Tag: Comedy

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Mel Brooks’ comic saga of cowboys and imbeciles.

Rating 12
Length 1h33
Release 23.06.1974
Director Mel Brooks
About Hedley Lamarr, a corrupt politician, hires an African-American man as the sheriff of a small town to drive its residents away, but his plan backfires when the townspeople take a liking to the sheriff.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: BBC Iplayer
Trailer:

The Good

Gene Wilder was an excellent choice and last-minute replacement for Jim. His relationship with Bart is what the film needs and they truly work together. As always, Wilder is on form with his comic timing.

I saw that Richard Pryor was briefly considered for the role by Brooks, however Pryor’s substance abuse was rather public at the time and so the studio vetoed the choice.
For me, I’m rather glad of studio meddling for once. It meant that we got an incredible and much more understated performance from Cleavon Little. There’s no question, Little carries this film effortlessly.

On the whole, the film is funny while actually broaching some serious social issues. Those without an understanding of satire may incorrectly see the film as ‘racist’, however the film is asking you to laugh at the ridiculousness of hate.

With it being one of Brooks’ early films, there’s not so many references that rely on a person having knowledge of the time in which it was made. As much as it pains me to say this, Blazing Saddles is a much better movie than the Cary Elwes led, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).

The Bad

Yeah… you all bigged up that farting scene way too much. It cannot live up to the way people talk about it. In a world in which we have a film that has two women playing “battle shits” in the college dorm bathroom, the impact of this monumental cutaway scene has greatly reduced.
Not helped by the fact that I’m sure I’ve scene the whole scene play out on no less than 3 ‘best of’ countdowns. It just felt a little ‘that it?’

The dude named Mongo. It’s a personal thing, but to name a character coded as slow and stupid Mongo feels so painfully ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ on the nose.

It’s alway good to see Santa in something, anything, other than Santa Clause: The movie (1985).

The Ugly

The film goes a little too meta at the end for me with the escaping the world of the film, to the behind the scenes. Then it goes and doubles down by going to watch the ending of the film in a cinema on the studio lot.
I’m sure Mel Brooks had that planned from the outset, but it comes across to me as if the story ran out of steam and this gave the film an ending.

Final Thoughts

It’s a film I’m going to wait a while to revisit, but I am glad I finally understand what all the fuss is about.

The Machine (2023) Film Review

Rating 15
Length 1h52
Release 31.05.2023
Director Peter Atencio
About The past comes back to haunt Bert Kreischer when a murderous mobster tries to kidnap him to atone for his crimes. With help from his estranged father, Bert must retrace the steps of his younger self as a sociopathic crime family goes to war.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Now TV/ Amazon Prime (for rental or purchase)
Trailer:

The Good

Mark Hamill is a renaissance man! For years he solely belonged to the geeks, known for Star Wars and his epic voice work in Batman. Now he’s being cast in everything, and I’m here for it! From Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman to the scene stealing turn in Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher, Mark Hamill is getting the career he deserves. Much like Brendon Fraser and Key Huy Quan, I’m so very happy to see the good eggs get their time.
The Machine is certainly good for showing another side to Hamill. Not Luke, not the Joker, but a character somewhere in between. He’s a saving grace for this film, and the main thing you should be watching it for.

The action is pretty cool and there is the novelty of it being quasi-biopic. I’d also imagine that if you’re familiar with Bert Kreischer’s comedy, you’ll find the retelling of his infamous robbery and a subsequent “what if?” rather entertaining.

The Bad

The film takes way too long to get going. The whole setting up the family dynamics, while great for establishing the character, does very little to set the pace of what is meant to be an action movie. By the time there’s any sort of speed to the plot, I was checked out.

The Ugly

Given the current political climate with Russia, I did find it difficult to settle into the film and find the whole Russia is the capital of violence shtick. While I can imagine the film was in production long before Putin decimated Ukraine and displaced an entire country, but its release seems in bad taste; even with it very much poking fun.

Final Thoughts

Well, I know someone would have been laughing like Muttley throughout this. My brother will have loved so much about this film. Unfortunately, for me, the trailer showed all the best bits and outside of Mark Hamill, the full runtime fell flat.

Unexpected (2022) Film Review

Rating 12
Length 1h48
Release 01.02.2023 (In the US)
Director David Hunt
About Music critic Bob is out of a job, addicted to Zoloft, and trying to wrangle the menagerie of animals that his wife Amy has accumulated.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime (for rental or purchase)
Trailer:

The Good

The moment Joe Mazzello begins his narration, I know I’m in safe hands. I’ve yet to see the actor turned director take a creative misstep in his entire career (Although give me three wishes, I’m using one of those bad boys to have Small Soldiers and A.I added to his filmography) He has always been excellent at playing characters that are steeped in tragedy, but Mazzello has evolved into an entertainingly dark comedian and it is exactly what a film like this needs to lighten the tone.
Bob was also someone I was able to identify with and a brilliant way connect to the film. The Character’s arc of acknowledging his depression, the all-too-real experience of psychotherapy and the complications of prescription medication could feel too heavy if it wasn’t for Mazzello’s performance.

The film is funny. Not only the character of Bob. Yes he’s dry, witty and sarcastic in a way that I find charming, however the film itself is able to bring a comedic tone to much of the events. Some reminds me of Tom Hanks’ Money Pit (1986) and other situational comedies.

One thing I love about independent films is that the audience are given a different storytelling experience. Along with the change in narrator throughout the film, there’s some playing with time when we’re coming to the end of the film to allow an element of completion and fulfilment. Something other, more mainstream, films would not attempt and leave the audience without closure.

The Bad

This is a bittersweet film that does not provide the typical narrative. It plays like real life. Largely to do with it being based on upon the biographical book Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tart. However it does mean that it touches on difficult topics and not everyone gets a happy ending. For some this may be too much like their own lives, for others it may be triggering.
For me, it was comforting to know that others go through similar thoughts and feelings. That I’m not alone and there’s a hope for coming out the other side.

It is hard to watch this film and not be even the tiniest bit curious about what the version with Ashley Tisdale as Amy would have been like. That’s not to say Anna Camp was not perfectly cast; she’s adorable and bubbly, but able to handle the emotional consequences of life not going quite to plan.
I just know that dynamics and nuances will have given a completely different film. I also spent a lot of time following this film and was saddened upon the shoot having to shut down due to covid-19 restrictions with mere days left to film.

I’m not sure the film plays on the use of music enough. It’s a personal thing, but to me the protagonist is Bob. Yes, other characters contribute to the narration but 90% is Bob. I would argue that most of the music is reflecting Amy. It is at odds with the film for me. That’s not to say I didn’t like the choices, I just would have liked it to either be a reflection of Bob.

The Ugly

The ugly truth is that living in the UK has meant I’ve had to wait until today, 21 December, to be able to watch this film. Independent cinema is stunning, it is meaningful and it offers an alternative to the loud and fast blockbusters that dominate the cinema.
This film would have had a decent box office and could have enticed viewers similar to those who sobbed their way through My Sister’s Keeper (2009) and those who chuckled and cried through Juno (2007). However, films like Unexpected are not finding their way into the cinema and it really is heartbreaking to see.

Final Thoughts

While the topics of depression and fertility may not be my usual go to topics for a Friday night watch, Anna Camp, Joe Mazzello and Scrub’s Neil Flynn not only make me glad I watched, they are the reason I’ll be watching again.

Gun Shy (2000) <With Spoilers>

Rating 15
Length 1h 41
Release 6.10.2000
Director Eric Blakeney
About A seemingly calm and collected DEA agent is a nervous wreck on the inside. As he struggles to demolish a cartel, an incident lands him in the psychiatrist’s chair and, consequently, in group therapy.

The Good

  • The thing that really makes this film work, is the relationships Liam Neeson’s Charlie makes during his undercover work. I say that loosely given that I’m not sure Charlie is ever playing anything other than himself.
    He has obvious chemistry with Sandra Bullock, but the best relationship by far is the one between Neeson and Oliver Platt. Oh my god, the final act, you will feel for both of them. You’ll understand the decisions they each make.
  • Speaking of Oliver Platt, he’s incredible in this. I’m not so sure I’ve seen him in a “bad guy” role before and it really worked. To then have the film unpick the character and discover the root of his unhappiness. If you gave me a film just about Fulvio and Charlie, I’d have been very happy.
  • I was happily surprised to discover Mitch Pileggi had a much larger role in this than I anticipated. While the start of the film may have you thinking he’s in a type-cast role, but no one in this film is who they really seem.
    I must admit though, I had my suspicions, Pileggi himself speaks of his Italian heritage in interviews, so he feels like a bit of a red herring given the involvement of the Mafia. I reveal this, not to be a spoilsport, but because I can’t let this review sit without taking about the reveal. Not the one to the audience, but the reveal to Charlie. There’s a way that Pileggi can set his face whenever he’s in the position of a bad guy (Son’s of Anarchy, Shocker and Supernatural spring to mind) and it works well here.

The Bad

  • It’s a bit wacky. Like, you really do have to roll with it and remember that it was a product of the 2000s; the same era that brought us Mulholland Drive, Get Shorty and Analyze This. If you can stick with it until it really gets going, there’s a payoff.
  • For an Irishman, Liam Neeson’s accent in this is appalling. It’s so unbelievably inconsistent that I’m certain the line about him being Irish was put in during reshoots.

The Ugly

  • The plot threads are just not quite all there. It’s almost two or three very different movies in one. There’s attempts to connect the elements but they don’t all quite marry up the way that would lift this film up a little more.
    The biggest problem for me, is how little Sandra Bullock’s character is integrated into the rest of the narrative. There’s even a clear set up that goes nowhere.

Final Thoughts

You know, it wasn’t the best film in the world. I wanted three different movies out of it. I wanted a Neeson/Platt movie, a Neeson/ Bullock movie and I wanted a movie just with the group therapy guys. Instead, I got this bag of Revels when I really just wanted the Maltesers out of it.

Stop or my Mom Will Shoot (1992)

Rating PG
Length 1h 22
Release 17.4.1992
Director Roger Spottiswoode
About When cop Joe calls-off his relationship with his girlfriend, his mom pays him a visit. She starts to interfere in everything that he does and soon gets involved in one of his important projects.

The Good

  • Estelle Getty is what makes this film as enjoyable as it is. Firstly, she’s the best Golden Girl (which I would imagine says a lot about me) and she has that dry Yankee humour. There’s no one else you could put in that role.
    Secondly, some of the characteristics of Tutti remind me so much of my own mum. For example, Tutti finding the gun and ‘cleaning’ it to actually break it. Yeah, that was my mum. Clothes, PCs, food… you name it, she’d mean well but it would always go wrong. It’s a little bittersweet, but so god damn funny.
  • The plot is rather poor, but its not the plot you’re watching this for. It’s the dynamic between Getty and Stallone. It bloody works. On some level a lot of us recognise the relationship these two people have (see above) so we not only relate, but we can laugh as it happens to someone else.

The Bad

  • I love JoBeth Williams, but the character of Lt Gwen Harper is so shit. It’s like the film gave with one hand by making her the boss, but took it away with the other by making her relationship with Joe so public and unprofessional. What’s so bad about it, is that it makes me question how she got her position in the first place.
  • Stallone does not want to be in this movie. You can feel that from his performance. Some of it can be explained away as the character’s relationship with the mother, but it’s more than that. It’s a shame, because it looks like it could have been a real laugh being on that set.

The Ugly

  • Some of the dialogue is very dated and cringe. In fact it plays like a mid 80s film, rather than one from 1992. From the stewardess purring “You looked real sexy in those diapers” to “I like wearing my underwear more than once before changing them.” Just makes me very, very grateful the 80s and 90s are far behind me.
  • The film’s score is painfully repetitive. Maybe its that I’ve been spoiled by incredible soundtracks of recent years, but this was cheap and distracting.

Final Thoughts

It’s dated, the plot is a little hit and miss, but I laughed at good few times and at 1h 23 I certainly don’t think I’ve wasted my night.

The Hangover (2009)

Rating: 18
Length: 1hr 4o
Release: 12.6.2009
Director: Todd Phillips
About: For a bachelor party, three best men and the groom take a road trip to Las Vegas. They wake up the next morning to realise that not only have they lost the groom but also have no recollection.

First Thoughts

I was working in a cinema when this was released. I’d finished my shift and was in the bowling alley with a few friends when we decided to go check the film out. There’s nothing better than seeing a comedy film on its opening night with a full house. Even a modest comedy can give an audience a false sense of how funny it is. After all, laughter is infectious.
I had, over the years, over played this beauty of a film as I must not have watched it in its entirety since I went to London in 2014. So, when I saw it gracing Netflix’s suggested bar this afternoon, I offered it up as the weekly lockdown watch.
The big question is: has it aged well?

The Good

  • I don’t think you could have a better cast. From your three leads, to all the support. While at the time, Cooper was considered playing to a type. Phil isn’t much different to his role in Wedding Crashers. However, for me, I’d only really seen him play the boy-next-door in Alias. He held his own in this and was that wonderful caring jerk.
  • Ed Helms not only has the physical comedy, but he’s able to make Stu likeable whereas someone else could have made him very weak and annoying. Zach Galifianakis plays the character of Alan in a way that I don’t think I appreciated at the time. There’s a real child-like innocence to him and he’s not actually as creepy as I thought ten years ago. He’s also incredibly stupid, which leads to a lot of the film’s humour.
  • The opening is just brilliant. In a tv show, this sort of opening is commonplace, but on the big screen its a refreshing way to open the story and gives us an idea of whats at stake. Its the perfect point to have as an anchor.
  • It is one funny movie. Even those that I know haven’t aged well work because of who is saying them. I haven’t laughed so much at a film in a long time and really has lifted my spirits in this lockdown era. Its a quotable monster of one liners and witty dialogue.
  • The homage to Rain Man is brilliant. Haven’t seen the film, but I know the reference because of how iconic it is. I love that its also tied in with Alan’s mimicry of Phil. Just perfect.

The Bad

  • There is an overuse of homosexual slurs in this movie. The very fact that one was dubbed over for the trailer is very telling. Its not isolated to one character either, which could be reflective of the character. Yes, its a film made a decade ago and things have changed. Doesn’t mean I have to be comfortable with it.
  • In terms of the character Stu, I do wish he’d not asked out Jade. Him leaving the really vile girlfriend is a big win for me and I just want it to be because he wants out and not because he’s too scared to be alone, but now has a fix. I guess on the other hand, it shows how invested I am in the character.

The Ugly

  • I don’t like the police brutality scene. Now, I am also aware i’m watching within a contextual bubble and that right now there are many riots occurring due to police brutality upon black people. As it stands, I didn’t like the performance of the male officer and I most definitely didn’t feel comfortable about how this man was teaching children how to use stun guns and then get them to use them on the leads. I laughed back then and even now, I did have a little chuckle when it comes to bringing down ‘Fat Jesus’. However, the laughter doesn’t last long.

Final Thoughts

Even with its flaws, The Hangover remains one of the best comedy movies I’ve ever seen. Today, it was the antidote I needed for the last 10 weeks of isolation. Not only for the comedy of the film itself, but for the nostalgia of a time I really miss.