LICORICE PIZZA (2021) - P T ANDERSON MAKES A NICE RETURN TO FORM WITH A WHOLLY ORGANIC SAN FERNANDO VALLEY 1973 COMING OF AGE STORY

 

In 2008. shortly after There Will Be Blood, I made the statement that if we had anything even close to a "Stanley Kubrick of our time," then PT Anderson was it. I wasn't crazy about The Master but loved the leading performances. Then came what I felt to be two thoroughly disappointing PT films - the technically proficient but aimless Inherent Vice, and the drab bordering on buzzkill vibe of Phantom Thread. I began to wonder. Then, like some multi-colored tropical bird that lands on a dreary stoop, along comes Licorice Pizza, an absolutely brilliant film.

Cooper Hoffman's resemblance to his dad is not uncanny so much as mystical or magical. A very wise decision to unleash him on the world in a very fluffy accessible role but we certainly hope down the line he will do something dark and edgy, roles that his dad was so good at. Bradley Cooper as Jon Peters is totally stunning. I was a teenager at the time but growing up in Hollywood I was one degree of separation from him and Babs and I remember hearing many times what a jerk he was. The entire Jon Peters sequence is PT at his best and almost could have been part of the Magnolia clan. 

In the soundtrack department, PT is not quite as talented as his buddy QT (although Boogie Nights is pretty damn nice) but here PT has his best music supervision to date and some of the pics (this is 1973 remember) are exquisite like Taj Mahal, Gordon Lightfoot and The Congregation. Welcome back PT, it's great to see you again! 4.5 stars/5

TOMMY RATES THE PT CANON W/ A COMMENT OR TWO

HARD EIGHT (1996) **** - might be one of the most underappreciated directorial debuts of all time.

BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997) **** - climatic scene with Alfred Molina as Eddie Nash is pure genius

MAGNOLIA (1999) ***** - time to call it what it is, a masterpiece people walked out on in theaters

PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002) ***1/2 - a miss, mostly because it's too short and underdeveloped!

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) ***** - one of the greatest character study films of all time. 

THE MASTER (2012) **** - Not a big Joaquin Phoenix fan but holy shit, what a performance. 

INHERENT VICE (2014) not rated because I have yet to be able to sit through the whole thing. 

PHANTOM THREAD (2017) also not rated although I've watched most of it, in one word- buzzkill

LICORICE PIZZA (2021) ****1/2

PETER FALK, ALLEN GARFIELD, WARREN OATES, PAUL SORVINO PULL OFF THE HEIST OF A LIFETIME IN "THE BRINKS JOB" (1978)

 

With the assortment of well-known names both in front of and behind the camera then this one must have something going for it, right? Well, mostly. The Brink's Job's biggest problem is it doesn't know if it wants to be a comedy or a drama...or both. When it tries to be funny we're not warmed up or ready for it and during long dramatic stretches it can feel dry and unexciting. Nonetheless, outstanding production design of the era and the always intriguing storyline of a big heist combined with the names and pedigree still make for an entertaining hour and forty-five minutes. Peter Falk really makes the film rise above a certain level and reminds us why he was one of the greatest. 

Up until 2011 the title was only available on VHS and hard to find. In 2011 it finally got a DVD distribution and eventually Blu-ray but still is not available in the streaming world. However, Universal has put a official up of it (embedded below) on YT for an undeterminable time period, mediocre quality, looks like a 480 up.  3.0 stars/5

DAVID JANSSEN FAKES HIS OWN DEATH TO ESCAPE HIS WIFE AND PURSUE A BLACKJACK CARD COUNTING SCHEME, MEANWHILE ALLEN GARFIELD IS ON HIS TAIL IN "NOWHERE TO RUN" (TV 1978)

 

An outstanding MTM (Mary Tyler Moore) production shot in San Francisco, Reno and Las Vegas, David Jenssen stars as a disgruntled husband who slowly and methodically creates a new identity for himself to fake his death while developing and pursuing his own blackjack card-counting system. His wife (Stephanie Powers) hires a private eye (Allen Garfield in what may be his best performance next to The Conversation) to follow him but Janssen discovers him and turns him into a double agent. 

The location filming is flat out awesome and we didn't mention that the ever-sexy Linda Evans has a small part in this as well rocking out a white see-through blouse of the era. The story, based on a 1976 novel is enthralling and Janssen is just perfect. One of the best TV movies of the late '70's, unfortunately obscure and very hard to find, the only online complete version I could find is below. The film has never been released on either VHS or DVD. 2.75 stars/2.75

A BUNCH OF OLE GEORGIA BOYS PURCHASE A DC-4 AT AUCTION AND MAKE A MOVIE BASED ON THE ACTUAL HISTORY OF THE PLANE SMUGGLING DRUGS IN "POLK COUNTY POT PLANE" (1977)

 

Coming in for a landing between trees on a makeshift runway top of a hill, one-fifth of the usual landing distance. 

Gather ye around B-movie youngsters while I tell you the story of the "Polk County Pot Plane." 

Once upon a time some real drug smugglers purchased a World War II retired Douglas DC-4 with the express purpose of transporting huge amounts of marijuana from Columbia to Georgia. On only their second run, they had the bright idea of landing it on top of a small hill at night during bad weather on a makeshift runway a fifth of it's proper length for that plane. Realizing they couldn't take off again, they split with their pot in trucks and were all busted later thanks to the abandoned plane. 

Nobody could figure out how to get the plane down and eventually it went to auction where a politician and movie maker named Jim West bought it. Then he had to buy the hill as well so he could do what he needed to do which was extend the runway to it's proper length and fly the plane out. After that, what else was there to do except gather a bunch of friends and make a movie based on the plane's sordid history!

Essentially one long chase movie, these guys all performed their own stunts and there's a few doosies including a camper trailer that jumps right though an entire house while it's being transported. About some of the worst acting you'll ever see next to a Ted V Mikels movie but somehow that's part of the charm. Also known as "In Hot Pursuit," a bit hard to find, there's a couple of mediocre ups on YT, the only other option is Millcreek's Drive In Movie Classics 50 Film Set  2.75 stars/2.75

German poster.

JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT IS ON A "PREMIUM RUSH" (2012) TO GET HIS MESSENGER BIKE CROSSTOWN NYC, THAT'S AN EXTRA CHARGE ESPECIALLY WHEN MICHAEL SHANNON IS CHASING

Pulling off maneuvers that even Evel Knievel would have been proud of, Joseph Gordon Levitt jams across town on a "premium rush" order. He has to deliver an envelope to Chinatown and no sooner has he left the depot when he is being chased by a corrupt detective (played deliciously over the top by Michael Shannon.) Little does he know he's carrying a ticket redeemable for an invaluable item. His bike doesn't have brakes and he likes it that way. Will he make it in time to his destination or will he eat it or get caught by Shannon? 

One thing I dig about this action thriller is it doesn't get bogged down in a bunch of subplots. Clocking in at a nice tight ninety minutes the action starts from frame one and doesn't let up until credits roll. Shannon plays the perfect heavy, he's comical and now that I've watched it a couple times I can't imagine the movie without him. Adrenaline junkies will love. Currently streaming on Tubi.  3.0 stars/5

THE THREE WONDERFULLY SUBLIME DRAMAS OF VICTOR NUNEZ - RUBY'S PARADISE (1993) ULEE'S GOLD (1997) & COASTLINES (2002)

 

One of the greatest directors that no one ever heard of, Victor Nunez has carved his niche with deep character driven dramas usually based in South Florida, his homeland after Peru. An actor's director, his character's feelings are his arena and focal point. He's only made six films in four decades, three of which he wrote and directed and form a trilogy of his best work, all set in the Panhandle. For the types of film lovers that I would imagine visit this blog, all three should be a must-watch. 

Nunez also edited Ruby In Paradise, a near flawless indie about a young woman (Ashley Judd) trying to find herself after moving from Tennessee to Florida and taking a job at a big gift store. She meets two men - the store owner's son, a dickhead, and a very responsible but overly conservative fisherman played beautifully by Todd Field who would go on to make the impeccable movies In The Bedroom and Little Children, only to seemingly vanish into obscurity. Judd is perfect, it's really hard not to like this movie. Appropriately, it won Grand Jury for drama at Sundance. Streaming free on Tubi. 4.0 stars/5

In 1997 Nunez got what is probably the best performance of Peter Fonda's career as a beekeeper suddenly confronted with a family problem involving his son who is in prison and his two accomplices still on the outside and believing there's hidden loot still unaccounted for. Meanwhile, Ulee is also tasked with taking care of the son's drugged-out wife. A slow burner of a drama but just what Nunez is so great at and another Sundance winner. Streams on Amazon Prime.  3.5 stars/5

Josh Brolin, Timothy Olyphant and Sarah Wynter, holy crap. 2002's Coastlines also made it to Sundance but didn't fare nearly as well and in fact didn't find a distributor until four years later. Shame! Much more obscure but just as good as the other two, I have turned many a movie lover onto this one and hope that you'll check it out, currently streaming free on Plex. Olyphant plays an ex-con who comes home and tries to reestablish friendship with his best friend, a cop (Brolin) and his wife (Wynter.) At the same time he's being courted by his ex drug dealer to get back in the biz (William Forsythe, holy crap again) and starting to see a new love (the always enjoyable Angela Bettis) Did I say I love this cast? Also has the best cinematography of the three. Highly recommend. 3.0 stars/5

Note - as of 5/13/24, Ruby's Paradise is free on Plex, Ulee's Gold is on Tubi, Freevee and Pluto, Coastlines is on Roku channel. 

Coastlines Trailer (2002)

Trailer for Coastlines. Sonny Mann, (Timothy Olyphant), an ex-con returning home from prison, creates a new dynamic for both friends and enemies with his arrival. The local power...