Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop is a cathartic and intriguing documentary with occasional laugh-out-loud moments. Before I get into the film itself, a little back story is in order...

In early 2010 TV personality and funny-man Conan O’Brian was given a large monetary settlement to leave The Tonight Show to let the dastardly Jay Leno take the show back in one of the most awkward and uncomfortably publicized TV “conflicts” I have ever seen or cared enough to pay attention to.  As a part of the settlement Conan agreed to not appear on television until September 2010. This documentary helps fill in the gap from Conan’s last appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show to his first appearance on TBS’s Conan. It is a behind-the-scenes documentary that shows the creative process of developing Conan's “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on TV Tour” and follows the tour itself. I had some fears that the documentary would be a pity-party PR stunt. My fears were allayed about five minutes into the film.

The film has no real narration and very few direct questions are posed by the filmmakers, which gives me the feeling of being a fly on the wall in rooms that people like me are not normally meant to go. The high level of honesty that comes across in this documentary is what makes it work. Conan goes through a catharsis and cameras are there to capture his gory rollercoaster of emotion. He seems to have an overwhelming compulsion to be “on” all the time. He says it himself in the documentary: "I'm like tinker-bell, without applause, I die." He never seems fully happy unless he is entertaining someone. One of the ways that Conan entertained television audiences was by being fairly self-deprecating on a night to night basis and that behavior does not go away in this documentary or on this tour. If anything, it branches out in the form of Conan treating the people around him like poop as well. Watching Conan be so talented, tired, irritable, irritating, angry, funny, mean, and driven all at the same time is truly mesmerizing. Conan is real. Conan is human. Conan has issues.

I am not convinced that you need to be a Conan fan to appreciate and enjoy Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, but it wouldn’t hurt.

Black Swan

Black Swan is predictable, creepy, and beautiful. There is an overwhelming sense of impending doom from the very first minute of the film. It falls in the category of films that you should probably be in the right mood to watch…

Ballet dancer Nina, Natalie Portman, is given the lead role in Swan Lake by the ballet director Thomas, Vincent Cassel. Thomas believes that she is perfect for the part of the gentle and graceful White Swan but he has reservations about whether or not she can pull off the seductive and sensual Black Swan. A slow mental breakdown ensues as Nina’s quest to perfect both parts of her role brings about envy, self-doubt, and paranoia. Nina is a mentally fragile woman from begin to end and she, of course, has mommy issues.

Portman is good at looking like she is about to cry during pretty much the entire film. She plays crazy well. Cassel expertly plays a talented and sexy sleaze-ball. And Barbara Hershey, who plays Nina’s over-protective and vindictive yet loving mother, steals the show. Everyone in the cast is an ideal fit in this well-directed film. Almost every piece of the film has clear intention behind it from the not-so-subtle use of the colors black and white to its slow but steady pacing. There is a lot to appreciate in Black Swan. It is obvious yet intense.

Attack the Block

Attack the Block is a tale of redemption. Well, that and a tale of a teen gang defending their block in South London from an alien attack. It may sound like kind of a silly story but the script and the execution of the story are impressive. Nothing really falls through the cracks. It is an impeccably written science fiction masterpiece. And it has more depth than I would have ever expected going into the film...

The characters in Attack the Block are well thought out and well developed. The main characters are young thugs who you are likely to despise at the beginning of the film, but after an alien falls from the sky feelings begin to change. These kids from the block become real humans for the audience. Their lines are clever, intelligent, and often just plain funny. By the end you cannot help but root for them to triumph. The story is told through amazing acting on the part of the young stars. The cast is exceptional. They are a remarkable ensemble of young actors with Nick Frost (from another recent alien related film, Paul) in the mix. First time film actor John Boyega gives a stellar performance as Moses the main character, who puts countless more-experienced young Hollywood actors to shame. And Jodie Whittaker is quite good as Sam, a mugging victim turned ally to the kids. She is just as unlikeable at the beginning of the film as the kids are, but she definitely grows on you. There are plenty of times throughout the film that it is easy to forget that she and the whole cast are, in fact, acting.

On top of all of those things, the film has great music, layout, and visuals. It is dark, in both appearance and in story line. The film is not weighed down with extensive or overwhelming CGI. The aliens, or big alien gorilla wolf monsters (as they should really be referred to), are intimidating and uncomplicated. The scenes are expertly and simply shot. And the pace of the film would have no problem pleasing even Goldilocks. All the pieces fit together. “Inner city vs outer space”...indeed. First time film director Joe Cornish has created a film that is engaging, thrilling, and strong. Attack the Block is a film that should not be overlooked.

Big

I cannot think of a better age-switching movie other than Big. (Yes, there are others.) I never let rationality or logic get in the way of the fact that I love this particular mainstream Hollywood film…

The film starts off with 13 year old Josh Baskin played by David Moscow living an average life in New Jersey. After not meeting the height requirement for an amusement park ride (and being embarrassed by that fact in front of the girl he likes), Josh makes a wish to be “big” on a creepy fortune telling machine. The next morning 13 year old Josh wakes up a grown man and is now played by Tom Hanks. His education, emotions, and experiences stay that of an adolescent but he is undoubtedly a man in his appearance. With the help of his 13 year old best friend Billy (Jared Rushton), Josh heads to New York City to figure out what to do and how to get his young life and body back.

There is something special about Big. It has had a lingering influence on me from the first time I saw it oh-so-many years ago. No, I did not want to have my body age 17 or so years in one night. I never wanted to lose my virginity to Elizabeth Perkins, nor did I want to live on my own in New York City at the age of 13. I did, however, want to have a trampoline and a soda machine in my large New York City loft. I did want to have a kick-ass job at a toy company. And I most certainly wanted to be able to openly spit out food that I don’t like at formal get-togethers.

I decided that after something like 20 years since the last time I saw Big that it was time to re-watch this film. I have to say, for me, this movie stands the test of time. I still love it. I cannot imagine that anyone could have played the adult Josh better than Tom Hanks. I love him in it. The movie itself is still fairly intelligent, funny, and inspiring. I mean, I still kinda want that trampoline…

Burlesque

Burlesque is an escapist musical-theater drama. It is made for people who love song, dance, and diversions from reality. The script is so very conventional and unoriginal that the ending can be seen from a mile a way. The main ingredients in the formulaic recipe of this film are: one small town girl Ali leaving for LA from her dismal midwestern life in search of stardom, one Burlesque club in LA in financial peril that is owned by former dancer Tess, and one engaged bartender Jack with a couch for Ali to sleep on. Mix these ingredients together and add in a pinch of jealousy among the dancing performers and a splash of cocky rich guy wanting to buy the club to turn it into a high-rise and you have yourself the mediocre plot of Burlesque. It does not take much to guess where the story will end up, especially if you have seen the preview to the film. Of course, if you have seen the preview then you know that there is more to this film than a horrible storyline. There are also the musical theater flavors to it: the singing and dancing. You'll hear no complaints from me on this front. Christina Aguilera (Ali) is a phenomenal singer/performer and her acting was surprisingly OK. And then there is Cher (Tess). Cher is almost a caricature of herself. She is a person who is larger than life. You can choose to look at her perfomance in Burlesque as stiff and phoned-in, but I prefer to look at it as subtle and heartfelt. Cher is amazing. Burlesque, on the other hand, is not so much amazing as it is 'blah.' It's almost so 'blah' that it is 'ah.' It's almost so bad that it is, in some weird guilty-pleasure way, good.

Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is the best Woody Allen comedy to come out in at least a decade. The opening sequence almost fooled me into thinking that the film was going to strictly be a love letter to Paris. But not long after Gil (Owen Wilson) is introduced I saw how this film is also a tribute to the arts, love, and passion. Gil, an American writer, is visiting Paris with his fiancée and her parents. These characters have an interesting and uncomfortable dynamic with one another. Yet this film is not so much about all of these characters together in Paris; it is really about the fantastical journeys Gil has while he is on his own in the city. Gil is something of a hopeless romantic who believes that past is where its at. His idea of the Golden Age of art, music, and literature are his inspiration for life. Wilson is the perfect person to play Gil, he is humorous and actually quite charming. He and the entire motley cast are a delightful ensemble. Midnight in Paris is a cute and utterly clever film. It is a crowd pleaser.

X-Men: First Class

X-Men: First Class has great special effects and plenty of pretty faces. I am both fairly satisfied and painfully disappointed by this prequel/reboot. It is somewhat effective as an origin story of the X-Men, but the film does a piss poor job at developing all of the characters, only two mutants shine in this film. The best story and character development is given to Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, played expertly by Michael Fassbender. He is likable and has clear motivation for his actions. He is perfectly cast; Fassbender is THE number one best thing about this film. The second best thing about the film is James McAvoy as Charles Xavier/Professor X. However, his story is not as well written. He is an uneven and less impressive character. Luckily, the movie does an acceptable job of showing the relationship between Magneto and Professor X. If the movie had just been about the two of them it could have been fantastic. Unfortunately, the rest of the mutants got a lot of screen time and were less engaging (i.e., January Jones as Emma Frost). They make it clear that the film makers tried to fit too much into X-Men: First Class. Overall, I cannot say that it is not a complete let down; but its shining moments are too few and far between.

Everything Must Go

Everything Must Go lulls you into its depressing and oddly uplifting story with its slow and steady pace. It is a well-made film about a few life-altering days of an alcoholic salesman named Nick (Will Ferrell). Ferrell has played serious roles before so it is no surprise that he is able to pull off such a dramatic self-destructive character. He plays a hollow man exceedingly well. He knocked it out of the park and yet he is almost out-shined by the young enigmatic bike-riding Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace). Kenny is a memorable and important part of the film. Kenny lightens the mood and Wallace plays the character expertly. All the characters in the film leave a lasting impression on Nick and he seems to do the same for them. And this film has the potential to leave a lasting impression on the viewer. Everything Must Go is a sad film filled with a lot meaningful human interactions...

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids has an impressive ensemble cast, however (and thankfully), the film is mainly about the character Annie played by Kristen Wiig. Annie is asked to be the maid of honor in her best friend's wedding and the movie follows her downward spiral after this honor is bestowed upon her. This film provides more evidence that Wiig is an intelligent and witty entertainer. She is the whole package. But for as superb as Wiig is, Melissa McCarthy, who plays Megan, is also a force to be reckoned with. She provides the perfect level of vulgarity and raunch in the most endearing and exquisite way. She is extremely bawdy and so is the film. The storyline of the film works fairly well. There is, of course, a bit of a love story which is awkward and sweet but by no means is that the reason to watch the film. The ridiculousness and one-liners make for a pleasing laugh-fest and for a highly quotable film. Bridesmaids is made for a much larger audience than the title suggests. It is a must see.

The Ghost Writer

The Ghost Writer is an artistically shot slow-moving thriller. In it a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) reluctantly takes on the job of redacting and finishing the memoirs of former UK Prime Minister Andrew Lang (Pierce Brosnan). The job came open when the previous ghost writer drowned under suspicious circumstances. A scandal breaks out shortly after the ghost flies to the US, where the Lang is residing. Mystery and intrigue ensue. The story itself is not as complex and twist-filled as one might expect from a political thriller; however, the way The Ghost Writer is filmed makes up for many of the flaws in the story. The colors in the film are muted both indoors and out, the music is soft and meandering, and the timing of events and subtle movements in the film all impeccably add to the tension and suspense. It almost goes without saying that The Ghost Writer feels like a tribute to Hitchcock, but I feel the need to say it since it is the main reason that I like the film. The film has an overwhelming sense of a black cloud looming overhead from beginning to end. It is, in fact, thrilling.

I Love You Phillip Morris

So, even though I am upset that I was only able to see the American edit of I Love You Phillip Morris, I am glad I at least got to see that...

I Love You Phillip Morris is an unusual movie...unusual in a good way. It is a TRUE story about con-man Steve Russell (Jim Carrey) finding the love of his life, Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), in prison. It is one of the the strangest and most hard-to-believe true stories that has been made into a film. Russell's character attempts and succeeds in multiple crazy schemes that seem like they would have to be completely fictitious. The cons that Russell pulls off and the things that he does make him both impressive and infuriating. Russell is a more complex character than I would expect to see Carrey play, but Carrey pulls the role off. It is refreshing. Plus he works exceptionally well with McGregor in this film. They are THE two biggest reasons to watch the unique and enigmatic I Love You Phillip Morris.

Easy A

I was not entirely interested in watching Easy A before I watched it. The last high school movie that I actually enjoyed was 10 Things I Hate About You and that movie came out in 1999. And before that the only good high school movies were from the 80s. I tend to set my expectations low for high school movies and it is a rare thing to have my expectations exceeded in this genre...

Easy A is an above-average high school comedy. It is a present day twist on The Scarlet Letter starring Emma Stone as Olive. And when I say starring, I mean it. Stone took the lead role by the horns. She is sassy and charismatic. The only problem with Stone being so great is that a person as intelligent and good looking as her character would never have been ignored in high school like her character is. There are plenty of clever things in the film that make it easy to look past any of the problems the story has. For instance, Easy A has boldly smart dialog and truly like-able characters. The two most notably like-able characters are Olive's parents, played by Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci. They are a bit out there yet quite endearing. The pièce de résistance, of course, is the many blatant references to, and the clips of, several 80s high school movies. They give it a multi-generational appeal, which is an impressive achievement. Easy A is quite entertaining; it exceeds expectations.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a unique comic book adaptation created to make you feel like you are in a living video game. It is the tale of Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) finding himself on an unusual quest to fight and KO the seven evil exes of Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the girl of his dreams. The pacing of the story is a bit uneven at times; however, the visuals and exaggerated action sequences make up for that. Edgar Wright has a cinematic approach that works well for this story. His stylization keeps it more interesting and engaging than Cera could have alone. And essentially the entire supporting cast of characters are fun, quirky, and do a terrific job of highlighting the depth of the story. All the pieces come together nicely in this film. On the whole Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a well executed fantasy-action-comedy.

Salt

For a high paced action flick, Salt is surprisingly boring. Angelina Jolie is just okay as the main character Evelyn Salt. She is a character that is easy to have an indifferent attitude toward. Salt the character is empty and so is Salt the movie. For the most part it is dull and depressing. The plot does have a few interesting, albeit predictable, twists but nothing about it knocks my socks off. The only thing I could find to like about Salt is how outlandish the stunts are. I do enjoy watching people pull off impossible feats, but I cannot say there is much else in Salt that is enjoyable.

Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory stars Ryan Reynolds as Frank, a control freak/efficiency expert, who uses lists and note cards to rule his life. When his wife changes the clocks in their house, it throws all of his plans out of whack and opens up a whole new unexpected and unplanned world for him. The events that take place bring out a new level of honesty in his life. For having a story line about chaos, this film is put together quite well. Reynolds shines in Chaos Theory. He does a fantastic job of convincing the audience that he is a man whose world has been flipped up-side-down and shaken all around. He is, quite frankly, the best thing about the film. The other characters were certainly necessary but I didn't find any of them extremely impressive. I maybe would like to have seen the note cards get a little more screen time though. Overall, it is a serious, humorous, and intriguing film.

Your Highness

Your Highness woulda, coulda, shoulda been a silly, slightly bawdy, and extremely entertaining fantasy/comedy. But even with so many big name actors and such a talented director this movie found a way to disappoint. It seemed as though Your Highness was written on a roll of toilet paper after eating a digestively challenging meal. If the writing hadn't been so horrible the story might have been something worth watching. The movie is set in medieval times and tells the story of two princes on a quest to save a maiden from an evil wizard. Thadeous (Danny McBride) is the younger brother and main character in the film. He plays a lazy, arrogant miscreant of a prince who is jealous of his older close-to-perfect brother Fabious (James Franco). It was hard to find any redeeming qualities in Thadeous. In fact, very early on in the film I found myself hoping for the demise of his character and the ultimate redemption of the much more sympathetic character and bad guy, the wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux). The warrior, Isabel (Natalie Portman) was the best part of the film, but for as beguiling as it was hearing her say such disturbingly brutal lines, that novelty was not enough to make me like Your Highness. I hoped that I wouldn't end up hating this movie, but once the severed genitalia became a necklace all hope was lost.

Wristcutters: A Love Story

Wristcutters: A Love Story is an awfully optimistic film about suicide. I think that it almost goes with out saying that a film set in a limbo world where people go after they kill themselves is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Wristcutters has an interesting and unique take on the afterlife. It is not as far out there or depressing as the subject matter would suggest. The main characters in the film are essentially on a road trip of self-discovery. Even though the dead characters are not able to smile, they still seem hopeful and positive. The dreary and washed out colors and the slow pacing of the film gives you time to sit there and wonder how the characters can be so lively when they are dead. Wristcutters is artfully filmed and yet kind of silly. For as quirky as the film feels, there are many scenes that are fairly conventional. My favorite thing about this film and the reason that I gave this film a chance is the dust-bunny on the floor in the opening scene. The dust-bunny provides some enjoyable dark humor. And I enjoyed Wristcutters; it is both familiar and different.

Gamer

Gamer is non-stop bat-out-of hell madness. It is a load of straightforward action, bloodshed, and sexual content. The story is not very deep and there is not a whole lot of character development. It is hard not to think of the Running Man or Death Race while watching Gamer, but it is fair to say that Gamer is its own movie. The cast of the film is impressive, as is the cinematography. Michael C Hall, Terry Crews, Ludacris, and Kyra Sedgwick are all fun to watch even if they do not have the best writing to work with. And Gerard Butler does not disappoint in the lead role. I cannot say the same thing about the movie as a whole. I find it rather disappointing. Gamer tries too hard. It is a prime example of over-the-top puerile entertainment that has a lot of potential to offend.

Planet 51

Planet 51 is an average childrens movie. It has both positive and negative aspects to it. The film is about a planet of green people living in their own version of 1950s America being visited by an alien in the form of an American astronaut. This premise is pretty fantastic. The crisp animation, the right choice of music, and the homage paid to other films are all terrific things. Casting Gary Oldman as the voice of the military general is a stroke of genius. But then the writing is glaringly weak. Most of the characters are not developed enough to be very interesting. The humor is not well balanced with the serious side of the story. And most of the jokes are not terribly funny. Planet 51 provides reasons to not hate it and reasons to not love it, so I ended up only sort of liking it.

From Paris with Love

From Paris with Love is a bit of a wild ride. The film is well shot and the action is well choreographed. But the story starts off boring and lacking clarity. It becomes fairly engaging once you get past the first 15-20 slow moving minutes that focus on Jonathan Rhys Meyers character, James Reece. The film takes off when Charlie Wax, played by John Travolta, is introduced to partner up with Reece. They are to work together in an effort to thwart a terrorist attack in Paris. Reece becomes a more interesting character under the influence of Wax. Wax is a take-no-prisoners sort of super spy. It is stupid how good he is at what he does. And mostly what he does is kill bad guys. Travolta is fantastic as Charlie Wax. He delivers his cocky, ridiculous lines extraordinarily well. He is quite charismatic. Travolta makes From Paris with Love worth your time if you are in the mood for an over the top, high body count movie that does not neglect to throw in a Royale with Cheese/Pulp Fiction reference.

The Wood

The Wood is fair buddy movie. It is about three long-time friends, Mike, Roland, & Slim, reminiscing about their younger days to help deal with Roland's wedding day cold-feet. The Wood serves up a good amount of funny, an acceptable amount of foul language, and a great amount of heart. However, it is jam packed with an excessive amount of flashbacks. The movie spent so much time in the past that it was hard to get invested in the adult versions of the main characters. For the most part, the flashbacks were cute, full of adolescent madness including the ever popular how are we gonna get laid bet, and had a very 80s feel to them but the sheer volume of the flashbacks weighed the movie down. This movie does an adequate job of placing itself within the myriad of other films that are essentially just like it, except in this one you get to see Taye Diggs naked behind. Overall, The Wood is not a bad film.

Grown Ups

Grown Ups has a talented and funny cast. Yet based on the performances in this movie it is difficult to remember that these actors are, in fact, talented and funny. None of the characters are well-developed and the plot is flimsy. The movie lacks both a good story and good comedy. It is great that Adam Sandler likes his friends and enjoys hanging out with them; however, I'm not sure why that had to be done under the guise of making a movie. The best thing about Grown Ups is Maya Rudolf. She is a lone beautiful flower growing out of a large expensive pile of manure. I wanted so much to like this movie but I just couldn't. It is lazy and unfunny.

Nothing Like the Holidays

Nothing Like the Holidays is a holiday dramedy about a Puerto Rican family from Chicago. The film tells the story of three grown children all coming home to visit their parents for Christmas. The family is tight-knit, dysfunctional, and likeable, which is what I have come to expect from family holiday films. However, what makes this film exceed my expectations is that it does not overload the story with too much corny sentimentalism or cutesy comedy. Instead, it has a minimal (or a satisfactory) amount of cornball moments and devastating moments. Nothing Like the Holidays is simple and straightforward with a nice sprinkling of complexity. It is a clever holiday film with a lot of heart and a great cast.

White Christmas

White Christmas brings back warm, fuzzy childhood memories every time I watch it. It is one of my favorite movies to watch when the weather outside is frightful and when the fire is so delightful...

It may not be a cinematic masterpiece but that doesn't matter. I find it terribly entertaining anyway. The songs are fantastic and the story is multi-faceted. White Christmas found a wonderful way to mix a military story, a love story, and a Christmas story in one nice little package. A package that includes Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby lipsynching while dressed in partial drag AND Rosemary Clooney singing song after magical song. These things make me happy. I refuse to let a December go by without watching White Christmas at least once. To me this one is worth watching.

Funny People

Funny People is a drama starring comedians. It is full of laughs, sentiment, and swearing. Celebrity comedian cameos abound in this film, the best one being Paul Reiser. It is fair to say that Funny People lets you in on what life can be like for aspiring and professional comedians, and that aspect of it is thoroughly enjoyable. The movie could have stayed entirely enjoyable if it didn't waste so much time with the Leslie Mann and Eric Bana storyline. Mann and Bana give fine performances, but Eric Bana's character is unnecessary. Putting all side plots and characters aside, Adam Sandler plays his depressed, callous, and dying of cancer character well. He is not a likeable character. Then there is Seth Rogen. Rogen is fantastic; he plays the most likeable character he's played since he was in Freaks and Geeks. He is the real star of the movie. Funny People as a whole may not quite hit the mark, but Seth Rogen sure does.

Red Sonja

Red Sonja is sort of the red-headed step-sister of the Conan films. This is not a movie that was made to win any awards and is not a movie that should be taken too seriously. It is a B-movie that fits into a slew of different genres from Fantasy to Action/Adventure to Romance. It has plenty of sword play as well as arduous and poorly delivered dialogue. The movie has a female lead played by Brigitte Nielsen, a female bad guy, AND it has Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold plays Kalidor and although he has a large part in the film, this is really Nielsen's movie. Her character, Red Sonja, joins forces with unlikely allies to achieve their separate goals. Red Sonja is on a journey of revenge. Kalidor is on a journey of duty. Prince Tarn (Ernie Reyes, Jr.) is on a journey to be crowned the most annoying character in the entire film. And they all have pretty successful journeys. Red Sonja is like a pet that is so ugly that your brain is tricked into thinking it is cute. I love this cute movie.

Big Business

I have a soft spot for quite a few silly movies from the 80s and Big Business is one of those movies...

It is one of the most charming movies to have come out in the 80s. It's a bit ridiculous, but that is what makes it great. The film takes a comedic view of nature versus nurture by splitting up two sets of twins and putting them back together in a mix matched fashion. Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin each play two twin roles which certainly does double the pleasure. They are both fun to watch. And Fred Ward's character is quite loveable; he's hard not to like and appreciate. Big Business is a wholesome movie that leaves you feeling happy.

Role Models

The characters and minutia of Role Models are what make this formulaic movie entertaining, playful and novel. You can tell that it will have a happy ending of sorts but you don't know exactly how it will get there. Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott play energy drink reps turned 'Big Brothers' after a little run in with the law in this consistently amusing and witty movie. The kids they end up mentoring are difficult to say the least but all the characters work well together. It isn't a completely ludicrous film; it is actually pretty believable to a point. You get to know the characters better than you would in most other comedies like this and yet the film doesn't ever take itself too seriously. All the actors in this film are a delight to watch but it was Rudd that ultimately made the movie for me. Role Models exceeded my expectations; it's funny.

Speed

Speed makes you eat your popcorn with a quickness. The story line is a simple, but not too simple to be all together boring. After his first extortion attempt is thwarted by two LAPD cops (Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels), a crazy bomber (Dennis Hopper) slaps a bomb under a city bus in order to demand a very specific amount of money from the city. The trick is that the bus can't go under 50 miles an hour or it will explode. Oh my! The movie doesn't have much character development but you don't need that to appreciate the characters. It is certainly not hard to appreciate Sandra Bullock in this movie. She plays the character that has to drive the speeding death tube. She's adorable and quite possibly the most believable character in the film. In fact, other than Bullock there is not much about this movie that is believable; that's what is great about it though. It's the perfect movie to watch when you want to tune out the real world and give your mind a break. It's thrilling, intense, exciting and extremely hard to believe. Speed is worth watching.

The Wedding Singer

The Wedding Singer is a candy-coated romantic comedy that simultaneously recreates and pokes fun at the 80s in a loving and nostalgic way. This movie is sickeningly sweet with a hint of sour mixed in. It is the sort of movie that teeters on the edge of being a love-it or hate-it film for me. And I fell on the love-it side. The plot of the movie is sappy and pretty darn predictable. Julia, the waitress played by Drew Barrymore, and Robbie, the wedding singer played by Adam Sandler, are a match made in rom-com heaven. The chemistry between Barrymore and Sandler is palpable. They are perfectly cast and it is enjoyable to see them in a film that is so simple and unpretentious. The Wedding Singer has just the right amount of almost endless 80s music and vibrantly colored clothing and settings. And the movie is jam packed with popular culture references that it almost did not need the appearance of a DeLorean. But it IS a DeLorean, so why not? The Wedding Singer does its job well; it is entertaining and worthy of more than one viewing.

Good Dick

The trailer for Good Dick is thoroughly enjoyable and makes the movie look pretty great. The film, on the other hand, falls short on so many levels. The premise is an unlikely one. Most of the movie is awkward, confusing, and off-putting; and I’m not even talking about the porn addiction aspect of it. I’m referring to the creepy lead characters played by Palka and Ritter. The film is trying too hard to be quirky and shocking and then the ending, if you make it that far, is ever so predictable. Plenty of people will certainly like this film. Me? I just liked the preview.

Smoke Signals

Smoke Signals is a prime example of how a great movie can be made on a low budget. I could just simply describe Smoke Signals as the story of two young Native American men, Victor and Thomas, setting out on a road trip from Idaho to Arizona to bring the ashes of Victor's father home. However, it is much more than that. Smoke Signals is a film with an enthralling and complicated story. It has a good sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic. The personalities of the two main characters, Victor and Thomas, are mirrored in the ever-changing tone of Smoke Signals. Victor (Adam Beach) is often sullen, bitter, and quiet; while Thomas (Evan Adams) is usually happy-go-lucky, kindhearted, and loquacious. This movie touches on almost the whole range of human emotion. Every time I see this film I am engrossed by it. I could watch this film once a month and never get tired of it or stop loving it. In fact, I find something new to love about it with every viewing. Smoke Signals always leaves me happy, hungry for fry bread, and singing about John Wayne's teeth.

Curious George

I have been a fan of the Curious George books by Margret and H.A. Rey for so long. They were my favorite childhood reading materials and bring back many fond memories. I was concerned that when they decided to make a Curious George movie that it would be a complete bastardization of the MY George. Therefore, I'm surprised to be saying this but when it comes to the Curious George movie...I loved it!

It is a tall order to fill and not just for me. Curious George is one of the most popular children's stories of the past 60 years. George and his world are altered to make the film more modern and marketable but the film makers are able to do it without corrupting its virtue. The man in the yellow hat gets a name and quite a personality. He is voiced by Will Ferrell and his name is Ted. Ted and George meet in the jungle and George follows "Ted" to the city. George leaves the jungle because...well...he is curious. It's adorable, touching & sweet. The film has an old fashioned feel to it. It's very 2D and that adds to the innocence. George is drawn slightly different from the books but his new look makes him even cuter then I thought was possible. Jack Johnson is responsible for the soundtrack. His voice and his style were the perfect choice. The credits even have original drawings of George throughout them. All I can do is gush about this movie. It's uncomplicated and filled with so much innocence. It is perfect for kids and adults who never stopped loving George. I am not convinced that Disney would be able to make a children's film of this caliber, so I am glad that someone else was behind this film. It's clean, unoffensive, unobjectionable, and untainted...