This is the first of what I call "ramble reviews." It's about a mountain.
We kind of like movies.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
What We Do in the Shadows review
Directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi
Written by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi
Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Burgh, Cori Gonzalez-Maucer
In an age where mockumentary-style TV shows are abundant with the likes of Modern Family, and when the words "these go to eleven" are a phrase that many people use and revere, it's somewhat hard to find a way to make something new and fresh. The same can be said about vampire movies (Thanks Twilight, Dark Shadows, and Vampires Suck).
What does What We Do in the Shadows do? It goes and makes them new and fresh.
WWDITS follows 4 (eventually 5) vampires for several months to demonstrate what vampires are ACTUALLY like, as well as how they live. There are werewolves, zombies, witches and more, and they all live in Wellington, New Zealand! Crazy, right?
One name you're bound to recognize if you're into the world of comedy is Jemaine Clement, otherwise known as "that one guy from Flight of the Conchords with the glasses." He and writing/director partner Taiki Waititi write, direct and star in What We Do in the Shadows and boy do they work well as a team.
The obvious comparison is to Flight of the Conchords since Jemaine is a member, but it's a good comparison still. Humor and writing style are the same, tone is the same, and that's FAAAAANTASTIC. Sarcasm and dry humor prevail throughout the movie; it's the subtle things that really get you. Sometimes it can be somewhat predictable, but the execution is so good that you still laugh and maybe laughed even more because of how it was done. I laughed so hard, probably more than I have all year long. "I think we drink virgin blood because it sounds cool." Delivery is key with that sort of dry wit/sarcastic humor and this cast just kills it. Boom, jokes.
Cinematicly, it's shot pretty well. It's a documentary, so overlayed footage, but a lot of cuts to breeze through time. There are two skips in time of a few months but it doesn't feel rushed or forced because of the ease that Clement and Waititi have over their writing and directing. Everything fits together to create this fantastic version of The Real World mashed up with Only Lovers Left Alive.
Also, Rhys Darby calls someone a dickhead and that's always bound to get you laughing.
What We Do in the Shadows is such a hilarious, interesting take on mockumentaries and vampires and paranormal life in general that it gets a 9/10.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
I Am Chris Farley review
I Am Chris Farley (2015)
Directed by Brent Hodge & Derik Murray
Written by Steve Burgess
Starring: Chris Farley, Kevin Farley, David Spade, Bob Odenkirk, Adam Sandler
Let it be known that I LOVE Saturday Night Live.
My mom got me hooked on SNL at a young age. She sometimes blames my darker sense of humor and "language choices" on the fact that elementary school Samuel was watching the likes of Ferrell, Samberg, Hader, Wiig, Fey and Fallon making sex jokes, talking about drugs and things that probably shouldn't be told to a 3rd grader. We had many SNL "Best of..." DVD's from people like Steve Martin (never a cast member, but hosted SO many times), Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman and one Mr. Christopher Crosby Farley.
I Am Chris Farley is a documentary that follows the rise and fall of America's favorite "fatty fall down" comic, and boy this ride is insane.
It's no secret that Farley, who died at age 33 of a speedball overdose, struggled with drugs and addiction throughout his life. While that isn't specifically what the documentary is about, you can tell that Farley's friends and family are still messed up from those days about 20 years later. I Am Chris Farley does a good job of not glossing over the bad parts of Farley's life, although it is only used for the last 15-20 minutes of the film. There's something surprisingly haunting seeing so many comedians and friends of Farley tear up and get physically upset when they think of his death and the decisions that led to it. Moving.
The rise of Chris Farley is probably the strength of I Am Chris Farley. Interviews with Farley's siblings (woah Kevin looks like Chris!) give us just what we need to know about this naturally talented and hilarious performer. You also get to see others from his early days like a priest (named Matt Foley), some college friends and even teachers that let us know that he was basically just as kooky and crazy as we thought!
Farley's SNL cast-mates take over and most of the movie looms on his time on the show, since that is what most people know him from. It becomes one story after another about Chris behind the scenes, with the fans, onstage, on set, and even in the shower (scandalous). Yes, the stories are entertaining and fun to watch but some of them just seem to be placed to make you like Farley more. It might just be the editing, but that's the main problem with the film. Tone is consistently happy and lighthearted and then at the end becomes sad and depressing. There are hints of the sadness throughout, but it never really has an affect on you.
I know I addressed how that part was probably the best part of the film, but it does feel a little out of place when the entire film was so happy and funny up until then. It's a personal preference for me perhaps, but I wanted Bob Saget and his tears to expand on how show business can change you in the middle when we saw his sadness. Also, Tom Arnold has a moment like that and it isn't expanded upon. It would have made the movie more consistent. Oh well.
It's a simple interview style documentary that informs you on the life of a former comic icon while playing clips from his past. There isn't anything groundbreaking, but it still is good nonetheless. If you liked Chris Farley's work, I suggest watching it!
I Am Chris Farley gets a 7/10.
Directed by Brent Hodge & Derik MurrayWritten by Steve Burgess
Starring: Chris Farley, Kevin Farley, David Spade, Bob Odenkirk, Adam Sandler
Let it be known that I LOVE Saturday Night Live.
My mom got me hooked on SNL at a young age. She sometimes blames my darker sense of humor and "language choices" on the fact that elementary school Samuel was watching the likes of Ferrell, Samberg, Hader, Wiig, Fey and Fallon making sex jokes, talking about drugs and things that probably shouldn't be told to a 3rd grader. We had many SNL "Best of..." DVD's from people like Steve Martin (never a cast member, but hosted SO many times), Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman and one Mr. Christopher Crosby Farley.
I Am Chris Farley is a documentary that follows the rise and fall of America's favorite "fatty fall down" comic, and boy this ride is insane.
It's no secret that Farley, who died at age 33 of a speedball overdose, struggled with drugs and addiction throughout his life. While that isn't specifically what the documentary is about, you can tell that Farley's friends and family are still messed up from those days about 20 years later. I Am Chris Farley does a good job of not glossing over the bad parts of Farley's life, although it is only used for the last 15-20 minutes of the film. There's something surprisingly haunting seeing so many comedians and friends of Farley tear up and get physically upset when they think of his death and the decisions that led to it. Moving.
The rise of Chris Farley is probably the strength of I Am Chris Farley. Interviews with Farley's siblings (woah Kevin looks like Chris!) give us just what we need to know about this naturally talented and hilarious performer. You also get to see others from his early days like a priest (named Matt Foley), some college friends and even teachers that let us know that he was basically just as kooky and crazy as we thought!
Farley's SNL cast-mates take over and most of the movie looms on his time on the show, since that is what most people know him from. It becomes one story after another about Chris behind the scenes, with the fans, onstage, on set, and even in the shower (scandalous). Yes, the stories are entertaining and fun to watch but some of them just seem to be placed to make you like Farley more. It might just be the editing, but that's the main problem with the film. Tone is consistently happy and lighthearted and then at the end becomes sad and depressing. There are hints of the sadness throughout, but it never really has an affect on you.
I know I addressed how that part was probably the best part of the film, but it does feel a little out of place when the entire film was so happy and funny up until then. It's a personal preference for me perhaps, but I wanted Bob Saget and his tears to expand on how show business can change you in the middle when we saw his sadness. Also, Tom Arnold has a moment like that and it isn't expanded upon. It would have made the movie more consistent. Oh well.
It's a simple interview style documentary that informs you on the life of a former comic icon while playing clips from his past. There isn't anything groundbreaking, but it still is good nonetheless. If you liked Chris Farley's work, I suggest watching it!
I Am Chris Farley gets a 7/10.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
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