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:

Good Will Hunting

I had yet another math movie problem to solve, this time with the film Good Will Hunting. I have to admit it had been years since I had seen this film, but it was a welcomed surprise.

The movie is very well done - math aside - as Will (Matt Damon) is down a very bad path despite being truly gifted in mathematics, as well as other areas of study. Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) notices his gift and quickly tries to get Will help so that someday he can help the world with his solving of complex mathematic problems.

The issue, however, is that Will is extremely troubled. He won't let anyone in all of the way, and if anyone gets too close to him he pushes them away or does something to get rid of them. The only people he really trusts are his friends Chuckie (Ben Affleck), Morgan (Casey Affleck) and Billy (Cole Hauser) and that's because they don't ask too many questions and would do anything that he asks.

After multiple psychiatrists, Will finally was handed over to Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) an old roommate of Lambeau. For some strange reason, Maguire was able to handle what Will tossed at him - and he went at his own pace letting Will control the process.

Finally, Sean was able to get through to Will - which was ab absolutely mesmorizing scene.

Both Damon and Affleck were superb in their roles as well as Minnie Driver's Skylar.

But, the person that truly stuck out in this film is Robin Williams. It was an amazing performance, one that even landed him a best supporting Oscar.

It got me thinking about comedic actors turning dramatic - which not many are able to do. But a few stuck out to me:

I just watched Adam Sandler in Reign Over Me, which to me may be his best work to date. He was amazing in that film, and I feel may have been looked over for an award as well.

We can't forget Jim Carrey in The Truman Show or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind even though he didn't go fully dramatic - but it also wasn't full on comedy, there was a lot of emotion in his performances.

One I haven't seen yet, but heard is a good role for him was Will Ferrell in Stranger Than Fiction.

I am sure there are more out there, but these stuck out to me. When you think of their names you automatically think comedy - but they also appear to have the acting chops to play dramatic as well.

As for the grade for the film. It has been pointed out to me that I may have been giving some of my former movies a lower grade than I should have. For some reason I was unable to give any movie an excellent grade when really it should, because the next step up is best of the best. So, I will try to be more giving in my grades - starting now.

Grade:

Step Brothers

This movie borders on the insane, yet still has that weird undertow that you sort of can follow.

Step Brothers stars Will Ferrell as Brennan Huff and John C. Reilly as Dale Doback. The two are each 40 year olds who still live at home with their single parents.

Huff lives with his mother, Nancy (Mary Steenburgen), and has at least tried to hold down a job in his life - despite recently being fired from PetSmart.

Doback stays with his father, Robert (Richard Jenkins) and from what I can tell tried to go to college, but decided to go into the family business - which is hard to do when your father is a doctor.

At a medical conference, Robert and Nancy meet and of course one thing leads to another. The families merge and become one big "happy" family.

It's pretty obvious at first that Dale and Brennan do not like their new arrangements - and even quarrel nonstop. So much so, that Robert and Nancy give them a small amount of time to find a job and then get out of the house.

At a family dinner, Nancy's other son, Derek (Adam Scott) and his family come to dinner. Derek is the more successful of the brothers - and in a flashback we learn crushed Brennan's dream to become a singer.

As Derek is making fun of both Brennan and Dale, Dale becomes enraged and punches Derek in the face - knocking him out of their treehouse. This not only impresses Brennan, but Derek's wife Alice (Kathryn Hahn) as well - who apparently is no longer into Derek.

It's here that Dale and Brennan find out that they have a ton in common and truly become brothers.

The movie is produced by Judd Apatow, who continues to reign over every comedy ever made (so it seems).

Ferrell and Reilly obviously have chemistry together, as they have been together a number of times - the movie was pretty funny and was pretty easy to watch and follow.

Not a high-end comedy in my opinion, but certainly one I could watch again.

Grade:

25 Days: Elf

I must admit that I did laugh out plenty of times last night while watching Will Ferrell as Buddy in Elf.

Buddy is an orphan who climbs into Santa Claus' (Ed Asner) sack one Christmas Eve night and ends up at the North Pole.

Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) raises Buddy as his own - and as an elf - despite his huge size difference to the other elves.

After overhearing a few other elves speak about him being a human, Buddy sets out to New York City to find his birth father, Walter (James Caan).

Buddy, however, despite being about 30 years old still has the mind of a child and is constantly trying to spread Christmas cheer wherever he goes.

The only thing that convinces Walter that Buddy is his child is a blood test - and even then it appears that Buddy is more of a nuisance to him than a son. Walter's other son, Michael (Daniel Tay) is also neglected by his father - who is a bigshot children's book producer.

Buddy also falls for a girl who works at the Gimbels Department Store, Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) - and takes her out on his first ever date, and even gets his first ever kiss.

After interrupting a very important meeting that might cost Walter his job - Walter unleashes on Buddy and throws him out of his office. Buddy decides to leave and on his way sees that Santa's sleigh hs crashed in Central Park.

This is where things get sort of weird for me. I know that a movie only has a short amount of time to tell a story, but when Michael comes to get his father to come help find Buddy - it was an awfully quick turn around for Walter. I mean this man has been married to his job for years, including blowing up at Buddy not a few hours before - and all of a sudden he is a great family man, I don't buy it.

The story itself was rather interesting - Ferrell did a great job as Buddy and I really enjoyed Deschanel as Jovie. I think she is a really underrated actress.

I wasn't as thrilled with Caan's performance but I guess he was going for a Scrooge-like character that all of a sudden catches the Christmas spirit.

A decent film that one can watch each Christmas - but doesn't truly leave a lasting impression.

Grade:

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Will Ferrell!