Strangely enough, writer Mitch Markowitz does a great job with the swearing. He just doesn’t do enough of it.

The film concerns an institutionalized ad writer (Moore). It’s more of a retreat, really–there’s the kindly doctor (an underutilized Mercedes Ruehl) and friendly fellow patients. Moore recruits these patients to write honest (and very) funny ads.

But then Markowitz runs out of story. Sure, People only runs ninety minutes, but there are long gaps without Moore or even his fellow patients. Instead, the picture concentrates on J.T. Walsh’s odious advertising executive. Not even Paul Reiser, as Moore’s friend, sticks around for the entire runtime. And Ruehl gets an unceremonious boot.

Luckily, the actors playing the patients are outstanding. David Paymer’s probably the best, but Paul Bates and Danton Stone are both good too.

Ben Hammer’s fine as the evil doctor–People has a big problem with internal logic; an evil doctor doesn’t make a good villain.

Besides an annoying score from Cliff Eidelman, it’s technically proficient.

The parts are funnier than the final product. Much funnier.

★

CREDITS

Directed by Tony Bill; written by Mitch Markowitz; director of photography, Victor J. Kemper; edited by Mia Goldman; music by Cliff Eidelman; production designer, John J. Lloyd; produced by Thomas Barad; released by Paramount Pictures.

Starring Dudley Moore (Emory Leeson), Daryl Hannah (Kathy Burgess), Paul Reiser (Stephen Bachman), J.T. Walsh (Drucker), Bill Smitrovich (Bruce), Alan North (Judge), David Paymer (George), Danton Stone (Saabs), Paul Bates (Robles), Dick Cusack (Mort), Doug Yasuda (Hsu), Floyd Vivino (Eddie Aris), Mercedes Ruehl (Dr. Liz Baylor) and Ben Hammer (Dr. Koch).

Related posts:

• Clue (1985, Jonathan Lynn)
• Diner (1983, Barry Levinson)
• The Blues Brothers (1980, John Landis)
• Splash (1984, Ron Howard)
• High Spirits (1988, Neil Jordan)

Anne Stedman plays a college freshman who tracks down the superhero who once saved her life. The superhero, played by Markie Post, is long retired and probably hasn’t been sober in years.

Elisa Bell’s script has a lot of good jokes, about superheroes, fans, college, pretty much everything. But the pilot works because it’s short–fifteen minutes–and it plays with being so short. There are goofy transitions and long passages of time between scenes (and occasional superhero cameos–Warner produced it).

However, there’s no sign the concept could support an actual narrative, just these little funny vignettes.

Post is awesome. Her line deliveries are phenomenal. Stedman’s way too flimsy and the main reason it wouldn’t work. Her sincerity’s over the top.

It’s a funny fifteen minutes though.

Recommended

CREDITS

Directed by David Grossman; screenplay by Elisa Bell, based on the television series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears; director of photography, Danny Nowak; production designer, Bob Bottieri; produced by Richard Heus.

Starring Markie Post (Electra Woman), Anne Stedman (Judy), Noah Bastian (Griffin) and Shanola Hampton (Daisy).

There’s always a moment in a good action movie when it eventually runs out of steam and one has to give it some thought. There’s a breather scene, in other words. For Man of Steel, director Snyder uses flashbacks to Kevin Costner (as Superman’s dad) for the breather scenes and they aren’t breathers. They’re these intensely emotional scenes in between the action, which often have intense emotions too.

The present action of the film takes place over a few days, maybe a week. David S. Goyer’s script never gets exact–he’s dealing with alien spacecraft and a man who can fly so speeding between two locations isn’t a problem–but it never feels rushed. Snyder gets in a few nice little human moments for Superman Henry Cavill, who’s usually busy flying around the planet.

Snyder and Goyer take a moderately realistic approach to a super-powered alien suddenly flying around the globe. They seem to err on the side of excess–why would anyone get so excited about a guy in a red cape when there are alien spaceships too–but they know how to manage it. Snyder’s not original in his approach (he acknowledges his sources in a cute way) but he applies them well.

Snyder’s assured direction would be the star of Man of Steel if he weren’t consciously putting Cavill front and center. Michael Shannon gets a lot to do and he’s great; he and Cavill play wonderfully off each other. There’s a lot of nice subtext in their scenes. Shannon always gives the impression he’s holding back a little, making a well-timed outburst all the more effective.

As Lois Lane, Amy Adams does fine. She has surprisingly little to do, even though she’s undeniably integral. She’s not the star and Snyder and Goyer’s economy doesn’t allow for her to have much to herself.

Costner and Diane Lane are both excellent as Cavill’s adoptive parents. Snyder gets away with implying a lot about their relationship; the music from Hans Zimmer, Amir Mokri’s photography and David Brenner’s editing are essential to those implications. Snyder doesn’t exactly require a lot from his audience, but he’s definitely setting certain bars higher than others. The fight scenes, while technically magnificent, are still rather simple. The character stuff… he veers towards the sublime.

And there’s an even mix of character and action, even for the supporting cast (so when they forget someone, it’s unfortunately noticeable).

Russell Crowe’s good in the Brando role, surprisingly so, even if he’s around a little much. Not around enough is Ayelet Zurer as Cavill’s birth mother. She’s fantastic in her scenes. Antje Traue doesn’t have enough to do, but Goyer still takes the time to give her a whole arc with Christopher Meloni’s military guy.

Man of Steel can’t be much better. Goyer, Snyder and Cavill (and Zimmer) hit all the right notes.

★★★½

CREDITS

Directed by Zack Snyder; screenplay by David S. Goyer, based on a story by Goyer and Christopher Nolan and characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; director of photography, Amir Mokri; edited by David Brenner; music by Hans Zimmer; production designer, Alex McDowell; produced by Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder and Emma Thomas; released by Warner Bros.

Starring Henry Cavill (Clark Kent), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Michael Shannon (General Zod), Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Russell Crowe (Jor-El), Ayelet Zurer (Lara Lor-Van), Antje Traue (Faora-Ul), Christopher Meloni (Colonel Nathan Hardy), Harry Lennix (General Swanwick), Richard Schiff (Dr. Emil Hamilton), Michael Kelly (Steve Lombard) and Laurence Fishburne (Perry White).

Related posts:

• The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan)
• Batman Begins (2005, Christopher Nolan)
• Inception (2010, Christopher Nolan)
• Watchmen (2009, Zack Snyder), the director's cut
• The Prestige (2006, Christopher Nolan)

Superman series:

• Superman (1978, Richard Donner)
• Superman II (1980, Richard Lester)
• Superman III (1983, Richard Lester)
• Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987, Sidney J. Furie)
• Superman Returns (2006, Bryan Singer)

I used quotation marks for toughs because they’re a bunch of wimpy white teenagers in leather jackets. Unless you count Naidu, who’s the youngest. He’s the only one who doesn’t seem miscast in a high school play.

Inevitably, the film becomes the story of Keaton realizing he needs more in his life than hockey. But there’s a split between his story and Naidu and Alonso’s, which is occasionally excruciating because Alonso is so bad. Naidu isn’t great but he’s a lot better than Alonso.

Lara Jill Miller is a lot better than Alonso too and she’s only in it for two scenes. Everyone’s better than Alonso. Except those toughs.

But Touch and Go is rather well-produced. Robert Mandel’s direction is often fantastic. He really does make Keaton’s listlessness in success palpable. Sylvester Levay’s score is good too–except during the street tough scenes–and Richard H. Kline does an excellent job with the photography. There’s just nothing they can do about the plot.

With a different female lead–Alonso and Keaton have a negative amount of chemistry–the film might’ve overcome its problems. Even the thugs.

★

CREDITS

Directed by Robert Mandel; written by Alan Ormsby, Bob Sand and Harry Colomby; director of photography, Robert H. Kline; edited by Walt Mulconery; music by Sylvester Levay; production designer, Charles Rosen; produced by Stephen J. Friedman; released by Tri-Star Pictures.

Starring Michael Keaton (Bobby Barbato), Maria Conchita Alonso (Denise DeLeon), Ajay Naidu (Louis DeLeon), Max Wright (Lester), Maria Tucci (Dee Dee), Lara Jill Miller (Courtney), Richard Venture (Gower), John Reilly (Jerry Pepper), Michael Zelniker (McDonald), D.V. DeVincentis (Lupo), Dennis Duffy (Lynch), Steve Pink (Green) and Earl Boen (Emil the waiter).

Related posts:

• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003, Jonathan Mostow)
• Beetlejuice (1988, Tim Burton)
• The Other Guys (2010, Adam McKay), the unrated version
• Legalese (1998, Glenn Jordan)
• Knight and Day (2010, James Mangold), the extended cut

The first problem–not the biggest, just the first–is the bad composites. The CG is decent (rather good lighting on it, even), but the compositor doesn’t match it to the film stock. Sorry, DV stock. Roman Vasyanov’s photography is occasionally good and the CG mismatch hurts it. I qualify with occasionally because Vasyanov shoots well outside and mediocrely inside.

The second problem, probably the biggest, is Rinsch’s direction itself. His composition is geared towards selling the special effects, not telling a story or laying out a set piece. There’s a big chase at the end and Rinsch distinguishes himself as a terrible chase director. It’s a terrible sequence, primarily because Rinsch seems disinterested. So why include it?

The Gift gives nothing, just wastes.

Not Recommended

CREDITS

Written and directed by Carl Rinsch; director of photography, Roman Vasyanov; edited by Dan Swietlik and Dayn Williams; music by Amon Tobin; produced by Margo Maas Geesteranus; released by Phillips.

As a result, there’s almost nothing distinctive about L.A. Until the finish, anyway. The last ten minutes or so are really good.

The film has a number of big problems, but the primary ones are the setup and the geography. As a delayed sequel to Escape from New York, L.A. is a disaster. The opening establishes almost the exact same situation as the first film, which seems unlikely but also reeks of a lack of imagination.

Then there’s the geography. The film’s setting is so big and so varied, it’s hard to imagine Russell’s anti-hero having any trouble escaping from it. So the script has to confine him with a rapidly decreasing countdown.

There aren’t any good supporting characters–though a lot of the supporting performances are good–because L.A. never takes time to enjoy itself. It feels like a chore for the filmmakers.

The best supporting turns are from Steve Buscemi, Peter Fonda, Valeria Golino, Stacy Keach and Georges Corraface. Corraface and Golino are shockingly good; Fonda has lots of fun.

Also unimaginative is Lawrence G. Paull’s production design.

L.A. is a pointless, disappointing but vaguely inoffensive trip.

ⓏⒺⓇⓄ

CREDITS

Directed by John Carpenter; screenplay by Carpenter, Debra Hill and Kurt Russell, based on characters created by Carpenter and Nick Castle; director of photography, Gary B. Kibbe; edited by Edward A. Warschilka; music by Shirley Walker and Carpenter; production designer, Lawrence G. Paull; produced by Hill and Russell; released by Paramount Pictures.

Starring Kurt Russell (Snake Plissken), Stacy Keach (Cmdr. Malloy), Steve Buscemi (Map to the Stars Eddie), Valeria Golino (Taslima), Peter Fonda (Pipeline), Pam Grier (Hershe Las Palmas), Michelle Forbes (Brazen), Georges Corraface (Cuervo Jones), Bruce Campbell (The Surgeon General of Beverly Hills), A.J. Langer (Utopia), Leland Orser (Test Tube) and Cliff Robertson (The President).

Related posts:

• Village of the Damned (1995, John Carpenter)
• Vampires (1998, John Carpenter)
• Halloween (1978, John Carpenter), the television version
• Spider-Man 3 (2007, Sam Raimi)
• Spider-Man 2 (2004, Sam Raimi), the extended version

Snake Plissken series:

• Escape from New York (1981, John Carpenter)

Having the narrator walk around without any incidental noises is an easy (read cheap) short film technique. But here it’s Matthew Modine; regardless if one is familiar with him, he acts quite well, especially when he’s got nothing to do but to pensively stand around.

The photography, from co-director Ziegler and Michael Grantland, is outstanding. Never ostentatious, every shot is perfectly lighted.

Modine’s essay, ruminating on Jesus, God and modern America, is engaging enough through the religious stuff. When he gets cosmic, however, it feels like he’s trying to channel Carl Sagan and the short slips.

Jesus is professional and competent, but disposable.

Not Recommended

CREDITS

Directed by Terence Ziegler and Matthew Modine; screenplay by Modine, based on his essay; directors of photography, Ziegler and Michael Grantland; edited by Ziegler; music by Niabi Caldwell and Lucas Van Lenten; produced by Modine.

Related posts:

• Gross Anatomy (1989, Thom E. Eberhardt)
• Memphis Belle (1990, Michael Caton-Jones)
• Bye Bye Love (1995, Sam Weisman)
• Baby It's You (1983, John Sayles)
• Transporter 2 (2005, Louis Leterrier)

The film chronicles Kessler’s rediscovery of Paul Williams–more as a seventies entertainer than Paul Williams the songwriter or singer. There’s a lot about Kessler in the picture, including a lengthy section where he’s scared of terrorists in the Philippines before he picks up on Williams’s more zen-like attitudes about life.

But Still Alive isn’t about the filmmaker learning lasting life lessons from Williams. It’s also not about Williams, who isn’t the most documentary accommodating subject. Fairly early on, it’s clear Paul Williams always knew he was alive and didn’t think that discovery merited a documentary.

At the start, Kessler might have enough for a twenty minute short. Introduce Williams’s seventies celebrity, go through all his famous songs, catch up with him. And Kessler does these things… in the first twenty minutes of Alive. The rest is mostly just Kessler inserting himself into Williams’s professional life as a member of a non-existent entourage. Williams is a pleasant guy to spend eighty minutes around, even if Kessler’s constantly bugging him.

But Kessler? He’s not worth spending eighty minutes with… especially not when he’s appropriating his subject’s spotlight.

Still Alive succeeds because of its subject–and Williams is a very interesting fellow and Kessler does get some deep moments… but there’s a lot of padding.

Kessler should’ve gone for short and good instead of comprehensive and listless.

★★

CREDITS

Written and directed by Stephen Kessler; director of photography, Vern Nobles; edited by David Zieff; production designer, Perry Andelin Blake; produced by Jim Czarnecki, Kessler, Mike Wilkins and Zieff; released by Abramorama.

Starring Paul Williams.

Related posts:

• The Muppet Movie (1979, James Frawley)
• The Wedding Singer (1998, Frank Coraci)
• Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973, J. Lee Thompson), the extended version

Robert Klane’s script changes gears during the film’s final third too. Instead of relying on jokes, he and director Kotcheff go for morbid sight gags. They might be the best jokes in the film, but they’re rather cheap. The acting’s still good for these parts, however, and there’s still François Protat’s gorgeous photography. Protat makes Bernie’s feel like a vacation at the beach; there’s even some cloudy shots inferring the passage of time. They might be unintentional, but they work great.

As for the acting… Catherine Mary Stewart has the film’s most “real” part. She’s Jonathan Silverman’s love interest and finds herself surrounded by the lunacy. Silverman’s sturdy and likable in the ostensible lead role, but Andrew McCarthy’s a lot funnier as his obnoxious sidekick.

Terry Kiser plays Bernie, both alive and dead. If you don’t know the film’s concept, it’s very high brow. Silverman and McCarthy escort their dead boss around a vacation island, pretending he’s alive. Anyway, Kiser’s great in both stages, but as the corpse… he’s really impressive.

As far as supporting performances, Don Calfa’s really good. The rest are fine. Except Catherine Parks; she could be a lot better.

Bernie’s is not a smart comedy. It’s a dumb one with some smart parts.

★★

CREDITS

Directed by Ted Kotcheff; written by Robert Klane; director of photography, François Protat; edited by Joan E. Chapman; music by Andy Summers; production designer, Peter Jamison; produced by Victor Drai; released by 20th Century Fox.

Starring Jonathan Silverman (Richard Parker), Andrew McCarthy (Larry Wilson), Catherine Mary Stewart (Gwen Saunders), Don Calfa (Paulie), Louis Giambalvo (Vito), Catherine Parks (Tina), Gregory Salata (Marty) and Terry Kiser (Bernie Lomax).

Related posts:

• Mannequin: On the Move (1991, Stewart Raffill)
• Switching Channels (1988, Ted Kotcheff)
• First Blood (1982, Ted Kotcheff)
• The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999, Katt Shea)
• Foul Play (1978, Colin Higgins)

So it isn’t perfect.

Otherwise, it’s probably perfect.

Selma Blair plays the protagonist, who probably has the least lines in the short. She’s got a bad set of parents and runs off to a party. Maybe. The narrative’s a little fractured. One actually has to go on costume design to determine the chain of events.

The exact chronology doesn’t matter as much as Blair’s performance. She’s amazing, even when silent, and Jones’s direction. Debutante is a beautifully made little film. Jones turns up the volume and still manages to be subtly profound. I think it’s a student film, which is even more impressive.

Great photography from Byron Shah, nice supporting turns from Theresa Tilly and Josh Hartnett.

It’s fantastic.

Highly Recommended

CREDITS

Written, produced, edited and directed by Mollie Jones; director of photography, Byron Shah; edited by Halina Siwolop.

Starring Selma Blair (Nan), Meghann Haldeman (Carla), Josh Hartnett (Bill), Theresa Tilly (Mother) and Steve Tom (Father).

Related posts:

• iSteve (2013, Ryan Perez)
• Halloween H20 (1998, Steve Miner)
• O (2001, Tim Blake Nelson)
• Bunraku (2010, Guy Moshe)
• Purple Violets (2007, Edward Burns)