Reaching across the pond

Speaking of The Office, if you did not catch this pass week's episode, you missed the first ever meeting between Steve Carell's Michael Scott and the boss from the original UK The Office, David Brent (played by Ricky Gervais). It's short, sweet, and absolutely awesome. Check it out...

Newsteam assemble!

It looks like Steve Carell and Will Ferrell will be working together once again. Sadly, it won't be for an Anchorman sequel (yet), but rather at Dunder-Mifflin. Ferrell has signed on to do a four-episode arc that will run through Carell's exit on the show. Now if David Koechner's Todd Packer shows up, we could have 3/4ths of the Channel 4 newsteam. Here's more info on Will appearance from EW.com:

With Steve Carell stepping out of NBC’s The Office, producers have enlisted Will Ferrell to help boost the show’s numbers during the season’s home stretch.

Ferrell will reunite with his Anchorman co-star in a four-episode arc later this season. He’ll play a branch manager who arrives from the home office and proves to be just as inept as Michael Scott.

“We found Steve Carell when he was nothing but a movie star and we turned him into a television star,” says executive producer Paul Lieberstein. “We are proud to continue The Office‘s tradition of discovering famous talent, and we hope that once America gets a good look at Will, they’ll see what we see: tremendous raw sexuality.”
Three episodes will feature Carell and Ferrell together (they’re not co-workers, they’re co-people), then Ferrell will have one episode working with the Office gang solo after Carell departs (he’s leaving the show four episodes before the season finale, you’ll recall).

Kept on the down Lowe

Here's a hilarious video of Rob Lowe reacting to the news that Parks and Recreation had been kept off the fall schedule and is just returning tonight. This is very funny, but WARNING, language is not safe for work. By the way, I don't want to have to resort to begging, but PLEASE watch this show! I promise you won't be disappointed.

Rob Lowe Goes Nuts from Rob Lowe

NMR: Despicable Me

In some ways it is a shame that Toy Story 3 was so good this past year because it overshadowed some other good animated films. First you had How To Train Your Dragon tell an effective story and be entertaining and now we have Despicable Me, another excellent entry that works for kids and adults alike. What I liked about this film is that it wasn't afraid to be cartoony. Many of the well received animated films have tried to be more realistic, but not here. A lot of the humor in this film harkens back to jokes that you would find in a Road Runner/Wylie Coyote cartoon. And while the comedy is silly, it's not so hyperactive or noisy like so many of today's Saturday morning cartoons are, that it gives you a headache. But while the file has plenty of goofy fun, it's also able to root itself with heart thanks to a trio of orphaned girls. These kids are sweet without being cloying. It's easy to see how they are able to melt the cold heart of evil villain Gru (voiced wonderfully by Steve Carell). The film works for audiences of all ages. Adults will enjoy the voice work from a lot of their favorite comedians. Children will love the battle between Gru and Vector (voiced by Jason Segal) and everyone will love Gru's goofy minions, who steal the show with every scene that they are in. This one is definitely recommended for rental. Rating: ****

Knight call

We've finally gotten some scoop on the newcomers for the next Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises. Check out who has been cast in two big roles below in this article from EW.com:

Warner Bros. announced via press release this morning that director Christopher Nolan has cast Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in his third and final Batman opus The Dark Knight Rises. For those who don’t know their Batman lore, Selina Kyle is Catwoman’s alter-ego, although curiously, the press release makes no mention of the word “Catwoman.” And in something of a surprise, Nolan also announced today that his Inception actor Tom Hardy will play the villain Bane, a more recent addition to Batman’s storied rogues gallery. He made a big splash in the Batman comics by breaking Bruce Wayne’s back in 1993. Hardy’s participation in The Dark Knight Rises has been previously reported (although never confirmed by the studio until today), but the widespread speculation was that he’d be playing Hugo Strange or Clayface.

Snug as a bug in a rug

This for all of those people out there for feel the Snuggie is too complicated and that Pajama Jeans are only for rich snobs.

Best western

I apologize if this review ends up being shorter than most of my current film ones are. The reason it might be is that when I saw True Grit, I was fighting a cold so my head wasn't fully into the movie. I may end up doing another more in-depth review at another point in time if I get to see this again. But for now, this will have to suffice.

In a lot of ways, the quality of this film was a no brainer from the get-go. Even though some may view re-making this John Wayne classic as akin to desicrating sacred territory, it's clear that the Coen brothers have nothing but the utmost respect for not only the original film, but also the novel which the film is based on. Rangling up great actors like Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin to fill the primary roles in the film was enough to guarantee this would not be an insult to its predecessor.

While many will, it really is unfair to try and make a comparison between The Duke and Jeff Bridges' portrayal of U.S. Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. Wayne's certainly has its charm, but Bridges once again delivers a great performance. This is by no means an imitation. If anything Bridges channels more of The Dude than the Duke for his performance. By now, it should be clear to anyone familiar with Bridges' work that he has no problem coming off looking disheveled, lost, and just plain out of sorts in many of his roles. But no matter how rough of an exterior, he finds a way to always bring a level of humanity to his characters and this one is no different.

And for as crusty as Cogburn is, he's balanced nicely by Matt Damon's slick portrayal of a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf. Damon delivers some great lines in the film no matter who he's in the scene with. He does a nice job of sliding back and forth between slimy and heroic. It's a shame he's not getting more recognition as it relates to awards because he actually may have been my favorite character in the film. As for Brolin, he doesn't show up in the third act, but certainly does the most with his limited time. Through his performance, he's able to ratchet up the intensity to the appropriate level.

What many are quickly realizing, however, is that while these gentlemen are getting the initial recognition based on their star power, the true highlight of the film is young Hallie Steinfeld, playing Mattie Ross, the girl who hires Cogburn to find her father's killer. She has tremendous poise and comes off appearing to be a seasoned actress when involved in scenes with these screen legends, even though she was only 13 when the film was shot. I hope this isn't a one shot deal for her, because she definitely has a bright future ahead of her in the field of acting.

If I had a criticism of the film, it's that I had actually expected it to be a bit more, well, gritty. While there are gunfights and bloodshed, this is far from the gorefest that it could have been. Given that the Coens, who have directed films like Fargo and Burn After Reading, were helming this film, I certainly anticipated more violence. In retrospect though, the film didn't need it. It was just misguided expectations on my end. The focus here is more on the story. And while the Coens' trademark violence may not be fully on this display in this picture, their signature dialogue still is there. There are a number of great scenes of back and forth banter that are clever, funny, and engaging. At times, it was tough to catch all of it; yet another reason I want to watch this film again.

There is nothing flashy about True Grit. This is just old fashioned storytelling at its finest being brought to life by some terrific actors. I love that it has been able to find an audience whereas so many Westerns before it couldn't. This is an excellent film that moves along at a fast pace. It was hard to believe how quickly the two hours flew by. If you're one of the few who hasn't watched it yet, set your sights on it and saddle up for a fun ride. Grade: A-

Castaway call

Being sick last week I never got the opportunity to post the announcement of the new Survivor cast for next season's, Survivor: Redemption Island. If you haven't heard, the twist for the upcoming season involves contestants who have been voted out having the opportunity to re-enter the game at a later point if they are able to defeat other tribe members who have been eliminated in a challenge. The idea of contestants having the ability to re-enter the game makes some Survivor fans uneasy, but Jeff Probst promises everyone will enjoy this new twist. Below is the cast photo. However, you'll notice that there are only 16 people there, but there will be 18 playing the game. The other two are a pair of familiar faces: Boston Rob and Russell Hantz. This will be Russell's third time plays and Rob's fourth. This again is a twist that I'm on the fence on. On one hand their rivarly that started in last year's Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains made for some classic television and they are easily the two best players never to win the game. However, I also feel that they've both had their opportunities and having them back may be overkill. We'll find out how everything plays out when the show returns on February 16th.

Going up to Eleven

I rarely talk about music on here, but I just came across a song that has become a major earworm for me and I wanted to share it with the rest of you. This is Living in a Dream, by Finger Eleven (which happens to be the theme song for this year's Royal Rumble).

NMR: On the next Geraldo: Whores and the people who hate them

After a pair of films featuring ladies as the hero, here's a pair of films where women are victimized for their supposed loose nature...

The Contender: I picked up this 2000 film because I've been on a Jeff Bridges kick lately and his portrayal of a president here earned him an Oscar nomination. While good, he takes a back seat to the film's primary plot about a woman (Joan Allen) who is going through the vetting process in an attempt to become the first female vice president. The acting is solid throughout the film thanks to a talented cast that also includes Gary Oldman, Sam Elliott, and Christian Slater. However, the whole story felt very dated. In the wake of Hilary Clinton and other prominent female politicians, the 'good ol' boys' club that Washington is portrayed as here just doesn't resonate in the same way anymore. In addition, I've been spoiled by other political films and television shows where the dialogue is much more snappy and lively than what is seen here. Still, if you like political thrillers and/or the actors seen in this film, I would suggest renting it. Everyone else probably won't care for this. Rating: *** 1/2

Easy A: This one really caught me by surprise. Usually I dismiss high school comedies because they're complete junk, but I heard enough positive things about this one that I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad I did. While the film's story isn't really anything special (a girl gains noteriety in her high school after pretending to sleep with a bunch of guys in order to help their credibility amongst their friends), the film's lead, Emma Stone, turns in a star-making performance here. Her comedic timing is impeccable and she delivers a number of great one liners. She also nicely dances that fine line of coming off as sophisticated and mature, while still seeming like a real teenager. She totally makes this film bearable. It also helps when the film casts people like Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as her daffy parents. They add another level of energy to each scene they are in. Sharp dialogue and a wonderful cast make this the best high school movie since Mean Girls or perhaps even 10 Things I Hate About You. Rating: ****

James Bond Will Return

Seeing 007 back in action was never in doubt, it was just a matter of when. Well question no more, we finally have a date confirmed by MGM. From EW.com:

James Bond’s vacation is over.

After the financial wrangling over the fate of MGM led the family that produces the 007 films to halt development of their 23rd installment last year, the project is back on track with plans for a Nov. 9, 2012 release date, MGM confirms to EW. (Deadline first reported the story.)

Daniel Craig will return for his third run as the superspy. What was more in question was whether Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, who had been attached to the movie before it was put on hiatus, would still be participating.
The announcement today from MGM and EON Productions confirms Mendes will remain as the filmmaker, with a script from Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan. EON is run by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, children of the late producer Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli, who launched the franchise with Sean Connery’s Dr. No in 1962.

NMR: A lethal dose of heroine

Here's a pair of recents films I saw featuring ladies trying to save the day...

Alice in Wonderland: This was surprisingly already on Instant View for Netflix. Once again Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team up here, but the magic is nowhere to be found. Being a Disney film, Burton doesn't go twisted enough with the source material and the insanity that he does bring to the film just comes off as annoying rather than engaging. And for being a place a wonder, this environment that he creates is rather murky and bland. All in all, the visuals were disappointing, however, my story might be different had I seen this in 3D as it was intended. Nothing about this film was terrible, rather it just felt unnecessary. I don't think this latest incarnation of the classic Carroll novel added anything that we hadn't already seen before. Rating: ** 1/2

Salt: They really tried to make this film a female Bourne franchise, but they don't quite get there. While appreciate them not holding back on the action, most of the sequences and stunts seen in this film are utterly preposterous. Jolie's Evelyn Salt does things in this film that would kill burly men, let alone her petite frame. The film moves along at a good clip and has some interesting twists that are not completely transparent, which I appreciate. I was ready to give this a higher rating, but then the film had a horrendous ending. It reeked of the studio pushing for a ambiguous ending to leave things open for a sequel when this film didn't need it. As an interesting side note, on the Blu-Ray version, which is the one I saw, they offer two alternate endings and one of them was excellent. I really wish they would have gone with that one instead, but oh well. Rating: ***

What a load of crap!

I caught this commercial while watching tonight's SNL and couldn't believe my eyes. Fittingly enough, while watching it, I was reminded of one my favorite lines from an SNL skit - Who are the ad wizards who came up with that one???

NMR: The A-Team

Technically, I saw this on Amazon On Demand since I had a free credit with them and those stupid release date rules have prevented this film from being available on Netflix yet, but who's counting? I have to say that I was actually somewhat disappointed in this. This was loud and noisy and lacked the fun that I was expecting to see. That's not to say that it didn't appear that the actors were not having fun. Every other scene seemingly had them laughing like they were all mental patients, not just Murdock, over the destruction that they were causing. It felt like they modernized the wrong elements of this film. I wanted the cheesiness of the original show from the 80s intact and instead got a much more serious, high stakes and high octane mood here. On the other hand, there was absolutely nothing fresh about the storyline. How many times have we see the longtime friend turn out to be the traitor because he was 'doing what was best for the country'. It felt so tired and played out. In addition, I would have preferred a story where the A-Team had already been established and not an origin story. That may work for comic book movies, but it was unnecessary here. At times the film does pop with energy, but overall this was lacking. Perhaps I had the wrong expectations going into this film, but I just wasn't eating what they were serving. Rating: ** 1/2

Knope, can't wait

We're just two weeks away from the return of Parks and Recreation and the wait is killing me! If you're like me, here's a nice little season 3 preview to tide you over in the meantime.

NMR: Crazy Heart

With Jeff Bridges having two prolific films out in theaters now (neither of which I've gotten a chance to see yet, grrr), I decided to check out the film that finally earned him a Best Actor Oscar last year, Crazy Heart. For the most part this is a paint-by-numbers tale of the degredation of fame. It's basically just like The Wrestler, only change the profession to country music singer. Thankfully though, what would have been a rote story is elevated thanks to Bridges' terrific performance. This is the type of role meant for him and you can see him relish in it. Playing Bad Blake, a musician who's knocking on death's door thanks to the years of booze and smoking, Bridges finds a way to still emit charm that not only engages his fans, but us viewers as well. It's easy to see why a young reporter (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) would be smitten with him despite his outward appearance and age disparity. While country music is not a genre I typically enjoy, the songs created for this film have a poignancy that make them instantly listenable. Credit to Colin Farrell, who takes on a low key role as a collaborator/friend of Blake's, who's star has now risen higher than Blake's ever did. Overall, this is a very charming movie, even if the story feels very familiar. I'm glad to see that Bridges got the recognition he did for this role because he was not only great here, but has had a terrific career playing multiple iconic roles. If you enjoy his work or if you're a country music fan, I'd definitely recommend checking this out. Rating: ****