horrible bosses

So I saw 2011's horrible bosses starring well a lot of famous people. So is it good, well that depends on a few things. So if you are looking for a really well developed story well this movie is horrible. However, if you enjoy mindless comedy, this movie is worthy of best picture. This movie is hilarious. However, that is about it. So did I like it well yeah, but I am also a huge fan of this type of film when it is done right. This movie in some ways reminded me a lot of (what I consider to be the best stoner comedy of all time) "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle." In it three individuals, hate their bosses and want to kill them. So who are these individuals. Well my favorite is played by Charlie Day of one of the best sitcoms of all time, "it's always sunny in Philadelphia." He essential plays a smarter version of his character on that show, he even is a self proclaimed law expert in this movie. The second is played by Jason Batman who plays the same character he plays in every freakin' movie he is in for the most part. Hey Jason, you better ride that money train for as long as you can, because people are starting to get bored with the under appreciated executive you made famous in (another one of the best sitcoms of all time) "Arrested Development." Finally, the last killer in repose is played by Jason Sudeikis who plays an interesting character who is somehow competent and a good guy while being a very smarmy sex addict. The cast is rounded out by several greats all playing some really horrible bosses. We have Jennifer Aniston playing a Nympho dentist who is not afraid to sexually harass Charlie Day. This movie is worth seeing just for her alone and the chance to see her near naked body WOW! Then there is Colin Farrell who has the best comb over of all time, he is simply horrible, but in a good way. And then there is Kevin Spacey who is horrible but who is really over the top, which I didn't like. Finally there is I think a character played by.....well a cameo so if you don't know why spoil it (I know I was surprised). So this movie is basically character and joke driven. In this sense it is immensely successful, and should have very broad appeal. So go and just turn your brain off and laugh, oh and if you can manage to see it with the worlds most beautiful woman I highly recommend it.

paranormal activity

So I watched 2007's surprise hit "paranormal activity" starring two people I have never heard of before or since this movie came out. The stars are also the directors as this movie was shot on a single camera. The stars are Katie somebody and Micah somebody playing fictional couple Micah and Katie somebody. So in other words this movie isn't about the stars. So what is this movie about? Well let's not discuss plot but rather what this movie is. Well it is a horror movie of the best kind, minimal where the chills come from what we don't see. Often this fear of the unknown affects are own lives and I often prefer movies that reflect the heightened sense of fear we often display in the face of nothing to be afraid of. This movie is very similar in concept to "The Blair Witch project". Unknown actors are given a camera and immersed into a scary situation. However with this film there is a very structured plot and use of minor but highly effective special effects. The result is a movie which is very creepy. So I have waited to say whether it is good or not, well yeah it is good, and I think it could have been great. The ending is much like Blair witch, but unlike Blair Witch instead of just ending when the big horrible crescendo is reached, we are exposed to a coda which kind of ruined it for me. So it is good, it has broad appeal, and if you liked Blair witch you will probably like this movie. It is a really great flick, if unlike me you turn it off when you hear the final blood curdling screams. I know I wish had.

harry brown

So I watched 2010's Harry Brown starring two time academy award winner Michael Caine. So was it good I say, ehhh. It didn't suck and at times was very promising. So why ehhh. Well this movie had a really great start that didn't even factor into the rest of the movie other than to set the tone for the movie. I didn't need this very powerful scene to factor into anything, I kind of like that it didn't, but the movie slowly lost ground after that. So then there was the set up, for the rest of the flick, where we learn of Harry's marine service probably a good 50 years earlier. We never learn the extent of this service, because Harry won't talk about it, other than to say he gave all that up for his wife. Gave what up? Peeling potatoes or killing people with his thumb; I know I never got a sense of what rage this man was holding back all these years. And that was part of the problem we are supposed to just assume that Harry was just some sort of bad ass psycho killer or maybe an assassin. All we know is that after a series of events (if you watch I'll let it unfold for you), he decides to go all Charles Bronson in death wish on the local projects gang. Then we reach the end which has a surprise plot twist that as soon as it started to unfold became very very predictable. I believe it is called "Deus ex machina" and I just refereed to in another review (Adaption) (but for very different reasons). This movie could have been good but it is not, but if you like violent flicks you may like this for that reason and sadly not much else.

blue valentine

So I watched 2010's indy movie "blue valentine" starring two great indy actors Ryan Gossling and Michelle Williams (see my review of Wendy and Lucy). So was it good, well I say yes. The story is very basic in the sense that we see a couple at various stages of their relationship. The interesting part was how the story is put together. The story does not start at the beginning but rather jumps around as we see these individuals change and different things are revealed about their lives together. The acting in this film is really good, and Michelle Williams was honored with an academy award nomination for her work here. The film has a very indy look, it is not done with flash but rather the story and acting are what make this film. There are no clear villains in this film, no one who is truly to blame for why this relationship falls apart. We just see two different people who have chemistry but whose lives drift apart and change. So is this film for everyone, no this movie is for indy lovers and intellectuals. As I said there is nothing worthy of 3D here and no Angelina Jolie with her perfect boobs to grace the screen for the general viewing public to enjoy. However, I did enjoy this and thought it was great.

Adaptation

So I saw 2002's award winning Adaptation directed by the creative Spike Jonze and written by the even more creative Charlie Kaufman. So is it good, yes it is extremely good. This movie has one of the most creative plots I have ever seen in any movie. This is not surprising considering the writer (Charlie Kaufman) or should I say writers, as both him and his imaginary twin Donald were both nominated for the academy award for best adapted screen play (something they lost which in my estimation is one of the greatest crimes committed by Oscar). So I mention Donald Kaufman, who is not a real person, so how does he factor into the movie. Well that is just it, I don't know if Charlie was approached about adapting Susan Orlean's book, "the orchid thief" and had difficulty writing it and decided to fictionalize the non fiction book, or if he just came up with the concept, but he took a nonfiction book and made it a fantasy of sorts. That is where the imaginary Donald comes into play. The story revolves around Charlie as he becomes increasingly frustrated about writing the screenplay while his twin brother (Donald) takes a screen writing work shop, and knocks out a hit movie that is very superficial and "popcorn" in nature. This dichotomy which is part of the movie industry, where the artist wants to be true to his art, while the pressures of delivering a hit and the formulaic plots that often get movie scripts green lit is explored. Charlie is an artist and Donald maybe represents that part of Charlie that feels like selling out to make a good payday (something you can debate for yourself). This plays out while the real story of Orlean and her subject John Laroche (played by Chris Cooper who won best supporting actor) plays out at first in the background. The movie continues to follow Charlie as he becomes increasingly frustrated and Donald becomes increasingly successful. Then the movie takes a purposeful twist. The movie even tells us it is taking the twist. It announces the plot twist before it happens, calls it by name, deus ex machina, a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object. So it announces it and all of a sudden we find ourselves in a sex and drug filled thriller where the lives of Charlie, Donald, Laroche, and Orlean crash together both literally and figuratively. So this movie is crazy insane, brilliantly written, beyond original, and extremely well acted. So is this movie for everyone, well NO! This movie is for indy lovers and the more creative thinkers among us. If transformers is your favorite movie this might not be a flick for you. However, I simply adored it.

Despicable Me

So i watched 2010's CGI cartoon Despicable Me, starring, the not so great since 40 year old virgin, Steve Carell. This movie is not good plain and simple. The animation is solid, but that is all I can say that is positive about this film. This is not of the caliber of the toy story franchise or ratatouille. O.k so that being said am I this movies target audience, well no this is for little kids. And I would not doubt little kids will love this film. Will a lot of those kids grow up to watch it again someday when they are older and say "why did I like this?", yes I think the ones who got past the third grade will! Oh, and if you are an adult doing hallucinogens there are better movies to trip to, not that I would know anything about that, it's just a suggestion.

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

So I watched 1963's classic comedy "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", directed by the late great Stanley Kramer. This is the second review I have done of a Kramer film recently the other being "Judgment at Nuremberg." So is this movie truly a classic, I say hell yes! This movie is hilarious (the exact opposite of Nuremberg). The movie starts with a dying man telling a group of perfect strangers about the location where a large stash of cash is buried and the hilarity ensues. This movie has an ensemble cast, which includes several of the best comedians of the 60's including Jonathan Winters and Phil Silvers. This movie is also full of cameo appearances including a brief shot of the three stooges. This movie is just one laugh after another. It is perfectly acted, and the story allows the characters to get into crazy disasters one after the other, without seeming contrived. A very similar movie was made a few years ago called "rat race." However, this film is far superior though I did kind of like rat race, it's funny (not good but funny). This movie is not only good it is excellent and should be liked by a broad audience including kids. I would rank it among one of the best comedic films of all time.

3 women

So I watched 1977's dream flick "3 women", by the late great Robert Altman. This movie stars both Shelly Duvall and Sissy Spacek, both who won awards for their acting in this film. So is this movie good, yes if you like the surreal (which I do). Is it a classic, I say yes but of cult status only. This is not a mainstream movie. Even for Altman this movie is out there. This is not one of his typical dialog driven smart comedy. It is a flick about images, ideas, and things that are open for interpretation. Including the end which Altman himself said he was not quite sure he understood. The inspiration for this film was in fact a dream Altman had. This film starts out seemingly normal but slowly morphs into a dream, becoming stranger and stranger with each passing scene. I recommend this movie for indy lovers and art lovers. I am not sure many others would appreciate the rather intellectual high art concept of this film. Watching this movie with friends may be the best way to go, with the right group this film could inspire a deep philosophical and existential debate.