The Matinee Rocker: By: DD Thunders. Spring is here and the theaters keep warming up with blockbuster after blockbuster. Living on the 3rd Coast in a small town/market keeps the cool Indie films from screening locally. Like I have said before, I'm no snob. I will watch any film that fits my schedule and peaks a bit of interest. My first review fits my snobless creed just right! Snitch, starring Dwayne Johnson was a bit of a thrill ride and a great idea for a new bread of family film. An alternative to the usual family flick the Rock has made lately and I think it paid off. Dwayne plays a family man who is faced with a serious situation with his son. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh and written by Waugh and Justin Hayth, this movie is rated pg-13 and times out at 112 minutes. Rocks costar is Susan Surandon who plays a hardline D.A. who has political plans for a bigger pay scale. When his son is arrested for drug trafficking and is set up by a childhood friend, Johnson steps in and tries to make a deal with Surandon's character that will keep his son from "sntiching" on his drug connection. Surandon is never satisfied with Rocks attempt to enter the crime underworld, with the help from one of his construction company's employee who is a drug felon and strings him along with more promises to release his son. Her narcissistic self serving political climber no heart is played with steely perfection from a professional actress who brought everybody's game up. Sure, the usual car chases etc. and a Hollywood ending did not keep me from enjoying this dysfunctional family real life drama. I give this Dwayne Johnson vehicle, pointed in the right direction. 6 oUt of 10 pics. If always been told I need to see more comedies so I broke down and pulled my Harley up to my local fav movie house, the grand in D’iberville Ms. and got a ticket for Identity Theft. This big comedy beatdown stars Jason Bateman and Mellissa McCarty. Directed by Seth Gordon, written by Craig Mazin and Jerry Eeten, this funny film rolls in at 111 minutes. The subject of this script isn't new but is a real life problem that we all have suffered through but it never seemed this funny! (I had my personal info stolen from a park and pay in the big easy a few months ago but didn't quite see the humor in it but that's why I leave the comedy script world to the pros.) I have always enjoyed Jason Batemans everyman characters who always seem to go to any means possible to get a problem solved. Being type casted isn't all bad. Job security is a good thing nowadays and he has no problem holding down the job of straight man to feature film new comer Mellissa McCarty. She is a perfect foil to Jason's straight family man in financial meltdown. Mellissa is a real funny actress with good comedic timing and no fear when it comes to going out of the box to be funny. She reminds me of a female John Belushi. Sure, she seems to play the same role in all her co-staring projects and I don't blame her. The checks cash and the zeros keep multiplying. She is a physical comedian and takes a beating but brings the laughs no matter how stupid and ridiculous she has to be. I hope her career last longer than our favorite Blues brother. I think she has the chops and will shine when she has done enough slapstick gross out to afford her some bittersweet drama that shows her serious side. John Belushi tried and failed with the ill fated dramadie Continental Divide but something tells me she might be in it for the long hall. The script is full of funny scenes, sight gags, physical comedy that is propelled by Batemans need to capture a person that has stole his life, income and job security while living the high life on his bill. Tracking down this thief with a heart of...uh...gold.. commodities and all his credit card info, bank accounts is hilarious. Everything that could go wrong does and the script cruises along and doesn't ware thin like many broad comedies. I don't want to give too much away but there is a plot twist that you see coming but takes a pleasant detour and makes this a notch above most modern comedies. even the ending has a bump that makes you guessing what the outcome
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will be for our family man who has had enough and takes revenge on his nemeses only to learn a lesson in compassion that puts a different kind of smile on your face. This comedy with grit gets 6 out of 10 pics. I have had many request to bring back my personal classic movie/dvd feature so I will give my "come on tome cruise, really" section a rest this month and review a movie I have watched so many times I should own stock in the production company! This is a little known movie that was an important Hollywood release from 1980 is titled Times Square. Anyone who knows me including family, friends, ex wifes, neighbors, band members etc. will role there eyes and run for the hills when I start a dialogue about my favorite chick flick of all times! The reason I fill this film is important and should be recognized as a classic is personal, but I'm not the only fan and at one time this underloved ground breaker. It is the first punk rock themed major Hollywood release. Times Square stars walk on and first movie actress Robin Johnson, Trini Alvarado and everybody's favorite rockin transvestite Tim Curry. Directed by Allen Moyle, written by Moyle, Leanne Unger and Jacob Brackman. Its rated R and has a running time of 111 minutes. Its produced by world famous music producer/film mogul Robert Stigwood. He was a mover and shaker in the entertainment world and managed many major bands back in the day. His major success in the film world is Saturday night fever. I record breaking classic that brought dico music and lifestyle to a fever pitch around the world. that's what is so interesting about T.S, because this was the punk rock lifestyle flagship movie that sank without a ripple. Little known and critically panned, this story of two girls running from their family and friends in dirty, grimy pre-Disney New York was way ahead of it's time. This is the first major release to feature seminal punk, new wave music and showed a lifesstyle that might seem common fare now but outraged the status quo and paved the way female rockkers and street punks the world over. Too bad nobody saw it! The story is simple and has been told a million times. Two young teenage girls runaway from their unsatisfying lives to find comfort in punk music, radio dee jays (remember them?) and squatting NYC style before it was safe to be in the big apple after sundown. One girl ran from her famous, over bearing, rich politician pop who's platform was to clean up Times Square and the other comes from the streets and becomes a defacto mom, friend and street life guide that takes both main characters to hell and back. It took forever to get a dvd copy (remember them?). This movie did small box office but when I got my copy I was so excited to hear the commentary from the director and star Robin Johnson. This was a snapshot love letter to the New York city of old. The director used to live in the city when it was dangerous, sticky and was a haven for artist, rockers, bums and the rich. The city was cleaned up in real life but that's why this film should be recognized. Its like a grainy time capsule that shows where punk music, street life, and the rich mix it up in a melting pot and that's were true and original art can flourish. The script is week but rings true. The girls run away, only to find their redemption through music poetry and art. It might sound a bit old hat but this is where the best and most original music was born. Bands like the Ramones, Dead Boys, even Blondie and the Talking Heads, all went to the streets out of necessity to rule the world. The only problem was that they were way ahead of the times and it took some of them 30 years to get their due. Times Square will probably never get its due. The budget was small. The actors made up their costumes and winged it on a shoestring. But that is what makes true and original art. Do yourself a favor and watch this teenage Thelma and Louise with a bad ass sound track and redemption for all young runaways who find their true calling through rock and roll. The coolest thing I found out with my dvd was that David Johannson was a vocal/lifestyle coach for Robin Johnsons punk street poet character and makes the original songs come to life. Take a listen to my favorite movie original Damn Dog and get ready for real street music late 70's style. If this movie was written and released today it would probably be a Disney backed mega hit starring some pop star and make it big. That's the irony I love about this box office bomb. This movie is the exact same script as Saturday night fever which made millions. Robin Johnson was being groomed to be the female John Trvolta. Trin Alvarado was already a semi famous child actor and Tim Curry was big marquee name but the ticket buying public was not ready for this type of music and lifestyle. Bands like the Cure, Roxy music (my fav!) were also featured on the soundtrack. How could this have been ignored? The leather jacket, spiky hair thrift store fashion was way too
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