The Notscars: 2013

Each year, there are a few films and performances that stand out... in a very bad way. Unfortunately, much of 2013 was engulfed in mediocrity, featuring very little that stood out in any way, bad or good. However, I was able to compile this short list of 2013 negatives... The 2013 Notscars... Enjoy...

 

 

Most Fan-Dictated Sequel Ever:

 

The Hangover: Part III

 

 

 

And I Thought I Couldn't Get Enough of You:

 

Zach Galifianakis
(The Hangover: Part III)

 

 

 

Most PG-13ish R-rated Movie:

 

21 and Over

 

 

Where the Mutants Is?:

 

The Wolverine

 

 

Let's See How Many Times We Can Play Our Trailer:
 

World War Z

 

Worst Performance of the Year:

Blonde Bad Girls
Jodie Foster (Elysium) / Diane Kruger (The Host)

 

Worst Film of the Year:

Grown Ups 2

 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Expectations:
Before beginning this review, I decided to look back at my review of the first Hunger Games film, which you can read here. This look back led me to a grand total of two conclusions... 1. With regard to teen book trilogies being turned into films, my frustration never ceases... 2. My writing really sucked in March of last year! I mean, the movie was mediocre enough. The least I could have done was deliver a memorable review for you guys... Sorry about that! Anywho, after watching the underwhelming Hunger Games, my expectations for its sequel were far from elevated. In fact, I expected things to turn out a lot worse, considering sequels tend to lean in that inferior direction. Plus, why would I just want to watch people fight under the same circumstances of the first film? I haven't read the books, but my bet is that Suzanne Collins was really lacking in originality, when it came time for her to create Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Seriously, Mockingjay is not even an original title! It's a theme throughout! Regardless, I felt it was my duty to check out what I figured to be a duplication of its predecessor...

Plot:
Unfortunately, Catching Fire's storyline turned out to be The Hangover Part II of YA novels, which is not the fault of the filmmakers. Luckily for Lionsgate, teenagers don't really care about originality, as long as you convince enough people to like it (gotta keep it cool!). I must say that it was quite evident that Catching Fire was an after-thought of Suzanne Collins'. Not only were there an excessive number of new characters, but the lack of originality was just blatant. Like the first film, the love triangle felt forced, as Josh Hutcherson's Peeta stole the show, as far as romanticism is concerned. At this point, I wonder why Gale (played by Liam Hemsworth) was even necessary. Maybe the story would have been more interesting if Katniss (played by Jennifer Lawrence) just didn't like Peeta, regardless of the other men in her life. It would certainly cut down on the unnecessary screen time on Gale's part. I guess not as many ravenous girls would be interested if they only had one guy to obsess over. Also, Gale shouldn't call her "Catnip"! The name Katniss has never been had by anyone, so why do you need to give a nickname to someone with a unique name... That's just a personal rant of mine!

Characters:
I must say that the acting and the characters were much better in Catching Fire than in the first film. Of course, we all know that Jennifer Lawrence can act, so that's not something worth discussing, but the other performances, discussed below, made the long, drawn out introduction to the actual games a bit more bearable than in the first film.

Negatives:
Thank goodness that Seneca Crane (played by Wes Bentley) was absent from this film. He was one of the worst characters of all 2012 films, and his absence made the film a lot better. The only Catching Fire character that I just could not stand was Lenny Kravitz's Cinna, who is just so, so awkward! Is it just me or does he not come off as a giant perv, who wants him some catnip (if you know what I'm talking about)? Maybe if I had read the books, I would have more of a connection to him, but, as far as the film is concerned, I just think he is a bit of freak.

Positives:
When watching the first film, I found Stanley Tucci's Caesar Flickerman to be WAAAAY over the top. However, in the last 18 months, I must have become more comfortable with his goofily excited character or something, because I thought he was absolutely brilliant. I honestly think that Tucci is one of the greatest actors alive, and he certainly proved that in Catching Fire. Every moment that he was on screen was just amazing, and, when he wasn't, that mediocrity of the main characters shone oh so bright. Also, I really enjoyed the newfound depth of Elizabeth Banks' Effie, who was much more tolerable than in the first film, and the much more likable gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

Conclusion:
In comparison to the first Huger Games film, Catching Fire reigned supreme, in my opinion. It did so not because of its originality or excitement but because of its better performances and more enjoyable minor characters. While the concept of centering the entire film around the games themselves AGAIN may have been lacking in originality, it was still quite dramatic and kept my interest. I assume that Mockingjay will feature a lot more originality, although I'm sure the fact that it has been turned into two films will diminish its drama and excitement. Regardless of what the future may hold for The Hunger Games, I must say that I am intrigued, and I can't wait to see what happened next. Unfortunately, I don't see much Stanley Tucci in my Hunger Games radar, so that could mean it's all downhill from here. We'll see! I give The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 3.45 out of 5 stars.

Last Vegas

Expectations:
The obvious selling point for Last Vegas is the star-studded, veteran (nicely put) lineup that was intended to hook older viewers. If you sit a 40-70 year old down and ask them whether they have a certain affection for one of the four Last Vegas stars (Michael Douglas, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, or Kevin Kline), they are almost certain to enjoy at least one of these great actors' storied careers. Even at 22, I'm a huge fan of both Kline and Freeman, and, of course, I loved Douglas in Wall Street. However, at 22, I really thought the humor of Last Vegas might be a bit too innocent and old fashioned to successfully entertain someone like me, who is used to the R-rated comedy world of The Hangover and Seth Rogen. Although it was sold as The Hangover for old people, I didn't really think it would be able to deliver those Hangover laughs. Nevertheless, in an attempt to appease my better half, I decided to give Last Vegas a chance and skip out on Ender's Game. Maybe Ender won't blow me up with his cool powers that I don't really understand (on account of I didn't get to watch the movie).

Plot:
Well, I was right about one thing... plot-wise, Last Vegas was far from The Hangover for old people. Actually, the only similarity it had to The Hangover was its location, and the fact that four men were involved. Honestly, it felt more like Grown Ups, featuring even OLDER stars! The whole concept that was embraced by Grown Ups (not Grown Ups 2) of a group of friends coming together and not really being in the same spot they were when they were last together was the exact same plot of Last Vegas. Luckily for Last Vegas, the jokes were absolutely hilarious! Now, I do want to give this disclaimer: I was in a great mood last weekend, so I was more apt to be laughing than many might be. Nevertheless, I thought this movie was hilarious, and I thought the jokes were perfectly balanced between the crudeness that younger audiences enjoy and the goofy, old people humor that goofy, old people enjoy. The only super-noticeable flaw was the way in which the old geezers obtained their gigantic suite, at their hotel. It was way out there, and, obviously, they couldn't come up with a better way to get them to their "party room."

Characters:
The selection of Douglas, DeNiro, Freeman, and Kline for these roles was absolutely spot-on. I was very pleased with the way that their varying degrees of humor mixed with one another. From the unfunny Douglas to the hilariously silly Kline, there was rarely a moment where I felt anyone was taken out of their respective element.

Negatives:
The only character that I did not care for was Lonnie, played by Romany Malco, whose jokes just failed to resonate with me. He really wasn't necessary and eventually became a lame excuse to have 50 Cent appear in the film.

Positives:
As the funnier of the four, I would have to say that Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman shone a bit more than their Last Vegas costars. Although Kline was noticeably younger (10 years more so than Freeman), his hilarity overcame this oddity. I don't think I've ever seen Kline in a role that I did not enjoy. He may not be the biggest name in the game, but he always brings it home, as he continues to be underrated. Kudos to all of these guys for bringing on the laughs, and kudos to the filmmakers for getting them all together.

Conclusion:
Gravity, Captain Phillips, and, now, Last Vegas--how many unexpected surprises can one guy take? Regardless, I'm just glad to have the opportunity to watch these great films. I know that Last Vegas is in a completely different universe, compared to the others, but I appreciate a good comedy just as well as a good drama. In fact, I dare say that it is harder to make a good comedy in this era of films, considering that the comedy hits have recently been limited to Melissa McCarthy and animation, on top of the fact that cool, 3D graphics don't lend their hand to many grown up comedies. Anyway, considering how low my expectations were, Last Vegas may be the most surprisingly good film of 2013. Hopefully, when I approach the age of 100, my friends and I will also be kicking it in Vegas. If we can't make it that far, we can always just watch this movie. I give Last Vegas 3.34 out of 5 stars.

The Hangover Part III

Expectations:
If there is one thing that I've heard too much of over the past couple of years, it's people complaining about The Hangover Part II. I'm sorry, but I don't understand how people could not like it! Those characters in those situations create absolute hilarity, regardless of how original the storyline is. In my opinion, raw, R-rated comedies, like The Hangover, are meant to do ONE THING... make you laugh. While watching The Hangover Part II, you may not have had a huge, life-changing moment, but I have a good feeling that you did laugh. Was Part II as good as the original? Absolutely not! But, nothing is!!!! People just need to learn how to be content. So, needless to say, while everyone else was hoping for a franchise turnaround with The Hangover Part III, I was just hoping for more of the same.

Plot:
Congratulations, folks! You got what you freakin wanted! In an attempt to appease the masses, Todd Phillips and company threw out everything from the past two films and started from scratch. If you don't want to see The Hangover Part III because you are worried about having to watch more of the same from the last two films, fret not. In what was meant to be "Allen's story," it turned out to be "the wolfpack chases Chow," and, with the focus on Allen, the laughs were sparing on the parts of Phil and Stu, which kind of sucked. In my opinion, the story would have been more interesting if they had just stuck with the same old wedding adventure from parts I and II, but, instead, they attempted to create something new and completely failed.

Characters:
If you've seen either of the first two films, you know that these characters are absolutely great, and I have a great amount of love for them all. However, in Part III, the characters were not given a chance to do their thing. Stu (Ed Helms) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) took a backseat to everything and really had no dog in the fight at all. After the success that Bradley Cooper has had over the past few years, I'm surprised that he agreed to do this film in which he barely matters but is always there. Of course Allen (Zach Galifianakis) was hilarious, but I think he is getting a little less funny at this point. Also, he changes a lot during the film, which does not fit the character that we have all grown to love.

Negatives:
After his small, hilarious turn in the first Hangover film, I think it is safe to say that Ken Jeong's Chow has been over-utilized at this point. I won't spoil anything, but Chow had too large of a role in a film that was supposed to be a swan song to the wolfpack. On top of that, what made him relevant was the addition of John Goodman's Marshall, who I didn't find the least bit intimidating or interesting. Finally, Mike Epps's "Black Doug" made a disappointing return in the film. Epps brought many laughs in the first film, but he was just too serious this time around.

Positives:
Maybe I'm already suffering from Office nostalgia, but I really thought Ed Helms did a great job of bringing the laughs in Part III. Without the crazy, wedding night "demons" that Stu had faced before, I was wondering if he was going to bore the audience in this film. But, when he was given a chance, I think he made me laugh more than anyone else, so kudos! The only other character that I really loved was Grant Holmquist's Tyler. Of course, the last time we saw Tyler, he had recently had his named changed from Carlos, which fits him better anyway. That scene with Holmquist and Heather Graham was quite impressive and probably the high point of the entire film for me.

Conclusion:
I was quite disappointed in how the wolfpack went out in The Hangover Part III. Not only was the story quite dull, but the laughs were few and far between. The Hangover began the craze of over-the-top, hardcore, raunchy comedies that have been coming our way for the past six years, and that's what made it so great. Unfortunately, there was a lack of raunchiness and laughter throughout this film. It was as if they were trying to end the trilogy on a serious note, and it just fell oh so short of succeeding. I'm pretty sure that everyone will say that the post-credits scene is their favorite, and that scene is the only real over-the-top, Hangover-esque scene in the entire film. If this film had come along before Part II, people would have begged Todd Phillips to return to his original formula that he used to create the first two films. To all of you who begged for something different, you got it! Now, as I go to my grave with disgust toward the final installment in The Hangover trilogy, I won't blame Todd Phillips or the cast. Instead, I will blame the millions who moaned and groaned about the second film. Because IT WAS FUNNY!!!! I give The Hangover Part III 2.11 out of 5 stars and apologize for this great rant.

Great Expectations: May 2013

It's time to break out the popcorn, theaters! People are prepping for the 3D, blow your socks off graphics that are so good that you need popcorn to distract you from the actual film. Personally, I haven't bought anything from the theater's concession stand in probably like three years. Add that to the fact that I usually watch matinees, and you will understand why I don't really help the theater's profits. Normally, I would encourage everyone to be cheap like me, but, in this case, I need y'all to waste your money at the theater, so that it won't shut down for any reason... EVER!!! I won't bore you with an explanation of the awesomeness that comes with summer movies. If you do need to be reminded, here is a link to my 2013 summer movie preview: CLICK ME. Here are some films that I'm really looking forward to this May...

The Great Gatsby

(May 10)

 

 

Star Trek Into Darkness

(May 17)

 

 

The Hangover: Part III

(May 24)

 

 

The Kings of Summer

(May 31)

 



Summer Preview: 2013

 

With the release of Iron Man 3 on May 3, the 2013 summer movie season will officially begin, and it is time to get excited, folks! The summer of 2012 was not the most satisfying, so I'm hopeful that we will see a great improvement in 2013. FYI... I categorize the months of May-August as the "summer movie months," disqualifying any films that are released outside of this broad date range. Below, I have listed five categories of film expectations that I have for this summer. All of the lists are in complete random order, so you get to guess which will top each list! Chachingiest Expectations includes films that I expect to make the most money. This list may be completely wrong, as I did zero research on what films are expected to have high grosses. Lowest Expectations includes films that I don't really think will be worth watching, and I may never know whether they are worth it, because I may not even watch. Bombing Expectations includes films that I believe will fail to meet their monetary expectations (like 2012's John Carter or Battlefield). Finally, my High Expectations categories, for both drama and comedy, include films that I expect to be the best of the summer of 2013. Can these films meet my high expectations? Only time will tell. So, grab your 3D glasses, take them to the theater, buy a 2D ticket, and sneak in to the 3D movie, because it's clever! Happy summer, folks!

Chachingiest Expectations
Fast and Furious 6

Monsters University

Despicable Me 2

Iron Man 3

Man of Steel

Lowest Expectations
The Smurfs 2

The Wolverine

White House Down

World War Z

Bombing Expectations
The Lone Ranger

Grown Ups 2

Now You See Me

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Highest Dramatic Expectations
Elysium

Man of Steel










Star Trek Into Darkness










The Way, Way Back

Highest Comedic Expectations
This Is the End

The Hangover Part III









The Internship

Repeat

 

In all of my 21 years of life, there is no telling how many movies I have seen. Not only am I clueless about how many films I have seen, but also there are so many different types of films that I have seen, from my early days of The Land Before Time, The Mask, and Toy Story to my present days of The Hangover, Argo, and........ Toy Story. Regardless, as I grow older, I am realizing that there are fewer and fewer films that I can watch over and over and over again. When I was little, I would watch my Disney movies day after day, and I was a perfectly happy child. Today, however, I just can't watch films more than like once every six months or so, and they have to be really, really good for me to even take the time to watch them more than once. Some of this reduction of movie-watching time is due to the fact that I don't have time to do much of anything, with college, work, and friends taking so much of my time, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Also, I go to the movies almost every week, which takes up much of my weekend fun time. However, regardless of how much time I have or how long it has been since I last watched a movie, there are a small number of films that I can watch over and over and over. Are they my favorite films of all time? Not necessarily. But, they all have something about them that makes it very easy to pop that disc into the movie machine. So, I have compiled a list of five films that I can watch at any time of any day and be utterly satisfied. If you have not seen any of these films and are scared of becoming a film addict, steer clear! You cannot stop once you start!...

#5-The Dark Knight

Batman is my favorite superhero of all time, and Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite movie-makers of all time. So, it would have been hard for me not to love The Dark Knight. I will admit that there are times when I fast forward to the parts with The Joker, but it's not because I don't love Bruce Wayne. Seriously, though, who wouldn't want to watch the greatest superhero movie of all time over and over? It may not be the movie that we deserve, but it is the movie that we need, today and every other day.


#4-O Brother Where Art Thou?

I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers, who have impressed me with many of their films. However, O Brother Where Art Thou is easily their best film and probably my favorite comedy of all time. I can easily quote the entire film to you. So, if you ever need a good laugh, come find me and ask me to tell you an O Brother Where Art Thou story. It's sure to relieve. I'm pretty sure that most everyone has seen this film, at this point, but, in case you haven't, prepare yourself for the high amount of floor rolling that you will be participating in... Gopher, Everett?


#3-The Hangover

The Hangover has absolutely redefined the entire comedic genre, and I don't think everyone realizes it. On top of that, it's the comedy of my generation. Hence, my generation redefined the entire comedic genre. Seriously, how many people get excited about PG-13 comedies these days? That's right... No one... For that, you can thank The Hangover! Anyway, none of that really makes me want to watch it over and over. The fact that it is freaking hilarious makes me want to watch it over and over, and, every once in a while, I need to be reminded that tigers hate cinnamon.


#2-Midnight in Paris

Of the five films on this list, Midnight in Paris is easily the least popular and probably the least expected. It is unlikely that you have seen this film, so please go out and rent it! This Woody Allen original has such an amazing vibe that makes me want to move to Paris and write a novel each and every time that I watch. If you are nostalgic, like me, you will absolutely love this film. Please! Please! I beg of thee! Watch Midnight in Paris!!! It will make you feel great about life.


#1-The Social Network

Over the past 2.5 years, there is no movie that I have watched as many times as The Social Network. When I saw the film in the theater, it did not have a very large impact on my life. However, after I bought the DVD (for $12 at Best Buy on its release date!!), I fell in love with the film and the characters. I have never watched a movie that made me feel as smart, thanks to Jesse Eisenberg's turn as Mark Zuckerberg. Although people dislike Zuckerberg's character, they must remember that he isn't an asshole, he's just trying so hard to be one. Whether or not this story is completely true, I absolutely love the film and the characters. When I tell people how often I watch The Social Network, they never seem to understand my connection to the film. I believe that they would fall in love with it, if they would watch it more than a couple of times. If I have never said it before on my blog, Aaron Sorkin is one of my favorite people in the world of film and television. He wrote The Social Network, Moneyball, The West Wing, A Few Good Men, and, most recently, The Newsroom on HBO, and I truly love each and every one of these productions. Really, there is nothing that I dislike about The Social Network, and that is why I can watch it over and over and over, more than any other film...



I would have made the list longer, but there really aren't any more films that I can watch with such repetition. As time goes on, I'm sure that I will stop watching some of these films as often, and I'm sure that I will start watching new films over and over, so there is nothing set in stone. This list is nothing but a snap shot of Spring 2013. Also, just to clarify, I do not have the largest DVD collection of all time. I may watch a lot of movies, but I probably only buy 5 or 6 movies each year. One day, when my girlfriend and I combine our movies, we will have a large collection, but, until then, I remain average. Finally, to reiterate what I have already said, this is NOT a list of my favorite films of all time, just ones that I can watch over and over. Maybe one day I will give you a list of my favorite films, but I'm going to keep you waiting for now. Hope you enjoyed, and I hope you go watch these films, if you have yet to do so. Then, watch them again... and again.... and again.........

21 and Over

Expectations:
Honestly, I was not particularly excited to see 21 and Over this past weekend, but I really wanted to see a movie. After a tough week of studying for an awful test, I deserved to get what I wanted. Seriously. Anyway, the movie was sold as an over-the-top, sexed-up drinking fest with a focus on laughing at over-the-top, sexed-up, drunk things. So, obviously, that's what I was expecting as I headed into the theater. After The Hangover became such a huge hit, R-rated comedies took over the comedic film world and have held their reign to this point. These films tend to compete on the basis of "who can be the most immoral," so that is what we have come to expect. I remember back in high school, when I would get so excited over a PG-13 comedy, but, honestly, I can't think of the last PG-13 comedy I enjoyed, mostly because they are so rare nowadays. Thankfully, films like 21 and Over come along to entertain with immorality. Or so I thought...

Plot:
We all know that one guy or girl that only lives life on the wild side because it is what everyone else is doing. Regardless of their true self, they want to fit in with the party crowd. 21 and Over is that guy! The previews may have been selling an R-rated, over-the-top comedy, but the film itself was a PG-13 movie trying to fit in with the R-rated party crowd. I'm not saying that being a PG-13 film is always a bad thing. I'm just saying that it wasn't what I expected from a film that wanted to compare itself to The Hangover. The plot was extremely stupid and unrealistic, and, really, the story would have lasted only about twenty minutes, if the 21st century college students would have had a cellphone! Sure, there were plenty of laughs along the way, but very few that were shockingly hilarious, as we've come to expect with recent R-rated films. Not to be overly critical of the film as a whole, but I'm pretty sure that I could have written a story at least ten times better than the one they were dealing with here.

Characters:
While the plot was complete crap, I actually enjoyed the main characters much more than I had expected. Although the characters were not at all flawless, they were actually relatable, most likely because of my similar place in life. They were a bit overly emotional, but, with absolutely zero stars in the film, the character success came as a surprise to me.

Negatives:
Nicole, played by Sarah Wright, was the useless and awkward love interest of Skylar Astin's Casey. Every moment that she was on screen, I felt like the storyline became more and more dull. I don't know why a film about one drunken night needed an overnight love story. However, the worst performance/villain was Francois Chau, as the father of Jeff Chang (Chinese Doug). Chau, who I have a special LOST connection to, was not at all scary, funny, or much of anything that he was supposed to be, and I found that quite disappointing. Finally, Randy, played by Jonathan Kultz, just wasn't as funny as he could have been. The character had great potential for hilarity, but Kultz just couldn't pull it off.

Positives:
While the three main characters weren't the greatest of all time, they each had some great funny moments, and, as I said, they were quite relatable. Miles Teller, Skylar Astin, and Justin Chon were perfect for their roles as Miller, Casey, and Jeff Chang. Just the sheer fact that they ALWAYS called him his full name, "Jeff Chang" was probably the funniest aspect of the entire film. On top of the comedic antics, the interaction among the three characters was really nice and made me realize just how my relationship with my high school friends has changed since graduating. Oddly enough, they made me self-reflective, something you rarely expect from an R-rated comedy.

Conclusion
As the first 2013 comedy that I have seen, 21 and Over was not extremely satisfying or disappointing. I am quite hopeful that many funnier movies will come along this year, but this film met my expectations, for the most part. On the comedic side, it was funnier than I had expected, yet the comedy lacked in extremity. The story was absolutely illogical and not really that exciting, but the characters were funny and had way more depth than you would have ever expected. I would not encourage you to watch 21 and Over, unless, like me, you enjoy almost every R-rated comedy, just because you like to laugh. Nevertheless, I give 21 and Over 2.23 out of 5 stars.

A Look Ahead to 2013

Yet another year of blogging has come and gone, and I can't quite believe it. When I started this thing in 2011, I didn't really know how much I would enjoy it. I mean, come on, what college kid actually wants to write MORE. However, I have greatly enjoyed it, and my hope is that you have as well. So, until people stop reading or I get sick of writing, I'm gonna keep on going.

Sometimes I enjoy doing these odd little posts even more than the usual reviews, because I get to really say whatever I want about whatever I want. But, I do try to make each of them have a purpose, and the purpose of this post is to look ahead to what will be happening in movies and with the blog in 2013. Firstly, there will be no Great Expectations for January, because there are really no new movies coming out that I am planning on watching. In January, I will be focusing on catching up on some movies I have been wanting to rent. However, there may be a review or two, because there are a few movies that I haven't yet been able to watch, due to the busy nature of the Christmas season. Also in January, look for my Notscars list, which should be up early in the month. This list will highlight the worst in movies from 2012 but will be much different (and shorter) than last year's list. My Above Average Awards (I think it clever), which is a list of the best in 2012, will likely be out in early February. I know most people have already forgotten about 2012 by February, but, if I give you that list any earlier, I will feel like it is incomplete, because of the number of movies that I want to watch between now and then. The more movies that I watch, the more accuracy I will have in my list of best actors/actresses/movies.

After I take a nap from all the writing for The Above Average Awards, I will then proceed to review more films, as February and March roll around. Depending on what I do during the summer months (internship?), I may have to take a break from blogging, but I certainly hope not. I gotta keep my people informed! I believe that is all I have for now, so here are a few lists for you (release dates and my excitement are subject to change):

Top 5 movies that I can't wait to see in 2013:

5. This is the End (June 14)

4. The Hangover Part III (May 24)

3. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)

2. Elysium (August 9)

1. Man of Steel (June 14)

Other huge films out in 2013:

Warm Bodies (February 1)

Oz: The Great and Powerful (March 8)

Carrie (March 15)

The Host (March 29)

Oblivion (April 19)

Iron Man 3 (May 3)

The Great Gatsby (May 10)

After Earth (June 7)

Monster University (June 21)

Despicable Me 2 (July 3)

The Wolverine (July 26)

Enders Games (November 1)

Thor: The Dark World (November 8)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22)

Anchorman: The Legend Continues (December 20)

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

Expectations:
I don't know about you, but I love Harold and Kumar. They are undoubtedly the funniest potheads, this side of Cheech and Chong. But, even more than that, I freakin love Christmas movies. It is certainly a weakness of mine. Now, what could make Harold and Kumar better than a little bit of Christmas cheer? The answer: a little bit of dirty, Christmas hilarity. As I said, I do love these guys, but I was a little skeptical of how far they could really take the series of films. Sure, people watch, but Harold and Kumar aren't as important to society as people like The Hangover guys. Nevertheless, they press forward, using a brilliantly creative theme.... CHRISTMAS!!! I didn't expect this movie to be the greatest of all time, but I really wanted to see how much they could pick at traditional Christmas movies and 3D.

Plot:
The biggest surprise of the entire movie was the fact that there actually was a plot! If my blog would have existed when the first two films hit theaters, this entire section would be empty. The first two films were filled with random, funny, dope-smoking moments that somehow became a movie. This film actually taught a lesson: don't forget the people who mean the most to you in your life. You might would expect this from any other Christmas film, considering the holiday season brings families and friends together, but you wouldn't expect that to coincide with these crazy characters. Regardless, it happened, and I was shocked. Of course, there were many jokes that would offend sensitive Christmas lovers. Also, make sure that you don't watch this film with your kids or parents.

Best Scene: Harold shoots Santa Clause (Richard Riehle) out of the sky. That was pretty funny. But, knowing that was in the previews, I don't want to discourage you. There were many other funny parts that the trailer doesn't show.

Characters:
The characters obviously drive the plot along, with their name being in the title and all. Harold (John Cho) has finally grown up and become more mature, but Kumar (Kal Penn) continues to struggle with his life. The two have been separated, and a little Christmas magic reunites them in an unpeaceful way. The pair, as usual, encounter a few crazy individuals along the way. Neil Patrick Harris is crazy as himself, and both Harold and Kumar have replaced one another with new friends Todd (Tom Lennon) and Adrian (Amir Blumenfeld), who turn out to be rather hilarious. Overall, the cast was great and funny.

Best Character: Ava, who was Todd's baby daughter, was undoubtedly the funniest character in the movie. Played by Ashley, Chloe, and Hannah Cross, Ava was always getting into some sort of illegal substance. While this may sound a bit rough, it is. But it's freakin hilarious!

Worst Character: Kenneth Park, played by Bobby Lee, was the most useless addition to the cast, hence his landing in the worst character spot. You might know him as the guy in the trailer that points at the screen and says, "It's gonna be amazing!" That's about all he does.

Conclusion:
I was very pleased. I think the addition of a plot really helped this movie avoid being just stupid-funny, not that it didn't have those qualities. Also, the 3D was rather cool at times. It did what 3D is supposed to do, by jumping out at the screen and having stuff fly at your face. If I wanted to look at a person walk around in 3D, I would just go to the mall. The characters were hilarious as usual, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see a fourth installment in the Harold and Kumar series. It was a nice start to the Holiday movie season. I give A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas 2.81 out of 5 stars and ask you to be patient, as Arthur Christmas is on its way!

30 Minutes or Less

Expectations:
The summer of 2011 was full of mediocre comedies and included a few great laughs like Horrible Bosses and The Hangover: Part II. While I do love Jesse Eisenberg, my expectations for 30 Minutes or Less leaned more towards the mediocre side. The previews were certainly funny, but it seemed that those may be the only funny parts. My expectations were really lowered when I found out that this film was derived from true events. It was such a good idea, but knowing that it wasn't an original idea really made it seem less funny for some reason. Also, the guy in the true story died, which is pretty rough and not funny.

Plot:
As the previews show, a pizza delivery guy, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg), is kidnapped and has a bomb strapped to him. The kidnapper, Dwayne (Danny McBride), needs $100,000 to hire someone to kill his dad, so he can have his inheritance. They decide to rob a bank, using a kidnapped pizza boy. I won't reveal the rest of the plot, but I will tell you one thing that really pissed me off. The pizza boy is given something like nine hours to rob the bank. I don't know about you, but I wanted to see him do it in thirty minutes. Maybe that really isn't important, but I think they should have focused more on the pizza side of things than they did. The title is 30 MINUTES OR LESS, they could've thrown a few pizza jokes in there somehow. Overall, the plot was rather predictable and simple, but there were plenty of laughs along the way.

Characters:
Jesse Eisenberg was his usually great self, which made me want to see more of him and much less of Danny McBride. Don't get me wrong, McBride was very very funny, but I thought the movie should have focused almost totally on the delivery guy. Nick's friendship with Chet (Aziz Ansari) was actually very intriguing. They had stabbed each other in the back a few times in the past, which provided many laughs. Eisenberg is very good at making you care about his character, which makes this friendship seem very personal in just an hour and a half of watching. You really feel like these two are true friends.

Best Character: Chango, played by Michael Pena, is the man who Dwayne is going to hire to kill his dad. He is, by far, the funniest character in the movie, and Pena really does a great job playing the role. Also, Chango provides the only real plot twist, which is an added bonus.

Worst Character: Travis, played by Nick Swardson, was Dwayne's best friend and fellow kidnapper. Personally, I thought he was absolutely unnecessary. Swardson is very very funny, but he really distracted from the focus of the film.

Conclusion:
30 Minutes or Less definitely falls into the mediocre comedy category. There were many laughs and a funny storyline, but I don't think there was ever too much potential with this film. The cast was full of great, funny comedic actors and, of course, the great Eisenberg. Aziz Ansari really surprised me, because I usually don't find him very funny. The entire cast really gelled well together, and I think the problem may have been that there were too many great actors. I wanted the movie to focus on each of them a bit more, but that just couldn't really happen. I'm still bitter about the fact that the pizza had very little to do with the movie, but I will get over it. I give 30 Minutes or Less 2.32 out of 5 stars.

Summer Recap

In my opinion, last Friday was the final big release date of summer 2011 with The Smurfs and Comboys & Aliens tying atop the box office. I am not a big fan of the Planet of the Apes series and The Change-Up just looked dumb, so I chose to write this rather than wasting my time at the movies this weekend, but don't worry, next week I will have a review of 30 Minutes or Less.

The past three summers have brought some of my favorite movies of all time. There was The Dark Knight and Iron Man in 2008. There was Star Trek, District 9, and The Hangover in 2009. And everybody loved Inception and Toy Story 3 in 2010. With those films in mind, the summer of 2011 seems very very weak. Maybe it's not fair to compare these, but the truth is that this was just a bad summer for movies. Many people whined about the abundance of super hero movies, but I don't think this was the problem. Sure, Green Lantern really sucked, and Thor was just ok, but X-Men and Captain America were each high points in a low summer. Many people whined about the abundance of sequels. Once again there were lows such as Pirates 4, but there were many sequels loved by many. I personally loved The Hangover Part II, Transformers 3, and once again X-Men. Harry Potter, Fast Five, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Cars 2 are other sequels that many people loved. So what do we blame the aweful summer of 2011 on?

The problem with the summer of 2011 is the lack of big, original movies. Every movie that I mentioned from previous summers, except Toy Story 3, was a movie that really made itself or its series famous. The two biggest money making movies of 2011 will undoubtedly be Transformers 3 and the final Harry Potter film, but both of these were sold by the success of their previous films. A lot of critics don't care for summer movies because they aren't very Oscar worthy, but, in my opinion, the problem is the lack of original storytelling ability in the film industry these days. My favorite movie of the summer was Super 8, a movie that did a great job of being itself. The biggest surprise of the summer was definitely Horrible Bosses. It may not have been as good as The Hangover, but the storyline really made for many many laughs. Each of these films were certainly original stories, furthering my point.

If you are one that hated the super hero movies or the sequels, you will also be hating the summer of 2012. The biggest films of 2012 will be The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, and The Amazing Spiderman, all of which fall into those two categories. But, there is still hope for next summer to be a good summer for movies. The best thing it has going for it? It will be compared to the summer of 2011.

This has been a great couple of months of blogging for me, and I have really enjoyed letting people know how I feel about each film. If there is ever anything that you think would better the blog, just let me know. I am very open to suggestions. I want to thank each of you for listening to what I say, and I ask you to please continue reading.

Movie News for the Week

I have decided that I will be keeping you up to date on the buzz in Hollywood on a weekly basis. My goal is to give you the biggest news in movies each and every Tuesday. So make sure you keep up if you want to know more than your friends.

1. Christian Bale is being courted by director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler) in an effort to convince Bale to play Noah in a movie version of the Bible story. Aronofsky says that his interpretation of the Flood will be a "fantasy epic."

2. Steven Spielberg has been in talks with screenwriters about making a fourth Jurassic Park movie. The Spielberg produced Terra Nova premieres on FOX in the fall, and a lot of work has gone into the dinosaurs on the new show, making people think that this new technology might further Spielberg's interest.

3. William Shatner will NOT be a part of the second Star Trek movie. J.J. Abrams has been quiet about the film, but Shatner himself has said that he will not make an appearance. Shatner was unhappy when he was not offered a spot in the first film.

4. Russell Crowe has been rumored as the actor who will play Superman's dad in the upcoming reboot of Superman.

5. The Academy is once again changing the Best Picture rules for this year's Oscars. Instead of having ten nominees, there will be 5-10 nominees. The amount will not be announced until the nominations are announced and are based on the percentage of votes that each film receives. The number of nominees was increased from five to ten a few years back in an effort to increase viewership and include more films that people actually watch.

6. The lawsuit over the tattoo in The Hangover Part 2 has been settled. This means that the tattoo will not be edited out of the DVD release like many had thought.

7. Spoiler Alert! It has been rumored (not reported) that Liam Neeson has been seen on the set of the new Batman film. Neeson played Bruce Wayne's mentor turned enemy in Batman Begins, before supposedly dying. This will be awesome if it is true.

A laugh for the X-Men fans out there:

Movie News

1. Armie Hammer, who played the Winklevi in The Social Network, has signed on to play the Lone Ranger in a movie version of the classic tv show. Johnny Depp will play Tonto.

2. George Lucas said that he has prepared 50 hours (two seasons worth) of a Star Wars tv show. Lucas said that he is waiting for a cheaper technology to come along that would make the show more economical. The show would be based on the period of time between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

3. Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has announced the names of the new films based on the Rings' prequel The Hobbit. The book has been split into two movies, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

4. The Hangover 3 is already being scripted. Director Todd Phillips has said that the third installment will be the final movie in The Hangover series and will be much different than the first and second films.

5. Shia LaBeouf says that he will not be involved in any more Transfomers movies. He also commented that he did not believe director Michael Bay would be involved in any more of the movies either.