Joy Division
Sure, I like Joy Division well enough. Like just about every one else, I was first exposed via "Love Will Tear Us Apart", which is unarguably one of the finest pop songs of the '80s. I'm somewhat familiar with the band's history, and that's kind of the problem with this movie. If you've read the Wikipedia entry on the band, then really, you're learning nothing new with this film. It's not all that insightful or filled with lurid details. It's a bit full of itself sometimes, but that's okay. As someone who enjoys band biographies immensely (I wish VH1 would show Behind the Music again), this is a bit of a let down.
Overall Grade: C
Super High Me
Doug Benson is a comedian who's most famous for being on VH1 and being part of the Marijuana-Logues. Not a bad way to make a living, I guess. Anyhow, a crew of filmmakers decided to make good on a concept for one of Doug's jokes: What if, like Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me, Doug did nothing for thirty days but smoke weed? First off, where can I land a similar gig? Secondly, for such a throw away kind of joke, it actually makes an interesting movie. It alternates between shots of Doug doing his standup and hanging out with his group of comic friends (Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifinakis, Brian Posehn, David Cross, etc.) to Doug being examined by doctors and psychic experts to interviews with dispensary owners and other interesting people. I laughed, I thought, I was green with envy. (Man, that's an unintentionally bad pot joke. Sorry.)
Overall Grade: B+
Be Kind Rewind
Michel Gondry is known for producing visually interesting films that blur the lines of dream and reality. If you haven't seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Science of Sleep, I highly recommend that you do. There's a sort of romantic, young-at-heart thing going on that I really relate to in those movies. Be Kind Rewind doesn't have much of that going on. What it does have is some charm, and really, that's its only saving grace. One complaint is that Mos Def is not really someone who should be acting, as much I hate to sound mean. Or maybe it has more to do with the characters not being fully fleshed out. I like Jack Black well enough, but he's definitely not at his best here. The story is one we've seen time and time again, but the best parts of the movie are the ones where we see the characters recreating scenes from famous movies. A big disapointment, but it won't detract me from wanting to see what Michel Gondry will create next.
Overall Grade: C+
Sure, I like Joy Division well enough. Like just about every one else, I was first exposed via "Love Will Tear Us Apart", which is unarguably one of the finest pop songs of the '80s. I'm somewhat familiar with the band's history, and that's kind of the problem with this movie. If you've read the Wikipedia entry on the band, then really, you're learning nothing new with this film. It's not all that insightful or filled with lurid details. It's a bit full of itself sometimes, but that's okay. As someone who enjoys band biographies immensely (I wish VH1 would show Behind the Music again), this is a bit of a let down.
Overall Grade: C
Super High Me
Doug Benson is a comedian who's most famous for being on VH1 and being part of the Marijuana-Logues. Not a bad way to make a living, I guess. Anyhow, a crew of filmmakers decided to make good on a concept for one of Doug's jokes: What if, like Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me, Doug did nothing for thirty days but smoke weed? First off, where can I land a similar gig? Secondly, for such a throw away kind of joke, it actually makes an interesting movie. It alternates between shots of Doug doing his standup and hanging out with his group of comic friends (Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifinakis, Brian Posehn, David Cross, etc.) to Doug being examined by doctors and psychic experts to interviews with dispensary owners and other interesting people. I laughed, I thought, I was green with envy. (Man, that's an unintentionally bad pot joke. Sorry.)
Overall Grade: B+
Be Kind Rewind
Michel Gondry is known for producing visually interesting films that blur the lines of dream and reality. If you haven't seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Science of Sleep, I highly recommend that you do. There's a sort of romantic, young-at-heart thing going on that I really relate to in those movies. Be Kind Rewind doesn't have much of that going on. What it does have is some charm, and really, that's its only saving grace. One complaint is that Mos Def is not really someone who should be acting, as much I hate to sound mean. Or maybe it has more to do with the characters not being fully fleshed out. I like Jack Black well enough, but he's definitely not at his best here. The story is one we've seen time and time again, but the best parts of the movie are the ones where we see the characters recreating scenes from famous movies. A big disapointment, but it won't detract me from wanting to see what Michel Gondry will create next.
Overall Grade: C+
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