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 his career as a fashion designer in New York but moved to Hollywood, where he applied his design talents to create costumes for Woody Allen's "Sleeper" and "The Last of Sheila." Schumacher turned to scriptwriting for 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," "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, campy take on the Batman series, which instantly harks back to the Adam West television series. The reins from director Tim Burton have passed to Joel, who is 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 making feature films, Joel directed two episodes from the first season of the Netflix TV version of "House of Cards" as well as music videos, including "Devil Inside" by INXS and "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal.

I feel sorry for Schumacher, considering what he went 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 was well-known for 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, and attended 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 cemented 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" solidified his status. 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 contributions to the world of acting.

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 for 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 masterpieces as Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Shining, among countless others. It surprised me that Kubrick disowned SPARTACUS, since he had no creative control over the film. The movie was self-produced by Kirk Douglas in response to not securing the title role in 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 Releasing Australia

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime 99 minutes

Budget: $75,000,000

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

Plot Summary

When Henry Roth, a marine veterinarian living in Hawaii, avoids commitment, he meets Lucy Whitmore. She seems like the girl of his dreams, but Henry discovers Lucy has short-term memory loss and doesn't remember him from their first meeting. He romances her every day, hoping that she will fall 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 like a typical Adam Sandler movie or an average romantic comedy was unlike anything I had 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, but is nothing like the character portrayed by Drew Barrymore. While it is the second film to feature Sandler and Barrymore, and they have been together since The Wedding Singer, their performances are adequate, with easy chemistry. The supporting cast is also good, but they don't usually stand out as much as the lead actors.

I rank 50 FIRST DATES as my new favourite rom-com. It's one of those films I wish I could 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 a toy store and tries out a new action-figure line called The Commando Elite vs. The Gorgonites. Unfortunately, these were no ordinary toys, and the company that manufactured them installed military microchips in their 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 the Commandos terrorise his neighbourhood?

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

Joe Dante, known for directing cult classics (aside from his only success, Gremlins), has never made anything this similar to his hit film. The special effects are impressive, but some didn't age well. The performances are first-rate, but they never stand out. I like how Dante hired surviving performers from The Dirty Dozen 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.

Clever and funny, SMALL SOLDIERS is almost as good as Gremlins and 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 tracking the storms, and a widowed high school vice principal 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 earlier. Interestingly, this movie proved different from what we expect from a Hollywood feature.

Most of it is in found footage, which lends the film a natural look, while regular, modern cinematography adds additional effects. Unfortunately, the movie relies too heavily on its visuals rather than its 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 delivers a more subdued performance in this movie 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 likely appeal to the average moviegoer.

Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie

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Paul Blart: Mall Cop Review

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Release Date: 19th March 2009 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Relativity Media (in association with)

Happy Madison Productions

Hey Eddie

Distribution

Sony Pictures Releasing Australia

Genre: Action/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 91 minutes

Budget: $26,000,000

Box Office Gross: $183,348,429 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
All his life, mild-mannered Paul Blart has dreamed of becoming a state trooper, but instead he works as a security officer at a local mall in New Jersey. When a gang of crooks invades the mall and takes some hostages, it's up to Paul Blart to rescue them and defend the place from intruders, as he must go from being a mall cop to an actual cop!

Cast

Kevin James - Paul Blart

Keri O'Donnell - Veck Simms

Jayma Mays - Amy
Raini Rodriguez - Maya
Shirley Knight - Mom
Stephen Rannazzisi - Stuart
Peter Gerety - Chief Brooks
Bobby Cannavale - Cmdr. James Kent
Adam Ferrara - Sergeant Howard
Jamal Mixon - Leon
Adhir Kalyan - Pahud
Erick Avari - Vijay
Mike Vallely - Rudolph
Jason Ellis - Prancer
Jason Packham - Comet
Rick Thorne - Cupid
Victor Lopez - Donner
Natascha Hopkins - Vixen
Mookie Barker - Mr. Ferguson
Dylan Clark Marshall - Jason
Bernie McInerney - Old Man on Scooter
Gary Valentine - Karaoke Singer

Crew

Director - Steve Carr
Writer - Nick Bakay
Writer/Producer - Kevin James
Executive Producer - Jeff Sussman
Producers - Todd Garner,

Jack Giarraputo and Adam Sandler

Producer/2nd Unit Director - Barry Bernardi
Production Designer - Perry Andelin Blake
Art Director - Alan Au

Set Decorator - Tracey Doyle
Costume Designer - Ellen Lutter
Director of Photography - Russ T. Alsobrook

"A" Camera Operator - Casey Hotchkiss

Location Manager - Charles Harrington

Stunt Coordinator - Chris O'Hara
Special Effects Coordinator - Ray Bivins

Visual Effects Supervisor: Zoic Studios -

Patti Gannon
Editor - Jeff Freeman

1st Assistant Editor - Jason Gourson

Supervising Sound Editors -

Michael J. Benavente and Elmo Weber

Supervising Sound Mixers - Deb Adair

and William Freesh
Music - Waddy Wachtel

Music Supervisor - Michael Dilbeck

Review

While COVID-19 is affecting the world, the pandemic is unfolding. I was disappointed when several new movies were postponed, and the cinemas were temporarily closed. Fear of the pandemic was so widespread that everyone stayed home and began social distancing. Fortunately, it didn't stop me from continuing to review movies. One of the films I watched while self-isolating was PAUL BLART: MALL COP.

I was supposed to review this comedy before 2020, but I started doing it anyway. The film has some great laughs, but the jokes are inconsistent, and the storyline is predictable. It feels like a stale, lighthearted Die Hard parody that misses the fun and gratuitous violence. I liked the moment when Paul got drunk and then made a fool out of himself. Kevin James was not a bad comedian, though he had a knack for playing overweight characters. James's acting was decent. It doesn't save the movie from its shortcomings.

MALL COP is not one of my favourite comedies. And it was an average movie at best. I was surprised that the film had a sequel, since it could never be as good as the original.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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