Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

 

Directed by Eric Appel and written by Appel and “Weird” Al Yankovic that is based on a parody film trailer by Appel for Funny or Die, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is the story about the life and career of music parody artist “Weird” Al Yankovic as it is told loosely in the form of a parody. The film plays with the many clichés expected in a music bio-pic yet it is told with a lot of absurd and bawdy humor relating to legends in the life of Yankovic including infamous stories about his supposed affair with pop singer Madonna as Daniel Radcliffe plays the titular character. Also starring Arturo Castro, Toby Huss, Rainn Wilson, Julianne Nicholson, “Weird” Al Yankovic, Will Forte, and Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is an insanely hilarious and off-the-wall film from Eric Appel.

Ever since he recorded a parody of the Knack’s My Sharona into My Bologna in late 1979 that eventually lead to a long-standing career as an artist of his own who is famous for music parodies as well as some unique originals and genre parodies. “Weird” Al Yankovic is a figure that is difficult to define when it comes to being the subject of a movie bio-pic as a parody trailer from 2010 showed exactly what might’ve been. However like all other movie bio-pics before him, Yankovic too would play into the many plot schematics that is expected where that person comes from humble beginnings, being rebellious, creating the first hit song, becoming famous, doing drugs, alienating those, crashing down to Earth, killing some people along the way, doing mountains of cocaine, sex scandals with farm animals, losing everything including the money, going home, and then make that great comeback album that unfortunately sucked ass. Actually, a lot that was mentioned didn’t exactly happened to Yankovic in real-life as he never drank, did drugs, doesn’t eat meat, doesn’t say profanity in his records, and never took himself seriously but he does have an addiction to dessert.

Since Yankovic’s life doesn’t play to those schematics, that doesn’t mean that he and co-writer Eric Appel would make Yankovic’s own life to play into those many clichés with lots of exaggerations and such where much of the film takes place from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s with lots of anachronisms, dramatic liberties, inaccuracies, and all sorts of ridiculous embellishments that somehow work. Even in Yankovic’s relationship with his parents Nick and Mary Yankovic (Toby Huss and Julianne Nicholson, respectively) is played into clichés with the young and teenage Yankovic (Richard Aaron Anderson and David Bloom, respectively) feeling like his parents don’t understand him though the reality was that Nick and Mary Yankovic were more than supportive as they would sometimes appear in Yankovic’s music videos and concerts to the delight of fans. Still, the script does play into the clichés where young Al tries to ponder his father’s hatred for the accordion and polka music where the latter of which is considered to be evil music where the teenage Yankovic was invited to a party unaware that it’s a secret polka party that is considered forbidden with the accordion also considered taboo. It is among these things that play into this surrealistic approach that Appel and Yankovic provide as well as the legendary story of Yankovic’s relationship with Madonna that supposedly never happened.

Appel’s direction is definitely stylized as it opens with Yankovic being sent to the emergency room where the ER doctor (Lin-Manuel Miranda) is about to declare Yankovic’s time of death until Yankovic gets up and asks the doctor for a piece of paper and a number 2 pencil. It then shifts to life of the young Yankovic trying listen to his favorite radio show hosted by Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson) who would later become Yankovic’s mentor. Shot largely on location in Los Angeles with additional locations in Pompona and Tarzana, California, Appel does keep a lot of the compositions straightforward with some wide and medium shots to establish some of the locations with the latter playing into some of the drama as it relates to Yankovic and his parents but also some strange sequences of how Yankovic creates the song Eat It after eating guacamole laced with LSD. It is among these strange yet hilarious moments that Appel creates where nearly every scene is a play of every cliché expected in a bio-pic but also being aware of how ridiculous it is.

Appel also create scenes that does spoof other films but also real-life moments from stories of other real-life musicians add to the sense of absurdity. Even when Yankovic finds himself in the ire of legendary Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Arturo Castro) who felt rejected when Yankovic passed on doing a show for Escobar’s birthday. Though the reality was that Yankovic and Escobar never met, the idea that the latter would be a fan of the former is still hilarious as it plays up the tone of the film that also delves into stylish action moments inspired by films of the 80s. The film’s climax does play into this sense of redemption yet because this isn’t based on any form of fact or anything realistic. It still has this absurdity into what Yankovic endures but also getting some unlikely inspiration for his magnum opus in a song that would give him validation but also the ire of some. Overall, Appel crafts a monumentally idiotic, stupid, and ridiculous film that manages to fucking hilarious and so much more about the life of one of the Weird One.

Cinematographer Ross Riege does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its colorful look for the daytime exterior scenes along with stylish lights for the interiors at the Yankovic home and for some of other interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Jamie Kennedy does excellent work with the editing as it has elements of style in a few montages as well as some of the absurdist-humor moments in the film. Production designer Dan Butts, with set decorator Laura Harper and art director Jack Carnevale, does amazing work with the look of some of the places including the first mansion that Yankovic have as well as the villa where Escobar lived in. Costume designer Wendy Benbrook does fantastic work with the costumes such as the many Hawaiian shirts that Yankovic wore as well a few costumes for some of his songs as well the clothes that Madonna wore during that time in the 80s as well as a look she would have in the many years to come.

Makeup artist K.T. Chandler does nice work with the look of the characters including some of the celebrities Yankovic meets as well as a look his mother would have late in the film that would inspire one of his great songs. Visual effects supervisors Charles H. Joslain, Joseph Sperber, and Izzy Traub do incredible work with some of the visual effects with the most notable moment is the acid trip sequence in all of its insanity. Sound designer Mike James Gallagher and sound editor Anthony Vanchure do superb work with the sound in the way music is presented on a radio as well as certain sound effects that would play into Yankovic’s music. Music by Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson, with additional music by “Weird” Al Yankovic, is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that is a spoof of dramatic-based music scores with elements of bombastic arrangements and rock textures for some of the action and fight scenes while music supervisor Suzanne Coffman cultivates a soundtrack feature some of the comedy music of the 1960s and 1970s that would inspire Yankovic as well as the music of the times including some new music by Yankovic including a new song for the final credits.

The casting by Wendy O’Brien is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Suzanne Krajewski-Yankovic as Tony Scotti’s wife in the European singer Sylvia Vartan, Michael McKean as a club MC, Dot-Marie Jones as a club goer who wants ice cream, Patton Oswalt as a heckler at the club, Josh Groban as a waiter an expensive restaurant, Seth Green as the voice of a radio dee-jay, Thomas Lennon as an accordion salesman who tells the young Yankovic that he’s going to get a lot of pussy through the accordion, Richard Aaron Anderson as the young Yankovic, David Bloom as the teenage Yankovic, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as the ER doctor who almost declares Yankovic dead. For the appearances in the party scene, the performances from Jack Black as famed radio dee-jay Wolfman Jack, Emo Philips as Salvador Dali, Conan O’Brien as Andy Warhol, Paul F. Tompkins as Gallagher, Demetri Martin as Tiny Tim, Nina West as Divine, Jorma Taccone as Pee-Wee Herman, Akiva Schaffer as Alice Cooper, and David Dastmalchian as Queen bassist John Deacon are a joy to watch as are some of the un-credited people who play other famous figures such as Elvira, Grace Jones, Devo, and David Bowie.

The performances of Tommy O’Brien, Jack Lancaster, and Spencer Treat Clark in their respective roles as Yankovic’s friends/bandmates in drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, guitarist Jim “Kimo” West, and bassist Steve Jay are terrific to watch as friends who support Yankovic but are troubled by his alcoholism while the duo of Will Forte and “Weird” Al Yankovic are fantastic in their respective roles of Ben and Tony Scotti as the men who would sign Yankovic with the former being completely dismissive of Yankovic’s talents. Quinta Brunson is excellent as Oprah Winfrey as the talk-show host who interviews Yankovic in his rise while her question about his parents would become a major plot-point while Arturo Castro is superb as the infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar as a fan of Yankovic’s music until he gets pissed off that Yankovic turned out the invitation to celebrate his birthday. Toby Huss and Julianne Nicholson are brilliant in their respective roles as Yankovic’s parents in Nick and Mary Yankovic with the former being a man who hates polka and accordions with a lot of anger where Huss brings a lot of laughs as the angry disapproving father with a secret to hide while Nicholson plays it straight as someone who supports her son but hopes he doesn’t anger his father as she would later turn her frustrations into something that would inspire one of her son’s greatest songs.

Rainn Wilson is amazing as Doctor Demento as the famed comedy dee-jay who would discover Yankovic and become his mentor where he would guide him but also introduce him to drugs much to his regret as well as wanting to become a father figure to Yankovic. Evan Rachel Wood is phenomenal as Madonna as the famous pop singer who seduces Yankovic in the hope he would parody one of her songs so she can get a big sales bump as Wood captures the voice and look of Madonna pitch-perfectly as well as that personality of a woman who wants to rule the world as it is truly one of her finest performances ever. Finally, there’s Daniel Radcliffe in a tremendous performance “Weird” Al Yankovic as a young man that wanted to create music as Radcliffe brings that offbeat humor to the role while also displaying that angst as someone wanting to win his father’s approval as Radcliffe plays up the absurdity in a performance that is truly one of his best.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a sensational film from Eric Appel that features a great leading performance from Daniel Radcliffe as well as incredible supporting work from Rainn Wilson, Toby Huss, Julianne Nicholson, and Evan Rachel Wood. It is a film that refuses to take itself seriously or to be accurate in favor of just being ridiculous as well as make fun of many of the clichés expected in movie bio-pics. In the end, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a phenomenal film from Eric Appel.

© thevoid99 2023

21 Years: Richard Linklater

Written and directed by Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood, 21 Years: Richard Linklater is a documentary film about the career of filmmaker Richard Linklater from his 1990 breakthrough release Slacker to the impending release of his 2014 film Boyhood told through interviews with many of the actors who had worked with him as well as animated segments where the actors describe Linklater’s approach through filmmaking. The result is an enjoyable and witty film from Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood.

Since the release of his 1990 film Slacker, Richard Linklater was considered one of the forefathers of new wave of American Independent Cinema in the 1990s yet he would continuously evolve through many films through the 2000s and beyond whether it would be experimental films, Hollywood studio films, sci-fi, period films, or whatever. All of which were films that had unique touches as the documentary film features interviews with not just the many actors he collaborated but also filmmakers such as Kevin Smith and Jason Reitman who both see him as a major influence in their work. Actors such as Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Parker Posey, Jack Black, Anthony Rapp, Nicky Katt, Billy Bob Thornton, Zac Efron, Keanu Reeves, and several others talk about Linklater’s approach to improv and make things feel natural.

With the aid of animation directors Adam Conarroe, Megan Kluck, and Shane Minshew, many of the stories the actors talk about in their experience with Linklater is told through animation where Hawke and Delpy talk about the writing process for Before Sunset and Before Midnight where much of it had the two of them laughing a lot in the writing with Linklater. Black talks about Linklater’s approach to make things feel genuine in order to get the story feel real to an audience as Black is proud of the work he’s done with Linklater as does McConaughey who would put in his own family into the films such as one of his brothers in an appearance in The Newton Boys and his mother in Bernie. Much of the direction that Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood does is straightforward in terms of the way the interviews are presented as well as delving a lot into Linklater’s work with the Austin Film Society that had become an important society for the city of Austin.

The film does have flaws as not all of Linklater’s films are discussed heavily like Waking Life, Tape, Fast Food Nation, and subUrbia while there is no mention of his first film It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books. It still cover a lot of what Linklater does as many of the interviews are shot in a straightforward manner with the aid of cinematographer Aaron Brown. Editor Jeremy Ward and sound editor Evan Dunivan do excellent work in compiling the footage as well as putting the audio interview excerpts from the actors over the film. The film’s music by Graham Reynolds is pretty good as it is a mixture of rock and jazz to play into the different flavors of all of Linklater’s films.

21 Years: Richard Linklater is a pretty good film from Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood. While fans of Linklater’s work will enjoy the interviews, they would definitely feel like the film deserves more to say as well as talk about all of other films he did as well as comments from the man himself. In the end, 21 Years: Richard Linklater is a stellar film from Michael Dunaway and Tara Wood.

© thevoid99 2016

Bernie (2011 film)

Based on the Texas Monthly article Midnight in the Garden of East Texas by Skip Hollandsworth, Bernie is the story of a mortician who is accused of killing an 80-year old millionaire whom he was romantically involved with. Directed by Richard Linklater and screenplay by Linklater and Hollandsworth, the film is dramatization about the real-life murder of Marjorie Nugent in the hands of Bernhardt “Bernie” Tiede as the latter is played by Jack Black with Shirley MacLaine in the role of Nugent. Also starring Matthew McConaughey. Bernie is a delightful yet witty film from Richard Linklater.

Set in the small town of Carthage, Texas in the mid-1990s, the film revolves around a mortician who befriends an 80-year old heiress, whose nasty reputation, by being kind to her until she becomes possessive and jealous where he shocks the town when it’s revealed that he killed her. It’s a story that is simple yet it is told in a documentary fashion where many of the locals in Carthage talk about Bernie as well as Marjorie Nugent and the eventual trial that would happen. With a narrative that moves back and forth from the events that play into Bernie and his relationship with Nugent to the locals talking about what had happened. The script doesn’t just allow to use this narrative to establish what kind of person Bernie is but also the things into what could’ve made him kill Nugent. Especially as Nugent was someone who was just mean that even members of her own family sued her for money as it adds to this strange ambiguity to the story.

Richard Linklater’s direction definitely plays into this offbeat narrative where it acts like a documentary with many of the locals talk and gossip to the camera about all that had happened with Bernie. Many of the people in the film that talk about the events are actual locals which doesn’t just add a sense of authenticity to the film but also make it feel more real as it is. Adding to the sense of realist approach to the film is that it is shot in Carthage, Texas as well as several small towns including the city of Austin where it does play like a Texan film where people have their own values as well as a sense of community. There is even some very witty commentary from a local about why Texas is different from most states as he claims it’s like a different country with states of its own separated into five different sections which sort of makes sense. It is part of a tone in the film where, despite its subject matter, is that it has a sense of humor where Linklater manages to toe the line of what is funny but also what is serious.

While Linklater does use a lot of close-ups and medium shots to play into the intimacy in Bernie’s relationship with Nugent, he also does a few wide shots to capture the spirit of the town and in some of these moments where Bernie wants to share his joy with Nugent who looks annoyed. By the time Nugent is out of the picture though she still looms in Bernie’s head, it does play into a question of guilt but also the question of whether Nugent had it coming. The film’s third act is about the trial where Bernie is confronted by District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson (Matthew McConaughey) who believes Bernie is fully guilty in making Nugent as his meal ticket to a luxurious lifestyle where he will do anything to put Bernie in prison for life. It doesn’t just add to many questions about a man who committed murder is really guilty or not as well as playing into this idea of high class vs. low class where Davidson uses that to try and make Bernie feel even more guilty despite his confession. Overall, Linklater creates a compelling yet funny film about a real-life murder case and the man who committed the crime in his attempt to be nice to her.

Cinematographer Dick Pope does excellent work with the cinematography with the usage of sunny and naturalistic lighting for many of the daytime exterior scenes for the small Texan towns as well as some unique lighting for some interior scenes set at night. Editor Sandra Adair does brilliant work with the editing with its back-and-forth cutting style from documentary narrative to the re-enacted elements in the narrative along with some montages and jump-cuts. Production designer Bruce Curtis and art director Rodney Becker do amazing work with the look of Nugent’s home in all of the artifacts and posh objects in her home to the more simple and quaint home of Bernie. Costume designer Kari Perkins does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual to play into the personality of the characters with the exception of Davidson who always wear a big cowboy hat and a suit.

Hair stylist Charmaine Richards and makeup artist Karin Sutherlin do terrific work with the look of Bernie from his black hair and mustache as well as the look of Davidson with his hair. Visual effects supervisors Dale Carman and Dan Dixon do wonderful work with the visual effects as it‘s very minimal for a few scenes such as cruise exteriors and other set dressing features. Sound editor Tom Hammond and sound designer Justin Hennard so superb work with the sound to play into the tense atmosphere of the courtroom as well as the playful atmosphere of the stage plays that Bernie puts together. The film’s music by Graham Reynolds is fantastic for its mixture of folk, country, and gospel as it also has some orchestral elements to play into the world that is East Texas.

The casting by Beth Sepko and Sheila Steele is incredible for the ensemble that is assembled as well as the people who play the locals in Carthage that includes actual residents with the exception of a few including Kay McConaughey. Notable small roles include Brandon Smith as the town’s local sheriff, Larry Jack Dotson as the local reverend, Rick Dial as the funeral home director, Richard Robichaux as Nugent’s stockbroker who is suspicious of Bernie, and Brady Coleman as Bernie’s attorney who believes that Bernie shouldn’t be in prison as they all give amazing performances. Matthew McConaughey is phenomenal as District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is convinced that Bernie is completely guilty as he does whatever he can to make Bernie suffer for his crimes while believing that he is doing what is right.

Shirley MacLaine is remarkable as Marjorie Nugent as this very cold old lady who has a lot of money but refuses to share it with anyone where MacLaine brings a charm to the role but also adds this bitchiness that is crucial to the character as she is someone that anyone would kill because of how mean she is. Finally, there’s Jack Black in a sensational performance as the titular character as this mortician who is an all-around nice guy that is very generous as well as being very helpful where he tries to bring the good side of Nugent to Carthage only to realize how awful she is as it’s a very charming and energetic performance from Black who makes Bernie Tiede so loveable as well as sympathetic.

Bernie is a tremendous film from Richard Linklater that features great performances from Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey. It’s a film that doesn’t just play into many of the strange aspects of a real-life murder but also a study of small town life and people’s reaction to something like this. In the end, Bernie is an incredible film from Richard Linklater.

Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before Sunset - Bad News Bears - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Wants Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2016

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/23/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Kasdan and Judd Apatow, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is the story of musician who becomes a major star in creating some groundbreaking music while enduring all of the trials and tribulations such as drug addiction, buying strange animals, sleeping with millions of women, and being haunted by the sight of machetes. The film is a spoof into the world of music bio-pics where it lampoons all of the cliches and more as its titular character is played by John C. Reilly. Also starring Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, plus Apatow regulars Paul Rudd, Martin Starr, Harold Ramis, Jane Lynch, and Jonah Hill, with appearances from Jack Black, Jack White, Jason Schwartzman, Justin Long, Frankie Muniz, Eddie Vedder, and many more. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a whimsical, entertaining, and certainly hilarious spoof on the musical bio-pics.

The film is an uncompromising spoof in the world of music bio-pics where Dewey Cox reflects on his entire life in his first performance in 25 years as he is haunted by the death of his brother Nate (Chip Hormess) in a machete accident that would lead him to lose his sense of smell and his gift for making music. Along the way, he marries his 12-year old girlfriend Edith (Kristen Wiig) and create a bunch of songs while falling for his backup singer Darlene (Jenna Fischer) who would become his second wife. In his journey to stardom, Cox would create punk rock and dabble into many musical trends such as the variety show while becoming addicted to drugs due to his drummer Sam (Tim Meadows) in a life that quite crazy but also typical of many bio-pics based on musicians where it was bound to become a parody. It's a film that takes these cliches and amp it up to 11 as Cox's journey lampoons everything from Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Johnny Cash, and many others as it follows the scenarios of these stories and infuse it with humor. .

The script by Jake Kasdan and Judd Apatow is definitely genius as it plays with the cliches while creating moments in the film that are downright funny from the repeated breakdowns of Cox to his drug use. A lot of the film's raunchy humor that included appearances from naked people is definitely Apatow in all of his glory. Kasdan's direction is very stylish from the colorful, over-lit look of Cox's early years to the grainy footage of Dont Look Back/Eat the Document period of Cox trying to be Bob Dylan. The whole film works overall in all of its humor and drama as it plays like a bio-pic and spoof. The only real major complaint about the film is that for its 96-minute running time, it's not long enough. Largely because some of the material that appeared in the trailer including Cox's sausages, more of the disco-variety show stuff, Patrick Duffy getting punched, Cox's third wife Cheryl Cox Tiegs, and additional scenes with the Beatles were left on the cutting room for its extended DVD. Overall, Kasdan crafts a very smart and witty film about the cliched life of a musician.

Cinematographer Uta Briesewitz does some wonderfully stylish photography to convey each different period from the colorful lighting in the 50s and early 60s sequence to the grainy black-and-white look of Cox as Dylan, to the slick look of the 70s. Editors Tara Timpone and Steve Welch do great work with the film's editing for its leisurely pacing and cutting style to show Cox's moments and triumphs that is very solid. Production designer Jefferson Sage and art director Domenic Silversti do excellent work with the film's varied period looks from the wooden, farm look of Dewey's childhood home to the 70s couches and such.

Costume designer Debra McGuire does great work with the varied period costumes of Dewey's world that is lovely to watch while showing Darlene in all of her sexy look in different period clothing. Hair stylist Michelle Payne and a team of makeup artist do great work with those different periods from the teddy-boy look to the Dylan fro and 70s long hair along with the aging for the film's third act. Sound designer Robert Grieve and editor Joel Shryack do great work with the film's sound to convey the world that Dewey is in. Visual effects supervisor Evan Jacobs does great work to convey the look of Dewey's vision of his ghostly family along with a hilarious animation sequence involving Dewey and the Beatles.

Then there's the film's music and soundtrack with a wonderfully upbeat score from Michael Andrews who is also one of the film's songwriters in the many original songs created. Contributing to the writing aren't just Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow, and John C. Reilly but indie-pop legend Marshall Crenshaw, Mike Viola, Dan Bern, and many more as the songs range from country, folk, mariachi, punk rock, hip-hop, psychedelia, and a hilarious disco cover of David Bowie's Starman. All of the songs are sung by Reilly himself with Angela Correa as the singing voice of Darlene for Let's Duet. Many of the songs including various versions of Walk Hard performed by Jackson Browne, Jewel, Lyle Lovett, and Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan are hilarious with funny lyrics as the soundtrack is a real highlight of the film.

The film's cast assembled by Anya Colloff and Amy McIntyre Britt is pure genius as appearances from Deanna Brooks and Angela Little as lovely groupies, Jacques Slade as rapper Lil' Nutzzak who did a remake of Walk Hard, Chip Hormess as young Nate, Connor Rayburn as the young Dewey Cox, Rance Howard as a preacher, Paul Bates as a nightclub manager, John Ennis as the Big Bopper, Phil Rosenthal as Jewish talent agent Mazeltov, and Simon Helberg as Dredel L'Chai'm are funny. Cameo appearances from Jewel, Lyle Lovett, Jackson Browne, Ghostface Killah, the Temptations, and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder are fun to watch while Jack White of the White Stripes does a hilarious impression of Elvis Presley. Frankie Muniz is also funny as Buddy Holly but none of the cameos could ever top the casting of the Beatles whom are all funny.

Justin Long is a great George Harrison complaining about wanting to put more songs on the album while Jason Schwartzman is funny making faces and often commenting about writing a song about an octopus. Jack Black is a hoot as a huge Paul McCartney claiming he's the leader of the band while saying obscene things while Paul Rudd is pitch-perfect as John Lennon. Raymond J. Barry is funny as Pa Cox who has a great one liner, "the wrong kid died" while Margo Martindale is also great as Ma Cox. The appearances from Apatow regulars Jane Lynch as a reporter, Jonah Hill as the ghost of Nate, Craig Robinson as singer Bobby Shad Martin Starr & Harold Ramis as Jewish talent agents, and Kristen Wiig as Cox's first wife Edith are all funny in their memorable scenes with Wiig doing some funny drama with some great one-liners. Hill meanwhile, is another scene-stealer as he looks like a more attractive version of Tobey McGuire with the hair he's given.

David Krumholtz is great as Cox's manager Schwartzberg who convinces Cox to go on TV while Matt Besser and Chris Parnell are great as two of Cox's bandmates with Besser as the frustrated guitarist whose wife always sleeps with Cox and Parnell as the loving friend. Tim Meadows is a true scene-stealer for every scene he's in that involves drugs as he tells Dewey to not do them and such and then have this repeated line "you never paid for the drugs". Jenna Fischer is gorgeous as the sexy, hot, ravishing, exotic, and luscious Darlene who wows Dewey while conveying the sexual tension the two have as she becomes his shining light. Fischer's performance is very funny as she and Reilly have great chemistry both comedic and in dramatic performances. Finally, there's John C. Reilly in what is a long-overdue star-making performance as the title character of Dewey Cox. Playing the man when he's 14 to the present, Reilly gives a performance that is phenomenal as if he was born to play this fictional legend with a lot of witty humor and a singing voice that really showcases his range in ballads and such as it is really one of his great performances of his career.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a remarkable film from Jake Kasdan featuring a riveting performance from John C. Reilly as the titular character. In an age where spoof films have become lazy, this is a film that not only gets it right in terms of the cliches that play into bio-pics but also with a story that is thoroughly entertaining that also include some amazing songs. In the end, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story is a phenomenal film from Jake Kasdan.

© thevoid99 2014

Tropic Thunder

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/13/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed and starring Ben Stiller and written by Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen. Tropic Thunder tells the story of a Vietnam war film production gone horribly wrong due to a group of egomaniacal actors and an overly serious director as production is suddenly shut down. Through the suggestion of the film's deranged screenwriter, the director and five of his actors decide to into guerilla filmmaking to shot on actual locations until they're captured by a real Vietnam army as they decide to fight back. A spoof of sorts on egomaniacal, so-called "auteurs", method actors, and all sorts of things that go wrong in a big, Hollywood production. Stiller and his team decide to make a film that makes fun of all of these notorious Hollywood production while taking shots on everything and everyone including Stiller himself. With an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Brandon T. Jackson, Nick Nolte, Jay Baruchel, Reggie Lee, Brandon Soo Hoo,  Matthew McConaughey, & Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an explosive yet witty comedy from Ben Stiller & co.

A Vietnam War film epic entitled Tropic Thunder is being made by first-time director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) with help from the man who wrote the book the film is based on named "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte). The film stars fading action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) whose career is in the skids and is in desperate need to make a comeback following a disastrous portrayal in the critical and commercial bomb Simple Jack where he played a mentally-challenged farmhand. Speedman's co-star includes comedy actor Jack Portnoy (Jack Black) whose Fatties franchise has made him rich but with no respect as he's also gotten trouble for his dependency on heroin. Playing the role of the film's African-American platoon sergeant is critically-acclaimed, award-winning Australian actor Kirk Lazarus whose method-actor persona to play roles has reached new heights where he darkens his skin to portray an African American.

The film also stars a rapper-turned-actor named Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) as Cockburn is overwhelmed with the actors' demands and such. With a month behind schedule, lots of money spent, and an accident involving pyrotechnics by special effects guru Cody Underwood (Danny R. McBride) has made Tropic Thunder a likely disaster. After a meeting with studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise), Cockburn fears that the film would be shut down until Tayback suggests to shoot the film on location in the jungles guerilla style. Cockburn, Tayback, Underwood, and the five actors go to the jungle as Tayback and Underwood watch from afar to work on the special effects. Yet, as Cockburn gets ready to shoot, something bad happens.  What the actors and crew don't know is that they're nearby a group of drug farmers known as Flaming Dragon as everything becomes confusing except for Kirk Lazarus who believes that they're lost and in trouble. 

With Sandusky being the only person able to read maps, Speedman is convinced that they're still shooting a film. Tayback and Underwood meanwhile, learn that something has gone wrong when they're suddenly captured by the Flaming Dragon as a secret is unveiled. Back in Hollywood, Speedman's agent Rick "Pecker" Peck (Matthew McConaughey) tries to get Speedman his TiVo as part of the contract when he learns that Speedman has been captured by the Flaming Dragon whose leader is a 12-year old kid named Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo) who has held him for ransom. Speedman is forced to be tortured while having to play the role of Simple Jack in front of the Flaming Dragon. Rick and Grossman contact the Flaming Dragon but Grossman has ideas of his own that would make him save money. With Portnoy now on withdrawal after his stash of heroin had been stolen by a bat, it's up to Lazarus, Chino, Sandusky, and Portnoy to save Speedman as they try to figure out what to do as they decide to act out as war heroes with Speedman, Tayback, and Underwood helping by as all hell breaks loose with some surprising help.

The film is essentially a satire on not just war movies but Hollywood itself. The film begins with a series of fake trailers and an ad for Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat drink to his song I Love Tha Pussy that makes fun of Hollywood, it's commercialism, and the types of films that are being made from bloated action films, low-brow comedy, and the Oscar-bait films. What Ben Stiller and his co-writers do is take a look at Hollywood and show audiences how bloated it is. How they can do stupid things while taking shots at studio executives, agents, directors, and actors. Stiller even makes fun of himself knowing that he too, has an ego since he's also the director of this film.

Stiller's approach to the film does work since that it's a big film with explosions and such as he creates something that's meant to be bloated like a war film set. Shot on location in Hawaii, the film does have a look that is like many war films. At the same time, it plays up like an action film. While not every joke Stiller creates is perfect, he does hit the funny moments right at its target largely due to the help of his actors and crew. Stiller even lets actors get loose into some comedic moments while the faux trailers he creates range from being really funny to something that looks extremely bad yet unintentionally hilarious. It's Stiller making fun of Hollywood as well as the things actors are willing to do for the sake of their art. 

The character of Kirk Lazarus, who darkens his skin black to play an African-American might conjure up the idea of black-face. Yet, what Stiller does is to show how method actors are willing to take themselves way too seriously. Yet, there's an African-American character in that film who takes issue with Lazarus acting like an African-American as a commentary on how actors of color would get overlooked in favor of white actors. It's a dead-on commentary that Stiller and his writers make as does the portrayal of mentally-challenged people.

Now there were some groups that might have had some offense to portrayal of mentally-challenged individuals where the term "retard" is used. Those advocate groups and such are missing the point. What Stiller is trying to say is how far actors are willing to go to play mentally-challenged folks just so they can win an Oscar and such. It's really more about how low Hollywood is willing to cash in or claim glory for a group of flawed individuals. The conversation Speedman and Lazarus has about this issue is where Lazarus says "You never go full retard" as a point of how low actors are willing to play mentally-challenged people. Stiller is right on the money, why do you think Sean Penn didn't win for Best Actor for I Am Sam? And that movie fucking sucked! Overall, Stiller's direction and the script unveils at Hollywood at its most absurd as Stiller and his team is dead-on about all the things Hollywood is willing to do.

Cinematographer John Toll, famous for his work in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line and Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai does excellent work with the film's war-like look with wonderful shading and such on the film's exterior sequences. Toll's work, though not up to par with his other camera work, is right for the film as he captures the look of war movies while getting the chance to mimic some of those great war scenes. Editor Greg Hayden does excellent work with the film's cutting that plays to its rhythm of action films while allowing the chance to slow down for some of the film's comedy scenes.

Production designer Jeff Mann with set decorator Daniel B. Clancy and art directors Richard L. Johnson and Dan Webster do excellent work in creating a set for film's war scenes, heroin farm, and all that stuff to create a look that looks like a war movie. In the Hollywood scenes, it's all filled with hi-tech gadgets and posh rooms with Matthew McConaughey playing video games and such. Costume designer Marlene Stewart does great work in creating the look of the soldier clothes as well as the look of the Flaming Dragon stuff to give the idea of a war movie. Sound editors Jim Brookshire and Craig Henighan also do great work with the film's sound in the layering of machine gun fire, explosions, and such. Special effects supervisor Michael Meinardus and visual effects supervisor Michael Owens do great work in the creation of explosions and falling helicopters for all the film's action sequences. The make-up design is great with Michele Burke and Barney Burman creating a great look for Tom Cruise as the fat, bald, flabby Les Grossman.

Music composer Theodore Shapiro creates music that is reminiscent of most war films that is often sweeping and bombastic while the film's soundtrack supervised by George Drakoulias is filled with classic cuts by the Temptations, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, and other cuts of the late 1960s while the Mooney Suzuki and Crystal Method provide most of the newer music. The soundtrack overall, is excellent for that era of Vietnam while the new music adds a fresh, exciting approach to the film.

The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is excellent with cameo appearances from Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jon Voight, Jason Bateman, Nsync star Lance Bass, Tyra Banks, Maria Menounos, Stiller's real-life wife Christine Taylor as a star in Simple Jack, and in the hilarious Satan's Alley trailer, Tobey McGuire. Notable small roles from J. Thomas & Jacob Chon as an Asian boy Stiller befriends while Reggie Lee and Trieu Tran are excellent as two of Tran's henchman. Bill Hader is good as studio executive Rob Slolom though isn't given much to do except play a foil for Les Grossman. Newcomer Brandon Soo Hoo is great as Tran, the 12-year old drug lord who manages to beat Tugg Speedman into submission while having a great fight scene with Jack Black.

Steve Coogan is excellent as first-time director Damien Cockburn who is trying to make a great war movie while dealing with all of the egos of his actors and production problems as Coogan's small role is definitely worth remembering. Danny McBride, riding high from his other comedic role in the Judd Apatow-David Gordon Green film Pineapple Express, is great as special effects guru Cody Underwood who likes to explode things while in awe of Four-Leaf Tayback as he gets a chance to live a dream despite some bad experiences on Hollywood sets. Nick Nolte is also great as Four-Leaf Tayback with all of his grizzled, psychotic war experience while sporting hooks until he seems what he isn't to be as Nolte is superb in this role. Matthew McConaughey, who fills in for Owen Wilson, is great as loyal agent Rick "Pecker" Peck who is trying to get Speedman his TiVo for while making sure his career is still going well no matter how bad it is.

In what has to be his best performance since Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 film Magnolia, Tom Cruise delivers a hilarious performance as a foul-mouthed, balding, sleazy studio head honcho Les Grossman. Wearing a fat suit and all sorts of prosthetics, Cruise's appearances are some of the funniest moments as he dances and curses throughout the entire movie. Brandon T. Jackson is excellent as Alpa Chino (get it), a rapper-turned-actor who also carries a secret while trying to deal with Kirk Lazarus acting all African-American as he serves a great foil for Downey. Jay Baruchel is also great as Kevin Sandusky, a new young actor with combat training experience who is the straight man of the film while being the one guy who keeps his cool and point out every contradiction that the actors have.

Jack Black is wonderfully funny as Jack Portnoy, an actor that's a satire on latter-day Eddie Murphy as well as late, troubled comedy actors like Chris Farley and John Belushi. Black's performance is filled with some funny one-liners and antics that's typical of Black yet it works since he brings what he does. Ben Stiller is excellent in his role as the clueless yet egotistical Tugg Speedman, an actor whose star is fading as he's desperate for a comeback. Playing it straight while doing the typical Stiller antics known in most of his comedies, it's an excellent performance where Stiller makes fun of actors including himself. It's a fine one from a comedy actor who prefers to share the screen with other actors.

Finally, there's Robert Downey Jr. in one of his best performances to date. Riding high from his recent performance in Jon Favreau's Iron Man, Downey exhibits all of the craziness that method actors do as Downey stays in character throughout the entire film. Sporting a funny African-American accent, saying lots of slang, and a whole lot of stuff, Downey downplays all the stereotypes given for most African-American actors while saying the word "motherfucker" a lot. It's a performance that's truly Oscar-worthy as in a year of stellar to great performances, Robert Downey Jr. is truly at the top of his game.

Tropic Thunder is a funny, smart, and action-packed comedy from Ben Stiller as it's also his best work to date as a director. While some might prefer the zaniness and low-brow humor of Zoolander, Tropic Thunder works for its satire and a great collection of actors led by Robert Downey Jr. In a year where spoofs, parodies, and satires lose its touch, it's good to see a film that knows that it can take itself seriously and cannot. With additional kudos to Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Nick Nolte, and Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an all-out, laugh-out, explosive comedy that stands out as one of the year's best.

Ben Stiller Films: (Reality Bites) - (The Cable Guy) - (Zoolander) - (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Kung Fu Panda

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 11/13/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Directed by Mark Osborne and John Stevenson with a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger based on a story by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris. Kung Fu Panda tells the story of a kung fu-loving panda in ancient China who is mistakenly chosen to become a legendary warrior. Meanwhile, an angry tiger breaks free from prison to wreak havoc on a peaceful valley as the only person that can stop is the panda. A mixture of martial arts films with comedy, light-drama, and inspirational drama. It's a film that is truly entertaining while having something to say. With an all-star voice cast that includes Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, David Cross, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, Ian MacShane, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, and Jackie Chan. Kung Fu Panda is a charming, fun, and entertaining film from Mark Osborne & John Stevenson.

The film is a lot of things but really, it's about a panda who becomes an unlikely hero despite the fact that he's clumsy, fat, and not knowing a lot of skills that a kung fu master would have yet. There's something else that makes the film far more than just an entertaining film with action sequences and comedy. It's about how a teacher like Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) can make a fat, clumsy panda like Po (Jack Black) into a warrior that he's destined to be. At first, Shifu is convinced that Po is not the Dragon Warrior only to realize that he might be the only person that can help rectify the mistake he made in raising Tai Lung (Ian MacShane) to believe that he would be the Dragon Warrior.

While Shifu has taught his students in ways that is traditional, with Po, he realized that he can't teach him the same way he taught the Furious Five. In this unconventional approach, both teacher and student bond while becoming unlikely heroes where the student gains confidence while the teacher finds a sense of redemption and peace that he's craving for. That's one of the big themes about the film while the secret revealed in the Dragon Scroll is actually much simpler than it is. For someone as inexperienced and with a limited knowledge of kung fu like Po to face someone as fierce and as skilled as Tai Lung seems like a total mismatch. Yet, it's not about how many moves or how fast or powerful your moves are. It's all about what you can do with what little you know and how to apply while still getting the job done.

The writers of the film do an amazing job in creating universal themes that aren't heavy-handed along with memorable characters and development for the story to be engaging. The direction of Mark Osborne and John Stevenson is truly superb in its recreation of ancient China along with sequences and set pieces that are phenomenal. Notably the action sequences that move with great rhythm and composed with great style that is similar to the film work of Zhang Yimou as well as Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. At the same time, they make a martial arts film that isn't a parody but rather as an action film with dabbles of humor and drama. The visual look of the film is definitely stunning as they do raise the bar for everything they did in comparison to the other work that Dreamworks animation do. While it may not have the vast visual flair of Pixar, Osborne and Stevenson do succeed in crafting a solid film that is entertaining and enlightening.

The animation is definitely phenomenal with some fantastic lighting designs by cinematographer Yong Duk Jhun along with art direction by production designer Raymond Zibach and art director Tang Kheng Heng in the look of the Jade Palace and prison where Tai Lung stayed. Clare De Chenu's editing is definitely phenomenal in its sense of rhythm while using jump-cuts and freeze-frames for the action sequences to keep things going. Sound designer Ethan Van der Ryn and sound editor Erik Aadahl do great work in the sound of swords and grunts that goes on for the action sequences. The music of Hans Zimmer and John Powell is wonderful for its mixture of intense orchestral pieces for action scenes along with traditional Chinese music for its scenery and atmosphere. The soundtrack also includes a fantastic cover of Kung Fu Fighting performed by Cee-Lo and Jack Black.

The casting is excellent with some cameo voices from Wayne Knight, Laura Kightlinger, JR Reed, and Jack Black's Tenacious D partner Kyle Gass. Michael Clarke Duncan's voice as the prison warden Vachir is wonderfully comical along with Dan Fogler as the scared goose Zeng. Randall Duk Kim provides the right notes for the wise tortoise Master Oogway while James Hong provides a nice warmth and humor to the role of Po's goose father Mr. Ping. In the roles of the Furious Five, Seth Rogen provides some nice humor as Mantis while David Cross plays straight man as the calm, restrained Crane. Lucy Liu is very good as the sensitive Viper while Jackie Chan adds some humor and restraint as Monkey. In the role of Tigress, Angelina Jolie is excellent as the humorless and skillful warrior who doesn't respect Po only to realize that she is not strong enough to face Tai Lung.

Ian MacShane is great as Tai Lung, the fierce warrior who is anxious to attain the Dragon Scroll while is filled with lots of hate and anger over the fact that he wasn't chosen the first time around. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as Master Shifu, a skillful master who at first ridicules Po while possessing no humor until he realizes how he can reach him where Hoffman displays a sense of warmth and charm. Finally, there's Jack Black who is perfectly cast as Po, the title character who is this clumsy yet funny panda who becomes this great warrior while displaying some vulnerability and confidence that makes his character appealing.

Kung Fu Panda is a marvelous film from Dreamworks Animation. With an amazing voice cast and phenomenal technical work, it's a film that is visually stunning but also entertaining. While the story is formulaic but works, it is a film that is worth watching over and over again as Kung Fu Panda is just a fun, enlightening film to watch.

© thevoid99 2013

Be Kind Rewind

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/19/09 w/ Additional Edits.

Written and directed by Michel Gondry, Be Kind Rewind tells the story of a junkyard worker whose attempts to sabotage a power plant goes haywire. When he accidentally creates a magnetic field, he goes to his best friend's video store and accidentally erases the contents of the video tapes. In order to keep the store going, they create new versions of the films that become cult hits only to later deal with authorities. The film explores not just Gondry's love of spontaneity but also his themes of imagination and innocence told through a couple of bumbling men. Starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, and Sigourney Weaver. Be Kind Rewind is a funny, imaginative, and heartwarming film from Michel Gondry.

In Passaic, New Jersey, a man named Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) runs a VHS-rental video store with his assistant Mike (Mos Def). The two muse about jazz musician Fats Waller whom Mr. Fletcher claims was born in the building where he runs the video store. One of the regulars who attends the store is Mike's klutzy friend Jerry (Jack Black) who often causes accidents while wanting to sabotage a nearby power plant. With the video store losing money and in danger of being demolished to become a condo unless Mr. Fletcher can provide money. Mr. Fletcher decides to go out of town for several days to attend a Fats Waller memorial with Mike running the store with his order to keep Jerry out of the story. Unfortunately, Jerry's attempt to sabotage the power plant went badly where he goes to the video store unknowingly erasing all of the content of the video tapes.

When one of the store's regular customers in Mrs. Falewicz (Mia Farrow) wants to see Ghostbusters, Mike and Jerry decide to make their own version with cheap special effects and the two playing the characters themselves. When another customer wanted to see Rush Hour 2, Mike and Jerry make their own version where they get help from a local named Alma (Melonie Diaz) to help. The film versions they created have become successful as Mike, Jerry, and Alma decide to create their own versions of the films as the demands suddenly increase with the community being involved. When Mr. Fletcher returns to the store, he reveals that he's planning to get the store going as a DVD-rental place.

For Mike, it's disheartening but Jerry and Alma press on where they make more to Mr. Fletcher's surprise as the films they make help raise money to save the story. When a couple of bailiffs (Sigourney Weaver and Paul Dinello) arrive, they decided to have the tapes destroyed due to copyright infringement forcing the store's future to look even bleaker with Mr. Fletcher revealing some harsh truths. Yet, it would take an entire community to rally for one final hurrah to save the store as it's time is running out.

The film is about two things in one whole film. One is the decline of the VHS-rental, mom-and-pop video stores and the rise of corporate, DVD-rental chains. The other is about a community rallying together to watch and make home films of the movies they always wanted to be in and such. While some of the film's humor might seem a little childish with a few moments that don't work along with the script often delving into conventional and sentimental territory. Yet, Michel Gondry manages to create a film that is filled with some of the thematic qualities of his work with innocence, light-humor, and heart in his script.

While the script has a nice story despite a few flaws, the direction that Gondry definitely raises the script's weakness with his imaginative presentation. Bringing his music video background to the forefront, Gondry truly is a director in his own world where he proves that anyone could make a film with shabby sets and such. Even in the use of home video cameras with night vision is an example of Gondry's unique vision. Even in one of the film's big moment, he goes for something that is black-and-white or scenes with one take for a movement of Mike, Jerry, and Alma making one film and then move to another. It's Gondry proving that he can create something whimsical with a lot of heart and humor for audiences who love the power of film and wish they can be in them in their own remakes.

Cinematographer Ellen Kuras does a wonderful job with the film's cinematography with the use of the home video camera with its grainy look and cheesy night vision along with scratchy black-and-white footage. Kuras' work is phenomenal in how she captures the look of Passaic, New Jersey in its actual location along with some wonderful nighttime exterior shots. Notably in the film's final scene with its sepia-like exterior and intimate, low-light interior scenes. Editor Jeff Buchanan does excellent work with the film's editing with rhythmic and jump-cuts to get the film moving in such a unique pace that it's all done leisurely and without going into style-over-substance. Production designer Dan Leigh along with set decorator Ron von Blomberg, and art director James Donahue do spectacular work with the film's set designs of the sets created for the film and cheesy special effects made for a homemade feel that looks wonderful and imaginative.

Costume designers Rahel Afiley and Kishu Chand do fantastic work with the costumes that are imaginative in the cheap remake versions of the films that are made, notably the Robocop suit that Jack Black wears in their remade version. Visual effects supervisor Fabrice Lagayette does an excellent job with the film's minimal special effects scenes like the buzzing screens and the scene where Jerry gets electrocuted by the power plant that would cause him to create a magnetic field. Sound editor Paul Hsu with mixer Pawel Wdowczak do excellent work with the film's sound effects and location sounds to create a whimsical atmosphere for the film. Music composer Jean-Michel Bernard brings a light-hearted, whimsical score to play up to the film's humor and heartfelt moments with smooth, elegant arrangements. The soundtrack consists of music from Fats Waller, the Gap Band, Ray Parker Jr., Billy Preston, and other jazz cuts to complement the film's devotion to jazz.

The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is excellent for its casting choices that includes Arjay Smith as a local DVD store owner named Manny, Chandler Park as Mrs. Falewicz's nephew Craig, Paul Dinello as a bailiff, Irv Gooch as a mechanic named Wilson, and I'm Not There star Marcus Carl Franklin as a local kid. Sigourney Weaver is excellent in a cameo-like role as a bailiff who shuts down the store while Mia Farrow is great as a neighbor/loyal customer who is amazed by the remakes as she finds hope in them. Danny Glover is wonderful as Mr. Fletcher, an elderly video store owner trying to deal with changing times and developments as he thinks about conforming while trying to salvage whatever hopes and dreams he have.

Melonie Diaz is brilliant as Alma, a local girl who originally becomes an actress and later help run the video store with rules as Diaz's performance truly shines. Even as she steals scenes from the always boisterous Jack Black where Diaz has great chemistry with both Black and Def. Mos Def is wonderful as Mike, the straight man who is trying to save a video store for Mr. Fletcher while becoming an unlikely visionary in the films he and Jack Black make. Def is more restrained that Black while having a few funny moments in his performance. Jack Black is very good in his usual Jack Black-type of character as a clumsy, boisterous, and innocent character who likes to play around and be the funny guy. Yet, Black wisely under play his persona in order to give his co-stars more to do while being the typical funny guy. Though it's a typical performance from Black, it's one that works for what the film is needed and only a guy like Jack Black could play a character like Jerry.

While the film doesn't live up to the brilliance of films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Science of Sleep, Be Kind Rewind is still an entertaining, funny, and heartwarming film from Michel Gondry. While fans of Gondry's work will enjoy his imaginative vision and thematic quality, the film doesn't exactly live up to expectations in comparison to his previous films. Still, Gondry does manage to make something that is enjoyable to watch thanks in part to the cast led by Jack Black and Mos Def. In the end, Be Kind Rewind is a whimsical film from Michel Gondry that plays up to his themes of innocence and imagination.

Michel Gondry Films: Human Nature - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Dave Chapelle's Block Party - The Science of Sleep - Tokyo!: Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) - The Green Hornet - The We & the I - Mood Indigo - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) - (Microbe & Gasoline)

© thevoid99 2013

School of Rock

Directed by Richard Linklater and written by Mike White, School of Rock is the story about an unemployed rock musician who pretends to be a substitute teacher for a prestigious prep school as he decides to teach the children rock n’ roll and form a band so he can win a battle of the bands contest and pay his rent. The film is a comedy that explores a man’s desire to do right for his friend while teaching young kids the power of music and how it can shape their minds. Starring Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike White, Miranda Cosgrove, and Sarah Silverman. School of Rock is a rocking and fantastic film from Richard Linklater.

The film is just a simple story about an unemployed rock musician named Dewey Finn (Jack Black) who has just been kicked out of his band and needs to pay the rent or else he’s going to be kicked out by his friend Ned Schneebly (Mike White). By pretending to be Ned after hearing a message to be a substitute teacher for a prestigious upstate New York elementary prep school, Dewey deals with its strict rules until he learns about that the kids in his class are also in a music class. By teaching them the etiquettes of rock n’ roll, he finds the idea to make them his new band so he can win an upcoming battle of the bands contest and pay his rent. While it’s a story that might seem formulaic and silly, what makes it so engaging is the fact that it’s about a guy who bonds with some kids over not just music but also finding reasons into the idea of learning.

Mike White’s screenplay is actually far more interesting than what its premise suggests as it’s not just a film about rock n’ roll but also a film about a guy trying to find his role in life to mean something but still maintain that sense of love and passion for music. While Dewey Finn is sort of a man-child who doesn’t want to grow up and refuses to give up his rock n’ roll dreams. He becomes a much more well-rounded person by taking on this job as a substitute teacher where he not only helps out kids who feel stifled by the upbringing they’re in. He also gives them a reason to have some fun and act like kids while being able to learn along the way.

It’s not just the character of Dewey and the kids that really help the script be engaging. There are supporting characters like Dewey’s friend Ned and the school principal Rosalie Mullins who are just as interesting as well. Ned is someone who used to play rock n’ roll but had to give it up in order to get a real job as he’s constantly berated by his girlfriend Patti (Sarah Silverman). There’s a moment late in the film where Dewey admits to his actions and feels bad about what he does but he tells Ned that he couldn’t give up on his dreams like Ned did. What Ned reveals is that his sacrifice to give up music wasn’t easy as well into why there’s a bit of melancholia to his character. The Mullins character might seem like a typical figure of authority who has to run things but there’s more to her as she’s a woman who wants to change things for the school to make things better and actually make it less stifling for the children.

Richard Linklater’s direction is definitely lively in the way he explores the world of rock n’ roll as well as prep school life where he adds this element of fun into the entire story. While there are moments where things can get wild, it is told with some restraint in which Linklater is able to get his actors to tone things down a bit while having the kids just act naturally. Since it’s also a kids film, Linklater has the story be told from the perspective of kids as they’re being taught by Dewey who is sort of a child. Yet, Dewey knows that kids can go into the wrong places where Dewey has to play the adult of sorts.

The direction has Linklater also creating some compositions that are simple and direct but also have this sense of being very energetic and lively. Even in some of the more low-key dramatic moments where Linklater knows where to put the actors in the frame. The film climax is the Battle of the Bands concert where there are elements of humor but it’s more about a sense of celebration and all of the good aspects about what rock n’ roll is all about. Having fun. Linklater not only does that but he makes it so much more where it’s not just a film that rock fans can love but also a film that families can enjoy where it’s both educational but also entertaining. Overall, Linklater crafts a very exciting and exhilarating film about rock n’ roll and learning about the music that will make any kid do Pete Townshend windmill guitar power chords.

Cinematographer Rogier Stoffers does excellent work with some of the lighting where it‘s very straightforward for many of the film‘s interior and exterior scenes with the exception of the lighting display for the climatic concert. Editor Sandra Adair does amazing work with the editing to not just capture the energy of the comedy and the rock n‘ roll moments but also in creating a montage to display rock n‘ roll‘s rich history. Production designer Jeremy Conway, along with set decorator Karin Wiesel and art director Adam Scher, do wonderful work with the set pieces from the look of the prep school and Battle of the Bands stage to the apartment Dewey and Ned live in.

Costume designer Karen Patch does fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the school uniforms to the clothes the kids wear for the climatic show. Sound editor Jacob Ribicoff does nice work with the sound to capture some of the intimacy of the classrooms as well as the atmosphere of the rock concert. The film’s music by Craig Wedren is terrific as it‘s low-key with its emphasis on rock while the film‘s soundtrack that is assembled by music supervisor Randall Poster is a mish-mash of all sorts of music ranging from acts like the Ramones, Kiss, AC/DC, the Clash, David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, the Velvet Underground, and Led Zeppelin. The soundtrack also features some original music by Jack Black in collaboration with Mike White and Craig Wedren to capture Dewey’s passion for rock n’ roll.

The casting by Ilene Starger is brilliant for the ensemble that is created including the young kids that appear in this film. The film features cameo appearances from Frank Whaley as a battle of the bands director and the Mooney Suzuki as a band auditioning for a spot as well as small performances from Adam Pascal and Lucas Babin as Dewey’s former bandmates. Notable performances as the kids in Dewey’s class that include Cole Hawkins, Angelo Massagli, James Hosey, Zachary Infante, Brian Falduto, Aleisha Allen, and Caitlin Hale where they all play a part in helping with the look and style of the band. In the role of the School of Rock band, there’s Maryam Hassan as the soulful Tomika aka Songbird, Robert Tsai as the shy keyboardist Lawrence aka Mr. Cool, Rebecca Brown as the bassist Katie aka Posh Spice, Kevin Clark as drummer Freddy “Spazzy McGee” Jones, and Joey Gaydos Jr. as virtuoso guitarist Zack “Zack-Attack” Mooneyham as they all give great performances.

Miranda Cosgrove is wonderful as the school brainiac Summer “Tinkerbell” Hathaway as the student who helps Dewey out in handling some of the business stuff as well as being his organizer. Sarah Silverman is terrific as Ned’s bitchy girlfriend Patti who hates Dewey as she constantly bullies Ned into being an adult. Mike White is excellent as Ned Schneebly as a guy who loves to teach but has a hard time dealing with Dewey’s inability to grow up while admitting to the sacrifices he’s made in being an adult. Joan Cusack is superb as Principal Mullins as a woman who wants to create an environment for kids to learn but also not make it stifling as she is trying to deal with all of the restrictions she’s working while finding a chance to loosen up during a meeting with Dewey.

Finally, there’s Jack Black in a marvelous performance as Dewey Finn where Black is full of energy and charisma as a man-child who loves to rock where he takes his friend’s substitute teacher gig and finally finds a place where he can grow up but also still be a kid. It’s a performance where Black is not only funny but also shows that he does have some range as an actor where he can be a bit serious. Plus, it’s a performance where Black can show his love for rock while being the kind of guy that kids and adults can just love to watch as it’s definitely one of his career-defining performances.

School of Rock is an outstanding film from Richard Linklater that features a monstrous yet exciting performance from Jack Black. Along with notable supporting performances from Mike White and Joan Cusack as well as smart script from White and a fun soundtrack. It’s a film that doesn’t just capture the energy of rock n’ roll but also make it engaging enough where it appeals to the hardcore rock fans as well as kids and their parents. It’s a rare family film that isn’t afraid to be a bit educational but also make it compelling enough for kids to enjoy. In the end, School of Rock is a magnificent from Richard Linklater that takes it up to 11 and have kids bang on the drums like Keith Moon or Neil Peart. Rock out the guitar like Jimi Hendrix or Angus Young. Slappin da bass like Geddy Lee! Belt out those vocals like Aretha, Janis, or Freddie Mercury! It’s a film that displays what rock n’ roll is all about!!!! Having a good time and giving salute to those that love to rock!!!!

Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - Before Sunset - Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Bernie (2011 film) - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Want Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Jesus' Son

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/6/04 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on Denis Johnson's collection of short stories, Jesus' Son is the story of a 1970s heroin addict who tries to do good only continually mess things up as he wound encounter tragedy and redemption. Directed by Alison Maclean and screenplay by Oren Moverman, David Urritia, and Elizabeth Cuthrell, the film explores a young man trying to deal with addiction as well as doing what is right. Starring Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Jack Black, John Ventimiglia, Denis Leary, Will Patton, Holly Hunter, and Dennis Hopper. Jesus' Son is an extraordinary film from Alison Maclean.

A young drifter named FH aka Fuckhead (Billy Crudup) is hitchhiking as he hopes to return to Iowa to meet his girlfriend Michelle (Samantha Morton). After a horrifying car accident that he was apart of, FH looks back at his life where he recalls the moment he meets Michelle three years earlier at a party held by a guy named McInnes (John Ventimiglia) as the two later have another encounter where FH's friends Jack (Mark Webber) and Dundun (Michael Shannon) watch something horrifying happen. FH meets Michelle again a year later as the two start a tumultuous relationship as they would become full-blown heroin addicts that would have its wandering moods as it would often include FH's incompetence.

With Michelle gone, FH reaches out to fellow addict Wayne (Denis Leary) where the two make money in destroying an abandoned home and steal some cables where they both earn a good payday. The success allows FH to get back with Michelle though she presents some startling news that would prompt him to try and clean up. Working with another addict in Georgie (Jack Black) as an night-shift orderly in a hospital, the two delve into several hijinks as a doctor (Greg Germann) examines a patient with a knife in his eye where Georgie would make things worse. The two go on a road trip where they would kill a pregnant bunny as they tried to take care of the baby bunnies only for FH to screw things up as usual.

After another breakup with Michelle who leaves him to work in Mexico with a guy named John Smith (Will Patton), FH would have a strange encounter with a snakeskin-jacket man (Alan Davidson) as he tries to deal with his own relapsing drug addiction. After another reunion with Michelle that doesn't go well, FH eventually goes to rehab as he meets with a former addict named Bill (Dennis Hopper) whose story would help FH changes his life. After moving to Phoenix, he meets a former alcoholic named Mira (Holly Hunter) and works at nursing home while being entranced by a singer (Rebecca Kimball). With this new life, FH wonders about where he is going with this new life.

What makes Jesus' Son such an interesting film is in Alison Maclean's direction. While the film's script at times is hard to follow with its flashbacks and varied subplots, MacLean and the screenwriters make sure the story is appealing in its offbeat structure and tone. Even by adding elements of black comedy and drama, the film doesn't lose itself in it's pacing. In the more harrowing scenes of hallucinations, MacLean brings up the surreal tone of drug addiction at its darkest and campy. Even the film's look by cinematographer Adam Kimmel is amazingly captured in the film's three-act structure. From its blue look early on to the more colorful, hazy tone in the second to a more cleaner, enlightened tone in its final act. Even the film's music with an original score from Joe Henry as well as a wide mix of music from the 70s ranging from rock, pop, soul, and country to enhance the gritty, natural tone of the film.

The film's cast is extraordinary from its group of smaller roles played by Mark Webber, Michael Shannon, Alan Davidson, John Ventimiglia, and Greg Germann to its veterans like Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, and Holly Hunter in their small but respective roles that are performed wonderfully. Standing out in the supporting cast easily is Jack Black who delivers a hilarious, brash performance as Georgie by giving the film some much-needed comic relief. Denis Leary also provides a funny performance as Wayne as he comes out of the film like a drunk by beating people up and fucking things up as possible in one of Leary's best performances.

Samantha Morton is astonishing as Michelle by portraying a beautiful addict who can be unlikable at times yet for the British actress, Morton provides a sense of sexiness and sympathy in her troubled performance as an addict. Billy Crudup is amazing as the film's protagonist FH by being charming and loveable in his role despite being a total fuck-up. Crudup carries the film with ease and strong dramatic moments without being too vulnerable or too stupid. Crudup gives one of his best performances of his career, particularly as the film's narrator.

Jesus' Son is an entrancing yet harrowing film from Alison Maclean that features terrific performances from Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton. Along with a great supporting cast that includes Jack Black and Denis Leary, it's a film that explores the dark world of drug addiction as well as a man yearning to find redemption. Notably as it revolves a guy who tries not to live up to his namesake as incompetent fuck-up. In the end, Jesus' Son is a powerful drama from Alison Maclean.

(C) thevoid99 2012