HUSK: CORNFIELD KILLINGS

A few years back the After Dark Film Fest began. It started with 8 films shown over 8 nights, horror films that might not have seen release had it not been for this small fest. And from the start it was hit or miss, some good and some not so good horror films. But when they were good they were some of the best horror films to be seen, many small films without major studio budgets or push, but scary none the less. Among the current releases to DVD, HUSK proves to be one of the scary ones.

A group of friends are off for a weekend trip (aren’t they always?). Brian (Wes Chatham) and Natalie (Tammin Sursock) are the couple of the four, together for a while now. Chris (C.J. Thomason) is the smart aleck, the party animal of the group, somewhat jealous at what he feels is the loss of his best friend Brian. Rounding out the group is Scott (Devon Gray), the glasses wearing nerd of the pack, ready for some fun and to finally find a girl over the weekend.

As they head to a weekend of partying on the beach of some lake, they travel down a dirt road that passes between row upon row of corn. When a freak bird attack busts up their windshield causing them to wreck their car, Brain and Scott go in search of help. From the roof of the car they think they see a house and head that direction. Remaining behind, Chris and Natalie form a truce and wait for their friends until Natalie see what she thinks is a boy in the cornfield (no one has heard of Stephen King in one of these movies). Heading that direction she is dragged off by something unseen while Chris chases after.

Reuniting with Brian and Scott they determine something is not right. Worried that something terrible is happening with Natalie, Brian sets off to find her. In the meantime Scott has visions of what is going on, relating back to the original owners of the farmhouse and a troubled young man who gets involved in evil rituals involving the scarecrows seen on the farm. As a person falls victim to the evil and is killed, it takes possession of their body and transforms them into the physical manifestation in the field.

Filled with all sorts of jump moments and creepy visuals, HUSK is scary at times offering a nice mix of in your face portions with skin crawling scenes. There have been other films to use the whole scarecrow as a scary killing character, but this one adds a new twist in their formation and makes them seem perhaps a bit more chilling. The film seems to pull minor ideas from other films but not enough to be called a rip off. Instead, it pulls those ideas together in a new and different way that makes it a story unto itself.

The acting here for what some would consider unknowns is believable and each actor makes the role their own. The photography is great considering much of the story takes place at night in the dark. Too many good horror films have been ruined by not being able to see anything. That’s not the case here. When something is hidden from view its due to the director wanting that, not an incompetent director of photography.

The weakest portion of the movie might be the jump into the whole inter-relationship story. It doesn’t slowly unfold, we find ourselves in the middle of it and have to assume so much so fast. It’s not enough of a problem to ruin the film, but for some that might seem too contrived to suit them.

On the whole this is a satisfying horror film with a touch of gore, a nice story and a great villain that gives you shivers. So turn out the lights, pop in this DVD and prepare for a nice scare. If you dare.

WHITNEY CUMMINGS-MONEY SHOT: ON THE MONEY

Comedian Whitney Cummings suddenly appeared on the scene out of nowhere. My guess is this isn’t quite true as most comics tend to work the clubs, get noticed and then the more fortunate ones gain a TV or cable special before they’re well know. The first time I saw Cummings was one of the Comedy Central roasts and I had no idea who she was. She was funny but nothing prepared me for her stand up special MONEY SHOT.

As with all comedians Cummings tosses out expletives but anyone watching comedy should expect that by now. While its there throughout it never comes off as being tossed in for shock value. With that out of the way, let’s discuss her comedy because she is absolutely hilarious.

Kicking off discussing her sex life via reading Cosmopolitan Cummings immediately notes how ridiculous the ideas presented there can be. Everything from making your man scream (“this is so…gay”) to role playing, Cummings takes aim at the ideas presented there and how they just don’t match reality. From there she moves on to men’s fantasies of women as strippers to a friend who made a sex tape. No, she doesn’t get vulgar (though her language does at time); she actually demonstrates how over the top some of these ideas can be. For some her reference to men’s genitalia may seem risqué but once more she’s on the mark when discussing people’s point of view on the subject.

She moves on to relationships and tops it off discussing the “silent treatment” that women give their men. Telling them that this is not a punishment, she offers an alternative that I’m sure many men would dread but that once more is perfect in the idea she conveys in a funny fashion. Yes ladies, the idea offered will work.

Cummings discusses how relationships make people go insane, in particular women. Not being a woman I can’t say she’s right like I know it to be true, but from experience I can see where some of the points she makes are dead on. Then again she misses the fact that guys can be just as crazy, though perhaps not as sneaky (her idea, not mine folks).

Relationships seem to be the main focus throughout the special seen here as Cummings discusses everything from breakups to new romance. And she makes you laugh from start to finish. She never feels sorry for herself but makes you think that even with the ups and downs she may have experienced it at least provided her with new material.

Romance leads to her discussion of films and how they present the most false ideas about romance that exists. Taking on the TWILIGHT phenomena she points out how ridiculous turning this into a romantic idea is but at the same time considers how nice it would be to date a vampire. The comedic riffs she offers this topic will inspire laughs rather than longing for Robert Pattinson.

But women’s ideas of romance aren’t all she talks about. She goes into a piece discussing porn and how men love it and women don’t. She lays it on the line and lets the audience know that in watching porn women can discover where their men come up with the weird ideas they have in the bedroom. Her version of porn is an hour and a half of cuddling ending with a man proposing.

Cummings is an attractive woman who takes numerous shots at herself throughout, referring to her figure as boy like. Truth be told she needn’t do so and presents an engaging smile to go along with a dynamic sense of humor. I’ve since seen her on CHELSEA LATELY but have yet to figure out why we haven’t seen more of her than this special.

The most difficult thing about describing this DVD is in not revealing the best jokes, the belly busters, and yet trying to convince you how funny this woman is. Trust me; you will laugh if you watch this DVD. You will discuss portions with your friends later. And you’ll have spent your money wisely in renting this one.

MAN MOVIES: WHERE EAGLES DARE

I’ve noticed in posting these “man movies” that many are war films. While at first I thought this might seem odd I soon realized that most “chick flicks” are romances so I guess there’s something to be said about the way genders look at film, eh?

Released in 1968, WHERE EAGLES DARE was based on the best selling novel of the same name by author Alistair MacLean. Having written THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (another man movie if there ever was one), the film is set during WWII. Intelligence brings in Maj. Jonathan Smith (Richard Burton) and a team of soldiers that includes American Lt. Morris Schaffer (Clint Eastwood) for a covert mission. It seems that a general has been captured by the Nazis and is being interrogated. This same general has information concerning D-Day that mustn’t fall into their hands. The goal of this team is to rescue the general before he can say anything.

Of course in the best tradition of movies from the time, the rescue isn’t the main mission going on here. After landing they discover one of the team with his neck broken, apparently from a mishap when he parachuted in. Not so. Burton is the only member of the team who knows the truth behind the mission and the reason that an American was included on the team. One of the commandoes involved is a traitor.

Posing as German soldiers, the team splits and heads to town to meet with agents already in place. Burton and Eastwood keep together while the others are picked up. Now they not only have the general to rescue but the other members as well. To do so they’ll have to get to the mountainside fortress where they are being held, a fortress only accessible via the cable cars that go to and from.

The pair makes it to the castle along with the agents already on the scene. The discovery of the traitors plays out quite well with a double double cross in the works that helps move things along. And once the traitor is revealed and the general in hand, all that remains is to escape the fortress and avoid the Nazis in place there and at the terminal where the cable car will end. Sounds simple, right?

The action is well placed here, never making the film non-stop but mixed with enough story to keep it all together as a well told tale. Burton does a great job as the stand up English sort while Eastwood uses the laid back style of acting he’s noted for to perfection. These are two different sorts of characters as well as actors, but they work off one another to great effect here.

The photography is marvelous and the locations amazing. You feel the cold of the snow covered mountains, even more so during a battle on top of the cable cars near the film’s end. Its one of those moments that stays with you, a classic scene.

Yes, once again men are men, women are women and the hero saves the day. There’s plenty of bloodshed, plenty of bullets flying and lots of action in this film. But as I said, it has more story than most which just adds to the greatness of the film. It seems this is a forgotten treasure of sorts that I hope you’ll take the time to rediscover. You’ll find yourself entertained and rooting for the good guys all the way.

As something new I'm going to attempt to include the trailers for some of these films. Let me know what you think.

 

TRON LEGACY: THE MAGIC CONTINUES

In 1982 at the height of the video arcade games popularity a movie came out that fans clamored to see. It was a hit film that year and when released on video and later DVD became a hit as well, even though it hadn’t been available for some time. And now a new generation has access to not only the original film but a sequel that takes us back to the Grid, back to a place no one has ever seen, back to the world of TRON.

TRON LEGACY picks up some years after the original. The opening scenes take place a few years later but soon after the world changes. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) promised his son he’d be back but for some reason he disappeared. Never seen again the company he began with friend Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) is different. Encom is now about to go global and rather than become the open and file sharing system Flynn intended it to be, it’s main goal is profits and security.

Security that’s not quite as good as they would hope. For into the secret board meeting sneaks a single minded individual with something on his mind, a way to open up the portals to the net and share the newest version of Encom’s favorite program. That person is Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), the major shareholder in the company who yearly stirs the pot and disrupts the aims of the company, aims that he knows his father would not have shared.

After being caught and released from jail, Sam goes home to find Alan waiting for him. They talk, banter back and forth and then Alan tells Sam he received a page from his father’s old storefront, the video arcade he owned where it all began. Passing along a key Flynn left him for safekeeping, he encourages Sam to check it out.

Sam’s curiosity is piqued and he does indeed go to the old battered arcade, game machines draped in plastic that come to life along with the jukebox when he flips the power switch. Noticing the Tron game his father designed and promised to play with him the day before he disappeared, he tries to play it only to have his quarter slip out. It lands on the floor and he notices groves where the machine has moved. Pushing it aside he finds a door that leads to his father’s inner sanctum, where he made everything, where he planned to release the new idea he had that would have changed the world. Touching his computer screen, it comes to life and Sam finds himself digitized just as his father was and tossed into the Grid, the computer world.

First on the agenda is Sam being picked up and sent to the games, a virtual battle of life and death involving the information discs that each player carries on their back. He survives and attempts an escape but not before being captured by the best of the best and taken to the ruler of this world. Once there the ruler is revealed as…Flynn! But not quite. Though he may appear to be Flynn on the surface, in reality this is Clu, the program produced by Flynn years ago to create the perfect world. And Sam isn’t a part of the world Clu sees.

Once again in the games, this time on light cycles, Sam takes on the best team there is and then escapes with the help of Quorra (Olivia Wilde), a program sent to aid him in his escape. They do so and she takes him off the grid to a secret location where he finally meets his father, the real one. They talk and spend a short time together during which Flynn tells Sam that he never sent the page. It has to be something Clu has put together. It ends up being a chance to use the portal to the real world where Clu hopes to take his digital army and make them real in an attempt to control it all. Only Flynn and his son now stand in his way.

The original film was an amazing piece of work filled with special effects that were dazzling at the time. A bit dated by today’s standards, the folks behind LEGACY have taken all of the main ideas, the design of the Grid, the games, the discs and vehicles and updated them for a more digitized world. Effects have grown during the 28 years since the original and it shows in all of the amazing effects seen here. Perhaps the most amazing isn’t the vehicles seen in nearly all commercials for the film but the fact that they make Jeff Bridges look like he did 28 years ago when he appears as Clu.

But without actors, without a heart, what kind of movie would it have made? Here we have a story, seemingly simple, where the efforts of a few dedicated individuals attempt to make things right. Where good guys take on bad guys to save the day. And where a father and son have the opportunity to meet once again after so long apart.

Filled with plenty of action and enough science fiction know how to please fans of the genre, TRON LEGACY lives up to the expectations that many fans will have for the film. I found it to not only live up to the original but to take it into a new dimension as well. It was fun, it was fast and it made me want to watch the old one beside this one and that makes this a legacy fulfilled.

LOVE & OTHER DRUGS: A FILM WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER

I’m not a big fan of movies that just haven’t quite determined what they want to be. They begin one way and then suddenly do a 180 and I find myself watching a movie that is totally unlike the one I started with. Granted there are times this works, most notable in mysteries. But a movie that begins as a romantic comedy that turns into heavy drama is not a combination that works. Thus is the problem with LOVE & OTHER DRUGS.

Jake Gyllenhaall is Jamie Randall, a smooth talking operator with an eye for beautiful women but on the short stack when it comes to handling a successful career or future. His brother Josh (Josh Gand) is a successful investor and his parents are two top people in the medical field. So what is Josh’s problem?

Put in touch by his brother with the folks at Pfizer, Jake takes on the improbably job of pharmaceutical sales man. He goes to classes, beds the instructor and is assigned to another agent (Oliver Platt) to help him along. Jamie applies his own knowledge and skills to get him into the good graces of Dr. Stan Knight (Hank Azaria), a doctor whose approval would result in other doctors following suit and choosing Jamie’s drugs over those of his competitor.

In his attempt to sway the doctor, Jamie passes along cash for the chance of following him through a single day. During that time he sits in on a patient consultation. Her name is Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway) and she’s there just to get her prescriptions filled. She knows her problems, symptoms and likelihood of success but has little hope. She has Parkinson’s disease. She’s unusually young for this, but knows what to expect.

When Maggie catches Jamie as a salesman instead of the intern he claimed to be, she gets angry. Then she finds herself attracted to him. And then the pair becomes full time lovers with no attachments. Until Jamie finds himself drawn to Maggie.

The movie to this point has seemed like a combination romantic comedy and straight out romance story with quite a bit of nudity tossed in to appease the guys dragged to the movie so their girlfriends can check out Gyllenhaal’s butt. And then it suddenly changes.

Maggie understands what to expect in the near future but does Jamie? At a pharmaceutical convention, Jamie mingles with the crowd while Maggie finds a meeting of a support group for Parkinson’s patients. The group inspires here, makes her feel alive for the first time in ages and makes her appreciate Jamie for being there for her. Except perhaps he isn’t. At the same meeting he talks to one of the husbands of another patient who tells him if he had to do it all over again he would have run right away. This of course leads to the pair parting ways.

But remember this is movieland. The odds of them getting together again after this are pretty good. Then again the movie changed from what seemed a comedy to a rather intense drama too so it’s anyone’s guess how the story will end.

Is it any good? Not particularly. The lighter moments are tinged with quite a bit of cynicism. For those easily offended there is, as mentioned, plenty of gratuitous nudity and raunchy humor to boot. But the biggest problem is that with the exception of Maggie (due to her gut wrenching disease) there are not many sympathetic characters to be found here. Just single minded self interested people. How entertaining can that be?

The acting is good, the cinematography well done and the general feeling of the film fine. With the exception and a story that feels schizophrenic and that doesn’t involve the viewer as much as it should have.

I will say that one thing that has bothered me in recent years is how women, in particular actresses in film, seem to have to remove their clothing before they will be considered actresses. If you want work, you have to take off your clothes otherwise you’re designated uncompromising. The same doesn’t hold true for male actors (though many are doing more partial nude scenes). So why is it that the value of a female actress is judged by the amount of clothing she’s willing to remove but not men? Especially when actresses seem to be more involved with women’s rights groups? Who knows?

Some will enjoy the film for the sake of the nude scenes. Some will enjoy it because they find the leads attractive. And some will find the romantic storyline just what they’re looking for. It just would have been nice if this movie were more focused on what it wanted to be from beginning to end. The way it stands, it feels more like a jumbled flick than an enjoyable one.

MAN MOVIES: THE GREAT ESCAPE

It seems like the majority of “man movies” were made in the sixties for some reason. I’m still trying to figure out why and have found some made later on but for some reason this seems to have been THE decade for them. So on with the next one. Another amalgamation of stars to fill the screen and inspire a generation. It even inspired a popular poster in the seventies of Steve McQueen riding his motorcycle between barbed wire. The movie is THE GREAT ESCAPE.

Based on the true story of a group of P.O.W.s (Prisoners Of War) in Germany it tells the tale of how they escaped from their concentration camp in an attempt to get back home. These prisoners take the war seriously and decide that they could do some damage to the Nazis if they escape. Not only will the word leak out about what happened do propaganda damage but perhaps they could do some physical damage along the way as well.

The film opens with Capt. Hilts (Steve McQueen) dropped back into “the cooler” after having attempted an unsuccessful escape. With a baseball and mitt, he passes the time until he gets out and will try again. In the meantime other prisoners are planning a more organized escape of their own.

Running the operation is Squadron leader Roger Bartlett (Richard Attenborough). He devises the original plan and along with the rest of the group puts it into action. Their first objective is to tunnel under the camp without being noticed. They use the slats in their bunks to build supports in the tunnel and take the dirt out a bit at a time, using bags strapped to their legs that they empty onto the camp grounds while walking. A major portion of the film depicts the tunneling they do and the danger they face there.

While the tunnel is dug, they also need to make sure that they aren’t stopped along the way once they get out. While some soldiers are digging the others are making preparations for their escape creating maps, clothing and documents that should allow them free reign once they’re on the outside.

Once everything is in place, the break happens. A number of the POWs escape but not all. Once free, they scatter like the wind in the hopes of making it back home, making it to freedom.

The movie plays along at a much slower pace than today’s films. But that’s all a part of the story. It unfolds and shows how the process wouldn’t be something that was done overnight but would take time. And through it all we witness something that seems to be common with the “man movies” so far. A bonding between males in the films. Not a romance, but a bond of brotherhood that shows they stand for something together as opposed to going solo. Even later movies in this category that depict a single hero or anti-hero somewhere along the line have them in need of connecting with another human being. And that is evident here as this group of heroic men attempt to win freedom.

The cast was another stellar example of a group that was either top of the line or on their way up. Included were Charles Bronson (who was in both earlier “man movies” THE DIRTY DOZEN and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN), James Coburn (who was in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN), James Garner, Donald Pleasance and David McCallum.

Parts comedy, part adventure and all true story, this tale is one that needs to be told again for a new generation that forgets what WWII was all about, what their grandfathers and great grandfathers suffered through. It’s a tale of heroism on a grand scale. It’s another forgotten film that needs rediscovered by all.

DUE DATE: NO PLANE, NO TRAIN, JUST ONE LONG DRIVE

Road trips always seem to make funny movies. The discomfort of those forced to endure another irritating person or having to make do with a bad situation are situations we’ve all been faced with. So why not get a laugh out of the same thing at someone else’s expense? It made the hilarious PLANES TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES one of the funniest movies even after 23 years. Yes it has been that long. Who better to take the reins from Steve Martin and John Candy than Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis?

DUE DATE begins with architect Peter Highman (Downey) trying to make it home from Atlanta in time for the birth of his son. He begins by nearly being killed as he exits his limo by some yokel dropping off Ethan Trembly (Galifianakis). This leads to a misunderstanding (and some hilarity as Ethan attempts to put his luggage in the overheard) leaving Peter on the no-fly list, suspected of terrorism. Who else is there to blame but the goofy Ethan?

With his wallet packed and on the plane, Peter searches for a way home. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, one presents itself when Ethan shows up with a rental car insisting that Peter join him for the road trip to LA. And so begins one of the most famous road trips that has some of the funniest moments in a comedy of late.

As the pair travel we get to see Peter as a stick in the mud, serious person with little room for anything in his life other than his own needs. On the other hand Ethan moves about willy nilly without a care in the world, looking at the trip as fun and taking care of his pet dog Sonny. In point of fact, this trip will change both men. Peter will learn in the oddest way possible what it means to be a father and take care of someone. Ethan will face the reality of his father’s death.

That’s another part of the story. Along for the ride carried in a coffee can are the ashes of Ethan’s recently deceased father. As Peter maps out their route to get them there in time, Ethan mentions that the Grand Canyon would be a great place for his father’s ashes to which Peter informs him that it’s miles out of their way. The topic comes up again later with a different location, each time revealing something more about Ethan.

The duo make their way cross country, stopping to pick up some weed (it’s medicinal for Ethan’s “glaucoma”), crashing their car, finding they have no money, a run in with a vet at Western Union and more. Each scene seems to offer more laughs than the last and no, I won’t spoil them by giving you details here. Suffice to say that there were moments that I had to either pause the movie or back it up once I stopped laughing.

But there is a sweetness to this movie as well. And that’s another thing that reminded me of the earlier PLANES. We have two characters, both stuffy and all businesslike that end up next to someone with a lot of well hidden pain in their life. The question becomes less about the physical trip and more about the emotional one that they both make.

Downey shines here as the jerk that has the best intentions in his decisions, a man who is fearful that he won’t make the birth of his child. Short tempered most of the time and very caring at others, he makes the journey to fatherhood over the miles. Galifianakis turns in his usual solid performance as the waif who needs something more in his life. His trip to Hollywood in hopes of being an actor, even though his character shows little ability, shows the dreams that so many have. My biggest fear with him is that he will find himself pigeonholed into these same roles. This one seems very much like the one he played in THE HANGOVER. It’s a curse that many comedic actors fall into but few rise out of. Take a look at Pauley Shore for a bad example.

The movie offers some terribly crude moments that are sure to offend some and make others laugh till their sides split. For the sake of my family I’ll plead the fifth (although one scene involving both Ethan and Sonny made me laugh harder when I saw the shocked look on my wife’s face while we watched the movie). And when the final sequence shows, amazingly enough during the whole Charlie Sheen brouhaha of late, you’ll find yourself touched by these two men and the trip they took. It’s a fun film that most will enjoy and will inspire at least a smile or two from everyone.

MAN MOVIES: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

Another film that ranks high on the list of man movies is THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. Once more you have a group of actors that carried themselves in a way that guys envied them their confidence but that women thought were darn good to look at. The main thing that this film began though (and which carried over to my first “man movie” THE DIRTY DOZEN) was that it took a single individual who gathered together a small team to confront an enemy. It would be great to say that this was original to this film but the fact is that it was a remake of a successful Japanese film called THE SEVEN SAMURAI.

Yul Brynner stars as Chris Adams, a gunfighter with a conscious. When he hears of a group of poor Mexican farmers seeking aid in getting rid of a bandit that terrorizes their town and takes whatever they want, he accepts their proposition. With little or no money on hand (the farmers have little of value now), Chris sets out to recruit his team and he starts with Vin (Steve McQueen), another cowpoke who happened to be in the right place at the wrong time.

The two set out to fill in their group visiting other men that Chris has come across at one time or another, each with his own reason for joining or for fleeing their present situation. Britt (James Coburn) has just killed a man with his knife throwing skills in a fair fight that is sure to be questioned. Harry (Brad Dexter) thinks there is hidden gold in the village because what other reason would Chris have for taking on this task? Lee (Robert Vaughan) is a gunslinger looking for a peaceful place to live a quiet life if only for a while. Bernardo (Charles Bronson) sees it as an opportunity. And Chico (Horst Bucholtz) is a youngster who wants to make a name for himself, a boy who has yet to witness death but wants to stake his claim to it.

The team assembled, they head for the village and begin training the men of the village how to defend themselves. They set up traps, show them how to use guns and teach them that they’ll have to assist in defending themselves if they want the help of these professionals.

Eventually the bandits return expecting little or no problem. Instead they confront the seven for the first time. The bandit leader is Calvera (Eli Wallach) and he respects the seven but warns them that to stand in his way will result in death. Chris and his crew stand their ground and refuse to leave, choosing instead to defend the town they’ve been paid little to protect.

Once more we have a movie that is so well thought out and directed, in this case by John Sturges, that not a single moment watched unfold is wasted. Rather than focus on the panoramic vistas offered in most films, we frequently find ourselves in the poor dirt covered village. The heroes we watch are not the typical sort but ones who are flawed in one way or another. This was the beginnings of the anti-hero movement that sprang in the sixties, heroes that were not perfect in every way.

Once more a group of exciting and popular actors was assembled in to one production. Films like these would be impossible to pull off these days due to the contract and financial demands of those involved. The closest anyone has come has been the OCEAN’S ELEVEN films.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN led to several sequels and eventually in 1999 to a short run TV series. The noble defense of the small town displays a sense of honor that characters rarely show these days. And in that demonstration of honor we have another piece of what is a part of “man movies”.

MAN MOVIES: THE DIRTY DOZEN

I was talking with my boss one day. We were discussing movies that I thought were classics that he had never seen. I jokingly told him that it was impossible for him to be a man if he hadn’t seen any of these “man movies”. I gave him a handful to watch and told him he couldn’t qualify as a guy until he finished them. It was a joke. But it got me thinking, if there can be films known as “chick flicks” why couldn’t there BE “man movies”?

So I’ve decided that occasionally I’ll add something to the list of so called “man movies”. I’ll pick those I can recall and go back to watch them and write about them. “Man movies” are those films that guys watch and talk about and love but that women sit through because they like their guys…or because they think the men in the movies are hunks. What better movie to start with than the one mentioned in a chick flick, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. In that film when discussing what was a real tear jerking moment, Tom Hanks says that if you really want to see a tear jerking moment you have to see THE DIRTY DOZEN. If you’ve seen either film you know why. If not, I won’t spoil it for you.

THE DIRTY DOZEN takes place during WWII. Major Reisman (Lee Marvin) is an unconventional soldier. He’s more concerned with getting the job done than in military politics. This makes him just the man for the job that General Worden (Ernest Borgnine) has in store for him. A gathering of top Nazi army officials is going to take place at a secluded castle behind enemy lines. Worden wants Reisman to lead an elite group of men to the castle to take out these German officers. But who would want to go on such a suicide mission?

This is where the twist in the story kicks in. Reisman’s team will be hand picked from a group of soldiers currently on death row. Each soldier has been court martialed and is waiting to be executed. Their motivation to accomplish the goal set before them is a pardon from the death sentence. Reisman picks each man for various reasons and during an informal line up to see what sort of men they are he eventually must beat down the cockiest of the bunch, Victor Franko (John Cassavettes). Once the men know what sort of commander Reisman is, they fall into step right away.

Reisman takes his recruits to a secret training camp where they must first build their barracks and those of the guards. But he still sees something missing, that one burst of energy that unites these men as a team. Told that if one of them attempts to escape, they all go back to prison, it helps when Franko attempts to leave and the others capture him without revealing it to the guards. But still, something is missing.

The uniting of the team comes in the form of a protest when the prisoners refuse to shave or shower since they have cold water while their guards have hot. This results in them being a bit unclean or simply put since there are 12 of them, the dirty dozen.

Reisman puts them through a rigorous training learning how to fight with a knife or gun, pushes them to the limits physically and hones them into one of the best fighting units there is. It all comes in handy when Col. Breed (Robert Ryan), a career officer who hasn’t been made aware of the secret mission and who happens to hate Reisman, and his men enter the camp unannounced. Holding the men at gunpoint and insisting they tell him what is going on, the united team stays silent. And when Reisman turns up machine gun in hand and orders them to disarm their captors they do so gladly.

Col. Breed’s handling by the team doesn’t sit well and he complains to Gen. Worden. Reisman comes up with a solution. War games are scheduled to occur within days and Reisman proposes that his team can not only win the games but that they can take the flag from Breed’s. With contempt for the disheveled soldiers he saw, Breed scoffs at Reisman’s plan. But Worden sees the chance to Reisman and his men to prove themselves and accepts. Needless to say they do indeed win.

The team is set, their training complete and now Reisman fills them in on the details of their mission. After a night of celebration, they pack up and head to Germany and their fate. They continue to go over the plan en route. A few will sneak into the castle posing as officers. The rest will take up positions to help defend their escape. Now it’s up to the dirty dozen to fulfill their end of the bargain and hopefully come home alive.

The movie revolves around three set pieces: the training, the war games and the final mission. The pacing and direction is superb as director Robert Aldrich pieces together the tale in such a way that you’re never bored and never unsure of just what will happen next. It is a well made piece of craftsmanship from the photography to the acting.

The team is composed of various actors, some who were big on TV at the time and others just starting. Trini Lopez was known for his singing career but does his part on the team as does unknown Jim Brown who was a professional football player just getting into acting. Telly Savalas is seen prior to his big break on TV and Clint Walker was coming off of a successful western TV series. Also in the mix was the then little known Donald Sutherland who has one of the films funniest moments.

The movie was a huge hit when it was released and spawned several TV sequels, none of which equaled the original. This was a movie about macho men in the dirty business of war. They didn’t play by rules other than their own. They didn’t care how cleanly they did their job as long as they completed it. And in working towards their goal them had a chance to redeem themselves for past sins and a chance to make things right. There is more to this film than the naked eye can see. It is a classic in every sense and one that should be added to all DVD collections. And it should take a hallowed place among your “man movies”.

HOW DO YOU KNOW: YOU DON’T KNOW WATCHING THIS

The romantic comedy has taken some serious hits over the past few years. What was once a major staple of a night out at the movies is slowly dissolving into a thing of the past. Lets fact it, the bad examples of this genre far outweigh the good. But the majority fall into that middle of the road category, the one where the movie isn’t quite that bad but it’s also not one you’ll watch again. Such is the case with HOW DO YOU KNOW.

Directed and written by James Brooks, the man behind AS GOOD AS IT GETS, BROADCAST NEWS and TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (sorry but I never liked this one no matter how many people love it), what we have is a movie that looks good with great stars but that leaves you with little to remember or recommend. The movie revolves around two major characters. Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) is a professional woman’s baseball star hoping to get on the roster of the latest USA team. She doesn’t make it and in a slump ends up trying something new by getting involved with a pro baseball player named Matty (Owen Wilson).

Prior to her involvement, Lisa was supposed to go on a blind date with George (Paul Rudd), a young Wall Street exec, who cancels their date on the phone since he’s involved with someone already. That all changes when George becomes the target of a Federal investigation at company he works for, owned by his father Charles (Jack Nicholson). Down on his luck, his girlfriend dumps him to concentrate on her own needs.

Lisa’s involvement with Matty is everywhere. One minute they’re fine, the next they part ways. During one of those times apart, she finally meets with George for a dinner date. For George it’s love at first sight. He adores everything about Lisa. Unfortunately the feelings aren’t reciprocated and she goes back to Matty after a phone call.

These two characters keep bouncing back and forth into each other’s lives through the whole film. Things look well and then Matty does something stupid in the most stereotypical dumb jock mode there is. Lisa leaves and then later comes back, hoping for the best. All the while George sits to the side hoping that Lisa will leave Matty and he might get the opportunity he botched with that first phone call.

The movie is mainly about Lisa and her search for love. And when she thinks she’s found it she’s never quite sure if it’s really love, infatuation or just what it is. Thus the title of the film.

So here’s the thing. This cast, as I said, looks great. They perform quite well. But while I might like the characters I never feel involved with any of them. They all seem too self-absorbed in their own problems and when they do decide to consider someone else they almost always mess it up. Sure, life is messy but this is a movie, a comedy no less. I want to be entertained and not sit there uninvolved with the main characters. The only one I found myself caring about was George’s secretary who knows what’s going on at the office but can’t tell him and wants to so badly.

The movie is beautiful to look at. It’s well photographed and the sets look delicious. These are streets you find yourself wanting to walk down. But no matter how good the photography or the sets, a story needs to be presented that you enjoy. It never happens.

Brooks has shown some incredibly deep movies. He’s made us look deeper into worlds we never visit and makes them interesting. He’s made us invest in characters and their lives, hoping against all hope that they survive everything he throws at them. But here, it’s just kind of bland. It’s not boring but when it finishes you just feel sort of empty.

When released all everyone could talk about was the cost to make this picture. The stars were paid astronomical sums. Brooks ran over budget shooting and reshooting pieces. The fear was that the movie wouldn’t make back what was invested in it and those fears came true. After watching this it’s easy to see why.