June 2: Men in Black

"A streetwise NYPD detective joins a secret organization that polices extraterrestrial affairs on Earth."

I believe now, 15 years after its release, I can call Men in Black a classic. It's aged incredibly well for what it is, as it relies heavily on its special effects and humor, two aspects of a film that can come across very dated in some films. Of course, a large part of it is the fact that the man behind the scenes, creating all the aliens, is Rick Baker, the master of makeup manipulation and creature creation (Who I mentioned in my An American Werewolf in London review as the man the Academy created an Oscar catergory for). The aliens are really the stars of the film. Each one is created as its own unique character and not just another weird face you see in the crowd. Baker takes regularly odd-looking people and transforms them into imaginative things that leave you baffled, humored, and entertained. 

That's just a little taste. 

The above picture is Vincent D'Onofrio in the role of Edgar the Bug, an evil alien that comes to earth to destroy another galaxy and the world. The Men in Black, a secret agency that keeps all the planet's aliens in check by tracking, deporting, and even working with them, knows the threat Edgar presents. Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) recruits James Edwards (Will Smith) to be his new partner at the agency, and together, while teaching the newly appointed Agent J this rather unique line of work, the two must track down Edgar and thus, save the world. The film plays out like a buddy cop film, and while the duo try to find Edgar and solve the mysteries behind his "invasion", they run into a handful of friendly, shady, and very comical aliens. The story isn't greatest, but it really doesn't matter when the ride is so fun. Jones and Smith have a lot of chemistry and it's always fun seeing Jones in a comedic role as his face and demeanor just scream "I'm a party pooper". However, even with these two stars leading the cast, the best performance is from D'Onofrio who absolutely transforms himself as Edgar. His facial features, tics, and body language is incredible and he turns Edgar into a menacing, gross, yet perfect villain. 

He's a lot like Beetlejuice, but with a lot less of the hormones and a lot more of the extra skin hanging off his face and limbs. 

By now, I can almost assume nearly everyone has seen Men in Black. It's a staple in not only the sci-fi genre but in the comedy world as well. Not since Ghostbusters has a film blended the bizarre, the weird, and the strange so well with a sense of humor. Men in Black simply works- on all levels. It has a great cast and mind-blowing special effects and makeup. And, the whole thing is fun. If you haven't seen it, go and watch it already because it is certainly worth the time. If anything, the film will leave you wondering what else may be out there in this vast universe and if that ugly guy who hangs out at the corner talking to himself is actually a little alien hiding inside the body of a bum. 

The Good:

a unique premise (based off a much darker comic book) that blends the fantastical with the comical

The Better:

Vincent D'Onofrio as Edgar in performance that has gone a very long time without the recognition it deserves

The Best:

Rick Baker's special effects that are still better than a hell of a lot of the effects in movies today 

Overall: 7.7/10

Trailer:

May 17: An American Werewolf in London

"Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists."

An American Werewolf in London is a great horror comedy (?) about a man struggling with his new curse- being a werewolf. David (David Naughton) and his friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) travel to the English countryside and stumble across a little village. When the two enter a bar and meet the locals, they're turned away and sent back outside to roam the English moors. They're attacked by a creature that mauls David but kills Jack. David wakes up three weeks later in a London hospital, unsure of what it was that actually attacked him. Haunted by his dead friend, David becomes aware that he may have been turned into a lycanthrope, or werewolf. After recovering from his wounds, David goes home with Alex, one of the nurses who watched over him during his recovery. Cue the romance and a little character development. Then, on a night with a full moon, David changes into a beast. He turns into a werewolf and goes on a killing spree through the streets of London. Like a hairier, more testosterone filled Jack the Ripper.

With fangs, claws, and amazing makeup and prosthetic work. 

The best part of American Werewolf is indeed the special effects and makeup. Made in 1981, the film is well ahead of its time and makeup artist Rick Baker is a master at work. The Academy Awards actually created the Best Makeup Award specifically for An American Werewolf in London, awarding Baker with the first Oscar. David's transformation scene is exciting, disturbing, and so mind-blowingly cool that you can't help but wonder how it's done. It brings the film to new heights and, without the effects I don't think the film would be as good as it is. The creature effects and gore are really their own characters in the film. 

And it only gets better from here. 

I would definitely recommend An American Werewolf in London. It's considered a horror classic and even led to the director, John Landis, making arguably the greatest music video of all time- Thriller. It does have its flaws, in just okay acting and a very rushed story towards the end. But, with state of the art special effects and makeup, great dialogue with both horror and comedy bits, and the terrific direction of John Landis, An American Werewolf in London is definitely worth a watch. 

The Good:

amazing, ground-breaking makeup work by the now legendary Rick Baker

The Bad:

a lead actor who doesn't kick in the good "acting" until halfway through the film

The Ugly:

realizing that a werewolf transformation like this one has yet to be matched, 30 years later

Overall: 7.8/10

Trailer: