Don’t Push Pause

Alexander Payne’s ELECTION (1999) breaks down politics in the most basic of ways. Through sharp critique, biting satire & layered performances, the fresh relevance of this film rings true in its relatability. ELECTION’s brutal honesty & exposure of human imperfections makes it one of the most provocative comedies fo the ‘90s.

▶️Synopsis: Feeling that an over-achieving high school student needs to be sidelined, a well-liked teacher convinces a popular jock to join the race for student body president. In doing do, multiple feuds come to the forefront as everyone’s morals and ethics are tested.

⏩⏩Discussions include: The real-life inspirations for ELECTION, adapting the novel for film & pre-production journey; layered writing style & visual translation; themes & filming techniques; main character breakdowns & relatability; Payne’s dedication to detail with casting choices, rewrites, filming locations, set design & costuming; visual cues, metaphors, use of edgy, dark humor; critical reception & marketing.

**Starring Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Jessica Campbell, Chris Klein. Directed by Alexander Payne.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, BILOXI BLUES (1988): An autobiographical tale of a young man’s observations & experiences while in boot camp during WWII.

**Starring Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Corey Parker. Directed by Mike Nichols.**

—Justin’s Pick, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (2000): In a story about reevaluating one’s life, an independent single mother becomes the beacon of strength & growth for her brother who drifts back into her life.

**Starring Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin. Directed by Kenneth Lonergan.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: Billy’s turn as Franklin D. Roosevelt in HYDE PARK ON HUDSON, how he came to be involved, prep work for the role & anecdotes from the film’s cast.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: The decision to reshoot ELECTION’s climax.

▶️Next Up: WAYNE’S WORLD!

Not only did GINGER SNAPS (2000) challenge typical horror movie tropes, but it was also a vibrant kick to the werewolf genre. This Canadian film is a true testament to satire & sharp creativity being able to depict the horrific transformations of youth through the modern metamorphosis of the werewolf. Though only celebrating its 20th anniversary, GINGER SNAPS has “cult classic” written all over it.

▶️Synopsis: United in their morbid discontentment with life, Brigitte and Ginger are two sisters with an intensely close bond. When the onset of puberty strikes the same night as Ginger being attacked by a werewolf, their connection is tested as Brigitte tries to save her sister before the transformation becomes final.

⏩⏩Discussions include: Origin, script development, blending of horror, the macabre, dark humor, relatable metaphor & emotions; brief history of the werewolf genre, how GINGER SNAPS fits in, stands apart & intentionally challenges multiple tropes; visual intensity, special effects & animal deaths in the film; production challenges & morality controversy; the positively charged vibe between the lead actors, plus supporting cast; release, reception, resurgence and rabid fan base; sequels & some of our favorite scenes.

**Starring Emily Perkins, Katharine Isabelle, Mimi Rogers. Directed by John Fawcett.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, IT (1990): Taking place in the ‘60s & ‘90s, seven adolescent outsiders are bonded through mutual torment by their worst fears manifested in a child-killing clown. When the murders start happening again, they return to their hometown to confront childhood traumas & end the reign of terror.

**Starring Tim Curry, Jonathan Brandis, Emily Perkins, John Ritter. Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace.**

—Justin’s Pick, WOLFEN (1981): After a string of grisly murders go unsolved, a NYC police detective’s path leads him to thinking a mythical, wolf-like creature may be responsible.

**Starring Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines. Directed by Michael Wadleigh.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: A look back at The Toronto International Film Festival declaring Sept. 5th the Official Bill Murray Day.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: Perkins and Isabelle starring in X-FILES episodes, Vancouver love & giving some recognition to a recent werewolf film, LATE PHASES.

▶️Next Up: DAWN OF THE DEAD (‘78)!

Sometimes movie sequels are lackluster or go off the rails, but rarely do they attempt a franchise reinvention. With original Exorcist writer in full control, William Peter Blatty created a new crop tension-building scares with the unconventional, THE EXORCIST III. An often overlooked film, this unsettling story cranks out the creeps and ties in the original blockbuster without being a knockoff, but it wasn’t an easy task to accomplish.

▶️Synopsis: A string of killings lead a police lieutenant to a psychiatric ward where he finds his faith tested, along with uncanny similarities between a dead serial killer & a familiar priest who supposedly died during an infamous exorcism.

⏩⏩Discussions include: How Blatty began his writing career, leading up to The Exorcist, then to the novel which inspired EXORCIST III; backstory, development & methodical emotional escalation of the story, plus drastic reshoots/rewriting of the film’s ending; intentionally extreme tonal shifts & usage of humor; uniquely abstract & ambient synth-heavy score; cast performances & bit parts; reception over the years, resurrected original ending, on-set stories & our favorite scenes.

**Starring George C. Scott, Ed Flanders, Brad Dourif, Jason Miller. Directed by William Peter Blatty.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, CHILD’S PLAY II (1990): The serial killer living inside a doll named Chucky is reanimated, out for revenge & determined to possess the body of his previous victim.

**Starring Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif, Christine Elise. Directed by John Lafia.**

—Justin’s Pick, THE FIRST POWER (1990): A detective must track a serial killer put to death, then resurrected by Satan & given supernatural powers.

**Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Tracy Griffith, Jeff Kober. Directed by Robert Resnikoff.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: On Sister Nancy Murray, Billy’s older sibling, becoming a nun, the reaction of her family, her acting career and shared family traits.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: Reshooting EXORCIST III’s climax, plus THE X-FILES and SEVEN connections to the film.

⏩Next Up: GINGER SNAPS (2000)!

ALMOST FAMOUS has not aged a day since its release in 2000. Writer/director/producer Cameron Crowe is known for films which speak to romantic or nostalgic sensibilities. ALMOST FAMOUS gave him the opportunity to tell an unconventional & endearing story from his youth. This cinematically poetic love letter to music shepherds a coming of age story on the road with a touring band & a teenager clinging to his morals while carving his path into journalism. Timeless & inspiring, this story is alllllmost completely true.

▶️Synopsis: In 1973, a 15-year-old music journalist went on tour with an up-and-coming rock band. While uncovering intimate truths about the music world, interpersonal & romantic relationships, he tries not to involve himself in the story, which is headed for the cover of Rolling Stone.

⏩⏩Discussions include: A brief history on Crowe’s career pre-ALMOST FAMOUS; origin of the script, influences, blurring together fact & fiction; musical guidance on songwriting & authenticity; journalism, realism, fandom & heart of the film; the vibrant cast & character breakdowns, plus casting stories & Crowe’s style of emotional manipulation, creating a mood & mixing tones; the “Bootleg Cut,” critical & box office reception, along with the film’s extreme rewatchability.

**Starring Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand. Directed by Cameron Crowe.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, DESERT BLUE (1998): Driven by a need to posthumously complete his father’s desert waterpark, a young man falls for a stranded out-of-towner and lets her into his unfamiliar, small town world.

**Starring Brendan Sexton III, Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Casey Affleck. Directed by Morgan J. Freeman.**

—Justin’s Pick, SINGLES (1992): Set during Seattle’s grunge-era, this story follows people living in one apartment complex, all in a state of change, experiencing effects of past relationships on current ones and searching for companionship.

**Starring Bridget Fonda, Campbell Scott, Kyra Sedgwick, Matt Dillon. Directed by Cameron Crowe.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: Firsthand details on musician Laena Geronimo’s weekend hanging out with Billy at 2010’s South By Southwest.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: A serendipitous moment Hudson shared with her mom, Goldie Hawn, and the awesome “Stairway to Heaven” deleted scene in ALMOST FAMOUS.

▶️EXTENDED CUT: A peek into the Laena Geronimo’s band FEELS’ second album, Post Earth, with the incendiary track, “Find a Way.”

▶️ Next Up: THE EXORCIST III!

Imagine paying your dues in an unforgiving entertainment world for over 10 years, then becoming an international sensation almost overnight. That was Jim Carrey’s life in 1994. ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE garnered much attention for everyone involved, but this bizarre detective comedy was an extreme gamble with great deal of thought beneath the surface.

▶️Synopsis: When the mascot for the Miami Dolphins is kidnapped, a pet detective named Ace Ventura is hired to solve the crime. After immersing himself in the case & subsequent kidnapping of the team’s all-star quarterback, Ventura finds himself in a twisted tale of the revenge.

⏩⏩Discussions include: Origin & revisions of the ACE script; Carrey and director Tom Shadyac’s backstories, creative contributions & how the film affected their careers; use of framing & editing to meld together multiple styles of humor with a detective story; lowdown on the cast, reception of the film, cultural impact, deconstructing ACE’s controversial third act & a ton of behind-the-scenes moments.

**Starring Jim Carrey, Sean Young, Courteney Cox, Tone Loc. Directed by Tom Shadyac.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, THE MASK (1994): A sweet, all-around “nice guy” comes upon a mysterious mask which awakens the extreme version of himself. A live-action, vibrant comic book come to life!

—Justin’s Pick, DUMB AND DUMBER (1994): Idiotic best friends come across a suitcase of money, leading the duo on a cross-country adventure to find the beautiful woman who left the briefcase behind.

**Starring Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly. Directed by Peter Farrelly.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: A trip back to Billy being part of a guerrilla investigative journalism team called TVTV who went behind-the-scenes of 1976 Super Bowl X.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: ACE cinemaphotographer Julio Macat’s usage of a bonus camera on set & the impact of ACE’s vernacular.

▶️Next Up: ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)!

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s name is synonymous with celebrated action movies. Before Paul Verhoeven’s TOTAL RECALL (1990) became a massive blockbuster, Schwarzenegger had to fight for it to become a reality. A film with a deeper-than-average plot, dedicated cast/crew and impressively imaginative special effects, TOTAL RECALL is still an extraordinary sci-fi spectacular.

▶️Synopsis: Set in 2084, an everyday man seeks out an adventure of a lifetime. But a botched virtual vacation to Mars makes him the key figure of a non-stop chase concerning a conflict between a rebellion and a corrupt government holding the planet hostage. You decide whether it’s a dream or reality.

⏩⏩Discussions include: TOTAL RECALL’s 10+ year development, initial procurement of the 1966 story, rewrites, influences & early pre-production; the search for the proper director & careful casting choices; placement in Schwarzenegger & Verhoeven’s careers, their personal influences on the production; prophetic, political and violent elements; the film’s visual aesthetic, including practical special effects, miniatures, models, use of light/colors, detailed sets/locations; marketing, critical/audience reception, awards & legacy of; behind the scenes tidbits, favorite scenes & what makes the film so darn enjoyable.

**Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox. Directed by Paul Verhoeven.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, SCANNERS (1981): A security company looking weaponize telekinetic powers dispatches their most powerful human experiment in order to stop a renegade and a rebellion. **Starring Stephen Lack, Jennifer O’Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Michael Ironside. Directed by David Cronenberg.**

—Justin’s Pick, KINDERGARTEN COP (1990): A brawny cop goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch a dangerous criminal seeking out his ex-wife and estranged son. **Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda Hunt. Directed by Ivan Reitman.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: Remembering the time when (and why) Billy popped up in the otherworldly family comedy, nothin-but-net mega hit, SPACE JAM.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: TOTAL RECALL’s initial MPAA rating, inventive fight sequences, renaming Schwarzenegger’s character because of a political connection and Jerry Goldsmith’s score of the film.

▶️Coming Up: ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE (1994)!

In 1991, writer/director John Singleton provided a window into a world ignored by mainstream cinema with this groundbreaking film. Through  prolific storytelling filled with heart, emotion and honesty, Singleton shed an eye-opening light upon the lives of those familiar to him. A big-budget film studio took a chance on a first-time filmmaker, which resulted in one of the most poignant films to come out the 1990s, BOYZ N THE HOOD.

▶️Synopsis: This coming-of-age story follows a young man sent to live with his father in South Central Los Angeles. With dominant gang culture and oppression being a part of every day life, staying above violence is either not a thought or an every day struggle, but impossible to ignore.

⏩⏩Discussions include: An overview of Singleton’s films and contributions; the development of BOYZ; studio involvement with Singleton’s steadfast vision; social commentary and richly thematic messages about life, self, family/friend dynamics; using interweaving tones throughout the film for realism; finding the perfect ensemble for a complex story, plus behind-the-scenes casting moments; reception and praise for the film, as well as discussing many of our favorite scenes. **Starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne. Directed by John Singleton.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, HIGHER LEARNING (1995): This film weaves together the lives of three college freshmen as they struggle with their identities and are challenged by outside influences, both positive and negative. **Starring Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Ice Cube, Michael Rapaport. Directed by John Singleton.**

—Justin’s Pick, DEEP COVER (1992): A cop goes undercover to infiltrate a growing drug ring and finds himself conflicted after getting caught up in the industry. **Starring Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Charles Martin Smith. Directed by Bill Duke.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: A look back on when Billy took revenge on a heckler in the middle of a Second City stage show.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: Singleton not telling the cast of BOYZ about a planning shooting and the film’s original score mixed with contemporary music.

▶️ Next Up: TOTAL RECALL (1990)!

PRETTY WOMAN was the movie blockbuster which not only helped define romantic comedies, but also changed the landscape of the genre. Since the film’s release 30 years ago, fashion and culture may have changed, but this good-hearted tale still leaves us feeling like fairytale fantasies can exist.

▶️Synopsis: A wealthy businessman hires a sex worker to escort him to multiple social functions while facilitating a business deal. Over time, the two discover they have more in common that previously realized, resulting in something neither was looking for — love.

⏩⏩Discussions include: A brief history of the romantic comedy genre; the drastic overhaul of PRETTY WOMAN’s initial script, including character tweaking, setups and plot devices; director Garry Marshall’s influence on the film; intentionality of character dynamics and intimacy within the film; importance of casting and chemistry between actors; reaction to the film upon its release, as well as comtemporarily; the impressive soundtrack and behind-the-scenes factoids about filming.

**Starring Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo, Laura San Giacomo, Jason Alexander. Directed by Garry Marshall.**

▶️**PICKS OF THE WEEK**

—Lindsay’s Pick, CONSPIRACY THEORY (1997): When a highly intelligent, conspiracy theorist cabbie chooses to let a government official into his world, his seemingly paranoid ideas begin ringing dangerously true.

**Starring Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart, Cylk Cozart. Directed by Richard Donner.**

—Justin’s Pick, STEPMOM (1998): A terminally-ill woman’s journey in dealing with her ex-husband’s new partner becoming a secondary mother to her children and an all-round fixture in their lives.

**Starring Susan Sarandon, Julia Roberts, Jena Malone, Ed Harris. Directed by Chris Columbus.**

▶️MURRAYMOMENT: Billy surprises a stranger’s bachelor party with some concise marriage advice.

▶️FINAL THOUGHTS: A funny continuity issue in PRETTY WOMAN, the legendary jewelry box-snap scene, Gere’s piano skills in the film, along with he and Marshall’s jam session at the film’s wrap party.

▶️ Next Up: BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991)!