Obituaries

Harvey Korman, 1927-2008

Leave a comment

Growing up, I watched a lot of TV.  I had a steady diet of The Flintstones and The Carol Burnett Show, thanks to TBS.  This is how I was introduced to the comedic genius of Harvey Korman.  As The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones, I simply knew him as a little green alien that had a wonderful way of calling Fred “Dum-Dum.”  The droll way he let it roll off the tongue was masterful.  Then I saw him on the Carol Burnett Show.  It was there that he formed a real-life Mutt & Jeff team with Tim Conway.  Much like Hardy and Abbott, Korman was the straight man to Conway’s Laurel and Costello.

As I got older, I saw Korman in Blazing Saddles and it was as if I was watching The Great Gazoo onscreen, with a little more villainy thrown in; I also enjoyed him in Radioland Murders.  Sadly, there were not many on-screen performances from him over the past 20-25 years.

Hopefully he is on a cloud somewhere, hovering above the voice of Fred Flintstone, still calling him “Dum-Dum” while waiting for his buddy, Tim…

Obituaries

Sydney Pollack, 1934-2008

Leave a comment

In movies, there is always an actor or director that we have a love/hate relationship with.  You know the type: they make a movie you love, then they take a subject you love and destroy it in the movie.

Such has been my experience with Sydney Pollack.

My first memory of seeing one of his movies was Absence of Malice (Paul Newman, Sally Field) during Christmas of 1981.  I was 11 and bored with the movie — the adults were so-so about it.  The following year gave us Tootsie, which was very enjoyable.  It was the first time that I noticed a director in front of the camera, something he would do off and on in movies.

For someone reviewing movies, it is sad to say that I have not seen the following films:

  • Out of Africa
  • The Electric Horseman
  • Three Days of the Condor
  • The Way We Were

One movie I wish I could add to that list, but instead use it to symbolize why I disliked Pollack as a director and producer is The Firm.  I had read the book and looked forward to the movie for 6 months.  Due to location issues, Pollack rewrote the second half of the book, creating a story I never knew.  It ruined my birthday movie that year, and I was gunshy about his movies after that.

Thankfully the last movie I saw that he directed was Sabrina in 1995.  A light movie remake featuring Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear, it restored my enjoyment of his movies.

Interestingly enough, the last two things I saw involving Sydney Pollack were onscreen: an ATT ad asking us to silence our phones and a rich father on Made of Honor.

Love him or hate him, we will all miss his work in film, on and off the screen…

Movies

Iron Man

Leave a comment

My fascination with superhero movies is well-documented, so are any of you surprised that I am reviewing Iron Man?

I thought not…

So what does one do when one finds themselves a part of a massive layoff?  If that person is me, then they go to the movies.  So I hit the 1:30 showing over at Regal Waterford Lakes after lunch with Rich.  Although I would have preferred AMC for this movie, Regal was right there without a big line.

As the movie started, I did have a nagging worry — had I hyped this movie up in my head too much?

No — I had not hyped it enough.

As disappointed as I was in the movies May 2007 delivered, Iron Man made up for that disappointment.  Robert Downey, Jr., was a perfect choice for Tony Stark.  Just as many can not imagine anyone other than Christopher Reeve as Superman or Patrick Stewart as Professor X, I can not imagine anyone else being Tony Stark.  Gwyneth Paltrow was also a good choice for Pepper Pots.

The story was a strong origin story, updated for today’s climate.  What I liked is something that other reviewers have pointed out:  The terrorists were a band of mercenaries from different countries, with no stated ties to any real groups.  That kept the plot from turning into Rocky IV.

Jon Favreau did a superb job in making the effects not look CGI.  In an interview with Ain’t It Cool News, he mentioned how he worked hard to make the CGI disappear.  For the dogfight, he sent planes up with cameras mounted so that the sun glares on the lenses would show.  The suit was real in many of the shots, with CGI in obvious sequences.

My advice: Solid story, solid casting, solid action — good for even those that do not like superhero movies — See it on the big-screen; I have 3 times and STAY PAST THE CREDITS!!!!

Lists

Top 8 Favorite Harrison Ford Roles

Leave a comment

Given the release of the latest Indiana Jones movie, it is only fitting that I dedicate May’s list to my favorite Harrison Ford roles.  Ford has had a career in movies that is equal to my lifespan; unfortunately not all roles have been winners.  Like other lists, this only covers movies I have seen; but breathe easy, TAM readers — Six Days, Seven Nights does not appear on the list.  But it should be noted that it is a shame that some of his best work occurred over 15 years ago…

So let’s get that whip a-crackin’ on this list:

Tommy — The Frisco Kid (1979)

This is one of those movies I accidentally saw as a kid because I confused it with a different movie.  A western featuring Gene Wilder who is a naive rabbi in the Wild Wild West.  Ford plays a character similar to Han Solo who ends up helping Wilder out.

Jack Trainer — Working Girl (1988)

An interesting choice by Ford to purposefully be a supporting character at the height of his popularity on screen.  What makes this role good is how it showcases his ability to act in a more comedic light.

Linus Larrabee — Sabrina (1995)

A remake of a classic film, Sabrina set up an interesting dynamic between Ford and Greg Kinnear as brothers competing for the same woman.  What makes this role stand out is that it is the first on-screen acknowledgement of Ford’s age and a possible transition to more elder statesmen type of roles.  Unfortunately, that transition has yet to happen.

Dr. Richard Kimble — The Fugitive (1993)

While Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for his supporting role in this movie, Ford proved that, despite age, he could still pull off action sequences.  If it weren’t for the fact that he has made this type of role his bread-and-butter, Ford might have been considered for the Oscar as well.

Henry Turner — Regarding Henry (1991)

Some could call this movie Oscar bait — I personally feel that Ford should have earned his second Oscar nomination with this role.  While not iconic, it shows every facet of Ford from cocky to vulnerable to caring.  These are the types of roles I wish he would get back to.

John Book — Witness (1985)

Ford’s only Oscar nomination and a compelling thriller.  If you have not seen this movie and you love thrillers/mysteries, then you need to see this movie now.

Indiana Jones — The Indiana Jones Series (1981, 1984, 1989, 2008)

Ford is one of those rare actors to enjoy being identified with two of screen’s most iconic characters in two of screen’s most iconic series.  George Lucas almost passed on Ford for Indy because of using him for Star Wars; thankfully that did not happen.  Of the four movies, Raiders is the best and creates the images  often repeated in the sequels.

Han Solo — The Original Star Wars Trilogy (1977, 1981, 1983)

The role that opened the door to everything else.  Without Han Solo, Ford is not Indy, Deckard, Book, Kimble, Ryan, or the President.

DVD

Grosse Pointe Blank

Leave a comment

There are certain milestones we all dread: turning 30, becoming eligible for Social Security, and our high school reunions.  It used to be that we only worried about the 20-year reunion; but over the past 30 years, we have seen the rise of the 10-year reunion.  I remember mine approaching and realizing that I had not accomplished all that I thought I would.  Turns out that not everyone else did either.

Well, a couple of years before my reunion, a movie came out that had its environment center around the 10-year reunion.  Grosse Pointe Blank allowed us to examine this milestone in a unique way: what if you wanted to make a change in your whole way of life, could you do it with minimal “damage”?

John Cusack does a great job of expressing what we are feeling without coming across like a whiny little baby.  This the first movie that I took notice of Minnie Driver and thought she did well playing a tough, but vulnerable love interest.  Include a crazy Dan Aykroyd and a great soundtrack, and you have the recipe for a fun couple of hours.

The DVD only had a trailer as extras, so that was disappointing.

My advice:  Good for any night of the week that you want to have fun watching movies…

My thoughts on the world of movies…