Review: 1993 Version of "The Three Musketeers" is Surprisingly Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 87 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Three Musketeers (1993)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action/violence and some brief sensuality
DIRECTOR: Stephen Herek
WRITER: David Loughery (based upon the novel by Alexandre Dumas père)
PRODUCERS: Roger Birnbaum and Joe Roth
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Semler
EDITOR: John F. Link
COMPOSER: Michael Kamen

HISTORICAL/ACTION/COMEDY with elements of drama and adventure

Starring: Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O’Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Michael Wincott, Paul McGann, Julie Delpy, and Hugh O’Conor

The Three Musketeers is a 1993 swashbuckling comedy film from Walt Disney Pictures. It is based upon Alexandre Dumas père’s 1844 novel, also entitled The Three Musketeers.

The film opens on young d’Artagnan (Chris O’Donnell) who arrives in Paris with dreams of becoming one of the Musketeers, a band of men sworn to protect and serve the King of France, as his late father was. However, the king’s minister, Count Richelieu (Tim Curry), has just disbanded the Musketeers. This is part of Richelieu’s plot with the Duke of Buckingham of England to overthrow King Louis XIII of France (Hugh O’Conor). Richelieu wants to become the new king after the coup, and he also plans to take Queen Anne of Austria (Gabrielle Anwar) as his queen.

Through a series of misadventures, d’Artagnan joins the three best Musketeers: Athos (Kiefer Sutherland), Porthos (Oliver Platt), and Aramis (Charlie Sheen) to stop Richelieu’s evil plot. First, they must intercept Richelieu’s spy and secret agent, Milady de Winter (Rebecca De Mornay), from delivering a signed treaty to the Duke of Buckingham. However, it seems as if the entire country is set against d’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers as they try to save King and Country.

When this version of The Three Musketeers debuted back in November 1993, I was too much of a snob to see it. To me, it seemed like it was going to be nothing more than trash, but 18 years later, I enjoyed watching it. However, it turns out that I was right about some of my misgivings. Three of the four lead actors: Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O’Donnell are just awful, with the lone exception of quality being Oliver Platt’s largely comic performance. Even Tim Curry is way more over the top than he needs to be, while Julie Delpy’s Constance is hardly in the film. Rebecca De Mornay actual makes the most of her scenes and turns in quite a nice performance as the femme fatale, Milady de Winter.

Early in the film, either because of the direction (by Stephen Herek) or the editing, the pace of the film is clumsy and awkward. Then, as the story goes on, the film settles into being a rousing adventure with a delightful comic mood. The film’s art direction and set decorations make this a surprisingly beautiful film, and the English and Austrian shooting locations offer viewers some lovely scenery. Plus, there is even a cool song for the soundtrack, “All for Love” sung by Bryan Adams, Sting, and Rod Stewart (written by Adams, film composer Michael Kamen, and Robert John “Mutt” Lange).

There isn’t much else to say. In most ways, this 1993 version of The Three Musketeers is just an average Hollywood flick, but I like it.

6 of 10
B

NOTES:
1994 Razzie Awards: 1 nomination: “Worst Supporting Actor” (Chris O'Donnell)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

"Curse of the Phantom Shadow" at Kickstarter

I received the following email:

My name is Mark Ross, and I am an independent filmmaker in the Las Vegas area. My current project may be of interest to your readers.

I am currently in production on our short concept film, Curse of the Phantom Shadow. This movie is an homage to:


Radio Dramas
The Phantom
B Movies
Dick Tracy
Batman
Spy Smasher
The Shadow
Republic Movie Serials
Comic books
Pulp Novels/Magazines of the 1930s/1940s

Our film takes place in 1948. We have professional actors, some of which have been in Hollywood productions.

Until recently, we were 100% self financed from my personal savings. We are now trying to raise money to finish our production.

I realize you probably get many of requests, such as the one I am about to make [Actually, no I don't.]. However, a mention on your blog would definitely help us with our fundraising endeavors:

http://kck.st/o7JT2f

I'm flattered that he thinks our little blog could help, and I hope that it does in any way it can.  So please, lend a helping hand if you can and give Mark and company a kickstart.

Review: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is a Shiny Empty Thing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 86 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Running time: 154 minutes (2 hours, 34 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of sci-fi action violence, mayhem and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo
DIRECTOR: Michael Bay
WRITERS: Ehren Kruger (based on Hasbro’s Transformers Action Figures)
PRODUCERS: Don Murphy, Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and Ian Bryce
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Amir Mokri (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Roger Barton, William Goldenberg, and Joel Negron

SCI-FI/ACTION/WAR

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Rose Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Alan Tudyk, Ken Jeong, Lester Speight, Glenn Morshower, and Buzz Aldrin; (voices) Peter Cullen, Leonard Nimoy, Hugo Weaving, Frank Welker, Charlie Adler, Reno Wilson, and Keith Szarabajka

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a 2011 science fiction war and action film. It is the third movie in the live-action film series starring Hasbro’s popular toy line, the Transformers. The two other movies were Transformers (2007) and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009). Once again, the human hero from the first two films is caught in a war between two factions of alien robots, the Autobots and the Decepticons, but this time the war involves a new technology that could enslave humanity and forever change Earth.

Dark of the Moon takes place three years after the events of the second film. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) is frustrated on two fronts. U.S. government officials will no longer allow him to work with the Autobots, and Director of National Intelligence Charlotte Mearing (Frances McDormand) tells Sam that he is not a hero, but was merely a messenger bringing the Autobots to the world’s attention. Sam also cannot find post-college employment that satisfies him professionally and financially. He is also irritated that his new girlfriend, Carly Spencer (Rose Huntington-Whiteley), supports them both with her high-paying job.

Meanwhile, the Autobots are helping the U.S. military prevent conflicts around the globe. Bigger things are about to happen for the Autobots, however, and it involves a mystery that began 42 years earlier with the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Autobot leader, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), travels to the moon where he finds an Autobot thought to be dead, Sentinel Prime (Leonard Nimoy), Optimus’ predecessor as leader of the Autobots. Optimus revives Sentinel, and that begins a series of events which allow Megatron (Hugo Weaving), leader of the Decepticons, to commence a diabolical plot to revive Cybertron, the ruined home planet of the Transformers. Soon, the Decepticons launch an all-out war against humanity with Chicago as the epicenter.

USAF Chief Robert Epps (Tyrese Gibson) and “Team Epps” join Sam on a mission to slip into Chicago to save Carly. Meanwhile, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel William Lennox (Josh Duhamel) leads the classified strike team, NEST, into Chicago to help them. But time is running out for them to save Carly and the world.

Like Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon got some bad reviews, although maybe not as many as Revenge. I like this as much as I did Revenge of the Fallen, but both films are too long. Dark of the Moon is probably a half hour longer than it needs to be, but it’s almost worth it to get just about any of the action scenes that include the Transformers. Many of the Transformers here are more complex and have more moving parts, in addition to the fact that this film is shot in 3D. The special visual effects wizards who worked on Dark of the Moon were up to the task and turned in the best visual and special effects of the three films.

Visually, this is an undeniably impressive science fiction action film. Sadly, the rest of the film is either barely coherent or simply incoherent. The acting is often lost in all the noise and visual splendor, and in many cases, that is for the better. There is some hysterically bad acting and embarrassing overacting. This film is also over-the-top and overwrought, and sometimes, it’s just too much. It took me three sittings over three days to watch this movie, and I’m glad I chose not to see it in a theatre.

The special effects and the robots transforming were superb, but as much as that blew my mind, something is really wrong with this movie as a story. This is director Michael Bay at his most mind-numbing, and it is now clear that he has perfected film as sound and fury signifying absolutely nothing. Transformers: Dark of the Moon shows how far the science and technology of cinema have come, but the storytelling is positively Stone Age.

5 of 10
C+

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

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Virtual Pop Idol "Hatsune Miku" Concert Film in November 2011

LIVE VIEWING JAPAN PRESENTS A SPECIAL HATSUNE MIKU EVENT FOR ONE-NIGHT-ONLY IN 9 MAJOR U.S. CITIES IN NOVEMEBER

World’s First Virtual Pop Idol Has Become An International Music Sensation And Will Be Featured In A Special Concert Film For Fans

Live Viewing Japan, a distribution company focused on bringing Japanese entertainment media to an international audience, has announced that it will stage a very special one-night-only Hatsune Miku event simultaneously in nine major U.S. cities on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:00pm (local time). Hatsune Miku Live Party 2011 39's LIVE in SAPPORO (originally organized by 5bp Inc. in August, 2011) will screen a live concert performance of Hatsune Miku in movie theaters in select markets. More information about this exclusive one-night-only event is available at:
http://www.liveviewing.jp/contents/009_mikupa.html.

The cities that will host the Hatsune Miku event include:
Baltimore, MD
Boston (Manchester), MA
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Orange, CA
New York, NY – Two locations
San Francisco/Bay Area, CA
Seattle, WA

“We’re very excited to present this unique Hatsune Miku experience for her U.S. fans,” says Live Viewing Japan Exective Director Hiroki Kotani. “Miku has captivated a global audience with a mix of catchy pop music and captivating technology-inspired visuals. Her popularity has opened an entirely new range of possibilities to blend a cute pop idol persona with technology and computer-created graphics. We invite fans to visit the Live Viewing Japan web link for more information and for specific movie theater event locations. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Hatsune Miku perform!”

Pop idol Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a Vocaloid (meaning machine-made vocals) digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media, Inc. using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create organic-sounding synthesized vocal tracks.

In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major national phenomenon and has appeared in numerous popular video games and music videos. She’s also played several enthusiastic “concerts,” where she performs on stage projected as a 3D hologram and backed by a live band. Miku recently played her first live concert in the U.S. called, “MIKUNOPOLIS in LOS ANGELES,” at the Nokia Theatre for the 2011 Anime Expo, held this past July in Los Angeles, CA. The show sold out in only 4 hours, further underscoring the growing popularity she enjoys in North America. Hatsune Miku was also recently featured in a T.V. commercial for the Toyota Corolla.

Live Viewing Japan has seized on the growing global popularity of Hatsune Miku and has plans to screen her live concert film in several countries including France, Thailand and Brazil.


About Live Viewing Japan:
Live Viewing Japan is a Japanese-based media distribution company focused on bringing a variety of entertainment properties to a global theatre-going audience. More information on the company and its projects is available at: http://www.liveviewing.jp/.

Review: "Jurassic Park" is Always Worth the Trip

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 117 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Jurassic Park (1993)
Running time: 127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense science fiction terror
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITERS: Michael Crichton and David Koepp (from a novel by Michael Crichton)
PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Cundey
EDITOR: Michael Kahn
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner

SCI-FI/ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER

Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel L. Jackson, B.D. Wong, and Wayne Knight

Over a decade after I first saw it, I still get a thrill whenever I watch director Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. The Academy Award-winning film (Best Effects – Sound Effects Editing, Best Effects – Visual Effects, and Best Sound) is, like Star Wars and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a landmark film in the area of visual effects, in this instance, for its use of computer rendered characters or CGI, computer generated imagery. While the Terminator sequel introduced the moviegoers to the magic “morphing,” seamless changing a character into something or someone totally different, JP introduced a whole slew of characters that were not added to the film until principal photography was finished shooting. These were characters that only existed inside a computer and were digitally added onto the film.

In the movie, John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), a billionaire industrialist, convinces colleagues Drs. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) to travel to his newly created theme park that he calls Jurassic Park. His company’s scientist have miraculously cloned dinosaurs to populate the theme park, and Hammond needs Grant and Ms. Sattler, two paleontologists, to examine the park and give their seal of approval to the venture which in turn will appease Hammond’s worried investors. But as with any test run, things go badly. The park suffers a major security breakdown and releases the dinosaurs, including a hungry T-Rex and pack of velociraptors who enjoy hunting humans. The computer malfunction has Grant, Sattler, and the rest of the park’s inhabitants and visitors (including Hammond’s grandson and granddaughter) struggling to survive the onslaught on vicious dinosaurs as they try to escape from the island.

Although Spielberg has made his share of “serious” films to impress film critics and Oscar® voters, his best work remains his films that have a sense of magic and wonder, and Jurassic Park has both. However, the film is also a razor sharp suspense thriller and amazing adventure filled with frightening pitfalls, daring escapades, and last minute reprieves – the kind that end just before the other shoe drops.

Spielberg is at his best when he manipulates his audience, but honestly by weaving a thrill-a-minute film that has heart. It’s more than just the things that stop your heart, and JP has lots of that. It’s also about the moments that warm the heart, and a Spielberg favorite theme – that of the father who earns redemption or the man who learns to become a father or father figure, is very strong here. A lot of the credit has to go to a script (by Hollywood screenwriting heavyweight David Koepp and the author of the novel upon which this film is based, Michael Crichton) that is friendly to the elements and themes Spielberg favors for his films.

Still, the master filmmaker takes it and not only does he make it work, he makes it work on a level that turns what could have been a novelty film into an movie that is both unforgettable and influential. On a purely entertaining level, JP is a great and a film that is a treat to watch. As a work of art, Jurassic Park’s subject matter may seem like B-movie material, but the entire work is both a brilliant piece of pop entertainment and masterstroke of film craftsmanship.

10 of 10

NOTES:
1994 Academy Awards: 3 wins: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett, and Michael Lantieri), and “Best Sound” (Gary Summers, Gary Rydstrom, Shawn Murphy, and Ron Judkins)

1994 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Special Effects” (Dennis Muren, Stan Winston, Phil Tippett, and Michael Lantieri); 1 nomination: “Best Sound” (Richard Hymns, Ron Judkins, Gary Summers, Gary Rydstrom, and Shawn Murphy)

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Winnie the Pooh Film and Marvel's The Avengers Now on DVD

WINNIE THE POOH - The Walt Disney Studios proudly invites families and audiences of all ages to return to the Hundred Acre Wood with some of the world's most beloved characters, as “Winnie the Pooh,” the delightful all-new animated feature film comes home to Blu-ray Combo Pack for the very first time, as well as DVD and Movie Download on October 25, 2011. Reuniting audiences with Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore (who has lost his tail), “Winnie the Pooh” is a honey of an in-home release containing hours of immersive bonus features, including exclusive animated shorts “The Ballad of Nessie” and “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon;” a sing-along viewing option; an informative behind-the-scenes featurette for the whole family and deleted scenes with director commentary – all available on Blu-ray Combo Pack.

Winnie The Pooh will be avaialable at retail as follows:
* 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) for the suggested retail price of $44.99 U.S. and $51.99 Canada
* 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) for the suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S. and $46.99 Canada
* 1-Disc DVD for the suggested retail price of $29.99 U.S. and $35.99 Canada
* High-Definition Digital for the suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S. and $44.99 Canada
* Standard-Definition Digital for the suggested retail price of $29.99 U.S. and $35.99 Canada

Inspired by the beloved stories from A.A. Milne's books and crafted in Disney's classic style, “Winnie the Pooh,” is the most critically-acclaimed animated film of 2011*. It is narrated by the voice of John Cleese and features the vocal talents of legendary voice actor Jim Cummings (over 350 voices including Gnomeo & Juliet) and a host of other distinctive actors including Craig Ferguson (TV's 'The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'), Tom Kenny (TV's 'SpongeBob SquarePants'), Bud Luckey (Toy Story 3) and musical performances by Zooey Deschanel (indie folk band “She &Him”).

The all-new “Winnie the Pooh” brings back to life the timeless charm, wit and whimsy of the original featurettes and characters. Sure to become a family favorite for every household, it is directed by Stephen Anderson (Meet The Robinsons) and Don Hall (The Princess and The Frog) and Executive Produced by John Lasseter.

Winnie the Pooh (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

THE AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES – VOLUME 3 IRON MAN UNLEASHED - The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is a television series on Disney DVD that is inspired by the Marvel Comics Super Hero team of the same name. In each episode, the Avengers defend Earth from unimaginable threats – dangerous Super Villains, time-travelling conquerors, alien invaders and mythical beasts bent on the total destruction of humanity. When the forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero has the power to save the world, when no hope is left… the Avengers Assemble! Join Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, and many more of your favorite Avengers, as they discover the value of teamwork and friendship in the fight against evil!

The pulse-pounding action continues on October 25th with six unforgettable episodes in the Volume 3 release of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Enjoy all the thrills as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk and the rest of the Avengers face off against Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil and defend earth from a full-scale alien invasion led by the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror!

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Volume 3 Iron Man Unleashed is only available in the U.S. as a 1-Disc DVD for the suggested retail price of $19.99. This release follows the April 26th release of Volume 1 & 2 (episodes 1-13) which consumers can still find for purchase at local retail stores.

Marvel The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Volume Three


THE AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES – VOLUME 4 THOR’S LAST STAND - The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is a television series on Disney DVD that is inspired by the Marvel Comics Super Hero team of the same name. In each episode, the Avengers defend Earth from unimaginable threats – dangerous Super Villains, time-travelling conquerors, alien invaders and mythical beasts bent on the total destruction of humanity. When the forces of evil are so overwhelming that no single hero has the power to save the world, when no hope is left… the Avengers Assemble! Join Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, and many more of your favorite Avengers, as they discover the value of teamwork and friendship in the fight against evil!

On October 25th, get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush with Volume 4 of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! In these final seven episodes of Season One, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk and the rest of The Avengers attempt to stop Ultron and his army of robots from ending all of humanity and prevent Loki from unleashing armies from Asgard on Earth!

The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Volume 4 Thor’s Last Stand is only available in the U.S. as a 1-Disc DVD for the suggested retail price of $19.99. This release follows the April 26th release of Volume 1 & 2 (episodes 1-13) and is accompanied with the October 25th release of Volume 3 (episodes 14-10) which will be available for consumers to purchase at their local retail store.

Review: "A Fish Called Wanda" is Still Amazing (Happy B'day, Kevin Kline)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 153 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR: Charles Crichton
WRITERS: John Cleese, from a story by Charles Crichton and John Cleese
PRODUCER: Michael Shamberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alan Hume
EDITOR: John Jympson
Academy Award winner

COMEDY/CRIME with elements of romance

Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin, Marie Aitken, Tom Georgeson, Patricia Hayes, Cynthia Caylor, Ken Campbell, and Geoffrey Palmer

Set in London, a crooked foursome: heist man Georges Thomason (Tom Georgeson), his partner and close friend, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), George’s American girlfriend, Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis), and Otto (Kevin Kline) a weapons expert who pretends to be Wanda’s brother, but is really her lover, successfully pull off a big time diamond heist. They are about to get away with it when someone informs on George, who is promptly arrested.

George, however, never trusted Otto, so he hid the diamonds away, and only Ken knows where the new hiding location is. Meanwhile, Wanda seduces George’s barrister (attorney), Archie Leach (John Cleese), in hopes that he can discover and reveal to her the stolen loot’s location. There are, however, complications. Archie really falls in love with Wanda, but jealous Otto keeps interfering every time Wanda is about to get intimate with Archie and get the info she and Otto need. As George’s trial approaches, the desperate situation to learn the location of the diamonds really tests the notion of “honor among thieves.”

Nearly two decades after its initial release, A Fish Called Wanda remains a truly great comedy. I laugh at it now as much as I did when I watched in numerous times in the late 80’s. There is any number of reasons the film works so well as both a comedy and a crime film. One is timing, which is required for comedy. If the cast is in synch, it’s probably because they have good chemistry, and good screen chemistry gives a ring of truth to the proceedings – a sense of verisimilitude. The audience can suspend disbelief and believe that the actors are who they’re pretending to be and are really living in the film’s situations. One of the really good examples of this is the scene in which Archie Leach’s wife, Wendy (Marie Aitken), returns home and nearly catches Archie seducing Wanda. While Wanda and Otto, who’d also snuck into the home, scurry behind curtains, we get to watch Cleese’s hilarious performance as he tries to explain to his wife why he’s suddenly appeared in their upstairs living room with a bottle of champagne and two glasses – when he didn’t even know that she’s returned.

The film is also very well written in terms of characters and well-directed in terms of allowing the cast to develop and play the characters. The script is written by the most famous alum of the comedy troupe Monty Python’s Flying Circus, John Cleese, and Charles Crichton, a filmmaker at the legendary Ealing Studios, where he directed another great heist film, The Lavender Hill Mob (the film to which Wanda was often compared when Wanda was release in 1988). Both brought their sensibilities for creating truly mean-spirited, venal, vain, and eccentric characters. American filmmakers are good at making mean characters, but they often transform them into heroes – especially in comedies. From beginning to end, there is never any doubt that the characters in A Fish Called Wanda are liars, cheaters, thieves, and sometimes murderers, but we’re supposed to laugh at them. Their wicked ways cause them many inconveniences and hardships, and their vanity causes them embarrassment. Other characters are constantly picking at the things that make them vain and eccentric. This is comedy and fiction, so it’s OK to laugh at and even like these “bad guys.”

A Fish Called Wanda is also marked by what’s often called tour-de-force performances, and much of it has to do with the fact that the entire cast, especially the four leads are highly skilled actors, but are also excellent comic actors. Each does a simply fabulous job selling their characters to the audience. The most memorable performance in the film probably belongs to Kevin Kline, who won an Oscar for his role as the supposed-CIA agent, Otto. However, he’s only the cherry on top of what remains a great, great comedy.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1989 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Kevin Kline); 2 nominations: “Best Director” (Charles Crichton) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (John Cleese-screenplay/story and Charles Crichton-story)

1989 BAFTA Awards: 2 wins: “Best Actor” (John Cleese) and “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Palin); 7 nominations: “Best Film” (Michael Shamberg and Charles Crichton), “Best Actor” (Kevin Kline), “Best Actress” (Jamie Lee Curtis), “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” (Maria Aitken), “Best Direction” (Charles Crichton), “Best Editing” (John Jympson), and “Best Screenplay – Original” (John Cleese)

1989 Golden Globes: 3 nominations: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical” “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical” (John Cleese) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical” (Jamie Lee Curtis)

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

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