Now Playing: DAZED AND CONFUSED
Richard Linklater's 1993 comedy isn't so much a film as it is a document of an American era: the late-1970's, a period that was post-Vietnam and pre-AIDS, when long hair and bell bottoms were in, and everybody wanted to have a good time. And a good time is what DAZED AND CONFUSED delivers, a delightful and entertaining movie that stands as an outstanding example of what teenagers were really like during that period. Driving around, drinking, flirting, playing pranks, not a care in the world. I knew almost every character when I was growing up, and it's likely you do too. A lot of beer and grass in this film, some hot girls, a fight, some cursing, badass muscle cars, Ben Affleck looking like a jackass...what's not to like? Linklater doesn't let the mood get too deep--every once in awhile, someone mumbles a drunken diatribe against "rules" or "being who you are" ("You gotta do what Randall `Pink' Floyd wants to do.")--but instead is content and lets his talented young cast roam the screen. And what a knack for picking talent Linklater demonstrates; familiar faces include Matthew McConaughey (as party boy Wooderson), Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser (2 FAST 2 FURIOUS), Nicky Katt (BOSTON PUBLIC), Adam Goldberg, Parker Posey, Rory Cochrane (CSI: MIAMI), Milla Jovovich (RESIDENT EVIL). I'm really impressed with Jason London in the film, and it surprises me that he hasn't had more of a career. I think he represents a strong, likable, decent leading man, excellent as the BMOC with a sensitive side who likes to party and fool around. It's a more complex character than you might think, and London pulls it off very well. DAZED also has a kickass soundtrack that includes "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith, "Slow Ride" by Foghat, "Rock and Roll All Night" by KISS, "School's Out" by Alice Cooper, "Jim Dandy" by Black Oak Arkansas, "Fox on the Run" by The Sweet, "Low Rider" by War, "Free Ride" by Edgar Winter and plenty more. In 1976, I was a few years younger than the characters in DAZED, but these songs still bring back memories of hearing them on WLS, back when they kicked major ass with on-air talent like Larry Lujack and Fred Winston.
By the way, a shout out to my good man Todd Woodman/Wooderson, probably the U.S.P.S.'s only mail carrier with a degree in Philosophy. Glad to know he's reading the site on occasion. It puts more pressure on me to be entertaining and interesting; he's a smart guy, a good writer, and a ruthless critic.
One other film today: PLATO'S RUN, a direct-to-video action movie with Gary Busey. It's not particularly good, but Busey almost always gives you something interesting to look at, even when he's walking through a part, as he has a tendency to do. He's not wildly convincing as an action star, but he's having a good time screwing around with Steven Bauer (SCARFACE) as his partner. Roy Scheider is slumming as the heavy, and Jeff Speakman (THE PERFECT WEAPON) pops up for 10-15 minutes; I imagine they could only afford him for two or three days work.
I have about finished THE ESSENTIAL IRON FIST, VOL. 1, a collection of about 30 early appearances by Marvel's Iron Fist superhero, a mystical martial artist in a green-and-gold costume. I really dig Marvel's superhero comics of the 1970's; it was a time of immense creative freedom among Marvel's bullpen of wildly imaginative writers and artists, who frequently came up with some far-out and even cosmic concepts. It's hard to imagine Howard the Duck or Killraven being created by today's fanboy coalition of comics creators. The Iron Fist books (he had his own title for 15 issues, written by Chris Claremont and penciled by John Byrne) are not top-tier Marvel, but are really entertaining, fast-moving action tales that emphasize the kung-fu fad that was so prevalent at the time. Truthfully, Marvel's SHANG-CHI, MASTER OF KUNG FU book from that period is much better; in fact, it's one of Marvel's best with wild Bondian plots by Doug Moench and realistically rendered "sets" and action scenes drawn by Paul Gulacy and later by the late Gene Day. I have no idea why Marvel has released an ESSENTIALS volume of Iron Fist and not Shang-Chi, which I would imagine would be better received.
No one seemed to care too much about my Top Ten DVDs list, but out of sheer stubbornness, I continue my year-end lists with the year's worst in film:
The Ten Worst Films of 2004 (Alphabetically, except one)
BROKEN LIZARD'S CLUB DREAD--I was a huge fan of SUPER TROOPERS, which made Broken Lizard's follow-up that much more disappointing. OK, Jordan Ladd is topless in this film, but I can't find much to recommend it beyond that. Broken Lizard is making DUKES OF HAZZARD next, which could be either brilliant or awful. Casting Johnny Knoxville, Stifler and Jessica Simpson is not a good sign. Casting Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg...maybe.
HOME ON THE RANGE--Disney somehow blew $100 million on this lame animated feature, its 45th and final hand-drawn film. It casts Rosanne as a cow. The jokes practically write themselves, don't they?
JERSEY GIRL--I'm a Kevin Smith fan, but this middling soppy sitcom is a real disappointment. I've been urging Smith to grow up for years, and even though this is a step away from his View Askew-niverse films, he has yet to make a movie as smart as he is.
THE LADYKILLERS--The star of BOSOM BUDDIES and the writer/directors of THE BIG LEBOWSKI team up for a frighteningly dull black comedy. If there's a worse actor than Marlon Wayans making films today, I don't want to see him.
SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW--Devoid of original ideas and awash in an ugly yellow fog that made it nigh impossible to even see what was happening. Perhaps it's the arrogance I despised, that filmmakers could believe all one needs to make a good film are performers, a green screen and a Mac.
SUSPECT ZERO--A plodding serial killer thriller obviously inspired by THE X-FILES, but without that series' style, smarts and star power. Carrie-Anne Moss is not a good actress, and I doubt Aaron Eckhart can carry a film.
TAKING LIVES--Few recent comedies have had laughs as big as what I received from this boring and stupid serial-killer thriller. Not even Angelina Jolie naked could propel this out of the bottom ten. I despise lazy films that assume its audience is composed of morons.
TWISTED--Guess what...another bad serial-killer thriller. This one wastes a good cast and a great director, Philip Kaufman. Maybe if Ashley Judd had gotten naked...
WILD THINGS 2--I know, I know. What did I expect? What's frustrating is that the screenplay gets carried away with itself, offering up so many plot twists that you realize at the end of the movie that it was a waste of time, that the scam perpetrated was completely unnecessary and negates the purpose of the film.
And The Absolute Worst
VAN HELSING--Worst Film of the 21st Century, so far. Sloppy and boring with amateurish CGI effects and an egregious contempt for its audience. So insulting that it blows up a damn stagecoach to keep our attention spans sated. How the hell could that happen; is it gas-powered, Stephen Sommers, you moron? Still, I appear to be the only person on the planet pissed off about that idiotic exploding stagecoach, so maybe people were too busy sleeping to complain.
Posted by Marty
at 11:38 PM CST