James Franco

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

 

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

NETFLIX

Director:

Ethan Coen

Joel Coen

Starring:

Tim Blake Nelson

James Franco

Liam Neeson

Harry Melling

Tom Waits

Bill Heck

Zoe Kazan

Grainger Hines

Jonjo O’Neill

Brendan Gleeson

Saul Rubinek

Tyne Daly

Chelcie Ross

Plot:

An anthology film comprised of six stories, each dealing with a different aspect of life in the Old West.

Review:

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western anthology in which at least one person dies in every story. The first story is amusing and fun to watch, while each story after that is various levels of depressing. It was not what I expected and while I enjoyed some parts of it and the stories will probably stick with me a while, I didn’t really like it.

The first story is Buster Scruggs, it’s filled with music and seeming magic, it’s fun. The next story is Near Algodones and it is also fairly amusing and fun, with a tragic, though, deserved ending. Things take a dark and depressing turn with Meal Ticket and it made me really sad. All Gold Canyon was depressing in a different way, though, it had beautiful scenery. I ended up talking to the TV a fair amount during The Girl Who Got Rattled and was seriously hoping it would take a different turn than it did. Sadly, by the time we got to the final story, The Mortal Remains, I had checked out and did not pay as much attention to it. So if it was a fitting ending, I’m not sure.

I wasn’t a fan of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, but then it’s not really the type of movie I like to watch. I will say, after watching something so depressing, I’m really looking forward to some Christmas movies.

2/5

The Interview (2014)

The Interview

The Interview (2014)

Director:

Evan Goldberg

Seth Rogan

Starring:

James Franco

Seth Rogan

Randall Park

Plot:

Dave Skylark and producer Aaron Rapoport run the celebrity tabloid show “Skylark Tonight.” When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, they are recruited by the CIA to turn their trip to Pyongyang into an assassination mission.

Review:

A surprising number of well shot action scenes, I screamed at the TV multiple times, and, of course, tons of offensive jokes.

I did not go into The Interview expecting anything more than a Seth Rogan movie, and that’s exactly what I got. I don’t think it was as funny as This is the End, but I definitely enjoyed it. There were a few lulls that slowed the movie down and I’m getting a little tired of the weird relationship between Franco and Rogen that they like to put in each of their films, but not enough to alter my rating of the movie.

I had no problem with the changed ending, and thought that what they went with probably degraded Kim Jong-un more.

All in all, it was just what I expected, and I don’t have a problem with that. Boobs, ass, toilet humor. What more could you ask for?

4/5

Homefront (2013)

Homefront_2013_dvd

Director:

Gary Fleder

Starring:

Jason Statham

James Franco

Winona Ryder

Plot:

A former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.

Review:

I will never understand directors that cast Jason Statham and then don’t showcase his talents. Yeah there’s action but with all the quick cuts and shaky cam who the hell knows what’s going on? It’s infuriating. The man can fight and he looks good fighting, but do you let people see that? No. You do so many cuts and shake so much that you end up just getting the vague idea that a fight has happened.

I’m over exaggerating, but just a little.

You’ve hired a choreographer and an action star fucking use them!

When you watch a fight do you bounce around from place to place in seconds? No. You find a place with a good view and watch as the fight happens. Why can’t movies do that? Every time there are copious amounts of quick cuts and shaky cam I’m taken out of the movie and get pissed off.

Anyway back to the movie.

The story was bad, the whole romantic story line just disappeared with no resolution. James Franco wasn’t as crazy as I thought he was going to be but he was probably the best part of the movie. I really don’t think Winona Ryder needed to be in the movie, she was just an extra character and her parts could have been given to someone else.

This was an adaption from a book which I haven’t read. Maybe the book makes more sense, maybe they had to cut out a lot for time. Whatever the case this movie did not work for me.

1.5/5