Comedy

Last Cab to Darwin (2015)

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So I’ve been trying to work my way through all of the “brand name” films, trying to put together my end of the year list, and I thought I’d take a break and slide this film in as a sort of “palate cleanser” with no hope of it being anything more than that. Wow, was I wrong. This might be one of my favorite film experiences this year. It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for films from Down Under, and although this one might benefit from my bias, I feel comfortable recommending it to anyone. It’s not a film filled, like so many others this year, with heroic action sequences, stylistic camerawork, witty dialogue, or over-the-top violence. It’s a film about believable, real characters dealing with an, unfortunately, all-to-real situation. And I can tell you, as I sit here writing this with a tear still on my cheek and a smile on my face, it will make you care about these people. Continue reading →

The Lobster (2015)

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I’m not sure how to describe this film, except maybe to say imagine if Logan’s Run was written by Woody Allen and directed by Terry Gilliam (or maybe Wes Anderson). Colin Farrell, who I normally don’t think much of, gives a nice, understated performance here as David, a newly-single man from a mildly Orwellian future, who is shipped off to stay at a hotel (Room 101!) where denizens are all single, and must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal of their choosing (in David’s case, a lobster) and released into the forest. He’s got nerdy glasses and a paunch, and (perhaps because he’s relying less on his looks) I don’t think I’ve seen him better. Continue reading →

Get Hard (2015)

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This could be the easiest review I’ve ever written. Have you seen a Kevin Hart movie? Have you seen a Will Ferrell  movie? Then you’ve seen this one. Hart talks loud and fast; Ferrell mugs and acts stupid. Pretty much what you’d expect from these two, but with 50% more prison rape jokes. Seriously, there’s a disturbing amount of prison rape jokes.

IMDB: 6.2; me: 5.5 (the .5 is for Alison Brie in lingerie)

Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants (2013)

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This film is two years old, and I’m wondering why I haven’t heard of it before now. If you haven’t heard of it, or seen it, you’re going to want to correct that. Soon. It’s really a gem of a film, and if you have younger children, you’re especially going to want to share it with them. It’s unlike any animated film I’ve ever seen; the backgrounds are all “real”: real rocks, real trees, real roads, etc. But our characters are all animated. And although there’s not a word of dialogue (the insects all speak in buzzes, much like Charlie Brown’s teacher), the brilliant score by Hervé Lavandier more than makes up for it. Continue reading →

Hooper (1978)

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Revisiting an old favorite. Where else are you going to get Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sally Field, Brian Keith, Robert Klein, James Best, AND Terry Bradshaw (with hair!) all on the same screen? It’s dated, in the sense that there’s a lot of drinking (and driving), fighting, non-PC language, and drinking, but the central theme, watching Reynolds as movie stuntman Sonny Hooper coming to grips with growing old in a constantly changing industry that always values youth over experience and loyalty still plays pretty damn well. And it’s a really “fun” movie, as well, and I feel like they don’t make many of those anymore. There’s no CGI here; this is old-school, land-on-the-airbag stuntwork, and it’s one of those roles that just seems tailor-made for Burt. IMDB gives it a 6.2, and they’re probably just about right on that. (But just between you and me, I REALLY want to give it an 8.) (running time 1:39)

Grabbers (2012)

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Don’t make the mistake I made and watch this alone. Not because it’s scary, although there are a few well-done tense moments. Watch it with others because this is a really fun movie, and it deserves that kind of viewing. You’re going to want to make fun of it, compliment it, point out all the various homages to other “creature” films…and just have a good time with it. You’re not going to understand half of what the characters are saying, anyway. The Irish accents are so thick, you’ll probably want subtitles. But that doesn’t really matter. Like I said—have fun with it! Continue reading →

Chappie (2015)

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I’m going to make this a short one. I don’t know if I understand the message in Chappie, but even if I do, I’m not sure that I agree with it. It’s hard to say because the movie is just a mess of mangled, mixed-up morality. It often seems at odds with itself and leaves you scratching your head at its ambiguousness. For example (very slight spoiler), our “hero” (Dev Patel) is told he can’t bring home the leftover robot to experiment on. (Which, let’s face it, would seem a little creepy to most employers. “Sooo….why do you want it, again?”) So he just takes it. That’s right—the hero is an office thief. And we’re not just talking about a box of pens or a stapler or some paper clips, here; this is (I assume) a multi-million dollar piece of equipment. Continue reading →

The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

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I have no idea how to handle this Sacha Baron Cohen led spy spoof. On the one hand, there are some sweet moments covering the back story between Cohen’s goofy-but-loveable Nobby and his long lost brother, Sebastian (played by Mark Strong), who has grown up to become one of Britain’s best superspies. On the other, it really goes that extra mile to surpass the Farrelly Brothers in the “gross-out” comedy genre. You see my dilemma? Continue reading →

Dead Snow 2: Red vs Dead (2014)

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This film was tasteless, wall-spatteringly gory, and incredibly simplistic…and was the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in a long time. This sequel to 2009’s Dead Snow couldn’t help but remind me of another sequel—Evil Dead II (1987). First, because it didn’t take itself too seriously, and included a good deal of humor with the gore, and secondly because it’s one of those rare exceptions in Hollywood where the sequel is quite a bit better than the original. Continue reading →