wellthatswhatithinkanyway
Joined Nov 2000
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Ratings1.9K
wellthatswhatithinkanyway's rating
Reviews2.2K
wellthatswhatithinkanyway's rating
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Lieutenant Frank Drebin Junior (Liam Neeson) continues the legacy of his late father, with his haphazard ways and general incompetence. After foiling a bank robbery (dressed undercover as a girl with a lolley!), none of the suspects speak, and things are further complicated when a man is found dead in an overturned car. His sister, Beth (Pamela Anderson), a novelist, turns to Drebin Junior to help get to the bottom of it, and they find themselves plunged in the direction of tech billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston), and a new device he's created.
And so, yet another 80's classic takes it's turn in line for the reboot treatment, in the shape of The Naked Gun, my introduction to the world of spoofery, and one of my favourite comedies. As always, I didn't go in with the intention of hating it, and thinking things like how no one will hold up to the greatness of Leslie Nielsen, which in any case wouldn't be possible, since he has sadly passed (and would be nearly a hundred if he weren't!) In any case, Neeson's lead character is framed as his direct descendant, keeping his memory alive (and as I observed the other week, their names are verging on identical!)
But ultimately it comes down to his performance, and in his own distinct way, Neeson creates his own deadpan, anarchic style that works. Co star Anderson also manages her own fine comedy chops, and shines in her own right, most notably in a nightclub lounge room singing sequence. As well as the inclusion of Nielsen, Paul Walter Hauser also pops up, as the Sargent son of Ed Hocken (played by the also late George Kennedy), further solidifying its acknowledgment of the source material it comes from (O. J. Simpson's Norton is also referenced, but...uh uh.)
With Ted writer Seth McFarlane at the helm, it's unsurprisingly littered with wild suggestive humour and innuendo, which helps it work, but the main thing is the gags in themselves hit the mark, and set things in good stead for a probable sequel. ****
Lieutenant Frank Drebin Junior (Liam Neeson) continues the legacy of his late father, with his haphazard ways and general incompetence. After foiling a bank robbery (dressed undercover as a girl with a lolley!), none of the suspects speak, and things are further complicated when a man is found dead in an overturned car. His sister, Beth (Pamela Anderson), a novelist, turns to Drebin Junior to help get to the bottom of it, and they find themselves plunged in the direction of tech billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston), and a new device he's created.
And so, yet another 80's classic takes it's turn in line for the reboot treatment, in the shape of The Naked Gun, my introduction to the world of spoofery, and one of my favourite comedies. As always, I didn't go in with the intention of hating it, and thinking things like how no one will hold up to the greatness of Leslie Nielsen, which in any case wouldn't be possible, since he has sadly passed (and would be nearly a hundred if he weren't!) In any case, Neeson's lead character is framed as his direct descendant, keeping his memory alive (and as I observed the other week, their names are verging on identical!)
But ultimately it comes down to his performance, and in his own distinct way, Neeson creates his own deadpan, anarchic style that works. Co star Anderson also manages her own fine comedy chops, and shines in her own right, most notably in a nightclub lounge room singing sequence. As well as the inclusion of Nielsen, Paul Walter Hauser also pops up, as the Sargent son of Ed Hocken (played by the also late George Kennedy), further solidifying its acknowledgment of the source material it comes from (O. J. Simpson's Norton is also referenced, but...uh uh.)
With Ted writer Seth McFarlane at the helm, it's unsurprisingly littered with wild suggestive humour and innuendo, which helps it work, but the main thing is the gags in themselves hit the mark, and set things in good stead for a probable sequel. ****
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In 1972, the Olympic Games are underway in Munich, Germany, and the German team win gold in a tournament, setting the wheels in motion for a conflict between ABC Sports President, Roone Arledge (Peter Skarsgaard) and Head of Operations, Ben Chaplin (Marvin Bader.) But then everything is thrown into disarray, when a terrorist invasion is reported in the Olympic Village.
Despite its compelling true life subject matter, September 5, from director Tim Fehlbaum, vanished from theatres pretty swiftly, not part of any established franchise, and so I've ended up taking my time getting round to seeing it. In a time long before the world watched on in horror as the planes crashed into the buildings on September 11th, Fehlbaum presents a concise account of the first live televised terrorist event.
A well advised 'real time' approach is used in the proceedings, with none of the actual terrorist attack shown on screen, save for snippets from the TV footage. This doesn't always create the tense, claustrophobic effect that it intends, but it does establish a decent sense of mood and atmosphere, within the framework of a condensed running time, creating the effect of real people in a tough situation responding to the pressure.
It's a compelling true life event, that may still bring back raw memories for some, and for those (like me) who weren't born at the time, an eye opening and worthy experience. ****
In 1972, the Olympic Games are underway in Munich, Germany, and the German team win gold in a tournament, setting the wheels in motion for a conflict between ABC Sports President, Roone Arledge (Peter Skarsgaard) and Head of Operations, Ben Chaplin (Marvin Bader.) But then everything is thrown into disarray, when a terrorist invasion is reported in the Olympic Village.
Despite its compelling true life subject matter, September 5, from director Tim Fehlbaum, vanished from theatres pretty swiftly, not part of any established franchise, and so I've ended up taking my time getting round to seeing it. In a time long before the world watched on in horror as the planes crashed into the buildings on September 11th, Fehlbaum presents a concise account of the first live televised terrorist event.
A well advised 'real time' approach is used in the proceedings, with none of the actual terrorist attack shown on screen, save for snippets from the TV footage. This doesn't always create the tense, claustrophobic effect that it intends, but it does establish a decent sense of mood and atmosphere, within the framework of a condensed running time, creating the effect of real people in a tough situation responding to the pressure.
It's a compelling true life event, that may still bring back raw memories for some, and for those (like me) who weren't born at the time, an eye opening and worthy experience. ****
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In the early 80's, Robert Williams was a cocksure but awkward young man living in Stoke On-Trent, not fitting in completely with the youngsters around him. A few years later, a talent scout visits the area, and he auditions to join a band called Take That, propelling him as a teenager on a wild rollercoaster ride of hedonism and excess. But fame and fortune cannot buy happiness, and while the good times roll, his personal demons threaten to tear him apart, until he figures out what really matters.
I've finally got around to seeing Better Man, Michael Gracey's follow up film to 2017's well received The Greatest Showman, with this very curious musical biopic of pop icon Robbie Williams, a man whose relevance to modern chart music followers might have been a very dicey box office gamble, especially when he is inexplicably depicted with the face of a snarling monkey!?? At the very least, it makes it a little difficult to take it seriously, even if the underlying sentiment of it is explained in the tagline.
The grittiness of Williams's raw, working class background is effectively conveyed with a suitably grainy camera lens at the beginning, though the sheer amount of profanity is quite staggering and excessive, not shy even of the c word (once unthinkable in a 15 certificate film!) This, along with William's bombastic presence, are enough to make him unlikeable, but Gracey makes it clear this is largely a front, with personal demons and insecurities that tear him apart inside even at the height of his zenith. Still, he was a bigger personality than an ultimately cheesy pop band could contain, and so it was ultimately a solo career where he would shine brightest.
By the end, it's become overlong, dragging on and wearing out its welcome a bit, but it's a wild, fun, full on ride throughout, with some blistering musical numbers (including a Piccadilly Circus rendition of Rock DJ, misplaced in Williams's TT years) and some effecting human drama thrown in to make it all gel right. But if you really hate Williams, it won't make you like him anymore. ****
In the early 80's, Robert Williams was a cocksure but awkward young man living in Stoke On-Trent, not fitting in completely with the youngsters around him. A few years later, a talent scout visits the area, and he auditions to join a band called Take That, propelling him as a teenager on a wild rollercoaster ride of hedonism and excess. But fame and fortune cannot buy happiness, and while the good times roll, his personal demons threaten to tear him apart, until he figures out what really matters.
I've finally got around to seeing Better Man, Michael Gracey's follow up film to 2017's well received The Greatest Showman, with this very curious musical biopic of pop icon Robbie Williams, a man whose relevance to modern chart music followers might have been a very dicey box office gamble, especially when he is inexplicably depicted with the face of a snarling monkey!?? At the very least, it makes it a little difficult to take it seriously, even if the underlying sentiment of it is explained in the tagline.
The grittiness of Williams's raw, working class background is effectively conveyed with a suitably grainy camera lens at the beginning, though the sheer amount of profanity is quite staggering and excessive, not shy even of the c word (once unthinkable in a 15 certificate film!) This, along with William's bombastic presence, are enough to make him unlikeable, but Gracey makes it clear this is largely a front, with personal demons and insecurities that tear him apart inside even at the height of his zenith. Still, he was a bigger personality than an ultimately cheesy pop band could contain, and so it was ultimately a solo career where he would shine brightest.
By the end, it's become overlong, dragging on and wearing out its welcome a bit, but it's a wild, fun, full on ride throughout, with some blistering musical numbers (including a Piccadilly Circus rendition of Rock DJ, misplaced in Williams's TT years) and some effecting human drama thrown in to make it all gel right. But if you really hate Williams, it won't make you like him anymore. ****
