Review of film: “EVERYTHING MUST GO”

2011, 05-24:

Review of film:  “EVERYTHING MUST GO”

Sometimes, being “productive” in your job isn’t “ENOUGH”... 

 

...  Nick Halsey (WILL FERRELL) is a Regional Vice President at a company in Arizona.  He’s made a lot of money for them as a salesman, & he’s been paid handsomely for it...

 

...  But, his younger boss calls him in one day & says he’s being LET GO:  he’s missed so much work & caused so many PROBLEMS over his ALCOHOL troubles, the company has decided he must be REPLACED, tho they’ll let him use the company car & the firm’s health benefits for a while...

 

...  Will is “blind-sided” by the news, & so angry that he foolishly behaves in a VENGEFUL way towards the guy who’d dismissed him (which soon comes back to “haunt” him)... 

 

...  When he gets home, he finds he’s been LOCKED-OUT of his fancy house by his wife who’s LEFT him & put lots of his property out on the LAWN--  since she also has gotten tired of his drinking “RELAPSES” over the years...

 

...  How does Will “respond” to all this?--  He gets lots of BEER to drink...  Do you see a “PATTERN” here, Folks?...

 

...  In short order, Will finds he has no credit he can use anymore to get things, & ends up sleeping out (& PASSING out) on his front LAWN...  A cop named Frank Garcia (MICHAEL PENA) comes by, & we learn he’s been a personal “sponsor” of Will in past AA-type recovery efforts...

 

...  While Michael tries to be helpful, he cautions Will he needs to “CLEAN-UP” his act quickly...  But, Will keeps DRINKING his remaining beer supply, & things don’t move much “forward”...

...  At one point, a stocky 12-ish black kid comes riding back & forth on a bike...  His name is Kenny Loftus (CHRISTOPHER JORDAN WALLACE), & --  seeing some baseball-related items on the lawn --, tells Will he’d like to learn to PLAY baseball as a sport (so kids wouldn’t always make fun of him because of his weight & all)...  

...  Chris agrees to “watch” some of Will’s things as Will goes off on some “errands”, & eventually, Will offers to pay him to help him SELL some of the things on the lawn to try to provide some needed money (since his bank funds have been “frozen”)...

...  A young pregnant girl named Samantha (REBECCA HALL) has just moved into the house across the street from Will, waiting for her husband to arrive...  Will starts TALKING to her at one point, & she tries to help him a bit (by letting him use her phone, etc.)...

...  At one stage, Will looks in an old high school yearbook, sees a kind note written by classmate Delilah (LAURA DERN), & he goes out of his way to CONTACT her, hoping it might bring some “peace” & warmth into his life...

...  Will the YARD SALES be successful for Will?...  Will he make efforts to teach Chris some BASEBALL fundamentals?...  Will he be able to help REBECCA with some of what she is going thru with her husband?...

...  How will things go between Laura & Will?...  What big SECRETS has Michael been keeping from Will, & will that impact his life?...  Is it likely that Will will be able to truly start “over” again?...

...  This is being sold to the public as a “comedy”.  It certainly has a number of comedic “elements”--  but, overall, it’s mainly a DRAMA about a man facing some HARD choices in life because of his previous (& continuing) screw-ups...

...  I found it to be one of the very BEST things Will Farrell has done in a long time.  It’s not designed to be “showy” so much as “real”, & it’s very well-acted by ALL involved...

...  It’s a good little movie, & I’m thus rating it at 7.5 of 10 stars...

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Review of film: “THE HANGOVER: PART II” = “OVER-the-top” SLOP...

2011, 05-24:

Review of film:  “THE HANGOVER: PART II”

                                  “OVER-the-top” SLOP...

This is going to be a sort of “rare” type of commentary from me:  I am purposely not going to post many PHOTOS concerning this movie, because certain elements have made me so ANGRY about some of the what-to-me are abysmal film-making choices in it, I simply don’t want to “PUBLICIZE” it in any “favorable” way...

...  You’re probably aware this is a follow-up to the extremely RAUNCHY (& frequently ridiculous) 1^st film in the “series” which was released in 2009... 

...  That film was set in LAS VEGAS as guys go on a Bachelor Party trip.  You had prospective groom Doug (JUSTIN BARTHA) & his misguided pals Phil (BRADLEY COOPER), Stu (ED HELMS), & obnoxious ADHD-suffering Alan (ZACK GALIFIANAKIS)...

...  Well, in this one, it’s ED who’s engaged to be married.  Bradley doesn’t like that the ceremony is to be held in THAILAND (because the bride-to-be is from there)--  but he agrees to go as a member of the bridal party if Ed will agree to Justin’s idea to also invite ZACK (who Ed now “hates”)...  Ed acquiesces to the “blackmail” about Zack...

... Joining them on their trip overseas, they meet the bride’s younger brother Teddy (MASON LEE).  Altho he’s only 16 years old, he’s already in Stanford studying pre-med since he wants to be a SURGEON...  He’s well-mannered and thoughtful (rather than having any “big head” about being so advanced)--  but, for some unexplained reason, Zack DOESN’T LIKE him & treats him badly...

...  Altho Ed is “hesitant” about the idea, Bradley & Zack insist he join them & Justin on another BACHELOR PARTY (a “brunch”), & one of them insists that Mason come along too...

... Well, as expected with the guys involved, things go “CRAZY” once again, & they can’t “remember” what happened (including Ed’s facial tattoo) after they wake up in some STRANGE place in BANGKOK...  Justin calls & advises he’s back at the seaside “resort” with the bride’s family--  but NO ONE knows where MASON is...

...  The film once again “throws in” a re-appearance by stereotypically “flaming” gangster Mr. Chow (KEN JEONG), using more “screaming” exaggerated-GROSS-OUT sexual raunchiness for its cheap-jokes “SHOCK” value...

...  They also use PAUL GIAMATTI as another “crook” named Kingsley, “season” the plot with a MONKEY, & (shades of the 1^st film) toss-in MIKE TYSON as (naturally) a “singer”...

...  At one point, while searching for MASON, the “Hangover” trio finds his cut-off FINGER, + get involved with Chow’s drug-involved dealings...

...  Will they be able to retrieve MASON (so Ed can move “ahead” with his marriage plans)?...  Will Chow’s drug connections & Zack’s typically-insufferable actions cause them still more TROUBLE?...  Do you really CARE?!...

...  Very simply, like the 1^st in the series, this film is DESIGNED to be “SHOCKING”, to try to generate “buzz” by being so “over-the-top” in its GROSSNESS that it (ahem) “stands-out”...  

...  Well, it has some “FUNNY” scenes (but not much real “hilariousness”) due to the inflated extremes of the characters (which at times are decently acted by Ed Helms & some others)...  Sadly, a lot of the humor seems “DESPERATE” rather than anything really “clever”...

...  I don’t give a damn about the “tattoo” controversy...  I can “deal with” characters that are silly and / or STUPID--  2 “hallmarks” of this “franchise”...  I can take plots that are “far-out” & ones that are ludicrously “GROSS-OUT” based...

...  What I don’t quietly “accept” are contrivances purposely DESENSITIZING humanity like those exhibited in THIS:

...  What especially “bugged” me was the “detached” way they dealt with how the STUPID actions of the “Bachelor Bums” (Bradley, Ed & Zack) & their “friends” frequently caused hurt to “INNOCENT” parties (with a “to-HELL-with-them” attitude by the filmmakers)...

...  A case-in-point:  MASON is set-up as a bright, responsible, well-mannered, talented kid (as a cello musician & a budding surgeon).  Yet, the film-makers found it “FUNNY” to have the “Bums” urge him to drink & do DRUGS & act VIOLENTLY (none of which he was “interested” in before meeting them)...

...  Then, not only is he supposedly “kidnapped”, but his right (index) finger is CUT-OFF (set-up initially as seemingly a “ransom” type situation)... 

...  At the very END of the film, you see (during the credits) that Mason “happily” is drunkenly (and/or druggily) working with a knife to cut off his OWN finger, all the while “URGED”-on by the “BUMS” Zack, Bradley & Ed, who find it all very “FUNNY”...  And, then the film shows Mason as cheerfully “UNconcerned” about what had transpired...

...  Here’s a “good kid” whose LIFE will be deeply IMPACTED (& probably RUINED as to being a SURGEON & the like) by the drug-addled exhortations of the “BUMS”, & the film-makers such as director TODD PHILLIPS set that up as something “FUNNY”...

...  I don’t find it “funny”--  I find the “happy” stance about self-mutilation to be a PATHETIC example of “CRAP” film-making, a sad “do-ANYTHING-for-a-buck” mentality that I’d like to see “BACKFIRE” in their faces by the FAILURE of this desolately wretched series (so as to STOP it in its tracks)...

...  Unfortunately, (as we’ve seen by reactions to the many “slasher” type flicks), it seems there’s a hefty public who will “support” such calculatedly “OVER-the-top” slop...

...  The acting in this might generate an overall ranking of 3 out of 10 for this production...  It’s estimated that this movie cost like $ 80 million to make (& I think it’s a lot MORE when you add in the marketing)... 

...  When I think of how that money COULD have paid for like 10 decent to excellent “INDIE” films, I find its cost to be a dismal SQUANDERING of funds by WARNER BROTHERS...

...  Yes, I’m aware this is “just a MOVIE”.  And, this writeup is just an OPINION...  People have a “right” to make the movie they “want” to make (especially if their “motives” are “honorable”)...  And, I have the right to accept or “REJECT” what they offer...

...  Keeping all that in mind, I want to make a “statement” here:  because of the rotten “ATTITUDES” I’ve seen by those making films like this, I’m purposely rating it at ZERO stars out of 10...   

...  SAVE your money & instead support those making sincere, WORTHWHILE efforts in the world of film-making!...

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Review of film: “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN [4]: ON STRANGER TIDES”

2011, 05-20:

Review of film:  “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN [4]:  ON STRANGER TIDES”

 

              Be Prepared for Ye “TIMBERS” to be “SHIVERED”!...

Disney’s “PIRATES” series of movies started in 2003, & has grossed around $ 2.6 billion in revenue for the 1^st 3...  They’ve now released the 4^th in the series, with the sub-title “ON STRANGER TIDES” (“inspired” by a novel of that name by Tim Powers)...

...  I’m going to try to relate the general “plot” of this new film, but, be cautioned--  it won’t make much “sense”:

 

...  Captain Jack Sparrow (JOHNNY DEPP) has supposedly been “captured” & is on TRIAL in England...  But, the man brought to the docket is NOT the real Captain Jack, it’s his ship’s Mate Joshamee Gibbs (KEVIN McNALLY)...  Johnny is actually pretending to be the “JUDGE” in the proceedings...

 

...  In short order, Johnny is “found-out”, and an extensive, energetic CHASE to catch him & Kevin begins thru the streets of London...

 

...  We soon learn that Johnny’s being periodically “advised” by his father, Captain Teague (KEITH RICHARDS --  on whom Johnny has previously stated he’s “based” his character’s “demeanor”)...

 

...  “Setting-up” Johnny for the trial has been peg-legged Barbarossa (GEOFFREY RUSH), who’s supposedly now working for the “Crown” in the form of King George II (RICHARD GRIFFITHS)...

 

...  Geof is doing that as a means to try to get revenge on the man who caused him to lose command of his OWN ship (& thus activate the amputation of his leg), namely, the infamous pirate “Blackbeard” Teach (IAN McSHANE)--  who has various “MAGICAL” & Voodoo-like powers in the film (which helps keep his crew “in line”)...

 

...  Ian’s daughter is supposedly Angelica (PENÉLOPE CRUZ), whom Johnny has “dealt” with (& been enamored of) previously...  

...  She & Ian, Geof & others are on a hunt to try to find Ponce de Leon’s fabled “FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH”, which a Spanish group headed by ÓSCAR JAENADA is also trying to locate...

 

...  Johnny, preferring to not be killed, agrees to JOIN Penélope & others on the quest...  

...  Compounding the plot devices is the fact that, for the water of the Fountain of Youth to “work” at extending a life, it has to be mixed in a silver chalice along with a “tear” of a MERMAID...

...  All this means that Johnny’s group needs to also find & capture a Mermaid, in the form of Syrena (ASTRID BERGES-FRISBEY)...  Then, they (including a missionary “reverend” named Philip Swift, played by SAM CLAFLIN) have to find a way to get a TEAR from her for “future” use...

...  All of these various plot “devices” are utilized as a means of having near non-stop “CHASE”-related scenes, as the groups seem to always be “questing” or “tracking” or trying to “BEAT” another...

...  Will they be able to get what’s “wanted” from mermaid Astrid?...  Who will find Ponce de Leon’s ship & get control of the CHALICES?... 

...  Who’ll get to the “FOUNTAIN” first?  What are the real “GOALS” of the various captains?...  Who will prove to be “deceptive” and / or out-&-out LYING in what they claim?...

...  Who, if anyone, can be TRUSTED?...  Will Johnny be able to “save his skin”, &, if so, HOW will he accomplish that?...

...  Once again, there’s a “hidden” scene at the very end of the long CREDITS, which appears designed to set-up the next SEQUEL in the series...

...  I found the plot devices way too “CONFUSING”...  But, overall, that doesn’t really “MATTER” much:  the film is basically designed to give Johnny an “excuse” to PRANCE around some more as “Captain Jack”, which he --  once again – does with great RELISH...

...  The main characters are all set-up to be so purposely “extreme”, it may not “mean” much to say that those acting-out them are “EFFECTIVE”--  but they ARE that way... 

...  In my opinion, while the film has unusually fine SOUND work & many scenes are beautifully photographed (& with some impressive SPECIAL EFFECTS), its 3-D efforts are disappointing in that they’re usually NOT very “special” (even in the wonderful “IMAX” format I saw it in)...

...  The movie’s set-up to be FUN--  & it SUCCEEDS at that (which is probably why the film has already drawn huge record-breaking world-wide grosses of $ 256+ million in its first weekend)...

...  Since it puts a lot of smiles on your face (with its consistent HUMOR & dependable [even if outlandish] “ACTION” scenes), I’m rating it at 7.75 of 10 stars...

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