Movie Watching Weekend

Movie: Enchanted

Expectations: High from the 94% on RT. Ready to be charmed by Amy Adams.

Review: Watch Elf instead. It's basically the same plot, except Will Ferrel is infinitely more hilarious and less annoying than Amy Adams. Or you can do what I did and watch the two back-to-back and geekily pinpoint just how many matching scenes Enchanted had with Elf. Some examples of identical NY hijinks:
1. Getting stuck in a revolving door.
2. Discussion on what a date is.
3. Slight of hand trick.
4. Mistaking a dwarf for a mystical creature.
5. Musical number.
6. Storybook introduction.

It's a pretty extensive list. So, no points for originality. I also personally found Amy Adams to be really really annoying. Her high pitch shrieking and ditzy twirling did not translate into "charm" at all. Instead, her acting/character seemed (as Nick helpfully pointed out) more reminiscent of Charlize Theron's MR F from Arrested Development. The movie had it's moments, but overall, I'd rate it a thumbs down.


Movie: Juno

Expectations: Actually low based on Ashely's review.

Review: Officially add Michael Cera to my list. The movie was watchable and kept my interest. The idealistically intelligent approach everyone had to the teenage pregnancy definitely rang false more than a few times. And the voice-overs to convey Juno's commentary on life/showcase her snarky monotone personality were sparse, kind of random, and not conducive to the actual plot (did I really care that Juno felt the asshole actually had the hots for her?). It felt like Diablo was definitely trying too hard in the moments there. I found Jennifer Garner's performance amazing in her ability to not be as likable as Jason Bateman but definitely someone you feel for. As for Ellen Page, meh. Temper, monotone, snark - all from a tiny little girl. I get it. Veronica Mars is still way cooler.

Conclusion: One time viewing for me. Though a clip-show of Michael Cera scenes would garner obsessive repeat watching.


Movie: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Expectations: Exceedingly high. Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, and Veronica Mars all having some input into the movie - formula for AMAZING.

Review: REALLY REALLY hilarious. Though, Knocked Up still holds place of funniest Apatow movie for me. Go see it anyway.

Movie Review # 2

Movie: Death at a Funeral

Premise (stolen from RT): "A dignified send-off for a loved one erupts into chaos when romance, jealousy, in-laws, hallucinogens, dark secrets, life-long yearnings and a spot of bold blackmail all collide in this British comedy."

My expectations: None really. The above image of Walsh from Firefly naked on a rooftop peaked my curiosity. I was also interested in seeing a comedy that didn't involve one member of the Frat Pack.

What I got: I consistently chuckled throughout the entire movie, but I laugh easily. It's been a while since I've viewed a comedy where the laughs were derived from normal people getting into awkward situations as opposed to over-the-top characters ruining normal situations (i.e. most Will Ferrel movies). I've also always been a big fan of the multi-character storylines where individual situations all cleverly accumulate into one uproarious mess - this movie was a pretty prime example of it. Naked hallucinating Walsh with an English accent was pretty hilarious.

Conclusion: Not the greatest movie I've seen in a while, but solidly good. I recommend a mindless viewing at least once.

Score:3.75/5