Monthly Archives: May 2011

Movie Review: Midnight In Paris [2011]

Posted by —

9

Midnight In Paris [2011]

Midnight In Paris [2011]
Director: Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy/Romance
Language: English
Country: USA

Midnight In Paris, Woody Allen’s 41st feature film, has a bit of a misleading trailer. This trailer, which can be viewed below, portrays the movie as a simple romantic comedy set in the gorgeous city of Paris. This is not entirely accurate. Sure, the movie is a love story, and it’s true that it is set in Paris, but there is a startling twist that throws everything in a different direction. While many reviewers have found the need to spoil this twist, I feel that it would be an injustice to reveal the movie’s curveball. Consider this a spoiler-free review.

The film stars Owen Wilson as Gil Pender, a bored Hollywood screenwriter who aspires to write a successful novel. Gil and his fiancee, Inez (Rachel McAdams), have joined her parents on a business trip to Paris for a relaxing getaway. Gil immediately falls in love with the city, frequently dreaming of walking in the rain in 1920′s Paris. He waxes nostalgic, often thinking of what he assumes to be greater times. Inez, on the other hand, while appreciative of Paris is more concerned about spending time with her old friend, Paul (Michael Sheen), who just so happens to be visiting as well. Paul is the pseudo-intellectual type, a guy who acts as if he knows everything about everyone, and Sheen plays him to perfection.

Midnight In Paris [2011]

In fact, the acting is pretty damn good all around. I am not an Owen Wilson fan at all, but I enjoyed him here. This might very well be the best role I have seen him in. Rachel McAdams does well as Gil’s bitchy fiancee, although I get the feeling that anyone could have stepped in for this part with little difficulty. The supporting cast, however, is what really helps this movie. Corey Stoll, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard and Tom Hiddleston, to name a handful, all have fun roles of varying degrees of importance. Cotillard, in particular, shines as the beautiful and charming Adriana. Without getting too much into their actual characters (for risk of spoilers), let’s just say that the cast fits their counterparts perfectly, which is an admirable feat.

Midnight In Paris [2011]

It’s clear from the film’s opening three minute montage that Woody Allen is enamored with Paris, and this is basically his love song for the city. There are some truly stunning shots of the City of Light, and this movie really makes me want to go back and visit.

Unfortunately, while Midnight In Paris has a strong cast and some marvelous shots of the city, the movie itself feels a bit flat. The aforementioned “twist” is initially intriguing, but the jokes and running gags related to it grow old after a while. I didn’t find the movie as funny as others did, although Adrien Brody’s cameo had me cracking up. Also, even though many of the small roles were entertaining, it felt like the movie introduced way too many characters and gave them little to work with. Even some of the more “important” characters kind of disappeared into the background after originally being introduced.

Essentially, Midnight In Paris is a good, but not great, movie. It has some interesting ideas, but never quite lives up to its potential. However, this is a must-see for those who fancy American literature and European artists as there are numerous references to Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds, Picasso and Dali, to name a few. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then you may want to pass.

6.5/10

Movie Review: Bridesmaids [2011]

Posted by —

2

Bridesmaids [2011]

Bridesmaids [2011]
Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Comedy
Language: English
Country: USA

Is this the beginning of a new genre? The raunchy “Chick Flick”?

Bridesmaids is not your typical romantic comedy. In fact, to call it as such is a bit of a disservice. Many have compared this movie to The Hangover, which is a fair comparison, even if Bridesmaids doesn’t quite reach the level of the other’s Vegas shenanigans.

Kristen Wiig stars as Annie, the maid of honor for her best friend’s (Maya Rudolph as “Lillian”) upcoming wedding. While dealing with the stresses of this important role, Annie’s life starts to collapse all around her. She struggles to handle the possessive Helen (Rose Byrne), a bridesmaid who feels the need to take control of the pre-wedding events. She has issues with her job at a jewelry store, frequently scaring off customers with her “love is doomed” rantings. Her love life is in disarray; her current sleazy “boyfriend” (an uncredited Jon Hamm) is more of a self-labeled fuck buddy, and he treats her like shit. Annie is definitely a sad case, but damn if she isn’t funny as hell!

Bridesmaids [2011]

I have never been a huge Kristen Wiig fan. She is pretty much hit-or-miss for me, and I never really fell in love with anything she’s done. That has all changed with Bridesmaids. This is Wiig’s movie when all is said and done (she even co-wrote it), and she has some damn good comedic chops here. Her brand of physical comedy is hilarious, particularly during an elongated airplane scene in which she is unbelievably inebriated. Her timing is great, and she shows strong chemistry with her fellow women on screen, including a surprisingly hilarious dance-off with Maya Rudolph. I can really see this being the start of big things with Wiig.

The rest of the cast is great as well. The aforementioned Byrne excels as the wealthy rival of Annie. The other bridesmaids, played by Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper and Melissa McCarthy, all have their moments, but I thought McCarthy surprised the most. She is perhaps the most crude of the bunch, and she has some hilarious moments on the airplane ride with someone she suspects is an Air Marshal. In a movie dominated by women, Chris O’Dowd’s police officer character is really the only likable male to be found, and he is certain to charm the ladies.

Bridesmaids [2011]

While some traditional “Chick Flick” moments are in place, Bridesmaids does not hesitate to bring on the raunchiness. There are a lot of relentless sex jokes and vulgar language, and there is even a ridiculously over-the-top scene that involves excessive human excrement. Yeah, this movie goes there.

I could have done without some of the more slapstick sequences, but for the most part Bridesmaids is a hilarious romp from beginning to end. Consider me a Kristen Wiig fan from this point forward — I can’t wait to see what she does next. Guys, don’t be afraid to give this movie a shot. This is a lot of fun for both genders, no doubt.

8/10

Beer Review: Pauwel Kwak [Brouwerij Bosteels]

Posted by —

0

Pauwel Kwak [Brouwerij Bosteels]

Pauwel Kwak
Brewery: Brouwerij Bosteels [Belgium]
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 8.5%

After driving over 600 miles in the last two days, I greatly needed a good beer tonight. After much deliberation, I opted to go with an old, reliable choice: Pauwel Kwak, a very unique Belgian Strong Ale.

What makes Kwak so unique is that it uses a distinct glass that is unlike any other I have seen, Belgian or otherwise. The brewery claims that the glass, as shown above, was designed by one Pauwel Kwak, an early 19th century innkeeper. The story goes that the inn was a popular target for mail coaches, but the coachmen were not allowed to leave their coach/horses. Therefore, they could not have beer. Our man Pauwel created a glass that could be hung on the coach, and this type of glass is still used today, currently with the wooden contraption to hold it. During my trip to Belgium last year, I made sure to pick up an authentic glass to bring back home.

This is a beer that is all about presentation, and this is what makes it stand out from other Belgians. However, Kwak is still a damn good tasting beer. When poured into its trademark glass, Kwak has a deep amber color and smells of caramel and dark sugar. Its taste is of caramel, toffee and even some hints of bananas. There is a bit of spiciness, too, which I am noticing for the first time tonight. The higher ABV is apparent, but the beer remains easily drinkable regardless.

While some might be quick to dismiss this as a novelty or gimmick beer, I don’t think that is fair at all. It is true that using the proper glass enhances the drinking experience, but Kwak is still a great, great beer that ranks among my favorites. Plus it’s always fun to have a friend try it for the first time without knowing anything about it beforehand.

10/10

Video Game Review: Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

Posted by —

2

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

Homefront
System: Xbox 360
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Kaos Studios
Release Date: March 15, 2011

The year is 2027. North Korea has a new leader, Kim Jong-un (Kim Jong-il’s son), and he is hellbent on world domination. After uniting both North and South Korea together, the Republic has taken over Japan and has now begun a devastating assault on the United States. The US military has been incapacitated by an EMP strike, and the entire West Coast is in disarray. Small pockets of resistance forces have popped up to fight the Republic, and Homefront places you in the middle of one these renegade groups. This is a pretty interesting concept since most first person shooters are based on foreign soil, and ultimately it was this premise that inspired me to look into Homefront. Unfortunately, this great idea is poorly utilized.

The first thing I noticed about Homefront is that it looks like every other FPS on the Xbox 360. The character models and environments remind me of the Battlefield: Bad Company games, and many of the levels have similar thematic elements to Call of Duty. In essence, Homefront comes off as a poor man’s version of both.

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

The single player campaign is short. Painfully short, actually. At just 4-5 hours in length, you can complete it in one evening of play, if you so desire. I can deal with short campaigns if they are well thought-out enough, but Homefront’s killer concept quickly deteriorates into a generic formulaic design. Every level is basically urban warfare where you shoot a bunch of Koreans, run to the next location, shoot some more, and then continue repeating this process. There is little in the way of variance, outside of one mission where you get to fly a helicopter. I had no attachment to any of the characters, and I found that the scenes where emotions were meant to be evoked were rather dull and lifeless. Throw in some idiotic and slow-moving AI characters (who you have to follow through the *entire* game), some ridiculous product placement (I can’t even tell you how many NOS/Full Throttle vending machines were “randomly” in the way) and just general lack of excitement, and you have a very underwhelming campaign.

Homefront’s multiplayer mode, on the other hand, is clearly where the game redeems itself. While fairly light on modes/options, the multiplayer is significantly better than its single player brethren. Online games can host as many as 32 players, which can create some crazy and chaotic experiences. Leveling up is the ultimate goal online, and the game uses a fun Battle Points system that allows for the purchase of vehicles and weapon upgrades. While the multiplayer isn’t anything groundbreaking, it is a refreshing change of pace from Call of Duty, and it has a good-sized community at the moment.

Homefront [Xbox 360, 2011]

It should be noted, however, that online play is severely limited if you buy Homefront used or if you rent the game. Without an online code found in new copies of the game, you can only build your character up to level 5, which means you will miss out on many of the great perks available at later levels. You can buy an online pass for $10, but this extra fee will surely infuriate many gamers.

In short, Homefront is a tale of two games. The single player campaign could have been great, but it didn’t even come close to living up to its full potential. The multiplayer experience is much better, and gamers who play exclusively online will get a lot more out of this. I would recommend renting Homefront if you are curious about the game, but there’s no way in hell I would advise paying its normal $60 price tag.

6/10

Quick & Dirty #4: Meat Wave, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, L.A. Noire (and others)

Posted by —

1

It’s time for another edition of Quick & Dirty, the random grab bag of mini-reviews I do every few weeks or so. I have noticed a sharp decrease in my movie watching this month, but I did find some time to tackle the few I haven’t wrote full reviews for. Also, there are reviews for a couple of new and exciting video games, and a new release from my favorite local brewery, Half Acre!

BEER
Meat Wave [Half Acre Brewery]
Meat Wave [Half Acre Brewery]
Friday, May 20, saw the release of Half Acre’s latest brew, an English IPA. I can’t say I have ever had this style of beer, but I liked it a lot. Meat Wave is hoppy and bitter, but not overwhelmingly so in either instance. I was shocked to see that it is 6.5% ABV because this went down real easy and felt lighter than it actually is. Another strong effort from these guys. Vegetarians, don’t worry, this beer is actually meat-free.

MOVIES
Ferris Bueller's Day Off [1986, Hughes]
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off [1986, Hughes]
I just watched this for the first time over the weekend and was pleasantly surprised as to how well it holds up today. Perhaps I am biased because I fell in love with the movie’s gorgeous Chicago scenery, but I thought it was a lot of fun throughout. This is a very funny movie, and it makes me wish I had skipped more high school back in the day. 9/10

The Joneses [2009, Borte]
The Joneses [2009, Borte]
This satirical look at consumerism and suburbia slipped under the radar upon its 2010 theatrical release. It has a good cast, with David Duchovny and Demi Moore leading the way, and I enjoyed the movie’s dark humor. It got a little predictable near the end, but I thought it was decent enough overall. 6.5/10

Watchmen
Watchmen [2009, Snyder]
After reading the graphic novel (which was absolutely awesome), I had to watch the movie immediately. I rented the three hour extended Blu-ray from Netflix to get the most out of it. I watched it with two people who had never read the book or had any idea what the general story was about. They were a bit lost throughout, and I can totally see that. I thought the extended edition was very faithful to the novel, and I think it definitely helps to have read it beforehand. This is a dark and gritty movie that captures the bleak and pessimistic nature of the book, and it’s not really for everyone. While the extended edition started to become exhaustive near the end, I still enjoyed it. 8/10

VIDEO GAMES
L.A. Noire [PS3, 2011]
L.A. Noire [PS3, 2011]
This is one of the rare times I bought a game brand new, on release day no less. I am something like 35% complete so far, and I am still only halfway done with the main cases. I was a little concerned at first since the game holds your hand through the early stages, and the first few cases are quick and easy, but now the cases are considerably longer and require more skill to finish. I am eternally grateful that this is not just another GTA spinoff. Instead, this has all of the makings of a good film noir, and it has made me want to watch more movies (and read some novels) in the genre. Once I finish the game, I will have a full review available. Right now I am loving it, and it definitely seems deserving of all its hype.
You Don't Know Jack [Xbox 360, 2011]
You Don’t Know Jack [Xbox 360, 2011]
I played this with some friends over the weekend and had a great time. I used to have a few of the YDKJ computer games back in the day and they were always a blast to play. This is just like the old games, complete with Cookie as the host. I am glad to see a new YDKJ and hopefully it is a sign of more to come.

Beer Review: John John Dead Guy Ale [Rogue Brewery]

Posted by —

0

John John Dead Guy Ale [Rogue Brewery]

John John Dead Guy Ale
Brewery: Rogue Brewery [Newport, OR, USA]
Style: Maibock
ABV: 6.40%

I am a fan of both Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale and barrel aged beers, so when I saw Rogue’s John John Ale sitting in the local store, I had to pick up a bomber of it. John John is basically Dead Guy Ale that has been aged in whiskey barrels for at least two months, so it definitely seemed like something that would be right up my alley.

When poured into a glass, this ale has a hazy copper look to it and a nice whiskey smell. The initial tasting has light whiskey notes, but also a much sweeter taste than I expected. The whiskey flavor becomes more prominent as the glass grows lighter, which I am appreciative of. Unfortunately, that’s about it when it comes to flavor. There is a slight detection of oak and maybe a little vanilla, but the barrel dominates everything.

This is essentially a darker version of the Dead Guy Ale, but it is a bit too “one note” for my liking. John John Ale is not a bad beer at all, but it is a bit disappointing in terms of barrel aged options. If you want a stronger Dead Guy, I would advise the Double Dead Guy Ale.

6/10

R.I.P. Randy Savage

Posted by —

3

Today is a sad day for the world of entertainment. “Macho Man” Randy Savage, a former professional wrestler and occasional movie actor, died in a car accident at the age of 58. “Mach” was a major part of my childhood, and I am very saddened to hear of his passing. I grew up watching pro wrestling, mainly on weekends with my father, and Savage was always one of my favorite wrestlers. He was incredibly charismatic and could have a good match with anyone, plus he had one hell of a gorgeous manager (his real life wife at the time, Miss Elizabeth, who passed away in 2003).

Movie fans will remember Savage for his role as Bonesaw in the 2002 film, Spider-Man:

Who could forget Macho Man’s awesome Slim Jim commercials back in the day? “Art thou bored???”

The man could give some insane promos, too. Here a couple of classics:

R.I.P. Macho Man, you will be missed.

Movie Review: Machete [2010]

Posted by —

1

Machete [2010]

Machete [2010]
Directors: Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez
Genre: Action/Crime/Thriller
Language: English
Country: USA

Originally introduced via a fake trailer for the 2007 double feature, Grindhouse, Machete was turned into a full-length film last year. With Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis at the helm, this had all the makings for a riotous throwback to the old-school exploitation flicks.

Machete stars the always badass Danny Trejo as Machete Cortez, a former Mexican Federale who has been double-crossed by corrupt politicians while working as a hitman. In his quest to get revenge, he becomes entangled in an intense conflict involving illegal immigration. The whole storyline is pretty ridiculous and probably too spread-out for its own good, but it sets the tone for gratuitous violence and all-around trashiness.

Machete [2010]

If you’re offended by gory deaths, excessive blood spray, and full-frontal female nudity, then obviously Machete is not for you. This is a film that revels in its excess, and loves every second of it.

For an exploitation flick, Machete has a pretty impressive cast. Steven Seagal is a brutal drug lord who killed Machete’s wife three years before the film’s events. Robert De Niro plays Senator McLaughlin, a corrupt politician who is vehemently against illegal immigration, often resorting to violence against those trying to cross the border. Jeff Fahey is his right hand man, filling in with the same role he had in the faux trailer. Jessica Alba is an Immigrations Officer who is trying to crack the underground immigration network. Michelle Rodriguez probably does the best job overall as the sexy “taco truck lady” who also happens to be leading the revolution. Throw in some hilarious bit roles from Cheech Marin (Machete’s priest brother), Don Johnson (a border vigilante) and even Lindsay Lohan (a junkie rich girl, not far from Lohan’s reality), and you have quite the eclectic cast.

And of course, it’s good to see Danny Trejo get his first lead role after countless small parts over the years.

Machete [2010]

Machete is good for what it is, no doubt, but it felt like something was missing overall. It almost seemed like the movie tried to do too much at once, and lacked some overall cohesion. It’s still a lot of fun with some great action scenes and hilarious one-liners, but I can’t help but feel it could have been even better. It will be interesting to see what Rodriguez comes up with for Machete Kills, the inevitable sequel.

7/10

Book Review: “The Book of Basketball” by Bill Simmons

Posted by —

0

"The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons

The Book of Basketball
Author: Bill Simmons
Original Release: October 27, 2009

Bill Simmons’ “The Book of Basketball” is huge. Well, perhaps “huge” is an understatement. This sucker is massive, a full 700 pages of material. This is the Sports Guy given free reign to write as much as he wants about his favorite subject, basketball.

The Book of Basketball is essentially split up into two main sections. The first half of the book is all over the place, but its main focus is on the history of the sport from its inception through 1984. Why stop at 1984, you ask? As Simmons says, “I needed something extra for the paperback.” Outside of the written history, Simmons lists his top 33 “What If?” scenarios and includes a lengthy chapter on the immortal Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell debate (his take? Russell, easily). In the second half of the book, Simmons creates his fantasy Hall of Fame in what is essentially his list of the top 96 players of all time, all of whom are ranked in different tiers. It is a very, very long list, and ideally could have been a full-length book in its own right. He also writes about the best teams of all time, and his theoretical best lineup using players of all eras. To put it mildly, this is an exhaustive book.

Given the elongated nature of this opus, it is not surprising that Simmons has a tendency to ramble. He gets off on tangents very easily, often writing about random pop culture nuggets in comparison to the NBA. He is able to get away with this for the most part by including footnotes at the bottom of nearly every single page in the book. Seriously, the dude has a footnote fetish. Some pages have footnotes that take up at least half of the text. This bizarre format definitely takes some getting used to, but the notes are usually entertaining.

This free-form rambling is both a gift and a curse, although Simmons does have a knack for some well-timed jokes. He is a genuinely funny writer, and I found myself laughing a lot while reading. I could have done without some of his 80s pop culture references (was a rant comparing Kobe Bryant to Teen Wolf really necessary?), but for the most part this is a wildly entertaining book.

If you are a fan of the sport, you will enjoy The Book of Basketball. While its excessive length is daunting and could have been trimmed a bit, I found the book to be a surprisingly quick read. Nearly every subject in NBA history is touched upon, and really, who doesn’t enjoy reading lists about the greatest (of anything) of all time? Bill Simmons is a man who knows the game inside out and isn’t afraid to tackle any issue, even discussing racial differences at length, and this makes him all the more gratifying.

8/10

- Helpful tip: If you do end up reading this book, make sure you have this Interactive Guide open in your browser. It has video clips and other helpful media to correspond with what Simmons is talking about.