Well, folks. I've gotten so behind on my blog that the only way to get out of this mess is with an entry comprised entirely of short and dirty reviews. Instead of a comprehensive look at each film here, I'm going with an overall impression. Hopefully, I'll be back to full-length reviews soon!
The Lego Movie
I was excited about The Lego Movie mainly because the director/writers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were also the creators of the one-season cult TV show Clone High, which was on and off the air much too quickly. I wasn't disappointed--not only does The Lego Movie have the wacky, mildly subversive humor that Clone High had, it's also one of the most uniquely animated films I've ever seen. The Lego Movie is great fun for viewers of all ages.
4.5 out of 5 stars
***
Neighbors
Neighbors is a reasonably funny film, but it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel. Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play new parents who are young enough to harbor fantasies that they're still cool and full of energy. Their patience is tested when a fraternity, led by Zac Efron and Dave Franco, moves in next door. The couple enters a love-hate relationship with the frat as peace offerings of weed and booze are exchanged between the two parties and the frat ultimately refuses to be quiet, respectful neighbors. Hijinks ensue and everyone learns a lesson about self-respect and the true meaning of shutting the fuck up so the baby can get some sleep.
3.5 out of 5 stars
***
22 Jump Street
Speaking of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the duo also directed 21 Jump Street and its sequel, 22 Jump Street (side note: as I just typed that sentence, I almost typed "22 Hump Street"...I'm sure the adult film is already out there on the web somewhere). 21 Jump Street was hilarious, and 22 is pretty good but not quite at the same level. Undercover cops Schmidt and Jenko (Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, a surprisingly great comedy team) are back--this time looking to bust the supplier of a drug called "Whyphy" (pronounced "wi-fi") which is making the rounds at a local college. The two go undercover as college kids to gain the trust of students and figure out who is behind Whyphy. Much is made of that fact that this film is a sequel with basically the same plot os the first film. The movie is self-referential and cheeky, which sometimes hits the mark and sometimes just falls flat. Tatum and Hill are worth the price of a ticket as the perfect pair--Hill all anxiety and sarcasm, and Tatum playing the hunky lunkhead.
3.75 out of 5 stars
***
How to Train Your Dragon 1 & 2
Like The Lego Movie, both kids and adults can enjoy the How to Train Your Dragon movies. Both movies take place on an island called Berk. At the beginning of the first film, the vikings of Berk spend their lives fighting the dragons that attempt to steal their sheep and generally cause havoc. Young Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel, he of the nasally nerdiness) figures he doesn't have what it takes to be a dragon-killer, which is unfortunate since his father, Stoick (Gerard Butler), is chief of Berk and also a masculine badass. When Hiccup manages to shoot down a rare Night Fury dragon, only to be moved to nurture it back to health, he realizes violence isn't the only way to deal with dragons. He has to overcome massive dragonphobia in order to prove to Berk that vikings and dragons can coexist in harmony.
The second film takes place a few years later, when Hiccup is a dashing (but still nerdy) young man of about 19 or 20 years. On one of his exploratory trips with Toothless, his dragon companion, he learns that there are other vikings out there capturing dragons and using them to form an army. Hiccup and his dad butt heads when Hiccup wants to confront the mysterious man behind the dragon army and Stoick prefers to batten down the hatches and protect the village. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is more intense and scary (for little ones, at least) than the first film, and I found it more entertaining and emotionally satisfying. The sequel takes the trope of a boy becoming a man and expands upon it to include themes about family, sacrifice, and what it means to be a leader--commanding respect versus demanding respect and all that. Both films are a lot of fun, but I thought the sequel was a little "fuller".
How to Train Your Dragon: 4 out of 5 stars
How to Train Your Dragon 2: 4.5 out of 5 stars
***
Tammy
Melissa McCarthy was AWESOME in her breakout film role as Megan in Bridesmaids and she deserves all the opportunities that come with newfound fame, including leading roles. You would think that her role as the titular character in Tammy would be ideal since she and her husband wrote the film, but alas I did not think it was worthy of McCarthy's talent. Tammy is about a down-on-her-luck blue collar woman who goes on a road trip with her alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) after she finds her husband cheating on her. The two have a series of adventures, including holding up a fast food joint in order to get bail money when grandma ends up in the slammer. Tammy (and grandma) also both find romance on the road. My problem with the movie is the character of Tammy herself. Whereas Megan in Bridesmaids was truly unique in that she was a heavyset, "butch" woman who was also super intelligent, confident in a believable way (you get to hear her backstory and how she went from bullied in high school to rich and successful), and pleasantly weird. Tammy is none of those things. She didn't strike me as smart, she didn't strike me as confident, and she seemed weird in a socially bizarre way. The film is about how Tammy learns to love and forgive herself, but the lessons are spoon fed. Mark Duplass plays her love interest, and I while I really like the fact that a plus-sized woman gets paired with a very cute (but not chiseled) man, the two didn't seem to fit together. Duplass plays too much of the straight (normal) man to Tammy's socially awkward woman. Being plus-sized in Hollywood is still very taboo, and so a film like Tammy, where weight is barely mentioned, is ground-breaking and should be applauded as such. I look forward to the day where men and women of all different sizes fill the big screen without comment.
3 out of 5 stars
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