Reviews

#140RVW

Not only the worst “satire” I’ve seen, among the worst movies I have ever watched. John Candy deserved better for his last released film…

What’s more:

Breathtakingly awful. Among the worst movies I have ever watched, and there have been more than a few clunkers. Proof positive, if it was needed, that nothing good can come from Michael Moore. Thankfully after this he never again tried to make a purely fictional movie. (He just settled for making op-ed pieces and calling them documentaries.)

The ONLY reason I watched this was because it was the last John Candy movie released. (Wagons East was the last he filmed, but was released first – sort of an Abbey Road/Let It Be thing. I’m preparing myself up to watch that one soon.)

And it could only be for this reason that I didn’t turn it off like I should have. I kept hoping for one good John Candy scene that I would have regretted missing – his career/life was short enough. But alas, there really was absolutely nothing redeemable about this movie. At all. (Actually, the bit where Aykroyd makes Candy spray-paint his anti-Canadian graffiti into French is not bad, even if it is a blatant rip-off of the same gag from Monty Python’s Life of Brian.)

There’s a good movie to be made about a possible USA/Canadian war, and that movie is South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut…

Poster:

Trailer:

http://youtu.be/4jf8Bt4gD9Y

Bechdel Test:

Fail

The Representation Test Score: D (2 pts)

(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)

Main Cast	John Candy Sheriff Bud Boomer, Alan Alda President of the United States, Rhea Perlman Honey, Kevin Pollak Stu Smiley
Rating	PG
Release Date	Fri 22 Sep 1995 UTC
Director	Michael Moore
Genres	Comedy
Plot	The U.S. President, low in the opinion polls, gets talked into raising his popularity by trying to start a cold war against Canada.
Poster
Runtime	91
Tagline	It Gets Lonely at the Top, When There’s No More Butt to Kick.
Writers	Michael Moore (written by)
Year	1995

#140RVW

Cimino’s directorial debut is 2 weird movies. Part 60’s counter-culture road flick, part 70’s crime/action pic. Result uneven but not bad…

What’s more:

There must have been a memo that went around to all film studios in the 1970’s concerning the mandated amount of grittiness, meanness, and depressing endings required in all films of that time period.

It probably directed studio heads, “Celebrate the bloodless anti-hero, ignore any woman who isn’t currently naked, make sure to have any slightly hopeful character buy it by the third act and get some folky/pop song that can be used as a single. Make sure it’s catchy, because we’re going to use it uninterrupted three or more times.” What a hopeless decade…

While Clint Eastwood’s career has spanned many decades, he may arguably be most associated with the 70’s, and his tough visage is certainly the face of the era. He plays very slightly against type here as the interchangeably named Preacher, John Doherty and the Thunderbolt. Based on my reading, he gives an excellent performance in this; I must have missed it. He was his usual: fine.

Jeff Bridges, on the other hand, steals the movie as Lightfoot, a charming, ever-ready free spirit whose enthusiasm can’t be kept down. Bridges was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and deserved it; he is fascinating to watch.

Written & directed by Michael Cimino, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is the story of two buddies on the road. No, it’s the story of an old con getting back in the game. No, wait, it’s a heist picture. No, it’s an action movie with lots of car chases. What is this movie? This is the 1970’s…

If the movie doesn’t quite know what it wants to be, it’s at least entertaining, though overlong by my watch. The first hour follows the wild antics of these two men as they are thrown together by a series of chases and escapes. Lots of time is spent on watching these well-matched actors with great rapport build a partnership, if it’s a touch unclear why. The scenes with these two in the first half are the best in the picture. In fact, if they had stayed in this direction, it might have made a very good buddy / chase movie.

George Kennedy, who has been trying to kill them, finally catches up and they reach détente in the best scene in the film. From there, it rapidly turns into a straightforward crime movie. Not a bad one, just not as engaging as the first half.

The film itself is gorgeous; DP Frank Stanley sure knows how to film in Big Sky Country, Montana – leave the lens open and just don’t screw it up. The aforementioned pop song is “Where Do I Go from Here”, composed and sung by the otherwise great Paul Williams.

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

Fail

The Representation Test Score: D (3 pts)

(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)

Main Cast	Clint Eastwood Thunderbolt, Jeff Bridges Lightfoot, George Kennedy Red Leary, Geoffrey Lewis Eddie Goody
Rating	R
Release Date	Mon 02 Sep 1974 UTC
Director	Michael Cimino
Genres	Comedy, Crime, Drama
Plot	With the help of an irreverent young sidekick, a bank robber gets his old gang back together to organize a daring new heist.
Poster
Runtime	115
Tagline	Thunderbolt… the man with the reputation. Lightfoot… the kid who’s about to make one!
Writers	Michael Cimino (written by)
Year	1974

#140RVW

Make sure you have a pint or two with this one. I didn’t, & I think I missed part of the spirit of the thing. Funny, honest & true to life.

What’s more:

Drinking Buddies features Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson), work friends who seem perfect for each other. They are both in relationships, with Chris (Ron Livingston) and Jill (Anna Kendrick), respectively, and when the two couples take a weekend trip together it tests the boundaries of friendship and their relationships.

The movie is entirely improvisational, aside from the general plot as set out by writer/director/editor Joe Swanberg. I didn’t know that before watching the movie, but knowing that now it explains a lot. The movie is only 90 minutes but it feels a hell of a lot longer than that, and I think the improv pace is probably a large part of that. The freedom and challenges offered by improvisational acting is fascinating – for actors. For the rest of us watching, “don’t bore us, get to the chorus”.

The best byproduct of the improv acting is that many of these scenes are the most natural, realistic depictions of human interaction I’ve seen in a while. This is how people talk, flirt, argue, chitchat. It’s really a breath of fresh air. Mostly. The worst offshoot, of course, is that it meanders a little bit. Like life, you say? Yes, certainly. But that’s why we have editors. Life needs a little help.

But the overarching feeling you walk away with is pleasure. It’s really a very good movie. I found myself very engaged in the characters and story. Partly because I wanted to be sampling that sweet craft beer with them, but mostly because I actively wanted to see Kate & Luke get together. I really was enthusiastically hoping that they’d make it work. Guess I’m more of a romantic than I thought…

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

Pass

The Representation Test Score: B (7 pts)

(http://therepresentationproject.org/grading-hollywood-the-representation-test/)

Main Cast	Olivia Wilde Kate, Jake Johnson Luke, Anna Kendrick Jill, Ron Livingston Chris
Rating	R
Release Date	Fri 01 Nov 2013 UTC
Director	Joe Swanberg
Genres	Drama, Romance
Plot	Luke and Kate are coworkers at a brewery who spend their nights drinking and flirting heavily. One weekend away together with their significant others proves who really belongs together and who doesn’t.
Poster
Runtime	90
Tagline	A comedy about knowing when to say when.
Writers	Joe Swanberg (written by)
Year	2013