Every Which Way But Loose (2008)

Okay, okay, before I start getting e-mails up the waz detailing the differences between monkeys and apes, I know Clyde (the main character in the film owns an orange, male ape) wasn't a monkey, but `Clint and his orangutan' just didn't have the same zing...Every Which Way But Loose (1978), directed by James Fargo, who, back in the mid to late 70's seemed to have a promising career, working with Eastwood earlier in 1976's The Enforcer, but after the predictable and hokey 1982 Chuck Norris martial arts actioneer Forced Vengeance, he soon found himself relegated to the domain of the small screen, directing episodes of such 80's television shows as The A-Team, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and Hunter. Starring in the film is Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven), one time Eastwood co-habitator (that means they shacked up together, but never got hitched) Sondra Locke (The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Gauntlet), Geoffrey Lewis (Salem's Lot, Bronco Billy), and one of the more curmudgeonly actresses I've ever seen in Ruth Gordon (Rosemary's Baby, Harold and Maude). Also appearing is Beverly D'Angelo (National Lampoon's Vacation), Bill McKinney (The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Gauntlet), and John Quade (Bad Company, High Plains Drifter) as Cholla, leader of the Black Widows, what has to be the most inept biker gang ever committed to celluloid...

Eastwood is Philo Beddoe, a truck driver who earns a little extra income as a bare-knuckled fighter in what appear to be unsanctioned street fights, with his friend Orville Boggs (Lewis), a tow truck driver as his sort of manager (well, not really manager, but Orville researches the opponents and makes the bets). Philo, along with his pet orangutan Clyde, and Orville live with Ma Boggs, a cantankerous old biddy who's constantly complaining about how Clyde defecates all over the place, and constantly steals her Oreos. Anyway, life seems to be going alright, that is until Philo falls for a country singer named Lynn Halsey-Taylor (Locke). After making the bumpity bump between the sheets and accepting a good deal of money from Philo (there is a name for women like that, but she did give Philo a rather convincing sob story), Lynn mysteriously up and leaves without so much as a how do you do, headed back to Denver...which prompts Philo to pick up and take after her, with Orville and Clyde in tow. Along the way they make a few enemies in a couple of cops who carry a grudge way to far (just let it go boys, you'll live longer) and also in a particularly lame biker group calling themselves the Black Widows, led by their portly leader Cholla (John Quade), both groups in pursuit of Philo for what we in the business like to call payback (which also happens to be the name of a really good Mel Gibson film based on a Donald Westlake book). Philo does finally find Lynn, the cops and the bikers find Philo, and Philo finds himself with the opportunity to face off against the legendary street fighter Tank Murdock, supposedly the best there is...

The production notes state that when this script was originally presented to Eastwood, it was done so in the hopes that he would pass it along to Burt Reynolds...but Eastwood, who was looking for way to break from the western genre that launched him into stardom, liked it so much he decided he wanted the role himself. Also, many around him at the time, especially the studio executives at Warner Brothers, tried to dissuade him from making the film as they didn't think it would fly, but, after the film's release it ended up being the top grossing film of Eastwood's career, so successful it spawned a popular sequel...I often wonder how many wonderful films got quashed by know nothing studio execs because the script didn't have the juice of someone like Eastwood behind them...anyway, this film is just a good time, and doesn't tend to take itself too seriously. Eastwood carries the movie, with his laid back machismo, but he did have a bit of competition in the ape and Ruth Gordon who tend to steal most of the scenes they're in (probably my favorite scene is when Ma's home alone, confronted by the biker gang searching for Philo, and is forced to use her shotgun which I think is similar to what someone might use to hunt elephants). Also, I know many people would probably like to credit individuals from `da hood' with starting the whole wearing your baseball cap crooked fad, but I contend it was actually Geoffrey Lewis' character Orville that made it popular. Locke did well, but I always felt she exuded an inherently creepy quality (check out the confrontation scene between her character and Philo near the end), no matter what film I saw her in (she appeared in like seven of Eastwood's films, that is until the relationship took the last train to splitsville), and here is no different. Maybe it's her excessively large eyeballs, or her borderline albino condition...and I really can't review this film without mentioning the soundtrack. Normally, I don't listen to country and western music, but I really did enjoy its' usage in here, featuring performers like Eddie Rabbitt, Mel Tillis, and Charlie Rich...also Locke performs one or two number surprisingly well...and the memorable theme used for the Black Widow gang...I found myself humming along every time they made their appearance in the film.

The wide screen (1.85:1) picture looks very good on this DVD, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound comes through reasonably clear. Special features include a theatrical trailer for the film, production notes, and a filmography for Eastwood. I would've liked to seen a cast commentary included, as I think everyone had a great time making the film, and probably could have shared some wonderful anecdotes, but whatever...this film was followed by the equally popular sequel Any Which Way You Can (1980).

Cookieman108

Wow, do you mean to say that Hollywood actually made a movie that was not condescending towards working class America? Oh, that's right, this one came out 27 years ago. Watching it for the first time since boyhood made me painfully aware of just how much our culture has changed for the worse. Nowadays, presenting a character like Philo Beddoe would necessitate the inclusion of some sort of Jerry Springer incest plot just to make it believable. Yet Eastwood's Philo is anything but the kind of immoral dullard we are so used to seeing shout onstage at his half-sister paramour; in fact, his morality is exceptional given the circumstances. His honor is can be easily juxtaposed with Sandra Locke's "hustler" mentality. Their romance is an incredible beating, but Philo takes the pain with the same grace that he does in the unofficial underground ring. My favorite part of the film is when Eastwood approaches a college girl in a country bar to say hello. She is nasty in return and looks down her irritable nose at him. The only reason she's even at the tavern is to study primitives like Philo, and then report her findings back to the civilized world. His response is in keeping with what all of us would like to say after being friendly to someone who's above that sort of thing, "What are you mad about?" I'm sure she could not even tell him even if she wanted to.

On the whole, Every Which Way But Loose, is a campy timecapsule harkening back to days when we could still laugh at what was funny, and love for reasons that aren't reasons at all. If you ask me, this one has all the intangibles of a successful movie: strong men, feminine women, motorcycle gangs, old ladies packing curses and shotguns along with an amorous orangutan who is a better mate than Sandra Locke. Yes, this one is worth every Olympia beer and pick-up truck you see onscreen.

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I'm a huge Clint Eastwood fan, and I enjoy watching and discussing his deep, dark movies like "The Beguiled" and "Unforgiven." But my guilty secret is: whenever "Any Which Way You Can" show up on cable TV, I get a big goofy grin on my face, drop everything I'm doing, and watch it. I realize this film is an acquired taste, but I *love* it. It's my redneck roots coming out. The overage bikers, Clyde the orangutang, William Smith, crazy old Ruth Gordon, Geoffrey Lewis, Clint crooning with Ray Charles on the soundtrack, even Sondra Locke's singing and acting (which comes off as enjoyably campy in this context)--it's all great! And I love the message of "we rustic rural types are just as interesting as anybody else" (because these *are* my people, as I've said.) I don't think Eastwood has made a more enjoyable movie.

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By now its unlikely that you haven't already seen this movie. This is one of those flicks like Animal House or Walking Tall that when you're flipping channels at 3:00AM its impossible to walk away from. Work be damned. But if you've been watching one of the butchered versions of this classic comedy on TBS/TNT or even AMC, then you haven't seen this movie in its full glory.

This movie is hilarious. There are so many lines in this full presentation DVD I'd never heard before including one from my Junior High days when Cholla, the leader of the wrongway biker gang refers to his boys as "GD morphodites" as they are being pummeled by a shorthanded trio of truckers. Not even the droll and ultra boring Sondra Locke (Clint, what were you thinking?) can kill the vibe of this nonstop actioner as Philo Beddoe wades through one bare knuckles contest after another. Geoffrey Lewis makes a great sidekick and very matter of factly picks up Beverly DeAngelo along the way. Ruth Gordon makes me laugh, I wish she was my grandmother. Funny funny funnneeeeeee!

The all new digital transfer and 5.1 remastering has to be seen to be believed. Most of Clint Eastwood's better films have gotten this treatment including Any Which Way You Can, Kelly's Heroes, and The Outlaw Josey Wales, among others, and they are all magnificent! 5 Towtrucks

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Yes, yes, I know...an orangutan is not a monkey...as I stated in my review of the first film, Every Which Way But Loose (1978), `Clint and his orangutan' just doesn't have the same zing...anyway, the gang from the immensely popular first film is back (well, nearly the whole gang, as the original orangutan who appeared as Clyde was replaced in this one with a younger ape), helmed by, in his directorial debut, Buddy Van Horn, who would later direct Clint Eastwood in two more films, The Dead Pool (1988), and Pink Cadillac (1989), before returning to what appears to be his true calling in performing and coordinating stunts. Returning with Eastwood is Sondra Locke (The Gauntlet), Geoffrey Lewis (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot), Ruth Gordon (Harold and Maude), and John Quade (Rancho Deluxe) as Cholla, leader of the Black Widows motorcycle gang. Also appearing is B movie veteran (look it up, he's been in like 150 films, many you probably never heard of) William Smith (Conan the Barbarian) and Harry Guardino (The Enforcer).

It seems Philo (Eastwood) is looking to retire from bare knuckle street fighting, not because he's growing tired of it, but because, as he says, he's beginning to like the pain (a concept I won't claim to understand, but then again, there's a whole lotta things in this great wild world that confound, confuse, and perplex me, so I won't argue the point). Well, shortly after his self-imposed retirement, he's approached by some Mafioso types who are interested in having Philo go against their street fighting champion from the East, Jack Wilson, played by Smith (well, they never referred to him as `the champion', but the idea is pushed that the mob guys had to come out West to look for new action as Wilson has beaten nearly everyone worth beating in the East). They make Philo an offer he can't refuse, namely offering him a load of dough, and Philo initially accepts, but then decides against it as those around him, including Lynn (Locke), whom he made up with since the last film, are concerned that Philo may get seriously injured. Well, as you can imagine, the mob guys don't take this news too lightly, and take matters into their own hands, trying to force Philo into an East vs. West knock down, drag out, bare knuckle brawl against Wilson, whom I will say seems to live up to his reputation as a crippler. Oh yeah, the Black Widows are back, still smarting from their previous encounters with Bedoe, still looking for payback.

While Any Which Way You Can didn't match the success of the first film, that's small potatoes as it still was very popular, making a boatload of dough (I've read somewhere in the neighborhood of $75 million compared to Every Which Way But Loose's $100 million dollar return...keep in mind these are late 70's, early 80's dollars we're talking about). That's good enough to give any studio executive the warm fuzzies, but is the film any good? I think so...despite changing directors and storywriters (Jeremy Joe Kronsberg, writer of the original was replaced by Stanford Sherman, who would later pen the films Krull and The Ice Pirates), the filmmakers seemed to try and keep the original formula intact, for the most part. The film obviously displays a bigger budget, but I felt a little of the intimacy was lost between some of the characters, due to the fact the cast was expanded, featuring a great deal of different, often crazy characters (even the Black Widow gang seems to have increased their membership). Did this ruin the film? Certainly not, but I missed Lewis and especially Gordon's characters not getting as much attention as they did in the first film (Gordon tended to steal most all the scenes she was in with regards to the first). Speaking of Gordon's character of Ma, we learn she actually has a real first name in that of Zenobia...seems oddly appropriate. And is it me, or do orangutans like to kiss an awful lot? Seemed Clyde was always interested in smooching on someone, even in the first film. Nothing sez lovin' like a big, wet, hairy orangutan kiss...as with the first, Any Which Way You Can features some truly wonderful songs performed by artists like Glen Campbell, Fats Domino, Johnny Duncan, and John Durrill, and also features a duet between Ray Charles and Eastwood himself, played over the opening credits. Between you and me, I sing about as good as Clint Eastwood, which is to say not very good, but good enough to get by if I had Ray Charles backing me up. I think the thing that really makes this film work, as was true of the first film, is Clint Eastwood's seemingly inherent genial, amiable, and genuine qualities that come through the character of Philo Beddoe. He appears to be a generally nice guy, content to live his life, ape by his side, never meaning no harm, that is unless you do him, or his, wrong. Seriously, if you had to pick someone to back you up in a fight, wouldn't you choose Philo (I wouldn't choose Orville, as he's certainly loyal, but can't fight for snot, but he is good for taking a bullet, so I may reconsider)?

The wide screen (1.85:1) picture looks very good on this DVD, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound comes through reasonably clear. Special features include a theatrical trailer for the film, production notes, and a filmography for Eastwood (these are the exact same features as are on the DVD release of Every Which Way But Loose, except the production notes obviously differ, and are a bit skimpier here). It's too bad Warner Brothers cheaped out on including some more worthwhile features, like a cast commentary track, but I suppose that will come in a later, anniversary release (then again, probably not as Warner Brothers is notorious for their lack of extras)...oh well...it's still a great film.

Cookieman108

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Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

The idea of "Stranger Than Fiction" appealed to me the moment I first heard of it. Harold Crick, played by Will Ferrell, wakes up one day and hears a voice. An omniscient narrator is relating his life with precision and no one can hear that voice but himself. It turns out that the voice is Emma Thompson, playing a famed author who is actually writing a novel about a character named Harold Crick. And it's the same Harold Crick. What is being put down in fiction is also concurrently happening in real life. It's a tricky concept, one that I felt might be impossible to pull off effectively. Well, not only does "Stranger Than Fiction" pull it off--it succeeds grandly as a surprisingly thoughtful, amusing, and moving contemplation of life. For Harold must immediately confront his mortality when the narrator informs him/us that he will soon die!

The complicated narrative of the film is pulled off brilliantly. The overlapping structure necessary to maintain the momentum and cohesion of the film must be attributed to a clever, intricate screenplay. Literate, witty, and real--it's a real treat. Lots of interesting effects help to pull the two worlds together making even the most mundane moments of Harold's life visually compelling. The movie's construction is fascinating and enjoyable.

Will Ferrell reins in his typical "overgrown kid" persona, and plays Harold as a real guy. It's refreshing and while I've never considered him a leading man type--his tentative romance with Maggie Gyllenhaal (while a bit of a stretch) is played very credibly and sweetly. Dustin Hoffman, as a literature professor helping Harold discover what book he's in, is having a great time. But it's Emma Thompson that stole my heart. As the author, she is a complete neurotic mess--but as she begins to realize what is happening, something in her transforms. Her character provides much of the film's insight and it's most powerfully dramatic acting. It's a deft balancing act, and as usual--she hit all the right marks.

After a near perfect movie, we have to bring both stories of Harold to an end. The movie turns into a poignant examination of sacrifice. If Thompson kills Harold in her novel, it will be recognized as a great piece of literature. If she lets him live, the novel will be just another routine bit of entertainment. This art versus commercialism angle is absolutely enthralling, and also surprising since it is raised so late in the film. There are moments of real power as everyone faces important life decisions--but these aren't false "lessons," they are genuine emotion that the film has subtly earned.

Ultimately, the ending is exactly what the film wants it to be. While I didn't find it the most satisfying choice--it is perfect for the movie because by this point the film itself is mirroring the novel within the film. It's a clever bit of trickery and very unusual. I admired "Stranger Than Fiction" very much and would give it 4 1/2 stars as an original and intelligent treat. KGHarris, 11/06.

A disclaimer: I've got a high tolerance for quirky and this film certainly qualifies as such. I loved it, but I love quirky films a lot more than the mainstream moviegoer.

I went to see this movie on a whim and so I didn't quite know what I was getting into. But a few minutes into it I just KNEW that it was going to be one of my favorites. And, indeed, it is one of the best films I've seen in the theater in a while. I smiled throughout the whole of it.

The story is new. The characters are engaging. And the plot is so very random that it just works.

Now I'm one of those people who ALWAYS questions the logistics of say *time travel* and/or *magic doorways* but this film was so very charming that I wasn't bothered by how incredibly non-sensical it seems: an author *creates* Will Ferrell's character and can decide if he lives or dies with her *typewriter*?

Oy.

The fact of the matter is, it's a fairy tale of sorts for a new and modern society. It's filmed in such an aesthetically astute manner. The actors are at their very best and most endearing. And the writing is wholly engaging.

It's NOT your typical Will Ferrell movie and if you go into it expecting fart jokes and prat falls, you'll be disappointed. But if you go into it with an open mind and a receptive heart, I imagine you'll be quite touched by the ideas it's trying to negotiate in its sweet and clumsy way.

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I loved this movie. It is funny and odd, but it has a lot of heart to it. The writing is so good that my friends and I thought at first that it must be adapted from a larger work, such as a book. The characters are that well crafted and the story that unique. These are not things most comedies bother with at present. Now, I'm calling this a comedy, but it will pull on your emotions a bit. Its all worth it though. The acting is great, which is not unexpected given the cast. If you love movies and are looking for something kind of different and original this is a good way to go. A really fun film to watch.

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"Stranger than Fiction" opened the 42nd Annual Chicago International Film Festival. Dustin Hoffman, who plays one of the central characters in the film, was presented with the festival's Career Achievement Award and Will Ferrell participated in the ceremony. This highly clever literary/cinematic dramady is about a writer of tragedy novels who struggles with how to end her latest. As Kay Eiffel, played by Emma Thompson, imagines how to kill off her main character, her thoughts are in some way transmitted to a real man whose actual life is exactly the same as the character in the novel. Sound Trippy? Well it is; talk about being connected to your character! Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick, the main character. Harold consults with a therapist for help, unsure if he's going crazy hearing the voice of a woman literally narrate his life. Unconvinced of the therapist's diagnosis, he is referred to Dr. Jules Hilbert, played by Dustin Hoffman, for further analysis. As the novel and Harold's life unfolds, Harold finds himself in a literally literary struggle to have a life by saving his life.

This film works on so many levels. First, it is a skillful display of the writing process and the importance of knowing your character literally getting in his head. The film also displays the often talked about attachment that writers can have to their characters even though that attachment could cloud the creative process necessary to finish the novel. Skillful writers are able to create characters that are so real and believable that killing them is nearly impossible. Is it the characters that drive a good story or are they subordinate to the story that they serve?

Stranger than Fiction is smart, funny, and thought provoking; I hope that this artsy release enjoys a wide viewing audience. There's as much in it for literary types and there is for film lovers and if you're both, well you're in for an extra special treat. I can usually predict the likelihood of Oscar nominations and awards for films in the festival with a high degree of accuracy. While "Stranger than Fiction doesn't" have "Oscar written all over it", it should get a nod in the original screen play category. I'm highly recommending this one. Enjoy!

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If somebody really had to die in order for the world to have HAMLET, would it be worth it? In STRANGER THAN FICTION, an author realizes to her horror that her leading character is a real man leading a real life, and if she kills off his character in her book, he will really die. If he dies, the book will be a masterpiece. If she changes the ending so that he lives, the book will only be "okay". Which would you choose?

I was surprised by STRANGER THAN FICTION. I only knew Will Ferrell from the over-the-top performances that are his trademark; I was delighted that he is also capable of a toned-down, thoughtful performance. Emma Thompson is always great--her reaction when she discovers that her character is real is exactly right. Dustin Hoffman is excellent as the nice-guy professor with an edge. He really believes that the book is worth the life of the man standing right in front of him.

STRANGER THAN FICTION is rapidly becoming one of my favorite movies. I bought it two weeks ago and have watched it three times. Each time I notice more and more of the subtle touches the director brought to the film. I highly recommend it to anybody who prefers a little thought with their comedy.

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Made of Honor (+ BD Live) (2008)

And a rainy day. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the film.

Tom (Dempsey) and Hannah (Monaghan) met at a Cornell costume bash 10 years before when a drunken Tom, dressed as President Clinton, stumbled into a dorm room and a girl's bed thinking he'd found "Monica". Turned out he'd gotten the wrong girl. "Monica" was Hannah's inebriated roomie.

They were friends from that moment, sharing Sundays, confidences, and desserts. Tom didn't know how much they shared til Hannah headed for Scotland and stayed gone six weeks. He was ready to propose when she came back, but she returned with a man, Colin (McKidd).

Hannah and Colin were going to be wed in Scotland in two weeks and Hannah couldn't think of anyone she wanted to be her Made of Honor more than her longtime best friend. Tom reluctantly accepted, secretly agreeing to become the best maid of honor and wreck the wedding.

What happens had me laughing until tears streamed down my face. I needed the break and "Made" defintely offered it. Tom hosting the wedding shower was a screamer--particularly when the jealous female friend who wanted to be the "MOH" set him up with a sex toy salesperson and Hannah's sweet Grandma ended up with a necklace of 'thunderbeads.' Then, of course, there was the Highland Games with Tom and Colin tacitly competing for Hannah's hand, Tom dressed in a mini kilt. (Nope, he wasn't dressed regimental--darn!)

Director Sydney Pollack showed up in a rare movie role as Tom's oft-wed Dad. The prenup agreement with Wife 5 (or was it 6, Dad can't remember) had me roaring. The car with the intended bride had to literally go around the block at the church to iron out last-minute details.

Plus, the scenery from Scotland was amazing. I recognized some places I'd been a few years before--and definitely remembered the flock of Hieland Coos stopping traffic on mainstreet.

The music was good, a mix of contemporary plus some old Scottish tunes. I notice there's no soundtrack available. I hope there will be one. It was a pretty decent collection.

The film's what you'd expect and yet, it's still entertaining. And, sometimes you just need something that's a gimme when it's a rainy day and a cheap laugh will lift a few clouds.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

In college, Tom (Patrick Dempsey) was a lady's man. He slept with anyone who will have him. Sneaking into a room one night, he accidentally meets Hannah (Michelle Monaghan). Despite their less then great meeting, the two hit if off and become friends.

Flash forward 10 years, and little has changed. Tom spends every night with a different woman. And he spends all day hanging out with Hannah, who is now working for a museum. The two are close friends, but that is all.

Until one day when Hannah leaves on a six week trip to Scotland. It doesn't take Tom long to realize that he truly loves Hannah. In fact, the separation is killing him. He intends to act on his new found feelings as soon as she gets back.

But when Hannah returns, it is with Colin (Kevin McKidd) in tow. The two met in Scotland and are engaged. To further add to Tom's misery, Hannah asks him to be her maid of honor. Tom is reluctant, but decides he can break the wedding apart better from the inside. But with the ceremony only two weeks again, can Tom make Hannah fall for him?

So let's get the obvious out of the way first, the story is predictable. So, the movie is going to rise of fall based on how well everything else comes off.

And it comes off reasonably well. Hannah is likable from the start. I admit it took me a little while to warm up to Tom since I'm not a fan of cads. But as the movie progressed, I found it easy to root for him. In fact, I cared about the characters enough to get invested in the outcome.

And the story is funny. There are quite a few great moments that had me laughing, especially Tom's friends helping him learn how to be a maid of honor.

This movie is just an escapist romantic comedy. But that's all it wanted to be in the first place. If you keep that in mind going into it, you'll have a good time.

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This is such a fun movie to watch. Patrick Dempsey is great and adorable in this movie. I have watched this movie several times and never get tired of seeing it over and over. Lots of fun!!

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I can't believe all the low ratings for this movie! I liked it...it's not super original and it's very predictable but hey, it's a date movie. There's some funny moments and yes, it's a basic rehash of "My Best Friend's Wedding" but I think "Made of Honor" is better. I didn't really like "My Best Friend's Wedding" mainly because I didn't really like Julia Robert's character and there really wasn't any chemistry between her and her male co-star. I am a Dempsey fan (loved him in "Enchanted"...) and I thought Patrick Dempsey was very charming in "Made of Honor." I think the chemistry between him and Michelle Monaghan was great. It's a cute movie.

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Don't you just hate it when the woman you secretly love gets engaged with another man? Tom (Patrick Dempsey) certainly does; he's been best friends with Hannah (Michelle Monaghan) ever since college, but only when another man proposes does Tom finally admit that he loves her. Now all he has to do is win her back. The idea behind "Made of Honor" is certainly classic as far as romantic comedies are concerned, which I guess is why the filmmakers stirred things up by making Dempsey's character the Maid of Honor. Then again, "stirred things up" might be too strong a term here; this movie is about as predictable and contrived as romantic comedies get, offering absolutely nothing new ... except, of course, for that whole male Maid of Honor thing. That, and a scene in which Hannah's grandmother wears a string of glow-in-the-dark sex beads, thinking it's a regular necklace. You certainly don't see that everyday.

The truth is that "Made of Honor" is no better and no worse than you expect it to be--you want a romantic comedy, you've got a romantic comedy. But if you want something more, something with greater depth of character and a few less one-liners, I'm afraid you'll have to keep looking. I won't go so far as to say that this movie is bad, but it definitely doesn't want to be anything other than Hollywood fluff with one or two over the top gags. I've repeatedly observed that romantic comedies never represent reality, but merely the illusion of happily ever after, and rest assured that "Made of Honor" is no exception to the rule. The problems with this film don't stem from an unrealistic plot filled with unrealistic characters; they stem from how ineffectively these unrealistic elements are used. You watch this film waiting for something new to surprise you, only to leave feeling as if you've been there and done that.

Still, there are worse films out there. I did smile more than once at the onscreen chemistry between Dempsey and Monaghan, chemistry so prominent that it seems unlikely their characters would act on their feelings so late in the relationship. Ten years ago, while still in college, Tom and Hannah met while he was dating her roommate. After a Halloween party, he snuck into Hannah's room wearing a Bill Clinton mask, believing her roommate was already there and waiting. Instead, he finds Hannah, who immediately sprays perfume into his eyes because she thinks he's an attacker. After flushing his eyes out in a water fountain, they strike up a conversation; Tom apparently believes that honesty is the best policy, especially for men who sleep around as much as he does. Hannah seems to find him charming, but she boldly asserts that she never sleeps with anyone like him.

In present day, Tom is the exact same womanizer he's always been. He's learned from the best; his father (Sidney Pollack) marries for the sixth time within the first thirty minutes of the film. Tom now follows a strict set of rules: never take any one woman on two consecutive dates, and wait at least twenty-four hours before calling someone new, because you'd seem desperate otherwise. How he maintains this lifestyle, I have no idea; what he does for a living is never alluded to, but his spacious Manhattan apartment hints at a decent salary. Be that as it may, he and Hannah--now an art historian--have been the best of friends ever since that fateful Halloween night. When she's called away to Scotland for six weeks, he begins to realize the affect she's had on his life; after all, the two have been virtually inseparable for ten years. Maybe he is in love with her. Maybe there's more to life than just sleeping with women (a concept his basketball buddies don't seem to understand, naturally).

Unfortunately, Tom gets the surprise of his life when Hannah returns to New York with her Scottish fiancé, Colin (Kevin McKidd), who's both a Duke and an owner of his family's whiskey distillery. Since Hannah knows that she would be Tom's Best Man at his wedding, she thinks it's fitting that he be her Maid of Honor. He begrudgingly takes on the role, believing he can somehow make her see that he's the right man, not Colin. As Tom plunges into the blatantly feminine world of wedding coordination and shower planning, he grapples with buried feelings, bad advice, and the wrath of Hannah's resentful cousin, Melissa (Busy Philipps).

The last twenty minutes of the story proper takes place in Scotland, where Hannah plans to live after the wedding. Naturally, this is when the romantic feelings between her and Tom finally begin to surface, and this, of course, creates more tension for that climactic moment when Tom rides a horse to the church and flies through the entrance. This is but one of many moments that sound funnier than they actually are. One of the film's most unnecessary side characters is a desperate nerd that tries to play basketball with Tom and his friends: How many times do they have to tell him no before he gets the idea? There's also a moment early on when Hannah is restoring a painting of a nude male; the movements of her head give the impression that she's giving the figure oral sex. The moment in and of itself is amusing, but it certainly doesn't work within the context of the story. But the biggest problem of "Made of Honor" is much more basic than a few inappropriate laughs--its formula is overused, a condition Dr. McDreamy can't even treat.

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Whatever Works (2009)

After a string of movies set in Europe, Woody Allen triumphantly returns to his beloved New York for Whatever Works. Since Allen releases a new film each year, it's hit-or-miss with him (rightfully so). This film got less-than-enthusiastic reviews and, as such, I wasn't expecting much from it...But the critics really misrepresented this film, as this is one of Woody's best comedies.

Larry David (of Curb Your Enthusiasm fame) plays Boris Yellnikoff, a caustic, retired physicist who walks with a limp due to a failed suicide attempt. Now, Boris teaches chess to "zombie-minded imbeciles." Evan Rachel Wood plays Melodie, a naïve runaway from Mississippi, who stumbles into Boris' life...Against all odds, the two marry and Melodie's parents (played wonderfully by Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley, Jr.) both, separately, find her.

I'm not familiar with Larry David's previous work, so I don't know how much of this performance carries over from his own persona; but David is playing the Woody Allen role here to perfection. David perfectly captures the neurotic, arrogant genius that is Boris and recites Allen's dialogue as if it comes straight from his own thoughts. Of course, this is a film filled with great performances as can be expected from a film by Woody Allen. Begley, Jr. is particularly surprising as Melodie's father...And while some may not be too impressed by Wood's performance as Melodie, she's very convincing and cute.

This is truthfully one of Allen's best comedies and an all-around great film. The dialogue here is typical, philosophical, sarcastic Allen...But it doesn't just elicit chuckles, but full-on, laugh-out-loud laughter. It's a very intelligent film that not ONLY ranks as one of Allen's best comedies, but one of his best films. I don't see how this film has not received the amount of praise it deserves, because I clearly saw something all the critic's didn't. While the past few years have shown a return to form for Allen, this film stands as a terrific achievement in the Allen catalogue. It's quite honestly one of the best films I've seen this year and it's not to be missed.

GRADE: A

Woody Allen has been a very lucky director in the history of Cinema. I can't think of any other director with the exception, maybe, of Spielberg that can still do "his" movies, even if they don't continuously make money. Indeed, with Allen you never know -he can equally have a hit or a miss, but he still gets financing for his ideas. His latest, "Whatever Works," I am happy to say, is a hit. Actually more than a hit: a treasure. One the best films I have seen in a long time. It is smart and wicked, with great dialogue and very funny --Woody Allen's funny, that is, if you know what I mean: just plain good acting and inspired writing.

Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) describes himself as a "profound, sensitive soul, with an enormous grasp of the human condition," who always has nightmares about Joseph Conrad's "the horror." He is a brilliant man, who doesn't hesitate to refer to himself as a genius he is a physicist, who specializes in Quantum mechanics. And he may be right. However, due to the nature of his character and personality, he is not easy to live with. He is divorced, and walks with a limb, because he tried to kill himself by jumping from a window. He earns a living by teaching kids how to play chess (insulting and degrading them), and getting together with his equally intellectual buddies, who patiently hear his rants about the decline of mankind. He claims that he spends his time "trying to express to cretins that, while a black man got into the White House, he still can't get a cab in New York." However, his structured life drastically changes when he meets Melodie (Evan Rachel Wood), a runaway that asked for his help at his doorstep, because she had nowhere to go. He reluctantly accepts, and invites her to stay for a couple of days. Of course, love blossoms, and despite their age and intellectual difference he is much older and smarter than her -, they eventually get married. They actually live happily ever after that is, until Marietta (Patricia Clarkson), Melodie's mother, suddenly comes into the picture.

"Whatever Works" functions at every level. It is original and hilarious, with Woody Allen providing evidence that he is still the best smart comedy writer that there is. It would not be a mistake to say that it probably captures Woody's inner feelings and current state of mind, which are summed up in one of the lines of the film: "In the end, the romantic aspirations of your youth are reduced to whatever works." In addition, it is also a subliminal critique to the right-wing mentality that permeates part of our culture. A comedy masterpiece. (USA / France, 2009, color, 92 mins).

Reviewed on October 27, 2009 by Eric Gonzales from

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WHATEVER WORKS is a drama taking place in a middle-class residential neighborhood in New York City, complete with Jewish delicatessens and art galleries. This type of neighborhood is familiar to me, as I have toured the SoHo district in lower Manhattan many times. Because the story took place in lower Manhattan, the movie was continually fascinating to me. The film takes place in the present day, that is, circa 2009.

In brief, a runaway girl materializes on the doorstep of a retired physics professor. The professor is a confirmed curmudgeon and, to some extent, a misanthrope. His manner of speech takes the form of amusing 1-liners, regarding the fruitlessness of human society. The professor takes the girl in, and she lives with him, and they have a sort of father/daughter relationship. Over the course of weeks, the girl adopts the same speech patterns as the professor, and she spews out the same amusing 1-liners about the futility of human society. The girl's father and mother, both devoted Christians, split up prior to the girl's running away from home. The problem was that the father was having an affair with another woman.

The girl is from the American South, and prefers Louisiana-style cooking, and has a southern accent. About half-way into the movie, the girl's mother materializes at the front door of the professor's house. Unexpectedly, the mother quickly adopts to the lifestyle of New York City, and her collection of casual family snapshots is "discovered" by an art critic, and the mother has an art exhibition in a gallery (not an exhibition in a mere coffeeshop). (The fact that the mother, a mere picture-taker, has an exhibit at an art gallery, is a slap in the face to any person who has really had a 1-person show in a recognized art gallery.) Also, the mother acquires two boyfriends. One of the boyfriends is a middle-aged man who is a philosophy professor, and the 3 of them sleep together. Thus, the storyline is utterly bizarre. It is not art. It is not entertainment. It is not creative. It is not interesting. It is just random garbage.

Towards the end of the movie, the girl's father materializes at the front door of the professor's house. He also, came is search of the runaway daughter. As the man's character develops, during the remaining thirty or so minutes of the film, he discovers that he is really gay, and he quickly develops a gay relationship with a man he finds in a tavern. But again, this makes the storyline too disjointed. The storyline goes "off-topic" too often in this movie.

On the plus side, the actress playing the girl is abundantly easy on the eye. But on the minus side, WHATEVER WORKS is fraught with improbabilities. First of all, it is not often that an astonishingly beautiful girl shows up on a man's doorsteps, as a runaway. Second, it is not often that a 20-year old girl marries a 70-year old man who is a retired professor (this is what happens in WHATEVER WORKS). Third, it is not often that a southern housewife is promoted as a photographer, on the basis of her "portfolio" of casual family snapshots, and has a photography exhibit at a lower Manhattan art gallery. Fourth, it is not often that a physics professor tries twice to commit suicide (this is what happens in WHATEVER WORKS). To summarize, this movie consists of a re-cycling of things that Woody Allen likes and finds dear (younger girlfriends, New York City art galleries, talking about excessively personal hang-ups in ordinary conversations). We have seen the same themes, again and again, since the 1970s in Woody Allen movies. The contrived marriage of the 70-year old man with the 20-year old girl, obviously mirrors Woody Allen's own marriage to his step-daughter (Soon-Yi) who is thirty years younger than himself.

WHATEVER WORKS could be the very best of all of the Woody Allen films that utilize the above collection of themes. But on the other hand, what prevents this movie from having much more value than a typical made-for-TV movie, is that fact that it consists of a studied melange of incoherent and incompatible things, squeezed and forced together, into a single storyline.

(Also, this movie is NOT a comedy. There is nothing here to make you laugh. The movie is merely amusing.)

Perhaps the only believable part of WHATEVER WORKS, is the professor's schmoozing with his friends, at a sidewalk coffeeshop. In fact, if the entire movie had taken place on the sidewalk table, at the coffeeshop, documented the conversations of three mature men, I might have given the film FIVE STARS. To emphasize this point, if this movie was more like, MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, then that would have been fine with me.

The star of this movie is Mr. Larry David. Mr. David is one of the most successful people in the history of Hollywood, having been one of the founders of the SEINFELD show, and having written 62 episodes of SEINFELD. But in my opinion, even if the cast consists of seven Academy Award winners, it cannot convert such a bizarre, improbable, contrived script into a watchable film. Basically that is my point -the movie WHATEVER WORKS borders on being unwatchable.

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Larry David does Mr. Cranky better than anyone and still remain funny. Pessimism as comedy is an art form when done right.

A totally different movie. Nice easy pace. Soundtrack is really good as Woody's movies usually have. Only a few laugh out loud moments for me but I had a smile the whole movie. Larry's line as they enter the photo gallery was hilarious. Just plain interesting movie. Really liked this one. Something NEW is almost always worth an extra star. E R Wood was really charming and with a very good supporting cast.

I hope Jessica Hecht gets more movies roles, very good presence but just a small part here. IMBD lists more roles coming up for her. Hope they're bigger. Woody is really good but some of his movies miss for me. Not this one. Worth seeing.

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An incredibly well thought out film that confirmed a long held conviction of mine about what is really important about life. What is really important about life? Nothing specificaly. Whatever works is important for each of us. No prejudices, no preconceptions, no hook-ups. Of course, a corollary of this theory is that what is important for someone is not important for another.

Of course we all have out different tastes but I really don't understand those who say this movies is not funny. It is for me. Extremely. Witty, quick, and well maybe I am thick but I did not find it predictable at all.

I do agree with those who argued Woody might as well have played the protagonist's role. Why did he not? David acts so much like Woody. He actually even sort of looks like him. When I first saw the movie I assumed Allen was acting and took me several minutes to realize it was not him on the set!

Strongly recommended.

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Blood Simple (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (1984)

Fortunately for everyone a decision was made to re-release Blood Simple in theaters. 16 years ago when it was in first run I was barely aware of it. There were so many good reviews of the film I decided to go catch it. Blood Simple was the best film I saw in 2000. Until now there has been no DVD available in the U.S. A very grainy poor quality pan and scan copy is being sold in the UK. It just isn't an option to purchase a pan and scan with this movie. The Coen brothers gorgeous cinematography makes full use of the entire frame. It is a noir style film so much of the imagery is in darkened bars and at night. But the color and light in the movie is really beautiful. This film has deserved a good treatment and now with this Director's cut it is finally getting one. One of the odd things about this Director's cut is it is the same length as the original version. Footage has been taken out and not added. The missing time is made up with an introduction by the Coen Brothers explaining that the film has been re-edited to take advantage of new technological advances not available when the film was first shot. This is sort of a joke similar to the opening of Fargo where a title card states, "Based upon a true story". Fargo is not based on a true story. They just thought it would be a better story if people thought it was true when they watched it. Ha Ha. Blood Simple's re-edit was a simple edit to tighten up the pace which was sometimes a little slow in the original version.

Made for only two million dollars Blood Simple is a stunning achievement, all the more so because it was the Coen's first film. Stylish photography plays with not just light and shadow as in most noir, but color as well. But what drives this film is suspense mistrust and double dealing. I smile when I occasionally spot a criticism of this film is "its almost too clever" and "too perfect". Blood Simple is fantastic at its clever choreography of events and placement of objects in relation to the actors that really adds to the tension and excitement. If thats too clever then spare me the dumbed down version. I love it. The acting is quite good. Its most interesting to see Frances McDormand, looking much younger and quite pretty, was obviously talented even back then. Blood Simple is often very disturbing. Especially good is a creepy scene in a moonlit field involving two men a burlap sack and a shovel. The violence in this scene as in much of Blood Simple is largely psychological. It was interesting to discover from an Amazon customer from Germany that they have a high quality widescreen DVD available in his country. But while they can buy it and watch it, German law forbids export of films which contained violence. He offered to bring a copy in his suitcase as he happened to be visiting my city. We couldn't work it out logistically but fortunately for the rest of you, you soon won't have to go to such great lengths to get a copy.

Blood Simple is one of the all-time great independent films. As a devotee of this film it goes without saying that I know nearly every line of dialogue and every cut. Well... if you too are a fan , my advice to you is: PASS ON THIS EDITION! I was absolutely shocked to see that this film had been re-edited! And NOT for the better. In fact, this was not a new edit in the traditional sense (scene shifting; scene re-edits etc.). All they did with this version was to simply lop off lines from the existing original final cut! That's right. They just shortened scenes, most often taking the form of the scene ins and outs (first and last lines in each scene). For instance, M.Emmet Walsh's last line to Marty in the VW when he contracts Walsh. Or how about the humorous placing of Getz's cigarette in the stuffed wild boars mouth at Marty's house? Or the exchange between Samm-Art Williams and the redneck at the juke box. Those lines are now gone completely. And remember that version of The Monkee's "I'm A Beliver" which was used in that scene? Its been dumped for a Four Tops tune. This is just a few in a long list of disturbing changes. As a film editor, I asked myself, what imporovements were made with these new cuts? The answer is a resounding, NONE!

My point is this. If you buy this DVD expecting the same old Blood Simple in a new, crisp DVD edition, you will be sorely disappointed. You will be constantly distracted by the jarring edits rather than being able to enjoy the film... Again, worthless.

Buy Blood Simple (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (1984) Now

With a story that makes "Double Indemnity" look like the quickest way to get from point A to point B, a couple of my very favorite filmmakers turned the film noir conventions 360 degrees. Yes, that means it ended up back where it started, but much better as a result of the the trip. A good film noir needs a couple key elements, not the least of which are several layers of double crosses and misunderstandings. It also needs the one key clue that could clear or incriminate a murderer. To those ends, Joel and Ethan Coen created yet another little world in which several clues are left unused or misunderstood, and the double crosses are the bread and butter of one very crafty, though seedy, private eye. John Getz, Frances McDormand, M. Emmet Walsh, and Dan Hedaya are all 102% perfect in their roles. Barry Sonnenfeld delights with his cinematography, and the Coens have fun messing with the viewer. They set out to make a darkly funny, very twisted noir and they succeeded. The real stars are the Coens, much like with any of their movies (exceptions made for John Turturro or John Goodman in any of their roles, of course). Joel and Ethan are master craftsmen of cinema usually overlooked by mainstream audiences. Their debut, "Blood Simple," not only showcased the promise of their talent, but was a tour de force on its own terms. Along with "L.A. Confidential," "Blade Runner," and "Hard Eight," "Blood Simple" proves that film noir is not dead. Because it is, as this film proves, very hard to kill something, and have it stay dead....

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As a big fan of the film since it was released in 1985, I was looking forward to seeing Blood Simple transferred to DVD. A cleaned-up widescreen transfer, and maybe a little cleaner audio, were all good things that I wanted to see happen; and with the Director's Cut, it did happen. However, I think the edits that were made in this version of the film may displease fans of the original -I know they displease this fan.

I won't go into a laundry-list of the cuts. They are, for the most part, the removal or trimming of some funny bits and gags that don't really contribute to telling the story; but they do, in my opinion, contribute to the quirky charm of the film without consuming a great deal of time on screen. Also trimmed are some uncomfortable silences that develop between people in certain scenes; making them not so uncomfortable, I guess, but I don't see this as an improvement.

Most disconcerting to me are some of the music changes. One that particularly disappointed me is when Ray first confronts Marty on the back steps of the bar. In the original version, a slow-tempo instrumental country-western tune is playing inside the bar, and after transitioning to the outside, the same song is heard muffled in the background with the bass still booming. As anyone who has ever stood outside a nightclub can tell you, this is exactly what you hear -the lower frequencies propagate better than the higher frequencies. The editors have seen fit to change this to a vocal piece of music that is reduced in volume as the view changes to the outside, but without the realistic frequency balance. I don't understand why this change was made. Perhaps some didn't like that the music here wasn't really so much music as it was background sound, or perhaps it was thought to interfere with hearing the conversation; but I think it was a wonderful element in the atmosphere of the scene that I surely miss.

Regarding the new intro with the pompously lecturing gentleman, suffice it to say that it can be fast-forwarded through.

This Director's Cut version delivers basically the same psychological and visceral thrills as the original version, with improved video and audio; but long-time fans, such as myself, may find the changes have done some minor cosmetic harm, rather than good.

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With this first work of cinema, the unknown Coen brothers, who just finished "The Evil Dead" with young Sam Raimi, manage to get the financing for producing and directing their first script. It's not a horror film... but it's not far from it! Actually we can't tell what it really is. Horror? Passion story? Detective? Black comedy? Anyway the two brothers take the codes of classical passion crime stories dealing with the usual triangle of nut characters (husband, wife and lover) and add a fourth, definitely rotten one. It's a private eye, wonderfully played by underrated M. Emmet Walsh ("Blade Runner"), who gives the performance of his career, a brilliant, amazing one, funny and chilling in the same time. WHO LOOKS STUPID NOW?

The story is awfully simple: Marty, a Texas bar owner and betrayed husband (Dan "Usual Suspects" Hedaya) hires the private eye to kill his unfaithful wife Abby (Frances McDormand) and her lover Ray (John "The Fly" Getz) who's also Marty's employee. The eye pretends to do the job and shows Marty some fake photographs showing the lovers shot dead in bed. He takes the money, then he shoots his hirer right away and disappears. Ray, who doesn't know about the detective's existence, discovers Marty's almost dead body. For him, no doubt: it's Abby who did this work... He takes him away in order to bury him far away from the bar, and finds out that Marty isn't dead yet. He's forced to bury him alive, offering us the most nightmarish scene of the film....

The movie is a real visual and sound shock. The script is incredibly original and brings some freshness in usual cinema stuff dealing with unfaithful characters ready to kill each other in order to avoid all the difficulties linked to divorce. The ambiance and atmosphere is the ones of a real bad dream, a nightmare, and the fact that the story takes place in an early, gray place in Texas (don't miss the hilarious prologue), where everything weird can happen very normally, adds to it. And the soundtrack by Carter Burwell is extraordinary, this is what he did first and best for the Coen brothers. It captures everything of the movie and makes the nighmare become really true. Compared to it, James Cain novels look ugly, conventional and definitely old-fashioned. This movie is a must see for all the people who're tired of big foreseeable blockbusters and wish to be surprised when they go to the movies. For me this is the best film from the Coen brothers, a film able to wake up the dead. Magnificent.

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