fasstrack Posted July 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Yet Cable Guy bombed. I guess audiences prefer crazy perky Carrey to crazy dark Carrey. These guys take it hard, too. Carrey really thought he deserved an Oscar for Man on the Moon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 An Oscar? I don't think so. But he was the right guy for that role. Nobody else could've related so...effortlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 He was better than the movie-which wasn't terrible, but should have been way better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Then again, how do you make a movie that tops the reality of Andy Kaufman? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Allow me to put in an admiring word about Jeff Daniels in Dumb & Dumber. Jim Carrey is a comedian, so pretty much acted out his persona. Jeff Daniels is a real actor; if you saw his roles in Terms Of Endearment and Purple Rose of Cairo (among many others), his performance in D&D was nothing short of amazing. Hell, he deserved an Academy Award for that performance! He must be given his props for such high moronic-ness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Ditto the Stooges, BTW. Oh no. Not that. Guys have to like the Stooges. It's right there in the guy by-laws. The only question is Curly or Shemp? One of the reasons I'm with the gal I've been with for the last 15 years is that when I first met her, she told me she had every Stooge short ever made on VHS. I knew right then, she was the one for me. Chris, were you a W.C. Fields or a Marx Brothers fan? Those two acts are at the top of my list. How about Seinfeld? Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedwork Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) totally agreed w/ fasstrack and jsangry re: Cable Guy. crazy underrated gem. and yeah, Carrey was excellent in it and hilarious. while i don't wanna take anything away from Carrey (i'm a fan...), in that particular role a large part of why he was so successful was that he was playing off of the always perfect (almost always anyways...) Matthew Broderick. he's one of the best "straight man" players i can think of in film. in Election, You Can Count On Me, and The Cable Guy, all excellent films, he plays something of a milquetoast character caught/trapped in a situation not necessarily of his own making. he plays this perfectly every time and allows the more 'colorful' characters to use him as a springboard. and since i'm here, imo maybe the worst comedy i've seen in recent memory is It's Complicated. it was insulting, simplistic, stereotypical wannabe dramedy. worst of all, it was nearly completely unfunny. i think i laughed lightly maybe once. the film pissed me off actually and i remember leaving the theater angry. Edited July 15, 2012 by thedwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Dumb & Dumber is to Carey & Daniels as Stepbrothers is to Farrell & Reilly. The comedians were born to play these roles. Daniels and Reilly made them good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 John C. Reilly is a really good actor. Ever see "Chicago"? He shone in that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 the film pissed me off actually and i remember leaving the theater angry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 The bland face is actually the key to Ferrell's genius. I hated him on SNL because the characters and scenarios he was in sucked and gave him nothing to work with. It was all just putting any old character in a scene that made the viewer feel personal embarrassment for the character. Whereas in his films there's plenty of time to construct an outrageous scenario and character and throw Ferrell's relatively deadpan face into them. Interesting comment. I've avoided his movies solely because of his SNL work; I assumed he was another Chris Kataan. Okay, that was low... Anyway, I suppose I'll have to check one out now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Stripes -- hated it like the plague. Loathed Private Benjamin too! I loved Harry Dean Stanton in Private Benjamin: the ultimate recruiter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 I saw Annie Hall in a theater yesterday. Still fresh as a daisy. It puts a lot of the throwaway talents and films mentioned here in their low places. Why is this film abknowledged as one of the champs and still filling theaters 35 years down the road? It has the basics and is original in takking about age-old themes. And Allen as a director-writer knew his range (basically that one nervous nebbish he got so much out of) and was unafraid to let others shine-Diane Keaton in this case. A tour-de force. I even liked her singing-again b/c the 2 songs and tempos suited her. And, as with Spike Lee, the movies LOOK incredible. Maybe Jim Carrey doesn't write-or couldn't sell his pitches, but properly framed and presented IMO he could be one for the ages. He has to find his film-making muse. BTW I know Sandler is a lightweight, just thought some of his earlier movies good escapirt fun. Ditto that rubber doofus face. He's far from untalented, just lazy these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) Ditto the Stooges, BTW. Oh no. Not that. Guys have to like the Stooges. It's right there in the guy by-laws. The only question is Curly or Shemp? One of the reasons I'm with the gal I've been with for the last 15 years is that when I first met her, she told me she had every Stooge short ever made on VHS. I knew right then, she was the one for me. Chris, were you a W.C. Fields or a Marx Brothers fan? Those two acts are at the top of my list. How about Seinfeld? Just curious. I was and still am a fan of W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers, and Seinfeld. BTW, I have also worked with and around some people whose comedy I appreciated, including Kenneth Williams, Severn Darden, and Marty Feldman (when he was a comedy writer), and Taylot Meade. Edited July 15, 2012 by Christiern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 The bland face is actually the key to Ferrell's genius. I hated him on SNL because the characters and scenarios he was in sucked and gave him nothing to work with. It was all just putting any old character in a scene that made the viewer feel personal embarrassment for the character. Whereas in his films there's plenty of time to construct an outrageous scenario and character and throw Ferrell's relatively deadpan face into them. Interesting comment. I've avoided his movies solely because of his SNL work; I assumed he was another Chris Kataan. Okay, that was low... Anyway, I suppose I'll have to check one out now. You should definitely check out "Stranger Than Fiction", a very well-written film and Ferrell is perfect in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 John C. Reilly is a really good actor. Ever see "Chicago"? He shone in that. Walk Hard makes me LOL, frequently against my will, and that's a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) Man On The Moon was my introduction to Andy Kauffman, so I have an attachment to the movie because I wasn't just reliving Kauffman's best routines as impersonated by Carey, but seeing the 'act' for the first time. Now that I am familiar with the 'actual' Kauffman routines I have a better grasp on just how well Carey filled out the role. Sure he should have got an Oscar...why not? Who got it anyway, Dustin Hoffman? BTW, every time I read criticism of Kauffman that directs me to routines meant to illustrate how inconsiderate of his audience he was - I am inevitably hooked and proceed to laugh my ass off. Edited July 15, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?'Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikelz777 Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Ditto the Stooges, BTW. Oh no. Not that. Guys have to like the Stooges. It's right there in the guy by-laws. The only question is Curly or Shemp? One of the reasons I'm with the gal I've been with for the last 15 years is that when I first met her, she told me she had every Stooge short ever made on VHS. I knew right then, she was the one for me. Chris, were you a W.C. Fields or a Marx Brothers fan? Those two acts are at the top of my list. How about Seinfeld? Just curious. I guess I earn a black mark on my guy card, I never really enjoyed the Stooges or found them very funny. (I vote for Curly) I'm guessing it's that broad, physical comedy that doesn't really work for me. I can't comment on W.C. Fields, I've never seen any of his work. I've always enjoyed the Marx Brothers. I also have a warm spot for a lot of Laurel and Hardy's stuff. I think Seinfeld has to rate among the best of more modern day comedians. I really enjoy his show. As far as Sandler goes, he's rarely a hit and mostly a miss for me. I like a small percentage of his body of work. (Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates, Punch Drunk Love) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 I've never liked The Three Stooges either, even as a kid I felt it was more stupid than actually funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?' Bill Cosby will be remembered as a breakthrough crossover black performer, but his early routines about growing up in Philly were quite good. Good delivery, too and great voice. Maybe not an insane genius like Richard Pryor, but a respectable pro-and a different kind of comedian, more traditional/conservative. I like Franklin Ajaye-he never gets any play. He had a funny bit about the 'band' on The People's Court: 'Man, I appreciate the gig, but do we EVER do anything else but go da da.......da da...?' I was going to link his Sonny Stitt story as told on Cavett - for the context and the laugh. Indeed I laughed my head off when I first saw that. But I watched again yesterday and I didn;t laugh at all. Maybe it really wasn't that funny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Stupid is the whole point of the 3 Stooges. That and greatly timed physical comedy. But in their own way they were astute anarchists. I had a 5 DVD set (I know, I know...) on which there was a hilarious courtroom parody where they were witnesses in a murder trial. They gave testimony on instruments (they were swing musicians) ending with Curly thumping on and twirling around a bass. By the time the case was closed the prosecutor's toupee had been plucked off by a trained pigeon and the whole procedure was turned upside down-by these wacky swing musicians. It was as well done, funny, and anarchistic as anything by the Marx Brothers IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) Nothing was ever as well done, funny, and anarchistic as the Marx Brothers. There's not enough Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks love on this thread And what about this one? Edited July 16, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 There's not enough Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks love on this thread On a thread entitled 'Stupidest Comedy Movie Ever', that's a good thing, isn't it? Although I admit, after seeing Silent Movie on DVD, I'd give Brooks an honorable mention. In the theater, it was hilarious; watching it alone was one big bore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fasstrack Posted July 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Oh, you're nuts. N-V-T-S, nuts! Anyway the best thing about Silent Movie IMO: it gave Sid Caesar a chance to work out and be seen by a new generation. And, speaking of masters of physical comedy, have to spin around so a spool of film could unravel. No accents, no schtick-just that priceless face. And don't even get me started on Marty Feldman... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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