This Movie Guy

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Movie Review: CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP

CONAN O'BRIEN CAN'T STOP

2011
R

"I'm like Tinkerbell - without applause, I die."
-- Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop is a 2011 documentary directed by Rodman Flender that centers around Conan O'Brien's 2010 comedy tour, "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour." The idea came to O'Brien after his highly-publicized departure from NBC after Jay Leno decided he wanted to continue appearing on television as a talk show host. NBC severed ties with O'Brien, prohibiting him from appearing on television for a period of six months. The documentary shows the creation of the tour's show as well as the ups and downs it put Conan through during the 45-show schedule.

I first heard about this film after it hit film festivals and was generally well-received. I didn't have the opportunity to give it a view when it hit theaters earlier this year, but you can now find it on NetFlix Instant Watch. Being a fan of O'Brien, I knew that I had to give this one a gander at one point or another, so it was just a matter of time until I sat down and did just that.

I honestly have some rather mixed feelings about the film. While it's an interesting, in-depth look at the creation of Conan's tour, it just felt a little bit empty and a little bit flat. There didn't seem to be anything truly redeeming about the film. Yes, we get to see a very personal side of a highly-publicized figure in today's society, but there are times where I wasn't quite sure I liked the Conan we got to see. At certain moments, he seems like a man who lets his celebrity and fame get to his head, but he immediately comes back and says that because he's so hard on himself, he has to be hard on the people that work for and with him.

(On a side note, be on the lookout for cameos from the likes of Jack Black, Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Jon Hamm and Jack McBrayer.)

In his review for the Arizona Republic, Billy Goodykoontz wrote the following about the film:

It's hard to feel sorry for a guy who banked millions for not hosting "The Tonight Show" anymore, but it's also fascinating to see a man this compulsively driven to get back in front of people and tell jokes, to hear the laughter, to soak in the applause.

In that sense, I suppose there's something rather interesting to see in Conan O'Brien Can't Stop. We see the sheer determination and will that he drives into his comedy tour. After his nasty NBC break-up, the fan support was overwhelming, and it's nice to see that a man in his position took the time to give back to that support, even if it took a physical and emotional toll on himself. Even if he has his moments where you want to hate him, you can't deny that Conan O'Brien is driven and dedicated. If that's all you get from this documentary, then I'd have to say it's a success. If you're a fan of Conan, this is a must-watch.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: B+
1.5 Thumbs Up

Happy Birthday, Sam Rockwell!

Today we're celebrating the birthday of Sam Rockwell, who turns 43 today. Rockwell made his feature film debut in the 1989 horror film, Clownhouse. He also had a small role in 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Rockwell didn't land larger roles until 1999, however, appearing in both The Green Mile and Galaxy Quest. From there, he's gone on to star in films like Charlie's Angels (2000), Matchstick Men (2003), and Choke (2008). He garnered a lot of strong publicity for his performance in the 2009 sci-fi drama, Moon, and he was most recently seen in 2011's Cowboys & Aliens. You'll next be able to see Rockwell on the big screen in the upcoming comedy, The Sitter, slated for release this December. So, in tribute of his birthday, I've created a list of my five favorite Rockwell performances. I hope you enjoy the videos! Once again, I'd like to wish Sam Rockwell a happy 43rd birthday!

5. Justin Hammer
Iron Man 2 (2010)

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4. Victor Mancini
Choke (2008)

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3. Guy Fleegman
Galaxy Quest (1999)

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2. James Reston, Jr.
Frost/Nixon (2008)

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1. Sam Bell
Moon (2009)

Friday, November 4, 2011

Happy Birthday, Matthew McConaughey!

Today we celebrate the 42nd birthday of Matthew McConaughey. After growing up in Texas and realizing he wanted to pursue a life in film, McConaughey got his official start on a 1992 episode of "Unsolved Mysteries." He landed his first major feature film the following year, playing a supporting character in 1993's Dazed and Confused, which remains one of his most memorable performances to date. Through the 1990s, he appeared in a number of bigger-budget films (i.e., 1996's Lone Star, 1997's Amistad, 1997's Contact), but it was the 2000s that truly brought him to fame. After appearing opposite Jennifer Lopez in 2001's The Wedding Planner, McConaughey became something of a go-to guy for romantic comedies, appearing in the likes of 2003's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 2006's Failure to Launch. He's also dabbled in dramatic fare here and there, and while he's not considered one of the greatest actors to grace the silver screen, you can be pretty sure you'll know what you're getting from a McConaughey performance. So, to celebrate his date of birth, I've listed my five favorite of his roles. Once again, happy birthday, Mr. McConaughey!

5. Rick Peck
Tropic Thunder (2008)

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4. Mick Haller
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

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3. David Wooderson
Dazed and Confused (1993)

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2. Dirk Pitt
Sahara (2005)

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1. Steve Addington
Surfer, Dude (2008)

Monday, October 31, 2011

DVD Challenge #26: HALLOWEEN

Halloween
1978
R
Run-time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance, Nancy Kyes

I don't remember the first time I ever saw Halloween, but I do remember the fright that the image of Michael Myers has always brought me. Those of you who've been reading me recently will know that I consider Myers to be one of the scarier horror villains to grace the silver screen, and that the film itself is near the top of the list of films that have traumatized me during my lifetime. So, it was quite the decision to try to take the film in again, considering how much it has scared me in the past. And so, to celebrate Halloween, I re-watched the iconic movie whose namesake stemmed from the scariest holiday of the year.

The film is actually pretty simple when you think about it. It starts with a young Michael Myers viciously murdering his older sister then fast-forwards fifteen years to then-present day 1978. Myers finds a way to break out of his mental institution and make his way back to his hometown, where he starts to stalk babysitters on a fateful Halloween night. That's the exact premise that John Carpenter and fellow screenwriter Debra Hill started with, and they ran with it from there. I watched one of the interviews on my copy of the film, and Hill talked about how they listed out a number of potential scares for the movie then worked the screenplay around each of the scares. It's not as though the storyline is going to blow you away, but the thrills and chills should do the trick.

Most of the fear in the film comes from the suspense that the atmosphere creates, but a big chunk of that fear also comes from our villain himself. Referred to on-set as the Shape, most people know him as Michael Myers, a man who is purely evil and wears a modified William Shatner mask to keep his face hidden for most of the film. There's something inherently creepy about the mask itself, but the reason that Michael scares me so much is the fact that he's

completely silent for the film's entirety. Never once does he speak (even in the prologue where we see him as a child), and the most we ever hear in terms of a sound from him is his breathing behind the mask. The white, expressionless mask, combined with his complete silence, makes Michael Myers one of the scarier villains I've seen grace the silver screen. I've had many a night where I thought I saw him standing outside my own window. He's that ingrained into my subconscious.

The rest of the cast does it's job relatively well, but it's not like we're getting A-grade acting here. The film was shot on a budget of $300,000, so there really wasn't much in terms of quality acting to be bought. However, we do get a decent (if drawn-out) performance from Pleasance, and it's a nice introduction to Curtis, who would go on to be known as the "scream queen" after this role.

While the scares aren't necessarily as terrifying as I remember them, you can't take away from the overall creepiness of the film, which is greatly accentuated by the musical score that Carpenter created. The score landed as the second best horror film score on the list I posted a few days ago, but it's simplicity is where it gets you. While not quite on the level of the Jaws

score, which almost becomes a character itself, the score for Halloween is utterly fantastic.

Ultimately, Halloween isn't quite as scary as I remembered it, but it's still quite the fright-fest, and it's the golden standard when it comes to Hollywood slasher flicks. Many franchises have attempted to imitate this film, but nothing will ever quite reach the bar in the slasher genre that Halloween set. So, if you're in the mood for a scary movie tonight, give this one a shot. It's sure to give you a scare or two.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Favorites: HORROR VILLAINS

The effectiveness of a horror film lies in its ability to scare its audience. While the best horror flicks combine suspense and jump-out-of-your-seat scares to keep the audience engaged, it takes a legitimate villain to make any of the scares worthwhile. If your principal villain isn't frightening, you're going to risk losing your audience from the very start. Luckily, a slew of fantastic villains have graced the silver screen in horror films over the years. For this post, I've counted down my ten favorite horror villains. Mind you, I'm still not entirely well-versed in the horror genre, so if there's any particular villain missing that you think belongs, I simply may not have seen that particular film just yet. That being said, I hope you enjoy the list!

10. Jack Torrance
Played by: Jack Nicholson
The Shining (1980)

While I'm not the biggest fan of the film, there's no denying that Nicholson puts on a show in The Shining. His manic personality works exceptionally well for the role of Jack Torrance, and his gradual descent into madness is all the more realistic as a result.

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9. Jigsaw / John Kramer
Played by: Tobin Bell
Saw (2004)

A horror villain for the 21st century, Jigsaw leaves his victims' fates in their own hands, giving them the option of whether they want to live or die. Sure, his methods are a little sadistic, but there might be some sound reasoning behind all the blood and gore.

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8. Dracula
Played by: Bela Lugosi
Dracula (1931)

Easily Bela Lugosi's most recognizable - and best - role, Dracula is simply a horror icon. From the moment he uttered, "I am Dracula," I was hooked on his character. Smart, clever, and completely evil, it's hard not to like the king of the vampires.

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7. Hannibal Lecter
Played by: Anthony Hopkins
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Sure, it's not quite a horror film, but there's something truly sadistic about Hannibal Lecter as a villain. Hopkins plays him exceptionally well, and the thought of him having a census taker's liver with some fava beans and a Chianti is enough to tingle the spine.

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6. Freddy Krueger
Played by: Robert Englund
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

The man is essentially a burn victim with a fedora and knives for fingers. Oh, and he comes and kills teenagers in their dreams. That's probably the worst part - he attacks you when you're most vulnerable, all with a biting sense of humor to boot.

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5. Patrick Bateman
Played by: Christian Bale
American Psycho (2000)

Again, not entirely a horror film, but this is simply a brilliant performance from Christian Bale. Bateman is a man who seemingly has a lust for blood, but as things start to get out of hand, even he doesn't really know what's happening anymore. That just adds to the scariness of his character.

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4. Mr. Hyde
Played by: John Barrymore
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920)

You'd be hard-pressed to think this was a scary film nowadays, but the fantastic performance from John Barrymore as the dual-personality Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde is so stunningly perfect that there was no way I could leave it off this list.

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3. Michael Myers
Played by: Nick Castle
Halloween (1978)

As I've mentioned before, Michael Myers is probably the horror character that scares me most. A silent, hulking Shape that simply stalks and kills, he's the epitome of a relentless murderer and could very possibly be evil incarnate.

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2. Pennywise
Played by: Tim Curry
It (1990)

I have a bit of a fascination with anything Tim Curry does, and his portrayal of Pennywise the clown is so bitingly hilarious that you almost forget the fact that he's also terribly creepy. I'm sure this one put a lot of people off clowns for a while.

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1. Norman Bates
Played by: Anthony Perkins
Psycho (1960)

The king of horror villains, Norman Bates showed that an everyday man could be hiding a terrible, terrible secret. Perkins played the part to a tee, to the point where he would be applauded after takes on set. That's how good he was, and that's how brilliantly he created the character. I've got mad love for Norman Bates.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ten Films That Traumatized Me

Anyone who's ever watched a scary movie has sat through a film that thoroughly scared them. That's the basis of the horror genre: to shock and to terrify. However, there's a fine line between being scared and being traumatized. A scare may only last for a moment or for the a film's duration, but trauma can last days, weeks, months or years. Some films have the ability to traumatize an individual, and depending on that individual's willpower, the trauma may even last a lifetime. So for this second day of my "6 Days of Halloween," I've created a list of ten films that have traumatized me in my lifetime. As you'll see, not all of them are necessarily horror films, but the fabric of each type of trauma was terrifying enough to make each movie stick with me for an extended period of time. So without any further delay, here's the ten films that have most traumatized me in my lifetime. I hope you enjoy!

10. Independence Day
1996

Independence Day freaked me out in a couple of ways. It was the first movie I ever remember seeing that gave me the very real sensation that an alien invasion might actually be possible. As an eight-year-old child, I remember walking out of the theater as the sun was setting and thinking that the orange glow was a firestorm heading towards me. I went on to have a nightmare that night about one of the aliens hiding inside a closet in my house. I was never able to open that closet again without seeing that image.

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9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977

To be honest, there was only one scene in Close Encounters that ever truly got to me. I first saw this film when I was a child, and the scene where Barry runs off with the aliens scared the hell outta me. Just before he leaves, everything inside the house starts to shake and rattle and roll, and electrical things come to life. For a youngster, this was quite the terrifying experience, and it's stuck with me ever since.

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8. Old Yeller
1957

Anyone who has seen this film will know exactly why it made this list. Growing up, my family always had golden retrievers, so seeing a film with a Labrador /Mastiff was definitely appealing not only to me but to my entire household. Little did I know what tragedy awaited me at film's end, and I have yet to recover from the emotional scarring. A lot of folks will cite the mother's death in Bambi as one of their most traumatic film moments, but Old Yeller has always gotten to me.

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7. Jurassic Park
1993

Like Independence Day, Jurassic Park was a film from my childhood that found a way to enter the realm of my dreams. The night after seeing the film, five-year-old me had one of the most vivid nightmares of my entire life: it was so realistic that I still remember it as though it occurred yesterday. What started as a seemingly beautiful dream quickly turned terrifying as as velociraptor proceeded to chase me through the jungle, and only my sudden awakening spared me an awful fate. Needless to say, dinosaurs scared me for quite a while after that one.

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6. Child's Play
1988

I actually didn't see this film in its entirety until last Halloween, but the character Chucky has haunted me for years. While channel surfing one childhood days, I stumbled across a movie I had never seen. I watched for a few minutes until I saw a red-headed doll awaken and proceed to stab a woman to death. From that moment on, any mention of the doll caused me to cringe in horror. Now that I've seen the film itself, the trauma has subsided slightly, but there's still something about Chucky that gets to me.

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5. The Birds
1963

Ah, the brilliance of Alfred Hitchcock. While not necessarily one of his best films, The Birds still managed to seep its way into my subconscious. Having seen bits and pieces of the film during my childhood, I slowly grew a bit of fear toward it. The schoolhouse scene was one of the scariest things I had ever seen, and to torture me, my father used to tap against the walls of my room to simulate the pecking noises the birds had made in the film. Once I was able to see the film in its entirety, however, I was able to shake the terror that had haunted me for the better part of my childhood and adolescent life.

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4. Happiness
1998

I know what you're thinking: how could a comedy possibly traumatize an individual? My answer would be, "Surely you've never seen a Todd Solondz film." Happiness is by far one of the most sexualized and disgusting films I've ever seen, and it's easily one of my favorites. The biting sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek attitude creates a terrific atmosphere. The reason it traumatized me, however, was the result of one particular scene. Baker (pictured above) portrays a child molester, and in one scene, we see his attempt to take his son's best friend. After a series of events, I found myself cheering for Baker's character, hoping he would succeed in his endeavor to rape the boy. Once you start cheering for a child molester, you're never really the same. I still feel horribly about it.

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3. A Clockwork Orange
1971

Stanley Kubrick sure knew how to make 'em, and A Clockwork Orange was no exception. Like Happiness, however, this film only needed one scene to push me over the edge. It's a semi-graphic rape scene that occurs near the start of the film, almost setting the tone for the unsettling nature of what the audience is about to witness. The scene's memorability is heightened by the fact that one of the rapists sings "Singin' in the Rain" whilst committing the atrocious act. Since seeing this film, I haven't been able to listen to the original Gene Kelly version without my mind being whisked to this rape scene. Thanks, Kubrick.

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2. Halloween
1978

The slasher film to start all slasher films, Halloween was groundbreaking in what it did and what it meant for the horror genre. It essentially created an invincible beast who terrorized over and over, and the image of Michael Myers has always stuck in my mind. I think it's the fact that he never utters a word that really gets to me. While killers like Freddy Krueger often talk themselves to death, Michael stays silent throughout his reign on-screen, and that white William Shatner mask only adds to the creepiness. This is the boogeyman incarnate, and he'll always get to me.

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1. Psycho
1960

Oh, the trauma to end all trauma. I first saw the shower scene from Psycho as a four-year-old at Universal Studios Hollywood. In one of their special effects stages, they chose to talk about cinematography, and who better to use than Hitchcock himself. And so, they showed the 45-second clip of a mysterious intruder brutally slicing Marion Crane as she attempts to take a shower. The high-pitched screeching of Bernard Herrmann's score, combined with the high-pitched screams from Janet Leigh, make this scene one of the most memorable and instantly recognizable to hit the silver screen. It scared me so much that it took me years to want to take a shower, and to this day, I have issues with shower curtains.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Favorites: HORROR MOVIE SCORES

While great films are generally multi-faceted in their effectiveness, taking a solid screenplay and talented actors to craft an enjoyable cinematic experience, the best films also incorporate strong musical scores in order to set the overall mood. While some of the most iconic orchestral scores

spawn from dramatic (i.e., The Godfather) or action (i.e., Star Wars) films, the horror genre has presented a plethora of memorable themes that continue to haunt viewers years past their original release dates. So, to start my "6 Days of Halloween," I've compiled my thirteen favorite horror film scores in order to set the mood for the days leading up to All Hallow's Eve. These are the scores that have stuck with me personally, haunting my dreams and reminding me of the horror that their films conveyed. Mind you: for this particular list, I ordered them in terms of their ability to scare me. Essentially, on a list of my favorite scores of all time, some of these might be ordered in a different way. So without any further delay, here's the list of my favorite horror movie scores. Don't let them keep you up too late tonight...