Tag: Jason Schwartzman

THE LAST SHOWGIRL (2024)

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Directed By: Gia Coppola 

Written By: Kate Gersten 

Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw 

Editor: Blair McClendon And Cam McLaughlin 

Cast: Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Billie Lourd, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song, Dave Bautista, Jason Schwartzman, Linda Montana 

A seasoned showgirl must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.

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This from falters, but it’s not entirely its fault, as the film was heavily hyped to be a comeback vehicle but then when it was released, it was a whimper, though the way it was talked about by the few who didn’t see it you expected so much more and better than it had this kind of hype about it and then, when you watch the film, Kenmore has a light touch but you were already expecting to see so much more now you can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

Which is why it’s usually best to go in with no expectations and hopefully most of you will go into this film with not too many expectations then maybe you can get into it but for me it felt like a lost cause almost.

This film could easily be compared to a star in trying to say some thing about her career in popularity, where the main character is a former show girl who has always lived that kind of lifestyle gotten by on her luxe, and try to support herself and her daughter throughout the years and now that she’s older kind of being pushed out as the show that she stars in is being canceled and can’t seem to get a job In any other shows, though she has experience, she doesn’t have the formal so-called education for the jobs, and also due to her age.

It’s a film that’s sad man tries to give the character dignity even though throughout, she seems to be a pushover who seems to only want to stand up to the wrong people the people who actually care about her, but are making her answer for her flaws and mistakes. Unfortunately they’re asking while the world seems to be against her.

The film has a guerrilla style camera work, and it does have a story deep down in there, but it just doesn’t feel like a very strong as the film try to be more of a slice of life that’s not going to please everyone and more revolves around Pamela Anderson’s character than us really getting to know too many of the other characters.

As even the younger stripper, she works with her costars in the show kind of looked at her to be a mama hen even though her own daughter feels like she neglected her when she was growing up even though Anderson’s character was trying to do the best that she could add time is, it might’ve been selfish, but it was some thing that she loved where she had to choose between her to loves, and she gave one more attention than the other.

There’s nothing bad about the film, but I believe your interest in the film will be as how much do you really care about her character or any of the characters and while I applied it for a showing a film about a woman dealing with feeding beauty and it seems like aging makes you feel you’re made to feel useless

Especially with the supporting role played surprisingly by Jamie Lee Curtis in a way to tan overly made up cocktail waitress who used to be a dancer, but had to go to waitressing and still misses the days of dancing, but also seems to have other personal problems of living, a fast lifestyle even though she can give good life advice, and somehow is worse off than Pamela Anderson’s character though like her characters make up, she might be a bit much, but what is needed a contemporary for Pamela Anderson’s character to truly talk to you and deal with.

One wishes they could’ve gotten into the characters more, as it seems to deal with surface level, but it never really makes you wanna go deeper than the surface of what is shown even though the main point of the film is to go underneath that to see the person and not the beauty or the Luxury or the faded glory but it feels like something that could’ve been told and still manage to have a little bit more to it.

As one remembers her at the peak of her popularity with a bombshell, she was one of the bombshells to reference over the years that has truly asked her to act, even if the character is familiar

This film was talked about as a possible. Oscar consideration. Slow down, would have fooled the industry just because she shows herself with no make up written for her in mind. 

As it even struggles to keep the audiences interest at 89 minutes as there’s just not enough, this feels like a film that would’ve done gangbusters in the 1990s independency but here it just feels like fluff and sort of a gift to Pamela Anderson for making it in Hollywood after all these years as it’s the first time I’ve seen with her that really and challenges are even though it feels also custom-made for

Grade: C

SLACKERS (2001)

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Directed By: Dewey Nicks 

Written By: David H. Steinberg 

Cinematography: James R. Bagdonas

Editor: Tara Timpone

Cast: Devon Sawa, Jaime King, Jason Schwartzman, Jason Segel, Michael McDonald, Michael C. Maronna, Laura Prepon, Jim Rash, Nat Faxon, Retta, Joe Flaherty, Leigh Taylor Young 

Dave, Sam and Jeff are about to graduate from Holden University with Honors in lying, cheating and scheming. The three roommates have proudly scammed their way through the last four years of college and now, during the final exams, these big-men-on-campus are about to be busted by the most unlikely dude in school.

There was once a time when I worked at a video store a Tower video to be exact down in Greenwich Village and my friend Curtis would usually be working the same schedule so that every Saturday night we would get off work and then go see a movie. It was usually us trading who chose the movie, but we generally wanted to see, the same movies and I can’t say that every week there were great prospects. This one I chose this movie so I did see this actually in theaters.

It seems to have everything going for Jason Segel  of Freaks and Geeks, and Devon Sawa who seemed to be in a lot of teen films at the time Laura Prepon from THAT  70’S SHOW, wasn’t a fan of the show but I always liked her delivery and Schwartzman is the reason for me to see this movie thoroughly enjoyed him and RUSHMORE

This film is definitely a romantic comedy that is more misogynistic and in the 1980s would’ve been filled with T & A, an ironic statement the film is from elderly actress Mamie Van Duren. There is plenty of sexual talk even suggested scenes of sex.  After all, it’s supposed to be a college comedy.

The film starts as a con man hustle college comedy before I’m pretty much becoming a romantic comedy. 

This is where the film loses the pizzazz that it had going for it. Which is truly the only thing that sets it apart from many others. The film has strangely a few cameos from people you wouldn’t expect at the time to be in the film, which only makes it more surreal and feel like part of the fantasy.

Seems to be another film in which they make the nice guy or nerd more the villain than the typical male college student who seems more insincere here, Devon’s character who is supposed to be helping Jason Schwartzman due to blackmail actually the girl that he is supposed to be helping him get Jason Schwartzman‘s character just keeps exhibiting more and more strange and creepy behavior throughout, which shows to a certain extent he doesn’t seem to really care about Presley’s character maybe what she represents to him.

I wish I could say that this film is all-around terrible it has some funny scenes, but they are few and far between and maybe not worth going through 90 minutes of this movie is a film that could perfectly be abridged easily.

It also, strangely for a major release comes across as looking a little rough around the edges more than it should. Maybe it’s supposed to represent the scrappy nature of college students, though this kind of looks like a very nice college that these kids could afford, especially with all the scams that they seem to be running. 

Tries, but the characters that really stand out are the ones played by Jason Schwartzman and Jason Segel. So much that you just wish that they could be in a better and funnier film.

Grade: D 

QUEER (2024)

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Directed by: Luca Guadagnino

Written By: Justin Kuritzkes

Based On The Novel By: William S. Burroughs 

Cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom 

Editor: Marco Costa 

Cast: Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Ariel Schulman, Andra Ursata, Omar Apollo, David Lowery

In 1950s Mexico City, an American immigrant in his late forties leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival of a young student stirs the man into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.

This is director Luca Guadagnino’s second film released this year and while not making its mark as strong as his previous film of the year CHALLENGERS. It does offer another look into relationships and the destructive characters within them. It’s also another random adaptation for the director. Making a film from a legendary cult writer and book.

It was like going on a trip that ends up more as a journey and never quite knowing where it will Lead. Then being a guest in this limited epic. While witnessing a love story you want to see work, but ultimately see the cracks and the doom, but still holding out hope.

This film seems to be like the author of the book William S. Burroughs’s writings that could be episodic linear more stream of consciousness at times and little short stories that didn’t really have plots and were more like chronicles, but with all the names changed.

As the film works in different stages, either way, we get to know the lead character played by Daniel Craig, and the fact that he just seems lonely in various ways he tries to rectify that through the company of others, both physically emotionally, and socially. With excessive alcohol and always a pistol by his side, truly his only constant companion. He is also a functioning junkie in the first part of the film. We see his romance with a young man and all his longing for this young man and how it plays out it’s truly beautiful how he tries to court him when we see vague images of what he wishes, he could do to him alone like touching his face in a movie theater or stroking his hair.

The next part of the film seems to focus more on the drug addiction of the character. Now he has fallen in love with this young man, and the young man seems somewhat interested in him, but is emotionally absent to him that’s deepening his drug addiction. 

The next part is when they decide to take a trip together on the search for an elusive flower, and that journey into the jungles and Amazon, and how once it does, it provides quite a unique experience that deepens both of them, but also the rest of the film is more Jumps around and it truly starts to get into the more surrealistic images and hallucinogenic images where it goes more for the visuals and at this point either you’re with the film or you’re not.

This is an easy film to try and break down and explain you can bring up certain plot points, and things that happen and still never quite get to the point of the film or what you’re watching those films as an audience member you have to experience it and come out with your own meaning like it or not. As with its author and his writing, it’s not easily explained.

The film just seems to go along on its own journey, never rushed and never quite on the path you expect but at heart it is a love story that no matter what is timeless and easily identifiable.

The soundtrack includes a lot of the music of NIRVANA and PRINCE. One wonders if it is partially because of the past collaborations between the author of the book and the film is based upon William S. Burroughs and NIRVANA lead singer Kurt Cobain, but also a way to show they art can be timeless. Especially if it evokes a certain mood and atmosphere that is personal, identifiable, and universal in a sense.

Just like the title most of us know what Queer means to most, but here while it has its brushes with what most believe. It also goes out of its way to not be easily definable. It can be a title but never quite an entire identity. As so many have their own definitions of it. So just like the characters this film refuses to be one thing or ride along one wavelength. 

Grade: B 

QUIZ LADY (2023)

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Directed By: Jessica Yu 

Written By: Jen D’Angelo 

Cinematography: Adrian Peng Correia 

Editor: Nat Sanders and Susan Vaill

Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Holland Taylor, Will Ferrell, Tony Hale, Jason Schwartzman, Tawny Newsome, Angela Trimbur, Charlie Talbert, Jon Park, 

A game-show-obsessed woman and her estranged sister work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts.

At first, I thought this was based on a true story. Though watching it is as outrageous as it gets. It still manages to be identifiable.

While the humor at times is more sitcom level. The film manages to have heart. In the first half of the film, seems to be relying on more comedy to drag it through, but what it effectively does is set up the characters, their issues, and the world they live in.

Then in the second half of the film, the heart comes in and it becomes more about family. 

The two stars are Awkafina and Sandra Oh. Give it their all and while sometimes the script fails them In pushing the comedy and absurdity further. They are still memorable overall. Truly the All-Stars of the film. With some nice support. 

What works is that this is a film starring two Asian American actresses playing against type and directed by an Asian American woman. Though it isn’t the main point of the film. In certain Jokes, there is racial humor, but for the most part, it offers characters that are universal and could have been played by anyone of any race. The film doesn’t rely on that factor. 

Will Ferrell’s small role is essential though a nice performance as he reins it in. To create a beloved patriarch. 

By the end, you just wish it was a bit funnier. A lot of the film and your enjoyment of it is based on the goodwill of liking the actors and some of the situations. Not necessarily the script. 

As in the wrong hands, this could have been another unmemorable paint-by-numbers bland studio comedy. Harnessed to a comedy star to either let their comic personae take over or be a random buddy comedy with another actor. Looking to make a quick dollar. 

It even has a bittersweet cameo of a recently deceased well-known icon. 

Grade: C+

MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)

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Directed By: Wes Anderson 
Written By: Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola 
Cinematography: Robert D. Yeoman
Editor: Andrew Weisblum

Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, Frances McDormand, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, Lucas Hedges 

Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down – which might not be such a bad thing.

This film has quite a strange mix as it is more of a children’s tale as they fill out the cast but it also has some rather risqué scenes and material involving them. That fits the rebellious nature of the characters and the film. General,  it also as the film has an innocence and wholesomeness that is timeless. You never quite feel that there are any dastardly hidden levels or messages. It is all on the up and up. As the film is full of characters who all have character. 

As even the few villains that might be in the film. Aren’t malicious, they are just doing what they are supposed to despite the various facts and factions that might require them to abandon the rules.

As the film tries to be an ensemble it feels like the characters are in a dollhouse of sorts. Where they are all connected and there is melodrama but the film never gets bogged down and stays quite lively. Even if it feels at times mroe that everyone is on a playground and they have a connection. So that they constantly affect one another like dominoes being set up. When one falls it falls into another and changes its trajectory.

So while we have the young adult couple as the leads. We see how running away affects the status quo and the adult characters.

That rebellious nature is through the film as it offers some new wave filmmaking influences, moments, and obsessions. which are radical while it focuses on the first love between the main characters. Especially as two outsiders who find solace in each other at random. 

Though luckily for all of the influences on display here. The writer/director manages to make them his own original 

The movie is beautifully filmed. Which makes the scenes simple yet effective with constructed shots and angles. With sharp attention to detail and the time period are amazing, but are a few of the things writer/director Wes Anderson’s films are noted for.

As the film feels like a storybook throughout. As we constantly feel like we are in a fantasy or dream of a child. Even as the films show some maturity and a bit of sexuality. Which is dealt with so simply and carefully that thankfully it. Ever feels exploitive.

The film tries to give a view of the disappointments and sometimes tragedy of adulthood. Like you are missing something or have lost a certain perspective and quality of yourself. As the world is still cruel, but you Don’t know how to deal with it. You don’t challenge it or morph it to your sensibilities. It has morphed you and you realize it as you try to rational ways to deal with or distract from that revelation. 

The film is filled with whimsical cuteness. From a cast that seems more willing to let the harder edges of their performances that they usually bring and let themselves go and be softer and gentler. Surprisingly Bruce Willis is the most memorable in the supporting cast. One of his last memorable movie performances before returning due to health issues. 

The novice performances add to the innocence of the characters and situations. Even as they act older than they are, but are still kids at heart. Which makes their story a little more romantic and the adult ones are messy and sad. Yet can’t totally understand or are more envious and want to break it up. As if they can’t have one, why should they? 

The more you watch this film the deeper the appreciation of it begins. 

In the end, the film is charming and offbeat as it offers the hope and magic of romance. Dependent and understood only by the two involved. A belief that anything is possible when powered by love. As it is the two of you against the world and how relationships are adventures in of themselves even if just emotionally. Only here it is done more physically 

Grade: A+

WINE COUNTRY (2019)

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Directed By: Amy Poehler
Written By: Liz Cackowski & Emily Spivey 
Cinematography: Tom Magill 
Editor: Julie Monroe 

Cast: Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, Paula Pell, Tina Fey, Jason a Schwartzman, Maya Erskine, Cherry Jones, Liz Cackowski, Emily Spivey, Jay Larson, Kate Comer 

During a vacation to Napa Valley, a group of long-time friends reunite and revisit past choices in this hilarious and heartfelt comedy. 

This film had me with the cast alone. Though while entertaining I can’t say that this film has too much to feed on.

As it is a middle-life crisis movie for women. That stays hilarious throughout but it also feels very lightweight and More of a reunion for ex-female SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE cast members. Though it does allow them more of a showcase than usual.

As each major cast member gets their time to shine and a major plotline. Some are just not as serious as others. When commonly cast men Evers in other films are relegated to memorable cameos. Here they get to shine.

The film is light entertainment that feels more like fluff but stays funny and entertaining throughout.

Though even the so-called normal characters end up being zany or skewed in their own way. 

Everyone is good but Maya Rudolph is a particular delight and comes off as the MVP. Not to mention she is the only character whose story comes close to being actually dramatic.

Like the liquor, it celebrates in the title. This movie goes down like a fine one. 

The characters seem more like types or come across that way at times. Though it’s not central it feels like it is about empowerment to a certain degree and watching women who are successful in some ways fall apart in others where their personal weaknesses lie.

The film even takes a look at generational differences. All in all, it is just a fun hang-out movie without too many stakes but plenty of funny scenes and characters. Who are relatable 

The film wants the audience to watch but also take part in the fun times. Where it almost feels like a hangout movie. 

Grade: C+

GOLDEN EXITS (2018)

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Written & Directed By: Alex Ross Perry
Cinematography: Sean Price Williams
 Editor: Robert Greene 

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Adam Horowitz, Analeigh Tipton, Chloe Sevingy, Mary Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Kate Lyn Sheil

An intersectional narrative of two families in Brooklyn and the unraveling of unspoken unhappiness that occurs when a young foreign girl spending time abroad upsets the balance on both sides.

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THE OVERNIGHT (2015)

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the-overnight-movie

Written & Directed By: Patrick Brice
Cinematography By: John Guleserian
Editor: Christopher Donlon 


Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Judith Godreche, Jason Schwartzman

Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family “play date” becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.

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BIG EYES (2014)

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big-eyes

Directed By: Tim Burton
Written By: Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
Cinematography By: Bruno Delbonnel
Editor: JC Bond
Music By: Danny Elfman 


Cast: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman, Danny Huston, Krysten Ritter Terrence Stamp, Jon Polito, Madeline Arthur

In San Francisco in the 1950s, Margaret was a woman trying to make it on her own after leaving her husband with only her daughter and her paintings. She meets gregarious ladies’ man and fellow painter Walter Keane in a park while she was struggling to make an impact with her drawings of children with big eyes. The two quickly become a pair with outgoing Walter selling their paintings and quiet Margaret holed up at home painting even more children with big eyes. But Walter’s actually selling her paintings as his own. A clash of financial success and critical failure soon sends Margaret reeling in her life of lies. With Walter still living the high life, Margaret’s going to have to try making it on her own again and re-claiming her name and her paintings.

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