entertainment ave!

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 2:01 Long
A Review by:
- The Dude on the Right

Stu Gotz
“Donnie Brasco:” Some people have criticized this movie for lacking direction and others have simply said it’s no “Goodfellas.” I’d have to say these people are right, but at that same time wrong.

You see “Goodfellas” was a movie that romanticized the Mafia lifestyle. It was like a Mob Enlistment movie. You know… “Top Guns for the Mafia.” All the icky, naughty, bad, illegal things the wiseguys did in Goodfellas looked real cool. Hell, I still joke about carrying a bag of lime in the back of my car to this day because of that movie. In the movie “Donnie Brasco,” however, we see a lot of the negative aspects of Mafia life. We see pressures like what it feels like to be in charge of a crew and have to worry about making the monthly payment to the boss, what it’s like to be a soldier and watch your every move, or what it’s like to be the boss and having to watch your own back. These are all negative aspects of being part of the Mafia and it’s these things that the movie “Donnie Brasco” brings to light. So yeah, “Donnie Brasco” is no “Goodfellas.”

As far a direction goes, director Mike Newell was handed a real challenge. He was given a movie that does not put on a high gloss polish on a lifestyle that a lot of people idolize. He was also given some very fussy actors. Al Pacino is a movie legend and also has a reputation as being a perfectionist that likes to stick his nose in the wrong end of the lens. With his star power this could have been disastrous for any director. Yet Mike kept Al within his character and led Johnny Depp in, although not Oscar caliber, in a fine performance. The characters of Donnie and Lefty could have easily degraded into huge stereotypes but Mike narrowly sidestepped that pit fall.

Al Pacino stars as Bonanno family soldier “Lefty” Ruggiero, a cynical, aging hit-man who never made it into the big-time. So if it was well directed but no “Goodfellas,” what the hell is it all about? The simplest way to but it is that “Donnie Brasco” is a movie about relationships. In the central aspect of the movie Johnny Depp portrays FBI Agent Joseph Pistone who has established himself in the mob as an undercover mole named Donnie Brasco. Through this we the viewer are taught the unwritten rules of edict and hierarchy of the Mafia, things like who you can and cannot screw with, what it takes to be part of a crew, and how to get promoted from there. That’s on the upside. On the downside you get to find that in the Mafia it’s usually your best friend that kills you. Donnie’s mentor in the Mafia is Lefty. Lefty, portrayed by Al Pacino, is a mob soldier that has been humping for nearly 30 years and has risen to little fame or recognition. When he stumbles upon Donnie he sees hope for a better future for himself through Donnie. Lefty teaches and shows Donnie all the right moves and it’s Donnie that gets ahead and poor old Lefty is still marking time in the same place. Finally, near the end of the movie, we are led to believe that Lefty is going to off Donnie not only for resentment but also because of the fear he could be a rat. I won’t tell you what happens, else you might try to off me for ruining some of the plot.

But, in another angle of the movie, the audience is exposed to how deep, undercover life is stressful on a marriage. Gee, go figure. The wife’s mad because she is singly raising three kids, she has to shovel the walk, and she’s lonely at night. Donnie, on the other hand, is hanging out with a bunch of mobsters, working 24 hours a day, and gets lonely too. These are not the things that a strong relationship is based upon, and neither is a good mob movie. The writers and editors did a good job of using this story line to add and not overly detract from the main movie theme.

Donnie shares an intimate moment with his wife Maggie (Anne Heche) I read most of the book that this movie was based upon and yes the book is better. It is only better because it gives you so much more detail. Which is usually the case. None the less, “Donnie Brasco” is a fine movie because screen writer Paul Attanasio choose well what details to keep from the book, Johnny and Al as always put in peak characterization performances, and director Mike Newell sews it all together seamlessly. I liked Donnie Brasco and give it 4 our of 5 stars and I’m Stu Gotz. Later!

The Dude on the Right here:
Alright, I was going to let Stu have the full review of this one, but a couple of things I read got me all hot and bothered and I just couldn’t sleep because either I got it and the other critic dudes didn’t or I saw way too far into this, but here it is.

Yea, you got this great movie about the mob, the “family” and all, and I’ve read a couple of critics condemn the trip the boys made to Florida in the movie (it’s a comical highlight to a dark film). I’ve read a number of folks describe this comedic interlude as useless and not very funny. As far as not funny, the audience at the show I was at would beg to differ, at least in judging by the laughter coming from around me. And as far as useless, what struck me about the comical hilarities of the trip to Florida was that it showed a “family” aspect of being in the mob outside of the dark lifestyle. It was like dad packing up the wife and kids and heading for a fun day at the beach rather than putting a hit on your worst enemy, or best friend. I’m not saying that the mob family is a good thing, but for many their family ties are stronger in the Mafia than in their own blood relatives.

Well, sorry about that little interjection, any maybe I just got a little too deep into the meaning of the movie, but that’s my two cents. As far as a rating, I agree with Stu. It’s 4 stars from for “Donnie Brasco.” That’s it for this one, I’m The Dude on the Right! L8R!

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 2:16 Long
A Review by:
- The Dude on the Right

I’ve generally liked most of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, what with Jack Sparrow bouncing around and acting goofy, so I was partly anticipating watching the “On Stranger Tides” version, but I was a little worried that the story might have been getting old.  Sadly, for me, it has.

Let’s start with the story…

Back is Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, hoping to avoid jail time by escaping as only Jack Sparrow can.  Alas, things are mysterious on the high seas again, with this time the quest being the proverbial Fountain of Youth.  Yup, there’s a map, evil pirates, and let’s throw in Penelope Cruz as Angelica in the mix for good measure, and you pretty much get 2+ hours of the search for said Fountain.

Sure, there are dastardly deeds going on, and with any good pirate quest there are twists and turns, but other than Jack Sparrow searching for the Fountain of Youth, you don’t need to know too much more about this movie, especially since, after about 5 minutes, it turns into an action-fest where the story takes a back seat to the bombastic action on the screen, make that the storage area behind the back seat, to the action. Yup, there are people chasing, people being chased, fights between pirate ship crews, fights between, well, you know what, it doesn’t matter, because for me it got boring, tired, and old really fast.

Yup, Jack Sparrow clumsily waddles around, somehow he gets out of jam after jam, and maybe Angelica and Jack have a thing for each other, but this movie was really missing something, and I think that relates to the original movie with Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom being a great side story to that of Jack Sparrow’s antics.

Look, the movie will look great on your big screen, and will sound great through your audio system, but this one is all about the action and not about any story.  And if you think you might want keep the kids awake for the ride, this is a hard PG-13 in my opinion, with some of the scariest mermaids I’ve ever seen (forget Little Mermaid love for this one), and the kiddies might end up with some nightmares and hate Ariel for life.

In the end it’s 1 ½ stars for “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” Oddly enough I really wanted more of a story.

Get the Blu-ray for the action, and also, don’t worry too much about the extras.  There is a blooper reel that is pretty lame in blooper reel standards, and the Blu-ray does have the Disney Second Screen feature which is kind of neat if you are really interested in how the movie is made, and, oh yea, I suppose maybe better for the kiddies than the actual movie is the LEGO Animated Shorts, but unless you go balls out for the 5-Disc Combo pack complete with 3D, you’re getting the Blu-ray to be blasted onto your back wall with action.

That’s it for this one!  I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

By: The Dude on the Right

Download and Listen

Our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast is back after a week hiatus, and Stu Gotz admits that he is a bad father. Well, he’s not a bad dad all of the time, but the Queen Mary docked in California has a tour, and he took his little ones on it. He also saw some movies, and doesn’t like “Rango” but does like the new “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” Me, my congratulations go out to a multitude of folks, namely Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks for beating LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, the boys of South Park for their Broadway play “The Book of Mormon” that won a bunch of Tony Awards, and Rick Bayless who, as luck would have it, posted his recipe for a Watermelon Mojito, and it is delicious (and yes, do yourself a favor and find the D’Aristi rum from Yucatan – it makes it very yummy!) and my new, favorite, summertime drink.

All of that and more, and thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 2:04 Long
A Review by:
- The Dude on the Right

After seeing “Blow” I almost think I can be a drug dealer. Granted I wouldn’t have the guts to get started in the first place, but it was a nice lesson in things to and not to do if you plan on dealing drugs. But first, let’s give you a brief rundown of the story.

In “Blow” you’ve got Johnny Depp playing the real-life drug dealer George Jung. George is one of those guys who just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and in the end at the wrong place at the wrong time. Through the story we get to see George finding himself on a beach in California with his buddy Tuna (Ethan Suplee). Life is well, especially with their being able to hang out with a bunch of stewardesses, and getting high. Paid a visit by another buddy, George realizes that there is a market for good pot on the east coast, hooks up with Derek (Paul Reubens) who can get the pot, but the trick is getting it there. Good for him his girlfriend is a stewardess because their luggage doesn’t get checked at the airport so they are the perfect carriers.

As his east coast business grows, well, George eventually gets caught and winds up doing some jail time. Lucky for him, though, that he ends up meeting Diego (Jordi Molla) who tells George to get to the big time he has to meet Pablo Escabar (Cliff Curtis) and that the real money is in cocaine. George works it big-time, and life is good. But, of course, it’s not. He marries a dudette named Mirtha (Penelope Cruz), gets stabbed in the back by his supposed friends, and loses everything. If only he could make one more run he could get back on his feet and take his daughter away. Oh, if only.

“Blow” is a really good movie, complete with quality violence, a lovely story, it keeps things at a good clip so you don’t really get bored at seeing all of the fun George is having with his life, and Ray Liotta continues to show that he is a top-notch actor. Too much money, too many drugs, and George falls into the same pitfalls as you would think – all roads lead to jail. Too bad George didn’t head some of the following rules (at least we know them now): Don’t get high on your own supply; Women are evil, especially those that, when you comment to them that they should quit doing cocaine because they are pregnant, well, they say that at least they quit smoking; Spend the extra money and launder your money through the United States, or at least a less volatile country, and maybe set up a Swiss bank account rather than store it is said volatile country; Even if you get shot, don’t give up the name of your middleman because your partner will stab you in the back and undercut you; If you clean up your act, don’t attend a party thrown by your wife which is attended by all of your old drug buddies; and, if after a whole bunch of years you run into an old buddy saying he can get you that one last run, one last big score, well, odds are he’s now working for the Feds. Just some rules to live by as a drug dealer.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a good drama with a pretty depressing story, “Blow” just might be the movie for you. Johnny Depp kicks ass as George, showing a weird innocence at mostly just being amazed at what he has been able to do. I give “Blow” 4 stars out of 5.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:16 Long
A Preview by:
- The Dude on the Right

This movie has the feel of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” animated like that, and looks pretty cool. Pretty much there is this dude, Victor (Johnny Depp), who is set to get married. He seems to get sort of cold feet, ends up in a graveyard setting, and suddenly this corpse comes out of the ground thinking Victor is going to marry him.

It’s from Tim Burton and looks pretty cool. I’ll try to give an update as we get closer to the release date and another trailer or two comes out.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:55 Long
A Review by:
- The Dude on the Right

I was worried that with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” I would be totally disappointed in the movie because of my love for “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” My worry was unfounded, although I do have one major gripe, which I’ll get to later. Let’s get to it…

The story is pretty much the same as “Willy Wonka,” with a little more of a backstory. This time we learn why Willy Wonka got into the chocolate business, his family issues as a little boy, and why the Oompa Loompa’s are working in the factory instead of people. Once again Willy offers up a tour of his factory to some lucky children who find the magic tickets, and our kids are the same. You of course get poor kid Charlie, the fat slob Augustus, the TV addicted genius Mike, the gum-chewing Violet, and the spoiled brat Veruca. Along with them come their parents, who are just as wacky as their kids.

So, you get the kids touring the factory, and yes, Augustus falls in the chocolate river, Violet turns into a blueberry, and Mike gets put inside a TV. Different, though I actually liked it better, was Veruca’s fate, mostly because the animals were so cute. Different, also, was the way they worked the ending, but I’m sticking that the “Willy Wonka” ending was a little better and more poignant.

The main difference between the “Willy Wonka” version and the “Charlie” version is mostly the technological advances that give the “Charlie” version a slight advantage. The factory is fantastic, the Bucket’s homestead is oddly angular, and the elevator is pretty cool. I will also add that the folks playing the other kids and their parents were fantastic. However, this movie would have easily been 4 ½ stars except for one thing – the Oompa Loompa songs were horrible. When I asked Stu about this movie, he said the same thing, that the Oompa Loompa songs were unintelligible. And that is way too bad.

What they did, rather than the campy “Oompa Loompa Doom-pa-de-do” songs, was rework them into extravagant musical numbers with the instruments overpowering the lyrics, so much so that you really couldn’t understand the lesson the Oompa Loompa’s were trying to convey about the actions of kids, how eating too much is bad, chewing too much candy is gross, being spoiled is the parent’s fault, and watching too much TV rots your brain.

The way they did the Oompa Loompa’s was interesting, and overall I enjoyed the movie, the characters, and even though Johnny Depp was pretty creepy, he even won me over. I just don’t understand how you can make this movie and screw up the Oompa Loompa songs, and that’s enough for me to drop my rating to 3 ½ stars out of 5. I understand they couldn’t just copy the way the songs were done in the “Willy Wonka” version, but they should have been able to come up with something better than they did.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!