Monday, September 18, 2006

Throw Mama from the Train



Billy Crystal
Danny Devito

Over the weekend I happened to see a movie on TV with Billy Crystal and Danny Devito which I later found out to be an 80’s comedy called Throw Mama from the Train.Crysal plays Larry Donner and Danny Devito plays Owen Lift. This film follows a distressed writer and professor (Donner) who loathes his ex-wife and one of his students (Lift) who also despises his own mother. Owen seems to be a bit deranged and lacking the attention he deserves in his writing in Larry’s class. We venture on a comedic thrill ride with Owen’s character in an attempt to kill Larry’s wife in hope that Larry will in return kill his aging and annoying mother. A reluctant Larry is thrown into a position where he has to hide out at Owen’s house and carry out several plots to kill Owen’s mother which only end in some sort of pain or embarrassment for himself. The movie is carried by classic Billy Crystal comedy and Danny Devito antics. I laughed out loud several times, however, I would not characterize this film as “plot driven” in any way. When I was trying to find the title of the film I found that it was nominated for an Academy Award for the woman who played Devito’s mother and did an excellent job in the role. The end provides a twist that I did not expect and adds to the overall entertainment of the film. If you are looking for a laugh and have about an hour and a half to kill I recommend this classic 80’s comedy.

Check Out This Movie...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094142/trailers

Classic Quotes:

“I’m Owen’s friend. Owen doesn’t have any friends he’s fat and stupid.”

“The night was hot, wait no, the night, the night was humid. The night was humid, no wait, hot, hot. The night was hot. The night was hot and wet, wet and hot. The night was wet and hot, hot and wet, wet and hot; that's humid. The night was humid

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Caddy Shack


This is what I would like to so properly deem as a husband's choice film.

Every guy I know tends to think that Caddy Shack is the greatest contribution to cinema of all time. From my experience, girls don't usually agree. Now I have finally seen it, and I would have to agree with my fellow females--this movie bites.

It's not funny, except for the cute, fuzzy, and purposely cheesy gopher. It's just dumb humor, but the word "humor" must only be used in the most liberal sense.

Even though this film makes use of some of the funniest people who have ever lived--Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray--somehow the film's pointlessness overrides their comic ability creating the result of me wishing I had the last two hours of my life back.

I'm all about movies that have no plot. And the characters in the film are, well, interesting, I suppose. But the dialogue is so far out in left field (not to use a baseball term in a golf movie) that it's not even funny. Again, left field comedy is one of my favorite forms of comedy, but this just doesn't even attempt to make sense.

Back to to gopher, though, he is a clever element of the film, if there is such a thing. I like that the technology is purposefully bad and the scenario is completely unrealistic. It is one thing for Bill Murray to be outsmarted by a gopher. It is completely another to be outsmarted by a poor representation of an animatronic gopher that dances to celebrate its victory. I must say, that is brilliantly amusing.

Past the gopher, however, I see no redeeming qualities in this film. I even like golf, but this is just too much. Or too little. Or something.

As for my husband picking the films I watch, I think I will cease this practice. Give me Moonstruck and The Breakfast Club any day of the week.