Emmy Awards 2008, Part I

It’s Emmy Time again. This year it’s a little harder with the strike and all. Many programs didn’t get their full time to shine so it’s a pretty tricky year with predictions. As I have for the past few years, I’ll give my picks on who I would have nominated for a variety of categories, then I’ll post who I think will actually win, and then finally a post that gives the results and feedback from the Emmy Awards. Also I like to pick five people I want to win for the Creative Arts Emmys. This year I’m rooting for Pushing Daisies to win for Art Direction, Lost to win for Cinematography, Flight of the Conchord’s ‘The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)’ to win for Best Original Music & Lyrics, FedEx’s ‘Carrier Pigeons’ to win for Best Commerical (though Budweiser’s ‘Swear Jar’ is pretty funny too) and Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘I’m F***ing Ben Affleck’ to win for Best Picture Editing of a Clip Package. (Yes, that’s an actual category.) Anyway, here are the nominees I would have picked in some of the bigger categories:

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Dexter Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan / Dirty Sexy Money Peter Krause as Nick George / Eli Stone Jonny Lee Miller as Eli Stone / House Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House / Mad Men Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal James Spader as Alan Shore / Breaking Bad Bryan Cranston as Walt White / Dexter Michael C Hall as Dexter Morgan / House Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House / In Treatment Gabriel Byrne as Paul / Mad Men Jon Hamm as Don Draper

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
The Closer Kyra Sedwick as Brenda Johnson / Damages Glenn Close as Patty Hewes / Law & Order: SVU Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson / Mad Men January Jones as Betty Draper / Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Lena Headey as Sarah Connor
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker / The Closer Kyra Sedjwick as Brenda Johnson / Damages Glenn Close as Patty Hewes / Law & Order: SVU Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson / Saving Grace Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Chuck Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski / The Office Steve Carell as Michael Scott / The Office John Kransinsi as Jim Halpert / Pushing Daisies Lee Pace as Ned / 30 Rock Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Monk Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk / The Office Steve Carell as Michael Scott / Pushing Daisies Lee Pace as Ned / 30 Rock Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy / Two and A Half Men Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

My Picks for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Miss Guided Judy Greer as Becky Freeley / The Office Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly / Samantha Who? Chistina Applegate as Samantha Newly / 30 Rock Tina Fey as Liz Lemon / Weeds Mary Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
The New Adventures of Old Christine Julia Louise Dreyfus as Christine Campell / Samantha Who? Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly / 30 Rock Tina Fey as Liz Lemon / Ugly Betty America Ferrera as Betty Suarez / Weeds Mary Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Damages Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher / Damages Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske / Eli Stone Victor Garber as Jordan Wethersby / Heroes Jack Coleman as Noah Bennet / Lost Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus / Mad Men John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Boston Legal William Shatner as Denny Crane / Damages Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher / Damages Zeljko Ivanek as Ray Fiske / Lost Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus / Mad Men John Slattery as Roger Sterling

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Damages Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons / Dexter Jennifer Carpenter as Debra Morgan / Dirty Sexy Money Samaire Armstrong as Juliet Darling / Dirty Sexy Money Natalie Zea as Karen Darling / Lost Yunjin Kim as Sun Kwon
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Boston Legal Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt / Brothers & Sisters Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker-Whedon / Grey’s Anatomy Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey / Grey’s Anatomy Sandra Oh as Christina Yang / In Treatment Dianne Wiest as Dr. Gina Toll

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Back to You Ty Burrell as Gary Crezyzewski / Chuck Adam Baldwin as John Casey / Flight of the Conchords Rhys Darby as Murray / How I Met Your Mother Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson / Pushing Daisies Chi McBride as Emerson Cod / Reaper Ray Wise as The Devil
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Entourage Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold / Entourage Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama / How I Met Your Mother Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson / The Office Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute / Two and a Half Men Jon Cryer as Alan Harper

My Picks for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
The Office Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor / How I Met Your Mother Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky / Pushing Daisies Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook / Samantha Who? Jean Smart as Regina Newly / SNL Amy Poehler as Performer
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Pushing Daisies Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook / Samantha Who? Jean Smart as Regina Newly / SNL Amy Poehler as Performer / Two and a Half Men Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper / Ugly Betty Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater

My Picks for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Damages • I Hate These People – Patty wants Ellen back, Ray Fiske is blackmailed with tragic results / House • House’s Head – After a severe bus accident, House tries to piece together what actually happened / Lost • The Constant – Desmond goes back and forth in time and must find Penny who is his constant / Lost • There’s No Place Like Home – The Oceanic Six are rescued as the island disappears / Mad Men • Red in the Face – Don and Roger have a difference of opinion but Don gets the last laugh on a long flight of stairs
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Battlestar Galactica Six of One / Damages Pilot / Mad Men When Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Pilot) / Mad Men The Wheel / The Wire 30

My Picks for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords • Mugged – Jermaine is mugged and no longer trusts Bret who left him behind / How I Met Your Mother • Sandcastles in the Sand – Robin’s ex singing partner returns which flashes back to another music video / The Office • Survivor Man – Michael tries to survive in the wild with Dwight keeping an eye on him / Pushing Daisies • Pie-lette – Ned brings his childhood love back to life / 30 Rock • Somebody to Love – Jack has an affair with a congresswoman, Liz thinks her neighbor is a terrorist
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords Yoko / The Office Dinner Party / Pushing Daisies Pie-Lette / 30 Rock Rosemary’s Baby / 30 Rock Cooter

My Picks for Outstanding Drama Series
Damages / Dexter / House / Lost / Mad Men
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal / Damages / Dexter / House / Lost / Mad Men

My Picks for Outstanding Comedy Series
Flight of the Conchords / How I Met Your Mother / The Office / Pushing Daisies / 30 Rock
Actual Nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm / Entourage / The Office / 30 Rock / Two and a Half Men

My predictions will be in the next blog. Stay tuned.

2008 Fall TV Preview

I’m giddy with excitement over the new fall season. This year it’s a lot more about the returning shows rather than the new ones. Because of the strike, certain television shows have been absent from the schedule since last December. It’ll be like reconnecting with old friends. Okay that sounded way too addicted. Anyway, this fall there are only two new shows that I’m giving a fighting chance to. Yeah, two. The rest of the new stuff is coming this spring, like the Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse. In any case, let's begin.

THE GOOD

The Premise: Two FBI agents deal with unexplained phenomenon or ‘fringe’ science. There’s also a government conspiracy behind it all. The Pedigree: JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Alias) Why I’ll Watch: Think of this show as a more graphic X-Files. I like Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek) although I hope he gets to be more sarcastic than incredulous. I also love the casting of Lance Reddick (The Wire, Lost), he commands every scene he’s in. The opening sequence of the pilot of episode was pretty grotesque and cool at the same time. I hope they can give us new stuff instead of recycled X-Files; it’ll be quite the challenge. Premieres: 9pm Tuesday, September 9 on FOX

The Premise: Henry is an average American suburbanite. Edward is a super spy. They both occupy the same body thanks to a science experiment causing split personalities. Their lives will soon overlap. The Pedigree: Jason Smilovic (Bionic Woman) and Christian Slater (Broken Arrow, True Romance, Heathers) Why I’ll Watch: Haven’t seen the pilot yet, but the premise seems interesting enough. I’ll forgive Smilovic for his involvement in Bionic Woman. I think this show will work well for Christian Slater. It does seem to have enough action to keep me interested. It’s basically Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde but superspy style. We’ll see how it goes. Premieres: 10pm Monday, October 13 on NBC

THE "I DON'T KNOW" There are two other shows that I’m wary about but might give a chance this fall.

The Premise: Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell), a special science advisor to the US government helps to save people for the worst abuses of science. The Pedigree: Jerry Bruckheimer (CSI:, Cold Case, Amazing Race) Why I’m Divided: Bruckhemier does good work. The BBC version of this show is supposed to be good. It may be a good replacement for CSI: when Grissom leaves. BUT… It’s kind of like Numbers but with science and I got tired of Numbers after one season. Except for Sewell (Dark City, Knight’s Tale), I don’t recognize any of the cast. It also looks a little too serious. Haven’t seen the pilot yet so it may be too early to judge. Premieres: Thursday, Oct 9 at 10:00pm on CBS

The Premise: A girl who can read minds falls in with the vampire crowd. Vampires walk among the living because of some synthetic blood compound that is on the market. The Pedigree: It’s from Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, American Beauty) Why I’m Divided: Alan Ball is a great visual artist. Anna Paquin is a fine actor. The audio mixing when Sookie (Paquin) is reading minds is fantastic. BUT… The content is a little too sexual. The southern accents may get annoying. I miss Angel. The pilot was missing some dream sequences that may or may not work. Premieres: Sunday, Sept.7 at 8:00pm on Movie Central (HBO)

THE BAD

And here’s why I’m not watching the following new shows: Life on Mars: Cop show in the 70’s? Pass. Worst Week: Constant humiliation? I got The Office. The Mentalist: Simon Baker is creepy. It’s a boring version of Psych. Gary Unmarried: Stale sitcom with Jay Mohr. Boring. The Ex List: It’s a chick show on Friday night. Pass. Knight Rider: The TV movie sucked. Kath & Kim: I hate Molly Shannon. Selma Blair looks too stupid. Crusoe: Didn’t read the book. Not watching Friday shows. Do Not Disturb: Jerry O’Connell in a sitcom. ‘Nuff said. 90210: Had enough teen soaps with Dawson and OC. I’m done.

THE OLD STUFF I know I’m a geek but I made a chart for my television watching this fall. It’s even colour coded. Mock me all you like.

Why I’m still watching these shows Simpsons (20th Season): It’s still funny. I defy you not to laugh. Family Guy (7th Season): Random but funny. Simpsons are better. American Dad (4th Season): It’s after Family Guy. It has a plot. Entourage (5th Season): I love behind-the-scenes Hollywood Amazing Race (13th Season): Only reality show worth watching Dexter (3rd Season): It’s humour is so dark, it’s creepy & addictive. Chuck (2nd Season): Love the clueless spy stuff. Adam Baldwin rocks. Heroes (3rd Season): They swear this will be better than season two. How I Met Your Mother (4th Season): Mother is revealed soon! 2½ Men (6th Season): Jake (the ½) is the funniest person on the show. Prison Break (4th Season): Sarah has her head back. How?! House (5th Season): Loved how they ended last season. Eli Stone (2nd Season): The characters grew on me pretty quickly. Pushing Daisies (2nd Season): I miss this show. More whimsy. Dirty Sexy Money (2nd Season): Loved the eccentric family. Want more. My Name is Earl (4th Season): Hope they improve since last season. 30 Rock (3rd Season): The wittiest writing on television. The Office (5th Season): The ultimate water-cooler show. So funny! Smallville (8th Season): Just waiting for it die. CSI: (9th Season): At least until Grissom leaves. Not sure after that.

So there's all things TV. Coming soon is a preview of the fall movies and the Emmys. Stay tuned.

Tropic Thunder

Tropic Thunder is rated R for ‘pervasive’ language among other things. I never heard the word ‘pervasive’ used in a rating before. I thought it meant ‘a lot’ but checking out the thesaurus that comes with Microsoft Word, the following synonyms came up: ‘invasive’, ‘persistent’ and ‘all-encompassing’. Even those words are understatements when it comes to describing the content of Tropic Thunder. Although is would have been fun to read ‘Rated R for unrelenting, all-encompassing course language.’ There were more F-bombs than actual bombs in this war-action-comedy. And I would have really liked the film if I didn’t have to cringe at the rat-a-tat obscenity that filled each and every scene.

The premise of Tropic Thunder is what brought me to the theatre. Prima-donna actors think they’re being filmed when in reality they are in a dangerous predicament. There are loads of inside jokes and references, most are more overt than an average episode of Entourage, but still. Because Hollywood is under the microscope a lot more these days, Tropic Thunder is much more accessible than something like The Player. Matthew McConaughey does a great job of playing Stiller’s agent, Rick Peck, which is a lot harder since most agents are now compared to Jeremy Piven’s Ari Gold from Entourage. The industry is held up to scrutiny but so are individual actors. Jack Black’s Fatties franchise is an easy mockery of Eddie Murphy and the Klumps from the Nutty Professor films. In one scene where Ben Stiller takes off a wig, removes some false teeth and begins to remove make-up is a perfect send-up of fellow star, Robert Downey’s Jr’s opening moments from his Oscar-nominated turn in Chaplin. Funny stuff. Also there are some fun parodies of war films like Platoon and Saving Private Ryan to name a few.

Another reason I went to see Tropic Thunder was to see Tom Cruise as a balding, obese studio executive. I expected a one-minute cameo, but he’s in a bunch of scenes. And the mouth on that guy! The language warning mostly applies to Cruise’s Les Grossman character who puts Magnolia’s Frank Mackey obscene-strewn mouth to shame. This over-the-top, hip-hop dancing, abusive character only works because it’s Tom Cruise playing him and no imagines him to act this way. What’s funny is that most people just see Cruise as an actor but he is currently an actual studio head who is running United Artists. Cruise does have some fun scenes but the language does get to you pretty quick.

Robert Downey Jr is having a great year. After his stellar work in Iron Man, he has a lot of fun as Kirk Lazarus, a white Award winner playing a black dude who stays in character ‘until he finishes the DVD commentary.’ Downey is almost unrecognizable and while being stereotypical still manages to be semi-authentic. Maybe it’s his lips. Ben Stiller and Jack Black on the other hand are boring. Stiller is in Zoolander/White Goodman mode as Tugg Speedman, the insecure action star. Been there, done that. Jack Black isn’t given much to work with. He has two or three funny lines but he’s just too slapsticky as the drug-addicted Jeff Portnoy. Brandon T Jackson plays it pretty one-note as rapper/actor Alpa Chino, but does get the product placement scenes. Actually, I enjoyed watching Jay Baruchel (Undeclared, Knocked Up) as Kevin, the only actor who actually went through the boot camp training. The cast works together well but I didn’t find myself caring about any one of them in particular. It doesn’t help that the Vietnam ‘bad guys’ are undefined and ruled by a ten year-old who loves dumb movies.

Speaking of dumb movies, most people are going to have a problem with the depiction of the mentally challenged in Tugg’s cringe-inducing Simple Jack. The fake movie is pretty awful but Downey’s character brings up a great point about how the mentally challenged are portrayed in film. I wished they had left it at that rather than making Stiller’s character act out scenes from the movie. It’s too bad because Tropic Thunder does such a good job of making faux films. The opening trailers are fantastic and remind me a little of the Grindhouse promos. They even went so far as to pick the proper studio that would release their fake films. I loved Kirk Lazarus’ arthouse flick. The voice-over. The kudos. The editing. Awesome.

I would say that the premise and Downey’s performance makes Tropic Thunder worthwhile, but more in a rental sort-of-way. Sure, there are some big budget explosions but they’ll be just as impressive on the small screen. If you are interested in seeing this film, make sure you don’t wait until it’s on network TV, cuz I don’t know what they’ll do with all the language. That’s a lot of bleeps. And just bear in mind, when I start noticing the language, it’s pretty bad. But if you want to learn some ‘colourful’ language, be my guest.

Pineapple Express

I really liked half of Pineapple Express. I don’t really know what to do with that half. Do I recommend a film where only half the movie works and the other half is a clunky mess? It’s a shame really. Not that the good half was genius or anything, I just found myself laughing more. The story is pretty simple. Dale (Seth Rogen) is a lazy pot-smoking process server that hangs out with Saul, his equally lazy drug dealer (James Franco). Funny. Dale sees Saul’s dealer (Gary Cole) kill someone, so they are on the run. Kinda funny. People get kidnapped and now they are off to rescue each other in high action fashion. Not funny. There were some funny lines throughout (Danny McBride’s Red has a great Daewoo comment) but the story goes nowhere. Maybe I’m just not used to Cheech & Chong filmmaking.

The best part of Pineapple Express is the chemistry between Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Superbad) and James Franco (Spiderman, Flyboys). Their scenes in Saul’s apartment are full of stoner goodness. As I have probably said before (without looking up past reviews), I really like what Seth Rogen brings to the table. He always has these characters that are smart but are too lazy to use their intelligence, so he just ends up mocking others. I think most people are surprised by the humour of James Franco after seeing his annoying turn as Harry Osborne in the Spiderman series, but if you check out his early work in the Judd Apatow produced Freaks and Geeks, you’ll have a whole new frame of reference. I’ve been watching Freaks and Geeks again this summer and the camaraderie between Rogen and Franco is undeniable. Even when the movie adds the incredibly dim Red into the mix, it still works. I like how one critic called Red the McLovin of Pineapple Express. It's so true.

The ‘on the run’ portion of this film has its ups and downs. The pot-enhanced paranoia works well. I kind of wish they weren’t being chased at all but only thought they were. I know that plot device sounds close to Dave Foley’s The Wrong Man comedy, but I think it would have worked even better. You could still have many of the scenes. The leg through the police car windshield scene still works if Saul and Dale think they’re being chased by cops. It’s this real world danger that ultimately brings the movie down, in my opinion.

I know that writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were trying to mix stoner comedy with highly explosive action but I just don’t think it melded well. Some of the fights go over the top in a funny way but there is far too much pain going on. It would have worked better for me if Saul, Dale and Red had zero fighting capabilities but thought they were awesome and ended up getting beaten up. But then our ‘heroes’ would be dead and no one likes that to happen in a comedy. I just thought the ending fighting sequence dragged the film down. This is another Apatow comedy that goes twenty minutes too long. It’s a sad trend.

So I guess I can’t really recommend Pineapple Express as a film that needs to be watched in the theatre. Sure there are some action sequences but it’s not like it’s Michael Bay style. Maybe rent this one when it comes out on DVD. And don’t rent it for date night as Pineapple Express is definitely aimed way more at guys than girls. I’m also guessing those who smoke pot will enjoy this movie far more than I did. (I don’t do drugs, by the way.) I thought it was funny, just not that funny. But it’s probably better than Half Baked.

Step Brothers

I still don’t know what possessed me to watch Step Brothers. I think it was the couple of lines from the trailer that made me chuckle. Will Ferrell is burying John C Reilly in the front yard. Reilly whimpers, “Dad’s gonna wonder where I am!” Ferrell responds confidently, “He’ll never know!” I loved the line readings. It wasn’t in the movie. Thanks to all the ad-libs and improvisation, many of the funny lines in the trailer don’t make it to the final film. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love improv. I do improv. In more recent comedies, however, I’m getting the feeling that improv is trumping the actual storyline which leads to a messy, messy film full of funny lines but not much substance.

When it comes to movies, I’m usually good at suspending my disbelief. They saved Harvey Dent’s suit after it half-burned in the big explosion? Sure. Indiana Jones can survive an atomic bomb blast without any hearing impairment, radiation or physical pain? Why not? These two step brothers are forty years old and still live with their parents? Bullshit. The other two films are flights of fancy, Step Brothers is supposed to be real life. The two brothers are pushing forty but act like ten year olds with their bunk-bed construction, punching pumpkins and general cluelessness. Now if this behaviour was constant, you could maybe chalk it up to some mental disability. But wait, they also lace their dialogue with profanity that is more teenager-style, and enjoy ‘cooler’ things like drum sets and shark week. There’s no consistency. I’m also thinking that with all the television they watch, they must have seen what a successful job interview looks like at least once in their lifetime.

Now I will admit that it looks like Ferrell and Reilly are having a lot of fun. (The same kind of fun they had in their 'Green Team' sketch on funnyordie.com.) And there are definitely some laugh-out-loud moments. But there are a lot of dragged out lameness to get to the funny parts. There’s this great opera singing scene but it takes about fifteen minutes to get there in order for it to pay off. I hate to say this, because it seems to mostly apply to Will Ferrell’s work, but this movie would work so much better as shorter sketches on Saturday Night Live. The movie doesn’t gel.

I guess what disappoints me most is that Will Ferrell is better than this. He is great at making pompous characters who are a little slow and have no internal censor. Look at Ron Burgundy or Ricky Bobby. These are fun, fully fleshed out characters. Ferrell’s Brennan Huff is just plain annoying (not Adam Sandler’s Little Nicky annoying but still). Brennan is just loud and obnoxious. While I cared about Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby when tragedy befell them, I didn’t care one iota about the demise of Brennan or Reilly’s Dale. They get what they deserve. Ferrell needs to take a break. He needs to regain his Stranger Than Fiction status. I hear they are considering an Anchorman sequel that takes place in the eighties. That would work too. Ferrell is so much better than this. And John C Reilly? We get it, you can do comedy. I liked his stuff in Walk Hard and Ricky Bobby, but go back to smarter roles like your work in Chicago and Magnolia; those lovable schlubs who are Oscar contenders.

So yeah, I’m not recommending Step Brothers. Maybe watch it on TBS, when it comes out, if you want to see a couple of funny lines without paying for it. And one more thing concerning the male nudity in this film: in Forgetting Sarah Marshall – funny, in Step Brothers – not funny and unnecessary. Watch this film at your own risk of becoming stupider.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

Maybe I should start off saying that I am an X-Files fan. I’m a casual fan, not an 'X-Phile' as some are dubbed. I also liked Mulder over Scully, because how many supernatural things do you have to experience before you start giving Mulder the benefit of the doubt? When it came to X-File episodes, there were three categories. The first was the mythology installments that told of alien conspiracies and government cover-ups. The second was the horror-style suspense episodes that were pretty dark and grisly. The third was the light-hearted mystery, which still dealt with supernatural occurrences but had plenty of humour to keep things from getting too serious. My favourite episodes fit in the third category, ones like “Hollywood AD”, “Bad Blood”, “Arcadia” and “Humbug”. Now ten years ago there was an X-Files movie that adhered to the first category called Fight the Future. It fit right in between Season 5 and Season 6. It dealt with aliens, governments, bees, and the Arctic. Now, we have X-Files: I Want to Believe. This one is of the suspense nature. Here’s hoping if they do another movie, it’ll be the third kind. It doesn’t look likely though considering the mere five people in the theatre with my dad and me as we watched the film.

I’m guessing if this movie came out a year after the series finale, it probably would have done better; maybe even get a Sex in the City-type response. Many people wonder why it took this long for the movie to come out; six years after the series ended is quite a long time in media years. Well, let’s just say there was some money disputes between 20th Century Fox and creator Chris Carter. Regardless, six years have past, even in X-Files years, and we are reunited with Mulder and Scully as a new case has popped up involving psychic powers and the visions of a ranting priest who is in a halfway house for pedophiles. Paranormal and religion: the cornerstone of many X-Files episodes. This film is a stand-alone. If you never watched X-Files, you might still enjoy the suspense thriller aspect and come to like the characters. For die-hard fans, there are a bunch of references to episodes past for you to delight in. But the best reason to watch X-Files: I Want to Believe is to reunite with Mulder and Scully. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson know their characters inside and out. They don’t miss a beat. And they know how to act. There’s no mugging for the camera or giving a wink to their audience, they are fully immersed in their roles. Seeing the chemistry between these two brings me back to the show, before Mulder left and Dogget took over.

My biggest problem with X-Files: I Want to Believe is that Chris Carter doesn’t use the size of a feature film to its full capacity. The movie looks too much like a television show. There are maybe three shots that use widescreen well and are too complicated to put into an hour-long drama. Funny enough, these are mostly snow scenes. Fight the Future used a bunch of snow as well. I guess Carter likes the stark white to contrast with the mostly under-exposed filming. This film is way too dark at times, both camera-wise and content-wise. I also didn’t find myself engrossed in the story. I wished it was a little lighter. I didn’t mind Billy Connolly (Fido, Lemony Snicket) as the psychic priest but Amanda Peet (Studio 60, Saving Silverman) and Xzibit (Pimp my Ride) as FBI agents were useless. I didn’t buy their performances at all. I was relieved to see an X-Files character of the past reemerge near the end of the film. Would have like to have seen him a bit earlier.

This film is definitely one to rent or check out on TV. Like I said, it just didn’t have the cinematic quality needed in a feature film. If you want to watch X-Files: I Want to Believe as a suspense/thriller, you’ll be pretty entertained. It would be nice to see some lighter stand-alone movies from X-Files franchise, since I do enjoy watching Mulder and Scully mix it up, but I have this feeling that their lack of box-office will thwart that idea. No big mystery there.

Summer Movie Quick Reviews

Summer’s been busy. A lot busier than in past years. To that end, I decided to give a couple of quick reviews to some summer movies that fell by the wayside. These are ones I couldn’t possibly think of that much to say about them, but still felt like giving my two cents worth. Well, maybe one cents worth.

From the trailers, Hancock had so much promise. It was fun to see Will Smith as the grumpy, alcoholic superhero, since he usually plays stand up individuals. The movie started out pretty strong. Sure, a lot of the jokes were in the trailer, so it didn’t catch me by surprise. Hancock making a mess of things while he ‘saves’ people was pretty funny. Jason Bateman, in his Arrested Development persona, trying to help Hancock change his ways was also pretty fun. And then 2/3rds into the movie, there’s a lame twist, and just like someone pulling the wrong Jenga block, the entire film came crashing down. Hancock starts to become too emotional, reactions don’t track with the characters, the plot doesn’t make much sense anymore, and everything is cheapened. It’s too bad. The end of the film left such a bad taste in my mouth, it kind of negated all the good parts. Oh yeah, there was also a bad taste in the beginning: Hancock uses the Lord’s name in vain. I know they were trying to make a point but I expected a little more from Will Smith. I would say, if you’re going to watch Hancock, wait for it on TBS, that way you won’t feel so disappointed when the film falls apart.

I expected a bit more from Wanted. Watching the action unfold, it looked like it was trying to mix ten different action movies together. A little Matrix, a little Mission: Impossible, a little Jumper, a little Fight Club. The movie held my attention but I didn’t really care about what was going on. Angelina Jolie was nice to look at, Morgan Freeman’s voice was nice to listen to, and some of the action sequences looked cool. That’s about it. James McAvoy’s performance wasn’t anything outstanding, nothing like his Atonement work. Actually, what I found funny is that I often confuse McAvoy with Gregory Smith, who played Ephram on Everwood; so it was fun to see McAvoy in scenes with Chris Pratt who played Bright on that same show. When it came to plot of Wanted, it wasn’t anything special. Supposedly it’s based on a comic or graphic novel. Everything was just okay when it came to this movie. Maybe it’s because my mind in was in another place since I watched this film the same day my fiancée was going wedding dress shopping. I don’t know. In any case, Wanted is one to rent on DVD to see some cool action sequences and an okay story.

This is going to take a bit more memory. I had a lot of fun while watching Get Smart. It’s probably because I’m a big fan of Steve Carell. He is able to capture the bumbling, yet well-intentioned character beautifully. I like how they don’t make Maxwell Smart into an imbecile, which could be easy to do. Sure, he makes mistakes but he also has some good ideas here and there. I thought most of the supporting cast was well cast. Anne Hathaway (Devil Wears Prada) did a fine job as Agent 99. Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) reminded me of his So I Married an Ax Murderer days playing The Chief. The Rock has some very funny moments in the office as Agent 23. I was not a huge fan of the villains played by Terrance Stamp and Ken Davitian (Borat), as they didn’t get to have much fun. I was also put off by David Koechner and Terry Crews who played their agents way too over the top. The plot was accessible, the action scenes were fun and there were some funny lines. This made it pretty good in my books. To be honest, there was also some sad slapstick stuff that didn’t work but my expectations weren’t really high for this film. I would say rent Get Smart if you’re in the mood for something light.

The Dark Knight

I love it when a movie meets my high expectations. Thank you Dark Knight.The story is dark and intense. The acting is top notch. The action sequences are well choreographed. Sure, it’s a little long, but when a movie is this good, it really doesn’t matter. Oh, and I would preferred more of Heath Ledger.

I remember when I heard that the sequel to Batman Begins was a go. I knew they were going to be focusing on Joker as the main villain since his presence was announced at the conclusion of Begins. Of course, who was going to play Joker remained to be seen. Early rumours had everyone from Robin Williams to Sean Penn to Mark Hamill (who voices Joker in the cartoon series), so when they announced that it would be Heath Ledger, I thought “ What the. . .”; Brokeback dude? (I obviously hadn’t seen the film yet.) But I trusted Christopher Nolan; he wouldn’t let me down. After watching the first trailer, I was hooked. Ledger looked mega-creepy with the splattered face and the heavy breathing. Not someone you’d like to meet in a dark alley. Seeing his performance in the movie, I was blown away. I would compare Ledger’s acting style in Dark Knight to Daniel Day-Lewis in Gang of New York or There Will Be Blood. Ledger buries himself completely in the role of Joker (no pun intended). There were many times I would watch and couldn’t detect any part of Ledger in his character. His eyes, his walk, his cadence, his licking of lips. All masterful. He totally deserves an Oscar for this performance. Even if he hadn’t died, he would be deserving of the honour. He steals every scene he’s in; it is truly a tour-de-force performance. Wow!

I feel a little bad for the rest of the Dark Knight cast. So much attention is given to Ledger, that the rest of the actors are put on the back burner. Christian Bale delivers another fine performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman. I wish he had more humour as was shown in the first film, but I guess they were going for a much darker Batman this time around. I still don’t like Bale’s angry roar at times. Gary Oldman continues to shine as Commissioner Gordon, the moral center of the film. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine don’t get as much screen time, but they still bring some panache to the franchise. Maggie Gyllenhaal thankfully takes over for Katie Holmes, but still isn’t given that much to work with in this boy’s club movie. I wish Aaron Eckhart got some more credit as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. His portrayal kicks Tommy Lee Jones’ farcical take up and down the river. The character to Two-Face needs to show the good as well as the bad; Eckhart captures this confliction perfectly. He’s no Ledger, but still.

The story is nicely put together. I loved how Christopher and Jonathan Nolan didn’t give Joker a backstory. Joker is an anarchist, plain and simple. No motive makes his actions that much more scary. I like what they did with Harvey Dent’s storyline. Fun to watch his character develop throughout the film. I like what happened to Rachel (almost wished it was still Katie Holmes). There’s a confusing hostage situation that is pretty extraneous, but oh well. Loved what the film had to say about anarchy, justice, heroism and human behaviour.

I’m guessing that you’ve already seen the film. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? This is one to see in the theatres. Great acting, story and action. What more are you looking for? Or course, bear in mind, this film is not for young kids. Dark Knight is far too dark and intense for younger audiences. If the kiddies like Batman, feed them the Tim Burton movies. For the rest of you, watch Dark Knight in the theatre. Again.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

I’ve had some pretty fun songs stuck in my head for the last couple of days courtesy of Joss Whedon’s masterpiece, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. This isn’t a movie or a television show, it was written by Whedon and his siblings exclusively for the internet. It’s about a low-rent villain (played pitch-perfect by Neil Patrick Harris) who awkwardly tries to woo a girl (Felicia Day) while constantly be thwarted by the vain Captain Hammer (played with over-the-top smarm by Nathan Fillion). If you’re a Joss Whedon fan, this is right up your alley. The songs are reminiscent of the Buffy musical: the lyrics are fun, clever and full of key changes. If you’re a fan of NPH’s work in How I Met Your Mother, you’ll love what he does with Dr. Horrible. His ticks, his stares, his tone of voice, his utter awkwardness is outstanding. And being a Broadway actor (he starred in Rent), Harris can sing! The story is fun, the songs are catchy and the lines are hilarious. You just have to trust me that Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is worth your time (each of the three acts is roughly ten minutes long).

This is a can’t miss event! Unfortunately, the event is almost over. If you want to watch Dr. Horrible for free you have until midnight (EST) on July 20th. (I don’t know if that means tonight or tomorrow night.) After that, you can always download it for pretty cheap on iTunes, or find a bitTorrent, or maybe see it on YouTube or you can wait for the DVD which will contain lots of special features. Now, why should bother paying for it? Joss Whedon put his own money up for the initial production and he would like to pay his crew. So do it for Joss. If you want to watch it free right now, go to the website and enjoy! http://www.drhorrible.com/

Coming Soon: Dark Knight, Get Smart, Hancock, Wanted reviews

WALL-E

Should’ve bought stocks in Pixar. Nine hits in a row! The people working there are frickin’ geniuses. But enough about the superiority of Pixar, I've talked a lot about that in previous posts, let’s get to Wall-E.

As my last blog stated, I’m now engaged. It was announced during the graduation banquet last night. Whenever I was walking close to Maria, one of my students would exclaim quite loudly, “SO CUTE!” He kept saying it all night. It made me smile. Why am I telling you this? Well, when I was watching Wall-E this afternoon all I could think was “SO CUTE!” Now normally I wouldn’t judge a movie based on its cuteness factor, like how many pouts Abigail Breslin may have in a romantic comedy, but Wall-E is in an entirely different category. This brilliantly orchestrated film transcends cuteness. It has an adorableness that will tug at your heartstrings. It made me cry. Now, I didn’t get enough sleep last night, so I could blame that, but I believe the movie had that strong of an emotional punch.

I love how some critics have compared the character of Wall-E to the brilliant Charlie Chaplin. Sure, Wall-E is able to do both goofy and sincere without resorting to dialogue, but if you’ve seen some of the great Chaplin films, he always falls in love and wears his heart on his Little Tramp sleeve. Wall-E is able to bring you along emotionally with the raise of an eye and the composure of his square body. When the trailers first came out, many scoffed at the fact that Wall-E looks an awful lot like Johnny-5 from the classic Short Circuit. So what? Wall-E sure doesn’t act like Johnny. I never watched Short Cicuit due to the annoying robot voice-over so maybe that’s why it doesn’t bother me. Wall-E’s voice is perfectly done without celebrity credit, it was achieved by a hard-working sound designer, and it doesn’t take away from the film one iota. Sure there are some human voice over work by Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Kathy Najimy (Sister Act), Sigourney Weaver (Alien) and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger (Cheers), but it’s hardly the celebrity free-for-all found in films like Shrek and Kung-Fu Panda.

I could talk about the stunning animation, the intricate set designs, the powerful message of consumerism, environmentalism and health or even the fun, supporting cast of humans and robots, but this movie all comes down to its powerful love story. Robots in love. They make it so charming. As soon as the aptly named Eve appears on the screen, the audience is just as hooked as Wall-E is to the romantic possibilities. What I loved most about the love story was the intimacy of holding hands. In a culture, where many new relationships escalate at an alarming rate, it is refreshing to see how much importance is placed on this romantic way of connecting to another person (or robot, in this case) both physically and emotionally. The holding of hands is sweetly done. Maybe I’m more open to it now that I’m deeply in love but I think even the most cynical person would melt at Wall-E’s desire to hold hands with Eve.

I only have two minor complaints about Wall-E. The first is the constant references to the musical Hello Dolly. I haven’t seen the film. I couldn’t relate. Wish they could have picked a different musical. The second is the human footage of Fred Willard as the CEO of Buy N Large, the conglomerate responsible for wrecking the Earth. I don’t see why they couldn’t have animated him, or the Hello Dolly footage for that matter. It seemed completely out of place. Maybe Pixar and director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo) were trying to make a point but I didn’t see it at the time. But these are minor quibbles.

Wall-E is one of the best movies of the year. You gotta see this in the theatre; if anything to check out the brilliant Pixar animation. Now, I’m not sure if kids will be able to sit through some of dialogue-free scenes or be able to handle some of the sadder material, but the kids in my theatre seemed to have a great time, especially when Wall-E is being curious and silly. As a bonus, the opening animated short, Presto, is hysterical. The bunny is hilarious. In any case, Wall-E is a masterpiece that will definitely make you think SO CUTE!

I'm Engaged!

I normally don't talk much about my personal life on this blog. This site is meant to be place to find reviews of movies and television, but this is just too exciting! This past weekend I got engaged to the most wonderful woman. We've been dating since Christmas and we are looking forward to getting married next March. Her name is Maria VanTol, she's the librarian in the school that I work at, and I am deliriously in love with her. I should be returning with some more movie reviews soon. Some may be more chick flick oriented. Stay tuned!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The jury is still out. You know those relationships where you get some closure but months later you’re still kind of curious as to how they are doing? I think Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is like that. Last Crusade did a fine job of ending the trilogy; it explained the whip, the hat, the name and left the door wide open as the Indy and his group ride off into the sunset. The door was so wide open, that the filmmakers decided to reunite and see if they could give a more fitting epilogue to the story of Indiana Jones. In some cases, they succeed, but is the whole movie necessary?

Here are the things that impressed me:
...-The movie is able to recapture a sense of nostalgia. Filmingwise, not much has changed. It doesn’t look too modernized. Crystal Skull fits nicely into the rest of the Indiana canon; unlike the Star Wars prequels, which look vastly different from the original three. They also pay respect to previous installments with a mention of previous characters and even a glimpse at a familiar artifact.
...-Harrison Ford still has it. Sure he looks a little more paunchy than his buff, streamlined Temple of Doom days but he still knows how to deliver the lines and the action. Indy always gets beaten up and it’s nice to know that Ford can still take a punch. The humour and the smirk are also noticeably present throughout the film. I’m glad the story didn’t try to hide his age.
...-I hate to admit it but Shia LaBeouf is really good. His greaser look with the ever present switchblade and comb, works surprisingly well. He plays well with Ford and had some very fun moments. But even though he’s good, I’m praying that the studio doesn’t let LaBeouf carry on the franchise. That would not be a wise decision. Only Ford can be Indiana Jones. This ain’t a James Bond free-for-all.
...-The two female roles are wonderfully cast. (Temple of Doom failed miserably) Cate Blanchett is almost unrecognizable as Irina Spalko, the evil Russian bad guy. She perfectly disappears into her sinister role. And you can tell that Karen Allen is having a great time returning to her role as Marion Ravenwood. She seems to have a constant smile on her face showing she’s just happy to be along for the ride.
...-Crystal Skull moves at a pretty brisk pace. The two hour running time flies by as Spielberg is able to show numerous action sequences with minimal exposition.
...-Seeing Neil Flynn (Janitor on Scrubs) with Ford. (He played a cop in The Fugitive and talked about it on an episode of Scrubs. Funny.)
...-The Star Wars catchphrase “I have a bad feeling about this” makes a cameo.
...-Gophers, dry quicksand, greaser brawls, ants, waterfalls and secret passageways.

Here are the things that annoyed me:
...-A bunch of the outdoor scenes look pretty soundstage-ish. I realize that Lucas and Spielberg were concerned about plot details leaking out but it’s sad when the landscape looks like a giant fake screen. The lighting in these scenes are atrocious. Spielberg is better than that.
...-Ray Winstone (Beowulf) sucks. His character Mac sucks. Suckiness all around. What a useless character. I miss Sallah.
...-I understand that all three previous Indy installments have some supernatural elements but this one goes a little too far. Actually way too far. Couldn’t he have looked for Atlantis instead?
...-The swinging through trees, the bland supporting villains, the confusing character of Professor Oxley.

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a pretty good film. You just need to keep your expectations in check. It’s all about having a good time at the movies, nothing more. Don’t expect anything profound or important. Just get ready to have a good time and forgive some of the glitches. This is definitely one for the big screen. Spielberg goes for the eye candy and you don’t want to miss it. It’ll get your heart beating to that familiar Indy score. Da-da-da-da . . . da-da-da.

Prince Caspian

Let’s get one thing out of the way, right from the top: the Narnia series will never equal The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Deal with it. Tolkien’s books are just more epic whereas CS Lewis' books are much more accessible, especially to younger readers. I guess this is why many reviewers are in a tizzy concerning the violent battle sequences found in Prince Caspian. But those scenes are in the book, it’s not like the Narnians are having tea parties and dancing around the maypole in Lewis’ fantasy novels. Sure, the scenes may seem a little graphic at times but I don’t think the movies, or the books for that matter, are intended for six year olds. Prince Caspian is a darker story, and it’s meant to be. So going into this film, I was prepared for something a little more savage. I think Prince Caspian delivers what it set out to do, but I still find myself wanting more.

Just so you know, I did like The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Most of the images matched what I dreamt of while reading these stories as a child. The story was pretty accurate, some of the creatures looked fantastic and there was some fine acting all around. Most people I talk to are bothered by the CGI Aslan, but I don’t know how they could possibly make a talking lion demonstrate any more personality. Maybe they want to go the Mr. Ed route and get a real lion and feed him peanut butter so he has to keep smacking his gums to mimic speaking. I liked Aslan in both movies. My biggest problem with Lion and Caspian is that I don’t find myself rooting for the children. The acting is all well and good but they aren’t dynamic enough for me to care if they live or die. That can’t be good. To be fair, in Lion I thought Lucy was adorable, but then again, who didn’t. In Prince Caspian, I actually found myself liking Edmund a whole lot more. He seems to be the one who has matured the most. Peter is still annoying with his bossiness, Susan doesn’t show much emotion and Lucy’s cuteness is starting to wane. But enough comparison, let’s just look at Prince Caspian.

I really liked some of the supporting characters in this movie. Peter Dinklage (Station Agent, Elf) is outstanding as the cynical dwarf, Trumpkin. I was hoping for a lot more lines from him; I seem to remember the book having him pipe in a whole lot more. In the books, I never liked Reepicheep the valiant mouse. In Prince Caspian, this character is awesome. It’s probably because he’s snarkily voiced by the amazing Eddie Izzard. I’m actually looking forward to Reepicheep’s role in Voyage of the Dawn Treader now. Another thing I liked about this film was its use of magic. The power and beauty of the magic scenes are expertly photographed. I wish there were more but the book focuses on more battles than mystical events. I also liked the castle raid sequence that wasn’t in the novel. Some nice action there.

There were a few things that didn’t work for me in Prince Caspian. First, I didn’t think that King Miraz was evil enough. Sure he hit a couple of people but he was no White Witch. Nice pointy beard though. Second, the centaur bodies seemed a lot more disproportionate this time around. Way too much upper body. Maybe they evolved in the 1300 years. Lastly, some the storytelling elements seemed unoriginal, which is more a criticism of the books rather than Andrew Adamson’s directing. The fighting trees look cribbed from LOTR, so does the river sequence. Both are in the book though, so blame Lewis. I also found the basic plot of taking back the kingdom a little ho-hum. I would have liked a few more sub-plots interwoven in the story.

A couple of things you can blame Adamson for is first, the bland casting of Prince Caspian. Ben Barnes and his indistinguishable European accent smack of Orlando Bloom. And that’s not a compliment. I wish Caspian was more charismatic rather than a matinee teen idol who waves his locks of hair in the wind. You can also blame Adamson for the lame attraction between Susan and Caspian. Whoa, that love story didn’t work at all! It seemed like a desperate attempt to get young girls into the theatre. And what was with the closing song before the credits? I wanted to gag. What a way to ruin the ending to an otherwise fine flick.

Overall, I would have to say that I enjoyed Prince Caspian despite some missing elements. With both its magic and battle sequences, it is definitely a film to watch on the big screen. It’s also a very colourful film which I find refreshing among the dark images found in most other films. Prince Caspian is a worthy follow-up to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Bring the family. But maybe not the six year olds.

Iron Man

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I knew almost nothing about the character of Iron Man before seeing the film. All I knew is that he had a kick-ass suit. That’s about it. Didn’t know he was a billionaire. Didn’t know he had some alternate power source keeping him alive. Didn’t know who the villains were. Didn’t know any catchphrases. Still don’t know about the catchphrase. Does he have one? The great thing is that I still thoroughly enjoyed Iron Man without any of this previous knowledge. That’s definitely a credit to the writing.

Robert Downey Jr. probably deserves the lion-share of the credit for Iron Man’s success. Downey has a natural charisma. His slick, quick-talking persona grabs you right from the opening minutes of the movie. What a wonderful way to start the show! Downey is fun to watch with his wry sense of humour but he is just as easily able to switch on the charm or portray an emotional moment or two. Not since Batman Begins, have I been this impressed with the acting performances in a superhero movie. I guess the drinking playboy persona of Tony Stark isn’t too much of a stretch for Robert Downey Jr., but he makes the character nicely approachable and someone to root for.

A pleasant surprise for me was the acting of Gwyneth Paltrow. For some reason, she usually doesn’t grab me. It always seems like she’s either whiny or too damsel in distresss-ish. In Iron Man, she plays Stark’s assistant Pepper Potts (not my favourite name) but while the role calls for her to be subservient, she is easily able to dish out the quick remarks. Paltrow and Downey play very well off each other. There is a nice sexual tension played underneath their light-hearted jabs. One of my favourite scenes in the movie has Pepper helping Stark replace his power source thingy in his chest. It has equal parts humour, grossness, sexiness and tension; and it’s beautifully done by Paltrow and Downey.

While most of the acting in this film was top notch, some of the characters were unfortunately dull. Jeff Bridges is fun to look at with his bald scalp and gray beard as Obadiah, but his character is so predictable it’s hard to take him seriously. I don’t know how Stark’s army friend, Jim Rhodes, fits into the Iron Man mythology, but the character seems tacked on. Terrence Howard is not all that compelling in this role, which is a real shame. Some of the even smaller characters are pretty one dimensional and dull but I guess the focus is supposed to be on Robert Downey, Jr.

Some credit should be given to Jon Favreau, who up until this time has directed mostly family pictures like Zathura and Elf. Sure, he wrote Swingers and wrote and directed it’s follow-up Made but those are more independent features. Favreau does a pretty good job directing this action flick. It helps that he is passionate about comic books and he shows it on the screen. My only complaint is that he spends a little too much time in the Afghanistan desert and not enough time battling evil at home. I’m glad Favreau takes his time with the building of the suit. That is definitely a fun section to watch. Downey’s interactions with his helping robots are a scream.

Iron Man is a good movie with some great sequences and some fine acting by Robert Downey Jr. who basically steals the show. However, I do think some people are hyping it up a little too much. To be safe, I would go in with a slight lowering of expectations so you can simply enjoy the ride. For it’s fun action scenes, this is one you may want to shell out the money for at your local theatre. Iron Man will definitely tide my superhero needs until The Dark Knight appears this July.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I have this weird sense of pride. For example, being from Canada, I’m usually proud of Canadian bands that make it big in the States. Same goes for actors and comedians. Recently, I’ve realized that I have this bizarre sense of pride when it comes to television actors who make a successful transition to film. I don’t know why. When I see an actor from an ensemble show make it big, I just wanna say, “good for you, keep it up.” See? Weird. Anyway, I had this feeling watching the love triangle that was formed in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

At the center of this ranchy yet heart-filled tale is writer and star, Jason Segel. I always enjoyed his awkward work in the brilliant-but-cancelled Freaks and Geeks. Currently, I’m loving his hangdoggedness (that’s a fun word to write) and optimism in How I Met Your Mother alongside Alyson Hannigan and Neil Patrick Harris. Say what you will about Steve Carrell and Seth Rogen from the previous similarly bi-polar films, but Segel is an actual everyman. He plays Paul Bretter as a totally believable schlub. I know people who act like him, I know I am sometimes just like him. This is what sucked me into the film from the very beginning. I heard that Segel was supposed to get a role in The 40-Year Old Virgin but the studio thought he wasn’t big enough. Who’s laughing now? Kudos to you Segel. Your first starring role and you knock it out of the park.

The two women that comprise the love triangle is Kristen Bell, the ex, and Mila Kunis as the new love interest. It’s nice to see Veronica Mars and Jackie Burkhart working again. Both are given some meaty emotional moments and are far from stereotypical in this comedy. They both contain the right amount of spunk and sass. Is that condescending? I’m not meaning to be. Bell and Kunis are easily able to light up the screen whenever they appear. As fans of their previous television efforts, I admire their jump to the big screen.

The rest of the acting in this laugh-out loud comedy is stellar. Newcomer Russell Brand beautifully plays the overly-sexualized rocker, Aldous Snow. He’s like a walking hormone. Very funny. Jack McBrayer channels his 30 Rock character, Kenneth, as a newlywed who is learning a lot about wedding sex. Bill Hader, who is becoming one of my favourite SNL actors, is outstanding as Peter’s married brother. There is a scene with him yelling over a cell-phone that still makes me smile. Rounding out the cast are Judd Apatow regulars Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd who add there own improvised lunacy. Comedy definitely works better when you have talented people behind the words.

The script from Jason Segel is amazing when you consider it’s the first film he’s ever written. The jokes are plenty, the pacing is sharp and the emotional anchor is always present. Where Knocked Up and Virgin put their heartfelt-ness at the end of their films, Forgetting Sarah Marshall peppers it throughout. There is a scene that got the packed audience to start yelling at the screen. That says something to me. Sure there are some bizarre moments like the muppet-dracula performance but there are clever rips at relationships and the media. The CSI rip-off is spot on. Congrats Jason Segel. Who would have thought?

I had a great time watching this movie. I was laughing out loud. A lot. Sure, most people are going to bring up the fact that you see Jason Segel’s penis a little too much in the opening five minutes of the film. If you can get past that, I think you’d enjoy what the rest of the story has to offer. Understand that the intention of the nudity is to create the most awkward situation imaginable. Mission accomplished. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is not for everyone but those who are into these recent, raunchy yet heart-filled films, go see this one in the theatre. It may be awkward but you won’t be disappointed.