Clancy Brown – People Talking

Classic Movie Review – ‘The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension’ – …There You Are

Directed by W.D. Richter
Written by Earl Mac Rauch
Cast: Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Lewis Smith, Rosalind Cash, Robert Ito, Pepe Serna, Ronald Lacey, Matt Clark, Clancy Brown, William Traylor, Carl Lumbly, Vincent Schiavelli, Dan Hedaya, Mariclare Costello, Bill Henderson, Damon Hines, Billy Vera, Laura Harrington, Jonathan Banks, John Ashton, Yakov Smirnoff
Soundtrack: Michael Boddicker

Speaking of not getting things, I’m not convinced there’s anyone, alive or dead, including its creators, who truly “gets” Buckaroo Banzai.

Does it matter? Hardly. I love it all the same.

Now, I have to be careful here, because this is one of those cult classics, meaning there’s been a small but loyal fanbase for a long time, and I have to admit that I’m not one of them. No, I came to this movie the way I’m sure many have in recent years: the fact that it was Spine #1 for Shout Factory’s “Shout Select” line (which also includes Shakedown and Trespass, by the way).

What can I say? They sold me on it, and I bought it (it also doesn’t hurt that it’s largely “set” in New Jersey).

But, yeah, this movie’s wild, and it throws a lot at you (I might give it a higher rating if it wasn’t so much), but thankfully it has a great ensemble cast to pull it off. This is is one of those films that if it was made a year later, there’s no way you’re getting the same caliber of cast together (e.g. Under Siege). And the quality is not just in the major players like Peter Weller and John Lithgow (though they are great in this movie), but all the way down the line to people you may not know at all, like Lewis Smith as Perfect Tommy, and people you might know now, like Jonathan Banks as the Hospital Guard.

And thanks to the cast selling the often insane-sounding dialogue, Buckaroo Banzai is the second-most quotable movie of 1984. I mean, I’m very tempted to just start quoting lines right here, right now, but I’ll refrain; just take my word for it.

Really though, what makes Buckaroo Banzai so special is that it feels so wholly original. It has its influences, to be sure, but I personally have a hard time making straight line connections where I can say, “This thing comes from that thing.” The sad part is that there was some really petty interference from the executive producer that ended up holding the movie back just enough, perhaps none greater than firing the original cinematographer, Jordan Cronenweth (he shot a little movie you may have heard of called BLADE RUNNER).

Still, for me, Buckaroo Banzai is one of those movies that’s a great litmus test for people. As I said, nobody “gets” it, but if somebody else really likes it, there’s a pretty good chance we’re going to get along. It’s fun, it’s bonkers, it’s just a touch romantic, there’s some really unique sci-fi elements, and it’s only 103 minutes.

What a shame it never got a sequel.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Classic Movie Review – ‘Starship Troopers’ – Let’s Get Rocked

Directed by Paul Verhoeven
Written by Ed Neumeier, based on the book by Robert A. Heinlein
Cast: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Clancy Brown, Seth Gilliam, Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside, Rue McClanahan, Marshall Bell, Eric Bruskotter, Matt Levin, Blake Lindsley, Anthony Ruivivar, Brenda Strong, Dean Norris, Christopher Curry, Lenore Kasdorf, Amy Smart, Timothy Omundson, Dale Dye
Soundtrack: Basil Poledouris

I have to admit, I am one of those people who thought this was a “bad movie” the first time I saw it.

In my defense though, I was watching it on TBS, and I was young. After all, there’s no such thing as “irony” when you’re in middle school, mostly because kids are stupid.

Once I got a little older though, and I could see Starship Troopers front-to-back in its full glory, I finally got the joke, which let me appreciate all the other wonderful things about it.

Heck, on paper, this is a sure-fire smash. You’ve got nearly the whole creative team from RoboCop back for another satirical romp ten years later, but I guess for some reason people didn’t realize it was a satire? I mean, I can understand the studio not knowing how to market it (not to mention the line of children’s toys), but critics really should have known better (then again, I scratch my head plenty at what paid critics for major outlets say today, so, maybe it’s unfair to have such high expectations for these people).

Even taking out the story and satirical elements though, the technical achievement alone is enough to get you your money’s worth, as there are incredible blends of digital and practical effects (often miniatures). Not to be that guy, but Starship Troopers often looks better than many (if not most) movies today.

What’s the heart of the movie? Well, that’s the joke. On the surface it’s a soap opera science fiction epic, but really it’s a commentary on unbridled fascism; and yet it doesn’t take itself too seriously. You know, like RoboCop, but for some reason that’s regarded as a classic and Starship Troopers largely isn’t.

Don’t listen to the haters. See it again, for the first time.

Rating: ★★★★☆

P.S.
Dizz is The Best Woman. Everyone knows that.

Movie Review – ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ – Kiwi Fried Goodness

Directed by Taika Waititi
Written by Eric Pearson and Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost, based on the comics by Stan Lee & Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins, Benedict Cumberbatch, Taika Waititi (voice), Rachel House, Clancy Brown (voice), Tadanobu Asano, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Luke Hemsworth, Sam Neill, Cohen Holloway, Matt Damon
Soundtrack: Mark Mothersbaugh

To be honest, I’m a bit superhero-ed out right now. I don’t think I’ll be able to get up for Justice League, or Black Panther, but I’ve got just enough in the tank to be excited for this, because it’s a known fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe benefits from getting a little wild from time to time.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming: all a bit nutty, a bit weird, and all wonderful (and all helmed by non-“name” directors, who Marvel came to terms with before shooting); and as I well know, if you really want to get your freak on, you pass things off to Taika Waititi.

Director of such films as What We Do in the Shadows, and the criminally underrated Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Taika Waititi knows how to provide his audience with a good, fun time, without making a complete farce of things (not unlike Edgar Wright, though they are definitely not the same; growing up on opposite sides of the globe will have that effect), and Thor: Ragnarok is no exception.

This is not to say that we have a perfect film on our hands (for one thing, I’m not sure it stands up entirely on its own, which I’m something of a stickler about), but it’s definitely worth the price of admission.

The strength of Thor: Ragnarok lies largely in its tone and its humor (shocker, I know), to the point that the action bits are probably the least interesting thing about the movie.

Of course, none of this would work without quality performances (including a bit of a scene-stealer from Waititi himself). Chris Hemsworth, if he wasn’t already, seems perfectly comfortable in his Thor suit; same for Tom Hiddleston as Loki; Cate Blanchett is clearly having a blast (and is darkly fetching); Idris Elba does fine with what little he has; Tessa Thompson makes for an interesting addition; Karl Urban brings a surprising amount of gravitas to what could easily be a throwaway role; Mark Ruffalo is Mark Ruffalo (in the same way that RDJ is RDJ); but the man himself, Jeff Goldblum, is truly the straw that stirs the drink (so much so that one of my disappointments is that he’s not in the movie more).

Thor: Ragnarok won’t work for everybody, I recognize that (I already said it wasn’t perfect); not everyone will jibe with its particular sense of humor, but, by-and-large, I think most people will experience this as the fun romp it is

After all, you don’t want to be taking all this comic book stuff too seriously now, do you?

Rating: ★★★★☆

P.S.
Of course there are stingers; why are you asking?