Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - Green's nonstop insane comedy feat

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Sloppily dressed co-writer/director/star Tom Green looks more or less insane on this poster for his Freddy Got Fingered

Gord is 28 years old and lives in his parents' basement with a dream of being an animator. Now he will attempt to materialize that dream in Hollywood!

Freddy Got Fingered is written by Derek Harvie (Meet the Family (2013-14)) and debuting co-writer/director/star Tom Green (Tom Green: Endangered Feces (1999, video)).
It is an insane film that parts opinions sharply, - but I'm one of its fans!
Green creates a kind of performance comedy in it, which may remind one of Jim Carrey's overwrought performances as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994; sequel 1995), - but Green's work is just more insane and transgressive. The fact that he attracted a considerable studio budget and some established stars to this lunacy is incredible.
Rip Torn (Slaughter (1972)) runs admirably amok in the film, and Julie Hagerty (Held Up (1999)) is also hilarious.
Freddy Got Fingered is like no other film: It is vulgar and naughty, (some would say tasteless); a comedy with a mission to be outrageous, which it achieves in one crazy scene after another, tightly packed with screaming, yelling, violence and major hit songs. Green seems manic and not much of a healthy individual here, but darn is it fun to watch.
The title is fittingly outrageous and vulgar to match the movie and doesn't really have much of an import in the story itself.

Related post:

Tom Green: Charlie's Angels (2000) - McG's saucy Hollywood Entertainment winner (actor)

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 14 mil. $
Box office: 14.3 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 1.02 times its cost)
[Freddy Got Fingered premiered 18 April (USA) and runs 87 minutes. Shooting took place from August - October 2000 in British Columbia, including Vancouver, and in California. The film opened #5, behind holdover hits Bridget Jones' Diary, Spy Kids and Along Came a Spider and fellow new release Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, to a 7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd week and grossed 14.2 mil. $ (99.3 % of the total gross). The film was released in at least 6 other markets, so the assertion that these should have grossed less than 100k $ for the film seems dubious but could be true given its critical negation. Roger Ebert gave the film a zero star rating, translating to 4 notches under this one. The film earned more than 24.3 mil. $ from North-American video sales, which, if added into the equation, would make the film a box office success. Green returned with Subway Monkey Hour (2002, TV movie), Light Coming Out of Ear!!! (2005, short) and theatrically with the little-seen Prankstar (2010). As an actor he returned in Malcolm in the Middle (2002, TV-series) and theatrically in Stealing Harvard (2002). Freddy Got Fingered is rotten at 10 % with a 2.64/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Freddy Got Fingered?

Runaway Jury (2003) - Gun violence trial as Hollywood show

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+ Worst Poster of the Year

Formally dressed stars eye each other uneasily under a blurry photograph on this dubious poster for Runaway Jury

A madman mows down 11 people at an office, and a widow to one of the slain subsequently sues the gun company. The principal trial gets a jury, zealous lawyers, - and an X factor ...

Runaway Jury is written by Brian Koppelman (Runner Runner (2013)), David Levien (Rounders (1998)), Rick Cleveland (Nurse Jackie (2009-10)) and Matthew Chapman (Heart of Midnight (1988)), adapting The Runaway Jury (1996) by John Grisham (The Summons (2002)), and directed by Gary Fleder (Kiss the Girls (1997)).
The biggest problem for this over-written courtroom thriller set in New Orleans is that it lacks a hero: Gene Hackman (Split Decisions (1988)) is definitely the villain of the piece; Dustin Hoffman (Stranger Than Fiction (2006)) may have been thought of as the hero, being the lawyer representing the widow's case, (but it is a grotesque case in my opinion.) John Cusack (Adult World (2013)) and Rachel Weisz (Death Machine (1994)) both play manipulative and greedy characters, whose real aim is only revealed in Runaway Jury's poorly closed up ending.
The film also suffers from superficial music video-style editing, which lowers the realism in the material and ruptures any thematic weight it may have carried. Robert Elswit's (Salt (2010)) photography is seamless, and Hackman lets loose; especially he and Hoffman's bathroom scene has the show movie energy that this film is still worth watching for. The American gun ownership issue at the core of the film remains pretty much unchanged today.

 

Related post:

 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

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

 

Watch a VHS tape teaser for the film here

Cost: 60 mil. $
Box office: 80.1 mil. $
= Big flop (returned 1.33 times its cost)
[Runaway Jury premiered 9 October (USA) and runs 127 minutes. Since pre-production had started in 1997, filmmakers Joel Schumacher and Mike Newell and stars Will Smith and Edward Norton had been attached at various points. The plot was changed from a tobacco focus to guns following the release of tobacco-focused The Insider (1999). Shooting took place in Louisiana, including New Orleans, and in Los Angeles, California in and around September 2002. The film opened #3, behind fellow new release The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and holdover hit Kill Bill: Vol. 1, to an 11.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another week in the top 5 (#4) and grossed 49.4 mil. $ (61.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Spain with 3.8 mil. $ (4.7 %) and Italy and France at a shared #3 with 3.7 mil. $ (4.6 %). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch better than this one. Grisham in 2004 called the film "smart" and "suspenseful" but was disappointed with its theatrical performance. Fleder returned with 11 TV episodes in 3 different TV-series before hitting big screens again with The Express (2008). Cusack returned in Must Love Dogs (2005); Hackman in Welcome to Mooseport (2004) - his final movie; Hoffman in Finding Neverland (2004) and Weisz in Envy (2004). Runaway Jury is fresh at 73 % with a 6.56/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Runaway Jury?

The Fountain (2006) - Aronofsky's sensorial meditation on mortality

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+ Best Psychedelic Movie of the Year + Best Mega-flop Movie of the Year

A truly striking, space-set poster for Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain

The Fountain is a strange journey in three ages: Thomas struggles to save the woman he loves; as a 16th century conquistador in New Spain, protecting her from attacking Mayans; as a neuroscientist in present time, dealing with her cancer diagnosis, and in an organic spaceship in the future.

The Fountain is a highly unusual, psychedelic and metaphysical triple story about the search for immortality, which isn't held together by a central suspense curve, SPOILER but one that does find its final release in our natural conclusion: death.
Hugh Jackman (The Greatest Showman (2017)) and Rachel Weisz (The Whistleblower (2010)) play the loving, troubled couple, and Weisz relates all of creation to Mayan myths in The Fountain, which is interesting.
The Fountain is written and directed by New-Yorker master filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Pi (1998)), with Ari Handel (Noah (2014)) contributing story elements. It did not grab me as strongly as Aronofsky's preceding, harrowing drug drama Requiem for a Dream (2000), but it is a sensual, aesthetic waterfall of beautiful sounds, images (cinematography by Matthew Libatique (Ruby Sparks (2012))), music (score by Clint Mansell (United (2011))) and lights. A rare experience and obviously the result of serious, painstaking efforts.

Related posts:

Darren Aronofsky: mother! (2017) - Bring a flask with you to this one!
Black Swan (2010) or, Manic Dance

2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

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

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

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 35 mil. $
Box office: 16 mil. $
= Mega-flop
[The Fountain premiered 4 September (Venice Film Festival, Italy) and runs 96 minutes. Aronofsky developed the film after Requiem for a Dream as a 70 mil. $ package with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett for Warner Bros. But as Pitt dropped out weeks before shooting, the film fell apart, and the sets, including a Mayan temple, were auctioned off. Aronofsky attempted to recast with Russell Crowe, but he was too exhausted after Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Aronofsky was able to reshape the film to a budget half the original size, and the project was again green-lit. Jackman prepared extensively for his performance, training t'ai chi and yoga for many months before shooting. Aronofsky cast his girlfriend Weisz, who visited terminal patients and witnessed brain surgery as preparation. The budget was kept low by minimizing the use of CG effects and using macro photography instead, (blowing up extreme closeups, including deep-sea images of micro-organisms shot by Peter Parks). Shooting took place in Guatemala, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania over 60 days in 'early 2005'. The film opened #10 to a 3.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 10.4 mil. $ (65 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were France with 1.3 mil. $ (8.1 %) and Russia with 0.6 mil. $ (3.8 %). It was nominated for a Golden Globe. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2.5/4 star review, translating to a notch harder than this one. Jackman returned in The Prestige (2006), Weisz as a voice in Eragon (2006) and in a physical part in My Blueberry Nights (2007). Aronofsky returned with The Wrestler (2008). The Fountain is rotten at 52 % with a 5.9/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fountain?

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) - Anderson's technically, visually admirable but a bit tiring animation

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A fresh and playful poster with some main characters from Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox

Mr. Fox's son is an awful sports-fox and overlooked by his father, who is more attentive to his resuming of his own old mentality as a sly robber. Which gets him into troubles.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is the 6th feature from Texas master co-writer-director Wes Anderson (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)), co-written with Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha (2012)) and based on the same-titled children's book by Roald Dahl (The Twits (1980)).
It is a stop motion animation with exceptionally looking dolls and visuals that are generally a knock-out. The film also has lovely music. But for me it is hard to engage myself emotionally in these quirky doll animals that sport Anderson's trademark dry wit throughout. The quirky indie-cuteness of the entire 'scheme' is on overwork in Fantastic Mr. Fox as seen from my perspective, and it remains Anderson's slightest film in my book.

Related posts: 

Wes Anderson: 2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
Top 10: The best adventure films reviewed by Film Excess to date
2014 in films - according to Film Excess
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - A very very good dream 
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - A 1960s island youth romance present 
The Darjeeling Limited (2007) - Anderson beautifies but still wins with India-journey favorite 

Watch an official trailer for the film here

Cost: 40 mil. $
Box office: 46.4 mil. $
= Big flop
[Fantastic Mr. Fox premiered 14 October (London Film Festival) and runs 86 minutes. Development began in 2004 at the later defunct Revolution Studios with Anderson and Henry Selick, who later exited to commit to (the much better) Coraline (2009). Cate Blanchett was also committed to voice a character but dropped out. Fantastic Mr. Fox is Anderson's only adaptation and animation to date. Animation was captured in the Three Mills Studio in London, while Anderson captured the star-studded voice performances outside of a studio; reportedly in a forest, an attic, a stable and underground. The film opened #24 in 4 theaters, a fierce 66k $ per theater average, to a 265k $ first weekend in North America, where it peaked at #9 on 2,033 screens and grossed 21 mil. $ (45.3 % of the total gross). The film's 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Dahl's native UK with 14.3 mil. $ (30.9 %) and Australia with 3.4 mil. $ (7.3 %). The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Score (Alexandre Desplat) - lost to Michael Giacchino for Up, - and Best Animation - also lost to Pete Docter's Up. The film was also nominated for 2 Golden Globes, a BAFTA, won a National Board of Review award and many more. Fantastic Mr. Fox is certified fresh at 92 % with a 7.9 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Fantastic Mr. Fox?

Epic Movie (2007) - Friedberg/Seltzer deliver the tasteless fun

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+ Most Under-appreciated Movie of the Year + Best Low-brow Movie of the Year

A simple and very silly-looking poster for Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer's Epic Movie

Four unrelated orphans find each other with four golden tickets and venture through a wardrobe that's really a trap into a cold world, which is ruled by a tyrannical white bitch!

- She is played with usual comical panache by Jennifer Coolidge (The Jack of Spades (2010)). Epic Movie distinguishes itself by having lovely comedians bring their chops to the spoof: Besides Coolidge there's Fred Willard (Max Rose (2013)), who is priceless as a randy half-lion; Kevin Hart (Little Fockers (2010)) is a blood-thirsty albino, and Crispin Glover (Dead Man (1995)) is Willy Wonka. Darrell Hammond (Agent Cody Banks (2003)) is really funny as 'Jack Swallows', the movie's take on Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean character, Jack Sparrow. There's also David Carradine (Karate Cop (1991)) and several other stars and wannabees.
Epic Movie is full of babes, piss, vomit, farts and crap. Its pace is high, and although it is undeniably lowbrow, it is fun lowbrow and good entertainment for all youthful laugh-oholics, - especially if approached with low expectations. It is written and directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (Vampires Suck (2010), both).

Related post:

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

 Watch a scene from the directors' previous film, Date Movie (2006) here, spoofing the legendary orgasm-faking scene from When Harry Met Sally... (1989). - If this makes you laugh, own it and go get Epic Movie as well, because it's for you

Cost: 20 mil. $
Box office: 86.8 mil. $
= Big hit
[Epic Movie premiered 27 January (Australia and Malaysia) and runs 85 minutes. It was shot in California and New Jersey in and around July 2006. It opened #1 to an 18.6 mil. $ opening weekend in North America, where it fell to #3 in its second week and then out of the top 5, grossing 39.7 mil. $ (45.7 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 10.1 mil. $ (11.6 %) and Australia with 5.1 mil. $ (5.9 %). The film was axed by critics and today holds #42 on IMDb's user-generated Bottom 100 list, between Surf School (2006) and Alone in the Dark (2005). It sold in excess of 1 mil. DVDs in North America alone, adding another 16.8 mil. $ to its gross, (which, however, wouldn't change its big hit status if counted in.) Epic Movie is rotten at 2 % with a 2.3 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Epic Movie?

Knight and Day (2010) - Diaz and Cruise invigorate Mangold's action romance

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Stars Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise in what looks like a very uncomfortable shooting position on a poster for James Mangold's Knight and Day

A sexy mechanic babe falls for a resourceful charmer on board an airplane, but he turns out to be a rogue CIA agent, who wants to protect a newly created super battery, - and its inventor, - from some shady villains!

Tom Cruise (Jack Reacher (2012)) plays a classic Cruise hero here, who can simply do just about anything, and Cameron Diaz (The Invisible Circus (2001)) is charming and sympathetic in the other lead. Knight and Day lives on their charisma and good chemistry, coupled here for their second time, (the first one being in Vanilla Sky (2001)). Great New Yorker director James Mangold (Cop Land (1997)) creates a slick and neatly photographed (by Phedon Papamichael (The Descendants (2011))) film that holds no surprises and doesn't transcend being a pretty pedestrian time-passer. It feels like a vanity project and it is truly a trifle, looked at from any angle, but it is still a well-driving vehicle with two lovely stars. - And one spectacular car and motorbike chase through the bull run in Sevilla, Spain!
Knight and Day jumps from country to country seemingly only motivated by the fact that it adds spice to the production. The much better version of the film it tries to be would be something like True Lies (1994). The script reportedly went through a staggering 12 writers' machines, but it is Patrick O'Neill (Sun Gods (2002), TV movie) who is credited for it.

Related review:

James Mangold: Cop Land (1997) - Stallone faces corruption and turns in some good acting in fine crime drama

Watch an official trailer for the film here

Cost: 125 mil. $
Box office: 261.9 mil. $
= Flop
[Knight and Day premiered June 16 (Sevilla) and runs 110 minutes. Many stars were in talks to star in the film before Cruise and Diaz were cast. Cruise took a pay cut, only receiving 11 mil. $ for his performance and no "first dollar gross", meaning he might not have made more on it than the 11 mil. Diaz's paycheck is undisclosed. Filming took place in Massachusetts, Jamaica, Illinois, New York, California, Spain (Sevilla and Cadiz) and Austria (Salzburg) from September - December 2009. The release attracted little interest: It opened #3 to a 20.1 mil. $, behind hold-over hit Toy Story 3 and the new comedy release Grown Ups, in North America, where it grossed 76.4 mil. $ (29.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 28.2 mil. $ (10.8 %) and France with 14.3 mil. $ (5.5 %). The film is said to be Cruise's lowest attended action movie opening since Legend (1986). It received many bad reviews, but Roger Ebert gave it 3/4 stars, a notch better than the review here. Knight and Day is rotten at 52 % with a 5.6 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Knight and Day?