Archive for October, 2010

Get Him to the Greek

Posted by The Amateur Critics Guild on October 28, 2010

Christopher’s Take

The venerable Aldous Snow is back! Done with Sarah Marshall and on to bigger and better things in his rockstar lifestyle, or at least it seems…

Aaron Green, played by Jonah Hill, who’s played in such notable and conflicting roles as  ‘Matthew the Waiter’ in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” is a spry, young lad with a twinkle in his eye and a good head on his shoulders. He’s got a steady girlfriend (Elizabeth Moss aka Peggy Olson from AMC’s “Mad Men”), a sweet pair of wheels, and a rising star at a record company. In a stroke of under-pressure genius, Green suggests long-time rock idol Snow perform in concert at LA’s Greek Theater to reignite his career and bring in boat loads of cash for boss Sergio Roma played by Sean ‘Puff Daddy P. Diddy’ Combs. Calamity and hilarity ensue…

“Get Him to the Greek” is funny. It invokes many short “haha’s” with a speckling of truly deep belly laughs. Snow’s rocker attitude and off-the-deep end lifestyle force Green to mediate and intervene, keeping him at a moderate level of sanity–not up here, not down here, but right here. As a greenhorn, he rarely succeeds in reining Snow’s alcohol, drug, sexual, and general partying desires often resulting in some level of barfing from Green himself–Snow is a pro.

Where “Greek” truly succeeds is in its extension of “Sarah Marshall” but not as a true sequel. The film suggests through subtle songs and quips it’s and Snow’s history, but is able to take the arguably most interesting character from the original and dive into his psychosis making for an interesting story arc. Yes, you see Snow as he was originally portrayed, but you also get a glimpse into his past and personal struggles which balance the comedic wrapper. It’s kind of like a chocolate covered pretzel. The saltiness makes the sweetness that much more pleasurable, and vice versa.

The other success of this film is with Diddy himself. A crazed boss that can’t help but stick his dick in your mind, he’s either red hot or calm as a cucumber. His rage causes Green stress pulled the other way by Snow’s inability to be normal, putting him in ‘uncomfortable’ positions ultimately entertaining you the viewer. One can’t help but believe this is how he and all record studio executives actually are.

“Get Him to the Greek” is an enjoyable watch that was one of the better films and comedies of 2010. If you haven’t seen it yet, it deserves a definite spot on the Netflix queue.

An aside brought to you by Christopher: It was brought to my attention by this very film that select movie studios are no releasing “rental” versions of their films, restricting the viewer to the theatrical release and no more…you’ll see what bonus features are available, you’ll see that there’s an extended/unrated version of the film, however you will not be able to access these features since you only paid to rent the video instead of buying it. Well you know what, the movie studios can go f*ck themselves in the a$% with a big rubber dildo. I don’t give a damn about the bonus features. I’m already paying for the right to watch the movie. As a legitimate customer and consumer, restricting my value is not a way to suck more money out of my wallet. If you as a studio don’t like piracy, then stop being a douche and treat your customers with some respect.

The Verdict:

Benjamin’s Take

Ah yes, the next installment of the Judd Apatow world with many of his favorite cast members. Now this is not a Judd Apatow directed movie, but it is produced by his company and therefore can be considered a part of the Apatow universe.

Get Him To The Greek follows the return of cinema’s resident rock star, Aldous Snow, who you will remember from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. However, Jonah Hill’s character is not the same from FSM. And no matter what you hear about this movie being this summer’s The Hangover…..well, they are mostly right. I found myself, much like The Hangover, crying with laughter. If it wasn’t the vast array of celebrities that continued to appear, it was Hill, Brand, or Sean Combs (a.k.a. Puffy, P. Diddy).

At this point, I’m almost certain that Aldous Snow is Russell Brand and not the other way around. He perfectly portrays every stereotype possible for a rock star but it doesn’t seem copied but unique. There was never a point where I thought character was broken or I was seeing anything other than Aldous Snow one of the greatest rockers ever.

Jonah Hill provides the quick wit that he always does, but Sean Combs is the real king of the screen here as he continued to steal the show whenever he was shown. Maybe he was making fun of himself or any other record mogul he has met, but it worked and worked well. He was over the top but it made perfect sense each time for the character and situation. Whatever you might have seen in the trailer for the movie, pales to what is shown on screen. I mean, he can even eat his own head.

Overall, I might have enjoyed The Hangover more, but I believe that GHTTG had the funnier single scene. The large “battle” in the Vegas hotel was hysterical from start to finish. Each time you thought it was going to end, a new bit is presented that cranks up the laughter even harder.

The Verdict:

Comments on this post | Published in Comedy

Jackass 3D

Posted by christopher on October 22, 2010

One sentence review: Dongs, doodie, and dudes…doing dastardly, dangerous deeds. Do it.

Full review: The boys men are back in the saddle for the third installment of the Jackass movie series (from two seasons of Jackass the TV series). Viewed in 3D because it was shot in 3D, or at least most of it, the opening and closing set pieces were truly epic feats highlighting the value of the now bustling movie technology. The true value of the 3D effects really shined in combination with the slow-motion takes and retakes used throughout the film. Fortunately and unfortunately these are limited to certain instances and for a vast majority of the film the 3D experience is somewhat lost—but when it hits, it hits hard!

On to the movie itself. Quite plainly, if you were not a fan of the TV show, Viva la Bam, or Jackass 1/2, then you will most certainly find this movie deplorable. The formula has not changed and nor should it: 30 second to 3 minute bits highlighting either pain, disgusting feats, or unknowing exploitation via hidden camera, repeated for 90 minutes is a definitive formula for [huge] success. Since there’s no plot, the only digging into the movie I could do would ruin the usually laughable stunts the crew pulls throughout the film. While some were better than others, as should be expected, there were two distinct instances where I was literally laughing to tears, both due to the reaction to pain and fear invoked in the unfortunate victim—hint, it was Ehren McGehehey—who had been or was about to be punished. His response actually conveys very well the pain and suffering everyone goes through, sacrificing their integrity and body for the enjoyment of the populous. I couldn’t be more thankful.

Jackass 3D is short, which is good, because there’s only so much one can take before getting bored. Again, the opening and closing and beautifully shot and in combination with the 3D really immerse the viewer into the moment while highlighting the comedic pain displaying on the screen. I do recommend folks stay through the credits as there was an actual sentimental—if you can believe it—homage to the entire crew who has entertained us since the birth of the series in the year 2000.

So should you see Jackass 3D? Definitely. Should you see it in 3D at the theater? Try and make some time…you could do worse.

The Verdict:

1 Comment on this post | Published in Action, Adventure & Epic, Comedy

Unforgiven

Posted by benjamin on October 21, 2010

One of my hidden loves is a good western, but I’m very selective in what I categorize as “good”. Just so that we are all on the same page, my short list includes the Man with No Name trilogy (A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly), Tombstone, and 3:10 To Yuma (remake). Well, it now seems that I have a new movie to add to that list with Unforgiven. Maybe the 4 Oscars (Picture, Supporting Actor, Director, and Film Editing) should have been a clear hint here.

As the movie progressed, I initially didn’t believe that I would enjoy it as much as I did. It was slow paced and I was left questioning just how good William Munny’s (Clint Eastwood) character once was and now is as a gun slinger. In my westerns, I like gun fights. I want confrontation. For those who are patient, the reward is worth the wait and the slow building has purpose as we are provided depth to the main cast of gun slingers. I must say that in all of the Eastwood movies that I have seen, William Munny is probably now my most terrifying of them all.

Clint Eastwood isn’t the only one that shines here, which is no surprise, because this film is littered with other notable names: Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, and Gene Hackman A list this large is usually saved for movies that fall apart but not this one. Every film needs a great villain and Gene Hackman does a great job in that role even though everyone in this film seems to be a “villain” at some point in their character’s lives. One of those notable performances is with Hackman as the town’s over protective sheriff. He was vile enough and the circumstances bad enough that, as a viewer, you are wanting Eastwood and Freeman to succeed in killing the two cowboys that started the whole mess. I even found myself accepting of Little Bill Daggett’s (Gene Hackman) clobbering of English Bob (Richard Harris) for a short period of time. I never thought I’d find Dumbledore revolting.

On my quest to complete my book of 501 Must-See Movies, I’ve now been able to knock another one from the list. So many more to go but so much more enjoyment to find.

The Verdict:

1 Comment on this post | Published in Drama, Western

Mansfield Park

Posted by will on October 19, 2010

Obviously, this was not exactly my ideal movie. At first, after reading the brief description that is imprinted on the Netflix sleeve, I more or less dismissed this as a period piece, perhaps along the lines of The Other Boleyn Girl, the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth, etc. But, y’know, when there are two parties with very differing cinematic tastes, where our cross-over in our Venn diagrams is itty-bitty, there are compromises.

Unlike our unfortunate yet brief taste of Much Ado About Nothing, Mansfield Park was somewhat a nice surprise. First, if you go in with the preconception I had, that being this is a dramatic, romantic “Mr. Darcy … Mr. Darcy …” type movie, well, you will be a little surprised. This is straight up your typical romantic comedy. Made even more apparent once our heroine, Fanny Price, begins to break the fourth wall early in the film.

Apparently loosely based on Jane Austen’s novel with the same name, the plot plods along as Fanny must decide between two lovers (that’s so 17th century) while fighting her own internal desires. It has the classic trappings of your modern-day rom-com without the fluff (dopey sidekick best-friends, animal scenarios, slapstick mishaps) which in some ways, is refreshing.

Thrown in are moral conflicts addressing the issue of slavery and plantation ownership, specifically in Antigua. Of course, our oh-so-wise star is against the issue and becomes aghast when she discovers her uncle and cousin’s improper conduct while abroad. The thing that irked me the most about this film was how everything was tied up in such a neat package. Especially when we were informed that the Lord Thomas dropped all of his interests abroad and invests in tobacco (who is going to be picking that tobacco?). While it wasn’t a major issue (think along the lines of a tertiary plot), and slavery was and still is a problem, to toss that out in such a dismissive way rubbed me the wrong way.

But, of course, you want to hear about the romancing, the passion, and the courtship. Well, all of that is old hat. If you have seen it in one movie, you have seen it all before. I find rom-coms rarely push borders but this one did give it a good shot.

If you want a slightly refreshing take on what is becoming in this modern era of movies, an old standard, then certainly give this movie a peak.

The Verdict:

Comments on this post | Published in Comedy, Romance

The Social Network

Posted by benjamin on October 17, 2010

The Social Network. The teaming of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin. Movie of the year? Well, I’ll get to that.

First things first, The Social Network was beautifully cast. From Eisenberg as Zuckerberg to Timberlake as Parker, I believed them all. Each brought something unique to the screen that made these real life characters even more…umm…real. I honestly thought that the real standout of the film would be from Eisenberg as he is a dead ringer, in my eyes, for Mark. However, the real shining light fell on Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker. The rock star quality that Timberlake brought to his role made the character come alive and easily pulled Zuckerberg along into forming Facebook into what it is today. Oscar worthy? I’m not so sure about that but let’s see what the rest of the year has to offer.

To say that the writing here was golden is just repetitive. It is Aaron Sorkin. You know. The same guy that brought you The West Wing, A Few Good Men, Sports Night, The American President, and of course, The West Wing. Its something about his fast paced, short dialog that just makes every sound smarter. Teaming Sorkin with Fincher takes the potential of this movie up a notch. Fincher is slowly growing on me even though at times I walk away from his films thinking they were good but not great. In The Social Network, Fincher seems to step back and let the writing excel as well as the performances of the young acting troupe that he has before him. I think it is also interesting that most of the shots of individuals are from the shoulders up. Was this designed to focus on the dialog or to mimic facebook style profile pics?

And since we have a great director and writer, let’s try to throw in someone who knows music to handle the soundtrack. Here we have Trent Reznor acting as the composer of the soundtrack instead of his typical writer, at least according to IMDb. The rock star quality of the sounds were definitely there but at times it was almost too much. I couldn’t decide if I was choosing to focus on it too much or if it was naturally too much.

Now, movie of the year? For me, not as much. It was a good film but nothing that blew me away or made me want to see it again and again. Many good parts that made up the film but many goods don’t make it great.

The Verdict:

2 Comments on this post | Published in Biopic, Drama