1962 - The Lego Movie

In theory the idea of a Lego Movie is terrible.  Seriously.  And when I was asked what it was about, I told someone that the plot was, actually, about how to play with lego.  Which sounds ridiculous.  But it's true - and it's awesome.  It took me a little while to get into it if I'm honest, but part of that was getting my little guy and his popcorn sorted out - so I absolutely need to see it again just to watch it clean and without distractions.  I don't want to say too much about it - the reviews kind of speak for itself, but I will say that the film has one of the smartest third acts in a kid's movie I've ever seen - and what might be my favourite final line of a film - the funniest anyway.
If you've ever played with Lego you should love it.  Unless you're dead inside...

1685 - It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia: season seven

Aha!  And now I'm finally caught up on the exploits of "The Gang!".  I got behind on this show but I'm finally up to speed.  What I love about the photo above is how well it actually captures the spirit of the show.  These people are a family.  A fucked up family to be sure, but they are that.  They don't always get along, they almost always put themselves before anyone else, and will throw someone else under the bus at a moments notice, but when the chips are down (and everyone else is against them) they'll beat the odds to... get back to status quo. 
Some critics have made a point of commenting about how this is the most uneven season of the show thus far, and also how 'meta' is it.  It never bothered me, and when characters like these guys become self-aware from time to time, it's pretty damn rewarding.  I have to say though, I think that Dennis Reynolds wins the award for character who has officially gone to the dark side.  They really played with his sexual exploits this season, and the reveal of his 'tools' in the finale was perfect. 
I don't feel the need to go into specifics of the season as revealing even the episode titles gives the best of gags away, but I think that the show is doing a good job of keeping things fresh while still remaining true to what it is.  They've signed up for at least two more seasons so I'll be interested to see where they head.  Will Matt stay fat?  That'll be interesting...

1656 - It's Always Sunny in Philidephia: season six

So I got distracted by life and totally missed an entire season of this show (and apparently missed comment on seasons four and five as well - my bad). So now I'm playing catch-up so that I can get to the seventh season to see what's going on with Fat Mac.
This is a show that's been described as Seinfeld-on-crack, and I don't think that's a terrible description of it by any means.  At one point I considered writing a spec for this series and all my ideas stemmed from title ideas, which are a highlight on this series.  This season included "Mac Fights Gay Marriage", "Who Got Dee Pregnant?", and "The Gang Gets Stranded in the Woods" to name but a few.  I liked how this season had a few carry over stories, like Dennis getting married - Dee and Charlie working at the school - Dee's pregnancy.  The extra continuity adds to the fun, I think, even though this series works quite well in it's standalone nature. 
I've already written about the Christmas special which ended this season (pure wonderfulness), so click on the tags below for that.
There's a lot to like about this show and it truly is a unique and original show that takes from successful shows of the past and really makes it their own.  The FX comedy model is a great one and I think we'd do well to do a similar one here in Canada.  If you haven't caught onto this show yet and you like your comedy on the dark side of things, this is a no-brainer.  Check it out.

1612 - Horrible Bosses

This is the kind of film where you've got the combination of great cast + great premise = I want to see it.  So what's it about, if you haven't heard - Three friends have three terrible human beings for bosses, and after finally having enough they realize that their lives would be much easier without them.  And so cue the Strangers on a Train/Throw Momma, etc... examples.
This is the kind of film where if you turn off the logic filter on your brain and you just sit back and relax - it's easy to do just that.  And you'll laugh - a lot.  It's by no means a perfect film, and it's one that I'll probably never fee the need to see again, but it was a solid and entertaining ride.  They play off the scenarios extremely well - sometimes missing a few comic opportunities, but cashing in on other that you might not consider.  If you want to see something just for the sake of laughing, this one is an easy recommend - but if you want a good solid comedy I'd have to say that play it by your personal interest. 

1580 - Going the Distance

I'm a big fan of a lot of the people in this film - Justin Long, Drew Barrymore, Charlie Day, the list goes on.  This is kind of your typical rom-com about a couple trying to stay together against adversity (this case being a long distance relationship) however it's... I don't know, it's kind of weird.  The tone is a little inconsistent, the film started off on a far more blunt and blatant sexual tone than I had expected (surprisingly enjoyed) but then that just kind of fades away and it floats more into typical rom-com tone - which was a shame.  I found that it foundered a little bit and created obstacles that didn't fit or exist (there's this little sequence involving Long's character concerned about needing to get a tan to look good for his girlfriend, where we've never set up for a moment that she would want such a thing).  I didn't hate the sequence, some funny comes out of it, but I just wanted more things connected more honestly and organically to the core story.  They turn Applegate's character into some kind of neat-freak, which I suppose is meant to be a quirky character trait, but she's entertaining enough with the rest of his stuff that this ultimately feels a bit forced.
Barrymore and Long are the highlights (as they should be) and they elevate the film wherever the script is lacking.  Barrymore in particular is rejuvenated here (for the most part) with an honest energy we haven't seen - her laugh is infectious and honest and really makes you love this pair.
So I don't have a strong recommend on this one, but I wouldn't deter people from watching it either.  
Going the Distance  Going the Distance [Blu-ray]