Massive Update

So I obviously haven't been on in awhile (enjoying my summer and working now), I've also caught plenty of flicks

Inception

Would I call this one of the most amazing films ever? No. Is it good? Indeed it is. Everything works so well when it opens and flows well throughout, my only complaint was the predictable ending. Any movie that involves the blending of dreams and reality always seem to end the same way, I'm pretty sick of that.

Overall Grade: B+

Dinner For Schmucks

Oh, Paul Rudd, why did you take part in this piss-poor remake. The original was a good and somewhat dark comedy and it also didn't pack a hypocritical message like this new version did. I can't believe what has become of Steve Carrell, went from a good start to now playing the same character in all his movies. The only semi-amusing part was Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Concchords. Dinner For Schmucks schucks.

Overall Grade: D-

Salt

The first hour starts off pretty good, after that, it becomes plot twist after plot wist after plot twist. This film eventually progressed to a giant mess of twists and turns into a rather stupid movie.

The Expendables

Funnest action film this year, while the story is not a strong point, that is not the reason people come to watch this. We want old school actions dude, tons of action, and over the top violence, and the film delivers that. I just wished the film was as awesome as the last 30 minutes.

Overall Grade: B

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

This is the closest to a video game movie that an actual video game movie is going to reach. The film is funny and it's also quite a visual spectacle. I'm surprised Michael Cera has been able to keep this act going after this and Youth In Revolt.

Overall Grade: B

Mother

This film is just so odd, the story is somewhat pretty straightforward, but the way the story is told is so interesting. I have to see this is one of the best films I've seen in involving the relationship between the mother and her son. The film is also pretty funny and very well-made. One of my favorites this year.

Overall Grade: A

Chloe

This film starts off like it's going to lead up to a good erotic thriller, but it just leads up to almost nothing. The film is basically a build-up to nothing. I was enjoying the build-up too, especially when there is a naked Amanda Seyfried.

Overall Grade: C

The Other Guys

Farrell and McKay are still on a roll with this team-up. Mark Wahlberg is fucking great in this as well. If you enjoyed their other mash-ups (Anchorman, Step Brothers), you'll like this.

Overall Grade: B

A Serbian Film

This is quite possibly one the most insane and fucked up movies I have ever seen. I don't want to go into description into what I witnessed. This film is NOT for everyone, and you will not see this playing at a theater near you. While the film is well-made and acted, there is some satire, but the message doesn't exactly pack the punch. If you can stomach films like Salo, Antichrist, and Irreversible, then this film is for you.

Overall Grade: B

Film Review: Greenberg

Greenberg is the latest film from Noah Baumbach (The Squid And The Whale, Kicking And Screaming, Margot At The Wedding), it is also contains one of the best performances from Ben Stiller.

Ben Stiller is Roger Greenberg, a 40 year old who just got out of the hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown. It comes back to LA to "do nothing", he housesits for his brother who is in Vietnam for vacation, gets into an interesting relationship with his brother's assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig), reconnects with some old friends (Rhys Ifan, Mark Duplass (who is really funny in this), and Jennifer Jason Leigh).

To me, this contains the best performance from Stiller, people will tell that he is actually trying to act in this movie. It makes me hope that Stiller will start taking more of these roles. The film perfectly blends comedy and drama.

The only reason someone may not like this movie is the fact that Stiller's character can come off as unlikeable. But that aside, this film is worth your time, you need to go out and find it.

Overall Grade: B+

Film Review: Cyrus

Cyrus is the latest comedy from The Duplass Brothers (The Puffy Chair, Baghead). Like their previous films, these brothers are now taking their mumblecore genre with some mainstream appeal.

John (John C. Reilly) has been divorced for seven years and is still having trouble adjusting to the single life. After going to a party, he meets Molly (Marissa Tomei), John thinks he has found his possibly new life partner. After a couple dates, he finally meets her 21 year-old son Cyrus (Jonah Hill). John is trying to make the romance work with Molly, but he gets the feeling that Cyrus is trying to destroy the romance.

While this cast work very well with the material, it may not be for everyone. The humor is dry and it doesn't play like an Apatow movie. There are good performances from Reilly, Tomei, and Catherine Keener. The real standout for me was Jonah Hill, his performance was rather creepy and dry. Whenever he had this bug-eyed look, he looked rather creepy, but that definetly seemed like what the Duplass Brothers were going for.

Besides the cast, the film is also frequently funny. My only complaint with the film was that I thought that the dark comedy elements just didn't get dark enough. Hill's performance gave this vibe that made it seem like the film was going to go to a dark place. Put it just didn't dig deeper into that element.

If your a fan of the cast and liked either The Puffy Chair or Baghead, this one is worth your time.

Overall Grade: B

Catch Up

Toy Story 3:

While I don't consider this one to be as good as the first two, this latest entry is still good. It would have been up there with the other two if the film stayed to be as good as it did in the first 15 minutes. Some new stuff worked (the daycare plot, the toys at that little girl's house) and others than didn't (spanish Buzz Lightyear, Ken doll). I think it's still worth your time.

Overall Grade: B

The A-Team

Is it like the TV show, in ways, yes. This one is much more action packed. Some of the action scenes ranged from cool to completely idiotic. The cast was hit and miss. If you're looking for something big and stupid, it'll most likely be worth your time.

Overall Grade: C+

Brief Catch Up

Get Him To The Greek

A somewhat sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but nearly as good. Jonah Hill is his usual self in this movie, Russell Brand is annoying and not very funny in this. The songs are not very good either, but the read standout from Puff Daddy, anytime he was on the screen, I was laughing quite loudly. Plays like a typical Apatow-esque comedy, throw in the funny in the first half, and throw in some laughs along wiht "dramatic" moments.

Overall Grade: B

Splice

I was surpised by this, judging by the preview it looks like another Species. The film is FAR from that and it more about the relationship of the animal-human hybrid and the two scientists. I must say, this is a solid sci-fi movie, well-directed and goes into a weird direction. A good way to describe this is Cronenberg meets Frankenstein.

Overall Grade: B+

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The first entry of this trilogy is rather solid, it's a little long but there is enough going on to keep you watching this. The performances are good, the plot is nothing spectacular, but this film is done well enough to get to anticipated the next two entries of the trilogy.

Overall Grade: B+

Catch Up

Prince Of Persia:

When I was watching this, all I could think is was how much of a dated political allegory this was. The whole story was basically an allegory towards the military not finding the WMD's in Iraq. It also seemed like Disney took over this thinking they were going to make a Pirates of the Carribean-like franchise with this one. The cast was bland and the action was dull, and as far as video game adaptations go, this was in the middle of the list.

Overall Grade: D

She's Out Of My League:

When I first saw the trailer for this, all I could think of is that this film is cashing in on the Apatow-style comedy bandwagon. Upon watching, I was surprised to find that this film seems to be more of a Farrelly Brothers movie more than an Apatow flick, even though there is elements of Apatow in this. I'll admit, I chucked at parts here and there, but the predictable romantic comedy formula ruined this film from being any funnier.

Overall Grade: C

Film Review; Macgruber

Macgruber is the latest film to be based off an SNL skit, while it certainly isn't fit with all the terrible ones (Superstar, Night At The Roxbury, The Ladies Man, etc.), it still isn't fit with the best ones either (Wayne's World 1 and 2). It fits in the middle, and I'll have to say that it is better than the skits itself, since I'm not a fan of the skits.

The film plays off like a homage/spoof to the chessy action films of the 80's. Macgruber (Will Forte) dissapeared off the face of the earth after his wife was killed by Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer). After found by the colonel (Powers Booth) and Phillip Dixon (Ryan Phillippe), they offer Macgruber to take part of an assignment involving Cunth and a nuclear missile. At first, he declines, but he eventually takes the job after some convincing.

Macgruber teams up with Dixon and Vicki St. Elmo (Kristin Wigg) in order to stop Cunth (the film is filled with 'Cunth' jokes, and it does get old fast) from obliterating America. Upon the mission, Macgruber keeps messing up for the sake of comedy, while Elmo and Dixon are picking up the pieces. That is basically the whole joke of this film.

Most of the time, I found this movie to be very stupid, but the film did have several laugh of loud moments. I wished it focused more on making fun of action cliches than it does with Macgruber messing up a mission. The film also makes a good running joke involving throat-ripping. Kilmer is also pretty good in this, but I was hoping he would have delivered a campy villian accent instead of his normal voice.

Overall, this film is a one-note joke that occasionally contains some funny moments, while the rest of the film is just insanely stupid.

Overall Grade: C+