Limitless

This is a very neat concept for a film. It's sorta been done, but Limitless gives a brand new twist on the matter. A down and out slacker named Eddie Morra has nothing going for him except that he has a book contract. With that said, he has not written one page and his girlfriend has just dumped him for having no direction. Is it laziness or pure stupidity? Maybe a little bit of both when it all boils down. When he was given some "wonder drug" by his ex brother in law, he was curious of its potential. The pitch alone would make any man curious. Be able to use 100% of your brain. Hells ya. He takes his free sample, then poof - he is focused and recollecting knowledge he didn't know he even had. Within a couple hours he has entire chapters of his book written, and he is excited. For the first time in his life, he felt alive. He felt worthy. After that single night of clarity, he had to have more, but at $800 a pop, he could not afford it. He goes to see his Ex B-in-Law, and then he is sent on a dry cleaning errand. Eddie will kiss as much ass as necessary to get another hit. When he returns though, tragedy has struck and his B in Law is dead. Murdered. He calls the po po, and waits it out, then decides to try and find the stash. When he does, he is relieved. He now has a near endless supply. He begins with one a day and does not squander his new found talents. He makes connections, makes a lot of people a lot of money including himself, and he is finally relevant. Before he knows it, he is rubbing elbows and giving advice to the high and mighty people of the world. Unfortunately it can't last forever. Without a supplier, supply will run out, and this worries him. Without it, Eddie is still a moron. He does not retain anything he learns while using, so without it, he is a loser again. This is a film about making it big, and being the opposite of what you were destined to be. Bradley Cooper always plays suave really well, so for half of the film he is perfect. The other half, when he seems strung out, or dependent and unable to think he is even better. He did an awesome job at this role, and adding Robert De Niro to the mix doesn't hurt anything either. So, will he be able to straighten out his life without the drug, or will he die dumb and alone? There are a couple twists that I really enjoyed, but most of all, I enjoyed that we were presented a smart film with good acting. I do recommend it, and I hope Billionaire Richard Branson and his Virgin Productions can roll out more quality films in the near future.

NBM rates Limitless - Phenomenal

30 Minutes or Less

I heard mixed reviews about this film, but that did not deter me from paying to see it anyway. It just looked too funny to miss, and though some naysayers said all the funny parts were in the trailers, I had to see for myself, and I will say nay to these naysayers. There were plenty of funny parts never before seen by the American Television watcher. The funny stuff was present, but the acting was brilliant, but more than those two aspects were the references. Many of you know, one of my favorite things in cinema are the abundance of movie references some films use. This shows me that the characters are like me. I can have entire conversations based on movie quotes, or what I have learned from the movies. Nick (Eisenberg) and Chet (Ansari) are Best friends who are leading very different lives. Nick is a pizza delivery boy who likes to get high, and Chet has turned substitute teaching into a career. We get a very clear picture of their friendship early, but within minutes of that, they have a falling out. This is huge with story development. We all should know the basic premise from what we have seen. Nick is forced to rob a bank by two goons, Dwayne (McBride) and Travis (Swordsman), who strap a home made explosive device to him. What we are unclear about is the why. The "why" is very funny and involves Dwayne's daddy who is played by the always appreciated Fred Ward. Dwayne and Travis are a conundrum to this movie, because I don't know how they were written in. Were they supposed to be the funniest comedy, or were they supposed to be more serious with a lot of idiocy? Either way, I will tell you that as they were funny in an over the top idiotic way. However, Nick and Chet - Chet mostly - were the funnier of the duo's. However again, the funniest person in the entire film was very shocking to me. It was Chango, who was played to comedy perfection by Michael Pen`a, who is more known for his serious roles in "Crash" and "Shooter". He is hilarious as the Hispanic gangster/hitman. The opening scene where we see how stressful is can be to deliver a pizza in 30 minutes or less is superbly shot. Nick is hauling ass in his POS mustang. The only redeeming quality of the car is the 5.0 engine it sports. He has total disregard for traffic laws, and its fun to watch. Apparently his high octane job lend hand to his getaway driving skills later on. With a 10 hour time limit to get Dwayne and Travis the money they have asked for, he must take drastic measures. Chet reluctantly agrees to help him and hilarity ensues. It has the funniest bank robbery of all time in film - even funnier than Trapped in Paradise. Among the references we get to enjoy are "Point Break", "John McClane", and the video game "Contra" - which without giving anything away, I will say that was one of the funniest lines of the entire film. It really is a rush of a film. At only 83 minutes long, it never slows down, and I am glad it was that short. It left out nothing, but also didn't need anymore film to enhance it. I enjoyed this film as I though I would. It did not exceed my expectations, but it also did not fall short of them. I will watch it again when releases to video, as should all of you.

NBM rates 30 Minutes or Less - A Solid Awesome

The Help

As all of you know my sweet husband is a lover of movies good and bad. I am a lover of books only good ones of course. I will not be writing a blog on no bad books anytime soon, because I have read some pretty bad ones. This is where I have to sadly admit that I have not read The Help. I have been meaning to read it for months, before the movie came out, and just never made time for it. I wouldn't normally see a movie before reading the book, because I'm a firm believer that the book is always better than the move. This is where the Jester and I differ a little, but that is one of those arguments where you just have to agree to disagree. When I had the opportunity to see the movie I broke my own rule. I just couldn't pass it up and I'm happy that I didn't. 
 
The movie takes place in Jackson Mississippi in 60's when the civil rights movement was in full swing. The world seemed to be changing all around them, but life in the deep South stayed the same. When Skeeter (Emma Stone) returned home from college, she quickly realized that her views have changed a bit compared to her friends and family. When she took a job doing a cleaning advice column for the local paper she started interviewing her friends maid, Aibileen (Viola Davis). She quickly realized Aibileen had more to offer her than cleaning advice. With the help of Aibileen and her friend Minny (Octavia Spencer) Skeeter was able to write a story of what life is like for African American women as maids in the 60's. With this book, secrets were told and friendships were broken, but a few unlikely friendships were made. I have to say at some points in the movie I was laughing out loud and sometimes I was holding back tears. I guess it was what they call an emotional roller coaster. I was happy leaving the theater knowing that times have changed because of strong people like the characters in this movie. Without people like them who knows where the world would be. I'd also like to talk about Hilly. She is played by Bryce Dallas Howard, and she is quickly becoming one of the elite among Hollywood actresses. Hilly is an up front Bible thumping Christian racist. This is funny, because Christians are supposed to accept all of God's children, when in fact, she feels by keeping "The Help" segregated from everyone else, she is doing God's work. It's is sort of a strange irony to say the least. Without her role as the opposition to Skeeter's cause, the movie would not have been as powerful. She is a wealthy socialite hell bent on keeping things as they were. I commend Howard on taking on such a controversial role in today's overly sensitive PC society. As you can probably tell, me and an entire theater full of other Women enjoyed this film. I urge you to go see it if you have had any inclination from the previews you have seen. It is well worth it.

Lisa rates The Help - Phenomenal

Hall Pass

I was skeptical about this comedy. I was worried it would be rubbish. The premise alone is horrible, but the execution and script were great. It follows two guys mostly. Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Sudeikis), and there buddies come along for the ride. Rick has been married 19 years and has 3 kids. Fred has been married a while also, but has no kids. These guys do nothing but harp on the fact that if they were not married, they would get so much tail it wouldn't even be funny. They constantly gawk at lovely women, right in front of their wives. The wives, played by Christina Applegate and Jenna Fischer are pretty good sports about, because they know their men aren't going anywhere. They feel the "Look, don't touch" policy has kept their men sane. When enough is enough, Maggie (Fischer) gives her hubby a "Hall Pass". A week without being married. She feels if he gets it out of his system, then they can move on. She does this under the impression that he is all talk, and to much of a pussy to do what he says. She takes the kids and leaves him alone for 7 days of bachelor freedom. When Fred hears of this he is flabbergasted. This is the greatest feat in marriage history as far as he is concerned. He presses his wife to give him the same and she denies him, until an event occurs that leaves her embarrassed. Now these boys have a week to do what they want and under the guidelines who they want. The wives are a little nervous, but take it in stride. The comedy begins when these forty year old men go looking for action at Applebees no less. Their buddies are all there to support them in every way, and chaos ensues. In my opinion, they did it all wrong. The odds of landing a 20 year old is about 1%, but the odds of hitting up an older lady, say 45, increases your odds to 50%, maybe even higher. I'm sure you can all guess the life lesson we are to learn while watching these two inept people try and relive the glory days, but with sharp wit, classic jokes, and brilliant visuals, we are left with a really solid movie. It also has one of these funniest scenes of all time involving the male genitalia. You will not be disgusted...maybe a little jealous at first, but then with the punchline to this particular scene comes, you will end up feeling better about yourself than when the scene began. It is a Farrelly Brothers return to triumph, and I will never forget these two new terms I heard in this film. Faux Job and Fake Chow. You will laugh and laugh at this movie, and you will repeat the things you saw and heard throughout it.

NBM rates Hall Pass - Awesome

**Be sure to read down the page for a Movie face off.**

Which Film do you Prefer?

Leave a comment below, if you are so inclined to weigh in.

The Great Buck Howard

This caught my attention last week on HBO, and I will state that is is rare for me, The Jester, to never have heard of a film. No matter how small, indie, or low budget it may be. I pride myself on accepting and remembering everything I hear or see. The hard part for me on this one is the cast. Usually names like Hanks (Tom or Colin), Malkovich, and Zahn would grab my attention in any headline. Then add the beauty of Emily Blunt and we have ourselves a reason to not move for 90 minutes. This is the story of Troy Gable as he steps into the road manager position for an anal retentive entertainer/ mentalist named Buck Howard. The Great Buck Howard to be exact. That is his moniker and try not to forget it. Buck is eccentric to say the least. If it is not done his way, then you best not be around when he notices. To be his road manager is the most stressful job Troy has ever had, and he was going to law school. He needed something new, and this thing just happened. He gets to travel around the country, making sure the star is happy. Not to easy. He works for a hack. At least that is most people's opinion of him. As I was watching this, I found myself pondering about this man. Buck Howard? Who the hell is that? I wanna say the film is based in 2006 or thereabout. There is no way I would not know or have heard of Buck Howard. Actually I found out this supposed "bio-pic" is based on a man by the name of The Amazing Kreskin. Troy puts up with all Buck's crap, travels non stop with him, and tries not to screw up too badly. Even this is better than being miserable in law school. The highlight of the film comes early on when Colin's real life Father, Tom Hanks, shows up as Troy's Father. Great scene. Just as Troy is reassessing his decision, they get to Cincinnati, and things change. He meets a publicist form NYC named Valerie (Blunt) they pal around for the weekend as she promotes Buck and they hit it off. At this point, any regrets he may have had were gone, because of this moment. We see Buck's performance several times in the film, and Malkovich is wonderful as always. I think more than anything that this is just a fun, sometimes uncomfortable film to watch any day of the week. It boils down to one man's struggle to figure out his life, and then there is Troy.

NBM rates The Great Buck Howard - Awesome

Rango

This is a brilliant "adult" PG rated cartoon. It is essentially an animated western, that will make you happy you are watching it while you watch it. This movie could have had a completely different life at the box office had we known what we were getting into. It was a cartoon rated PG, but in my opinion, kids probably hate and or do not understand it. It is very adult. Rango (Depp) is a very odd lizard. We see him early on as a pet with a vivid imagination and a penchant for theater. When he is thrust into the wild, he must survive, which is quite difficult, yet hilarious. The film turns from funny [Fear and Loathing reference] to sort of dark and serious. Our hero is a bright green lizard in a bright Hawaiian shirt, but the town he ends up in is very old west. Lots of drab, dirty, bleak colors and attitudes. The town of Dirt is set up like the old west, and it is awesome. He is immediately targeted by the town folks as being different, but when approached and intimidated, his flair for acting kicks in. He makes up an identity on the spot with back story and all. He becomes the intimidator, and it is funny. Quickly Rango is who the town looks for, for help. They are running dry of water in the middle of the desert. Water is their currency, and without it, everyone will die. He is appointed sheriff and through all his BS, he promises to get water to the town, but ends up screwing up things worse. Unfortunately, he is so wrapped up in his lies, he begins to believe it. The last half of the movie is filled with outstanding action, gunfights, and humor. I especially loved the Clint Eastwood tribute. You will see it as plain as day. The voice even sounds very similar to that of Eastwood, but is actually voiced by the brilliant Timothy Olyphant. Throughout, it does get a bit trippy, due to the over abundance of the desert sun and no water, but mostly it is just a clever written movie that was not given the proper promotion. I will say, I do not have 6, 7, or 8 year olds, but when I do, I don't think they will be ready for it. It says "Hell" at least 7 times, it is very dark, and a little mature for children, plus it does not have the quality of storytelling that keeps today's kids interested. It is a lot of plot, and though the visuals are fun for adults, kids would be bored. I do think I understand why it was fussed over by parents when released. As an adult, I fully understood all the references and didn't mind the language. It was the first animated "Western" I have ever seen, and I loved it. Depp is perfect as the quirky, insecure lizard, and with supporting roles from Bill Nighy (Rattlesnake Jake), Stephen Root (Doc), and Ned Beatty (Mayor) it really felt right. Certain scenes don't even feel animated, and that's why it is great. I do recommend this film for anyone over 10, but for the adults out there, you will really enjoy it.

NBM rates Rango - Awesome

The Jester is Fast!!!

Many people have often wondered, How fast are you? Well, I knew I was fast, but even I was curious. I was given god like physique with a pidgeon toed frame, which I have always heard was good for speedy-ness. When the opportunity arose for me to test my own ability, even I was surprised by the final results. I ran this sprint 4 times I peaked at 18 MPH three times, and one time I hit 19 MPH. The following video proves it. I would like to replicate it with something more than a camera phone. It will take a little while for my body to heal from the rigors of self traveling at 18 MPH. I also want to add that I was uncomfortable in the clothes I was wearing. Cargo shorts, non supportive undies, and a baggy shirt. I didn't even stretch. Enjoy this video, and anyone who wants to see it in person, just let me know. I Would like to eventually reach 20 MPH. That would be awesome, but for now, ENJOY......

Cedar Rapids

I had no reason not to watch this film. Based on cast alone, I am surprised it took me this long. It is a movie that was not highly promoted like Hangover II, Horrible Bosses, or The Change Up was/have been. To be honest I had no idea the real premise between the jokes of Cedar Rapids. I do love Ed Helms, and to me John C. Reilly may be one of the funniest men in Hollywood right now. This is the story of small town boy goes off to the big city. Tim Lippe (Helms) has never been out of his tiny town ever. He sells insurance and to say he is naive is an understatement. When he is sent to the annual convention for Insurance salesmen in Cedar Rapids, he is a bit nervous. His first plane ride, first hotel room, first rental car. It is culture shock for him, and he is advised to stay away from one person in particular. Dean Ziegler (Reilly), and wouldn't you guess it, he happens to be his roommate. Reilly absolutely steals every scene he is in. Tim gets to meet new people, but the real treat is what he is able to give back to these people in terms of perspective. He may be small time, but he has a big heart, and that seems to be contagious. I will say that it was not the funniest movie ever, but the overall humor factor is really high. Even in scenes that weren't suppose to be hilarious were pretty hilarious. What Tim signed up for was not we he got at all. A weekend of deception, debauchery, drugs, and booze. It really is a good script, and rating it R saved it's life. If it had not been R, it would have been boring. There's just something funny about dirty language that does not work if substituted with phrases like "Gosh darn", "flippin", or "crab nuggets". The overall message is a good one, but we do enjoy watching Tim go from a never seen anything small town jimbo, to having done and seen things in a single weekend that most people don't do their entire lives. Additionally, there were more actors that just add to the appeal. Anne Heche as the hot lady of the convention, to Sigourney Weaver as the love interest of Tim from back home. Stephen Root is Tim's boss, and Isiah Whitlock Jr, who I have never seen before, had great comedic timing which adds to the film. He is the third roommate if you are wondering. I could have said "black guy", but that just seems like a dumb way to tell people who he was.

NBM rates Cedar Rapids - Awesome and John C. Reilly Phenomenal

Sucker Punch

This may be one of the shortest reviews I have done to date. There is not a whole lot to talk about this film. If I ramble on, I fear I may spoil the one aspect we stayed around for. The ending, and how it ties together. I'm sure you have heard some things about it, maybe even the spoilers. I heard the spoilers months before I saw it this week, and though it did not sound all that interesting, I watched it anyway. A person named Tyler recommended it and spoke highly of it. I now do not trust Tyler with how I spend my time. This movie was 30 minutes too long. I don't know how it could have been compressed, but it just seemed to drag on and on and on. Maybe I was tired. If anyone has compelling arguments for it, hit me up. When Baby Doll's mother dies, she and her sister stand to inherit the entire estate. Their stepfather is not happy about this and has Baby Doll committed after her sister dies, so he can have what he wants. When she arrives at this horrible facility, she finds a way to cope/escape. Escape mentally that is. The bulk of the film is sort of a fantasy. She and the other girls devise a plan to escape, but they need a number of items to make this possible. Each item must be acquired while Baby Doll dances. When she is on stage, people seem to trance at her every motion, and this is also when the movie is at it's best. The fantasy of the acquisition really is the whole reason to watch this film. The battles against machines, zombies, and dragons are visually provocative. Each of the items spawn a new fantasy battle which all the girls are involved. They have big guns, and even bigger attitudes. Zack Snyder is know for his green screen expertise and this is no different. Having done 300 (Love it) and Watchmen (Like it a lot), I expected more from Sucker Punch. The music is BA, and perfectly streamed through the battle sequences, but I do feel the plot falls short. The battles are great, but it just isn't enough to make it a brilliant film. The entire plot can be summed up in 15 minutes of screen time. The first ten minutes and the final 5 minutes. The entire middle adds nothing to the overall plot, so it was kind of lost on me. It's funny that way, because to me, the fantasy is the only footage worth watching anyway. For what it is, I get it, but I just wished it could have been more solid throughout, and I think 2 hours was too long.

I am going to try and have someone who Loved this film write a review to counter this review. Maybe someone else can help me understand.

NBM rates Sucker Punch - Good