The New Parents Are In Town

First off. The question I ask the studio executives in Hollywood. This one’s  for you. Why have you never teamed Bette Midler and Billy Crystal together for a movie before? I’m waiting……. Because you took all this time to team two of the cleverest comedic timed individuals to get together for the hilarious movie Parental Guidance. But I guess you learnt your lesson and its better late than never, because these two have never been more on fire. Let me just say Billy you have made up for that craptastic movie “The Tooth Fairy” I mean really what in the world was that. And Bette it has been too long. Stop your nonsense and keep making movies. Anyway, enough of me rambling on about what’s wrong with Hollywood, it’s time to talk about the movie Parental Guidance. When I saw the preview for this movie, I thought this is such a me movie. A bit of holiday fluff with actors who I really enjoy on the big screen. It’s an easy tale, you can tell where the plot is going in the preview and you know there is going to be some immature laughs (which I am a sucker for) you know you are going to get exactly what you see. But I came out of this movie, thinking, this is such a better film than I thought, plus I think they have marketed it wrong and with the wrong target audience in mind. Let me just say, the kids only laughed at the obvious humour, but it was the quick quips that Bette and Billy deliver that make this a very enjoyable adult story. Okay, too much too fast. Let’s get this review happening.

Artie (Billy Crystal) and Diane (Bette Midler) are a bit eccentric as far as grandparents may go. Artie is a sports commentator while Diane is now a retired weathergirl living their own lives. They hardly hear from their daughter Alice (the always excellent Marisa Tomei). Alice is in need of a babysitter for her three children, Harper,Turner and Barker when she is in need of going away for the week with her husband for an award ceremony . After trying all her options, Alice is forced to ask her parents who quickly say yes. What comes next is where the hilarity comes into play. Alice has brought her kids up in the noughties where don’t and no are no longer words in their vocabulary for these parents. Instead we have things like when you have a put down, you need to give three put ups to the person you have offended. Or when you are going to do something bad, instead of no you say, what would the consequences be for your actions. (When I heard this, all I could say was  are you kidding me with this).This is the way parents are now brining up their children. Arite and Diane are from the yester year where their parental skills are very different. After facing reality and with no other options, Alice agrees for them to babysit.

What comes next is where the comedic skills of these two fantastic comedic delights come into play. Billy and Bette bounce off each other extremely well, and let’s just say they really could be married in real life. Being out of their element makes for some very funny scenes. As Billy says, “what’s a poke? (e.g. Facebook) and why is someone trying to poke me?” This fish out of water tale is very funny. But also, the way the movie contrasts today’s parental skills with generations gone by is what makes this movie. Of course there are the obvious jokes for the kids, except I did have a good laugh when the youngest kid decided to rhyme Artie with farty, what can I say sometimes toilet humour never gets old.

But something funny happened when I was watching this film. Instead of it being extremely cliqued it actually became very heart warming and a bit emotional. There are some scenes where the older actors really shine. Marisa Tomei and Billy Crystal have many as well as Bette and Marisa and Bette and Billy. These awesome actors inject something more into a pretty basic premise. What can I say, I do love these actors. Maybe I’m a little bit biased, but it just made the material probably look better than what was on paper. But it’s not only the adult actors who make this enjoyable. The three kids are extremely good in the roles. But the only thing that got to me (I have to have at least one little problem) is that none of them look anything alike. The only one who resembles maybe a family member is the young girl Harper (Bailee Madison) who kinda looked like Marisa Tomei. I kept thinking all through the movie, where we not told that the two other kids were adopted? 

Look this movie isn’t going to win any awards. Nor is it going to change the world of film making, but let me tell you I had fun seeing this. I think I had more fun than most of the people in the session I saw. It is very adult and although I am not a parent I do cringe at some of the things that parents do when disciplining their child. I know half the parents are now going “you don’t know until you have a kid,” well until I have the joy of knowing I can judge if I please. Because this movie sure is giving all the parents out there a little nudge going calm down, I think we are taking the way kids are brought up a little too seriously. Maybe that’s why I liked this movie so much.  Plus one more praise for Bette and Billy. What can I say, they are great. Go and enjoy it. 3.5/5

Embrace these Wallflowers

I must admit I haven’t read the novel this book is based upon by Stephen Chbosky. I mean now I wouldn’t mind reading it, but knowing that the writer also wrote the screenplay plus directed his own work makes me feel that this would be a faithful interpretation. But let me tell you, I’m actually glad I never read the book, because this movie kept surprising me over and over and really it could have gone anywhere. I mean by the previews it looked like a coming of age movie of teenagers trying to figure out who they are and where they belong in this world. All appealing topics for this blogger, but wow was I surprised when this movie delved into some very serious and sometimes uncomfortable topics that made it that much more surprising and extremely well done. Ok, I’m getting way to ahead of myself here, so maybe I should start at the beginning. (Sorry sometimes, I just want to express the excitement for the movie, before I even give the premise away. Oops my bad).  Let’s begin.

Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a young man about to embark to the big leagues of high school. As a freshmen (sorry I’m using American slang, but that’s what they call it over there) Charlie is about to experience the world that is high school. As a bit of a loner, Charlie finds solace in reading and someday dreams of being a writer. As a bright student, Charlie is introduced to the world of advanced English and the encouraging Mr Anderson (the excellent Paul Rudd, in a role very tamed to what he usually displays). Charlie counts down the days till he will soon be free from high school. Tormented every day he longs for someone other than his English teacher to associate with. Enter the crazy but loveable Patrick (Ezra Miller) who Charlie becomes friends with due to their personalities which don’t exactly put them in the cool category.  But it’s not long before Charlie is introduced to the world of being a Wallflower of young seniors who are non-conformists who each enjoy life and the way they want to live it, including Patrick’s sister Sam (Emma Watson). Charlie gets to now experience a world he may never have seen before with his two new best friends opening his eyes to the real world

Okay, you’re probably now going great this sounds like an Emo movie and why don’t I just speak to the kids in the mall, they probably are experiencing the same life as these kids, but wait before you judge,  as Wallflowers is not as by the books as you would think. There are themes in this movie which are quite intense and may not be for everyone, so don’t expect a happy ending.  What is great about this movie, is that it made light of subjects many directors and writers would never put in a teenage based movie. There are topics which include closet homosexuality, molestation, mental disorders, drug use, suicide, so you have been warned with many scenes very confronting but also very well handled.

This can all be thanks to an amazing young cast. Logan Lerman is amazing as Charlie. I was not quite sure at the start, I mean any young actor can play a moping teen, (Hello Kristen Stewart) but when the movie gets on a roll this kid is extremely talented. That’s not to say he is the only one. Emma Watson can kiss Hermoine gone as her Harry Potter transition is one that is going to work. She makes Sam likeable but also shows her flaws as well. Ezra Miller is also one to keep an eye one. This actor makes Patrick seem like he is a crazy zany character but when peeled back actually has large issues to tackle. All the actors play off each other well, and handle the intense situations many of their characters are given.

 I can’t stress how much I enjoyed this movie. This is a teenage based movie, but delves into situations that are very real and need to be explored more. All the actors and director should be extremely pleased with how this film came out and really my only request is that more people see this film. It’s sometimes the little films that need to be embraced by the movie public. Perks of Being a Wallflower top marks from me 4.5/5.

Pitch Perfect. Sings all the way to your funny bone

 

 

What happens when you throw a heap of the latest hits together with an awesome screenplay and stir it up with some hot up and coming actresses? You have one of the biggest surprises of the movie season with the hot new comedy Pitch Perfect.

 

Okay the plot goes a little something like this. Becca (the awesome Anna Kendrik. You know Anna, the coolest thing about all the bogus Twilight movies and the awesome Up In the Air) well she is off to college after her dad puts a damper on her dreams of moving to LA to try and get a job as a DJ. With her sassy and moody vibe about her, but also just a bit of a lost soul, we learn that Becca has an ear for music, in other words, she knows how to place two songs and mash them up together to make awesome remixes (watch out David Guetta).  On her first day exploring her campus on her activities tour, she stumbles across some very interesting organisations.  But as Becca witnesses, singing is the hottest ticket on campus and the leader of the winning all- male group is treated like rock stars. Winning a singing competition is the hottest ticket in college. I know I don’t think it ever looked that way before this movie, but hey its 2012, things might have changed. Anyway, Becca stumbles upon the Bellas, an all- girl group who don’t seem to have woken up to the fact that people know longer want to hear Ace of Base or The Bangles being sung anymore at major competitions. Although not interested, one of the leaders of the group Chloe (Brittany Snow) recognises something in her and sets out determined to win Becca over. (Let’s just say it gives a new meaning to getting caught with your pants down)

Here the movie introduces us to some of the funniest women you would ever meet at college. There is a sex maniac, an Asian chick (who drew some of the biggest laughs) who barely registers on the sound level, the two sorority girls of The Bellas and perhaps one of the funniest women working today Rebel Wilson as FAT Amy. Yes you read right, FAT AMY. Never has a comedian stolen the laughs away from her co-stars then the excellent Rebel Wilson (and she is Aussie all, so that’s even better). Rebel steals every single scene she is in with her perfect comedy timing and will probably start a few trends (I’m looking at you Mermaid Dancing and Horizontal Running).

But back to the story, Becca realises to win the national title it’s time to bring the Bellas into 2012 and introduce them into remixing their songs up. Here we witness a team coming together through hilarious circumstances preparing themselves for the competition. Throw in nightly singing battles, a love story and two of the funniest commentators since Dodge ball and you are in for a great ride. Some of you are probably thinking, this sounds all a bit Gleeish for my liking. But before you start running and screaming out of the theatre, “NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”   Not a happy campy singing show, just wait, because all political correctness has been thrown` out the door, for an older audience who laughs in the face of how stupid we have become with political correctness. I mean one of the lead characters is called FAT AMY!!!! So right then you should know what you are in for.

 

Will The Bellas succeed in their mission to become champions? Can’t tell you that. But what I can tell you is that Pitch Perfect is nearly almost perfect. It sets out to deliver the laughs hard and fast all the while offering up awesome acting, catchy tunes, a bit of a romance (don’t worry it actually is not cheesy) and a screenplay that packs a punch to your funny bone. If you don’t come out of this movie smiling (and still singing Ace of Base, that part I could have lived without) then really see a doctor, because your funny bone needs to be checked, fixed and inserted again so you can enjoy this awesome flick.  Pitch Perfect 4.5/5