ModestGeniusXL

Farewell Vault Pick

I guess you could say another one bites the dust. 

It was just a few weeks ago that I was commenting how I would always keep my Vault Pick current despite how busy I got.  Even if the other categories I do would sometimes suffer.  Well it turns out that was a bit ambitious too.  I don't know why I thought it would be easy to keep up that weekly post when the others couldn't be done either.  It was just a matter of time before it fell by the wayside too.

The biggest problem was that I was running out of classic films to highlight.  I even caught myself repeating once.  I believe it was "Brown Sugar".  I bet if I went back far enough I would probably catch another repeat.  Wouldn't be surprising at all given how my memory is.  But you could look at it as if the movie was put on there twice it could have really been THAT good that it deserved it.  Of course if I maintained that theory there would be quite a few of them that were worthy of repeat appearances.

I tried to walk the fine line of picking ones that were classics to me without being flicks that were too obvious.  It didn't always work out quite that way though.  Although you can't help if it joints like "Top Gun" and "The Sixth Sense" pop up.  How can you NOT consider those classics no matter how trite it is?

Truthfully, I haven't even been able to watch movies like I used to.  The XL-Images gig has kept me too busy.  I still do my tv watching but that's only because I can multitask and watch shows while editing photos.  Movies require more attention.  So if I had two hours to spend where I would normally be taking in a movie that is now spent out shooting and/or editing.  It's a vicious cycle.

The good news is that at least I'm back to updating the blog regularly.  Okay....semi-regularly.  Once every couple of days isn't bad.  Okay...every three days.  Hey...a brotha's been busy.  Give me a break.  I'll still hit you up with a review from time to time for those of you that actually did enjoy my perceptive on today's Hollywood.  It just won't be as often.  So treasure then when you so see them.

 

Must See DVD - "Monster House"

Well October is finally here which means I can stop feeling bad about choosing horror films as Vault Picks.  With that being said, I really should have selected a bonafide horror pick instead of one that is more or less a kiddie film.  But maybe I'm just weening you all into the good scary flicks gradually.  Or maybe I was scanning my archives and realized this classic one was buried and needed to be brought to the forefront again.

G once gave me a very basic explanation about why mean people do the things they do:  Mean people come from scary houses.  It was "Monster House" that brought it about.  We're sitting there watching it and it begins with us seeing the crabby old man who resides in the "haunted" house.  I pointed out that he shouldn't be so mean to the kids in the neighborhood and G provided that as an excuse.  In his opinion, all mean people come from scary houses.

The visuals in this film were done using the ground-breaking technology of motion capture animation.  I guess it was the same type they used for "The Polar Express" although I have yet to see that.  It makes the movie much more appealing and extremely entertaining to watch.

Casting is always key when it comes to animated films.  They want to make sure they capture just the right talents to bring life to the characters.  They did a more than capable job with not only Steve Buscemi onboard but also Jon Heder, Nick Cannon, Kevin James and Jason Lee just to mention a few.  Each one gave their character just the right amount of juice.

The story itself was pretty hilarious.  "Monster House" is one of those rare movies where it may have a child-feel to it but it's meant to attract different ages.  I found myself laughing out loud at several moments that the shorties just thought were slightly amusing.  There may have even been more than a few instances where the jokes were aimed at the older folks as they would go over the head of your average kid.

As far as it being a horror movie?  Probably not so much.  There were a few scenes that would probably jolt a toddler or two, but nothing too over the top.  More than anything it reminded you of the typical thoughts you probably had as a kid about the spooky houses in your own neighborhood growing up.  That was just the type of emotions "Monster House" conveyed in its efforts to assure it was reached a broad audience.  Easily one of the better animated flicks I have seen in some time.

 

Must See DVD - "(500) Days of Summer"

This week's selection happened to come up in a conversation with a coworker the other day.  And by "the other day" I actually mean several months ago but I'm just now getting around to it.  Anyway, at first she remarked about how she really wasn't feeling it because of the manner in which it was organized.  Then I broke it down as to why that actually made it such a great movie.  Although I'm certain I didn't convinced her of the awesomeness of  "(500) Days of Summer", I did remind myself of what I liked so much about it.

I have mentioned before that the romantic comedies generally aren't my cup of tea.  If those aren't, you know the ones that are straight up love stories have even less of a chance.  However, I will sometimes let one or two of the well-reviewed ones in just to see what I think of them.  "(500) Days of Summer" lucked up to be one of those.  It certainly didn't hurt that it starred Zooey Deschanel.

The story is Tom(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is an aspiring architect who had to settle for a job as a greeting card writer.  He encounters his boss's new secretary, Summer (Deschanel), and discovers that the two have plenty in common even though she is out of his league.  Before long, Tom has fallen for Summer.  Even though she doesn't believe in love.  It doesn't phase Tom and he doggedly pursues Summer to convince her that their relationship is the real thing.

Director Mark Webb utilized a concept that I have always loved: the non-linear approach.  I don't know if Quentin Tarantino invented the style, but he certainly made it popular.  His usage of it always worked because his films contain segments that can be freestanding on their own anyway.  The reason it works here is something entirely different.

The movie is basically Tom reflecting on his relationship with Summer.  When you think about it, that is exactly how we recall our past relationships.  Random thoughts come to mind about the time you spent with that individual.  It's never linear.  You will think of something you did together and it will jog a memory about something else about that person.  They could have occurred days or sometimes even months apart in very arbitrary order.  Therefore, it made perfect sense for "(500) Days of Summer" to be presented in such a manner.

Tom's description of why he was in love with Summer was a great touch.  He broke down the same things that make Zooey an alluring woman in the first place:  the eyes...the smile...the knees.  He is essentially confirming that she is average.  Zooey isn't the stunning atypical Hollywood starlet types that looks like they've had plenty of work done.  She has a very ordinary look to her that makes her more relatable.

That coincides with the chemistry between Zooey and Joseph.  You all know that the chemistry is always the one thing that can make or break a romantic movie for me.  Theirs comes across as VERY genuine.  Probably because Joseph also looks plain-jane.  The two of them are believable as a couple.  Even with the way they interact with one another, you can tell they enjoy each other's company.  It permeates their performance to the point where it transcends the screen.  We feel as though we are witnessing an actual couple.

The one scene that really stood out for me was their version of expectations versus reality.  Whenever we are getting ready to embark on a date and/or an event, there is that mental image in your mind of what is going to transpire.  It NEVER goes the way you picture it.  For "(500) Days of Summer" this is depicted with a split pane approach.  One side shows "Expecations" while the other shows "Reality".  Naturally, things don't pan out for Tom quite the way he anticipated.

I wouldn't say that this flick gave me a new outlook on viewing more love story type movies.  It's safe to say I will never make that my genre of choice.  However, it did give me hope that there are those out there that will occasionally buck the norm to be a rather extraordinary film. 

Must See DVD - "Grindhouse: Planet Terror"

No, I'm really not trying to get ready for Halloween early.  Even though I did go scoping a Halloween store just yesterday looking for props for a Halloween themed shoot.  This week's selection does not mean that I'm that anxious for that "holiday' to come about.  It just means that I was combing my archives for an idea for a Vault Pick and came across this past post that just so happened to be a good fit.

"Grindhouse" was one of those features that I had all intentions to check out in theaters.  This was a rare instance where it didn't have anything to do with needing to enjoy the special effects in that type of setting.  It was for the purpose of getting the full experience that Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were trying to bring across with the concept of "Grindhouse".

Back in the 70s, there were run-down moviehouses that use to combine two B-movies for the price of one.  The movies themselves took cheesy to an entirely new level.  The trailers between the two films often showcased movies just as campy.  This was what the two directors were trying to capture with their double feature.

Unfortunately, "Grindhouse" was separated when it was released on dvd.  "Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof" hit first followed by "Planet Terror" a week later.  Not only that but for some unknown reason, they only kept one of the faux trailers to further weaken the true "Grindhouse" experience.  It's still better than nothing.  However, I strongly recommend that you look up the faux trailer that didn't make the cut when you get a chance in your spare time.

It had been a while so I couldn't remember which movie played first as the double feature in theaters.  Common sense told me that "Death Proof'" was first since it was released on dvd first.  I forgot that this was a Tarantino project I was referring to.  He is notorious for taking things out of order so "Planet Terror" was the first feature.

From the very beginning, a definite tone is set as this film is preceded by the fake trailer for the movie "Machete".  Funny to note that this particular fake preview went over so well that it eventually went on to become an actual movie (which I own but have yet to watch).  It is unfortunately the only faux prevue that they made the transition from the movie version of "Grindhouse" to the dvd release.  It's obvious that it's intended to be campy humor, but the way it is visually presented carries over to "Planet Terror".

Since this is another entry into the zombie genre, Rodriguez has to bring something new to to the table to make it interesting.  The image most associated with it is the stripper (Rose McGowan) with a machine gun for a leg, but that weapon doesn't actually surface until very late in the flick.  It is really most of the characters which compose the motley crue of survivors that make it entertaining. 

"Planet Terror" turns out being a bit of an action-horror hybrid with a little more heavily leaning on the action side.  There really aren't many scary moments at all.  Rodriguez instead relies on a lot stimulating gory visuals.  The best of all being the one cameo of Quentin Tarantino where his character attempts to teeter the line between sex-craved zombie and human.

Although I still wish I could have seen "Grindhouse" in its intended glory in theaters, it is still very alluring on dvd.  It is obvious from the crackling images and choppy editing that there is supposed to be an air of nostalgia while viewing it.  I especially like how Rodriguez cleverly had a very 70s film moment during an erotic scene between McGowan and Freddy Rodriguez.  The aura created by the film experience itself is what contributes to making this yet another Rodriguez success.

 

Must See DVD - "Heaven Can Wait"

Just call me butter 'cause I'm on a roll!  Remember I said during my last review that this one would be coming up very soon for a Vault Pick?  Bet you didn't think it would be this soon, did you?  Bet you really could care less how soon it was, huh?  Well for those that do care (I'm raising my hand) I figured I would go ahead and knock out this one while it was fresh on my mind.  Plus, it's been a while since I way back for a Vault Pick so this one was due.

I had no idea at the time that I first saw "Heaven Can Wait" in the 80s that it was a remake.  It probably wasn't until a few years later that Mom brought to my attention that the original film was "Here Comes Mr. Jordan".  I do remember when I heard that that I sought out that movie to see how it would compare.  It didn't matter that it was black and white because at the time I was into those.  Unfortunately, I just wasn't feeling the original.  Maybe it's because the sports aspect of it (which was boxing) was so dated. 

But in 1978's version, they went with something I could definitely get behind:  football.  They didn't have Pop Warner back then (at least not where I went to school) but they did have flag football.  Since I was into that then any movie with football as one of the themes was cool with me.  What was even better was it wasn't one of those flicks where they used made-up teams either.  It was the actual NFL.  It may not have been the real players, but I still recognized the uniforms and helmets.  That was good enough.

I may be getting a little ahead of myself.  There may be some folks out there who aren't familiar with this classic so let me give you a quick synopsis.  Joe Pendleton (Warren Beatty) is a second string quarterback for the Rams aspiring for greatness.  One day on a jog he's involved in near-collision where an over-anxious angel (Buck Henry) wants to spare him the pain of the impending accident so he takes him to heaven.  Only it was before his time.  To make up for the snafu, the angel's boss, Mr. Jordan (James Mason) makes him the deal that he can come back in another body since his has been incinerated. 

Now that I look back on this one, there was quite a lot going on it for it to be a comedy.  Besides the portion I just mentioned, there was also the fact that Joe was brought back in the body of a millionaire whose wife (Dyan Cannon) and lover (Charles Grodin) were trying to kill him.  Meanwhile, he ends up falling for a human rights activist (Julie Christie) while trying to get his loaner body ready to try out for the Rams so he can get them to the Super Bowl.  You really have to see it to fully appreciate the storyline.  Or storylines as the case may be.

"Heaven Can Wait" really is a movie that serves a dual purpose at its core.  The first is that it is a comedy.  They achieve the goal of laughter with no problem at all thanks to Beatty's perfect timing.  But it's more than him.  Everyone in their respective roles were priceless.  Jack Warden as the coach.  Even Grodin and Cannon whose actions alone without even needing words will elicit humor.

I ultimately think that one of the big reasons I like this movie is so much is it has a little bit of a message to it in just it's overall theme.  If you had a second chance at life what would you do with your opportunity?  But instead of doing it as yourself, it had to be with someone else's life.  People are often hypothesizing what it would be like to be someone else and here's a guy who gets to live that out.  Even though he didn't want to. 

The biggest plus that "Heaven Can Wait" had was the way it handled the whole concept of  the afterlife better than any other film I had ever seen up to that point.  Even as I think of movies I had seen after, this one remains heads and shoulders above the rest in that category.  It's always a delicate subject but the manner in which they combined light-hearted comedy with a little drama without overdoing either is why this one remains one of my all-time favorites.

 

Must See DVD - "Fright Night"

This may have been one of the few times that I foreshadowed a Vault Pick in a regular review then actually followed through with it.  In fact, if I were to go back thru my old reviews I would probably find more than a few instances where I missed opportunities to use a Vault Pick I had eluded to.  Well that wasn't the case this time around.  And I'm even ignoring the fact that the Halloween month is just around the corner when this selection would have been more appropriate.

The minute I saw the first trailer for the updated "Fright Night" memories of the original came flashing back.  So much so that I was a little put off by the fact they were even trying to remake an 80s classic.  It was yet another attempt of Hollywood to further destroy some of the epics movies for that decade.  I really shouldn't have been surprised.  In fact, a small part of me was a little glad they were doing it.

  Inevitably what happens when Hollywood remakes is a movie is they reintroduce a new generation to the original film that spawned it.  It's been going on for years.  Just as when I was a kid I can remember finding out that one of my favorites, "Heaven Can Wait" (yep...just found another future Vault Pick) came from the black and white film "Here Comes Mr. Jordan".  Now for me, I found that the original paled in comparison.  However, I would not have even known about the original were it not for the update with Warren Beatty.

As for the 1985 "Fright Night" on the other hand?  Kids these days would be crazy not to appreciate its greatness.  Starting with the very core of the story itself.  How many curious kids didn't think that the mysterious neighbor was secretly some type of murderer that was out to get them if their secret was ever found out?  Sure...maybe not a vampire..but definitely some type of killer. 

For me it was the house across the street that sat in a wooded area that was oddly out of place.  I just knew that one night its inhabitant(s) would go on a serial killing rampage.  That was one of the main reasons I was somewhat encouraged by the fact that my room sat in the corner.  At least when the killing spree started I would have time to get out to safety.  Of course that was assuming that the assailants would enter from the main door rather than from a bedroom window.

Something else that rang so true was the role of Peter Vincent (Roddy McDowall).  Here's a guy that hosted a late night campy tv horror show.  Those were all the rage in the 80s.  Thanks to folks like Elvira who made the genre popular (need I explain why?).  Probably the only reason the genre didn't survive is because those type of shows always came on late Saturday nites when ratings would be low.  People were always out kicking it instead of watching tv.  Well I wasn't so I was always watching.  I LOVED those shows.

Then there was Chris Sarandon as the Jerry the vampire.  When you think about it it was rather a tough role to play.  He had to be engaging, charming, dangerous, witty, mysterious and oh yeah...part monster.  Dude accomplished every single one of those.  He had you thinking if you had to live next to a vampire maybe he wouldn't be so bad to be that one.  As long as you stayed on his good side.  Because you knew if you didn't that he was not the one to be trifled with.   It was one of the better vampire portrayals that we had seen on screen in quite a while.

There are a couple of things I will never forget about that original "Fright Night".  One was the scene where Jerry uttered the now epic line "Welcome....to....Fright Night.....for real!"  I know it wasn't me that found that memorable since it was used again in the remake.  The other thing was the fact that this movie featured a young Amanda Bearse before she would make it big as the neighbor on "Married with Children".  No matter how many times I saw that show all I could think of was her as the girlfriend in this flick.

Looking back now, the special effects left much to be desired.  I still think they did that on purpose though.  They could have invested more time into that to make it more frightening, but the movie would have then lost some of its overall cheese.  They put it just enough so that it wouldn't look entirely hokey but it would still have a bit of an edge to it.  Enough so that "Fright Night" would continue to be talked about years later.  Mission accomplished.  To this day whenever I hear "Fright Night" it is this movie that comes to mind no matter what type of remake Hollywood tries to throw at us.

 

 

Must See DVD - "Fanboys"

There seems to be a new resurgeence yet again in interest of everything "Star Wars".  Still not sure what brought it on.  Or maybe it hasn't really happened so much as it's just me coincidentally running into different "Star Wars" references in different places.  Whatever the case may be, it reminded me that I needed to have this joint as a Vault Pick so it can get the greater exposure it deserves.

Every now and then, the powers-that-be will make a movie that is catered specifically to a certain nerd demographic.  I'm not talking about the obvious sci-fi or superhero film of the moment.  Those are designed to have a broad appeal to make up for their enormous budgets.  I'm talking about those niche films where they are aiming specifically for us fanboys.  So what better title to give one such film than to aptly name if "Fanboys".

The story is the year is 1998 and "Star Wars" fans everywhere are counting down the days until the epic release of "Episode I: The Phantom Menace".  Probably none more so than four best friends Eric (Sam Huntington), Linus (Chris Marquette), Hutch (Dan Fogler) and Windows (Jay Baruchel).  The anticipation is eating at them so much that they plan a cross country odyssey to infiltrate the famous Skywalker ranch and boost a pre-release print of the film.  Naturally, they experience various far-fetched and outrageous adventures on the way.

I don't think I have ever geeked out over a movie as much as I did over this one.  The main reason was that I could see myself in so much of what these guys were doing.  At least in spirit.  The biggest thing was how they related so much of their real life into some type of "Star Wars" quote.  And not the well known obvious quotes either like "May the force be with you".  They were using obscure references that only true Star Wars fans would pick up on.

As much as a fanboy I am, I never have considered myself to be extreme.  Certainly not so much  that there had to beef with Trekkies.  That was an ongoing thing in "Fanboys".  It's like Star Trek fans and Star Wars fans could not co-exist.  It made for some hilarious moments though.  Like the guys  making a special detour thru Riverside, IA just to mess with Trek fans that had congregated there for a mini-convention (Riverside is the fictional home of Captain Kirk, for those who didn't know).  It also allowed for one of many amusing characters from Seth Rogan.  

All of the other cameos made this film even better.  It was very slick how they found ways to incorporate actual "Star Wars" icons into the movie.  Instead of being their regular selves that would have had a normal fanboy gushing (I mean who DOESN'T want to meet Lando?!), they were regular people, but still with a Star Wars nuance to them.  Especially the scene that Carrie Fisher has where she utters one of her most famous lines ever.

It was more than just those appearances that helped this flick.  It was also how they had other known celebrities who are fanboys themselves making cameos.  Such as Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes subtly giving a nod to an infamous "Clerks II" scene.  Then "Fanboys" puts the icing on the cake when Mr. Headgeek himself, Harry Knowles of one of my favorite websites, Ain't It Cool News, showed up.  Okay...it was actually Ethan Suplee playing him, but the fact that a known website geek had an actor comically portraying him continued to add to the nerd factor.

This was more than just your typical road trip movie.  There was somewhat of a message.  Hutch put it best when he said you have to find your own Death Star.  You have to find that one amazing deed that you accomplished that you can live on forever.  Not to say you should dwell on the past, but once you have scored that Death Star, any other obstacle that comes your way pales in comparsion.  Yes...I know every road movie has that one flimsy moral they work in there somehow; however, this one was more impressive because they used a "Star Wars" analogy to make it ring true.

Naturally, the most ironic thing about the entire movie is we all know how bad "The Phantom Menace" sucked.  Not as an overall movie, but definitely in terms of a "Star Wars" film.  With the exception of the epic Darth Maul scene, it fell exponentially short of expectations after waiting so long for a new "Star Wars" entry.  So in essence, as you are watching this film and already having that knowledge, it made everything they had to go thru that much more funnier. 

It would be a huge understatement to say that I could feel where these friends were coming from.  I mean you are looking at a guy who took the day off work to wait in line for the midnight showing of "The Phantom Menace" and STILL doesn't regret it.  Those of us that grew up on "Star Wars" seemed to be wired a bit differently like that.  "Fanboys" taps into that and it connects with our inner geeks with every innate nuance and numerous reference.  It is for that reason that this particular grade may be slightly jaded, but VERY much well-deserved nonetheless.

Must See DVD - "Major Payne"

There are some days I really struggle to come up with an entry for this weekly post.  I may let some of the other weekly entries like the Bungles or the Throwback slide from time to time but not this one.  It's mainly because I'm a little anal retentive.  I can't go two weeks in a row seeing the same picture in that little Vault Pick of the Week area to the right.  And in order to change it I need a new entry.  So it forces me to stay on top of this one.

The problem is I have had SO many amazing picks over the years that the field to pick from is getting smaller and smaller.  There can only be so many great movies out there, right?  Can there really be that many classics?  Well I guess there could be but then you also have to consider they have to be flicks that I have also seen.  That's cutting down the list even more.  I know I've seen a ton of films in a lifetime but there's also a ton I haven't seen.  And it's not like I'm out there trying to play catch-up.

So since the list is getting smaller, I decided to go back and check out some of my early selections.  There were several that I didn't give the proper respect they deserved.  Partially because I was just starting out and I was a bit anxious in my writing.  I didn't take the time to give a little more insight as to why they were made a Vault Pick.  "Major Payne" was one of those.

The first time I saw this one, I wasn't majorly (all puns intended) impressed with it.  Not sure why because I have been a Damon Wayans fan ever since the days of when he had tiny roles in flicks like "Roxanne" (which needs to be getting Vault Pick status very soon).  It was when my then brother-in-law started harping on it that I started really paying attention to it and how saw how good it was.  I watched it again and couldn't believe I had the nerve to ever doubt it's hilarity.

The best parts were when Major Payne (Wayans) was relaying his incredulous war stories to whomever was listening.  Whether they wanted to hear them or not.  Plus it was the manner in which he told them that made them so funny.  A combination of the ridiculous voice Payne has, his mannerisms, patterned colloquialisms and facial expressions that combined together perfectly.  If anyone was telling me any type of story in that manner I wouldn't be able to keep myself from laughing.  I don't know how the actors playing opposite Wayans were able to maintain straight faces.

Then it was also the way in which Payne interacted with the kids.  He was the epitome of a fish out of water as he had NO parental-type skills at all.  All they were was tiny adults to him.  They were subject to just as much sarcasm and/or ridicule that he would lavish on anyone else.  Case in point was when he first dealt with the deaf kid.  One of the best scenes in the movie.  It should be wrong to be laughing at it but you just can't help it.

 I could never understand is why Karyn Parsons couldn't get more roles in films.  She came from one of the most popular Black sitcoms ever so she was well known.  She even did a decent enough job here.  As much as she could while constantly being upstaged by a stellar Wayans performance.  Yet no one could hook her up with more work?  It's a shame that someone of her caliber really only has "Major Payne" as her one big screen success.  But at least if that is the only one she'll ever have then it was a great one.

Ultimately, this flick is really all about Damon.  To this date he has still never made a better movie.  Sure the storyline is absolutely abysmal and predictable, but there are so many classic quotes that come from this one that I've lost count.  If you're not a fan of senseless comedy then you won't and/or didn't enjoy "Major Payne".  However, any fan of movies that make you laugh will find "Major Payne" a must-have.

 

 

Must See DVD - "Role Models"

Yep...decided to keep it on the comedy track for this week as well.  The only reason being that I just saw a trailer for Paul Rudd's new move "Our Idiot Brother".  It looks decent enough.  Probably at least worthy of a Redbox rental.  It just doesn't look to be near as funny as this Rudd vehicle that stuck with me ever since the very first time I saw it.  It sure didn't help that it also featured the consistently funny Sean William Scott.

Charles Barkley once had a commercial where he commented that he is not a role model.  This was back in his ball playing days when his behavior was considered to be controversial (as opposed to now when we expect it from him).  He was absolutely right in that athletes aren't supposed to be.  That's not their job.  But what happens when kids get stuck with someone whose job it is to be their role model and the person flat out sucks at it?  Well you get "Role Models".

On the surface, "Role Models" is as predictable a movie as they come.  The premise is certainly nothing new.  You have two guys that have loser personalities that are no more than overgrown adolescents themselves.  By a stroke of misfortune, they have to grow up fast in order to be role models to shorties with their own issues.  In the wrong hands, this formulaic flick would run tino problems but that's where casting plays a huge part.

However, Scott was tailor-made for these kind of roles.  Now that Owen Wilson is getting a bit older and leaning toward the romantic comedy fare, that leaves the hole for Scott.  Although he brings the same sarcasm to every role he manages to switch it up a bit each time.  In "Role Models" it turns out he is actually the more level-headed of the two.  His Wheeler character may not have any ambition or drive, but he does feel obligated to make the most out of their community service of role modeling.

Then there is Rudd who is fantastic.  He has mastered the dry humor and sarcasm since he's been doing the same role in the past half or dozen films he's been in.  Nothing wrong with that though.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  In fact, his interaction with a naive Augie makes for some of the best moments in the film. 

Speaking of the kids, they got the two perfect ones for these parts.  Christopher Mintz-Plasse had alreay more than proved himself as McLovin in the instant classic "Superbad".  All he did here was increase his stock even more.  But newcomer Bobb'e J. Thompson nearly stole the show.  It's ironic that you never want to hear your own shortie talking or acting like that, yet when it's in a movie with the right child actor it can be hilarious.  That would probably be the epitome of a guilty pleasure.

You all should know by now that there is nothng I love more than a good comedy that keeps me laughing throughout the entire film.  This one had no problem achieving that goal.  Whether it was Jane Lynch as a recovering addict turned charity worker having to constantly and graphically remind everyone of her past or watching grown men get WAY too deep into medieval role-playing.  "Role Models" is that rare flick that will have you in stitches from beginning to end.

Must See DVD - "She's Out of My League"

I'm going out on a limb here to break some new ground.  There has been the rare instances where I will have watched a movie then it surfaces as a Vault Pick within just a month or so after I have seen it.  Some flicks are just instant classics like that.  I can already think of a couple I have seen this year that could have had that distinction.  This is one of them.  It could have been a regular movie review for me but I was due for the Vault Pick anyway and it was definitely worthy so there you have it.

In "She's Out of My League" Kirk (Jay Baruchel) is an airport security guard who is lucky enough to get the attention of gorgeous Molly (Alicia Eve).  Many people would normally think that Kirk wouldn't be her type because he doesn't seem to possess the same outer hotness that she does.  Including Kirk.  But he's willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work while his friends and even family continue doubting.

Normally a movie with this type of formula wouldn't impress me too much.  I mean how many times can we see the old gag about a guy trying to score with someone that really is clearly out of his league?  Even if it's not the movie's central premise there has been a similar side story in several movies prior to this one.  But there was something that stood out about this one.  It was that the girl was the one was the chief aggressor. I wasn't used to seeing that.

I don't care what any guy tells you we have ALL been in that position before.  The one where there's that one girl you really want to get with but you knew she was...well...quite simply out of your league.  She was your idea of perfection even though such at thing doesn't exist.  But you knew if you considered yourself within range, you had a chance.  That's what I was diggin' this flick because I could see a little bit of myself in that main character.  But what REALLY made it hilarious was one of his best friends, Stainer (T.J. Miller).  The same one who breaks down the "range" for those of you who aren't familiar with it.

I called it back when I saw "Cloverfield".  I knew then that this T.J. kid was funny.  I had a pretty good idea that then that he could be hysterically funny if given the right material.  Well whoever cast him in here saw the same thing.  Good thing too because dude was on fire the entire movie.  Beginning to end.  You know how I'm always talking about that one virtual unknown who comes in to steal the show?  Well that's TJ. 

Fortunately, TJ wasn't alone to provide the comedy here.  Although Baruchel is the main character, he was pretty much just mildly amusing.  He was really at his best when he was interacting with the supporting characters around him that were obviously much more funny.  Like his very suspect ambiguous friend Devon (Nate Torrence).  The manscape scene is the best!  I was seriously laughing so hard that I was crying.  And don't even get me started on his family.

The thing about "She's Out of My League" is there are SO many moments where you bust a gut laughing.  They were just coming one after another.  They didn't stop.  As it came to a close I was sitting there trying to figure out how a movie like that didn't do better in theaters.  Easily one of the most underrated comedies out there.  I wish I could find another Blockbuster going out of business because I'd add this one to my collection in a hot second.


My rating:  A