Stuart Little.

Review #1946: Stuart Little.

Cast: 

Michael J. Fox (Stuart Little), Geena Davis (Mrs. Eleanor Little), Hugh Laurie (Mr. Frederick Little), Jonathan Lipnicki (George Little), Nathan Lane (Snowbell), Chazz Palminteri (Smokey), Steve Zahn (Monty), Jim Doughan (Lucky / Officer Allen), David Alan Grier (Red), Bruno Kirby (Mr. Stout), Jennifer Tilly (Mrs. Stout), Stan Freberg (Race Announcer), Jeffrey Jones (Uncle Crenshaw), Connie Ray (Aunt Tina), Allyce Beasley (Aunt Beatrice), Brian Doyle-Murray (Cousin Edgar), Estelle Getty (Grandma Estelle), Harold Gould (Grandpa Spencer), Patrick Thomas O'Brien (Uncle Stretch), Julia Sweeney (Mrs. Keeper), Dabney Coleman (Dr. Beechwood), Miles Marsico (Anton), and Jon Polito (Officer Sherman) Directed by Rob Minkoff (#073 - The Lion King, #746 - The Haunted Mansion, #1125 - Mr. Peabody & Sherman)

Review: 

Sure, movies for children are a dime a dozen, but life is (probably) not too short to enjoy light fare every now and then. It also probably helps if you have familiar names as director or as the stars. This was the first solo directorial effort by Rob Minkoff, who had co-directed The Lion King (1994) with Roger Allers, which had culminated a decade of work at Walt Disney Productions (having studied at the California Institute of Arts that resulted in an internship). The film is based on the 1945 children's novel of the same name by E. B. White, who is also known for his subsequent 1952 novel Charlotte's Web, which has had numerous film adaptations. The screenplay was written by M. Night Shyamalan and Greg Brooker (the latter wrote this and did re-writes for She's All That while honing a script for what became The Sixth Sense - all three films were released in 1999). White had been inspired by a dream he had while riding in a railway sleeping car about a tiny boy who acted like a rat. The advent of digital effects with Sony Pictures Imageworks, along with visual effects by various people alongside supervision by John Dysktra, made the possibility of the film possible that wouldn't been the case before 1999.

It is a movie about earnest people adopting a mouse that talks, you know. The level of enjoyment you get from the film may very well depend on how seriously you take the film, honestly. It seems about as whimsical as one might expect from a children's film adaptation without becoming an explosion of weirdo cuteness. This happens mostly because it tries to play a bit of adventure with a pint-sized lead that gets to deal with the danger of being left without a family along with the danger of cats thinking about lunch. Fox had plenty of voice experience with films such as the Homeward Bound features (1993, 1996), so it isn't too surprising to see him here as the lead voice, which he handles with warm charisma. Sure, the role might be packed with schmaltz, but Fox handles it amiably to where we appreciate seeing him carrying things around. Laurie and Davis make for earnest parental figures that don't oversell the level of enthusiasm needed to make this seem warm enough to take seriously on an "okay, sure" level (i.e., being parents to a child and a mouse adoptee at least seems fine). Lipnicki is at least what you would expect from a kid actor (so yes, the kid from Jerry Maguire is fine). There is absolutely nothing surprising in seeing Lane here, which inspires a few chuckles as the foil to Fox that is followed by attempts at kid-friendly heavies played by folks like Palminteri, which is neat. There is a wide variety of name actors that pop in from Dabney Coleman to Jon Polito that come and go just as quickly with one-bit lines that work fine for folks already comfortable with what they are watching. You get to see a boat race along with what passes for a "car chase" to go with a story path that you would probably foresee coming midway through. It's a family movie that doesn't dawdle too much or go overboard in bits with animals. The film inspired a sequel three years later, which retained Minkoff and a handful of actors from the first film. As a whole, it is a cheery little movie that has enough decent notes that it hits within semi-adventure and a few chuckles that does exactly what you would expect without strain or irritation.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

The Fabulous Baker Boys.

Review #1493: The Fabulous Baker Boys.

Cast: 
Jeff Bridges (Jack Baker), Michelle Pfeiffer (Susie Diamond), Beau Bridges (Frank Baker), Ellie Raab (Nina), Xander Berkeley (Lloyd), Jennifer Tilly (Blanche "Monica" Moran), Dakin Matthews (Charlie), and Ken Lerner (Ray) Written and Directed by Steve Kloves.

Review: 
"Jeff, for me, is like the old time actors who you never know are acting; he's seamless - you just never see him working at it."
"It's my profound fear of embarrassment that's kept me going. That's the key to my success."

There's nothing in show business like films about show business, whether with gimmicks or familiar stories. How could I resist this as some sort of last representation of the 1980s? Really it is the pairing of the two Bridges actors that really got me interested more than anything, since each are quite interesting to see in films from time to time, and this serves as their first and so far only film together. Each had made plenty of appearances in films and television since each were children (they also happened to have served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve like their father Lloyd) that scored triumphs in the early twenties with films such as The Landlord (1970) and The Last Picture Show (1971). Of course the other prevailing reason to view the film is Pfeiffer, who had risen to prominence in the 1980s with films such as Grease 2 (1982), Scarface (1983), and Married to the Mob (1988); she had come across the role after others such as Madonna had rejected it, and she would do her own singing for the film. These actors came together for a film that would be helmed by a first-time director in Kloves, who had written just one previous film in Racing with the Moon (1984).

It certainly proves a dazzling spin on the familiar lounge act, one with a splendid trio and a well-captured atmosphere that I would say makes it an under looked classic. There is just something about this film that inspires plenty of soulful energy and charming nature that makes interesting characters come out with interest that overcomes what could've just been a casual gimmick and makes a diverting look upon talent and the nature of being with others. For the initial first few minutes of the film, it first starts as looking upon the differences about the approach to the act, whether that means the same old banter one could hear in the familiar lounge performers or even something as simple as covering up a bald spot with spray - they may be has-beens, but they are our has-beens to watch, and we are curious about them and their approach to the inevitability of a graying act with graying faces watching. And then of course there comes someone brimming with confidence and appeal that comes right in the middle of all that. Let us start with Pfeiffer, who is brimming with intuition and passion from the very moment we see her on screen, sizzling in competence and style that seems reminiscent of older-style lounge singers and idols with a good talent for singing while also having an understated yet interesting chemistry when paired with J. Bridges. This is apparent with the "Makin' Whoopee" number, bringing down the house on top of that piano with energy and curiosity. J. Bridges has a sort of aloof charm to his performance, weary in his effortlessness that makes for enjoyable drama that the cynical romantic can appreciate. B. Bridges is the other side of the act, showy in desperation (right down to a few moments of groveling) but still amiable enough to watch him try to corral these two acts before it reaches exhaustion. While the scene with them arguing over a botched telethon is a stark highlight, the best one might be their next scene after that, where they reminisce a bit before going into "You're Sixteen", the one time they sing with each other (their piano-work was dubbed by Dave Grusin and John F. Hammond, with the former also doing the acclaimed music score) that is warm and bittersweet. On the whole, the film rises above what could have been a predictable romantic musical comedy-drama through sheer will of its main trio in making capable moments come alive that deal with the grind of show business and human nature that comes with it and trying to find people to go with it, and the film has its certainties and un-certainties to that end. It is a tender gem that deserves further appreciation, a tender and entertaining effort that hits most of its notes with class and style for its era.

Next Time: The eighth edition of Tribute to the Decades, with a surprise for the first film and then the announcement of the films of the 1990s to be covered.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

The Haunted Mansion.

Review #746: The Haunted Mansion.

Cast
Eddie Murphy (Jim Evers), Terence Stamp (Ramsley), Nathaniel Parker (Master Edward Gracey), Marsha Thomason (Sara Evers/Elizabeth Henshaw), Jennifer Tilly (Madame Leota), Wallace Shawn (Ezra), Dina Waters (Emma), Marc John Jefferies (Michael Evers), and Aree Davis (Megan Evers) Directed by Rob Minkoff (#073 - The Lion King)

Review
Yep, I knew I would get to this one eventually. Not because I actually was interested in the movie, but because I figured that I'd have to dust this off my shelf and actually watch this for the first time in years. After watching it again, I have no reason to ever touch it, unless my shelf mysteriously burns down and this is the only surviving object. If you want a movie with Eddie Murphy, look elsewhere. If you want a movie with Terence Stamp, look elsewhere. If you want a movie that's funny, look elsewhere. If you want a movie that has some scares and thrills, look elsewhere. If you want- you get the idea. The main problem is that the movie doesn't fit for anyone looking for entertainment in either comedy or horror or even fantasy, because it doesn't leave any lasting impressions. I wish the movie had focused more on the ghosts such as Gracey and his relationship with Henshaw, because most of what you get to know about it (like Ramsley interfering with the impending marriage and the aftermath) only seems to pop up after the movie has already played itself out and used up its effects. Why did Ramsely not approve of the marriage? Who was Elizabeth, because we hear her mentioned, but we never really see her as much. Instead, we get a story that's about as standard as one can get, with a workaholic character, an evil butler, and so on. At least the acting isn't bad, though I do wonder what interested Terence Stamp, who hams it up a bit, especially at the end. The movie is neither funny or scary, but it's not beyond awful. The makeup effects by Rick Baker do look well, and the movie at least runs short at around 88 minutes, which means one will probably forget the movie after about an hour. I had not realized that this was based off an attraction used at Disney theme parks. Looking back, I wonder how the attraction is compared to this.

Countdown to 750 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Monsters, Inc.

Review #074: Monsters, Inc.

Cast
John Goodman (Sully), Billy Crystal (Mike), Steve Buscemi (Randall), Jennifer Tilly (Celia), and James Coburn (Mr. Waternoose) Directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman, and Lee Unkrich.

Review
This is one of many gems of Pixar Animation (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Cars, #153 - The Incredibles, #155 - Finding Nemo, #222 - WALL-E, #288 - Up), as this film succeeds in telling a story with good animation, good acting, and of course a story that sells you the premise. It truly is one those films that will make you scared/laugh/cry...I recommend it for anybody, especially if you need a scare. Or two...

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.