Author Archives: Keith Garlington

5 Phenomenal Movie Vacations Gone Bad

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movie_theatre - Phenom 5

It will be a light week here at Keith & the Movies as I am heading out on vacation with my family. We are keeping it in the States this year and heading to the Great Smoky Mountains. But I can’t leave without dropping a new Phenomenal 5 on you. In light of our travels today I’m going to look at movie vacations but with a darker twist. These five experiences of troubled travelers certainly started with happier intentions but things go terribly wrong. Now throughout film history there have been many movie vacations that have went south so I’m not going to call this the definitive list. But there’s no doubting that these five movie vacations go phenomenally bad.

#5 – “THE EVIL DEAD”

Evil Dead

I may be wrong but I don’t think many people include demon possession, dismemberment, and death in their vacation itinerary. Neither did our five college kids in Sam Raimi’s “The Evil Dead” but that’s exactly what they got. Ash (Bruce Campbell) and company plan on spending their Spring vacation in a small remote mountain cabin but their fun and relaxation is thrown aside after they unleash demonic forces via The Book of the Dead. Things couldn’t possibly go any worse for these friends as one after another meet their grisly end. For me this is a horror movie classic that still creeps me out even though it can seem a little dated. But if there’s one thing I have learned from “The Evil Dead” it’s that if I ever find an old book bound in human flesh while I’m on vacation, I’m leaving it alone!

#4 – “THE IMPOSSIBLE”

Impossible

I don’t often use movies this recent on my Phenomenal 5 lists but this one fit perfectly. Based on the true story of a family’s remarkable survival during the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, “The Impossible” captures the pain and raw emotion that such a devastating tragedy must bring. Many have harshly judged the film for downplaying the suffering of the locals and for using white actors to tell the story. I don’t buy into either of those criticisms. I think the film is respectful and powerful except when it gets a little too big at the end. This is a much more serious example of a family vacation that goes terribly bad but it’s one that deserves a spot on this list. Despite the popular criticisms, I found this to be a testament of the human spirit and of the bond of family.

#3 – “AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON”

werewolf

I’m sure that college vacationers David Kessler and Jack Goodman had several concerns going into their backpacking trip across England’s North York Moors. I’m sure they weighed everything from sprained ankles to bad weather. But I wonder if they ever factored in a werewolf attack? That’s exactly what happens in this 1981 horror/comedy classic and lets just say the results dance between really funny and really gruesome. Visions of dead friends, graphic transformations, and a big finale in downtown London are things that certainly weren’t part of the vacation planning. But they are great moments for anyone who has seen this film. When it comes to movie vacations gone wrong, it’s hard to leave this one off the list.

#2 – “THE DESCENT”

The Descent

All vacations start off as well intentioned getaways. Some are for spending times with family. Others are for seeing new parts of the world. In “The Descent”, six young women go on a group vacation intended to not only serve as a getaway but also to bring these friends back together after a deadly tragedy. The ladies go spelunking in an uncharted cave and lets just say its a really bad decision. It’s bad enough that the caverns cave in and trap them. That alone is enough to make this list. But throw in carnivorous subterranean creatures and now you understand why it’s #2. Things go really bad here in this survival horror picture that I really appreciate. It’s unique in several ways and its a perfect fit for any bad vacations list.

#1 – “FUNNY GAMES”

Funny Games

“Funny Games” isn’t what I would call a horror picture but it is one of the most frightening and unsettling films you’ll see. It’s also a perfect example of a movie vacation that goes terribly wrong. Michael Haneke, a filmmaker I’ve grown to love, wrote and directed this discomforting story of a German family spending some vacation time at their Austrian lake house. The husband and wife, their young son, and the family dog have their plans turned upside down when two young men appear and take them hostage in their house. They terrorize and psychologically torture the family and Haneke sits us down and makes us watch it all. It’s brutally realistic and genuinely disturbing which is what really sets this film apart. It’s a hard film to watch but it shows Haneke’s great eye for filmmaking.

There they are – five movie vacations that I hope to NEVER experience. What do you think? There are SO many more that come to mind. Please take time to share your thoughts.

Classic Movie Spotlight: “Charade”

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Classic Movie SpotlightAny movie starring the suave Cary Grant and the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn automatically catches my attention. Yet for some inexplicable reason I had not taken time to watch “Charade”. Well now I have and I can say without hesitation that it’s a real treat. Stanley Donen produced and directed this 1963 film that plays in almost every genre. It can be considered a Hitchcockian thriller, a slick romance, or a side-splitting comedy. But more importantly all of these elements fit together nicely in what turns out to be a well conceived and sharply directed picture driven by some wonderful performances. And would you expect anything else when you have this kind of talent involved?

The movie begins with a murder. We see a quick scene of a man being thrown from a train that’s speeding through the French countryside. This turns out to be Charles Lampert and his death is what triggers the mystery component of the film. Hepburn plays his wife Regina who is winding down her skiing trip in the French Alps. It’s here that she first meets an alluring stranger who goes by the name of Peter Joshua (Grant). After returning to Paris and finding everything in her apartment gone, Regina is notified by the police that her husband had been murdered while trying to leave the city. At his funeral three mysterious and shady looking men “pay their respects”. In actuality, the three were past partners with Charles in an elaborate scheme to steal $250,000 worth of gold. They are determined to get the money and think that Regina knows where it is.

It’s this mystery that serves as the main course of the film. Who is it that murdered Charles? Who is it that would do anything to get their hands on the $250,000? Who can Regina trust? Can anyone trust Regina? These are all viable questions and the movie never tips its hand too early. Instead you find yourself suspicious of every character at some point in the film. Peter pops back up but it may not be by accident. Grant nicely creates an aura of suspicion mixed in with his character’s self-assured charm. I loved it every time he showed up. The three men from the funeral, wonderfully played by James Coburn, George Kennedy, and Ned Glass, throw aside the ‘honor among thieves code’ and are as untrustworthy as they come. Regina has to navigate through this cast of questionable characters but does so with the help of the CIA administrator named Hamilton Bartholomew played by Walter Matthau.

Cary Grant & Audrey Hepburn

There are several other things that help make “Charade” a really good film. I’ve mentioned how well the mystery element of the story works. But the movie also has its share of hilarious scenes particularly those featuring Grant and Hepburn’s playful banter. I also felt there was a believable romantic chemistry between the two that I bought into despite the noticeable age differences. And then there’s the great look of the film thanks to the fantastic cinematography of the brilliant Charles Lane as well as carefully chosen locations scattered throughout beautiful Paris. And I just have to talk about the cast again. Hepburn is lovely and you just can’t take your eyes off of her. Grant’s performance is a reminder that he was not only a very polished actor but he could also be very funny. This was one of his final roles, and even though he’s older and grayer, he still masterfully handles each and every scene. And while I’ve never been the biggest Matthau fan, he’s perfect here as is Coburn.

I have no idea why I waited so long to catch up with “Charade”. It’s a highly satisfying mishmash of several movie genres that I love and it’s anchored by two performances from two of Hollywood’s all-time greats. Fantastic direction, beautiful cinematography, and a perfect supporting cast give this movie a familiar yet distinct style that I truly loved and responded to. Now there are a few plot holes that you could nitpick about and there may be a couple of things that are a little too silly to buy into. But I found it to be an entertaining time and it’s a film that shouldn’t fly under any movie fan’s radar. If you haven’t seen it, don’t take as long as I did. It’s definitely worth your time.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Cold Light of Day”

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Cold Light posterAbout a quarter of the way through “The Cold Light of Day” I was really wondering why everyone had been so hard on the film. I was already preparing for my defense of the movie and the ribbing I would be getting for it. But then things changed. Bruce Willis disappears, Henry Cavill takes center stage, and the bottom falls out. Now I usually don’t like to dwell too long on a movie’s bad points but sometimes you just can’t avoid it. Especially when the entire movie takes a nose dive right before your very eyes. Things definitely go bad here and the movie erases nearly every bit of promise it offers early on.

The idea of the movie is sound enough. Will Shaw (Cavill) arrives in Spain where he plans to spend the week with his vacationing family. We quickly learn that Will doesn’t have the best relationship with his father (Bruce Willis) and the tension between the two is evident. But Will doesn’t make things easy. He sulks and mopes and spends more time on his cell phone checking on his business in San Francisco. This self-centered immaturity pops up throughout the film. I mean even later, when Will is supposed to be ‘a new man’, his character reminds me of a 14-year old with some of the things he does.

The group takes a sailboat off the coast for a day, but Will and his father have a huge argument leading Will to swim into town to get supplies and cool off. When he gets back to the beach to he notices that the boat is gone. He walks the beaches searching until he finds it in a cove. Nobody is on board and it appears there was a struggle. Neither the police or American Embassy are willing to help and Will begins to find out some interesting things about his father. I don’t want to give away any of the few surprises (and I mean very few) this movie has so let’s just say he ends up with a host of people chasing him through Madrid while he tries to find a way to save his family.

CA.0822.the.cold.light.of.day.

One of the biggest problems with “The Cold Light of Day” is that things get so blasted silly. The film takes so many convenient, out of the blue turns and the characters do some of the most idiotic things. Sigourney Weaver, a talented and accomplished actress, enters the picture and you would think she would be a stabilizing force. Not so! Her character is as cheesy and corny as they come and I often found myself just shaking my head at her flailing attempts at tough guy dialogue. Her character’s angle as well as several other aspects of the story are completely predictable which cuts into any of the suspense the film was hoping for. And any type of plot that happens to catch you by surprise still feels totally contrived.

None of this is helped by Henry Cavill. If I may be unapologetically blunt for a moment, Cavill is absolutely awful here. Now to be fair it doesn’t help that he’s given such boneheaded dialogue. But his performance even sinks below that. Cavill is at his best when he’s sprinting through the streets, jumping over cars, and ducking for cover (and he does a ton of that). But once he’s asked to say a line or show some emotion, well lets just say I’m suddenly a little worried about the upcoming “Man of Steel” movie.

Now this movie features some good camera work and it’s shot in some gorgeous locations. I absolutely loved seeing the sights of Madrid as the movie moves from one part of the city to another. I enjoyed the first third of the film and thought it opened itself up nicely. It also moves at a good crisp pace and at 90 minutes it doesn’t drag things out longer than it should. But the pluses don’t absolve the movie of its clear transgressions and as it moves forward things completely fall apart. I remember when I first saw the trailer for this film. I thought it had a lot of potential. It did. Unfortunately the movie wastes practically all of it.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Now You See Me”

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See me poster

I have to admit, the idea behind “Now You See Me” is pretty intriguing. As silly as it may sound, a group of magicians working together in huge elaborate bank heists is loaded with potential. The movie also puts together a pretty impressive cast featuring some fresh young talent, fun and reliable veterans, and a French actress that I’ve become a big fan of. So the ingredients are there for a fun an entertaining little thriller. That’s why it’s so sad that the movie stumbles all over itself and ends up being an unfortunate disappointment.

The story goes something like this – Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco are small-time magicians working the streets and house shows. They’re all brought together after being slipped a mysterious tarot card and address by a hooded stranger. We then leap forward to find that they have a fancy new stage show and perform under the name The Four Horsemen. After their first big show in Las Vegas rains down stolen money on the jubilant crowd, the FBI immediately get involved. Agent Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) teams up with a French Interpol Agent Alma Vargas (Mélanie Laurent) to head the case. Their initial interrogation with The Four Horsemen leaves a sour taste in Agent Rhodes’ mouth and he makes in his goal to stop them before their next big show.

SEE ME

Michael Caine shows up as a wealthy insurance man who sponsors The Four Horsemen’s act but who may not be the ultimate brain behind their operation. We also get Morgan Freeman as a former magician who now makes his money debunking and discrediting magic acts. Both are tossed into the mix of what becomes the movie’s big question – who is the person that’s really behind The Four Horseman? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that twists and misdirections are a big part of this film. When the story stays focused on that it can be entertaining. Unfortunately this thing goes all over the place and by the time the twists do finally come, their effects on the convoluted story pack little punch.

There are numerous structural and narrative problems with “Now You See Me”. First, there are so many enormous plot holes many of which you could drive a truck through. There are also hugs gaps in logic that no amount of magic can explain. The pacing is good enough that you can overlook some of these things while watching the film. But if you take even a second to think about some of the things they completely fall apart. The story has holes. The characters have holes. The explanations and revelations have holes. We also get bits of mumbo-jumbo about some mystical magical force called The Eye which honestly I still don’t understand nor do I even care to.

Then there is the magic. With the exception of Eisenburg’s cool card trick during his first scene (a trick which got me), most of the magic and illusions were underwhelming. Most of the time they felt more like movie trickery than actual magic tricks. Also I can’t say I ever fully bought into any of the Horsemen as serious magicians. Some may blame the actors or it may be because we hardly spend any time with them. Most of our time are spent with the FBI trying to piece together what’s going on. That leaves The Four Horsemen feeling pretty flimsy.

SEE me 2

Personally I felt the performances were decent enough. Some where able to overcome the lackluster writing while others were smothered by it. Caine and Freeman were rock solid as always and Eisenberg was also quite good. But it was Laurent, the fine French actress I mentioned above, who gave my favorite performance. Like every other character, she has to deal with some occasionally clunky dialogue but she handles it very well. Not so with Ruffalo. He has his good moments but he also has a few stumbles. But once again, the script does him no favors.

“Now You See Me” is a real toughie for me. I was never bored. I never checked my watch. I enjoyed some of the performances, particularly from Laurent. But there are just too many stinking flaws to give the movie a recommendation. The story is riddled with plot holes. Some characters are so poorly written. The magic, which should be a strong point, won’t blow anyone’s socks off. In the end all of these problems sink the movie and keep it from being the film it should be. That’s a shame because the parts were in place. There just wasn’t a good enough story to work with.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Illusionist”

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I am not the biggest animated movie fan which is actually kind of funny considering I watch so many of them. But to be honest it’s not automatically a conscious choice of mine. Since my two children came into the world my knowledge of animated movies has skyrocketed. So they deserve the thanks for opening me up to the genre. Yet while I do appreciate animated pictures, very few of today’s efforts really connect with me. That’s why it’s such a pleasant surprise when I come across a movie like “The Illusionist”. It turns out to be another example of my hardheaded procrastination hindering me from seeing a very good film.

“The Illusionist” is a smart and stylish animated feature from French writer and filmmaker Sylvain Chomet. His first feature length animated film, “The Triplets of Belleville”, was highly praised even earning two Oscar nominations. With “The Illusionist” he takes the same hands-on approach. He directs, edits, handles the music, and co-writes the story. But the movie’s real punch comes from its source. The story is taken from an unproduced script from acclaimed filmmaker Jacques Tati and has been called “a personal letter to his estranged eldest daughter“. Others dispute that saying it was written for his other daughter Sophie because “he felt guilty that he spent too long away from his daughter when he was working.” Either way its deeply personal material and Chomet brings that out in ever scene of “The Illusionist”.

The_Illusionist 1

The story takes place in 1959 and follows an aging, down-on-his-luck magician who finds his audiences shriveling due to newer and flashier acts. With his venues drying up, he agrees to do a show at a bar on a remote Scottish Island. It’s there that he crosses paths with a young orphan girl named Alice who is convinced his magic is real. She travels with him to Edinburg where he gets a steady gig. He uses the money he makes to put them up in a hotel and to buy Alice gifts. He finds happiness in watching her excitement over a new pair of shoes or a pretty new dress. But soon he and several other traditional acts run into the same problems as before. As his audiences dry up the magician is forced to take several less desirable jobs to keep food on the table and to keep buying gifts for Alice.

In many ways “The Illusionist” is a sad story that deals with a very familiar conflict that was found in almost every Tati film – the cold, loud, impersonal, present versus the content, happy, passionate past. It’s the story of a dying age and dying breed of performers who love their craft and sacrifice for it but are being put out to the pasture by a new generation. This was a trend Tati saw in his day and he addressed it in his very first film “Jour de fete” and throughout his popular Mr. Hulot movies.

Illusionist 2

But it’s not just the themes that resemble a Tati picture. Chomet and company go even further to make this feel like a movie that could slide right into Jacques Tati’s catalog. Like Tati, he puts a heavy emphasis on visual comedy and sound, but with hardly any dialogue. We are mainly told the story through our eyes with the unintelligible speaking being more of a dictator of tone and attitude. To go even further, the magician is patterned after Tati himself from his postures and mannerisms right up to his lanky frame and facial features. The resemblances are uncanny.

“The Illusionist” is certainly not a traditional animated feature. It’s mature in its storytelling and it doesn’t use popular conventions that we so often see. I think my biggest pleasures were in the beauty and grace in which the story is told and in the historical and cinematic similarities it has with its author. The comedy is often times subtle which works well and the characters each have something important to provide. Then there’s the animation which is beautiful to behold. An argument could be made that “The Illusionist” doesn’t capture the charm and wit of Tati’s films. Personally I’m amazed at how Sylvain Chomet was able to do what he did via an animated picture. Maybe I’ve been wrong about animation after all.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

5 Phenomenal George Clooney Films

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movie_theatre - Phenom 5

The recent release of the teaser for the upcoming movie “Gravity” got me to thinking about George Clooney and the interesting acting resume he has. So I thought for this week’s Phenomenal 5 I would look back on his career and list the movies that I count among his best. Clooney has his share of detractors and that’s for good reason. But I think he’s proven himself as a fine actor and he’s given us some great performances. Now considering his number of quality movies, I’m not going to call this the definitive list. But these five George Clooney films stand out to me and are most certainly phenomenal.

#5 – “FROM DUSK TILL DAWN”

DUSK

This is one movie in the George Clooney library that’s certainly unlike any other movie he’s made. Up until 1996, Clooney was mainly known as a television actor. But that year he was cast in the Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino action/horror film “From Dusk till Dawn” and his motion picture career took off. This is definitely not a film for everyone. Clooney plays Seth Gecko. He and his brother Richie (Tarantino) are on the run from the FBI after a bank robbery goes terribly bad. But what starts out to be a crime thriller evolves into something much different. The two find themselves fighting vicious vampires south of the border with the help of a disgruntled preacher (Harvey Keitel). It’s a crazy, violent, and bloody movie laced with dark humor and centered around Clooney’s charismatic breakthrough performance.

#4 – “O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?”

O brother

On several occasions George Clooney has shown us that he has an affection for off-the-wall humor. This was never more evident than in his three collaborations with Joel and Ethan Coen, the best being “O Brother, Where Art Though?”. This film features all of the signature traits you would expect from the Coen brothers from their quirky humor to their amazing storytelling skills. But it also works thanks to Clooney’s hilarious offbeat performance. The film is set in rural Mississippi during The Great Depression, a setting you wouldn’t expect Clooney to flourish in. But he completely sells it through his wacky accent and lingo along with the Coen’s fabulous script. This is a really good film featuring some of Clooney’s best and most unique work.

#3 – “MICHAEL CLAYTON”

Michael Clayton

In 2007 George Clooney took on what would become one of my favorite roles of his. He played the title role in “Michael Clayton”, a rich and layered drama written and directed by Tony Gilroy. Clooney plays a law firm’s “fixer” who erases and covers any problem that may cause the firm trouble. He finds himself to be expendable during a scandal that turns violent. Clooney is so good here especially in the second half of the film when things really get complex. This is a great performance which ended up earning him an Oscar nomination. In any other year he would’ve won but 2007 was also the year of Daniel Day-Lewis and “There Will Be Blood”. Sorry George, but you still did a remarkable job.

#2 – “FANTASTIC MR. FOX”

FOX

Talk about a movie catching me by surprise! But I should have expected it since it came from the delightful cinematic mind of West Anderson. In “Fantastic Mr. Fox” you don’t see Clooney’s handsome smirk or $500 haircut. Instead it’s his unmistakable voice that we get in this fantastic film made in classic stop-motion animation. It looks sensational. Wes Anderson’s screenplay is smart and witty. And of the wealth of voice talent featured in this film, it’s Clooney who masterfully delivers one great line after another. Now this certainly isn’t his greatest performance since we do only get one facet of his work. But in terms of George Clooney movies, this one ranks close to the top of my list without a doubt.

#1 – “UP IN THE AIR”

Up in the Air

It may surprise some to see “Up in the Air” at the top of this list but its a movie that really connected with me from the first moment I saw it. There’s so much going on in this Jason Reitman film from 2009 but at its heart it’s all about the characters. Clooney plays a frequent flyer who fires people for a living while doing some motivational speaking on the side. Weird, right? Well there’s such a real quality to this character and it bursts through thanks to Clooney’s performance. We learn so much about him. We despise him. We sympathize with him. The movie is also helped by its spectacular supporting cast. I may be alone but I think “Up in the Air” is George Clooney’s best film and it’s one that will easily hold up in the years to come.

There are five of George Clooney’s best films. So what did I miss? See something you like or dislike? Please take time to chime in. Let me know what your favorite George Clooney film is.