Saturday in The Office

During a lazy weekend a few months ago, I caught up with some of my favorite pals from NBC's The Office in some of their more recent independent feature film roles.  Creed Bratton, who plays wonderfully creepy Creed on TV, plays equally creepy on the big screen as Uncle James in Azazel Jacobs coming-of-age tale Terri. Played wonderfully by newcomer Jacob Wysocki, Terri is a teenager that should be full of angst but can't seem to gather the energy it would take to care.  Overweight, living with an uncle on the verge of senility, with no parents to be found, or really friends for that matter, Terri lets us in to his quiet world of quirkiness.  After missing a lot of school, Terri is pulled into the office of Assistant Principal Fitzgerald (John C. Reilly).  Fitzgerald is the kind of Assistant Principal that most of us would have liked, but never would have admitted to it; he genuinely cares for Terri, even if he doesn't always know the best way to go about doing that.

Even discovering that maybe his friendship with Fitzgerald places him in a category that everyone else already did (the dude wears pajamas to school everyday, need I say more?), Terri grudgingly gives in to becoming friends with the other less desirables in Fitzgerald's posse, such as Chad (Bridger Zadina), a kid who constantly pulls out his hair.  When one of the more popular girls in school, Heather (Olivia Crocicchia) allows a boy to do a very private thing in a very public place, she becomes an outcast that only someone the likes of Terri can sympathize and reach out towards. 

This is where Terri could become really cliché; the part of most teen movies where the lovable loser gets the girl, is accepted by the cool kids, and becomes valedictorian and prom king. However, this film stays away from the coming-of-age playbook and stays true to life, or at least the life we have been presented.  As the tagline states, "We've all been there."  The scenarios may be different but the emotions are the same.

Roger Ebert declared this one of the best movies of the year in 2011.  I wouldn't go that far.  It's slow paced and kind of trickles into an ending, but if you like movies that do not really take you anywhere but allow you a snippet of an inside look into someone's life for a while, give this movie a shot.

The other film I took in was Michael J. Weithorn's directorial film debut, A Little Help, starring Jenna Fischer as Laura, a dental hygienist who is dealing with the aftermath of losing her husband and trying to handle her 12 year old son. This is no Pam Beesly-Halpert; unless maybe you limit your comparison to the drunken Pam at the Dundies.

That is because we spend the majority of the movie watching Laura try to escape her humdrum life through a can of Budweiser. Not very content with her status quo, Laura falls into an even deeper sense of dreariness once her husband is out of the picture, leaving her alone with her already meddlesome family. To everyone Laura is a screw-up, and her reluctance to sue the doctor in her husband's case in order to provide a better life for her and her son is perfect evidence that without "a little help" Laura would be falling off the deep end with no safety net.

The only person that sees Laura in a different light is her brother-in-law; the other member of the family who tends to try and sneak out of family together time whenever he has the chance. The fact that he would like to spend that away time with Laura is just another issue for her to try and handle. There is not a lot that happens in this movie, but what does occur feels authentic for the characters.

While it could have played off very unrealistic for Laura to go with the lie bratty son Dennis (Daniel Yelsky) tells everyone at his new school about the way his father died; it doesn't. After all the put downs and lack of trust to be able to do anything right that Laura receives from her own family, it's not hard to imagine that fessing up is not high on her list of priorities.

 Like Terri, this could be considered an antithesis to the most fast-paced, action-filled movies out there. Although there is a small glimmer of hope that we are leaving her a little better off than where we found her, Laura's storyline does not wrap up in a pretty little bow. But if nothing else, maybe these two stories will allow the viewer to see their own struggles as survivable.

 Besides, it sure beats a day in the office next to a co-worker like Dwight Shrute.

And the Nomination Goes to...

For a full list of nominations for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, click here: http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/83/nominees.html

The Oscars, hosted by Anne Hathaway and Best Actor nominee James Franco, will be held on February 27th. 33 days to go -- happy watching!

Golden Globes Recap

Tonight marked the 68th annual Golden Globe Awards, one of my favorite award shows, not only because the stars are able to drink during the show, usually adding an extra dimension to their speeches, but it also manages to combine the best of both film and television in the watchable span of 3 hours. In keeping with the curtailed premise, here’s a quick rundown of the highlights and lowlights of the evening.

1. Ricky Gervais hosts: Never one to shy away from controversy, tonight was no exception of the comedian’s “get over yourself” wit. While some of his jokes seemed to go a bit too far, I’m guessing there was some inner chuckling going on amongst the awkward silences and small boos. However, after commenting on having to help the President of the Hollywood Foreign Press, the group responsible for the awards, off the toilet and popping back in his teeth, I have a feeling he will not be asked back.

In case you missed it, here’s a perfect example of his jaw dropping jeering:
“Also not nominated, I Love You Phillip Morris, with Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey, two heterosexual actors pretending to be gay — the complete opposite of some famous Scientologists then.”

2. More crowded than a Black Friday sale: True, the stars get to sit at tables and eat and drink and be merry during the awards. Unfortunately this also means that winners have one last job to perform before accepting their award – find their way out of the maze and onto the stage. Whoever designed the seating chart this year should not place bets in Vegas; many of the winners ended up in tables way in the back, taking lengthy amounts of time to get to the stage only to be cut off by the orchestra halfway through their speeches. And what kind of weird world do we live in when Justin Bieber has a better seat than Al Pacino?!

3. And while we are on the subject of strange decisions of the people behind the scenes, who was directing this show? Talk about odd cut aways to stars that were not remotely related to the actor or project being celebrated on stage. If someone famous is reacting to something on stage, then by all means, let the audience see it. However, if the person looks bored, is talking to someone else, is chewing gum (ahem, Johnny Depp), looks utterly confused (Helena Bonham Carter) or has a name similar sounding to something someone says onstage (Claire Dane's "Holla" is not the same as "Halle" Berry, sorry), then by all means, keep the camera on the person talking.
Also, was it really necessary to go directly to Jane Lynch when Annette Bening was awarded best actress for her portrayal of a lesbian? Tacky.

4. Bleeping out does not equal blindness. So a shocked Diane Warren mouthing "Oh shit" during her long walk to the podium does not need to be bleeped out. We can't hear her. Though thanks to you, we can be sure she said something bad with the rapid cut off of music, almost like an emphasis on the curse.

5. Presenters: Obviously there was a hope to sway younger audiences to watch with some of the presenters who would not be there otherwise (Megan Fox, Justin Bieber) but even youth could not bring life to some of the lame prompts given before the final reading of nominations. There were a few exceptions -- mainly in the form of Tina Fey and Steve Carell for best screenplay, and Robert Downey Jr. for best actress in a comedy. Also Michael Douglas, returning after his recent bout of throat cancer, jokingly referred to the applause of his peers by stating, "just gotta be an easier way to receive a standing ovation."

6. The speeches. The highlights for me -
a. Melissa Leo -- for being so endearingly surprised and humble for winning, while still managing to get in a few funny quips.
b. Chris Colfer -- also adorably clueless at the idea of winning, and not only adding humor but a touching "screw that" to bullies that tell kids they can't be who they are or do what they want to do.



c. Natalie Portman -- for calling her fiance and baby daddy the best actor in the world for playing a character in the film that says he would not sleep with her character. "It's not true, he totally wants to sleep with me!"
d. Aaron Sorkin -- for telling his daughter to look around the room and note that "smart girls have more fun".

Overall, not a lot of surprises throughout the night (I mean, did you really think a movie like Burlesque could beat The Kids are All Right?) but still interesting enough to watch, if only to see if Ricky Gervais would be allowed to end the show (he was - though luckily no one seemed to be listening as he thanked God for making him an atheist).

I myself am thanking God that the SAG Awards are less than 2 weeks away, and Oscar nominations will come out January 25th for the Super Bowl of award shows, taking place on February 27th.

Toy Story #3

When Toy Story first came out, it was the beginning of a new era of digitalized cinema. It was innovative and exciting. And it was fun. So much fun that there was no surprise that a sequel was in order. As almost all sequels go, Toy Story 2 was not as good as the first, but it was still nice to see our old friends again.

This go round our old friends have not aged much, but their beloved owner Andy sure has. Now 18 and off to college, the toys from his past face a new crisis; what happens to a toy once they are no longer deemed a prized possession?

Through a series of missteps Buzz, Woody, and the gang find themselves in a sort of toyland utopia – a daycare center, where they will be played with all day by children who will never tire of them and will never grow old, as a new set of enthralled youth will run through the doors for years to come.

However, the animated world is not lost to the saying “too good to be true.” Soon the toys find themselves looking to escape slobbering toddlers for their former owner even if the best scenario involves being tossed in an attic for years to come.

As Andy has matured, presumably the audience has as well, as there is a darker feel to parts of the movie that were not there before. Sure, we had the evil kids in the former films, but a sinister undertone is given to some of the new toys encountered along the way that may be a bit frightening for younger viewers. I mean one is a clown and let’s face it; those things can freak out some adults (ok, I’ll admit it, namely me).

The film is not as enjoyable as its predecessors, but can still be a lot of fun. The addition of Ken and Barbie bring freshness to the sense of nostalgia looking back on the toys we loved, not only from the series, but from our own childhoods.

Word on the street is that the 3D action is fairly tame and probably not worth the extra money (I’ll have to take the word of those that can actually see 3D as I cannot). But this is definitely worth seeing as a theater release. Even if you know it is time to move on (and it is Pixar, please don’t go “to infinity and beyond” with sequels) it still is nice to spend some quality time with those good childhood friends.

#2: Knight and Day

Like most summer blockbusters, there are a lot of reasons Knight and Day should not work. Full of plot holes and implausible scenarios, loud flashy action scenes, and time space continuum conundrums the smartest of academics would have trouble explaining. And yet there is something that catches the attention and lets you ignore all that and enjoy the ride.

June (Cameron Diaz) is on her way back home to her sister's wedding after picking up a car part in Kansas. On the flight, she meets Roy (Tom Cruise), a seemingly charming man she bumped into at the airport. Here is where the crazy impracticalities begin. After some plane mishaps, the action never really stops. Neither does the traveling to far away places in short amounts of time. And of course regardless of life endangerments and entanglements, there is still plenty of time for romance...between complete strangers who know nothing about each other...throw in some double agent like government officials, foreign bad guys, and a tagalong socially-inept genius and who wouldn't be thinking of making out rather than surviving.

Whenever a film goes through a stack of screenwriters like this one, there are always continuity issues. The overuse of CGI can only do so much to distract from those issues. The one thing that stops this film from being a complete disaster is the chemistry between Cruise and Diaz. Comic timing and facial expressions make the actors seem as if they are part of the joke; they know there are problems but are just going with it and asking us to do the same. And you should; it is a silly loud summer blockbuster in the best sense of the genre. If that is your kind of summer entertainment, take this one in.

Movie #1: (500) Days of Summer

Sometimes you can see a movie that tries to be sneaky and clever with the ending and you see it a mile away. Then there are movies like this one, which tell you upfront what you are in for, even if you don't want to believe it.

"This is not a love story," begins the story of Tom and Summer. Tom works at a greeting card company, depicting the perfect words for strangers celebrations, without words for his own. In comes Summer, just like the season, her warmth envelops him, accompanied by scorching heat waves one minute, a fierce storm the next.

We are taken through a non linear course of their entanglement, seeing all the ways that two people can bring each other up and tear each other apart. Brutally honest moments show what relationships are like in the real world. Not to say that emotions are always hidden beneath the surface. A post coital musical number in the park brings Tom's innermost feelings out into the sunshine reality of day.

Quirky, honest, not always pleasant, not always real, this movie is something to see for all those who have been through a non love story of their own. This movie reminds us how we may feel like we never want summer to end, but there is always a different season to embrace just around the corner.

The longest, most expensive Coming Attraction so far...

Let me preface by saying I loved the first Iron Man. I thought it was clever, witty, full of enough action to satisfy most testosterone levels, and enough bad boy charm from Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) to satisfy most ladies. So I was expecting a similar reaction to the sequel, especially under the helm of one of my favorite directors, Jon Favreau. This time around things were just a little...well, off.

Stark is still a narcissistic playboy, but with a little darker edge. Sure, he's got the girl by his side, Pepper Potts, (Gweneth Paltrow), even if their relationship sometimes seems a lot more like business associates than lovers (perhaps that is why the "You complete me" scene from the trailer was nowhere to be found in the finished film.)

When he is not fighting off the ladies, Stark is struggling to keep his suit to himself and out of the governments hands. The bigwigs and his pal Rhodey (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard) would like to get the suits technology into the militarys hands. Of course, if the good guys want it, so do the bad. If all these guys knew the flashlight of a chest behind the suit was slowly killing our protagonist, perhaps they would be a little less eager. Maybe.

What is slowly killing the audience's attention is the use of so many storylines. Any one of the multi-plots could have made for a compelling film. All together and even the massive amounts of CG and the humorous albeit evil villains can not keep the audience fully engaged.

The 2+ hours does appear to speed up anytime the two major baddies show up, especially Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) a shady business competitor, out to outwit Stark and gain the notoriety that the advanced technology of the Iron Man suit would bring. To help him, he hires Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian scientist out for vengeance against the Stark lineage that has unjustly claimed the fame and prestige (not to mention $$$) that Vanko believes should be shared with the son of the senior Stark's former business partner.

Not enough new characters for you? Don't worry, a latex clad Scarlett Johannson (Natalie, Natasha, Black Widow, take your pick) is right around the corner to add a little more cleavage to the mix. And don't forget her role, along with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, to remind everyone that The Avengers movie is only two years away! And in case that is too long for you, Captain America and Thor are also superheroing their way to a multi-plex near you. So please, don't sweat it if this movie doesn't live up to your expectations, the next dozen or so films to come out of this will. They promise.

As more and more Marvel is piled on the movie trailer bandwagon, this flick is still worth a glance. I'd say wait until DVD, but as the temperatures soar, an air conditioned interlude may just be enough to make this worth watching on the big screen. But do your perspiring body and shrinking wallet a favor and head to the matinee.