Tower Heist

This comedy with Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Téa Leoni, Casey Affleck, Alan Alda, Michael Peña, Gabourey Sidibe and Eddie Murphy is good popcorn fair, good for some laughs.

I like much of the cast and that usually leads to built in positive feedback. I have read that the director intentionally included actors with strong dramatic chops to ground the comedy and did not go for jokes but rather strong characters. The reviews that I have seen and heard by critics have all commented that Eddie Murphy does not show up soon enough, that there is not enough of him in the movie, and that it is his big return to what he does best. I agree that it is great to be entertained by Eddie Murphy in a classic Eddie Murphy way. That said, he is in the first scene of the movie. It may be the very fact that he is not in every scene that leaves one wanting more. If he were in the movie more, maybe it would not have been such a triumphant return for Murphy. I am much less confused by the announcement that he is hosting the Oscars now, that is forsure.

I saw the movie with Katy and she was no longer able to suspend her disbelief a few scenes before me. There came a point when I too was taken out of the movie because I could no longer shrug it off as believable. That said, there were lots of laughs, it is topical to our times and very entertaining. The point of a fall matinee pre-Oscar season, right? That said, up next, J Edgar on Monday courtesy of another screening pass the lovely Miss Ficker has obtained.

Movie Night 11/4/11 Something Borrowed

If asked if I would rewatch Something Borrowed before Friday I believe my answer would have been an overconfident no. Well it was the movie selection at this week's movie night.

Primed by my non-endorsement of the movie I am confident that the other members of the movie night crew enjoyed it much more. Hearing what someone else thinks about a movie before watching it can shift your expectations. We even discussed how someone saying that they do not like a movie, can make you want to like it. I also enjoyed my second viewing much more than my first. Like my first, Kate Hudson and John Krasinski are the best parts of the flick.

I am also intrigued by discussions I have had with two friends who have read the book the movie is based on. It is actually a series of books. On that note, be sure to watch the entire credits if you watch Something Borrowed.

Movie Night 10/14/11 -- High Fidelity

I had been trying to quote High Fidelity all week and was glad when Marla agreed that it should be our movie night selection for this week.

I was surprised this week that a majority of those under age 25, have not seen High Fidelity. I think this was particularly surprising because my 24 year old sister, watched it dozen of times to my knowledge, quotes it and read/owns Cash by Johnny Cash.

It holds up, it is still a great flick. It is based on a Nick Hornby novel (About a Boy with Hugh Grant is also based on a Hornby novel). One startling thing, there was a Charlie Sheen like quality to John Cusack's character Rob that was definitely not noticeable in the pre-Two and a Half Men years. I love Jack Black in his breakout role as Barry and the movie remains SO quotable. I really did try not to quote the whole movie while it played, I tried...

- Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
- It would be nice to think that since I was 14, times have changed. Relationships have become more sophisticated. Females less cruel. Skins thicker. Instincts more developed. But there seems to be an element of that afternoon in everything that's happened to me since. All my romantic stories are a scrambled version of that first one.
- It was like trying to borrow a dollar, getting turned down, and asking for 50 grand instead.
- Rob, I'm telling you this for your own good, that's the worst f8ckin' sweater I've ever seen, that's a Cosby sweater. A Cosssssssby sweater. Did Laura let you leave the house like that?
- I can't fire them. I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago.
- OK, buddy, uh, I was just tryin' to cheer us up so go ahead. Put on some old sad bastard music, see if I care.
I don't wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore.
Here's the thing. I made that tape special for today. My special Monday morning for you...special.
Well, it's f8ckin' Monday afternoon! You should get out of bed earlier!
- Oh, is she in a coma?
- Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?
- I guess it looks as if you're reorganizing your records. What is this though? Chronological?
No...
Not alphabetical...
Nope...
What?
Autobiographical.
No f8cking way.
- Only people of a certain disposition are frightened of being alone for the rest of their lives at the age of 26.
- Hey, I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm certainly not the dumbest. I mean, I've read books like "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "Love in the Time of Cholera", and I think I've understood them. They're about girls, right? Just kidding. But I have to say my all-time favorite book is Johnny Cash's autobiography "Cash" by Johnny Cash.
- John Dillinger was killed behind that theater in a hale of FBI gunfire. And do you know who tipped them off? His f8cking girlfriend. All he wanted to do was go to the movies.
- I want more, I wanna see the others on the big top-five. I want to see Penny and Charlie and Sarah, all of them. You know? Just see 'em and talk to 'em. You know, like a Bruce Springsteen song.
- Why'd you have to tell her about the store?
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was classified information. I mean, I know we don't have any customers, but I thought that was a bad thing, not like, a business strategy
- It's not what you are like but what you like.
- How does an average guy like me become the number one lover-man in his particular postal district? He's grumpy, he's broke, he hangs out with the musical moron twins...
- Do you have Soul?
That all depends.
- Marvin Gaye is dead. His father shot him.
- That is shocking. That is shocking.

And I could go on...

Movie Catch-Up

For the last several weeks I have been very busy and have had little free time. I have maximized that time and continued to see movies. I just have not continued to have the time to blog about them. I was sad to see that for the first time in months, views of my blog in September dipped below 300. If I don't write there is nothing to read so here's to remedying that. I also still struggle with not wanting to give away the details of movies. Writing about a month's worth of movie watching affords the luxury of being brief and still being able to write something of any significant length that is more than captions to photos.

I was fortunate enough to, in one week, be treated to two screenings with Emily in September. Tuesday September 13th was 50/50 -- excellent. Very funny handling of a serious subject matter that touches everyone's life at some point or another. There certainly were tears but Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen are phenomenal in it. Strong cast with Anjelica Huston and Anna Kendrick. Takes place in Seattle and is based on the real life experiences of the writer of the film and his friendship with Rogen.

Thursday the 15th was a sneak peak at Moneyball. It was supposed to be I Don't Know How She Does It but I went to get in line at the wrong Tigard theater. We ended up better for the mistake. Brad Pitt is delightful as general manager of the Oakland As. This is a movie I could not help but think my father would love. Maybe because I am his daughter, maybe because of all those times the family watched Field of Dreams and A League of Their Own, but I love a good baseball movie.

Movie night of that week was also significant. We watched the Time Traveler's Wife, a movie none of us (Marla, Laura or myself) had seen. We had fun posing for photos that tied in with the movie and the theme.

The Saturday after my two mid week movie bonanza, I enjoyed a tasty meal of Thai food with Laura in Sellwood and then a treat of Our Idiot Brother. Paul Rudd is a comic genius. He can almost do no wrong (Over Her Dead Body -- ironically the first screener I saw with Emily and the worst). The ensemble cast of Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Kathryn Hahn and Hugh Dancy are excellent. Great, fun, offbeat flick.

The last Friday in September, movie night was an expanded edition with a Back to the Future viewing at the Zahm's. They projected the movie onto the white wall at the back of their tv room, it was very cool. All who attended got nostalgic about when they watched the movie as kids and it was cool to learn that we all thought that the mall was the mall closest to where we lived (Lisa, Clackamas Town Center, Eric and me, Washington Square).

This past Saturday I saw What's Your Number with Katy at Cedar Hills. Anna Faris is a delight in it and much like 50/50, the jokes in the trailer are expanded in the movie and are even better. I am always so pleased when this is the case. Nothing more disappointing in a new movie than when seeing the trailer is as good as it gets. When I first saw the trailer for What's Your Number I thought, I'll probably see that. If its good will all depend on the delivery. As the September 30th release date came close I became increasingly more enthused and the flick delivered. Chris Evans was a good guy and excellent eye candy. I enjoy him in roles like these (see also The Nanny Diaries).

Tuesday Emily had passes to see the Way. It was written and directed by Emilio Estevez and starred Martin Sheen (Estevez briefly acts in the film). It was pretty good. I had not heard of it before Emily got the passes but the trailer made me cry and I wanted to see it. Where did Charlie come from?! So the black sheep. It is a drama with a lot of humor about a father whose son has just died as he walks the "El camino de Santiago" from France to Spain.

Last night at movie night, the return to the Igoe's house from the summer hiatus to the West Side, we watched the Wedding Singer. I have seen the Wedding Singer probably a hundred times. It is so good. Made the comment that it would be fun to have an 80s wedding. Trademarked, my idea. Anyone I know that beats me to the punch, I said it here first, you copied me. Marla smiled tolerantly as Laura and I sang many of the key moments in the film. We also discussed how Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore were really at their best and in their prime in the Wedding Singer. As Laura said, it was when Drew was at a healthy weight and I added, and a regular shade, not the scary orange she sports in Cover Girl ads. Sandler's last few movies have been sub par and will certainly continue along the downward spiral with Jack and Jill. Wedding Singer also carried the theme from time travel, Glenn drives a delorean.

All in all, I have had a really good run at the movies lately! Bring on Oscar season baby~

Emmys 2011

Jane Lynch did a solid job hosting. Her sketches were pretty good and she had some excellent cameos in her opening stroll through the sets of many of today's television shows.

Married tv couple Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell (Claire and Phil Dunphy) each won for Best Supporting Actress and Actor in a Comedy Series for Modern Family. Charlie Sheen was a class act as he presented the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. I was waiting for the punch line that did not come. So much so it took me a minute to realize that Steve Carell lost. I like Big Bang a whole bunch and Jim Parsons is fantastic as Sheldon. Steve Carell was amazing beyond words in his final appearance on the Office. It is a true shame that he was not recognized.

Beginning with Amy Poehler all of the women nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy Series went up on stage pageant style when their names were announced for their category. Melissa McCarthy won for Mike & Molly (you probably saw her in Bridesmaids this summer). The other nominees placed a tiara on her head and gave her a bouquet of roses. This display improved my mood greatly after Carell's inexplicable loss. Poehler and McCarthy did a hilarious job presenting for Lead Actor and Best Directing in a miniseries later in the show.

The Office sketch was delightful and funny. The Office regulars talking about what they liked least about their jobs peppered with characters from other shows. Fantastic.

I completely fast forwarded through the Reality section. Not my bag.

Margo Martindale won Best Supporting Actress for Justified. I have never watched the FX show but all of you will recognize her. She had a great arch on Dexter and is great in the Sandra Bullock flick 28 Days. Then things were a bit less dramatic. Martin Scorsese won Best Director. Duh. Kate Winslet won for Best Actress in a miniseries for Mildred Pierce. Well yeah. I did not have to see that to predict that. She is my generation's Meryl Streep.

I very much enjoyed the cast of Entourage presenting several miniseries awards. Mad Men won again and when Best Comedy Series was announced at the end, Modern Family won again. Repeat winners and truly excellent television.

Here is a complete list of the night’s winners:
Outstanding comedy series: Modern Family
Outstanding drama series: Mad Men
Outstanding miniseries or movie: Downton Abbey
Outstanding lead actress, miniseries or movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or movie: Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Outstanding directing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special: Brian Percival, Downton Abbey
Outstanding lead actor in a miniseries or movie: Barry Pepper, The Kennedys
Outstanding supporting actress, miniseries or movie: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Outstanding writing for a miniseries or movie: Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey
Outstanding lead actor, drama: Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Outstanding lead actress, drama: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Outstanding supporting actor, drama: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Outstanding directing, drama: Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire
Outstanding supporting actress, drama: Margo Martindale, Justified
Outstanding writing, drama series: Jason Katims, Friday Night Lights
Outstanding variety, music or comedy series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Outstanding directing for a variety, music or comedy series: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live (host: Justin Timberlake)
Outstanding writing for a variety, music or comedy series: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Outstanding reality competition: The Amazing Race
Outstanding lead actress, comedy: Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly)
Outstanding lead actor, comedy series: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Outstanding writing for a comedy: Steve Levitan, Jeffrey Richman (“Caught in the Act”), Modern Family
Outstanding director, comedy: Michael Alan Spiller (“Halloween”), Modern Family
Outstanding supporting actor, comedy: Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Outstanding supporting actress, comedy: Julie Bowen (Modern Family)

Crazy Stupid Love

I finally saw Crazy Stupid Love with Emily on Labor Day. A week ago. It was an excellent movie. The press I had read after it premiered was what prompted my Rom Com list a few weeks back. Crazy Stupid Love is beyond the mold/genre/stereotype of what a romantic comedy is. 

In less adept hands, with sub par writing and a different execution, this movie would not be as heartfelt, hilarious or believable. I will not spoil with details but I was impressed with America for keeping some surprises a secret.

I am not a fan of the main poster, but I very much enjoy this series of promotions.

Movie Night 9/2/11 A River Runs Through It

Shockingly I was the only one who had seen this Brad Pitt classic. It is a great flick with beautiful Montana landscapes, Robert Redford narrations and a look at life in the 1920s. The story centers around the lives of two brothers whose father is a minister.