Tag: Jamie Lee Curtis

Geekscape Movie Review: Knives Out

by MCDave

Once upon a time, Rian Johnson went from being a uniquely-voiced and rapidly-emerging filmmaker to instantly becoming the man who ruined the Star Wars saga (for me, at least). Needless to say, I didn’t (and still don’t) have a favorable view of Johnson’s The Last Jedi. But what a difference two years can make, as the stains of Johnson’s past can hardly be noticed courtesy of a brand-new, briskly-paced whodunit mystery that reminds us all just how brilliant of a writer and director he can be.

Knives Out tells the perversely entertaining and fictional story of beloved crime novelist, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), who shockingly dies on the evening of his 85th birthday celebration. With a massively wealthy estate and a host of friends and relatives at the residence, each with their own motives and agendas, everyone must be considered a suspect. Thankfully, the witty and astute detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) has been mysteriously hired to unmask the truth behind Thombley’s unexpected death.

Rian Johnson’s cleverly crafted screenplay serves as the backbone to this unpredictable and amusing whodunit film. Knives Out cycles through a series of suspects and motives all while purposely tipping its hand quite a bit. Yet, as we soon find out, there are many mysteries buried within the veins of this story. And all throughout this creative and original script rests a healthy dose of humor and a diverse collection of notable characters, each of whom add a unique element to the overlying mystery. These characters come to life superbly thanks to one of 2019’s finest ensembles. Along with the aforementioned Daniel Craig and Christopher Plummer, co-stars Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield and Don Johnson all deliver well-rounded performances that play off one another perfectly. Yet, it’s the underdog of the cast, up-and comer Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049), who truly steals the show with a deeply committed and soulful turn of her own. Knives Out has all the makings of an Original Screenplay Oscar contender, the script really is that good. If you’re in search of an energetic mystery that’s guaranteed to keep you guessing, Rian Johnson’s page-turning new effort not only has what you’re looking for, it’s one of the best films of year.

GRADE: 4/5

Christine (1983) VHS Movie Review and Halloween (2018) Movie Review

by AnalogJonesTOF

Christine (1983) VHS Movie Review and Halloween (2018) Movie Review

Oct 25th, 2018

 

Two nerds build a podcast about old VHS tapes, and it ends up being possessed by an evil entity. Listen to Analog Jones talk about John Carpenter’s Christine (1983) for our Halloween episode!Christine was released into theaters on December 9, 1983, on a budget of $10 million and it made $21 million at the box office.Directed by John Carpenter the man who brought us Halloween (1978) and The Thing (1982).

This film is based on a novel by Stephen King called Christine. Bill Phillips wrote the screenplay.

Produced by Richard Kobritz who also produced Salem’s Lot (Salem’s Lot VHS Movie Review)

Christine’s Cast
Keith Gordon as Arnold “Arnie” Cunningham (The Legend of Billie Jean)
John Stockwell as Dennis Guilder (Top Gun)
Alexandra Paul as Leigh Cabot (American Nightmare VHS Movie Review)
Robert Prosky as Will Darnell (Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Last Action Hero)
Harry Dean Stanton as Detective Rudolph “Rudy” Junkins (Alien, Pretty in Pink)

Christine’s Synopsis
A nerdy high school student named Arne buys a busted 1958 Plymouth Fury and falls in love with it while rebuilding the car. As Arne drives the car around, named Christine, it slowly changes him. Christine is more than a car; she’s possessed by an unknown evil entity that wreaks havoc in Rockbridge, California.

Fun Facts
According to John Carpenter, Christine was not a film he had planned on directing, saying that he directed the film as “a job” as opposed to a “personal project.” He had previously directed The Thing (1982), which had done poorly at the box office and led to a critical backlash. In retrospect, Carpenter stated that upon reading Christine, he felt that “It just wasn’t very frightening. But it was something I needed to do at that time for my career.”

King’s novel, the source material for Carpenter’s film, made it clear that the car was possessed by the evil spirit of its previous owner, Roland D. LeBay, whereas the film version of the story shows that the evil spirit surrounding the car was present on the day it was built. Other elements from the novel were altered for the film, particularly the execution of the death scenes, which the filmmakers opted for a more “cinematic approach.”

You can buy the Blu-ray on Amazon that has deleted scenes and commentary with director John Carpenter and Keith Gordon.

Bonus Movie Review: Halloween (2018)

Halloween (2018) was released into theaters on September 19, 2018, with a budget of $10 million.

This is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and a direct sequel to the 1978 film of the same name.

Directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express)

Written by Jeff Fradley, Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down) and David Gordon Green.

Based on characters by John Carpenter and Debra Hill

Halloween (2018) Cast
Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode
Judy Greer as Karen
Andi Matichak as Allyson
Will Patton as Frank Hawkins
Virginia Gardner as Vicky
Haluk Bilginer as Dr. Ranbir Sartain

Halloween (2018) Storyline
Laurie Strode comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

Come back next week when we review The Rage: Carrie 2 with special guest The Jersey Ghouls.

Discuss these movies and more on our Facebook page.

You can also listen to us on iTunes, Podbean, and Youtube!

You can email us at analogjonestof@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Halloween (2018)

by MCDave

All is right with the world when it’s the Halloween season and Michael Meyers is back. And not only is David Gordon Green’s new, direct sequel to John Carpenter’s original 1978 Halloween a landmark reboot for the franchise, it’s one of the year’s finest films, period. Skepticism naturally grew at the film’s announcement, as Green and his co-writer, Danny McBride, both of whom broke into the industry via their comedic voices, seemed like a peculiar fit for the project. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth as Halloween brings the perfect amount of fear and anxiety just in time for the upcoming holiday.

The film alludes to Michael Meyers’ capture after falling from the second story balcony in the original, and has since spent 40 years in confinement at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. But when a now 60+ years old Meyers is scheduled to be relocated to a new facility, the serial killer escapes once again to return and terrorize the only town he’s ever known. Meanwhile, back in Haddonfield, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has sacrificed a familial bond with her daughter (Judy Greer) and grand-daughter (Andi Matichak) in exchange for a harshly over-prepared and weaponized lifestyle as she patiently awaits the killer’s inevitable return.

Halloween circumvents the horror norm with a strict detail to its characters, both old and new. Laurie’s newfound gun-loving personality as a result of her traumatic experiences opens up a whole new world of possibilities that film explores brilliantly. On the other hand, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride’s screenplay introduces a host of new faces that also manage to leave an imprint on the film. In fact, this Halloween offers the most well-rounded teen storylines since the franchise’s inception four decades ago. However, not all is rosy with this praiseworthy new installment. The film takes an egregious twist as it navigates towards the third act, one that was clearly included as a means to put Michael Meyers at a specific location, but one that could have been avoided countless other ways. Also, this latest effort doesn’t quite hit the ground running as it sputters out of the gate, but eventually gains its traction upon Michael’s escape and never looks back. In addition to a tightly wound script, Halloween offers massive gore and violence that perfectly complements what the series is all about and provides an abundance of callbacks to its multiple predecessors. David Gordon Green and Danny McBride may not have been loyal fans’ first choice to reboot the franchise, yet we all should be grateful of the choice.

GRADE: 4/5

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