Movie Review: DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

What the 'Schmuck'?! This movie was supposed to be hilarious. The dinner part was, but I'm already getting ahead of myself. I am a big fan of the two leads, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd. I liked the idea of the movie - business execs must all invite an idiot to dinner for the sheer entertainment of it. First of all, is it wrong to want to host one of these things for real? Is it wrong that I already know the schmuck I would invite? I went into this movie really hoping for one of the year's best comedies, but ultimately it was forgettable. I laughed a lot harder and more often at Grown Ups.

As I said, the dinner in question is hilarious. It's only about ten minutes though. It's like if you watched Seabiscuit and the horses only did one lap around a track. I sort of felt like the makers could not find enough to do with the actual dinner scene so they filled the rest of the film with mostly unfunny gags and scenarios that were unbelievable - and unbelievable is okay if it's hilarious - and they weren't. There are two parts in particular involving a stalker that are borderline unwatchable - not for parental content as much as for just being embarrassingly bad. There is also an artist character who wants to come across like a Borat meets Russell Brand, but instead just comes off as out of place and annoying (although maybe that's not all that out of place in this movie.).

Carell manages to save a few moments which would make me suggest seeing this on DVD, but with the high price of movie tickets nowadays, I would say it's not worth the big bucks. I would give Dinner for Schmucks a disappointing 4.5 out of 10. I really wanted to love this movie.

Lindsay Lohan

I used to love to tell people that I was related to Lindsay Lohan. Now, it's more of a party fact because it's a REALLY distant connection and far less flattering. Growing up, it was fun to see her in stuff and know that there was that connection to a "real life movie star." From The Parent Trap to Mean Girls, she did some really good movies. And for the record, note I said DISTANT connection - she just so happens to be my step grandfather's niece's daughter. I have never met her, and can safely say that unless she is a closet I Survived a Japanese Game Show fan, she has no idea who I am.

Normally I wouldn't blog about tabloid fodder like her, but I wanted to share my two cents as I am getting frustrated with both friends and the media in their treatment of the actress. First of all, I am not going to say she doesn't deserve the jail time she is serving. She does - she broke the law, and nobody should get the celebrity treatment. I watch Jay Leno almost every night (or morning, thank you DVR!) and just about every monologue of late pokes fun at her time in prison. Last night I was shocked and impressed that Leno's guest, Bill O'Reilly (yes, the shock Fox News Host who I normally cannot stand) shared my opinion that Lohan is a talent who needs help, not to become the laughing stock she has been made to be. Lindsay's parents all-but-forced her into the crazy Hollywood industry at a young age, and continued to exploit her one incident after another. Lindsay is the byproduct of that type of upbringing. Many people turn to alcohol when they are depressed - she just happens to have paparazzi following her around to chronicle her problems. Imagine if every one of your vices became front page news. She needs help - she needs to get away from her parents, take some time off, and get her crap together. She is talented, but more than that, she is a person in need. Pray for her. That's all I've got to say about it.

RIP Maury Chaykin

You probably don't know him by name, but Maury Chaykin, who died today on his 61st birthday, defined 'character actor.' He often played shady or gruff roles, and while he was unlikable on screen, he did it extremely well. Some of his most popular roles included parts on TV shows like Entourage, CSI, and Boston Legal. May he rest in peace.

Review from the Past: Children of Men

Every so often I see a movie in theaters, really enjoy it, and then forget about it. Last night as I was browsing my DVD shelves, I decided to put in Children of Men. This is a movie I loved in theaters but had not watched since I had seen it the first time. This second visit should have come sooner - it's such a great movie with such a great premise.

Taking place in the year 2027, this is not a futuristic sci-fi movie like you might expect, but a hauntingly believable portrait of how life might be right around the corner. The world is facing an infertility crisis. The movie opens with media stories breaking the news of the death of the youngest man living in the world - who was 18. We meet Theo Faron (Clive Owen) who, through a series of events, meets and must protect an illegal immigrant who is miraculously pregnant. They must make it to the boat of a humanitarian group before it sets sail to ensure she can deliver the baby safely and possibly ensure that the human race has a future.

This movie is thrilling - too intense for some. I know one person who walked out because it was just too much to handle. If you can put up with the heart-stopping action and brilliant story telling, you need to watch this movie. I would give it an 8.5 out of 10.

Movie Review: NOWHERE BOY

Last night I went to Newport, Rhode Island to see my first ever northeast premiere of a movie. So I can excitedly now give you a review of Nowhere Boy, a movie that doesn't come out in theaters until October. The event was sponsored by NewportFilm, who kicked off their organization with this event. They hope to bring numerous advanced screenings to Newport, and I hope to see more from their group. Tonight's screening was at the Tennis Hall of Fame on a grass tennis court. I can safely say this was the weirdest and coolest place that I've ever watched a movie. They had an inflatable screen and told people to bring blankets to sit on along with picnic dinners. It was an awesome event!

The movie however was not as awesome - but it wasn't a waste of time either. Nowhere Boy is the story of the early life of John Lennon. The previews of the film depict it as a That Thing You Do! type rousing music filled fun fest. This movie is, however, extremely depressing and sad. Every time something good happens someone gets into a fight, throws a punch, or dies. And the story doesn't really go anywhere in the time it's given - it repeats with showing us different scenes depicting Lennon's conservative, strict aunt and his lunatic of a mother.

Within this film and it's repetition however are some very nice moments. You learn about some of Lennon's inspirations for getting a group together. You discover the types of events that turned him from rough street kid to the singer he ended up becoming. The acting from the leads Aaron Johnson and Kristen Scott Thomas is excellent. They capture the emotion of certain scenes so well. The funny thing is though for a movie about the start of the Beatles, there is no Beatles music or even mention of the word 'Beatles'. My guess is licensing or something got in the way. Overall I would give this movie a 6 out of 10.

Movie Review: THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE

I am officially hooked! After The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I was eager to see the much anticipated sequel (based once again on the book) to find out the further exploits of hacker Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist. I can safely say that the cast and crew who did a brilliant job on the first film installment from the Millennium Trilogy did not drop the ball with the second.

**SPOILER WARNING - being that this is a sequel, if you haven't see the first film, there may be some minor spoilers about that film in this review.**

The Girl Who Played with Fire picks up right where Tattoo left off. Lisbeth is living in the high life with her newly acquired fortune. Mikael is back to work at Millennium. When a young journalist approaches Mikael and his staff with a story about police corruption in relation to human trafficking, that's when things begin rolling. When bodies begin to pile up, and Lisbeth gets framed for a triple murder, the movie explodes.

I will say that the first movie is better in how it created an extremely layered mystery story. The first film is more Hitchcock while the sequel is more Tarantino. This is a different type of mystery with an equally satisfying amount of suspense and intrigue. It still had me on the edge of my seat until the excellent finale which has more of a cliffhanger than the first film. I cannot wait to catch the third - I would give The Girl Who Played with Fire a score of 8 out of 10.

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

When you write for the public, you're supposed to write at a fifth grade level (or less). It's a well known marketing rule. Both personally and professionally I run into people breaking this law all the time. Just because you know some fancy words, doesn't mean you should use them. When I questioned someone I worked with once about this very thing, they snapped "if they don't know what it means, they can look it up!" Well, people aren't going to take the time do that if they didn't take the time to learn it in the first place. I think the biggest offenders of this rule are standard movie critics. I was once asked what "poignant" meant when a critic was listed on a DVD case as saying the movie Anywhere But Here was "Funny and poignant...." (According to Merriam-Webster, it means "deeply affecting."). Critics see so many movies that many become quite elitist in their tone. They know better. You don't. Listen to them - whether you understand them or not. *Scoff*

In my reviews, I try and avoid the confusing buzz words. I won't describe a plot as "banal", I will say it's boring. I won't complain about the lack of "Darwinian progression", I will say the story just didn't do it for me. I won't say a movie is "tantamount to" something, I'll say it's like something. I might sound smarter if I use the big words, but I am blogging - I don't care how smart I sound, grammatical errors and all. I want everyone who stops by MMOM to understand what I want to get across. It's not that I think the readers are stupid (well, they are on my blog...just kidding), but my recreational "job" isn't to educate in vocab, it's to review and talk about movies.

Back in high school, I took a creative writing class. Best. class. ever. I love that sort of thing. We were given an assignment in poetry, and I thought I would mess with the teacher. I looked up a bunch of really long/strange words. One line went "Conclaves peregrinations travel with their uniquities." Yes, the last word is completely made up. When I got back the graded poem, I got a 100 and the comment "This has global implications." I laughed so hard - I think my teacher was afraid to act like he didn't know what I was saying so he just gave me an A and moved on.

In the very recent review of the movie Ramona and Beezus (which I won't be seeing, sorry), Entertainment weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum described the film as a "sweetened synthesis of stories [from the book series]." "Sweetened synthesis"? Seriously? You are going to use that terminology when describing a G-rated kids movie? My word. Maybe I am off base to call her disconnected from normal folk because she is one of the most popular critics out there. Although Heidi and Spencer are popular too - and that doesn't make them better than normal folk (and I'm pretty sure they are worse.). In an episode of one of my favorite shows of all time, 30 Rock, the hero Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) is reluctant to accompany her boss Jack (Alec Baldwin) to a business retreat because everyone will just use big words like "synergy." People who don't have an extensive vocabulary feel uncomfortable in a conversation when these big words are thrown out because it makes them feel like a smaller person. I am not impressed by someone who can construct a big sentence - not because I don't know what they mean (sometimes I don't) - but because they sound like a pretentious (annoying) ignoramus (moron). So on that note, I hope you all have a big word for great followed by a big word for weekend.

Movie Review: SALT

Expectations are a big part of the movie going experience. Going into a dumb comedy or Nicholas Sparks romance flick, one cannot expect to walk out having seen a masterpiece. If they put up a fuss over lack of quality film-making in these dumb movies, they should have just stayed home and rented The English Patient. So what was I expecting from Salt, the newest action flick from Angelina Jolie? I was expecting a Bourne-like thriller that was entertaining as heck and defined 'popcorn summer movie'. And boy, did it deliver.

Salt is the last name of an FBI agent, Evelyn (Jolie) who has the seemingly perfect life. She has served the United States well, and loves her spider-loving husband. Salt's world comes to a screeching halt when a mysterious Russian man strolls into the FBI HQ claiming to be a defecting spy who knows that Salt is actually a double agent. His accusation leads to an all out woman-hunt of Salt who goes on the run to 1) find her husband and make sure he's okay, and 2) other stuff I won't spoil.

The movie is 70% a giant chase sequence which is both stupid and maddeningly entertaining. There are silly moments - too silly to overlook. For instance, when Salt is escaping out an apartment window with her pet dog, she makes her way onto the outside ledge. We can clearly see her dog's head sticking out of her backpack, but in the very next continuous shot, the dog's head is gone and backpack is sealed. It seemed a little careless - I shouldn't be the one catching that type of error in continuity. That being said, I really enjoyed Salt. It's not as good as Inception but it's not trying to be and is still worth the price of admission. I would give it a score of 7 out of 10. (And please admire me for avoiding the endless Salt puns that are out there!)

Mess With Your Head

I love intelligent movies that mess with your head. If you've seen Inception (review below), you most likely spent a lot of time thinking about it afterwards, trying to put the pieces together. I love movies like that - when they are done well. I thought I would put together a list of puzzle films - not just movies with big twist endings, but ones that act out a puzzle just dying to be solved. If you have caught Inception fever, and want some more surprise a minute films, try one of the following (and I by no means am calling this a complete list - be sure to put your own additions in the comments section):

Memento (R) - If you haven't seen Memento, Christopher Nolan's first major puzzle flick, you can prepare yourself to be blown away.

Mulholland Drive (R) - I have written entire blog posts on this movie, which is in fact, the most twisted puzzle you'll ever face as a moviegoer. Don't miss it.

Identity (R) - It's cheesy, it's hokey, it's so much fun. It's like a Hitchcock film on crack, and I mean that as a compliment.

Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (R) - This layered movie pays homage to Memento while creating an original and compelling story about a robbery. It's terrific.

Funny Games (R) - There are two versions of this movie (one from Austria, one in English) that tell the same tale. A family is stalked by a duo of sadistic teenagers who just may or may not be something more, but whatever they are, they want to play some games.

The Spanish Prisoner (PG) - This one won't be for everyone, that's why I am listing it last. It feels like a stage play which can at times be a bad thing. That being said, it puts together a great puzzle with powerful finish.

All right, those are just a few of my ideas. What did I leave off....?

DVD Review: The Bounty Hunter

When a bounty hunter is given the assignment of bringing in his ex-wife, hilarity ensues. Or at least that's what is supposed to happen in The Bounty Hunter, the latest in Gerard Butler's line of terrible movies.

Why Jennifer Aniston signed on for this nasty little movie is beyond me. The story is so predictable, so boring, and so slow that it makes this year's earlier movie Cop Out seem like a masterpiece. There are a couple of laughs - but more desperate ones than deserved. Everyone seems so disconnected from each other you'd think none of the cast ever met each other, but instead filmed their roles in front of a green screen. This is seriously one of the longest 110 minutes you'll sit through.

Maybe I'm bitter because I am watching this on the same weekend I watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Inception, and The Kids Are All Right. To think that you pay the same amount to see these very different movies when you go to a theater is ridiculous. Movie ticket prices should be based on quality, but that's off topic. I avoided this until it's DVD release, and I should have just avoided it all together. I would highly suggest you pass on The Bounty Hunter, even if you get it for free from your local library, like I did. Jennifer Aniston has been so good before, with her best role being her part in Friends with Money. Oh how she's fallen. I would give BH a probably overly generous 2.5 out of 10.

DVD Review: Remember Me

Robert Pattinson is most known for his role in the Twilight movies. Due to his fame, he's had a bit of freedom in choosing projects, and Remember Me is a film that most likely wouldn't have been made had he not signed on. Now, I must warn you, this isn't a good movie. It's not a bad movie. It's kind of the perfect DVD to have on in the background. The last five minutes however take an odd turn that some people have loved, others have hated. Going into the movie knowing that there was a surprise ending, I was able to call what it was about twenty minutes in.

Without spoiling anything, the plot is simple. When a rough/James Dean wannabe named Tyler (Pattinson) defends some innocent people in a bar fight but ends up getting the shaft by an unruly police officer (Chris Cooper), he is arrested for his aggressive behavior. When it is discovered that this police officer has a daughter about Tyler's age, he decides reluctantly to get back at the officer by dating her.

Aside from the ending, this movie is very by-the-books. Just about everything that is going to happen you can call a mile away. The performances are good, but the script doesn't let the talented supporting cast really shine the way it should have. I am a Lena Olin fan from her days on the TV show Alias and she was grossly underused here. Pierce Brosnan also plays a small role. The originality of the ending, despite me figuring it out, earns the film some extra credit - along with a segment of Yankee bashing which is priceless. Those elements earn this movie a score of 5.5 out of 10.

Movie Review: INCEPTION

Where do I begin?

Christopher Nolan is a genius. His first major piece of film-making, Memento, remains one of my all time favorite movies. The Dark Knight was also a very very good movie (I don't call it great though, but that's another post for another time). He knows how to construct a movie extremely well. In the instance of Inception, he takes what sounds kind of simple (and possibly pretentious) - dreaming - and turns it upside down. This movie is a layered puzzle that will take some serious effort to follow (the number of "I don't get it"'s I heard leaving the theater are case in point), but if you manage to keep up, the reward is great.

I am going to do everyone a favor and not discuss the plot. 1 - It would take forever. 2 - I'm not sure I could fully do it justice. And 3 - It will be so much more satisfying for you to unravel on your own. This is 150 minutes of extremely satisfying film-making that, in my opinion, only potentially falters in it's final seconds. That is a point though that will be discussed for years to come.

The cast is led by Leonardo DiCaprio along with Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, and Cillian Murphy. This is a movie that has best picture of the year written all over it. And while it isn't tops on my list for the year (Toy Story 3 by a hair), it's still an exceptional piece of summer movie going that is not to be missed. 9 out of 10.

Movie Review: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Arriving at the Kendall Square Cinema in Cambridge this morning, I was surprised to see quite a few people waiting for the doors to open. When the time came, there were roughly sixty people in line - most of which were there, like my brother and I, to catch a screening of "The Kids Are All Right." I was impressed by the turnout for what some critics are hailing as the little indie that will take off this year.

The story centers around a family with issues. Many of this issues rise from the fact that the parents are both moms - a lesbian married couple played exceptionally well by Julianne Moore and Annette Bening. The spark that starts the fire is when their two teenage children (Mia Wasakowska and Josh Hutcherson) decide to track down their sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo) just because they are curious. It's hinted at that both of the children are not getting something from their moms that a father could fulfill. When this man enters the picture, the family's world is rocked.

This movie markets itself like a comedy, and while I did laugh a number of times, it's more of a drama. A lot of the movie is downright depressing, exploring the dynamic of a family who is missing something. This is not a pro-gay marriage flick by any means. Without spoiling anything, the lesbians on display here are not glorified super parents, and a few of the scenes have me wondering why I haven't heard of any protests from the gay community. It's a raw film that is both honest and moving.

There are a few graphic sexual scenes - including the lesbian couple watching male pornography. This was not needed - at least as graphic as they made it - and it spoiled it a little for me. Overall though, I would highly recommend this film. It won't be for everyone, but it's certainly more than 'all right.' I would give it a 7.5 out of 10.

DVD Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Working in a library, I've known about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and it's two follow-up books for quite some time. I normally avoid reading series books though because I am a slow reader and don't like committing to one style of book for too long. I figured taking two and a half hours to get to know the now hugely popular series through the Swedish film adaptation would be a good taste of what the series is like. And I sit here kind of blown away.

There are two central characters in the movie - Mikael Blomkvist, a middle-aged wronged journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, a modern day hacker who is part Nancy Drew, part Marilyn Manson. These two are both very different but join forces to solve a disturbing string of cold case murders they stumble upon trying to unravel another mystery entirely. Not since Slumdog Millionaire have I been so incredibly impressed by the pure impeccable storytelling in a movie - this felt like I was watching something Hitchcock would put together if he were still alive.

The movie is rated R, and boy does it deserve it. There are some really disturbing graphic sexual scenes, including a rape, that make the movie almost unwatchable in spots. The scenes are meant to help explain why Lisbeth is the way she is, but boy to they drive that point home more than they needed to. Don't shy away from this movie however - the scenes can be easily skipped as you can tell when they are coming, and the rest of the movie is so good it would be a shame to pass on it when you can easily just hit the fast-forward button for five minutes out of the 152 minute movie. There are some grisly images, but they forward the crime themed story and it's nothing you wouldn't see on an episode of 24 or CSI.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the years best movies so far, and I would give it an 8.5 out of 10. Don't miss it. They are making an American version set to be released in 2012, but I cannot imagine it being as good as this.

Anger Management

I am not reviewing the movie Anger Management with Adam Sandler (oh, what the heck, 6 out of 10), but what this post is meant for is an apology to you, the readers. The other day in my review of the movie Predators I addressed the issue of parents taking their kids to hard R movies, and said:

I really hope that kid has one nightmare after another and screams non-stop. I want his father to have to get up and spend numerous hours comforting his child to the point where he realizes what an idiot he was to take his kid to a hard R movie.

Now, while I am a big believer in not deleting previous posts as what I said was in the moment, I wanted to clarify my point in which quite a few of you have taken issue with. I have gotten private messages and a couple of comments from a number of you who believe that I was too harsh. That's fair. I reread my post a couple of times and noticed that in my anger I didn't choose the best words for the way I was feeling. While I stand by the fact that parents who take their kids to these movies are scum (or are making a scummy decision), I don't want the children to suffer any more than they have to. Maybe having trouble getting to sleep for a night? But even that might be a little mean. I just believe that if a little kid seems all happy-go-lucky after seeing these violent movies, their parents aren't going to object to taking them to one after another. With things like the next Saw movie being shot in 3D, and IMAX screens getting more and more popular, this graphic content is powerful stuff that should not be digested by young children (and arguably anybody.) At the library where I work, we don't make judgments - we let the parents worry about their kids. On my blog, a place where I can share my two cents, I will share my two freaking cents (or in this case, my whole weekly paycheck.) So while I don't wish harm on children, seriously, I do want there to be some consequence to a parent putting their child's childhood in jeopardy by parading dead bodies, sexual content, and endless profanity in front of them. What do you think? (You no longer have to sign in to comment - bring it!)

Movie Review: DESPICABLE ME

2010 is on pace to become the best year for animated movies. Despicable Me is a worthy-entry in the world of 3D animated family films, and while it's very good, it is not however able to topple the powerful one-two punch of How to Train Your Dragon and Toy Story 3.

The movie is about Gru, a supervillain wannabe (voiced by Steve Carell) who decides to adopt three children as a tool to helping him pull off the biggest heist of all time. When he begins to develop feelings for the children, something very new to him, his heist is put on the back-burner.

While very sweet, the pacing is a little frenetic. It only touches gently the level of emotion that Pixar films fully capture. This is a great movie for people who don't like much conflict in their movies. It doesn't challenge you at all, for better or for worse. It's a slightly rude animated movie as far as parents are concerned, but not so much as to not let kids see it. Gru is aided by comical minions who are yellow beings who seem pulled straight out of a VeggieTales video (again, for better or for worse).

I thoroughly enjoyed my Despicable time, and would recommend it so long as you have seen Toy Story 3 first. I would give DM a score of 7 out of 10.

RIP Harvey Pekar

I didn't know who Harvey Pekar was until I watched the movie American Splendor. The brilliant 9 out of 10 movie chronicled the life of the weird little comic strip creator - from his love life to his late night exploits, the movie is a must see. The news of his death yesterday saddened me, in the guise of how much a celebrity death can sadden me at all. While I won't pretend to be his biggest fan, I did love the movie American Splendor as I felt I got to learn about someone I never would have been aware of. It's the power of movies, and I hope Mr. Pekar rests in peace.

Movie Review: PREDATORS

Going into this sequel/redux of sorts, I decided to first watch the original Arnold Schwarzenegger version similarly titled Predator. I felt having this background knowledge would be helpful, though I am a firm believer that one should not have to do any prior research to enjoy a GOOD movie. I was glad I had some reference points before watching the new one - not because they proved crucial, but because prior to my viewing of these two editions in the popular series, I had totally misjudged what these movies were even about. I knew they had aliens and such, but I didn't know about their invisibility, weapons, and quest to collect human skulls. That's all you really need to know if you want to see the new one.

The movie opens with our "hero" of sorts, played by Adrien Brody, falling from the sky along with others. I won't reveal what each person does as a profession as that might ruin some of the fun, but let me just say that the premise is simple - bring tough people onto another planet and hunt them for sport.

This movie had about a million plot holes yet still remained fun. One of the things that I hated about another redux, Terminator Salvation, was that it was so one-note and left one feeling as if they were watching someone else play a video game. This movie is different as it has some impressive (if not all computerized) landscapes, fun battle sequences, and one of those endings that makes me reserve my overall judgement until the next one in the series comes out. Near the end, the movie does dive into "okay, I suspended my disbelief long enough and now I cannot believe how much you are insulting my intelligence" territory, which was a let down as this up until the end was a fun ride of a film. Overall, I would give this a 6.5 out of 10. And I would give the original a 7.5 out of 10.

On a side-note, this is an R rated film. Why in all heck did a parent choose to take their no-older than six year-old? As they sat in front of me, I had to bite my tongue almost as hard as when I saw a kid in the first Saw film. In this screening, the child seemed bothered (shocker), especially during one scene where one character's guts are ripped out of their body by a predator. I really hope that kid has one nightmare after another and screams non-stop. I want his father to have to get up and spend numerous hours comforting his child to the point where he realizes what an idiot he was to take his kid to a hard R movie. If you are a parent, and you take your young children to R rated movies, you are scum. You shouldn't be allowed to have kids - the emotional damage you do to them is astounding. I wish nothing but ill-will your way.

And that my friends concludes this post.

Movie Review: CYRUS

**Please note, the film reviewed here, Cyrus, has absolutely nothing to do with the despicable "actress/singer" Miley Cyrus. That's not even her real name, btw, so the independent film is well within it's right to have the name.**

I never considered myself to be a John C. Reilly fan. For that matter, there are very few people of whom I would call a "fan", but something about Reilly specifically bothers me. It's hard to peg, but I think it's because he always plays the schmuck. Maybe it's not that I don't like him, but I don't like his characters - I feel bad for them, and watching them is not my ideal way to spend a couple of hours. For that reason, I was not that excited about Cyrus, his latest, where he plays, surprise surprise, another schmuck - named John. This time though, he does something about it.

Upon learning of his ex-wifes (Catherine Keener, who is awesome) decision to remarry, John embarks on a relationship all his own with the seemingly perfect woman (Marisa Tomei). There's just one catch - she has a 22-year old son named Cyrus (Jonah Hill) who, to put it mildly, has mommy issues. What we've seen a million times in other movies with a mother-in-law, Cyrus takes an R-rated Parent Trap style approach to a family member wreaking havoc on a couple.

This movie often felt like a cross between an episode of The Office mashed with an indie film - and that is a very good thing. The other very good thing is that the movie doesn't wear out it's welcome. While it's predictable, it entertains and then ends without lagging on. The performances are strong, and the ending is satisfying. I would give Cyrus a 7.5 out of 10.

DVD Review: Greenberg

Next Tuesday, Ben Stiller's latest movie Greenberg will be hitting store shelves, and I felt it was my duty to let you know my opinion of the art-house film.

If you are a Stiller fan, which I am, you're used to his style of comedy. Throw what you know about him out though - he goes in a completely different direction, with some positive but mostly negative results.

A nanny and her client's neurotic brother (played by Stiller - okay, it's not TOTALLY out of his character) meet in a nice LA home and start a friendship with potential. You should know that this is not a comedy. While there are a couple of very nice moments - a couple laugh out loud ones - there are far more heavy topics covered here. The movie's attempt to capture the lifestyle of the less than successful LA elites failed to offer anything I haven't seen before. If you've seen Laurel Canyon, you've basically seen this movie. Ben Stiller is a great person to make audiences laugh - he's less than successful when he's trying to be convincing as a depressed mope.

The direction is somewhat misguided, and as critically elitist as that sounds, if you watch it you'll know what I mean. The movie wanted to be a Garden State coming of age tale, but it really just was more boring than anything. The characters weren't all that likable, except for a dog that is, and their happiness didn't concern me at all. It's a forgettable film that won't ruin the careers of anyone involved, but it won't top anyone's list of their best work. It's a pity because it's from Noah Baumbach, who directed the phenomenal The Squid and the Whale. I would rate this a 4 out of 10.

Movie Review: GROWN UPS

I am sort of angry that I live in Massachusetts and it's 102 degrees. But if not for the heat, I would not have been convinced into paying money to see the newest dismally reviewed Adam Sandler movie Grown Ups. 90% of critics on movie site rottentomatoes.com gave the film a bad (to downright terrible) review - I however am in the minority.

I expected to hate this movie - and that probably helped as the expectations were set so low. When you go to an Adam Sandler movie, you're not going to see the next The Departed or Slumdog Millionaire. You're going to laugh. Grown Ups made me laugh - often and hard, and for that, it was fully worth the price of admission.

When a revered coach passes away, some of his former teammates gather with their families for the funeral. Their hi-jinx is the movie plain and simple - there's no deep plot, just a very successful laugh device of coming together in a small town by a lake. Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schnieder, David Spade, Maria Bello, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, and some old woman round out the funnier than expected cast.

I don't know how many people I've heard say the line "I don't trust critics." Well, critics are shooting themselves in the foot to hate on this movie. Critics may know how to review a movie, but they are so out of touch with mainstream audiences who don't see as many movies as they do. Yeah, it may not be a classic, but for 90 minutes, I was pleasantly entertained and kept cool by the air conditioning on this 102 degree day. People don't go to this type of movie because they are looking for brilliant direction or life applications - they go to laugh. Grown Ups will make you laugh - whether you're ashamed to admit it or not. If that's what you're looking for, this will do the trick. I would give this movie a 7 out of 10.

Movie Review(s): Solitary Man/Winter's Bone

This long holiday weekend I was able to get to two independent films that I really wanted to see. Here are the reviews of the two films:

Solitary Man

Michael Douglas is known for his grimy characters, and this movie gives him one more go at it. This time, he plays playboy wannabe Ben Kalmen, a man who has fallen from grace due to some less than legal business maneuvers that cost him his family, business, and continue to haunt him in his day to day life.

There is a really strong supporting cast of Jenna Fischer (The Office), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking), Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland), and even Danny DeVito. They add a nice touch to a movie that is really all about Michael Douglas.

The positives: This is a very well-acted movie. Every actor/actress was cast perfectly. It almost feels like you're watching some stage-play, and I mean that as a compliment.

The negatives: Why does anyone need to watch a despicable man run rampant and ruin people's lives for 90 minutes? No matter how well it's acted, this is a miserable little movie. It's like About Schmidt crossed with a Saw movie. Douglas' character is an emotional terrorist, and watching him spiral out of control is not enjoyable for 90% of the movie. I could see this movie being shown in film classes for the acting, but if you're in the mood for a feel good flick, you probably want to leave this Solitary Man alone. 6 out of 10.

Winter's Bone

The big winner at this year's Sundance Film Festival was Winter's Bone, which is, no pun intended, chilling to the core. I was so excited when this movie opened in Boston, and was so happy that it lived up to my high expectations.

First of all, before I get into plot, let me just say that the film's lead, Jennifer Lawrence, is going places - and an Oscar podium might be one of them. This is one of those breakout roles that's unforgettable. She portrays Ree Dolly, a 17 year-old sister who takes care of her two young siblings due to the father's absence and mother's mental illness.

This movie is, among many things, a showcase of living in poverty and how devastating it is. This is one of those movies that makes you look at your life and be thankful for what you've got. Ree Dolly has grown up far faster than any child should. Not only does she take care of her sister and brother, but she cooks, manages the money, and takes care of her sick mother. When her drug dealing father must show up for a court date or they will lose the house, she sets out on a dangerous quest to find him.

I won't spoil anything, but this movie is like a snowball rolling down a mountain. It starts out very slow (stick with it!) and quickly spirals out of control in the best way for viewers. While not in an urban setting (it's set in the Ozarks to be exact), this movie reminded me a lot of last year's Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. Watching it you'll feel like a fly on the wall in a life you would never want. Through the misery though, this movie, like Precious, is inspirational in an odd, liberating way. This is a riveting must-see movie, especially for those who like an indie now and then. I would give it 8.5 out of 10.

Movie Review: THE KARATE KID (2010)

Of the seemingly endless problems that can be found in the newest rehashing of an older film, "The Karate Kid"'s worst flaw is that the name is deceiving. Very early on, we learn that they are not doing karate, but kung-fu. So the movie should have been called "The Kung-Fu Kid" - but maybe that just wouldn't have sold as many tickets. I was really expecting to enjoy this movie, but in turn it ended up being one of the biggest disappointments that I've seen all year. Do let me explain.

The 'karate (*cough*kung-fu) kid' (KK) from the title is Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith. He's not a bad little actor, but he's stuck in a bad script. When his character is forced to move to China because his mother gets a new job, he is left feeling isolated. To make matters worse, bullies don't like him because he dances funny. The movie never truly explains anything well enough, but they were obviously aiming at ten year-old audiences that won't care. I mean, supporting characters in this movie come and go from the central figures to the point where they are left grossly underdeveloped. There is a blond kid in the beginning who looks like he'll end up being a friend to the KK, but he is not to be seen again until the end of the movie. Some of the training sequences go on so long that I felt that I could have actually learned kung-fu in the same time it took me to watch this overlong movie. To help with the bullying problem, Jackie Chan comes to the rescue as a man who is haunted with baggage all his own. Chan is really the only bright spot in the movie - but even he wears out his welcome.

From a parental standpoint, some of the bullying sequences are very intense. I mean, it's called the "Karate Kid" so some fighting is expected, but for a kids movie, it's pretty violent. The KK also swears a few times which wasn't needed and seemed out of place. I think this movie was very very close to getting a PG-13 rating.

A few weeks ago I blogged that I hadn't seen the original. Maybe I need to. But I'm in no mood right now. I hate movies more when they act like they're better than they are. This was one of those movies. Bullying is such a hot topic in schools, maybe this is connecting to middle schoolers on a level I just don't get. As a movie though, it doesn't cut it. An interesting complaint - why were there so many Americans at the school where the KK went? Ugh. I could go on, but it's just easier to give this movie a 3.5 out of 10 and enough is enough.

My Guilty Pleasure Movies

A guilty pleasure, for a movie fan, is basically a movie that he or she knows is not well made or well acted or well constructed or all of thee above. A 'GP' is a movie that while so abhorrently awful on one level, is incredibly entertaining on another. It poses the question of what matters most when making a movie - entertaining the audience or putting out a by-the-book "good movie". The best movies do both, and "GP"'s certainly don't, but they are still worth watching.

Here are a few of my favorite movies that I probably should be ashamed to like (or love)!

Anaconda (1997) & Snakes on a Plane (2006)

There is something about snake-horror-movies, if that is a genre, that I find immensely entertaining. Snakes are the supervillian - I mean, Satan was portrayed in the Bible as a viper. They are low to the ground, shifty, and evoke fear more easily than any creature. Both of these movies throw plot out the window (although Anaconda at least tried) in exchange for awesome snake chase and kill sequences. I know they aren't "good movies", but I love them.

Deal (2008) & The Grand (2007)

If you know me you know I love movies and poker. So poker movies are, by default, amazing. For me. I know these two movies are really pretty awful, from the bad acting right up to the predictable finishes, these are in no way well made. Yet I really enjoyed both of them. I would watch these a second time before some Oscar winners - but honestly, these are just good if you like poker.

Fantastic Four (2005) & Daredevil (2003)

These two superhero movies were generally hated upon by movie snobs and critics. I disagree. These are two of the most FUN superhero movies. They may not be as well made as The Dark Knight or as visually stimulating as Avatar but they are both soooooo entertaining.

Recess: School's Out (2001) & Doug's 1st Movie (1999)

I love a good animated movie. Apparently, I also love a "bad" one or two. I would however defend, to the death, these two extremely smart movies that failed to find a following. I saw both of these in high school, and didn't find them lame. They are well written and amusing, and are better than a lot of the movies kids are being fed nowadays.

My Best Friend's Girl (2008) & Employee of the Month (2006)

I find Dane Cook hilarious, despite his questionable acting track record. While his stand-up comedy is what made him famous, and deservedly so, these two movies do a great job at capturing his humor. Critics hated these movies, but if you're a DC fan, you would not be let down.

What Happens in Vegas (2008) & Just Married (2003)

I am an Ashton Kutcher comedy fan. Like with Dane Cook, most of his movies aren't well received. I found these two movies hilarious, light, and not sappy in the least. And note - one of my all time favorite movies is Dude, Where's My Car, and it is not a guilty pleasure - it is one of the best movies ever made. SERIOUSLY!

All right, those are a bunch of mine. I'm sure there are more, but that's all I've got for now. Yours?