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Category: Romance

  • Dirty Dancing (1987)

    Dirty Dancing (1987)

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    In 1980, screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein was working on the script for It’s My Turn starring Michael Douglas and Jill Clayburgh. When the producers had an erotic dancing sequence cut, this prompted Bergstein to write a new story off of that. She decided to draw on her childhood memories of participating in dance competitions and traveling to the Catskills with family. Initially pitching it to MGM, the project was in limbo when Vestron Pictures picked it up for a reduced budget. Emile Ardolino, who won an Oscar for 1983’s He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, was chosen to direct. Kenny Ortega, who was trained by Gene Kelly, was hired to choreograph the film’s many elaborate dance scenes. For the leads, they hired Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, who previously worked together on 1984’s Red Dawn. After an exhaustive 43 day shoot, Dirty Dancing was released to theaters in 1987.

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    Synopsis

    In 1963, Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is spending the summer on vacation with her family at Kellerman’s. While there, she sees the owner Max (Jack Weston) talking down to the staff, saying they romance the guests’ daughters. She soon makes her way to the staff quarters and meets Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), the head dance instructor. Despite not being welcome, she decides to help when she learns that Johnny’s dance partner Penny (Cynthia Rhodes) is pregnant. Because of this, however, Penny and Johnny can’t perform at a nearby resort, so Baby volunteers to help. While Johnny is initially reluctant and frustrated trying to teach her, he starts warming up to her despite her background. Unfortunately, their blossoming romance is interrupted by Baby’s father Jake (Jerry Orbach), and Johnny being threatened by his boss. But soon, their love endures and they have the time of their lives.

     

    Review

    Admittedly, Dirty Dancing is not my kind of movie, but I can see why it captivated so many people. It has a love story we’ve seen plenty of times before involving class warfare and two opposites coming together. It’s a format that’s timeless and has been used for centuries, dating back to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Then again, much of the film was based on the real-life experiences of its writer, so it has that going. This gives the film a more personal quality given that some of the material stems from real life. Not only that, but it tackles issues that were considered taboo back in 1963 and even in 1987, namely abortion. Not many films in the 1980s covered this topic, so it’s certainly interesting seeing it tackled here. Then again, it is more a subplot to get the main plot going that’s quickly glossed over.

    Of course, what makes the film work as well as it does is its stars, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. They both give very strong performances and have phenomenal chemistry with each other, even if they had problems early on. It helps that they did much of the dancing themselves and had to go through weeks of training. That’s not to say the rest of the acting is bad, but everyone else gets overshadowed by Swayze and Grey. There are a few standouts, such as Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach, Jack Weston, and a pre-Jurassic Park Wayne Knight. The late Emile Ardolino does a great job filming the dance numbers, and Kenny Ortega’s choreography is on-point. Like I said before, I don’t normally cover this genre, but I can still tell this is a good one. Overall, Dirty Dancing deserves its status as a classic and timeless romance film.

     

    Buy Dirty Dancing from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cbVY4x

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  • The Family Tree (2020)

    The Family Tree (2020)

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    Jorge Ameer is an independent filmmaker originally from Panama and has been working in the industry since the early 1990s. In 1994, he directed The Truth Within and later founded his own distribution company Hollywood Independents in 1997. In 2001, he founded the International Gay Film Awards, aka the Glitter Awards, to recognize foreign and independent gay films. Additionally, he was responsible for re-opening the Vogue Theater in Hollywood for a brief period to showcase some independent films. Ameer has been very active in bringing cinema to Panama, having curated festivals, and started a high school film program. Unfortunately, in 2017, his mother, Sybil B. Ameer, passed away, and the two had a very close connection. Since the two bonded over the holidays, Ameer decided to make his next film in memoriam of her passing. So in 2020, Ameer’s film The Family Tree was released in theaters and various festivals.

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    Synopsis

    Victor (Keith Roenke) is an animal rescue worker living in Panama who celebrates the holidays using makeshift exploding dolls. He’s friends with his ex-girlfriend Alina (Anaïs Lucia), who he decides to cheer up with a holiday greeting. Said greeting comes from Roy (Michael Joseph Nelson), who shows up dressed as Santa to deliver a heartfelt message. Later that night, he gets mugged, found by Victor, and taken back to his place to rest up. Victor soon learns that Roy is homeless, so he decides to help by proposing they enter a civil union. But while Victor has feelings for Roy, Roy admits that while he’s grateful, he doesn’t love him the same way. Soon, Roy enters into a relationship with Alina and even proposes to her much to Victor’s heartbreak. Soon, their lives will be changed forever when Roy and Alina try to have a child.

     

    Review

    Going into this, I had no idea what to expect since I never heard of Jorge Ameer until fairly recently. Having now seen The Family Tree, I recognize that this film was a passion project that he really cared about. Conceptually, the film is sound, being a complex love story with LGBTQ themes that deal with love, family, and death. The main actors all do a solid job, Michael Joseph Nelson being the highlight and easily delivering the best performance. For a low budget film, the cinematography is strong, the use of Christmas lights adding color and dynamic lighting. It’s a very unconventional love story, so it’s certainly worth watching for those who are feeling adventurous and daring. You can tell that the director is big on the holiday season given how much Christmas paraphernalia is on display. It’s certainly something to admire and there’s clearly love put into this.

    Unfortunately, despite the love and passion put into the film, it’s sadly marred by technical flaws and very slow pacing. The biggest technical flaw is the audio, which often sounds hollow and tiny as if none of the actors were miked. There are several scenes where the sound echoes, and it gets distracting as the film goes on, ruining the experience. Honestly, there were times where I turned up the volume because it was difficult to understand what the actors said. Technical problems aside, the film’s biggest flaw is that it’s boring as not much happens for the over two-hour runtime. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a slow film so long as there’s something to keep your interest. It’s not until the last 20 minutes of the film that things pick up, and by then, it’s disorienting. Overall, The Family Tree tried but ultimately failed under its ambitions.

     

    Buy The Family Tree on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nr0Wfr

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  • Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)

    Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Much like how Empire Pictures would use Italy, Full Moon Features started shooting their films in Romania and Bucharest. They found success shooting Subspecies in Romania, so films like Oblivion, Lurking Fear, and Mandroid would also be filmed there. Around this time, writer Matthew Bright, who frequently worked with Richard and Danny Elfman, found himself working at Full Moon. He started writing a script that involved horror, romance, and vigilantism that drew its influence from Taxi Driver. Originally to be directed by Jeff Burr, relative newcomer Linda Hassani, who previously worked on Silk Stalkings, was hired. Angela Featherstone, who had a small part in Army of Darkness, was cast in what became her first lead role. Produced for a small budget of $350,000, the film would end up being one of Full Moon’s more unique entries. In 1994, Dark Angel: The Ascent was finally released.

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    Synopsis

    In the depths of hell, young demoness Veronica Iscariot (Angela Featherstone) years to venture up to the mortal world. Her father Hellikin (Nicholas Worth) disapproves and threatens punishment, but Veronica escapes and makes her way to Earth. Soon after arriving, she’s hit by a car, taken to the hospital, and tended by Dr. Max Barris (Daniel Markel). Since she has nowhere else to go, Max decides to let Veronica stay with him in his apartment. While he sleeps, she watches TV and catches a broadcast of Mayor Wharton (Milton James), recognizing his corruption and evil. This motivates her to find evil in the city and dispatch sinners, killing muggers/rapists and racist cops. These murders catch the attention of Detectives Harper (Mike Genovese) and Greenberg (Michael C. Mahon) who are on her trail. Will Veronica succeed in dishing out justice, or will the cops manage to stop her?

     

    Review

    Compared to the likes of Puppet Master, Demonic Toys, and Subspecies, Dark Angel: The Ascent is certainly a unique experience. Much like Meridian: Kiss of the Beast, Dark Angel is an interesting mix of horror, romance, and some vigilante justice. The Taxi Driver comparisons are very apparent, including the lead targeting a politician and taking a date to a porno. On top of that, there’s the lead going on a murder spree in what they see as a holy quest. While not as compelling as Robert De Niro’s Travis Bickle, Angela Featherstone delivers a solid performance as Veronica Iscariot. On top of being stunning to look at, she has a nice, quiet charm mixed in with a subtle intensity. Markel is decent, though a bit bland at times, though Genovese and Mahon do a fine job with their material. Also, Worth has some fun scene-chewing moments early on.

    The practical effects, from the demon prosthetics to the gore effects, are impressive considering the small budget they had. There are also some fairly decent optical effects, but they haven’t held up very well over 25 years later. I’d say the biggest problem with the film is the pacing, namely how it takes a while to get going. After the first 10 minutes in hell, it grinds to a halt as Veronica begins learning about the human world. It isn’t until about the 45-minute mark when she starts going on her vigilante spree and things start picking up. For a relative newcomer, Hassani’s direction is pretty good, taking full advantage of the Romanian locations for an effective atmosphere. While I wouldn’t recommend this to Full Moon first-timers, I’d recommend it to someone looking for something a bit different. Overall, despite its flaws, Dark Angel: The Ascent is worth a watch.

     

    Buy Dark Angel: The Ascent from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)

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  • Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

    Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

    [et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]After the fall of Empire Pictures, Charles Band’s Full Moon Features was formed, releasing Puppet Master in 1989. Years earlier, Band was traveling through Italy and came across the Park of Monsters, or “Parco dei Mostri”. He was instantly captivated by the location, but he didn’t have any projects he felt would suit the location. Once Full Moon was started, Band came up with the concept of a gothic/erotic horror love story. Now that he had the concept, he decided to utilize the Park of Monsters and nearby castle as the backdrop. Many former Empire regulars were brought on board, including Ted Nicolaou, Mac Ahlberg, Dennis Paoli, Greg Cannom, and Pino Donaggio. The resulting film would be the second film released under the Full Moon banner, paving the way for their future. Released in 1990, we have Meridian, or Meridian: Kiss of the Beast.

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    Synopsis

    Catherine (Sherilyn Fenn) has recently moved from America to Italy after inheriting her family’s castle following her father’s death. She reunites with her old friend Gina (Charlie Spradling), who’s working as a fine art restorator for the local church. While reminiscing about old times and getting reacquainted, Gina spots a nearby traveling circus that has stopped by the castle. They decide to check it out and soon meet the ringleader, Lawrence Fauvrey (Malcolm Jamieson) and his World of Wonders. After the show, Catherine invites Lawrence and his circus for dinner, where she and Gina end up being drugged. Gina gets seduced by Lawrence, while Catherine is seduced by his twin brother Oliver, who both transform into large beasts. Trying to figure out what happened, Catherine learns more about the castle and the Fauvrey brothers than she ever imagined. It’s a twisted love triangle in this strange gothic fairy tale!

     

    Review

    Even for Full Moon, Meridian is one of their stranger films, but it’s certainly one of their most unique. While many of their later films were either straight horror or science-fiction, this one is more of a gothic romance. It takes elements from classic fairy tales, particularly Beauty and the Beast, and adds a contemporary twist to it. The use of an authentic Italian castle and the general locations help make the film more expensive than it was. Most of the performances are solid, particularly a then-unknown Sherilyn Fenn and Malcolm Jamieson, though Charlie Spradling has her moments. Though it can be tricky for one actor to play two characters and make them distinctive, Jamieson pulls it off. Greg Cannom’s make-up effects are impressive, particularly the creature design, even incorporating transformations similar to An American Werewolf in London. This shows the potential Full Moon had at the time.

    However, especially in the age of the MeToo movement, Meridian: Kiss of the Beast is a somewhat problematic film. Despite the film being billed as gothic romance, the inciting incident involves rape rather than romance, which makes it awkward. Even though one brother is good and one brother is evil, neither is any better than the other. It doesn’t help that Catherine ends up falling in love with the good brother despite him drugging and raping her. I’m not sure if this was an intentional decision, but it’s more likely that they didn’t realize the implications. Given that it’s Charles Band and Full Moon, it’s is more focused on nudity and strange creatures than anything else. In the end, while it’s not one of their best films, I can appreciate them experimenting in different genres. Overall, Meridian: Kiss of the Beast is a problematic yet interesting watch.

     

    Buy Meridian: Kiss of the Beast from:

    Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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    Where to watch Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

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  • A Star Is Born (2018)

    A Star Is Born (2018)

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    In 1937, William A. Wellman’s A Star Is Born was released, starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March. The film was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning for Best Writing (Original Story). In 1954, the film was remade by director George Cukor with Judy Garland and James Mason in the lead roles. Despite production issues, the film was nominated for several Oscars, including Best Actress for Garland and Best Actor for Mason. In 1976, yet another remake was made, this time directed by Frank Pierson and starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. While not as critically acclaimed as the two previous versions, the film was still a hit with audiences. It became the 3rd highest grossing film of the year and won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Flash forward to 2018, 42 years later, where Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with the latest version.

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    Bradley Cooper plays aging country singer Jackson Maine, who’s struggling with drug and alcohol abuse despite his success. One night after a concert, Jackson inadvertently walks into a drag bar, where he meets Ally (Lady Gaga). Jackson is amazed at her talent and decides to take her under his wing to help bolster her career. Though reluctant at first, Ally goes along with him at the suggestion of her father (Andrew Dice Clay). After a concert where Jackson invites Ally to sing along with him, the two start touring and start a relationship. But while things seem to be looking up, Jackson continues struggling with his addictions, waining popularity, and family issues. Ally soon finds herself getting picked up by an agent (Rafi Gavron), who makes her a pop sensation. But even through all the ups and downs, Jackson and Ally try their best to maintain their relationship.

    Going into this movie, I had little to no reference for this movie, having not seen the other versions. That being said, this movie was a genuinely beautiful and simultaneously tragic story of love, addiction, fame, and personal struggles. For starters, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga are absolutely fantastic here, and they have phenomenal chemistry with each other. You really feel that these people truly love each other and want to stay together through thick and thin. Cooper, who also directed the film, greatly portrays how addition can ruin your life without it feeling preachy. Lady Gaga, despite her real world persona, is very likable and you get excited when she starts succeeding. Plus, they do a great job with the music, as all the songs are well performed and memorable. Some other stand-outs include Sam Elliot as Jackson’s brother, Andrew Dice Clay as Ally’s father, and even Dave Chapelle.

    Honestly, that’s all I can really say about it without spoiling the movie, suffice it to say it gets emotional. While I generally don’t cry in movies, this one definitely got me in the feels. Granted, if you’re following along with the movie, you can kind of figure out how it will end. Even knowing that, you still hope and pray that things will get better, which is a testament to its quality. This is a tremendous film, especially from a first-time director, and I look forward to seeing Cooper direct more movies. I can already see this movie getting several Oscar nominations, especially for Best Actor, Best Actress, and possibly Best Picture. Overall, A Star Is Born is a beautiful, sweet, and tragic film that’ll stick with you for years to come.

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  • Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

    Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

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    In 2013, Singaporean-American novelist Kevin Kwan wrote a satirical novel based on his childhood living in a wealthy family. He was inspired to write this novel while caring for his father who sadly passed away in 2010 from cancer. While caring for him, the two would reminisce about life in Singapore and Kwan would write the stories down. Kwan did this as a way to preserve the stories so that they’d be remembered long after his father’s death. This led Kwan to write a novel that satirized the culture surrounding rich Asian families, living in elegance and insanity. When it was finally published, the novel received rave reviews from critics and was a major bestseller. Naturally, as with any novel that becomes a hit, Hollywood decided to film an adaptation of the novel. So, fast forward to 2018, where we’ve been given the romantic comedy-drama, Crazy Rich Asians.

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    Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is an economics teacher at NYU whose boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) invites her to Singapore. Turns out, Nick’s friend is getting married, and he wants her to join him and meet his family. Little does Rachel know, however, that Nick’s family is actually quite rich, like insanely and ridiculously rich. After meeting Nick’s friend Colin (Chris Pang) and his fiancée Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno), Rachel is soon introduced to his family. Things immediately are not looking good for Rachel, especially with Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh) clearly disapproving of her. It soon becomes clear to Rachel that Nick’s family doesn’t like her and feel that she’s not good enough. While this is going on, Nick is trying to keep things intact with Rachel despite his mother’s objections. It soon becomes a struggle between the rich and entitled versus the middle-class common folk with some family drama.

    As anybody who knows me will tell you, I am not the biggest fan of romance films. Sure, there’s the stereotype that guys don’t like romantic movies, but sadly, it’s somewhat true if generalizing. More specifically, I’m not a fan of really sappy and melodramatic romance films that follow the same basic formula. However, when I saw how successful this movie was and the rave reviews it received, I was curious. Having now seen it, I can really see why this movie appeals to so many people, myself now included. This is a very charming, funny, touching, and sweet romance film that even someone as cynical as me can enjoy. One major aspect of the film I have to commend is the production design, using vibrant colors and lush visuals. Given how amazing the film looks, it’s remarkable it only cost $30 million, which is small compared to most blockbusters.

    I also have to give credit to the cast, all of whom do a great job here. Constance Wu is very likable and sympathetic as she tries to prove herself to Young’s family. Henry Golding is relatable in how he goes against his family and clearly wants to set his own path. Michelle Yeoh definitely steals the show as the stern mother who, at times, is sympathetic, but also chilling and intimidating. Even Ken Jeong, who more or less has been playing the same character since The Hangover, is surprisingly endearing. Granted, there are some characters that can be somewhat annoying and ridiculously mean-spirited, but it seems like that’s intentional here. Also, while the movie certainly has similar tropes as other romance films, it almost feels like the film’s lampooning them. Overall, even though it’s not my usual forte, Crazy Rich Asians is still a fun, heartwarming, and touching romp.

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