Best in Show
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Movie Reviews of Best in Show
Movie Review: Guest is the Best!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Christopher Guest is shear brilliant, a comedic talent for the ages. My adulation for his unique and always-clever works cannot be expressed within the course of a lifetime. He has the most intriguing directing style I've come across, hands down. Pure improv, allowing each cast member to sit and vent/contemplate for 10 minutes at a time, and then later goes back to edit and seal the final masterpiece. This movie caused many belly-laughs and moments where I was chuckling so hard, zero noise was coming out. The premise for this movie and his other mockumentaries have been fantastic, no other person would have the gusto or the skill to go forth and expose these all-to-common real life scenarios like Guest has. He has consistantly created characters who are unforgettable (the mark of a great comedian) and his ability to improvise is astounding; vocabulary constitutes a big part of successful comedy, and Guest obviously has a stunning array of one-liners and collected phrases that seem to come out with picture-perfect timing. Moving onward to members of his cast: Michael Mckean does such a great job of expressing himself on screen, he accomplishes this by speaking in a relaxed, yet semi self-crazed tone. "She tries to be so self-possessed but look at the face, she's full of fear." Parker Posey plays the Mrs. Swan role with absolute ability, her reactions are wild, "I got in a position that was very painful, emotionally, for me. It's called 'congress of the cow.'" Fred Willard made the last half of the film memorable and hilarious, his commentary is original and breathtaking. Fred often gets critized, but I'd like to see anyone else come up with the lines that he instinctly lets fly. Now back to Guest: his knowledge of flyfishing made me fall out of my chair, "You could use a Disco Midge, a Beadhead, a Patch Adams." While driving in his RV he unleashes a flurry of comedy all by way of making you believe this is an old boy who loves his dog and knows his nuts! (Please see the additional scenes, there is extra footage of him talking about "phantom hill" and "turtle woman"). My favorite portion of the DVD happens to be the additional scenes. From "Harlan and Arrowheads" (which is a gut-buster) to "Stephan at the Salon", can you ask for anything more? Mckean is so god-damn-funny that it makes one ponder how this bit didn't wind up in the theatrical version? "The French don't know anything about shampooing. If you're wondering about a shampooing sink go straight to the Dutch!" haha. Or "We bought out the Chinese. Not the nation, but you know, that little chapter behind the wall." ah haha. As an afterthought, Guest ought to release a DVD featuring a ton of behind the scenes shots and deleted skits, from all of his films. It would sell like hot cakes.Movie Review: HAVE AMERICAN MOVIE COMEDIES GONE "TO THE DOGS"?
Summary: 5 Stars
Tired of sappy pseudo-screwball comedies, unfunny personalities and forced happy endings? You've come to the right place. Gifted satirist/filmmaker Christopher Guest (THIS IS SPINAL TAP; A MIGHTY WIND) literally went to the dogs with this set-at-a-dog-show sendup, but it's the owners, not the dogs, that get sent up.
What Guest and co-star/co-author Eugene Levy have done is to craft a kind of comic apotheosis of various "types" of Americans at the turn of the millenium. Count a wonderfully zippy screenplay, a great cast (some of whom go all the way back to SPINAL TAP in the Eighties) who draw on their improvisational skills early and nice tight editing--the show brims with funny, if ironic truths about the way we Yanks view competition and how we, or some of us, live through our dogs and our possessions. Think of it as an ironic, telegenic WINESBURG, OHIO and you'll understand that while the references aren't arcane, the humor is really of a very high order.
Fred Willard plays the TV color man, whose every remark strives for wit but bespeaks a deep, deep ignorance of the topic ("The sporting dogs; those are the 'jocks' of the dog world, aren't they?")
Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock are the Swans, a couple of shrill perfectionist yuppies from suburban Chicago. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hare are the Flecks, a very typical middle-class couple from Ohio except that he has two left feet and she has round heels (a running joke in the film, as she is forever running across past lovers, to hubby's consternation).
The ever-funny Jane Lynch plays a lesbian kennel owner with an eye for a rich man's wife (Jennifer Coolidge). Michael McKeon and John Michael Higgins are gay beauty-salon operators; the McKeon character could pass for straight but when Higgins' flames, he is a holocaust. And best of all, C. Guest himself plays Harlan Pepper (love that name!), a molasses-mouthed, low-key North Carolina hunter.
I won't reveal the outcome but the situation comes from the fact that all these owners' dogs are in final competition for "Best in show." And so much of the dialog rings true, even when a little bizarre, again because of the intelligent script and the prevelance of outstanding improv. players. The McKeon character casually drops the name of a competitor's salon: improv. "Harlan Pepper" in true cavalier style demurs when Jane Lynch's character says he SURELY must have HEARD of HER: "Wull, I have and I haven't." Improv!
To toss out more of these gems would be to introduce spoilers. Hint: Get ahold of this DVD at a bargain Amazon price or go for the three-pack of Guest's recent hits BEST IN SHOW, A MIGHTY WIND and WAITING FOR GUFFMAN at a great ensemble price.
Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife and I found that we had a night to ourselves so we decided to go see a movie. I'm not much of a fan of Hollywood these days and when we got to the Mega-Googaplex Cinema 5000 (1000 theaters in one place), it looked like a night of shopping would be more fun. None of the choice of movies looked good. But then we saw the marquee for "Best in Show" and saw that Eugene Levy was in it. I like him so we decided to go in and watch the show. I'm not a fan of dogs or dog shows and I have known folks in that business. They don't consider it a business - they consider it a "passion" or a "love for the breed" (or any other platitude you wish to insert here). When the movie started, it was entertaining from beginning to end. I love the fake documentary type films (such as Zelig, The Last Polka, Take the Money and Run etc.) and this fits perfectly into that genre. What a funny movie. It's not the fall down laughing type of funny, just the entertaining type of funny. The characters are classic. I recognized a lot of types that I have known over the years. Fred Willard was great as the "play by play" announcer of the dog show, and the cast in this film was perfect. All did very well. If you have ever watched a real dog show you will see that Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy did an excellent job of research before writing this movie. They've captured the essence of dog shows in a humorous and entertaining fashion. They hit the bullseye with this film. After I watched this movie, I did purchase "Waiting for Guffman"; a movie poking fun at Community Theater, and found that it was similar in style as Best in Show. It's the same cast of characters. I guess part of my love for both of those films is that I love watching movies that poke fun at pompous, self-important, egotistical little folks who don't recognize their diminutive stature. One of the reasons I love Groucho Marx so much was his ability to deflate the biggest ego with a quick witty barb. And if you have ever known dog show people or community theater sorts, you will really appreciate how sharp the barbs are in these movies. Neither film is politically correct, which is all the more reason to enjoy them.
If you like the fake documentary style of movie, you will love this film. If you don't like those types of films, then this isn't the film for you. If you've never seen one of those types of films, but like Eugene Levy then give this one a try. You should find it very entertaining.
Movie Review: Best in Comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
Buy this movie if you loved Steve Buscemi in Armageddon. Buy this movie if you loved Bill Murray in Charlie's Angels. Buy this movie if you loved Chris Kattan in The House on Haunted Hill. Buy this movie if you loved Rhys Ifans in....... anything. Because, if you love scene stealers, then this is the perfect comedy for you. Every single piece of precious celluloid is absolutely caked in scene stealing performances that most directors throw in as a way to cover up imperfections in plot, acting etc. But Christopher Guest (director/writer) has based his entire movie around these types of performences. This very underrated comedy is packed to the brim with both proven and virgin improv' geniuses. Think Christopher Guest (The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap), Eugene Levy (American Pie 1 & 2, Cannonball Run), Jennifer Cooliage (M.I.L.F from American Pie), Parker Posey (Scream 3), Fred Willard (Waiting for Guffman), Michael McKean, (This is Spinal Tap, Airheads), and the brilliant John Michael Higgins whom I've never seen before now, but has certainly made a lasting impression on me. So, what's the plot? Quite simply-- a dog show and all the wonderfully quirky characters that come with it. That's it. Blood isn't spilt. Guns aren't fired. Cars don't chase. Nothing slightly rivetting happens. The characters travel to the dog show and compete. Nothing more. But rest assured you will be rivetted, waiting impatiently for the next histerical classic moment to jump out at you. And trust me, there isn't much of a wait. In fact there isn't a dull moment in this gem from beginning to end. And don't think for a second that the laughs end with the closing credits for owners of the DVD are in for a treat with deleted scenes aplenty. I just loved every single one of Christopher Guest's scenes, one of which has his character introducing us to his beach ball collection. Hundreds of inflated beach balls crammed into his barn. This scene rates right up there with those scenes left in the movie. So if you love comedies; Watch it. If you loved it; own it. If you own it; what the hell are ya' sitting in front of your computer for? Re-watch it!!
Movie Review: Waiting for more from Christopher Guest.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've seen the entire set of Christopher Guest mockumentaries and, since none has appeared since "For Your Consideration," I'm beginning to panic at the thought that the series has come to an end. It's hard to explain why a cult classic like "This Is Spinal Tap" can underwhelm some of us while the Guest send-ups (of the dog show world, of aspiring Hollywood stars, of community theater enthusiasts, of the folk-singing culture of the '60s) are so addictive. Part of it is the repertory company that consistently appears (Guest, Levy, Willard, O'Hara, etc.). The first film becomes better with each succeeding film as you marvel at the adaptability of the characters (I didn't even recognize Guest in "Waiting for Guffman"). The observation of human nature is as sharp as the eye of a Jaques Tati but never prone to misfires, dull stretches, pointless routines--because the films are organized around a driving compulsion that simply must be seen from inception to conclusion. The characters are "types" but not so over-the-top as to lose their recognizability. And remarkably, I have yet to see a character who, regardless of his or her ticks and obsessions, is unlikable. Don't expect to be rolling in the aisles (or falling out of bed) but don't be surprised if an occasional howler isn't forceful enough to wake up a nearby companion (they should have been watching, anyway).
Relating the specifics of the plot. characterizations and comedy would be an exercise in futility (what's funny let alone believable about a schlep with 2 left feet?). But in our hyper, over-glitzy, over-computerized and overly-produced, "virtual" worlds that pass for entertainment--from Spieberg over-achieving epic "events" to more Robin Williams' feel-good formulae to contrived Ben Stiller family commodities to some of the grosser whoopee cushion films that try to appeal to alternative tastes in low humor--the Guest films emerge as a sort of last frontier for creative, childlike adult minds to approach the making of movies with enthusiasm and gusto, not to mention the old-fashioned-way. Special-effects technicians need not apply.