SUICIDE SQUAD: Doomed Legion

NOTE: I am vengeance. I am the night. I am SPOILERS!

“‘You irritate or vex me, you die.’

‘I'm known for being quite vexing. I'm just forewarning you.’

‘Shut up, woman.’”

- Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Suicide Squad

Superhero cinema has come a long way from “biff, bam and pow!” We have sat through the lows of the Schumacher Batman films and the highs of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. DC Comics, taking its name from the comic book that gave birth to Batman (“Detective Comics”), has not had the best of luck adapting material that does not include Batman or Superman. Sure there have been a few outliers like the dismal Supergirl, the forgettable Steel and the less said about Jonah Hex and Green Lantern the better, but there is a larger universe in their vast literary history that has not been tapped into. On the other side of the proverbial fence, Marvel has hit practically nothing but home runs with their meticulously crafted Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gazing from the cheap seats, Warner Bros. quickly crafted a plan. A plan so idiotic their brains would explode if they even began to know what they were thinking about.

If Marvel could put a lot of time, money and effort into crafting individual movies, casting the best possible actors, and bringing in filmmakers with a deep respect for the source material, surely Warner Bros. could take the fast pass to cash by doing practically the exact opposite? And Batman v. Superman became one of the biggest laughingstocks of 2016, with its incoherent plot structure, shoehorning characters and being filled with ill-made promises of better things to come. A R-rated Ultimate Edition was released to Blu-Ray with the assurances from Zack Snyder and WB that it would be clearer and more concise with what fans wanted was barely acknowledged as an improvement on the theatrical cut. If Warner Bros. was going to fix their self-proclaimed DC Extended Universe, they needed to work fast. They already had another movie on the way within months.

In the months following the death of Superman, a government agent named Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has been quietly detaining low-rent super criminals in order to build a secret team that can be deployed when meta-humans (the DCEU name for “superheroes”, despite DC actually owning the trademark to the word “superhero”) attack. One of her valuable resources, an archeologist named June Moone with the spirit of an ancient goddess inside of her (both played by Cara Delevingne) is unleashed upon an unsuspecting metropolis (but not Metropolis). Thus, to go in and save the day, Task Force X is initiated – the master hitman Deadshot (Will Smith), low-rent Australian thief Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), the monstrous Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Asian swords-woman Katana (Karen Fukuhara), a fiery gang member El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) and the murderously mischievous Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). None of them want to be there, naturally, but they are all told there is an explosive device implanted in their necks and if they manage to survive, time will be taken off of their sentences. With no other options, no way out and nobody to trust, will the Suicide Squad manage to turn over a new leaf or will they end up dead on the streets?

So is this the movie that will save Warner Bros.’ desperately needed DCEU? Nope. Is it at least better than Batman v. Superman? Yeah, but not by much. For all the Warner Bros. brouhaha that apparently went on behind the scenes, this movie was cut to an inch of its life. WITH NO LESS THAN 7 EDITORS. I am not talking about 7 people in the editing department. 7 separate editors. This is not Koyaanisqatsi, for crying out loud. The film moves at a breakneck pace and it is massively disorienting. I knew the backstories of most of these characters to begin with, but if I was like every other Regular Joe that had never heard of these characters, I would massively lost. Ayer has claimed that this is his final cut and if that is true (and it apparently is not), that is massively disappointing. Just something more coherent would be preferable.

One of the major points that the marketing has been selling heavily was Jared Leto’s The Joker, his first acting gig after winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. And I hate to break it to you, but you have already seen 95% of his performance in just the trailers. He has the shortest runtime of any Joker ever on-screen. Granted, following in the footsteps of both Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger's signature performances would have to be challenging to any actor. But it feels like this movie is not willing to give him a chance. I do not much care for his design, but at least it is different. Leto only gets one brief scene that I felt he completely owned with Margot Robbie as Harleen Quinzel. It is a bit of a blend of both of her origins (from "Mad Love" and the New 52) so she willingly chooses to jump into the same vat of chemicals that turned the Joker. I guess that was put in there to ward off angry people. Oh wait! 

Another well discussed movie of summer 2016 was the new Ghostbusters film. It is bad. Very bad. Not Vacation (2015) bad, but pretty bad. So what connection does this movie have to Suicide Squad? Well, the climax of the movie is basically more Ghostbusters (1984) than Ghostbusters (2016). The Squad has to face off against the evil Enchantress. From the way Cara Delevingne is dressed, I was halfway expecting Dan Aykroyd to step out from behind a pillar and say,

"Gozer the Gozerian? Good evening. As a duly designated representative of the City, County and State of New York, I order you to cease any and all supernatural activity and return forthwith to your place of origin or to the nearest convenient parallel dimension."

It continues even when she is defeated; because she was possessing the body of the well-intentioned Dr. June Moone, Rick Flag (her boyfriend) assumes from her petrified body that she is dead. Then, like in Ghostbusters when they break apart Dana Barrett from her Terror Dog stone statue form, Moone peels herself away. Again, all that was missing was the uplifting Elmer Bernstein score. I was taken aback from the shameless rip-off that was not even the actual shameless rip-off.

But that is not to say the movie is totally without merit. There is just not a lot of it. The needle-drop soundtrack was better than expected but pales to the superior Guardians of the Galaxy. The cast does well with their roles, but they do not have a lot of screen-time as individuals and sharing the screen often strikes too similar to The Avengers. Margot Robbie stands out as Harley Quinn, correctly capturing the playfulness and the tragic nature of her character. Will Smith clearly made the right decision to join this movie and snub Independence Day: Resurgence. This is probably the best thing I have seen Joel Kinnaman in, except the only other thing I have seen in him was that RoboCop remake. 

David Ayer has repeatedly denounced Marvel since being hired to direct Suicide Squad. Which is not only a majorly dumb move as well as massively hypocritical; this is a Marvel movie in DC clothing. It is not an unwatchable movie by any means, but it had so much potential squandered that it is really disappointing. For a similar movie with better storytelling, I recommend Batman: Assault on Arkham. It has a few of the characters represented in this movie, but it is a standalone story and not beholden to the whims of a studio gone mad.

DAFFY DUCK'S QUACKBUSTERS: What's Up, Drac?

NOTE: Just in time for Ghostbusters.

RETRO REVIEW

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of "Looney Tunes": they are hilarious, fun, and altogether wonderful. I am also a fan of the classic 1984 film, Ghostbusters: again, they are also hilarious, fun and altogether wonderful. Putting these two things together should be a slam dunk (and God knows it was not). However, a few years earlier, a cartoon anthology film teased us with such a concept. And wasted it completely. Well, sort of.

Before I detail the plot, I should quickly explain what this sort of anthology film is. In the late '70s to early '80s, the "Looney Tunes" were getting overshadowed by the likes of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "He-Man". Still, the Warner Bros. bosses were trying to find some way of bringing these characters back to life. Starting with The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, WB hired a lower-class animation team to create newly animated sequences to tie in to the already classic cartoons of the past. It was a way of getting these shorts back into the public eye at a cheap budget.  It came to an end with Daffy Duck's Quackbusters.

Daffy Duck (the first of all characters voiced by the eternally legendary Mel Blanc) is a streetwise prank salesman who learns on TV that a dying billionaire J.P. Cubish would give a cool million to anyone who can make him laugh before he dies. After hilariously dispensing with the shifty butler, Daffy accidentally accomplishes his task and Cubish begins hysterically laughing night and day. That is, of course, until he actually does die. As promised, Cubish's will provides Daffy with the wealth he has only dreamed of. Daffy, naturally, plans to be a miser about it until he is visited by the ghost of Cubish who demands that Daffy use his money to providing a public service. Daffy reluctantly agrees but to spite Cubish, he plans to open a supernatural elimination agency. He quickly recruits Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny as his employees and sets out to take on every monster the world can throw at them. However, Daffy must learn to keep his cool or Cubish will start taking his money with him.

I do not want to be too hard on this movie, because it does feature a lot of great classic cartoons. Most notably "Daffy Dilly", which is fantastic from start to finish. The bigger plot that is tying these cartoons together is okay, but not the movie one being suggested by the title. Obviously Ghostbusters is a huge pop culture icon and the "Looney Tunes" are naturally bigger than that, but if one is going to try and tie them together, it should look like it. They are fighting more monsters than ghosts (though one of the newly animated shorts "The Duxorcist" is a light-hearted parody of The Exorcist). Despite the clear audio difference between the '40s and the '80s, it is good to hear Mel Blanc; I truly smile every time I hear a great Daffy line or a funny Bugs quip. 

You might be wondering what Bugs and Porky are doing in this movie if they are not the title characters? Well, you need Bugs. You cannot have a Looney Tunes movie without Bugs. Bugs has a run-in with Count Blood Count, a vampire whom he manages to outsmart. It is all pulled from "Transylvania 6-5000", with little to no changes. Porky's segment takes him to Dry Gulch, New Mexico where he spends the night with Sylvester the Cat in a haunted hotel - all from "Claws for Alarm". I get that the point of this movie is to reintroduce these characters to the next generation, but why not try and do something bigger? A wholly new animated film? Maybe try a deal with Disney to get everybody toget-- Oh wait. That was a year away.

So once you get past the title, Quackbusters is a fun way to spend time with these classic characters and see some great cartoons. The new content is hit-or-miss, but one can tell there was at least the minimum effort put forth. 2D animation is an extinct artform but it will never be forgotten. If it took Quackbusters to get to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, it was all worth it.

MONKEYBONE: Humorless George

NOTE: Sorry I've been gone for so long, several obligations have occurred and scheduling has been brutal. I'll try to keep more up-to-date postings as best I can.

RETRO REVIEW

"The woman I love is living with a little monkey that looks like me."

- Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser), Monkeybone

A long time ago... in the 1990s... there were two rising talents in Hollywood. One was a master of stop-motion animation: Henry Selick, the acclaimed director behind The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (both produced by Tim Burton). The other was an actor who had enough charisma and likability to beat the band: Brendan Fraser, star of such dramas as With Honors and School Ties as well as family-friendly comedies like George of the Jungle and Dudley Do-Right (oh, and the now defunct Mummy movies). 

These two men had no reason to work with each other; that is, until, they both came across the underground graphic novel "Dark Town". Sensing a chance to follow in the footsteps of The Mask by turning a dark and gritty comic book into a broad mainstream comedy, 20th Century Fox and producer Chris Columbus (best known for the first two Home Alone films and Harry Potter films and despised for - among others - Rent, I Love You Beth Cooper and Pixels) hired Selick to direct, Batman (1989) writer Sam Hamm to pen the screenplay (and has apparently since retired) and Fraser to headline the film. Selick would bring his expert team of stop-motion animators to bring the renamed Downtown to life. But in the initial graphic novel, there was no sidekick for the protagonist to bounce off with; a necessary ingredient for the buddy comedy Columbus and Fox wanted. What they got was an annoying little chimp voiced by John Turturro with the name Monkeybone.

Stu Miley (Fraser) is an up-and-coming cartoonist and his beloved creation, "Monkeybone" is about to be turned into a cultural phenomenon with a cartoon series with toys and other merchandise galore. This is both a blessing and a curse. Stu wants to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Julie (Bridget Fonda, in her final major theatrical film appearance) and now has the clout to do it, but he is uncomfortable with the fame and adulation that will inevitably come with the "Monkeybone" deal. Unfortunately, Stu and Julie get into a car accident that leaves Stu in a coma. In his mind, Stu has arrived at the macabre Downtown where nightmares are the inhabitants' sole source of entertainment. He comes across Monkeybone as a living breathing incarnation, who begins to annoy him ceaselessly. Stu desperately wants to go home, but in order to do so, he requires an "exit pass" from Death herself (Whoopi Goldberg). After retrieving one, Monkeybone betrays Stu, abandons him to be captured by Death's army and commandeers his body in the real world in order to give Downtown new sets of nightmares by hijacking Monkeybone dolls with fear toxin. Now Stu has to escape Downtown and reclaim his life before Monkeybone makes monkey business for the world.

This is a fairly terrible movie. It is all over the place when it comes to things that matter: story, characters, motivations, dialogue, tonal shifts, set design, etc. Somehow Brendan Fraser seems more cartoonish here than he did actually playing two different cartoon characters. Everyone else in this film looks embarrassed to be a part of it. Especially Rose McGowan who plays a character named Miss Kitty (the most likable character in the film) who I swear was invented to cater to the fandom that would soon become known as furries. The whole look of the film is just plain ugly. There is making charming, quirky and weird stop-motion animation but trying to realize that in a live-action setting is disturbing to an unnatural level. To add to the oddities are the cameos. Selick is good friends with the geniuses at Pixar and a few of their folks appear in the film: Lou Romano (Linguini in Ratatouille) plays a trigger-happy cop near the end of the film and the late Joe Ranft (Heimlich the Caterpillar from A Bug's Life) plays the voice of a street-squashed rabbit. Even Harry Knowles, the geek king of Ain't It Cool News, appears briefly in a scene and even he hated the film upon release. They tried to offer the character of Stephen King to the actual Stephen King, who was apparently up for doing the part but could not make it to the set. Monkeybone is most likely the second worst film released in 2001; the top spot obviously going to Tom Green's Dadaist take on his hatred of Adam Sandler films,  Freddy Got Fingered.

Once a person sees a film like this, the question naturally asked is "Who's to blame?" (pitchforks and torches sold separately). While promoting the 2008 family action movie Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D (his last majorly successful film appearance), Brendan Fraser seemed to be in good spirits and had this to say to the AV Club:

"You're talking to a guy who was in an $85 million arthouse movie called Monkeybone. Love it or hate it, it had a lot of highly technical elements to it. There was puppeteering, there was claymation, there was CGI, there were huge setpieces. I don't know what happened, they gave the keys to the inmates of the asylum. We went nutty and we made a movie. The studio saw it and went, 'Huh?' I was like, 'You guys don't watch the dailies or read the script? Whatever, here you go!' Me and [co-star] Dave Foley were like, 'We have the dubious honor of being in the world's most expensive arthouse film ever created!'"

As for Henry Selick, his career fortunately rebounded with the better-received Coraline (and is supposedly working on another stop-motion film with Keanu stars Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele). But, in a separate interview with the AV Club, he vented his frustrations with the proverbial monkey on his back:

"It's very hard to know with Monkeybone what the variables were. There was a regime change when I was at Fox. There's a longer version of the film. When Hollywood gets afraid of something, they just say, 'Make it go faster.' Usually, faster isn't better. So there's another version of the film that's about 15 minutes longer. I know that it works better. We had a different lead originally, and that probably would have had an impact —Ben Stiller was the lead, but he wanted to bring in writers, and I chose to be loyal to the writer that was on it. It actually would have been better to go with Ben and his writers. There's a lot of variables looking back, what-ifs. But who knows. I learned my lesson that in the live-action world, you have to earn the support of people over a very, very long time. And in animation, I already have the support."

But in another interview, Selick seems to lay the blame with producer Chris Columbus:

"I would never do another predominantly live-action film again. It was kind of a slippery slope. The original idea for Monkeybone was meant to be far more animation, as much as James and the Giant Peach, and the powerful producer that I hooked up with, he had his own take on it and, you know, if you’re getting a name actor, you have to keep him in the whole movie. And he loves stop-motion, but we couldn’t actually afford to do that sort of Ray Harryhausen combo for a big chunk, so…no, the culture of live-action that’s all focused on one shot, it’s just not my realm. I’m much happier in the animated realm."

At the end of the day, as refreshing as it is to hear about the behind-the-scenes aspects of what went wrong with a project and Henry Selick certainly seems to have learned from his mistakes, Monkeybone is still such a wild misfire of a film. It is too weird be a mainstream comedy, it is too bawdy to be a kids' film and yet it is also too juvenile to be taken seriously as an adult film. If a movie that thinks it is a crowd-pleasing movie fails to have a crowd, does it really please? To paraphrase Roger Ebert's review of Freddy Got Fingered, "The day may come when Monkeybone is seen as a milestone of neo-surrealism. The day may never come when it is seen as funny." Brendan Fraser's career has seemed to be lost to time. If he ever decides to return to mainstream moviemaking, he would do well to avoid projects like Monkeybone. Fool us once, shame on us. Fool us twice, shame on you. 

DEADPOOL: Making a Marvelous Murderer

NOTE: Spoiler alert, munchkins.

"This is a different kind of superhero story."

- Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), Deadpool

2009 was an event year for both Ryan Reynolds and two screenwriters, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. A long-time comic book fan, Reynolds co-starred in the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine, alongside the face of the franchise, Hugh Jackman. The film made a decent amount at the box office, but fans were up in arms over the treatment of Reynolds’ character. Months later, Zombieland, a film Reese and Wernick co-wrote hit the stratosphere. But times were about to change for all of them: Reynolds’ box-office clout hit rock bottom after the dismal release of another comic book film, Green Lantern (despite its failure, it resulted in the marriage of Reynolds and co-star Blake Lively). While waiting for their sequel to Zombieland to be made, Reese and Wernick wrote G.I. Joe: Retaliation, a film that tried to improve on its predecessor but wound up being quickly forgotten (even after being delayed for a year). None of these three men ever dreamed they would be working together. Especially on the same character that Reynolds had played seven years earlier. But that’s the thing about Deadpool: he is utterly unpredictable.

Deadpool was created by writer/artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza in 1991 for Marvel Comics as a part of their “New Mutants” series. At first, he was a straightforward villain for the mutant protagonists; he was designed with a head-to-toe red and black super-suit and dual katanas. But as Liefeld and Nicieza continued, they saw that the character slowly grew a following; almost a Boba Fett-like effect. They decided to do something that really had never been done (outside of She-Hulk): they gave the character the ability to break through the fourth wall. Suddenly, Deadpool knew he was in a comic book. That sort of thing will drive you insane, and so a new personality for the character was born. To be sure, he was not an out-and-out good guy, but he was more likable than he had been.

Getting Deadpool his own movie was not easy. As mentioned earlier, the fan reaction to the use of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was vitriolic: Reynolds played Wade Wilson as the badass mercenary they knew from the comics but he never wore the suit and, even worse, he was transformed against his will into a mindless assassin with a sewn-up mouth. In 2012, Disney bought Marvel Comics and almost immediately, cries went up in concerns to their lesser family-friendly characters. Though Disney owned the characters, the film rights were another story and Fox was not about to let them go (except “Daredevil”). They tapped Reese and Wernick, hot off of Zombieland, to write the script. After they finished, the script was leaked online and fans were pleased with their take. Even legendary directors like James Cameron and David Fincher – neither of whom has ever (or likely will ever) direct a superhero movie – gave their thumbs up to the screenplay. Visual effects artist Tim Miller was hired to make his directorial debut with Deadpool. But Fox was still not willing to pull the trigger (pun intended) on Deadpool if the filmmakers were not willing to give the film a PG-13 rating with their R-rated character.

Things looked rather dire for the Merc with a Mouth’s movie. That is, until 2014. A video detailing test footage from two years earlier found its way online around Comic-Con time. Ryan Reynolds reprised his role in motion capture form, with the digital Deadpool suit being constructed around him. The scene detailed Deadpool’s attack on a group of henchmen in their van, complete with wise-cracks and breaking the fourth wall (most notably his greeting to the former head of 20th Century Fox, Tom Rothman). Fans were ecstatic, proclaiming this is exactly what they wanted to see. How and why the footage was released (and indeed who was responsible) remains a mystery to this day. But the response was enough; Fox finally greenlit the film with Reynolds proudly set to star. Ready or not, the world was about to be saved by Deadpool.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a mercenary who is good at what he does; but, because of the violence involved in his work, is doomed to a life of loneliness. That is, until he meets Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) whose infatuation with him brings him the happiest times in his life. Sadly, they both discover Wade has been diagnosed with cancer. Wade decides to leave her to spare her the pain of watching him die. While commiserating his sorrows, Wade meets a mysterious man (Jed Rees; BTW he's the lead alien from Galaxy Quest) who tells him of an organization that can both cure his cancer and give him phenomenal abilities. Wade reluctantly agrees but quickly discovers that he has unknowingly sold his body to the sadistic Ajax (Ed Skrein) and his henchwoman Angel Dust (Gina Carano). Together they inject Wade with a serum to turn him into a mutate (someone with mutant powers who was not born a mutant) and put him through every torture one can think of. Eventually, the serum works but deforms Wade's skin to near unrecognizable levels. Furious at what they have done to him, Wade escapes and plots his revenge while adopting a vigilante persona: Deadpool. 

Let's cut to the chase: this movie is hilarious. Uproarously and relentlessly hilarious. Ryan Reynolds has done what he promised and delivered a no-holds-barred superhero film. This is the movie I thought Kick-Ass was gonna be years ago. Often the humor comes in a single line, a single reaction or even a single shot. When you can get laughs from something simple, your movie is working. Tim Miller constructs his movie very well, because he had plenty of time to do so and was not racing to catch up to a release date. You would never think he was a first-time director. It is startling to think that this was the same studio that released Fantastic Four a year ago to very public derision and rejection. What the difference is in this case is that enough effort was put into the characters and the story by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The movie does go into dramatic moments and does not shy away from how dark it is in places. The villain Ajax is a rather simply-written villain, but man is he utterly hateful. T.J. Miller as Weasel was not as well utilized as I would have hoped (I kinda only know about him from the more family-friendly video game "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance"), but he is a guy who is in Wade's corner when he has no one else. It was cool to see Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead to help tie it back into the larger X-Men movie universe ("We're taking you back to see the Professor." "McAvoy or Stewart?").

The superhero movie that could has finally arrived and the world has gone as nuts as the title character for it. Ryan Reynolds is a successful movie star again and everybody is moving to Ryanville. For years he was one of the few voices in Hollywood advocating for a R-rated Deadpool movie; he finally got it made and it was a smash hit. This is another positive step forward in the argument against "superhero movies are utter nonsense and anyone who participates in them are idiots". There's not much else to say but, do yourself a favor and see this movie. AND SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. There is a very important public service message in the last 30-45 seconds of the film that had me outright cheering.

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?: Down Country Coens

NOTE: Just in time for Hail, Caesar!.

RETRO REVIEW

"Yessir, the South is gonna change. Everything's gonna be put on electricity and run on a paying basis. Out with old spiritual mumbo-jumbo, the superstition and the backward ways. We're gonna see a brave new world where they run everyone a wire and hook us all up to the grid. Yessir, a veritable age of reason - like they had in France. And not a moment too soon..."

- Everett McGill, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

There are probably no other directors that can skillfully jump from comedy to drama and back like the Coen Brothers. From Blood Simple to their newest film - Hail, Caesar! - their filmography is unique in that there are no sequels, no movies based on comic books/toys/television series and only few remakes (The Ladykillers and True Grit). Together, much of their filmography has become cult favorite films: Raising Arizona, The Hudsucker Proxy and, of course, The Big Lebowski. However, in my mind, the one movie they have made that a lot of people loved and seemed to have forgotten about is my favorite of theirs: a movie inspired by Homer's "The Odyssey" but set in 1930s Mississippi, a land full of obstacles, misadventures and weary miles - the folksy and funny O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Prolific conman Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) breaks out of a chain gang with two fellow convicts: the temperamental Pete (John Turturro) and the dim Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson). Everett has promised Pete and Delmar a share in a treasure he had hidden away just before he was incarcerated. They are always at each other's wit's end with Everett annoying Pete and Delmar with his highfalutin way of communicating. As they travel through the "Great State of Mississippi", they find themselves in the midst of very strange mishaps: accidentally joining up with bank robber George Nelson (Michael Badalucco), becoming famous folk singers, ambushed by a rather large faux Bible salesman (John Goodman) and seduced by a trio of heavenly Sirens. Eventually, Everett reveals there is no treasure and that he simply needed their help to escape and that his real goal is to win back the love of his wife (Holly Hunter), who has promised to marry another man (Ray McKinnon). Despite all the trouble they have gotten into, Pete and Delmar agree to help. But little do they realize that a ruthless lawman (Daniel von Bargen) has been chasing them and is closer than ever before.

This film is down-home feel good and charming. It is absolutely hilarious from beginning to end and its cast shines with the homespun dialogue of the Coens. George Clooney's performance of Everett is fun as he gets to play a guy who is not as smart as he thinks. It plays well off of the relatively dumb characters of Pete and Delmar who are both lovable in their own way. You cannot help but laugh at Pete's line, "Oh, George... not the livestock." The supporting cast, including Coen mainstays Holly Hunter and John Goodman, are well-tailored to each of their roles. By the way, that's Academy Award winner Ray McKinnon as Vernon T. Waldrip, the man after Penny's heart (not to mention he also appears in Craig Brewer's Footloose). I especially like Charles Durning as Pappy O'Daniel who does nothing but scream at his election team which is solely made up of his dumb son and his inept campaign managers. ("Thank God your mammy died givin' birth. If she'd have seen you, she'd have died o' shame.")

At the time the film was released, the most-talked about element of the film was its music. The homey bluegrass music launched a mini-phenomenon around the soundtrack, which led to a separate concert film, Down from the Mountain, hosted by Holly Hunter and featuring artists from the film (filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN; the home of the "Grand Ole Opry"). The song that led the way was the unbelievably catchy "Man of Constant Sorrow" performed in-movie by the Soggy Bottom Boys. George Clooney has said that he did, in fact, record the song live on set but was replaced in post by Dan Tyminski. In fact, when the film swept the Grammys, Tim Blake Nelson was the only actor from the film to receive a Grammy Award for his performance of "In the Jailhouse Now". Another great tune from the film is the hynoptic "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby", performed by the Sirens. How could you not be tempted by those ladies singing that song? 

It is no secret that the film was inspired wholesale by "The Odyssey" written by Homer. The Coens have said they never really read the story outside of junior high school and were mostly influenced by its structure. Everett's first name, Ulysses, is the true name of the hero (also translated as Odysseus). John Goodman's character, Big Dan Teague, is the film's take on the infamous evil Cyclops that tortures Homer's heroes. Everett's gang is sent on their trip by way of a mysterious blind man who is Tiresias the Oracle of the film's story. Penny and her suitor Vernon T. Waldrip relate to Penelope (Odysseus' wife) and her many, many suitors during Odysseus' journey home. 

O Brother, Where Art Thou? may not have taken the world by storm for very long (aside from being the first film to have digital intermediate work done to achieve its specific period Southern look; D.I. work is now commonplace in films today), but it is a film that does not deserve to be forgotten. It is quick, hysterical and sweet, as only the Coens can create. They take these small characters and put them in this larger than life story in a place and time few alive day experienced. Pull up a chair, slap some Dapper Dan in your hair (NOT FOP), and start picking a guitar. You'll find your accompaniment quite thoroughly enjoyable.

Best of 2015

NOTE: Spoilers.

2015. The year Marty McFly and Doc Brown finally made it to the future. We were reunited with Rocky Balboa, the Avengers, Ethan Hunt, Katniss Everdeen, James Bond and, of course, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa. We were reintroduced to Mad Max and, more importantly, George Miller as a major blockbuster director; as well as Pixar coming back in full force with two films for the first time in the same year. It has not been the worst year in movies for certain, but it certainly has not been perfect. With that said, let me walk you through what I consider the top 10 best movies of the past year. 

10. Ant-Man
Director: Peyton Reed
It is hard these days to say that a superhero movie can come out of nowhere, but certainly no other superhero movie has humbler source material. For decades, Ant-Man was mired in the middle of nowhere in the Marvel Universe; writers attempted to give the character edge by making him a paranoid wife beater. Fortunately, the film adaptation of said character wisely bypasses all the tough stuff and has fun with itself just for the hell of it. Paul Rudd may not strike one as the superhero type, but like Michael Keaton as Batman years before, he makes the suit do most of the work for him. Having an acting legend like Michael Douglas in the film lends it weight and gravitas and Douglas is game to work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (hopefully he will help to lead the way for his acting peers to join a superhero movie). The supporting cast also pulls together the film with memorable characters. It should be mentioned that director Reed certainly came into the job under intense scrutiny after the public demotion of Edgar Wright to writer-in-name-only. Admirably, he made the best movie possible and the funniest Marvel movie since Guardians of the Galaxy (my #1 film from last year).

9. Furious 7
Director: James Wan

A lot of filmgoers walked into Furious 7 with heavy hearts and more than a little curiosity on their minds as this would be the final performance of franchise mainstay Paul Walker. However, as daunting as the task was, the filmmakers rose to the occasion and delivered a quality action film that also works as a fitting sendoff to the character of Brian O’Connor. While there are some scenes near the end of the film that are trying to hide Brian’s face, the technical work by WETA Digital at preserving his performance is sublime. But with all that aside, Brian does not get a lot to do in this movie. After Fast & Furious, the movies became ensemble, with a large cast. It is a literal return to the place where the “familia” started, Los Angeles. One of the interesting twists the film takes is removing Hobbs from the equation and temporarily replacing him with Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell); after the film was released, it was announced that Dwayne Johnson was going to star in a remake of Big Trouble in Little China, which starred Russell. As revealed in Fast & Furious 6, the big bad in this film is action movie star Jason Statham, who adds considerable menace. Where the F&F films go from here, nobody knows. It is up to Universal to flip on the high beams. After Furious 7, they'll be brighter than ever.

8. Tomorrowland
Director: Brad Bird
When one has a filmography as pervasive as Bird's (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol), film fans were jumping at the bit for Tomorrowland. Bird was returning to Disney for their biggest original project in quite some time. Still, eyebrows were furrowed when Bird was joined by screenwriter Damon Lindelof, J.J. Abrams' second-in-command; a man infamous for raising questions he has no intentions of answering and is often declared as the one who ruined Prometheus and World War Z. While the film is by no means utterly despised by anybody, it certainly does not shine as brightly as Bird's previous work. On the positives, Bird should be commended for getting George Clooney in a Disney movie; no small feat. He also still has a good hand in casting, bringing to light Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy - both of whom I am sure we will see more of. The story has a sense of promise, but what it delivers is what it thinks audiences want, rather than what they actually want. Still, if you have not seen it, I recommend it.

7. The Martian
Director: Ridley Scott
A worldwide-accepted science-fiction film in this day and age is pretty hard to find. But what make this one work is that it has a sense of humor. Drew Goddard's brilliant screenplay is well-adapted from the original novel (with few hiccups in transcription). It seems rather funny to me that both Saving Private Ryan stars Matt Damon and Tom Hanks have both done (separately) movies in space and movies where they are stranded in a distant location alone. The disco soundtrack keeps the positive feel of the movie rolling without always being the punchline. If there is one fault I think the movie has is as fun as Mark's adventure on Mars is, the events on Earth are almost deadly dull. Granted, it is not meant to be a laugh-fest - they are indeed spending a lot of time and money to save one man - but a few chuckles here and there would not go unappreciated. The world of Mars is very stunning to look at; never once does it enter that naturally, it was filmed on Earth. Ridley Scott has made a triumphant return after a few misfires and I am sure The Martian will continue to invade screens everywhere.

6. The Walk
Director: Robert Zemeckis
If there was one movie I wish a lot more people had seen, it was this. The Walk, apart from being a ripping true story yarn of doing amazing things despite people telling you it is impossible, is a masterful event in filmmaking, digitally bringing the World Trade Center back to life. It is no secret that Zemeckis is one of my great filmmaking heroes and this is his best film in quite some time. He brings together a good cast, headlined by Joseph Gordon-Levitt with a French accent (bringing to mind Pepé Le Pew). I think over-promoting the film as an IMAX experience was not the best course of action; considering IMAX is a premium experience that not everyone can just go to down the street. The 3D element of the film is one of the best I have seen in quite a while; things come out at you, but also establish a sense of place and scale. The film's financial debacle, aside from The Martian coming out earlier and stealing a bit of thunder, perplexes me. I suppose the period aspect of the film also may have had an effect. But I often find that a lot of the great visual-based movies are often found later in time than immediately. When the audience is ready, The Walk will be there; daring you to cross it.

5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Whether or not you approve of Tom Cruise's personal life, one cannot argue his enthusiasm for showmanship. If you are coming to one of his films, he feels you deserve an experience. Mission: Impossible has become his playground, experimenting with a central concept with different directors. With the fifth installment, Cruise brought onboard Christopher McQuarrie, who had directed him in Jack Reacher. After the lightheartedness of Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation presents our characters in darker situations with a more compelling opponents: the Syndicate (as promised by the end of the previous film). One of the more head-scratching decisions films the movie makes is taking the movie's main "WTF" stunt sequence - Ethan Hunt hanging from the side of a plane - and sticks it at the beginning of the movie. The Burj Khalifa sequence from Ghost Protocol was the main selling point of that film and took its time getting there. I feel like they played that card too early in this film and as cool as the car/motorcycle chases are, it holds no candle to the plane stunt. McQuarrie will return for M:I 6 (marking the first time in the franchise that a filmmaker has returned for multiple films) and I know he will only improve.

4. Jurassic World
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Reopening the park is a bad idea. Reviving Jurassic Park as a franchise is not. Now one of the highest grossing films of all time (though its particular position is being threatened by another film on this list), Jurassic World is what audiences wanted to see: a functioning dinosaur park. However, I feel the movie has a lot to be desired: stronger characters, a less serious approach and let us face it, actual dinosaur puppets made the original film. CG everywhere does not make one believe the characters are in danger when they are just running around an exploding film set. An actor staring at a 60 foot T-Rex staring back at them does not have to act fear, it happens. Trevorrow gets a lot of flack for the somewhat emotionless performance of Bryce Dallas Howard (while there may be good points, I feel the online argument is slightly exaggerated), but to me, Chris Pratt's practically humorless character of Owen Grady is more jarring. Granted, I would not want to see him repeating his performance of Peter Quill outside of the Guardians movies, but the comedic possibilities of running around a dinosaur park go woefully unused. A sequel is on the way, and hopefully more will be added for a more entertaining experience, but for the big dumb action blockbuster of the summer, Jurassic World is the perfect candidate.

3. Inside Out
Director: Pete Docter
After a year away from silver screens, Pixar returned triumphantly with what on the surface might seem a simple film but is remarkably expansive in its premise. It is well reported that Pixar often goes through several drafts of a story before finally hitting on what audiences all over the world will see (Up went through the most; Toy Story 3 went through the least). Being inside the human mind certainly presents loads of comedic opportunities and Inside Out does not miss a one of them. Its strengths are in hitting on what everybody goes through: getting a song stuck in our heads, losing our train of thought and even brain freeze. The voice cast is spectacular and is among the best Pixar has ever assembled. The design of Riley's mind is well-done and is fun to look at and think what our own minds would look like through Pixar's eyes. A lot of people think that a sequel would be really good to tackle, but I kinda feel like they may need to leave well enough alone.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road
Director: George Miller
If Jurassic World was the big dumb action movie of the summer, Mad Max: Fury Road was the big smart action movie of the summer. We all forgot George Miller was this master of action filmmaking, largely due to the Happy Feet films. What a better position he was in to surprise us all. It is also a modern miracle that a major Hollywood studio like Warner Bros. did not attempt to mess around with the film like we hear about all too often. You would think they would be thwarted by being a sequel to a 30-year-old film (Beyond Thunderdome) that does not even have the original star of said film (Mel Gibson). Despite all of these potential roadblocks (pun intended), Fury Road may not have made a major financial impact this year (though collected more at the box office than was initially predicted) but culturally, it has started a massive storm for people who like and do not like it. As many people dress up as Max, Furiosa and the other characters, there are others who decry the film as misleading - saying that a masculine film series like Mad Max makes women more important than men in Fury Road. Those fools miss the point of the film: Max is searching for a righteous cause to get behind and in doing so, regains some semblance of his former humanity. You, however, have to search no longer. Fury Road is certainly a righteous cause.

... and my #1 film of 2015 is ...

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Director: J.J. Abrams
As I have said before, like you guys did not see this coming. It is the first Star Wars movie in 10 years. I will not say too much about this since my review is still fairly new. To summarize it, I am glad that respect was kept for the original cast, while also establishing a new cast that everyone will want to see in the next installments. Practical effects win out over CG, but the new CG characters are not given much establishment. The paternal reveal in this film is also not handled very well; it is delivered as though somebody is giving out directions. But my God, the stuff that works in this movie works: the performances, the action, the character interactions; everything that we did not get in the prequels. As it is highly unlikely if you are reading this that you have not seen the movie (even my parents who do not go to movies all that often got out to see it), Star Wars: The Force Awakens is my #1 movie of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Goosebumps, The Peanuts Movie, Spectre

Worst of the Year: Vacation, Daddy's Home, Strange Magic, Blackhat, Get Hard, Steve Jobs