Movie: She's Out of My League

Since the release of "Superbad," the content of comedy films has seen a major overhaul. Hollywood created movies like "Role Models," "Knocked-Up," "Miss March," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" by using the same basic formula. In fact, every movie since has been one attempt after another to one-up the former's raunchiness. Now this is all good fun, but let's admit that its getting old. The jokes revolve around the elongated scene in which the stars of the films improvise bizarre, random analogies or anecdotes of the character's experiences. This is great, really----to a point. What Hollywood likes to do is drive something down your throat until you vomit the same blood-red color of comedy for about a week. Or months.

The best part about "She's Out of My League" is that it is not at all like what the trailers and advertisements depict it as. In the ads, Jim Field Smith's movie is just another Will Ferrell-esque man-comedy. But this movie isn't like that at all----even though T.J. Miller (the actor that plays "Stainer") really, really wants it to be. In fact, his performance was by far the worst part of the film. Something like the leftover meals of Will Ferrell or Seth Rogen. My problem with the actors in comedies now is that they all want to be the same improvisation icon that Jonah Hill or John C. Reilly is.

But apart from Miller, what "She's Out of My League" is, is really, surprisingly good.

It isn't a man-comedy in the sense that every joke is perverse or "edgy," but I will say that there is plenty of that humor in Smith's film. But this movie has heart. The movie attempts to deliver a message to its audience, and even if that message isn't fully realized, its a lot better than nothing at all. Furthermore, I would not call this a comedy in the sense that audiences now know the genre as. It is simply a hilarious romantic comedy. Which was nice.

By far, the best part of the movie was Nate Torrence, who played Devon. And the interactions between the two brothers, Kirk and Dillon, were also really entertaining. The worst part was that the movie relied on the same formula that every romantic comedy ever relies on. No secrets.

And here it is:

A budding relationship goes really well, embarrassing moment, make-up from embarrassing moment, short bit of happy times, then an "astonishing scene" in which the romance is torn apart. Cue time lapse. We then find the characters on separate tracks until a startling revelation takes place in which the characters join together again. And that's the romantic comedy in a nutshell (no pun intended----for those of you who have seen the movie).

Overall, I wanted less T.J. Miller and more deviation from traditional formulas. However, the rest of the cast does a very good job in a movie that allows us to stand back and really question our intelligence for actually laughing with "Paul Blart: Mall Cop."

And yes, I'm talking to you.

In conclusion:
"She's Out of My League"
Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

Comment on this post; let me know what you think.

Source: iMDB.com

Oscars Reaction: The Hurt Locker

The anticipation for this year's Oscars, hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, was appropriate, considering one of the nominees for Best Picture is the highest grossing film of all time (Cameron's "Avatar"). In a tribute to the film, Ben Stiller even came garbed as a blue creature from the planet of Pandora, complete with an awesome tail and long braid. However, something very bad happened. Yes, something very bad indeed. And I will tell you exactly what that is and why.

Last night, "The Hurt Locker" took home the following 6 awards: Best Picture, Directing, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Writing (Original Screenplay).

All I have to say is, really? Just...really?

"The Hurt Locker" easily snagged the most Academy Awards of this year's Oscar night. In fact, it beat out 10 other films----the most nominated in the history of the Oscars----for Best Picture. I watched the movie well in advance of last night, and I also took it upon myself to view many of the other films nominated for Best Picture. There is only one response to last night's series of unfortunate awards, and that response is the blank stare. Maybe a middle finger. Maybe.

First of all, "The Hurt Locker" is basically the Obama of this year's candidates for Best Picture (I am only going to focus on this category because I can't even comprehend the other awards, yet. I just don't understand). I refer to it as our good friend Barack because of what the movie represents, not what it is. And therein lies the problem.

"The Hurt Locker" represents the first female director to win an award for best picture. It represents patriotism in a time when our country has decided to quit invading Iraq and invade Afghanistan instead----I picture the Secretary of Defense with a menu of world countries as he says, "I'll take weapons of mass destruction with a side of Taliban." But that's just me...

This movie also represents the triumph of America in its conquest to rule the world. Oh, you didn't see it? Watch the movie again. Spoiler alert: When SSG William James (Jeremy Renner) returns to war to defuse more bombs after returning home to a wife and typical housework, does the movie not scream "Risking my live for my country is waaaaaaayy better than cleaning gutters?" No? Does it not say in a very giddy voice, "War is for men; that's why I'm going back!" Again, no?

Well, that's what I got.

What this movie is, is mediocre. It isn't bad, no. But it doesn't deserve a damn Best Picture award. Not over a Coen film----an extremely good Coen film. This movie won because it sends the "right" message to Americans, not because it is a good movie. Just listen to the writer's acceptance speech----something like, "I'm a Iraqi war veteran, the war gave me a good idea for a patriotic story, and here's a very, very specific list of statistics of wounded and dead soldiers that were fighting for your freedom (metaphoric finger-point)." Now, I am totally pro-soldiers. They have pounds of balls I couldn't ever dream of...(Wait...maybe that came out wrong...)But, to me, the sweeping of Academy Awards by a mediocre, rah-rah-America movie is more convenient than earned.

In conclusion, there was no contest: "A Serious Man" should have won this year's Best Picture award, hands down.

In conclusion:
"The Hurt Locker" taking 6 Oscars
Overall rating: 0 out of 5

Na'vi Ben Stiller
Overall rating: 5 out of 5

Comment on this post; let me know what you think.

Source of information and photo: iMDB.com