I've been a terrible parent!

So Movie Mazzupial has been seriously neglected over the past week and I hope to make up for that by catching up on a few film reviews. Firstly I’ll start with The Savages.
The Savages

Starring Laura Linney and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as siblings Wendy and Jon Savage (note the Peter Pan reference) The Savages examines the universal fear of growing old. Wendy and Jon are forced to deal with this issue when their aging father Lenny’s health deteriorates and he’s diagnosed with dementia. Despite neither of them being to fond of dad due to an unhappy childhood situation, the pair take it upon themselves to attend to him daily at a nearby retirement home. Yes, I know what you’re thinking; “Oh no, not another dysfunctional family comedy, please lord noooooo.” Essentially I guess that’s what this is but The Savages surpasses that genre on many levels. The humour is black. Nay, blacker than black and just the way I like it. The themes are confronting and bound to hit home given the sheer number addressed in the film (i.e. love, death, grief, commitment, success, companionship, family, loyalty, abandonment, faith etc). A small but superb cast only further compliment Tamara Jenkins’ stellar direction. It’s easy to see why Linney was nominated for an Oscar for this role earlier in the year. The Savages is showing in limited release but if you get the opportunity this is definitely a must see for 2008. I think it also has one of the best movie posters for 2008, kudos to the designer.
Best line:
Jimmy: Are you married?
Wendy: No . . . but my boyfriend is.

Hancock
The next thing I hit up at the cinemas was director Peter Berg’s latest venture, Hancock. This was a disappointment because there was potential for a great, genre shifting film. Somehow it fell flat on its face despite Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman all delivering strong performances. I think the problems here come from a shiteous script with a ridiculous storyline and terrible TERRIBLE use of camera angles. Peter Berg what were you thinking?! You filmed the movie like you were some oily haired schmuck straight out of film school. WTF? The special effects were also craptacular and almost as bad as the pathetic CGI creatures in I Am Legend. Almost. Writers Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan underestimate their audience and the intelligence of comic book geeks when they threw together this dodgy script, despite a few funny one liners. Regardless Hancock went on to be another box office smash for Smith grossing upwards of $200 million. See Hancock at your own peril.
Best line:
Lady: I can smell alcohol on your breath.
Hancock: That’s because I’ve been drinking bitch.

Taken
Moving on now to Liam Neeson’s I-wanna-be-Jason-Bourne-but-a-bit-crustier action thriller Taken. On the movie poster there’s a quote from someone (surely not a critic) who said Taken is the “best action flick since Bourne.” Who said this and where do they live? Because I need to come round to their place and drown their household pets. This movie is bad, bad, bad and that’s coming from someone who likes Liam Neeson. Firstly the script is unbelievable. Taken follows a former spy’s (Neeson) journey to save his daughter (Grace) after she’s abducted and sold in to the Algerian sex trade. Secondly the characters are all ridiculous archetypes, which you would think are meant to be a joke until you realise the makers want you to believe dickheads like this actually exist in the world. Third problem is the acting is over the top. Liam Neeson is barely okay, Famke Janssen is awful and Maggie Grace is SO bad as the kidnapped daughter that even Holly Valance out-acts her. Fourth dilemma is the action sequences are unbelievable. Neeson is too old and senile to pull half the stuff off realistically and even if they got a younger male lead, it’s unlikely even the invincible John McClane would have been able to make the scenes believable. Don’t waste your money on this one, not even on $1.50 DVD day at your local hire store.
Best line: There aren’t any. Maybe something from the closing credits.

Baby Mama
Baby Mama, the latest brainchild from the Saturday Night Live team, provided plenty of laughs despite character relationships progressing a little too quickly for my liking. To be honest I’m just nit picking so if you’re looking for something light to see with the girls than Baby Mama is the best option available for you. If you can leave any sense of reality relating to human interactions at the door, chances are you’ll enjoy this. Amy Poehler is absolutely brilliant as the trailer trash gal being paid to be Tina Fey’s surrogate mother. In my eyes it was Steve Martin as the hippy, organic business owner who stole the show and there wasn’t a line he didn’t deliver without hilarity.
Best line:
Barry: Congratulations Kate. I’m going to reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact.

Tropic Thunder

The latest flick I’ve seen was the highly anticipated war comedy Tropic Thunder. Yes, that’s right, I said war and comedy in the same sentence. Twice. This is the most recent film to be written, directed, produced and featuring Ben Stiller since Zoolander, one of my personal favourites. At the start of this year critics said 2008 was shaping up to be the war of the comics with the contenders being Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Love Guru, Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder. Since the first two bombed the match seems to be between Pineapple and Thunder. Audience reception hails Ben Stiller and co as the winners by an inch but it’s a win nether the less. Tropic Thunder is hilarious from start to finish and there are so many puns being thrown at you throughout the 107 minute duration it’s hard to keep up. The script is tight and the scope is epic but somehow Stiller has managed to keep his mind on the prize and pull this move off. If there’s one comedy you have to see this year it’s Tropic Thunder. It’s not as subtle as Pineapple Express but it wasn’t trying to be either. Just when you think it’s about to hit the right note, it goes one octave higher and blows your mind. Also, this has got to be one of the best ensemble casts of the year with Tom Cruise making the GREATEST cameo ever beyatches! Stiller obviously has a lot of friends in Hollywood given the number of famous faces that show up in the films he directs but that only adds to the awesomeness. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his best performances to date (as does Cruise) backed up strongly by Downey Jnr who is really really ridiculously good. I would go as far to say Downey Jnr is unforgettable. Stiller is also tops and even Black’s mild annoyingness doesn’t detract from the film. Film critics and Hollywood insiders will probably enjoy this film more than your average ticket buyer given the amount of `in-jokes’. To be perfectly frank I didn’t enjoy it as much as I knew I should but regardless, it’s still the best comedy of the year so far. Actually it can be an equal first place with Pineapple Express.
Best line: There’s so many good ones! Personal fav though is Downey Jnr: “I’m a lead farmer mother fuckers.”
Note: Don’t leave the movie early otherwise you will miss the best Tom Cruise dance scene since Risky Business and Jerry Maguire.