Comedy: King of California

King of California (2007)

Charlie (Michael Douglas) is the single, bi-polar, bass playing father of Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood). The movie begins as Miranda picks up Charlie after his two year stay in a mental hospital. While her father was away, Miranda has been raising herself. She bought a car on eBay (without being of legal age to drive), got a job at McDonalds, and has been enjoying her delusional patriarch not being there. While Charlie was in the hospital, he happened across a Journal written by a 17th Century priest. He explains this to Miranda, and she wonders whether or not to believe her father. Though raised by a very eccentric intellectual, she can't help but be skeptical of her father's whimsical tale, but decides to help him since he seems to be so happy. So Miranda and Charlie go looking for treasure and find it, buried smack dab in the middle of the local Costco!

I actually heard many glowing reviews for this movie when it was in theaters, and was glad to get my hands on it the day of it's DVD release. I can say that this movie is one of the best I've seen in a few months. Director/Writer Mike Cahill does an excellent job at covering certain points in Miranda and Charlie's lives that are vital to the movie's plot, so you're never guessing why Miranda believes her apparently crazy father. However, even with certain bits of evidence right before her eyes, she repeatedly doubts his sanity, which convinces the viewer do the same right up to the very end of the movie.

I've seen a few bad reviews for this, mostly at metacritic. Feel free to check them out, as you'll notice many of them are from cynical assholes. I thought this movie was great, and brought out the "dreamer" side of me. The only other movie that made me feel so optimistic about my tendency to let my imagination run rampant was Amelie.

you gotta see this shit

Drama: Killer Diller

Killer Diller (2004)

Everyone had seen Vernon driving around town in his invisible Plymouth, but nobody realized that the high level autistic teen was a blues piano playing genius. Wesley is a young car thief/blues guitarist who has been sent to a halfway house for young non-violent offenders run by Ned, who only accepts musicians to play in his gospel band. Wesley runs into Vernon at a small concert and after hearing him play the piano, convinces him to come join the halfway house band. Together with the other members of the halfway house they drop the lame gospel act and form "the Killer Diller Blues Band," which quickly becomes the talk of the town.

I can't even tell you how or why I added this to my DVD queue, but I did, and I'm grateful. This was a surprisingly touching movie. Fred Willard plays Ned, and his brother Deermont is played by John Michael Higgins, both of whom have worked together numerous times on Christopher Guest films. Though they were obviously thrown into the cast for comedic effect, the relationship between Wesley (William Lee Scott) and Vernon (Lucas Black) is both heartwarming and silly. Black did a phenomenal job playing Vernon, and the rest of the cast did a decent job playing the bandmates.

The storyline needed some work, and I think they missed out by not using more of the comedic chemistry between Willard and Higgins. There's no doubt that this is a "feel good" movie, and can certainly even be considered a little "cheesy." The live performance scenes could have been
choreographed better, but they still were extremely fun to watch and hear.

this was good

Documentary: Everything's Cool

Everything's Cool (2007)

Immediately after the scientific discovery that global warming is being caused by greenhouse gases, major corporations, who would be most effected financially by any new legislation, immediately started their campaign to misinform the general public. Media sources were provided with a small group of "scientists" (from right-wing think tanks, no less) to espouse the "other side" of this heated debate. This common political tactic fools the masses into believing that since there appears to be two sides of the issue, the debate has yet to be resolved. Unfortunately, the viewing public were rarely told that these "scientists", many not specialists in any climate sciences at all, were being funded by the energy industry and lobby. This documentary provides the only factual side to this "debate": the scientific community overwhelmingly agrees that our current environmental crisis is being fueled by human beings.

With the assistance of investigative journalist Ross Gelbspan and Dr. Heidi Cullen, who holds a PhD in climatology and ocean-atmosphere dynamics, this informative documentary dispels the arguments the other side has been making for well over two decades. You're introduced to all of the right-wing hacks who've sold out the well-being of the human race to protect profits for major corporations, and you're also shown why the likes of Gelbspan and Cullen should be recognized as the authorities on this controversy.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone still sitting on the fence in regards to this argument, and especially for anyone who is sure that global warming is some sort of issue fueled by ideology. They're actually spot on with that assumption, except that it's their side that is being manipulated politically. This would be a great film to see as a follow up to An Inconvenient Truth since it addresses why the other side of the argument was created: to protect profits. Shameful.

you gotta see this shit

Comedy: The Ten

The Ten (2007)

Paul Rudd hosts an ensemble cast of today's comedic stars through ten separate stories related to the Ten Commandments. Each "sin" is presented in unbelievable terms, and they all get tied together in the end.

I really was hoping to like this movie, but I have to say that I was quite disappointed. I mean, look at this full cast of talent. This movie should have been hilarious, but it just fell short on too many occasions. Winona Ryder fucking a dummy? The perceived argument between the dummy and her fiance after they are caught together was the best part of that scene.

Most of the movie was full of preposterous examples of violations of each commandment, which is where they lost me. There are definitely some unexpected gems, such as the best part of the movie:

Gretchen Mol plays the prudish librarian. She goes to Mexico to get away, and visits an old friend of her father's. She shows up at the ranch on a rikshaw being pulled by a hopping amputee (silly). As she steps off, she is greeted by her father's friend and his wife, who are clearly both lowly ranchers. She hugs the man, and he is so happy to see her, he says:

(in broken english) "I waaa, I waaaan, I waaan to fuck your tits."

Mol's bookwormish character, shocked at what he just said, says "Oh no, I don't think that's what you meant to say."

The man replies "One second" and whispers in spanish to the elderly woman standing next to him "how do you say 'I want to fuck your tits' in english?"

Now, if the rest of the movie was this hilarious, I'd have given it a much higher rating. The above scene did do it for me, and there were a few other moments that were equally brilliant, but I have to say

it was okay

Comedy (?):Smiley Face

Smiley Face (2007)

Jane is a pothead. Jane is also an irresponsible idiot. This is a movie about why the two shouldn't be combined.

I decided to research why this movie was so bad, and this is what I came up with: It was directed by Gregg Araki, who has experience bringing us such sunny, warm, optimistic movies as The Doom Generation, Nowhere, Totally Fucked Up (Totally F***ed Up is the US title, fucking prudes), and Mysterious Skin. The first two aforementioned titles are self explanatory, and involve a whole list of generation Xer stereotypes, the third movie is about suicidal gay teens, and the last one about a young male escort and an UFO conspiracy theorist befriending each other. Now some of those movies are good for what they are, but I feel duped into thinking that this was going to be an actual "stoner" comedy. The suits knew that if they marketed this movie for what it actually was, they would have sold only a few.

Recently, there have been a few stoner comedies that are the more realistic in terms of the characters: Grandma's Boy, Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, and Knocked Up. These movies portrayed the average stoner to be a more functioning part of society. Unfortunately, that part usually involves working a humdrum job, supporting the entertainment industry, and doing their part funding the junk food cartel.

The only reason I'm not giving my lowest rating is because some of the movie wasn't THAT bad. There are some moments that are funny, but most of the time this movie was full of stereotypical drivel that could have been pulled right from the D.A.R.E or the D.E.A. playbook. If you want to see what I mean, check this out: Marijuana: The Myths Are KILLING Us. The cast is also impressive, and I have to hope that most of the actors didn't necessarily understand what they signed on for.

Every single American taxpayer needs to read the article I linked above, well, since you paid for it. A young girl takes ecstasy, which she obviously had an allergic reaction to. Her dumb ass friends (surely inspiration for this film) stick marijuana buds IN HER MOUTH while she was unconscious and dying FROM ANOTHER DRUG, and hence: Marijuana KILLS (according to the DEA). YOU PAID FOR THIS!

As for this movie:

don't bother

Animated Comedy: Meet the Robinsons

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Lewis is an orphan with a vast imagination who just wants to be adopted. He's had 121 interviews with potential parents, and he's given up. After a conversation with the woman who raised him, he realizes that his biological mother may be the only person who has ever wanted him. So he invents a machine for that can display a memory from the past so he can see what she looked like. What Lewis doesn't know is that someone, using his very own technology, has come to steal his invention, from the future!

This is another Pixar style computer animated cartoon by Disney, and I just love these things, so my opinion is skewed. It takes a utopian look at the future, and also shows the viewer the possibilities of a much darker future. There are some really cool Rube Goldberg scenes, ala Robots, which are always fun to watch in such realistic animation.

A few years ago, I went to see The Incredibles with a friend and his kids. It was interesting to hear how the adults would laugh at parts the kids didn't get, and vice versa. I remember all of the kids laughing hysterically at a scene where all I could do was turn and shrug at my buddy. This movie definitely has more of those moments.

it was okay

Comedy: The Brothers Solomon

The Brothers Solomon (2007)

Will Arnett and Will Forte star as two thirty-something brothers who were raised in the Arctic after their mother died. Their father's last words before he went into a coma were something about wanting to see his grandkid. Neither of the Solomon's have a kid, nor are they good with picking up ladies. They finally find someone willing to be a surrogate for them, and the Solomons prepare for fatherhood.

This film should have been a showcase in hilarity considering the ingenious conglomeration of Forte's script, Bob Odenkirk's directing, and both of the Wills' comedic talent. However, it was one of the worst movies I've seen in some time. How can such expertise produce such an abhorrent storyline? I guess certain talents just cancel each other out.

this movie was fucking dumb

Drama: Interview

Interview (2007)

Steve Buscemi directs this remake of a 2001 Dutch movie directed by the late Theo Van Gogh about a political pundit demoted to writing celebrity "fluff" pieces. He has been assigned to interview Hollywood's most recent "it" girl, played by Sienna Miller. The movie follows the interaction between the two as the night goes on, bringing out the skeletons in both of the characters' closets.

The chemistry between Miller and Buscemi was actually unexpected, since it's hard to make an interesting movie with just two characters. The verbal altercations, slap fights, and sissy fits portrayed both characters as the divas they are. Pierre (Buscemi) has been vilified by his editor due to some shady journalistic sourcing, and Katya (Miller) has been quizzed about her decision to have her breast implants removed, a seemingly step backwards as a celebrity.

This is definitely an indie flick with an indie script, since 90% of the story is set in Katya's New York City loft. With a slightly bigger budget, I think this could have been a much better movie.

it was okay

Black Comedy: Fido

Fido (2006)

After Timmy Robinson's zombie attacks a neighbor, he decides to hide the evidence so his new "best friend" isn't taken away. That's right, Timmy has a pet zombie, as do most of his neighbors. Some of them even have more than one! Set in the 1950s, the film plays on the prejudices of the "nuclear family," yet still shows how humans can have humane feelings towards beings that, if given the chance, will eat them like a Tiger in India!

This film was absolutely brilliant! Billy Connolly plays Fido, the Robinson family's zombie servant. The back story, which includes a summary of the "Zombie Wars" that lead up to the setting of the script, was extraordinary. Written and directed by Andrew Currie, the plot includes minuscule details right down to how zombies still roam the "wild zone," how current survivors have to watch out for the elderly (since radioactive space dust still resurrects the dead), and the fact that only 10% of the world's population get funerals. What happens to the other 90%? What else! They're turned into slave labor.

Being a huge George Romero fan, I was utterly astonished by the lengths Currie went to cover every single aspect of the status quo trying to maintain some sort of normalcy in a post apocalyptic world.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of zombie flicks and to anyone who will get the references to previous films of this genre.

you gotta see this shit

Documentary: The Big Buy: Tom Delay's Stolen Congress

The Big Buy: Tom Delay's Stolen Congress (2006)

This is another political documentary by Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films, a media company that has produced additional documentary films such as Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, The Big Buy: Tom Delay's Stolen Congress and, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price. It provides details about the case against DeLay, who basically funneled corporate contributions to state candidates Republican PACs. The problem is that it's illegal in Texas for state legislators to accept campaign contributions from corporations. The film also introduces us to the slimeball that is Thomas Dale DeLay; his extremist political viewpoints, his reputation as a "hard partying" state legislator, and his rise to the political big leagues in Washington D.C.

In case anyone is still paying attention to this, DeLay has not gone to trial as of the date or this review. He claimed innocence at first, even going as far as calling the state prosecutor, Ronnie Earle, "partisan and vindictive." (coming from such as vindictive, partisan individual, it's hard to tell whether this was intended to be an insult or a compliment) Tom eventually stepped down from his majority leader position, and ultimately, retired from Congress altogether.

Well after watching this movie, I'm entirely convinced that Tom DeLay is guilty as charged. However, I'm also aware of our broken Justice System, and realize that DeLay will get away with what he did. Earle has since announced his intent to resign after his most recent term. Even if he is eventually convicted, our King George the Dumbya will pardon him. Thomas Dale Delay is the definition of a "loyal bushie," and our King has proven to be steadfast in protecting his political foot soldiers.

you gotta see this shit!