Welcome to Movie Homework!
This week it’s Chad’s pick, and he’s picked 2006’s critical darling Little Miss Sunshine. Recognized for its stellar cast and well-crafted screenplay, the boys talk about whether or not it holds up.
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Next week on Movie Homework we will be covering Man on Fire!
This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend.
Who doesn’t love Sport? Oh yeah, me. However, I do like sport movies. Anyway, this biographical drama tells the story of a tennis match between the number one female player, Billie Jean King and ex number one male player, Bobby Riggs. Emma Stone and Steve Carell play the leads, while the rest of the cast includes, Bill “ E-Dub” Pullman, Alan Cumming, Chris Parnell, Elisabeth Shue, Andrea Riseborough, and more. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are the directors of the film. Dayton and Faris have directed a shit ton of music videos, 2012’s Ruby Sparks, and Little Miss Sunshine. Simon Beaufoy penned the script for Battle. Beaufoy wrote the screenplays for Everest, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, 127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire, and more. Go check this flick out this weekend.
When a popular college student unfriends an outcast online, all hell breaks loose. Meaning, demonic possession and people dying. Starring in this horror flick are Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead), William Moseley (The Chronicles of Narnia), and more. Co-writing and directing is Simon Verhoeven(not relation to Paul). This will be Verhoeven’s first directorial American film debut. Don’t unfriend me this weekend. Go see Friend Request instead.
Kingsman Part 2. Do we really care what the story is here or do we want to see awesome action set pieces. Ok….fine. The Kingsman and another “secret service” come together to fight a common enemy. Starring in the sequel are Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Colin Firth, Channing Tatum, Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges, and more. Matthew Vaughn is back to direct and co-write the follow up. Vaughn’s last 4 directorial films are Kingsman: The Secret Service, X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass, and Stardust. He is also signed on to direct Kingsman 3. Love the first one? Then go see this.
6 young ninjas must save Ninjago City and fight an evil warlord called Garmadon, who’s son happens to be one of the ninjas. Lending their voice for this animated feature are Jackie Chan, Dave Franco, Fred Armisen, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods, Justin Theroux, Olivia Munn, and more. There are 3 first time directors on this film. Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, and Bob Logan. However, they all have worked in the art/animation department on many features. Now, leGo to the theater this weekend.
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Jeff Bauman, a real life victim of the Boston Marathon bombing, who becomes a symbol of hope for the city of Boston. The rest of the cast includes, Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Miranda Richardson, Lenny Clarke, and more. David Gordon Green directs this biographical drama. Green’s last 4 directorial films are Joe, The Sitter, Your Highness, and Pineapple Express. He is also directing Halloween for 2018. Co-written by Danny McBride and starring Jamie Lee Curtis. Need some inspiration this weekend? Then go see Stronger.
I really can’t say what this movie is about. IMDB synopsis says, “A woman falls deeper into paranoia after taking a deadly drug.” However, I would check out the trailer for yourself if this interests you. Starring in this weird dramatic thriller are Kirsten Dunst, Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy from Game of Thrones), Joe Cole (Green Room), and Jack Kilmer (The Nice Guys and son of Val Kilmer). Kate and Laura Mulleavy are the writers and directors of Woodshock. This is the Mulleavys first writing and directing project. Hit the theaters this weekend and see Woodshock.
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This column will introduce you to the most popular movies that are coming out in theaters this weekend.
That’s right baby!!! Baby Driver is about Baby, a young getaway driver, who unwillingly takes part in a heist for a crime boss. Baby needs the music on his iPod to help him focus and concentrate on his driving. Music will play a huge part in this movie. Starring in this action crime flick are Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars), Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eliza González, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, and more. This is Edgar Wright’s 5th directorial film. His other films include The Cornetto trilogy and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Don’t be a baby, go see this flick in theaters this weekend.
During the Civil War, a wounded soldier finds his way to an all girl’s school in Virginia. While he’s there, sexual tension and rivalries take over the house. Starring in this period piece remake from 1971 are Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and more. I feel like Elle is getting way more work than Dakota. Anyway, Sofia Coppola co-writes and directs this film. Coppola’s last four films are A Very Murray Christmas, The Bling Ring, Somewhere, and Marie Antionette. Do you love period pieces? Then check this one out.
The Big Sick tells the story of a young couple and the way they deal with their cultural differences. Starring in this romantic comedy are Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, and more. Michael Showalter of Wet Hot American Summer fame directs this flick, while Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon are the writers. Showalter has directed Hello, My Name is Doris (2015), starring Sally Field. Are you sick of summer blockbusters? Then check out The Big Sick.
I am Gru. Gru is back in the third installment of the Despicable franchise. This time Gru meets his long-lost brother Dru, who is more cheerful and successful in life. However, Dru wants to join Gru for one last heist. What will Gru do? Lending their voices for part 3 are Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Coogan, Julie Andrews, and more. There are 3 directors on this animated feature: Eric Guillon, Kyle Balda, and Pierre Coffin. Balda directed Minions, while Coffin directed Despicable Me 1,2, and Minions. Don’t be despicable, go to the theater.
The House tells the story of a couple who start an illegal casino in their house after they spent their daughters college funds. Starring in this comedy are Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Rob Huebel, and more. Andrew Jay Cohen is the co-writer and director of this flick. This is Cohen’s first directorial/theatrical release, however, Cohen has written screenplays for Neighbors, 1 and 2, and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Now get out of the house this weekend and check out The House.
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It’s nice to see that logo back, isn’t it? After starting a series on the Oscars a few weeks back, I’m finally back with part two. But I’ve really got nothing to review this week. I’m literally watching my thirteenth movie of the weekend and none of them have anything to do with this year’s Academy Awards. No, I’m seriously watching my thirteenth movie of the weekend as I’m sitting here typing these words right now. I’m not going to call it laziness on the lack of original material this week, but instead…okay, I wanted a lazy weekend. Sue me. I’ve been on my couch for the majority of the past two days, watching the strangest mix of flicks, and just biding my time until tonight in anticipation of the premiere of Better Caul Saul. But I do have something fun for you.
As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, I’m really into the fan vote around here. I usually save it for Binge Sports, but I really do like getting you involved in the things I do around here, and my coverage of the Academy Awards is no different. Therefore, I have taken the time to put together a poll for each category at the Oscars. And yes, I’ve even included the ones that a lot of you don’t really care about, but guys like me pretend that we actually know something about them. I mean, of course I know that the film from Poland is exponentially better than the one from Estonia. But hey, it’s still fun to make a guess anyway. And I was 21 for 24 last year, so I’m just putting that out there for absolutely no reason at all. So just have some fun with it over the next two weeks. And hey, it actually does take time to build 24 polls, so I actually do feel like I worked on something original. And the Oscar goes to?
BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
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PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
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PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
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PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
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PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
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BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
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ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
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ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
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ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
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BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
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BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
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ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
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BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
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ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
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ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
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ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
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ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
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BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
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BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
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ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
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ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
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ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
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ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
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ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
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So who’d you vote for and why? Or did you vote for something even though you think something else should win? Let me know below or follow me and tweet @THElukenorris.
I believe I heard John Cleese refer to comedy as being brittle. He spoke about how with comedy, the tone has to be exactly right because if it fails at any point, you can lose your audience and, in turn, lose the joke. A lot of filmmakers struggle with comedy. Even the veterans, like the once god-like Mike Myers stumble and fall when attempting new things, like The Love Guru. Anchorman 2, for all intents and purposes, should have been an easy slam-dunk. You have the entire original cast returning, plenty of juicy celebrity cameos and the blessing of fans everywhere. So why is it, then, that Anchorman 2 so horribly mucks things up?
I am a devoted fan of the original film. I remember seeing it in the theater with my two brothers and my dad, and at at the time, loving it. That love never really went away and I to this day find myself quoting the film, sometimes unknowingly. I always liked the idea of an Anchorman sequel, but never really wanted one too badly, as I felt the original film was very much lightning in a bottle and couldn’t be replicated. With news of the new film and the rumors that the likes of the notoriously picky Harrison Ford signing on in a key role, I got excited. It turned out to be all for naught, unfortunately, as A2 falls prey to the recycled joke disease that has plagued so many films throughout movie history. There were a few bright spots in the film, such as the scene where Will Ferrell has dinner with his boss’ family and tries to “assimilate” with them, and I’ll admit a few scenes made me laugh, but I was overwhelmingly insulted by the trend used in the film where they just took all the jokes from the first movie, put them in this movie and tweaked them all slightly.
Look familiar?
I find it sad that the amount of talent on-screen here did not translate to quality comedy. There is always the argument that the naysayers will give you about “overthinking a stupid movie” or “reading too much into it”, but to that I suggest those people squarely A) Go fuck themselves and B) Take a look at Monty Python. Monty Python was, arguably, the greatest comedy group of all time. They were all Ivy League college students and grads who decided to set their sights on breaking down comedy and discovering what makes people laugh. Their success was a direct result of understanding what about stupidity is funny and using that to their advantage. Ferrell and his collaborator Adam McKay have that ability, as evidenced in their previous work together. Somehow here, however, they didn’t use that knowledge and instead copied and pasted from the first film. Maybe it was studio pressure, maybe it was a lack of genuine creative interest, but if anyone wants to honestly tell me that Anchorman 2 deserves to be spoken of in the same breadth as Anchorman, they need their head examined.
I used Mike Myers as an example earlier of how comedians sometimes mistake what the audience wants with what will actually work in a film, and to see that look no further than Austin Powers vs. Austin Powers 2 and 3. 3 and, to a lesser degree, 2, both have compromised elements that work against the finished product, such as shoehorning in Seth Green’s transformation into Doctor Evil. The problem is, when you take from earlier films in a series, no matter how funny/interesting the idea was the first time, but the second time you see it it feels wrong. Case in point, SPOILERS, the fight scene at the end of A2. I’m sorry, but I didn’t find one piece of that scene funny. Not only did most of those celebrity cameos do nothing for me, but the inclusion of ass-clown Kanye West was like a bitch-slap in the face of comedy. While in real life that guy is a walking punchline, the fact that a group of talented individuals I personally like and appreciate gave him a paycheck to star alongside them is betrayal on par with when William Wallace nearly slits Robert The Bruce’s throat in Braveheart.
Devastating
This is but one example, but it is the freshest in my mind because it so thoroughly fails to deliver the goods, despite the effort. At the end of the day, what did I expect out of Anchorman 2? Not much. I certainly didn’t expected to be blindsided by laziness, sloppy writing and piss-poor casting choices, but sometimes that’s the way it goes. Fuck this movie, go rent the first one instead.
My DESPICABLE ME cherry was popped just under a month ago, and while I was late to the party, I thought it was pretty funny… and haven’t minded the fact that since then, my kids and I have seen it three or four times. There’s something innocent and charming about the flick, underneath all the layers of evil… and of course, never underestimate the power of the Minions, who literally steal every scene they’re in. Least to say, my excitement for DESPICABLE ME 2 was climbing as the weeks have gone on, and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed! DM2 is one funny ride full of even more Minion madness than ever before!
So what’s the dealio with DM2? Here’s what IMDb says: Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.
DM2 is, in many ways, exactly like DM. The same level of comedy (poop and fart jokes galore, but plenty of adult humor to make it funny for the parents, too. Though, let’s be honest… you’re never too old for poop and fart jokes), the same level of innocence (thanks to the trio of girls), and the same super-spy stuff filled with gadgets, gizmos and typical “good guy vs. bad guy” scenarios. The main difference here is, knowing that the Minions stole the show and were the sole reason for the success of DM, they pumped DM2 with even more Minion shenanigans. And this, my friends, is what makes DM2 a watchable and mostly enjoyable ride. Those Minions are fucking hilarious!
The animation is great (same as before), and I’ll be honest here… the 3D is pretty awesome. I usually take a huge dump all over 3D, but for DM2, it works. Because it’s animation, it inherently looks better than live-action 3D ever will, but more importantly, the filmmakers seemed to “get” how to use the 3D effectively, which for a movie like this, means they know that 3D is just a gimmick, and they execute accordingly. So there’s plenty of stuff flying at the screen, there are plenty of cool camera tricks along the way, and you even have a scene in “evil Minion vision” which was both funny and imaginative. Plus, the post-movie 3D shtick produced one of the best 3D effects I’ve seen since AVATAR, featuring a Minion blowing bubbles at the audience, and I shit you not… it had me reaching out to grab a handful, it looked that fucking good.
There’s not a whole lot to fault DM2 for, except for this: it’s a little too much like its predecessor. I’m not saying this is this year’s THE HANGOVER PART II or anything like that, as they’re different… but there are a few too many familiar scenes and plot points going on, giving off that “been there, done that” vibe. And while I think the music choices were great in DM, they use all the same music in DM2, which is a little weird. They switch it up towards the end (music wise), but they more or less stick with the same story format as the first. Sure, why fix it if it’s not broken, but… still.
On the other hand, it featured a love story between Gru and Special Agent Lucy Wilde which was, in all honesty, quite boring. This is a kid’s movie, no? No kid wants to watch a love story like this, which feels slightly cheesier and less likeable than your typical Disney movie romance. So where the first one excelled in the development of the parent/child relationship, this one flounders with the romantic relationship angle. They could have had Wilde strike up a bond with the girls, but… they don’t. And it’s the little things here and there much like this that makes DM2 a less than perfect movie. The villain (El Macho) is funny, but maybe not as funny as Vector, and the overall evil plan of world domination is pretty weaksauce. Basically, the story here is forgettable and ho-hum, but since most people are going for the Minions, it’s a fault that can be overlooked.
DESPICABLE ME 2 is a funny ride that’s thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, and is almost a must-see in the theaters due to the 3D. Fuck, I can’t believe I just recommended the movie in 3D, but there you go. The Minions are in top form here, and the goofiness that ensues is both charming and hilarious. I fuckin’ want me a trio of Minions running around my house, doing all the chores, and getting drunk off of ice cream, as I wouldn’t need anything else in life. They’re that awesome. But the story is forgettable, and unlike other animated movies of this caliber, there is no take-home message for the kids in the audience or for anybody really. So where MONSTERS UNIVERSITY excelled in telling kids perseverance and drive can take you places in life, this tells the kids nothing other than Minions are fucking hilarious.
Grade: B
