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Sunday, August 20, 2006
Snakes on a Plane
Director: David Ellis
Possum’s Grade: B
There is not a lot that can be said about S.o.a.P. that has not already been said this year. The cultural phenomenon generated simply by the title of this movie drew Benji and I in, so we decided to check it out on opening night. Joining us were four screens, filled nearly to capacity, of college students, high school students, and a handful of young adults, like us, who still tend to act like college students. Fortunately no one came dressed in a snake costume…or a plane costume for that matter.
I went in with some concern and skepticism. So many people were convinced that this was going to be a funny movie, but all the trailers looked like it was a typical action/thriller. In that case, it was going to take a spectacular disaster to make SoaP laughable. Of course, Hollywood while not having produced a truly great film in a while has also failed to produce any glorious train wrecks because of the fear of taking any sort of chance. There is a fine line between greatness and disaster in filmmaking and Hollywood is stuck somewhere in between. I was rooting for a disaster not seen in a number of years.
But Snakes on a Plane is not a disaster. I wasn’t laughing at the movie, rather the movie was laughing with me. It doesn’t bother to explain itself, giving you just enough setup to get to what everyone came to see: snakes…on a plane. Sure the plot and many of the solutions make very little sense and are completely implausible. Sure it results to some cheap laughter (we see people bitten by snakes in every uncomfortable place imaginable). But with a wink at the camera, all the actors give inspired performances. I’m not saying that they were good performances, but it was apparent they had as much fun making the movie as we were having watching it. The only exception being Juliana Marguilies who seems to suck the life out of everything each time she appears on the screen. Snakes on a Plane could be the best B-movie since Army of Darkness. In fact, Bruce Campbell is the only other person who could have pulled off the lead role besides Samuel L. Jackson.
The opening night crowd made watching SoaP that much more fun. From the time the titled appeared on screen until the Cobra Starship music video played through the credits they were cheering, applauding and laughing out loud. And of course there was an eruption when Samuel L. drops The Line. If you don’t know what The Line is, you have been living under a rock for most of 2006.
With all respect to Mr. Jackson, I had not had enough of all the m’f’ing snakes on the m’f’ing plane.
Little Miss Sunshine
Director: Jonathan Dayton
Possum’s Grade: A
When 7 year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) qualifies for the Little Miss Sunshine pageant finals in Rodondo Beach, California, her father (Greg Kinnear) and mother (Toni Collette) load up the family in a yellow VW bus to make the trek from Albuquerque. Along for the ride is brother Dwayne who is an aspiring fighter pilot who has taken a vow of silence and not spoken in 9 months, Uncle Frank (Steve Carrell) formerly the nation’s foremost Proust scholar who recently moved in after being released from the hospital following a suicide attempt, and Grandpa (Alan Arkin) who was kicked out of his retirement community for snorting heroin. The result is the best road movie since 2005s Transamerica.
Billed as a laugh-out-loud comedy, the laughs are certainly there. The Bus itself is the best running gag as the family has to give it a push start each time they stop after burning out the clutch. Seeing each member running to catch up then jumping through the door over and over never gets old. However some, like myself, will be surprised to find themselves overwhelmed by the depression of the characters. Watching each family member wallowing in their own self-pity sucked me into the same darkness to the point that the humor was bothering me. Yet in overcoming many obstacles and making it to the pageant just in time the family begins to become more supportive and understanding of each other.
Once the pageant begins, it is obvious to everyone that Olive is in over her head. Her one piece bathing suit looks sad standing beside the JonBenet’s in their sequined two-pieces. Despite her family’s wishes to protect her, she takes the stage for the talent portion of the contest to show off the moves that her grandpa had taught her. What follows is at once a little shocking while leaving you crying with laughter. Without spoiling it I will say that after an hour and a half of feeling depressed this scene serves as a catharsis for the family as well as the audience.
Little Miss Sunshine is a performance driven comedy. The director does a brilliant job capturing Breslin as Olive just being a 7 year-old. And when the Oscar discussion begins for supporting actor, Steve Carrell’s name must be mention. I don’t think he will be nominated, but his name will be brought up.
Possible upcoming reviews:
Theatres: World Trade Center, Idlewild, The Illusionist, Who Killed the Electric Car?
DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Lost City, Brick, Friends With Money
Director: David Ellis
Possum’s Grade: B
There is not a lot that can be said about S.o.a.P. that has not already been said this year. The cultural phenomenon generated simply by the title of this movie drew Benji and I in, so we decided to check it out on opening night. Joining us were four screens, filled nearly to capacity, of college students, high school students, and a handful of young adults, like us, who still tend to act like college students. Fortunately no one came dressed in a snake costume…or a plane costume for that matter.
I went in with some concern and skepticism. So many people were convinced that this was going to be a funny movie, but all the trailers looked like it was a typical action/thriller. In that case, it was going to take a spectacular disaster to make SoaP laughable. Of course, Hollywood while not having produced a truly great film in a while has also failed to produce any glorious train wrecks because of the fear of taking any sort of chance. There is a fine line between greatness and disaster in filmmaking and Hollywood is stuck somewhere in between. I was rooting for a disaster not seen in a number of years.
But Snakes on a Plane is not a disaster. I wasn’t laughing at the movie, rather the movie was laughing with me. It doesn’t bother to explain itself, giving you just enough setup to get to what everyone came to see: snakes…on a plane. Sure the plot and many of the solutions make very little sense and are completely implausible. Sure it results to some cheap laughter (we see people bitten by snakes in every uncomfortable place imaginable). But with a wink at the camera, all the actors give inspired performances. I’m not saying that they were good performances, but it was apparent they had as much fun making the movie as we were having watching it. The only exception being Juliana Marguilies who seems to suck the life out of everything each time she appears on the screen. Snakes on a Plane could be the best B-movie since Army of Darkness. In fact, Bruce Campbell is the only other person who could have pulled off the lead role besides Samuel L. Jackson.
The opening night crowd made watching SoaP that much more fun. From the time the titled appeared on screen until the Cobra Starship music video played through the credits they were cheering, applauding and laughing out loud. And of course there was an eruption when Samuel L. drops The Line. If you don’t know what The Line is, you have been living under a rock for most of 2006.
With all respect to Mr. Jackson, I had not had enough of all the m’f’ing snakes on the m’f’ing plane.
Little Miss Sunshine
Director: Jonathan Dayton
Possum’s Grade: A
When 7 year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) qualifies for the Little Miss Sunshine pageant finals in Rodondo Beach, California, her father (Greg Kinnear) and mother (Toni Collette) load up the family in a yellow VW bus to make the trek from Albuquerque. Along for the ride is brother Dwayne who is an aspiring fighter pilot who has taken a vow of silence and not spoken in 9 months, Uncle Frank (Steve Carrell) formerly the nation’s foremost Proust scholar who recently moved in after being released from the hospital following a suicide attempt, and Grandpa (Alan Arkin) who was kicked out of his retirement community for snorting heroin. The result is the best road movie since 2005s Transamerica.
Billed as a laugh-out-loud comedy, the laughs are certainly there. The Bus itself is the best running gag as the family has to give it a push start each time they stop after burning out the clutch. Seeing each member running to catch up then jumping through the door over and over never gets old. However some, like myself, will be surprised to find themselves overwhelmed by the depression of the characters. Watching each family member wallowing in their own self-pity sucked me into the same darkness to the point that the humor was bothering me. Yet in overcoming many obstacles and making it to the pageant just in time the family begins to become more supportive and understanding of each other.
Once the pageant begins, it is obvious to everyone that Olive is in over her head. Her one piece bathing suit looks sad standing beside the JonBenet’s in their sequined two-pieces. Despite her family’s wishes to protect her, she takes the stage for the talent portion of the contest to show off the moves that her grandpa had taught her. What follows is at once a little shocking while leaving you crying with laughter. Without spoiling it I will say that after an hour and a half of feeling depressed this scene serves as a catharsis for the family as well as the audience.
Little Miss Sunshine is a performance driven comedy. The director does a brilliant job capturing Breslin as Olive just being a 7 year-old. And when the Oscar discussion begins for supporting actor, Steve Carrell’s name must be mention. I don’t think he will be nominated, but his name will be brought up.
Possible upcoming reviews:
Theatres: World Trade Center, Idlewild, The Illusionist, Who Killed the Electric Car?
DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Lost City, Brick, Friends With Money
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