Zero Effect
“Zero Effect” is a movie I shouldn’t have liked, but I did. I don’t mean I shouldn’t have liked it in the guilty pleasure sense, but more from the fact it had all of the wrong elements that make for a good movie. It stars Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller, and that alone created hesitation for me. Bill Pullman has been in about five thousand movies, but you can count all the good ones on one hand. I don’t consider him a bad actor, but he just isn’t good looking enough to attract the roles actors like Brad Pitt can. Then we have Ben Stiller. If computers had a sigh font, I would totally use it right now. His career is a perfect example of the hit and miss scenario, with mostly having missed. “There’s Something About Mary” and “Tropic Thunder” are some of the funniest movies ever made, but they barely make up for crap like “Zoolander.”
Despite this, both actors actually pull off nice performances with characters that are far outside their normal experience. They are helped by a smart well written script that allows both characters to showcase their interesting traits. The movie has some light suspense in it, but has almost no real thrills to be had. In fact, almost the entire movie is held up by these two characters. Many parallels can be draw between these two with Holmes and Waston (in fact, the movie is loosely based on a Sherlock Holmes story), but there are enough differences that any parallels can only really be used as an example in an interesting working relationship. Very much like the movie, this is a relationship that shouldn’t work, but it does. A movie that works based purely on the fact it is interesting.
Lost Highway
I’m at risk for losing a nerd card over this, but I have to admit that I’ve never seen “Twin Peaks.” I was just too young when it came out and it is something I just never got around to watching. However, watching “Lost Highway” gave me a taste of what to expect. Bill Pullman plays… somebody, and then… something happens… kinda. That pretty much sums up the whole movie. The plot is fairly linear, but nothing that happens really makes any sense. I don’t really buy into the whole “open to interpretation” thing. If a story doesn’t tell you what happens or what it means, then it really didn’t mean anything. Interpretation can be a useful tool in story telling, but only when its used lightly and carefully like a small scalpel. LH is a dual wielding Jason Voorhees on coke. Even though its done purposely, this film will confuse you the entire way through. It would be nice if confusing was entertaining or there was some sort of payoff at the end, but there isn’t. The only thing that I understood was Robert Blake playing the Mystery Man/Satan character, but that was only entertaining in a real life ironic sense. It was also nice to see a colorful cast of talent like Richard Pryor and Henry Rollins, but you know the film will be bad when Bill Pullman has top billing over all of them. This movie just isn’t entertaining on the simple basis that it doesn’t tell a story. In order for people to be amused, a story has to be there. A story peeks its head out every once and a while, but quickly sinks away like a cool day at the pool. Nothing really happens here except random weirdness and sex, but that doesn’t make for good film making. I might wait a little longer before I check out “Twin Peaks.”
Also, in a shameless plug to myself, check out Bruce Osborne on Facebook. I post/link all my stuff there, including chapters on a book I’m working on. Feel free to hit the ‘Like’ button as if you’re an addict.
I also write publish works of fiction on my Bruce Osborne Blog. Feel free to read, follow, or even hate my stuff. I don’t care if people like it, only that they read it.
There are too many movies for me to review in full, so I created a twitter account to give brief opinions on the many movies I view. If you wish to read my smart ass remarks, follow M.O.V.I.E. Reviewer @MutantOpossum.
 In Fact, I’m Th… $165.00
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 Japanese Washi Mask… $3.00
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 Lost Highway Movie … $15.00
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 Lost Highway Print $8.00
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 Lost Highway / Bon … $10.00
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 Custom painted peda… $25.00
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 David Lynch – Aweso… $40.00
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 LYNCH 11X17 print. $20.00
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