Mike Goes To Movies

How to With John Wilson (Season 1) TLDR: It's hard to describe exactly what How To is or why exactly it works, but there's a certain point in every episode when the comedy begins to click and then the human element - the surprising poignancy and the everyman/woman relatability - comes out in spades. This documentary series is unlike anything else out there and absolutely worth your time. Who exactly is John Wilson? That's the first question that comes to mind when HBO's new documentary series is recommended to a new viewer. The name is in the show's title, and yet John Wilson is rather a nobody in the grand scheme of things as well as in the entertainment industry (at least he was prior to the becoming a bonafide hit). However, not long ago, contemporary comedy icon Nathan Fielder discovered Wilson and, after seeing his work and style, decided to jump on board as a producer for a new series made by Wilson.  So, again, what exactly is this show? Well, each episode of...

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020) On paper, the Eurovision Song Contest is a perfect vehicle for a classic Will Ferrell comedy romp. The long-running and immensely popular real-life contest has that same oddball and quirky charm that Ferrell exudes in all of his successful films. Having him star as an Icelandic wannabe-pop star that allows for him to sing has a lot of inherent potential (for a retrospective, see his rendition of Por Ti Volare in Step Brothers). However, the film ultimately lacks the pieces that have led to Ferrell's beloved classics. Despite its promising premise, Eurovision is devoid of consistent laughs, its plot ambles and runs too long, and many of its cast seem a tad too out-of-place to sell the vision of this contest. Lars (Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are a singing duo/best friends/possible siblings who have their sights set on the Eurovision contest, and, after a string of lucky mishaps the two get their shining opportun...

Under the Silver Lake (2019) Part of A24's great success has been its ability to market its wide-ranging genre of films to very specific markets - illustrating why each of this indie gems may be the perfect film for you. With Under the Silver Lake however, upon its mediocre reception at Cannes, A24 became a bit stumped, unsure of how exactly to market this enigmatic film, leading to a semi-bout between the production company/distributor and the film's writer/director, David Robert Mitchell, over a possible re-cut for the film. In the end, the director won out and the film remained intact leading to its concurrent theatrical and VOD release. It is a testament to Mitchell's integrity as an artist that he used his new industry clout following the massive success of It Follows to make such a heady and ambitious film for his follow-up. Under the Silver Lake is a large film; it is a subversive noir that both pays homage to the classic genre while also consistently poking ...

Jojo Rabbit (2019) There are three movies in particular that I was dying to see at this year's TIFF  but that I had to unfortunately miss out on. However, It looks like this weekend I am going to have the pleasure of knocking all three off of my list (partially because I am heading out of town for work this week for the month and will become more limited with my time to go to the theatre and write reviews). The first of these films is Jojo Rabbit - the quirkily black-comedy from acclaimed writer/director (and newfound icon of New Zealand), Taika Waititi. Waititi is absolutely one of my favourite new-age directors; he has that rare talent of being able to infuse his films with his now-distinct irreverent and absurd sense of humour with true heart. And, in that, Jojo Rabbit is not only no different, but he seems to have perfected that hard-to-obtain formula of high class comedy and drama. For those that have seen the trailer/read up on it, you know the offbeat setup for the f...

The House (2017) The House is quite typical for what you would expect from a Will Ferrell / Amy Poehler comedy these days. It has the same type of humour, plot and tone as many of their other recent and relatively uninspired outings. There is the usual plethora of 'subversive' comedy that centres upon crude jokes, gross-out gags, and Ferrell and Poehler's well-known exaggerated performances. This is one that will still entertain (if you are in the mood for it) but is overall very forgettable and will, as quickly as it came, disappear into the history books. The film is about Scott and Kate Johansen (Ferrell and Poehler), the parents of Alex (Ryan Simpkins), who have just learned that a local fund that was being used for college scholarships is now going to be used for a public swimming pool development. With Alex's prospects of going to college now eliminated, Scott and Kate team up with their zany, gambling-addicted friend, Frank (Jason Mantzoukas) to start their...

Swiss Army Man (2016) Firstly, do not let the above picture deceive you, this film is 100% a comedy, and it's likely one of the most absurd ones you will ever watch. The film stars Paul Dano, a very talented actor who's penchant for odd roles is whole-heartedly utilized here. Opposite Dano is Daniel Radcliffe who seems to be taking the furthest role possible from his recent, and famous stint as Harry Potter. Here, however, he is not The Boy Who Lived, but more aptly, The Farting Boy Who Died. You see, the film is about Hank (Dano), a seeming castaway who is on the brink of suicide. All that saves him is a corpse that he finds that has washed ashore (Radcliffe). The corpse is very much a corpse, except it has the unique quality of... being able to fart... constantly. Yes, you read that right... Throughout the film, Dano finds that the corpse (whom he names Manny) may also have some other equally-absurd talents that may just help him survive in the wilderness, hence the tit...

Living in Oblivion (1995) This one's for those that enjoy off-kilter comedies and are interested in the film-making process, specifically that of indie films that have the tendency to have everything go on while filming. The film has less of a forward-moving plot and is more of a snapshot view into the filming of three separate scenes of an indie feature. It is quirky and absurd, entertaining and also interesting. As far as films go, this is really the only film I can think of that really goes into the minutiae and the technicalities of film-making such as light meters, terminology and call-out cues, blocking, framing, script supervisors, the many many takes that go into filming a single scene, and much more. It is quite fascinating seeing all of these elements woven into a comedy. The film is directed and written by former Jim Jarmusch DP, Tom DiCello, and is an early outing for a number of now-very recognizable faces including Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Peter Dinkla...

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) Yes, I know this is a ridiculous movie. I watched it with a friend recently after having not seen it for probably fifteen or so years. I still remembered some of the in-famous scenes - the deer, the baby, sausages, etc... - and yes, they are as insane now as they were then. Although the film is utterly manic, thanks mainly due to Tom Green's completely unhinged performance, it still does have quite funny parts. What I find most interesting about this film though is based on a Vice interview Green had about the film recently. To note, Green also directed and wrote the film. In the interview, Green states that, as with many films nowadays, Freddy got completely cut-up prior to its release. As a result, a number of plotlines and characters integral to the film were excised completely or left in pieces leading to a number of nonsensical scenes. True, in other cases, he states that some of the gross-out moments were simply shortened. However, Green i...

8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) The Royal Tenenbaums was the first Wes Anderson film I saw. This film was foundational in showing me that a movie can have its own distinctive style and voice. As most will probably agree, you can know you're watching a Wes Anderson film by watching it for only a scene or two. It's that clear. And, that, in my opinion, is pretty cool. There are those out there who are a bit 'over' or tired of Anderson's films, partially due to the fact that they are 'all similar' or evoke a similar style or feel. I don't agree with this and believe that most of his film's have a unique enough story to stand well on their own. The Royal Tenenbaums, in particular, has a character-depth and a darkness to it that many of his others do not possess. The Grand Budapest Hotel and Fantastic Mr. Fox I also hold in very high regard but Tenenbaums I still hold as my favourite. As with many of the best comedy-dramas, The Royal Tenenbaums...