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Reviews
Foundation (2021)
Didn't need to be a Foundation Story
Imagine, if you will, that someone got the rights to Lord of the Rings and then made a series about Sam Gamgee and his wife Rose. This is how this feels to me. I adored the original Foundation Series for all its faults and even liked the later works that added to the mythos. This has nearly zero connection thus far to the source material and that is why I am asking 'Why Foundation?"
The production value is gorgeous, the acting is sublime, the romance is rather CW, but nonetheless engaging so why drag Harry Seldon out of his Hugo Award winning vault if you aren't going to tell us the story? The producers could just as easily called it "Game of Galaxies" or "Love in the Stars" and we probably would have watched it right after "The Flash".
By slapping a fake label with such high credibility on what is, objectively, "good, not great", entertainment you have only brought out a group of people who would never have trashed your beautiful but banal endeavor and perhaps seen considerably less backlash.
That said, if you don't know the original works of Asimov it is watchable. Just whatever you do, don't read the books after this. You will be sorely disappointed.
Cop Out (2010)
Kevin Smith rocks out with his Glock Out!
Having followed the evolution of this most recent of Kevin Smith directed film fare from before it had its current name, I went to the movie theater this weekend both excited and worried. For the first time, one of Indie Film's greatest director's and pound-for-pound the greatest screenwriter in America, would be taking on a project not from his prodigious pen.
I had reason to worry. Indie Director+Big Named Actor+Hit-0r-Miss Comedian get together to make a worn-out, made before, cop buddy movie right? WRONG!!! First of all, Kevin really has come along way from his early indie roots where his camera tended to sit idle while the dialog would unroll before you. I found myself forgetting that it was a "Kevin Smith" film and found myself just flat out enjoying every minute of a GREAT FILM! *Spoiler and Plot Points below* If this film has a weak spot it seems to be the premise but Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan get past the ill contrived script using each of their strong points. Jimmy (Willis) and Paul (Morgan) are two cops on suspension trying to track down a baseball card that was stolen from Jimmy to pay for a Dream Wedding. Jimmy is the unbelievably hard-ass cop (I know, it sounds like typecasting but trust me, you have not seen THIS Bruce Willis Cop movie!) and Paul is the completely unbelievable cop that somehow works in a way I cannot explain. In a very early scene Morgan (And Kevin in editing) proves that you can keep riffing and the scene will just keep getting funnier.
The action is far better than I expected from the heretofore dialog driven Smith, proof that he truly is ready to captain more than "weed and fart joke" movies. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all of his work, but to see this kind of growth in Smith since the much maligned but fabulous "Jersey Girl" gives me hope that we have yet to see his best work.
If I could give individual ratings for performances in the film I would have to hand a special 10.5 to Bruce Willis for carrying this ENTIRE FILM on his very broad shoulders and would have to give Tracy an 8 for acting, 11 for energy and a 20 for delivery of some rather tame dialog. However, if you are disturbed by a large amount of spittle, avoid watching him too closely.
In closing I would like to say that Kevin Smith is Here To Stay, and I can't wait to see him in charge of more and bigger budget fare!
Man of the Year (2006)
A comedian for President? Could it happen? Maybe it should!
After seeing RV, I went to this film expecting to waste 10 bucks with nothing to show for it but popcorn butter stains on my pants, however I must say that this is the best Robin Williams comedy in over a decade! A fabulous mixture of tried and true actors and top of the line comedic talent bring to light the polarization of the American political system without boring us to death with a lot of trivia. Christopher Walken is spectacular and lends validity to the film that might have limped along without it while Louis Black, while subdued in a minor role, stands out with some of the funniest one-liners in the film. Not being a Laura Linney fan I was still moved by her performance and the only thing that kept my rating from being a 10 is that occasionally the plot began to take itself too seriously. If you want a good time, I highly recommend this film, but watch out for the popcorn butter!
Super Troopers (2001)
Biting Satire of Cops, Drugs and Highway Mayhem! Awesome!
The ensemble cast in this film takes the just above average drug humor and turns it into a laugh festival. I rate this movie as funny as Animal House.
The Local Highway Troopers are hapless, hopeless, and not anyone you want on YOUR highway, but man are they funny! You truly find yourself loving this crew as they struggle to keep their station open in the face of budget cuts.
The characters are so widely diverse yet so believable from the ethnically questionable leader of the crew Arkot Ramathorne (Thorny) whose girlfriend runs a head shop to the adorable and insane Mack whose wild stunts steal the show on a regular basis.