80s Movie Review - Silverado

Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Genre: Western/ Action/ Drama/Crime
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 1985
Starring: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, John Cleese, Brian Dennehy, Rosanna Arquette, Jeff Goldblum, Linda Hunt, Jeff Fahey

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 9: A WESTERN
 
Description: A misfit bunch of friends comes together to right the injustice which exist in a small town called Silverado.

Review: Four cowboys brought together by fate arrive in Silverado. A series of events force them to face off against an overpowered force.

In 1985, director Lawrence Kasdan successfully attempted to bring back the big western to the silver screen. Even though he does not innovate the genre, he resumes authentic western mythology and creates an entertaining and adventurous old-fashioned western.

The main reason why “Silverado” is so long, is that each of the four main characters has their own plot line. But the movie does not bore for a moment. There is enough action and tension building to keep one’s attention. Only the subplot surrounding Rosanna Arquette’s characters seems a bit thrown away and isn’t fleshed out.

The four men are cast well. Kevin Kline is the main protagonist. He plays the dryly comic Paden, who tries very hard to put his past behind him. Scott Glenn is the very cool Emmett. His brother Jake is played by Kevin Costner (in his first major role), a young, carefree spirit. And Danny Glover is Mal, a more serious character partly because of his personal situation. But he was my favorite.

We get some great supporting roles by Linda Hunt as  the petite but feisty saloonkeeper Stella. Brian Dennehy as the corrupt sheriff Cobb. And John Cleese makes a brief appearance as a quirky sheriff in a town nearby Silverado.

What also lifts “Silverado” to a higher level is the music by Bruce Broughton. Which is also something I seem to love about westerns: its music. The film looks stunning. I believe that “Silverado” is a fine and sadly underrated masterpiece. Even if you’re not a fan of westerns. I loved it.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

80s Movie Review - A Fish Called Wanda

Director: Charles Crichton
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 1988
Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin

Description: In London, four very different people team up to commit armed robbery, then try to doublecross each other for the loot.

Review: John Cleese managed to write a British comedy that was even in the US a great success. “A Fish Called Wanda” is a fun crime comedy, with both British and American actors.
John Cleese plays lawyer Archie Leach, who is in a rut. He wants to live a more eventful life and Wanda is the one to make that happen. Wanda, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, is the central character of the film. Not only Archie falls for her charms, also Ken, Otto and George. Ken (Michael Palin) is a stuttering animal lover and even named one of his fish after Wanda. Otto, played by Kevin Kline who won an Oscar for this role, is a strange man. He hates everything and everyone, especially when they call him stupid. Michael Palin and Kevin Kline are the funniest actors in “A Fish Called Wanda”.
The story is pretty simple and not very original, but executed exceptionally well. The jokes are both in the dialogue and the situations. “A Fish Called Wanda” is an entertaining comedy, a joy to watch every time.

Rating: 4/ 5

90s Movie Review - Fierce Creatures

Director: Fred Schepisi, Robert Young
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin, Robert Lindsay, Ronnie Corbett, Carey Lowell, Bille Brown, Cynthia Cleese

Description: Zookeepers struggle to deal with the polices of changing directors.

Review: A British zoo bought by a billionaire who has the policy to put as much pressure on everyone as possible so that it will make a profit. Willa and Vince, two employees of this American multi-billionaire, are sent to the old-fashioned zoo where Rollo Lee is the director. At the next inspection the company has to make a 20% profit.
The first idea Rollo has is to remove all the cute animals from the zoo and only show life-threatening animals (fierce creatures, hence the title) because this is more spectacular and appealing to the visitors. When Willa and Vince arrive, they decide to intervene. They use different strategies to make the zoo more profitable. For instance telling people that the turtle belongs to Bruce Springsteen, place colorful billboards at every corner and make all the zookeepers wear silly animal costumes.
One absurd event after another is of course the result. When the billionaire Rob McCain himself comes to visit, things really get out of hand. “Fierce Creatures” is a very silly comedy that did make me laugh. It brings together the same four actors that starred in “A Fish Called Wanda”, them being of course John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin. That was very obviously a much better movie, but this is also a comedy that I enjoyed and is an easy watch. Not as high of quality, but enough for an entertaining evening.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 158: Absolutely Anything

Director: Terry Jones

Genre: Comedy

Runtime: 85 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, Rob Riggle, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin, Robin Williams, Eddie Izzard

Description: A group of eccentric aliens confer a human being with the power to do absolutely anything, as an experiment.

Review: Simon Pegg is one of the funniest actors of the moment and him being linked to the Monty Python group just sounds amazing. That’s what happens in “Absolutely Anything”. Pegg plays Neill, an everyday teacher who has a crush on the pretty lady downstairs and doesn’t really do anything noteworthy. One day he is gifted with the powers of doing absolutely anything, as a test by some eccentric aliens. Is Neil going to use these powers for good or bad?

It’s directory by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, his first directed film since 1996. And his Python friends John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle join him as voices of the aliens. Robin Williams provided a voice too, for dog Dennis. This was his last film.

Simon Pegg stands strong, he is funny and does a good job as aspiring writer Neil. The film is funny, has some great jokes. But the animations and special effects are pretty bad. Pegg is actually the one saving this film, because he is such a talented comedian. I expected more from the Monty Python crew.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Movie Favorites: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Synopsis: King Arthur and his knights embark on a low-budget search for the Grail, encountering many very silly obstacles.

 

Unique Selling Point: The story about King Arthur and his knight, told the Monty Python way. Their humor is clever, intelligent and out of the ordinary. No one tells a joke like a Python does.

Most Valuable Player: Graham Chapman carries the film as the baffled but brave King Arthur.

Best Moment: Fighting the black knight. “It’s just a flesh wound”

Top 5 Thursday: Monty Python Members

I recently purchased the complete series of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”. It’s hilarious, I love British humor. It’s sophisticated, smart and unpredictable. I decided to rank the members of this cast.

5. Eric Idle
I think his voice is the most recognizable of the group. Idle was great when it came to play a hysterical and over-the-top character.

4. Terry Jones
His humor was always a little bit timid, but boy can he give away a great striptease show. He often plays a woman and I love the spam sketch.

3. Michael Palin
Now he’s known for his travel stories, but back then he was funny as hell. He was the guy with the tape recorder up his nose and the lumberjack who was in touch with his feminine side. He also had this funny smile.

2. John Cleese
John Cleese is probably the tallest man ever and he does amazing things with that length. Remember the ministry of silly walks? How hilarious is that, nobody else could have done it that way. He’s the most famous of the group.

1. Graham Chapman
Unfortunately he’s no longer with us, I really would have wanted to enjoy his funny skills a little more. For some reason I always liked him the most. It especially cracks me up when he’s dressed like a woman or when he shrieks.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Terry Gilliam

Movie Moments: Monty Python's The Meaning of Life

If anyone knows humor, it’s the British. And most specifically the gang of Monty Python. In this movie they try to get the answer to what’s the meaning of life. Off course in their own silly way.

Moment # 1: The Crimson Permanent Assurance
We meet the employees of an assurance company, who are not treated that well. After one of them gets fired, they decide to fight back.

Moment # 2: The machine that goes “Ping”
A woman is about to deliver a baby and two doctors think the delivery room looks a little empty. They decided to fill it with all sorts of machines, including the machine that goes “Ping”, what happens to be the most expensive machine in the entire hospital. We’re not quite sure what it does, besides go “Ping”.

Moment # 3: Every sperm is sacred
A father of many is trying to explain the Catholic church to his children, with a musical number.

Moment # 4: Sex education
A schoolteacher is giving sex education, by actually having sex with his wife in front of his students. His class isn’t quite as interested as you would think.

Moment # 5: Live organ transplantation
Two shady guys ring a doorbell. They ask the man who answers for his liver, but he doesn’t want to donate it. So they start operating him, while he’s still awake. His wife walks in and doesn’t think anything abnormal is going on, while her husband is still being butchered. The wife and one of the so called doctors have a very normal conversation.

Moment # 6: Mr. Creosote
An extremely fat man, named Mr. Creosote, walks into a restaurant. He asks for a bucket because he has to throw up. Which he does, multiple times and he still eats and orders food. When he’s done eating, the waiter offers him a very thin chocolate. Mr.Creosote declines because he’s stuffed, but after insisting he eats it anyway. Then he explodes.

Moment # 7: Death
Death knocks on a door and a married couple opens. They invite Death in, while they are having diner with some American friends. They start a conversation, when Death tries to explain to them that he’s coming for them. One of the guests wonders how they can all die at the same time and Death point at the salmon mousse.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 5: Live organ transplantation