If you watch this movie and expect massive heroism & big action… you’ll be disappointed. As it is, the bits of action and tension in the movie are contrived. More likely, an actual story like this one plays-out in offices and on the phone – it’s kind of hard to dramatize that on-screen. Now, I wonder… this was surely 90% “made-up”. Is it better to make a watchable movie about an historical event with lots of invented drama, or make a movie that’s as accurate as possible, but likely unmatchable? Or just no movie at all? It seems these are the choices we have. I’m not sure any of them are good ones.
Tag Archives: Bill Murray
St. Vincent
This was one of those movies that I wanted to hate, but couldn’t. Nearly all the characters are screwed-up people, yet they work somehow (Melissa McCarthy in particular had some good bits). By the end, I was right there with them singing the praises of St. Vincent (despicable as he was).
Also, I liked the plot twist where the main character has a stroke. This comes out of nowhere, and sends the movie in a different direction… but that’s exactly what such a thing does.
Get Low
One of those movies that hinges on a single plot revelation. A guy did something shameful when he was young, lives most of his life as a hermit, then attempts to come clean all at once to a bunch of people who probably don’t care. The movie was well done, but after the “big reveal”, I was thinking… really? That’s all he did? I mean… people have done much worse. For all that, I think the movie could have been a half-hour shorter.
Caddyshack
The definitive golf-humor movie. In the dictionary, under “funny”, there should be a reference to Caddyshack.
Stripes
Another funny movie with Bill Murray. I don’t remember what exactly was so funny about it… just go see it and laugh a few times.
Rushmore
An interesting movie, with a complex character at the center of it. On top of that, Bill Murray isn’t a nutcase.
The Roya Tenenbaums
Fun movie about a family of characters. Every character in this movie has some serious “issues”… but they’re all so wacky one just has to laugh. Something about this movie reminds me of how sometimes when you fly from Cleveland to Chicago, you have to go through Atlanta – Is that funny or sad?
Lost in Translation
Ever been at a party at 2am, and you want to go home, but you’ve agreed to drive your friends home, and they’re engaged in some inane conversation and don’t want to leave? That’s what this movie was like for me… I just wasn’t having a good time. This got a bunch of good reviews, but for me… something was, um, lost in translation.
The Lost City
A seemingly honest look at the events around the Cuban revolution, from the point of view of fictional characters involved in various aspects of it. I did like how the romance worked-out – very unconventional result. Anyway, it was just a whole sad series of events. I wish everyone would just get over it though – the people who lost their property in the revolution need to face reality – it’s gone. You’re not getting it back. Your side lost. The world is not fair. Get over it & move on.
Groundhog Day
Excellent. What would you do if this happened to you? Stuck in the same day over and over for an eternity? You’d go a little bananas… Who’s better at going bananas than Bill Murray? It’s interesting how this movie has transformed the meaning of the term “Groundhog Day” to mean a situation like this movie… and less the actual holiday.
Ghostbusters II
It was dumb, and I didn’t like it.
Ghostbusters
It was dumb, but I guess I liked it.