Junior (1994) - Frank fun in outrageous Reitman comedy

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A great star trio join forces for hilarity on this cheeky poster for Ivan Reitman's Junior

When scientists Arbogast and Hesse's project gets shut down, the smaller of the two get the bright idea that the bigger (they are both male) should let himself become impregnated in the lab.

 

Junior is written by Chris Conrad (Love Thy Neighbor (1984, TV movie)) and Kevin Wade (Key Exchange (1985)) and directed by Ivan Reitman (Foxy Lady (1971)).

The plot outline above explains this film, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger (Dave (1993)) gets pregnant and gives birth. The odd couple Danny DeVito (Jack the Bear (1993)) and Schwarzenegger, under the competent leadership of Reitman, once again give vivid life to a simple low-brow comedy. Junior serves gender clichés one after the other, but these are given with such spunk and innocence that one has to enjoy it. There are no shortage of weird and gross scenes in Junior, (not surprisingly given the premise), but the film could have been more fun.

 

Related posts:

Ivan Reitman: Evolution (2001) - Reitman's sci-fi crazy-comedy is thoroughly entertaining

Ghostbusters II (1989) - Reitman's unjustifiably maligned sequel 
Ghostbusters (1984) - Reitman and Co. conjure up the gleeful pomp and circumstance of the 1980s  

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 60 mil. $

Box office: 108.4 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.80 times its cost)

[Junior was released 14 November (North America) and runs 109 minutes. Schwarzenegger was paid 15 mil. $ for his performance; Emma Thompson (Last Christmas (2019)) got 1.5 mil. $. Shooting took place from April - June 1994 in California, including in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The film opened #4, behind holdover hits The Santa Clause, Star Trek: Generations and Interview with the Vampire, to a 9.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent 2 more weekends in the top 5 (#3-#5), grossing 36.7 mil. $ (33.9 % of the total gross). The film fared poorly compared to Reitman's preceding two Schwarzenegger vehicles, Twins (1988, also with DeVito) and Kindergarten Cop (1990), - both exceeded 200 mil. $ at the box office. The film was nominated for an Oscar: Best Song (Look What Love Has Done by Carole Bayer Sager, James Newton Howard, James Ingram and Patty Smyth), lost to Can You Feel the Love Tonight by Elton John and Tim Rice from The Lion King. It was also nominated for 3 Golden Globes, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Reitman returned with Father's Day (1997). Schwarzenegger returned in T2 3-D: Battle Across Time (1996, short) and theatrically in Eraser (1996); DeVito in Get Shorty (1995). Junior is rotten at 55 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Junior?

Jeepers Creepers (2001) - Memorable terror

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Something frightening covered under tied together leather (or skin) pieces make up this eerie poster for Victor Salva's Jeepers Creepers

A brother and sister drive through rural America together, when an old, rusty truck smashes aggressively past them. SPOILER This leads them to discover an underground mass grave, and soon a flying, man-eating monster is after them.

 

Jeepers Creepers is written and directed by Victor Salva (Clownhouse (1989)). 

It is a really good horror movie with a strong Stephen King vibe. The first half of the film, - that is, until the monster is revealed, - is to most audiences the more scary half. 

Gina Philips (Love and Debate (2006)) and Justin Long (Dear David (2023)) are good as the terrorized siblings, and the last image of Long (minus eyes) is pretty cool (in a horrific, evil way of course.) If you didn't know any more about convicted pedophile Salva, this film might earn him your respect.

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 10 mil. $

Box office: 59.3 mil. $

= Huge hit (returned 5.93 times its cost)

[Jeepers Creepers premiered 20 July (München Fantasy Filmfest) and runs 91 minutes. The film came about due to American Zoetrope founder, master filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola's continued support for Salva, despite his having molested a boy actor on his debut Clownhouse, (Coppola, at whose house some of the abuse took place, subsequently attempted to sue the boy for breach of contract, when the arrest of Salva impeded the film's chance of success.) But also a studio craze for horror was spurred by the incredible success of Blair Witch Project (1999), and UA and MGM bought the distribution rights for 2.5 mil. $. Shooting took place from July - September 2000 in Florida. A million was reportedly cut from the budget during production, forcing Salva to change the ending. The film opened #1 to a 13.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend in the top 5 (#3), grossing 37.9 mil. $ (63.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 8.7 mil. $ (14.7 %) and Mexico with 2.4 mil. $ (4 %). Salva returned with Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003). Philips returned in The Anarchist Cookbook (2002); Long in Crossroads (2002). Jeepers Creepers is rotten at 44 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Jeepers Creepers?

The James Dean Story (1957, documentary) - The fallen star's life trailed and analyzed

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Mythologizing the recently passed away young actor, this poster for Robert Altman's The James Dean Story eagerly attempts to cash in further on his short life

James Dean's life is retold, starting from his birth in 1931, his mother's early death, his upbringing in Fairmount, Indiana, his time in New York as a young actor; achieving success in Hollywood, and his tragic 1955 early end in a speeding accident. 

The James Dean Story is written by Stewart Stern (The Outsider (1961)) and produced, directed and edited by debuting Missourian master filmmaker Robert Altman (Hawaiian Eye (1959, TV-series)) and George W. George (Bonanza (1962-63, writer)).

The movie's strength lie in the wonderful Americans who were someone in Dean's life, and who let themselves be interviewed for the film. The narrator's explanations about the ruminations of its super star subject are pretty subjective but also almost poetic. It is easy to identify with Dean and feel a sense of terrible upset at his early passing on, even today, watching this film.

 

Related posts:

Robert Altman: The Company (2003) - Campbell, Turner and Altman's fine ballet picture  

Gosford Park (2001) - Smith triumphs in Altman & Fellowes' exquisite whodunit

Ready to Wear/Prêt-à-Porter (1994) - Paris fashion week through the Altman lens  

The Player (1992) - Altman's overrated Hollywood satire 

James Dean: Giant (1956) - Stevens' great-looking Texas epic

 

 

In lieu of a trailer for the documentary, unavailable at Youtube, here is a fan-made tribute to the film

 

Cost: Reportedly 35k $

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain

[The James Dean Story was released 14 January (Japan) and runs 81 minutes. At first envisioned as a biopic, Elvis Presley lobbied to play Dean before the plan was scrapped in favor of a documentary. Shooting took place in Indiana, New York and Los Angeles, California. One site reports that the film 'fared poorly' at the box office, but it was released in at least 6 international markets as well. The gross regrettably is not known, but with the small cost, it seems unlikely that the film did not yield a healthy profit. Altman returned with The Delinquents (1957); George left directing alone but remained active as a writer and producer. 1k+ users have given The James Dean Story a 3.4/5 average rating at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The James Dean Story?

Jamón Jamón (1992) - Lunas' delicious and lively erotic melodrama

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Under the (mighty) ballsack of a mighty monument of a mighty bull, a woman lustily flaunts her stuff on this poster for Bigas Luna's Jamón Jamón

The son of the owners of a large Spanish underwear factory has impregnated one of the workers. His mother sends local 'bull' Raúl after the girl, but she winds up with him herself.

 

Jamón Jamón is written by Cuca Canals (Diary of a Nymphomaniac/Diario de una Ninfómana (2008) and great Spanish co-writer/director Bigas Luna (Bilbao (1978)), with Quim Monzó (Pa d'Àngel (1984)) contributing dialog. The Spanish title translates to 'ham ham'. It is the first in Luna's Ibérica trilogy, with Golden Balls/Huevos de Oro (1993) and The Tit and the Moon/La Teta y la Luna (1994) being the other films.

The affairs are many, SPOILER and in the end Raúl beats protagonist José Luis to death with a ham as his weapon. Why is Spain apparently so filled with passion, one may wonder when watching such a vivid Luna film as this. The film pulsates with sex, has speedy, thrilling editing, delicious performances and enough symbolism to satisfy a classroom full of secondary school teachers. It is a treat of a film.

 

 

Watch a very short clip from the film here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: 13-23.5 mil. $ (different reports)

= Uncertain but surely a mega-hit

[Jamón Jamón premiered 2 September (Barcelona) and runs 95 minutes. The film marks Penélope Cruz's (The Brothers Grimsby (2016)) film debut, filmed when she was 17 years old. Shooting took place from September - December 1991 in Spain including in Barcelona. The film reportedly grossed 6 mil. $ in Spain and Italy and had rentals of 7 mil. $ internationally. If the latter number really is a rental and not a gross, then the final gross would be in the neighborhood of the 23.5 mil. $ noted above; otherwise the final gross is in the 13 mil. $ area, still impressive. With a probably budget of 1-2 mil. $, the film was definitely a mega-hit. It was nominated for 6 Goyas. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Luna returned with a commercial and theatrically with Golden Balls (1993). Cruz returned in Belle Epoque (1992); Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos (2021)) in Crónicas del Mal (1992, TV-series) and theatrically in El Amante Bilingüe (1993); and Jordi Mollà (Ibiza (2018)) in Shooting Eliazabeth (1992). Jamón Jamón is fresh at 60 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Jamón Jamón? 

Top 10: Best horror action movies

 

 

1. Dawn of the Dead (1978) - George A. Romero

 

 

2. Godzilla/ゴジラ (Gojira) (1954) - Ishirô Honda

 

3. Drag Me to Hell (2009) - Sam Raimi

 

 

4. The Hitcher (1986) - Robert Harmon

 

 

5. Blade II (2002) - Guillermo del Toro

 

6. Army of Darkness (1992) - Sam Raimi

 

 

7. Duel (1971, TV movie) - Steven Spielberg  

 

 

8. From Dusk till Dawn (1996) - Robert Rodriguez

9. Deep Blue Sea (1999) - Renny Harlin

 

 

10. Final Destination 2 (2003) - David R. Ellis

Selected from 34 titles labeled 'action horror'

Previous Top 10 lists:

Best action movies
Best adapted movies
Best adventure movies
Best 'big flop' movies
Best B/W movies
Best true story movies
Best 'big hit' movies
Best biopic movies
Best 'box office success' movies
Best car chases in movies
Best comedies
Best cop movies       
Best crime movies 
Best debut movies   
Best Danish movies
Best Disney movies 
Best documentaries 
Best dramas
Best drama-thrillers
Best dramedies

Best drug-themed movies

Best UK movies

Best epic movies

Best erotic movies

Best family movies

Best fantasy movies

Best films about filmmaking 

Best first-of-franchise movies 

Best 'flop' rank movies

Best Twentieth Century Fox titles 

Best French movies

Best franchise movies 

Best future-set movies 

Best gangster movies

Best gay-themed titles

Best German movies 

Best ghost horror movies 

Best gore movies

Top 10: Best HBO titles

Best heist movies

Best high school titles 

Best historical titles 

Top 10: Best Hollywood-set movies 

Top 10: Best horror movies

What do you think of the list?
Which horror action movies would make your personal Top 10?

Jennifer (2005, TV movie) or, Carnal Desires

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The horrifically deformed face of the titular character makes up most of this poster for Dario Argento's Jennifer

 

Police officer Frank Spivey one day shoots a man who is about to murder a young woman. The woman is horribly deformed in her face, and she has some bloody urges, but Spivey is nevertheless seduced by her.

 

Jennifer is written by writer/co-star Steven Weber (The Outer Limits (1999, TV-series)), adapted from a 1974 comic book story by Bruce Jones (Alien Encounters (1986)) and Bernie Wrightson (Gargoyle (1985)) from the anthology Creepy, and directed by Italian master filmmaker Dario Argento (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo (1970)). It is the 4th entry in the first season of Mick Garris' Masters of Horror TV anthology series (2005-06.

As an Argento fan might hope for, Jennifer is both transgressive and eerie. Jennifer has carnal desires in more than one way: SPOILER She eats a child, a cat, a teenage boy and that's not even all! The prosthetic special effects are made by the master in the craft, Howard Berger. There is typically disturbing music from Claudio Simonetti (Violent Shit: The Movie (2015)). And Weber is great as Spivey, but apart from him the acting is a bit dry, and the story has its holes. But Jennifer is definitely an above average TV movie and among the best of the mostly lacking Masters of Horror output. 

 

Related posts:

 

Other Masters of Horror TV movies: 2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Fair Haired Child (2006, TV movie) - Malone turns out another weak Masters of Horror TV movie 

Dance of the Dead (2005) - Hooper's ugly Masters of Horror nonsense
Chocolate (2005) - Flavors, visions and eroticism in Garris' TV movie thriller
Deer Woman (2005) - Landis and son's solid Masters of Horror entry 
Cigarette Burns (2005) - Carpenter burns out in weird, tiresome TV movie    

Haeckel's Tale (2006, TV movie) - Another bland Masters entry 

Pick Me Up (2006, TV movie) - Cohen's so-so Masters of Horror entry

Imprint (2006) - Venture far, far abroad with Miike's hard-to-watch Masters of Horror entry

Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (2005, TV movie) - Coscarelli violently opens the Masters of Horror ball

Dario Argento: The Phantom of the Opera/Il Fantasma dell'Opera (1998) - Argento's Leroux adaptation is a kicker mostly for stout fans 

Demons/Dèmoni (1985) or, Cinema of Death! (co-writer/producer)

Top 10: Best horror movies 

Inferno (1980) - Argento's satanic, New York-set nightmare masterpiece 

Dawn of the Dead (1978) or, Mall of Death! (co-composer)

The Cat O'Nine Tails/Il Gatto a Nove Code (1971) - Solid genetics-themed giallo murder puzzle 

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage/L'uccello Dalle Piume di Cristallo (1970) - The great debut giallo of Dario Argento

Documentary about Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror (2002) - Bio. doc. of Dario Argento 

 

 

Listen to some of Simonetti's score for the movie here

 

Cost: Unknown

Box office: None - TV movie

= Uncertain

[Jennifer premiered 18 November (Showtime channel, North America) and runs 58 minutes. Shooting took place in British Columbia. Argento returned with Pelts (2006, TV movie), a segment of Masters of Horror's 2nd season. Weber returned in Will & Grace (2005-06). 6.6k+ IMDb users have given Jennifer a 6.3/10 average rating.]

What do you think of Jennifer?

Jarhead (2005) - Mendes flops with frustration-themed Marine drama

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A young soldier with no uniform on his top half marvels at a barren oilfield in a foreign land on this poster for Sam Mendes' Jarhead

A young US marine gets deployed to First Gulf War (1990), against his own ill and without much understanding of the situation. 

Jarhead is written by William Broyles Jr. (Apollo 13 (1995)), adapting the same-titled 2003 autobiographical book by Anthony Swofford (Exit (2007)), and directed by English master filmmaker Sam Mendes (American Beauty (1999)), whose 3rd feature it is. The title is a Marine slang term for themselves.

Definitely not a typical war genre movie, Jarhead is a kind of study of the anticlimax of war and frustrations that war - and life in general - entail.

Jake Gyllenhaal (Wildlife (2018)) very skillfully portrays the young protagonist marine. The images of the Iraqi desert are handsome, (cinematographer Roger Deakins (A Serious Man (2009))), and the film is underlain with music typical of its period. SPOILER The film revolves around the almost poetical dilemma that the young men think they get sent to war, but instead they wait around for 175 days in 45 degrees heat, before the war ends and they get to return home without having fired a single shot. The lack of plot is still somehow remarkable in Jarhead.

 

Related posts:

Sam Mendes: Spectre (2015) - Mendes' 2nd Bond is mostly good  

rly celebrated third pout from Daniel Craig as Bond in slick production
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

Watch a TV spot for the film here

Cost: 72 mil. $

Box office: 97 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.34 times its cost)

[Jarhead premiered 27 October (Hollywood) and runs 123 minutes. Gyllenhaal was paid 3 mil. $ for his performance in the film. Shooting took place from December 2004 - ? in Arizona, New Mexico, California and in Mexico. The film opened #2, behind Chicken Little, to a 27.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend in the top 5 (#5), grossing 62.6 mil. $ (64.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 9.5 mil. $ (9.8 %) and Germany with 4.7 mil. $ (4.8 %). Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. Mendes returned with Revolutionary Road (2008). Gyllenhaal returned in Zodiac (2007). Jarhead is fresh at 53% at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Jarhead?

Juno (2007) - Reitman's massively sweet indie favorite

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Two overwhelmed teenage stars are placed on the freshly colored poster for Jason Reitman's Juno

16 year-old Juno finds herself pregnant and faces some big decisions. SPOILER Her choice of adoption in turn gives a new situation for an immature adopting couple. 

 

Juno is written by Diablo Cody (Paradise (2013)) and directed by great Quebecois filmmaker Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking (2005)).

A sweet 'hyper indie' film, Juno is sweetly written, sweetly acted, warm and has several laugh-induing moments. Ellen Page (Into the Forest (2015)) is sweet. But the amount of 'sweet' is also the film's weak point. This is the honey-glazed teenage pregnancy movie.

 

Related posts:

 

Jason Reitman: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) - Bust out some popcorn 

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

Tully (2018) - Theron delivers in Reitman/Cody's candid motherhood dramedy  

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 7.5 mil. $

Box office: 232.3 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 30.97 times its cost)

[Juno premiered 1 September (Telluride Film Festival) and runs 96 minutes. Rainn Wilson was reportedly paid 750$ for his performance in the film; while Jennifer Garner accepted a reduced salary in exchange for an undisclosed backend %, which may have been a very lucrative deal for her in the end. Shooting took place from February - March 2007 in British Columbia. The film opened #17 to a 413k $ first weekend in 7 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #2, behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets, spending 4 weekends in the top 5, grossing 143.4 mil. $ (61.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 19.2 mil. $ (8.3 %) and Australia with 10.9 mil. $ (4.7 %). The film was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning for Best Original Screenplay. It lost Best Picture to No Country for Old Men, Actress (Page) to Marion Cotillard for La Vie en Rose; and Director to Ethan and Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men. It also won 1/2 BAFTA nominations, was nominated for 3 Golden Globes, won a Grammy, 3/4 Independent Spirit award nominations, an AFI award and 3 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 4/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Reitman returned with Saturday Night Live (2008, TV-series), The Office (2007-08) and theatrically with Up in the Air (2009). Page returned in The Stone Angel (2007); Michael Cera (Barbie (2023)) in Drunk History (2007, TV-series), Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis (2008, TV-series) and theatrically in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008). Juno is certified fresh at 98 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of Juno? 

Jackie Brown (1997) - Tarantino's Leonard adaptation marks his most fulfilling picture

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The cool-looking cast in black and white and two taglines alluding to the film's crime plot are prominent along with the yellow title logo on this poster for Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown

A middle-aged flight attendant, Jackie Brown supplements her salary by smuggling cash. But when she gets nabbed by customs police who demand that she squeal, Brown finds herself in a deadly bind.

Jackie Brown is written and directed by Tennessean master filmmaker Quentin Tarantino (My Best Friend's Birthday (1987)), whose 4th film it is. It is an adaptation of Rum Punch (1992) by Elmore Leonard (Bandits (1987)).

This is my favorite Tarantino picture, and I love it deeply. The atmosphere, the flow, the outstanding editing, the expertly chosen music, the lighting, the locations and the acting, - everything works together in this entertaining crime yarn. The dialog, not least.

Pam Grier (The Big Doll House (1971)) is a queen here in the title role, a deserved major comeback for her; but also Robert Forster (Twin Peaks (2017, TV-series)), Samuel L. Jackson (Unbreakable (2000)) and Robert De Niro (Ronin (1998)) are terrific here. SPOILER The ending is bittersweet, and I can never help myself from thinking: "Why the hell didn't Max Cherry go off to Madrid with Jackie?" 

Jackie Brown is a beautiful picture.

 

Related posts:

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

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood/Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) - Tarantino gets lost in Hollywood 

The Hateful Eight (2015) - Tarantino's indulgences take over 
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
Django Unchained (2012) - Tarantino's gutsy, colorful 'Southern' 
Inglourious Basterds (2009) - The Movies take revenge on Nazi scum

2007 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2007 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
Top 10: Best car chases in movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
Death Proof (2007) - Tarantino's awesome, rubber-burning Grindhouse homage 
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) - Tarantino, Rodriguez and chums' enjoyable Mexico vampire extravaganza (writer-star)
Desperado (1995) - Rodriguez' second Mexico actioner is a sexy, latino fireball (actor) 
Four Rooms (1995) - Rodriguez, Tarantino & Co. fail with LA hotel anthology comedy (co-director)

Pulp Fiction (1994) - Tarantino makes the 1990s his decade with cinematic crime comedy 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 12 mil. $

Box office: 74.7 mil. $

= Huge hit (returned 6.22 times its cost)

[Jackie Brown premiered 8 December (New York) and runs 154 minutes. Shooting took place from May - August 1997 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #5, behind holdover hits Titanic and Tomorrow Never Dies, fellow new release As Good As It Gets and holdover hit Mousehunt, to a 9.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd weekend and grossed 39.6 mil. $ (53 % of the total gross). The film was nominated for one Oscar: Best Supporting Actor (Forster), lost to Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting. It was also nominated for 2 Golden Globes and won a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Tarantino returned with Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). Grier returned in Pinky and the Brain (1998, TV-series), Family Blessings (1998, TV movie) and theatrically in Jawbreaker (1999). Jackie Brown is certified fresh at 69 % at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Jackie Brown?