Spring Wrap-up Part One

Nuns on the Run (1990)
I watched this movie with my brother on a whim. Nuns on the Run stars a post-Monty Python Eric Idle and a pre-Hagrid Robbie Coltrane. Idle and Coltrane play criminals trying to get out of a life of crime but in the process have to hide out in a convent while disguised as nuns. As you could've guessed, wacky hijinks ensue!
Nuns on the Run was written and directed by Jonathan Lynn. While Lynn is not a household name, he has directed several well known movies such as Clue, My Cousin Vinny, and The Whole Nine Yards. I actually haven't seen any of those yet but will eventually!
There are some funny ideas here but it doesn't work overall. The pacing isn't great and there are a bunch of filler scenes. It probably would've worked better as a few independent sketches (such as the when Idle and Coltrane are in a packed parking lot trying to decide which car to steal) than a feature length film.
This counts as a nunsploitation movie, right?!
4/10

What About Bob? (1991)
I've talked about a few Bill Murray movies on this blog in the past so here is another one. Although I had heard good things about this film I hadn't seen it until now. Murray is great as usual but the real star here is Richard Dreyfuss as his reactions to "Bob" make Murray even funnier.
I realized later on that The Cable Guy is similar in that the main character's both have an off-beat obsessive "stalker" who just wants to hang out with them all the time. The relationship between Bob and his therapist is also kinda like that of Dennis the Menace and Mr. Wilson. Except that Dennis would be an adult in this version!
What About Bob? was directed by Frank Oz. Yes, *that* Frank Oz of Sesame Street, Muppets, and Yoda fame. This is the third movie I've seen that Oz has directed. The other two are Death at a Funeral (2007) and The Muppets take Manhattan, both of which I have written about earlier on this blog.
7/10

Man on the Moon (1999)
I'm not a fan of Jim Carrey though I don't dislike him either. I just generally don't go out of my way to see his movies. However, I'm glad I saw this one as it features a great performance by Jim Carrey as actor and comedian Andy Kaufman. He even won a Golden Globe for this role, although could not get an Oscar nomination. The film received no Oscar nominations which is a bit surprising since it does feel like an Oscar bait type movie.
A biographical film seems tough to make as you must condense a person's life into a mere two hours. It was an even more difficult task in this case as what Andy Kaufman was most famous for (his role as Latka Gravas) was probably the least interesting thing about the man.
I felt that the movie focused too much on Andy Kaufman's cancer and death. Kaufman was diagnosed in late November 1983 and died in May 1984. Obviously this is important, but he wasn't sick that long and died pretty quick. On a similar note we we could've had more about Kaufman's life before he was discovered as a comedian.
There are a few anachronisms such as the movie's depiction of Kaufman's Carnegie Hall show being performed after he was diagnosed with cancer, but it fits in with Kaufman's life as a showman who would blend reality and fantasy together. The opening scene of the movie even features Carrey in character as Kaufman stating that parts of "his" life have been changed!
As a biopic about an off-beat personality I couldn't help but be reminded of Tim Burton's Ed Wood. Although Ed Wood and Andy Kaufman were different in several ways, both were true artists who managed accomplish their visions despite of the obstacles of mainstream TV and film-making.
Many actors and other famous people who knew the real Kaufman such as wrestler Jerry Lawlor, Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels, late night talk show host David Letterman, and the cast of Kaufman's TV show Taxi are in the movie as themselves. Danny DeVito (a cast member of Taxi) plays a large role as George Shapiro, Kaufman's manager, but doesn't play himself. There could've been a fun meta moment along the lines of the "color blind" scene in Ed Wood but I guess they didn't want to confuse the audience too much.

Even though I think of Courtney Love as a musician and not an actress, she did a nice job playing Kaufman's girlfriend. If I didn't know who she was I would've assumed she was an actress not famous for anything else.
R.E.M. performed most of the songs for the Man on the Moon soundtrack and did a great job as usual. Their title track was actually not made for the movie as it was originally released in 1992. R.E.M. are apparently big Andy Kaufman fans. The band did write the song "The Great Beyond" specifically for the film.
The final scene is interesting as tackles the urban legend that Andy Kaufman faked his death and is actually still alive, while also reminding us of the influence Andy Kaufman has had on comedy and pop culture.
I was familiar with Kaufman but honestly didn't know much about him before seeing this movie. After watching Man on the Moon I wanted to know a lot more about him and do research on his life, which is something any good biopic should do for its subjects. Luckily there are plenty of videos of him on YouTube, including the infamous Fridays fight incident.
Man on the Moon was directed by Milos Forman, a two-time Oscar winner. I had only seen one of his movies before, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, which I love. Somehow I haven't seen Amadeus yet, so I need to watch more of his films.
An interesting piece of trivia about this film is that Forman could not decide between Jim Carrey or Ed Norton for the role of Andy Kaufman. Forman let the studio decide and they chose Carrey because they felt he was a more bankable star at the time.
Man on the Moon received mostly positive reviews from movie critics but lost money at box office. It's too bad that the film was a financial failure as its probably part of the reason Forman hasn't done much since.
8/10

Weekly Wrap-Up (11/27)

I saw five films this week, the first two of which are on Roger Ebert's Great Movies List.

Groundhog Day (1993)
I had seen part of this film before on TV awhile ago but finally got around to seeing the entire movie.
Bill Murray is great as always as the egotistic weatherman Phil, who is inexplicably forced to relieve the same day over and over again. Andie MacDowell puts in a nice performance as the news show's producer, Rita. MacDowell used her actual Southern accent which was a great creative choice as it adds to her character as a down to earth and genuine person.
Although there is no explanation for why Phil has to live each day over again, I think the mystery works and wouldn't change it. Apparently early versions of the script included an answer (an ex-lover cursed him to teach him a lesson) but its unnecessary and would have been a time waster. The setting of Groundhog Day festivities in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania is just an unique as the premise and I really have to hand it to the creative team for doing something different that at the same time isn't completely unconventional.
Director Harold Ramis has worked with Bill Murray before as an actor in Stripes and Ghostbusters and also directed him in Caddyshack. Ramis would later direct the fantasy-comedy Multiplicity which featured MacDowell as the female lead opposite Michael Keaton.
Groundhog Day felt sort of like a twisted version of It's a Wonderful Life, as it is certainly Capraesque while at the same time has modern day sensibilities. The film is truly cinematic with its cuts of the repeating day, which could not have been done as a book or play. The film's tone is perfect as it is funny but never silly, and has drama but is never too dark or serious. Groundhog Day has more substance than most comedies and at the same time is incredibly entertaining which is quite an accomplishment.
9/10

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Anthony Hopkins' role as Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter has been so firmly entrenched and parodied in popular culture that most people who haven't seen the film are familiar with the character. While I was worried that this would cause me to enjoy the film less, I was mistaken as his character and the movie itself still packed a hell of a punch. Hopkins was fantastic and certainly deserved his Oscar. Besides Hopkins the acting was strong by all the actors, including Jodie Foster who won an Oscar for her performance as the young FBI officer in training, Clarice Starling. The Silence of the Lambs also won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), and Best adapted Screenplay.
The movie is based on Thomas Harris' book series. I haven't read the books so I don't know how it works as an adaptation. I know there are other films in the series which I might see eventually but what makes Lector's character work is the mystery around him and too much screen time (Hopkins is only in the film for just over 16 minutes!) would certainly hurt that.
Although Ted Levine doesn't have too much screen time, his creepy performance as Buffalo Bill is the cherry on top of an incredible film. The Silence of the Lambs is unsettling and disturbing which makes for an unforgettable movie that certainly deserves the praise it has received over the years.
9/10

The Blues Brothers (1980)
This was the first, and arguably best, movie based on a Saturday Night Live sketch. Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi play Elwood and Jake Blues, two brothers who try to raise $5,000 to save the orphanage they were raised in from being closed by getting their band back together.
Chase scenes have been a staple of comedy films since the silent era. The Blues Brothers keeps this tradition alive with some great car chases: one inside(!) a mall and one all over the city of Chicago with Aykroyd and Belushi being pursued by both the police and Neo-Nazis!
It was nice to see Carrie Fisher in a movie that wasn't a Star Wars film, and she has a great role as a mysterious woman trying to kill the Blues Brothers. John Candy (who steals every scene he is in) and Paul Reubens have early roles. There are also appearances by many musicians such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. Also, director Steven Spielberg makes an unexpected cameo!
It is usually a bad sign when a comedy is over two hours long, but it makes sense in this case since The Blues Brothers is also a musical.
I had a lot of fun with this movie and it was better than I has expected. I prefer it to Belushi's earlier film Animal House (also directed by John Landis), although I like both comedies.
"We're on a mission from God"
8/10

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
I am a big John Carpenter fan and finally got around to seeing this movie in my quest to watch all of his films. Like several other of Carpenter's movies, this one didn't do well critically or commercially upon its original release but has since gained a cult following.
In the Mouth of Madness is about an insurance investigator (Sam Neill) who looks into the disappearance of a horror novelist whose works are supposedly driving his readers insane. This meta concept is given a  Lovecraftian spin to make for an interesting and unique tale. The acting is a weak at times as Sam Neill goes in and out of his accent and Julie Carmen's performance leaves much to be desired. Charlton Heston and Jurgen Prochnow are good, but could have had more screen time.
While I haven't seen all of Carpenter's films yet, In the Mouth of Madness is his best post-1980s movie. It is not one of Carpenter's best films, and not as fun as other cult classics like Big Trouble in Little China or They Live (which makes sense because it is a horror flick after all), but its still a good film that Carpenter and horror fans should enjoy. I think the reason it didn't do well was because it came out a few months after Wes Craven's New Nightmare, also released by New Line Cinema. Although I haven't seen that film yet, it seems to have a similar concept except with the popular Freddy Krueger character.
7/10

Penn & Teller Get Killed (1989)
As a fan of Penn & Teller I had been meaning to see this movie for a while. However, the film is pretty obscure and did not get a DVD release until recently. Luckily it can be seen on YouTube in nine parts, which is where I watched it. Although I like Penn & Teller's work (see my last post which talked about the duo) I think they work better live or on TV than in movie form. That said, this is still a good dark comedy. Although the movie is episodic at times, there is a main narrative with plenty of twists and turns. I think all Penn & Teller fans would enjoy this movie as not only do we have a  younger and thinner Penn Jillette, but the usually silent Teller actually speaks! I had seen an interview with Teller talking on YouTube before but it was still strange to see and hear him speak even though his voice is quite normal.
David Patrick Kelly, Sully in Commando, plays the fan who is obsessed with Penn and Teller. Penn & Teller Get Killed was the final feature film directed by Arthur Penn, who also made The Miracle Worker and Bonnie & Clyde.
7/10

Weekly Wrap-Up (11/6)

Zone Troopers (1985)
Empire Pictures was a low budget film company in the 1980s that specialized in the genres of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Although Empire made some really bad B-movies (Robot Holocaust), they also created some really good ones (Re-Animator) and plenty in the middle. I have now seen seven movies made by the company and all of them were entertaining on some level, even the bad ones.
I wanted to see this movie because it was an Empire Pictures film. It also features two of my favorite character actors: Tim Thomerson and Art LaFluer (who I mentioned in my review of the 1988 The Blob remake).
Zone Troopers was written and directed by Danny Bilson, the guy who later wrote the script for The Rocketeer. I've never seen that movie but like this flick its a throwback to the serials of the 1940s and 1950s. Bilson also worked on some other Empire Pictures films like Trancers which also starred Tim Thomerson and launched a cult classic movie series. He also wrote the script for Eliminators which is a pretty silly movie, but one of my favorite over the top fun B-movies.
Forget Cowboys and Aliens, this movie came out years before and is basically G.I.s and Aliens! Zone Troopers is about a platoon of four remaining WWII U.S. soldiers who discover the wreckage of an alien spaceship while behind enemy lines. Zone Troopers feels like a 1950s sci-fi film. The movie nailed the retro style and is a parody of both monster movies and war flicks.
The Nazis and aliens are not subtitled which is an interesting choice as it puts us in the shoes of the American soldiers. All four of the lead soldiers ham it up and have witty lines. They have great chemistry together and you get to know them pretty well and actually care about these characters, which is pretty unusual for a sci-fi/action B-movie. I liked the use of an orchestral score and period music. A lot of 80s B-movies went with a cheap and cheesy synthesizer soundtrack so its nice to see Zone Troopers buck that trend as well. The special effects are decent considering this is a 26 year old low budget movie. The dialogue and characters were so good that it didn't matter!
As fun as this movie was, maybe a bit more could have been at stake. For example, more could have been made of Nazi plans to use the alien technology against the Allies.
The movie has a great tongue in cheek tone which is a ton of fun. For example, one of the soliders actually punches Hitler! Thomerson shines as the Sarge who simply can't die no matter what. Zone Troopers never takes itself too seriously in tone, but doesn't use its subject material as an excuse to make a bad movie which is why I was surprised how good this was. Sure this isn't anywhere near a great film, even within the action/sci-fi genre, but the world would be a better place if all B-movies were this entertaining and competently made!
"Buy War Bonds. Available in the Lobby." is seen at the end of the closing credits!
6/10

Cool as Ice (1991)
You know a movie is going to suck before you watch it when the tagline doesn't make any sense: "When a girl has a heart of stone, there's only one way to melt it. Just add Ice." How does ice melt stone? Shouldn't they be adding lava instead?!
If Vanilla Ice was not in this movie it would probably be more unknown but just as bad. However, this movie was only made to capitalize on Vanilla Ice's fifteen minutes of fame. My point is that while Vanilla Ice certainly an awful actor and won a Razzie Award for "Worst New Star" for his role in this movie, the writing, directing, and acting by the other cast members are just as bad. Speaking of the writing, here are some of my favorite quotes from this turd:
"Drop that zero and get with the hero!" - Johnny
"I'm gonna go across the street and, uh, schling a schlong." - Johnny
"Looky, looky in Kat's black booky." - Johnny
"As soon as you're done making sex?" - Tommy
I think you get the idea! The dialogue is so bad that the frequent musical and montage scenes are welcome even though they are filler and just as terrible. Yes, I would rather see Vanilla Ice "dance" around a construction site than try to talk!

I am a big fan of Michael Gross for his roles as Michael J. Fox's father on the TV show Family Ties and as gun-toting Burt Gummer in the Tremors series. Gross plays the father of Kathy (Vanilla Ice's love interest) and not even he can save this garbage. The wacky mechanic is played by prolific character actor Sydney Lassick (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Carrie, etc.) who somehow got into this piece of crap. Oscar nominated actress Candy Clark (American Graffiti) is also in this film. But what I never would have guessed is that Oscar winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan) was the director of photography for this shit fest. To be fair it was one of his first films. I guess you gotta start somewhere!
I didn't even get to the plot yet but there isn't much of one anyway! Vanilla Ice plays Johnny, a biker/rapper who falls for Kathy and tries to win her heart. Kathy's parents don't like Johnny and neither does the audience. There is a too little, too late subplot about Kathy's parents being ex-cops placed under witness protection. The criminals that Kathy's parents put behind bars end up kidnapping Kathy's brother as revenge. Johnny and his biker gang save the day and he gets the girl. The basic story (mysterious "bad boy" comes to town and falls in love with a nice girl whose family doesn't approve of him) has been done so many times before that this movie doesn't even try to be original. Being derivative is one thing, but there are plenty of bizarre scenes that don't make any sense like the "fun house" Vanilla Ice and his crew are staying at for some reason. Cool as Ice is for bad movie lovers who want to see a true stinker. Everyone else should stay far away or just watch the Nostalgia Critic's review.
1/10