88 - Superbad

Connection To NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST - Michael Cera.

So yeah... I spent much longer away from this blog then I planned too... the truth is I got into rhythms with some TV shows thanks to streaming sites - Orange Is The New Black Season 2 and the first 4 (of 5) of Community - which is a show I'd know I'd love if I got a chance to see it, and yeah I did...

I can't see myself keeping the same speed I did back in April, dips could... probably will happen again, I'm a bit up and down when it comes to writing, I lose faith very quickly - which is often why you see bits of self deprecation all over the place.

I have decided to implement a new rule - well not really implement but rather make an amendment... well to my only rule and that is about the same connection being allowed to be used more then once... I have decided to change that - though I will endeavour to mix it up when it comes to connections, if I get into a role based around a franchise or even a director or actor, I don't want to force myself playing around trying to find a tenuous connection.

This beginning was a bit long-winded without even talking about the film I'm going to cover here, I decided to ease myself back in with a film that I've seen more - and I know that I enjoy - one of the first films that it was clear the Apatow Crew (is that what you call them) are going to be around (I know The 40 Year Old Virgin beat is by 2 years) but I think this and Knocked Up where clear that these guys - often  unconventional leading men - where capable of opening movies.

Superbad on paper seems like a teen plot that's been done a million times - teenagers in quest of something and getting themselves in one situation - sometimes dangerous - after another and the lads in the quest of buying alcohol is their MacGuffin,

What works is we split the time between Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill), named after the two wrote it when there was actual teenagers (which is impressive) - Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen - and the misadventures of Christopher Mintz-Plasse who decided the best name for his fake I.D. was McLovin and he ends up on an adventure with 2 cops (Rogen and Bill Hader).

I think this film help made me a fan of Bill Hader, who now as a proud position on the list of my favourite all time SNL cast members (which includes Phil Hartman and Amy Poehler on that list), and also interested me (and the world) to the goddess that is Emma Stone (making her movie debut) making you believe that yeah a kid like Jonah Hill could stand a chance with her.

So yeah films don't always have to be the most original premise wise it's what you do with it that counts, Superbad works cause the premise is so thin that you can just spend the film enjoying the characters and the scenes.

Overall, endlessly watchable, I've seen it at least 4 or 5 times at a guess and I still laugh at much of it, so yeah I'm going with highly recommended.

87 - Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Connection To THE HOUSE BUNNY - Kat Dennings

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is the sort of film where there is a clear divide in what I liked about it and what I didn't.

My main criticism of the movie is it feels like it's trying just to hard to be cool and hip, the bands that get named even Nick's band are supposed to show you how cool these people are, and I think it's certainly a negative of the movie that brings it down a notch or two.

To be fair, though there is enough positives in this - Nick (Michael Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings) at least have a relationship in which you can sort of care if they get together, there's also decent support from Ari Graynor who finds herself in misadventure after misadventure mostly in thanks to her constant intoxicated state.

I don't think it's the most memorable movie, I can say liked it but only remember certain bits of it - Graynor retrieving gum from a toilet is one stand out scene - so I would probably file it under not the worst way to kill a couple of hours but I'm going to struggle in conversation later besides a few words.

Overall, a short write up befitting of a film that's quick to put out of the memory so quickly, enough to recommend about it that you should sit and watch but I'll be very surprised if you'd be calling this your favourite film after watching it. 

37 - Some Guy Who Kills People

Connection To KISS OF DEATH - Kevin Corrigan.

Considering the director's (Jack Perez) previous as included Wild Things 2 and Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus, you'd be forgiven for actually automatically assuming that this film would be a bit shitty, but to be honest I don't really think a lot of people will be looking up the Perez filmography it just sort of surprises me and makes me smile (I've seen both of those films) that this film comes from him, it's far from shitty it's actually really, really good.

Ken (Kevin Corrigan) is released from a mental hospital and is given a chance at working at ice cream parlour, meanwhile several of the males in the town who where responsible for torturing Ken in high school are killed off one by one, during all this Ken's 11 year old daughter shows up (who he never knew about) turns up and is hopeful to be part of his life.

First thing's first - I consider Corrigan, such an unsung talent, he as a great quiet charisma (Grounded For Life was really when I started becoming a fan) in a rare lead movie role he carries it off so well - the film's strongest moments for me are seeing the relationships in the movie Ken makes, firstly with his daughter, Ariel Gade who plays her, hasn't done much other stuff but the relationship that builds up between them is a joy to watch, it was also great seeing Lucy Davis as the love interest (at the pushing initially of his daughter) it seemed very realistic that how she felt about herself would mean why she would pick somebody like Ken. I can't leave out Karen Black (as his mother) and Barry Bostwick (as the police chief and sleeping with his mother), I liked Black's antagonist behavior towards Ken and when it builds (sorry for spoiling  it here) that it was out of love for him to get out of this funk and Bostwick's fatherly instincts towards him even when the evidence starts pointing towards Ken.

I don't think I've seen a film in such a long time where I've really, really wanted a twist to happen, begged even - you should think it would be such a shame if his relationships with his daughter and Davis are destroyed because this is a horror film about some guy who kills people (a horror comedy but still)

Overall, the definition of an hidden gem, maybe not quite horror enough for some tastes but for somebody who wants a horror a little bit different this is a must watch for them.

36 - Kiss Of Death (1995)

Connection To CON AIR - Both Nicolas Cage and Ving Rhames appear in both, but I'm going with Ving Rhames just so I can use Cage at a later date.

NYPD Blue - it's first season, in my humble opinion is among the best first seasons in American TV history, I know there is a lot of competitors but if I was drawing up a list it would be on there without a doubt and for me David Caruso was absolutely brilliant in that show - but after failing to gain a raise he left only a few episodes in to the second season with the hope of being a leading man, and that worked out... well he became a punchline for a while there and is career really didn't get back on track, when he ironically went back to TV with CSI: Miami (which he ended up lasting way longer for him - 10 years), but films like Kiss Of Death and Jade are considered the failed Caruso movies.

Kiss Of Death to me is a good thriller - not great but it's better then adequate - but Caruso is outshine by his co-star... you guessed it Nicolas Cage, this really is Cage's show, he really is the best thing about this movie which also features great talent such as Stanley Tucci, Ving Rhames and Samuel L. Jackson (more subdued then the Jackson we usually know), there's also future Oscar Winner Helen Hunt - but I didn't include because honestly I'm not a fan of hers, she's been in some good movies for sure but I've just never liked her performance, I just can't put my finger on it (I still prefer her to Meg Ryan though)

Kiss of Death is loosely based on the 1947 film noir of the same name - which I've never seen so can't comment on differences etc. - Caruso plays Jimmy whose an ex-con living with wife (Hunt), both of which are ex-alcoholics and daughter. Jimmy gets woken by his cousin Ronnie (Michael Rapaport) who desperately needs his help, his finger his broken and that if he doesn't help Little Junior Brown (Cage) will kill him.

Little Junior angry they are so behind schedule, insists they move four trucks full of stolen cars in a caravan instead of staggering them to avoid detection, which ends up drawing the attention of the police, when they arrive at their destination to unload the cars the police arrive to arrest but during this Jimmy's passenger shoots at the police the bullet of which goes through Jimmy and below the right of Detective Hart (Samuel L. Jackson) who survives it. The Brown family lawyer promises Jimmy that his wife will be taken care of if he takes the tap and not name the other criminals. Ronnie ends up shortening on her allowance (giving her $150 instead of the $400 the Brown's intended). She agrees to work for Ronnie at his chop shop where she goes to the Brown's club and ends up drinking vodka and wakes up in Ronnie's bed and horrified or relapse she rushes to leave but drives head on into a truck and dies. I'll stop here because I feel like I'm doing the plot bit by bit but I'll just say Ronnie gives a crappy reason to Jimmy about the death so Jimmy agrees to turn states witness...

Like I have already said it's a good thriller, while it's not the best of it's genre it does it's job well and I was actually interested in where the story was going but like I said Cage is just awesome every time he's on screen as the asthmatic psychopath (I'm one of them things see if you can guess which one), SPOILER his killing of Ronnie is one of the films most memorable END OF SPOILER

Overall a shame for Caruso it did nothing at the box-office but Jade would have destroyed any clout he had from this but it's enjoyable and comes recommended.