This is not supposed to be a smart little movie, but it has no right to be as good as it was with a shitty concept like a Hot Tub Time Machine. I was pleasantly surprised by how funny the flick was. It takes some of the age old questions of what we would do if we was to have access to a time travel device and what would happen if we had to deal with no changing the time lines. By no means will this change the time travel genre, but it was a funny movie. The filmmakers seem to know that this plot is ludicrous and instead of trying to bring reality to the situation, they just roll with it and they decide to give the audience just a good time. For the most part, it worked.
The acting is funny and the beats all work. The one character that always gets a laugh has to go to Crispin Glover. All of his scenes are laugh inducing and his gags always leave you both on the edge of your seat and ready to burst with laughter! (You'll know what I'm talkin about when you see it) But his role automatically gets the most laughs! All of the cast is funny in this. John Cusack's role is particularly funny in part because of the fact that we get to see him young once again and this is a nostalgic trip to see him young once again and his role is funny. The only one who fell a bit flat and not that funny and underdeveloped was Chevy Chase. Chevy's character was funny at times, but it kinda seemed like he was underused. It's a minor flaw but its still cool to see Chevy doing a good funny movie again. The story works, but don't put it against any of the time travel masterpieces. It does what it needs to and you need to suspend your disbelief because it is trying to be funny.
Overall, it was a great time at the movies. I would say definitely see this with an audience as the bigger the crowd the more fun it's going to be! Its a flawed movie, but man was it a funny one!
Hey guys! It's been a while since I had done a post so I thought since it's round about nearly Oscar time, I Thought I'd give ya guys my predictions for What will Win what.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: WAS CORRECT! What I want to win: UP What I think will win: UP UP has become one of Pixar's more accessible academy films and this will easyly sweep this award. As much as I enjoyed Mr. Fox, there are some major flaws to be had with that film. Princess and the Frog is just too safe of a film to earn a Best animated film Oscar.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY- WAS CORRECT! What I want to Win- UP What I think will win- THE HURT LOCKER
The Up screenplay provides both a fun ride, a great character arc, and a emotionally gripping closure that surpasses anything else that is nominated. As much as I thought the HURT LOCKER was a greatly directed film, everyone seems to be talking about how this script meshes both Action and story and character development in a great fashion. I am in the minority that doesn't see this come across whatsoever in the final film. All I see is an unlikable protagonist that I am waiting for to get blown up. Bigalow made this script more cinematic than what was written on the page. Tarrinatino had his day and his Basterds screenplay although great is a bit flawed in some areas. I think UP should take the cake for originality. I mean A guy flies his house with balloons and then he meets up with talking dogs and a large bird! ha ha ha ha!
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY- WAS WRONG! What I want to win: UP IN THE AIR What I Think will Win: UP IN THE AIR This is a classic case of what happens when Filmmakers adapt books, Jason Reitman took the essence of the original Novel, and added things that weren't there in the book and made a more emotional pungent film that stayed true to the book's theme and expanded it. It also happens to be a great screenplay despite the fact it was adapted.
What ended up winning: Precious
I was shocked when this won best adapted screenplay. The screenplay basically takes a massive shit on it's main character every chance it got to the point where I just couldn't take the film seriously anymore. I didn't like any of it's characters and felt it gloried and reveled in it's stereotypes. A great disappointment in my eyes. Bad move academy!
BEST DIRECTOR- CORRECT!!! Who I want to win- Kathryn Bigalow Who I think will win- Kathryn Bigalow
Bigalow is an underrated director that I think is talented enough to warrant a best director award. She took some of the elements of the script and made tension filled moments as the audience is expecting the worse in the bomb defusal scenes. Fantastically directed sequences.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR- FOREGONE CONCLUSION! CORRECT! Who I want to win: Christopher Waltz Who I think will win: Christopher Waltz Why? Because Col. Hans Landa is a fucking great performance that I can't imagine anyone else being able to pull of and he knocks it out of the ballpark! Chirstopher Waltz mops the floor with the other nominees. HE'S GOING TO GET IT!!!
Best Supporting Actress- CORRECT!!! Who I want to win: Vera Farminga Who I think will win: Mo'Nique I think Vera Farminga has never been more engaging on screen and she is the female foil to George Clooney's Ryan in UP IN THE AIR. She was fantastic. But As we all know, Mo'Nique is a shoe-in for this role, because nobody expected her to be as talented as she was in PRECIOUS. I think Mo'Nique has proved her acting talent, but is it the best performance? I don't think so. I like both actresses and I'll be content with either winning, but I'm leaning towards Vera Farminga.
Best Actress- CORRECT!!! Who I want to win: Indifferent...but if I had to choose one then Sandra Bolluck Who I think will win: Sandra Bolluck A weak year for strong female roles I'd say. I mean most of the nominees are dominated females for the most part and thats a shame we don't have more solid roles for females this year. And Sandra Bolluck is for the most part the one that is going to get this. The movie was good, but the performance is a bit generically good. It does what it needs to, but it's nothing nobody hasn't seen before.
Best Actor- CORRECT!!! Who I want to win: George Clooney Who I think will win: Jeff Bridges Talk about a comeback year! Now a Clooney fan after UP IN THE AIR, because at one point I was annoyed by him, but he proved himself to be a fantastic actor with a chops. Bridges is also the same case. It could go either or. I dug both performances but I connected more to Clooney's Ryan character. Both actors are fantastic!
Those are my predictions for the more tougher catagories, cuz all of the other nominations are going to be pretty Obvious as to who is going to take it home and I agree with most of them. The only problem is that this has been a weak year for the acting category for females. I think perhaps the biggest snub at the oscars this year was the exclusion of Ducan Jones' MOON and ignoring SAM ROCKWELL's fantastic performance! Sam was utterly fantastic in the film and it's a shame he didn't get nominated at he very least for Best Actor. Think I'm wrong? check out this scene.
Anyways till next time guys! I'll have some reviews up again finally! Sorry for the non-updates, but I will get you some reviews again!
SEE YA FOLKS!!!
(3-09-2010) Well I was right on all counts except one. Not bad. I think this years Oscars were flawed, but they did what they needed to do.
and Also I purposefully stayed away from the BEST PICTURE catagory because I didn't agree with the whole AVATAR vs. HURT LOCKER Deal. I thought AVATAR was a better film, but HURT LOCKER was a technically good film too but the story and script just didn't do it for me. I would have been on team Avatar, but I thought UP or UP IN THE AIR should have won best picture. Anyways!
