The Hangover is the funniest movie of the year and should be considered an instant classic. It provides non-stop laughter from start to finish. When I first saw the trailer to this I thought it would be just another stupid comedy; however I quickly learned I was very wrong. It doesn’t make the same mistake that other recent comedies such as The Goods made and be unnecessarily vulgar or overly crude. Everything is done in perfect moderation but still provides incredible laughter. The best thing about the movie is that it never shows you exactly what or how their unforgettable night unfolds. All you see is the hilarious devastation the next day, and how they try and fix their mistakes from the night before. Bradley Cooper plays a total jerk that you’ll still love by the end of the movie. This one is not only worth a rent, but also needs to be a part of your collection.Inglourious Basterds – A (Gotta Own)
Coming from someone who thinks Quentin Tarantino is one of the more overrated directors in Hollywood, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Inglourious Basterds is a great WWII movie about what it would be like if the Jewish people could have turned the tables on Hitler and the Nazis. Brad Pitt leads a group of soldiers whose sole mission is to find and scalp as many Nazis as possible, and Brad Pitt wants him his scalps. Much of the movie is subtitled, but even if you don’t like to read during movies you shouldn’t let that deter you from watching this. Pitt is essentially the only well known actor in the film, different then most of Tarantino’s movies which usually brings along a good deal of star power. The title is like most of his movies and stolen from another, lesser known film. Tarantino fans will be salivating over this film, and even Tarantino haters should enjoy this unique take on history. World’s Greatest Dad - B+ (Gotta Rent)
World’s Greatest Dad is a dark comedy starring Robin Williams and takes place in Seattle. After an unexpected event, Williams’ life is suddenly changed forever. In an effort to salvage the situation he catapults both his professional and personal life. During the entire film you find yourself wanting to laugh, although not quite sure you should. The comedy is almost perverse as it tries to find the humor in as well as characterize the harsh truths about death. It emphasizes how people’s feelings towards someone changes once they die. Williams further shows his versatility as both a dramatic actor and comedian. He doesn’t need to force the laughs on you; they simply come from the situations presented. Overall it’s a well written and acted film that is definitely worth the watch.Public Enemies - A- (Gotta Rent)
Public Enemies is a top-notch gangster movie about John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and how the FBI came about in the early 1930s. Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard, Michael Mann was able to create a film that perfectly captured the emotions of the era. The performances are all fantastic, especially Depp’s who steps away from his Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka type characters and really becomes John Dillinger. History buffs may notice that while most of the events in the movie actually occurred, hardly any of them occurred in the same order. Its one downfall is that the runtime is almost 2.5 hours and can drag a little at times. With the attention span of society shorter than ever, the movie runs about a half an hour too long. Public Enemies is definitely one of the best movies of 2009, and one of the better gangster movies since Goodfellas.Julie and Julia - A- (Gotta Rent)
In what I expected to be an attempt at taking two of the top actresses and combining them with the most famous chef of all time just to make a quick dollar, Julie and Julia turned out to be one of the most charming films of the year. Meryl Streep did a perfect job as Julia Child, capturing both the voice and mannerisms flawlessly. Amy Adams on the other hand continued to show that she is one of the top actresses of her time creating a very likeable and relatable character. Time and time again she seems to be less of an actor and more just being herself. The film transitions back and forth between the present where Adams is trying to cook every recipe in Child’s cookbook and back to the 1950s to when Child was learning how to be a cook and develop her world famous cookbook. It is a funny and light-hearted comedy with a unique story that is well worth the watch.The Other Man – C- (Don’t Bother)
This film can best be characterized as a huge waste of some great talent. Antonio Banderas and Oscar nominated actors Liam Neeson and Laura Linney try and salvage this story about revenge and infidelity. After Neeson finds out Banderas is sleeping with his wife, he vows revenge and gets close to him until the perfect moment. The interactions between the two had a lot of potential but add virtually nothing to an already bland story. They tried to focus on too many emotions rather than just centralize on one. Linney is given very little screen time and the “shocking twist” at the end isn’t much of a twist and is not very shocking. If they would have extended the short playtime of only 80 minutes then maybe the director could have added a bit of character development or a subplot that could have gave the audience some reason to keep watching.Taking Woodstock – B (Wait for It)
If you’re a younger generation trying to experience Woodstock for the first time, or if you’re trying to relive the festival, then you should probably look for the documentary Woodstock. However, if you want to know how Woodstock came about, and you want a few laughs along the way then this will suit you just fine. Taking Woodstock is about the young man who brought Woodstock to the small town of Bethel, New York. Liev Shreiber is hilarious as a cross-dressing ex-military man, as does Emile Hirsch as a Vietnam veteran. My main problem with the movie was that it had virtually no music from the festival itself. I’m baffled at how you can make a film about the greatest music festival in history, and then not include any of the music. The film gives you a taste of what the festival was all about, but never really gives you the full helping. If you want a behind the scenes look then check this out, but if you want to experience the show then watch the documentary instead.G-Force – B (Gotta Rent for kids)
G-Force is good for what it was made to be, a fun and entertaining children’s movie. I’m not sure why today’s audience has such an obsession with movies about rodents and other small furry animals, but this one is no different. Where many other kids’ movies have at least something to attract the adults, this is purely geared towards kids. It doesn’t include any subtle jokes or innuendoes like movies such as Shrek. It is a purely PG film that the parents can let their children watch with no worries. The movie is filled with non-stop action, decent CGI, and a fun soundtrack consisting mostly of today’s hottest pop hits. Overall it is a great rental for the kids so the parents can watch something a little more adult.All About Steve – C (Don’t Bother)
In the last year Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock have each had multiple films that were critically acclaimed box office smashes. Cooper starred in Yes Man and The Hangover, while Bullock had the best year of her career with The Proposal and The Blind Side (each earning her a Golden Globe nomination). This one however, is one of their biggest flops. Bullock plays a very clingy crossword puzzle constructor who falls madly in love with Cooper, a news reporter. When Cooper tries to distance himself from her, she becomes obsessive and will do anything to have him. The casting is completely wrong for nearly every part. The laughs are few and far between. Bullock, a normally very likeable actress, comes across as just annoying. Somewhere in there might have been a decent script but it was completely lost along the way. Luckily for the both of them it will be forgotten quickly and lost among their movies that are actually worth a watch.Extract - B (Gotta Rent)
Extract is the next comedy from Mike Judge, the creator of Office Space and Idiocracy. Extract isn’t quite as good as either of its predecessors, however still contains enough laughs to be worth a watch. Jason Bateman’s character is very similar to his Arrested Development one and also has issues with his life away from the job. When Mila Kunis joins his workforce Bateman struggles with the desire of infidelity as well as his guilty conscience. Ben Affleck plays a very small role as a bartender whose terrible advice jumpstarts the plot. Affleck does great in these short comedic style roles, rather than his lead roles in such disasters and Daredevil or Paycheck. Kristen Wiig plays his wife, and should have been given a lot more screen time. It’s an entertaining and funny enough film to be worth a watch, but don’t expect an Office Space type gem.Beyond a Reasonable Doubt – C (Wait for It)
This direct-to-DVD film has a promising story, but suffers from poor directing and editing. When Jesse Metcalfe, an upcoming reporter wants to expose a dirty D.A., he does it the only way he thinks will work. He attempts to implement himself in a murder in an attempt at getting the D.A. to plant evidence. The plot is interesting enough and the cast is strong enough that the film should have been a success. The scene transitions are pretty terrible and sometimes it seems as if scenes are completely out of place. The director tries to add too much to the ending for shock value. Amber Tamblyn gives an honorable performance, and Michael Douglas does his best to save the film. Overall it’s a movie that would be a good watch when it gets to cable T.V.