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Movie Review: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2

Published October 10, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring the voices of:  Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Will Forte, Andy Samberg, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Terry Crews, Kristen Schaal, Khamani Griffin.

Rated: PG.  Animated.  Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes.

 

My son Ethan (freshly turned 10 on Oct 2nd) had already seen Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, but asked if Maria and I would take him again, which was a very good sign.  Having seen the first one, and finding it quite mediocre, I can’t say I was doing cartwheels about going, but we went anyway.  The kid was right!  Not just better than the original, MUCH better.  Flint Lockwood (Hader) invented a machine that turned water into food.  In the first movie, everything was going along great on his island hometown of Swallow Falls until the machine runs amok (the food becomes enormous) and has to be shut down.  At the beginning of 2, Flint is about to embark on a new business venture with his love interest, meteorologist Sam Sparks (Faris) when we find out the aforementioned machine, is still working in the wilderness and creating horrible “foodimals” that are threatening to overrun the Earth.  The residents of Swallow Falls are evacuated to San Franjose, California.  Chester V (Forte), inventor, entrepreneur and Flint’s hero, has been enlisted to lead the effort to stop the machine and eventually needs help from Flint and his gang.  Also back from the first movie are: Flint’s pet monkey Steve (NPH), his bushy eyebrowed, sardine loving dad Tim (Caan), chicken suit wearing Brent (Samberg), police officer Earl (Crews) and his son Cal (Griffin) and Sam’s cameraman Manny (Bratt).  An eclectic group to say the least, Chester sends them back to the island, and this is where the movie really begins.  The “foodimals” and food puns steal the show.  There are tacodiles, watermelophants, shrimpanzees, bananostriches, and peanut butter and jellyfish, just to name a few.  We learn along the way that everything isn’t quite what it seems as pertains to who’s good and bad, but the dialogue flows smoothly and the jokes are clever and aplenty.  I had more laugh out loud moments at Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, than I’ve had at any animated movie in a long time.

This was the best animated feature we’ve seen since Wreck-It Ralph, which was released in November of 2012.  We’ve seen a slew of forgettable kids movies since then.  Like Ross, I wasn’t a fan of the first installment of this series either, but the sequel was awesome!  The puns were so bloody brilliant I found myself wishing that I had come up with them myself.  We had fun whispering our own bastardizations of the animal, food hybrids before the film identified them.  One of our favorite characters was Barry, a live strawberry that Sam Sparks smuggles out of one of the sketchy labs they encounter.  This adorable little fruity dude, has some of the most memorable lines and an addictive catch phrase.  When he first meets Flint he keeps looking at him and uttering, “En woo.”  All three of us had some good laughs and it’s always a good sign when Ethan wants to go see a movie again.  The storyline was also well done, incorporating the ground work laid by the first movie while heading in a new, exciting direction with the plot of the second.  It reminded me of the flawless transition that was achieved with the classic Toy Story trilogy.  I found the overall moral of the story great too.  The lesson that Flint had to learn was to appreciate and recognize his real friends.  His loyal brood accompanies him to the island and he starts to take their friendship for granted.

I love Bill Hader, he stole the show at the James Franco Roast we watched on Comedy Central recently.  He enjoys doing these voice characters, in addition to reprising his Flint Lockwood role, he’s had parts in Ice Age, Monsters University and Turbo.  It is Flint’s ambition, awkward genius and eventual growth that is at the center of Meatballs 2.  I’m not sure where I’d rank it among my all-time animated favorites, but most definitely would recommend you see it in the theater or when it reaches DVD.  So many memorable characters, Maria mentioned the talking strawberry Barry; look for a scene where Barry is interpreting Flint’s speech for the other “foodimals”.  Hilarious.  I also enjoy Flint’s dad Tim played by James Caan.  He has Eugene Levy-like eyebrows, and has his own adventure with some warrior pickles who share his love for sardines.  That last line is something isn’t it?  So is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, a very pleasant surprise. 

I most certainly suggest catching this one in theaters.  We skipped the 3-D, which didn’t take anything away from how great it was.  I doubt it will be taking best animated feature of the year home (lots more of this genre to come during the holidays!), but the story is uplifting, heartwarming and seriously funny.  I believe adults will enjoy this one just as much as the kids!

 

Ross’ Rating: 4 out of 5 Gummy Bears.

Maria’s Rating: 4.5 Gummies.

  

Recent DVD Release: World War Z

Published September 24, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring:  Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, David Morse.

Rated- PG-13.  Action/Horror.  Running Time:  1 hour 56 minutes.

Ross has been excited to see this movie since we saw previews in theatres several months ago.  I was mostly intrigued by the idea of fast zombies.  We had read in Entertainment Weekly that World War Z was Pitt’s pet project; a labor of love that he single handedly propelled to a speedy finish.  And it could not have come at a more appropriate time.  The World has been zombie crazy over the last few years, following a heated love affair with vampires and a short lived tryst with witches.  Zombies are so hot right now.  With AMC’s break out hit, The Walking Dead, and the big screen success of releases ranging from the comical Zombieland (2009) to the romantic Warm Bodies (2013), we are mesmerized by these flesh eating beings.  And World War Z has been the biggest commercial success raking in over $200 million!  I enjoyed the movie very much, but was frustrated by several scenes of sheer stupidity.

This movie is a one man show.  Brad Pitt (one man) and millions (billions?) of zombies.  All you have to do is look at the cast, nary a household name.  Brad wouldn’t be denied making World War Z and apparently didn’t want to share the screen with any other stars.  His UN envoy character Gerry Lane, chases around the globe looking for the cause of the zombie pandemic, and he has to move fast because these undead can motor!  Plus the virus changes you within ten seconds of getting bitten.  Maria mentioned that I really wanted to see this movie, and as usually happens to me under that circumstance, I was disappointed.  I didn’t hate it and I’m hoping the sequel is better, but it fell short for me.

The film was action-packed, suspenseful and thrilling.  But, honestly, I kept expecting something more.  Perhaps this is a classic example of too much hype.  We probably would have been better off going to see this one in the theatre before our minds could be saturated by the praise and snubs of others.  But here are a few things that chafed my ass.  At one point, they come up with this horrible plan to enter a medical wing overrun with the undead.  I’m no zombie expert, but per usual, these rotting corpses are drawn to noise.  No one thought, “Hey, let’s distract these bastards with some loud music or explosions elsewhere.”  I most certainly did.  Come to think of it, ALL of my qualms deal with noise.  In an earlier scene, Brad’s wife is phoning him and, of course, the phone ringing attracts the zombies.  Seriously?  She knows he’s going into a dangerous situation with zombies and she chooses to be the needy wife NOW!?  Lastly, there is one other scene that annoyed me.  We’re meant to believe that a community of people have been smart enough to build a wall over the past thousand years and just so happen to finish it right as the zombie invasion commences.  But not smart enough to keep their volume down?  Bit of a stretch.  That all being said, it had great potential.  Great storyline, a nice little twist and it entertained me.

Asking for the plot and characters to show common sense is paramount to enjoying a movie in my opinion, even when what you’re watching is total fantasy.  That’s why horror movies piss me off as a whole, people are always just begging to die.  Referencing the wall built around the city that Maria mentioned; beyond holding an incredibly loud shindig that worked the zombies into a lather, the choppers on patrol at the perimeter somehow missed a giant, growing, ladder/wall of the ravenous beasties.  Okay.  The special effects are pretty cool and there’s very little gratuitous gore, which I liked.  I also thought it was clever to have the command center with survivors out to sea on aircraft carriers and other large vessels.  One of my favorite character actors of all time, David Morse (Green Mile, Twelve Monkeys, Hearts in Atlantis, to name a few) had a small but important part here, and my hope is we see much more of him in the sequel(s).  I didn’t read the book World War Z by Max Brooks, and neither did Brad Pitt apparently.  Brooks said after seeing it, “I wanted to hate it because it was so different from my book….I never had a “Gerry Lane wouldn’t say that” moment, because I didn’t invent Gerry Lane.  So I was just watching someone else’s zombie movie, which was fun.”  I guess if Max can enjoy it, I should cut Brad some slack.  This is definitely his baby and his vision, let’s see where he takes us.

 

Maria’s Rating: 3 out of 5 Gummy Bears.

Ross’ Rating: 2.5 Gummies.

Recent DVD Release: Star Trek Into Darkness

Published September 16, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Benedict Cumberbatch.

Rated: PG-13.  Science Fiction/Action/Adventure.  Running Time: 2 hours 2 minutes.

 

While I’m not a Trekkie in the strictest sense, (i.e. I’ve never been to Comic-Con or a Trek convention), I am most definitely the next closest thing.  I’ve seen all the movies, every episode of the original and all of its spin-offs.  I saw 2009’s Star Trek and enjoyed it, but for some reason it didn’t stick so well in my brain pan.  The only explanation I can come up with is I must’ve been hammered when I watched.  So the other night Maria and I cued it up from the on demand list in anticipation of the DVD release of Into Darkness.  I thought it was awesome!  And subsequently thoroughly enjoyed STID.  I know some purists out there have had problems with J.J. Abrams vision, but don’t count me as one of them.  Yes, the original Kahn (Ricardo Montelban) was one of the most memorable and best Trek villains ever, but Cumberbatch’s version is his own and fit the movie to a tee.  What I really love about these new versions are the character portrayals of all our favorites.  Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are perfect as the reluctant, opposites attract, lifelong friends Kirk and Spock.  While both resemble, and to some extent, mimic the originals Shatner and Nimoy, they also bring their own slight variations with them, making the characters fresh and vibrant.  Karl Urban spews a few too many “Dammit Jim, I’m a Doctor not a ……” euphemisms, but he too has captured the essence of Bones’ old country doctor stuck on a starship.  Scotty (Pegg), Sulu (Cho), Chekov (Yelchin) and Uhura (Saldana) round out the crew of the Enterprise and the chemistry is easily as good as the original, maybe better.  Seeing Spock and Uhura as a couple, not just oozing a bit of sexual tension, is also a hoot.  I honestly think this series can appeal to Trek diehards as well as bring a whole new generation on board.

I had seen the 2009 Trek and miraculously had also forgotten it entirely, just as Ross had.  I think I watched it on a date and probably wasn’t really invested.  This time around I had Ross filling me in on the inside jokes, the correlating plotlines and character attributes.  This made both movies a Hell of a lot more enjoyable for a trek-tard like myself.  And I realized that I am marrying a nerd.  A closet nerd, but a nerd nonetheless.  And a giant sweetheart.  He was excessively patient with all my questions and extremely helpful.  Even pausing several times to explain how the plot of Into Darkness mimicked an old favorite episode of his.  I really liked both of these movies, which was a pleasant surprise.  And I believe I know what I find so charming about each of these films.  The characters are fantastic.  Spock’s emotionless and precisely analytical assessments are a welcome contrast to the rest of the crew.  He is, by far, my favorite.  It is a pleasure to watch his and Uhura’s relationship unfold on screen.  One of my favorite scenes from STID is when Uhura is alone with Captain Kirk on the ship’s elevator.  Kirk asks, “Are you guys fighting?”  Uhura’s silence is enough of an answer for him and the next thing he says is, “What’s that like!?”  These types of moments make both movies.  The only problem is that I don’t want any of the crew to perish and they always seem to find themselves in the worst life and death situations.

Fret not honey, that’s what the red shirt crew members are for, they do all the dying.  Star Trek Into Darkness is a roller coaster ride from start to finish.  This crew of NCC-1701 (“No bloody A, B or C” as the late James Doohan once uttered as the old Scotty) is progressing just fine, thank you.  Spock maybe a little more in touch with his human side.  Chekov is a bit smarter this time around and more versatile.  Uhura brings an attitude that Nichelle Nichols version didn’t possess.  The Enterprise herself is sleeker, and with the progress of technology, even the beaming process is tighter.  All improvements if you ask me.  One thing for sure though, Kirk still gets a lot of pussy, and he has no problem if the women are green or have tails.  Prefers it actually.  That dude would screw a wood pile on the chance there was a snake in it!  You gotta love him.  I just couldn’t be happier with these movies, and I hope it’s not another four years before they make another one.  For fans of the entire series, keep an eye out for a complete role reversal during a crucial point, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.”  Make no mistake, STID is not a remake of Wrath of Khan.  If you keep that in mind you’ll enjoy it so much more.  One final note to the creators, please keep those Leonard Nimoy cameos coming.  I adore that ancient “pointy eared, green blooded hobgoblin”!  Thanks Bones, you quote machine.

It’s easy to become desensitized to our ever changing technology, but this is one time where I truly appreciated the quality of special effects and improvements.  The beaming was better, while keeping the integrity of the original vision.  It seemed as though the creators were conscientious about paying homage to the old series, while giving the film an original spin.  There is a trick to this delicate balance when you revisit something like Star Trek.  Impressively, J.J. Abrams and the Bad Robot crew have done this successfully…twice.  I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I was actually moved to tears during one scene.  But then again, I am a sucker for a hardcore ‘bromance’.  Perhaps I have become emotionally invested in Kirk and Spock’s friendship because I, myself, am in the female equivalent; a ‘homance’.  Please reference link for verification: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=homance.  Both of these Star Trek films have entertained me, hooked me and transformed me into a bona fide fan.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

 

Ross’ Rating:  4.5 Gummy Bears out of 5.

Maria’s Rating:  4 Gummies.

Fairly Recent DVD Release: Movie 43

Published September 5, 2013 by mrsrag

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Greg Kinnear, Common, Charlie Saxton, Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Live Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, J.B. Smoove, Emma Stone, Kieran Culkin, Richard Gere, Kate Bosworth, Jack McBryer, Aasif Mandvi, Justin Long, Jason Sudeikis, Uma Thurman, Bobby Cannavale, Kristen Bell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Grace Moretz, Gerard Butler, Johnny Knoxville, Sean William Scott, Halle Berry, Stephen Merchant, Terrence Howard, Josh Duhamel, and Elizabeth Banks.

Rated: R. Comedy. Running Time: 1 hour & 34 minutes.

Ross and I rented Movie 43 on a whim.  We were en route to our home from cocktails & dinner.  Neither of us was expecting much at all.  I remember seeing the previews and thinking, “Wow, that’s some cast” (see above listing).  But then it fell off the radar.  And I figured, if no one is talking about it, could it really be worth watching?  The answer is: YES.  The movie makes up for any later transgression in the first skit.  Five minutes in, Ross and I were laughing so hard that neither of us could speak or breathe.  That being said, if you don’t like immature humor, skip this one and you should probably leave my blog for good.  We had no idea what to expect, but what unfolded on the screen left us bewildered, delighted and quite intrigued.  Once the movie got rolling, we realized it was a series of interconnected sketches featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.  I kept asking myself, “How did they get all these people!”  There were some promising moments of hilarity & ingenuity…but taken in its entirety – this movie was bad.

I had no idea what we were in for when we rented Movie 43, but with that cast, you had to expect something decent.  I don’t know if I agree with Maria that the movie was bad.  If a movie entertains, makes you laugh or cry or feel exhilarated, I think that’s enough.  I will say the premise, an ever increasingly insane Dennis Quaid (playing a version of himself?) pitching his movie idea to a generic movie executive, Kinnear, is silly.  The “movie” is just a series of skits.  There is no way anyone could think they could make a coherent, full standing movie.  However, many of the vignettes are clever and hilarious.  None more than the first one, a first date for Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet.  If you follow MRSRAG at all, you know that Maria and I rarely, if ever, give out spoilers, and we’re not going to do it here.  But this first skit has a shocking surprise, a side splittingly funny one that keeps on giving.  Beyond the great opener, a few of my favorites were, Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts as parents who are homeschooling their teenaged son, complete with all of high school’s worst possible scenarios.  A girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) getting her  period for the first time.  And Terrence Howard as a basketball coach circa the 1960’s (think Pleasantville or Hoosiers) giving a pep talk to his all black team before their first game against an all white squad.  While maybe “bad” isn’t the right word to describe Movie 43, it is hard to believe the creators convinced all these “A” list actors to associate their names with it.  

It was entertaining, but at times, hard to watch.  I’m actually surprised that Ross enjoyed it more than me, since he has some difficulty with awkward humor.  I will say that Movie 43 is like nothing I’ve ever seen.  And the “A” list actors is what put some of the skits over the edge for me.  Watching these Academy Award nominees and winners act out these absurd storylines was not only amusing, but shocking.  It took me a full day to get over the movie.  I kept asking Ross, “Was that real?”, “How did they get everyone to sign on?”, “Did I drink a lot last night?”!  It is in one word: unbelievable.  There were several vignettes, most of which my partner has described, that were pure comic genius.  They must be viewed.  But if I really look at this film in its entirety, it missed the mark.  And that is truly unfortunate because it contains so much potential.  Bottom line, go rent this for a $1.27.  The belly laughs are well worth that price.

An extremely tough movie to review.  Ultimately I have to recommend that you see it.  If you’re in the mood for some raunchy, clever, original comedy, Movie 43 should get the job done.  It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and it won’t end up on your Top 20 list, but it’s not quite like anything you’ve ever seen before.  And, you will probably never see a larger collection of stars in one project.  There is one last scene I have to mention; a skit where a man is obviously going to propose marriage to his girlfriend.  “I have something I want to say.”  “Me too”, she replies.  “Ok, let’s say it together.  One. Two. Three….”  She beats him to the punch, and I almost fell off the couch!  You may want to keep some pillows handy for that one.

Maria’s Rating:  2.5 Gummy Bears out of 5. (Mostly for Jackman & Winslet)

Ross’ Rating:  3.25 Gummies.