Neighbors

Some people flock to raunchy R-rated comedies in theatres, while I am the type of person who would rather just stand on the side of the road and wait for them to pass.  I don’t think I am a prude (I joke a lot about farts and bums) and am tolerable to a lot of the edgy elements that cinema can hold.  The way I see it, if it tells a story and stays true to what it is then I will let it be.  That does not really mean I will personally enjoy it.

There are a few in this genre that end up winning my heart over.  I absolutely loved the cleverly written and directed 21 Jump Street, and was very surprised when I had a great time watching The Hangover and The Hangover 3 (I hope you notice that I did not reference the second Hangover movie).  So, for the sake of being open minded (and because of the fact that I needed to see it for review on an upcoming podcast) I went to the theatre to take in the latest R-rated comedy, Neighbors.

The film is about a young married couple with a baby who put all of their money into buying a house.  Seth Rogan plays Mac, and his wife Kelly is played by Rose Byrne.  When I think of Seth Rogan, I think of a lot of raunchy comedies that I never really laughed at (excluding This is the End), and when I think of Rose Byrne I cannot get the image of her continually gaping blank stare that she had in Insidious.  Life for this happy couple, who still want to be youthful and hold onto their days of partying, takes a turn when a fraternity purchases the house next door.  They then find themselves worried about the noise, but they also don’t want to come off as uncool old people to the young college partiers.  There.  That is the basis of the plot.

I suppose, if I am talking about the plot, I should mention that the president of the fraternity, played by Zac Efron, ends up getting more than a little peeved at the attempts of his neighbours to keep the noise to a minimum, and a back and forth battle begins between the two households, each escalating events further and further.

There were indeed a number of times where I was laughing.  The movie started out with the comedy being dialogue based, and the comedic timing and delivery of Rogan was put on display quickly.  Rose Byrne, whom I had never pictured as being in a comedy, was the darling of the movie for me.  She had a great energy and was able to keep up pace with the well-seasoned and developed skills of Rogan.  She really opened my eyes to her potential, and I am so desperately hoping to see her name attached to comedies in the future.

Zac Efron also opened my eyes to his abilities and the possible future that may be in front of him.  I am sure that many a girl who had crushes on the young heart throb wanted to see the movie because of promotional material promising scenes of his cut body being on display (in a similar way that The Other Woman made sure to promote Kate Upton in a bikini).  Me, I do not have a crush on the young man, but I have now put him on my radar of actors to follow now.  His physically enhanced body will open some doors for him, and hopefully he does not end up taking regrettable roles which spiral him around in the void of mid-2000s Matthew McConaughey type films.  There were moments of charm, nuance, and charisma that show he may be able to be groomed into modern era McConaughey roles.  Alright, alright, alright, back to talking about the film.

However, of course there had to be a ‘however,’ the established comedic tone of verbal and situational jokes abruptly switched throughout the film, relying at times on very slap-stick and over the top, unrealistic moments.  Both slap-stick and unrealistic comedy is fine, but it works if it serves the unified feel of a film, and in Neighbors it did not.  Sometimes laughing, sometimes face palming, I sensed that this film was an intoxicated driver that could not stay within the lines and would get disastrously close to ending up in the ditch.

I believe that a large portion of the problem comes from the script, which felt disheveled and erratic.  The writers, Brendan O’Brien and Andrew J Cohen, were both first timers to writing a feature film, and I am not willing to write them off as poor script writers, but rather just having an unfortunate start.  They did try and create back story and motivation for the characters, as well as humanize both sides of this conflict, and they get points for that.  Sadly, because of the ever shifting landscape of the style of comedy and feel, you quickly forget any understanding of the principals involved.  I bet there are a lot of people who may not see the issues the same as myself, but after the first twenty minutes of the film I was lost in a world of shifting realities and jarring tonal transitions.

There were a number of laughs, which meant it was not a complete waste of time.  With that being said, I cannot downplay the fact that I was incredibly bored for the final half hour, laughing only from time to time, and generally not caring about any outcome other than merely a quick one.  If you are a bigger fan of the R-rated comedy than I am, you may enjoy a lot of the humour that I did not and you may think that I am just too ‘conservative’ to enjoy the film.  That would not be a true assumption.  If a movie, of any genre, is done in a coherent way that that shows talent towards its purpose, I will appreciate it fully.  This film just simply was not that.

Rating – 2.5 out of 4 stars

In a World...

I am sure that pretty much everybody has seen a sports underdog movie at one point or another.  There are some great ones out there, there are some awful ones out there, and representatives from both qualities have a unifying factor in that there is usually a very similar format in play, and that there is some predictability that can happen.  While the movies can cover different sports and focus on different themes, most all will take the audience through the tried and true paces that properly build the emotional response when the underdog gets their shot (sometimes successful, sometimes not) at glory.  Of course, any movie genre that relies so heavily on formula is easy target for parody.

Actress Lake Bell makes her feature film directorial and writing debut, as well as playing the lead, in the movie, In a World… which is a film that lovingly parodies the format of the sports underdog stories, but instead places it in the dog-eat-dog world of movie trailer voiceovers.  Some people may instantly roll their eyes at that premise, as it would be easy to dismiss as lampoonery, but Bell brings a lot of heart, warmth, and fun to this movie, and instead of frolicking into the realm of the absolute ridiculous, it plays it fairly straight… for the most part.

One of the large strengths of this movie was the writing, which makes me extremely excited for what Bell is able to come up with next.  The humour is well inserted into the script, and the supporting cast is magnificent in their delivery.  While we don’t get to know all of the supporting characters past a few scenes, Bell made attempts to give them all quirks and personalities that brighten up the film.  Though it is fun parody with good comedy, there are some elements of seriousness inserted into the film, which keep it from being too light and breezy.  The characters in play all have their own motivations, dysfunctions, and issues that they are trying to work through, which takes this screw-ball idea and plants it in a group of people who you can identify with and root for.  There is also a strong element of female empowerment, a subject that is lacking from many movies, and can be handled poorly when attempted (Sucker Punch is the best example of that)

One of the great dynamics of the film is between Carol (Bell) and her father, Sam (Fred Melamed), who is a legend in the voiceover world and believes that it is a boys club and that women in the industry should stick with jobs such as vocal coaching.  Instead of focusing on helping his own daughter in her career, he assists the hot up-and-comer in the field, the rich and arrogant Gustav (Ken Marino), who has a similarly chauvinistic view of women in the workplace.  As the film rolls along, we see the difference between Sam and Carol in what is important in their lives, who they choose to spend their time with, and who they spend their energy assisting.  This aspect of the story helps to elevate the film from typical comedy to properly delivering the story of the empowered female.

It would be wrong of me to talk about the supporting cast, and not bring up the fact that this film has the always innocently delivered comedic stylings of Demetri Martin, who plays a sound tech who works with Bell.  Michaela Watkins plays Carol’s sister, Dani, who has her own issues to deal with, outside those with her dad, in her marriage to Moe (Rob Coddry).  There are also appearances from Eva Longoria, Jeff Garlin, Geena Davis, and Nicker Offerman.

What really leaves this film feeling special is the boldness and joy that Bell takes in taking an oddball concept, playing with quirky characters, but also not hiding from real-life issues that keep the characters from becoming too cartoony.  It is a fine line to balance between serious and funny, one that many movies fall short one, and Bell is able to do extremely well, erring on the side of comedy over darkness.  This is what really highlights Bell’s talents and abilities, because she shows such a natural ability to tell a multi-dimensional tale, yet, as a viewer, I truly got a sense that I was also seeing a representation of her individual personality at the same time.

I have seen so many serious, emotional, and tear jerking movies in the last little while, and it was so nice to feel refreshed by being treated to a comedy that was both funny as well as being a great movie.  It is an extremely charming film that works to balance the comedic aspect of the film with an element of serious reality, but Bell knows well enough to keep from allowing things to become too deep or too dark.  This is, after all, a film about the illustrious world of voice over talent.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

The legend does continue in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, but does it need to?  I suppose that is the major question that I have regarding many sequels, especially comedy follow-ups which usually turn out to be a simple repackaging the same jokes but in slightly altered formats.  Myself, I landed on the fence with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy which seemed to be a decent success in theatres and won the hearts of many audience members.  I found that the movie was a collection of a number of jokes that failed for me, but that had some moments of brilliance where I could not stop laughing.

That is really about how I will sum up the sequel, which I felt did to a bit better in its failed to succeeded joke ratio than the original.  The movie is littered with moment after moment that is supposed to be funny, and the majority of those never quite hit home with me and merely reminded me of what I would laugh at when I was in grade four.  The film is without much of a plot (that should not be a big surprise to any), and just is a mode to usher in the next batch of ‘comedic’ moments.

While admitting the complete lack of traction that so many of the jokes wound up with, it was the ones that hit their mark that established and maintained the tone of fun in the film.  Perhaps maybe only thirty percent of the jokes made me laugh, a percentage that would easily make me think that the film was dreadful.  However, it was the thirty percent that I found so much delightful that it somehow managed to outweigh what the majority of the film was.  One thing that I am great full to the talent behind Anchorman 2 is the fact that it does not resort to toilet humour and mean humour.  There may be a little bit here and there, but for the most part it is a very honest, sincere, and purposefully naïve film.

It stars Will Ferrell who plays the role of Ron Burgandy, a true man of the news who has hair to cause the gods to stumble with envy and a mustache that could have built Rome in a day.  Returning to their roles as the rest of the news crew is Steve Carrell as the weather dullard Brick Tamland, Paul Rudd as the sexually styling reporter Brian Fantana, and David Koechner as the politically incorrect sports reporter Champ Kind.  For fans of the original movie, there may be very little disappointment found in what lies in wait for these characters who are questing to reclaim their former news casting glory.

But, on the flip side, for people who were not fans of the original, or are fence sitters like myself, this film probably will not win you over completely to the franchise.  It was a funnier film than the first one, but it still has so much that misses the mark for me.  I suppose there is a plot and story to the movie, but none of that really matters.  This film is all about the delivery of the zingers, and the inconsistency in which it accomplishes that task is what keeps it from being a great comedy.

Rating – 2.5 out of 4 stars

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Some days we need a feel good film.  On days where we can see no traces of the sun's existence, when the wind is no longer refreshing, but a gusting tormentor.  Days when we wake up and the house is just not as warm as we would like it to be, and we find ourselves lightly shivering as we try to operate the devices that will bring us our coffee or tea.  It may be on a day like this when our bare foot finds a fresh hairball on the floor.  Or, it could be the kind of day when the bills are due and you cannot remember which account needed which password.  Days like this need a feel good movie.  They can bring us companionship, allow us to temporarily forget about aches and pains, and can just aid in putting a positive spin on a day of the grey dreary.

Such a movie that is perfect for accomplishing this is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a British dramatic comedy that came out in limited release in May of 2012 and can be found on Netflix.  The film takes the concept of the outsourcing of services to a ludicrous level, as it is basically about a retirement hotel in India that will allow people to ship off the elderly for a reasonable price, and have them dealt with by someone else.  While it is a concept that is absurd down to the core, it is pulled off so well in a touching movie that I will eagerly recommend it to every single person I meet.

The movie starts off by showing us the lives of a number of seniors who are in transition stages of their lives, facing the reality of their age, their health, and their finances.  They all end up embarking to India to live at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, where they can enjoy their retirement in luxury.  Upon arriving at the exotic accommodations, they find that perhaps it is not as lavish as they were lead to believe.

This oddball concept of the movie allows a great tale that combines both fish out of water aspects and an old dog learning new tricks.  In this new environment, the characters, who still have brought a lot of their own personal baggage with them, must learn how to deal with this foreign environment where nothing resembles anything they have ever known.  Some are terrified of what lurks beyond the walls of the hotel, and others are almost re-born as they experience exploration, adventure, and life once again.

You will not get anything out of the box with this film, and it will not push the boundaries of any genre.  It follows a formula fairly closely, and is fairly predictable.  However, it gets you so connected to the characters that even though you can foresee how things may turn out, you still find yourself clinging to the outcomes.  One way that it does this is through the brilliant cast which consists of names like Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, and Bill Nighy.  They all embody their characters so well that we see them as people and start gaining some solid empathy for their situation.  The acting is also helped by the wonderful script of the film, which brings about some great conversations and many a great joke. 

While it pokes fun at the outsourcing relationship nations have with India (and a comedic irony that Judi Dench ends up working in an Indian call centre), it does not focus on showing the country in any kind of depressed light.  We are captive to beautiful scenary and locations that show a majesty that this land has to offer.  The colours and the culture are painted in a great light, but it also does take a moment to recognize some of the darker aspects of the culture.  It only scratches the surface of that, though, because remember, this is a feel good movie.

The only moment when the movie struggle for me was near the very end.  Perhaps I just felt it was almost too clean and cookie cutter how one element of the story got tied up.  But, at the same time, there were some very passionate and emotional story lines reaching their crux as well, which ended up diverting my attention from the one thing I did not like and reminding me that five other things were happening that were causing some serious movement within my soul.

If you have Netflix, you are wasting your subscription money if you have not watched this movie.  If you don't have Netflix, it is very worth the money spent on a rental.  It is designed for the days where the factors of life are not adding up to what we want.  Its purpose it to give us a break from all of the mundane that piles up around us and bring us respite when our hearts are sitting low in our chest.  So on those types of days, stop focusing on the stuff around you, and outsource your problems to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel because it will leave a smile in your heart.  That's why it is perfect for those downer days, as it will lift you up and perhaps give you a boost of energy to continue.  As the last line of the movie states, 'everything will be alright in the end.  And if it's not alright, then trust me, it's not yet the end.'

Rating - 3.5 out of 4 stars

Jack and Jill

I don't think I have reviewed enough comedies, so today I thought I would like to continue the trend by reviewing Jack and Jill (which is now on Netflix), a movie that claims comedy status, but really just floats around in the void of cinematic nothingness.  If you are a fan of all things Adam Sandler and all things related to him, and do not like hearing negative criticisms of his projects, then now is a good time to stop reading and write me an email telling me what makes you tick, because I don't understand you.  I do think he has a lot of talent, but it just not seem to push its way into his movies these days.  As I type this review, I plan to talk about one good aspect of the film, and it has nothing to do with Mr Sandler.

The film is about Jack (Adam Sandler), who is a director of commercials.  This is the perfect roll for an Adam Sandler film, as it allows 'seamless' product placement and name dropping, something which I think his films have an affinity towards.  We get to, in totally organic and non-nauseating ways, have planted in our brains the brand names of Hooters, Dunkin Donuts (I lost count of how many times this one was mentioned and is a plot point), Pepto Bismol, Hilton, Sony, Price is Right, eHarmony, Match.com, Subway, Radio Shack, ShamWow, and Royal Caribbean Cruises (who actually get a full length commercial in the film).  He needs to land Al Pacino for Dunkin Donuts, who want to put him in a Dunkin Donuts commercial, and if he fails to get Pacino he loses the Dunkin Donuts account, as threatened by the Dunkin Donuts people.  He also has a sister named Jill (Adam Sandler), whom he plays in such a base and humourless way that I was left astonished at how this got greenlit.  Possibly because his production company made it.

I may be the only person out there who did not find this film funny.  If you are a  fan of such witty humour that includes fart jokes, a bird named Poopsy, animal abuse jokes, laughing at girls with hairy armpits, sweaty sheets and other sweat stain styled humour, making fun of homeless people, ladies getting punched in the face by young boys, making fun of Mexican stereotypes (hey look, a Mexican gardener), making fun of people who are slightly larger than thin/fat people, concussions, crushing a pony, public fart jokes, Indian stereotypes, earwax jokes, urine jokes, making fun of how Mexicans name their children, illegal immigrant jokes (Mexican related), making fun of people with funny faces, elderly people getting hit in the face with shoes and/or bats, Mexicans love jalapenos, gassy stomachs, diarrhea and much louder farts than we have been acquainted with previously in the film, then this movie is a comic gold mine.  For the rest of the population, it is a movie that makes fun of people, and those are the jokes.

Now, I did laugh a few times, and that was mostly around Al Pacino.  He was an extremely good sport, and portrayed a pretty messed up version of himself.  Not only did he go along with it, but he completely threw himself into the role and held nothing back, creating a performance that was entertaining to watch and had some fun in a movie that was otherwise void of humour (actually, I should admit there were two non-Pacino moments that I had a subtle laugh at).  Johnny Depp has a small part as well, and does what he can to make it entertaining.

That's all I have.  If you are looking for something insightful from me, then I need to have insightful content to review.  It is a pretty mean spirited movie that thrives on stereotypes and toilet humour without energy or wit to make it work.  There is nothing smart or touching about this film, although we do get many a moment when the sappy music starts up to let us know that we are supposed to be feeling emotions other than the self-loathing that we are cemented in on account of pressing the play button on this film.  Life is about making the most of our time on this earth, so please spend an hour and a half doing that instead of watching this film.

Rating - 0.5 out of 4 stars

Everything Must Go

Today has mostly been spent in bed, feeling ill and talking to my wife in jagged sentences.  My wife seems to have gotten a good giggle or two from my impaired speech abilities, so I guess it is all worth it.  The nice thing is that there has been no stress or anxiety today, which is a bit of a blessing.  I have been getting a bit better at being proactive and responding as quickly as possible to anything that could cause stress.  Victory be for me, I should say... other than temporarily praying for the walls to collapse around me so I would be relieved of this headache.  Perhaps a little bit of an over exaggeration.  Anywho, enough about that and on to today's review, which is a movie called Everything Must Go.

This movie had been pitched to me as a comedic drama, but really it is a character story that does have some elements of comedy in it.  It is the tale of a man whose addiction to alcohol has cost him both his job and his marriage in the same day, and the personal path that these developments send him down.  We meet Nick Halsey (Will Ferrell) in a way that seems to be a very typical narrated introduction, but then turns out to be a link from the image of the man we see before us to only a few hours earlier when his life was just about to unravel.  Nick has had a long career with his employer, and in with the good times there were some bad ones, a long list of issues that arose from his problematic drinking. 

After losing his job, and turning to fermented drink with wide open arms, he arrives at home to find all of his belongings laid out on the front lawn and all the locks and security codes have been changed.  He chooses to spend the night on the furniture on the lawn, drinking of course, when the police are called by neighbours.  As luck would have it for Nick, his AA sponsor is a police detective who is able to get the fuzz off his back and finds a loop hole that will allow Nick to keep the items on the lawn for no longer than five consecutive days as long as it is declared a yard sale.

In this movie we saddle up and ride on a five day journey with a man who loses everything except for his desire to drink.  While everything that has happened to him can be traced back to that nasty addiction, he clings on to the one thing that he has left, reaching points of desperation such as begging, and trying to slurp the last drops of beer from discarded cans lying about his front lawn.

One of the main strengths of this movie is the actors, who are able not just to own their lines but present themselves as actual living, breathing members of the world.  We are able to buy into their reality and existence thanks to a great casting job and terrific performances.  Ferrell does a terrific job, but so does Christopher Jordan Wallace who plays Kenny, a neighbourhood boy who buddies up with  Halsey.  The chemistry between Ferrell and Wallace is abundant, and it allows us to see a sympathetic and vulnerable side to Halsey.

The subject matter is quite deep and will hit home for a lot of people, and it is handled quite well by all involved.  It does not delve too deep, but also does not leave everything at surface level.  You get an understanding of the turmoil and cost that addiction brings with it, and the impossible nature of the battle for sobriety.  One day at a time is the saying for Alcoholics Anonymous, but Ferrell’s character shows that such thinking is impossible when one is looking both in the past and lamenting the present.  Hope can never come from such perspectives, and it is only when the focused is shifted to the present with a mind for the future that things can get better.

Rating – 3 out of 4 stars