Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

Starring: Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Mike Henry, Colleen Camp
Written by: Stuart Birnbaum, David Dashey
Director: Dick Lowry
Year: 1983

Rating: * 1/2  Stars       +       (Fan Bonus 1/2 )  Total: * *

This is redneck fun as dumb as they come. Forgettable finale to the Smokey and the Bandit franchise, true fans will still find plenty to laugh about.

Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason)is announcing his retirement, yet the Enos's have one last challenge for him. To get from Miami to the Enos's Ranch in Texas in a set amount of time, carrying a giant shark on his roof advertising the Enos's new fish n chips restaurants. Of course, the Enos boys don't play fair, and after a few failed attempts to sabotage his chances, they hire the "Snowman" (Jerry Reed) to assume the role of the Bandit and abduct the fish and return it to their ranch instead.

What follows is a cat and mouse game as the Bandit gives Buford a run for his money. Along the way the Bandit picks up Dusty Trails (Colleen Camp) who walks out on her job at a used car lot. High speed chases by car and boat, nude picnics, run ins with local law enforcement, a truck full of Klansmen, and a speedway stunt show are just some of the wacky encounters and adventures they all get into. Along for the ride is Buford's son, Junior (Mike Henry) who's still as dimwitted as ever. Paul Williams and Pat McCormick return as Little Enos and Big Enos respectively. In fact the only one noticeably absent is Burt Reynolds, who only makes a small cameo in this film. Some lines and jokes seem to have been recycled from previous installments of this franchise, but they are still delivered timely and pull the funny bone.

It should be noted that the film was originally subtitled Smokey Is The Bandit. However, early test screenings were negative, and confusing to audiences. It starred Gleason in a dual role as both Smokey and Bandit. So much was re-shot by hiring on Jerry Reed to reprise his Snowman role and become the Bandit.

Make no mistake, this isn't Citizen Kane. But it's a definite beer & pizza movie that's funny as long as you don't take it seriously. A bad movie perhaps, but it has potential to become a guilty pleasure.

SEE THE TRAILER: Smokey and the Bandit part 3

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Starring: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum
Written by: Roald Dahl
Director: Mel Stuart
Year: 1971

Rating: * * * * 1/2  Stars       +       (Fan Bonus * )  Total: * * * * * 1/2

The magical world of Willy Wonka comes to breathtaking life in this timeless classic that speaks to the child in all of us.

Willy Wonka, the reclusive chocolateer is known the world over by his wonderfully delicious candy. Yet, no one has seen or heard from him in decades. Young Charlie's curiosity is peaked when a tinkerer shows him how Wonka's factory seems to be in full production, yet no one comes in, and no one ever comes out. So how does the candy get to the stores?

Suddenly an announcement, Willy Wonka has issued five golden tickets, hidden inside five candy bars. Holders of the tickets will win a lifetime supply of chocolate, plus a tour of the factory to see how the candy is made. And so begins Charlies chocolate adventure.

Gene Wilder is absolute gold as the title character. One part mad-hatter, one part magician, Willy Wonka takes the kids and their parents on a tour of his facility that is as much of a madhouse as it is a production floor. Make no mistake, Willy Wonka is insane. But his insanity isn't dangerous. Rather, being isolated from society for so long has given him more clarity of the human heart and a wisdom only attained from observation, rather than scholastic study. Inside his domain, Wonka has created his own reality, and his imagination has yielded a world unto himself. A world he has shared through his candy. In many ways, Wonka thinks as a child thinks, yet has a maturity well beyond his years.

Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum), an English lad, is as poor as they come. With no Father, his Mother raises him as well as caring for Charlies four sickly Grandparents. Yet, despite being poor, Charlie is a noble, caring, and ethical kid. He wins one of the golden tickets, and as such takes his favorite, Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson), with him.

The other four children and their parents are fully engrossing characters that are just fun to watch. First there's Veruca Salt (Julie Dawn Cole), another native of England, who is delightfully villainous as a spoiled-brat rich kid who wants everything, and everything now. Audiences will grow to hate her, yet feel a sense of pity for her Father, Mr. Salt (Roy Kinear), who only wants to make his daughter happy. Being an industrialist, he lavishes his wealth upon his daughter. Like Doctor Frankenstein, he regrets the monster he created, and is in a constant state of panic fearing another tantrum from his daughter. Mike TeeVee is a loud, boisterous kid from America who spends all his free time watching television. His Mother, a geography teacher, is almost proud of the fact that her sons education comes from cartoons, westerns, and serials. Augustus Gloop is the chubby son of a German sausage maker, and has an insatiable appetite. Finally there's Violet Beauregarde, an obnoxious gum chewer who's Father is a conniving politician and used car salesman. 

As Willy Wonka guides these ten guests throughout his factory, their politeness wears off and their nature comes out. And one by one, the kids cause their own accidents eliminating them from the remainder of the tour. Willy Wonka seems to have this all prearranged, as a test for each child. Only one passes. But hopefully, the losers have been taught a valuable lesson. As for the winner, the lifetime supply of chocolate is only the beginning, for Willy Wonka is looking to pass the torch, and hand the factory over to a new generation.

Operating with a modest budget, the sets and costumes are bright, vivid, and imaginative. From the main room where everything is edible, to the chocolate waterfall, the Wonka-tania boat, fizzy lifting drinks, and the geese that lay golden chocolate eggs, this movie will capture your imagination. You will swear that there were moments you could actually smell the candy. Willy Wonka's nonsensical wisdom dominates the parents world-weary comprehension and the children's perceptive experiences, making for comical and poignant moments throughout the film. For example, when Veruca sarcastically asks, "Who ever heard of snozberries?", Willy grabs her by her face and gently replies, "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

Full of wonderful musical numbers, the Oompa-Loompa songs above all will stay in your head for years to come. As each child succumbs to temptation, the Oompa's gather around and sing a cautionary tale tailored to each kid and his or her vice.

In 2005, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborated to bring about a remake named Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. While the special effects expanded the breadth and scope of the factory, the movie has no soul. The kids are not as engaging, the Oompa-Loompa song is near undecipherable, and the kids have learned nothing from their follies.

If you haven't seen this film yet, you owe it to yourself, and your kids, to see it. If you've seen it before, see it again. You can't help but be placed in a better, more scrumdiddlyuptious mood afterwards.

SEE THE TRAILER: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

A Clockwork Orange

Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates
Written by: Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Burgess
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Year: 1971

Rating: * * * * 1/2  Stars       +       (Fan Bonus 1/2 )  Total: * * * * *

Sometime in Britain's future, young hoodlums engage in acts of random, ultraviolence. The story focuses on Alex (Malcolm McDowell) who's luck runs out and is sent to prison. There, he volunteers for an experimental treatment that would "cure" him of his violent ways. But not all goes according to plan.

If viewed for the first time, the violence may seem underwhelming by today's standards (which is a sad commentary unto itself) but make no mistake, this movie was extremely controversial for it's time. It inspired copycat violence and was banned in several countries. The films "ultraviolence" included drug induced acts of gang rape, home invasions, theft, assault and gang on gang fighting.  Naked statuettes of a dancing Jesus, graphic nudity adorning walls and hallways, large paintings of women spread-eagle and a wobbly scrotum statue all add to Kubrick's method of inducing a sense of the dehumanizing world that Alex and his droogs live in. If Alex has any redeeming quality, it is his appreciation, almost obsession, for the music of Ludwig Von Beethoven. And when one of the droogs acts out of line while listening to a woman sing Ode to Joy, Alex is quick to discipline him. The other droogs get together and conspire against Alex which leads to his arrest for rape and murder.

While in prison, he learns of an experimental technique that could cure him. The current Ministry is hopeful of this experiment as the burden of prison and prison population is becoming a burden on taxpayers. Over the course of the next two weeks Alex is treated to a sort of aversion therapy. He is forced to watch films depicting rape and violence while being chemically altered through drugs that make him violently ill. Thus the cure. By engaging in these acts he succumbs to great discomfort, which prevents him from acting on his impulses in the first place. Once released however, he comes across previous victims who seek to punish him in their own way, and Alex is unable to fight back.

A Clockwork Orange is told in the traditional Kubrick style, with detailed shots and a slow, building  pace. But it isn't boring. In fact it keeps you riveted to your seat from the opening shot till the end credits. The actors speak there dialogue in that sharp British pentameter where everyone talks loudly with a quick tongue. The film certainly isn't a cautionary tale about violence, in fact it glorifies it. There is almost a perverse guilty pleasure to ride alongside Alex and vicariously experience his adventures. He lives with an enviable freedom that decent people of society will never know. The perversity of this guilty pleasure is when we realize we begin to sympathize with Alex's plight. He is a monster, and should be destroyed. Yet, we sympathize when he is controversially stripped of his free will, and we're lead to feel a sense of a "happy ending" when the government admits their error and will return Alex to "normal."

Stanley Kubrick is undoubtedly a craftsman among directors creating one masterpiece after another, and with 4 academy award nominations,  A Clockwork Orange is no exception. 

SEE THE TRAILER: A Clockwork Orange

Metropolis

Starring: Alfred Abel, Gustav Frohlich, Fritz Rasp, Brigitte Helm
Written by: Thea von Harbou
Director: Fritz Lang
Year: 1927

Rating: * * * *  Stars       +       (Fan Bonus 1/2 )  Total: * * * * 1/2

The very definition of a movie "ahead of it's time", Metropolis is a sweeping epic tale that still resounds with social issues relevant today. An incredible running time for it's day (almost 3 hours), hundreds of extras, huge sets, and amazing effects, Metropolis is the absolute king of the silent picture era.

Set in the future, the city of Metropolis is a Utopian world of clockwork precision. Unbeknownst to most, there is another society that dwells below. Freder Frederson, who's Father Joh Frederson, the founder and leader of Metropolis, comes across a beautiful woman named Maria who captures his heart. He follows her to discover, much to his shock, an underground world of workers, who seem to operate and maintain the machinery that runs the Utopian city above. She espouses the need for a better life for the workers, if only the leaders (the head) would join the workers (the hand). But in order to do this, there must come a mediator (the heart) to unite these two diametrically opposite societies.

Freder, of course, takes up her cause, but Joh refuses. In order for his society to function, the workers must remain below. Rotwang, a former colleague turned nemesis of Joh, is a noted inventor. he agrees to help Joh squash a supposed worker uprising. But Rotwang has a plan of his own, one that Joh is unaware of, and could cause both societies to fall to anarchy.

Except for the oldest graybeards among us, the Silent Film era is something read about in history books. Our culture unconsciously is accustomed to surround sound and Dolby digital. So to sit through a Silent Film for 153 minutes (running time varies more or less depending on which version you have) you really need to bring something of yourself to the film. This is even more difficult when the intro informs you that due to the ravages of time, a significant portion of the film has been lost. But if you do, you'll become enthralled at this films intricacies, sub-plots, intrigue, double-crossing and its vast, realized imagination.  

I'm no historian, but the message of this European film from 1927 seems to be a precursor to the concept of unionizing industrial workers, the "heart" that mediates between the "head" and the "hand."

SEE THE TRAILER: Metropolis

Young Guns

Starring: Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen, Terrence Stamp, Jack Palance, Dermot Mulroney, Casey Siemaszko
Written by: John Fusco 
Director: Christopher Cain
Year: 1988

Rating: * * * *  Stars       +       (Fan Bonus - )  Total: * * * *

A Wild West adventure for the MTV generation, Young Guns follows six regulators turned law enforcement, turned outlaws, led by none other than Billy "The Kid."

After being taken in by John Tunstall (Terrence Stamp), young Billy Bonney (Emilio Estevez) finds shelter, work, and friendship on Tunstall's ranch. John Tunstall runs his home as part cattle ranch, part reform school, hoping to give troubled youth some guidance and direction. However, Tunstall has competition in the beef market in one vengeful Irishman named Lawrence Murphy (Jack Palance). With the towns Sheriff and other politicians on the payroll, Murphy pressures Tunstall to sell his property to monopolize the market. After several refusals, Murphy's men gun down Tunstall in cold blood.

The Regulators, including Bonney, "Doc" Scurlock (Kiefer Sutherland), "Dick" Brewer (Charlie Sheen),  Chavez y Chavez (Lou Diamond Phillips), Steve Stephens (Dermot Mulroney), and Charley Bowdre (Casey Siemaszko) seek out Tunstall's lawyer Alex McSween (Terry O'Quinn) who sees them all sworn in as deputies. With the law on their side, they seek out Murphy's men to bring them to justice, except for Billy Bonney, who seeks revenge. Instead of arresting, he shoots them dead. Eventually they lose their deputized status, and become outlaws. Now, while hunting down Tunstall's killers,they themselves are hunted by Murphy's men, bounty hunters, and even the U.S. Army.

Emilio Estevez is wonderful as William H. "The Kid" Bonney. He seems to thrive on trouble, and gets into plenty of it. His unpredictable, mischief nature keeps even his fellow regulators on edge. Kiefer Sutherland is the emotional anchor as "Doc", the tenderfoot of the group. Adept with a riffle as well as poetry, Doc falls for a young Asian concubine who's been sold to Murphy. Lou Diamond Phillips is in arguably the best role of his career as the Mexican/Indian knife throwing half-breed Chavez. The rest of the cast also put in outstanding performances.

Young Guns is a stylized, fictional account of the real life Billy "The Kid." Western historians looking for a true story will be disappointed. However as a fun western action flick with a familiar name, it doesn't get better. Young Guns runs the full gambit of wild west fare, including shoot outs, chases, incredible scenery, with more authentic looking costuming and sets than old style John Wayne westerns. This film was followed up in 1990 by a worthy sequel. 

SEE THE TRAILER: Young Guns

Mallrats

Starring: Jason lee, Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
Written by: Kevin Smith 
Director: Kevin Smith
Year: 1995

Rating: * * *   Stars       +       (Fan Bonus * )  Total: * * * *

This follow up to his successful indy hit Clerks, Kevin Smith establishes himself as the stoner voice of his generation. 

The story centers around two characters, Brodi (Jason Lee) and T.S. (Jeremy London), both getting dumped by their respective girlfriends spend the day reflecting their lives and shattered romances at the kingdom of small town culture and commerce, the mall.

Jason Lee is hysterical as Brodi, a comic book collecting basement dweller who has no inner monologue. He speaks his mind, and speaks it loudly. In the mall he runs into his arch nemesis, Shannon (Ben Affleck), the manager of the Fashionable Male store. He not only hates Brodi, but is making the moves on Brodi's ex-girlfriend Rene (Shannon Doherty). Rene, having dumped Brodi seeks a more mature and sensitive man like Shannon, unaware that he plans to screw her in an uncomfortable place, and I don't mean the back of a Volkswagen. Ben Affleck is at his douche-baggiest in this role, making him just easy to hate.  T.S. seems the more mature of the two, upset that his plans to propose to his now ex, Brandi, have gone awry. Blaming Brandi's Father for their break-up, T.S. is outraged that the mall is hosting a tv dating show produced by Brandi's Father, with the bachelorette being Brandi herself.

In the mall they encounter all sorts of characters, including Jay & Silent Bob, who run afoul of mall security. Friends like Gwen (Joey Lauren Adams) and Tricia (Renee Humphrey) who help them put their love lives back together. Plus a three-nippled topless fortune teller, a slobbingly couch potato chum determined to see a sailboat appear in a 3D picture, Brandi's Father (Michael Rooker), and the comic book icon himself, Stan Lee. 

And as our slacker heroes get in one wacky situation after another, we can't help but admire their banter and introspective looks on life, love, and mall culture.

Mallrats is one of Kevin Smiths funniest low-budget flicks. A seamless blend of situational comedy and brilliant, organic dialogue give Mallrats that thought-provoking slapstick feel. 

SEE THE TRAILER: Mallrats

Interview With The Vampire

Starring: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater, Stephen Rea
Written by: Anne Rice 
Director: Neil Jordan
Year: 1994

Rating: * * * *1/2   Stars       +       (Fan Bonus * )  Total: * * * * * 1/2

Based off the novel of the same name, Interview With The Vampire was the story that coined the term, "from the Vampire's point of view." But it's more than that. It's about the eternal, internal struggle these creatures of the night wage in wrestling their humanity against their bestial nature. Some embrace their status as predator, others look to retain their soul. And as the years roll on the struggle gets harder, as all they know and love slowly wash away.

The story begins with Daniel Malloy (Christian Slater) in a hotel room setting up his recording equipment. He explains to the gentleman stranger Louie (Brad Pitt) that he's a writer and does such interviews as a way of "collecting lives", to be later published in his column. Louie sits down and begins to tell him his tale, one that's over two hundred years old.

Louie tells a tale of how in the late 1700's he was the owner of a large southern plantation. His wife ad child having died years before, he was withdrawn and longed to join them in death. It was at this time that a vampire named Lestat crossed paths with him. Lestat (Tom Cruise) gave Louie a choice, death or eternal life. Louie chose life and thus was brought over. From that moment on, Louie regretted his choice. Lestat mentored him in his early years, helping him develop his vampiric nature, how to hunt, and to walk in polite society without arousing suspicion. Louie struggled with the thought of killing others and took to feeding off of rats and chickens. Lestat struggled with Louie and tried time and again to convince him to embrace what he is and to shed his mortal coil. Sensing Louie would leave him, he embraced Louie's first human victim in decades, a little girl he assumed was going to die anyway from the black death. Louie did not kill her, and Lestat "saved her" from death, and brought young Claudia (Kirsten Dunst) into their fold.

The film is brilliantly shot from top to bottom, making the novel come to life. Tom Cruise puts in a profound performance as Lestat, as Anne Rice and her legion of fans turned their nose at the idea of Cruise playing Lestat. They cited the studios of hiring a star to make money than someone who would have been better for the part. Yet early screenings showed that Cruise shut a lot of their mouths as Anne Rice and fans began praising Cruise. Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas and Stephen Rae gave equal effort in their roles resulting in dynamic, mesmerizing characters that keeps audiences compelled. On a dime, any of these characters can go from angelic charm to demonic rage, and the actors have the chops to pull this off.

There are certainly homosexual undertones throughout the film. Perhaps not as "out" as Brokeback Mountain, it is inferred that vampires, being undead, do not enjoy sex in the traditional manor, and any ecstasy felt only comes through the act of the embrace (feeding). So vampires are in a sense asexual beings who garner pleasure whether feeding on male or female victims. As for vampires, unlife is lonely and they often seek each other out for companionship. But try as they might, their nature and curse seems to be that any relationship is doomed to failure.

Although a vampire film, this is not a horror picture. It is a deep and compelling drama which presents the state of vampirism as an extension of our humanity. Here, our instincts are more animalistic, but our aesthetic nature is heightened. In a way, Anne Rice shows that like us, vampires are all too human.

Interview With The Vampire was the first in a series of books called the Vampire Chronicles. Many having been written long before the movie came out. Queen of the Damned was a sub par film released a few years later, combining elements of the novels The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned. Yet with different actors, and less than stellar directing, Queen does nothing for fans of this series.

SEE THE TRAILER: Interview With The Vampire

The Hunted

Starring: Christopher Lambert, John Lone, Joan Chen, Yoshio Harada
Written by: J.F. Lawton 
Director: J.F.Lawton
Year: 1995

Rating: * * 1/2   Stars       +       (Fan Bonus 1/2 )  Total: * * *

Long after the ninja craze of the 80's had settled, this film casts the black clad warriors in a more dramatic thriller context than a straight up action flick.

Christopher Lambert plays Paul Racine, an American business man abroad in Japan. He falls for a mysterious woman Kirina (Joan Chen), and after a romantic evening returns to her hotel only to witness her murder at the hands of a ninja named Kinjo (John Lone). Kinjo and his cronies attack Paul, but the sounds of approaching police cause them to beat a hasty retreat.

To everyone's surprise, Paul survives the attack, and having seen Kinjo's face, he remains the only eye witness. Kinjo is the lord of a secret ninja cult, and feels his "power" is diminished as Paul has seen his face and survived. So he sends his ninjas out to finish the job. In the hospital Paul is met by Takeda (Yoshio Harada) and his wife Mieko (Yoko Shimada). Takeda is a martial arts instructor and descendant of a long line of samurai. He offers to protect Paul from retaliation. What he doesn't tell Paul is that he is more interested in using Paul as bait, in order to draw Kinjo out. Takeda is obsessed with ending a centuries old blood-feud between the samurai and Kinjo's ninja clan. 

Yoshio Harada plays Takeda as a straight up hard-ass. No nonsense old school samurai who quests to test his skill against Kinjo, his personal white whale. John Lone is brilliant as Kinjo. He comes off as intimidating and dangerous. Like Takeda, he too becomes consumed with obsession. As Takeda and Kinjo's obsessions grow, those around them die in their consumption until finally Kinjo and Takeda clash.

The only one that seems out of place is Christopher Lambert playing Paul. His stiff acting and bad delivery detract from what is essentially a terrific ninja-themed thriller. His lines, be it comical or dramatic, seem to fall short. In fact, there is little to distinguish the Paul Racine character from his Connor MacLeod character from Highlander,  except Paul can't sword-fight.

Still, despite the down curve of the lead actor, The Hunted is a fun and exciting ride with plenty of modern day ninja on samurai action. 

SEE THE TRAILER: The Hunted