Nobody Knows Hollywood

No this isn't a review of a secret reboot of Christmas Vacation - sorry, the moose outside should have told you this is just a re-watch on my part. I’ve seen this film several times, but decided to introduce it to my kids (now six and eight years old). This put me in a closer than ever empathetic point of view with Clark Griswold. Does the film still work? Sure. The original Vacation is an 80’s classic and reflected many things our family felt about our own vacations – thankfully we travelled in a cool chevy van with wall to wall carpeting instead of a metallic green station wagon truckster thing. But even though the film works, it’s a long way from great. It’s biggest problem is a weak script – which is hard to say about a John Hughes script, because of my deep respect and admiration for so much of his work. There are numerous strong, funny and iconic moments. Clark’s goals are noble. His love of family and desire for the perfect Christmas make him very lovable. There’s...

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri There’s a difficult and heartbreaking premise here and some fantastic actors. Unfortunately, the story hits a major speed bump about half way through and doesn’t progress smartly enough beyond it to support its strong start. This review is probably heresy in the critic world as it seems this film is an early choice for the smart or meaningful pick as best film of the year. Writer/Director writer/director Martin McDonagh appears to be a darling in many critic's eyes...I'm not one of them. And  I’m here to do my part to say that this film, while entertaining and devastatingly good in places, isn't one of this, or any year's, best. Before getting too critical, here’s some of the good (and many parts are  very good):  * Frances McDormand deserves all her accolades. She’s tough, human and wonderful throughout.  * Woody Harrelson is as good as I’ve seen him in a long while, too. While he’s consistently enjoyab...

This is my first MasterClass  review and my first review outside of the film and TV world. Why do it? Because it's related to The Business of Hollywood and (spoiler alert) ... the class is that good. Some quick business: am I getting paid to review this? No. Am I a huge fan of Sorkin going in? Yes. Have I worked in this field (e-learning)? Yes. Okay - those things out of the way, let's talk the good and the bad - the spoiler gave up which side this  teeter tots toward. The format: Aaron talks directly to you. That alone was fascinating to me. While you might be able to cobble together interesting conversations he's had on DVD extras and various interviews posted to YouTube, the coherent and deliberate nature of these talks is well worth the price of admission ($90 when I bought). He uses practical examples of his work and humbly tears his stuff apart - which is wildly encouraging. He also talks openly about how he cracked into Hollywood in a very workman-like ...

There’s no doubt Jimmy Whitey Bulger was infamous, notorious and for the reasons he was both, worthy of a biopic. The cast is spectacular, both in talent and performance. Joel Edgerton, Jesse Plemons and Dakota Johnson all flash in their roles. The obvious star is Johnny Depp, who is cold and terrifying in his transformative performance as Bulger.   That’s the good stuff. I’ve written before about the difficulty of biopics – the greatest problems lie in identifying how much and exactly what parts of a person’s life to focus on in the scope of two hours. This is where Black Mass becomes a mess. I found myself wondering why I wasn’t more engaged – not a good place to be in while watching the film. I had been looking forward to the screening for months. I really like crime stories and the exploration of the dark side of humanity. The sets are fine. South Boston looks appropriately rough and aged. The acting, as mentioned, is quite good. But what about that story…? ...

Director: F. Gary Gray Year: 2015 It starts with Eazy and it ends with Dre. Everything in between is funny, scary, conflicted, fascinating and Straight Outta Compton. I told my wife on the way to see this movie that I almost couldn’t believe it got made. I said that because of how radical and controversial these guys were and what I felt about them when they were doing what they did; it wasn’t just music, it was mind-blowing. For me, a suburban white teen looking for a voice that spoke the rebellion within me - and mind you, there wasn’t a lot to rebel against besides my own teenage nature -- the opening blips of Boyz n the Hood set it off. Eazy E’s voice, impossibly unique, raspy, high and confident, telling a fantastic story that Ice Cube laid down for him and Dre’s ridiculously raw beats, scratches and samples went off like a bomb from the speakers of my friend’s convertible Ambassador. That car was vintage mid-60’s, similar to the vaunted ‘64 Impala, a beast in its own right...

Year: 2015 Make no mistake about it, this is not your parents Vacation. From the opening montage sequence of awkward family photos, to the first f-bomb (less than ten minutes in from a character less than ten years old), this film makes it’s case: family “fun”, wrapped in good intention, is often weird, painful and, eventually, hysterical. Our ability to relate to the family road trip is what the Griswolds are all about. They are slightly underdog, profane and uncomfortable in almost every situation because of their simple desires to connect. I think it’s important to tip my cap to John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, who are listed as co-Directors and co-writers on this film. Simply put: they get it. For as low-brow as the humor is, the comedic beats and attention to detail are very sharp. The actors, too, from top to bottom, all commit to their points of view and see them through to great effect. It may seem bizarre to be charmed by humor that starts or ends in th...