Yeah, Well Great Movie Man

The Big Lebowski is a movie that I had heard endless great things about, but never actually seen until now.  The talented actors that are in the movie were enough to get me to watch it.  Overall, I was extremely pleased with the film.

The Big Lebowski is the the story of "The Dude" who wants repayment for his stolen rug, and ends up getting entangled in a kidnapping mystery. What I love so much about the film is the story.  This movie could have easily been confusing to follow, but in the hands of the Coen Brothers it is very entertaining and not one detail is skipped over.  Well, almost every detail.  There are a couple flaws in the film, one of them very minor and the other is glaringly obvious.  When "The Dude" (Jeff Bridges) first gets Walter (John Goodman) involved, he just picks him up seemingly out of nowhere.  I would have liked to have seen a story element that requires his involvement.  The more important flaw in this movie involves the character of Donny, played by Steve Buscemi.  There is absolutely no use for his character.  Donny exists only so Walter has someone to yell at.  He contributes nothing to the story, which is why his death falls flat for me.  Despite this issue, the film is executed very well and, even though it is a comedy, keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wait to figure out what happens.

Jeff Bridges plays "The Dude", a very simple and laid back man who does not have a care in the world.  Bridges plays the character perfectly, right down to his smartass remarks and even his physical movement.  One of the great joys in seeing The Big Lebowski for the first time was finally seeing Bridges play what is arguably his most popular role.

John Goodman plays Walter Sobchak.  Sobchak is man who is obsessed with the Vietnam Conflict, and gets extremely angry when something happens that he does not approve of.  I have always been a fan of John Goodman, and it was hilarious watching him play this character and get angry over the tiniest thing.  Sobchak is also a great contribution to the story because he is the whole reason that "The Dude" gets mixed up in this mess.  This a great character that is even better in the hands of John Goodman.

Joel Coen is the director of The Big Lebowski.  I love watching anything that has one, or both, of the Coens behind the camera because everything is so perfectly framed.  The Big Lebowski is no different.  Joel Coen frames things so well that even the opening credits are enough to make a film junkie go bonkers.  He also knows that, even with a great cast of characters, this is The Dude's story and everyone else is just along for the ride.  Not a single frame is wasted, particularly on Jeff Bridges.

Even with its flaws, The Big Lebowski is a classic film.  The great story and characters make you want to watch this film over and over again.  Put this on any "100 Movies To See Before You Die" list.

A Night Out With "Miss March"

One of the great joys in doing this blog every week is writing about movies that I have never seen before.  Sometimes they are good and sometimes they are bad, but nevertheless it is good to talk about them.  Adventures in Babysitting certainly is a great, classic comedy.

Adventures in Babysitting is the story of a babysitter who gets thrust into a wild night of adventure with the children she is taking care of.  This movie is filled with laughs and hair-raising moments, and I loved every minute of it.  One would think that a movie consisting of countless misfortunes would get tiring, but nothing feels forced and everything flows with such ease.  From the moment the movie starts, you cannot wait to see what happens next.

Chris Columbus, in his directorial debut, is at the helm of Adventures in Babysitting.  Comedy is a difficult genre to master, and even though this was his first film it does not feel like it at all.  He has great comedic timing, and does not let this movie get boring at all.  Just when you think you know how a situation is going to pan out, he cuts away to something else that makes you sit up on the edge of your seat.  He also knows when to keep the camera on the actors during scenes which, in a movie like this, is the key to making us actually care about what happens to these characters.  It is no surprise at all that Columbus has had the career he has had.

Maybe it is just because it was my first time watching it, but when I hear film fans talk about great comedies, I never hear people talk about Adventures in Babysitting.  With a great director, a great cast and a slew of unforgettable moments, I absolutely loved this movie.  If you are in need of a good laugh, I cannot recommend this movie highly enough.

Needing A Woman's Touch: Part Deux

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of my favorite films.  It hits me on a very personal level no matter how many times I watch it.  It is so incredibly sad that Robin Williams is no longer with us because Mrs. Doubtfire will go down as one of his most memorable roles.

Mrs. Doubtfire is the story of an actor who disguises himself as a female housekeeper so that he can see his children after he and his wife get divorced.  As a child of divorce myself, this movie hits home for me in many ways.  I know what it is like to see my parents fight, and watching the effects that this has on the children in the movie is very sad to watch.  However, as soon as Mrs. Doubtfire comes into their lives everything changes for the better.  This is why the movie is so good, and why the ending makes you smile.  That being said, there are a couple issues I have with the movie.  I would have liked to have heard about, or even seen, a little more history of Daniel (Robin Williams) and Miranda's (Sally Field) problems.  It just seems that Miranda wants a divorce after only one fight.  Also, at the end of the movie I would have liked to see a scene where Miranda talks to the courts about letting Daniel see the children.  Other than that, this movie is perfect.

Robin Williams plays Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire.  What is amazing to see is that Daniel will go to any lengths to see his children.  We also see that being Mrs. Doubtfire makes Daniel a better man.  The kids get their homework done, he cooks dinner for them and he gets them to bed on time.  Robin Williams' monologue at the end of the movie is also very special to me because somehow he was able to take everything that I had heard over and over again ( "it will be okay", "don't blame yourself", etc) and make it sound genuine.

Sally Field plays Miranda Hillard.  Miranda, quite honestly, is not a very likable character until the end of the movie.  This is uncharacteristic of Sally Field because she is typically known as a very likable person.  Even though Daniel has visitation rights with the children, Miranda clearly wants them all to herself.  It is also quite heartbreaking to see that she has no faith in Daniel's abilities to hold a job and get an apartment.  However, at the end of the movie she realizes that she has made a mistake in not letting him see the children.  It is great to see Miranda and Daniel getting along when the movie ends.

Chris Columbus is the director of Mrs. Doubtfire.  Robin Williams is the driving force of the film, and Columbus knows that.  The way he crafts the sequences (particularly the restaurant sequence at the end) is so beautifully done because the chemistry is so good between the actors.  Getting good performances out of the actors is the sign of a great director, and that is exactly what Chris Columbus is.

Mrs. Doubtfire is a great "feel-good" film.  Filled with great performances and great laughs, it really is one of the greatest comedies ever made.  You can always count on Robin Williams.