I thought I had it in me to expand a few of these to full posts, but I’m feeling lazy. Not sure if I mentioned it yet, but I’m now back to a normal 5 day workweek, 2 day weekend schedule. I’m already freaking out on how I”ll get all my chill time, exercise, and chores into two days once movie trips and Disney are back in play, but that’s a problem for future Dawn (much much future Dawn by the looks of it ). Anyways, I thought I had it in me to make full posts outta some of these, but this morning I’m feeling lazy. I’m allowed to be lazy in a pandemic right?
A Man Apart – I’d brought this one up when talking about The Grinch. For the most part, it’s a pretty unremarkable and bland crime “thriller”. I was already struggling to get thru it. Then we get to the end bit, and Vin Diesel is supposta be somewhere in Latin America I think. Except, he was actually at Universal Studios. There’s a part on the tour where you stop in this Latin looking area (I forget its actual name) and they tell you about using water effects to create weather. Sprinklers turn on (I’ve been unfortunately positioned for that before) and then a flash flood rages out alongside you. Then they show you a clip from Big Fat Liar that uses that flood and we move on to The Good Place sets. That’s the exact spot where this was shot. Vin was walking down the flash flood path. Normally, I think it’s kinda cool when I recognize the Universal backlot in a film, but this time it was too much. The final strike against a terrible film.
Somewhere – I think this is the only Sophia Coppola film I really connect to, despite sincerely trying very very hard. I’d been contemplating putting this in the watch pile because I remembered enjoying it and little else, but I also seemed to recall it being rather simple. That simplicity serves it well. Elle Fanning, who I typically don’t care much for, is so sweet and engaging. Stephen Dorff turns a character who could be very unlikeable into someone you truly root for. It’s just a happy place of a movie, even if not all the characters are in a happy place.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – I prolly could stretch this into an entire post, but again laziness wins. I just wanted to give this film (we’re talking the 2005 Tim Burton) a quick defense. Yes, the first movie is the definitive one, but I like this because it’s overall more true to the book (except for the Wonka family backstory and the ending). There’s no fizzy lifting drink controversy, the Oompa Loompas have their original lyrics, squirrels not geese, and my favorite scene (the kids leaving the factory) is included. We’ll skip over the creepy Johnny Depp Wonka for now.
Big Fish – Speaking of book adaptations, this is one of two films where I can easily say that the movie is far superior (Forrest Gump being the other). All of the magic of the film comes from Tim Burton. The book is bland an dry and very boring, with none of the fantasy elements. While other Burton films are more quintessentially him, this one is the clearest showcase for how he can improve on a subject with his signature flair.
Housesitter – I was watching Father of the Bride the other day, which is a total comfort movie for me, and I realized that I didn’t have too much more from Steve Martin on the wall. I corrected that by getting a DVD 4 pack and this was the first I started with. I absolutely adore him and Goldie Hawn, but the movie didn’t work for me. Similar to my criticism of The Money Pit recently, it was just too implausible how deeper and deeper they kept digging themselves. I don’t like this kinda elaborate deception story because I just don’t buy it. Happy to see those two leads share the screen tho