With all the seriousness in the world, what with torture memos and tax day, we have been watching things that take an edge off. Recent choices have included three movies that have created plenty of laughs and often are quoted on Facebook pages and Myspace.
Most of you will have seen at least one of them...if not all three.
American Pie
The earliest of the three chronologically, but the most recent of our viewings. This is one of those movies that I can watch casually and find some enjoyment every time. Poor Jason Biggs. For the rest of his life people will look and him and think about warm apple pie. But the part that generated the most laughs for her were the scene with Nadia and the pay-off scene with Michelle. One of my favorite things about all three AP movies is that the underlying message is positive. The guys learn things and in the end the good guys win. Which is almost a necessary thing for these types of comedies.
Anchorman
The least favorite of the three for my girlfriend and for me, although it did score some laughs with Jack Black's appearance and some of the male bonding experiences. Anchorman scores on occasion and is a special movie for Will Ferrel's worshipers. I like Will okay, but I don't love him as much as many do. It's fun, but not something I would call a classic. Perhaps some of that is influenced by my knowledge that no sportscaster in San Diego history has worn a cowboy hat.
The 40 Year Old Virgin
This is right up there with the AP movies for me and based on my observations of her reactions, The Girlfriend's favorite. With good reason. It's well-written and there is a complete lack of fear in all of the major players. The waxing scene has already acquired a type of legendary status. The movie confirmed Steve Carell as a star, put Seth Rogen on that path and made Judd Apatow one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood. I think this one does deserve the title of "modern classic."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Quantum of Solace
I went into this movie with a few preconceptions... mostly in the negative. After the fantastic reception given Casino Royale, the critical play on Quantum was very subdued.
It would be fair to say I started the film expecting disappointment. Perhaps this is why I enjoyed it so much...
Quantum of Solace is fairly standard James Bond plotting... but they retained the aspect of Casino Royale I liked best, which was James as slightly more realistic in his abilities. He fails on occasion, if not in meeting the final goal. I mean, it's James Bond. The bad guy is going to lose and probably die. Along with several henchmen and at least on woman James slept with, usually early in the film.
Daniel Craig's protrayal as Bond is now firmly in second place for me, an spot I had in mind following Casino. And I'm not certain that some of that isn't simply loyalty to Sean Connery.
I like this Bond. He bleeds. He bruises. But he gets the job done, sometimes through luck, sometimes through ingenuity and sometimes through sheer stubbornness.
The plot follows Bond's attempt to puzzle out the why of what happened at the end of Casino. He is focused on putting to rest the questions and anger left over from the death of his love. Along the way, he finds a sort of piece by helping someone else achieve a similar revenge to that he is looking to enact.
There are plenty of chases and explosions and a few wisecracks. This is James Bond, after all. The women are hot, James is detached, and the bad guys and a couple of good ones bite the dust.
The best thing about the recent reinvention of Bond is a holdover, though. Judi Dench as M. While I like Craig as Bond, I love Dench as M. She rocks. And they have given her much more to do in these last two films then we ever saw m do before. Indeed, the key relationship we come to care about is that between these two. Call it adversarial teamwork, with M trying to reign in Bond enough to keep him alive until he achieves some wisdom.
The title is a problem. It doesn't really mean anything, it just sounds cool.
Quantum of Solace is a solid second entry in the new Bond mythos, with a little minor growth in the title character, some major changes in his relationship with his boss and a solid foundation for the future of this franchise.
It would be fair to say I started the film expecting disappointment. Perhaps this is why I enjoyed it so much...
Quantum of Solace is fairly standard James Bond plotting... but they retained the aspect of Casino Royale I liked best, which was James as slightly more realistic in his abilities. He fails on occasion, if not in meeting the final goal. I mean, it's James Bond. The bad guy is going to lose and probably die. Along with several henchmen and at least on woman James slept with, usually early in the film.
Daniel Craig's protrayal as Bond is now firmly in second place for me, an spot I had in mind following Casino. And I'm not certain that some of that isn't simply loyalty to Sean Connery.
I like this Bond. He bleeds. He bruises. But he gets the job done, sometimes through luck, sometimes through ingenuity and sometimes through sheer stubbornness.
The plot follows Bond's attempt to puzzle out the why of what happened at the end of Casino. He is focused on putting to rest the questions and anger left over from the death of his love. Along the way, he finds a sort of piece by helping someone else achieve a similar revenge to that he is looking to enact.
There are plenty of chases and explosions and a few wisecracks. This is James Bond, after all. The women are hot, James is detached, and the bad guys and a couple of good ones bite the dust.
The best thing about the recent reinvention of Bond is a holdover, though. Judi Dench as M. While I like Craig as Bond, I love Dench as M. She rocks. And they have given her much more to do in these last two films then we ever saw m do before. Indeed, the key relationship we come to care about is that between these two. Call it adversarial teamwork, with M trying to reign in Bond enough to keep him alive until he achieves some wisdom.
The title is a problem. It doesn't really mean anything, it just sounds cool.
Quantum of Solace is a solid second entry in the new Bond mythos, with a little minor growth in the title character, some major changes in his relationship with his boss and a solid foundation for the future of this franchise.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Forbidden Kingdom
When The Forbidden Kingdom came out in theaters a while back, I put some serious thought into going to see it. What is interesting about that? Mostly that I haven't seen a martial arts movie in a theater since, I don't know, Karate Kid II?
But this movie had Jet Li and Jackie Chan and Woo-ping and Peter Pau... It's like a dream team of Kung Fu movies. I'm no major devotee, but I know those names! (The two most of you might not know? Woo-ping Yuen is basically a fight choreographer. The best. Period. Peter Pau is the cinematographer behind Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and so many more...)
Eventually, the movie passed the multiplexes without me seeing it, which seems to happen a lot...one of the reason I write a DVD blog instead of a movie blog. But, with my renewed interest in martial arts(I recently started taking TaekWonDo)it was only a matter of time.
The movie is a grab bag of Chinese mythology. Think Clash of the Titans. I imagine that if I knew more about the source material I would groan over this, but I only know enough to recognize characters without knowing how out of place they are.
But really, the story is almost secondary. That said, while it is basic Saturday Afternoon Matinee fare, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story follows the hero's journey and is enjoyable if predictable. Don't be looking for any surprises and let yourself enjoy it as escapist entertainment and you will be fine.
Jackie Chan's humor is evident in many places. He was a great choice to play the avatar of Drunken Fist Kung Fu. Jackie makes you believe he could use intoxication as a fighting asset.
Jet Li is more stoic and reserved in his primary character, as you would probably expect. But he does let his personality come through and he has the ability to drop in the wisecrack out of nowhere that brings a smile. His performance as The Monkey King seems almost too fun...Like Jet's enjoyment at not having to play the bad ass for once was breaking through the character. However, I think most of that is not the fault of the actor but the director. The Monkey King spends too much time as the floating king. A little less of the wire work would have been better. Let him be agile, not a master of levitation.
The presence of two great martial artists is what should carry the movie, and it does. The surrounding cast is not bad, and there are several great fight scenes. Plus, with Pau behind the lens you get some wonderful sweeping vistas and angles that show off the artistry and power of the human weapons.
Get this movie for what it is, a fairy tale set in China showing off the incredible artistry of hand combat. Enjoy the humor and the spectacle. If you go into this film looking for realism, you'll be disappointed. This is popcorn, not a five-course meal.
But as popcorn goes, its pretty good.
But this movie had Jet Li and Jackie Chan and Woo-ping and Peter Pau... It's like a dream team of Kung Fu movies. I'm no major devotee, but I know those names! (The two most of you might not know? Woo-ping Yuen is basically a fight choreographer. The best. Period. Peter Pau is the cinematographer behind Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and so many more...)
Eventually, the movie passed the multiplexes without me seeing it, which seems to happen a lot...one of the reason I write a DVD blog instead of a movie blog. But, with my renewed interest in martial arts(I recently started taking TaekWonDo)it was only a matter of time.
The movie is a grab bag of Chinese mythology. Think Clash of the Titans. I imagine that if I knew more about the source material I would groan over this, but I only know enough to recognize characters without knowing how out of place they are.
But really, the story is almost secondary. That said, while it is basic Saturday Afternoon Matinee fare, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The story follows the hero's journey and is enjoyable if predictable. Don't be looking for any surprises and let yourself enjoy it as escapist entertainment and you will be fine.
Jackie Chan's humor is evident in many places. He was a great choice to play the avatar of Drunken Fist Kung Fu. Jackie makes you believe he could use intoxication as a fighting asset.
Jet Li is more stoic and reserved in his primary character, as you would probably expect. But he does let his personality come through and he has the ability to drop in the wisecrack out of nowhere that brings a smile. His performance as The Monkey King seems almost too fun...Like Jet's enjoyment at not having to play the bad ass for once was breaking through the character. However, I think most of that is not the fault of the actor but the director. The Monkey King spends too much time as the floating king. A little less of the wire work would have been better. Let him be agile, not a master of levitation.
The presence of two great martial artists is what should carry the movie, and it does. The surrounding cast is not bad, and there are several great fight scenes. Plus, with Pau behind the lens you get some wonderful sweeping vistas and angles that show off the artistry and power of the human weapons.
Get this movie for what it is, a fairy tale set in China showing off the incredible artistry of hand combat. Enjoy the humor and the spectacle. If you go into this film looking for realism, you'll be disappointed. This is popcorn, not a five-course meal.
But as popcorn goes, its pretty good.
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