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Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
Well Worth Watching
Mesmerizing performances by Keaton, Norton and Stone. Intoxicating cinematography, thanks to Emmanuel Lubezki. Also, brilliantly directed by one of the best of our time, Alejandro González Iñarritu.
I felt as if I were present on the set. I could swear I smelled the musty carpet in the narrow halls of the old St. James Theater, as well as the multitude of roses in the dressing room after the final preview.
There was a certain eerie appeal to this clever and quirky movie, that kept me on the edge of my seat. Foreshadowing kept it interesting, as well.
I enjoyed the drum solo soundtrack that naturally accompanied the main character's movement throughout the plot of the film.It seemed to drive him through the paces of the final days of his life.
This movie was satisfying for me on so many levels. I will no doubt feel a bit lost in its works for days!
Utopia (2014)
Dystopia
What a colossal waste of money!
50 million on a show that is destined for doom.
Imagine all the good that could have been done with that money! This show is not a social experiment but clearly a failed attempt to entertain. If only they did it with the real intention, this could have been watch-worthy.
None of the participants appear to be bright enough to realize the first thing they must do is figure out how they can survive for a year with the resources they have been given. How will they have enough food, water, shelter, etc.? Basic needs being met before anything else is decided. But instead, we get Wife Swap contrived opposites arguing about Bible passages and a Survivalist nut-job convincing the men to build boxes several chickens will be stuck in all day in order to be "put to work" tilling the land.
I made it through half of the first episode. I stopped all future recordings and hope to never see any of the "characters" again.
Chef (2014)
Instant Razzie Classic!
If given the opportunity to pose just ONE question to Jon Favreau, Chef's writer, director and leading man, it would be, "Who's been lying to ya, dude"?
I admit, I have never seen an Iron Man movie because it just isn't my cup of tea. I know they have done well in the box office, which obviously has left Mr. Favreau with such an overflow of cash that he can afford to pay people to lie to him.
Apparently, he was able to pay an entire crew to blow enough smoke up his sorry rump roast to actually convince him he has the Midas touch.
I'm even beginning to wonder if he hasn't also paid off legitimate movie critics because when I read some positive reviews, I honestly find it inconceivable that we watched the same flick.
This movie is definitely a "you've gotta see it to believe it," Razzie instant classic. As a matter of fact, since wasting twenty bucks and two hours of our lives we'll never get back, my boyfriend and I have not been able to stop picking at it.
Let's start with the writing, shall we? From the time I was six years old until about twelve, I loved to drag my suitcase full of Barbie dolls out of my closet and make them come to life as my friends and spun far-fetched tales. This is relevant in this review only because the plot of Chef is absolutely reminiscent of what a second grader might spontaneously concoct.
Now, let's look at Favreau as a director. There are several big name actors in this movie, such as Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey Jr. I speculate they appear in this flop for less than their usual big bucks solely to help out a friend. Perhaps, after he asked them to read the entire six page script, they decided they'd better help save their friend from probable career-ending public humiliation. Alas, they could not.
It is further speculation on my part that Favreau thought an an easy way to beef up his scant script was to allow some of the seasoned actors to improvise. Unfortunately, there was not enough meat to the plot nor ambiance on the set to pull that off. Awkward moments that should have ended up on the cutting room floor became...a movie. Ouch!
Finally, not-so-renaissance man Favreau as the lead man, the Chef, el Jefe... The late, great actor, John Candy had a quality so endearing that no matter how rotten the movie, the audience couldn't help but love the characters he portrayed. In this, Favreau is the antithesis Of a Candy role. I was also distracted by Favreau's resemblance to comedian Kevin James, so much so that I kept finding myself wishing it indeed were Mr. James. He, at least, is consistently likable and has mastered comedic timing. Yes,you heard me right, I was actually longing for Paul Bart, Mall Cop while watching this piece of waste.
When not watching bad movies, I am a Spanish teacher. The cringe factor reached its peak for me in Chef when it became evident that it would serve to perpetuate uneducated stereotyping of Spanish speakers. Speaking Spanish does not culturally unite people from the Caribbean, North, Central and South America, nor Europe. Cuban food is absolutely nothing like Mexican food is nothing like Spanish food is nothing like Argentinian food, etc. The same goes for the music, dress, traditions and accents. Judging from this movie, Jon Favreau is either blissfully ignorant, or perhaps simply does not care.
Oh, it would be delicious poetic justice if the result of this atrocity spoils Jon Favreau's career, somewhat parallel to the fate of the half-baked Chef Caspar. This time, however, instead of driving a food truck, we stumble upon the actor on the streets of Florida's Key West, where he appears nightly as a creatively fulfilled street mime.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
I should have seen Harry Potter or Hairspray!
I'll admit it, I'm not a big Adam Sandler fan. I am one of the few people who actually prefer him in his more serious roles, like in Spanglish. I was drawn to this movie by Kevin James, who really can make me laugh.
I had seen the trailer, and was pretty sure it wouldn't be a GREAT movie, but I was in the mood to see something light-hearted and humorous today. I figured that Kevin James would make it worth my while and my seven bucks.
Unfortunately, after seeing it, I'm sure I would have had a much better time watching four back-to-back King of Queens reruns.
Everything here is exaggerated. Stereotypes about women, gays, Asians, Italians, African Americans (you name it) abound. Chuck, a womanizer, sleeps with not one or two women at a time, but the entire Hooter's staff plus his female physician. These woman giggle and spank each other while they await Chuck's return to bed.
Everything is predictable. The premise is simple and contrived.
Cameo performances by Dave Matthews, Lance Bass and Richard Chamberlain are its best moments. (And figuring out that Rob Schneider is the heavily costumed Asian minister.)
If you love everything Adam Sandler does, this may do it for you. If you are on the fence, I recommend waiting for the DVD or skipping it altogether.