exist; they exist in high school and into college and into life in general. Plus, it was nice to see a high school girl not caring what anyone thinks and befriending who she pleased...the scene where she told off Spader's Stef was fantastic. Andie is a girl who celebrates who she is and doesn't crave popularity...but one who isn't tortured and hating the world at the same time. That was refreshing.
When I initially watched this movie, I of course was dissapointed by the outcome. But Andie was a girl who followed her heart--she wasn't in love with Duckie. Andie was in love with Blaine. And when they're in love, people don't always act in their own best interest (or what other people would deem so). I liked that they gave Duckie a girl to dance with in the end. Life moves on.
Anyway, i thought Pretty in Pink was better that the Holy Grail of Brat Pack movies, the Breakfast Club. These characters were a lot more dynamic than anyone in the TBC. The lines blurred and the film attempted a breaking out of typecasts by the characters simply living their lives...
Ok, obviously i love the Andie character, Andie was beautiful and confident without being popular or a follower. She is a person that makes me think and parts of which i wish i could emulate even though im 22 now. Pretty in Pink has the most enjoyable characters. Annie Potts and Jon Cryer are the best (!!)
Definately give this a try. It is like the Breakfast Club crossed with Romeo and Juliet crossed with offbeat pop culture. Just excellent.
A Mighty Wind (2003)
A well-acted but disappointing gust of wind from Guest
A Mighty Wind isn't as good as Best in Show and is nowhere in the league of Spinal Tap. It felt kind of hacked together. However, A Mighty Wind still proves entertaining. There were a few brilliant moments, but this overdone concept soon gets old and tiring.
AMW reprises nearly the entire cast of Best in Show. Part of the humor is seeing these same actors in different roles, but still playing very similar to their BIS characters. If you see BIS first it will probably make this movie more entertaining.
Highlights include Eugene Levy (who co-wrote the screenplay w.Guest) as Mitch, a mentally disturbed former folk-star w.his ex amour Mickie (Levy's frequent and perfect foil, Catherine O'Hara) Levy's uptight performance is hilarious and his interaction w.O'Hara provides the film's most comic and touching moments. Also watch for the BIS British dog commentator in a cameo as Mickie's husband. Another highlight is Guest newcomer Ed Begley Jr. as Swedish-born TV producer Lars Olfen, who peppers his comic idealism with countless Yiddish terms. This character is a fantastic addition and Begley's delivery is spot-on. Harry Shearer gets some long-overdue screen-time and notoriety in this film. Shearer, Guest, and Michael McKeon have a Spinal Tap reunion of sorts portraying the reunited folk trio, The Kingsmen. Usually playing third wheel to Guest and McKeon, Shearer gets the most fleshed out and flashy character of the three here. He really distinguishes himself as a comedic force not needing the hijinks of the other two.
The great disappointment of this film was that Guest and McKeon really aren't that amusing in themselves. The rest of my qualms lie with the concept, grievously overdone to the point of being (unintentionally & predicably) corny. Giving great importance to the stupid was a once witty and novel, but it just seems cliched here. While Best in Show followed a similar route, it was more original, more amusing, and more meticulously crafted. A Mighty Wind had it's moments; but it felt formulaic and hastily produced. The mockumentary is a genre so overdone that, save exceptional cases, it has lost its excitement and novelty. Guest fans may be a little disappointed, but anyone who isn't well-versed in this formula and the like should be amused by A Mighty Wind. But for Guest at his best, rent Best in Show. And for the ultimate mockumentary, rent Spinal Tap-- it puts all others to shame.
Whenever you end up seeing this film, I would keenly advise you to pay attention to the acting, the sometimes amusing dialogue, and the team of Levy and O'Hara-- they are all fantastic and make A Mighty Wind, well, not blow.