Nine To Five

1980 Directed: Colin Higgins, Written: Colin Higgins and Patricia Resnick

Score: 5/5

I’ll admit to not knowing much about Dolly Parton’s life or career. I’ve always been aware of her, I’ve known she was a country/western singer, and I’ve known that she was a good person. But the only song I know for sure I’ve listened to was Jolene. After her passing earlier this week I learned that not only was she a singer, but an actress too. And not only did she co-star in this movie, but she wrote and performed the theme song too. I’m going to have the theme song stuck in my head for days, and I’m going to come back and rewatch this movie many times I’m sure.

This one’s really fun. It was enjoyable when it was just a lampoon of office culture, but then it really went off the rails in an unbelievably good way. It could have been pretty dry all told, but then there’s this triple-dream sequence around the halfway point that’s just so wild and it never slows down from there. Dolly Parton gets a few great quoteables, Jane Fonda is so expressive (she gives a look to the other two after slamming a car trunk that’s hilarious and haunting at the same time), and Lily Tomlin plays a pitch-perfect jaded career officeworker.

Clue

1985 Directed: Jonathan Lynn, Written: Jonathan Lynn

Score: 5/5

You might be sensing a theme here. I feel like everyone has their own Tim Curry moment. Maybe it’s Hook (Steven Spielberg, 1991) or The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975). Maybe that one clip in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (EA, 2008) where he’s barely able to maintain character. For me, it’s Clue.

I love this movie. I’ve seen this movie so many times. It has so many gags, so many jokes, so many odd looks and movements. Every time Professor Plum awkwardly shifts towards and away from people, Colonel Mustard expertly makes a fool of himself, Mrs. White shows her demented side, it’s all a joy. Everyone in this one bought in. And Tim Curry was exactly the glue needed to hold it all together. He plays off of each guest perfectly. It feels like his energy lifts everyone else to his level. Even the deplorable Mr. Boddy (perhaps one of the most wooden performances I’ve seen outside of a Yorgos Lanthimos movie) shines a little more when he’s interacting with Wadsworth.

This time I rolled the dice but didn’t get my preferred ending. Oh well, I’ll get it on my next rewatch.