Take 4: Getting Hitched

The Hitcher (1986)

The Premise: So we all know not to pick up hitchhikers. But...let's play with that thought a bit. What might actually happen? I mean, how would you deal with getting rid of a pesky stranger riding shotgun who straight up refuses to get out of your car when he overextends his stay? The Hitcher takes this idea, and runs with it to some pretty extreme situations. It's like a Worst Case Survival Handbook: Hitchhiker Edition.

Initial Expectations: Originally, wasn't that jazzed about seeing this...it was just a movie that I threw in to complete a theme. But a friend at work said that Rutger Hauer was great in it, so I figured, what the heck. Anyway, wasn't sure what to expect...I don't have much experience regarding thrillers from the 80's, so was just hoping for the best.

Familiar Faces: Rutger Hauer (as I already mentioned), C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Jason Leigh. C'mon, can you get more 80's than that? I mean, without throwing in a Haim or a Feldman. I think not.

Things to Look Out For: 1) Some GREAT life lessons. Not only the generic maxim of "Never Pick Up Hitchhikers," but other excellent advice such as "Watch What You Eat" and "Never Take Cops Hostage When Trying to Prove Your Innocence." 2) Related to Item #1, some pretty poor decision making from both Hauer and Howell. I mean...really. The equivalent of "running up the stairs instead of out the front door" when being chased by a killer (see Scream for more info). 3) Plenty of plot twists, to keep things interesting and to make sure you're always on your toes. We're not talking 24-caliber surprises, but pretty good for a B-level thriller.

Random Trivia: Eric Red, who wrote the screenplay for The Hitcher, said that the film was inspired by The Doors song, "Riders on the Storm."

And I Quote: [Picking up the hitchhiker] Jim Halsey: "My mother told me to never do this."

Curt's Take: Worth Considering - After about ten minutes of watching this, I began to dread the decision. "Please don't tell me the entire movie is C. Thomas Howell squirming, trying to figure out how to get Rutger Hauer out of his car." Shortly thereafter, the movie zigged and then promptly zagged, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Sure, there are huge plot holes, and plenty of "What are they thinking?!?" moments, but you've got a classic here where an everyday hero takes on a psycho. Can't beat that...although Hollywood is apparently trying to, with plans to release a new version in 2007 (with Sean Bean in the Hauer role and a relative newcomer named Zachary Knighton playing Howell's character).

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Hitch (2005)

The Premise: Having trouble getting that attractive girl to notice you? Juat can't relax when around a woman you're interested in? Turn to Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, aka "The Date Doctor." He'll take you step-by-step through how to get the lady of your dreams to drop her defenses and be more receptive to all the potential you possess. Kind of a twist on the old story of Cyrano de Bergerac. Too bad he has trouble putting all his advice to work for himself...

Initial Expectations: Actually thought the previews for this were pretty funny, so figured it would be worth catching. Been pretty impressed with Will Smith, in both his comedy and dramatic roles (especially Six Degrees of Separation), so was guessing the odds were in my favor.

Familiar Faces: As I mentioned, Will Smith, who plays Hitch. He's the big one. But there's also Kevin James, who plays Albert, one of Hitch's clients who needs a little help in the self-confidence department when it comes to getting the attention of a high-profile socialite. Finally, there's Eva Mendes, who plays Sara, the gossip columnist that has caught Hitch's eye, but who is also seeking out the identity of the secretive "Date Doctor."

Things to Look Out For: 1) You might catch yourself just grinning like an idiot while watching this, especially during the parts where Albert is trying to follow-through on Hitch's advice. Fun stuff. 2) Some good advice for those on the dating scene. Or at least some things to consider. Like avoiding any dance moves from the 80's.

Random Trivia: The fire station shown at the beginning of the film as Hitch is coaching a client is Hook and Ladder #8, the firehouse used in Ghostbusters.

And I Quote: Hitch: "Basic Principles - no woman wakes up saying "God, I hope I don't get swept off my feet today!" Now, she might say "This is a really bad time for me," or something like "I just need some space," or my personal favorite "I'm really into my career right now." You believe that? Neither does she. You know why? 'Cause she's lying to you, that's why. You understand me? Lying! It's not a bad time for her. She doesn't need any space. And she may be into her career, but what she's really saying is "Uh, get away from me now," or possibly "Try harder, stupid," but which one is it? 60% of all human communication is nonverbal, body language; 30% is your tone, so that means 90% of what you're saying ain't coming out of your mouth. Of course she's going to lie to you! She's a nice person! She doesn't want to hurt your feelings! What else she going to say? She doesn't even know you... yet. Luckily, the fact is that just like the rest of us, even a beautiful woman doesn't know what she wants until she sees it, and that's where I come in. My job is to open her eyes. Basic Principles - no matter what, no matter when, no matter who... any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet; he just needs the right broom."

Curt's Take: Worth Considering - Well, I wouldn't be surprised if Hitch had run as a feature presentation on a ton of Eastbound flights across the U.S., because it seems the perfect sort of airplane movie...so you may have seen this before if you're a frequent flyer. Having said that, I was amused. Smiling or grinning through most of this, a burst of amused laughter here and there. However...this was a romantic comedy. Which means I had to sit through the more serious parts, as well...you know, where the music changes from light-hearted to heartfelt, and you suddenly have extreme close-ups of the actors emoting. It wasn't what I was looking for from this film, but I still had to endure these moments...and Smith was much more entertaining during the comedic parts. So, not a "Must See," but it still was pretty entertaining and worth a second glance.

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Do You Like Hitchcock? (2005)

The Premise: Giulio, a film student, finds himself in the midst of an apparent murder plot that seems to be lifted from the storyline of some popular Alfred Hitchcock movies.

Initial Expectations: I liked the idea of a slasher film where the killer mimics popular plots from Hitchcock films. I wasn't 100% certain that would be what was going on, but the brief blurb I read about this on Netflix gave me that impression. I didn't expect a foreign film, though...it was originally titled Ti piace Hitchcock?

Familiar Faces: Not a single person. The cast is entirely Italian, and the film is dubbed into English (with British accents, oddly). I had hoped for subtitles with the original Italian soundtrack, but no luck. Of course, the subtitles didn't catch any of the written material that the camera panned over, but you could still grasp what was going on. That having been said, I was familiar, if by name only, with the director: Dario Argento. I'd heard his name tossed around as a "horror maestro" known for his groundbreaking horror filmmaking techniques, and have some of his other films placed later in my Netflix queue.

Things to Look Out For: 1) Distracting dubbing. It's like the voices almost fit the movement of the actors' lips...but not quite. It would have been better with subtitles (in my opinion). 2) A tribute to a handful of Hitchcock films: Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train. 3) A commentary on the voyeuristic nature of man. Giulio has spent much of his life observing others through windows...either actual windows in buildings or the window of the movie theater screen. Not particular deep, but an interesting perspective.

Random Trivia: How's this for random? This is the first film made by Argento where the killer wears white gloves instead of black gloves.

And I Quote: Meh. Not worth it.

Curt's Take: Don't Bother - Not that surprising, I know. I might have liked it more if it had more of a Scream feel to it, rather than that of a made-for-TV movie (which it was), or if it had worked the Hitchcock angle a little more deeply...but it didn't. Also, it does lose a little bit in the translation, I think. And the characters make some pretty idiotic choices, even for a borderline horror film. That having been said, it wasn't so truly horrible to deserve a rating of "Run in Fear." Just avoid it...but don't let it turn you off from checking out some of Argento's other work.

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The Hitcher 2: I've Been Waiting (2003)

The Premise: Jim Halsey is back, and all grown up. He's now a cop who's a bit of a loose-cannon, and ends up taking a little mandatory leave-of-absence to face his demons in the Texas desert, joined by his girlfriend, Maggie.

Initial Expectations: Was expecting this to be pretty bad...and didn't realize until I started watching this that 1) it was made 17 years after the original and 2) that it brought back C. Thomas Howell in his same role as Jim Halsey. And while some things improve with age, Howell's acting ability isn't one of them.

Familiar Faces: You've got C. Thomas Howell again, although he's moved from young 80's icon, to aging out-of-work actor. Kind of sad, really. You've also got Kari Wuhrer, who while she looks almost a decade younger than Howell, is pretty much the same age. So, okay, I guess I can suspend my disbelief enough to imagine these two as a couple in this film. Finally, you've got Jake Busey...who is no Rutger Hauer. Although, bless him, he tries to be.

Things to Look Out For: 1) A terribly wonderful mix of bad acting and bad writing. 2) The death of one of the three actors above about halfway through the movie. Oh...um...yeah...spoiler alert. 3) A great and unexpected callback to one of the death scenes in the first movie. Hint: It involves the two halves of a semi and plenty of rope.

Random Trivia: It took nearly fifteen years for this film to finally materialize. The rights to the material passed back and forth between several hands over the years until Charles Meeker finally produced this sequel.

And I Quote: Jim Halsey: [To a kidnapped child he helps rescue] "Don't worry, you're safe now." [Insert overly dramatic pause] "I'm a cop."

Curt's Take: Don't Bother - This really almost got a "Run in Fear," but the dialogue was just so horribly cheesy, that I laughed out loud at several points. The promise of these little nuggets of humor kept this from sinking to the true bottom of the barrel. That having been said...you have to REALLY suspend your disbelief when watching this. Lots of coincidences, poor decision making, and arbitrary courses of action that just don't easily stand up to scrutiny. Either you accept the fact that Jake Busey is the luckiest psycho on the planet, or that Texas law enforcement is more incompetent than your average Stormtrooper.

Take 4 TV: The Office (US)

The Office: Seasons One and Two (2005/2006)

What's Going On: A documentary film crew captures the daily happenings of the employees at the Scranton, PA branch of Dunder-Mifflin, a paper supply company. From surprise birthday parties and random drug testing, to booze cruises and downsizing, the everyday goings on of office life are captured. But it's the interactions, reactions and commentary of the slightly off-kilter office staff that elevate this above your run-of-the-mill sitcom.

Initial Expectations: I'd been a huge fan of the original BBC series, The Office, so was hesitant to see this at first. I saw the dismal failure of NBC's attempt at importing the BBC series Coupling to American television, and was afraid that this attempt would follow suit. However, I'd read that the creators of the U.S. version truly made the series their own, and had the blessing of the Ricky Gervais (one of the creators of the original series). In addition, several co-workers couldn't stop raving about it (I'm looking at you, Jordan and Kristen). Finally, I saw an episode on a flight across the U.S. and really enjoyed, so decided to give the first two seasons a whirl (Season Three is currently airing on NBC).

Familiar Faces: The only ones I knew of from other things were Steve Carell (who stars as regional manager, Michael Scott), who I first saw on The Daily Show and then The Forty-Year-Old Virgin. Also, I'd encountered Rainn Wilson before seeing him in his role of Dwight Schrute, Assistant (to the) Regional Manager. In previous Take 4 reviews, I'd seen Wilson in both Six Feet Under and Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses. The rest of the cast is refreshingly new.

Things to Look Out For: 1) Some great improvisational skills. While there are some great scripts in place, lots of the actors have improv experience, so you never really know what to expect. 2) Some great new talent. Not only do Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski do a great job portraying Pam and Jim, the best friends that America is hoping will take it to the next level, but you've also got some first timers, such as Phyllis Smith, who plays Phyllis...she had been assisting the casting director, and ended up taking a role. In addition, several of the writers, including Paul Lieberstein and Mindy Kaling, also have roles that have grown more meaty over time. 3) Great special features. It's been a while since I've wanted to watch the deleted scenes or listen to the commentary tracks on something I've reviewed, but I couldn't help it here. The deleted scenes are consistently hilarious, as are the commentaries, which usually include at least four or five cast members. If you check these discs out, take them all in.

Random Trivia: The computers on the Dunder-Mifflin office set are wired for the internet. Cast members have admitted that when they're in the background of scenes they are often checking email and surfing the net.

And I Quote: Michael Scott: "I'm friends with everybody in this office. We're all best friends. I love everybody here. But sometimes your best friends start coming into work late and start having dentist appointments that aren't dentist appointments, and that is when it's nice to let them know that you could beat them up."; Dwight Schrute: "Would I ever leave this company? Look, I'm all about loyalty. In fact, I feel like part of what I'm being paid for here is my loyalty. But if there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I'm going wherever they value loyalty the most."; Jim Halpert: "Last night on "Trading Spouses," there's... did you see it?" Pam Beesley: "No, I have a life." Jim Halpert: "Interesting, what's that like?" Pam Beesley: "You should try it some time." Jim Halpert: "Wow. But then who would watch my TV?"; Michael Scott: "Yes. It is true. I, Michael Scott, am signing up with an online dating service. Thousands of people have done it, and I am going to do it. I need a username, and... I have a great one. "Little Kid Lover". That way people will know exactly where my priorities are at."

Curt's Take: Must See - This is darn close to being a "Buy. Watch. Repeat." The original BBC version of The Office fell in that category for me, but the only reason I'm holding off on this one is because I imagine there will be some sort of collector's edition down the road with even more in-depth special features. Anyway, this series is damn hilarious. I haven't laughed out loud this much at a television series in ages. The writing and the acting (especially the improvising...something I'm always a huge fan of) are top-notch, and each episode leaves you wanting another. Much better to watch this with a group than by yourself, but don't let that stop you...if you haven't been watching this on TV, start getting caught up today!