Joe Pantoliano

‘The Fugitive’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

It’s rare I use the word perfect to describe a film, but it certainly applies to 1993’s “The Fugitive.”  Now, when I say this film is perfect, I’m not saying it is one of the greatest films in the history of cinema.  It is perfect because it is a film that is exactly what it needs to be for its genre in terms of what is expected of it and how it goes out and executes its formula.  When I’m using that as my template, it’s a perfect action/thriller flick.  The film is two hours and ten minutes, and there is not a wasted moment or scene throughout the course of its running time.  It’s one of those movies where it has you hooked in its story from start to finish.

The film stars Harrison Ford as Chicago surgeon, Dr. Richard Kimble, who is thrown in prison after being falsely accused of murdering his wife, played by Sela Ward. Richard says a one-armed man did it, and he’s completely innocent.  However, all of the clues make him look guilty. The police think he did it because his wife had a lot of money and a lucrative life insurance policy. With no signs of forced entrance, all signs point to the husband.  At the moment, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on in their eyes.

Kimble is able to escape from prison when his transportation bus is hit by a train on its way to death row.  He’s now free, and he is bound and determined to prove his innocence and find this one-armed man.  Deputy US Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) has one mission in life now: to catch Richard Kimble and bring him back to death row. From here, we are treated to a delightful game of cat and mouse between Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. Throughout the course of the movie, Ford is always one step ahead of him, even when they are face-to-face.  His character is incredibly smart and wily. Because of this, he’s not going to make any mistakes or leave himself vulnerable to getting caught.

Ford is really, really effective at being a charming and intense underdog to root for in “The Fugitive.”  On the other hand, Jones’ character is also incredibly well-written and fleshed out by the script, which was written by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy. He’s not really a bad guy or a villain. He’s just doing his job, and, at the time, is completely unaware of the fact that Richard is innocent.  He also brings great comedic timing to the role, which makes for a fun action film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a performance which relies on his perfectly timed facial reactions. Veteran action director Andrew Davis also knows how to make the big action scenes mean something, as the pacing here is terrific.  He trusts his actors, and he trusts his script as well.

The movie was partially filmed in Chicago, and Chicago plays a big part in this movie. He captures the hustle and bustle of the city with a great visual eye.  The cinematography is top-notch, as it also shows the toughness and the grit that comes from the city.  When you have great acting, great direction, a great script, and a great sense of place, you have a great action movie.  There are so many scenes that were brilliant because they never insulted the intelligence of the audience. When Ford is able to get free from Jones time after time, it makes sense because of the set-up and the execution of the scenes.

I’m embarrassed to say this, but this was my first time watching “The Fugitive,” either the movie or the TV show.  As they say, better late than never.  I wish Hollywood would do more brainy action films like this today.  It really starts with trusting your screenplay and your actors.  When you have that, everything else falls into place.  This is a great film with tons of action, suspense, and a sense of humor that is put in at just the right moments.  They didn’t overdo it with the comedy to where it was poking fun at the movie. It was done because the moment and the scene called for it.

There is also a great supporting cast here, filled with actors and actresses you have come to know and love such as Julianne Moore, Joe Pantoliano, Ron Dean, Jane Lynch and Neil Flynn. “The Fugitive” is fun with a capital F.  It is a film I look forward to revisiting many times in the future now that I own it on 4K. It’s remarkable how they were able to cram so much into this movie without it ever feeling tedious or laborious. It’s a movie where you are invested in everything happening on screen, and as Roddy Piper once said, “Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the question.” You find yourself as an audience member wondering how Dr. Richard Kimble is going to find his way out of a jam, and he does it time and time again.  Even though it took me far too long to sit down and watch “The Fugitive,” it was well worth the wait. I love this movie.

* * * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Fugitive” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It comes with a digital copy of the film as well. It is rated PG-13 for a murder and other action sequences in an adventure setting. It has a running time of 130 minutes.

4K Video/Audio Info:  Let’s start with the visuals on this film: WOW! This film looks incredible on 4K. You are able to see all of the pores on the actor’s faces, and they have really brightened up the look and feel of this film without making it look too over-saturated or washed out.  They have cleaned up the picture a lot while also maintaining the cinematic grain that is part of the film’s charm.  This is one of the best looking 4K’s of 2023.  The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is also lively without being too punchy or loud. It’s perfect. I give both the audio and visuals an A+ here.

Special Features:

Introduction by Andrew Davis and Harrison Ford

Commentary by Andrew Davis and Tommy Lee Jones

“The Fugitive: Thrill of the Chase”

“On the Run with the Fugitive”

“Derailed: Anatomy of a Train Wreck”

Theatrical Trailer

Should You Buy It?

“The Fugitive” is celebrating its 30th anniversary with this 4K release on November 21st, and let me tell you right now, this is a day one purchase if you are a film historian and lover.  If you have seen the film before and own the Blu-Ray, you need to upgrade to this magnificent 4K that showcases everything that is beautiful about HDR and Dolby Atmos. If you have never seen the film before, like yours truly, you can confidently buy this film on day one without hesitation or regret.  It is worth every single penny. There is also a 4K steelbook release, which looks awesome!  Warner Brothers did a magnificent job with this 4K transfer of “The Fugitive.”  Yes, the special features are imported over from the Blu-ray, but at least you get them here, including a commentary track with Tommy Lee Jones and Director Andrew Davis. I loved this movie, and I equally loved what they did with this release. It comes HIGHLY recommended!

**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 Goonies’ Movie and 4K/Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

This was my first viewing, ever, of “The Goonies,” which might sound almost sacrilegious to film fans that love this flick and have watched it numerous times.  To many, it is considered a classic film with quotable lines and loveable characters.  I went into the film with high expectations, and I’m sad to report that I left extremely disappointed.  The film is very dated, and it is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. However, if you are a fan of the film and have been looking to an upgrade for a while, the 4K release from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment will certainly satisfy you.  For those, like myself, who are new to the film, I don’t know if it will win over any new fans.

The film was directed by veteran Richard Donner from a story by Steven Spielberg and a screenplay by Chris Columbus.  When you factor in a young cast which includes Josh Brolin, Sean Astin and Corey Feldman, all of the ingredients were there for an enjoyable film with a cast full of wacky characters. This is one of the major problems with the film—the characters.  They are loud, screechy and supremely annoying.  It is hard to get behind this rag-tag group of misfits in the same way you would get behind the Losers Club in “It” or the friends in “Stranger Things.”  The film doesn’t waste time in getting right into the action, which ensures the character development is left with a lot to be desired.

The premise of the film follows a group of friends known as The Goonies.  They consist of Sean Astin as Mikey; his brother Brand, played by Josh Brolin; Jeff Cohen as Chunk; Corey Feldman as Mouth; Jonathan Ke Huy Quan as Data along with their female counterparts in Kerri Green as Andy and Martha Plimpton as Stef. Judging by some of their names, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to piece together how they received their nicknames. They are about to lose their homes in the Goon Docks unless they can come up with some big money and fast.

This leads them on a treasure hunt to come up with a way to save their homes.  Hot on their tails, however, is a crime family known as the Fratellis: Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey), Jake Fratelli (Robert Davi), and Francis Fratelli (Joe Pantoliano).  They also have a deformed younger brother named Sloth (John Matuszak), whom is often neglected and mistreated by his family.  They are also looking to get some of the treasures on the ship, which used to belong to “One-Eyed Willy,” the original Goonie.

While “The Goonies” is never boring, and Donner keeps the action moving at a rapid-fire pace, at almost two hours, it feels like sensory overload.  As a viewer, I felt like I was on this never-ending mission that I didn’t really care about because I didn’t care for the characters.  They are likable when they are not screaming, shrieking or being completely over-the-top.  The film shines during the quieter and more tender moments. I was hoping the film would focus more on the friendships between the characters and the families.  The families are basically non-existent and played for laughs as clueless parents, which was a major problem with many young children’s/teenage films in the 1980’s.

In the end, if you enjoyed “The Goonies” in the past and it is a film you are known to watch over and over again, you will surely watch it over and over again on 4K as it looks out of this world.  If you are new to the film (in the minority like myself), I can’t really see you getting much out of this film as a first-time viewer.  Even though it is a children’s movie, I wouldn’t recommend it for young children today based on some of the language and innuendo.  While films and shows today owe a great deal of gratitude to “The Goonies,” it is very much a film of its era. I can’t say it holds up very well.

* * out of * * * *

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4K Info: “The Goonies” is released by Warner Brothers Home Entertainment on a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, which comes with the Blu-Ray and a digital code. The film has a running time of 114 minutes, and it comes in the following languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Video Info:  The film comes on 2160 Ultra High Definition for the 4K Version.  The Blu-Ray comes in 1080p High Definition.

Audio Info: The 4K Audio is DTS-HD MA: English 5.1 and Dolby Digital: French and Spanish.  For the Blu-Ray, it comes with Dolby TrueHD: English 5.1, Dolby Digital: English 5.1, English 2.0, French and Spanish. Subtitles for both versions are in English, French, and Spanish.

Special Features:

Commentary (with Hidden Video Treasures) by Richard Donner and select cast members.

The Making of the Goonies Featurette

Cyndi Lauper “The Goonies ‘r’ Good Enough” Music Video

Outtakes

Theatrical Trailer

My goal with this review was not to be a contrarian, but I realize I’m probably one of the few people in the world who is not in love with “The Goonies.” As mentioned, it had everything, on paper, I was looking for in a film like this.  All of the pieces just didn’t add up in the final product.  It was tough to finish this one, as even though the action is wall-to-wall, I found myself checking out of the story because of a lack of interest in the people involved in the action.  I’m glad to say I have seen it, so I can check it off my list of highly thought of films I need to see.  However, I can’t recommend this one as a purchase unless you absolutely love the film. You will be thrilled with the transfer, the 4K look of the film, which is beautiful, and the astounding high dynamic range that comes with 4K releases.  For everyone else, if you really want to see it, get it from your local library.

No, I Haven’t Seen It Until Now: Empire of the Sun

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

empire-of-the-sun-movie-poster

“Empire of the Sun” is one of the few Steven Spielberg movies which has eluded my watching it for far too long. I remember when it was released back in 1987, and my brother and I watched a documentary on its making. What we saw did not make it look like the typical Spielberg crowd-pleasing movie people had come to expect from him back then. It also dealt with a young boy who is separated from his parents, and separation anxiety was a HUGE thing for me back in the 80’s. But with it now at its 30th anniversary of its release, and having the opportunity to see it on the big screen at New Beverly Cinema in 35mm, the time had come to give what is largely considered to be one of Spielberg’s more underrated films a look.

Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, “Empire of the Sun” takes us back to the days of World War II where we meet Jamie Graham (Christian Bale in his film debut), a young schoolboy who lives a privileged life with a wealthy family out in the Shanghai International Settlement where he sings in the school choir, rides his bicycle everywhere and anywhere, and has a love of airplanes which knows no bounds. A key shot for me comes early on when we see Jamie taking some food out of an overstocked refrigerator which is filled with goodies as it shows how easy things come to this young lad to where he can boss the Japanese maid around like his parents do.

Of course, this all changes when the Japanese invade the settlement following their bombing of Pearl Harbor, and Jamie and his family are forced to flee their home and escape with their lives. In the process, Jamie gets separated from his mom after he picks up his metal toy airplane which he dropped on the ground, and he is forced to fend for himself as he is swept into a conflict far beyond anything he could have imagined.

When it comes to “Empire of the Sun,” it was no surprise to learn David Lean was originally going to direct this adaptation as Spielberg certainly made it look like a Lean movie with scenes filled with crowds of people struggling to survive in life during wartime. Spielberg ended up putting together scenes which must have made Lean proud as it brings to mind the epic shots the director pulled off in his masterpiece “Lawrence of Arabia.” Today, most of those shots would have been accomplished with the use of CGI effects, but “Empire of the Sun” was made back in a time where they weren’t so readily available.

Watching this movie reminded me of how brilliant Spielberg is at taking us back to a day and age many of us were not alive to see, and he does it so vividly to where we can never doubt his authenticity to the period. Spielberg has visited the era of World War II time and time again to amazing effect whether it’s the Indiana Jones movies or “Saving Private Ryan,” and he never seems to miss a detail in the process.

And then there’s Christian Bale who made his film debut in “Empire of the Sun,” and he brings to this role the same kind of intensity he would later bring to his work in movies like “American Psycho” and “The Fighter” among others. I could never take my eyes off of him as he takes Jamie from being a privileged young man to one who struggles for even the smallest reward like a Hershey chocolate bar. Was there another young actor who could have pulled off such a brave and emotionally honest performance as Bale does here? I think not.

Another great performance to be found here is from John Malkovich who plays Basie, an American ship steward stranded in Shanghai who befriends Jamie in his most desperately hungry state. Basie looks to be the Han Solo kind of character who befriends a young innocent who has yet to learn how cruel the world can be, but he turns out to be more of a manipulator than a hero in the making. Malkovich makes Basie into a fascinating study of someone who seeks to benefit themselves more than anyone else, and he constantly leaves you wondering if his character can rediscover whatever humanity he has left.

In addition, there are fine performances from Miranda Richardson as a neighbor of Jamie’s, Nigel Havers as a doctor who desperately tries to teach Jamie about humility, Joe Pantoliano has some choice moments as a companion of Basie’s, and Burt Kwouk, best known as Cato from the “Pink Panther” series, shows up in a small role which he is almost unrecognizable in. Heck, even Ben Stiller shows up here as an American soldier. Seeing him at first is a bit disorienting as he has since become a big comedy star to where he now seems out of place here, but I’ll chalk that up to one of the disadvantages of watching this movie at a later date.

Looking back, I feel “Empire of the Sun” was Spielberg’s first real foray into darker material which would soon pave the way for films like “Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “Munich.” While it feels like he was taking baby steps here, as those aforementioned films proved to be much darker than this one, it was a giant cinematic leap for him to tackle something like this back in the 80’s.

Still, part of me wonders if he played a little too nice with the source material. Being that this was an adaptation of a J.G. Ballard novel, the same writer whose controversial books “Crash” and “High-Rise” were adapted into deliriously dark motion pictures by David Cronenberg and Ben Wheatley, I can’t imagine “Empire of the Sun” was any easier of a book to read. Ballard wrote some pretty dark stuff, and it makes me wonder just how dark his novel “Empire of the Sun” was compared to Spielberg’s film.

All the same, “Empire of the Sun” is an amazing achievement to watch today as he managed to pull off many epic scenes long before the use of CGI effects. Part of me wishes I had watched it when I was younger as it would have had a more powerful effect on me emotionally, but better late than never with a film like this. Along with cinematographer Allen Daviau, composer John Williams, writer Tom Stoppard and editor Michael Kahn, Spielberg created a World War II epic which stands out among the most memorable of them all, and it deserves more attention than it received upon its release thirty years ago.

* * * * out of * * * *