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Somethings should only be admired from a distance. That's how I feel about movies like SCHINDLER'S LIST or some episodes of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, where there is some element that makes the viewing experience painful. Currently, I'm avoiding THE MESSENGER because i think I would cry my way through it and that doesn't sound like a great 106 minutes (made that time up). The movie, which stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster (pretty sure on Foster's last name), is about two soldiers who tell people that their spouse or child has been killed in action. Fun, right? I would be inclined to just avoid this movie, except that it got a ton of buzz last year and it is now available for instant play on my netflix. Thus, how can i retain any credibility with my readers if I pass on this experience? Frankly, I don't think I can, which is why I'm going to end up watching it. I'm looking forward to Foster, who has been pegged as an up and coming young actor, with a co-starring role in the upcoming MECHANIC, with Jason Statham. Foster may just be a young naive actor, which allowed him to thrive as a young naive soldier, but I'm optimistic that he is actually a force. The aspect about a military culture movie like THE MESSENGER, is viewing what is basically a foreign culture to me. I don't get people in the military and I don't grasp the code many of them live by. It's a whole different world, which has been lampooned to death by mainstream movies, so it will be nice to see the treatment this lifestyle gets from writer Oren Moverman (who wrote the mind bending, I"M NOT THERE). But oh the crying that will come...
So I have no idea what Julian Assange sounds like and I know he doesn't look like Bill Hader, but I still love Hader's frequent impersonation of Assange on SNL. The skit is basically the same premise every time (Assange interrupts a taped video with his own video), but they're consistently fresh. Just a heads up, though, if you don't follow the news or understand pop culture, then you won't like this...
I am at most moments a Hugh Grant hater. He is annoying. He isn't very charming. He is the same character all the time.
I am at most moments e Hugh Grant fan. He is enjoyable. He is charming. He can mix it up with a variety of characters.
I love to hate Hugh Grant.
With that caveat in mind, let me tell you about ABOUT A BOY, the 2002 slightly (un)traditional film based on a book by Nick Hornby. What book? I'm guessing it wasn't the DaVinci Code.
From the director of AMERICAN PIE, comes a story that isn't a love story, but is still a romantic comedy. Sure, boy (Hugh Grant) meets girl (Rachel Weisz), does something to mess it up and ultimately redeems himself, but this is just a side plot.
The main romance would be called a bromance in the post-I LOVE YOU MAN era, but really its a father/son movie.
Grant basically plays a guy who find out he has a kid (13-year-old Nicholas Hoult), or better yet, decides it would be advantageous if he had a kid. At the same time, though, Hoult is looking for a third family member, and he just doesn't realize it's a father figure he wants.
Through a long, and somewhat predictable journey, Grant and Hoult fall for each other (but in a non-molestation kind of way)...
I found myself talking through most of this movie, whether it was guessing lines or yelling at the Toni Collette character, who could basically be described as the anti-Dave Lombardo. She is a vegetarian, dresses like she lives at a Grateful Dead and has a world view that is so skewed she must be perpetually high. To say I hated her would be an insult to the people I hate, because I love them in comparison.
Collette plays the mother of Hoult, and she should have her parental rights stripped, because (spoiler alert) she tries to kill herself. But fear not Hoult, because in England, that just means you spend the night with a friend until you can go back to caring for your mum!
So yeah, I found all of this insufferable, and the voice overs from Hoult and Grant didn't help much either.
Basically, my admiration for the movie stemmed from how realistic it was. It captured a friendship based on mutual need in a very non-gimmicky manner that appealed to me. Sure, there was the eventual grand gesture, when Grant plays guitar with Hoult during a concert.
But there were lots of nice moments, like when Hoult got a CD and announced that they didn't have a CD player or every time Grant confronted Collette about her terrible parenting skills.
I need to give credit to Grant, who was able to play a different character for once in his life. He wasn't particularly charming, but a flawed bum, who may not have been completed by the presence of Hoult in his life, but still found some meaning. He wasn't made whole and the audience wasn't convinced to fall for him unconditionally, which was nice.
Hoult also needs to be noticed as an upcoming star in this movie. He does sincerity very well and can be mature or naive at a believable balance. Maybe his character's instant evolution is a little unrealistic, since someone under Collete's roof would need to grow a lot to out grow her influence. Not sure if he has become anything since this role, because I don't remember him in the superiorly awful WEATHERMAN.
Would I recommend this movie? Yeah, reluctantly. I only say reluctantly because I think Hugh Grant fans will be slightly disappointed with this non-stereotypical role and I think anti-Hugh Grant fans won't be able to stomach this almost mainstream movie. But if you've got 101 minutes to kill and know you have a soft spot in your heart (maybe check that out?), then this could be the movie for you. At the same time, better versions of this movie exist, including FINDING FORESTER, SCENT OF A WOMAN and LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (even though it doesn't really count). />
It's that season again... No, not the holiday season, but AWARD SEASON!!! Already I feel like I've been hit with a bag of coal in the face, as the Golden Globe nominations were particularly egregious. In particular I'm annoyed by the television awards, as I have seen almost none of the nominated movies, but I do watch a lot of television. There are plenty of categories to be annoyed about and I'll get to some of these mistakes closer to the award season. The worst offense, though, was the omission of PARKS AND RECREATIONS. PARKS, which began with an evolving 6 episode first season, was absolutely dynamite last year in its second season. To say it was the funniest thing on television wouldn't be a big enough compliment to the show. I would say it was equal to the best seasons of THE OFFICE and the worst episodes of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Now that is definitely resonating with some fans who appreciate good comedy. ANd just to be clear, good comedy isn't the sappy MODERN FAMILY, which is watchable as far as network television goes. Nor is GLEE, with its 2 or 3 amusing lines, good comedy. Heck, while it is a great music video, it is barely a good television show. But I'm not hear to trash the competition (BIG BANG THEORY SUCKS!), rather I want to preach the merits of PARKS and sing its praises so that all can hear about this instant classic. The highlight of PARKS is shoe shine Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), who delivers great physical comedy, whether tackling a rodent or playing with his band. Dwyer is also the most charming aspect of the show, as he is involved in a will they/won't they with intern/secretary April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), which is resolved to some degree in the finale. The pair are probably the funniest aspect of the show, and definitely the sweetest part. They remind me of the Jim and Pam years on THE OFFICE when Pam was still with Roy, and I didn't hate them together like I do now. I have also become a huge fan of the comedy stylings of Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson, the mustached leader of the Parks department. He is a great foil for Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope. What makes the show work is its unique circumstances and its sharp wit. It's not an insult to say its a copy of THE OFFICE, because while there are many differences, at their best, they both execute heart and humor perfectly. There might be some weak moments in the show, including the sometime annoying Tom Haveford (Aziz Ansari), who is really hit or miss. In its final 2 episodes the show introduced a new dynamic that will set it up nicely for the first couple episodes when it returns in January. Its return date is a whole other problem for me, as NBC delayed its return to make room for OUTSOURCED. THis crime against humanity prevented NBC from actually having a killer 8-10 lineup with COMMUNITY, 30 ROCK, THE OFFICE and PARKS. But then again, what else should you expect from the 4th place network? I can't strongly enough recommend Parks and Recreations for anyone who might have liked The Office, Arrested Development, Modern Family or The Simpsons. Personal Highlights this season: 1. The picnic with all the former heads of the Parks department, including one who grew weed in all the parks 2. Anytime Leslie gets drunk 3. Anytime a mural is shown. 4. The halloween episode, when we meet Leslie's nemesis ... a junior high student.
Because I'm committed to bringing joy to the world during the holiday season, I will be debuting another video with Jay Pharoah as Denzel Washington. In this installment of Pharoah's Denzel, which was the first to air, he is working returns at Macy's, while Jane Lynch wants to return a handbag. The antagonistic Denzel is obviously reluctant to just take the bag back because it cost "a lot of money." Ultimately, Pharoah delivers what some (either Eric or Dwayne) have referred to as the best Denzel skit to date. You be the judge.... S
One can only hope that Pharoah, who is rumored to do a great OBAMA, will have more chances to break out the Denzel in the future.
There are bad episodes of GLEE, and then there's the recent Christmas episode, which is barely watchable. My position on the show, in general, is that the plots should be completely abandoned. They're completely inane and I get mad every time they try to teach me a lesson. The show has six positive attributes: Sue is fun. Brittany is hilarious. Santana and Quinn are really hot. Other Asian can dance. And finally, THE MUSICAL INTERLUDES ARE GREAT!!! So yeah, I watch just for the music videos, and when they suck the show is barely watchable. In Glee's rendition of HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS the songs fail to elevate a particularly bad plot. I don't know what I hated worse, the fact that Sue robs poor people (while we're supposed to sympathize with her) or the pukeworthy presence of the Glee club at Shue's house. With the awesome directions you can pull Christmas songs, I'm bummed that GLEE, which is usually very creative, didn't come up with some original creations. And no, I'm not forgetting the duet of BABY IT"S COLD OUTSIDE, with two guys!!! CRAZY! You're so edgy, except you're not.... (On a side note, when is Kurt going to make a move?) Here's to hoping I don't strangle myself during the next episode. On a final note, though, I am seriously addicted to Santana's rendition of VALERIE in a previous episode.
I never truly abandoned The Office. Sure, that sixth season was tough to swallow. Probably because it became the Jim and Pam show, but I made it through that painful endeavor. Unfortunately, I fear a lot of Office fans weren't as resilient as me. Some stopped watching the show regularly or just resented the half an hour block of time they wasted each week. I remained a loyal viewer, if not a punctual one. Maybe I watched Parks and Rec or Community first when catching up online, but I always kept tabs on my Dunder Mifflin friends. For my patience I was rewarded with the two-part classic known simply as, Classy Christmas. Was it good? Let me put it this way, "It [was] like a party for limousine drivers." This is a great Christmas episode. These episodes, which have become a tradition of THE OFFICE to mixed success, are always when the writers commit themselves to taking a big swing at the plate. This episode, directed by Dwight and written by Kelly, strikes the perfect balance of drama, the ridiculous and provided each employee a chance to shine. Let me first touch on the breakout star, Erin (Ellie Kemper), who was hilarious with her antagonistic feelings toward Holly. For some reason, she's just not impressed with Holly. Maybe it's because Michael is like a substitute dad, and no one is good enough for her dad, but the dynamic is amazing. My favorite quote was when Erin mused, "Maybe Holly's not in any position to be shooing guys away." The most surprising aspect of the show was how Dwight turned the tables on Jim, as he pulled the ultimate prank by obliterating him in a no-limits snowball fight. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, though, since Dwight obviously views the situation as a war, which he even wages with psychological terror. Ultimately, the episode is about wooing the affection of H.R. superstar Holly. Her return to Scranton is precipitated on Toby's role as a juror (on a case that may or may not involve the Scranton Strangler), and she seems to return without missing a beat. She and Mike are in the throes of a skit before she can put her stuff down. When she does put down her gear, which includes an "Woody" doll from the Toy Story Movies, Holly reveals that A.J. gave her the doll and that they're still together. This is a crushing blow to Michael, who delivers a series of defeatist quotes that I immediately posted on Sean Kirkpatrick's wall when I heard them. Michael obviously engages in some childish antics akin to a temper tantrum upon realizing things won't work out as he planned, but it doesn't devolve to the point where viewers begin hating him. Instead he remains a lovable loser, who we can keep rooting for, and with reason, because Holly is thinking about ending things with her BF if he doesn't take things to the next level. (For my money, the fact that Holly doesn't automatically realize she should be with Mike when she comes back to Scranton is a demerit. Does Michael want to be the second choice, even if it is the right one?) Anyway, this episode is sweet, without being Jim and Pam season 6 sappy, but also hits like a roid rager, with surprise lines and sight gags that are second to none. The flip side is that whenever THE OFFICE reminds us of its greatness, it is setting up a bar that it hasn't consistently met since seasons 2 and 3. Did I mention Dwight shows a variety of disguises he has for various Dunder Mifflin employees...
It would be fair to say that I have a thing for George Clooney. A man crush? Those are your words, not mine. But yeah, I'm gay for Clooney. Unfortunately I can't say the same about Ewan McGregor, an annoying Englishman who is good looking and... well that's about it. In Men Who Stare at Goats, the somewhat true story directed by Grant Heslov, a sometime partner of Clooney, we're given a wild romp with McGregor and Clooney. The problem is the ride isn't that wild, but more inane. Additionally, McGregor is just about terrible in the movie. It's like he saw Ocean's 11 and tried to be one of the guys from that, except his accent is terrible and he's about as charming as a venereal disease. He is a reporter looking for adventure in Iraq, and instead he finds Clooney, who is a former super soldier or Jedi form the 1980s. It's as a Jedi that Clooney carries the movie. I mean can you imagine hearing Clooney explain that he is a jedi and has mind powers. Did I mention he has a mustache and crazy eyes? Unfortunately this zany plot, which is riddled with flashbacks, doesn't really captivate any interest. It's almost like the movie went back and forth between fiction and reality, before finally settling just on bad. THe flashbacks, though, are mildly entertaining specifically Jeff Bridges shit eating grin throughout them, as he recreates some version of "The Dude." Bridges is a hippy commander who trained Clooney and Clooney's nemesis, Kevin Spacey. Yes, Kevin Spacey is in this movie, because he likes to be in every "adult" movie. He plays some version of himself, but this time as a bad guy. In this role he is boring and unwatchable. Yet, would I recommend this movie? I did mention that Clooney has a mustache and repeatedly claims to be a jedi, right? If you love Clooney and have some free time, watch this. Because it's short, you don't need that much free time. You would be better off, though, seeing Dr. Strangelove or Ocean's 11.
While I am usually the first to know about movies in the works, the future of television shows or the latest dirt on celebrity couples, I lag tragically behind my peers when it comes to knowing modern popular music. Recently I was put to the test of identifying the rapper Drake, which I did somehow. But to be honest, i'm more familiar with Drake cupcakes than Drake's music. So with this confessed ignorance in mind, here are three current songs That I'm into.
Ke$ha's "We R Who We R" This infectious diddy sounds just like everything else she has created, which is fine by me, because i think Ke$ha has found a winning formula.
I have always had a special place in my heart for Sara Bareilles, whose album I used to play over and over again when driving places with my roommate Sean Kirkpatrick in college. Pretty sure we both know all the words to the song "Fairytale" or some name like, but now i'm into the song "King of Anything."
Bruno Mars has been described as the Hawaiian Elvis, but I think he should be called the Hawaiian Phil Spector. What? You don't know who he is? Well he is a murderer, who also produced a ton of great upbeat music 40 years ago. I think Bruno Mars carries on that mantle, as embodied by the song "Runaway Baby."
What I deem funny is rarely the same as my peers, especially when it comes to Saturday Night Live clips. This relic of the past seems to be the bastion only of hipsters, which I reluctantly find myself a part of. As a result, I often find clips to be so hilarious that they need to be shown to the world (also known as my immediate friends that will sit down in front of a computer). There have been successes in the past, specifically my sharing of the David Paterson bit on Weekend Update. This recurring skit routinely killed my roommate, Sean Kirkpatrick, who frequently returned to it for a chuckle. In Saratoga Springs I was never quite that lucky, until I discovered a celebrity impersonation that killed me. Jay Pharaoh first made himself known to me when he did a spot on impersonation of Will Smith on an early episode of SNL this season. The featured player was hilarious as Smith, but the problem is that Smith isn't exactly a caricature of himself and therefore an impersonation just captures a slightly ridiculous person. Luckily, Denzel Washington is not even remotely grounded to reality in his acting roles, which Pharaoh mimicked in a redone trailer for "Unstoppable." This skit was viewed over and over by my friends Alex, Dwayne and Eric, who then repeatedly uttered lines while at the bars, to patrons who thought they were looking at three escaped mental patients. When they got home around 5 a.m. they woke me up so i could replay the video, which they then watched for another half an hour. Here it is....
In what is probably an unwise move I've decided to rekindle my entertainment blog. I'm sure my avid readers (all one of you) have noticed that I haven't been posting lately. This sad dynamic is the product of my job, which wants to own me, but i'm bucking that trend and will continue to write for the people. What does that mean to you? Well, I just got Netflix, so I'll be addressing more television shows from the past and random movies no one but me has ever seen. Fear not, though, because i'll be staying hip and current with my musings on shows like Glee, The Office and Fringe. I might even expand my purview to include life in my new house. What do you think?
