Movie #263 - The Heartbreak Kid

The Heartbreak Kid
2007 - Rated R - 1 hr 56 min
Director: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Starring: Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman, Michelle Monaghan, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Mencia, Danny McBride, Stephanie Courtney

A Farrelly brothers movie starring Ben Stiller? This should kick ass. Sadly, it's not as good as some of their other endeavors.  Still, Malin Akerman is perfectly annoying in every possible way, so it's got that going for it.  And Ben Stiller is all bachelor-on-the-brink-of-loveless-curmudgeon until you want to smack him.

This rom-com is too heavy on the com and leaves a lot to be desired from the rom.  Plus, the whole cross-wires in love concept gets tired by the end.

All in all, some fun scenes to watch. And Michelle Monaghan is adorable. Too adorable for Ben Stiller's irritating character in this one.

Movie #254 - Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
2004 - Rated R - 1 hr 28 min
Director: Denny Leiner
Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, Ethan Embry, Fred Willard, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Neil Patrick Harris, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman, David Krumholtz, Anthony Andersen

The premise of this movie is not one that I'd normally expect to enjoy.  Two stoners get the munchies and encounter a series of strange obstacles and people on their way to the nearest White Castle. On paper, not that funny.  In reality, and with NPH in pre-HIMYM Barney effect, this is hysterical.

Some of the characters are a bit over the top (for example, Freakshow) but for the most part, this is just a fun adventure to go on.  The creators also did Dude, Where's My Car? and really seemed to learn from their first attempt.  They kept the pieces of the formula that worked and just improved on it.  A much better output.  And they even give us a nudge at the end...

"Dude, where's my car?"
"Yeah, where's his car, dude?"

Cute.

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 #7 - 27 Dresses

27 Dresses
Fox 2000 Pictures
2008 - Rate PG-13 - 1 hr 51 min
Director: Anne Fletcher
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Judy Greer, and Edward Burns

I got this movie as a Christmas present, thought it would be dumb, and avoided watching it until last summer when I was stuck in the house with morning sickness. Oddly enough, Katherine Heigl won me over in the end. But I hadn't watched it in well over a year, so for this second viewing, I had to remind myself that it wasn't so bad.

And it isn't so bad, but this is another case of "it is what it is." If you go into this movie expecting to watch a chick flick with pretty standard conflicts and resolutions, you're all set. If you want anything else, pick another movie from the Movie Wall. Meanwhile, those of you looking for a chicky movie will enjoy this one. Heigl is annoyingly adorable, torn between two good-looking guys, and victimized by every bride in New York City. Once again, the failure to communicate is at the root of every single problem in Heigl's character's life. In that respect, it's so predictable it hurts. So don't get too cerebral on 27 Dresses, just watch it with a bowl of popcorn and be entertained.