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Anger Management

November 28th 2006 08:57


Adam Sandler has had his shares of hits and misses. After the badly-received 'Mr Deeds' and 'Little Nicky', he came right back around with some back-to-back eye-raisers such as 'Punch-Drunk Love' and this film, 'Anger Management'.

Unlike 'Punch-Drunk Love', 'Anger Management' is an 'Adam Sandler movie', in the sense that it was produced by his company and features many of the supporting actors he's previously employed (Allen Covert, John Turtorro), as well as many of the staple characters/situations that often frequent his films. What makes 'Anger Management' special though, is the presence of Jack Nicholson. It's as if his presence alone has opened a doorway for the film, attracting all sorts of big names to small roles, and encouraging a higher level of quality than usual. It's also notable that his involvement with the movie has brought a whole other level of film-fans to an 'Adam Sandler movie'.

'Anger Management' benefits immensely from a strong, original and hilarious script. It's "out there" but resists the unrealistic wackiness that can sometimes undermine Sandler's films. Nicholson and Sandler make for an interesting duo, and their unpredictable interplay is what drives the film so strongly.

It’s just a good comedy. It's great to see big-name dramatic actors mixing it up with the comedy-genre's top players, and it'd take a tough nut to not find anything worthwhile about this film. Yes, I'm aware that I didn't say anything about the plot... you don't need me to tell you the nitty-gritties of what it's about, just go watch it.

HIGHLIGHTS: Rollcall! As I mentioned, a surprisingly large amount of celebrities and respected actors turn up in this film, some uncredited... Heather Graham, Luis Guzzman, Johnny McEnroe, New York Mayor Rudy Giulini (as himself), Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Harry Dean Stanton various American TV and sports celebrities playing themselves.
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The Cup

November 22nd 2006 02:03


Every now and then a foreign film comes along; a foreign film in a video case glossy enough for me to think 'this might not be so boring'. Sometimes I regret picking up some films, some times I don't. 'The Cup' is Tibetan film (filmed and set in Bhutan out of political necessity) about monks and soccer. Not your average Hollywood fare, I admit, but I guess that's what makes it all the more appealing...

It's a quiet and gentle film, centreing of the life of young Tibetan monks. It's realistic in it's depiction of the mischievousness of teenage boys, and lets the non-Buddhist-monk half of the world know that devoting yourself to religion isn't as dull as we might think. The young monks featured here are soccer fans. They sneak out to watch games on a local black-and-white television, put posters up on their walls, and discuss their favourite players and teams, whilst dodging their teacher and master, Geko, who is always out to catch them skiving on their studies.

It's not as frivolous and light-hearted as it sounds. The current political struggles of Tibet are not ignored, though they aren't particularly an agenda to be forced down our throats either - the film simply represents the reality of the situation that exiled Tibetan Buddhists face. I found myself so absorbed by the simplistic nature of the story; the oddities of east-meets-west culture, that I was smiling with the characters.

You'll find it hard to pick a more joyous film than this. It defines the term 'good-natured', and is as entertaining as it is unique.

TRIVIA: No professional actors took part in this film, all the monks are played by real monks. It cost virtually nothing to make, being almost a documentary in terms of location/sets/actors.

It is the first and only film so far to have ever been made by the all-Buddhist nation of Bhutan.
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Wayne's World

November 17th 2006 05:01


Another adolescent favourite of mine, and it still stands up to re-watching (so far). 'Wayne's World' launched the career of Mike Myers as an international movie-star and helped invent a whole new style of comedy, it's also very fast and funny.

Adapted from Mike Myers' and Dana Carvey's sketches on 'Saturday Night Live', 'Wayne's World' features the indelible characters of Wayne and Garth. Wayne and Garth run their own public-access television show from their basement, and happen upon fortune when they are discovered by a television exec (Rob Lowe). Amongst a series of misadventures and sly observations, including an Alice Cooper concert in Milkwaukee, Wayne and Garth come to realise that their television show is being exploited.

The plot isn't anything exciting, but that's not the point. 'Wayne's World' is a benchmark in post-modern pop-culture comedy. Along with 'The Simpsons' and 'Seinfeld', it set the tone for 90s comedy. It pokes fun at genre conventions and subverts characters (witness the friendly police officer), made wide use of self-parodying cameos (The Terminator T100, Alice Cooper) and brought to prominence a whole slew of catch-phrases ('not', 'we're not worthy'). It's originality and rapid-fire gags still hold up ten years down the track, and if anyone wanted to see what 'The Nineties' were like, this would be a great place to start.

Both Myers and Carvey give great comic performances, both having the good fortune of having perfected their characters prior to making the film. There's a whole host of memorable supporting characters, my favourite would have to be Ed O'Neill as the homicidal coffee-shop owner Glen. Also, Rob Lowe is suitably slimey in the role of the 'villain'.

There isn't much else to say. 'Wayne's World' is never dull, always on-sight when it comes to laughs, and generally, pretty damn hilarious.
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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

November 15th 2006 05:01


'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' sees the dream-teaming of Michael Caine and Steve Martin, in a comedy of dubious ethics and con-artist shenanigans. The set-up goes as thus... two con-artists, one resort. They make a bet to see who can swindle a woman out of 10 grand first, with resulting lunacy


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Breakfast at Tiffanys

October 25th 2006 07:49
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)


It was said that 'Breakfast at Tiffanys', Truman Capote's bestselling novella of a mysteriously lonesome and luminous callgirl who falls in with an unemployed writer, was unfilmable. Capote himself was said to be rather unhappy with the eventual changes that were made to the story in it's transition from book to film. It's sanitization was, however, typical of Hollywood at the time and was no doubt facilitated in part by the film-makers in order to match the film to Audrey Hepburn's screen image. Even with all this in mind, I doubt anyone could argue that both the book and film are classics in their own right. And if it weren't for Hepburn's involvement, the film would probably shine a little less than it has in the many years that have passed since it's conception


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Swimming With Sharks

October 20th 2006 05:34
Swimming With Sharks (1994)


Judging from the cover, you'd think this was some sort of comedy. I was warned of this prior-wise, by the same person who recommended it to me (hello Chris), so I was ready for anything. At the very least, I'm always entertained by Kevin Spacey, so I knew it wouldn't be too shit


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Ed Wood

September 15th 2006 07:53
Ed Wood (1994)

One of my favourite films, I have to admit. 'Ed Wood' is an odd combination of serious biographical picture and tongue-in-cheek humour. As an added bonus, the acting is exemplary.

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Short Circuit 2

September 14th 2006 07:48
Short Circuit 2 (1988)


Okay, it's the inevitable sequel. I have to admit, I loved this just as much as the original when I was 8 years old, but in hindsight, after watching both 'Short Circuit' and 'Short Circuit 2' it's painfully obvious that the sequel is no where near up to scratch


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Sex Boat

September 4th 2006 08:25
MATURE CONTENT
   


Nuns on the Run

June 30th 2006 07:55
Nuns on the Run
Nuns on the Run (1990)


I can't believe it took me so long to get around to watching this film. I mean, come on! It's got Eric Idle in it, and it's about blokes dressed as nuns, how could I not like it


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Crocodile Dundee

June 26th 2006 08:15
Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee (1986)


"That's not a knife... this is a knife"... ahhhh, Croc Dundee - the spearhead of Australia's shortlived invasion of America. For a short while, everyone went around saying 'get outta the way dopey' and 'g'day mate', it was great - while it lasted. Watching this again – IE. Going back and witnessing the phenomenon that started it all - was actually quite exhilarating, it was like I was 8 years old again


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Jabberwocky

June 23rd 2006 13:39
'Jaberwocky' is Monty Python animator/resident yankie Terry Gilliam's first post-Python directing effort. Gilliam would have to be one of my favourite directors of all-time... 'Brazil', 'The Fisher King', 'Twelve Monkeys', these are all great films. His debut film is more Python than his later efforts, but Gilliam's twisted vision can still be glimpsed throughout so this is easily worth a look-in for both Python and Gilliam fans.

Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky (1977)

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Three Amigos

June 21st 2006 07:21
Three Amigos
Three Amigos! (1986)


Ahhh, this is an 80s comedy classic. How can you go wrong with a combo like Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short? I used to watch this film all the time when I was a little'un, and I'd forgotten how funny it was - silliness still stands the test of time


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