Category Archives: Comedy
Comedy
Flash Movie Review: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Credit has to be given to a person who believes their own convictions. Their dedication does not waiver during the low points in their life. When I was auditioning at several health clubs to teach aerobics, I still remember the reactions I got from several fitness directors. The most negative comments came from the director of one of the more prestigious health clubs in the city. As I drove home I went over everything I did in the audition, looking for something that I could have done differently, wondering what caused the sourness on that director’s face. Knowing my style was different with its choreographed movements; by the time I got home I decided I would not change, believing there was a place that would take a chance on me. The following week I had an audition where I did the same routines and this time the director not only had a smile on her face but joined in on the routines. I was hired on the spot. Since then whenever I applied to teach at another club I would insist the director come to my class to see what I was doing instead of me performing in their empty aerobic studio. Understanding a person’s dedication, I have to commend Will Ferrell (Elf, The Other Guys) in his desire to entertain audiences by bringing back his character, newsman Ron Burgundy. In this sequel a television station decided to launch a 24 hour news channel, looking at Ron Burgundy to be one of their announcers. Assembling his former news team Brick Tamland, Brian Fantana and Champ Kind, played by Steve Carell (The Way Way Back, Get Smart), Paul Rudd (Role Models, Wanderlust) and David Koechner (Thank you for Smoking, Balls of Fury), the news team came to New York City to make their mark with their own style of reporting. This comedy film had been hyped for so many months by the time I sat down to watch it I have to admit I was already a bit tired of it. The film trailers had the better jokes from the script because what I saw was not all that funny. Sure there were a couple of chuckles, due more to the outrageousness of the scene, but I did not find much creativity being used throughout the film. I did enjoy the variety of celebrity cameos, surprised by the actors who agreed to be in the movie. For those looking for some mindless fun, this would be the film to see. There was a brief extra scene at the end of the credits.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas
Part of being a friend is being a sounding board for them. I have learned that it is best to offer advice when asked, but to never tell a friend what they should do. In fact, the word “should” is something I have strived to eliminate from my vocabulary. Besides offering help when I am asked, I have depended on the advice from friends to provide me a clearer picture to a variety of dilemmas I have encountered. I do not know if the right side of my brain is more dominant than my left, but some of the solutions I come up with to a problem tend to be more creative than reality based. Gratefully the advice my friends offer me is direct and cuts to the heart of the matter, bringing clarity to my concerns. I do the same thing for them as I have been know to say, “What is the bottom line?” The question cuts to what will it take to make them comfortable with their decision. Not one for having things sugarcoated, I have appreciation for the directness in the way Madea doles out her advice. Played by Tyler Perry (Alex Cross, Good Deeds), Madea agreed to take a trip with her friend Eileen, played by Anna Maria Horsford (Our Family Wedding, Broken Bridges) to Alabama where Eileen was going to surprise her daughter Lacey, played by Tika Sumpter (Salt, What’s Your Number?), for Christmas. Arriving at their destination would not only be a surprise for Lacey, but would be for the small country town once they got a dose of Madea. This latest dramatic comedy in the escapades of Madea was as tired as a bloodhound on a hot summer day. I found the jokes predictable with the better ones having already been used in the movie trailers. To its favor, I am sure these films with Madea keep a positive economic stream flowing through the Atlanta area where the studio is located, keeping people employed. However, this film was stale from the start. At least I enjoyed Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, Hocus Pocus) and Larry the Cable Guy (Witless Protection, Delta Farce) as wife and husband, Kim and Buddy. For me the best part of this film was the gag reel used during the credits. I know Tyler is not interested in my advice, but I feel Madea needs a makeover for a fresh new look.
1 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Delivery Man
Walking down the grocery store aisle can be dangerous for me. Besides my desire for foods that are not the healthiest, my eyes can easily spot the words “new” and “improved” on any package. When it comes down to it I am a marketer’s dream shopper because I am easily swayed to try new food items. If they fit into my world of approved foods I am always adventurous to bring home new stuff and taste it. Sometimes I hit the jackpot when the product tastes so good, I do not want to brush my teeth for hours, letting the sumptuous taste linger in my mouth as long as possible. Other times it is a bust and I bring it to the office, hoping someone will get a positive experience from it. When it comes to a product’s packaging that claims a new fuller taste or improved flavor, I am aware it is more of a gamble. I have been disappointed when I brought the package home only to find the improvement consisted of shrinking the size of the food. To make matters worse, I can see it was done to make the package look fuller, but the net weight was reduced and I am being charged the same price as the former package. Stuff like this ticks me off as I am sure it would you too. I have to tell you I felt the same way about this comedy remake of the French Canadian film Starbuck, which I reviewed here previously. This American version starred Vince Vaughn (The Internship, Couples Retreat) as David, a delivery driver who discovered he was the father to 533 children, due to a mixup at the fertility clinic he donated at years ago. If a film studio wants to do a remake I do not have an issue with it. However, if it is going to be done I expect to see and experience things differently than the original; otherwise, what is the point? The biggest flaw in this movie was Vince Vaughn. I am tired of him playing the same role now in every one of his movies, it does not provide any entertainment value to his films. Supporting characters Brett, played by Chris Pratt (Moneyball, Wanted) and Emma, played by Cobie Smulders (Safe Haven, Now I Met Your Mother-TV) at least tried to act in this dud. Another thing that annoyed me was the obvious manipulation of emotions the writers were trying to do in the script. It did not work for me. Save your money by skipping this film and go rent Starbuck instead.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Last Vegas
There is only a small group who can determine my feelings without me uttering one single word. We use verbal shorthand to communicate, ready to validate anyone’s point being made to an outsider. I am part of this group known as childhood friends. We knew each other before adolescence; they never made a comment about the pimples appearing on my face as my body began to change. Each of us shares a history that keeps us grounded to each other, without the need for explaining our actions. Sometimes I feel they are too grounded when they correct a story I am telling that may have some embellishments in it; you know, strictly for entertainment purposes. We can joke and tease each other; but if someone else attempts it, each one of us will go into attack mode to defend our friend. This type of loyalty was evident amongst the childhood friends in this comedy. Michael Douglas (Falling Down, Behind the Candelabra) as Billy, Robert De Niro (The Family, Silver Linings Playbook) as Paddy, Morgan Freeman (Now You See Me, Million Dollar Baby) as Archie and Kevin Kline (Wild Wild West, The Ice Storm) as Sam have known each other since childhood. After all these years perpetual bachelor Billy decided to get married to a considerably younger woman. Despite any misgivings, Billy’s friends decided to throw him a bachelor party to beat all bachelor parties in the city of Los Vegas. With most moviegoers being familiar with the acting style of these actors, I felt the writers needed to have a strong script for them. Unfortunately it was not, placing the cast in a predictable story. The humor was okay, though the movie trailers ruined some scenes for me. It was lovely to see Mary Steenburgen (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Proposal) cast as lounge singer Diana. I found her role to be the strongest and enjoyed the way the story developed around her character. There seems to be talk about this film being the geriatric version of The Hangover movie franchise. I can see why people would say this but it does a disservice to this film. The essence of this story was about childhood friends. I wished the writers would have expanded on it because I know my old friends would have appreciated the movie more. But then again, they already knew how I was going to review this bland movie.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Bad Grandpa
There was only one set of grandparents by the time I was born. My grandfather was a quiet, religious man who would always play checkers with me whenever I asked him. When I think about my grandmother; I remember watching her cook or bake, barely using any measuring cups or spoons. Some of you will think this is an odd memory, but I cannot think of one time where I saw my grandmother sitting on a sofa. She would always sit in a chair, letting anyone who wanted to relax to take the couch. The two of them were everything one would want in a grandparent. They never yelled or disciplined any of their grandchildren; the closest they came would be to stare at one of us with a short shake of their head. Compared to 86 year old Irving Zisman, played by Johnny Knoxville (The Last Stand, The Ringer) in this comedy, my grandparents were living in a coma. When Irving’s daughter was sentenced to prison; it was up to him to drive his 8 year old grandson Billy, played by Jackson Nicoll (The Fighter, Arthur), cross country to be with his father. Along the way Irving exposed his grandson to people and places that were never mentioned in any child rearing manuals. If you dislike practical jokes, chances are you will not like this film that sprung out of the Jackass film franchise. After the first Jackass film, I thought the rest went quickly downhill. The thing I liked about this crazy movie was the fact it had a story outline and it stayed with it. Johnny was impressive in his ability to stay in character, never laughing at the wild scenes he created along with the other writers. I thought Jackson did a wonderful job with the way he used his sad eyes and face of resignation at the right times. There were some scenes that were so outrageous I could not help but wonder if the innocent bystanders actually knew what was going on. Having seen the trailers for some time now, I was worried they showed the best parts of the movie. They did take a little of the surprise away from me, but most of the scenes still had a little extra oomph to offer in this funny film. I actually laughed out loud during several episodes. Almost every family has one relative who is considered the crazy or wild one. It is all relative though when you stack them up against Irving Zisman.
2 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: A.C.O.D.
I was at the same event, even sitting at the same table. It is always fascinating to me how two people at the same function can have different memories of the occasion. The memories I have for this particular event were all of a negative nature; the food was cold, the overpowering music made conversations difficult and the room was too cold. My friend thought it was one of the best charity events he had ever attended. Similarly, this type of scenario happens frequently between family members. I cannot tell you how many times two relatives will recall a specific event and have completely different recollections of it. The use of perception was a key factor in this comedy movie. Adam Scott (Friends with Kids, Parks and Recreations-TV) played Carter, an adult child of divorce. With the impending wedding of his younger brother coming up, Carter forced his divorced battling parents to put their bitterness aside to attend the event. But by Carter bringing the combatant spouses back, he discovered he had different family memories then they did. Having bought a movie ticket to this film without seeing a trailer for it, part of my enjoyment came from the blending of the hilarious cast that was a surprise to me. Catherine O’Hara (For Your Consideration, Home Alone franchise) as Melissa and Richard Jenkins (White House Down, The Visitor) as Hugh were perfectly in synch as Carter’s parents. Amy Poehler (Baby Mama, Parks and Recreations-TV) as Hugh’s new wife Sondra and Jane Lynch (Afternoon Delight, Glee-TV) as Dr. Judith were standouts in their roles. I had to wonder if their dialog was all scripted or did they do some ad libbing; it was wonderful to watch them. As for the story, it was somewhat cluttered which did not give much time to further explore the characters. What kept this movie together was everyone’s comedic skills. On the one hand I can see where movie goers would feel this film played more like a television sitcom; but for me, it did not make a difference because I enjoyed this light, funny movie. At least, that is how I recall my time spent in front of the theater screen watching this film. If you go to see this movie, stay through the rolling of the fun credits.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Pulling Strings
Oh, the things some of us do to impress or sway the opinion of another person. I was dating someone who was the cohost of a local cable talk show. Their expertise involved anything that had to do with food. I know what you are thinking, my dreams were coming true. After being invited to their place for dinner a couple of times I wanted to reciprocate, but was totally intimidated by their cooking prowess. Not having much experience with cooking meals from scratch, I was nervous to invite them for a home cooked meal. Keep in mind “home cooked” meant a frozen pizza or a can of soup for me back then. For two weeks I scoured all kinds of recipe books, looking for one that listed exact measurements. I am one of those people who cannot be told to throw in a pinch of salt or add an ingredient for taste. Up until we sat down at the table, my stress level was wreaking havoc with my stomach; I could barely eat what I cooked. I knew the meal was nothing close to their elaborate meals; I could only hope I would get points for the effort. This is why I could relate to the main character in this romantic comedy. Jaime Camil (Saving Private Perez, Regresa) played mariachi singer Alejandro. Wanting a better life for his daughter, Alejandro applied for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. It was denied by embassy employee Rachel, played by Laura Ramsey (The Ruins, The Covenant). However, life had a funny way of presenting a second opportunity to make a good impression when Alejandro spotted Laura at a party he was performing at with his band. Jaime Camil was such a likable character in this bilingual film that I did not mind the formulaic story line. A bonus was his beautiful singing voice. The acting was standard; I was surprised to see Stockard Channing (Six Degrees of Separation, Grease) as Virginia and Tom Arnold (True Lies, Nine Months) as Art taking part in this film. Though I have not investigated, I had to wonder as I was watching the movie if it was quickly made due to the success of the Mexican film “Instructions Not Included” which I reviewed recently. There was a low budget feeling to the sets for me. Irregardless, I had to give points for the effort made to create a sweet romantic story. Some scenes had Spanish with English subtitles.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Baggage Claim
I cannot begin to tell you how awkward it is when I am at a wedding and some relative comes up to introduce me to someone she feels has “things in common” with me. There I am standing in my suit with what I can only imagine is the look of an animal caught in the beam of oncoming headlights. My awkwardness is not caused by the innocent individual who is waiting for me to make the first introductions; it comes from the relative who does not know that much about me to assume they know me so well. Another aspect to my uncomfortableness is the way everyone was made aware of the pending introductions except for me. It feels like I was the only one left out of an inside joke. There was a time where I felt I had to bring a friend with me to a wedding just so I could avoid going through another troublesome situation. So on one level I could understand why Montana Moore, played by Paula Patton (Deja Vu, Precious) did not want to go alone to her younger sister’s wedding. Montana’s concern was becoming the last family member who was not married. With only 30 days until her sister’s wedding; Montana and her friends Gail and Sam, played by Jill Scott (Down to Earth, Obsessed) and Adam Brody (Damsels in Distress, Jennifer’s Body) came up with a plan to find a prospective husband for her, but it would take flying 30,000 miles around the country. If this comedy’s story seems a little desperate to you, you would be correct. The slapstick jokes for the most part were easy to spot coming up and then falling flat at your feet. I found the acting was stale with several characters like Montana’s mother Catherine, played by Jennifer Lewis (Think Like a Man, Meet the Browns), nothing more than a cartoon character. Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher, Glory Road) as William Wright and Taye Diggs (Chicago, Equilibrium) as Langston were two actors who tried to rise about the looney script. Since there was nothing that stood out as being to dreadful to watch, this film would be better suited to a home rental viewing. Though I was not part of this wedding I felt a bit embarrassed for the guests.
2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Enough Said
Meeting friends is an important component of the dating process, but it is something I prefer holding off from until I see we are getting comfortable with each other. You can say what you want but that first initial meeting with your or their friends will partially be an interview procedure for a 2nd opinion. Do not get me wrong, I do not have a problem with that; however, I prefer having some quality time for the two of us to get some solid footing underneath before bringing in other personalities. I have been in situations where friends were involved too early at the beginning of the dating phase and personalities clashed immediately; it was truly an uncomfortable situation. As one gets older I do not know if it gets easier. If you do not believe me just see what happens in this touching comedy. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Deconstructing Harry, Veep-TV) played Eva, a middle-aged divorcee with a daughter. When one of her clients Marianne, played by Catherine Keener (Into the Wild, A Late Quartet), began complaining about all the things her former spouse used to do; it started to have a negative affect on Eva’s budding relationship with Albert, played by James Gandolfini (Killing Them Softly, Welcome to the Rileys). There were several reasons why this movie was enjoyable to watch. The acting was wonderful; Julia and James made a real connection with their characters. Also, I had a twinge of sadness while watching James since this was his last movie before he died. The dialog never went over the top; keeping things at an emotive, sweet level. Even when scenes were dramatic the director let the actors use physical communication to convey their feelings. It really worked well in my opinion. Toni Collette (The Way Way Back, Little Miss Sunshine) as Eva’s best friend Sarah was a solid addition to the cast and story. Known more for her comedic skills, I thought Julia did a beautiful job with her character’s full range of emotions. Is the story believable? I believe so, I just hope I will never have to experience something similar. This was a well done film that was a fitting tribute to the illustrious career of James Gandolfini.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Family
I hope I never see a family member’s name in the news because of a crime they committed. There have been so many stories I have heard about other families’ problems that I have been grateful no one I know has made the news among my relatives. One of the craziest stories involved a member in one of my aerobic classes many years ago. This member with a quick wit always stood in the front row. With an excellent ear for rhythm he did every move perfectly. Since I always faced my classes it was easy for me to see how the female members were checking him out. Just before the holiday season he disappeared for a few weeks; members were coming up to me and asking if I knew what happened to him. All of us soon got our answer in the city’s newspapers: He was arrested and charged for the murder of his roommate. She was found stabbed in the trunk of her car that was left abandoned at the airport’s parking garage. Though this was a horrific story it reaffirmed my belief in never judging a book by its cover. This action comedy movie’s story was about Giovanni Manzoni, played by Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook, The Big Wedding) and his family who had to be sent into the witness protection program when he turned in evidence on his Mafia associates. Given the new identity of Fred Blake, Giovanni was sent with his wife Maggie and their two children Belle and Warren; played by Michelle Pfeiffer (Dark Shadows, Stardust), Dianna Agron (I Am Number Four, Glee-TV) and John D’Leo (The Wrestler, Wanderlust), to a small town in France. Under the watchful eye of special agent Robert Stansfield, played by Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln, Hope Springs); the family was instructed to blend in. However, it would not be an easy task for the Brooklyn mobster and his family to let go of their old habits. Sadly the witness protection program could not hide what was supposed to be the humorous elements I saw coming from a mile away. The acting from Robert and Michelle was not good; they simply reprised one of their old movie characters. Tommy Lee was underwhelming but it was due to the script; it was fractured into distinct segments that never came together to make a seamless story. This film tried to convince me it was an original crime caper comedy but I was not buying it. A couple of brief scenes had blood.
1 3/4 stars
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