Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Judd Apatow

I'm one of the few people in the 18-25 age range who did not see 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' in theaters. Fortunately, yesterday I watched it on DVD.

I'm going to begin with a small rant, and then progress into the actual movie.

Judd Apatow is one of the most overrated people in Hollywood. 'The 40 year-old Virgin' was amusing, but failed to be anything more than a traditional rom-com with more vulgar language. It lacked the wit that a movie like 'Clueless' would have. 'Knocked Up' followed pretty much the same format: Vulgarity as a substitute for classy humor. Oh, but humor does not have to be classy -- but all comedy derives from the same formats. Content is not as important as context. I won't lie and say I sat through those movies without laughing. Laugh, I did. But five years from now, or even today, both of those films are forgotten just as quickly as they were 'hits.'

Judd Apatow has helped jump-start a few actors' careers. Seth Rogen got 'Superbad' made into a film, but that was pretty much the high school version of '40 Year-old Virgin.' Same pony, same trick. Again, 'Superbad' has faded almost into obscurity, and it's only a year old. 'Pineapple Express,' a different kind of film, showed that Seth Rogen does know how to structure a story. He just doesn't know how to develop characters. The film was inferior to 'Harold and Kumar' in every aspect.

The worst tragedy coming up is Apatow's next film featuring stand-up comedy from Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, and Jonah Hill. Jonah Hill? Are you joking? This kid is all kinds of awful. The film will be titled 'Funny People,' which I can only assume is intended to be ironic.

But there has been on real gem from all of this mess. In producing Forgetting Sarah Marshall it looks like Apatow stepped aside and let Jason Segal do all the work. And finally, after many movies, we get one that actually does work. [Review after the cut.]

What's so great about 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' (FSM from here on out) is that, while a romantic comedy of sorts, we feel comfortable that the film will not step into cliche. The first act is structured so well that we don't anticipate a cliche to surface, but can sit and enjoy these characters in what seems like a natural state. A prime example is toward the end: In too many movies the girl our hero is actually in love with walks in on the hero being pleasured (euphemism) by his ex-girlfriend, freaks out, doesn't want to take him back, they have a fight, and eventually make up. The walk-in is a cliche, and the film almost preps us for it with Rachel working at the hotel, but it's Peter himself that confesses.

Peter pins a key point of the movie for us when he's talking to Aldous, Sarah Marshall's new boyfriend. He says that he hates him because of the circumstances, and wants to dislike him, but that Aldous is really such a cool dude. It's true. Unlike in many other movies where the new guy is an antagonist, here the antagonist is our title character, Sarah Marshall. But even she is passive, propelled into situations by the other characters. It's an interesting scope here, the relationship between everyone. The aggressive, open, talkative males are the good in everything, whereas the quiet, catty Sarah Marshall is the cause of all the drama.

If there's one thing to gripe about, it's Mila Kunis' role in the film. Her character knows what she wants, is completely lovable, and makes Hawaii much more beautiful than it already is. Unfortunately, her past and troubled relationships with ex-boyfriends appears crammed in to cover some tracks. A slightly rethought history on her part would have benefited the movie, though a scene with her and Peter on top of an island cliff is close to perfection.

I don't know if this is Jason Segal's one hit wonder screenplay or not. From his anecdotes during press, it seems like it might be; however, I'm extremely curious to see what he can pen next. If it's any bit as good as FSM, I'll see it in theaters this time.

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RIP Paul Newman

Last night another one of the greats died. He was 83.

This is another loss of a super-talented actor. Butch Cassidy is like the only Western I actually like. The Sting is an exceptionally great movie. Cool Hand Luke, The Color of Money, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Verdict.... He will be missed.

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Project Runway: Rock n'Runway

Note: Didn't feel like blogging PR last week. Let's just say I'm glad Jerell won and glad Joe went home.

Five designers left... ideally Suede will go next, and then Kenley. I don't like Korto, but at least she's not awful like Suede or obnoxious like Kenley. Plus Kenley swapped out her model. WHAT! LeAnne swapped models?! Karalyn was great and it really bugs me that LeAnne dropped her. What craziness.

The challenge: Design an outfit for another designer based on a specific musical genre. This should be epic.

The genres each designer are paired with are pretty funny. Can't wait to see Kenley's design for hip-hop, or how Korto looks in a country outfit.

See, here's the difference: Suede takes Tim's critique completely to heart, as most do. But then we have Kenley, who insists on criticizing Tim's taste. She needs to be much more respectful to Tim. "What does Tim know about hip-hop, anyway?" Maybe not a lot, but he does know what the judges will and will not like.

What is this outfit... the hip-hop outfit Kenley made for LeAnne is awful, for a hip-hop or for any outfit. However, Kenley looks pretty hot in this pop outfit.

Now for the runway (this is the designer's name, not the client)! (Why is LL Cool J a judge?)

Kenley: This looks awful. Kenley blaming it on LeAnne's attitude pulling if off? Whatever.

Jerell: Don't know how I feel about the front strip, but a very pop outfit.

Korto: This punk outfit is pretty great. The bleach on the jeans helped a lot. It's very good, though I think she coulda gone with one less chain on the top.

Suede: Not really the best 'rock' outfit, but still, not too bad.

LeAnne: Looks not so much like a great garment, but very country.

I think Jerell should win with Korto second. LeAnne third. Oh, and LL Cool J is guest judging so Heidi can plug his new album. It all makes sense now.

Heidi is useless. "You know what Jerell looks like today? Jerell." Really?

Thank you Nina for telling off Kenley. "Everyone's was hard." Exactly. Kenley had one day the same as everyone else.

LOL @ 88% of people thinking Kenley needs to leave Tim alone [and stop being a bitch].

Aww, weak. Korto won. I was hoping Jerell would win three in a row. Oh well, no real complaint.

WHAT. How is Kenley in?!?!!!!!!!!!!!! Suede's was very well made. Kenley's was freaking disgusting. Man....... I don't like Suede but I think he was cheated.

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'The Mentalist' a 'Psych' Rip-off?

Recently one of my friends introduced me to the wonderful show 'Psych.' If you don't watch it, you should. If you do, then no doubt you'll agree that this new show, 'The Mentalist,' looks exactly like 'Psych,' minus any humor. And we know humor is what makes 'Psych' great. But come on, a fake psychic who uses his ability to notice minute details and put them together? It's not really even a subtle nod to 'Psych,' it's a genuine rip.

Here's the Mentalist trailer (of course, like always, I can't find the short commercial I've seen on TV a hundred times where he describes his 'power' more in-depth. Here is a weak alternative):

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Movies to Study: The Savages

In my original review of 'The Savages,' I stated: "Both of our protagonists are intelligent, yet fail to grasp on to the essentials of traditional happy living. Raised by their irritable father and abandoned by their mother, Wendy is trapped in an affair with a married man, while Jon can't commit to marrying his girlfriend from Poland, even though that means her visa will expire and she has to leave the country. These characters have a good heart, but are simply unaware of how to use it." 'The Savages' is a film about dealing with dementia, but the subtext here is the story of Jon and Wendy's realization that they have more in common than just their father.

The film begins with mellow music and a montage of elderly people dancing, swimming, playing golf, riding bikes. First impressions: Is this a musical disguised as a drama? No, no it is not. It's us being shown what Lenny Savage is missing since he is confined in his home not by his age, but his illness.

The film is a lesson in subtlety. Notice how in the first scene, while Lenny's longtime girlfriend Doris is being dressed by the home care technician, he does not put her ring on her ring finger, but her pinky finger. A small sign of things to come, and one that is easily overlooked because of common assumptions that, A) old people living together are married, and B) we saw the photograph on the fridge moments earlier. And sometimes the subtlety plays into the comedy of later scenes, like when Wendy takes Lenny's suspenders and hat off because they're "not your style," and then when he stands up on the plane... well, you can guess what happens.

Both Laura Linney (Wendy) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Jon) are outstanding in their roles, proving that they're two of this generation's best actors. Linney, so great in movies ranging from 'Love, Actually' to 'The Truman Show' to 'Kinsey,' delivers another touching performance. Take the scene where she tells Jon that she got the Guggenheim fellowship. She's timid and doesn't say much -- which at first we think is because of the situation: Her father has dementia and her brother doubt her talent and called her life "portable," which she interprets to mean like a portable toilet. But knowing how things turn out, it's clear to see she's hiding something in plain view. And since Jon, her brother, couldn't pick up on it, it's no wonder we can't. Again, subtlety.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Jon straightforward. He is always rational and blunt in dealing with their father. His philosophy is that a nursing home is a nursing home, and the landscaping is all for the family. True, though no one wants to acknowledge this -- especially Wendy. But where Jon succeeds in getting their father into a nursing home, he fails in his personal life. He claims he isn't ready to marry his Polish girlfriend of three years, yet he cries when she cooks him eggs in the morning. Not just the morning before she leaves, but every morning since he realized that their time is finite.

The movie flows like poetry, with one scene almost always leading into the next. I usually dislike cheap gimmicky transitions, such as, "I wonder where he is now," and then the next scene shows where he is now. 'The Savages' uses a little more finesse. When Jon and Wendy first talk on the phone, Jon concludes that they'll really be in trouble when they reach the red zone, but right now they're in orange, maybe yellow. The next shot if of Ravishing Red, the nail polish Lenny's girlfriend Doris is getting just before she dies. Another example is when Jon and Wendy go to a dementia support group. The scene, while having the undercurrent of humor in their eating of refreshments, shows that they do care about Lenny. Support groups are often for the individuals attending, but the group leader mentions ways to help care for your elder, and one of them is talk about old movies. The next scene is Movie Night presented by Lenny Savage. Unfortunately this experience does not go nearly as well as the Savages expected when Lenny screens 'The Jazz Singer,' a film that seems racist by today's standards, but as Jon said, you have to judge it in historical context.

The color red is also an important symbol in this film. We have the red nail polish before Doris dies, the big red pillow that Wendy buys for her father, and just before Lenny's toes curl up (like the Witch in the Wizard of Oz, meaning he's about to die) the scene fades in over the red lava lamp that lights up Lenny's room. There was another great movie that did this with oranges, maybe you've heard of it. It was called 'The Godfather.' Though, obviously, 'The Savages' isn't quite 'Godfather' quality.

Here, Tamara Jenkins makes a wonderful film that I hope will last a long time in the hearts of movie-goers. She knows when the film should be charming, when it should be silly, and when it should be sincere. She achieves something fewer and fewer movies these days seem to accomplish: She makes us care about the characters.

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Vote: WALL-E / EVE

Inevitably as it comes closer to the time of election, everyone over the age of 18 will be asked: "Who are you voting for?" And if you agree with the asking party, you'll be praised, and if you disagree, expect either a long debate or a long stare of disapproval.

In times like these, there's really only one safe way to vote. And that vote is:

But why? A candidate should not be voted on strictly because of his or her cuteness and emotional appeal. We, as voters, should take into consideration a candidate's policy on all fronts. But unsurprisingly, WALL-E and EVE dominate both Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin.

Environment

We all know that we're wrecking the Earth. Whether you believe in global warming or not, it's hard to deny that all the trash we make and energy we waste will be a problem eventually. But no one knows that better than WALL-E, the candidate with first-hand experience with this issues. WALL-E is an everyday man, going to work with his lunchbox just like the rest of us. He has lived through what the other candidates only predict will happen.



WALL-E's running mate, EVE, is a female Vegetation Evaluator. Have any of the other candidates spent their whole lives searching for and rescuing plants in order to restore life to its home planet? I think not. How can they compete with this?

Women

Are you voting for McCain/Palin because you'd like to see a woman in office? I should hope that's not your only reason, but if it is, consider WALL-E/EVE. EVE does not equivocate -- you know exactly what she plans to do. Are any of the candidates this straightforward? No. EVE is a strong-minded individual who is looking out for the best of us and the betterment of the planet. Does Palin fit that bill? Maybe. But she has to wear glasses. Can we really count on a vice president with poor eye sight?

Equal Rights

Let's examine a paparazzi shot of WALL-E with his best friend.



WALL-E's personal life is filled with diverse individuals, and judging from his actions, I find it impossible to think he would allow anyone to be considered a second class citizen.

Energy

WALL-E is a known advocate of solar power. Why use batteries when one can run for days on the sun's natural energy? Why oil, a finite resource, when solar power will last for centuries? WALL-E understands our needs and is already in action.



With these issues at the front of the WALL-E / EVE campaign, I don't see how anyone can vote otherwise.

Have a question about the candidates' policies? Feel free to inquire in the comments.

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TV Review: True Blood

I waited a week beyond the pilot so I could accurately gauge this show. Now, having seen the first two episodes, I have a better idea of what to expect.

True Blood is a new series on HBO created by Alan Ball -- writer of American Beauty, creator of the show Six Feet Under (which I have not seen [though wanted to]). The premise is that vampires do exist (they are not the Dracula cliches we've come to expect), and thanks to bottled blood (True Blood), they live among humans. But the world is not at ease with this. There is a blanket of discrimination against vampires, so much that news anchors won't even debate directly with a vampire -- he requires a third party.

This is not a vampire Sex and the City. The series takes place in backwater country where half the setting is swamp and everyone in town knows one-another. Anna Paquin plays Sookie, a server at a local restaurant. When a vampire shows up to town for the first time, well, ever, Sookie is the only person to not judge him so quickly (there is no hiding of allegory here). Sookie saves Bill the vampire from two rednecks who were trying to drain his blood (vampire blood sells for a lot, and naturally this kills the vampire). This is all an interesting take on the vampire genre.

Another key element is that Sookie is telepathic. Yet she cannot read Bill's mind, which is part of her attraction. The other? Maybe she enjoys being with someone who's different as well. But unfortunately Paquin's accent leaves a bit to be desired.

The pilot packs quite a punch, introducing Sookie's stubborn, protective, unhealthily horny older brother Jason, as well as her grandma that she lives with and a handful of friends and coworkers. None of the characters fit precisely into a mold, but there is definitely a hint of textbook presence. Maybe they need some time to come into their own.

The real bottom line here is that if you're open to new ideas and/or like Gothic vampire macabre, you will enjoy this show. I do. If you don't like that stuff, your time is probably better spent elsewhere.

Rating (so far): 7.5/10

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Blog URL

As some of you may or may not notice, the blog has been put to a URL.

http://kidwaltz.blogspot.com will still forward to the new address, but from here until the next year the site is going to be youbettereffinloveit.com.

I think the URL name speaks for itself.

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Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading (2008) || IMDb

It seems the Coen Brothers waste no time between their dominance of the Oscars (No Country for Old Men) and their next film. Burn After Reading is a spy movie that twiddles between traditional, situational comedy and the sadistic, dark humor avid Coen fans have come to love. The film may not always be 'working,' but in the end, it all works just well enough.

The plot here is scatter-brained and seemingly haphazard. There's a government analyst named Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) who is blackmailed by Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand (two employees and trainers at the gym Hardbodies) when they find a disc containing his financial information in the female locker room. Their names are Linda Litzke and Chad Feldheimer, which itself should hint that this film has no shame in the occasional cheap gag. Their motivation? McDormand wants the money for some plastic surgeries, and Pitt wants to find out what all these documents and figures are about. It seems like Pitt's character doesn't have much of a personal life, so this is his chance to practice his spy routines.

Then there is George Clooney, playing Harry, a charming man obsessed with flooring. He sleeps with every female in this film, and is also a former government employee. He carries a pistol with him all the time, though he's never had to discharge it in twenty years. Guess if he has to in this film? I wouldn't dare spoil it for you, though.

There are also plenty of affairs and divorces and unhappy characters in the film. Cox is dealing with a divorce from his wife, as well as trying to get his documents back. McDormand attempts to sell Cox's documents to the Russian government, which doesn't go over well since they're unimportant in every way.

The real charm of the film is how tight everything is. At 96 minutes, the film has no excess. And some of the greatest scenes come from J.K. Simmons, the super-superior CIA officer. His role is small, but it adds justification and an interesting perspective to not only the film, but how our government may actually work.

This film is nothing if not fun and full of surprises, the best of which comes not from left field, but from out of the park. So absurd it is, you'll know exactly when you see it what I'm talking about.

Yet in the end, it all makes sense.

Rating: 6/7

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