Paul is a geek movie made by geeks, for geeks. That's not to say that everyone can't enjoy it, as there is plenty here to enjoy besides the in jokes and references, but I think if you are in any way a film lover, I think you'll get a little more out of this than the average movie-goer.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost wrote and star as two British geeks going to Comic Con and taking a trip across the U.S. seeing all the famous Alien landing sites the States have to offer. Along the way, they meet up with Paul, an alien voiced by Seth Rogan who is on the run from the government and trying to get back to his home planet.
That's about all you need to know really. The rest is just good, solid laughs joined with nice character moments for even the smallest of parts, all of which is made possible by the amazing cast. Aside from Pegg and Frost, you have Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio and Jeffrey Tambor ( just to name a few) that pop up at some point or other to provide memorable, funny moments.
It's Rogan that steals the show though, finding the perfect balance portraying Paul as that lovable yet ass hole of a friend that you can't help but like. The effect itself isn't perfect, but you really don't notice it as an effect because Rogan is so good at making Paul's personality feel natural. You believe that if Paul wasn't an alien, he would just be one of the guys.
Perhaps my favorite thing about this movie though, is that it flat out embraces atheism. I'm not quite atheist myself, but I love the fact that this movie has the balls to say that Bible thumping, evolution hating Christians are flat out stupid. It's not a major point in the movie, and it doesn't go out of its way to say it, but the fact that it's there makes me beyond happy.
In the end, if you like Pegg and Frost, and you are even the littlest bit of a geek, you will enjoy this one. It's not the best thing these guys have done, but it definitely keeps me excited for what they can come up with next.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
My mission.
I own around 600 movies. 500 or so of those are DVDs and the rest are Blu Ray. Rarely have I ever bought a movie without watching it, but when it did happen I made it a point to watch it as soon as possible because for some reason I just found it downright embarrassing to let an unseen film I own go unwatched. I guess you could say it was part of my Code, as a man's got to have his own Code.
One thing I'm not proud of though, is that I haven't physically watched every DVD or Blu Ray that I own. I've seen them all at one point, but there are about 100 that I have never physically put into my DVD player.
That's something I desperately need to change.
I have actually already started the process a few weeks ago by having two day long marathons comprised entirely of Blu Ray discs that I have yet to watch. It had been quite a while since I had done nothing but watch movies all day long. I did it almost every weekend as a child, trying to stay up all night every Friday hoping to make it to the morning with little to no success. Thankfully though, now that I am a married, 24 year old adult, I have absolutely nothing but time to waste. So, for the next few months, I'm going to try and have these movie days as often as possible. Sometimes with just DVDs, sometimes with just Blu Rays, and sometimes with both. Also, I think every once in a while I'll throw in something that I haven't seen from Netflix instant so my brain can be fed new movie knowledge along with the old. Then, as each marathon comes and goes I'll come here and give you my thoughts and sexual feelings about the experience. Let us begin.
The first round I watched Saving Private Ryan, Rambo, Back to the Future, Escape from New York and Moon. The second round, which took place just yesterday, included A Clockwork Orange, Back to the Future Part II, Backdraft and The Fighter.
I had made a conscious decision to watch the Back to the Future trilogy for my first three marathons. However, I had unconsciously decided to watch multiple Kurt Russell in the first few marathons. I must have been having Russell withdrawal, because when I started Backdraft and Kurt appears as his own characters father I instantly became aroused in a way that only Kurt can make happen. This guy just exudes badass. It also doesn't hurt that Backdraft features one of the best hero shots of the 90s with Kurt running out of a room that had just become engulfed with flames, carrying a small black child that everyone feared dead. I mean, shit man, that's awesome.
Seriously though, Kurt aside, Backdraft was a nice surprise yesterday. I hadn't watched it in at least 10 years and I had forgotten how good it is. I think maybe that's one of the reason's I'm so excited to be doing this little mission, having the chance to rediscover so many great films that I haven't seen in forever.
I'm planning for the next marathon next week when the wife is out of town for three days. I also plan on burning our apartment to the ground, so stay tuned.
One thing I'm not proud of though, is that I haven't physically watched every DVD or Blu Ray that I own. I've seen them all at one point, but there are about 100 that I have never physically put into my DVD player.
That's something I desperately need to change.
I have actually already started the process a few weeks ago by having two day long marathons comprised entirely of Blu Ray discs that I have yet to watch. It had been quite a while since I had done nothing but watch movies all day long. I did it almost every weekend as a child, trying to stay up all night every Friday hoping to make it to the morning with little to no success. Thankfully though, now that I am a married, 24 year old adult, I have absolutely nothing but time to waste. So, for the next few months, I'm going to try and have these movie days as often as possible. Sometimes with just DVDs, sometimes with just Blu Rays, and sometimes with both. Also, I think every once in a while I'll throw in something that I haven't seen from Netflix instant so my brain can be fed new movie knowledge along with the old. Then, as each marathon comes and goes I'll come here and give you my thoughts and sexual feelings about the experience. Let us begin.
The first round I watched Saving Private Ryan, Rambo, Back to the Future, Escape from New York and Moon. The second round, which took place just yesterday, included A Clockwork Orange, Back to the Future Part II, Backdraft and The Fighter.
I had made a conscious decision to watch the Back to the Future trilogy for my first three marathons. However, I had unconsciously decided to watch multiple Kurt Russell in the first few marathons. I must have been having Russell withdrawal, because when I started Backdraft and Kurt appears as his own characters father I instantly became aroused in a way that only Kurt can make happen. This guy just exudes badass. It also doesn't hurt that Backdraft features one of the best hero shots of the 90s with Kurt running out of a room that had just become engulfed with flames, carrying a small black child that everyone feared dead. I mean, shit man, that's awesome.
Seriously though, Kurt aside, Backdraft was a nice surprise yesterday. I hadn't watched it in at least 10 years and I had forgotten how good it is. I think maybe that's one of the reason's I'm so excited to be doing this little mission, having the chance to rediscover so many great films that I haven't seen in forever.
I'm planning for the next marathon next week when the wife is out of town for three days. I also plan on burning our apartment to the ground, so stay tuned.
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Pianist
I know this is a fairly old film, but I'm trying to talk about any new or awesome movie I see, so here it goes.
To be honest, I had thought this was gonna be more emotionally draining that it actually was. That's not to say it isn't a great movie, but the one scene I had actually seen from the film was a very graphic one that at the time actually took my breath away. That scene in particular has always stayed with me and I guess you could say that it made me a little hesitant to actually sit down and watch the whole thing.
I'm glad I finally did though, The Pianist is easily up there with Schindler's List as a captivating Holocaust experience. Every scene dealing with the evacuation of the Jewish neighborhoods are so realistic and absolutely horrifying that it is indeed difficult to comprehend why and how such events could ever actually happen.
One thing that really surprised me though was how well Roman Polanski shot this film. There are multiple scenes that feel like they were done in one take, all shot from a far that add a voyeuristic type feeling to the movie.
All in all, a tough but rewarding experience.
To be honest, I had thought this was gonna be more emotionally draining that it actually was. That's not to say it isn't a great movie, but the one scene I had actually seen from the film was a very graphic one that at the time actually took my breath away. That scene in particular has always stayed with me and I guess you could say that it made me a little hesitant to actually sit down and watch the whole thing.
I'm glad I finally did though, The Pianist is easily up there with Schindler's List as a captivating Holocaust experience. Every scene dealing with the evacuation of the Jewish neighborhoods are so realistic and absolutely horrifying that it is indeed difficult to comprehend why and how such events could ever actually happen.
One thing that really surprised me though was how well Roman Polanski shot this film. There are multiple scenes that feel like they were done in one take, all shot from a far that add a voyeuristic type feeling to the movie.
All in all, a tough but rewarding experience.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Battle: Los Angeles
Battle: LA is a movie that I really wanted to love and I went into it with what I still think were realistic expectations. Beforehand I had read a few reviews saying that even though it was filled with every war movie cliche in the book, it still had great action and was a ton of fun., and that's all I wanted. I don't think that's asking too much, do you?
I might be giving the impression that I really didn't like the movie, but that's not entirely true. I'm more disappointed by it than anything. I love the idea for Battle:LA, a straight up war movie that just happens to have aliens much like this summer's Cowboys and Aliens which claims to be a western that just happens to include aliens as well. I love that we have so many serious Sci-fi movies being made right now, both big and small. Battle: LA is definitely big, and like I said earlier, I wasn't expecting the best alien invasion movie ever, but I really wanted an intense action movie that would put me on the edge of my seat. It's been a slow couple of months for movies in that department, and I was especially in the mood for one after a long and even more disappointing award season.
It all starts promisingly enough, opening hard and fast with the invasion in full swing. It's a bold move, and had it continued from there it could have made for a very different experience, allowing us to get to know characters through actions and small moments. Instead, the movie flashes 24 hours earlier in an attempt to get the audience invested in the characters, all of whom you've seen before. The Virgin, the father to be, the hero with a dark past, a guy from Jersey, they're all here.
You know what though, it's not the one note characters that I mind, or the even worse dialogue. I can deal with that. Hell sometimes, for whatever reason, it makes me love a movie more as long as the action delivers. That, for me, is the main problem with Battle: LA. There is no tension. I felt almost nothing during most of the films many action scenes. It's not that they aren't staged well, or that the aliens aren't menacing. There just isn't a real sense of danger, something that I feel is a must for this genre. I know I should sit back and enjoy the explosions, but this movie keeps trying and trying to be intense and thrilling, and that's what ruins it for me. This movie wants to be good. It tries so hard and despite all the game efforts by cast and crew, they just couldn't make it happen.
Hopefully Cowboys & Aliens can fill this void I have in me now, a void for a really good, straight faced alien invasion.
I might be giving the impression that I really didn't like the movie, but that's not entirely true. I'm more disappointed by it than anything. I love the idea for Battle:LA, a straight up war movie that just happens to have aliens much like this summer's Cowboys and Aliens which claims to be a western that just happens to include aliens as well. I love that we have so many serious Sci-fi movies being made right now, both big and small. Battle: LA is definitely big, and like I said earlier, I wasn't expecting the best alien invasion movie ever, but I really wanted an intense action movie that would put me on the edge of my seat. It's been a slow couple of months for movies in that department, and I was especially in the mood for one after a long and even more disappointing award season.
It all starts promisingly enough, opening hard and fast with the invasion in full swing. It's a bold move, and had it continued from there it could have made for a very different experience, allowing us to get to know characters through actions and small moments. Instead, the movie flashes 24 hours earlier in an attempt to get the audience invested in the characters, all of whom you've seen before. The Virgin, the father to be, the hero with a dark past, a guy from Jersey, they're all here.
You know what though, it's not the one note characters that I mind, or the even worse dialogue. I can deal with that. Hell sometimes, for whatever reason, it makes me love a movie more as long as the action delivers. That, for me, is the main problem with Battle: LA. There is no tension. I felt almost nothing during most of the films many action scenes. It's not that they aren't staged well, or that the aliens aren't menacing. There just isn't a real sense of danger, something that I feel is a must for this genre. I know I should sit back and enjoy the explosions, but this movie keeps trying and trying to be intense and thrilling, and that's what ruins it for me. This movie wants to be good. It tries so hard and despite all the game efforts by cast and crew, they just couldn't make it happen.
Hopefully Cowboys & Aliens can fill this void I have in me now, a void for a really good, straight faced alien invasion.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Rango
Rango is a weird, enjoyable little movie about an aspiring actor/lizard who through a series of random events becomes sheriff of a town called Dirt.
Even for most animated talking animal movies, that premise is definitely out there. Thankfully though, director Gore Verbinski of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Weather Man fame has crafted one of the more original and gorgeous looking movies I've seen in a long time.
Johnny Depp leads a terrific cast of character actors, all of whom were picked not for their name, but for their actual vocal talent, a choice that helps the audience really get to know and like the characters themselves instead of just guessing who's who in the celebrity filled cast.
As I said earlier, Johnny D is the lead here, and he does a great job as usual. Depp is always easy to watch, or hear in this case, even in the worst of movies. Yet there's a great a balancing act he does with Rango that not only continues his list of eccentric characters, but also allows him to bring a little more heart to the character, something he hasn't had the chance to do since at least Finding Neverland in 2004.
The thing I think I liked most about this movie though, is the fact that it's a straight up western, one of my favorite genre's. It's becoming increasingly rare for them to get made nowadays, which breaks my heart. To me, there's just something so epic about a man (or lizard) in the old west who clings to his convictions and stands up for what he believes in, no matter the outcome, and Rango does just that. Between this and True Grit, I can only hope that Hollywood pays attention and realize that people will still flock to a western, as long as it's done right.
Now, you can't talk about this movie and not mention the absolutely beautiful animation done by ILM. Oddly enough it's the company's first animated film, and they knock it out of the park. Each frame is filled with stunning detail and each character is so meticulously created that you could easily fall in love with what's on screen and not even pay attention to what's happening in the story.
In the end, Rango is a very enjoyable movie made better with great ideas, great acting and incredible animation. Even if you hate westerns, you will easily find something to like here.
Even for most animated talking animal movies, that premise is definitely out there. Thankfully though, director Gore Verbinski of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Weather Man fame has crafted one of the more original and gorgeous looking movies I've seen in a long time.
Johnny Depp leads a terrific cast of character actors, all of whom were picked not for their name, but for their actual vocal talent, a choice that helps the audience really get to know and like the characters themselves instead of just guessing who's who in the celebrity filled cast.
As I said earlier, Johnny D is the lead here, and he does a great job as usual. Depp is always easy to watch, or hear in this case, even in the worst of movies. Yet there's a great a balancing act he does with Rango that not only continues his list of eccentric characters, but also allows him to bring a little more heart to the character, something he hasn't had the chance to do since at least Finding Neverland in 2004.
The thing I think I liked most about this movie though, is the fact that it's a straight up western, one of my favorite genre's. It's becoming increasingly rare for them to get made nowadays, which breaks my heart. To me, there's just something so epic about a man (or lizard) in the old west who clings to his convictions and stands up for what he believes in, no matter the outcome, and Rango does just that. Between this and True Grit, I can only hope that Hollywood pays attention and realize that people will still flock to a western, as long as it's done right.
Now, you can't talk about this movie and not mention the absolutely beautiful animation done by ILM. Oddly enough it's the company's first animated film, and they knock it out of the park. Each frame is filled with stunning detail and each character is so meticulously created that you could easily fall in love with what's on screen and not even pay attention to what's happening in the story.
In the end, Rango is a very enjoyable movie made better with great ideas, great acting and incredible animation. Even if you hate westerns, you will easily find something to like here.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
I love Roland Emmerich
The other night I was watching 2012 for the second time. The first time I watched it I remember having a great time, laughing consistently throughout. However, I didn't really remember much of the movie itself since I had ingested almost an entire bag of Franzia while watching it.
This second time though, I didn't drink. Well, not as much anyway, and I found myself genuinely enjoying the movie. Yes, it's completely illogical and filled with pointless characters connected by even more pointless coincidences, and yet it's these very reasons why I love it so much. It's just big, stupid fun.
Look, it's obvious by this point that I'm easily entertained when it comes to movies. No matter how good or bad, I just like movies, and I really like the movies Roland Emmerich makes. From Universal Soldier all the way to 2012. In fact, there are only two of his films that I can't really enjoy. One is The Day After Tomorrow, mainly because it's on TV every other hour and I'm sick of watching it. The other is 10,000 B.C. because, well, it's not that good.
Before your head explodes from that last statement, let me say that no, most of his movies aren't exactly 'Good'. I, however, enjoy them greatly.
Independence Day is probably his best movie, or if anything his most popular. It's not hard to see why. It's got a great premise, a great cast and more importantly, it shows America doing what America does best. Winning.
However, I seem to be the only person who has actually enjoyed almost every movie he has done since then. Yes, that means I like Godzilla. It sucks, I know, but I can't help myself, Roland knows how to destroy a city. Maybe he couldn't do it as well as Michael Bay did that same year with Armageddon, but shit, who can? I love a good trainwreck, and Godzilla is exactly that. There's nothing but bad ideas in this movie and yet despite it all I can't help but laughing my way through to the very end. It's just that terribly awesome.
Now let's not forget The Patriot, Roland's best movie post ID4, starring rage master Mel Gibson as a man who loved America so much, he single handedly won the Revolutionary War. I don't think anything else needs to be said about that.
Next came The Day After Tomorrow and 10,000 B. C., Roland's only two movies in which I cannot enjoy. The Day After Tomorrow is easily the better of the two, but as I said earlier, I've watched it so many times that my nose starts to bleed from anger every time it comes on. As for 10,000 B. C., there just is not one second of enjoyment there, not even in the worst way. It's a flat out boring movie.
Thankfully, he redeemed himself with 2012, his farewell to the disaster genre. He spared no expense here, spending $200 million of Sony's money and taking 160 minutes of our lives to show how awesome John Cusack is at outrunning Mother Nature. It's ridiculous and preposterous in the very best way.
In the end though, it just comes down to the fact that Roland Emmerich's movies are right up my alley. Big, stupid, and most of all, fun.
This second time though, I didn't drink. Well, not as much anyway, and I found myself genuinely enjoying the movie. Yes, it's completely illogical and filled with pointless characters connected by even more pointless coincidences, and yet it's these very reasons why I love it so much. It's just big, stupid fun.
Look, it's obvious by this point that I'm easily entertained when it comes to movies. No matter how good or bad, I just like movies, and I really like the movies Roland Emmerich makes. From Universal Soldier all the way to 2012. In fact, there are only two of his films that I can't really enjoy. One is The Day After Tomorrow, mainly because it's on TV every other hour and I'm sick of watching it. The other is 10,000 B.C. because, well, it's not that good.
Before your head explodes from that last statement, let me say that no, most of his movies aren't exactly 'Good'. I, however, enjoy them greatly.
Independence Day is probably his best movie, or if anything his most popular. It's not hard to see why. It's got a great premise, a great cast and more importantly, it shows America doing what America does best. Winning.
However, I seem to be the only person who has actually enjoyed almost every movie he has done since then. Yes, that means I like Godzilla. It sucks, I know, but I can't help myself, Roland knows how to destroy a city. Maybe he couldn't do it as well as Michael Bay did that same year with Armageddon, but shit, who can? I love a good trainwreck, and Godzilla is exactly that. There's nothing but bad ideas in this movie and yet despite it all I can't help but laughing my way through to the very end. It's just that terribly awesome.
Now let's not forget The Patriot, Roland's best movie post ID4, starring rage master Mel Gibson as a man who loved America so much, he single handedly won the Revolutionary War. I don't think anything else needs to be said about that.
Next came The Day After Tomorrow and 10,000 B. C., Roland's only two movies in which I cannot enjoy. The Day After Tomorrow is easily the better of the two, but as I said earlier, I've watched it so many times that my nose starts to bleed from anger every time it comes on. As for 10,000 B. C., there just is not one second of enjoyment there, not even in the worst way. It's a flat out boring movie.
Thankfully, he redeemed himself with 2012, his farewell to the disaster genre. He spared no expense here, spending $200 million of Sony's money and taking 160 minutes of our lives to show how awesome John Cusack is at outrunning Mother Nature. It's ridiculous and preposterous in the very best way.
In the end though, it just comes down to the fact that Roland Emmerich's movies are right up my alley. Big, stupid, and most of all, fun.
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