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Robert DeNiro

The War With Grandpa: Battle of the Boys

October 9, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

You know it’s never wise to engage in a war with your grandfather when your grandfather is Robert DeNiro.

Known for roles like Al Capone (The Untouchables), Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) and Vito Corleone (The Godfather: Part II), DeNiro has built his career playing violent mobsters who will stop at nothing to crush his enemies. However, roles in Analyze This and Meet the Parents have also proven that he’s more than willing to joke about the characters for which he’s best known when given the chance. With The War with Grandpa, DeNiro again shows a willingness to have fun at his own expense in an unexpectedly charming family film that gets its laughs but never loses its heart.

In The War with Grandpa, DeNiro plays Ed, an aging widower who can no longer take care of himself. When his daughter Sally (Uma Thurman) invites him to live with her family, he resists, believing that he can continue on his own. When Ed finally relents and moves in with their family, Sally’s son Peter is forced to give up his room to his grandfather. Relegated to the attic, Peter vows revenge on the perceived intruder and schemes with his friends to get his grandfather to give up his room once more. After Ed refuses to give in, the two begin an all-out war for the space.

Directed by Tim Hill (Hop), The War with Grandpa is a surprisingly likeable film that will entertain children with its wild antics but should still manage to charm the adults in the room as well. Despite the fact that the film is ultimately forgettable, there really is a lot to like about it. In many ways, Grandpa feels like a throwback to some of the classic John Hughes films of the 90’s such as Home Alone or Dennis the Menace. Like Kevin Malone or Dennis Mitchell, Peter’s ‘declaration of war’ invariably leads to playful pranks to prove his worth in an attempt to be heard or valued by the adults in his life. However, unlike Hughes, War with Grandpa doesn’t demonize the adults by portraying them as unsympathetic monsters. In fact, for the most part, Ed is a caring, supportive grandfather who loves his family and genuinely wants to make things work, despite his flaws. As the grieving grandpa, DeNiro brings a compassion to his character that humanizes him, despite the chaotic circumstances.

Much will be made by reviewers who feel it’s strange (or even sad) to see icons like DeNiro, Thurman, and Christopher Walken pander to slapstick humour in this type of film. Personally, I don’t see the issue. All of these stars have poked fun at their violent roles in the past, with mixed results. (Let’s not forget that DeNiro starred in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, even if he’d for like us to do so.) More importantly, The War with Grandpa often makes use of their talent and, to their credit, most of the cast are unexpectedly engaged with the material. 

What’s most interesting about Grandpa though is the fact that it tries not to glorify the war itself. While Ed and Peter compete in escalating pranks that are played up for laughs, the effects of the pranks are not always funny. On several occasions, Ed and Peter discuss the fact that ‘no one wins in a war’ and ‘everyone gets hurt in the end’. Although nobody gets physically hurt in Grandpa, the emotional consequences and frustration leave marks on the family. In this way, it’s an interesting balance between slapstick humour and social commentary for a kid’s film, especially compared to those same John Hughes movies of the 90s that played up the violence as harmless in the end (or even glorified the child in doing so). In Grandpa, the ultimate goal is peace within the home and the film recognizes that no amount of pranks will achieve that.

Wild and ridiculous, The War with Grandpa is admittedly not going to be the film that people point to when they look over the highlights of DeNiro’s career. Even so, Grandpa is much more fun than expected and DeNiro ensures that the film has genuine heart in the right moments. With that in mind, this may be one War you want to get into.

The War with Grandpa is now available on VOD.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Cheech Marin, Christopher Walken, Jane Seymour, Robert DeNiro, The War With Grandpa, Uma Thurman

Comfort Films #8: Meet the [Caddyshack]

May 22, 2020 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

When times are tough, what stories do you turn to? Our new series, Comfort Films, is designed to look at the stories that are important to us and why they help bring us up with everything feels down. This week, author Troy Kinney and Screamfish’s Jason Norton return to chat about family humour in Meet the Parents, community through quotability in Caddyshack and being able to change the past in Back to the Future.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Podcast Tagged With: Ben Stiller, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Christopher Lloyd, Fletch, Meet the Parents, Michael J. Fox, Robert DeNiro, Robert Zemekis

6.08 The Legacy of THE IRISHMAN

November 15, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Netflix’s last Oscar-contender, The Irishman sees the return of some of cinema’s greatest legends. Starring Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, the film follows Frank Sheeran (DeNiro), a young teamster who finds himself drawn into the underworld by crime boss, Russell Buffalino (Pesci). As he climbs the ranks as a hit man, Frank also goes to work for Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), the leader of the teamster union and one of the most powerful men in America. This week, we welcome back That Shelf’s Victor Stiff to talk about the nature of cinema, what it means to leave a legacy and the depth of silence.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

6.08 The IrishmanDownload

Filed Under: Film, Netflix, Podcast, SmallFish Tagged With: Al Pacino, Anna Paquin, Joe Pesci, Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro, The Irishman

6.02 Dancing with Danger in JOKER (100th Episode!)

October 4, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

In a wild left turn for the DC film universe, director Todd Phillips’ latest film JOKER takes us back to Gotham City in order to witness the birth of the Clown Prince of Crime. When we first meet the titular villain, his name is Arthur Fleck, a failed comedian who has been isolated, bullied and disregarded by society. As things begin to unravel in his life (and his mind), Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the iconic DC villain known as the Joker.

This week, in our 100th episode, our SF team tells us what the site means to them, we announce a VERY special giveaway and Paul and Julie Levac stop by to talk about the dangers and brilliance of Todd Phillips’ foray into criminal madness.

You can also stream the episode above on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Soundcloud! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts or Google Play!

GIVEAWAY! In order to enter our giveaway for a $100 gift card for the movies, please do the following:

  1. Answer the following question in the comments section: Who is your favourite DC Villain?
  2. Like/Share this episode on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
  3. For a bonus entry, rate/comment on us on iTunes.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

6.02 JokerDownload

Filed Under: DC Universe, Film, Film Festivals, Giveaways, Podcast, TIFF Tagged With: Batman, Bradley Cooper, DC, DCEU, Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, Robert DeNiro, todd phillips, WB, Zazie Beetz

Joker: Laughing on the Outside

October 3, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

In Joker, failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) works as a clown to pay the bills and lives at home with his sickly mother. Beaten down by a society coming apart at the seams, Fleck struggles to maintain a positive outlook yet desperately wants to make people laugh. Struggling to find his way, Fleck soon begins to act out his frustrations in increasingly violent ways as he slowly transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

Written and directed by Todd Phillips, Joker feels like an unexpected twist in his career trajectory. With films such as The Hangover trilogy and Old School leading his portfolio, an exploration of the dark underbelly of humour may seem like a vast departure from his previous work. In many ways, however, Joker also feels like a nature progression. Whereas many of his previous films have dealt with middle-aged men working out their emotional issues through the use of humour, Joker simply flips the switch by digging around in the psychology under the laughter instead of focusing on the gags themselves. While the film is bound to be divisive due to its dark themes and violence, Phillips has created a character arc so compelling that every scene feels like a vital piece to the most complicated of mental puzzles. 

Added to the mix is Joaquin Phoenix who absolutely shines as the hopeful but hurting Fleck. Over the years, the character of the Joker has provided multiple actors opportunity to push themselves and, thankfully, Phoenix carves out his own unique place in the canon. In an Oscar-worthy performance, Phoenix is simply mesmerizing as the failed comedian, giving him a likeable quality amidst his brokenness that makes you want to root for him (until you simply can’t anymore). Without question, Joker is very much the hero of his solo film—but the nature of that heroism eventually gets called into question.

Whereas the Joker has been often presented as a mysterious ‘force of nature’, here he is very much a product of his culture. Living in the slum-like Narrows of Gotham city Fleck’s life is a comedy of errors. Bullied for his job as a clown and living with his mother, Fleck has dreams of making other people laugh as a stand-up comic. His mother waits faithfully for a severance check from the wealthy Thomas Wayne that will never come. He’s in love with the beautiful tenant across the hall who may or may not be interested in him. Like the rest of those in the Narrows, success for Fleck is something that is constantly in view but just out of reach. While he’s constantly laughing on the outside, there’s little joy within him. (Interestingly, in one of the more intriguing story points for his character, his constant laughter stems from a medical condition that causes him to do so regardless of what’s happening around him.) For Arthur Fleck, life is no joke as his desire to matter in the eyes of others is consistently spat upon by the world. 

What’s more, this perspective echoes the film’s portrayal of Gotham itself, choosing to look at life through the eyes of those who are struggling to get by each day. Set years away from the arrival of the Dark Knight, Gotham is at a tipping point as the rich become richer and the poor more helpless. Anger and frustration run deep within those living in the Narrows as they become viewed as ‘troublemakers’ and yes, ‘jokers’ instead of people in need. Even Thomas Wayne, who has been painted in previous visions as a saint who wanted to see the city thrive, is skewed here as an irrelevant billionaire who remains out of touch with the common people. 

In Joker, hope remains out of reach for much of the city. In a city that mirrors the broken spirit of American culture, the 99% have grown angry with their way of life and want desperately for their voices to be heard. Then, when an unknown attacker kills three businessmen on a subway, tensions within the city begin to bubble over as talk of revolution hits the streets. 

In light of this, the most terrifying aspect of the film stems from its realism. Instead of chemical transformations or superpowered villains, Joker shows what can happen when a city loses its grace for the downtrodden of humanity. Although Fleck’s actions become reprehensible, they stem from his inability to process the abuse of a culture that has turned its back on him. “I used to think my life was a tragedy,” he moans, “but now I know that it’s really a comedy.” Light becomes lost in a world that has succumbed to the shadows and Joker gleefully dances into the darkness. (Is it any wonder that the film has been referred to by Phillips as a ‘cautionary tale’?)

Despite its bleak outlook on the world, Joker truly is one of the years best and most creative films. Phoenix’ performance as the Clown Prince of Crime may take him to dark places but there remains a brokenness within him for much of the film which humanizes him. Pressure from all sides to succumb to a culture of despair, Arthur Fleck’s journey is less of a comic book film and more about what happens when a world fails to listen to those who need it most.

And the outcome of that is no laughing matter.

Joker laughs its way into theatres on Friday, October 4th, 2019. 

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Batman, DC, Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, Robert DeNiro, TIFF, TIFF19, todd phillips

TIFF ’19: Joker

September 17, 2019 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

In Joker, failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) works as a clown to pay the bills and lives at home with his sickly mother. Beaten down by a society coming apart at the seams, Fleck struggles to maintain a positive outlook yet desperately wants to make people laugh. Struggling to find his way, Fleck soon begins to act out his frustrations in increasingly violent ways as he slowly transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

Written and directed by Todd Phillips, Joker feels like an unexpected twist in his career trajectory. While the film is bound to be divisive due to its dark themes and violence, Phillips has created a character arc so compelling that every scene feels like a vital piece to the most complicated of mental puzzles. Added to the mix is Joaquin Phoenix who absolutely shines as the hopeful but hurting Fleck. In an Oscar-worthy performance, Phoenix is simply mesmerizing as the failed comedian, giving him a likeable quality amidst his brokenness that makes you want to root for him (until you simply can’t anymore).

Despite its bleak outlook on the world, Joker truly is one of the years best and most creative films. Phoenix’ performance as the Clown Prince of Crime may take him to dark places but there remains a brokenness within him for much of the film which humanizes him. Pressure from all sides to succumb to a culture of despair, Arthur Fleck’s journey is less of a comic book film and more about what happens when a world fails to listen to those who need it most.

Joker had its North American premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival and laughs its way into theatres on Friday, October 4th, 2019. 

Filed Under: Film, Film Festivals, Premieres, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: DC, Joaquin Phoenix, Joker, Robert DeNiro, TIFF, TIFF19, todd phillips

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