For It Is Man's Number: curtis armstrong

Showing posts with label curtis armstrong. Show all posts

Friday, 12 July 2024

One Crazy Summer (1986)

Another teen comedy that pairs director Savage Steve Holland with John Cusack, One Crazy Summer may not hit the heights of their best work (no matter what Cusack might think of the one I prefer), but it's a fun time for fans of many of the main cast members. And there are a few stars given some time to shine in this.

Cusack plays Hoops McCann, a young man who seems to be a bit lost after the end of his high school days. He does a decent job of creating cartoons, but that's not necessarily the way to set himself up for a great future. Or maybe it is. Anyway, Hoops ends up spending a summer holiday on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, in the company of a bunch of outcasts who will be there to help when the time comes to teach a lesson to the irritating and smug Teddy Beckersted (Matt Mulhern).

Savage Steve Holland just knows how to make me happy, whether or not he's successful in everything that he tries to do. This film feels like much more of an ensemble piece than a controlled and focused directorial vision, although that's maybe just the feeling you get when all of these people are together and having fun with each other, but it's certainly none the worse for it, with Holland making the most of his assembled talent to craft some fun narrative strands and enjoyable set-pieces (one Godzilla homage is so hilariously set up that it gives the entire film an entire bonus point for goodwill).

Cusack doesn't have to stretch himself here, nor does he, but this is in line with many of his other roles from the decade, which means that fans of his work from this era should enjoy themselves. Demi Moore is very easy to like, playing a travelling musician named Cassandra, and I think this film does more to show her screen presence than anything in the fairly dire St. Elmo's Fire, and both Joel Murray and Bobcat Goldthwait are good fun for anyone who appreciates that they are very much an acquired taste. Curtis Armstrong is another member of the gang, and I always enjoy him onscreen, and there are enjoyable, but brief, turns from Taylor Negron, Rich Hall, Jeremy Piven, and William Hickey. Mulhern is a suitably douchebro baddie, Mark Metcalf and Joe Flaherty play two different, but somehow equally problematic, fathers, and Kimberly Foster creates some extra tension as the other female in the midst of all of the hormonal men.

Not the best of the teen comedies from this decade, and you could argue that it doesn't really count anyway (the main characters all feel just a bit older, although none the wiser, compared to those in the big movies you would think of in that sub-genre), but this has plenty of little chuckles in between the few big laughs. Holland is a hell of a talent, wonderfully surreal and anarchic with his approach to familiar material, and I hope he comes along one day with another film that recaptures the energy and wit of both this and Better Off Dead.... That's unlikely, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway.

7/10

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Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Ani-MAY-tion: Planes: Fire And Rescue (2014)

Dane Cook returns to voice Dusty Crophopper in this strange sequel to Planes, a film that continues to present a world populated by living vehicles, but also complicates the central premise by featuring more scenes in which vehicles are transported along INSIDE other vehicles (this also happened in the Cars movies, but feels a bit a bit more bizarre, and even Cronenbergian, this time around).

In an idea that feels tired and desperate from the start, Dusty Crophopper is already past his racing prime. He has a mechanical issue that means he can no longer push himself to fly at the speeds he once experienced. Ah well, at least he can retrain alongside planes that keep themselves busy fighting fires. This leads to him being taught fire-fighting tactics by Blade Ranger (Ed Harris) while he works to overcome his own fears, and his dangerous cockiness.

I could add more to that plot summary. Of course there’s a raging inferno to be dealt with at some point. Of course there are valuable lessons to be learned along the way. And, of course, Dusty gets a chance to show that he really is up to the task of being a fire-fighter. This is as predictable as expected, and even more humorless than the film preceding it (which wasn’t exactly a chuckle-fest). Okay, there is no rule stating that this should be a comedy, but it needs something in place of heart and/or genuine tension.

Cook still doesn’t make for a great lead in this role, and he isn’t often surrounded by people who can pick up his slack. Harris is great, as you would expect, and there’s a fun turn from Julie Bowen, playing a character who inexplicably takes a shine to Dusty, but the better voice performers (Patrick Warburton, Fred Willard, and John Michael Higgins) are wasted in roles that have very limited screentime. A number of people return from the first film, essentially bookmarking the tale with some moments that help remind you about the first movie, and both Hal Holbrook and Wes Studi get paid to play characters that could have been played by absolutely anyone. I am happy they got the job, but I wish they had been more involved in the main storyline.

Writer Jeffrey M. Howard is responsible for the weak tale, having just limped along the first time around, and this time he shares writing duties with director Bobs Gannaway. The best thing I can say about Gannaway is that he is equally skilled at both directing and writing. Ahem.

The visuals are okay. I will admit that some moments look great, which is especially impressive when it is a story that includes numerous scenes with fire surrounding main characters. That’s about all I am willing to grudgingly compliment though, considering how this just felt like a waste of my time, as well as a waste of some great actors.

Younger viewers will enjoy this more, of course, and that’s just fine. My relatively high rating reflects the fact that this isn’t aiming to be a sophisticated modern masterpiece. There are so many better movies for them to watch ahead of this though. This is sub-par stuff, and hopefully remains the last time we see this character starring in his own feature film.

4/10

Monday, 8 April 2013

Risky Business (1983)

Risky Business is a teen sex comedy with a difference. The difference is that it's one of the smartest and funniest of the sub-genre, with the only one coming closest to it being the 2004 film, The Girl Next Door (which is, to all intents and purposes, a loose remake of this film). Don't misunderstand me, I love Heathers, Mean Girls and Clueless, but they're not teen sex comedies. Porky's is certainly a memorable teen sex comedy, and American Pie is great, but they're not as funny and smart as this one. Writer-director Paul Brickman made something special with this movie. Something that tapped into every male teenage fantasy and also every dream scenario for capitalists thriving in the early 1980s. He also made Phil Collins cool and sexy, which may well be his greatest feat.

Tom Cruise (post-uneven teeth, but pre-BIG time) stars as Joel Goodsen, a decent young man who is at a very important point in his life. He's trying to keep doing well at school, he's starting to think about university education and he spends a lot of time with his friends as they all pretend to be grown-ups, wise in the ways of the world. When his parents head off for a while, Joel is entrusted to look after the home and be a responsible young man. His good friend, Miles (Curtis Armstrong), thinks that Joel should have a little fun, and perhaps get himself laid. That is why he calls a hooker. This sets off a chain of events that will lead to Joel meeting the beautiful Lana (Rebecca De Mornay), the dangerous Guido (Joe Pantoliano) and even a more confident and entrepreneurial side of himself. To clarify, Lana is a prostitute, Guido is a pimp and Joel finds himself between the two. That's not a good place to be, but it could turn out to be surprisingly profitable.

Great characters, a great cast that also features small roles for Bronson Pinchot and Richard Masur, a fantastic soundtrack, some enjoyably sexy moments and a lot of fun make Risky Business absolutely unforgettable. Well, Rebecca De Mornay helps a lot (was she ever lovelier? I doubt it).

And this magic moment . . .

Yeah, that just happened. Good on Tom Cruise for watching that moment many years later, while recording the commentary track for the movie, and having no shame whatsoever. In fact, he even admits that he danced to that very song at home before making this movie. That's why the movie is so damn good, because it IS very real and honest, even as things get a bit more comedic and ridiculous. Every male reading this review today has done something that this movie will remind you of - whether it's the miming and dancing to classic rock, the first civilised meal for one when left home alone or the time spent as a teenager discussing sex, planning for sex and pretending to know all about sex - and it's great to look back and laugh at those moments. Joel may have a lot to learn, but he DOES learn as the movie unfolds, making it easier to laugh along with every moment while still rooting for him.

Perfectly paced and utilising a script that provides one or two memorable quotes in every scene, Risky Business is a near-perfect classic to me. It's astonishing that this was a feature debut from Brickman and it's saddening to see that he's only directed one other movie since this one. Thank goodness he got this made. I just hope that one or two others enjoy it as much as I do. If you haven't seen it yet, take a risk.

9/10