Style2

The Big Kahuna (1999) Directed by John Swanbeck

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 5:37 AM / comment : 0 , , , , , , ,

-->



(Review originally written at 4 August 2008)

So what was Kevin Spacey thinking? Seems to me he was hoping for a successful re-has of "Glengarry Glen Ross". the end result however really isn't as good, due to its very uninteresting writing.
Problem with this movie is really its story. It's just not interesting enough. This movie would had been a great one if it actually was about something. The movie doesn't have some life lessons in it and the movie and its story are more aimed toward the characters and actors portraying them The movie also isn't really a character movie though. For that we just never got to know the characters good enough. The movie remains with its characters and emotions pretty much on the surface.
It's a movie that got made in a very stagy way. It's also based on a play in fact and it features the type of dialog and slow progressing story you could expect from it. It's also a movie that gets set at mostly one location. Normally I'm never a too big fan of this but there are some successful movies who use this approach as well, as for instance the earlier mentioned "Glengarry Glen Ross" but also the John Huston classic "Key Largo" and the Dutch movie example "Cloaca".
Nevertheless it's a movie that becomes good to watching thanks to its acting. Danny DeVito is really good but truly great is Kevin Spacey, though his character in the movie is still the least well developed one. We never fully get to understand his character and he seems to have many different faces, which also doesn't particularly makes his character a likable one.
It's a movie that I enjoyed watching, mostly thanks to its acting but it's not one I really liked very much though. Only really recommendable to the true fans of Kevin Spacey or Danny DeVito.
6/10


Watch trailer

Get Shorty (1995) Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 1:58 PM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , , , ,



(Review originally written at 11 March 2007)

I absolutely loved this movie when it first came out. It has an amazing cast, a pleasant light way of storytelling and a cleverly written story, featuring some great stereotypical gangster-type of characters.

So, ever wondered what would happen if gangster interfered with producing Hollywood movies? See "Get Shorty" if your curious about the result. It's an unusual original story about tough gangster put in an unnatural environment, who thinks that are making movies is the same as any other criminal activity.

The movie is cleverly written with many different characters, that all follow one and the same plot line. All characters have different motivations but they are all cleverly connected to each other. The many characters often mix and meet each other in the events, which also causes all of their motivations to mix. The movie is really cleverly written and executed. It perhaps sounds like a complicated and hard movie to follow but it really is a light, great written and pleasant one to watch.

The movie also works because of the many fine characters and of course the actors that portray them. Basically every character in the movie is deliciously stereotypical, from the Hollywood-producer to the stunt guy and from the successful acclaimed Hollywood actor to the mobster boss. The movie is well cast with actors that are obviously not cast because of their comical talents but purely because of their acting skills. The cast is one to kill for. John Travolta of course knows how to play a cool and likable gangster. Gene Hackman also plays one of his most fun roles as low-budget Hollywood producer, who thinks that he is going to make it big time. Danny DeVito is great as an Hollywood-actor and Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo, Miguel Sandoval provide the good gangster parts of the movie. David Paymer also does what he can do best; playing a guy with a hat. The movie is filled with many more well known actors in small roles, such as Bette Midler and James Gandolfini and even small cameo appearances such as Harvey Keitel makes.

Also mainly due to the movie its professional cast, this is not an hilarious type of movie but more the sort of movie that has a constant pleasant and light atmosphere that will surely put a smile on your face. The comedy is more of the subtle kind, that everybody should be able to appreciate. Nothing in the movie ever feels forced, no matter how crazy and mixed up the movie and its situations ever get.

As far as the '90's go; this movie is about as cool as they could get. This movie was the definition of cool in the '90's, at the time of its release. Of course times have changed now but the movie still has an overall cool atmosphere and pleasant way of storytelling. It's a light fun movie to watch and re-watch over and over again.

8/10

Watch trailer

Man on the Moon (1999) Directed by Milos Forman

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 7:13 AM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , ,




(Review originally written at 16 January 2007)

 *** This review may contain spoilers ***

 This is a perfectly good and entertaining movie to watch. However as a biopic the movie remains pretty shallow and we never fully get to understand the character, though that also would had been virtually impossible, considering who's the subject of the movie.

 Not really Milos Forman's fault that the movie remains too shallow, since he's obviously capable of making an unsympathetic and unpredictable character accessible and likable (watch "The People vs. Larry Flynt", for instance). This movie doesn't ever really gives us an impression of the real Andy Kaufman. It's hard to tell in the movie when he's trying to be serious and when he's joking around. This is also due to Jim Carrey's acting. If you look at footage of the real Andy Kaufman you'll notice how incredibly natural and subtle his humor is He's not ever acting, he's just natural. Jim Carrey, no matter how great he is in his role, is clearly acting and playing a character. Guess that Andy Kaufman just wasn't the right subject to pick. He was too complex and unpredictable to make a fascinating and engaging biopic about. It has always been hard to define Andy Kaufman, since he was not your ordinary comedian and never referred to himself as being one.Having watched this movie, I still have no idea of who the real Kaufman was and what drove him and went on in his head.

Don't get me wrong, Carrey is great, I mean he gets really absorbed by its character but he just isn't Kaufman. It perhaps makes his performance- as the entire movie a bit overrated.

 It's fun to see that lots of persons involving Kaufman's life and career play themselves in this movie such as most of the "Taxi" cast, Jerry Lawler and David Letterman. But the movie also features some other great 'real' actors such as Danny DeVito, Vincent Schiavelli, Paul Giamatti and Courtney Love.

 The movie focuses on Kaufman's entire career as a comedian (and wrestler!). Obviously a lot to put in a merely 2 hour movie but the movie manages very well to put the interesting and groundbreaking legendary things of his career into the movie. It also makes sure that the movie always keeps pace, though its not always for the best of the movie. Basically in a 15 minutes time-span we go from the beginning illness, to Kaufman's Carnegie Hall performance and his death. The movie doesn't leave much room for thinking. Perhaps also a reason why the movie remains pretty shallow, though the movie still has some good emotions in it.

 So the story-flow is a little offbeat at times and things happen to fast and are forgotten in the next sequence again. It's perhaps the only flow in the otherwise great directing (though the audience reaction in the movie were also distractingly overdone at times with lots of over-the-top laughing and standing ovations, as if Kaufman was some sort of God to everyone.) and entertainingly written story.

 It's definitely true that the movie focuses on the more merry aspects of Kaufman's life. For instance the birth of his give up for adoption child with his only 17 year old girlfriend is not mentioned at all in any form in the movie. The movie focuses on the humorous side of life and is made in the same style as Kaufman's kind of humor. Guess that the movie is pretty much like Kaufman himself would had liked it

But even if you weren't a Kaufman fan, I think this movie would be still one worth watching. It's greatly directed with good productions values and a solid cast.

 More entertaining than engaging or interesting really.

 7/10

 Watch trailer

Twins (1988) Directed by Ivan Reitman

Posted by: Frank Veenstra Posted date: 4:44 AM / comment : 0 , , , , , , , , ,





(Review originally written at 30 July 2006)

The fact that this movie is already widely regarded as a comedy classic has got very little to do with the quality of it or the story but more with the concept of having the huge and muscled Schwarzenegger as the twin brother of the short, balding and fat Danny DeVito. It's a ridicules and unlikely combination, which at the same time is the very best element of the entire movie.

But besides the original refreshing concept is the movie any good? I tend to say no. It is a movie that mostly relies on just its concept and not really that much on the story. The story is quite formulaic and typical '80's comedy stuff. Meaning that it also has a villainous criminal side-plot and love interest(s). Beside the two main characters, the rest of the characters are pretty shallow and uninteresting. Yet the movie manages to be entertaining and fun enough to watch thanks to just its silly concept alone.

It's obvious that Schwarzenegger is no talented comedy actor. It's fun to see how he makes fun of his own image but it doesn't feel really natural. But then again, in what other movie does Schwarzenegger show he is a good actor anyway? DeVito is obviously the more talented actor of the two. He times well and he plays his character convincing. The movie also has some other good supporting actors.

It's not really a movie with some great and memorable comical moments, with the exception of some fun moments with Schwarzenegger and DeVito. that are a direct result of its unlikely concept. But aside from its concept, the movie isn't really a memorable one.

The movie does have a good message in it about family values and accepting each other, without ever going to over-the-top with it, or gets too overdone. It's a well balanced comedy that is always fun, yet unlikely, to watch.

7/10

Watch trailer
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Copyright © 2014 Boba_Fett1138's movie reviews
⬆
Top