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From:Tom Hanks , Marlon Wayans , Irma P. Hall , J.K. Simmons , Tzi Ma , Ethan Coen , Joel Coen , Walt Disney Video ,
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User Rating: Amazon Sales Rank:#12071 |
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Funny, 2008-09-19
Despite his two Academy awards for the dreadful Philadelphia and Forrest Gump Tom Hanks has never, not once, ever sold me on his dramatic acting abilities. I remember him from that lame 1980s transvestite sitcom with the little blond dweeb who later starred on Newhart. Whenever he tries to emote Hanks just looks silly and cannot help but have a goofy grin on his face. As pallid as his dramatic ability is he is, and has always been, a gifted comedian.
This talent has never been put to better use than in the most recent comedy from the Coen Brothers, The LadyKillers, which is a remake of a 1950s comedy from the U.K. that starred Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers. Having never seen the original I can only say that even were that at the comedic level of Dr. Strangelove it would not alter the fact that this is one flat-out hilarious film. Basically, it's a comedic heist film in which a sad sack troupe of gangsters tries to rip off a floating casino in Mississippi by tunneling into its vault from an old black lady's cellar. To accomplish this the ringleader, G.H. Dorr (Hanks), poses as a college professor. Along with him are a young black punk, Gawain MacSam (Marlon Wayans), a former Vietnamese general (Tzi Ma), a dopey munitions expert, Garth Pancake (J.K. Simmons- who plays J. Jonah Hameson in the Spider-Man franchise), and a big dumb lump of a football player named Lump Hudson (Ryan Hurst). The old lady, Marva Munson, is wonderfully played by Irma P. Hall.
The LadyKillers is not a film for the ages, but it is one that when a little blue you can just pop it in the DVD and laugh yourself silly. That said, the DVD had a nice transfer- very crisp and in some places the film even looked like videotape. I don't know whether it was shot digitally, however. The music plays well, especially in assorted gospel scenes. There are only a few extra- standard featurettes on the film, but one extended outtakes scene that is funny- a scene where Marva is slapping Gawain silly for his use of profanity. As with everything else on this DVD it's funny as hell, and most recommended.
 Edgar Allen Poe meets his Raven, 2008-08-20
Hey, I liked it. This is a remake of the wonderful film of the same name starring Alec Guiness. It does not quite live up to the original but it's good in and of itself. The scene has changed from London to Hattiesburg, Mississippi and the Guiness character is Tom Hanks as the Edgar Allen Poe look alike, a silver-tongued cad. He cons an old lady into renting him a room and permitting him and his band members to practice their renaissance rococco music in her root cellar.
The problem is, these guys aren't musicians. They are a group of criminal misfits bent on digging a tunnel from the root cellar into the vault of a nearby casino. There are numerous misadventures including the premature detonation of a bomb which blows off one of the crook's fingers. There are also personal animosities especially between one of the white hoodlums and a black crook who can't speak without the use of four letter words. Hanks, with his quick wit, charm and smooth talk, is always there to mediate between his stupid and otherwise murderous brethren.
On the day of the planned heist, Hanks gets the old lady out of the house by buying her a ticket to a gospel singing concert. The robbery goes off as planned but the old lady has come home early, planning on a tea and a music recital for her friends. A bomb is blown to collapse the tunnel behind them and the old lady is alerted to foul play.
Hanks is obliged to admit that they are truly outlaws but, after all, they only stole from a den of iniquity and half of the proceeds of the robbery are to be donated to Bob Jones University. The old lady won't compromise their principles but tells them she won't inform on them if they give the money back and attend church with her next Sunday. Hanks says he'll have to confer with his gang.
Confer he does...Confer as to who will bump the old lady off. Nobody wants to do it so they draw straws. There is a whole series of deadly misadventures in which the whole gang methodically bumps each other off. Hanks is the only one left. Standing on the bridge, quoting his favorite poet--Edgar Allen Poe--a nearby raven knocks a stone off a tower and hits Hanks in the head. Along with his criminal partners, he falls from the bridge. The old lady give all the money to Bob Jones University.
Ron Braithwaite author of novels--"Skull Rack" and "Hummingbird God"--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico
 Another One..., 2008-05-27
So the Coen Bros. have done it again. Somehow they created another movie, and I know that a lot of people did not quite enjoy this one, but I did. The Coen brothers have done such an amazing job with all of their films of showing a weird, innocent, and dark side of human nature that no other directors seem to capture. This film is funny and thought-provoking, as for the nature of good and evil. I recommend it.
Coen Brothers: Film # 11, 2008-05-14
There was something deviously and devilishly fun about this film. The moment you see one person die and realize a whole line of people are about to die, your grin widens and you get more comfortable in your chair.
I simply adored this film. I loved Hanks' southern gent professor character. I loved all the oddball hoodlums. I loved the church loving land lord. I loved the idea that Hanks and his goons were "played" in a band using instruments from the Renaissance. I loved how the sheriff thought the old woman was out of her mind. I loved chuckling. Yes, actually chuckling at this scene. (FYI:rarely do I laugh while viewing a film).
I do not know why reviews were so bad, but I can understand that since this was the Coen Brother's first film that they directed but did not write, they may have lost some grip on the whole flow of the film. Perhaps I can understand this and I did see this in the film. Otherwise, what a great film this was.
1 of 1 customers found the following review helpful:
Loved it!, 2008-02-02
Tom Hanks plays his professor character with a depth that makes it truly classic. His portrayal of the wordy, erudite and slightly shady Professor Dorr is letter-perfect. The rest of the characters also put on excellent performances which truly makes this a great film. The "slap reel" was fun too.
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