Friday, March 18, 2011

Movie review times 2

Steve Coogan plays an obviously gay man who is in denial about his sexuality who was once an actor but now finds himself married and teaching drama at a high school in Arizona. His wife, Catherine Keener, wants a baby, his two main students want big parts in his productions, and most everyone else wants him to go away and leave them alone. When he finds out all the funding for his department is going to be cut and his classes canceled, he goes into high gear and he produces his crowning theatrical achievement, the sequel to Hamlet, Hamlet 2 and then things go haywire from there.

This is a mostly very funny film. If you ever did high school theatre, community theatre, schlocky dinner theatre, or if you ever saw any productions of high school, community, or schlocky dinner theatre, then you'll identify with this film. It's mostly clever and it's only a bit annoying. I really liked it but I can see how and why others wouldn't. I'm a huge fan of Steve Coogan's comedy and he's very good in this film but by the end you just want to strangle him to make him shut up. His character gets annoying and grating, luckily it's balanced by all the other quirky characters in the movie. I loved Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Shue, and Melonie Diaz most of all.

I recommend this one but it may not be for everybody out there.

After catching bit and pieces of this movie I finally got to see it all the way through. Despite what you may have heard, it's funny. And most importantly, it's funny all the way through.

It's a anachronistic romp through the Bronze age/Old Testament time period. Black and Cera play a couple of lovable fuck ups who always find some way to end up on top.

Black can be a little manic and over the top in some of his roles and he's almost that way in this film but he stays just this side of the annoying line in this movie. Cera under plays his character as usual and once again he delivers another funny performance. David Cross as Cain is funny in the movie, as is Oliver Platt, who I usually can't stand. I also liked Olivia Wilde (hubba hubba!), and the gals who played the love interests of Black and Cera, June Diane Raphael and Juno Temple.

Yes, this movie is silly. Yes, the jokes and gags fly as fast as bullets. And yes, I really really liked it.

3 comments:

Jack Crow said...

H2 rocked. Shue did not ruin the movie, which was a bonus treat.

Can't understand any love for Y1, though.

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Ms. Shue is a fine actor, I have yet to see a film she 'ruined.'. And comedy is very subjective, what one person finds funny another might not.

Anonymous said...

H2 was really good. I need to see it again.