Tag: Stephen Tobolowsky

CANDY CANE LANE (2023)

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Directed By; Reginald Hudlin

Written By: Kelly Younger 

Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel

Editor: Kenny G. Krauss and Jim May

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Jillian Bell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Nick Offerman, Genneya Walton, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Ken Marino, Timothy Simons, Riki Lindhome, Trevante Rhodes, David Alan Grier, Robin Thede, Chris Redd, Danielle Pinnock, D.C. Young Fly, Catherine Dent, Stephen Tobolowsky, Penatonix, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Lombardo Boyer

A man is determined to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest. He makes a pact with an elf to help him win–and the elf casts a spell that brings the 12 days of Christmas to life, which brings unexpected chaos to town.

The film has a lot of goodwill, but it also has a bunch of familiar tropes. They are dressed up and try to feel fresh and for the most part, fit the season and set-up. 

The film tries to stay inventive but then falters under the weight of its own predictability and plays it way too safe and familiar.

The film isn’t necessarily good but it’s entertaining and keeps you invested. Even though star Eddie Murphy goes through the motions. He even has his moments to flex an original comedic lie here and there. Unfortunately for the most part it also feels like he is playing a role any actor or star could have played easily. That is how bland it is written. Though as always it is always in his strengths when his character is under pressure and his reactions can be priceless, Just not here

It does bring the audience back to when he was making more family films for better or worse. Though when they were just passing.

What works within this film is the spirit and the fact that his family in the film all get a chance to shine and be the hero throughout and come together when needed. Reminding the audience of the importance and need of family and enforcing the holiday spirit.

Though those looking for laughs might be hard-pressed to find any genuine comedy throughout.

Directed by Reginald Hudlin, it leaves you expecting more. Even though it does have a great production design. The less said of Santa Claus. Huggy bear ,velvet suit the better.

In the end, it’s a film that fits the holidays but isn’t the triumph you are hoping for when it comes to an Eddie Murphy film. 

Grade: C

LITTLE BLACK BOOK (2004)

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Directed By: Nick Hurran 
Written By: Melissa Carter and Elisa Bell
Cinematography: Theo Van De Sande
Editor: John Richards 

Cast: Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter, Ron Livingston, Kathy Bates, Julianne Nicholson, Kevin Sussman, Stephen Tobolowsky, Rashida Jones, Josie Maran, Sharon Lawrence, Cress Williams, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jason Antoon, Gavin Rossdale, Dave Annabale 

A woman snoops through her boyfriend’s palm pilot and reveals his former girlfriends, which causes her to question why they’re still listed in his little black book.

This could have been an effective comedy. If it maybe had gone more silly, slapstick and screwball. As the film has an interesting premise though film offers very little follow-through on that promise.

This plays like one of those disposable movies. One where you can tell everyone involved put in a minimal amount of effort to earn their paychecks.

The late Brittany Murphy seems like she is too tired to put up much energy or even too much of a performance and seems to be just coasting on her cuteness here like a young Sandra Bullock. As we know she can do better than what she can usually do with a role like this. She just seems like she is held back here. In one of the few starring roles, she got she never seemed to showcase what made her so endearing in her supporting roles. 

Ron Livingston’s character is supposed to be this dream boyfriend, but he comes off as charmless.

The talk show she works on is horrible. The way it ties into the story could have been used more creatively.

The film isn’t even really a romantic comedy it’s more a character comedy where an annoying woman learns that feeding her fears will only lead to the worst possible scenario and has to learn self-worth. That she is enough and that anyone she is I. A relationship is lucky enough to have her and also for her to be not as trusting. 

In the end, the film just seems to be about manipulation and treachery. The characters of his ex-girlfriends are one-dimensional and come off as cruel caricatures except for Julianne Nicholson’s character. Who also wisely gets most of the screen time. She comes through as a real character even though they seem to be setting her up as a victim. Maybe if the roles were reversed and the movie was about her and Brittany Murphy’s character was one of his exes. This would have worked but alas there One goes thinking again.

Here was a chance to make an original comedic character or an original romantic comedy with some satire about media and models. As even the model ex-girlfriend never comes off as a girlfriend more like a one-night stand or friend with benefits, but certainly not a girlfriend. The less said about Rashida Jones’s character of the gynecologist the better.

Even the ever-dependable holly hunter is a let down maybe because her last-minute character ark is surprising but truly comes from nowhere. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t directed to play a believable person, More a plot point and the script is so haywire her character is like crossed wires short-circuiting.

What is most disappointing is that the film has a heavy-hitting cast and the material is so forgettable and seems more of the time. That it seemed outdated by the time it hit theaters.

Here was a chance to make a slapstick film with elements of the hardships of women working in the industry and being successful and in the end, it became more about jealousy and backstabbing to a degree.

This Movie Is A definite skip. The only reason it’s not a complete failure was Julianne Nicholson’s character who Deserves better the character and the actress.

Grade: F

LOVE, LIZA (2002)

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Directed By: Todd Louiso
Written By: Gordy Hoffman 
Cinematography: Lisa Rinzler 
Editor: Katz & Anne Stein 

Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Jack Kehler, Stephen Tobolowsky, Erika Alexander, Sarah Koskoff, Kelli Garner 

Following the unexplained suicide of his wife Liza, a web designer turns to gasoline fumes and remote-control airplanes while avoiding an inevitable conflict with his mother-in-law.

Philip Seymour Hoffman takes a stoner character who could have easily been more a comedic performance on any other film. Despite the tragedy that surrounds him and makes him heartfelt and all too human that is recognizable. 

It’s a poignant performance where we find out the cause of his addiction. We see the beginnings and the depths he goes through to feel numb to hide from fears and emotions. After the death of his wife.

It’s a mesmerizing performance that brings an extra sadness knowing his own tragic end in life. Making you wonder how parallel it close might have been to this performance. 

We see his mother-in-law’s emotional reactions. She wants to be nurturing but is also falling apart and is looking to him to help her grieve but finds nothing. 

At times the film veers close to seeming like it will be a quirky slice of life that will teach the character life is worth living and appreciating for so many unpredictable reasons, but the film is smarter than that and brings him back to reality after time to time finding peace on a lark. Like his developing friendship with a fellow recluse. 

The film explores how the world reacts and moves on as normal, but he is stunted or held back in his grief. Whereas his addiction is as odd as it is. Seems to be the only way for him to move forward. Even if in destructive ways. 

It’s a film built more on performances and the strength/Charisma of the lead actor than a conveniently plotted three-act structure.

It’s a lonely journey barely populated but it does certainly meet the characters. Who brings a little definition to a wide-ranging performance and film that likes to wander with no clear path. It constantly feels strong yet singular as one of the fears of the main character is that he caused his wife’s death or he wasn’t good enough for her when she needed him.

These darker films are built on characters and performances. Seems to be like most actors more the type he preferred. That offers a more intimate experience and more richness for an actor to offer. Performances that feel more lived in, like in the film JACK GOES BOATING that can come off as tragedies.

A tragedy, desperation not a movie to see cinematic beauty necessarily more organic. At one point it becomes a road trip movie 

In the end, the film actually does have a symbolic ending. Starting over a new at first thought we should never find out what was in the letter left for him that he carries throughout  but by actually revealing the contents of the letter it allows for closure and an ending of sorts 

Grade: B-

WELCOME HOME, ROXY CARMICHAEL (1990)

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Directed By: Jim Abrahms

Written By: Karen Leigh Hopkins Cinematography: Paul Elliott

Editor: Bruce Green

Cast: Winona Ryder, Jeff Daniels, Laila Robins, Frances Fisher, Dinah Manoff, Thomas Wilson Brown, Graham Beckel, Stephen Tobolowsky, Robin Thomas, Beth Grant, Heidi Swedberg, Carla Gugino, Ava Fabian

 Although Roxy left town more than fifteen years ago, her memory has never faded. Her expected return starts to impact a number of lives, including that of her former partner Denton Webb. But it is Dinky, the adopted daughter of the Bossettis and ignored by most of her classmates as a strange loner, who may be most changed. She is convinced she is Roxie’s secret child.

I saw this movie in a sneak preview when I was around 12 years old. I was very excited to watch it. As at the time I was still nursing a heavy cinematic crush on Winona Ryder after the 1, 2 punch of HEATHERS and BEETLEJUICE. She was my type of lady.

Unfortunately at the time while I thought the movie was ok on the end i found it disappointing, so disappointing I avoided it over the years and considered it a minor failure. She came back later that year with the far better (to me at least) MERMAIDS. starring with Cher and a young Christina Ricci. 

I decided to watch this film once again recently and while it’s still not a favorite. It is more understandable to me now more so then when I was younger. I seemed to miss quite a few things.

Like the lesbian relationship between two characters. That watching it now seems brave for that kind of material at the time. It also explains why the character of Dinah Manoff is so obsessed with Roxy Carmichael’s return. At first thought it was a rivalry and jealousy thing. Now realize it went much deeper than that.

While it follows a similar tread of Jeff Daniels character. His is more understandable as they had a relationship and Carmichael’s relationship with Manoff’s character seems more like a friendship that had a fling. Though both are felt deep and fell hard by this woman and hurt by her leaving. 

At least Daniels character seems to try to get over her by getting married and having children but can’t seem to let her go. So her return makes him kind of obsessed and slowly eats at his wife. Who knows she can never be number one in his heart. 

The film’s clear star is Winona Ryder as even as an ensemble she is in the middle of it all and the film is built around her upcoming stardom

The movie breaks down more into a small town ensemble film. Where we meet many characters and see how their intermix and mingle in this town. As the big event is the return of hometown hero Roxy Carmichael. 

The feelings and situations this creates that ultimately by the end comes to a head but also ends up almost much ado about nothing.

While Ryder’s character is one of many she makes the impression the most as she is an outsider in this town and looking to escape. As she Is adopted she latches onto the legend that Roxy Carmichael has a daughter she gave up for adoption. That she must be her as she is so different from everyone in the town. Even as a boy in town is falling for her but is embarrassed by his attraction because of what his friends might think. Add to it her adoptive parents where only the father seems to get along and care about her. Also the only friend the girl seems to have is a teacher who tries to defend her against bullying. Whereas other teachers turn a blind eye.

Another aspect I never realized was that all of Roxy Carmichael’s songs are sung by Singer/Songwriter Melissa Ethridge who was a rising singer-songwriter at the time and whose music i didn’t notice or become a big fan of until she did the soundtrack for the Movie WHERE THE DAY TAKES YOU. 

Directed By Jim Abrahms who usually directs spoofs and occasionally directs dramas. He gives the film heart and a few laughable scenes.

This film feels more like a novel brought to life. That is entertaining enough even if it Never feels quite like it comes alive. Not does there seem to be a point to it all. Just a slice of life. That tries to be filling but comes off sweeter than anything.

Grade: C+