Ed's Review Dot Com

Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, GreeneStreet Films,

Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Jeremy Allen White, Anna Faris, Chris Pratt, Kieran Culkin, Emma Stone, Jason Sudeikis, Justin Long, Leslie Bibb, Uma Thurman, Kristen Bell, Bobby Cannavale, John Hodgman, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks, Stephen Merchant, Nicole Polizzi, Johnny Knoxville, Richard Gere, Jack McBrayer, Kate Bosworth, Gerard Butler, Terrence Howard, Chloë Grace Moretz, Josh Duhamel

Charlie Wessler (Dennis Quaid) is a washed up producer who is going nowhere. He weasels his way onto the studio lot to pitch his latest idea for a blockbuster Hollywood film to producer Griffin Schraeder (Greg Kinnear). Unfortunately it is a series of extremely inappropriate sketches. This movie is basically a really far out series of unrelated stores tied together with the efforts Charlie makes to get his idea turned into a movie at all costs, even at gunpoint with hostages if necessary in this hilarious star studded off-the-wall comedy.

Outrageous is an understatement for this film. The sketches are the most inappropriate stuff you have ever seen. This movie has it’s roots in the classic 1977 “Kentucky Fried Movie” but rather than just being short sketches, this one ties it all together with Dennis Quaid’s efforts to get this piece of crap made, even though Greg Kinnear is going to do everything possible to make sure that doesn’t happen. What happens is a series of extremely funny bits with a TON of major stars. I don’t know how they talked all these people into being in this crazy film, but it must have been a real blast making it. It gets so out of hand, and goes where no film has gone before. I really enjoyed the craziness of this film. It is really out there. You have to be able to deal with the gross subject matter as nothing is off limits, and it’s really nasty sometimes, but the outrageousness of it is what makes it really funny. If you remember Kentucky Fried Movie, and if you enjoyed that, then you’re sure to crack up over this one.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Productions, Big Talk Productions

Michael Cera, Alison Pill, Mark Weber, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jason Schwartzman

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has a band.  They would just about do anything to get signed and get going on their career.  Scott is dating Knives Chau, 5 years his junior and still in high school, but Scott is truly not over his old girlfriend, Envy (Brie Larson), who has her own band. When he meets Ramona Flower (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he is smitten.  Unfortunately before he can date her, he must defeat her “Seven Evil Exes”.   They are tough!  Scott may not make it, and if he does, he will still have to make sure that’s what he really wants.

I’m not sure of the background of where this film came from, but it must be a comic book or something like that.  It’s a video game.  It’s not a movie about a video game, but it is literally a video game!  Nothing is really serious in this movie, it’s all a big game.  If Scott has a big sword and cuts down two henchmen of one of the “evil exes” they will disintegrate into coins and the scores appear on the screen.   4000   8000 etc.   The characters level up on the screen and get power boosts.  It’s a video game.

Now some people are going to get really into this whole concept of living in a video game, but for most of us, it’s really a confusing mess.  This doesn’t mean there is not some redeeming qualities here.  There is a story, and the characters are likable (or easy to hate) and the relationships between the characters is well developed.  But you have to go into it realizing it’s all fantasy and not real, otherwise it makes no sense.  I got about two thirds through it confused as can be until it dawned on me what it is.  Perhaps if I knew going in that it was all fantasy, it would have been easier to get into it.  This is actually one film that might get better with a second viewing.  It is actually a very clever put together film if you know what you’re getting into going in.  Michael Cera plays his usual soft spoken loser guy who’s trying to get ahead, and Ellen Wong as Knives is perfect as the stalker old girlfriend.  Jason Schwartzman’s characterization of the final ex is really good.  He’s probably the evilest character in the film.  His character reminds me of the character in “Wayne’s World” played by Rob Lowe,  trying to steal Wayne’s girlfriend.  The ending is very well done and things are resolved in a way that makes sense.  All in all, I liked the film, but it did take a long time of me thinking I hated it till the light clicked on and I finally said, “Oh I get it now”.   After watching it, I’ve been thinking about it since, and the more I think, the better I liked it.  I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone, but if you a gamer, it’s really funny and full of references to the video game world.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog