Judd and Kevin make a movie

Zack and Miri Make a Porno ( 2008 )

I heard from a friend once that the sweetest thing a guy could ever do for his girlfriend is to think of her as he masturbates. With that in mind, Zack and Miri embodies just that idea, being ewww and awww at the same time.

An appropriate conclusion to my recent Kevin Smith marathon, his latest View Askew foray once again tells a crude yet endearing story about everyday people finding love in the most awkward and unusual of situations. Although Zack and Miri falls a few threads short of a supposed tapestry of emotions and themes, it’s Smith’s dialogue that left me in stitches with the right amount of heartfelt sap that equates to this unconventional romantic comedy perfect for a Wednesday evening. Oh and Jason Mewes aka Jay is in it, too yay drool gah

Playing your (french) horn right

Changement d'adresse (2006)

Changement d’adresse (2006): 4/5

Changement d’adresse aka Change of Address is a weirdo slice of life story, mainly about David, a French horn instructor and Anne who runs a copy shop. He is an uptight, frustrated romantic, while she is free-spirited on the brink of insanity.

Laughable scenes go about the pair in the film’s first act with endless innuendos (“Can I see your french horn?”). While the audience (myself included) found hilarity in the oddnesss of the 2 offbeat characters, the second act seems to grudgingly drag with the new additional ones. As the fun fades away, so does David and Anne’s potential romance. Moods dampen and things get boring (for the film’s characters and the viewers). But a few boom mic appearances and changes of address later, friendship and romance is rekindled as we’re brought back to the original tandem. Fun times are back again as this film ends with an inevitable closing scene which evoked a lot of awe. No wait, I meant ‘awwwww’. Falls into the guilty pleasure pile, this one.

A film dedicated to no one in particular

Dedication (2007)

Dedication (2007): 4/5

Justin Theroux’s directorial debut ‘Dedication’ aptly falls under the romantic comedy file, but it’s also a cross between multiple genres- with that whiny singer/actress of A Walk to Remember and one of the most talented and underrated actors, Billy Crudup. ‘Dedication’ basically follows a children’s book author Henry who has to collaborate with a new illustrator, Lucy.

Billy Crudup’s character (Henry) was actually one of the main reasons this film took a positive turn from sloping down the cliched path- but then again, I may be partial to endearing misogynists with OCD (see E. Edward Grey and Patrick Bateman .,haha). The downside is that the trippy editing doesn’t do a thing for the narrative- but it’s only appropriate for the equally confused characters in the story. Watch this movie for whatever’s on the surface and just like myself, you’ll probably find it to be a surprisingly entertaining film if you’re tired of predictable bright and sunny stories.

It drums an absurd beat, this movie does

Ex Drummer (2007)

Ex Drummer (2007): 3/5

This movie is just too weird, even for me .,and I’ve seen a lotta weird ones. But if you loved Trainspotting you will most probably love this little black Belgian comedy ‘Ex-Drummer’. But if you’re not into excessive violence bathed in blood and gore, drug abuse, gay bashers, ‘Ex-Drummer’ definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. The whole film is just so backwards and upside-down literally and figuratively. It’s about three ‘handicapped’ guys in a band without a drummer looking for fame and success. Sounds simple enough but the bloody finale will leave you terrified and yet exhilarated in equal measure.

It’s an absolute hit-or-miss, either you love it or hate it but I for one straddle the fence between the two and think I gravitate towards the former only because of the beautiful imagery and the coolest (and really simple, too) opening credits I’ve seen in a while!

Battle Royale puns all around

The Condemned (2007)

The Condemned (2007): 4/5

World Wrestling Entertainment does what it does best in The Condemned- it entertains! I’ve chosen to ignore the past WWE-produced films (mostly due to its lack of a cohesive narrative and, errr, substantial acting), but this one left me surprisingly…. satisfied. It’s like Battle Royale, sans the Japanese students, only this time, with a conscience.

Save for the forced coupling b/w Stone Cold and some random girl, the cheesy love-alternative-rock music at the end, and the pilit waker-upper to television’s moral responsibility, this was actually a pretty ok violence-laden movie!.

I don’t think there’s any real message this movie wants to impart, neither are there any moral lessons we need to realize. That’s what’s so honest about this movie- it’s self-admittedly done out of pure entertainment, just as the show’s producer (in the movie) says.

“But you’re airing a live snuff film!” goes a counter-argument, but I say who cares?! Watch what you want to watch! Take a breather from subtitled flicks and trying-to-be-deep artsy movies.

Pure entertainment, this is! And Vinnie Jones is awesome

(I laugh at myself for raving about this movie so much)