"Best Worst Movie" Movie Review

 
    “Best Worst Movie” was a documentary that caught my attention when I first heard of it.  I am not a huge fan of documentaries for the most part but this film was definitely on my radar.  Maybe it was something to do with my love for cinema, good or bad.  I find all of it fascinating and sometimes the best stories involve why a movie turned out so bad or weird or both in this case.
    This film chronicles of lives of the individuals involved in the making of the cult favorite “Troll 2”.  “Troll 2” is widely considered one of the worst movies ever made.  The film had different effects on everyone involved.  Some see the silver linings of being in the film, others feel it destroyed their careers, while others have more pressing personal matters.
    The documentary succeeds largely because the story is so odd and engulfing and feels more like a scripted movie in the vain of many Christopher Guest movies as opposed to a documentary.  Few documentary films touch your heart and make you laugh within the span of a few minutes.  Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction.
    The film was directed by Michael Stephenson, the child star of “Troll 2”.  Instead of focusing the film on himself, the film focuses primarily on George Hardy.  George is a fascinating subject because he is just the right mix of odd and charming to keep the film interesting.  George continued on as a dentist after his appearance in “Troll 2” but clearly loved being “a movie star” and loved the attention he got from it despite not being able to quit his day job.
    We get to see what life is like to be an actor in a cult hit from the highs and lows.  It’s interesting to see how George in particular deals with starring in “Troll 2”.  He absolutely adores having fans and people knowing he is an actor.  He soaks the spotlight up at theater showings of “Troll 2” yet at conventions where the fan base is a little more diverse, he is very insecure.  The most eye opening scene of the film is when George is doing a signing at a horror convention and no one wants his autograph.  He looks around at all the washed up actors and has beens and laughs to himself but that is when the reality of his situation hits him, he was a never was.  George starts to get boarderline hostile and defensive, calling the attendants of the convention “freaks” as a way to justify their lack of interest in the actor of “Troll 2”.  George leaves the convention and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.  He wanted so bad to be adored and while loyal “Troll 2” fans love him, he is never going to be what he felt like he should have been.
    Michael Stephenson managed to do what few documentary filmmakers can and showcase what life is like for his subjects with heart and humor.  In that respect, Michael Stephenson reminds me a great deal of Michael Moore.  He knew his film should entertain first and then educate.  That is the point of this film after all.  “Troll 2” turned more into a comedy of errors than a masterpiece, yet there are still film buffs who adore it because it entertains us, no matter what the reason is.  This is a film that transcends the subject matter that is “Troll 2”, this is a film that embodies the love of cinema as a whole.

Grade: A

“Speed Racer” Movie Review

    A live action "Speed Racer" had been in development for over a decade by the time the Wachowski siblings brought the Mach 5 to life in 2008.  The film was considered a failure at the box office and failed to make it's budget back domestically.  The film was also met with widespread negative reviews from critics.  Did the film deserve the dump the public and critics took on it?

    "Speed Racer" is about a young man (whose name is Speed Racer) who decides to follow in his brother's footsteps as a professional racer after his death.  Racer ends up racing in a cross country race to take down a powerful and corrupt executive.  Needless to say, things do not go smoothly.

    As started in the introduction, a "Speed Racer" film had been in development for over a decade before this film saw the light of day.  The film is an adaptation of the late 60s Japanese hit “Mach GoGoGo” and the anime it had inspired.  An adaptation of “Speed Racer” almost happened in 1995 with Johnny Depp as Speed Racer and Henry Rollins as Racer X (Rollins was ironically also considered for the part of Racer X in this version as well).  Years later, Vince Vaughn tried to get the project off the ground and was set to play Racer X but that project fell through.

    “Speed Racer” stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon, and John Goodman.  Hirsch doesn’t do a bad job in the title role but lacks charisma.  For such a silly film to work, you need an actor with charm.  Matthew Fox also doesn’t add much which is disappointing since he was excellent in “Lost”.  I am usually not the biggest fan of Christina Ricci but she brings a lot of spunk and energy to the project.  I feel like Ricci feels at home in the world of “Speed Racer”.  John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are also wonderful as Speed’s parents.  Goodman and Sarandon are definitely highlights of the film.

    If the title isn’t an indication, the film and it’s premise are incredibly silly.  It isn’t meant to be taken seriously.  It’s high concept and relies heavily on visual story telling.

    For a movie requiring such over the top visuals, the visual style of the Wachowski siblings was just what the movie needed.  They have proven their flair at innovative filmmaking with “The Matrix” and those talents come in handy here.

    The movie wasn’t a masterpiece nor did it have a compelling story to tell.  At the end of the day, it was made to be a big silly popcorn film and in that sense, I think it did it’s job.  That’s just my two cents though.

Grade: B-

“Halloween” (2018) Movie Review

    This Halloween, Michael Myers comes home for the first time...again, for the last time...again...or not...depends on how much Michael Myers slays at the box office I guess.  So, I just want to start by saying I am not the biggest horror movie fan in the world.  That being said, I do have respect for a great deal of horror films and their cultural significance outside of the silver screen.  One of the most iconic horror figures is the boogeyman himself, Michael Myers.  The character has appeared in countless films and is recognized by even non movie fans.  John Carpenter practically created the modern slasher when he unleashed “Halloween” on the world.

    My girlfriend and I were looking forward to seeing this new take on “Halloween” ever since is was released.  It’s been awhile since a classic horror franchise has graced the cinemas.  We were ready to get into the Halloween spirit with this film.

    “Halloween” (2018) ignores the previous sequels and acts as a direct sequel to the very first “Halloween” movie released in 1978.  In this film, Michael Myers has been locked away for forty years and Laurie has spent the last forty years of her life getting ready for his return.  Needless to say, Myers ends up escaping during a prison transfer and carnage erupts.

    Now, my biggest problem with this movie on a personal level is the fact they ignored all the previous sequels.  I liked the idea in “Halloween II” that it turned out Laurie was Michael Myers sister.  It tied the characters and their fates together and helped make Laurie seem to be on Myers level and made their struggle almost seem destined.  To remove this story aspect was a mistake especially since family was such an important theme in this movie.

    In my opinion, you can’t have a movie that sells itself so much on the nostalgia of the “Halloween” series while completely overlooking it’s sequels which is part of the reason the first film became such a cult classic.  What makes matters worse is that “Halloween H2O” already served to retcon some of the sequels so this film is essentially a retcon of a retcon.

    Speaking of “Halloween H20”, this film basically felt like a bit of a rehash of that film.  Michael Myers returns decades later to torment Laurie and her family.  The scream queen herself, Jamie Lee Curtis, once again reprises her role as Laurie Strode and makes the most of her role.  I don’t know, maybe it was just me, but she didn’t actually seem to be in the film very long.  I was a bit disappointed by that fact.

    I don’t want you to think the whole movie was a disappointment though.  There were a lot of elements that were added that helped the story along.  Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees played investigators in the Michael Myers case and they helped reintroduce Michael Myers into the universe.  They were both very good in their roles.  Having Nick Castle return as Michael Myers was also a nice touch.

    The cinematography in the film was top notch.  It was one of the better filmed movies I have seen recently.  The lighting and the camera locations and movement really emphasized the mask of Michael Myers and his sheer size.  They did fantastic work.

    One interesting thing the movie tried to explore but fell short of was trying to explore the difference between a man and a monster.  I feel like the filmmakers fell short of that however when they started to give Michael Myers superhuman levels of power (which to be fair is a franchise staple so they are off the hook for that).  I wasn’t a big fan of the twist involving Dr. Sartain either.  By the time the revelation is made of what he had done, the film quickly moves past it and ignores it.  It just seemed pointless and silly.

    Now I know another sequel will be made because this movie made a ton at the box office but I am wondering, how do you make a decent sequel without undermining the importance of this film being forty years later and offering up some resolution?  That was a problem “Halloween Resurrection” dealt with and we see how well that did.

    In the end, the film offered a nostalgic slice of horror without fully embracing it’s heritage.  It was a decent movie and it is currently being embraced by audiences.  I just feel like it just missed the mark.

Grade: C

“Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” Movie Review

    The excitement leading up to the release of “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” was beyond compare.  The original Star Wars trilogy were among the most popular films of all time.  I seriously doubt any film could have matched what fans had hoped for in terms of Episode I.  Still, on release day, we all did our best to be among the first people to see the movie.  I remember I didn't end up seeing it with my family for about a week or two after it came out because it was so popular that the theaters were literally selling out of seats.  Then we finally got seats to see it and I remember how excited me and my brothers were.  It was special for us.  My brothers were all very different people but the one thing we all loved was Star Wars.

    “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” depicts the Jedi trying to negotiate a deal between the Trade federation and the people of Naboo.  Little do they know, there is a darker power behind these events.  The evil Sith reveal their existence once again and plunge the galaxy into chaos.

    Liam Neeson led the cast as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn.  Ewan McGregor portrays a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, a role previously played by Alec Guinness.  Jake Lloyd played Anakin Skywalker, a child destined to become Darth Vader.  Natalie Portman is also featured as the Queen of Naboo.  Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz all reprise their roles from the original trilogy.

    Upon it's release, the film ended up disappointing most fans and getting mixed to negative marks from critics.  The movie felt very different to the original trilogy despite it's familiar settings.  This is in large part to it's shift in using computer generated images over practical effects.  This is perhaps most obvious with one of the most hated characters in the franchise.  Regardless of how you feel about the character, Jar Jar Binks was revolutionary as he was the first all cgi character in a motion picture.  Unfortunately, Jar Jar Binks was an extremely annoying character.

    The film has also been panned by many who claim it was boring.  The film shifted the focus from a galactic civil war to the political turmoil that led up to that conflict.  From a story point, it would be very difficult to ignore the politics that leads up to war.  The film may have been flawed at inception but people often leave out the many good qualities of the movie when discussing this film.

    I enjoyed the actors a lot.  Liam Neeson and Ewan McGreogor felt like they belonged in their Jedi robes.  Ray Park made for a menacing Darth Maul.  I even thought Jake Lloyd did a good job.  A lot of people made fun of Jake Lloyd's performance in the film to the point he quit acting and suffered a breakdown.  I thought Lloyd did a remarkable job and I thought he was much better than Hayden Christensen turned out to be.

    There is also no denying how great the action scenes were.  The lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul remains one of the best of the franchise.  Set to John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates”, it is one of the most iconic themes of recent history.

    I am not going to lie and pretend their wasn't some serious issues with this film, but it was also the first Star Wars movie we got in what felt like forever, so that is something to be happy for.  I will also fondly remember this as a time I got to bond with my oldest brother.  He has since passed away but that bonding time spent over Star Wars can never be replaced.

Grade: B

“Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” Movie Review

    “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” was released three years after Episode I and I remember there was a lot of hope that Attack of the Clones would be a return to form for the Star Wars saga.  The internet was becoming easier to access and more popular after Episode I so it was easier to keep track of the sequel.  I remember one of the first pieces of information they released was the title...which I hated.  Attack of the Clones started off on the wrong foot but I still didn’t know what to expect.
    Set ten years after The Phantom Menace, the film saw Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker investigating an assassination attempt on Padme’s life.  During the investigation, the Jedi discover a new threat in the form of Count Dooku all while  love blossoms between Anakin and Padme.  The film ends with galaxy divided and the Clone Wars beginning.
    Before I get into how I feel about this movie, I should note that George Lucas once again directed this film.  Cast members Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Frank Oz all return to the franchise.  Samuel L. Jackson, who had a cameo in The Phantom Menace, returns in an expanded role.  New additions to the cast include Hayden Christensen who takes over the role of Anakin Skywalker from Jake Lloyd in order to show ten years passed and Christopher Lee who plays the menacing Count Dooku.

    Now on to my feelings on the film, I will start with the positives.  The fight scenes were terrific.  The end battle scene which serves as the first battle of the Clone Wars is stellar.  It is shot in such a way that almost puts you into the battle.  You also feel the vulnerability of the Jedi more so than ever before.

    Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spot on performance and helps elevate this movie from being as bad as it could have been.  Lucas struck gold in casting McGregor because he remains a silver lining within the prequel films.  John Williams also once again delivered a moving score with great new musical pieces.  I also enjoyed the origin of Boba Fett.
    Now on to things I thought could have been improved upon in the film.  I know I said that I liked Boba Fett’s origin, but I did not love how they tied it into the formation of the Clone Troopers.  Boba Fett feels a little less special knowing he is basically a more skilled stormtrooper.
    The film feels fake overall.  While the cgi is undoubtedly  incredible for it’s time, it still doesn’t feel organic.  The perfect example of this is the lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku.  The lightsaber fight was fun but it was an example of spectacle over logic.  If Yoda can move like that and do all the flipy stuff he does, why does he even need to walk around with a cane?  It’s like no one told George Lucas that just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be done.
    The real nail in the coffin however comes in the form of the forced romance angle between Anakin and Padme.  Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman have zero chemistry together and are given a weak script with terrible dialogue to work with.  What makes matters even worse is the fact that the movie relies on this romance to work to tell it’s story.
    Attack of the Clones improves on some elements over it’s predecessor but ultimately fails in it’s main goal.  It is not the worst film ever, but it may be the worst in the Star Wars Skywalker saga.

Grade: C

"Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" Movie Review

    The Star Wars prequel trilogy up until Episode III may not have been what fans were hoping for, but regardless of what they thought of the previous two prequels, audiences were still eager to see how the prequel trilogy would end and link up to the original trilogy.  This was, after all, likely (at the time) the last time we would be able to experience a Star Wars movie on the big screen and we all were hoping George Lucas would manage to stick the landing.

    “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” tells the story of how Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side to become Darth Vader in the aftermath of the Clone Wars. After becoming Darth Vader, the Government is turned into a dictatorship and the Rebellion is born as a result.

    Among the returning cast are Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones, and Frank Oz.  George Lucas once again directs and John Williams provides another good score.

    First of all, this movie was a vast improvement overall compared to the other two prequels.  It felt more like a Star Wars movie and it told the story we had been waiting to see, the fall of Anakin Skywalker.  Showing the “birth” of Darth Vader was a bit graphic and landed the series it’s first PG-13 rating.  I remember there were parents who wouldn’t let their kids watch the movie as a result.

    The film had a lot of great action sequences.  From the epic opening space battle to the last emotional lightsaber battle between Obi-Wan and Vader, the movie delivers in regards to eye candy.  The movie also features great performances from Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid as the opposing forces and influences of Anakin.
    The film’s connection to the original trilogy is both a blessing and curse.  It is great seeing fan favorites like Chewbecca but it also crams in a lot to make it connect. It would have been nice to see things like the Jedi purge play out a little more.
    The film has some pacing issues but is still overall fun.  It would have been nice to see more than the first and last battle of the Clone Wars but I guess George Lucas figured the animated show could fill in the gaps.  General Grevious was a very promising character in animated form but was a useless side villain in the film.

    Hayden Christensen was a problem with this film just as he was for Episode II.  Christensen is more than capable of a good performance so it’s sad these films have tarnished his image.  I think maybe he either didn’t mesh well with George Lucas or the all cgi locations just took him out of his element.  Hayden Christensen did improve in this chapter but he was still the weakest link of the main cast.
    “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” doesn’t reach the levels of perfection the original trilogy is known for, but it is miles ahead of the rest of the prequel films.  It’s a fun ride with a few elements that don’t completely work.

Grade: B+

“Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” Movie Review

    I was first introduced to “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope” (originally just titled “Star Wars” upon his release) around 1994 when the toy line was reintroduced.  The toys looked nothing like the characters in retrospect but they captured my imagination.  I wanted to see the movies which inspired the awesome looking action figures.  Unfortunately, this was back when you had to go to the video store to rent a movie so it took some time for me to watch “Star Wars” but when I did, wow, was I hooked.

    It’s no secret that as a kid, I loved everything Star Wars.  It seems so silly looking back but I remember asking my mom so many questions after watching the movie.  What happened to Darth Vader?  Will he be back?  Where was Yoda?  He had a figure and I just assumed he was in the saga from the beginning.  I remember my mom telling me to wait until I saw the next movie.  I remember rewatching the original trilogy so many times as a kid.  So much of my young life wasted on a movie series.

    That is the power of Star Wars though.  It boils down the hero’s journey into a fun science fiction fantasy.  By all intensive purposes, the movie shouldn’t have worked.  The movie was plagued with production issues.  Lucas would also be forced to create most of the film’s special effects in house (thus giving birth to Industrial Light and Magic).  It has an odd script with seemingly bizarre dialogue and most of the cast and crew were convinced the film would be a flop if it even saw the light of day.  There are numerous sites and videos that will say the film was saved in the editing, one could almost make that case about any film.

    The film is simple, a simple farm boy aspiring for a life less ordinary is thrust into a situation where he must rescue a Princess and finds out he might be the key to stopping the Death Star which is a weapon of mass destruction capable of destroying planets.

    The film starred Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and the voice of James Earl Jones.  All of these actors play such iconic characters that it is almost impossible to imagine anyone but them being capable of doing anywhere near as good of job as they did.  They just meshed so well together and had an incredible chemistry that you can’t fake.

    The film would go on to become one of the biggest blockbusters of all time and one of the most successfully merchandised movies in existence today.  Money doesn’t equal quality but it also doesn’t exclude quality either.

    The film had so much going for it.  It had an innovative style, making what was essentially a movie serial into a large budget movie.  It may be hard to imagine by today’s standards, but George Lucas also got in trouble for refusing to put opening credits in his movie, opting instead to tell a story with the now infamous opening crawl.  Up until then, most movies had some form of opening credits.

    The special effects were extremely innovative and still stand the test of time some forty years later.  Thankfully George Lucas wasn’t about to sacrifice his vision.  The movie also is famous for having the most iconic movie scores of all time by the great John Williams.  No other movie has featured so many iconic musical themes.

    Now, I think this should go without saying, but if you can’t sink your teeth into science fiction films, regardless of the quality, this isn’t a film for you.  If you are interested in that genre though, there is little you can find fault with in regards to this film.  It is about as perfect as a movie can get and I don’t say that lightly.

Grade: A+