Prime Time: Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

The argument has been made that 1999 was one of the greatest ever years for movies. I don't know if I buy into that, although it's hard to dismiss any one of the major titles that a movie fan could namecheck for you. It was an undeniably strong year though, and a number of movies created a butterfly effect still reverberating through the cinematic landscape to this day, and may keep affecting things far into the future. Drop Dead Gorgeous, on the other hand, is one 1999 movie that didn't necessarily have that kind of impact. I would argue that it's equally deserving of praise and celebration though.

The debut feature from director Michael Patrick Jann, working from a screenplay by Lona Williams (who also gave us the very enjoyable, and sadly forgotten, Sugar & Spice), Drop Dead Gorgeous is a mockumentary that I would actually rate higher than many of the films directed by Christopher "master of the mockumentary" Guest. It's all about a teen beauty pageant, and allows viewers to follow the determined Amber Atkins (Kirsten Dunst), the seemingly destined Becky Leeman (Denise Richards), the absolutely impartial, honest, pageant host, and mother to Becky, Gladys Leeman (Kirstie Alley), and a number of other wonderful and quirky characters.

As well as those already mentioned, the cast list here includes Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Brittany Murphy, Amy Adams, Mindy Sterling, Alexandra Holden, Matt Malloy, Michael McShane, and Will Sasso (if you don't recognise the names then, rest assured, you should recognise the faces). They're all doing great work, and everyone gets such an equal chance to shine that I would find it impossible to single anyone out ahead of anyone else. Dunst, Richards, and Alley feel like the three sides of an important trio though, and they should be happy to have this film on their respecting CVs. Between this and some of her other roles at the time, Richards shows such a knack for slyly comedic material that I am always sad we didn't get her in more features that could have made better use of her talent.

There are some moments of dubious taste, to put it mildly, and one or two words are thrown around casually that wouldn't be thrown around so much nowadays, but there's a consistent effort made to ensure that most of the jokes are targeting the concept of beauty pageants, whether it's mocking the importance bestowed upon them by people who may keep that as an all-time high point in their lives or showing the damage caused by the focus on looks, weight, and generally being viewed as an ornamental object capable of stating vapid platitudes instead of a fully-rounded human being. 

The real test of any mockumentary is just how convincing it is though, how easily can you forget that you're watching something scripted and acted. This is where Drop Dead Gorgeous manages to remain high in my own list of great 1999 movies. I struggle to think of any one moment that strikes a wrong note. Maybe a couple of the gags are just a bit too hilarious to ensure the purity of the format, but I'll happily put up with that if I can continue to cry tears of laughter as Denise Richards presents a very special interpretation of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You".

Every one of the main people involved with this, behind and in front of the camera, has delivered other work in the years since it was released. Some of that other work is great, particularly when you think of the powerhouse performances we've had from Dunst and Janney in the last quarter of a century, but I would still hold this as a very high benchmark for everybody named in the credits. It's still as beautiful as ever.

9/10

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Clown In A Cornfield (2025)

When it comes to movie titles, Clown In A Cornfield is probably up there with Snakes On A Plane when it comes to something that succinctly explains the film, yet also sounds a bit ridiculous. That's pretty much where the similarity ends. Despite how you might feel about the title, Clown In A Cornfield is a surprisingly straightforward slasher movie that makes use of well-known genre trappings and, of course, the pervasiveness of coulrophobia that has only been exacerbated by horror icons such as Pennywise, the Killer Klowns (from outer space), and Art.

Quinn Maybrook (Katie Douglas) is the new girl in town, having been forcibly relocated with her father, Dr. Glenn Maybrook (Aaron Abrams), after the death of her mother. It isn't long until Quinn makes some friends, but they may not be the best people to hang around with. They seem okay to Quinn though, and are able to give her the background on the town, and the background on a mascot named Frendo the Clown, before everything starts getting quite bloody.  

Based upon the novel by Adam Cesare (and there are also a few sequels that may end up being adapted after this delivered a decent return on such a relatively small budget), this was written by Carter Blanchard and director Eli Craig, who both do well enough to make the most of the imagery conjured up by the title, as well as the expected slasher movie deaths. There's a sense of fun throughout most of the film, although the ending eventually grinds to a halt for viewers to sit through the big reveal that gives us a sadly grounded explanation for all of the mayhem. 

Douglas is a decent lead, but the rest of the younger cast members alongside her - Carson MacCormac, Vincent Muller, Cassandra Potenza, Verity Marks, Ayo Solanke, etc - don't make much of an impression. In fact, I wish we'd had more screentime for the grown-ups, including Abrams, Kevin Durand, and Will Sasso. That divide between the old and the young is where the best stuff lies, in between the set-pieces that have clowns murdering their victims anyway.

It's all good fun without ever being great, but I could easily rewatch this and not be too bored. I'd also check out any sequels we may get. It's just a shame that Craig didn't decide to lean even further into the horror. This keeps things light and fun, which makes sense considering Craig's filmography, but also holds back on the gags. That ultimately gives viewers something too tame to be a great slasher and too restrained to be a great comedic horror. 

I AM tempted to read the book series now though, and I'm sure that's a good result for Cesare. 

6/10

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Netflix And Chill: Irresistible (2020)

Along with the downsides of the various streaming services we now have available to us, there are many upsides. Yes, it can be hard to find some classics. Yes, the algorithms often dictate what is put front and centre, as well as what is being made in the never-ending quest to keep making content for people. Yes, digital censorship is something that irks me (those who know me will know how averse I am to any censorship of art). But you have that availability of a wide range of movies and TV shows, you have that convenience of so much being at your fingertips, and you can plan a whole day around an occasional binge without having to move from the sofa (with the exception of toilet breaks and any food requirements, obviously). You can also eventually decide to check out a film that had been released a while ago, without too much notable fanfare, and find yourself very pleasantly surprised by an absolute gem. That's what happened when I watched Irresistible, a film I was drawn to because of the cast, but never drawn to enough to actually seek out until it was sitting there, right in front of my eyes and just one click away from instant watchability.

After suffering a bruising defeat in the 2016 election campaign, spin doctor Gary Zimmer (Steve Carell) doesn't quite know how to recover. He realises how far out of touch the Democrats were, but doesn't know how to create any kind of bridge across the widening social and political divide. That changes when he sees a viral video of Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) speaking up at a small town meeting. Hastings represents something akin to a big second chance, he's a Democrat with a strong sense of what is right, living according to his faith and the values that he held throughout his military career. He seems like a perfect candidate for the position of mayor. Although he agrees to that, and to have his campaign headed up by Zimmer, Hastings perhaps doesn't realise how quickly his small Wisconsin town will become a major political battleground. Zimmer knows how serious things are getting when his major opponent, Faith Brewster (Rose Byrne), arrives to help the current mayor (Brent Sexton), and everyone soon starts to become dizzy from the constant spinning.

Written and directed by Jon Stewart, a smart and funny guy I have been a fan of for some time, Irresistible is a film that plays out for most of the runtime like a very pleasant and comfortable comedy drama. It's a bit Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and a bit Wag The Dog, but the overall message delivered, overtly with the dialogue and more subtly with the various characters and atmosphere created throughout a number of scenes, is one well worth delivering, repeatedly. This is a film that appears to be critical of a certain side of the political divide, and it IS (many times), but it's also a film that pleads for people to agree that fair play, truth, and a desire to clean up the political landscape should all be achievable, and bipartisan, targets. There's also an ending that underlines just how worried we should be about the way modern elections are conducted in the USA, although the same applies to other major countries (including here in the UK).

Carell is excellent in his role, constantly moving between pleasantries and cursewords with the same smile often fixed on his face. The smile grows more and more forced as things look as if they might unravel for him, and Carell just gets funnier and sharper as he aims to keep making progress without anyone seeing how fast he is paddling beneath the surface of the water. Byrne is equal to him, playing someone who is even more determined, and seemingly less scrupulous, in a role that makes great use of her cool demeanour AND her comedy chops. Cooper is wonderfully good-hearted and optimistic about things, and Mackenzie Davis plays his daughter as someone who is, well, very much his daughter. I will keep harping on and on about Davis being long overdue the big breakout role to make her the star that I think she already is, but I'm also happy enough to see her doing great work in a film this good. Topher Grace and Natasha Lyonne are a lot of fun as people who interpret data in different ways, and hope to use that data to help Carell get Hawkins his mayoral role, and the rest of the supporting cast is made up of people who may be less familiar, but are no less suited to their roles.

The more I think about Irresistible, the more I struggle to find anything I would change about it. It does spend some time in an echo chamber, because it is often preaching to the converted, but part of the journey for Carell’s character is noticing that echo chamber, those ideological bubbles, and trying to break out. And it ultimately shows that most of us are united by common problems we could fix if we worked together, as opposed to being pitted against our neighbours by politicians who value winning ahead of effectively serving the needs of their constituents.

9/10

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I also have no idea what they did to Mackenzie Davis for this poster image.

Prime Time: Boss Level (2021)

We really need more films from director Joe Carnahan, because I cannot think of anything from him that I have disliked. He may not aim for subtlety (although more people also need to watch the excellent Narc), but that’s no bad thing when you get such inventive ways to use and remix standard action movie tropes. 

Boss Level is, essentially, a timeloop movie. Written some years ago by Chris and Eddie Borey, and then rewritten by Carnahan, it is the story of Roy (Frank Grillo), a man unexpectedly reliving the same day over and over again. And that day is the day he dies, for reasons he is unaware of. As the plot develops, Roy starts to piece together a bigger picture, an actual explanation for his dilemma, and there may be a slim chance to eventually break the cycle. Roy certainly has the skills, being your typically talented ex-special forces type, but the odds are very much stacked against him, with the sheer number and variety of killers aiming to end his life. He also wants to ensure that his son (played by his real son, Rio Grillo) is safe, and maybe even hopes to avenge the death of his ex-wife, Jemma (Naomi Watts) when he starts to suspect that she wasn’t involved in the fatal accident he was told about by her boss, Col. Clive Ventor (Mel Gibson).

Starting right in the midst of an action moment that shows viewers how well Roy knows the routine of his day, Boss Level soon shows that it is made by someone who wants to maximise the potential fun of the premise. Roy dies in a variety of ways, and there’s usually a mix of gore and humour in every death scene, as he makes a number of mistakes on his journey. That’s okay though, because many of his mistakes provide an important learning moment.

Unlike many other timeloop movies, Boss Level minimises the timestamp details. Rather than specific repeated moments, although one or two do stay the same, we get shown the shape of a day, and that shape changes, and extends, as Roy learns more and more, and adapts his strategy accordingly. Some days he just wants to reach a diner and get drunk (with Ken Jeong playing the boss there, and Sheaun McKinney playing a fellow patron who happens to have a useful knowledge base), some days he battles villains until eventually (inevitably?) being bettered, and some days he just decides to take some time to connect with his son.

Grillo is perfect in the lead role here. He has a morbid sense of humour, an understandably flexible grip on his sanity, and a convincing physical presence. He also has a sense of pure grit. Jeong and McKinney are both fun, and the early appearance of Michelle Yeoh, as another diner patron, bodes well for fans who want to see a bit more of her later in the film. You do get that, but it’s sadly only a minute or two. Gibson is an enjoyable big villain, allowing himself a moment or two to deliver some great dialogue when people are right where he wants them, and Will Sasso is a solid henchman. The other highlight is Selina Lo, a sword expert who delivers a fun signature line every time she kills off our hero. Young Rio Grillo and Naomi Watts are involved in the moments that give the film some real heart, and both do well in roles that could have been totally thankless.

I heard the premise of this movie and thought it sounded great, but it also sounded as if it could be very silly, in a way that would make it hard to care about. It IS silly, but in a way that just helps you warm to the main character, and it turns into something more interesting, and deeper, than you might expect. It’s not exactly Kramer Vs. Kramer with added timeloop shenanigans and gunfights, but it’s quite a bit more than the opening act sets it up to be.

Another winner from Carnahan, and I eagerly await whatever he does next. Maybe I will just watch this one repeatedly until then.

8/10

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Netflix And Chill: Klaus (2019)

The directorial debut of Sergio Pablos and Carlos Martínez López, Klaus is an animated Christmas tale that reimagines the source of many traditions, and does it with a perfect mix of good humour and gorgeous visuals.

Jason Schwartzman is the voice of Jesper, a young man who consistently outdoes himself in his efforts to coast along while he waits for his father to stop trying to make him into a useful member of society. This backfires when he is sent to the small town of Smeerensburg, tasked by his father to have 6,000 letters posted in a year. Smeerensburg has feuding families, a schoolteacher (Rashida Jones) with no pupils, and one citizen who lives out in the woods and spends his time making lots of toys by hand. That citizen is Klaus (J. K. Simmons), and he may well be the key to getting Jesper his quota of letters. He may also be the key to big changes throughout the town.

There's nothing new here, and few people will go into it expecting that, but the screenplay, written by Zach Lewis, Jim Mahoney, and Pablos (based on his story idea), is a good take on the traditional festive tales about a selfish character finding his world enriched when he starts to help others. As Jesper starts to make progress in his personal mission, he unwittingly starts off the legend of Santa Claus and spreads more and more good cheer throughout the village, with children suddenly keen to learn how to read and write, if only to ensure they can send off a letter and hope to receive a toy in return. The only main criticism of the script worth mentioning is the placement of the ongoing feud. It's obviously there for the purposes of the plot, but it would have been nice to have some origin story for it, something that could have maybe tied in better with the central plot thread.

Schwartzman is great for the lead role, giving a vocal performance not entirely dissimilar to the kind David Spade delivered in The Emperor's New Groove. Simmons may not be the first person you would think of to voice someone who is essentially Santa, but he smooths some of the roughness off his voice and fits the character perfectly. Jones is very good as the teacher who finds herself with a sudden influx of pupils, Joan Cusack and Will Sasso are good fun as the respective "leaders' of the feuding factions, and Norm MacDonald lends his voice to the character of a ferryman who is unsurprisingly prone to saying things in a tone very much in the way of Norm MacDonald.

Produced by Sergio Pablos Animation Studios, I'll say once more that the visuals here are gorgeous. Stylised, and beautifully sharp and crisp, the look of the thing sets it apart from many other animated films without making it suffer by comparison. It's a film that feels made up more of straight lines and edges than softened curves, yet the end result is no less sweet and endearing.

Although it may not have fictional royal family members, Vanessa Hudgens, or even Kurt Russell playing a Santa who channels Elvis, Klaus is perhaps the best festive treat that Netflix have delivered yet. I look forward to whatever Pablos delivers next.

9/10

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