Category: Movies

Off the Charts: Clue the Movie

On By James CastroIn Movies, ReviewsLeave a comment

Off The Charts Header

I didn’t play a lot of board games as a kid.  I played Candy Land, Cooties, Don’t Break the Ice, and Battleship, but we never really got a lot of board games to play.  One I DO remember playing a lot of and enjoying was Clue.  I had no idea about the Agatha Christie story on which it was based or even what the mystery genre was, but the grisly nature of it and the investigative thinking always made it fun.

I don’t recall ever winning…or losing at it to be honest.  I’m not sure if I ever played through an ENTIRE game before my sister and I quit.  But I loved to play it.

I was a young kid when the film adaptation came out so it totally passed me by.  In fact I never saw it until the mid-1990s when it came out on HBO or Showtime, which ever movie channel our cable company offered at the time, and after seeing it ONE time it became absolutely one of my favorite comedies and likely has a place in my top ten favorite films list.

The cast of Clue!

The premise is essentially the game.  A group of strangers are in an old house.  An individual, Mr. Boddy, is murdered and they go through the house looking for clues to see whodunit.  The addition of the brilliant Tim Curry as the butler Wadsworth (adding to the mystery classic “the butler did it” cliché of the genre), the 50s setting, and the blackmail subplot all set the background of the manic plot, which plays out in a It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World kind of frenzy.

The entire casting is superb, my favorites (other than Curry….who is EVERYONE’S favorite) are Michael McKean as Mr Green, Martin Mull as Colonel Mustard, and the irreplaceable Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White.  That’s not to downplay any of the rest of the cast, there wasn’t a single misstep in the casting which also includes Christopher Lloyd as Professor Plum, Lesley Ann Warren as Miss Scarlet, Eileen Brennan as Mrs. Peacock, and Colleen Camp as the first French maid I ever saw on film…

In addition to the great acting and cast, the film offers some of the funniest dialog set pieces and is as quotable as the Godfather and Scarface combined.  From Tim Curry’s patented “NNnnnoo” (which is delivered at its best here), to the finest rapid-fire comedy exchanges this side of Abbot and Costello.

Favorites include:

Mrs. White: We had had a very humiliating public confrontation. He was deranged. He was a lunatic! He didn’t actually seem to like me very much; he had threatened to kill me in public.
Miss Scarlet: Why would he want to kill you in public?
Wadsworth: I think she meant he threatened, in public, to kill her.

The Motorist: Where is it?
Wadsworth: What? The body?
The Motorist: The phone. What body?
Wadsworth: There’s no body. Nobody. There’s-there’s nobody in the study.

Professor Plum: What is your top-secret job, Colonel?
Wadsworth: I can tell you. He’s working on the secret of the next fusion bomb.
Colonel Mustard: How did you know that?
Wadsworth: Can you keep a secret?
Colonel Mustard: Yes.
Wadsworth: So can I…

And what has become my person favorite moment:

Wadsworth: You see? Like the Mounties, we always get our man.
Mr. Green: Mrs. Peacock was a man!?
(Colonel Mustard slaps Mr. Green, who spins from the recoil and is slapped again by Wadsworth)

One of the innovations with this film was multiple endings.  No, not the lame dvd extra fodder that every movie makes now…but actual endings, released with different prints of the film.  There were three endings and depending when and where you saw the film you may see a completely different ending from someone who saw the film elsewhere or at a different showing.  It’s the kind of gimmick that harkens back to the William Castle days of showmanship and shows real deference to the source material.  I never got to see it in theaters, but I can only imagine discussing this movie with friends and arguing over the ending…without realizing we were all (technically) right!

Clue is without a doubt fast-paced fun.  Detractors describe it as overly frantic and silly, but it IS that kind of movie.  It’s also very smart, incredibly well-written, and still one of the funniest films about a series of gruesome murders ever to be made.  To quote Joe Bob, “Four Stars…check it out!”

As an aside, I’m such a fan of this movie that I find dialog and quotes seeping into my daily language almost subconsciously.  This can go remarkably awry.  Once in college I was at lunch with a very attractive girl who was telling me an interminable and flaky story.  She ended said story with the classic “To make a long story short…” to which I reflexively responded “Too late!” thanks to Clue she was not happy…and the date, so to speak, met its end killed by me, in the Dining Room, with a smart-ass comment…

Freeway Review: Red Riding Hood Isn’t for Kids Anymore

On By R. PettyIn MoviesLeave a comment

What do you get when you cross an angry foul-mouthed teenager, a classic children’s tale, and a psychopath? Freeway.

In short, Freeway is a deliciously dark spin on Little Red Riding Hood. Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon) runs away from her dysfunctional home life to get to her grandmother’s house. Along the way, Bob Wolverton (Kiefer Sutherland) picks her up, and little does Vanessa know he is a serial killer. Sounds interesting, right?

I caught this movie on T.V. one day, and I realized after rewatching it this week, it’s my second-favorite movie of all time, following Pulp Fiction. It’s violent, controversial, and funny. So, if you think this is your kind of flick, here are my top five reasons why it’s a must-see and own.

1. Reese Witherspoon: You may know the star from films such as Legally Blonde and sequel, Walk the Line, and Sweet Home Alabama, but I guarantee you’ve never truly seen her talent until you see Freeway. She is ruthless. She will eff you up and never feel a shred of remorse. And that’s what makes her character so memorable.

2. Kiefer Sutherland: He is a great co-star and perfect complement to Witherspoon. He defines creepy. I still shiver at any close-up shots, and his character makes you uncomfortable. He is a perfect big bad wolf.

3. The stereotypes: This movie insults a lot of people. It takes stereotypes and amps them up to an ear shattering volume. You’ll see drug-addict parents, good/bad cops, rebellious teenagers, thugs, trophy wives, psychological professionals, inmates, and it slaps the court system in the face.

4. It’s controversial: This movie premiered in 1996, when several of these topics were making headlines, and some still do. This movie was not afraid to go there. Beware of offensive language, prostitution, murder, racist remarks/slang, child molestation, interracial relationships, and drug use. If you are easily offended, this movie is not for you.

5. Originality: I give five gold stars for a good premise. At a time when Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and Jack and the Beanstalk have been CGId and “made dark”, Freeway is a refreshing reminder that Hollywood can make a good movie from a classic story without computer enhancements and popular stars (who were in other movies that made a profit). Major kudos to writer and director Matthew Bright.

These reasons mixed with a number of notable actors/actresses including the late Brittany Murphy, Brooke Shields, Bokeem Woodbine, Dan Hedaya, and Amanda Plummer, create a star-studded thriller you won’t forget.

Here’s a scene from the movie that contains spoilers and language. If you’ve seen the movie, I’d love to know what you think!

The 90s: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the Movie

On By James CastroIn Movies, Opinions, Random Fun, ReviewsLeave a comment

I don’t know when and where I first heard of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but I do know I joined the majority of my generation in becoming obsessed with all things mean, lean, and green for the better part of four years.  I’ve always loved turtles, I wanted to keep a giant water turtle that I found outside my house when I was about 8 and my sister and I used to make paper bowl turtle toys (turn the bowl over, make it paper feet and head, color it!) at my grandmother’s house, so when a cartoon about anthropomorphic turtles came out it must have felt like a perfect fit.

The Ninja Turtles movie was the first film I remember being truly excited about.  There had been The Land before Time when I was even younger, Ghostbusters II, and Batman the year before, but Ninja Turtles ramped up to be the event of my youth.  I remember TONS of pre-release promotional material I collected, including the awesome poster (Lean, Mean, and on the Screen!) that hung on my green-painted wall for years.  And yes it was painted green because of my TMNT love…

Despite all of this I don’t remember having any expectations for the film.  I didn’t expect it to be a continuation of the cartoon, or the re-telling of the show in live-action format.  I may have been too young for such concepts.  I was expecting to see live-action Ninja Turtles and that’s just what I got.

For me, this movie was the perfect introduction to the 1990s.  Though it was made in the late 80s and based on an 80s cartoon, the film is far more 90s than 80s.  The costumes, from April’s street gear and Danny’s slacker outfit, looks like 90s clothes, even Shredder’s MC Hammer red jump suit (complete with giant, square shoulders) looks more like early 90s than late 80s.  The musical score, with a killer synth theme, didn’t have the distinctive “Final Countdown” sound that marred synth in the 80s.  In fact this is the first movie I can recall that heavily featured rap music, not just as a soundtrack item (though there was an awesome credit scroll rap track that still gets stuck in my head…) but in the background as what was on the radio that we, the kids seeing the movie, were listening to.

This song plays right after “Cowabunga!” at the end of the film.  It still plays periodically in my mental soundtrack…

I recently rewatched the film and, objectively, I can say it was a fantastic herald for the decade and is still a terrific movie.  While some might consider the background dated, to me it speaks so clearly of the time it was made and it never detracts from its effectiveness.  Yeah the foot soldiers steal 10-inch tube TVs and VCRs but in 1990 something like that would have been a kind of luxury item.  As well as something a ninja could conceivably flee on foot carrying.

Even the turtles themselves, essentially man-sized muppet outfits, are surprisingly emotional.  You believe their animatronic faces.  This is aided by the voice acting, which, in most cases (Raph’s Brooklyn accent being the outlier) came close to matching what we were used to hearing on the cartoon show.  Even Splinter’s voice became the model used for later TMNT features…though never close to as well…

The action sequences are remarkable, which is surprising as the stunt guys are wearing massive foam-rubber suits and I attribute THIS movie to sparking my interest in martial arts, which extends to this day (not the cartoon, which I’ve also seen recently and it has very little fighting I’ve realized!)

The non-turtle actors led by Judith Hoag, the best live-action April, and Elias Koteas, the quintessential Casey Jones, never seem out of place or make the very weird subject matter seem as odd as it is.  They play it believable so you believe them.  They are enhanced by a score of excellent secondary characters, Danny, Charles Pennington (April’s Boss), Tatsu (one of my favorites, “Ninja! Vanish!”), and an incredible live action Shredder.

It doesn’t just “hold up” as a good movie, it actually is a good movie.  It never has a dated cringe-worthy moment that references some long-lost, time-stamped, disposable concept.  In many ways the humor and references are more like Looney Tunes, in that they have a timeless feel or harken back to already-established icons, such as the old-school surfing terms, Three Stooges, Rocky, or the famous James Cagney “you dirty rat” misquote.

I wonder if newer generations of kind can appreciate this film for what it is. Or if music-video-style film making, flashing light imagery, and over-shiny CGI has altered the fundamental image of what an action movie should be.  To me, this is the Raiders of the Lost Ark of cartoon pop culture, a great marriage of subject, style, and execution.  And, to me, a memorable way to open the decade.

Interesting to note, this is the official trailer from the film, I actually remember seeing scenes from it, but the voices were not the same as the finished film.  Nearly every “masked” character has a different voice in the theatrical release!

A Blast from the Past: Clueless

On By R. PettyIn Movies, ReviewsLeave a comment

It’s time to let my secret out: I love teen movies. I know what you’re thinking. I have seen that reaction first-hand when I admit it’s my second-favorite genre. People are shocked, but many teen movies are funny, entertaining, and pretty true to the time period.

That chick from the Aerosmith videos. The girl with the awesome (or crazy) hats. And the adorably helpless girl in flannel with red hair.

If you grew up in the 90s, you know Clueless – and you know it is a great teen movie. Some of it is unrealistic unless you live in Beverly Hills, but it’s well written and a good flick.

Was I Clueless?

me in seventh grade in jeans and a flannel shirt

I was 13 when Clueless came out, and I think I saw it on the big screen. I was so jealous of Cher’s (Alicia Silverstone) wardrobe. That movie made me want to go out and buy new clothes. It still has that effect on me!

I rewatched it a few weeks ago and the 90s came flooding back. Sagging, beepers, weave, flannel, and The Cranberries. Ah… 90s music. In 7th grade, I thought Travis the skater guy was cute. I didn’t get all the jokes either, which was probably a good thing. That’s when I started dying my hair, too.

My Grown-up Perspective

If you want someone to see what the 90s were like, Clueless is a movie to show them. The 90s weren’t all about depression, grunge, and crowd surfing. We had our own mix of styles, enjoyed various kinds of music, and I doubt you’ll find a larger group of people who love cartoons and teen shows more than us. We love them so much, Nickelodeon brought them back in 2011 with the 90s Are All That.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is Cher discussing high school boys and why we should not date them. “They roll out of bed, throw on some clothes and a backwards cap, and we’re supposed to swoon?” Amen, sister. I remember watching that in middle school and thinking, “Why do I like the boys at my school?”

Unlike a lot of teen movies, guys dig Clueless – whether they want to admit it or not. The cast is full of cute girls, the guys are genuine, and it’s funny. It is very funny.

Bigger Issues

Clueless touched on a number of subjects that affect teens even today. Worthless classes, teachers (good and bad), relationships and unrequited love, homosexuality, popularity, and cliques. The rich-kid attitude aside, this movie was a great representation of teens and how they interact with each other.

I also appreciate that the cliques in this movie mesh well. That is not something you see very often, and it’s a shame that no matter where you are, there are little groups of uninviting close-knit people. It’s a good thing to mix it up now and then.

Today, we all know the cute (Tai) late Brittany Murphy, the charming (Josh) Paul Rudd, the gorgeous (Dionne) Stacey Dash, and the cool (Travis) Breckin Meyer. These kids and several more, paired with a fun-loving group of adults, created one of the funniest and best teen movies you’ll ever see. Check out the reunion video below!

Best Christmas Movie: Scrooged

On By R. PettyIn Movies, Reviews1 Comment

Scrooged came out in 1988 when I was six years old. Ten years later it was on in the background at someone’s house. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I sat down to watch this hilarious version of a Christmas classic.

The movie stars the lovable Bill Murray (as Frank Cross) who is mean, selfish, and witty, which entertains those of us with a darker sense of humor. (I hold a special place in my heart for Murray because he is my favorite Ghostbuster). The plot is a spin-off of the all-time favorite A Christmas Carol, and the ghosts are a perfect fit for our Scrooge. I cannot help but watch this movie year round because it’s more than a Christmas classic; it’s just a good movie.

Here are my top reasons why this is my favorite Christmas movie:

1. Bill Murray – He’s a genius. Biting, cold, and yet childlike, you see the sparkle deep down inside that cynical heart. The Scrooge part seems very natural for him, and I never felt that he was that bad of a guy. His snide remarks to everyone around him are some of the best parts of this movie.

2. The little things – Pay attention while watching this movie. You’ll see a definition of ‘cross’ in the background, and Frank leaves his humanitarian trophy in the cab. You would have to watch this movie a dozen times to see all the small things that add to the movie.

3. The dialogue and script – The script was well-written, and all the actors did a great job and improvised where they saw fit. The story took a timeless classic and made it modern and funny with a twisted 80s-style spin. Some of my favorites are lines are, “Now, I have to kill all of you,” “Oh my gosh, does that suck,” “Come!” and “I care!,” and “Ah Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

4. The ghosts – The ghost of Christmas past (David Johansen) is as demented as Cross. He gets inside Cross’ head and makes him regret his past. The ghost of Christmas present (Carol Kane) is my favorite though. She beats the crap out of Cross and shows that even fairies have a dark side. Sometimes the truth is painful, and she teaches us all that lesson. The ghost of Christmas future has a small part, and the special effects are pretty cool.

5. Eliot Loudermilk – The disgruntled employee who comes back to get Cross. Eliot (Bobcat Goldthwait) is the equivalent of Bob Cratchit with more of a helpless drunkenness about him. I like his character because he’s innocent and insane at the same time.

The end is not your typical heart-felt ending either. It’s light, funny, and everything wraps up well. And as much as you love mean Frank Cross, you’re still okay with him turning into a good guy. He still has that wit and edge to him, and the final song is a lot of fun.

With that, I encourage you to give a little more this season and ask you to remember those who need a little miracle right now. Put a little love in your heart!

What I Learned from Independence Day

On By R. PettyIn MoviesLeave a comment

Inspiration hit again this weekend as I came across a movie I cannot resist watching: Independence Day. I have seen this movie dozens of times, and it gets better, and worse in some cases, every time.

I realized during this viewing that Independence Day was my first alien invasion film. It was my first “aliens are not our our friends and will kick our ass” Sci-Fi movie.

A lot of people may scoff because I had not yet seen classics like Alien, War of the Worlds, or Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but I loved slasher films and Pulp Fiction more than anything at that age. Independence Day actually inspired me to watch the other alien movies.

I remember seeing Independence Day and being mesmerized by the shots, the White House being destroyed, and it was during this movie I came to love Will Smith.

So, for a fun Sunday read, here’s what I learned and loved about Independence Day.

1. Special effects could look real. This movie sucked me in from the first strike to the final escape from the mothership. After the first assault, there was something so disturbing and admittedly cool the Statue of Liberty laying face down in the ocean. The effects were not over-the-top or goofy; they were almost too believable. I guess that’s what earned Independence Day an Oscar in 1997 for Best Effects, Visual Effects.

The Statue of Liberty lies face down in the ocean after the alien attack.
Photo courtesy of Pop Culture Ninja

2. Will Smith was awesome. I watched Fresh Prince with everyone else, but it wasn’t until this movie that I appreciated his smart/bad ass side. He punched an alien after taking it down and talked trash to it. You don’t get much cooler than that.

3. Bill Pullman is not a very good actor. No offense, I love him in this movie and While You Were Sleeping, but he forces emotion. The script was well written, but Pullman did not bring me to tears or make me pull for human survival. I love watching him, but I am convinced it’s his eyes and smile.

4. The world needs heroes. In this movie, there were regular people doing amazing things for survival. Who could forget Russell (Randy Quaid) telling his kids he loved them as he helped save the planet? Or Jasmine (Vivica Fox) trying to get her crew, including the First Lady, to safety? In an alien invasion, there are no super heroes, only real people.

5. Jeff Goldblum made being a computer geek cool. I wanted to block cell calls, decode weird signals, and help save the world. The Smith-Goldblum team was movie magic as they raced off to to the mothership.

6. Not all aliens are like E.T. These aliens were intelligent, huge, well defended, and not playing around. They were not cute, would use your body to take the planet, and they did not care. This movie showed with enough fire power, a city could be destroyed in a matter of minutes.

So, what do you think? Where does Independence Day rank on your list of Sci-Fi alien movies? It may not be a Sci-Fi/horror movie, but it’s a good action flick that makes you realize we’re not as tough as we think.