We're the Millers

I'm going to be 30 this year and I think that has a direct correlation with how I've been reviewing films lately. Everyone that has seen We're the Millers has absolutely loved it. Someone even referred to it as THE comedy of 2013. And I just, I just don't agree.

Sure, I liked it, but did I feel it was THE comedy of the year?! No. Sorry, nope. I find myself unable to tell you why I feel that way though. It made me laugh, had a great cast who worked well together; but it just didn't get me there.

Jason Sudeikis plays a 30-something degenerate who makes his living selling pot and doing odd jobs for people. He has no family, no real friends, and isn't liked by the majority of his neighbors. His pot supply is given to him by an old friend with a lot of money and one night, everything he has is stolen. Now his rich friend tells him he either has to pay for the pot that was stolen (knowing full well that Sudeikis doesn't have that kind of cash) or, must get himself to Mexico and smuggle more pot into the US. 

Jason decides that the only way he'll be able to get through the US border patrol, is to pretend he was vacationing in an RV with his family. He recruits some of his neighbors that are just as desperate for cash as he is to play his fake family and together they set off for Mexico. As you can imagine, hilarity ensues. The gang find themselves on a crazy road trip in which everything can and does go wrong. 

Again, I thought this one was funny for sure. But it wasn't one I needed to see again right away, nor was it one I felt I needed to tell everyone I knew to go see. I think it might have been just a touch on the goofy side and that's what turned me off slightly. It's very much like a Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson film. It'll make you feel good, but it won't be your favorite comedy at the end of the day. At least, I don't think so.  

Soup to Nuts

I caught three films that were full of big actors. Red 2, R.I.P.D. and Girl Most Likely. It was fun seeing Red 2 and R.I.P.D. on the same day because Mary Louise Parker was in both but played very different roles. I just get a kick out of that kind of thing :) 

Let's begin.

Red 2:

The same awesome collection of badasses are back in this one and this time they've brought Catherine Zeta-Jones, Anthony Hopkins, and Byung-hun Lee with them! I can't say this one was as entertaining as the first but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check it out. I watch these movies and observe the awesomeness that is Helen Mirren and I really hope she and Judi Dench do something incredible together soon. They would be the greatest duo of assassin sisters ever! And as happy as I was to see another Bruce Willis film, I really couldn't watch these movies without Helen, she is such a kick ass chick! 

Anyways, let's get to the actual review. Once again we find Frank (Willis) trying to ease into his retirement and live the simple life. However his girlfriend, played by Mary, is looking for a little excitement. Thankfully John Malkovich drops in to tell Frank that he's being set up and that "they're coming". Frank of course thinks John is being crazy and paranoid as always and carries on with his day. Then John's car explodes. Hmm, well maybe there's something going on afterall...

Apparently Anthony Hopkins' character created an insanely dangerous bomb back in the 70s which was conveniently stolen and hidden and for some reason, Frank and the gang are being blamed for it. Now Frank has to find Anthony and locate the bomb so it can be destroyed and clear his name. The crew heads to Russia where they believe the bomb to be hidden and that's where they meet up with Catherine's character who just so happens to have a little history with Frank. Uh oh...

I'm going to once again stop here so as to not give too much away. Just know it's an awesome movie and that you should find the time to check it out. You'll be glad you did. 

R.I.P.D.:

Ryan Reynolds is dead. Don't worry, he comes back as a spiritual cop in R.I.P.D. It's his job, along with his partner, played by Jeff Bridges, to capture demons who stay on Earth and send them back to the hell dimension from which they came. Sounds pretty straight forward right? Well it is. At least, until they find out that Kevin Bacon is one of these hell demons and he's found an old relic that can keep these demons on Earth permanently. Aw crap. It's on. 

This one is super funny and extremely well made. It's based off a comic book series so if you enjoy reading stories before seeing them brought to life on the big screen, go look up the series. I won't say this movie is one you need to run right out and see, but it was pretty entertaining and definitely a good summer flick. Personally, I hate seeing Kevin playing a bad guy, it just bums me out-he's so awesome! Can't he just dance and smile and be the sweetheart that he is in every movie? Or am I typecasting again? :/

Girl Most Likely:

I went into the theater knowing nothing about this film. I like Kristen Wiig and was intrigued to see what kind of story she'd present us with. Plus, I haven't seen Matt Dillon in anything recently and I totally love him. He had a small role in this one, playing Annette Bening's boy-toy; but his character was a key part of the overall story nonetheless.

Kristen's character is a playwright who won a writing grant in college and moved to NYC. She was originally from the Jersey Shore area and positively loathed everything about her life there. She was in a lengthy relationship with a guy who suddenly leaves her and the movie begins with her character trying to win him back. Unfortunately she decides faking a suicide attempt would be the way to get his attention and instead of winning him back, finds herself in a mental institution. She is placed in the custody of her mother and winds up right back in Jersey where it all began.

Everyone keeps asking her about her playwriting and she confesses that she hasn't written a thing since becoming an NY socialite. She got so wrapped up in the lifestyle trying to distance herself as much as possible from home, that she pretty much gave up on the thing that got her there in the first place. Now Kristen is single, unemployed and essentially under house arrest with her kooky mother, her mother's odd-ball boyfriend, her simple but sweet brother and a complete stranger her mother rents a room to. She spends the rest of the film trying to get back to NYC all while attempting to convince everyone around her that she isn't crazy.

I can't say this is a movie that everyone would enjoy but it was pretty cute. It was quirky, very tongue-in-cheek but not one I can say you'd watch over and over. 

Paranoia

Here's the thing about Paranoia, there is no paranoia in the entire film! It's like that Alanis, song Ironic. The irony, dear Alanis, is there is not one example of irony in the whole damned song!

There was no psychosomatic episodes, no one was placed in an institution or put under surveillance. Frankly, I wouldn't even classify this one as a psychological thriller, or a thriller of any kind. 

I won't say I hated the film because I truly didn't. Unfortunately I can't say I feel anything for it at all. It's filled with amazing actors and I can't for the life of me understand why they agreed to do this movie in the first place. It's just, nothing. 

It's pretty much the battle between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Completely insignificant to the rest of us,  insanely dramatic and important to the two of them...oh and there's guns and the threat of killing the people you love, there's also that. 

But aside from that this film is completely predictable. 

It was Magneto against Professor X only, you really don't like either guy and there's no insanely cool super powers to distract the audience.

One billionaire has a grudge against another billionaire and they decide to use some naive young buck to screw the other one over. I bet you can't guess what happens in the end!

Did you guess that the precocious youngster turns the tables on them both? Aww drat you're too smart for me! 

The one nice thing about this movie was the fact that it practically flew by; it's the type of film that feels like it was all of ten minutes long. Now again, I didn't hate it, I simply have no feelings about it at all. I like the actors, I liked the acting, it was the plot and structure of the film itself that left oh so much to be desired. 

I mean Christ, you're talking about a film that pits Han Solo against Zorg! Give me something-please!

Oh and Richard Dreyfuss was in it too! Mr. Holland's Opus people! And still, nothing. Not a damned thing. Such a shame. I can't help but feel like all of the actors involved used this movie as a warm up. You know, how bands have rehearsals and sound checks; Harrison and Gary must have read the script and thought, "Yeah, I guess I could do with a nice stretch between blockbusters." Hey now, a paycheck is a paycheck am I right?

In summary, didn't hate it. Totally predictable. Awesome cast. Pretty computer/gadget flashiness. Not one you'll ever need to see again or ad to your personal collection.

I look at films like this as another notch on the 'ol movie belt, I can say I saw it and move on.