D | An outlaw who was raised by Native Americans discovers that he has five half-brothers; together the men go on a mission to find their wayward, deadbeat dad. Directed by Frank Coraci Initial Review by Sean Riley |
It’s a shame Ridiculous 6 is being wasted as a full MMC pick. We owed it to ourselves to watch this movie via synchronized Netflix’s some late Friday night with a 1000 comment live thread. The last time we did that I dropped my remote in my scotch. Unfortunately we decided to watch when prose was called for.
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Initial Review by Sean “I’ve seen it, it’s good but depressing”- Ashli Keller. I think if you tell most people, hey do you wanna watch a movie with Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Luke Wilson they’d probably either say- “sure sounds funny” or if you’re Bryan Hartman you say “Ahh shit Riley. Kristen Wiig ceiling is D-.” One thing I’m certain of is that Bryan was not expecting a movie about depression and suicide. The movie doesn’t take long to let us know that’s exactly what we’ll be seeing starting with a pair of bi-coastal suicide attempts. Almost immediately we get a solid Marley and Me joke to let us know that Hader and Wiig’s comedy chops won’t get lost in a 100% depressing movie. Maggie and Milo haven’t spoken in a decade for some untold reason but the “gruesome twosome” are clearly more comfortable and able to be themselves around each other than anyone else. Their twin bond remained strong. We don’t get much background to their younger childhood to see if it was as screwed up but we know Maggie started making out with boys in 5th grade and that Milo was molested by his teacher at 15. Their father committed suicide, their mom is now an eccentric who couldn’t bother to attend Maggie’s wedding. Maggie’s psyche is fractured enough to bounce around to every activity the local YMCA has to offer and screw the instructor all the while lying to sweetheart Lance about planning a family. A lifetime of pain leads the two of them to say the most hurtful things imaginable one-upping each other until Maggie finally suggests next time Milo should just cut deeper. They both immediately regret what was just said and moreso cannot take it back. With Milo heading back to California and Maggies marriage potentially over she decides to finish what she was starting at the beginning of the movie. Side note- weighing ones self down for a suicidal drowning has got to be among the worst ways to do it. Luckily Milo arrives to save the day and the two of them embrace and the camera shows that the two goldfish survived their leaky bag near death experience as well. I’m sure some reviewers will downgrade the movie for tying a little bit too neat a bow on a movie with this subject matter suggesting all is well but I’m fine with it. Speaking of that neat bow- we’re not left depressed Ashli, they made it. The success of Skeleton Twins, and any movie with its concept with 2 leads on screen at all times mostly together relies on the chemistry between those two leads, even moreso when you make them twins. Not since Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito eamed up has Hollywood given us a better pairing. You can very clearly see that chemistry between Hader and Wiig. Each joining SNL in 2005 and leaving only 1 year apart they have literally spent thousands of hours in the same room together. The scene together in the dentists office harkens back to the years at SNL just being high and goofy and whether you can’t help but enjoy the moment. The lip sync scene with the two of them twinning out is on the short list of funnest scenes we’ve had in the MMC. Luke Wilson is an A+ in this movie. He stole every scene he was in with the exception of the W face he makes when confronting Maggie about the birth control pills. I get it when people hate on the lovable buffoon persona that he and his brother play so well. But here’s the thing about Lance. We’ve all met the person who seems a little too enthusiastic and gung ho and interested in what you are doing or saying that it feels like total bullshit. Time and again they continue to show the same zest for all things life and time and again you think, he’s this asshole. Eventually you accept they’re just a weird dude that genuinely enjoys other people and you can’t help but feel envious of that energy but at the same time think about how exhausting being that way would be. Only it’s not exhausting to that person just to us normal people who don’t actually care. “This harness has my balls in my throat, it’s all part of the experience.” This is one of those funny lines you hear and think, that was absolutely something one of the writers heard when he decided to check out the new climbing gym in town a couple of years ago and has been dying to use. I’m not one of those guys that never cries at movies, I cry frequently when it’s called for. Given the subject matter I’m surprised Skeleton Twins did not bring any tears. A tear shed once or twice could’ve brought me to an A but I think I’ll go A- but can see myself being talked into B+ Original Review by Sean.
Initial Review by Sean Meh As I continue to choose movies that are recognized as classics that I’ve never seen before somebody veto the next time I pick something from the 70s. Annie Hall isn’t a bad movie but to borrow from Sonny Carolla it just didn’t move the needle for me. The first half hour is the strongest of the movie and we get to see some of Allen’s wit while at the same time his neurotic jittery nature hasn’t worn you out yet. My first attempt to watch Mindy made me turn it off because she couldn’t handle him anymore and I totally get it. I also get why some people really enjoy it. I think you have to be in the proper mindset and setting to maximize Woody Allen. I finished it last night while tired and running the dishwasher in the nearby kitchen. Tired and noisy is not ideal for Woody Allen, you need quiet and focus to catch his phrasing while he is ranting to be able to catch the jokes. Because of that I may try to watch another of his movies in a better mindset, Tom recommended Manhattan Murder Mystery the other day. Let’s break down a couple of takeaways- the 4th wall. I’m not a guy who is firmly pro or con on breaking the 4th wall but I hated it in this movie. It was ok in the intro where he describes himself but once he got into the story it didn’t fit- more annoying than that was when things would happen and he would talk to random strangers on the street about what they think about his situation, most annoying of that is the extras would get in line to provide their commentary and sometimes they’d be used sometimes not every time he did it is pissed me off with 1 exception. When he was in the movie line loudly complaining about the guy standing behind him who teaches at Columbia, it was funny that he went over to the actual person who shut down the expert. This worked for me because it reminded me of the movie Back to School starring Rodney Dangerfield. In that movie Rodney plays Thornton Melon the owner of a chain of Big and Fat stores who joins his son in college and joins the diving team. He hires experts to do his homework including Kurt Vonnegut himself to write a paper about Kurt Vonnegut, his love interest/professor fails him for obviously having someone else write it for him while saying, whoever wrote it doesn’t know the first thing about Kurt Vonnegut. It was funnier when Dangerfield did it although I would say he was inspired by Allen. 2nd big takeaway/question. I’ve not seen any other Woody Allen films, does he always play a caricature of the New York Jewish male? I get it he’s Jewish and from New York but does he have any other qualities? Is it his age that pushes that onto screen for him being a young child during WWII? Lastly and to set up Kissel’s research, the loudest laugh came unintentionally when he compared politicians to child molesters. Granted in 1977 we were 25 years away from controversy with him but damn. C+ is the meh grade right? |
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