There’s a scene in “Pootie Tang” where a gorilla fatally mauls Pootie’s dad. It was unexpected, absurd and the ONLY funny scene in the entire flick. The fact that this movie even made it into theaters is a testament to how hot Chris Rock was in 2001. Rock’s collaborations with HBO (two stand-up specials and a comedy series) were solid gold and made him an icon. But for whatever reason, his brilliance didn’t translate into long-form storytelling. I see the […]
Ever since Buster Keaton gave us his revolutionary The General back in 1926, audiences and critics have afforded avant-garde comedies the confusion and hostile pity typically reserved for homeless street performers and the last five seasons of Two and a Half Men. When Wet Hot American Summer first appeared in the summer of 2001, it fared no better. A weak opening in less than thirty cities drew both tepid audience responses and polarizing critical reception (Roger Ebert was so famously disappointed […]
(In Austrian accent) Hear me now and believe me later… Saturday Night Live has been at the forefront of American comedy since it’s opening monologue on October 11th, 1975. The list of comedic actors that have graced the halls of Studio 8H inside 30 Rock is legendary. Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Adam Sandler, and Chris Farley are just a few of the numerous comedic talents that were able to use their […]
I’ve been saying for a long time that filmmakers love sports and war metaphors to describe the process of making a movie because they are applicable in so many different ways. Both involve a group of individuals brought together for a single purpose. They might be there for different reasons, but the goal is the same – to win, often at any cost. On the highest level, both involve campaigns – an MLB season has 162 games; America was in […]
It could have been a result of the cheap movie-theater pizza I was struggling to digest throughout the screening or a product of the ringing and raging in my psyche from two and a half hours of mind-numbing explosions and vroom-vrooms, but as I stumbled out of my seat and beyond the shellshock, I began to wonder if maybe the “seven” in Furious 7 is more than just a mere indication that this uber-machismo, adrenaline-fueled, NOS-guzzling dumpster fire is the […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Wang versus Thunder Jack’s reflexes Lo Pan’s death and the demise of Thunder A debt is repaid Jack moseys on down the road From box office bomb to cult favorite With a reported budget of $18 million, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA’s gross of $11 million can only be defined as a disappointment. The expectations […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA “I feel kind of invincible.” Lo Pan becomes flesh Jack knocks himself out of commission Wang versus Rain, Egg versus Lo Pan Jack and Gracie finally kiss When a sidekick doesn’t know his role The brilliance of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA lies in its unconventional character dynamics. Jack Burton, the film’s leading man, enters […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA The burning blade ceremony The good guys trek through the Bog of Dead Trees to infiltrate Lo Pan’s lair The wedding begins Jack and Wang get patriotic Aaahh!!! Real Monsters BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA being a John Carpenter movie after all, kung fu and sorcery alone simply didn’t provide quite enough insanity for the […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Jack and Wang rescue the women Gracie is captured by a monster The good guys regroup Lo Pan plans his wedding Wang, Jack, and the rest go underground Kurt Russell: breaking the 1980s action mold By 1986, action films had graduated from pulpy exploitation to glossy Hollywood blockbuster fare with slick and stylish heroes who […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Wang, Jack and Eddie bust loose Lo Pan’s transformation Wang shows his skill and Jack’s makes a kill The guys free Gracie, Margo, and the other slave girls John Carpenter: the overlooked auteur John Carpenter was among the initial wave of filmmakers who emerged after the collapse of Hollywood’s “studio system” at the dawn of […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Jack and Wang get captured Lo Pan lays out his evil plan Gracie, Margo and Eddie attempt a rescue and get captured themselves Oodles of exposition “Chinese have a lot of hells” Anyone who has seen BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA a few times will recall that there are references to A LOT of different […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Jack goes undercover Meeting Margo “Henry Swanson” stirs the pot The Three Storms take Miao Yin Jack and Wang infiltrate the Wing Kong Exchange and get trapped Nerdy Glasses: The Ultimate Disguise It’s a tried and true movie trope – put a character in nerdy glasses, maybe slick the hair, and they are suddenly unrecognizable. […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA All-out gang warfare The introduction of The Three Storms Lo Pan’s first appearance The Porkchop Express left behind A mountain of exposition from Uncle Chu, Eddie, and Gracie Al Leong: Action Movie Icon Last time, we told you about Jeff Imada and this time we’ll take a special look at Al Leong, another legendary stuntman […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Wang and Jack arrive at the airport for Miao Yin Meet Gracie Law Miao Yin kidnapped! Jack and Wang chase the Lords of Death back to Chinatown A Chinese standoff Jeff Imada: a Hollywood fairytale Even seasoned movie buffs and action movie aficionados might not be familiar with the name Jeff Imada, and certainly even fewer […]
FOLLOW US: ITUNES TWITTER FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD Highlights from this section of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA Egg Shen exposition Jack Burton’s introduction Jack goes on a hot streak Wang runs up a debt The synergy of John Carpenter and Kurt Russell The history of Hollywood is filled with legendary director-star pairings. Sometimes the chemistry in these collaborations is so strong that the actor and director return to the well over and […]
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