So long and something to look forward to in 2021

So as many of you know I'm going to be becoming a dad this fall and so I am going to be stepping back from this movie blog business for a while, perhaps indefinitely. I am so grateful to the people who read this and indulged me (and my typos, I do NOT proofread these). In recent years, I'd had a lot less time to be thoughtful about what I am posing. I always try to get in 10 a month and some are more productive than others. But I've mostly enjoyed doing it and I hope people have not minded reading it, or having it pop up repeatedly in their feeds.

Before I go I thought I'd do one more of my little lists -- this one will be the ten movies (in no particular order) I am most looking forward to seeing as we finish out this calendar year and the movies (slowly) start to come back to normal again.

House of Gucci - The trailer looks campy as hell, and I'm not sure I am sold on Jared Leto playing an Italian, but Lady Gaga looks incredible in this stacked cast biopic (Adam Driver and Al Pacino are in it too!) about a real life story I know little about. Director Ridley Scott can be very hit or miss, but a period movie set in world of fashion feels like it's very much in his wheelhouse.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife - I love the nostalgic vibes this movie's trailers have evoked and it's a genuine thrill to the see the Ecto-1 back in action, as well as what looks like (aside from some dicey CGI mini marshmallow men) more practical effects than the 2014 reboot. My one question mark is whether this film is a comedy like the originals, since there isn't a single laugh line any of the footage I've seen so far.

The French Dispatch - Wes Anderson movies are pretty much always an event for me and I'm excited for his return to live action moviemaking. This one looks to be perhaps his most ambitious yet, juggling multiple storylines and both color and black & white cinematography. Familiar Anderson faces like Bill Murray and Frances McDormand are joined by intriguing newcomers like Jeffrey Wright and Bencio Del Toro. I am very curious about how this one is going to turn out.

Soggy Bottom - Very little is known about this upcoming film from P.T. Anderson. It's set in the '70s, stars Bradley Cooper and the son of the late frequent Anderson collaborator Philip Seymour Hoffman, and is reportedly about an aspiring child actor. But Anderson has never struck out for me and just may be the most inventive, iconoclastic filmmaker working today. Phantom Thread was such an advance for his craftsmanship that I'm excited to see if he can top it.

Last Night In Soho - I'm not as obsessive an Edgar Wright disciple as some people (for instance, I think Scott Pilgrim is just ok). Still, this horror-thriller about switching identities and realities (?) starring Anya Taylor Joy, looks stylish, unpredictable and wholly original. Here's another filmmaker who is interested in shaking things up and honing his own signature style and I am here for it.

Halloween Kills - I loved the Danny McBride scripted first reboot and while I'm a little skeptical that he and director David Gordon Green can strike lightning twice, I am intrigued by the fact that the original's director John Carpenter has already christened this movie perhaps the greatest slasher film of all time. Certainly happy to see Jamie Lee Curtis back in action and for the mythology around these movies to continue to grow.

The Tragedy of MacBeth - Joel Coen is working for the first time solo here without his brother Ethan and he is curiously adapting one of Shakespeare's most iconic plays. I am thrilled to see that he is teaming up with Denzel Washington, who's been slumming it in a lot of B-movies recently. And he is going to be acting opposite another powerhouse in Joel's wife Frances McDormand. Early buzz for this project is great, and if nothing else is promises to be a visual tour de force.

Candyman - The original is probably one of the best, most enduring horror films of the '90s and this new version seems like it my just top it. It looks incredible, has a great cast of up and comers and appears to be a fresh take on the monster movie's mythos. I love that Jordan Peele tapped a protege to breathe new life into this franchise. I just hope the movie lives up to it's killer trailer.

Dune - For decades Hollywood has struggled to bring this classic sci-fi tale to the big screen (David Lynch's 1984 version is a fascinating dud) and with Denis Villenueve, they may have found the perfect filmmaker to do it. He's assembled perhaps the year's most impressive cast, come up with what looks like a peerless array of special effects and it appears he also gets the themes of the book down too. It'd be a travesty to watch this one streaming at home.

No Time to Die - The movie I can't wait to see more than any other -- Daniel Craig's James Bond is finally come back for one more go-round (Spectre was a solid, but not spectacular enough finale for his run) and if this trailer's are any indication, this looks to be as compelling and mind blowing as Casino Royale and Skyfall were. I am frustrated by all the delays, but I am also convinced that this one will be worth the wait.

Athletes can act! (sometimes): My fav sports star turns

Right off the bat, some caveats. I am not counting professional wrestlers -- I am not saying they're not athletes -- but I think it's fair to admit that there's an element of theatricality in what they do already, which means I'm not going to count The Rock, Dave Bautista and Andre the Giant.

I also am omitting Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was a professional body builder but who I wouldn't call an athlete in the traditional sense. And he's just a whole other phenomenon. I am thinking mainstream pro sports stars who gave committed, legit performances (sometimes as themselves) in a movie.

I am doing this because LeBron James just stumbled hard with his Space Jam movie and well, athletes acting in movie is just kind of in the ether right now.

So in no particular order...

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Airplane! - Jabbar always had a reputation for being sullen and standoffish, which is part of why he is such a surprising, deadpan presence in this smash comedy film. He plays a heightened version of himself and gets an opportunity to vent vicariously against his critics in a scene opposite a precocious kid. Honorable mention to his brief cameo in Fletch, his epic fight scene with Bruce Lee in Game of Death and his appearance on this year's season of Dave. Clearly, he is not as serious as he seems.

Jim Brown in Fingers - The NFL legend is brooding, brilliant and scary as intimidating ladies man in James Toback's violent, semi-autobiographical character study starring Harvey Keitel. Brown's brutal, sexually imposing character is not-so-loosely based on Brown's real-life off-screen persona. Toback was briefly a live-in roommate of his and the two chased women together for a period.

Jim Bouton in The Long Goodbye - Hardly a household name, Bouton, a Major League Baseball player became semi-infamous for his tell-all book Ball Four, which exposed some of the less flattering behind the scenes antics of locker room culture. In Robert Altman's riff on the noir film, he plays a shady character who betrays Elliott Gould's hero and meets a jarring fate in the finale. He died recently and I wish he'd acted more, he was a natural.

Ray Allen in He Got Game - As Denzel Washington's son in director Spike Lee's ode to basketball, as well as fathers and sons, Allen more than holds his own. He's a solid, naturalistic presence and he inspires some of Denzel's most underrated work. It's an epic, emotional film and it wouldn't work if Allen weren't so sympathetic and genuine.

Kevin Garnett in Uncut Gems - Garnett was such a pleasant surprise in this Safdie Brothers masterpiece. He'd been recently retired and here he was playing a version of himself circa 2012. He was subtle, funny and unflappable, even while sharing the screen opposite a never-better Adam Sandler. I don't know if this is a one-off or if he ever intends to do more, but he's more than capable. 

Carl Weathers in Rocky - Although Weather is far better known for his acting career, he did have a legit career in the NFL before making the leap. He's had a pretty prolific career -- most recently co-starring in and directing episodes of The Mandolorian, but he'll probably always be best known for his larger-than-life Apollo Creed character, which rises above caricature on the strength of his charisma.

Randall 'Tex' Cobb in Raising Arizona - I had no idea Randall Cobb was ever an athlete, I just knew him as a tough guy heavy from the movies, but he was a professional boxer. He once took a beating so bad from Larry Holmes that he turned broadcaster Howard Cosell off boxing forever. But his performance in Raising Arizona, as a grim tracker is truly iconic and hilariously funny.

Bernie Casey in Sharky's Machine - Casey's another NFL player turned blaxploitation star. He would go on to a bevy of supporting roles in comedy and action films, but Burt Reynolds gave him one of his greatest roles and a veteran detective. He has a powerful monologue in the film, which he nearly steals, and he has a surprisingly haunting presence throughout.

Fred Williamson in M*A*S*H - Williamson had a storied career during the blaxploitation era, but probably his most nuanced role was in Robert Altman's breakthrough war film. As Spearchucker Jones, he did the most with limited screen time, utilizing his own background as a NFL player to play a ringer (but also a surgeon) for a Korean war medical unit.

Keith Hernandez in Seinfeld - This is a bit of cheat, since it's TV, but I was always so amused by the episode where the Mets legend played an arrogant version of himself opposite Julia Louis Dreyfuss' Elaine Benes. They had very funny chemistry, and while no professional actor, he proved he could hang with some real comedy heavy hitters.

'Old' is very silly and the prototypical Shyamalan film

You've to hand it to M Night Shyamalan. He's really hung around and maintained a brand despite many box office and critical bombs. I have disliked most of his movies and yet I can't deny the man has skills. And when the material is right -- say Unbreakable or The Sixth Sense -- there's greatness in him.

Old is sort of a maddening movie because it shows flashes of what he can do very well but also includes some of his most obnoxious tendencies. It's based on a graphic novel and I do wonder if it's better, since there are some interesting, compelling ideas under the surface of this movie. But subtlety is not his strong suit.

Right from the jump the movie is presenting you with exposition that screams -- this will pay off later. A precocious kid runs around asking characters what their names are and what their occupations are. And repeatedly throughout the film these same adults announce their character traits and professions too, as if the audience will forget. 

I once heard someone argue that Christopher Nolan makes a stupid person's version of a smart movie but I disagree. I think Nolan's films are pretty damn smart. It's Shyamalan who's aiming for the cheap seats. And as ludicrous as Old frequently is, it's pretty damn entertaining -- and that puts it head and shoulders above dreck like Glass.

Some credit should go to the cast which has to deliver some incredibly laughable, wooden dialogue and really get put through the paces. It's a real ensemble piece, and no one really stands out, but no one shits the bed either like Jaden Smith in After Earth.

And there are some effectively creepy sequences considering that almost all the action takes place on a non-descript sunlit beach. Like a lot of his recent work, this was a relatively low budget affair, so it'll probably make a profit, which might explain why Shyamalan keeps getting opportunities to step up the plate.

And audiences seem to have gotten hipper about consuming his work. You know there's going to be a twist and that it's going to be really insane -- and this one is -- but hopefully you'll be entertained getting there. 

It's a mixed bag. For every genuinely amusing or thrilling moment there's film geek masturbation (one character's dementia leads him to trying to remember the name of The Missouri Breaks) and cheesy racial humor (there's a rapper character named, I'm not kidding, Mid-Sized Sedan), so I was rolling my eyes just as much as I was biting my nails.

But here's the thing -- the movie is audacious. It flirts with being powerful, only to overplay its hand. But I appreciate its originality and its cinematic flair. Shyamalan really knows how to craft a shot and to deliver a solid jolt.

I just wish he had a collaborator who could do a polish on his writing. His ego is clearly enormous (hence his constant wink wink casting of himself) but he's limited and Old might just go down as the prototypical Shyamalan film, for better or worse.

Performers who the MCU should cast if they haven't already

Watching Loki, I was stunned by how many top tier actors have been scooped up by the Marvel Universe. Whether it be veteran stars like Owen Wilson or up-and-coming performers like Lovecraft Country's Wunmi Mosaku. Even the recent Black Widow is stuffed with Oscar nominees and winners like Rachel Weisz and Florence Pugh.

The behemoth franchise has revitalized the careers of actors like Robert Downey, Jr., codified the stardom of actors like Michael B. Jordan and cast some stars in a whole new light (I'm thinking Kathryn Hahn's scene stealing turn in WandaVision)

And yet, there are still more actors who are like low hanging fruit for this cinematic universe who I think it'd be a mistake for the Marvel folks to overlook ... 

Cecily Strong - I have long thought she is the most under-appreciated star on SNL. She's incredibly versatile -- as evidenced by her wonderful work on the new Apple TV series Schmigadoon, and in the same way that's been refreshing to see Julia Louis-Dreyfuss start to show up in movies like these, there has been a real lack of humor in the women's roles in Marvel movies. She could easily upend that.

Bob Odenkirk - His brilliant work in Better Call Saul has completely re-shaped his image in the minds of audiences but nothing prepared me for how badass he would be in the movie Nobody, a slam bang, John Wick-esque action epic. I see him as being either a really good villain or an unconventional hero, either way, he would step the game up of any of his co-stars.

Issa Rae - She certainly has the look of a superhero -- and women of color have by and large been woefully underrepresented in Marvel. Sure there's Zoe Saldana (covered by green make-up) in the Guardians films, Tessa Thompson popped up in Thor Ragnarok and, of course, Black Panther has an embarrassment of riches but hell, it's still not enough.

Trevante Rhodes - Speaking of looking like a superhero, this guy is like central casting. After I saw him in Moonlight, I assumed this ripped, stunning specimen would be all over the big screen but he has yet to have another breakout role and hasn't worked as consistently as I expected. It's as if Hollywood is like biased or something? Anyways it's a crime that he hasn't turned up as a big screen Luke Cage or something!

Beanie Feldstein & Kaitlyn Dever - The two lovable stars of one of the most underrated comedies of the past decade, Booksmart, would be a welcome and unconventional star presence in a Marvel movie in any capacity. It'd be cool if they were a duo since they have such phenomenal chemistry but whatever works, just get these ladies more screen-time Marvel!

Jennifer Lopez - Hustlers proved that Jennifer Lopez has a lot in the tank as actress, and it's kind of crazy that she never has been in a superhero franchise. It just seems like a massive oversight given her movie star persona and impressive work ethic. Again, I have no idea who she should play but it doesn't matter, just get her in one of these movies (and away from Ben Affleck),

Jason Segal - After making a big splash with big comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets and I Love You Man, Segal went more of the indie route and hasn't been quite as ubiquitous as some of the other Apatow boys over the years. He certainly doesn't fit the profile of a superhero type (even though he's an enormous guy) but I could see him getting a makeover Paul Rudd/Chris Pratt style.

Javier Bardem - He's always unpredictable and riveting in almost everything he does, and he proved in Skyfall that he can really deliver a knockout performance in a big budget franchise picture, and of course, his work in No Country for Old Men is peerless. He doesn't show up in enough movies.

Julianne Moore - With the exception of The Big Lebowski, this veteran actress rarely gets to play 'fun' roles and it would be interesting to get to see her do something a little more silly and goofy for a change. She's easily one of our greatest living actresses and she's earned the right to do some scenery chewing. Just don't cast her as someone's mom like you did with Rene Russo.

Denzel Washington - He's spent a career avoiding these kinds of movies (he's only made one sequel ever) which is precisely why if he showed up in say, Black Panther 2 (fingers crossed), it would be such a big deal. I don't know if he would ever do it, he's well into his 60s now and he may not want to go full Liam Neeson, but I think he'd be fun as a bad guy in this universe.

'Black Widow' won't resuscitate big screen Marvel universe

Because Avengers: Endgame has such a fitting finale feel to it, the Marvel movies that have come in its wake have felt a little bit rudderless. It took several movies to build up to Thanos and the stakes for that movie could not be higher. And so the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home and now Black Widow, feel quaint by comparison.

Black Widow is of course, too little too late -- Scarlett Johansson's superspy character is finally getting her own film but after she has already perished in the timeline of the Marvel movies. So it's a little weird watching -- an admittedly well-made -- action thriller where the tension is somewhat diffused by the fact we know she lives for a few more movies.

This one takes place between (if you can remember it) Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. It plays like a bit of a hopped up Bourne movie -- with some real rock 'em sock 'em action scenes that are exciting if a bit chaotic and absurd. Johansson and her sister (played by a scene-stealing Florence Pugh) are supposedly human beings and yet the amount of pain they endure and shrug off is insane.

But, this is after all, a comic book movie and it's definitely trying to be a little different than its predecessors, which I appreciate. But It also feels like a movie without a purpose. Johansson can be very effective actress with the right material and she was a likable presence in past Avengers movies but she's a little too mopey here. She doesn't have the same sense of play she brought to other Marvel projects.

The real find here is Pugh who proves yet again that she is one of the more exciting young stars working today. Saddled with a Russian accent which could have totally tanked her performance, she has the pluck and charisma you want Johansson's titular character to have. 

Pugh is not only believable in the action scenes but she is credible in the dramatic ones, too. Clearly, this will not be the last of her in the MCU and I'm here for it.

The Marvel TV shows have proven that some of the more tertiary characters can have more life to them than we might have imagined, but I am not sure that Black Widow does. She's haunted, ok -- but what else is there to this character or this story?

I still don't get why she doesn't have a Russian accent. And in retrospect, while I always like her, she was usually used to bring out character elements in the other Avengers -- think her playful relationship with Captain America or aborted romance with The Hulk.

Here, after a bravura opening sequence, we're treated to a bit of a soggy family melodrama with little bits of intrigue. It's different for sure than most Marvel fare, but is it better -- no. Perhaps this year's upcoming Eternals will be the game-changer these kinds of movies need. They certainly are attracting terrific actors, although Rachel Weisz is totally wasted (today brought news that the brilliant Michaela Coel of I May Destroy You will be in the Black Panther sequel) now they just need the material to match.

There is already griping about the movie's supposed under-performance -- but really there's no telling how much COVID and the fact that the movie can be purchased at home via Disney Plus (which is what I did) hurt the box office. I think that this film just isn't quite special enough to get butts back in the seats. It's ok, just not great. But that shouldn't deter Marvel from experimenting with unconventional leads or unconventional stories.

Flashback 1971: My favorite movies from 50 years ago

Arguably '70s cinema didn't really kick off in earnest until 1971, sure there were game-changers like M*A*S*H in 1970, but cinema certainly took on an even darker edge in the following year, where a series of nihilistic, violent movies made a tremendous splash both critically and commercially. 

Even the year's Best Picture winner -- The French Connection -- was a nasty crime thriller where the hero was an unhinged bigot. Many of the movies on my list would certainly have been controversial then and now, and are deeply problematic -- but they're also powerful, which is why they're here.

Without any more yapping, here is my top 10 from 50 years ago:

Here are my top 10 from '71...

10) Harold & Maude - It took me a little longer to warm up to this movie than most people but once I got on its wavelength I came to appreciate it for the surprisingly touching romance it is. I think the movie works because of Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon, who give wonderful performances and really sell a concept that could have been gimmicky and give it genuine heart.

9) McCabe & Mrs. Miller - Robert Altman's bleak and moody take on the western provides Warren Beatty and Julie Christie with two of their best roles. An episodic, atmospheric revisionist work that like many great Altman films succeeds by doing the unexpected. And it has a devastating ending that makes everything that proceeded it more compelling.

8) The Last Picture Show - An interesting experiment in combining nostalgia for a certain kind of classic American small town drama with some pointed nods to explicit sexuality and modern reality. Director Peter Bogdanovich made several good movies over the years, but I still think this ranks as his best and least affected.

7) Straw Dogs - One of the most infamous and polarizing movies on this list because of its ambiguous treatment of sexual assault, but if you have a stomach for it, it's one director Sam Peckinpah's best and most provocative movies. Dustin Hoffman plays a nebbish professor who moves to a rural town on the English countryside with his bombshell wife (a brilliant Susan George), who quickly becomes a target for some local brutes. I won't spoil it but the ending is one of the most balls out ferocious ones you'll ever see. 

6) Klute - My favorite Jane Fonda performance. Here she plays a complex call girl caught up in the hunt for a demented serial killer. She is totally credible and vulnerable in the role and has great chemistry with leading man Donald Sutherland, who plays a modest, more reserved police officer. The movie is named after his character but it really is Fonda's film. Her big scene opposite the killer is one of the most gut wrenching bits of acting I've ever seen.

5) Dirty Harry - The movie that started it all is a little more skeptical of its fascist hero Harry Callaghan. He's definitely from the shoot first, ask questions later school -- which is deeply problematic -- but his cat and mouse pursuit of a killer based on the Zodiac as pretty riveting and irresistible. This was the star turn that really solidified Eastwood's persona as a big screen superstar and is yet another impressive entry from genre film director Don Siegel.

4) Carnal Knowledge - This film about sexuality and male insecurity was such a scandalous project it literally led to a Supreme Court ruling on obscenity. Strangely overlooked and forgotten today, it contains one of Jack Nicholson's greatest roles and established Ann Margaret as so much more than just a sex symbol. Director Mike Nichols has a very hit and miss filmography but this should rank among his very best.

3) The French Connection - Based on a true story, virtually every buddy cop crime movie that followed owes it a debt. Today, it's best remembered for it's still badass centerpiece chase scene -- but it also features one of Gene Hackman's greatest performances as the dogged and ultimately deranged NYC detective Popeye Doyle. This film made him an unlikely movie star at 40 and turned William Friedkin into one of the decade's hottest directors.

2) A Clockwork Orange - Even Stanley Kubrick himself was concerned about the way this truly black comedy would be received since its portrayal of ultraviolence and toxic masculinity is so vivid that some people might take the film's intentions the wrong way. It is very much a satire and a bit of a horror film, too. Probably the most experimental of Kubrick's masterpiece period.

1) Get Carter - A sexy, stylish, funny and freewheeling British gangster movie, with arguably Michael Caine's coolest performance if not his best (although I think I'd say that, too). It's a pretty classic revenge movie with all sorts of interesting little flourishes, a great soundtrack and lots of swinging British 'tude. A personal favorite of mine that I revisit regularly.

PAST TOP 10 FAVORITE LISTS

1970 #1 movie - M*A*S*H

1974 #1 movie - The Godfather Part II

1975 #1 movie - Nashville

1976 #1 movie - Taxi Driver

1977 #1 movie - Star Wars

1978 #1 movie - The Deer Hunter

1979 #1 movie - The Jerk

1981 #1 movie - Thief

1980 #1 movie - The Shining

1984 #1 movie - Ghostbusters

1985 #1 movie - Fletch

1986 #1 movie - Blue Velvet

1987 #1 movie - The Untouchables

1988 #1 movie - Coming to America

1989 #1 movie - Batman

1990 #1 movie - The Grifters

1991 #1 movie - Cape Fear

1994 #1 movie - Pulp Fiction

1995 #1 movie - Heat

1996 #1 movie - Fargo

1997 #1 movie - Boogie Nights

1998 #1 movie - The Big Lebowski

1999 #1 movie - Eyes Wide Shut

2000 #1 movie - Nurse Betty

2001 #1 movie - The Royal Tenenbaums

2004 #1 movie - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2005 #1 movie - A History of Violence

2006 #1 movie - Casino Royale

2007 #1 movie - There Will Be Blood

2008 #1 movie - The Wrestler

2009 #1 movie - Inglourious Basterds

2010 #1 movie - The Social Network

2011 #1 movie - Drive

'Space Jam: A New Legacy' is an exasperating disaster

The eagerly anticipated reboot, Space Jam: A New Legacy, makes the disappointing Ready Player One feel like a grounded masterpiece, and that's really saying something. Not unlike that movie, it's basically a 2-hour advertisement for Warner Brother's intellectual property, but it's even less subtle and more cynical than I could have possibly imagined for a money grab like this.

Not only does the film routinely name drop the name of its iconic studio, but it literally repurposes footage from old films to serve its relatively incomprehensible 'narrative.' In theory this could have been handled in a fun or thoughtful way but instead it's a never-ending stream of lame punchlines and references (M.C. Hammer, in 2021, really!?) that will be lost on certainly most young viewers.

The main attraction here should be LeBron James, the rare superstar athlete who is also likable, engaging and can be effective on camera -- but he is pretty much lost in this insanely overstuffed and seizure inducing movie. He's playing himself again, just like he did more successfully in the comedy Trainwreck, but unlike in that movie he's a humorless scold here -- when he's allowed to have a personality at all -- and he's saddled with a tired subplot as a dad whose too domineering when it comes to his son.

When he's not in animated form, he's left to deliver stilted dialogue abut fundamentals and 'putting in work' -- I was stunned that he didn't have a single line that made me smile or even chuckle. Is he a better, more natural actor than Michael Jordan, sure, but he's terribly served by this movie.

Meanwhile, a number of other celebs -- including slumming Oscar nominee Steven Yeun -- pop up for thankless roles that I suppose they accepted as a favor for LeBron? Worst of all is the great Don Cheadle, delivering perhaps his worst performance as the mustache twirling villain -- unbelievably named Al G. Rhythm.  Some of the broadness of the acting here is arguably forgivable in a kids movie but compared to Pixar films or a movie like Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse that actually have a narrative, this is an abomination. Even it's attempts to be meta and in on the joke (LeBron tries to pre-empt criticism of his performance with a line about athletes acting 'never goes well') fall terribly flat.

It's impossible to even appreciate the animation since everything on screen is an assault on your senses. There's a video game element that leads all sort of digital chaos on the screen and worst of all -- the 'crowd' attending the interminable big game finale -- is comprised entirely of overacting extras playing characters from the Warner Brothers catalogue -- even ones as incongruous as the killer clown from It and white walkers from Game of Thrones.

Who is this even for!?

I don't have a ton of special reference for the original. I was already aged out of its core audience when it came out in 1996, but this new iteration makes that one seem quaint and innocent by comparison. Both were product placement machines. Both cheapened the appeal of the great Warner Brothers cartoon characters (they're just annoying here, not even a little funny). But this one feels more exasperating and exhausting. Literally, at one point I paused it to see how much more was left and was appalled to realize i still had 35 MINUTES to go.

And there was still an embarrassing 'rap battle' sequence featuring Porky Pig still to go.

Luckily, I watched this at home on HBO Max and if you're temped to see it -- either because you love LeBron, or you have nostalgia for the original or like me just wanted to see if it was a bad as everyone is saying it is (it is) -- you should definitely at least skip seeing it in a theater. I hate to say this because I am a big LeBron fan -- but I want this movie to fail so they never make another one like it.

RIP Richard Donner: The man who made superhero movies legit

I guess to some extent we have Richard Donner to blame. Had his 1978 classic Superman failed we might never have seen big screen superhero epics emerge as the dominant cultural force they are. Still, the late filmmaker (he died yesterday at 91) didn't stop there. He reinvented 'cop' movies with his four Lethal Weapon films -- two of which are great. He also made a kid's film that is seminal for a whole generation and a modern holiday classic which has also become a cable TV staple around Christmas.

I remember seeing on Wikipedia that Donner was slated to direct a theoretical Lethal Weapon 5, which would have reunited the embattled to say the least Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. It seemed a little far fetched that this movie would happen but also its a tribute to Donner's longevity that I wouldn't have been shocked if it did indeed eventually get made.

Donner was widely beloved by his peers and his personal buoyancy clearly carried over into his best films. No one is going to rank him among the great auteurs but he knew how to make a crowd pleasing hit, that's fo sure. And although his career was not without it's share of failure -- 1982's The Toy is both one of the worst movies I've ever seen and one of the most racially insensitive -- he also left behind some films that are going to be viewed over and over again for decades, which is all any director could hope for. 

Here are my favorite films of his long and varied career:

The Omen - The movie that was Donner's breakthrough is sometimes overshadowed by the other great '70s horror film, The Exorcist. It treats its absurd premise -- the devil's spawn teams up with a psychotic nanny to wreak havoc -- with credibility and features a solid late career lead performance from Gregory Peck. A fun, fast-paced pop horror film.

Superman - Although the experience took a bad turn with his firing from Superman II, Donner's vision and execution of this movie is note perfect. He managed to wrangle Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman and turned Margot Kidder and especially Christopher Reeve into stars. A movie that works for every generation and is still arguably one of the high water marks of the genre.

Inside Moves - A smaller, more intimate film than Donner became known for features a very moving performance by the underrated John Savage as a physically disabled man who befriends a basketball player and finds a new lease on life. If this film had been better received commercially I'd be curious to know what direction Donner's career would have taken, but ultimately he was a blockbuster guy.

The Goonies - It took me longer to embrace this loud, raucous '80s kid comedy than most. It definitely wasn't a movie I grew up with (we were more of an Indiana Jones household) but now I see it's ramshackle charms. The movie is a bit of a mess and beyond ridiculous, but it's easy to see why kids can't get enough of it. It's the ultimate staying home from school and the parents aren't around movie.

Lethal Weapon - People don't realize what a gamble this movie was back in 1987. Danny Glover was best known for a dramatic role in The Color Purple and while the Mad Max films had a cult following here in the states, Mel Gibson was far from the A-list leading man he would become. The darkest entry in the series (Gibson is suicidal) and the most satisfying. It became the gold standard of mis-matched cop buddy movies.

Scrooged - It was an infamously troubled production and he clashed with star Bill Murray, but the result is an angry, unconventional holiday movie classic that showcases Murray when he was neck and neck with Eddie Murphy for the mantle of biggest comedy star in the world. I've learned over the years, it is definitely not for everyone's taste. But it's a really creative reboot of most iconic Christmas story ever.

Lethal Weapon 2 - Donner goes bigger and bolder with this victory lap of a sequel. Sometimes this one is conflated with the original -- but it adds more comedy, some Joe Pesci and some very nasty international villains ("Diplomatic immunity!"). The franchise would start to lose it's way a bit after this one, although all the films are fairly watchable. The dude knew how to shoot a good balls to the wall action sequence, that's for sure.

Exciting and unpredictable 'Zola' is a must-see

I knew going into the new movie Zola that it was based on an infamous, colorful Twitter thread and I'm glad I didn't read it until after I saw the film because it would have spoiled many of its twists and turns. 

If you were thinking of seeing the movie and have yet to read the Twitter thread, DON'T, because the movie is very faithful to the events as described by Aziah 'Zola' King.

The 'events' are a raucous and raunchy tour de force from director Janicza Bravo, who makes a bold directorial statement here, with a dynamite cast and a gorgeous looking dark comedy. It's easily the best movie I've seen this year so far.

Without spoiling to much -- it's about two strippers played by Taylour Paige (who steals the movie) and 

Riley Keough (who pulls off a very risky 'blaccent') who bond instantly after a chance meeting an embark on an epic 'hoe trip' to Florida to make some easy money. But things quickly spiral out of control, mostly thanks to Riley's character whose extracurricular activities put them in all sorts of uncomfortable positions.

It's all very free-spirited, explicit fun (there is a lot of full frontal male nudity), perfectly capturing the spirit of King's tweets, which are written in a delightfully unorthodox prose that provides the Twitter equivalent of a page turner.

The movie succeeds not only because it's crafted beautifully but also because the cast knocks it out of the park. Keough here is a sight to behold -- she fully immerses herself in her role and is surprisingly likable despite doing despicable things on-screen. Meanwhile, the charismatic and stylish Coleman Domingo delivers another one of what are become signature powerhouse performances as her roommate/former pimp. But Paige is the center of this movie and it should in a just world make her a major star.

She totally sells the physical aspects of the role, giving Jennifer Lopez a run for her money in the stripper scenes. But she also demonstrates phenomenal comic timing too. Sometimes with a single word or a single look she gets some of the movie's biggest laughs. And she makes what can often be the most thankless role -- the audience surrogate -- the best one.

In King's tweets, the 'Zola' character is not quite as sympathetic or passive, but that doesn't detract from the cinematic version at all. Paige is stunning, sarcastic and something special.

Zola is also a speedy little movie. It'll probably leave you with a few more questions than answers, but it's a testament to the movie that I immediately wanted to know more about King and the tweet thread that inspired the movie.

Curiously, the movie doesn't delve too deeply into issues of race. It's all there -- in Keough's affected voice, in a chilling peripheral scene where presumably a black suspect is getting tased on the side of the road. It simply trusts the audience to pick up on its themes of privilege and power. Which is remarkably refreshing. 

And while I doubt this is the kind of movie that will get love come awards time, I think it has a lot of potential with audiences.

'No Sudden Move' is a bit all over the map, but worth a stream

Don't get me wrong. It's a delight to see Steven Soderbergh back in action and in the crime genre where he's done such great work before. Unfortunately, his new film No Sudden Move doesn't have the sex appeal of Out of Sight, the precision of the Ocean's films or the unmitigated joy of Logan Lucky.

It looks fantastic -- like most Soderbergh films -- although I am not quite sure why it needed to be a period film but he evokes the '50s very effectively. He also has an incredibly stacked cast although too many actors like Bencio Del Toro and Jon Hamm aren't given enough material to play with. Don Cheadle sports a distracting, gravelly accent for no particular reason and David Harbour seems to be acting in a totally different, much funnier movie.

It's got too many characters and is narratively overstuffed but somehow claustrophobic at the same time.

But No Sudden Move's biggest problem is tone. It has some cool set pieces and style to spare but it is neither a drama nor a comedy. It's far too talky to call it an action film or a thriller and so it's kind of just a very dressed up little genre piece. 

I do think it's a notch above The Laudromat, one of his two recent Meryl Streep vehicles (I didn't get around to Let Them All Talk) but other than its jazzy Chinatown-esque score and dynamic cinematography it feels like it's lacking Soderbergh's distinct directorial stamp.

Its narrative is twisty enough but it takes far too long to make any kind of statement about what it wants to be about -- in a somewhat heavy handed cameo role played by Matt Damon -- and it just isn't very fun.

It's not a bad movie, mind you. And it mostly held my interest. I wish Julia Fox, such a scene stealer in Uncut Gems had more to do. Ray Liotta pops up and gives the movie a little juice but he also gets sidelined too quickly. The same goes for a revived Brendan Fraser.

It feels like it could be an HBO series instead of a single movie -- which is perhaps why it's fitting that it's available streaming on HBO Max, and I imagine it could grow on me some more after some repeat viewings (I did get a kick out of actor-director Bill Duke showing up as a badass heavy) but it doesn't feel as vital as much of Soderbergh's best work.

Still, it's a diverting enough two hours -- and you can appreciate it if nothing else for its craftsmanship. In many ways, it's an ideal movie to stay in and watch -- as it modest charms work well on the small screen.

In defense of 'Iron Man 2': It's not great but it's not so bad

There's a scene I wanna say about a third of the way through Iron Man 2 that is really fantastic. It comes after probably the only thrilling action scene in the movie -- a showdown between Mickey Rourke's Whiplash and Robert Downey Jr's iconic performance in the titular role. Rourke and Downey have a quiet, tense dramatic scene opposite each other in an empty cell.

Rourke's charisma and intensity overcome the somewhat silly Russian accent and there's something electric about seeing these two legendary character actors in the midst of their dramatic comebacks (although Rourke's would be much more shortlived) as Hollywood stars. Unfortunately the dramatic stakes set up in this scene are never fully realized as the overstuffed sequel pushes Rourke to the margins and suffers from to much table setting for future installments.

The film. from the beginning feels like half a victory lap for the original Iron Man film from two years earlier, which is understandable because it was such a game-changer and turned Robert Downey, Jr. into an A-list superstar very unexpectedly in his 40s.

He's in cruise control here as the smug but still likable Tony Stark. There seem to be a couple attempts to add complexity to his character -- they dip a toe into alcholism and suggest his physical health is dramatically deteriorating but there isn't a lot of momentum behind the narrative because it's so patched together.

For instance, why start your superhero movie with a far too long sequence set at a Senate committee hearing. It's fun to see Gary Shandling in this movie, don't get me wrong -- but it goes on way too long.

Then there's the inclusion of Scarlett Johansson -- playing a way too sexualized version of her Black Widow character (they wouldn't figure out how to use her character until far later) and Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury a bit like Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction.

None of these actors are phoning it in per se. For instance, Sam Rockwell is a lot of fun as a nerdy wannabe Tony Stark (Guy Pearce would do a different take on a similar character in Iron Man 3). And I think Don Cheadle is definitely as upgrade on Terrence Howard as War Machine, although they also didn't figure out how to use him effectively until several movies later.

It's kind of wild watching the movie now when we've seen how much the Marvel universe has grown and how much better these films got at integrating their mythology while not sacrificing a compelling and coherent narrative.

As it stands now Iron Man 2 is a bit of a well-intentioned failure. But I don't hate it as much as many others do. Some of this comes from my affection for Rourke, one of my favorite actors and also, one of the most frustrating. Had he be given more of a fleshed out backstory and had he be given a chance to establish himself as a real key antagonist opposite RDJ, that could have been something.

Instead there are some nice moments here in there is a bit of a mess.

Pride: Recommendations for under-represented LGBTQ cinema

Things are getting better when it comes to LGBTQ representation at the movies but barely. Hollywood has long been horribly unkind to the community or simply ignored them entirely. I will be the first to admit that I still have a lot to learn and be exposed to when it comes to LGBTQ culture on film but in honor of Pride Month (and really every month of the year) I wanted to give a shout out to some favorite films of mine with LGBTQ themes and plotlines. 

In some cases the so-called gay subplots are not the entire thrust of the film, which is totally fine, sometimes it emerges as a theme and in other cases sexual identity is integral to a film's appeal

Moonlight - One of those rare movies that I went into rather cold -- was swept away and blown away by it's graceful and loving portrait of a young man coming to grips with his own life and sexual identity -- and I left thinking 'that was a masterpiece.' My impression has not been shaken since, I think it's a seminal work of art that deserved even more accolades than it got.

Paris Is Burning - One of my favorite documentaries of all time and also one of the most influential. It perfectly captures the joy and freedom of ball culture in New York City circa the 1980s while also chronicling the dark shadow of HIV/AIDs and transphobia which looks like a shadow over everything. An important American classic.

The Times of Harvey Milk - The Sean Penn dramatic film is quite good but this documentary is superior because it gives you even more of a sense of the man and the people who loved him. Some incredibly moving stuff here -- it's hard to walk away from this movie without being deeply affected by the tragedy and the inspiration of this man.

Bound - The Wachowskis breakthrough film features a very sexy but also very sincere lesbian love affair at its center. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon have great chemistry together in this twisty thriller. It could have been a cheap exploitation picture but the Wachowskis give their relationship time to breathe and simmer.

Call Me By Your Name - Armie Hammer's unfortunate off-screen exploits aside, this is a gorgeous slow burn of a heartbreaker. Come for Hammer and Timothy Chalemet's roller coaster courtship and stay for Michael Stuhlbarg's heart-stopping monologue during the movie's denouement. One of the most quietly devastating last shots in movie history.

Cruising - Time has been kinder to this film about a cop who goes undercover in the LGBT club scene to catch a serial killer. What's problematic about this film has become fascinating with time and it also legit works as a scary, atmospheric thriller. A film that is really worth of reappraisal.

Booksmart - A thoroughly modern comedy with two note-perfect performances from Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. Dever's storyline, which involves a budding, awkward romance with a female classmate is handled so hilariously and yet delicately that it should serve as a blueprint for all youth comedies going forward.

Other People - A wonderful debut from writer-director Chris Kelly provides the always terrific Jesse Plemons with one of his greatest roles. He plays a gay man caring for his ailing mother (played by a phenomenal Molly Shannon) and must grapple with a father who has shunned him for years. A throwback to the emotionally fulfilling work of James L. Brooks.

Dog Day Afternoon - An ahead of its time LGBT-themed movie (based on a true story no less) doesn't deny the humanity of its characters and takes a larger than life premise (a bank robbery to finance a sex change operation) grounded in human relationships and complexity. It's also one of Pacino's best and most subtle performances.

Mulholland Drive - In the midst of David Lynch's twisted Hollywood noir is a very steamy and sensual romance between Laura Elena Harring and Naomi Watts. At first it's a very traditionally titillating coupling but as the movie's secrets begin to reveal itself as something far more raw and powerful. An unforgettable movie and an iconic relationship.

My favorite remakes (where I've definitely seen the original)

I just recently watched Richard Linklater's solid but also non-essential 2005 remake of the classic 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears. A lot works about the new version, while he's doing nothing new -- Billy Bob Thornton is fun in the lead and Greg Kinnear makes for an especially insidious antagonist. But it doesn't do what the best remakes do, which is improve on the original in new and interesting ways.

Perhaps that was not Linklater's intent, as he no doubt felt nostalgia and affection for the original film and felt it's feel-good underdog story didn't need much updating. So why remake it? It's a bit of a curio in an impressively eclectic filmography. 

There are so many great remakes -- Hollywood wouldn't keep making them if they were always creatively bankrupt. There are several where I can't make an honest comparison because I haven't seen the original (like The Departed and Insomnia) and others where I am pretty much certain they're greater than the inspiration even though I can't honestly say I haven't seen the first version like Heat vs. L.A. Takedown).

Ocean's Eleven - The original is less a movie than a mood -- it's the one movie that features the entire Rat Pack on screen together and in that sense it's historic, but it also feels disjointed as if every superstar sort of breezed through and shot their scenes between sets, which very well may have been the case. The Soderbergh remake is the real classic because it's cohesive, clever and the epitome of a very specific kind of cool. The series made George Clooney and icon and in some ways re-energized the careers of some of its stars.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers - The 1950s original is actually legitimately creepy -- especially it's mad panic of ending -- but the '70s version uses superior special effects and even better cast to weave a truly unforgettable spell. One of the decades great paranoid movies with a brilliant gut punch of an ending.

True Grit - The Coen brothers wisely shifted the focus of their remake of a John Wayne film on its female protagonist (as is the case with the original novel) and came out with a much more emotionally engaging and effective film. It's a rare across the board blockbuster for them in part because it's sneaky sentimental.

Sorcerer - The movie that inspired this 1977 masterpiece is also widely viewed as a masterpiece -- The Wages of Fear. William Friedkin's film ups the stylization a bit, has a big budget and a synthy score, but otherwise they're pretty close. I think Sorcerer just works better because at points it feels like a documentary, in the best way.

A Star Is Born - While the 1954 version might just be the best -- I am still a big fan of the Bradley Cooper-Lady Gaga remake. It felt very alive -- particularly in the musical performances which were raw and moving. I feel like there's been a backlash to film for some reason, and I haven't revisited it recently, but I remember it as a special film.

A Fistful of Dollars - A Westernized version of Akira Kursosawa's cool as a cucumber Yojimbo works only because Clint Eastwood is very bit the charismatic lead that Toshiro Mifune is. It's fun to see how director Sergio Leone tweaks Kurosawa's samurai saga ever so slightly to make to make it work in a new genre.

Let Me In - I know this amounts to blasphemy in many quarters, but I actually like the American version of Let the Right One In better -- eek-- don't hate me. Director Matt Reeves made a faster paced and more viscerally satisfying version of a very bittersweet horror film.

Scarface - A vulgar, grotesque and gory update on Howard Hawks' 1932 genre breakthrough -- it's definitely not for everyone's tastes but I love it to death. Al Pacino, gloriously chewing scenery, gets to go places that the great Paul Muni just could go and director Brian De Palma does a deliriously good job of capturing the decade and mayhem of drug culture.

Cape Fear - I've already written about this but the 1991 Scorsese film benefits from a lack of censorship and a decidedly more complex take on the material. That doesn't mean the original 1962 film isn't a lot of noir fun, it is, but Scorsese's film makes a more lasting impression for a reason.

'F9' is so dumb it's fun like all other 'Furious' films

Two things can be true. A movie can be too dumb to love but also too fun to hate. That's how I feel about most of the Fast & Furious movies. Even the 'good' ones are pretty irredeemably ridiculous. This new one had the audience I saw it with cracking up, and it definitely wasn't because the movie was being intentionally funny.

While The Rock and Jason Statham seem to be at least somewhat in on the joke of what these movies are -- which is why Hobbs & Shaw was so much fun -- Vin Diesel definitely isn't. He long ago eschewed much of an ability to even emote like a normal human being and the franchise is constructed to seemingly make him seem like a God-like indestructible force of nature.

And yet, with all its eye-roll inducing moments -- F9: The Fast Saga -- is pretty fun from start to finish.

For every leaden dramatic scene or absurd exchange of dialogue (Charlize Theron, who inexplicably is being held captive in some kind of cube where her make-up and clothes are impeccable delivers a speech packed with Star Wars references which is laugh out of loud hilariously bad) there's an inventive, fast-paced really well-rendered action scene that will make you guffaw with joy.

A lot of the credit goes to Justin Lin, who has directed several of the stronger entries of the series and mostly keeps things moving fast enough that you don't have to dwell with the insanity of what's happening on screen.

Even more than the previous entries, this one feels the most like a Marvel movie. They go into space. They are chasing some glowing thing-a-ma-jig that apparently can end the world as we know it. It's a victory lap movie and a getting the gang back together movie. We get flashbacks of a 'young' Dom (so how old are we to accept the fiftysomething Diesel is in this film?) and an elaborate backstory to his relationship with his brother played by a miscast John Cena attempting to out-wooden Diesel as an actor.

I kept being begrudgingly impressed by the sheer hubris of this franchise -- it dares you to laugh at its absurdity while kicking its stupidity up another notch. It's not just silliness of its coincidences of the gargantuan stakes it sets up and tries to deliver on, it's audacity to keep pushing the envelope without any real character development or realism whatsoever.

At this point Diesel's cinematic family are essentially indestructible superheroes -- there's even a running beat where Tyrese claims that team is incapable of being hurt in action that kind of comes to nothing, sort of like the movie.

Nothing changes. Everyone remains a 'family,' bad guys suddenly turn and become part of a team and there will be a sequel. Will this 10th one be the last one? Not if this one makes as much money and its predecessors. Clearly the fans are willing to go anywhere this franchise goes. 

And I guess I will too. I can't wholeheartedly endorse these movies -- they're like a sugar rush that leaves you with a stomach ache afterwards. They blend together for me and with a few exceptions they become instantly forgettable.

I suppose this one is destined to be remembered as the 'magnets' one -- it uses them to great effect repeatedly -- but it also seems to have established a new benchmark for what this series can creatively do, especially since character development and plot has never been this series' strong suit.

'The Right' Stuff' and the best book-to-film adaptations

I recently resisted 1983's ambitious and underrated epic about the early NASA program -- The Right Stuff -- after having read the classic new journalism book by Tom Wolfe on which it is based. It's a wonderful, ambitious film -- that was not fully appreciated by audiences (although it was widely embraced by critics) upon its first release, but today is understood to be a great cinematic experience.

Having read the book -- I can also say it's a pretty much note perfect expression of what's on the page. The film brilliantly portrays the competitiveness and camaraderie of the astronauts and their wives, the media circus around them and the macho mystique of test pilot Chuck Yeager, whose aeronautic exploits were unjustly overshadowed by the ballyhooed Mercury 7 astronauts.

The book is riveting but also has a terrific sense of humor and specificity of detail, which director Philip Kaufman captures perfectly. Ultimately, the book and the movie have their cake and eat it too, its both an awe inspiring look at the heroics of these early astronauts and also a send-up of the absurd level of hero worship they engendered.

That got me thinking, what are some of the other great cinematic book adaptations -- they are really a countless amount. For instance, most of Kubrick's great films drew inspiration from a literary text. There are several I can't judge because I'm embarrassed to admit, I haven't head the book, but here are a few that come to mind (and which I've read -- for instance I've never read The Silence of the Lambs):

Lolita (1962) - Speaking of Kubrick, I know he was never happy with how neutered his version of the controversial best-seller by Vladimir Nabokov (which explores a much older man's sexual obsession with a prepubescent girl) but I still think the movie works by being suggestive in a sly sophisticated manner when it couldn't be explicit. And the movie, just like the book, finds the humor in its inherently bleak and disturbing narrative.

The Godfather (1972) - The Mario Puzo book really serves as the inspiration for both the original Francis Ford Coppola film and its sequel. Coppola brilliantly trimmed all the fat and the trash (including a deeply weird subplot about a mobster's wife getting reconstructive surgery on her vagina) and focused on what the novel does best, which is focus on the rise and fall (and rise again)m,, of the Corleone crime family.

No Country for Old Men (2007) - The Coen brothers wisely left most of author Cormac McCarthy's existential thriller in tact. They take creative license where they can -- for instance the book doesn't offer much of a physical description of its chilling antagonist (played in the film memorably by Javier Bardem) so the bowl cut was apparently their invention. But the movie gets the film's brutal and elegiac tone just right.

Jaws (1975) - The book Jaws, while entertaining, has a lot more domestic drama in it (Hooper, the character, played by Richard Dreyfuss, has an affair with Brody's wife, for instance) and director Steven Spielberg wisely shifts more of the attention on the adventures at sea that dominate the book's final stretch and beefs up the character of Quint, who has a much smaller role in the book. The book's author, Peter Benchley, had his initial script for the movie tossed out but even he had to admit the Carl Gottlieb adaptation was superior. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) - Milos Forman's version of the classic Ken Kesey book about a non conformist who shakes things up at a mental institution is decidedly more optimistic -- at least in its finale -- than the book, which ends on a very sour note. Some may quibble with this but I think the movie still is powerful and profound, bringing its claustrophobic setting to life as well as making McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) and Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) become the iconic figures they were on the page.

American Psycho (2000) - A classic example of a book that should have been impossible to adapt -- especially with it's infamous detailed descriptions of grotesque murders -- but somehow works because of the film adaptation's willingness to use restraint, humor and a go-for-broke lead performance from Christian Bale to help the movie from going too far off the rails. Like any great adaptation it keeps the book's essence and perspective in tact but makes it a little more accessible.

The Shining (1980) - It's been well-established that Stephen King hates this adaptation of his book, although other than The Shawshank Redemption it arguably remains the most durably popular. If you've read the book it's clear King had sympathy for the Jack Torrance character whereas Stanley Kubrick did not. Both approaches are valid, I just prefer Kubrick's darker, more psychologically complex one. But the material is great and gives any audience a lot to feast on (and be frightened of).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - The first of the late Stieg Larsson's best-seller's had a lot of incredible, page-turning material in it, but also a lot of extraneous fluff that distracted from the great mystery at its core. Director David Fincher brilliantly trims the fat and keeps this dense narrative moving from point A to point B, without sacrificing the detailed nature of the text.

The Color Purple (1985) - Some critics then and now have hated on this Spielberg film for tamping down some of the more explicit sexuality of the book, and that's a totally fair critique, but where he does succeed is tap into the incredible emotions of the story and provide an opportunity for the entire cast to shine in an intense but ultimately beautiful story.

Gone Girl (2014) - Fincher strikes again. He takes a perfectly entertaining page turner -- a gender-themed thriller by Gillian Flynn -- and made it something more sublime. Ben Affleck is perfectly cast as a jerk and Rosamund Pike is a revelation in the lead. I read the book the shortly before the movie and liked it fine, and then Fincher's film trumped it in every way.

RIP Ned Beatty, one of best character actors of the '70s

We lost another great this week -- veteran character actor Ned Beatty. He was so under-appreciated -- appearing in many of the best movies of the 1970s -- but also doing great work in his later years too, including on Homicide: Life in the Street, which may have been where I first really came to appreciate him.

Even though, like most people, I probably saw him for the first time as the lovably bumbling villain Otis is the first two Superman films starring Christopher Reeve. 

He was definitely not a traditional leading man type but he also wisely avoided getting typecast -- even after playing an infamously vulnerable scene in his debut film Deliverance. I can't think of a role that could have been more of a career killer for a young actor getting their start, but instead he parlayed that into a prolific career. Here are my five favorite roles of his...

Deliverance - This brilliant and disturbing 1972 thriller about four middle class men who's humanity gets tested when they run afoul of some brutal mountain men during a rafting trip. Beatty probably has the trickiest part -- a bit of a novice who at first clashes with Burt Reynolds' alpha male but later becomes his unlikely ally. Will always be infamous for its "squeal like a pig" rape scene which Beatty played with dignity and restraint.

Nashville - Perhaps my favorite Beatty performance and one worthy of Oscar love had it not been overshadowed by the many other scene-stealing roles in this genius Robert Altman mosaic. He plays a glad-handing aspiring politico who tragically, pathetically cut off from his children because they are hearing impaired, and unlike his wife (played beautifully by Lily Tomlin), he hasn't bothered to learn sign language. The scene of him, alone in the kitchen while he listens to his family joyfully interact in the other room, is one of the movie's most quietly devastating.

Network - Beatty had a very busy, prolific 1976, appearing in hits like All the President's Men and Silver Streak. But his biggest role -- not in length but in terms of impact -- was in Network. He scored his first and only Oscar nod playing an imposing, God-like television network president who delivers a gloriously over top speech exalting capitalism which takes the movie's madcap plot in a whole new direction. One of the best short but sweet turns.

Superman - His silly, cartoonish work in this movie sets the bright, lighthearted tone of this influential superhero film from the very beginning. He's the perfect foil for Gene Hackman's vain and snooty take on Lex Luthor and while he's a bit one note, he plays that note to perfection. I can't think of these movies and not think of him sputtering "Mr. Luthor!" and not smile.

Toy Story 3 - Beatty made a surprising and unforgettable contribution to what may still be my favorite entry in this beloved Pixar franchise. He played the seemingly genteel and avuncular Lotso (short for 'Lots o' Fun Bear') who turns out to be a pretty nefarious villain who kickstarts perhaps the darkest turn these movies ever took. A sly and memorable turn that will ensure his legacy for generations to come.

'In the Heights' is almost unbearably cutesy, but joyous

If you loved Hamilton you'll probably at least really enjoy In the Heights. If you saw Hamilton and thought it was overhyped or a little exhausting (I know those people are out there) you should definitely steer clear.

At 2 1/2 hours, In the Heights feels very long indeed and the sheer breath of its songs and musical numbers can be a little numbing at times, but it is also frequently deliriously fun and infectious, a bit of a candy colored fairy tale that is unapologetically old fashioned and determined to make audiences feel good.

In a way, it's the ideal movie to get people back into theaters and I regret watching it streaming on HBO Max as I think it diminished its appeal and impact somewhat. The movie looks amazing and has the same ambitious sprawl of the director Jon M. Chu's last big budget effort, the hit film Crazy Rich Asians.

While that movie was a rom com it could have just as easily been a musical, just like this film could have just as easily been a rom com. It's plot is very low stakes -- the hero must determine whether to realize a lifelong dream about relocating from Washington Heights to his native Dominican Republic, but is torn because of all the family both real and informal he's developed here in the states.

That is pretty much it. The movie has a number of other little side plots and some pointed and poignant nods to modern-day political issues like immigration -- but for the most part it's a throwback, slice of life extravaganza, which is just... fine.

I am just a little confusing by the breathless raves this film has received. The musical numbers are fantastic and gloriously staged but the songs themselves didn't really have the same earworm quality that Hamilton's did -- at least for me.

It probably suffers from one character too many -- and while it's refreshing to see a cast of mostly unknowns (veteran actor Jimmy Smits is one of the few exceptions) I didn't feel as emotionally invested in the movie as I'd wanted to be or as much as filmmakers wanted me to be.

And with all that being said, the movie is a triumph for representation, it feels authentic and it makes great use of real NYC locations which give it a vibrancy and life all its own. And I would be perfectly happy for it to be the kind of movie that galvanizes people to return to see movies in theaters again.

It's a very sweet movie -- almost unbearably cute at times (I literally thought it might end with a wink, but it just barely didn't) and it isn't exactly bursting with high stakes and tension. I think it's telling that it was Broadway icon Lin Manuel Miranda's first major breakthrough. It feels like a lot of the musical ideas he would later fully realize in Hamilton appear to be germinated here in slightly less complex forms.

It's a little overstuffed and overlong, and I called the ending about n hour early. But it's a hard movie to hate on, especially when it has such great intentions. Basically, if you want a frothy, feel good time it'll satisfy but I am looking for more substance from my would-be Best Picture nominees.

RIP Clarence Williams III: Underrated character actor gone too soon

On June 4 we lost another actor legend -- Clarence Williams III -- who will probably always be best known for his breakthrough groundbreaking role in the hit '60s and '70s crime drama The Mod Squad. Ironically enough, he and his co-star on that show, Peggy Lipton, would go on to appear in Twin Peaks in totally different roles -- but I digress.

Williams III will be rightly remembered for his TV work but he did some impressive work on the big screen too, and while he never became a bonafide movie star, he always had great presence whenever he showed up. 

Frankly, I should have included him in my 'shoulda been a bigger star' post from a few weeks back.

Here are a few choices roles of his worth checking out:

Purple Rain (1984) - It could have been a nothing, one-note part but Williams III imbued his role as Prince's abusive father with so much power in a few short, haunting scenes. My favorite is a quiet, tense moment when he coldly tells his son to never have children. He elevates Prince's acting and the movie, too. He's unforgettable.

52 Pick-Up (1986) - A little known and scene thriller gem from director John Frankenheimer. Williams III plays a particularly terrifying villain tormenting Roy Scheider and his wife (played by Ann Margaret) as part of an elaborate blackmail plot. This was the kind of scene-stealing performance that should have led to bigger roles for him but alas it didn't happen.

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) - It's just one scene but one of the movie's funniest -- he plays a would-be black radical activist who has sold out -- to some degree -- by marrying a white woman and raising two, albeit radical, cherubic white kids. For some reason the running gag about all their food being bean based always makes me laugh.

Deep Cover (1992) - Williams III plays the conscience of this down and dirty film about an undercover cop. One of a couple collaborations with director Bill Duke, he has great chemistry with leading man Laurence Fishburne, and the fate of his good guy cop character lends the movie its tragic pathos in the end.

Hoodlum (1997) - He teamed up with director Bill Duke and Fishburne again here in an underrated gangster epic about the real life numbers runner Bumpy Johnson, who helped topple the powerful Dutch Schultz and became the kingpin of Harlem. He plays a pivotal role as a man who betrays Schultz and he would play Bumpy himself in another based on a true story film American Gangster a decade later...

Flashback 1981: My favorite films from 40 years ago

In some ways 1981 may represent the last gasp of iconoclastic 1970s filmmaking, the Reagan era -- for better or worse -- ushered in a golden age of blockbuster filmmaking and a more hit or miss period for the auteurs of the previous decade,

Still, '81 is a really strong year -- at least for me -- with at least three of my all time favorite films and several other greats opening wide (and some even being solid hits).

So here we go my personal faves from the year before I was born.

10) Scanners - One of David Cronenberg's coolest and most visceral early creations -- it's most famous for its still shocking head explosion effect -- but it also features the great Michael Ironside giving a terrific performance as the villain and just lots of engaging creepy energy that's made me revisit this one again and again. A nice bridge between his pure horror films and more intellectual genre films that would come later.

9) Prince of the City - Director Sidney Lumet expands on the police corruption themes of his earlier film Serpico with an even more epic film about a cop (played wonderfully by Treat Williams) who becomes a cooperating collaborator in an investigation into dirty cops and sees his whole life unravel in the process. A very unjustly unsung classic of the gritty detective genre.

8) Cutter's Way - Cult classic sleeper gem features Jeff Bridges as his laconic best and John Heard of all people in a role/performance that should have made him a star about a group of people on the fringes who find themselves embroiled in a murder by chance which ends up having ties to seedy members of the upper class. A '70s style cynical film that somehow ended up coming out in the '80s.

7) Atlantic City - Technically a 1980 release, but it wasn't seen widely in the U.S. until '81, is one of Louis Malle's most accessible films (he had another triumph the same year with his more experimental My Dinner with Andre). Burt Lancaster gives a tremendous performance as a wannabe gangster opposite a luminous Susan Sarandon in this surprisingly poignant character study

6) Reds - Warren Beatty's extremely ambitious and detailed biopic of American journalist turned Russian revolutionary John Reed should have taken home Best Picture at the Oscars (it did win Best Director). It's never boring -- despite its considerable length -- and it works as both a romance and as pointed political drama. It's a shame Beatty didn't direct more films -- this may go down as his masterpiece.

5) The Road Warrior - Also know as a Mad Max 2, this nearly perfect sequel builds on the first film and is even more eye-popping when it comes to its action and dynamic visual storytelling. In many ways, director George Miller's Mad Max Fury Road is a remake of this earlier film which is mostly one long chase scene punctuated by a few moments of apocalyptic downtime. The high point of the original Mad Max trilogy.

4) Blow Out - One of director Brian DePalma's best and a wonderful, underrated performance from John Travolta (his work here in part inspired Tarantino's decision to cast him in Pulp Fiction) as a terrific movie sound man who accidentally records a political murder. A dark, twisted film with a scene stealing turn from John Lithgow and a sweet one from Nancy Allen. Some of the director's best, Hitchcockian camera work and a gut punch of an ending.

3) Escape from New York - Quite possibly my favorite John Carpenter film and one of the best distillations of his unique aesthetic. He single handedly turned Kurt Russell into a movie star AND an action star with this film, which has one of the most stacked casts the decade in one of the most irresistible premises -- New York City becoming strictly a penal colony, and it also has one of the best synth-y soundtracks of all time. I love this movie!

2) Raiders of the Lost Ark - The perfect blockbuster and hands down the best Indiana Jones film. The blending of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg's sensibilities works beautifully here, with the ideal leading man in Harrison Ford. Fast paced, funny and frequently inventive, this movie is iconic for all the right reasons. It's been oft-imitated but never topped.

1) Thief - Director Michael Mann's first film is still his best. A masterpiece of mood and substance -- as James Caan delivers a career-best performance as a genius safe cracker who is trying to go straight and start a family but he gets into business with men who won't let him. Gorgeous looking, incredible sounding and surprisingly emotionally resonant film is a personal favorite of mine.

PAST TOP 10 FAVORITE LISTS

1970 #1 movie - M*A*S*H

1974 #1 movie - The Godfather Part II

1975 #1 movie - Nashville

1976 #1 movie - Taxi Driver

1977 #1 movie - Star Wars

1978 #1 movie - The Deer Hunter

1979 #1 movie - The Jerk

1980 #1 movie - The Shining

1984 #1 movie - Ghostbusters

1985 #1 movie - Fletch

1986 #1 movie - Blue Velvet

1987 #1 movie - The Untouchables

1988 #1 movie - Coming to America

1989 #1 movie - Batman

1990 #1 movie - The Grifters

1991 #1 movie - Cape Fear

1994 #1 movie - Pulp Fiction

1995 #1 movie - Heat

1996 #1 movie - Fargo

1997 #1 movie - Boogie Nights

1998 #1 movie - The Big Lebowski

1999 #1 movie - Eyes Wide Shut

2000 #1 movie - Nurse Betty

2001 #1 movie - The Royal Tenenbaums

2004 #1 movie - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2005 #1 movie - A History of Violence

2006 #1 movie - Casino Royale

2007 #1 movie - There Will Be Blood

2008 #1 movie - The Wrestler

2009 #1 movie - Inglourious Basterds

2010 #1 movie - The Social Network

2011 #1 movie - Drive