21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street
Directors: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Stars: Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum

I'm gonna make this a quick review because I don't have much to say.  21 Jump Street was as funny as people are saying.  It definitely earned its "R" rating too so beware if you're a little shy about that kind of humor.

So it's pretty dang funny.  There were a number of things that I laughed out loud at and I was alone on a couple of them.  My lonely laughs were at the meta, self-aware type jokes. I'm ok with movies making fun of themselves and getting it out of the way early on and then getting into the meat of why they're there.  A lot of the laughs were in the trailer but rest assured they saved plenty of stuff for the movie too.  Oh and the cameos were perfect but sadly I may have been in the minority on their appreciation too. 

Plus it's an old-school buddy movie.  These two were born to partner up.  We know Hill is funny.  Heck, the dude helped write this film (well he's credited with the story at least).  But I'm glad Tatum is getting a chance to work his comedy acting chops.  He's one of those rare guys that's totally hot and totally up for throwing himself into any situation.  He doesn't mind being goofy or picked on or objectified.  He often gets a bad rap but I think his biggest problem is picking some so-so movies (GI Joe was not his fault).

And the movie is just well-done.  The pacing was good, not great, but good.  It was shot well and directed well, especially considering there are two directors.  The story was predictable but fine.  There was tons of chemistry all over the screen and not just in chem class.  Ha!  See what I did there?  Sorry.  My only problem is a small one and it was the eye-rolling cop stuff.  There's no reality in what they get away with in this movie but it doesn't matter.  If you go to 21 Jump Street in search of realistic police work then you're in the wrong theater.  If you want a raunchy, fun comedy, then you're in the absolutely right theater.  
 
Tracy had to see Project X this weekend.  She didn't hate it so go read her insightful review at Examiner.com!

Bad Teacher - Even Worse Movie

The CVS I stopped at last night put in a new Redbox. Since there was nothing on TV I decided to get Bad Teacher.   I read what the critics had to say when it came out in theaters and because of those reviews I avoided the movie. I had NO expectations of this movie. Wait, that's not accurate.  I really like Jason Segal, I mostly like Justin Timberlake and have no real feelings about Cameron Diaz (it totally depends on the role for me).  I knew writers from The Office penned this film and The Office was a show that made me laugh on occasion (before I gave up on it that is).  So I did have a slight expectation that it would be a funny movie.  Funny is soooo not the right word.

I never laughed.  In the hour and a half it was on I didn't even crack a smile.  There were a couple of conversations or stand alone lines that were amusing but overall it left me with a whole lotta meh.  They had a stellar supporting cast made up of comedy veterans. Folks who have actually studied comedy. Jokes were flying all over the place and not one dang laugh exited my mouth.  They totally misused genius Lucy Punch as Cam's rival, Miss Squirrel.  They had a school full of kids which could have been comedy gold. Read Tracy's review.  She's totally right about the potential for hilarity between teachers and their students.  It touched on it but mostly chose to focus on how completely terrible a human being she is.

So the story is...Elizabeth Halsey is a lazy, gold-digging, awful person in search of someone to take care of her and her bills.  In order to land this man to pay for her life she decides she needs a rack to up her hotness from an 8 to a 10.  We then follow her for the next year on her journey of stealing and cheating in order to secure the money.  She gets away with murder and even returns to the school, sans new rack, to be a guidance counselor. Ugh. Ok, I didn't need her to learn a lesson for me to like this movie. She does change a tiny bit but it's unbelievable because we get no redeeming qualities at the outset of the film. 

I need, OK want, those shoes

Continuity and reality were an issue too.  The movie's 'powers that be' thought enough for her to lose the super hot Benz in exchange for a tiny beater. However they didn't think about how she's parading around in  wardrobe made up of clothes and shoes that are worth tons.  She could have sold just her shoe collection and had the money for the boob job.  I'm not kidding.  She wears a pair of YSL cage ankle boots (THAT I LOVE) that go for $1600 (or went for last season; now they're cheaper) . Most days she's in  various Louboutins and I think I even spotted a pair of Brian Atwoods. Further problems with reality or a lack thereof is what I like to refer to as the "rosebud effect."  Just like Citizen Kane, this movie should not have happened.  Based on early events, this story wouldn't take place.  No teacher could act the way she does and last a month let alone a full school year.  But instead we're supposed to accept every awful thing she does just so the movie can exist.

I need to just skip these movies that I had doubts about when they were in theaters. Typically when I go with my gut I'm safe.  Then again, there are the times where I want to see if a movie is as bad as they say it is.

The Change-Up

The Change-Up
Director: David Dobkin (who did a good job with Wedding Crashers)
Stars: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Olivia Wilde, and Leslie Mann
MPAA Rating: R (and for some very good reasons)
Saw it at: the theater that serves liquor and food
Saw it with: Jenna

My first little shiny, happy review is a good one for me to start with because I'm gonna have to think of just the right nice things to say.

First, it's nice that they have a title with a hyphen.  You don't see many hyphens in titles of movies, books, or TV shows.  So...good for them!

Let's see, secondly I do really like the cast when they're in good movies.  I'm so glad Jason Bateman is working as much as he is.  He's great at what he does which is usually the straight man while everyone else around him makes fools of themselves.

Third thing I kinda liked was when Bateman and Reynolds were basically doing impressions of each other's characters.  Unfortunately it got old quick. I'd like to think there's no way anyone would be as juvenile (I'm probably really wrong though) as Reynolds was when he was first getting through the days of being in Bateman's body.  I should mention that the characters had names but I can't remember them and can't be bothered to look them up. Someone was named Dave though.  I remember that.  Anyway the movie was pretty tedious for quite a while and you really had to slog through tons of, uh, frat boy humor for a very small 'lesson learned' payoff at the end.  But wait, I'm focusing on the positives, right?

Ok the fourth thing I liked was when they put each other through a smallish boot camp of how to navigate the other guy's life.  That was kind of amusing.

The fifth and best thing about the movie was the house Bateman and Leslie Mann (who played his wife) lived in.  I need that house.  I loved how it was decorated.  I even loved the appliances.  Yep that was a GREAT house.