Back to the Future ~ 1985

Recently when reviewing trilogies I post all of them together in one post and give a review or my opinion of the film. But Trilogies like Aliens, Godfather, and Back to the Future need their very own review, film by film, don’t you agree?

Before his big hit Back to the Future, Robert Zemeckis had written and directed a few outstanding films, “I Wanna Hold your Hand” and “Romancing the Stone” But once Back to the Future hit the theaters, Robert Zemeckis would be known in Hollywood for a very long time.

The ideal for Back to the Future was one that had been played out before in earlier films in the 80’s, Peggy Sue Got Married, but this film differs in that it has become a classic of Sci-fi comedy.

“Back to the Future” is a very smart film that benefits from likable characters and an insightful screenplay. Michael J. Fox accidentally goes back to 1955 in a DeLorean that has been turned into a time machine by the wacky Christopher Lloyd. Now Fox must bring his parents together after he inadvertently changes the future. It is not quite as complicated as it sounds. The film is great fun that seems brand new even over 20 years later. Wow has it really been that long!? A+

 

The Bachelor ~ 1999

“The Bachelor” accommodates a story centering on undeveloped characters and the one dimensional situations they are placed into. The male romantic lead here is played Chris O’Donnell, and his name is Jimmie Shannon, who is supposedly in love with the usually dependable Renée Zellweger, where here is Anne. Jimmie and Anne are developed within a brief three minute opening scene where one meets the other at a coffee house when they exchange about ten words with each other. Their conversation is of pointless proportions, and has no clue of preparing any romantic chemistry or witty dialogue for us. Thus there is no believable quality between Anne and Jimmie, and this is just the opening sequence. How can a romance be effective if we don’t buy the couple as a couple from the first scene?

It’s a movie that almost seems to promise hilarity yet strangely the movie isn’t that funny. In fact it’s not that interesting either, though certainly not unwatchable. Yet for some reason, even though this movie contains two warm likable charismatic leads, the movie never picks up steam.

By the time you reach the end of the movie where literally HUNDREDS of brides are chasing Jimmie in full bride regalia, you want them to trample him just to hurry up and get this movie over with. D

 

Austin Powers ~ 1997, 1999, 2002

I often look at my collection of movies, that include classics like; All About Eve, Gone With the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird and great films like; The Departed; Babel; Gladiator and then other trilogies such as The Godfather classics, and Star Wars and I wonder, why in the hell do I have Austin Powers movies??

Well to be honest, I love them. They are corny, campy and totally disgustingly funny. Mike Myers has made a fortune on being all those things rolled into one. These films have no real credit to filmaking in them, other than the fact that they sold MILLIONS! Female stars fought to be a “Powers” girl, with the likes of Elizabeth Hurley, Heather Graham and Beyonce Knowles winning the titles.

Sex sells, and I suppose raunchy funny sex sells even more, and that is what these films were mostly about, with innuendos thrown around all over the place. And I hear that another Austin Powers film is in the works! Could it be? Someone tell me it’s not true!! I give all three of these films a C- for being Corny

 

As Good As It Gets ~ 1997

In the year of the movie Titanic, which won every award known to the film industry, As Good As It Gets walked away with the Best Actor Oscar for Jack Nicholson and Best Actress Oscar for Helen Hunt.
A great romantic film, that not only warmed the heart, but filled it with laughter and even a little bit of hate for Nicholson character. Jack Nicholson is pitch-perfect as the obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon Melvin Udall, who possesses some of the strangest and most curious tendencies ever concocted by screenwriters and placed on film; his Udall is so human, so heartfelt, so genuine, and so whimsical and Nicholson perfects him to such a degree that not a moment of his screen time is unwanted or uninteresting. Jack is as always at the top of his game, superb. Helen Hunt as the unfortunate single mother/waitress Carol Connelly, is just as human and genuine as Melvin. Greg Kinner, who landed and Oscar nomination for his role as the unfortunate, Simon Bishop was also real and heartfelt. The relationships these three individuals forge makes you realize that despite our differences, we are all very much alike. A great film, perfectly cast and directed. A-

 

American Pie Collection ~ 1999 ~ 2001 ~ 2003 ~ 2005

American Pie ~ Funny, actually hilarious. Great comedy if you can handle the sex talk and disgusting antics of these high school seniors trying to get laid before they graduate High School. Sean William Scott and Eugene Levy are great in this film. Jennifer Coolidge is my favorite as well and Eddie Kaye Thomas’ Paul Finch. Of course, Alyson Hannigan is by far one of the most under-rated actresses of our time on film or TV. B-

American Pie 2 ~ Dumb. I didn’t care for the second installment of this now teen comedy classic collection of films. Again Eugene Levy is stellar. Sean William Scott as Stifler is really getting old, quick! But the connection between Hannigan and Jason Bigg’s characters was much better in this than the first one. Not quite a funny, but good. C

American Wedding, Pie 3 ~ A little more preachy, and a lot more of Stifler. Enough already. But finally in the end you think he has changed. Good storyline, but a little sappy for this kind of comedy. But the bachelor party is just one of the best scenes in the entire film. The pubic hair in the wedding cake…gross. C-

American Pie Band Camp ~ Stifler’s little brother? PLEASE, stop this insanity. Why is this film in my DVD library??? D-

 

Along Came Polly ~ 2004

I love Jennifer Aniston. I have since her early days before Friends. She has this stage persona that just comes alive. I like her simple yet open characterizations. She truly is under-rated. Ben Stiller? Well I like some of his things, and others just annoy me. But together they create a fun, vibrant and entertaining duo and an all around pretty good film. I liked it because it didn’t end as most romantic comedies end, oh right that was her other romantic comedy…or was that Meg Ryan? C

 

The Addams Family ~ 1991

I grew up watching Carolyn Jones and John Astin as the Addamses. I loved the Addams Family TV show as a kid, and I was at first apprehensive of seeing it in a movie format. But what I got from The Addams Family was a wonderful film, and performances by the late Raul Julia, Anjelica Hueston and Christopher Lloyd that were incredible. When I say incredible, I mean that they lived up to my expectations. Julia was perfect as the zany, patriarch Gomez Addams, and Angelica gave Morticia a whole new depth that we missed in the TV show. As for Lloyd’s portrayal of Uncle Fester, well he was brilliant.

Not everything about this film did I really love though. Jimmy Workman, who played Pugsley was not believable, he seemed very naive and aloof throughout the film. Christina Ricci was just okay as Wednesday Addams, but I seen a little too much Winona Ryder from Beetlejuice in her portrayal. The other stars of the film were a little over-the-top, but this is the Addams family. Dan Hedaya was way over acted, he almost annoyed me throughout the film.

What now has become a classic TV show, brought to feature length film, I think The Addams Family was right on the mark. B+

 

A Guy Thing ~ 2003

Boy & Girl are ready to marry, but before they do boy needs to sow his last wild oats. When he awakes the next morning he realizes he must have cheated on his fiance. Boy meets Girl’s cousin and meets his supposed one night stand. Yes, the girl he thinks he slept with is his fiance’s cousin. So A Guy Thing begins.

A perfect storyline, with a superb actress like Julia Stiles and you have a perfect movie, right? Wrong. Unfortunately Selma Blair who plays the fiancee Karen Cooper, is the same performance in all her previous performances. Jason Lee who plays Paul, the guy, gives a painful lesson in how to over act. Luckily he went on to star in a well accepted TV Show, My Name is Earl.

The plot is predictable and the movie starts off a little slow, and never seems to speed up and except for the performance of Julia Stiles this film goes no where with the laughs or in the box office. D

 

50 First Dates ~ 2004

I am a huge Adam Sandler fan. I love his stupid, off the wall, slapstick comedy. Unfortunately you don’t get to see too much of that in 50 First Dates. Don’t get me wrong, it’s funny, just not Adam Sandler funny. Adam plays Henry Roth a man afraid of commitment up until he meets the beautiful Lucy (played by Drew Barrymore). They hit it off and Henry think he’s finally found the girl of his dreams, until he discovers she has short-term memory loss and forgets him the very next day.

I actually felt this was almost as bad as Bill Murray in Ground Hog Day. It lacked the spontaneity that other Adam Sandler vehicles seem to have. Drew Barrymore, how is in my book one of the most under-rated actresses of our generation, was poor as the girl who has the short term memory. The best performances in my opinion were the Kamikaze antics of Sandler’s acting ensemble, particularly Sean Astin and Rob Schneider. He is not one of my favorite actors but in this film if Schneider wasn’t playing such a chaotic role, he would be a natural for an Oscar. Lucy’s father Marlin (Blake Clark), a retired fisherman/sailor, and her brother Doug (Sean Astin), a would-be bodybuilder with a lisp, do everything they can to keep Lucy from discovering her condition. Certainly the animals add a lot to the farce. The goofy humor makes the basically tragic scenario and film not only bearable but almost pleasant. D

 

40 Year Old Virgin ~ 2005

The break-out film for comedian Steve Carrell, 40 Year Old Virgin is the story of the 40 year old man who has not “done the deed” and his buddies try and convince him he needs to “do it”.

What happens next is a compilation of comedic errors including a waxing of Andy Stizer’s (Carrell) chest and Andy’s friend Jay (Romany Malco) hires Andy a prostitute who turns out to be a transvestite. Not only is the movie hilarious, but also touching and even emotional at times. Andy’s other two friends David and Cal, (played by Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen) are just as funny as Carrell and add the needed touch. Even though there was a script for this film, much of it was improvisational, which gives a realistic view to the film. Catherine Keener gives a great performance in this comedy, showing how versatile of an actress she really is.

I loved the ending of the film, which I thought was a perfect way to end the film. Very light and fun; it leaves you laughing and smiling, which is exactly how you should feel when you finish a comedy. B-