A Week of Thanks

5 Films about Thanksgiving

Day 3

Film #3

~ What’s Cooking ~

Director: Gurinder Chadha
Year:  2000
Cast: Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, Kyra Sedgwick, Julianna Margulies, Dennis Haysbert, Estelle Harris, Victor Rivers, Douglas Spain, Francois Chau, Will Yun Lee, Isidra Vega, A Martinez
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  109 mins. / Color / OAR 1.85:1 / MPAA Rating: PG-13

Four ethnic households in Los Angeles gather together in their respective homes to celebrate Thanksgiving, each with their own ethnic recipes. Each learns some important aspects of family, friends, and giving thanks.

The first thing I noticed about this balancing act is that director Chadha pulls it off with aplomb. Being able to effectively tell four different parallel stories that all intersect at various points in the film, while holding the interest of the viewer is no easy task, yet Chadha proves that she is more than capable.

The second thing I noticed about this entertaining comedy is the wonderful editing by Janice Hampton (also editor of “Rocky II”). It’s amazing how effective a skilled cutter can be to a films overall enjoyment, and proves that this woman’s touch was just what Chadha needed to bring to this fun comedy peppered with dry humor in the most appealing of ways.

That isn’t to say the film is perfect, or without fault. It does contain elements that prevent this film about families from being a family film (hence the PG-13 rating), but I imagine it has enough to heart to appeal to many adults, to whom the film is targeted.

The most exciting aspect of this pseudo chick flick was the appearance of two of my favorite presidents: President David Palmer, my favorite hero president, and President Charles Logan, my favorite villainous president (both from the Fox TV Show “24”, of course!).

All in all, a nice little treat as we head into the big day. Tomorrow, I’ll focus on the granddaddy Thanksgiving film of them all!

My Rating:   **** / B-

Available from Amazon: What’s Cooking?

or

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Amazon Video on Demand: What’s Cooking?

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A Week of Thanks

5 Films about Thanksgiving

Day 1

Film #1

~ The Ice Storm ~

Director: Ang Lee
Year:  1997
Cast: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, Katie Holmes
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  112 mins. / Color / OAR 1.37:1 / MPAA Rating: R

Ben (Kline) and Elena (Allen) Hood are in a miserable marriage, and have two children (Ricci and Maguire) who are negatively affected by the marital situation.   All are involved in extramarital affairs or drug use of some sort, and find that those they are involved with are equally as troubled as they, to disastrous results.

It’s tough to get behind a film where none of the characters have any redeeming qualities.  In such a situation, I find it hard to like any of them, thus find myself numb to any “hardships” they may suffer throughout the film.  This, sadly, is the situation with “The Ice Storm”.

The film is shot well, features a beautifully somber musical score, and is stocked with an excellent cast that any director would welcome.  Unfortunately, the story just wasn’t engrossing enough for even this caliber of talent to rescue.  The film, for starters, could have been set during any time of the year.  There is nothing in the film that makes it a Thanksgiving film, other than the mentions a few times here and there.  Furthermore, the ending that was supposed to be a heart wrenching finale, was seen from a mile away (actually about the halfway point of the movie, to be precise).  Lastly, other than that unfortunate incident, there is nothing else as far as consequences left in the film, with one nagging question regarding Maguires character left unresolved.

The most interesting thing about the film was the constant reference to “The Fantastic Four” with Maguires character (who himself was Marvel’s other comic book star, “Spider-man”.)  Of course, director Ang Lee would later direct that other Marvel film “Hulk” a few years later.

Not a horrible film, but not a memorable one either.  I can understand why this was a bomb at the box office upon its initial release.  Nobody wants to commit suicide during Thanksgiving week, or see a movie that is akin to that.

Aye, I need a drink.  Wait a minute, then I’d be like every character in the film.  On second thought…

My Rating: *** / C-

Available from Amazon: The Ice Storm – (The Criterion Collection)

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Amazon Video On Demand: The Ice Storm

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Today’s film, along with a few of the others that I’ve re-watched for this blog, was one of those films that we loved.  Anytime werewolves, vampires, and mummy’s were in a film together, I particularly would sit down in my favorite seat and watch it repeatedly.

As I’ve said before, I must never return to films that I loved as a child, because I usually see how horribly produced those films actually were.  Was today’s film the exception to the norm?

31 Days of Howl-oween

A Review of Films Filled with Frights

Day 26

Film #26

~ Waxwork ~

Director:  Anthony Hickox
Year:  1988
Cast: Zach Galligan, David Warner, John Rhys-Davies, Patrick Macnee, Deborah Foreman
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  95 mins. / Color / OAR 1.85:1 / MPAA Rating: R

During a visit by a group of teens to a new wax museum in their neighborhood, two of them mysteriously disappear.  The remaining members, Mark (Galligan) and Sarah (Foreman) realize something is amiss, and when Mark’s godfather Wilfred (Macnee) explains the satanic ritualistic intentions of the museums owner (Warner), they devise a plan to destroy the museum, and its owner with it.

IMDB lists that the script was written in 3 days, and boy does it feel like it.  This film has some of the worst dialogue ever written in the pages of a major motion picture.  The poor actors who had to deliver this horrendous stuff surely took the job for the money.

The story to this film is little more than a series of anthologies.  Attempting to make rhyme or reason to the characters, their actions, anything regarding plot motivators, and the purpose behind this film will leave you scratching your head till sores develop.

There are very memorable scenes, particularly the excellent John Rys Davies short, that convince the viewer that the film is about to get better.  Sadly, they are quickly followed by scenes as banal as the vampire dining scene and the horrible delivery by the count himself.  I wanted to step into the film, the way they do the exhibits in the film, and stake Dracula myself.

The film features violent gore that serves little purpose than to be gratuitous, along with the very out of place, forced even, foul language.

The only redeeming part to this snooze fest was the homages to the classic Universal Horror monsters.  That and some of the costuming was rather impressive.

Vincent Price, you are owed an apology, dear sir.

My Rating:  ** / D-

Available on Amazon: Waxwork / Waxwork II – Lost in Time

or watch it instantly on your computer

on Amazon Video on Demand: Waxwork I

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Sometimes that is a good thing.  It gives the viewer an unbiased beginning for the film.  Then there are times like these…

31 Days of Howl-oween

A Review of Films Filled with Frights

Day 21

Film #21

~ The Terror ~

Director:  Roger Corman
Year:  1963
Cast: Boris Karloff, Jack Nicholson, Sandra Knight, Dick Miller, Jonathan Haze
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  81 mins. / Color / OAR 1.85:1 / MPAA Rating: PG

French soldier Andre Duvalier (Nicholson) awakes on a beach, lost and confused as to his location.  He meets a beautiful young woman, who suddenly disappears into the castle of Baron Von Leppe (Karloff).  He soon learns she is the ghost of the Baron’s long deceased wife, and begins a quest to learn why she is haunting the castle, and why she is trying to kill the Baron.

Jack Nicholson as a French solider?!?!?  And with no accent at that?!?!?  I couldn’t help but wonder why this film was so disjointed and felt like a cobbled together bit of trims left over from another horror film until I began to do my research.

Roger Corman, schlockmeister himself, was breaking down sets from other films he had recently wrapped, when he decided to spend 3 days with Boris Karloff walking around on those sets to be filmed and used at a later time.  Enter Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, and a few other gents.  Corman gave them the opportunity to film each individually other scenes to be edited together to make what would become this film.  Boy does it show.

The film features little in the way of suspense, horrible casting (even Karloff comes across as a shell of his former self), and a story better fit for a brief back story in an EC comic.  Nothing in the film makes sense, ESPECIALLY the too crazy to even begin to be believable twist ending.

For this viewer, The Terror was the fact that such talented people were involved in this film.  I have to wonder how any of them became the stars they are today after this film.

Just proves the old adage.  It’s not what you know, but who you know…

My Rating:   ** / D

Available on Amazon: The Terror

Or if you want to view this film right now from your own computer

Amazon Video on Demand: The Terror VOD

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In any case, I’m not so sure any film should feature the word “BAD” in its title?  Does that word serve as a premonition for my review of this film?  Read on to find out…

31 Days of Howl-oween

A Review of Films Filled with Frights

Day 15

Film #15

~ Bad Channels ~

Director:  Ted Nicolaou
Year:  1992
Cast: Paul Hipp, Martha Quinn, Robert Factor, Aaron Lustig, Michael Huddleston
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  88 mins. / Color / OAR 1.33:1 / MPAA Rating: R

An alien and his robot henchman land in a small town to take hostage a small radio station and its on air disc jockey, Dan O’Dare (Hipp).  Using the airwaves to hypnotize unsuspecting women, the alien then uses a transporter device to shrink the women to doll-size hostages for his collection.  However, inquisitive reporter Lisa Cummings (Quinn) is intent on learning what strange occurrences have befallen her small town, and it’s up to her to convince the local authorities of her findings, thus rescuing the captive women, freeing the affable jockey, and saving the small town from impending doom.

The B-ist of B-movies, this film feels like an Ed Wood reject.  The acting is atrocious, the story is average at best, and the effects have the appearance of a high school car wash funded production.     The segments in which the alien hypnotizes the women by use of hallucinatory rock music videos is entertaining, but nothing a repeat viewing of a VHS recording of Riki Rachtman’s MTV Headbangers Ball wouldn’t reproduce.  By doing so, you’d likely even get an appearance or two from Martha Quinn (who used to be a VJ on MTV), without the boring storyline.

I’m not sure why the film never quite reached the entertainment value of Full Moons other franchise that preceded this film by a few years (“Puppet Master”)?  I think, as I stated in my review yesterday of that film, the puppets having a personality played a large part.  Here, the alien is simply an ugly indistinguishable man-in-suit, with little to no defining characteristics.  Coupled with the less than stellar acting, I think I can put a finger on it.  If only the always entertaining Rifftrax would give it a spin, I’d say it’s worth a second viewing!

The most entertaining aspect of the film was the post credits sequence, which features an appearance by a character who himself goes on to a series of b-movies, of which I have yet to view as well.  A close second would be the line “Dr. Howard, Dr. Fine, Dr. Howard”, which is a little in-joke to “The Three Stooges’ Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Shemp Howard.

Roger Corman, I owe you an apology…

My Rating:  ** / D

Available on Amazon: Full Moon Classics, Vol. 1

I could never place the film, and searched for years to try to find that scene, watching every theatrical haunted house picture of the 70s and 80s I could find.  Thankfully, cable television, in particular, Ted Turner, came to the rescue.  They ran the film as part of their Halloween programming, and I just happened to catch it.  As luck would have it, I was, and am, in the midst of a series focusing on films that are considered “horror” films.

Perhaps you’ve heard of or seen today’s film?…

31 Days of Howl-oween

A Review of Films Filled with Frights

Day 10

Film #10

~ This House Possessed ~

Director:  William Wiard
Year:  1981
Cast: Parker Stevenson, Lisa Eilbacher, Joan Bennett, Slim Pickens, David Paymer, K Callan
Language:  English
Country:  United States
Specs:  92 mins. / Color / OAR 1.33:1 / MPAA Rating: NR

When a rock star (Stevenson) suffers a nervous breakdown, he decides to get away to the scenic town of Rancho Santa Fe.  He purchases a furnished house and invites his nurse from the hospital to come along as a live-in nurse, which she happily accepts.  Soon the two begin to fall in love, just as a series of mysterious deaths begin to occur at the house.  They begin to suspect there may be more to the house than meets the eye, and set out to learn all they can about the house’s history, confirming a haunting truth.

Never have I seen a film deemed a horror film without a single scare in it.  In fact, I would garner this felt more like a Hardy Boys TV Movie of the Week than it did a Haunted House film.  There is so much nonsense in this film that even the actors must have knew what a turkey this was.

We get to see a house than can spy on people through it’s security camera system, no matter where in the state of California they are (and I thought the old Superfriends cartoons were bad!).  We get a 5 minute scene of Stevenson singing a “rock” song or two, whereupon he suddenly collapses from exhaustion.  We get a bubbling boiling swimming pool which nobody seems to notice!  We even get a breathing wall (for what reason again???)!

The acting, at least, isn’t horrible.  Some of the cameos, although horrendously stereotypical, are a welcome treat for fans of films of a different era (from “James Bond” to “Lois and Clark”!).

As I’ve said before, some things are better left to memory than revisiting.  In this case, I’m glad to free up that space for something far more memorable!

My Rating:  ** / D+

Stay tuned…

I deliberately went into this film having avoided any and all reviews, trailers, or blog posts.  I usually am a sucker for romantic dramas.  My wife has no problem getting me into  the local cineplex to see wonderfully crafted films such as “Once”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Before Sunrise”, or “Remains of the Day”.  I’m even a fan of excellently produced May-December romance pics such as “An Affair to Remember”, “The Graduate”, “Crazy Heart”, and “Love in the Afternoon”.  I appreciate a story that begins with the appearance that the characters are destined for failure, but eventually overcome any hurdles by films end, proving the old adage that “Love Conquers All”.  “An Education” fits only part of that bill.

Newcomer Carey Mulligan is a fine actress, and is amazingly believable in her portrayal of a smitten young teen.  If nothing else, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wins the Best Actress Oscar, and goes on to a very fulfilling career in film.  Mulligan plays a credulous 16 year old who meets the guile older man, played by Peter Sarsgaard with perfection, and begins to fall head-over-heels for him and his sophisticated/avant-garde lifestyle.  All those around her seem to support her relationship with her new suitor, despite the fact that he is twice her age, and she is a minor.  The only exception being that of her instructor, played by Emma Thompson.  This was the only fault I had with this film.  I simply had a hard time believing that at least one of her parents wouldn’t have at least questioned the relationship, considering how “conservative” the father initially was portrayed.  The music and set designs of the film are excellently crafted together to further prove that Lone Scherfig is a very talented film-maker.  As entertaining as though the film may be, I found it a little predictable towards the end.  Thankfully, the film is rescued by the acting all around, and is worth a viewing for the performances alone.

Rating = *** / 5

A SERIOUS MAN
2009
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Cast: Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff, Richard Kind
Genre: Drama
Rated R For language, some sexuality/nudity and brief violence

Let me preface this review by stating that I generally am a fan of the Coen brothers’ films.  “Raising Arizona” and “The Big Lebowski” are easily in my top 100 list.  The wry, often dark, humor that peppers the brothers’ films sets their body of work above the rest.  Which is why a film like “A Serious Man” disappoints.  I can’t quite place my finger on the reason this film didn’t resonate with me the way films like “Fargo”, “Hudsucker Proxy”, or “Barton Fink” had.  Perhaps it’s my lack of knowledge in the subject matter.  This is a work of love; a very passionate film deeply entwined with the customs and language of a Jewish family.

I can appreciate the film for it’s portrayal of a 1967 Jewish neighborhood that bears a strong resemblance to the neighborhood familiar to the Coen’s.  What I can’t get past is that there fails to be a character in the film to stand behind and root for.  There isn’t a character that is portrayed in an overall positive light.  Larry Gopnik, played by Michael Stuhlbarg, is a miserable man who doesn’t know what he wants in life.  Larry’s wife, Judith, is having an affair, and thus leaves him, for “friendly” neighbor Sy Ableman. Larry’s children are equally as contemptible.  His daughter is a materialistic thief, stealing money from her own father for her selfish ambitions.   His son is a loaf who gives more energy into watching TV and listening to the latest album than prepare for something as important as his bar mitzvah.  Larry’s lazy brother does nothing but lounge on his couch all day.  Even the somber “Fargo” had a positive, likable character in Marge Gunderson.  It’s hard to get behind a film, when you can’t get behind any of the characters.

Rating = ** / 5