27/50: Megamind

This actually worked for me. It was something I hadn't really seen before. A good vs. evil that I hadn't seen, but it is possible it has been done before.

Megamind (Will Ferrell) and Metro Man (Brad Pitt) are from a different planet that is blown up and both are sent to Earth in order to save their lives. As their lives progress on Earth, Megamind turns into a huge villain while Metro Man becomes the superhero of Metropolis.

Megamind and his sidekick, Minion (David Cross), are always trying to take over Metropolis and Metro Man is always able to thwart their plans. It is so predictable that when Megamind captures Metro Man's girlfriend, Roxanne Ritchie (Tina Fey) - and local TV reporter - she knows everything that he is about to do before he even does it.

But, when Megamind blows up Metro Man and the city is suddenly without its superhero, the city is taken over by its villain.

Megamind, however, begins to feel different, despite having everything that he has always wanted. What point is it in being a villain without a hero to try and stop you?

So, he tries to create another superhero, and accidentally creates one in the form of Ritchie's cameraman, Hal Stewart (Jonah Hill).

I have to admit I was surprised. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did and to be surprised by the plot so much. Still not as great as some of the other animation films as last year, but still totally worth the watch.

Grade:

Get Him to the Greek

I feel I have been wrapped up in this TV Meme a little too long already, so I thought I had better get one of these movies I have seen onto the page before I get a serious traffic jam of movies.

Anyway, at the beginning of the month was Mrs. Kano's and my 5-year anniversary. We pretty much decided we weren't doing anything this year, but to my surprise Mrs. Kano had planned a day out and took me to a nice lunch and asked me to select a movie to go and see.

As you know by my blog name, I do not get out to the movies as nearly as often as I would like to. Our lives are just way too busy nowadays, especially with our 3-1/2-year old. So, each summer I scan to see what two or three movies I absolutely want to see in the theater.

At this time, none of those movies were playing.

So, I was stuck between Shrek 4 or Get Him to the Greek. Two movies that I will eventually see on DVD, so either would be fine. Except, as I said, seeing a movie in the theater is a rare treat for us so I didn't want to select a stinker.

And, lucky for us, I didn't.

I adored Forgetting Sarah Marshall and I enjoyed the character of Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), but I feel that I enjoyed him only because of his brief moments on screen. Would I really enjoy an entire movie of him?

Well, it turns out that I could. Brand was the best thing about the movie - he had me laughing the entire time and he also played the dramatic parts extremely well. I was very surprised.

I have also been up-and-down on Jonah Hill (who plays Aaron Green here). I liked him in Accepted, but he has been really hit-or-miss for me in almost all of his movies. Even in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, as small a role as he had, I despised it.

In Get Him to the Greek, however, I really didn't mind him. Of course, he still isn't my favorite actor on the planet, but he was very serviceable here.

The film starts off with Sergio (P. Diddy, or Sean Combs), who is a record company producer, looking for a way to make some money. Green, a huge Infant Sorrow fan, announces that it has been 10 years since their concert at The Greek Theater and it would be amazing to have an anniversary concert. Sergio thinks about it, and agrees - with one stipulation: Green must get Brand to The Greek in three days (with a stop in NYC in just one).

Brand is in a difficult state at this point. His last record bombed and his lover, Jackie Q (Rose Byrne) has left him - for Lars Ulrich. He has fallen off the wagon, which makes Green's job all the more difficult.

The film had a lot of everything. It had its gross humor, but also just some great jokes. And, like most Apatow movies, there is a moment of drama where the picture can start to pull at your heart strings.

Another thing this film has going for it is the music. Brand's Infant Sorrow was outstanding, and the lyrics to his songs had me rolling.

P. Diddy also did a pretty great job as Sergio. I found his character to be much like Brand's character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall where I could take him in small doses - I seriously hope they don't think about spinning him a movie, that might take it a little too far.

Anyways, pleasantly surprised with the film as I was not expecting too much and very happy that this was the film that Mrs. Kano and I selected to see.

Grade:

Funny People

So, after my last list of movies I have watched in my Quick Shots, I realized I have been watching way too many romantic comedies. Now, I don't mind watching them, but I need to mix it up a little. So, I did my best over the three day holiday to steer clear of them.

But, I sort of unfortunately backed into one accidentally. It isn't a full blown romantic comedy, but the core of the film has a lot to do with relationships.

I tossed in Funny People not expecting too much. I had heard from numerous people that they went in expecting a top of the line comedy and came out majorly disappointed. So, I went in expecting nothing and hoped that would help me understand and enjoy the film much more.

George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is your typical stand-up comedian that hits the big time and then becomes way too big even for himself. He has grossed millions of dollars in big-budget comedy films, has the biggest house he could ever want, loads of free stuff and people that basically take care of his every need.

Simmons, over time, has sort of become too big for himself. However, he has just found out that he has a rare form of leukemia (I believe that was the disease, I am not 100% sure) and begins to realize that his life is empty.

Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) is a low on the totem pole comedian. He is just starting out and works in a cafe at a grocery store to make ends meet. He is also staying on his friends pull-out couch. He lives with two other friends, Mark Taylor Jackson (Jason Schwartzman), who has hit it somewhat big with his television show Hey Teach!, and Leo Koenig (Jonah Hill), who is also a stand up comedian, but is a little better at it than Ira.

One night while doing stand up, Simmons bumps Wright to do a short set, but manages to just tell depressing stories to the audience. Wright follows him and begins to make fun of Simmons' crying - "What does he have to be sad about?"

Despite being made fun of, Simmons feels Wright has a bit of writing talent and signs him to be his assistant and write jokes for him.

To me, the meat of this movie was about the relationship that forms between Simmons and Wright. There is also another relationship between Simmons and his ex-girlfriend Laura (Leslie Mann). In that relationship, Simmons feels that the reason he is not happy is because he cheated on Laura and lost her. Again, I feel that that storyline only really strengthened the relationship of Simmons and Wright.

I went in expecting nothing and I feel I did enjoy it a little more than I would have if I was expecting a full-fledge comedy. That being said, it still wasn't the greatest - it was sort of blah. A nice watch, but nothing spectacular.

I did laugh-out-loud a handful of times though. The movie did have some great jokes that kept it flowing, but it just wasn't enough for me.

Grade: