Movie #222 Anchorman *2004*

I will admit right off the bat I could review this film in my sleep.  I had just come off of watching Salo and I needed something that I didn't have to think about and something that would lighten the mood.  What better way to lighten the mood than spending 90 minutes with Ron Burgundy and the rest of the crew at Channel 9 News?

If you have been living under a rock or if you don't like to laugh and haven't seen Anchorman let me break it down for you.  Set in the 70's in San Diego (which of course is Spanish for a whale's vagina) Anchorman is the story of an egotistical, charmingly mysogynistic, playboy wanna-be named Ron Burgundy.  Burgundy is portrayed brilliantly by Will Ferrell.  This is far and away his greatest role and I am a big fan of his in Stranger Than Fiction.  He is the anchor at the top rated local news channel.  His associates are made up of a loverboy, sleezebag who does on the spot reporting, a wild card maniac who does sports and a mild mannered although totally moronic (to the point of retardation) weather man.  These roles are played to a tee by Paul Rudd, David Koechner and a still green Steve Carell.  There reign as alpha dogs is about to change as Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is introduced and given a shot as a co-anchor.  It is a "The Times they are a Changin" story.

This film is endless quotable.  That doesn't necessarily make it a good movie, but it doesn't hurt.  My friends and I can speak to each other for HOURS with only using lines from Anchorman.  What does make this a good movie is its approach to the comedy.  It is silly and it knows it, but it never winks at the camera.  There is a news anchor street fight between all the local new teams in the middle of the movie.  This scene is loaded with cameos.  In a straight comedic story there is no way that it would break for something so ludicrous, but in Anchorman it works.

The real secret to the movies success I think comes from its heart.  Ron is forced to act like "a man" around his buddies, but deep down inside that extremely hairy chest of his is a big ole lonely heart.  The relationship between Burgundy and Corningstone is really the crux that the movie hinges on.  Without that it is nothing more than a bunch of skits strung together.

Directed by long time friend and writing partner of Ferrell, Adam McKay has several other projects with Ferrell, but they have never managed to load down a film with so much honest and well delivered humor.  Everything else that I have seen them work on seems at least a little forced.  Anchorman has the feel of an improvised comedy based on a great script.  Watching it you get the feeling that the crew had a great time making the film.

Cinematicly it is not very ambitious.  A common theme with broad comedy's like this.  But that is not to say that it is poorly shot in any way.  The costumes are great but definitely have the scene that they are trying to get a laugh out of 70's fashion, the sets look like mock 70's sets, the hairstyles and makeup are exaggerated to provide laughs.  But you are not laughing at all of these things, you laugh that someone in that suit, with that hair just said that line.  It is perfectly self aware and playing on its audiences expectations.

I love this movie.  "I love movie".  "I love lamp".  I give Anchorman ★★★★.

Movie #184 Network *1976*

Faye Dunaway
William Holden
Peter Finch
Robert Duvall
Ned Beatty
Sidney Lumet (Director)

With the recent passing of Mr. Lumet I decided to re-watch some of his classic films.  I decided to start with Network.  I had seen this years ago and remembered the same scenes that most casual viewers would.  Mainly the "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore" scene.  But this movie is so much more than that performance.  I was truly surprised that a movie that I remember being so of it's time was still incredibility relevant today with a few minor modifications.

THROW YOUR TV'S OUT THE WINDOW!  I love the basic theme of this movie.  On the surface level it is a film about the decline of integrity of television news, and TV programing in general (reality television anyone?).  At it's core is a theme as old as storytelling its self.  The inevitable struggle between the blind, instinctive nature of youth vs. the experienced unquestionable old guard.  It is King Lear told through the eyes of Archie Bunker. 

By in large I don't watch TV.  With very few exceptions (Always Sunny, PTI).  I find the medium to be generic, bland pandering.  Afraid to offend or challenging the viewer in fear of loosing its audience.  Which in turn leads to few sponsors and on to fewer profits.  TV is a prostitution of culture.  The viewers are categorized and analyzed in an attempt to determine demographics, only to better pollute their brains with detergent and fast food advertisements.  Network is the first movie that dared to take on such risky politics.

I don't have blinders up to the product placement and mass media that have invaded my beloved cinema.  But the films that I gravitate towards tend not to be mainstream and therefore take more chances.  Films like Network.  One risk the film was not willing to take was the possibility using unknown actors.  This movie is crammed full of top notch talent and it paid off.  This is Dunaway's second best performance behind Bonnie and Clyde.  Peter Finch gives a stellar performance as a televangelist and Messiah.  Robert Duval (America most valuable resource) and William hold up very well also.

This movie reminded me of another TV News movie.  No, not Broadcast News.  Good Night and Good Luck.  Both films deal with censorship and integrity.  Both movies have large casts of well known actors.  Both movies deal with the role TV plays in how people get their news, and the responsibility that comes along with that.  Both are commentaries on society in general and both expose the power struggles between the young and the old.

This is difficult subject matter to handle.  It would have taken a master at his craft to direct this big of a cast with this weighty of subject matter.  This film was meta before meta was meta.  Lumet was just the man for the job.  His pedigree and training on films like 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon perfectly set him up for a film like this.  Thinking about it, I would have like to have seen what Robert Altman would have done with the same material.  But that can be said for nearly any script.

I enjoyed this movie and I look forward to catching up with more of Lumet's work.  I give Network ★★★★.  This film is available on Netflix Watch Instantly.