Paul (2011)

3/5

Paul is the sci-fi version of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Like the other two, it was written by its leads Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and is filled to the brim with references to all the best films of the genre that came before it. But unlike the other two, it felt like they were trying too hard to recapture their past success and just ended up beating a dead horse. The spoof/parody/homage formula they created was intriguing in Shaun of the Dead, perfected in Hot Fuzz, and has now become washed up in Paul. (Or maybe I'm just not as big a sci-fi fan as I am an action fan.)

There are jokes aplenty in this movie and I laughed more than my fair share for a comedy, but for some reason the film just didn't engage me. The character of Paul had too much Seth Rogen in him, the road trip adventure felt bland and unexciting, and for whatever reason I never found myself caring about what was happening. The movie is fine as far as entertainment goes, but I expect better from them. If it seems like I'm harsh on the movie, it's because I know those two can do better. And I hope they do on their next project.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/

Crazy Stupid Love (2011)

4/5

Crazy Stupid Love has commas in the official title that I am intentionally omitting because they annoy me. The movie itself does not annoy me. In fact, it surprised me with its humor and heart. The plot follows Cal (Carell) and Emily (Moore) Weaver. Emily wants a divorce, and in fact she has already cheated on him with her co-worker David Lindhagen (Bacon). Cal's son (Bobo) is in love with his babysitter (Tipton), who is in fact in love with Cal. Cal starts frequenting bars, whining to no one in particular nonstop for two weeks about the impending divorce, until Jacob (Gosling) becomes so annoyed that he takes him under his wing and shows him how to assert his manhood and pick up women for one-night stands. Cal's first "success" is with a crazy teacher (Tomei) who seems excited by his honesty, but he never calls her back. Jacob, on the other hand, meets Hannah (Stone), who shakes him of his womanizing ways and turns him into a boyfriend.

There is one fantastic scene in the middle of the film that involves Cal and Emily talking on the phone, and it becomes evident that she still loves him and cares for him and misses him even if she can't live with him. It is a tender moment that is filled with genuine emotion and more complexity than you might at first assume. It almost forced a tear out of my eye. In fact, almost the entire plot seems very simple superficially but becomes much more multi-faceted just below the surface.

The acting by the entire ensemble is wonderful; everyone is able to juggle empathy with wit in fluid harmony. The directing as a whole was very effective, although it felt somewhat choppy as people were ignored for chunks at a time. On the whole, Crazy Stupid Love impressed me unexpectedly, much like Bandslam. If you had any interest in the actors or the plot, I would not hesitate to recommend this movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/

Gran Torino (2008)

4/5

Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino is a drama about a retired Korean War veteran named Walt Kowalski who befriends his new Hmong neighbors Sue and Thao after his wife dies. A local gang picks on Thao incessantly, and Walt realizes what he has to do to save his newfound friend. For those who've seen the trailer, then you know the growling, cantankerous Walt that Clint Eastwood plays. And he is perfect in his role. We understand and appreciate his existence, even if we don't like his gruff exterior. His open and overt racism appears to be a measure of his love, not hatred, for the "dagos" and "zipperheads" he interacts with. And it's more hilarious than Crash.

The plot is rock-solid, with classic pacing and storytelling. The cinematography and editing are equally good. But the acting by everyone except Eastwood was awful. The Hmong teenagers had no acting experience, and it showed. It was painful to watch: eye-gougingly painful. And had bad sound recording. I don't know how it made it into this movie. But the rest of the movie is amazing. Highly recommended.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1205489/