Tag: Comedy

“Hail, Caesar!” (2016) starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, & Channing Tatum

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This movie follows a day in the life of Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), a Hollywood “fixer” in the ’50s; he cleans up messes made by actors under contract at Capitol Pictures. When the movie studio’s biggest star, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) disappears, Mannix has to deal w/ more than just the fix. This movie was written/directed by Joel and Ethan Coen; the brothers had been brainstorming the story for a decade, BUT never wrote anything. After Clooney (known for his practical jokes) announced Hail, Caesar! as his next project at a press conference, the Coens (who received a LOT of publicity), decided to make the film for real! There was real studio exec (E.J. Mannix) who worked as a producer/fixer at MGM. One of his contributions to motion picture history is a ledger w/ the budget and income of every film made at MGM from 1924-1962.

[Eddie has gathered several clergymen to get their opinions on how the issue of God should be handled in the Hail Caesar! movie]

Protestant Minister: God loves everyone!

Catholic Priest: God is love!

Eastern Orthodox Priest: God is who he is.

Rabbi: This is special? Who isn’t who he is?

Catholic Priest: But, how should God be rendered in a motion picture?

Rabbi: God isn’t in the motion picture!

Hail, Caesar! (the movie w/in this movie) paid several tributes to Ben-Hur (1959); one scene shows Baird (playing a Roman general; based on actor Victor Mature) becoming speechless at the sight of Jesus. DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) is loosely based on swimmer turned actress, Esther Williams, who starred in musicals for MGM w/ elaborate sets, synchronized swimming, and high diving. To prep for playing Hobie Doyle (based on Will Rogers), Alden Ehrenreich learned horseback riding, rope tricks, gun twirling, and guitar- wow! The actor felt twirling the spaghetti (to mimic a lasso) was the hardest part; Hobie does that on his date w/ Carlotta Valdez (Veronica Osario- a Venezuelan-American actress). As Hitchcock fans will notice, Carlotta Valdez is also the name of a historical character mentioned in Vertigo (1958). Carlotta is based on Brazilian singer/dancer/Bdwy actress, Carmen Miranda (AKA “The Brazilian Bombshell” or “The Chiquita Banana”). Twin sisters/celeb columnists, Thora and Thessaly Thacker (Tilda Swinton), may be based on Ann Landers and her twin sister, Abigail Van Buren (AKA Dear Abby).

Hobie Doyle [repeating the line]: Would that it were so simple?

I’d recommend this to fans of classic films (like me), though it’s NOT a cohesive movie as a whole, it has several FAB scenes! As a fan of the Coens’ work commented: “They travel from universe to universe remaining true to themselves.” The scene btwn Ehrenreich (the standout among the large ensemble cast) and Ralph Fiennes (who plays British director Laurence Laurentz) is hilarious! The tap dance w/ Channing Tatum is a LOT of fun; he looks light on his feet and graceful. I’m sure many viewers will be surprised! Clooney is NOT afraid to portray the pathetic side of some Hollywood stars. If you are looking for LOL moments, those are few; there is plenty to smile (or chuckle) at.

[1] Quirky and lingering, that’s the Coen brothers way […]

…if you’re obsessed with cinema (I know I am), intrigued by the ins and outs of Hollywoodland lingo, and want to revel in the Coen brothers strutting their movie within a movie pedigree, then Hail, Caesar! will cure your wintry blues. All I gotta say is “hail” yes!

[2] It was as if the Coen Brothers simply said “let’s do a film for ourselves…who cares whether or not the public enjoys it or not!”. I appreciated it myself…but I am also not the average film-goer. As for the average viewer, the film makes allusions to many events in the history of Hollywood… but if you aren’t aware of these events or rumors, you’ll not understand or appreciate much of the film.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022) starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Pete Davidson, & Lee Pace

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When a group of rich 20-somethings plan a hurricane party at a remote family mansion, a party game turns deadly in this fresh and funny look at backstabbing, fake friends, and one party gone very, very wrong. -Synopsis

This movie had a viral moment after Amandla Stenberg (who plays the lead- Sophie) messaged NYT film critic, Lena Wilson, after Wilson called the film a “95-minute advertisement for cleavage.” In a direct message (DM), the 25 y.o. actress wrote: “Ur review was great, maybe if you had gotten your eyes off my tits you could’ve watched the movie.” The title/game played are based on Body Body (or Murder In The Dark) where players run around in a dark room while the murderer “kills” players by tapping them, hoping to get away w/ “killing” the entire group. This is Dutch director Halina Reijn’s 1st film to be made in the US; she allowed the (young/Gen Z) cast to choose songs and improvise some of the dialogue. The screenwriters are Sarah DeLappe and Kristen Roupenian (who worked on the viral op ed turned movie- Cat Person). As this movie takes place mostly in the dark, w/ the only source of light being cellphones, a headlamp, and glow tubes, the cast was instructed on how to light scenes/themselves from the cinematographer, Jasper Wolf.

As one critic commented: this movie (distributed by A24) shows how “Gen Z’s social life has been greatly affected by the use of social media.” Another issue here is toxic masculinity, as the director noted. This cast is mostly little-known, though some may be familiar w/ 30 y.o. Pete Davidson (who plays Dave, Sophie’s BFF); he’s known for SNL and relationships w/ famous women. The other man here is played by the handsome/tall (6’5″) Lee Pace (now 45); he’s the slacker/Tinder hook-up of Alice (Rachel Sennott). As I noted before, Sennott appeared recently in two indie comedies- Shiva Baby and Bottoms. For sabering-the-champagne-bottle near the start of the movie, Pace practiced at home using Thranduil’s sword from The Hobbit (2012)- LOL!

The movie opens w/ a close-up of two young women kissing and sharing their emotions; it soon shifts to them in a car texting on their phones. Such is modern life! Sophie and her gf, Bee (Maria Balalova- a Bulgarian actress seen in Borat 2) go to a hurricane party at a mansion. These diverse partiers are ALL from wealthy families, perhaps aside from Bee (w/ an Eastern European accent) and Greg (who they assume to be a war vet). There is little character development; most of these ppl are NOT likeable. As they drink, take drugs, and- worst of all- treat each others cruelly, your patience might wear thin. The dialogue is often banal and unfunny, as many critics/viewers have commented. I realize that this is NOT geared to ppl my age; however, it’s an undercooked waste of time!

[1] A modern horror of sorts, no scares and mild action. Mostly focused on trying to study the breakdown of people in the wake of suspicion. As I was looking for some good scares, I left feeling disappointed. I should have kept my old ass at home.

[2] Part of me wants to rate this well for how good it is at touching on a lot of what Gen Z is today. A lot of me wants to give this a thumbs down for how completely unlikable the characters are, how overplayed the point is, and how predictable and dumb the whole movie ends up being.

I give it points for it’s grounded approach. It advertises itself as a slasher, but it really ends up mostly being a deconstruction of these characters. Nothing over the top or typically slasher. Unfortunately, everyone here is a cliche.

[3] Bodies isn’t scary and there’s only so much tension and excitement to be gleaned from the premise. The acting was fine, but it was also hampered by the characters being so self-absorbed and hard to like. While the twist is kind-of new, it didn’t mean much and I was still left disappointed that I sunk an hour and a half into this.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Two Films of Emma Seligman: “Shiva Baby” (2020) & “Bottoms” (2023)

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Shiva Baby (2020)

Debbie: I thought you were done experimenting.
Danielle: You think everyone that’s bi is experimenting. You don’t know anything. You have zero gaydar.
Debbie: Excuse me, kid! I lived through New York in the 80s! My gaydar is strong as a bull!

What are the “kids” doing these days, do y’all sometimes wonder? Well, some of them are subverting audience expectations and creating fresh/genre-defying work. This movie (which I saw on Max earlier in the pandemic) was adapted from writer/director Emma Seligman’s short film, Shiva Baby (2018), also starring her former NYU classmate/close friend Rachel Sennott (who was raised Catholic). “Shiva” is Hebrew and means “seven;” the film’s run time is 77 mins. Except for some producers, all essential crew here are women. Unfortunately for Sennott, she had a supporting role in the (hot mess) Max series The Idol. Then she swung back w/ the teen comedy Bottoms (streaming on Amazon Prime).

Danielle (Sennott) is a petite/curly-haired 23 y.o. student who also works as a “sugar baby”; this is unknown to her friends/family. In the 1st scene, she’s getting dressed in the (modern/spacious) NYC apt. of a cute/30-something man. Danielle needs to get her payment from this man (her client), BUT he grabs her for a hug and starts asking about her life. She is in a BIT of a rush, as she has a social obligation in her neighborhood (on Long Island)- a shiva for a deceased/older woman. In a podcast interview, Seligman (a bisexual/Jewish woman) commented that several classmates/friends had worked IRL as sugar babies in college; she tried it briefly herself.

Max: [to Danielle] You’re studying business?
Joel: [laughs] No, not business.
Debbie: No, no, she’s studying gender.
Danielle: The business of gender. It’s like gender business.
Joel: She does this fantastic program where you kind of design your own major. It’s a little complex when it comes to finding employment, but she’s doing terrifically.

Danielle’s mom, Debbie, is played by Polly Draper (who some mature viewers may recognize from thirtysomething); her dad is played by character actor Fred Melamed. Danielle’s ex-gf, Maya (Molly Gordon), soon arrives at this event; Maya is in law school (so held in high regard by their elders). When Max (Danny Defarrari), Kim (Diana Agron from Glee), and their baby arrive, many gather around them to admire the cute baby. Maya comments on Kim’s looks (blonde/conventionally attractive); she is also known as a successful businesswoman. From across the room, Danielle is shocked- Max is her “sugar daddy” (who we saw in the opener)! The tension (and humor) comes from the social situations which Danielle must navigate; ppl are curious re: her education, future career, and love life. The acting in the movie is quite good, incl. from the bit players.

[1] With its claustrophobic atmosphere, creepy soundtrack and uncomfortably relatable cringe, the picture basically feels like a panic attack on screen. In many ways, it actually tells its tales using tropes of the horror genre. 

[2] We need Emma Seligman to direct a thriller/horror movie…like tomorrow.

[3] She faithfully delivers just the sort of fun ethnic romp which, only a few short years ago, would have been the exclusive territory of a “name” writer or director.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Bottoms (2023)

Principal Meyers: [over intercom] Could the ugly, untalented gays please report to the principal’s office?

Two unpopular/queer HS seniors, RJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri: seen in The Bear on Hulu), start a “fight club” to spend time w/ the “hot girls” they have crushes on before graduation. RJ and Josie have been friends for many yrs, though they have different personalities. Their friend Hazel (Ruby Cruz) is the 3rd wheel; she’s actually excited to learn self-defense/have a “safe space.” Some of you will recognize Kaia Gerber (looks V similar to her former supermodel mom- Cindy Crawford); she plays a cheerleader named Brittany (RJ’s crush). Havana Rose Liu plays Isabel (the most popular cheerleader); she’s Josie’s crush/gf to the star quarterback, Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine). A real NFL player, Marshawn Lynch, plays Mr. G (a history teacher); he does a good job for a non-actor. Lynch wanted to take on this role; he has a queer sister IRL.

Isabel [to Josie]: I really value when people use violence for me, it’s actually one of my love languages.

Do you like (or like making fun of) teen movies? If so, then check out this wacky comedy/satire! You’ll have to keep an open mind here; it’s quite different from Shiva Baby. Edebiri (whose parents are immigrants from Jamaica and Nigeria) is also close friends/former classmates w/ Sennott and Seligman. While attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, they ALL discovered their preference for the comedy genre. They started to create their own work, rather than focusing on “classics” (which was common at Tisch). Edebiri (now 27 y.o.) has gotten many awards these past 2 yrs for The Bear. I’d file this under movies that I can appreciate, though it wasn’t specifically tailored to me. High school is a tough time for most ppl I’ve met; perhaps it’s natural to make fun of it!

[1] Every single person here seems to be having the time of their lives. It reminded me a bit of the energy in Barbie, only this one is — in the best possible sense — a lot more unhinged.

Its influences are many, as I said (one of its more “early 2000s” elements is the Avril Lavigne needle drop, which is up there with the Bonnie Tyler sequence as one of the most glorious and hilarious moments in the movie), but this is a film that does something truly special with its homages and love letters.

[2] It’s over-the-top satire, sure, I get that, and I even get what this movie tries to poke fun at, but I just found myself being unable to enjoy or even connect with this particular style of annoying teenage humour. I don’t know if this is a generational thing or a cultural thing… it could be both. All I know is that it just wasn’t for me.

[3] The film is done in quite a bizarre way. It’s set in the present but everyone dresses like the ’70s and there are no smart phones. Also, there are almost no adults in the film, and the few that there are are absolute monsters. If there’s a school assembly the students are just running it, for example. You get used to it after a while but I can’t remember another film like it in that sense.

The film is at its best when it is just trying to be wacky and funny. There’s a period in the middle where some conflict arises and the film gets bogged down briefly.

[4] This movie is an acquired taste. At first, I thought it was just silly. Then I thought it was extremely silly. Eventually I laughed my butt off. There is no scene that they don’t take over the top. Whether they are mocking teen movies or parodying David Fincher or using Marshawn Lynch to comment on feminism, the entire cast completely goes for it.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Holdovers” (2023) starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, & Dominic Sessa

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from The Holdovers (now available for streaming).

Discomfort and Joy. -Tagline for the movie

At Barton Academy in a small town of New England, nobody likes the history teacher, Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti). The staff and students find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With nowhere to go over Christmas break of 1970, Paul remains to supervise a few boys unable to travel home. After a few days, only one student remains- Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa)- a V smart senior w/ a bad attitude. Joining these men is the school’s head cook, Mary Lamb (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), a Black woman whose son was recently killed in the Vietnam War. These three lonely people form an unlikely/family-like bond for 2 snowy wks.

Paul Hunham [remembering her son]: He was a great kid. I had him one semester. Very insightful.

Mary Lamb: Mm-hmm. He hated you. He said you were a real asshole.

Paul Hunham: Well, uh, like I said… sharp kid, insightful.

A star is born! And how lucky are we to discover his talent from this early stage? Sessa (then 17 y.o.) was encouraged by his theater teacher at Deerfield Academy (a private HS) to audition for this indie (directed by Alexander Payne). A team was scouting locations at several high schools; the casting agent also met w/ boys for possible roles. Sessa assumed that it wasn’t a big movie; after all, they were considering his school. As Giamatti noted, Sessa has the kind of face out of the ’70s; he is also tall, V slim, w/ naturally curly hair. The respected/veteran character actor (lead in Sideways, directed by Payne) commented that the newbie actor “reminded me of my own son.”

He was a pretty grounded, level-headed person. And I also think his generation is comfortable around cameras, which is a big sort of leg up they have. I felt an affection for him that mimicked the movie in a way. I came to really like him even more, and more, and more, as we went on. -Paul Giamatti (actor) when asked about working w/ his young/newcomer co-star Dominic Sessa

It’s a bit weird in some ways. Maybe it gets easier as you keep coming back. For me, I have no expectations about it. There’s something a little wrong with you if this feels normal! -Dominic Sessa (actor, age 21) when asked re: his opinion of award shows on the EE BAFTA red carpet

Authenticity is the word that 1st comes to mind here (the snow is real); the film looks and sounds like it was made in the ’70s. Issues of class, race, privilege, loneliness/disconnection, and grief are explored, though NOT in a heavy-handed manner. As we’d expect from an actor at Giamatti’s level, the acting is seamless (as he becomes the character). Giamatti said he attended an all-boys school IRL, though didn’t live in the dorms (as his family lived in town). Both he and Randolph (who has won many supporting actress awards this season) are graduates of Yale. Sessa (nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the EE BAFTAs) said that his co-stars were V helpful, as they’d had formal acting education and a LOT of experience.

Randolph (who loves to research her roles) modeled Mary’s look on her aunts and grandmother. She studied the Boston accent historically accurate for a woman of Mary’s generation/background. Mary is the character who grounds the story; she has the lived experience of someone outside the privileged bubble of these (mostly white) students and teachers. We learn that her son joined the military hoping that it’d help pay for college, BUT he didn’t even make it past age 20! One of the holdovers is rude/disrespectful to Mary, BUT Angus and Paul don’t let him get away w/ it. Though she is plagued by grief, she still has to do her job of feeding the school community. Notice that her son is the only one killed in this current war, as otherwise “Barton men don’t go to Vietnam” (Paul and Angus discuss after they leave the local diner).

Paul Hunham: I guess I thought I could make a difference. I mean, I used to think I could prepare them for the world even a little. Provide standards and grounding like Dr. Greene always drilled into us. But, uh, the world doesn’t make sense anymore. I mean, it’s on fire. The rich don’t give a shit. Poor kids are cannon fodder. Integrity is a punch line. Trust is just a name on a bank.

Paul Giamatti is our real-life Brad Pitt. We can’t all be Brad Pitt, and I mean that in the most positive way. Paul is a man of a certain age that men can relate to. That’s why I think Paul is our real-life Brad Pitt- [he’s] a champion of reality. What is real? An everyday man. -Da’Vine Joy Randolph (actress) in Variety magazine

I have to admit that this film made me cry (yup, even more than Past Lives and American Fiction). It’s a unique blend of drama and comedy w/ well-developed characters. The themes in this movie are universal, though we get a slice of life story. At the center of the story is empathy, as Payne and the lead actors all noted. I esp. enjoyed the 2 scenes where Paul and Angus convince others they’re family– father-son (at the hospital) and uncle-nephew (in Boston upon running into a Barton alumnus). The revelation re: Angus’ father was a BIT of a shock; when they meet, Sessa is transformed into a vulnerable boy desperate for approval!

“American Fiction” (2023) starring Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, & Sterling K. Brown

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the movie American Fiction (now playing in theaters).

Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write his own outlandish “Black” book–that propels him into the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. -Synopsis (MGM/Orion Pictures)

I heard about this indie via TIFF coverage (on pods and YT); it’s based on a novel titled Erasure by Percival Everett. I was V interested to see it after learning that the screenwriter/director grew up in Tucson, AZ (as I did). Cord Jefferson (42 y.o.) worked as a journo for about 8 yrs. before getting into TV; he wrote for Master of None, The Good Place, and Watchmen. This movie (made for less than $10M) was in limited release in DEC 2023; I saw it in mid-JAN 2024 (at AFI) w/ a large/diverse audience. Unlike most (mainstream) films, the main cast is in middle-age (40 and up)- how refreshing! American Fiction is BOTH a comedy and a drama; the literary/publishing story is played for laughs, while the domestic/family story MAY make you cry. This is a must-see film for ppl who want something emotional, funny, and thoughtful!

Agnes Ellison: Geniuses are loners because they can’t connect with the rest of us.

I walked on the set and I felt like we all belonged. When you work with fabulous people, it raises the bar, because you have to meet it. -Leslie Uggams, actress (CBS Sunday Morning, 2/4/24)

Monk (Wright- who was born/raised in DC) isn’t always a likeable protagonist; he’s a BIT of a snobby prof who is distant from his family and frustrated w/ his level of success. Monk has the kind of wit that could push others away; he also has a reliance on alcohol. His younger sister, Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross), is a Boston-based OBGYN (like their father); she looks after their 80 y.o. widowed mom, Agnes (Leslie Uggams). As a teen, Uggams appeared on a variety show; she had a prominent role in the original Roots miniseries. It’s quite a shock when Lisa (suddenly) dies of a heart attack in the 1st act! Monk’s younger brother, Clifford (Sterling K. Brown), is a Tucson-based plastic surgeon who is embracing his (new) life as a gay man. Brown is often seen shirtless (or w/ shirt unbuttoned) to show off his FAB abs! Cliff calls Monk out on his attitude/behaviors, as perhaps ONLY a sibling can do.

Coraline: [to Monk] Not being able to relate to people isn’t a badge of honor.

I was just thinking about kissing him [Wright] everyday. He’d be at the craft services table and I’d mosey up and say: “our scene is coming up,” and he’d go [rolls eyes] “oh boy.” I was like “oh get ready, dude.” -Erika Alexander, actress (CBS Sunday Morning, 2/4/24)

This film reveals that life (incl. the potential for romance) doesn’t end at age 40! At the beach house, Monk connects w/ a neighbor/defense lawyer, Coraline (Erika Alexander); viewers my age may know her from the hit comedy series Living Single (which starred Queen Latifah). Coraline is a V smart/confident woman; she asks Monk on a date first! The Ellison family’s long-time cook, Lorraine (Myra Lucretia Clark), is considered part if the family. Lorraine gets a sweet love story w/ a local cop, Maynard (Raymond Anthony Thomas).

Why aren’t Black professors depicted in books and films as frequently as Black drug addicts, or Black rappers, or Black slaves? Why is it that white people with the power to greenlight films, books, and TV shows have such a limited view of what Black lives should look like? -Cord Jefferson, writer/director

Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) is a young literary star; she writes (urban) books that Monk disdains. His literary agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), sends out Monk’s (joke) book to a big publishing house that rejected his (serious) book. Monk decides to take the $500K deal for his book after learning how expensive senior/assisted-living housing can be. Agnes is in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease; she will need constant care and attention.