Tag: Peter Weller

FIRSTBORN (1984)

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Directed By Michael Apted

Written By: Ron Koslow 

Cinematography: Ralf D. Mode

Editor: Arthur Schmidt 

Cast: Peter Weller, Christopher Collet, Teri Garr, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Gartin, James Harper, Josh Hamilton, J.D. Roth

Because he’s the oldest, Jake has been the man of the house, since his parents divorce. When Mom starts seeing Sam, who always seems to be trying some new way to get rich quick, and declares he’s the man of the house now, Jake puts up with it. Until he discovers Sam’s illegal activities.

Though I’m sure it was gripping when it came out watching this film now it isn’t bad, but it does come across more as an after-school special. That is a little bit more adult than the ones that played at the time. 

Times have changed as in the past films like these could be big dramatic films to make it to the big screen rather than being relegated more to television, movies, fair, or overly melodramatic lifetime movies now.

The film has plenty of great dramatic moments and slowly shows how the dysfunctional situation of this young man whose home is invaded by her mom’s drug-dealing boyfriend and who slowly destroys each member of his mom becoming more and more junkie his striking out in anger and becoming much more reclusive as he never wants to be at home. The young man himself slowly starting to lose his composure and his laid-back mentality. 

it’s fun to see Peter Weller in this role as you can understand his allure and how at first he seems kindhearted,  youthful, and A big talker. Slowly, we see him deflate, and how full of it he is he spends most of his days asleep watching television on their couch while their mother goes out and works. 

We also see her attention when it comes to common responsibilities. Like Cooking and cleaning paying bills on time, and being around. It’s ending is too tidy, but at least it shows or handset what went into all of the character’s decisions where the mother was dating a perfectly nice guy, but met this bad boy who is a little bit more exciting and has all these plans he has and is much better and I believe a bit younger Especially coming on the heels of her ex-husband getting remarried.

That is the only hard part of the film that it takes to believe and completely shows how out of the loop the ex-husband is that he’s always traveling and he calls his sons and cares about them to check up on them. It’s still distant by only phone he never physically comes to check up on them or hears of them and their problems at school. 

For the most part, the film does keep your interest as you want to see where it goes and how bad is it gonna go and in the third act you want to see how is it going to relieve itself? It never goes over the top in the violence or the dramatics, it keeps itself at a low simmer most of the time there’s nothing that really boils over until the end and even then it’s not as over the top as you would expect.

It’s nice to see Peter Weller, in an early dramatic role. The handsome troublesome hustler is just the wrong element in all of this.

Is the film debut of future teen idol, Corey Haim, and even in this role he’s got the dramatic goods and comes across his believable even if it’s a troubled child it’s a troubled child role. Even Robert Downey Jr. has a small role in this film as more of the flamboyant and punk friend of the lead character group.

Christopher Collet stayed in the lead and had a pretty good acting career, though this was one of his rare leading roles, he carried the film quite believably for the time. For a film that took place in a suburban area could call it a team with adult themes, but I guess you could also call it a troubled family film.

Not Too many surprises it’s worth a look looking for a more dramatic, overture, and film that is more hidden film than it is popular as I constantly got this film, confused with the more exploitative film SCREAM FOR HELP. This is more respectable and better made. Of course, for most audiences, there might be a feeling of having been there and done that while watching 

It doesn’t come across as anything special about the film though it’s a solid watch

Grade: C+

SCREAMERS (1995)

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Directed By: Christian Duguay
Written By: Dan O’Bannon & Miguel Tejada Flores
Based On the Short Story “SECOND VARIETY” By: Philip K. Dick 
Cinematography: Rodney Gibbons 
Editor: Yves Longlois 

Cast: Peter Weller, Jennifer Rubin, Roy Dupuis, Andy Lauer, Charles Powell

A military commander stationed off the planet during an interplanetary war travels through the devastated landscape to negotiate a peace treaty but discovers that the primitive robots they built to kill enemy combatants have gained sentience.

I remember seeing this trailer many times before movies in 1994 and when it finally came out. It barely gets a release. I didn’t even get to catch it at the discount theater. Once I managed to see it on cable. 

when it comes to Sci-Fi if the story fails you. You usually hope that the special effects will carry you through. Now when this film was made CGI was just beginning but even looking at this film in that context the effects are horrible. About the same quality of SyFy TV movies.

Watching the trailer the film looked a bit thrilling yet simplistic. I was intrigued over the years to finally watch this film as I have not always been a fan of sci-fi films. So I figured to give this one a chance, bad decision.

One of the things that lured me to watch the film was the stars. Peter Weller has a strong look with a mysterious presence. Yet a leading man charm. Who never got his chance in the spotlight and Jennifer Rubin. Who seemed more cast in b-movies whose career I have followed since the movie THE CRUSH. Followed her from career highs and the many lows of her career. This is one of them.

Their budget seems to have gone into bad special effects. Bad investments all around, as the locations seem to be three sets and the desert.

The acting is laughable other than the main two cast members, especially the villain of the film.

The twists and turns are predictable. The ending guarantees a shock but is not as big as the film thinks it does.

In between the action scenes, the film seems to be trying to be satirical and send a message that comes off as empty. This is a shame Since the film had Been more realized and had a major overhaul, especially behind the scenes. The film could have had a chance to be good or at least somewhat decent. Better than what it is now. Unintentionally laughable. A waste of time that actually leaves room for a sequel.

Scenes such as how Peter Weller character goes on and on about how much he loves his wife and family But seems easily tempted away

Grade: F

JEFF OF THE CINEFILES & UNFINISHED BUSINESS: HALL OF FAME – FILE #0067 – IVANS xtc (2000)

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Directed & Edited By: Bernard Rose
Written By: Bernard Rose & Lisa Enos
Based on the novel “THE DEATH OF IVAN ILYICH” By: Leo Tolstoy 
Cinematography: Bernard Rose & Ron Forsythe 

Cast: Danny Huston, Peter Weller, Lisa Enos, Angela Featherstone, Valeria Golino, Joanne Duckman, James Merendino, Tiffani Amber Theissen, Heidi Jo Markel 

Ivan Beckman, Hollywood’s most sought-after talent agent, the darling and the crown prince of La-La Land is dead. How and why did it happen? Was it drugs, murder or excess, or perhaps something altogether more mundane? We begin with an ending and then catapult back a number of days to the apex of Ivan’s brilliant career as he bags international megastar Don West onto his company’s books, and then charts the highs, lows (and they are so very low), and extreme excesses of his final days.

This is purely an exclusively Hollywood type of excess and burning out on overindulgence. As we watch a character. An agent self implodes starting with the aftermath then we watch as we are taken to the beginning of what leads to this all those enablers and so-called friends.

Danny Huston gives a career-best performance (so far) in the lead 

This is an early example of experimental filmmaking used by a major director (Bernard Rose) where it seems like the filming was done with shaky camcorders at the time. This gives the film and performances an intimacy that makes it feel claustrophobic but also everything more plain abs basic without any kind of Hollywood shine. As most of the characters are shallow, selfish, or scuzzy with a shiny veneer to themselves.

This experimental quality is a style that fellow filmmaker Mike Figgis used so many times that it is partially shocking he not only never made this film, Nor did he ever make a film using this style that made as much as an impact as this film does  

One reason this film is less known and buried is that it might have hit a little too close to home for some in Hollywood. As it feels way too true and like it’s Hollywood holding a mirror to itself or aspects of itself and hating that raw image not made up. 

This is a film I heard about over the years. It seems to disappear but I heard it was highly recommended. Luckily when re-released on Blu-Ray finally got a chance to watch it and can see why it was so hard to find a great movie but also marvel as for what was made at the time and being kind of honest about parts of the industry.

an early example of using (then) modern cutting edge technology to your advantage. As it saves money but also gives the film an extra dimension you don’t expect. 

Seeing the characters at the beginning and their relationships than seeing how they fit into his life before. Feels more real than THE PLAYER not as self-congratulatory. As an inside Hollywood tale more about power.

This film goes well with the film TIMECODE though this is an infinitely better film that feels like its film is less of a gimmick. They match as the year 2000 experimental film. That looked at the Hollywood establishment with a more artistic look that takes the glitz out of Hollywood and offers a pitch black character study. That could easily be seen as a horror film. As we watch the main character break down and essentially torture himself. 

In the debauchery, it quickly cuts Shields from most of the actual action. Though an addict seems to go on a bender after being diagnosed with cancer. We get to know the person, so far we only know or hear about In Passing.

An internal conflict coming from a family of artists. While he only represents supposed artists and stars and what they make can barely be considered art 

How when he needs the most care and attention he is all alone and lost. 

The film is oddly affecting considering one thought it was going to be stronger or worse when it came to content.

The film is a little indulgent towards the end. It is too much of an artistic statement as a kind of signature to the whole endeavor. Though considering what and who they are portraying it might be expected. 

This might be why the beginning is the end. So more like an epilogue. Leaving him to his own bell after the loss of death. The last indulgence he might get. As he buried himself and now must be In his own purgatory.

A cautionary tale that feels like an indictment. 

GRADE: B+