Well for my second review, I received a request from a good friend of mine that I watch the film, "Jeff Who Lives at Home," which is currently residing on Netflix. Honestly, Netflix is great for TV Shows and looking at some of those movies you used to watch but never wound up purchasing because they weren't so great, but for the most part cinematic genius doesn't tend to run on this application (after all, why would they if they thought the movie would still make money outside of it?). So when the request to review this came my way, I put it off... and put it off... and kept putting it off because even though I trusted my friend's judgement, I was still skeptical. Last night, however, I finally posted that bad boy into my instant que, grabbed a beer, and got ready to watch.
Upon first observation of the cover photo, I was pleasantly surprised to note that the two main characters were played by Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Ed Helms (The Hangover). I've always loved Jason Segel and thought he was hilarious, and Ed Helms had been fairly funny in The Hangover as well. Expecting some fairly light-hearted and possibly low iq humor, I settled in to watch this flick. Boy was I in for a completely different experience...
I don't want to divulge too much of the premise of this movie, because I thoroughly recommend that if you haven't already seen it, you look it up on Netflix ASAP and watch it. The story follows three main characters, Jeff (Jason Segel) who is a thirty year old man still living at home in his mother's basement and constantly smoking pot, Pat (Ed Helms) who is Jeff's older brother and a screw up in different ways including his marriage, and Sharon (Susan Sarandon) who plays the two boys fed up mother. I won't persist into the actual story much, but instead of a lighthearted comedy, this movie delves deep into the ideas of destiny, purpose, and normalcy. It is a refreshing reflection on what we decide is important in our lives vs. what is actually important. Jason Segel is absolutely phenomenal in this serious role, causing the audience to empathize and relate to his situation even if they aren't actually facing similar circumstances. Ed Helm's performance was also quite good, and Susan Sarandon captures the audience's heart from the moment she appears on screen. The acting was well done, the story is heart-warming and relevant, and the overall presentation will have you experiencing a vast array of emotions from happiness to despair.
My Recommendation: A Must-See for any film lover.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
Pitch Perfect, or Atonal Mess?
Welcome back ladies and gents,
Sorry it's been so slow getting started, but I'm finally ready to do my first critique. I figured this one would have to be a great one to start on, so what better controversial movie than Pitch Perfect? Pitch Perfect was released in 2012 and directed by Jason Moore. It boasts a few bigger names such as Elizabeth Banks ("Scrubs") and John Michael Higgins ("Yes Man" "The Ugly Truth"), but also introduces some newer talents in the leads, Anna Kendrick and Skylar Astin.
So let's get started with my thoughts before seeing the movie:
1. "Great... they made Glee into a movie."
2. "Hey, this looks just like one of those horrible comedies that shows all the funny bits in the previews..."
3. "The 'Fat Amy' character is going to be the only saving grace of this 'film' because she's slightly amusing."
4. "This movie looks like a no-plot, cheap laughs, glee-centered attempt to steal my money."
So if you can't tell from that, I didn't have a high opinion of this film before I watched it. To be honest, the ONLY reason I watched it was because I was bored out of my mind and my mom and sister had taken over control of the TV. That being said, as much as I hate to admit it, I actually enjoyed this movie.
Sure, the plot isn't something that stands by great films like "Shawshank Redemption" or "Good Will Hunting," but it's not nearly as horrible as I thought it would be. There was a definite story, as cheesy as it was, and it did unfold as the movie went on. The things that really made this entertaining, however, had nothing to do with the plot. The characters, humor, and surprisingly the music are what make this worth-while. So let me recap in an organized fashion.
1. The Music
The Music in this movie is fantastic. I don't care if you're the snobbiest of music snobs, the mash-ups are way above the "Glee" quality, and regardless of some of the editing, most of the singing seems to be legit and boy can some of these actors sing. Anna Kendrick has a great voice, as does Skylar Astin and MOST of the rest of the cast. The mash-ups are actually genius, and one of the best places that this appears is in the "vocal battle" portion of the movie. The songs move seamlessly together, and the arrangements are actually quite good. As a music major from a respected university, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the music.
2. The Comedy
Lets be honest, this movie isn't trying to win Oscars. It makes fun of itself as much as anyone else would, which is totally fitting to the style of the film. It doesn't take anything seriously, but also doesn't push it to the point of insulting people (mainly "Gleeks" as they like to be called) but it does poke fun at the people who are so overly serious and insane about this type of music and college activity. One of the best scenes for this is the "initiation" scene where each member of the new groups is becoming initiated. This is done in complete jest almost to the extent of a stereotypical fraternity or sorority. Overall, as long as you aren't going to be offended or try to take this movie too seriously, it's incredibly funny. OH, and one of the best parts is the performance by Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins, who play the announcers at each of the competitions. Their banter back and forth is by far the highlight of the film.
3. The Breakfast Club
Yes, this needs to have it's own section. The incorporation of the ending of The Breakfast Club and using that to represent the love story, and eventually incorporating it into the final mash-up is absolute genius. Don't you (forget about me) is a great song, and it just adds such an emotional level to this movie that probably couldn't have been achieved otherwise. It lets the audience identify with the struggle of the main characters, and makes you root for the happy ending the whole way through.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I actually really enjoyed this movie. I am a little embarrassed to admit it because the premise is so cheesy and ridiculous, but the movie was really well done in a lot of ways. If nothing else, it's worth it for the comedy and the music.
My Recommendation: Give it a try, at least once.
Sorry it's been so slow getting started, but I'm finally ready to do my first critique. I figured this one would have to be a great one to start on, so what better controversial movie than Pitch Perfect? Pitch Perfect was released in 2012 and directed by Jason Moore. It boasts a few bigger names such as Elizabeth Banks ("Scrubs") and John Michael Higgins ("Yes Man" "The Ugly Truth"), but also introduces some newer talents in the leads, Anna Kendrick and Skylar Astin.
So let's get started with my thoughts before seeing the movie:
1. "Great... they made Glee into a movie."
2. "Hey, this looks just like one of those horrible comedies that shows all the funny bits in the previews..."
3. "The 'Fat Amy' character is going to be the only saving grace of this 'film' because she's slightly amusing."
4. "This movie looks like a no-plot, cheap laughs, glee-centered attempt to steal my money."
So if you can't tell from that, I didn't have a high opinion of this film before I watched it. To be honest, the ONLY reason I watched it was because I was bored out of my mind and my mom and sister had taken over control of the TV. That being said, as much as I hate to admit it, I actually enjoyed this movie.
Sure, the plot isn't something that stands by great films like "Shawshank Redemption" or "Good Will Hunting," but it's not nearly as horrible as I thought it would be. There was a definite story, as cheesy as it was, and it did unfold as the movie went on. The things that really made this entertaining, however, had nothing to do with the plot. The characters, humor, and surprisingly the music are what make this worth-while. So let me recap in an organized fashion.
1. The Music
The Music in this movie is fantastic. I don't care if you're the snobbiest of music snobs, the mash-ups are way above the "Glee" quality, and regardless of some of the editing, most of the singing seems to be legit and boy can some of these actors sing. Anna Kendrick has a great voice, as does Skylar Astin and MOST of the rest of the cast. The mash-ups are actually genius, and one of the best places that this appears is in the "vocal battle" portion of the movie. The songs move seamlessly together, and the arrangements are actually quite good. As a music major from a respected university, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the music.
2. The Comedy
Lets be honest, this movie isn't trying to win Oscars. It makes fun of itself as much as anyone else would, which is totally fitting to the style of the film. It doesn't take anything seriously, but also doesn't push it to the point of insulting people (mainly "Gleeks" as they like to be called) but it does poke fun at the people who are so overly serious and insane about this type of music and college activity. One of the best scenes for this is the "initiation" scene where each member of the new groups is becoming initiated. This is done in complete jest almost to the extent of a stereotypical fraternity or sorority. Overall, as long as you aren't going to be offended or try to take this movie too seriously, it's incredibly funny. OH, and one of the best parts is the performance by Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins, who play the announcers at each of the competitions. Their banter back and forth is by far the highlight of the film.
3. The Breakfast Club
Yes, this needs to have it's own section. The incorporation of the ending of The Breakfast Club and using that to represent the love story, and eventually incorporating it into the final mash-up is absolute genius. Don't you (forget about me) is a great song, and it just adds such an emotional level to this movie that probably couldn't have been achieved otherwise. It lets the audience identify with the struggle of the main characters, and makes you root for the happy ending the whole way through.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I actually really enjoyed this movie. I am a little embarrassed to admit it because the premise is so cheesy and ridiculous, but the movie was really well done in a lot of ways. If nothing else, it's worth it for the comedy and the music.
My Recommendation: Give it a try, at least once.
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