Suburbicon (2017)

Suburbicon (2017)

C – 105m
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 – Widescreen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, George Clooney and Grant Heslov.
Exec. Prod.s: Ethan Coen, Barbara A. Hall and Joel Silver
Prod. – Dir.: George Clooney
Starring: Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, Matt Damon, Steven Shaw, Ellen Crawford, Richard Kind, Robert Pierce, Oscar Isaac and Josh Brolin (scenes deleted).

As a 1950’s suburban community self–destructs, a home invasion has sinister consequences for one seemingly normal family. … For those who care the body count is: 7. The period detail is nice and the cast is appealing. Too bad the Coen Brothers couldn’t produce a better script with the aid of George Clooney this outing! The movie moves at a snail’s pace, the humor is sparse and tension is never built in this would be thriller. This has to be a career low point for all involved. Though the memory of Clooney’s live television remake Fail–Safe (2000) leaps to mind as another low for the otherwise brilliant actor / director / activist. Best to skip this one. 

Trivia: Josh Brolin was cast as a baseball coach but his scenes were deleted after test screenings showed that the scenes with Brolin took the tension out of the film. George Clooney said he felt bad about deleting Brolin from the film as he felt those scenes were the funniest. George Clooney previously starred in 4 Coen Brothers films, this time he directed it. This also makes the first film that Clooney directed a film without acting in it. This film had the lowest opening weekend grossing of any Paramount film in over 2,000 theaters. George Clooney screened this film for Norman Lear. After the screening Lear told Clooney, “The is the angriest film I have ever seen.” Woody Harrelson dropped out of this film due to scheduling conflicts. 

Rated: [R] – Violence, Language & Some Sexuality
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

Theatrical Addams Family Films (1991 & 1993)

The Addams Family started off as a comic. There were several iterations of it on television (subject of another blog) and a pair of theatrical films in the 1990’s of it. Below are the reviews of the 1990’s theatrical films.

The Addams Family (1991)

C – 99m
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 – Widescreen (Theatrical Ratio) / 1.78:1 – Widescreen (Blu–ray Ratio)
Characters By: Charles Addams
Screenplay By: Caroline Thompson and Larry Wilson
Exec. Prod.: Graham Place
Prod.: Scott Rudin
Co–Prod.: Jack Cummins
Assoc. Prod.s: Bonnie Arnold and Paul Rosenberg
Dir.: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Hedaya, Elizabeth Wilson, Judith Malina, Carel Struycken, Dana Ivey, Paul Benedict, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Workman, Christopher Hart, John Franklin, Joe Zimmerman, Steve Welles, Richard Tanner, Marc Shaiman, Bruce Holman, Barry Sonnenfeld and Benny Wills.

Con artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long–lost uncle.  “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, Mysterious and spooky… The Addams Family.” Smart adaption of the comic and television show for the big screen that helped send Christina Ricci into superstardom. A perfect blend humor, spookiness and sentiment… The only complaint is that it has a slow pace in the middle of the film. Followed by: Addams Family Values (1993). 

Trivia: After the film’s release children would always recognize Raul Julia as Gomez Addams when he was out in public. He was reported to have said that this always brought a smile to his face. The Addams’ house was built for $100,000.00. In the television series Fester Addams was Morticia’s uncle, here he is Gomez’s brother. Bruno Kirby offered his fat suit from: The Godfather Part II (1974), to Christopher Lloyd to play Fester in. Sir Anthony Hopkins turned down the role of Uncle Fester. Early makeup tests for Gomez included dark circles around his eyes to match Fester’s. These were eliminated before filming, though they still show up in publicity material and on the cover of the film.

The original script left it unknown if Gordon / Fester was actually Fester. The cast nominated Christina Ricci to make a plea to Scott Rudin and Barry Sonnenfeld to convince them to have the reveal be that Gordon was Fester. The only member of the cast who, “didn’t care,” was Christopher Lloyd, according to Sonnenfeld. This was Barry Sonnenfeld’s directorial debut. Tim Burton was originally set to direct. One of Christina Ricci’s favorite characters she ever played was Wednesday Addams. Ricci was 11 years old when the film came out. Paul Rudnick did rewriters on the script and went on to write Addams Family Values (1993). Kim Basinger was set to play Morticia but dropped out to do another film. 

Oscar® nominated for: Best Costume Design. Golden Globe nominated for: Best Actress – Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical – Anjelica Huston.

Rated: [PG–13]
Out Of Print on VHS and Laserdisc but Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy 

Addams Family Values (1993)

C – 94m
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Addams Family 2
Characters By: Charles Addams
Screenplay By: Paul Rudnick
Exec. Prod.: David Nicksay
Prod.: Scott Rudin
Assoc. Prod.: Susan Ringo
Dir.: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, Christina Ricci, Carol Kane, Jimmy Workman, Carel Struycken, David Krumholtz, Christopher Hart, Dana Ivey, Peter MacNicol, Christine Barasnski, Barry Sonnenfeld, Nathan Lane, John Franklin, Vickilyn Reynolds, Cynthia Nixon, David Hyde Pierce, Peter Graves, Ian Abercrombie and Tony Shalhoub.

            The Adams Family tries to rescue their beloved Uncle Fester from his gold–digging new love, a black widow named Debbie. This reviewer will call this, “The John Hughes Sequel to The Addams Family (1991)”, as it focuses on the kids at camp. Well done but the story once again drags a tad. And who doesn’t want to scalp the all too happy camp counselors?

Trivia: Nathan Lane, who cameos as a Police Officer here, played Gomez on Broadway in: “The Addams Family”. Michael Jackson was signed to write and perform a song for this film and do publicity for it. He did complete the song, however, due to his molestation accusations the song was never used and the rest of the contract was scrapped. The Thanksgiving Play took two weeks to film.

Oscar® nominated for: Best Art Direction – Set Decoration. Golden Globe nominee for: Best Actress – Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical – Anjelica Huston.

Rated: [PG–13] – Macabre Humor
Out Of Print on VHS and Laserdisc but Available on DVD & Digital Copy