Hello all! It’s been quite a whirlwind week for me, what with the TCFF gala on Thursday and also the MN filmmakers interviews on Saturday. But it was a good kind of busy and definitely excited for the 2016 TCFF lineup this year!
One of the filmmakers I interviewed was Remy Auberjonois, whose film Blood Stripe, starring his wife Kate Nowlin who also co-wrote the film, will have its regional premiere at TCFF. The film won US Fiction Award at 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival this past June.
I’m excited to see the film, and it’s extra special for me to meet Remy because he’s also playing one of my fave characters of all time, Col. Brandon, in The Guthrie Theater’s 2016 adaptation of Sense & Sensibility! He’s still sporting the 18th century mustache for the role 🙂
Well, I was so busy this past week I completely missed The Magnificent Seven‘s press screening last Monday, which I could’ve gone right after my dental appt. Oh well, my hubby & I will hopefully see it this Friday. I did finally watch this one…
Ted has already reviewed it here, and I think I’d agree with the 3/5 rating. I’m not going to review it again so this is just my It’s pretty entertaining but overall it’s not a wholly memorable movie despite the competent two leads. Shane Black is known for writing the Lethal Weapon movies and his directorial debut was Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, so he’s definitely got a knack for buddy action comedies. I have to admit though, this one isn’t as good as those movies.
Interestingly enough, this project was apparently proposed as a TV series but the pilot was going nowhere. I could see it working w/ the right script and cast, as buddy action comedies seems quite popular on TV at some point. Casting Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a mismatched pair of private investigators is inspired casting, and this is perhaps the first comedic role I’ve seen Gosling do. I’d say he succeeded, though I still don’t see what the fuss is about him. I just don’t think he’s that special of an actor, both in terms of looks and talent. Crowe on the other hand, has always been a supremely talented and versatile actor, and I’d love to see him do more comedic roles!
Overall the movie wasn’t as funny as I had thought, perhaps because the funniest bits (like these below) are already in the trailer!
The tone of the movie is very light with zippy dialog, though at times the scenarios are overly silly that it was like a spoof or something. There’s also a surreal scene involving a giant bug smoking and talking in the back seat of their car just seems weird and doesn’t work as well as it could. The shootout at the end is quite bombastic, featuring another interesting casting of Matt Bomer, sporting a giant mole and bowl haircut, as the hitman hired by Kim Basinger‘s character. Some of the scenes with him seems deliberately over-the-top. Speaking of Basinger, well it’s a rather thankless role and she barely made any impact in the movie.
That said, I’m glad I finally watched it. If you like this action comedy genre, it’s definitely worth a watch. Not a bad way to spend a Friday night!
Oh, I also rewatched one of my guilty pleasures, the 1997 action flick The Saint w/ Val Kilmer & Elisabeth Shue. It’s preposterous and corny but I still enjoyed it 😉
So how was YOUR weekend? Seen anything good?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Nice review! The Nice Guys is so much fun, but it also fell to the same plot devices as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang a little too much for me. The cast was really funny. Ryan surprised me a lot since I’m not a big fan of his on-screen. He needs to do more comedies. Angourie Rice was my favorite part. Her character was great!
Hi there Katy! It was fun but yeah, it feels recycled. Good thing it’s got two talented leads, and yes Rice was good, she’s able to match her much more experienced co-stars! Glad to hear I’m not the only one who’s not a big fan of Gosling.
Glad to hear you weigh in on Nice Guys because it’s one I’ve missed seeing so far as well!
Hi Jay! It’s worth a rent I think, it’s light and entertaining, just don’t expect it to be as good as Lethal Weapon.
Sounds like you had a busy weekend with the TCFF coming up soon. I didn’t see anything new, I was busy moving. I didn’t want to renew my lease so I had to move out. I also looked at a couple of condos in downtown mpls. Hope to find something soon!
Yeah enjoyed The Nice Guys but it’s not something I’d watch again anytime soon. I don’t get all the fuss about Gosling either, I know Hollywood is trying to make him into a super star A-lister but he kept turning down big roles that they offered him. I guess I can respect him for that, seems like he’s going the Johnny Depp route career wise.
I enjoyed The Saint too, of all the remakes and reboots, I’d like to see this one done right. I think with the right talent, it could another big franchise for the studio like Mission: Impossible and Bond films.
Hi Ted, yes it was busy week though I’m still bummed I completely forgot about Magnificent Seven screening. Wow, I didn’t know you are renting your place now. Well, hope you find something soon!
I probably wouldn’t mind Gosling so much if he hadn’t been so overrated. He seems so smug in interviews too, which is annoying. Most actors I like who I think are far more talented than him are so funny and humble.
I’d love to see a reboot of The Saint w/ a great director and a fun cast! Heck, even make it a TV series again w/ someone like say, Tom Hiddleston or someone w/ similar charisma, it could be a hit!
Yeah I sold my house a couple of years ago, thought I was a get a job in Las Vegas but didn’t. So now I’m just renting but I might buy a condo in downtown since rent prices are way too high these days.
I get the sense that Gosling is one of those actors who always take his work way too seriously and acts that way to anyone who he doesn’t respect. I don’t care for that kind of actors.
I remember a couple of years ago, some studio bought the rights to The Saint and was planning a new film. But so far nothing’s happening. But yeah I think it would work as TV series on Netflix or Amazon. I’ve never watched the original TV series with Roger Moore but that’s how he got to play James Bond, he was Simon Templar first.
I like The Saint. A few months ago, I bought a used CD copy of its soundtrack for $.50. I do want to see The Nice Guys because of Shane Black. The only thing I saw this weekend was a 30 for 30 ESPN episode called Run Ricky Run and John Carpenter’s first film Dark Star as I’m about to get ready to do a two-part Auteurs piece on Carpenter.
Yay I love that people actually like The Saint! If you like Shane Black’s brand of action comedy, then I think you’ll enjoy The Nice Guys. Cool, I enjoy reading your insightful Auteurs posts!
I loved The Nice Guys. I should be getting it in the mail from Netflix soon. I’m looking forward to watching it again.
Very cool! It seems that I’m so late in watching it but hey, better late than never 🙂
You haven’t seen Gos in other comedies? How about Crazy stupid Love or The Big Short? He was pretty awesome in those!
Hi Margaret, no I haven’t seen Crazy Stupid Love, and in The Big Short, he’s ok but not as memorable as Bale and the others. Let’s just say I still don’t see all the fuss about him at all, and this movie didn’t change that.
you should see CSL! it’s probably the best romantic comedy of the last decade
I certainly will! I do love Steve Carell and he looks hilarious in it.
I actually like Gosling, he was great in Drive and Only God Forgives, and here I thought he was hilarious. of course, it always helps that I refuse to watch trailers to any movie ever ;D
Hi Jordan! It seems that Gosling’s films haven’t interested me much, the two you mentioned are too violent for my taste. But I dunno man, I just can’t stand the look of him for some reason, I’m sure he’s talented, I just prefer to see some other guys like Sam Riley who doesn’t have an ounce of smugness in them whatsoever.
Hehe I understand, I can’t stand Dave Franco’s face either, I see it and I want to punch it. As for the smugness I wouldn’t know, I don’t follow celebrity news at all (apart from sati’s fabulous rants) so all the actors me are just that… actors. But I get where you are coming from
Oh I agree with you about Dave Franco, he’s even less tolerable than his brother! He’s in the film Nerve right? I don’t follow celeb gossip but I do like to watch talk shows as it shows the real personality of certain actors and Gosling always come across so darn smug!
He certainly is less tolerable than his brother, and I honestly did not believe such a thing was possible! And yeah he was in Nerve, and in Now You See Me.
Hehe, a good thing I don’t watch chat shows then 😉
Oh I really hated the first Now You See Me, and can’t believe they’re making a sequel of that turd!
Chat shows are fun, but I hear ya Jordan. Actually the less you know about certain actors the better the experience in watching ’em. But I can’t help it!! 😛
Chat shows aren’t really big down here I don’t think.
And yeah, they made a sequel. And it was as bad as you’d expect it to be.
Funny, I just saw The Nice Guys this weekend. I REALLY wanted to like it, loved the 70s setting and I know it was supposed to be funny but I think I only barely chuckled once. It was just plain annoying, especially Gosling. Normally I like Russell Crowe but didn’t even like him either. The only character I really liked was Gosling’s daughter, poor thing she had to have such a nerd for a dad.
I hear ya Becky, it’s actually not as funny as I thought it’d be. I still enjoyed Crowe but Gosling IS annoying indeed, I really don’t get all the fuss about him at all. He’s not that good looking, but mostly it’s his smugness that bugs me. I suppose he’s more tolerable in comedies but I wouldn’t say he’s a great comedian either.
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Finally got around to seeing The Nice Guys recently and although it wasn’t of the same level as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang it did have various brilliant moments. Comedic timing by Gosling was amazing.