Movie review - "Murder Mystery 2" (2023) **

 Similar to Ticket to Paradise - some top level stars and bright support cast pumping up some mediocre material. Sometimes it's down right lazy. And this has annoying bits where Adam Sandler is turned into an action star, beating up skilled toughs - too OTT and not needed.

But it has shaggy dog charm, a very funny gag from Jillian Bell

Book review - "Directed by James Burrows" by James Burrows

 Terrific memoir. Son of Abe Burrows, so that's interesting. Did a lot of theatre, including the legendary Breakfast at Tiffany's. Formed a relationship with Mary Tyler Moore that led to a big time sitcom career. Stayed in the three camera space for most of the time.

Very positive and upbeat. Lots of good tips. Insight into hits like Taxi, Cheers, Friends, Will and Grace. Would've liked to have heard more about the flops. On Patrners he points out the cop wasn't macho enough and says Ryan O'Neal would've been perfect as the gay cop - good idea. Ditto Matthew Perry should've played Felix in The Odd Couple. Didn't like Rob Schneider in Men Behaving Badly - said that needed a loveable person to make it watchable like the British version. On Frasier they had to tone down Frasier and make Niles the real Frasier. They sacked Lisa Kudrow from that show.

Great read.

Movie review - "She's the One" (1996) ***

Edward Burns' second film is done with freshness and verve - he still had something to say, even if you can sense he's running out of stuff to say. But his dialogue is a lot sharper here, his characters are meaner.

It focuses on two brothers, Burns and Mike McGlone, one poor and the other rich, which is solid contrast. Burns marries Maxine Bahns impulsively setting off a chain reaction... Bahns isn't the best actor but she has a lovely presence and nice chemistry with Burns.

John Mahoney is excellent as the dad - he always shone in these Gen X films, like this, Reality Bites and Say Anything.

There's a lot of smoking. Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston provide some star power as does Burns. Amanda Peet shines as Aniston's slightly trashy sister (the elder actors who play their parents are good too). Leslie Mann has a funny support role as Bahns' workmate.

The big thing is though that people were meaner. There was more conflict, more secrets. McGlone is cheating on his wife with Burns' ex - that's good drama. So is Bahns not being completely honest with Burns about her desire to go to Paris.

Some of it is tiresome - the plot about everyone wondering if McGlone is gay (because it doesn't pay off in an interesting way). But it's sweet, and tight, and polished.

Robert Redford executive produced.

Book review - "Baby Don't Hurt Me" by Chris Kattan

Saturday Night Live wasn't on network TV in Australia when I was growing up so we were mostly aware of it from movies made with SNL stars. I remember seeing the trailer for Corky Romano with Chris Kattan and knowing nothing about it but that wasn't unusual - we'd had Chris Farley and Mark Myer and Adam Sandler movies foisted on us.

Kattan didn't become a movie star though he had a few chances - Corky and A Night at the Roxbury and Undercover Brother. That's more than a lot of them get. From clips I've seen Kattan was an energetic very physical performer who liked to pull faces - the sort of comic that doesn't age well, physically I mean, though he's no orphan on that score. He became hooked on drugs and blames this on a neck injury - that's not surprising, it happened to Jerry Lewis, though it's clear from the book Kattan had other issues. He was needy, didn't always handle fame well, was chronically insecure about his career.

Kattan talks a lot about the origin of characters like the Roxbury guys and Mr Peepers which is only going to mean anything if you know them. He had a mixed relationship with the show - it gave him fame, his only real fame (he's done some stuff since then but none of it has really broken through). He quit the show, seems to regret it, has doubts, wonders about his place on the show, etc. Lorne Michaels has seen them come and go.

Mind you what could he have done once his films didn't do that well? Probably stayed on the show and tried another film, maybe. But his drug habit would have made that too tricky.

He was a pants man. He dated Zooey Deschenal, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Coolidge, the red haired girl from Clueless. He also had a fling with Amy Heckerling. This is the most interesting part of the book no matter how indiscreet. He also talks about his friendship with Will Ferrell, who formally ended their friendship by taking him aside and ending it.

It's a really fascinating read.

Movie review - "A Murder Mystery" (2019) ***

This starts off terribly - it feels awkward and cheap - but perks up considerably once Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler start doing a scene with Luke Evans, then it's off to the races. The film is strong when the two of them play off a third person. The mystery was satisfying, as were the locations and there's a strong support cast including Gemma Arterton, David Walliams, Terence Stamp, Joseph Kani and Dany Boon.

It's silly, not as good as Manhattan Murder Mystery (which clearly inspired it), but was fun and Aniston and Sandler are an ideal team.

Movie review - "She's Funny That Way" (2015) ** (warning: spoilers)

It's great to see Peter Bogdanovich helming a theatrical feature again and this passed the time pleasantly enough: a fantastic cast, gorgeous photography, and a loving homage to old Hollywood comedies. It feels very much in the vein of Woody Allen (it's set in New York, with an ensemble cast) and Bogdanovich's They All Laughed.

I liked this, but then I'm a film buff and got a lot of the jokes: the references to old movies, Bogdanovich in jokes (a character uses a pseudonym "Derek Thomas" which he would use). He wrote the script with Louise Stratten and it has some good ideas and bright moments but I really wish he would've gotten a proper writer to have a pass at it.

The story seems to lack reality - they're putting on a play and the director is put up at an expensive hotel and has masses of cash lying around; I never believed the young girl being so into old movies; cell phones don't play the role they logically would (the script feels dated in that regard, like it was written in the 90s). The drama and complications don't really build in the way it could/should.

But let's take a walk on the sunny side... Owen Wilson is always engaging, I liked the twist of him falling for escorts and giving them all this money to change their lives; Kathryn Hahn is always fun too; Jennifer Aniston is a stand out as a therapist who hates her patients; Austin Pendleton is a lot of fun as a love struck judge; Rhys Ifans does his Rhys Ifans thing well. The gag at the end was brilliant.

Imogen Poots doesn't impress terribly in her part - she's clearly sporting an accent and never seems to be as captivating as Bogdanovich thinks she is.  Will Forte is undercooked in a role that feels underused. Richard Lewis and Cybill Shepherd feel wasted.

I'm glad Bogdanovich is back in the theatres, its pleasing to see this style of movie... I hope he gts the chance to do another one.

Movie review - "We're the Millers" (2014) ***1/2

A surprise - I didn't know what to expect from this bawdy comedy; it had been a success at the box office but that doesn't mean it was any good. However the result is a genuinely entertaining film. There is a solid central idea (pot dealer persuades misfits to masquerade as his family to enable him to smuggle drugs), a well constructed screenplay with good reversals (they take the wrong van, they're being set up, the dags they meet on the road are drug officers), well-etched characters (pot seller, stripper, street kid, geek) and many laughs (especially the "family making out' scene).

Jason Sudekis is always likeable, as is Jennifer Aniston; Emma Roberts is a bit pretty-and-bland, as always, but Will Poulter is the ace in the hole - instead of casting some bland pretty boy they went with someone really talented and odd looking. Kathryn Hahn and Nick Offerman offer strong support. Oh and it's got a heart too - I liked it a lot.

Movie review – “Horrible Bosses” (2011) **1/2

The idea has been done before, not so much in Strangers on a Train and Throw Momma from a Train, but Nine to Five – only here they don’t want to kill their boss they just kidnap him. The set up to killing is poorly handled – you simply don’t but their situation was bad enough to take such a drastic step, especially for something like sexual harassment. And it’s a bit convenient no one thinks to wear a wire in the first half of the film (i.e. to entrap their bosses) but they do in the second. So the first half was slow. 

 

But once the plan starts up and goes haywire, things improve and the ending is quite satisfactory.

 

Some hilarious stuff, like Jennifer Aniston groping her male assistant. And it's got a cast to die for - how many comedy films can boast a support cast like Colin Farrell, Jaimee Fox, Kevin Spacey, Aniston, Julie Bowen, Ioan Gryffud and Donald Sutherland?

Movie review – “Just Go With It” (2011) ****

A real charmer – sweet, well made, and full of heart – as good Adam Sandler films can be, come to think of it. Like the best of them, there are some attractive locations and women, a real sense of family with a strong ensemble cast, excessive comedy turns which jar but nonetheless are funny. 

 

It helps the basic story is strong, coming from Cactus Flower. This was a hit on Broadway because the predominantly middle aged audience liked to see a story where a middle aged man realised he was happier with someone his own age than some young piece of tail. It’s a great commercial idea, and just as the play cast glamorous Lauren Bacall as the elder girl, here it’s Jennifer Aniston.

 

Aniston and Sandler have wonderful chemistry, and his new love interest is played by the stunning Brooklyn Decker – who comes across as a lovely person. Dan Patrick plays the Rob Schneider role of a broad best friend, there are some young kids who are funny, lots of good jokes and appeal. Maybe four stars is too high but it's been a long time since I enjoyed a romantic comedy this much.

Movie review – “Couples Retreat” (2009) **1/2

Some talented actors, pretty surroundings and intriguing idea results in an okay enough entertainment – there are some bright lines but the filmmakers don’t really dig into the subject. The matter cried out for a bit more seriousness, or at least insight – there is some there, but it’s skin deep. All the lead actors are impressive – I think Kristen Bell is going to be a big star if she gets the right rom-com; the people at the retreat are caricatures (stuffy waiter with a secret, suave Fabio type – there’s also Temura Morrison, who does nothing). 

Probably should have busted up one of the couples. Half way through I started thinking "I wonder if Vince Vaughan and Jennifer Aniston ever went to one of these retreats" - and once I did I couldn't stop thinking that that would have made a better movie.

Movie review – “He’s Just Not That Into You” (2009) ****

Sweet, well made romantic comedy which benefits from being an ensemble piece, thus can be a bit less predictable in its final couplings. This takes on lots of aspects of male-female relationships – what men really mean when they’re talking to women, adultery and compromise within marriage, the role of urban legends in creating female expectations.

A very likable all-star cast – Kevin Connolly could have a real career ahead of him as a character lead, and Justin Long continues to impress with every performance he gives. Ben Affleck is a little irritating but he’s not in it very long; it’s nice to see Jennifer Aniston play a role that suits her age for a change; Bradley Cooper is a bit creepy but that suits his part; Drew Barrymore doesn’t have a very big role – I was wondering why she didn’t play the one taken by Gennifer Godwin, maybe she felt she was too old. 

The film could have explored the “she’s just not into you” dynamic as well – the phenomenon of guys chasing after woman; they touch on it a little with the Connolly-Scarlett Johansson relationship but it’s far more weighted towards the martyrdom of women. But then, the film knows its demographic. Great to see a rom com not set in frigging New York City.

NB Godwin does a tremendous bit of acting – when Long tells her some hard fact of life about men she does this wonderful double take, her eyes bugging out. A good female friend of mine does just the same thing – wonderful.

Movie review – “Rumour Has It” (2006) **

Comedy with some bright moments and a clever idea but it never seems to get going. I think the problems are structural – maybe it should have been a play. Jennifer Aniston worries that her mother might have been the Katherine Ross character in The Graduate, and when you see Shirley MacLaine is cast as the inspiration for Mrs Robinson you think “this is going to be great”. 

It starts brightly, with Aniston finding out the family history at a wedding, with strong support performances from Mark Ruffalo (her fiancée), Mena Survini (her blonde bimbo sister), Kathy Bates (a lush-y Pasadena type) and of course MacLaine. 

It starts to go a bit downhill when Aniston (in pretty good form actually) then tracks down Dustin Hoffman, who is Kevin Costner (who hasn’t aged that well but conversely is ten years too young for the role – it needed Robert Redford or Dustin Hoffman or someone). Once we find out he’s not dad, it becomes a case of their romance, which isn’t terribly involving. 

They don’t really use The Graduate stuff – if they were, it would be about Aniston, Costner and MacLaine – and they would have the Katherine Ross character still alive, and also deal more with Aniston’s father. Instead they concentrate on Aniston wondering why she feels as though she can’t fit in to her family and why she can’t commit to Ruffalo, which is a fine sub text thing or B plot but not enough for a film. So the last 15 minutes of so it’s like “alright, who cares?” Rob Reiner used to be so strong on story but he keeps making errors lately – like for Alex and Emma and this.

Movie review - "The Good Girl" (2004) **

The sort of movie a section of Hollywood has always enjoyed making about poor people - lots of accents, working class boredom and misery, making fun of religion and daggy fashion, sex. Jennifer Aniston is fine but this sort of role is not hard - put away some make up, do an accent and look miserable. Jake Gyllenhaul is allowed to be a bit more unusual, not much, but at least he can be manic. Strong cast - just an unremarkable film.

Movie review - "The Break Up" (2006) ***

This film was propelled to a hit gross mostly I'm guessing on the basis of its "elements': real life Hollywood couple Vince Vaughan and Jen Aniston, a title and topic referring to Jen's recent break up with Brad. It still gets marks for being an unconventional rom com - its more of a dramedy. And they actually break up.

It starts off strongly, with some inter-couple arguments that really struck close to home. Around 30 minutes in, though, you felt the lack of some sort of story apart from the break up - it needed a "coat hanger" plot like the Pigeon sisters in the Odd Couple. But at the end it gets triple points for not selling out.

The alternate ending indicates that test audiences must have wanted some hope that they'd get back together, dumping the new partners - it must have hurt director Peyton Reed though to drop the acapella version of 'Over the Rainbow'. Some familiar faces in the support cast (the guy who plays Vaughan's younger brother is undercast) and loving views of Chicago.