RAISING ARIZONA (1987), A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988), THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (1989)

Three 80's Films I haven't seen for sometime...

A Fish Called Wanda

When a heist movie is done well, it can be an awful lot of fun to watch. A Fish Called Wanda boasts a quartet of stars: seductive Jamie Lee Curtis, hysterically psycho Kevin Kline, and ex-Pythoners Michael Palin and John Cleese at the top of their game. I'm glad to say that this one is still as funny as ever three decades later. This movie also defies my you should never kill a dog rule. If it is done by Michael Palin as an animal lover, it's okay and pretty funny.

Whatever happened to...But whatever happened to the movie Fierce Creatures which reunited the four stars of Wanda? Has anyone actually seen it?

 Raising Arizona

I saw Raising Arizona at the theater when it first came out and was my introduction to a Coen Brothers comedy film (Blood Simple was more film noir). I'm happy to say that Raising Arizona is still quite funny after all this time. I like that the Coen's characters are broad, but human and even the criminals have a soft side to them...Everyone seems to love that baby, even the crooks! Holly Hunter, John Goodman, William Forsythe and Trey Wilson round out the fine cast. And has Nicholas Cage ever been funnier? (In a comedy, I mean).

The M. Emmet Walsh factor...It seemed for awhile in the late 80's, character actor M. Emmet Walsh popped up in almost every movie I watched, either in a new one or with something I happened to pop into my new VCR...Raising Arizona, Blood Simple, The Jerk, Straight Time, Fletch, Harry and the Hendersons, and of course his two appearances as a swim coach, in Ordinary People and Back to School.

M. Emmet Walsh in Raising Arizona

The Accidental Tourist

The first two movies lived up to my expectations, but it was harder to judge with The Accidental Tourist. You see, I've seen it but I remember very little about it. Seeing it again, it's a hard film to warm up to (Just like William Hurt's main character is a tough nut to crack). The thing to keep in mind is that Hurt's character Macon has gone through a tragedy (his son being killed) that is hard if not impossible to ever get past. It causes irreparable harm to his relationship with his wife Sarah (Kathleen Turner). He only finds any degree of getting past anything when he starts a relationship with a quirky dog trainer named Muriel (Geena Davis). Quirky is a good way to describe this whole movie, but I did warm to it eventually, as Macon warmed up to Muriel. I liked the emotional payoffs at the end of the film as well. I'm not sure what to make of the strangely possessive relationships between Macon's brothers and sister. Maybe this is delved into more in the original novel.  

Have I read Anne Tyler's original novel? No, but maybe I should.

THE MAN WHO HAD HIS HAIR CUT SHORT (1965, BELGIUM), THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2001)

The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short

Ah, the refreshing feel of a short haircut accentuated by a vibromassage device makes you feel nice and clean on the outside...even if you are having difficulty with what's going inside your head. At least that's how I interpret The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short. Govert is a teacher who falls in love with a student. He misses his chance with her until years later...though not before witnessing an autopsy beforehand. He finally reunites with her...she loves him too! Or does she? He gets a gun and shoots her...she dies...or does she? He gets locked away and sees her on a newsreel. She isn't really dead. His mind can now focus on the family he neglected and left behind. I'm not really sure what is happening here, but that's okay. What is presented is compelling enough and definitely worthy of a repeated rinsing...I mean viewing. 

The Man Who Wasn't There

The patterns of a head of hair from the viewpoint of a barber. The patterns just seem to go on and on, don't they? This is the perspective of Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), the barber who seems like an bit player in his own life. The Man Who Wasn't There is a modern day film noir filmed by The Coen Brothers in glorious black and white. Crane is in a loveless marriage, whose wife is having an affair with her boss. Crane knows about it and anonymously blackmails the boss to get money to invest in a get rich quick dry cleaning scheme. All does not go well. When I was thinking of a movie to team up with The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short, this was the first one that came to mind. Only Crane doesn't just get a nice haircut like Govert, Crane has to give nice haircuts to others every day. It's the monotony of his life that leads to his desire for something more. Like Govert, things fall apart for Crane, who eventually finds himself murdering his boss, having his wife accused of the crime and eventually being charged with a different murder he didn't commit.

I'm glad I watched these two back to back. I wonder if I can get in for a trim at Supercuts tomorrow? 

Random barber images...

 Eddie Murphy as Clarence, the know-it-all barber

in Coming to America

Johnny Depp as Sweeny Todd, The Demon Barber

of Fleet Street

Howard McNear as Floyd the Barber

in The Andy Griffith Show

Alfalfa Switzer sings The Barber of Seville in

The Our Gang Follies of 1938

MOVIES FROM THE 1990'S (MONTH 1)

MOVIES FROM THE 1990'S REVISITED

Since I still had quite a few movies from the 90's left on my 1001 list, I decided to re-watch ten this month that I have seen but haven't seen for awhile.

The Big Lebowski

If you're a movie lover, you gotta like The Big Lebowski. You gotta be able to quote it, love the characters and just have a fun time with the stoner dude and all his eccentric friends. I liked it when I first saw it and the subsequent cult status of the film is well deserved. And who wouldn't want to go bowling with The Dude, Walter and Donny? I will certainly see it again at some point as I spill a beverage in your honor.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder is a roller-coaster hallucinogenic head trip dealing with life and death, unconsciousness and consciousness, reality and imagination. I didn't remember many specifics from my first viewing other than the weirdness of it, but it is truly a worthwhile film that isn't always easy to figure out. Several scenes I watched over to fully appreciate how it all comes together...sort of.

Seven

Seven is one that I've only seen once before and if you know the big spoilers going in, you might not enjoy a movie like Seven the second time around. But knowing what was going to happen made it a different viewing experience. It loses some of the shock value, but you get to figure out this intense police procedural with the officers more as you go when you know where it is headed.

The Usual Suspects

The same repeat viewing spoiler problems may be found for The Usual Suspects, which (like Seven) also stars Kevin Spacey. Yet, it makes it easier to answer the questions of what exactly is going on with these crooks? What force is leading them together? And who or what is Keyser Solze? Another one to watch with someone who hasn't seen it to see if they can figure out the many puzzles presented here.

L. A. Confidential

Since I'm a fan of film noir, I'm especially prone to have affection for L. A. Confidential, based on James Ellroy's crime novel of the same name. Lots of twists, lots of action that goes far, but not too far and boasts a formidable cast led by (who else) Kevin Spacey. Just a thought: I wonder if Rolo Tomasi and Keyser Solze have ever met?

American Beauty

And my 90's Kevin Spacey film festival ends with the Academy Award winning film, American Beauty. This film has one of my all-time favorite screenplays (Sam Ball). The characters are vivid and cleverly written (though not overwritten) and very-well acted by the cast led by Mr. Spacey...Now that I think about it, I might need to watch Glen Glenngarry Ross or House of Cards again.

Goodfellas

Goodfellas is one of director Martin Scorcese's most critically lauded films and I would say deservedly so. I'm impressed with how the film mirrors the actual events of mob informant Henry Hill to dramatic effect. Many think that Goodfellas should have beaten out Dances With Wolves for Best Picture in 1990, but for the record, my wife thinks Dances With Wolves was the right choice.

Casino

I wanted to make sure I re-watched Casino right after Goodfellas, as the movie features the same subject (organized crime-though in Las Vegas this time), the same director (Scorcese), the same star (Robert De Niro), the same psychotic co-star (Joe Pesci) and the same original author (Nicolas Pileggi). But Casino is more than just Goodfellas-lite and definitely stands on its on in the classic crime drama category. And Sharon Stone is surprisingly good!

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is a movie whose title has become synonymous with living the same day over and over. It's obviously very funny, but their is a lot of poignancy and character growth in Bill Murray's Phil as the movie progresses. And how could you not love the perennially obnoxious Ned Ryerson?

Babe

After seeing a bunch of harder-edged movies in a row, it's a good break to re-watch the talking pig movie Babe. It's a movie with cute talking pigs, dogs and sheep! It's sweet and touching and when Babe the pig asks Fly the dog if he can call her mamma...well, I'm going to need a tissue now.

Plenty of more 90's movies to revisit. Will work on tackling some more of those next month.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007)

FILMS FROM THE 21st CENTURY

(Post 20 of 50)

Some quick takes on the most relatively recent listings from the
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list

The Coen Brothers usual sense of humor is missing from this  bleak adaptation of Cormac Mccarthy's novel which is one of the reasons that the Academy Awards finally took them seriously. Also, features a interesting trio of main characters who only encounter each other in passing: Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), who is still trying to do the right thing, Llweylyn Moss (Josh Brolin) a welder who finds a stash of cash and quickly finds himself in over his head, and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), an assassin who is guaranteed to give you nightmares. 

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013)

FILMS FROM THE 21st CENTURY

(Post 5 of 50)

Some quick takes on the most relatively recent listings from the
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die list

Inside Llweyn Davis is the story of a struggling folk singer in a pre-Bob Dylan Greenwich Village. If that brief description sounds appealing (it does to me) and you like Coen Brothers films (like I do) then Inside Llweyn Davis is worth checking out. On the other hand, I don't think it's top of the line Coen Brothers, but it does have a lot of moments to recommend it, many supplied by John Goodman who has developed quite a gallery of characterizations in the Coen's films.

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU (2000)

MILLENNIUM MONTH (MM): MOVIES FROM THE YEAR 2000
...AND IN MEMORIAM
(Post 1 of 11)

O Brother, Where Art Thou 

The Coen Brothers Great depression adaptation of Homer's Odyssey is one of their films I enjoyed when I first saw it, but didn't like it as well as some of their others. But the last two times I have viewed it, I have liked it better each time and now regard it as a favorite. It's a lot of fun, the music is catchy, the film is acted by a cast having a great time (special commendation to Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar) and don't forget to look for all the Odyssey references (the cyclops, the sirens, the suitor, etc.) This would definitely be in my book now.

A nice musical companion piece to O Brother is The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (and friends) 1970 classic album Will the Circle Be Unbroken.

2000 IN MEMORIAM

Obituary of person with 1001 movie connection: Jason Robards (1922-2000) was known for his performances in stage adaptations such as Long Day's Journey Into the Night and film roles such as A Thousand Clowns, A Boy and His Dog and Oscar winning role in Julia.

1001 entries for Robards include: Another Oscar winning role as Ben Bradlee in All the President's Men, the lawyer that fires Tom Hanks Philadelphia and as a terminal patient in Magnolia. But my favorite Robards role has to be Cheyenne in Once Upon a Time in the West.-You know what? If I was you, I'd go down there and give those boys a drink. Can't imagine how happy it makes a man to see a woman like you. Just to look at her. And if one of them should pat your behind, just make believe it's nothing. They earned it.