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August 27, 2008
Movie Recommendations #1 Comedies
With this week's recommendations I look at some comedies that are worth a second look.

Idiocracy (2006)

A misfire at the box office and under appreciated by critics, this movie is about an average guy (Luke Wilson) who is put into hibernation wakes up in a Darwinist nightmare where only the dumbest in our species survived and he's now the smartest man on Earth.

Written and directed by Mike Judge, this film is a sharp piece of satire nailing our Wal-Mart culture. At one point, Joe, the average guy, sees what's playing at the local theater. It's a film call "Ass" which consists of nothing but a naked butt farting. The mentally dulled audience is cackling with joy over the image. The look of disbelief on Joe's face when he sees this is the same one I get when someone tells me Tarantino's films are great.

The movie is crude, its very crude, but its called for - that's the whole point. Judge expounds on our culture and takes it to an overblown version of its logical trajectory. This isn't a film for everyone. If you got the point behind Judge's other material, Beavis and Butthead, Office Space and King of the Hill you'll probably find something here as well.




Lost in America (1985)

Albert Brooks is an acquired taste but one that is well worth developing. His dry delivery is misleading, his humor is sharp and biting. Most people know him as the voice of Marlin in Finding Nemo or possibly as displaced news anchor Aaron Altman in Broadcast News. Throughout his sporadic film career, he's made some simply brilliant comedies. If you are a budding screenwriter, or comedy writer you need to familiarize yourself with his body of work. Seeing him in action is a treat and a lesson in how to deliver a comedic line.

This film follows Brooks and Julie Haggarty (Airplane!) as a married couple in the 30's who decide to drop out of society, liquidate all of their assets and travel the country in a Winnebago. I won't ruin the fun of the movie, but suffice to say, their dreams of being yuppie road warriors come crashing down.





The Hammer (2007)

Adam Carolla is one of those guys people seem to love or hate. I've noticed that his appeal seems dependent on which side of the gender divide you're on. His sarcastic, nasally delivery may irritate some people but, I think the guy is pretty good.

This film is a good vehicle for Carolla's blue collar wit and displays him well. He plays Jerry Ferro, a forty year old loser who gets a second chance at the boxing career he left behind in his youth. Will Ferro finally get his life together, get the girl and succeed at boxing? Well, of course he does, this film will win no prizes for narrative originality. Where the film shines is with the approachable script and Carolla's charismatic performance. Everyone I know who has seen this film has had the same reaction I had, pleasant surprise. It's a simple movie and offers a simple pleasure.



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2 Comments:

Anonymous Darrell said...

I'm glad to see a positive review for Idiocracy. That movie crept up on me and won me over by about the 45 minute mark. And as far as the movie-within-a-movie called Ass, I can't believe that the people behind Jackass one and two haven't filmed that exact movie yet.

August 28, 2008 at 5:35 PM  
Anonymous Scott Nehring said...

The "Ass" film jokes rumble through my mind with half of the movies I suffer through. Every time I see Ben Stiller's unfunny disasters I think of Bowers announcing that they're going to make "Great films, with plots! Where you cared about whose ass it was, and why it was farting!"

August 28, 2008 at 7:10 PM  

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