Posts Tagged ‘Steve Carell’
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Hey, BlueCrew, it is May and while I still call it Spring some baseball fans might think it’s summer. Either way, there is no doubt that Summer Movies are about to hit. The only logical thing to do at this point is to preview the forthcoming movies in a way only I can. I and most other people who know how to count to ten. But I do it with style. (Style not always included.)
Today’s list will be the ten movies that I am looking forward to seeing the most. They are in order from ten to one, with one being the movies I salivate for every time I see the trailer. The only deciding factor is me, cause I’m the one making the list. It’s completely based on my tastes and interests, but it’s fun and it gives you guys a good idea of what odd flavors I’m into and why.
So, without further ado…
10. Zookeeper
Silly romantic comedy involving Kevin James and a bunch of the zoo animals voiced by people like Adam Sandler, Nick Nolte, Sylvester Stallone, Jon Favreau, and Judd Apatow. I’ll be honest, this movie could tank… but, since I’m the only person in the world who liked Paul Blart: Mall Cop I’m pretty sure I’ll like Zookeeper.
9. Bad Teacher
I got tired of Cameron Diaz about ten movies ago. And that’s why this movie works. She’s a jerk, she’s obnoxious, she’s the vile main character. And I love it. Add to that it’s writers both work on The Office and I’m pretty sure it’ll get some laughs. Plus, it has GIBBY from iCarly and I can’t get enough of Noah Munck. Kid’s a riot.
8. 30 Minutes or Less
I will never be able to explain the plot of this. Just, assume it’s odd and funny. My only real worry on this movie is that I really don’t like Danny McBride who plays the moronic antagonist. Still, the trailer reminds me a bit of Pineapple Express. Actually, that may not be a good thing…
7. Crazy, Stupid, Love
This movie might be brilliant. It’s an interesting mix of actors and an odd mash of humor and drama. I’m stoked about this movie. Steve Carell loves this type of mixed lines movie and most of the time he scores a win.
6. Thor
This movie looks great so far, but I’m not a huge Thor fan. I’m a bit of a Norse mythology buff and I’ve never liked how Marvel slapped that mythos around. So, I’m going in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. That said, if they nail this movie it could be blockbuster of the year. It’s got a lot of potential. Can it catch lightning in a bottle? (HAHAHA…that’s a killer.)
5. Our Idiot Brother
This one is the dark horse of the list. Totally snuck in at the last possible moment. Paul Rudd plays an simplistic, overly-naive guy who’s life goes into disarray while he spends time in jail. Now released, he tries to put his life together while trampling the lives of his three sisters. Looks like a brilliant comedy.
4. Hangover 2
Hangover was brilliant. Then they promised a sequel early on. Then we waited. Finally it’s here. The trailer cracks me up. I’m ready for another insane weekend.
3. Cowboys & Aliens
Cowboys? AWESOME. Aliens? SWEET! Harrison Ford and James Bond team up? SOLD!!! Let’s go to the movies, let’s go to the movies!!
2. Kung Fu Panda 2
I saw the original Kung Fu Panda about 7 times in theaters. That includes many trips to the “dollar theater” but the point remains: one of my favorite movies ever. In terms of pure enjoyment it’s up there with Princess Bride. I just love it. So, I hold a LOT of hope for this sequel. While it’s one of the movies I’m most anticipating, it could also be one of the biggest letdowns ever. I hope not, but it’s that tiny fear that keeps the Furious Five from being Number One.
1. Captain America
When the Avengers movie series was announced, this was the movie I feared the most. Would they sell it short and just focus on Cap’s defrosting or would they go for gold and make a golden age WWII movie that creates fist pumping, heart pounding responses from the crowd? Trailers suggest the later, and now I’m sold. I wanted this – the origin of Captain America. Why? Because it will establish his intense sacrifice and resilience so much more – and it’s those traits that makes Cap one of the greatest heroes ever created. Why he’s worthy of being Captain America.
Okay, check back tomorrow for the summer movies that terrify me. Trust me, that’s the list you want to read. No one will agree with it. You’ll probably think I’m crazy. But, hopefully, it’ll make you laugh.
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(The following review is intended to be spoiler free, but since the movie isn’t out for a week I thought it was only fair to warn you ahead of time. Again, I do my best to avoid spoilers but you have been warned.)
This weekend Rob and I were invited to an early screening of the new movie Dinner for Schmucks starring Steve Carell and Paul Rudd. It’s the first movie the two have done together since The 40 Year Old Virgin when they were both still earning their fame. Obviously, since then, they’ve risen the ranks quickly. Steve’s been headlining a little show called The Office and been in a few movies like Little Miss Sunshine, Get Smart, and Date Night. Paul stared in movies like Role Models and I Love You, Man. If you’ve seen at least one movie from each of these guys, then you probably have no doubt the two could carry a movie together.
Oh, and also, that new up-and-comer Zach Galifianakisarscosamoosekaneenisesaos is also in the movie. You know, the goofy guy from Hangover? Yeah. He’s in this too.
To start with, this movie is a comedy about a normal guy (Rudd) trying to get a promotion by impressing his boss with the best ‘idiot’ (Carell) at a dinner where the guests make fun of the losers. My concern going into this movie was that with an idiot dinner as the basis of the comedy the humor would be nonsensical and over-the-top. To my great surprise it was the absolute opposite. The writers did a great job of keeping the story in a zone of plausible – instead of a bunch of people being stupid simply for stupid’s sake, most everything that happened in the movie felt like something that actually could happen. Carell’s idiot was far more a naive, good-hearted simpleton and less a crazy person. That has a really endearing effect, allowing the audience to become sympathetic for the character while still appreciating the humor in the stupid things he does.
As good as Carell’s character is – and lets be fair, it’s a mix of the script and the actor – Rudd’s character never really blossoms. This time I’m gonna blame the script, cause there is no doubt in my mind that Paul Rudd can play a normal, everyday guy. His entire career is based on playing that guy. He’s the Sandra Bullock of guys. He still manages to be that normal guy in this movie. The problem is that the writers forgot to give him a clear motivation. The character is just kind of a mix of internal struggles, bouncing between conflicts without a lot of clarity to what drives him. At the end of the movie there’s a nice little summary, but at that point you’ve lost any chance to understand him or why he’s so conflicted. Still, even with that lacking Rudd does a great job playing counter to Carell’s antics and his acting actually makes you forget (for the most part) what a poorly fleshed out character he’s playing.
Now, I don’t want that criticism to carry too heavy. Overall the movie is fantastic and that one flaw was really an after-thought I had while talking with Rob about the movie. It certainly didn’t hurt the movie while I was watching itl. Especially since I spent 90% of my time in the theater laughing. The humor is mostly one liners that are well written and tend to build on themselves, and they’re crafted so well they never feel tired. There are also some great ‘goofy’ moments, and the best part about those is that the director sells out for them. What I mean is that when a goofy moment is about to happen you know before it starts and I found myself laughing in anticipation of what was going to happen and then laughing harder when it did. No tricks, no sucker punches, no bait and switch, no spit takes. What you think is going to happen does, and when it does you can’t stop laughing cause Carell and Rudd sell it perfectly. Simple but so very effective.
The movie is rated PG-13 and I think that’s exactly right. Mostly it’s pretty tame. The language is never too foul. There are some sexual conversations and jokes, but the content of those conversations is about on par with an episode of Family Guy or South Park. In my opinion it was pretty mild and not really very offensive.
I’d highly recommend the movie to anyone who’s a fan of smart comedy. Ironic to call a movie about idiots smart, but that’s really what it is. In a packed theater, the entire crowd was laughing out loud almost from beginning to end. For me, it was the best comedy since Hangover.
When you get to see it, let me know what you think with a comment or a tweet! Enjoy the movie!
