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Reviews and Editing by R. Allen Leider
with CJ Henderson, Andrew Johnson and Monis Rose
July 30th, 2010 |
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 "Dinner for Schmuck"
Jay Roach's take on writer/director Francis Veber's The Dinner Game (Le diner de cons) is an English language adaptation of the stage play farce.
Each month, financier Lance Fender ( Bruce Greenwood ) and his friends organize what is called "the dinner game", where each guest brings the dumbest guy he can find as a guest and the dumbest guest wins a trophy and the guy who brought him gets a company perk or promotion. Into this setting comes underling Tim (Paul Rudd) a minor executive anxious to get himself and his secretary off the sixth floor to a cushy office on the seventh. When Tim latches onto a potential multi-million dollar client ofor the firm, a swiss businessman named Mueller ( David Wallliams ), Time is invited to bring a guest to the dinner and maybe get that seventh floor desk. Though he declines the invitation at first, Tim changes his mind when he meets Barry (Steve Carell), an IRS worker, who builds dioramas using stuffed mice.
The scheme backfires when Barry's blundering good intentions send Tim's life into a downward spiral, threatening a major business deal and possibly scuttling Tim's engagement to his fiancee Julie ( Stephanie Szostak ), an art dealer being courted by off-the-wall artist
Kieran ( Jemaine Clement ). Complications include Tim's stalker Darla ( Lucy Punch ) an aggressive one-night stand who wants more, more, more, and Barry's boss Therman ( Zach Galifianakis), a mind control freak who stole Barry's wife from him and rides him about it at every opportunity.
Americanized to the hilt, this film will rock you in your seat with whacky characters and some well-revised cliches.
The Players: Steve Carrel, Paul Rudd, Zack Galifianakis, Judy Punch, Bruce Greenwood, Jemaine Clement, and Stephanie Szostak
The Filmmaker:
Directed by Jay Roach
Screenplay by David Guion and Michael Handelman
Released by Paramount PIctures |
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 '''Dogs and Cats: The Revenge of Kitty Galore"
The epic struggle for control of planet Earth continues in this sequel to the 2001 comedy that had pet owners all across the world looking at their house pets in a whole new light. Shane ( Chris O'Donnell ) is a cop with a k-9 partner Diggs (James Marsden) who screws up and is sent to the kennel for retraining. In the kennell he is recruited by Butch ( Nick Nolte ) for the canine spy organization to hunt down Kitty Galore ( Bette Midler ) a rogue feline spy from MEOWS bent on conquering the world. In the age-old battle between cats and dogs, this crazed feline has taken things a paw too far. Kitty Galore has hatched a diabolical plan to not only bring her canine enemies to heel, but take down her former feline comrades and make the world her scratching post. Faced with this unprecedented threat, cats and dogs will be forced to join forces for the first time in history in an unlikely alliance to save themselves and their humans.
Butch and Diggs form an alliance with feline spy Catherine ( Christina Applegate ) who works for Tab Lazenby ( Roger Moore ) and the trio is later joined by a carrier pigeon Seamus ( Katt Williams ) in the quest to find and destroy the enemy, who is ruthless and aided by the giant android cat Paws.
Many of the movie jokes will be wasted on the 12 and under audience this film will get, especially the Hannibal spoof with Mr. Tinkles
(Sean Hayes) in an asylum, but the 3-D is effective for some of the thrills and the 90 minute time makes it a bearable yuk or two for the adults accompanying the kiddies.
The Players: Voices of James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Aplegate, Katt Williams, Bette Midler, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes,
Wallace Shawn, Joe Pantoliano, Roger Moore, Michael Clarke Duncan, Chris O'Donnell and Fred Armisen
The Filmmakers
Directed by Brad Peyton
Screenplay by Ron J. Friedman and Steve Bencich
Released by Warner Brothers
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 ''Get Low "
Reviewed by CJ Henderson
Sometimes, as you despair over the state of the American cinema (something you’ll find yourself doing increasingly as you age climbs past twenty-four), a film will come along that gives you pause. Because, while it is true that movies are being scaled back more and more when it comes to things like story-content, emotional maturity, lack of explosions, et cetera, not everyone is caught up in simply making ever-increasingly obscene stacks of cash in the most vulgar manner possible.
Yes, hard as it might be for some folks to believe, not every good movie comes from Europe and not every filmmaker in Hollywood is a complete and utter sell-out. If they were, we would not have "Get Low" in the theaters to enjoy right now. Is it good--oh dear God--yes. Is it worth your money--well, I guess that’s going to depend on how much money you have and upon what you like to spend it. Be warned, however, I am about to make a full throttle pitch on behalf of Sony Pictures Classics to get you spend some on their latest release, which in my opinion is one of the best pictures released so far this millennium.
The Story: Based on the true story of hermit Felix Bush, the film starts with a haunting image of a house in flames. As we watch it burn against the night sky, we see a figure, on fire, exit a second story window. They fall to the porch, to the ground, and then run off into the night. Their identity is not revealed, and indeed, the picture then goes off in a completely different direction. Where it goes is to the home of forty-year recluse Felix Bush (Robert Duvall). Beginning to feel the weight of his years, Bush decides to go into town to arrange a funeral for himself--one to take place while he is still alive. Hated and feared by everyone for miles around, unknown as anything more than a legend to most, Bush makes an offer to the world--come to my funeral.
He offers music, food, dancing, and the chance for everyone to come and tell their stories of Bush for all to hear.
Possessed of a great deal of virgin timber, he declares his home and lands will be raffled off for $5.00 a ticket--the drawing to be held on the day of his funeral. Needless to say, people become interested. The movie revolves around a few key characters. Bush, of course; Maddie Darrow (Sissy Spacek), a woman Bush dated long ago; Frank Quinn (Bill Murray), the funeral director to whom Bush turns for his arrangements; and Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black), Quinn’s assistant. Robinson is actually the story’s motivating catalyst. He steers Bush to his funeral home after Bush fails to get satisfaction from the local church (headed by Gerald McRaney in a stellar supporting performance). His boss, Frank, in danger of going out of business because people just don’t seem to want to die, jumps at the chance to throw Bush’s party for him.
But, as you might guess, there is always more under the surface, and that’s what makes "Get Low" such a wonderful film experience--the ever-deepening layers of story, and the absolutely world class performances moving each new piece into place. Yes, the cinematography is simply breath-taking (David Boyd, A.S.C., does an even better job here than he did on HBO’s "Deadwood"), the costuming is riveting in its authenticity (thanks to designer Julie Weiss ["Frida," "Twelve Monkeys"]), the special effects are perfect, the soundtrack effective--everything is swell. But, it is all in supporting of the acting.
This is one of the most superbly acted films in I can not remember how long. Duvall is at the top of his game. McRaney along with Bill Cobbs, who plays the picture’s other preacher, both give new meaning to the phrase "supporting actor. But, even more impressive are Spacek and Murray. As most will agree, whether center-stage in a movie like "Coal Miner’s Daughter," or in a supporting role as in "Blast from the Past," Spacek is one of the finest actors working today. And yet, good as she and the rest are, this is Bill Murray’s film. Underplaying from beginning to end, never mugging for the camera, Murray turns in his most nuanced performance since "The Razor’s Edge."
This is one of those films you can ramble on about for hours. But, the short and simple of it is, it is excellent. Well told, continually intriguing, intelligent, possessed of a great soundtrack (not just the music cuts, but you can actually understand every word being said--a rarity in modern films), and pretty much everything else one could want in an actual film meant to be a work of art and not merely the latest scheme concocted to separate drooling morons from their cash. What more can I say? I just saw it last night, and if I had a DVD of it, I would watch it again tonight.
Our final word: 5 stars out of 5.
The Players: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Lucas Black, Sissy Spacek, and Gerald McRaney
The Filmmakers
Directed by Aaron Schneider
Screenplay by Chris Provenzano and Gaby Mitchell
Released by Sony Pictures Classics
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 ''Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, Rebel"
Brigitte Berman's intimate look at the outspoken, flamboyant founder of the Playboy empire. With humor and insight, the film captures Hefner's fierce battles with the government, the religious right and militant feminists. Rare footage and compelling interviews with a remarkable who's who of 20th Century American pop culture, present a brilliant and entertaining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the controversies that surrounded him.
The filml takes an intimate look at the outspoken, flamboyant founder of Hefner, who launched Playboy magazine in 1953, he became a champion of the sexual revolution and, immediately, the forces of Church and State initiated a war against him that raged over the decades. Hefner is revealed both as a hedonistic playboy, but, more importantly, as the man who’s been a groundbreaking advocate and catalyst for civil rights, the First Amendment, and human rights. With humour and insight, the film captures Hefner’s fierce battles with the government, the religious right, and militant feminists. Compelling interviews with a remarkable Who’s Who of the decades, and rare footage, present a brilliant and entertaining snapshot of the life of an extraordinary man and the controversies that surrounded him.
The Players: Hugh Hefner, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, James Caan, Dick Gregory, Jesse Jackson, and many more....
The Filmmakers
Directed by Brigitte Berman
Screenplay by Brigitte Berman
Released by Phase 4 Films
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