Danny McBride wasn’t trying to make a “good” movie when he decided to star in “Arizona” (2018). Of that I’m fairly certain. If he was hoping for a watchable dark comedy about the housing market crash in suburban Phoenix, he succeeded. Somewhat. What he really ended up with was a so-so horror flick for a Halloween weekend opening. Except it opened in August. And the stars (him, Rosemarie DeWitt, David Alan Grier, Seth Rogen, Luke Wilson) are a little too big for a Halloween weekend flick. They shoulda saved money on fake blood and budgeted a little more for hijinks.
Archives for posts with tag: Danny McBride
Cameron Crowe movies are a little complex, but if you are willing to put in the work, they are usually worth the effort. “Aloha” (2015) is the latest example. You’ve basically got a love triangle romantic comedy with Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams and Emma Stone. Everybody could have phoned it in and filmgoers wouldn’t have minded. Instead, Crowe weaves a rich story full of interesting supporting characters, and the music is (as usual) spot on. Stone is delightfully committed to the role of a frighteningly committed fighter pilot. Bonus: The climax includes a Gamecock football highlight with Mike Hold (not pictured).
Can’t anybody give a speech in a movie? Not a monologue. A speech. Room full of people, notecards, PowerPoint, whatever. Make your point and step away. No! There’s the Speech 180, where Actor stops in the middle and instead speechifies about the moral epiphany which caused them to reject whatever they were originally speechifying about. Or the Raincheck, where Actor stops, silently epiphanizes and rushes off to their sweetie. I was really liking “Up in the Air” (2009) until George Clooney pulls a Raincheck. But sweetie shoots him down! Ha! It made me start liking the movie all over again.
100wordreviews 