In this day and age, after decades of being fed the same oh-so-predictable romantic comedy storyline in various shapes and colours, is it silly and naive to keep hoping to find something different and fresh when the lastest installment of this genre makes its way to the theater? According to recividist Anne Fletcher's The Proposal, yes. Yes, it is very silly and naive.
Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is your typical fierce, career-oriented woman and a star editor in New York. She also happens to be the Bitch Boss from Hell, especially according to Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), her long-suffering assistant who dreams of making the big times as an editor himself. When Margaret is faced with deportation to Canada due to an expired visa, she makes a deal with Andrew: marry me and i'll make you an editor. Hilarity with a side of side-glances increasingly filled with longing ensue as the odd couple fly off to Alaska to break the news to Andrew's family.
Initial relationship based on mutual annoyance that magically transforms into true love? Check. Crazy-but-still-kinda-adorable relatives? Check. Poor excuse of a romantic foil? Ugh. Check. Recurring gag involving a pet? Sigh. Check. Ethnic minority only there to provide comic relief? Cheeeeeck. Grand Finale where the boy convinces the girl that they belong together/he never should have let her go/he loved her all along in front of a nosy crowd in a park/a party/an office/any place where it can rain? CHECK! Seriously, what else is new?!
The Proposal's saving grace? The Bullock-Reynolds partnership. In this opus, the comic actress finds a male counterpart with the same mix of funny and touching. Add some decent chemistry and you've got a winning duo, in both senses of the word. In spite of all this, they still manage to get the spotlight stolen from under them. The real star of this piece is Betty White as old Grandma Annie. As the excentric, enthusiastic and sometimes machiavellian family matriarch, the veteran actress is a comedic gem. I'm sorry Ms. White, you're not allowed to die. Ever.
Finally, props to Anne Fletcher and screenwriter Peter Chiarelli for choosing the beautiful landscapes of Alaska as a setting and also for picking the most adorable Samoyed puppy to play Kevin the dog. However, I stick to my first statement made when the credits rolled : Meh.
And an extra Meh for underusing the usually extremely funny Craig T. Nelson. Meh!
dimanche 21 juin 2009
dimanche 14 juin 2009
Wait a minute, why am I alone? Why have I gained 30 pounds?
A movie...based on a self-help book...total recipe for disaster, right? Well, actually...
He's Just Not That Into You is a trendy and (very) light ensemble movie telling the romantic chassé-croisés of various people who are somehow all connected. Most of those individuals seem strangely familiar : Overzealous Single Girl Who's Trying Too Hard, Guy Who Doesn't Believe in Marriage, Insecure Girl Who Falls For Unavailabe Men, Nice Guy Who Keeps Pining For Said Insecure Girl Even Though She Keeps Him Around As A Safety, etc. However, they all one thing in common : when it comes to love, they're all about to discover how clueless they really here.
Like the book, He's Just That Into You doesn't bring anything new to the table. However, where the book was mostly centered on throwing (mostly) brutal truths at the reader, the movie is built on predictable intrigues with characters who are so blind about what's really going on, its almost frustrating. But then again, so is real life. How many times have you gone over every little detail of a date with friends? Or have been told by everyone that he is absolutely going to call when its so obvious that he won't? Or listenened to your friend's continuous girl problems when all you want to do is shake him and tell him to forget that manipulating bitch? Perhaps this is the basis of this movie's appeal. And even though the classic Hollywood ending (nice people are happy, naughty people are alone) brings out the mother of all eye-rolls, you can't help but feeling good about it. If only it wasn't for that moralistic voice-over at the end...but when the movie is based on a self-help book, what else could you expect?
The setting is very chic (who knew Baltimore was so trendy!), the dialogue is quasi-witty, the storyline is simple... shooting this probably felt like summer camp for the A-listers (Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Entourage's Kevin Connolly, Big Love's Ginnifer Goodwin, etc.). But for one evening, i'll buy it. Hell, I'll even like it!
BRADLEY COOPER! STOP. PLAYING. DOUCHEBAGS! You're a nice guy at heart, I just know it!
He's Just Not That Into You is a trendy and (very) light ensemble movie telling the romantic chassé-croisés of various people who are somehow all connected. Most of those individuals seem strangely familiar : Overzealous Single Girl Who's Trying Too Hard, Guy Who Doesn't Believe in Marriage, Insecure Girl Who Falls For Unavailabe Men, Nice Guy Who Keeps Pining For Said Insecure Girl Even Though She Keeps Him Around As A Safety, etc. However, they all one thing in common : when it comes to love, they're all about to discover how clueless they really here.
Like the book, He's Just That Into You doesn't bring anything new to the table. However, where the book was mostly centered on throwing (mostly) brutal truths at the reader, the movie is built on predictable intrigues with characters who are so blind about what's really going on, its almost frustrating. But then again, so is real life. How many times have you gone over every little detail of a date with friends? Or have been told by everyone that he is absolutely going to call when its so obvious that he won't? Or listenened to your friend's continuous girl problems when all you want to do is shake him and tell him to forget that manipulating bitch? Perhaps this is the basis of this movie's appeal. And even though the classic Hollywood ending (nice people are happy, naughty people are alone) brings out the mother of all eye-rolls, you can't help but feeling good about it. If only it wasn't for that moralistic voice-over at the end...but when the movie is based on a self-help book, what else could you expect?
The setting is very chic (who knew Baltimore was so trendy!), the dialogue is quasi-witty, the storyline is simple... shooting this probably felt like summer camp for the A-listers (Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Entourage's Kevin Connolly, Big Love's Ginnifer Goodwin, etc.). But for one evening, i'll buy it. Hell, I'll even like it!
BRADLEY COOPER! STOP. PLAYING. DOUCHEBAGS! You're a nice guy at heart, I just know it!
dimanche 7 juin 2009
Not you, Fat Jesus!
Oh Internet, how i love the summer and its mindless movie fun! And let me tell you, it doesn't get more mindless than Todd Phillip's The Hangover!
Doug is getting married in a few days. But before getting hitched comes the bachelor party! And so, filled with the promise of a memorable night, Doug, his friends Phil and Stu and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Alan head to the best place in the world to have a bachelor party (because everything stays there), Vegas. The following morning, the boys wake up in their Hurricane-Katrina-level-of-destroyed hotel room without a single memory of the previous night. And missing the groom. Hilarity ensues as the three trashed amigos attempt to retrace their drunken steps in hopes of finding Doug before the wedding.
The Hangover is crude, infantile, idiotic and sometimes even morally wrong....and I LOVED it! Of course, its made of the same basic elements as any Frat Pack movie : innapropriate nudity, projectile vomiting, racial stereotypes, random-but-kickass cameos (Mike Tyson!!! Mike Tyson SINGING PHIL COLLINS!!!), etc. However, the hijinks Alan, Stu and Phil get into are so outrageous, they actually manage to suprise and make you feel as if you haven't seent his movie a dozen times already (which is incredibly refreshing). One more reason to love The Hangover is because it doesn't hide what it is. Instead of feeding us some lame morality such as 'Bros before hoes' or 'Wow, my life doesn't suck that hard', Todd Phillips simply leaves it at that : one wild weekend that, once remembered, will not easily be forgotten...actually, scratch that. There is a morality to it: Stop finding the meaning in everything! Sometimes, silly jokes are just silly jokes! Except for the old man getting a prostrate exam....that was just unnecessary!
Props to Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis for looking like the most effed up guys I've ever seen. Evidently, the movie was well-titled. As Alan, Galifianakis steals the show with his underplayed, almost naive performance of the socially-akward, almost retarded loner (re: his hilarious 'Wolf pack' speech), even though some jokes felt too stupid, even for him ('Is this really Caesar's Palace? Did he live here?).
Bradley Cooper, what happened? You use to be good guy Will on Alias and look at you now? Must you always play an asshole? Come on, man! I wanna like you again!
HEATHER GRAHAM!! YOU'RE ALIIIIVE!!! You're a hooker, but you're alive!!! Hopefully, we'll see you and your cheerful airheadedness in The Hangover 2!
Doug is getting married in a few days. But before getting hitched comes the bachelor party! And so, filled with the promise of a memorable night, Doug, his friends Phil and Stu and his soon-to-be brother-in-law Alan head to the best place in the world to have a bachelor party (because everything stays there), Vegas. The following morning, the boys wake up in their Hurricane-Katrina-level-of-destroyed hotel room without a single memory of the previous night. And missing the groom. Hilarity ensues as the three trashed amigos attempt to retrace their drunken steps in hopes of finding Doug before the wedding.
The Hangover is crude, infantile, idiotic and sometimes even morally wrong....and I LOVED it! Of course, its made of the same basic elements as any Frat Pack movie : innapropriate nudity, projectile vomiting, racial stereotypes, random-but-kickass cameos (Mike Tyson!!! Mike Tyson SINGING PHIL COLLINS!!!), etc. However, the hijinks Alan, Stu and Phil get into are so outrageous, they actually manage to suprise and make you feel as if you haven't seent his movie a dozen times already (which is incredibly refreshing). One more reason to love The Hangover is because it doesn't hide what it is. Instead of feeding us some lame morality such as 'Bros before hoes' or 'Wow, my life doesn't suck that hard', Todd Phillips simply leaves it at that : one wild weekend that, once remembered, will not easily be forgotten...actually, scratch that. There is a morality to it: Stop finding the meaning in everything! Sometimes, silly jokes are just silly jokes! Except for the old man getting a prostrate exam....that was just unnecessary!
Props to Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis for looking like the most effed up guys I've ever seen. Evidently, the movie was well-titled. As Alan, Galifianakis steals the show with his underplayed, almost naive performance of the socially-akward, almost retarded loner (re: his hilarious 'Wolf pack' speech), even though some jokes felt too stupid, even for him ('Is this really Caesar's Palace? Did he live here?).
Bradley Cooper, what happened? You use to be good guy Will on Alias and look at you now? Must you always play an asshole? Come on, man! I wanna like you again!
HEATHER GRAHAM!! YOU'RE ALIIIIVE!!! You're a hooker, but you're alive!!! Hopefully, we'll see you and your cheerful airheadedness in The Hangover 2!
samedi 6 juin 2009
Wolfgang...Amadeus...Mozart
Lucky you, Internet! The first movie I'm throwing at you is the best one I can recommend, an oldie that just doesn't get old. I give you Milos Forman's Amadeus (1984).
Adapted from Peter Schaffer's play by the playwright himself, Amadeus tells the tragically ironic (and mostly fictionnal) story of italian composer Antonio Salieri (the jaw-droppingly fantastic F. Murray Abraham) whose sole purpose in life is to become a great composer. Having become Emperor Joseph II of Austria's court composer, he seems to be on his way up...that is until a kid named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart comes along. Admiration, jealousy, vengeance and madness ensue as Salieri, torn between his adoration for the musical genius' work and his growing hatred for God and his 'chosen vessel', orchestrates the fall of Mozart.
Internet, how does one begin to explain how masterful and brilliant Amadeus is? Filmed mostly in Czech Republic, which, back in the 80's, had still not been modernized, the movie is set in an environment that perfectly conveys the feel of 18th-century imperial Vienna. The costumes are exquisite, from the servant girl's simple frock to Katerina Cavalieri's over-the-top turkish hat. And the music...well, its Mozart's directed by Sir Neville Mariner, enough said. That's all fine and dandy, you'll say, but it still remains one of those curtsying, corset-wearing, carriage-riding, boring period piece, right? Wrong!!! Oh so very wrong!!!
Peter Schaffer's passionate words, Milos Forman's sober and intimate camera and one hell of a talented and energetic group of actors are at the core of Amadeus' captivating magic. From the very beginning, as the tormented shouts into the night of a now old Salieri s 'Mozart, forgive your assasin!' are intertwined with the first notes of the fiery 1st movement of Mozart's Symphony no. 25 in G minor, the plot completely sucks you in. Far from being regal and virtuous, the characters are flawed and profoundly human. Schaffer's depiction of Mozart is especially refreshing. Young Wolfgang is a musical prodigy, but he is also a vulgar, dirty-minded player who has such an excentric laugh, it will either make you laugh too or ram your head into a wall. As for Forman's directing style, it is well suited to the narrative. The story is told through flashbacks, events remembered by Old Salieri and detailed to a young visiting priest. From the packed opera house to the intimacy of Mozart's bedchamber, the scene conveyed feels intimate, personal, almost as if it came straight from Salieri's memory.
However, it is the powerhouse performances that make this movie cinematic gold. As Mozart, Tom Hulce is a ball of mischievous energy. Starting off as a self-assured and fun-loving young man, his slow descent into alcoholism and madness is frightening. As the dying Mozart attempting to compose what would become his famous requiem mass, Hulce is a genius (which consequently makes us wonder why the HELL isn't he the huge star he should be by now!!). Despite being occasionnaly two-dimensional, the supporting cast, notably Jeffrey Jones as Emperor Joseph and last-minute-remplacement-for-Meg-Tilly Elizabeth Berridge as Constanza, is very deserving of praise. But the show-stopper, the Oscar-deserver (and Oscar winner for that matter. Ha!) is F. Murray Abraham. As Salieri, this guy utterly OWNS this movie!!! With one look, he can convey jealousy AND admiration. His dignified and contained performance is very much in tune with Salieri's conflicted and passive-agressive character. As Old Salieri, Abraham is unrecognizable. Recluse, cynical and even slightly insane, he attracts both pity and awe.
Even after 25 years, Amadeus has not lost one bit of its magnificence. So...there it is!
Adapted from Peter Schaffer's play by the playwright himself, Amadeus tells the tragically ironic (and mostly fictionnal) story of italian composer Antonio Salieri (the jaw-droppingly fantastic F. Murray Abraham) whose sole purpose in life is to become a great composer. Having become Emperor Joseph II of Austria's court composer, he seems to be on his way up...that is until a kid named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart comes along. Admiration, jealousy, vengeance and madness ensue as Salieri, torn between his adoration for the musical genius' work and his growing hatred for God and his 'chosen vessel', orchestrates the fall of Mozart.
Internet, how does one begin to explain how masterful and brilliant Amadeus is? Filmed mostly in Czech Republic, which, back in the 80's, had still not been modernized, the movie is set in an environment that perfectly conveys the feel of 18th-century imperial Vienna. The costumes are exquisite, from the servant girl's simple frock to Katerina Cavalieri's over-the-top turkish hat. And the music...well, its Mozart's directed by Sir Neville Mariner, enough said. That's all fine and dandy, you'll say, but it still remains one of those curtsying, corset-wearing, carriage-riding, boring period piece, right? Wrong!!! Oh so very wrong!!!
Peter Schaffer's passionate words, Milos Forman's sober and intimate camera and one hell of a talented and energetic group of actors are at the core of Amadeus' captivating magic. From the very beginning, as the tormented shouts into the night of a now old Salieri s 'Mozart, forgive your assasin!' are intertwined with the first notes of the fiery 1st movement of Mozart's Symphony no. 25 in G minor, the plot completely sucks you in. Far from being regal and virtuous, the characters are flawed and profoundly human. Schaffer's depiction of Mozart is especially refreshing. Young Wolfgang is a musical prodigy, but he is also a vulgar, dirty-minded player who has such an excentric laugh, it will either make you laugh too or ram your head into a wall. As for Forman's directing style, it is well suited to the narrative. The story is told through flashbacks, events remembered by Old Salieri and detailed to a young visiting priest. From the packed opera house to the intimacy of Mozart's bedchamber, the scene conveyed feels intimate, personal, almost as if it came straight from Salieri's memory.
However, it is the powerhouse performances that make this movie cinematic gold. As Mozart, Tom Hulce is a ball of mischievous energy. Starting off as a self-assured and fun-loving young man, his slow descent into alcoholism and madness is frightening. As the dying Mozart attempting to compose what would become his famous requiem mass, Hulce is a genius (which consequently makes us wonder why the HELL isn't he the huge star he should be by now!!). Despite being occasionnaly two-dimensional, the supporting cast, notably Jeffrey Jones as Emperor Joseph and last-minute-remplacement-for-Meg-Tilly Elizabeth Berridge as Constanza, is very deserving of praise. But the show-stopper, the Oscar-deserver (and Oscar winner for that matter. Ha!) is F. Murray Abraham. As Salieri, this guy utterly OWNS this movie!!! With one look, he can convey jealousy AND admiration. His dignified and contained performance is very much in tune with Salieri's conflicted and passive-agressive character. As Old Salieri, Abraham is unrecognizable. Recluse, cynical and even slightly insane, he attracts both pity and awe.
Even after 25 years, Amadeus has not lost one bit of its magnificence. So...there it is!
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