July of 1999 was a great time for water based Creature Features with two campy delights released within weeks of each other, Lake Placid and Deep Blue Sea. I'll be discussing both on my blog here this month, but I'm kicking things off with the very silly but very entertaining Lake Placid.
Sheriff Hank Keough (played by Brendan Gleeson) is assisting a Fish and Wildlife ranger with scuba diving on an isolated lake, who is there tagging beavers when said ranger suddenly comes back up screaming for help and ultimately winds up half the man he used to be. The Sheriff quickly calls in Jack Wells (played by Bill Pullman) from Fish and Wildlife to try and figure out what happened. From the ranger's body they find a tooth fragment that appears prehistoric. New York Paleontologist Kelly Scott (played by Bridget Fonda) is sent to check out the tooth and intrigued joins the search to the monster. They are soon joined by Crocodile expert Hector Cyr (played by Oliver Platt), who has deduced that the monster in question is a crocodile. As they set up camp nearby, accompanied by a number of Deputies, including Deputy Sharon Gare (played by Meredith Salenger), to try and contain the animal if possible, destroy if necessary, with the various members of the group falling on either side of the debate. Things get more interesting when they discover that the foul mouthed old lady, Mrs. Bickerman (played by Betty White), who lives by the lake may know more than she's letting on with the crocodile.
The film was directed by Steve Miner from a script by David E Kelley of all people. The result is a unique blend of gruesome monster movie mayhem and hilarious comedy, with perhaps the most mismatched cast of characters who spend the bulk of the short 80 minute run time trading sarcastic remarks and bickering with one another. It makes for a memorably unique film that is hard to take too seriously. Then again it's about a giant crocodile in a lake in Maine that eats people, so perhaps it's best to keep things on the sillier side. The film does briefly try to explain just how a Crocodile could wind up there, but in the end the film loses interest in explaining it and in the end it doesn't really matter. Backing the film is some pretty solid effects work, especially the practical effects for the Croc by Stan Winston holding up quite well. Some of the CGI doesn't hold up as well, but the dodgy effects kinda play into the movie's B-Movie charms, so I didn't mind it. The production is capped off with a rather nice John Ottman score as well.
The cast of the film is top notch, with Bill Pullman as Jack Wells, more or less the straight man having to deal with this group of oddballs (although his character gets in a couple of zingers as well). Bridget Fonda's performance as Kelly Scott is one of a long line of David E Kelley neurotic single ladies, but she plays the role quite well as a character completely out of her element in the Maine Wilderness, far more accustomed to her cushy New York City museum job. Brendan Gleeson does a great job as the grumpy local Sheriff Hank who loves big guns and hates sarcastic people. He frequently butts heads with Crocodile enthusiast Hector Cyr, who Oliver Platt plays with a great deal of charisma and the two play off one another beautifully to great comedic effect. One of my favorite moments was between the two of them, where they come across a dismembered toe. Hector picks it up and shows to Hank asking, "Is this the man that was killed?" Gleeson just fires back with, "He seemed...taller." Oliver Platt is a delight in his role and surprisingly works as the charming playboy who mythologizes crocodiles, while romancing Deputy Gare on the side. And then there was Betty White as Mrs. Bickerman, who effortlessly steals every scene she's in as the foul mouthed old lady who is nothing but openly hostile to our group of dysfunctional heroes. It probably doesn't help that on their first encounter that as they inquire about what happened to Mr. Bickerman Hank bluntly asks, "Was he swallowed?"
Lake Placid is a deft mix of horror and comedy, with a stronger emphasis on the comedy side of things that at times plays out like a demented Jaws rip-off and honestly, that works for me. It wasn't a film that did particularly well in theaters, but has developed a bit of a cult following. It also spawned five direct to cable sequels, none of which I've been able to bring myself to watch. Probably because they were made for the SyFy channel and at this point, I just know better. At least with the first one, they were intentionally trying to be funny.
When veritable character actor Rip Torn passed away last week, a number of his most memorable roles no doubt came to mind. For many it may have been Zed from the Men in Black films or Patches O'Houlihan from Dodgeball (his line, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!" seems to be one of the most quoted lines from the film). Yet, it was his role as Bob Diamond in Albert Brooks' afterlife comedy Defending Your Life that first came to mind.
Daniel Miller (played by Albert Brooks) is celebrating his birthday by picking up a new BMW convertible he just bought. He doesn't get far though when driving it home he leans over to grab a CD case that slid off the seat and winds up accidentally drifting into oncoming traffic (while "Something's Coming" sung by Barbara Streisand ironically plays on the car radio no less) and gets hit by an oncoming bus. Daniel suddenly finds himself arriving somewhere new, yet strangely familiar called Judgement City. It's a purgatory of sorts where the recently deceased have their life evaluated by a panel of judges to determine if a person is ready to move on to the next level of existence or if they need to go back to Earth for another try. All of this is explained to him by his defender, Bob Diamond (played by Rip Torn). The proceedings, while they insist it's not a trial, is certainly set up like one with two judges and a prosecutor, Lena Foster (played by Lee Grant). Over the course of the next nine days, they will be revisiting moments from Daniel's life to determine if he conquered fear, viewing each moment on a giant screen. In the meantime, he'll stay in one of the hotels in the city, be able to indulge in as much of the fine foods the city has to offer (without worrying about gaining weight!), and enjoy the many attractions, including a past lives pavilion, where people can go and see what their past lives were. Things get complicated when he meets Julia (played by Meryl Streep) and sparks begin to fly between the two. But as it becomes clear to Daniel that she'll be able to move forward and he becomes increasingly convinced he's going to be sent back to Earth, he finds himself at a crossroads whether or not to continue feeling they would just be separated in the end.
Albert Brooks wrote and directed the film and created a really unique vision for the afterlife. The area it takes place in, Judgement City, looks very much like any other city in America, as was the goal, except all the guests there awaiting Judgement are transported around on a series of Trams (like on the old Universal Studios tours), from destination to destination. The main concept of having to defend the choices you've made during your time on Earth in an attempt to prove you concurred fear is an intriguing concept that I imagine any viewer can relate to. It's certainly something that has stuck with me ever since I first saw the film. The film also has a decidedly sweeter tone over the earlier films Albert Brooks had made, keeping the film a lightweight romantic comedy for the most part. The film is very funny though, finding a lot of humor in very interesting places. One detail is the residents of Judgement City use a far higher percentage of their brain than the people from Earth, calling the folks from Earth "Little Brains" no less. Apparently, those on Earth only use 3-5% of their brains ("Any more than that an you won't want to live on Earth, believe me," explains Bob). And of course, the idea that purgatory is made of chain hotels (and the better of a life you led, the better the hotel, apparently) and office parks is low-key hilarious. The dialogue is also expectedly witty for an Albert Brooks film and given the film's fantastical premise, he takes it even further. A prime example is Bob's excuse for missing the prior day's hearing, "I was trapped near the inner circle of fault," with no elaboration.
The performances in the film are quite good. Albert Brooks is great in the lead role of Daniel and does a great job of portraying Daniel's wide-eyed befuddlement with what the afterlife is, as well as his character's own insecurities and especially his inner turmoil towards the end when he becomes convinced his trial isn't going to go his way. He also has a nice, easy going chemistry with Meryl Streep, who exudes warmth in her role as Julia. Rip Torn easily steals the show as Bob Diamond. He fills the character with such a jolly, irascible charm as he tries to ferry Daniel from one plane of existence to another. He delivers even the worst news in an upbeat and reassuring manner. It's a fantastic performance that is burned into my mind when it comes to him. Lee Grant makes for a worthy adversary to the upbeat Bob Diamond and their verbal sparring in the court room is fantastic.
Defending Your Life is definitely my favorite of Albert Brooks' films. It's a warm and breezy romantic comedy and for a movie about the afterlife it's surprisingly hopeful. It's a witty film that is hard to dislike from the beginning to a real great ending. With three fantastic performances from Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep and Rip Torn, it's an easy one to recommend.
Back in the 80's, there was a lot of mismatched buddy cop films that blended high octane action and comedy to usually entertaining results, whether it's 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Lethal Weapon, Running Scared or Tango & Cash just to name a few. As the new millenium dawned, the genre went out of style. Coming back with an amusing contemporary update to that well worn formula comes Stuber.
Stu (played by Kumil Nanjiani) leads a fairly quiet life working in a sporting goods store and supplementing his income by driving for Uber. He takes his work very seriously and is obsessed with obtaining a five star rating with the service. Things get complicated when he picks up Vic (played by Dave Bautista), a cop in pursuit of a dangerous drug trafficker, Teijo (played by Iko Uwais), that escaped his grasp on a prior encounter. He's determined not to let that happen again, despite his Captain, Angie McHenry (played by Mira Sorvino), insisting he stand down. The only problem is he got Lasik eye surgery earlier that day and can't drive. Stuck with calling an Uber, he winds up with Stu. Wanting no part of Vic's mission, Stu intends to just drop him off and continue on his way, especially when the girl he likes, Becca (played by Betty Gilpin), calls announcing she broke up with her boyfriend and wanting him to come over. But Vic, ever determined to catch Teijo, drags Stu along from one potential informant to another as the two become begrudging partners in pursuit of a dangerous criminal.
The film was directed by Michael Dowse from a script from Tripper Clancy. The film is a real throwback to 80's action films as it melds strong comedic elements with some intense violence. Still, the filmmakers find some fun ways to tweak the standard elements of the 80's cop movie formula, such as when the visit the requisite strip club it's actually a male strip club (leading to an amusing scene with one of the strippers helping Stu be more open and direct during a FaceTime call with Becca while Vic gets the info he needs). The film also mines a lot of humor from the differing personalities of the two leads, whether it's the meek, overly polite Stu or the gruff Vic as they butt heads throughout the movie. I did appreciate how the two characters help each other throughout the film, whether it's Stu learning to be more assertive or Vic learning he needs to be more present and less of a workaholic, especially when it comes to his daughter (wonderfully played by Natalie Morales). Still, for all the humor the film mines from the mismatched leads, the plot to the film does feel woefully familiar. In terms of the plot, the film really moves from one plot point to another with very little of it feeling fresh. Even a certain plot twist had me groaning rather than intrigued or surprised. To his credit, Dowse does stage the action rather well with a fight between Nanjiani and Bautista when their animosity hits it's boiling point being a memorable standout.
The acting from the two leads is quite strong and they both bring a lot to the table. Kumail Nanjiani brings a lot of humor to the film, with plenty to mine playing a character that is entirely in over his head in a situation that continues to spin more and more out of control. He also does well in showing his character's growth over the course of this night from hell as things get crazier and crazier. Dave Bautista keeps pace with Kumail in the comedy department, as the two bicker back and forth throughout the film as they move from one action sequence to the next. He does well as the gruff police detective whose sole focus is on catching this one criminal, but learning over the course of his adventure that he needs to learn to let go and not be so work obsessed. Iko Uwais does the best he can with the woefully underwritten role as the main antagonist, Teijo. He does prove himself to be a formidible fighting opponent for Vic, but in terms of memorable action movie villains, there isn't much there that's memorable or unique. It's nice to see Mira Sorvino on screen again. It feels like it's been forever since I've seen her in anything and she does as much as she can in the supporting role as Captain Angie McHenry, another role that is rather uninspired and could've used a few fresh ideas. Nonetheless, hopefully this means we'll see more of her in the future. Natalie Morales adds some freshness and charm to the film in her role as Vic's daughter, Nicole. It's a pretty standard role, Nicole feels neglected by her workaholic father but tries to be understanding, yet Morales adds a certain spunkiness to the role. I also appreciated that she didn't wind up as a damsel in distress, which is where I expected the film to go with her character. Karen Gillan shows up briefly at the beginning of the film as Vic's partner, in a bit cameo, but doesn't stick around long enough for her character to make much of an impression, unfortunately.
Kumail Najiani and Dave Bautista give their all to their roles and the film works as well as it does because of their odd couple chemistry. They do genuinely play off each other really well and the film got some solid laughs out of me. Where the film falters is in the plotting. Everything about it just felt so been there, done that with very little of it being a genuine surprise. It's a retread of 80's buddy cop action movies that struggles to find anything new or interesting to show, outside of the updated time and the Uber ride share service being a plot point. As it is, it's an amusing time waster, but with some work it could have been something more memorable. As it is, I'd really only recommend it to fans of Nanjiani or Bautista, and even then maybe wait for video.
Ari Aster is quickly establishing himself as a new and exciting new voice in the horror genre. After last year's Hereditary proved to be genuinely unnerving, I was anxious to see his follow up film, Midsommar. With an unexpected depth of character and a slow burn pace, matched with some genuinely impressive production design and cinematography makes this a memorable scary film.
Dani (played by Florence Pugh) has been having a difficult time with her boyfriend Christian (played by Jack Reynor). She worries she leans on him too much with her family problems, especially with her bi-polar sister. In fact, Christian had been thinking of breaking up with her, but when she experiences a devastating family tragedy, he can't bring himself to do it. To help her move on, he invites her to join him and his friends on a trip to an isolated commune in Sweden to take part in a Midsommar festival that happens once every 90 years. Christian and Josh (played by William Jackson Harper) are Anthropology students and Josh is traveling there to study their customs with their friend Mark (played by Will Poulter) tagging along to take part as well. They were invited by their friend Pelle (played by Vilhelm Blomgren), who grew up there and wanted to invite them as it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Upon their arrival, they find a rather serene and isolated community in a valley surrounded by woods. It's sunny, warm and inviting as the residents all welcome their guests with open arms. They are surprised at some of the customs of the community, such as the open use of hallucinogens or that all the adults of a certain age sleep together (in separate beds) in one large barn building. Pelle shows them around the commune and all the different areas, including a curious yellow A-Frame building in the distance, but Pelle warns no one is allowed to go there. It's only when the quaint colloquial customs begin to turn sinister that they realize the danger their in.
Ari Aster wrote and directed this entry into the folk horror genre. For those unfamiliar with the term, folk horror is a very specific sub-genre of horror, focusing on groups of people that follow unique, old-world beliefs and customs. These groups are usually isolated from the modern world, but the main plot usually focuses on a person or group of people from the modern world encountering and spending time with them only to in time discover their darker and more horrifying practices, usually when it's too late. It's a genre that really rose to prominence in the 60's and 70's, especially in Britain (with The Wicker Man being a prime example, and no I'm not talking about the Nicholas Cage one). It's also a genre that is starting to make a bit of a comeback. With this film, Aster manages to craft his tale in a very smart way though. He crafts a community that, while may have some odd customs, seems on the surface to be such a serene and peaceful place you can't blame the characters for letting their guard down. The area has wildflowers all over the place, is almost always bathed in bright sunlight, and all the residents are very warm and welcoming to them. That has always signaled safety in terms of horror tropes. Therefore, once the film makes it's turn and the darker customs begin, it makes the ensuing violence all the more shocking. Even I was grimacing and looking away. I have to give credit to the production design and the cinematography of the film for creating spaces that at once can seem innocent and then incredibly sinister at different turns.
The acting in the film is top notch, led by Florence Pugh as Dani. Her character is really put through the ringer emotionally throughout the film and she has a great arc of trying to find healing from the trauma she experiences at the beginning of the film. Much like how Hereditary used the horror genre to explore the impact tragedy can have on a family, Midsommar looks how it can impact a relationship. Jack Reynor gives an equally complex performance as Christian, who is a guy who is trying to do the right thing. He was ready to break up with Dani, but stuck with her when tragedy struck as I imagine any person would. Reynor does a good job of showing his character's conflict. He's in a relationship with a girl he no longer loves, but is afraid to leave her because he doesn't want to cause more harm than Dani is already dealing with. It's certainly something I could sympathize with to a certain degree. Although, things begin to change for his character when one of the local girls shows an interest and Christian's inner conflict grows, which Reynor portrays wonderfully even as his character becomes decidedly less sympathetic as the film goes on. As a fan of the show The Good Place, I was excited to see William Jackson Harper as part of the cast as Josh. He has a good supporting role here, even if his character mainly is the one to talk to the elders of the community and reveal how it all functions to the audience. But, even in that context he does have solid arc of his own, especially when some conflict occurs between him and Christian in regards to the dissertation he plans to write on the community. Will Poulter does what he can with the role of the resident horn dog Mark. It's the only role in the film of the main cast that felt rather underwritten. Still Poulter manages to make the character reasonably likable and relatable. I rather enjoyed Velhelm Blomgren as Pelle, the guy who brings our main characters to the commune. He exudes such a genuine warmth and care towards the characters, especially towards Dani. It adds an interesting extra layer to the film where a lesser film might make him seem more sinister.
More than anything, it's the emotional depth and strength of characterization that makes Ari Aster's films more impactful to me than the average horror film. He creates three dimensional characters and puts them in relatable situations and then adds a horror twist to it. He also doesn't go for cheap scares, preferring the slow burn approach to build tension and dread, making for a far more memorable scary movie experience. Still, I feel that much like his previous film Hereditary audiences mileage with this one will vary. It is a slow burn film that spends as much time, if not more, on crafting it's characters as it does on crafting memorable and disturbing scares. For me, it made it all the more worthwhile.
I was hotly anticipating the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home, not just because I wanted to see what happened next in the MCU after the epic blockbuster that is Avengers: Endgame, but because I genuinely love Tom Holland's iteration of the beloved webslinger. Needless to say, this entry did not disappoint and in fact surpassed his previous solo adventure, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Now, I get to once again do the MCU movie dance where I try to review the film without spoiling the big plot moments. It's trickier than it looks. Although, the following review does have huge Avengers: Endgame spoilers so proceed with caution if you have not seen that one yet.
Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) is trying to adjust back to normal life after the events of Endgame, being returned to life and all. He's looking forward to hanging up his Spider-Man suit for awhile and heading out on vacation with his school friends, Ned (played by Jacob Batalon) and MJ (played by Zendaya) on a trip through Europe, along with fellow classmates including Flash Thompson (played by Tony Revolori) and Betty Brant (played by Angourie Rice), as well as two teacher chaperones, Mr. Harrington (played by Martin Starr) and Mr. Dell (played by J.B Smoove). If there is anyone who needs a vacation, it's Peter and his friends who also were part of what they refer to as the blip (the people who got dusted by Thanos at the end of Infinity War). Peter is also understandably stressed as people are looking to him to be the successor to Tony Stark, something he completely doesn't feel ready for and cannot deal with, go so far as avoiding phone calls from Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson). The vacation starts off well enough, but when a large, water based creature starts wrecking havoc in Venice, Peter gets pulled into an new adventure by Nick Fury and Maria Hill (played by Cobie Smulders) to team up with a new hero on the scene, Quentin Beck, also known as Mysterio, (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), who says he is from an alternate dimension of Earth and has fought these creatures, known as the Elementals, there. With his summer vacation hijacked by Nick Fury, Peter has no choice but to team up with Beck and fight the newest threat to Earth.
Jon Watts returns to direct this film from a script by Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers. The biggest thing hanging over this film is the aftermath of the two Avengers films and the impact it's left on the world, which this film covers in a efficient and surprisingly humorous way as the students that were blipped, including Peter and all his friends, dealing with being back except five years have passed and everyone else is five years older now (for example, one student bemoans that his younger brother is now his older brother). The other shadow hanging over the film is the death of Tony Stark and Peter trying to cope with the loss of his mentor as well as the pressure to take his place. This is only exacerbated by the fact that Peter is bequeathed a powerful piece of Stark tech, E.D.I.T.H, that he has to figure out how to use. It's this emotional backbone that makes the film really have resonance. I also liked that Peter found a new mentor of sorts in Quentin Beck, who plays as sort of a big brother to our beleaguered webslinger that pays off in some unexpected ways. Jon Watts also does a great job staging some very inventive action sequences in the film. I can't really elaborate on them because of spoilers, but they were dazzling and thrilling. I also appreciated how balanced the film was between the serious moments, the action and the more humorous aspects of the film.
Tom Holland continues to impress as Peter Parker. I've found things to like in every incarnation of Spider-Man, but I feel like Tom is the first one to really nail both aspects of the character and I just adore him in the role. He really coveys Peter's uncertainty and pressure to step up his hero game. He is understandably feeling not ready to take on that kind of responsibility as a sixteen year old kid and really he shouldn't have to yet. But, when you have superpowers and there are giant monsters attacking the city, you need to step up. Jake Gyllenhaal makes his MCU debut here as Quentin Beck and is great in the role. He adds a lot of welcome complexity to Beck and his relationship with Peter throughout the film had a different beat to it than Tony and Peter in Homecoming, with a bit more of a brotherly dynamic. Zendaya is fantastic as this iteration's version of MJ. I get a great deal of enjoyment out her character and her dark, sarcastic sense of humor as well as her strong and fiercely independent personality, which is a refreshing change of pace for films like this. She plays off Tom Holland well and I love seeing the two of them together. Samuel L. Jackson adds an interesting new dynamic as he brings Nick Fury face to face with Peter Parker and proves to be a bit intimidating to the young superhero. I've always enjoyed Jackson in the role and seeing him start to lose his patience with Parker's own insecurities provides plenty of humor. Jon Favreau has a supporting turn as Happy Hogan and gets involved in a bit of the action during the climax of the film, while also adding some of that great Favreau charm to the film as well. Especially with an amusing subplot of a possible romance between him and Peter's Aunt May. Speaking of her, Marisa Tomei only has a couple scenes in the film as May, but makes the most of every scene she is in, portraying the close bond her character and Peter share with ease.
Spider-Man: Far From Home continues the streak of excellence that has defined the majority of the MCU, while also being a decidedly lighter film that the one that preceded it making for a welcome bit of summertime blockbuster fun. At the same time, it sets up some interesting possibilities for the future (including a surprise cameo that had my whole theater cheering. No spoilers though). I, for one, can't wait.
