The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) Film Review

Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) have a steady gig in Vegas, playing the same show they’ve done a thousand times, and crowds are dwindling. Their boss, Doug Munny (James Gandolfini) is urging them to get interesting, like new face on the scene, Steve Gray (Jim Carrey). Gray doesn’t wear a flashy costume, and his tricks are more like endurance events, and tend to be way gross. After a failed attempt to compete, Anton walks away leaving Burt to reassess. And even though his new stage girl, Jane (Olivia Wilde) shows all faith in him, and wants to help him, it takes old-timer Rance Holloway (Alan Arkin) to bring his love of magic back.

Yawn. You know, I love Steve Carell and Jim Carrey, and I love that they get to play ridiculous characters every so often. But it is boring. Expert in something who is at the top of his field gets shafted in some way and falls to pieces, but with the help of a beautiful woman who has absolutely no reason to fall for such a misogynistic ass and a bit of willpower, he claws his way back to the top. It’s the same story as Anchorman, and Blades of Glory, and Zoolander and and and…. Boring. It was a nice touch having Steve Buscemi in it, but you can’t polish a turd. Not even Steve Buscemi can fix this.

Get Shorty vs Get Shorty (1995) Film Review, Book Review

Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard

Chili Palmer is a loan shark who is not the lowest on the ladder, but has no ambitions to be up top. After a series of events send him to Hollywood, his interest in the movies leads him to Harry Zimm, a producer of horror films who has had some success, but now is financially having some problems. But Chili’s past is not prepared to let go, and he will need to be alert to prevent his own demise.

It’s a fun read, but you need to be alert to keep all the strands in play; to remember who is doing what and why, and to try to predict what will happen next. Most of the characters are pretty flawed, yet it is only the really bad guys that you don’t like. I’ve not read a lot of Elmore Leonard, but after this I will be seeking more out.

Get Shorty (1995) Film Review

This is one of those films that is pretty much the same as the book, almost scene for scene – and it really works. It captures the story beautifully, and with a slick style that suits Chilli Palmer (John Travolta) to a t. With a cast including Rene Russo, Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo and James Gandolfini and a script that takes the mickey out of Hollywood all the way, how can you go wrong?

 

 

Enough Said (2013) Film Review

Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is a divorced woman who is kind of looking for love. Her work is as a freelance masseuse, lugging her table from house to house for work. At a party with her mate Sarah (Toni Collette) and Will*** (Ben Falcone), she meets a new client, Marianne (Catherine Keener) and then a bit later, meets Albert (James Gandolfini). Despite not feeling immediately attracted to this large man, she goes on a date, and pretty soon, things are going well. But the **spoiler alert** she discovers that Marianna is Albert’s ex-wife. Rather than informing either of this, she pretends that she doesn’t know, and uses Marianne’s complaining to define her relationship, and things get pretty nasty.

I can see why the film was as popular as it was, despite the really crap  poster. It was real; things like the first kiss between Eva and Albert is awkward, but in a real, romantic and lovely manner. I wasn’t over keen on any of it, really. There were funny moments, and I suppose the characters were mostly likable, but I just didn’t feel any real investment, and couldn’t care less about what happened to them. I wanted to; I just didn’t. But geez, it was nice hear Toni Collette speaking Aussie.

Enough Said was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.