(Pestering) Hollywood part 2, or “This totally isn’t about you”
Writing by alphabete on Monday, 26 of October , 2009 at 1129
Welcome to day 2 of “Six Days of (Pestering) Hollywood” where I am reviewing Bonner and Morgenstern’s seminal work, “Hi Hollywood“. Do download it, for free, but don’t email it to your friends. You may recall yesterday I gave five momspiders to “Brunch of the Dead” for its astounding potential to make you laugh, cry, and shoot oldsters. Today I will be covering the second treatment in the book: “Disaster”.
Disaster
This one really surprised me. I’m not a huge fan of disaster movies unless they contain a real human element and “Disaster” certainly does that. The ending, while somewhat unexpected, is a real winner here, and makes me feel hope for both scientific advancement and people who live in not-Asia.
Suggested Cast
Christopher Walken puts in an appearance as the politically correct mayor of Los Angeles
Charlize Theron is the newscaster with the dirty mouth
Tommy Lee Jones shows up as Tommy Lee Jones In A Disaster Film
Don Cheadle is the real star of the film
Plot
An earthquake or something in Asia or something in Hawaii or something starts a chain of events leading to the imminent destruction of the City of Los Angeles.
Best Dialogue
TOMMY LEE JONES: Dude, remember that volcano from Volcano that I totally took care of? Well, it will probably erupt again because of that whole thing in the Orient.
MAYOR: What is this, 1900? You can’t say the Orient. It’s called Asia now.
Crowning Moment
That one’s a spoiler but it’s a beaut.
Final Analysis
There’s little that can be done with a disaster movie any more that brings it to the level of actual art. This treatment manages to do that by addressing the “ness” of Los Angeles and of Hollywood in particular, and bringing us to a place of utter disbelief and then pulling back to show us the larger, more relevant picture. The ending here is a shocker and ties the entire story together with a flourish, a bang, and a sequence you’ll never forget.
I feel that after their turns in “Brunch of the Dead” Walken and Theron would have turned in less than enthusiastic performances, potentially because they’re not featured as much in this film. Jones and particularly Cheadle, however, would be brilliant and heroic, getting Cheadle at the least an Oscar nomination and possibly, honestly, a Nobel Prize.
While I think Lee’s performance would be fine and of the quality expected of him, I feel Cheadle is underused in this treatment and deserves some speaking lines and perhaps a romance with Theron’s character.
This treatment rates four momspiders
MOAR CHEADLE
Tomorrow I will review “Garbage Dude”, which is probably self-explanatory.
Comments (1)
Category: reviews
- Add this post to
- Del.icio.us -
- Meneame -
- Digg
Pingback by Pestering Hollywood Day 2, or "This totally isn’t about you" | HOLLYWOOD
Made Monday, 26 of October , 2009 at 1209
[...] the original post: Pestering Hollywood Day 2, or "This totally isn’t about you" Posted in Hollywood Movies | Tags: a-disaster-movie, addressing-the, analysis, and-bringing, [...]
