The Muppet Movie

In the grand scope of children's movies the Muppets are by far the most recognized and most beloved characters since their original introduction in the seventies. At the height of their popularity, from Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, this movie was made and the public just ate it up. With a hero like Kermit, a heroine like Miss Piggy, and a sidekick like Fozzie Bear for the some what comic relief, this film is loved by all that watch and get carried away in their world of wonder.The road to stardom starts in a swamp where a singing frog, Kermit, is told that he could make it in Hollywood, but the trip is adventurous as well as treacherous. There are more star cameos in this film than can be mentioned, but needless to say you can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. Some of the effects that are used were cutting edge at the time, and still stand up to scrutiny of the watchful eyes of a new younger audience. Between the audience at the movies screening and the actors in the film itself almost every Muppet that Jim Henson, and his merry band of puppeteers, created make an appearance.
Of all of the Muppet movies that have been done over the years, I think this one is by far the best. That's not to say that the others aren't good in their own rights, it's just that this one is better and seems to have a more home feel to it. Most people avoid these "children" films because they just don't find them interesting or they don't want anyone to know they like it. But I say throw off the burden of being an adult and remember the fun and happiness that has been lacking and let some old friends remind you how carefree life use to be, so sit back and enjoy the trip down memory lane.

Insomnia

After all these years it seems the best role that Al Pacino can fall into and out of without so much as a glimmer of doubt in the character is that of a police officer/detective. He's done so many of them that he could probably become an officer without to much trouble. Robin Williams also shows how versatile his acting really is, this character is so far beyond what most people would think he'd be capable of that its amazing. An L.A. police detective is sent to a small Alaskan town to help with the murder investigation of a local teenage girl. The constant sunlight in the story helps with the wearing down of Pacino's character to the point that even you as the audience aren't quite sure what your looking at is real or a hallucination. Having the original murder shown only in glimpses and flashes adds to the eeriness of the situation. The scenery that is shot for the exterior scenes is at times breathtaking, it's hard to believe that there are places this beautiful. At times the pace of the film is so fast that you feel like your running to keep up with the characters, and this helps with condition the Pacino is going through with not sleeping for six days straight.
This murder mystery got by me when it originally came out on DVD but I'm so glad I finally saw it. After watching this film you can see why Williams was tapped for the role in One Hour Photo, he is so beyond the comedic actor that most people see him as. This is definitely one of those films that you can watch over and over, there are so many little things going on that its easy to miss a lot of them, and you'll want to watch it again just so you can find them.

What Planet Are You From?

Alien invasions are usually a good subject for sci-fi movies and over the years I've seen some unique ways of looking at the invasion. The aliens coming to Earth to impregnate women isn't a completely original idea but the modern twist of having to deal with human relationships puts a spark in the story. With a cast that includes Garry Shandling, John Goodman, Ben Kingsley, and Annette Bening this film got by a number of people and if you don't like the dry, straight forward humor of Shandling this isn't for you. A planet of men on the verge of extinction sends one of their own to Earth to impregnate a woman to continue the race. This movie is more about the human condition of relationships than anything else, as each situation is presented, you can see more of your own relationships. There are very few effects used in the film, and a lot of the comedy is sight gags with a little innuendo thrown into the mix. Shandling as the emotionless alien works well and when he starts to have problems dealing with blossoming feelings you completely believe trouble that he gets into.
The humor that is in this film isn't out loud, role on the floor laughter, but if you like your comedy a little thought provoking you'll probably enjoy this. The thing about this film is that its focus audience was to small for it to be a success, the roles be the supporting cast aren't strong enough to carry it and only a true Shandling fan would search it out. All in all its an interesting story, be it an old one, and if you if you can sit through the dry humor I think you'll come away with a smile or two.

Let It Ride

When a film flies under the radar most people have to be told about the movie by some one who has seen it and liked it. That's why I'm here to tell you about this Richard Dreyfuss film, it's a fun comedy from beginning to end and when it originally came out in the theaters the add for the movie ran in the sports section of the paper amidst the race results. Dreyfuss said in a recent interview that of all the characters that he has portrayed in movies over the years he would truly consider reprising this role in a sequel.When Lady Luck smiles on Jay Trotter he has the best day of his life at the horse races. The cast of characters, and the actors tapped for this movie, are so memorable that you could swear that you've met these people somewhere. The supporting cast of actors includes David Johansen, Teri Garr, and Jennifer Tilly, who plays the sexy siren to a tee in a slinky red dress and all. The comedy is not over the top but in some ways very subtle and with the help of the camera angles and editing the laughs are not hard to come by.
As the story continues after each situation you almost think that at some point the bottom is going to fall out of Trotter's fairy tale, but Luck seems to have other plans for his life. This is a fun look at the gambling that goes on around the country at horse racing tracks, and after you see the film you'd probably think that its not far from the mark. I know a lot of people have never seen this film but its well worth the time and effort and after you see it you'll agree its one of the best little comedies that got by the public.

Hiding Out

In the 1980s there were a lot of up and coming actors and actresses but very few showed as much promise as Jon Cryer. In the all the films that he did at this time Hiding Out gave him the opportunity to show the versatility of his acting. Since the character that he plays is a thirty year old pretending to be eighteen, and in high school, you can see and feel the awkwardness of the situations that he is being put into.A stockbroker on the run from a mob hit man hides out in a high as one of the students. There are a few chase scenes in the film and they're done very well. The make up job done on Cryer is very convincing; the change from thirty-year-old businessman to eighteen-year-old student is very believable. The soundtrack for the film so 80s you'd almost swear that you've heard all of the songs some where at one time or another. The pace of the film is kept up with the constant moving of the main characters from situation to situation, whether its the chase with the hit man or the battles with the history teacher.
This film has two 80s sides to it and both are presented perfectly, the first is the display of wealth that gave the 80s its money/power mentality, where the dollar was the main focus and any one who made it was king of the mountain. The second is the beginning of the disillusionment of the younger generation, at this time in the 80s high school was where many of us begin to express our likes, dislikes and how we just couldn't understand the establishment. I've truly enjoyed this movie over the last twenty years, its funny, smart and has aged quite well, if you've never seen it before check it out it's a fun ride down memory lane.

The Godfather Trilogy

This is one of the greatest stories that ever came out of 1970's Hollywood, the chronicling of the Corleone family has gone down in history as some of the best film making ever. The whole story runs from 1901 through to 1979 and just shy of ten hours of film, which shows three generations of the family and its business. From the first moment that I saw these films I fell in love with them and then I heard that Mario Puzo was working on a screenplay for the fourth movie at the time that he died. It's a shame that we will never know what he direction that he was going to take with the Corleone family.The Godfather-Vito Corleone is the head of his family and their associates, which are all a part of one of the five crime families of New York City. Through all the trials and tribulations of this family goes far beyond any of us could imagine, but then there are a few who have seen some of these things first hand. By the end of the movie you truly realize that Michael is a more bloodthirsty killer then his father was, and that everyone should fear him. Francis Ford Coppola, who directed all three films, shoots a lot of the scenes with very dark shadows, so that you get the feeling that there are things going on that you are just not privy to. This is an outstanding piece of work by all of the actors and actresses, the crew and the production staff, it is as close to flawless that you can get. This, in my opinion, is Marlon Brando's greatest role, and it's the one that people will remember him for, more than any other.
The Godfather Part II-This movie broke the mold about sequels; this film is a far superior film than the first one, yet you can't have one without the other. Seeing Michael use all of the things that his father had taught him is great, from the opening sequences to the last there is no deigning that he is in complete control. The power that Michael has in this film is beyond belief and you just feel it radiating off the screen. After seeing Michael fight to keep his family together, it's hard to see him end up alone and reflecting on his actions, many of which he regrets doing.
The Godfather Part III-Being the weaker of the three films, this movie had a lot to live up to and it tries to hard to be like the previous two installments. The similarities to the first two films are undeniable but if you watch it with an open mind it is still enjoyable. One of the best things that I love about it is that after all the years between these movie they were able to find the original actors and actresses to come back and reprise their roles. Introducing Andy Garcia as the son of Sonny is great and works to the point of showing how much like his father he is, full-blown temper and all. The make-up jobs done on the three main stars of this film, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Talia Shire, is great work and can see how their past exploits have taken a toll on their bodies.
Growing up in an Italian home we watched these films over and over again, and grew to love these characters as if they were members of our own family. After having such great success with the first two films, Coppola and Puzo only naturally wanted to finish the story of the Corleone family in a fitting way. In recent years an author by the name Mark Winegardner has continued the story with two books, The Godfather's Return and The Godfather's Revenge, both of which are essential to read along with the original book by Puzo. There is also a book out on the market called The Godfather Companion, which is about the myths and facts about the movie and the efforts to get it to the screen and then to keep people from seeing it. This is a great book to have and read if you are truly into the movies and want to know more about them.

One Million Years B.C.

Like most young boys growing up I had a fascination with dinosaurs, and one of my favorite movies was One Million Years B.C. Of course over the years this film has been tossed into the movie vault, once other films like Jurassic Park, and the like, have taken center stage with the advancement of CGI graphics. But this film still holds a place in my heart; it is a true classic in the science fiction genre.A man from a tribe of rock people is banished and through his travels finds a tribe of shell people that live in a much calmer and gentler way of life. Isolation is the main ingredient in this movie each tribe that is seen believes that they are the only ones alive and must fight to live. The shell tribe being blonde and athletic seems a little far-fetched but if all the women look like the young Raquel Welch in an animal skin bikini I'm willing to accept it. The greatest part of this movie is that there is no dialog for the actors, oh the occasional grunt and groan, even some made up words, but no English to contaminate the idea that this is the dawning of time. The stop motion wizardry of Ray Harryhausen helps cement the action into the minds of the audience and for 1966 this was probably a big budget film.
With the imagination that went into this film at the time it is no wonder that it was a hit with audiences, and you can still see the likeability of this movie. Though the effects are not the best on film, and the idea that dinosaurs and man coexisted is just a make believe story, it is still an enjoyable and fun movie. And besides having a young Raquel Welch run around the movie half naked for an hour is definitely not a drawback in any way, shape or form.