Movie #345 - The Kingdom

The Kingdom
2007 - Rated R - 1 hr 50 min
Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Jeremy Piven, Richard Jenkins, Kyle Chandler, Danny Huston, Kelly AuCoin, Minka Kelly

This movie's disturbing and a kinda depressing, but really good.  It starts in Riyadh, where a family compound for an oil company is suicide bombed and obliterated, killy hundreds of men, women, and children.  It sets off an international incident, forcing Jamie Foxx and friends to get over there and get involved.  The Saudi government isn't happy that there are Americans there to investigate the incident, and tempers flare.  Some serious $h*t goes down and lots of bullets fly.  Good stuff.

Most surprising thing about this? Jennifer Garner isn't so bad at action flicks.  Creepiest thing about this movie? The Saudi kid's last line.  Argh.

Movie #330 - Juno

Juno
2007 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 36 min
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, JK Simmons, Rainn Wilson

Finally, a movie about teen pregnancy that's not a heart-breaking drama.  In fact, it's funny. Really funny. Ellen Page's quirky Juno is priceless, always quick with the pickup and always ready with an off-beat joke.  Rad.

One of my favorite things about this movie is the cast.  Overall, it's cast really well: Allison Janney has some great moments as Brenda, Juno's stepmom.  Garner and Bateman make the unlikely pair they portray believable.  JK Simmons is the coolest, calmest, most collected dad of a teen mom I've ever seen, but it works. And Michael Cera staked his claim on the charming geek-boy domain with this film, transitioning smoothly from his charming geek-boy character on Arrested Development. It's almost the same character, just on the big screen and in running shorts.  But he does it so well, it makes sense.

Diablo Cody made her screenwriting debut with this gem of a flick, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from her.  With dialogue that's clever and witty, characters that could be your own friends or neighbors, and a plot that's simple but realistic, I really enjoy this movie all around.

Movie #251 - Hancock

Hancock
2008 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 32 min
Director: Peter Berg
Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Thomas Lennon

From the previews, I thought this movie would be a lot more fun than it ended up being.  Come on. Ornery superhero annoyed by his moral obligation to help people? Could have been great.  Wasn't.

Instead, this becomes some kind of supernatural drama and our "superhero" is really some kind of "superbeing" that is thousands of years old and has amnesia.  As he finds out more about who he is, and concentrates less on getting over his aversion to help others, I start to lose interest.  Yes, it lends itself to some really cool action sequences, which are most likely CGI-heavy, but I really felt let down.

I don't hate it, but I don't like it as much as I thought I would.

Movie #190 - The Ex

The Ex
2006 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 17 min
Director: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Charles Grodin, Jason Bateman, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Amy Adams

Here's a first-time watch. And I'm still kinda scratching my head about this one. I have many questions. For example, why was it made? And what happens to Jason Bateman at the end? That's it?! Problem solved? Is he OKAY?!

So Zach Braff and Amanda Peet are young, married, and have fallen upon hard times that lead him to work with her father.  Despite their honest effort, they can't seem to be happy in their new roles: Braff as marketing ad guy, Peet as full-time mom.  And Jason Bateman, an old boyfriend of Peet's and new coworker of Braff's, is not making life any easier for both of them.

My big problem with this was it's general mean-spiritedness. It's not that funny and, at times, it's just awkward.  There's also a lot of wasted talent here. These people are funny and they're not allowed to act like it. Amy Poehler, Amy Adams, and Donal Logue are mostly wasted here. It could've been so much better. 

Now, I love a good awkward comedy scene as much as the next guy, but scenes in this movie made me cringe.  Not to mention that Zach Braff is incapable of playing any character other than J.D. on Scrubs. Amanda Peet and Charles Grodin were good though.

That's all I've got on this one, folks.

Movie #136 - Couples Retreat

Couples Retreat
Universal Pictures
2009 - Rated R - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Peter Billingsley
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Kristin Davis

When this movie came out and everyone was like "Ooh! What a great cast! This is going to be hysterical!" I was onboard.  We saw it in the theater and enjoyed it, then were puzzled to hear that not everyone thought it was as funny as they hoped.  Well sure that's going to happen... This isn't a slapstick comedy, it's not Wedding Crashers, and it's not just shallow comedy either.

This movie is funny because of how well it hits the nail on the head.  The construct is a bit weak - four couples who all fit a stereotype we see in our world today - but the message is clear: "Make it work if you want it to work." Maybe the humor makes people uncomfortable, or maybe it's not the Favrea/Vaughn people expect.  Still, I happen to think this movie is pretty darn hillarious.

As for the vacation spot, with the crazy couples therapists and the fish-feeding exercises that draw sharks, there's your Favreau/Vaughn humor.  It's background noise, despite the movie's poster and catch phrase that would tell you its otherwise. It isn't the main point, it's the backdrop where these comedy writers make their valid point about human relationships.

For these reasons, and the fact that kids peeing in display toilets is hysterical, I really liked this one a lot.

Movie #92 - The Break-Up

The Break-Up
Universal Pictures
2006 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 46 min
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Justin Long, John Michael Higgins, Vincent D'Onofrio

The best part about this movie is the end.  Not because it's over... but because it doesn't end the way you expect.  A Hollywood rom-com always has a happy ending right?  Well, despite the movie trailer that would have you believe this is your standard rom-com, it so isn't.  Instead, it's like a study in communication breakdown, romantic dysfunction, the differences between men and women and how they manage conflict.  And even with its cutesy back-and-forth between this couple - expertly protrayed by Vaughn and Aniston, by the way - this movie is full of sorrow, regret, and doubt.  It's well done and highly underrated.  Calling this a rom-com just doesn't make sense.

Anyway, I really do like this movie, although it's not one I could pick up and watch every weekend.  There are laughs, here and there, but mostly it's just a reminder to appreciate the one you're with and not take anything for granted.  But the open-ended last scene also reminds us of all the things possible in the future.