Posted on August 26, 2010 by Darren
Baby Mama is effectively a “buddy” chick flick. Indeed, considering that the bulk of buddy guy flicks – like Lethal Weapon or The Expendables – are about guys doing stereotypically “macho” stuff (grrr… explosions and guns and fights and stuff!!!), it’s perhaps appropriate that this movie pairs off its two leads doing something stereotypically “feminine” (awww…. babies and maternal instincts and things…). The premise and the message of the movie are difficult to get a hold of (it by turns mocks and reinforces a conventional liberal perspective, particularly in its portrayal of class conflicts), but works at its best when it lets its two tremendously talented leads time and room to work – there’s a reason that Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are competing against each other for that Emmy this year. Despite its fairly heavy subject matter, the movie arguably finds its feet as a conventional “odd couple” comedy – which is a shame, as that’s only one of many things it’s juggling.
Guess which one's white trash...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: amy pehler, baby mama, comedy, feminism, films, greg kinnear, modern families, motherhood, Movies, non-review review, review, sigourney weaver, single motherhood, steve martin, tina fey, unconventional families | 2 Comments »
Posted on August 4, 2010 by Darren
It’s one of those things that, repeated often enough, becomes the truth. The Simpsons were funnier in the old days. In fact, limping into its twenty-first season, there are probably die-hard fans out there looking for what they might deem a “mercy killing” from Fox, and the vast majority of us have just really stopped watching. However, as I went back this week and re-evaluated all the Futurama movies, it got me thinking: is it really fair to make the argument that The Simpsons aren’t as good as they once were?
It's a tough balancing act...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: comedy, funny, humour, Television, the simpsons | 9 Comments »
Posted on August 3, 2010 by Darren
I wasn’t overly impressed with the first of the Futurama movies, Bender’s Big Score. It was grand, and a wonderful emotional kick made it worth watching, but it felt very insular and a little too random in its execution – built around in-jokes and clever ideas discarded after five minutes or so. Somewhat paradoxically, it felt more like a “final” episode than the “first” of anything, let alone a welcome to this new format for the show. So I was more than a bit relieved to discover that The Beast With A Billion Backs was a far more consistent viewing experience, but also one which felt a lot more like a regular episode of the show, just stretched to two hours. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
... And Zoidberg, too!
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: comedy, futurama, matt groening, science fiction, the beast with a billion backs, the beast with two backs | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 2, 2010 by Darren
I have to confess that I have a soft spot for Dogma. It’s very much the black sheep of Kevin Smith’s “View Askew” trilogy (of six films), veering away from incorporating his trademark witty banter and dialogue with a relatively new philosophical and religious undercurrents. Dogma is, in fact, an odd film by any standard – one part “group on a quest” film akin to The Lord of the Rings, one part slapstick comedy and part indie introspective dramedy. Smith admittedly has great difficulty balancing the different demands on his script, pulling it one way or the other. It doesn’t always work, but the cocktail is certainly interesting and – truth be told – I am actually quite fond of the film.
Alan Rickman found himself winging it...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: alan rickman, angels, ben affleck, christianity, comedy, god, irreverant, jason lee, jay, jay and silent bob, kevin smith, linda fiorentino, matt damon, religion, salma hayek, silent bob, theology, view askew | 16 Comments »
Posted on June 28, 2010 by Darren
The wonderful lads over at Anomalous Materials are running a tournament over the summer to find the best comedy of all time. Think of it as a world cup, for film nerds. However, the competition – like our quad-annual footie fest – has had its share of upsets. Most notable in an early round where Galaxy Quest triumphed over Some Like it Hot or the trumping of Arsenic and Old Lace by A Fish Called Wanda another day (the same day The General went home empty handed, losing to Mrs. Doubtfire) or Bringing Up Baby getting trounced by Little Miss Sunshine. There are more borderline cases, with The Apartment beating The Circus or The Great Dictator losing to The Graduate. However, the only victory for a “classic” classic film I could find was that of City Lights over A Christmas Story. This sparked a bit of discussion between those taking part (which is, in fairness, the rather wonderful thing about events like this), but it got us wondering: Is comedy a fickle mistress? Has what the audience expected from a comedy changed dramatically with the times? Are what many consider to be “classics” of the genre subject to this winds of change and popular taste?
Modern Times are tough for Charlie...
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Filed under: Movies | Tagged: Anomalous Materials, best comedy of all time, black and white, buster keaton, charlie chaplin, classic, classic comedy, comedy, forgotten, humour, jokes, modern, modern classic, modern comedy, Movies, popular opinion, sense of humour, silent film, taste, zeitgeist | 12 Comments »
Posted on June 26, 2010 by Darren
I quite enjoyed Get Him to the Greek. It wasn’t quite as wonderfully put together as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but it’s a pleasant little comedy that treads familiar ground, but in a witty and confident manner. The movie isn’t exactly a laugh-a-minute, it is one of the better major releases so far this summer.
Aldous is about to have his world rocked...
Note: My brother and correspondent, Ciaran, reviewed the film earlier in the week. My thoughts aren’t too different than his – save a few details here or there (I maybe liked it a tiny bit more). It’s well worth a read.
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aldous snow, colm meaney, comedy, films, forgetting sarah marshall, get him to the greek, jonah hill, music, non-review review, p. diddy, puff daddy, review, russell brand, sean combs | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 23, 2010 by cimooney
I’m a big fan of Russell Brand but he seems to be somewhat overshadowed by Jonah Hill in Get Him to the Greek. Hill easily steals the show and is the main reason this film is funny, I may even go as far as saying he’s the only reason this movie is funny. Without Hill this movie may have fallen down, but luckily he keeps everything a float throughout the course of the film.
It's only rock'n'roll but we like it...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aldous snow, comedy, films, get him to the greek, jonah hill, Movies, non-review review, p. diddy, puff daddy, review, russell brand, sean combc | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 22, 2010 by Darren
Ever thought Hamlet was kinda a downer, what with everybody dying and all? Well, you’re not alone. Failed actor and volunteer drama teacher Dana Marschz had the same notion. Drafting only his misfit bunch of drama students, he has decided to stage a play of his own, using it as a window to explore his own peculiar father issues through the window of a time-traveling Hamlet and a (rock me, rock me) sexy Jesus. The movie doesn’t perfectly capitalise on its downright hilarious premise, but it’s still a wonderfully entertaining story with a promising lead performance.
Sexy Jesus found his role greatly increased in the sequel...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: comedy, hamlet, hamlet 2, mvoies, non-review review, review, steve coogan, the arts | 7 Comments »
Posted on June 21, 2010 by Darren
Yes Man is a fairly standard romantic comedy with an inventive (but one-note) high concept. It does, however, have an ace in the hole: Jim Carrey.
Keep Pottering on...
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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: bradley cooper, comedy, films, fionnula flannigan, jim carrey, luis guzman, Movies, no, non-review review, review, rhys darby, spencer garrett, terrence stamp, yes, yes man | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 17, 2010 by Darren
Hey there, the always cool guys over at Universal are looking for suggestions for questions for a Q & A session with Get Him to the Greek stars Russell Brand and Jonah Hill that will follow the Irish premiere next Tuesday night. They’ve also got a competition for a few tickets to the event itself. If you want to check it out, just pop on over to their facebook, right here.
The competition isn't THAT serious...
Filed under: Movies | Tagged: comedy, facebook, film, get him to the greek, irish premiere, jonah hill, Movies, premiere, russell brand, tickets | 4 Comments »
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