Some Weird Things Happen In "Small Apartments"

Small Apartments (2012)

Rated R for language

Starring Matt Lucas, James Caan, Juno Temple, Johnny Knoxville, Dolph Lundgren, James Marsden, Peter Stormare, Billy Crystal

Directed by Jonas Akerlund

The Story:

Franklin (Lucas) is in a bit of a spot.  His brother (Marsden) is in an institution. The landlord (Stormare) is dead on the floor.  And the neighbors (Caan and Knoxville) are wondering what is going on next door.  Lives are about to converge and change forever in the course of a few days in some run-down apartment complex.

Well, that was something.

A dark comedy, to be sure, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this film.

After watching it, I'm still not sure!

:)

All of the names/faces are secondary/tertiary characters in the film.  It's Matt Lucas' film and you get sucked into his life.

A very weird life with a grown man running around in underwear and the occasional coat.

Seriously.

It's a movie I pondered whether I wanted to continue on past the 20 minute mark, but again, it was so strange, at that point I had to see what the heck was going to happen.

Naturally, all of the story lines converge in a finale that was both tragic and satisfying, depending on which character(s) you were watching.

I will give props for the staged suicide scene, it was pretty funny.

If you want to try something strangely different, here you go...


Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nah.  It was a weird one. I've seen it, and time to move on.

There's Gold In Them There Hills! "City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold"

City Slickers 2 (1994)

Rated PG-13

Starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Jon Lovitz, Jack Palance, Patricia Wettig

Directed by Paul Weiland

The Story:

Mitch (Crystal) is paranoid.  He keeps seeing Curly (Palance) ever since he discovered a map hidden in the old cowboy's hat.  Teaming with Phil (Stern) and saddled with his older brother, Glen (Lovitz), the trio head out west to discover the treasure that Curly's ancestors buried.  However, some things buried in the desert are meant to stay buried!

A few years after the now-classic City Slickers was released, the inevitable sequel followed.

While not nearly as beloved as the first, I for one, am a big fan.

The dynamic changed a bit. 

Gone, with no explanation is Ed (Bruno Kirby), but Phil and Mitch are still there.

Now we are introduced to Glen, Mitch's deadbeat brother and played to the hilt by Lovitz.

I have often found movies improved by the Lovitz Factor, and this one is no exception.

Bringing back Jack Palance was a stroke of genius, and he actually gets a bit more screen time this go round.

Again, it's a different feel than the first one, but that's totally fine because it stands on its own merits as a good movie, not just a sequel to a great movie.


Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  While not quite as great as City Slickers, it's pretty darn close. :)

How The West Was Fun... "City Slickers"

City Slickers (1991)

Rated PG-13

Starring Billy Crystal, Jack Palance, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, Patricia Wettig

Directed by Ron Underwood

The Story:

Mitch (Crystal) is turning 40.  His best friends Ed (Kirby) and Phil (Stern) have plans to take him on a cattle drive to celebrate the big occasion.  Fearing that her husband could face a mid-life crisis, his wife (Wettig) urges him to go.  So they head off to drive a herd of cattle across country and along the way the boys are going to learn a thing or two under the tutelage of trail boss Curly (Palance).

Closing in on the 25th anniversary of this film, and aside from a joke about VCRs, it's really aged well.

This captured the era when Billy Crystal was on fire at the box office as the improbable leading man who could do it all.

The jokes are fast and funny throughout, relying on dialogue and situational comedy to make the audience connect with the characters and howl with laughter.

Naturally, this movie is most remembered for Palance's Academy Award winning turn as Curly, the cow hand with a heart of steel who was actually much nicer than he appeared.

Okay, no he wasn't.

That he didn't kill Mitch was probably due to the fact that he simply ran out of time before he could.

:)

Give it a spin, especially if you've never seen it.

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

If it's been nearly 25 years since you last saw it, dust it off and give it a whirl.

I think you'll find it still holds up really well.

And maybe you'll finally figure out what that "One Thing" that Curly is talking about, really is.

Final Grade: Solid A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I can watch this one anytime.  Absolutely love it.

Chicago Is In Good Hands... "Running Scared"

Running Scared (1986)
Rated R for violence and language and nudity

Starring Billy Crystal, Gregory Hines, Joe Pantoliano, Dan Hedaya, Jimmy Smits

Directed by Peter Hyams

The Story:

Detectives Ray (Hines) and Danny (Crystal) are two of Chicago's finest.  However, when the duo are almost killed, their Captan (Hedaya) orders them to take a vacation.  A trip to the Florida Keys convinces them that perhaps it's simply time to retire and open a bar.  As they go to finish up their tour on the force, the two become very conservative in their behavior, and that could prove costly as they attempt to take down local drug kingpin Julio Gonzales (Smits).

Long live the Buddy Cop film!

Although this film takes a different slant on the buddy cop genre.

Instead of the duo being oil and water, Ray and Danny are like an old married couple.

They can complete each other's sentences, know what one another is thinking...

In other words, best friends on and off the force.

Hines and Crystal's chemistry serves the duo well, allowing both to take on the air of serious action stars while maintaining their sense of humor and general likeability.

The supporting cast is great.

Hedaya makes a wonderful beaten down head of detectives an Pantoliano is perfectly cast as two bit villain Snake.

Some great dialogue, pretty fun action sequences, and you'll find this is one of the underrated action comedies of the mid-80s.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and I love it.

R.I.P. Harold Ramis 1944-2014

The world became a much less amusing place Monday with the passing of Harold Ramis.

He was a triple threat in Hollywood: Writer. Director. Actor.

Of the 3, he was probably most famous, and will be remembered for his acting role(s), most notably as Dr. Egon Spengler from Ghostbusters.

However, it was likely his writing that won over most of us as fans in the first place.

Animal House, 1978

  "Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules, or took a few liberties with our female party guests - we did.

But you can't hold a whole fraternity responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole fraternity system?

And if the whole fraternity system is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our educational institutions in general?

I put it to you, Greg - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society?

Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America.

Gentlemen!"

Harold Ramis' first writing assignment for the big screen: Animal House.

If he had done nothing further with his writing career, that would be pretty impressive.

But Ramis wasn't done yet...

Meatballs, 1979

 "And even if we win, if we win, HAH! Even if we win! Even if we play so far above our heads that our noses bleed for a week to ten days; even if God in Heaven above comes down and points his hand at our side of the field; even if every man woman and child held hands together and prayed for us to win, it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking girls would still go out with the guys from Mohawk because they've got all the money! It just doesn't matter if we win or we lose. IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER"

In 1979, Meatballs was released.  Again, Ramis was one of the writers, and he worked with Bill Murray and director Ivan Reitman for the first time.

This is an underrated classic in my opinion, and I watched this movie countless times on tv growing up.

However, sandwiched between Animal House and his next film, Meatballs often gets overlooked.

Caddyshack, 1980

  "License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a varmint. And a varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower. And that's all she wrote."

Once again, a film written by Harold Ramis, but also for the first time, he sits behind the director's chair.

How did he do?

It's in the hole!

This is the undeniable sports classic when it comes to golf, Caddyshack will live forever.

It was 1981 when I became aware of Harold Ramis, the actor...

Stripes, 1981

 "Army Training, Sir!"

10 years old, and I went to the movies with my parents and we saw Stripes.

Yes, I have awesome parents.

While much of the movie may have soared over my head at the time, the premise of the story was straightforward enough, and the acting and writing were, and still are, hilarious.

This was the 2nd time that Ramis, Murray and Reitman worked together.

Even more successful than their first outing, but nothing would prepare them for what came next when they all worked together.

However, it was time for Ramis to direct his 2nd feature film before that happened...

National Lampoon's Vacation, 1983

No Bill Murray this time, but he did call upon a Caddyshack alumni to lead as Clark Griswold.  This movie still holds up well after all these years, and is only overshadowed by Christmas Vacation thanks to the annual replayability during the holidays.


Then, the phenomenon happened, and thanks to the title song, lives to this day thanks to 80s radio airplay...

Ghostbusters, 1984

"We're ready to believe you!"

Once again, Ramis writes for Murray and directed by Reitman.

Easily the biggest hit of their careers, and a movie that is still great, 30 years later.

Sadly, the much rumored Part 3 won't happen now.

Fast forward to 1993, and Ramis and Murray teamed together one last time, and created a masterpiece...

Groundhog Day, 1993

"This is pitiful. A thousand people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out, and they used to eat it. You're hypocrites, all of you!"

Written and directed by Ramis, and starring Bill Murray, this was their last collaboration together.

The movie is cinematic genius, partly due to Murray's delivery, but Ramis' direction is effortless and his writing is as crisp and sharp as it ever was.

I will cap off Ramis' career with one last film (even though it had a sequel...)

Analyze This, 1999

"I wasn't really gonna whack you."

"Paul..."

"Okay, I was gonna whack you. But I was real conflicted about it."

Harold Ramis wrote and directed Analyze This starring Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro.

It's brave enough to write a comedy and have it star Billy Crystal, who is already hilarious.

But they took DeNiro and gave him a sense of humor.

And it worked!


The low points to Harold Ramis' career are really inconsequential.

He left us with a legacy of work that, at least for me, makes him one of unquestioned great cinematic comic minds of the late 20th Century.

I will miss his further contributions to film.

I will cherish those memories he gave us.


R.I.P.

A Peek Behind Hollywood's Curtains... "America's Sweethearts"

America's Sweethearts (2001)

Rated PG-13 for language

Starring Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack, Hank Azaria, Christopher Walken, Seth Green

Directed by Joe Roth

The Story:

Lee Phillips (Crystal) has been fired as a movie publicist by his boss (Stanley Tucci).  However, when the latest film is being held hostage by director Hal Weidmann (Walken) they beg Lee to come back and try and save the movie that stars the split power couple of Gwen and Eddie (Zeta-Jones and Cusack).  Can Lee save the movie and the couple?

I may be in the  minority but I am one of the few that likes this movie.

I found the film to be very funny and engaging when normally all-star films like this flop.

With Crystal as the helm as one of the writers, all of the characters have a unique voice and vision within the film.  Even the smallest parts have something to add overall to the film.

Hank Azaria probably has the best role in the film as the home-wrecking Spaniard with the crazy accent. :)

It's an interesting, if madcap look at life behind the camera as well for Hollywood stars. 

You can see the romantic setups coming from a mile away, but with the cast and storyline that's assembled, it is definitely a ride worth taking.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I do own a copy of this movie, and I would say it gets a spin every few years.

The Last New Review of 2013..."Monsters University"

Every story has a beginning...

Sometimes we just don't see it until later.

The Story:

Mike (Billy Crystal) wants nothing more than to grow up and be a Scarer!  He follows his lifelong goal and enrolls in Monsters University.  It is there that he meets Sully (John Goodman) and to say that the two don't hit it off would be an understatement.  When the boys wind up on the bad side of the Dean (Helen Mirren), they will have to put aside their differences and team with some...underwhelming Scarers if they have any hope of getting back into the Scare Program.

I have gone on record as saying that Monsters Inc. is probably my favorite of all of the Pixar movies.

Billy Crystal is one of my favorite comedians of all time, and the relationship between Boo and Sully brings a tear to my eye every time I watch the movie. 

Yes, still.

So going in to the prequel, I tried to set the bar low. 

Real low.

There's no way that they could achieve that level of greatness in my eyes.

And they didn't.

It's good.

Better than the Cars franchise, and way, way better than Brave.

But not nearly as good as the first Monsters Inc.

That said, I'm okay with that.

It was still pretty funny and as beautiful as Pixar can make it.

The closing montage was a nice bridge between the movies too, and I kicked myself for doubting that John Ratzenberger was finally going to NOT be in a Pixar movie!

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Yes to both.

Beginning tomorrow, it's a walk down memory lane and a look back at some of 2013's higher points.

Halloween Candy Hangover? The Antidote Would Be To "Make 'Em Laugh" Disc One

Now that's funny!

The Story: 

A retrospective of comedy in America, as originally presented on PBS back in 2009.  6 episodes, spread out 2 per disc, because apparently 6 hours of information is too much for one DVD...

The first episode concentrates on the oddballs, jerks and nerds.

Emphasis falls on Johnathan Winters, Robin Williams, Harold Lloyd, Phyllis Diller, Woody Allen but many others are mentioned and featured.

The second episode is the breadwinners and homemakers.

This concentrates on tv shows, especially I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners and the Dick Van Dyke show.

The documentary seems to jump scatter-brained from past to present, back and forth, with no real rhyme or reason to the skipping.

The subtitle of this documentary was "The Funny Business of America".

To me, that's how this should have been presented.  They were looking at 100 years, start with vaudeville and the silent movies and end with the stand-ups/tv/movie funnymen of today.

I think that would have given a bit better focus on the growth and importance of American comedy.

So there was some interesting nuggets to be had, but I'm not sure that anyone in the house wants me getting the remaining 4 hours to see how it turns out.

The series was hosted with intros by Billy Crystal, and it offered some insightful commentary by people that are no longer with us, like George Carlin.

Overall it was a nice experiment that could have used some tightening in execution.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nope, not even sure I'll get around to finishing the rest of the series.

Things Don't Always Turn Out Like You Expect..."When Harry Met Sally"

Would you like to have what she's having?

The Story:

Two college graduates, Sally (Meg Ryan) and Harry (Billy Crystal) carpool to New York together.  Harry is the boyfriend of Sally's best friend, what'sername... and the two share a ride and a conversation across country.  The movie catches up with them a few years later as they bump into each other again, and the seeds of friendship begin to grow.  However, as Harry points out early, a man and a woman cannot be friends because sex will always get in the way.

Let's see if he's right.

Written by the late, great Nora Ephron, this was probably her big break which helped move her out of the writer's seat and into the director's chair.  Her strength was in writing, and while giving her females a great part, she didn't treat the guys as losers or anything.

Conceivably, Meg Ryan owes her career to Ephron, with this plus Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail cementing her as *the* leading lady of romantic comedies from the late eighties/early nineties.  Naturally, this film is remembered mostly for her climactic (pun fully intended) demonstration of Sally showing Harry just how in control of relationships the women really are. 

To credit the movie for that alone though, would seriously undermine the comic relationship that Harry and Sally endure throughout the course of the movie.

But really, for a movie written by a woman, she gives Billy Crystal all of the great lines and wonderful insight into relationships.  Whether he assisted with his lines or it was all Ephron's doing, his delivery is pitch perfect whether he's sending off a verbal zinger or waxing philosophic.

Billy Crystal is not the first actor you think of when you role into a romantic comedy, but between this and Forget Paris, I think he was woefully underused in the genre.

Thankfully, at least he made City Slickers. :)

Then of course there is the sure, steady hand of one of the best,  most underrated directors of all time, Rob Reiner.  As with much of his filmography, he simply crafted another gem that has become a classic.

While not a family friendly film, it is a great blueprint for how to have your romantic comedy characters act, interact, behave and misbehave.

Totally recommended.

I finally caught this film for the first time within the last 5 years.  It was as good as advertised.  If you've never seen it, don't wait for the 25th anniversary...

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Really funny movie, and was picked up after the first viewing and added to the DVD library.

Once You See It, You'll Never "Forget Paris"

We'll always have Paris.

The Story:

Andy (Joe Mantegna) is getting married to Liz (Cynthia Stevenson).  So they are having a pre-wedding dinner with their friends (Richard Masur, Julie Kavner, John Spencer, Cathy Moriarty), and they begin telling the tale of Mickey (Billy Crystal) and Ellen (Debra Winger) and how those two met and fell in love.  However, theirs is not a typical romance, and by way of flashbacks and adding to the story by different people, Liz gets brought up to speed on these two.  However, the cliffhanger of the story with which Liz (and the audience) is held captive with is...

Are Mickey and Ellen together, or not?

I don't think I've ever made any secret of my love for Billy Crystal movies.  Even his bad ones are good enough, and his good ones are great.

I pile this one on his good list, made better by the material and the attention that Crystal gave to the title not only as the star, but also as the writer and the director.

It's a funny romantic comedy, often made all the funnier by the fact that people are telling this tale over dinner, and the arguments and corrections that take place to a story, just as if it were being told by real people, about real people.

So that really, by the time we actually get to see Mickey and Ellen in the movie, we're already well versed in who they are, what makes them tick and why they are where they are in life.

How else can you introduce the stars of the film with less than 5 minutes to go in the film if you don't use the narrative flashback?

It's clever, and the movie is a lot of fun.  It's simply overshadowed by Billy Crystal's only other real romantic comedy... but that's a review for another time. : )

So if you've never seen this one, or haven't seen it in almost 20 years...

Give it a whirl.  You should have a good time.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it usually gets a spin every 2-3 years.

These Kids Today..."Parental Guidance"

Further proof that there's no school like the Old School...

The Story:

Phil and Alice Simmons (Tom Everett Scott and Marisa Tomei) need to go on a weekend retreat so he can get an award for his prototype "future house".  The problem? Who will watch their 3 lovely children?  Naturally, Phil's parents will be out of town on a cruise... so they are forced to contact... the "other" grandparents, Artie and Diane (Billy Crystal and Bette Midler).  They fly out to Atlanta, but their parenting style is way different than the 21st century way that the kids have been brought up.  Things are about to hit the fan!

So just by reading that little bit of the plot, you know what's going to happen.  This might be the 2nd most filmed story-line right after "Boy Meets Girl".

But hey, sometimes you want familiar and fun, and so these films get made.

I enjoyed it the most in the house.  My kids seemed indifferent and mama threatened to walk out a few times. : )

But me?  I'm here for one reason: Billy Crystal.

I love the guy, and if I often remark that actors only play themselves and it works as a put-down, I would offer Billy Crystal as the exception to that rule.

Whether he is allowed to write his own material or improvise as he goes or read directly as written, it doesn't really matter to me.  His delivery is pitch perfect every time.

Besides the typical old vs. new school of raising kids, they toss in a subplot that really isn't that necessary with Artie wanting to find a new job, but really, the reason behind his job bubbles under the surface and it made Artie who he is, and the dream that he's lived for a lifetime.  It's brought out beautifully at the end in the final act when all of the problems that the kids had with the grandparents and the daughter had with her parents are resolved in a by-the-numbers but still enjoyable finale.

It was also very nice to see Bette Midler back on screen.  She still hasn't lost her comedic touch, and she pairs up nicely with Crystal.

Plus Marisa Tomei always does a great job, but hasn't been seen (at least by me) in recent years.

And for the record, I'm with Artie.  I can't stand the "can't say no... don't keep score... everyone's a winner..." generation of children that is being raised.  It's a setup for failure in the real world.

Ah well... back off my soapbox.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I could watch it again.  It might be alone... but I could do it! : )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 23 ~ City Slickers

I told you Billy Crystal would be back.

The man has been in a bunch of great movies over the years, but I have to give the nod to City Slickers for Crystal's finest starring role.

For those that have never viewed the film, here's a quick run-down:

Mitch (Crystal) and his two best friends (Bruno Kirby, Daniel Stern) go on a cattle drive to celebrate Mitch's birthday.  Along with some other "City Slickers", the boys meet up with trail boss, Curly (Jack Palance) who might just impart some cowboy wisdom to the boys before the end of the cattle drive.

Sounds boring, but it's not.

: )

It's actually quite hilarious from start to finish, and in his long, illustrious career as an actor, it is quite probably Jack Palance's greatest role.  It earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and considering the Academy tries to overlook mainstream comedies as often as possible, that's saying something.

The movie is packed with dialogue that gets quoted around the house, especially whenever someone is having difficulty picking up a task, we will often use "even the cows can do it by now!" in honor of the "how to use a VCR" scene.

Geez, how dated is using a VCR now??!!

Naturally, a sequel followed a few years later, and it is very much as fun as the original.

I call it the Jon Lovitz effect, as mentioned on previous reviews! : )

Lovitz takes Kirby's place as Mitch's brother.  More hilarity ensues as they chase after some buried gold.

So give this one a whirl, and maybe if you're old enough, like Mitch was, by the time the movie is over, you too will have figured out what your "One Thing" in life is.

Happy Trails!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 28 ~ Monster's Inc.

Today is a bittersweet day on the countdown.

It's the final appearance by Pixar, and it also marks my personal favorite film that they've done:  Monster's Inc.

Sad to see Pixar go, happy to see this one come up, because it is my favorite of their catalog.

Nearly every movie they've worked on could easily fit on a Greatest Movies ever listing.

The Toy Story franchise... so great, it was hard to decide which installment to pick.
A Bug's Life got mentioned with the Magnificent Seven.
Finding Nemo...meh...another one where if the kid would just listen to their parents, a whole lot of trouble would be avoided.  Lumped in with Little Mermaid...looks great...sucky message. : )
Cars and Cars 2... didn't think it would be good, impressed with how good they really were.
Ratatouille... again, there is no way that a movie about a cooking rat should be this good...just missed the list.
Wall*E...great movie...just missed the cut.
Up... the greatest love story in cinematic history plays out in the first few minutes of the film.  Bring tissues.  Missed the cut.
Brave...I have yet to see, but looks great.

So why do I choose a story about a group of Monsters who scare children for a living?

One word: Boo.

Monster's Inc. arrived in 2001, and my youngest daughter at the time...

Looked. Just. Like. Boo.

Still does. : )

She was my Boo. I was her "Kitty".

Yes, I get emotional every time I watch the film, and weep like a little girl at the end. : * )

Don't judge me!!

So yes, the emotional connection is strong with me on this film.

Besides that...

It's freakin' hilarious!

I make no secrets that I think Billy Crystal is one of the funniest comedians/actors ever to grace the Silver Screen.

This is his first spot on the countdown, and he will be back again inside the Top 25, at least once.  There were another 3 to 4 movies I easily considered for this list... but I don't know if they technically could be called Greatest Movies of All Time.  Goodest of All Time maybe, if Goodest was a word. 

But with my Greatest, I try and stack them in the order of if had 100 chances to prove what makes movies great, these are the selections I'm beaming to Mars, or putting in a time capsule... they just don't quite make the cut.  An example: Forget Paris.  Cute movie. Great actors, funny dialogue... but probably not the Greatest romantic comedy ever made.

And so it goes...

But no.

Monster's Inc. is funny. Check.  Sweet, check. Has a great foil to the good guys, check.  Steve Buscemi owns the role as Randall, the evil monster.  And James Coburn's voice is in fine form as the Monster at the head of all the chaos.

Excited about the "prequel" coming from Pixar.  Disappointed that Boo won't be there, but it looks like the charm and fun of the first movie are all going to be intact.

And I'll watch it with my Boo and be happy about that.