Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2007)

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer(2007)

http://www.brookstreetpictures.com/jackbrooks/

Dir: Jon Knautz

Perf: Robert Englund, Trevor Matthews, Rachel Skarsten, and David Fox

I loved this movie. I cannot wait to buy it so I can listen to the commentary. After doing a bit of research, I found that Knautz and Matthews started their own production company called Brookstreet Pictures. This is their first feature film, and I can't wait to see the sequel, Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer II(2010), as well as The Shrine(2010), starring Matthews and Aaron Ashmore (also directed by Knautz).

After reading the title, I thought it would be a horror spoof. I expected something between Buffy The Vampire Slayer(1992) and Shawn Of The Dead(2004). Much to my delight, I found it to be right on target, taking itself just seriously enough to make the horror, comedy and action work. Think early John Carpenter meets early Sam Raimi.

The character of Jack Brooks is a plumber, orphaned as a child by a monstrous troll. He has an anger management problem and a tool belt full of plumbing supplies. Monsters beware! Matthews is amazing. His humor and drama were both nicely executed. Not to mention the action. He can really hold his own with a pipe, an axe and some duct tape!

The make up and monster suits were really well done. Far better than I have seen in so many other films with much higher budgets. The gore was pretty top notch. I had to look away a couple times. There was an ample amount of blood/goop when monsters were dispatched. This is also where I will compliment the continuity/script supervisor. After working as a script supervisor, I know the difficulties involved with keeping bloody wardrobe and make-up in check. Not once in the course of this film did I catch a continuity error. This also speaks volumes about the editing. Kudos to Katharine Jane Reid (script supervisor) and Matthew Brulotte (editor).

And to top it all off, the fight choreography was either exceptionally well planned, or completely spontaneous actions of a couple of guys just beating the tar out of each other. I love that the character is not superheroesque. He scraps with evil, and has the bruises to prove it.

Trivia: Robert Englund agreed to the film after seeing the short film Still Life by the Brookstreet Pictures boys.

******SPOILER******

Robert Englund is a major player in the film. I really didn't expect this. Normally, when a tiny independent film scores a major name, it is a cameo role. That cameo is usually exploited in the trailer to increase the attraction of the film. Not in this case! Mr. Englund has a nice chunk of screen time before he turns into a toothy version of Jaba The Hutt's little brother. He plays a very sweet role before the horror begins. I'm so used to his creepy portrayals in films like Urban Legends(1998) where he plays a potential killer in a mystery, or (of course) the Nightmare On Elmstreet Franchise(1984-2004). (Jackie Earle Haley is set to take on the role of Fred Krueger in the 2010 Remake of the 1984 original.)

Home For The Holidays (1995)

Home For The Holidays(1995)

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113321/

Dir: Jodie Foster

Perf: Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr, Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Geraldine Chaplin, Dylan McDermott, Claire Danes, Cynthia Stephenson, Steve Guttenberg, Austin Pendleton, and David Strathairn

I rate this as my favorite Thanksgiving movie. I watch this movie every Thanksgiving, and it always puts me in a good mood. It's a fantastic look at the dysfunction of family, and the insanity that ensues at any holiday gathering.

I must say that I have enjoyed Jodie Foster's acting efforts on a case by case basis. Her younger days as a Disney kid were my favorites; ie.. Bugsy Malone(1976), Freaky Friday(1976), and Candleshoe(1977). Contact(1997) is my favorite of her adult performances. Home For The Holidays is her second directorial effort following Little Man Tate(1991).

This film is a wonderfully diverse, character driven story. Holly Hunter, Cynthia Stephenson and Robert Downey Jr play siblings returning to their childhood home for Thanksgiving. The usual chaos ensues. Differences of opinion, secrets, guests and a garden hose all play a part in the insanity of having a simple dinner.

The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr and Geraldine Chaplin is my favorite pairing in the film. She plays his Aunt Glady, who has an interesting lamp-gifting addiction. This is not surprising as it's not the first time they have worked together. He portrayed her father, Charles, in the film Chaplin(1992) where she played her own grandmother, Hannah.

This is the only Holly Hunter film I really love. I can tolerate her in a few others, but not many. This is in no way connected to her talent. My problem is her accent/voice reminds me so much of my creepy middle school gym teacher that I just cringe when I hear her talk. Oddly I didn't like The Piano(1993), even though she doesn't say a word (but that's a different review).

Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning as a crazy married couple are absolutely delightful. Bancroft reminds me of every woman in my family at one point or another in the movie. Durning is one of my favorites. I find him to be as interesting off screen as he is on screen. (Look him up. He is a WWII veteran with a tremendous life story.) As the patriarch of the film, he makes "the point" that sums up the film.

Every family has "stuff" that they deal with upon gathering. Every family has one person who has an overdeveloped OCD personality. Every family has a couple of Type A personalities that clash. And every family has a guilt-giver.

This film makes you feel like your family might just be a bit more survivable.


Trivia: RDJ openly admitted to using heroin during the making of this film. Jodie Foster wrote him a letter praising his work but warning him that he could not keep doing this on other films.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

A Christmas Carol(2009)

Official Website: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/achristmascarol/

Dir: Robert Zemeckis

Perf: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, Bob Hoskins, Cary Elwes, Callum Blue, Molly Quinn and Paul Blackthorn.

Let me preface this review by saying that I was in no mood to see a Christmas movie before Thanksgiving, but I was worried that it wouldn't still be in theaters in a month. Additionally, the last Zemeckis film I saw and enjoyed was Contact(1997). I saw A Christmas Carol in IMAX 3D, and was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it. I even teared up when Scrooge had his epiphany...

Most everyone knows the story of Charles Dickens' novel, A Christmas Carol, and over 75 films versions exist under the title "A Christmas Carol" and "Scrooge" combined. The 2009 version ranks in my top 5, which also includes Scrooge(1970), Scrooged(1988), A Muppet Christmas Carol(1992), Scrooge(1951). Each of these has it's own vision. Music, comedy, puppets, drama, and in this latest version, animation.

The animation was incredible, aside from the strange variances in character heights. However, the 3D took away from it. I enjoyed the ride each time a ghost would whoosh us away to the next stop with Ebenezer, but it was unnecessary. I found myself feeling like I was channel surfing between two separate films; one that told a story and one that offered a thrill ride. The two competed for my attention.

Much to my delight, this film is much darker than any other version in my top 5. It was much scarier than the PG rating (to quote my sister as we left the theater.) The animation of Ignorance and Want was downright creepy. The ghosts of Marley and Christmas Future (and his hell horses, with their evil red eyes and steamy snorts) made me jump in my seat. The 3D made the hell horses appear to be in my lap, and that's the last place you want to see a hell horse.

The multiple (8) roles for Carrey were so nicely vocally varied that I would not have placed the voices had it not been for their individual visual resemblances to him. Oldman's portrayal of Bob Cratchit was beautifully timid, and his turn as Jacob Marley's ghost is second only to Alec Guinness. Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins were wonderfully drawn into their characters. The voices of Callum Blue(Dead Like Me, Tudors, Smallville) and Molly Quinn(Castle) were immediately recognizable.

All in all, the story was well told, wonderfully animated, and perfectly voiced, with only the minor distraction of 3D to hinder my full attention (but not my enjoyment). It is available in theaters in a standard non-3D version and a 3D version, and an IMAX 3D version. I would recommend the non 3D version if you're taking children to see it, because I'm sure it would detract from the fright factor that was mainly based in the 3D effects. Otherwise hit the IMAX if there's one handy in your area!

Trivia: The 1971 version of A Christmas Carol (which allowed Alastair Sim to reprise the role of Ebenezer Scrooge 20 years after his initial portrayal) won the Academy Award for best animated short in 1973. I believe this is the only version to receive an Academy Award. So far..

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I love movies.
I've always loved them.
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