Movie Reviews

‘Evil Dead’ Remake Has its Moments, but it Could Have Been Better

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Seriously, I really wanted to love this remake of “Evil Dead” the way my fellow horror fans did. They seem to be thrilled about this one in ways they usually are not when it comes to remakes of any kind, and we knew way in advance that this remake was designed to be an incredibly gory delight. But while the filmmakers did their best to not just do the same old thing with their take on Sam Raimi’s immortal cult classic from 1981, the story of a group of young adults trapped in an old cabin and being terrorized by demons has now been told one too many times for it to thrill me anymore. Furthermore, they spent more time making this movie look bloody as hell instead of truly scary, and this is why it fell apart for me.

The character of Ash was wisely left out of this interpretation as no one would dare try to replace Bruce Campbell in this unforgettable role. Heck, even if Campbell was dead, no one would be recklessly stupid as to attempt such a foolish feat as replacing him in this role would be like replacing the late Richard Belzer as John Munch. Instead, the story centers around a young woman named Mia (Jane Levy) who has come to that horrific cabin in the woods to kick her opiate addiction once and for all. She is joined by her brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), with whom she has not always had the best relationship, and his sexy girlfriend, because guys like him just have to have one, Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore). Also present are her friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas) who have watched Mia go through detox before, and they are not sure they can handle her going through it again.

This “Evil Dead” takes its sweet time setting up the characters and their backstories before they discover the Naturom Demonto, best known as being the Book of the Dead. I loved how so many of the pages had things written on it such as DON’T SAY THESE WORDS OUT LOUD, and yet Eric, whose job as a high school teacher has made him quite cynical, just has to read them anyway. Besides, how is a horror movie supposed to work if nobody does anything incredibly stupid? Those faceless demons then make their way to the isolated cabin with the sole intention of possessing its inhabitants and then killing them off one by one. The question is, which one of them will be left standing at the end?

This remake was directed by Fede Alvarez who made the short film “Ataque de Pánico!” (aka “Panic Attack!”) which was a big hit on You Tube, and he would later go on to make the terrific horror thriller “Don’t Breathe.” He does not seem the least bit shy about giving us tons of blood and gore, and it made me wonder what graphic images he had to cut out in order to avoid an NC-17 rating. You have one character slicing their tongue in half, another tearing chunks of flesh out of their face, and yet another using a nail gun the same way Danny Glover used one in “Lethal Weapon 2.” And let us not forgot that one person who gets a chainsaw shoved into a part of their body which would eliminate the need for a tonsillectomy. Still, no NC-17. Perhaps this is because in this version, no one gets raped by a tree.

But while Alvarez and company put a lot of work into the gory effects, I wished they had put just as much effort into the story. Things are played a lot more seriously here than they need to be, and it would have been great if they included more of the original’s sense of humor which helped to make it so memorable. With this remake, the filmmakers are already at a disadvantage because this kind of story has been told to death far too many times already. We quickly know where the characters are heading once they mistake of unlocking the door to that darn cabin, and all we can do is wonder who will be the first to die and how.

Also, there is way too much shaky camerawork going and, when this remake came out, I was getting to the point where I can no longer defend anyone going overboard with this kind filmmaking. I used to get a kick out of shaky cam, but I have since come to believe this technique is best to Paul Greengrass.

As for the actors, the majority of them are just okay. Not that the cast of the original gave Oscar worthy performances, but they were a lot livelier than this bunch. The strongest performance comes from Jane Levy, best known for her work on the television shows “Shameless” and “Suburgatory,” as Mia. While her character is one messed up individual, Levy makes you get deeply involved in Mia’s plight from start to finish to where we never want to abandon her.

When all is said and done, it is impossible not to have had high expectations for this particular horror remake as Raimi, Campbell and Robert G. Tapert (producer of the original “Evil Dead”) were on board to make sure the fans got all the blood and gore they wanted. As a result, I knew this version would not be dumbed down into some lame PG-13 flick where all the edge was rendered moot for mass consumption. I did enjoy parts of it, and it did keep me entertained for the most part. But considering the talent involved, I expected it to be a lot more than what it was.

The great thing about the original “Evil Dead” was how Raimi was able to pull off so many clever and innovative shots on such a low budget. Alvarez was able to work with a much larger budget this time around ($17 million), but while he certainly does try his hardest, he cannot top what Raimi did or bring much of anything new to this material. I do have to give him some credit as he gets away with using practical special effects instead of throwing a bunch of cheap CGI crap at us. This is what helps to keep the goings on more entertaining than they should be. In no way should this remake seem like a total loss as it did give us filmmakers and actors who have since moved on to bigger and better things, and they deserve to be where they are at. Still, I wished I liked this version much more than I did.

I came out of this “Evil Dead” remake with some hope despite my mixed reaction to it as I wondered if it could possibly give Hollywood enough of a reason to give us a fourth film with Ash Williams following the events of “Army of Darkness.” People had been praying for a fourth “Evil Dead” film for years, and we finally got one in the form of a cable series entitled “Ash vs Evil Dead.” This proved to be loads of fun, but when it was all over, Campbell made it clear he was retiring the character once and for all as he could no longer tackle the physical and emotional punishment, but we have a new one entitled “Evil Dead Rise” which looks to reinvigorate the franchise in a whole other way. Here is hoping it is worth the wait.

By the way, for those of you who have not yet watched this “Evil Dead” remake, I implore you to sit through the end credits as there is a special surprise at the very end. Trust me, it is worth the wait. And, sad to say, it was my favorite part of this film.

* * ½ out of * * * *

‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ Movie and Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

I thought the first two “Magic Mike” films served two different purposes, but they were entertaining and fun in different ways.  The first “Magic Mike,” directed by Steven Soderbergh, was more artistic and character driven.  It was a good film with great performances and cinematography. In “Magic Mike XXL,” we got some comedic touches to the material, and it was a charming and fun journey.  “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” features style but very little substance and almost none of the charm of the second film.  Instead, we are left with a film which really serves no purpose. I really hope it is Magic Mike’s last dance because what else is left to explore with this franchise at this point?

Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) has fallen on hard times after his furniture business went under because of the pandemic.  He is now a bartender in Miami and trying to keep a low profile.  It’s not that he is ashamed of his past, it’s just that he is looking to leave it behind and move forward. While bartending, one of Mike’s former clients recognizes him, but she plays it cool because she is with her husband.  This information gets passed onto Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault) who offers him $6,000 for a dance.  He initially asked for $60,000, but they were able to settle on $6,000.  After he dances for her, she offers him a chance to earn that $60,000 in London, but she leaves out the details.

MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Caption: (L-r) SALMA HAYEK PINAULT as Maxandra Mendoza and CHANNING TATUM as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy “MAGIC MIKE’S LAST DANCE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

While in London, we discover Max is in the middle of a divorce and is now in possession of the Rattigan Theatre. She wants Mike to choreograph dance elements into “Isabel Ascende,” a play which was being run there before she arrived and shut it down.  When Mike and Max come together, they come up with the idea of incorporating erotic dance into the production in a way which will spice things up around town.  This, however, does not come without problems from her ex-husband, Roger (Alan Cox).  Max believes Mike can find a way to put something magical out there, even if it is for only one night, as he really made an impression on her back in Miami with his dancing.

One of the biggest problems with this film is the fact it does not feature the previous crew of dancers such as Kevin Nash, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer and Adam Rodriguez. They are only shown here on a brief Zoom call, where Mike promises to get them their money back after the furniture business they invested in with him went out of business.  The film was really missing their presence and chemistry together as a group.  Overall, the film does have some great dance numbers, especially the one in the beginning between Mike and Max and some big numbers at the end.  It is everything in the middle which just seems unnecessary and unimportant to the viewers.

I liked the chemistry between Tatum and Hayek Pinault. I wanted their relationship to develop more on screen from a character perspective instead of just being a physical attraction. I thought her personal assistant, Victor (Ayub Khan-Din), had some great one-liners and used his screen time wisely. More of his character would have been appreciated. Max’s adopted daughter, Zadie, played by Jemelia George in her first film role, also showed tremendous timing and screen presence.  There is a genesis for an entertaining film here, but at nearly two hours long, it’s a real slog to sit through from start to finish. The first two films were better than I expected them to be, but this one is a drag.  There is not a lot of enjoyment to be had here as this sequel is really flat and uninspired.

* * out of * * * *

Blu-ray Info: “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” is released on a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It has a running time of 112 minutes and is rated R for sexual material and language. This combo pack comes with the Blu-ray, DVD, and a digital copy of the film as well.

Video Info: The 1080p High-Definition transfer looks really, really good here. I’ve always been a big fan of the look and feel of Steven Soderbergh’s films, and this is no exception here. It has a crisp, clear look, but it also knows when to light up during the dance numbers.  This is a really, really good-looking Blu-ray.

Audio Info: The DTS-HD MA: English 5.1 audio transfer is also top notch with flawless sound.  It also comes on the following audio formats: Dolby Digital: English Descriptive Audio, French, and Spanish. Subtitles are in English, French, and Spanish.

Special Features:

Magic Mike’s New Moves

Deleted Scene

Should You Buy It?

I understand they wanted to do something different with the third film. They took it to London and added Hayek Pinault. They had good intentions here.  After all, this is Tatum’s baby, and he’s a producer on the film.  However, they left behind the boys from the first two films, and they are such a big part of this franchise. They added the flavor and the fun factor.  The film also takes itself too seriously with these voiceovers which come across as too self-important.  There are good intentions here, as I mentioned, but the execution is very poor. There is no meat on the bone with the screenplay here. I did not feel like I knew any of the other dancers all that well, and I wanted to know more about Hayek Pinault’s character besides the fact she is getting divorced from a wealthy businessman.  If this is on HBO one night, you can check it out.  I would not go out of my way to see it or buy it.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Rebel Without a Cause’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

James Dean only made three major motion pictures in his short career: “East of Eden,” “Rebel Without a Cause” and “Giant.”  Unfortunately, he tragically passed away in a car accident at only twenty-four-years old.  He will always be remembered as one of the greatest “What ifs?” in Hollywood history.  However, when people say the name James Dean or think of the man, they think of how naturally cool he was and how he was able to connect with a younger audience that was yearning to be seen and heard.  Dean had the ability to speak their language and get across that intense emotion and pain on screen.  Perhaps no film of his does a better job of this than “Rebel Without a Cause,” which still holds up incredibly well today.

The film is set in Los Angeles during the mid-1950’s, and as soon as the audience sees Jim Stark (James Dean) on screen, they know he is troubled and dealing with a lot of issues at home.  It is one of the reasons he is arrested for public intoxication.  His father, Frank (Jim Backus), is trying to connect with his son and be there for him, but Jim doesn’t exactly look up to him.  He sees the way his father is afraid of his wife, Carol (Ann Doran), and how she bosses him around.  Quite frankly, he doesn’t see his father as much of a man. While Jim is showered with material items, he is looking for something more out of his parents, and they are unable to provide that because they are always bickering with one another.  His mother’s solution to their problems is to always move to a new city.

No matter where they live, Jim never truly feels like he fits in or is living an authentic life. There is a tremendous line in the film from Jim Stark which sums up his feelings on life, “If I had one day when I didn’t have to be all confused and I didn’t have to feel that I was ashamed of everything. If I felt that I belonged someplace. You know?”  Even though he might partake in bad behavior, Ray (Edward Platt), a police officer in the juvenile unit, sees something in Jim and wants to help him and make sure he stays on the straight and narrow. Ray knows it’s not easy considering the life Jim has at home with his parents.  On the surface, everything looks fine and dandy with his parents.  Jim, however, sees through the façade his parents show to the world, and he is not buying it. As his friend Plato puts it, Jim is sincere.

There are two other kids he connects with through the juvenile ward in prison and at Dawson High, and they are Plato (Sal Mineo) and Judy (Natalie Wood).  Plato has mental health problems and is without a family or friends.  Jim is his friend, though, and Plato looks up to him as a father figure.  Judy is dealing with problems at home as well, as her father is not too happy with the fact his sixteen-year-old daughter is growing up.  He calls her a tramp and is disconnected from her.  The three of them form a tight bond and kinship after some time. One of the other kids at Dawson High, Buzz (Corey Allen), is looking to make life a living hell for Jim, first by challenging him to a knife fight and then to a dangerous game with fatal consequences.  This does not end well for Buzz, and it leaves Jim with some serious questions about what is the right thing to do in the aftermath of this accident. When he looks to his parents for advice and guidance, they give him answers which are not in line with Jim’s strict moral code of what is right and wrong.

Buzz’s gang is looking for revenge against Jim, and they are also concerned about the consequences they might face from the police. This whole ordeal brings Judy, Plato and Jim closer together, as they all share a common bond: feeling misunderstood from the world that has been presented to them by their families.  Plato has been left behind.  Yes, he gets money, but Plato would trade it all for the love of his parents instead of living with a caregiver.  Judy wants her father to understand she is growing up and not his little girl anymore, and he is fighting this at every turn.  With Jim, he has no respect for a father with no backbone and a controlling mother.  Together, they have their own little family, and it is quite beautiful to see as an audience member.  It reminds me of the old saying, “Friends are the family you choose.” This is a very powerful motion picture in so many ways, and it really struck a chord with me considering the lack of understanding and involvement my parents had in my own life growing up.

If you love acting as much as I do, you will love the acting of Dean and Wood as they are so tender and gentle together on screen.  If Dean had lived a lengthy life, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he would have been the next Marlon Brando.  Even though he is playing someone who is cooler than the other side of the pillow, he is also vulnerable, sensitive and relatable without ever coming across as weak.  He is simply human. Wood, in addition to being a real Hollywood beauty on screen, is tough but sweet, and she and Dean work perfectly together.  There is a scene where they are talking about love, and the way she is rubbing her chin on his face is simply beautiful and movie magic.

As soon as I finished this movie, I couldn’t wait to sit down on my laptop and start writing this review.  It was a film I had not seen in ages, so I felt like I was watching it for the first time.  It is directed by one of my favorite directors, Nicholas Ray, whose films include “In a Lonely Place,” “Bigger Than Life” and “They Live by Night.”  “Bigger Than Life,” in particular, is one of my favorite films of all time.  It deals with the side effects of medication that was way ahead of its time.  The films I’ve seen of Ray’s have all left me speechless as a viewer.  I give a slight nod to “Rebel Without a Cause,” but “Bigger Than Life” is also a really, really good film which I recommend you check out as soon as possible as it is part of the Criterion Collection.  With “Rebel Without a Cause” and “Bigger Than Life,” I almost feel like Nicholas Ray is speaking to me directly.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Rebel Without a Cause” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It is rated PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements and has a running time of 111 minutes.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film.

Video Info:  This is another fantastic release from Warner Brothers as they dig deeper into their rich history of classic films for their 100th year anniversary. The film is simply electric on Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range. There were scenes here and there which looked a little grainy, but they were cleaned up quickly and did not linger, so they were not massive issues. James Dean and Natalie Wood look GREAT on 4K, and the film itself is a stunner with rich, vivid colors which pop off the screen.

Audio Info:  Thankfully, we are treated to a great Dolby Atmos track with this 4K release, and I am really happy about that because out of the three films I received to review (“Rebel Without a Case,” “Cool Hand Luke” and “The Maltese Falcon”), this film was my favorite, and it received the best audio track. All of the sizzling dialogue is on display here, and it really pops with the Dolby Atmos track. Subtitles are included in English, French and Spanish as well.

Special Features:

Commentary by Douglas L. Rathgeb

“James Dean Remembered” (1974 TV special)

“Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents” (featurette)

“Dennis Hopper: Memories from the Warner Lot” (featurette)

Screen Tests

Wardrobe Tests

Deleted Scenes

Should You Buy It?

HECK YES!! If you have never seen any of James Dean’s films, this is the place to start, without question.  As a matter of fact, after watching “Rebel Without a Cause,” I bought “Giant” on Amazon, as I want to own as many of Dean’s films in 4K as possible. I am such a fan of actors who put so much of themselves and their histories into their films.  I didn’t know a lot about Dean’s backstory, but I knew he used a lot of his childhood to tap into this performance.  It shows in each and every scene as he is so raw, real and vulnerable for the camera. He likes the camera, and the camera likes him.  This film perfectly captures the disconnect between teenagers and their parents during this era without ever being preachy or too on-the-nose.  It hits all the right notes.  The late, great Natalie Wood is also a movie star on screen.  I am such a fan of this period of Hollywood where actors were taking chances and putting their blood, sweat and tears into their performances.  The film comes with the previously released Blu-ray special features, so there is not anything new as far as documentaries on Dean. The Dolby Atmos track is a very nice touch and, despite a few rough patches, the 4K video transfer is just about perfect. It is a red-hot movie in 4K, and I loved getting to watch it in this format. This is a day-one purchase without any hesitation, whatsoever.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘The Maltese Falcon’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“The Maltese Falcon” is a film I imagine I will enjoy a lot more on a second viewing, as this was my first time watching it. The reason I say this is because there are a lot of moving pieces in this film, and it is never boring.  However, at times, I found myself trying to follow the story and the plot instead of being as immersed in the story as I would have liked to have been.  Many people have called it the first-ever film noir.  Film noir is a genre that Humphrey Bogart excelled in throughout his career.  He had a rough look and a gruff voice.  He wasn’t going to take any nonsense from anyone, and no matter how dire a situation was, he always seemed to know what was going on, and he was not going to be rattled by the circumstances around him.

Humphrey Bogart plays a private investigator named Sam Spade.  He is in business with his partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan).  One day, a woman walks into their office by the name of Ruth Wonderly (Mary Astor), claiming her sister ran off from New York to San Francisco with a man named Floyd Thursby.  She is hoping that Spade and Archer can help her find her sister.  Archer agrees to look into it, but he ends up dead along with Floyd Thursby.  This captures the attention of Sam Spade, who is beginning to wonder the validity of her story.  Before long, he discovers that her real name is actually Brigid O’Shaughnessy.

Throughout all of this mystery and intrigue, Sam finds himself in the crosshairs of Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre), who offers Sam some money for a highly valued falcon statue.  There is also a young man named Wilmer (Elisha Cook Jr.) who is keeping his eyes on Sam along with Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet), a rotund money man who will stop at nothing to get his hands on this bird. Throughout all of the twists and turns, Sam isn’t sure who to believe, who to trust, and who is telling the truth. He stays in control and makes smart decisions, even when people are pointing their guns at him or he’s suspected of murder by the police.

One of the strong points of “The Maltese Falcon” is the running time. At 100 minutes, there is not a dull moment in the film.  It is paced perfectly and directed with great skill by John Huston. It has the look and feel that one would expect from a film noir.  You have your femme fatale in Mary Astor.  She’s brilliant here, as she’s able to go from vulnerable and naïve to cunning and savvy in the blink of an eye. Of course, you have Bogart, who made a living in Hollywood playing this type of character.  Guys liked and respected him, and women were drawn to his tough exterior. As mentioned earlier, he is always able to stay level-headed, even in life-or-death circumstances.  He still seems to know what to do and what to say to get himself out of a jam.

In the end, I respected and admired “The Maltese Falcon” as a film.  I can’t say I enjoyed it a ton because of the storytelling.  It’s not an overly complicated film, but at times, there are too many twists and turns happening at once.  That being said, I think the more I watch this film, the more I will enjoy it and have a better understanding of everything.  Because of the deception happening on screen and characters coming and going, it’s not that it was hard to follow, it’s more that I was keeping up with the plot instead of getting lost in it. I look forward to watching this film many more times in the future, as I think I will gain an even greater appreciation for the skilled acting and directing on display.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Maltese Falcon” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 100 minutes.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film. As far as the film’s rating, it is not rated, but that is not because it’s a raunchy film. It was released in 1941 and is very tame.

Video Info:  Ultra High Definition HDR always stands out on older films.  A lot of movie buffs like to talk about how older films are enhanced by a 4K transfer, and that is certainly the case here. From the swift movements of the characters to the deep blacks, this is a stunning transfer of a black and white film. Right now, 4K is doing some truly amazing work with classic Hollywood films.

Audio Info: The film is presented on the following audio formats: DTS-HD MA: English 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital: Spanish. Subtitles are included in English and Spanish as well.  The audio is crisp, clear, and all of the great dialogue you would expect from a film noir is easy to digest while watching this film.

 Special Features:

 Commentary by Humphrey Bogart Biographer Eric Lax

“Warner Night at the Movies”

“Sergeant York” Trailer

“New Highlights of the Roosevelt Churchill Parley” (newsreel)

“The Gay Parisian” (1941 WB short)

“Meet John Doughboy” (1941 WB cartoon)

The Maltese Falcon: One Magnificent Bird

Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart

Breakdowns of 1941 (WB short)

Make-up Tests

2/8/43 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast

9/20/43 Screen Guild Theater Broadcast

7/3/46 Academy Award Theater Broadcast

Trailers

1936 “Satan Met a Lady”

1941 “The Maltese Falcon”

Should You Buy It?

I don’t feel like I am really giving this film the credit it deserves, but keep in mind, this was my first time watching it.  I have always been a big believer that you need to watch a great film a few times in order to fully appreciate it.  It doesn’t always strike on the first chord.  There is a lot to like, especially the acting and the pacing of the plot, but the story took me out of it at times.  With all of that being said, if you are a fan of “The Maltese Falcon,” you owe it to yourself to buy it on 4K.  It looks fantastic here in black and white and in high dynamic range with its 4K transfer.  It’s such a moody film noir that truly gets a boost from 4K.  The special features are transferred over from the previously released Blu-ray, so if you are looking for anything new here, you are not going to find it, but I don’t expect anything new from a film that was released in 1941 as most, if not all, of the actors have passed away.  If you are a first-time viewer like myself, I still think you should buy it as you will get the slipcover and might enjoy it more than I did.  If you love the film and have seen it many times, you will enjoy it even more on 4K. I look forward to seeing what else Warner Brothers is going to be releasing throughout the year during their 100th year anniversary.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Cool Hand Luke’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When I think of a movie star, I think of someone who possesses the “it factor” and stands above the rest of the pack.  Paul Newman was a movie star, and I would argue it was never more prevalent than in the film “Cool Hand Luke.”  Of course, many can talk about his mesmerizing performances in films such as “The Verdict,” “The Hustler,” “Slap Shot” or “The Sting.”  However, in “Cool Hand Luke,” he burns up the screen and you can’t take your eyes off of him.  It’s such a minimalistic performance, but it is captivating, spellbinding and intense.  There is no wasted moment or line of dialogue from this legendary actor here.  When I think of Newman, I think of this film.

After World War II, Luke (Paul Newman) finds himself knocking over parking meters while under the influence of alcohol, which lands him a two-year stay in prison.  Upon entering the chain gain of prison, Luke keeps to himself, but he has this unique and magnetic presence about him without even trying to do anything out of the ordinary. There is an aura about him which keeps people interested in him and talking about him.  There is a story behind the man, but the film allows those layers to unfold throughout.   Many of those working on the chain gang in this prison camp seem to fall in line and follow orders.  Luke, on the other hand, is not a fan of authority. He likes to ruffle their feathers, especially when it comes to Boss Godfrey (Morgan Woodward) and the Captain (Strother Martin).

He endears himself to his fellow prison mates by playing cards, trying to escape, and even having a contest where he says he can eat fifty eggs in an hour.  They start to see hope and light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to Luke.  As the title says, he is cool.  Every little thing about him is cool and laid-back.  Even when his attempts to escape don’t go as planned, he flashes that famous Paul Newman smile with those baby blue eyes and rolls with the punches.  He refuses to be defeated or get angry about his situation.  Instead, he is looking for solutions.  One of his closest friends there is Dragline, played by George Kennedy, in an Academy-Award winning performance.

Throughout the prison, we also see legendary actors such as Dennis Hopper and Harry Dean Stanton, which I really appreciated as I’m a huge fan of their careers. Director Stuart Rosenberg knows how to show the mundane of prison life without ever making it feel boring or uninteresting.  Much like Newman, he doesn’t waste a single scene or shot here.  Everything here has a rhyme and a reason to it. The film has a lot of outdoor scenes, and they look absolutely stunning in 4K.  This is truly one of the best-looking 4K films I’ve watched in a while.  The sunshine and the light symbolize what Luke brings to the prisoners.  He lets them know there is more to life than digging ditches.

I don’t think the anti-hero has ever been portrayed as well on screen as it is here by Newman.  The fact he’s not trying to be liked is what makes us, as an audience, like him even more.  It’s all natural.  This is a man who is in prison along with a host of prisoners that have done various crimes.  They admit that.  The film is able to make us like all of them, Dragline especially, and really root for them to get out from under the thumb of this rigid prison and its rules.  In many ways, I feel like “Cool Hand Luke” was a film in 1967 that was ahead of its time.

There are so many great quotes from the film that I could spend a good portion of my review reciting them. I’ll stick to the famous one, which is, “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” This quote was also used in the opening of the Guns N’ Roses song “Civil War”.  This film is a powerful masterpiece.  As someone who is a big believer in anti-establishment and someone who doesn’t always like to play by the rules, “Cool Hand Luke” is a film which resonated with me. You might knock Luke down and you might have him on the ropes, but he is not going to go down without a fight.  He is also going to smile in your face, no matter what happens to him or how much you push him.  He’s never going to lose that smile.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Cool Hand Luke” is released on a two-disc 4K/Blu-ray combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running-time of 126 minutes and is rated PG.  Keep in mind, the ratings system was run much differently during this time.  It’s not an overly violent film, and I don’t recall a ton of curse words in it.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film.

Video Info: “Cool Hand Luke” never looked bad on Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range.  The film looks stunning and crystal clear.  As I mentioned, a good portion of the scenes take place outside, and it’s a colorful and bright looking film without being too bright where it’s going to hurt your eyes.  They did a tremendous job of cleaning this picture up, as I loved every second of this beautiful transfer.  I tip my cap to the fine folks over at Warner Brothers on this one.

Audio Info:  The same can be said for the audio which comes on DTS-HD MA: English 2.0 Mono and Dolby Digital: Spanish and French. Subtitles are also included in English, Spanish, and French.  The audio is crystal clear throughout, and all of the tremendous dialogue can be heard without any issues whatsoever.

Special Features:

Commentary by Historian/Paul Newman Biographer Eric Lax

A Natural-Born World-Shaker: Making Cool Hand Luke

Trailer

Should You Buy It?

You are buying this for the movie itself as well as the audio and visual aspects that Warner Brothers have put together for this tremendous release. You are not buying it for the special features, which I’ve talked about in previous reviews.  I’m a big believer in preserving film history, and I love that it is the 100th anniversary of Warner Brothers because they are digging deep into their archives with releases of some of the greatest films ever made.  They are also taking the time to make sure they are seen and heard in the highest video and audio quality possible.  They are not just upgrading these films to re-release them.  They are making sure, as a viewer, you are not only going to enjoy a classic film, but that you are going to enjoy it in 4K with a transfer worthy of the film itself.  Because of this, it is up to us, as film collectors and lovers, to support and purchase films like “Cool Hand Luke” on 4K.  It ensures us that we will get more great physical media releases in the future. I can’t recommend this film and this visual presentation any further. Buy it right now!

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Bridesmaids’ – Do Not Mistake This Film for an Average ‘Chick Flick’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“Bridesmaids” looks like it has “chick flick” written all over it to where many, including myself, were not quick to rush out and see this film when it arrived in movie theaters everywhere. But having since watched it, I can confirm this is not your average “chick flick” in the slightest. Moreover, it will appeal to a wider audience than its title might suggest. There is nothing groundbreaking about “Bridesmaids” as it initially comes across as a typical formulaic comedy, but the laughs do come at us fast, many of them gut busters. But seriously, it also has a lot of heart and makes you care about the characters very much to where we can easily relate to their struggles.

Kristen Wiig, one of the most acclaimed alums of “Saturday Night Live”  who co-wrote this film’s screenplay with Annie Mumolo, stars as Annie Walker, a single underachiever whose cake shop went bankrupt due to the recession, and who is currently having sex with Ted (an uncredited John Hamm), a man who sees her as nothing more than a fuck buddy. Then she finds out that her best friend since childhood, Lillian (Maya Rudolph, another “SNL” vet) has gotten engaged, and Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor. From there, we know things are going to go south between these two as the road to any marriage is filled with endless speed bumps which lead many to encourage others to elope instead.

Complications arise almost immediately when Annie meets Lillian’s other BFF, Helen Harris (Rose Byrne), a beautiful and wealthy woman who seems to have everything together in her life. The resentment and insecurity between these Annie and Helen are evident on their faces following their first encounter. This is made even clearer when both toast Lillian and then try to top each other in showering their love on her, attempting to prove who is the better best friend.

Things get even more complicated when Lillian selects the rest of her maids of honor. They include Becca (Ellie Kemper) who loves wedding and pities Annie because she is not currently engaged to anyone, Megan (Melissa McCarthy) who is as aggressive as they come, and Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey) who may very well be the unhappiest wife and mother on the face of the Earth as well as the most consistently drunk of the bunch. With all these different personalities working together, will the road to this wedding be a happy one? Was Donald Trump always faithful to Melania?

What I really loved about “Bridesmaids” was the same thing I also loved about “Knocked Up;” the characters are very down to earth and easy to relate to. Being that Judd Apatow is a producer on both films, this should have been obvious from the start. These characters are real people with real problems which are not far removed from our own, and we come to care deeply about each and every character here. It does not matter if none of you have ever been a bridesmaid. As for you men, being groomsman is enough qualification to understand the headaches in planning matrimony.

“Bridesmaids” also a film where facial expressions at times speak more loudly than words. It certainly does have great dialogue, but the looks on these actresses’ faces is what really cracked me up. They say one thing, but their eyes tell us what is really on their mind. This goes for the men in as well, and they all seem to pale in comparison to the females in terms of inner strength. We see right through each character, and the tension resulting from a possible slip of the tongue is always in the air.

This film proved to be the true cinematic breakthrough for Wiig. When I have seen her in other films, she always seems to be doing a riff on her most deadpan characters from “SNL” whether she is appearing in “Knocked Up” or “MacGruber.” But as Annie Walker, Wiig really inhabits this character and gives her life in a way we did not get to see her do previously. She makes us embrace Annie as a kindred spirit because we have all felt the way she feels; lost in a world she feels betrayed by, and desperately trying to hold on to what means the most to her.

Maya Rudolph is equally wonderful here as the bride to be, Lillian. She previously showed us in Sam Mendes’ “Away We Go” what a great actress she can be, and she vividly reminds us of our best friends from childhood. Lillian runs through a gamut of emotions as her road towards marriage start off wonderfully and then eventually turn into an unmitigated disaster. In a pivotal scene in which Lillian about to leave her apartment for the last time, Rudolph shows us a worry and concern which we all see within ourselves from time to time. Not once does she portray Lillian as your usual clichéd character, and this says so much about what she is capable of.

Rose Byrne proves to be a delight as Helen, and her beautiful face and eyes cannot quite mask the growing resentment she has towards Annie. This character could have easily turned into your typical one-dimensional villainess, but by the end we discover tshe and Annie are not all that different. Byrne makes you like Helen despite her overly meddling ways, and she has since proven to be a strong presence in every motion picture she has appeared in.

But out of all the characters here, the one who stands out the most is Megan who is portrayed in a deservedly Oscar nominated performance by Melissa McCarthy. Overweight and raunchy whenever she wants to be, McCarthy is a trye comedic powerhouse when the camera focuses on her. Seducing airplane passengers and showing no shame in what she is, she makes Megan a strong character and never once digresses into making her a cloyingly sentimental one.

“Bridesmaids” was directed by Paul Feig, Mr. Eugene Pool from “Sabrina, The Teenage Witch” and the creator of “Freaks and Greeks;” a brilliant show that like many other brilliant shows which aired on network television lasted only one season. With this film, he manages to find humor even in the most painful of moments and never makes the comedy too overly broad. Sure, some scenes are broadly played, but Feig remembers comedy can only work if you truly care about the characters.

Looking back, “Bridesmaids” proved to be one of the best comedies to be released back in 2011, and no man out there should dismiss it as a film only women would be interested in. The audience for this one proved to be far more diverse than its promotion may have suggested. Plus, you have Wiig and Rudolph on display here, and they always kick ass! If you liked them on “Saturday Night Live,” you are bound to love them here.

* * * * out of * * * *

WRITER’S NOTE: This film marked the very last screen performance of actress Jill Clayburgh who passed away in November 2010 from leukemia. She is a wonderful presence here as Annie’s mother, Judy Walker. May she rest in peace.

Crap From the Past: ‘Safe Haven’ – Another Misbegotten Nicholas Sparks Adaptation

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS AS IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FILM WITHOUT GIVING CERTAIN THINGS AWAY. IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT RUINED FOR YOU, SEE IT BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW.

I must confess, I have not read any of Nicholas Sparks’ books nor have I seen any other cinematic adaptations of them before I sat down to watch “Safe Haven.” As a result, I am not sure whether to blame him or the screenwriters for ripping off the plot of “Sleeping with the Enemy” for this misbegotten effort. Those expecting this to equal the greatest of Sparks’ cinematic adaptations, “The Notebook,” will be severely disappointed as even those who have not seen that Julia Roberts starring vehicle will be confident in admitting this one falls way short. “Safe Haven” lacks any sense of originality, and it is completely undone by a couple of ludicrous plot twists which sink any legitimate reason for this film to exist at all. Furthermore, watching it reminded me of why I typically avoid romance movies in general.

Julianne Hough from the “Footloose” remake and “Dancing with the Stars” stars as Katie Feldman, and at the start we see Katie running for her life for reasons which are later made clear. Katie is ever so desperate to avoid police detective Kevin Tierney (David Lyons) to where she even makes herself look pregnant in the hopes it will throw him off. She ends up escaping his clutches and takes a bus out to the small town of Southport, North Carolina where she hopes to start a new life.

Look, I love how people want to escape a dark past by moving to a new town, but for some immensely stupid reason they move to one which is not all that far away from the place they used to live. Word to the wise: if you want to move away to where no one can find you, try moving to another state or country. Even with the advances in today’s technology which typically render anonymity a joke, you have a better chance of not being found out if you go to a place you cannot drive to in one day’s time.

Anyway, Katie gets a job as a waitress at a local restaurant and ends up leasing a beautiful apartment out in the woods. Of course, where she found the money for such a place is beyond me and every other audience member. We know she is looking to avoid any personal connections as the last one she was involved in caused her a lot of psychological damage, but someone as adorably cute as her is bound to find a suitor whether she wants one or not. That suitor comes in the form of Alex Wheatley (Josh Duhamel from the god awful “Transformers” movies), a widow with two kids. Alex lost his wife to cancer a few years ago, and he is having trouble relating to his kids, especially his son. Guess who fills the missing part of his life…

Okay, as much as I despised “Safe Haven,” I do have to admit that Hough and Duhamel have good chemistry together and make a cute couple here. Hough herself has a wonderful earthiness which makes her seem more down to earth than other actresses I could quickly think of while watching this film. Even if her range as an actress goes only so far, she has a very appealing presence here even if it might seem a bit too vanilla for some.

As for Duhamel, he does himself good by not giving an emotive performance as Alex. I expected him to be overdoing it for the whole film, but he doesn’t make his character a whiny little bitch or the typical self-pitying widow who often inhabits the romance genre. Alex has suffered a terrible tragedy in his life by losing his wife far too soon, but we see him moving on as well as he can, and he does not waste much time bemoaning what is missing in his life.

Now I mentioned at the start of this review how this film is essentially a rip off of “Sleeping with the Enemy,” and this proves to be the case even before the first big twist is revealed. We watch as the Kevin becomes increasingly obsessive in discovering where Katie is hiding out as it becomes implied that she is wanted for first degree murder. But it eventually becomes to light that Katie is actually Kevin’s husband, and from there I knew exactly where the story was heading which had me rolling my eyes endlessly as a result.

There is a flashback sequence in which we see what drove Katie and Kevin apart, and watching it made me wonder what Katie ever saw in this creep in the first place. In a lot of ways, I feel sorry for Lyons, best known for his work on the television series “ER” and “Revolution,” because I am sure he came into this project believing he was not just playing any ordinary villain, but this is essentially what Kevin Tierney is. The character is here to give us someone to despise, and he really serves no other purpose to this film beyond that.

I was also amazed at how Katie stabbed Kevin pretty hard with a kitchen knife. We do not see where he has been stabbed exactly as this is a PG-13 movie, and yet he somehow recovers from this knife wound in record time. Maybe the American health care system is slightly more effective than we think, but even the smallest of stab wounds still require an extended period of time to recover from. No one just jumps out of bed a day after a sharp object is inserted into their body as the word “ouch” takes on a very significant meaning when this happens.

Furthermore, Kevin spends a good portion of “Safe Haven” being drunk as a skunk. Now maybe this explains how he copes with the pain he is forced to endure from that knife wound, but seeing Kevin trying to outdrink Denzel Washington’s character in “Flight” renders him unintentionally hilarious as a result. While this character is meant to be a frightening presence in “Safe Haven,” all he really ends up being is an abysmal idiot who is lucky to have survived as long as he has. The fact he still has a pulse by this film’s midpoint is quite astonishing to say the least.

But then comes “Safe Haven’s” second big plot twist, and this one is ripped off from “The Sixth Sense.” At the end, we come to discover one of Katie’s friends whom she has confided in throughout is actually not alive and died some time ago. As a result, I kept waiting for Katie to say “I see dead people.” This ludicrous revelation calls into question everything we have seen up to this point. Are certain characters here meant to be delusional, or is it just circumstance that they are talking to a walking corpse? If the filmmakers wanted to make “Safe Haven” the romantic movie answer to “The Usual Suspects” or any of what my friends would call “mind fuck” motion pictures, they failed miserably.

Speaking of which, the director of “Safe Haven” is Lasse Hallström, and his career as a director has always fascinated me. He has gone from directing such great movies like “My Life as a Dog,” “The Cider House Rules” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” to pure drivel like this and “Dear John.” You are never sure if his next film is going to be way too sentimental or not sentimental enough, but this time he outdoes him by being cloyingly manipulative. While he still does an admirable job of getting good performances from his cast, I came out of this film hating him for playing with the audience’s emotions so shamelessly.

I don’t know, maybe I should read Sparks’ novels to see if what did not work in a movie actually works better on the written page. I am sure there are a lot of reasons why he remains a best-selling author after so many years, but watching “Safe Haven” makes me wonder what those reasons are. This film is far too silly to be taken seriously, and the absurdity of its plot twists makes the whole endeavor feel like a pointless cinematic adventure.

Following this misbegotten motion picture, I did my best to avoid any kind of romantic movies. Granted, there have been some like “What If?” which surprised me, but there have been others such as “The Choice” which was also based on one of Sparks’ novels. If you do not see many reviews of romantic movies or romantic comedies on this website, I am sure you will understand why.

* ½ out of * * * *

‘John Wick Chapter 4’ – Still Trying to Kill the Unkillable

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

If there is to be a fifth “John Wick” film in our future, or perhaps this can be included in the upcoming spinoff entitled “Ballerina,” in which a father and son visit a memorial which stretches out for a couple of miles. Their dialogue would be comprised of the following:

“Daddy, what is the wall?”

“Well son, this is a memorial for all the people killed by John Wick, a professional hitman and assassin.”

“Wow, there are so many names up there!”

“I know son. Funny thing is, this memorial was opened up the public before those who constructed it realized they had another mile or two to add on. Just when everyone thought John could not kill another soul, he somehow found the strength to kill another human who was sent out to kill him.”

“Why did so many try to kill him dad?”

“Because there was a bounty on his head son, one to the tune of around $20 million dollars.”

“Daddy, are all these names up here to show they did not die in vain?”

“Actually son, it was quite the opposite. This memorial is proof of what happens when you put greed above everything else.”

Right from the start, the “John Wick” movies have shown how its title character is a human being somewhere in between the 1980’s action heroes portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, and John McClane from “Die Hard.” On one hand, John looks to be super-human as he dishes out punishment while taking quite a large number of brutal hits in return, but thanks to Keanu Reeves, who continues to do some of his best work in these films, this character remains fully human as he is not without a soul and is looking to find peace in a world which appears very much devoid of it, particularly for him.

“John Wick Chapter 4” starts not too long after the events of “John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum” in which he found himself betrayed by the High Table. Since then, he has lived in an underground bunker with The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) who has helped nurse him back to health. Suffice to say, John’s bloody knuckles are a sign that he is ready to fight yet another battle. Of course, what makes this even clearer is the following dialogue:

The Bowery King: “You ready, John?”

John Wick: “Yeah.”

But the fact that John Wick is still alive does not sit well with Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard, who always looks like he is about to start singing “I’m Sexy and I Know It”) who chastises Winston Scott (Ian McShane) and his friend Charon (the late Lance Reddick) for failing to kill this dog-loving assassin. To see that the job finally gets done, Marquis hires Caine (Donnie Yen), a blind assassin who also happens to be an old friend of John’s. Caine is not keen on taking the job, and he shudders once he realizes what name he is reading on a braille card to where he does not even need to spell it all out. As these two come to blows, it does not take much to see how they are both victims of circumstances beyond their control as they fight to protect what they love most.

Director Chad Stahelski knows what we want and expect from a “John Wick” film when we enter then theater, but he is smart to not start things off with too big a bang. During its 169-minutes, he takes his time to reintroduce us into the world John inhabits and of the people in his universe who either benefit or suffer from his deadly actions. And when those action scenes suddenly take flight, you can bet it will take not one or two, but close to a dozen bullets to take out a single bad guy. Watching this, it makes me wonder if John will suddenly run out of bullets at the worst possibly moment.

When it comes to Reeves, many love to joke about what a bad actor he is. As for myself, I feel the need to defend him from time to time even if his work in “Knock Knock” remains too painful to endure. The truth is, he is one of the main reasons the “John Wick” movies work as well as they do. In this latest installment, he receives the deepest of bruises, is almost hung from a noose, has a tattoo searingly burned into one of his arms and ends up falling down more flights of concrete stairs than Father Karass did in “The Exorcist,” and yet he still comes out of all of this standing tall. Even if you wonder if John ever gets any sleep, has any time to go to the bathroom or if one ice bath a day is enough for him, Reeves makes you believe he can endure the worst and yet still come out of it all with a pulse. Even when a supporting character utters to John why he doesn’t just die, he makes you realize he is not about to or, at least, not yet.

Other than that, “John Wick Chapter 4” contains a lot of great things such as Ian McShane’s performance as he plays Winston Scott in a far more gleeful than he did previously, Clancy Brown who proves to be a wonderful addition as a high-ranking High Table operative called the Harbinger, a thrillingly propulsive music score composed by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard, and striking cinematography from Dan Laustsen.

Still, I do need to single out another performance here, and it is the one from Donnie Yen, As Caine, he shows how the blind can see things better than those who still have their eyesight, so it should be no surprise when he easily takes out his devilish opponents with something like the sound of a doorbell. Like John, Caine is in a position not of his own making, and Yen does an excellent job of showing the painful conflicts this character is forced to deal with. As much as he does not want to be in this position, you know he is not about to go easy on his prey. But will he enjoy taking down his target? That remains to be seen.

While watching “John Wick Chapter Four,” I was reminded of what happened after Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” became such a worldwide phenomenon. Hollywood quickly greenlit a number of martial arts films heavy stunts, but none of them were anywhere as successful. Some studio executives proclaimed that these films had the best fight choreographers available, but they clearly missed the point. The best action films out there are not just about stunts, but also about characters with moral dilemmas they are constantly entangled in. Whether or not they win the day, they still wonder what will become of them once all the violence ends.

The ”John Wick” films are not just about stunts; they are about the characters which inhabit them. This is what makes all the amazing stunt work, and it is infinitely amazing here, so bloody effective. Whether or not you consider “John Wick Chapter Four” to be one of the best movies ever made, it is clearly one of the greatest action flicks to come out in recent years, and seeing it once is not enough. More importantly, you have got to check it out on the silver screen with the biggest audience in town.

By the way, there is a post credit scene I encourage you to stick around for. And yes, this film is dedicated to the memory of Lance Reddick, yet another actor who tragically left us far too soon. Rest in peace Lance…

* * * * out of * * * *

‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’ – One of the Best Musicals Ever!

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Walt Disney Pictures has released many classic animated movies over the years, but none of them compare to the sheer anarchic lunacy of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s “South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut.” While “Beauty and the Beast, “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” have given us songs not easily forgotten, so many other Disney animated musicals have only stayed in our minds for so long before they are easily forgotten, and they only dream of being as tuneful as this 1999 animated musical. It takes advantage of its big screen format to mercilessly satirize the MPAA (or the MPA as it is known as these days), hypocrisy, and of various musicals we all grew up with.

One does not have to be a fan of “South Park” to enjoy this movie. The characters of Stan, Cartman, Kenny and Kyle are introduced to the audience in wonderful fashion through the opening song “Mountain Town,” and they go off to the local movie theater for the opening day premiere of “Asses of Fire,” a Canadian film starring their favorite comedy duo of Terrence and Phillip. They are, however, denied admission as the movie has been rated R by the ever-reliable MPAA. But instead of paying for a PG-13 movie and sneaking into “Asses of Fire,” they pay a homeless guy to be their adult guardian. It sure saves on the anxiety of getting caught and kicked out of the theater by that one usher who actually bothers to follow the rules.

All four of them love “Asses Of Fire,” and this movie could be seen as the way parents view “South Park” on Comedy Central. The song “Uncle Fucka” ends up outdoing anything Parker and Stone ever did on the show. Hilariously profane without setting any limits for decency’s sake, it sets off this powder keg of a musical in an unforgettably hilarious style. Stan, Cartman, Eric, and Kenny brag of how cool they are for seeing Terrence and Phillip on the silver screen, and they gleefully spout off the vulgar profanity from the film to the shock and delight of their fellow classmates.

But it does not take long for their parents to discover what their kids been up to, and they end up doing what just about any loving parent would do; blame someone other than themselves. Parental hypocrisy is one of the big targets of “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” as the parents here all refuse to take any sort of responsibility for their children’s behavior. Instead, they launch an all-out war against Canada as Terrence and Phillip originated from the country, and also because, you know, why not?

Kids are far more of aware of hypocrisy when it confronts them, and in many ways this movie is seen through the eyes of a child. Their parents’ intention to obliterate a country just because a comedy duo inadvertently taught kids some utterly hideous words is completely ridiculous, but so was George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq. The media, movies and music are such easy targets even though they are emotional outlets, and those in power are quick to criticize them and suggest legislation to limit what they seem as their immoral influence for no good reason other than to put the more conservative population of America (a.k.a. white people) at ease.

Kenny also gets a bigger part than he ever had in the television show as he, of course, dies and ends up going to hell. When he arrives, he meets Satan who is far more vulnerable and sensitive than various depictions of him in popular culture have led us to believe. But the bigger problem though is Satan’s boyfriend who is none other than Saddam Hussein as he is shown to have died years before he actually did in real life. Saddam treats Satan like crap while Satan begs for him to be an affectionate partner in all things love. Satan also does his “Little Mermaid” number of how he yearns to be “up there” on Earth and above ground. Where else can one find Satan be more kind hearted than Saddam Hussein, let alone groups of parents?

This movie also satirizes those most famous of Broadway musicals such as “Les Miserables” on top of all those Walt Disney animated musicals we were raised on. In the process, both Parker and Stone, along with composer and lyricist Marc Shaiman, created the best musical Hollywood has seen in years. The songs are brilliant and insidiously, let alone gleefully, inspired as they stay with you long after you have finished watching this particular animated classic.

Seriously, after watching “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” who can forget songs like “Blame Canada,” which should have won the Best Original Song Oscar over “You’ll Be in My Heart,” or “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” For me, however, the real showstopper here is “Uncle Fucka” in which Parker, Stone and Shaiman deign to portray from their critics’ point of view of how the critics view the show “South Park” as opposed to the rational way any other decent human being would. Perhaps it might be easy to say that the music and songs here are brilliant because of the uninhibited profanity on display, but each song gets at a deeper meaning beneath its shamelessly filthy lyrics.

The other great thing about this “South Park” movie is how it is proof Parker and Stone did not sell out. They could have made this into a PG-13 comedy and would have made three times more money in the process, but they both resisted Paramount Pictures urging to tone things down and succeeded in taking the show beyond the stifling confines of television. Seeing them stick to their guns is highly commendable, but perhaps it should not be seen as a surprise as they go after everything and everyone, and the show no hesitation in biting the hand that feeds them (Comedy Central).

All these years later, “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” remains uproarious as ever. The MPAA (a.k.a. the MPA) remains an overly conservative bunch of hypocrites who give NC-17 ratings to movies for all the wrong reasons, and parents continue to blame others for the ills of their children and society. Thankfully, this is not a motion picture that can be easily relegated to the Disney vault for an “anniversary release” twenty years into the future. Trey Parker and Matt Stone still fight the good fight, and the big screen version of their brilliant television show became a brilliant musical, which later led to others like “Team America” and the Broadway smash “The Book of Mormon.”

Like Kenny, “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’s” legacy will never die. But, like Kenny, if it ever does die, it will eventually be resurrected sooner than we think.

* * * * out of * * * *

‘Moon’ – Sam Rockwell Lost in Space

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This review was written in 2010, long before a certain actor in this film became quite the pariah.

You know, in retrospect, maybe 2009 wasn’t such a bad year for science fiction movies. It’s just that the stench from some of the biggest movies in that genre lasted much longer than the memories we had of the movies we saw.

With “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” we sadly watched a strong franchise fall victim to a prequel which lacked the thrills and the complex characters that made the three previous entries so good. “Terminator Salvation” will probably be remembered best for Christian Bale’s angry rant on set than with what ended up onscreen.

And then came “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” and I still have the impulse to bitch and moan about that sequel whenever necessary. Michael Bay left a giant robot turd for us which we just couldn’t resist seeing, so it of course made hundreds of millions of dollars. It put such an enormous dent in my enjoyment of things science fiction, and I am still getting over my frustration with it even after all this time.

But getting past that awful stench, there were a number of sci-fi gems to be found in 2009. “Star Trek” turned out to be an enormous surprise and a fantastic piece of entertainment. Imagine that, a prequel heading in unpredictable directions. And although I keep running into more and more haters of this one, “Avatar” for me was a great reminder of why experiencing movies on the big screen with an audience can be so much fun. And let us not forget “District 9,” a film that paralleled the Apartheid movement which overtook South Africa for far too long. These films were so good that I believe they will stand the test of time as opposed to the others which let me down to an infinite degree.

And then there is “Moon” which came out in limited release and did not have the same publicity as those big blockbusters did. This one proved to be the most thought provoking and original sci-fi movie of 2009. Granted, it does borrow from many classics of the genre like “2001” and “Alien” to name a few, but first-time director Duncan Jones takes all these influences and molds them into a motion picture which feels very fresh compared to what we generally get year to year. Jones is also aided greatly by another in a long line of superb performances from Sam Rockwell who is more or less doing a solo show this time out.

Rockwell plays Sam Bell, an employee of Lunar Industries who is under a 3-year contract to extract Helium-3 from the moon’s surface; a natural gas which will provide much needed clean energy back on Earth. You would figure he would get more than just a robot companion as company during all this time far from home. But I guess corporations managed to find a way to cut the whole workforce down to one person in the future, hence saving them an obscene amount of money for themselves. Sam’s only human contact is the messages he gets from his wife and infant daughter as well as his superiors who are always checking on his progress. For him, it must be like staying at “The Shining’s” Overlook Hotel with outer space to deal with instead of snow. But at least here, he is spaced out instead of snowed in.

While doing his daily work on the land rover, Sam crashes and is knocked unconscious. When Sam comes to, he is back in the lunar base but has no idea of how he got back. He also ends up hallucinating to where he sees a little girl he does not know. In short, a number of things happen to where he goes outside the base and back to the damaged harvester to find someone barely alive: himself. To reveal more would be criminal because it would spoil the many surprises this film has for you.

For a moment, I thought “Moon” was an adaptation of another Philip K. Dick novel like “Blade Runner” or “Total Recall.” It turns out, however, it is not, but “Moon” does deal with some of the same themes. How would you feel if one day you woke up and found you were not who you thought you were? Would you continue on in life if you found you were nothing more than a copy of another person? How long can a secret be kept before it comes out into the open? While scientists may continue to play around with the evolution of human beings, they can never fully control the desires and actions of them. Throughout history, humanity has always found a way to break through its collective suppression to get at a reality which cannot be forever contained.

As I said, “Moon” borrows from many other sci-fi movies. The design of the lunar base looks much like the Nostromo from “Alien,” and a lot of the lettering and fonts seem very similar to those seen in “Aliens.” And there is no mistaking the influence “2001: A Space Odyssey” had on this film, especially with Sam’s robot companion GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey). Instead of an eerie looking red dot like HAL, GERTY has a smiley face which illustrates the different emotions which better relate to Sam’s emotional needs. This is that same smiley face Wal-Mart co-opted, and although this company is not mentioned here, seeing that icon makes me believe this particular corporate monolith may very well have the last laugh on the unions and remain more dominant in the future. Be afraid. Be very afraid…

Other directors would just take these elements and throw them up onto the screen without much forethought. Jones, however, takes all these familiar elements and more than makes them his own. “Moon” looks familiar in some ways, but it feels quite unique in others.

But what is especially impressive about “Moon” is how it was made for only $5 million dollars. Most sci-fi movies these days cost at least $150 million, and this does not include advertising and other promotion costs. Heck, when I see a sci-fi movie that costs only $30 million, I expect subpar effects and am usually forgiving about them. But Jones takes the budget he has and makes everything look like it cost ten times as much. I guess this further proves what Robert Rodriguez said about having less money forces you to be more creative.

“Moon” also benefits from an excellent music score by Clint Mansell whose career as a film composer keeps getting better and better. His music adds a strong emotional quality that strengthens our need to understand Sam on an emotional level. Ever since “Pi” and “Requiem for a Dream,” Mansell has proven to be one of the most original sounding composers working today, and the musical themes he typically deals with are perfectly suited to this kind of material.

In the end though, this is Rockwell’s show, and he has quite a challenge as he is essentially acting opposite himself. You have to wonder how an actor plays off of himself and yet makes it look so natural at the same time. Rockwell has become better known for playing bad guys or heavies in mainstream movies, but he is more than capable of playing outside of that and continues to prove so in movies like this, “Frost/Nixon,” and “Choke” to name a few. In giving his character a strong complexity to someone who may not really actually be human ends up forcing you to identify more with something which may simply look like a machine from the outside. As a result, you could say that “Moon” also has a bit of “A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” in it as well.

And I do not want to leave out Kevin Spacey whose voice as GERTY creates a soothing trust Sam wants to hold on to and, at other times, test. GERTY is HAL but without the homicidal tendencies, and that has to be reassuring if you are stuck on the moon with no one else but a robot. Spacey makes GERTY seem like more than just a robot, and he makes us see how GERTY more in common with Sam than at first glance.

“Moon” is easily one of the most intelligent sci-fi movies of 2009, and it got lost in the shuffle of all the other big Hollywood releases, both bad and good. It deserves a long shelf life at your local video store, if there are any left where you live. In the end, it will last much longer in the memory than Michael Bay’s desecration of all things Hasbro. But enough of that one already…

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