SNL50 - Top 20 Cold Opens

 

Pretty much every SNL begins with a Cold Open. In the first year, most of them involved Chevy Chase taking a giant fall before announcing “Live from New York, It’s Saturday Night!” Soon though, the majority of the cold opens would be politically influenced, whether it be a debate, address to the country or some scandal. Picking ones that are funny or memorable without having to be incredibly versed in the politics of that particular week was challenging at times. Anywhere, here’s my list

20. CRUZ STREET
EPISODE: S47E06 (11.13.2021)
HOST: Jonathan Majors
MUSICAL GUEST: Taylor Swift
Aidy Bryant as Ted Cruz gives us a much darker version of Sesame Street complete with songs, guns, Joe Rogan, and a fun portion with Bert and Ernie.
LINK: Click here

19. PRESS CONFERENCE
EPISODE: S27E04 (11.03.2001)
HOST: John Goodman
MUSICAL GUEST: Ja Rule
Darrell Hammond takes on John Ashcroft as he warns the country about a probable terrorist attack. He tries his hardest to make everyone feel better but fails miserably.
LINK: Not Available

18. DOLE IMPRESSION
EPISODE: S22E06 (11.16.1996)
HOST: Robert Downey Jr.
MUSICAL GUEST: Fiona Apple
The cast has a term for this that I heard on a podcast but can’t remember it for the life of me. The internet calls it a ‘meta-moment’ when the real life person encounters their impersonator. This one has Bob Dole, fresh from a presidential defeat, talking to Norm MacDonald. Awkward humour ensues.
LINK: Not Available

17. THE PRESIDENTIAL COUPLE
EPISODE: S26E05 (11.11.2000)
HOST: Calista Flockhart
MUSICAL GUEST: Ricky Martin
Oh, that time when no one knew who won the election; there were a bunch of episodes that dealt with the recount. This is a fun idea of having Will Ferrell’s Bush and Darrell Hammond’s Gore work together as an Odd Couple-like pairing. Great move to not pick a side.
LINK: Not Available

16. THE LAST SUPPER
EPISODE: S48E17 (04.08.2023)
HOST: Molly Shannon
MUSICAL GUEST: Jonas Brothers
What has become a tradition, Trump interrupts a religious Easter sketch and compares himself to Jesus. James Austin Johnson does an awesome job ranting about the most random things. He also enjoys adding personal commentary about the frozen cast behind him.
LINK: Click here

15. SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK!
EPISODE: S40E07 (11.22.2014)
HOST: Cameron Diaz
MUSICAL GUEST: Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars
Such fun memories of Schoolhouse Rock! There’s just something funny about Obama pushing a bill down the stairs. The executive order is also pretty fun.
LINK: Click here

14. OBAMACARE WEBSITE
EPISODE: S39E04 (10.26.2013)
HOST: Edward Norton
MUSICAL GUEST: Janelle Monae
Kate McKinnon plays Kathleen Sebelius trying to defend the new Obabmacare website with its many glitches. The scaled down version is funny as are the FAQs. There is a lot of fun silliness in this one.
LINK: Click here

13. PRESS CONFERENCE
EPISODE: S42E14 (02.11.2017)
HOST: Alec Baldwin
MUSICAL GUEST: Ed Sheeran
Melissa McCarthy kills as Press Secretary Sean Spicer being antagonistic with the journalists. The large gum, dolls, leaf blower and podium on wheels are great prop comedy. Add in some of Kate McKinnon’s Jeff Session for some extra spice.
LINK: Click here

12. WILL FERRELL RETURNS
EPISODE: S30E19 (05.14.2005)
HOST: Will Ferrell
MUSICAL GUEST: Queens of the Stone Age
Will Ferrell is known for his friendliness so it is a lot of fun hearing his egotistical, mean-spirited inner monologue. "Finesse not Kenan."
LINK: Not Available

11. AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
EPISODE: S39E01 (09.28.2013)
HOST: Tina Fey
MUSICAL GUEST: Arcade Fire
Jay Pharaoh does his awesome President Obama trying to defend his health care act. The string of cast members complaining about Obamacare is a great testament to the stupidity of some American people. Add in some Jesse Pinkman during the height of Breaking Bad and you got a killer cold open.
LINK: Click here

10. WOLVERINES
EPISODE: S01E01 (10.11.1975)
HOST: George Carlin
MUSICAL GUEST: Janis Ian, Billy Preston
It would be disrespectful not to include the very first cold open. It also happens to be funny as well. John Belushi’s accent is fun to listen to. It’s a silly gag but a great way to start this landmark series.
LINK: Click here

9. 9/11 TRIBUTE
EPISODE: S27E01 (09.29.2001)
HOST: Reese Witherspoon
MUSICAL GUEST: Alicia Keys
Back when Rudy Guiliani wasn’t a crazy person, he respectfully reopened New York with the SNL premiere after the September 11 attacks. Paul Simon’s “The Boxer” and the shots of the first responders is still moving to me. It also gets a fun interchange with Rudy and Lorne.
AMERICAN LINK: Click here

8. DEBATE ‘92
EPISODE: S18E03 (10.10.1992)
HOST: Joe Pesci
MUSICAL GUEST: Spin Doctors
Debates became the standout cold opens during election years. This one featuring Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton and Dana Carvey as both George HW Bush and Ross Perot is a classic. All the responses are perfectly crafted. (David Spade is the stand-in for Perot in wide shots of the three.). 
LINK: Click here

7. DIRTY SQUARE DANCING
EPISODE: S16E04 (10.27.1990)
HOST: Patrick Swayze
MUSICAL GUEST: Mariah Carey
I love the simplicity of the square dancing, and making it dirty with offensive lyrics is just a bizarre and fun way for Patrick Swayze to start the show.
LINK: Not Available

6. MILITARY BRIEFING
EPISODE: S16E12 (02.09.1991)
HOST: Kevin Bacon
MUSICAL GUEST: INXS
Operation Desert Storm was a memorable time in my teen years. I enjoy the dangerous questions the news reporters ask Kevin Nealon who has to dodge them. I love the Baghdad Times asking “Where are your troops and can I go there and count them?” Same shtick but works.
LINK: Click here

5. THE TONIGHT SONG
EPISODE: S17E09 (12.14.1991)
HOST: Steve Martin
MUSICAL GUEST: James Taylor
Talk about a crowd-pleaser. After some coaxing from cast members, Steve Martin decides to give a crap about the show and breaks out into song and brings everyone on board. I used to think this was his monologue but instead it is one of the most satisfying cold opens of SNL.
LINK: Click here

4. SANTA CHENEY
EPISODE: S31E09 (12.17.2005)
HOST: Jack Black
MUSICAL GUEST: Neil Young
Part of one of the best episodes in SNL history, Darrel Hammond’s Dick Cheney is slick as a Santa getting kids to make outrageous political wishes.
LINK: Click here

3. BIDEN’S ROOM
EPISODE: S37E21 (05.12.2012)
HOST: Will Ferrell
MUSICAL GUEST: Usher
Jason Sudeikis playing VP Joe Biden as a petulant child is pretty funny considering Joe eventually becomes president. The reveal of Biden’s imaginary friend as Will Ferrell’s former President Bush elevates this cold open.
LINK: Not Available

2. A NONPARTISAN MESSAGE
EPISODE: S34E01 (09.13.2008)
HOST: Michael Phelps
MUSICAL GUEST: Lil Wayne
Talk about meeting expectations with Tina Fey starting her guest starring run as Sarah Palin. Seeing Amy Poehler’s Hilary Clinton filled with constant annoyance and Palin’s utter stupidity is perfection. The highlight will always be “I can see Russia from my house.” So funny.
LINK: Click here

1. JOY RIDE
EPISODE: S18E04 (10.24.1992)
HOST: Christopher Walken
MUSICAL GUEST: Arrested Development
While I love hearing Dana Carvey nail that Ross Perot impression, Phil Hartman steals the show as the shell shocked VP nominee Admiral Stockdale. The idea of dumping his VP in the forest is priceless but the running to catch up to the car makes this hysterical and the best cold open in my opinion.
LINK: Click here

SNL Preview

Starting tomorrow, I am finally releasing my Best of Saturday Night Live lists. While there are definitely low points in this series, I have always loved watching SNL. (It is as old as I am.) I have watched every episode (some have been tough to get through). This project has taken me five years. I re-watched every episode and picked out my favourite sketches, music performances, and much, much more. For those who know me, they know I like a good list. Ranking some of these categories have been challenging but it is what I love to do. 

Over the next 25 days or more, I will release compiled lists of my favourite SNL things. These lists include Cold Opens, Cast Members, Hosts, Monologues, Digital Shorts, Commercial Parodies and more. The sketches have been broken down into numerous sub-categories like Pre-Tapes, Game Shows, and Movie Parodies. There is a separate list for favourite recurring characters and bits. The ‘pure’ sketches have also been divided up by decades.

Along with the lists, I have tried to include as many YouTube links as possible. It is shocking that some of our favourite sketches are not available on YouTube. Where possible, I have included an American link if you happen to have a VPN. If you live in the States, you probably have access to everything if you have Peacock. We don’t get Peacock in Canada; it most likely would have made this whole endeavor a lot easier. Anyway, if you know someone who likes or loves SNL, let them know about my upcoming blog posts. Happy Anniversary SNL!

Film: F1

 

GENRE: Action Drama
RATING: PG-13 for language and action
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 35 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Wolfs, Bullet Train, Spy Game)
Damson Idris (Snowfall); Javier Bardem (Skyfall, No Country for Old Men)
DIRECTOR: Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick, Oblivion, Tron: Legacy)
WRITER: Ehren Kruger (Top Gun: Maverick, Transformers 2 & 3, Scream 3)
PLOT: An F1 driver comes out of retirement to team up with a younger driver to save a friend’s business.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I know nothing about Formula 1 racing.  

STORY STUFF: I had a good time at the movie theatre and enjoyed the fast cars and many dramatic moments. While it was easy to root for Pitt’s Sonny Hayes, I had no time for Idris’ Joshua Pearce. JP’s ‘redemption’ didn’t work for me. I enjoyed the mini romantic part although it was pretty predictable. It’s a pretty long running time and there were a lot of setbacks for the racing team. They could probably streamline that a bit. But overall, a fun ride.    

ACTING STUFF: Brad Pitt is of course the big draw; he is full of star power and swagger. I also enjoyed Kerry Condon (Better Call Saul) as Kate, the love interest and car designer. I could not root for Idris but he played the jerk part okay. Bardem was fine but I hard time with his thick accent at first. Apparently, this film is filled with actual F1 racers, owners, sportscasters, and race locations, so fans of F1 will probably enjoy seeing all those.

ARTISTIC STUFF: This is definitely worth seeing on the big screen. I liked the action on the racetrack but that is because I don’t watch F1 on TV. If you watch F1 you may find the footage lackluster. Apparently, the television footage has stepped up and a lot more intense with their GoPro inside the car shots. The film has all the qualities I expect from a Jerry Bruckheimer produced film. The music was typical Hans Zimmer fare. The colouring was Pearl Harbor-ish at times. There is action but also humour. It’s a fun time at the movies and that’s all I can expect.   

VERDICT: Four stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You don’t watch F1 but want to see some fast cars and Brad Pitt.  
UPCOMING REVIEW: Jurassic World: Rebirth

Film: The Phoenician Scheme

 

GENRE: Comedy Drama
RATING: PG-13 for violence and some sexual material
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 41 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, Sicario, French Dispatch)
Mia Threapleton (newcomer); Michael Cera (Superbad, Molly’s Game)
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson (Rushmore, Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs)
WRITERS: Anderson & Roman Coppola (Asteroid City, Moonrise Kingdom)
PLOT: A wealthy business appoints his daughter, a nun, as his sole heir. They begin an enterprise that depends on a lot of cooperation from others.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I love Wes Anderson films. All of them.  

STORY STUFF: I usually love a well-told Wes Anderson tale but this one did not grab me. The characters, dialogue and plenty of scenes were all wonderfully done but the plotline, the scheme, got a little complicated for me. There is a lot of stuff about money and assassination attempts but I didn’t find myself rooting for the characters as much. Even so, it is still a fun watch.    

ACTING STUFF: The Anderson troupe of actors always give top-notch performances. You can tell that they all just love playing these quirky characters and mingling will fellow stars. Del Toro is perfectly cast as the death-defying businessman – his reactions to the madness around him is priceless. Cera was born to be a part of this eccentric acting company. He is awesome – especially half-way through the film. Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston are great hamming it up. Scarlett Johansson is underused but probably because she was busy in Jurassic Park. And the cameo you are waiting for does eventually show up in an amazing role.

ARTISTIC STUFF: As usual, the production design is so precise and makes me want to watch it again to catch some of the background details. It is simply impeccable. As seen the closing credits, the art work depicted in this film are not recreations but originals borrowed from a few collectors. The camera work is classic Anderson with all the elements we have come to expect. You will definitely not be disappointed with that aspect of the film.  

VERDICT: Four stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like Wes Anderson films.  
UPCOMING REVIEW: F1

Film: Ballerina

 

GENRE: Action
RATING: R for lots of violence and some language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 4 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Ana De Armas (No Time to Die, Knives Out, Blonde)
Gabriel Byrne (Usual Suspects); Keanu Reeves (John Wick, The Matrix)
DIRECTOR: Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard)
WRITERS: Shay Hatten (John Wick 3 & 4), Derek Kolstad (John Wick 1- 4)
PLOT: Between the third and fourth John Wick, a female assassin is trained and then sets out to avenger her father’s death.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I liked the John Wick franchise.

STORY STUFF: Lots of hand-to-hand and gunplay like I expected. There is also some fire stuff that is both awesome and silly at the same time. The story is not really complicated but that’s not why we watch these films. I do find it funny how certain people are shot instantly and others are kept alive despite pricey bounties on their heads. You know who is going to survive so the stakes are not that high but it is still entertaining. We know that Eve and John Wick may be facing off but they both need to make it out alive.   

ACTING STUFF: Not much to talk about; de Armas is fun to watch as she kicks butt throughout the film. Reeves taps into his Wick persona perfectly. It was also nice to see Lance Reddick in his final role as Charon. Same goes for Ian McShane as Winston.  

ARTISTIC STUFF: There is this great dolly shot as Eve collects her knives from various victims after an unseen battle. The stunt choreography is awesome although I feel sorry for the stunt people when they get lit on fire. Love the locations – there is this beautiful winter town that I would love to visit if it weren’t populated by hundreds of assassins. I also enjoyed the perfect closing touch of a couple Evanescence songs for the end credits.

VERDICT: Four stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like John Wick and fine with a woman kicking butt
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Phoenician Scheme

Film: Mountainhead

 

GENRE: Drama
RATING: R for lots of language and some violence
RUNTIME: 1 hour and 48 minutes
PLATFORM: HBO Max (Crave)
STARRING: Steve Carell (The Office, The Morning Show, Beautiful Boy)
Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night); Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore)
DIRECTOR: Jesse Armstrong (newcomer)
WRITER: Jesse Armstrong (Succession, The Thick of It)
PLOT: Four obscenely rich friends hang out while the world burns.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I liked Succession and the actors involved in this.

STORY STUFF: This film was disturbing but in a good way. The talking is rapidly paced like the show Succession and some of the topics went over my head at times. Glad I had the subtitles on. The humour is incredibly dark as these rich guys make light of the tragic economic crisis in the world that is leading to AI infused hysteria. And it only gets darker from there.  

ACTING STUFF: The film is a four-hander so the casting is important and top-notch. I like when Carell gets to have a dark side. Schwartzman is always great at showing misplaced confidence. Smith is on a roll lately and fun to watch in his douche-y role. The fourth role is Ramy Youssef (Ramy) who is the voice of reason but pours it on a little thick. All four are a treat to watch as they play off each other in this film.

ARTISTIC STUFF: The rich, winter cabin-style house and its surrounding areas are beautiful. Kudos on the set design and location manager. The music is effective throughout.

VERDICT: Three and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You liked Succession and can laugh at real life absurdity.
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Phoenician Scheme

Film: Fountain of Youth

 

GENRE: Action Adventure
RATING: PG-13 for violence and brief language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 5 minutes
PLATFORM: Apple TV+
STARRING: John Krasinski (The Office, Jack Ryan, A Quiet Place)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Thor); Domhnall Gleeson (Star Wars 7-9)
DIRECTOR: Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes, The Gentlemen)
WRITER: James Vanderbilt (Zodiac, Amazing Spider-Man, Scream VI)
PLOT: Siblings join forces to find the Fountain of Youth, Indy-style.        

FULL DISCLOSURE: Looked like an Indiana Jones knock-off.

STORY STUFF: There are some good attempts to go all Indiana Jones or at least National Treasure but it falls short unfortunately. The sibling angle didn’t work for me. I like when they are trying to solve mysterious clues which has some good moments but when they get closer to the fountain, they seem to know exactly what to do without much thought. There are a couple good action sequences but nothing ‘wow’. It’s okay as a popcorn movie if you happen to subscribe to Apple.

ACTING STUFF: I like Krasinski as Jack Ryan, so I like his action stuff, but he is too goofy here and trying too hard for the Harrison Ford charisma. Portman doesn’t get much to do either except be a stick in the mud. Stanley Tucci (Devil Wears Prada) is always a welcome presence but he is barely in this; I don’t know why he signed on in the first place. I was also confused about Arian Moayed’s (Succession) role in this film.

ARTISTIC STUFF: The action is okay. The special effects are okay. Everything is just okay.

VERDICT: Two and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You just want a film you don’t have to think too much about.
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Phoenician Scheme

Film: Mission:Impossible - The Final Reckoning

 

GENRE: Action Adventure
RATING: PG-13 for violence and brief language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 49 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Tom Cruise (Top Gun, Edge of Tomorrow, Minority Report)
Hayley Atwell (Captain America); Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek)
DIRECTOR: Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible 5-8)
WRITERS: Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers, M:I - Dead Reckoning)
Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Tom Gun: Maverick)

PLOT: Ethan Hunt is back to save the world from nuclear war at the hands of the AI known as The Entity.        

FULL DISCLOSURE: My expectation was huge for this film.

STORY STUFF: I wanted to like this film more. I love this franchise; it is one of my favourites. If this is the end, then I think they did a good job wrapping it up. My biggest issue is that there were less amazing action sequences and less humour this time around. Even with the weight of the world always on Ethan’s shoulders, there is also some lightness that keeps me entertained. The plane sequence at the end is action-packed, although it reminded me of the 6^th mission. Underwater sub stuff is all about timing and suspense but not riveting like a car chase. On another note, I always wonder how one man can be so lucky and unlucky at the same time. There is a fun reveal about one of the characters that I thought was cute. This film is still entertaining as a wrap up to the series but earlier missions have been better (except for the second one).

ACTING STUFF: Cruise is great as Ethan Hunt but doesn’t get to be funny this time around; same goes for Pegg. I loved seeing the murderers row of ‘that guys’ in this film. Milchick from Severance and Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec were the standouts for me. Not a fan of Angela Basset (or her son storyline). There was one returning character I was hoping for and it was great to see him not only appear but be an integral part of the story (I won’t spoil it for you though).

ARTISTIC STUFF: The action sequences always look great. I was happy with the references and callbacks to previous missions but the clip show aspect looked pretty sitcom-y at times.

VERDICT: Four stars out of five (I’m grading on a curve)
SEE IT IF: You’ve seen the other ones.
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Phoenician Scheme

Film: Thunderbolts*

 

GENRE: Superhero Action
RATING: PG-13 for violence, language and thematic elements
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 6 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Florence Pugh (Midsommar, Black Widow, A Good Person)
Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice); Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick)
DIRECTOR: Jake Schreier (Beef, Robot & Frank, Kidding)
WRITERS: Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thor: Ragnarok, Transformers One)
Joanna Calo (The Bear, Beef, BoJack Horseman)
PLOT: The anti-heroes of past Marvel films team up to stop a threat.        

FULL DISCLOSURE: Mix of lowered expectations and hoping for good stuff.

STORY STUFF: I really liked this film. I personally think they should have ended the franchise with Endgame but this made me interested again after a string of ho-hum Marvel phases. The subject matter gets pretty deep with a lot of talk about depression and loneliness but they handle it incredibly well. If you look at the director and writer, you can tell that this is not your typical Marvel roster of behind-the-scenes talent. What I really enjoyed about this film is that the group stuck together for the majority of the time instead of splitting them off so they could shine without the others. It’s the relationships that are at the heart of this film. I liked the pacing and I’m glad there were a bunch of well-crafted funny lines to break up the seriousness. I do think watching Black Widow and the Falcon & the Winter Soldier series would be helpful to get a better understanding of a few characters but it is not necessary.

ACTING STUFF: Pugh is amazing. She is so captivating to watch as she taps into real emotion and character work that it almost seems unfair to be in a Marvel film. David Harbour (Stranger Things) is also bringing his A game with both comic relief for the group and powerful emotional moments with Pugh. And then you have Sebastian Stan just coming in like a rockstar in every scene. I did not like Wyatt Russell in the Falcon & Winter Soldier series but he grew on me in this film as his dickishness was necessary and also added some humour. Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost surprisingly doesn’t get much to do except use her cool fighting powers – I don’t get a sense about her character’s personality. And while I like Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld), I still find it odd to have her in a film like this. Finally, Pullman was maybe a tad too geeky but I still enjoyed his performance as Bob.

ARTISTIC STUFF: I like that there was a lot less green screen in this film. Way to use the Utah landscape folks! The mountain bunker and upper tower fight sequences were done incredibly well. There’s a point when New York is getting taken over by blackness and it just reminded me of a Spider-Man cartoon episode where black goo takes over the city with some humourous repetition. What I would have liked in this film is more of a soundtrack. I like Starship’s “Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now” but felt there should be a few more needledrops – maybe in Red Guardian’s limo. By the way, after a wonderful end credit magazine sequence, there is a funny stinger and then there is an important one at the very end. This one was more worth it than the past string of stingers.

VERDICT: Four and a half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You are able to give Marvel another chance.
UPCOMING REVIEW: Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning

Film: Sinners

 

GENRE: Period Vampire Drama
RATING: R for bloody violence, sexual content and language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 17 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Michael B Jordan (Creed, Black Panther, Fruitvale Station)
Miles Caton (newcomer); Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, Bumblebee, Hawkeye)
DIRECTOR: Ryan Coogler (Creed, Wakanda Forever, Fruitvale Station)
WRITER: Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station, Creed)
PLOT: Twin brothers return home to start a Juke Club but end up awakening an evil force. 

FULL DISCLOSURE: The 98% on Rotten Tomatoes convinced me.

STORY STUFF: This is not your typical vampire flick. The time period, racial tension and musical aspects set it apart from a lot of other films. Although, I did think of From Dusk to Dawn when watching. I liked the premise of the story and following these brothers as they try to start their life again. I was little surprised at the sensuality which strayed away from typical horror sex before getting killed by a boogeyman. The pacing works well and I often like the one crazy night trope in films. There were a couple of endings but not as bad as LOTR. The post-credit sequence was interesting but also visually fun with the outfits.  

ACTING STUFF: Coogler always get the best out of Jordan. While dual roles are sometimes campy, this film makes it work. I was thankful that their red and blue outfits set them apart easily for me. Jordan is always captivating but the rest of the cast is also bringing their A game. I enjoyed Delroy Lindo (Gone in 60 Seconds) and his contributions to this film.

ARTISTIC STUFF: The cinematography is top notch and so are the costumes. What sticks out the most are the songs that are played in the car and at the club. There’s a great stomping song. There is also one scene that I enjoyed that breaks some film norms but I have a feeling it will take others out of the film entirely for a few minutes. I’m not a huge blues fan but it was still enjoyable to listen to.      

VERDICT: Four and a half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like vampires set in the great Depression south with music.
UPCOMING REVIEW: Thunderbolts*

Film: The Amateur

 

GENRE: Action Spy Film
RATING: PG-13 for violence and language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 3 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Rami Malek (Mr. Robot, No Time to Die, Bohemian Rhapsody)
Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, John Wick 2); Holt McCallany (Mindhunter)
DIRECTOR: James Hawes (Slow Horses. One Life)
WRITERS: Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down) & Gary Spinelli (American Made)
PLOT: An CIA decoder seeks vengeance when his wife is killed in a terrorist attack and the CIA won’t help.        

FULL DISCLOSURE: This looked like an okay popcorn flick.

STORY STUFF: Just as I suspected, a nice popcorn flick. The storyline is pretty predictable, especially with a couple of the deaths shown in the trailer. While an analyst taking down bad guys is a Jack Ryan thing to do, Malek’s Heller is more panicky and not really saving the day, just getting revenge. There are some good chases and clever devices but nothing to hoot and holler about. I wish there was a bit more humour thrown in. There was a line about ‘treason’ that I found hypocritically funny.

ACTING STUFF: Malek on computers isn’t new as he rocked his Mr. Robot role a few years back. He gets to be more active and little less socially awkward. Fishburne seems to be stuck in these mentor roles lately. Jon Bernthal has a small role as an agent aptly names ‘The Bear’. If you need a slightly crazy tough guy, he’s your man.    

ARTISTIC STUFF: Not much to say here. Some okay action pieces.     

VERDICT: Three stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You aren’t sick of spy stuff on TV
UPCOMING REVIEW: Thunderbolts*

Film: Mickey 17

 

GENRE: Sci-Fi/Dark Comedy
RATING: R for violence, language and some sexual content
RUNTIME: 2 hour and 17 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Robert Pattinson (Tenet, Twilight, The Batman, The Lighthouse)
Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight, Poor Things); Naomi Ackie (Master of None)
DIRECTOR: Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, Snowpiercer, Okja)
WRITER: Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja)
PLOT: An expendable is tasked with dangerous jobs while colonizing an ice planet with mysterious creatures.       

FULL DISCLOSURE: Wanted to see Pattinson die a bunch.

STORY STUFF: Not going to lie, wish they showed more of the Mickey’s deaths. There is some dark, dark humour in this film. I did enjoy that they sometimes forgot to put the table on the receiving end of the printer. Also liked the back and forth of the printer. There are a bunch of great scenes in this film but there are also a lot of parts that drag. I get the point that is being made but it takes too long to get there at times. Surprisingly enough, I think this film could have been quirkier.

ACTING STUFF: Pattison does good work but I’m not a fan of the actor, so I have a hard time rooting for him. Ruffalo adds some Trump-iness to his leader role but lays it on a little thick at times. Toni Collette (Sixth Sense) has a fun obsession with sauces but that was all I liked about her performance. Ackie does well as Mickey’s girlfriend. Steven Yeun (Walking Dead) is underused.   

ARTISTIC STUFF: Being an ice planet, there is not much to look at landscape-wise. The creepers are well done and entertaining to watch.    

VERDICT: Three stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You want something weird with a few dark laughs
UPCOMING REVIEW: The Amateur

Oscar Wrap Up 2025

 

Here are some thoughts on this year’s Oscars:

·         I got 14/23. Not a great showing but I knew there were a lot of tight races and I had a 50/50 chance on a few of them and picked wrong.  

·        A little too much love for Wizard of Oz and Wicked to start the show.

·         Conan O’Brien was pretty good as a host. It felt like he had nothing to lose since he doesn’t really have a show right now. I liked his Lithgow and Sandler bits.

·         The banter was awful. Andrew Garfield please shut up about Goldie Hawn.

·         Amy Poehler was good and Ben Stiller had a funny bit with the platform.

·         The presenters talking to each of the nominees was mind-numbingly dull. Just show us the clips of these people acting so we can appreciate their performances. They rarely even said what movie they were in. And then adding this format to costumes and cinematography? This is the worst idea that the Oscars have had in a while.

·         Halle Berry’s dress was blinding

·         Original Song lady singing “Emilia” at the end of her speech? Did not need that.

·         If you have four people getting the award, pick one person to talk, you are just going to get cut off. That one person can thank your family as well.

·         Adrien Brody stop saying you’ll be brief and then go on for another few minutes trying to sound inspirational. You are the reason they have play off music. Where was Lithgow’s disappointing face?

·         I was happy for Mikey Madison. And for Sean Baker who got to thank Quentin personally for casting Mikey in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

·         Sean Baker personally got four statues tonight. Is that a record?

·         Glad they didn’t have actors introduce the best picture nominees and just showed clips (including behind the scenes) with some voice over. It was quick and a good way to get back in after the commercials.

·         Not much else to say. Oscars needs to step up on their clip packages instead of having people talk to nominees in the audience.

Okay, here’s who won:

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
I’M NOT A ROBOT

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
IN THE SHADOW OF THE CYPRESS

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA (predicted)

SOUND
DUNE, PART TWO (predicted)

ORIGINAL SCORE
THE BRUTALIST

ORIGINAL SONG
EL MAL (predicted)

VISUAL EFFECTS
DUNE, PART TWO (predicted)

MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING
THE SUBSTANCE (predicted)

COSTUME DESIGN
WICKED (predicted)

PRODUCTION DESIGN
WICKED (predicted)

FILM EDITING
ANORA

CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE BRUATLIST (predicted)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
NO OTHER LAND

ANIMATED FEATURE
FLOW

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
I’M STILL HERE (predicted)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
CONCLAVE (predicted)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANORA (predicted)

BEST DIRECTOR
SEAN BAKER [ANORA] (predicted)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ZOE SALDANA [EMILIA PEREZ] (predicted)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
KIERAN CULKIN. [A REAL PAIN] (predicted)

BEST ACTRESS
MIKEY MADISON [ANORA]

BEST ACTOR
ADRIEN BRODY [THE BRUTALIST]

BEST PICTURE
ANORA

How did you do?