Be Kind, Please Rewind

He’s a Brawl Star. He’s the...

Vidiot

Week of August 31, 2018

Shouldn't midget sports leagues be called little person sports leagues? First up...

Tag

Children no longer play the game of tag because of all the legal paperwork and lawyers involved.

Fortunately, the friends in this comedy began their game long before over-parenting was a thing.

Every May a group of lifelong buddies (Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress) play a form of Tag that involves disguises, endurance and air-travel.

  

But when the one participant (Jeremy Renner) who has never been It announces his retirement, the crew makes it their mission to tag him. Along for the ride is a journalist (Annabelle Wallis).

Although it’s based on a real article written about the quirky ritual and its players, the filmmakers have removed any preexisting amiability found in the true story and embellished the bones with their own obnoxious and humorless poetic license.

However, playing tag for years isn’t as nerve-racking as seeking someone who has been hiding for two decades.  Red Light

Action Point

Surprisingly, the most dangerous thing at an amusement park is not the rides but the concession stand food.

However, this imbalance doesn’t sit right with the proprietor in this comedy.

Facing steep competition from the new mega-park down the street, the owner and operator (Johnny Knoxville) of the dilapidated Action Point decides to remove all of the safety precautions and restraints from his already shoddy rides in order to attract crowds of reckless teens, daredevils, and thrill-seekers.

Along for the ride are his neglected daughter (Eleanor Worthington Cox) and his motley crew of carneys.

Inspired by a real New Jersey amusement park, amateur stuntman Knoxville apes his way through Jackass style stunts that fail to garner laughs or winces. Meanwhile, the paper-thin plot isn’t sturdy enough to support the worn-out pranks.

Incidentally, the only park employee who supports decreased regulations is the haunted house groper.  Red Light

***Coast-to-Coaster***

Roller-coaster

Criminals don’t steal from amusement park visitors seeing as the parks are already doing it themselves.

Midways in the 1970s however, like the ones in this thriller, were more affordable than today.

Safety inspector Calder (George Segal) suspects sabotage when a rollercoaster in Virginian crashes and a tunnel ride in Pittsburgh burns down. His fears are confirmed when the corporation which owns both amusement parks receives a ransom request for $1M. FBI Agent Hoyt (Richard Widmark) taps Calder to deliver the payoff.

But when the bomber gets wind of a double-cross, he threatens to strike again.

With a serviceable concept that’s backed by a talented cast of veterans, this disaster picture delivers some heart stopping scenarios. But it is ultimately undermined by the lack of special effects available at the time, and its undeveloped villain.

Furthermore, amusement park terrorism is not as big as a crime as doping carousel horses.

He’s a Carnival Barfer. He’s the...

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