Leslie Nielsen (1926-2010)

Not nearly the most shocking death this year, but definitely one that's more than relevant and emotional, Leslie Nielsen died today in Florida due to pneumonia complications. At the age of 84, the man had long passed his prime in terms of his career. His first role was in the classic science fiction film Forbidden Planet, but he would later be known for his comedic roles, most notably in Airplane, the Naked Gun series, and other films from David Zucker. I'm not going to lie about the fact that he has recently gone astray into noticeably muckier territory. The man was only ever as great as the scripts he chose to work with, and for the most part, he chose particularly well. It's definitely sad, but a fitting point in his life to finish. The man was afforded the rare gift of enough time to do everything he'd be remembered for.

Two Years Ago Today: An American Carol

In 2008, it became quite apparent that the once great parody-filmmaker David Zucker was officially done. He had absolutely nothing left to offer, and no other film showed that more than An American Carol. He'd really sunken to a new low, and it was rather embarrassing to sit through. Quite rapidly, I saw so many esteemed actors waste their talent and their lives away on this unfunny trash. Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight, Dennis Hopper, and Leslie Nielsen are only small pieces of this colossal failure. The dialogue is as predictable as ever, and the film overstays its welcome at 83 minutes long. In the two years since, the film has seemingly bled out of existence, and probably for the better.

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