Buggy Eyes and a Big Butt, part fourteen: Movies 222-255

October 31, 2016 Rob Braithwaite

Pencilstorm contributor Rob Braithwaite is watching 366 movies this year, so you don't have to: Here is part fourteen of his continuing 2016 rundown......

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Ratings key:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ = I can’t see giving anything that I’ve seen once five stars
★ ★ ★ ★ = get to the theater / move it up in your queue
★ ★ ★ = “three stars is a recommendation” - The Empire [magazine] Podcast
★ ★ = if the remote is too far away, you could do worse
★ = if the remote is too far away, get someone to move it closer then throw it at the TV

222
Meek’s Cutoff (2010) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton
director: Kelly Reichardt

Go west, good people. Don’t take any wooden nickels, and be mindful of braggart guides who suggest a shortcut.

Kelly Reichardt is a master of the slow pace and low plot point count. At the very least, you will feel what it was like to have traveled cross-country in 1845. At most, you will be rewarded with a meditation on trust.

…and there’s a chance you’ll scream, “That’s it?! Bullshit!” when the end credits roll.

double feature pairing: No Country for Old Men

223
Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow (2007) ★.5
stars: George A. Romero, Tom Savini
director: Michael Feisher

Instead of a new “loaded with hours of special features” bluray release of Creepshow, the behind-the-scenes segments have been compiled and strung together as a supposed documentary. That’s what this feels like, anyway.

There are a few interesting stories, most of which are related to Tom Savini and his special effects team. Steven King, co-creator with George Romero, is conspicuously absent. And I’d like to ask the director why he felt it necessary to include a crew member’s tale of sexual congress when talking about Hal Holbrook. See, this girl’s mother allowed her to go away with him for the wrap party, because he promised to bring back Hal’s autograph. Obviously, he didn’t get it, so he signed Hal’s name himself. A great story, right?

watch Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau instead

224
Bad Moms (2016) ★
stars: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell
writers/directors: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Moms are over-worked and under-appreciated. These moms aren’t going to take it anymore!

One of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. I suppose it’s a fantasy for a people I don’t know, but I’m also sure it’s a working mom’s fantasy through the eyes of two dudes who really don’t know the limits of a PTA leader’s power or desires beyond lessons learned from Mallrats: Girls like the Cheesecake Factory and just want to go shopping in the stores they want to shop in.

watch Bachelorette instead

225
De Palma (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Brian De Palma
directors: Noah Baumbach, Jake Paltrow

Brian De Palma is a director who impresses and baffles me in equal parts. His camera work can be as elegant as it can be contrived.

This documentary is nothing but De Palma telling stories. They are all fascinating, even enlightening. I could have listened to two more hours.

double feature pairing: Listen to Me Marlon

226
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey
director: Travis Knight

There is magic aplenty in this tale of a boy on a quest to locate his father’s armor as a shadow from the past looms.

A great animated story from someplace other than Pixar.

double feature pairing: Coraline

227
The Finest Hours (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Casey Affleck
director: Craig Gillespie

Based on the true Coast Guard rescue of an oil tanker destroyed by a blizzard near Cape Cod in 1952.

I was wrong to dismiss this when it came out earlier this year. It’s a much better story than the trailer presented. If we aren’t careful Chris Pine is going to be one of the best character actors of our day.

double feature pairing: All Is Lost

228
The Last Picture Show (1971) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd
director: Peter Bogdanovich

The story of a dying town and the people trying to break from its grasp.

Goddam. That’s a great movie.

double feature pairing: Doc Hollywood

229
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: The Beatles
director: Ron Howard

You’ve heard the stories. You’ve seen the footage. The Beatles were a big deal when they came to the States. It’s only now, seeing this, that I truly understand how the world was not ready to facilitate such fandom.

double feature pairing: That Thing You Do!

230
Bicycle Thieves (1948) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lainella Carell
director: Vittorio De Sica

Struggling in post-WWII Italy, a man gets a job on account of his bicycle ownership. The bike is stolen. Let the hunt begin!

Sometimes the lowest stakes are the greatest.

double feature pairing: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

231
The Conjuring 2 (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson,
director: James Wan

Everyone’s favorite ghost hunters are going to London!

I’m guessing it’s only a matter of time before this franchise makes its easy transformation to television. The room of articles from previous adventures are a perfectly hacky way to wrap up each episode.

Speaking of which, The Exorcist has been turned into a TV show. It’s great. Each episode so far has had some well-crafted horror beats and finds a way to surprise.

double feature pairing: The Amityville Horror

232
Sisters (1972) ★ ★ ★
stars: Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt, Charles Durning
director: Brian De Palma

Either way this plot is summarized will ruin something about it. Why should I take from your confusion as to why you are watching a dating show at the beginning or alleviate your wonder as to where it is going?

If you know Brian De Palma’s movies, you probably have a guess. But the movie shifts again, finishing with a final shot that I couldn’t help but chuckle at, then wonder about for a couple days after.

Like is said, De Palma impresses and baffles me.

double feature pairing: Dead Ringers

233
The Program (2015) ★ ★
stars: Ben Foster, Chris O’Dowd, Jesse Plemons
director: Stephen Frears

Lance Armstrong says he didn’t take performance enhancing drugs, but he did, and now we know.

There is nothing in the script or direction that is a surprise.

watch Vision Quest instead

234
My Blind Brother (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Adam Scott
director: Sophie Goodhart

A brothers’ relationship is tested as the blind one trains for a charity swim while dating the seeing one’s one night stand.

It’s surprising how natural the love triangle pretzel comes together. Not so surprising is how tedious the open water metaphor is in the third act. However, the high likability of the cast makes it all worth it.

double feature pairing: Stuck on You

235
Kicks (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Jahking Guillory, Christopher Jordan Wallace, Christopher Meyer
director: Justin Tipping

A teen fulfills his dream of owning a pair of Air Jordans. When they are taken from him, he starts down a dangerous path to retrieve them.

It’s a well-crafted tale of the positive and destructive lessons of status and respect that are handed down through parenting and pop culture. The need for a heightened visual flourish (the astronaut) gets in the way at times.

double feature pairing: In Her Shoes

236
Night Train to Munich (1940) ★ ★ ★
stars: Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison, Paul Henreid
director: Carol Reed

Just before WWII breaks, the Germans hunt a scientist who developed a new kind of armor by using his daughter as bait. Eventually, they all take a train.

It’s good.

double feature pairing: Narrow Margin

237
Metropolis (1927) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Alfred Abel, Brigitte Helm, Gustav Fröhlich
director: Fritz Lang

The working class is ground into the gears of the works of a futuristic city as the elite blindly go about their pampered lives. Revolution is coming.

The Wexner Center for the Arts hosted a screening with a live performance of the score by Alloy Orchestra. It was amazing. I’m sure watching it at home without a live band will be great, too. [snicker]

Nearly 90 yeas later, the visuals are still incredible, and the last third is thrilling.

double feature pairing: Dredd

238
The Magnificent Seven (2016) ★ ★
stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
director: Antoine Fuqua

Poor townsfolk hire gunfighters to rid their lives of a bad man.

“You say cliché, I say classic” — Eddie Spaghetti

I say…cliché. Flat writing. Flat action. I flat-out don’t understand how this was screwed up.

watch Silverado instead

239
Snowden (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo
director: Oliver Stone

Joseph Gordon-Levitt concludes his trilogy of distracting accents in this dramatization of Edward Snowden’s exposure of NSA practices.

Pretty good. Nicholas Cage was a nice surprise.

double feature pairing: Enemy of the State

240
Cronos (1993) ★ ★ ★
stars: Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook
director: Guillermo del Toro

An antique dealer discovers a device that provides eternal life.

One of the more unique “vampire” stories.

double feature pairing: Ravenous

241
Under the Shadow (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi
writer/director: Babak Anvari

A mother and daughter are menaced by a ghost in 1980s Tehran.

Another in a recent line of horror movies that is a little more metaphor than practical story. Still very good.

a note: I had to turn on the close captions because the on-demand version I rented did not have subtitles. About two-thirds through the captions were out of sync. They were about five seconds early. This made some conversations difficult to follow with the visuals. And a few potential scares were ruined by a premature “[loud bang]”. So maybe wait for the video release, which will have proper subtitles.

double feature pairing: The Babadook

242
Mascots (2016) ★ ★
stars: Parker Posey, Chris O’Dowd, Tom Bennett
director: Christopher Guest

A look behind the scenes of a mascot competition.

So much unfunny. Improvisation makes a sound now. It’s a low din of affirmation that gets louder as it’s performed more poorly.

watch Being John Malkovich instead

243
The Birth of a Nation (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Nate Barker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King
writer/director: Nate Barker

The ballad of Nate Parker, leader of a slave uprising in 1831.

It’s tough to separate a movie about slavery from the baked-in award talk that usually surrounds it. Has there been one that wasn’t nominated for something? This movie is more “enough is enough” than the usual “slavery = bad.” It even co-opted footage of Black Lives Matter demonstrations into its TV ads.

There is some impressive imagery. The pacing isn’t as strong. Folks agree slavery was wrong. Now, more need to see how that wrong is still effecting policies, procedures and actions today.

double feature pairing: Glory

244
Shin Godzilla (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara
directors: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi

What happens when an unstoppable force (Godzilla) meets an immovable object (bureaucracy)?

Lots and lots of meetings (but in a good way), a few laughs and some badass Godzilla action.

double feature pairing: Alligator

245
Session 9 (2001) ★ ★
stars; Peter Mullan, David Caruso, Josh Lucas
director: Brad Anderson

A HAZMAT team clears out an abandoned mental hospital.

Bad acting and ham-fisted situations tie together for an ending that wasn’t worth the trouble.

watch Shutter Island instead

246
The Accountant (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons
director: Gavin O’Connor

Savant or autistic? Either way, this guy is really, really good at accounting. And killing.

An enjoyable thriller that takes its “I wouldn’t say autism because I don’t believe in labels, but, yeah, autism” flag waving one step too far into ridiculousness.

double feature pairing: Michael Clayton

247
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016) ★.5
stars: Nicolas Cage, Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane
director: Mario Van Peebles

The USS Indianapolis is sunk on its way back to the US. Stranded for five days in the ocean, most of the crew were killed by shark attacks.

It’s a sad realization that a speech in Jaws about surviving this attack is more dramatic than anything in this movie. Maybe more focus on the scapegoat trail that occurred afterwards would have been a better way to go.

watch Jaws instead

248
Masterminds (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson
director: Jared Hess

A comedy based on one of the biggest heists in American history.

The degree to which you will like this movie depends on your feeling of the cast and how silly you like your comedy.

Kate McKinnon, Jason Sudeikis and Leslie Jones are also in it. That’s a strong six, plus Ken Marino in a role that I suspect mostly lives on the editing room floor.

Bonus: it ends with a blooper reel!

double feature pairing: Bottle Rocket

249
Money Monster (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell
director: Jodie Foster

Dude lost a lot of money in the stock market. Dude takes the show host responsible for the advice hostage on live TV.

Never mind the last third as it falls into the world of fairy tales. There’s some high grade performance and direction in the moments of the stand-off.

double feature pairing: Cadillac Man

250
Certain Women (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, Kristen Stewart
director: Kelly Reichardt

Three, loosely tied stories of women living Montana.

I can’t see how to make it sound any flashier than that. Still, Kelly Reichardt has a way of making the slightest story interesting. She is able to find great actors. Lily Gladstone is terrific. There are two moments that show the passage of time in two most exquisite ways.

fun fact: Wexner Center for the Arts gave Kelly Reichardt a grant, which allowed her to perfect the sound mix and shoot the movie on film, something she didn’t have money for otherwise.

double feature pairing: Real Men

251
The Hill (1965) ★ ★ ★
stars: Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ossie Davis
director: Sidney Lumet

The guards of a WWII military prison in North Africa take discipline to an extreme.

It’s too bad Sean Connery didn’t get meatier roles. He’s pretty good in this and has one excellent scene. He excelled in other movie directed by Sidney Lumet called…

double feature pairing: The Offence

252
In a Valley of Violence (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Ethan Hawke, John Travolta, Taissa Farmiga
writer/director: Ti West

A drifter doesn’t mean to find trouble, but there it is.

I say…classic. This has everything I wanted from The Magnificent Seven: humor, interesting action, that great western feel. And it had even more! A great main theme/opening titles and animal tricks!

double feature pairing: The Road Warrior

253
The Laughing Policeman (1973) ★ ★
stars: Walter Matthau, Bruce Dern, Louis Gossett Jr.
director: Stuart Rossenberg

A police detective is gunned down in a massacre on a city bus. Why? The answer might bore you.

The Laughing Policemen was clearly chasing the tail of The French Connection. From the indulgent crime scene investigation to the “gritty” coroner scene, it wants you to know how authentic it’s being. Even the movie poster got in on the action. The tag line reads: This movie is so real it makes every other movie in the town look like a movie.

Walter Matthau’s stretch of playing something of a tough guy is a curiosity for me. It’s always great to see the piss and vinegar of Bruce Dern. Too bad the movie wasn’t interesting, or bothered to mention who the laughing policeman was.

watch The Singing Detective instead

254
The House of the Devil (2009) ★.5
stars: Jocelyn Donahue, Tom Noonan, Greta Gerwig
writer/director: Ti West

Desperate for money, a college student takes a babysitting job in a spooky house for a spooky couple.

A slow burn is all about building tension. It also relies on the ending to be worth the wait. The cast is really good. There is some effective chill. The ending needed to be more.

watch Coherence instead

255
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) ★
stars: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Danika Yarosh
director: Edward Zwick

The makers put little effort into making a good sequel to a really good movie. In turn, the marketing team didn’t give a shit either. So why should I bother?

watch The Presidio instead

Counters:
255/366 movies (50 movies off pace)
33/52 movies directed by women

TOP THREE

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Gene Wilder - by Johnny DiLoretto

August 30, 2016 Johnny DiLoretto

OK, first of all, I hope to write something that will be distinguishable from every other Gene Wilder remembrance you’ll read online or hear in the news. And, secondly, I hope to figure out why I should write something that I know probably won’t be distinguishable and therefore won’t do the man the justice he deserves. In any event, I’ll try to keep it short and refrain from as much hyperbole and proselytizing as I possibly can ... Good luck to me.

As so often happens in a media-saturated culture, a decade or two passes, and, before you know it, the finest work of our greatest performers fades from our collective memories; so distracted are we with the antics of the Kardashians and other reality television morons, some of whom eventually wind up running for president. So, I just hope that you’ll read this and you’ll want to pay Gene Wilder a visit or two.

Singular. He was singular. Gene Wilder did not look like many movie stars. There was no one like him before or since – in looks or behavior on screen. I keep hearing this phrase “great comic actor” when people talk about him. That's true, but what made him a great comic actor was that, above all, he was simply a great actor. Certainly, he starred mostly in comedies because that’s where he excelled, but why he excelled was because his performances were all so rich, so deft and full of nuance and real feeling. Few comedic actors so deeply commit to their neuroses like Gene Wilder did. He doesn't act funny - it's simply that his behavior is funny.

We think of the movie comedy greats and we think Groucho Marx, Abbott & Costello, Bob Hope, Jim Carrey, and even Will Ferrell. But these people were comedians first and if you ever got something lasting out of them, something that hit you as really humane, it was likely an accident or the result of really great directing. Now, I’m a big Jim Carrey fan, so just to head dissenters off at the pass: yes, he is a fine actor, but if you’re being honest you have to admit - especially in dramas - there’s always something a little labored about a Jim Carrey performance.

Gene Wilder never labored - even though he sometimes gave big, manic, over-the-top turns. But even his most outsized work was always rooted in human behavior. He made humanity funny. Sometimes he made it hysterical. But he always made it human and, in making it human, he made it hilarious. Watch this scene from Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex but Were Afraid to Ask in which he denies being in love with a sheep. Oh, he's definitely in love with it and has been having sex with it, but watch these two reactions. The first is when his wife casually comments that he smells of lamb chops and the second is when he is actually busted in a hotel room with the animal. Skip ahead to the 2:29 mark and then stick through to 3:30 for the payoff.

Seks Hakkında Bilmek İstediğiniz Her Şey

Wilder started his film career in the '60s with a dramatic part in Bonnie and Clyde and then rocketed to comedic stardom in Mel Brooks' The Producers. You all know those movies he made with Brooks – The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. So many great films. And don't forget that great run of fun collaborations with Richard Pryor after those. But, let’s do this thing ... His performance as Willy Wonka In Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of the greatest gifts any artist gave to the world in the 20th century. There, I said it. So much for refraining from hyperbole.

I loved that film as a kid, and I watched it a million times more with my oldest son when he was younger. I was worried that we would watch it too much, that we would watch the life out of it and I would risk ruining it for us, mostly myself really. But that's not what happened. In fact, every time we watched it, Gene Wilder bewildered me again and again. He lifted me. He charmed and challenged me. Mystified and delighted me. He gave me something new. Every damn time. And it was a lot of times, believe me.

There are a few actors who, when you see them on screen, you instantly like them. Gene Wilder was that kind of actor, but he was something more than that. When we see Gene Wilder on the screen, not only are we instantly drawn to him, but we want him to like us. I don’t know if there’s anybody else in cinema like that. All I know is it’s a singular achievement. He was a singular achievement.

Now to be honest, I didn’t do a whole lot of research for this. But I did tool around the Internet a little bit and what I came across were some interviews with him. Of course, you should go back and see some of these films and you should certainly revisit Willy Wonka if only to hear him deliver the line, “So shines a good deed in a weary world.”; or to watch his entire segment in Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex. But, if you want to see what I mean about him being so absolutely, stark raving unique is to simply watch him in a few interviews talking to other human beings. I promise, you won't be able to take your eyes off him and all the while you'll be wishing you had known him. And that he had liked you.

Johnny DiLoretto writes and stars in the Not-So-Late Show at Shadowbox. The next performance is Thursday September 29th. Click here for ticket info and details.

Summer In The City reprint series, part one: A Somewhat Organized List of 1980's Comedies - by David Martin

August 8, 2016 David Martin

Like most of Continental Europe - which does not have the benefit of central air conditioning - the Pencilstorm offices largely close down during the dog days of August. It was especially bad this year, since Ricki C. took home the Koolerator box fan he brought in from a West Side yard sale and Colin "borrowed" the Kenmore window A/C unit he scored at a St. Agatha's swap meet "temporarily" for his second bedroom and never brought it back.

As such, for the next week or ten days, Pencilstorm will be running a reprint series of our favorite blogs from our regular writers and some of the ringers we've solicited pieces from over the past three years. This is part one:

A Somewhat Organized List of 1980's Comedies - by David Martin

New York magazine did an interview with Steven Soderbergh that's worth reading. Among other things, the director talks about avoiding disaster film clichés ("Can’t show the president. No helicopter shots"), the gentle spirit of the Ocean's franchise, and the darkness of Saturday Night Fever.

Soderbergh's a good dude, and he makes good movies. But he said one thing I disagree with: He called the 1980s a "terrible decade" for American films.

Hmmm... Raging Bull, Blade Runner, E.T., The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Vietnam movies, Aliens and Amadeus—those are some pretty good mainstream movies. Die Hard is arguably the best action movie ever. If you can look past the shoe-sized cell phones and dated eyewear, Wall Street holds up really well.

Comedies, it seems, were especially strong. Now, I was teenager for most of the '80s, and I'm sure that colors my thinking. But if nothing else, comedies of the '80s were more varied than they are today, when everything is basically a variation of Old School (and, to a lesser extent, Office Space). Here's a list of movies I found entertaining and maybe you did, too.

This Is Spinal Tap
One of the amazing things about Spinal Tap was the fact that hard rock had not yet reached the apex of its stupidity. “Big Bottom” preceded “Cherry Pie” by six years.

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Hollywood Shuffle
ketchy.

Raising Arizona
My first and favorite Coen Bros. movie.

48 Hrs.
Trading Places
Beverly Hills Cop
Raw
Coming to America
I think Cop was the first R-rated movie I saw in theaters. Eddie Murphy was huge.

Fletch
I met sportswriter Rick Reilly early in my writing career, and he was kind to me. But it was once said of him that he gives off the impression that he wishes he was the guy who wrote Fletch. It was not meant as a compliment. Still, good movie.

A Fish Called Wanda

Modern Romance
Lost in America
Both movies feature really funny scenes of Albert Brooks interacting with an older man (the sound engineer, the casino boss) who finds him annoying.

Brazil

Airplane!
I realized after reading this essay that I’m not a big fan of joke-driven movies. I don’t think I ever paid to see a Naked Gun movie. I’ve never seen Space Balls or Top Secret! But Airplane!? Real recognize real.

The Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally…
Rob Reiner is the Don Mattingly of directors—a guy with a great peak who couldn't sustain it over the course of a long career.

After Hours
Something Wild

Caddyshack
Stripes
Tootsie
Ghostbusters
Scrooged
Ghostbusters II
Yeah, yeah, Tootsie is Dustin Hoffman’s movie. But it looks cool in this list of Bill Murray efforts. The ’90s got off to kind of a rough start for Bill (Quick Change). But by decade’s end he had appeared in several memorable roles: Groundhog Day, Ed Wood, Kingpin and, of course, Rushmore.

Bull Durham
Major League
In addition to these two successful comedies, The Natural, Eight Men Out and Field of Dreams also came out in the ’80s. Bull Durham loses steam toward the end but is still probably the best sports movie ever.

Splash
Bachelor Party
Big

Midnight Run
In this tribute to Run, TV critic Alan Sepinwall notes that it came out within five days of Die Hard. “If those two aren’t the best example of their respective sub-genres, they’re at least in the discussion.” (Sepinwall endorsed Hitless Wonder, by the way.)

Mr. Mom
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
I think these are John Hughes’s five best movies. (He wrote but did not direct Mr. Mom and Vacation.) Your list might look different, because he made a lot of good movies. Vanity Fair contributor David Kamp wrote a piece about Hughes after his death that's really sharp. My first real girlfriend and I went to see Ferris Bueller on our first date, I think.

Night Shift
Beetlejuice
You can see a rough outline of the Beetlejuice character in this obnoxious version of himself that Michael Keaton played in a short film for a prime-time Letterman special.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

The Blues Brothers

Roger and MeA documentary, yes, but still funny.

Broadcast News

She’s Gotta Have It
Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing, Broadcast News and other movies on this list would fall in the "dramedy" category.

Moonstruck

Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Say Anything
Heathers
Summer School
Clueless (1995) is an honorary ’80s movie.

Diner
Tin Men
ain Man
James Wolcott’s memoir conveys how fresh and exciting Diner and Blue Velvet were when they were released. I’m with Wolcott in that I felt more “pummeled” than intoxicated by Velvet, but I appreciate its originality.

Hannah and Her Sisters
Crimes and Misdemeanors
“If it bends, it’s funny…”

Three Amigos
Roxanne
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Parenthood
I saw Parenthood with Mike "Biggie" McDermott and others. Toward the end of the movie, when everything’s wrapping up in that Lowell Ganz-Babaloo Mandel way, Biggie whispered, “Gil likes the roller coaster, too.”

Used Cars
Overboard
Used Cars is essentially an R-rated Bad News Bears. Kurt Russell was a good Elvis, too.

Back to the Future
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Assembling this list, I see that things started to break down a little bit toward the end of the decade. Big and Parenthood are fine in their own right, but they portended the navel-gazing that I associate with comedies of the early and mid ’90s—City Slickers being the archetype. One problem, I think, is that baby boomers were becoming a little too grown-up to work effectively in the genre. Harold Ramis, for instance, was pretty much done after Groundhog Day (1993).

David Martin left the newspaper business before it had a chance to tell him his place in the industry was no longer available. Follow him on Twitter: @david2martin.

Behind The Scenes: Colin's Music Video - by Wal Ozello

July 30, 2016 Wal Ozello

I met Colin when I was in film school in the early '90's. Even back then I wanted to film a music video for him, as I was always impressed with the way he told a story through his lyrics.

So when our paths crossed again decades later, I knew I'd have a chance. The right song never came around until Colin pressed his latest CD, The Best of Colin Gawel: Superior. He shared with me an early mix of track four, called "Dad Can't Help You Now" and I said, "That one's mine." It's a good thing I claimed it early because others jumped at the chance as well, but Colin set it aside for me and I'm grateful he did.

For the past couple Sundays, we've been busy shooting footage for it. A friend of mine and local filmmaker, Alex Williams, offered to be the Director of Photography and another local filmmaker, Maria Clark of Brainstorm Media, offered to be the Producer. Filmmaker Tim Baldwin plays the role of Dad and I cast my son, Sam, as the Son. Colin got two Upper Arlington baseball teams to help out, the Rough Riders and UA Bears, and parents from the teams came out to support. We also got some extra production help from Claire George, Jonathan Rolston, Lucas Lewinter, Sarah Martin, and Ryan Newell.

The film is now in the editor's hands, Eric Ringquist, and we're all impatiently waiting the results of his magic. I should see a rough cut in a couple of weeks. But in the meantime, I'd like to share some behind the scenes pictures. Enjoy!

Wal Ozello is a local filmmaker and the lead singer of the Columbus hairband Armada. He's the author of the science fiction time travel books Assignment 1989 , Revolution 1990 and Sacrifice 2086 and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.

Buggy Eyes and a Big Butt, part twelve: Movies 174-187

July 28, 2016 Rob Braithwaite

Pencilstorm contributor Rob Braithwaite is watching 366 movies this year, so you don't have to, here is part twelve of his continuing 2016 rundown......

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

174
Body Double (1984) ★.5
stars: Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith, Gregg Henry
co-writer/director: Brian De Palma

A struggling actor housesits for a new acquaintance and witnesses a murder across the way.

Yep, this is the De Palma I don’t like. Indulgent and boring.

watch Slam Dance instead

175
Village of the Damned (1995) ★ ★ ★
stars: Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, Linda “Mrs. Crocodile Dundee” Kozlowski
director: John Carpenter

I think this maligned remake of a small town’s mysterious children problem plays better if you imagine it were made in the ‘50s. John Carpenter wasn’t looking to update the storytelling or acting style. He wanted, I’m guessing, to make a horror movie like those of his youth. If you go in with that mindset, you’ll be entertained. Christopher Reeve is good in it. Or you can watch the 1960 original. They are basically the same.

This John Carpenter? What other movies did he make?

double feature pairing: Tremors

176
When a Stranger Calls (1979) ★ ★ ★
stars: Carol Kane, Charles Durning, Tony Beckley
co-writer/director: Fred Walton

It’s the “the call is coming from inside the house” movie.

And that line comes waaaaaay sooner than I thought it was going to. After the first twenty minutes! Where is this movie going to go from here? Well, it becomes a manhunt and character drama, then it becomes its own sequel. Fascinating.

double feature pairing: Scream

177
When a Stranger Calls (2006) ★ ★
stars: Camilla Belle, Tommy Flanagan, the voice of Lance Henriksen
director: Simon West

Now this is what I expected the original to be like. The whole movie takes place over one evening. The first twenty minutes of the original were stretched out to ninety. It’s a good remake, despite ignoring how caller ID works. But, like most creep-around movies, I was done with it two-thirds in.

Product placement has changed over the years. In the original, Babysitter gets a Dilly Bar® from the freezer. I know this because I recognize the wrapper. It isn’t presented in any obvious way, so it hardly counts as placement, really. I guess it speaks more to how many Dilly Bars® I ate as a kid. In the remake, Babysitter gets a Dole Fruit Bar®. from the freezer. I know this because of the delayed shot of the second box of Dole Fruit Bars®.

watch the first twenty minutes of the 1979 version

178
Daddy’s Home (2015) ★.5
stars: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini
director: Sean Anders

I know I watched this. Can’t remember a damned thing about it that wasn’t in the trailer.

watch Max Duggan Returns instead

179
Girlfight (2000) ★ ★ ★
stars: Michelle Rodriguez, Jamie Tirelli, Santiago Douglas
writer/director: Karyn Kusama

Diana secretly trains as a boxer. Finds resistance.

Michelle Rodriguez is great. The pacing is a little too slack.

double feature pairing: Rocky

180
The House Bunny (2008) ★.5
stars: Anna Faris, Emma Stone, Kat Dennings
director: Fred Wolf

A Playboy Bunny is kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and becomes the house mom of a sorority of misfits. She learns some things from them. They learn some things from her. Anna Faris is funny. The movie isn’t.

Produced by Adam Sandler’s company. Totally feels like it.

watch Legally Blond instead

181
Swiss Army Man (2016) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
writers/directors: Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

A man deserted on an island discovers a dead body on the beach. It’s this farting corpse that just might be the thing to save him.

The greatest farting movie of all time. There were moments when I was wondering what I was watching. It’s very funny. Incredibly inventive. And not without a deeper, darker meaning. It’s unique.

double feature pairing: Be Kind Rewind

182
Ghostbusters (2016) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon
director: Paul Feig

Fuck the haters. This is funny. It’s a decent remake/remodel/re-whatever. It nods to the original while making its own thing. Some of the most unfunny parts were the forced cameos. Bill Murray’s character was necessary for the story, but he didn’t seem to care. He let his hat do the work. The bust of Harold Ramis was a sweet touch.

double feature pairing: Evil Dead (2013)

183
The Killers (1946) ★ ★ ★
stars: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien
director: Robert Siodmak

A small town mechanic is killed by two hit men. Why? That’s a question for the insurance claims agent to answer.

Yep, the insurance company’s claims agent is hot on the case. No private eye, though the role is played like one, or homicide detective, which makes much more sense, could be torn away from their whiskey and donuts, respectively.

That aside, and ignored when the movie brings it up again, this is a nice little crime picture. The opening scene in the diner must make the Coen Brothers drool. The rhythm of the dialogue is amazing.

double feature pairing: Payback

184
The Killers (1964) ★ ★ ★
stars: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes
director: Don Siegel

Now this is how you remake a movie. Fix what didn’t work before. The investigators of the case this time are the hit men themselves. One of them recognizes the mark as part of a team that stole a great deal of money, so they look into who hired them in hopes of finding the cash.

Both versions are good. I’d give an edge to the original, as it’s a bit more cinematic. This version was originally made for TV but deemed too violent so it got a theatrical release.

This was Ronald Reagan’s final movie before entering politics.

double feature pairing: Payback: Straight Up (director’s cut)

185
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
writer/director: Taika Waititi

Problem child Ricky is taken in by the loving Bella and problem adult Hec.

Funny and charming. The trailer does a nice job of projecting the tone without ruining plot points.

double feature pairing: Thelma & Louise

186
The Lady Vanishes (1938) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas
director: Alfred Hitchcock

An elderly lady vanishes from a train, and only one person believes she ever existed at all.

Yep. It’s great.

double feature pairing: Silver Streak

187
Star Trek Beyond (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban
director: Justin Lin

You got the outer space and the people and the explosions and the humor and a city to smash things into during the finale.

I don’t think the movie is bad. The folks I saw it with confirmed that. There’s a lot of action and the story is fine. The pandering, by-the-book humor didn’t go over well. No one I was around laughed much. I was bored by it all. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood. Maybe I’ve reached that point in the summer when I tire of seeing things smash into other things. Happens every year.

double feature pairing: Big Night

Counters:
187/366 movies (23 movies off pace)
25/52 movies directed by women

THE TOP THREE

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Buggy Eyes and a Big Butt, part eleven: Movies 153-173

July 6, 2016 Rob Braithwaite

Pencilstorm contributor Rob Braithwaite is watching 366 movies this year, so you don't have to, here is part eleven of his continuing 2016 rundown......

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

153
Eddie the Eagle (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman
director: Dexter Fletcher

The not-quite true depiction of the true story of Britain’s first Olympic ski jumper.

If there was a cinematic itch my mom had, it was the against-all-odds, adversity-defying, feel-good movie. This movie ticks all those boxes and nails the training montage. It even perfected the soundtrack of the ‘80s ski movie. Horrible to listen to but fits right in.

double feature pairing: Cool Runnings

154
Shout at the Devil (1976) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Lee Marvin, Roger Moore, Barbara Perkins
director: Peter Hunt

Zanzibar, 1913. A fruitful partnership begins when an American hustler cons a British aristocrat into transporting ivory through German controlled waters. The conflicts with the German governor become more extreme when World War One kicks off.

Descriptions of this movie make it seem it’s all about the true-life bombing of a broken down German ship. That is only about the last half hour or so. The lead in has more in common with The Dukes of Hazzard, The Yank and The Brit butting heads with The Kraut. There are swings in humor’s direction, and some surprising blows of gruesome violence.

Roger Moore’s role should have been cast younger. I forget he’s supposed to be a younger man until a reference is made about it. But, he was James Bond until he was 62, so what do I know.

double feature pairing: The Man Who Would Be King

155
Hush (2016) ★ ★
stars: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr.
co-writer/director: Mike Flanagan

Here’s the latest attempt at giving the home invasion thriller a new twist. This time the home-alone woman is deaf and mute. She is working on her overdue second novel in her remote home in the woods when a killer darkens her front door…with blood!

There are some suspenseful moments. However, the degree to which the woman is aware of her surroundings varies upon the story's necessity. I was often distracted, trying to figure the logic of some situations. The biggest head scratcher was how she was close enough to another house to gain access to their wi-fi. Not very isolated. As I debated the perceived problems, the run time expired. Now that is how you get movies watched, people! [drops remote]

watch The Strangers instead

[picks up remote]

156
Night Moves (2013) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard
co-writer/director: Kelly Reichardt

Three environmentalists make plans to blow up a dam.

Like her previous film Wendy and Lucy, Kelly Reichardt sets a relaxed pace. It’s odd that could lend itself to great tension.

double feature pairing: The East

157
Sam Whiskey (1969) ★ ★ ★
stars: Burt Reynolds, Ossie Davis, Clint Walker
director: Arnold Laven

A widow hires Sam Whiskey, a legend in the opening credit’s mind, to salvage the gold bars her husband stole then return them to the mint before their absence is detected. Piece of cake.

An enjoyable reverse heist flick that somehow doesn’t feel very thrilling. It ends with a sense of “So, want to get something to eat?”

Sam Whiskey was one of a few remnants from a Burt Reynolds bender I went on last year. I re-watched a few though mostly focused on movies I hadn’t seen from his heyday, movies I remembered seeing trailers for on HBO but had no interest in them because I was a kid and Burt wasn’t crashing cars or hanging out with Jerry Reed.

I took this bender so far as to purchase a VHS copy of Paternity for $10, because it was never released on DVD. Can’t tell why it didn't make the cut. It’s not bad. There is much worse that not only made the jump to DVD but also received a bluray release. Also, I’d forgotten the frustration that accompanied pan and scan. Grrrrr.

The other title on my list that didn’t get the DVD transfer was Rough Cut. VHS copies were going for fifty bucks on eBay. My bender wasn’t that important. Some things were not meant to be.

As a result, here are my top ten Burt Reynolds movies, top to bottom: Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, The Longest Yard, Starting Over, Hooper, Breaking In, Semi-Tough, Switching Channels, Paternity, Stroker Ace.

double feature pairing: There Was a Crooked Man

158
My Man Godfrey (1936) ★ ★
stars: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Alice Brady
director: Gregory La Cava

A socialite hires a bum to be her butler after he agrees to belittle himself as her “forgotten man” item from a high society scavenger hunt.

Made me laugh a little. Tried to comment on class issues. Ends in a fairy tale.

watch Trading Places instead

159
Calvary (2014) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Reilly, Chris O’Dowd
writer/director: John Michael McDunagh

Father James, a well respected priest of a small Irish town, is told he will be killed in seven days.

Incredibly, this ends on an upbeat. Brendan Gleeson is amazing.

Holy shit! M. Emmet Walsh is still alive?!

double feature pairing: The Player

160
Weiner (2016) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin
directors: Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg

[dick joke]

An amazing movie to watch for body language.

For an interview with directors, check out the On the Media episode “Trending Topics”

double feature pairing: The Contender

161
Jack’s Back (1988) ★ ★ ★
stars: James Spader, Cynthia Gibb, Robert Picardo
writer/director: Rowdy Herrington

A copycat recreates the Jack the Ripper murders a hundred years later, to the day.

There were a couple turns I wasn’t expecting because I think I was confusing this with another movie and the description on the DVD case uncharacteristically left something unspoiled. A must see for James Spader fans. A regular see for thriller fans.

double feature pairing: Time After Time

162
The Headless Woman (2008) ★ ★.5
stars: María Onetto, Claudia Cantero, Inés Efron
writer/director: Lucrecia Martel

A woman hit something she thinks is a dog and drives off, but as the days pass and word of a missing boy reaches her, she suspects she might have hit more.

A classic tale of people of high status working their way out of consequence. The story lallygagged its way to a fork in the road. It could have gotten there a bit sooner.

watch The Machinist instead

163
Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) ★
stars: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman
director: Roland Emmerich

Do I have to tell you about this one? One more moment wasted thinking about this will crush my soul.

watch Mars Attacks! instead

164
The Shallows (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Blake Lively, a shark, a seagull
director: Jaume Collet-serra

“Surfboard goes in the water. Girl goes in the water. Shark’s in the water. Our shark. [singing] Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again.”

Some nice underwater photography. It feels like a live-action Disney movie sometimes when she’s conversing with an injured seagull. Plausibility can be ignored when the performance and action are this engaging.

double feature pairing: A Perfect Getaway

165
The Fits (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Inayah Rodgers
co-writer, director: Ann Rose Holmer

Subscribe to INDIE & FILM FESTIVALS: http://bit.ly/1wbkfYg Subscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6h Subscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUn Like us on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/1QyRMsE Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt The Fits Official Trailer 1 (2016) - Drama HD While training at the gym 11-year-old tomboy Toni becomes entranced with a dance troupe.

There isn’t much I should tell you beyond the trailer, except 1) it was filmed in Cincinnati and 2) the scene where she gets the routine down for the first time is one of the happiest scenes I’ve seen in a long time.

double feature pairing: Bring It On

166
Freebie and the Bean (1974) ★ ★
stars: Alan Arkin, James Caan, Jack Kruschen
director: Richard Rush

A couple cops try to keep a local kingpin alive from an assassin’s bullet while they await a warrant for his arrest.

Pretty good when Freebie and Bean are on the job, bickering with each other. Otherwise, this is pretty bad, especially the sub-plot about Bean’s Wife. That’s how Valerie Harper is credited, by the way, “as Bean’s Wife.” oh, and she and Alan Arkin are supposed to be Mexican. oof.

watch Lethal Weapon 2 instead

167
The Children’s Hour (1961) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner
director: William Wyler

Kids say the darndest things. Manipulative kids say the damnedest things.

People’s lives and a business are destroyed from the whisper of a girl mixing an ounce of truth with a lie that is peppered with words she doesn’t really understand. There are many horror movies with children as harbingers of evil. Like Cujo, this is scary because it could really happen. New kids are being made every day! Stop, before it’s too late!

(but seriously, this movie a gut punch and wonderfully performed, especially the trouble making girl. The daggers from her eyes are sharp.)

double feature pairing: The Hunt

168
Rough Cut (1980) ★ ★
stars: Burt Reynolds, Lesley-Anne Down, David Niven
director: Don Siegel

Watching Sam Whiskey reminded my to check on the availability of Rough Cut. VHS, still forty to fifty bucks. Laserdisc… Laserdisc?! Eight dollars with free shipping! I know someone who has a player. Does it still work? I’ll worry about that later. BUY.

A British inspector, in the twilight of his career, fixes his sights on the criminal mastermind who has eluded capture.

Burt Reynolds his is best when he is a wise-cracking scrapper. When he moves too far into tough guy territory, like in Sharky’s Machine, I can’t take him as a serious threat. Here, he tries to work in Cary Grant suave mode. That’s not really his thing either.

The movie’s attempts at humor fall flat. The actors move their bodies and speak words. The camera was in focus. The most interesting part was the heist, but that is completely ruined by the ending (one of four filmed). The inspector was in on it the whole time and stole the jewels before they even left London, which means they didn’t have to go through with the heist at all.

Rough Cut had three directors. The writer removed his name from the project. And no one wanted to put this on DVD. Maybe I should have researched this more. eh, I’m glad I saw it.

watch The Great Muppet Caper instead

169
Marauders (2016) ★
stars: Christopher Meloni, Dave Bautista, Bruce Willis
director: Steven C. Miller

Thieves steal delicate information from safety deposit boxes to expose a [cover-up, conspiracy, whatever, it doesn’t matter; this movie is garbage.]

In a movie with so many clichés, why do you think they decided to turn expectations by replacing a baguette sticking out from a grocery bag with a bag of doughnuts? Was it because a cop was carrying the bag? *sigh* The baguette in a paper grocery bag is one of my favorite clichés.

Also shot in Cincinnati.

watch Inside Man instead

170
Eye in the Sky (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul
director: Gavin Hood

Clearance for an drone air strike has many levels and debates on what is legal, moral and militarily justified.

Good tension from what is mostly people acting in rooms. Alan Rickman’s final on-screen performance.

double feature pairing: In the Loop

171
Death Hunt (1981) ★ ★ ★
stars: Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, Carl Weathers
director: Peter Hunt

Not much to this adaptation of a real-life manhunt in the 1932 Yukon — Recluse makes an enemy. Enemy misrepresents the conflict. Mounties and posse converge for shootouts and frozen mountain chases. Entertaining nonetheless. It’s odd Angie Dickinson is in it at all. She shows up to collect her dead husband’s effects, sleeps with Lee Marvin, wonders if they could ever be together (no), then leaves. Pointless to the point of why bother.

double feature pairing: First Blood

172
Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2015) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, Jayson Lamb
directors: Jeremy Coon, Tim Skousen

In 1981 a group of kids decide to remake Raiders of the Lost Ark, shot for shot. It takes them seven summers. They get it all except for one scene. Now, thirty years later, they are getting that final scene.

The one-scene-short version made it through the ranks of underground VHS traders to become legend. What these guys don't seem to realize is their project’s true appeal. They were kids, with great ingenuity and no parental supervision, who did a remarkable job recreating a movie they largely made from memory. It isn’t special to raise money to hire a cinematographer, a special effects crew and some guy to build a plane.

double feature pairing: American Movie

173
The Silent Partner (1978) ★ ★ ★
stars: Elliott Gould, Christopher Plumber, Susannah York
director: Daryl Duke

A bank teller catches wind of a robbery in time to skim money for himself. When the robber learns he’s to have stolen more than he has, he knows who to go after.

Not a bad little crime caper. Didn’t expect it to contain one of the more terrifying murders I’ve seen in a movie.

double feature pairing: A Fish Called Wanda

Counters:
173/366 movies (15 movies off pace)
24/52 movies directed by women

THE TOP THREE

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

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