Observe & Report

Another gross and hilarious comedy up for my review. "Observe & Report" starring Seth Rogen as a mall cop who wants to be legit. His big case at hand is a streaker, who flashed the hot girl at the salon. Normally Rogen plays a likable, high idiot. In this one he is really just a jerk. He is not a nice guy he is just really rude and mean to everyone. There are parts of the movie that I found hilarious but also a few full 5 minute instances that are not funny at all and the jokes fall flat. I can see the directors leaving all of it in laughing hilariously thinking it is all funny when really it is not and they need the length to fill the standard hour and a half length which it does not make. Particularly all the scenes with Michael Pena ("Crash") who really is a good actor are not funny. His whole character is kind of stupid. I feel like they casted him thinking he would be funny but he wasn't and they paid this A-lister to co-star in their film. Rogen is funny in the way he always has been but that is what everyone is paying for and expecting to see and Ray Liotta from "Goodfellas" and "Blow" does a good job, as does Anna Farris. I must say Celia Weston is the best by far. This is definitely a movie for older guys not like Kevin James' "Mall Cop" which was released the same year. This movie really did make me laugh and I have never been so surprised by a comedies ending.

3 out of 5 Stars

The Bank Job

Starting out slow and almost pornographic, "The Bank Job" picks up its pace and  become a quite enjoyable thrill ride. Statham does his usual thing, pretty much the same character as "Snatch" and "The Transporter." This film has more story to it, more depth. It engrosses you partly because of the fact that this is a true story, at least to a degree, this actually happened. It makes the film that much more entertaining with all the insane trickery and covert operations to know it is real. This is a heist film done right. The characters are likable and the action doesn't end after the robbery but more or less begins. Things get fun when the robbery is over. I liked the film a lot a just a fun movie to enjoy. The cast is strong and does well and the director knows how to do what he wants to do. A great film for a bunch of guys who want to watch a good heist movie. The film would get a higher rating but just like most of these films it really is not that deep or emotional. The script is clever but at the beginning it drags.

3 out of 5 Stars

The Savages

The critically acclaimed black comedy film from 2007 starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney about two siblings who live depressing lives and must come together and admit their ailing father into a nursing home is almost exactly what you would expect. The acting is great and the story is depressing. There are mildly funny scenes that make you smile but this film just does not feel as good as other movies like it such as "Sideways," "The Squid & The Whale," and "You Can Count On Me." All these movies have a similar independent filmmaking tone but this one didn't do it for me. The script is good and there really isn't anything specific to complain about except that the film did not really hit me emotionally. It was sad and depressing but not to where I was connected to it and felt sad it was more conscious and like "Hey, this is sad. Why am I watching this?" Linney got nominated for her strong portrayal as the annoying and sad sister however, she is better in other films and this is still pretty similar to some other roles she has played. This movie is lukewarm, not good or bad just simply..okay.

2 out of 5 Stars

Footloose (1984)

I bought this movie packaged along with "Flashdance" which I previously reviewed. Both of them are cult favorites among dancers and teens. Footloose is coming from the rebellious teenagers mad at the parents for their rules and restrictions. "Footloose" has since become a successful Broadway musical for its memorable song and dances. The movie is fun and Kevin Bacon does a good job. This is what made his career and he since become a pretty good actor. The film is very cheesy and a little overdone focusing a lot on the controlling pastor father who pretty much runs the town. There were some small towns like this but never to this extreme and not completely run by the church. Besides the good dancing which is only in one scene and at the very end the movie does not have much to offer, but it is a fan favorite for many and it is impossible for me to deny its popularity. The movie does represent what all young people feel in rebelling and having "our time." The fact is the movie is not that good and poorly executed. There is no extremely bad acting to complain about but there really isn't much there at all. I admit that when I stopped watching it I could not stop humming the song. I am interested in seeing the new 2011 remake which was accepted to generally positive reviews. I am hoping that the best qualities from this film came over into the new version.

2.5 out of 5 Stars

Flashdance

I finally got around to watching Adrian Lyne's "Flashdance" working my way backwards after seeing and reviewing "Unfaithful," "Fatal Attraction," and "Indecent Proposal." "Flashdance" is a pop culture classic and it is how Lyne really got his start and got noticed. You can see less of his directorial style here because it had probably not been developed and he probably had less control of his films. The movie is about a young woman who works all day as a welder and works as an exotic dancer all night. She dreams of being a real dancer and being all that she can be, and longs to get accepted into this high class ballet school. The movie is inspirational and has some fantastic dance numbers and a great lead song which won the Academy Award in 1983. The song is the best thing about the movie and is largely responsible for the attention the movie received. Jennifer Beals' performance is subtle and great and she is a stand out. The movie however is pretty predictable and follows the route that anyone would expect it to go but the way the story is told and the fine acting from the lead actress makes the film the cult classic that it is. It was a great start for director Adrian Lyne who eventually went on to create in my opinion some great movies and eventually mastered his style. It's a fun movie to enjoy and if you are in fact a dancer I can see how this could be one of your favorite films.

3 out of 5 Stars

Bruno

The follow up to Sacha Baron Cohen's critically acclaimed comedy "Borat" has some comic genius in it but mostly resolves to using absolutely gross humor. The movie is funny, mostly because of how Cohen gets real people to show their true sides. The best scene is probably the interviewing of all these parents who will do anything to get their infant children a modeling job. One parent agrees to their child being hung on a crucifix next to Christ. All of these outrageous things is what makes "Bruno" so outrageously funny. It gets gross however when it gets way too graphic, in which there is a long scene of Bruno's penis swirling and talking. It is not better then "Borat" as some critics have said but there are many sidesplitting scenes that you will cry laughing at but the movie can be extremely offensive and too much for many people to be able to handle. It pushes the envelope, sometimes a bit too far but even if you absolutely despise the homosexuality and the crudeness of its humor you still have to admit that it made you laugh and that it is made and done well.

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Dinner For Schmucks

This funny flick was in my opinion extremely entertaining. Steve Carell and Paul Rudd are a hilarious a comic team with some clever writing in their hands and great improvisation. I was at points crying with laughter. The movie is a feel good family film that most likely everyone will enjoy, but these PG-13 comedies keep getting away with more and more, leaning towards the R-rating side with their jokes. A sidesplitting scene about someone losing their wife's clitoris could be awkward to watch with your family depending who your parents are and the age of the children. The movie is all around funny filled with slapstick and double entendres. Everything that you would expect from a comedy like this. The ending however, does become absolutely ridiculous but it still remains funny and Zach Galifianakis continues to prove himself as a great comic. A good escape movie to just sit down and enjoy.

3.5 out of 5 Stars