The Full Monty
Peter Cattaneo (director), Simon Beaufoy (writer)
Starring Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy
I love British films! Two middle-aged friends in a run-down factory town are out of work; one of them urgently needs to prove that he deserves visiting rights to his young son, while the other feels that he's not desirable anymore and his wife doesn't want him. Desperate and broke, they do the only thing they can think of: they decide to put on a strip show.
Hilarious, vulgar, and tender, as only the Brits can do. Highly recommended.
IMDB: The Full Monty
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Friday, May 23, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
Very Brief Film Reviews: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
2005
Tim Burton (director), John August (screenplay), Roald Dahl (story)
Starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly
I'm really not so hung up on the old film version with Gene Wilder, and I was looking forward to this new version. It was deeply disappointing.
Yes, a lot of the visuals were great, I certainly liked Charlie and Grandpa Joe (all of the Bucket family was good, actually), and I do like Johnny Depp as an actor in general. But this movie just really didn't work for me either, and it wasn't just the characterization of Deep Roy's computer-replicated Oompa Loompa overtly embodying and reinforcing the imperialistic colonialism/industrialization paradigm rather than drawing attention to or questioning it.
Although that was pretty fucking uncomfortable, too.
First of all, the backstory. Seriously, what the fuck? It was utterly unnecessary, it was forced, it made no sense within the context of the rest of the story, and it was untrue to the entire concept of who and what Willy Wonka is.
They then stretched that to the point of the grotesque with Depp's actual portrayal. He was just...childish. Regressive. A creepy Wonka, I don't mind. Effeminate, I certainly don't mind (and we all know Depp is super hawt in eyeliner). But a drugged-out eight-year-old with daddy issues? With gross flat teeth? Just couldn't hack it. It just ended up feeling like a vehicle for Depp to be Crazy and Weird and Look At Me I'm Just So Out There and Amazing Whoa Me.
Wonka is a trickster figure, on the side of chaos and joy and mischief and, ultimately, justice, with karmic punishment meted out to those who deserve it and fantastic rewards granted to those who win his favor. Like all tricksters, he is neither truly good nor truly malevolent, and his lack of empathy sets him apart from ordinary human characters.
Unlike the rest of us, he doesn't have a reason to be the way he is. He doesn't need one.
IMDB: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
2005
Tim Burton (director), John August (screenplay), Roald Dahl (story)
Starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly
I'm really not so hung up on the old film version with Gene Wilder, and I was looking forward to this new version. It was deeply disappointing.
Yes, a lot of the visuals were great, I certainly liked Charlie and Grandpa Joe (all of the Bucket family was good, actually), and I do like Johnny Depp as an actor in general. But this movie just really didn't work for me either, and it wasn't just the characterization of Deep Roy's computer-replicated Oompa Loompa overtly embodying and reinforcing the imperialistic colonialism/industrialization paradigm rather than drawing attention to or questioning it.
Although that was pretty fucking uncomfortable, too.
First of all, the backstory. Seriously, what the fuck? It was utterly unnecessary, it was forced, it made no sense within the context of the rest of the story, and it was untrue to the entire concept of who and what Willy Wonka is.
They then stretched that to the point of the grotesque with Depp's actual portrayal. He was just...childish. Regressive. A creepy Wonka, I don't mind. Effeminate, I certainly don't mind (and we all know Depp is super hawt in eyeliner). But a drugged-out eight-year-old with daddy issues? With gross flat teeth? Just couldn't hack it. It just ended up feeling like a vehicle for Depp to be Crazy and Weird and Look At Me I'm Just So Out There and Amazing Whoa Me.
Wonka is a trickster figure, on the side of chaos and joy and mischief and, ultimately, justice, with karmic punishment meted out to those who deserve it and fantastic rewards granted to those who win his favor. Like all tricksters, he is neither truly good nor truly malevolent, and his lack of empathy sets him apart from ordinary human characters.
Unlike the rest of us, he doesn't have a reason to be the way he is. He doesn't need one.
IMDB: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Friday, May 9, 2014
Very Brief Film Reviews: Real Genius (1985)
Real Genius
1985
Martha Coolidge (director), Neal Israel & others (screenplay)
Stars Val Kilmer
Ultimately nerdy science geniuses studying at a high-profile, high-intensity university based on CalTech must come together and put their talents to use to save both their own academic careers and the world. There are crazy professors! Lasers! Hair! Romance! Evil military types! Lots of people being geniuses! Slapstick comedy, very '80s.
Probably best while drunk, very late at night with friends, but in that general context, rather fun.
IMDB Link: Real Genius
1985
Martha Coolidge (director), Neal Israel & others (screenplay)
Stars Val Kilmer
Ultimately nerdy science geniuses studying at a high-profile, high-intensity university based on CalTech must come together and put their talents to use to save both their own academic careers and the world. There are crazy professors! Lasers! Hair! Romance! Evil military types! Lots of people being geniuses! Slapstick comedy, very '80s.
Probably best while drunk, very late at night with friends, but in that general context, rather fun.
IMDB Link: Real Genius
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Very Brief Film Reviews: Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard: The Definite Article (1996)
Eddie Izzard: Glorious (1997)
Eddie Izzard: The Definite Article: Eddie Izzard is wonderful...except when he's not. He's not very smooth. He'll have whole sections which just aren't very funny, and then in a heartbeat I'll be laughing so hard I'm crying and gasping for breath. In general, I love him, but I do wish he were a little more consistent. The nature of comedy, I guess.
Eddie Izzard: Glorious: Basically the same: parts were great, other parts were lame. I kept doing bad Sean Connery impersonations for a week. My wife was ready to kill me.
My favorite Eddie Izzard filmed routine is definitely Dress to Kill (1999); I would recommend that one above these other two routines. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend being in a relaxed, probably somewhat drunk, giggly mood already, and then you'll have a terrific time.
IMDB: Definite Article
IMDB: Glorious
Eddie Izzard: Glorious (1997)
Eddie Izzard: The Definite Article: Eddie Izzard is wonderful...except when he's not. He's not very smooth. He'll have whole sections which just aren't very funny, and then in a heartbeat I'll be laughing so hard I'm crying and gasping for breath. In general, I love him, but I do wish he were a little more consistent. The nature of comedy, I guess.
Eddie Izzard: Glorious: Basically the same: parts were great, other parts were lame. I kept doing bad Sean Connery impersonations for a week. My wife was ready to kill me.
My favorite Eddie Izzard filmed routine is definitely Dress to Kill (1999); I would recommend that one above these other two routines. Otherwise, I would definitely recommend being in a relaxed, probably somewhat drunk, giggly mood already, and then you'll have a terrific time.
IMDB: Definite Article
IMDB: Glorious
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Film review: Love and Other Disasters
Love and Other Disasters
2006
Written & directed by Alek Keshishian
This was so much fun. British romantic comedy, a bit of an "Emma" interpretation but not strictly.
2006
Written & directed by Alek Keshishian
This was so much fun. British romantic comedy, a bit of an "Emma" interpretation but not strictly.
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