10 June 2010

Review: Get Him to the Greek

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Review, movie

I went a little movie insane this weekend and now I’m  back with another review! Wha? Two reviews in one week? Yes, that’s correct!

I kept the movie seeing light this weekend and went with another comedy, but this time, unlike Killers, it was legitimately funny. Let’s take a look!

Movie: Get Him to the Greek

Rating: R

Release date: June 11, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B+

Summary: Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) is a huge rock star/train wreck (like Britney 2 years ago) and record company lackey (like Audrina used to be), Aaron (Jonah Hill) has one job, to get him to the Greek Theater in LA for a show. What could go wrong? Nothing. Everything.

My thoughts: Not bad/a little long/pretty funny. Not a bad combo. I liked the Aldous character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall because he was a raunchy guy with a good heart buried below tattoos and likely syphilis. It’s nice to see him again here in a bigger role but sometimes, the drama, sex and “woe is me” stuff wears on you. But I will say this, he is really entertaining on stage.

Jonah Hill is great in this too, playing the Tom Hanks-like good guy lead astray, a nice departure to the loser pot head characters he’s played in Knocked Up. It’s funny too that he was also in Forgetting Sarah Marshall with Russell Brand but doesn’t reprise that role here.

No, the scene stealer here really is Sean Combs. Diddy killed it. Sure, he was a little psycho and needed his mouth washed out with soap but some of his lines were hilarious. Including one with a cameo guest about being “gangster” that had me almost crying laughing. Killed it.

The guest cameos are great too and fortunately Katy Perry wasn’t one of them.

Judd Apatow was one of the producers on this movie and you can see (as with all of his films) that this laggers on a little too long and has about 10-15 minutes of footage that could easily be removed. But it’s not something that ruins this overall because it’s still funny.

Verdict: Go see it but make it a day movie, no need for evening prices.

What did you guys think?

06 June 2010

Review: Killers

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Review, movie

I can be cynical when it comes to movies. I’ve been known to watch trailers and roll my eyes, thinking I know exactly how the movie will go and end. Sometimes I’m right and sometimes I’m wrong.

So when I saw the trailer for Killers, I snipped, saying it could be a bad Mr. & Mrs. Smith remake, only actors that sizzle much less than Brangelina did on screen.

Yet, thanks to a cement mixer on my street, I fled to the theater and found myself seeing…Killers. Let’s see if I was wrong.

Movie: Killers

Rating: PG-13

Release date: June 4, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B-

Summary: It’s not exactly boy meets girl when Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) and Jenn (Katherine Heigl) meet in Nice, France, while she’s on vacation and he’s….well…not a consultant. More of a spy. Now he’s on the straight and narrow until he gets roped into some spy-related drama and Jenn realizes her dream man isn’t who she thought he was (are they ever?)

My thoughts: First, this was not as bad as I thought it would be. Much like SATC 2, my expectations were low. It’s not as similar to Mr. & Mrs. Smith as I thought it would be, but it doesn’t have a defined story arc either. I’ll get to that. For me, Ashton and Katherine don’t totally work as a couple. Yes, they have witty banter and funny one-liners, but somehow, believing they’re married and happy rather than driving each other crazy, is a bit of a stretch. So is the belief that Ashton is a spy gone good. He does look insanely hot in this movie, with perfectly tailored outfits that show off his nicely trimmed body (big thanks to the director too for the numerous shirtless scenes, THANK YOU), but the vulnerability and belief that he’s trapped in this spy life, falls flat.

Heigl, who I loved in Knocked Up and love/hated on Greys, is….okay. Her outfits are to die for (seriously, I want her character’s entire closet), but her shrilly, shreiky voice grates on you and suddenly you’re covering your ears before she even starts talking. She’s not awful, but not really developed either.

There are two plot points that aren’t in trailers that caught me by surprise and one works more than the other. In fact, the second one is so left-field that it I was shocked by its introduction and resolution and then the end of the movie. I was even scratching my head when the credits started, thinking, did I miss something?

That’s not a good sign. But there are good minor roles by Rob Riggle, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara and even a cameo by Usher! What? Awesome.

Verdict: Rentable but if you want a good movie about being married to a spy, with REAL chemistry, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a better example.

Did you see any movies this weekend? Are you a fan of Katherine Heigl or Ashton Kutcher?

30 May 2010

Review: Sex and the City 2

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Review, movie

I loved SATC on HBO. Seriously, my parents got me into it and I was obsessed with the fashion and tales of Miranda, Carrie, Charlotte and Samantha.

Similar to the Simpsons, you can reference just about any dating moment back to an SATC episode and when the show went off the air, it was an event in our household.

And then HBO/Michael Patrick King made the series into movies. *crickets chirping*. I was critical of the first movie because I wasn’t a huge fan of the storyline (and how long it played out on screen) and the insane product, prominent product placement. I work in communications so I get why that is important but I don’t need to be beaten over the head with it. Seriously, I’m not dumb.

Now a second movie has been released and after some bad initial buzz on Twitter, I treated to a pre-noon matinee to see if it was as bad as I feared.

Movie: Sex and the City 2

Rating: R

Release date: May 27, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: C

Summary: It’s two years after the end of the first movie and Carrie/Big (Sarah Jessica Parker/Chris Noth) are having martial growing pains (after two years? Jesus), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is having trouble at home with her girls, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon)….yeah nothing really new with her and Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is dealing with menopause. Remember when this show used to be good?

My thoughts: It kills me to give this a C. I LOVED this show on HBO but I don’t like how this has manifested into film. First, it’s 2.5 hours, which is a LONG time to hear Samantha climax, Carrie whine, Charlotte screech and Miranda b*tch. Really, 22 minutes is much more tolerable. The thing with this as a movie is that all the wit, charm and zingers that happened in the show just comes off as campy. You can almost see SJP going to hit her mark and make a witty comment that makes you groan rather than giggle.

I’ve heard people say this movie doesn’t have “heart” or humor and I have to agree. Even the fashion isn’t as elegant and refined as it was on the show. I still love Patricia Fields, she’s brilliant with pairing clothing and mixing trends but it just falls flat or is so over the top you are blinded by the color and patterns.

I think the other reason I was disappointed with this is way the characters have translated to film. For example, Charlotte was always a Type-A prissy perfectionist on the show but she was never shrilly and annoying like she is in the film (the first one too). Rather than be happy that she’s finally a mom, I just want her to shut the h*ll up with her complaining and shreeking, which was prominent in the Abu Dhabi sequence.

That part also fell flat for me. It was like the Brady’s on vacation, sweeping shots of these women with couture trains behind them and possibly the most tragic outfit ever on Kim Cattrall during the camel scene. Those girls are best left in New York.

But, it was great to see Aiden again. Carrie broke my heart when she cheated on him. But even that wasn’t too rewarding for obvious reasons. Despite Aiden’s sight for sore eyes, Chris Noth still looks good and zings as Mr. Big. Yeah, there is something about him in a suit that makes me giggle.

Verdict: Wait for DVD or go to a cheapie matinee. Oh and I hope there isn’t a SATC 3. Invest in the DVDs and you’ll be so much happier than you feel walking out of that theater.

Did you see SATC? What did you think?

Update: I wanted to just clarify, I didn’t loathe or hate this movie. I was just…disappointed. I think the DVDs are better

27 May 2010

Review: Cirque du Soleil’s Ka

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Review

When you go to Vegas, you have to see a show. It’s a nice break from the nightlife and insane drinking options and you get to see some amazing productions.

I remember Cirque du Soleil used to have a documentary on Bravo (I think) that showed Cirque behind the scenes and how acrobats are selected and train for the shows. It was fascinating and made me want to see a show ASAP. Well, that took some time but last year, I got to see LOVE and it was just jaw-dropping. I cannot rave about it enough.

So when I was in Vegas this week, I looked into seeing another show and was able to go to Ka at the MGM Grand. And here’s my review!

Show: Ka

Location: MGM Grand

Ticket prices: $69-$150

Everyday Adventures’ grade: A-

Summary: The story was a little hard to follow but it’s about two twins who are separated from the Imperial Palace and go on a journey into adulthood.

What I liked about it: Um, everything. The thing I love the most about Cirque is that it’s a full, 360 production. It attacks your senses and has you looking everywhere to see what’s happening. I was worried that I would miss something because I couldn’t whip my head around fast enough to catch everything. The costumes and makeup were amazing and the staging, martial arts and choreography were just jaw-dropping. It looked like the set was just FLOATING in the middle of the stage. I mean, that’s insane! Plus, there were in-house fireworks which made me jump and say “whoa,” out loud. I mean, it was insane. In our show, one guy was whipping around on a set piece jumping rope (what? insane) and he dropped the rope accidentally and everyone gasped. My heart was racing.

What I didn’t like about it: For me, it was a difficult story to follow so I felt like I wasn’t as engrossed in it as I could have been, but again, the overall production more than compensated for it.

Final verdict: If you’re in Vegas, definitely check it out. My roommates and I really enjoyed it.

What about you? Have you seen a Cirque show? What did you think?

Disclaimer: Cirque du Soleil provided me with complimentary tickets for the show but the opinions and review of it are all mine.

16 May 2010

Review: Iron Man 2

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Review, movie

Oh my gosh I missed going to the movies. Now that it’s summer, I plan on spending lots of time at the theater watching sh*t get blown up and having some laughs. And free AC.

Traveling last week kept me away from the theater but now, I’m back!! Well, I’ll be more back after Vegas, but still :)

So let’s catch up on a movie kicking off summer: Iron Man 2.

Movie: Iron Man 2

Rating: PG-13

Release date: May 7, 2010

Everyday Adventures’ grade: B

Summary: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) has outted himself at Iron Man so what’s a man to do with all this publicity and fame? Well, have a health scare, witty banter, travel to exotic locations and blow some sh*t up. Bring it on!

My thoughts: I loved the first Iron Man. It was witty, action-packed and was just flat out entertaining. And RDJ was just…hot as Tony. He’s a guy who can save the world, smooth talk you and make you laugh. Sounds like a winner.

And I really wanted to like this movie more than I did. Yes, I liked it. It was funny, sh*t was blown up and there were some great action sequences, but…it was a little cluttered.

Tony is joined again by Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his best buddy Rhodie (Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard) but now we meet Tony’s new nemesis’s Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) and Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell, whose character name still makes me think of Dr. Horrible). Add in a bit of ScarJo sassiness and well, we have a pretty big cast. A big cast where’s difficult to ensure everyone gets screen time and a full character arc, cough ScarJo.

RDJ is still charming as Tony but Pepper has been reduced to a screeching assistant/love interest/CEO, but I love Gwenie so I’ll let it slide. Don Cheadle is entertaining as Rhodie 2.0 but there was something about Terrence Howard that made that character jump. I am a big Sam Rockwell fan (even if Moon was a little weird) and he’s mildly evil as Justin, but all I could stare at was the self tanner line on his hands. I have no idea if that was intentional, honestly.

Jon Favreau is a great director and a good cameo actor too. I’m looking forward to seeing more of his work, but I hope in Iron Man 3, they simplify the story, cast and get back to the humor a bit more. But if RDJ can keep flexing those arms, I’ll buy that movie ticket any day.

What did you think about Iron Man? Did you like the original or sequel more?