In Review: "Spy"

This James Bond/spy movie parody does somethings right and some things wrong.

The Story

Did you know that every spy has a person walking their every move and telling them what to do? That's why they look so cool.

In this version, the James-Bond-esque Bradley Fine (Jude Law) is helped out by Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) from a desk in an office far, far away from the action. Unexpectedly, Susan is called upon to enter into an undercover mission to stop a mass catastrophe, getting her out from behind the desk and into the frying pan. Along the way, we meet the femme fatale (Rose Byrne), the bad-ass hardcore agent (Jason Statham), another friendly fellow deskie (Miranda Hart) and the boss woman (Allison Janney).

The Stars

My very favorite person in this whole movie was Jason Statham. He's in The Fast and Furious movies. He's in The Transporter movies. Everyone knows him as a bad-ass. But this movie lets him have a lot of fun and it turns out to be really, really funny. His character thinks he's got this down and he is the only man for the job, but it is actually that he is the worst man for the job.

Melissa McCarthy is still stuck in this "fat girl" troupe. Throughout the movie there are digs at her size and how because of her size she is ugly, lonely and probably lives with a lot of cats. This troupe is so overused, I got really tired of it. After all, McCarthy is a much better comedian than that! Near the end of the film, she gets to let her one-liners and snarky comebacks out (the ones that MADE "The Heat", her movie with Sandra Bullock). Near the end, she gets to be the woman for the job and the only one who knows what the hell is going on. Though I appreciate letting McCarthy's character evolve, the fat jokes are getting old people. I'm glad that at least this wasn't another "Tammy".

The Message

There is always someone behind the star who is making the star who the world believes they are. Sometimes they are not the prettiest or most popular of people, but they are really good at what they do. Obviously, or the world wouldn't think so highly of these stars.

I love this idea that super spies do actually nothing on their own. All of their cool moves and lines are all fed to them by the real brains on the inside. And they are the people who deserve the praise. But Susan Cooper did one thing that they probably haven't. She stepped out of her comfort zone (for a guy- but I'm ignoring that), and did something she had never done before. And that's when she got to know her own strength and her own awesomeness.

Overall

I recommend to rent this one on a night when you need to laugh a little. Not lot- just a little.

It's a fun parody on the spy movie, but nothing to write home about. Though Jason Statham's performance may be worth watching the entire movie.

1.5 out of 4 Spies

In Review: "St. Vincent"

In Review: " St. Vincent"

A movie that is "saved" by its talent.

When was the last time you saw a bad Bill Murray movie? "Monuments Men" (2014) comes to mind. But why did you go see the film in the first place? Because it's a movie about the value of art and the evil of the Nazis? No. It had Bill Murray in it. Whatever he touches, people are simply drawn to it. It's nothing that can be explained, but I've decided to call it the Murray Effect.

The Plot

 

A little kid named Oliver whose parents have just divorced and has been uprooted to a poorer new York neighborhood (probably near Queens) is dealing with the "new kid syndrome". But instead of reaching out to the kids who beat him up after school, he latches on to his ill-tempered neighbor (Murray), a senior named Vincent who drinks too much, swears too much, and whose only friend seems to be his cat. Out of desperation, Maggie, Oliver's mom (Melissa McCarthy), is forced to ask Vincent to watch Oliver while she is away at work. Luckily for Maggie, Vincent owes quite a few people money. Craziness ensues of course for the odd couple. Oliver goes to the race track, visits a bar, and meets Vincent's "lady of the night" (Naomi Watts).

The Stars

 

Why does the Murray Effect exist? As we have gotten to know Murray through the years as a fun-loving, wise-cracking, and sometimes cranky man with a big heart, we have learned to love him. So much so that when he suddenly appears in "Zombieland" (2009), the movie sky rockets from "Oh, yeah that was pretty funny" to "OMG! They killed Bill Murray!" We expect laughs from him, and lots of heart. And this movie allows him to do exactly that. He gets to be sarcastic and heartfelt, blunt and deep, recite quick one-liners and meaningful dialogue. It's nothing that we haven't seen from him before. It simply reminds us what we love most about him.

Poor Melissa McCarthy. She is starting to head towards a bad type-cast. The fat, clumsy, stupid funny girl. She did that in "Identity Thief" (2013), "Tammy" (2014), and even "Hangover Part III" (2013). Stop it Melissa McCarthy! Stop right where you are. I know you're TV show "Mike & Molly" is not doing as great has it has in the past, but that is no reason to give up!

This part in "St. Vincent" is a welcomed change for McCarthy. No, she doesn't get to be the punchline of every joke, but she gets to grow on screen. She gets to break down and cry, get mad and get scared. I believe that this is just a glimpse into what could be if McCarthy decides to choose this path for her career. She needs to take notes from her fellow funny girl Kristen Wiig. Yes, Wiig did all the stupid funny she wanted to in SNL, but since then she has turned a corner and did more serious roles like "The Skeleton Twins". She has become more than just another funny girl.

Another "Bridesmaids" alum shows up in this film- Chris O'Dowd. And he could not be more perfect as Brother Geraghty, the teacher of Oliver's new Catholic school. O'Dowd brought me back to those plaid skirts day when I knew the Stations of the Cross between than my times tables. His quick wit and sly comments will make you think if your grade school nun days were as funny as this classroom.

The Message

 

Never judge a book by its cover. Don't judge a person before you get to know them. Miracles come in the most unexpected places. Angels are all around us. The main issue I have with this film is it can't quite decide what it wants to say or it never really gets there. It throws funny lines at you, presents silly situations and circumstances, and gives you a dash of sincerity. So by the end of it all, yes, you love Vincent and wish you could meet him in real life, but that's really all you know.

There is a side plot where Oliver's birth-father wants to get full custody because his mother is basically leaving Oliver with this crazy man all night long. Logically, it makes sense that the father should be questioning his ex-wife's state of mind when she decided to let this senior citizen babysit her kid. But the scenes are so rushed through that the problem instantly gets solved and Vincent's authority as a caretaker is not questioned again. So who is judging Vincent now? Maggie? The world? The audience? I'm not really sure.

Overall

 

 

I loved this Bill Murray movie, and think of it as exactly that. This is a film to enjoy Murray in all of his glory and get to watch a couple other choice actors make you laugh and cry. But would I put this on my must-have list? No, not really. It was fun to watch though.

2.5 out of 4 Halos

In Review: "Girl Most Likely"

In Review: "Girl Most Likely"

Kristen Wiig. You left SNL for this? "Bridesmaids" was a huge hit and worth every amount of praise it received. But this one? Not worth the $8 I paid for it (But I did get free Skittles).

The Plot

Kristen Wiig starts off as this successful-like woman with a boyfriend and wildly successful friends. Quickly her boyfriend leaves her and she gets fired from her job at a magazine. She tries to look like she has committed suicide early in the film by taking a sleeping pill, complete with a very well written suicide note. She gets thrown into the hospital and eventually back into her childhood home with her gambling-obsessed mother (Annette Bening), her socially awkward loner brother (Christopher Fitzgerald), her mother's mysterious younger boyfriend (Matt Dillon), and a hunky guy who is renting out Wiig's old room (Darren Criss). The story is all about her learning to love her family, herself, blah, blah, blah.

The Cast

Wiig struggles for laughs. Struggles. I don't necessarily think it is all her fault (I think that is all on the snooze fest of a script), but I do blame her for being in this below average film.

Bening was pretty good as a crazy horrible parent, but not memorable enough for me to care to write much about her.

Dillon's character is perfect for him. Though I have this inkling that he is playing himself...

Criss IS playing himself- the happy-go-lucky talented singer who everyone loves. Yeah, that pretty much sums him up.

The Message

It's hard to see under all this depression. That is 99.9% of this movie. Wiig being pathetically depressed.  And after a while, you get really sick of it. I wanted Melissa McCarthy to come in and shake it out of her! Get this girl back on her feet because she has become annoying! I don't blame her for wanting to kill herself because her friends are evil, her boyfriend's a jerk, and she should have been taken into the foster system because her mother is such a horrible parent. But please, move on from the depression! It's killing me! People can only take so much of other people being depressed. Unless you too are depressed and then its like a free-for-all party with used tissues and boxes of chocolate scattered around the place.

At the very end of the movie, when you are just about ready to walk out of the theater, there is a moment of substance. There is a circle back to one of our original themes, and we smirk a little bit because there kind of was a meaning to this crappy movie after all. But not enough for us to care to recommend it to anyone we know. I think it had something to do with crabs and self-love?

And the title has nothing to do with anything! Nothing!

Overall

I needed to pop in "Bridesmaids" and some SNL to feel good about liking Kriten Wiig after watching this movie. For the sake of your sanity, don't see this movie. Unless you are depressed, it may help you then. If not, don't see this in theaters and forget about it if you want to laugh and feel good. It's a place where laughs go to die.

The only worthwhile scenes were when Criss and Wiig were together. They have this nice chemistry together and Criss is simply adorable in this role. I also think the ending saved this movie's butt.

1 out of 4 Crabs

In Review: "The Heat"

In Review: "The Heat"

It has been a long time since I have laughed that hard. I don't think I laughed that hard while watching "Bridesmaids" (2011). "The Heat" (not the basketball team) was probably the funniest movie I have seen all summer long. After the film, they showed images of scenes in the film and I was still laughing so hard I was crying. And they were just images.

The Plot

Sandra Bullock plays straight-laced FBI agent Sarah Ashburn who always, always, always goes by the book, and is convinced she knows everything. She can sniff out drugs better than the hounds. She has the knowledge to solve every case she is on. Her people skills though, not that great. She's a cat lady, well, sort of. On the other side of the spectrum, we have Boston police officer Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy)- the ball of fire who makes the job of a police officer look like it does in the movies complete with car chases, jumping fences, and harassing witnesses. She always gets her man no matter what. The two are thrown together when they must take down a drug lord. Ashburn's job is on the line if she is unable to play nice. Mullins finds out her family is involved with this craziness. This is your classic buddy cop story, but this time with two women.

The Cast

I have read up a lot on this movie because I am in love with these two actresses. They are part of the reason women are now allowed to be funny on TV and in films. Without them, women would still be the damsel in distress or the femme fatale. Now girls can be hot and hysterical. And now, thanks to Bullock and McCarthy, girls can kick some ass too.

I don't know how these two ladies could shoot this whole movie without cracking up laughing. I have heard that the two have become the best of friends thanks to this film, and I say it's about time! They are a perfect pair and this movie proves it. They NEED to do another movie together, or a TV show or something! I need more Bullock 'n McCarthy! I need more BullCarthy! or Mcullock!

The Message

Another reason why I love this movie so much is it shows how awesome women are as cops. They are calculating, observant, and fearless. There is one character in the film who is constantly putting down the power duo because they are women. I'd like to slap this dude and anyone else who's that sexist. Where did men come from anyway? From women!!

I like that this movie has the same formula as a male buddy cop film just with two women, and much more flack from men telling them they aren't good enough. I love that the director, Paul Feig, didn't feminize the film, making them worry about their appearance or involve a serious love interest. They were just two rock-awesome women who were cops too. There were no damsel in distress moments. No "my life is horrible", periods suck, I love clothes, I need to be sexy for my man moments. But these characters were also not turned into butch, non-feminine women. Just because they were tough and good at a job that is not normally for females doesn't mean that they can't enjoy wearing makeup and being girly. It was all about the relationship between these two women, and how they grew together. Just like a buddy cop movie is.

On top of all of this, the funniest parts are not the ones you see in the trailer! So many comedies fail on this point, but this one has too many funny parts to fit into 4 trailers! Instead you are just going to have to see the whole thing!

Overall

Go see this movie.

5 out of 4 Ticking grenades

Boom sauce!