Thursday, June 16, 2016

Riske Business: Talking Movies With My Dad

by Adam Riske
In honor of Father’s Day, here is my annual movie discussion with my dad. Happy Father’s Day everyone! Hope you enjoy!

Adam: There have been many rumors that Daniel Craig’s days playing James Bond are over. Who would you like to see take on the role next?

Adam’s Dad: Matt Damon. He is believable enough to do the action stuff and he would clean up nicely.

Adam: Isn’t that what he’s sort of doing already with Jason Bourne?

Adam’s Dad: Yeah, but you’re asking who I would want to see.

Adam’s Mom: What about Jude Law?

Adam’s Dad: Oh G-D no!

Adam: I like him because he’s balding like me. Moving on…Chicago’s Music Box Theatre is doing a Brian De Palma retrospective later this month. We’ve watched a few of his movies together recently, including Blow Out and Phantom of the Paradise, what three Brian De Palma movies would you say people have to see?

Adam’s Dad: The Untouchables would be one. It’s really well-done and a good story where you don’t even mind the creative license he takes with what actually happened because it’s so well-made. Plus, any movie with Sean Connery has to be included in there. Dressed to Kill is creepy in a good way, and Scarface because he’s the one director who is able to get what is a good performance out of Al Pacino outside of The Godfather movies and Serpico.

Adam: That last statement I disagree with so much. Pacino rules! So lately you, mom and I watched Field of Dreams. That made me curious as to what you think is your favorite baseball movie…
Adam’s Dad: Bull Durham. It’s something you believe accurately portrays what following a minor league baseball team is like and Kevin Costner is really good in it as the “never-was” major leaguer that’s successful in the minors.

Adam: Do you think baseball movies should be realistic or is it okay when they aren’t very realistic?

Adam’s Dad: I like some that take a creative license, like Major League and Eight Men Out.

Adam: Are you looking forward to Independence Day: Resurgence?

Adam’s Dad: No. They did a good job with it before and gave it a good conclusion. They’re coming back? That doesn’t work for me.

Adam: Do you think it’s a big deal that Will Smith isn’t in the new one?

Adam’s Dad: No, because I thought Jeff Goldblum was far more interesting. Keep in mind I am not a Will Smith fan at all.

Adam: In the past, we’ve talked about how you’re a Johnny Depp fan. How do you feel about his movie career right now?

Adam’s Dad: The weird characters he doing is played out. I’d like to see him play more real people like he did in Black Mass and Blow.

Adam: Are you looking forward to Star Trek Beyond?

Adam’s Dad: I’m not looking forward to it but I will probably see it. I liked Star Trek into Darkness.
Adam: Were you mad that they re-did Khan in the last one or that they re-enacted the scene where Spock died but with Kirk dying?

Adam’s Dad: No, not so much. I’m not a die-hard Star Trek fan but I could understand why it would bother bigger fans than I am. I was angrier when they twisted things around in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Adam: You haven’t seen Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice yet. Who are you rooting for?

Adam’s Dad: Batman. Superman comes off as more of a wimp than Batman.

Adam: I don’t like that movie at all. Plus, you’re in for a surprise. Because Superman isn’t a wimp in that movie. He just doesn’t give a shit about people at all. Okay, next question…If you could do one thing to fix the movie industry right now, what would it be?

Adam’s Dad: I would not allow any studio to do a remake of a prior movie or TV show. All original stuff. Make the writers and directors earn their money instead of taking something that was already done, twisting it around and making it look like something new.

Adam: Are you excited about Warcraft?

Adam’s Dad: Not at all. I’m not into the fantasy world except for Harry Potter stuff.

Adam: I saw it last night. It’s a movie only for fans. I was so lost. For a non-fan like me (who sometimes likes fantasy movies) it was one of the most tedious and frustrating moviegoing experiences I’ve had in a very long time. It’s like a high-camp fantasy that takes itself dead seriously. What is your desert island movie?

Adam’s Dad: The Great Escape. I could watch it over and over. The story is based on a real event but they make it so exciting anyways and the cast is unreal. There are so many good actors in that movie.

Adam: Who do you like less: Richard Dreyfuss or Seth Rogen?

Adam’s Dad: Seth Rogen. Because drug humor is probably the type of humor I hate the most and that seems to be the only thing that Seth Rogen knows how to do. Richard Dreyfuss is just annoying.

Adam: I’m a Seth Rogen fan, but I agree that he’s gone to the drug well far too many times. If you could live in a single movie or cinematic universe for a single day, what would it be?

Adam’s Dad: I would like to be in the Old West in the late 1800s. I’ve always liked horses and the way things were in the old west. It was a much simpler life.

Adam: Got any controversial movie-related opinions?

Adam's Dad: I could never understand people’s fascination with the Lord of the Rings series. They are tremendously popular and financially successful but I just couldn’t get it at all. What’s weird is that I could get into Harry Potter but not into Lord of the Rings. Every character was so weird and there wasn’t anything close to a human type character so I couldn’t relate but in Harry Potter they were human but they just had special gifts.
Adam: Any final thoughts?

Adam’s Dad: Why does Hollywood fell that it’s necessary to dumb down to audiences with special effects and 3D like we don’t want strong stories, good characters and interesting dialogue?

Adam: Big event movies need to make their money overseas, so it’s dumbed down so that everyone can understand it regardless of language and cultural barriers.

Adam’s Dad: I have to disagree. American movie stars of the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s were all well known in Europe and Asia. In fact, American Westerns were a huge favorite of Japanese audiences. To make the assumption that people in another country wouldn’t find a good movie relevant to them because the movie takes place in America or is American-based is wrong. I just think they can save money by using special effects and keep more of the profit by not hiring stars and re-doing stories and not paying for top writers. And audiences are buying it! If audiences weren’t buying it they wouldn’t do it. People have gotten used to the inferior movies of the ‘80s, ‘90s and ’2000s.

Adam: That’s a wrap. Happy Father’s Day, dad! I love you bud.

5 comments:

  1. Not a Will Smith fan; check. Depp's weird characters are "played out"; check. Not into Lord of the Rings; check. Doesn't like "drug humor"; check. Bull Durham; check. Your Dad rules.

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  2. Your dad hates the changes made for The Man From Uncle, and his desert island movie is The Great Escape? I will echo Chaybee and say: your dad rules.

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  3. The Great Escape is indeed awesome. Any movie that pairs Steve McQueen with James Garner has my full attention.

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  4. That last paragraph from your Dad is very insightful. I really enjoy these 'Adam's parents' articles!

    Love that he realizes that Goldblum is the real star of Independence Day! And we're in full agreement of LOTR. But we must depart on Richard Dreyfuss. I love that guy!

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