When Harry Met Sally (1989)

4.9/5

Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally is one of those nearly flawless romantic comedies that will never be forgotten. It is so ingrained in our culture that it invades our subconscious views on dating and relationships and we cannot imagine a world where those now-obvious opinions were never before voiced. The writing is brilliant. The words Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan speak are provocative and poignant, and worst of all true. Their acting is so fluid and genuine, it is difficult to imagine anyone else playing those characters. The diner scene is simply unrivaled in the genre of romantic comedy; nothing comes close. Even Rob Reiner's directing impressed me. Much like Annie Hall, although not nearly at that same level, this film contains a number of creative cinematic touches that give it a uniqueness and individuality that help make it memorable (the double phone call, the couples' stories). As an aside, I didn't find much to enjoy in the music, cinematography, or editing, but who really cares?

For me, I was a bit conflicted. It reminded me way too much of Seinfeld and it was nearly impossible to separate the two. If you are a big Seinfeld fan, you will find yourself comparing the two nonstop, and it is a bit maddening. The same problem arises if you're an Annie Hall fan. Meg Ryan dresses in a bizarre, hideous, almost repulsive manner throughout the entire movie, perhaps in an effort to highlight her singularity, but all it does is mar the memory of Diane Keaton's style in Annie Hall. I didn't realize how much I hated it until I wrote this review, but it really is that awful. Anyway, great movie, with a few caveats. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you watch it now. And if you have seen it before, why not watch it again?

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/

Role Models (2008)

4/5

Role Models stars Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott as Danny and Wheeler, two advertisers for Minotaur energy drink. Danny hates every new trend and saying and he picks fights with everyone who uses them. He's in a rut, and when he tries to shake things up with an impromptu and rather lame proposal to his girlfriend Beth (Elizabeth Banks), she dumps him. In a fit of anger, he does some highly illegal things in the Minotaur truck with Wheeler, and they both get sentenced to do community service with the Sturdy Wings mentoring program as punishment. The rest of the movie is the expected, predictable journey of maturation and development that Danny and Wheeler undergo, with the requisite melodramatic loss of trust and triumphant winning back of love.

Still, the movie manages to impress. The humor starts off a little subdued, but quickly builds with incessant, nearly ubiquitous sexual innuendo and laugh-out-loud situations. The writing is phenomenal, throwing in little jokes and asides that give the movie flair and individuality and ensuring you quote it long after its ending. There are no major complaints I have from a technical standpoint. The one thing I didn't like was the two bits of nudity in the movie; they were completely unnecessary, thrown in for seemingly no other reason than because they already had an R rating for language and figured they might as well get more bang for their buck, literally. At the very least, the use of nudity wasn't distasteful or overindulgent, so for that I'm thankful. Anyway, I have only very minor complaints with this altogether enjoyable and entertaining movie experience.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430922/

Hancock (2008)

3/5

Peter Berg's Hancock is a mildly humorous action comedy that was unable to live up to my rather simple expectations. When I saw all the names associated with its creation, I guess I just assumed it would be better than it was. But despite Peter Berg's direction, the action was vapid and uninspired. Despite Will Smith and Jason Bateman's involvement, the comedy was unremarkable; there was just enough humor to keep it afloat and no more. The trailer had every predictable plot point and every good joke. Surprisingly, however, the movie threw us a complete curve ball about 2/3 of the way in, with an absolutely preposterous turn of events that I was not the biggest fan of. This concoction was a plot twist I could not foresee from watching the trailer. I was also taken aback when I saw some good drama, and some cleverness in answering a few questions I had pertaining to said ludicrous plot twist. And, for the first time, Charlize Theron actually played a character who was supposed to be hot! Which was wonderful. All in all, though, a quickly forgettable movie with just enough good moments to barely hold your interest throughout.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

3/5

Sullivan's Travels starts off with a truly inspired comic moment that the rest of the movie just doesn't seem to live up to. The plot follows the movie director Sullivan (McCrea) who gets sick of making comedies and musicals in a time of depression and wants to create a picture that means something to people. He decides to live as a tramp to understand what trouble is, to experience the lows of the human condition. Along the way he meets a washed-up actress (Lake) who discovers his intentions and asks to join him. As far as comedy goes, this movie just isn't that funny. At least, not consistently so. There are some moments that made me laugh out loud, but they were few and far between.

While it drops off for the middle half hour, things start to get much more interesting and intricate at about the hour mark. Through an unexpected and surprising chain of events, the comedy seems to veer off into the dismal and depressing. I appreciate the attempt at valuation and redemption, but I wanted a comedy, and a comedy I did not get. Technically, the film was a little better than average, with some quality compositions and a number of long takes. I particularly love the way the story comes back full circle, although the movie doesn't really heed its own advice. I definitely recommend it for some, just know that it's neither an especially great comedy or an especially great drama.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034240/

Gattaca (1997)

4/5

Gattaca takes place in the not-too-distant future where genetically engineered children are the norm and babies made out of love are scorned and treated like dirt. They are forced to become the janitors to the better off, for no other reason than because their genes show a higher predisposition to heart disease or other illness. Their DNA matters more than their willpower. In this dystopian future we find Ethan Hawke as an "In-Valid" who dreams of going into space. He takes on the identity of a recently-paralyzed Jude Law and is soon on his way to the stars. When the mission director is unexpectedly murdered, he must keep his secret from getting out.

This wonderful treat is a provocatively-envisioned and beautifuly-shot film. The acting is spot-on, although the characters themselves can be a bit dull and uninteresting. The set and costume design are impeccable, both believable and beautiful. The editing and music are nothing to write home about, except for the audacious Schubert played as only a twelve-fingered pianist could. This movie gives you something to think about and talk about long after the film ends, and isn't that reason enough to watch it?

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/

Quantum of Solace (2008)

3/5

The new James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, has just as many problems as the last Bond movie, if not more, and not too many improvements. There are no gadgets. There's no Q or Moneypenny. He doesn't make love to the main actress. And he's not really a spy--this was James Bond playing Jason Bourne. (There was even a fight scene that almost replicated the kitchen fight scene in The Bourne Ultimatum.) The movie starts about an hour after Casino Royale left off, but since I didn't remember all the characters and double-crosses from that movie, this one had a far more incomprehensible plot than it needed to. (Think Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.) When will the creators get some sense into them and bring back the old James Bond we know and love? It's been formulaic for 45 years because people love the formula.

I did like a few things. The title sequence in particular was very retro and very cool. It was a truly action-packed movie, with little time to catch your breath. I thought the directing was far superior to what it's been in the past, especially with regards to editing and cinematography. At the very least, these two latest Bond movies are better than Die Another Day, which I had the displeasure of catching on TV last night and wholeheartedly recommend you avoid at all costs. But Quantum of Solace is an entertaining flick, so check it out if you're a Bond fan.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0830515/

Wedding Crashers (2005)

4/5

The Wedding Crashers is a hilarious, vulgar, tender romantic comedy. With so many disparate moods, it's a miracle it feels so fluid and put together. The story follows two best buds (Wilson and Vaughn) who crash weddings together; that is, they go to weddings and prey on horny singles seeking true love. It sounds a lot creepier typed out than it plays on the screen. They've been doing it for 12 years and Wilson wants to get out, but he falls in love on his last big crash. And oh no! She's getting married to a creep who sucks! Who could have predicted that? Anyway, it all ends happily ever after as expected, and it's a joy ride along the way.

There are some problems. To start with, there are way too many random and unnecessary moments, scenes, jokes, etc. There is a lot of gratuitous nudity and crude sexual humor. It's certainly more of a guy movie than a girl movie because of it. And it used more wipes than Star Wars combined with Pan's Labyrinth. The ending was a bit drawn out, and they kept adding more and more side characters as the movie went on. Most of the time, all this crap was added in for the jokes, but after a while it just got kind of repetitive. Regardless, it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie and a fun break from the real world.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396269/

The Happening (2008)

3/5

M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening starts with a stunning intro credit sequence. An elegant and evocative precursor to the movie, the tranquil movement of clouds as they pass by subtly turns menacing. An airborne toxin is blocking people's "survival" neurotransmitters and causing them to commit suicide. This is a terrifying concept, but perhaps more terrifying is not what this toxin does to those affected, but what it does to those unaffected and afraid, those still human enough to make their own decisions and suffer the consequences. The visuals are eerie and memorable, the music effective, and the pacing perfect. I'm actually very impressed with Shyamalan's progress as a technical director. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end.

There are a wide number of odd situations, side stories, and actions. Not odd in a thought-provoking way, but odd in an inexplicable and unrelated way that makes you wonder why it's in the movie at all. It often made the acting seem hollow and unnatural and made other aspects of the movie confusing as well. While Shyamalan's message against urbanization and deforestation was fine at first, it was pounded into the audience's head in an awfully heavy-handed way by the time the movie ended. Mark Wahlberg was perhaps not the best choice as the main character, mostly due to the way he talked and because I associated him with the recent SNL skit and was waiting for him to ask me to say hello to my mother for him. All in all, I really enjoyed watching the movie. It lived up to my expectations and I recommend it to anyone who was excited about it when they saw the trailers for it.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0949731/

The Lady Eve (1941)

4/5

The Lady Eve starts off with a cartoon snake planting shiny apples on a tree. And from this Biblical story of temptation and the battle of the sexes comes a classic romantic comedy of the same with countless references back to its origins. A father-daughter con team finds their mark in a clumsy, straitlaced rich boy named Pike (Fonda). The daughter (Stanwyck) finds herself falling in love with the man, but their devious intentions find their way to the forefront and get in the way of their happiness. In between the moments of bittersweet melodrama, there are some very clever moments that not only make you smile, but also laugh out loud. The writing excels in both the plotting and the dialogue to create, in combination with spot-on acting, a pristine, unforgettable movie.

The camerawork and editing are rather ordinary for the most part, although there are a few moments where they still manage to surprise and astound you with each. Despite some amazing writing, there are also a number of gags and gimmicks that seem too stupid or simple for the rest of the movie. There are also some awkward fade-out transitions that seem sudden and/or out of place. These are all rather minor niggles with an otherwise intelligent and immensely enjoyable film.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033804/