Movie 43 (2013)

1/5

Movie 43 is an abomination of filmmaking. It is an offensive assault on the senses for 90 straight minutes. This thing--which I refuse to call a movie--is a collection of unrelated images and scenarios designed to disgust and disturb. It is the kind of thing created for reaction videos, with no inherent value. From neck testicles to cartoon cat masturbation fantasies, from parental abuse and incest to graphic leprechaun violence, from gratuitous nudity to yellowface surgery, there is no line it won't cross. I'm disappointed that so many quality actors have sullied their names by taking part in this evil transgression of cinema, this shameful plague of a thing. It makes me shudder just thinking about it. Ugh.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1333125/

Going the Distance (2010)

5/5

Going the Distance is an irreverent romantic comedy that will please those looking for raunchy laughs or sappy tearjerking. The plot follows Erin (Barrymore) and Garrett (Long), two people who fall in love one summer and find themselves fighting to survive in a long-distance relationship. Most romantic comedies work as follows: the two leads are stripped of any unique or interesting qualities so that nobody in the audience can find a fault with them (except maybe loving the other person too much) as the forces of the world tear them apart. But because the studios need to turn it into a comedy, they give the guy and the girl cohorts of friends with quirky senses of humor who are free to get a little more wild and risky. While this movie certainly has some unbelievable side characters (Day, Sudeikis, Applegate, Gaffigan), it doesn't dumb down the main characters into bland milquetoasts in the hopes that we will relate to and empathize with them. Going the Distance has characters that we care for because it takes the opposite tack. These people are real; they are vibrant and alive, imperfect, passionate, even distasteful at times. The decision to use off-screen couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long was without a doubt the correct one, because you can see their love for each other in every frame on the screen.

The acting is pitch-perfect. It makes the writing seem nonexistent. Everything they say just rolls off the actors' tongues in perfect harmony and synchrony with their body language. Drew Barrymore has just the right amount of sass to make her adorable and edgy without being annoying. Justin Long is far more charming and charismatic than I ever thought was possible. Charlie Day steals every single scene he is in, playing a character that is almost identical to his role in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (which I hope is almost identical to his personality in real life). Though the jokes are risky, they hit all the right notes at all the right times. The movie honestly shows emotions without glamorizing it or turning it into melodrama. It lets scenes play themselves out, whether filled with joy or despair. And despite some predictability, this movie is a near-perfect romantic comedy. I can't wait to watch it again.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322312/

Waiting (2005)

4/5

Waiting is an absolutely hilarious comedy about a group of college-age kids who wait tables at a restaurant. It's not particularly new or interesting, but it takes its simple concept and makes the most of it. From mean customers to bad tippers, imagine how you would handle the situation. And if you were stuck there, imagine what kind of games would you play in the back room to extract tiny morsels of joy out of your miserable existence. And then turn it into a raucous comedy, and you have Waiting.

The characters are by far the best part about the movie. The movie starts with Monty (Ryan Reynolds) taking a new trainee (John Francis Daley) under his wing for the day. His best friend (Justin Long) feels inadequate because of a high school friend who recently got his bachelor's in electrical engineering while he has been working at Shenanigan's for the past four years. Monty, the suave underage-chaser, has his eye on the hostess, who is just one week shy of turning 18. Naomi is perpetually angry at everyone, yelling and swearing to everybody and nobody in particular, but always puts on a smile for the customers. Raddimus is the cook who loves handjobs, showing his penis and balls to his coworkers so he can call them gay, and dropping food on the floor. I don't know why, but I apparently found this movie much funnier than the people I was watching it with. I really don't know how to else to review it except to say that it's hilarious. I loved every moment of it. Go watch it!

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348333/

Funny People (2009)

3/5

Despite the rating of 3 stars, Judd Apatow's Funny People is not a mediocre movie. It's actually a great movie that suffers from some serious flaws. The plot follows star comedian George Simmons (Sandler) after he is diagnosed with AML. While depressed, he hires young stand-up comic Ira Wright (Rogen) to be his assistant and help write jokes for him. He finally starts accepting his impending death and, because of it, begins rekindling old relationships, including the love of his life, Laura (Mann). He miraculously recovers and, with his new lease on life, decides to pursue Laura and what he hopes is the key to his happiness.

Some of the scenes in this movie are incredibly powerful and moving (for example, when he first finds out about the disease, or when he fears that the drugs are making him sicker, or when he starts opening up to people, or the complicated mess they get into at the end). Some of the scenes, mostly the stand-up routines, are ridiculously hilarious. And I especially loved all the scenes where real-life comedians (Norm MacDonald, Dave Attell, Sarah Silverman, Ray Romano) play themselves. But some scenes just muddle the message and some scenes that need to be there just aren't. It's frustrating in a movie that seems so close to greatness fall so short. And it's unsatisfying. Even after 2 hours and 15 minutes, when I realized the credits were about to roll on the final shot, I thought to myself, "That's it? There's nothing more he has to say?"

The humor is actually fairly dissonant; you get the Adam Sandler humor of old mixed with the Seth Rogen/Judd Apatow humor of new and they just don't go together. I often had to force myself to laugh at most of Sandler's comedic lines. I never really found him that funny to start with, and this movie didn't change my opinion. On the bright side, the acting was effective and empathetic, from all parties, and most directorial decisions were spot-on. The cinematography was surprisingly effective at setting mood and evoking emotion with simple point-of-view shots. The editing was good for the most part, although it lagged in some parts as well. All in all, the movie was technically proficient with some very emotional scenes that ultimately leave you unfulfilled and aggravated. If you like Judd Apatow movies, you'll probably like this one, but it's definitely not as good as his other two.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1201167/

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

4/5

Zack and Miri Make a Porno is essentially the dirty version of what every upstart indie filmmaker goes through. It stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as two roommates who turn to making a certain type of adult movie to pay their bills. Despite being directed by Kevin Smith, the casting makes it feel like a Judd Apatow movie. Their acting, in concert with Smith's writing, give the film a realism you wouldn't think possible based on the plot. And their little arguments and amusing antics make it hilarious. But just like every Kevin Smith movie, there is one ridiculously gross moment that you don't expect and will never forget, even though it's on screen for less than a second.

But perhaps I appreciate this movie a bit more than most people might, because I know this kind of guerrilla filmmaking. I've lived it. I made my boom pole out of a golf club instead of a hockey stick and I shot at a grocery store instead of a coffee shop, but I've lived it. And I know what it's like when the people you work with become your best and closest friends. So I share a nostalgia with the movie that helps me love it. Still, I'm sure anyone who likes either Kevin Smith or Seth Rogen will love this movie too. Just be prepared for nudity and sex, because there's a lot of it.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1007028/

The Break-Up (2006)

3/5

The Break-Up follows the humorous end of Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston's relationship. One good thing I can say about the movie is that I really had no idea how it was gonna end; it could have gone either way. That's a really rare trait in a romantic comedy these days. (And the wonderfully bittersweet end far exceeded my expectations.) Some of the antics felt really gimmicky. While they were advertised the most, the dialogue was really the focus. My two favorite parts were the arguments and the side characters (Justin Long as an exuberantly gay receptionist, Jon Favreau as Vaughn's friend, and Jason Bateman as their realtor). Oh, I also love movies set in Chicago now.

The acting actually impressed me, although it obviously wasn't Oscar-worthy. The editing was a bit experimental, especially for a studio film, and it didn't always work. The cinematography was pretty mediocre most of the time, although there was a surprisingly slick shot with Vince Vaughn's gawking face blocking Jennifer Aniston's naked body. The music fit, although it wasn't particularly noteworthy. All in all, a decent romantic comedy with some cheesy moments, but a story with heart. If you like romantic comedies, check this one out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452594/

Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

3/5

Live Free or Die Hard is pretty much the same movie as Shoot 'Em Up in terms of ridiculous, unrelenting action and corny, cheeseball comedy. And it works. Live Free or Die Hard looks a lot prettier though, and the script is more realistic (and by extension more ludicrous in its attempt to be realistic and therefore funnier overall). There was also a random woman that kept popping up in scenes as some FBI guy's aide and just look around at stuff, including the camera filming her, which I thought was hilarious. However, I HATED the editing. I could tell every single time they cheated by dubbing over audio and splicing in video as a band-aid and it pissed me off! I prefer the original Die Hard, but this is good senseless fun as well.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0337978/