Blue Chips.

Review #2365: Blue Chips.

Cast: 

Nick Nolte (Coach Pete Bell), Mary McDonnell (Jenny Bell), J. T. Walsh ("Happy" Kuykendahl), Ed O'Neill (Ed Axelby), Alfre Woodard (Lavada McRae), Bob Cousy (Vic Roker), Larry Bird (himself), Matt Nover (Ricky Roe), Shaquille O'Neal (Neon Boudeaux), Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway (Butch McRae), Anthony C. Hall (Tony), Marques Johnson (Mel), Robert Wuhl (Marty), Cylk Cozart ("Slick"), with Jim Beaver (Ricky's Dad), and Louis Gossett Jr. (Father Dawkins) Directed by William Friedkin (#037 - The Exorcist, #1438 - The French Connection, #1477 - To Live and Die in L.A., #2085 - Sorcerer)

Review: 

 “It wasn’t going to be the way coaches have been played in the past—you know, usually as the wise father figure. This guy was a deeply troubled man. That’s how I looked at Bobby, and that’s how I looked at this character. He had this overwhelming desire to win at any cost.”

There is a certain curiosity that comes to this film, really. This was the second of three movies that William Friedkin would direct in the 1990s, which you might remember included such works as The Guardian (1990) and Jade (1995). Oh, but this was a movie produced and written by none other than Ron Shelton, who you might remember was behind the scripts/directing of films such as Bull Durham [1988]* and White Man Can't Jump [1992] (fun fact: one scene in the original script of Blue Chips proved an inspiration for Jump). Apparently, the project had been in development hell since 1981, although it should be mentioned that Tates Locke claimed that the movie actually took inspiration from his 1982 book Caught in the Net (as co-written with Bob Ibach) that had detailed the offenses of Locke as a head coach at Clemson in the late 1970s (ironically, Bob Knight actually was set to write the introduction to the book but rejected it because he took the book as saying "that everybody cheats", which he disagreed with)**. Shelton couldn't direct the movie due to his involvement with Cobb (1994), but Friedkin's love for basketball got him interested in the project (he even got to direct his basketball idol in Bob Cousy). The movie was not a big success with audiences at the time (he was once quoted as saying that he couldn't overcome the difficulty of capturing "the excitement of a real game, with its own unpredictable dramatic structure and suspense"), but time has probably rewarded those who consider that college sports has only recently moved into the "NIL era" in which, well, now college athletes can control and profit from their name, image, and likeness. Timely or not, consider that one of the coaches appearing in the national championship game this year involved a coach in Kelvin Sampson who once endured a show-cause order that meant he couldn't coach in college for five years for a select group of violations committed under his watch.

The game of college basketball has never been particularly squeaky clean, anyway. Amateur athletes in the NCAA had interesting definitions when you consider the guy (Walter Byers) who created the term "student-athlete" also once called a team as doing “ghetto run-and-shoot basketball” (Jerry Tarkanian, coach of said team and justifiably hated Byers, happens to appear in this film)***. Scandals evolved from point shaving to slush funds. Blue Chips (1994) could not foresee the absurdity that arose with scandals involving universities and athletes, in which one school was accused of procuring a madam for athletes (which led to Rick Pitino being fired) and a murder that led to an actual scandal. So here we are with a movie about a man that rips himself apart in a decidedly non-heroic movie. But the movie is honest about where certain people in higher places are in terms of values: in the toilet. Cynicism runs free because the pursuit of the almighty victory (and dollar) has never been more blatant and, well, celebrated. Nolte actually shadowed Bobby Knight and went to practices and games. He pulls off a tremendous performance, riding the line of perceived morals with commitment that isn't just an impersonation or bluster for the sake of it. It happens to be a part with amusement in cynicism, as evidenced by how he says he happens to be a religious type that changes from recruitment to recruitment. By the time he gets to the last game, the juxtaposition of him versus Knight might as well be looking at a mirror (incidentally, Knight is only caught in barely audible dialogue, he apparently was mic'd up but said too many profanities). Walsh is the other highlight, managing to evoke great adversarial power that handles people as if they were commodities (with the exception of the climax, of course). The rest are fine, whether that is an ordinary but committed McDonnell, the delightfully cynical (if not underused) O'Neill or adequate work from actual athletes trying to do both basketball and acting - O'Neal is not in it that much, but he is quite engaging while Cousy plays the "wool over the eyes" just fine. The movie can't exactly capture all the fun and tension from seeing an actual basketball game, but it does leave one with a rush with what they see (particularly for those who recognize cameos such as Dick Vitale). The 108 minute runtime manages to make an effort in seeing the extent one could actually lose (or lie to) themselves in trying to win at all costs. As a whole, it is a committed Friedkin movie in charm and execution that is at least honest enough to prove a watch for the energy drawn out by Nolte in a morality tale that still has a resourceful bite to it. 

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Happy Monday and Go Cougars. If you want to hear more about college basketball movies, try Glory Road (2006).

*See, by having these little notes in the bottom, I save space in the actual review by not referring to Bull Durham as overrated. 

**By that point in time, Bobby Knight had already done such lovely things as hitting a head coach in the back of the head (Joe B. Hall) and choked and punched a sports information director. Never let anyone tell you about the glories of Bobby Knight without saying how much of a miserable human being he was.

***Tarkanian sued the NCAA a few times, fun fact. 

Dutch (1991).

Review #2242: Dutch.

Cast: 

Ed O'Neill (Dutch Dooley), Ethan Embry (Doyle Standish), JoBeth Williams (Natalie Standish), Christopher McDonald (Reed Standish), E.G. Daily (Hailey), Ari Meyers (Brock), L. Scott Caldwell (Homeless Woman), and Kathleen Freeman (Gritzi) Directed by Peter Faiman (#023 - Crocodile Dundee)

Review: 

Okay, I will admit that this one was on the list for quite a while because I couldn't quite figure out where to put it despite all of the appealing aspects: Ed O'Neill, Ed O'Neill, and Ed O'Neill. My favoritism for O'Neill is because he starred in the one show I remember most in my childhood of mostly antenna TV: reruns of Married...with Children (the film was released in the middle of the show's run on Fox). O'Neill actually was a football player in his time at Youngstown State University before being cut in Pittsburgh's NFL training camp in 1969; this led him to go back to Youngstown State to enroll in theater. His work on stage (a mix of Broadway and Off-Broadway stuff, most notably Of Mice and Men) drew enough notice for Fox to have him audition for Married...with Children that, well, you know the rest. Oh, and I suppose there might be a tiny compelling aspect for some in seeing what a John Hughes-written comedy looks like from the director of Crocodile Dundee (1986). The Melbourne native (from Victoria, Australia) Faiman had directed plenty of television before Dundee, which included The Don Lane Show, but Dutch (1991) is currently the only other theatrical film directed by Faiman. With Hughes, this was part of the consistent run in twelve years with at least one Hughes-penned film being released in theaters that went from National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982) to Miracle on 34th Street (1994). So yes, for every Home Alone (1990), there was the stuff that, well, are about as known as Career Opportunities (1991). Dutch wasn't exactly a hit with audiences or critics, needless to say. My interest in the film sprung from one silly sight gag in an episode about renting a VHS tape that showed the poster for Dutch...with a "Free Video" sign right over one of the faces. Strangely enough, O'Neill and Embry would pair up once more with the ill-fated 2003 TV rendition of Dragnet. 

Sure, why not have a movie with a "great, big, demented child" and a "spoiled worm" in a mishmash of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (a Hughes production, released four years earlier involving making it home before Thanksgiving)? Look, I can't really cite the film as an underrated gem in normal parameters, but "John Hughes' greatest hits" is sort of a blessing and curse in the same sentence. I play my favorites because damn it, I like O'Neill and his rascal talent in making a lovable brute that is familiar in the ways I like to think about every now and then. It reminded me of the one time I went on a trip with my dad (who along with my mom was a Married with Children fan, and my mom still loves to say "Bundy up" when interested in watching an episode on DVD) before he passed away that involved plenty of driving and a few of the mishaps that come with "best-laid plans". The one thing I remember best is a mishap that resulted in driving through California when trying to get to Oregon as opposed to going through Nevada (the return trip was better, but going through Arizona again is an experience not worth thinking about). I wasn't nearly as stuck-up as the kid in the film, but I was an idiot fourteen-year-old who probably wished he took more time to savor the moments that came on the road with a father that was shall we say, the kind of guy who would drive to a hospital on a broken hip rather than think about taking an ambulance. I appreciate O'Neill and his charming nature that is earthy in a way that could play a hustler or would-be dad without uttering a false note. I contend that weary concoction of honesty and pig-headed pride is endearing without just being an Al Bundy clone. Embry has the hardest task imaginable in playing a snob with layers to peel away, and I would say he does fine in that regard, because even predictable shows of humility is better than nothing. For a road movie built on bickering and goofs (i.e. maybe 2% cartoonish), the two make an ideal pairing that I would argue just straddles above the line between chuckles and hokum. The rest of the cast, as one probably expects from a buddy film, isn't really given much to do beyond a few one-note things (with McDonald being the highlight as the obvious brash setup man), although no one drags it too much (I would say though that by the time the film gets to the homeless shelter, it sure is pushing its luck). It is a bit too casual to really ever get to the category of "good" when it comes to ambition in a familiar genre, but liking the journey is what I was hoping for and got without too many bumps. As a whole, Dutch is the kind of carefree film with cozy familiarity that either will fit right in for a casual viewing or ends up being dismissed as, well, something you've felt like you have seen one too many times. I fall in the former category, finding it to be just fine in the overall result that has an ideal leading presence to make for worthwhile chuckles. It isn't anything great, but it surely deserved better than to be washed away as just an unsuccessful attempt at getting a sitcom star their own film. 

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Next up: Robert Altman's O.C. and Stiggs.

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.

Review #2163: The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.

Cast: 

Andrew Dice Clay (Ford Fairlane), Wayne Newton (Julian Grendel), Priscilla Presley (Colleen Sutton), Lauren Holly (Jazz), Brandon Call (The Kid), Maddie Corman (Zuzu Petals), David Patrick Kelly (Sam the Sleaze Bag), Morris Day (Don Cleveland), Robert Englund (Smiley), Ed O'Neill (Lt. Amos), Gilbert Gottfried (Johnny Crunch), and Vince Neil (Bobby Black) Directed by Renny Harlin (#016 - Die Hard 2, #670 - Cliffhanger, #745 - A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master)

Review: 

"I just really commit to what I do as a performer. It's not about being misunderstood, I think my career took off at a time when the world was changing a lot. Women were really fighting for their rights, gays were coming out of the closet, so I was like a lightning rod for every group looking for publicity. And that's what really caused a lot of craziness in my life." - Andrew Dice Clay

Oh hell, I knew this was coming. When it comes to hearing about films with dubious reputations, one of the films that popped up every so often was this one, and perhaps for good reason. This was the first and perhaps only starring role for the one and only Andrew Dice Clay. Clay (who used his middle name for his stage name as opposed to "Silverstein") was born in Brooklyn and found a talent in entertaining from a young age.  He was actually a drummer when it came to entertaining as a teen before deciding to become a comedian, which saw him cite people such as Elvis Presley and Sylvester Stallone as influences. He went from impressions to a moniker known as, well, the "Diceman". This persona was known for his brash and raunchy sense of self (such as say, a performance at Rodney Dangerfield's club) that garnered attention and controversy. Raunchy nursery rhymes got him banned from MTV, for example. He did a handful of films and television during this time, most notably with supporting roles in Casual Sex? (1988) and Crime Story. Eventually he got his own HBO special, and it led to his own film here, which came in the wake of selling out Madison Square Garden in back-to-back nights. The film was based on characters as created by Rex Weiner, who had written a handful of stories published in serial form for New York Rocker and the LA Weekly. David Arnott, James Cappe, and Daniel Waters (remember Heathers? Or Hudson Hawk, which I should get back to someday...?) helped to write the film (evidently an early script exists here). Amidst all the fanfare and whatever you want to call controversy, the film was not a major hit with audiences. One year later, the concert film Dice Lives was released to little fanfare that comes from a NC-17 rating and a decision by Fox to not distribute the film because of their attempts to try and position Clay away from that aforementioned Diceman persona. He may never have become a big film presence, but Clay still plugs away at the comedy routine (older stuff had, well, nursery rhymes) with occasional appearances in film (A Star is Born (2018), for example). This film was directed by Renny Harlin, who was pretty busy as a director, because this film came out exactly one week after the release of his other effort for Fox in Die Hard 2, which apparently happened because Fox pushed the release date back (according to Waters, it was supposed to come out in May of 1990, as opposed to July, "to build Dice awareness…big mistake!" There probably is even more for one to discover about the film as a curiosity in the audio sense).

Do you yearn to know what lies beneath a film that name drops Art Mooney for a plot point to go with Clay narrating every now and then straight out of a silly noir and a koala puppet for some reason?  There is something there in this strange hodgepodge of a performance from Clay. Sure, the chunk of that is filled with obscenities, but I think it actually works out in his favor with such a loopy film that favors every tawdry cliche in the book. It is kind of amusing to watch this goof play around with clubs and chicks like they were clothes off the rack with a "playing hard to want" confidence. Outdated? Maybe, but it is that kind of outdatedness that seems strangely in-date when it comes to loud blowhards and even louder sense of self that reminds one of Elvis in the weirdest of ways (is it a coincidence that there is a Presley cast in the film?). His crudeness and reaction to some of his own one-liners amuse me in that weird way, what can I say? If anything, it should be even more over-the-top just to bash it over your head. Listening to a selection of material of Clay makes me realize that, well, some people really do just not know what "schtick" is (sure, there are things offensive to not let stick in conversation or in society, so good luck enforcing that beyond "mean words"). Shocking folks can't stay fresh forever, but good ol' ridiculous ideas in trying to make certain folks work as stars can never die out, you might say. Holly plays the "under-looked assistant presence" that you've seen in a few detective-schlock, but she is game for the whole thing in patience (to a point), so that works out. Same with Corman in goofball antics. You know, I'm actually not surprised to see Newton as the main threat, because he was actually pretty conniving in License to Kill (1989). There is some sort of hokum with the ranging plot about "the industry", but it is serviceable as a counter to Clay in the idea of silly dumb noirs, particularly since he basically stumbles and fumbles around more than anything. Gottfried is actually under-utilized here, which is amusing in context because Howard Stern was considered for this small role, and I can say that Gottfried's ribbing of Clay is desperately needed more in the film, particularly since his final scene is him acting out getting electrocuted. I think any film that gives O'Neill and Englund time to be silly (one gets to sing terribly and the other gets to be goofily creepy) is at least worth spending a few brain cells with - I play favorites, what can I say? As a whole, the movie isn't exactly the kind of thing you can hang as the great underrated classic or something that needed a boatload of sequels, but I would at least say the quality was better than one would have you to believe, particularly for those with the patience to sit through a grab-bag of corny lines and cliches. It is a vanity project that is a lightning rod for people who didn't like who Clay was as a comedian or found something odd in the idea of trying to make him a presence in films. Three decades later, in a climate filled with even more attempts at vanity projects and varying levels of schtick from comedians (real or imagined), I would say this is at the very least a decent one to check out. Maybe not "cult classic", but "fine" works out just the same.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Review #1167: Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Cast: 
John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), Gal Gadot (Shank), Taraji P. Henson (Yesss), Jack McBrayer (Fix-It Felix Jr.), Jane Lynch (Sergeant Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (KnowsMore), Alfred Molina (Double Dan), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), and Bill Hader (J.P. Spamley) Directed by Rich Moore (#386 - Wreck-It Ralph and #782 - Zootopia) and Phil Johnston

Review: 
Wreck-It Ralph (2012) was a fine film for entertainment, certainly seeming different from other Disney films, and it is not too surprising that a sequel would occur, although I imagine it wasn't supposed to take six years for said sequel to happen. I will admit that the idea of bringing these characters up to date with the Internet seemed like an interesting idea, particularly since Reilly and Silverman made for a fine duo to play off each other in the first film. The fact that the film focuses on their reactions to their encounter of the Internet and how their friendship changes accordingly is a fine centerpiece for a movie that tries to balance that with a mashup of gags and an overload of product placement that nearly collapse the experience into a big mess. It sure is strange how the film reminded me of Ready Player One (2018) with its collection of references and flashy colors, although I will say that at least this film actually aims to be funny on purpose, and it works more often than not with making jokes, along with a few songs to go with it. The animation is nice to look at, bright and colorful without overloading the senses too much, having numerous set-pieces that certainly stand out well from one another.

Reilly shines once again with big-hearted charm and some interesting moments that manage to make him feel fresh and not tired. Silverman shines again with a fun sense of humor and a curiosity that drives the film well enough, and the song she sings alongside Gadot (called "A Place Called Slaughter Race", of course) is fine to hear. Gadot is a welcome addition to the cast, showing some charm in her gritty world she occupies. Henson, playing an algorithm, plays the role with a bit of pomp and flash that makes for occasionally amusing points. It's a shame that McBrayer and Lynch don't have much time on screen, although I suppose the focus on Reilly and Silverman and their characters' story meant that anyone not on the Internet wouldn't have too many moments. Or perhaps having a B-plot would've made the film (with a run-time of 112 minutes) felt longer. Tudyk and Hader give off amusing moments whenever each is on screen, representing their parts of the Internet (for better or worse) just fine. On the whole, the movie works best when it tries to just have fun with casual gags about the Internet, or more specifically when the film isn't trying to make so many references within Disney itself. The part with the Disney Princesses are okay, but the movie as a whole feels like it nearly collapses into self-parody near the second half, where it almost falls into the trap of pandering without substance. Honestly, the fact that the film doesn't have a villain is a bit surprising, but at least the movie has a climax and a message that makes the experience worth it without becoming too ham-fisted or over indulgent. The film has enough charm and fine moments to make up for the occasional slip-up, and I'm sure kids will do just fine with it and the adults will tolerate it alright. The film isn't anything great by any means, particularly if compared to recent Disney films or the original film, but it is at the very least fine entertainment that will work just alright for its audience.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Finding Dory.

Review #813: Finding Dory.

Cast
Ellen DeGeneres (Dory), Albert Brooks (Marlin), Hayden Rolence (Nemo), Ed O'Neill (Hank), Kaitlin Olson (Destiny), Ty Burrell (Bailey), Diane Keaton (Jenny), Eugene Levy (Charlie), Idris Elba (Fluke), Dominic West (Rudder), and Sigourney Weaver (Herself) Directed by Andrew Stanton (#155 - Finding Nemo, #222 - WALL-E, and #539 - A Bug's Life) and Angus MacLane.

Review
Once again, another trip to the local movie theater, this time with friends, which makes the 24th edition of the so-called (by me) Theater Saga a tad more fun. 

The easiest bright side to detect is that it doesn't hinder nor ruin the first film, even if it is easy to admit that this really isn't an very necessary sequel. For me, I'm not one of those people who lets nostalgia of the first film get to me, I just wanted to see if it would be a good animated film from Pixar. While it is not a perfect movie, I did at least have a good time with it. If you enjoyed Dory from the first film, you will be in for a treat (as evidenced by the title); I was surprised that it decided to follow up the first film and not simply just be one of those "X years later", where everything had changed (save for Nemo's voice, which makes sense). The cast is enjoyable, all having good chemistry with each other (one of my favorites is Ed O'Neill, whose ill-tempered nature contrasts well with DeGeneres' bright quirkiness), with the new characters being well suited for the movie. The animation is pretty good, as is the standard for Pixar, with enough diverse fish and colors to pop just enough. The movie did a good enough job to make me not think about exactly how long Dory was separated from her parents (or how a fish gets diagnosed with short-term memory loss as a baby) entirely too much. It's a bittersweet kind of movie that manages to be a fairly good continuation while also not being too much of a re-tread. It might not get you to cry, but it will most likely inspire some sort of emotion. Was it entirely needed? Perhaps not, but it is at least a sequel that does its job nicely.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wreck-It Ralph.

Review #386: Wreck-It Ralph.

Cast
John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), Jack McBrayer (Fix-It Felix, Jr), Jane Lynch (Jean Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (King Candy), Mindy Kaling (Taffyta Muttonfudge), Joe Lo Truglio (Markowsk), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), Dennis Haysbert (General Hologram), Adam Carolla (Wynnche), and Horatio Sanz (Duncan) Directed by Rich Moore.

Review
Wreck-It Ralph has an interesting enough premise and it uses it extremely well and has a heck of a time while doing it. The cast works out really well, especially John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman (two actors I thought I'd never utter in the same sentence), who pair off really well. The same could also go with Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, which also meshes well. The animation looks great not just for looking nice but because it manages to keep focus on what it has (either its pixels or the lush animation), and it works well. It sets itself up nicely for a sequel, which I honestly hope happens. Well done...Disney.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.