Review of film: “PAUL BLART-- MALL COP” -- The Title covers it.

Review of film:  “PAUL BLART--  MALL COP” --  The Title covers it.

     Rating:  6 of 10 stars.  (Viewed via a BluRay DVD shown on a very large Library screen).

 

I didn’t see this when it was first released, & wanted to see how it compared with the disappointing “OBSERVE AND REPORT” released later that used the same mall cop idea. Star KEVIN JAMES is surprisingly limber and graceful (especially for a big man) in playing the title role, deftly motoring around the Mall on his Segway machine, including showing a new guy (KEIR O’DONNELL) the ‘ropes’ (or roadways)…

…  Kevin falls for a saleslady (JAYMA MAYS), but is often too shy to effectively follow thru on his interest. In time, a ROBBERY is Careyd out at the mall, with a number of people being held hostage, & Kevin tries to STOP the gang of criminals…

…  The theft story plan is often quite illogical (tho actively handled by some athletic actors), the film is just MILDLY funny (not being very clever), but Kevin works hard at what he’s doing…

…  I want to point out that there were numerous KIDS in the audience, & they seemed to get a KICK out of the movie overall (tho it’s pretty weak for most adult tastes). ‘BLART’ is a far more palatable film than the often-mean-spirited “O & R’, and I’d recommend it mainly for keeping young people entertained & occupied.

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Review of film: “OBSERVE & REPORT” -- I Watched, & Inform you to THINK TWICE before spending $ on this

Review of film:  “OBSERVE & REPORT” --  I Watched, & Inform you to THINK TWICE before spending $ on seeing this!  =

               [ Rating: 6 of 10 stars = SO-SO at best  ]

(Per an advance preview:)  In ’08, SETH ROGEN starred in “PINEAPPLE EXPRESS”. To me, that supposed comedy disintegrated when uncalled-for extreme VIOLENCE was interjected into the story. I’m sorry to say the SAME thing is generally true of his newest film, “OBSERVE”…

…  It’s the story of a delusion-filled Mall cop (Rogen) with BI-POLAR problems (which, from knowing some such people personally, I don’t find particularly funny). Smitten by a Cosmetic Consultant (ANNA FARIS) at the mall, he strives to “protect” her from a Flasher there…

…  His crew of assistants are mildly funny (as is the movie overall)...

...  But, tho decently acted, it’s often a MISH-MOSH of disjointed and POINTLESS ideas & incidents— Rogen fighting a group of cops (led by RAY LIOTTA), engaging in meaningless DRUG use, attacking groups of often INNOCENT people (such as skate-boarding kids), interacting with his usually-drunk mother, trying to act heroic (thru excessive aggression), etc….

…  It’s PPI+S (= Purposely-Politically-"Incorrect" + Sensationalized), but, while it's not horrible, it could have been SO much BETTER (with clever writing, etc.)!  

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Review of film: “BRUNO” – The free-wheeling, purposely-crude routines are often Disappointing

Review of film:   “BRUNO”   – The free-wheeling, purposely-crude routines are often DISAPPOINTING = 

                     [ Rating:  6 of 10 stars ]

Date Rated: Jul 8, 2009 | Rel. Date: Jul 10, 2009

The ads make it clear SASHA BARON COHEN as “Bruno” is playing a swishy GAY character— but it implies it’s based on his being a fashion-designer. There are some scenes of that at the beginning, but it’s almost a thin “EXCUSE” for his generic identity wherein he works almost OVERLY hard (pardon the pun) to be as sexually crude as he thinks he can get away with…

…  Most of the movie is a series of attempts to “PUNK” numerous people with ridiculous hard-to-believe propositions, and he amazingly succeeds with PAULA ABDUL & a number of other almost-oblivious, overly “accepting” people. Some of the seemingly-real routines are really FUNNY…

…  But, far outnumbering the somewhat CLEVER “commentaries” on sexual & other prejudices, there are a bunch of OUTRAGEOUS but repeatedly OVERDONE sexual acts that seemed designed more to appall & get a “sensationalist” aura for the movie than even trying to be comical or witty. Far too much wasn't funny: I found it to be more Shock SCHLOCK than anything special.

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Review of film: “LAND OF THE LOST” – What’s "Lost" was Direction, what’s Found was DISAPPOINTMENT

Review of film:  “LAND OF THE LOST” – What’s "Lost" was Direction, what’s Found was DISAPPOINTMENT  = 

                               Rating: 6 of 10 stars.

Date Rated: Jun 3, 2009 | Rel. Date: Jun 5, 2009

 

 (Per an advance screening:)  In some ways, it appears the filmmakers were unsure just WHAT they wanted to accomplish with this, or just who it was “aimed” at:  I expected a silly comedy, which would have been OK....

…  This had a bunch of nuttiness--  that didn’t go “far” enough to make it truly FUNNY, or real cleverness to make it very enjoyable...

...  There are a number of laughs--  but they’re all LITTLE ones. You’ve got some fine SPECIAL EFFECTS in the form of dinosaurs, alien areas, etc...

...   You might thus expect it to be aimed at kids-- yet there are a number of SEXUAL references that don’t seem to "fit" with that audience…

…  Pompous, overly-talky scientist Rick (well played by WILL FARRELL, especially considering the weak writing) espouses being able to mix the past with the future via an alternate universe...

...  His quest to prove his theory is nurtured by scientist Holly (ANNA FRIEL), & joined by reluctant tour guide Will (DANNY McBRIDE) + an alien Monkey Boy (JORMA TACCONE)…

…  The film has some refreshing action sequences, fine soundtrack (by MICHAEL GIACCHINO), but lots of wasted time & money (such as in the desert scenes). It’s mildly diverting, but could have been so much BETTER!...

…  (A trivia question for the future: What well-known “Star Trek” actor is the voice of alien Zarn in THIS film?).

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Review of film: “FIRED UP” – A MILD Cheer for a Cheery & Cheeky Film

Review of film:    “FIRED UP”  – A MILD Cheer for a Cheery & Cheek-y Film =    

                    [ RATING:  6 of 10 stars ]  

Date Rated: Feb 20, 2009 | Rel. Date: Feb 20, 2009

(Based on an advance preview:) This comedy (purposely using the initials F-U) has 2 players of American football-- (NICHOLAS D’AGOSTO as Shawn, and ERIC CHRISTIAN OLSEN as Nick) -- decide it’d be more fun to attend a cheerleader’s camp than a football camp...

...  They do that because that’d allow them to “interact” with more pretty girls-- including their school’s Carly (SARAH ROEMER), who tends to see through their superficial ploys...

... There are surprisingly good performances from all the main leads, plus from supporting players such as JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS as the competition Coach, ADHIR KALYAN (from “Aliens In America”) as a flamboyant contestant, and DAVID WALTON as Dr. Rick...

...  This movie is definitely fluff overall, and not very clever or well-written, with mostly just mild laughs -- but, it has such enthusiastic and smooth performances, you enjoy the well-constructed struggles in both the athletic and romantic realms.

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