Paul Walter Hauser – People Talking

Twofer Movie Review – ‘Summer of 84’ and ‘BlacKkKlansman’ – Kickin’ it Old School

Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, & Yoann-Karl Whissell (aka RKSS)
Written by Matt Leslie & Stephen J. Smith
Cast: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Tiera Skovbye, Rich Sommer, Jason Gray-Stanford, Shauna Johannesen, J. Alex Brinson, Harrison Houde, Mark Brandon, Susie Castillo, William MacDonald
Soundtrack: Jean-Philippe Bernier & Jean-Nicolas Leupi (aka Le Matos)

I’m not exactly sure what got the ball rolling on this whole Eighties pop culture revival (maybe Super 8?), Stranger Things being the most prominent example, but the film-making trio of RKSS had one of the first loud shots across the bow with 2015’s Turbo Kid, and three years later they’re making noise again with Summer of 84.

I was cautiously optimistic heading into this one, excited for what it could be but also prepared for a possible let down; but then the movie started, and I loved it, and I loved it, and I loved it. I actually thought to myself, “I’m going to give this five stars; it’s that amazing,” not to mention it combines elements of two of my favorite Eighties light horror pieces, Silver Bullet and The ‘burbs.

Then, the last ten minutes happened.

I won’t reveal anything specific, but I will say that it was enough to knock a full star rating off of what could have been a nearly perfect film.

The crux of the problem is that I’m fine with many different kinds of endings, be they happy, sad, bittersweet, ambiguous, or a complete tonal shift, but, no matter what, they need to feel earned. For example, as much as I enjoy Near Dark as one of the best vampire movies out there, it has a happy ending that I don’t really buy, because it’s inconsistent with the rest of the film in terms of what’s been set up and the overall journey we’ve already been on.

In the case of Summer of 84, I’m not sure who to blame. Perhaps the writers for writing it or the directors for not executing it in a way that feels right, or perhaps it’s just a “lost in translation” thing, I don’t know, but I think they could have gotten their point across in a way that’s not a complete betrayal for the audience (at least in my opinion; others will no doubt feel differently).

Still though, I don’t want to totally sandbag a movie I very much enjoyed and appreciated. All-in-all it’s a tight script, the kids have a surprising amount of individual ability and collective chemistry, and there aren’t many moments where it betrays that fact that it’s a Canadian production. And, it’s got a killer synth soundtrack.

If you can find it at a local theater, I highly recommend giving it a whirl. If not, it’ll be on-demand soon enough, but, either way, it’s worthy of your support.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Directed by Spike Lee
Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, based on the book by Ron Stallworth
Cast: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, Corey Hawkins, Jasper Pääkkönen, Paul Walter Hauser, Ryan Eggold, Ashlie Atkinson, Robert John Burke, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Alec Baldwin, Harry Belafonte, Craig muMs Grant, Arthur J. Nascarella, Ken Garito, Frederick Weller, Michael Buscemi, Nicholas Turturro
Soundtrack: Terence Blanchard

Truth be told, I haven’t seen very much of Spike Lee’s work, and what little I have seen I’ve found mostly to be frustrating and tedious (dear Lord, save me from Clockers), but I’m almost always willing to set the past aside if something looks promising enough, which brings us to BlacKkKlansman.

Based on an extraordinary true life tale, BlacKkKlansman is the story of Ron Stallworth, the first Black officer and detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department, who, despite his skin color, managed to infiltrate the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.

I have not read the book, so I can’t confirm or deny the authenticity of the film (it seems movied-up, just a bit; though for all I know it could be a case of reality being crazier than fiction, a la Hacksaw Ridge), but nevertheless the story is its main strength, along the with the performances, particularly from John David Washington and Adam Driver. Even Topher Grace showed me a nice little range I didn’t know he had in him (I still can’t figure out why Nic Turturro is in the movie though, and if you see it you’ll know what I mean).

Because of this, I will go as far as to say that the movie works in spite of Spike Lee’s direction, not because of it. I understand he wants to be directly confrontational to make his message clear, but in my opinion the way it’s structured is to the detriment of the overall film (I mean, come on, Dear White People handled its business better, and that was from a first time writer/director).

Still, there’s a lot to appreciate, just not enough for me to give it a full theatrical recommendation.

Rating: ★★★½ (out of five)

P.S.
Even though I don’t know why he was in the film (other than being a friend of Spike Lee), it did make me happy to see Nic Turturro and Frederick Weller in the same movie, as twenty-five years ago they played Al Capone and Eliot Ness in Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues. Nobody cares about this but me, I know. Deal with it.

4/20 Shandy – ‘Super Troopers’ & ‘Super Troopers 2’ – On the Border

I was a freshman in high school when Super Troopers first hit theaters, and perhaps that is why it’s practically embedded into my soul, but I’d like to think it goes deeper than that.

After all, if you didn’t know by know, I’m pretty honest when it comes to assessing and reassessing films, so I’d tell you if it didn’t hold up, but it does hold up. In fact, at this point, I’d say it’s nearly timeless.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited back in March of 2015 when Broken Lizard announced that not only was the ball finally rolling on a sequel, but they were going to do it strictly on their own terms (not that they really had a choice, but that’s a whole other story).

And yes, I know some of you will say, “But don’t you hate the I KNOW WHAT THAT IS-ificaion of 21st Century Hollywood?” which I most certainly do, but given that Super Troopers 2 is a low-budget comedy financed by the fans and not some studio cash-grab, I don’t think it qualifies for that particular kind of scrutiny.

Anyway, as I said, the original Super Troopers is ingrained in me. It’s one of those movies I could put on repeat and watch over and over again without tiring.

One reason why I love it so much is that it was this little movie made by a group of old college friends (Colgate; ever heard of it?) that punched way above its weight class, and, yes, it’s funny and clever, but it’s also very well constructed (dare I say, nearly as well-constructed as Ghost Busters). The script is tight, the pacing is as good as you’ll find, the jokes are well-timed, and, as zany as everything is as a whole, it somehow still feels relatively grounded.

By contrast, Super Troopers 2, to its detriment, is immediately more heightened than its predecessor. I was honestly so taken out of the movie from the beginning that by the time I finally started warming up to it, the nostalgia sheen was almost completely faded, which is a shame. This is not to say that the sequel is completely without merit (the end credits at least left me with a good aftertaste). I bet if I ever watch it again someday there’ll be some things that really make me laugh again, but, for a first impression, I was fairly let down (though not as much as SPECTRE).

So, yeah, not much else I can say. If you’ve never seen the original Super Troopers, it’s one of the best R-rated comedies of the 2000s (Non-Wright/Pegg/Frost Division) and you should probably get around to seeing it. If you’re already a fan, seeing the sequel won’t hurt, just don’t expect it to blow your mind.

Ratings:
Super Troopers: ★★★★½
Super Troopers 2: ★★★☆☆

P.S.
Even though I liked but didn’t love it, I still appreciate Jay, Kevin, Steve, Paul, and Erik for signing posters for all of us hardcores willing to watch a double feature at 4:20 on a Thursday afternoon. Thanks, guys!

Movie Review – ‘I, Tonya’ – Stranger Than Fiction

I apologize. This is another one I should have had up weeks ago.

Directed by Craig Gillespie
Written by Steven Rogers
Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Cannavale, Caitlin Carver, Mckenna Grace, Jason Davis, Anthony Reynolds, Ricky Russert, Jan Harrelson, Luray Cooper
Soundtrack: Peter Nashel

I’m inclined to say that this is a movie that came out of nowhere, but that’s not entirely true, at least for me. I knew it had gotten some buzz at various festivals, but I didn’t truly believe the hype until I actually saw it.

And boy am I a believer.

Perhaps what is most satisfying about I, Tonya is that it got me to root for someone I never thought I would. Not that I ever had a grudge against Tonya Harding, per se. I’m old enough to remember “the incident”, but not quite old enough to remember the full breadth of the circus surrounding it. As they say though, perception often becomes reality, and my opinion of her was essentially a photocopy of a photocopy of a Hard Copy.

Not that I, Tonya even purports to tell “the truth”, as the film concedes right up front that it’s a compilation of personal and often wildly contradictory accounts from the people who lived it, which I found to be admirably honest (perhaps somewhat ironically).

What is also tremendously satisfying about I, Tonya is that it gave me so much from people I had been really eager to see more from, namely Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan. Both established actors, to be sure, but the show they put on here is truly a tour de force. Their commitment to their roles and the range of emotions they go through (not to mention the span of time within the world of the film) helps elevate the movie beyond its occasionally noticeable budget limitations.

Of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Allison Janney as Tonya’s mom, who pretty much steals the show anytime she’s on screen. Her performance in particular is actually rather emblematic of the film itself: brash, coarse, sardonic, yet at times humorous and even heartfelt…in her own way.

Kudos to director Craig Gillespie and writer Steven Rogers for making the decision to do this story as a dark comedy. I suppose it could have worked another way, but I can’t imagine it would have been as effective, engaging, or artful. Also, as period pieces go, this one dives in headfirst, and I love the movie even more for it.

In the end, much like Tonya Harding herself, I, Tonya may not be entirely flawless, but it’s definitely something special. One of the best of 2017, hands down.

And wherever she is, I hope she’s doing great.

Rating: ★★★★½ (out of five)