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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Will they be calling James Franco’s name during the next Oscar broadcast? Russ and Shawn think the eccentric actor has a good chance to win with his latest performance.
1) THE DISASTER ARTIST (R)
A24
RUSS
From “8 1/2” to “Day for Night” to “Ed Wood,” some very entertaining movies are movies about making movies. You can add “The Disaster Artist” to that distinguished list. James Franco directs and stars in “The Disaster Artist,” a film about the making of one of the worst movies of all time, the 2003 drama, “The Room.”
SHAWN
loved James Franco in this movie. Overall “The Diaster Artist” didn’t thrill me but I wholelly appreciated. Franco’s Thunder Cat performance. Dude has range. He deliciously entertaining. The genius of “The Diaster Artist” is it plays things straight.
RUSS
Franco gives perhaps the best performance of the year as Tommy Wiseau, a bizarre, enigmatic character who wrote, produced, directed and starred in “The Room,” an incoherent dramatic mess. While “The Disaster Artist” is a very funny look at “The Room” and its oddball cast, it is also a loving, empathetic portrait of a person who pursued his dream in spite of having no talent.
SHAWN
There is a seriousness in how the movie recaptures just how bizarre the making of “The Room” was. A film considered to one of the worst ever made. And Franco is all business portraying it’s writer, director, producer and possible vampire and his strange behavior during the making of the movie. Oscar nomination for Franco? Better be. Oscar nomination for the movie? Possibly.
RUSS: 4 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 3 Popcorn Bags
2) THE ROOM (R)
Chloe Productions/TPW Films
RUSS
And that brings us to “The Room,” which has become a cult favorite at local theaters. Tommy Wiseau’s movie is supposed to be a drama about a banker with an unfaithful girlfriend, but is unintentionally funny. Like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” people dress up as the characters, hoot at the screen and quote the awful dialogue along with characters in the movie.
SHAWN
I didn’t get it. Maybe because I watched it alone. This film isn’t intentionally bad but it’s bad. This 14-year old movie has become a cult classic. I guess it’s fun for some people to recite bad dialogue and laugh at uncampy campy situations. I’ve got better things to do. Now “The Room” goes down in cinematic history as not only one of the worst movies of all time but the inspiration for a possible Oscar Best Picture nominee “The Diaster Artist.” And they say life ain’t fair — true.
RUSS
Don’t watch “The Room” at home alone. If you do, it’s just bad. I’d suggest seeing it at one of the local screenings so that you can get the full effect of audience participation.m
SHAWN
I’ve got better things to do. Now “The Room” goes down in cinematic history as not only one of the worst movies of all time but the inspiration for a possible Oscar Best Picture nominee “The Diaster Artist.” And they say life ain’t fair — true.
RUSS: 0 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 0 Popcorn Bags
Also opening this week, “Just Getting Started” is a senior citizen comedy starring Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones and Rene Russo. It was written and directed by Ron Shelton of “Bull Durham” and “White Men Can’t Jump” fame. “Tom of Finland” is a drama about a gay artist plying his trade post WWII. “Another Wolfcop” is a horror comedy sequel about a werewolf policeman.
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