droche-3 Reviews

Theft (2008)

Joyless Meandering with No Purpose

[1/10 · 11 February 2009]

Although this film may have had a reason for production originally, it soon dissolves into a series of seeming unrelated scenes which are barely audible to the audience No one cares about the plight of the characters, and there isn't any real tension or ploy. The writers assume that we already know the characters, have some empathy for their goals or feelings, and really give a darn about how they interact. Wrong. The main characters are sad joyless stereotypes that the gay community has striven to abandon (the temperamental snotty drag queens, self-hating leather-men, etc.) and absolutely no appreciable plot line to follow. There is no camp quality, spoofing of values, or even any amusing caricatures in this. And certainly no drama of any kind. There was no reason to even produce this train wreck.

The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979)

Screams of Terror are Passe -- Screams of Laughter are In

[2/10 · 15 March 2007]

This is what happens when a franchise gets lazy, and no one can think of a new twist to add. Remember what happened to the "Childs Play" series? The first three were played as horror films, with genuine scares (albeit predictable) that held true to the theme of the movie. Then they ran out of folks for the doll to stalk, and decided to play it for laughs, with the next two being black comedies.....

Well, that;s what happened here, but I think it was not meant to be like that. Kind of like saying, "I WANTED to make pancakes for dessert! I did this on purpose!" when your soufflé accidentally fizzles flat. But the milk was spilled, and it had some value in the theaters as a goof.

When the floor ripped out from under the passenger seats, I sort of expected the passengers to extend their legs through the hole, start running Flintstones-Style, to safely land the plane in the Alps. I did. It would have fit into the silly campy theme of the rest of the show.

Instead of pointing out the obvious physical impossibilities of the film, what about the social implausibilities? Like having George Kennedy's character react calmly to the news that his date was a whore? Even back in 1979, a man would not easily accept the notion that he has just poured his heart out to a paid companion. He supposedly felt he made a connection with a kindred spirit, who is subsequently shown to be a mercenary sex-worker with a come-on line. Who WOULDN'T feel cheated by the experience? And yet he giggles, and wraps his arms around his buddy's waist as they merrily stroll off. What a cheap wrap up of a sleazy scene. Ouch.

I had an appetite for soufflé, and got served insipid cliché pancakes. And no, you did NOT do it on purpose!

Mad About You: The Apartment (1992) Season 1, Episode 8

Most popular trivial question

[8/10 · 4 December 2006]

This episode of Mad About You has spawned one of the most popular trivia questions derived from a crossover show. The question is "Who lived in Kramer's apartment before he moved in?" Of course, it was Paul Buchmann, played by Paul Reiser. The theme of this episode surrounded Pual's reluctance to give up his bachelor pad and possessions, although he was now married. Many people guess it was Jerry Seinfeld who occupied the apartment. Wrong! HA! Although Jerry Seinfeld is indeed mentioned in passing--and not by name, he does not appear. In a brief exchange (a quick cameo for Kramer) Paul tells his successor that "a comedian of some sort lives over there, but we never really hit it off", or something like that. Nice tie-in between the shows

Mr. Jingles (2006 Video)

Poor image and sound

[1/10 · 21 July 2006]

Forget about the total lack of believable plot. And the acting was about the level of a junior high student film. "Goodness, my father has hit in the head with an ax. I must fall down now. And now I must go insane for a few years." Ha ha. The celluloid film quality is only a little better than super-eight film, and the sound is no better that a hand-held Radio Shack tape recorder. Skip this and find some Steven King. This could have been an idea that worked out if they handled the contrasts correctly--an orphaned teen seems non-chalant instead of horrified, police act mildly amused as the shoot the clown in the opening sequence, and the omni-present blood looks like day-glow silly string It doesn't have enough bad lines to be accepted as camp, just faulty cinema.

Moment to Moment (1966)

Like Hitchcock? You will love this.

[8/10 · 20 November 2005]

This is a good movie in the Hitchcock vein, in which small details form the key to intense pathos. Will the husband notice the thing she mentioned in passing? Will her child inadvertently play with the wrong toy? Will the best friend keep the story straight? It takes a tangled web of lies and omissions to keep silent an impulsive affair--and a possible murder--when everything is so interconnected. No real villains here, but faulted humans trying to be happy, and not upset the house of cards that comprise their private lives. Good performances by Honor Blackman and Jean Seberg. You will be on the edge of your seat, and clutching a hankie at the same time. Great retro-fun when it comes out on DVD!