Now on DVD: The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) - 2.5/5 Stars

In the tradition of the many other Will Ferrell-Adam McKay produced comedies with a colon in the title that's focused on a quirky character, "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard" makes a pitch for awkward humor from a wide range of messed up characters. If you're an easy sell on that kind of humor "The Goods" is worth the time, but looking at it more critically, this movie is just trying to dress up used material so it can sell it like it's new.

Jeremy Piven is the latest comedian after Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly to attempt to pilot this ailing brand of comedy. Don Ready is a smooth-talking car salesman brought in to help a struggling dealership, a role that's perhaps a natural evolution (or de-evolution) for Piven's beloved "Entourage" character, Hollywood agent Ari Gold. Unlike those before him, Piven is not an "I can act so dumb it's funny" kind of guy so by no fault of his own, he fails to be the best character in his own film. He's just a hot shot stereotype ramblin' man character and that's why he's given such a large supporting cast.

"The Goods" overloads on whack-job character portraits. Andy Stock and Rick Stempson, writers of the straight-to-DVD colon comedy "Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach" starring Sean William-Scott, base their entire film around these character concepts. The plot is dumb, the events that happen are completely pointless: only the characters and the scenes written to utilize the character's comedic potential are given attention.

Naturally, Ready has a crew that mostly have no tangible sales skill. There's Brent Gage (David Koechner aka Champ Kind in "Anchorman"), the quasi normal guy who exists solely so the dealership's owner Mr. Selleck (James Brolin) can make awkward homosexual advances towards him, Jibby (Ving Rhames) who's had meaningless sex all his life and wants to "make love" to a woman and Babs (Kathryn Hahn), the horny sex-appeal saleswoman who battles both her lesbian desires and her sexual crush on the Selleck's 10-year-old son stuck in a man's body (Rob Riggle).

That's not even the half of them, however. The belief here is that the characters sell the comedy, so all the stops are pulled. Korean-American Ken Jeong ("The Hangover") plays a salesman named Teddy, there's a crazy old war vet (Charles Napier), a DJ with internal anger issues (Craig Robinson), the standard "normal girl love interest" in Mr. Selleck's daughter, her jerk fiancée who's actually a dork in a "man band" (Ed Helms) and more. Then of course there are cameos, after all this is a Ferrell/McKay movie.

There are hits and misses among them, the hits being the out-of-nowhere jokes that get a quick laugh thanks to the depths the writers and actors are willing to go with their characters, namely in terms of inappropriateness. It's not the kind of humor that has you laughing a whole scene. That kind of situational humor is minimal. After all the plot is a bunch of crazy sales consultants come in to save a dealership from going bankrupt and having to sell to the owner's future in-laws, specifically Alan Thicke; a plot that most of us could dream up in our sleep, minus the Alan Thicke part, probably. The cleverness comes not from the story, but "how far can we take a sexual metaphor for a baseball glove."

For those that find this type of comedy gets them every time, enjoy "The Goods" because this kind of humor is in the bargain bin and who knows how much longer it will last.

2.5/5 Stars

"The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard" (2009)

Directed by: Neal Brennan

Written by: Andy Stock, Rick Stempson

Starring: Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn

Now on DVD: Observe and Report (2009) - 1.5/5 Stars

Somewhere between "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and "Observe and Report," there has to be at least a decent movie about a mall security guard. Or maybe Hollywood should just forget about this cliché-ripe "genre" altogether.

"Observe and Report" is the latest film to shove a tubby comedian (Seth Rogen) into a mock police officer's uniform and endow him with an exaggerated sense of justice and self- importance. Ronnie Barnhardt is a gun-loving ignoramus who turns everything into a joke and believe it or not is surrounded by even less competent and pathetic co-workers. Their livelihood is threatened when a flasher begins visually assaulting people in the parking lot, namely Ronnie's crush, Brandi (Anna Faris) the shallow cosmetics girl, and the police (fronted by Ray Liotta) are brought in to handle the mess.

Ronnie is a pretty poorly executed character to begin with. By far Rogen's worst performance, Ronnie's idiot charms are not funny and he doesn't come off as lovable as creator Jody Hill intended. Hill's previous morally questionable protagonist, a karate instructor in "The Foot Fist Way" -- his debut film -- played by Danny McBride, was far more successful at earning sympathy despite an abundance of character flaws. McBride belongs in the role (he was reduced to a cameo) but Rogen got the part for having a bigger name.

It's actually kind of sad: Ronnie not only has big dreams for himself, but he has a history of psychosis and a temperamental moral compass that says it's okay to have sex with a girl who's drunk and vomiting but that it's not cool to steal from the mall. That's a hint as to how this comedy that purports itself as a run-of-the-mill ends up rearing its explicit, politically incorrect and shockingly dark head to an unsuspecting audience. It's pretty messed up and Hill wanted it that way, leading us in with a stereotypical cast of misfits and deadpan humor only to redirect us in a way that simply doesn't jive.

At one point when Ronnie's at his lowest, he turns to his friend Dennis, a Mexican security guard with a lisp, who says he knows exactly what Ronnie needs, which is hardcore drug usage of every kind. Conceptually, it's funny, but it's just kind of disturbing when you actually see it. Snorting cocaine and injecting heroine can only be so funny -- I know, who'd have thought? This is one of many ineffective soundtrack montages.

"Observe and Report" was supposed to be a politically incorrect comedy about what happens when your ridiculousness and reality are forced to confront each other, but the message I took away was that under no circumstances, ever, should you stop taking your medication if you're bipolar unless a doctor says it's okay. If you do, you'll start doing drugs, violently commit acts of civil disobedience and make the cute girl at the coffee counter who you're too dumb to notice cry her eyes out. If only we could be so wise.

1.5/5 Stars

"Observe and Report" (2009)

Written and Directed by: Jody Hill

Starring: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta

Now on DVD: Whatever Works (2009) - 3.5/5 Stars

For those wondering what happened to the old Woody Allen, here he is. "Whatever Works" is a script from the 1970s. I noticed that without even knowing Allen has been forthright about it. A few script rewrites -- talk about the Taliban and not the Communists -- and old Woody works in a modern context. Then again, "Whatever Works" is not a film that anyone will herald the second coming of great Woody Allen comedy, but it is one that will win over a handful of audience members.

"Whatever Works" is pure vintage Woody. Boris Yellnikoff (Larry David) is a cynical, neurotic and suicidal man that Allen would've played himself in 1977 had he been old enough. He's an elitist intellectual jerk who loves classical music and literature and spews life philosophy. He is a Harvard grad physicist-turned-chess-teacher who considers himself a genius and everyone else a peon. He delivers an opening monologue. He and the characters in this film go to the movies, reference movies and attend art gallery showcases -- and it takes place in New York. This is the comfort food of Woody Allen movies.

If one considers the film's title a mantra, then Allen must've applied it in casting Larry David. David ... works. He's got only a few gears as an actor and we've seen plenty of his main gear on HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." We get lots more of it hear, only Boris spouts some of Woody's wittiest lines and insults of all time. It's great, but it comes with the price that Boris is a jerk and his thoughts about life -- we only grow closer to death, love is a waste of time, there's all this crap to worry about -- make him overbearing. It's to Allen's point, but it's difficult to listen to Boris at times.

In a twist of Allen's love for cosmic coincidence, Boris meets a 21-year-old runaway Southern girl named Melodie St. Anne Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood) who he takes in and via foot in the door, ends up letting stay. She's a completely naive and uneducated stereotype, the complete opposite of Boris and all Woody prototypes (with great purpose, however). Mistaking his crafty insults and fatalistic world view for great intelligence, Melodie develops a crush on him and Boris, with his "take what you can get/enjoy what you have" mentality, agrees to marry her. All manages to work until Melodie's mother (Patricia Clarkson) finds her in New York and her traditional views act as a major countering force to their relationship.

Allen's crafty little concoction about not being able to plan for life and love and all its overwhelming negatives that can pop up at any moment is nearly charming. Truthfully, it's a bit sophomoric for his capability level in terms of comedy. The Southern stereotyping, random sharp turn of events and his choice to break the fourth wall (in a film no less) might all be leading somewhere, but it's nothing you totally bite on. The situations are funny and interesting but not believable or sophisticated enough to convince you to start popping Allen's philosophy pills.

"Whatever Works" is neo-classical Woody Allen. It's like asking your mother to cook you something she always made when you were a kid only it's 40 years later and not all the same ingredients are present and she uses some different and not as sophisticated ones as a replacement. In other words not quite what it used to be, but it's still pleasantly palatable and it takes you back in a positive way.

3.5/5 Stars

"Whatever Works"

Directed by: Woody Allen

Written by: Woody Allen

Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood

Archive Review: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) - 3.5/5 Stars

Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" is a brilliant existential twist on a classic story (Shakespeare's "Hamlet") and classic storytelling. It's sharp, witty, well-acted and thought-provoking in any number of ways, being both memorably absurd and surprisingly truthful.

It's hard to scrutinize, but the truth is that Stoppard's Tony-winning 1968 play doesn't offer an ounce of proof as to why it belongs on the screen. It's a contemplative story, one that's heavy and dependent on dialogue. It's the struggle of all stage-to-screen adaptations, but where others have succeeded in shedding new light through that transition, Stoppard's re- imagining of his own work lacks a visual edge, perhaps explain why he never took up the director's chair again.

The story follows "Hamlet" characters Rosencrantz (Gary Oldman) and Guildenstern (Tim Roth), two remarkably unimportant characters from the play who are part of the tragedy's final body count for no reason other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Stoppard's story explores the play from their perspective: Were they even aware of what was unfolding around them? What was the point of them being there -- their purpose? Why did they die? These questions also fuel the film.

Stoppard paints them as goofball characters that despite great wit and sophistication, remain completely oblivious to everything around them until it's too late and their prescribed fate takes over. Roth and Oldman handle these extremely random conversations that bounce between the literal and figurative playfully yet with great strength. They're a heck of a duo. Rosencrantz also has a knack for discovering basic laws of physics but then losing them amidst his and Guildenstern's struggle to figure out what exactly it is they're doing in all of this Hamlet business. Stoppard uses these examples and a fitting opening bit about the probability of a coin flip to suggest the conflict between randomness and order in life and nature.

Also significant is the group of traveling tragedians led by Richard Dreyfuss, who end up being the ones to put on the play that Hamlet uses to catch his Uncle Claudius realizing his sin. They add the element of theater and tragedy into the meditative stew, reminding us that this story ("Hamlet") is indeed a work of fiction that was created to a purpose. He preaches in fate, that in tragedy everyone who dies dies because that is what's expected of them.

It's a real head-churner, but as philosophically impressive as it is, none of that juicy thought is derived from the visual experience of the film. What characters say in this film is ten times more important than what they do, or namely how they do it. Stoppard throws in some smaller visual elements and undoubtedly he must've added something to the screenplay that wasn't on the stage. After all, he had nearly 20 years to think about his work between the play and the film, so naturally he would've wanted to make some changes. But nothing about the way he films this story enhances the existential dialogue between characters as well as between film and audience.

Having never seen the play, "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" was an enjoyable, thought-provoking film experience, but I would imagine having already been exposed to its meta-exploratory ingenuity, those coming to the film with previous exposure might not feel anything more fulfilling than simply seeing it in a three-dimensional world.

3.5/5 Stars

"Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" (1990)

Written and Directed by Tom Stoppard

Starring: Gary Oldman, Tim Roth, Richard Dreyfuss

New on DVD and Blu-ray: Bruno (2009) - 3.5/5 Stars

There is nothing one can do to prepare for the homo-erotic ridiculousness of "Bruno." The boundaries of R-rated comedy have been pushed and pushed over the last ten years and "Bruno" is the point on the scale in which we realize just how far we've gone. The shock value of deeply committed character actor Sacha Baren Cohen's newest project makes his last film, "Borat," seem PG-13. Good for some of the most outrageous laughs, "Bruno" will literally force you to pry your fingers from your face in order to watch the film. As for Cohen's biting satire -- "Borat" remains the sharper and more dynamic.

One of Cohen's three characters along with Borat from his old HBO series "Da Ali G Show," Bruno is a gay Austrian fashion reporter who loves the limelight and, well, being a homosexual. Much like "Borat," Bruno journeys to America, this time with the dream of becoming famous after his show is cancelled. That takes him to Los Angeles, where, accompanied by his assistant Lutz, (Gustaff Hammarsten) who secretly lusts after Bruno, he attempts to do whatever he can to become the most famous gay movie star in the world.

To achieve his goal, Bruno cooks up a series of absurd ideas, including interviewing celebrities, creating his own TV pilot, trying to make a sex tape, trying to solve peace in the middle east (the philanthropic route) and even adopting an African baby who he fittingly names O.J. "Bruno" essentially becomes one attempt to dupe the public or celebrities or what have you after another. It is when Bruno arrives at the conclusion that he must be straight to be famous that the film makes it attempt to broadcast the homophobia in America.

As someone with tremendous respect for the way "Borat" really made a satirical statement with every scene (in addition to having a more focused plot), "Bruno" didn't live up to the intelligence factor I expected. The film is a bit too helter-skelter: it doesn't commit to any message or series of messages like "Borat" did. There's a dash of exploiting our celebrity- obsessed culture, a hint of trying to make Americans ashamed of what they'll do -- specifically to their bodies -- for fame and only in the second half when Bruno starts asking interviewees how he can become straight does the homophobia factor play in. "Bruno" just gets too caught up in making our jaws drop instead of picking and choosing those spots and giving us something to think about.

There's a slight sense that Cohen's act has tired out, but the character seems like it has a lot new to offer, and that we should be getting something more thought-provoking and less provocative. Bruno is just not as lovable -- he lacks a flaw like Borat's ignorance/naivety -- and the film tries to make up for it by piling on crude and unabashed humor. If a bit more time was taken to establish his character and why becoming famous is so important to him, "Bruno" would easily measure up to Borat (and not imply genital size).

"Bruno" is another hysterical romp from Cohen, especially for those who particularly love his candid camera/Punk'd type scenes getting real reactions from real people. The humor is very in-your-face and pretty much nails down all the ridiculous things that garner people fame in this sometimes very sad country of ours. At the same time, if Cohen and his writers could have channeled the discomfort they knew their film would create into an insightful experience for the audience, "Bruno" would be another instant classic. Instead, it's a raunchy, gut-busting and "uber-gay" comedy stunt.

3.5/5 Stars

"Bruno" (2009)

Directed by: Larry Charles

Written by: Sacha Baren Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Mazer, Jeff Schaffer, Peter Baynam

Starring: Sacha Baren Cohen

On DVD: 17 Again - 3.5/5 Stars

Let's be real, nobody actually wants to be 17 again, but it makes for decent comedy. "17 Again" borrows on that classic age reversal concept as made famous by "Big," "Freaky Friday," and "13 Going on 30" only it's aimed at guys. I know, hard to believe that's who would like this movie most, especially with "High School Musical" pretty boy Zac Efron in the leading role, but it's true.

I don't know much about screenwriter Jason Filardi, but I'm betting the guy was like me in high school -- a dork. Maybe not a Grade A dork, but a dork no less. "17 Again" is littered with "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings" jokes as embodied in supporting character Ned ("Reno 911!" star Thomas Lennon), an unmarried black-card carrying nerd who sleeps in a landspeeder bed. I mean, somehow a lightsaber duel gets incorporated into this movie -- a lightsaber duel.

You especially know a dork has written a movie when the main character was a talented jock who dated an attractive girl in high school. Mike O'Connell (Matthew Perry) gave up his future in high school to marry his pregnant girlfriend, now his wife with whom he's recently been separated (Leslie Mann). Without his sweetheart, being out of touch with his kids and after failing to land a critical job promotion, Mike starts to regret his life choices until a creepy old janitor at his old high school gives him a chance to do it over again.

Now a teenager (Efron), Mike pretends to be his pal Ned's son and Ned uses his wealth to pull strings and enroll him back in high school where he forms a new connection with his two kids, his son Alex (Sterling Knight), the victim of jock pranks and his daughter Maggie (former teen star Michelle Trachtenberg), who's dating the school jock/bully/jerk (Hunter Parrish of "Weeds.") Eventually he starts seeing a lot of his wife, which makes for some awkward comedy. Mann delivers a great line reminiscent of her husband's (Judd Apatow) comedies as she explains to Efron that this is not some kind of cougar or "mother i'd like to" situation.

The movie does lean a bit much on the comic device of Mike forgetting he's supposed to be acting like a teenager and not his kids' parent. There are one too many random righteous adult speeches. The gimmick works a few times, such as once instance when he lectures to some stereotypical girls who are saying suggestive things to him about respecting themselves only to give up and say "this is another father's problem." Other than that, we're reminded this is a re-treaded comedy concept.

What's most likable is that the film understands it's built on convention. It doesn't try to break that formula, but it catches us off guard a few times by not carrying out any overused plot device completely by-the-book, which at least suggests that Filardi, director Burr Steers and producer Adam Shankman who's churned out a good number of successful formula-like films, were trying to go for quality. After seeing this film, "Hairspray" and "Bedtime Stories," I'd feel pretty good about going to see or at least renting any other Shankman-influenced film.

And I'll even admit I was slightly impressed by Zac Efron.

3.5/5 Stars

"17 Again" (2009)

Directed by: Burr Steers

Written by: Jason Filardi

Starring: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon

Archive Review: Heathers (1988) - 3.5/5 Stars

High school is vicious, everyone knows that. And although stereotypes have run high school movies ragged, there's still a ring of truth to them even when they're blown out of proportion. In this regard, "Heathers" stands apart. This '80s cult favorite black comedy is the counter-culture version of the high school flick, the very definition of teen angst in the form of a laughable revenge fantasy.

Altogether the film is quite ridiculous: Veronica (Winona Ryder) has an in with the Heathers, the three most popular girls in school, but when she ends up betrayed by their contrived social hierarchies and sleazy attitudes, she and her new boyfriend, the rebellious J.D. (Christian Slater), end up on a spree of setting up the murders of popular kids to look like suicides. The reactions of those in the community are comical though sadly, so are the way the two killers deal with their actions.

But there's something about the sharpness of its satirical wit that makes "Heathers" so incredibly laudable despite the lackluster drama and muddled character motivation. We all kind of wish those popular jerk-offs from high school would just roll over, but "Heathers" takes it one step further, willing to do whatever it takes -- even throw away its plot credibility -- to make its point.

High school is full of these delusions and they extend from the kids all the way up through the administration. Nobody gets that there are actually serious underlying issues and everyone gets caught up in one thing or another, which is usually image. Veronica and J.D. create these false suicides and everyone buys them and turns them into martyrs when they were awful people. It's some wonderful irony.

For the feature film debuts of director Michael Lehmann and writer Daniel Waters, "Heathers" is pretty impressive. How two high school kids suddenly become murderers is kind of slopped together, but they manage to illustrate the film's point with ease. Man, I'm glad I'm not in high school anymore.

3.5/5 Stars

"Heathers" (1988)

Directed by: Michael Lehmann

Written by: Daniel Waters

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater

Archive Review: Short Circuit (1986) - 3.5/5 Stars

"Short Circuit" is one of those rare '80s comedies that knows what it is. It delights in its tackiness, awkward jokes and poking fun at both the "tech movement" and Cold War dramas. It never gives off the sense that it's trying to be something it's not, staying fresh, funny and even laughing at itself.

Maybe the best way to put the filmmaker's attitudes into perspective while making "Short Circuit" would be to mention that director John Badham not only made a much more serious Cold War adventure film in "War Games" a few years before, but the robot (No. 5 as he's called) at one point imitates John Travolta's dance moves in "Saturday Night Fever," another Badham film. Badham even takes to making fun of his other work using "Short Circuit."

Although Badham gets the credit for making No. 5 such a lovable character (with some help from fine voice acting in Tim Blaney), the writing team of Wilson and Maddock deserve a lot of credit for the film's clever and amusing take on artificial life as well as the numerous jabs at Cold War America.

"Short Circuit" is about a top secret set of military robots designed by Newton (Steve Guttenberg of "Police Academy") for the military supplier he works for called NOVA. When a lightning strike fries one of the robots, he ignores his programming and escapes the facility where he meets an animal-lover named Stephanie (Ally Sheedy of Badham's "War Games") who takes him in believing he's an alien. When NOVA searches for No. 5, the robot soon develops the concept that if NOVA catches him, they will "disassemble" or "kill" him. The rest of the film No. 5 is on the run with the help of Stephanie and eventually Newton.

No. 5 is a crafty robot thanks to some brilliant writing. After soaking in hours of television, he drops clever catch phrases from westerns and other films including commercial jingles as he evades his captors and even other robots in what is a hysterical sequence. Wilson, Maddock and Badham realize what a truly unique character they have to play with and they utilize him to the fullest.

Admirably, everyone on this movie knows that the plot is immaterial and it's all about watching to see what goofy stuff No. 5 will do next. Both Sheedy and Guttenberg just play to the robot, seeming to laugh whenever they have to interact with him. They understand it's not about them at all and they just enjoy themselves while doing adequate acting. The only other role with any personality is Fisher Stevens as Ben, the unacknowledged Indian stereotype that loves women and butchering English phrases for comedic value. Funny, but it probably wouldn't fly in the 21st Century.

It's also worth knowing that this is not as much a family film. Kids will find No. 5 funny, but there's a lot of questionable language including some sexual references. With the number of funny one-liners, "Short Circuit" is ripe for kids to repeat. Still, the comedy in this film is so much better than so many other '80s movies because it recognizes that it's goofy, which also makes the satire work better. Not Badham or anyone else tried too hard to make a quality movie and the result was that they got one.

3.5/5 Stars

"Short Circuit" (1986)

Directed by: John Badham

Written by: S.S. Wilson, Brent Maddock

Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy

New on Blu-ray: South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999) - 4/5 Stars

I love the older movies coming to Blu-ray these days. Honestly, I think there are two special effects shots in this entire movie. Even so, are paper cut-outs going to look that much better in high-def? Whatevs, it was an excuse to post this.

There's one problem with television: You can't say &#*%, or $@&%, or #^&@%$. So what did Trey Parker and Matt Stone -- the creators of the hit mature animated series "South Park" -- turn? The movies, where anything goes (just about). Although the idea for a "South Park" movie probably came about before the idea to exploit the MPAA's more flexible ratings system for the TV show's impeccable satire, it's no less the perfect choice to bring the little Colorado mountain town and its foul-mouthed children to the big screen in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut."

Using the movies, Parker and Stone immediately come out singing (yes, this is a movie musical) that the movies are responsible for society's cultural education. The third graders Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny all go to see the new Terrence & Philip movie, based on the show's fictional hit Canadian TV show about two farting roommates, mirroring the experience of the likely underaged crowd going to see the "South Park" movie, and there you have the brilliance of "South Park" and this film.

The Terrence & Philip movie introduces the kids to a whole world of swears and insults they never knew before (because they couldn't use them on TV) and they start using it in talking back to teachers and their parents. As usual, the parents of South Park take things too seriously and point the finger for their children's bad behavior at well, Canada, who else? Single-handedly, Parker and Stone introduce the Canada joke to Americans.

The film doesn't crusade for allowing bad language, but rather shows how silly it is to take language so seriously, particularly when Mothers Against Canada invokes a war with our neighbors to the north.

Parker and Stone should take their act to Broadway with the quality of the music in this movie, from the Oscar-nominated "Blame Canada" to "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" They do enlist the help of the talented Tony winner Marc Shaiman, but the show has always been known for its musical prowess. The songs are memorable, fun and break up the film well considering its structured like a long television special.

Fans of the show get exactly what they'd expect from "South Park" including some extra goodies and appearances from all the most liked characters. The language of course is off the charts, but the childish ignorance of adult content (Stan seeks the clitoris after Chef tells him that's how you keep a girl around) is there too. By film's end it's not the sharpest satire that the show has ever delivered, but it was obviously the perfect plot choice for making "South Park" into a movie, not just picking some random story line, but maximizing the satire potential of the new medium.

4/5 Stars

"South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut" (1999)

Directed by: Trey Parker

Written by: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Pam Brady

Starring: (voices) Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman

Archive Review: The Bad News Bears (1976) - 3.5/5 Stars

If any of the kids in "The Bad News Bears" were your child, or if you had any acquaintance with a youth sports coach even remotely like Morris Buttermaker, you'd be outraged and embarrassed. At the same time, the film delivers a message that all involved with youth sports probably couldn't hear enough of. In other words, do as "Bad News Bears" implies, not as it says or does and take the foul language and poor behavior at comedic face value only.

Walter Matthau stars as Buttermaker, an drunken former minor leaguer who coaches a little league team because his job as a pool cleaner isn't exactly lucrative. His job is to coach the Bears, a group of untalented misfits, most of whom have attitude problems. Basically from Buttermaker and the other adults involved in the league all the way down to the rebel kid, Kelly (Jackie Earle Haley), who tears up the field with his motorcycle, not a character has respect for another. Kids talk back to adults, adults yell at kids -- it's an ugly scene. How "Bears" redeems itself is something of a feat.

You can't deny "Bears" its heart. Every lesson there is to be learned from youth sports finds its way into this film. At the very beginning the Bears give up 20 runs in the first and forfeit. Quitting and adopting a counter attitude is present from then on. Then there's the balance between winning and playing the game, something many parents and coaches still lose sight of even today. Despite filling its cast with rotten blonde kids and insensitive adults, "Bears" sneaks this in naturally. The film nearly gets dramatic at times considering the extent to which the disrespect does become a serious part of the story.

So on one hand, you have a little blonde kid saying "Great, we have a team full of (insert racial slurs here) and now a girl!" and then you have examples of good sportsmanship winning out. It's tough to call "Bears" a family film or a kids film for that reason, but then again, some kids would really benefit from the values. Most of all parents of kids in youth sports need to see this movie as it really speaks at them.

As a comedy, a good chunk of that nastiness earns a good deal of laughs, especially when it involves the innocence of kids rather than the awfulness of the adults. If blurring the line between acceptable behavior in films and comedy is fine by you, "Bears" is as good a sports comedy as any.

3.5/5 Stars

"The Bad News Bears" (1976)

Directed by: Michael Ritchie

Written by: Bill Lancaster

Starring: Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal

Archive Review: Get Shorty (1995) - 3.5/5 Stars

The mobster flick mixes with show business in "Get Shorty," the mob comedy from "The Addams Family" director Barry Sonnenfeld. The two (mob movies and Hollywood) have always gotten along well together from "The Godfather" to "Goodfellas," so "Get Shorty" taking the humorous business angle is only a natural evolution. Starring John Travolta hot off of "Pulp Fiction," it's an enjoyable film for those who love movies and those who love the mob.

"Get Shorty" is mostly about the former. Chili Palmer (Travolta) is a loan shark/shylock who flies out to Hollywood to collect a debt and partly to avoid his new boss, Ray Bones, the perfect jerk with a foul mouth played by Dennis Farina. In LA, Palmer meets producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman) and becomes fond of the movie business, offering to help Zimm get some lenders who've invested in one of his films off his back.

There's some strong irony between the movie business and mob movies, e.g. Chili pitches the story of why he's out in LA as a movie idea to Zimm who thinks he's got something, but its the rock solid performances of Travolta, Hackman, Farina and Delroy Lindo that sell you on "Get Shorty."

Film-lovers will appreciate many references from "Touch of Evil" to "Three Men and a Baby" as the movie takes plenty of shots at the industry. Those more into the mob angle will enjoy how everyone's out to get everyone -- some for legitimate reasons, others because they want in on the movie business. It displaces the gangster movie from its cozy home in New York, Boston or Miami and drops it into the glitz of Hollywood where it fits well seeing as the industry is not exactly the cleanest.

"Get Shorty" is not overly impressive, maintaining interest through its performances and our wondering just when one of these guys is going to up the stakes and off someone -- such are the thrills of a mob movie. Its lack of a definitive objective and therefore constant evolution into a story about something other than what it started as definitely holds it back, but not beyond of the point getting to enjoy it.

3.5/5 Stars

"Get Shorty" (1995)

Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld

Written by: Scott Frank (screenplay), Elmore Leonard (novel)

Starring: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Danny DeVito

Archive Review: Fanboys (2008) - 3/5 Stars

An easy way to measure how much you will or won't enjoy "Fanboys" is how closely you fit to the titular category. The more of a Star Wars fan you are and the more your gender and maturity is on par with 'boy,' the more you'll like this ode to Star Wars fans.

The premise of this film is excellent: In 1998, six months before the scheduled release of "Star Wars Episode I" a group of fanboy friends in their 20-somethings road trip to Skywalker Ranch to try and steal a rough cut of the movie because one of them has a terminal illness and won't live to see the release. The execution, however, is spotty.

The movie is a Star Wars-themed version of "Road Trip," with the guys heading across America in a van and stopping along the way solely to buy some time before they get to the ranch. My guess would be that Ernest Cline and Dan Pulick are fanboys themselves who came up with the premise of stealing Episode I and then had to find a way to actually make it work. Therefore, the guys stop off in Iowa where the character of Captain Kirk from the Star Trek franchise was born to antagonize some Trekkies, they get caught at a gay biker bar and they have to go to Las Vegas to get security clearance to the ranch from an insider.

The main character and the story are not all that strong, but the small tributes, spoofs and cameos all related to the Star Wars universe is what makes "Fanboys" entertaining. Therefore, the more you know Star Wars -- things like thermal detonators and that Chewbacca is from Kashik -- the more you love "Fanboys."

In addition to appearances from a few notable actors from the Star Wars franchise, director Kyle Newman does some nice homages to Lucas and obviously Star Wars. The infamous side wipes that Lucas uses to transition in those movies appear a couple times and the security at the ranch resemble the ones from THX 1138, one of Lucas' first movies (although that might just be the truth, who knows). The writing also does this too including famous quotes when appropriate and even the movie's funniest scene when the gang ends up in George Lucas' trash compactor. 

Other cameos include Seth Rogen, Billy Dee Williams, and Kevin Smith, to name a few without spoiling one of the film's few excellent aspects. Stars Sam Huntington ("Superman Returns"), the rotund Dan Fogler ("Balls of Fury"), Jay Baruchel ("Knocked Up") and Chris Marquette ("The Girl Next Door") are all average, though mostly because their characters are written sloppy.

Bottom line is "Fanboys" states in title alone exactly who it's intended for. I don't know why Harvey Weinstein would fight to try and make this something that would appeal to the masses only to let it come out without making a peep. If Star Wars is going to be the focus of a movie, there's one segment of the population that will like it, no matter what you do. Fortunately, for those fans, "Fanboys" is good.

3/5 Stars

"Fanboys" (2008)

Directed by: Kyle Newman

Written by: Ernest Cline, Adam L. Goldberg, Dan Pulick

Starring: Sam Huntington, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Chris Marquette, Kristen Bell

New on DVD: "Adventureland" - 4.5/5 Stars

The first thing to know about "Adventureland" is that although it was directed and written by Greg Mottola ("Superbad") and it has Bill Hader in it, it is in know way in the mainstream vein of Judd Apatow-brand comedies. It's not outrageously dirty or over-the-top hysterical ever. It prides itself on humor through character and the natural awkwardness of life. Taking place at a theme park in Pittsburgh in the 80s, it's a modern-spirited but definite period comedy.

Period comedies seem to always revolve around coming-of-age stories. There seems to be a natural connection between the nostalgia of an era and reflecting on personal choices and the pivotal moments of growing up. "Adventureland" is an 80s period comedy, but it's not necessarily a coming-of-age story. The protagonist is James (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college grad, who while inexperienced in the ways of romance, at least knows who he is and what he wants from life in the long term. He's not growing up, but he's facing some harsh realities after his dad gets demoted and he can no longer afford that summer trip of a lifetime to Europe with his best friend.

His only option is a summer job working at Adventureland, where he meets his colorful and strange employers (Saturday Night Live's Hader and Kristen Wiig), a new dork friend named Joel (Martin Starr, who has played minor roles in bigger comedies) and of course the laid back but emotionally distressed girl of his dreams ("Twilight" phenom Kristen Stewart). So what looks like a bum summer turns into a chance for James, a nerdy, awkward virgin, to reevaluate things.

Mottola clearly was meant to direct this kind of a film. "Superbad" was a springboard for him to make something a bit more natural. "Adventureland" doesn't complete veer around summer romance clichés, but it has a distinctly more natural, less contrived sense of humor than "Superbad." It never resorts to male genital jokes, for one. Eisenberg and Stewart give very identifiable performances. They're scarily real rather than overly cliché. It's a bit tough to believe that a college graduate could be so stupid about handling girls, but his charm wins you over. A lot like Michael Cera of "Superbad," Eisenberg will either win you over or irritate you. Stewart was a phenomenal choice for Emily, whose family troubles have pushed her into a romance with a married man (Ryan Reynolds). She just has the look and plays the part of a naturally beautiful girl who really wrestles with who she is. Her character is probably written best in what is in general an awesome script.

Like other period comedies, "Adventureland" celebrates music and house parties and relishes in amusing outfit choices. Having been so bogged down with modern young adult comedy, "Adventureland" is really the first film since "Dazed and Confused" in the 90s to go back in time. Since the 80s are back in style again in many ways, the 'historical' element makes it kind of refreshing and unique despite some stylistic choices both directorially and comically that are clearly reminiscent of today's movies.

This is a surprisingly good movie if you don't expect "Superbad 2." It's much more real and even has a bigger heart. It's about being at a crossroads and trying to make the most of a situation while figuring out exactly where you're going. In hard times like today, it's a way of looking forward positively by enjoying a re-imagining of the past.

4.5/5 Stars

"Adventureland" (2009)

Directed by: Greg Mottola

Written by: Greg Mottola

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig

Archive Review: Burn After Reading (2008) - 4.5/5 Stars

Sometimes the most genius films are the ones that draw the most criticism. "Burn After Reading" may never reach the elite of IMDb top 250 and confuse and bother a lot of viewers, but if that's you, then you simply have yet to watch enough Coen brothers films to understand and appreciate the deep intelligence that this film possesses though it acts like it doesn't have.

Famous in their comedies for creating over-the-top idiots who concoct schemes way over their heads, the Coen brothers have made no exceptions with "Burn After Reading." This time everyone's missing something, usually the common sense part of the brain, but the trouble is caused by two gym employees (Pitt and McDormand) who come across a CD with CIA code on it belonging to an ex-CIA analyst (Malkovich), thinking they can blackmail him and make money.

Surrounding all that are other characters vital to the story: Malkovich's wife (Swinton) and her lover (Clooney) who is having multiple other affairs regularly in spite of his marriage. Much of the conflict and plot in this actually revolves around the shambled marriages of these couples and actually not on the CD, which of course is all part of the point.

Like all Coen brothers films, including their award-winning "No Country For Old Men," when you sit back and think about this film everything seems to click. It's difficult to explain without revealing the plot, but the important thing to keep in mind when viewing this film is that it plays on our perceptions of movies being great mystery thrillers that you have to try and figure out. You also need to remember that it's supposed to be a comedy. The Coen brothers will do everything to trick you into thinking it's more than just a comedy, but it's not.

Comedy is also not a word used lightly. This is easily the funniest Coen brothers film short of "The Big Lebowski" and what's even better is it has guys like Pitt and Clooney playing complete goofballs unlike their usual typecast. This is easily the most enjoyable part of the film. Actors like McDormand, Malkovich and JK Simmons continue to provide the Coen brothers more great talent for their gem of a script.

The Coen brothers want you to take "Burn After Reading" seriously and will use all of Hollywood's standard smoke and mirrors to align this film with your mental framework about movies (suspenseful music, dramatic and thoughtful camera angles, etc.) but the ability to step back and understand the directors' intent here is the key to loving this film instead of liking or being completely confused by it.

4.5/5 Stars

"Burn After Reading" (2008)

Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen

Written by: Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring: John Malkovich, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton

Archive Review: Tin Cup (1996) - 3/5 Stars

Underdog sports movies walk a fine line with clichés; romantic comedies walk a fine line with clichés. "Tin Cup" is both these things and walks the finest of the fine lines, and though it leans toward the cliché, it never completely loses its balance. Its likable swagger behind star Kevin Costner -- a similar swagger to that of "Bull Durham," also directed by Ron Shelton -- is what makes it one of the more memorable fault-filled sports movies.

Like the previous (and slightly better) Costner-Shelton collaboration of "Durham," this film is a romantic sports comedy about a trashy/washed-up athlete who wastes a lot of talent and somehow manages to attract sexual attention.

Costner stars as West Texan Roy McAvoy, referred to sometimes as 'Tin Cup,' a talented college golfer who somehow ended up a golf pro at a downtrodden driving range with his amigo Romeo (Cheech Marin) while his college teammate David Simms (Don Johnson) went on to be a star. Roy is a betting man who goes with his gut, ignores reason and uses golf metaphors to make sense of life. When an anal retentive psychiatrist named Molly (Rene Russo) shows up at his range for lessons, Roy is smitten, only to find she's with Simms. Of course the only way to win her over is to try and make the U.S. Open, right?

Costner and Russo have forced character chemistry. There's no reason for either of them to be interested in each other, save that Roy wants a challenge compared to the white trash women he's interested in. There's certainly no reason for Molly to leave her tournament- winning boyfriend for a sleazeball. And you know it's true when the dialogue directly addresses why they fell for the other like it's justification or something.

The machismo fueling Roy and his buddies in the movie, constantly betting each other and insulting the other when he lays up and plays it safe is childish, but it brings the film its humor and keeps it from being a straight through underdog movie. Its more interested in its characters than building up plot suspense, which is a good thing, if only the characters behaved in realistic ways.

"Tin Cup" is a giant golf metaphor for life, about how taking risks -- no matter how many times you fail -- is always worth it. Shelton's film is gutsy in the same way, finding different ways of telling a sports story that will make it feel different. It goes about it in an amateur way, but it's the bravado that it will be remembered for. Shelton's films have this miraculous tendency to only let their best parts stick with you. They're the kinds of movies that make for great channel-surfing finds on TV. That's really what "Tin Cup" is.

3/5 Stars

"Tin Cup" (1996)

Directed by: Ron Shelton

Written by: Ron Shelton, John Norville

Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Cheech Marin

Archive Review: Scary Movie (2000) - 1.5/5 Stars

A spoof is never a bad idea, but it requires wit and the Wayans brothers don't have it. Think back to the films that made the spoof a genre ("Airplane" and "The Naked Gun") and there you have a commitment to nonsensical but witty humor and most of all -- subtlety. 

"Scary Movie" might make a lot of people laugh with its literally balls-out mentality toward comedy, but the explicit drug and sex content is anything but clever. If the team of six writers spent half as much time making the jokes work for the plot instead of the plot working for the jokes, "Scary Movie" might have left a humorous impression on its audience. Instead, we leave feeling bad that we laughed at even some of the jokes in this movie because of how generally distasteful it is.

Meant to spoof the wave of '90s horror films that brought back the slasher genre, "Scary Movie" combines the plot line of "Scream" with "I Know What You Did Last Summer" but fills it with goofy (and/or stupid) characters who make fun of these films' repetitive clichés. There are also a few "faux"mages to "Blair Witch Project," "The Matrix" and others.

When watching this movie, you can tell that different jokes were written by different writers. At times, there's some actual cleverness, like when Shannon Elizabeth's character gets a standing ovation for a dramatic monologue in a talent competition, only she's actually screaming about her boyfriend who she sees being killed in the back of the auditorium. Another character taunts the killer by egging him on with descriptions of slasher clichés like "now I've broken my leg and I'm helpless!" That's the good stuff.

Then there's other writers' humor: the killer getting high with a bunch of stoners, recurring female flatulence jokes and the gratuitous use of genitalia for a cheap laugh. It's like they were trying to sabotage whatever comedic intelligence they put into the movie because they didn't think people would like it otherwise.

The characters are much the same way. Avoiding stereotype versus perpetuating it is a fine line. Some of them, such as Shawn Wayans' questionably gay athlete character, try so hard to make fun of clichés that they create new ones and others are just flat out tasteless jokes like the trans-gendered gym teacher who is preyed on for the sake of the ignorant people that find that stuff funny. 

On the good side is Cindy (Anna Faris), who gets on the map with her comedically believable performance. She plays up her stereotype of prude do-gooder but plays right into the best material i.e. the subtle jokes. Then there's Shorty (Marlon Wayans), the idiot stoner. I suppose the Wayans brothers have creative license to make jokes about black people, but there are so many that this humor forms its own subplot in ways, like it was intended to entice the black demographic that they worried the rest of the film wouldn't reach.

For every three effective jokes that "Scary Movie" has, there's one horrendous one and that's how this movie negates itself. The franchise of spoofs that this movie launched (without having seen them myself) is certainly unprecedented and unwarranted.

1.5/5 Stars

Scary Movie (2000)

Directed By: Keenen Ivory Wayans

Written By: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer

Starring: Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Carmen Electra

Review: Funny People - 3/5 Stars

Minus the gratuitous male genitalia jokes, "Funny People" is about as far from anything Judd Apatow has directed or produced since he hit it big with "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." Finally collaborating with longtime friend Adam Sandler, Apatow takes the creative license that his reputation as comedic master of the decade has afforded him and makes a more serious film about funny people. But with more seriousness, the funniness must be more effective and that's hard in an unprecedented 146-minute-long comedy just sort of about a comedian's life.

Sandler plays himself in the form of a fictional character named George Simmons, a comedian who hit it big, made some ridiculous movies and now is re-evaluating himself in the face of news that he has a rare form of leukemia. Returning to his stand-up roots, he discovers a promising but penniless comedian named Ira (Seth Rogen) living in his friend's (Jason Schwartzman) apartment with his buddy, fellow comedian Leo (Jonah Hill). George pays Ira to write him some jokes and be his assistant, but he's really paying him to keep him company as he tries to right some of the mistakes he made in life.

Anyone expecting the laugh fest with a surprising sentimental touch that Apatow delivered in "Virgin" and "Knocked Up" will find that it's more of a full-on sentimental groping. The comedy that we are so accustomed to from the likes of Sandler, Rogen and Hill is either peppered in or concentrated into segments as opposed to the dominating force throughout the film.

There's no question this was a personal endeavor for Apatow and Sandler. Considering Apatow's roots in comedy clubs and his best friend and wife (Leslie Mann, who plays "the girl that got away" love interest) playing opposite each other -- not to mention casting his kids, this was sort of a way for Apatow to reflect on what he does for a living. In that sense, "Funny People" holds some promise. No one has really made a film looking at comedy instead of just being one. This film does it and in a very realistic context too, appearing as if it could very well be taking place today in Hollywood.

But as its own comedy, "Funny People" just isn't as funny as we'd like. There are a lot of great funny moments, but the humor loses effectiveness because the movie is just strung- together subplots too numerous to name. Simmons finding out he's dying doesn't focus the film, it just sort of plays a role in everything he does and all his relationships and the other sub-relationships of the people around him such as Ira. There's no tension -- even if the early trailers hadn't indeed revealed that he doesn't die. There's no real sense that he's going on any sort of emotional journey with this shocking news or that he's really going to learn something from it.

"Funny People" has plenty of funny people and they say funny things, but it's a film that's too unfocused to keep anyone's attention for nearly two and a half hours. It almost feels like two films: one about stand-up and the other about a comedian trying to make things right with an old flame. Describing it as one film is much harder. It's a reflection on what it's like to be a comedian fading away and coming to terms with life decisions that doesn't really arrive at any clear answers. Apatow's writing here is just too loose, though his directing is excellent. I definitely believe "Funny People" could have been something special, but we'll never know.

Released: 31 July 2009

Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3020161817/