Hollywood's Hollywood Review

[John McHenry]

Anchorman 2

Let me preface this with saying I don't like Will Ferrel movies. I honestly can't name a movie starring him that I own or even watch multiple times. Including Anchorman 1. But I loved this one. Could have been the subtle pokes at Fox News (which I just wrote an essay on) The humor in this one wasn't as stupid as I normally see for him. Oh there was plenty of stupidity. But this one was just better done. It statys true to itself while fixing the errors people may have found in the last one. Only week link in this one is David Koechner the character as a whole is unnecessary and just filler. Rudd isn't very well used but has his moments.

If you like the first one, hate fox news or just kinda want to have a silly night this one is worth it.

 

[Chris]

Everyone I've heard talk about this movie has mentioned how hilarious the Fox News jabs are And I live in the South so that's extra surprising because we're their demographic

 

[John McHenry]

Grudge Match
Watch Rocky 2 then watch Balboa (the last rocky) rinse repeat. This movie is setup purely Raging Bull vs. Rocky and nothing is added to it to make it better. The only real highlights of the movie are all the little Rocky/stallone jokes (none for raging bull that I could see) The Best joke of the movie is the little kid over hearing the adults talking about BJ's which is explained to him are Butterscotch Jellybeans but the joke never plays out it's a running joke that just stops. I think you'd really have to be a huge fan of one of the two prior movies to enjoy this one.

 

[Keith]

Anchorman 2

Let me preface this with saying I don't like Will Ferrel movies. I honestly can't name a movie starring him that I own or even watch multiple times. Including Anchorman 1. But I loved this one. Could have been the subtle pokes at Fox News (which I just wrote an essay on) The humor in this one wasn't as stupid as I normally see for him. Oh there was plenty of stupidity. But this one was just better done. It statys true to itself while fixing the errors people may have found in the last one. Only week link in this one is David Koechner the character as a whole is unnecessary and just filler. Rudd isn't very well used but has his moments.

If you like the first one, hate fox news or just kinda want to have a silly night this one is worth it.

I'm no Ferrell fan, but I would say Zoolander, Melinda and Melinda and maybe Stranger Than Fiction are films of his worth checking out. Also the first Anchorman was passible.

 

[John McHenry]

I'm no Ferrell fan, but I would say Zoolander, Melinda and Melinda and maybe Stranger Than Fiction are films of his worth checking out. Also the first Anchorman was passible.

I don't consider him the star in Zoolander. (it's ok) And Stranger than Fiction well I'm convinced thats CGI or something

 

[John McHenry]

Lone Survivor

Dunno who the casting director for this movie was but they deserve a lot of credit. Ben Foster (finally as a good guy) Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Eric Bana and Mark Wahlberg. The first four only get an hour of screen time but they all make the most of it. It's directed by Peter Berg who does do some films that I think are soley there(Battleship, Hancock) to allow him to make movies like this. I'm really hoping this movie doesn't get snubbed I mean you could honestly have a supporting cast award with only nominees from this movie. It takes the best from Generation Kill mixes it with the best parts of Black Hawk Down to deliver this true story. Unlike other movies they show you real pictures and videos at the end to the most heart wrenching version of heroes. I'd say its the must see movie of the Oscar season.

 

[Chris]

I never really enjoy war movies that much so how do you think I'd like it?

 

[John McHenry]

I never really enjoy war movies that much so how do you think I'd like it?

Well it has Tim Riggins who is from dillon sooo.

doesn't quite feel like a war movie to me more like a group of friends who have a horrible experience.

 

[John McHenry]

The Adjustment Bureau

I've watched this movie probably at least six times since it's release 2011. The acting is as good as can be expected from a sci fi thriller. The clencher is just how different it is from so many things out there. Its not the best movie in the world (there is actually a scene that violates the majority of rules in cinema) it is just very underrated. If you haven't seen it it's worth a viewing. If it's one of those days when you have nothing to do or watch it should top your list.

 

[John McHenry]

The Bling Ring

The Bling Ring is a movie that is to “edgy and cool” for its own good. The movie centers itself on a group of upper middle class/lower upper class friends; they aspire in life to be like the stars. The movie is based on a true story and I have no idea the amount of truth to fiction ratio and it scares me how high the number maybe. The biggest issue that I have with the film is why was it made?

Our gang of friends decide the best way to be like celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Eminem and countless others is by breaking into their homes when they’re away. They soon discover it is incredibly easy to do. The group reasons that the celebrities have so much they will not discover it’s missing, and wouldn’t miss it. Over the course of the movie, the group builds up quite a large collection of stolen loot. You could easily argue that the group gains so much stuff, much of it they could never use or wear due to how it was obtained, that some other group could come and rip them off and they would never notice. I assume that is the point that Director Sophia Coppolla is trying to make. I say assume because I never get that this movie has a moral, I gain very little entertainment value from a movie about ripping off people starring in movies, maybe a small ha-ha.

Then we have the issue of who is this movie trying to attract? Really, what is the demographic? Are we trying to lure in teens and teach them that there are virtually no consequences to theft that if we don’t make the sadly obvious mistakes of the group in the movie its ok? Even when the movie is Rated R? Never in the film is there remorse or regret aside from that of being caught. I cannot see the movie being aimed at anyone older than 40 because aside from extras only three or four characters with speaking parts are older than 40, even the actors they rob.

Now this is a movie and again meant to entertain. Is it meant to be some epic biopic of the times? It’s based on True Events, it’s casting all unknowns, and it’s using news footage. Slapping True Events on a film these days gives it very little credibility, The Bling Ring mixes that with archive news footage of the real reactions from the celebrities (never actually acting for this movie) and then casts all virtual unknowns. The Bling Ring is cast very oddly; Leslie Mann, Gavin Rossdale, and Emma Watson are the only actors with name recognition. Everyone else is unknown. That’s usually done for only a few reasons and one of those is to help create “breakout stars” and that must have been the intent hear as it was released during the peak of film season in June. The Bling Ring is trying to make itself a big deal.

Now you’re probably sitting there saying well you are being a little harsh. I have seen Films like Zodiac, Aliens, and Young Guns (going for the randomness win). Well yeah, you have but those movies all have redeemable qualities. Zodiac is a tale of suspense and caution. Aliens warn of messing with what you do not understand. Young Guns, the closest to our film (it has based on true events centered on a young up and coming cast) still gives us a moral. At the end of The Bling Ring the biggest thing you learn is wow they were stupid, they posted all their crimes on Facebook. The movie just does for them exactly what they set out to do in the first place and that’s to be famous.

This is actually do for a class so by all means critque the critque. Still rough copy.

 

[Keith]

The Bling Ring





This is actually do for a class so by all means critque the critque. Still rough copy.

Okay, I think you raise some interesting points and argue them well, but I do strongly disagree mostly.

First of all like you said this is based on truth so we are meant to assume that something like this did really happen, or at least could well happen. Surely the point of the movie is to make the audience think about these issues, on the one hand it is trying to show just how pointless and empty celebrity culture has become, and the other it is showing the danger of the internet and the way everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame and the lengths they will go to.

Your point about casting mostly unknowns is interesting, but I guess at the end of the day you just have to cast who you think are best for the parts. I think the cast did a good job mostly.

Really disagree on the age comment. This is very much a teen drama. Many teens will identify themselves with the characters, and the sensible ones will be concerned with what they see. Really its a film for any ages.

Its far from perfect, at times like you I just found the characters too empty to have much time for, also it didn't really get under the skin of celebrity culture enough and didn't teach me much which I didn't already know. It was good visually through, and I felt the film got me inside the character's heads and experience the world from their point of view.

 

[John McHenry]

My point was that it is a teen drama, but if it is then why did they go for an R? I mean best I could tell it was R for a fuck or two.

 

[Keith]

My point was that it is a teen drama, but if it is then why did they go for an R? I mean best I could tell it was R for a fuck or two.

What age is the R rating? Am guessing its 18? If so that is nuts. In this country I think the film was a 12A which opened it up to the target audience.

 

[Chris]

What age is the R rating? Am guessing its 18? If so that is nuts. In this country I think the film was a 12A which opened it up to the target audience.

R is 17 and up unless you have an adult 21 or older buy your ticket.

And America's rating system is fucked up. The fucking King's Speech was rated are only because of the cussing scene, that was a PG movie if it wasn't for that. Yeah, we see two sets of boobs or hear more than one fuck and it's insta R, but you can shoot as many people as you want as long as you don't show blood and it's PG-13

 

[John McHenry]

Great documentary to watch about it is This Movie Is Not Yet Rated.