Cowboys & Aliens

Preposterous in every way, the genre-bending sci-fi western takes state-of-the-art creature effects (and directed by Jon Favreau) and puts them smack dab in the middle of Arizona territory in the late 1800's. The idea stems from a graphic novel of the same name and truly sounds fascinating on paper.

Translating that story into a cohesive film with more than just special effects is difficult, even with a cluster of good actors. Westerns are tricky, and as Harrison Ford stated in an interview (paraphrased), "Make no mistake, this isn't Unforgiven." He was right about that.

You can't fault Favreau on this one though. The direction was great, and he made lemonade out of the lemon of a story. The appeal of Old West gangs and Indians coming together to fight aliens seems like an awesome idea, but when you think about the primitive tools and weapons, and the fact that the aliens (always) are an advanced being with more strength, technology, and presumably, intellect. They always seem to get outsmarted by the humans though, don't they?

This time, bows and arrows, six-shooters, and rifles take down the whole mess of them. Kind of ridiculous. The film took a total of six writers, many of them veterans of sci-fi films, and this is what they came up with? A mysterious stranger appears in the middle of Arizona with a weapon on his wrist, and finds himself wanted by the law. He can't remember anything; name, how he got there, why he has the shackle on his wrist. Enter aliens who capture humans to do their nasty probing experiments, and all the humans posse up and attack the aliens' ship.

Not for a lack of trying, they did as good as they could considering the story, and although Daniel Craig seems like an odd casting choice, and Harrison Ford, although enjoying himself as the elder statesman on set, does a bit of overacting as well. There are some strong actors in the bunch, notably Sam Rockwell, Keith Carradine, and Paul Dano as the despicable son of Ford's cattle baron. There are a lot of supporting usual suspects who grow meaty mustaches and look at home on a horse in a chapeau. The biggest problem however, is the clash of genres.

Great special effects, and to be honest, you get exactly what you are paying for. It's Cowboys & Aliens after all. The creatures look great, although cliche and counter-intuitive in their perceived intelligence yet incredible ineptitude. How many intelligent species don't communicate with each other, and just roar loudly with spittle and slime coming out of their mouths? Oh yea, none.

It's a fun summer action film, but expect no surprises or satisfaction beyond some cool fight scenes. 6/10.

Crazy, Stupid, Love.

The title is a bit misleading as this is a pure dramedy at its core. There is no craziness, no stupidity, just a whole mess of misguided love. That doesn't diminish the heart of this well-cast film, which centers around Steve Carell and Julianne Moore and their flailing marriage. Supporting them are Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, but the true shining light of the film is Jonah Bobo, the 13 year old son who has wisdom beyond his age and makes the family drama a bit more palatable.

The couple split, and go on with their separate lives; Moore with her affair and loveless life, and Carell, trying to move on by learning how the dating game is mastered by a brilliant Gosling. The two strike up an entirely unlikely, but somewhat endearing friendship, and Carell becomes the Pretty Woman of the suburban cul de sac. He learns about slim fitting jeans, layering, and pays more than $10 for his haircut. The beauty of the transformation is that he is the same character throughout the entire movie. Even when he is successfully picking up women in a cringe-inspiring verisimilitude of truisms, he remains the likable family man who just wants to be back with his wife.

There is a relevancy to this story that strikes a chord with any audience, be it the 13 year old boy with the most brazen teenage crush of all time on his babysitter, the babysitter with her own crush, the young woman with the heartbreaking conservative outlook, the pick-up artist, the man whose heart has been shattered, or the woman who cheated. Each member of the ensemble cast comes together in an exceptionally well-done climax that balances the gravity and levity perfectly.

Each piece of the story comes to a satisfying conclusion separately, but also in a realistic crescendo that makes you walk away both appreciating the story, but also doing some self-reflection. It's a nice feeling.

Ryan Gosling is one of the best actors out there. With two more movies coming out this year, his name will once again find itself in the pantheon of greatness discussion. He plays the philanderer with such confidence and swagger, that once his tough exterior shell is broken, you are genuinely concerned about his character. This is a rare transformation in two hours.

Steve Carell has tremendous range. The more dramatic side was briefly shown in Dan in Real Life, but he bares his real emotion while maintaining his comic timing. He has serious potential to move from comedy to serious in the way that Jim Carrey did, and how Will Ferrell is attempting. He has a disarming charm and an everyman quality that just makes you want to root for him.

The rest of the cast does fine, including a nice little appearance by Kevin Bacon (I think the game is getting too easy at this point. We need a new person). As stated earlier though, Jonah Bobo gets the award for the glue of the movie. He holds everything together, even though his screen time is limited. Truly a profound character for a delightful movie. Entertainment Weekly called this the best movie of the year for adults, and I would consider it, as there haven't been any great movies this year that weren't superheroes or comedies (sorry Harry Potter).

Directed by the team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, and written by Dan Fogelman, it is really a collaboration of a 3-headed monster. They all have extensive writing experience, Fogelman mostly with Pixar films, and the director team with Bad Santa and some recent kids movies. They work together beautifully, crafting a character-driven piece that just hits the audience. Collaboration teams are a rare thing in directing, but it has become the norm in writing. We may see a shift over the next few years where the emphasis is on the quality of the film, and not a spotlight on the director. Here's hoping...

See this with an open mind. It is neither a comedy or a drama, but just a well-done film. Great acting, sharp writing, and pleasing outcome. 9/10.

Mid-Summer Oscar Watch

OK, it's still July, but I'm already getting excited for a handful of films that are on the horizon. The first batch come out in September. Some of these films are by critically acclaimed directors, some are certain to elicit acting Oscars, and others are simply original or adapted stories that are fascinating and compelling. I have chosen the 10 that I see as serious contenders, and of course there are more out there that will rise to the awards radar. With the Academy's new requirement for nomination, we will see between 5 and 10 films, which probably means 7 will get nods. Let's take a look in order of release.

September

Moneyball - Sports films typically have a hard time at the awards, but this one is a bit different, chronicling the paradigm shift in the way that baseball teams are assembled. Brad Pitt is Billy Beane, the Oakland A's general manager who uses statistical analysis to predict who will succeed, and determine with formulas how to win baseball games. Pretty cool. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the team's owner. It's directed by Bennett Miller, whose only other feature length film was Capote, that one that scored Hoffman his Oscar. Should be an entertaining Oscar film that will bridge the mainstream audience gap as well. Think last year's the Social Network.

the Debt - Three Mossad agents must dig through their past to uncover a spy. The film flashes back and forward between the real time team (Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds) and their younger selves hunting Nazi war criminals. The film is worth watching for the three older cast members alone, but the story seems compelling and intense. Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) it is one of the films that could really go either way, but with the cast, story, director, I am expecting big things.

October

the Ides of March I just saw the preview, and this is a heavy hitter. Clooney, Gosling, Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright (one of my favorites). It looks great from all angles, and is directed by Clooney, who is establishing himself as Mr. Hollywood (Actor, Producer, Writer, Director). What can't he do? The film follows a campaign manager of a presidential hopeful who finds himself torn between loyalty and ethics. Will be poignant to our current political climate, and should be a sharp acting clinic.

J. Edgar I am looking forward to this one in particular. Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular infamous FBI director. It's still being shrouded in secrecy, so maybe there are post-production issues, but it's written by Dustin Lance Black (Milk), and has rumored gay love scenes, so brace yourself for a controversial, yet incredible film.

November

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - a Swedish director handles Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Tom Hardy in this Cold War political espionage thriller. Oldman is already getting rave reviews in his first leading role in who knows how long. It will surely be worth watching.

Carnage - Love him or hate him (let me clarify - if you can separate the personal from professional), Roman Polanski knows how to make a movie. Christopher Waltz and John C. Reilly are the husbands of Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster as they sit down for dinner to hash out their sons' schoolyard fight. Sounds fascinating, and I imagine two hours of the four of them eating and talking could be pure magic. Looking forward to this one very much.

the Descendants - Clooney again stars as a man coping with his wife's death and struggling to keep his family together during the aftermath. Directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election), it should be a character-based emotionally-charged experience.

December

the Iron Lady - Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Need I say more?

the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - David Fincher takes on the Swedish best-selling trilogy with an unflinching attitude. Graphic sex and violence, and marketed as the feel bad movie of the year. It will be full of controversy and will get mixed reviews (I guarantee), but it is David Fincher, who is a master of cinema.

War Horse - Steven Spielberg returns after a brief hiatus to film this and Tin-Tin, which is a CGI endeavor. War Horse follows Joey, a stallion who is taken from his young owner and sent to the trenches of WWI Europe. His young owner takes on the mission of saving him, despite his young age. It will be a family drama to the extreme, and when there are animals involved, there will be tears. When there are tears and Spielberg, there are Oscars.

That's it for now, I hope you enjoy some of these films, and I'd love to hear what you think of this list.

Captain America: First Avenger

The superhero who has epitomized American ideals since his creation by Stan Lee in the early 1960's has finally found his place on the silver screen. It's no surprise either, given the enormous success of the other superhero films of the past few summers.

Captain America is yet another puzzle piece in the Marvel universe that connects the Avengers into what will certainly be a wildly successful culminating project next summer. Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park III, Jumanji, the Wolfman) is the next in line of theoretically odd director choices, but whose stylized action and almost cheesy effects make the film light-hearted, and ultimately perfectly appropriate for the subject and the audience.

The film follows perfectly the comic storyline set forth by Lee, where the Americans infuse a physically weak, yet lionhearted young man with a super-serum to fight back the Nazi invasion of Europe in WWII. How can anyone whose last name doesn't end in a "tz" not root against the Nazis? Let's be honest, even Germans are ashamed of that little historical hiccup. Anyway, my point is that the Nazis make the ultimate villains in any historical fiction story, and throw some jingoistic underdog into the mix, and a super-villain played by Hugo Weaving, and you've got something special.

Chris Evans plays Steve Rogers, the Captain, with his typical casual humorous, yet dashingly handsome and rugged demeanor. It appears very natural for him, which makes him more believable. He makes the physical transformation from barely 5' tall, 98 pounds, to at least 6'2, 200 lbs. right before our eyes, which is incredible for an actor (alright, they CGI'd his "before" body) and becomes Captain America, and truly gives the role justice.

Weaving shakes off his distinct British intonation that makes him so recognizable (he's actually from Nigeria, I bet you didn't know that) and tries on a schmaltzy German accent that is actually kind of fun. He is a good bad guy, and has great make-up and special effects to make him the Red Skull.

Hayley Atwell comes on strong as the flirty government program liason, and has good chemistry with Evans, although they both look a bit too movie star to be in combat in WWII. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci deliver wonderful supporting performances, and the rag-tag group of Rogers' military friends (ethnically diverse to instill the melting pot feeling) help fill any dialogue void and some comic relief.

Ultimately, this was an unexpected treat. They took what to me is a bit of a boring superhero, and made a really fun popcorn flick. Another hit for Marvel, and a great choice in Johnston. I'm looking forward to Evans' character again in next year's Avengers. It's hard to imagine how Joss Whedon will display all that talent and movie gold, but that's why he gets the big bucks, and why I keep coming back to the theatres.

Sitting through the credits, I was expecting one thing, but got another entirely. Always thinking one step ahead, you will get your first glimpse at the Avengers, though I was secretly hoping for a Jeremy Renner fueled Hawkeye. Maybe 2013. If you're tired of over the top special effects and boy wizards, but still have a hankering for popcorn and superhero action, go see this film. You won't be disappointed. One of the best Marvel has done to date. 9/10.

Actor Spotlight - Leonardo DiCaprio

This is an introspective look at my favorite A-list star who is still under-appreciated in his extensive and incredibly impressive body of work. Three time Oscar nominee (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Aviator, Blood Diamond), Six time Golden Globe nominee and one time winner (Aviator, 2004) 36 year old Leo DiCaprio.

DiCaprio is certainly not the greatest actor of his time, but he may be the most savvy and selective actor out there now. He has delivered incredible performances, and for the most part has been recognized amply. He will certainly win an Oscar or two in his career, perhaps this year for his portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover. The point of this editorial is to put a spotlight on his film choices, which seem to be driven by the opportunity to work with specific directors rather than the project per se.

Let me explain further. I follow many actors' filmography and anxiously anticipate many projects that are coming down the pipeline. What I began thinking about when I was reviewing DiCaprio's films is just how wide a range of roles he has played in his 20 or so years of acting. Further analysis revealed an interesting trend, which I will now share.

Starting with his Oscar nominated role in 1993's What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Leo was 19 years old, and worked on a small budget film by a budding foreign Director, Lasse Hallstrom. He would later go on to make a handful of critically acclaimed films (and some panned), but is certainly an interesting choice for a young actor. I will concede that a young actor will take just about any leading or supporting role that is offered, so that may be some justification.

From there, he worked with Sam Raimi (Spider Man trilogy) and an all-star cast in the Quick and the Dead. Not a great film, but a fun Western and a chance to work with a truly unique director.

His next big film was 1996's Romeo & Juliet, directed by the quirky and eccentric Baz Luhrmann. This was DiCaprio's gateway to stardom, catapulting him to teen heartthrob status.

After that, he did a little thing called Titanic directed by James Cameron, who is truly a visionary and a perpetual pioneer in film. This was DiCaprio's A-list ticket, and from this point on he was able to pick and choose projects simply due to his profitability.

He was then in a critically panned film called the Man in the Iron Mask, which for as bad as it was, was directed by Randall Wallace, who is more of a writer than a director, but was the mind behind Braveheart. This might have been a turning point for DiCaprio in that he began to be a bit more cautious about his role selection.

After that, he worked with Woody Allen, no doubt for the experience more than the accolades or paycheck in a film called Celebrity. His next starring role however, was in Danny Boyle's the Beach. Not the greatest film, but an interesting project with a blooming director.

At the age of 27, he began his relationship with Martin Scorcese, which would span 4 films and over a decade, and earn Martin his sole Oscar of his illustrious career (so far). There is a fifth collaboration in the works; a biopic about Frank Sinatra.

2002 was the year that DiCaprio worked with Steven Spielberg on Catch Me if you Can. The beginning of Leo's fascination with portraying historical figures (Howard Hughes, J. Edgar Hoover, Frank Sinatra).

2006 was arguably DiCaprio's most successful single year, with roles in the Departed, and Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond, which gave Leo his third Academy Award nomination. At this point, he has become bigger than just about anyone in Hollywood, able to hand select projects to star and produce. His name alone is marketable enough to draw a box office success.

Over the following three years, he would work with Ridley Scott, Sam Mendes, and Christopher Nolan. All three films (and one Scorcese thrown in the mix) were both critical and box office successes.

His current projects team him with Clint Eastwood, Baz Luhrmann (2nd collaboration), and Quentin Tarantino. His performance in Eastwood's J. Edgar Hoover will certainly earn Leo his fourth nomination, and if competition isn't too stiff, perhaps his first win.

Future projects team him with Marc Forster, Oliver Stone, Ridley Scott again, and possibly Michael Mann. These are in pre-pre-production stages, but don't be surprised to see them come to fruition if Leo wants them to. Interestingly, he was signed on to work with Mel Gibson on a Nordic-themed film, but Leo pulled out because of Gibson's drunken career-killing breakdown.

Snubs. Because the Academy doesn't allow an actor to receive 2 nominations in the same year in the Best Actor category, Leo was denied a nomination for the Departed, which in my opinion was his best performance so far. He was also over-shadowed by Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York, and carried Revolutionary Road even though Kate Winslet and Michael Shannon received most of the acclaim.

You would be hard-pressed to find another actor who has worked with a laundry list of Oscar-winning directors. 22 wins, another 70 nominations among them. It's a staggering and mind-blowing amount of cinematic achievement.

The sheer variety of his selections of projects and directors leaves any fan of cinema anxiously awaiting his next work. Personally, I think he is genius and look forward to watching him for the next 50 years.

Bad Teacher

There was a certain magnetism for me toward this movie because, well, I am a middle school teacher, so some of the humor was magnified a bit and seeing kids being yelled and cussed at is kind of a secret fantasy of mine at times.

There was one great thing about the film, and one terrible thing. Which do you want to hear first? I'll give you a little summary before jumping to that. Cameron Diaz is a despicable gold digger who thinks she's about to hit the jackpot, and thus, enter a life of early retirement. The problem is, she's a bit transparent in her ambitions. She returns to her job as a middle school English teacher and decides to save up to buy herself a new pair of boobs (which might have been a good choice for Diaz about 15 years ago). Anyhow, she vies for the attention of the wealthy substitute teacher, while completely dissing every co-worker around her, and building a rivalry with the teacher across the hall. The film comes to a climax around the dreaded state standards test, and as usual, the group of teachers are made out to be incompetent, desperate, and completely unprofessional. OK, maybe that last bit was a bit too close to home, but teachers get a bad rap, even in film.

The movie plays out simplistically and predictably, and Diaz does a decent job in the role. Justin Timberlake is simply a terrible actor, no excuses to be had. He may have some good skits on SNL, but make no mistake, he is no feature film actor. There has to be a reason that Friends with Benefits has been shelved for so long, and I have a feeling its name isn't Mila Kunis. Had he been replaced with someone a bit more thespian, maybe, oh, just about any B-list actor in his late 20's or early 30's, it would have had a major impact on the film. My suggestions would have been Chris Evans, Seth Myers, or BJ Novak. Or maybe the lesser known Matt Lauria. Someone who could pull off the role better than Timberlake, who for some reason, I just can't take seriously, even in a comedic role. A great risk would have been Andy Sandberg, who hasn't done much in film despite his incredible potential.

The great thing about the film was Jason Segel. He owns as the gym teacher who is actually kind of cool, who is trying to get together with Diaz. He is given the best lines, and ends up impressing Diaz with his personality instead of his money.

The terrible thing about the film is one of my all-time pet peeves in cinema. With the exception of one or two scenes, all of the best lines and scenes are in the previews. If you watch a few of them, including the red-band trailer, you've seen the entire film and don't need to waste the $9. Boo.

Jake Kasdan directs his first movie in four years, since Walk Hard, which was disappointing. He's got the lineage, and writing skills, and this was a noble effort for a summer comedy. To be honest though, I was really looking forward to it, as there is a natural connection to Bad Santa, which is one of the most underrated holiday films of all time. Overall, it underwhelmed me, and I'm a sucker for middle school films. 6/10.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Transformers 3 upgrades the franchise with 3D, IMAX, and a stronger cast featuring Oscar nominated and winning actors. It also weighs in at a hefty 2 hrs and 40 mins. These wonderful upgrades don't save it from its recurring Achilles heel however; a terrible storyline.

Michael Bay follows the current trend and goes Historical Fiction by taking the Apollo moon landing, and Chernobyl and making them a critical part of a human conspiracy that teams people with Decepticons. You can't make this up, folks.

Bay does something that I truly thought impossible considering his style and skill set; he bored me at a Transformers movie.

As Sam faces the challenges of life after college, attempting to start a career, and running into obstacles at every turn due to his criminal record in spite of his heroics which are deemed top secret (really? expunge?) and he painfully can't discuss with any of his potential employers, he finds work for John Malkovich. Wasted talent aside, this angle was a bit unnecessary, and didn't really create the sympathy for Sam that was intended as much as sabotage the action and slow the pacing.

Frances McDormand and Patrick Dempsey join the cast as well, and add nothing but nonsense to the mix. McDormand is wasted talent, but she looks like she enjoyed the role, and Dempsey's character throws the story off the tracks completely.

Finally, Rosie Huntington-Whitely replaces Megan Fox as Sam's love interest; a somehow wealthy personal assistant to Dempsey who is desperately in love with Sam, and supports him as he continues his job search. You get what you pay for with a Victoria's Secret model in her first acting job. She makes you cringe with each word out of her mouth, and although she fills the eye candy role beautifully, her expressions and reactions are painfully robotic and prescribed. As gorgeous as she is, she truly needs to stick to the runway.

I hate to admit it, but I kind of missed Megan Fox. As terrible as she is at acting, there is something about her that goes hand in hand with Transformers and Shia LaBeouf. I suppose she'll think next time before calling her director "Hitler" in front of her Jewish producer...

I digress. By now you are probably scratching your head thinking what the redeeming qualities might be. There are three, and they make the movie entertaining and watchable, even if all else is snooze-inducing.

1. Special Effects. Need I say more? The Transformers franchise are ripe for creative effects with amazing explosions and visual stimulation that makes the viewer melt into the seat. Even compared with the first film, the seamless integration of the robots and the humans, and the scenes with pyrotechnics and destruction of cars and buildings is believable. To Bay's credit, he does this better than just about anyone else out there, but he needs to keep up the momentum, because I think viewers are coming to expect more and bigger and better each time out, and his delivery isn't quite as mind-blowing as someone like James Cameron. A high expectation, but he's established himself as king of his genre.

2. Transformers. The franchise is awesome, and as a fan-boy, I'm blown away by how they have been brought to the silver screen. It's a far cry from the low-tech cartoons that captivated me in the 1980's. The robots are amazing, and with more added with each film, the variety was satisfying in this one. Many of the original robots were showcased, like Sound Wave and Laserbeak, Shockwave, and Wheeljack (some of my personal favorites). There were still the carry-over from the second TF film with the annoying personalities of the little, lesser-known robots who are given ridiculous lines to cut the tension of an action scene.

3. Sound. Just as this film will be nominated for special effects awards, the sound was equally amazing. IMAX amplified this experience, but Bay really knows how to integrate heavy beats, chilling riffs, and over-the-top rock music. It's cliche and a part of his personal arsenal, but it works.

I'm ready for something a bit different from Michael Bay. His slow motion upward angled panned shots with the actor looking toward the sky with a concerned look on their face, hair perfectly coifed and dirt strategically placed on designer clothes. The background a perfect sunset hue of yellows and reds. I'm getting tired of it, sorry Michael. Time to move on to something new, which sadly won't happen due to the billions of dollars his films have generated. I'm sure we'll see more of the same, and I'll still go see his movies because the action is so damn captivating.

Ehren Kruger missed the mark when he wrote this piece of work. His only gem was Arlington Road, and that was twelve years ago, so I wonder how he is still working. I could have written a better script for this film, and could have done so without the star-studded mess of a cast.

All in all, this is exactly what you should expect when you walk into the theatre. It's loud, visually orgasmic at times, and ultimately a cool movie. It's frustrating to see Michael Bay make the same mistakes over and over, but as much as we're used to it, it's pure movie fun. Get your popcorn, put on your 3D glasses, and settle in for nearly three hours of action. Appropriate for the 4th of July, there are plenty of fireworks in this film. 6/10.

Horrible Bosses

This review is going to be a bit different, for reasons that will become obvious momentarily. You are probably thinking "wait, doesn't Horrible Bosses come out on July 8th? How did you see it over a week early?" The answer is simply that I have my connections, and was able to sneak a peek at the film at its premier at the historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.



The night started with an electric buzz. We pulled in to the parking garage, and upon exiting, were met with hordes of people waving signs and cameras, screaming to see celebrities (and this movie has more than its fair share). We walked through the security checkpoint, waving our VIP premier passes, and found ourselves immediately outside the theatre, just inches from the red carpet.



We entered with the masses just minutes before the film began. The concession stand was giving out free popcorn and drinks, so I indulged (obviously). Finding my seat, I began scanning the packed audience for celebrities. I had seen Sudeikis and Aniston walk the red carpet, but everyone else was either inside, or running late.

My first spotting was Craig Robinson, of the office, then Oscar Nunez and Masi Oka immediately in front of him. I noticed a tall, slender blonde walk in with a tight white dress, and she drew quite a crowd. I couldn't tell at first, but it was Chelsea Handler. It was about this time that Jesse Metcalf walked by, looking for his own seat in the theatre. We got the five minute flash of the lights, and people started making their way to their seats. One last scan revealed Jennifer Love Hewitt and Joey Lawrence sitting down my row, across the aisle, and it caused me to exclaim "Woa!"

The film started to much applause, and it was a laugh riot from start to finish. I am biased because of the authentic movie magic of the environment, but it was fresh, funny, and just raunchy enough to make you forget all about the Hangover II.

Three friends commiserate over beers each evening about just how horrible their respective bosses are, and each has their unique flaw that is accentuated with great calculation. Kevin Spacey is a heartless narcissist, Farrell is a spoiled cocaine addict company heir, and Aniston, in what is perhaps her most entertaining role ever, is the sexually aggressive dentist who molests her assistant and comes up with more euphemisms for the penis than you've ever heard come out of a Friend's mouth.

They decide after one drunken night, and just enough frustration at work to kill their bosses. They hire a murder consultant named Motherf**ker Jones (Best character name of the year) played by Jamie Foxx, who convinces them to re-enact Strangers on a Train. A series of unfortunate events lead to both hilarity and calamity, and each winds up in for much more than they ever thought they would.

The three stars of the film are Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day, who is destined to break out as the next big comedy actor. This film will do for him what the Hangover did for Galifinakis, just watch. The Jasons interact with a natural flow that accentuates their strengths, which is timing. What makes them and so many others great isn't necessarily that something funny is said, but more how it's said, and they play off each other nicely.

The writing of this film is fantastic, and the actors were allowed freedom to improvise dialogue, and play these outrageous characters (more the bosses than the 3 stars) while being led in a direction that leads to a smart and satisfying conclusion. I happened to meet the girlfriend of one of the writers, John Francis Daley, who you might recognize from Freaks and Geeks, or Waiting. Expect good things from him in the future, as he seems to be running with the New Line comedy crowd.

My opinion is obviously a bit amplified by the excitement, but the film frankly ended too soon. I could watch Day and the Jasons just hanging out for days, and Spacey and Farrell entered territory that we haven't seen much of before. The real icing is Aniston though. Never before have I been a fan, but she's on the upswing in my book, departing from romantic comedies. She has a real dirty mouth, but clearly enjoyed the role, and used her sexuality to push it to the edge of the envelope.

The most funny film of the summer season so far. Definitely worth watching. 10/10*.


After the film, we exited Grauman's to massive crowds and paparazzi just waiting to take my picture. Wait, they were waiting for celebrities. I digress. The stars exited one by one; Bateman, Julie Bowen, Charlie Day, and finally Jamie Foxx. I took an opportunity to get a picture with Craig Robinson (Darryl) and gave him the "It's Bo Bice...s Brother!" line. He was really impressed (or just a happy guy). Once clear, we worked our way past the lines of autograph seekers, and hopped in the Escalade for the after-party.



At the after-party, I saddled up to the bar to take the edge off. My mission of the evening was to engage in a meaningful (or any) conversation with a full-fledged movie star. I missed my first opportunity, as Ioan Gruffudd was getting a drink right next to me. I took a lap around the club, which was called the Colony, and found some delicious spare ribs, chicken with mole, and mashed potatoes. I enjoyed my meal a mere fifteen feet away from Jason Bateman, who was entertaining a small group of his friends. I saw a few other celebrities while on my stroll; the wedding singer from Old School and the Hangover, Dan Finnerty.

Strolling around, I found an empty booth, so I sat down to take in the magical atmosphere that was going on around me. I was rubbing elbows with the Hollywood elite; producers, executives, writers, directors, and yes, movie stars.

A woman and her mother sat down at my booth, and we began chatting. I talked about my life and career in Seattle, and she talked about her boyfriend, John Francis Daley. Impressive. I found my group again, and we sat down for a few minutes before my liquid courage kicked in, and I made my move. Right for Jason Sudeikis. He was chatting to someone I didn't recognize, but the two of them were very receptive to my interjection. We talked about the movie, teaching, Nirvana, Charlie Day's impending superstardom, and Will Ferrell (not sure how the conversation took that turn) I left before I felt too intrusive, and was secretly jumping up and down on the inside.



The night ended the way any good night should. I shook the hand of a Best Actor Oscar winner, Jamie Foxx. I was feeling brave, so approached his booth while his six foot eight, three hundred-fifty pound bodyguard left (presumably to get another plate of food). I told him I enjoyed his performance in the film, and wanted to shake his hand. He was receptive, and my only regret was to not take advantage of a photo op.

We left, and I felt a sense of self-satisfaction. I couldn't help but think as I was leaving, I could do that. It's not that difficult to make movies. I still maintain that mindset, but it's a truly fortunate life that these men and women lead, and considering the social pressures and public scrutiny, I found each and every one of them to be very congenial and friendly.

It was truly an incredible once in a lifetime experience that I hope I someday have the privilege of repeating.