Overall Rating: ***

Stanger Than Fiction @ IMDB

Synopsis:
A tax auditor named Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) lives a monotonous life full of calculated and precise actions. Things go horrible awry when he starts hearing his life narrated by a woman’s voice as he lives it. He soon discovers that the voice blongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), a famous author who is suffering from writer’s block and is notorious for killing her protagonists.

Review:

Plot: This one is a comedy and a drama, the all to prevalent dramedy. Unfortunately for Ferrell fans, its heavy on the drama portion. There are some mildly funny moments throughout the movie, but no bust-a-gut/ROTFL moments like in Ricky Bobby. Doesn’t mean it was bad. Its somewhat interesting to see a slightly more serious side to Ferrell.

Acting: I actually enjoyed Emma Thompson a lot. Her character’s fascination with death and approach to writing is terribly awkward and Thompson translates it excelently. Queen Latifah is inconsequential as Eiffel’s assistant. I also liked Maggie Gyllenhaal as liberal activist baker. She’s odd but endearing as Ana Pascal.

Photography/Production: I was really dissappointed with the quality of filming for this movie. I guess my criticism here is not based on personal experience, but how hard can it be to keep a mic boom out of the scene? Maybe its just me, but it seemed a bit sloppy. It ruined it for me a little, because after the first time, my eyes kept getting distracted whenever the mic dipped in to the shot.

Overall: It wasn’t a bad movie, but its not worth a primetime ticket. If you’re a “I must see all Will Ferrell movies on the big screen” kind of fan, then go for a matinee. Personally, I think its amusing enough that its worth a rental when it comes to DVD, but probably not a purchase.

Overall Rating: ****

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby @ IMDB

Summary:
Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) was born with a need for speed and a natural talent behind the wheel. With a lucky break he is flung to NASCAR greatness and quickly moves to the top. But Ricky’s dominance is challenged by a Formula-1 racer named Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), who is looking to make his mark on the sport. When a devistating crash puts Ricky in the hospital, he loses his nerves and is unable to race. With his world crumbling around him, Ricky goes back to his roots and seeks help from his dead-beat-dad (Gary Cole).

Review:
I thought this movie was hilarious! If you liked Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, then you will love Talladega Nights. This movie continues the “American Man” series that Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay began with Anchorman. I had really high hopes for this movie and I have to say I was not dissappointed.
Read the rest of this entry »

Overall Rating: ***
The Pink Panther @ IMDB

Synopsis:
When Yves Gluant (Jason Statham) is murdered during a national soccer game and the coveted Pink Panther diamond is stolen, Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) calls in the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin). With the help of his trusty sidekick, Gendarme Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno), Clouseau must track down the killer and save the jewel. But the beautiful Xania (Beyonce Knowles) proves to be dangerous distraction. Can Clouseau crack the case and prove himself worthy of the rank of Inspector or will he shame is country with failure?

Review:
I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. It was not nearly as bad as I anticipated. I was most looking forward to Jean Reno’s performance and I was concerned that Steve Martin’s may be a little over the top. Reno wasn’t as good as I thought he would be and Martin wasn’t as bad as I thought he would be. Others indicated this movie would be horrible, I didn’t think that was the case at all. It wasn’t mind-blowing, but then I don’t think it was trying to be.
Read the rest of this entry »

Overall Rating: ***
Madagascar @ IMDB
Madagascar @ Amazon

Synopsis:
When four animal friends bust out the zoo for a night on the town, things get wildly out of control. Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Melman (David Schwimmer), and Gloria (Jada Pinket Smith) quickly find themselves in crates on the way to a wildlife preserve. En route, their crates get knocked overboard and they wash up on the shores of Madagascar. Now these four pampered zoo animals must adjust to life in wild….

Review:
I must say I was a bit dissappointed with Madagascar. I had high hopes for this movie, but it seemed to fall in line with the last few mediocre animated films. It seems that Dreamworks Animation is having difficulties finding success after Shrek and Shrek 2 (which I’m watching while I write this). This movie left something to be desired. I was continuously waiting for that gut busting moment, but it never came.
Read the rest of this entry »

Overall Rating:***
Kicking & Screaming @ IMDB

Synopsis:
When Phil Weston (Will Farrell) gets the opportunity to coach his son’s soccer team, he’s gets the chance to prove he’s nothing like his overbearing and belittling father. Phil quickly loses himself in the stuggle to win as we see that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Review:
Everything I heard and read about this movie said that it wasn’t going to be good. It didn’t do that well at the box office and most people that saw it said it wasn’t any good. Personally, its tough to pass up a Will Farrel movie, regardless of what people say about it. I’m happy to report that everyone was wrong, at least in my opinion. I got a kick out of this movie, no pun intended.
Read the rest of this entry »