Why This Year's Oscars Sucked

Finally, the timely follow-up to my Oscar predictions post.

The Oscars this year were, in a word, weird. Well, that’s one word, anyways. I can think of a few others. Predictable? Yeah, mostly. Frustrating? For sure. But I think I’m gonna go with weird, at least to start. Here’s how it went for me. I’m sitting in my room at 1 in the morning (Ireland time is fun!), scanning through internet streams of the broadcast, waiting for the show to start. I’m bored enough to listen to the red carpet interviews while I wait, but not bored enough to actually be interested. Two things pop out at me here. First, we need to lay down some kind of open-hand slapping policy for red carpet reporters who ask the question, “Who are you wearing tonight?” In what other situation would this question be acceptable? Who are you wearing? No, ma’am, I am not Buffalo Bill, but if I were, I would consider putting you in a hole and softening you up, because you’re ugly and annoying like that chick in the movie. Second, a request to ABC regarding the broadcast: for the sake of my sanity, please do not tell me that the awards ceremony starts at 8pm unless the ceremony starts at 8pm. Putting a 30-minute countdown in the upper-right corner of the screen does not qualify as starting the show. If you do this, you are a liar and I hate you.

So, the show finally starts. The opening sequence with Anne Hathaway and James Franco inserted into the year’s nominated films was promising, at least. At this point, the two hosts seem comfortable, and they’re kind of funny. Alec Baldwin shows up in Jack Donaghy mode, which is cool, but it does make me wonder why the show committee didn’t just bring him and Steve Martin back for a second year. After that point, though, a strange thing starts to happen. I had been looking forward to this Oscarcast; I like both of the hosts, I’m interested in the show and the films, I want it to work. But after the first twenty or so minutes of Hathaway’s strained cuteness and Franco’s unsettling detachment, I started to wonder: do these Oscars suck?

And boy, did they ever. I can’t remember a more boring Oscarcast since, well, ever. It started with the hosts, though it wasn’t all their fault. Anne Hathaway tried, she really did; too hard, at times. She probably realized, standing next to the blank billboard that was James Franco, that someone needed to do something about this. Franco, who has made a career out of burned-out stoner humor, just didn’t give a fuck. Normally, that’s his schtick, and it usually works for him. He just didn’t seem to get that, despite what he may have thought, you really do need to give a fuck in order to host the year’s biggest awards show. Strangely, that’s what made Billy Crystal’s appearance so effective. Yes, he was funny, which was a nice change of pace for the ceremony, but he was also honest. His tribute to Bob Hope was warm and genuine and personal, and though it was certainly scripted, it wasn’t forced or pandering.

Crystal wasn’t the only guest who did his part for the show. Kevin Spacey walked onstage with his typical charisma, and though he wasn’t particularly funny, he was at least smiling and apparently happy to be there. Later, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law came out to present the awards for Visual Effects and Film Editing. They were by far the funniest presenters of the night, mostly because they pulled off the whole “let’s make fun of each other for the amusement of the people” thing way better than the show’s hosts. Speaking of which, my two cents for next year: Either Downey Jr./Jude Law or Kevin Spacey for hosts. The potential is staggering.

So yes, the hosts sucked, and the show fell flat on its face and stayed there for a solid three hours. But this year’s Oscars also sucked in far more important ways. We were warned that this would be the case weeks before the ceremony, when the Academy announced that, no, it would not nominate Christopher Nolan for a Best Director Oscar. This is the kind of snub where you immediately go to Nolan’s Wikipedia page, look at his body of work, and wonder what the guy has to do to get some recognition. He’s one of the very few directors working now without a real flop on his resumé. We’ve all heard this argument before, but it’s true. Batman Begins? Good movie. Not brilliant, but damn good, and a huge indicator of the greatness to come. The Dark Knight? Easily the best genre movie of the decade, so good that it has made other superhero movies virtually unwatchable. And now we get Inception, which somehow managed to surpass the absurd pre-release hype it received. In a weaker year for cinema, it would be a real Best Picture candidate without doubt instead of a makeup nomination without any chance of winning. Nolan is one of the two most innovative filmmakers working today, and the Academy barely knows he exists. Stanley Kubrick is chuckling from the grave.

Sadly, Nolan was not the only director to get the shaft this year. I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that in five, ten years at the most, the film community will look back on this year as the year David Fincher and The Social Network got robbed. It’s not that The King’s Speech is a bad film, or that Tom Hooper is a bad director. In this case, everything comes down to subject matter. Hooper did a good job of taking a historically crucial event and turning it into an interesting, if predictable, movie. Fincher, on the other hand, took a (somewhat altered) story of a few computer nerds making a website in their dorms and made it into a fast-paced, thrilling commentary on the changing landscape of technologized society. Even Stephen Spielberg, who presented the award for Best Picture, seemed to know that The Social Network was going to get snubbed, and tried to offer solace in the fact that the Academy has a long history of giving the Oscar to less deserving, less relevant films.

And that’s really what sucked the most about the Oscars this year. By either design or coincidence, the Academy chose this year to try to update its image, the year that also saw the release of a generation-defining film in The Social Network. The Academy had this perfect chance to prove in a meaningful way that it is not completely out of touch, not content to lean back on safe formulas and tired models of success, and it failed miserably to do so. As Spielberg said, The Social Network now enters a category that includes many of the greatest films of all time, those films that were ignored on the awards stage but remembered far beyond their competition. It’s hard to find the consolation prize here since this was such a huge opportunity, but time will show, as it always has, where excellence lies.

Review: Rango

I've been anticipating Rango since last summer.  I was a little skeptical about the film at first because it was being made by Nickelodeon, what with their last 3D animated film being Barnyard in 2006.  However, once I saw the trailer I was sold and the feature film didn't disappoint.  Rango stars Johnny Depp as Rango teaming up with other big actors such as Abigail Breslin and Bill Nighy.  The film has easily some of the most visually stunning details I have ever seen.  Each and every scale, hair, and fiber is presented in excruciating detail.  Were the characters not anthropomorphic desert animals, I would have been close to thinking the images were real.  Not only is the CGI incredible, but the cinematography is great as well.  Some of the camera angles and lighting shots are something not typically seen in animated movies.

The story is a little lack luster at times, mainly because it's your typical loser become hero, but the world in which the movie places you really saves it.  The way I feel about the city of Dirt in Rango is the same way I felt about the background story and history of last year's How to Train Your Dragon.  The atmosphere is gritty and dry and that's only reinforced by the water crisis ever present throughout the movie.  What is even better than the environment, however, are the characters.  There are lizards, mole rats, turtles, snakes, rabbits, birds and each and every one of them has a unique look, as well as individual mannerisms and personalities.  By far the best character outside of Rango is Rattlesnake Jake voiced by Bill Nighy.  Rattlesnake Jake is one of the main antagonists of the movie, sporting a cowboy hat and a mini gun on his tail as a rattler.  While he isn't in the movie very long, his presence is menacing and very memorable and he is easily my fvaorite animated villain in recent memory.

Rango has to be the one of the best animated movies I have ever seen.  The world and culture it creates are immediately immersive and fascinating.  The characters are fun, unique, and entertaining.  The story is a little weak, but still provides for an interesting and fun adventure.  By far the stand-out feature of the movie is its incredible attention to detail and CGI.  Nothing has sucked me in more or left me awestruck visually since Wall-E.  I'm going to make a large claim right now and say that Rango is going to win Best Animated Feature at next year's Oscars.  This is going based purely on the premise that Disney-Pixar is releasing Cars 2 this year and I'm hoping that Rango will beat it out.  Dreamworks' top movie it is releasing is Kung-Fu Panda 2 and I think Rango will walk all over that as well.  Rango is subtly hilarious and is an early monster contender for next year's Best Animated Feature Award.

Review: 127 Hours

The fifth movie on my list of seven to see was 127 Hours.  This film was probably the most difficult to see and I made an effort to see it as soon as possible.  It had limited release on November 5th, so I knew it would be out of theaters soon.  I was so worried it would be gone that I drove down to Denver in a snow storm and saw it at 9:40 PM.  I was one of four people in the theater watching the film and suffice to say I'm glad I went to see it when I did (the theater that was playing it no longer is).  The film stars James Franco and that's about it.  There are a few other people that make brief appearances, but James Franco is the only person on screen for a majority of the movie.  Franco plays Aron Ralston, a young mountain climber who was trapped in Canyonlands National Park, Utah in 2003.  Ralston conveniently forgot to mention to anyone where he was going and was trapped for over five days, his arm pinned to the canyon wall by an incredibly large boulder.  The movie is based on Ralston's autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place and directed by Danny Boyle, the director of 2008's winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Slum Dog Millionaire.

I'm not going to spend an awful amount of time explaining the plot because it's pretty self explanatory.  Most of what there is to talk about in concerns to this movie is James Franco.  From the start nothing he does is terrible impressive, he jumps around and acts like a goofy, nerdy 20-something year-old.  However, once he gets trapped, Franco has one of the best performances I have ever seen.  Not only is it impressive in and of itself, but the entire movie rests on him and all you see is him stuck in the same spot for over an hour.  To take something so limited and produce something so profound is incredible.  Franco expresses hope, anguish, insanity, optimism, frustration, a sense of humor, and desperation all with no more than about three feet of overall mobility.  One of the most impressive, yet disturbing scenes has to be a dialogue Franco has with himself, clearly showing that Aron Ralston was on the verge of breaking.  I don't even have to explain how shocking and painstakingly depressing the final scene is (in fact, I don't remember the last time I actually cringed at a movie), but Franco passes the depiction with flying colors.

Another impressive aspect of the movie is the cinematography.  The number of angles and points-of-view that are utilized during the movie make the it more interesting and some are so creative and fascinating they make the viewer see the tiny space in a completely different light throughout.  The editing is also strong making the atmosphere feel warm and inviting while at other times making the tiny place feel like a dark, inescapable tomb. While the music of the movie doesn't always stand out, A. R. Rahman does an original score that varies from the typical Indian themed music he typically makes.

127 Hours is an incredible story and parts of it are hard to watch, but James Franco's performance alone makes it a movie not to be missed.  He has easily garnered himself an Oscar nomination.  While he may not win (Colin Firth poses some tough competition), I personally think he should and I think it would be a welcome victory by many for the young actor.  Franco invested himself in the role and made a mountain out of a mole hill.  With such limited resources, Franco does an amazing job and, no matter what happens at the Academy Awards, gave the best male performance of the year in my opinion.  You might cringe, you might cry, but 127 Hours is worth seeing solely because of James Franco's performance.

Review: I Love You, Phillip Morris

One of the few comedies to crack my list of movies I wanted to see over break was I Love You, Phillip Morris starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.  Carrey plays Steven Russel, a man who has a low key life married to his wife Debbie (Leslie Mann) with two kids working as a police officer.  Unbeknownst to Debbie, Steven spends his nights going out and sleeping with other men.  On his way home one night, Steven gets in a terrible accident which causes him to finally come out of the closet.  Shortly afterward he moves to Florida and, because living as a gay man is expensive, starts conning his way through life.  Eventually he is caught, arrested, and sent to prison where he meets Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) and immediately falls in love.  The rest of the movie follows Carrey as he tries to make a life for him and McGregor, conning various people and corporations to make sure they're living lavishly and, consequently, on the edge.

The movie is based on the real-life story of Steven Russel, a con man in the 1980s and 90s, and is adapted from the book I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks by Steve McVicker.  I Love You, Phillip Morris is definitely one of the best and most enjoyable comedies I've seen in a long time.  Carrey fits the bill to a T and it's hard to imagine anyone but Carrey doing the anticts that Steven Russel went through.  While his signature physical comedy is prevalent in the movie, what is more impressive is his ability to adapt to the character.  While you know it's Jim Carrey you're watching, he is entirely convincing as Steven Russel and this film is undoubtedly one of his best.  Ewan McGregor perhaps fulfills his role the best, portraying a timid, innocent, and shy Phillip Morris.  The relationship between the two is entirely convincing and heat warming; the only way I can seem to describe the bond is cute.

There isn't really much of a plot line in the movie, it's more of a following of Russel's seemingly endless efforts to escape from prison and win the love of Phillip Morris.  At times it seems absurd that Russel could get away with what he did and it seems more like something concocted in the mind of Carrey himself, but other moments, particularly towards the end, the audience will undoubtedly be taken back by not only Russel's devotion to Phillip Morris, but his genius.  Steven Russel may be charming, attractive, witty, and funny, but it is his intelligence that gets him places and why the police can never hold him down.

I Love You, Phillip Morris may be the best comedy I've seen all year.  The relationship between Russel and Morris is convincing and endearing and both actors do a stupendous job at forming a believable romance.  The supporting cast doesn't appear much, but each and every tertiary character fulfills its role well, the standouts being Debbie (Leslie Mann), Jimmy (Carrey's ex played by Rodrigo Santoro), and several of the various prison inmates.  The film is simply just enjoyable to watch, fun, and incredibly light hearted.  So, yes, I've decided: I Love You, Phillip Morris was my favorite comedy of 2010, hands down.

Review: TRON: Legacy

The third movie I saw this break was TRON: Legacy.  Now, this isn't exactly on my list of "Oscar movies," but I wanted to see it because, well, it's TRON.  TRON: Legacy follows Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) after his father, Kevin Flynn (Jeff bridges), mysteriously disappears.  Flynn's partner, Alan Bradley, believes that Flynn actually went inside his master project The Grid.  After receiving a mysterious page from Flynn's old arcade, Sam discovers his father's hidden work shop and gets pulled into The Grid and begins searching for his father.  Along the way he has to fight Clu (Jeff Bridges), a copy of Flynn meant to perfect The Grid, as well as Rinzler (Anis Cheurfa), The Grid's most skilled fighter.

The acting in TRON isn't stupendous; being a Disney movie, none of the actors are incredibly well experienced or talented outside of Jeff Bridges, but they fulfill their purpose.  Olivia Wilde who plays Quorra does a good job at acting her part, but doesn't stand out in any sense outside of the fact that she's super hot.  Jeff Bridges on the other hand does a great job of playing the two juxtaposed characters of Kevin Flynn and Clu.  What's even more impressive is that the age technology actually makes Jeff Bridges look younger as Clu, as opposed to creepy.  Michael Sheen also stands out in his role as Castor, a perturbed club owner and also The Grid's most powerful delegate, Zuse.

While the acting may be the weakest part of the movie, the special effects are stunning.  The vivid colors placed along the ever present wash of black pop and make the action scenes exhilarating.  The sets and scenes, costumes, and vehicles are both simplistic yet beautifully crafted.  The movie looks even better on the IMAX screen, although I have an ever present on-again off-again relationship with 3D technology.  If you want to go see this movie on the IMAX in 3D, I suggest either bringing a set of your own 3D glasses (I managed to save some nicer ones from another theater) or getting there as soon as possible so you can get a seat right in the middle.  I sat slightly to the left of the screen and the entire time there was a reflection on the right lens of the poor quality glasses the movie theater handed out.  This isn't a complaint against TRON, but a complaint against the new 3D rage.  I'll be the first to admit that 3D can be fun, but if they are charging me $17+ for a ticket, I want some quality 3D glasses.

Overall, TRON: Legacy was a fun, enjoyable thrill ride.  The acting isn't great, but Kevin Flynn is almost an exact replica The Dude.  He's Zen, he's hippy, he's totally rad and it's enjoyable to watch, even though slightly gimmicky.  If TRON is nominated for anything at The Academy Awards, it will be the special effects and possibly the original score.  Daft Punk does an excellent job of making a masterful score while intermingling their own personal techno flair at the same time.  While I wasn't impressed by the OST at first listen, once I heard it accompanying the movie itself, I realized that Daft Punk does an impressive job of making a grandiose, masterfully crafted movie score.  Daft Punk actually makes a cameo in the movie and blend in seamlessly with TRON's environment, which comes at no surprise.  TRON may not be the best movie out there, but transporting to The Grid is a thrill and I would not mind seeing the movie again.

Review: True Grit

Over my Christmas break, I decided there were a number of movies I wanted to see.  It started out with about three and then grew into seven movies.  So far I have seen four of those movies and I'm catching up on reviews as we speak.  The movies are as followed: Black Swan; True Grit; Tron: Legacy; I Love You, Phillip Morris; The Fighter; The King's Speech; and 127 Hours.  Here is my review for True Grit.

I undoubtedly misconceived True Grit at first: I thought it may have been something along the lines of Jonah Hex except... well, good.  The only part I may have gotten right was the western aspect of the movie (that and the fact that Josh Brolin is in both).  True Grit tells the story of  Mattie Ross (Elizabeth Marvel), a young fourteen year old girl who is looking for Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) who murdered her father over a petty argument.  In her searching for Chaney, she decides to hire a U.S. Marshal to search for him, Chaney having left the town and no longer in the jurisdiction of local authorities.  The man she chooses to hire is Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), a man she later describes as having "true grit."  Cogburn initially turns her away and as Mattie waits for him to change her mind, Texas Ranger La Boeuf (Matt Damon) finds her and offers his assistance in capturing Chaney.

True Grit is the second adaption of Charles Portis' original novel of the same title, written in 1968, the first being the 1969 rendition starring John Wayne.  The movie is directed and produced by the Coen brothers and is also produced by Steven Spielberg.  While Joel Coen also directed The Big Lebowski (1998), Jeff Bridges character shows no signs of "The Dude."  In fact, the characters in True Grit are what make the movie so great.  Jeff Bridges' character, Rooster Cogburn, is gross, smelly, and, as he often describes himself, "fat and old."  However, the dry, often deadpan humor of Rooster lightens the barren wasteland that is the west.  In fact, what surprised me most about this movie was how much humor it actually contains: Bridges is hilarious throughout; the interactions of Damon and Bridges consist of them berating one other either for being either old and fat or for not being able to shut up; Mattie Ross even has her moments when she stuns the male leads with her quick witted tongue. 

While all of the lead actors do a stupendous job, what makes the movie feel so believable is the tertiary characters.  Lucky Ned Pepper (Barry Pepper), a gang leader traveling with Chaney, although only on screen for a short amount of time, is instantly recognized as a ruthless, cold blooded, yet intelligent killer.  Brolin, unfortunately, wasn't on screen for as long as I would have liked, but manages to convincingly transform himself into a slow, dumb man who only looks out for himself.  By far my favorite character in the movie, however, is one that Rooster and Mattie meet in passing known only as The Doctor (Ed Corbin), who wears a full bear skin coat, sells teeth, and tries to heal anyone who will allow him to come near.

The movie overall is a breath of fresh air.  It seems as though within this past year there has been a bit of a cowboy craze (what with Jonah Hex, Red Dead Redemption, and now True Grit) and True Grit, without doubt, makes for a meaningful and spirited revival of an old book.  The story is engaging, the cast is fantastic, and the overall mood is what it needs to be, which is convincing and authentic.  Bridges does an excellent job of being both disgusting and endearing and Marvel, while not the strongest performance overall, does an excellent job seeing as how this is her first full length feature film to date.  True Grit is more fun and comedic than I expected, yet still maintains the bad ass-ness I had originally anticipated;  All I have to say is that Jeff Bridges shoots people, a lot of people... and some cornbread too.

Review: Black Swan

There have been few movies this year that I have told myself I needed to see.  There have been even fewer of those movies that I have actually managed to drag myself out to see.  One of the movies that I knew I had to see this year was Black Swan.  Not only did the premise of the movie entice me, but evermore did the director.  Darren Aronofsky's last movie, The Wrestler (2008), was an incredible story of anguish and I still think, to this day, that Mickey Rourke should have won over Sean Penn for Best Actor.  Suffice to say, Aronofsky has taken a much more psychological twist with Black Swan; where The Wrestler crushed your spirit, Black Swan plays with your mind. 

Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, a veteran ballet dancer in New York city.  The movie begins at the start of another fiscal year for the dance studio and Portman is striving to be The White Swan in their production of Swan Lake.  However, once she arrives at the first day of rehearsal, her director, played by Vincent Cassel, informs them that instead of casting two people as the White Swan and the Black Swan, he will be casting one person as both.  Portman embodies the White Swan perfectly, but can't manage to carry the weight of the Black Swan.  As her director puts it, Portman is precise and has perfect form, but the Black Swan loses herself in dance and seduces the audience.  The entire movie goes through the motions of Portman struggling to embody both Swans at once and become the Swan Queen.

As the audience watches Portman's struggle it is often hard to tell what is reality and what is not.  Quickly you become aware that Portman's passion for dance is more of an obsession that engulfs each breath she takes, so much so that it beginning to take a toll on her body and mind.  This, without doubt, is the strongest part of the film.  You want Portman to succeed in becoming the Swan Queen, but in order for her to do so, you must watch her crush the person she once was and become someone entirely different.  The movie is wrought with emotion and Portman is convincing for each and every second of it.  Her supporting cast does a decent job as well, although it is clear that none are of the same caliber as Natalie Portman (save for Barbara Hersher, Portman's controlling mother and former dancer).  Mila Kunis doesn't do anything spectacular through out and is used more as a pivot point to facilitate Portman's gradual transformation. 

The cinematography of the entire film is great as are the special effects.  The cinematography plays with various angles and lighting effects which heighten the psychological thrill of the movie.  The special effects, while never exceptionally grand, meld into the scenery of the movie flawlessly and continue to play with the audience's mind.  However, possibly the strongest extra to the movie is its score.  While the whole movie is based around a ballet, the ever present symphony orchestra makes it seem as though Portman is constantly on stage.  As she runs through the streets of New York, she is contantly followed by the timbre of strings and brass. 

Black Swan, up to this point in time, is the best movie I have seen this year.  The concept and thrill is refreshing, as is each and every psychological twist.  Portman excels at the part she is given and I would be shocked not to see her name appear as a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 2011 Academy Awards as it is easily her best performance to date.  (In fact, I would consider Portman winning an apology for Mickey Rourke not winning in 2008.)  Aronofsky's should also be up for Best Director, as should Clint Mansell, the composer of the film's score.  While the film may make some people uncomfortable and may leave others scratching their heads, it is undeniably one the best movies released this year and should be appreciated not only as an incredible film, but as a work of art.

Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

After years of anticipation and excitement, it is finally the beginning of the end.  Since the release of the first book in 1997, people have been absolutely enthralled with Harry Potter and for good reason.  With the first of eight movies being released in 2001, part one of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released last week and has already accumulated $125.0M (Over $100M higher than the runner up, Megamind).  Just as a refresher, or for those who haven't seen the movies or read the books, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is placed just shortly after the death of Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) and follows Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) on their quest to vanquish Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) once and for all.  After having seen the sixth movie last summer, I was skeptical as to whether or not this movie would do the book justice.  When I found out they were splitting it into two parts, I was somewhat relieved; a great downfall of the sixth movie was that it cut out moments of great importance and didn't seem to really do The Half-Blood Prince justice.  However, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was pleasantly surprising and left me in anticipation for the coming of the conclusion that is Harry Potter.

One clear improvement from the movie released last year is that they gave themselves room to really touch on all of the important details.  Certain details are still shut out and others are even ignored, but the movie really manages to touch each and every important moment and only skips over less important aspects of the movie.  What is even more impressive is that the movie manages to fill out the two and a half hour time block while seemingly nothing is going on.  For those that have read the book, the entire first half is essentially comprised of major events separated by long spans of time where the three main characters are trying to figure out what their next move is.  The same feeling translates into the movie, but not at any point in time do you feel that the movie is dragging its feet.  The movie successfully fills up the time slot and ends at a point which will not only fuel viewers anticipation, but may also be a surprising stopping point to readers.

While the movie still falls short with certain character interactions (such as that between Harry and Ginny) and doesn't utilize some of their stronger actors as much as one would hope (Bill Nighy and Alan Rickman among them), it finally makes that turn from a kid's movie to a more adult drama.  In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince there was a large amount of opportunity to make this turn and even have viewers on the edge of their seat in fear.  However, it seemed as though they tried to compensate the feeling of fear with awkward teen interaction and fluffy love triangles.  What Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 finds strength in is that it knows when and how to make you feel sad/fearful/anxious/etc.  The depressing moments are sad and don't turn the corner with a quick one liner;the genuine moments make you feel the trio's friendship; and most importantly, the frightening moments have such a large scale and truly dark mood that they create scenes wrought with tension. 

Other standout points in the movie are the special effects and the cinematography.  The special effects have really taken a large leap and blend into the world almost seamlessly, and while you know some of the creatures and scenes are merely CGI, at times it's hard to pry yourself away from fantasy.  Never before have I been able to say anything about cinematography with any of the Harry Potter movies, but for this one, certain shots and angle make you notice how great the direction is.  The acting is still nothing above and beyond what it should be for a Harry Potter movie, but outside of Radcliffe's grimacing, you can tell that the primary acting cast is finally starting to fill out their adult shoes.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is a huge improvement from the let down last year.  It manages to transform into more of a drama while still keeping true to its fans.  It touches on just enough from the book to make readers feel as though they weren't cheated.  The special effects and directions are much better than in past films and the film was truly a joy to watch.  Without question, the whole world will be eagerly anticipating July 15, 2011 when Harry Potter finally comes to a close.

Review: The Social Network

I've been meaning to review this for a while but haven't had time, so here's my review of The Social Network.

Consider, for a moment, the first time you ever logged onto a social networking website. What thoughts crossed your mind, entering that sphere of information, so vast yet so deeply personal? Who told you to join? Why did you do it? What parts of yourself did you put into that system, trusting that its unseen makers would connect your virtual being to thousands of others like you?

These are some of the many questions raised by David Fincher’s astounding new film, The Social Network. The movie follows Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) through the process of creating and founding the social giant known as Facebook. It is created in the style that Fincher has made all his own, drawing on the best parts of his best films (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac). It is unremitting in its movement, churning forward through its 120 minutes with lightning speed and mechanical precision. The film, unlike many of Fincher’s previous works, is immune to spoilers, because though a great deal happens, it all moves towards an inevitable conclusion. There is no great payoff here, no last-minute twist. Though Fincher showed in Se7en and Fight Club that he is more than capable of executing these tropes, The Social Network finds him at his most mature, working with restraint instead of shock and spectacle.

The Facebook story is well known enough: Zuckerberg, a brilliant Harvard student, creates a social networking engine in his spare time that comes to be a billion-dollar entity. Along the way, questions arise concerning whether or not Zuckerberg stole his idea, specifically from the Winklevoss twins, two wealthy Harvard rowers who are just perfect enough to be creepy. The film smoothly entwines the story of the past with that of the present, where Zuckerberg faces two separate lawsuits over the origin of the Facebook concept.

Such a story might seem more history than drama, but screenwriter Aaron Sorkin has managed to create a script that his so engrossing that one will barely notice that two hours have passed between the film’s credit sequences. His dialogue is harsh, witty, and arrogant, and is delivered expertly by Eisenberg and his costars, most notably Andrew Garfield, who plays Zuckerberg’s best friend and colleague. His character is at once a sympathetic victim and a helpless obstacle, frustrating in his ignorance of Zuckerberg’s workings.

Technically, The Social Network is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every aspect is polished and seamless, woven with unmatched attention and lucidity. One scene in particular, a beautifully photographed rowing race, captures a sequence of speed and brute force in elegant detail, and is matched perfectly by the film’s excellent score. The music, composed and recorded by Trent Reznor of the industrial outfit Nine Inch Nails, is uncanny in its sonic representation of Fincher’s themes, meticulous and technologically innovative throughout.

Though the film is extremely well-crafted as a whole, its most notable achievement lies in its ability to capture what social networking is really all about. The concept originally relied on its exclusivity, drawing users only through others who already had access to the site, and then only if one had an email address from a member college. Eventually, Facebook became open to everyone, but its allure remains. It is exciting, it is cool, and everyone wants to be a part of it. Therein lies the paradox of social networking: despite its hipness, something lingers under the surface that is somehow vulgar, ugly, ominous. We join the networks and control our appearance there, but in truth, we allow them to access our lives, to penetrate those secrets and desires which we ourselves sometimes do not recognize. In the end, though, we are all too willing to continue. In today’s world, after all, what choice do we have?

Due Date (2010)

 Released just this past Friday, November 5th, 2010, Due Date pairs Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr. with The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis for a trip across the country.  Robert Downey Jr. plays Peter Highman, an architect working on a project in Atlanta who is about to fly home to L.A. just before his wife gives birth to his first child.  On his way to the airport, a reckless driver smashes the door to his chauffeur's car right off its hinges and out steps Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis).  From the very moment they meet and switch bags, Tremblay does everything possible to rub Highman the wrong way.  After being put on the no flight list, Highman must figure out a way to get home to his wife and, having left his wallet on the now airborne plane, has no choice but to embark on a cross country road trip with Tremblay.  The entirity of the movie circles around the odd couple sort of interactions between Downey Jr. and Galifianakis.  Galifianakis relies on a dead pan, inappropriate, almost demented humor at times, which is quickly juxtaposed against Downey Jr.'s more harsh, blunt comedic delivery.  Galifianakis' most funny moments come with his inappropriate laughter and through Ethan Tremblay's atrocious acting skills of which his favorite line seems to be "What are you, a girl or something?"  Downey Jr.'s more funny moments, however, come when he is "seeing red" and tearing Tremblay a new or, my favorite, when he hits a child and says, "Play cool or I'll thump you again."

The comedic duo seems to play off each other relatively well throughout the entire movie, but never really seem to click as a dynamic all that often.  Rather, they play as two separate entities with their own individual moments.  However, one particular strength of the film is its unexpected sentimental moments.  Throughout the movie, Galifianakis mourns over the recent death of his father, and at times it is incredibly heart wrenching.  These moments are often broken up with quick one liners, such as Tremblay saying "Dad, you were like a father to me," but more often then not they linger around to really make the audience feel something.  There are some great shocker moments as well, as can be expected with Galifianakis.  Downey Jr. brings a bit of class to the movie, but also counteracts the ignorant, well intentioned Galifianakis incredibly well by being almost the exact opposite: intelligent, blunt, and impatient.  Other cameos in the movie make the movie more enjoyable such as the brief appearance of Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride, and Matt Walsh.

While Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis manage to make an interesting duo they don't really accomplish anything that any other odd couple type of movie hasn't.  They can, however, be placed on par with other favorite odd couple movies released this year such as Dinner For Schmucks and The Other Guys.  There are definitely some wow moments and to see the relationship between the two protagonists develop is both entertaining and heart warming.  I would recommend going to see Due Date in theaters, but if you want to wait for it to come out on DVD/Bluray, I wouldn't hold it against you.  Without doubt, though, you should see it.  No?  "What are you, a girl or something?"

Halloween Movie Suggestions

I refuse to let October be a month of nothingness!  In saying that and with it being the last day of October, I thought I would talk about something Halloween-y.  I thought I could suggest some horror movies, both new and old, for you to enjoy on your Halloween, especially considering that this year it's on a Sunday, so some people might want to stay in.

First, let's start with the newer movies.  Metacritic recently wrote an article about the "Best Horror Movies Since 2000."  Now, while I don't entirely agree with some of the movies on the list (such as Sweeney Todd, Shaun of the Dead, and Zombie Land; not that these aren't good movies, but I think they're more of a horror hybrid than a true horror movie), overall, the list has some strong movies, some of which I have seen and others that I've been meaning to.  At the top of the list is "Drag Me to Hell" (2009) which received surprisingly high reviews for a horror movie, averaging an overall score of 83.  I actually had the opportunity to watch this last night and found it interesting to say the least.  The back story is stronger than most horror movies and it really manages to surpass your typical scary movie that just pops things out at you accompanied by loud noise. Some parts of the movie are gimmicky, but it's hard to tell whether or not that's because its cheesy or because some parts of the movie are seemingly so disgusting that you trick yourself into laughing at them (just imagine an old woman gnawing on your face with her gums all while spewing phlegm on you).  While the ending may be predictable to some, it's quite the interesting twist and should please audiences of the genre.

Another movie I would strongly suggest seeing that is still in theaters is "Let Me In" (2010).  This movie, starring, Chloe Moretz, an up and coming child actress from movies such as "(500) Days of Summer" and "Kick Ass!," is a remake of the already popular Swedish film "Let the Right One In" made in 2008.  Why I suggest this is not because it has been receiving rave reviews (averaging an overall score of 79 from critics and an 83 from viewers), but because it seems as though it's a true vampire movie.  In the past few years, the Vampire phenomenon has been bogged down by Twilight, which sparked a frenzy of other cheesy vampire movies and books, where vampires would rather make you swoon and kiss you than suck your blood and kill you.  While I haven't seen this film yet, it's definitely at the top of my list of movies to see.

Now, onto the older movies.  Since I was young, I have always been a fan of horror movies, in particular the "A Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise.  The fascination began when I saw a showing of "Leprechaun" (1993) on basic cable at my dad's house when I was about eight.  After that I decided I loved horror movies and Freddy Kreuger was my go to guy for a good scare.  With that being said, I would recommend watching the original "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) (although the movie poster is atrocious).  Along with the time frame, while in my opinion not as good as "A Nightmare on Elm Street," some other classics that came out around this time are "Halloween" (1978) and "Friday the 13th" (1980).  I still have to watch "Halloween," but having watched "Friday the 13th," while some of the death scenes are laughable, the overall story is a classic, the ending is incredible, and is a horror movie everyone should watch at some point in time.  On another, yet similar, note each of these movies has been re-made recently.  "Halloween" was remade by Rob Zombie in 2007, "A Nightmare on Elm Street" was remade this year (2010), and "Friday the 13th" was remade in 2009.  Why I mention this is because each of these remakes, as can be expected, has received lower reviews than the originals.  Another fun part to these movies is that they have some big name actors who got their start from doing 80's horror movies.  "Friday the 13th" was only Kevin Bacon's fifth film and both "Halloween" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street" were the debut films for Jamie Lee Curtis and Johnny Depp respectively.  While the originals may be a bit out of date in terms of cinematography and special effects, they're drop dead classics and can surely be appreciated not only by film buffs, but casual viewers as well.

If you're looking for a new age scare, I would check out "Drag Me to Hell" for a more in depth, yet comical scare and check out "Let Me In" for a darker, true vampire horror film.  If you want to do a throwback, check out "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Halloween," and "Friday the 13th."  All of these movies may not scare you, but they're sure to entertain you and will definitely make your Halloween more enjoyable on this Sunday night.  Here's to having a Happy Halloween, and posting in the month of October!

The Town (2010)

The Town is something of a surprise.  At first, one would expect it to be on the lines of another late summer action movie, looking to make one more quick buck before the season ends.  However, upon closer inspection, even before seeing the movie, it has potential to be a great film.  With a cast that includes Jeremy Renner (Academy Award nominee for Best Actor in The Hurt Locker (2009)), Jon Hamm (multiple Emmy Award Nominee for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Mad Men (2008, 2009, 2010), and Chris Cooper (Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actor in Adaption (2002)) you can't really go wrong.  I guess Ben Affleck won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting (1997) too. 

The movie's main characters are a group of friends who work together to rob banks and armored trucks.  The one thing all of these men have in common is that they're all from Charlestown, Massachusetts, a town that only seems to produce criminals.  Surprisingly enough The Town manages to deliver not only in action, but also in drama and suspense as well.  None of the car chases or shoot outs try to distract you from the poor acting or the uninteresting plot.  The plot doesn't focus on one big bank job much like other movies of its type, but rather focuses more on the intense development and interactions of characters, the most explosive being that between the rational thinking  Ben Affleck and the hot headed Jeremy Reener.  Every bit of the movie plays its part and plays it well.  Dialogue scenes are just as suspenseful and interesting as the action ones.  Furthermore, not only the big names, but the smaller ones carry their weight.  Blake Lively in particular does a great job of pulling herself out of her typical teeny-bopper persona from Gossip Girl and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) by conveying some real raw emotion.  Jon Hamm in the beginning feels out of place among the slew of Boston accents, but manages to really standout as an anti-hero.  In fact, in an interview with Jon Stewart he even mentions that after the premier of The Town an old Boston woman used as a speech coach for the movie said, "I don't know if you played your part too well or what... but I don't like you."

While The Town as a whole is a surprise not only in plot but in acting, where it manages to be most surprising is with the directing.  Having only directed one film before (Gone Baby Gone (2007)), Ben Affleck does a surprisingly impressive job with The Town.  While none of the cinematography is incredibly impressive and doesn't necessarily do anything new or innovative, the opening heist scene as well as one of the later ones shows Affleck's courage as a director.  The shots are bold and setup some wonderful imagery, in particular one heist where the group robs an armored truck adorned with nun masks, something that manages to be haunting rather than comical, a scene that will linger with you after leaving the theater.  The movie draws you in and is absolutely enticing throughout.  While there's no definite chance Jeremy Renner will be getting a second Oscar nomination from this film, its definitely a film he can be proud of.  If there's one last movie you see this summer, it should be The Town. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

When I first heard about Scott Pilgrim vs. the World I got pretty excited, solely for the fact that it was being directed by Edgar Wright, the same man who both directed and wrote Hot Fuzz (2007) and Shaun of the Dead (2004), two movies that are easily in my Top 25, if not Top 10 favorite movies.  However, as time progressed, I got less and less interested to see it for one reason in particular: Michael Cera.  Now, I know a lot of people like him and I have to admit, I used to as well.  I thought his awkward teen persona was excellent in Arrested Development and I thought he did a pretty good job in Super Bad (2007) and Juno (2007).  However, since then, Cera has released at least two movies a year, each of which puts him in the role of the awkward teen: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008), Extreme Movie (2008), Year One (2009), Paper Heart (2009), and Youth in Revolt (2009).  For me and many other people I know, Cera's awkwardness has begun to take a toll and I wasn't necessarily looking forward to seeing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  However, because of Wright's immense success in my personal opinion, this outweighed my disdain for Michael Cera.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World puts Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, a twenty-two year old man-boy who lives in Toronto, Canada and plays bass for a band called Sex Bob-omb.  The supporting cast for Cera is excellent with stand out characters such as Kieran Culkin who plays Pilgrim's gay room mate, Wallace, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead who plays Pilgrim's edgy crush, Ramona, each of which are sure to be audience favorites.  However, with Ramona comes some baggage, seven evil exes to be specific.  In order to date Ramona, Scott Pilgrim must defeat all seven of her exes, each of which has a back story that adds to the movie.  Each ex is well cast as well and brings something else to the table, whether it be the first ex, Matthew Patel, who dresses like a pirate, or Roxy Richter, a self-conscious half-ninja who was part of a "phase" Ramona had.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starts off a little slow, but once the exes start to come at Scott Pilgrim, the movie gets infinitely better.  The cinematography is great, as is common with much of Wright's work, but what is even more impressive is the artistic direction.  Throughout the movie is a constant video game/comic book sort of theme, which is not only well executed, but doesn't begin to overwhelm the viewer.  When calm scenes such as dialogue are taking pace, its at a minimum; when the fight scenes begin, however, it comes into full effect with bright colors, lightning bolts, giant monsters, and points flashing across the screen for every kill.  Video game references are also strung throughout the movie, such as the Zelda theme song playing at times, Scott Pilgrim learning the bass line to Final Fantasy II, and Scott Pilgrim's best pick-up line concerning Pac Man.  Other pop culture references are played into the movie well such as one scene including Pilgrim and his room mate Wallace in their underground apartment.  The scene begins with the Seinfield theme and throughout their dialogue a laugh track is played intermittently, making this one of the funniest scenes of the entire movie. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World successfully drives at what it's trying to accomplish.  Anyone who is under twenty five is surely to at least appreciate the movie.  Some of the action scenes and visual effects are awe inspiring and pull you into Scott Pilgrim's comic book style life only making you wish you could do some of the things in the movie.  The plot on the surface is solid and straight forward, but at each and every turn you're still anticipating when the next ex will pop-up unexpectedly.  Michael Cera is, unfortunately, the most disappointing part of the film, not because he doesn't do a good job, in fact, I don't think anyone could play the part better, but solely because the character of Michael Cera has been worn out.  Had he not done any movies in 2009, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as a follow up to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist would have been incredible.  Cera's supporting cast and Wright's incredible cinematography coupled with an artistic directing style, however, really save the movie and make it a pleasure to see.  After watching the movie, the seven evil exes, the bright lights, and flashing colors are sure to wash out Cera's bland, awkward teen type cast personality, and all you'll be able to think about are swords, 1-UPS, and giant apes.

The Other Guys (2010)

Time for a shorter movie post this time.  Let's keep it around 700 words:

The Other Guys (2010) stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as Detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz respectively.  Other star characters such as Samuel L. Jackson (Highsmith), Dwayne Johnson (Danson), Michael Keaton (Captain Gene Mauch), and Derek Jeter as himself also make an appearance.  The basic plot of The Other Guys consists of Ferrell and Wahlberg trying to gain the top spot in the NYPD chasing the financial blunderings of David Ershon, played by Steve Coogan, a stock broker of sorts who has lost a lot of money for some very powerful people.

What is most impressive about The Other Guys lies mostly in the duo of Ferrell and Wahlberg: their chemistry is surprisingly convincing, their characters compliment each other well, and while seemingly different on the surface, Gamble and Hoitz are incredibly similar.  Hoitz is your typical tough cop, but is held back by one major mistake in his past and because of it, is stuck as partner to Gamble, a cop who would rather sit at a desk and do paper work than go out on the field.  While Hoitz is held back by a mistake, Gamble is held back by a deep dark alter ego named Gator.  Hoitz, while tough on the surface, has a surprisingly endearing soft side; for Gamble, however, while soft on the surface, shows his brawn and intelligence later in the movie.  Surprisingly, throughout the film, audiences will only see traces of the most well known Will Ferrell (loud, obnoxious, and hit or miss one liners) seemingly because he makes an attempt at playing a more down to earth character, much like was seen in Ferrell's most highly reviewed film, Stranger Than Fiction (2006).  Wahlberg on the other hand helps fill in the comedic gap and really manages to carry his weight, all while maintaining his macho cop attitude.

While the time that Jackson and Johnson appear in the film is short, their time on the screen is exciting and hilarious.  Of the guest appearances, however, none is better than Michael Keaton.  Keaton's character, Captain Gene Mauch, is for the most part a hard ass, but subtle aspects of his character make him more memorable and subtly satirical; for instance, he works another job as a Bed, Bath, and Beyond team leader.  Keaton's character also has the best running gag throughout the movie as well, ignorantly quoting TLC lyrics while giving pep talks to Hoitz and Gamble ("Don't go chasing waterfalls").  While there aren't many prominent female roles in the movie, Eva Mendes plays Gamble's wife, Dr. Sheila Gamble, and some of the interactions between Mendes and Ferrell are witty, several of them circling around Ferrell's delusion that his wife is a plain Jane and dresses like a hobo.


The Other Guys successfully manages to blend action and comedy, which is another strong point.  Unlike other cop spoof movies released this year, such as Cop Out, The Other Guys succeeds in having adrenaline pumping chase scenes, high impact explosions, as well as slow motion gun fights.  While the action scenes are taking place, you don't feel as though you're watching a comedy, let alone a movie with Will Ferrell in it; each and every action scene really feels like its from an action movie, not some cop parody film.  Furthermore, The Other Guys also manages to set-up a few sentimental moments, even though these are quickly broken up with a zing or an awkward interaction between characters. 

While not the best movie released this summer by far, The Other Guys is definitely one of the better comedies.  Will Ferrel picks up his act and doesn't rely too much on his loud, obnoxious persona;  he really plays the character of Allen Gamble well, being mild mannered and conventional.  There are certainly several quotable lines throughout the film, but not all of them rest on Will Ferrel (in fact, one of my favorites comes from Damon Wayans Jr.: "I hope you like prison food!... and penis!").  The comedic burden is definitely spread throughout the cast and a significant portion of it is taken up by Wahlberg, who does an excellent job of playing the loud, angry, sarcastic cop  who just wants to fly like a peacock.  If not in theaters, definitely check out The Other Guys when it comes out on DVD/Blu-ray.  Its more than worth a viewing and I promise that you'll find at least one quotable, much like any Will Ferrel movie I've ever watched.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Alright, this is my first movie review, but I wanted to give it a try, so go easy on me. 

A play off of Francis Veber's hit French comedy, The Dinner Game, Dinner for Schmucks stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd as the main odd couple (there are several) for this "dinner party."  Paul Rudd plays Tim, a mid-level analyst who is trying to work his way up the food chain in his company.  At the beginning of the movie, he takes a huge risk and steps up to the "7th Floor" guys, offering to them a proposal which will make a lot of money centered around managing the account of Mueller, a large Swedish man who lives a lavish life style through his multibillion dollar inheritance.  When he says he would like to front the operation, the 7th Floor gives him a resounding guffaw.  However, they then pull him aside and tell him that if he really does want to join them on the 7th Floor, he'll have to prove his worth at a dinner party the company's namesake, Lance Fender, holds once a month.  Each person invited to the dinner must bring an idiot of sorts as well; at the end of the night, the person who brings the biggest idiot wins a prize.  If Tim wants to be up on the 7th Floor, he's going to have to win that prize.

As the story progresses, various characters are introduced: Julie, played by Stephanie Szostak, is his beautiful girlfriend who so happens to be a currator in charge of a gallery holding the works of an aritst named Kieran, played by Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement.  Julie ends up giving Tim a hard time about the dinner and assumes he's not attending; however, as Tim is heading in to tell Fender he can not attend, he runs into Steve Carell, literally.  As Tim hits Steve Carell, playing Barry, with his Porsche, up in the air go Barry's "Mouse-terpieces."  After things settle, Tim takes the sign of Barry dropping in front of his car that he has to attend this dinner.  What sort of idiot is Barry?  His "Mouse-terpieces" are recreations of famous paintings and scenes using dead mice.  Later on, we meet Darla, Tim's crazy ex hook-up; Therman, played by Zach Galifianakis, who works for the IRS with Barry, as well as Caldwell, played by Ron Livingston, a suit on the 7th Floor who is Tim's main competition at the dinner party.

As far as the story goes, its fairly straight forward and consists of your typical series of unfortunate events.  As Tim is trying to work things out with his company and his girlfriend, Barry manages to step in and screw everything up.  Even though Barry screws things up, one can only feel endearment towards him and his lovable quirkiness.  Paul Rudd plays a character he seems to have grown into, which is the man who is trying to work his way up in his company, happens to be dating a smoking hottie, but manages to screw things up with her one way or another, only to have everything go his way in the end.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love Paul Rudd; he first caught my attention as Kunu in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).  After that, I started to realize that he had played a lot of other roles I really enjoyed in other movies, such as David in The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) and Brian in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) (Brian Fantana: "They've done studies.  Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.").  However, he hasn't had very many shining cameos as of late and he really seems to be filling a sort of niche; the same sort of character can be seen in both Role Models (2008) and I Love You, Man (2009). 

Steve Carell, on the other hand, plays a charcter that he hasn't really seemed to play in any other major role.  His character of Barry calls to mind past characters of his, such as Brick from Anchorman.  Barry doesn't think about what he's saying and some of his quite peculiar lines end up being some of the funniest of the entire movie (Barry: "It's like John Lennon said, 'You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not.'"  Tim: "... But I'm not the only one."  Barry: "What?" Tim: "That's how it goes: 'You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."  Barry: "Haha, okay, Tim.").  What is more impressive about Barry is his innocence and his willingness to do anything for Tim, regardless of the situation.  While Steve Carell had begun to fill a niche character as well (the endearing, yet seemingly self-destructive husband/father), the role of Barry is incredibly refreshing for any fans of Steve Carell, especially those who, like me, were beginning to get a bit tired of him. 

The other two stand out characters have to be Kieran (Clement) and Therman (Galifianakis).  Each character is incredibly awkward and strange in their own way.  Kieran is a ballsy artist who has some sort of strange animal magnetism that only Tim seems not to notice; even Barry is impressed when he sees that he can fit an entire octopus in his mouth.  Therman, on the other and, plays a crucial role: not only does he work with Barry, but he also stole Barry's wife away from him and, more importantly, has mind control powers.  Clement and Galifiankis each play their respective roles well and manage to have sparse, yet impactful appearances.  Clement appears more frequently in the first half of the movie and Galifianakis more so in the latter.  Thankfully, Galifianakis isn't over used in Dinner for Schmucks, something I feared with his recent bandwagon overflow due to The Hangover (2009). 

While the comedy in Dinner for Schmucks isn't high class, it manages to pack quite a bunch.  Even though Barry is seemingly innocent throughout the movie, that doesn't mean that dirtier humor doesn't make an appearance, most of it coming from Barry's mouth out of ignorance.  What Dinner for Schmucks excels at is spreading how it makes you laugh over a variety of comedic delivery.  The movie will make you laugh at long winded monologues, short one liners, physical comedy, or even the slightest twitch in Barry's face.  It doesn't use one liners as a crutch and it doesn't use one character too heavily.  Both Carell and Rudd have their fair share of funny lines and the rest of the comedic dialogue is spread evenly between the other tertiary characters.

Overall, one shouldn't go into Dinner for Schmucks with high expectations.  When I told someone I was seeing it, they told me they thought it was going to be terrible.  My explanation for why I thought it was going to be good is as follows: "My expectations for this movie are so low.  I don't expect anything from it and I'm literally turning my brain off for the movie."  As a result, I had a great time.  While Dinner for Schmucks certainly has its flaws, such as a predictable plot line, poor acting from some of the less important characters, and redoing an already popular movie, some would say, not as successfully, it still manages to make you laugh.  The odd couple of Carell and Rudd really works well together and they play off each other in such a way that one wouldn't second guess they've known each other for years.  Clement and Galifianakis manage to stand out in the movie as well and really shine as the most unique and memorable characters, but they're limited in appearance time enough so that it doesn't seem like they're purposefully there to take weight off the two main characters.  I strongly recommend Dinner for Schmucks, but just remember: don't go into the movie with high expectations and you'll be fine.  Go for a laugh and nothing else.