HollysDemoHell
Joined May 2012
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HollysDemoHell's rating
Burn After Reading is a shaggy dog story of the very highest order. A calamity-fest of petty dumbness, where ego multiplied by deception equals fail. This movie tells you more about the human spirit than Titanic, Shawshank Redemption, Blues Brothers 2000, or My Stepmother Is A Wheelbarrow.
Every character is basically a schlub. The question is, how do you stuff a movie with this many bad apples and still end up with such a delicious tarte tatin? Perhaps only the Coen Bros know how... In their filmography I can't bring myself to say this is better than Fargo, but it's really close, and it's better than anything else.
Every character is basically a schlub. The question is, how do you stuff a movie with this many bad apples and still end up with such a delicious tarte tatin? Perhaps only the Coen Bros know how... In their filmography I can't bring myself to say this is better than Fargo, but it's really close, and it's better than anything else.
Early 6-episode Steve Coogan comedy showcase vehicle which still ranks as one of the best things he's ever done in my opinion, which is saying a lot. (not because it's my opinion, but because of how much other great stuff he's done).
Two episodes miss the mark slightly: the Paul Calf episode is good, but pales in comparison to the prior brilliant 'video diary' episodes, and any of his live standup routines. The character just seems a bit lost in the standard tv-episode type format.
Also the Mike Crystal episode, again funny, veers too close towards typical BBC comedy fare to be that memorable. It's kind of throwaway, but far from mediocre.
Elsewhere we have some classic tv.
Gareth Cheeseman: Almost like Alan Partridge's annoying bratty spoiled nephew. There are sooooo many classic lines in this episode. (The DVD commentary mentions how there was apparently talk of this character being developed *instead* of Partridge... kind of glad that didn't happen because Partridge is so much more 3 dimensional, however it's a shame we never saw Cheeseman ever again).
Tim Fleck: A fantastically awkward character who these days would probably be diagnosed with 73 'isms' and given a special flashing lanyard, but here is free to indulge his love of medieval potato knives in a forgotten musem. What more is there to say? There are some absurd lines from this one which have stuck with me. One of Coogan's weirdest characters, and again it's sad that he was restricted to just 30 minutes of telly ever.
Natural Born Quizzers: Coogan and Patrick Marber play a couple of ultra nerdy brothers trapped in their own world of telepathic in-jokes and secret shared language. The writing is amazing here, and the plot is bonkers. I defy anyone to watch this one and tell me it isn't some kind of comedy genius? There's also an oddly poignant scene where Coogan's character has a brief daydream of how his adult self might've turned out if he hadn't been such a relentless weirdo.
Ernest Moss: Homage to / parody of 1950s comedies, everything about this one is a treat. Coogan looks unrecognisable as Moss (likewise John Thompson as his mute sidekick Robin). This one relies heavily on the plot to deliver the goods, and the way everything is done makes it feel like you're watching a film. It's probably the most subtly amusing and non laugh-out-loud episode of the series, however in other ways possibly the best as it's such a joy to watch. Everything is just so perfectly 1950s/early 60s, they nailed it... Ernest Moss actually did escape the confines of this series and became part of some live shows, I think he's either on the 'Man Who Thinks He's It', dvd or one of the others.
Anyway, my rambling thoughts on this 30+ year old series, which deserves more acclaim and I would say is essential for any Coogan fans that don't own it.
It's a shame that shortly afterwards when Coogan did branch out into a full length movie with 'The Parole Officer', the character he dreamt up for that was a bit bland, and therefore so was the film.
Two episodes miss the mark slightly: the Paul Calf episode is good, but pales in comparison to the prior brilliant 'video diary' episodes, and any of his live standup routines. The character just seems a bit lost in the standard tv-episode type format.
Also the Mike Crystal episode, again funny, veers too close towards typical BBC comedy fare to be that memorable. It's kind of throwaway, but far from mediocre.
Elsewhere we have some classic tv.
Gareth Cheeseman: Almost like Alan Partridge's annoying bratty spoiled nephew. There are sooooo many classic lines in this episode. (The DVD commentary mentions how there was apparently talk of this character being developed *instead* of Partridge... kind of glad that didn't happen because Partridge is so much more 3 dimensional, however it's a shame we never saw Cheeseman ever again).
Tim Fleck: A fantastically awkward character who these days would probably be diagnosed with 73 'isms' and given a special flashing lanyard, but here is free to indulge his love of medieval potato knives in a forgotten musem. What more is there to say? There are some absurd lines from this one which have stuck with me. One of Coogan's weirdest characters, and again it's sad that he was restricted to just 30 minutes of telly ever.
Natural Born Quizzers: Coogan and Patrick Marber play a couple of ultra nerdy brothers trapped in their own world of telepathic in-jokes and secret shared language. The writing is amazing here, and the plot is bonkers. I defy anyone to watch this one and tell me it isn't some kind of comedy genius? There's also an oddly poignant scene where Coogan's character has a brief daydream of how his adult self might've turned out if he hadn't been such a relentless weirdo.
Ernest Moss: Homage to / parody of 1950s comedies, everything about this one is a treat. Coogan looks unrecognisable as Moss (likewise John Thompson as his mute sidekick Robin). This one relies heavily on the plot to deliver the goods, and the way everything is done makes it feel like you're watching a film. It's probably the most subtly amusing and non laugh-out-loud episode of the series, however in other ways possibly the best as it's such a joy to watch. Everything is just so perfectly 1950s/early 60s, they nailed it... Ernest Moss actually did escape the confines of this series and became part of some live shows, I think he's either on the 'Man Who Thinks He's It', dvd or one of the others.
Anyway, my rambling thoughts on this 30+ year old series, which deserves more acclaim and I would say is essential for any Coogan fans that don't own it.
It's a shame that shortly afterwards when Coogan did branch out into a full length movie with 'The Parole Officer', the character he dreamt up for that was a bit bland, and therefore so was the film.
Unfortunately one of the worst 80s slashers I've ever seen, and I give these things more leeway than probably 99% of slasher fans.
How does anyone make a film this annoyingly rubbish? It's actually mind boggling.
Early on there are in fact one or two laughably goofy lines and scenes, but once the assembled teens have arrived in the 'big random house' where the entire thing takes place, utter boredom ensues.
I notice another reviewer on here has inexplicably compared this to the so-bad-it's-good action martial arts classic Gymkata, which is so far off the mark I don't even know where to begin.
On a vaguely similar strand of mid-to-late 80s slasher ineptness with a 'kids all go to a house, because of a reason' type plotline, I'd recommend Psycho Cop over this instead, or otherwise Blood Lake. They're both way funnier and more watchable.
How does anyone make a film this annoyingly rubbish? It's actually mind boggling.
Early on there are in fact one or two laughably goofy lines and scenes, but once the assembled teens have arrived in the 'big random house' where the entire thing takes place, utter boredom ensues.
I notice another reviewer on here has inexplicably compared this to the so-bad-it's-good action martial arts classic Gymkata, which is so far off the mark I don't even know where to begin.
On a vaguely similar strand of mid-to-late 80s slasher ineptness with a 'kids all go to a house, because of a reason' type plotline, I'd recommend Psycho Cop over this instead, or otherwise Blood Lake. They're both way funnier and more watchable.