Friday, June 06, 2008
Play time, boys and girls.
An all-movie version, I think. As always, your answers in the comments if you please.
1) Favourite parody/spoof/satire film and why.
2) Favourite heist/caper film and why.
3) And just to change things up, name the last horror movie you watched.
Me first.
1) Hmmmmm. I’m gonna have to go with a two-part answer to this one. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz from the brilliantly skewed mind of Simon Pegg. The first is a spoof of zombie films and is just delightfully crazy. The second is Pegg’s screamingly funny take on buddy cop films. They’re both laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes, that’s all this girl needs. Come on, tell me this isn’t hilarious.
2) The original Ocean’s Eleven with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Sammy Davis Jr., Angie Dickinson, Joey Bishop, etc., etc., etc. With a cast like that, how could you possibly go wrong? And while I did enjoy the remake, ‘cause I do love a Georgie Cloone, it’s got nothing on the original.
And Shirley MacLaine in an uncredited cameo ... now that’s class, baby.
3) Frank Darabont’s retelling of Stephen King’s The Mist which is one my favourite King novellas. Surprisingly enough, it was a pretty damn good movie — considering the fact that I usually have serious issues with movie adaptations of books that I’ve enjoyed (imho, it’s just very nearly impossible to do in 2 ½ hours or less). It also doesn’t hurt that it was Darabont at the wheel; I think he’s the only director who’s ever done King’s words justice on screen. Don’t believe me? Watch The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile ... then we’ll talk.
While the effects leave something to be desired, the rising tension as the townspeople are trapped in the supermarket gives such a sense of overwhelming claustrophobic fear that I actually started to get squirmy watching it. Have I mentioned I have issues with being trapped? That’s how I took my flying leap down the stairs ... I hate elevators. But I digress.
As the movie progresses, the little society that the survivors have formed begins to break down into dangerous factions — those who look for escape and those, led by Marcia Gay Harden’s character (who totally steals the film), who look for answers from God. Needless to say, things go downhill in a fucking hurry. And that’s all you get kids, best go rent it.
Now your turn.
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11 comments:
Damn:
1. Ditto. Mostly because I'm a twisted bastard with a weird sense of humour. :-D
2. I don't really do heist/caper flicks, but Oceans Eleven was good. Either that or It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. There's definitely something to be said for comedy films that you can actually watch with younger kids and not have to worry about the language.
3. I LOVED The Mist. The ending ripped my guts out, but it was excellent. And you have to watch it through to get the whole effect, cheaters. :-D
1. One more for Hot Fuzz. Great satire is borne of love, never contempt. It was perfect. Another one that comes to mind, though, is Moulin Rouge. How anyone could make a straight-faced musical after that -- much less give it some academy awards -- is beyond my comprehension. Go Baz!
2. What, I've got to answer Lock, Stock for every quiz? Come on!
3. Recount. Watched it last night. Fucking chilling. The worst part is that there's a fucking sequel, and no, it doesn't get any better.
1) network is a satirical masterpiece. even more relevant today.
2) topkapi. i just love peter ustinov to death. no one could play against type better.
3) perfect creature. some stolen techniques and a convoluted plot, but still effectively interesting.
KEvron
1. Snatch - Gogs eats squeeky ball.
2. Reservior Dogs - The final gun scene should leave one guy standing but is fun trying to figure out.
3. The Hitcher
1) spinal tap because it is true.
2) the pink panther (no not the steve martin dreck) who could resist the debonair david niven as the sophisticated thief and peter sellers as the, um, brilliant inspector clouseau?
3) bowling for columbine because it is true.
1. Without A Clue - Sherlock the drunk is just the front man for the brains of the outfit, Dr. Watson
2. Tossup between The Sting and The Usual Suspects
3. Halloween H2O (ducks) - seen in the theatre, I don't really remember the movie, I went because my date liked this kind of movie. She's not the chick flick type at all.
1) I do lurrrv Shaun of the Dead and Network, already mentioned. How about Catch-22? But, I have to go along with PSA. Spinal Tap is teh winnah! For the same reason. After 30 years or thereabouts in and around the music biz, it's all too, too true. And after 30 years or thereabouts in and around the music biz, 'Teh Truth' is still stranger still than Spinal Tap.
If Network is acceptable in this category, is Dr. Strangelove? I would hate to see a movie thread go by without mention of Kubrick.
2) So many to choose from... Ocean's Eleven, Resevoir Dogs already mentioned. Casino? The Sting?
I'll throw a couple of dark horses out there. Smaller films from the 70's that I've always had a fondness for.
Kelly Heroes. A comedy WWII heist caper with a brilliant cast. And, The Taking of Pellham.. 1,2, 3.. (the original 1974 version). Both mostly because of the brilliant, and writimg that keep you riveted on the screen.
Pellham was also the inspiration for Tarantino's use of colour coded names in Reservoir Dogs. It's the movie with the original Mr. Blue, Mr. Green etc..
3) Honestly, I can not recall the last the horror pic I watched.
(do I get extra points for being so drunk I can hardly type this?)
urmm... re: 2) Both brilliant casting.
"If Network is acceptable in this category, is Dr. Strangelove?"
the post called for "parody/spoof/satire" network is a satire. strangelove is a spoof of failsafe, so both meet the criteria.
KEvron
1) "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" kick ass, and I love them to death. However, I adore the silliness of "Top Secret!" and "Airplane!", maybe a little more.
"It's okay, I know a little German. He's right over there."
"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."
Bonus points to "Airplane!" for having so many serious actors make fun of themselves.
2) Sticking with silliness, I'm going to go with "Hudson Hawk" (followed by "Payback", for a James Coburn double bill). "Hudson Hawk" is maligned for being over-the-top, but it should be counted as a strength, because it's the freaking point. I also like (and don't hit me) "Gone in 60 Seconds" with Cage, because the last half hour is a goddamn car chase. And a good one, too.
3) Convinced the wife to watch "Pet Sematary" the other night (she HATED it). Another pretty good King adaptation, chiefly 'cause he wrote the screenplay.
1. Definitely need to mention Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove and of course the classic satire Chaplin's The Great Dictator. And then there is Altman's M*A*S*H!
2. I love Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief -- it's so romantic and easy on the eyes. I guess I should add Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for the same reason :-)
3. Can't remember seeing any decent horror flicks lately but the last one that had an impact was Cabin Fever. "Pancake" -- nuff said.
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