It's Chilly Outside...It's Chili Inside..."Get Shorty"

Get Shorty (1995)

Rated R

Starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

The Story:

Chili Palmer (Travolta) may work for the mob, but his heart is for the movies. When he winds up in Hollywood looking for Harry Zimm (Hackman) who has welched on a debt, he begins to dabble in Hollywood movie production. However, local mobster Bo (Lindo) and Miami's own Ray Barboni (Farina) close in on Chili and Zimm, things are about to get a little crazy!

Happy 20th Anniversary to Get Shorty!

Based on the Elmore Leonard story, this is a perfect all-star cast that brings out life behind the camera, and life within the mob all in one comedic caper.

While I knew and enjoyed the work of just about everyone in this cast, for me, it made stars of Lindo and Gandolfini.

Unfamiliar with their work up to that point, they both turned in great performances and, especially in the case of Lindo, I have looked forward to seeing him in just about anything ever since.

Highly recommended if you've never seen it, or if it's been nearly 20 years since your last viewing.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I love it. I own it. It gets watched roughly every year or two. It holds up very well every time!

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.

Has Anyone Ever Calculated the Exact Coordinates of the "Striking Distance" ?

It's like Die Hard...ah, nevermind...

The Story:

Detective Tom Hardy (Bruce Willis) is a Pittsburgh detective who is caught between a rock and a hard place.  He has just testified against his partner (Robert Pastorelli) about using excessive force on a suspect.  On top of that, they are tracking a serial killer who seems to be one step ahead of the cops at every turn.  Everyone figures it has got to be a cop.  When a pursuit leaves his father (John Mahoney) dead, Hardy insists that there is a cover-up taking place, and fears that his uncle (Dennis Farina) and cousin (Tom Sizemore) could be involved.  When it costs him his badge, the years pass and Hardy is now river patrol.  There he is partnered with a new cop (Sarah Jessica Parker), but soon more victims that match the same m.o. as before start turning up in the water, and Hardy thinks the killer is back.

Whatever will he do?

Well, I have to say that this movie has held up rather well over the last 20 years.  I probably haven't seen it in about that long, maybe only 15 years...!!

Very little of this movie was retained in my memory.  So I thought, "maybe it was bad", or "I just didn't like it"?

Nope, it was fine, for what it is. 

It's hard when your leading man is Bruce Willis and he's coming off the heels of Die Hard. 

Granted, 25 years later, I've come to appreciate what Bruce brings to the screen in his roles.  I see him on the screen, and he always has to make the character different than what he's played before, but if he channels enough John McClane, normally it's satisfying to the audience.

However, this close to Die Hard, perhaps I was expecting too much from him?  Hard to say, exactly.

I'm not sure what was the disconnect on this one with audiences, but it is seemingly forgotten or dismissed in Willis' body of work.  Was there too much confusion in the plot on who everyone was?  Not enough action on the boats?  Was it just too slow and boring?

Hard to say.

Perhaps the reveal of the killer is too telegraphed and people didn't buy off on it.

I don't know.


The cast is full of great character actors, including the late, great Dennis Farina, who had not yet passed away when I watched the film, but has since passed since originally writing this review.  I hate to see him go out with this film as my latest memory of him, so perhaps a revisit to Get Shorty is in order? :)

Finally, I will say this, and I don't mean it in any way other than I'm going to say it, but:

Sarah Jessica Parker...the years have not been as kind to you as they have been to your co-star.

: )

Final Grade: C+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own Hudson Hawk, but not this one?  Hmm... seems like I've erred somewhere along the way.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Commit a Crime..."Another Stakeout"

His first dead wife?!

The Story:

Six years have passed and detectives Bill (Richard Dreyfuss) and Chris (Emilio Estevez) are still at it.  This time, the duo has to partner with an Assistant D.A. (Rosie O'Donnell) as they watch a vacationing couple in the event that a witness that has fled from Federal Protection might show up seeking refuge.  Naturally, the first rule of the stakeout is to not come in contact with the people being watched.  Five minutes after their arrival, the gig is up, and a comedy of errors ensues.

Okay, the first movie was good.

I think I might have to give the edge to the second one for being just a little bit better.

Or at least, fundamentally, different.

Whereas the first movie played up the action with bits of humor, this time they go for the funny, and add some action in where it fits.  That nearly all of the principles, cast and director (John Badham) returned and made such a great movie is a testament to all involved.  Since most movies simply try and retread the success of their first outing, this movie practically changed up everything, aside from the need for a stakeout.

That said, there are some hysterical lines, or lines delivered and reacted to by some great actors, among those, the always great Dennis Farina as one of the people being watched.  The dinner party remains a high point for all involved in the movie.  Hilarious dialogue and reactions throughout.

:)

Dreyfuss and Estevez pick up as if there had never been six years missing in their partnership, and they play off each other so well.  Couple them with O'Donnell who neither one wants to be partnered with, and it's a great dynamic that unfolds throughout. 

Couple that with Chris trying to not lose Maria (Madeleine Stowe) during the course of the operation, and it's fun watching them all have to react to a situation that none of them want to be in.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I own it, and it has been forgotten about over the last decade, but for a 20 year old movie, it still holds up, and it's still very funny.