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  • Hotel Artemis (2018)

    Hotel Artemis (2018)

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    During the summer blockbuster season, one can be pretty easily overwhelmed with all the sequels, reboots, prequels, etc. that we’re constantly bombarded with. While it’s fun and enjoyable to check out the latest big-budgeted superhero movies and space adventures, it can also be a breath of fresh air to see something that seems to come out of nowhere and is pretty original. Luckily, we have director Drew Pearce to thank for bringing us Hotel Artemis, which is being touted as a bold and original action film. While it certainly owes a lot to the works of John Carpenter and even has hints of modern movies such as the John Wick and Purge movies, Hotel Artemis has enough to stand on its own.

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    Synopsis

    Set in Los Angeles in the not-too-distant future of 2028, the film initially centers around a pair of brothers, played by Sterling K. Brown and Brian Tyree Henry, who, after a botched bank robbery where one of them is shot by police, make their way to the titular Hotel Artemis. Run by a woman only known as The Nurse, played by Jodie Foster, the hotel is a hospital that treats criminals and allows them to stay until they make a full recovery. While The Nurse is the primary physician, she is assisted by her aide, the ginormous Everest, played by Dave Bautista. Also staying in the hotel is a beautiful but deadly assassin, played by Sofia Boutella, and a wormy and eccentric weapons dealer, played by Charlie Day. While all of this is going on, there are riots in the streets that threaten to break into the hotel in addition to causing general chaos in the streets. In the midst of all this, a cop, played by Jenny Slate, is picked up by The Nurse and Everest, and she claims to have known The Nurse in a previous life. Things really take a turn when a crime boss known as the Wolf King, played by Jeff Goldblum, comes in after being shot looking for help. Given he practically owns the city, he’s treated like royalty.

     

    Review

    In a word, this movie is fantastic! I mentioned before that this movie owes quite a bit to John Carpenter. Honestly, if you added Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken character from Escape from New York in here, this would have made for a much better Escape from LA. The movie also has elements of Assault on Precinct 13, with the main characters being holed up in a secluded area while outside forces try to break in. What makes this film stand out is the cast, all of whom play their roles phenomenally. First off is Jodie Foster, who delivers a solid performance as the caretaker of the hotel, who has a whole arc about how she’s afraid of going outside the hotel and even getting some hints about her past and how it relates to the cop and the Wolf King. In addition, Sterling K. Brown is great as the brains to Tyree Henry’s brawn, who’s trying to maintain control of the situation as things go south. Bautista, as always, is a ton of fun to watch, between his back-and-fourths with Jodie Foster and his many fight sequences throughout. Boutella, on top of looking gorgeous, is also intimidating as an assassin with her own motives and a possible past relationship with Brown. Day, while he does have his shouting and manic moments that he usually does, also has a very sleazy and wormy quality about him. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were a serial rapist. Goldblum, while having his moments, is definitely a force to be reckoned with, as he can be scary, intimidating, and very threatening.

    As the film goes on, and you become so attached to these characters, you really worry about who’s going to die and who’s going to make it out alive. Now, I’m not gonna reveal anything as I don’t want to spoil the film for anyone, but suffice it to say, there’s a few twists that will get you. Granted, at times, the movie is somewhat predictable, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. For a first-time director, Drew Pearce definitely shows some potential, and I am excited about whatever he’s got to offer next. The music is great too, mixing in a heart-pounding synth score with some fun 60s and 70s pop music via an mp3 player that Foster has with her. This is a film I cannot possibly recommend enough. If you’re looking for a fun action movie to watch that isn’t a superhero or franchise film, this is one to check out!

     

    Buy Hotel Artemis from Amazon: https://amzn.to/48ewHlk.

    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 Hotel Artemis (2018)

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  • The Crow (1994)

    The Crow (1994)

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    In the early 80s, following the death of his fiancee at the hands of a drunk driver, comic book writer and artist James O’Barr decided to channel his sadness and frustration into a comic book, which would eventually become The Crow. A tale of loss, loneliness, and revenge, the book was published in 1989 by Caliber Comics. The book went on to become an underground success, going on to be the best selling independent black-and-white comic of all time and even winning the Storyteller Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Naturally with this kind of success and popularity, it wasn’t long before Hollywood wanted to adapt the book into a feature film. At the time, comic book movies were going through somewhat of a resurgence, especially after the massive success of 1989’s Batman and 1990’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So, in 1994, Miramax Films released a film version directed by Alex Proyas, written by David J. Schow and John Shirley based on O’Barr’s work, and starring Brandon Lee, son of famous martial artist Bruce Lee, as the titular anti-hero, The Crow.

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    Synopsis

    Set in the crime-ridden streets of Detroit, the story centers around Eric Draven, played by Lee, who on October 30, otherwise known as Mischief Night, is shot several times before being thrown out of a window by some thugs after they break into his apartment and proceed to beat and rape Eric’s bride-to-be Shelly Webster, played by Sofia Shinas. One year after the incident, Draven is somehow brought back to life by a crow, and he vows to track down and eliminate the thugs responsible for both his death and the rape/death of Shelly. In the midst of this, there’s a burnt cop named Albrecht, played by Ernie Hudson, who was investigating the incident shortly after it happened, and is now on Eric’s trail as he goes around killing the gang members who wronged him. There’s also Sarah, played by Rochelle Davis, who was a friend of Eric and Shelly, has a mother who’s addicted to heroin, and eventually gets caught in the middle of the action as she’s soon targeted by the head crime boss in Detroit known as Top Dollar, played by Michael Wincott, who wants to use her to get to Eric when he starts ruining things for him.

     

    Review

    With this being a review of The Crow, I know there’s something I need to discuss concerning its lead, but I’ll save that later. For now, I just want to talk about why I absolutely love this movie before I get into that. First off, the movie looks great. Its got a very dark, gloomy, and gothic look to it, especially with how it’s almost constantly raining. There’s an overall sense of doom and gloom about the movie, but there’s also a glimmer of hope as well, with Eric being driven not only by revenge but also by bringing justice to others who have been wronged by the gangs of Detroit. Proyas directs this film in a way that it feels like it’s straight from the comics, almost like they used the panels of the comic as a reference for the look of this film. The cast is also fantastic, with some standout performances throughout. Ernie Hudson as usual shines with his very likable and charismatic presence, Michael Wincott is great as the ruthless Top Dollar, almost playing him as a character who’s driven not by greed or power but simply by wanting to cause chaos and anarchy, and Rochelle Davis as Sarah, the only other thing Eric cares about and who serves as the light that keeps Eric going in spite of everything around him. There’s also some great supporting players in here as well, including David Patrick Kelly as T-Bird, the leader of the gang members that initially attack Eric and Shelly, Bai Ling as Myca, Top Dollar’s main woman who is instrumental in finding Eric’s weakness and trying to cut off his ties to the crow, and Tony Todd as Grange, Top Dollar’s righthand man who’s just as sadistic and calculated as he is. And of course, there’s the star, Brandon Lee. Before I get into it, let me just say that Lee’s performance is so good in this that it’s tragic. He plays Eric both sad and sympathetic, but also as a total badass and almost reveling in dispatching the gang members and anyone who gets in his way. If he were able to go on after this movie, Brandon Lee would’ve been a force to be reckoned with.

    Now, here’s where I have to get to the elephant in the room. While filming a scene involving a prop gun, something went wrong and Brandon Lee was tragically killed on set. There’s a lot of details about what led to this, but let’s just say that it was a matter of the prop department having to make due with what they had given their time constraints and some people not knowing how to properly handle prop weapons on and off set. Sadly, much like his father, Brandon Lee’s most famous film ended up being his last film. While there were talks off possibly just stopping the film, the cast and crew pressed on. Since Lee had shot most of his big scenes, they only needed to do some pick-up shots. So, they achieved this by having his double stand in for him and then digitally superimposing Lee’s face on the double. Unfortunately because of his death, there were many scenes that were supposed to happen but were never filmed cause of Lee’s death. After the movie was released, there was a major overhaul in handling prop weapons so that something like this could never happen again.

    That all being said, this is still a fantastic movie that’s still as good today as it was back in 1994. With a great final performance by Brandon Lee, excellent action sequences, a gripping and tragic story about loss and revenge, and some great supporting characters, The Crow is one of the better comic book movies to come out of the mid-90s. It’s just too bad what happened to its sequel, The Crow: City of Angels, but that’s for another time.

     

    Buy The Crow from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4oPOtm6.

    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 The Crow (1994)

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  • Deadpool 2 (2018)

    Deadpool 2 (2018)

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    After the massive success of the first Deadpool, it was only natural that there would be a sequel. This time around, David Leitch of John Wick and Atomic Blonde fame is brought in instead of Tim Miller directing—most of the original cast returns and some new additions. The same writers are also brought in, besides Reynolds being a co-writer. With this being a sequel to a hugely successful and well-loved superhero romp like Deadpool, the filmmakers had to step up their game to make a sequel that could stack up with the original. There was a ton of hype surrounding this film, between the teaser trailers, the announcement of Josh Brolin as Cable, and even a tiny teaser shown in front of Logan. However, some less-than-desirable things happened behind the scenes, including Miller, Gina Carano, and composer Junkie XL leaving, as well as stuntwoman Joi Harris unfortunately dying performing a motorcycle stunt. Of course, there’s no way it could be better than the first, as is often the case with sequels, but could this movie match the quality of the first one? In a word……YES, they certainly did!

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    Synopsis

    Following the events of the first film, our friendly neighborhood merc with a mouth (Ryan Reynolds) is still working as a mercenary, going after crime bosses, sex traffickers, and drug dealers in the way that only he could. Things seem to be going well for him and his love, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) until a thug that Wade lets get away comes back with his goons to take out DP and inadvertently kill Vanessa. Grief-stricken, Wade decides to kill himself via massive explosion, but given his mutant healing ability, he can’t die. So, Colossus (Andre Tricoteux and Stefan Kapicic) takes him back to the X-Manor to get him to join the X-Men and hopefully help him get back on his feet. While there, he reunites with Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and meets her new girlfriend Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna). DP, Colossus, and NTW then go to the Essex Orphanage after seeing a news report about a young boy named Rusty Collins (Julian Dennison), who has mutant powers and is in a stand-off with the police. DP manages to talk the kid down, but once Rusty tells him about how the staff at the orphanage mistreated and even tortured him, Pool starts shooting at the staff, only to get thrown in prison with Rusty. At the same time, a time-traveling cyborg from the future named Cable (Josh Brolin) travels to our time to eliminate Rusty for his reasons. Through a series of events, Wade manages to escape prison and, not wanting to leave the kid to his fate, decides to put together a team to rescue Rusty before Cable kills him.

     

    Review

    Much like the first film, Reynolds is the main driving force behind this film. Once again, he still delivers the same quips and referential humor as effectively as ever, but what makes things different here is that he’s developed more as a character. There are times when the movie gets pretty dark and severe, and Reynolds shows that he can not only be funny but also show some tears and get dramatic in some scenes. While Bacarrin doesn’t have much screen time in the film, she does pop up here and there from the beyond to help Wade figure out what he needs to do to be with her again. Likewise, Colossus and NTW, while still fun characters, don’t have much to do until the third act. Once they are, they both shine, especially Colossus in his major fight scene. Here, many newcomers are given a bit more of the spotlight, especially Dennison, Brolin, and Zazie Beetz as Domino, a fellow mercenary whose superpower is that she’s lucky. All three of them fit into their roles excellently: Dennison being equal parts funny, tragic, frightening, and sympathetic at times, Brolin playing Cable with such a scowl and dryness that he’s almost like a cyborg version of a character from a Clint Eastwood Western, and Beetz who has a lot of fun bouncing off the other characters and constantly showing DP how luck is absolutely a superpower. As I somewhat hinted at before, what makes this one incredibly different is how, for all the action sequences and crude/referential humor throughout, some emotional character-driven scenes get very dramatic and, luckily, aren’t interrupted by a joke. This movie does a great job of balancing tone where many others fail. Despite this, the film still has plenty of great action sequences, especially around the middle of the second act when Deadpool and his team, known as the X-Force, have to board a moving prison transport that Rusty is in. Given this comes from the same people who made John Wick and Atomic Blonde, the action sequences are well-filmed and have an authentic and gritty feel.

    Of course, not every movie is perfect, and as much fun as this is, Deadpool 2 is not without its flaws. For instance, as I alluded to before, aside from Reynolds, many of the returning cast don’t have much to do. That’s not to say that they’re reduced to being nothing more than cameos, but don’t expect a ton of back-and-forths between DP and Blind Al, as with the first one. Also, I never thought I would say this about a Deadpool movie, but at times, Deadpool can be kind of annoying. Granted, most of the time, he’s still as humorous and fun as he was before, but there are moments when I almost want him to stop. If anything, there were times when I was more on board with Cable since he was such a badass, and Brolin played him so well. Even so, those moments are few and far between. And while I would typically complain about some of the cliches and extreme coincidences in the film, it’s still bright enough to recognize these as such and even poke fun at them. So, all in all, is it better than the first one? No. Is it still an entertaining and all-around good time? Absolutely. Will this be as memorable and quotable as the first one? Maybe, but probably not as much. Should you still give it a chance? Well, if you liked the first one, then absolutely do it. Also, be sure to stick around through the credits cause there’s a mid-credits scene that is one of the best gags in the entire movie.

    Once again, suck on it, Wolverine!

     

    Buy Deadpool 2 from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4d0Mw09.

    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 Deadpool 2 (2018)

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  • Deadpool (2016)

    Deadpool (2016)

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    Created in 1991 by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld in The New Mutants #98, Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, has remained one of the most popular comic book characters of the last few decades. Also known as The Merc with a Mouth, DP unfortunately took a long time to eventually make his leap to the big screen. After a failed deal with Artisan Entertainment in the early 2000s, Fox, who had found massive success with their X-Men franchise, decided to take a crack at it, starting with having the character appear in the 2009 spinoff X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Sadly, the results were less than stellar. Even though they cast Ryan Reynolds, who was a perfect fit for the character, they drastically changed the character to where he no longer was Deadpool. Between sewing his mouth shut, giving him so many powers that it’s absurd, and essentially making him look like a knock-off of Baraka from Mortal Kombat, fans of the character were none too happy. Despite that and numerous other problems, the film was a hit, so Fox decided to move ahead with a new Deadpool movie. Unfortunately, between 2011’s Green Lantern and 2013’s RIPD, faith was lost in the star power of Ryan Reynolds and plans for a Deadpool movie were put on hold. Then, in 2014, test footage was leaked online that was to show Fox what a possible Deadpool movie with Reynolds would be like, and it instantly became a viral hit. With the unexpected reception of the test footage, Fox decided to give the movie a greenlight, with Reynolds starring, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick writing, and Tim Miller directing. So, with all the production issues, how did the movie turn out? Probably WAY better than anyone would’ve ever expected.

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    Synopsis

    The plot revolves around Wade Wilson (Reynolds), a mercenary who goes after all kinds of scum and dirtbags, even though he is not a good guy. One night, he meets a prostitute named Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), and the two instantly hit it off. They fall in love, have an entire montage where they have sex-themed around various holidays (including International Women’s Day), and Wade even proposes to her. Things seem to be going well until Wade collapses to the floor and finds out he’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer. With all hope seeming lost, Wilson gets an offer from a shady man in a business suit promising a cure for his cancer and a chance at becoming a superhero. Unfortunately, Wade has few options, so he leaves Vanessa and goes to what he thinks will be his salvation. However, things aren’t what he thought they were, as he’s taken to a facility run by Ajax (Ed Skrein), who instantly hates Wade and finds his sense of humor annoying. Wade’s given an injection that will awaken any dormant mutant genes in his system, but it only works after he’s undergone a massive amount of stress. This leads to a montage where Wade is subjected to all kinds of horrible torture, but even with these awful conditions, Wade still has his sense of humor and constantly gets on Ajax’s nerves, especially when Wade learns that his real name is Francis. This pushes Ajax/Francis to put Wade in a deprivation tank that cuts off oxygen to the point where the victim is on the urge to suffocate. While this does awaken Wade’s mutant gene, a healing factor that cures his cancer and makes him near invincible, he is left scarred. If that weren’t bad enough, he finds out that he’s going to be sold off to the highest bidder as a super-powered slave. Wade manages to escape after burning down the facility, but Francis gets away after telling him that he can cure Wade’s disfigurement. After trying to reconnect with Vanessa but fearing how she would react to seeing him, he confides in his friend Weasel (TJ Miller), and the two create Wade’s alter-ego, Deadpool. DP then sets out to get revenge on Francis, get him to cure his scarring, and get Vanessa back.

     

    Review

    What largely makes this movie work is Ryan Reynolds’ performance as Deadpool. His comedic timing is on-point, and he exudes charisma and charm. He also has great chemistry with Baccarin to the point where you buy them as a loving couple, and you get why he’s so determined to get her back. Ed Skrein also shines as Ajax/Francis, playing such a loathsome villain that you love to hate him, and you’re just waiting for him to get his comeuppance. Along the way, DP runs into two of the X-Men, the gigantic Colossus, played by Andre Tricoteux and voiced by Stefan Kapicic, and the new recruit Negasonic Teenage Warhead, played by Brianna Hildebrand. The two of them make a great pair, Colossus being the moral center and an even bigger boy scout than Superman, and NTW acting as a snarky and cynical teenager who rolls her eyes at Deadpool’s jokes and constantly mocks him. Also in the mix is Blind Al, played by Leslie Uggams, who is a lot of fun as a bitter, old black lady who more-or-less acts as Wade’s caretaker and throws insults back and forth with DP. Tim Miller’s direction is well done as he stages these huge action sequences, and the camera pulls back enough for you to see what’s happening. He does a good job balancing the action, comedy, and drama. The writing is also on-point, with tons of great referential humor, especially all the numerous digs at X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and crude, intelligently written humor, as contradictory as that sounds. The movie is just a blast from beginning to end, with tons of great action sequences and gags that you’ll be quoting for a while.

    If I have any issues with the film, the plot isn’t necessarily bad, but it is somewhat cliche and simple. Granted, the simplicity does work for the movie it is, but there isn’t anything to write home about with the plot. Also, some of the CGI sticks out pretty badly, especially in scenes where you can tell that it’s not Reynolds on-screen. Even still, the work on Colossus does look impressive, to where you buy him as a fully three-dimensional character. In addition, while most of the humor is on point, some of it doesn’t quite land, but those jokes are few and far between. At the end of the day, Deadpool is still an insanely entertaining movie. It’s violent and crude, pokes fun at many modern-day superhero movie tropes, and reminds people that a superhero/comic book movie can be R-rated. We’ve had plenty of those in the past, such as Blade and Watchmen, but in this day and age where PG-13 movies are the norm, Deadpool was a breath of fresh air. Especially with the sequel coming out around the time this review was written, now is a great time to revisit this movie.

    Suck on it, Wolverine!

     

    Buy Deadpool from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3LjPz7H.

    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 Deadpool (2016)

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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.

    [/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″]

    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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  • Rocky (1976)

    Rocky (1976)

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    Today, Sylvester Stallone is regarded as one of the finest action stars of the past 30 years. He’s most well-known for the Rambo franchise, more recently The Expendables movies, and of course, the Rocky franchise. Nowadays, they’re up to seven films with an eighth film on the way, but let’s go back in time to the early 1970’s. Prior to making it big as the Italian Stallion, Stallone was doing what he could to get by, including his first starring role being in a soft-core porn (yeah, seriously) film called The Party at Kitty and Studs in 1973. As easy as it is to make fun of him for that, keep in mind that he had recently been evicted from his apartment, was living on the streets, and slept for three weeks at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, so with that in mind, it’s easy to see why he agreed to do the film for $200 a day for two days. Stallone even said, “it was either do that movie or rob someone, because I was at the end – the very end – of my rope.” Funny enough, after Stallone’s newfound fame, the film was later rereleased as The Italian Stallion.

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    After having roles in movies in the early to mid 70s such as Bananas, The Lords of Flatbush, and the cult-classic Death Race 2000, Stallone got the motivation to write the script for Rocky after watching the championship match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner, where, while being TKO’d by Ali in the 15th round, people were stunned that Wepner made it as long as he did. He spent three whole days writing the script, with the intent of playing the lead role. However, when he presented the script to United Artists, which they liked, they wanted someone like Ryan O’Neal, Burt Reynolds, or James Caan for the part. Thanks to both persistence and the support of producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Stallone managed to get the lead role.

     

    Synopsis

    The film tells the story of small-time boxer Rocky Balboa (Stallone), who one day gets a shot at fighting the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, played by the always awesome Carl Weathers. In addition, Rocky pursues a romance with meek pet store clerk Adrian, played by Talia Shire, who usually gets treated like dirt by her brother Paulie, played by Burt Young. In prep for his fight, Rocky gets the curmudgeonly old former boxer Mickey, played by Burgess Meredith. With the support of his trainer, his newfound love, and his determination and heart, Rocky works his way up, not to necessarily beat Apollo in the ring, but prove to others and himself that he can go the distance.

     

    Review

    Despite what the sequels became, the first one stands out as more than just a boxing movie. The movie is really more of a character study. We see Rocky as a good-natured guy who, while not very bright, has a lot of heart and cares about others. When a mob boss named Tony Gazzo, played by character actor Joe Spinell, wants him to break a guy’s fingers for not paying, Rocky refuses cause he can’t bring himself to do it. While Paulie treats her like dirt, and she’s generally ignored by others, Rocky sees the beauty in Adrian and wants to show her that she is special and matters. There’s even one scene where Rocky helps a young girl get back to her home and warns her about how there can be a lot of creeps on the street. Really, the boxing element is somewhat secondary in the film.

    Directed by John G. Avildsen, who later went on to make The Karate Kid films, Rocky is an important entry in film history. This was during a period of filmmaking known as New Hollywood, where studios gave filmmakers more creative control and were willing to take more risks. While he did have a few roles under his belt, Stallone was still relatively unknown, and many of the other cast members were cast late into the production. In spite of the risks, much like Rocky, the film rose to the top and became a massive success. What makes the film work are the characters. In addition to the good-natured Rocky, you also have Burgess Meredith as Mickey, who you feel was once a great boxer until old age got the better of him, and he almost sees Rocky as the son he never had, so he trains Rocky not only to help him in the fight, but also to feel like he has purpose. Then there’s Carl Weathers as the flashy and arrogant boxer Apollo Creed. Weathers just oozes charisma and steals nearly every scene he’s in, but it is almost satisfying when you see the shock on his face when Rocky just won’t go down.

    Another major part of the film’s success is the music composed by Bill Conti. Anytime you hear the theme, Gonna Fly Now, you immediately want to start running and punching at the air like you’re Rocky. It’s the kind of song that really gets you pumped up. Other than that, the rest of the score helps add character to the film, by showing just how low the characters are in their life situation but also giving them a sense of hope. The movie is very inspirational, telling us that it’s not about whether we win or lose, but that it’s about proving to yourself and others that you can do it.

    The film went on to make a ton of money ($225 million against a $1.1 million budget), and won three Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture, against movies like Taxi Driver, Network, and All the President’s Men. There were six films that followed, four directed by Stallone, one by Avildsen, and one by Ryan Coogler. Despite how campy and ridiculous some of the sequels got, the first film still stands as what happens when someone with a lot of heart and drive goes against the odds and proves to the world that they can make something out of themselves.

     

    Buy Rocky from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K5oyYA.

    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 Rocky (1976)

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  • Sisters (1973)

    Sisters (1973)

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    On May 13, 2018, tragedy struck when Margot Kidder, most famous for playing Lois Lane in the Christopher Reeve Superman movies, passed away at the age of 69. While the cause of death at time of writing this is unknown, her health had been questioned ever since her 1996 incident, where she had a manic breakdown and was found in the backyard of a homeowner in Los Angeles with her teeth caps having been knocked out due to a rape attack. Since then, it’s been widely publicized how she’s suffered from bipolar disorder and how she had been working for years on recovering and ensuring she wouldn’t suffer from any more nervous breakdowns. As most people are paying tribute to her through the Superman movies, there are others who are looking to some of her genre work as tribute, such as Bob Clark’s 1974 slasher Black Christmas and the classic 1979 haunted house movie, The Amityville Horror. Another title that got brought up, which I’ll be talking about in this review is Brian De Palma’s 1973 thriller Sisters.

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    Synopsis

    Not to be confused with the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy of the same name, Sisters tells the story of siamese twins Danielle and Dominique (Kidder), one nice, innocent, and sweet, the other more evil and sinister. One day, Danielle brings a guy back to her apartment much to the dismay of her sister, and after he goes out to get her medicine and a birthday cake, the lover ends up getting stabbed viciously by Dominique. While bleeding to death, the murder is witnessed by a neighbor through her window named Grace Collier, played by Jennifer Salt. She calls the police to report on the murder, but while she’s arguing with the cops, Danielle and her ex-husband/psychiatrist Dr. Emil Breton work to clean up the murder scene and make it seem like nothing happened. While the cops dismiss this as a crazy woman making false accusations, Grace is determined to prove that a man was indeed murdered, and what she finds is way more than she bargained for.

    Sadly, that’s all I can really say about the plot without giving away the many twists and turns the movie takes.

     

    Review

    Throughout most of his career, De Palma was often criticized for, among other things, being a rip-off of Alfred Hitchcock. Personally, I would consider himself more a genuine fan of Hitchcock rather than a rip-off of him since he takes a lot of the tropes and conventions that Hitchcock used and does his own thing with it. While Sisters shares a lot of similar elements to films like Rear Window and Psycho, it still tells its own story. Granted, there had already been a similar evil twins movie made the year prior called The Other, which I have not seen at the time of writing this, so I don’t know if Sisters took anything from that movie. What I do know is that De Palma got the idea for this movie from an article written in the late 60’s on Russian conjoined twins Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova, where he saw a picture of them where one had a very stoic and serene look on her face, while the other had a more sinister look to her. This is what led to the idea of twins who were conjoined but separated and had split personalities.

    Margot Kidder stands out as both Danielle and Dominique. When she’s Danielle, she’s very unassuming, sweet, innocent, and even a little flirtatious. As Dominique, she’s deranged and seems almost animalistic in her rage. Jennifer Salt is also great as Grace Collier, who’s very feisty and determined to get to the bottom of this. What’s great about her character is that she’s a very strong and independent female character who doesn’t just seem like a man-hating ball-buster, but rather a woman who’s motivated by a desire to get things done and prove to others what she can do. There’s also some fun comedic relief in the form of her mother, played by Salt’s real-life mother Mary Davenport, who responds to Grace’s talk of following the case and solving the murder with lines like, “Are you on diet pills again?”

    The one actor who truly steals the show is the late William Finley as the sinister Dr. Emil Breton, who, while being an obvious red herring, is still genuinely terrifying. He’s very cold and chilling, and you can see that he has his own personal agenda and will stop at nothing to make sure everything goes his way. Once you find out more about what’s going on, he becomes even more diabolical. Another actor of note in the film is character-actor Charles Durning, who plays a private investigator hired by Grace to help prove that a murder had taken place. While his screen-time is somewhat limited, he’s still a source of entertainment and makes for a fun counterpart to Salt’s Grace character.

    While this wasn’t the first movie he had made, this was the first horror film that De Palma had directed, and this would lead to a long and illustrious horror career, with movies like Phantom of the Paradise, Carrie, The Fury, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out amongst others. Even with the low budget and some of the little mistakes that are noticeable throughout, the movie still works as an effective horror/thriller. It has some great performances, it’s got great suspense, the use of split screens and long, tracking shots are phenomenal and help give a sense of unease, and the score by the late-great Bernard Hermann is terrific. If you’re a fan of Hitchcock’s work and you’re looking for something a bit lesser known featuring Margot Kidder, this is definitely a great one to watch, especially if you want to see some of Brian De Palma’s early work.

     

    Buy Sisters from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4ohopiO.

    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 Sisters (1973)

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  • RoboCop (1987)

    RoboCop (1987)

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    In the 80s, Orion Pictures was one of many mid-budget studios vying for that sweet spot in the Hollywood elite. However, unlike studios like Cannon or Empire, Orion could squeeze their way in, with such memorable films as The Terminator, Arthur, Hoosiers, and even major Oscar winners like Amadeus and Platoon. Unfortunately, like many other mid-budget studios, they would often have fewer hits than misses. While many of their films were critically acclaimed and even award winners, they also had several bombs, such as Great Balls of Fire! and She-Devil. But then, hope in the form of a huge box office hit would come along with Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop.

    Prior to Robocop, Verhoeven made films in The Netherlands including Turkish Delight and Soldier of Orange, working with actor Rutger Hauer. Then in 1985, Verhoeven made his transition to American films with Flesh + Blood, which, though having gained a substantial cult following in years since, was not a huge hit at the box office and ended the partnership between Verhoeven and Hauer. Suddenly, he gets a script for a movie called RoboCop, which he ended up throwing away in disgust. Then, his wife picked it up and told him to give it a read. He did and the rest is history.

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    Synopsis

    Set in a futuristic Detroit, crime runs rampant, and the police are privatized by a multi-million dollar company called OCP. Looking to reduce crime to make way for Delta City, they initially tried a giant robot known as the ED-209. When the ED-209 proves too destructive, they decide to move forward with a program for a cyborg cop. After being gunned down by bank robbers led by Clarence Boddicker, Officer Alex Murphy is turned into this cyborg cop. Now as RoboCop, he stops various crimes, including a convenience store robbery, an attempted rape, and a hostage situation. When his inner humanity starts to break through, RoboCop seeks revenge on the gang that gunned him down. As he takes down the gang, RoboCop ends up confronting Dick Jones, who’s been working with Clarence. With help from his partner Office Anne Lewis, RoboCop sets out to exact his brand of justice.

    Review

    RoboCop is easily one of the most incredible action sci-fi movies ever made. While on the surface, it is an entertaining, action-packed, and bloody-as-hell movie, there is more to it than that. The over-the-top violence is cartoonish, almost making fun of violent action movies. Throughout the movie, there’s all kinds of social satire in the form of news segments and fake commercials. These help to expand on the world on display, as well as poking fun at American culture. With Verhoeven being Dutch, it’s interesting to see an outsider’s perspective on the rampant consumerism. Plus, it predicts a future where a rundown city is taken over by a giant corporation that’s only interested in money. It tackles issues of reclaiming one’s humanity from corporate America that neglects the psychological effects.

    Peter Weller is terrific as the cop-turned-cyborg. As Murphy, he’s instantly relatable and likable. As RoboCop, he’s both incredible and tragic. He kicks all kinds of ass here, including a sequence where he busts a drug factory and mows down everyone in sight. Once he starts rediscovering his humanity, Weller delivers such an emotional performance. You get a sense of the pain he’s feeling and just how tragic his situation is. Nancy Allen is great as Anne Lewis and Kurtwood Smith steals the show as Clarence Boddicker. Ronny Cox shines as the corrupt businessman Dick Jones, and Miguel Ferrer is fun as the sleazy Bob Morton, who’s also RoboCop’s creator. Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner’s script is phenomenal, expanding the concept further than expected. Rob Bottin’s practical effects, mixed in with stop-motion by Phil Tibbett and the Chiodo Brothers, make the film a sight to behold.

    On a $13 million budget, which is impressive given the film’s scope, RoboCop made over $53 million. Verhoeven went on to make movies like Total Recall and Basic Instinct. There were two sequels, a live-action television series, at least two animated series, a TV mini-series, comic books, video games, and a quickly forgotten 2014 remake. RoboCop remains an important film in both the action and sci-fi genres and is easily one of my all-time favorites.

     

    Buy RoboCop from Amazon: https://amzn.to/47Y8cKw.

    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 RoboCop (1987)

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  • Die Hard (1988)

    Die Hard (1988)

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    Before 1988, Bruce Willis was known for comedy, especially with the TV show Moonlighting with Cybill Shepherd. Then, in 1988, Willis was reinvented as an action star thanks to a little movie called Die Hard. It’s funny to think now, but back then, no one thought that a guy known for comedy could break out as an action star. In fact, the part was originally offered to many action stars, like Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford, and Don Johnson. Little did people know that Willis would go on to lead one of the most successful franchises of all time.

     

    Synopsis

    Willis plays New York cop John McClane, who comes to LA to visit his wife Holly, played by Bonnie Bedelia. At an office Christmas party at her company, the Nakatomi Corporation, the two try to reconnect and get back together. As the party’s going on, a group of German thieves led by Hans Gruber, played by the late great Alan Rickman, storm in, start shooting up the place, and take everyone hostage. Armed with a pistol and his wits, McClane must survive the night, stop the thieves, and save the hostages.

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    Review

    Directed by John McTiernan, who previously directed the Schwarzenegger classic Predator, the film is one of the best made/filmed action movies of the 80s. Nowadays, many filmmakers seem to have ADD and usually cut everything so quickly and film too close to the action. Die Hard, however, has all these great sweeping shots that show off the grand spectacle on display, and it’s filmed in a way that puts you right in the action while also letting you see just what’s going on.

    While many didn’t think he was right for it, Bruce Willis as John McClane was perfect casting. In a time filled with muscle-bound and indestructible action stars like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and Norris, along comes Willis, who is fit, but not as jacked as Dutch from Predator or Rambo from Rambo: First Blood Part II. Here, he’s just an ordinary guy who’s in a horrible situation and has to make the most of it. As the movie goes on, he gets more and more tired, gets beaten and bruised, and ends up with his feet all cut up with broken glass and limping. Hell, there’s even a scene where he talks to Sgt. Al Powell, played by Reginald VelJohnson, over the radio and tells him what to tell his wife in case he doesn’t make it. It makes him much more relatable, making you wonder what you’d do in that situation.

    Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about Alan Rickman as the villainous Hans Gruber. He is truly one of the greatest bad guys in any movie ever. He’s cold, cunning, and ruthless, but he’s also very suave, charming, and clearly well-educated. He’s not just your average run-of-the-mill bad guy. He has one goal in mind: steal the $640 million in negotiable bearer bonds and make off with it scot-free. It’s also fun to watch him going toe-to-toe with Willis, whether it’s over the radio or when they’re on-screen together.

    Die Hard is an important film, not just for the action genre, but for movies in general. It paved the way for many great action movies to come, and it made a superstar out of Bruce Willis. The film went on to have four sequels, some better than others, and began a new era of action films.

    Yippe-Ki Yay, MotherF***er!

     

    Buy Die Hard from Amazon: https://amzn.to/4rm4x0O.

    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 Die Hard (1988)

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