Deflower Power

Movie Review: Superbad

½

I have to start out this review with a minor disclaimer – I am a woman. Being a female watching this movie means that there are probably some jokes I missed – but for those of you out there who were adolescent males and a little geeky, you will laugh your ass off at this movie even more than I did.

This flick is one long and loving script dedicated to the male anatomy. Don’t get me wrong, it should be honored, but this is one hysterical way to give the appendage screen time without ever showing a live one (it is depicted in other ways). Breasts are so often honored I feel it was about time that a movie reflected how much of a man’s life, and decisions, are driven by their other brains.

Judd Apatow is my new hero. This man can do just about anything these days and it will be a success (as long as it isn’t made for the small screen). While only a producer this time around, he understands what is funny and therefore lets Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg run away with this script (including giving the 2 main characters their own names as an homage to themselves).

Best friends, super-nerds and high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) set out on a mission to get rid of their virginity before heading off to different colleges. Clearly having learned about sexual escapades from TV and movies, they dedicate one night to do the deed by getting a couple of chicks drunk at a party and nail 'em. Sorry guys, this ain't Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

In order to get themselves an invite to the cool kids’ party, they promise to provide the alcohol, enter Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a fellow geek who just happens to have recently procured a fake ID. In his infinite wisdom, he chooses the moniker McLovin (no first name) and hilarity ensues.

Mintz-Plasse, a novice to the movie biz, steals the show. He takes this punchline of a name and uses it to full advantage while buying beer while underage, being robbed, cruising with keystone cops and truly having the night of his very young and naïve life. Seth Rogan (Knocked Up) and Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live) do an excellent job playing a couple of bungling cops helping the boys in their coming of age story - there is something so charming about these guys and their ability to turn crazy cops into sympathetic heroes.

While I would love to expound the virtues of some of the gags in this movie, I just don’t want to ruin it for you. Let’s just say that if you are not easily offended and you enjoy laughing at penis jokes, awkward teenage boys and overall mischief, this is the movie for you this summer. As a woman, this gave me more insight into the teenage male and it explained so much about the boys I went to high school with. That’s what I call entertainment.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Movie Review: Stardust

Stardust is a surprise gem in the sea of blockbuster action flicks this summer. Never having read the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman, I went into the theatre with little expectations but with the hope that such an all-star cast would entertain me for a couple of hours. This movie was made for fans of all ages. It has magic, intrigue, sword fights, love, humor and charm.

This is the story of a little town in England called Wall – named for the wall that separates England from a mythical land. Our romantic hero, Tristan, played by Charlie Cox, is in love with the snooty wench Victoria (Sienna Miller) and promises her to retrieve a fallen star to win her hand in marriage. Tristan discovered that his mother is from this mythical land and that he can travel there without having to vest the 95-year old guardian of the wall (played wonderfully by David Kelly).

Tristan happens upon the fallen star, which turns out to be a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes) who has broken her leg, is in a pissy mood but is in a fancy dress and has an angelic glow to her. Tristan ropes her with a magical chain and their journey begins. Little do they know, but they are being stalked by three witch sisters, headed up by Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer). They need the star’s heart in order to live forever and look hot in the process. But that’s not all; they are also being pursued by a septet of brothers (named Primus through Septimus) who are vying for the thorn by killing each other off and trying to regain the magical ruby which will earn them the title of King. Whew…I think I got it all.

If you are confused, don’t be – there is a lot going on in this movie. It really is not that complex once you are sitting in a dark theatre and have been transported to this enchanted land.

Pfeiffer’s performance is intriguing with her delectably wicked take on a witch who hates being old and wants to live forever. Robert De Niro as Captain Shakespeare takes pride in his pirate with a heart of gold role and portrays both sides with ease and an over the top glee. His character is mean and harsh on the outside, but ends up supplying some much needed aid to the road weary Tristan and Yvaine.

Cox and Danes truly steal the movie with their charm and innocent journey of compassion, love, awakening and discovery. Cox’s Tristan grows from an awkward and lovesick boy into a swash-buckling confident hero who finds his true love in a place he never expected.

This movie took the charm of The Princess Bride, combined it with the epic, sweeping landscapes of The Lord of the Rings and added a dash of adventure to come up with this engaging movie that thrilled me to watch. Take the time, and open your wallets, to enjoy this lovely movie that just keeps on giving.

Ménage à Trois

Movie Review: Rush Hour 3

Rush Hour 3 is the 3rd installment of this East meets West comedy-action flick series. Like the previous two films, this is a combination of buddy cop movie and martial arts action - it's a brilliant scheme to bring in many different viewers, but was lacking in the fire of the first installment.

We open with Chris Tucker, Detective James Carter, directing traffic in downtown LA. Immediately, your brain tries to think back to the 2nd movie and try and remember what happened to bust him down to foot patrol. However, very quickly you forget about the previous movies as Tucker starts singing and dancing to Prince in middle of the street - using his dance moves to direct the cars through the intersection. And almost predictably, he causes an accident - and laughter ensues.

Cut to Jackie Chan, Inspector Lee, who is body man to the Chinese ambassador - again, what was the plot line from the previous movies? Thus begins the problem with this sequel.

Unless you have watched (and rewatched) the previous films, odds are you don't remember all the fine plot points. I don't mind any "third" referencing the previous two, but here it seemed like they were trying to make a point by assuming the audience was made up of diehards.

Brett Ratner, who directed all three of the films, has a very different style of making movies. He isn’t really about style and cinematography, he is about having a blast on the screen – something to entertain the audience and bring them into the party. He does his best to recreate the formula that has been successful in the past movies, but this one lacks in luster. It seems like X-Men: The Last Stand all over again.

This time around we take the party to Paris and the duo is working on bringing down the Triads, a super secret society of Chinese Crime Lords. The boys are marked for death and will do anything to stay alive. They find the one girl (French with a whole lot of cleavage) who holds the answers and then fight to protect her from the evil Triads. They go so far as to interrupt her burlesque show trying to keep her from being killed – and a musical routine breaks out.

That said – I laughed my ass off through the entire movie and so did the rest of the audience. We were laughing so much that we missed some lines – so you had to laugh quickly and turn back to listening intently almost immediately. We even found ourselves giggling long after some of the jokes because Chris Tucker is that good. Sure, he has mellowed as his paycheck has increased over the years, but how can you dislike the goofy, high-pitched antics of him played off the not-always-straight-man, Jackie Chan?

The action was great – an entire fight on the Eiffel Tower, and down the Eiffel Tower? Swords, kicks, flying furniture, breaking glass, leaps, jumps, high flying people, singing, dancing and one very tall Chinese man – this is what I call entertainment, even if most of it is predictable. It certainly isn’t movie making at its best, but it isn’t the worst “3” this summer. There are still a couple of sequels due out this year, but at least this is the last “3” – until next year, I am sure.

Thank goodness Chan and Tucker are so likeable and easy to watch.