#mike werb

[mikyapixie]

TᕼE ᗰᗩSK STᗩᖇᖇIᑎG ᒍIᗰ ᑕᗩᖇᖇEY OᑭEᑎEᗪ Iᑎ TᕼEᗩTEᖇS 32 YEᗩᖇS ᗩGO, ᒍᑌᒪY 29, 1994!!!

[90smovies]

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Mask (1994)

If you were born in the late ‘80s or early ‘90s, you idolized Jim Carrey at some point. In second grade, my class received an assignment to write a biography on our favorite Canadian sports athlete. I didn’t have one so I asked the teacher if I could do mine on Jim Carrey (he was born in Ontario). Four of my classmates asked the same thing. Carrey’s big break was Ace Ventura: Pet Detective but that film has aged so dreadfully its finale is unwatchable – even if you keep in mind it was made 30 years ago. A much better way to indulge your nostalgia for the comedian is to revisit Dumb and Dumber or today's movie: The Mask.

Insecure bank teller Stanley Ipkiss (Carey) finds a magical mask in the Edge City river. After putting it on, the mask transforms him into a green-faced, zoot suit-wearing extrapolation of his inner self. With his newfound powers and confidence, Ipkiss gets even with those who’ve wronged him and romances Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz), the beautiful singer at the exclusive Coco Bongo club. In the process, he crosses paths with gangster Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene).   There have been several attempts to make a live-action Looney Tunes film, none as successful at bringing the series’ violent slapstick sense of humor to life as The Mask (and with Coyote vs. Acme being shelved by David Zaslav, that won't change anytime soon). Putting on the mask does more than alter Ipkiss’ appearance and give him the confidence to say and do what he’s always wanted to; it allows him to pull giant mallets out of thin air, survive explosions, re-inflate himself after being flattened, move so fast he looks like a spinning tornado, etc. Jim Carrey excels at playing loud, outlandish catchphrase-spewing characters, making this superhero origin story (the film is based on the Dark Horse comic by Mike Richardson) the perfect vehicle for him. He also fares quite well as lovable loser Stanley Ipkiss. He has great chemistry with the most memorable character in the film: Ipkiss’ dog, Milo. As far as movie pets go, there aren’t many who have as much personality as this adorable, occasionally aggressive, mischievous and deceptively smart (for a dog) Jack Russell Terrier. The pooch may not have a character arc, but its multiple gags build upon each other and Milo plays a critical part in the story.    If you expected me to name Cameron Diaz as the co-star with whom Carrey has the best rapport, I’m getting to her now. The two actors have chemistry but they don't quite sizzle like they should. Or maybe it’s that Diaz (in her film debut) is so stunning that a part of you dismisses any sparks between them – she should be with you. After donning the mask, Stanley howls like the wolf in 1943's “Red Hot Riding Hood” while he watches her perform at the Coco Bongo. You’ll be right there along with him. Seeing her, you remember the first time you saw Marilyn Monroe. All you can say is “Wow!”, which makes you all the more grateful to see that she can keep up with the dance numbers and comedic sequences. As a memorable aspect of the film, she’s got stiff competition between Carrey, the dog and the special effects but she nonetheless stands out.    The Mask is a pretty standard superhero story that’s elevated by its willingness to go all the way with its cartoon motif, the unforgettable one-liners and memorable characters. On top of everyone previously mentioned, there’s Lieutenant Mitch Kellaway (Peter Riegert), the police officer who suspects Ipkiss – even though no ordinary man could pull off the moves he pulls -, his dopey partner Detective Doyle (Jim Doughan) and several big scenes that will stick with you long after the film is gone. Partially because they are funny but also because they showcase the film’s use of music, dance and cartoon logic.    Special effects can often date a picture. Even if those are still (mostly) convincing, jokes that haven’t aged well can make you regret you ever hit "play". The Mask makes extensive use of special effects. They still hold up. When it comes to the jokes, the film does it right. There is a point where a mask-wearing Ipkiss starts turning into a Pepe Le Pew type… but the fact that he’s too much and that his overly aggressive would-be romantic gestures make Tina uncomfortable are both acknowledged and part of the gag.

I must’ve seen The Mask over a dozen times as a kid (mostly in French and on VHS) but that was years ago. I thought I only remembered the broad strokes but nearly everything came flooding back as soon as I started watching. Part of that I can attribute to repetition but also to the fact that this comedy is packed with memorable scenes, lines and characters. It holds up. (October 5, 2024)

[milliondollarbaby87]

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Review

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Review

Based on the very popular video game, bringing Lara Croft to life where she must recover powerful ancient artefacts and staying away from the villains who are against her. ⭐️⭐️ (more…)

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[cinesludge]

Movie #30 of 2021: Face/Off

The most ridiculous premise of any blockbuster action movie ever made.

[thedestinysunknown]

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001):

“ Video game adventurer Lara Croft comes to life in a movie where she races against time and villains to recover powerful ancient artifacts.“

*Reblog from movie blog*

Movies based on videogames aren’t highly praised because they tend to be very unfaithful to their source. Some movies are based on the videogames, but they try to tell you a new story (Resident Evil, Silent Hill,…), while others try to tell the story of the game, but they make mistakes (Tekken, Prince of Persia). I find it very risky when a movie wants to tell the story of a videogame, because there’s a chance that they will cut off important details, or change parts of the story. Fortunatly, both Tomb Raider movies decided to do things differently. Instead of telling us about Lara Croft and her story, they decided to give her a new adventure. I think this is a smart move, because it’s a nice way to avoid mistakes. Yes, there are some incorrect information in this movie (for example, Lara’s helpers in this movie aren’t Winston & Zip, but Bryce & Hillary, and the fact that Lara Croft cares so much for her father in this movie, while in the games she doesn’t care about her parents), but they don’t ruin the whole experience that much. Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft was a great pick. Angelina was very faithful to the character, for the most part. She gave us a badass attitude, confidence, sexyness and epicness, but they also gave us a more emotional Lara (and we never see this side of her on the Core Design games). Lara’s companions are pretty funny and cool. The villains in this movie are soooo boring and not memorable at all. This movie has some really cool scenes, specially the action scene at Lara’s mansion. Overall, this is a cheesy but fun movie, which I totally aprove of. With that said, I will give this movie an 8 out of 10. I know that many of you don’t like the movie at all, but I had fun with it.

[genevieveetguy]

- I don't know what I hate wearing worse: your face or your body. I mean I enjoy boning your wife, but let's face it, we both like it better the other way, yes? So why don't we trade back. - You can't give back what you've taken from me. - OK, then... plan B, why don't we just kill each other?

Face/Off, John Woo (1997)

[90smovies]