JOHN MAHONEY
John Mahoney was best known as the irascible father of Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce on the long-running TV show, Frasier. He is part of a long list of UK subjects who acted in American productions with no hint of a British accent. Born in Blackpool, England, Mahoney came to America to visit his sister and decided to stay. He served in the US Army and became a citizen. Mahoney died recently at 77. He had an impressive run of movie appearances in the 80's and 90's.
Tin Men (1987) is the second in director Barry Levinson’s Baltimore trilogy. Danny Devito and Richard Dreyfuss play siding salesmen who work for different companies. There is a crash involving both salesmen’s Cadillacs and the war is on. The no-holds-barred of each includes the seduction of the other’s wife and complaining to the Maryland Housing Commission. John Mahoney has a nice turn as Dreyfuss’ hospitalized older partner. This film is lots funnier than I make it sound here!
In Frantic (1988) Harrison Ford plays an American physician (Richard Walker) on a business trip to Paris. There is a mixup with suitcases at the airport and while he is in the shower his wife (Broadway star Betty Buckley) mysteriously disappears. John Mahoney appears as a mildly sympathetic but basically unhelpful US Embassy employee. Walker is pretty much on his own trying to find his wife and some pretty desperate criminals are involved.
Eight Men Out (1988) is the about the 1919 Black Sox scandal when several Chicago White Sox players threw the World Series in response to gamblers’ payoffs. The eight men of the title included Shoeless Joe Jackson, a megastar of the time. John Mahoney is quite good as the team’s manager, Kid Gleason. He is puzzled by the poor play of his stars, but is not involved with or even aware of the fix.
Say Anything (1989) was John Cusak’s breakout film. He plays Lloyd Dobler, a very mediocre student who falls hard for the class valedictorian, Diane Court (Ione Skye). Her disapproving father, Jim Court, is ably portrayed by John Mahoney. Will these star-crossed lovers find happiness? Watch and see.
In The Line Of Fire (1993) is a terrific thriller starring Clint Eastwood as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. John Mahoney plays Sam Campagna, director of the Secret Service and Horrigan’s boss. After some unfortunate mishaps, Horrigan winds up with a chance to save the president from an assassin, played with delicious creepiness by John Malkovich.
Other films featuring John Mahoney include the incredibly complicated The Russia House (1980) in which he plays a CIA handler of agents. Mahoney has bit parts in Barton Fink (1991), Reality Bites (1994) and The American President (1995).
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Sunday, March 18, 2018
2017 SLEEPERS
Part 1
It’s time to start trotting out one of the most popular features of this blog- sleepers from last year you may have missed that I thought were good.
A United Kingdom was way up on my list. In fact, it was number 2, trailing only
The Post. It stars David Oyelowo (MLK in Selma) as the soon-to-be king of Bechuanaland, a small African country that is now Botswana. Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency fans will recognize it. While studying in the UK he falls in love with a white English woman, Ruth Williams, played brilliantly by Rosamund Pike (the wife from Hell in Gone Girl). This pairing does not play well in either home country. But Ruth’s continuing desire to be of use and to fit in regardless of her skin color are quite winning. And all of this (okay, most of this) really happened!
Also based on a true story, Megan Leavey is the name of the main character and that doesn’t tell you much about the movie. She is played by Kate Mara (Rooney’s sister). She is a trainer of sniffer dogs in the Marine Corps. One of a group of dogs to be trained is adjudged to be too violent and hard to handle. But she thinks otherwise and a very tight bond develops between Megan and the German shepherd, Rex. When Rex’s K9 days are over, Megan tries to adopt him and encounters yards of red tape.
Wonderstruck is a super good movie with an altogether incredible performance by young Millicent Simmonds. This kid can do more with her face than most actors can accomplish with their whole bodies. The film is worth watching for her performance alone. But it’s an intriguing tale of two children seeking their parents. However, they are separated by 50 years! Somehow it all works and the ending is truly enchanting.
Wind River is a rough and tumble mystery that begins with the discovery of a dead girl in the snow in the middle of nowhere. Jeremy Renner (from Hurt Locker) stars as a US Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and Elizabeth Olsen as an FBI agent.
They painstakingly peel away clues that lead to what actually happened, and why they found a young Native American girl dead of a pulmonary hemorrhage.
Most readers will remember the bombs set off during the Boston Marathon in 2013. In Stronger Jake Gyllenhaal stars as real person Jeff Bauman, from whose memoir the screenplay is taken. When his girlfriend signs up to run in the famous race he rushes to the finish line to be able to greet her when she crosses. But this puts him in the path of one of the bombs, and both his legs are lost. He is able to give the police a description of one of the bombers. Most of the movie deals with the search for the bombers and with Jeff’s painful and lengthy rehabilitation.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Part 1
It’s time to start trotting out one of the most popular features of this blog- sleepers from last year you may have missed that I thought were good.
A United Kingdom was way up on my list. In fact, it was number 2, trailing only
The Post. It stars David Oyelowo (MLK in Selma) as the soon-to-be king of Bechuanaland, a small African country that is now Botswana. Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency fans will recognize it. While studying in the UK he falls in love with a white English woman, Ruth Williams, played brilliantly by Rosamund Pike (the wife from Hell in Gone Girl). This pairing does not play well in either home country. But Ruth’s continuing desire to be of use and to fit in regardless of her skin color are quite winning. And all of this (okay, most of this) really happened!
Also based on a true story, Megan Leavey is the name of the main character and that doesn’t tell you much about the movie. She is played by Kate Mara (Rooney’s sister). She is a trainer of sniffer dogs in the Marine Corps. One of a group of dogs to be trained is adjudged to be too violent and hard to handle. But she thinks otherwise and a very tight bond develops between Megan and the German shepherd, Rex. When Rex’s K9 days are over, Megan tries to adopt him and encounters yards of red tape.
Wonderstruck is a super good movie with an altogether incredible performance by young Millicent Simmonds. This kid can do more with her face than most actors can accomplish with their whole bodies. The film is worth watching for her performance alone. But it’s an intriguing tale of two children seeking their parents. However, they are separated by 50 years! Somehow it all works and the ending is truly enchanting.
Wind River is a rough and tumble mystery that begins with the discovery of a dead girl in the snow in the middle of nowhere. Jeremy Renner (from Hurt Locker) stars as a US Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and Elizabeth Olsen as an FBI agent.
They painstakingly peel away clues that lead to what actually happened, and why they found a young Native American girl dead of a pulmonary hemorrhage.
Most readers will remember the bombs set off during the Boston Marathon in 2013. In Stronger Jake Gyllenhaal stars as real person Jeff Bauman, from whose memoir the screenplay is taken. When his girlfriend signs up to run in the famous race he rushes to the finish line to be able to greet her when she crosses. But this puts him in the path of one of the bombs, and both his legs are lost. He is able to give the police a description of one of the bombers. Most of the movie deals with the search for the bombers and with Jeff’s painful and lengthy rehabilitation.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Sunday, March 11, 2018
BETTER SEQUELS
Boy, Hollywood loves sequels. I don’t. Most of them really suck. The studios get a winner and decide to ride it into the sunset. But- there are exceptions!
We recently went to see Paddington 2 because we loved the first one. The bear from darkest Peru who lands in London and is adopted by a typical British family is just so much fun and so dear. Believe it or not (I was amazed) the second one is even better. Sally Hawkins is back as the family’s Mom and Hugh Bonneville as Father. She was up for an Oscar for The Shape Of Water (2017) and he was fabulous as Robert Crawley, Lord of Grantham, in the PBS smash hit Downton Abbey. And Paddington 2 features the most unlikely of actors as the villain- Hugh Grant. Through a misunderstanding (of course) Paddington gets sent to prison. Where he quickly wins over the hardened cons and guards (and us).
Godfather (1972) is almost the best movie ever made about gangsters. With Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Al Pacino and James Caan, it is terrific. But- the very best is the first sequel, Godfather 2 (1974). No Brando- he got his nose out of joint about his treatment by Paramount and refused to play nice with others. But it carries on the ascendancy of Vito Corelone (Pacino) and most of the rest of the original gang. Shoot, it even has Troy Donahue in a bit part! And it is the first sequel to win the Best Picture Oscar! Now be warned- Part 3 is right much of a dud.
Another sequel that won Best Movie might puzzle you. It’s Silence Of The Lambs (1991). Okay, great movie- but what was the prequel? Thought you’d never ask. It is a consummate loser called Manhunter (1986). It is actually also based on Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, but it’s pretty lame. Silence is one of the scariest, nail-bitingest films ever. It features Jodie Foster as very much at risk FBI agent Clarice Starling. And it stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as the terrifying Hannibal Lecter. “I’m having a friend for lunch” gets a whole new meaning.
Terminator (1984) made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star and is really good. He plays a cyborg killer sent back from the future to kill an innocent waitress whose son will save the world in the future. But Terminator 2 (1991) is much better. Arnold is back, but this time as the protector of the future savior. And this one features Robert Patrick as the T-1000 a metallic shape-shifting killer who seems to be indestructible. Another warning: these Terminator things just keep coming- number 6 is on the drawing board. They’re okay, but not up to the first two.
Some other sequels that are arguably better than the originals include Toy Story 2 (1999) featuring Pixar at the top of its game, and The Dark Knight (2008) the best of the Batman franchise.
All of the films in this article, except Paddington 2 are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Boy, Hollywood loves sequels. I don’t. Most of them really suck. The studios get a winner and decide to ride it into the sunset. But- there are exceptions!
We recently went to see Paddington 2 because we loved the first one. The bear from darkest Peru who lands in London and is adopted by a typical British family is just so much fun and so dear. Believe it or not (I was amazed) the second one is even better. Sally Hawkins is back as the family’s Mom and Hugh Bonneville as Father. She was up for an Oscar for The Shape Of Water (2017) and he was fabulous as Robert Crawley, Lord of Grantham, in the PBS smash hit Downton Abbey. And Paddington 2 features the most unlikely of actors as the villain- Hugh Grant. Through a misunderstanding (of course) Paddington gets sent to prison. Where he quickly wins over the hardened cons and guards (and us).
Godfather (1972) is almost the best movie ever made about gangsters. With Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Al Pacino and James Caan, it is terrific. But- the very best is the first sequel, Godfather 2 (1974). No Brando- he got his nose out of joint about his treatment by Paramount and refused to play nice with others. But it carries on the ascendancy of Vito Corelone (Pacino) and most of the rest of the original gang. Shoot, it even has Troy Donahue in a bit part! And it is the first sequel to win the Best Picture Oscar! Now be warned- Part 3 is right much of a dud.
Another sequel that won Best Movie might puzzle you. It’s Silence Of The Lambs (1991). Okay, great movie- but what was the prequel? Thought you’d never ask. It is a consummate loser called Manhunter (1986). It is actually also based on Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, but it’s pretty lame. Silence is one of the scariest, nail-bitingest films ever. It features Jodie Foster as very much at risk FBI agent Clarice Starling. And it stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as the terrifying Hannibal Lecter. “I’m having a friend for lunch” gets a whole new meaning.
Terminator (1984) made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star and is really good. He plays a cyborg killer sent back from the future to kill an innocent waitress whose son will save the world in the future. But Terminator 2 (1991) is much better. Arnold is back, but this time as the protector of the future savior. And this one features Robert Patrick as the T-1000 a metallic shape-shifting killer who seems to be indestructible. Another warning: these Terminator things just keep coming- number 6 is on the drawing board. They’re okay, but not up to the first two.
Some other sequels that are arguably better than the originals include Toy Story 2 (1999) featuring Pixar at the top of its game, and The Dark Knight (2008) the best of the Batman franchise.
All of the films in this article, except Paddington 2 are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Sunday, March 4, 2018
MR. MOVIE’S BEST OF 2017
Here’s the post you’ve all been waiting for! Okay, one or two people have asked me about it. Anyway this is one man’s idea of the best films from last year. My ratings are based only on how much I like them. Disclosure: My only 10 is The Post, in a somewhat exalted position because my wife and I both worked for newspapers. We were thrilled by the linotype machines and vacuum tubes. Oh, and it’s also a good story. There are eight films rated 9, and 26 rated 8. I also have 26 rated 7. I don’t list the 7's here but will provide them on request. You don’t agree with my ratings? What a surprise! Oh, and there are a few I still haven’t seen.
1- The Post 10
2- A United Kingdom 9
3- Lady Bird 9
4- Dunkirk 9
5- Megan Leavy 9
6- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 9
7- The Shape Of Water 9
8- The Florida Project 9
9- Darkest Hour 9
10- Wonderstruck 8
11- Wind River 8
12- Paddington 2 8
13- Stronger 8
14- The Disaster Artist 8
15- Battle Of The Sexes 8
16- I, Tonya 8
17- Our Souls At Night 8
18- Brigsby Bear 8
19- The Big Sick 8
20- Thank You For Your Service 8
21- Marshall 8
22- A Ghost Story 8
23- Your Name 8
24- The Exception 8
25- The Hero 8
26- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 8
27- All The Money In The World 8
28- The Meyerowitz Stories 8
29- Their Finest 8
30- All Saints 8
31- Get Out 8
32- Call Me By Your Name 8
33- Logan Lucky 8
34- Only The Brave 8
35- Professor Marston and the Wonder Women 8
36- Okja 8
Here’s the post you’ve all been waiting for! Okay, one or two people have asked me about it. Anyway this is one man’s idea of the best films from last year. My ratings are based only on how much I like them. Disclosure: My only 10 is The Post, in a somewhat exalted position because my wife and I both worked for newspapers. We were thrilled by the linotype machines and vacuum tubes. Oh, and it’s also a good story. There are eight films rated 9, and 26 rated 8. I also have 26 rated 7. I don’t list the 7's here but will provide them on request. You don’t agree with my ratings? What a surprise! Oh, and there are a few I still haven’t seen.
1- The Post 10
2- A United Kingdom 9
3- Lady Bird 9
4- Dunkirk 9
5- Megan Leavy 9
6- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 9
7- The Shape Of Water 9
8- The Florida Project 9
9- Darkest Hour 9
10- Wonderstruck 8
11- Wind River 8
12- Paddington 2 8
13- Stronger 8
14- The Disaster Artist 8
15- Battle Of The Sexes 8
16- I, Tonya 8
17- Our Souls At Night 8
18- Brigsby Bear 8
19- The Big Sick 8
20- Thank You For Your Service 8
21- Marshall 8
22- A Ghost Story 8
23- Your Name 8
24- The Exception 8
25- The Hero 8
26- Star Wars: The Last Jedi 8
27- All The Money In The World 8
28- The Meyerowitz Stories 8
29- Their Finest 8
30- All Saints 8
31- Get Out 8
32- Call Me By Your Name 8
33- Logan Lucky 8
34- Only The Brave 8
35- Professor Marston and the Wonder Women 8
36- Okja 8
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