FUNNY PEOPLE (2009) - Judd Apatow

Judd Apatow’s films could never have been accused of being poignant. Sure, there’s a lot more to them than the average comedy. The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked up certainly contained more substance than all the Wayans Brothers and Scary/Epic/Date Movies combined. But none of his films have been as personal as his latest, Funny People. And a great deal of this is down to the fact that the film is more of a drama than a comedy. Despite starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen.

Sandler stars as George Simmons, a former stand-up comedian and now star of empty-headed vacuous family movies. He’s got money, success and fame. He gets any woman he wants. And he has a terminal blood disease. After finding out he’s not got long, Simmons goes off the rails. And he wants to return to stand-up. After gate crashing a stand-up gig, he meets Ira Wright, a struggling stand-up comedian. He hires Wright to be his assistant and introduces him to the world of a successful Hollywood star. But Simmons begins to resent the trappings of his success and wants to get back the one thing he never held onto. His ex-fiancee, Laura.



It’s clear from the get go that this film is different to Apatow’s other films. It’s far more personal. To a degree that the opening titles are scenes Apatow shot of Sandler when they were roommates and yet to hit the limelight. Apatow was a stand-up comedian at one point, and he injects a lot of his own personality into the characters in the film. It also contains quite a few Apatow regulars, including his wife, Leslie Mann, Rogen, and Jonah Hill. So it’s clear the writer/director wants this film to be something from the heart.

But is it good? Yeah, I suppose it is. It’s not as funny as The 40 Year Old Virgin. In fact, it is more of a drama than a comedy. In certain respects, Funny People shares a lot in common with Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy. Both writer/directors are known more for their comedies. And both films are the most personal of their work. The dialogue in Funny People is as strong as anything Apatow’s done, and is where the comedy of the film lies. The actors are very familiar with each other and this helps the witticisms and delivery. So this isn’t a situational comedy.

The performances are for the most part, pretty excellent. Adam Sandler’s always done his best work when he isn’t doing mad-cap films. In fact, his best role was in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love, a dark drama-comedy. So Sandler’s on fine form here. I’m sure he and Simmons have a lot in common, so Sandler could draw a lot on his own experiences for the role. Seth Rogen, while not playing a slacker here, seems to fit into the mould he’s forged in Apatow’s films. And while the Jonah Hill, Leslie Mann and Jason Schwartzman are all great in the film, the show is stolen by Eric Bana who appears at the end of the film. Bana is the only actor who isn’t playing a ‘funny’ character. But he slightly overplays the character, and gets the most laughs. That’s not a criticism as I’m sure that’s what Bana was going for.



The great criticism of the film is it’s length. The film is essentially two films tied together, and as such pushes the running time to a whopping two and a half hours. There could have been two films made of the story. And this is somewhat of a drawback for the film. But it’s perfectly entertaining none the less, and Apatow’s most grown-up film.


7/10

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO (2008) - Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith’s career took a knock when he released the pretty awful Jersey Girl. It became clear that outside his Jersey saga, Smith seemed to flounder. After the lukewarm reception for that film, Smith went back and wrote a sequel to his massive first time success, Clerks. Now, his follow up film once again abandons the safety of his home state, as Smith jumps on that wagon that carries many a band- Judd Apatow’s. And the result is the controversially titled Zack And Miri Make A Porno.

Zack and Miri are friends from childhood. They live together in a pretty dire flat, scraping a living and barely paying their bills. When their last utilities payment goes unpaid, their electricity and water is shut off. Looking for a quick way to make a buck, the friends turn to porno. It’s quick, easy and will sell enough videos to make them money to pay their bills. But sex is never just sex and they find their relationship pushed when they have to bump uglies for money.



Smith’s main ability over the years has been his ability to write pop-culture thick dialogue. His Jersey films, filled with nerds and comic-fans has thrived on this ability. Yet when Smith steps away from this, he finds himself floundering somewhat. The same applies here. By no means is Zack and Miri as bad as the reprehensible Jersey Girl. But is shows little of the ability Smith once had.

One of the main things that puts people off the film is the starring role for Seth Rogen. But I don’t really have a problem with the guy. Sure, he plays pretty much the same role in every film. And maybe he’s running out of steam. But in this film he does his schtick well. Elizabeth Banks, the actress who is appearing everywhere is once again very solid. She’s the heart of the film and plays off Rogen surprisingly well. The real star of the show is Craig Robinson. The actor, who’s become a familiar face thanks to The Office (US) has real comedy talent and shows it here. Also pretty good are Smith regular Jason Mewes and real life porn star Katie Morgan.



While Zack And Miri Make A Porno isn’t terrible, it will piss off some people. The majority of the laughs are in the first 45 minutes and there is one surprisingly funny moment in the second half of the film. But it’s nowhere near as good as Smith’s Chasing Amy. Though it does show he can do something outside Jersey.


6/10

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2008) - David Gordon Green

Stoner movies are something of a rarity nowadays. They’re don’t exactly fit in with what the studios want to release. Drugs are bad, mmkay? Obviously, due to the very nature of marijuana, stoner movies are inevitabely comedies. But sometimes it helps to cross-pollinate a comedy with another genre and that’s exactly what’s at hand in Pineapple Express, a new film from the Judd Apatow factory. It follows some of formula what we’ve expect from these films, but is geared more towards older audiences.

Dale Denton is a process server. It’s a job that makes him few friends, but allows him to pursue his passion in life- smoking weed. It’s a firm advocate of the drug and spends his days getting stoned and delivering summons to unsuspecting people... and getting called asshole, dickhead and all manner of other names in the process. He gets his weed from Saul, a well-meaning and genuinely nice pot dealer. Albeit one who’s brain is somewhat mush due to his consumption of copious amounts of weed. While delivering a summons, Denton witness a murder. He in turn is spotted by the murderers. He takes off back to Saul’s but the joint he threw out his car window leads the murderers to Saul. So Denton and Saul take off with gangsters and a crooked cop baying for their blood.



Pineapple Express is a strange film. What’s immediately strange about it is that it’s directed by indie darling David Gordon Green. Green has directed some pretty heavy dramas such as George Washington and All The Real Girls. But Pineapple Express is a total departure for the director. It’s laughs and bullets, something Green fans will not be expecting from the director. But the script is written by star Seth Rogen, so by that, the film isn’t lost.

The other strange thing about the film is one of it’s weaknesses. At times, I didn’t feel like the filmmakers were sure what exactly type of film they were making. When it’s funny, it hits the mark quite well. However, when the action kicks is, and the bullets fly, things begin to fall apart. There are moments when the two parts gel, but these moments are few. The best thing about the film is James Franco’s turn as Saul Silver. There have been many screen stoners, but Franco’s manages to be hilarious and still be the heart of the film. He’s a lovable character, not just because of his idiotic ideas and comments, but also because he’s just a lonely guy looking for a friend. Seth Rogen has carved a niche as the loser with good intentions in these movies, so he’s not out of his depth.



There are other familiar faces on show. Gary Cole and Rosie Perez play the villains, weed dealer Ted Jones, and the crooked cop, Carol. Cole has played villains to a certain extent before. Most famously in Office Space where he played Bill Lumbergh. So he’s got the bad guy thing down. And Perez just seems to be caustic no matter what she plays. Other familiar faces such as Danny R. McBride, Bill Hader and Ed Begley Jnr. fill out the cast. But it’s Rogen and Franco who are the stars, and they make a great team. Though having started out together in Freaks And Geeks, that’s not unusual to see.

Pineapple Express works on some levels and falls flat on others. It’s a funny film, don’t get me wrong. But the best moments are reserved for when Franco’s on screen and you do miss Saul Silver when he’s not around. It’s a film that isn’t quite sure of itself. But at the same time, it’s got great moments. It’s one of those films destined to be a cult movie. And it’ll no doubt be another success for the Apatow factory.


7/10

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (2008) - Mark Waters

Kids’ movies have come a long way from cartoons and furry puppets. It seems with the evolution of technology, storytelling in kids’ movies has also grown up to some respect. And with the arrival of Harry Potter, things have been kicked up yet another notch. Kids in these movies now have to deal with adult situations mixed with the fantastical. And that means there’s also something for the adults in the audience to get to grips with in the movie. One such movie, The Spiderwick Chronicles, was released this year. Yet despite being a pretty strong movie, it seemed to disappear pretty quickly.

Adapted from the books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Spiderwick Chronicles tells of the Grace family. Helen, her daughter Mallory and identical twin sons, Simon and Jared move to an old house that once belonged to Helen’s elderly Aunt Lucinda. Helen has recently divorced and is looking for a new start for her family. While Mallory and Simon seem fine with the move, Jared is finding it hard to control his anger, while missing his father. When strange things happen within the house, Jared is blamed. Cleaning up the mess, Jared discovers an old book written by Aunt Lucinda’s father, Arthur. The book, a field guide to recognising and dealing with goblins and fairy folk lands Jared in trouble with the a shape-shifting Ogre named Mulgarath, determined to get his hands on the book so that he can rule the world.



For a kids’ film, The Spiderwick Chronicles is a pretty scary watch. I know, I know, it’s a film about goblins and fairies. But it’s a testament to the crew that they can create quite an atmosphere in a film that’s for children. But it’s not surprising, considering the crew involved with the film. John Sayles worked on the screenplay. Effects legend, Phil Tippet who’s worked on such films as Star Wars, RoboCop and Starship Troopers designed the creature effects. James Horner did the music, and Spielberg’s personal editor, Michael Kahn edited the film. With such heavyweights behind the film, it’s not surprising that the production values are so high.



The acting is pretty top knotch from the cast. Freddy Highmore, who made quite a debut in Finding Neverland plays both Simon and Jared in the film. Highmore’s American accent is a little off, but his performance isn’t. He’s quite different in both roles. It’s more than just a different hair style that separates the twins. While Jared is more the central character, there’s plenty for Simon to do, and both characters are portrayed well. Sarah Bolger plays Mallory, and also brings the older sister bitchiness to the film with ease. The adult actors in the film could quite easily have phoned in their performances, but give it socks. David Strathairn plays Arthur Spiderwick, the man obsessed with the Fairy world. He’s suitably ditzy in playing the professor, and brings a certain gravitas to the role. And crazy old Nick Nolte turns up as Mulgarath. Nolte’s always a joy to watch. You’re never quite sure what he’s going to do, and for the role of the villain, he’s perfect.

As kids’ movies go, The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the better ones. While it is for kids, there’s the themes of separation and abandonment by a parent also at play. It’s almost Spielbergian how the film deals with an absent father. And the production values also suggest this. But that aside, it’s a pretty good film. And one that’ll keep adults engaged as well as kids.


7/10

KUNG FU PANDA (2008) - Mark Osborne & John Stevenson

After the appalling Shrek The Third was released last year, it seemed that Dreamworks Animation were just gunning for cash, and not particularly interested in releasing animated films with any substance at all. CGI animation is no longer the jaw-dropping visual goldmine it once was, as audiences have become accustomed to high-quality 3D animation. So visuals alone no longer cut it. In order to get the audiences in the seats, the writers of these films strive to write more layered stories, with jokes not just for kids, but for adults too. To this end, sometimes plot can suffer in order to squeeze in one more joke. So it’s refreshing to see a film like Kung Fu Panda. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and still manages to be very entertaining.

Po is the laziest and clumsiest animal in the Valley of Peace. He works in his father’s noodle shop. But his real dream is to be a mighty Kung Fu warrior. When it is announced that Oogway, the master of the Kung Fu temple is to choose the Dragon Warrior, the prophesised warrior destined to bring peace to the valley, Po makes his way to the temple for the festivities. Much to everyone’s surprise (and none to that of the audience), Po is chosen. He gets to train under Master Shifu, alongside his heroes, the Furious Five- Monkey, Tigress, Mantis, Viper and Crane, all of whom resent this blow-in. And in a prison far away from the valley, shamed warrior Tai Lung escapes from his captors and makes his way back to the Valley of Peace to claim the title of Dragon Warrior for himself.



Okay, so Kung Fu Panda’s plot isn’t exactly Citizen Kane. It’s the typical story of a no-hoper who turns his luck around and becomes something nobody ever thought he could be. He faces challenges he shouldn’t overcome, but he finds a way. He rises to the challenge. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. But in the hands of directors, Mark Osborne and John Stevenson, Kung Fu Panda proves to be a damn entertaining watch. The success of the film rests largely on the shoulders of Jack Black, who voices Po. He’s an actor who’s familiar to both older and younger audiences, and his vocal talents seem to embody Po perfectly. He’s the character who gets all the laughs, which mostly come from Po falling over in various different ways.

That’s not to say that Kung Fu Panda is a film that relies on one element. When the action scenes kick in, they’re very entertaining. And at 92 minutes, the film moves at a very fast pace. At times, character development suffers. And it seems that some of the voice talents are a bit wasted. The Furious Five, voiced by Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross and Jackie Chan, yes, Jackie Chan, are given little to do in the film. Their resentment towards Po isn’t really explored. This element is sacrificed in order to keep things moving along. But then, this is a kids’ film, and it makes no attempt to be anything else. And it’s because of that, and despite the minor flaws that the film works very well.



The animation, as expected, is gorgeous. Po’s design works very well for the physical comedy in the film. At times, there are slow motion close-ups of Po’s gurning face, and these moments are pretty funny in themselves. The animation team seem to be having a lot of fun acting with this character. The production design in particular is gorgeous. The film has a visual style of it’s own, blending natural elements such as falling cherry blossoms, with cold, almost industrial style of Tai Lung’s prison. The production team are on top form and have created in Kung Fu Panda the most visually impressive of all the Dreamworks productions to date.

Kung Fu Panda is a kids’ film. It doesn’t layer in adult jokes that other animated films are so fond of doing these days. It’s unashamedly for the kids and if you can accept the prat-falls and juvenile nature of the comedy, then it’s a very entertaining film. Making up a helluva lot for last year’s terrible Shrek debacle, Kung Fu Panda is a film the Dreamworks guys can be proud of. Whether or not it’ll be able to trump Pixar’s Wall-E is questionable at this stage. But it remains a very entertaining film none the less.


8/10

SUPERBAD (2007) - Greg Mottola

2007 seems to be Year of the Rogen. Having already scored a huge hit with Knocked Up, actor Seth Rogen turns his hand to writing for his second smash hit of the year, Superbad. Superbad is similar to Knocked Up in that it’s a comedy that aims squarely for the gross out humour market, however, where as Knocked Up was about thirty-somethings, Superbad is made specifically for the teen audience. It takes up the mantle where the American Pie franchise left off, and continues the tradition with gusto.

Two slacker friends, Seth and Evan have come to a crossroads in their lives. They are approaching the end of their school years and must face the prospect of leaving each other to go to separate colleges. It’s a situation neither of them have really come to terms with yet, but as with all young males, they hide their fears behind a mask of bravado. However, they have more immediate problems. Neither of them wants to go to college as virgins. But all is not lost. Their mutual friend, uber-nerd, Fogell, has acquired a fake ID. This ID, and the alcohol it can help them obtain, is the key to gaining access to a party. A party where there are girls. To the boys, alcohol and girls result in the high possibility of getting laid. And so the boys embark on their odyssey to obtain $100 worth of booze and hit the party, for sexy results!



Okay, there’s one thing that is essential when approaching this film. There is absolutely no point in going into it with any ounce of pretention. And if you’re easily offended, stay away. Superbad aims low, and hits the mark pretty much every time. Where as Knocked Up had it’s morals, as well as it’s gross out humour, Superbad is mostly just gross out humour. And profanities. Endless profanities! That’s not to say that the film doesn’t have any redeeming qualities (in terms of morals). It does make the point that alcohol isn’t necessarily the ideal way to win a girl’s heart... or pants. But this isn’t a message movie. It’s a comedy, and in this respect, it’s very successful.

There’s no denying that the three lead characters of Evan, Seth and Fogell (played by Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse respectively) are instantly likable. Each is quite different but all of them are very believable. Which isn’t surprising since Rogen and his writing partner Evan Goldberg based the characters and situations on themselves. Casting is essential and there’s no complaints there. Cera is essentially reprising his role of George Michael Bluth from TV’s Arrested Development. He’s incredibly comfortable in the role (ironically, of the overly-nervous teen) and suits the character fine. Jonah Hill is great as Seth. It would be easy to see the actor as a John Belushi for the 21st Century. And newcomer Mintz-Plasse is brilliant as Fogell. He spends most of the film sharing the screen with writer Rogen and Bill Hader as two cops as irresponsible and immature as the teenagers.



I’ve read some reviews of this film that were very stuffy and mean-spirited. They accused Superbad of being incredibly misogynistic. But those reviewers can pull their heads out of their asses. While the boys are obsessed with getting laid, and spend the entirety of the movie trying to achieve this goal, I think that pretty much is exactly what most teenage boys are aiming to do. But there’s no point in getting bogged down in the politics of a movie like this. It’s a comedy, and at the end of the day, it’s about laughs. And there are plenty. Is it better than Knocked Up? I don’t know. The jury’s still out on that one. But at the end of the day, it’s hilarious, and definitely one to check out.


8/10

KNOCKED UP (2007) - Judd Apatow

Okay crew, set your phasers on dumb. Well, to be honest, that's not entirely fair. While some of the humor in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up certainly aims for the crass, there's a lot about this film that is smart. Not least the casting, which is top-knotch. The humor is broad in every sense of the word, but that's not a bad thing. Knocked Up arrives on these shores (it's won over both critics and audiences in the US since it's release in June) with a huge amount of hype, but while it's not the greatest comedy of all time, it's certainly the best comedy of 2007 so far. And another hit for Judd Apatow and his go-to guy, Seth Rogen.

Rogen plays Ben Stone, an illegal Canadian immigrant stoner who lives with his friends and dreams of starting a web site that tells subscribers at what point in any movie, any given female movie star whips off her clothes. Yes, this is a man with lofty ambitions. Meanwhile, Alison Scott, played by Katherine Heigl, is working for the E! Network and receives the promotion of a lifetime. A promotion that will see her put in front of the cameras. She and her sister hit the town and run into Ben. Ben and Alison spend a drunken night together, and go their separate ways. Eight weeks later, Alison starts vomiting uncontrollably which, according to my medical degree, is a sure-fire sign of pregnancy. Alison, who was none to enamored with Ben once the beer-goggles fell off, decides to tell her slacker one-night stand about the proverbial bun in the oven. Ben decides to step up to the plate. But these people are polar opposites, and while Ben's intentions are certainly noble, their compatibility as a couple with a baby due will be put to the test.



The premise of Knocked Up is relatively simple. It's a formula that's been done before. The old rite of passage tale, with plenty of lessons to be learned, and responsibilities to be taken on. But while this formula is quite familiar, if there's plenty of laughs to be had, what's wrong with revisiting it again?! And what's so successful about Knocked Up is that the laughs are incredibly consistent and genuinely funny. Apatow made his mark on Hollywood with The 40 Year Old Virgin. I cant say I was a huge fan of the film, and I barely remember it (apart from the great waxing scene). But this is the film that will make his name.

I'm willing to admit, there is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief to be employed with this movie. Ben and Alison's relationship is a little unrealistic. She, the attractive, successful type takes to the stoner slacker quite quickly (believe me, it doesn't happen like that in real life!), and it all goes a little too swimmingly. But while we have the idealistic relationship between Ben and Alison, Apatow also plays a trump card by contrasting it to Alison's sister Debbie's relationship with her husband, Pete (played by Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd). Here we see how Ben and Alison's relationship MIGHT end up. And it ain't all sunshine and flowers. It's an interesting way of approaching the subject matter, and is key to what makes the film work.



Of course, there's plenty of low-brow humor too. After all, Ben's a stoner. But the jokes are well written, and the cast is so damn likeable that it'll take one cold-hearted person not to be won over by the movie. Sure, there's quite a bit of saccharine that's lavished over the whole affair, but in the end, this is a comedy. And there are plenty of laughs. The best comedy of 2007? So far, definitely. But with positive word being spread about Superbad, which is written by Rogen himself, this achievement may be short-lived. Which is great to hear. With 2007 being such a shitty year, we're all in need of a good few laughs.


8/10