2006

Click (2006)

#140RVW

Wish Sandler would knock off the crude stuff; he’s funny enough without it & it nearly kills good stories like this one. Real mixed bag…

What’s more:

Adam Sandler movies – you have a pretty good idea what you’re going to get. Most people have decided by now if these appeal or not. The only surprise in these is whether or not they are successful at what he sets out to do.

I personally have a difficult time with his stuff; he’s unquestionably a very funny and talented comic. But with all comics I have a requirement that the straight funny outweighs the stupid funny. I love stupid funny; it just can’t be all you’ve got.The bigger problem, though, is that he’s just crude. I have such a low threshold for scatalogical comedy. With care it can be a great irreverent lightning bolt. Overdone it’s just stupid and off-putting.

With this movie, he’s demonstrating this problem. By this point in his career, he had shown that he could stretch into meatier stuff. He’s proven his ability to go for emotion, but it seems he feels he needs to include crude humor in order to either satisfy a perceived requirement of his fan base, or perhaps he simply just likes doing this crap. Either way, it’s disappointing, because this could have been quite a good movie.

You know, Jerry Lewis once advised Jim Carrey to keep the comedy clean; be as zany as you want, but be careful not to turn people off. Sandler could have used a mentor…

This was written by Steve Koren & Mark O’Keefe, tv writers who scored big a few years earlier with Bruce Almighty. In that film, they took a zany comic and used a supernatural twist to make him realize what’s really important. Well, if it worked once…

Despite being derivative of that film and having strong Capra-esque overtones, the premise of Click is rock solid. The execution may be clumsy and obvious at times, but it is a good story. In other hands it may have been better handled.

Through it all, I really like this movie, and often have a hard time explaining why. I can’t defend the fat jokes and the fart jokes and the Rob Schneider cameo and all the usual Sandler hallmarks. I can and will stick up for Kate Beckinsale doing great understated stuff, Walken being Walken, and a wonderful appearance by Henry Winkler. Most of the effects are great, the Hoff is in the haus, and there is a magnificent swing style version of The Cranberries “Linger”, sung by Dolores O’Riordan that slays me.

Here’s the main thing, though; this is a story about a good guy named Michael trying to do right by his family and really struggling with the work/life balance. At the time when it came out, it hit a nerve with me – it was a little close to home. So that’s why it gets a lot of leash from me. Feel no obligation to follow my lead…

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

FAIL

Hogfather (2006)

#140RVW

Very good considering this is 1st live-action Pratchett. The 2-night tv model is one that should be used for all adaptations. New classic…

What’s more:

Was very excited when they made this. I have been a huge fan of author Terry Pratchett for decades. His stuff is so cinematic on the page, but has failed to be filmed for a number of reasons.

The idea of filming this for tv as a two night mini-series was brilliant. I would love to see far more books adapted for the screen in this manner. It really removes the necessity to keep things brief, thus at a stroke nullifying the biggest challenge behind any adaptation: gut the thing for brevity, or cram in as much as you can and overstay your welcome.

For newcomers, this is a pretty accessible story, although there are others that would be much better. I highly recommend reading the book first, but then I’d always recommend reading Pratchett. (Note: usually I would dissuade people from reading source material prior to seeing an adaptation; it nearly always leads to disappointment. Faithful adaptations such as this one, where you are being thrust into a new universe, are the exception.)

The acting is quite good, with Michelle Dockery in her first major role being particularly excellent in a role that they HAD to get right. Sadly, no actor really gets to extend themselves too much with such a tight leash – the downside of faithful adaptations.

The visuals are the best they can be on a tv budget. Actually a bit better than that. The set design is masterful and they do such a good job dressing the sets and in costuming that the effects are kept to a minimum. Take notes, kids; if you are prepared to be clever with practical in-camera effects, you can save your budget for a few really nice CG shots.

This can be purchased for a few bucks for download or dvd, and is very worth your time…