“Joe, this doesn’t look like a stun gun.”

broderic on September 1, 2013

Closed Circuit

I think I’m the only person living in America wanting to go see Closed Circuit. It’s because I’ve got the hots for Rebecca Hall. So, I tricked my mom to catch an early Saturday show. It bored the hell of her. I was too busy looking at the beauty on the screen to see that it was really a average pot boiler.

The film’s plot is about 2 English barristers (they wear wigs!) who have to defend an accused terrorist. Eric Bana is the terrorist’s main lawyer who gets the job after the original defender jumped from a building. Rebecca Hall is the terrorist’s special activist for the top secret trial. Both have a sordid history in the past which may conflict with their sworn duty, and both have to defend themselves from a higher power keeping them from unravelling the true mystery of the terrorist bombing.

The film plays out as you expect it. “Trust no one.” When terrorism is on trial, question all motives from the terrorist to the prosecution. Every one is under suspicion.

The movie even though boring at times is thoroughly adequate for a late summer/September release. You’ll forget about it by the time the leaves change color. You’ll remember it when it comes time to think about Rebecca Hall.

3 of 5 stars.

The World’s End

broderic on September 1, 2013

The World’s End finishes up the Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead being the other two. On a side note, I searched my blog for an entry for Shaun of the Dead, but the movie came out a month before this blog started in May of 2004. I can’t believe that movie is almost 10 years old. I can believe this blog is almost 10 years old and devolving slowly to no entries.

Anywho, while this film was as enjoyable as the others, it’s not as good as Hot Fuzz, my favorite. Mostly, its unhappy ending contributed to a less favorable impression. It’s a bleak ending with the world literally ended. Oops, spoiler alert!

The film is two films: the first about reclaiming past glories and the second an alien invasion flick. Simon Pegg tries to regain his mojo by returning to the ultimate mistake of his youth, not finishing a bar crawl in his old home town. He recruits the very same crew to redo it almost 20 years later when they are in their 40s. His crew are more responsible adults. They’ve gotten on in their lives. They don’t wear the Ministry shirt and black trenchcoat of their youth. They were respectable adult clothes. Pegg is stuck in the past. Yet the future is about aliens who have taken over their old home town and the world in order to bring Earth and her inhabitants to the future. Pegg wants to stop this. He’s selfish in both dragging his pals as well as keeping the world from joining the ‘Federation.’ Who knows how to be an adult? And is it worth it? His cohorts think so.

I love drinking movies! I was all set for the bar crawl. It’s like Beerfest. Drink! Drink! Drink! Drink! It’s always a riot when thinking about drinking as much as possible. I feel that even though I no longer drink that I want to get rip roaring drunk again. I’m going on my own Golden Mile.

4 of 5 stars.

Despicable Me 2

broderic on August 24, 2013

I never saw the first one, but Despicable Me 2 doesn’t need you to be familiar with its predecessor. You’ll get the gist of everything you missed from the first one in the film’s opening minutes. Evil mastermind turned loving father because of the cuteness of the kids. Evil mastermind uses his technology to make kids have fun. Evil mastermind is really a softy at heart.

I enjoyed the movie. It was good and it makes me want to catch the first one.

The cutest thing ever was that costume of the princess on the unicorn. Do they make that in real life?

3 of 5 stars.

Elysium

broderic on August 24, 2013

Elysium is a better action movie than an allegory for the haves and the have nots. The action is as good as the director’s previous film, District 9. The robots look real. Elysium, floating like a jewel in the sky, looks real. The space ships and tech looks real. The issue of healthcare for the poor people of Earth not so real.

Look I get it. Elysium is the 1% who can afford to live high above the rabble. What I don’t get is why the companies only service them. Those tanning medi-pods would pay for themselves if you allowed the masses to use it. Why does capitalism stop? Why does it only work for those in Elysium? It don’t make any sense. It seems as if the filmmaker wanted to use the situation as a plot contrivance. It’s ridiculous.

But I believe the action makes it better. Give me shiny explosions and mecha and I’ll be happy. As long as I don’t have to think about the plot. That’s what summer movies are for.

3 of 5 stars.

The To Do List

broderic on August 12, 2013

How did I find myself stuck between several groups of young girls squirming because of sex talk? I decided to catch the raunch sex comedy, The To Do List.

When I first entered the theatre for the first matinee showing at 2:00, it was empty. I plop myself down in the optimum viewing seat, center seat four rows up. Alone, I was worried that I would be spooked, but then the rest of the audience started filing in. That’s when I got sandwhiched between two groups of girls: a set of college girls in front and another triplet behind me. At least, there were a couple of older gentlemen catching the movie by themselves as well. I was not the only creep in the crowd.

The To Do List is sex from the female perspective. It’ll make you squirm if you are alone amongst a couple of rows of girls. The talk of handjobs, blowjobs, rimming, cunnilingus, pearl necklaces is funny amongst your guy friends. When done amongst nothing but girls, it’s still funny.

The movie is set in the early 90s, so is the music. It opens with 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny,” the raunchy version which when listening now it isn’t that bad. It’s still funny.

The main character, the class valedictorian, has to pop her cherry in preparation for the sex in college. So she applies herself to the pursuit of sex like she had done for her pursuit of good grades. She makes a list and crosses items off when done. Hand job — check! Blow job — check! Dry hump — check! It was all very clinical in dispatching items. No sentimentality, but that is sex nowadays. It’s just a formality like shaking hands. It’s not about love; it’s sex and it’s beautiful!

3 of 5 stars.

Otakon

broderic on August 12, 2013

I psyched myself up so much that I almost psyched myself out of going to Otakon. I did end up there on Saturday, but I didn’t get to experience it all just the cosplaying and the dealer room.

The week leading up to Otakon I couldn’t fully make up my mind to go. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go or not. On one hand there is no day ticket; it’s $80 at the door for the whole 3 day affair. Would I be able to spend that much time? Perhaps Saturday, but Sunday? To make that $80 go far it would have to be two days.

I went Saturday but failed to make it on Sunday.

Cosplaying is out of hand. I could admire those that put effort into their costume, but most of the time they cosplayer just slaps something on. There’s clever and then there’s the cosplayers from Otakon. Or is this just an non-japanese thing?

I stood in a line expecting that what I was waiting for would turn out to be worth it. Then I checked the description again, found out they would show several episodes before the special guests would speak, and I jetted. I worked my way to a manga industry panel, Vertical, to see what they had coming out.

That was only thing I sat in on. The day was cut short because I had to go to dinner for a cousin. I left having accumulated several phone charms of K-ON! girls (Waitress Mugi, Jun-chan, and Ui), the special Lawson limited edition Nendoroid petit of some K-ON!! girls (Azusa, Mio, and Yui), and 3 manga of Watamote in Japanese.

It was fun. I’m thinking about next year.