Reviews by JR1220

Does he run in this one? I don't remember.

This cast is revving on all cylinders and places a perfect "popcorn movie" right in the winner's circle for the summer.

It's kind of like the movie Cars blended with the movie Doc Hollywood and a sprinkle of Top Gun just for good measure.

I'll have to check my records because I don't remember if THIS is the "vehicle" that made Tom and Nicole Kidman fall in love or if it was another random event or a cool Hollywood party. They were certainly an "it" couple for several years there. Did they have a cute nickname? I don't remember. What's more, she popped on the scene when there weren't a ton of redheaded performers, so for that I'm thankful.

I have to say, it was difficult to get my bearings on this one for the first 40 minutes or so, but it didn't mind the ride at all. The music, the chaos, the shifts in tone and the unpredictable performances all added up to a unique take on this "romantic comedy." But to be fair to the director and the performers alike, Punch-Drunk Love defies a cookie cutter genre. This is easily Sandler's best performance by far and really shows the level of talent he can bring to a production. Think you know where this is going? No, you don't. PDL is a tight 90ish minutes, but it does also take it's time to immerse the audience in the events of Barry Egan, his co-workers, his sisters, the maniacal operator of a phone sex line in Utah, and of course, Lena, the love interest, played perfectly by Emily Watson. This one is calling to have a repeat viewing, because so much of the music and visuals can be missed if you aren't fully engaged.

Zany fun, and wildly ridiculous, and chock full of genuine laughs along the way. While this had more than a few dated and problematic moments, and a tacked-on courtroom scene, the third act brings it home.

I would also like to give a nod to the duo of David L Lander and Michael McKean, who were paired up in much different roles from their Lennie and Squiggy characters from Laverne and Shirley.

Also of note, when Kurt Russell and his gang put on their "Disco Night," it makes me wonder if that was written before the infamous Disco Demolition Night in July of 1979.

Jack Warden was juggling two roles this one, playing a pair of brothers and rivals in the "pre-owned" vehicle sales game. His fight scenes were something to behold, but then, a paratrooper in 101st Airborne, I'm quite certain he knows how to hold his own in a fight.

Can I please send out some love for Toby, played by Peanuts, one of the finest canine actors in the history of cinema. He stole every scene he was in, including the climactic car stunt.

The cherry on the top? A brief but amazing segment with the incredible Dub Taylor. The more I see him, the more I appreciate his talent.

There was way too much talent in this movie for it to be so horrible.
By all accounts, the behind the scenes antics would have made for a much better movie.

I picked this originally because of William Holden, since I had just watched him in Picnic from 1955. In Breezy, directed by fellow actor Clint Eastwood, we meet Holden as a grouchy middle-aged man, fairly set in his ways and dancing with a midlife crisis.
Wouldn't you know it, but a free spirited hippy named (a little too on the nose) Breezy stumbles into his life and begins to wear down that dark cloud over his head.
The characters, by and large, are stereotypical, while it felt like this was initially Breezy's story. We are introduced to her as she is drifting through life, hitchhiking from here to there with what seems to be her only prized possession, a guitar.
Predictably, through conversations and a trip to the ocean, the two of them fall in love, but outside pressures and Holden's having to deal with the stigma of dating a much younger woman eventually creates a divide.
Overall, Kay Lenz was perfectly cast as Breezy, and while a little manic in places, did show that young people were more complex than what the older generation was led to believe in the early 1970s.
All told, this was way too formulaic to make it any more than average in my book. Also, the cameo from the director was forced and the final act was rushed and a little odd.

 While this did have the pacing and feel of a Broadway production, I got a kick out of the various performances. I'm also doing a full star for the picnic sequence, mostly because the director allowed the events to unfold at a leisurely pace. The three-legged race, the pie-eating contest, the barbershop Quartet, and so many other sequences allowed me to linger in that world, which was appreciated. One of the grandest moments of that sequence was the introduction of the "picnic queen," played by Kim Novak's character, as she drifted down the river in a swan boat as the townspeople let out a chant led by the town elders. Truly something to behold. 

Inside Out 2 provides the same magical look as the original and adds the drama of Riley's new emotions as she enters puberty. Also like the original, this will hit on a different level for caregivers, especially those who have raised children or are in the thick of it. Pixar once again, has captured what would seem to be esoteric themes, like anxiety, and put them in a way that can be better understood for children and adults alike. Maya Thurman-Hawke's portrail of Anxiety, and Riley's panic attack hit close to home. I can only hope that this provides a jumping-off point for young people to better explain the changes that are going on with them and helps tackle mental health challenges as they arise. This one was amazing and reminded me of the Pixar movies of old.

One of those, "I THINK I saw this when it came out, but maybe I didn't" movies. Since this was on Disney+, I decided to give it another look and yes, I do have fuzzy memories of this, but had no memory of the third act.
So, here goes. Yes, this is a weird, fun, and chaotic musical romp and it makes perfect sense why it has such a cult following. The stop motion animation is outstanding and is perfect for the spooky and charming tale.
With some of Tim Burton's "stock" players, like Catherine O'Hara, Paul Rubens, Glenn Shadix and the singing prowess of long-time collaborator Danny Elfman, many of the secret ingredients are in place to make this a unique, if not off-kilter production.

A fun concept - "what if" a singing cowboy movie was made today (in this case, the mid 80s)
This satirical western hits many of the right notes (pun intended), but the second act kind of hits a lull, but the finale makes for an entertaining payoff. Still, it's always fun to see Marilu Henner as the "Hostess" of the local saloon, and Andy Griffith as the "bad guy" was really fun, too.