Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

Review #1494: Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

Cast:
Zach Galligan (Billy Peltzer), Phoebe Cates (Kate Beringer), John Glover (Daniel Clamp), Robert Prosky (Grandpa Fred), Robert Picardo (Forster, chief of security), Christopher Lee (Doctor Cushing Catheter), Haviland Morris (Marla Bloodstone), Dick Miller (Murray Futterman), Jackie Joseph (Sheila Futterman), Gedde Watanabe (Mr. Katsuji), and Keye Luke (Mr. Wing), with Howie Mandel (Gizmo), Tony Randall (Brain Gremlin), and Frank Welker (Mohawk, Other Gremlins) Directed by Joe Dante (#007 - Looney Tunes: Back in Action, #096 - Gremlins, and #097 - Small Soldiers)

Review:
"It's the one time someone came to me and said: 'We want this movie and we don't care what it is. Do whatever you want, just give it to us by this date."

When it comes to underappreciated directors, Joe Dante certainly deserves consideration. He grew up with an interest in cartoons alongside watching matinee films as a youth. While a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art, it was Roger Corman who Dante honed his craft into becoming a filmmaker, initially starting out in the trailer-cutting department at New World Pictures. He made his debut with Hollywood Boulevard (1976), co-directing with Allan Arkush along with editing the film. His first minor triumph was Piranha (1978), and The Howling (1981) helped get his foot in the door with Warner Bros. to make Gremlins (1984). The original film is a triumph of comedy and horror, dark and entertaining that had attracted attention for their effects (and of course, complaints from folks who managed to be fooled by the Christmas setting and critics of violence that don't know any better and are rightfully made fun of here) along with being a key force in the creation of the PG-13 rating. It is entirely possible that this is a sequel that was just a little too late to the party. It took six years for a sequel to Gremlins to arrive into theaters and its director Joe Dante had to be convinced to even do another film in the first place, and he was granted creative control and a bigger budget. Charlie Haas would take over in writing duty (the original had been done by Chris Columbus), who moved the action to New York City with satirical elements all throughout the film, such as the advent of cable television (most notably with Ted Turner) and sequels in general that was more cartoonish than dark, with Dante describing it as one of his most personal films.

It's a shame that this wasn't too successful on release, because I enjoyed it just as much as the original Gremlins. The quality is just about even here, replacing its dark sentiment for cartoonish anarchy that manage to resonate just as much in amusement. It touches upon elements of the original without being smothered by expectations or becoming too much of an effects show, and it does so without becoming dated. It does what one could want for someone with a clear interest in having a good time at the movies in a similar vein to someone like William Castle or even in cartoons with Chuck Jones (who provided the animation for the opening/closing titles). Galligan returns alongside Cates, and each prove just fine in providing continuity and some small moments of levity among themselves and some sort of Mogwai mayhem. Of course the real focus is on Glover, wrapped in spry curiosity that is very much in his element with a bit of camp enjoyment. Prosky, imitating Al Lewis' portryal of another famous horror Grandpa that hosted a horror TV segment, does just fine with mixing camp and care that does lend itself to some quick smiles. Picardo does fine with smarmy chuckles, but the true curiosity ineviably turns to Lee, with that solumn voice going just right with the cliches required for some momentary smiles. Miller and Joseph also return for a quick turn around with the creatures, while Morris and the Mogwai voices round out the cast just fine. Like before, there are quite a handful of cameos lurking around, most notably with Leonard Maltin being dragged away by unsatisfied viewer gremlins. The effects are always lurking in one's mind, and Rick Baker does a tremendous job with delivering some distinct creatures (with a mix of puppetry like before and also mechanical work and stop motion) that get to do a bit more madcap action, such as a bat gremlin for example. The plot threads verge a bit familar at times with its structure, but it makes up for it with some interesting tricks of offbeat humor (such as having the film be stopped and then re-started) that goes in the right direction to make a fun time worthy of further inspection as a quality sequel and an interesting film to highlight for the start of the 1990s.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

And now, the schedule for this month, a mix of familiar and new faces on and behind the camera as one approaches the end of the millennium. 

Bright Lights, Big City.

Review #1034: Bright Lights, Big City.

Cast: 
Michael J. Fox (Jamie Conway), Kiefer Sutherland (Tad Allagash), Phoebe Cates (Amanda Conway), Swoosie Kurtz (Megan), Frances Sternhagen (Clara Tillinghast), Tracy Pollan (Vicky Allagash), John Houseman (Mr. Vogel), Charlie Schlatter (Michael), David Warrilow (Rittenhouse), Dianne Wiest (Mrs. Conway), and Jason Robards (Mr. Hardy) Directed by James Bridges.

Review: 
Based on the novel of the same name by Jay McInerney, Bright Lights, Big City is a movie that seems to want to bask in going for the bottom with desperation and ambition mixed in with a film that can't exactly get itself all the way to the finish line. It's not a big disappointment, but it isn't anything too special, and part of that is likely due to the film's structure. It feel a bit aimless at times, and the fact that there isn't much energy in the cast doesn't help the movie grow. Fox is the main grab for the film, and its quality may very well depend on how you view his performance. For me, it's hard to not like Fox, but I don't think I can really say that he sells this performance as someone disillusioned enough with events in his life to turn to certain substances. At the very least, the movie isn't a Saturday school special kind of film with some sort of overbearing message, but it also isn't the kind of film that seems to show much passion for what it aims for.

The film seems to never really get itself down to some sort of rock bottom with its main character, nor does it ever become a movie with anything to tie itself together. It goes all over the place, from scenes with his job to scenes with his wife to scenes with his "party friends" to scenes with a potential love interest, and none of it ever really seems to click with enough energy. Sutherland does a decent job as the friend to all of this mania with substances with his own kind of responses, but I wonder if the film might've worked better if Fox and Sutherland had switched roles. Cates' role doesn't really seem to have much substance, minus the parts that exposits about her from dialogue, so it really isn't fair to say that she doesn't do a good job due to what it given to her. The rest of the cast isn't terrible, but they certainly don't give the movie much meat to work with. Robards stands out in his brief time on screen due to the way he towers over Fox in both mannerisms and demeanor. It isn't a boring movie, but I can't say it is a meaningful film, and that likely goes down to the dialogue, which seems to feel flaky at times, edging the lines between seriousness and cheese. There is some fine music in the movie (such as "Pump Up the Volume" by M|A|R|R|S), and I will say that the film does have a decent look to it, but that can't carry the movie to success. I can't imagine how the novel dealt with its subject matter, although it is interesting to note that the novel was written from the second person point of view (with the first line of the film being the first line of the book). On the whole, this is a movie with a fuzzy look on the dark side of nightlife in the fast lane of New York that is mildly entertaining to watch, but it just can't work itself to be a drama with much substance to be a clear winner.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Review #982: Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Cast: 
Sean Penn (Jeff Spicoli), Judge Reinhold (Brad Hamilton), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Stacy Hamilton), Robert Romanus (Mike Damone), Phoebe Cates (Linda Barrett), Brian Backer (Mark "Rat" Ratner), Amanda Wyss (Lisa), Ray Walston (Mr. Hand), Forest Whitaker (Charles Jefferson), Scott Thomson (Arnold), Vincent Schiavelli (Mr. Vargas), and Lana Clarkson (Mrs. Vargas) Directed by Amy Heckerling.

Review: 
By sheer coincidence, the 35th anniversary of the release of this film was yesterday, and it only makes sense for me to get around to doing this movie, seeing how I am so clearly the type for coming of age high school comedy films. But in any case, this is a fine movie, encased in a time capsule of its own doing that will serve as decent entertainment, mostly because of how the cast pulls itself together. This was adapted from the book Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story by Cameron Crowe (a future film director), who posed as a high school student at Clairemont High School in San Diego, with the book having been published one year earlier. The movie does have raunchy elements to it (hence why it was rated R), but it isn't merely just a romp through a high school year, although the plot admittedly does not have much depth to it. It tells a story much like how one would look back at a high school yearbook, with varying success depending on the investment one has in the story told. For me, it does have enough charm and moments to push it to the finish line capably. Obviously the highlight of the film is Penn and his relatively charming stoner character that serves for some decent laugh inducing moments, complete with Vans shoes. Reinhold clearly seems like he is having fun with his role; Leigh does a fine job as well, having a charm that makes her character worth watching. Romanus and Backer have a fine chemistry with each other, being a fairly capable duo. Cates is also pretty decent, mature along with fun. Walston is enjoyable to watch in how he contrasts with all of the other characters, with him being the only adult among all of the teenagers (except for Schiavelli, though Walston has more screen-time), with his scenes opposite Penn being especially amusing. It is interesting to note that the film also features Forest Whitaker (in his second film role) along with small appearances by Eric Stoltz and even Nicholas Cage (credited under his real name of Nicholas Coppola). The soundtrack is pretty good, with "We Got the Beat" from The Go-Go's being a fine opening song (along with being catchy). It isn't a great comedy nor even an exceptional coming of age high school flick, but it is certainly an entertaining experience that stands along with other films of its ilk that soon followed in the decade, all with their own kind of flair.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Gremlins.

Review #096: Gremlins.

Cast
Zach Galligan (Billy Peltzer), Phoebe Cates (Kate Beringer), Hoyt Axton (Rand Peltzer), Frances Lee McCain (Lynn Peltzer), Corey Feldman (Pete Fountaine), Frank Welker (Stripe and Mogwai), Howie Mandel (Gizmo), Keye Luke (Grandfather), John Louie (Grandson), Dick Miller (Murray Futterman), Jackie Joseph (Sheila Futterman) Directed by Joe Dante (#007 - Looney Tunes: Back in Action)

Review
The film is thrilling after it begins innocently enough with little mogwai and such. The acting is standard, but we know we really are here for. The gremlins. The gremlins are excellent in effects and personality. It's a dark film, especially when the lead actress delivers why she doesn't celebrate Christmas. It's interesting when you see the Gremlins and the characters duke it out rather then see the beginning, but never the less it's still an interesting film to watch. We are close to 100 Reviews. Countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.