Hot Tub Time Machine

I remember seeing a review from some publication about this movie saying, "It's so stupid, it's brilliant!" After seeing it I can validate that statement, but I wouldn't say it's brilliant. Anyways, that's hardly reason enough to see a comedy, especially if it involves spending $10(Give or take). Hot Tub Time Machine, was funny, dumb, raunchy, unrealistic, amongst other things, but it's certainly not this years, Hangover, it's not even close.

The writing was one element that kind of held the movie together, the hilarious dialogue between the main characters was an aspect of the movie that stood out. John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, and Clark Duke had a certain kind of chemistry on screen that carried the movie when I was watching it thinking, "What could they possibly do for another 35 minutes". Corddry really was hilarious and I'm tempted to recommend this just to see him being outrageous for 100 minutes, but you can catch him on the Colbert Report and save your money.

New York, I Love You

I'm not sure what connections New York, I Love You, has to the film about Paris with a similar name. But, one could certainly see the obvious connections.The movie has a similar structure but some major differences most notably the transitions between different short films. The absence of this made it a little difficult to know when a story ended and another began. Also, the reappearances of some characters made this confusing as well. Although, I preferred the structure of the Paris film, I did still enjoy the New York one very much. It portrayed the city in an interesting light that seemed authentic.

The actors in New York, I Love You, were also better known American actors so this might have benefited the viewer in being able to relate and connect with their roles. Ethan Hawkes acting really stuck out to me in the film, notably him trying to pick up Maggie Q's character while smoking a cigarette.

That was another element that stood out to me the prevalent smoking in the movie. Is NYC really that thick with cig smokers? I've never really noticed it to be more than other places, especially with the reputation that France and the city of Paris has as a land of cafe going tobacco smokers it was odd to see this disparity.

The film though includes some great cinematography, excellent acting, good casting, and a decent score. Definitely worth a watch.

The Book of Eli

After seeing The Book of Eli I'm convinced that Denzel Washington will never be in a sub-par movie for the rest of his career. The guy does get $20 million a movie, so I"m sure he doesn't get many serious offers from people trying to make wishy washy movies.

Anyways, the movie also starred Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis, who both put on great performances. Kunis is steadily becoming a very viable leading lady (There were moans and groans of approval in the theater when she first appeared on screen). She has definitely come a long way from her days on That 70's Show.

The movie starts off a little slow, but I don't think many people minded with Washington being as enrapturing as he is. Before long though things pick up and the end result is a clever screenplay full of gunfights, gruesome machete slayings, a few funny lines, and an unexpected twist ending.

Paris, Je t'aime

Paris, je t'aime, which I recently saw, is a compilation of short films set in Paris. Twenty filmmakers have approximately five minutes a piece to showcase some aspect of Parisian culture, blending together the locales where they shot and the emotion of love, that is so traditionally associated with the city. The list of directors basically reads as a who's who of the most critically acclaimed directors in the business.

This is a difficult film to honestly critique owing to the fact that the scenes are rather short and sometimes a connection between the different shorts isn't easily discerned. But, there were a few shorts that stood out to me for one reason or another. The Coen brothers directed/written, Tuileries, was a humorous depiction of a Parisian tourist being misunderstood in the metro. Steve Buscemi without uttering a single line delivered a solid performance as the main subject of the scene.

Gus Van Sant's short was a bit confusing to me, while I think the point of the scene was to show that "soul mates" can be persons from the same sex and the spontaneity of meeting yours can be as a random as where lightning strikes, I didn't feel the connection the city like some of the other shorts. But, Van Sant does do a rather magnificent job at showing how language barriers can affect interactions between transplanted Americans and native French.

Paris, je t'aime, is an enjoyable glimpse into Parisian culture worth seeing and if your like me it will probably make you want to book a trip.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

Simon Pegg need only to show a few clips of his performance in, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, to any casting director to prove that he can make an audience laugh. After watching him in this film, I'm surprised that he hasn't been in more comedic movies to date exhibiting his brand of humor.

From the pig mayhem scene at the BAFTA after-party to the wizard/dentist in the Hamptons, this movie is quite the raucous riot. It's the combination of well cast actors and a clever, witty script that make this comedy so enjoyable. Kirsten Dunst, Gillian Anderson, Megan Fox, and Jeff Bridges star alongside Pegg in this one, and for the most part turn in more than adequate roles (Minus perhaps Fox). Dunst, is the second lead, and manages to be surprisingly funny in this movie. She does have a scene where she is bawling and drunk, that did seem a bit forced, but it hardly speaks louder than her entire body of work. Bridges is his quirky, funny self, often stealing scenes from Pegg, as his editor boss, Clayton Harding. I particularly liked his reaction to the t-shirt that Pegg's character wears on his first day at the magazine and his explanation of the different rooms associated with arriving as a celebrity.

A Single Man

Tom Ford's, A Single Man, is an introspective character piece set in the 60's. It marks his directorial debut and is also his first screenplay. Taking this into mind the film is definitely a great achievement for Ford (Who according to some sources also completely financed the film). The synopsis for the film is as follows, "It's November 30, 1962. Native Brit George Falconer, an English professor at a LA area college, is finding it difficult to cope with life. Jim, his personal partner/lover of sixteen years, died in a car accident eight months earlier when he was visiting with family. Jim's family were not going to tell George of the death or accident let alone allow him to attend the funeral. This day, George has decided to get his affairs in order before he will commit suicide that evening". The saddening overtone is evident throughout the film and it positively effects the emotions that are brought out in the audience before the end credits roll.

The film stars Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, with the prior garnering an Oscar nomination along with several other awards for his role. Firth manages to navigate between emotional disconnection to his students, colleagues, and the world, to childish flirting in a bar with an ex-student, to drunken exuberance with Moore's character seemingly effortlessly. Moore's performance in the film, although brief shouldn't be overlooked, her role as a convincing drama queen who is tied to the main character's past in England is important to the crux of the story. She is just simply overshadowed by Firth's acting. Also, relative newcomer Nicholas Hoult, turns in an award worthy performance, as a student at the university where Firth's character teaches.

Visually this movie is fantastic, and from the beginning I could tell that Ford must have had some influence on how it was shot as well. The set decoration felt very authentic with the film being set in 1962. But, it's the costume/wardrobe and makeup that really has a "Tom Ford" touch to it. The actors and actresses cast seemed to be chosen perfectly, whether it was Matthew Goode or Ginnifer Goodwin's characters they brought something that genuinely evoked some feeling which I think the director was attempting to get across.

It isn't very difficult to understand why this movie didn't get the distribution that Up in the Air or The Hurt Locker received, because it doesn't have the level of marketability that either of those films have/had. I'm sure most studio's liked the attachment of such a well known global figure like Tom Ford, but didn't want to take the gamble when he hadn't yet proven himself in the movie business. Although, with the critical success that this film has had I bet when Ford decides to direct another film production companies will be a lot more generous with their checkbooks.

When in Rome

I'm reluctant to write this, but what the hell my blog could use some more content anyway. I saw, When in Rome, earlier this week and I was not impressed to say the least. From the wedding scene at the beginning of the movie the audience knows what is coming, Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel's characters are going to fall in love and get married, probably in Rome as well. So, it's just a matter of having some funny, romantic situations before the inevitable happens.

When in Rome, is definitely conscious of it's comedic roots, which is obvious based on the supporting cast selections like Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, and Danny DeVito. They all for the most part turn in good supporting roles, but it's Bell who I don't think is funny enough to shoulder the responsibility of carrying the movies comedic aspirations. Duhamel on the other hand is definitely able to keep the audience laughing.

If there's a major reason that I disliked this movie so much, it's because of its predictability and just how outrageous some of the situations in it are. The little yellow car scene in the Guggenheim is outrageous, and my guess is the movies creators wanted it to be so people would find humor in it, but it didn't feel funny, it felt kind of awkward. There are just a few too many scenes like that in this movie for me.