Movie A Day 5: Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Hello again, when I think of Mel Brooks, I think of Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, or Blazing Saddles. One film however has always stuck out to me in his filmography. Robin Hood: Men in Tights has gotten a bad rap over the years, with only a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some even say this is when Brooks finally jumped the shark as he only directed one more movie after this. I feel Robin Hood: Men in Tights has gotta a undue reputation throughout the years, here's why

"I lost. I lost? Wait a second, I'm not supposed to lose. Let me see the script."

Overview:  A spoof of Robin Hood in general, and 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' in particular. 

Plot and Pacing: I'm not sure what Mel Brooks wanted this film to be. On some levels, it succeeds and effectively spoofs the story and the genre in general. On the other hand, I think the early 90s got the best of him, especially by including that horribly dated rap sequence. I'm a fan of breaking the forth wall on occasion, but they seem to go to the well far too many times here. The other musical sequences work well here and they're spread out rather evenly. My main complaint is that it seemed like it was trying to be too much like Blazing Saddles, sometimes referencing the movie outright. The movie is paced just right though, never feeling sluggish despite its hit or miss joke ratio.

The Players: Cary Elwes seems right in his comfort zone in yet another period film. His casting is pretty great and he seems to be having fun with the role. I'm a huge fan of the choice as booking Richard Lewis as the king, his new york accent somehow is ironically perfect for the role. Roger Rees is pretty great himself, effectively playing the foil to Elwes' hero. A young Dave Chappelle has a nice supporting role as ahchoo. Mel Brooks did very well to cast this film and his finger prints are all over it.

Verdict: I'm pretty conflicted on this film. It's hard not to compare it to Brooks earlier, more focused works. Viewed by itself though, Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a solid addition to the spoof genre. Give it a look if you're a fan of Mel Brooks. It's available on Netflix Instant Streaming. Until next time.

6/10

Join me next time as I follow Mel Brooks (again) in To Be or Not To Be 

Movie A Day 4: The Producers (1968)

Welcome back to my Movie A Day column. This will be my first time double dipping a decade as we travel back to the 1960s. Today I follow Gene Wilder in one of his early roles as he stars in the comedy genius Mel Brook's The Producers. This was Brook's first feature film and laid the foundation for his classic hits like Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. Ladies and Gents, The Producers!

"Don't be stupid, be a smarty. Come and join the Nazi party"

Overview: Producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom make money by producing a sure-fire flop. A flop titled Springtime for Hitler.

Plot and Pacing: You can tell this is Brooks first feature film because it would be an understatement to call this film uneven. The Producers has flashes of greatness, particularly the performance of the musical Springtime for Hitler that ultimately saves the movie from being the farce. The first act though, is terribly sluggish and actor Zero Mostel was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for much of the movie. Even though this is a comedy, the large gaps in logic are hard to overlook, for instance, why Gene Wilder's character would fall in with this con artist in the first place.

The Players: As I noted before, "star" Zero Mostel performance was annoying and obnoxious though I feel like it was meant to be like that. Still, it's hard to sympathize with a character you can't stand. Gene Wilder once again saves this movie. In one of his early roles, Wilder shows his trademark charm and wit. Kenneth Mars shines as the Nazi sympathizer who just wants his love for the furor to be on display. It's a shame he passed this past year. Lee Meredith is gorgeous as the foreign secretary who stole the scene every time she was on screen. 

The Verdict: This would not be a film I would show a Mel Brooks virgin to. No, Young Frankenstein or Blazing Saddles are his classics that will be remembered 50 years from now. The Producers is an uneven film in which actors and musical numbers rise it above mediocrity. Check this out if you're a Mel Brooks fan. 

6/10

Join me tomorrow as I review another Mel Brooks film, Robin Hood: Men in Tights   

Movie A Day 3: Stir Crazy

Greetings all, welcome to another chapter in my Movie a Day column. Today we take follow Sidney Poitier from his role as John, the black doctor in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) to Stir Crazy (1980) where he steps into the directors chair. A bit of a confession, I've seen this movie before. I haven't seen it all the way through and thought it would be a good idea to watch it in it's entirety. And since this is my blog, I think I'll allow it. Now with the review

"Yes I'm a short son of a bitch, my daddy was a short son of a bitch, my mother was shorter than him, and my brother, my brother was so short we couldn't even see him."

Overview: Skip and Harry are framed for a bank robbery and end up in a western prison. The two eastern boys are having difficulty adjusting to the new life until the warden finds that Skip has a natural talent for riding broncos with the inter-prison rodeo coming up.

Plot and Pacing: This is not a film that heavily relied on smart writing. You might even say the plot is quite generic and elementary and you would have a valid argument. No, this is an actors movie. Meaning that it's basically just Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor letting loose for 111 minutes. Director Sidney Poitier does a fine job of not reigning in his actors too much and keeping the pedal on the medal pace wise. I was surprised the run time was as long as it was, because this film flew by. There seems to be a rather large plot hole at the end, but that doesn't take away the enjoyment of the movie.

The Players: Many people only know Gene Wilder from his work in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, (in which he is amazing in) but you would be missing out on one of the most charismatic actors of our time. He brings so much warmth and heartfelt emotion to every role, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a movie of his. Stir Crazy is no exception, he brings such enthusiasm and hope to this film, and he shows excellent chemistry with Richard Pryor as usual. Wilder and Pryor were one of the premier buddy duos of the late 1970s-early 80s. This is the second of four features they were in together, Silver Streak being the first (just an excellent movie). Pryor brings his all time best stand-up comedy to the screen as he portrays a streetwise perpetual victim that doesn't adjust to being in prison as well Wilder does. I can't stress how good of a duo these two are. JoBeth Williams, Barry Corbin, and a very early role by Craig T. Nelson stand out in supporting roles. 

The Verdict: Stir Crazy was a very popular film back in late 1980, grossing over a 100,000,000 and was the 3rd highest grossing film of the year. Many herald this as a comedy classic. While I wouldn't go that far, (I much prefer Silver Streak) Stir crazy is a fun buddy comedy that can effectively showcase the talents of both Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. This film can be found on Netflix Streaming, give it a shot.

7/10

Tune in tomorrow as we follow Gene Wilder in Mel Brook's The Producers (1968)   

Movie A Day 2: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

The second day of my movie project takes us to 1967 as I follow Katharine Hepburn from The African Queen to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. This film is significant as it tackles race relations at the peak of the Civil Rights movement. Also it's known for being Spencer Tracy's last movie, as he died 6 months before this movie ever hit the theaters. So without further ado, lets get on with the review.

 "Civil rights is one thing. This here is somethin' else"

In a nutshell:  Matt and Christina Drayton are a couple whose attitudes are challenged when their daughter brings home a fiancé who is black. 

Plot and Tone: You would expect a film centered on a white girl bringing home a black man to be controversial, and it certainly is to an extent. For the first 20 minutes or so, you get the impression that this will be a rather lighthearted affair but the film quickly grows a backbone will it becomes apparent that the parents are not OK with this arrangement. Quite frankly there are some unsettling scenes between the parents and the black man. This movie dates itself a bit with its constant usage of the word "negro" every other line, but otherwise its pretty engaging subject matter. The addition of Mrs. Jefferson herself (Isabell Sanford) as the racist black maid is a shocking development and really grounds the whole plot. I did feel the film ran about 20 minutes too long.

The Players: First and foremost, Kudos must be given to Spencer Tracy in his last role. He was given quite a bit of scenes to chew on and he showed why he was a cut above the rest as the liberal dad whos values are turned on their head. Katharine Hepburn is the anchor that keeps this film on its path. Her character still has some reservations about the arrangement, but she wants what is best for her daughter. Sidney Poitier does a great job as well and has a nice monologue at the end of the film. Director Stanley Kramer does a great job of setting up the tension and the choose a great city to film in (San Francisco).

Verdict: This is a film that will divide certain people. Some that are overly PC will be aghast at some of the remarks about blacks and whites in this movie. Others will love the back and forth between its stars. This is an important movie, it was one of the first to deal with interracial relationship and treat it with respect. The film has a lot to say on the subject and has some wonderful performances. It's available on Netflix streaming and I recommend checking it out.

7/10

Tune in tomorrow as well follow Sidney Poitier as we review Stir Crazy (1980)

 

Movie A Day:The African Queen

I fancy myself a film enthusiast. In fact, I can appreciate film from every genre and time period.  During my life, I've amassed a fairly large collection of films. A good portion of them I have yet to see. Thanks to Netflix streaming, my library of movies to watch has grown by leaps and bounds. I will attempt to watch a new film a day, every day, throughout the year. I'm not saying I will this goal, for it is a lofty one; but I'll enjoy broadening my scope of film, and hopefully whoever decides to read this as well. Without further ado, here's The African Queen

"Never say die. That's my motto."

For film lovers out there, this is going to be one of those you seriously haven't seen it type films. For others, you may have no idea what this film is about. In a nutshell, starring Humphrey Bogart (a distant relative of mine) and Katharine Hepburn, it takes place in Africa during WW1, a gin-swilling riverboat owner/captain is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship. 

Immediately after watching this film, one has to really commend the work of the two leads, Especially Uncle Bogey. Humphrey Bogart turns in some of his finest work here as a steamboat captain just trying to stay out of this mess of a war. Nearly unrecognizable from his earlier work, Bogart actually looks quite sickly and it wasn't that much of a surprise to find out that he died just a few years later. Regardless, he chews scenery here and he deserved his best actor Oscar he took home from this film. Hepburn is no slouch herself. Earlier on, her stick up her ass attitude is a bit grating. As soon as she lets loose though, it's quite fun watching Bogart and her play off each other.

Fans of modern cinema will enjoy Hepburn and Bogart's relationship. Many scenes directly inspire more recent films like Pirates of the Caribbean. Specifically Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swanns relationship from the the Curse of the Black Pearl. The scene where Elizabeth pours out Jack's rum is "borrowed" from this film. 

The African Queen also inspired another Disney attraction. The Jungle Cruise was inspired from this film and watching it, it's easy to see why. Shot in Technicolor, this film was shot on location in Africa and the jungle is quite beautiful. For a film shot 61 years ago, it wears it's age proudly. Director John Huston shot a beautiful film. The plot moves at a fairly fast pace for this kind of film. Never becoming predictable, its 105 minute run time never over stays its welcome. The writing was quite sharp and witty for its time period.

Now is this the classic most make it out to be? yes and no. Yes, it's a classic love story set on the backdrop of a war with two actors at the top of there games. On the other hand, the love story is a bit too convenient at times and the ending is a bit rushed I think. Overall though I enjoyed this film and am looking forward to my next cinematic challenge. Until next time..

8/10

  

Box Office Outlook

Its January and that means that 95% of the new releases are going to range from mediocre to terrible. This weeks new releases don't look to change the curve. Luckily we have a lot of Oscar contenders releases and that just means more reviewing in the coming weeks. Expect this week to be dominated by holdovers.

New releases this week include One Missed Call as the only wide release and the Killing of John Lennon. One Missed Call sounds like something ripped right off the Ring, of course it doesn't help that the trailers look awful and buzz has been low. Its gonna get about 2200 theaters though so i think it will end up getting the teen audience in their and earn a good $7-8 mil. I'm hoping for half that.

The Killing of John Lennon sounded like an Intriguing story but The buzz is almost at zero and with reviews are only, it faces an uphill battle. With the biggest PTA opener of the year going into its second week,(there will be Blood). Don't count on this one scoring big with audiences or even expanding.

Juno expands to 1880 theaters and is already past 30 million! I'll have a review as soon as I see it. Expect it to do in the 13 mil range. Atonement is expanding further to 500 theaters and it should add an extra 3 mil or so in its already successful run. In other limited releases, The Orphanage, is expanding to 40 theaters this weekend, It did in the ok to good range last week but I really can't see this connecting with a wide audience.

National Treasure should win the week, followed by Alvin, Juno, I am Legend and Charlie Wilson's War.

No Country For Old Men Review

I recently Caught a screening of one of the most hyped flicks of the year at my local dollar theater with a friend of mine,(I'm a cheap prick). Needless to say that we were both excited to check out the Coen Brothers latest endeavor. We entered the medium size theater expecting a slow paced action flick, But nothing could prepare us for what we were to witness.

What we saw that night was a visually and emotionly stunning film which defies movie formula and by the end, truly becomes its own genre. The kind of movie that doesn't leave you once you left the theater. This is the kinda movie that proves that film making isn't just about being famous, It's an art. This ladies and gentleman is how its done. Lets get on with the review.

Without giving away too much of the plot,(I wouldn't forgive myself) A hunter, played by actor of the year Josh Brolin, Finds a bunch of dead bodies, Heroin, and two million in cash. He gets greedy and takes the cash, but not before the scariest damn antagonist of all time finds out that he has the money. What results is quite possibly the most emotional thrill ride I've ever seen. This is a tale of cat and mouse at its finest.

Why it works is because its like two different movies. It starts off as an action for the first 3/4 of the movie, Then the rug gets pulled from under you in a scene which has audiences more divided than any movie I've ever seen. The Coens stuck very close to the source material here and its a refreshing change of pace. This is also one of the most beautifully shot films of the year, right up there with Into the Wild.

The performances here are all top notch. In fact out of the three leads I really don't know which one was better. But for me Javier Bardem as the unrelenting, yet loyal contract killer is the real standout. In what is the most chilling characters I've seen in cinema, he brings it all to the table. I even like the haircut. Tommy Lee Jones as Ed Tom Bell is at first scene as a side character and comic relief, Yet this character continues to evolve throughout the story and hearing about his dream still brings me to tears. Josh Brolin is excellent as Llewelyn Moss. The former Goonie starts off as rather boring yet turns into a resourceful, yet caring person. Woody Harrelson and Kelly macdonald both shine even though their screen time is rather minor

I seriously cannot find one glaring flaw in this masterpiece. I can only hope the Coens and the cast receive some well deserved Oscar attention and this films finds more of an audience. If your reading this and still debating on whether to see this, get off your ass and go see it with an open mind. Your brain will thank you later.