Miami Blues (1990) Film Review

Junior (Alec Baldwin) has just got out of prison and gets himself to Miami where he meets a young prostitute, Susie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and sets them into a delightful house and ‘normal’ life. But there is a fly in the ointment: Sgt Hoke Moseley (Fred Ward) is after him.

So, I watched this film because I felt like watching a young Alec Baldwin, and I have to say that, being so familiar with the older version, it’s kind of odd. But Junior is a great character and Baldwin is fantastic in the role. Is it a good film? Well, yes, I kind of think so. Nothing in the film seems overly original, but yet it all comes together. I liked it. I liked it a lot.

 

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Film Review

If you are a fan of the eighties, and in particular of cinema of the eighties, you must love this. It’s worth seeing for the cast alone: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Pheobe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz and Sean Penn as constantly stoned surfer boy Jeff Spicioli.

The film is an ensemble piece covering a wide range of teenage issues, but most notably sex and drugs. It’s fun, it’s fast, it’s dated, but in that glorious eighties way of being dated. And it is heaps and heaps of fun.

 

Margot at the Wedding (2007) Film Review

I recently have been very annoyed with the number of films that go for ninety-plus minutes and have very little happen. I felt as though this was a recent phenomenon, very much present at this year’s MIFF – until I saw Margot at the Wedding. There are a lot of quite big reveals in this film, but there is a sense of nothing much actually happening.

Margot (Nicole Kidman) takes her son, Claude(Zane Pais), to visit her estranged sister, Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is about to get married. Meeting the fiancé, Malcolm (Jack Black) an unemployed musician/writer/artist, Margot feels that she cannot remain quiet about the huge mistake she believes is about to happen.

It’s one of those films where not only does it feel like only a little happens, but the characters are all incredibly annoying. They constantly say stuff to each other that is rude or overly personal or just plain cruel. No-one cares about each others’ feeling, and everyone is out for their own gain.  I would be happy to reach the end of my life without ever spending time with people such as these. I think I’d also be happy enough not watching  them.