License to Wed (2007)

3/5

As you probably know from the trailers and immediately forgot, License to Wed is about a young couple (John Krasinski and Mandy Moore) who go through a premarital counseling course run by the insane Reverend Frank (Robin Williams). The very insane Reverend Frank. He gives them creepy robot babies to test their parenting skills, he bugs their house to make sure there's no sex before the wedding, and he makes them drive blindfolded to practice communication skills. (Don't worry, I'm not revealing anything that isn't in the trailer.) Yes, it is preposterous and you know how it's going to end, but is that really why you're watching this movie? Naw, you see it for that feel-good moment, and after 90 minutes it comes, as expected. (Although, not as I expected, in a Michael Bay, rapidly-rotating camera shot.)

Nothing about this movie is exceptional or painful. It is solidly, forgettably mediocre. One thing did rub me the wrong way. Robin Williams's character is a bit sexually risqué for me. It just seems odd to have so much of his adult, male humor in this otherwise teenage girlie movie. But there were also little gems I really enjoyed. For example, Reverend Frank has a chubby kid protégé who's pretty hilarious. And it was great seeing Mindy Kaling, Brian Baumgartner, and Angela Kinsey in supporting roles. And of course John Krasinski in the lead. I love it when I see The Office actors pop up in random movies. They're not enough to make a movie good, but they are enough to make this movie more than watchable! Recommended for those who want to see The Office actors in something they haven't already seen (but Robin Williams fans will be disappointed).

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0762114/

Deconstructing Harry (1997)

4/5

Deconstructing Harry is a hilarious foray into a neurotic writer's life and mind. Harry Block travels to upstate New York where he's going to be honored by his old college. On the way, he gets a chance to reflect on the choices he's made, both in his writing and in his life. His stories and the characters that inhabit them stem from real people and real events, which has often caused anger and resentment by those whose secret and personal lives he's put on display through his work. I love this movie because it is both meaningful and entertaining. I found myself laughing the entire time. But it also made me think about this writer's life, how he took advantage of it, and what his creations (or are they merely alterations?) mean to himself and to others. Deconstructing Harry is an absolutely wonderful and delightful fantasy about real life that is witty, nostalgic, and philosophical all at once. I loved the acting by all parties and especially enjoyed spotting soon-to-be-famous actors in small roles (Tobey Maguire, Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Garner, etc.). I am in love with the way he made Robin Williams (and himself, later) blurry and out of focus while the rest of the scene was crisp and sharp. I wish I knew how he did it. You can see Allen's creativity positively brimming and overflowing in this movie (although not as profusely as in Annie Hall).

I fail to understand the purpose of the neurotic editing, except perhaps as a banal and gimmicky way of putting the director's own flightiness and anxiety into his work, as Harry Block replicates his life in his writing. Using this editing style to start the movie was extremely off-putting. Some scenes feel rather pointless, without adding much to the table in terms of plot, humor, or pathos. Also, most of the movie is told from Harry Block's point of view, and as such takes on a cynical and misogynistic quality, which obviously may not be for everyone (take his version of Hell, for example). Otherwise, though, a thoroughly fantastic movie that I enjoyed and appreciated from start to finish.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0118954/

Aladdin (1992)

4/5

Aladdin is a Disney classic, well-loved by all. Watching it again brought me back to when I first saw it as a child. I could remember all the times I laughed, sang along, and got scared. It's a remarkable whirlwind of an experience. Robin Williams is incredible as Genie, as is Gilbert Gottfried as Iago. The rest of the acting, enh. Acceptable. I was surprised to see the use of CGI in the movie, forgetting it had been there. It was actually quite seamlessly interwoven with the drawn animation for its time and to the untrained eye (but not so much for me now). The music is just plain unforgettable. The plot is a bit simple and contrived; there's not much there except to propel the characters to do the next thing on the Disney to do list. The jokes were very kid-oriented, with a couple lines thrown in there for the adults. I think there is a shift though in modern animation, with movies like The Incredibles and Shrek having a much greater percentage of adult jokes than previously. But there are also almost no songs to sing along to anymore, which saddens me. Perhaps it is for this reason that Aladdin is one of those treasures you always remember. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0103639/