Nice romp with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. These two had "That Touch" when it comes to romantic comedies. A nice, easy to watch movie. Just sit back and enjoy the fun.
Showing posts with label funny movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funny movies. Show all posts
That Touch of Mink (1962)
Nice romp with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. These two had "That Touch" when it comes to romantic comedies. A nice, easy to watch movie. Just sit back and enjoy the fun.
Casino Jack (2010)
How long can you screw someone before you get caught? The true story of super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff (Spacy) and his partner Michael Scanlon (Pepper). After finding a contribution loophole, Abramoff and Scanlon begin to exploit this and become very, very rich. I enjoyed this movie. I like true story movies, and I really enjoy political ones too. There was a lot of stuff in here I didn't know about. The amount he took and the favors he gave out are astounding. This movie really exposes the lengths that he and other senators will go to in order to get what they want. The movie is filled with different movie quotes from the "Godfather", "Rocky" and others, which is fun (Spacy is a pretty good impressionist). Overall I really liked this movie, and found myself liking Abramoff even less then before. The amount of money he through around to get his way is enough to make you sick, especially when you think a lot of our tax money went to helping him by a casino boat. Abramoff gets an F, as for the movie, I give it a B+.Would I watch again? Yes I would, this is the kind of movie I like
What seems to me to be the best of the film, is a scene in a Senate hearing with John McCain presiding. Some of the Senators present were given money by Abramoff and yet, here they were berating him for his practices. The real hearing with McCain present is interspersed with actors. It is quite extraordinary. Real names are used, and the actors portraying them are very much like them. This part of politics that we seem to see more of on a daily basis is abhorrent to most of us. To the politicians who inhabit DC, it is business as usual.
Jack's family stood by him. He is portrayed as a man with an ego bigger than he is. A little off center and downright crazy at times. Someone who spent money literally like water. He bought and sold and then bought and sold some more. Little thought to anyone but to his need to be the biggest man. Well, he failed.
Recommended. prisrob 04-09-11
Beyond the Sea
Love at StakeLots of movies poke fun at American politics by following the lives or careers of real or fictional government officials. These include movies such as Wag the Dog, and Primary Colors. This might be the first movie to do it from the standpoint of corporate lobbyists. This film follows the career of Jack Abramoff, key fundraiser for the GOP throughout the 1990's and early 2000's. The movie examines his rise through the world of influence, finally landing him in jail. Key to his story is the parallel themes of his amoral use of his skills to further the GOP, side-by-side with his personal faith to his Jewish heritage. This does bring up one point the movie left out, but should have really included, and that is the many of the politicians he helped come to power catered to evangelical Americans that often looked down on Jews as the betrayers of Christ. The film is well cast for all the roles except one, and that is Jack Abramoff himself. Outside of being a white man of about average height, Kevin Spacey bears little physical resemblance to Jack Abramoff in either voice, face, or cut. Hence the 4/5 instead of 5/5 stars.
Read Best Reviews of Casino Jack (2010) Here
Kevin Spacey does a terrific job in this movie.. he plays a Republician that take Money offthe top and pockets it.. It's a TRUE STORY and I would recomend it to EVERYONE TO SEE!Want Casino Jack (2010) Discount?
Kevin Spacey is great in this movie. We actually rented it first and it was so outstanding, we decided we needed it in our collection so we can watch it over and over again. Yes, it is that good! If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. And, as usual, Amazon delivered in their normal FAST way.Save 47% Off
Being Flynn (2012)
Few films concerning father/son relationships have been able to produce the emotional impact of this masterfully written and directed and acted BEING FLYNN. Paul Weitz directs and adapted the 2004 memoir by Nick Flynn "Another Bulls__t Night in Suck City: A Memoir" and brought together a superlative cast that just may be Robert De Niro's finest hour. Nick Flynn deserves the credit for this articulate tale of his own life: he was born and grew up in Scituate, Massachusetts, south of Boston. His parents divorced when he was young and his mother committed suicide when he was 22. He drifted through several jobs before starting work at a homeless shelter in Boston, where at age twenty-seven, he met his estranged, homeless father for the first time. That is the core of the film.The nature of the film works very well: we simultaneously meet Jonathan Flynn (Robert DeNiro), a man who believes he is `America's greatest writer along side Mark Twain and JD Salinger, who lives life day to day in a drunken stupor, driving taxis, acting out con games etc until he becomes homeless, and after seeking shelter from old friends he has neglected, he ends up in a homeless shelter. We also meet his estranged son Nick Flynn (Paul Dano, in a breakout performance) who is striving to discover who he is, perceiving himself as a writer but unsuccessful with relationships: Nick's mother Jody (Julianne Moore) we see only in flashbacks because she committed suicide, and his only communication with his absent father has been through letters. Also homeless, Nick moves with with two characters (Eddie Rouse and Steve Cirbus) who manage to help Nick find a job in a homeless shelter. As Nick adjusts to working at the shelter he comes into connect with a potential girlfriend Denise (Olivia Thirlby) and begins to feel as though his life has some degree of meaning. The jolt comes when Jonathan seeks shelter in the homeless shelter where Nick works and it is this coming together of two bruised and pained people who happen to be father and son that sets in motion the resolution of the story. Both men are pitiful but both have redeeming characteristics and it is this struggling coming together that makes the film breathe. In addition to the brilliant acting of the main characters, there are also exceptionally memorable roles by Lili Taylor, Victor Rasuk, Thomas Middleditch, Wes Studi, Chris Chalk and others.
Not only is the film pitch perfect in nearly every detail, but it also gives the viewer the opportunity to consider the plight of the homeless around us. How many tragic stories like this are untold or never will be known? When a film can produce that degree of involvement with the audience it goes beyond simply being a film and becomes art art makes us consider, think, and change. Grady Harp, July 12
Read Best Reviews of Being Flynn (2012) Here
This movie is supremely thought-provoking within the arenas of father-son relationships, mental illness, homelessness, self-aggrandizement and the pathetic reality of unfulfilled lives and failure. Anyone who understands dark humor and films such as "Bad Lieutenant Port of New Orleans" will love this one and the acting that facilitates understanding its powerful messages. Those who are turned off by dark humor will see only the heartache, loneliness, depression and despair exquisitely and painfully depicted in "Being Flynn."Want Being Flynn (2012) Discount?
This is a film that dwells in the real street level of people barely holding on. Never blaming or criticizing, it holds its' characters accountable for their own actions, even by the supporting cast of characters within the film. Within the film we see the bottom of human depths and dependancy and the frail social, public and governmental resources available to allay and defray those depths of suffering. And in almost every case they fail. What the fervent, religious and grotesquely optimistic can never fathom is the loss of all hope. The absolute and irreversible knowledge that we have done all that we can, and that even more poignant, we know it is not enough. Nick Flynn's mother falls into this category. His father falls into the category of a force of nature that while irresistible is still horribly broken and unforgiving. And yet he is the one who survives and as the last scene of the film provides has made some small acquiescence to, maybe not the nature of his own flesh and blood, but to the very nature of humanity to expound, nurture and forgive. And finally to the mercurial Olivia Thirlby, who has once again put herself into another beautiful film of somewhat flawed but hopeful and redemptive human decency.Save 40% Off
Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986)
This "Down By Law" DVD is a perfect example of why I love the Criterion Collection's catalog. First off, the film looks and sounds fantastic. If you are familiar with this film, you are aware of Lurie's incredible soundtrack. The DVD does not disappoint. Visually, it is stunning. If this DVD package only delivered these elements, I would be happy. But, this DVD is filled to the gills with extras. Not only are there extras, but a double disk of extras! Remember, this is "Down By Law", not LOTR, Star Wars I, etc. This is a borderline cult/ art house film with a small, but strong fan base. Never, never, never would another company pour as much love and energy for the DVD of a film of this type. Take for example "Stranger than Paradise:" no face lift and no extras. "Down By Law" DVD notables: the entire Cannes press conference, Lurie interview for French TV in 1986 plus his 2002 commentary on his interview, extensive audio tracks of Jim Jarmusch discussing the film and answering fans QA (sent from the Criterion web site Was Tom Waits really drunk? What does 'Down By Law' mean?), Robby Muller interview, Tom Waits video directed by Jarmusch with commentary, etc. etc, etc.If you are a fan, there is no reason to miss this one. If you are curious about Jim Jarmusch as a director, this is the DVD to start on. A flawless package.
The extras on the DVD give an intimate view of this very personal film and are amazing to watch and listen to. It's so complete that I can't imagine what else could be added to the Criterion release to make it more perfect. Many years from now when Jarmusch and the cast have left this sad and beautiful world, this gem will no doubt be a priceless look at one of the best American films ever made by one of America's best directors. Fantastic! One of the best films Criterion has released.
Buy Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986) Now
I haven't seen all of Jarmusch's films, but I've seen plenty (Ghost Dog, Mystery Train, Stranger than Paradise, Dead Man) to know this is probably gonna go down as my favorite of them all. Jarmusch and photographer Mueller do a brilliant job setting everything up. Its style is as classic and effective as the film noirs of the 1950s, including the seedy characters, the dialogue, and the moody jazz courtesy of John Lurie, one of the film's stars. Story wise, we're dealing with two lowlifes, a pimp and a recently fired DJ, who don't know each other, who are each set up and sent to prison for crimes they didn't commit. They are thrown in a cell together, and eventually an Italian who accidentally killed a man after cheating at a game of cards (hit him with an 8-ball--CLASSIC!) and find a way to escape. John Lurie is the pimp, Tom Waits is the DJ, and Robert Benigni makes his American film debut as Bob, the Italian. (Ironically, he is the kindest, funniest, most jovial of the trio, yet he is the only one who actually is guilty of the crime he's in for).I've read the other reviews, and I'm dissapointed in why some people don't like the film. First off, I believe that Criterion has once again given us a top of the line DVD transfer. The extras are great for folks that are into the "hows" and "whys" of a film, as I am, and the transfer itself is clear and beautiful to watch.
The acting may not be the best (Lurie was adequite), the dialogue and storyline are right out of the 50s, and help the mood of the entire thing. The characters are introduced perfectly so that we don't really need to know why they're being set-up. Our imagination can do the walking for us there. We know they're both kind of shady guys, and there are any number of reasons why someone would wanna see them put away, or use them so that someone else doesn't get caught.
And as far as the reviewer wondering why we don't see the dogs, only hear them; don't see the escape, only the afterwards; and don't see the prison, only their cell, the answer is simple: its an indie film made before indie's were all the rage. Jarmusch could only afford so much, and I find that he did an incredible job giving us all the necessary information without having to show us everything that was going on. The only thing I might raise an eyebrow to is Bob and Nicoletta (Benigni's real life wife) falling in love in under an hour or two. But hey, sometimes, if its worth it, you gotta suspend reality. The chemistry between the two characters is enough for me to believe they're in love, so who am I to argue!
All in all, this is one of my favorite movies to watch. Criterion did a great job with this DVD, and at the very least, its a fun flick in the noir tradition, with a bit of a smart-ass underworld, beatnick edge to it.
...but that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
Read Best Reviews of Down by Law (The Criterion Collection) (1986) Here
This unique and original film is a personal masterpiece, a real sleeper. I'd recommed it to anyone interested in non-formula American cinema in general, and fans of the macabre. It ranks up there with some of the better black and white movies of recent times, in the mold of Woody Allen's "Manhattan".What made this film great for me, was that the director masterly chose to leave out extraneous footage and instead keep our focus on character development much the way Jean Luc Goddard does. Indeed Goddard's stamp is felt everywhere in this picture, which is why I liked it so much. This is America's answer to neorealism and done very well. The fact that we don't really see exactly how the main characters escape from prison, nor do we see how Zack rescues Bob from his fear of swimming add (rather than detract from) the plot, and give us more time with the personal nature of the characters, their "everyday chit-chat", etc, is what gives this film its charm. I won't give away the ending, but even that is told in an unorthodox manner, which is a breath of fresh air from formula Holywood films.
The acting is surprisingly naturalistic and believable, and Tom Waits gives an especially brilliant performance here. Roberto Bernini is hilarious as the sort of comic sidekick to the two streetwise contenders of the trio this is a truly original chemistry of character mixes, and the film could have taken the more traditional path of "straight-guy/goofy-guy" as in Laurel & Hardy or Abbot & Costello, but instead wisely opts to break new ground by having two "straight" characters that battle it out for leadership.
The "We All Scream for Ice Cream" segment is one of the funniest bits I've seen in a film in years and should be one of those rare legendary film icons by this point.
The DVD transfer is wonderful a crisp, clean print that looks great onscreen. Criterion have done yet another great job here.
This is a gem of a movie and I highly recommed it!
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Zack (Tom Waits) has just been fired from his job as a DJ and he is thrown out by his girlfriend. Jack (John Lurie) is offered another prostitute under his wings as a pimp by a competitor who wants to make amends. The circumstances lead to both men being framed and they end up sharing a cell in prison. Both men are bitter over their situation and they can hardly stand each others company. One day the peculiar Roberto (Roberto Benigni) is put in the same cell with Jack and Zack. This is the beginning of a new friendship between the three men where Roberto is the glue that holds the friendship together. Down by Law is an intelligent and cynical film that is presented in an anxious societal situation, which provides amusement for the audience.Save 35% Off
Life Is Sweet (Criterion Collection) (1990)
Unlike with novelists or musicians, I don't often follow the work of particular directors. But Mike Leigh is an exception. His ability to bring out the best in actors--or his willingness to let them alone to do their best--and then form all the performances into a cohesive movie seems amazing to me. But he not only has confidence in his actors; he has confidence in his audience as well. What results are movies on a human scale, intelligent and revealing."Life Is Sweet," like "Secrets and Lies," is one of Leigh's more commercial efforts (as opposed to, say, "Naked"). But "Life" is much lighter and funnier. In this story, there are also family secrets, and difficulties and disappointments, but it never strays far from its title argument: that after all, life IS sweet.
Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge, Topsy-Turvy) and Alison Steadman (Pride and Prejudice, Abigail's Party, and Leigh's real-life wife) play Andy and Wendy, a middle-class suburban English couple. They're loving and hardworking parents, but still young enough themselves to dissolve into laughing fits on the sofa or tease each other to their horror of their daughters.
Andy produces his own minor crisis when his self-employment ambitions take the form of a ratty refreshments van, sold to him by a hilariously untrustworthy Stephen Rea. At the same time, Wendy takes on yet another part-time job when she offers to waitress at a friend's new restaurant--an episode so filled with Timothy Spall's manic efforts that it really defies words.
But the real story in "Life Is Sweet" centers around Andy and Wendy's twin daughters, in their early twenties. Natalie, played by Claire Skinner (Almost Strangers, Naked) is the calm, dry center of the family storm. It's a tribute to Skinner that Natalie remains so likeable and watchable throughout the movie, given that she rarely changes expression or inflection. But within the family dynamics, her character is absolutely understandable.
Not so much the calm center is Nicola, the other twin. Jane Horrocks (Little Voice, Absolutely Fabulous) turns in another astonishing performance as a young woman paralyzed by her own myriad and mostly nameless fears. You desparately want Nicola to reach out for help, even at the same time you find her infuriating or hilarious.
Bolstering the leads are David Thewlis, as Nicola's bizarre daytime visitor, and, as mentioned before, Timothy Spall and Stephen Rea. To measure Spall's versatility, compare his performance here with "Secrets and Lies." And Rea is always great; here he manages to be both slightly menacing and completely hapless.
With this kind of acting, and Leigh's deft hand with loving slices-of-life, there's very little to dislike about this movie.
LIFE IS SWEET may seem to not "go anywhere" in modern terms, but look closely and the delightful, profoundly moving rewards will suprise you and no doubt lead to repeated viewings, even if just to enjoy Ms Steadman's infectious laugh. A must see for fans of British comedy and drama.
Buy Life Is Sweet (Criterion Collection) (1990) Now
In the early '90s when LIFE IS SWEET was released, the film made the top 10 lists of film critics everywhere, including Siskel and Ebert, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle. So why hasn't this film made it to DVD??LIFE IS SWEET is the story of a set of twin teenage girls played by Claire Skinner and Jane Horrocks. You'll recognize Claire and Jane if you're a BBC/PBS fan. Claire played a chef-in-training on 'Chef' and a lady cop on 'Second Sight'. Jane Horrocks is LITTLE VOICE and I believe she played 'Bubbles' in 'Absolutely Fabulous'. Alison Steadman plays the mother in LIFE IS SWEET and she played Mrs. Bennett in 'Pride and Prejudice' (the most recent version with Colin Firth).
Claire and Jane play their parts so well it is hard to believe they aren't real identical twins--even though they play very different characters. The first time I saw this film I thought the same girl was playing both roles (as did Hayey Mills in the 'Parent Trap'). The supporting cast includes many familiar faces including Jim Broadbent, whom I first noticed in 'Widow's Peake' though he also starred in the Gilbert and Sullivan film Mike Leigh produced a few years ago.
LIFE IS SWEET is a story of teenage angst in an English working class family. One of the twins, Nicola (played by Jane Horrocks), has a problem with food. She starves herself when others are around and then gorges and purges in private (anorexia nervosa?). When Nicola and her boyfriend have sex she insists they do it with chocolate. Nicola dreams of taking her life beyond the narrow working-class world she inhabits. The other twin, played by Claire Skinner works as a plumber. She appears to be a practical and level-headed youngster, the kind most desired in traditional homes.
Mike Leigh's best films, including LIFE IS SWEET, are stories about working-class youngsters coming of age (SECRETS AND LIES, CAREER GIRLS, MEANTIME). These tales involve the arrival of the protagonist at a new level of awareness and personal resolution following a period of less than enthusiastic participation in a "hostile" world. In the end, Nicola finds her place in the world she inhabits and that life is sweet.
Read Best Reviews of Life Is Sweet (Criterion Collection) (1990) Here
Although I always enjoyed his films, I never fully appreciated Mike Leigh until I heard his commentary on All or Nothing. Since then, I think I have been able to see Leigh for what he is: An incredibly gifted storyteller. I no longer feel the need to search his movies for some overblown message or statement, but rather just allow myself to enter into the lives of the intriguing characters he presents to us, walk with them on their journey, and learn with them as they learn about themselves.Life is Sweet is generally lighter fare than, say, his much later Secrets and Lies or All or Nothing, but it is no less compelling. The main characters are well-sketched, their humorous idiosyncracies never quite overstepping the mark into caricature (apart from some of the supporting characters, perhaps), and given enough depth and complexity to avoid the impression that Leigh is patronizing towards them (in a way that a lesser storyteller, such as Willy Russell, often appears).
Life is Sweet is very funny, very warm, but also very human and poignant, with a few moments of grittiness. The ensemble of actors, including Jim Broadbent, Alison Steadman and (a very young) Timothy Spall deliver superb performances. Rachel Portman's score veers between the playful and the melancholy, reflecting (creating?) the tone of the film.
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I saw LIFE IS SWEET in the early 1990s after it had received all kinds of acclaim and awards. Since then it has remained one of my favorite movies of all time, on a list that includes LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE GODFATHER, CASABLANCA, GOODFELLAS, REAR WINDOW and AMADEUS.Having said that, I will concede that this is not a film for everyone. Those who like mainstream Hollywood fare and consider Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock two of the greatest comic actresses of their generation probably won't like this movie. If, on the other hand, you like little independent films that are smart and different and truthful and absolutely one-of-a-kind, this may be right up your alley.
It's offbeat. Absurd. At times even a little weird. And for all of those reasons it stands out for me as one of the truest depictions of family life I've ever seen on film, because most families are offbeat, absurd and at times even a little weird.
The writing is superb -you won't find many films with a finer ear for dialogue -and the acting, in particular by Jane Horrocks, Alison Steadman and a very young David Thewlis, is mesmerizing.
This film began my infatuation with the films of Mike Leigh, which continued a couple years later with the amazing NAKED, followed by SECRETS AND LIES, CAREER GIRLS, TOPSY TURVY, ALL OR NOTHING, VERA DRAKE, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY and most recently, ANOTHER YEAR.
This is a film I've always come back to at least once a year, and each time I've been blown away by how wonderful it is -but until April 2011, it was not available on DVD, except in Region 2 (Europe). And so for years I had to content myself with watching it on VHS! On a cathode-ray-tube television set! As soon as the Region 1 version became available on Amazon, I snatched it up immediately. I wish the transfer had been a bit better, although there's something about the roughness of the print that actually makes a film like this better.
I've probably talked it up too much. It's never good to go into any film with too high expectations. At the end of the day, it's a little, low-budget independent film, but one that's full of some very big gifts for the discerning moviegoer. I recommend you buy the DVD and judge for yourself.
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