Tag: Matthew Modine

VISION QUEST (1984)

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Directed By: Harold Becker

Written By: Darryl Ponicsan

Based on the novel by: Terry Davis 

Cinematography: Owen Roizman

Editor: Maury Winetrobe 

Cast: Matthew Modine, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Schoeffling, Charles Hallahan, Ronny Cox, Forest Whitaker, Raphael Sbarge, Harold Sylvester, J.C. Quinn, Daphne Zuniga, Roberts Blossom, James Gammon, Madonna 

A high school wrestler in Spokane, Washington has trouble focusing on his training regimen when a beautiful young drifter takes up temporary residence at his home.

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This film is kind of like Apple pie or a home-cooked meal. It’s a coming of age story that’s recognizable and down-home simply enough. It’s not very sensationalistic, which makes it all the more believable. 

Taking place in a small town dealing with first love, especially not only an older woman but a stranger in the 1980s which were more relaxed in times and subjects, even though it might be a little bit by today’s standards still a film that has a lot of heart 

Dealing with regret, the future being wide open, learn your obsession as a teenager, which is your world as you grow up how small it seems compared with everything else going on around you, and how it loses its importance 

I’ll be honest this is a film. I’ve always heard about it but never seen it even though I had plenty of opportunities in video stores and on not only regular television but tables and I remember being interested in trying to see it because it was one of Linda Fiorentino’s first big roles and I remember it coming on HBO but it was coming on late at night and trying to stay up me trying to stay up and then falling asleep right before the movie Started and then waking up during the weigh in scene, and then trying to stay up to see if any glimpses of were left in the film and then falling asleep just to see the credits.

This is a film that has been alluded to over the years for me. I think I would’ve enjoyed it when I was younger, but I think it held a special place for me and my heart now having seen it for its cast it’s all of which I think I appreciate on a deeper level now which I think most watching this film for the first time Will also be able to hone in on

It’s a coming-of-age film that doesn’t go for Schmalz nor does it talk down to its characters or its audience. They face real problems, real responsibilities real consequences, and we see the characters who help form their beliefs in life who’ve gone before, these characters aren’t made into icons or legends they’re shown in all their glory, but also their faults and failures.

It also gives him arrival or enemy to strive against who’s not necessarily all that evil, but something to focus his energy in trying to defeat challenge and get over

So Harold Becker deserves credit for putting this all on screen, visualizing it, and making it so believable it helps that the source material was a novel that has plenty for characterizations and setting scenes but still all involved should be proud of themselves 

Watching Matthew Modine as an actor over the years, you can get a sense of the wild spirit energy, and all American image that he possesses in this performance and why he kept working so much in the 1980s and ’90s throughout his career cause you can see that spark, just like his character in nell, maybe he was type even though he played a lot of rules, but this will be the one that he’ll be remembered for, and you’ll always go to straight in your head

This ended up being better than I expected and can see why it’s so well remembered and still talked about truly living up to its title and its themes.

One can admit this is actually way better than expected and can see why not only the movie but it’s memory has lasted with audiences for so long.

Now, I will say, Linda Fiorentino does it once again where as it seems like most of her acting roles, no matter hero or villain by the end one always has a crush on her for whatever reason, even though she usually does play icy emotional. here she plays tough, but slowly reveals her vulnerability as an outsider and newcomer to this town and looking to get out and how she has an obvious connection with the lead, but how she manages to affect other characters also.

Not to mention the film and it soundtrack featured an up-and-coming singer, songwriter named Madonna, who actually appears in the film performing in a bar scene so you can add that to the nostalgia of the 80s in the up and coming cast, as well as just raw talent used to the best of their abilities

Grade: B+

BABY, IT’S YOU (1983)

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Written & Directed By: John Sayles
Based on a Story by: Amy Robinson 
Cinematography: Michael Ballhaus 
Editor: Sonya Polonsky 

Cast: Rosanna Arquette, Vincent Spano, Matthew Modine, Sam McMurray, Tracy Pollan, Frank Vincent, Robert Downey Jr., Caroline Aaron, Fisher Stevens, Joanna Merlin

In a 1966 New Jersey high school, Jill and new student Sheik from the other side of the tracks make their way into a first love romance.  

A romantic epic. That is well-traveled.

a perfect representation of first love as it spans across the early years of your development from your teens to slowly becoming an adult. Though it only covers a few years. It feels like a love story across decades. Though at least It isn’t presented as instant more than organic.

Almost like a kitchen sink drama mixed with a young adult novel. 

This is a film that seems like it’s Going to be slight or more melodramatic but ends up being actually deep and partly devastating.

Neither of the two main characters played by Vincent Spano and Rosanna Arquette. Are perfect. As they both have their strengths, weaknesses, and flaws. Yet you find yourself pulling for them.

Rosanna Arquette’s Character is annoying quite a few times and Vincent Spano gives a performance that has tinges of tragedy. As he seems to have a stubbornness about him that can be seen as confidence yet also expects too much. As you know he’s a dreamer you find yourself rooting for him. 

The film smartly involved petty betrayal and seduction and finding yourself even once they are split then finally resuming their relationship. They still need each other as they are stranded and the only people who seem to understand each other. As we don’t see them when they are sorted only when together or on the verge. So we get to see a kind of greatest-hits version of their lives 

The power shifts between them become fascinating. As we watch as the relationship becomes all about growth and maturity as well as how it comes apart and goes back to childlike immaturity.

It’s one of the few times Matthew Modine has been sued in the right way. He seems to be good at playing yuppie upper-class men. It’s Fun spotting a bunch of character actors in early small roles.

It’s a film that is almost kind of like PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED. Only it’s not from the future looking back and getting another chance to correct past mistakes 

Here the story is told mostly as a doomed love story between two characters where we follow their ups and downs from high school to adulthood and always manage to find their way back to each other. Even when in different romances and away from one another 

It also shows how in this oboe Sorry there is the fantasy and romantic early days to the rough parts and the truly hard parts towards the end and after where reality truly steps in 

Just as the characters’ hopes and dreams for their futures are attempted but also must be checked at certain times by a harsh reality and circumstances they set themselves up for

Coming from writer-director John Sayles you expect more of a humanist point of view and presentation. That isn’t too sensationalistic or aimed at any particular genre. This is also one of his films that stays with you like BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET, LONE STAR, and CITY OF HOPE. They are inventive and have a bunch of great ideas.

He is a director I admire as an independent filmmaker who usually has excellent character studies like this one. I admire that he started out writing B-Movie scripts PIRANHA, and ALLIGATOR. Who makes a living primarily by being. A professional rewriter, using that money to help fund his own productions and help other independent filmmakers.

Amazed at how the filmmakers got such a great soundtrack. 

Grade: A-

TRANSPORTER 2 (2005)

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Directed By: Louis Leterrier
Written By: Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen 
Cinematography: Mitchell Amundsen
Editor: Christine Lucas Navarro & Vincent Tabaillon

Cast: Jason Statham, Amber Valletta, Alessandro Grossman, Kate Nauta, Matthew Modine, Jason Flemyng, Keith David, Francois Baerleand, Annalynne McCord

Transporter Frank Martin surfaces in Miami, Florida, and is implicated in the kidnapping of the young son of a powerful USA official.

Luc Besson is a director who has always flirted with more action-oriented projects as well as his own artistic ones. At a certain point, he seemed to abandon directing films altogether and instead write and produce continuous action films. Leaving the directing to others. Where you wonder if his brand is all over these films and lets up-and-coming directors spearhead the projects. Yet still maintains control.

As he is mroe than capable of directing them himself, maybe even he knows that they are mroe commercial projects and he wants to be seen more as an actual artistic director. Whatever the reasons he has made a fortune from writing and producing these mid-level budget action films that seemed to be everywhere in the 1990s and especially early 2000’s he seems to have set the rules somewhat for modern action cinema that unfortunately isn’t made anticipating the future and revising as the years go by More they are trashy and ridiculous yet fun and seek to stick to a formula and offer diversity and international casts.

This film became a franchise. One has to wonder was that always the intended aim to make this into a series of films or did the original make it easy to set up further adventures for the character who helped make Jason Statham An action star. In fact, the plan for most of his action films and scripts is to try to create a franchise and the others don’t do as well.

As there was never a sequel to LA FEMME NIKITA, there was not only a remake but eventually a television series. Which after a few mroe sequels was the same fate of this franchise. Even though Jason Statham only came back to the role to complete the trilogy with the next film in the series. 

This was only the second action film I saw Jason Statham star in after the first film. As I had mainly seen him in films by director Guy Ritchie when he was still making criminal caper films Such as SNATCH and LOCK, STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS though he also was in the similar remake of THE ITALIAN JOB also. 

This franchise is like the character is an underworld James Bond of old. As he is usually somehow double-crossed in his own line of work or is brought into a conspiracy because he cares. Even though he has a supposedly strict set of rules. Yet in each new film, they are mroe stand-alone involving few recurring characters. Though no old girlfriends or attachments. Allowing for romance or sex for him in each new film

When it comes to this film It’s ridiculous, Loud, flashy, and fun full of  jokes and impressive action scenes where Jason Statham barely gets a R.I.P. on his suit 

This film is even filtered to be glossy where almost everyone seems to have a shin sheen of sweat that brings out any bright colors to almost be blindingly obvious 

Kate Nauta makes an impression as the villain’s henchwoman lover who seems to be a masochist. She is memorable in the film. One wishes she had been in more films or found a way to bring her back or get a spin-off or action hero series of her own

The film is legitimized by having Matthew Modine in the cast of having an actor who usually doesn’t appear in these types of films. While offering former supermodel Amber valets a role as a maybe love interest and whose scenes are more dramatic 

The film ends up being something that is hard to take seriously. As everything is over the top with the hero being the only one to truly not only save the day but figure things out. But also everyone is disposable especially when it comes to living g or dying except the heroes and villains.

Not to mention the action sequences are a sight to behold as they all truly depend on the fight choreography mroe than anything as the fights include so many people and the only way one can hold off so many are desperate luck and knowing the moves the others will make.

There is So much damage done yet you never question it and just want to see where it goes and how it resolves itself.

Grade: B

PRIVATE SCHOOL (1983)

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Directed By: Noel Black 
Written By: David Greenburg & Suzanne O’Malley 
Cinematography By: Walter Lassally 
Editor: Fred Chulack 

Cast: Phoebe Cates, Matthew Modine, Betsy Russell, Kathleen Wilhoite, Michael Zorek, Fran Ryan, Ray Walston, Sylvia Kristel, Frances Bay 

Christine, a student at an exclusive all-girls private school, is in love with Jim, who attends an academy for boys nearby. Christine’s arch rival Jordan also has her eye on Jim, and she is willing to do whatever she can to steal him away. Jim’s uber-slob buddy Bubba is going with Betsy, Christine’s cynical friend, though he would probably be unfaithful if any other woman were willing to get near him. Bubba and his pals sneak into the girls’ school dressed in drag in hopes of reaching the Promised Land (better known as the women’s shower room), while Christine and Jim run away together for the weekend, though their escapade isn’t as romantic as they had hoped.

While I can celebrate this film as a milestone as a teen sex comedy I watched often when I was growing up. It will always hit a certain special chord with me. Though I can also say it’s not really a good film. It’s one that has stayed in my memories over the years for many reasons.

One of them being Phoebe Cates in one of her few I fortunately memorable starring roles and also for introducing Betsy Russell an actress I remember from many 80’s movie and who I had a huge crush on at the time (she was most recently in the SAW movies. Still looking beautiful) I believe why she made such an impact on me was at the time. She not only was an actress I had a crush on, but also the first crush I ever saw topless on screen. Which was as good as nice for me at the time.

You also must keep in mind d to me at that age not only was this erotic and exotic material. It was practically porn so it was sacred and felt like it was contraband almost illegal material or at least material I wasn’t supposed to have access to. Which brought an extra joy to watching it

This film was often compared with FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. When I was young even though that film depicted teen sex with a little more authority and realistic elements in a truthful but humorous way. That seemed to show a heart and decency. Plus it was a good movie. The only reason I can think of the comparison is because both feature Phoebe Cates only here in more a starring role,

I can’t say this is a good movie. As the central plot is simple and dumb but identifiable. The film is more episodic in nature and has to deal with life at an all boys and all girls academy in close vicinity. There is a popular couple who haven’t done it yet, but are planning to once all the obstacles get out of their way. There is a rich girl who wants the popular guy and tempts him often. There is also the overweight hot tea best friend who somehow has a cool girlfriend but is always not only horny it the genius who has all these plans that will go wrong.

The only true noteworthy aspect about this movie is that it lives up to it’s promise when it comes to gratuitous nudity, that Fast times promised and gave more of a snippet of. Here there is nudity a plenty usually provided by miss Betsy Russell a veteran of T & A 80’s movies such as TOMBOY.

Even though theoretically she is the villain. She is always shot lovingly and iconically like a bombshell. She totally steals the movie abs is ken fo the more memorable characters and elements. Even as phoebe cates is mroe representative of love, romance abd a certain innocence. Russell’s character is the movies sex appeal, the vixen truly the bombshell and represents lust. Where even though most male characters drool over her. She spends most of the movie trying to entice Matthew modine away from his girlfriend.

I really wonder were these the only films around and offered for young actors or did they figure they would work their way up the Hollywood ladder by getting their foot on the door with these movies or since it was their first movies did they take it and the material seriously? Did anyone become method like Sean Penn and his character in fast times?

I would advise only Watching this for the nostalgic value and vintage 80’s style and nudity. Other then that it doesn’t have too much to offer. Unless you love lowbrow humor and stupid jokes and bad cross dressing.

Sometimes you have to sit and wonder what was wrong with you that you might have thought these movies were great as kids. I think it was the nudity that made me think that this was a masterpiece in my youth. I have the same weakness now, only in life. As nudity make me one weak.

Debut movie as a choreographer of Paula Abdul who choreographed the women’s aerobic workout. And appears as a cheerleader.

Actress Phoebe Cates not only was the top-billed actor but was a performer for the film’s soundtrack singing two songs “How Do I Let You Know” and “Just One Touch” the latter in a duet with Bill Wray. That just helps give the film that 1980’s cinematic cultural sheen.

My uncle as always Introduced this movie to me. Where it was on cable constantly. He had a crush on Phoebe Cates at the time. Especially in the censored version that played on USA cable channels all the time before they had any original programming really.

This was a film that was necessary in my youth. As it was a film I was probably way too young to watch at the time. Yet it was costantly on cable on HBO in the more R Rated nature it was meant to be shown, but then on USA and Wood channel 11 in New York in the more censored form. Either way it has always had a hint of danger for me. As it was always a film that seemed forbidden.

Watching it later in life it hardly comes anywhere near the danger that I felt, but it will always stand as a film that was one of my introductions into more T & A material and definitely a movie that was more gold standard maturing knot puberty.

GRADE: B-

SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLADADO (2018)

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sicario-2-movie-review-2018-read-25297d5b-fc67-42dd-b25f-93937ed1cf35

Directed By: Stefano Sollima
Written By: Taylor Sheridan
Cinematography: Dariusz Wolski
Editor: Matthew Newman 

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, James Brolin, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Donovan, Isabella Moner, Matthew Modine, Shea Whigham, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Elijah Rodriguez 


The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.

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