Category Archives: Comedy
Comedy
Flash Movie Review: I’m So Excited
There is a sort of beauty and curse that I consider airplanes flying elevators. The doors open, you walk in, the doors close and when they open the next time, you are in a different place. I enjoy that aspect of flying. Being confined in a small space with strangers is the part I do not like. Because I am always having to talk both at the office and in my classes, when I get on a plane I want to zone out and relax. Small talk is not something that comes easy to me. I have been known to pretend I do not understand English, to avoid conversations with the people sitting near me. All of that would change if I was stuck on a flight like the one in this comedy. When a plane had a mechanical failure with its landing gear, the passengers and crew were stuck circling their destination until a solution could be found. Left to their own devices; the crew did whatever they could to get through the crisis, as the passengers’ anxiety continued to rise. From the imaginative writer and director Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In, Bad Education) this was lighter fare compared to his other recent films. Javier Camara (Talk to Her, Bad Education), Carlos Areces (The Last Circus, Game of Werewolves) and Raul Arevalo (Even The Rain, Dark Blue Almost Black) played the outrageous flight attendants Joserra, Fajas and Ulloa. The dialog came fast and sharp as each character’s story played out. I found some scenes amusing; others a bit witty, but none that were worthy of a belly laugh. Out of several scenes that had a sexual nature, there was one in particular where I wondered if it would have caused controversy if the roles of the female and male passengers were switched. If the movie was meant to be a satire or have some political agenda it was lost on me. I found the film to be light fluff overall. However, it did make me think flights could be fun if the airlines starting booking entertainment acts on them. Spanish with English subtitles.
2 1/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Much Ado About Nothing
Part of maintaining my certificates for teaching fitness and yoga is attending continuing education classes. I usually sign up for a variety of classes during fitness conventions. There has been several times where the class description did not match the course content. During those times I felt like a foreigner. It seemed as if everyone was talking a different language than me, especially when the other participants were engaged in the instructor’s discussion. It was uncomfortable as I sat there feeling out of place. I have to tell you I had a similar reaction while watching this film. As far as I can remember I have never read or seen a production of William Shakespeare’s story, “Much Ado About Nothing.” It was a large disadvantage I felt, for being able to follow this comedy from writer/director Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer-TV). The story was about the different aspects in love and romance; focusing on one couple becoming attracted to each other, while another couple started out bickering with each other. For the majority of this sharp looking black and white film I was lost. Joss did the filming from his actual house, using actors he had used before such as Nathan Fillion (Serenity, Castle-TV) as Dogberry, Amy Acker (The Cabin in the Woods, Catch Me If You Can) as Beatrice, Alexis Denisof (First Knight, The Avengers) as Benedick and Clark Gregg (The Avengers, Iron Man franchise) as Leonato. Using Shakespeare’s words, Joss wrote and directed this film. I found it odd to have a modern setting while the actors were speaking Old English. The acting was good and as I said earlier, I enjoyed the look of the film. Because I was floundering as I tried to figure out what was happening, I will tell you about the audience. It was an older crowd, where several exclaimed their surprise at how full the theater was for this movie. They laughed out loud throughout, as I saw several couples acknowledge particular scenes with a hand gesture or nod of the head towards their companion. At the end of the film it appeared as if everyone immensely enjoyed the movie. In light of this I will give two ratings, one from the crowd and one from me.
3 stars from audience 2 1/2 stars from me
Flash Movie Review: The Heat
The concept of opposites attracting was something I first learned from my science class in elementary school. It was not until I started dating where I learned how the laws of attraction applied to life. In one of my early relationships the two of us saw things completely opposite. From a room being hot or cold to a restaurant’s meal being awful or great; we rarely agreed on the same thing and I have to tell you it was hard. However, it was not until later that I learned a valuable lesson; to be able to look at something from the other person’s perspective. It was one of the best gifts I gained from that relationship and I still appreciate it to this day. The law of opposites attracting was used for comedic results in this funny movie. Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side, The Proposal) played uptight FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn. On assignment in Boston; Sarah encountered the territorial, foul-mouthed Boston cop Shannon Mullins, played by Melissa McCarthy (Identity Thief, Bridesmaids). By not being able to see through the other person’s eyes, the two women had a good chance of never solving the case. The story was not original in the least; however, it might have been due to the focus on the actors’ comic abilities. I have always said Melissa has impeccable comedic timing and she used it in full force for this film. Keep in mind the language is extremely foul and abundant. Sandra made a valiant effort to keep up with Melissa, but it fell slightly short. I wished the writers would have given more to Jane Curtin (Coneheads, Kate & Allie-TV) as Mrs. Mullins; she was completely underutilized. The main force of this movie was the comedy. I laughed out loud several times, even when the scenes were somewhat inappropriate. As a side note I am a stickler about movie trailers, since they are a form of advertising. A couple of scenes from the trailers were not the same as the movie. This film was light entertainment for a refresher course on the laws of attraction. Strong language was used throughout the film.
2 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: This is the End
This may come as a surprise but it turns out celebrities do not walk on water, even though some of them think they do. Part of the problem is the public’s fascination with these bigger than life characters. I do not understand why people will buy merchandise simply because their favorite celebrity endorsed it. Now I know some of you must be thinking who am I to talk with me contributing to actors’ bank accounts by going to see their movies. All I can say is I watch movies for medicinal reasons; they are therapeutic for me. This does not mean I approve of celebrities acting out in public. As far as I am concerned; there is no difference between them and the rest of us, they have the same body functions as we do. If a celebrity should fall on hard times, there are some people who get a sense of satisfaction in seeing these stars brought down to human level. Now if you want to laugh at a celebrity’s predicament and not feel guilty about it, this is the movie to watch. Essentially playing themselves I admired all the actors who took part in this wickedly funny comedy. Even those who only had cameo roles helped to knock down this facade or fascination we might have about their public personas. During a party at James Franco’s (Oz the Great and Powerful, Spring Breakers) house, what was originally thought of as an earth tremor turned into something of catastrophic proportions. I was taken by surprise by how good the writing was for this part parody, part satire, crazy fantasy film. Too many stars to list, the major players were Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet, Pineapple Express), Jonah Hill (21 Jump Street, Superbad), Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder, Knocked Up), Craig Robinson (Peeples, The Office-TV) and Danny McBride (Up in the Air, Your Highness). I have to give a shout out to Michael Cera (Juno, Youth in Revolt) and Emma Watson (Harry Potter franchise, My Week with Marilyn) for their small hilarious roles. Though some of the jokes got tiresome, who knew the end could be so funny. Warning: Strong and crude language used throughout the film.
3 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Kings of Summer
Two of my constant companions during my adolescence were awkwardness and self-consciousness. Besides a case of acne and dealing with a body mass larger than my frame, I suffered from thick hair sprouting up on my face. I know I am not the only one who had to deal with these changes, but what made me want to be invisible was my dermatologist–that is what the state license crookedly hanging on his office wall said he was able to practice. I was constantly suffering from a rash of red bumps that kept appearing on my neck. The dermatologist determined they were flat warts and treated them with a cauterizing needle. In other words, he would burn them off my neck. I had a schedule of appointments where I would have this done and return to school with my neck looking like it had been attacked by a swarm of bees. You can understand why I wanted to disappear. Adding salt to the wound, I found out a few years later they were not flat warts, just ingrown hairs. I could sympathize with the young adults wanting to disappear in this quirky film. Fed up with the lack of privacy from his sarcastic father Frank, played by Nick Offerman (Sin City, 21 Jump Street), Joe came up with a plan to run away to a place where he could set the rules. Agreeing to go with Joe, played by Nick Robinson(Melissa & Joey-TV) was his best friend Patrick, played by Gabriel Basso (Super 8, Alabama Moon). Joining the best friends was the oddball Biaggio, wildly played by Moises Arias (Nacho Libre, Hannah Montana-TV). Fitting somewhat into the coming of age genre, what set this movie apart were the adults in the cast. Besides NIck’s wickedly good performance there was Megan Mullally (Smashed, Will & Grace-TV) and Marc Evan Jackson (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The Slammin’ Salmon) as Patrick’s parents Mr. & Mrs. Keegan. I enjoyed the out of kilter vibe in this Sundance Film Festival nominated comedy and if for nothing else, the story lightened up my mood from recalling my adolescence. Stay for the credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Internship
The people who believe there is no age discrimination in the work place are the same ones who think their employer will always be loyal to them and never lay them off. I am here to tell you that is not the case. Listening to my friends’ ordeals in their search for a job, the baby boomers are under attack. One friend only got a job after he whitened his teeth and dyed his hair. Another one hired a trainer and a stylist to lose weight, tone up and update his wardrobe. No matter where they went the person interviewing them usually was a couple of decades younger. I have encouraged them to let their personalities come out if it is appropriate, because I believe humor can work to their advantage. In this comedy co-workers Billy McMahon and Nick Campbell, played by Vince Vaughn (The Break-Up, Fred Claus) and Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers, MIdnight in Paris) were forced to look for a job after their company closed down. By some stroke of luck they landed in the internship program at the internet company Google. Not used to the high-tech ways of doing business, the two friends only had their sales skills to stand out from their younger competitors; but would it be enough? I wanted to sympathize with the characters Vince and Owen portrayed, they were easily relatable. The acting, however, was stale; Vince played the same character he has played in his past several films. There seems to be a trend starting where movie stars are being credited for the story, like Will Smith for After Earth and now Vince Vaughn for this movie. Based on these two films, it needs to stop because the scripts have been dreadful. I did not find anything funny here because the jokes were generic or maybe I should say geriatric. It is sad, but the trailer for this lame film should be considered the highlights reel. I am always being told you cannot believe everything you read on the internet. It seems that goes for movies these days that claim they are funny, but really are not. One would think with the internet company at their disposal, the writers could have looked for examples of humor to incorporate into this mess.
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Peeples
When I hear the words “I want you to meet my family” a sense of dread begins to creep up on me. I know it goes with the territory when you are in a relationship and things are going good, but meeting family and friends is like taking an exam. You get graded on several categories from appearance to job history to personality. I find it stressful and depending on who is doing the testing determines the intensity of the questioning. I have found the easiest group to meet are the brothers. They are the most laid back and usually only care about finding out what common interests we share. However, watch out for the oldest brother; he tends to be more protective. The toughest group is a toss up between the sisters and the best friend(s). These two sects have no qualms grilling for detailed information as they literally stare you down. More than likely the best friend will reveal an embarrassing tidbit about the person you love. Be careful, because they are only telling you so they can judge your reaction. If you react in a positive way when hearing about an embarrassing incident involving someone they dated, the best friend will consider you in a negative light. From my years going through this interviewing process, there was nothing I found new or funny in this comedy. Craig Robinson (The Pineapple Express, The Office-TV) played Wade Walker, who wanted to meet his girlfriend Grace Peeples’, played by Kerry Washington (Django Unchained, Ray), family. For some reason Grace had been hesitant to introduce him, so Wade decided to surprise her by showing up at her parents’ front door. I was embarrassed for S. Epatha Merkerson (Lackawanna Blues, Law & Order-TV) playing the mother Daphne and David Alan Grier (Jumanji, In Living Color-TV) playing the father Virgil. There was no originality in this film except for Craig’s dancing. I did not mind him in his role, but I was surprised Kerry agreed to do this movie. It just seemed too low brow for her to waste her time and talent. Either, I have been introduced to too many family members and friends in my dating experiences or this film had stale and unfunny humor in it. Which one do you suppose is the correct answer?
1 2/3 stars
Flash Movie Review: The Big Wedding
Attending a wedding is a little like going to a dinner/theater performance. Sometimes the food can be good while the production is lukewarm; other times, it can be the exact opposite. Wedding receptions are a double edged sword for me. There have been occasions where the bride and groom made it their mission to find me the same happiness they had by seating me next to one of their single friends. Can we say awkward? Usually every wedding has one relative in attendance who feels everyone should be having as much fun as her or him. In my case it usually was a tipsy aunt who found out I could dance and wants to dance the night away with me. So you see why I accept wedding invitations with some trepidation. I had similar feelings about seeing this comedy; my expectations were low. Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook, Being Flynn) and Diane Keaton (Mad Money, The Family Stone) played former husband and wife Don and Ellie. If it was not going to be uncomfortable enough seeing each other for their adoptive son’s wedding; it was going to be a monumental task to pretend they were still married for the sake of their son’s strictly religious, biological mother. Granted the story was far-fetched, but the actors gave it a decent shot. What made it work was the chemistry between Robert, Diane and Susan Sarandon (The Company you Keep, The Client) who played the girlfriend Bebe to Robert’s character Don. It was a pleasant surprise to see Robin Williams (World’s Greatest Dad, Good Will Hunting) playing a more subdued character as Father Moinighan. There were amusing scenes as well as lame scenes throughout the movie. It may be due to my years of exposure to family (dys)functions; but as a whole, I did not mind sitting through this film. At least I did not have anyone sitting next to me or was forced to get up and dance.
2 1/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Language of a Broken Heart
A broken heart is not exclusive to a particular gender, religion or ethnic race. It can and does affect anyone. When you have been in a loving relationship where one of the individuals has decided to leave; it can cause your heart to deflate, letting your strength seep out and be washed away by your aching bloodstream. If the relationship should split apart due to your trust being broken; the heart screams in pain. The mental images of the distrustful act repeatedly stab at you heart’s flesh. Generally anyone who has experienced a broken heart finds some way to escape from the pain. If you can believe it, I get lost further into watching movies. My record was watching 7 movies in a row. For the character in this romantic comedy, it was going back home to his mother. Juddy Talt (Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side-TV) wrote and starred in this film as Nick, the best selling author on love relationships. After finding his girlfriend in bed with another man, Nick left his New York City apartment and went home to his mother Mimi, played perfectly by Julie White (Michael Clayton, Transformers franchise). Would Nick’s heart be able to heal enough to experience love again? Telling the story from a male’s perspective was an interesting twist for this movie. It was funny that I found the female characters Mimi and bookstore owner Emma, played by Kate French(Fired Up, Accepted) the strongest figures. I wanted to know more about the relationship between mother and son, feeling it would have added more depth to the story. There were a few amusing scenes and I was able to find parts that were relatable. However, I felt parts of the movie lacked emotion. In its favor the soundtrack was fun, accentuating the scenes. Affairs of the heart can be deep and emotional; this was a lighter and softer version.
2 stars
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