The World's End

Funny that a movie so similar to This is the End comes out, but few critics have made the connection. Both movies feel totally original. Simply put, The World’s End is about guys and beer. But it’s also about lamenting lost youth, the good old days, and freedom. Not just freedom, but the urge for freedom in a progressively more assimilated world, where even old pubs get corporatized and Starbucks-ified. It’s not just that the themes are so strong, the movie itself is very well-made. Great compositions, great music, and a creatively unconventional pace. Bursts of action follow languid diatribes about getting old. And just when you think the movie’s over, there’s a little more weirdness to be had. To try and lavish praise on this movie in a blog that no one reads would be pointless. It’s a great movie about meaningful things that also has the occasional robot/bar-brawl/karate fight. You couldn’t really ask for more.

Lee Daniel's The Butler

..will most likely be a best picture nominee for several reasons. The pace is fast and strong. It’s never boring and rarely strays into histrionics and melodrama the way Precious did. Somebody edited the hell out of this movie. Also, Forest Whitaker is GREAT in this. Ever since he stepped out of the Trans Am in "Fast Times", he’s had an imposing but quiet authority. While he’s in the room for major civil rights policy decisions, he has to pretend he isn’t listening and pour the coffee. His ability to depict a character NOT saying something is incredible here. Story-wise, it’s sort of like Forest Gump. Whitaker’s quiet butler recounts highlights from 20th century history, in which a famous actor will drop in to play one scene as a president, and then we move on to a different era. On paper, it’s unimpressive. But Whitaker’s depiction of the civil rights "fly on the wall" is profound.

Kick Ass 2

Swing and a miss. The sequel to Kick Ass is neither kick nor ass. It lacks playfulness. There is no more irony. The use of music was conventional and lame. And for all of the controversy that Jim Carrey stirred up about the movie being too violent? He’s hardly in the movie and he’s barely memorable. And it’s NOT that violent. It's a tragedy because I liked the first movie so much. But I strongly recommend that if you really liked the first movie, do not see this bad sequel. It will be disappointing and it will actually damage your appreciation of the first movie.

In a World...

What Zoolander is to modeling, In A World is to voiceover artists. Not as ridiculous, but not a realistic exposé either. Writer/Director/Star Lake Bell shows a lot of promise here. She offers some insight into the voiceover subculture, but also maintains the importance of the father/daughter relationship, which is relatable no matter what their vocation is. The ubiquitous, ever-growing troupe that started out as The State and is now Children’s Hospital blazes trails and takes risks. Here’s hoping we see many more indie comedies from this thoughtful bunch.

We're the Millers

I liked this. It’s a subversive comedy asking, “What is a family?” The filmmakers feel comfortable declaring: it’s any group of misfits who can stick together. Jason Sudeikis has had plenty of time to rehearse this character on SNL. First he’s a bachelor drug dealer, then he’s a guy pretending to be the squarest dad in the world. So there’s always a little sass in his voice as he tries to play it straight. People pick on Jennifer Aniston for being one-note, but she always manages to go toe-to-toe with the biggest smart-alecks in the business and she ends up holding her own. With cannabis starting to become legal and accepted, bits of this script feel like they were ripped from a bygone era; a Cheech and Chong movie. But the funny and likeable cast works the timeless theme of “a family can be anything” to their advantage.

Elysium

This is about a lot of big ideas. Politically, it’s everything but the kitchen sink: Health care, discrimination, immigration, class warfare. It’s important that filmmakers are thinking about these subjects and using sci-fi to tell their story. Some of the best political statements in the history of movies and literature have been told in a sci-fi realm. The problem is, big ideas don’t leave a lot of room for character development. Characters tend to be allegories. That’s Matt Damon’s everyman, “Max” -- similarities to Mad Max are purely intentional. He’s a trope; an archetype. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just that: they had Matt Damon. They could have used him a little better. Same story with Jodie Foster. If she signs up to be the villain, make her play the villain. Notwithstanding, there’s a lot of entertainment value here, even if there aren’t a lot of surprises. And we need guys like Neill Blomkamp thinking of the big ideas about how to change the world, and then beating us over the head with them. 

This is the End

Yep. I saw it again. It's not as surprising the second time (obviously), but it's still really funny.