crball

The other day a friend and I were discussing TV shows we watched as young children. I immediately brought up "Under the Umbrella Tree". I don't remember much of the show except there was a middle aged woman named Holly who lived with a blue jay, iguana and a goffer who were acted out by puppets. They always got into crazy situations that would educate the audience. It may of been a low rent Sesame Street but just as good. My favorite was Igee the Iguana. He was the crazy one who always got himself into trouble. Do yourself a favor and try to find this classic on video.

When I first read about The Hard Way, I was shocked to find out Michael J. Fox played one of the biggest action stars on the planet. All I could think about was this had to be one of the worst casting decisions ever. No offense to Michael. He is a great comedic actor who was marvelous in such films as Back to the Future and Teen Wolf. But when I started watching the movie, I realized his character was a parody of all the action icons in Hollywood.

Fox plays Nick Lang, an actor who is trying to nab the lead role of a cop in a new crime drama while doing promotion for his latest film Smoking Gun 2, an Indiana Jones type action/adventure. He beleives that the only way he will get the role is if he gets experience. He decides to tag along with tough street cop John Moss played by James Woods. Despite his unwantedness, Lang follows Moss on the streets as he goes after a psychotic serial killer called The Party Crasher.

This movie mixes the comedy and action triumphently and has a sharp satirical edge to it. As Nick Lang is a tough, smart guy on screen, he is really a wimpy, winy dweeb. This movie is telling us that tough Hollywood icons like Stallone, Schwarzennegger, and Van Damme are only tough guy wannabe's in reality.

I strongly recommend you watch this movie. Action/comedies with a message are rare.

3,000 Miles to Graceland is nothing the trailer made it out to be. The trailer made it look like a fun action/comedy where Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner are having a good time. Instead the movie is a mean spirited, intense, violent action/thriller. None of the characters are likeable especially Costner as one of the sleaziest villains ever put on screen. The whole movie is basically a boring road trip where the characters are trying to nab money from the robbed casino. The only time when the movie picks up is during the shoot-outs. Sadly there are only two of them, one at the beginning and one at the end. If you watch this expecting a fun action movie you will be dissapointed. If you want a tough, violent thriller, this will be your cup of tea.