Oscars Flick Picks

WAS IT AS EXPECTED?

NO!

The long awaited season premier of the non “High School Musical” high school musical finally arrived last Wednesday, and I have to admit that I was “Gleeked” out! After viewing the hilariously entertaining pilot a few months ago I read everything I could find concerning the show, about the characters, about the music, even about the creators, and if I could have paid the price I wold have gone to the Comic Con convention in San Diego to try to sit on the panel reviewing the show.

So, sitting in my recliner and warming up the 46 inch flat panel I was expecting to be entertained and amused. Was I? Well, yes and no. First of all I have to say that anticipation is the enemy of satisfaction. It is much better to watch something not knowing what to expect than it is to have high expectations that leave the reality feeling flat. And flat was what I was feeling at the conclusion of the program.

The Cast of Glee

What I liked about the pilot, and what I was expecting to see more of in the premier, was the same sweet and snarky, offbeat humorous characters, along with the inappropriately orchestrated music as I saw in the pilot. Yeah sure, the same characters were all there, although the individual club members weren’t given much face time, and yes, the music was great, but the overall theme of the show just left me cold.

I’m no prude when it comes right down to it, but I thought that the writers’ choice of sex for the theme was a mistake. Some of it WAS funny, I have to admit, but some of the humor went from snarky and irreverent straight to raunchy, especially the scene involving balloons at the “Celibacy Club”. In fact, that whole scene fell along the expected plot device of sex starved and repressed teens trying to convince themselves that abstinence is the only solution to promiscuity while the lone outcast Glee member informs them that condoms will save the day. Puleez!

In addition, there is the bit with the football player/Glee member who has a problem with premature ejaculation but uses the memory of hitting a pedestrian while in driver training to prevent consummation. It WAS startling, but NOT funny.

But the music…Ah YES! The music! Probably the best performance was the Clubs version of Kanye West’s “Gold Digger”, with Glee leader/teacher Mr. Schuester singing the lead. Totally a white bread kinda guy, Matthew Morrison as Schuester pulls off the improbable with a great rendition. In fact, ALL of these actors a good singers, but since they have to lip synch the songs to a studio recorded track it sometimes looks hokey and fake, but it IS their own voices so I guess that is OK.

And the student assembly performance of Salt ‘N Peppa’s “Push It” was just this side of great as well. Totally inappropriate for the occasion it was none the less hilarious and well done. But take away the music and the program just falls flat. Is it enough to get me to tune in one more time? Yes, it IS! But if the plot devices and writing continue the same type of reductionist and derivative story telling then I’ll just have to go elsewhere for entertainment.

My Rating for the first episode is a disappointing

Share on Facebook

I Will Not Be Duped Again!

OK, I’ve been punked by Sandler and Rogen for the very last time. I’ve already given up on Ben Stiller, the purveyor of excrement (literally) humor, and swore to never see another of his flicks, and now it is time for me to place Sandler and Rogen in a permanent “time out”.

Their latest lame attempt at humor, “Funny People” is not very funny. Oh yeah, sure, there are some funny bits in it, but it would have been much better if they had gone totally slapstick on us instead of imitating “serious” actors trying to play comedians. On top of that the humor they DID try to pass off on us was of the “in your face” profanity laced sex jokes that, honestly, stopped being funny in 10th grade.

What is it with these guys anyhow? Does writer Judd Apatow think that the rest of the film going public are just as profane and venal as he apparently is? I mean, why ELSE would he always fall on this type of stuff and call it humor?

So OK, I get it! Judd and his buds sit in a room and write to make each OTHER laugh, THEN they say to themselves, “WOW! Dude, like THAT was so funny!” Sorry guys, it’s NOT! In fact, audiences are discovering just that too! It’s not that I’m just some old fossil that has lost touch with the real world.

And what is with the length of this film…two and a half freakin’ HOURS? Did they seriously forget to turn it over to the editors, or did they think they were doing a remake of “The Ten Commandments”? If it were properly done this film should have run at 90 to 100 minutes and given our “rhoids” a break!

This is truly a shame because Sandler CAN be funny and Rogen really CAN act, but this movie reeks of “the boys” coming up with a skit and then beating the life clear out of it. Adam should stick to making second rate films that are mildly funny and Rogen should get another agent before his career gets pidgeonholed into roles that he will soon be too old for.

Sorry guys, I only rate “Funny People”

Share on Facebook

Farrell’s “Land Of The Lost” a waste of time and money.

What do you get when you take a bad TV series from the mid seventies and try to make it into a movie forty years later? Why, a very bad MOVIE, THAT’S what!

As was the case with “Drag Me To Hell” last week, this time I also allowed other critics to guide my choice of film watching this weekend, and “Land Of The Lost” was definitely NOT on my list. And, I have to add, from the very first trailer I saw in the theater I resolved to make a point of NOT seeing this film. My decision wasn’t made on just the trailer, though, for I had soured on Farrell as a comedian long ago, sometime around his role as a glandular, adoptive elf, and have found little else to change my mind in the meantime.

From what I could see of the, not so special, special effects I was unimpressed with the effort, and what humor there was in the trailer was of the common, gross out type with predictable sight gags and stupid lines.

Why does Farrell let himself be used like this? In short sketches he can be very funny, and although I haven’t seen it, I’ve read that his send up of “W” is hilarious. So what’s the deal?

MY opinion is that Farrell has capitalized on his early success on “Saturday Night Live” and parlayed it into an up and down film career that has made him into a household name and garnered him a crapload of money. Can’t blame him for taking advantage of the opportunities, but that doesn’t mean that we have to swallow the crap that he has dished out to us in the past.

From what I have read, and the reviews are pretty much universal on this, “Land Of The Lost” was made with no idea on who it was appealing to. If the appeal was to those of us who remember the series then the promoters were ignoring the demographics of who actually goes to see the movies. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, none of my friends who actually watched it still speak endearingly of the series. In fact, they are all unanimous in panning the cheesiness of the whole thing. Is THAT nostalgia? I don’t think so.

If the target audience is supposed to be families, then why the sexual humor? Did the producers believe that middle America shares their blasé attitude toward what is appropriate for kids? And not only THAT, but what about some of the scary images? That pretty much rules out small kids, too!

So, why would any clear minded adult plunk down $10 to see a brain dead, alleged, comedy? The answer is….They WOULDN’T! And for some perspective on the matter, on Saturday night the weekend gross for the dismal “Land” was a pitiful $18 million, while Pixar’s “UP” took in $44 million in first place in the second week of its run, and the gross out comedy “Hangover” took in $43 million for second place.

“Land Of The Lost” may cover its production costs and, just maybe, make a little money besides, but that doesn’t make it a successful film.

Sorry, Will, it’s not personal, you just SUCK as a film comedian!

Share on Facebook