Third Time's Charming Enough

Funny People


Release: 07.31.09
Rated R
2 hours, 16 minutes


Full Price



Ira Wright (Seth Rogen, Observe & Report) is a struggling comedian who makes ends meet by working at a deli counter. During open mic night at the Improv, Ira's set is bumped by an impromptu set by his idol, veteran comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler, Spanglish). George's appearance is precipitated by his shock at learning he is dying of terminal leukemia. After an awkward exchange post-show, George offers Ira a job as his joke writer and personal assistant. George is looking to turn over a new leaf before it's too late and Ira's looking for his big break, but neither can handle what they find.

Aside from Sandler and Rogen, the latest story penned and directed by Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin) features tons of great actors, in addition to Apatow's immediate family: wife Leslie Mann (Drillbit Taylor) and their daughters Maude (Knocked Up)and Iris Apatow (Knocked Up). Ira and his more successful buds, Mark (Jason Schwartzman, I Heart Huckabees) and Leo (usual suspect Jonah Hill, Superbad) oscillate between witty bantering and bitter bickering as if they were goofy, annoying roomies in real life. Eric Bana (Munich) plays Mann's husband Clarke, having a blast while using his Aussie accent (for a change). The film has many other funny people in small roles like Aziz Ansari (Observe & Report) and Aubrey Plaza (TV: Parks & Recreation), but the film has a metric ton of awesome cameos from comedians, actors and musicians from Apatow's personal Rolodex. If anyone tries to ruin more than one of these, you should promptly punch them in the face and proceed to the theater to savor the hilarity for yourself.

Funny People is strongest when illustrating the comedians' varied lifestyles. Ira struggles to hone his craft while eking out a living and a life. Then there's Mark's shameless TV stardom and the lifestyle it affords him. Both seem insignificant when compared to George's level of paparazzi celebrity, which have blessed him with insanely plush trappings. In contrast, Ira is far more honest and emotional than George has ever been. This often strained relationship feels grown from a cornerstone of reality from a writer who's familiar with the challenges of a comedian's rise to fame.

What also rings true is George's desire to reconnect with his one true love. Here's where Funny People falters. I loved watching Mann, Bana, Rogen and Sandler make dramatic comedy on the subject of infidelity and second chances, but it adds significant length to an already lengthy story. I have to admit, the Apatow daughters are adorable, but it's obvious that daddy was not impartial enough to leave many of their extraneous scenes on the cutting-room floor.

Dirty Undies
I wonder if Apatow is looking to break some sort of record for the most times someone says fuck or refers to their dick. By the time Funny People ends, I felt I could describe, in disturbing detail, the width, length, blemish and curve of every star's cock. It's not because they whipped them out for measuring; they just referenced them so frequently you can't help but form an unimpressive image in your mind. Apatow makes a feeble attempt to detract from the cock talk with a nice pair of boobs, but once you've got a picture of Rogen's thickie etched on your mind's wall, there ain't no washing it off.

The Money Shot
Funny People has a biographical, possibly autobiographical, quality. It's this realism that makes an Apatow film more rich and accessible than a typical goofy comedy. But his third cinematic child suffers from a lack of tough love necessary to make it extraordinary. Despite these small stumbles, watching comedians shuck and jive in even the worst of situations makes for solid cinema.

Trying to Pass Snicklefritz off as Top Bud

Pineapple Express


Release: 08.06.2008
Rated R
1 hour, 51 minutes

Matinee ($$$)




I admit I have never been much for films featuring drug use. Mostly, I avoided the nasty dramatized films that featured sunken-eyed druggies with gaping sores struggling with their addictions. I was always more forgiving for the comedic stoner films. Superbad scribes Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg definitely intrigued me with the concept of mixing off-beat stoner humor with a good 'ol action romp.

The premise is that process server Dale Denton (Seth Rogen, Knocked Up) witnesses a violent murder while on his way to serve Ted Jones (Gary Cole, Office Space). Panicked, he runs to his drug dealer, Saul (James Franco, Spider-Man), and the two go on the lam before they are killed for what they know.

Franco is friggin' awesome as bud-dealin', bud-smokin' Saul. He is goofy, charismatic and fun every minute he is onscreen. Rogen continues to play the self-effacing smart-ass capably. A rising favorite of myself and my wife, Danny R. 'Bust-Ass' McBride (Hot Rod), appears as drug middleman Red, who had us in stitches, and not just because of his ridiculous hi-top fade.

Pineapple Express doesn't struggle in the acting or the stoner comedy aspect; it fails in two other respects. Its first weakness lies in its action. One moment, the action parodies those great cheesy action flicks of my wonder years, but at other times, it plays it straight. I enjoyed the realistic aspects to some of the fights and chases, but felt confused when other scenes emphasized the unbelievable. Perfect examples of this are the would-be hitmen hunting our two dope-smoking protagonists, played by Kevin Corrigan (Superbad) and Chris Robinson (Knocked Up). To make the action pay off, director David Gordon Green (All the Real Girls) really should have picked one path, either parody or serious, and stuck with it.

The second unforgivable weakness is the blatant misuse of the villains, in particular Gary Cole. Any action film worth its weight will balance the protagonists' struggle with the villains' motivations. Cole exudes the smarmy drug kingpin vibe, but his scenes are too few and too brief. His henchwoman, Carol (Rosie Perez, White Men Can't Jump), speaks maybe three complete lines. The result? Pineapple Express has these vapid, awkward moments between weed jokes and action scenes that could have easily been filled with crucial villain development. The final confrontation just lacks....something. Even the Asian mob with whom Cole's character is battling feels like a tagged-on excuse to use Apatow regular Ken Jeong (Knocked Up).

Dirty Undies
Despite dogging out the structure of the action, I have to praise Express for providing excessive bloodshed, gunfire and death. However, I think our duo smokes more joints than villains. There's definitely plenty of vulgar shit-talking and absolutely no sex, unless you get turned on by Rogen in his skidmarked tighty-whiteys. And here I was hoping to see those D's, motherfucker, D's, Rosie Perez!

The Money Shot
Pineapple Express turned out to be the second comedy this month that failed to be hilarious despite having an abundance of Jew fros and man-child humor. The Apatow crew may want to lay off the weed; the smoke might tarnish their shine.

Silky Smooth, with a Nice Sticky Ending

You Don't Mess With Zohan


Release: 06.06.2008
Rated PG-13
1 hour, 53 minutes

Matinee ($$$)




Zohan (Adam Sandler, The Waterboy) is a counterterrorist agent of unequaled skills in the Israeli military. Despite being a "Rembrandt with a grenade" fighting and killing is not his true passion. Zohan sits in his darkened apartment dreaming of the day when he can move to New York and work for the iconic stylist Paul Mitchell. Upon arriving in New York, he finds his dreams of silky smooth hair difficult to achieve. He must not only hide from Middle Easterners who may recognize him, but Zohan discovers the only salon willing to work with an untrained stylist is owned by a lovely Palestinian woman named Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui, Waiting...).

For those of you who imagined You Don't Mess With the Zohan to be outrageously ridiculous, multiply that sentiment by a thousand and you're a smidgen closer to comprehending just how outlandish it is. Zohan is an unstoppable fighting machine. He can disassemble guns at break neck speeds, dodge and catch bullets and even do push ups with no hands. If that sounds a little too much to fathom, I'd suggest you give this flick a wide berth. If you dare to be bold, the over-the-top action antics of Zohan is a treat the likes of which has not been seen since Hot Shots.

It’s not all Herculean feats, retro hairstyles and disco grooving; You Don’t Mess With the Zohan sends a message. The story, penned by Sandler, Robert Smigel (TV Funhouse) and Judd Apatow (Fun With Dick and Jane), repeatedly dips into the troubles in Israel and how the conflict needs a resolution. An admirable message represented by the grudge between Zohan and his nemesis, the terrorist Phantom (John Turturro, Anger Management). In fact, for all its indescribable silliness, Sandler, Turturro and Chriquí play it as straight as it comes. The rest of the cast are a mixed bag. Many just cheese for the camera as their lame accents stumble from underneath bad moustaches. Other veteran supporters, like Lainie Kazan (The Big Hit) give it their Method acting standard. Oh yeah, and Nick Swardson (The Benchwarmers) is hilarious, but sorely underused.

Cameo Corner
We’ve come to expect an occasional wacky cameo in every Sandler screwball comedy, but Zohan is the Mecca of cameos. I’m not going to spoil it with a laundry list of appearances, but I will say that Sandler calls in folks from practically every film he’s done, and then some. I promise – no names - but in one specific instance, there is a cameo from someone I thought should never, never, NEVER appear in film again but she shows up and delivers yet another shudder-worthy performance.

Dirty Undies
The film is brimming with beautiful half-naked women, from Zohan’s adoring Israeli fans to Turturro’s gaggle of wives. Chriqui is yummy with her long dark locks and huge…talents. Surprisingly, Sandler is looking kinda tasty; at least, he bulked and toned his physique for the role. I’m not sure if he was confident enough to let it be himself or a butt double for all the nude scenes but, whoever’s keister it was, kudos! Don’t let the film’s action sequences worry you; it’s the thick sexual exchanges between Zohan and the middle-aged women that should really concern you.

The Money Shot
I get the impression You Don’t Mess With the Zohan is the culmination of Sandler’s wacky films. Not saying he won’t do others after this but I believe, in Sandler’s mind, this is his tour de force. I came in expecting absurdity and even I was shocked. Like Zohan’s beverage of choice, Fizzy Bubala, it may not sit so well to those unaccustomed to its unique flavor.

If Life Gives You Lemons, I Say F*ck Lemons and Bail.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Release: 04/18/2008
Rated R
1 hour, 52 minutes

Full Price ($$$$)




Peter Bretter (Jason Segel, Knocked Up) has a comfortable life in Los Angeles. He composes music for the television drama Crime Scene and dates the star of the show, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell, Pulse). When Sarah returns home and surprises Peter by announcing the end of their five-year relationship, he collapses in heap of sorrow and naked-man flesh. On the advice of his step-brother, he goes on vacation to Hawaii where he just happens to run into Sarah and her new man, English pop sensation Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). Thanks to the charity of the hotel concierge, Rachel (Mila Kunis, American Psycho 2), and the other hotel staff, Peter pulls himself out of his rut and begins to enjoy a new outlook on life.

If you assumed this to be a Judd Apatow production in the vein of 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up and not Anchorman or The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, you'd be correct. As in the former films, Apatow & Company take their popular brand of crude humor and mingle it with a tangible drama of relationships. I still proclaim 40 Year-Old Virgin as the best of the lot while each new incarnation shifts the perfect balance of laughs and love a little farther to the dramatic side. Still, the balance isn't too far to the right and FSM had me laughing well into the credits.

Let's be honest; this is my kind of movie: a crude comedy with beautiful women and a hilarious cast. The great supporting cast includes Bill Hader (Hot Rod), Jonah Hill (Superbad), Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) and Paul Rudd (Reno 911!: Miami). Ahh, Paul Rudd, who doesn't love you? The film even has a nice cameo that I won't spoil for you. I will say I was excited to see Branscombe Richmond (The Scorpion King), but disappointed he had barely a minute of screen time. FSM has already lit up my Confessions radar for memorable characters, lines and scenes. It also features some original songs with hilarious lyrics including Inside Me and Dracula’s Lament. FSM gives much needed big-screen cred to Bell and Kunis, whose only previous film endeavors I have seen (mentioned above) were not their shining moments. I especially love that this film bashes one of those stinkers, although obscurely.

Dirty Undies
I have mad, nasty love for Kristen Bell, so I brought my drool bib. After seeing FSM, I wish I had brought a spare because, DAMN, if Mila Kunis wasn’t equally tent-pitching. Sure, she was cute on That 70's Show, but her radiant face and wavy, brown locks will inspire a whole new level of infatuation on equal footing with the lovely Bell. Jason Segel owes the casting director big!!! First-born-son big.

If Apatow's star continues to rise I foresee his ultimate masterpiece. In the future, his number-one film will be called Cock. And that's all it will be for 90 minutes: a flaccid penis. It will win eight Oscars, including best screenplay. Whether Segel will win the starring role in Cock is uncertain, but FSM gave him some good practice.

The Money Shot
I think the major divide between FSM and Knocked Up in comparison to 40 Year-Old Virgin stems from the caliber of their stars’ performances. Segel and Rogen are no Carell, stargazers. But it doesn’t really matter because the material is funny enough that literate monkeys could make this a success.

I am McLovin' Superbad!

Superbad

Release:08/17/2007
Rated: R
1 hour, 54 minutes

FULL PRICE ($$$$)

I know I am a week late with this much anticipated review, but hey, I can’t be fortunate enough to catch sneak previews all the time! But there’s no time for rambling, on with the review:

“Knocked Up” star Seth Rogen and his colleague Evan Goldberg were finally able to greenlight a film the two started writing at the age of thirteen. Their movie, “Superbad,” is a coming-of-age film about best friends Seth and Evan. In the penultimate weeks of their high school years, Seth and Evan are invited to a house party where they may finally hook up with their dream girls, assuming they can use their buddy Fogell and his fake ID to shower the party with booze. This simple task starts a spiraling series of events involving cops, seedy parties with seedier people, and constant bickering that jeopardizes more than their chance to score.

I knew the moment I saw Jonah Hill in “The 40 Year Old Virgin” that he would soon hit it big. Likewise, watching Michael Cera week to week in “Arrested Development” gave me the same tingly feeling, until they cancelled the brilliant and underrated show. Fortunately everything happens for a reason and that reason is “Superbad.” If Cera and Hill were never on your radar that will soon change. Hill plays up Seth as wild and offensive as are his curly, unkempt locks. Cera portrays Evan as the straight man, complementing Hill with a deadpan delivery and somber tone. The duo’s timing meshes perfectly, creating a real sense of camaraderie. Aside from writing the script, Seth Rogen appears alongside SNL cast member Bill Hader (*Hot Rod) as a pair of police who wreak their own brand of insanely riotous mayhem. Hands down, Fogell, a.k.a. McLovin’ will be the most remembered and revered character. This third Musketeer, portrayed by newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse, may not be ready for stardom. Let us hope he can handle his skyrocketing fame more deftly than the other recent cult icon, Jon Heder, whose debut in Napoleon Dynamite has been followed by many shortcomings.

While the actors are adept at delivering, the material they are given is equally brilliant. The situations are totally outlandish as with any goofball comedy, but Rogen and Goldberg manage to add a vein of reality that grounds the incidents in an all-too-familiar setting. Looking at “Superbad” on the whole, audience members will be saying, I know a guy just like that! The ability to create such relatable and honest characters and situations is what takes “Superbad” beyond the average film. If there is one glaring weakness in the film, it is the lack of development of the female characters. But assuming Rogen and Goldberg couldn’t know how a woman thinks, maybe it was a smart move on their parts to focus solely on how the guys roll.

Dirty Undies

The various fracases that Seth, Evan, and Fogell are embroiled in, while not overly violent, do leave a few bruises and bloody a few garments, but I will leave it at that. Ironically, nudity is virtually nonexistent. Its constant vulgarity and frank expletives, big talk from small-balled boys, and sexually degrading remarks both appropriate and inappropriate to nearly every situation will have your ears ringing as you realize you can’t wait to see this again!

The Money Shot

“Superbad” has been touted as a film that is, in some ways, in the vein of the “American Pie’ series; basically, a dirty comedy about teenage guys. Mostly “Superbad” excels beyond the by-the-numbers predictability to deliver raunch with a sliver of tenderness at its core. Heck, if you don’t go for any other reason, go so you will fully understand the true glory behind the soon-be-iconic “I am McLovin’!”