Now Very Bad...

...now bass solo.

2009

The Hangover (2009)

#140RVW

Results may vary. I thought it was really funny, although I’ll never understand how this became a franchise. Launched Galifianakis; #result

The Hangover

What’s more:

This was a bit of a sleeper. It looked funny, but not that funny. Really delivered on its potential. If you like this kind of movie, of course.

The Hangover

The script is really good, and the dialogue funny as hell, but the actors really sell this story. There’s some really good physical acting by the three principals and a bevy of ensemble players.

I won’t be reviewing the sequels because I’d have to watch them.

The Hangover

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

Fail

Main Cast Zach Galifianakis Alan, Bradley Cooper Phil, Justin Bartha Doug, Ed Helms Stu
Rating R
Release Date Fri 05 Jun 2009 UTC
Director Todd Phillips
Genres Comedy
Plot Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. They make their way around the city in order to find their friend before his wedding.
Poster The Hangover
Runtime 100
Tagline Some guys just can’t handle Vegas
Writers Jon Lucas (written by) &, Scott Moore (written by)
Year 2009

Zombieland (2009)

#140RVW

I don’t get the whole zombie thing, but this movie is so damn funny that it overcame all that. Single-handedly justifies Harrelson’s career.

Zombieland

What’s more:

The obsession with zombies completely eludes me. I can’t think of a monster movie concept that I have less interest in. I grew up on local channel 38’s Creature Double Feature on weekends. I like my monster movies plenty, although I’m admittedly old school; I prefer that Lugosi or Lon Chaney be in most of them. But I can go in for vampires if done well, and I love the Alien series. Dinosaurs? Love dinosaurs. Frankenstein monsters of any type. I’ll even stop for a giant octopus or two-headed shark if I’m just after fun.

But my science teacher father, who loves all of these,  raised me right and taught me to look for the underlying logic behind the admittedly ridiculous and fantastic. These things didn’t have to be brilliant, but there had to be some sense behind the fantastic. And zombies are bad science. There is so circumstance in which the logical outcome of an infection would lead to eating brains. I can’t get past it.

Zombieland

But the opening sequence of Zombieland is a grabber. Instantly sets the pitch-perfect dark comedic tone for the movie. I caught the first minute while flipping one night and never looked back. This is a star-making role for Eisenberg, and his quirky character and his rules give the movie a great, funny start. Once you get to Harrelson’s Tallahassee you’ve got enough fun to run all night, but don’t forget how important those opening minutes are.

Because the movie is so funny it gets a lot more leeway in the blood and gore department than I usually have stomach for. Don’t be misled: this is a gory, brutal, violent movie. It just doesn’t feel like one. Just stick it out, faint-hearted, time to “nut up or shut up”.

Zombieland

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

Pass

Main Cast Jesse Eisenberg Columbus, Emma Stone Wichita, Woody Harrelson Tallahassee, Abigail Breslin Little Rock
Rating TV-14
Release Date Fri 02 Oct 2009 UTC
Director Ruben Fleischer
Genres Comedy, Horror
Plot A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.
Poster Zombieland
Runtime 88
Tagline Our land is their land.
Writers Rhett Reese (written by) &, Paul Wernick (written by)
Year 2009

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

#140RVW

No so much bad as completely unnecessary. What more did we need to know about this character after he was featured prominently in 3 movies?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

What’s more:

This movie fills in the gaps that were left after 3 X-Men movies that focused nearly exclusively on Wolverine. Wait, what gaps? It’s like when artists like Tom Petty & Bruce Springsteen feel compelled to record “solo” albums; guys, it’s your band, with your name – what, are you being held back?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

So why was this movie necessary? Good question. Let me know if you figure it out; I never did. And that’s really the problem with the movie – it just isn’t really needed. We knew enough about this character; possibly too much. Filling in every gap doesn’t accomplish anything. It may seem to satisfy our need to know everything, but once we do know everything we realize we were probably better off with a little mystery.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Quick thoughts:

  • Liev Schreiber is quite a good villain.
  • Script does the nearly impossible feat of making Sabretooth an interesting character.
  • First sign of trouble: casting a rapper as an actor. Nearly always the wrong choice.
  • The blades have never looked less convincing; stick with practical effects, guys.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

  • Boxing with Blob? Why? Easily the most wasteful five minutes in any Marvel film, ever.
  • Didn’t expect Cyclops to show up. Thought this was just going to be the B team mutants.
  • Sigh, wire work. Always so much wire work.
  • How many times in this movie do Wolverine & Sabretooth have essentially the same fight? Stand twenty feet apart, hold arms out to side and flex, Sabretooth grins, Wolverine yells, and they charge.
  • Some of these effects are really unacceptable for 2009.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Mutant rundown (SPOILERS):
  • Gambit – fights with playing cards and pool cues. Please…This character must have been created during Happy Hour…
  • Someone named Agent Zero. I still can’t figure out if this was supposed to be a mutant, and I’m tired of looking up things that should have been made obvious by the filmmakers.
  • There are mutants named Bolt, well played by the always entertaining Dominic Monaghan, and Kestral, played by the never entertaining will.i.am.
  • His love interest in the movie is a mutant? I admit I started to get bored around this point in the movie. I’m guessing her ability is to advance the plot.
  • Emma Frost looks really cool.
  • Deadpool – I gather that this character has a Boba Fett-type following, though I don’t see it based on the film, although they changed the character’s arc massively. They’re making a movie just for him. Sadly it will also star Ryan Reynolds.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Poster:

Trailer:

Bechdel Test:

Fail

Main Cast Hugh Jackman Logan/Wolverine, Liev Schreiber Victor Creed, Ryan Reynolds Wade Wilson, Danny Huston Stryker
Rating PG-13
Release Date Fri 01 May 2009 UTC
Director Gavin Hood
Genres Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot A look at Wolverine’s early life, in particular his time with the government squad Weapon and the impact it will have on his later years.
Poster X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Runtime 107
Tagline
Writers David Benioff (screenplay) and, Skip Woods (screenplay)
Year 2009