"Visions" marks my second Blumhouse movie in less than a week (the first being "Curve"). Hey, we all set records right? Now then, to the subject at hand... If most entries in the haunted house genre represent family members at a reunion, "Visions" would be the eccentric relative. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but I was surprised to discover that the story avoided such damaging pitfalls as cliché overload, crappy acting, etc. I went into this expecting a ghost tale, and I got it, but it wasn't what I assumed it to be. Which, in this case, was quite welcome, after being routinely bored with what the genre usually offers. The pacing is decent, with some understandably slower moments to elevate tension. The general vibe I get from the reviews here, regarding the "jump scares", is that they're mediocre at best. All I know is, my heart skipped a few beats and I was momentarily frightened in a number of places. But, that may not be the case for everyone! The cast was fun to watch, including Jim Parsons in a dramatic deviation from his well- known mega-nerd on the Big Bang Theory. Isla Fisher, after taking the back seat in Now You See Me and The Great Gatsby proves here that she can be a leading lady. Not a strong one (I felt that some of her delivery was on the weaker side), but definitely a character you empathize with. Then there's Anson Mount of "Hell on Wheels" fame providing some gruff macho support in the form of Fisher's husband. You've also got Gillian Jacobs and Eva Longoria to fill out the cast, so overall the casting director performed their job well. In terms of movie twists, the one to conclude "Visions" doesn't rank anywhere near "Usual Suspects" or "Primal Fear", but it still made my jaw drop. Dare I say, it even gave me a brief chill. What's important to note is that it is also a plausible twist, and everything we see up to that point makes perfect sense by the time the credits roll. In all honesty, this would probably fizzle out at the box office and receive a collective "meh" from critics, but as Netflix fodder, it's definitely a gem.
Reviews
2 Reviews
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
(1963)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Classic!
22 September 2014
"Mad World" is a prime example of how a movie can stand the test of time. In this case, fifty-plus years have passed since this seminal comedy film was in theaters, but the writing, acting, and overarching absurdity still feels fresh.
For starters, the plot doesn't require one's brain to stretch to unearthly limits (a rule which, for comedies, typically shouldn't be deviated from):
A group of normal passersby en route to different destinations witness the car accident of a robber on the lam and, upon attempting to help him, become privy to the location of buried moolah. Quite a lot of it, in fact. A failed attempt at reasonably figuring out a way to equally split the dead guy's cash prompts the group to embark on the obvious: a frantic, no-holds-barred, outrageously funny odyssey towards the money and the "Big W" it supposedly rests beneath. It's mayhem of the highest caliber, and there are a number of things that bolster the unfolding of this story. To name a few:
1) The cast is pure gold. For each role (starring and cameos alike), I couldn't imagine a more talented actor/actress suited for it. Much of what the comedy juggernauts from that era were known for shows up in the characters they portray. Phil Silvers' fast-talking, finger- snapping, larger-than-life ego (a la Sgt. Bilko) surfaces in the form of materialistic motorist Otto Meyer, who creates some brilliant chemistry with jumpsuited furniture mover Lennie Pike, played by none other than improv master Jonathan Winters; there's gap toothed, khaki-clad jalopy driver Hawthorne, played by Terry-Thomas, who provides comedy just by showing his quintessentially British self. And when you throw in the shrieking, henpecking mother-in-law played by Ethel Merman, you've only just begun to experience the bizarre melting pot of citizens populating this silly, sun-drenched road trip through the meandering deserts of the Golden State. And, vast as the number may be, the cameo appearances never bog down the story but only serve to enrich it. My only complaint with the celebrity roster here is the absence of Dick van Dyke and Lucille Ball. Fortunately, the movie doesn't suffer to any degree without them, although a vignette with either one would've likely been sidesplitting.
2) Some reviews here have attacked the movie's runtime, claiming it causes pieces of the film to generate boredom. I beg to differ. If anything, I wish it were longer! As it stands, there's enough time devoted to the various characters' escapades and the the pacing of their individual sequences is perfect. Even the moments in the Santa Rosita police station, where slapstick wasn't prevalent, didn't drag. The time was well utilized here to develop characters by means of witty dialogue, especially between William Demarest's Chief Aloysius and Spencer Tracy's Cpt. Culpepper.
3) I'd be remiss to forget the climax, which has to be one of the greatest in film. I won't say much because words can't really do it justice, but it's the type of scene that you have to view yourself. Maybe even more than once! I've laughed hard at this scene, to the point of tears, and there's always something new to pick up each time.
I highly, highly recommend this farcical masterpiece for anyone who needs cheering up and I'd definitely show it to someone who's only ever seen contemporary comedies. Maybe their viewpoint on the comedy genre will change? "Mad World" definitely proves that you can fill a 3- hour slot with visual and verbal gags that don't need raunchiness or profanity to back them up or provide the basis of humor. As it's been said many times: they don't make 'em like they used to!
For starters, the plot doesn't require one's brain to stretch to unearthly limits (a rule which, for comedies, typically shouldn't be deviated from):
A group of normal passersby en route to different destinations witness the car accident of a robber on the lam and, upon attempting to help him, become privy to the location of buried moolah. Quite a lot of it, in fact. A failed attempt at reasonably figuring out a way to equally split the dead guy's cash prompts the group to embark on the obvious: a frantic, no-holds-barred, outrageously funny odyssey towards the money and the "Big W" it supposedly rests beneath. It's mayhem of the highest caliber, and there are a number of things that bolster the unfolding of this story. To name a few:
1) The cast is pure gold. For each role (starring and cameos alike), I couldn't imagine a more talented actor/actress suited for it. Much of what the comedy juggernauts from that era were known for shows up in the characters they portray. Phil Silvers' fast-talking, finger- snapping, larger-than-life ego (a la Sgt. Bilko) surfaces in the form of materialistic motorist Otto Meyer, who creates some brilliant chemistry with jumpsuited furniture mover Lennie Pike, played by none other than improv master Jonathan Winters; there's gap toothed, khaki-clad jalopy driver Hawthorne, played by Terry-Thomas, who provides comedy just by showing his quintessentially British self. And when you throw in the shrieking, henpecking mother-in-law played by Ethel Merman, you've only just begun to experience the bizarre melting pot of citizens populating this silly, sun-drenched road trip through the meandering deserts of the Golden State. And, vast as the number may be, the cameo appearances never bog down the story but only serve to enrich it. My only complaint with the celebrity roster here is the absence of Dick van Dyke and Lucille Ball. Fortunately, the movie doesn't suffer to any degree without them, although a vignette with either one would've likely been sidesplitting.
2) Some reviews here have attacked the movie's runtime, claiming it causes pieces of the film to generate boredom. I beg to differ. If anything, I wish it were longer! As it stands, there's enough time devoted to the various characters' escapades and the the pacing of their individual sequences is perfect. Even the moments in the Santa Rosita police station, where slapstick wasn't prevalent, didn't drag. The time was well utilized here to develop characters by means of witty dialogue, especially between William Demarest's Chief Aloysius and Spencer Tracy's Cpt. Culpepper.
3) I'd be remiss to forget the climax, which has to be one of the greatest in film. I won't say much because words can't really do it justice, but it's the type of scene that you have to view yourself. Maybe even more than once! I've laughed hard at this scene, to the point of tears, and there's always something new to pick up each time.
I highly, highly recommend this farcical masterpiece for anyone who needs cheering up and I'd definitely show it to someone who's only ever seen contemporary comedies. Maybe their viewpoint on the comedy genre will change? "Mad World" definitely proves that you can fill a 3- hour slot with visual and verbal gags that don't need raunchiness or profanity to back them up or provide the basis of humor. As it's been said many times: they don't make 'em like they used to!
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