Guilty As Charged... "My Cousin Vinny"

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Rated R for language

Starring Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio, Mitchell Whitfield, Fred Gwynne, Jim Trotter III

Directed by Jonathan Lynn

The Story:

Two Yootz (Macchio and Whitfield) are on their way from New York to California to attend college.  Stopping in a local sack of suds for some refreshments, as they continue their adventure, they are pulled over and arrested for the robbery, and murder, of the clerk!  Facing the death penalty, they turn to a family lawyer: Vincent Gambini (Pesci).  Except Vinny isn't exactly all he's cracked up to be in the lawyer business.  With his girlfriend (Tomei) in tow, the two head south to face an uncompromising judge (Gwynne) and attempt to win his cousin's freedom and very first case, all at the same time.

This is one of those movies that you can forget about over time, which is a shame.

Pesci owns the screen, his first real taste of leading man status, and he kills it hilariously as the lawyer-in-training.

He was surrounded with a great cast, including the star-making performance for Tomei as the sassy girlfriend who bails him out more than he realizes in the relationship.

Watching the dynamic of Vinny interacting with the Judge and other southerners is a wonderful fish out of water feeling throughout the movie.

The courtroom scenes never fail to make me laugh every time I watch this film.

The aforementioned Two Yootz... the magic grits...

Excellent writing, wonderful delivery.

Closing in on 25 years, if you haven't given Vinny some attention in a while, you might want to dust off this classic.

The Story:

Final Grade: Solid A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: An easy movie to forget how fun it really is. I do own it, but I'd say it only creeps out every 5  years or more.  Might have to work on that.

Your Life Could Change "At Middleton"

At Middleton (2013)

Rated R for language and drug use

Starring Andy Garcia, Vera Farmiga, Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco

Written and Directed by Adam Rogers

The Story:

George (Garcia) is bringing his son, Spencer (Hartman) to Middleton for the day tour.  Spencer has no desire to attend Middleton.  Edith (Farmiga) is bringing her daughter, Audrey (Farmiga) to Middleton.  She's super-stoked, it's the only college she's been dreaming of for years.  All four are going to experience Middleton, and it is going to change their lives.

Forever.

Here's an unusual little film.  I had no idea what to expect when I rented it, but hoped for the best.

It was interesting.

Not great. Not earth-shattering.

But for the most part, engaging.

I'll leave that mostly to Garcia and Farmiga who played their roles as ordinary parents with a little bit of fun, and much less drama than they usually have to bear in their chosen profession.

It's the closest to comedy you might see from either!

That's not to say there's not some dramatic tension.

Naturally the oil and water first meeting disappears over the course of the day and the two bond in the most remarkable way.

When they finally are forced to "act" onstage, it is some pretty good dialogue, and you can feel the years of anger and pain coming from them.

Good stuff.

Meanwhile, the kids storyline which brought them to the college sort of gets the short end of the stick, but in a way, it's for the best.

They end up having their ideas of adult life changed and shaped forever after a simple day in the life of a college.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it, but I wouldn't be opposed to watching it again.  Garcia really made this one work for me.  Good job.

"Cedar Cove" A Nice Place To Visit...

Cedar Cove (2013)

TV

Starring Sarah Smyth, Brenna Elliott, Andie MacDowell, Dylan Neal

The Story:

Cedar Cove, Washington.  Home of Judge Lockhart (MacDowell) and her daughter Sarah (Smyth).  This is their story.

What happens when what appears to be a made for Lifetime TV movie turns into a weekly series?

If you said "Cedar Cove", you're absolutely correct.

Watching the premiere episode, and the plot follows the Judge as she is nominated to become a Federal judge from an old college classmate who is now a senator.  At the end of the day, she decides she likes it where she's at, and turns down the nomination.

Sure, that might sound dull, but with MacDowell in the lead, and the introduction of a host of other characters who will interact in the lives of the Lockhart family, for better or worse.

Filmed in beautiful British Columbia, the city is taking on a life of its own as a character for the show.

While I won't be binge watching this one, I will likely watch what happens next when it's a slow night or the kids are around or we're winding down and don't have time for a full  movie.

Season One now available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.


Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No need to purchase, but good enough to keep watching to see what might happen next.

Pretty Appropriate Title... "Drive Me Crazy"

Drive Me Crazy (1999)

Rated PG-13

Starring Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier

Directed by John Schultz

The Story:

Nicole (Hart) is dumped by her boyfriend a month from the big dance.  What's a girl to do?  Turn to next door neighbor, Chase (Grenier) and pretend to be going out so that they can make their exes jealous.  Yeah, what could possibly go wrong with that plan?

If you've seen this movie once, you've seen it a thousand times.

The problem, after a thousand times, you remember the better versions of the story and so when something comes along that's less than the best?

Well...

Boredom sets in.

Normally, I'm a fan of Melissa Joan Hart, but even she couldn't save this one from treading water.

If I'm going to spend 90 minutes of my life in high school again, it's going to be with just about any other movie.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks, nothing would make me want this one again, not even as background noise.

You've Got To Be Seriously Committed To Go To "Austenland"

Austenland (2013)

Rated PG-13

Starring Keri Russell, JJ Field, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Georgia King, Jane Seymour

Written and Directed by Jerusha Hess

The Story:

Jane Hayes (Russell) is obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, and her romantic life is forever ruined because of Darcy.  Spending her entire savings, she goes on a trip to England where there is a resort run to make you feel like you are living in the time-period that Austen wrote about.  However, it is very real and soon the lines between what is real and what is fake are blurred for Jane as she is torn between two gentlemen (Field & McKenzie) and how she really feels about them.

Poor Jane cannot afford to be much more than a poor girl on her trip, but she is befriended by Ms. Charming (Coolidge) who has enough money to go around and really likes Jane.

Austenland is a clever idea, and I am surprised that there isn't something like this in existence.

And if there is something like this, I wouldn't be surprised in the least.

The costumes and scenery are top-notch, the movie just looks gorgeous.

Everyone does fine in the movie, but this one never really grabbed me enough to lock in and connect with anyone.

It was a good background movie, one that you can hear what is going on, and you're fine if you're looking down and checking your email or updating your Facebook status.

You aren't going to miss anything.

The same could be said if you never watch it at all.

: )

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cute, but once was fine.  The more you love Austen or Pride and Prejudice, your mileage could vary.

If You Smell... What The Gods... Are Cookin' "Hercules"

Hercules (2014)

Rated PG-13

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, John Hurt, Aksell Hennie, Ingrid Berdal, Reese Ritchie, Tobias Santelmann, Rebecca Ferguson

Directed by Brett Ratner

The Story:

Hercules (Johnson) is now a mercenary, traveling the lands with his trusted companions (McShane, Sewell, Hennie, Berdal and Ritchie), earning their keep by giving the people what they want: the legendary Hercules.  When hired to help Lord Cotys (Hurt) save Thrace from the centaur army of King Rhesus (Santelmann), Hercules and his crew are going to be able to retire from their  mercenary ways and live life like the kings they have served...
Provided they live through it!

An interesting take on the legend of Hercules.

What if Hercules was simply that,  a legend of Greek Mythology?

Embellishing the stories and exploits of Hercules has brought the warrior fame and recognition around Greece.

Some of his labors are shown at the beginning of the movie, but as the story unfolds, the labors are explained away as heroic deeds, to be sure, but ones that were greatly exaggerated.

Now shunned from Athens because of a horrible mistake, Hercules just wants to be able to get far away from his legend and be free.

Brett Ratner does a fine job crafting a period action yarn.  The scenery is just beautiful and the massive battle scenes are very well done.

I have always loved seeing how the Greek/Roman armies fought in battle, and I wasn't disappointed.

Add in the occasional humorous moment or dialogue, especially from McShane or Sewell, and it makes for a fun 90 minute romp at the cinema.

Dwayne Johnson of course is a natural to play Hercules.  He adds a layer of sadness to the son of Zeus which truly humanizes the character.

At the end of the film, whether Hercules truly was the son of Zeus is open to interpretation, but there is no doubt that he is very much a hero.

Final Grade:  Solid B.  I had a good time.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd happily buy this one and watch it again in the future.

The Price Of Fame... "$ellebrity"

$ellebrity (2012)

N/R

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John, Kid Rock,

Directed by Kevin Mazur

The Story:

Kevin Mazur is a professional celebrity photographer.  Not a paparazzi.  This documentary will shed some light on what the paparazzi really is, what they really do, and how it affects our lives, as well as the lives of the celebrities they are stalking.

You may require a shower after watching this film.

First, sure, it's hard to feel bad for celebrities. 

Getting paid millions of dollars to sing, or act, or whatever seems like the easiest gig in the  world.

However, what is normally overlooked is the media presence that being a celebrity creates, at least for those that live in the New York/LA/Miami big city lifestyle where celebrities are a normal occurrence and paparazzi can congregate.

Easy fix: Move to Iowa.

Not taking that step though, the celebrities have to deal with a constant barrage of cameras and questions from people trying to make a quick buck on a shot, be it glamourous or not.

At events, that's standard.

At the grocery store, or dinner, or...

Well, maybe that line has been majorly crossed at this point.

Plus, there is the point: What about the children?

While the parent(s) chose fame, genetics chose the child.  Why are they under the microscope of public consumption?

However, until America's gossip habit fades, this problem is likely never going away.

One final point that they make rather well about why it will never go away:

Reality Stars.

Oxymoron, really.

But those that crave the attention have forever shifted the balance and now the real stars are forced to endure.

Or move to Iowa.

It is available to stream on Amazon Prime for free if you have that service.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not a purchaser, but one that would be sobering to watch every decade or so to see if things have gotten better, or likely, worse.

You Look Very Familiar... "RoboCop"

RoboCop (2014)

Rated PG-13 for violence and language

Starring Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson,

Directed by Jose Padilha

The Story:

In the future, OmniCorp has been sending their cyborg troops overseas as peacekeeping soldiers ensuring real people aren't dying anymore.  Only America is refusing to allow these tin men to patrol the streets, and with pressure on politicians by OmniCorp president Sellars (Keaton) and crusading journalist Pat Novak (Jackson) are lobbying to get a RoboCop trial program off the ground.  The missing ingredient: the human factor.  When they receive the gift of a cop that was targeted for assassination (Kinnaman), they hardwire him into the RoboCop program.

This is not your father's RoboCop.

Or mine, for that matter.

The original, satirical take on America in the 80s is still a science fiction classic, however, my fears, as I voiced in my review last year of the original RoboCop (1987), were thankfully unfounded.

While many of names remain the same, there are subtle, and less subtle shifts in tone and behavior to the original.

Whereas Total Recall tried to change the story completely, the over-reliance of the original ended up casting a shadow that the remake could not crawl out from under.

RoboCop takes the least amount of the original and transplants it, without the satiric tone, into a possible future America that could likely exist.

Why wouldn't we want to send robotic soldiers to fight wars and save hundreds/thousands of human lives?

You would think it would be a no-brainer, but politicians want human capability for discernment to be included.

Kinnaman brings life to the suit, literally if not figuratively.  Not familiar with his work, the big names all float around as secondary figures.

At the end of the day though, if I am only going to watch another RoboCop with my kids (assuming they want to watch it again...), it would end up being this version.

Simply because the tone and violence is dialed waaaaay back this go round.

The revamped RoboCop is a perfectly serviceable science fiction/action flick for a new generation.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It actually wasn't too bad.  I don't think I'll rush out to own it, but I could watch it on cable in the future.

Dying For A Vacation? "Club Dread"

Club Dread (2004)

Rated R for violence and language

Starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Bill Paxton, Kevin Heffernan, Erik Stolhanske, Paul Soter, Steve Lemme, Brittany Daniel, Jordan Ladd,

Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar

The Story:

Coconut Pete (Paxton) is a washed up singer, a la Jimmy Buffet, who runs an island resort filled with an odd assortment of staff.  However, when they all start turning up dead, there may be trouble in paradise!

The Broken Lizard (Chandrasekhar, Heffernan, Stolhanske, Soter and Lemme) troupe return to the screen in their followup to  the cult classic Super Troopers.

Not nearly the same following has surrounded this film as Troopers, but it's not for lack of trying.  Club Dread is both a comedy, and a perfectly themed horror movie, often at the same time.

The cliches and trappings are all around, and naturally everyone is considered a suspect...

Until that character turns up... Dead!

I'm not sure that the best villain and motive were selected for the picture...

But when you're doing a horror-comedic send-up, perhaps that's the perfect character and motive?

Worth a spin for Broken Lizard fans, and fans of horror films.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd say that this one was probably good for a once in a blue moon viewing.

Whatever You Do, Don't Throw Off... "The Emperor's New Groove"

The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

Rated G

Starring the voices of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick

Directed by Mark Dindal

The Story:

Emperor Kuzco (Spade) is ready to build himself a birthday present: Kuzco-Topia! The problem? It sits on the hilltop owned by Pacha (Goodman), so the Emperor breaks the news that Pacha's gotta go!  Meanwhile, Yzma (Kitt) is plotting to overthrow the Emperor so that she can rule the kingdom.  Her plan goes awry, and Kuzco winds up as a talking llama in the care of Pacha.

Based on a true story!

No, not really, but welcome to one of the best Disney films of the last generation.

It's funny, from start to finish.

Aside from a great opening number, it's not a musical.

You can think of it as a Buddy Picture... or a Road Picture.  Either works.

Pacha and Kuzco are polar opposites, but they grow to appreciate and care for each other before it's all said and done.

Spade is at the top of his sarcastic game, and turns in likely his best movie performance.

And remember, I like most of Spade's films.

Goodman is great as Pacha, a year before he killed it as Sulley for Pixar's Monster's Inc.

Wendie Malick is hilarious as Pacha's wife, and she comes in quite handy during the 2nd half of the film.

Finally, Kitt and Warburton make for a dynamic evil duo that will keep you in stitches throughout.

There's nothing that I don't love about this film.

Perfect.

No Touchy!

Now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it and it's one of our favorite Disney's of all time.  The little one has discovered it and it's been playing almost daily.  No complaints. :)

Riding Off Into The Sunset... R.I.P. James Garner 1928-2014

Another legend of Hollywood has left us, as actor James Garner passed away this weekend.

It's hard to decide what Garner will be remembered for most:  his work on television or his work on the silver screen?

He was, to me, one of the unsung, quintessential, American actors.

While generations always say "the next James Stewart... or the next Cary Grant..."

What we really should be trying to find is the next James Garner.

Need a charming and charismatic lead? Look no further!

Good looks to play the romantic leading man.

Tough, so that he could be believable in a scrap.

Humorous, with a twinkle in his eyes that let you know he was having fun.

While looking through his list of work, the roles were varied and many, most of the characters he portrayed were seemingly an amalgamate combination of what we had seen from him before.

And there isn't anything wrong with that.

As I've said in many reviews, if you're going to have a role that is perfectly cast for "actor x" you go out and hire that actor.  Usually, they will get it right and it is perfect.

If you want an actor who embodies Bret Maverick or Jim Rockford...

Well, you go get James Garner, and you will not be disappointed.

For television actors, if you can get that one great role, you'll be remembered forever.

Garner did it.

Twice.

First there was Bret Maverick from Maverick from 1957-1962.  I have only seen a few episodes from this series, but they were very smart, well-written, and Garner deserved his stardom from this series.

Returning to the Silver Screen, he played Hendley "The Scrounger" in The Great Escape (1963), probably my favorite World War II movie of all time.  As the guy who could get things, long before Red did the same thing in Shawshank, Hendley was a scoundrel, but as usual for a Garner performance, he had a caring heart.  His devotion to trying to save The Forger who had gone blind crafting forged documents is a touching part of the film.

Then in 1969, he dusted off a Maverick-like performance for Support Your Local Sheriff and a similar retread in 71 with Support Your Local Gunfighter.

Then Garner did something that actors are just now beginning to do again with great frequency:

He returned to television.

In 1974, he brought The Rockford Files and private investigator Jim Rockford to a new generation of viewers.  Again, I've only seen a handful of these episodes, some first run at the end of the series, and I watched the first episode on Netflix.  Again, Garner was a natural at what he does, and that's probably an impossible thing to teach an actor.

Fast forward to the 1990s, and Garner was back on the Silver Screen in one of my favorite television remakes of all time: Maverick.  This time playing Marshal Zane Cooper while he let Mel Gibson take over the title role.  Of course, there was more to the Marshal than met the eye, and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time.  Fun, fun fun!

In 1996, he teamed with Jack Lemmon in My Fellow Americans.  A zany road-trip film that is worth a viewing if you've never seen it, and worth repeated viewings if you have.  Too much fun, and he made a great pair with Lemmon.

2000 saw him team up with Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland and Tommy Lee Jones in Space Cowboys.  An underrated movie that is a real charmer if you've ever seen it.

Finally, I will close with Garner's performance from a decade ago: The Notebook.  While all the fans gush about the Ryan Gosling/Rachel McAdams chemistry from that movie, it's Garner's performance as the man who is so in love with the girl of his dreams that he goes to whatever lengths he can to be with her for when her memory does come back so he can be there for his love.  I dare you not to cry at the end of that movie.  So sweet, so sad, it's a movie I refuse to watch again because I don't want to have to cry at the end.
 

On top of all of his other accomplishments, I would be remiss to not mention his status as a decorated Korean War veteran.  Or that the "Rockford", the J-Turn in evasive driving taught to The Secret Service is named in honor of his driving move from The Rockford Files, which he did on the show without a stunt driver.

His autobiography, The Garner Files is one of the few books I've bothered to even want to read in the last decade.  

Thank you James Garner, for giving me a lifetime of memories that I'm able to share with my family.

You were a class act, and you'll be missed, but never forgotten.

Whatchoo Gonna Doo, Brother? "Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery"

Scooby Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery (2014)

Not Rated

Starring Frank Welker, Matthew Lillard, Mindy Cohn, Grey DeLisle, John Cena, Triple H, Michael Cole, Kane, The Miz, A.J. Lee, Vince McMahon

Directed by Brandon Vietti

The Story:

Scooby (Welker) ends up winning a contest on a WWE video game and wins a trip to WWE City!  Shaggy (Lillard) an Scooby beg for the gang to tag along, bringing much persuasive evidence that they've never asked for anything in return and have always been used as bait to solve mysteries. 

Point: Scooby & Shaggy!

So they head to WWE City and meet the superstars.  But with a mysterious ghost bear plaguing the town, and Scooby apparently the prime suspect in the theft of the WWE Championship, it's up to Shaggy, Fred (Welker), Daphne (DeLisle) and Velma (Cohn) to clear their canine companion and lay the smackdown on the mysterious bear!

Hanna Barbera teams with WWE Studios to make a movie that's fun for the whole family.

WWE Wrestlers have been compared to cartoons over the years, so it makes sense to go animated.

Hook kids to the fun of WWE, and you might have a fan for life.

Worked on me.

:)

And the WWE offered up some of their best, A-listers John Cena, Triple H and even the Chairman himself, Vince McMahon!

Other wrestlers, like Sin Cara (who is instrumental to the movie) are shown but not given any dialogue.

The wrestlers do quite fine for themselves as voice actors, given the respective size and importance of their roles.  I would say The Miz comes out as the wrestler who seemingly has the most fun in the movie, and has the best lines.

But first and foremost, as the title suggests, this is a Scooby Doo cartoon.

Frank Welker leads the team, still as the intrepid Fred but now also pulling double duty as Scooby.  He is able to differentiate between the two nicely, and I like when the voices are distinct enough that you don't realize it's the same voice.

Lillard was perfectly cast as a live-action Shaggy when Scooby Doo came to the big screen years ago.  He does the memory of Casey Kasem proud as he brings Shaggy to life for a new generation.

While I mentioned in my Scooby Doo review that the main cast did voices for years, eventually they all get replaced.

:(

DeLisle has become the latest Daphne, and I was amused to see that Cohn has taken up the mantle of Velma since the early 2000s.  Yes, Natalie from The Facts of Life.

My childhood is converging as I am now an adult!

Overall, I thought it was pretty well done, and I'm looking forward to the next 45 years of Scooby Doo!

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Hey, I liked it.  I would watch it again. :)

Ruh Roh! "Scooby Doo, Where Are You!"

Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969)

TV G

Starring  Don Messick, Casey Kasem, Nicole Jaffe, Frank Welker, Stefanianna Christopherson, Heather North

The Story:

4 Sleuths and their talking dog uncover the truth behind apparent supernatural mysteries.

Seriously, how in-depth do you want me to make a synopsis of Scooby Doo?

I'm more curious how they could get away with using an exclamation point in the title when clearly they are asking a question.

:)

Can we all assume everyone has at least seen an episode?

If not, these are the episodes to see.

The first two seasons...the best two seasons.

Everything you wanted to know about Scooby and the Gang can be gleaned by watching these episodes.

And now you know the secret of why I have so many children, and why I creatively spaced them out like I did.

This way, I can keep introducing the next generation of fans to some of the best animation and fun shows that I had the privilege to grow up watching.

;)

It could be argued that Scooby Doo is the most successful feather in the Hanna Barbera cap, and I would be willing to agree.

Naturally, I'll put the Flintstones first, but I've got a lot of love for Scooby (Messick), Shaggy (Kasem) and the rest of the gang.

Happily, aside from some Daphne switching (Christopherson to North), the gang that voiced the original Scooby episodes pretty much were given the opportunity to voice their most famous creations in many of the updated iterations that has brought Scooby and his crime solving sleuths to the screen.

That includes ascot wearing Fred (Welker) and the brainy Velma (Jaffe).

Naturally, nearly every episode plays out the exact same way, so watching episode after episode can become very déjà vu-ish, but most of the jokes and gags work just as well now as they did over 40 years ago.

My little 2 year old had recently discovered the new Scooby stuff on Netflix, but was totally enchanted when the originals were cracked out of the DVD case and watched with the family.

I even got her to say "Rooby Roo".

Now that's priceless!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: While you don't have to have children to appreciate this part of your youth, but it doesn't hurt.  And it provides cover for watching them again.  :)

The Definitive..Ish...Zombiementary... "Doc Of The Dead"

Doc of the Dead (2014)

N/R

Starring George Romero, Robert Kirkman, Bruce Campbell,

Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe

The Story:

Zombies.

They're everywhere.  They've been in folklore and history since forever, but it was Dawn of the Dead that really brought them into mainstream pop culture.  This documentary looks at that pivotal moment in cinematic history, and what has happened since.

This documentary is very well done, but of course, even that has limitations.

Is it going to just cover the zombie in modern cinema, or is it going to cover the entire legend and history of zombies?

Well, the film starts one way, and then throws a bit of a swerve in the middle to add the historical.

Now, that would normally be fine in overall context, but it kind of lends a hiccup to the film that wasn't needed.

At under 90 minutes, there's a lot of zombie lore to go through when you're doing little snippet interviews with stars, writers, directors, etc. who have been in some of the zombie horror genre's best and most influential films.

Eventually, the emphasis begins to seem thin and scattered instead of just marching through Romero's catalog and winding up with the current sensation, The Walking Dead.

Still, a nice crash course for newbies to the genre, or those wanting/looking to reminisce or fill in some missing pieces that may have passed us by over the years.

Now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Definitely worth a viewing, your replayability will vary greatly depending on your love for the genre.

The Party You Always Wanted To Avoid... "Project X"

Project X (2012)

Rated R for language and crudity

Starring Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, Johnathan Brown, Dax Flame, Kirby Blanton

Directed by Nima Nourizadeh

The Story:

3 High school students (Mann, Cooper and Brown) are going to throw a birthday party and change their fortunes.  Their other friend (Flame) records the entire proceedings like a documentary.  The party is going to get out of control, and at the end of the night, the boys will indeed be changed forever, and their status of party animals will be the stuff of legend.

Welcome to John Hughes meets Found Footage!

This is the tale of a party that quickly spirals out of control into excessive chaos.

Following the majority of the movie through the lens of their pal, plus newscasts and other phone videos, it's not a badly created found film style movie.

In other words, there's a lot less "shaky cam" than normal, and for that, I was thankful.

The movie has a very slow beginning, but enough glimmer that something fun(ny) could happen, I soldiered on.

There were some rather amusing parts throughout as the party unfolded, but ultimately, I fear that we've forever tipped the balance of a smart comedy, a la John Hughes, to the reality TV generation/found footage "everyone can make a movie" if they have a camera.

A little more skill and substance to the production please, and you could have come up with something to save this tired genre.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Once was more than enough for this one.

These High School Kids Totally Suck... "Vampire Academy"

Vampire Academy (2014)

Rated PG-13 for language and blood-suckery

Starring Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry,

Directed by Mark Waters

The Story:

At St. Vladimir's Academy, the Moroi attempt a peaceful co-existence with humanity, feeding off the blood of willing vampire fans.  They are protected by the Dhampir, a half-human/half-vampire who learn how to save their Moroi in question from the Strigoi, the evil vampires of legend that just want to kill anything.

This story centers on Rose (Deutch) a Dhampir who shares a deep bond with her Moroi, Princess Lissa, the last of the Dragomir line.  They are on the run from the Academy, because there are some not-so-nice characters there as well, but alas, to make the story work, they are returned to the Academy to ramp up the conflict and tension.

Does it work?

Yeah, pretty much.

This can help get the taste of Twilight out of your mouth.

The latest teen vampire novel brought to the Silver Screen shows some serious promise.  Or tongue in cheek promise at the very least.

It's by no means perfect, but the cast of characters is pretty fleshed out, and they bring a nuanced layer to their Vampires, Dhampirs and the relationship between the two.

And yes, they set up a sequel perfectly that I'm ready to see.  The question is, will they make it?

The writing has flashes of brilliance and humor throughout, and Rose is easily the star of the movie.

Add in your typical romantic entanglements, high school issues that even vampires are not immune to, and it's easily watchable.

Not quite the instant cult classic that Waters gave us with Mean Girls a decade ago, but I can see this one gaining some traction as time passes.


Again, not perfect.

But not Twilight either.

And that's a huge step up for this guy.

Final Grade: C+.. maybe even B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Wouldn't rush out to buy it, but I could watch it again down the road a bit.

Have You Got "3 Days To Kill" ? Okay, How About 2 Hours?

3 Days to Kill (2014)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld, Connie Nielsen

Directed by McG

The Story:

 Ethan (Costner) is a CIA operative who is diagnosed with a critical disease.  Wanting to make up to his daughter (Steinfeld) for all the lost time and attention, he moves to be close to her and his estranged wife (Nielsen).  However, when a ruthless agent (Heard) comes calling with a possible cure to prolong Ethan's life in exchange for his help in nabbing some really bad dudes...

What would you do?

And yes, reluctantly, Ethan agrees to try and catch the Wolf and the Albino.

Of course, he needs to keep his life hush hush from the family since he swore that life was over.

This marks two nice turns for Costner as the aging hero (Jack Ryan) who can still bring it in a fight.

Steinfeld plays the jilted, angry teenager role that is becoming all too cliche in these films.  One of these days they'll do a story about the kids who love that their parent(s) are assassins and think it's awesome.

Strangely cast is Amber Heard who is just... mean.

You'd think she was actually the villain of the piece, but she's working for the United States.  Apparently, she just doesn't want to get her hands dirty, so that's why she's got Ethan.

I think I would have preferred a little more to her story, but at close to a 2 hour running time, something had to give.

Apparently, hers was the more judicious plot piece to eliminate.

Still, not a bad action-thriller.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not a bad little thriller.  That Kevin Costner may have a future in Hollywood.

What Could Have Been... "Mr. Destiny"

Mr. Destiny (1990)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring James Belushi, Linda Hamilton, Jon Lovitz, Michael Caine

Directed by James Orr

The Story:

Larry Burrows (Belushi) is having a bad day.  As he is set to celebrate his birthday, upon taking stock of what his life has amounted to up to this point, he realizes that maybe it wasn't just a bad day, it's a bad life.  As he commiserates with a mysterious bartender (Caine) about what could have been...

He finds he's about to find out exactly how different his life would be if he would have made that game winning hit when he was just a little kid.

No matter how bad your life is, it could always be worse.

And sometimes your bad life, isn't nearly as bad as you could imagine.

Yep, it's another variation of It's A Wonderful Life.

And, it's a good one.

Yes, go back in time to an era when Jim Belushi was headlining movies, and you'll find this little gem of a romantic comedy/fantasy.

Larry begins to realize that many of the ordinary things that he takes for granted, like his wife (Hamilton) and best friend (Lovitz) would have been lost to him had he made that fateful game winning at bat.

Yes, he would have been rich, but he never would have been happy.

Sobering thought really, and very nicely done.

One of my favorites.

Closing in on 25 years, it still holds up and is still an enjoyable film to watch.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Absolutely adore this little gem.  It gets a spin every other year or so.

I Spy With My Little Eye... "Chuck"

Chuck (2007)

TV PG

Starring Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster

The Story:

Chuck Bartowski (Levi) is a member of the Nerd Herd at the local Buy More.  When he receives an email from an old college roomate, he opens it and subliminally absorbs all of the nation's defense secrets from the INTERSECT device.  With the INTERSECT offline, only Chuck holds the key to American defense.  So the CIA sends Agent Walker (Strahovski) and the NSA sends Agent Casey (Baldwin) to watch over Chuck while they attempt to bring their computer back online.  Meanwhile, Chuck can't divulge anything to his sister (Lancaster) or best friend (Gomez) and he keeps flashing on unsavory people or things which keep getting him one step closer to danger in being part of the spy business.

You know when you see the commercials or hear about those shows that you think, "hey, yeah, I'd probably enjoy that one?"

Well, Chuck was one of those shows for me.

It looked like a fun show with an interesting premise.

A comedy-action show, much like Psych, how could I go wrong?

But, I never got around to watching it.

Until now.

Scrolling through Netflix, and there was Chuck staring back at us, almost begging for us to watch it.

So we watched the pilot, directed by McG (!!!) himself.  Well, I've never been one to shy away from McG material...

He didn't disappoint.

It was fun, funny, filled with action, great dialogue, and fun characters.

The relationships all run through Chuck.

Chuck with his sister.
Chuck with his best friend.
Chuck with Agent Walker.
Chuck with Agent Casey.

Each one is different, and each vital to the show.

As the season moves along and each of the supporting characters grows and has interaction with one another, it's a balancing act between actual spy cover that they must maintain.

Looking forward to seeing what is in store for the gang next season! 

Sadly, unlike Psych, the house is divided over this one.  One half is really enjoying it, and one half is wondering what the heck we're watching it for.

:: sigh ::

Can't win 'em all...


Available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Won't need to own it, at least not yet.  One season down, 4 to go, we'll see if it jumps the shark or if it stays this much fun.

A Not So "Grand Piano"

Grand Piano (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Elijah Wood, John Cusack

Directed by Eugenio Mira

The Story:

Tom Selznick (Wood) is a concert pianist who suffered a meltdown 5 years earlier.  After the passing of his mentor, he is coming back to the stage to perform, but he's scared.  As he starts playing, he finds some mysterious scribblings from a mysterious stranger (Cusack): Play the music correctly, or I'll kill you.

Sheesh, everyone's a critic!

Oh wait...

This movie was thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to getting turned off and sent back around the 20 minute mark.

I'm pretty sure my honey wishes I had done just that, as I believe I endured another hour of eyerolling and groaning about the film.

But I soldiered on...

It may have even gone past the 20 minute mark.

Waaaaaaaaay too long of a setup for what was going to transpire, but I guess you have to pad somewhere to make the movie stretch to 90 minutes.

It does pick up when Cusack's killer is finally...finally! introduced to the movie.

Voice only.

He doesn't appear until the last 10-15 minutes of the film.

Luckily, he brings enough Cusackian charisma to the voice of the killer that he pretty much saved the film from being an abysmal failure.

Not by much, but close enough.

Hidden amongst the dramatic tension and Elijah Wood fearing for his life, is a heist film tucked away as a clever after thought.

That helped keep the final grade up as high as it is, but again, totally your call if you want to sit through it.

I would recommend if you do watch it, and naturally a week or two after I sent it back.....

It's now available for streaming on Netflix...

Just skip ahead to when Wood realizes his life is in danger, and start from there.

You'll like the movie more, and won't feel like you suffered through that dragging first half.

Final Grade: C-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Nope, this one is only being played once.

Call Me Some Time When You Have No Class... "Back To School"

Back to School (1986)

PG-13 for language and brief nudity

Starring Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Keith Gordon, Robert Downey Jr., William Zabka

Directed by Alan Metter

The Story:

Thornton Melon (Dangerfield) a successful businessman decides to head back to school to try and get some bonding time with his son, Keith (Gordon).  Hilarity ensues.

I mean really, it's Rodney Dangerfield's best starring role, so to explain it misses the whole point of seeing Rodney at the top of his game.

Naturally, in this film, several scenarios are going to unfold:

Thornton's relationship with his son.
Thornton's adversarial relationship with one professor (Paxton Whitehead).
Thornton's romantic interest in another professor (Kellerman).
Keith's feelings of inadequacy and wanting to quit college altogether.

This is how you balance all of those little stories into one larger overarching storyline.  A quick 5-minute bit, then move on.

String those bits together with a bit of connectivity, and 90 minutes later, you had a great viewing experience.

Add to that, the first real silver-screen time for Robert Downey Jr. in the best friend role.

Plus, the always menacing William Zabka picking right up where he left off in the Karate Kid.

Or, the best use of Kurt Vonnegut, ever.

Then there is the brief, yet hilarious, Sam Kinison moment.

Yeah, you can't go wrong with this one.

Final Grade: A ~ Showing some respect for Mr. Dangerfield!

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: One of my favorites from the 80s, still holds up well today and is filled with laughs from beginning to end.

A Badly Written Movie About Aspiring Novelists...How Ironic... "Authors Anonymous"

Authors Anonymous (2014)

PG-13 for language

Starring Kaley Cuoco, Teri Polo, Chris Klein, Dylan Walsh, Dennis Farina

Directed by  Ellie Kanner

The Story:

Hannah (Cuoco) is in a group with other writers who meet and chat with one another about their work.  Misery loves company, but when impending news that she has a publisher interested in her work, jealousy begins to creep into the group.

What a waste of a talented cast.

I made it 20  minutes into this mockumentary style film before I gave up.

So many different characters, and the mockumentary kept going to them for true confessions like a reality style confessional.

This caused the movie to just lurch and jolt forward with the narrative to the point where I just didn't care anymore.

Henry (Klein) is in love with Hannah but slow to act on it.

Colette and Alan (Polo and Walsh) are a married couple with delusions of writing grandeur.

The biggest disappointment, and best part of the film, was gun-loving, scenery chewing John K. Butzin (Farina) who was great, but in too small of a dose to keep watching.

RIP Mr. Farina.  You deserved to go out better than this.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No thanks.  Welcome to the Turkey Pile.

If You've Seen Variations Before, Is It Still "The First Time" ?

The First Time (2012)

Rated PG-13 for language and situations

Starring Britt Robertson, Dylan O'Brien, Victoria Justice, James Frecheville

Written and Directed by Jon Kasdan

The Story:

 Dave (O'Brien) has been pining away for Jane (Justice) but she thinks of him as just a great friend. One night at a party, he meets Aubrey (Robertson) a girl from another school and the two begin chatting away and getting along famously.  It turns out that Aubrey is planning on having her first time with her boyfriend Ronny (Frecheville).  However, Dave and Aubrey have such magical chemistry, maybe, just maybe, some relationships are about to change.

What a great little comedy.

Part romantic comedy, part coming of age film, part high school film...

You get the idea.

However, it's all the good parts.

Excellent storyline and dialogue in this film thanks to Kasdan who follows very well into his father's footsteps.

The dialogue is believable and not too kiddish...not too adultish.  Believable, and fun(ny).

The relationship between Dave and Aubrey is believable and not too rushed.

You root for them as the story progresses, even as Dave gets some less than ideal advice which adds the dramatic tension in the relationship that keeps everything from going smoothly.

Amazingly, with the PG-13 rating, Kasdan also avoids making a film about coming of age/first romance that really shouldn't be seen by the target audience.

And no, technically I'm not the target audience, but I have kids that are, and this one can join the list of those 80s movies that showed how relationships work (or don't) in high school that are enjoyable to watch, and fun to revisit.

Final Grade: Going with a B+... this was a nice surprise.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'd have no problem buying it or watching it again in the future when it goes streaming/comes to cable.

How To Reboot A Franchise: Step 1: Hire Chris Pine ... "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit"

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Rated PG-13 for language and violence

Starring Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Kevin Costner

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

The Story:

This is the story of how Jack Ryan (Pine) becomes an analyst for the CIA.  We will meet his mentor (Costner), his wife (Knightley) and even some pesky Russian villain (Branagh).  In short, this is the origin of America's James Bond.

So the question:

Is it worth it?

In a word: Yes.

While this is not The Hunt For Red October, this is clearly the best Jack Ryan we've been treated to in a generation. 

Honestly, I remember very little about the Ben Affleck version of the franchise, but perhaps that is for the best?

Branagh spins a tight tale behin the camera, while portraying the bad guy in front of it.  With Thor and now Jack Ryan under his belt, his days of being just a Shakespearean director are long gone.

Chris Pine steps in to the role of Jack Ryan, and does a nice job of making anyone that remembers the old movies forget Baldwin, Ford and Affleck.

Of course, this is a lot easier than stepping into the role of Kirk in Star Trek, but just like that franchise, a fresh coat of 21st century paint shows there are a lot of miles left in these franchises.

The only real problem...

Will audiences tire of seeing Chris Pine in everything?

Adding Costner as Ryan's mentor works nicely.  They now have a character that could be spun into his own movies if the mood strikes, either prequels or sequels with or without Ryan as the partner.

Anyway, a good first effort, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not a bad reboot to the franchise.  I'd be willing to own/watch it again.

You Might Object To This Wedding... "The Right Kind Of Wrong"

The Right Kind of Wrong (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Ryan Kwanten, Sarah Canning, Ryan McPartlin, Catherine O'Hara

Directed by Jeremiah Chechik

The Story:

Leo (Kwanten) has been devastated by his ex-wife's blog, "Why You Suck" in which she spelled out all the reasons that Leo...sucked.  He's been in a funk since she left, but then his world changes when he meets Colette (Canning).  She is perfect, and he is immediately in love.  The problem? She's set to marry Danny (McPartlin).  However, with a little encouragement from Colette's mom (O'Hara), Leo is going to try and show Colette that perhaps he doesn't suck, nearly as much as the world thinks he does.

Here's a fun little romantic comedy that I had never heard of, but found while hunting around on Netflix.

I wasn't familiar with any of the actors except for McPartlin (Chuck) and O'Hara, but they do a fine job in their roles.

The movie does start a little slow, but it picks up as the movie rolls along and finishes strong with a better second half.

There are some contrivances straight out of 80s comedies...

But since I grew up on 80s comedies, I have little problem with that.

:)

Pretty fun movie that could have been even better with some minor tinkering.

Available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C+... almost good enough for a higher rating...your mileage could vary.

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No reason to purchase, but I could watch it again down the road.

Not Your Typical "Family Weekend"

Family Weekend (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Olesya Rulin, Kristen Chenoweth, Matthew Modine, Shirley Jones,

Directed byBenjamin Epps

The Story:

Emily (Rulin) is a jump-roping machine.  She leaves notes reminding her family of the very important meet.  Nobody shows.  Not her mom (Chenoweth), dad (Modine) or siblings.  She tells her tale of woe to her grandmother (Jones) but the fracturing of this family has been a long time coming.  Emily decides that with the Finals just days away, she's going to put together a drastic plan to put her family back together in time for her to compete.  It won't be an easy task.

Stop me if you've heard this before, but this would have been the PERFECT film for the whole family, but they decided to throw in some unneeded profanity and sex talk to score an R rating.  You would think a movie that is trying to show how to get a family back together would attempt to score the broadest audience possible and go PG/PG-13.

I'll just shake my head and wonder why.

Rulin owns the film, as nearly the entire production is on her shoulders.  She's intense, fun, determined, and heartbroken, often at the same time.

Chenoweth and Modine are great as the parents who have come to terms with the fact that their lives aren't what they once were, and neither appears very anxious to reclaim their love for one another.

However, when your daughter takes the family captive, it's surprising how things change rather quickly.

I would liken this one to The Ref.  Another great movie, but one not to bring the kids to.

I still say they missed the boat with the broader audience, but that's an argument I'll likely never win with Hollywood.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Take the language down a notch, this would have likely been a B+/A- affair and one that I would have added to the library.  Sadly, it'll have to be relegated to "maybe in a few years" for another viewing.

True Love Lasts A Lifetime..."Still Mine"

Still Mine (2012)
Rated PG-13

Starring James Cromwell, Genevieve Bujold

Written and Directed by Michael McGowan

The Story:

Based on the true story of Canadian couple Craig and Irene Morrison (Cromwell & Bujold), they are in their 80s and their current house is just too big, and dangerous, for the couple.  Irene is having bouts of dementia, so Craig wants to build them a smaller home on their property.  He has an idea in his head of what he wants, begins building, but is told by neighbors that he should get a permit.

That's when the problems start...

The Notebook... with a happier ending?

Something like that.

So frustrating to watch this movie.

As if watching a couple cope with the effects of dementia, add to that the turmoil of dealing with a local government that is just set in its way to do things one way, all the time, and the crippling effect it has on the ability for Craig to complete the project.

You simply end up wishing he had just built the darn house!

I know I did.

Your land, do what you want.

Stupid neighbors...

:)

Craig builds a great house, jumping through hoops along the way, and will finally have to have a day in court to find out if he can finish building the darn thing, or if the building will be demolished.

It's a wonderful moment, and Cromwell shines in this very sweet and sincere role.

Definitely worth a look.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's a sweet story, but so frustrating.  I don't know that I want to endure having to watch government inaction again.

Celebrate America's Birth With America's Game..."Major League"

Major League (1989)

Rated R for language

Starring Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Wesley Snipes, Bob Ueker, Margaret Whitton, Rene Russo, Dennis Haysbert

Written an Directed by David Ward

The Story:

The owner of the Cleveland Indians is dead.  His widow (Whitton) decides to field the worst possible team that money can't buy so that attendance will drop so low, she will be able to leave Cleveland and take her talents to South Beach.

Hey wait a minute...

:)

There's no crying in baseball.

But there is laughing, and Major League will score laughs from beginning to end.

One of 2 classic baseball movies released in 1989 (Field of Dreams), both have endured as baseball classics, and I would say it is safe to say, movie classics as well.

For a quarter of a century, these two have ranked, easily, in my top 5 baseball movies, and also part of a great bumper crop of classics released in 1989.

Strangely, I'm not really a baseball fan, but I do love a good baseball movie.  I guess because they are inherently faster, and things actually happen.

:)

Needless to say, the team and coach defy expectations and rally to turn the franchise around, and make the Cleveland Indians a respectable team.

Shortly after the release of Major League, the Indians actually began to turn their franchise around.

Life imitating art.

Pretty cool.

As you can see by the cast, I've left several people off the list.  While Berenger was the "star" of the film, it really was an ensemble with every player being an important part of the team. 

It was a breakout role for Snipes as Willie Mayes Hayes.

It was also the big screen debut of Rene Russo.

And Bob Ueker nearly steals every moment he's in the film with his play by play.

There's a lot to like about this film, so get to it!

Watch the movie, especially if it's been anywhere close to 25 years since you last saw it.

Otherwise you might risk offending Jobu!

:)

Currently available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, and it gets a spin every so often.  Hilarious every time.

Misleading Movie Poster In 3...2...1... "Stand Off"

Stand Off (2011)

Rated R for language

Starring Brendan Fraser, Colm Meaney, Martin McCann, David O'Hara

Directed by Terry George

The Story:

Jimbo (McCann) owes a mobster (O'Hara) a large sum of money.  Figuring the best way to repay the debt is to knock over the local fish market, he plans his scheme, never realizing that the same market belongs to the mobster and there is something really, really valuable in the safe there.  On the run from the law (Meaney) and the mob, he holes up in an antiques shop being watched by Joe (Fraser) and realizes he may have also discovered his long-lost father!

To be perfectly fair, this is a heist film that wants to please, but can't quite figure out how to get from Point A to Point B at every turn of the script.

That said, there are some pretty funny bits sprinkled throughout this little caper.

The setup is what drags, the payoff is pretty good.

Brendan Fraser returns to the screen in seemingly the first time in a long time.

Perhaps it was all of his family friendly roles that seemingly ended his leading man career, but he proves that he's still a serviceable actor in any role.

Worth a spin if you're up to the challenge.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Again, aside from the slow beginning, there's an enjoyable caper flick buried in here.

It's A Wonderful Life...All Of Them. "Doonby"

Doonby (2013)

Rated PG-13

Starring John Schneider, Ernie Hudson, Jenn Gotzon,

Written and Directed by Peter Mackenzie

The Story:

San Doonby (Schneider) is a drifter who rolls into a quiet Texas town and gets a job at the local bar working for Leroy (Hudson).  However, Doonby seems to live a bit of a charmed life and seems to be in the right place at the right time when several things happen in town.  When a local, Laura (Gotzon) falls for Doonby, the two grow really close.  Then during an argument, Laura says something awful to Doonby, and the secret of his existence comes to light, in the worst possible way.

Here's a movie that you will either love or hate, depending on your moral/religious/political viewpoint.

To explain Doonby's secret ruins the point of the movie, and the powerful ending that comes with it.

Your word of warning:  It's another Christian film that doesn't preach and beat a message over your head throughout, so you will probably survive.

However, the movie is fundamentally an anti-abortion film.

So think of it as It's A Wonderful Life, where the hero doesn't choose to find out what the world would be like if he was never born, but instead that choice is thrust upon the world without the hero's consent.

John Schneider does a great job as the drifter, continuing his string of enjoyable Christian films.

Your choice on whether you want to see it or not, but I'm glad I watched it.

Available for streaming at this time on Netflix.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  Pretty enjoyable until the third act.  I do appreciate the message of the film but to depressing to sit through that ending again.

Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl..."High Fidelity"

High Fidelity (2000)

Rated R for language

Starring John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Louiso, Joan Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tim Robbins

Directed by Stephen Frears

The Story:

Rob Gordon (Cusack) has been dumped by the latest love of his life, Laura (Hjejle) and is moving in with former neighbor, Ian (Robbins).  This drives Rob nuts, and through a series of flashbacks and breaking the 4th wall narratives, we are going to relive much of Rob's life as he counts down the Top 5 Break-Ups in his life.

So you start with a romantic comedy, but in addition to that, there is Rob's job as the owner of a record shop, and his two employees Barry (Black) and Dick (Louiso) that power those moments in between the break-up stories, and probably cement this as more of a guys movie, than a date movie.

I would say it's also the film that propelled Jack Black into stardom.  Up until this movie, he was a bit player in lots of things, and he had Tenacious D, but I would say it was his hilarious performance as Barry, the guy has all the best lines in the movie, that made him a star.  Within 2 years, he was headlining movies after this.

The star of the film of course is John Cusack.

Top 5 Favorite John Cusack Films:

1) Better Off Dead
2) Grosse Pointe Blank
3) Con Air ~  Con Air Review!
4) One Crazy Summer
5) High Fidelity

I can put any of these films in to watch any time, and I'm good to go.

Wait a minute...

I've just learned that my wife doesn't even like High Fidelity that much.

Head...spinning...

I feel as if I've been living a lie for nearly 15 years.

I need to go sit down and relax.

Apparently I won't be relaxing by watching High Fidelity... at least for now.

:)

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I try and watch this one every year or so.  Absolutely love it.  Learning that my wife doesn't find it nearly as funny as I do now has me trying to find a new Top 5 John Cusack movies to watch with her!

: /