Tag Archives: Michelle Pfeiffer
Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil (2019) & The Addams Family (2019) Reviews
Happy Halloween Horror Month 2019! I realized I've reviewed no "scary" kids' movies this October. Well, The Addams Family fits in with Halloween. I suppose I'll squeeze in my review of Maleficent as well since she IS Disney's best villain. She'd also make for a kickass Halloween costume…
Directed by Joachim Rønning
Based on Characters from: Disney's Sleeping Beauty & La Belle au bois dormant by Charles Perrault
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sam Riley, Ed Skrein, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Michelle Pfeiffer, Warwick Davis
Production company: Walt Disney Pictures & Roth Films
Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play.
I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting. I did actually quite like the first Maleficent (review HERE). However, I'm becoming more and more annoyed at all the pointless live action Disney films being made. It's come to the point this year where I've decided to stop going to see the remakes as I don't want to support them. I didn't watch Aladdin or The Lion King. After Beauty And The Beast, I'd had enough. Leave the classics alone! But I don't really mind when they do things like Maleficent. Is it yet another Disney cashgrab? Of course it is. But at least it's a new story. It's not taking an existing beloved Disney classic and making the EXACT same movie again but with real-life annoying actors like Emma Watson and none of the beauty or magic of the animated films.
Having said that, I have to admit that (along with Beauty And The Beast) Sleeping Beauty is probably my favorite Disney movie. I think it's sadly extremely underrated due to Aurora herself being a dreadful bore. But its visuals are absolutely gorgeous, the music is fantastic, Maleficent is the coolest villain, and I adore those fairies. So you'd think that I'd not want it touched but, as the Maleficent movies have such a vastly different take on the story, I don't see them as part of the same universe. Whereas I may not be able to watch the animated Beauty And The Beast again without picturing Emma Watson.
I think Angelina Jolie is great as Maleficent and her look is amazing. She's probably a little too sexy in this, though. It's a kids' film! I think bored dads won't complain when she's suddenly wearing far less clothing than usual at one point (lots of leg on display). Damn. I wish I looked like that. I'd even take the wings & horns if I could look that sexy. I'm suddenly wondering if there's creepy Fifty Shades-style Maleficent fan fiction out there (probably).
Plus we also get the gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer in this one, which I loved as I'm a fan. I'm now thinking I can finally talk my daughter into watching Ladyhawke with me as she's seen Pfeiffer in a few other things recently (love that movie!). Anyway, Jolie & Pfeiffer are a lot of fun to watch together in this and both have that true "Hollywood star" screen presence. They make this movie better than it otherwise might have been with different actresses.
The story itself is fine. Is it predictable? Yes, but no more so than any Disney movie. That's what you expect from a family Disney movie so there's nothing wrong with that. Elle Fanning is good as Aurora and the relationship her character has with Maleficent continues to work surprisingly well. The three fairies continue to be annoying as hell but at least I was prepared to hate them this time around. As I love the animated fairies so much, I absolutely hated what they'd done with them in the first film. They're obnoxious. That's my only big complaint, though. And, again, it doesn't ruin the animated film for me as I don't see them as the same characters as they're so different.
I also liked the addition of some very cutesy creatures but know that not everyone will go for weird, cutesy CGI creatures. Hey, it's Disney – I'm fine with some cutesy stuff to balance out the stirrings of S&M Maleficent fantasies Jolie and her sexy new dark fairies have probably awakened in some viewers. Some viewers. Definitely not me. Nope. (Maybe). We also got Warwick Davis in this with a fairly decent amount of screen time compared to other roles of his. Yay! Love him. Prince Philip is a bit bland but, who cares? These movies focus more on the strong female characters plus it makes up for Aurora being the bland one in the animated film. The three female leads are truly what make this film, though. It's otherwise just your usual Disney movie but the three main characters, especially Maleficent, are better than what we've had in any of the straightforward live-action copies.
Directed by Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan
Based on Characters by Charles Addams
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, Allison Janney
An animated version of Charles Addams' series of cartoons about a peculiar, ghoulish family.
I went on about Maleficent for ages so I'll keep this shorter as I don't have a lot to say about this one anyway. This movie was fine. It was a very "cutesy" version of The Addams Family, which felt a bit odd as it still had the dark humor. I can't quite figure out what ages they were targeting here. I think they made it too young this time around. The dark humor won't work on the really young kids and the younger animated style won't work on the slightly older kids, especially if they're fans of the early 90's films. And it especially won't work for teenagers, unlike the 90's movies which I believe had (and still has) teenage fans.
I was too young for the 60's TV show (despite watching reruns of many old shows as a kid – I just never watched The Addams Family). Then I was slightly too old for the movies (late teens). So I missed out on the hype but I know that kids (now adults) of the right sort of ages in the early Nineties still adore those movies. I've watched them again recently with my daughter and she likes them a lot. I think they've aged really well and would easily gain a new generation of fans if they see them. I have a new appreciation for them as I can see the appeal for quite a wide range of ages, from probably age 8 or so up to adults. They were proper "family" movies. Morticia and Gomez are great adult characters (Anjelica Huston was perfection) and what teenager, Goth or not, doesn't love Wednesday Addams? She's loads of evil fun. She's certainly my daughter's favorite.
Luckily, this animated version does an okay job with Morticia and Wednesday. They're still the best characters and I liked the teenage rebellion going on (loved the pink unicorn hairclip). Uncle Fester was fun and Cousin It was adorable (but making him a "Pimp Daddy", although briefly kind of funny, will date the film). I just… I… I don't know. I got some giggles out of this one. I love dark humor and like Wednesday always trying to kill her brother and thought her "noose hair" was cool. But does noose hair work in a very kiddie version of The Addams Family??
I just found the tone of this so confusing that it was difficult to fully enjoy it. There were very young kids at this one and the movie didn't hold their attention at all, probably because they won't have understood the humor. My daughter did like it but I think it'll help that she's in the very small age range who might like this one (I'd say between 8 & 11). It's just a shame as The Addams Family is such a great creation and I don't think this movie has done these kooky characters justice. I don't think it has harmed the franchise, however. I just think they should've focused on making this version more enjoyable for all ages as there are now fans who are my daughter's age, who are my age (almost) from the 1990s, as well as people who will have been fans since seeing the TV show when they were kids in the 1960s. I think they've really missed a trick this time as this version won't attract a new generation of fans in the way the 90's films managed to do so successfully.
Tagged 2019, 6/10, 7/10, Allison Janney, Angelina Jolie, Bette Midler, Charles Addams, Charles Perrault, Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chloë Grace Moretz, Conrad Vernon, Disney, Ed Skrein, Elle Fanning, Film, Finn Wolfhard, Greg Tiernan, Horror, Imelda Staunton, Joachim Rønning, Juno Temple, La Belle au bois dormant, Lesley Manville, Maleficent, Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, Michelle Pfeiffer, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Nick Kroll, October Horror Month, Oscar Isaac, Review, Reviews, Roth Films, Sam Riley, Sleeping Beauty, Snoop Dogg, The Addams Family, Walt Disney Pictures
Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018) Review
Directed by Peyton Reed
Based on Ant-Man by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby & Wasp by Stan Lee, Ernie Hart, Jack Kirby
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip "T.I." Harris, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Douglas
In Ant-Man and the Wasp, the titular pair work with Hank Pym to retrieve Janet van Dyne from the quantum realm.
I'm going to make this quick as well as my review for Incredibles 2, which I'll post tomorrow. Because…. I really enjoyed both of them yet have very little to say about them. With stuff like this one, I struggle to think of new things to say about yet another Marvel superhero sequel. Let's be honest – they all follow the exact same formula. However, I enjoyed this one much more than I was expecting to and even more than the first one. I've now updated My MCU Movie Ranking list & this is right in the middle. And the end credits scene in this was one of the best yet.
I do love Paul Rudd, so that helps. And Chris Hemsworth, of course. I want an Ant-Man/Thor movie! I did like the first Ant-Man but thought this one improved on that quite a bit. Evangeline Lilly getting to kick some ass was a big help – I really liked these two together as a team. And then we also got the addition of GODDESS Michelle Pfeiffer, which also made me happy. Love her. And I also really enjoyed the "villain" in this one (Hannah John-Kamen) being one of those in that gray area (Is she really bad? I think we'd all go bad in her situation). As always, I know nothing of these comics so it probably helps my enjoyment as I don't nitpick. I do believe her character was changed a lot but I liked this film version.
Like Deadpool 2, this sequel also ups the humor a bit. Ant-Man's thieving friends have bigger roles in this, which was fun (but won't be for anyone who finds those guys annoying). And, as I mentioned earlier, I thought the end credits scene was really strong – There was actually an audible gasp in the cinema at that scene. I quite often enjoy the origin stories the most when it comes to these superhero movies but prefer the characters themselves in the sequels as they become more developed. In this case, I think the sequel is a pretty big improvement in terms of making us like these characters more. And did I mention Michelle Pfeiffer?!? Michelle Pfeiffer rules. I think I actually enjoyed this one more than Deadpool 2. Crazy, huh? I may be alone in that opinion…
Tagged 7/10, Abby Ryder Fortson, Ant-Man, Ant-Man And The Wasp, Bobby Cannavale, David Dastmalchian, Ernie Hart, Evangeline Lilly, Film, Hannah John-Kamen, Jack Kirby, Judy Greer, Larry Lieber, Laurence Fishburne, Marvel, Michael Douglas, Michael Peña, Michelle Pfeiffer, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Paul Rudd, Peyton Reed, Randall Park, Review, Reviews, Stan Lee, Superhero, Tip "T.I." Harris, Walton Goggins, Wasp
Mother! (2017) Review
Directed & Written by Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer
The plot follows a young woman whose tranquil life with her husband at their country home is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious couple.
Okay, I wasn't going to go to this since I can't say I've ever exactly loved a Darren Aronofsky movie. But I do like some f*^ked up shit and this looked like it was probably some f*^ked up shit, so… I went after a crappy day at work to "unwind". So relaxing. 😉 Mainly, I'm annoyed that I paid full price. This is why I only go on cheap day or to a non-chain cheap cinema! One ticket & small nachos? Just under £15. Seriously?! F*^k off! Anyway – I didn't hate this but should've waited for Netflix.
I'm curious where I'd rank this against all the Aronofsky films I've seen. Okay – I'm gonna do it! "Favorite" to least favorite (although I love none of them):
Well, I guess Mother! is pretty low (and I must admit I remember zero of Pi now other than the ending). I know Aronofsky likes his allegories & his symbolism and all that stuff that people either love or call pretentious bullshit. I think the most annoying thing about Mother! is that it's just far too blatant this time.
I honestly don't know what to write about this one. I think it may shock some people but, hey – it's an Aronofsky film. He still doesn't come anywhere near David Cronenberg when it comes to f*^ked up shit (I love Cronenberg's older films). I do kind of love it when people who aren't full-on movie geeks (like us weirdo bloggers) do zero research into what a movie is about & end up going to something like THIS knowing nothing other than that they like the stars in it or the look of the poster or whatever. I'd love to see their reactions to this one! Mother! is the kind of film you'd recommend to a mainstream movie lover who you hate just to piss them off and make them think you may be a complete psycho for recommending it, therefore hopefully resulting in them never talking to you again. Hmm. I like that description. That should be on the movie's poster.
For me, I actually didn't hate Mother! I thought the first half of the movie was pretty good. I liked its atmosphere & the way the floorboards creaked and how this lovely old house felt alive (as it's meant to feel). It was like a rather straightforward haunted house thriller to begin with. But, of course, it's an Aronofsky film so it's nothing of the sort. Lawrence's slow descent into madness was done well and I do think she's a very good actress despite the fact that people seem to be growing to dislike her in real life. You really can't fault her performance here, although Portman did it better in Black Swan (but Portman also had a much better script to work with). Her hair was awesome, too. Although I assume it was a wig? It was super long. I want pretty braids like that. As for Javier Bardem, Ed Harris & Michelle Pfeiffer? A bit weak, to be honest. Well, Pfeiffer was okay (was glad she was in this – I'm a fan). Again, though, I think that's more the fault of the material they had to work with.
My biggest problem with the film was the f*^ked up shit I was so looking forward to and which took ages to finally happen. The f*^ked up shit is what I was waiting for! It's like the movie Society – I kind of love it but it's an AWFUL film. It's just that last half hour or so that I love. Now that's some f*^ked up shit! In Mother!, however, I ended up more bored than shocked at the end. And, let's face it – we all know it's an allegory so it's not like these things are actually happening to these characters. Well, it's actually happening in real life to what Lawrence's character represents. But… Yeah. I dunno. Maybe Aronofsky thinks he might save the planet with the movie's message but I think we're doomed anyway so maybe we are all better off watching fun, mainstream blockbusters with no "hidden" message?!
I'd like this movie more if the crazy ass shit at the end hadn't gone on and on and on and on. And on. And on. And on. And on. It wasn't the content itself that bothered me, it was that it felt like that final act would never end. I got out of the movie & wondered if I'd been sat there for three hours and was annoyed I hadn't checked the length beforehand (it's only 121 minutes). I'm also still annoyed that I paid full price for this movie and that the cheese that came with the nachos was disgusting.
Oh! I forgot to add that, as far as pretentious shit goes, at least this movie was better than The Neon Demon. I hated that with a passion. Mother! was just… Meh. Which isn't what I expected. Also, Clint Mansell didn't do the score for this Aronofsky film. What a shame – it may have helped. His Requiem For A Dream score is a damn masterpiece. Let's have a listen…
Tagged 6/10, Darren Aronofsky, Ed Harris, Film, Horror, Javier Bardem, Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mother!, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Review, Reviews
Red Dawn (2012), People Like Us & We're The Millers Movie Reviews
Here's another trio of super short reviews of movies that I watched two years ago & barely remember now! What's the point, you ask? Well, it's annoying me that they're still sitting HERE on my list of Movies Watched In 2014 without reviews attached to them. So, let's get this over with. One paragraph each! Don't expect any in-depth analysis. Not that you ever get that from this blog anyway… 😉
Red Dawn (2012)
Directed by Dan Bradley
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, Connor Cruise, Brad Garrett, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
A group of teenagers look to save their town from an invasion of North Korean soldiers.
Wow. It's bad enough that so many pointless remakes keep getting made but it's especially frustrating when they're complete & utter shit like this Red Dawn remake. Don't worry – I'm not going to be all "They shouldn't have touched Red Dawn because the original is a classic!" since that was never an absolute favorite of mine & I'm not all precious about it like I am with a lot of other 80's movies. But why take a mediocre movie & remake it into something 1,000 times worse?? Oh well! I only watched this because sexy Chris Hemsworth is in it (with his short hair – I prefer him that way). I don't remember now who lives & who dies but I do remember completely losing interest and not giving a shit about any of the characters. I also remember that I watched this just after getting Netflix & they seemed to have a horrible selection back then (it's much better now) so I wasted too much time on shit like this & that stupid ATM movie. Speaking of which, that weird little Josh Peck was in that one as well. He had a really bad year for movies between Red Dawn & ATM! Screw Red Dawn. Screw ATM. You know what Josh Peck movie was actually pretty good? Mean Creek. Just watch that instead. Don't watch this. Not even for short hair Chris Hemsworth. He looks the same in The Cabin In The Woods & that's much better. Do a double feature of Mean Creek & The Cabin In The Woods! Don't watch Red Dawn.
Directed by Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Michael Hall D'Addario, Michelle Pfeiffer
While settling his recently deceased father's estate, a salesman discovers he has a sister whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re-examine their perceptions about family and life choices.
This was a decent movie – I'm not sure why I never reviewed it. Movies about family relationships don't always appeal to me but this one, where Chris Pine finds out that he has a half-sister & nephew he never knew about, worked pretty well. I can't stand Chris Pine but really like Elizabeth Banks plus the boy who played her son (Michael Hall D'Addario) was good so that helped. Oh! And Michelle Pfeiffer was in this too as Pine's mother – love her. It was partly based on the life of the director, who first met his half-sister at the age of 30, so it probably also helped that the script was based on personal experience. I also liked this little bit of trivia HERE about the music memorabilia of Pine's musician father in the film belonging to the record producer father of one of the script's writers:
Much of the music business memorabilia in the "Jerry's Study" set belongs to Jody Lambert's father Dennis Lambert, a Songwriter's Hall of Fame nominee whose hits as writer and/or producer include "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)", "Rhinestone Cowboy", "Baby Come Back" and "Nightshift".
Anyway, People Like Us isn't going to change the world but it's the type of movie that's perfect to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Good performances from those involved & I liked the story.
We're The Millers (2013)
Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Molly Quinn, Ed Helms
A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.
This movie is really not my type of thing and I don't know why I watched it. I think I just wanted a simple movie on while I did stuff around the house plus I think I still kind of live in the hope that a modern comedy may actually turn out to be funny. Nope! This is yet another stupid modern "comedy" that failed to make me even crack a smile. Maybe I'm just old & bitter since I've liked hardly any comedy films since 1992? Comedy isn't my favorite genre but I think the fact that so few movies are ever actually funny anymore is to blame for me going off the genre in recent years. Wait! I may have cracked a tiny smile when Will Poulter's balls were bitten by a spider & they swelled up to an unnatural size while the movie showed us his whole package in gory detail. That was brave of Poulter as I'm sure a lot of people think "spider balls!" anytime they seen him in anything now. Although, I'm pretty sure we were seeing stunt balls. How does one get a job as a stunt penis? Anyway, maybe this movie wasn't crude enough for me if that's the only memorable part for me. I mean, I do like the Jackass movies & Bad Grandpa so, what the hell, I can't figure out my taste in comedy. But I thought We're The Millers was shit. Except for spider balls being mildly funny…
Tagged 3.5/10, 4/10, 6.5/10, Adrianne Palicki, Alex Kurtzman, Brad Garrett, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pine, Connor Cruise, Dan Bradley, Dennis Lambert, Ed Helms, Elizabeth Banks, Emma Roberts, Film, Isabel Lucas, Jason Sudeikis, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jennifer Aniston, Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck, Kathryn Hahn, Michael Hall D'Addario, Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Quinn, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Nick Offerman, Olivia Wilde, People Like Us, Rawson Marshall Thurber, Red Dawn, Remake, Review, Reviews, Spider Balls, We're The Millers, Will Poulter
Music Video Friday: Ladyhawke – My Delirium
This week's music video is My Delirium by Ladyhawke.
Not this one:
But this one (real name Pip Brown):
Although Ladyhawke is an awesome movie, which is why Phillipa Brown named herself after it.
I've realized that all my Music Video Friday posts have so far focused on videos that I really like even if I don't always like the songs as well (such as Blind Melon's No Rain or Soul Asylum's Runaway Train). I'll still mainly post videos that I think are cool but I'll sometimes post a song that I think is really great.
I'd not seen the video for My Delirium until I decided that I'd like to do a post about it. It's a decent video – I like the artwork (by artist Sarah Larnach, who also did the artwork for Ladyhawke's self-titled debut album) and I like that there are a couple of Thelma & Louise references (Pip Brown seems to be a movie fan!). But I really love the song.
Listening to AN ALBUM is such a weird thing these days. It's not the same without physical CDs (yeah – I know they still exist but who really buys them??). It's more often about individual singles now & I really miss my teenage years when I'd listen to an entire album that I loved over & over again. In the past decade, there are probably less than ten albums (or five?!) that I've listened to in their entirety but Ladyhawke's album was one of those. I loved the very 80's vibe of the whole thing. My Delirium, however, was definitely the best single & I've been listening to it a lot again since loading more songs back onto my phone.
Ladyhawke did release a second album in 2012 but I'll admit that I've not checked it out. What can I say? Life gets in the way. I know I often miss out on good current music as you really have to go out of your way to seek it out nowadays (the radio sucks). So I keep returning to old favorites. Have a listen to My Delirium (2008 is pretty recent for me!): 🙂
Tagged Album, Ladyhawke, Michelle Pfeiffer, MTV, Music, Music Video, My Delirium, Phillipa Brown, Pip Brown, Sarah Larnach, Thelma & Louise, Video, YouTube
Scarface (1983) IMDB Top 250 Guest Review
Today's IMDB Top 250 Guest Review comes from Melissa of Snap Crackle Watch!. Thanks for the review, Melissa! 🙂 Now let's see what she has to say about Scarface, IMDB rank 130 out of 250.
There are still some movies up for grabs if anyone wants to do a guest IMDB Top 250 review. You can find the list of remaining films HERE. See the full list & links to all the reviews that have already been done HERE.
Also, if you'd like to add a link to your IMDB review(s) on your own blogs, feel free to use any of the logos I've used at the top of any of these guest reviews.
Top 11 Reasons Scarface Is Still A Badass Movie
I watched Brian DePalma's 1983 classic hit, Scarface for T9M's IMBD challenge weeks ago. I have been racking my brain about what I could talk about or say that hasn't already been said a million times about this movie. I am sure almost every single person in the world out there has at least heard of it, seen a scene or two or at least knows the most infamous lines. Needless to say, putting words to paper has been proving difficult. I decided to take a different turn and let's just say this, Scarface is a great movie; I love it to death and could watch it over and over again. Some might hate it, but I am fan.
I figured I'd compile something telling you why this movie 31 years later is still freaking awesome and fun to watch. Here are my 11 top reasons why Scarface is still a bad ass movie.
Tony Montana is one sick, crazy, bad ass gangster: Enough said, but really before there was a Tony Soprano type bad ass in films, there was Tony Montana. He was twisted, crazy and hell bent on success. I find it hard to even think about another character as bad as him. The way he dressed, his swagger, he was just an all around kick ass ruthless dude. If you told me that he hung out with the "most interesting guy in the world," I would totally believe it.
Al Pacino. This movie would not be what it is had Pacino held back. To say that he pushed the envelope is putting it nicely; he went all out, acting grandiose, narcissistic and overly confident to the point that he could make people believe he was "someone' when he was as he put it "a nobody." This movie sealed Pacino as one of the great actors of our generation and without him, the character of Scarface would never have become as iconic as it is today.
The film depicts events that are based on history. For one the crisis that was going on in Cuba at the time was tumultuous and Miami in the early 80's was a hot bed for cocaine usage. Combine that with the fact that Cuban refugees did not have much to their name in terms of money, this helped to create a group of people who were willing to do anything and everything for some cash flow. The distribution and selling of drugs offered refugees an opportunity to make money and something of themselves. The movie has been criticized for being too violent and too overt, but say what you will this time in history fueled events that were aptly depicted in the film, bloodshed and all.
It's written by Oliver Stone. It is evident that Stone was growing his penchant for movies involving drugs, sex and violence. At the time Stone himself was battling cocaine addiction and I am sure this only helped in making the movie seem more realistic. The thirst for that white gold was evident throughout the entire film. He indefinitely put his stamp on the film, he melded politics with current events of the 80's and was able to tell a story that truly unveiled the psychosis of someone intent on pursing and staying in power. Stone said "Luxury corrupts far more ruthlessly than war," and this underlying story is what makes it such a good film.
Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira Hancock. She was sexy, blond and cool, and has inspired numerous female characters. Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction is reminiscent of her, Jessica Chastain's new character in A Most Violent Year looks like her spitting image and Rosalyn in American Hustle had a bit of Elvira in her. With an iconic bob and bombshell body, she wore those silky 80's dresses with sass and sophistication. I always loved that she didn't let Tony boss her around and she was a woman who spoke her mind.
The movie is not subtle. As I mentioned before when this movie first came out it was criticized for being too violent. People walked out of the theater, especially during that chainsaw scene. I am sure if this movie came out today, no one would bat an eye, but had DePalma not pushed the envelope the way he did, it may not have the place in history it does now. I believe that the violence shown helped to elevate this film's cult status and I am sure inspired other directors as well, maybe even Stone!
The cinematography by John A. Alonzo. What Alonzo was able to create from an aesthetic viewpoint helps to make this an even more remarkable film. The color scheme of dark played against the bright colors of Miami created a film that paired visually perfect for the story that was playing out on the screen. What turned out in the end was a movie that looked like pop art at its finest.
The epitome of the American dream. The story of Tony Montana is proof that anything is possible in America. Only in the US, can a refugee who just stepped foot in America, with no money in his pockets, end up as one of the richest men. Tony had no usable skills, but what he had was the confidence to succeed. He worked his way from just a hired hand to the mob, all the way to becoming the main boss. But what is really at work in this film is showing the dark side of the dream.
The love story between Manny and Gina. There are not a lot of sweet moments in the film. Briefly we see Elvira and Tony fall in love, but maybe they just loved each other because they were high on coke. Tony's BFF Manny though does fall head over heels for Gina, Tony's little sister. That moment after Manny married Gina, he was so happy and in love. He was so ecstatic that he lost sight of reality and told Tony the truth. The corrupt love story is sad and endearing, but one that only furthered depicted the depths of Tony's madness.
The dialogue. This movie has some of the most iconic lines in it; the most famous would definitely have to be "Say hello to my little friend." Many of the lines in the movie have even inspired many songs out there, especially in the rap genre, just listen to Notorious B.I.G's the "Ten Crack Commandments," and you will hear all of Tony's drug dealing tips. The infamous line of "First you get the money, then you get the power" has also been used by too many rappers to even list. In Bruno Mars' new song, Uptown Funk, the first line references Scarface, "That ice cold, Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold." The fact that a few movie lines has spawned a generation of songs and phrases, only further enforces how bad ass this movie still is today.
The Pace. The pace of the film is almost as iconic as the movie itself. It is frenetic, fast moving and it never slows down from the very beginning to the end. This makes it such a fun and entertaining movie to watch, you almost feel as if you are on this wild ride with Tony, at points you want to get off, but he won't let you. By the time you are done, you are exasperated from the craziness, yet you want more.
Posted in IMDB Top 250, Movies, Reviews
Tagged Al Pacino, Brian De Palma, Film, Giorgio Moroder, Guest Reviews, IMDB Top 250, Michelle Pfeiffer, Movies, Oliver Stone, Scarface
Top Ten Actresses I'd Watch In Pretty Much Anything
Okay – it was fun bitching about my most hated actors & actresses last week but now it's time to do another list that Abbi of Where The Wild Things Are has done. You can see her list of "The Top Ten Actresses That I'd See In Pretty Much Anything" HERE. So here's my own list of actresses I love. (Yes – I do love Drew Barrymore!). 🙂
With my favorite actors list, I've had to narrow it down by only including living actors so I've done the same here. Otherwise, Grace Kelly would be on this list. Now here are The Ten Actresses I'd Watch In Pretty Much Anything (in no particular order…):
Best Movie: Her or Catch Me If You Can but she was lovely in Junebug
Best Movie: Edge Of Tomorrow but I also love The Adjustment Bureau
Best Movie: Inglourious Basterds
Best Movie: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Best Movie: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial but I also love The Wedding Singer & Whip It
Best Movie: Hugo
Best Movie: Gravity but I do love Speed. (Gravity helped to put Bullock back on this list. But I still wouldn't watch that thing she did with Melissa McCarthy. Damn! I missed her on my "Most Annoying" list…
Best Movie: Shame but she was better in Never Let Me Go. (If I've forgotten someone, Carey Mulligan would be the first one replaced. I found her disappointing in Shame and beyond bland in The Great Gatsby. Hopefully she'll have another good role soon…)
Best Movie: Adventures In Babysitting
Best Movie: Ladyhawke
Tagged Actresses, Amy Adams, Carey Mulligan, Chloë Grace Moretz, Drew Barrymore, Elisabeth Shue, Emily Blunt, Favorites, Film, Girls Are The Best!, Jennifer Lawrence, Lists, Mélanie Laurent, Michelle Pfeiffer, Movies, Sandra Bullock, Top Ten
My Top Ten Michelle Pfeiffer Movies
Happy Birthday to the wonderful & stunning Michelle Pfeiffer, who is 56 today! She's one of my favorite actresses & she's been in so many different types of movies that I thought doing a top ten would be interesting. This list may be as unpopular as my Nicolas Cage one… I make no apologies for my top two! 😉
Counting down from ten, these are My Top Ten Favorite Michelle Pfeiffer Movies:
10. Tequila Sunrise
9. Dangerous Minds
8. The Fabulous Baker Boys
7. Batman Returns
6. What Lies Beneath
5. Stardust
3. Dangerous Liaisons
2. White Oleander
1. Ladyhawke
**2018 update to say that today is now Pfeiffer's 60th Birthday. I may update this post someday & rank ALL her movies that I've seen. I've finally reviewed two recent movies of hers on my blog (Mother! and People Like Us). Neither would make the top ten but I did like both of them. Although Mother! certainly isn't for everyone…**
Tagged Birthday, Dangerous Liaisons, Film, Ladyhawke, Lists, Michelle Pfeiffer, Movies, Scarface, Stardust, Top Ten, What Lies Beneath, White Oleander