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Story goes Stephen Dorff composed this ballad on his own. And it shows. Heyyy-yo! We like to kid Dorff, an honorary friend of the ‘Down show.

Arguably the pinnacle of the 90’s slacker genre. Next to playing a vampire prince, this turn as Cliff Spab is the second most noted role Stephen Dorff is known for.

WOODY HARRELSON is some love struck, down on his luck schmuck - you know, starving artist protagonist perpetually in every pic from the slacker genre of early 90’s - drowning the blues in a Venice beachside bar talking to SENN PENN doing the WORST IRISH ACCENT IN THE HISTORY OF FLICKS! Wait ‘til you get a load of this!

By this point in the flick for Frederick J. Frenger Jr. the cheese has slid off his cracker. As an interrogation technique, he’s just repeating the same questions he’d been queried with by his own pursuer, Sgt. Hoke Moseley. It’s totally twisted pure comedy gold sold by Alec Baldwin going all in on being hilariously unhinged.

Alec Baldwin has never been better than he is in this flick. As Frederick J. Frenger Jr.  - a homicidal criminal both off the chain and his rocker while masquerading as a cop - Baldwin gets to play up his dramatic chops and crackerjack comedic skills. Equally. This underrated flick is a slick, sun drenched 90 minute & change neo-noir thriller from the very early 90’s before a video store clerk turned movie writer/director irreversibly changed  - for better and worse  - the way characters now talk in movies. No scene hogging monologues obsessing over pop culture. No excessive, wannabe ironic needle drops. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.

Say what you may about the guy, JT is the bright spot in this otherwise dark, true crime based flick. As the comedic foil, he delivers an impressively easy breezy natural performance.

A bunch of smart guys in the know with PhDs in Music Video Theory (bet those degrees were a breeze to get) widely recognize and roundly crown our boy Nez as Godfather/Inventor of the medium. so, I think we can all agree with this little viddie for Nez’a best ditty, T’Down calls dibs on bringing it all home for this Full Circle moment. And hey? You all get to say you had front row seats. And hey again? You’re welcome.

If you know the movie, you know without a doubt Alec Baldwin as Frederick J. Frenger Jr. has never been better than this. Not even close. Feel free to name another role where he’s firing on all cylinder, gets to play to up his many strengths. Equally. All in one ‘90’s neo-thriller before QT - for better and worse - irreversibly changed the way people talk in movies (and now all sound the same). This clip barely flicks the surface of how brilliant Baldwin truly was - and occasionally still is - when he got to play in Freddy Frenger‘s psychotic sandbox.

There’s not a battle scene like it in any other war movie seen on screen. Sure, it may be tame in comparison, but it’s also not a hyper-edited shaky-cam mess. None of them flicks got Steve McQueen in BAR blasting, axe hacking action.

Digging how singer-musician Bloodgrrrl made a catchy tune even catchier and for that, I’m happy to clap for her and give this here shoutout cheer for covering a favorite Pavement song, making sweet syrup for the ear.

This scene with the great Steve McQueen running & gunning, making it seem he’s not a lone sailor keeping the enemy at bay, providing cover for the woman he loves to escape is easily THE BEST ENDING TO A WAR MOVIE EVER MADE.Yeah,I said it and you read it right, friendo. And the real shame is nobody under 30, even maybe 40, has seen it, let alone knows it exists.

As “Rod Canon” Scott Caan channels his Old Man’s tics & mannerisms, giving a glimpse into largely untapped comedic gold mine chops in need of better shots to shine.

A TINSELTOWN TAKEDOWN EXCLUSIVE Movie’n’Music Mashup