In Memory of Carl Reiner (1922-2020)

Carl Reiner (1922-2020)

Hollywood comic legend and filmmaker Carl Reiner died of natural causes at age 98 on June 29th, 2020. Carl was best known as Mel Brooks' long-time collaborator, co-starring in the classic TV sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show", and was the director of such hit comedies like "The Jerk" and "The Man with Two Brains" that featured Steve Martin.

Reiner was born to Jewish immigrants in New York City in 1922 and served in the Air Force during World War II. He got recruited by a performing unit and did a lot of shows to entertain the troops. After the war, Reiner moved to showbiz and performed in several Broadway musicals. In 1950, he joined a popular TV sketch comedy show from Sid Caesar called "Your Show of Shows", where he collaborated with Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. After working with Caesar in the 1950s, Reiner later developed his TV sitcom, which got ultimately picked up by the CBS network and changed into a vehicle for Dick Van Dyke with Mary Tyler Moore as the show is now titled "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Because of the success of the hit show, Reiner's career has gravitated towards filmmaking, where he made his directing debut in "Enter Laughing". The other movies that soon followed are "Oh God", which stars actor George Burns and "The One and Only" with Henry Winkler. Reiner was instrumental in directing Steve Martin in what would be his film debut in the hit comedy "The Jerk", and they later collaborated on three more films that were also successful, like "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", "The Man with Two Brains" and "All of Me".

In his later years, Reiner made his comeback role as the con artist Saul Bloom in Steven Soderbergh's remake of "Ocean's Eleven". Later, he would return to his role in the film's two sequels. His last film role was Carl Reineroceros in "Toy Story 4" in 2019.

He even made guest appearances in shows like "Fraiser", "King of the Hill", "The Larry Sanders Show", "Ally McBeal", "Two and a Half Men", etc. Reiner was the father of Rob Reiner, an actor but a director in his successful movies.

My condolences go to his family and friends.

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In Memory of Joel Schumacher (1939-2020)

Joel Schumacher (1939-2020)

Hollywood film director Joel Schumacher, who reinvented the Batman movie series into its gaudy take and directed films like "St. Elmo's Fire," "The Lost Boys," and "Flatliners," passed away on June 22nd, 2020, after losing his battle with cancer at age 80.

This filmmaker is known for his flamboyance and brilliance. It's no wonder many people considered him the man who replaced Tim Burton and nearly killed the Batman film franchise. He had apologised for making "Batman and Robin," which he regretted instantly for the rest of his life.

Joel began as a fashion designer in New York but moved to Hollywood, where he used his design talents in costumes for films like Woody Allen's "Sleeper" and "The Last of Sheila." Schumacher turned to scriptwriting in films such as "Car Wash" and "The Wiz." He then shifted to directing in his first outing, "The Incredible Shrinking Woman." Schumacher's claim to fame was the coming-of-age teen drama "St. Elmo's Fire," which was an instant hit. It launched the careers of the Brat Pack, consisting of Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, and Ally Sheedy. Soon after "St. Elmo's" came "The Lost Boys," a horror comedy about vampires starring Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Kiefer Sutherland and these successes have propelled Joel Schumacher into directing more films like "Flatliners," "Falling Down," "The Client," "A Time to Kill," "8mm," "Flawless," "Tigerland," "Phone Booth," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Number 23," and "Trespass."

Beneath his accomplishments is his lighthearted and campy take on the Batman series, which instantly harkens back to the Adam West television series. The reins from director Tim Burton get transferred to Joel in handling the movie franchise as the studio wanted it to be kid-friendly, beginning with the third instalment, "Batman Forever." His first movie was a success, though the second outing, "Batman and Robin," proved to be lacklustre and hated by fans and critics. Apart from doing feature films, Joel directed two episodes from the first season of the Netflix TV version of "House of Cards" as well as music videos such as "Devil Inside" by INXS and "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal.

I feel sorry for Schumacher, considering what he has been through in making "Batman and Robin" a colossal failure that nearly killed George Clooney's acting career. I'm sad he never got to release "Batman Forever" in its extended cut.

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In Memory of Ian Holm (1931-2020)

Ian Holm (1931-2020)

I'm sure by now we've all heard the sad news that British actor Ian Holm died from complications of Parkinson's on June 19th, 2020, aged 89. Holm was an exceptionally trained and versatile actor who had been well-known in roles such as the villainous android Ash in "Alien" and the eccentric Bilbo Baggins in the "Lord of the Rings" series. He was born in Essex, England, around 1931, then went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to study drama until the early 1960s, when he ventured into film.

One of his earlier roles was the mischievous Puck in the 1968 film adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Holm even took on the role of the French conqueror Napoleon in the TV miniseries "Napoleon and Love." In 1976, he ascended to his screen presence as King John in "Robin and Marian" opposite Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, and Robert Shaw. Holm's international breakthrough role as the android Ash in "Alien" solidifies him. It wasn't long before Holm got other parts throughout his career, including "Chariots of Fire" (the former earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination). "Time Bandits" (where he reprised his Napoleon role), "Brazil," "Dreamchild," "The Madness of King George," "The Fifth Element," "eXistenZ," "The Day After Tomorrow," and "Ratatouille."

In the latter part of his career, a new generation was introduced to Ian Holm when he played the aging hobbit Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. He even reprised his role in "The Hobbit" series. I never met him, but he sounds like an incredible actor with an astonishing career, and we won't forget his acting contributions.

My condolences go to his family and friends.

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Spartacus Review

Spartacus

Release Date: 9th December 1960 - Australia

Production Companies

Bryna Productions (presents)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 184 minutes

Budget: $12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $60,000,000 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Born into slavery, Spartacus, a defiant Thracian, was sold to Batiatus, who trained him as a gladiator to fight in the arena. Spartacus revolted against his masters and led a slave uprising. He went from town to town as several of his fellow slaves joined their ranks. Under Spartacus' leadership, the slaves made their way to southern Italy. There, they would cross the sea and return to their homes.

Cast

Kirk Douglas - Spartacus
Laurence Olivier - Crassus

Jean Simmons - Varinia
Charles Laughton - Gracchus
Peter Ustinov - Batiatus

Tony Curtis - Antoninus
John Gavin - Julius Caesar
Nina Foch - Helena Glabrus

John Ireland - Crixus
Herbert Lom - Tigranes Levantus
John Dall - Marcus Publius Gabrus
Charles McGraw - Marcellus
Joanna Barnes - Claudia Marrus
Harold J. Stone - David
Woody Strobe - Draba
Peter Brocco - Ramon
Paul Lambert - Gannicus

Robert J. Wilke - Guard Captain
Nick Dennis - Dionysius
John Hoyt - Caius
Frederic Worlock - Laelius
Vic Perrin - Narrator (Voice) (Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Stanley Kubrick
Based on a Novel - Howard Fast

Screenplay - Dalton Trumbo
Executive Producers - Kirk Douglas and Edward Muhl (Uncredited)
Producers - Edward Lewis, Robert A. Harris (1991 Reconstruction and Restoration) and James C. Katz (1991 Reconstruction and Restoration)

Historical and Technical

Advisor - Vittorio Nino Novarese

Production Designers - Alexander Golitzen and Roger K. Furse (Uncredited)
Costumes - Valles

Costumes: Miss Simmons - Bill Thomas
Director of Photography - Russell Metty

Photographer: Additional Scenes - Clifford Stine

Camera Operator - Harry L. Wolf (Uncredited)

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/

Stunts - Yakima Canutt (Uncredited)

Second Unit Director/Film Editor -

Irving Lerner (Uncredited)

Design Consultant/Main Titles - Saul Bass

Film Editor/Editorial Consultant (1991

Reconstruction and Restoration) -

Robert Lawrence

Sound - Joe Lapis, Ronald Pierce,

Murray Spivack and Waldon O. Watson

Music - Alex North

Awards

1961 Academy Awards

Best Supporting Actor - Peter Ustinov (Won)

Best Cinematography, Color - Russell Metty (Won)

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -

Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom,

Russel A. Gausman and Julia Heron (Won)

Best Costume Design, Color - Valles and Bill Thomas (Won)

—————————

Best Film Editing - Robert Lawrence (Nominated)

Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy

Picture - Alex North (Nominated)

Review

After hearing that Kirk Douglas passed away, I decided to review SPARTACUS as a tribute to his legendary acting. I have wanted to see this classic film because it's from the late director Stanley Kubrick, who directed such classics as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Shining, among others. It surprised me that Kubrick disowned SPARTACUS when he had no creative control of this film. The movie was self-produced by Kirk Douglas as a response to not securing the title role of Ben-Hur, which went to Charlton Heston.

In the all-star cast, Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, and Tony Curtis deliver talented performances. The script was good, the scenery was remarkable, and the soundtrack was incredible. The battle sequences are well-staged and choreographed, especially compared to the fight scenes in modern sword-and-sandal films like Gladiator.

SPARTACUS is a great classic, but not one of the greatest movies. I recommend it to anyone, including cinephiles.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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50 First Dates Review

50 First Dates

Release Date: 25th March 2004 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Happy Madison
Anonymous Content
Flower Films

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime 99 minutes

Budget: $75,000,000

Box Office Gross: $198,520,934 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Henry Roth, a marine veterinarian living in Hawaii, is afraid of commitment when he meets Lucy Whitmore. While she appears to be the girl of his dreams, Henry discovers that Lucy has short-term memory loss and doesn't remember him from their first meeting. He romances her every day and hopes she falls in love with him.

Cast

Adam Sandler - Henry Roth

Drew Barrymore - Lucy Whitmore

Rob Schneider - Ula

Sean Astin - Doug Whitmore

Luisa Strus - Alexa

Dan Aykroyd - Dr. Keats

Amy Hill - Sue

Allen Covert - Ten Second Tom

Blake Clark - Martin Whitmore

Maya Rudolph - Stacy

Pomaika'l Brown - Nick
Missi Pyle - Noreen
Lynn Collins - Linda

Jackie Sandler - Dentist (Cameo)
Kevin James - Factory Worker

Crew

Director - Peter Segal

Writer - George Wing
Associate Producer - Kevin Grady
Executive Producers - Michael Ewing and Jay Roach
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Daniel Lupi
Producers - Jack Giarraputo, Steve Golin and Nancy Juvonen
Co-Producers - Scott Bankston and Larry Kennar
Casting Director - Roger Mussenden

Animal Coordinator - Steve Berens
Production Designer - Alan Au
Art Director - Domenic Silvestri
Set Decorator - Robert Greenfield

Property Master - Timothy S. Wiles
Costume Designer - Ellen Lutter
Director of Photography - Jack N. Green

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Joseph D. Urbanczyk

Camera Operator - Stephen S. Campanelli

First Assistant Director - John Hockridge

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Adam Druxman

Second Assistant Director - Joseph J. Kontra
Second Unit Director/Visual Consultant -

Jim Bissell

Stunt Coordinator - Webster Whinery
Special Effects Coordinator - John C. Hartigan
Visual Effects Supervisor - Sheena Duggal
Visual Effects Producer - Victoria Alonso
Visual Effects Executive Producer - Debbie Denise
Film Editor - Jeff Gourson

Additional Editors - Tom Costain

and Jason Gourson

Supervising Sound Editor - Elmo Weber

Sound Effects Supervisor - Derek Vanderhorst

Supervising Sound Mixers - Jeffrey J. Haboush

and Bill W. Benton
Music - Teddy Castellucci

Music Supervisor - Michael Dilbeck

Review

What seemed to be a typical Adam Sandler movie or an average romantic comedy is nothing I have ever seen. 50 FIRST DATES is both touching and funny. It has a terrific storyline and a wonderful setting. I know a person who has also suffered from short-term memory loss who is nothing like the character portrayed by Drew Barrymore. While it is the second film to feature Sandler and Barrymore, as they have been together since The Wedding Singer, they're adequate in their performances with easy chemistry. The supporting cast is also good, but they don't usually stand out like the lead actors.

I rank 50 FIRST DATES as my new favourite rom-com. It's one of those features I wish to see again.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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Small Soldiers Review

Small Soldiers

Release Date: 17th September 1998 - Australia

Production Companies

DreamWorks Pictures (present)

Universal Pictures (present)

Amblin Entertainment (copyright holder)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 106 minutes

Budget: $40,000,000

Box Office Gross: $71,743,823 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Alan Abernathy is a teenager whose dad runs the toy store and tries out a new line of action figures called The Commando Elite vs. The Gorgonites. Unfortunately, these were no ordinary toys, and the company that manufactures them installed military microchips into their series of action figures, giving them a mind of their own. Alan gets recruited to help the peace-loving Gorgonites battle against the dangerous Commandos. Can Alan defend his home and family and rescue the girl of his dreams before his whole neighbourhood gets terrorised?

Cast

Gregory Smith - Alan Abernathy

Tommy Lee Jones - Chip
Hazard (Voice)

Frank Langella - Archer (Voice)

Kirsten Dunst - Christy Fimple

Jacob Smith - Timmy Fimple

Wendy Schaal - Marion Fimple

Phil Hartman - Phil Fimple

Jay Mohr - Larry Benson

Kevin Dunn - Stuart Abernathy

Ann Magnuson - Irene Abernathy

Denis Leary - Gil Mars

David Cross - Irwin Wayfair

Dick Miller - Joe

Alexandra Wilson - Ms. Kegel

Jonathan Bouck - Brad

Robert Picardo - Ralph, Clean Room Technician

Ernest Borgnine - Kip Killagin (Voice)

Jim Brown - Butch Meathook (Voice)

Bruce Dern - Link Static (Voice)

George Kennedy - Brick Bazooka (Voice)

Clint Walker - Nick Nitro (Voice)

Christopher Guest - Slamfist/
Scratch-It (Voice)

Michael McKean - Insaniac/
Freakenstein (Voice)

Harry Shearer - Punch-It (Voice)

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Gwendy
Doll (Voice)

Christina Ricci - Gwendy
Doll (Voice)

Marcia Mitzman Gaven -
Globotech Announcer (Voice)

Crew

Director - Joe Dante

Writers - Gavin Scott, Adam Rafkin, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

Executive Producers - Walter F. Parkes and Steven Spielberg (Uncredited)

Producers - Colin Wilson and Michael Finnell

Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Paul Deason

Casting Director - Denise Chaiman

Production Designer - William Sandwell

Supervising Art Director - Mark W. Mansbridge

Art Director - Brad Ricker

Character Designer/Effects Supervisor/

Puppeteer: Stan Winston Studio - John Rosengrant

Character Designers: Stan Winston Studio -

Mark 'Crash' McCreery, Greg Figiel, Jim Charmatz,

Craig Jablonski and Jason Matthews

Set Decorator - Rosemary Brandenburg

Property Master - Jerry Moss

Costume Designer - Carole Brown-James

Effects Supervisor/Key Animatronic Design/

Puppeteer: Stan Winston Studio - J. Alan Scott

Director of Photography - Jamie Anderson

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Rexford L. Metz

First Assistant Director - Benita Allen

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
M. James Arnett

Special Effects Coordinator - Ken Pepiot

Action Figures and Animatronics Design -
Stan Winston

Visual Effects Supervisors - Stefen Fangmeier
and Jeff Matakovich

Visual Effects Co-Supervisor - Ellen Poon

Visual Effects Art Director - George Hull

Computer Graphics Supervisors: ILM -
Gerald Gutschmidt, Erik Mattson and
Carl N. Frederick (Uncredited)

Computer Graphics Sequence Supervisors:

ILM - Michael DiComo, David Meny

and Sean Schur

Animation Supervisor - David Andrews

Film Editors - Marshall Harvey and

Michael Thau

Supervising Sound Editor - Eric Lindemann

Co-Supervising Sound Editor - Mark A. Mangini

Sound Designer (Uncredited)/Effects 

Design Editor - John Pospisil

Re-Recording Mixers - Robert Litt,

Elliot Tyson and Michael Herbick

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Ron Bartlett

Foley Artists - John Roesch and

Hilda Hodges

Music - Jerry Goldsmith

Music Scoring Mixer - Bruce Botnick

Review

As a kid, I saw SMALL SOLDIERS for the first time, and before viewing the movie, I didn't know that the main antagonists were the Commando Elite, not the heroes I thought they would be. This film had a neat and creative concept of toys attacking humanity, and each other, which makes Toy Story look kid-friendly and less violent. SMALL SOLDIERS is not a kids' movie as was advertised by DreamWorks. It's intended for teens, which explains the dark scenes in the finished product.

Joe Dante, known for directing cult classics (apart from his only success with Gremlins), has never done something this similar to his hit film. The special effects are impressive, but some didn't age well. The acting performances are first-rate, but they never stood out so well in the movie. I like how Dante hired some surviving Dirty Dozen performers to voice the soldiers while Christopher Guest and his fellow Spinal Tap players portray the friendly Gorgonites. The film even features a heartwarming dedication to the late Phil Hartman, who plays Kirsten Dunst's fictional dimwitted dad.

While clever and funny, SMALL SOLDIERS was almost as good as Gremlins and is worth seeing.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Into the Storm Review

Into the Storm

Release Date: 4th September 2014 - Australia

Production Companies

Broken Road Productions

New Line Cinema

RatPac-Dune Entertainment

Village Roadshow Pictures

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 89 minutes

Budget: $50,000,000

Box Office Gross: $161,515,959 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

An unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes begins to ravage the entire town of Silverton, where a group of storm chasers is busy tracking the storms, and a widowed vice-principal of a high school with two teenage sons is organising the graduation ceremony. These people must get to a safer haven even if they seek shelter or get sucked into the vortex.

Cast

Richard Armitage - Gary

Sarah Wayne Callies - Allison

Matt Walsh - Pete

Max Deacon - Donnie

Nathan Kress - Trey

Alycia Debnam-Carey - Kaitlyn

Arien Escarpeta - Daryl

Jeremy Sumpter - Jacob

Lee Whittaker - Lucas

Kyle Davis - Donk

Jon Reep - Reevis

Scott Lawrence - Principal Thomas Walker

David Drumm - Chester

Brandon Ruiter - Todd White

Jimmy Groce - Studious Male

Linda Gehringer - Linda

Keane Wayne Winterhalt - Grace

Maryann Nagel - Ms. McGee

Crew

Director - Steven Quale

Writer/Co-Producer (Uncredited) - John Swetnam

Executive Producers - Bruce Berman, Richard Brener, Walter Hamada, Dave Neudstater and Jeremy Stein

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - W. Mark McNair

Producer - Todd Garner

Casting Director - Mindy Marin

Production Designer - David Sandefur

Art Director - Marco Rubeo

Set Decorator - Baren Rosenfeld

Costume Designer - Kimberly Adams-Galligan

Director of Photography - Brian Pearson

"B" Camera Operator/Director of Photography:

Second Unit/Second Unit Director (Uncredited) -

Ronald Hersey

Production Supervisor - Matthew Hirsch

Production Supervisor: Second Unit - Jennifer Conroy

First Assistant Director - Richard Cowan

Second Assistant Director - David Waters

Stunt Coordinators - Bob Brown and Scott Workman

Special Effects - Joe Pancake, Donnie Dean,

Rich E. Cordobes and Steve Austin

Visual Effects Supervisor: Digital Domain -

Jay Barton

Visual Effects Supervisors: MPC -

Guillaume Rocheron and Anders Langlands

Visual Effects Producer - Randy Starr

Digital Effects Supervisor: Digital Domain -

Nikos Kalaitzidis

Visual Effects: Cinesite - Simon Stanley-Clamp,

Carrie Rishel, Jane Ellis, Jamie Wood,

Joel Bodin and Rafal Kaniewski

Editor - Eric A. Sears

Supervising Sound Editor - Per Hallberg

Sound Designers - Christopher Assels

and Jon Title

Supervising Dialogue Editor - Daniel Saxlid

Supervising ADR Editors - Chris Jargo

and Anna MacKenzie

Re-Recording Mixers - Steve Pederson

and Brad Sherman

Music - Brian Tyler

Review

There's a reason why INTO THE STORM is not the best disaster movie of the year. It's very similar to another disaster film, Twister, which came out 18 years before this film. Interestingly, this movie proved different from what we expect from a Hollywood feature.

Most of it is in found footage, which gives the film a natural look, besides using regular and modern cinematography for additional effects. Unfortunately, the movie is much too reliant on its visual aspects rather than the characterisation and writing, which is short on energy. Director Steven Quale, known for directing Final Destination 5, was probably not to blame for helming this feature, but his efforts are nothing special.

One thing that also bothered me in the film is that two of its minor characters are amateur daredevils, given that they chase these storms, as the title suggests. They are misplaced, and they should have been in a different movie. They weren't necessary for INTO THE STORM. The film could have been a Michael Bay movie. For example, these two characters would have worked as comic relief. If those hillbillies could have died by getting sucked into a tornado, they should have stayed dead, given how useless they were in the plot.

There are non-recognisable names in the cast except for Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Nathan Kress, and Matt Walsh, who were the only known actors in the film. Armitage does give in to a subdued performance in this movie rather than any of his co-stars.

Not in the way I expected, but it had its flaws. INTO THE STORM is a decent movie. Its entertainment value will probably suit average moviegoers.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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