Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Like most Judd Apatow movies, this one is not so much about the main for character or story line but instead about it is all the interesting, quirky, and charming supporting characters. Like if you remember Superbad, McLovin’ with the two cops were the best part of the films. I have talked to girls who have said that they wished the movies was about them. (for McLovin fans check out funnyordie.com “McLovin’ Fund” which was has Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Kirsten Bell). I really loved everyone in this film except for the main character Peter, played by Jason Segel; who by the way also wrote the screenplay.

The movie is basically guy loses girlfriend and is depressed. Goes to a report in Hawaii and finds his ex-girlfriend and her new guy in the same resort.

I found the Peter character to be winy, boring and complete uninteresting, which might come from the fact I never really bought into his performance. The film does spend a lot of time with him, but if you can forget about him, you are in for a bit of a treat.

There were a lot of things that I liked here. First of all, you have the Apatow regulars like Jonah Hill of SuperBad, who plays this waiter, a soften down character of what he normally does, who is in love with a British pop star Russell Brand, who is staying at the resort with Peter’s ex-girlfriend Sarah Marshall. Russell Brand is this very funny character who is a microcosm of what you think a overconfident- oversexed British pop star should be. Sort of like a cross between Sting, Chris Martin and George Michael. He has cheesy songs about saving world, is recovering from his substance abuse issues, is a sex addict, and basically a nice guy. The ex-girlfriend, played by Kirsten Bell, is surprising normal except that she is an actress from TV crime shows. The spoof of those shows is way overdue and watch to credits to see another CSI parody along with Jason Bateman. The supporting characters are so well defined and more interesting that you cheer when they appear and you really don’t want them to leave. My favorite was the young Christian couple who waited for there honeymoon, for whatever people do on their honeymoon. The woman is really excited and the guy complains to no end. It’s really funny. The cast is rounded out by Paul Rudd, being Raul Rudd, and Mila Kunis, from Family Guy and That 70’s show, basically playing her role straight as the love interest of Peter.

There are some funny musically numbers. My favorite was when Peter plays a really depressing song, then after a few bars you realize that it is the opening song to the Muppet Show.

Overall the movie is very long and the story is tired. However, there is this new comedy team. It looks like the Will Farrell, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn crew have been supplanted with this lot and this style of humor. In summary, if you know and like the name “Apatow” this movie is for you, and if you are tagging along there are some good laughs in there when Peter isn’t crying or showing his shlong.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Absolutely the worst movie I have seen this year. It was a waste of an hour and half of my life and I want them back! The only good part of this film was the very very small cameos from Jack White as Elvis, Paul Rudd as John Lennon, Jack Black as Paul McCartney, Jason Schwartzman as Ringo Starr, Jonah Hill, Eddie Vedder, and Tim Meadows. Frankie Muniz as Buddy Holly just didn’t make sense. The lead John C. Reilly was horrible. I am told that Walk Hard is a spoof of Ray and Walk the Line, but that doesn’t mean it works. I have seen The Simpsons do the same jokes over and over again that they try in this movie, except they are far superior and work.

The story of a Johnny Cash-like rock legend, Cox is born in the South to a broken family, finds fame and self destructive behavior, and finally redemption. It tries to mock every genre of music from the 50’s – 70’s. It is just so banal, trite, and hackneyed that just gives one a headache. I can't think of one thing original in this movie. Most of the jokes are sex jokes, which try to be so wrong to be funny, but are still flat. It was certainly the most forced movie I can remember seeing since the last Punisher film. Skip this one hard.

Superbad (2007)

Ok, this movie is about to be released on DVD soon. It was a big hit this summer. I have to admit that I missed it on the big screen and saw it on an airplane.

My first impression is that this is a very well made movie. It is an excellent Hollywood formulaic teen movie. It used every cliché extremely well.

I think these movies have to be remade every couple of years, because they become outdated extremely quickly. You see that when the actors of these films grow up or dies from an overdose it is hard to take the movie seriously because you see the character as the older version of the actor. Also, teen styles change so often that it effects the shelf life of the film too.

There isn’t really anything special about this film. You have an oversexed fat kid and a skinny kid. The oversexed fat kid is practically an homage to John Belushi, and the duo goes back to the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy.

Although this time, I have to admit there was more overtly gay subtext than I expected. But Hey, everyone is open to their own interpretation of this story.

The story is always the same. Outcast teenagers need booze to get to a party in a hope of getting laid, and there is a coming of age story there; something the kids can connect to.

My favorite part of the movies was the B story, which was about this kid who got a fake ID where he calls himself “McLovin” goes from complete geek to total badass, with the help of the funniest cops since the Keystone cops. Bill Hader and Seth Rogen , the cops, were the best part of the film.

Overall, SuperBad was an enjoyable fluffy film in the same category of “10 things I hate about you.”

Rocket Science (2007)

Probably the most psychological correct movie I have ever seen about being a teenager. In the same vein as Rushmore and Napoleon Dynamite, Rocket Science is a brilliant comedy about how absurd normal life can be. What many people do in this situation is to go off into fantasy. Fantasy about sex, violence or social success becomes the genesis of high school clicks. If you stay grounded then you probably don’t fit in.

Rocket Science is a delightful film and it is as hilarious as it is charming.

Meet Hal Hefner. He is a freshman in High School in New Jersey. If that wasn’t worse enough, he has an unpredictable stuttering problem. His parents are getting divorce and his older brother picks on him. He doesn’t really talk to people, because he can’t get the words out. He is basically surviving. He is probably not the best pick to be the captain of the debate team.

In fact, that guy had a breakdown in the state championship, and was never seen again.

Hal, a guy just trying to get through a day, is recruited by strong willed and beautiful, at least to him, older girl who is co-captain of the debate club. She tells him that he could be the best at debate, because she feels that he has a deep seeded anger due to his stuttering.

He is not interested, at first, but he is interested in the girl.

She planted a seed or connected to a wish to he has, which is to be able to effectively speak to people.

This is the premise of the film. High School debate seems like another interesting esoteric topic like crossword puzzles or child beauty contests from movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Wordplay, and it is.

I was speaking with a speech therapist about this movie and she said that actor, Reece Thompson, did such a good job in portraying a person with a speech problem that she wondered if he really did have one, because all of the little details are there.

The movie is filled with many sad but true scenes of growing up. There is a scene when his parents are fighting and his father is leaving the family. Hal pets his dog for comfort. It’s poignant and common for so many kids from homes where there is too much fighting. It is those kind of details that gives away how autobiographical this film is, even if all the plot points may not.

Like Napoleon Dynamite, it doesn’t really give away the era it was suppose to be set in. The cast looked like they were wearing the latest Urban Outfitters styles. Of course that could have 70’s, 80’s or even 90’s. I remember that this was a topic of debate (no pun) with Napoleon Dynamite - when was it? I found that you can tell by looking at the technology. In this movie, there are no cell phones, Internet, and the only computer is an Apple IIc – so let’s say the movie is set in the mid-eighties.

For a slightly abused introverted boy with a speech problem, the only kind of girl he would truly fall for would be an overly aggressive, talkative bitch, who tries to shake him up. Her idea that he would have a huge reserve of anger is right in-line with Freud’s view that stuttering is caused by repressed anger.

Adults have flings, sensitive teenage boys have reactions to attraction like atoms being smashed. For the viewer in this movie, it is damn funny.

Throughout the film, each scene draws its humor out of truly sad, yet typical situations. Sometimes, the film hits too close to the mark. Everyone I have talk to about this film, related to it, and it did not matter if they were male or female. In the audience, laughs came about every five seconds.

You really started to care about Hal, and wonder if he will survive high school. Towards the end of the film, you realize that he is going to be OK. In context everything you have just watched it is highly satisfying.

Rocket Science is written and directed by Jeffrey Blitz, and stars Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick , Nicholas D’Agosto, and Vincent Piazza. It is one of those movies that uses music really really well. The soundtrack has two Violent Femme’s songs , Blister in the Sun and Kiss Off. If you are familiar with “Kiss Off”, then you will really appreciate the Hal’s freak out scene that is set to that song. It was an excellent piece of filmmaking.
Rocket Science is the funniest film I have seen all year, and I can’t wait to own it.