Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have suddenly found myself unable to watch (or review) any new movies. Because of this, I will not be making any new posts until I can get some more movies to watch. I'll be resuming this blog as soon as I can, so please check back soon!
February 6, 2008
February 4, 2008
Employee of the Month
This is an ’81 Honda! How dare you!
What it is about
Laid-back box boy Zack (Dane Cook) is a total slacker at work. When the beautiful Amy (Jessica Simpson) transfers to his store, Zack learns that she is only interested in the “Employee of the Month”. This drives Zack to enter the running for the “E of M” award, pitting him against 17-time Employee of the Month Vince (Dax Shepard). Will Zack win the award, and the girl?
What I think about it
The premise of this film provided an infinite amount of material to work with, and yet it did nothing with it. As most people have at one time or another, I have worked in the retail industry. Although the job itself is meaningless, the co-workers and customers can provide endless entertainment. Sadly enough, I laughed more in two hours of working retail than I did watching this movie. It completely failed to make anything beyond the shallowest of observations and utilized none of the material an environment like SuperClub (the Costco-like store around which the movie is centered) has to offer. There were no absurd customers and only about seven of the thirty store employees had any personality. This may have been forgivable if the film had focused on developing the main characters instead of providing a rich environment, but the movie failed to do either. The movie never makes you love Zack or hate Vince very much, and Amy had no personality at all.
Although the film is not as great as it could have been (or even as mediocre as it could have been) it did manage to provide a laugh here and there. Many of the interactions between Zack and Vince were entertaining, but this movie really could have benefited by using some of the comic fodder it had at its disposal.
Why I wanted to watch it
I am a fan of Dane Cook’s stand-up comedy, and I had hoped that some of that humor would make it into the film. I also like comedies about the workplace, such as Office Space and Clerks.
The Scores
BetweenTheScreens: 5.0 / 10.0
Movies.com: D+
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: 21%
Yahoo! Movies: C
Similar Movies
Clerks
Clerks II
Office Space
Waiting...
Film Facts
Cast: Dane Cook, Jessica Simpson, Dax Shepard, Efren Ramirez, Harland Williams, Andy Dick, Brian George
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, and language
Running Time: 103 minutes
Release Dates: October 6, 2006 (Theater); January 16, 2007 (DVD)
Movie Links
Official Website
IMDb
Movies.com
Rotten Tomatoes
Yahoo! Movies
Buy Employee of the Month (Widescreen Edition)
February 3, 2008
Blades of Glory
"Chazz Michael Michaels and Jimmy MacElroy ARE figure skating! Boom!"
What it is about
Men's figure skating rivals Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) tie for the Gold medal in the World Wintersport Games. After dishonoring themselves and the sport by brawling during the award ceremony, they are stripped of their medals and banned from men's figure skating. Their only hope of reclaiming the gold: team up and form the first 2-man figure skating pair. Being bitter rivals and complete opposites on and off the ice, will this unlikely team beat the odds and bring home the gold?
What I think about it
This movie is solidly entertaining and steadily supplies the laughs while progressing through the silly plot. Just the premise of Will Ferrell as a figure skater (a gold-medalist, nonetheless!) is hilarious. Although not as funny as previous sports satires by Farrell - Kicking and Screaming, Talladega Nights - he once again delivers a solid performance as an arrogant and self-absorbed, yet lovable, pseudo-celebrity. Fans of Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby will find Chazz Michael Michaels very familiar. Farrell is not the only cast member sticking close to familiar territory though. Will Arnett, Craig T. Nelson, and Amy Poehler all deliver performances that feel very familiar. You might be surprised, however, by Jenna Fischer donning lingerie as Katie Van Waldenberg or Romany Malco as the effeminate choreographer Jesse. Interestingly, the performance of Jon Heder seems to intentionally avoid any similarities to his famous character Napoleon Dynamite.
Ferrell and Heder work well together, with an on-screen chemistry that exhibits a brotherly relationship which contributes to the likeability of both characters. Although most of the jokes are delivered by Ferrell or Heder, the excellent supporting performances keep the movie skating by smoothly while delivering laugh after laugh.
Overall, this movie is funny and enjoyable throughout, and is definitely worth watching.
Why I wanted to watch it
I am a fan of both Will Farrell and Jon Heder. How could I miss a movie starring both of these comedic champions clad in Lycra and ice skates?
The Scores
BetweenTheScreens: 7.5 out of 10.0
Movies.com: B+
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: 70%
Yahoo! Movies: B-
Similar Movies
Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Balls of Fury
Zoolander
Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story
Film Facts
Cast: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Jenna Fischer
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language, and some drug references
Release dates: March 30, 2007 (Theater); August 28, 2007 (DVD)
Movie Links
Official Website
IMDb
Movies.com
Rotten Tomatoes
Yahoo! Movies
Buy Blades of Glory (Widescreen Edition)
from Amazon.com
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