Movie Review: Cedar Rapids

This was one of the few comedies that made it into Sundance this year, and after sitting down to watch it, I can see why. Ed Helms stars as Tim Lippe, an insurance salesman with a slight case of agoraphobia. A last minute decision sends him off to Cedar Rapids for an insurance convention and he is given very specific instructions not to associate with another agent, Dean Ziegler (John C. Reilly). Lippe is a very small fish in a very loud pond when he arrives at the convention, where he unwittingly befriends a prostitute right away (Alia Shawkat from Arrested Development). He also warms up to fellow insurance agents Ronald Wilkes (Isiah Witlock Jr.) and Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Anne Heche) and eventually starts to warm up to Zeigler (Deanzie to his friends). Of course his new friends bring out a side of Lippe he's never seen before and in turn, this three day trip turns into the wake-up call that changes his life forever. Please go see this film! The characters are developed extremely well and the director, Miguel Arteta, really makes them shine! Cedar Rapids opens nation wide in theaters this Friday!

I give Cedar Rapids a 9 outta 10.

Movie Review: Red

So I FINALLY got to see this movie this week! I wanted to see it so badly in theaters, but it just didn't pan out.. Regardless, it was worth the wait. Based on the DC comic of the same name, it was full of action, witty dialog, and kept my attention throughout. It had a great cast: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, and Mary-Louise Parker really made a fun group to watch. And with Karl Urban and Brian Cox popping in from time to time to liven things up, there was never a dull moment. I do have to say, Bruce Willis really didn't do anything spectacular.. he was just Bruce Willis, and Morgan Freeman has played so many parts that this one seemed effortless for him. The true stars of this film were Helen Mirren and John Malkovich. They really made it worthwhile. Mirren, playing a retired CIA operative, introduces herself to Mary-Louise Parker saying "I kill people, dear" with a certain confidence and sweetness about it that made you love her character instantly. Then there's Malkovich, whose character, Marvin, was drugged for so long that his paranoia has made him delusional and a bit off balance, making him by far the most explosive and entertaining character in the bunch. If you have not seen it already, Red is now available on DVD and Blu Ray. Check it out!

I give Red an 8 outta 10!

"Frank, I never thought I'd say this again. I'm getting the pig!"

TV Review: Archer

I didn't expect much from this FX show that looks like it was stolen from Adult Swim, but after sitting down and watching all nine episodes of the first season a while back and now watching this week's second season premier, it really does have a lot to offer. It's like James Bond meets Arrested Development, but animated. Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) is the narcissistic top agent for a secret agency known as Isis, which happens to also be run by his mother (Jessica Walter, from Arrested Development- Go figure). Besides his mommy issues, and his short attention span, he also has to deal with his ex-girlfriend and fellow super spy, Lana (Aisha Tyler) and the rest of the colorful staff at Isis (consisting of Judy Green, Chris Parnell, and more). At the end of the day, it's a wonder they actually succeed at anything, but somehow they always seem to pull through, even though no one seems to really care one way or another. If you like gratuitous violence, snarky dialog, and subject matter that sometimes teeters on the edge of innapropriate, then this is the show for you! Check out the new season of Archer, airing thursday nights on FX.

I give Archer (so far) a 4 outta 5.

TV Review: Being Human

In my continued blogging about shows that have something to do with British television, my next review focuses on the brand new SyFy adaption of the BBC show of the same name. In this show, we have a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost all living together in a house, trying to lead a normal life. It's like The Real World meets Monster Squad! Kinda, but not really. I have seen a couple episodes of the original, and it's not bad, but the new version is less that exciting. The first two episodes have already aired and so far I am still not sure if I'm on board. I can see what they are trying to do, but it's not really doing it for me. The Vampire (Sam Witwer... from the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video games as well as Doomsday on Smallville) is the ever so cliché vampire with a conscious. He's broody like Angel and walks around in the daylight like Edward, and he feels bad that he's a blood sucking fiend with control issues. Next up is his roommate, the werewolf (Sam Huntington: Fanboys and Jimmy Olsen Superman Returns). He's guilt-ridden and tries desperately to keep his transformations a secret, again, something we've seen a dozen times or more. Lastly is the ghost (relative newcomer, Meaghan Rath). She's hot, she's dead, and she doesn't get it. As if they didn't have enough problems already; enter Bishop (Mark Pellegrino: Jacob from Lost!) as the Vamp higher-up who will not stand for these kooky monster-types to live happily ever after! I think my judgment on it is clear, but I am not going to close the book on this one just yet. I'm going to play along a little more, who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised... Maybe.

I give Being Human a 2 outta 5.

TV Review: Shameless

I've never seen the British show of the same name that spawned this American remake, but with this show, I don't even feel the need to go back and explore it's origins because it's great all on it's own. It follows the Gallagher family as they struggle just to get by in a harsh reality. Mom took off, Dad's a useless drunk (William H. Macy), and that leaves big sis, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) alone to take care of the house along with her five younger siblings. Easy enough, right? Never. These kids look out for themselves though, and do quite well for themselves on the mean streets of Chicago, despite not having much to work with. It also helps when the couple that lives next store consists of a nurse and the owner of the bar where Frank (dad) frequents, to keep an eye on him. Each episodes gives you more of a look inside the inner-workings of this tight knit family and shows you that you don't need much to have it all. They really do love each other, and though times are tough, these kids know that they are in it together, and will do what they have to to take care of each other, even if dad isn't as motivated. Besides the great family dynamic, there are also some great supporting characters as well. First off, there's Steve (Justin Chatwin), who falls for Fiona, and will do whatever ti takes to stay in good graces with her, even if he takes it a little too far sometimes. There is also Sheila (Joan Cusack), who struggles with a severe case of agoraphobia and has not left her house in years. Her daughter is being tutored by the very bright Lip Gallagher (Jeremy Allen White), and later on, her role grows when Frank shows up at her door for help, making for an entertaining story line. All in all, it's a great show, and it touches on some great subject matter. If you've got Showtime, you should be watching it, and if not, then that's too bad.

I give Shameless a 5 outta 5.

TV Review: The Cape

Alright, I have given this show a few weeks to figure out how I really feel about it, and I have finally come to a conclusion... It's not horrible, but then again, it's not great. It's like a live-action cartoon! If you take it too seriously, then it becomes ridiculous and over the top (I mean, come on, the main character gets his powers from a cape... calls himself The Cape, and sometimes just wears a hood, hiding said cape). The plot devices are all things we've seen a thousand times before; a little Batman here, a little Spider-Man there, a little of this a little of that, and boom, The Cape was born! But really though, when you get passed all of the corny dialog and the fact that this cape is so very complicated, it's really not that bad, but it's not for everyone, so don't force yourself to get into it if you aren't feeling it. In my opinion, it's much better than No Ordinary Family (The Incredibles, or the Fantastic Four if they never applied themselves) so for that reason alone, I will continue to watch for now. I'm a big fan of supporting characters anyway, and it's got a pretty fun cast, so we'll see what happens.

I give The Cape a 3 outta 5.

Is it really that simple?

Heh.

TV Review: Episodes

This show has a lot of talent behind it... and Matt LeBlanc (which is the running joke in the show thus far). I am a huge fan of British comedies and the two leads; Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan, are both from a great British hour-long sitcom called Green Wing, which can best be described as Scrubs on crack. Greig has also been in Black Books, and even had a cameo in Shaun of the Dead, and I have been a fan of her's for years! In this series, Grieg and Mangan play a pair of married writers, coming off of a hit show in Britain, and are asked to come to Hollywood and adapt their show for an American audience. Over the course of the first few episodes, the show has already made it clear that their version of Hollywood isn't filled with glitz and glamor, but with lies and ass-kissers. The staff at the network are all plastic yes-men, and the exec in charge lives in a bubble where he is all that matters and the rest of the world is there to suit his needs and make him more money. All the while, we see these two Hollywood transplants seeing what's really behind the curtain in this town and reacting in a way that is a little predictable at times, but still very fun and entertaining!

I give Episodes a 4 outta 5.

Movie Review: Black Swan

This movie has gotten so much hype for being brilliant and disturbing and when I finally got the chance to see it, I have to agree. Darren Aronofsky did a fantastic job of showing this girls decent as she risked her sanity to be all that she ever dreamed. Natalie Portman was flawless. She went from being so timid and fragile to powerful and unstable right before your eyes! There is one scene in her dressing room, where she is putting make-up on..... All I have to say is "Damn!" Her transition was complete, and mirrored the plot so well that there was no doubt that she was the 'swan' in question. Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassell, and Barbary Hershey really really rounded out the supporting cast as well, topped off by Winona Ryder playing the old-news former star of the show, who does not take her fall with grace. Every single character was magnificently flawed and complimented the story perfectly, making Nina's (Portman) decline into madness that mush richer and dark.

I give Black Swan a 9 outta 10.

TV Review: Dexter (Seasons 1-5)

First off, WOW. This show is awesome. To all the people that told me I needed to watch it, I am sorry I didn't do it sooner. For a show with such a dark subject matter, it really has a lot of depth and heart. The characters are all every-evolving, and the stories always find a way of keeping up momentum, even when it seems they can't build any higher. Sure, like most shows, there's an episode now and again that really doesn't hold it's own, and some characters continue to piss you off (all the while, you just keep hoping they get killed at some point), but even his sister, Debra, has moments when she shines. :)

Season one was a great introduction to the cast and it shows Dexter struggle with his humanity in a way that is both interesting and relate-able (you know, for a serial killer). As he struggles with his "Dark Passenger" you see how desperate he is to find some normalcy in his life, and how much his girlfriend Rita helps him see how things could be if he was just like everyone else. He learns secrets about his past, and he learns just what family really means to him, and uses it to solidify his grasp on his moral code and cherish what he holds close.

In season two, he starts to falter under the pressure and gets sloppy, coming dangerously close to losing everything he's fought so hard to protect. Though he still lives by his code, he sees how others reacting to his special brand of justice, and has to learn to strengthen his own character and in turn become a little more human in the process.

Season three introduces him to a sort of kindred spirit, and he becomes more comfortable living a double life, but at what cost? He realizes that bringing other people into his world can be more dangerous than anything, and that even though others may seem to be like him, he is still alone in the world and has to put his code above all else before he loses all that he's built for himself.

Season four was the most exciting for me. In it, he became the student and began studying another killer, who seemed to have a healthy balance between his family life and the darker side he kept hidden. But, like usual, once he gets too close, he makes himself vulnerable and in the end pays a major price which changes his life forever.

The most recent season (five) sees him being more selfless than ever when he discovers a girl who was almost too badly damaged to be helped after she was tortured and locked up by her captors. Dexter takes her in and helps her bring her captors to justice, but his past mistakes also come back to haunt him when someone else inside Miami Metro starts to take a special interest in him, and nearly uncovers the truth.

The writing on this show is great, and his little inner monologues and talks with the spirit of his father are great devices to see inside his mind and understand how Dexter views the world and other people in it. His relationships are also very important, and even though he keeps people at a distance, you see how he values them, and the lengths he would go to keep them safe. It's already been picked up for another year, and I can't wait to watch this one as it airs. As long as they keep the core values there and be mindful of 'the code' then I see a very bright future for Dexter... eventually.

I give Dexter (Seasons 1-5) a 5 outta 5

Real Life Super Heroes

For years, we've seen Super Heroes come to life in comic books, cartoons, movies, and TV shows, but now, it seems like the inevitable is upon us. Much like the story depicted in Mark Millar's Kick-Ass (which was developed into the film of the same name, directed by Matthew Vaughn) people have started to put on marks and patrol the streets, looking to do some good. I first heard about this a few days ago, reading an article about a group of heroes in the Seattle area calling themselves the Rain City Superhero Movement, and one of their members; Phoenix Jones, who stopped a car theft in progress. After doing a little more research, I have found that not only are these heroes fighting crime, but they are also helping the homeless and doing community service. Some of them wear masks to protect themselves and their identities from those who would exploit them or do them harm, or just to keep their personal life from being scrutinized by the media and/or others. They also come prepared, wearing body armor and carrying nightsticks and stun guns, as well as other "tools of the trade." They are taking great risks dong what they do, and even Jones himself has already been stabbed in the nine months he's been patrolling Seattle's streets. Unlike the Stan Lee reality show; Who Wants To Be A Superhero? that aired on the SyFy channel, these vigilantes are in it for real, and don't reply on made up powers, but on their wits and their good intentions to go out there and make their communities a better place to live.

These heroes are organizing all over the country. One such hero, Nyx, even moved from her hometown of Kansas City, to New Jersey to team up with another hero by the name of Phantom Zero. They are just a few of many, and in the coming months as their popularity grows, these heroes may just be the first step in turning our world into that of the comics they draw their inspiration from.

I find this whole thing fascinating, and will be following along to see how things develop. Stay tuned here for any updates I may come across, or check out these other sites for more information: http://www.reallifesuperheroes.com , http://www.reallifesuperheroes.org/ and https://rlsh-manual.com/-So__what_is_RLSH__.html

Your Friendly Neighborhood Blogger, Tha Deuce... hahaha, don't worry, I'm not going to be putting on spandex any time soon.

It's a New Year!

Happy New Year! I had to wipe the dust off my blog just now... I (sadly) have not been out to the theatre in a good long while, and I have been SUPER poor, but as part of my New Year's resolution, I have promised myself to blog at least once a week. Once I build some steam back up, it will be even more frequent than that, but I am thinking up some cool things to blog about and put out to the web while I'm in the process of having some 'actually' cool stuff to blog about. :) I am also open to suggestions (thought that doesn't mean I have to listen to them, mwahaha!) so let me know what you think, and I will do what I can... maybe. After all, according to the Mayans, we've got less than 24 months to go, so I might as well make them count!