American Pie Reunion Trailer – Good Enough For Me
After the debacle that was American Wedding and a long series of direct-to-DVD American Pie films (without the original cast aside from Jim’s Dad) the new American Reunion barely looks good enough for us late 90′s grads to stop in for some new nostalgia.
Check out the new trailer below. Includes all of the original cast, and I think I like the twist at the end of the trailer. It looks “eh” but for us scores of die-hard fans I think it’ll be a reunion worth attending.
Review: Horrible Bosses Everything But Horrible
Horrible Bosses (2011)
Rated R
Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes
I, personally, have been waiting some time for a film like this. Since the advent of the modern “gross out comedy” (Dumb and Dumber, American Pie) it seems today’s comedies have missed the point (The Hangover 2). It’s not all about the most insane thing you can show on screen, it’s about interactions and what you don’t see that’s the most funny. Horrible Bosses mostly nails it in one of the funniest comedies to hit the screen in years by telling, not showing. Today’s comedies are hits because they don’t make any other kind of R-Rated comedy.
Perfect casting of the protagonist trio in a buddy flick wrapped in something of a commentary on today’s office society, the film is mainly about interesting characters and intriguing interactions. The storyline isn’t bad, though it gets a little outlandish as it moves on. The key here is making you truly hate the bosses in a way that somehow you agree with these everday guys that are thinking about how to actually kill them. In most movies (see the film’s nod to Strangers on a Train) this turns into a “black comedy” where you laugh but strangely feel uncomfortable that you’re laughing at such macbre happenings. In Horrible Bosses they balance everything perfectly and it stays squarely in the realm of comedy.
The laughs aren’t the huge gutbusters, they are more non-stop chuckling (though a few major LOLs as the kids say) at the quirky characters, funny dialogue, and insane situations. This movie really wraps it all in – there’s Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Fox, and Colin Farrel like you’ve never seen them, and the three guys (Charlie Day of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia nearly steals the show) perfectly balance each other as the straight man, the lunatic, and the toolbag.
Bottom line: It’s funnier than the trailer (a rarity) and for once the humor is funnier than the movie’s outtakes. While the banter is very R-Rated, this film doesn’t cross the line..and while the subject matter is black comedy-esque, it stays light-hearted and consistently fun the entire time. It’s not smart, but it stays far away from dumb. The storyline almost unravels, but never does…and what you have is one of the funniest movies in years that (for my money) I’d take over gross-out, insane-situation based comedies like The Hangover anyday. Here’s hoping for Horrible Bosses 2. I’ll be first in line.
3.5 out of 4 stars
Transformers 3: Not More Than Meets the Eye, But Good
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Transformers 3)
2011
PG-13
Runtime: 2 hours and 37 minutes
Available in 3D and IMAX (this review is for the non-3D non-IMAX version)
The critics hated it, and if you hate predictable movies of 80′s cartoons destroying cities with adolescent humor, you will too. Fortunately I don’t, and this film has one of the largest viewer/critic score gaps in the past few years…so it might be what you’re looking for.
If you liked Transformers 1 and hated the dreadful 2nd one (I did) then there’s also still hope. While not quite up to the first, this movie brings the action, humor, and some vague semblance of a storyline that is a perfect summer blockbuster. The one thing that bothers me is the trend of movies to get so outlandish (see Fast Five) that they push the limits of even the most lax action movie goer. This one is guilty as charged and it has reached the limits of what I’ll accept even in sci-fi/action.
The plot is pretty convoluted..the basics are that the moon landing in the 60′s was a ploy by the government to investigate something that landed on the moon, and they covered it up. Even the Autobots didn’t know about it and it had to do with their planet.
What ensues is the typical insane action and mind bending logical twists, but Transformers does a great job keeping the pacing with some humor mixed in as they build to a 60 minute action finale that doesn’t let up until Chicago is obliterated. I was even surprised that the Megan Fox replacement, a Victoria’s Secret model with no acting experience, didn’t do half bad. Shia Lebeouf is again the clear star, but this one has some surprise supporting actors (some good and some not) that you’ll recognize that give some weak writing a bit of punch.
Bottom Line: It won’t win any awards, it’s far too long, and far too loud. Which means I highly recommend it if you think you have some interest in a movie version of a cartoon you watched 25 years ago in your onesie and loved.
3 out of 4 stars
Netflix Instant Pick: Fat Sick and Nearly Dead
Fat Sick & Nearly Dead (Documentary) 2010
Available on Netflix Instant Streaming
I think we all could do a bit better in the health department, but for those of us that need a jolt of inspiration, this documentary was a great find. With similar goals as Super Size Me, this one takes the inspiration route instead of the scare tactics.
It follows a regular guy who finds himself overweight and sick and ready to try something new. He does a 60 day all fruit and vegetable liquid detox diet. While the premise turned me off and I just wanted to check it out, his easygoing manner and showing different methods for different people kept me hooked.
Along his journey he tours the country and talks to others about their feelings on health and eating and gently encourages them to do better.
He meets a trucker about halfway through the film who seems interested and he tells him to call him if he’s every serious. At this point the movie starts to take off and some really inspirational stories of the rest of the main character’s journey and where it leads him begin to unfold.
I’m not a health nut and I enjoy far too many burgers, but this movie mixes some easy-to-understand animations of why our diets are so bad and why he chose to do this one. His case was unique, but the benefits are universal.
Lots of great entertainment on Netflix Instant, but for those looking to change things up and jumpstart a healthy lifestyle, this inspiring (and sometimes cry-inducing) tale was worth the watch.
3 out of 4 stars
More infomation: http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/
Movie Review: Should You See Atlas Shrugged?
Updated: The main reason you should see this movie, the NY Times refused to review it and MSNBC and others refused to run advertising on it. Which means there must be something in there worth seeing.
While generally a big fan of Ayn Rand, I have to admit I still haven’t quite made it through the gargantuan of a book that is Atlas Shrugged. I was pretty stoked to see the movie, though, when I heard that Atlas Shrugged Part I was being made. There couldn’t be a better time in history for the message.
As a very low budget film and reading the ultra negative mainstream entertainment media reviews, I lost interest pretty quickly. At the end of the day, however, I think it’s important to support efforts like this and hopefully see more successful and higher budget films get made, plus audience reviews were much more positive. So I finally decided to see it.
Is the film worth seeing? I’d say yes. It has all kinds of problems from a movie-making standpoint. Sometimes poor acting, uneven pacing, confusing scenery and wardrobe (it seems to jump from 1950s to 2012 styling back and forth) and some strange camera angles. But through all this the message shines pretty clearly. Who is John Galt? Despite all the issues, by the end you’ll want to know the answer to that question and understand why it is asked.
While no actor shines in their role (it was reported hollywood agents wouldn’t let their talent anywhere near the controversial film) the Dagney Taggart role stands out pretty well. Though feminists will shriek in terror at the thought of a woman who doesn’t derive her power via government social policy, Taggart will blow you back in her seat the way she slaps around all the males in the movie and drives the story. Seeing her tell multiple bureaucrats to “shutup” and letting other know she “will destroy” them was a breath of fresh air. Much more of a role model as a strong individual for young girls then any bitter bra burner. The sense of self-worth derived from achievement, individualism and optimism is a shot across the bow to today’s egalitarian push.
Mostly the film serves as a warning. Meddling in freedom, attacking the producers, corrupt, centralized government…what if the heroes and creators of our society decided to pack up and leave? Atlas Shrugged Part I (of a 3 part series) begins to answer that question and shows a society just past where we are this very day in history.
I encourage anyone to support this film. It isn’t an artistic masterpiece. But it does a fine job (and in a short running time) displaying the danger of the rhetoric that’s popular now. The populist creed of “evil” rich, redistribution of wealth, and demagoguery for a new generation to beat back once again. After a sluggish start it stays interesting and move pretty quickly. If the ability to generate conversation about the topics in a movie well after it is over are a sign of a good one, then this was a good one.
There are no specific plans for Part II unless this one makes any money. It looks like a labor of love. As flawed as it is, my hope is that this will be the beginning of a more perfect Part II that will begin to show what happens when Atlas finally shrugs.
Visit the Atlas Shrugged Part I official site to see local theater listings
2.5 out of 4 stars
Wayne’s World Returns (Briefly)
A few weeks ago, Wayne’s World, with the original cast, returned to SNL. A worthwhile watch..as funny as any of the original sketches and a reminder how unfunny the show has been the past few years.
Mike Myers is a little rusty, but Dana Carvey looks like he just did his last one yesterday.
Blast From the 90′s! ‘Dumber’ and ‘Pie’ to Return?
I’m not so much a fan of the new style of comedies… a gross-out style which oddly started with some of my favorites like American Pie, but over time devolved into the Judd Apatow raunch fests and somewhat incoherent “The Hangover.”
But at least they were original ideas. As Hollywood does, these days, it looks like the vault has opened and they are resurrecting some of the new classics, with confirmation of American Pie 4 in a reunion movie, and rumors of a new Dumb and Dumber.
Check the links below for the latest info. I’m secretly looking forward to both of these, and hopefully a Super Troopers 2. Even if they will probably end up like American Wedding. As these things tend to be, Dumb and Dumber 2 likely won’t happen, but American Pie Reunion looks to be a go.
American Pie 4
Universal, which made and distributed the pop-phenomenon original, is developing a new version with an eye toward resetting the property as a theatrical franchise.
The studio is poised to bring on “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg to script a new take on the franchise, which is being described in the development community as “American Pie 4.”
- read the rest at The LA Times
Dumb and Dumber 2
..Bob Farrelly at the “Hall Pass” junket in Sydney this morning, the filmmaker – one half of the veteran comedy duo known for their ridiculously over-the-top laffers, “There’s Something About Mary” and “Kingpin” – let slip that he and his brother Peter are currently developing their first sequel.
“[Dumb and Dumber] has run a bunch of times on TV in the states, and kids will come up and they’ll be able to quote lines from that – lines that I’ve long forgotten. If we could get those two guys back together, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels that might be a worthwhile sequel – and that ball is in motion.
Atlas Shrugged Trailer Now Available
Updated: First Thoughts from The American Spectator from a sneak preview
Couldn’t have come at a better time…but is it the right movie? Filmed on a small budget but reportedly true to the original text, we’ll see. While it’s hard to tell with the just-released trailer, it is interesting to see the apparent current-day setting and the teasing as a high-stakes business drama, which may court new viewership to the Ayn Rand classic.
Looking forward to finding out “Who is John Galt” on the big screen, if nothing else. Opens in theaters April 15 (nice touch) 2011.
Atlas Shrugged, Part I Trailer
MSNBC Pwnage by.. Jon Stewart?
While generally sitting safely in the leftist camp , the most biting commentary on the administration and left wing media does also tend to come from The Daily Show. To its credit, that’s why it is also one of the top shows on cable due to the possibility you might see something fair on it.
With the departure of Keith Olberman, Stewart broadcast this gem about the truly awkward lineup that MSNBC (which has since dropped to 3rd place behind CNN) is now living with.
For those who hate MSNBC, or those that non-stop rail how ludicrous Fox News is, it’s a must-watch.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Olbertunity Knocks | ||||
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Superman’s New Identity Revealed
After much speculation, the identity of the new new Superman has been revealed to be British actor Henry Cavill in the (yet another) reboot of the superhero series by Zack Snyder to be released December 2012 in theaters.
A little more exciting this time, with Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) and Zack Snyder (300) overseeing the project. The last Superman Returns was overly long, underly exciting, and featured the most metrosexual Superman ever. With the wave of superhero movies, hopefully they will come up with something good for the most famous of all. Cavill is best known as Charles Brandon in the Showtime series ‘The Tudors” and looks to be a pretty stellar pick.
He was formerly the top choice for an earlier director who was attached to remake the film a few years back.
While this has the general makings of an exciting new take on the series, the original and greatest Christopher Reeve has yet to be matched, and can be given credit for kicking off the whole superhero movie fad being the first film to announce “You Will Believe a Man Can Fly.” I sure did..and still do.
