I have been waiting for this to situation to clear itself up before posting about it, but it appears the smoke has cleared and Richard Donner is moving forward with a sequel to The Goonies with Steven Spielberg, the original producer who also has the story credit from the original film, in hand. According to Corey Feldman via Twitter (sigh), this project is starting to get some legs. For better or worse. This could easily be another, “they are whoring out my childhood” post of which I’ve had a few in the past. I’m not going to go that route, however. Yes, I think this sequel is beyond ill-advised and enough to make me scream. Any fan of the original I would hope feels the same way. Let’s face it, the time for the sequel is past. Do we really want to see an old ass Mikey? I don’t. Corey Feldman is way too burnt out to recapture the beauty of Mouth. I, however, am always up for more Martha Plimpton in any way we can get her.
Goonies cast at the 25th Reunion
The magic of the original film was that it was kids taking charge of their own destiny outside of the adult world to make shit happen. If the sequel were to have happened, it should have happened back in 1987 or 1988 when they could still capitalize on that same feeling. To me, with the Goonies all as adults in the coming sequel (let’s hope it falls apart), it rings pretty hollow. I don’t know the storyline, but I am skeptical at best. Perhaps the thing that is most clear in all of this is how creatively bankrupt Steven Spielberg has become. When was the last original film he did? War Horse, which was a bomb (war pun intended). Hell, Schindler’s List was the last decent movie he made, although the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan were really great. He’s given us one shitty Indiana Jones sequel with another likely shitty one on the way, a Lifetime movie about Abraham Lincoln salvaged only by the dynamite performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, and a handful of mediocrity (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Amistad, Jurassic Park: The Lost World). So why wouldn’t he latch onto something that has a rabid audience? And Richard Donner? Four Lethal Weapon films and a series of bombs including 16 Blocks, Assassins and Timeline. Even if Chris Columbus, who has had his ups (Gremlins, Only the Lonely) and downs (mostly as a director – Rent, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) comes back to write the script, I just don’t know how the recipe that worked so well is recreated. To me, this is a film that never needed a sequel at all. I know Goonies Never Say Die, but damn it, I wish the powers that be would tell this project to die and go away. I wrote this about the merits of the film and why it still resonates almost 30 thirty years later.
If it does come off, and Sean Astin says he’ll bet his children on the fact that it will, then I will see it. I will pay only a matinee price, though. And I reserve the right to skewer it further upon seeing it. In the off chance it is actually good, I will admit that. I still maintain that no sequel is necessary and the integrity of the original is what Donner, Spielberg, Columbus and any of the original cast that return are all betting with. Seems like a bad bet to me.
This past weekend I introduced my two sons, ages 6 and 8, to The Goonies for the first time. This was a pretty big moment for me as it is one of my all-time favorite movies and I wanted them to love it as much as I did when I saw it 28 years ago. It’s no surprise that they did and I had hoped that their love of the movie was for the same reasons that I loved it and still love it. Funny enough, when I queried them about it, here were five of their responses:
1) There was a gun in it and Francis Fratelli got bitten in the junk with Data’s “pinchers of power.”
To explain – my wife and I try to keep exposure to violence and the mechanisms of violence at a minimum so anytime a gun makes an appearance, the boys love it if for nothing other than to piss us off. They learn that trick quite early. And since my sons are boys, anything having to do with private parts is funny. Very funny, in fact. Sadly, this is one thing that doesn’t really change as you get older.
2) Chunk is funny. Data has cool inventions.
Yes he is, although I have been asked to do the Truffle Shuffle more times than I ever hoped to be asked. This is why I was at the gym at 9:30 p.m. last night.
Can’t wait for the crazy ass inventions I come home to while the kids are on summer break. No doubt the bulk of them will be made in some effort to bring pain to my person.
4) The water slide looked fun and they wished they could ride on it.
My youngest refused to ride the water slide at the public pool by himself just yesterday. Sigh.
5) They could use all that treasure to buy all of the stuffed animals, Angry Birds, Just Dance video games and candy they want. Oh, and their own laptops so they watch YouTube videos of Annoying Orange.
Fair enough. Hard to argue with that.
So, not quite what I was hoping, but I have high hopes that their impressions and takeaways from the film will evolve over time. With that said, here are my impressions 28 years later and five reasons why I think this film still endures (with five badass posters to boot):
The Goonies is a movie that you can’t help but to love because it appeals to the very essence of what youth is all about – anything in your wildest dreams is possible. It should be no surprise to anyone when I say I’m not the biggest Steven Spielberg fan. However, his participation in this project is one the few saving graces of his career, in my opinion. It suits him when he taps into his more nostalgic side. His films are more successful in my book when he does this. Take the first three Indiana Jones as a good example (despite George Lucas‘ involvement). The absence of his played-out “father-figure” is one of the films strengths. That it was directed by high-octane action director Richard Donner (first two Christopher ReeveSuperman movies and the entire Lethal Weapon franchise) was an interesting choice, and a successful one, surprisingly. And with Chris Columbus, the man who wrote Gremlins (and would later direct the first two Home Alone and Harry Potter films) writing the script, its pedigree was good to start. So here we go…
5) Kids can get shit done without their pesky ass parents getting in the way
That which cure the ills of the residents of the Goon Docks.
We all remember being kids and not getting to do something because we weren’t “old enough,” right? As if when a certain age hits, you are freed of the bonds of whatever was keeping you from a certain task or experience because of that age. So, in the context of this film, Mikey’s dad staying up to all hours trying to figure out a way for them and the other families living in the Goon Docks to remain in the face of foreclosure showed no results. It was the kids on this crazy ass adventure utilizing material that was already at the hands of the adults who overlooked it that saved the day. What is a more satisfying way to say “fuck you” (relatively speaking) to people who keep you from doing things just because of your age? Suck it, parents. That the kids were able to stick it to rich assholes in the same process is a double win.
4) Being a little brother sometimes is cooler than being the older one
Mikey (Sean Astin) is the driver of the story. It’s his decision, along with friends Mouth (pre-heroin Corey Feldman), Data (Ke Huy Quan) and Chunk (Jeff Cohen), that sets the whole series of events of the film in order. Despite being an asthmatic, Mikey frequently bests his more able-bodied, albeit screw-up of a big brother, Brandon (Josh Brolin), a win for all little brothers out there.
Brandon’s got no time for little kid shenanigans, thus they get the side-eye.
I have an older brother with whom I’ve always had a fantastic relationship never having but minimal problems with him throughout our lives. I suspect I’m in the minority there. However, that the little brother wins in this film never escaped me because it was always a pleasure to defeat the Golden Boy of our family when I did. No doubt he would say something about the rare occasion that it actually happened. Sure Brandon gets the girl in the end, but Mikey smooched her first AND found the treasure. To quote Charlie Sheen – WINNING.
3) The kids in this movie act like real kids and are relatable
You idiot, that’s my mom’s favorite part!
One of the things I had to watch with this movie was the fair amount of swearing in this movie. While my children have been subjected to these words before, usually when my crotchety ass father is around or when I’m driving, hearing other kids relatively close in age to them is different. But in this movie, the filmmakers didn’t give us the standard white-washed, idealized Disney version of childhood where kids talk and act more like Beaver Cleaver, submissive and obedient, than Chunk Or Mouth. The kids in this movie speak like kids did when I was growing up, especially when out of earshot of their parents. That they disobey and are skeptical of as well as speak in ways that mimic their parents rings is honest, even to a 10-year old watching in a theater in 1985.
Another key to these kids is that they very relatable in the sense that it’s likely that we had similar examples in our own friend groups as kids. There were certainly cheeky kids who resembled Mouth in their own Eddie Haskell-ish ways – sweet to our moms, but loudmouth troublemakers.
Mrs. Walsh, I speak perfect Spanish and if it’s any help to you, I’d be glad to communicate with Rosalita.
Everyone knew the pathological liar, perhaps even keeping them around to see what sheer nonsense they would make up next. And we all had friends with crazy ass ideas and the ability to get us all in trouble. These archetypes are fairly universal and the filmmakers employed them with great execution.
2) Friendship trumps all
As a kid, the one thing that is more important than anything else outside of your parents is your friends. They give you affirmation that you belong to something, a group, and give you some sort of identity. They are your sounding boards, your shoulders to cry on, your hecklers, your champions. In short, they are a separate, but equal family. I know this was and is the case for me still. And The Goonies represent this to the fullest. All of them are in the same situation – facing foreclosure and the threat that they will all be separated. So what do they do? One last adventure together, one last chance to stick their necks out for one another, laying it all on the line in the hopes that they can somehow make it so this assumed separation will not happen by getting each others’ backs.
The whole gang, still together after their battle with The Fratellis and meeting One-Eyed Willie.
My friends and I had a series of Cardinal Rules and the overarching rule that superseded all was Don’t Break the Team, meaning never sell out your friends. Pretty solid lesson to learn as a kid, methinks. The Goonies has this in spades.
1) Promise of adventure
Perhaps this is the one thing that we lose as we transition into adulthood and settle into the humdrum of our professional and family lives. Growing more content with our bevy of technology making everyday tasks easier by the day, we don’t capitalize on our newly acquired time. We instead are content to keep our eyes pasted to the multitude of screens that surround us, mostly our smartphones. This movie really captures the lifeblood that is youth – each day brings a new adventure and it reminds us to perhaps exploit that as much as we can.
Do you think there’s rich stuff for us?
I put watching this film with my boys very high on my list of my favorite film-related experiences of all-time, because I literally felt I was sharing my childhood with them and they embraced it. Now we have that in common. I could see in them the same excitement that I had in watching The Goonies when it first came out. What’s more exciting to kids like mine at their age than looking for and finding pirate treasure? In fact, what more exciting to adults like me than finding pirate treasure? Not really anything. So it’s no wonder that this film still has relevance 28 years after it was released and will likely continue to do so for years to come. This is the wonderful thing about film – how the story and themes contained within a short 1-3 hour window can literally transcend time and era.
Goonies 25th Reunion
For you unfortunate souls who have never seen this classic, here’s the trailer:
And let’s not forget the awesome Cyndi Lauper video for the theme song:
I’m not sure it needs to be said, but I’ll state it for those who may not realize it – Daniel Day-Lewis is the best actor working today. In the event he chooses a role to play, he goes (to use a phrase common in my home state of Indiana) whole hog, often times remaining in character for the entire film shoot. His is a dedication that is few and far between in Hollywood and would account for why his filmography is fairly small for a man who has been working in film since 1980 appearing in only 19 feature films. He has created so many lush and wonderful characters, it seems like he’s done far more work than that. Now – I’m going to admit something that is fairly shameful, especially since I dearly loveDDL‘s work – I’ve never seen My Left Foot all the way through. GASP! As an aforementioned proud Irishman, it’s hard to admit that. I’ll get around to it at some point.
That said, here are my five favorite Daniel Day-Lewis performances:
5) Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln
I really didn’t like this movie at all and only saw it because I wanted to see Day–Lewis. His performance was the only thing worth watching. Not only did he inhabit the part, he looked it as well. Sweet damn, it’s like Lincoln is sitting right there. Had this script been better (hard to believe someone like Tony Kushner wrote something as contrived and boring as this script), I think this film might have hit me in the gut a little more. Really, it was just Spielberg giving us another one of his father figure (no, not the George Michael song)/father-as-savior films. Boooring. That the film was/is too speechy and leads us to believe that everything that poured from Lincoln‘s mouth was worthy of Bartlett’s Quotations is an understatement. To DDL‘s credit, though, he made them sounds damn well worthy. I firmly believe this film will be forgotten (as it was by the voters of every major film award’s committee this year) in the years ahead aside from DDL‘s performance. He carried this film like a papoose. His method of remaining in character for the duration of filming clearly affected the performance for the good. No surprise that he won Best Actor at the Oscars for this performance. I honestly think that award was handed out when he accepted the role.
I will reiterate the fact that I really thought this film was more like a Hallmark Channel film than anything. Spielberg lost his edge a long time ago. But DDL? Spot on as usual.
Here’s the trailer:
4) Tomas, The Unbearable Lightness of Being
As sex-crazed neurosurgeon Tomas in Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Milan Kundera‘s The Unbearable Lightness of Being, DDL shows us a side of him that up to this point in his oeuvre had yet to be seen (although it’s really only his second starring role) – a loathable character. His complicated relationships with Sabina (Lena Olin who is FANTASTIC in this) and Tereza (Juliette Binoche) unfold amidst the Prague Spring in 1968, window dressing for the unraveling of a country as well as personal relationships. You love and hate Tomas in this film and it’s DDL‘s charisma that makes the entire film click. Binoche and Olin are integral to this as well, but their orbits revolve around Tomas. Without the chemistry between him and the two women, this film is nowhere near as successful. This was the first of DDL‘s performances I saw. I wasn’t sure what to think of the film in that initial viewing, but it was readily apparent that DDL was a talent.
Here’s the trailer:
3) Danny Flynn, The Boxer
DDL wouldn’t be true to his roots if he didn’t get his IRA on. As boxer Danny Flynn, who has been released from prison after 14 years inside, DDL crafts a fantastic performance capturing the struggle at the heart of The Troubles – Catholics vs. Protestants – and how this conflict has torn apart both communities. While my sympathies have always lain with the Catholics, DDL‘s turn as someone who, having experienced The Troubles in armed conflict firsthand, decides to stay above the fray when returning back to his old neighborhood in Belfast. His chemistry with Emily Watson is electric. With top notch talent like Watson, Brian Cox and Gerard McSorley (can this man play anything other than shitheads?) surrounding him, DDL has plenty to work off of. Flynn’s relationship with the drunk trainer Ike (Ken Stott) is the where DDL shines the most though. A solid film and the second in the DDL‘s collaboration with director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father).
I’ll punch all o’ yis…
Here’s the trailer:
2) Daniel Plainview, There Will Be Blood
Perhaps DDL‘s most iconic role, his performance as Daniel Plainview, the unscrupulous oilman, won him his second Oscar. Another notorious instance of DDL staying in character throughout production, it’s hard to find any fault with this performance. This is 160 minutes of raw, pure acting at its finest and Plainview is on screen for the bulk of it. Working with Paul Thomas Anderson clearly suited DDL and I long for the day that they collaborate once again. The high points of this film are in the interaction between Plainview and the Rev. Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Their battles are as epic as they come, the battle of greed vs. good, evil vs. the (not-so) righteous culminating in one of the most spectacular endings I’ve ever seen (as stated here). This is probably one of the top 10 finest performances I’ve ever seen…and it isn’t even his best. That says something.
Now, where’s that milkshake?
Here’s the trailer:
1) Bill “The Butcher” Cutting, Gangs of New York
Without a doubt one of the most haunting performances I’ve ever seen, DDL as Bill “The Butcher” stuck with me for months after seeing this the first time. The growl of his voice, the squint of his eyes, the greasy curls of his hair – all of it was absolute perfection. I would say that Cutting is the scariest villain I’ve ever seen. Here’s DDL doing his thing:
That he was based on a real-life person (although spruced up by Scorsese for the film’s sake), makes me all the more glad I was born when and where I was. I don’t think I would have fared very well in the 1860s. I wish DDL had had a better counterpart than DiCaprio in this film. I have no problem with Leo per se, but he just couldn’t keep up. DDL owned every scene in the film. It’s hard to have sympathy for the main character when this is the case.
I’m going to paint Paradise Square with your blood!
I will say this to anyone – outside of Gena Rowlands‘ performance in John Cassavetes‘ A Woman Under the Influence and Maria Falconetti‘s in Carl Theodor Dreyer‘s La passion de Jeanne d’Arc, I’m not sure that there is a finer performance committed to celluloid than this DDL as Bill the Butcher. As uneven as Gangs of New York is, DDL carries the day and I watch in awe each time.
Here’s the trailer:
So, Daniel, if you are reading (and why wouldn’t you be reading this terrific ass piece) – please give a few more performances like this one before you hang it up and go back to being a cobbler. I would surely love to see you and your wife Rebecca Miller work together again as well. You have given me some of the finest cinematic moments of my viewing life. Thank you. I’d hate for that to end.
Bill Murray is one of the finest comedic talents this country has seen since he burst onto the scene on Saturday Night Live in 1977. Over the last 36 years, he has charmed us, made us laugh and shown us his more dramatic side in his film work. The bulk of his work has been a resounding success while a few film…not so much (Wild Things, anyone?). Nonetheless, Murray is widely regarded as comedic gold and it’s hard to argue with that. In fact, his oeuvre is proof positive that this state is indeed on point.
Here are a handful of his performances and appearances that have added many pleasurable moments to my life:
Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) “Delirium” – himself
While Murray only appears in one vignette in this film, it is undoubtedly the best of the bunch. That he’s in it with The RZA and The GZA from The Wu Tang Clan (the finest hip-hop group of all-time) makes it all the better. Playing a caffeine junkie, Murray is admonished by the MCs for drinking straight out of the coffee pot while smoking a cigarette – over the top Murray at his finest. That he is able to hold his own onscreen with RZA and GZA is a testament to his talent. Not that they are supremely talented actors, but coming from completely different worlds can stress the connection made. None of that here. Getting to hear Murray called by his full name every time he’s addressed is fucking hilarious. This film came out in 2003 when Murray was starting to break the comedic shell and go for more quirkier and dramatic roles. Lost in Translation, which will be addressed shortly, came out that same year. Working with director Jim Jarmusch in this film as well as 2005’s Broken Flowers upped his street cred tremendously, not to mention his work with Wes Anderson.
Here’s the entire vignette:
Lost in Translation (2003) – Bob Harris
Lost in Translation was Murray‘sfirst real dramatic role since The Razor’s Edge in 1984 aside from his turn as Polonius in Hamlet (although he did have a small part in The Cradle Will Rock) and it was this performance that looked as if it would net Murray an Academy Award. Alas, the voters in the Academy chose to the award to Sean Penn‘s overwrought and heavy-handed performance in the vastly overrated Mystic River instead. Sigh. It’s in this role that we see Murray deliver the full range of his talent, something that is touched on in Groundhog Day as he tries to woo Andie MacDowell‘s character. Moments of loneliness, poignancy and longing are peppered with his signature comedy and Murray really brings to life Bob Harris, his deeply flawed alter-ego. Here’s an example:
That Murray was able to pull this performance off is testament to his ability as an actor, although big ups go to both Scarlett Johansson and Sofia Coppola for their parts in the process as well – no way he is able to do this without them. I frequently imagine him in real life lamenting getting paid seven figures for doing a commercial when he should be doing a play like his character Bob Harris does. The filming of the commercial he’s in Japan to film is priceless and one of the better scenes in the film:
I know a lot of people decry this film for being too slow and boring, but this was the piece of the puzzle that was missing in Murray‘s filmography. He shows here what a full talent he really is. I will also say that his version of Elvis Costello‘s “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” is pretty top-notch. This guy can do it all.
Here is the trailer:
Kingpin (1996) – Ernie “Big Ern” McCracken
The most low-brow film on this list (it is a Farrelly Brothers film after all), Kingpin has Murray playing his most loathable character of all-time. A scumbag professional bowler with a killer combover that would make Gene Keady envious, Big Ern McCracken is Roy Munson’s (Woody Harrelson) nemesis. McCracken is responsible for getting Munson into a situation that cost him his right bowling hand and his promising career as a young bowler. Since that day, Munson planned revenge, but the much-loved-by-the-public McCracken proves to be a difficult nut to crack.
Finally, Big Ern is above the law!
That McCracken is so awful is an interesting role for Murray because he never redeems himself like his characters in Scrooged or Groundhog Day. You hate him as much at the end as the first time you meet him. Murray really sells it well, though….all while drinking Tanqueray and Tab.
However, this is vintage Murray and worthy of mention among the fun roles he’s played. While this movie is the typical gross-out affair you’d expect from the Farrellys, Murray cuts above all of it and is able to play the perfect villain. That said, this is a fun movie to watch if you’re looking for mindless entertainment.
Here is the trailer:
You can watch the entire film here:
Ghostbusters (1984) – Dr. Peter Venkman
I doubt that I need to elaborate much on Ghostbusters as it has remained an American comedic/sci-fi centerpiece since it was released in 1984. The premise is three paranormal activity professors (Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd) get kicked out of the university in which they work and start their own apparition removal and storage business. When Dr. Venkman’s girlfriend, Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), gets possessed by the demon Zuul and announces the coming of Gozer, shit really hits the fan. The Ghostbusters, with new addition Winston (Ernie Hudson), must save humanity and specifically New York City from destruction and domination by Gozer.
All right! This chick is TOAST!
Outside of Caddyshack, this may well be Murray‘s signature role. This movie endures, largely due to Murray, to this day. My own children love this movie and both think Venkman is the best character because he’s so funny. They particularly like it when he gets slimed:
Even in his rarefied profession, Venkman seems to have issues figuring out what to do with Dana/Zuul. As we see at the beginning of the film, Venkman doesn’t put much effort into his job. This passive attitude carries over into his interaction with Zuul, which is among the funniest parts of the entire film. His delivery is perfection and you can see where doing stand-up at Second City in Chicago and working on Saturday Night Live aided him in his comedic film career so well.
I, for one, am glad that Murray is stone-walling the production of a third Ghostbusters movie. To me, trotting the four ‘Busters out again is as sad an attempt to cash in as Lucas and Spielberg doing yet another Indiana Jones film. Please. Stop.
For those of you who have been under a rock for the past 30 years, here’s the trailer:
Groundhog Day (1993) – Phil Connors
Groundhog Day is one of the better screenplays written in the last 20 years and Murray‘s performance as Phil Conners does that script serious justice.The premise of Groundhog Day is a loathsome Pittsburgh television weatherman gets sent to Punxsatawney, Pennsylvsania, on February 2 to cover the annual Groundhog Day ceremony where Punxsatawney Phil (name is a coincidence?) either sees or doesn’t see his shadow predicting the length of what remains of winter. His terrible attitude, general rudeness and overall disdain for his fellow man, especially of those who reside in Punxsatawney, are the likely cause of karma to catch up to him. When he wakes up the next day, he realizes he’s repeating Groundhog Day again. And this happens again, and again, and again, and again. As he desperately tries to break the cycle, he resorts to extreme behavior at first using his dilemma to exploit the circumstances then falls into deep depression trying to kill himself to end the cycle…to no avail.
Seriously, if I have to hear “I Got You Babe” ever again…
In what I can only imagine was a difficult shoot having to do the same scene multiple times but varying actions and dialogue ever so slightly, Murray shines. Witnessing his transformation from grumpy prima donna to a well-intentioned, thoughtful man is pure joy, one of the few times I accept a happy ending in a film. I have to ask myself, would I enjoy the ending to this film if it wasn’t Murray in the Phil Conners role? Likely not, especially since I truly detest Andie MacDowell, or better known as She-Who-Can-Ruin-a-Movie-with-the-Delivery-of-Two-Lines (“Is it still raining? I hadn’t noticed”). This is a fun movie which is open to interpretation.
Here’s the trailer:
Stripes (1981) – John Winger
Stripes is one of my favorite Murray films, although not necessarily his best. He plays John Winger, a slacker cab driver who has nothing going for him. His best friend Russell (frequent collaborator Harold Ramis) falls into this camp as well. They both decide that they need a change in their lives, so they decide to join the Army. Winger’s general smartassness immediately gets him in trouble with Drill Sergeant Hulka (Warren Oates), but also endears himself to the rest of the platoon.
After finishing their basic training on their own when Sgt. Hulka is injured, Winger and company are selected for the top secret EM-50/Urban Assault Vehicle (read: Winnebago) project in Europe. When Winger and Russell and their two MP girlfriends (Sean Young and P.J. Soles) take the EM-50 for a spin through West Germany, the rest of the platoon are forced to go after them. When they accidentally end up in communist Czechoslovakia, the platoon are captured leaving Winger and his posse to come to the rescue.
That’s the fact, Jack!
Murray‘s snarkiness is off the charts in Stripes and that’s one of the things that I love best about his characters, and John Winger is no exception. Even though he can be such a shithead, you can’t help but love him. Murray is fortunate to be surrounded by other great actors to play off of – John Candy, Judge Reinhold and John Larroquette – with perhaps my favorite ancillary character, Francis “Psycho” Soyer (Conrad Dunn) who has perhaps the most memorable monologue of the film. This film is fun and what Murray‘s early work was all about. It’s dated because of the fall of the Soviet Union, but gives a glimpse into tensions back in the Cold War…with a comedic spin.
Here’s the trailer:
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) – Steve Zissou
As Murray has gotten older, he played more crotchety and curmudgeonly characters. Steve Zissou is no exception. A once famous ocean explorer/filmmaker a la Jacques Cousteau has hit bottom when his friend Esteban du Plantier (Seymour Cassel) is eaten by a rare jaguar shark. He then motivates his team to track and kill the shark, filming the escapade. When he is about to embark, his producer tells him he has no money for the film. He is saved financially by a son, Ned (Owen Wilson) whom he fathered many years before but never reached out to. As they set out on the journey, they encounter many obstacles – Zissou’s ego, attack by pirates, mutiny by their interns and a feud between Ned and Zissou’s chief of staff Klaus (hilariously played by Willem Dafoe).
Team Zissou discussing the plan.
The whole quest is also being covered by Oceanographic Explorer journalist Jane Winslett-Richardson (Cate Blanchett) for an article on Steve, who falls for her. The only problem is (well, besides that he’s married) is his son Ned has also taken to her, despite her being pregnant with another man’s child. So a lot is at stake with this journey – not only Steve’s personal quest, but also his professional reputation, is under the microscope. So when shit blows up like The Godfather, he steps and tries to right the wrongs that can only be attributed to his poor leadership.
Steve with his ship, The Belafonte.
Steve is another Murray character who isn’t likeable. At all. But Murray somehow gets us to root for him to complete his quest for the jaguar shark, despite being responsible for Ned’s death, the implosion of his team and the bond stooge (Bud Cort) being kidnapped by the pirates. As I noted above, had this been another actor, would we have done so? That’s the mystique that Murray brings with him. As a man who seems like he’s just another one of the guys and very approachable, we tend to identify with him and therefore take his side despite our misgivings about Zissou. This is a shrewd move on director Wes Anderson‘s part. As in most roles where Murray plays a bastard, he does redeem himself. The scene where they finally encounter the elusive jaguar shark is very touching:
I firmly believe 2003-2005 was the golden age of the Murray dramatic comedy with Lost in Translation, Life Aquatic and Broken Flowers. I truly hope that Wes Anderson chooses to use Murray better in any future films. His characters seem like such a throwaways in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom, especially given the robustness of the performances in both this film and Rushmore.
Here’s the trailer:
Caddyshack (1980) – Carl Spackler
This one is a no-brainer and the role that may be most closely associated with Murray. The reason is he’s fucking hilarious in this movie. Playing Karl Spackler, Murray channels the inbred golf course maintenance worker in a performance that is exaggerated, over-the-top and plainly outrageous – all of which makes the movie better. In a film that has about as many quotable moments as any film in history, it’s Murray/Karl who steal the show, which says quite a bit with comedy heavyweights like Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield also starring. Whether it’s his diatribe about caddying for the Dalai Lama or the Cinderella Storyor he and Ty Webb doing cannonballs, it’s hard to deny the humor of these scenes and the value Murray adds to them.
You wore green so you could hide. I don’t blame you – you’re a tramp!
This movie is so much fun, if a little dated. It’s certainly worth the watch if you’ve never seen it and are a Murray fan. Be the ball.
Here’s the trailer:
Rushmore (1998) – Herman Blume
I’m sure folks are tired of me writing about Rushmore, but it’s hard for me to deny what a damn fine film it is. I’ve highlighted just about every aspect of this film – opening scene, ending scene, usage of Faces’ “Ooh La La”, best Wes Anderson film, etc., – but never touched on Murray‘s performance as Herman Blume with any substance. I think it is his role that has been most deserving of accolades and awards. I also think it is his most surprising performance as well.
I’m a little bit lonely these days…
Murray‘s performance as the steel magnate is filled with surprises – at times it’s comedic, others melancholic, depressive and some full of life. Herman Blume is a fully realized character where flaws abound, but not so many that we can’t empathize with him or his series of plights that crop up throughout the film. Even though his arc is secondary or even tertiary with regards to screen time, it’s no less important. His journey is as important as Max’s and Miss Cross’ as they are all intertwined. His introduction is key to setting up the character and Murray knocks it out of the park (clip runs a little long giving us the introduction to Max Fischer as well):
What rich person tells less fortunate kids to take dead aim on other rich kids and to take them down? This is one reason I love this character, and by extension Bill Murray, so much. As I’ve stated multiple times in this post, without Murray in the role, I just don’t think that this character or this film is as effective as it is. It really is an exquisite performance.
Here’s the trailer:
Since brevity isn’t exactly my strong suit, I think I’ll limit this list to ten. His role as Hunter S. Thompson in Where the Buffalo Roam could easily slide onto this list. He doesn’t play the role as insane as Johnny Deppdid in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but the performance is still quite good. NIXON!The film is uneven to say the least, but it is worth a watch if for only the hotel room scene.
Another that could find its way onto this list is Tripper from Meatballs. While the film plays a little corny these days, Murray is really great in the mentor role at Camp North Star. And as far as I’m concerned, any film that features David Naughton‘s “Makin’ It” and Chris Makepeace‘s sweet hair is pretty badass.
So there you have it – Bill Murray‘s finest. I hope that Murray mixes his roles in the future as he now seems to be gravitating towards more dramatic fare. He does well when he spreads his wings and there is always a comedic angle to the roles he takes, but I miss the pure comedies he’s done in the past. I guess in the end, it just doesn’t matter. Keep doing you, Bill.
What’s your favorite Murray role or performance?
P.S. Thanks for the cameo in Zombieland. Quite amusing.
So the 85th Academy Awards have come and gone. We’ve had a few days to reflect on what transpired on Sunday. The question most people ask every year is, “Did the Academy finally get it right?” Well, I can say they got some things correct, but mostly it was same old, same old with good ol’ Oscar. Which is to say, their choices didn’t align with mine. At all. Ever.
The show itself was as lame as ever. Seth McFarlane has taken a lot of heat for his performance as the host. While it was nice to see someone new charged with the hosting duties, I have to agree with his critics – AWFUL. Why anyone is surprised or upset about the misogynistic bend to his musical numbers and jokes is beyond me. It should have been expected. After all, Hollywood is an over-glorified Old Boys Club where women have taken a back seat since its inception. Precedent is there. It ain’t changin’ anytime soon, folks.
Goooooooldfinnnnngahhhh!
The 50 Years of James Bond was equally weak, with Shirley Bassey belting out her signature song from Goldfinger. Was Sheena Easton or Duran Duran too busy to contribute to this piece? I know Bassey is 76 and all, but damn – was a standing ovation really necessary? Hollywood hands those out as much as hugs are passed around at a youth gymnastics meet (reference Jennifer Lawrence getting one for falling).
Seeing this once back in 2003 was enough, damn it. Keep it in the vault.
And that tribute to musicals – was there a need to highlight musicals…of the last 10 years? Jennifer Hudson can sing. I can get with that. Trotting out the Chicago bit – why the fuck? Is this some bone being thrown to Catherine Zeta-Jones since her career has been in the shitter since the movie? Vomit. Fair play to the Les Miserables folks although it cements the reason I won’t ever watch it. This whole portion of the telecast seemed needless and really added nothing to the show. Had Les Miserables been the clear frontrunner in many of the categories, I might have understood it. But it wasn’t. So future Oscars directors and producers, heed this suggestion – cut the shit. The show is long enough as it is.
Now I have something in common with Three 6 Mafia!
Adele‘s speech was pretty awesome. I love how cheeky she’s been at the film awards shows. I can’t say as I’m a fan of the song for which she won, but it was worth it to see her accept the Oscar. 146 Grammys and now an Oscar – not a bad run for the 24-year old.
Lastly, in terms of the show itself, the camerawork was flat out awful. How many long shots of doors to the side of the stage did we get? Don Mischer, the director, should never be allowed near another Oscar ceremony. Just a mess from the beginning.
Now on to the awards…
Argo…fuck yourself.
Argo winning was no surprise. It swept every major award for Best Picture. Good on it. Had Lincoln won, I would have blown a gasket. I still think this film is average fare for the most part. I enjoyed it, but I still don’t think it was anywhere near the top five films of the year let alone the best. The Master still holds that title. Grant Heslov‘s sexiest producers comment was quite amusing during the acceptance speech. I wish Hollywood had some balls and actually saw and voted for films that will have a lasting impact on the medium. I don’t think Argo is one of those. Good for Ben Affleck, though. He has made some enjoyable films as of late and he did get fucked in the Best Director category not even getting a nomination.
Ang Lee after he crouching tigered Steven Spielberg for the Best Director win.
Undoubtedly the most satisfying moment of the evening for me came when Ang Lee won the Best Director award over Spielberg for Lincoln. When the nominations came out and Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Affleck were passed over, I thought this category was a one-way ticket to Three-Time Oscarville for Spielberg. Maybe if Lincoln wasn’t a glorified Lifetime film, he might have won. So the Academy got this one correct, even though I’ve yet to see Life of Pi. Lee‘s prior work has mostly been of the tremendous variety, so I applaud this choice. I hold to my guns that Paul Thomas Anderson was the most deserving here.
Christoph Waltz after winning perhaps the tightest race for an Oscar in quite some time.
I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised that Christoph Waltz won for Best Supporting Actor in Django Unchained. In a category where everyone had already won an Oscar, it was truly anyone’s award to win. I thought Robert De Niro was going to pull it out. Alan Arkin while good in Argo, gave a stock performance (at least that’s how it felt to me), one that was so similar to Little MissSunshine (for which he won his Oscar) or Grosse Pointe Blank, that I didn’t see what was so special about it. Same with Tommy LeeJones‘ performance in Lincoln. I think the content of the character in which he played fueled his rise in the odds to win more than the performance itself (this, I suppose, can also be said of Waltz). Once again, it wasn’t bad, but it was nothing exceptional either. Philip Seymour Hoffman was amazing in The Master and his performance was another to hang his hat on, vastly different than his signature performances in Capote, Magnolia or Charlie Wilson’s War. It seems clear that Waltz needs to continue working with Quentin Tarantino. He’s 2-for-2 in Oscar competition in Tarantino roles.
At least she didn’t sing her acceptance speech.
Anne Hathaway winning Best Supporting Actress was as much as a given as me drinking at least one Hamm’s each night. I didn’t see Les Mis, nor will I, so I can’t speak to the performance. My wife, whose opinion can be suspect when it comes to films, gave it high marks. I guess her PhD in Theater convinces me that this was okay. I still loved Amy Adams in The Master out of the nominees that I had seen. Can someone get her a damn Oscar already? Since I first saw her in Junebug, she has consistently put out good top notch work, even though she has sprinkled in some crappy pap like Leap Year, Enchanted and The Muppets). She gets a free pass on those, though. We redheads need to stick together. I will say that Jacki Weaver is top notch and I love seeing her get accolades. Her performance in Animal Kingdom is still one of the strongest I’ve ever seen.
Leave it to a Kentucky girl to fall on her way to the stage. Must have been into the bourbon…
I have no issue with Jennifer Lawrence winning for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. She is talented and I admit I find myself interested in her performances each time I watch her, even in the shitty Hunger Games. She killed it in Winter’s Bone. I would have liked to have seen Quvenzhane Wallis pull out the upset, but alas 9-year olds don’t win Best Actress Oscars, do they? Especially in films like Beasts of the Southern Wild. Damn you, Academy. Big ups also go to Jessica Chastain for her performance in Zero Dark Thirty. She is one of the more mesmerizing people working in film today. Her day will come, I have no doubt.
I should have won this bitch for Gangs of New York.
Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln was a foregone conclusion when I saw the first released still from production. After seeing what a dead fucking ringer he was for our 16th president, I knew that his performance would likely be the same – badass. And it was. The only truly good memorable thing about the film, to be honest. Without him in that role, Lincoln fails. He is without a doubt the finest actor working in the business and brings an unparalleled ferocity to each of his roles making each performance as memorable as the next (well, with exception of Nine, perhaps). I can’t speak about Hugh Jackman‘s performance, but none of the others were in the same ballpark as Lewis’. Joaquin Phoenix was very powerful in The Master and gave the second best performance of the year of those nominated. I still believe that Denis Levant‘s performance in Holy Motors was the best of any film this year. It’s a shame that Hollywood is so one-sided in its nomination process. I do firmly believe that DDL should have already had 3 Best Actor Oscars. His performance as Bill “The Butcher” Cutting in Gangs of New York haunted me like few others ever have. That he lost to Adrien Brody that year is one of the all-time Oscar crimes.
As far as the other awards go, none really stood out as too tremendously preposterous. The writing awards did yield a surprise in Django Unchained winning Best Original Screenplay. Zero Dark Thirty seemed to have stranglehold on that award until late in the season. I still think it’s odd that Wes Anderson has only been nominated twice for this award. Rushmore, anyone? HELLL-OOOO? I think plenty of folks were upset to see Roger Deakins not win for Best Cinematography for Skyfall. He is the Peter O’Toole of cinematographers having been nominated 10 times without ever winning. And this is the man who has shot the bulk of the Coen Brothers films. He deserves an Oscar. He was nominated for two gorgeously shot films in 2008 (No Country for Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford) only to lose to Robert Elswit for There Will Be Blood. In the Best Documentary Feature category, I love that Searching for Sugar Man won, but I still think that How to Survive a Plague and even The Invisible War deserved it more. I’ve come around on The Invisible War after watching it a second time, which will be my last. That film is too gutting to watch another time. These two films have an importance that go well beyond their life as films. They are culture changers and that’s what I love best about this category.
Not too much to get up in arms about. I addressed my concerns after the nominations came out. I fully anticipate a call from the Academy next year so we can compare notes and I can tell them where they got it wrong. I’ll be sitting by the phone if you need me…
We are three weeks (well, 20 days) away from the thing that each year, no matter what I do, I can’t take my attention away from – The Academy Awards. Each year in early January (used to be February), I hoot and howl about how the Academy has gotten it wrong with who they’ve chosen for the nominees for the best film has to offer for the previous year. “How can this happen year-in and and year-out?”, I ask myself. Well, I sometimes need a gentle reminder that Hollywood is a self-perpetuating machine whose vanity knows no bounds and that the studios need to raise the profile of their films in order to make even more money so the whole their whole operations stays afloat to offset the 987,368 teenagers, college students and tech savvy webheads who just illegally pirated versions of all of the Oscar fare as I wrote this. Also, what would all of those MBAs with no idea what creativity and art are do without being responsible for and ruining some of the major pieces of our culture, right? Puh-leese.
I am routinely reamed by those in my circle of friends and family for passing judgement on movies I haven’t seen or books I haven’t read. However, I don’t think it takes Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the Twilight series of books are pure shit and that the film adaptations are just a condensed, distilled version of the same shit. So convict me in the highest court of that crime. That many of the Academy voters have expressed themselves that they rarely see most of the movies nominated for the awards each year, how are we to take what their votes say as anything other than biased or even bought (Harvey Weinstein, what say you?). I recall watching the Oscars in 2001 when Lynn Redgrave was interviewed going into the ceremony and she said that the only film she had seen of those nominated for that year was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the fabulous Ang Lee martial-arts epic, so she voted for it. Great taste, as it was undoubtedly my favorite film of the year next to Jonathan Glazer’s insane Sexy Beast; however, it pretty much sums up the Academy Awards in a nutshell. They are mostly a vanity project and by no means an accurate representation of what is the best in filmmaking. If that were the case, Dances with Wolves would never have beaten Goodfellas for anything at the 1991 Awards.
I could go on and on and on about this, so I will spare anyone reading this that diatribe. Now, mind you – I did not see every film released this year and as of yet, I still have not seen three films nominated for Best Picture (Amour, Life of Pi and Les Misérables), so this list will only cover the films that I HAVE seen.So, after careful review, here are what I think the major category nominees should have been this year with whom I perceive should be the winners:
Best Picture
Beasts of the Southern Wild Cosmopolis Holy Motors How to Survive a Plague Looper Moonrise Kingdom Searching for Sugar Man The Master* (winner) We Need to Talk About Kevin Zero Dark Thirty
In all, 2012 had some very interesting films. I think it continued the rise of the documentary, which as a storytelling platform gets stronger in content and creativity each year. Two, How to Survive a Plague and Searching for Sugar Man, even made it into my top ten films of the year and there could have easily been one or two more sneak in. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see Amour. Something tells me it would have made this list as well. Beasts of the Southern Wild was simply amazing. With this as a first effort, I expect to see great things from director Benh Zeitlin in the future. His collaboration with cinematographer Ben Richardson is one I hope continues on for years. Without a doubt this was the best photographed film I saw all year. David Cronenberg‘s adaptation of Don DeLillo‘s novel Cosmopolis was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the year. DeLillo is my favorite novelist and his works seemdifficult to translate to the big screen, so I was very skeptical. Cronenberg‘s script captured the DeLillian dialogue very well and dare I say this, Robert Pattinson was adequate in delivering the cadences of DeLillo’s words. I need a shower after that. Holy Motors is the year’s most insane trip and you can read my synopsis of it here.Director Rian Johnson brought Looper (his first film since 2008’s The Brothers Bloom), a futuristic time-travel noir, to the big screen and didn’t disappoint. Joseph Gordon-Levitt‘s prosthetic nose and smirk made him a dead ringer for a younger Bruce Willis. I finally got to see Zero Dark Thirty and was mesmerized. Jessica Chastain is exceedingly good and ZDT proves to be another fabulous Kathryn Bigelow/Mark Boal collaboration. As always, Wes Anderson packs on the quirk in the tale of young love in his Moonrise Kingdom. Never disappointing, Anderson delivers another fun romp with the help of his ensemble cast of Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jared Gilman, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Kara Heyward. The Master is the film I believe is the best of the year. Its portrayal of the tumultuous (let the cliches roll…) relationship between eternal fuck-up Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) and religious (cult) leader Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is grand in scale and chronicled exquisitely by writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson. Performances from the three major players – Phoenix,Hoffman and Amy Adams – are as good as any you’ll see.
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson – The Master * (winner) Kathryn Bigelow – Zero Dark Thirty Leos Carax – Holy Motors Lynne Ramsey – We Need to Talk About Kevin Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild
This category is always difficult for me to say who’s best. One thing I can say for sure is that Steven Spielberg is wholly undeserving of this award and I firmly believe he will take home his third Oscar for Lincoln, one of the most overblown films in recent memory. Anderson gets better with every movie and The Master is no exception. His ability to frame the relationship between the film’s two main characters in such a compelling way earns him this award. He probably deserved the Oscar for There Will Be Blood and he certainly deserved it for Magnolia, which I think was the best film of the first decade of the 2000s. The other four directors in this category are all deserving and created amazing films. Lynne Ramsey has made three of the most dark, original, and incredibly visceral films I’ve ever seen. Morvern Callar may be my favorite of them, but this year’s We Need To Talk AboutKevin is one to be reckoned with, and is especially pertinent since the Newtown shootings this past December and the onging talk of gun control since Columbine.
Best Actor
Denis Levant – Holy Motors* (winner) Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln Tom Hardy – Lawless Joaquin Phoenix – The Master Brad Pitt – Killing Them Softly
As much as I love Daniel Day-Lewis and his performance in the uneven at best Lincoln, Denis Lavant‘s virtuosic performance in Holy Motors moved me the most this year. In what covers nine different scenarios in the film, Lavant literally transforms himself from beggar to deviant troll, from a dying man to a motion-capture artist among other roles. Rare is a performance that sticks with me for days after watching it. This one did. I doubt you’ll ever see anything else like it. Tom Hardy continues to amaze me in each new role in which I see him. His performance in Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Bronson is one to study for all you up-and-coming actors. His most notable role of the year as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises was certainly enjoyable as well. Brad Pitt reunited with The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford director Andrew Dominik for a talky hitman pic reminiscent of Stephen Frears‘ The Hit delivering a gritty performace as Jackie Cogan. Phoenix returns to the form of his pre-I’m Still Here days matching Philip Seymour Hoffman scene-for-scene in The Master.
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook Tilda Swinton – We Need to Talk About Kevin Quvenzhané Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild* (winner) Rachel Weisz – The Deep Blue Sea
This may have been the most difficult choice of all of them. Swinton and Weisz both deliver haunting performances in their respective roles. Chastain is amazing as well. I think she is the most watchable actress working today because she can even make her role in something as bad as The Help enjoyable. Jennifer Lawrence has a quality that makes me always want to see more of what she can do. I really liked her in this role. But, for my money, Quvenzhané Wallis was undoubtedly the best of the bunch. Not even 9-years old when Beasts of the Southern Wild was filmed, she explodes on the screen from the outset of the film. Her portrayal of Hushpuppy is nuanced and has a depth one might never imagine an 8-year is capable of displaying. I was completely entranced by her. I sincerely hope that if she continues acting that she is able to maintain the power that she put into this film. If so – watch out, Meryl Streep. Without a doubt, the best performance by a child that I’ve ever seen.
Best Supporting Actor
Garrett Hedlund – On the Road Dwight Henry – Beasts of the Southern Wild Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths* (winner)
I think this was the strongest category in terms of great performances for the year. Obviously, only two of mine match up with the Academy’s choices, the three excluded – Alan Arkin in Argo, Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln, and Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook – were relatively safe choices for the actors who had similar performances in prior roles that I just don’t think stood out. Garrett Hedlund delivered the most surprising performance as Dean Moriarty in the screen version of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. A firecracker, he really captured the energy of Dean from the novel. I was very impressed. Christoph Waltz was great again for Quentin Tarantino in Django Unchained. They obviously work well together as Waltz took home the Oscar for their last collaboration in Inglourious Basterds. Dwight Henry was just phenomenal as the sick father to Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. I’m curious to see if he’ll get any more juicy roles like this one in the future. Hoffman is steady and measured in The Master, the perfect counterpoint to Phoenix‘s forceful mood swings. However, I think Sam Rockwell, one of the most underrated actors working, stole the show in Seven Psychopaths. He’s funny, frustrating, and crazy all while driving the action of the film. Just top-notch. Rockwell‘s been doing it this way ever since 1998’s Safe Men. He might be the most fun actor to watch.
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – The Master* (winner) Kara Hayward – Moonrise Kingdom Ann Dowd – Compliance Edith Scob – Holy Motors Juno Temple – Killer Joe
These performances really run the gamut of roles and are no less interesting than many of the lead actress roles. Kara Heyward is so delightfully rebellious in Moonrise Kingdom, making me wish I was as cool as Suzy Bishop at any part of my life. Ann Dowd brings in the most frustrating performance of the year in Compliance as the fast food manager who allowed a female employee to be strip- and body-cavity searched as well as sexually assaulted by her fiancee because of someone prank calling acting a police officer. Edith Scob‘s angelic counterpart to Denis Lavant‘s many incarnations in Holy Motors was a true pleasure to watch. Juno Temple‘s turn as Dottie in the deliciously perverse Killer Joe nearly won me over. I have loved her in everything I’ve seen her in, from Kaboom to Cracks. But, alas, Amy Adams‘ performance as the hard-as-nails wife of Lancaster Dodd in The Master won out. No matter what the role, Ms. Adams brings a fire that is unparalleled. Her exchanges with Freddie throughout the film are extremely tense and delivered flawlessly. You might not think the woman who played the lead in The Muppets and Enchanted would be capable of such ferocity…unless you saw The Fighter.
Best Documentary Feature
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry Chasing Ice How to Survive a Plague* (winner) Jiro Dreams of Sushi Searching for Sugar Man The Imposter
As I said above, documentaries just keep getting better and more interesting. There were so many good ones this year, I couldn’t narrow it to five, and had trouble limiting it to six. Those listed above explore the following subjects: a Chinese dissident artist at odds with the Communist government (see review here), a nature photographer chronicling the effects of climate change/global warming on the glaciers of Greenland, Iceland and the US, the fight for AIDS activists to get access to proper medication to stave off the epidemic that rages so rampant in the 80s and 90s, the tale of Japan’s finest sushi chef, two South Africans’ search for a lost American musician who despite being a star of Elvis proportion in their home country was never known here in the US and the story of a young French man who assumed the identity of a missing Texas 13-year old. Whew! Each of these films have far reaching cultural or social implications, but none of them in their scope, importance or depth measured what David France‘s How to Survive a Plague captured. Chronicling one of the most important chapters in the US’s recent history, France shows us the group of courageous activists who fought for AIDS rights, especially to essential medical care, and saved thousands, perhaps millions, of lives. I can’t speak highly enough of this film.
Best Original Screenplay
Holy Motors –Leos Carax Looper – Rian Johnson The Master – Paul Thomas Anderson* (winner) Moonrise Kingdom – Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola Zero Dark Thirty– Mark Boal
What’s original? What makes a script good? This is an argument movie execs and filmgoers squabble over all the time. Who’s right? Eye of the beholder, I guess. These five films represent the best of what little that’s original that gets made in Hollywood. As I’ve said, The Master, in my eyes is the best film from top to bottom. I could hardly not say it has the best script and I believe it does. PT Anderson has written the scripts to all of his films and he has gotten better with each one. Subjects and characters vary widely in his films and that’s why I think he’s so successful – he concentrates in no one particular area and he fleshes out beautiful characters (even if their beauty lies in their evil) and places those characters in scenarios that fit them. He is at the top of his form in all disciplines of the game. That’s not to say the other scripts are any less good. I connected well with The Master and it stuck with me ever since. I think Holy Motors is just as challenging of a film as The Master, but it didn’t hit me on the same level. I’m such a fan of Rian Johnson‘s work and Looper is a worthy addition to his oeuvre. Brick remains one of my favorite films. Johnson just brings extra to the table when he writes. He should have a long, interesting career ahead of him.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Argo – Chris Terrio Beasts of the Southern Wild – Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin* (winner) Cosmopolis – David Cronenberg Frankenweenie – John August Silver Linings Playbook – David O. Russell
One thing most people might notice here is that Tony Kushner is absent from this list for his script for Lincoln. Two reasons why that is, even though it is an evocative, colorful script – first, the pontificating speeches made by every character in the film no matter what the situation bored me. Was everything that folks said at that time really worthy of being in the speech Hall of Fame? Secondly, if you write an ending that bad, you are disqualified. If Spielberg or a studio exec are responsible for either, let me know and I will gladly add you to the list. Even though I know the Oscar will go to Kushner or Terrio, I just don’t see how anyone could watch Beasts of the Southern Wild (see my review here) and not shout out in amazement at what they had just seen when compared to any of the other films nominated by Oscar or even by me. The arc of Hushpuppy, her father and the residents of the Bathtub is crisp with pertinent deviations that add layers to the story. It is an amazing film worthy of any award. David O. Russell continues to surprise me as he makes more and more conventional films as he gets older. His last two, The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook are a far cry from his earlier fare like the subversive Spanking the Monkey and the existential I Heart Huckabees.
Best Cinematography
Caroline Champetier – Holy Motors Mihai Malamaire, Jr. – The Master Jeff Orlowski – Chasing Ice Ben Richardson – Beasts of the Southern Wild* (winner) Gökhan Tiryaki – Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
There were some really gorgeous films this year and each of the above had cinematography that didn’t just capture what was happening on camera, but played a vital role in the story being told. None did so more than Ben Richardson‘s work on Beasts of the Southern Wild, although Gökhan Tiryaki‘s work on Once Upon a Time in Anatolia was mesmerizing and haunting. I was blown away by both. I know documentary films never get a nod in this category, but how can one watch Chasing Ice and not applaud the effort by Jeff Orlowski? What Caroline Champetier was able to achieve in the shifting tones and scenes of Holy Motors was nothing short of Herculean. PT Anderson‘s films are such visual feasts, full of camera moves and interesting angle, Mihai Malamaire‘s efforts on The Master are as commendable as any above. I will say this: never in a million years did I think two of my top ten films of the year would have Bruce Willis in them. That’s why I love film – you never expect what you’re going to get.
As I said before, 2012 was a great year for film, especially if you stepped outside the wide releases each week and poked around for something a little different. It’s out there people. Challenge yourself. You might just enjoy it.
2013 looks to be an amazing year as we have the following new films coming: Errol Morris’ documentary on Donald Rumsfeld, the Coen Brothers’ folk rock film Inside Llewyn Davis, Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster, Chan Wook Park‘s english-language debut Stoker, Ridley Scott‘s The Counselor – a realization of a Cormac McCarthy original script, Jim Jarmusch‘s vampire flick Only Lovers Left Alive, the new Ryan Gosling/Nicolas Winding Refn collaboration Only God Forgives and Terrence Malick’sTo the Wonder among many others.
It wasn’t that long ago that a certain white “rapper” ruled the air waves, topping the charts giving every white kid from here to Salt Lake City the idea that they, too, could be a rapper, make millions, drive rag-tops and get all the girlies they could handle.
If you guessed that I was talking about Eminem, well, you guessed wrong. There’s only one rapper that fits the above bill and that is the one and only Robert Van Winkle, aka Vanilla Ice.
He waxes chumps like a candle…while wearing airbrushed overalls.
If you haven’t heard of VI, you better recognize. Hailing from the rough and tumble streets of Dallas, Texas, Robbie Van Winkle apparently moved to South Florida, specifically the Miami area, you know, where they created all the bass sound, where he perfected his style of rap. After catching the eye of Public Enemy of all people (and seen as a marketable commodity rather than a talent of note), Ice was signed to a record contract and the marketing machines (CHA CHING!) heated up seeing the possibilities. Ice‘s first single, “Ice Ice Baby” quickly implanted itself in the ear of everyone from ages 9-25, becoming the first rap single to top the Billboard charts. The full album To the Extreme sat at #1 for 16 weeks. “Ice Ice Baby” is notoriously bad, a pure extract of the early 90s music landscape that allowed such acts as Nelson, EMF and Wreckx-n-Effect to make money. It may be more famous not for its meteoric rise to the top of the charts, but for the fact that it was one of the first songs ever litigated for stealing/sampling without giving credit to its original artists, in this case it pilfered the song “Under Pressure” performed by Queen and David Bowie of its iconic bassline for the hook. Here is VI‘s hilarious explanation as to how the two songs differ along with some other witticisms:
Needless to say, he lost that legal battle. In the mad scramble to capitalize on this cash cow before everyone in America realized he was a dildo with no talent, Cool As Ice was put into production and released in theaters in October of 1991. And I stand here today to say that I am thankful for this as it has provided me and plenty of folks I know an endless amount of unintended comedy in the 21+ years since its release.
The quick synopsis of Cool As Ice is as follows (because that’s all that’s really necessary) – a street-savvy white guy with three African-American friends are inexplicably riding their motorcycles through a remote part of the country.When Johnny (Vanilla Ice) spots Kat (Kristen Minter) riding her horse, he knows he has to try to get with her. Lucky for him, his boy’s bike breaks down and they remain stuck while they wait for an eccentric couple to to get the part to fix it. Of course, Kat has a boyfriend, Nick (John Newton) and Johnny squares off with him in an effort to show Kat the error of her ways. With a simple line, “Drop that zero and get with the hero,” you know that the hilarity will continue in this pursuit and is just the right recipe to keep your attention. When it comes out that Kat’s family are in the witness protection program and that her superb academic exploits and the press that she garners from them have broken their cover, an inane and ridiculous subplot involving gangsters and crooked cops surfaces, allowing Johnny to save the day, capture Kat’s heart and get her unapproving parents’ blessing.
If you ain’t true to yourself, you ain’t true to nobody.
Billed as an update of Rebel Without Cause, one must simply LAUGH OUT LOUD at that notion. In no way do the two films compare. Rebel Without a Cause was a treatise on the misunderstood teen, teen angst and the bucking of authority. Cool As Ice really doesn’t hit on any of those themes. It also had a charismatic leading man poised to take over Hollywood. Cool As Ice clearly didn’t. This is a thinly veiled vehicle for VanillaIce to do nothing more than strike while the iron’s hot. There are no lessons learned, no knowledge gained, no bit taken that could give one a better understanding of youth at the time this film was released. Well, other than audiences who were fans of Vanilla Ice were exploitable. At least the film companies who made Cool As Ice and the studios who distributed it thought they were. It was a FLOP and no surprise taking in only $1.2 million at the box office (with a $6 million budget) and critically it stands at an 8% on Rotten Tomatoes. All this said, I still enjoy Cool As Ice for what it is – BAD filmmaking, acting and music. This film would top my list of SO BAD IT’S GOOD movies. I love it and still watch it on the regular. 91 minutes of pure awesomeness.
Yep, yep…she likes me.
When Johnny gives Kat the slow-motion look as she rides her horse, it is arguably the funniest (unintendedly so) look ever put on film. Check it out:
Never mind the absurd notion that Johnny could jump over the fence without help of a ramp or any other launching object. That scene is the essence of the film and everything that is so awful, yet so good about it. What should one expect from a director (David Kellogg) whose pre-Cool As Ice resume is ten different Playboy videos including Playboy: Farmer’s Daughters and Playboy: Wet & Wild.
And yes, let’s not forget this slice of ear murder from the priceless soundtrack:
I hope Sly Stone can get some royalty checks from that song so he doesn’t have to be homeless anymore. Old boy clearly needed the ducats if he allowed that song to be butchered in such a manner.
And maybe the craziest thing about this movie is that Janusz Kaminski, the famed Polish cinematographer, shot this film. This is the same man behind the photography for Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and most every Steven Spielberg film since. Truly unbelievable. And the sad thing is, I can’t even say that the photography was good in any sense of the word.
Let’s not fault Vanilla Ice (or let’s do…) for this film. If I had people throwing money at me like he did for trash like this, I might have done it in half a heartbeat. The guy was the king of the world for about 8 months, and remains a joke to this day. The $20 million or whatever he made is surely worth that, right? That’s the American Dream in a nutshell and one too many of us would jump at (hello, reality TV – Kardashians anyone?).
I have been waiting for this to situation to clear itself up before posting about it, but it appears the smoke has cleared and Richard Donner is moving forward with a sequel to The Goonies with Steven Spielberg, the original producer who also has the story credit from the original film, in hand. According to Corey Feldman via Twitter (sigh), this project is starting to get some legs. For better or worse. This could easily be another, “they are whoring out my childhood” post of which I’ve had a few in the past. I’m not going to go that route, however. Yes, I think this sequel is beyond ill-advised and enough to make me scream. Any fan of the original I would hope feels the same way. Let’s face it, the time for the sequel is past. Do we really want to see an old ass Mikey? I don’t. Corey Feldman is way too burnt out to recapture the beauty of Mouth. I, however, am always up for more Martha Plimpton in any way we can get her.
