You don’t hear Barry Levinson’s name thrown around that much
anymore. I equate his talent to that of a superb character actor: we all
recognize Levinson’s films, but few actually know that one man connects them
all. This is a shame, as Levinson is responsible for some of the most iconic
films of the past 30 years. Perhaps best known as one of Baltimore’s proudest
sons, Levinson has dedicated much of his career to setting compelling stories
in and around Baltimore’s complicated city limits.
But make no mistake, Levinson has proved he can step outside
of Baltimore and still manage to tell a captivating story. While you’ll likely recognize
a number of the films below, but it’s equally important to remember the man
who’s been responsible for them all.
Levinson’s masterful Diner
is a semi-autobiographical account of his journey into adulthood. Void of
traditional narrative structure, the Baltimore-set film is a collection of
scenes that perfectly explore the notions of impending manhood, job insecurity,
family stability and the loyalty of friendship. Diner is the kind of movie that isn’t really about anything, but, at the same time, manages to be about
everything.
Essentially, the film chronicles a group of close friends as
they cautiously enter their 20s. Some are looking for jobs, others are
trying to hold a job down. Some debate getting married, others do anything to
get laid. They reminisce about the not-so-distant good ol’ days, and fear for
the ones ahead. Paramount to the film’s success is the collection of
fresh-faced talents like Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, and Tim
Daly. Diner is equal parts hilarious,
melancholic, honest and fully aware; certainly one of the finest buddy films
ever made. A
Following the success of the thinly budgeted Diner, Levinson’s next film was an
expansive tale of an aging ballplayer who’s given one last shot at the game. As
Roy Hobbs, Robert Redford gives what may be the quintessential Robert Redford
performance. Hobbs’ soft-spoken, masculine, and overall kind demeanor is the
type of character Redford has personified throughout his career. Sadly, the
film’s plot has been retold and recycled dozens of times over, so new viewers
are likely to get little from it. The owner of the team Hobbs plays for wants
the team to lose for various reasons, but the team manager wants to win. Hobbs
is bribed by the owner to throw the season, and is thereby forced into a moral
dilemma. A noble idea in 1984, but today it feels stale. But overall, Redford’s
performance, along with some spectacular set pieces, make The Natural worthwhile. B
Young Sherlock
Holmes is exactly what’d you expect: a breezy, optimistic genesis
story of young Holmes and Watson dissecting a mystery at their boarding school.
Produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Chris Columbus, the film has a
little too much of a Saturday Morning Movie of the Week vibe for my tastes, but
fans of the Holmes character will enjoy it.
It should be noted that Young
Sherlock Holmes was the first film to feature a completely CGI
character. The stained glass window knight took Industrial Light and Magic four
months to create, and justly earned the film an Oscar nomination for Best
Visual Effects. C+
In the opening of Tin
Men (an amusing nickname for door-to-door aluminum siding salesmen) two
such men get into a minor car accident and spend the rest of the film in an
increasingly ruthless game of tit for tat. Neither Ernest (Danny DeVito) or
Bill (Richard Dreyfuss) are willing to admit fault for the fender bender, so
instead of letting it go, cars are bashed, wives are stolen, eggs and tomatoes
are pelted… all for the sake of alpha male stubbornness.
While the film is a slight comedy that runs a tad too long,
it’s always great to watch Barry Levinson craft a story set in his native
Baltimore. The man is simply in love with the city, and his passion for setting
always shines though. B-
The undiminished entertainment value of Good Morning, Vietnam exists for one reason, Robin Williams.
As a DJ for the Armed Forces, Adrian Cronauer’s sole job is to distract
soldiers in Vietnam from the hell they’re facing. To do this, Cronauer plays
the best, most socially radical rock ‘n’ songs of the time, while broadcasting
his own unique comedy between tracks.
To achieve the frantic, hilarious zeal of the extended on-air
comedy sequences, Levinson let Williams improvise most all of his lines, which is
what singlehandedly separates Good
Morning, Vietnam from other war comedy satires of its kind. Adrian
Cronauer was Williams’ first truly great film character, and while Good Morning, Vietnam boasts several
other worthy elements (namely J.T. Walsh as Cronauer’s none-too-pleased
superior), this film is entirely Williams’ show. B
Levinson’s most famous film is a road movie about two
brothers who couldn’t be more different. After L.A. shark Charlie Babbitt (Tom
Cruise) learns of his father’s passing, he is baffled to discover that his
father’s estate is being directed to Charlie’s older brother, Raymond, who he
never knew existed. Charlie scoops Raymond up with the intention of getting his
hands on their father’s money, but soon learns of Raymond’s autism, and the
unique gifts Raymond has because of it.
If you’ve seen Rain
Man, then you know plot is secondary to Dustin Hoffman’s fiercely committed
performance. He’s a man trapped in the complex prism of his own mind, consumed by
routine and inexplicable fear. What’s interesting about the film is that repeat
viewings expose the repetitive nature of its storyline. Despite this, there’s
always something new to be found in Hoffman’s performance. Whether it’s a pop
culture reference that I now understand, or a subtle nuance in his
characterization, Raymond Babbitt never grows old. He lives on as one of
cinema’s most iconic film characters. A-
Much of the fun of these director posts is discovering a film
like Avalon. Often, wading through a
director’s entire filmography can be a boring chore, but occasionally, a film
like this one comes along that makes it all worth it.
Avalon is so many
things. A love letter to Levinson’s favorite city, an autobiographical coming
of age tale not unlike Woody Allen’s Radio
Days, an honest examination of Jewish assimilation in post-World War II
America, and perhaps most significantly, a critique on how the American living
room was forever altered by the advent of television. As the film evolves, one
of its most startling revelations is how big family dinners were replaced by a
small group of uncommunicative family members, sitting in front of a tiny talking box, TV dinners before them.
The many themes of the film are woven through the
experiences of the Krichinsky family. As the patriarch of the bunch, Armin
Mueller-Stahl gives one of the best performances of his career. He’s a man
trying to keep his family together through conventional methods, while
attempting to embrace America’s changing ways. Avalon is a glorious encapsulation of the ‘50s that I was so happy
to discover. I loved every minute of it – from its opening Thanksgiving dinner
sequence, to its excellently restrained conclusion. During that conclusion, I
noticed that a TV was on. Always on, always there, forever a distraction. A-
Bugsy was
Warren Beatty’s decades-long passion project that he was finally able to bring
to the screen via a virtuoso mix of terse writing and confident direction. Hiring
fearless avant-garde auteur James Toback to pen the film’s screenplay was a
stroke of genius, and bringing Levinson on to run the show proved a supremely
wise choice. The pairing of these three men was a perfect way to bring Benjamin
“Bugsy” Siegel’s infamous life to the big screen. The film is rooted in
Beatty’s natural charm, but consistently (and welcomingly) thrown off by
Bugsy’s random rage. It’s a large film – a wondrous portrait of old
Hollywood, a playful retelling of Las Vegas’ foundation, a foreboding history
of the mob – but it never becomes convoluted in story, or dull in execution.
Rounding out the cast is Annette Bening, who gives her
fieriest performance as Bugsy’s longtime lover, Harvey Keitel and Ben Kingsley
as high-level mobsters, and Joe Mantegna as famed actor George Raft. All are
supplied with the flowing, catchy words of Toback, and photographed to
perfection through Levinson’s glossy frame. Surely one of the most entertaining
films of Levinson’s vast career. A-
After beginning his career with a decade of critical hits,
Levinson’s first flop was the disastrous fantasy satire, Toys. As a kid, I didn’t have the
slightest clue what the hell was going on in this movie; I just thought it was
pleasing to look it. Watching it again for this post, I can’t say I understand
the film any better. Something about a life long toymaker (Robin Williams)
being upset that his evil uncle (Michael Gambon) is using the toy factory to
make war toys. Clearly, a lot of thought went into the production of this film,
but there’s too damn much going on for it to make the slightest bit of sense. D-
Barry Levinson has had great success as a producer of
wonderful television shows. And while he boasts an executive producer credit
for programs like Oz and Copper, Homicide: Life on the Street is one of the few shows he actually
brought to fruition. For that reason, I’m making special mention of it here.
Because before The Shield and The Wire, NBC’s Homicide established the strength of the police procedural drama. A
truly great, genre-defining show. A
Jimmy Hollywood is
a surprisingly hilarious flick about Jimmy Alto (Joe Pesci at his most
hyperbolic), an actor who can’t catch a break, so he decides to become a small
time vigilante. In all honesty, I didn’t expect much from Jimmy Hollywood, but Pesci’s insane performance, coupled with
Christian Slater’s perpetually hazed turn as Jimmy’s friend, made for an
overall enjoyable experience. At least at first. For a chunk of its running
time, Jimmy Hollywood has everything
going for it as a worthy send-up of the absurdity of Hollywood. But midway
through, it starts to take itself too seriously, and ventures into laughable
drama, where it unfortunately stays throughout. C+
Here’s the thing about Disclosure:
it’s a perfectly decent erotic thriller that makes the fatal error of taking
on too damn much. It needlessly blends its compelling plot (a provocative role
reversal of office sexual harassment) with a silly cat-and-mouse rouse. Demi
Moore (who plays the unmarried boss), attempting to seduce her former lover and
current employee, Michael Douglas, is sexy stuff. The two have great, combative
chemistry that plays well on screen. But the mystery of their affair is diluted
by an idiotic office politics subplot. Had Levinson chosen to leave out at
gratuitous additional material from Michael Crichton’s source novel, he
could’ve had a Basic Instinct-type
thriller – pure sex, all fun. D+
As far as I’m concerned, Sleepers
is the finest film of Barry Levinson’s career. Initially a breezy coming of age
tale of ‘60s era New York, the film swiftly and mercilessly transforms into a horror
story of systematic abuse and youth lost, before changing a final time to a
tale of corrupt but justified revenge.
The film concerns itself with a group of friends who, as
youngsters, roam the dangerous streets of Hell’s Kitchen. After one of their
normal pranks nearly kills a man, they are sent to a juvenile detention center
upstate, where they fall victim to the physical and sexual abuse of several
male guards. Years later, we meet the men as adults and see how the abuse they
endured has molded them. Shakes (Jason Patric) is a quiet and affable
newspaper man, Michael (Brad Pitt) is a rising star attorney planning on
enacting revenge against the guards who tortured him; revenge that Tommy (Billy
Crudup) and John (Ron Eldard), both drug addicted thugs, have already begun.
In addition to the key performers, Kevin Bacon (a true
monster in uniform), Robert De Niro (a loyal priest and friend of the boys),
Dustin Hoffman (injecting humor as an alcoholic, fumbling lawyer), and Minnie
Driver (as the boys’ close girlfriend) flesh out the impressive cast. Each
actor carries the weight of their respective characters, and sells it
convincingly. Sleepers isn’t just a
great film, it’s an important one. It’s a film full of moral dilemmas, but one
that never forces you to choose sides. It is one of the best films I’ve ever
seen about the life long effects of physical abuse. A work of art I’ll cherish
forever. A+
A mere month before the world discovered that President Bill
Clinton was sexually involved with an intern named Monica Lewinsky, Barry
Levinson released a lacerating political satire about the government going to ridiculous
lengths to cover up a Presidential sex scandal. When White House officials get
word of the President’s misdeeds, they hire a fixer named Conrad (Robert De
Niro) to spin the public perception away from President. To do this, Conrad
formulates a plan to create a fake war. The hope is that, if there’s a war
breaking out in, say, Albania, then America won’t care about the President
screwing around at home.
To pull off this elaborate hoax, they hire famous Hollywood
film producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to fabricate the whole ordeal.
Watching Motss and his group of creative lackeys toss ideas around about how to
sell the war, prove to be some of the most entertaining scenes of Levinson’s
career. Like all great satires, the beauty of Wag the Dog is that, on the surface, its absurdity effortlessly
provokes laughs. But when you reflect on the film a little further, you begin
to wonder how far off it actually is. Could this happen? Has it happened? Perhaps we’ll never know. A
On paper, Sphere
is an interesting concept that sounds well suited for a decent sci-fi suspense
thriller. After a giant spaceship is found buried under 300 years worth of
coral in the Pacific, a team of wildly intelligent doctors and scientists are
sent to check it out. They soon discover a giant, golden sphere that preys on
their worst specific fears, and are thereby forced to compete with its
ceaseless threat.
Two main problems with the film: it runs entirely too long
(growing painstakingly dull within its first hour), and it’s a cheap Solaris rip off that doesn’t live up to
that masterpiece. The film’s star, Dustin Hoffman, was quite outspoken upon the
film’s release, saying the studio forced the film through production, resulting
in a rushed and unfinished product. I’d like to think that a more polished,
tighter film would’ve worked better, but as it stands now, Sphere is a somewhat bloated mess. C-
Back in his native Baltimore, Liberty Heights chronicles the tumultuous differences of class and
race in the 1950s. Seen primarily through the eyes of a well-to-do Jewish
family, Liberty Heights poignantly
captures how attitudes change once X group of people drive across this street. Whether it’s Jewish kids
innocently crashing a WASPy party, or a young black girl inviting her Jewish
friend over to listen to records, the film is always a moment away from sudden
danger. What sets Liberty Heights
apart is that Barry Levinson isn’t concerned with sensationalized filmmaking.
Instead of using violence as a motivation for the characters to do something (as many films of this kind
do), the characters in Liberty Heights
evolve organically. There are no grand moments of triumph or dread in the film,
which inadvertently makes the film feel wholly authentic. B+
Colm and George work as barbers in a Belfast mental hospital,
and shortly after meeting one another, they are introduced to a new patient
called The Scalper. Before he was locked up, The Scalper was said to be the only
seller of hairpieces to the men of Northern Ireland. After Colm and George
acquire The Scalper’s list of clients, they attempt to get rich by serving
their newfound customer base. After sales don’t take off how they had hoped, Colm
and George learn of a competing company also in possession of The Scalper’s
list.
If the plot is any indication, An Everlasting Piece is a slight piece of farcical cinema
that, to its credit, is fully aware of what it is doing. Barry McEvoy (who
wrote the script and stars as Colm) and Brían F. O’Byrne (as George) have a
ball delivering rapid-paced banter; repeatedly getting into and out of silly
shenanigans. And, aside from its unexpectedly touching conclusion, An Everlasting Piece is pretty much
exactly what you think it’s going to be. B-
Bandits is a
rather disposable crime comedy about a pair of escaped convicts (Bruce Willis
and Billy Bob Thornton) who develop an ingenious way to rob banks. Instead of
busting in guns blazing, they calmly go to the bank manager’s home the night
before a robbery, hold he and his family hostage, and have the manager quietly
escort them into the bank the next morning. In the middle of their bank-robbing
spree, they meet a housewife (Cate Blanchett) who soon falls for both of them.
Part love triangle romance, part criminal comedy, part one-last-job thriller, Bandits has a handful of entertaining
sequences and some decent performances, but never manages to be anything but
ordinary. C-
Envy belongs with Toys as one of Levinson’s somewhat high
concept comedy farces that misfired badly. The film is about a cranky man (Ben
Stiller) who becomes consumed with envy after his eager-to-please neighbor
(Jack Black) gets filthy rich by inventing a household spray that makes dog
shit disappear. No, really. This film is so bad Jack Black actually apologized
for its very existence mere weeks after its theatrical release. Which is
probably enough said on the topic. D-
What if a Bill Maher-type late night personality was so fed
up with the American political system that he decided to run for President?
That’s the jumping off point of Levinson’s political satire, Man of the Year. And, to be honest, it’s
not a bad plot for a slight, absurdist comedy starring Robin Williams. Problem
is, once Williams’ character is actually elected, the film crosscuts his
bizarre antics as President-elect with a melodramatic voter fraud subplot
involving Laura Linney. The Linney storyline is completely unneeded and subsequently
drags the rest of the film down. Had it just let Robin Williams be Robin Williams, Man of the Year might have been
something worthwhile. D+
Upon its release, Levinson’s What Just Happened was written off as being too
Hollywood-obscure. But for fans of behind the scenes Hollywood satires, this
flick is entertainingly spot on. Movie producer Ben (Robert De Niro) tries to
convince a hot-tempered British director (Michael Wincott) to re-edit his
grisly film, while separately persuading Bruce Willis (humorously playing
himself) to cooperate on the set of his latest film. I’ll agree that, at times,
the film is a little too Hollywood
insider for its own good, but hyperbolic or not, I’m generally drawn to
fictional Making Of films like What Just
Happened. One thing this film definitely has going for it is that, unlike
other satires Levinson has made, What
Just Happened never abandons its own absurdity. For better or worse, it
knows exactly what it’s doing. B
PoliWood is an
engaging documentary about the impact of celebrity culture on politics. And
vice versa. Setting his narrative within the confines of the 2008 Republican
and Democratic national conventions, Levinson follows a handful of celebrities around as they gain perspective on politics. Through the film, Levinson also
has a lot to say about the importance that television plays on American
politics, and how TV has turned politicians into celebrities, whether they like
it or not.
I’m politically apathetic, so I found the film to be a
rather engaging foray into something we all have an opinion about, but rarely
see discussed constructively. But for those who lean to the right, I doubt
you’ll get much benefit from PoliWood’s
obvious liberal favoritism. B+
Levinson’s contribution to the fantastic ESPN documentary
series, 30 for 30, is about how the
relocation of the NFL’s Baltimore Colts devastated the city of Baltimore.
Despite the unexpected move of the team, the Colts’ original marching band
refused to go away. They practiced regularly and were eventually invited to
play in other stadiums across the country. Once the Ravens came to Baltimore,
the marching band was once again able to stand proud in a hometown stadium of
screaming fans.
Like many of Levinson’s finest films, The Band that Wouldn’t Die is a love letter to Baltimore in
the best possible sense. This is a man who cares deeply about where he’s from. The result is an emotive, highly
entertaining 30 for 30 that I
recommend to any fan of the series. B+
Al Pacino justly won an Emmy for his searing work as
controversial physician Jack Kevorkian in this HBO film. As a whole, the film
is occasionally bogged down with lackluster court procedural antics, but at its
heart, the film’s splendid performances (from Pacino, Susan Sarandon and John
Goodman) help shape an unbiased picture of a complicated man.
Part of the allure of You
Don’t Know Jack is the conversation it provokes after. Is it ever okay for
a doctor (or, well, anyone) to assist in the suicide of a terminally ill person
who is eager to die? It’s a troubling moral dilemma that Levinson poses in an
impressively objective fashion. B
The Bay is the
last film I would expect from Barry Levinson. A micro budget, found footage
horror film about a deadly parasite wreaking havoc on a small Maryland
community, the film is small, effective, and completely unlike anything
Levinson has ever done. As I said in my original review for the film, The Bay unsuspectingly made me laugh
when I was supposed to laugh, cringe when I was supposed to cringe, and freak
out when I was supposed to freak out.
The Bay is a
gimmicky genre picture that probably shouldn’t work, but succeeds admirably.
The film was released a year and a half ago, and I’ve been waiting ever since
for Levinson to deliver something equally as captivating. B
In Summation
Masterful
Diner
Sleepers
Wag The Dog
Great
Rain Man
Avalon
Bugsy
Homicide: Life on the
Streets
Liberty Heights
PoliWood
Good
The Natural
Tin Men
Good Morning,
Vietnam
Jimmy Hollywood
An Everlasting
Piece
What Just
Happened
30 for 30: The Band
that Wouldn’t Die
You Don't Know
Jack
The Bay
Eh
Young Sherlock
Holmes
Disclosure
Sphere
Bandits
Man of the Year
Just Plain Bad
Toys
Envy
Definitely a Baltimore treasure. Avalon is fantastic and I really like Liberty Heights amongst other films on this list. I haven't seen many of his less Baltimore-centric films though and I really need to watch more Homicide. I'll give you big ups if you ever do one of these for John Waters--that's a tough filmography to sit through but with its gems.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to hear the love for Avalon... I really thought that film was incredible.
DeleteJohn Waters, oh boy. Yeah, that's a challenge right there. But I wouldn't mind being able to say that I've seen all of his films. Maybe ;)
The only movie on this list I've seen is Sleepers but it looks like that was a great place to start with this director. I never thought of it before, but it has a lot of parallel themes with Mysterious Skin.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a good place to start. That will always be my favorite Levinson film, and one of my favorite films period, actually. I adore it. And you're right, there are some interesting parallels between it and Mysterious Skin. I hadn't made that connection before, good call.
DeleteThanks for stopping by and commenting!
You already know how I think that Sleepers is one of the best films released in our lifetime. You should listen to Paul Scheer's How Did This Get Made podcast about Toys. They attempt to dissect it but give up fairly quickly and speculate a lot about how this movie came from Levinson, very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHell yeah it is man. Hell. Yeah.
DeleteDude, I LOVE HDTGM. Evan turned me onto it a while back and I never miss an episode. Their Toys ep was hilarious and yeah, very interesting as well.
From what I've seen so far...
ReplyDelete1. Sleepers
2. The Natural
3. Rain Man
4. Avalon
5. Bugsy
6. Good Morning Vietnam
7. Wag the Dog
8. Liberty Heights
9. Bandits
10. Disclosure
11. Jimmy Hollywood
12. Sphere
13. Man of the Year
14. Envy
15. Toys
The last 6 films on that list were very bad with Toys being the dumbest of them all.
Seems like we're pretty much in line here. I love that Sleepers tops your list. I'll always cherish that film. It'd be best if we pretended like Toys and Envy never happened.
DeleteI really like Levinson though I have to be honest and say I haven't seen a huge amount of his films. Based on your recommendation, I checked out Sleepers a while back and really enjoyed it, definitely deserving of its score here. Still need to see all of Wag The Dog (I've seen bits and parts when it's been on tv but not the entire thing) and Diner. I remember loving Envy when it first came out (so I was like 9 or 10) because I loved Jack Black, but saw it again in the last year or so and was amazingly disappointed by it. Could have been something interesting but turned out to be a one-joke (and not even a good joke) film. The Bay was one of the few "horror" films I've seen recently that genuinely made me jump back in my seat (I hate bugs). When that thing ran out of the fish, both times, I recoiled in fear, shock, etc. Totally works. Seen a couple of others on here but really hoping for a come back from this guy. A shame that that gangster film he was developing with Johnny Depp is now supposedly attached to some other director.
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about Envy... fun for the 9-year-old, dismal for the anyone older. Ha.
DeleteI think you'd enjoy Wag the Dog. It's a great satire that isn't afraid to get a little nasty too. Also happy to hear that you were as surprised by The Bay as I was. I thought that film was genuinely freaky.
I'm glad to see you mention Liberty Heights, which is a hidden gem. You're also right that Sphere is a mess. I remember really liking the book when I read it in the '90s and thinking it would be a cool movie. I was so disappointed by the results, though I'm not sure if the book would still hold up today. Crichton's books often lead to so-so movies (Disclosure, Rising Sun, Congo), so it's not a big surprise that it failed.
ReplyDeleteI'm also glad to see any time Homicide gets mentioned; it's my favorite TV show of all time.
Love the Liberty Heights praise. A hidden gem indeed. And yeah, Crichton's book-to-film quality ratio is really all over the map.
DeleteI really need to sit down and give the full run of Homicide another go. Been a while since I watched the whole show. One of the all time greats.
I am SO with you on "Sleepers" topping the list. The way the movie was promoted really emphasized its star power--even though DeNiro and Hoffman played more supporting roles. So shocking to go into the theatre thinking I was seeing something of a coming-of-age film and then being almost blindsided by this movie's excruciating storyline. It was handled in an amazing way.
ReplyDeleteI would probably bump "Rainman" up but must admit it would probably be more due to Hoffman's performance than Levinson's directing. "Envy" and "Toys"? Guess they just show that we're all human. Great job, Alex!
Thanks Dawn! Your notion of all of us being human is spot on. I really like that concept... I mean, with a collection of films as varied as Levinson's, they can't all be hits. So fair enough.
DeleteI really love that you're a Sleepers fan. That's one of those movies that I've seen so many times, I just love it so much. Painful, funny, honest and real.
Wow I had no idea the same guy directed all those films! Sleepers is such a good movie and Kevin Bacon plays such a horrible and memorable villain there. I really liked You Don't Know Jack, such wonderful work from Pacino.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that crazy? Levinson is such an eclectic filmmaker. Really happy to hear your Sleepers praise. I love that film and Bacon is such a believable monster in it.
DeleteGreat stuff man. I've only seen a few of these, but I should be watching The Natural soon. I also must watch Sleepers and Diner. Right now, I suppose I'd call Wag the Dog his best film.
ReplyDeleteThanks buddy! I'd love to hear your thoughts on both Sleepers and Diner. Two truly great American films right there.
DeleteWow I didn't realize he directed Man of the Year and Envy. Man of the Year unfortunately has a good movie in it but becomes a huge mess with all the random plot twists it pulls. I really need to check out Sleepers soon.
ReplyDelete-Dan
I couldn't agree more with you about Man of the Year. Cut all that extra nonsense out, and you have a solid flick.
DeleteSleepers, though, is incredible. From frame one to cut to black. Incredible.
Also now that I've seen The Wire I've been really interested in watching Homicide: Life on the Streets. Quite a number of famous actors have appeared on the show as well.
DeleteI highly recommend it. Another extension on David Simon's view of the Baltimore streets.
DeleteListing all his films really does spotlight his versatility. I admit I've drifted away since "Liberty Heights", but perhaps this is the impetus to catch back up. Also, your love of "Sleepers" really interest me. I should revisit it.
ReplyDeleteAnd in closing I'll just say this, "Wag the Dog" is one of my all-time Top 5 favorite movie comedies. I never get tired of that film. "This is NOTHING!"
"This is nothing... this is NOOOOTHING." God, I love it. I adore that film. Sleepers man, I can't speak highly enough for it. That film means the world to me.
DeleteDustin Hoffman channels Robert Evans perfectly in Wag the Dog, if you listen to Evans own voice in The Kid Stays in the Picture, you will recognize it immediately. I loved the surprise cameo at the end of Jimmy Hollywood. The end of Avalon left me sad and speechless. I have The Natural coming up on my 1984 film recap project. Toys is pretty, has a nice soundtrack but what it's about is not clear. I must have seen Tin Men three or four times the year it came out but not once since. Robinson never plays it safe. Highly marketable projects are mixed with personal experiments and unique visions.
ReplyDeleteLevinson, stupid auto correct.
DeleteI love Bob Evans, and I love The Kid Stays in the Picture. What an odd but fascinating man. It took a lot of balls for Hoffman to channel him so blatantly, but I love every second of his performance in Wag the Dog.
DeleteTotally agree with your choices for "Just Plain Bad" - when Levinson gets it wrong, he really gets it wrong. But what your terrific piece shows is just how diverse his work is - I have to give the guy so much credit for mixing it up so much. Okay, when he tried sci-fi it didn't quite work but I still find enough to enjoy in Sphere to return to it now and again.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Man of the Year, thought it was one of Williams' better performances and roles for a few years. In fact, I actually like a lot of the films you've put in the "Eh" category but I totally understand what you mean. I'd call them trashy fun - Disclosure and Bandits, for instance, while Young Sherlock Holmes is a childhood favorite of mine. Conversely, I'm not a fan of The Natural - I love baseball movies but I'd take any other over this admittedly much loved movie.
But my favorites do tie-in with your highest rated Levinson movies. Diner, Sleepers, Wag The Dog, Rain Man, Tin Men and Good Morning, Vietnam would all be in my top 10.
Great article Alex!
Thanks Dan! Really glad you like the piece and are a fan of much of Levinson's work. Disclosure and Bandits are definitely trashy fan, but they still just leave an "Eh" feeling in me, you know? But hey, ultimately, anyone who says Sleepers would make their Top 10 Levinson films is ace in my book. I love that damn film.
DeleteSleepers is so great. Great cast which does a great job, with some fantastic moments. The film really grabbed me when they got in the prison.
ReplyDeleteOne of my all-time favorite films. Kills me every time.
Delete