Weekly Review -- Quirky and fatal trips

Danny Deckchair (2003) -- Films dealing with underdogs pulling through can make for inspirational entertainment, which is exactly what this Jeff Balsmeyer offering accomplishes. Cement truck driver Danny Morgan (Rhys Ifans) is looking forward to a camping holiday with his girlfriend Trudy (Justine Clarke). However, when Trudy blows him off in favor of hooking up with a local sportscaster (Rhys Muldoon), Danny flies away in a chair to which he has tied a bunch of balloons. He lands in Clarence, a picturesque town hundreds of miles away, where he crashes into parking cop Glenda's (Miranda Otto) backyard and soon wins her over. Since no one in town knows his story, Danny sees it as a chance to starts from scratch, but, at the same time, fame-hungry Trudy will not stop looking for him... Ifans's versatility and quirky acting style convey Danny's childlike idealism and curiosity perfectly, while Otto provides excellent balance as the grounded Glenda, who seems to be waiting for the best moment to break out of her shell. I feel that the fantasy elements contribute to the story's whimsy; when I say 'fantasy elements', I am not only referring to certain directorial touches, but about the generally fresh, nostalgic look and atmosphere of the film. The film is apparently based on the story of Larry Walters a.k.a. Lawnchair Larry, a North Hollywood truck driver who created an aircraft out of his lawnchair in 1982. Still, the biographical aspect is far from relevant for this film, which is an enchanting escape from reality. This is the film to watch if you want to enjoy, smile and cheer.

8/10


Snakes on a Plane (2006) -- Ah, the most famous cinematic reptiles of the last five years. This film had already generated incredible buzz about a year before it was released, mostly due to its painfully obvious title and the involvement of Mr. Cool, Samuel L. Jackson. It was promising to be a truly delicious B-movie, with silly one-liners and ludicrous action sequences, and it delivers on this promise. Surfer Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips) is at the wrong place at the wrong time. He witnesses an execution carried out by the henchmen of notorious gangster Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson). FBI agent Nelville Flynn (Jackson) has the task of escorting Sean to Los Angeles, where he will testify against Kim. However, the turbulence proves not to be the only problem on the flight, since Kim has arranged for hundreds of poisonous snakes to be released from a timed crate. Disgusting deaths, panic and cheesy mayhem ensue, while Flynn is trying to whisk the passengers to safety and fight off the snakes. I liked the fact that the movie was not taking itself seriously at all. The screenplay is full of cheeky remarks, such as "I want what every flight attendant wants -- low maintenance passengers", and hilariously intentional stereotypes, such as the Paris Hilton wannabe and the sexist pilot. There are numerous plot holes but, with this kind of blatantly ridiculous story, you would be hard-pressed to find any plausibility, and you should not even try. Essentially, Snakes on a Plane is the kind of film with a self-explanatory title. You will get exactly what you expect, and you will quite possibly overdose on fun.

7/10