Mother Night (1996)

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is a writer who, I am sad to say, I have never read. Despite hearing great things about Slaughterhouse Five I've just never managed to delve into his work. Yet. Based on the content of this movie adaptation of Mother Night (one of his works), whether it sticks rigidly to the source novel or not, that is something I will have to change soon because the man writes some thought-provoking stuff.

Nick Nolte plays Howard Campbell, an American who grew up in Germany and became a successful playwright. As an adult, he fell in love with an actress (Sheryl Lee) and somehow managed to enjoy his life while avoiding intense scrutiny from the Nazis. However, when he is asked by a mysterious stranger (John Goodman) to consider working as an American spy his whole life changes. All he has to do is work for Germany, deliver speeches over the radio (speeches that have been annotated with a code he follows even though he doesn't even know the meaning of it) and continue living his life of relative privilege. Of course, that's only all well and good until the war ends and it's really when Howard moves on throughout his adult life that the questions raised at the very beginning of the movie start to burrow into your mind and take hold.

Directed by Keith Gordon (who will always be Arnie from Christine to me), and adapted for the screen by Robert B. Weide, Mother Night is a stunning movie once the premise is fully established about ten or fifteen minutes into proceedings. It's about good and evil and how complex, and close, those two things can be, highlighted in a central character who pretends to be someone evil to do good, but may well have also been responsible for a lot of evil deeds while playing his part all too well. Does pretending to be someone evil actually make you evil?

The interesting material, and it's made all the more interesting thanks to the ambiguity always weaving through the material (I, personally, couldn't make up my own mind as to whether or not I found Howard Campbell to be evil), is made all the better thanks to a fantastic cast. I've never been the biggest fan of Nolte, but I think this may be his best performance. It's certainly the best thing that I've seen him in. Sheryl Lee plays the love of his life and she's someone else that I've never been all that impressed with. I think she got luckier than she could have ever hoped when she landed her role(s) in Twin Peaks, but here she gives a very good performance, especially in the second half of the movie. John Goodman lends his usual greatness to the film - though, on a side note, how MANY times has Goodman played someone on the sidelines who ends up greatly influencing the main events? I think it may be his specialty - and so does Alan Arkin. Arye Gross also does well with his small role, Kirsten Dunst has an even smaller role and David Strathairn has mere seconds onscreen, but is always worth looking out for.

Unjustly neglected by many people, including myself (for which I am appropriately annoyed), over the past 15 years, Mother Night is a film well worth seeking out and giving 110 minutes of your life to. It's a new favourite of mine and I hope that others enjoy it just as much.

9/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mother-Night-DVD-Nick-Nolte/dp/B00024763I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361157914&sr=8-2

Tequila Sunrise (1988)

Written and directed by Robert Towne, Tequila Sunrise couldn't be any more '80s if everyone who saw it was handed a Rubik's Cube and pair of lime green leggings after the end credits rolled. Kurt Russell has very slick hair, Mel Gibson is sporting one of his more cuddly looks, Michelle Pfeiffer is Michelle Pfeiffer (perhaps the most gorgeous actress of the 1980s, though maybe a close second behind Kathleen Turner) and when there's any prospect of sex a saxophone player comes along to provide cheesy musical accompaniment.

Kurt Russell is Nick Frescia, a cop with a solid reputation and a big operation happening in his neck of the woods. That operation is being overseen by DEA Agent Hal Maguire (J. T. Walsh) and focuses on drug dealer Mac McKussick (Mel Gibson). The two big problems with this situation are that a) Mac insists that he's no longer in business and b) he and Frescia have a friendship that stretches back many years. Nick doesn't want to bust his friend, but it's all necessary to capture a man named Carlos, who seems to be quite a big deal in the drug world. Things are complicated when Nick realises that Mac is in love with a restaurant owner (Jo Ann Vallenari, played by Michelle Pfeiffer). It's easy to see why. In fact, Nick also falls for her charms. Or is he just using her to get information about Mac?

It's slick, nicely unconventional and benefits from a few great leads, but Tequila Sunrise is also surprisingly dull. In fact, with other people onscreen this wouldn't even manage to be as average as it is (I rate it just above-average due to my love of Russell and my LOVE of Pfeiffer).

The script has some good lines here and there, and some nice exchanges, but they're scattered too few and far between. Far too many scenes feel like filler material and character motivations are all over the place. It's especially disappointing coming from Towne, who at least always has Chinatown overshadowing everything else on his C.V.

The cast don't disappoint, although it's safe to say that all of the main players in front of the camera also have plenty of better vehicles in their filmographies. Russell, Gibson and Pfeiffer are as dependable as they usually are, J. T. Walsh never turned in a bad performance in his life, Arye Gross does fine in his small role and Raul Julia is a welcome injection of energy into the second half of the movie.

If, like me, you're fans of the actors involved then you will get some enjoyment from this. It's just a shame that this cast couldn't have been put together for something more deserving of their talent.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tequila-Sunrise-DVD-Mel-Gibson/dp/B00004CX8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1359910979&sr=1-1

House II: The Second Story (1987)

You see what they did there? Get the pun? If you're already groaning at the title of this movie then you're not going to enjoy the content. It's daft. The horror elements of the first movie have been pushed aside for more comedy and a strange fantasy adventure element that places the film between the likes of Labyrinth and the weaker Hammer movies that would use any excuse to send a hero into another world full of danger. To be kind, we can assume that the film is a homage to those older movies. It's just not a very good one (though I still hold on to the fond memories I have of the thing from when I was about 13 years old).

Much like the first film, events take place in a house. There ends all onscreen connection. This isn't even the same house, though some stock footage here and there tries to make it seem like it is. Arye Gross plays Jesse, a young man who finally moves back to the empty family home and finds that it's not actually as empty as everyone thought. So he and his friend (played by Jonathan Stark) decide to dig up the final resting place of his gramps and disturb the old man (played by Royal Dano), who proceeds to tell them all about the crystal skull he has guarded for many years and how it must stay safe in the house. Of course, next thing you know a load of random villains are trying to steal the crystal skull. With prehistoric creatures, a bunch of dangerous Aztecs, a handyman who is also an adventurer (John Ratzenberger, providing another link after the appearance of George Wendt in the first movie) and many decidedly 1980s moments, House II: The Second Story is still a fun watch but it's far from a great movie.

Ethan Wiley moves up from his writing position on the first film to both write and direct this outing and I suppose he does okay. The direction certainly seems pretty competent, even if the main premise is a bit ridiculous and far-fetched. It's just strange to think who he could have been aiming for when he wrote the thing. Horror fans will find it too light on any actual horror whereas fantasy adventure fans will almost certainly prefer numerous other movies with more spectacle onscreen.

The cast all seem to enjoy themselves, at least. Arye Gross and Jonathan Stark work together well, Royal Dano is very good, John Ratzenberger is a lot of fun, Dean Cleverdon is good when he pops up briefly as the real baddie of the piece and then we have support from Bill Maher, Lar Park Lincoln, Amy Yasbeck, Jayne Modean and other shiny happy people.

You might enjoy this film but if, like me, you have fond memories from seeing it when you were a lot younger then prepare for disappointment to sink in as you realise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it's actually not half as good as you remember it being.

5/10.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Collection-the-DVD/dp/B0002IAQUO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1330162344&sr=8-6