Three Movies That Deserved Better
"This was a particularly bad case of somebody being cut in half." - Dewey Cox
"You drove these, through the triangle of death?" - War Dogs
"November is all I know. And all I ever wanna know." - Sweet November
Sometimes passable movies rake in a lot of cash and sadly even achieve critical acclaim. The inverse is true as well. Solid movies fail to make much profit and receive lackluster or even acerbic reviews. Today's post will feature three movies in the latter camp. (I'm a big fan of life unfolding the way it is meant to.)
Dewey Cox stars John C. Reilly and features some big names in comedy such as Paul Rudd, Jack Black, and Kristen Wiig. The story loosely draws from the lives of Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and many others. As a result, the tone of the movie can feel too crowded at times. That said, the movie is a very smart satire of the biopic genre. If you're a fan of the music of the sixties, the music alone could make the movie enjoyable. And if you're into subversive humor, this movie just might be your cup of tea. But don't write it off as simple comedy. The movie also delivers on a number of dramatic moments.
If you're still feeling unsure, give it a shot. I too balked when a friend recommended it to me. But it turned out to be a real treat.
Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR5shL8frkY
If you're a Martin Scorsese fan, this movie is a must-watch. As the biggest Martin Scorsese fan of my generation (pretty sure), I was thrilled to see a movie that so shamelessly borrowed from Scorsese, Goodfellas in particular. Of course, the director falls quite short of stealing Scorsese's touches and making them his own. For examples of directors who steal masterfully from the auteur with the eyebrows that won't quit, look at Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson.
War Dogs received some harsh reviews from critics, some accusing the film of being a cheap rip-off, a Goodfellas wannabe. As true as that may be, War Dogs is still a quality picture. The consistently wonderful and always entertaining Jonah Hill (Moneyball, The Wolf of Wall Street) delivers here again.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwh9c_E3dJk
"You drove these, through the triangle of death?" - War Dogs
"November is all I know. And all I ever wanna know." - Sweet November
Sometimes passable movies rake in a lot of cash and sadly even achieve critical acclaim. The inverse is true as well. Solid movies fail to make much profit and receive lackluster or even acerbic reviews. Today's post will feature three movies in the latter camp. (I'm a big fan of life unfolding the way it is meant to.)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Dewey Cox stars John C. Reilly and features some big names in comedy such as Paul Rudd, Jack Black, and Kristen Wiig. The story loosely draws from the lives of Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and many others. As a result, the tone of the movie can feel too crowded at times. That said, the movie is a very smart satire of the biopic genre. If you're a fan of the music of the sixties, the music alone could make the movie enjoyable. And if you're into subversive humor, this movie just might be your cup of tea. But don't write it off as simple comedy. The movie also delivers on a number of dramatic moments.
If you're still feeling unsure, give it a shot. I too balked when a friend recommended it to me. But it turned out to be a real treat.
Bonus clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR5shL8frkY
War Dogs
War Dogs received some harsh reviews from critics, some accusing the film of being a cheap rip-off, a Goodfellas wannabe. As true as that may be, War Dogs is still a quality picture. The consistently wonderful and always entertaining Jonah Hill (Moneyball, The Wolf of Wall Street) delivers here again.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwh9c_E3dJk
Sweet November
Sweet November is certainly not a great movie. But it did not deserve a 15% rating on Rotten Tomatoes either. That's higher than what I got on my AP Physics exam, but that doesn't mean much because in the exam book, I wrote how I should have gotten into Harvard instead of answering any of the questions. (Fun times.)
The writing in the movie could have been sharper, both the dialogue and story. But it's a sweet movie (no pun intended). So as far as tone is concerned, think Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise but without the artistry and craftsmanship. The plot's quite different; Sweet November is about a guy and a girl who build their own world only to confronted with a cruel external obstacle.
The cinematography by Ed Lachman makes up for the weak writing a bit. Lachman has worked closely with Todd Haynes who is undoubtedly one of the finest auteurs of his generation. Lachman's cinematography in the movie is nowhere near as strong as it is in his work with Haynes (Carol, I'm Not There). But you can still see glimmers of how great Lachman can be when he works with an auteur.
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