Killer Car Chases... "Baby Driver"

Baby Driver (2017)

Rated R

Starring Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez, Jamie Foxx,

Written and Directed by Edgar Wright

The Story:

Baby (Elgort) is the getaway driver for a crime boss (Spacey). He's trying to work his way out of debt, one job at a time, hoping to buy his freedom. But when his girl (James) needs medical attention, Baby's got to go back to the one thing he was good at. Maybe with one more job, he'll finally be free, and can be with his true love again. Of course nothing can be that easy, right?

I love a good heist film, possibly more than many others do.

However, Baby Driver and I never really clicked.

Perhaps I listened to all of the other critical hype that made this out to be a cinematic masterpiece.

Meh.

:)

It was alright.

You know how in most movies, during a certain scene they'll give you a killer soundtrack to lay over the action?

Imagine that is done with every scene of the film, for 90 minutes.

Granted, yes, there are breathers in between the musical interludes, but that seemed to be the selling point of this movie:

We will make an action film that every action scene will have a cool song attached to it. We'll also do the same for much of the narrative as well.

Gotcha.

Now, don't get me wrong: the car chase scenes in this film are phenomenal.

However, once everyone is out of the car... that's when the attention begins to wane.

Or more specifically, when the supporting cast isn't featured, and it's just Baby and Debora.

Sorry,  again, just calling it like I saw it.

I also will not be one of the cool kids in the corner that's conflicted over this movie because Kevin Spacey is in it.

Kevin Spacey the actor is, was, and always will be, amazing.

Kevin Spacey the human being, he's got some problems.

I figure if I'm not going to overly praise a critical darling, I may as well go all in with my review.

:)

Final Grade: B-

The Truth Is Always Stranger Than Fiction..."Elvis & Nixon"

Elvis & Nixon (2016)

Rated R

Starring Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters

Directed by Liza Johnson

The Story:

December, 1970... That morning, Elvis (Shannon) came up to the White House gates hoping to meet President Nixon (Spacey).  The picture taken at the end of their encounter is the most requested photograph in the National Archives.

This is a story of the meeting that almost didn't happen.

It all begins when Elvis decides he wants to be an undercover Federal Agent.

His idea, see the President, get the credentials, and begin working for the government.

Nixon, on the other hand, was scheduled for his afternoon nap at the time Elvis was to be cleared to see him.

Surreal, of that there is no doubt.

While Shannon doesn't attempt to go full-on Elvis, he gets enough of the speech and mannerisms down that you buy the performance.

Then there is Spacey, possibly the best chameleon actor of this (or any) generation, and again, he becomes Nixon right before your eyes.

While everything you see on screen may not have actually happened, they have enough evidence of the main points to wrap the story together nicely, filling in the dialogue that could have happened to get to that point.

It's fascinating. It's fun.

And in today's political climate, it almost makes you miss the good old days of Nixon.

: )

I watched it on DVD from Netflix, but it is now currently streaming on Amazon Prime as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

We've All Had Some "Horrible Bosses 2"

Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Chris Pine, Christoph Waltz

Directed by Sean Anders

The Story:

Nick (Bateman), Kurt (Sudeikis) and Dale (Day) return, but this time they have invented a product and they are going to be their own bosses! They pitch it to billionaire Bert Hanson (Waltz) and he loves the idea and orders a boatload of them. The boys get down to business creating the product, all on their own dime, but when they take the product to Mr. Hanson, he declines, having already created a similar product. The guys plot their revenge, and that involves taking Hanson's son (Pine) hostage and ransoming him so they can save their company. Of course where these guys are concerned, nothing ever goes according to plan.

Having been pleasantly surprised at how funny the original Horrible Bosses turned out to be, I was eagerly anticipating the sequel, and hoped it wouldn't be a disappointment.

Long story short, if you liked the first one, there is little doubt that you will enjoy this follow up.

It's rude. It's crude.

But hey, that's where half the charm lies.

Sudeikis is manic, and his delivery is just killer. Listening to him deliver his lines simply kills throughout the film.

Day was a revelation for me from the first film, as I don't believe I had seen him in anything prior to that. As the exasperated one of the trio, he and Sudeikis provide a whirlwind of emotions and delivery that allow Bateman to be "the sane one" in a series of insane moments.

This works, and doesn't make Bateman have to do all the heavy lifting like he does in some other movies.

It provides a nice balance between the 3 stars.

Aniston and Spacey return in brief, but memorable parts that help drive the narrative.

I could think of worse things to endure than the prospect of a third go-round with this group.

Final Grade: B

Murder Most Fun! "See No Evil, Hear No Evil"

See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

Rated R for language and nudity

Starring Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Joan Severance, Kevin Spacey

Directed by Arthur Hiller

The Story:

Wally (Pryor) is blind. Dave (Wilder) is deaf.  They are both witness to a murder committed by Eve (Severance).  The problem, nobody believes them, and when they escape from the police to find the killer themselves, the chase is on!

Hahahahaha... I forgot how funny this movie was.

I really only remembered the line "Fuzzy wuzzy was a woman".

If you've never seen the film before, you'll understand after you watch it.

If you have, it should bring back pleasant memories.

Reuniting Wilder and Pryor was a no-brainer that Hollywood simply failed to take full advantage of.

They teamed with Hiller, their director from the first collaboration, Silver Streak, and once again murder most foul played an important role in the storyline.

Amusingly, the object that everyone is chasing after is almost an afterthought by the end of the film.

Instead, the fun is having a blind and deaf guy chase bad guys across town while evading the police.

There are several hilarious gags that unfold during the film, and Pryor and Wilder sell it like the comedic champs they are.

Also, a very notable, largish role for Kevin Spacey before he became... Kevin Spacey!

Available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Very funny stuff.  It had been about 25 years since I last saw it.  Hopefully I don't wait as long next time.

The Twelve Reviews of Christmas...Day Eight: "Fred Claus"

 It's called Rubberneckin' baby....

The Story:

This is the story of Santa's (Paul Giamatti) older brother, Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn).  Needless to say, Fred isn't exactly enamored by Christmas anymore, and he's drifted apart from his little brother over the years, thanks also in some part to the parenting skills, espeically of their mom (Kathy Bates).  Fred is in love with a girl (Rachel Weisz) but is afraid to commit.  When a misunderstanding lands Fred in jail, there's only one person left to turn to.  However, the bailout comes with a condition: Fred's got to come North to work it off during the Holiday Season.  Naturally, Fred doesn't exactly fit in at the North Pole, but when an efficiency expert (Kevin Spacey) arrives, ready to shut the North Pole down, Fred may end up costing the entire world Christmas.

Will Fred work to end Christmas forever, or does he have it in him to help save the holiday?

I don't understand the hatred for this film, I think it's actually pretty fun(ny).

We've discussed Vince Vaughn already.  There's probably no better on-screen con-man/huckster on film these days than him, and Fred is no different.

He's the quick-witted, fast talking Santa's big brother who hates the holiday.

In fact, the reasons behind Fred's dislike both of his brother and Christmas are quite sad, and not entirely Fred's fault.

Sibling rivalry is a given in just about any family, but when your little brother is always gushed over by the parents.  Every time you do something neat, your little brother comes along and does something cooler...

And then he grows up to be Santa and adored by millions?

Yep, that's got to be tough to swallow.

Which turns Fred into the cynical con artist that we meet in this movie.

Amusingly, there is a Sibling Support Group scene that underscores Fred's (and other famous...mostly...brothers) gripes with his brother's success and his considerable lack thereof.

You'll also have a rousing Elvis singalong in the middle of the movie that livens things up and shows that the North Pole could use a little bit of Fred, and Fred certainly could use a little bit of North Pole.

Overall, it's a sweet movie that captures the magic of Christmas, and more importantly, the love and magic of family.

I'm a fan, and look forward to this one each year.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I liked it, I bought it.  It gets 1-2 spins each holiday season!

Tomorrow... it's the Final Four Christmas movies of 2013!!!  Time is flying!!

Let's Make a Deal... "The Negotiator"

 

One of the movies that missed being on my Top 100 of All Time...

What was I thinking?

15 years ago...

The Story:

Skilled Chicago hostage negotiator, Danny Roman (Samuel L. Jackson) is sucked into a web of deceit and lies within the Chicago police department when his partner is found murdered.  Roman is the prime suspect, all the while maintaining his innocence.  Driven to the edge, Roman barricades himself in the Internal Affairs department taking several hostages and the lead Internal Affairs inspector (J.T. Walsh) whom Roman believes is involved in the scheme to defraud the pension fund.  As Roman's entire police force gathers around the building to take him down, they question his innocence and guilt, and some have more motive to see him dead than others.  With nobody to trust on the outside, Roman requests the negotiator come from another precinct, and he calls in Chris Sabian (Kevin Spacey) to work the scene.  Sabian's only goal is getting the hostages out of there safely, and he too begins to question who he can, and cannot trust in this thriller.

Directed with precision and skill by F. Gary Gray who apparently picks and chooses what movies, and when, he wants to direct, took on this one a few years after his previous big hit... Friday.

Talk about a change in direction!

: )

Jackson carries the considerable weight of the film on his shoulders, but he is surrounded by an all-star cast... sort of.

What they did was provide a veritable who's who of character actors to play all of the bit parts, names you may or may not recognize, but if you see the faces you go, oh yeah, I know that guy!

Some of those: Paul Giamatti as Rudy and informant in the wrong place at the wrong time.  David Morse as Captain Beck, the tactical side of SWAT who wants to take Roman down.

And therein lies half the fun of this movie.  You really don't know which cops you can trust because they are dirty... or just because they are unlikeable characters just trying to do their job.

The twists, turns and revelations continue throughout, and you remain riveted to your seat until the credits roll.

They don't make movies like this anymore, or if they do, they're flying way under my radar.

Final Grade: A

Would I Own It: Yes I would, and I highly recommend a viewing/repeat viewing if you haven't seen this one since it came out in 1998.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.