'Cobra' and the case for 'good' bad Sylvester Stallone movies

For years Sylvester Stallone's cinematic oeuvre has been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. His name was synonymous with bloated 1980s action excess, even the Rocky movies were largely dismissed by more pretentious cinephiles.

But then along came Creed, and Stallone's revelatory, Oscar-nominated supporting performance in it. Now, even skeptics are taking a look at Stallone the actor -- and I might add, deservedly so.

I have long felt that Stallone was a potentially great actor who lost his way, became too preoccupied with his own vanity and was too unwilling to let other collaborators step in to focus on his strengths as a performer.

With Creed he turned over the reigns to Ryan Coogler, with stirring results. Hopefully, going forward, he will continue to take risks with his star image -- but if the rumors of a planned Rambo 5 are true, I won't be holding my breath.

But this column in not about the "good" Stallone of films like Copland, First Blood or the bulk of the Rocky films. Although I do enjoy those films a great deal.

The worst police sketch ever

I also see value -- albeit pure adrenaline rush amusement -- in his more trashy vehicles, of which there is a seemingly endless supply. Take 1986's Cobra for instance, a crude Dirty Harry knock-off (it even casts that film's villain as a stuffy bureaucrat in the police department), with laughable dialogue, over-the-top product placement and a plot that is pedestrian at best.

There is so much wrong about this movie and yet it's totally watchable and always entertaining.

Part of why I prefer Stallone to Schwarzenegger as an actor is that he is almost never ironic, he is always being sincere as hell. And his earnestness makes his B-movies more effective than if he were standing apart from the material in a smug sort of way.

There are plenty of absurd, nonsensical things in Cobra -- the bad guys appear to be some sort of vague underworld gang that worships axes, he cuts up slices of pizza with a pair of scissors and multiple series of scenes are cut in a music video style that is utterly disorienting.

But I still kind of love it. I love it as a piece of '80s-aesthetic kitsch. I was amused by its barely disguised right wing railing against the supposed inefficacy of law enforcement rules and regulations. And I was impressed with Stallone, with his physicality and unmistakable star presence.

Long before The Expendables movies rendered his presence as an action star somewhat silly and then eventually kinda sad, Stallone was one of the last genuine cinematic badasses around. There are no new Charles Bronsons or Clint Eastwoods, or Jim Browns for that matter.

Stallone's characters were not quirky or really particularly conflicted. They were lunkheaded and boorish, but in the best way.

How 'Far From Heaven' holds up better than 'Carol'

When I saw Carol a few months ago, I admired the film -- and especially the lead performance of Cate Blanchett -- but I couldn't shake the sensation that I had seen a similar film made better before, by the same director no less.

That film, 2002's Far From Heaven, was another stunningly photographed period film grappling with social anxieties regarding mid-twentieth century taboos.

And while, inexplicably, Far From Heaven failed to be recognized widely during awards season, after watching it last night I remain convinced that it was one of the best films of its year and a superior film to Carol.

While Carol felt somewhat hermetically sealed in a gorgeous package, Far From Heaven is unafraid to evoke old fashioned emotionalism. This is a first-rate tearjerker but its also audacious in terms of its style and substance.

Director Todd Haynes set out to make a film that could play like a great lost so-called "women's picture" from the late 1950s, albeit with the occasional spike of modern sexual content and innuendo.

Holding it all together is the miraculous Julianne Moore, who has the unenviable task of making a somewhat naive and detached housewife incredibly sympathetic and endearing. It's a performance that was nominated for an Academy Award, and should have won.

The film keeps springing surprises the audience, and on the character Moore plays and not in a cheap, sensationalist sort of way. While I always felt two steps ahead of the narrative of Carol, I think Far From Heaven has a much more unconventional arc.

Moore is ably complimented by a never-better Dennis Quaid (as her troubled husband) and Dennis Haysbert (as her sensitive gardener). Why Haysbert never got a shot at leading man roles in film I'll never know, but after seeing this film it feels like a horrific oversight.

Julianne Moore and Dennis Haysbert in Far From Heaven

Where both Far From Heaven and Carol derive much of their power is in the utterly hopeless plight of their protagonists. Haynes understands the delicate balance women walked in the eras before the liberation movements of the '60s and '70s. Their options are so limited and the potential to be brutally ostracized or shunned  -- even from their closest peers -- is ever present.

These are characters trapped in worlds that look superficially spectacular but are haunted by regret, loneliness and a lack of emotional and physical fulfillment.

Each story makes for a desperately sad film in a sense, but the strength of the performances and consistency of vision from Haynes power you through. I just think with Far From Heaven he made his definitive statement on 1950s malaise and Carol is a worthy sidebar.

New 'Ghostbusters' debate continues with release of teaser trailer

Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones

The first trailer for the new all-female Ghostbusters is out on the Interwebs, and needless to say my friend and colleague from Too Fat 4 Skinny Jeans, Brian Wezowicz, and I were both a little bit more underwhelmed by what we saw than much of the general populace.

The original Ghostbusters ranks as an all-time favorite for both us (I even passionately defend part II) and we grew up on The Real Ghostbusters cartoon inspired by it, so we have a lot of skin int his game.

Back in January of 2015, the two of us debated the merits of this reboot. My attitude was and always has been that this film was inevitable -- the franchise remains one of Sony's most valuable properties -- and that this version of the story was the freshest one we could hope for. Brian was decidedly more pessimistic. Here are our first takes on the teaser:

BRIAN: I think we need to revisit our debate from last year now that the new trailer for Ghostbusters is out. I went in to watching this with an open mind and I was... underwhelmed to say the least. To me, this movie feels more remake than re-boot. From the opening library scene to some of the other gags, this trailer does not feel at all fresh.

Another thing I didn't like about it is that all 4 actors (whom I really like!) feel like they are just playing the same old characters from every other movie (or TV show) we've seen them in. Kristin Wiig is playing Kristin Wiig. Melissa McCarthy is playing Melissa McCarthy and so forth.

I don't know about you, but my worst fears were realized with this trailer. It's going to take an amazing second trailer to make me at least somewhat interested in seeing this.

Where do you stand?

ADAM: Yeah, I hear you, and I am not going to pretend that I thought it looked amazing. But I would say a couple things in counterpoint. Paul Feig wisely keeps some of his best gags and jokes out of his trailers. Case in point, Spy was far funnier than its early trailers suggested. The early trailers for that film focused on physical gags and left a lot of the great verbal surprises for the movie. For instance, the new Ghostbusters is supposed to feature cameos from all the living original stars, but of course I wouldn't want that spoiled so soon.

I do like the reverence that the movie seems to be showing for the originals from the setting to the car etc. My hope is that it's more like The Force Awakens, where there are nods to and homages to earlier films (I really loved the graffiti Ghostbusters symbol in the subway) but nothing that is a straight rip off. I think a lot of people are going to be predisposed to hate this movie and they will probably never be won over.

It definitely doesn't look like a classic to me but I wouldn't go so far as to say as my "worst fears" are getting realized. It wasn't exactly raucously funny, although I do like the cast a lot. I think the one thing that actually gives me some pause is the emphasis on special effects, which was never the selling point (at least for me) of this series. I just hope that the comedy doesn't get drowned in a sea of CGI.

BRIAN: Haha, maybe I went a little overboard with the "worst fears" comment. I'll save that comment for President Trump.

I think my favorite part of the trailer was the "30 years ago, a group of scientists..." title card at the beginning. It seemed, for a brief moment, that there would be some tie-in to the original movie. But then the very next scene was a remake of the library scene from the open of the original movie. There's just not enough fresh ideas in this trailer to get me excited for it.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Wiig and McCarthy are just going through the motions in this movie. I'm sure there will be some really funny parts in it that will never be put in a trailer. I agree with your Spy statement, because I was totally put-off by those trailers as well, and I ended up loving it.

I get it that a first trailer is very hard to do (especially when remaking an iconic movie). You have to introduce everyone and give a brief synopsis of what the movie will be about... so I'm not completely writing this one off just yet. I am very much on the "not gonna see it" side of the fence, but I haven't closed the door completely on it. We will see if future trailers can get me on board.

ADAM: I think you have a desire to see this film be an extension of the originals -- but I think that's just not possible considering how long its been since those movies came out -- and how small the involvement of the original actors appears to be.

This film doesn't appear to be interested in playing in that universe, I could be wrong though.

I think it's just way too premature to start critiquing performances and declaring that they are going through the motions after one pretty brief trailer. I personally am not looking to see any of them reinvent their comedic personas with this film (Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd didn't really do that in the original Ghostbusters films either). I just don't think it's fair to condemn this movie yet or call the trailer terrible or not worthy of seeing.

Where I do agree with you -- I think -- is that this didn't feel incredibly fresh or exciting. The opening set a good kind of ominous mood but then nothing that followed really surprised me too much. I think for me whether I see this or not will hinge upon the reviews. It will likely be a giant hit, but unless they really do something to advance if not improve upon the formula (like Mad Max Fury Road) it will amount to little more than a well-intentioned money grab.

Women's History Month: Best female performances of the 1970s

Jane Fonda in Klute

I wanted to do something for Women's History Month but I was struggling to come up with the ideal angle. My fiancee suggested highlighting my favorite films which pass the Bechdel test but that would be hard for me to narrow down. 

So instead I thought I'd focus on my favorite decade of films and attempt to pick my favorite female performance from each year.

This won't be easy, I could easily pick more than four or five performances alone from 1974. But this will be a fun challenge for me.

1970 - Sally Kellerman in M*A*S*H
Kellerman delivers a comic tour de force as the frequent foil for the heroes in this brilliant anti-war satire (which also inspired the long running TV series). As "Hot Lips," Kellerman suffers a lot of indignities but manages to endear herself and portray a real evolution of a character -- from an uptight by-the-book military stooge to a loose and lovely ally to the anarchic heroes.

1971 - Jane Fonda in Klute
Fonda won her first Best Actress Oscar for a performance as a complex call girl drawn into a deadly murder plot. The film does a great job of employing Fonda's inherent sex appeal, but it also gives her a fully realized life outside of her work. Her harrowing final scene is emotionally wrenching.

1972 - Liza Minnelli in Cabaret
This was neck and neck with Diana Ross' work in Lady Sings the Blues, but I give Minnelli a slight edge only because her performance in this Bob Fosse musical is arguably the most iconic of her career. The role of the plucky, hopelessly romantic and naive Sally Bowles was tailor-made for her. And her incredible song and dance numbers are electrifying.

1973 - Pam Grier in Coffy
I could have gone with Ellen Burstyn here for her blistering work in The Exorcist, but I am going to go with this exploitation classic because Grier really elevates this B-movie to something special. Sure, the movie has a lot of gratuitous T&A, but Grier's charisma and gravitas are so inherently watchable. This performance and film are head and shoulders above anything else from the so-called blaxploitation era.

1974 - Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
This was a really tough one. I am huge fan of Faye Dunaway in Chinatown. And Gena Rowlands does powerful work in A Woman Under the Influence. But my favorite may just be Burstyn's Oscar winning performance in Martin Scorsese's underrated gem about a suddenly widowed stay at home mom who must get her life back on track as a professional, while caring for her bratty son. Never sentimental, this moving film deserves more rediscovery.

Susan Sarandon

1975 - Susan Sarandon in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Another close call. The ensemble of Nashville has several female standout (especially Lily Tomlin) and then there's Louise Fletcher's chilling portrait of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

But I am going to go outside the box a little with this one and pick Susan Sarandon's sexy and silly performance in the classic camp musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She has always been one my favorites, and in that film she is both self aware and uninhibited.

1976 - Faye Dunaway in Network
An honorable mention for Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver here, but it's gotta be the eventual Oscar winner Faye Dunaway for the win. She is one of my favorite actresses and I've never been sure why she doesn't ever get her due. She gives a ferocious performance as a borderline psychotic television executive. Her tendency to go over the top is employed to great effect here and this dark satire of television delves into increasingly insane depths.

1977 - Diane Keaton in Annie Hall
The most iconic role of her career in perhaps Woody Allen's most beloved film. It's hard to know where the character of Annie Hall begins and Keaton ends because she so inhabits this flighty persona that it barely seems like acting at all. This movie works because of her luminous charm and sensitivity, which provides a great contrast to Allen's cynical one-liners. Keaton gave many other terrific performances in her career, but she will always be Annie Hall.

1978 - Jill Clayburgh in An Unmarried Woman
A groundbreaking film at the time of its release. Clayburgh plays a woman whose life is turned upside down after she learns that her husband of many years has been cheating on her. Her emotional and raw performance is a revelation.They just don't make movies like this anymore. It's a fully realized character study about a woman who is not under 30 and not a broad comedy.

1979 - Sally Field  in Norma Rae
People know the famous shot, Sally Field standing tall in a factory holding up a makeshift sign that reads: Union. I know it looks and seems corny, but in the context of this film it's a powerful and galvanizing moment. Field made her breakthrough as a serious actress in this film, and for a time she was neck-and-neck with Meryl Streep for the leading dramatic female star of the era, although that may seem odd to audiences now.

Sad for Stallone, happy for 'Spotlight' and other Oscar observations

This was an interesting Academy Awards. Far too long -- but they always are. The speeches were stronger than usual this year, I think the whole crawl at the bottom of the screen helped, and while the #OscarsSoWhite controversy rages on -- it didn't detract from the proceedings.

I thought Chris Rock did a decent job in what has always been a thankless role. His opening monologue was a bit scattershot, at times he seemed to be taking his fellow African-American actors to task more than the white elites of Hollywood. But many of his jokes, albeit a few too many at Will and Jada Pinkett's expense, landed. And I'm not sure anyone else could have done a better job of pointing out the absurdity of liberal Hollywood's persistent prejudice.

Here are the other big takeaways (for me) from the night.

Mad Max made an impact: I, of course, wanted my favorite film of the year to win Best Picture and Best Director, but for a blockbuster action movie reboot, that was perhaps asking too much -- at least this year. But I think it's a positive sign that the film cleaned up in the technical categories, dominating the first portion of the night. That a film like this, which took real artistic chances AND was a hit, got recognized like this gives me hope for the future.

Star Wars snubbed: That said, much of Mad Max's success seemed to be at the expense of The Force Awakens. It's pretty odd to me that the most successful film of all time in the U.S. (without taking inflation into account) and a critical hit, walked away with zero recognition for the Oscars.

Footage of Harrison Ford in a 2015 montage only reminded me of how much I think he belonged in the Supporting Actor category, and I thought the film was seriously snubbed for Best Visual Effects. Just another case of the Oscars being out of touch.

Ennio Morricone finally wins one: It wasn't a surprise thatwhen Ennio Morricone finally won his first Oscar for The Hateful Eight. The 87-year-old was not just a sentimental favorite, he deserved to win. This man is my favorite film composer of all time and it was very moving to see him embraced by his peers Quincy Jones and John Williams, although it boggles the mind that they seated this frail man up in a balcony.

"Til It Happens to You": I was stunned when Lady Gaga's powerful tribute to campus rape victims lost in the Best Song category to Sam Smith's perfectly nice theme from Spectre. Still, Gaga's characteristically great performance at the Oscars will likely bring a lot more attention to an important documentary The Hunting Ground, which needs to be seen and discussed. The finale of her song, with alleged victims holding their hands high in solidarity was easily the most moving moment of the night.

Stallone loss stings: The other moving moment I was hoping and rooting for didn't come. Sylvester Stallone was upset for Best Supporting Actor by Mark Rylance. I thought Rylance gave a very good performance in Bridge of Spies but I have a great deal of affection for Stallone as an actor, and he did the best work of his career in Creed. After this disappointing result I fear his fate will be the same as Mickey Rourke and Eddie Murphy's, two actors who returned to doing subpar work after Oscar rebuked them for deserving performances. I hope I'm wrong, but this loss hurt.

Spotlight shocker: I genuinely did not see that coming. I figured if any movie was going to knock The Revenant off its front-runner perch it would be The Big Short. And when Mad Max: Fury Road started racking up wins early, I held out hope that it had a chance. But Spotlight, the best reviewed of the eight nominees, won and I was pleasantly surprised. First off, bully for Michael Keaton, who's starred in two Best Picture winners in a row -- although he lost last year for Best Actor and was snubbed this year. Also I'm impressed that the academy got behind a smallish movie that hasn't been a big commercial hit and has been lagging in the awards race all year. Perhaps the Best Picture will win help this powerful movie find a wider audience, it's terrific and really deserving of one.

'The Witch' continues horror genre's winning streak

Anya-Taylor Joy in The Witch

Roughly this time last year, It Follows, one of my favorite horror films of the decade was released. It was a critical darling that stood the test of time and stayed on my top 10 list for the next twelve months. It wasn't a traditional shocker, it avoided easy jump scares, was devoid of gore and it had a visual aesthetic of its own.

This month, we have the arrival of The Witch, a terrifically spooky film that doesn't top It Follows but is similarly atmospheric and effecting. It plays for much of its running time like a drama. It focuses on a Puritan era family, led by a devoutly religious father, whose rebellious approach to religion gets him, his wife and children banished to the wilderness.

The family is played by a cast of largely unknown actors, although the mother, Kate Dickie, may be recognizable to fans of Game of Thrones. The patriarch (Ralph Ineson) has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard -- a deep, intense growl. He would make an amazing villain in a Bond film. But the real standout is the eldest daughter (Anya-Taylor Joy) who resembles a younger Margot Robbie. She is the put upon, under-appreciated child and her arc is the film's most shocking.

Still, the movie takes its time getting to the scares. This is not a bad thing. The best horror films -- think The Exorcist and The Shining -- take their time to create a world, give you a stake in the characters and then add layers of existential dread.

The Witch is beautifully photographed, and not unlike other eerie fables such as Under the Skin, its early scares are all in the silences and strange lingering images. That, and the score, with builds to an almost unbearable pitch of terror.

As the last act unfolds, the movie takes some surreal turns that I am still not sure I entirely understand, but they are nevertheless striking. Although the movie itself isn't necessarily going to make you scream with fear, it has a creepy power.

I'm happy to see it getting such strong reviews, but I fear that its commercial prospects are limited. Not unlike It Follows it's languid pacing and lack of stars seem to have resulted in a tepid box office. The same thing goes for my other favorite recent horror films, Goodnight Mommy and The Badadook. Although audiences clearly have an appetite for horror, these kinds of smart, thoughtful films more often than not don't crossover with mainstream audiences, who seem to gravitate toward dumber fare.

Of the best reviewed recent horror films, only The Conjuring, which also avoided gore for genuine thrills, has been a big hit. And that film boasted more recognizable actors (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) and a more accessible haunted house premise.

The Witch will not be for all tastes. It's more moody and brooding, and its setting can be claustrophobic and bleak. But this is the kind of movie that sticks in your head; its imagery and its mysteriousness are timeless. And its director, Robert Eggers, who makes his debut with this picture, is one to watch.

'The River Wild' and the case for more female action stars

The River Wild

I first saw The River Wild when it came out in theaters just over 20 years ago. It's not a masterpiece on par with Deliverance, but it's probably the second best film to make use of rapids for horrific effect. The movie was a change of pace for Meryl Streep, who seemed to be trying at the time to prove she could be successful outside her comfort zone.

The movie works, in a cheesy '90s thriller sort of way. A never better Kevin Bacon makes a really terrific grinning villain here and David Strathairn is quite good in what should be the thankless role of the emasculated husband.

It's the kind of slow boiling thriller they just don't make anymore. It really takes its time setting up the characters and the audience is aware of the danger Streep and her family face out in the wilderness far more than they are. And yet I found myself enjoying it.

Streep is great as always, although this will never go down as one of her more memorable roles. But her presence here elevates what might have been a routine thriller. We're so accustomed to male-driven action that seeing a woman in the central role of the hero is both liberating and inherently unpredictable. Male action heroes tend to fall into certain categories: The man of action forced to be violent or the coward forced to become a man of action.

Women simply bring more complexity to the table. Case in point, Charlize Theron in my favorite film of the year, Mad Max: Fury Road. Don't get me wrong, Tom Hardy is wonderful as the titular Max. But it's Theron's Furiosa, with her heartache, thousand yard stare and determined righteousness which that movie special.

A new study from USC's school of communication makes it starkly clear how far Hollywood has to go in terms of inclusion, not just with minorities but with women, who are woefully underrepresented despite making up slightly more of the population.

With the industry's bent towards action and thrillers, women must achieve equal representation or they risk being permanently marginalized. Here are a few films that provide a blueprint for female leads in action blockbusters:

Alien/Aliens - Is Sigourney Weaver the greatest female action star of all time? I think she has a legitimate case to make. In the first two Alien films, she delivers a master class in capable, fierce determination as Ripley, one of the coolest heroines in movie history. In the 1979 Ridley Scott original she is a bit of a cold fish at first, but rapidly emerges at the most rational person aboard a ship where she and her crewmates are being stalked by a vicious monster.

In the 1986 James Cameron-directed sequel she gets to do even more. She is tougher than any man on screen, and, more importantly, smarter. When the meat-headed, mostly male grunts around her give in to fear, she takes the lead.

Terminator 2 - James Cameron strikes again. Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor, who was more of a victim in the original, is transformed into a physically imposing force of nature in its big budget sequel. Although Hamilton's performance is a little over the top at times, it's wildly entertaining and she is relentless in this movie. She is not a damsel in distress for one second.

Kill Bill Vol. 1/Vol. 2 - Quentin Tarantino is getting dinged (and rightfully so in my mind) for the gender politics of his latest film, The Hateful Eight, but it's hard to quibble with the power of The Bride in the Kill Bill movies. Although the films are more about style over substance, Uma Thurman does arguably the best acting of her career in the physically demanding role of the The Bride, who is out for revenge and to reclaim her daughter. Her sincere and emotional performance elevates these films from feeling like high octane cartoons.

Death Proof - Another Tarantino entry, this one featuring all butt-kicking women taking on a deranged Kurt Russell as a psychotic stunt man. The movie owes a lot, plot and style-wise, to the Russ Meyer classic Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, but has all of Tarantino's hallmarks too (feet shots, cult movie references). It boasts one of the best car chase sequences of all time, but also the best girl gang action crew I've ever seen.

Zero Dark Thirty - Although Kathryn Bigelow's examination of the hunt for Osama bin Laden is not a traditional action film, it's still got plenty of edge-of-your-seat tension. At the center of the storm is the underrated Jessica Chastain in an incredible performance, which should have won the Academy Award. A propulsive, at times troubling film, that never diminishes the role women play, often behind the scenes, in our counter-terrorism efforts.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - I haven't watched Ang Lee's film for years, but when I look back on it, it's the gorgeous choreographed fight scenes featuring Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi that stick out most in my mind. I need to see the movie again, but there is no question that this film doesn't subscribe to traditional gender roles when it comes to action.

The Force Awakens - There have been some who have griped that Daisy Ridley's Rey was a little too perfect. Those people need to chill. Not only was the character a wonderfully and wholly original addition to the Star Wars universe, she single-handedly shook up the series concepts of what role women play in the narrative. What's more the film elevated Princess Leia, who had been saddled with the need to be rescued in previous films, to the rank of general. Pretty badass.