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Feasting on Asphalt (2006)
I'm not a "foodie", but this is pure American joy
Alton Brown is a truly refreshing TV personality - a culinary college boy with a true sense of context and history, and mesmerizing delivery. I watched the 4-episode documentary on the Food Channel when it originally aired in the summer of 2006, then my wife got me the DVD box set for Christmas. Alton and crew voyage across America by motorcycle in search of "road food" or the remnants of the culinary legacy that traces or parallels the development of the country - from east to west. Whether intentionally or by accident - and judging by the DVD extras like Alton's personal video logs, more by accident than intended - the intrepid group manages to expose us armchair travelers to America's culture of the forgotten byways and rural routes as they wander from South Carolina to California.
There are obvious knocks one can levy on this masterpiece. First, it is quite apparent that for whatever reason, not enough airtime is devoted to giving each stop its due consideration. The viewer is left wondering what had to be cut to fit the time budget - as evidenced by 150 minutes of additional bonus material in the DVD set. I thought much of the DVD extras material was every bit as good as the material that actually aired. Another nitpick will expose my regional bias, but it seems to me that a more historically relevant approach to the tour across the country would be to start from New England and head south, then west, or west, then southwest. The Midwest is represented by southern Indiana and St.Louis. Nowhere is Chicago or Cleveland, Dallas or Kansas City. Of course, no one route would ever do justice to all regions of the country. Alton chose the route carefully, but was biased by his Atlanta roots to over represent the Southeast. For us in the Northern Tier and the Great Northwest? Nada - no hint that road food might have followed or caused development in this part of the country.
All of that said, I can only knock off 1 point from the scale of 10, because look at the task! You would need 10 or more 1-hour episodes to even cover the geographic reaches of the country, let alone do justice to the cultural evolution through regional foods. Hmmm, 10 or more episodes... Sounds like a terrific idea - how soon can you get to that, Alton?
If you like Alton Brown on his Good Eats show, then be assured that he is equally knowledgeable about the culture and history of American food, the role of cuisine in the southern and westward migration and development of the country, and about how to talk to the folks along the rural byways in any part of the country. The show is real and raw. You feel like you are along for the ride, and you don't want it to end.
Pros: Authentic, attention to detail, raw in the unshaven sense of the word, no make-up or studio cut-aways. This is life on the road, baby. It's organic in that the group had to roll with the weather punches and other unexpected inconveniences all along the route - like any cross-country drive would feature.
Cons: They never go further north than St. Louis. Of course, this simply begs for correction in a subsequent trek, which would not be a con. Not enough airtime is devoted to each stop/experience.
Fargo (1996)
In No Way a Masterpiece - Ordinary at Best
I typically comment on films only when my view varies from the vast majority of commenters. I don't see how this film makes the top 250 list. Yes, there are quality performances delivered by Buscemi, Macy, and McDormand, but nowhere near Oscar material - and I think they would agree. McDormand does the Northern laid back officer role very well, and of course, Macy is at home as the stressed out protagonist.
I agree with critics that wonder about the purpose of the film. What was the purpose of the multiple idiotic sex scenes with the villains and the local whores? The free-wheeling cussing was enough to guarantee the R rating.
Life in the North during the dead of winter IS very bleak for the uninitiated, but the plot is worthy of only TV movie of the week attention. Grinding frozen human remains in a wood chipper?? PLEASE. In my opinion Buscemi steals the show, and carries the audience through all of the insanity of the situation confronting all the characters. Don't tell me that the freakish situation that McDormand encountered - multiple homicides on the highway in the middle of winter - wouldn't have stressed her out just a little bit more, yet she treated the whole situation as some routine investigation. I couldn't see that, and I'm good in the snow.
I couldn't buy the raves.
The Junction Boys (2002)
Lots of Potential - Lots of Disappointment - Come on, ESPN
Let me start by saying that Tom Beringer is an outstanding and under rated actor of the highest regard. His performance as a ruthless coach is on a par with his role in Platoon.
THAT SAID...
This ESPN film is a disgusting excuse for entertainment. It had the potential to be the Full Metal Jacket of football movies. Instead, it should be put in a metal jacket and thrown out of a moving vehicle somewhere near Junction, Texas.
You sit through the hell camp pre-season, and then are left only to return to the "modern" Bryant reminiscing and looking at clippings of the horrible year A&M had following that initial "Camp".
I recommend watching right up until they get off the bus in Junction. If you do that, you will have seen what I think ESPN was hoping to inject - football is king in Texas. After that it's a death camp "documentary" of the inhumane and insane. That would be fine if there were some resolution like seeing them perform on the field - doing to opponents what Bryant did to them, but sorry - they sucked.
This movie sucks too.
Remember the Titans is a much more worthwhile effort.
Superdad (1973)
Lighten up folks! it's Disney!
This film is every bit as entertaining as any of the other Disney films of the 1959-1979 period. What do you want?
You got your high jinx. You got your love story. You got your Kurt Russell. You got classic Bruno Kirby. You got your Bob Crane (Colonel Hogan, and unfairly slammed as an actor). You got your mad cap caper. You got your teenage conflict with authority. You got little kids laughing.
Why are we looking for dramatic depth in a Disney kids movie?
I watched this movie several times as a Disney movie of the week in the 70's. We even rented the 16mm version for display at youth conferences. All I have are fond memories and a wish for the video to be added to the other Disney Classics.
Lighten up and go with the flow, man!
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings (1988)
1988 Oscar for Best Comedy Short
Steven Wright is by far today's most underrated comic genius. He has defined his own genre of stand-up comedy with patented, dead-pan, juxtapositioned one-line observations. This comedy short provides him a vehicle to create sketches that explore this genre, with him starring as Dennis Jennings.
Dennis is a person of obvious low self-esteem, meandering through a rat-race life in New York. Wright glories in pointing out the intricate details of this life over the 30 minute short feature - focusing around his "appointments" with his therapist (Atkinson). You will need to watch it a few times to catch all of his subtle jabs at the everyday farces and absurdities in our lives. It's a 9 or 10.
Crime Story: Pilot (1986)
Chemistry of Farina and Denison makes this a 10
From the driving opening credits moving to the classic Del Shannon hit "Runaway", you know Michael Mann (Miami Vice) has produced a top-notch crime drama.
Dennis Farina breaks into the mainstream, recreating for Hollywood what was his first career as a Chicago cop for 20+ years. Needless to say, he is a natural at playing the nemesis to the mob figure heads of the early 60's period in the movie.
Anthony Denison plays Ray Luca, a small-time mobster starting to make it to big-time organized crime. The movie is about the Chicago mob cops trying to thwart the bold moves of the rising mobs.
The movie and subsequent tv series were produced by Michael Mann, the creator and producer of Miami Vice. However, I think you will find Crime Story to be the more outstanding of the two efforts.
Nightbreaker (1989)
Chilling docu-drama of insanity of the Cold War
This TNT Movie covers the events of operation of the Nevada Test Site in the late 1940's-early 1950's. It documents the early experiments using atomic bombs as tactical weapons, the collateral damage inflicted by such weapons, and battlefield survivability of troops when these weapons are used.
Martin Sheen plays a civilian doctor reflecting back to that time from the present, when he (Estevez) was a neophyte researcher hired to make observations of the troops being "experimented on" by the War Dept. Sheen documents what by today's standards would be clear atrocities through re-living his earlier days.
Agree or disagree with Sheen's politics, the film is outstanding. It clearly shows how naive we once were to the dangers of nuclear weapons. These earliest experiments form the body of work that now educate us to the dangers, and the film is clearly trying to show the human cost of that research.
Hell in the Pacific (1968)
War Classic for non-Fans of these stars too
You certainly don't have to be a fan of these two actors to fully enjoy this classic struggle of war at the lowest commom denominator - hand-to-hand, one-on-one, the only 2 people on a desert island being mortal enemies.
The protagonists progress through wartime's high-alert state of mind of "kill or be killed". Then, after apparent days and weeks of slowly realizing the futility of hunting each other, just as slowly begin to cool off and begin to understand each other's communication. This leads to cooperation which liberates them from their "hell in the pacific". It does end abruptly, which further comments on the insignificant role of these 2 in the wider war still in full array. It's an 8.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
Don't mistake for a "Chick Flick"
I resisted giving in to the encouragement of my wife to watch this movie. Gothic romance? Sounds like a chick flick to me, I thought. I finally gave in, and did not regret it.
This is a great adventure/romance with wonderfully scathing dialog. Anthony Andrews seems a natural in the lead and hero role. Jane Seymour is equally at home as a medieval damsel under his spell.
Set during the French Revolution, the movie very entertainingly wraps the viewer into the suspenseful story of British covert actions to rescue the French royalty. You will want to see it again.
F·I·S·T (1978)
Stallone's Sleeper Best Performance
You cannot judge Stallone's acting career without seeing this movie. The movie was made during the height of Rocky-mania, and I don't recall it getting much attention on its first run.
Sly plays a blue-collar grunt at the pre-dawn of the organized labor movement in the US. I think the film does a commendable job showing the audience what conditions were like before the work force was unionized. Indeed it depicts what what drove workers to form the original labor unions. Federated Inter-State Truckers or FIST is the union that Stallone's character reluctantly helps organize and lead through the early dark years of violent strikes and lockouts to the later years of labor successes breading union corruption.
I am not a fan of the Rocky series, but did enjoy First Blood 1. I found FIST to be the best film of his career.
From the Hip (1987)
80's Hilarious Courtroom Spoof from "LA Law" Writer
There is no possible way to make a bad movie with Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, and David Alan Grier in starring roles. This film was written by David E. Kelley, the head writer from LA Law.
The film spoofs the legal profession, and courtroom drama specifically. The film should be watched by all law students and firm associates. Ignore those who label the humor as sophomoric. The film has a great story and is extremely funny.
Sasquatch: The Legend of Bigfoot (1976)
Stunning wilderness visuals a must see
Most reviews immediately pan this flick apparently based on its premise of documenting a search for Bigfoot (Sasquatch), and for making out Bigfoot to be a violent defender of its home range. -- Unfair.
This movie features stunning wilderness photography from in and around the Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon. You don't have to accept the existence of Bigfoot to greatly enjoy this film solely based on the incredible cinematography. The story works too.
Everest (1998)
Fair documentary, Not good IMAX, Read the book.
I continue to be amazed at the amount of great reviews this film is getting. Most center around how heroic a feat it was to lug the bulky IMAX eq up through the death zone, or on the personal stories of the climbers.
Hello! IMAX is a VISUAL medium! However, the film only contains about 5-10 minutes of high quality visuals, and I expected a lot more. There are 4 IMAX-worthy shots, of which only 2 were actually in Nepal: The flight up the valley from Khatmandu gives the awesome scale of the climb; The avalanche is a must-experience on IMAX; the overflight of the mountain biking in Utah is spectacular; and the flight approach to the woman climbing sea cliffs of Baja is stunning.
Serious admirers of the mountain climbing world must be disheartened by the "re-creation" of mountain scenes. Look for gnarled vegetation that shows in some climbing scenes - indicating re-creation somewhere far below timberline (in the US on Mt Hood or Rainier?). Was the avalanche also re-created?
I had higher hopes for the visuals and came away disappointed. I was not expecting IMAX to be used for documentary interviews that filled my peripheral vision. In fairness, a 50 minute IMAX feature has no chance against a book like Into Thin Air. So, I argue, why try? Why not concentrate more on the potentially stunning visuals? Life in the beaver pond was a much more entertaining IMAX feature.