Happy Endings vs. Friends

I know this a movie review blog but I had to share this. My new favorite TV show is “Happy Endings.” It’s basically the new version of “Friends”. I’ve even done a side-by-side character comparison…


You can definitely notice the social changes since “Friends” was released in 1994, and “Happy Endings,” which premiered in 2011. Taboo subjects, that were once controversial, are now being shown more; for instance, Brad and Jane are an interracial married couple and Max is the not-so-typical gay guy.

The cast includes some familiar faces. Elisha Cuthbert, who starred in “The Girl Next Door” is great as the ditzy hot girl. And Damon Wayans Jr., nephew to the famous Wayans brothers, is comedy genius. The only character that annoys me is Jane, played by Eliza Coupe. She talks too fast and seems a little too bossy, which can get really irritating quickly. The funniest character is a tie between Max (Adam Pally) and Penny (Casey Wilson). They have the best one liners and get into the most compromising predicaments. 

"Happy Endings" airs on ABC Wednesday nights at 9:30pm (pacific time).

SEE IT!

My ‘American Reunion’ movie review is coming soon. Until then enjoy this. Make your own at

http://www.americanreunionmovie.com/gifcreator/#

Check out this trailer. I’m looking forward to it. Hope its good.

God Bless America - April 6, 2012

21 Jump Street

Let me preface by saying, I have not seen the original 21 Jump Street. But it seems fine because I think they made this movie for the 13-28 demographic. I’m assuming, this age demo hasn’t seen the original series. So what I’m trying to say is, the film has a complete modern twist to it so that it’s relatable to young people today. You don’t need to be a fan of the original in order to like this film.

21 Jump Street wasn’t bad, and I fairly enjoyed it. The movie was actually funny. I know, some of you may be thinking “Channing Tatum is a chick-flick actor, what is he doing in comedy?” But let me tell you, he surprised me also. I can even go so far as to say that he was funnier than Jonah Hill. Hill played the typical nerdy quirky partner. I think that’s why people gave him so much credit for “Moneyball.” Hill was type casted after his breakthrough role in ‘Superbad,’ but soon stepped out of the mold with his Oscar nominating role. Don’t expect an oscar-worthy performance in this movie.

While we’re on the topic of the cast, I’ll also mention that Dave Franco made an impacting impression as well. Fun fact, he is James Franco’s younger brother (I didn’t know that until after I watched the film).

I think they kept the movie hip, while also throwing in some old school moves. There are some 1980’s references, music, and surprises. The movie also doesn’t cross over as a chick flick either, which I appreciated. Yes there are some love story sub-plots, but that’s almost inevitable in every movie like this. The “love story” wasn’t focused on too much. The main focus of the film was the battle Channing and Jonah face as two fuck-up-cops on assignment as undercover high-schoolers. They were an odd duo, but they worked well with each other. I think they were perfectly casted as “the jock” and “the nerd” especially because the film takes an odd twist regarding that matter.

Ultimately 21 Jump Street surpassed my expectations. It’s a nice flick to catch on Saturday night or if you want a quick laugh. I think you’ll enjoy this film. See it!

SEE IT!

Girl With a Dragon Tattoo

I was hesitant to watch this movie at first. It seemed like just another drama-thriller with Daniel Craig (aka James Bond, which I liked). I’ll preface myself by saying; I don’t like watching a movie that seems too formulated. Although many movies are, I try to stay away from “Hollywood formula” films. Once a movie is constructed to have a certain plot and outcome, it becomes pointless to watch since I know what’s going to happen. But some of you may not feel this way.

Anyways, I ended up going to GWADT and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a unique film that contained a strong plot and great acting. I had not read the book and wasn’t really sure what the plot was about. While I enjoyed many parts of the movie, there were some elements that were lacking (which I’ll touch on later).

Firstly, the acting was great. There was a terrific cast that worked really well together. Daniel Craig played his usual Bond-type role, which worked well in this film. He was stern yet loving as a man hired to solve a murder mystery. He gets caught in a more twisted tale as Rooney Mara comes to his aid. Mara was also nice to watch as a new comer. I had not remembered her from her previous roles (the ex-girlfriend in ‘The Social Network’) so it was nice to see a fresh face. She was dramatic and cutting edge. She played a dark and deeply disturbed loner girl, which resonated well throughout the film. My 3^rdfavorite actor in this film was Christopher Plummer. He’s a strong actor who keeps my attention for a man his age. His eyes and voice are deep and concrete, which draws me in to believe everything he says. I like him in almost everything he’s played in (I have yet to watch Beginners—which he won an Oscar for recently).

The movie’s plot line is very well made. It moved well, but towards the end it began to drag (I’ll touch on that later). The film is gruesome too, which keeps it raw and real. It stays true to the fact that rape and physical abuse is a disturbing and terrifying experience. There were scenes that made the theater patrons feel uncomfortable, but it wasn’t too overbearing. The film also contained an element of mystery, which kept my interest. It visually excited me too, containing beautiful scenic environments. Everything from the forest-hidden homes to the grandiose mountains used in the film resonates with the theme, dark and chilling. The majority of the film was probably shot somewhere in Eastern Europe, like Russia or Poland. I will also mention that this film is heavy in dialogue and symbolic meaning. You have to be able to deal with twisted (and sometimes confusing) conversations and silently chilling scenes.

My one other caveat is that the movie does tend to run a little long. It’s one of those films that contains a scene which you think is going to end the movie, but it just keeps going. I personally was annoyed and felt that the movie was dragging the last twenty minutes. It was delving too deep into another sub-plot that seemed unnecessary.

But all in all the film was a pleasant experience, which I recommend to others. I enjoyed the acting and was captivated by the unique plotline. The best way to put it is, GWADT is a dark action-packed conversation-heavy thriller.

BONUS: Thoughts on Rooney Mara’s Oscar Nomination

Although she played well, she definitely didn’t deserve the Oscar, at least not yet. She has a few more years to perfect her acting skills. The fact that Meryl Streep’s performance in ‘The Iron Lady’ was amazing didn’t help Rooney’s case either. ‘The Iron Lady’ was a mediocre, and sometimes slow moving, film, but Streep made it exceptional. She definitely deserved the Oscar. At times I would forget it was Meryl Streep playing the role, which is the epitome of a great a great actor.

 

SEE IT!

Introductions/About Me

Movies are the universal language of the world. It’s a subject that almost every person takes part in and can bring people together. Basically movies are like the weather, it’s one of the few topics you can discuss with a complete stranger.

Why do we watch movies? It’s an escape from our crazy hectic lives, to put it bluntly. The majority of us aren’t going to be super heroes, international spies, or Megan Fox’s boyfriend. Movies give us the chance to take a break from our lives and live through someone else. Movies are our portal to another world. The world we imagine sometimes or the world we wish we could be in. I’m here to give you my two cents about the best, worst, and everything in between about movies.

Why should you read my blog?

Too often I hear people say, “don’t believe what that critics say” or “critics are unnecessarily harsh.” I’ve decided to write this blog because I too have those feelings. There are countless critics that judge a movie based on “professional” feelings, and expect the everyone to agree with them. Sometimes a person in the industry is the exact person who shouldn't be reviewing a film. They may be viewing the film from inside “the box” or according to “industry standards.”

The word “critic” or “critique” has even become a negative term because of this practice. I am here to watch movies and tell you about them from my perspective. The perceptive of the average moviegoer. I can judge a movie from the point of view of an educated person who lives and breathes movies. My friends pride me on this all the time, so I thought why not share my thoughts with everyone.

I can tell you what’s worth watching and what’s not, although I may not be right every time. I am an avid moviegoer and enjoy almost every genre of film. I always have an internal dialogue in my mind when watching a film. Even after a movie I’ll keep thinking and talking about it. And that’s just it, the movie experience is not over for me after the credits roll. It continues to evoke feelings, sometimes good and sometimes bad. But regardless, I love talking about movies and letting people know what works and what doesn’t. So stay tuned and see what I’ve got to say. Ultimately I am simply giving you my opinion and personal thoughts. If you like my reviews please let me know and share them with your friends/family. If you don’t like what I’ve got to say let me know (preferably in a private email) so I can perfect my film review skills for you. 

Thanks and enjoy!