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Category: Comedy

  • Thoroughbreds (2018)

    Thoroughbreds (2018)

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    Every now and then, a movie will come around that seems to come out of nowhere. You don’t hear much about it, you don’t see any trailers for it, but somehow you find out about it and you get curious. Such is the case with 2017’s Thoroughbreds, a movie made by first-time writer/director Cory Finley that was originally written as a stage play before being turned into a movie. Apparently, this movie was originally made in 2016, played the festival circuit, and was finally released theatrically in 2018, so it spent at least two years in limbo before being released. I do know one reason why it may have been delayed, but I’ll get into that later. I can’t quite remember how I first heard about this movie, but I went into this movie knowing little to nothing about it. I did see a trailer for it and I was intrigued, so I gave it a watch, and what I saw was probably one of the most original and unique movies I’ve seen this year so far.

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    Set in the suburbs of Connecticut, the film revolves around two upper-class high school girls, the popular and more academic Lily, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, and the more distant and unfeeling Amanda, played by Olivia Cooke. The opening sets the film in motion as we see Amanda killing her crippled horse with a knife. This leads to her meeting up with Lily, who was an old friend of hers until they split when Lily’s dad died. She goes under the pretense of hanging out with Lily and having her be her tutor until she discovers that her mother essentially paid Lily to be her friend. While Lily denies this, Amanda is completely unfazed by this due to her not being able to feel any emotions, and the two become friends again. After the death of her father, Lily’s mom has remarried to a guy named Mark, played by Paul Sparks, who is vain and cruel but acts no differently than any other parent. Lily is upset when she finds out Mark has enrolled her into boarding school because she was expelled and, after seeing him berate her mother, decides to talk with Amanda about possibly killing him. Initially, Lily wants Amanda to do it since she’d be free of guilt, but Amanda says she would immediately be suspect because of her pending animal cruelty charge. So instead, they enlist the help of ambitious but pathetic drug dealer Tim, played by the late Anton Yelchin, to stage the murder like an accident. What follows is a story about the loss of innocence, people doing what they can to get ahead in life, and how seemingly good-natured people can turn twisted.

    I mentioned before how I believe I know why this movie was delayed the way it was. Well, my reasoning is Anton Yelchin, who sadly passed away on June 19, 2016, just two weeks after filming was completed. Granted, I don’t 100% know if his death delayed the film’s release, but watching the film, it really does make you miss him since his acting is so good in this. Not saying the rest of the actors in this are bad, but Yelchin absolutely steals the scenes he has in this. As for the two leads, Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke are fantastic and they work off each other really well. While admittedly Cooke’s character doesn’t change much, it is fitting since her character is supposed to be unfeeling. However, it is interesting to see the character arc that Taylor-Joy goes through, going from a somewhat uppity but prim-and-proper young lady into someone who’s almost as unfeeling as Cooke but is determined to get her way no matter the cost. Paul Sparks is also great as the step-dad Mark, in that he plays his character as so angry and hateful that you understand why Lily hates his guts, but you can also understand his perspective of a guy trying to raise this girl but struggling because she comes across to him as being self-centered and not appreciate of what he and her mother do for her. Going back to how this was originally meant for the stage, you can really feel that with how this movie is filmed and staged. Granted, that’s not a bad thing in this movie’s case since the performers are so strong and the story is engaging.

    If there are any problems I have here, one is the film’s pace. At times, it can be pretty slow and a little dull, as if nothing is happening. That said, at 92 minutes, the movie does go by fairly quickly, but it can feel like the plot doesn’t really come into play until the second half. Also, adding to the film feeling slow, there are quite a few static shots in the movie or shots where the camera doesn’t move, which can make scenes feel longer than they actually are. Even still, some of those shots are very effective, especially one towards the end where the camera stays on one shot and does a deliberately slow zoom. The movie is billed as a dark comedy, some referring to it as a mix between Heathers and American Psycho. I can see the connection, but I don’t think this movie has the same gleeful humor of Heathers nor the biting wit or graphic violence of American Psycho. Not that I think either would’ve made this movie necessarily better, but I can understand some people not being into this movie for its slow pace and seemingly endless scenes of just dialogue. However, if you stick with it and really focus on what’s going on, Thoroughbreds is definitely one of the hidden gems of 2018 that’s worth taking a look at.

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  • Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

    Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

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    Today, when people think of clowns, they usually picture scary clowns like the clown doll from Poltergeist, the sadistic Captain Spaulding from House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, or the villainous Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT, either played by Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgård. But back in the 80s, with the exception of the doll as mentioned before, clowns weren’t really seen as the stuff of nightmares in popular culture. They were just seen as they were traditionally were, as buffoons who often get hit with a pie in the face or trip over themselves for our amusement. That is, until 1988, when the Chiodo Brothers, special effects artists known for their work on films like Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Critters, and later Team America: World Police, gave us a new terrifying vision of clowns with their magnum opus, Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

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    Synopsis

    The film begins like many sci-fi B-movies of the 50s, with young people camped out in their cars for a good time, when suddenly an apparent shooting star falls near them. As per tradition, a bumbling old man and his mangy dog follow where the star fell, only to find a giant circus tent. Too bad for them that this is no ordinary tent, for it’s actually a spacecraft that the titular killer klowns use as transportation from wherever far-off planet they come from. Soon, Mike Tobacco, played by Grant Cramer, and his girlfriend Debbie Stone, played by Suzanne Snyder, decide to check out the tent, only to find that the aliens have been harvesting people in giant cotton candy cocoons. They try reporting it to the authorities, including Dave Hansen, played by John Allen Nelson, and the curmudgeonly bitter Curtis Mooney, played by the scene-stealing late great John Vernon, but of course, they don’t believe them. It isn’t too long before the klowns strike and cause havoc throughout the town, using a variety of weapons including popcorn guns, pies filled with acid, and ray guns that encase people in cotton candy cocoons.

     

    Review

    I’m just going to come right out and say that this movie is an absolute blast! This movie is so much fun to watch and I feel that this is the kind of movie that you simply can’t watch without a smile on your face, unless you’re deathly afraid of clowns that is. While not exactly a straight-up parody or spoof, the movie definitely feels like the Chiodo Brothers are paying homage to the old sci-fi creature features of the 50s and 60s, movies like The Blob, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Invaders from Mars, and Forbidden Planet. The movie hits a lot of the same beats as those movies, from the authorities not believing the youngsters and thinking they’re just a bunch of delinquents, to the klowns’ ship crashing to Earth like a meteorite. It’s also interesting to note that the movie was originally just called Killer Klowns before the Chiodos decided to add from Outer Space to clue the audience in on the humor. While the klowns obviously steal the show, I would be remiss to not talk about the main human characters. Grant Cramer, while mostly playing it straight, intentionally overemphasizes his lines to make them sound more dramatic, but not too much to where it feels like they’re beating you over the head with it. Suzanne Snyder does ham it up a bit, but not to the extent that Cramer does, though she is still very likable and fun. John Allen Nelson is more of the straight man in this, but he does have his moments where he shines. Aside from the klowns, John Vernon dominates the few scenes he has in the movie, and you can tell that he’s having a blast in the movie. Then there’s the Terenzi brothers, played by Michael Siegel and Peter Licassi, who are the main comic reliefs in the film, and at times they can be kind of annoying, but it is still fun seeing them bicker with one another and trying to pick up chicks.

    To go into the more technical aspects, the special effects, even thirty years later, still hold up. This is a classic example of why practical effects will always be better than modern CGI. You’ve got guys in costumes, fully-articulated heads, puppets, some stop-motion animation, and some great make-up effects as well. It is just brimming with style and creativity, and you can really see the Chiodo Brothers’ talent on display. Also worth mentioning is the instantly catchy theme song by the punk rock group, The Dickies. It is the perfect song to get you in the mood for some killer klowns shenanigans, and it will stick with you even after the movie is over. All in all, this is a really fun and inventive horror-comedy that takes something harmless and fun, and completely turns it on its head. Now, here’s hoping the Chiodos make that sequel that we’ve been asking for. After all, if we could be subjected to three Big Momma’s House movies, then I think we’re due for a Killer Klowns from Outer Space 2.

     

    Buy Killer Klowns from Outer Space from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MhA5Ve.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

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  • Blazing Saddles (1974)

    Blazing Saddles (1974)

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    Throughout history, there have always been racial issues and conflicts, with people often being discriminated against and generally being treated as less than human simply based on the color of their skin. Probably one of the most significant of these is the plight of African Americans, which still continues to this day. From being abducted as slaves through much of the 1500s – 1800s, to being depicted as racist caricatures by the likes of Jim Crow and the Warner Bros. Censored Eleven, as well as being segregated and subjected to all sorts of brutality. The Civil Rights movement made strides to ensure racial equality for African Americans, thanks to leaders like Dorothy Height, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Ruby Dee, Thurgood Marshall, and, most famously, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through their determination and sacrifice, these and many other people were able to create new laws that allowed African Americans to vote, get equal employment opportunities, own property, and generally be free of unlawful discrimination.

    Now what the hell does this have to do with a silly comedy poking fun at Westerns?

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    Well, dear reader, it turns out that these historical events do have a part to play in Mel Brooks’ 1974 Western spoof, Blazing Saddles. Released in 1974, just six years after the end of the Civil Rights Movement, the movie not only pokes fun at the tropes and conventions of the Western genre, which was very popular in the 50s and 60s, but it also pokes fun at many racial stereotypes and generally makes fun of racists. While one might scratch their heads at a white guy making a pro-African American movie that depicts racists as bumbling idiots, keep in mind that Brooks is Jewish, and Jews know a thing or two about discrimination and being treated less than equal. So, aside from someone like Gordon Parks, Sidney Poitier, or Ivan Dixon, Mel Brooks might be one of the most ideal people to helm this silly little comedy that’s since gone on to be considered one of the greatest comedies of all-time.

     

    Synopsis

    The story revolves around a small town known as Rock Ridge, where life is peaceful for its citizens, businesses are booming, and things couldn’t be better. That is, until a corrupt politician named Hedey….I mean HEDLEY Lamarr, played by Harven Korman, wants to destroy the town in order to make way for a new railroad being built. After enlisting the outlaw Taggart, played by Slim Pickens, and his men to ransack the town, killing the sheriff, the citizens beg for the governor to send them a new sheriff. To use this to his advantage, Lamarr constructs a plan: find someone to be the replacement sheriff that would be so hated by the citizens that they will want to leave town, no questions asked. So, he appoints former slave now railroad worker Bart, played by Cleavon Little, to be the new sheriff, where he’s instantly greeted by the citizens of Rock Ridge with contempt and mistrust. However, with the help of an alcoholic and possibly homosexual former gunslinger known as the Waco Kid, played by Gene Wilder, Bart manages to win the town’s trust and helps them fend of the bandits as they try to take over the town.

     

    Review

    I’m just going to come right out and say it: Blazing Saddles is my all-time favorite comedy. No, seriously, every time I watch this movie, and I’ve seen it several times, I always find myself roaring with laughter. This movie is just littered with all sorts of memorable gags, from Bart and the other railroad workers singing “I Get a Kick Out of You” and the bandits sitting around a campfire farting incessantly, to Bart defeating the giant Mongo, played by Alex Kerras, with a candy-gram and holding off the outlaws by constructing the “Gov. William J. Le Petomane Thruway.” Though, I have to say that what I think is the funniest moment is a small scene where Bart is just walking through town, minding his own business, when he comes across a little ol’ lady, to which he says, “Good morning, ma’am! And it’d it a lovely mornin’?”, to which the ol’ lady responds with, “Up yours, n***er!” I swear, no matter how many times I see that, it still makes me laugh.

    Anyway, I could just quote all of the memorable lines and gags from the movie, but you really should just go and see it for yourself. To talk more about the movie itself, the cast is terrific. You’ve got Mel Brooks’ regulars like Harvey Korman, Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise in a cameo, and Madeline Kahn, who actually was nominated for an Oscar for her role as the voluptuous Lili Von Shtupp, but you’ve also got some great character actors like Slim Pickens, David Huddleston from The Big Lebowski, Alex Kerras from Porky’s, and John Hillerman from Chinatown. But perhaps, the one who truly stands out is Cleavon Little, who is instantly likable as a lead. He’s incredibly charming, full of charisma, has great comedic timing, is very well-spoken, and just relishes in every scene he has. The script, written by Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Alan Unger, and even Richard Pryor (who was originally cast as Bart before Little got the part), is a thing of beauty, filled with tons of memorable dialogue and great gags, both major set pieces and even small background gags. The direction is top-notch, making it feel like a Western made by the likes of John Ford or Howard Hawks, just with a lot more slapstick and racial jokes. The music is great as well, adding to that Western feel, and the theme by Frankie Laine is instantly catchy.

    This is a must-see for anyone reading this. It’s downright one of the best comedies ever made, and Mel and his team should be proud of what they made. The movie was a pretty huge risk for Warner Bros., who were initially hesitant after the executives saw it and didn’t find it funny, but when Mel convinced them to hold a screening for the employees, they changed their minds when they saw how much the regular folks loved it. Sadly, a movie like this could never be made in today’s PC-friendly culture. People would instantly call the film bigoted and racist, without realizing that the racism in the film is played for laughs in that the movie is poking fun at racism and is actively making racists look dumb and villainous. Regardless, Blazing Saddles stands tall as one of the best and most important comedies in cinematic history.

     

    Buy Blazing Saddles from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nxgvkI.

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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    Where to watch Blazing Saddles (1974)

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