April 4th, 25 Years Ago We Lost John Candy: A Tribute ...His 5 Best Characters

The above is a picture of John Candy in Wagon East. This was the film he was working on when he sadly passed away from a heart attack.
Canada has given Hollywood many funny actors:
Rick Moranis
Michael J Fox
Leslie Nielson
Martin Short
Michael Cera
Dan Aykroyd
Jim Carrey
Mike Myers

That is a pretty good list, but I have to say John Candy is at the top or damn near the top of this list..
So as a tribute to John Candy who we lost 25 years ago today, April 4th, here is my list of his top 5 characters.

5


LASKY: the security guard in National Lampoons Vacation

Teeeny tiny role...but that line!!!




4


IRV: From Cool Runnings

"Our Father Who Art In Calgary Bobsled Be Thy Name" So funny!!!



3


Barf: From Spaceballs

"I am my own best friend" LOL!



2


Buck: From Uncle Buck
What made this character work is everybody has an Uncle Buck or knows an Uncle Buck, who is a guy with a good heart but just a bit of a mess. He is perfect here. You wish he was alive to make a sequel for this one.
Are you married?
NO
Why?
IT IS A LONG STORY.
Any Kids?
NO
Why?
IT'S A LONGER STORY



1


Dell Griffith: From Planes Trains And Automobiles
As time goes by and you watch this film, yes it gets/looks more and more dated, you realize still only one actor can pull off Dell Griffith with such slapstick humor; funny lines; and yes with heart...John Candy!





And the last scene we never forget:



Yes I know he got a lot of help often with the fantastic writing of John Hughes...but lets face it...it is all in the delivery.
Five great characters here, but lets not forget....
Ox in Stripes
PVT Foley in 1941
Freddie Bauer in Splash
Jack Chester in Summer Rental
Chet Ripley from The Great Outdoors
Gus Polinski in Home Alone
Or even his many characters on SCTV
Yes he was just great.
So tip of the hat today, April 4th, to the loss of John Candy. His Legacy lives on in Jennifer Candy and Chris Candy his daughter and son who both do a lot of work in the Canadian film industry and a little in Hollywood.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: A Madea Family Funeral

A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL


1 1/2 STARS OUT OF 5


Oh Boy!!
It has been a rough start this year for movies.
I really like the character of Madea. However the last couple films have not worked at all. The writing has been terrible, the humor and the "feels" that everybody liked in the early Madea films have disappeared. I just think sadly Tyler Perry has run out of ideas for Madea.
I had hope for this final Madea film, I hoped it would go out with a bang. NO!
The funny lines were few and far between. The storyline was working but then got interrupted by the funeral as strange as that sounds. They even introduced a character named Heathrow who was more annoying than funny, it pulled down the film. It felt long and surprisingly boring. Just sad.


Well tip of the hat to Madea her time has come...Try to see her best..Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion.


From the shadows as always thanks for your time

New Film Review: Greta

GRETA
2 stars out of 5


Let me start with the positive first:
The acting: We have 3 major players; Isabelle Huppert (Greta); Chloe Grace Moretz (Frances); and Maika Monroe (Erica). All 3 are just fantastic and perfectly cast.
The idea: It is a little different idea. Sucking in naïve young people.


Now the bad:
It is an irritating watch. Frances did many things right but...so many things that left you wanting to scream...NO JUST NO! Also, it is not a pleasant watch, you are watching a young lady get emotionally harassed for 90 minutes and then physically later than that. There is no pleasure in this film. Like noted....it is irritating so often.  This also makes the film seem loooooooong!! At one point I looked at my watch and saw it had only been 45 minutes. At that point I felt like the movie was 90 minutes long. So that is a problem.
Then after that the ending felt flat.
Real flat and too open.


Well 2 stars for the acting and the idea (it is different).


From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Happy Death Day 2U

Happy Death Day 2U
 1 star out of 5

Oh boy one of the first disappointments of the year.
I mean Happy Death Day, back in 2017 was one of  my biggest surprises.
Here was my review for that film:
http://theshadowsmoviecritic.blogspot.com/2017/10/new-film-review-happy-death-day.html

Now the baby face is back in this messy movie.
It involves the same premise as the last film, the same day over and over with each day ending in a murder.
Soooomany things wrong....
-The cast is way to old...I can clearly tell, then I looked it up, the lead...Jessica Roth (though very good again) is in her 30's playing this college student. Same for all the other actors.
-The plot adds time travel to the script and it was confusing, and to be honest it was boring.
-Speaking of the script, the small plots were all over the place, with many holes that made no sense, making the 100 minute movie feel 3 hours long.

Well I gave it 1 star for some scares...and Jessica Roth was still very good.

Dont bother with this one.
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

New Film Review: Alita Battle Angel

Alita Battle Angel

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

I am now playing catch up since I took a little over a week off from new reviews to focus on Oscar week and pretty much wrap up 2018. My numbers last week on the blog for looks were higher than they were in the last 13 months. So thank you for taking the time to read this anti critic, often grammatically incorrect, movie review blog.
So Alita.
Alita, well played by Rosa Salazar in a CGI form, is a broken down cyborg who is revived by Dr Ido ( a miscast Christoph Waltz) and chased by a lot of ...things..including a wasted Jennifer Connelly as Chiren.
The plot is messy. It is just edited real bad. It is based on some novel or comic book, not really sure. I just know that it tried to fit in a lot of backstory that kept interrupting the story or any excitement or action that was in front of us. It kept trying to cover ground I guess from the books that happened before this story. Director  Robert Rodriquez made a bad decision, he should have started the film with a long backstory then pushed through with the film.
I have to say I give it points for trying something new. I love the heroin Alita. I like the Roboball kind of game.  I looooved the look of the film.

So I split it down the middle with 2 1/2 stars. It just is kinda forgettable but at the same time not awful or even bad. It is just there.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

Oscar Weekend! Who Will Win!! Who Should Win!! Who Got Snubbed!!

Oscar weekend has arrived so I will give you my picks!!
Last year I picked 9 categories and only got 5 right!!!!!!!!!!!
That was embarrassing....I hope for a better weekend.


BEST ANIMATED FILM
Incredibles 2
Isle Of Dogs
Mirai
Ralph Breaks The Internet
Spiderman Into The Spider-Verse

           WILL WIN


Spiderman Into The Spider-verse
It is a very good film. I would have no problem with it winning. I mean, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Exciting and yet sweet. Plus it looks great.

      SHOULD WIN


Isle Of Dogs

I noted in my top ten films of 2018( Did not see my top ten of the year blogs???!! You really should. I may get a Pulitzer for them!) that its a fine line that this is "animated". It is kind of, but it is more stop motion. Still, I think it deserves to win. It has a lot of heart. Quick writing, that is often funny.

I REALLY DO NOT HAVE A SNUB IN BEST ANIMATION



BEST DIRECTION

Spike Lee -Blackkklansman
Pawel Pawlikowski- Cold War
Yorgos Lanthimos-The Favourite
Alfonso Cuaron-Roma
Adam Mckay- Vice


    WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN


Alfonso Cuaron

Just a gorgeous picture he made. Plus working with many actresses and actors who never worked as actors in a big film before! As for the picture....more on that on my best picture pick.
I am hearing Spike Lee is picking up steam. I loved Blackklansman up until the end where he made an awful decision. He called the viewer stupid by breaking the 4th wall. By showing modern day issues!!! He said to us as  a viewer...you are not smart enough to figure out what I am doing here so let me show you stupid. He blew it!!!!!!!!!!!! We knew...you did not trust the viewer!!
Which brings me to...snubbed.


                           SNUBBED


Bradley Cooper

I kept going back and forth between Cooper and Krasinski. Cooper gets the edge for the snub. I would replace Lee with Cooper. Cooper had a lot of weight on his shoulders. First time director. Trying to not mess up a classic. Has a first time lead actress in Ga Ga. Had to sing! Oh yea he had to act!! He pulled it off and was robbed.


BEST SONG

All The Stars from Black Panther
I'll Fight from RGB
The Place Where Lost Things Go from Mary Poppins Returns
Shallow from A Star Is Born
When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings from The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs

   WILL AND SHOULD WIN



Shallow from A Star Is Born

I do not think I have to explain it is a clear front runner. It is not a song that plays during the closing credits, it is a big part of the film.


NO SNUBS HERE TO NOTE.



BEST DOCUMENTARY

Free Solo
Hale County This Morning This Evening
Minding The Gap
Of Fathers And Sons
RBG

            WILL WIN


RBG

For some reason she is the golden girl in Hollywood. I saw the Doc.. its nice and all but could have been a PBS special.


     SHOULD WIN


Free Solo

This is Big Screen. This scared the heck out of me, I mean I have a fear of heights. The filming of this Doc made you feel you were on the rock with Alex Honnold. It is soooo scarey...yet good. On the big screen it worked.

          SNUBBED


Won't You be My Neighbor

Without a doubt the biggest snub of the Oscars. Not going to note much here, but take a look at my top ten. It was the front runner. A documentary for our times. Kindness.



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams for Vice
Marina De Tavira for Roma
Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk
Emma Stone for The Favourite
Rachel Weisz for The Favourite


                      WILL WIN


Regina King

I think Stone and Weisz will knock each other out by splitting the vote. Then that leaves 3. I think Adams is miscast; and De Tavira's part is too small. King is the queen here. She is fierce as Sharon Rivers. She will win.


               SHOULD WIN


Rachel Weisz

As Lady Sarah she runs the gambit of emotions and is spot on, often with just a look. She is great here. Unfortunately like I noted before her vote will be split by Stone. So King will slip in, not that it is not deserving...this race is very tight.


NO SNUBS HERE. ALL ARE DESERVING



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Mahershala Ali for Green Card
Adam Driver for Blackkklansman
Sam Elliot for A Star is Born
Richard E Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me
Sam Rockwell for Vice


WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN


Mahershala Ali

This is an all-star  list of nominees. Sam Elliot finally. Richard Grant stole the movie. Adam Driver is wonderful as usual. Sam Rockwell is well, Sam Rockwell.
But Ali!!! He is a one of the top 5 actors working today...and he shows it. Funny, sad, angry, and sweet as Dr Shirley.


NO SNUBS HERE, A GREAT LIST OF NOMINEES



BEST LEAD ACTRESS

Yalitza Aparicio for Roma
Glenn Close for The Wife
Olivia Colman for The Favourite
Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born
Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me


  WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN


Glenn Close

This is so tight.
Aparicio...people like the story
Colman....she was great
Gaga...she is the most popular
I think McCarthy has no chance because you cant forget the other 2 awful movies she did this year (see my worst 10 films of the year).
I just think Gaga should have been best supporting, her part was small.
Aparicio, to be honest just stood there for most of the film and watched.
I think Close gets the edge here for her bigger role.


SNUBBED



Thomasin McKenzie

In Leave No trace (Which you can see on Amazon Prime) Thomasin tears up the screen. She goes head to head with one of our best actors in Ben Foster, and almost out performs him. She is amazing in this film. She has been called the next Jennifer Lawrence, well in Leave No Trace, she may be better than Lawrence. I would have replaced McCarthy with McKenzie.


BEST ACTOR

Christian Bale in Vice
Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born
William Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate
Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen in Green Book


WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN



Bradley Cooper

This is a three horse race.
Cooper
Malek
Bale
Mortenson and Dafoe are good but those three are a bit better.
Bale has been the front runner all award season but Malek and Cooper have gained ground.
Malek has stepped up since Bohemian Rhapsody was released for home viewing.
Cooper has stepped up because of popularity, but also there is a faction that was upset that he did not get best director so they may vote for him here.
It could go either way but...I choose Cooper.


                SNUBBED



Ben Foster

As noted in my review of top ten films ...When will Ben Foster get his reward. One of our best American actors alive:
Hell Or High Water
3:10 to Yuma
Hostiles
On and on I could go. But here, in Leave No Trace, he plays Will, who lives in an urban park in Oregon with his 13 year old daughter. He is struggling to assimilate back into society after coming home from his service over seas. So he elects to live off the grid. You often do not like what he is doing; you often feel for him; he does that to you. He is sad and lost but cares for his daughter. He is just great here. I would have replaced Dafoe with him.


WE HAVE ARRIVED AT BEST PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  I will do this a little different...I will give thoughts on the nominees as I list them.

Black Panther- I gave it 4 stars. But are you kidding me? For best picture? Really? If you want  to       give super hero films Oscars lets maybe start The Dark Knight and the rest will fall under that. Waaaaay under that.
Blackkklansman-See my thoughts above, look under Director Spike Lee.
Bohemian Rhapsody-To many false story lines.
The Favourite- has a chance
The Green Book - has a chance
Roma-has a chance
A Star Is Born -has a chance
Vice-Has a chance


     WHO WILL WIN



Roma

It is just picking up a ton of speed at the finish line.
It is a pretty slow film. Could have been edited to 90 minutes. 2 hours and fifteen minutes? Really?
Honestly...it is a beautiful film but not much happens for most of it. I gave it 4 stars for its look and the nice story of a makeshift family. Still...it is a long watch.
There is another problem. I been saying it all award season and Spielberg brought it up today.
Roma is eligible for an Oscar because it was released in theaters for a week and then went straight to Netflix. It was only a couple theaters.
That was the plan. This is a dangerous precedent to set. There is an industry of art house cinemas who rely heavily on these small films to separate them from the huuuuge Regals and AMC's. More small films may start doing this, thus slowly killing these art houses. Think about this...one week separated this film from Oscar and an Emmy. There is something wrong there.
So with sadness I think Roma would win. It has a political backing which happens too often during award season. It also had more eyes on it because of Netflix.


SHOULD WIN


Green Book

Just a great film about a life long friendship formed on a road trip.
See my number one film of t he year for more:
http://theshadowsmoviecritic.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-number-1-film-of-2018.html


        SNUBBED



Leave no Trace

It is a shame Oscar voters cannot remember back to the spring they only vote for small films brought out in the fall.
I said enough about this film in this blog so if you want read my review from last week as I listed my Top Ten:
This movie stays with you. Sad. Heartfelt. Sweet.
Two people watching and caring over each other as they search for a place to be...or running from the real world.... or what is in Will's mind.
This film says so much and you want more!! You want to know if they both will be okay after the movie ends.
It says alot about the family of veterans, how they have to watch over our heroes trying to decide when to be soft and when to be hard on these family members. Also, it touches on how hard it is for our heroes to assimilate in our society after coming back to the States.
It sounds like a downer I know but I found it to be interesting, and oddly sweet how this father and daughter interact. Leave No Trace is available on Amazon Prime.

So there you go. My picks. My snubs.
I hope I do better this year!!


Thanks for your time as always and enjoy the Oscars!!!!!!!!!!!