BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) THE DICTATOR
Sascha Baron Cohen is really good at being a douche bag. I know “the more intellectual” will try to find some sort of depth or insight in the parodies and characters he puts out there. The cool part is that I typically agree with him for screwing with close minded and dumb people. His stuff as Borat and Bruno pushed the buttons of a lot of horrible and too-simple-for-anyone’s-good types of folk. It’s just that he’s going for easy targets and it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. It’s like “is that redneck gentleman going to hate the flamboyant foreign gay guy?” Yes… He WILL. Duh. That doesn’t make it right, but it doesn’t exactly make it entertaining as well. I’m all for exposing bigotry for its ignorance and all of that fun stuff, but a lot of the time the character is so grating that’s exhausting in an unfunny way. I loved his old HBO series. Smaller doses was perfect. Apparently this new character, “The Dictator” gets a non-mockumentary and some actual scripting. Cohen tried this with the Ali G character. It didn’t turn out that great, but I think he’s got enough momentum now in both success and creativeness to make it work. Cohen is a damn good performer. The performance isn’t and should never be in question. The content and narrative is what could make or break it. The supporting cast has Anna Faris, Kevin Corrigan, JB Smoove, Bobby Lee, Ben Kingsley, BJ Novak, John C Reilly, and others. I’m sure that collection of awesomeness will help. Cohen is awesome and so was Andy Kaufman. I’d like to see Cohen continue to do scripted movies for awhile or else I’m going to have to start pointing out the glaring similarities.
(THREE) THE THREE STOOGES
I remember when they first announced this movie. It was supposed to have Jim Carrey, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro. I have NEVER found Sean Haynes funny or enjoyable. He just comes off smug and pretentious in all the wrong ways. He’s Larry. I have no clue with Chris Diamantopoulos is because apparently I don’t stare at credits for background players. I DO like Will Sasso. I think he can pull off the Curly role with ease and gusto. I hope the movie does well almost solely because I’d like to see Sasso get his much deserved props. Other than that, the only other bright spot is that Larry David plays a nun. How can that not AT LEAST be amusing? Then I read that the cast of the Jersey Shore are going to have a cameo? What? Why? What the hell is wrong with the world? Do the Farrelly brothers want to retire and stop being asked to make movies? It sounds like that’s what they’re aiming for. Again, it’s the Stooges. It’s a part of American culture. If you’re not going to do it just, why do it at all. I’m hoping this is one of those situations where my low expectations result in me being pleasantly surprised.
(TWO) SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
I am a fan of Steve Carell. I think he’s a great guy and has been a part of some great laughs in comedy over the past ten or so years now. He has become a fixture. He’s up there with the Will Ferrells, the Jim Carreys, and the Adam Sandlers. He’s earned it and he’s got my respect no matter what he does. I just really didn’t like that “Dan In Real Life” movie. I think that got in my head so firmly that it’s all I think about when I hear Steve Carell has a new movie coming out. I know that’s shitty, but I’m just being honest. I really liked “Date Night” and I’m pretty sure I gave it really favorable reviews. Because of that and the dude’s overall track record I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions here. This new movie looks to be great. I love the concept. It’s a movie about a man who is looking to find love before the world ends. Seriously. An asteroid is coming to hit the planet and Steve Carell is dealing with the apocalypse the best way he can. The rest of the cast isn’t too shabby either. Keira Knightley, Adam Brody, TJ Miller, Amy Schumer, Gillian Jabobs, Rob Huebel, Patton Oswalt, and Connie Britton are only a few awesome people that show up in the credits for this. In the movie industry the term “high concept comedy” is tossed around a lot. I think they mean THIS. The lucky part is that this high concept isn’t being done in a lame family movie manner. It could have easily been a bad Eddie Murphy movie; instead we’re being given a smart comedy with a great cast and what appears to be a really well done movie. The trailer makes me think about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. To this movie lover that’s a towering praise.
(ONE) THE FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT
One of my favorite low-key comedies of the past few years was “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”. I’ve watched just about everything Jason Segel has been in since and haven’t had the same level of enjoyment. Segal is awesome and the movies he’s in are typically good, but “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is on a plateau of its own. I’d of given it an Oscar if I had legal permission to do so. The difference is that Segal not only starred in it, but wrote it. Nicholas Stoller directed it. Now Stoller and Segal are teaming back up. Sold! The story here is that Segal is a guy who is getting ready to marry Emily Blunt. They get engaged, but shit and life happens so they have to delay the wedding and extend the engagement. This apparently keeps happening and they get as far as a “Five Year Engagement”. The chemistry between Blunt and Segal seems right and I can’t complain about Chris Pratt and Alison Brie getting much deserved top support billing. I might even want to see this in an actual theater. Smart R rated comedies don’t grow on trees.
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