2009 Review #22: Funny People

Funny People

Storyline:

When seasoned comedian George Simmons learns of his terminal, inoperable health condition, his desire to form a genuine friendship cause him to take a relatively green performer under his wing as his opening act.

Rated R

2 hours 16 minutes

Critics Grade:

B-

My Grade:

A-

Starring:

Adam Sandler

Seth Rogen

Leslie Mann

Eric Bana

I'm going to tell you right off the bat that I'm not typically a big supporter of the Judd Apatow films, because I'm not into raunchy, sex related humor. This is this kind of humor we had with 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Those films were essentially about sex or had a story that centered around a group of people who talk about sex and have lots of it. Not to mention tons of a drug humor which I also don't find all that funny. Don't get me wrong, I found both of those films to be "funny" but not movies I care for or could really ever watch again or even recommend to a lot of my friends/family. Funny People is not a movie about any of those things. Funny people isn't really even about funny people, as it is about people who are lost in life and have no real connection to anything meaningful. Funny People, in my opinion, is an excellent movie and my favorite Apatow creation as well as Adam Sandlers best work.

The trailer is quite misleading as well. It makes you believe this is another laugh a minute comedy, but it is not. This is almost a depressing, sad movie. In Knocked Up and 40 Year Old Virgin, the humor was essentially the center of the film and those movies relied on constant jokes to keep the audience entertained and the storylines sort of took a hit because of that. Here we actually have a really well told story that has some deep meaning. It's about a famous stand up comic/movie star who is dying and realizes, even with all the money he has, he has nothing special in his life. No friends, no romantic interest, he's grown apart from his family. He realized that money does not equal happiness. He struggles to admit he's in any emotional pain, and he just jokes and laughs it off. Much like a lot of us in the real world. I know I do that sometimes. He hires a up and coming comic to write jokes for him and he can't even admit that he considers him a friend. He tries to re-connect with an old flame who's married with kids, but I won't say how that turns out.

Personally, I thought this film's story was pretty darn grounded to real life. I thought the story is something that actually could be happening right now in the world. The actions of the characters really aren't that far fetched, and I also thought these people came off as very authentic. They really showed their inner struggles well and I could even vaguely relate to some of these guys. The story was moving at times, and I know that probably sounds weird. It wasn't just about the big laugh, it was about these people and you have to feel for them, I did. It was a well written script.

Yes the trailer did ruin the film's overall story about a man who is dying only to discover that he was miraculously cured and now has a second chance at life. It doesn't really spoil the heart of the movie though. It's mainly about how the main character takes this incredible information, and how he acts on it. I think he acts in a very realistic and human way. A lot of us would continue to bottle up our emotions over it, and not really know how to act. Some of us may come off as selfish and unappreciative like the character here. The character doesn't seem to really learn from this experience. I thought that was well played out as well.

I thought this movie was pretty consistently funny as well, it wasn't all drama. There was a lot of very funny stuff here and not a whole lot of it was inappropriate. I loved the opening scene that showed us some vintage Adam Sandler stuff with him making some prank phone calls. The roast beef bit was hilarious I thought, I've never seen that video before. I liked how they included some of Sandlers old stand up as well. This movie doesn't just have long scenes of people going back and forth being cruel and funny towards each other like some of Apatows other films. The comedy in this film is needed and has to be there if that makes sense. Well, MOST of the humor. I think this movie may hold the record for jokes about male genitalia though, and it got real tiring, real fast. Really the only "raunchy" humor in the move was just about penis or masturbation (sorry for the harsh words hehe), and some of it was OK, but most it was just annoying after a while. Other than that though, the jokes weren't that tasteless. Only one brief shot of nudity as well (a topless woman for maybe five seconds).

I thought the performances were really good as well. Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Pineapple Express) lost a lot of weight, and they made several jokes about it in the movie. This is easily his best performance, I could really tell that he was trying to act here and not just be a funny guy. I was quite impressed with him. Leslie Mann (Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin) is always good in these movies, I think one day she could score a supporting actress Oscar nomination for one of these roles, that's how good she is. Honestly, I thought she deserved one for Knocked Up. One of these days! Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore, Spanglish, Click) has proved over the years that he can actually act. He isn't just that crazy funnyman we've seen before many times. I think he's kind of playing himself in this movie. Honestly, I thought this was Sandlers best performance. I like him in this type of dramedy (like Spanglish and even Click), he plays it well. He had some pretty intense, kind of powerful scenes that displayed the characters fear in such a human way. I can really foresee this guy garnering himself an Oscar nomination one day. Call me crazy, but I really think it could happen.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. This is not a movie for everyone by anymeans. It is rated R for a lot of bad language and a lot of sexual humor (again, MAINLY male genitalia jokes). Now for me to recommend this movie, and to enjoy it is saying a lot because these types of movies are not usually my cup of tea. Go into with caution if you aren't used to this type of comedy, but it is very good and has an excellent story with some really great performances. Don't be mislead by the trailer either, this is not a riot of a comedy. This is a funny movie that is centered around a solid story that could move people to tears (well not me...but people were crying in my theater hehe).

2009 Review #21: Moon

Moon

Storyline:

Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems.

Rated R
1 hour 37 minutes

Critics Grade:

A-

My Grade:

B+

Starring:

Sam Rockwell

Kevin Spacey as GERTY

**This review may have some plot spoilers**

Moon is the kind of sci-fi movie that isn't really for every fan of the sci-fi genre. This is a sci-fi drama, and heavy on the drama and kind of light on the science fiction. It is my preferred type of film for this genre. Don't get me wrong, I like Star Wars and the new Star Trek movie, but I start to grow tired of aliens and lasers and spaceships, oh my! The only real sci-fi aspects of the plot of this movie are the fact that it takes place solely on the moon and it is about human clones. No I did not reveal some major plot twist either, you know the clone storyline a good twenty minutes into the movie.

What I liked about this movie was it took the human clone story and put a bit of a twist on it. These clones are the same guy, played brilliantly by Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Snow Angels, Galaxy Quest) but they both showcase different personalities. One is the borderline crazy, "out-there" guy (a more Sam Rockwell type character), and the other is more reserved and calm and is trying to figure out how to get out of the situation. Anyway, usually we have movies about clones who revolt and try to take down the "company" that did this to them. Usually movies about clones are full of action and suspense (usually not good movies). Here it's more of the psychological aspect.

These clones come off as real humans, because they ARE human. They have memories planted in their heads of a wife and child they so desperately miss but she really isn't their wife (so to speak). These characters show true pain when they realize what they are. Their goal isn't to take down some evil corporation but to get back to earth to see the family that isn't theirs. Not once do they process the fact that they can't really be with this family because they are clones. They don't care, because they truly believe it's their family. I really enjoyed the inner emotional battle of these characters, it was such a fresh take on the clone storyline. I thought the story had some pretty moving parts as well. Some really good scenes of the Sam character breaking down.

Sam Rockwells performance was just as I was expecting: great. This guy is probably the best unknown actor out there. Not many people really know this guy, he isn't a household name (in terms of actors), he just has one of those faces. Rockwell showcased both sides of this emotional battle brilliantly. Like my buddy Matt said, it was weird to see him play a reserved character (for half of the film), but he did so with ease. One day this guy will get an Oscar nomination, i don't think it will be for this film though even though at this point of the year, he deserves it. There's another character, GERTY, voiced by Oscar winner Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, The Usual Suspects). I won't go into to much detail about his character, but I also enjoyed the spin this movie took with the robot character. Spacey voiced him well though! Sounded totally computer-istic.

The movie was shot pretty well. For the most part, it looked like we were actually watching scenes on the moon. The director did a good job with long shots and some quiet takes to really show us the tension these characters feel. It wasn't a tense movie by any means though. I had two issues with the overall direction of the movie however. One is that there were a handful of scenes that really dragged on to long. I appreciate a good long shot like the next movie buff, but some of them in this film were not needed. It got a little boring at times I guess you can say. But it never really took away from my enjoyment of the movie. The other thing was the initial clone reveal. I feel like when Sam Rockwell 1 discovers Sam Rockwell 2 for the first time there was no shock value for his character or for us as an audience. It sort of just seemed to happen like we should have expected it. At first the character kind of just brushed it off, and when they first saw each other it was as if they had known for years that they were clones. As the movie progressed though, that all changed. I was just a bit thrown off by the initial clone reveal on a film making standpoint.

This movie will probably soon be out of theaters. If you appreciate a good dramatic sci-fi movie, you should check this out when you should. But I will warn you, there is virtually NO action in this movie. It is primarily a character driven sci-fi film, and there's only one main character (well two of the same main character) and a robot. But this is a solid film. This is a good film. One of the better films of the genre I've seen in quite some time actually. It was incredibly original and a very fresh take on the sci-fi clone movie. It probably just isn't for everyone.

More 2009 Movie Reviews!! (#9-20)

Hey all two of you who read my movie review blog!! I am back...again! A couple months back I decided not to continue on with my movie reviewing...but you know what? I miss it! I've seen roughly 11 movies since I last posted in March. So what I'm going to do now is post all 11 movies with a small snipet of a review plus my star rating. That will get me all caught up. After that, I am going back to my original http://mikeyatthemovies.blogspot.com/ review format, when it looked nice! So without further ado, here are my up to date movies from 2009 since March!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: I think I'm still a little bit bitter from the crap that was X-Men: The Last Stand. I mean this movie was OK, but really not a movie I would call a fun summer flick. Some of the special effects were really poorly done and just plain cheesy! Hugh Jackman is good as Wolverine, but there's only so much shirtless, screaming into the sky shots I can stomach. It was just, eh. MY RATING: ** out of *****

Star Trek: Now this is a great movie and a fantastic example of a good summer flick! I've never cared for the Star Trek saga, and I know virtually nothing about it's story. But none of that mattered, because this was a brand new film, starting from scratch. And it was amazing! GREAT special effects, fun action scenes (but not to many, and none of them took away from the story), solid performances. This was just a damn fun movie. With the Academy's decision to have 10 best picture nominees, I can sort of see this one sneaking in (with the Dark Knight syndrome). Great movie, loved it! MY RATING: ***** out of *****

Terminator: Salvation: I'll try to make this short...I really did not like this movie. Should never have been made. Christian Bale was badly cast (STOP DOING YOUR DAMN BATMAN VOICE!!!). The end. MY RATING: * out of *****

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: Was it better then the first one? I don't think so. I was a big fan of the first movie. But I really think this movie was consistently entertaining and funny. I enjoyed it, that was the goal right? MY RATING: *** out of ****

Up: My gosh, yet another BRILLIANT Pixar masterpiece. This was such a moving and heartfelt story. It has such a touching opening sequence, and that carries through for the whole film. This movie has a big heart. It's really funny too, super entertaining. Great animation. Perfect movie! Better than Wall E? I don't know... MY RATING: ***** out of *****

The Hangover: Normally I'm not to keen on these rauch fest comedies. But really this film is never all that raunchy (minus the DISGUSTING end credits). I have to say I laughed pretty hard, pretty consistently. Really excellent writing, I must say. Lot of good one liners and quotes in this movie. Zach Galifianakis is the total scene stealing stand-out in this one as well. He was hilarious! MY RATING: ***1/2 out of *****.

Land of the Lost: I wasn't really expecting much from this movie. Honestly I thought it was more of a kids movie...what was I thinking?! But I actually kind of liked it! You know Will Ferrell is in this rut of playing the same character in every movie (Ron Burgendy) and he basically plays him here somewhat. However, it was sort of funny again. I liked his humor in this movie. I mean it was a totally cheese ball story (duh, you have to expect that in this movie), with lame-0 visual effects and costumes (but I think this was intentional)...but really this movie was entertaining! I had a blast watching it. It's not great, it's not the best comedy of the year, but I still managed to have fun watching it! MY RATING: *** out of *****

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: I was a HUGE fan of the first movie, I loved it. This second movie is nowhere near as good as the first. That being said, I was entertained by the majority of this movie. I thought the action scenes were fantastic and exciting (sometimes even moreso than the first), and the visual effects were just as stunning. People complained that the story was dumb...of course it was...so was the first movies. This is a summer blockbuster about robots from space, are you really expecting a legit storyline? Why do you go to movies like this for some in depth tale? I don't! Fact of the matter is...it was super fun! The major downside to this movie was that it was overly sexualized for NO reason. The humor was so out of place. The college scenes didn't really need to exist in the film, and I'm convinced Megan Fox was only in the movie for sex appeal. There was a lot of attempts and funny here...and most of it was just so far out in left field and didn't need to be in the movie. MY RATING: *** out of *****

Public Enemies: Am I one of the few people who just don't get the craze over this movie? What on earth was so special about it? It was not a bad movie by any means, but I just didn't see the appeal it had for most reviewers and movie goers. Personally it was one of the most dull, and uneventful movies I've seen in a long time. To me, this movie was a borefest. So incredibly slow paced. The action scenes were to "quiet" and lacked any intense excitement. For a movie about one of the most bank robbers of all time, we only got to see THREE bank robberies and each one was maybe a minute long. Johnny Depp is an amazing entertainer, he's one of my favorites. But I really like him better when he plays "weird". Here he was "good" but pretty darn standard if you ask me. Forgettable even. And why was Christian Bale even in this movie? His character was no one all that special. Like I said, it wasn't a bad movie...for me it just wasn't all that good. MY RATING: ** out of *****

Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince: I don't want to ramble on to much about this movie. But I absolutely loved it. Hands down the best Potter movie to date by miles. I'm a fan of all of them, but this one stands on its own. I finally feel like the story has kicked into high gear, and it really sets up the next and final installment masterfully. This movie was so much darker, and had perfectly placed action. I thought it was funny and also had some pretty emotional moments. I was impressed by the step up in special effects as well. They've really outdone themselves now. The performances were very good as well, best of the series. The three leads have really grown well into these characters. Michael Gamon and Jim Broadbent were terrific! I also have to metion Tom Felton as a standout as Malfoy. His scenes really stood out for me, I thought he did a great job at showing Malfoys inner struggles. See this movie! One of the best of the year for me! MY RATING: ***** out of *****

The Hurt Locker: This movie is just as good as the reviews are saying it is. I think it was a brilliant war film, that's no so much about the war as it is about the soldiers. This time it's about the bomb team, and the actors do a great job at seeming like actual soldiers and not just playing soliders. You take them seriously, and you feel for them. This has got to be one of the most tense films I've seen in quite some time! The director chose not to use background music for most of the scenes involving bomb disarming and for good reason. It really thrusts you into the situation with these characters, and your heart begins to race because you really don't know how the situation is going to end. Really well made film. Suberb performances and some really great cameos! If you see this playing at your local theater...go see it! MY RATING: ***** out of *****

Paul Blart: Mall Cop: Ok yeah, this is a dumb movie. Honestly though, I thought it pretty funny at times. Kevin James is a funny man, what can I say!? This movie probably had no intentions of being a GOOD movie, just a silly little funny movie and in that regard it worked for me! It wasn't hilarious, not the funniest movie ever, but it was fun! It kind of reminded me of those movies I saw as a kid from the early 90's. For that I give it some props. This is a fun movie to watch with the kids if you have any. Not a good movie, just an entertaining one. MY RATING: **1/2 out of *****

So that's it for now folks! That puts me at 19 movies for 2009. Way down on my mark from last year! Stay tuned...

2009 In Review: March (#5-8)

I can't believe at this point of the year I've only seen a little over a handful of movies. I think last year at this point I had already seen over 20 or so. But I have to stay true to my new years resolution of not seeing a ton of movies. Plus, I'm struggling to find a new job, and my last day at my current job is in a few weeks so I can't go around wasting money on movies. But that doesn't mean I didn't see any March flicks, so without further ado, here are my March reviews:

The Last House on the Left: This movie was a bit shocking, but I was expecting it to be so. Overall though, I really found some good movie entertainment from this flick. Obviously this movie has absolutely NO moral messages to deliver, it is a HORROR movie. It's disgusting and brutal at times. The rape scene was WAY to much in my opinion. Could have done away with showing us so much of it, and I just felt it was tasteless. I don't like how movies these days get away with so much, but what can you do? Other than that, this was a good horror flick. I loved the way the parents reacted out of pure anger and fear in their attacks on the bad guys. The actors showed some slight realism, and I believed them to be pissed. Now I don't agree with any actions people take in this movie, but that is why it's a movie. You usually should never connect a film with your real life morals and beliefs, thats silly. I don't watch a movie like this and feel tainted or abused. I don't feel like killing anyone or raping anyone. Quite the opposite. I watch movies like this and realize that sometimes these things actually happen to real people in real life. And for it's a wake up call and a realization that I am a much better person that some people on this Earth and that I can control my thoughts and actions. OK, way of course here. The movie was slick and cool to look at. It was never TOO gory, which I liked. Along with the rape scene, I also took issue with the final few minutes...involving a microwave. I don't care if a microwave can or cannot operate while open...I just thought the way it was used in the end was sort of cheesey. But that's just me! Good movie though, not great, but pretty good! MY RATING: ***1/2 out of ***** (this film is rated R).

Knowing: This movie started off with a really interesting and pretty cool premise...are all the tragic events in our history pre set by some higher power? In the movie a young girl is the medium between said high power and the world. She writes down a list of numbers that point out the dates and locations and death total of all the world's great tragedies. Fifty years later Nicolas Cage and son find this paper and immediately know what they are. Cage spirals out of control literally within MINUTES trying to save the world from the next big disaster that these numbers predict. Mind you, his character has no faith in any God yet his father is a pastor whom he is estranged. The middle portions of the film are very hit and miss. Namely due to some really mediocre performances and weak story points. The special effects are at times incredible but then at times super cheesy and outdated. The fire effects were so bad in my opinion...but the final effects shots are amazing! The ending takes a very predictable biblical turn, but I won't ruin it. The final ten to fifteen minutes are so absurd! Not unrealistic (even though yes, it IS unrealistic) I just mean it becomes WAY to much in WAY to little time. So much information and biblical comparisons (especially that very final scene) are jammed in our faces. The final scenes just become a complete mess and just to much was happening. Now what happens in the end....I wasn't exactly expecting that outcome, I don't recall seeing that happen in a film before...it's pretty bold. But it did not work for this movie. The whole movie never really worked. It just did not come together the way it should have. I think it needed a bigger budget and more current actors to be a good movie. It wasn't terrible, but I really didn't care to much for it. MY RATING: ** out of ***** (This film is rated PG-13).

The Haunting in Connecticut: I have to admit, I was not expecting to like this movie very much. With the trailers and posters making it look like some over the top effects horror film and all. But really, it was much more subdued then all the ads led on. The story was pretty cool, even though it didn't have a lot of originality (despite being based off a not so true, true story). The visual effects were never to much, and when they were on screen they were pretty neat! There were some legit scares which is surprising because I don't get scared to often in films. That being said, there were TONS of cliched jump scenes...more so than I've seen in a horror film in quite some time. Jump scene after jump scene....and screaming audience girls after screaming audience girls. That aspect grew to be very tiresome and downright annoying. Film makers need to learn what really scares most human beings in terms of the paranormal. Yes, if I saw these things in real life...I'd be terrified...but in a movie...not anymore, it's old. Let's work on the unseen aspects of the ghost world shall we?? Also some pretty solid performances. I thought this movie worked rather well as a whole by the end. The story never got to ridiculous and I liked that the "investigation" into the houses history did not come in to the movie until the last third of the story. It was not bombarded with intricate "past experiences" plot details, but more so on the events happening to this family. So this a horror/haunted house story I will definitely recommend! MY RATING: ***1/2 out of ***** (This film is rated PG-13).

The Cross: This is an incredible documentary! It tells the story of Arthur Blessit, a man who has walked the entire world with a twelve foot wooden cross on his back teaching the love of God. It's no surprise the word "bless" is in his name, because this man is a blessing! I felt encourged after watching his story. I felt inspired. This is a beautiful man who has lead an incredible, selfless and humble life. He is all about telling the world that Jesus loves them, not matter their sexual orientation, race, etc. THIS is a true Christian man, not what we normally see in the news. I've never heard of this man before, because all the news shows us is the bad side of Christianity. See this film to know what a real Christian is like, and what a real Christian is all about: spreading the love of God to all people on this earth. Arthur is a loving man of God, and I would love to meet him one day, and would love to have him pray for me one day! This was a really good documentary about his journey. He literally has been to ever nation on the planet, and has walked a distance that is equal to 1 1/2 trips around the outside of the earth. That is a dedicated man! My ONLY issue is that we never really get to know Arthur on a personal level. Yes, we know him on a spiritual level and we know and love his journey. But I would have loved to know how he came to God in the first place way back in the 60's (By the way, this journey has been over the course of 40 years, starting in Hollywood in 1969). I would like to know what his family thinks about his life. We know that his son went on some pretty great treks with him, but what's his son doing now? What about his wife? How has his personal life been effected? What has God rewarded him with over his life span? I would have also loved to seen more stories from people whom he has touched and helped. We only saw one or two people who he prayed with, and they actually listended. I would have liked to see more testomonials from people he's loved on. But I'm not going to really complain about that. This was a wonderful film, that I would urge you all to see! It doesn't thrown Christianity down your throat at all. It's actually quite calmed in it's story. It's just an amazing journey of a incredible man brought to the big screen! MY RATING: ****1/2 out of ***** (This film is rated PG)

AVERAGE MARCH FILM RATING: (rounded out) *** out of ***** (Saw 4 films)

Total films viewed in 2009 to date: 8

2009 in Review: February (#3-4)

Another month, and more movies! Not a ton though. February, like January, is never a truly great time for movies. It's usually when all the crap comes out! So without further ado:

Friday the 13th: I was looking forward to this movie, now I don't know why! I loved the original film of the same name this movie was rebooting. Sadly nothing new was given to us here. A newer plot, "hotter" actors, more sex and boobs. More partying. More gore. Same cliched jump scenes. These slasher movies are really just the same crap over and over again and I don't think a lot of people are getting that. None of them have stories (can't blame them, they aren't really meant to), they all have awful acting (again, that's part of the fun of these movies) and they all just follow the same exact routine of false scares. Same amount of death. Same amount of me not caring about any of them. Cliched, boring, and original. Sorry folks, hate me all you want. I was NOT looking for an Oscar caliber film here, obviously! I was looking for a new and original kick in the ass to the slasher film genre...but sadly I did not get that. Not even a hint of that. MY RATING: 1/2 out of ***** (This film is rated R).

The Uninvited: I won't lie, I was expecting to not like this movie but in actuality I really loved it! By no means is it a perfect horror thriller, but it was a lot better than I could have ever hoped for! Honestly, I thought this was a VERY fresh take in this particular genre. There are so many predictable ways this could have gone, but it never really took that course. Yes all the cliched jump moments were there as to be expected. But other than that, this was almost an intelligent horror thriller. I never really knew where it was going, and the big twist ending really got me! I had NO clue that was coming!! Usually you know how a movie like this will end, but for this one I was stumped and fooled and I loved that! Also some pretty good performances! I really liked Elizabeth Banks, should did a good job and creeping me out! Surprisingly good film, not very scary, but different and very enjoyable! MY RATING: ***1/2 out of ***** (This film is rated PG-13)

AVERAGE FEBRUARY MOVIE RATING: ** out of ***** (Saw 2 films)

Total films viewed in 2009 to date: 4