The Venturas

So I watched Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (it being the first movie in my collection since it starts with the letter 'a', and 'a' is the beginning of the alphabet, just in case you didn't know that), and I decided to review it with its sequel Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, considering they're both the same dumb slap-shtick humor based on the same character.  Don't get me wrong, I love dumb slap-shtick humor; that's most of my collection.  I'm just stating a fact.
I noticed while watching these movies something that I feel is common amongst many others, which is this: once filmmakers have made a hit movie, they always tend to want to over-do it on its sequel, especially amongst comedies.  They focus on all the zaniness that made the comedy funny before, and then amplify it, cutting out most of what would be serious material.  I don't know how often that really works.  For example, in the first movie Ace Ventura is the wacky character living in a considerable normal world, whereas in the sequel even the most "normal" of  characters have eccentricities about them.  Of course, the creators could write that off as "oh he's in Africa, where everything is wild and crazy".  Hmm.  That can only go so far.  Also, the movie starts off with Ace climbing the Himalayas, and later on he somehow survives falling down a waterfall strapped to a raft.  And his character just in general became more insane.
So I don't think there's any real surprise that I much prefer the first movie (not that I don't appreciate the potty humor of the sequel; I like the potty humor in both).  I remember the first time I ever saw the movie, I was no more than 9-10 years old, so naturally I would find Jim Carrey's stupidity humorous, but I hadn't quite yet been exposed to situations and gain the knowledge to really comprehend certain parts of the movie, or to really follow the plot line.  I didn't get why he acted insane and wore a tutu at the asylum,  I couldn't comprehend why Ray Finkle's parents' home was in such disarray, and the thought of a sex change operation or anything related to it was beyond me, so the final confrontation with Lt. Einhorn didn't quite make sense (for a while I thought maybe the dick was sewn to the back of him/her; thank God for tucking).  In comparison, the sequel fell short in that the mystery to be solved wasn't as clever or difficult to follow, and definitely less adult humor.  I'm sure they wanted to appeal more to children.  Ace Ventura had a huge following.  It did even get its own cartoon show, though it didn't last long, and there was a third movie made (based on the character Ace Ventura Jr., and even though I've never seen it, I still encourage that no one should watch it).

I do know the sex/love scene with Courteney Cox was the first I had ever scene in a movie. Yes, can you believe Ms. "Cougar Town" Cox was actually in this movie, albeit her character was a serious one.  You have to think, how would anybody find such a loony character with that awkward hair and clothes attractive.  Being even older and watching it now, I must say Jim Carrey is rather cute.  "Say what!"  Yes, it's true, I do find him cute, in an Average Joe kind of way.  No stud, but he is funny, which is a weakness for me, and he lacks any negative features.  Judge me, but that's that.


For more info on these movies, follow the links below:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109040/
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112281/

Swiss Family Robinson

One might think Disney's Swiss Family Robinson, being made in 1960, would mean its lame and hooky, but it is quite adventurous and even for today's standard is quite thrilling and impressive.  Don't get me wrong.  Disney being Disney, there are definite moments of family fun and lightheartedness.  Though I've never read the book, I'm sure the story isn't nearly as pleasant.  I'm sure the re-make planned for a 2012 release will be darker and Hollywood will find some way to turn it into a tacky action flick, much like how the murdered the image of Sherlock Holmes.  I personally feel a remake is totally unnecessary. This movie version is completely up to par and can still entertain today's audience.  What I find so impressive is the number of wild animals used in the movie and how the actual actors did their scenes with them, even Fritz's (James MacArthur) fight with the anaconda.  I'm surprised if none of the actors got seriously injured while shooting the movie.  At the same time I wonder if today it would be considered animal abuse the way they were treated in the film.  Afterall, I don't think ostriches were meant to be ridden.
A disappointment that I do find is that despite how many shirtless men are in the movie, none of them are studs with a hot bod.  Quite sad.  MacArthur is a cutie, though.  And an annoyance with the movie I find in the character Francis, the youngest son.  He is nothing but a nuisance and causes nothing but problems and aggravation for the family.  I was hoping he would get disemboweled by the tiger or a pirate or something.  Or at least a big slap in the face.  And that slut Roberta causing the eldest brothers to fight each other... the shame of it all.   I'm also curious if the pirates are actually speaking a specific asian language.  It would be quite wrong if they just had the actors speak gibberish, but as we all know Disney was not above being racially offensive.
Overall in the long run, Swiss Family Robinson is thoroughly enjoyable and advise everybody of all ages to watch it at some point.

For more information on this movie, check out the Internet Movie Database or simply click on the following link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054357/

Hepburn...Katharine that is

Ok, even though these movies aren't in my personal collection I had just watched them last night on Turner Classic Movies and felt I must comment.  The movies in question, being Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, and Summertime, feature that regal star of the ages, Katharine Hepburn.  Seeing these movies back-to-back, it was interesting to see the variety of movies she did and roles she portrayed.  What I do note is that, besides the interesting way she speaks, another signature of hers is that every character she played was a strong-willed, independent woman.   
Bringing Up Baby is a classic romantic-comedy that I find so enjoyable and would watch anytime.  Ironically enough, this was probably one of the first black-and-white movies I ever saw and liked, and it was before I knew who Hepburn even was.  Hepburn and the dashing Cary Grant made such a wonderful pair and truly made their characters likable.  In general, I don't consider Hepburn a beautiful woman since her features are so strong and harsh, but in this movie she does look quite glamorous.  Then again I find every woman in the 30's and 40's glamorous; they just knew how to work it (present day girls should take a note).  I was shocked to find out that at the time of it's release (1938) it had  bombed in the box office and had ended Hepburn's movie career for a couple of years, especially now that the movie is considered one of the best in its genre.  The point I need to get at is when the film was made, the 31-year-old Hepburn didn't have much experience with comedy, yet in the film she seemed like such a natural and she portrayed the flighty, accident-proned Susan perfectly, being the most soft and feminine than in any other movie I've seen her in.  Even though her next movie, The Philadelphia Story, was made only two years later, there was such a transformation about her.  She even seemed physically different, I think deriving from how she carried herself.  Even her costar, once again being Grant, seemed different.  This movie is also a romance-comedy, but with the absence of slapstick-gag humor that Baby had.  And Hepburn herself is not funny.  She's stern and statuesque, almost untouchable, which describes her character Tracy Lord to a T; hence her being a phenomenal actress.  The last movie, Summertime, is quite the shock to see right after Philadelphia because there's a 15 year difference in the movies, so we see the actress immediately go from her early 30's to her mid-40s.  Wow.  It's kinda weird to see a star go from black-and-white to technicolor.  It's kinda like the first time seeing Lucille Ball's bright red hair when all during I Love Lucy you're just told it is so.  By the fifties, Hepburn  had gone from young heroine roles to middle spinster ones, Summertime being one of them.  However it doesn't take away from the romance of the story.  Unlike her other romance movies where her characters are a little more foolhardy, in this movie her character Jane Hudson is aged and knows life, and seemingly has everything viewed in black-and-white, of course until she falls in love with Renato, played by Rossano Brazzi.  My favorite part of the movie is the scenery.  It was actually shot in location in Venice, which at the time (1955) it was very rare.  Just to see the city in all of its authenticity, the real architecture and the real city life.  The movie was actually shot during the summer, so the crowds of tourists were real too.  And if it was that crowded back then fifty-five years ago, then I can only imagine how it is now.   It's shot so beautifully, it's like taking a small vacation without even leaving your home.  Just breath-taking.  Than again I have a thing for Italy (and Italians).
After watching these movies, I think you really get a good understanding of Hepburn as a person.  I feel she's the kind of actress who can truly embody her roles because she's just like them herself, and if that's true, no surprise.



For more information on the movies I've mentioned, I suggest visiting the Internet Movie Database website, or just click on the links below:
Bringing Up Baby: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029947/
The Philadelphia Story: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/
Summertime: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048673/

At the starting line

What can I say?  I'm a simple (poor) boy dealing with the hassle of the big city daily... true fun.  And while I'm living it up in what is the fantastic life of the unemployed, I thought "what should I do to keep myself preoccupied and somewhat entertained while waiting for the next job to come along?".  Well duh.  Blog!  Now this is something I'm new to so I'm still thinking how I should go about my blogs and everything (or at least not to make myself or what I have to say the most mind-stabbing crap on the internet), but the idea is simple.  I have a very very large movie collection, a few of the films in which I have never even seen (a couple I've already owned for a few years) and quite the number of tv on dvd; so easy, I watch them, then I share an opinion.  Truly simple.  Keeps me busy and have a little fun at the same time.  I figure if what I write isn't all that great, then why worry because whoever is reading it to judge that its bad, well the fact that there randomly reading my posts on a blog shows that they have time to kill and shouldn't be hurting them anyway.
And so I'll start my little venture soon enough, if I can even bother to stick a dvd into my player at some point...