Review: PUSS IN BOOTS

For a movie that centers on the unlikely friendship between a talking boot-wearing feline and a sentient bank-robbing egg, as they search for a golden egg laying duckling who lives in a castle in the clouds, Puss in Boots is incredibly straight forward in its narrative. You have seen this story before, and if you were born pre-Y2K, you might have heard a few of the nursery rhymes it amalgamates. There are no surprises and it pretty much plays out the way you expected it from beginning to end. But it remains good harmless fun within tradition of DreamWorks’ double entendres.

Where in the World will Hangover Part III be set?

            It was no surprised last Monday when Warner Bros. announced that the Hangover Part III was given the green light after the Hangover Part II broke all types of box office records, including the biggest opening for a comedy and an R-rate film, when it grossed $205 million in just five days. As of now, Craig Mazin, who co-wrote Part II but was not involved in the first installment, is the only one to have begun working on the film. The stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galafanianakis, as well as director Todd Phillips had only signed up for one sequel, so it is still unknown if they will return.

            Although I was not a fan of the first one, and I am certainly not defending the second one as having any redeemable qualities, the news did send me speculating over what city they will use for the third movie. After Vegas, and Bangkok it is hard to see what Sin City can cause more damage to the Wolf Pack. These are some of the most likely candidates:

Review: THE HANGOVER PART II

            I wasn’t that big a fan of the first Hangover. Sure, it had its laugh out loud moments, a few good OMFG shocks here and there, a sincerely nice stripper just looking for the right guy, and it launched Zach Galifianakis’ career. But despite all of this, the surreality of actually believing that three men can undergo an night that includes stealing a tiger from Mike Tyson’s home and sneaking the animal into the penthouse suite of the Caesar’s palace while being so effed up that they can’t remember a thing the next day was a too big a suspension of disbelief for me. I laughed, but I could not shake up the feeling that it could have had much more to offer. The Hangover Part II tries really hard to recreate the spontaneity, absurdity, and laughs of the first; it manages it at times, but on most tries it misses by a long shot. The result is a lesser carbon copy of the first that is missing the one thing that did make the first Hangover memorable, freshness.

 

Hangover 2 Trailer

I personally didn't love the first one, but this looks interesting.

Review: DUE DATE

The first thing I thought about Due Date when I left the theater was that it reminded me of a late 80's or early 90's comedy that I would have grown up watching, and probably loved. It's very funny, and I can imagine it being a memorable comedy if it were made that long ago. Then I realized it was made that long ago. It was called Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.

It's Kind of a Funny Story

I'm really excited for this.

Due Date

Jamie Foxx must be upset with how little he's in this trailer.
I like the thought of that.

Review: THE HANGOVER

The latest from Todd Phillips made me laugh and cringe, sometimes at the same time. The premise of the film is a simple one to follow. Four guys go to Vegas for a bachelor party with the groom. They wake up the next morning and don't remember anything about what happened the night before, including where they left the groom.

Review: YOUTH IN REVOLT

Let me start off by stating my criteria for this review. I have NOT seen a movie with Michael Cera as the starring role. Also, I have NOT read the book Youth In Revolt. So needless to say I went into this film not expecting anything. After seeing the film and finding out things about the book, I want to tell those fans of the book that this is not a 100% faithful adaptation. There are many characters that are left out, as well as plot points. The story of Nick Twisp centers around one thing and one thing only, Sheeni Saunders.

I Don't Think I'll Revolt

Finally, a book to movie adaptation that I am not deathly afraid of.

As a hardcore fan of C.D. Payne's Youth In Revolt, it would be difficult to win my approval for the film adaptation.

The book is about 14 year-old Nick Twisp, an extremely intelligent, and extremely horny boy. He has two missions in life; read more books, and lose his virginity to the ever elusive Sheeni Saunders.

It is easily one of the funniest books I have ever read, and it is also one of the most graphic. If they were to make this movie true to the book, it would be rated X. However, they want to make money on this thing, and I think MIchael Cera doing an X rated movie would be, for lack of a better phrase, the end of his career.

So here we have MIchael Cera saddled with a character that he has never played before - someone charismatic, and someone with the vocabulary of someone 40 years older than him.

And you know what? I think he can do it. Not because I want him to be able to. Because I really do. I know he has played the same character over and over. But, it is because the script has always called for it. I believe in my heart he can pull it off. So Michael, if you are reading this, DON'T LET ME DOWN.

As for Sheeni, I don't know what to expect. The character of Sheeni is very complex, and not just anyone can play her. If you've read the book, you know what I mean. If you haven't, think of Hermione Granger, but way more promiscuous. Portia Doubleday is cast as Sheeni. I don't know her work, and I hope she can make it happen.

As for the rest of the cast, I think it looks great. We have Ari Graynor (who I mentioned was great in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist), Steve Buscemi, Jonathan B. Wright, Jean Smart, Fred Willard, Justin Long, Ray Liotta, and Zach Galifianakis.

Miguel Arteta is signed on to direct. The only two things I have seen of his are single episodes of The Office and Freaks and Geeks. And I can't recall an episode I didn't like of either. So...

Sounds good to me. I look forward to this movie greatly.


Oh, and if you haven't read the book, go ahead and pick it up. It's among the best books I've read.