Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: July 2022

7/30/2022

Kingpin (1996) - One bowling movie to rule them all

♥♥♥♥♥

A blond with nice legs and two fun male stars attract on this colorful poster for Bobby and Peter Farrelly's Kingpin

Roy Munson was expected to become his proud father's bowling comet successor, when his bowling teacher betrayed him, and he lost his bowling hand. Now, many years of hard drinking later, he wants to return to elite bowling; this time as a manager himself, for an Amish bowler prodigy.

Kingpin is written by Barry Fanaro (Men in Black II (2002)) and Mort Nathan (Bagboy (2007)) and directed by great Rhode-Islander filmmaker brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber (1994), both).

Bill Murray (Zombieland (2009)) delivers a bravura comic performance as the self-confident bowling opponent, and Woody Harrelson (LBJ (2016)) and Randy Quaid (Moving (1988)) are also unusually energetic in this really low-firing but also really funny movie. Lin Shaye (Texas Heart (2016)) has a fun supporting role as Munson's landlady. Vanessa Angel (Cougar Hunting (2011)) is also full of sparks.

Kingpin has a fun premise in big leagues bowling, and you'll just have to watch it to learn about getting 'Munsoned'. It is ten minutes overlong, but makes up for it with its many hilarious moments, some of which are so funny they threaten to rip you in half with laughter. The film also sports some ingenious costumes and hairdos.

Related posts:

Peter Farrelly: The day after the day after ... the 2019 Oscars

2018 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Green Book (2018) - P. Farrelly and a pair of great actors make racial drama thrive with comedic fuel

Movie 43 (2013) or, The Big Flush (segment)

Bobby and Peter Farrelly: Dumb and Dumber To (2014) or, Harry and Lloyd: Still Dumb and Lovin' It!
2011 in films - according to Film Excess
Hall Pass (2011) - The Farrelly brothers' probably worst film to date
2007 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
The Heartbreak Kid (2007) or, The Seven Day Itch

Me, Myself & Irene (2000) - The Farrelly brothers falter
Dumb and Dumber/Dumb & Dumber (1994) - The Farrellys brothers and Carrey/Daniels' comedy classic

Watch a short TV trailer for the film here

Cost: 25 mil. $

Box office: 32.2 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.28 times its cost)

[Kingpin was released 4 July (Australia) and runs 114 minutes. Quaid was paid 2.25 mil. $ for his performance. Shooting took place from October - December 1995 in Pennsylvania, Nevada and New York. The film opened #5, behind fellow new release A Time to Kill and holdover hits Independence Day, Phenomenon and Courage Under Fire, to a 5.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 25 mil. $ (77.6 % of the total gross). Peter Farrelly later said that the film's box office failure was the biggest disappointment of his and his brother's career, and blamed the Atlanta Olympics, but rejoiced in the strong performance of later video sales of the film. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. The Farrelly brothers returned with There's Something About Mary (1998). Harrelson returned in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996); Quaid in Get on the Bus (1996); and Angel in Veronica's Closet (1997, TV-series) and theatrically in Kissing a Fool (1998). Kingpin is rotten at 49 % with a 5.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Kingpin?

7/27/2022

1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Top 10 of the Year

1. Fargo - Ethan and Joel Coen + Best American Movie of the Year + Best Breakthrough Actress of the Year: Frances McDormand + Best Cop Movie of the Year + Best Dark Comedy of the Year + Most Deserved Hit of the Year + Best $ Return of the Year: 8.65 Times the Cost + Best Mega-hit of the Year + Best North Dakota Movie of the Year + Best Poster of the Year

2. Frasier - season 4 - David Angell, Peter Casey, David Lee + Best Returning TV-series of the Year + Best Sitcom of the Year

3. The Cable Guy - Ben Stiller + Best Comedy of the Year

4. Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - Mike Judge, Yvette Kaplan, Brian Mulroney, Mike de Seve + Best Road Movie of the Year + Best Satire of the Year

5. Eraser - Chuck Russell + Best Action Movie of the Year + Most Under-Appreciated Movie of the Year

6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise + Best Big Hit Movie of the Year + Best Family Movie of the Year + Best Paris Movie of the Year + Best Religious Movie of the Year

7. From Dusk Till Dawn - Robert Rodriguez + Best Gore Movie of the Year + Best Vampire Movie of the Year

8. Bound - The Wachowskis + Best Big Flop Movie of the Year + Erotic Movie of the Year + Best Rainbow Movie of the Year + Best Thriller of the Year

9. Hard Eight - Paul Thomas Anderson + Best Box Office Disaster of the Year + Best Crime Drama of the Year + Best Debut of the Year + Worst $ Return of the Year: 0.13 Times the Cost + Best Independent Movie of the Year + Best Nevada Movie of the Year + Most Undeserved Flop of the Year

10. Black Sheep - Penelope Spheeris + Best Crazy-Comedy of the Year

Other good, recommendable movies (in alphabetic order):

Primal Fear - Gregory Hoblit + Best Shooting Star Actor of the Year: Edward Norton

Bottom 6 of the Year

1. The Glimmer Man - John Gray + Most Deserved Flop of the Year

2. Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco - David R. Ellis

3. Jerry Maguire - Cameron Crowe + Most Overrated Movie of the Year + Most Undeserved Hit of the Year

4. The Frighteners - Peter Jackson

5. The English Patient - Anthony Minghella + Most Profitable Movie of the Year: 65.76 mil. $ range

6. Hamsun - Jan Troell

Other failed, mediocre and/or poor films (in alphabetic order):

Escape from L.A./John Carpenter's Escape from L.A./Escape from Los Angeles - John Carpenter + Costliest Flop of the Year: 31.12 mil. $ range

Jingle All the Way - Brian Levant + Best Christmas Movie of the Year + Best Minnesota Movie of the Year

[19 titles in total]

Notes:

The wholly inadequate first edition of the 1996 lists pack just one masterpiece and no grade zero entries so far:

The best film of the year so far is Ethan and Joel Coen's sensational dark crime dramedy Fargo. Silver and bronze go to the 4th season of David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee's hilarious sitcom Frasier and Ben Stiller's off-beat madcap comedy The Cable Guy.

The Top 10 goes on with Mike Judge, Yvette Kaplan, Brian Mulroney and Mike de Seve's animated satire road movie Beavis and Butt-Head Do America; Chuck Russell's action-packed thrill-ride Eraser; Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise's gorgeous family animation musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Robert Rodriguez's gleefully grimy vampire action horror From Dusk Till Dawn; the Wachowskis' erotic thriller Bound; Paul Thomas Anderson's gambler debut Hard Eight; and finally Penelope Spheeris' wacky crazy-comedy Black Sheep.

The worst film of the year found so far is John Gray's preposterous cop actioner The Glimmer Man. Silver and bronze go to David R. Ellis' taxing talking-animal adventure Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco and Cameron Crowe's crowd-pleasing sports agent drama Jerry Maguire.

The Bottom 6 goes on with Peter Jackson's loud and tiring The Frighteners; Anthony Minghella's major hit, good-looking and boring The English Patient; and finally Jan Troell's depressing, overlong biopic Hamsun.

Another great filmmaker who churned out a subpar effort this year was John Carpenter with his major flop Escape from L.A.

Others who had bad luck at the box office include Arnold Schwarzenegger (Eraser and Jingle All the Way nevertheless both gave him hefty paydays), Jim Carrey (The Cable Guy), Steven Seagal (The Glimmer Man) and debuting master filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson: The terrible gross of his Hard Eight luckily didn't end his just starting career.

Brighter times were enjoyed by the likes of Frances McDormand (Fargo), Edward Norton (Primal Fear), Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) and Tom Cruise, who reaffirmed his box office power impressively with Jerry Maguire, which also saw up-and-comers Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renée Zellweger charming most world audiences for the first time.

Subsequent updated versions of the lists will include many more titles and details of the year in films and TV-series.

Biggest flops of the year:

[The loss is based solely on the cost and box office earnings for the films. Marketing costs and additional revenue (home video, TV rights and other auxiliary profits) are not taken into account]

1. Escape from L.A. - 31.12 mil. $ range

2. The Glimmer Man - 30.44 mil. $ range

3. Jingle All the Way - 15.58 mil. $ range

4. The Frighteners - 14.28 mil. $ range

5. The Cable Guy - 5.88 mil. $ range

6. Bound - 3.2 mil. $ range

7. Eraser - 3.08 mil. $ range

8. Hard Eight - 2.84 mil. $ range

= Combined losses: 106.42 mil. $

Biggest hits of the year:

[The gain is based solely on the cost and box office earnings for the films. Marketing costs and additional revenue (home video, TV rights and other auxiliary profits) are not taken into account]

1. The English Patient - 65.76 mil. $ range

2. The Hunchback from Notre Dame - 60.12 mil. $ range

3. Jerry Maguire - 59.4 mil. $ range

4. Fargo - 17.24 mil. $ range

5. Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - 13.24 mil. $ (North America alone)

6. Primal Fear - 11.04 mil. $ range

7. From Dusk Till Dawn - 4.72 mil. $ range

= Combined profits: 231.52 mil. $

1996 titles currently on the watch-list:

Primus: The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Schizopolis, It's My Party, Hustler White, Sling Blade, Crash, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Waiting for Guffman, White Squall, The Delta, Temptress Moon, Crocodile, Fudoh: The New Generation, Chaplin's Goliath, Spy Hard, Particularly Now, in Spring, The Sunchaser

Previous annual lists:

2021 in films - according to Film Excess

2020 in films - according to Film Excess

2019 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2019 in films - according to Film Excess
2018 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2018 in films - according to Film Excess
2017 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2017 in films - according to Film Excess
2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2016 in films - according to Film Excess

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess
2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2007 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2007 in films - according to Film Excess

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
2005 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2004 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
2002 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

2000 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

1998 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

1997 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

What do you think of the 1996 lists?
Which 1996 titles would make to your top and bottom lists?
Which worthwhile 1996 titles are missing on the watch-list?

William Friedkin has died

Born in Chicago, Friedkin accrued TV credits prior to his advance to the big screen as the director of Good TImes (1967), The Birthday Party (1968), The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968) and The Boys in the Band (1970) before his major breakthrough, The French Connection (1971), for which he won his only Oscar. He followed it up with the even bigger smash, The Exorcist (1973), arguably the best horror film of all time, for which he was Oscar-nominated. Later credits include Sorcerer (1977), Cruising (1980), To Live and Die in L.A. (1985), Rampage (1987), Rules of Engagement (2000), Killer Joe (2011) and The Devil and Father Amorth (2017, documentary). Friedkin passed away at age 87. R.I.P.

Louise Fletcher has passed away

Born in Alabama to deaf parents, Fletcher got her first credits in late-1950s TV-series.She took a 10 year-long sabbatical to devote her time to motherhood after the release of A Gathering of Eagles, but then came back and soon saw her career's most important part, as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), for which she won her sole Oscar. Later credits include Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Lucky Star (1980), Brainstorm (1983), Two Moon Junction (1988), Cruel Intentions (1999), A Perfect Man (2013) and many more. Fletcher passed away at age 88. R.I.P.

Jean-Luc Godard has passed away

Born in Paris, France, Godard lived much of his life in Switzerland. He wrote for French film criticism magazine Cahiers du Cinema and became foundational for the New French Wave that inspired new waves in scores of other countries across the world with his Breathless (1960). Later credits include A Woman Is A Woman (1961), Vivre Sa Vie (1962), Le Petit Soldat (1962), Contempt (1963), Alphaville (1965), Pierrot le Fou (1965), 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her (1967), Weekend (1967), Every Man for Himself (1980), King Lear (1987), Century of Cinema (1995, documentary), Goodbye to Language (2014) and many more. Godard died of assisted suicide at age 91. R.I.P.

Wolfgang Petersen has died

James Caan has died

Caan was born the son of Jewish immigrants from Germany in New York. He got his start on TV in the early 1960s. His credits include El Dorado (1966), The Rain People (1969), Brian's Song (1971, TV movie), The Godfather (1972), - for which he earned his only Oscar nomination, - Slither (1973), The Gambler (1974), Funny Lady (1975), Rollerball (1975), Silent Movie (1976), Hide in Plain Sight (1980), - the only film he also directed, - Thief (1981), Misery (1990), Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Bottle Rocket (1996), Eraser (1996), Dogville (2003), Elf (2003), Las Vegas (2003-07), Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and many more. Caan passed away at age 82. R.I.P.

Jean-Louis Trintignant has died

Born in Vaucluse, France, Trintignant's theatrical debut as an actor was in If All the Guys in the World... (1955). Later credits include ...And God Created Woman (1956), The Seven Deadly Sins (1961), Inferno (1964), A Man and A Woman (1966), My Love, My Love (1967), A Man to Kill (1967), The Great Silence (1968), Z (1969), The Assassination (1972), Three Colors: Red (1994), Amour (2012), Happy End (2017) and many more. He also wrote and directed two films in the 1970s. Trintignant passed away at age 91. R.I.P.

Ray Liotta has died

Adopted from an orphenage at a young age, Liotta got hooked on acting in high school. He had various TV credits in the late 1970s and early 80s, with his film debut in The Lonely Lady (1983). Later credits include Something Wild (1986), Field of Dreams (1989), Goodfellas (1990), Cop Land (1997), Hannibal (2001), Blow (2001), Narc (2002), John Q (2002), Identity (2003), Observe and Report (2009), Youth in Revolt (2009), The Details (2011), Killing THem Softly (2012), The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), Shades of Blue (2016-18), The Simpsons (2018, TV-series), Marriage Story (2019), The Many Saints of Newark (2021), Black Bird (2022, TV-series) and many more. Liotta passed away at age 67 in his sleep while on production in the Dominican Republic. R.I.P.

Philip Baker Hall has died

Born in Ohio, Hall didn't start acting until he was 30. His long list of credits include Zabriskie Point (1970), Miami Vice (1987, TV-series), Midnight Run (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Cheers (1993, TV-series), Hard Eight (1996), The Rock (1996), Air Force One (1997), Boogie Nights (1997), Seinfeld (1991-98), Rush Hour (1998), The Insider (1999), Magnolia (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Bruce Almighty (2003), Dogville (2003), The Zodiac (2005), Zodiac (2007), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2004-09), Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), Modern Family (2011-12) and many more. Hall passed away at age 90. R.I.P.

William Hurt has passed away

Born in Washington D.C., Hurt's first film role was the lead in Altered States (1980). Later credits include Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), Gorky Park (1983), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), for which he earned his only Oscar as Best Actor; Chilrdren of a Lesser God (1986), for which he was also Oscar-nominated; Broadcast News (1987), for which he was again Oscar-nominated; Smoke (1995), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), A History of Violence (2005), for which he was again Oscar-nominated; The Good Shepherd (2006), Into the Wild (2007), Robin Hood (2010) and many more. Hurt passed away at age 71. R.I.P.

Ivan Reitman has passed away

Born in Chechoslovakia, now Slovakia, Reitman's family fled the Soviet regime to Austria, then Toronto, when he was 4 years old. Reitman broke into movies as a director with Foxy Lady (1971). Later credits include Cannibal Girls (1973), Meatballs (1979), Stripes (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), Twins (1988), Ghostbusters II (1989), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Junior (1994), Father's Day (1997), Evolution (1998), No Strings Attached (2011), Draft Day (2014) and more. Reitman's son Jason Reitman is also a great filmmaker. Reitman passed away at age 75. R.I.P.

Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (5-24)

7/30/2022

Kingpin (1996) - One bowling movie to rule them all

7/27/2022

1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Eagerly anticipating this week ... (4-24)

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