Hot Takes On Film

  Dave Made a Maze (2017 US) I don’t know what to say about this film except Dave Made a Maze. Well, actually a Labyrinth to be more exact and it's made of cardboard. Writer/Director Bill Waterson brings us this batshit crazy absurdist/surrealist/comedy/fantasy/horror. If this all sounds weird that’s because it is but I can almost guarantee you that this is the craziest film you have seen. Despite it’s premise at it’s core is an Odyssean tale which includes a Minotaur, Sirens and demonic cardboard vagina. Yes you read that right. I am in absolute awe of the production design and just how much imagination it took to put that together. The budget was $500 k which in Hollywood terms is a micro-budget. If you have been with me for awhile you will remember that I love indie filmmakers with a unique idea that can execute well and I really do think that they did that here. Now let’s talk about the script. Waterson said in an interview that he did not want to make a statement with  Dave Ma

  Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975 UK) King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table embark on a journey to retrieve the Holy Grail. I put coconut shells in the picture above knowing that most of my readers are going to get it. If I say “it’s just a scratch”, most people will get that too. So why am I featuring a film like this. It’s because the younger generations are missing out on this fine classic. I you have seen it, watch it again. If you haven’t, go watch it. Older folks please tell the younglings about this and Life of Brian too. Kidnap them and make them watch this (Yeah, don’t do that). Tell them that the origins of several memes are in this film and to unlock the secrets all they have to do is watch. Cast member Eric Idle revealed in a tweet in 2011 that Led Zepplin, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson and Pink Floyd invested in the film because the studios wouldn’t. It shows you what suits really know. Boy howdy that same story shows up a lot. Studios pass on a project and lat

  The Love Witch (2016 US) It’s #FemaleFilmmakerFriday and todays entry is this fantasy from Anna Biller about a witch searching for true love. What I really loved about this is that it feels like it was shot in 1968. Biller really nailed it. I was 10 minutes into the film and I went back to verify that this was actually shot in 2016. Yup! It was. What made the “look” really pop was that it was shot on 35 mm film. Shooting on film is pretty hard. you have to have your poo poo together before you turn on the camera and clearly Biller did. She had a lot to say about the male gaze, fantasy, fear, religion and the Femme Fatale. I could probably write a 10 page film theory paper on this but that would be boring so I will only say it’s there and to watch for it. Although, the film has a lot to say it’s not all ivory tower academic speak. It’s very entertaining. Femme fatales, when done right, are so…dare I say it..Fun. Samantha Robinson really shined as the femme fatale. She is now on my lis

  Willow (1988-US) Ron Howard directs this classic sword and sorcery fantasy film about a young farmer who takes on the task of protecting a baby who was prophesized to destroy the evil queen. I just love this film . I have seen it many, many times. Is it the kind of film that wins awards? Nope! Does anyone really care? Also, nope! It is one of the most satisfying films out there. It’s like Hot Chocolate on a cold winter’s day. Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley make a very dynamic couple. Veteran Actor Warwick Davis is so compelling. It is really well paced. Howard is a master of pacing. He also likes to get the audience invested in characters and then gives them a finished ending. I do believe that is why his films are so addictive. Disney plus did a sequel series which I loved but apparently nobody else did and it was cancelled. Unfortunately, Kilmer was not in it. I would loved to have seen him reprise Madmartigan regardless of his health issues. So Kilmer if you are reading this, “we l

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005 Republic of Tyler Perry) Tyler Perry stars as the colorful matriarch of a family keeping them all in line. This is Perry’s first film and this is the first in the Madea series. Madea would go on to make many more films making Perry a quadrillionaire. Madea is very maternal making this a film you would want to watch with your Mom or even take notes. Perry does a great job being maternal and being funny. It’s a great character. No wonder this franchise has made so much cash. Perry is based in Georgia which has not gone all Darth Vader level anti-trans/drag probably because of Perry. JK I have no idea but I do know Perry holds a lot of power. Last I heard he is negotiating buying BET. He rescued a prince and princess. He even flew a gospel choir on his private jet to serenade his god-daughter on her baptism. Perry is quite a guy and it really comes across in his films. Although, the story is actually a relationship drama about Madea’s granddaughter and her

  Greener Grass (2019 US) It’s #FemaleFilmmakerFriday and todays entry is this absurdist black comedy skewing suburbia. Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Lueeble write and direct this feature film based on their short film (based on Greener Grass by Paul Briganti?). Wow this is weird. It’s absurdism and they totally get it. If you have lived in suburbia with children you will get it too. I lived in suburbia with kids. Every damn event was pot luck and whatever organization your child belongs to has several a year. Oh and your child wants to attend ALL of them. There was one where a certain Mom would take my dish and hide it. So I go to pick up my dishware and the food is all there . It wasn’t that popular, she says. Hmmm, how to make this work for me. I bring food that I can serve for dinner. Bring potluck dish: check. Dinner for days: check. So basically I brought dinner for us for days knowing that she will hide it. It worked for awhile until one year she wasn’t there and all my food is gone.

  #MotherMayI. Its May already. This month we will be looking at mother themed films. What I love about themes like this is that it crosses genres a lot. I will focus on films with the mother archetype. It doesnt have to be the main theme just front and center. I love how so many are in the horror genre. What does that say about motherhood? I am terrible in the horror genre space but I will do my best. The archetype is generally bonded with their child, she is female or female identifying but not always. She makes decisions for her child but not always good ones. This is where the archetype can go really wrong. She is nurturing and trusted but that can go wrong too. We are drawn to this archetypes even as fully realized adults. We still need to see her. Here is a brief list of genres that I have seen this theme Horror SciFi Drama Comedy Thriller Animation Fantasy Even Noir Yeah that’s a lot I know. What’s funny is that sometimes, not all, we don’t even realize we are looking at a mothe

 The Sea Beast (2022 US) Karl Urban voices Jacob Holland, a monster hunter straight out of a Robert Lewis Stevenson Novel encounters a precocious little girl who gets him to see things in a new light. This gem seems to have been overlooked for the most part last year. That's a shame because it had a lot to say. The primary theme was the heights of colonialism in the 18-19th century hence the Stevenson reference (Treasure Island) or even Pirates of Penzance. It even had a Kaiju nod with a smart monster who was neither bad or good but just defending itself. It even had the monster whisperer in the little girl. Super common in Kaiju films. I loved the color grading in it. So pleasing. Sea Beast was directed by veteran animator Chris Williams who has been animating since Mulan. Recently he directed Moana and Big Hero 6. This film was nominated for Best Animated Feature in the last Oscars but lost to Pinocchio.  Tough year. I really did enjoy it and do feel it deserves more fanfare. So

 Rango (2011 US) A domesticated Chameleon voiced by Johnny Depp finds himself the sheriff of a corrupt town and he also finds spiritual enlightenment after having an existential crisis.  Salon dot com coined a termed and associated it with this film. They called it Kidult animation. Yup that's about right. So much of this will go over a kiddos head, like way over. For Example this exchange with a prophet armadillo:  Depp: I need to find water Prophet: To find water you need to find dirt. Depp: Umm sure?! You don't get the joke until Depp shows up in a town called Dirt. OK I see what you did there but it took twenty minutes to get to the punchline. Kids won't get that or at least most kids. There was a lot of call backs to classic westerns including Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns. The spiritual element is pretty strong. So yeah, Kidult. Rango won best animated feature at the 2012 Oscars. Well deserved. I don't' know why but for some reason I always thought it did

 Raya and the Last Dragon (2021 US) Raya goes on a quest to find the last dragon and save humanity. Its #FemaleFilmmakerFriday and todays entry is this kid friendly film from animator Ami Thompson with a writing credit from Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians). I particularly loved the animation from Thompson especially color. Kelly Marie Tran voices Raya and did a great job. I do feel bad for her though. Disney had originally cast Cassie Steele to play Raya but changed their mind and cast Tran. However, Tran knew that she was second choice and felt a bit awkward. Speaking of awkward, Awkwafina voices the dragon. I'm a big fan of hers and she didn't disappoint. This is a film you can watch with your kiddos and enjoy it too. Find it on Disney Plus. 

 America: The Motion Picture (2021 US) George Washington teams up with his historical friends to kick out the British. In my first year in college I took a colonial American History class. It turned out the class was a weeder class meaning it was so ridiculously hard that it weeded out some of the history majors. For some weird reason there are a lot of history majors here in the U.S. Suffice it to say I learned a Shatner ton about Colonial American History. With that said I can assure everyone that this film was not historically accurate. Brought to you by Matt Thompson from Adult Swim. It definitely runs like something from Adult Swim. So don't watch this with kiddos around. Channing Tatum plays George Washington. He does great but I would have gone with Patrick Wharburton. Maybe he wasn't available. Veteran writer David Callaham wrote the script in all of its frat boy ways. But don't worry Callaham and Thompson skews everyone. I can assure you that there is something in

 Bee Movie (2007 US) A bee frustrated with the corporate grind in the hive goes on an adventure in New York where he meets a woman and they start dating. Yeah, you totally read that right. Brought to you mostly be Jerry Seinfeld this comedy animation is now an iconic chapter in the ever evolving book of pop culture. I was speaking with a few Gen Z'ers a while back and they were gaga over this film. I was like "Bee Movie? The one with Jerry Seinfeld?" Well I was confused. Critics hated it and they still do. Rotten Tomatoes has given it a 48% rating. Near as I can tell, Gen Z loves it. It is weirdly prophetic and just plain weird which Gen Z loves BTW. Surrealism is their jam. So I watched it again through the prism of Gen Z and all that they have been through and yet to have to go through. Yup, Yup I can see why they like it. It really speaks to their experiences and concerns. Huh who 'da thunk it?  Never has a character spoken to a generation since Bill and Ted said,

Chip 'N Dale Rescue Ranger (2022 US) Disney Reboots the Rescue Rangers to rescue Monterey Jack from bootleggers. 90's kids will love this film. It is just chocked full of cartoon and pop culture references and jokes. Some are Disney owned but many are not including the Coke Bear (not Cocaine Bear). You know the cuddly polar bear wearing a Christmas sweater encouraging viewers to buy Coca-Cola for the holidays. One of my favorites is E.T vs Batman. I feel like I'm in the "I can see it" camp. I think this is one of the most self aware films I've ever seen and I'm here for it. Historically Disney has had Zero (with a capital Z) sense of humor when it comes to their intellectual properties. So, I am happy to see them taking a jab at themselves a bit. I'm also happy to see the company let go of their script structure model that's worked well for them fore a century. It's kind of getting old. I don't think they got rights from Nickelodeon to show

 Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022 USA) Antonio Banderas leads an all star cast in this cotton candy colored animation about a cat with 9 lives who must come to terms with his own mortality because he has only one life left. Yup you read that right.  Technically, this is a kids movie. Puss is even chased by death depicted as a wolf. I thought at one point they may end up playing chess or Twister but sadly no. Banderas does a great job as the swashbuckling cat who up until now was quite carefree. It has jokes. Some are familiar like the big eyes joke. After the joke they then get back into talking about making the most of your life because you only have one (left). I don't know if I would take kids to this. The younger ones aren't going to get the philosophy but older ones might and I think that's a bit much. I enjoyed it and other adults will likely enjoy it too. Guillermo Del Toro acted as an Executive Producer and had a hand in the script. Yeah, that's totally on bra

 9 to 5 (1980 US) Three female office workers (Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton) kidnap their boss (Dabney Coleman). "Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition. Yawn and stretch and try to come to life." Face it you sang that when you read that. This Dolly Parton original song was nominated in the Best Song category at the Oscars in 1981. It lost to Fame. Tough year though. "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson was also in the mix. Parton said in a recent documentary that Fonda was asking her about the status of the song for the film so Parton played the song by scraping her acrylic nails together to create the beat and then sang the intro. Then she demonstrated it. Well shoot, if it didn't sound amazing. Didn't know that acrylic nails are the hot new sound. I just love this film. It was not nominated in any other categories but really should have. In the documentary Fonda talked about how the three bonded before the s

  Lured (1947). This noir comedy stars, you guessed it, Lucill e Ball. Noir-comedy you say? Comedy and noir do not belong together, you even said so yourself. And you would be right but hear me out. Lucy was a brilliant comedienne. In fact she was so good that her identity or brand became solidly enmeshed with her. To this day when you see her your brain starts to fill in the spaces and anything she says or does is comedy whether it is or not. When you watch this film it is really hard to turn that off and it becomes another Lucy misadventure. BUT if you can turn it off this is a very solid noir and Lucy is quite good in it. This film doesn’t show up in lists as much as it should but definitely give it a go and tell your brain to shut up. Find it free on Tubi.

 Jojo Rabbit (2019 US) a lonely boy in WWII Germany discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic. Oh and his imaginary friend is Hitler. Written and directed by Taiki Waititi, this dark and biting satire goes there. Waititi refers to it as an anti-hate satire. As I have discussed before, Hollywood is having a hard time putting up new and unique stories. Well if you are like me and would totally be OK with not having another remake or sequel in your lifetime, well here 'ya go. It’s weird and it's different. You get used to it then it gets weirder. Seriously though, the kids imaginary friend is Hitler. What do you expect? The theme is mainly blind allegiance. This poor boy has a lot rattling around in his head that he needs to come to terms with including Hitler. Waititi won the Oscar for the screenplay and now he makes Marvel sequels. Yay for the Oscars. Find it on Hulu or for rent in most streaming.  

 American Born Chinese (upcoming May 25, 2023 US) Variety and other sources are reporting of a new series coming to Disney plus. Off the back of the successful Everything Everywhere All At Once film, Disney + decided to reunite Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu for this series coming in May based on the graphic novel of the same name. I have no information on whether its good or not but I am looking forward to it. They all seemed to have had a good time together. So sweet. it is reported to have been directed by Destin Daniel Cretton who also directed Shang-Chi. I don't know if he directed all of them or just a few. Here is the trailer.  https://youtu.be/RAeemjfVvM0

 Cruella (2021 US) Well todays the big day. Its the day we find out what went wrong at a live show. Lets take a look at last years hot movies. Emma Stone stars in this origin story Disney movie about Cruella DeVille. Sometimes you watch the Oscars, well a lot of times, and you go "what  the actual F. Not this time. Jenny Beavan won for best costume design. Wow were they right on that one. I cant say I liked the story much for trying to make an evil Disney character likable enough that you're OK with her going on to kill a bunch of puppies. She had "reasons" for being so deplorably evil. Did we really need an origin story here that tries to wash away sins? But oh those costumes. Wow Wow and triple Wow. The Academy did right on this one. I think it was worth a watch right there. Forget about the dead puppies. That dress is so worth it right there. I mean come on, Stinky Puppies?.or...Irresistible Fashion?...There's no contest here whatsoever, Its the fashion. Do yo

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969 US) After a train robbery goes wrong two outlaws played by Robert Redford and Paul Newman find themselves on the run with a Posse on their butt.. If you haven't see this film I can assure you, you have. Its one of the most influential films ever made and has inspired filmmakers for decades. One of the more recent projects it has influenced is "The Mandalorian". It was a bromance and action comedy and audiences loved it. It made a ton of money at the box office that year. I think that its one of the best films ever made. This film was nominated for an Oscar in many categories including Best Picture but lost to Midnight Cowboy. The Insanely talented William Goldman won an Oscar for the script. You remember Goldman? I will give you a hint, "Mawwaige". When Goldman pitched the script to the studio they wanted to change the ending cuz "John Wayne don't run". can you imagine if Wayne played Butch or Sundance? I co