Spike Lee’s ‘CHI-RAQ’ stars Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson & Samuel L Jackson & more

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I am really hit or miss with Spike Lee, and I’m looking forward to checking this one out.There’s some very interesting talent and it’s certainly a topic that translates to a wider audience.

Directed by Spike Lee
Written by Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott
Starring Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Hudson, Teyonah Parris, D.B. Sweeney, Harry Lennix, Steve Harris, Angela Bassett, John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson 

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Chi-Raq is a modern day adaptation of the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes. After the murder of a child by a stray bullet, a group of women led by Lysistrata organize against the on-going violence in Chicago’s Southside creating a movement that challenges the nature of race, sex and violence in America and around the world.

Rated R for strong sexual content including dialogue, nudity, language, some violence and drug use

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Retro Review: Savage Steve Holland’s Better Off Dead Turns 30 and Is Still Every Bit As Good (and Weird) as It Was Back in 1985

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Better Off Dead recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary. The characters in this film have my co-pilots for so long, it’s hard to remember what it was like before Savage Steve Holland pulled them from the depths of his demented brain. This film is still a treat after 30 years and I don’t doubt that it will continue to be for the next 30. Happy belated birthday, Better Off Dead!

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It’s hard to describe Better Off Dead to someone who didn’t grow up in the 80s and make it sound watchable. It sounds weird and depressing, which in many ways it is and it certainly was when it was released in 1985. But the endearing humor that is infused throughout and the performance of John Cusack, who I happily think tucked himself into the memories of the youth at the time as the archetypical “good guy” in movies. This is a role he played until his unfortunate decline after what I believe to be his last great film, High Fidelity. But we can save that discussion for another time. As for now, let’s concentrate our efforts on the task at hand…

Better Off Dead tells the tale of one Lane Meyer (John Cusack), a high school student who couldn’t be more in love with his girlfriend Beth (Amanda Wyss). One need look no further than this picture:

Obsessed much?

To Lane, Beth is everything, so when she dumps him for the new kid in school who takes Lane’s spot on the ski team, the prickish and evil Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier), Lane literally doesn’t know what else to do except kill himself. He feels that, yes, he would be better off dead than to live without her (cue Elizabeth Daily). So Lane comes up with several different methods of killing himself throughout the movie (none ever succeeding, of course) as his life spirals into deeper and deeper into depression.

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Sounds like a fun movie, right? Well, it actually is. Each time Lane is about to take his own life, he thinks better of it and doesn’t commit that act. However, each time something inadvertently occurs that causes him to nearly die through no fault of his own. See what happens when Lane prepares to douse himself with some primer and light himself on fire:

Along the way, Lane is constantly encouraged (“buck up, little camper!”) by his only friend and the town’s residential drug lover, Charles De Mar (played so perfectly by Curtis Armstrong).  Quick to offer words of solace while vacuuming anything he can up his nose, Charles’ wisdom might be the only thing that keeps Lane going. He is without a doubt the finest part of the movie. Here’s a little sample of why:

Lane is a complete chicken shit in his “efforts” to win Beth back and they really never get off the ground. That is until he meets Monique (Diane Franklin), the French exchange student who lives with his gross neighbor Ricky Smith (Dan Schneider) and his mother (Laura Waterbury).

Well hog my hooter! You do speak English!She works with Lane on ways to get Beth back in his good graces – fixing up his Camaro, teaching him how to ski better so he can beat Stalin in a race down the feared K-12 mountain and in general how to be confident. However, as might be foreseen, Lane finally finds the one thing that will help him get over Beth…and this is Monique. After that the only thing he’s interested in is “language lessons” (wink, wink).

Now, go kick eez ass...

The scenery around this Lane’s narrative is what really gives this film life and color. From Taylor Negron‘s (RIP) slacker ass mailman:

to the Dr. Frankenstein/Hamburger/Everybody Wants Some scene:

from the absurdity of the paperboy Johnny Gasparini’s (Demian Slade) quest to collect his $2:

to the two Asian brothers who race Lane Meyer, one who speaks no English and the other who speaks only Howard Cosell (a reference likely lost on many of today’s youth):

this is one of the strangest movies about teenagers maybe ever made. And that it ever got made is all the more perplexing. If this were pitched today, no way anyone takes a chance on it. This movie is pure 80s gold with a killer soundtrack that features Howard JonesRupert Hine, and the aforementioned Elizabeth Daily (Dottie from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure) prominently. And I will say that the usage of Rupert Hine‘s “Arrested By You” is one of the most underrated in 80s cinema, perfectly contextualized, matching the tone of the scene that it plays over. When Meyer breaks out his sax, we clearly see this is the precursor to Lloyd Dobler and his boombox from Say Anything and really the beginning of building the persona he was known for before Cusack started appearing in ridiculous action and horror flicks.

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Better Off Dead still remains one of the most fun movies from when I was a kid. I still relish seeing Roy Stalin get his just desserts. I love watching Lane’s weird ass family as well as seeing him bloom from the meek loner to the guy who gets the girl in the end. It’s just a fantastically bizarre trip with a quality payoff.

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So if you haven’t seen, get there. Some of the jokes and gags don’t necessarily translate well to today, but the film has an incredible sense of humor and a real heart, despite the dark nature of Lane’s mindset/circumstances.

Here’s the trailer:

‘Dragon Blade’ starring Jackie Chan, John Cusack & Adrien Brody – Yep, you read that right

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A massive success this year in its native China, Dragon Blade brings action spectacle on a grand scale to US audiences. Featuring an international cast led by Jackie Chan, John Cusack and Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody, the film features the fight for the Silk Road when East and West collide. When corrupt Roman leader Tiberius (Adrien Brody) arrives with a giant army to claim the Silk Road, Huo An (Jackie Chan) and his group of trained warriors teams up with an elite legion of defected Roman soldiers led by General Lucius (John Cusack) to maintain the delicate balance of power in the region. To protect his country and his new friends, Huo An gathers the warriors of thirty-six ethnic nations together to fight Tiberius in an incredible epic battle.  The film is directed by Daniel Lee (“Black Mask”) and produced by Jackie Chan and Susanna Tsang.

What?!?

“Dragon Blade “will be released by Lionsgate Premiere in theaters and On Demand on September 4th.

Melissa’s Review: ‘Love & Mercy’ about The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson – didn’t live up to my expectations

Love & Mercy-posterIn Love & Mercy, two versions of Brian Wilson (musical leader of The Beach Boys) are depicted through Paul Dano as younger, during the height of their fame and John Cusack as older, during his depression in the 80s. It’s two separate stories, cut together back and forth.

Love & Mercy-00002I really enjoyed the past portion with Paul Dano because he was so great with the emotion and conveying the inspired creativity of Wilson. I had a hard time with John Cusack as Brian Wilson though. I felt no connection with him. I didn’t like how it went back and forth because it took away from the emotion of each section. They were two different films cut together rather than complementing one another. It was also hard to relate to the later portion because it was such a mystery as to how he got himself in the position with Landy.

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Elizabeth Banks seemed lost in her role and honestly, I couldn’t understand why she fell in love with him. Every scene seemed like a huge red flag that should have left her running for the hills. The 80s outfits left a more lasting impression than how their relationship developed.

Only briefly mentioned was how Brian Wilson was inspired by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul. I would have loved to have explored how The Beach Boys and The Beatles were essentially trying to “one-up” each other with their music. However, the focus of the movie is Wilson, so that would have veered too far off course.

Love & Mercy-00006I was really looking forward to this, but it totally fell flat. It’s a shame. It’s worth seeing just for Dano’s performance. However, the best part was reminding me to listen to Pet Sounds over again. Do yourself a favor and buy the album.

Trailer of the Day: Paul Dano & John Cusack as Brian Wilson in ‘Love & Mercy’

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LOVE & MERCY will open in theaters June 5, 2015
Presented by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions
Directed by Bill Pohlad
Written by Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner
Starring John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti

LOVE & MERCY presents an unconventional portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys. Set against the era defining catalog of Wilson’s music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost.

 PG-13 | 120 minutes

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@lovemercyfilm