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A screen legend passed away last Friday. He starred in too many movies to list, many of which are classics. I didn’t hear about the sad news until a few moments ago but yesterday I watched one of his movies, The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) where he supported Tim Robbins under the writer director brother duo of Ethan and Joel Coen. It might be overlooked and it might not be one of his better performances but it’s a cracker of a movie, sure sure.

Next time you’re at the video store and don’t know what to select, grab the Proxy and enjoy a quirky fun movie, sure sure.

RIP

What a delightful little gem. Home for the Holidays (1995) is one of those movies that I come across by flicking through the channels and a single scene grabs my attention. I never would given this movie a chance had I not seen it by accident. It’s a shame because movies like these are the reason I’m a filmaholic.

Directed by Jodie Foster, it tells the tale of a divorced 40 year old played by Holly Hunter and her dysfunctional family as they gather for Thanksgiving. Robert Downey Jr. plays a rather chirpy in your face brother who’s very confrontational and a delight to watch. The rest of the cast is absolutely perfect. They portray a family with all their little quirks just as if someone planted spy cameras in the living room of a real family. They argue they fight, kiss and tell old tales, storm off and cry, hug and share moments, they entertain you more than you will expect.

I’m actually really surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. The actors are simply amazing giving their characters real life with little nuances and gestures rarely seen by even the so called A list actors. The timing of the comedy is unexpected and had me laughing out loud more than once. An all round quality watch.

Without spoiling the ending for you I’d like to say that it will leave a sweet taste in your mouth. It’s such a nice way to close off our little look into this family. It succeeds at giving us a Hollywood ending without actually being too perfect and unrealistic.

Lars and the Real Girl (2007) is a totally predictable movie. It does not offer us anything new. It does not break record budgets nor does it tout many fine outstanding actors with egos bigger than their budgets. All it does is take you on a simple journey with a simple story of a troubled young man. This, it does better than most movies you will see all year.

Ryan Gosling plays Lars, a shy young man who from the outset has social interaction problems and quietly but spectacularly spirals into a delusional state when he introduces his brother and sister-in-law to his new girlfriend, a blow up doll called Bianca. The story is set in a smallish town whose citizens all know each other and are very accepting of Bianca. She befriends the town folk, secures a part-time job, volunteers at the local hospital and even goes to church. Predictably Bianca comes between Lars and his real life love interest. The title with its double meaning makes sense right about here. The plot is simple, the journey unforgettable.

I don’t want to spoil the movie any more than I have so I’ll leave it at that. It’s such a delightful watch and I urge you to take some time out from your life and join Lars and Bianca for an hour and fourty minutes.

Cloverfield (2008) presents a simple story via a video tape found in what used to be Central Park in Ney York post an alien attack. Right from the opening scene you expect to see some torn down wasteland occupied by an army with a no tolerance attitude. Or maybe that was just me? What you do see for the rest of the movie though is the very same video tape as it’s being watched by someone we don’t know and never will meet.

The movie is shot with a handheld style giving us extremely weird angles and often falling, spinning, climbing and jumping with our characters. This might get annoying to some, especially when you realise that the whole movie will be like this, but it does work. It puts you in the scene with our characters and via some timely editing tells us a love story. It is Hollywood after all. I’m just surprised we didn’t see a sex scene somewhere in the middle. I’m sure they tried to fit it in but failed and gave up. I did find it annoying that all the characters and even the filler crowd at the party were perfect twenty somethings. C’mon America. Where are the fat people running away from the aliens with a gallon of Coke in their hands?

I must admit I did enjoy this movie. It might have something to do with my good mood at the time but I won’t take away from the ok acting and somewhat unique format. The use of a video tape found post an alien attack to tell a story and leave your imagination running wild and hoping for more was… fun.

I’ve been watching a lot of new movies recently. Last week I went back in time to 1989 and what has to be a classic fun movie. Forget the average imdb score, this is one time where it really doesn’t reflect the quality of the movie.

Tom Hanks stars in this comedy (he cut his teeth on comedies) about a suburban cul-de-sac where a new family, the Klopeks, have moved in. Strange noises in the middle of the night accompanied by flashes of light and unusually odd behaviour are the norm for the Klopeks whose front yard dies shortly after they move in and no one sees them leaving or entering their home for a month. The quiet cul-de-sac littered with interesting characters who are more than curious is all of a sudden marred by a black sheep. When a neighbour disappears suspicion turns our suburbanites into a comedic lynch mob of sorts. A recipe for hilarity.

The Burbs imdb

I don’t watch that much TV and certainly not a lot of reality shows. This one however grabbed my attention because it has to do with photography. It’s called The Shot and it’s by the producers of America’s Next Top Model so it’s sure to be cheap. Even so, I did have to get my hands on it.

I’ve watched the first 5 episodes so far and I have to say I’ve enjoyed it. Not because it has any great photography or the quality of the drama/relaity. It just shows a somewhat small glimpse into the fashion shoot world and it’s interesting to me as an ameature photographer.

I can’t see them showing more than one season but to be honest it’s their fault if the first season hasn’t caught on. They’ve chosen absolutely shocking photographers. Only one of them stands out as having any chance of making it and she’s a darling as well. I’m speaking of Maria of course. As I write this she might be already eliminated because the show is up to episode 8 and I’m only at 5 but I am rooting for her.

The Shot imdb

I started watching this show a few episodes in to the first season earlier this year. From the first episode I was hooked. After a few more episodes I was really hooked. It has really witty writing and a tight group of characters.

David Duchovny plays Hank, a divorced writer who is self destructive. He has an insatiable apetite for gorgeous women, can’t get his life in order and is hopelessly in love with his ex-wife Karen who is living with her fiance and two kids. One of the kids belongs to David and Karen and the other to Bill the fiance. Hillarity ensues. David sleeping with Bills’ daugther, who is sixteen and hot, before he knew she belonged to Bill. Unashamed sex in every episode with all sorts from all walks. Office hanky panky between Davids’ agent and his employee who later sleeps with his wife but only after a threesome went wrong. Another threesome followed involving Hank, the agent and an exteremely hot young lady which happened to be interrupted by the ex and the agents wife. Sounds like Sex in the City with two differences. It doesn’t have that annoying skank Sarah Jessica Parker and it’s good.

Californication imdb