The Kurt Russell Blogathon Special: Overboard (1987)

Overboard (1987)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Star Partners, Hawn / Sylbert Movie Company, USA, 1987.

Participating The Kurt Russell Blogathon event arranged by Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews and Return to the 80s blog!

Carpenter Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) is hired to build cabinets in a luxury yacht. Snobby, picky and bored rich heiress Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) is not satisfied with the completed work and refuses to pay. She rudely pushes unlucky Dean overboard. Luckily the harbour is near.

Dean

Joanna (not) enjoying rich life

Karma strikes back soon as Joanna falls into sea and loses her memory. Her husband Grant (Edward Herrmann) uses the opportunity by abandoning her into the hospital. "Never seen her!" says Grant and proceeds to have wild parties in the yacht. Dean sees Joanna's face in the TV and plans to get a bit payback by disguising as her husband. Luxury live is changed to living in Dean's shack with his kids. Joanna is renamed Annie and has to do her share of cleaning and cooking. The absence of mother has made the kids into rascals.

Joanna/Annie making dinner

However Dean gets more than he planned as the kids like Joanna and she starts fixing things of the dysfunctional family. The people in Dean's neighbourhood are genuine compared to fake socialites of Joanna's former life. Things get romantic but what happens if Joanna gets her memory back?

Romance!

Family idyll!

"Overboard" is a feel-good 1980s comedy with hillbilly charm, and Goldie does a versatile role as a rude heiress who turns nice. Kurt Russell plays a happy-go-lucky handyman, a bit rough around the edges but who is a working like a dog to support his family. The story is formulaic but the real-life couple has good chemistry and both of them are funny. Kurt Russell shows his comedic skills, and shows that he is can be more than an action star (interestingly in one scene his leather jacket looks similar to Snake Plissken's). Although the story is almost about kidnapping, it should not be taken seriously but as light-hearted entertainment. 

Dean taking it easy

Veteran actor Roddy McDowall appears as Andrew the Butler.

Andrew

Rating:Good

Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Edward Herrmann, Katherine Helmond, Mike Hagerty, Roddy McDowall, Jared Rushton, Jeffrey Wiseman, Brian Price, Jamie Wild, Frank Campanella, Harvey Miller, Frank Buxton, Carol Williard, Doris Hess, Ed Cree, Mona Lyden, Lucinda Crosby, Bing Russell, Richard Stahl, Ray Combs, Marvin Braverman, The Wright Brothers
Director: Garry Marshall 

Here's Jack Blogathon Special: Man Trouble

Man Trouble

Penta Entertainment, American Filmworks, Budding Grove, Cecchi Gori Pictures, USA, Italy, 1992.

This review is part of Here's Jack Blogathon hosted by Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews to celebrate Jack Nicholson's 80th birthday. "Man Trouble" stars the birthday hero in a romantic comedy that was produced by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio "Bunga Bunga" Berlusconi himself!

Jack Nicholson as Harry Bliss

Harry Bliss (Jack Nicholson) is a slick guard dog trainer. Harry is hiding from his debtors and living under false name. He is a ladies' man so his marriage with Adele 'Iwo Jima' Bliss (Lauren Tom) is in crisis. There is a serial killer roaming around Hollywood and when a stalker starts to stalk opera singer Joan Spruance (Ellen Barkin), she hires Harry for help. Harry starts immediately flirting with the customer and Joan does not mind at all. To make things more complicated there is a sideplot involving Joan's sister Andy (Beverly D'Angelo) and a scandalous manuscript about Andy's gangster ex-husband Red Layls (Harry Dean Stanton).

Ellen Barkin as Joan

Viveka Davis as Harry's secretary

Harry Dean Stanton as Red Layls

Sad to say but "Man Trouble" is a messy flop. Every great actor has some films that can be considered as their unimportant minor works and "Man Trouble" counts as one. The screwball comedy fails as the jokes are not funny enough or miss their mark completely. The main pair's chemistry does not feel right either and the thriller sideplots (the stalker plot and the gangster plot) do not really make sense or matter. The actors can't be blamed but the problem is with the script that never catches the pace and craziness of the comedy classics. Jack Nicholson tries to carry the film for a while but even he can't hold together the shaggy dog story and finally he just seems to give up. And so in 1992 Jack earned two Golden Raspberry nominations as worst actor: for "Hoffa" (undeservingly in my opinion) and "Man Trouble."

Maybe fans of Jack should just pretend that this movie doesn't exist.

Beverly D'Angelo as Joan's sister Andy

Michael McKean as Joan's friend Eddy

Rating: Bad

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Ellen Barkin, Harry Dean Stanton, Beverly D'Angelo, Michael McKean, Saul Rubinek, Viveka Davis, Veronica Cartwright, David Clennon, John Kapelos, Lauren Tom, Paul Mazursky, Gary Graham, Betty Carvalho, Mark J. Goodman, Robin Greer, Sandy Ignon, Rustam Branaman, Lenny Citrano,Christopher Garr, Rob LaBelle, Raymond Cruz, Ed Kerrigan, Daniel J. Goojvin, Thomas Griep, June Christopher, Matt Ingersoll, Rebecca Broussard, Mary-Robin Redd, John D. Russo, Anthony Frederick, Max Delgado, Jeff Record, Mary Pat Gleason, Gordon Reinhart, David St. James, Susan Bugg, Virgil Frye, Ken Thorley, Gerrielani Miyazaki, Jennifer Yang, Suzanne Lodge, Suzanne Q. Burdeau, Ginger LaBrie, Charles A. Tamburro, Michael Tamburro, Jacqueline M. Allen, Marti C. Pia, Stephen W. Anderson, Gloria Grace Prosper, Samela A. Beasom, Ellen Rabiner, Bernice Brightbill, Paula Rasmussen, Martha L. Cowen, Mary Heller Rawcliffe, Michelle A. Fournier, Sally Stevens, Linda Harmon, Susie Stevens-Logan, Ron Hicklin, Diane O. Thomas, Marie T. Hodgson, Maurita L. Thornburgh, Laurel L. James, Kerry E. Walsh, Darlene Koldenhoven, Kari Windingstad, Cathy A. Larsen, Jorga Caye, Alan Doshna

Director: Bob Rafelson

Movie Review: Bewitched (2005)

Bewitched (2005)
Columbia Pictures Corporation, Red Wagon Entertainment USA, 2005.

Based on the 1960s-1970s sitcom with the same name.

This is the second film where Nicole Kidman plays a witch. This time she is Isabel Bigelow who moves to San Fernando Valley to find a husband. Meanwhile hopeless movie star Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) needs a big hit or else he becomes a has-been. The studio is filming a remake of "Bewitched" and they need someone to play Samantha. Isabel has a nose for the job so she gets the job. In the series Jack will play her husband Darrin and Iris Smythson (Shirley MacLaine) plays her mother. 

Isabel Bigelow

Jack Wyatt

However Jack is in the middle of divorce and career crisis and desperate to boost his career with the series so he tries to take the credit all for himself. It breaks Isabel's heart. So Isabel, Aunt Clara (Carole Shelley) and two non-witch friends Maria (Kristin Chenoweth) and Nina (Heather Burns) cast spells to teach humility to Jack. The spells cause a mess so the best way for Isabel is to try using non-magical means to put Jack into his place.

Maria and Nina

The original "Bewitched" is a series I have wanted to see but I never have had a chance to see although some episodes were shown in Finnish television sometimes in early 2000s. This is not a remake but rather a meta-level interpretation that has something in common with "Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt" where the roles and reality were also amusingly mixed. Many of the fans expecting a reboot of the original show were disappointed. However the story does tribute to the original series.

In "Practical Magic" Kidman was a flirty witch, here she is an innocent witch. Hilarity ensues as Isabel tries to learn living among normal people and using home appliances. Will Ferrell does reliable job again as a pompous star. He seems to have some improvised scenes as often is his style. Storywise it goes as romantic comedies usually go but has a nice retro-feeling as in 50s- or 60s-comedies. It is often quite silly film, but good natured, cute and cheery.

Michael Caine appears as Isabel's dad Nigel who appears when you least expect him and Steve Carell as Uncle Arthur.

Nigel

Rating: Good

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth, Heather Burns, Jim Turner, Stephen Colbert, David Alan Grier, Michael Badalucco, Carole Shelley, Steve Carell, Katie Finneran, James Lipton, Conan O'Brien, Amy Sedaris, Richard Kind, Ken Hudson Campbell, P.J. Byrne, Carole Androsky, Annie Mumolo, Andrew Friedman, Clay Bravo, Heather Maristella, Jonathan T. Floyd, Ed McMahon, Alison MacInnis, Bridget Brno, Dana Daurey, Dorie Barton, Katie Carroll, Jennifer Elise Cox, Laura Sorenson, Brittany Krall, Dawn Ashley Cook, Julia Decker, Abbey McBride, Jennifer Hall, Roxanne Beckford, Hugh Davidson, Joe Zymblosky, J.J. Sacha, Susan Chuang, Jordan Black, Mo Rocca, Jason George, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Julie Claire, TL Savage, Dianne Dreyer, Kate Walsh, Valerie Azlynn, Jarrad Paul, Victor Williams, Liesel Staubitz, Ruby Rose Skotchdopole, Molly Gordon, Nick Lachey 

Director: Nora Ephron

Movie Review: Practical Magic

Practical Magic
DiNovi Pictures, Fortis Films, Stargate Studios, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros., USA, 1998. 

Based on Alice Hoffman's novel. 

The women of Owens family have been witches for centuries. The villagers have always feared them. Due to a curse the men of the family die young. Mother of Sally and Gillian died of broken heart after their father died so the orphaned girls went to live with their aunts Jet (Dianne Wiest) and Frances (Stockard Channing). There they learned spellcasting. Romantic Sally (Sandra Bullock) fears that her future husband will die so she does not want to fall in love and wishes for a man who can not exist but fate has other plans. Gillian (Nicole Kidman) is more adventurous and travels around the world partying and having fun. 

Sally

Gillian

Sally marries apple salesman Michael (Mark Feuerstein) and has two daughters. Michael dies in an accident and Sally gets depressed. Gillian has an aggressive lover Jimmy (Goran Visnjic) and she escapes him to go to comfort Sally. Sally abandons witching and opens a herb shop. Gillian's nasty boyfriend causes problems and abuses Gillian so the sisters accidentally kill him. Oopsy daisy! The sisters try to resurrect him using necromancy and Jimmy returns as a vengeful zombie. They have to kill him again but he does not want to remain dead. Also nice cop Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn) pops in to ask questions about Jimmy. 

Jimmy

Gary

Romantic fantasy drama with two beautiful actresses is a film that has potential to be enjoyable. However the direction is all over the place. The story can not decide if it wants to be romantic drama or horror comedy or murder mystery. The parts do not fit seamlessly and therefore it is not great in any category. The condensation of the novel seems to leave several plot threads loose and unraveled. Some scenes come from nowhere and their importance to the overall story is vague. The ending feels rushed with all too easy solutions. Suddenly the villagers just accept the witches after centuries of hostility. There is some good drama and fun scenes, the actors are wonderful and they have good screen chemistry. But the overall mix has too many lumps to make it go down smooth.

There's a little witch in every woman!

Rating: Average 

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Goran Visnjic, Aidan Quinn, Evan Rachel Wood, Alexandra Artrip, Mark Feuerstein, Caprice Benedetti, Annabella Price, Camilla Belle, Lora Anne Criswell, Margo Martindale, Chloe Webb, Martha Gehman, Lucinda Jenney, Cordelia Richards, Mary Gross, Jack Kirschke, Herta Ware, Ellen Geer, Courtney Dettrich, John McLeod, Trevor Duncan, Colby Cochran, Caitlyn Holley, Ken Serratt Jr., Rich Sickler, Jeanne Robinson, Deborah Kancher, Peter Shaw, Caralyn Kozlowski
Director: Griffin Dunne 

The Darlin' Dallasers Blogathon Special: Oscar (1991)

Oscar (1991)
Joseph S. Vecchio Entertainment, Silver Screen Partners IV, Touchstone Pictures, USA, 1991.

This is my contribution to the 'My Darlin’ Dallasers Blogathon 2016' hosted by Gill Jacob at weegiemidget.wordpress.com . Check her blog on September 21-23 for more movie reviews starring cast members or the original "Dallas." The blogathon event is scheduled to celebrate the birthdays of Linda 'Sue Ellen' Gray (September 12) and Larry 'J.R.' Hagman (would have been on September 21).

In the Great Depression era New York City gangster boss Angelo 'Snaps' Provolone (Sylvester Stallone) promises his dying father (Kirk Douglas) that he will abandon the life of crime. He will try to pursue career as a banker. However his henchmen Aldo (Peter Riegert) and Connie (Chazz Palminteri) find it difficult to get accustomed to their new roles as honourable businessmen. Also Lieutenant Toomey (Kurtwood Smith) thinks that Angelo is plotting something and spies on him to get evidence of possible illegal activities. 

Angelo 'Snaps' Provolone

Angelo's accountant Anthony Rossano (Vincent Spano) is getting married and comes to meet Angelo. The problem is that it is Angelo's daughter whom Anthony wants to marry. Angelo's daughter Lisa (Marisa Tomei) fakes being pregnant because she wants to move to her own house and see the world. Angelo is furious to Lisa and Anthony but the situation is not so simple. A girl named Theresa (Elizabeth Barondes) lied about being Angelo's daughter so that Anthony would be interested in her so it is Theresa whom Anthony wants to marry.

Anthony

Lisa

Theresa

When Angelo hears about that he decides to trick Anthony because Anthony also stole money from him. But who is the "father" of Lisa's baby? The blame's on Oscar (Jim Mulholland), the former chauffeur of Provalones. As Oscar has moved out of the country, Angelo's wife Sofia (Ornella Muti) forces Angelo to find a new husband for Lisa. As if it would not be complicated enough we need some identical looking black bags to muddle the plot further. 

Connie

The Finucci Brothers

Dr. Poole

Amusing scheming and misunderstandings follow.

John Landis directed the remake of the French comedy "Oscar" starring Louis de Funès. The original film itself was based on the play by Claude Magnier. The stage play roots limit the action to Provolone's house and the building across the street. This film and "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" were efforts to steer Stallone's career to more softer and comical direction, but as both of those movies were commercial disasters he soon returned to the action genre. Surely it is different from other Stallone film's of the era (he doesn't shoot here anyone) but Rocky movies and Stallone's buddy cop movies have always had some humour in them so having Stallone star a comedy film was not so far-fetched idea as the three Razzie Awards awarded to this film would make us believe. The movie was very underrated when it was released, but later it has gained many fans . Stallone is funny and manages to make fun of his tough guy image. What is nice is the rhythm and convoluted wittiness of classic screwball-comedies. It is good clean fun and it is kind of sad these kind of comedies are so rare nowadays. 

The film has various familiar faces from gangster films and various TV shows appearing in small roles. Including Stallone there are several amusing characters: flamboyant jazz girl Lisa, tailors the Finucci Brothers (Harry Shearer and Martin Ferrero), English teacher Dr. Poole (Tim Curry) and goofy henchmen (Riegert, Palmintieri, Paul Greco and Richard Foronjy). And a brief visit of Kai Wulff (who has played a fair share of German villains in TV series and movies) as a chauffeur. The Dallaser of the film appears at a crucial point of the story to help solving the mess the main characters have gotten into. So we are introduced to Linda Gray as Roxanne, old flame of Snaps. In "Dallas" she was Sue Ellen Ewing, oil baron J.R. Ewing's wife, so it is only proper that she should appear here as the old love of Mr. Big. As the plot is getting dense at this point she functions as unbeknowing Deus ex machina for the story. Linda Gray's role is quite small but her appearance causes Angelo to have an emotional and nostalgic response and prepares the way for the happy ending. 

Linda Gray as Roxanne

Rating: Very good

Starring: Peter Riegert, Chazz Palminteri, Joey Travolta, Paul Greco, Sylvester Stallone, Richard Foronjy, Yvonne De Carlo, Don Ameche, Richard Romanus, Arleen Sorkin, Eddie Bracken, Tony Munafo, Robert Lesser, Art LaFleur, Kurtwood Smith, Vincent Spano, Joycelyn O'Brien, Marisa Tomei, Martin Ferrero, Harry Shearer, William Atherton, Mark Metcalf, Ken Howard, Sam Chew Jr., Elizabeth Barondes, Ornella Muti, Sal Vecchio, Tim Curry, Danny Goldstine, Kai Wulff, Linda Gray, Marshall Bell, Tom Grant, Louis D'Alto, Rick Avery, Jim Mulholland, Joe Dante, Jim Abrahams, Sam Bauso, Leesa Castaneda, Kirk Douglas, Tino Insana, Polli Magaro, Sal Mazzotta, Ralph Moratz
Director: John Landis

Movie Review: She's Funny That Way

She's Funny That Way a.k.a My Funny Lady a.k.a Broadway Therapy a.k.a Squirrels to the Nuts
Red Granite International, Lagniappe Films, Lailaps Pictures, Venture Forth, USA, 2014. 

Cynic reporter Judy (Illeana Douglas, known for "Welcome to Sweden") interviews rising Hollywood-star Isabella Patterson (Imogen Poots) who tells her life story. Bubbly Isabella came from poor family and had a scandalous past. Isabella was a movie fan and dreamed of being an actress.

Isabella

She was working as an escort girl when director Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson) was looking for some fun. Nice guy Arnold decides to sponsor her career if she quits the escort business. So Isabelle applies for a role in Broadway play. Coincidentally the play is directed by Arnold whose wife Delta (Kathryn Hahn) is also acting in the play. In a small town like New York everyone knows everybody. Things get awkward and script writer Josh (Will Forte), main actor Seth (Rhys Ifans) and neurotic psychiatrist Jane (Jennifer Aniston) make the situation even more complicated. Isabella is also stalked by lovesick Judge Pendergast (Austin Pendleton).

Josh and Arnold

Delta and Seth

Jane

Movie has a good mix of Woody Allen and classic Hollywood comedies. Relationships are messy as in regular soap operas and everyone is having a secret affair. Amusing coincidences happen as in old screwball farces. Still there are scenes where it feels more like a homage to old classics and somehow lacks the magic and originality of the films such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's" that is one of the films it is constantly referencing. The cast is good and seems to have fun. Owen Wilson is always good natured. Imogen Poots is funny and so is Jennifer Anistor as the weirdest shrink recently.

Rating: Good

Starring: Imogen Poots, Illeana Douglas, Graydon Carter, Owen Wilson, Scott Campbell, Erin Heatherton, Melanie Hill, Jake Hoffman, Rhys Ifans, Richard Lewis, Cybill Shepherd, Debi Mazar, Austin Pendleton, George Morfogen, Tovah Feldshuh, Jennifer Aniston, Will Forte, Ahna O'Reilly, Kathryn Hahn, Jake Lucas, Sydney Lucas, Nora Jobling, Nicole Kohut, Bergen Loren Sanderford, Dimitri Dimitrov, Tatum O'Neal, Ren Croney, Colleen Camp, Jennifer Esposito, David Francis Calderazzo, Albert Jones, Besnik Shabani, Poppy Delevingne, Megan Rosen, Michael Shannon, Peter Cormican, Polly Adams, Lucy Punch, Nur Khan, Chazz Menendez, Brian Donahue, Neil Schaap, Joanna Lumley, Quentin Tarantino

Director: Peter Bogdanovich

Movie Review: Genevieve

Genevieve

J. Arthur Rank Organisation, La Société des Films Sirius, United Kingdom, 1953.

Alan McKim (John Gregson) wants to participate in London to Brington veteran car run using his car Darracq 1904 'Genevieve.' His wife Wendy (Dinah Sheridan) is not very interested. Their friend Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More) and participates with his new girlfriend Rosalind Peters (Kay Kendall). Despite a great deal of hours spent on repairs the cars barely hold together without breaking so all kind of comical mishaps happen along the way.

Alan

Genevieve

Wendy

Alan's and Ambrose's initially jovial chit chat evolves into humiliation contest and they plan to race to London to see who's the boss. The ladies must put up with their bragging men. Alan becomes jealous about Wendy and a slight marriage crisis looms when Alan places a bet worth all of their savings. Let the best driver win!

Ambrose and Rosalind

The car is stuck

Hawling like brooligans?

Henry Cornelius had only a brief career as a director and his most famous comedies must be "Passport to Pimlico" and "Genevieve." "Genevieve" is a classic 1950s British comedy from the bygone era with jovial British characters speaking in classic British manner (jolly good, old sport!) and slow cars driving through England's countryside. The actors make nice performances with the men obsessed with their cars and the ladies trying to cope with it. Some of the highlights are the McKim's spending a night in a terrible hotel and Rosalind showing her trumpet playing skills in a bar. The carefree world and gently mischievous comedy of "Genevieve" remind of "Last of the Summer Wine" series and not only because of the harmonica soundtrack. This must be one of the few movie with street racing 1904 model cars.  

Street racing 1904 style!

Rating: Very good

Starring: Dinah Sheridan, John Gregson, Kay Kendall, Kenneth More, Geoffrey Keen, Reginald Beckwith, Arthur Wontner, Joyce Grenfell, Leslie Mitchell, Michael Balfour, Joe E. Carr, Lesley Dudley, Stanley Escane, Fred Griffiths, Charles Lamb, Aileen Lewis, Arthur Lovegrove, Edward Malin, Edie Martin, Michael Medwin, Harold Siddons, Christopher Warbey, Patrick Westwood

Director: Henry Cornelius