Last time Jerry Seinfeld was on "Late Night", him and Jimmy had fun during the break answering questions from the audience and generally goofing around. So they decided to do it again. Hopefully this is a new tradition.
The "Real" Jimmy Fallon is intense, man.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
IMDB 250 8.3 - The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers (2012)
Plot: Okay, so there's this guy who's like a guy or a god - or an alien? or a god alien - and he comes from another dimension or another planet or he's from Earth originally - but he's from somewhere else now. I think he uses a portal of energy - is it a blackhole? - I think they describe it as a door. And he can erase people's brains or steal their soul or something.... and Samuel L. Jackson is there and he causes it somehow.... Maybe he doesn't. Aw, Hell, I don't know....
Plot: Hulk Smash!
I was never into comic books and, of the movies preceding "The Avengers", I've only seen "Iron Man". That means there's a lot I don't know about who the characters are and what they do. And there's a lot I don't know about their backstory and what the hell any of what they're doing really means. That means there are a few chunks of plot exposition that I don't follow at all - a sizable detraction from the enjoyment. But the bottom line is that when the fists start flying, it's supremely obvious who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.
One of the aspects of action movies that's become tiresome and cliche is the need for "comic relief". It isn't enough that James Bond offs a dude, he has to make a bad pun afterwards to no one in particular. One of the great things about this movie is that the jokes work. Credit to Joss Whedon, the humor is smart and genuinely funny. Part of the reason the humor works is because the characters work as well. Behind the explosions and CGI, we get a sense of these very different personalities, all coming together and agreeing, disagreeing, squabling, getting on each other's nerves and everything else a family is supposed to do.
In short, this movie is exactly what it's supposed to be - it's a fun summer "popcorn" movie. It's a big-budget special effects escapist blockbuster. It's exciting, it's loud and it's engaging. Of course, no one really needs my review because everyone's already seen it.
8/10.
Total Top "250" Movies Seen: 364.
Plot: Okay, so there's this guy who's like a guy or a god - or an alien? or a god alien - and he comes from another dimension or another planet or he's from Earth originally - but he's from somewhere else now. I think he uses a portal of energy - is it a blackhole? - I think they describe it as a door. And he can erase people's brains or steal their soul or something.... and Samuel L. Jackson is there and he causes it somehow.... Maybe he doesn't. Aw, Hell, I don't know....
Plot: Hulk Smash!
I was never into comic books and, of the movies preceding "The Avengers", I've only seen "Iron Man". That means there's a lot I don't know about who the characters are and what they do. And there's a lot I don't know about their backstory and what the hell any of what they're doing really means. That means there are a few chunks of plot exposition that I don't follow at all - a sizable detraction from the enjoyment. But the bottom line is that when the fists start flying, it's supremely obvious who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.
One of the aspects of action movies that's become tiresome and cliche is the need for "comic relief". It isn't enough that James Bond offs a dude, he has to make a bad pun afterwards to no one in particular. One of the great things about this movie is that the jokes work. Credit to Joss Whedon, the humor is smart and genuinely funny. Part of the reason the humor works is because the characters work as well. Behind the explosions and CGI, we get a sense of these very different personalities, all coming together and agreeing, disagreeing, squabling, getting on each other's nerves and everything else a family is supposed to do.
In short, this movie is exactly what it's supposed to be - it's a fun summer "popcorn" movie. It's a big-budget special effects escapist blockbuster. It's exciting, it's loud and it's engaging. Of course, no one really needs my review because everyone's already seen it.
8/10.
Total Top "250" Movies Seen: 364.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Movie Review: We Made This Movie
We Made This Movie (2012)
A group of high-school kids attempt to make a prank/stunt comedy a la Tom Green or "Jackass". As they increasingly discover that they don't know what they're doing and, more importantly, they discover that the movie they're making sucks. But as the movie sucks, the documentary feature about the making of the movie emerges as the story really worth telling. This is that movie.
Posing as a documentary film made by kids, starring young unknowns, shown for free on the internet and released only on itunes - the movie is very much an "independent" movie and, who knows, probably represents an entirely new model for making and releasing movies.
As with "Swingers" or "Diner" most of the comedy comes from the interplay between the young characters with a good deal of improvisation sprinkled in. Particularly as "stunts" go awry, the characters are overheard making witticisms about how much they suck and how stupid they look. Here, the movie feels like an extended video on "Funny or Die" or "Cracked.com" - they're a little too witty, a little too slick to be believed as real people. The illusion is everything. It's easy to laugh at a real person; but harder to laugh at actors trying to be funny.
But it's when the movie turns from comedy to drama that it really picks up steam. The movie within the movie isn't just a goof, we learn, it's a flailing attempt for a future - any future. It's a desperate attempt to escape their small town and be better than their parents. Just as in the best teen movies ("Cemetery Junction", "The Breakfast Club"), the characters face a future of uncertainty - they're not sure what they want to be as much as they're sure about what they don't want to be. Maybe chickens aren't destined to fly but the question is: do they have to end up in a cage?
6/10.
A group of high-school kids attempt to make a prank/stunt comedy a la Tom Green or "Jackass". As they increasingly discover that they don't know what they're doing and, more importantly, they discover that the movie they're making sucks. But as the movie sucks, the documentary feature about the making of the movie emerges as the story really worth telling. This is that movie.
Posing as a documentary film made by kids, starring young unknowns, shown for free on the internet and released only on itunes - the movie is very much an "independent" movie and, who knows, probably represents an entirely new model for making and releasing movies.
As with "Swingers" or "Diner" most of the comedy comes from the interplay between the young characters with a good deal of improvisation sprinkled in. Particularly as "stunts" go awry, the characters are overheard making witticisms about how much they suck and how stupid they look. Here, the movie feels like an extended video on "Funny or Die" or "Cracked.com" - they're a little too witty, a little too slick to be believed as real people. The illusion is everything. It's easy to laugh at a real person; but harder to laugh at actors trying to be funny.
But it's when the movie turns from comedy to drama that it really picks up steam. The movie within the movie isn't just a goof, we learn, it's a flailing attempt for a future - any future. It's a desperate attempt to escape their small town and be better than their parents. Just as in the best teen movies ("Cemetery Junction", "The Breakfast Club"), the characters face a future of uncertainty - they're not sure what they want to be as much as they're sure about what they don't want to be. Maybe chickens aren't destined to fly but the question is: do they have to end up in a cage?
6/10.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Conan Reviews Video Games - Resident Evil 6
In a regular segment called "Clueless Gamer", Conan, a clueless gamer, reviews video games. This week he reviews the yet-to-be-released "Resident Evil 6".
I love that springy thumbs up, I'm gonna start using that if I can.
Rating System:
Scale of 1 to 1500
1400 - Not So Good
1100 - Fantastic
Less Than Zero - Better
Rating: 35
I love that springy thumbs up, I'm gonna start using that if I can.
Rating System:
Scale of 1 to 1500
1400 - Not So Good
1100 - Fantastic
Less Than Zero - Better
Rating: 35
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Letterman to Receive Kennedy Center Honors
It was announced that David Letterman will be one of the Kennedy Center Honorees this year. The award, given to those who have contributed significantly to the cultural life of our nation and the world".
Also honored will be Dustin Hoffman, Buddy Guy, a ballerina and Led Zeppelin. Interesting.
Read more about it here. The ceremonies will air December 2nd on CBS.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Conan - Wife Auditions
Few people know that Conan actually found his present wife by holding open auditions. Here, Conan shows the video tapes.
OK, obviously this is just a comedy piece. In the mood for some irony?
Here's something the other tour guides won't tell you... Conan actually DID meet his wife by way of a comedy piece.
In 2000, Conan did a bit where he hired an ad agency to make a local commercial and that's where he met his wife. And that's a fact, Jack. Here it is:
Is it creepy that I know that? Probably.
OK, obviously this is just a comedy piece. In the mood for some irony?
Here's something the other tour guides won't tell you... Conan actually DID meet his wife by way of a comedy piece.
In 2000, Conan did a bit where he hired an ad agency to make a local commercial and that's where he met his wife. And that's a fact, Jack. Here it is:
Is it creepy that I know that? Probably.
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