In the Loop (2010)

"War is unforeseeable." It was an off-the-cuff comment by British government official, Simon Foster that brought down the wrath of the Prime Minister's chief enforcer and attack dog, Malcolm Tucker. In trying to dig his way out, Simon is then caught in another off-the-cuff interview talking about "climbing the mountain of conflict." In the meantime, US government official, Karen Clarke and General George Miller are hoping to short circuit mounting pressure for war on the US side. Thinking they've identified a like-minded Brit, they invite Simon to Washington to attend some conferences. Simon is sick of the know-it-all attitude of long-time staffer, Judy, so he takes the new hire, Toby. When Toby leeks details about the secret war committee meeting to CNN, the whole fiasco becomes a media feeding frenzy. Malcolm is less than pleased. He doesn't like to "learn anything about a British government official on TV unless they've died." And if words could kill, Simon would die a very brutal death, indeed.

If rough language offends you, do NOT go to In the Loop... consider yourself warned! For those who enjoy scathingly funny, take-no-prisoners dialog, In the Loop is high art. While the style of In the Loop is decidedly British, I believe American audiences, for the most part, will get on board with this one. Some of the accents are a bit difficult, but not impossible. It is impossible, however, to catch every line because of the unrelenting, rapid-fire pace of the dialogue. But in the end, most will catch more than enough to enjoy this film.

As I left the theatre, I overheard several conversations about wanting to stay and watch it again. This is an intensely funny movie... assuming it's your kind of humor... and you'll come away wanting to remember some of your favorite lines. But the filmmakers don't give you enough time to process one laugh line before firing the next one. This one will be on my want-to-own DVD list.

"In the Loop" is blisteringly profane (a full 10 on the "Deadwood" scale), but in a smart way; it received an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay. In a scenario that is probably closer to the truth than anyone would ever admit, an unfortunate British undersecretary answers a fairly bland question about the possibility of Mideast war during a radio interview. An awkward response to that unexpected query triggers a storm of political shenanigans in London and D.C. Hilarity ensues. James Gandolfini is the only name actor (for U.S. audiences), and his not-that-hawkish general is a delight to watch. Peter Capaldi plays the British prime minister's hatchet man with fire and brimstone that is awe inspiring. His f-bomb laden verbal attacks on... well, pretty much anyone within 100 yards, are jazz riffs of obscenity. Classic stuff, smart, razor sharp. Don't miss the deleted scenes; they're as funny as the best bits of the regular feature. If you love satire, you'll love this.

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If you liked The Office, Spinal Tap and Dr. Strangelove and you also don't mind the very frequent but highly effective use of swearing then this is a must-see movie.

To paraphrase one of the many rants from the British spin doctor, if you don't watch this movie "I'm going to tear out your shinbone, split it in two and stab you to f*****g death with it!"

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This is the smartest, funniest movie I've seen in ages. It is filled with a multitude of quotable one-liners that me & my friends will be using over & over again. Moreover, it ran for SIX MONTHS here in the Bay Area. It is destined to become a rep-house institution for the next decade and the DVD will become a cult-fave for many.

All I do is work and watch movies, basically, and this is the best film I have seen in years.

Here's my fave quote: "Why don't you take your cheese, and your backlog of Mojo, and your eighth of dope and ____ off!"

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This is a movie that some people really dislike. It contains a surfeit of vulgar and profane language largely from the character of the British prime minister's director of communications brilliantly played by Peter Capaldi. Also, it is satire, which is disliked by many people. The great American playwright George S. Kaufman once said that "Satire is what closes on Saturday night." The subject is a series of meetings in London and in Washington between U.S. and U.K. high government officials concerning the possibility of an impending war, presumably somewhere in the Middle-East.

Most of the actors in this film are new to me. Some of the actors playing the parts of Americans may well be British actors. These days, actors on both side of the pond can provide either American or British accents nearly perfectly. One actor, definitely American, is James Gandolfini, playing an American General who reputedly uses a live hand grenade as a paper weight.

The superbly written film portrays these officials who, in their attempts to avoid the outbreak of a new war, only manage to move both countries closer and closer to it. The cast and director of this fine film acquit themselves admirably. The opening credits state that part of the funding for this film was provided by the U.K. Film Council, an organization that has since been abolished in order to reduce government spending.

The film adroitly demonstrates the failure of human beings to communicate. To quote T.S. Eliot from one of his plays: "Men tighten the knot of confusion into perfect misunderstanding."

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The Breakfast Club (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (1985)

Just when you couldn't bare being in school during the week, imagine having to be forced to spend a Saturday there. That's what happens to five high school students who are forced to spend a Saturday detention together. None of them have anything in common and none of them are friends. Each is an opposite from the other. The group consists of a brain, a prom queen, a jock, a basket case and a trouble-maker. A unique and unexpected bond is formed by the five teens as the day goes on, with all sorts of different states of emotion going on for each of them. No matter happens on Monday, all five of them will always that one Saturday together; therefore, forever labeling them "The Breakfast Club."

Not only is this a classic film, it's one of my personal favorites. I loved it when I was little and I love it now as I am in my twenties. It's so refreshing to have a brutally honest film that plays on all of your emotions as this movie does. And even though this was shot in the eighties, people can still relate to it now in 2000. This is why it is so effective and powerful.

The movie is so memorable that you will most likely repeat every single line during each viewing. The actors do a terrific job of portraying their roles flawlessly. The script is funny and touching at the same time. Everything that is shown in the movie is crucial and significant; being that there isn't a single minute in the movie that goes wasted.

This new DVD edition, while it may not be the most spectacular of DVDs, is a lot better than the previous version. They did an excellent job of producing a successful remastered version of the movie that looks and sounds excellent. You can even watch it in DTS; that is, if your system carries it. I'm afraid there's not much to offer in the special features department. It really is a shame, being that this is such a classic movie. Still, the way the film looks and sounds is worth the price alone.

"The Breakfast Club" is a terrific movie that still has the same effect on us as it did years and years ago. It's funny, tragic, touching and honest. If you haven't seen this movie yet, please, make sure that the next time you are at a video store that you pick this up and check it out. You have no idea what you're missing if you don't. Still a favorite after so many years, this film surpasses so many movies that we see today. An excellent achievement on all fronts.

There are plenty of reviews here about the movie, so there is no sense in writing another.

This review is about the DVD. I will tell you up front that this DVD looks like a direct copy off VHS. I have seen the VHS version about 2 times this year and when the title song comes on, the audio fades in and out. Not bad, but you can definitely see some age in it. The DVD is EXACTLY the same. The sound is of no higher quality.

There is no widescreen, just a full screen with the same picture quality as VHS. It's not horrible, but if you are the type of person who buys DVDs for the superior picture quality, you are definitely going to be unhappy with this.

The movie itself is EXCELLENT, I love it, but the DVD transfer from VHS isn't the best.

As for bonus features, you get bios for all of the actors. The trouble is, the information included is the same as you can find on the internet movie database (imdb) as well as fan sites. If you have read a fair amount on any of the actors and know their biography fairly well, this DVD offers nothing new.

There are also some brief production notes about where and how this movie was done, and some quotes from the cast and crew.

Again, if you have done any research online and gone to any fan sites or even a site dedicated to John Hughes, you will find nothing new here. No interviews, a little behind the scenes, some background detail, but in the big picture, not much else.

Just a forewarning.

I bought the DVD because unlike VHS tapes, a DVD CD doesn't wear out. But if you watch the VHS version, then the DVD, the quality is the same. DVD is not any better.

So overall, EXCELLENT movie, but not a great transfer. Still, if you are a fan, definitely add it to your collection, but if you buy DVDs for the extras, you will be very disappointed with this.

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If you graduated from high school in the 1980s and haven't seen this film, you must have been locked in a cave.

John Hughes delivers the definitive nostalgic teen movie of the Generation X crowd. The cast made up the '80s "brat pack" with Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. It's hard to believe while seeing this film that Ringwald and Hall were the only real high school aged performers... the others were in their mid to late 20s during filming.

While modern teens may not find this as "sophisticated" as over-sexed comedies like "American Pie," anyone can appreciate true feelings, teen angst, self doubt and relationships with parents portrayed in this film.

A group of kids sitting for 8 hours in detention on a Saturday none of them will ever forget. While there is foul language, it's about the same speed as what you can hear on "NYPD Blue" on TV. There is no nudity or sex, just raw, in your face teen angst.

You see this group of "losers," warts and all, and become friends with all of them before the film is over. The DVD doesn't offer anything other than cast bios and subtitles... which is a disappointment. It would have been great to have had some interviews with the cast and behind the scenes footage. Nonetheless, DVD is much better than tape and definitely worth the extra $ for a non volitile format.

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This movie is a classic and it will stand the test of time. This is the second "teen coming of age" installment from John Hues, and round 2 for Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. The first installment, Sixteen Candles, was more of a sexual coming of age movie whereas The Breakfast Club is more of a coming of age for one's character and social awareness. Where they are "teetering" with; staying with their social allegiances to their perspective pack, or do they listen to that inner voice...the voice of reason, maturity and human compassion that's not bound to any "click". I like the choice of actors; I think they all fit like pieces in a puzzle and make their characters totally believable. I am in the same age range as almost the entire cast and I was a senior in High school when this film came out. Allot of reviews seem to put this film within the Junior High crowd but I feel it's much more mature than that. The very message that it's trying to get across isn't understood in real life until we get close to 18 or so. The story is simple; 5 kids have to come into school on a Saturday for detention. At first they try to segregate themselves according to their school social standings. Inevitably they find out that they are more alike than they ever thought. The movie, in my eyes, is broken into 3 parts; the first part is pure character development. This is where you (the viewer) gets to know each person they way they are supposed to be seen with their everyday face. At first, they act the way they think they should act, and stand up for what they always had, with out question or defiance. They stay true to their cause never steering away for a second. The second part of the film is where the movie itself develops. These 5 separate entities realize that they are variations of the same person. They have the same desires and anguishes. Their pressures and stresses are the same even though it's generated from very different sources.

The jock (Emilio Estevez) has the pressure to be on top of his sport (wrestling). In return for this he gets attention from his dad, coaches and keeps his standing within his social group. This is his priority in life and he doesn't stray.

The Princess (Molly Ringwald) has to conform and obey the rules of her social group in order to be accepted and keep her standing within the group. She keeps her eyes closed; mouth shut and goes along for the ride.

The Metal Head/criminal (Judd Nelson) is an angry guy! He wears the physical and mental scars of growing up in an abusive house. He hates most people, like the ones Emilio and Molly play, because in his eyes, they have had a free ticket and earned nothing...things are handed to them because of their social and/or economical standings. On the other hand, he feels that he's on a whole other plain because his eyes have been beaten open and he was forced to grow up a little faster than he wanted too or was ready too. I feel that Judd Nelson's character is the most crucial to the movie. He is the key to this whole new self-awareness for everyone, including himself.

The nerd (Anthony Michael Hall) is the quintessential geek. His every woken moment is spent learning. He hides behind his grades and in fact, he wants to be more accepted by the "cooler" groups. He also is a little "cocky" about his better grades and academically superiority to the other people in the room.

The weirdo (Ally Sheedy) is a loner and an outcast. She doesn't have friends that we (the viewers) know of. Because her parents ignore her, She feels ugly and without a place in the world. She is starving for positive attention. I think her character was needed in this movie to balance off the cast. It would have left out a very critical part of teen angst!

Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason) is the "Villain" of the movie. To the kids, he represents the out of touch older generation and the mean spirited, high testosterone adult. For Richard Vernon, these kids are the source of his anger and agony. He has lost touch with the younger generation for 1 reason, he got older...and the older you get, the harder it is to relate to youth. Youth recycles right before your eyes, but you keep getting older. His character is the key that releases these kids. He helps them to strip away the blindfolds and to take a fresh look at every thing and everyone (including themselves).

This leads to the 3rd and final part of the movie. Where they cleanse themselves of all the pentad up anger and prejudices, where they experience a sort of rebirth. When the kids realize that they all have the same goal, they were just taking different roads to reach it. I also like the fact that Anthony Michael Hall's character, the nerd, has the last word and Judd Nelson's character, the criminal, gets the last scene. I think it was poignant that the 2 groups that are pushed the furthest down the social ladder get to close out the movie and punctuate the message that is being given' to a person that represents the source of their anguish. I highly recommend The Breakfast Club and it should go down as one of the all time great teenage movie!

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This IS one of the greatest movies of all time, enough said about that!

HOWEVER The DVD is horrible. The transfer is horrible and the sound is horrible. You'd think for such a great movie the DVD would be loaded with extras not this one, BARE BONES DUDE!

STILL A GREAT MOVIE, just a lazy effort on DVD.

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The Great Buck Howard (2008)

If you ever had to wonder why you loved John Malkovitch, this is the reason why. This is the kind of movie you watch with your mouth open. The acting is strong. There's not a lot happening, this isn't a thriller, but even in the most ordinary scenes you can see that everyone believes in their characters. I thought I had this film figured out, but I was happily wrong. This story defies convention! John is simply fantastic in this role. Colin Hanks turns in a competent performance. He's a young actor so he still has to cut his teeth a little, but he did a fair enough job. His father even shows up for a scene and that's always nice.

But the real heart of the story I think is "do you still believe in magic?" not the real kind with witches and spells but "magic" in a sense of wonder and amazement. I don't want to give anything away but in every scene when you think the story is about to fall apart, John Malkovitch pulls it off! He holds this film together with his bare hands. He's like a rock surrounded by superglue. He just makes this story happen. The way he talks about the human spirit -without talking about it.

The only way I can give an analogy is...remember in "Braveheart" at the end when he dies for his people and screams "Freedom!" well, that scene only works if you completely believe in his character. If you believe that William Wallace really was THAT much of a believer. Mel Gibson took that character to the wall and you had to believe it.

THAT's what John does with Buck Howard. The character is so outrageous and over the top that at first you laugh at him. But then later on you come to realize that this man is a believer. This man is for real, this isn't an act. He's not acting. Buck Howard does believe in the magic of the human soul.

There is a scene at the end when Buck Howard looks at Colin Hanks. Looks at him and you will believe, too. When I left the theater I said to my friends "I have just seen the best movie of the year. And it's March."

This fine film recalls to mind O'Toole's "My Favorite Year." It follows the travels of an aging mentalist (Malkovich) as he enthusiastically performs before shrinking crowds of aged fans---observed with growing admiration by his road manager, a sceptical young writer (Colin Hanks). Malkovich creates an ode to live performance. The film gives us the same joy as we see the once-famous performer demonstrate that his fame was well deserved.

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Among the many films that are released each year we are treated to some huge blockbusters. One this week out on DVD will no doubt be WATCHMEN. But while that movie may be the most sought after film, it will also leave many behind who won't get to the store in time for their copy. So instead, why not take a risk and watch something a bit more human, a bit more funny and a bit more sad. Why not watch THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD?

If you've never heard nor seen this film don't be surprised. As I said, blockbusters tend to take up space in the multiplexes around the country where an 18 screen complex offers only 4 films at a time. If you have HDNet, you may have caught it on the premier night it ran. If not, do so now.

Colin Hanks stars as Troy Gable, a young student in college studying to be a lawyer not because he loves it or sees himself having a future here but because his father has sent him here. Realizing he has no desire to live this life, he takes off and heads to LA and begins searching for a job. This results in his meeting the Great Buck Howard, now in search of a new road manager.

Buck Howard (John Malkovich) is a low level celebrity on the down side of life. At one time a notable performer who was featured on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson 61 times, he now finds himself playing regional theaters to half packed audiences. But at least these people are fans, those who recall his glory days and now have that moment to bask in the glow of this celebrity who has come to their lives.

Buck is a strange character. A mentalist with a touch now and then of magic, Buck is hard on his staff of one but loving of his crowd when on stage. Until a few take things into their own hand in one instance throwing off his game a bit. But Buck genuinely loves performing for these people and he does so stupendously, always ending with his signature trick where he has someone hide his fee for the night and then returns to the stage to locate it in the audience.

But even though he is the character centered in the title, the story is more about Troy than it is Buck. Troy is at that time in his life where he's trying to decide what he wants to do. He wants to be a writer but with little life experience, he finds himself gaining more and more as he travels with Buck from town to town. He sees Buck's ups and downs, his dealing with overindulgent fans, uninterested media types and many who have forgotten him.

Into Troy and Buck's life comes Valerie Brennan (Emily Blunt), a press agent sent out to handle Buck and a special event he has planned in an attempt to once again get into the spotlight. Valerie and Troy become romantically involved but catastrophe looms around the corner as Buck begins to place over 300 people into a trance at once. Unfortunately he's doing so in Cincinnati and at the same time Jerry Springer is involved in an accident. When the moment comes, no one is there to see it.

But word slowly gets out after Buck collapses and he suddenly becomes big once more. One recalls that Huey Lewis lyric "It's hip to be square". Buck suddenly finds himself on TV shows, being lured by Vegas and finally having the chance to go on The Tonight Show once again. But his rise leads to a decline as well and we are left to wonder what will happen to the Great Buck Howard? And what will become of Troy and Valerie as well?

Tons of celebrities make cameos in this coming of age tale including Regis and Kelly, Martha Stewart, Jon Stewart, Jay Leno, Tom Arnold, Conan O'Brien, George Takei and Tom Hanks (Colin's real life father) as Troy's father, the man who wants him in law school at any costs. And each scene with these celebs comes off as real and genuine, a testament to all actors involved, especially Malkovich.

This movie may not be the big blockbuster release of the week. But it is a film that will entertain and delight that those of us who recall the great days of Carson's Tonight Show will enjoy. Of note, the film (at least the stage work) is based on the Amazing Kreskin who director/writer Sean McGinley worked for as road manager. His love shines through in the character of Buck Howard. And I dare anyone to walk away from this film not feeling the same affection for a little known celebrity on the outs trying to work his way back in.

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This is one of those films that seems to have slipped through the distribution cracks because I don't ever recall seeing trailers for it. Possibly, the producers (Tom Hank's Playtone Pictures) thought they smelled a stinker and let it slip out quietly. I can understand their thinking, THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD is one of those projects that has all the right elements---great cast, very solid direction and a compelling story--but they just don't jell. The casting of John Malkovich in the title role was the one thing that, for me, derailed the film. Malkovich is a wonderful actor who could not sell this role. He's an actor whose persona as a misanthrope is so established that, as Buck Howard, he comes off as unlikable and insincere.

I was shocked to learn that the Howard character is based on the career of The Amazing Kreskin. I saw Kreskin, years ago in Odessa, Texas, in a less than stellar venue. Still, he was definitely amazing, even though he failed to locate his paycheck at the end of show, something I understand has happened very few times in his career. Kresking didn't take it well (who could blame him) and publicly castigated the guilty parties for their unsportsmanlike trickery. However, the mentalist was so entertaining that this sour note didn't diminish my respect for his talent.

All of that said, I would recommend THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD because it's quite watchable, your enjoyment may be increased knowing that it's based on Kreskin. Call it 'stunt casting' but I think the film would have worked so much better if producer Tom Hanks had switched roles and portrayed Buck Howard.

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"The Great Buck Howard" is a quiet, slightly offbeat comedy about "The Great" Buck Howard, a mentalist and live performer in decline, effectively played by John Malkovich. The film's story is told from the viewpoint of a law school dropout Troy Gabel (Colin Hanks), now working for this mentalist past his prime as a road manager. While Buck attempts to reboot his career, Troy, who aspires to be a writer, meets a charming publicist Valerie (Emily Blunt).

It is reported that the character of "Buck Howard" is loosely based on The Amazing Kreskin. Whatever the fact may be, it is John Malkovich with his superb performances who gives depth and insight to the film's thin story. Material like this would fall flat in the hands of a lesser actor, but Malkovich gives life to the character he plays. Buck is not an easy person to be with, often difficult and always demanding, but Malkovich turns him from a one-dimensional caricature into a fascinating, even charming character you really care.

Amusing and well-acted as it is, "The Great Buck Howard" is deeply flawed. The film's problem becomes clear when John Malkovich or "The Great" Buck Howard is not on the screen. Two subplots about Troy's concerned father (cameo by Tom Hanks) and Troy's romance with Valerie are uninspired and uninteresting. Writer/director Sean McGinly overuses voice over narrations to explain what is too obvious, or what should remain unsaid.

After all this is "The Great Buck Howard" and should be so. John Malkovich, often typecast in bigger films, shows what he really can do with the right material. Unfortunately the film tried to be something else, too Troy's coming-of-age story, which, sorry, but honestly, we are not interested. Watch the film for John Malkovich, or The Great Buck Howard. It is well worth it.

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