Candy Mountain

source: Candy Mountain

Candy Mountain

At first I was put off by the bad acting, but eventually I got used to it and was able to suspend my disbelief. The celebrities were the best part. I especially liked the scene with Elmore Silk's sister and brother in law who are in a dysfunctional relationship. I didn't understand the ending, however. Why would he sign a contract like that? That's the worst agreement I've ever heard of. In the end, however entertaining, this is just another of those on the road movies that Hollywood seems to crank out so much. I had a hard time figuring out who Joe Strummer played. Was he the son of the guy that locked him in the jail cell in their house?

You would think that a movie with Leon Redbone, Tom Waits, Dr. John, and David Johannsen is going to be one of the best films you've ever seen, right? God, how I looked forward to this. When I finally got to see it, it was like I got kicked in the guts. Boring, moody, contrived, over stylized, and PRETENTIOUS. The main character is a total dick! There's nothing nice or cool here. It made me want to brush my teeth! Why Leon Redbone, Tom Waits, Dr. John, and David Johannsen allowed themselves to appear in this dog is beyond me. You know what? Go buy the Johnny Winter album "Third Degree." There are some cool duets between Johnny and Dr. John. If you're a fan of the genre you'll love it, I promise. If you love that album you'll hate this movie.

I liked it so much I actually bought the video and still watch it occasionally. The wonderful cameos make the whole thing worthwhile. Dr John is a riot and I especially love the scene with Robert Blossoms and Leon Redbone where they lock the main character up in jail. Robert Blossoms "you mean he interrupted the flow of money???!!" Then they sing. Leon Redbone is always amazing. I never heard of Blossoms but he was great. Hilarious, but great. And Tom Waits can't help but be interesting. That amazing woman singer, too. Holy cow. I could listen to her over and over. I watch this movie while skipping forward to the good parts. There's a lot of dead weight, but ignore that.

As a music fanatic I obviously loved this movie. But had it not been for Dr. John, Waits, Redbone and Johansen etc. I would most likely not have given it the time of day. Got to love it though! It scores a 7 for the cast, effort and humour.

Moody? yes. Slow? a little. Bow Wow? hardly. Fantastic cast! Who says you can't have a fun movie about a total idiot? Julius is the straight man to life's maddening trickster. Definitely worthwhile for fans of Jarmusch style movie making. Personally I loved it...anyone who's gone after something without knowing quite where will get this. Check out Cold Fever, a similar, but more grown up film about a Japanese tourist in Greenland.

This film is probably not for everybody, but if you like slightly surreal off-beat movies (Hal Hartley, Jim Jarmousch, Tom Dicillo) with interesting characters, than check out this movie. Although it's a little sloppily put together and obviously low budget, the characters are memorable and the performances are authentic. Laurie Metcalfe (from "Roseanne") play her usual way-over-the-top self but pushes even farther over the top here, but it works somehow because it sticks out so oddly against all the other subdued performances. Tom Waits is great as the tacky-clothes-wearing, golf-playing crooner. ("Hell, I got money, look around.") This is one of those anti-hero movies, where everybody is either crazy or an asshole, even the main character and it's really hard to like any of them, but that's the point. Some very funny lines, realistic yet weird situations and touching moments. The ending is pretty weak though. 7/10.