Crazy, Stupid, Love

It's been about two months since I've managed to see a film at the cinemas. For at least the last 15 years, I have usually gone once a week or fortnight. Lately, this house building project has been getting in the way. So, it was with much happiness that I managed to get out on Friday night and see 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'. What a great film to mark my return to movie going. 

Steve Carell plays a husband and father, whose wife has recently asked him for a divorce. Catch is, she's the one that cheated on him. This is a comedy drama, and the film blends both very well. You really do feel for all the characters involved, as they try to navigate the road of love and relationships. I like Steve Carell, and find that he plays the comedic buffoon and everyday man very well. His interactions with Ryan Gosling's character are hilarious. Ryan Gosling plays a womaniser of sorts, a well oiled machine for picking up chicks. He's also a fricken beefcake in this movie, which I know will have the ladies in a spin.

The rest of the cast are also excellent. Emma Stone is a future powerhouse of cinema, if she isn't already. Julianne Moore is great, as per usual. I still remember those great lesbo scenes of her with Amanda Seyfried in 'Chloe'. Anyway, I digress...hehe.

I laughed all the way through this film, and found the dramatic elements to be well done. We could all relate in some way. This is a must see film.

Rating:

4 out of 5.

Friends with Benefits & The Lincoln Lawyer

Another week gone by, and here we are again at Saturday night. The film we intended to watch last weekend we managed to watch tonight. 'Friends with Benefits' is an enjoyable rom-com, if you can put it in that category. It's a comedy, check, it's romance, yeah, well, check on that too. I've seen 'No Strings Attached' earlier this year, and thought i might be in for the same story, different cast. In a way, you kind of are, but this is actually better. I can't really put my finger on why. I liked 'No Strings', but that could be more to do with it having Natalie Portman in it. This film, well, i love J.T. (Justin Timberlake to the unfamiliar), and Mila Kunis ain't too bad either. Ashton Kutcher, well, he's ok. Like with Reese Witherspoon from last weeks film, i can say i don't love him or hate him. Anyways, back to this...

'Friends with Benefits' is alot more risque than i thought it would be. There is quite a fair bit of sex going on, which i'm not complaining about. It just took me by surprise. J.T. seemed to be playing a more likeable version of his 'The Social Network' character. I'm really liking his films, and he can act. The scenes with his father showed he has some range with conveying emotion. Mila Kunis, well, i like her, and she is good in this, but i just don't know anymore. I really liked her in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', but lately i'm abit meh with her. Perhaps i don't find her as attractive as i used too....haha...can i judge based on that feeling? 

Plot wise, well, if you have seen 'No Strings' or know what a friend with benefits is, then you've got this figured. It's well executed and quite funny. J.T., he's a star already, and i think he's on his way to being even bigger. Do you get the feeling i love this guy?....hehe.

Next up, The Lincoln Lawyer. Fucken WOW! This movie surprised the shit out of me. I almost saw this at the cinemas with a mate, but we missed out on seeing it. He wanted to see it, and i was quite reluctant actually. But, he didn't push for it, so i was like, ok...i'll check it sometime down the track. I'm glad i did, because this is a great film. 

I don't care what people say about him, but Matthew McConaughey can act. He's done some basic rom-coms over the years, and this has pigeon holed him into the shit actor category for some years. This film, you remember what all the talk was about when he did 'A Time to Kill' back in the mid 90's. He has range and talent. Don't get me wrong, i'm a sucker for rom-coms (i know, wtf?!), and i've actually enjoyed his, but he hasn't really been given the material to sink his teeth in to. The Lincoln Lawyer is where he finally does, once again. 

Plot wise, i don't really want to say too much. He's a whip smart lawyer that operates out of a Lincoln. He can talk the talk, and walk the walk. His next case will push him though. This is well scripted, and well acted. I highly recommend. 


Ratings:

Friends with Benefits - 3.5 out of 5.
The Lincoln Lawyer - 4 out of 5.

Water for Elephants & A Prophet

Saturday night, i watched a couple of films here at home. Was going to go see 'Friends with Benefits', but we decided to just stay in. First up was a film we'd meant to see at the cinemas, but didn't get around to - 'Water for Elephants'. 

I have to say, i enjoyed the movie. There is nothing overly spectacular about the story or the film, but it's decently acted and produced. Robert Pattinson does well as the good hearted veterinarian, and Reese Witherspoon is fine. I don't love her or her movies, but can watch them. Christoph Waltz is well cast - he really knows how to play bad guys. 

Briefly, the film is about a guy that falls in with a touring circus, and falls in love. He just so happens to fall in love with the Ringmasters wife though. Robert Pattinsons love for animals, and in particular his relationship with the Elephant is quite well done. It's funny, because i don't particularly like animals much, but i can enjoy films that show great relationships between people and the animals in their lives.

Robert Pattinson seems like a decent actor so far. Sure, the 'Twilight' films don't offer much in the way of range, but I've seen him in 'Remember Me' (pretty good film by the way) and i thought he played that role on the mark as well. It will be interesting to see what he does in the future, once the 'Twilight' series finishes up.  


This film is directed by Francis Lawrence. His previous feature efforts are 'Constantine' (Keanu Reeves) and 'I Am Legend' (Will Smith). Now, i enjoyed both those films, but didn't find them fantastic. He continues to give me that same feel with this film. This could be partly the screenplay he's been getting to work with, but a truly great director can usually bring something great to the screen, even if the screenplay is not totally there...(i could have opened a can of worms with that statement..hehe.) I'll have to do a page or post on some directors i love to watch films of. 


Second film watched that night was 'A Prophet', a french film. This film won the 2009 Grand Jury Prize at Cannes and was also nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars in 2010. Wow, what a movie. It is a tour de force of story telling about life in prison. The story involves the rise of a nobody type prisoner, being used as a puppet by mafia kingpins inside, to a kingpin himself. It's a thoroughly engaging screenplay, with some tense moments of 'what the fuck!'...hehe. It's very different to other great prison films (Shawshank Redemption is one of the best). This film is bleak, and suffocates the audience in how shitty it can be for you in prison. God forbid ever having to serve time in a place like this. 


It's a long film (155 mins), but it is never boring. If you enjoy epic story telling, then you'll love this. Don't watch it if you're tired, because reading subtitles for a film this long could be tough if you are. 

Ratings:

Water for Elephants - 3.5 out of 5.
A Prophet - 4 out of 5.

Reality TV

Out of the all the topics i could have chosen to talk about first, i choose one i loathe. We have several free-to-air stations to choose from these days. I find that they are regularly showing some sort of stupid ass reality program. I can literally flick through channel after channel and only find shows regarding home renovation, competition cooking, social experimenting and so on. Every category is catered for these days, so much so it's extremely difficult to find decent drama, action or comedy shows on air in peak viewing time. I'm not talking about watching shite like 'Home and Away' and 'Neighbours' as being my choice of quality peak time drama either. The only comedies that seem to be on are fricken cartoons....sorry you Simpsons, Futurama and the like lovers. For fucks sake, how much reality do we need on tv, that we don't contend with in everyday life. 

I don't really know if i'm in a minority or majority re my hate for reality tv, but to me it seems as though we're headed to the point where peak time viewing will be only about camera crews following people around in their every day lives. I'll probably end up on tv watching myself write blogs. wtf?!!

In some ways, i don't care, because it gives me the chance to catch up on shows i've got on dvd or download. Don't get me wrong, some reality tv is decent enough to watch - i don't mind a bit of 'Motorway Patrol' or 'The Force', but i don't get fucking hard-on for it each week, ala Master Chef fanatics.....ooooooh fuck yeah, what are they cooking for us this week. That's right folks, this weeks challenge is to boil water without burning it!

Right now on tv is a repeat of '24'. Perhaps one of my top ten best shows ever on tv. That's another topic...

'Too Much to Watch!' Begins...

Ok, so why do this blog? Well, i've toyed with the idea of doing a website about me and my interests in film and tv for years, but, like with most things, i just never got around to it. A friend recently started up his own blog, and that re-ignited my interest in doing my own site. So, i thought a blog would suit me just fine. This 'Google Blogger' system seems pretty easy to use. Since i was a kid, i have enjoyed watching movies. I've seen more movies than most people, and have plenty that i still want to watch. I enjoy talking to people about what i've watched and/or what they've seen. I could talk about movies and tv all day...haha. Unfortunately, i don't get paid to discuss them all day. Between work and general life stuff, i try to squeeze in as much 'viewing' as i can. Here i'll talk about what i can, when i get the chance to write. I've got ideas about what to talk about aside from just what i've seen or am watching, so hopefully i can delve into some of those topics as well. 


Thanks for reading and/or sharing.


Chetan.