R.I.P Hedley Lamarr: Top 5 Second Banana Comedy Performances of All Time

Harvey Korman died at age 81 yesterday. He was a consummate professional, and hysterically funny. He costarred in several Mel Brooks films including "Blazing Saddles" as Hedley Lamarr, and "History of the World Part 1" as Count de Monet. He's best remembered as a cast member of the Carol Burnett variety show, where he elevated sketch comedy into the national consciousness well before SNL. He created many memorable characters in his twelve years on the show. In honor of Harvey Korman, Nixed's Picks will count down the Top 5 Second Banana comedy performances (no disrespect intended) in film history. The best Second Banana's are funny, but know not to overshadow the main character. We're not talking a straight-man here, just a perfect foil for the lead actor or actress to play off. Coming in at Number 5 is Tony Roberts in "Annie Hall". Tony Roberts is an extremely under-rated film actor. In "Annie Hall" he perfectly captured the absurdity of the self-important movie star. It was easily his best performance of the five films he did for Woody Allen. Marty Feldman is at Number 4, for his portrayal of Igor(pronounced Eye-gore) in "Young Frankenstein". Those crazy eyes, that accent, that hump that kept shifting around on his upper back. The scene where he discloses to Dr. Frankenstein that he picked up the brain of someone named "Abby Normal" is an all-time classic. The best recent Second Banana performance comes in at # 3. It's Thomas Hayden Church in "Sideways". His character Jack is a fringe actor who once starred on a soap opera. He takes his best friend Miles on a trip to the vineyards near Santa Barbara, for what he sees as a last chance to get laid before he gets married to an upper middle class woman back in LA. His character gets into one hilarious situation after another, including getting caught banging a steakhouse waitress, by the waitress' husband. If that scene wasn't funny enough, it is trumped by the following scene of Miles sneaking back into the waitress' house to retrieve Jack's left-behind wallet. Coming in at a strong # 2 is David Johansen's work in "Let It Ride". As Looney, the best friend of the main character Jay Trotter, Johansen is the near perfect second banana. He gets enormous laughs, without overshadowing Dreyfuss in the lead role. His characterization is broad, silly, over-the-top, and FUNNY. At # 1 is the side-splitting performance of Charles Grodin in "Midnight Run". A perfect foil for straight-laced bounty hunter Jack Walsh(Robert DeNiro, who gets his own share of laughs), Grodin plays Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas, an accountant on the lam from the mob. Charles Grodin earns huge laughs from facial expressions, deft line readings, and his "Odd Couple" like relationship with DeNiro's character. If someone not too familiar with film history asks me what a can't miss entertaining movie is, I think instantly of "Midnight Run". JG8D69D

French Revolution

There's a significant film movement in motion. It's origins can be traced back to the fantastic horror film "High Tension". The bar has been raised quite substantially by filmmakers Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury. It's a bloody French revolution in the horror genre. "Inside" was release in France in 2007. It's available in it's unrated glory(gory?)on DVD from Netflix and in video superstores like Best Buy. It's well worth the investment for any horror aficianado. This movie is tightly filmed, effectively creepy, suspenseful, scary, and more than delivers on state of the art horror effects. I believe you'd need every drop of blood Kubrick used in the famous elevator scene from "The Shining" just to film the first 30 minutes of "Inside". I can't describe in words how bloody this movie is. It has to be seen to be believed. You also get an extremely well made chiller along with the gore and shock. To go into the plot or any other details would surely diminish the impact of the movie. It's a Nixed GUARANTEE. Move to the top of your queue. It's simply one of the few truly scary movies of the past 20 years. After you rent it, you'll be at Best Buy the next day buying your copy.

DVD Review: The Great Debaters/Antwone Fisher

There are certain films you have preconceived notions about. I was certain Denzel Washington's "The Great Debaters" was going to be a sanitized, feel-good rendition of the true story about an all black, small Texas college debate team during the time of Jim Crow. The PG-13 rating only reinforced my prejudice. So I skipped this film upon it's initial theatrical run. It received very good reviews, acclaim, and was thoroughly "pushed" by Oprah Winfrey, who's Harpo productions is listed on the credits. I wasn't buying it. "Antwone Fisher", also directed by Denzel, was also based on a true story. Again, armed with a PG-13 rating, I didn't think the film could properly dramatize the novels seedier aspects of child abuse. I did not buy a movie ticket for this either upon it's release in 2002. Recently I had an idea of having a mini-Denzel Washington film home film festival, and put these two films, along with "American Gangster", at the top of my queue. I'm glad I did. "The Great Debaters" is an extremely literate, well-told, well-directed, beautifully filmed adaptation of a magazine article about the first all black school debate team to join in a match vs the nations' top white schools, including USC(Harvard substitutes for USC in the film). I felt I had received a great education viewing the movie, as well as being entertained. The performances from the young cast are universally pitch-perfect. The standouts in the cast include Forest Whitaker's real-life son, Denzel Whitaker. The film pushes the boundaries of the PG-13 rating by depicting some of the more vicious aspects of our countries legacy not told in history books. Great detail and sensitivity is displayed in capturing exactly what it must have been like to be a Negro in 1935 rural Texas. Not knowing what parts of the back country would be safe to navigate through, being humiliated in public by white citizens and law enforcement alike. Not being able to travel, eat, or sleep in establishments throughout the south. There is a Rocky-type sports movie finish, but there so many other rich rewards in this film for a hearty recommendation. Watch the extra features which include Washington interviewing many of the historical figures portrayed in the film.
"Antwone Fisher" is a deeply personal story about one man's journey to find himself. Derek Luke is outstanding in the titular role, displaying intense anger, and poetic depth to his character. With the help of a command appointed psychiatrist, played by Denzel Washington, Fisher is forced to confront his demons. In shattering flashbacks we see Fisher's upbringing in a foster home headed by an abusive mom. Violence and sexual abuse are depicted realistically and unflinchingly. The psychiatrist and young Navy enlisted man form a very strong bond. They push each other to do the hard work necessary to find a new beginning to their respective lives. If you skipped these movies during their theatrical run, rent them together for a very entertaining and enriching film night.