Casting Re-Call: The To Do List

Last month, I wrote a post where I completely re-cast The Fault in Our Stars to better fit who I thought should have played each character in the film version of John Green's fantastic novel (in a perfect world). You can check out that post, here. Not only did that post get a good number of hits, but I really had a blast writing it. So, although it hasn't been very long since I wrote that Casting Re-Call, I decided to do another during the slow movie-month of July.

Although it flew well under the radar of most moviegoers, The To Do List was one of my favorite comedies of 2013. In fact, the film ended up taking third place in the Best Comedy category of my 2013 Above Average Awards, which is my list of the best in film from each year. If you have yet to see The To Do List, I would definitely encourage you to check it out! However, there is a good amount of perverse humor, so just be aware...

If you want, you can check out my review of The To Do List, here. Now, let's move on.

I'm sure you are asking yourself "Why would he want to re-cast one of his favorite films of 2013?" which is quite a valid question. The answer lies in the fact that not every good film is a perfect film, and, certainly, not every good film is perfectly cast. And, when it came down to it, many critics disliked The To Do List for just one reason... the casting! So, in an effort to appease the naysayers and also improve my own assessment of the film, I went back and watched The To Do List, picking the cast apart and coming up with a new cast that would have made a good movie even better...

First, let's take a look at the decisions that the filmmakers got right:

Character: Cameron
Actor Chosen: Johnny Simmons
Why?: Johnny Simmons was the only actor from The To Do List to make my Above Average list last year, and he was certainly deserving of my praise, even after watching the film a second time. Not only was Simmons hilarious, but he did a great job of hitting the goofy, emotional moments as well. Hopefully, Simmons will stick to comedy, because he could certainly have a promising future!

Character: Judge Klark
Actor Chosen: Clark Gregg
Why?: Today, Clark Gregg is known solely for his role as Agent Coulson from Disney's Marvel Universe, but people should really check out his other work, because this dude can bring on the laughter. This innocent father character was absolutely perfect for Gregg in The To Do List. Watch it! You'll love him!






Now, for the not so positive casting decisions:

Character: Brandy Klark
Actor Chosen: Aubrey Plaza
Ideal Actor: Analeigh Tipton
Why?: Personally, I think Aubrey Plaza is hilarious, and, because I find her funny, I quite enjoyed her performance in The To Do List. However, there is no denying that the casting decision was not perfect. In my opinion, Analeigh Tipton would be able to pull of the awkward, cocky-nerd school-girl a little bit better than Plaza. Tipton's comedic range is much larger than that of Plaza, who is good at dry and rude and not much else. As the focal point of the film, Brandy Klark shifts her attitude and personality a bit throughout the film, which is something that Plaza struggled with a bit. I'd be interested in hearing other candidates, but I think Tipton is quite funny and would be a great option, in my opinion.

Character: Mrs. Klark
Actor Chosen: Connie Britton
Ideal Actor: Michaela Watkins
Why?: Connie Britton is great! Connie Britton is NOT funny! On the other hand, Michaela Watkins might be the funniest person to ever walk the face of this earth. The free-spirit that Mrs. Klark turns out to be would be perfectly represented by Watkins, even if she did have to tone her usual stupidity a bit. If you've never seen Michaela Watkins, check out Wanderlust and, of course, Trophy Wife, which was recently axed by ABC (stupid ABC!).

Character: Rusty Waters
Actor Chosen: Scott Porter
Ideal Actor: Any guy who has taken steroids and isn't supposed to be the paralyzed former quarterback of the Dillon Panthers
Why?: Jason Street is a likable guy, and, although I've not yet finished all of Friday Night Lights, I can't look at Scott Porter without thinking that he is supposed to be QB1. Unfortunately, the character of Rusty Waters is a jock/jerk, which was just a bit awkward for me. Really, anyone with a big, buff body could have played Rusty, and Scott Porter wasn't a poor decision. To me, however, he is supposed to be a good guy, and it just didn't quite fit.

Character: Willy
Actor Chosen: Bill Hader
Ideal Actor: Jake Johnson
Why?: I don't know if there is another person who can make me laugh as easily as Bill Hader. In fact, I cannot remember a time when I watched Bill Hader do something without making me laugh! Unfortunately, the role of Willy (the pool manager) just didn't allow Hader to be his normal, funny self, and I believe that Jake Johnson is better suited to play a laid-back pool manager. The options were plentiful, as I considered Sam Rockwell and Dax Shepard, but I settled on Jake Johnson, because he's just a fun guy!

Character: Van
Actor Chosen: Andy Samberg
Ideal Actor: James Franco
Why?: Andy Samberg is a funny guy... at times. But, his short cameo in The To Do List was not one of those times. Also, if you're going to have someone do a cameo, go all out! In my opinion, James Franco would have fit the role and the opportunity much better. I'm sure they would have had a hard time getting Franco to show up (it's not his group of guys), but one can dream...




There you go, folks! That's my ideal cast of The To Do List. Feel free to chime in with your comments, and, also, I would love suggestions for other movies to re-cast. These posts are a lot of fun!

Happy Summer!

 

Closure: June 2014

After a May full of movie watching, I turned to Orange is the New Black to occupy most of my screen-time in the month of June. Not only did I watch all of season 2, but I also went back and watched season 1 all over again, because of its sheer awesomeness. If there is one thing that I could influence you to do this summer, it would be to get your butt over to Netflix and watch Orange is the New Black. I know... I'm supposed to be promoting movies, but the prison drama goes above and beyond what can be found in most TV shows today, which says a lot about its quality. Trust me... You WILL NOT be disappointed!

On a completely separate note, which probably should not be sharing a page with Orange is the New Black, I will be heading off to Doraville, Georgia, tomorrow, with the high school students from my church. Last year, I had the opportunity to accompany them on this yearly mission trip, and the experience was absolutely awesome. Please, be in prayer for the students and the other leaders, as we spread the good news of the gospel with the children of the Doraville area. Because I won't return until next week, it is safe to say that my movie-watching month has come to a close, hence the early release of this list. Below, you will find a list of all the films I watched in the month of June... Enjoy!

Movie Watched	Year	Format	Did I Enjoy?	Would I Watch Again?
The Fault in Our Stars	2014	Theater > Full Price	Yes	Yes
The Perks of Being a Wallflower	2012	DVD > Own	Yes	Yes
Bernie	2011	TV > Netflix	Yes	Yes
22 Jump Street	2014	Theater > Matinee	Yes	Yes
Transformers	2007	DVD > Own	Yes	Yes
Jersey Boys	2014	Theater > Matinee	Yes	Yes
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	2009	DVD > Own	Yes	Yes
Friends With Benefits	2011	DVD > Borrowed	Yes	Yes
O Brother Where Art Thou?	2000	DVD > Own	Yes	Yes
Enemy	2014	DVD > Netflix	Yes	Yes
The LEGO Movie	2014	DVD > Rental	Yes	Yes

The Fault in Our Stars

Last week, I did a write-up about which actors I believe should have played the major characters in The Fault in Our Stars. Additionally, the post talks a bit about my views on the book, John Green, and reading in general. If you are interested, you can check that post out here. Now, on to the review...

Expectations:
Being so familiar with the story at hand, my hopes for The Fault in Our Stars were terribly high. My expectations, however, did not quite reach the stars... Yes, that was a pun... After viewing the trailer many, many times, I was extremely frightened at how it appeared the film would portray Hazel and Gus's love story, which is obviously the key to the success of the story in the book. Even so, I could not wait to see The Fault in Our Stars! This story and it's imminent tangibility really created a very unique movie-going experience for me. In no way am I a literary guru, but, somehow, this book had a profound effect on me, which made the characters feel so personal and familiar. All of you avid book readers are probably thinking, "Well, duh, Tanner!" and you are probably right. I'm just dumb to that feeling! Not only am I inexperienced at having read a book prior to its movie version, but also I'm not used to being so connected to characters in a book or a movie. In fact, the only comparison I have, from an emotional standpoint, is my relationship with television characters. For me, TV characters are able to connect and draw you closer, in a way that movie characters cannot, and the characters from this amazing book felt similarly connected and close to me. I apologize for the rambling... Nevertheless, there is much more ahead...

Plot:
If you took the time to read through my praise of the book, you probably know that I am going to say positive things about the plot. The movie's story was extremely true to the book, and, honestly, I don't think anyone could have done a better job of translating The Fault in Our Stars on screen. At the same time, it was easy to see that this book was not designed particularly for a big screen portrayal. Much of the story felt rushed, and, as a result, someone who hadn't read the book might not get the full effect of the evolution of the relationship between Hazel and Gus. As you know, tissues are necessary for most anyone of the female kind (not stereotyping, just speaking the truth). Almost everyone was sobbing uncontrollably, but I was just trying to pick the whole thing apart...

Characters:
If you read my post about my ideal cast, you will get a good feel for how I interpreted each character, in my readings. That post will probably give you a good understanding of each and every character, but here are a few highs and lows:

Negatives:
While many people may disagree, for me, the glaring negative in this entire film was the portrayal of Augustus Waters by Ansel Elgort. I know, he's nice to look at, and he gets along with Shailene Woodley. But, as a character who is supposed to be a year older than his love interest, the film version of Gus was just a bit too puppy-loveish. Not everyone is going to agree with me, obviously, yet there is no denying that Woodley's Hazel was in absolute control for the entire duration of their time on-screen. I know that the story is told from her perspective, but that's no reason to weaken the strength of Gus's character. Add to that the absolutely awkward/horrible portrayal of Hazel's father (Sam Trammell) and the underuse of Isaac, played very well by Nat Wolff, and you have yourself a film that did not utilize its characters as best as possible (in my opinion).

Positives:
While the guys may have struggled in their roles, the girls took charge and made the film a memorable one. Shailene Woodley's portrayal of Hazel Lancaster was pretty spot-on, which I was not expecting... at all. In an attempt to suck in stupid, teenage girls, looking for a good date movie, the trailer was not true to the film's version of Hazel, which was quite a relief to me. Additionally, Laura Dern was pretty amazing as Hazel's mom... another unexpected success. The film's portrayal of the relationship between Hazel and her mother had me way closer to tears than her relationship with Gus, which is saying something. Kudos to the filmmakers for pulling off that great relationship with what appeared to be such ease.

Conclusion:
Because my watching The Fault in Our Stars was such a personally unique situation, I must say that my judgment of the film (as a film) is likely a bit skewed. In fact, I would actually like to see the movie again before I truly pass judgment on to my awesome readers. If you are in the mood to feel, The Fault in Our Stars is exactly what the doctor ordered, as you are pretty much guaranteed at least twelve lumps in your throat. While some movies build up to one, huge, emotional moment, TFiOS just keeps you emotional the entire time. So, you have been warned! Before I change my mind about encouraging such behavior, let me say that I do believe you should read the book first, which basically goes against all of my beliefs. I'm hopeful that The Fault in Our Stars can be a uniquely awesome experience for each and every one of you, and the book is a good place to begin that journey. I give the book 4.57 out of 5 stars. I give the movie a "to be determined"...

Casting Re-Call: The Fault in Our Stars

Rarely do I take the time to read any books:

I don't usually read my textbooks for school.

It even takes serious discipline for me to read my Bible on a regular basis.

I mean, I like to read for pleasure, but watching movies is so much more efficient, right?...

If you frequent my blog, none if this information comes as a surprise to you. However, you might be surprised to know that I, Tanner Jones, read The Fault in Our Stars about 1.5 years in advance of the film's release date! Personally, I believe I'm entitled to some sort of award or cash prize, but everyone keeps telling me no...

The truth is that I am a huge fan of John and Hank Green's Vlogbrothers channel on YouTube, and, while it may be a bit teenagery of me, I believe you should check out their videos: here. If you did not know, John Green actually wrote The Fault in Our Stars, and, as it gained in popularity, I gained interest in reading the book. Actually, for the record, I read the book before it was such a big deal... I'm just saying...

Not only did I fall in love with The Fault In Our Stars, but, as a result, I have actually read two more of John's books over the past year, An Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska. While Katherines was not the best, Alaska had me hooked, and I would suggest it to any reader looking for a good YA novel. Again, however, I am no book critic, so take these comments with a grain of salt!

Now, when I read a book, I like to picture the characters as whatever actor/actress I believe would/should play them in a film version of said book. I know, that's very un-readerlike and un-imaginative of me, but I really don't care. That's how I roll! And, until The Fault in Our Stars, my methods never caused any problems, because I never read books that were turned into movies (aside from classics). However, because I loved The Fault soooo much and because I read the book before the casting decisions were made, I reeeeeeally wanted the characters to be played by the actors that I had imagined as I read through the book. Of course, as could be predicted from thousands of miles away, not a single one of the actors that I longed for actually made it into the film. At first, I was frustrated. Then, I got over it. Then, the trailer came out, and I started freaking out a bit (in a bad way).

Luckily, after watching the trailer like 10-15 times (I really am excited about this one), I've gained a sense of peace about the actors that were chosen for their respective roles. Nonetheless, I refuse to believe that any of them are ideal! So, in an effort to express my opinions, I have been inspired to create a new segment called Casting Re-Call, where I go back and re-cast an entire film. Hopefully, this post will be well-received, and I can use this same format for other films in the future. I could even re-cast films that were poorly cast, after watching them, which is what I actually planned to do with this post. But, since I've already read The Fault in Our Stars and know who I wanted to see, I figured I would share with you beforehand. So, here it is... my ideal cast for The Fault in Our Stars:

Character: Hazel Grace Lancaster
Actor Chosen: Shailene Woodley
Ideal Actor: Mae Whitman
Why?: Unfortunately, after watching the trailer, Woodley's portrayal of Hazel appears waaay too ditsy and girly. In the book, Hazel was quite opinionated and strong-willed, which I believe could have been amazingly portrayed by Mae Whitman. I think Woodley will do alright, but, ideally, Whitman would have landed the role (although she would not pull near as big of an audience).

Character: Augustus Waters
Actor Chosen: Ansel Elgort
Ideal Actor: Evan Peters
Why?: The character of Augustus Waters is undoubtedly the key to making this story work, at least in my opinion. I'm not going to condemn Ansel Elgort, considering he hasn't had much of an opportunity to be analyzed. However, I do know that Evan Peters would have been AMAZING as Gus! No doubt in my mind! If you've seen American Horror Story: Asylum, that's the Evan Peters I'm talking about! Fortunately, we still got to see Peters in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Unfortunately, The Fault in Our Stars may suffer in his absence.

Character: Isaac
Actor Chosen: Nat Wolff
Ideal Actor: Michael Cera
Why?: Getting Michael Cera to come on board for a minor role would have been a difficult task, and I must say that I do like Nat Wolff. Actually, I watched Wolff a lot in The Naked Brothers Band when I was too old to be watching The Naked Brothers Band. Regardless, I think Michael Cera could have brought a certain likeability to the character (think Juno) that Wolff may not be able to bring.

Character: Patrick
Actor Chosen: Mike Birbiglia
Ideal Actor: Jack McBrayer
Why?: I don't know that much about Mike Birbiglia, but I have seen a few of his sketches, which was enough to make this casting choice completely baffling to me. Now, I haven't seen how the character is portrayed in the film yet, but I think anyone who has ever heard of Birbiglia can see the massive contrast from him to Jack McBrayer. In my opinion, nobody could have pulled this one off like McBrayer, whose comedic range is quite small. That's saying something!

Character: Peter Van Houten
Actor Chosen: Willem Dafoe
Ideal Actor: Hugh Laurie
Why?: Next to the Patrick character, the casting of Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten is the second most baffling to me. I thought of many different people who could have played Van Houten (Bradley Whitford, Jim Broadbent, Michael Douglas), but Willem Dafoe just seems a bit too dark. In the end, I settled on Hugh Laurie, who I think would've been absolutely great. You can be the judge when the film hits the theater.

Character: Lidewij Vliegenthart
Actor Chosen: Lotte Verbeek
Ideal Actor: Frances McDormand
Why?: While this role isn't of the utmost importance (made obvious by the only no-name actress on this list), I thought Frances McDormand would have brought with her a lot of unique possibilities. Then again, I'm no casting expert!

Character: Mr. Lancaster (Hazel's Father)
Actor Chosen: Sam Trammell
Ideal Actor: Jeff Garlin
Why?: Jeff Garlin is one of the funniest, most likeable comedic actors that I've ever seen, and Hazel's father is meant to be likeable. Of course, I always like to throw a little humor in with my drama, and I just don't see that coming from Sam Trammell. But, we will see...

Character: Mrs. Lancaster (Hazel's Mother)
Actor Chosen: Laura Dern
Ideal Actor: Kate Walsh
Why?: Kate Walsh's motherly figure from The Perks of Being a Wallflower just seemed perfect for this character as well. While I do love Laura Dern, she is just a little too likeable. Hazel's mother is supposed to be a pretty strong woman, and I just don't get that strength when I look at Dern. And, Jeff Garlin could totally snag Kate Walsh... right???

Thankfully, John Green was happy with the cast (as far as we can tell)...

And, that's all that really matters!

 



So, there it is... My first ever Casting Re-Call. I certainly hope you enjoyed. After the movie, come back, take another look, and give me all of your great opinions! Look for this segment to pop back up in the future. Also, go read all of John Green's books. He is the man!

Great Expectations: June 2014

This month, I celebrate three full years of blogging, which is something I never quite expected to accomplish. I've had an absolute blast giving my opinion on the films I watch, and I want to thank each and every person who has taken the time to read my reviews and whatnot. As always, let me know if there is anything specific that you want me to write about. If you have an idea for a cool, new segment or want to post a write-up of your own, feel free to contact me in the comments or send me an email at Robert.t.jones@eagles.usm.edu. Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter @TheTan_Man. I'm super-duper interesting! Thanks, again, for reading my blog, and I look forward to keeping up with the films that might interest you, in the coming months!

Also, I wanted to update my readers on my life, which has been up in the air for the past, I don't know, four years or so. In August, I will be entering graduate school and working toward my Master's in Economic Development from Southern Miss. The program is really great, and I can't wait to continue my education! Additionally, I have accepted an assistantship with the Trent Lott National Center at Southern Miss, which should be yet another amazing opportunity to learn more about economic development, particularly here is South Mississippi. I'm still not positive about what the future holds for me, but at least I know what I'll be doing for the next year!

Now that you're all caught up, take a look at what is coming your way in the month of June:

The Fault in Our Stars

(June 6)

 

 

 

22 Jump Street

(June 13)

 

 

 

Jersey Boys

(June 20)



Summer Preview: 2014

The summer movie season is fast approaching, and, as always, I'll be covering the biggest blockbusters of 2014, all summer long! Just so you know, I consider summer films to be any films released from May to August. Sure, some films don't have that big, summer-movie feel, but, regardless of what movie you are watching, if you sweat after leaving the theater, it's summertime. So, take a look at my lists of expectations, below, which include my expectations for films' financial success and my expectations for films entertainment success. The films are in no specific order, with regard to their respective categories. Let me know if I left off one that you are really looking forward to! Enjoy the summer of 2014!!!

 

Big Winners ($)

 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

 

Guardians of the Galaxy

  

The Fault in Our Stars

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Transformers: Age of Extinction

 

Big Losers (-$)

 

Million Dollar Arm

 

Sex Tape

Earth to Echo

Jupiter Ascending

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

 

 

 

Most Anticipated Dramatic Films

 

The Fault in Our Stars

 

Get on Up

 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

 

Godzilla

 

The Double

 

 

Most Anticipated Comedic Films

 

22 Jump Street

 

A Million Ways to Die in the West

 

Wish I Was Here

 

 

Films I'll Steer Clear Of

Blended

Maleficent

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Jupiter Ascending

Night Moves

Earth to Echo

Hercules

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Expendables 3

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For



A Look Ahead to 2014

The 2013 movie year has yet to be forgotten, but it is never too soon to look ahead to what we will have the opportunity to enjoy in the 2014 movie year! This post will take the place of January's Great Expectations post, because no good films ever come out in January, and it is as simple as that. Below, I've put together a few different categories of movies that I am looking forward to in 2014. So, take a look, and, if you have any questions about upcoming movies or JUST CAN'T WAIT to see a film that I excluded from this list, leave me a note in the comment section or tweet me @TheTan_Man Also, as I'm sure you noticed, I have given the blog a bit of a face lift (the biggest one since I started writing it). If you just hate the new stuff, let me know, and I can change it straight back. I'm sure that most of you could care less, but you are always welcome to an opinion on here!... Enjoy 2014!!!

Top 10 Movies I Just Can't Wait to See in 2014

The Lego Movie (February)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (May)

22 Jump Street (June)

The Fault in Our Stars (June)

Wish I Was Here (September)

The Interview (October)

Gone Girl (October)

Interstellar (November)

Noah (March) / Exodus (December)


Other Exciting 2014 Sequels/Remakes 

Muppets Most Wanted (March)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (November)

Horrible Bosses 2 (November)


(Potentially) Big Movies I Will Avoid in 2014

Resident Evil 356 (September)

300: Rise of an Empire (March)

Maleficent (May)

Blended (May)

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August)

The Expendables 3 (August)

The Hobbit: There and Back Again (December)


Other Notable Films Out in 2014

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (January)

The Monuments Men (February)

Need for Speed (March)

Divergent (March)

Godzilla (May)

The Amazing Spiderman 2 (May)

Jersey Boys (June)

Transformers: Age of Extinction (June)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (June)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July)

Guardians of the Galaxy (August)

Dumb and Dumber To (November)

Annie (December)