MORE OF ME

Thursday, December 29, 2011

(MOVIE REVIEW) LARRY CROWNE

If this movie would have been made in the 90's it would have cost $100M just for salary of the main cast. It also would have made a lot more at the box office. The world has kind of pass Roberts and Hanks by at this point. They don't draw the crowds like they once did and they are starting to see the decline of their once fruitful careers. That said, they actually make a pretty fun (yet completely unbelievable) couple on screen.

Plot: Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he's worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts all trying to find a better future for themselves...often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live. Written by Universal Pictures

Thoughts? A cute movie. It's a movie about starting over and finding a new path when you are no longer able to continue on the old path. It's about growing as a person. I actually really like movies like that. I didn't care for them to make Roberts a drunk. That didn't add anything to the character, but I liked her in the movie and loved Hanks. He, as a middle aged man, can still pull off those "awe shucks, golly gee" scenes like a champ. Check the movie out!

(Movie Review) The Change Up

Ah. The switch up! It was great when I first saw it in Freaky Friday. Since then it has been an overused and under effective staple in the movie industry. So, as I heard the news that Bateman and Reynolds would be taking on this genre I was very hopeful....but in the end, it was just a slightly funnier cookie-cutter film that tries to stuff a "grass is greener" message into an "R" rated film.

Plot: Dave (Bateman) and Mitch (Reynolds) are lifelong friends. Dave is a married lawyer that seems to have it all together, but at the end of the day he takes all of the wonderful gifts in his life for granted. Mitch is a single slacker that has spent his whole life shrugging off responsibility. He sleeps with numerous random women and loves his uber- bachelor life. After a night of drinking and a pit stop at a fountain, the two wish for each other’s lives and end up getting exactly what they wish for. They must find a way to survive in each other’s bodies until they can correct the problem, and maybe learn to appreciate their own lives in the process.


Thoughts? It's an ok comedy. It's not horrible, but it sure as hell isn’t really setting the world on fire with its take on the body switch comedy. I can name a hand full of movies that do this much better. The one thing that The Change Up has going for it is that it is the first of its kind in the R-rated category. The problem is that it seems like they abuse rating and only use it for cheap laughs. Either way, the movie is just fine for a night in, but not worth putting the effort to track it down. 
FYI: I think that they pull a giant BS move with a very specific scene. Leslie Mann is shown topless in a scene. However, the CGI boobs on to Leslie in Post Production. What kind of movie is so hard up for breasts to be shown that they CGI them on to the cast? Also, what kind of actress takes a part but wont go the extra mile for the role. Not sure why, but when I found out about that it aggravated me.


(MOVIE REVIEW) The Lincoln Lawyer

I make it a point to hate everything that Matthew McConaughey is in. He, since the 90's, has been a stain on the film industry. Sure, he has been in some films that actually make money. That is not in question. The problem is that he is always in these really one dimensional movies and always plays one note characters. I hate that for him because the fact of the matter is that the guy can actually act (in very specific situations). This movie is one of the best that I have seen him in. It's not perfect, but way better than his many past sins.

Plot: A sleazy defense attorney has a crisis of conscience when he represents a wealthy client who has a foolproof plan to beat the system. - from IMDB

Thoughts? This movie is the best that McConaughey has put out since A Time To Kill. He is very relatable as a man with his back against the wall that must get himself out of a sticky situation. He shows that he really does have the chops to play a more serious role if Hollywood would give him more chances to do that. Good movie with a good cast. Watch it.

(TV REVIEW) Whitney Cummings : Money Shot

Good female comedians are like unicorns. Extremely rare and worth big bucks if you can find one. Suuuure. You can glue a cone to a horse and claim that it is a unicorn, but that is really just forcing something to be something that it isn't. There are a lot of female comedians that fit that analogy, Cho, Barr and even Sarah Silverman (who I once thought was the funniest person alive). Silverman suffers from a serious problem that makes her popular but only to certain people. She does waaaaaaay too much "gross comedy". This makes her popular with teen males, but once they get older theyrealize that she is just a grown woman (I think in her 40's) making fart noises on stage and describing what diarrhea is.

Cummings is a little different. I absolutely believe that she only got a break because she was funny and much more attractive than a lot of female comedians, but over the years she has grown into a pretty solid comedian. While she will get into the "gross comedy" area from time to time, most of her comedy in this special is "gender comedy". She has one REALLY annoying problem with starting off each sentence at a higher level than the rest of the joke. I realize that this is nitpicking, but watch this special and tell me that I am wrong. Other than that, I think that you should check this one out on Netflix.

(TV REVIEW) Russell Brand in New York City

I love some good stand up. I watch it on Comedy Central and online a good bit and I love the courage that it takes to get up on stage and just let it rip. It takes a very special and specific attitude to do what stand up comics do. So I will judge ole Russell on a curve for this.

Brand is a funny guy. No doubt. His comedic performances in movies are always spot on. You cant ACT funny. You are either born with that quality or you aren't. So, for him to do funny movies proves to me that he is a funny person. That being said, stand up exposes every weakness you have as a comedian. Brand has a lot of them. He relies too much on his English-ness (is that a word) to make the joke work. Also, he over uses his one trick shot...androgyny. He plays the "is he isn't he" role a little too much and it gets old after a while.

Overall, the stand up was ok. Check it out on Netflix of Comedy Central. But I wouldn't break my neck looking for it, as it lacks in a lot of departments.

(Movie Review) Harry and the Hendersons

It's funny to see a movie at two very different parts in your life. Once as a child and once as an adult. The things you take away from it are so much more lighthearted as a child, but there is usually some very meaty drama or emotion that you don't pick up on at a young age. Having not seen this movie for almost 20 years I was surprised by how many times I found myself teary eyed when I watched it last week. It is amazing what perspective does to a person.

Plot: Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man, but when they examine the "body" they find it's a "bigfoot". They think it's dead so they decide to take it home (there could be some money in this..). As you guessed, "it" isn't dead. Far from being the ferocious monster they fear "Harry" to be, he's a friendly giant. In their attempts to keep Harry a secret, the Henderson's have to hide him from the authorities and a man, who has made it his goal in life, to catch a "bigfoot". -from IMDB

Thoughts? An absolutely wonderful film. The movie has plenty of heart and brains. A story about how sometimes man is the most animalistic creature that we will ever come into contact with and how sometimes we are reminded of that by unusual circumstances. The actors are all perfect in their rolls and the overall message is a great one to live by. Check it out (again)!

(Movie Review) The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Morgan Spurlock. The name alone sends chills up the backs of many companies. Why? Because Spurlock busted open a giant can of worms when he helped show the underbelly (and the stretch marks on that belly) of the food industry. So, as you can imagine, Spurlock and Corporate Sponsored goes together like a diabetic and candy taste tester. None the less, Spurlock wanted to reach out to the corporate world and pitch the idea of a movie about corporate sponsorships that is paid for by corporate sponsorships. An AWESOME idea.

Plot: A documentary about branding, advertising and product placement that is financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement. Spurlock gives you a glimpse inside the world of Corporate Product Placement in everyday life.

Thoughts? Some people are not as in love with the idea of this documentary as I was. I thought that it did a fair job of showing exactly how much we are subjected to the product placements in everyday life. TV is full of it these days. I had to watch a commercial (basically) within the show Bones about their car self parking. So obvious that it yanks you right out of the show. So, for others to see the billions of ways that they are advertised to that are NOT as blatant as the example from Bones was actually really interesting. Check it out.

(Movie Review) How Do You Know

To continue with the love of Rudd, I will post this review of How Do You Know. Even though it has some of my least favorite actors in it. An overrated Nicholson and an always worthless Witherspoon make this movie as likable a Tabasco coated scope during a colonoscopy. To make matters worse, you add in Owen Wilson. How believable can you be, as a comedian, once you publicly fail at suicide. Really? At least Rudd is there. Good ole Rudd.

Plot:  Star softball player, Lisa (Witherspoon), has just been cut from the national team; Scholarly business man, George (Rudd), has just been indicted from his father's company. With everything that they know in their lives taken from them, Lisa and George attempt to find romance. Lisa's potential boyfriend, Matty (Wilson), however, is as clueless and perpetually single as they come, and George's girlfriend just dumped him. A chance hook-up through mutual friends, Lisa and George may be able to form a friendship, or more, that can help them climb out of the piles of lemons that life has handed to them. provided by IMDB.

Thoughts? Ugh. I feel like an old man bitching about his soup being too hot at a restaurant. I don't like to complain, but I'm so good at it that I feel like I have to do it. This movie is POINTLESS. I am no fan of Witherspoon. She has only turned in one solid performance in the past that I LOVED. Other than that, she is as overrated at the come. Between her, Owen Wilson's crooked nose, and Jack Nicholson sucking the life out of this movie, it is hard for me to say much about it that is positive. I will got back to the well and say that Rudd, as always, delivers a very likable character that is easy to relate to and funny. That is as positive as I can be with this review. Don't watch it unless you want to see Wilson fail at acting.

(Movie Review) Legion

Remember a time when Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid made movies that didn't suck? It really wasn't that long ago. 2001 Bettany turned in a wonderful performance in A Beautiful Mind. Hell, even as Silas in The Da Vinci Code (2006). Quaid is even a more impressive case. Movies like Enemy Mine, Frequency, The Day After Tomorrow and The Rookie are barely scratching the surface of the actors 40 year career. So, why would they both put their names on something as pointless and silly as Legion? My guess is for the same reason Bettany did Priest...the paycheck.

Plot: An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When God loses faith in humankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity's only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner with the Archangel Michael (Bettany).

Thoughts? The movie is not the worst thing that either Bettany or Quaid have been in. Priest is way worse than this. It's a silly movie. There is no real heart to it. The angel fights are trash, the special effects are not that special, and the only thing that it somehow does well is makes Bettany a believable bad ass. If you see it on TV one day, maaaaaybe check it out. I wouldn't pay to see it, not even from Red Box.

(MOVIE REVIEW) Our Idiot Brother

Paul Rudd. I could end this review right now and you would leave it with a smile on your face...cause that is how awesome Rudd is. Some people tell me I remind them of Rudd, but I assure them that I am far more awesome. Regardless, you cannot deny that Paul has a quality about him that sneaks up on movie goers. He tends to be in some amazing movies and usually stands out in those movies from the rest of the cast. Our Idiot Brother is no exception to this rule.

Plot: Ned (Rudd) lived a happy life growing organic vegetables on a farm with his hippie girlfriend and his dog named Willie Nelson, but an unadvised incident with marijuana at a farmer's market lands him in jail. When he gets out of jail, he is off to live with his sisters. While Ned is still happy, his sisters are much less so after he manages to screw up one marriage, one job opportunity, one budding relationship and one domestic partnership. He sees those problems as breakdowns in communication, but his sisters see him as an idiot.


Thoughts? This movie was awesome. You think that it is going to be some lighthearted stoner comedy but this movie has heart. Lots of it. Rudd plays this role perfectly and, in the blink of an eye, shows that his character doesn't let things roll off of his back like he appears to do. Pick this movie up when you have a chance to do so. You will enjoy it.


Tuesday, December 20, 2011

This week’s review is a RANT about New Year’s Eve. No witty comments, nothing nice, just ripping it to pieces. You have been warned.

One of the best feelings in the world is when you sit down to a movie, enjoy what it offers, and walk away with a great love and respect for the actors in that film. When you curl up in bed with a little smile on your face because something in the movie pops in your head and it made you flash back to a scene that you really liked. That is the best to me. So, in contrast, the worst is when a movie and the actors in it make you experience the exact opposite. Now, take 20+ actors from 20+ movies that fit that description and combine them together. What you end up with is a horrible film that will not only make you regret seeing it in the first place, but also regret that you don’t have the guts to attempt an at home lobotomy to help you forget it all together.
Plot: The lives of several New York couples intersect over the events of New Year’s Eve.
Notice how I did not go into as much of an elaborate story set up as I usually do? Know why? Because there is really no story. At least not a good one. There are about twelve bad stories, but not one good one. That is the main problems with movies like this. You have numerous stories that, if they are told alone, can be told in just a few minutes. So you can’t describe anything about them without giving away the whole story. Not only that, but you can’t tell about the overall film because there is too much going on to keep the review under three pages long.
In the end, this movie is a train wreck. The ideal coupling for a believable love story is Katherine Heigl and Jon Bon Jovi? REALLY!? I could really enjoy that image along with a sardine and banana sandwich while I’m swimming in an electrically heated pair of swimming trunks. See how some things just do not go together?
Worth the admission? NEVER. There is a reason that it is sinking in the box office. Katherine Heigl is not likeable, Aston Kutcher’s attempt at facial hair makes you hate him and feel sorry for him all at the same time, Sarah Jessica Parker has a serious case of “horse face”, and Zac Efron can’t act. Robert De Niro should have his SAG card revoked for showing his face in this waste of time. Lastly, the “stars” of this movie are either “has been” actors or actors that are so irrelevant that they don’t even matter (please see Michele Pheiffer for this example).  At the end of the day, a well fed rabbit can produce droppings that are more entertaining than this movie.
If you feel the need to subject yourself to the punishment of seeing this movie, let me know what you thought.

My Christmas gift to you is to recommend A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) for your Holiday viewing pleasure

Little things take us back. That is heightened during the Holiday’s, as we normally have more and more family memories that are built around the many gatherings. One thing that always takes me back to my childhood is an unlikely Christmas icon for me…that, of course, is The California Raisins. Not because they are basically dried up old grapes, and those old dried nasty pieces of fruit remind me of every fruit cake ever made, but because they sang the single greatest rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that has ever graced this tiny blue spinning marble that we call Earth.
Plot: Rex and Herb, two claymation dinosaurs, take the viewers on a tour of the festive offerings in and around a town during the Christmas Holidays. While playing host to the viewers we are given a look into the worlds of bells that play themselves for audiences, an argument to decide if the correct term is “to go wassailing” or “to go waffling” ,some amazing music and a lot of wholesome family entertainment. This is something that many will remember (once they see it) and that many of us have never been able to forget.
As an homage to many network offerings of parades, Christmas programming and choral offerings, Will Vinton brought to life a fictional town with this claymation (stop motion technology with characters made from clay) film. This is from a time when special effects were hard to come by for network television. If it was done at all, it usually looked so bad that you couldn’t take it seriously. Techniques like claymation were, by some viewers, considered to be part of that “bad” effect period. The truth is, claymation is a painstakingly time consuming art form that takes MUCH longer to produce than traditional special effect. From that standpoint alone I believe that this movie deserves our attention.
On a more personal note, this is the only Holiday movie I really remember from that early time in my childhood. I was 5 years old and I remember sitting in front of the television to watch this program. The California Raisins singing Rudolph is still my favorite rendition of the song ever (even if it wasn’t really magical raisins doing the singing). It also makes me realize that while many movies offer a lot, by way of flash and glitz, this movie as stuck out (in my mind) as one of the more innovative and wholesome Holiday offerings of the past 25 years. You can download it, one part at a time, on youtube. You can also find it online to purchase (although the price is pretty steep). I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a safe and Happy New Year, and that your Holiday festivities are fun and memorable….like this movie.

If you do find a copy, let me know what you think of it.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

(DVD REVIEW) BAD TEACHER

Remember that magical time when you were in grade school? That time in your life when your biggest problem was if you got a pimple before picture day or, for guys, got the occasional inconvenient erection in class? Those were the BIG problems! The one thing that I was never blessed with, while in grade school, was an insanely HOT teacher (well, actually I had one in Rosedale Kindergarten, but I will not name names). So, while this movie may not represent exactly what most of us experienced as children....it does represent the type of woman most of the boys dreamed would teach them social studies.

Plot: Elizabeth (Diaz) is at her last day of teaching. She is off to live the dream of every gold digger and marry an extremely wealthy man. The only problem is that the last day of school, right after she quits, her fiances mother drops the bomb that she is not "fit" to marry her son and that the wedding is off....and Elizabeth is cut off. Fast forward to the next school year and Elizabeth is back in class. But when a new wealthy teacher enters the scene (Timberlake) she must battle rival teacher, Amy (Punch), for his affection. All the while, Elizabeth strikes up a great friendship with the gym teacher (Segel). Will she find true love with the rich young teacher or with the working stiff gym teacher?

Thoughts? This movie didn't set the world on fire. Justin Timberlake is funny in it, Segel kills as always, and Diaz was somewhat likable and attractive (in a dirty disgusting sort of way). The jokes land but a lot of it was just giggles, no big laughs. I say check it out if you can download it. Maybe if redbox or Blockbuster Express is low on other movies. Other than that, wait for it to hit TV.


Thursday, December 1, 2011

HUGO shows us that great effects, loveable characters and great acting CAN coexist in the same film


I’m not a slow witted man. Really. I’m much brighter than I appear to be. I usually pick out a good movie from previews alone. It’s almost always in the subtext of a preview. The parts that are not being said/ shown. If you can find that, you can usually piece together a movie’s overall plot before the first film cell ever passes in front of the projector light. So, when I saw a preview for HUGO I figured that it would be a great kid’s movie that the film company wanted to release the same weekend as Twilight to pick up the younger audiences. My  wife, being the wise soul that she is, said “HUGO looks good. We should check it out”.  I’m glad she did, because this movie has so much more to offer than just a “kid’s film”. Maybe I am slow witted.
Plot: Hugo (Butterfield) is a boy that lives in a hapless world. He lives along in a train station and his job is to keep the clocks running. Well, actually it is his uncle’s job, but he has not seen his uncle in weeks. Poor and hungry, Hugo steals most of the things that he needs from the shops located at the train station. One day, while trying to steal a toy windup mouse, he is caught by the shop keeper (Kingsley). It is revealed that he was only looking for spare parts to finish an automaton that was left to him by his father. Clues begin to show that a there is a connection between the Hugo, the automaton and the shopkeeper. The story that connects those clues is a tale of magic, love and enchantment.
Sometimes a movie gets lost in its need to prove how deep it is. The refreshing thing about this movie is that it is simple and deep all at the same time. There is some wonderful acting in this film. Ben Kingsley is amazing, as always, and shows why he is one of the more respected actors in the industry today.
Worth the admission? Absolutely! Hugo is exactly what I needed to see this week. The effects are amazing, the acting is top notch, and Martin Scorsese, a man known more for producing/directing dramas, really adds some emotion to the scenes with the way he shoots the film. Overall, I can’t think of a better movie to watch going into Holiday/Christmas Season. Except for Elf……and maybe Christmas Vacation.

What Christmas films are a staple in your yearly viewings?

Monday, November 28, 2011

It's time to play the music. It's time to light the lights. It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet movie tonight.

Nostalgia. There is something so nostalgic about nostalgia. Joking, of course, but there is something very comforting about revisiting a fond memory. It’s like when you go back to your old high school or college and walk the halls. At first you feel a little out of place because it is slightly different than you remember it being. Then, by memory, you are taken from one fond event to the next about that special place where so many wonderful things impacted you and the person that you would one day grow to be. That is exactly how I felt while watching The Muppets.

Plot: Walter and Gary (Segel) are two brothers that have always been best friends. They are very much alike in every way. Well, in almost every way. Walter is a Muppet. Since Walter was a child he has idolized Kermit and the rest of The Muppets that he watched faithfully on his TV. When Gary, now an adult, tells Walter that he taking him to Los Angeles to meet The Muppets, Walter realizes that his dreams are coming true. Those dreams are quickly shattered when they find out that The Muppets Theater has been abandoned for years, and that the majority of the old gang hasn’t spoken in a very long time. When Walter overhears a business deal that is going to take the Theater away from Kermit he enlists the help of Gary, Mary (Gary’s girlfriend played by Amy Adams), and Kermit to go on a search for all of the missing band members….before it is too late.

Worth the admission? Is Fozzie Bear the funniest bear in the world? Of course! This movie, in my opinion, in one of the best revitalizing/relaunches of an old franchise that I have seen since Doctor Who was brought back in 2005. It is not just some movie that is being made to cash in on the memories of the past series. This is a great stand alone comedy that would have been funny even if you had never heard of The Muppets before today. Not only is a funny, but it has a lot of heart and a great story.
One thing that I really liked about it was that they broke the fourth wall a few times. For those that are not familiar with this term “breaking the fourth wall” is a term used when a character interacts with the audience in one way or another. It comes from the idea that in any given shot/scene there are three walls visible (both sides and the back) with the fourth being the end of the stage or the TV/Movie screen. This makes The Muppets seem more personal than just a normal movie.
Kudos to Jason Segel for not only his acting on this project, but his writing as well (he wrote the screenplay). If you like it as much as I did, or didn’t and want to tell me why, let me know!

(DVD REVIEW) Exporting Raymond

This is less of a review and more of notes on this rental. This is a documentary based on the experiences of Phil Rosenthal trying to adapt Everybody Loves Raymond into a Russian-language version of the show. More so than that, it is a great look into how differently we view tv compared to other parts of the world. A basic concept like "family sitcom" is looked at by most of the US as a way to relate to the characters. Because of that, it is best to keep the characters grounded in reality. That is what sells here. That is what we like. In places like Russia, where some US shows are already adapted, they seem to prefer to tailor the shows to be more about fashion and glamour, not about reality. So, obviously, there are obstacles to overcome.

In the end, this movie is not some big blockbuster, or even a movie that you will buy and display proudly on your mantel, but it IS a nice window into the rest of the world from the perspective of a US tv producer that had a unique experience while trying to explain the concept of U.S values in comparison to Russian values. For that oddness alone, this is worth a watch.

(DVD REVIEW) The Roommate

I HATE to watch a movie that makes me question people in this world. See, I like to live in a bubble. In my bubble I choose to think that people are good. Not just some time, or every once in a while, but all the time. That people do not do wrong by others. That is just the way that I am. This movie, however, kind of made me realize that I am very naive in that belief and that not all people are good. Some don't even realize what they are doing is wrong. I kind of hate this movie for making me see that.....oh, and I kind of hate it because it wasn't that good either.

Plot: Sara (Kelly) is excited. Why? Because she is about to start an important chapter in her life. College. She is ready to meet new people, grow as a person, and make new friends. One of those new friends is usually the new roommate. In this case, the roommate is Rebecca (Meester). Rebecca seems sweet and very eager to make friends with Sara, but when Rebecca starts to become a little too overbearing, Sara gets concerned. Those concerns are soon compounded with a string of incidents that Sara seems to be related to. Rebecca claims that it is all just coincidences, but when the walls of reality start to crumble around her, she may loose grip with it....and others may loose their lives.

Thoughts? Meh. It's not HORRIBLE, but it's not great either. The movie is a cookie cutter teen-slasher movie. The Roommate, Sorority Row and a bazillion others offer the same thing...creepy movie, a few "bump" scares, and most of the big stuff is guessed way before it happens. I say that if you have a BOGO at Redbox or can stream it free, then check it out. If you have to pay more than a dollar for it. Skip it.

Note:  I will say this. Leighton Meester does a great job of a scary and disturbed roommate, my only problem is that I wished that her character would have killed EVERYONE in the movie.

(DVD REVIEW) Mad Max 2 : The Road Warrior

Mel Gibson has made some mistakes in his life. We all have. Most of us have not made the kind of mistakes that he has, but still...no one is perfect. Out of all of his mistakes, one thing that can NEVER be added to that list is the Mad Max series. After re-watching Mad Max 2 this weekend, I can remember why I grew to love this talented, and flawed, actor.

Plot: In a post apocalyptic society, the world has gone the way of "kill or be killed". No one is safe. The world, after being dependant on oil for so long, has now shifted into a fuel crisis that has caused many to become ruthless shells of what humanity once was. Max, a former cop who lost his family due to these gangs of outlaws, is a man looking for revenge. Revenge against the gangs, against the world, and against fate. His journey finds him intersecting with a group of people that have an oil refinery in the dessert. When they come under attack, Max finds them asking for his help. He reluctantly agrees to help them but soon realizes that this may be more than he bargained for.

Thoughts? This is a movie that you could do some post production reworking and re-release it in theaters today. It holds up REALLY well. Mel plays this part like he was born to play it. While I don't agree with much of his personal life, his acting has always been something that I enjoyed. Even at this young stage in his career where he was more of a prop than an actor. A cool movie that is still relevant. Check it out.

(DVD REVIEW) Hanna

I always liked to mash my food up as a kid. Mashed Potatoes mixed with Mac’n’Cheese are the best. Throw some Lima Beans in there too and mmmm mmmm….that is a good meal. So, when I say that this movie is like a spy/action/super hero/awesome movie all rolled in to one, you know that I liked it.
Plot: Hanna (Ronan) and her father Erik (Bana) live in the forest. They hunt. They train. They survive. Hanna has been taught everything that she knows from her father. Everything that she knows about the world was from books that her father read to her and stories that he has told her. The one thing that she knows that she has been born and trained to do? Kill Marissa (Blanchett). Marissa is a high ranking government official that Erik claims was responsible for the death of Hanna’s mother and that Marissa will stop at nothing to kill Erik and Hanna. So the only option is to take the fight to her. But when Hanna is faced with surviving in a new world and being all alone, she finds out who she really is.
Thoughts? This was a pretty cool movie. Kind of like Rambo meets Alice (from Resident Evil). The part of Hanna is played beautifully and Ronan truly looks as if she is seeing the world for the first time in every scene. I really enjoyed it and hope you check it out.


Monday, November 21, 2011

(Movie Review) Breaking Dawn (part 1) is the equivalent of a root canal by a supermodel. Excruciatingly painful but pretty to look at.

A very wise person, most likely in the Marketing field, once said the truest and most universally accepted thing ever muttered. Sex sells. It’s not a bad thing. Car companies and cosmetic companies have been using this for years. Film has too. So I’m not shocked that Breaking Dawn, along with the other films in the franchise, was successful in tricking people into thinking that these characters are actually sexy (they are not)…what I AM shocked at is that people mistake “pretty” people for good storytelling.
Plot: The big day is here. Bella (Stewart) and Edward (Pattinson) are to be wed. As in their agreement, this is also to be the time when Edward is to finally “turn” Bella and to make them eternally bound to one another. Once the knot has been officially tied, and the two are off on their honeymoon, Bella decides to wait until after their blissful getaway to go through with becoming an immortal. But when they give in to their desires, and Bella soon finds herself with a rapidly growing child inside of her, some dangerous choices must be made. Bella is carrying a child that the werewolf pack fears, and they see it as their job to destroy it and the mother. The Cullen clan, along with Jacob (Lautner) and some of the werewolves, must protect Bella from the rest of the wolves at all costs.
BOOOOOOORING. Really. An extremely boring movie. I can forgive a movie that has bad acting, I can even forgive a movie that only sells the illusion of a good story, but I can NOT forgive a movie that is this boring. Honestly, there is more action involved with me trying to pick the right pair of underwear in the morning than there was in this whole movie. There is ONE fight, and the lighting was so poor in that scene that you can barely tell what is going on. Also, I understand the need to sometime have an “agenda” included in the story. Seth Macfarlane uses each episode of Family Guy as a way to bash everyone that doesn’t believe as he does, so I am accustomed to this. But using a fantasy vampire movie to argue the topic of abortion is stupid. We even get a “fetus” vs. “baby” argument. Seriously? Why is this in a VAMPIRE movie? Lestat would have killed them all for sparkling in the first place, let alone arguing about babies and abortions. This movie is an abomination to vampire movie genre.
Worth the admission? NO! I know that this is not going to sway any of the people that have already mistaken the first three films as “good movies”, but for those that are on the cusp of making that decision…save your money. Half of the movie looks like a director’s cut for a Summer’s Eve commercial (full of beautiful people, beaches, and curtains gently blowing in the wind) and the other half is a pro life vs. pro choice argument. Oh, and ONE action sequence. PLEASE skip it. Maybe it will force Hollywood to wake up and make good movie, like Harold and Kumar’s 3D Christmas (which was awesome and you should see).
Twi-hards. Please tell me why I’m wrong. Would LOVE to debate this with a few of the fans.

(DVD REVIEW) The Thing (1982)

1982. What a wonderful year. Why? Two fantastic things came from 1982. One, the birth of yours truly. That's right folks. In January of 1982, God blessed you all with a late Christmas gift. Me. The second is actually a LONG list of great movies that came out that year. I mean, really, some classics. Rocky 3, E.T., Blade Runner, Conan the Barbarian, The Thing, and many others. Unfortunately it also brought us The Beastmaster and Grease 2....so it is not without its downside.

Plot: When a dog is chased, by a helicopter, to a nearby American Scientific Expedition outpost, the team at the outpost has questions. Unfortunately the person pursuing the dog begins to fire shots at the animal and into the camp. When the leader of the expedition team shoots the man, they assume that the chaos is over. What they don't know is that the "dog" is carrying a deadly secret that could kill them all...and spread to the rest of the world. When you are faced with a killer that can look like anyone and anything, who do you trust?

Thoughts? I watched this movie many years ago. I liked it then, but never really appreciated it. After watching again I realized that this movie has a lot going for it. It has some great suspense, FANTASTIC special effects (for the time and for them to be man made, not CGI) and Kurt Russell is rocking an awesome beard. I say go rent this if you ever have the chance.

(DVD REVIEW) Whip It

I have always thought that I was destined for greatness. That something in my life would "click" and I would be happy and successful doing it. That I would just stumble across it and it would consume me in a way that nothing in my life previously had or probably ever would in the future. So far, with the exception of voting for my favorite American Idol, it has not happened. But, when watching this movie, it reminded me of why I am longing for that event so bad.

Bliss Cavendar (Page) is in a rut in her life. She doesn't feel like she is going anywhere and is always looking for something more. Her mother continues to guilt her into beauty pageants, she works at a dead end job, and she has little/no life outside of hanging out with her best friend Pash (Shawkat). One day, while shopping with her mom, she picks up a brochure for Roller Derby. After checking out a local bout she decides to try out for the team. Her world quickly changes and she finds herself with a new boyfriend, a new sense of self worth, and something to be passionate about. But when her perfect world begins to crumble, and a series or lies begins to catch up to her, she has to find a way to keep it all together OR go back to life the way it was.

Thoughts? I liked it. It was a very encouraging movie about finding something that you are passionate about and "going for it", regardless of what "it" is. The movie is about watching someone transition from just "going through the motions" to finding something that changes their life...and fighting for it. You can't ask for a better message than that in a film. Check it out.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is what everyone should ask Santa for this year

I, like most people, have a favorite article of clothing. Mine is a hideous t-shirt that a family member bought for me while visiting a neighboring state. It’s not “classy” in any way. To be honest, it is slightly crude. But there is something about that t-shirt that just fits so well. No matter what I am in the mood to do, I enjoy it more when I where this shirt. Lawn work, bike ride, sitting on the couch…you name it, this is my “go to” shirt. Yet I am completely embarrassed to be seen in it by anyone (outside of a select few) and have no desire to even mention it to most people, let alone mention that I like it enough to call it my favorite. That shirt is the cotton equivalent to the Harold and Kumar franchise. You don’t want to admit that you love them, but you know that you do!
Plot: After years of not seeing each other, yet another extraordinary event puts once best friends back in each other’s lives. When Harold (Cho) tries to impress his father in-law with the perfect Christmas his former best friend, Kumar (Penn), brings the whole event to a screeching halt by ruining the tree. This sets them off on a mad dash to find a perfect replacement. This simple adventure quickly spins out of control and sends the duo on a crash-course that intersects with Neil Patrick Harris, a Russian mob boss, and Santa Clause himself. Drugs, shoot outs, a Christmas Story inspired incident with an icy aluminum pole and a waffle-bot are just some of the things that are standing in the way of their perfect Christmas. Sounds easy enough, right?
Worth the admission? Does the Waffle-bot HATE pancakes? Absolutely. This may be my favorite film of the H&K franchise. Not only is it funny (and I mean laugh out loud funny in some places), but it has some of the best use of 3D that you will see. It is making a point about the overuse of 3D in films and does so by overusing the 3D in their own. The difference? They use it for the gimmicks as well as to show depth in some very well shot scenes (such as the shot of them steeling the tree from the Midnight Mass).
I dare ANYONE to prove that a movie that has Neil Patrick Harris, Claymation, AND Santa Claus in it is not one of the greatest movies of the year. All in all, this is a must see film that is well worth the extra money to see in 3D. If you agree, let me know.
NOTE: This is a film for adults only. Lots of language, drug references and some nudity. Please be responsible and not let children see this film. To anyone over 18, enjoy the funniest Christmas movie since National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (or maybe Elf).


Monday, November 14, 2011

(DVD REVIEW) Boondock Saints

I know. Shame be heaped upon me! I have sinned. This movie, which I have wanted to watch forever, has sat on the shelves since 1999 and I have never watched it. I dont deserve the title of imaginary movie reviewer! But, since I have finally watched it, I would like to share my thoughts on it with you fine folks first.

Plot: When brothers, Connor (Flanery) and Murphy (Reedus), are caught in the middle of a turf war with local mob bosses and a bar owner (the mob wants the bar), they end up killing two of the mob soldiers. When the local police rule that this was in self defence, the brothers decide to stay at the jail to avoid unwanted media attention. In the middle of the night, when a local ministers sermon begins to weigh on the men, they both awaken with the notion that they have been chosen to serve as the hammers of God and to strike down the wicked. They are willing servants in this "holy crusade" but they soon realize that their is a lot more danger involved than they ever hoped for. With the FBI hot on their trail and a mafia berserker trying to take them down, they will find not only their faith...but also their backbones to be tested in their fight on corruption.

Thoughts? Awesome movie. Funny, full of action, full of blood, bullets everywhere, good chemistry with the stars. An all around awesome film.

(DVD REVIEW) SKATELAND

Remember that time in your life when you were kind of unsure what to do next. That year/summer/day/hour when you didn't know if you should turn left or right and didn't know what would happen when/if you did turn at all? That confusing time between doing what you have always done, with the people that you have always known, and taking taking the next step in your life? Between high school and college? Part time and full time work? Well, imagine someone followed you around with a camera and made a movie about it.

PLOT: Ritchie (Fernandez) is at the end of his high school days. He is finishing school, his job is coming to an end due to the business being sold, and his relationships with some of his friends/family are starting to change. In other words, Ritchie is growing up. The problem with growing up is that you have to take responsibility for your actions. When those actions include problems at home (because of a broken marriage), problems with friends, (because of local "thugs" that are at odds with an old friend of his) or problems with girls (when longtime friendships become more than "just friends") Ritchie finds that taking the next step is a lot harder than he would like for it to be. So he holds on to the summer....tries to freeze it in time. But when events in his life force him to take the next step, he must do his best to ensure that it is not his last.

Thoughts? The movie is pretty good. Not, in my opinion, worth all of the praise that it got on the indie circuit. But easily worth a look-see on Netflix. I say watch it, but don't break your neck to make time to do so.

Friday, November 11, 2011

(MOVIE REVIEW) Timberlake turns out a solid performance with In Time

In the real world originality means something. It might not mean everything, but it means something. If you question that notion, I would recommend that you try to print your own money or reprint a check, try to spend it, and see how well it works out. That alone should show that being original holds value. That brings me to In Time. Is this movie going to win an Oscar? No. Is this movie going to change the world? No. But it is UNIQUE. And in a world of reprinted money, this is a dollar that you can exchange for four quarters any day of the week.
Plot: In a future dystopian society, people no longer die of old age. At least not in the way that we do now. The aging gene has been isolated and people stop physically aging at 25, yet after their 25th birthday, all forms are currency are exchanged in the form of "time". Coffee costs minutes, rent is worth hours, and if your counter runs out, you die. When Will Salas, (Timberlake) helps a stranger out of a sticky situation, he is gifted one hundred years. Unfortunately, that puts a giant target on his back from thugs and the Time Keepers/Police (as they assume he stole this time). When he suffers a loss, and blames ”the system” for that loss, he takes it upon himself to bring down the system one "minute" at a time.
Worth the admission? Yes! I loved it. Some people are giving it poor reviews, and I realize the message might be a little "heavy handed", but this movie gets a LOT of good points in its favor (in my book) because it is different. It's not some cookie cutter movie that you can easily fit into a specific mold/box. It's unique. Original. That, in and of itself, makes this movie worth the time and money to see it. All in all, I would recommend that you check this movie out.
Note: Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men/Angel) plays a 100+ character, trapped in the body of a 25 year old, and does so effortlessly. His eyes, mannerisms, and tone reflect that of someone whose age far exceeds their youthful exterior would let on. He turns in a great performance and I hope that he finally gets the recognition that he deserves as an actor.
If you, like me, loved the fact that they take old cars and retrofit them with new aged gadgetry (as symbolism of old things looking very new...like some of the people) then let me know.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

(DVD REVIEW) RED STATE

Kevin Smith is one of those folks that you love him if you like his work, you hate him if you don’t and others have no clue who he even is. Their loss. Silent Bob is awesome and Mallrats will forever be on my short list of favorite 90's movies (in part because of the Joey Lauren Adams changing room scene). So, when I heard that the opinionated and comedy driven Smith was doing a political/religious movie...I was hesitant. But halfway into the movie those fears were dispelled and I watched what would turn out to be one of my favorite Smith films to date.
Plot: When the ultraconservative religious cult, Four Points Church, begins to make a name for itself as a no-nonsense political/religious group, the state begins to take notice. When they become the center of a media storm that involves the whereabouts or deaths of missing homosexuals and "sexual deviants" it attracts the attention of the DEA. When their worst fears are confirmed, and the group is confirmed to have guns, ammo, hostages, and the notion that they are doing the work of God....they become a huge threat. This all ends in a bloody standoff, but to what end?
Thoughts? The movie handles some serious subject matter and gives a glimpse into the world of fanatical groups. It maintains that "Smith-ism" that many have come to love, but offers a different side that nonfans should also enjoy. I say check it out.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

(DVD REVIEW) EVERYTHING MUST GO

I have a soft spot for people that branch out and try new things. People that aspire to be more than they are and refuse to be pigeonholed into being a specific person or thing. This is especially true for comedic actors. It's EXTREMELY HARD for them to ever get past the slap stick of their past work and move on to more serious subject matter. Movies like The Majestic, which was a good movie, FAILED because people wanted to see Jim Carrey talk out of his butt and make stupid faces. He has moved on to some more serious roles, but that first outing slapped him in the face pretty hard. Unfortunately that is the same thing that happened to Will Ferrell in this movie. It was a fine enough movie, but I don't think that people gave it enough credit because they were expecting him to break out into a Spartan Cheer.

Nick (Ferrell) gets fired from his job one day, comes home, and finds that he has also been fired from his marriage. All of his stuff is on the front lawn, his wife is gone, and the doors are locked. He calmly goes to get beer and decides to wait this out on the front lawn in his chair. The problem with him drinking beer is that he is an alcoholic that is in the 12 step program. When his sponsor, and also a cop, comes to tell him that he has to get his stuff off the lawn or he will get arrested, they find a loophole that says a yard sale can legally be held for 3 consecutive days. So, with the help of a neighborhood kid, and his next door neighbor, he has to find a way to piece his life back together in 3 days. But friends are fickle and sometimes that can lead to betrayal...even from those that we least expect it from.

This movie was actually pretty interesting. Seeing Ferrell do a movie like this was like watching a baby deer being born. You know that it is not going to jump up and sprint like a buck can, but that doesn't stop it from popping up as quickly as possible and giving it a shot. Ferrell CAN evolve into a more serious actor if his fans will let him...the only question is if that will ever happen. Until it does, I will always have a fever...and the only cure for that fever is more cow bell. Check it out if you are looking for a more dry comedy and seeing someone expand their range a bit. If you are looking for slapstick and "zingers"...pass.

NOTE: Am I the only person in the world that thinks Ferrell would be a perfect actor to play a serial killer?

(DVD REVIEW) WIN WIN

Paul Giamatti is the cinnamon of the acting world. Like with cooking, every time someone says "This is good. What's in it?" the chef will almost always say "Cinnamon". Same thing with movies. If there is a really good movie that sticks out to you and you have to call on the one thing that made it great for you...Paul Giamatti is your best bet.

Plot: Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty (Giamatti), who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy's mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything. Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures 

This movie has lots of heart and turns out to be a film that I really enjoyed. Giamatti is, as always, great. Bobby Cannavale (Will and Grace) and Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) are fantastic as assistant coaches/friends. In the end, the movie works well and is a great indie film for the weekend. Rent it.

Monday, October 24, 2011

(MOVIE REVIEW) Real Steel packs a hell of a punch

I asked my lovely wife to pick up dinner one night. She comes home with frozen pizza. We cook it, anxiously awaiting its saucy goodness, and then something wonderful happens. Cheese oozes out of the crust. That’s right folks. Ol' Stephanie surprised me with a stuffed crust. It was a good night in the Jenkins household. That is what this movie is like...stuffed crust pizza. Go in expecting something "ordinary" and end up with a little something extra.

Plot: When down on his luck ex-boxer, Charlie (Jackman), hits rock bottom, he feels like he is completely lost with no chance of finding his way. When he is approached and told that he has a son that he must now care for, Max (Goyo), he sees his opportunity to get out of the rut and get caught up with all of the people that he owes. So, being a scumbag, he tells the boy's uncle that he will let them adopt Max for $100K, and that he will keep him during the summer to allow them to prepare. When the deal is made, Charlie takes the boy and they hit the road to make money on the robot boxing circuit. When Charlie and Max raid a scrap yard for parts to build a new robot, Max finds a whole robot named Atom that was built to spar, but they modify to fight. With Atom in tow, the two set out to conquer the world. But "the world" is not so easily conquered and fights back in ways that Charlie and Max were never ready for. In the end, Charlie has to make a decision....roll over and take it, or fight back.

I REALLY expected this movie to be a one dimensional glorified Rock Em Sock Em Robots rip off. But there are moments in the movie that are REALLY good. Jackman is great, Goyo is awesome as Charlie's son, Max, and Atom actually makes you somewhat care for a Robot that is just a bucket of bolts with no chance of ever being anything more than just that. All in all, a really solid movie.

Worth the admission? Does Atom dance his way to the ring? For those that read this before you watch it, yes, he does. The movie is good. Great job by all involved. Not going to win an Oscar or anything, but very fun and touching movie.

(MOVIE REVIEW) Paranormal Activity 3 delivers on the scares, but fails on story

Have you ever gone to a new restaurant and ended up having a really good dinner that just hit the spot? So, the natural reaction is to want to go back for seconds. So you come back again and, as if by some miracle, it somehow turns out better the second time. Then you are hooked. So, when someone recommends that you go back a third time you, without question, jump at the idea of going. You sit down, you await the main course, and then you are completely and utterly disappointed. That is how I felt by the end credits of this movie.

Plot: As a prequel to the previous two films, this movie tells the story of how Katie and Kristi (the female stars of the first two films) first came into contact with a paranormal presence.  When young Kristi begins to talk about her imaginary friend, "Toby", their mother Julie (Bittner) and mother's boyfriend Dennis (Smith) begin to wonder what is really going on with the child. When Dennis decides to set up multiple cameras to try to capture the disturbances, the young family sees more than what they bargain for. As the people and the specter play "cat and mouse", the family tries to find a way to survive the chaos. They must be careful, because some people are not always what they seem….and that can be deadly.

I love movies like this. You have a scary movie that is pretty popular, so you end up with a packed theater full of people that are sitting in a state of heightened anticipation. Every time something bumps, everyone reacts…and THAT is what makes everyone in the room jump. This movie is pretty heavy on the scares. I had a big indention in my hand from where my wife was squeezing it so hard. The thing that bothers me is that a few parts of the movie that seem to contradict the original films and paints a much different picture than what I expected. The second installment to the franchise was a masterpiece compared to this. Where the second film helped to build the story of the first movie, this film seems to contradict the original. In one of the first films, Katie mentions that things from their childhood almost “drove her mother crazy” yet in this film we see that there is no way they could come to this conclusion AFTER the events of this movie. My concern is that they have gone the route of SAW. Crank out as many as you can and forget the story line. That is a shame.

Worth the admission? Yes (lower case "y"). It’s a good scare, but I deduct points for sloppy writing, lack of story cohesion and, to be honest, a pretty poor ending.

NOTE: Another thing that REALLY makes me mad, is that you can tell that they were going to incorporate "Bloody Mary" into the story as something else that the kids contacted, but it looks like it was edited out and changed. On that same note, HALF of the previews that you have seen include footage that is not even in the movie.

Friday, October 21, 2011

(DVD REVIEW) Nothing in the world can tame a Crazy Heart

Plot: Fizzling country music singer, Bad Blake, has seen too much of the road. He is a honky tonk playing alcoholic that has spent half his life on tour and spent more than half his life drunk. When a young lady interviews him, he falls in love...and so does she. But when his "outlaw" way get the better of him, and the reality of what and who he is becomes too real, the couple must figure out if the relationship can stand it...our if it even SHOULD.


Thoughts:
I really liked this movie. I'm a sucker for "country singer" films and this was a good one. Something about that lifestyle has always appealed to me. Being free, being on the road, going from one town to the next. It's inspiring to imagine anyone being that free, even when they are not free from their vices. Bridges is one of those actors that I have underestimated in the past. I shouldn't. I know. But I never think of him as one of the "greats" but I absolutely fell in love with his character in this movie and it was ALL because of the way he played the part. Very cool movie. Rent it if you get a chance.

George Lucas could learn a thing or two about prequels from The Thing (2011)

Usually I rant about prequels and remakes. Why? Because they are PROOF that Hollywood has given up. No more originality. No more innovation. Just regurgitated stories and twists that we have already seen but with a new cast in the roles. That, my loving readers, makes me sick. I can tolerate the Star Wars Prequels just fine, because I was never a huge Star Wars fan, but the thought that special effects and innovation are the same is when Lucas drops the ball with the franchise. Luckily, Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. knows how to pick up the prequel “dropped ball” and run with it. The way he delicately handles the new material while weaving in set ups for the original film is something that most Hollywood “visionaries” should take note of.
Plot: When archeologist Kate Lloyd (Winstead) is hired to go to a site to help with an excavation, she is thrilled to take on the adventure. When that adventure turns out to be that an alien spacecraft has been discovered and the thing (get it? The THING?) that she is in charge of excavating is the frozen remains of the ships inhabitant, her position quickly changes from that of thrilled to that of cautious. After the remains are successfully removed, another scientist insist on taking a sample from the creature-sicle (TM pending) and confirming that it is, in fact, alien. The only problem is that this somehow brings the being out of its state of hibernation and it breaks free. After it is realized that this creature can replicate the cells of anything that it consumes, Kate’s position changes once again….to paranoia. Kate is convinced that this creature has replicated a person in the camp. When her fears are confirmed Kate must find a way to survive the horror that she has found herself surrounded by.
Worth the admission? It really is. Like I said above, I am overly cautious of movies that play off of original material, but when I realized that this was a prequel and not a remake, I was all on board. The prequel sets a few things in place that can actually be seen in the original film (such as an axe that is left in this film that is visible in the wall in the original) as well as using a lot of the same lighting techniques (making flashlights cause the same “blue flare” when the shine on the camera). All in all, one of the better prequels that you could hope to see.
If you picked up on anything else that joins the two movies together, like the ending scene from this film and the opening scene from the original, let me know at .
Note: Again. Do not let the fact that this movie and the original share the same name bother you. It is not a remake. Now go watch it!


Friday, October 14, 2011

(TV REVIEW) Zooey Deschanel proves that it’s not always a bad thing to be the New Girl

The Deschanel sisters. Not quite as cute as the Olsen sisters once were and not quite as famous as the Hilton sisters. But give them time. They are a force to be reckoned with. With Emily slaying her Fox time slot with Bones (co staring David Boreanaz) and Zooey having one of the best rated new shows of the 2011 lineup, they prove that there is nothing that they can’t conquer. But is too much Deschanel a good thing or bad?
Plot: Young and in love Jess (Deschanel) comes home early one day to surprise her boyfriend with a naughty surprise. When the real naughty surprise turns out to be that she catches her boyfriend cheating with another woman and she is left devastated. After answering an ad for 3 people that are looking for a roommate, she finds herself spilling her guts about her issues to her new would-be male roommates. They are reluctant to accept her as a roommate at first, but once she lets it slip that her friends are of model quality…they jump. It’s no time at all before the roommates all become friends and accept Jess into the fold as one of their own. However, each roommate is just quirky enough to cause a bit of conflict at all times with the other roommates. And with Jess being Queen Quirky, the 4 new friends are in a constant state of hilarious conflict.
Worth a watch? Absolutely. This show was slow in the first episode but really had me by episode number two. Deschanel is falsely identified by some critics as awkward, but I see her and her character portrayal as more “quirky” than anything. Awkward is when the characters try to make people laugh by making them uncomfortable, like when I challenge random people to staring contest for no reason at all. Quirky comedy is when they go to extreme measures to show how much of an individual a character is by showing the many things that set them apart from the flock while also making them likeable and funny. This is what the character of Jess is all about…and Zooey plays it perfectly.
Other characters on the show consist of a potential love interest for Jess in the form of heartbroken Nick (Johnson), player want to be, Schmidt (Greenfield), and ex-athlete Winston (Morris). All the characters/actors have great chemistry and produce some truly funny moments (example of this is Schmidt punching someone and saying “you got some Schmidt on your face”). Do yourself a favor and check it out. You won’t regret it!
One thing that I didn’t like was the replacement of Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) with Winston (Morris) in the second episode. Not because of the character of Winston being unlikeable, more because Coach was just a perfect fit in the dynamic and Wayans played him perfectly. Let me know if you agree

(MOVIE REVIEW) Don’t let the misleading trailer fool you. Dream House is worth a watch.

Trailers. They can make or break a movie. They are also tornado magnets when assembled into a “trailer lot”, but that is another type of trailer. In regards to movies you would think that the geniuses in Hollywood would have figured out at some point that a good trailer means a better opening weekend, better word of mouth, and things like that. So, why would you make a movie look like something that it is not? This technique that they used actually almost made me NOT watch this movie, but I decided to give it a try. Turns out there is a lot more to this movie than what the trailer would suggest.
Plot: Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) is getting out of the grind. After years of being a well respected editor he is leaving his job to have more time with his wife and kids. They have purchased a new house that they intend to fix up in their spare time while Will writes his book. The night of celebration, after he tells his wife about his quitting, is cut short when one of his daughters claims to have seen someone outside of the window. Will dismisses this at first but becomes concerned when more and more incidents begin to happen. When the family discovers that a previous family died in that house, Will begins to dig deeper into the past. He finds that a brutal murder had taken place and he begins looking for information on the sole survivor of this gruesome murder, a man named Peter Ward. When his sleuthing leads him to a mental institution he is shown video footage of Peter Ward….and it appears to be Will in the video. When his world is turned upside down, Will must find a way to make sense of the madness, find out who is stalking his family, and find out what really happened in the Peter Ward Slaughter House.
If the above plot sounds a little confusing, don’t worry. It is. But it is confusing in a really good way. My earlier gripe was that the trailer tried to paint this movie as some overly supernatural thriller. That is not what it is at all. This movie is equal parts A Beautiful Mind and Memento. A great psychological thriller with more turns than a doorknob. It’s smart, well directed and well acted.
Worth the admission? YES. Forget what the trailer showed you and go watch this. Daniel Craig is great, Rachel Weisz is great, and the movie is shot beautifully.
Note: The only thing that I don’t agree with, and you will understand after seeing it, is that Craig is still in James Bond shape. They try to convince you that someone is a highly stressed editor with little/no time to see his family….but he has time to stop at Bally’s? Let me know if you agree