Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[Babette]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I haven't seen Borat - and i really don't want to - but I would be surprised if I didn't have the same reaction (or lack thereof) as ISM, theater or no theater.

Ditto - I have absolutely no desire to see it. Da Ali G Show drove me crazy, it was stupid, not funny. The fact that everyone believes the guy is really that naive, stupid! I have to turn the radio station when KROQ has their Armenian Comedian or Doto. Same type of characters. Just STUPID!

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Ferris Beuller and The Breakfast Club struck a teenager genetic chord that I apprently lack.

If forced to pick one I'd go with Ferris Beuller but it wouldn't be a happy choice. Actually if I had to pick one of the trio of movies that were taken as proof that god loves us and bestows gifts upon us during my junior high/high school years and yet I despided (because Satan loves me) I'd pick Heathers as the most watchable..

"Greetings and salutations." That is my favorite 80s movie. I am a full blooded teen angst Hughes fan (Bueller, Breakfast Club, 16 Candles, Some Kind of Wonderful, etc.) but Heathers was the ultimate. I quote Heathers and Bueller quite often. "Bulimia is so 87" "F*ck me gently with a chainsaw, do I look like Mother Teresa!"

[Not Afraid]

I think I'd see Heathers again. I don't seem to mind that Tom Cruise with the sex on a train film (which I seem to lump in with those other ones).

[Alex]

I didn't see Risky Business (Tom Cruise, sex, train) for the first time until a few months ago. It was ok. Not what I expected. I was nine so it was a little bit early for me.

[Babette]

Only nine? Am I older than you? We used to rent Risky Business, and a VCR (before they were a household appliance) every weekend at our sleepovers. NM had never seen it so we rented a few months ago (DVD on our own player). Some classic quotes and still entertaining, but not quite the same as I remembered from when I was 13.

"I have a trig midterm tomorrow and I'm being chased by Guido the killer pimp!"

[Alex]

If you were older than 9 in 1983 then yes, you are older than me. (Just checked its release date and I was still 8 when it come out, but only for a month or so).

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by mousepod

You are correct. It would have made such a better ending.

I keep adding "sir" and hearing Ed McMahon...

I must be tired... it's too early to be tired.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Prudence

I saw Hot Fuzz. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, I don't think, but still pretty entertaining. I'd see it again. It unfolded perhaps a bit too slowly, but it was pretty damn silly - in a good way. I get so tired of American-style comedies. And Timothy Dalton looked like he was having a good time.

My love affair with the trio (Pegg, Frost and the director, Wright) began with their TV show, Spaced, which is television at its best. Waited with bated breath for Shaun of the Dead, which was a PERFECT Rom Com Zombie movie. Comedy/horror gold. Was so excited to hear about Hot Fuzz when it went into production. And I liked it. A lot. But I can't say I loved it. Could have been 15-20 minutes shorter. There were parts where I was actually bored. Overall, not disappointed, and I hope they keep making movies together 4-eva!

Dalton WAS a joy and he did seem to be having a blast. Great role for him. But the mystery was predictable and until Pegg's character began to relax and the friendship between the two developed, something felt amiss. I think a lot of their on-screen magic is a result of their longstanding and easy friendship, which translates very well to the screen.

Wright's direction, which was pitch perfect in Shuan, felt a bit overdone in Hot Fuzz. His fast cuts, which were balanced out by a couple of brilliantly done pan shots in Shaun, were a bit too much here. Almost never let up.

Golly, I almost feel like I'm betraying them by not loving the film more. Heh. But I DID like it. Laughed out loud pretty continuously and was not disappointed by the myriad pop-culture references. Delighted with the He-Man nod (twice!), etc. Love these guys, even if I wasn't as wowed as I expected to be.

[innerSpaceman]

Not being familiar with the films being parodied in Hot Fuzz, I doubt I will be able to fully appreciate it.


Oh, I'm sure I would find it amusing, but could you really enjoy Young Frankenstein knowing nothing of old skool Universal horror films, or High Anxiety absent a familiarty with Hitchcock??

[Prudence]

I have next to no familiarity with the films referenced in Hot Fuzz, but I still enjoyed it.

(And Young Frankenstein (the musical) is making its stage debut in Seattle. Yeehaw.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Not being familiar with the films being parodied in Hot Fuzz, I doubt I will be able to fully appreciate it.


Oh, I'm sure I would find it amusing, but could you really enjoy Young Frankenstein knowing nothing of old skool Universal horror films, or High Anxiety absent a familiarty with Hitchcock??

As Pru mentioned, no need to have knowledge of anything other than the basic cliches of the genre to enjoy the movie. Don't know if you saw Sean of the Dead, but that's definitely something they got right in both films. Plenty of very funny and very well placed nods/references/homages to the classics, none of which were integral to the story, character or humor. Just added bonuses for knowledgeable fans.*

And for the record, I had the same misgivings through most of the movie as EH. Definitely leaned heavily on the snap edits, and the twist was obvious to me (though it's more noteworthy when a movie's twist isn't obvious as I seem to naturally pick up on those things). But the non stop comedy and payoff in the end made up for it and left me feeling very satisfied. I'll still rate SotD higher, but considering that Sean of the Dead was a near perfect film in my eyes, that's hardly a knock on Hot Fuzz.

* For the record, when I first saw both Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety, I was barely aware of their respective genres. Having never seen one of the classic horror films and having maybe seen Psycho once, I knew nothing more about them than what one sees in the likes of Bugs Bunny spoofs and the clips they showed for lifetime achievement awards. And yet I thoroughly enjoyed both.