Some Dude Reviews Movies

It's been a while since the last season of Drag Race, and I need some of that good-natured drag extravaganza in my life. And, look at that, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) is on Netflix. Sissy that walk. I. What Is It? This is the story of three drag queens (Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo) who strike out on a cross-country trip from New York to compete in a drag competition in LA. Along the way they'll find themselves, spread joy, and encourage a small mid-western town to find its own fabulousness. II. It Just Feels Good Earlier, I mentioned RuPaul's reality show, Drag Race. RuPaul's brand of drag is joyous, and aims at freedom and the celebration of finding one's own creativity, uniqueness, nerve and talent. To Wong Foo  has that same kind of positive energy, and I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't a much-needed shot in the arm. I've been mired in shitty news and terrible things ...

It's hide and seek, but with murder. And a possible pact with the devil. Tell me that doesn't immediately sound like fun? I. What Is It? This is the story of Grace (Samara Weaving) and Alex (Mark O'Brien). They're getting married. But before Grace can join Alex's family of board-game magnates, she has to play a little game. And she has to survive. II. Samara Weaving is a Star Weaving has been shining in just about everything she's been in (go and watch The Babysitter  (2017), if you don't believe me). This movie rests entirely on her shoulders, and she carries it with aplomb. Grace is fun, and funny, but also a tough-as-nails survivor. Weaving imbues her with vitality. Her screams are shattering, but they always evolve into primal growls. She's scared, but she's also incredibly angry. And that anger fuels her need to survive. Grace is somewhat of a cipher: the character is underwritten, and the workload falls entirely on We...

I remember seeing the trailer for Lulu Wang's The Farewell  (2019) some months ago. And I was deeply saddened that the movie was probably not going to make it to my local theater. But guess what just showed up at the mall? I. What Is It? This is the story of Billi (Awkwafina), a Chinese American who learns that her grandmother, Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), has been diagnosed with cancer. The thing is? It is Chinese custom NOT to tell people that have cancer that they are dying of cancer. The family concocts a wedding in order to draw the family back to China in order to say what could be their final farewells. And they all wrestle with the weight of keeping Nai Nai's secret. Even from her. II. Beautiful Performances Awkwafina is funny. She's racked up scene-stealing parts in comedies for the last few years. It turns out that she's ALSO an incredible actor. Her performance is nuanced and filled with a quiet pathos. Billi is initially encouraged NOT ...

The Criterion Channel continues to justify its meagre price tag by opening a world of heretofore unseen and unexplored cinema to me. Most recently I found John Mackenzie's Brit gangster opus, The Long Good Friday . I. What Is It? This is the story of Harold (Bob Hoskins). Harold rules London's underground with an iron fist. But, on the eve of a life-changing deal, someone starts killing Harold's friends. Which threatens Harold's power. Which threatens Harold's big deal. He has 24 hours to figure out who is gunning for his crown. II. Powerhouse Performance Bob Hoskins delivers an incredible performance as Harold. He's a real nasty bulldog of a man, with a growling cockney affect. He is at peace with what he does, and perfectly willing to go to any length to hold on to his power. But Hoskins imbues him with a certain compelling humanity, that strikes an interesting contradiction: like the time he bemoans losing his best friend to violenc...

I maintain that Kill Bill  is Tarantino's opus. It's the most consistent of his work: it's thrilling; it's stylish; his dialogue pops; his world building is second to none. Tarantino may well have been working at his creative peak, here. These were the first Tarantino films I saw in the theaters, and the wait between them, while only a few months, was interminable. I remember almost skipping out of the theater after seeing Vol. 1. I hadn't seen anything like it. Not even Pulp Fiction  or Reservoir Dogs , which I had already seen multiple times. This might have been the first movie that I began to appreciate as a film, as a piece of art. And yes, I consider these ONE movie: they were shot as one film and only edited into two because the prospect of a three-and-a-half-hour movie was more than the studio would commit to. And there was more money to be made releasing two movies. But. Still. This is one big movie that just so happened to be cut in ...

Tarantino uses his cachet in Hollywood to adapt one of his heroes', Elmore Leonard's, work. He adapts Leonard's novel Rum Punch , nabs Pam Grier for the lead, and lassos a posse of A-listers to fill out his ensemble, and gets off to the races. Let's talk about Jackie Brown  (1997). I. What Is It? This is the story of flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) and the gunrunner she works for, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson). And the money she's been tasked with bringing back from Mexico. II. Loveletter to Blaxploitation Tarantino has said that he does not consider this to be a blaxploitation film, but it does feel like a celebration of the genre. It looks and feels and sounds like one. The soundtrack comes roaring out of the gate with "Across 110th Street," and packs in other funky 70s fare. Jackie Brown is no cheesy send up of the genre. It is a distillation of attitude and aesthetic through Tarantino's panache. III. A Pow...