“The Hunting Party”

Start with a war-torn countryside, add a dash of satire, a little action and a pinch of sermonizing and you’ll have “The Hunting Party.” This not quite fully-baked mixture stars Richard Gere as Simon Hunt, a burnt-out war correspondent banished to Bosnia after suffering an on-air meltdown. Five years later, Hunt’s ex-cameraman “Duck” (Terrance Howard), who’s traded in the war zone for a network job, is back in Bosnia to do a puff piece on the war’s end with Benjamin Strauss (Jesse Eisenberg), a young reporter (and son of the network’s V.P.). Hunt entices Duck by claiming he’s after an interview with a notorious war criminal known as the Fox (Ljubomir Kerekes). It’s not until the three of them are in the thick of it that Hunt reveals his true intention. My tweet pretty much sums it up: The Hunting Party-Reporter Richard Gere realizes it’ll take more than a story to restart his career & goes after a war criminal instead. 6.5 (out of 10) The producers of “The Hunting Party” make a point of telling you this is a true story. Which may be because they had a hard time conjuring up believable characters. Hunt is the beaten-down, yet eternal, idealist, Duck is the corporate sellout trying to convince himself he isn’t and Strauss is the nervous newbie who surprises everyone by having a backbone. The movie has its moments, like this exchange when Hunt meets Strauss for the first time: “Benjamin, you look young enough to be someone important’s son.” But there aren't enough of those moments to lift this movie. Bottom line: it’s an okay flick but you can do better.  

Another Richard Gere movie you might like: “The Hoax”

“The Hunting Party”

Released: 2007

Rating: R

Length: 104 minutes

Cast: Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg

Director: Richard Shepard

Genre(s): Adaptation, Comedy, Action

“Enchanted”

Hands down my favorite Amy Adams movie. In fact, she carries “Enchanted” with an unbelievably believable performance as a fairytale princess who finds herself stranded in the very unenchanted New York City. Once in the city, Giselle (Ms Adams) retains her pluck along with the rose-colored view of the world of someone who believes in happy endings. She’s rescued and reluctantly taken in by Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey), a jaded divorce attorney who has no reason to believe in happy endings. But, surprise! there is a happy ending. However, this modern twist on the classic Disney fairytale from Disney itself is a knowing, post-modern update. Prince Edward (James Marsden) is Giselle’s vacuous sword-wielding suitor, unable to decipher modern New York. The evil Queen’s (Susan Sarandon) henchman Nathaniel, (Timothy Spall) obediently does the Queen’s bidding but, according to a call he places to a talk-radio psychologist, he feels unappreciated. And when Giselle calls for the local critters to help with her cleaning chores, she’s greeted by New York’s own pigeons, cockroaches and sewer rats. This particular event leads to one of the film’s musical numbers and, critters aside, it’s the kind you’d expect from Disney. There are also plenty of references to other films in the Disney catalog for Disney-philes. But even if you’re not, there’s a lot to like in “Enchanted.” It may be a little “Shalit-esque,” but I found it enchanting. My tweet: Enchanted-When an evil stepmother strands her in New York City, Disney Princess Amy Adams makes it her own magic kingdom. 8.5 (out of 10)

Other Amy Adams movies worth a look: Julie & Julia, Doubt

“Enchanted”

Released: 2007

Rating: PG

Length: 108 minutes

Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel

Director: Kevin Lima

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance, Adventure

“Julie & Julia”

I’m probably not the only reviewer who liked one half of “Julie & Julia” better than the other. (For those who are wondering, the “Julia” half.) But then, who is Julie Powell (Amy Adams) in comparison to Julia Child (Meryl Streep)? Julie Child is an icon – her kitchen is in the Smithsonian, for Pete’s sake. Julie Powell is a frustrated writer in an unfulfilling job looking for a creative outlet. For Julia, cooking is a passion. While perhaps no less a passion for Julie, her feat is more of a stunt, as she cooks her way through Julia’s classic, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and blogs about it. The truth is, the story of Julia Child and how she became “Julia Child” is just more interesting. The love affair between Julia and her husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci) is charming and something I’d never heard about. So it adds a new dimension to the character we know from “The French Chef.” Post-war Paris, where the Childs live when Paul is a diplomat, is much more picturesque than Queens, N.Y. And Amy Adams is simply outgunned in the acting department. Not only does Meryl Streep have more to work with in Julia Child, she performs the feat of bringing this larger than life character down to earth. In contrast, Amy Adams (who I usually love) feels like she’s trying to keep up, just as Julie is trying to keep up with Julia. Director Nora Ephron does a great job of knitting the two stories together and making them move in parallel paths. And it’s actually quite enjoyable, hence my rating. But I think it would have been even better if it were titled “Nobody & Julia” or better still, “Paul & Julia,” hence my tweet: Julie & Julia-Nora Ephron blends Julia Child’s story with that of blogging admirer Julie Powell and creates a lopsided soufflé. 7.5 (out of 10)

“Julie & Julia”

Released: 2009

Rating: PG-13

Length: 123 minutes

Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, Chris Messina, Jane Lynch

Director: Nora Ephron

Genre(s): Adaptation, Romantic Comedy

“The Twelve Chairs”

My tweet: The Twelve Chairs-Mel Brooks made a movie between “The Producers” and “Blazing Saddles” that no one ever talks about. This is it. 5.5 (out of 10) I never heard of this movie before. But even Brooks’ less successful films are usually a good time. “The Twelve Chairs” certainly opens on a good note. It’s post-revolutionary Russia and an old lady, a one-time member of the aristocracy, makes a death-bed confession to hiding a fortune in jewelry inside an old dining room chair (one of 12) that has since been lost. That sends orthodox priest Father Fyodor (Dom Deluise) and her son-in-law, Ippolit Vorobyaninov, (Ron Moody) on a race to find the chairs and ultimately the jewels. I was expecting a madcap treasure hunt akin to “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” But “The Twelve Chairs” never rises to that film’s level of slapstick and certainly not to the inspired lunacy of “The Producers” or Blazing Saddles.” It’s not all bad though. Frank Langella, as a larcenous beggar who teams up with Vorobyaninov, is a dashing presence. And both Dom Deluise and Ron Moody have their moments. But unless you’re a hardcore Mel Brooks fan who wants to see everything in his catalog, I think you can better than “The Twelve Chairs.” Brooks certainly did.

“The Twelve Chairs”

Released: 1970

Rating: NR

Length: 94 minutes

Cast: Ron Moody, Frank Langella, Dom DeLuise, Mel Brooks

Director: Mel Brooks

Genre(s): Comedy

“Ghost Town”

The reason to rent this DVD, in a word (two, actually): Ricky Gervais, who does another spin on the socially-awkward character he perfected on “The Office.” In “Ghost Town” he plays Bertram Pincus, a dentist who dies on the table during a colonoscopy and is revived, only to discover that he now can see and communicate with dead people. One particular member of his new group of friends is Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear), a recently-deceased cad who “convinces” Bertram to break up his widowed wife’s (Tea Leoni) pending marriage. And as is the law in the world of romantic comedies, Bertram must eventually fall in love with the widow and she with him. But that’s a little difficult when Bertram is an “anti-people” person who has a gift for saying and doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. Gervais himself has a gift for making these cringe-inducing characters watchable. Just as in “The Office,” you’ll watch a scene unfold and think to yourself, “he’s not going to do that… oh please don’t do that” and when does, you think to yourself, “I can believe he just did that.” And that’s the fun part in an otherwise pretty tame romantic comedy. My favorite scene: The dog with bad breath. My tweet, inspired by Bertram’s ability to see dead people: Ghost Town-Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni & Greg Kinnear star in this romantic comedy loosely based on M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Sixth Sense.” 7 (out of 10)

“Ghost Town”

Released: 2008

Rating: PG-13

Length: 102 minutes

Cast: Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Tea Leoni

Director: David Koepp

Genre(s): Comedy, Romantic Comedy

“Stranger than Fiction”

Let me first say that I like Will Ferrell. You might even consider me a fan. “Blades of Glory,” great. “Talladega Nights,” terrific. “Elf,” a delight. But “Stranger than Fiction,” just okay. The difference? As Howard Crick, the main character in “Stranger than Fiction,” Ferrell’s essentially playing himself. And sorry, but he’s not that interesting an actor. It makes me wonder if he can carry a movie when not in character or doing broad comedy. If you don’t agree, rent “Melinda, Melinda.” It’s painful to watch Ferrell do his Woody Allen impersonation. Or look at the dismal box office for “Land of the Lost.” The other thing about “Stranger than Fiction” is that I liked the idea more than the movie itself. It's a pretty standard story about "living like you were dying" but with a high concept twist. I can just imagine the pitch: “The main character realizes he’s the character in the book, a la ‘The Truman Show.’” And “Stranger” tries to get all metaphysical like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Being John Malkovich” but lacks their wit, charm and inventiveness. So while watching "Stranger" I couldn’t keep from thinking about those other movies and wondering how much better this one could have been. Which earned it this tweet: Stranger than Fiction-This Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman-esque movie suffers from not being attached to Spike Jonze or Charlie Kaufman. 6.5 (out of 10)

“Stranger than Fiction”

Released: 2006

Rating: PG-13

Length: 113 minutes

Cast: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman

Director: Marc Forster

Genre(s): Comedy, Fantasy

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966)

I know this isn’t a movie. But it is available on Netflix, so it’s worth a word. I have to admit, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is my must-see Christmas cartoon. Chuck Jones of Warner Brothers/Bugs Bunny/“What’s Opera, Doc?” fame lends his hand at bringing Dr. Seuss’s story about the fall and rise of the green grouch to life. And frankly, this animated TV show manages to pack more entertainment into a half hour than Ron Howard and Jim Carrey had in their bloated, live-action version. Partly because the story hews closely to the book – the only major addition are the musical numbers (including, “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, a.k.a. Tony the Tiger in the Frosted Flakes commercials) – and Boris Karloff’s pitch-perfect narration. Seuss manages to teach a Dickens-worthy lesson about the spirit of Christmas without being preachy or syrupy, while Jones manages to add his special touch without getting in the way. The result of their collaboration is a cure for even the biggest holiday grump. My tweet: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)-Dr Seuss & Chuck Jones believe even hardened cynics can be redeemed. Dick Cheney, are you watching? 10 (out of 10) Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my hands on a trailer or promo for the show, so here is one of my favorite scenes:

Other holiday movies worth watching: “A Christmas Story” and “Elf”

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

Released: 1966

Rating: NR

Length: 26 minutes

Cast: Boris Karloff, Thurl Ravenscroft, June Foray

Director: Chuck Jones

Genre(s): Children's Fantasy, Fantasy Comedy, Holiday

“Transamerica”

It’s been said (by me, at least) that the pretty actress who plays ugly usually gets the Oscar. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica.” (She was nominated. But the honor went to Reese Witherspoon for her portrayal of June Carter in “Walk the Line.”) They made a mistake. Huffman’s performance as Bree, a pre-operative male-to-female transsexual, is nothing short of amazing. She captures the man trapped inside the woman’s body in a way that’s so believable, you’ll find yourself forgetting what the real Felicity Huffman looks or sounds like. The plot of “Transamerica” is set in motion when Bree, who’s one signature away from her sexual reassignment surgery, gets a call from the son she never knew existed (Kevin Zegers) and her therapist (Elizabeth Peña) refuses to approve the surgery until she ties up this one last loose end from her prior life. Bree reluctantly flies to New York and then offers to drive the boy back to Los Angeles – while trying to conceal her true identity. There are bumps out on the road (including the revelation of Bree’s status). But over the course of the drive, the two learn a lot about themselves and each other as their relationship grows. That may make “Transamerica” sound like a conventional road movie about self-discovery. But it’s made much more interesting because of the subtle and graceful performance at its center. My tweet: Transamerica-A pre-op transsexual travels cross-country with his son & learns how to be a father just in time to become his mother. 8 (out of 10)

“Transamerica”

Released: 2005

Rating: R

Length: 103 minutes

Cast: Felicity Huffman, Kevin Zegers, Fionnula Flanagan, Burt Young, Elizabeth Peña

Director: Duncan Tucker

Genre(s): Drama, Family, Urban

“Elf”

Around this time of year, there’s an endless parade of saccharine-sweet holiday movies trying to tug at your heartstrings. Fortunately “Elf” is one of the few that won't leave you with sugar shock. Most of credit for that goes to Will Ferrell’s charming portrayal of Buddy the elf. (More on that later) As a baby, Buddy crawls into Santa’s (Ed Asner) sack unnoticed and ends up at the North Pole. Raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) as his own, Buddy grows up to be a misfit who towers over the other elves and doesn’t have their knack for building toys. When he’s told that his real father (James Caan) lives in New York City, Buddy sets off to find his roots. And that’s where the real fun begins. As an actor, Will Ferrell excels at playing clueless characters and Buddy provides him with the perfect conduit to channel his inner doofus. There’s such a wide-eyed innocence about Ferrell’s performance, that you truly believe Buddy is experiencing the City’s “charms” for the first time. And after a rough start in the Big Apple, Buddy manages to win over his stepbrother (Daniel Tay), get the girl (Zooey Deschanel), change his father’s heart and save Christmas. All that earns “Elf” a place on the nice list. Not just because of what the movie does, but because of the way it does it. My tweet: Elf-Hollywood retelling of SNL alum Will Ferrell’s first visit to New York City. 7.5 (out of 10)

Another holiday movie you might enjoy: “A Christmas Story”
Another Will Ferrell movie you might enjoy: “Blades of Glory”

“Elf”

Released: 2003

Rating: PG

Length: 97 minutes

Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Bob Newhart

Director: Jon Favreau

Genre(s): Comedy, Fantasy, Holiday

The Graduate: Here's to you, Dustin Hoffman

“The Graduate” is one of my all-time favorite movies and I've seen if more times than I can count. This time I made note of how brilliantly miscast Dustin Hoffman is as Benjamin Braddock. He’s a California native, but sounds like he was raised in New York. He doesn’t look like either one of his parents, William Daniels or Elizabeth Wilson. And he’s supposed to be a track star and “ladies man?” Director Mike Nichols took a tremendous leap of faith, because Dustin Hoffman is a disaster on paper. But on-screen he’s perfect. His fumbling responses to Mrs. Robinson’s (Anne Bancroft) seduction, the awkwardness of their first “meeting.” The way he tries to disgust daughter Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) on their first date only to apologize for his boorish behavior. His frenzied drive up and down the California coast as he tries to track her down and that final smile on the bus. The point is, there were a lot of actors in Hollywood who looked the part. (In fact, Robert Redford was originally considered.) But I can’t imagine anyone occupying it as well. My Tweet: The Graduate-Dustin Hoffman beds his father’s business partner’s wife and falls in love with their daughter. Then things get complicated. 10 (out of 10)

“The Graduate”

Released: 1967

Rating: PG

Length: 106 minutes

Cast: Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Katharine Ross, William Daniels

Director: Mike Nichols

Genre(s): Drama, Adaptation, Comedy

“Office Space”

Talk to anyone who works in a cubicle farm about “Office Space” and chances are they'll be able to quote it chapter and verse. Mike Judge’s workplace comedy pokes fun at almost everything that sucks the soul out of office staff -- clueless bosses, pointless procedures and ineffective “improvement” initiatives. Ron Livingston is the worker bee who, with the aid of a hypnosis session gone wrong, decides that the corporate life isn’t for him. And it’s precisely his “I couldn’t care less” attitude that starts to get him noticed by management. Which can be either good or bad, depending on your point of view. My 140-character review on Twitter: Office Space-A celebration of corporate America’s embrace of the human spirit and refusal to let go until it’s been crushed. 8.5 (out of 10)

Another Mike Judge movie you might enjoy: “Idiocracy”

“Office Space”

Released: 1999

Rating: R

Length: 89 minutes

Cast: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidud

Director: Mike Judge

Genre(s): Comedy, Romance

“Blades of Glory”

Will Ferrell adds another character to his Mount Rushmore that already includes such greats as Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby. In “Blades of Glory” Ferrell is Chazz Michael Michaels, the boozing, sex-addicted bad boy at the top of the figure-skating heap. When he and his prissy archrival Jimmy MacElroy played by Jon Heder, are banned from men’s figure skating for fighting on an awards platform, they find a loophole in the rules that allows them to enter the pairs competition as the first all-male team. Despite a bumpy start, they manage to put the bad blood behind them and forge a bond as Chazz, the clueless, self-centered clod, ends of having a heart while Jimmy, a regimented germophobe, learns to loosen up and grow in more Chazz-like ways. Now the only thing that can stop them from getting the gold medal is the Van Waldenbergs, a creepy brother/sister team played by real-life married couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler. And, oh yeah, a potentially fatal skating move called the Iron Lotus. My 140-character review on Twitter: Blades of Glory-Will Ferrell & Jon Heder bring their special brand of grace & elegance to the world of competitive figure skating. 7.5 (out of 10)

“Blades of Glory”

Released: 2007

Rating: PG-13

Length: 93 minutes

Cast: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler

Director: Will Speck, Josh Gordon

Genre(s): Comedy, Sports

Bottle Shock: The making of a French whine

"Bottle Shock" is the comedic/dramatic retelling of the biggest upset in wine-tasting history. This fateful "Judgement in Paris" is the brainchild of Parisian sommelier, Steven Spurrier, (Alan Rickman) who decides to stage a blind tasting between the best wines of France and California to help drum up publicity for his wine shop. While wending his way through California's wine country, looking for worthy competitors and sampling wines of various quality, Spurrier happens upon Chateau Montelena whose wines are quite excellent (I speak from experience). At first, Jim Barrett, (Bill Pullman) the struggling vineyard's owner, resists. But though a series of plot twists Chatean Montelena's chardonnay ends up in the competition. The scene at the judging is amusing as the various French judges trip over themselves to compliment what they believe are French wines while insulting the assumed Californians. This isn't much of a spoiler since you pretty much know it'll end even before the opening credits. The enjoyment of this movie lies in is how they get there. Which is why I tweeted: Bottle Shock-Story of how Chateau Montelena, with the help of French wine snobs, put Napa Valley on the map. Predictable yet satisfying. 7.5 (out of 10)

"Bottle Shock"

Released: 2008

Rating: PG-13

Length: 110 minutes

Cast: Chris Pine, Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman, Rachel Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez

Director: Randall M. Miller

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Swimming with Sharks: A different kind of buddy movie

For fans of Kevin Spacey, of which I count myself, “Swimming with Sharks” is a must see. Heck, even if you’re not a fan, it’s worth it. Spacey’s performance in this black comedy is a real treat. He plays Buddy Ackerman, a Hollywood studio executive who's expert at chewing up and spitting out assistants. (He makes Ari Gold of "Entourage" look like Mother Teresa.) And when an innocent new assistant, Guy (Frank Whaley) arrives, Buddy quickly sets his expectations for life in hell and keeps piling on the abuse until Guy can’t take it anymore. But rather than quit, Guy has other plans. This led me to tweet: Kevin Spacey plays an abusive studio executive who learns that the love you take is equal to the love you make. 8 (out ot 10) It can get a little brutal at times. But if you ever think you’ve got a bad boss, or have a revenge fantasy of your own, pop “Swimming with Sharks” into your DVD player. You’ll feel better.

"Swimming with Sharks"

Released: 1994

Rating: R

Length: 101 minutes

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley, Michelle Forbes, Benicio Del Toro

Director: George Huang

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Thriller

“Being There”

As the old saying goes, "When you assume you make an ass out of you and me." If you'd like a demonstration, I suggest you watch "Being There." In this satire, Peter Sellers is Chance, a simple-minded gardener put out on the street when attorneys come to settle his dead employer’s estate. Up until that point, Chance has only experienced life through the television set. (And mind you, this is before 500 channels of cable, so it’s not much of a life.) Chance's fortunes change when he’s struck by a limousine carrying wealthy socialite Eve Rand (Shirley MacLaine). A mumbled introduction later and Chance the gardener is rechristened Chauncey Gardiner. His well-groomed appearance, expensive clothing and reserved speaking manners compound that error by leading Eve and her politically-connected husband Benjamin (Melvyn Douglas) to assume Chance is a man of importance. So when introduced to members of the Rand’s inner circle, Chance’s simple gardening tip responses to complex questions take on the air of sage advice. From there it's only a matter of time before Chance is being courted by Washington power brokers and being groomed for greatness. All of which led me to tweet: Peter Sellers is simpleton who ends up wielding tremendous influence in the nation’s capital. This is fiction, right? 8.5 (out of 10)

"Being There"

Released: 1979

Rating: PG

Length: 130 minutes

Cast: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden

Director: Hal Ashby

Genre(s): Comedy

The Top 8 DVD Reviews (so far): “What's Up, Doc?”

Article 7 of 8

Here’s the number 2 DVD (so far) in the Top 8 countdown of the first 100 TweeterFlix DVD reviews:

What’s Up, Doc?

What I wrote on Twitter: Peter Bogdanovich’s screwball comedy is a reminder that Barbra Streisand used to be funny. I recommend she see it. 10 (out of 10) Ryan O'Neal used to be funny, too. And Madeline Kahn always was. “What’s Up, Doc?” is a throwback to the comedies of the 1940s and centers around at a hotel in San Francisco, when four identical red plaid overnight bags containing rocks, diamonds, top-secret papers and Streisand’s clothing get mixed up. There’s a great supporting cast and funny bits throughout the picture. But the chase scene alone is worth the price of admission.

Number 3: "An Inconvenient Truth"

Number 4: "The Fog of War"

Number 5: “Splendor in the Grass”

Number 6: “Thirteen”

Number 7: “The King of Kong”

Number 8: “The Dark Knight”

Coming up next: “Fail Safe”

“What's Up, Doc?”

Released: 1972

Rating: G

Length: 94 minutes

Cast: Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Madeline Kahn, Kenneth Mars, Austin Pendleton

Director: Peter Bogdanovich

Genre(s): Comedy, Family

Coming Soon: The Future, Part 2

Continued from “Children of Men”

For a comedic take on the future, try Mike Judge’s “Idiocracy.” It has Luke Wilson as a volunteer for a one-year hibernation experiment who accidentally sleeps for 500 years. He wakes up to discover what happened while the world’s greatest minds were focused on curing male-pattern baldness and E.D. Now, as the film's title implies, the idiots are running things. Monster Truck Rallies are used to mete out justice and they’re watering crops with sports drinks. But Luke figures it all out in the end. After all, he is the smartest man in the world. My review from Twitter: Idiocracy-In the future, the dumbest people in American rise to power and prominence. Haven’t we have learned from the past? 7 (out of 10)

“Idiocracy”

Released: 2006

Rating: R

Length: 87 minutes

Cast: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, Sara Ruer

Director: Mike Judge

Genre(s): Comedies, Sci-Fi, Period

Christmas in July - Part 2

My review on Twitter: A Christmas Story-Cautionary tale about the perils of getting what you wish for because it just might shoot your eye out. 8 (out of 10) If you don’t know where the “shoot your eye out” reference is from, you’ve missed one of the all time great holiday movies. “A Christmas Story” is humorist Jean Shepard’s nostalgic take on the holiday as seen through the eyes of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker who desperately wants “an official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock.” While he eagerly tries to secure its arrival, he has to endure the neighborhood bully, a pair of bunny pajamas, his cantankerous father’s battle with their cantankerous furnace and the constant warnings from nearly everyone, including Santa himself, that he’ll shoot his eye out with the rifle. So what happens when Christmas morning finally arrives? Just like Ralphie, you’ll have to wait.

"A Christmas Story"

Released: 1983

Rating: PG

Length: 93 minutes

Cast: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley, Ian Petrella

Director: Bob Clark

Genre(s): Comedy, Holiday, Adventure

Christmas in July - Part 1

Every block has one guy who does it up at Christmas. In “Deck the Halls,” Matthew Broderick is not only that guy, he wears it as a badge of honor. So when Danny DeVito moves in across the street and threatens his standing, it’s war. And they practically go nuclear when Danny articulates his Christmas wish – to have his house be visible from space. “Deck the Halls” isn’t a great movie. But it’s goofy fun, especially if you have kids. And just might cool you off during the dog days of summer. Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case, the winter motif will fit right in. My review from Twitter: Danny DeVito & Matthew Broderick try to outdo each other's Xmas displays & unwittingly save the local electric utility. 6

"Deck the Halls"

Released: 2006

Rating: PG

Length: 93 minutes

Cast: Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth, Kristin Davis

Director: John P. Whitesell

Genre(s): Comedy, Holiday

Jim Jarmusch & Me: Night on Earth

Continued from “Mystery Train”

Being the mascochist that I am, I took a chance with “Night on Earth.” Roberto Benigni’s vignette is the funniest for its manic energy and outrageousness. But that’s a bit like being the coolest Osmond. This vignette, like all the others, goes on too long and has no conclusion. From Twitter: If I were a cabbie, I’d work a different shift.

Some people might say that’s the point of these Jarmusch films: to capture real life. And that’s all fine and good. But it has to be a life that’s more interesting than mine. Otherwise, I might as well just turn off the DVD player.

“Night On Earth”

Released: 1991

Rating: R

Length: 128 minutes

Cast: Gena Rowlands, Winona Ryder, Lisanne Falk, Alan Randolph Scott

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Genre(s): Comedy