2050 - Wreck It Ralph

I loved the premise of this when I first saw the trailer, but I have to say that I totally under-estimated this film.  I realize that John Lasseter has his hands in it, so it should be no surprise, really.  The story here is super fun, super tight, and ridiculously smart.  The story turns are very sophisticated and keep me curious where everything was going.  I enjoyed this as much as my son, and maybe even a little bit more.  This one is an easily recommended, especially if you’ve got a kid who enjoys his video games.

2047 - Guardians of the Galaxy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting to the point, for me, where it’s akin to the work done in the heyday of Pixar.  And given that Disney owns both them and now Star Wars, anyone who owns stocks in the Mouse are certainly going to be happy in the upcoming years.

Like most people I didn’t know ANYTHING about Guardians of the Galaxy going into this.  And I came out wondering if this was my favourite of the Marvel side-franchises.  It is so goddamn good.  It’s the most fun I’ve had in a Marvel film, including Avengers.  It starts off with a huge gut-punch - which hit me especially hard because of personal reasons - and then it involved into something that was sweet and funny and grand.  Chris Pine is an all-star, and Bradley Cooper makes Rocket more than just a wise-talking side-kick.  

My only complaint, and this is more a big-world question than anything else.  The villain’s lair/world(?) just feels so small and empty.  He wants to destroy things, a planet, but I never really got a strong sense of why - outside of the fact that it was evil and he’s evil.  If I have a complaint with this film it’s that the villain was a pretty weak cardboard cut-out - zero personality besides ‘bad’.  So that was the weak part of the film for me - that said the rest of the ensemble is so delightfully entertaining that it doesn’t hurt the overall movie like it should.  

Keep up the good work, Marvel.  The way you weave all your properties together is such a clever way of insuring viewership - but it’s also rewarding for the audience.  Keep up the quality and I’ll keep showing up.  

1933 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Coxe Story

I saw this film in theatres and haven't revisited it - one thing that surprised me was the amount of cameos in the film, or at least they'd be considered that now - the little bit parts with Ed Helms and Craig Robinson, the inspired casting for both the Beatles and Elvis - even that alone make it worth watching.
When I first saw this I hadn't see the American version of The Office yet, so the thing that leaped out at me here was Jenna Fischer.  I fell in love with her the first time I watched this.  I thought that she was easily one of the most beautiful women on the planet - first because she's ridiculously attractive, especially in this film - but also because her comedy timing and chops are sensational.  It's been a delight to watch her since then - I'd love the chance to work with her.
This film still holds up - the comedy is over the top - but it sure does take a piss on bio pics - which I recall there was a plethora of around that time, so good on them.  The music is sharp, the attention to the time periods as well.  It's a really enjoyable flick that's funny and smart at the same time.  If you've never seen it and you're a music lover, or just a lover of comedy that's a bit over the top, look no further!

1724 - That Moment (Magnolia Diary)

You could say that this technically isn't a movie or a television show, or even a documentary.  It's a special feature on the Magnolia DVD, and to be honest, it's easily my favourite special feature on any film that I've seen.  It's over an hour long and it's the most entertaining behind the scenes of a film that I've ever see.  Everyone is so honest and authentic, and they have a sense of humour about it all.  Wanted to re-watch it as a reference for what some people want to do for Sex After Kids.  If you own the Magnolia DVD and you've never seen this it's a real treat - especially for any Paul Thomas Anderson fans.  I've probably re-watched this more than the film itself.

1721 - Magnolia

I was in my senior years of High School when this came out and I remember seeing it with some friends who thought it was a pretty dumb film, and I kept quiet, not wanting to stand out as the dissenter in the ranks.  This was a film that really stuck with me.  Sure, you could say that it's slightly heavy handed and has it's fair share of pretentious bits, but I think they're intentional and the film works better for it.
It's a tour-de-force in terms of performances, and easily one of the best ensembles ever assembled.  As arty as PTA is as a filmmaker, he goes simple on this more often than not and it really helps us get centered and grounded into the characters and their lives.  This film has a wonderful flow to it - there's an excitement and you really don't feel it's three hour length as much as you might expect.
This really is one of the great films and I think anyone who doesn't mind some entertaining drama should give it a shot if you've never got a chance to see it. 

1694 - Terri

This film was a favorite at Sundance last year and it's not surprising.  It fits right into that quirky mold.  Terri tells the story of a depressed, obese, high school student who has to help take care of his mentally ill Uncle (played by The Office's Creed Bratton, surprisingly), and also who happens to wear pajamas all the time.  Why?  "Because they're comfortable."  The real reason - it's unique and looks cool on a film poster. 
What I liked about this film was that it's not your typical film about a highschool loser who learns to fit in and who people get to know and realize that he's a really great person.  And it doesn't take the Glee route where the outcasts are actually just as attractive as the cool kids.  It feels a lot more authentic than that.  People think Terri is weird and they avoid him.  John C Reilly plays a guidance councilor who has the best intentions for his student but at one point muses something to the effect of: "I wonder if I shouldn't just let you all be terrible to one another, prepare you for the real world."  And that rings pretty damn true. 
While I found that the film made a lot of choices for the sake of being non-traditional rather than honest and true to the characters, I think that there's a decent audience for a film like this.  At the same time it's the kind of film that will frustrate anyone looking for the usual character arc.  Terri isn't like that.  He's pretty much the same depressed obese kid at the end that he is at the beginning.  In fact not a lot changes for the character or the world inside of Terri - if anything it's just catching a glimpse of that world - which in and of itself makes the film watchable. 
I liked it but I didn't love it.  It's on netflix for those that are curious about it. 

1683 - Cedar Rapids

I've had the script for the film for a long time, back when it was on the black list, but I never got around to reading it, and decided not to when I saw that it was slated to be made.  Now I'm really curious to see what, if anything, changed during production. 
It's the story of a man from a small town insurance company getting a chance to represent his firm at a big conference.  This man has never gone anywhere, nor really experienced life to the fullest.  He's about to.  It sounds like a really simple and not terribly interesting premise, but it's a really lovely story.  Ed Helms is fantastic here, Reilly is delightful as it Anne Heche, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.  It's not so much a laugh-out-loud comedy as it is the kind that just puts a smile on your face and keeps it there the entire film (which, I think in the end, makes it a better film). 
This film never really got the wide release that it should have, but it's on netflix now, and really worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of any of the actors I mentioned above.  It's a lovely little film, and well worth your time.

1607 - Cyrus

I got around to this film a lot later than I wanted to, but better that than never, right?  I bought this DVD at a blockbuster closing sale, but I think it's on netflix as well.  Cyrus is the story of a lovable lug, John C. Reilly, who finally meets the right woman, but she's living with a needy grow-up-son, and (as expected) the two clash.
What I like in particular about how the Duplass clan approaches story telling is that it's plot by character growth.  This could have very very easily been a big broad comedy with these two men one-upping one another in outrageous ways, but I think the harder choice was to really ground this in reality and make us really feel for these characters and all of their struggles.  There is a particularly lovely device that's used where a speech/reflection from a previous or soon to come scene plays at voice-over during a scene that cleverly punctuates it.  Hill could just be a big goof, but he's human and flawed and comes to terms with that.  Most men would wonder - why put up with that shit?  But the set-u for Reilly character is perfect, and honestly, who wouldn't want to be with this smart, sexy, and fun Marissa Tomei?!  She and Reilly have a lovely chemistry together and it makes the story work because of it (not that there are story problems, far from it). 
This is by no means laugh-out-loud, but there's some great chuckles, but more importantly it's about dealing with change when you're not ready to and don't know how.  It's a lovely, lovely film and I recommend it for anyone who likes good character romance and drama. 
Cyrus  Cyrus [Blu-ray]

1360 - The Promotion

This was a film that interested me back when Ryan and I were first starting to write Speak For Yourself, Asshole, as we have an inner-office rivalry in that film and so I was seeking out others of its ilk.

It's an interesting film. The tone is... well... I think... undecided. It has these moments that are awkward, but not in the fun way that people use awkward humour. The cast is fine, all are better performers than what they dish out here. It just feels a bit flat. Don't get me wrong - there's some really great moments, so nice insights into corporate culture, etc... but the whole thing just feels a tad muddled. I can't really give a strong recommendation either way - if it peaks your interest, go for it, if not, you're probably not missing a whole hell of a lot. Sorry Steve Conrad!

1088 - Step-Brothers

My Dad was in town and so we gave him free reign on seeing whatever film he wanted to. So here we were. He loves these kinds of films, and I get it. I get that this will make a shit load of money and it doesn't matter that there aren't any really decent story points or motivations for changes or scenes, and it's not that kind of film. It's exactly what you expect from seeing the trailer, and I'm sure that they weren't aiming for anything higher. It's just a shame that a cast as talented as this isn't producing something a little more satisfying. Especially since Apatow's name is on this somewhere, you just expect a little more heart.

Oh well. I laughed out loud enough, so there's that. If you've seen the trailer you've seen the film.