Mubi Monday: Mermaids (1990)

While there have been a few stinkers helmed by actor-turned-director Richard Benjamin, his filmography is also a good place to hunt around for a few gems. He certainly tried throughout the 1980s and 1990s to provide audiences with a wide variety of entertainment. Some were star vehicles, some were quirky movies wanting to win you over with their heart. Mermaids is a bit of both. And I'm as guilty as everyone else for forgetting all about it. I don't think I have revisited Mermaids since it was on VHS.

Despite missing that certain Patrick Swayze factor, Mermaids is a film that pairs up very well with Dirty Dancing. It's a period piece. It makes great use of many enjoyable '60s tunes. One main storyline concerns a young girl hoping to get herself into a compromising situation with an older man. And there are a couple of scenes that sprinkle some real grit and pain throughout the comforting fluff.

Based on the novel by Patty Dann, Mermaids has Cher as Mrs. Flax, mother to Charlotte (Winona Ryder) and Kate (Christina Ricci). Mrs. Flax believes in living in places for a good time, not a long time. She's used to that life, always happy to move after a bad experience or another ruined relationship, but her daughters sometimes struggle with the many moves. Especially Charlotte, who spends her time thinking about major religious figures, and how she can live a life of virtue. Kate is generally easier to please, especially once she's joined up with any local swim team. Things might be different in their latest home though, with Mrs. Flax perhaps meeting her match in the sweet and compassionate Lou Landsky (Bob Hoskins). Charlotte seems happy that they have moved close to a convent, but that doesn't stop her from having many impure thoughts about a local man named Joe (Michael Schoeffling).

One of just a handful of screenplays by June Roberts, this is a film that benefits from absolutely perfect casting, allowing for every line of dialogue to be delivered in a way that elevates the whole movie. Whether it's Cher being as entertainingly sassy as Cher can so easily be or Ryder narrating her wildly erratic thoughts as they veer from holy to sinful, Mermaids consistently delivers a whole lot of superb dialogue in every scene.

Benjamin handles everything well enough, keeping everything feeling just right for the period without spending too much time on the details at the expense of his stars. He knows what people should really want from their time with the film, and it's time spent in the company of memorable characters played by people who feel as comfortable in their roles as they do in their own skin.

Cher brings her confidence and self-assuredness to a role that would feel seriously hampered without it, and she makes Mrs. Flax someone who feels as well-intentioned as she is selfish. She isn't about to let herself be hurt, and her strength is obvious throughout, but that strength, that ability to erase her past and just move on, ends up becoming a problem when it becomes clear that things could be greatly improved by just a bit of compromise and work in her latest relationship. Ryder does a great line in melodramatic teen angst, with every minor embarrassment becoming something major in her eyes. Ricci may have the least to do, certainly in terms of character development, but she's properly adorable, and helps to make up a central trio that you don't want to see pulled apart. Hoskins may be the sweetest that he's ever been, and I was often chuckling at his reactions to Cher, whether he was obviously approving of her sexiness and bold demeanour or being confused by her antagonism. Schoeffling does enough to make his character seem pleasant and sweet, for the most part, despite the serious problem with how he ends up reacting to Ryder's youthful yearning for him.

Almost entirely forgotten by so many nowadays, apart from small sparks of memory that fire up whenever The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) is heard on some radio station, Mermaids deserves to be revisited and remembered. It's absolutely delightful, and I would argue that it's a real film career high point for all of the four leads. They might not agree with me, but I would still try to make the case. 

8/10

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Although I wasn't sure of what to really expect with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I was comforted by the fact that a number of key players were returning. Tim Burton was in the director's chair, and the central cast was anchored by the essential trio of Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara. It's a shame that they weren't given something a bit better to work with after such a long wait.

The story may seem complicated, but it's all ultimately just an excuse for various scenes that feel disconnected from one another. Lydia Deetz (Ryder) is now a TV/internet personality, hosting a show in which she investigates hauntings. She is also in a relationship with her manager, Rory (Justin Theroux). Things have to be put on hold, however, when her mother (Delia, played by O'Hara) gives her news about the death of her father. The ladies then travel to pass the message along to Lydia's daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), before heading back to the family home. Things get even messier as a funeral provides the setting for a marriage proposal, Astrid grows close to a young man named Jeremy (Arthur Conti), and Beetlejuice (Keaton) becomes the target of a vengeful ex (Delores, played by Monica Bellucci). 

It's hard to put a finger on what feels so wrong in this sequel. It just feels a bit overstuffed and disjointed, and there's an unfocused randomness to the different plot strands. The original also had some of that going on, but that somehow felt fun and anarchic, whereas this feels more slapdash and tiresome.

There are definite highlights though. Keaton is fantastic in his role, reprising an iconic character with an ease that belies his age, and the many decades since he last played him. Ryder and O'Hara are also both wonderful together, although there's an attempt to slightly rewrite their past that the film only gets away with because of how easy it is to believe that O'Hara's character would reframe their lives together. Ortega is a good addition to the core group, there are a number of scenes outright stolen by a character named Bob, and the finale has some choreographed insanity set to a brilliantly bonkers song that I've always had a soft spot for. 

There is, as expected, some lovely production design, it's impressive for the continuity of the visual style between the two films, and it's nice to hear Danny Elfman's score running through everything. The practical effects are also very enjoyable.

That's about it though. The script, written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (who have worked together for decades, and most notably, for this part of their career journey, played pivotal roles in the new Wednesday series) is a mess. Some of the dialogue works, but it's often more to do with the delivery than the words, while the messy plot keeps being tangled around too many characters and too many moments that many viewers probably won't care about, including Charles Deetz, who is initially used in a fun way that allows him to be there without re-using disgraced actor Jeffrey Jones, but then keeps popping up throughout the film in a way that feels egregiously unnecessary.

Aside from those already praised above, Theroux is a lot of fun as the poseur of the film this time around, Bellucci does well with her limited screentime, and Willem Dafoe is enjoyable as a deceased actor who played a cop so often that he basically believes that he is one nowadays. Conti is okay, and Burn Gorman is the local priest presiding over things, but they end up, much like Dafoe, being completely superfluous. The same can be said of Santiago Cabrera, who plays someone supposedly important to our leading ladies, until his scenes are finished with and he seems to be easily forgotten about. 

Did I hate this? No. It was very close though. The good aspects of it often come close to being great, but the negatives just keep dragging it down. Considering how great they are when onscreen together, Keaton, Ryder, and O'Hara deserved something a bit better. On the plus side, there has been a load of new Beetlejuice merchandise released lately that has allowed me to add some more movie-related items to my wardrobe. And I would still give everyone a chance to entertain me again if they make a third one.

4/10

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Destination Wedding (2018)

Written and directed by Victor Levin, Destination Wedding is a film that heavily relies on the charms of the leads. Thankfully, those leads are Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder, two people I enjoy seeing in movies, and the script definitely plays to their strengths, with the former being rather level-headed and stoic while the latter appears more neurotic and . . . flighty (there's a better word, I realise that, but my brain is refusing to let me find it just now).

The basic plot sees Lindsay (Ryder) and Frank (Reeves), after a first encounter that doesn't set them on a path to friendship, realising that they are on the way to the same destination wedding. Frank's brother is the groom, and he used to date Lindsay at one point. The two don't really want to be there, and the film shows them complaining about many of the scheduled activities while rather obviously developing an affection for one another.

There's no getting around the fact that this is about as slight as movies get. I noted down some of the supporting cast members (such as D. Rosh Wright, Greg Lucey, DJ Dallenbach, and Ted Dubost) but that was just out of sheer politeness. This is a rom-com that boasts the opportunity to hang out with two fun leads and pretend that we're all far too cynical and smart to be swayed by any nonsensical notions of romance, until notions of romance come up.

The thing is, you see, that was more than enough to keep me very happy from start to finish. I am not sure of how many other people will enjoy this as much as I did but I can only ever give my own reaction. This was wonderful. I laughed a lot more at Destination Wedding than I did at numerous major comedy releases over the past few years, and a lot of that is simply down to the performances of the leads.

That's not to take away from the work by Levin, who directs capably and provides a script full of wonderful exchanges. Pare down a couple of scenes and this could easily be a play, because the focus is always on the dialogue and the performances, with two people making the kind of jaded observations that most of us have made, at one time or another, while attending a wedding or party. You either know too much about some of the people involved or you don't know nearly enough. Both levels of information change your viewpoint of the proceedings, allowing you to feel slightly removed from things as you consider what goes on when the balloons are not in place and the confetti has been vacuumed up.

Your enjoyment of the movie, however, will depend on how much you enjoy Reeves and Ryder, who both give effortlessly wonderful turns. Both have returned to a state of being generally adored by everyone so I don't see many disliking this. Although the alternative title could have easily been Keanu & Winona Go To A Wedding.

It's funny, it's fun, and it's just under 90 minutes. An easy choice to make when you're looking for something to watch this evening.

8/10

You can buy the movie here.
Americans can buy it here.

Homefront (2013)

Jason Statham plays, surprisingly enough, a tough guy in this standard action vehicle that allows him to do what he does best. Kick ass. This time around, he is a former DEA agent, named Phil Broker, who moves to the country for a quiet life with his daughter, Maddy (Izabela Vidovic). Things don't start off so well, however, when Maddy deals with a bully by using some of the moves that he daddy taught her. The parents of the lad are furious, and they're not the type of people to let things slide. In fact, the mother (Kate Bosworth) enlists the help of her drug-manufacturing brother (James Franco), which then leads to Phil's past being discovered, putting both him and his daughter in great danger.

Based on a novel by Chuck Logan, Homefront is simple stuff, yet it feels a lot better than many other standard action thrillers I've seen over the past few years. A part of that is down to the sparse, but effective, script by Sylvester Stallone, and a part of that is down to the solid direction from Gary Fleder, who does especially well during the vicious fight sequences that are peppered throughout the movie. He also paces the whole thing perfectly, from a prologue sequence that quickly establishes the basics, to the character introductions, to the tense and enjoyable final act. Everyone involved knows what viewers expect, and they deliver. In spades.

The cast also do their bit, of course. Statham has been doing his tough guy act for years, and he's damn good at it. I like him onscreen, even if he's trying to do an American accent, and he always brings a believable physicality to his action roles. Vidovic is great as his daughter, a winning combination of cute and tough. Bosworth feels as if she's overdoing her "white trash" act at times, but she gets better as her character is allowed to take things down a notch in the second half of the movie, and Franco has a lot of fun as a rather unlikely villain for Statham to clash with. Marcus Hester, Winona Ryder, Frank Grillo, Chuck Zito, Owen Harn and Stuart Greer play an assortment of supporting villains, and all do good work (Grillo doesn't get a lot of screentime, but he still makes one hell of an impression). On the side of good we get Clancy Brown as a local sheriff, Rachelle Lefevre as a caring teacher, and Omar Benson Miller as a young man helping Statham to fix up his homestead.

One of many movies that you will probably know beforehand whether you're likely to love or hate it, Homefront shouldn't be quickly dismissed just because it takes standard, familiar elements and puts them together for a great end result. I'd argue that it should be applauded for exceeding expectations, no matter how low some of those expectations might be.

7/10

http://www.amazon.com/Homefront-Two-Disc-Combo-Pack-UltraViolet/dp/B00HEPCRLE/ref=sr_1_2_bnp_1_blu?ie=UTF8&qid=1405285617&sr=8-2&keywords=homefront

If you like this blog (yeah, if you can admit to such bad taste), or have been pointed towards a decent movie by any reviews here, then please feel free to head on over to Amazon and grab a copy of my e-book, TJ's Ramshackle Movie Guide. I assure you that it's good value and, more importantly for me, every copy purchased puts a pound or two in my pocket, and helps me to show my wife that I'm not wasting my entire life.

The UK version can be bought here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395945647&sr=1-3&keywords=movie+guide

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As much as I love the rest of the world, I can't keep up with all of the different links in different territories, but trust me when I say that it should be there on your local Amazon.

Ani-MAY-tion Month: A Scanner Darkly (2006)

There have been many movies adapted from the works of sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, and a number of those movies have been fantastic (yes, I'm thinking mainly of Total Recall and Blade Runner). Most of the movie adaptations, however, have failed to translate some of his more interesting ideas from page to screen. Screamers may have had some identity crises and paranoia in the mix, but it still didn't delve deep enough into the territory that Dick returned to on numerous occasions.

Keanu Reeves stars as Bob Arctor, an undercover operative who is fraying at the edges. He's supposed to be investigating sources of a drug named Substance D, but instead seems to spend too much time addicted to the damn thing and hanging out with fellow addicts, Charles Freck (Rory Cochrane), James Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) and Ernie Luckman (Woody Harrelson), as well as his sorta-girlfriend, Donna Hawthorne (Winona Ryder). Things get stranger for him when he is tasked with surveilling . . . . . . . himself, although the superiors assigning him to keep a closer eye on Bob Arctor don't know that he actually IS Bob Arctor (all agents work in disguise as an added safety measure).

Directed, and adapted into movie form, by Richard Linklater, A Scanner Darkly is a strange, smart, and unique experience. The plot may wind towards a bleak third act, but there's plenty of humour in the first hour or so, and the characters/cast all do well at holding your attention while often talking about things that seem meaningless. Although "seem" is the key word there.

Everyone involved gives a great performance, with Downey Jr. on top form, but, because of the rotoscoping technique used, praise must also go to the animators who worked on the film. Yes, all of the stars are pretty recognisable, but they're all slightly hidden under a layer of animation. This may seem like an odd choice, but makes perfect sense when you see Arctor working in his scramble suit - a suit that constantly changes to make identification of the wearer impossible. It also helps with the overall tone of the movie, and the more hallucinatory aspects.

Science fiction that treads scarily close to science fact, A Scanner Darkly isn't guaranteed to please everyone (I know, I know, no movie does that, but you know what I mean). I hope, however, that people at least give it a try and help to build its small, but loyal, fanbase.

9/10

http://www.amazon.com/Scanner-Darkly-Widescreen-Keanu-Reeves/dp/B000JMK6LW/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1400268529&sr=1-2&keywords=a+scanner+darkly

Don't forget, every copy of my book sold gets a few pounds in my pocket, and gets you a good read (if I say so myself).

The UK version can be bought here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395945647&sr=1-3&keywords=movie+guide

And American folks can buy it here - http://www.amazon.com/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395945752&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=TJs+ramshackle+mov

As much as I love the rest of the world, I can't keep up with all of the different links in different territories, but trust me when I say that it should be there on your local Amazon.

Frankenweenie (2012)

The past year has seen quite a selection of animated horror movies aimed at kids. We've had the surprisingly amusing Hotel Transylvania, the easy-to-adore ParaNorman and this one, Tim Burton's expansion of his own short movie. The fact that they all appeared was a pleasant surprise. The fact that they were all good-to-great is unbelievable. Which all helps to illustrate how great Frankenweenie is when I say that it's the best of the three.

Frankenweenie isn't a movie that fills every scene with gags and references. At least, that's not how it seems at the time. But the more observant viewer will notice that every scene IS filled with gags and references. And they're pretty damn great, all the better for being subtle and never forced.

The story is quite a simple one. Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) loves his dog, Sparky, almost as much as he loves science. So when his dog is prematurely sent to the great big kennel in the sky, Victor attempts to reanimate him. And he does. Sparky may have a few minor problems to sort out (the electricity in his body isn't very safe for others and parts of him sometimes fall off) but he seems to be pretty good, otherwise. And at least he's alive. It's not long until others start to suspect that Victor is hiding something, and they want a part of it.

Written by John August (based on the short film written by Leonard Ripps, that was based on the story idea by Tim Burton), Frankenweenie is sweet without ever seeming sickly, it's smart without ever seeming smug and it's consistently amusing without ever highlighting the comedy. It's also a typical Tim Burton movie while also not feeling entirely like a Tim Burton movie. I think that's due to the fact that despite this being a tale of death and misadventure it never really feels as if it's dwelling on any macabre details, despite the fact that they are strewn throughout the movie.

The vocal cast - Tahan, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, Martin Landau, and others - all do great work, but it's the animation, unsurprisingly, that really makes this a winner. Every character is memorable, every scene has numerous little details to spot and Vincent Price fans will just love the character of Mr. Rzykruski, designed to look very much like the great man himself..

If you want a modern day Universal horror movie aimed at kids that features a windmill (that may or may not end up burning at some point), an Igor character type, thunder and lightning, some mischievous sea monkeys and plenty of heart, then this is the film for you.

8/10

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Beetlejuice (1988)

For people who may have forgotten just how good that Tim Burton used to be, for those who have seen nothing from him apart from remakes, Beetlejuice is one of his many, earlier works that will remind you of his imagination, humour and sheer brilliance.

It's the tale of a married couple (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who have their happy life unexpectedly spoiled by premature death. Completely bewildered by their situation, the couple find their situation getting worse and worse as their home is then bought and inhabited by a horrible couple (Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones) and their morbid daughter (Winona Ryder). As they watch their home become "infested" with unpleasant people they turn, in desperation, to Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a bio-exorcist who claims that he can solve their problem.

Everything here ticks the boxes for a Tim Burton movie - the use of Danny Elfman for a lively score, the macabre subject matter with plenty of humour in there, the wonderful visuals and main roles for some of his favourite people of the 1980s (Keaton, of course, was his choice for Bruce Wayne/Batman and Ryder was also given a starring role in Edward Scissorhands).

The script by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren is enjoyable enough but this is a movie elevated to greatness by a number of flawless performances. Particular praise must go to Michael Keaton, who gives yet another hugely entertaining turn in the title role despite the character not being onscreen for little more than about 15 minutes. Davis and Baldwin are very likeable as the recently deceased couple trying to protect their home while O'Hara, Jones and Glenn Shadix are very UNlikeable as the new people trampling over many happy memories. Shadix, in particular, is irritating and completely pretentious as Otho, someone who pretends to know everything about everything worth knowing. Winona Ryder is very good as the young girl who happens to figure out exactly what's going on before the rest of her horrid family.

There are great depictions of the afterlife, an unforgettable staging of Day-O (and one or two other songs from Harry Belafonte) and a mixed bag of practical special effects that may not hold up as perfect creations but certainly retain plenty of charm. Beetlejuice is a movie that I have always remembered with fondness but haven't seen that often since that first viewing back in the '80s. It's a pleasant surprise to find that it's one of those movies that just gets better and better with each viewing.

9/10

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The Informers (2008)

Directed by Gregor Jordan and based on the work of Bret Easton Ellis (who helped to write the screenplay with Nicholas Jarecki), The Informers is far below other adaptations of the writer’s works (American Psycho, The Rules Of Attraction, Less Than Zero) but it’s not a terrible film.

There are a number of story strands running throughout the movie (some more entertaining and successful than others) all covering a variety of sins. There’s a debauched rock star, an unfaithful husband, a bad father, some carefree youths who keep themselves busy with sex and drugs and some other unsavoury characters. The details end up being rather inconsequential though the viewer can savour every little moment onscreen while events are unfolding, this movie feels more like a mood piece capturing a snapshot of 80s excess and exuberance on the cusp of being ruined by the encroaching harsh realities (the long-term effects of drug use, AIDS, etc). It’s very much along the same lines as The Rules Of Attraction with those involve neatly sidestepping to focus on the parents instead of the children, without audiences even noticing.

There’s a great cast. Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger and Winona Ryder all hold their own in the best story strand but there’s able support from Mickey Rourke, Brad Renfro, Amber Heard (who spends an impressive amount of her time onscreen in a state of undress and, yes, yes I am shallow enough to have enjoyed the movie more because of this fact), Lou Taylor Pucci, Austin Nichols and Jon Foster.

There’s also a pretty good soundtrack accompanying the sleek visuals.

The film only really lets itself down in terms of structure and cohesion, but that’s a big failing. Ellis himself has expressed displeasure with the way the thing turned out but I think artists close to their own work can sometimes be their own harshest critics so I’ll have to repeat that The Informers is not a terrible film. It’s no modern classic, and perhaps someone else in the director’s chair could have made something better of the material, but it’s enjoyable enough and features some fine actors giving fine performances. And a hint of vampirism. And Amber Heard. Mostly naked. 
 
6/10

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