Tuesday, August 17, 2010

JEFF'S MOVIE HALL OF FAME: CASE: 004 - HEAT (1995)



Written & Directed By: Michael Mann
Cinematography By: Dante Spinotti
Editor: Pasquale Buba, William Goldenberg, Dov Hoenig & Tom Rolff

CAST: Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Jon Voight, Tom Noonan, Kevin Gage, Ted Levine, Wes Studi, Mykelti Williamson, Ricky Harris, Tone Loc, Henry Rollins, William Fichtner, Amy Brenneman, Danny Trejo, Dennis Haysbert, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Mel Gorham, Diane Venora, Natalie Portman, Jeremy Piven, Xander Berkley, Hank Azaria, Bud Cort, Hazelle Goodman


Saturday, August 14, 2010

AMERICAN PIE (1999)


Directed By: Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz
Written By: Adam Herz
Cinematography By: Richard Crudo
Editor: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly

CAST: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nichols, Eugene Levy, Eddie Kaye Thomas, John Cho, Tara Reid, Natasha Lyonne, Shannon Elizabeth, Mena Suvari, Chris Klein, Christina Milian, Alyson Hannigan, James Debello, Lawrence Pressman, Clyde Kusatsu, Eden Riegel, Casey Affleck,Tara Subkoff, Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge, Travis Barker, Jennifer Coolidge


AMERICAN WEDDING (2003)


Directed By: Jessie Dylan
Written By: Adam Herz
Cinematography By: Lloyd Ahern
Editor: Stuart Pappe

CAST: Eugene Levy, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, January Jones, Nikki Ziering, Fred Willard, Lawrence Pressman, Jennifer Coolidge

PRETTY PERSUASION (2005)


Directed By: Marcos Siega
Written By: Skander Halim
Cinematography By: Ramsey Nickell
Editor: Nicholas Erasmus

Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, James Woods, Jane Krakowski, Ron Livingston, Selma Blair, Stark Sands, Jamie King, Danny Comden, Ari Schnall


SIMON SAYS (2006)

Written & Directed By: William Dear
Cinematography By: Bryan Greenberg
Editor: Chris Conlee

CAST: Crispin Glover, Margo Harshman, Blake Lively, Robyn Lively, Erica Hubbard, Bruce Glover, Kelly Vitz


THE COOLER (2003)


Cast: William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin, Paul Sorovino, Shawn Hatosy, Estella Warren, Ron Livingston, Joey Fatone, M.C. Gainey, Ellen Greene

Directed By: Wayne Kramer
Written By: Wayne Kramer & Frank Hannah
Cinematography By: James Whitaker
Editor: Arthur Coburn


THE WAR (1994)

Directed By: Jan Avnet
Written By: Kathy McWorter
Cinematography: Geoffrey Simpson
Editor: Debra Neil Fisher

CAST: Elijah Wood, Lexi Randall, Kevin Costner, Mare Winningham, Christine Baranski, Lucas black, Nick Searcy 

KICKING & SCREAMING (2005)

CAST: Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Mike Ditka, Rachael Harris, Kate Walsh, Musetta Vander, Dave Herman, Laura Kightlinger, Tom Virtue, Martin Starr, Jarrad Paul

Directed By: Jesse Dylan
Written By: Steve Rudnick & Leo Benvenuti
Cinematography By: Lloyd Ahern II
Editor: Stuart H. Pappe & Peter Teschner


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This is what you get when you have a film starring will Ferrell but it is a restrained will ferrell he doesn’t have as many chances for improv with this film no doubt restrained since this is more of a film centered for families plus the cast is mostly kids. Do he is forced to play it more as scripted. The results are not horrible but exactly what you would expect in a family film. But if you notice up until now he still hasn’t made another family centric film since.

On the plus side it's not as horrible as youwould expect it's entertaining even amusing at times. Some other people are funny but it is mainly a project for Ferrell to take center stage. This is one of the comedies you would thinkhe would have taken more when he was on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE not so much when he made the leap to features. But this did help cement him a guaranteed hit and open up his fan base to a younger demographic that could actually get to see his films without there parents. Since most of the movies he had made at this point were Rated R.

The film is about Ferrell as a kind not very athletic businessman who’s father is a manly man who is a soccer coach who benches his grandson. so Ferell decides to coach his own soccer team with his son and other misfits as team members. At first he is a nightmare until he gets mike ditka to coach due to a rivalry with his father and soon the success and power goes to his head.

The main theme of the film is, Learning understanding and the importance of a relationship between a father and son. Which is unusual in of itself as most Will Ferrell films don't actually have a main theme. they are jsut surreal and off the wall.

Not the best of Will Ferrell’s films in fact this is one of his first sports themed films. It’s like watching a caged animal watching his work here. He is still entertaining and putting on a good show, but it’s like he is being held back from the top of his talent and what he is capable of. But at least you understand why it must be like this.

This is a nice film to watch with the whole family, a noteworthy rental

GRADE: C+

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

DAY NIGHT DAY NIGHT (2006)


Written & Directed By: Julia Loktev
Cinematography By: Benoit Debie
Editor: Michael Taylor & Julia Loktev

Cast: Luisa Williams

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE


CAST: Heather Matarazzo, Brendan Sexton III, Eric Maubis, Matthew Faber, Ken Leung, Stacey Moseley, Christina Vidal

Written & Directed By: Todd Solondz
Cinematography By: Randy Drummond
Editor: Alan Oxman


VALKYRIE (2008)


Directed By: Bryan Singer
Written By: Christopher McQuarrie & Nathan Alexander
Cinematography By: Newton Thomas Siegel
Editor: John Ottman

CAST: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Terrence Stamp, Ian McNiece, Bill Nighy, Eddie Izzard, Bernard Hill, Carice Van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann, Tom Wilkinson


A HOLE IN MY HEART


Cast: Thorsten Flinck, Bjorn Almroth, Saana Brading, Goran Marjanovi

Written & Directed By: Lukas Moodysson
Cinematography By: Malin Fornander & Jesper Kurlandsky & Karl Strandlind & Lukas Moodysson
Editor: Michal Leszczylowski