Nasty Baby (2015) - Silva's under-seen, wild gem

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A curious retro-styled image that doesn't leave much knowledge about the actual film makes up the poster for Sebastián Silva's Nasty Baby

A video artist/gay man in New York is working on a project about babies, meanwhile he and his boyfriend attempt becoming parents with the help of a good female friend. During this period they are plagued by a transgressive homeless man outside their home.

 

Nasty Baby is written and directed by great Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Silva (Life Kills Me (2007)), who also stars as one of the leads, Freddy.

It is a freaky indie film with its very own energy. Silva impresses as a filmmaker and actor in a strong ensemble, where Kristen Wiig (Ghostbusters (2016)) also turns in a bold effort and something very different than what we have seen before from her side. Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story (2019)), Alia Shawkat (First Cat (2019)), Neal Huff (Spotlight (2015)) as the gallery owner and Reg E. Cathey (Two Men in Town (2014)) as the homeless man known as The Bishop - are all terrific.

Sergio Armstrong's (I Am from Chile (2013)) cinematography is beautiful and consistent, and so is the film's editing. The discomfort builds imperceptibly, and when it culminates, Nasty Baby had gotten far under my skin - and was hard to get out again!

The story here is a strong combination, which nails the confounded feeling that soon-to-be parents can find themselves in, when new and lived life comes all the way to its surface. Nasty Baby is surprisingly scary and incredibly effective due to its successful ultra-realism. It is a hard little package that leaves a lot for discussion by its conclusion. - An anxiety-provoking, deeply cool endeavor, Nasty Baby gave me the crazy creeps!

Watch a 1-minute clip from the film here

Cost: Unknown

Box office: 80k $

= Uncertain - but undoubtedly a box office disaster

[Nasty Baby premiered 24 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 101 minutes. Shooting took place in New York. Toronto International Film Festival rejected the film, reportedly because they did not like its ending. It opened #69 to an 8k $ first weekend in 2 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #40 and in 18 theaters, grossing 79k $ (98.8 % of the total gross). The only other recorded market is the UK with less than 1k $ in gross. The film won an award at the Berlin International Film Festival. Silva returned with Dolfun (2016, short), Madly (2016, segment) and theatrically with Tyrel (2018). Wiig returned in The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards (2015); Adebimpe in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015); Silva as as actor has only returned in 2 credits since; Dolfun (2016, short) and Islands: No Milk, No Sugar (2016, music video). Nasty Baby is fresh at 68 % with a 6.40/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nasty Baby?

The Martian (2015) - Scott and Damon triumph with hopeful sci-fi adventure

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+ Best Huge Hit Movie of the Year + Best Science-Fiction Movie of the Year

Star Matt Damon's well-known and adored mug in a space helmet is looking straight at us on the poster for Ridley Scott's The Martian

A group of astronauts on Mars get into an emergency and leave the planet without one man, whom they believe to be dead. But he isn't. And now he is trapped alone on Mars ...

The Martian is written by Drew Goddard (The Good Place (2016-20)), based on the same-titled 2011 novel by Andy Weir (Theft of Pride (2000)), and directed by English master filmmaker Ridley Scott (The Duellists (1977)), whose 23rd feature it is.
Scott seems to come full circle here in terms of his body of work; his career as a leader in popular mega-cinema exploded with Alien (1979), a film of the horrors of space, and here it returns to space but now to a story of the incredible nature of our ability to explore the unknown, - and (not least) return home from it again.
As a science-enthusiastic and sober major motion picture The Martian is extraordinary, and it reminds its audiences what human abilities can muster when we work together.
It is very much a film for its time, and its best sequence, which involves David Bowie's Starman (1972), makes one positively hopeful - a rare treat in today's world.
The Martian is a little over-long, and some in its handsome, eclectic star cast, (Kristen Wiig (The Simpsons (2011-13)) in particular), are wasted. Others, like Sean Bean (Legends (2014-15)), Jeff Daniels (Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)) and Donald Glover (Guava Island (2019)), get to shine, and Matt Damon (The Third Wheel (2002)) is equally credible as the indomitably up-beat human of resources Mark Watney.  
The Martian is a well-made sci-fi adventure that'll rouse your spirits. Don't miss it.

Related posts:

Ridley Scott: 2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]

Prometheus (2012) or, Even Then, Space Eggs Were Bad News
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Robin Hood (2010) - R. Scott's grand film of the English legend 

2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2008 in films - according to Film Excess 

Body of Lies (2008) - R. Scott's terror actioner is a fatiguing turkey 

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 

American Gangster (2007) - Great American - now black - gangster picture
A Good Year (2006) - Ridley Scott likes Provence

Hannibal (2001) - Grisly highlights in low-yielding Scott sequel 

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

Gladiator (2000) - Experience the grandeur of the Roman Empire in Scott's dramatic masterpiece

Top 10: The best big flop movies reviewed by Film Excess to date  
Blade Runner (1982) director's cut - Visual extravaganza, great SF 
Alien (1979) or, Space Eggs Are Bad News

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 108 mil. $
Box office: 630.1 mil. $
= Huge hit (returned 5.83 times its cost)
[The Martian premiered 11 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 141 minutes. Goddard was initially intended to direct but turned instead to comic adaptation Sinister Six, which is still not made. Shooting took place in Jordan, Hungary, including Budapest, in Houston, Texas and in California for about 70 days in and around March 2015. NASA was deeply involved with advising on many aspects of the film, which is estimated to be "reasonably realistic", according to James L. Green, Director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA. Co-star Jessica Chastain was reportedly paid 2 mil. $ for her performance, whereas Damon is reported to have earned 18 mil. $. Disregarding that the film is a star vehicle which Damon carries, Chastain has offered her anger at the salary differences in public. The film opened #1 to a 54.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it was #1 another 4 weekends (not consecutively) and remained in the top 5 for another 3 weeks, grossing 228.4 mil. $ (36.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were China with 94.9 mil. $ (15.1 %) and the UK with 33.9 mil. $ (5.4 %). It was Fox's highest-grossing film of the year and the 10th highest-grossing of the year overall. It was nominated for 7 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Picture to Spotlight, Actor to Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant, Adapted Screenplay to Charles Randolph and Adam McKay for The Big Short, Production Design to Mad Max: Fury Road, Sound Mixing and Sound Editing also to Mad Max: Fury Road, and Visual Effects to Ex Machina. It won 2/3 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for 6 BAFTAs, won an AFI award, 4 National Board of Review awards and several other honors. Scott returned with Alien: Covenant - Prologue: The Crossing (2017, short) and theatrically with Alien: Covenant (2017). Damon returned in Jason Bourne (2016). The Martian is certified fresh at 91 % with a 7.85/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Martian?

Adventureland (2009) - Mottola's personally inspired, funny coming-of-age romance

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+ Best Coming-of-Age Movie of the Year

Jesse Eisenberg appears to look into the distance with a daydreaming glare on this nostalgia-styled, neat poster for Greg Mottola's Adventureland

It is 1987, and James is going to Europe and then on to Columbia University. That is, until his parents' economy changes, and he instead has to take a job at the local amusement park, which becomes the beginning of an eventful summer.

Adventureland is the 3rd theatrical feature for great New-Yorker writer-director Greg Mottola (Superbad (2007)). It is an assured coming-of-age romcom that has more to it than most probably expect; both in terms of laughs, sharp observations, lines, situations and scenes, which feel real. Adventureland is a lot like a fun removed cousin to Stephen Chbosky's masterpiece The Perks of Being A Wallflower (2012).
Jesse Eisenberg (Camp Hell (2010)) and Kristen Stewart (Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)) are charming together; Ryan Reynolds (Chaos Theory (2008)) is good as a park hustler, and Kristen Wiig (Sausage Party (2016)) and Bill Hader (The To Do List (2013)) are hilarious as the park owner couple.
Adventureland also boasts good music. It is a mature and solidly great movie, simply a fine time.

Related posts:

Greg Mottola: Paul (2011) - Pegg, Frost and Mottola delve into SF with mixed results

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]  

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 9.8 mil. $
Box office: 17.1 mil. $
= Big flop
[Adventureland premiered 19 January (Sundance) and runs 107 minutes. The script is based on Mottola's own experiences of working at the Farmingdale, New York amusement park Adventureland in the 1980s. Shooting took place in New York and Pennsylvania, including in the Kennywood Amusement Park, from October - November 2007, effectively hiding cold weather and sometimes even snowfall to achieve the narrative's summer setting. The film opened #6 to 5.7 mil. $ in North America, its peak there where it grossed 16 mil. $ (93.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 796k $ (4.7 %) and Australia with 95k $ (0.5 %).  The film was nominated for the Best Screenplay Independent Spirit Award. Adventureland is certified fresh at 89 % with a 7.3/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Adventureland?

The Skeleton Twins (2014) - Wiig and Hader deliver in indie gem

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SNL regulars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are to sell Craig Johnson's The Skeleton Twins on its poster

 

A man, who goes through a failed suicide attempt, subsequently moves temporarily into the home of his sister, whom he hasn't seen in a decade, and her husband. As it turns out, both twin siblings have deep-rooted problems in their lives.

Bill Hader (The BFG (2016)) and Kristen Wiig (Ghostbusters (2016)) are credible as twins and are both really funny and well-functioning dramatically in this little indie pearl from co-writer-director Craig Johnson (True Adolescents (2009)).

As The Skeleton Twins unfolds, I was waiting, somewhere in the back of my mind, for it to give in and collapse as a film, because it appears to be a bit of a fragile house of cards, but this never happens. Luke Wilson (Henry Poole Is Here (2008)) and Ty Burrell (In Good Company (2004)) do well in supporting parts. SPOILER It is a shame for the stars, the film and us as audiences that the plot anchor of the marriage in it is cut short so rapidly, because it is a good enough film that I would have sat for a longer final section about its crisis and the solution to it.

The Skeleton Twins is co-written with Mark Heyman (Black Swan (2010)).

Watch a trailer and a short interview with Hader and Wiig here

Cost. Reportedly 1 mil. $

Box office: 5.7 mil. $

= Huge hit

[The Skeleton Twins premiered January 19 (Sundance) and runs 93 minutes. Filming lasted 22 days in New York in November 2012. The film opened #25 with a 380k $ first weekend in 15 theaters, widening to 461 theaters and a top position at #11 with a 1.2 mil. $ weekend 3 in North America, where it grossed 5.2 mil. $ (91.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets (of 7 foreign markets) were Australia with 279k $ (4.9 %) and the UK with 63k $ (1.1 %). The film won the screenwriting award at Sundance and was included as one of the year's 10 best independent films by National Board of Review. The Skeleton Twins is certified fresh at 86 % with a 7 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Skeleton Twins?

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) - Stiller's sweet, visually splendid Christmas present

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A carefully designed, neat poster for Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

 

Walter Mitty is a negative asset manager with LIFE magazine. He is a daydreamer, who, due to the magazine's closing, goes out on an adventure to locate a lost photograph.

In a way, Walter Mitty, co-produced, directed by and starring Ben Stiller (Zoolander (2001)), is an easy target to make fun of, because it could resemble a midlife crisis project for the star: SPOILER In it, among other things, he swims with a shark, survives a volcano eruption and climbs a mountain, - and one of the supporting characters at one point remarks that he is "as if Indiana Jones decided to join The Strokes!" But discarding the film on this basis would be a shame, because it is also a very pure-hearted project with an underlying humanism and joy to it, which, in any crisis period, is welcome.

The film at one point directly references Into the Wild (2007), - a film with a similar theme of self-discovery through adventure-seeking, but one that packs a major emotional punch, which Walter Mitty never gets near. It has lots of good music (including its score by Theodore Shapiro (Spy (2015))), which helps mask that the film's depth is very surface-bound. Visually, Walter Mitty is impressively sumptuous and skillfully designed, with cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh (Blackhat (2015)).

Stiller is good as the title character, in particular in his scenes with Kristen Wiig (Nasty Baby (2015)), which are incredibly sweet. Adam Scott (Krampus (2015)) makes a very credible a-hole, and Sean Penn (Fair Game (2010)) seems a bit involuntarily comedic as a photographer/philosopher.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is written by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happiness (2006)), based on James Thurber's (The Male Animal (1939, play)) same-titled 1939 short story, which was first adapted in 1947. It is a very sweet and uplifting film.

 

Related reviews:

 

Ben Stiller: While We're Young (2014) - Baumbach offers another observant, clever downer (actor)

Tower Heist (2011) - Ratner's so-so financial crisis comedy (actor)

I'm Still Here (2010) or, Joaquin Phoenix's Bad Joke (unsuspecting subject) 

Greenberg (2010) - Baumbach's uniquely downbeat LA-romance depressant (actor)

Blades of Glory (2007) - Copycat comedy about ice figure skating (producer)

The Cable Guy (1996) - Stiller's dark comedy is a riot

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 90 mil. $

Box office: 188.5 mil. $

= Flop

[The Secret Life of Walter Mitty premiered October 5 (New York Film Festival) and runs 114 minutes. The film had been in development ever since 1994, when producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. had the idea to make another adaptation, following his producer father's 1947 film. Jim Carrey was set to star for years, and other filmmakers involved include, but are not limited to, Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Richard LaGravanese, Chuck Russell, Owen Wilson, Scarlett Johansson, Sacha Baron Cohen and Gore Verbinski. Stiller was finally announced as director-star in 2011. Filming took place in Iceland, Greenland, British Columbia, Canada, California and New York, including in the Time-Life Building, in and around May 2012. The film opened #7 to a 12.7 mil. $ first weekend in 2,909 theaters in North America, where it grossed 58.2 mil. $ (30.9 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 11.9 mil. $ (6.3 %) and Russia with 11.3 mil. $ (6 %). Had American audiences welcomed the film more enthusiastically, (their market share is unusually low for a homegrown, big movie), the film might have made a profit. It appeared on National Board of Review's top 10 list of the year and made an additional 15 mil. $ on DVDs and Blu-ray, which, if added to the gross, still doesn't change the film's flop status. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is rotten at 51 % with a 6 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?

Sausage Party (2016) - One outrageous, funny, horny adult animation

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An appropriately outrageous, funny poster for Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon's Sausage Party 

 

Sausage Party is the first R-rated CGI-animated movie, described as a spoof on Pixar movies by some, it is a furiously horny raunch-comedy. It is writen by Seth Rogen (Superbad (2007)), Evan Goldberg (The Night Before (2015)), Kyle Hunter (The Night Before) and Ariel Shaffir (The Night Before), with Jonah Hill (21 Jump Street (2012)) contributing story elements, and directed by Greg Tiernan (Thomas & Friends: Sticky Situations (2012)) and Conrad Vernon (Shrek 2 (2004)).

Frank, a sausage who is in love with a bun named Brenda, has high hopes of the divine afterlife outside the store which are to be fulfilled on 'red-white-and-blue day' (4th of July). But new intelligence rocks the food items' firm belief in a great beyond...

Sausage Party deals with more real content than most audiences probably expect: SPOILER Namely the idea of a divine afterlife, - and in doing so staunchly reproving and rejecting all religions, which isn't my cup of tea, but at least it's done with a lot of humor here. SPOILER And on its ambitious path, it also attempts to solve the Israel-Palestine conflict and reproves reactionary, Islamic politics!

 

 

But don't kid yourself: While doing these seemingly serious things, Sausage Party delivers enough f-bombs and more finessed sexual references to satisfy even the most vulgar teen or adult. It really is outrageous SPOILER and, of course, all culminates in a joyous, funny, exhilarating food orgy. - Literally. The film also references countless movies and celebrities.

Of the many star voices in the film, Rogen and Kristen Wiig (Ghostbusters (2016)) as the leads do well, - although there wasn't that much Wiig-quality to Brenda, perhaps a side-effect of the lovely funny-woman's simply over-working herself these years. David Krumholtz (Hail Caesar! (2016)) is funny as Lavash, and Edward Norton (Moonrise Kingdom (2012)) stands out as Sammy, - in a good or bad way will be up to the individual viewer, - with a voice that's very recognizably shaped on Woody Allen. Salma Hayek (Frida (2002)) is also good fun as a lesbian taco.

Sausage Party is filled with amusing moments and some that are laugh-out-loud funny. The animation isn't on par with Pixar movies, (but look at the budget and go figure), and is still of impressively high quality. It is an outrageous, very funny and very horny movie, bringing to mind such flicks as Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex *But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) and Fritz the Cat (1972). It could only come from the warped, baked minds of Goldberg and Rogen.

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 19 mil. $

Box office: 114.3 mil. $ and counting

= Huge hit

[Sausage Party premiered March 14 (SXSW Austin, Texas Festival) and runs 88 minutes. Rogen has stated that the film took 8 years to get made due to hesitance and fear in Hollywood and has said of its development: "What would it be like if our food had feelings?’ We very quickly realized that it would be fucked up." The film dodged a NC-17 rating by removing some pubic hair from one of the food characters in the film to receive its R-rating. Controversy has surrounded the film's production, as animators have allegedly been forced to work overtime without pay to complete the film on its assigned budget. A large number of animators have reportedly been removed from the credits due to complaints about this outrageous praxis, alleged to have been at the behest of co-director Tiernan. (This story seems to explain some of the reason why the film could be made for such a low budget.) The film opened #2, behind Suicide Squad, with a 34.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed #2 for another week and remained in the top 5 for 5 weeks in total, and has to date grossed 93.9 mil. $. The film has yet to open in several important markets and so is likely to gross a good deal more still. Rogen has talked of an idea for a sequel, which is likely to materialize now. Sausage Party is certified fresh at 82 % with a 6.7 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Sausage Party?

MacGruber (2010) - Taccone and Forte's hilarious spoof might well be the best SNL movie to date

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+ Best Spoof Movie of the Year

 

The three immaculate stars of Jorma Taccone's MacGruber in front of a gigantic explosion, slapped with an appropriately red-glowing title

MacGruber gets pulled out of retirement for a top secret mission: His arch enemy Cunth has stolen a nuclear warhead. - Stop Cunth!

 

Will Forte (Nebraska (2013)), Kristen Wiig (Ghostbusters (2016)), Ryan Phillippe (54 (1998)), Powers Boothe (24 (2008), TV movie) and Val Kilmer (Heat (1995)) as Cunth are all howlingly funny in this cheerful and crazy idiot-comedy about the violent adventures of the worthless, titular clown MacGruber who seems to be mentally trapped in the 1980s. (The character and concept is inspired by MacGyver (1985-92)).)

MacGruber is written by John Solomon (The Last Man on Earth (2015-16)), Forte and co-writer-director Jorma Taccone (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)), whose feature debut it is. It's a little short, - probably appropriately so for the ridiculous plot, - and funny as hell!

 

Related posts:   

 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 10 mil. $

Box office: 9.3 mil. $

= Huge flop

[MacGruber premiered March 15 (SXSW, Austin, Texas) and runs 99 minutes. Based on the 2007 SNL sketch character, which in turn was based on the 1980s action adventure TV-series MacGyver, and the 2009 MacGruber Pepsi commercials, a jumbled 177 page script was reportedly written in three weeks during normal SNL work as well and later edited down to the film we now have. Filming took place in New Mexico from August - September 2009. Forte praised the producers for allowing creative freedom. The film opened #6 to a 4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it played for just 3 weeks and grossed 8.5 mil. $ (91.4 % of the total gross). The film played in just 3 other countries, Russia, Portugal and Thailand, of which the 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Russia with 739k $ (7.9 %) and Portugal with 47k $ (0.5 %). The creator of MacGyver tried to bury the film before its release but eventually dropped litigation. Despite the terrible financial performance of the film, Forte and Taccone seem determined to make a sequel to MacGruber some day (hopefully soon.) MacGruber is rotten at 47 % with a 5.1 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of MacGruber?