Cedar Rapids

Year: 2011
Directed By: Miguel Arteta
Written By: Phil Johnston

RYAN’S REVIEW

Amber and I watched this movie on a whim a few months ago and I really enjoyed it.  I hadn’t wanted to watch the movie at all but found myself so surprised that I added it to the DVDs Christmas list of movies I wanted to add into the collection.  This movie has a good but not great cast and a relatively typical story that they all make the most of.  The thing is that it surprised me, and I always enjoy the movies that surprise me because it happens so infrequently these days.  As a lifelong movie fan I have grown bored with all the rehashed themes and remakes that plague the industry today.  That coupled with the fact that TV has stepped up its game so significantly has made it harder to get into movies these days.  More often than not I feel like I have reached a point where I have seen everything and long for the character development we see on TV series that simply isn’t possible in a featured film.  So whenever I find myself surprised now it makes me appreciate the movie all that much more.  This movie isn’t that original or anything special really but it made me laugh, and I saw more than I expected with it.

I do not like Ed Helms.  I have always hated his character on The Office and I haven’t thought much of his movie career outside of that.  The Hangover was an awesome movie, but it wasn’t Ed Helms that made it awesome.  He was good in that movie but is out shined by his costars. He plays a part in this movie that he is well suited for.  I do like him as the straight laced and innocent guy that eventually succumbs to stress and peer pressure before going nuts.  The part where he is hanging out with a prostitute and unknowingly smokes crack was what ultimately made me decided we needed to own this movie, it was such a funny scene and situation.

I think John C. Reilly is an awesome actor and like most of what he does.  Unless he is starring along side Will Ferrell and simply acting like an idiot.  In my opinion the man has far too much talent to waste his time on movies like Step Brothers and Talladega Nights. He is really funny in this movie and manages to make me laugh without sinking to the shameless level of comedy we usually see from Will Ferrell. Anne Heche surprised me in this movie as well.  I have never really been a big fan of hers but in this movie she is witty and really sexy to boot.  I have grown to really like Rob Corddry and although he has a small part in this movie he still brought something to the table.  I was shocked to see Alia Shawkat in this movie because I haven’t seen her in anything since playing Maeby on Arrested Development (possibly one of the funniest shows ever made, oh how I miss it). Thomas Lennon has a small role in this movie and he is one of those guys that can make any movie better.  There is no end to Lennon’s versatility and he brings something funny to every role he plays.  I have always thought Sigourney Weaver was great and like that she can still play a part like the one she has in this movie. Also on board here is Kurtwood Smith and I think he was perfectly cast for his role.

Last but not least, Stephen Root.  I saved him to last specifically so I can say more about him because the man deserves any and all credit he can get.  I have been a fan of Root since he played Milton on Office Space and I am a huge fan of King of the Hill in which he voiced one of my favorite characters, Bill Dauterive. I did not think at the time, especially once Dodgeball came out, that Root had much to offer as an actor.  I could not have been more wrong because the man can do ANYTHING. He is such a diverse talent that I am simply amazed at everything I see him in.  I see him so frequently too that it only adds to the wonder.  Sometimes I wonder if there is a TV series out there that he hasn’t been part of. I have seen him play parts in Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, Justified, and 24 just to name a few.  What amazes me even more than his presence in so many shows is the fact that he plays such different characters in all of them so flawlessly.  He pops up in movies all of the time and he always brings it.  Stephen Root truly is an unsung hero in the acting world and I think he is simply great in everything. In this movie he plays Ed Helms boss and does a great job.  He has one line that is just so funny.  He tells Ed Helms that he watched him grow up with the potential to do anything and somehow he managed to do nothing.  That isn’t a specific quote but if you see the movie I don’t think you can help but laugh at that one.

I don’t think this is an exceptional movie by any means but it is a good movie that I really enjoyed.  There are a lot of funny people being funny here and in the end it all comes together quite nicely.  This movie didn’t enjoy any wide release or anything so it is probably one many have never heard of.  If you get a chance to see it though it’s worth your time to see it.

The Hangover

Year: 2009
Directed By: Todd Phillips
Written By: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

RYAN’S REVIEW

Amber and I went to see this movie in the theater when it came out and I don’t know if we have ever laughed so hard in the theater. From beginning to end the laughs never stopped and we walked away feeling really fulfilled by the film. I think it has been a little outplayed at this point, only 3 years later. It was really popular when it came out and still is today. I also think the sequel destroyed any legacy the movie might have had by being so awful. For my thoughts on The Hangover 2 you can read this.

This movie caught everybody by surprise in 2009, and it put Zach Galifianakis on the map. I think Galifianakis is awesome but he is only going to go as far as that beard will get him. He is hilarious in this movie but I think he has played the character to death now. I’ve had enough of the weird bearded guy by now, but I’m glad to see he has gone with simply a stache in his next film, The Campaign. Although he does appear to be playing the same character yet again. I am not really a fan of Ed Helms but he was really funny in this movie as Stu. I think Bradley Cooper is really good as the cool guy in control too. I think Ken Jeong is really funny, and his role in this movie really advanced his career. Ken Jeong is from Greensboro, NC and before becoming an actor he was a surgeon or something. It’s a fascinating story really and I think it is really cool because we live really close to Greensboro. Coincidentally Galifianakis is from a town farther away but still close in the other direction from where we live (he is from Wilkesboro, NC). I thought Mike Tyson‘s cameo was funny and I have heard that it has helped him get his life back on track which is a good thing. I can’t forget to mention Jeffrey Tambor, I think he is awesome and he adds a lot to the film.

Everybody already knows how funny this movie is so I’m not going to go any farther into it.  I think this is a really funny people that most people will enjoy, but the sequel left such a bad taste in my mouth I don’t find myself in the mood to watch it anymore.  Nevertheless this movie is worth your time.  Just don’t waste any on part 2, if you saw this movie you more or less have already seen the sequel.

AMBER’S REVIEW

I remember seeing this movie in the theater. I also remember completely laughing my ass off. Everyone I know has seen this movie and every single one of them think it’s hilarious. There is really not much more to say about it.

I like this poster. It captures the main characters in strange situations leaving the question, why? Why does Galifinakis have a baby with sunglasses on? Why is Andy from The Office missing a tooth and hey, look! Hot Bradley Cooper is in this. We all know the cliché of going to Vegas, getting completely wasted to the point where you do something crazy. I mean the city’s motto is “What Happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The font is a clean sans serif that is glowing slightly to allude to the glowing lights over Vegas.

NEXT MOVIE: The Happening (2008)

Movies Not To Watch

THE HANGOVER 2

It has taken us this long but we are finally watching this movie.  It wasn’t by chance that we have waited this long, we might have never watched it at all if not for a sudden impulse today. This past summer before the movie was released I posted some thoughts about it when reviewing American Pie 2. I think my thoughts were pretty accurate about the movie except for the fact that I thought this movie would actually be funny. Not only is it not funny but it is worse than I could have ever imagined. This movie is awful, really really awful.  It’s a much dirtier version of an already dirty movie, and I just don’t think that was necessary. It’s funny because in the opening credits there are three people credited with “written by”, but it should have been “recycled by.” This movie is barely even a sequel, it’s simply the same thing on the other side of the world. I am so sick of hearing them tell everyone they don’t know anything, it’s so redundant.  The Ed Helms character even sings a song again, despite having gotten a tattoo on his face and been fucked in the ass by a tranny prostitute (they really went too far with that, it was a bit much and not funny).
This is what happens when the movie studio rushes something out just to make the money.  They are trying to do something similar with Bridesmaids but Kristen Wiig has resisted the idea and obviously for good reason.  This movie was very successful just like it’s predecessor and I know several people who have said it is hilarious. I warn you to take their advice with caution! This movie is a waste of your time and money!  They could have remade this movie and had everything the same yet been different, they could have invested some creativity into the story.  The first film was really funny and there was plenty to build on, it’s pathetic how lazy filmmakers can be sometimes.
I’m sure plenty of people out there will disagree with me, but I think this is one of the worst movies I have seen in a long time.  There is already talk of a third film but I shudder to think what they might do a third time around and I loathe the thought of these idiots having a third blackout.  This movie is stupid and I am disappointed to have wasted an evening with it.

UPDATE: One statement from this post has kind of needled at me all week since posting this review.  I usually try to avoid getting too profane in any post, for the obvious reason being I have no clue who might be reading these posts. I don’t think this is really an appropriate setting for profanity and I don’t feel right about publishing a post with such a vulgar statement in it.  I know that I could remove it now but instead would like to apologize to anyone who might be offended and leave it as a testament to how bad this movie was.  It was more than bad, it was beyond horrible. It was such a waste of time I found myself angry enough to use language I would otherwise reserve for more appropriate situations.
Also, more specifically, if my statement bothered you then for the love of all things sacred in the world do not ever see this film.