madmac17

I'm sure in Scorsese's mind there was a reason why we needed another Stones concert film, but I'm hard pressed to imagine what that reason might be. Maybe he thinks that because they're still touring well into their 60s it needs to be documented right up until they quit (or die). Hopefully not. There's no doubt it's amazing that they're still doing what they do, but we already have Four Flicks (2003), which makes anything that comes after it pretty redundant. I don't think the shows are a whole lot different now than they were back then, other than the fact that everyone is 5 years older. I sure as hell don't want to see Mick Jagger performing when he turns 70, and I probably could have done without seeing him at 65. I've always been a huge Stones fan, but after having seen this film, I actually think it might be time for them to retire from the road. Mick's voice has become somewhat of an annoying whine, and Keith appears to have lost much of the manual dexterity in his left hand. He seems to be able to play chords all right, but whenever he breaks into a solo, the song comes to a grinding, screeching halt. Best leave the soloing to the 'young' Mr. Wood, Keef. And, this might be irrelevant, but someone should tell Keith that whatever that thing is he wears on his head, it makes him look like someone's grandmother. Does he actually think that looks GOOD? Has his dementia advanced that far? We all love him anyway, but does he have to have things dangling from his head, for God's sake? It's an embarrassment to himself and to Stones fans everywhere. Take it off, pleeeeeease! Also, someone should tell him never to sing again. OK, I got that off my chest. Anyway, the film is not that terrible, I guess. There's a rather nice version of Far Away Eyes with the 'young' Mr. Wood doing a nice turn on pedal steel. Some Girls rocks pretty nicely, and Jack White joins the boys for a decent version of Loving Cup. But (here I go again), the day you see The Stones sharing a stage with CHRISTINA AGUILERA, you can be pretty sure the end is near! I mean WTF? I'd like to know whose brilliant idea it was to have her on stage. And then Mick embarasses himself by practically dry humping her from the rear. She's a sexy thing, yes, but have some dignity, sir. You're 65 years old! She's 27! Oh, what the hell. If it feels good do it, I guess. It's only rock 'n' roll.

The night before I saw this, I saw director David Gordon Green's 2004 film Undertow. Talk about a study in contrasts. Undertow is a brooding southern tale of greed, revenge and murder that was shot in just 30 days. It practically screams 'independent film'. Pineapple Express lists Apatow Productions in it's credits, is written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Superbad), and has a budget of $25 million dollars. I guess this is director Green's bid for the bigtime, and judging by the box office numbers, it looks like he's made it. I haven't seen 2007's Snow Angels, but perhaps it was a transitional step between Undertow and Pineapple Express. Whatever the case, there's certainly no trace of 'indie-ness' in this big budget action/comedy. So I guess the important question is whether Green has compromised his 'indie' values in his quest for Hollywood success. Undertow is a more intense, personal film but that's not to say that Pineapple Express doesn't have it's good points as well. Seth Rogen and James Franco make a great comedic team, and Danny McBride and Kevin Corrigan are also very good. But most of the laughs (and there are lots) come during the first half of the film, and the climactic gun battle at the farm seems like it could have come from any number of generic action films, and just goes on way too long. People getting killed just isn't that funny. And the scene near the end where Dale, Saul and Red are in the restaurant declaring their love for each other also goes on way too long, and is really quite pointless and kind of sickening. Where the hell was the editor when we needed him? I enjoyed the film overall, especially the first half, but some trimming definitely would have helped. And I'm fairly certain that David Gordon Green has better films yet to be made. I just hope his next one isn't Pineapple Express 2.

So much has been written about this movie on Flixster and elsewhere, that there's really not a lot more to be said. And it is almost 10 years old, after all. But the beauty of The Big Lebowski is that the more you watch it, the more you appreciate its brilliance. That's probably why people are still talking about it after all these years. It never seems to get old. The plot itself is really not all that original, but it's what the Coens do with it that makes it so special. They may have written the funniest screenplay ever, and the casting is perfect. It's impossible to picture anyone else playing The Dude, Walter, Maude, Donny or Jesus, and they all deliver their outrageous lines as if they were born to speak them. And how about all those dream sequences and acid flashbacks? Who can forget the scene where The Dude is flying through the air with a goofy stoner grin on his face, when suddenly a bowling ball appears in his hand, causing him to drop like a stone. Or the scene where he's levitating down the bowling lane between the legs of the Viking women, or whatever the hell they're supposed to be. Brilliant! There are so many fantastic scenes and quotable lines, and all the characters have their own little idosyncrasies, especially The Dude. The Dude is a walking idiosyncrasy! Anyway, there's a hell of a lot to wrap your head around, and I haven't even mentioned the music, which is great, and perfectly suited to the movie. The Big Lebowski is truly one of a kind. Fargo may be a better film, but this one is really in a class by itself. Aren't you glad there wasn't a lot more to be said?

I think this one might have flown in under a lot of peoples' radar, so I'm going to attempt to rectify that situation RIGHT NOW. You know those blurbs that say, "finally, a thriller that really thrills"? Well, you can apply that comment to this film and then some. The set-up is that Jeffrey Taylor (Kurt Russell) and his wife Amy (Kathleen Quinlan) are driving cross-country to take up residence on the West Coast. The breakdown in the title occurs, and that's when the action kicks in. Director Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3) cranks it up in fine style, and you'll be hanging on for dear life as Russell tries to track down his missing wife. He is so good as the regular guy caught in a life-and-death situation, that you'll be cheering him on and feeling his helplessness and controlled rage from start to finish. He just nails it! And the scene where he's hanging from the undercarriage of the 18-wheeler as it cruises down the interstate will leave you gasping for breath, as your heart takes up space in your throat. If he does his own stuntwork in that scene, and I think he's crazy enough to do just that, he deserves the title of Stuntman Mike, in spades. The supporting cast is all top-notch, especially J.T. Walsh, as the downright slimy leader of a gang of kidnappers preying on travellers out in the middle of nowhere. The final sequence is another showstopper, as Kurt attempts to get his wife out of a wrecked pick-up before it goes over a bridge, while at the same time fighting for his own life against the murderous kidnapper. Fantastic! Absolute first-rate entertainment. Outstanding story, screenplay and direction, all by Mostow, but it's the brilliant acting, especially by Russell, that hits you where you live, and makes you care.

This movie blew my mind when I first saw it back in '81, and it's just as mind-blowing today as it was then. Arguably the most original post-apocalyptic vision ever brought to the screen, this is a huge step forward from the original Mad Max film. In the role of Max, Mel Gibson creates one of the coolest anti-heroes of all time going up against one of the coolest villains of all time, Lord Humungus. Everything about this movie is just fantastic, especially the final sequence, which includes the wildest, most hair-raising chase scene in film history. For action fans, you just can't get much better than this.

I just love this movie. I've seen it numerous times and I never get tired of it. I'm not exactly sure why, but I suppose the chemistry between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson has a lot to do with it. It's also a really intelligent script, beautifully directed and shot, and it has a great soundtrack. It makes me sad, but it's a good kind of sad, if that makes any sense. I suppose I identify with Bill Murray's character, too. A film to cherish, and watch over and over again.