Movie Review: For Your Consideration

Christopher Guest is back with his brilliant ensemble with For Your Consideration. Fans of Guest have a wonderful library of hilarious mocumentaries, which include Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and The Mighty Wind. Die-hard fans will find much to love about For Your Consideration despite the film’s sometimes slow moving pace.

For Your Consideration tells the story of three actors who learn their respective performances in the film “Home for Purim,” a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz. What follows is an inside look at the shallow Hollywood machine when a film starts getting “buzz.”

I saw Harry Shearer on Conan O’Brian and he had stated that the reality of the industry is much harsher than how they portray it on screen. That was a mistake. I felt like the comedy was watered down too much, as if the film was holding back. The film also put too much time in scenes surrounding the shooting of “Home For Purim,” stopping the film in its tracks.

What there is to love about this film is the always funny and brilliant, Fred Willard. He had me in stitches each moment he arrived on screen. The man is a genius. Parker Posey was also my favorite on screen. She has the uncanny ability to act badly so well. Her final scene felt so real not to mention that she looks amazing throughout the film.

Overall, I wanted more from this movie. It felt scripted as opposed to the free improv feel of Guest’s other films. But if you are a true Guest fan, I’m sure you will find much to laugh at. See it for Fred Willard.

The Book Mobile Report

The Book Mobile Report

By Chris Blake Sasser

MOVIE MONSTERS Monster Make-up & Monster Shows to put on By Alan Ormsby 80 Pages Scholastic 1975

I don’t know what goes on in elementary schools these days, but I can recall a time, a far more innocent time when grade schoolers would have book fairs, visits by the Bookmobile or look forward to ordering printed gems from Weekly Reader flyers.

It was a particularly magic period because thanks to folks like Thomas Alyesworth and Don Glut, there was almost always a classic movie monster book to look forward to. There were even monster themed kids books such as Norman Bridwell’s classic How to Care for Your Monster to devour by monster loving youngsters.

But at the top of the heap was Alan Ormsby’s Movie Monsters. Ormsby as you may know has gone on to become a successful filmmaker, boasting a resume which includes such films as Death Dream, Deranged, Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, The Cat People ‘82 and Pop Corn. He’s been a screenwriter, actor, make-up man, producer and director. But in 1975 he was author and illustrator of an exceptional children’s book.

The first portion of Ormsby’s Movie Monsters focuses upon all the classic ghouls. Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, The Creature and many more all covered in loving detail. There’s even a section on Young Frankenstein! The tricks of the trade are revealed to young readers as Ormsby explains just how these fearsome monsters were brought to life on the screen.For second portion of the book, Ormsby sparks the child;s creative impulse by providing handy recipes for creating do-it-yourself monster make-ups: Warts, blood and scars! Melting man and Mummy’s hands! Dracula, Blacula, Wolfman and the Bride! They’re all here including my favorite, The Brown Bag Frankenstein! 

The recipes are all lovingly illustrated by the author who also provides tips of where to find the required ingredients inexpensively. But wait! There’s still more! Ormsby encourages young monster fans to stage their own monster play, even supplying a creative little script to follow. Believe me, this book is a true treat for monster lovers. It was a source of inspiration at an early age and still holds a beloved spot on my bookshelf to this day. 

 

Movie Review: Borat

British comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen brings his Kazakhstan anti-Semitic character Borat to America cinema and he will either delight or deeply offend you.

The full title is “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” which is also the premise of the film.

Borat is sent to America to learn about the “U.S. and A.” in order to bring back this knowledge to his home and enlighten his people. If a moviegoer isn’t aware that Sacha Baron Cohen is Jewish there is a good chance they will be extremely offended by this movie if they don’t understand the message behind his humor. The character Borat has no trouble at all finding people who are hateful, shedding light on a closed minded and very frightening America replete with racism, hatred and ignorance. Fortunately for the viewer, Borat manages to do this hilariously.

This movie has some of the most outrageous scenes I have ever witnessed and if you are easily offended then you should avoid this movie. I would say overall I was pleased with the film. It had some story elements I felt were not necessary causing me not to rate it higher. But if I found myself shocked it was mostly by the American’s that Borat encountered that made my head spin. There are some scary people in this country. But if you are a fan of the Ali G show you will find this worth the price of admission. It is fun and I laughed throughout the entire film and that is what seeing a comedy is ultimately all about.