Showing posts with label Justin Timberlake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Justin Timberlake. Show all posts
Yogi Is Still Smarter Than The Average Bear
Yogi Bear (Dan Aykroyd) has been stealing pic-i-nic baskets for what seems like a lifetime. Depending on who you ask, it either has helped or hurt the attendance at Jellystone Park. All this of course is taking place with his trusty companion Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake) by his side every step of the way. Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) tries to fight back, but alas the likable Yogi has a mind of his own, and he is a hungry bear.
Jellystone Park is filled with interesting situations. Mayor Brown (Andrew Daly) is trying to sell the logging rights to the historic park in an attempt to relieve a massive budget deficit. Rachel (Anna Faris) is a documentary filmmaker who has come to the park to shoot footage of this “bear that talks”. And Ranger Jones (TJ Miller) is dying to take over the park, and the off road vehicle that the head ranger uses.
As the Mayor unleashes his scheme, it will take everyone to save Jellystone from the treeless future that is envisioned. Will Ranger Smith be able to work with Yogi, instead of against him? Will they be able to save Jellystone?
This film, much like the past releases of The Chipmunks and Garfield reminds me of a movie that is past its prime. Had this movie been release 20 years ago, it may have had more of a chance to connect with the audience. As it is, it feels a little tired.
Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake do admirable jobs at the voice work of these two iconic characters. The animation is smooth and easy to look at. When seen in 3D, they actually make the 3D feel alive and bring you in as part of the movie. Unfortunately for them, the folks that want to feel this immersion are the youngest that can’t by tickets themselves.
There are moments of lighthearted fun, but unfortunately there are too few of them. At only 80 minutes in length, even if you don’t like the film it will be over soon. Yogi is still “smarter than the average bear” but the average moviegoer, even the young ones, are smarter than Yogi.
C+
Yogi Bear
Warner Brothers Pictures
Director: Tom McGrath
Cast: Dan Aykroyd (Voice), Justin Timberlake (Voice), Tom Cavanagh, Anna Faris
Rating: PG for some mild rude humor.
Runtime: 80 minutes.
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Yogi Bear (Dan Aykroyd) has been stealing pic-i-nic baskets for what seems like a lifetime. Depending on who you ask, it either has helped or hurt the attendance at Jellystone Park. All this of course is taking place with his trusty companion Boo Boo (Justin Timberlake) by his side every step of the way. Ranger Smith (Tom Cavanagh) tries to fight back, but alas the likable Yogi has a mind of his own, and he is a hungry bear.
Jellystone Park is filled with interesting situations. Mayor Brown (Andrew Daly) is trying to sell the logging rights to the historic park in an attempt to relieve a massive budget deficit. Rachel (Anna Faris) is a documentary filmmaker who has come to the park to shoot footage of this “bear that talks”. And Ranger Jones (TJ Miller) is dying to take over the park, and the off road vehicle that the head ranger uses.
As the Mayor unleashes his scheme, it will take everyone to save Jellystone from the treeless future that is envisioned. Will Ranger Smith be able to work with Yogi, instead of against him? Will they be able to save Jellystone?
This film, much like the past releases of The Chipmunks and Garfield reminds me of a movie that is past its prime. Had this movie been release 20 years ago, it may have had more of a chance to connect with the audience. As it is, it feels a little tired.
Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake do admirable jobs at the voice work of these two iconic characters. The animation is smooth and easy to look at. When seen in 3D, they actually make the 3D feel alive and bring you in as part of the movie. Unfortunately for them, the folks that want to feel this immersion are the youngest that can’t by tickets themselves.
There are moments of lighthearted fun, but unfortunately there are too few of them. At only 80 minutes in length, even if you don’t like the film it will be over soon. Yogi is still “smarter than the average bear” but the average moviegoer, even the young ones, are smarter than Yogi.
C+
Yogi Bear
Warner Brothers Pictures
Director: Tom McGrath
Cast: Dan Aykroyd (Voice), Justin Timberlake (Voice), Tom Cavanagh, Anna Faris
Rating: PG for some mild rude humor.
Runtime: 80 minutes.
Friends, Finances, Facebook
Ask around. You’d be surprised who knows about Facebook. Everyone is using it. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Co-Workers and that old high school flame all have accounts. But how did this massive social network come to be? What’s the back story?
Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is known now has one of the creators behind Facebook. He is one of the youngest billionaires the world has ever seen. But years ago we see he was just like any other awkward college student.
Harvard has seen all types and Zuckerberg knows his computers. After a disastrous date, Zuckerberg hits his computer and proceeds to trash his girlfriend online for the world to see. Oh, and while he’s at it, he creates a web site that let’s Harvard have their say on who’s hotter. It doesn’t take long for thousands of hits and Zuckerberg to make a name for him around campus.
As his legend grows on campus, so does his circle of friends. Sure he has his best friend Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) that is with him the whole way. But there are folks like the Winklevoss twins that look to have brought him the idea to create a Harvard facebook. As Zuckerberg makes new friends, he works on new ideas; ideas that will lead him the creation of The Facebook.
The Facebook is just the beginning. As advertisers are sought and The Facebook starts to grow, Mark and Eduardo are gaining popularity around the campus. Girls are paying attention to them, fraternities want Eduardo, and life is good. But as a growing property, The Facebook needs investors. The search leads Zuckerberg to Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Parker was the founder of Napster and is still looking for fresh, smart ideas.
Zuckerberg is enamored with Parker’s success, and this new relationship could lead to an expansion of The Facebook, and maybe even a name change too.
Now, everyone wants a piece of Zuckerberg and Facebook. Who created it? Who owns it? What will become of this new entity?
It is rare that a movie about a topic so rooted in pop culture can be as engrossing as The Social Network. Directed David Fincher has taken the story of one of the most popular pieces of today’s society and woven Aaron Sorkin’s script into an intelligent and thought provoking examination of legal and ethical norms. The pacing and development of the film keeps it interesting throughout.
Casting this film, there are a number of wins. First, Jesse Eisenberg as the Facebook creator delivers a stellar and moving performance. He shows the emotions of guy who is constantly picked on and just wants to fit in. He wants a girlfriend and wants to belong. Eisenberg creates a character who you feel sympathy for one minute, and hate the next.
Andrew Garfield delivers in his supporting role, but he is overshadowed by the performance of Justin Timberlake who knocks virtually every scene out of the park.
Start to finish, The Social Network delivers the goods. It comes to life as a legal movie, a pop culture movie, and a popular movie all rolled into one. This is one film that will definitely be in the “LIKE” column.
P.S. – Parents take note, this is a HARD PG-13. Between some of the drug use (that includes a scene where partygoers snort cocaine off of a flat stomach. And there is a scene where the boys and girls get a bit frisky in a bathroom stall. You probably will not want those that are just old enough to see this film, (13, 14, 15 year old kids) to see it.
A
The Social Network
Columbia Pictures
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language
Runtime: 120 minutes.
READ MORE
Ask around. You’d be surprised who knows about Facebook. Everyone is using it. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Co-Workers and that old high school flame all have accounts. But how did this massive social network come to be? What’s the back story?
Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is known now has one of the creators behind Facebook. He is one of the youngest billionaires the world has ever seen. But years ago we see he was just like any other awkward college student.
Harvard has seen all types and Zuckerberg knows his computers. After a disastrous date, Zuckerberg hits his computer and proceeds to trash his girlfriend online for the world to see. Oh, and while he’s at it, he creates a web site that let’s Harvard have their say on who’s hotter. It doesn’t take long for thousands of hits and Zuckerberg to make a name for him around campus.
As his legend grows on campus, so does his circle of friends. Sure he has his best friend Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) that is with him the whole way. But there are folks like the Winklevoss twins that look to have brought him the idea to create a Harvard facebook. As Zuckerberg makes new friends, he works on new ideas; ideas that will lead him the creation of The Facebook.
The Facebook is just the beginning. As advertisers are sought and The Facebook starts to grow, Mark and Eduardo are gaining popularity around the campus. Girls are paying attention to them, fraternities want Eduardo, and life is good. But as a growing property, The Facebook needs investors. The search leads Zuckerberg to Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake). Parker was the founder of Napster and is still looking for fresh, smart ideas.
Zuckerberg is enamored with Parker’s success, and this new relationship could lead to an expansion of The Facebook, and maybe even a name change too.
Now, everyone wants a piece of Zuckerberg and Facebook. Who created it? Who owns it? What will become of this new entity?
It is rare that a movie about a topic so rooted in pop culture can be as engrossing as The Social Network. Directed David Fincher has taken the story of one of the most popular pieces of today’s society and woven Aaron Sorkin’s script into an intelligent and thought provoking examination of legal and ethical norms. The pacing and development of the film keeps it interesting throughout.
Casting this film, there are a number of wins. First, Jesse Eisenberg as the Facebook creator delivers a stellar and moving performance. He shows the emotions of guy who is constantly picked on and just wants to fit in. He wants a girlfriend and wants to belong. Eisenberg creates a character who you feel sympathy for one minute, and hate the next.
Andrew Garfield delivers in his supporting role, but he is overshadowed by the performance of Justin Timberlake who knocks virtually every scene out of the park.
Start to finish, The Social Network delivers the goods. It comes to life as a legal movie, a pop culture movie, and a popular movie all rolled into one. This is one film that will definitely be in the “LIKE” column.
P.S. – Parents take note, this is a HARD PG-13. Between some of the drug use (that includes a scene where partygoers snort cocaine off of a flat stomach. And there is a scene where the boys and girls get a bit frisky in a bathroom stall. You probably will not want those that are just old enough to see this film, (13, 14, 15 year old kids) to see it.
A
The Social Network
Columbia Pictures
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, Rashida Jones
Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language
Runtime: 120 minutes.
These Friends Are Worth Checking Out
As a headhunter, Jamie’s (Mila Kunis) job is to find the best and the brightest. Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is the art director for a blog that is off the charts successful. Seems like a perfect match when Jamie needs to fill the Art Director job for GQ. The challenge is to bring him from California to New York, but she is ready to sell him on the move.
Upon acceptance of the job, Dylan realizes that he has no real friends here in the city. Both he and Jamie are tired of the dating game and decide to become friends with benefits. But can that type of relationship really last?
Timberlake and Kunis are fun stars to work with. I really believe they are both on the verge of becoming superstars. It is these two that make this film fun. Their raw and unencumbered relationship will shock and be a welcome change from most romantic comedies. When they are going for humor this film knocks it out of the park.
The one downfall is the fact that the film tries to get too serious in the end. Like so many before it, they don’t realize they don’t need a serious third act to tie things together. They use great actors like Richard Jenkins and the always likable Jenna Elfman to try and bring the story line to the fore, but instead it feels tacked on and added without a lot of thought. The plot line deals with something near and dear to my heart and despite Richard Jenkins bringing a tear to my eye, it wasn’t necessary in the film as it was constructed.
Sure it has its serious side, but you come to see Timberlake and Kunis and have some fun. The actors (and the bit cameos as well) are what you come to this film to see and they are wonderful. But why oh why did they have to go for the third act serious angle? Though it derails a bit, these friends are worth checking out.
B-
Friends With Benefits
Screen Gems Pictures
Director: Will Gluck
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
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As a headhunter, Jamie’s (Mila Kunis) job is to find the best and the brightest. Dylan (Justin Timberlake) is the art director for a blog that is off the charts successful. Seems like a perfect match when Jamie needs to fill the Art Director job for GQ. The challenge is to bring him from California to New York, but she is ready to sell him on the move.
Upon acceptance of the job, Dylan realizes that he has no real friends here in the city. Both he and Jamie are tired of the dating game and decide to become friends with benefits. But can that type of relationship really last?
Timberlake and Kunis are fun stars to work with. I really believe they are both on the verge of becoming superstars. It is these two that make this film fun. Their raw and unencumbered relationship will shock and be a welcome change from most romantic comedies. When they are going for humor this film knocks it out of the park.
The one downfall is the fact that the film tries to get too serious in the end. Like so many before it, they don’t realize they don’t need a serious third act to tie things together. They use great actors like Richard Jenkins and the always likable Jenna Elfman to try and bring the story line to the fore, but instead it feels tacked on and added without a lot of thought. The plot line deals with something near and dear to my heart and despite Richard Jenkins bringing a tear to my eye, it wasn’t necessary in the film as it was constructed.
Sure it has its serious side, but you come to see Timberlake and Kunis and have some fun. The actors (and the bit cameos as well) are what you come to this film to see and they are wonderful. But why oh why did they have to go for the third act serious angle? Though it derails a bit, these friends are worth checking out.
B-
Friends With Benefits
Screen Gems Pictures
Director: Will Gluck
Cast: Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes
Bad, But Good While Being Bad
First things first; even before I start in on a review of Bad Teacher I must say, there are NO redeeming characters here.
Elizabeth Halsey (Cameron Diaz) is a teacher that is on her way out. She’s found that special man; the one with lots of money. But when he comes to the realization that she is only using him for his money, the relationship is over and it’s back to school for Halsey.
Going back to the one place she didn’t want to go leads her to master her teaching techniques. There is a constant stream of videos that await the kids in her middle school class and more dealing with hangovers than grades as she searches for her next sugar daddy.
But this year she has someone watching her. Amy Squirrel (Lucy Punch) watches from across the hall as she suspects there to be some shenanigans that are going on. And then there is the new substitute teacher, Scott Delacorte (Justin Timberlake). He becomes the object of Elizabeth’s attentions when she finds out he comes from money.
The quest goes from weird to weirder when the “bad” teacher decides she needs some plastic surgery to enhance her chest. Now every penny she earns, no matter how, goes towards these special enhancements she feels are necessary to grab Scott’s attentions.
All the while the gym teacher, Russell Gettis (Jason Segel) keeps trying to get one date with Elizabeth. But despite being a decent person, he doesn’t have the money she is looking for and stands very little chance.
Will she get the guy? Will she teach the kids? Will she get rid of that nasty hangover?
Teaching is not for Elizabeth, nor for really anyone in this film, but laughs are. Ok, this film has A LOT of problems. It’s a movie about a teacher that hardly touches on the kids she teaches, or anyone teaches for that matter. It has characters that wouldn’t even be liked by their mothers. It has vulgar, insane moments that everyone looks at and says, “that would never happen.” And outside of Cameron Diaz, all the characters are underutilized, every last one of them.
But despite all of those things, I found myself laughing at some things. Sure I was alone in my laughter in the theater at times, but that never bothered me.
Why do we have to like the characters (on a personal level)…EVER? This was a movie to just snicker at and enjoy the moment. I left feeling this has got all the makings of a late night cult film and it just might blossom on DVD and with groups at a later time.
Bad Teacher is not nearly as bad as some will lead you to believe. Sure the “teacher” in this case has nothing, but the film has laughs. Bad Teacher is bad, but good while being bad.
C+
Columbia Pictures
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake
Rating: R for sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use.
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
In going through the Critics' Choice Movie Awards Nominations...I've decided to make Wednesday the calm between the storm.
More on the big categories tomorrow and Friday morning...but...
How about a look at some of the "should've been" nominees that didn't make the cut.
One of my favorites for best actor this year was Michael Douglas in A Solitary Man -- delivers and absolute gem of a performance in a small film that was released earlier this year -- take a peek on DVD/Bluray now!
Our comedy category had a lot of nice films in it, but how about Please Give (the dark comedy with Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt) and the very funny Hot Tub Time Machine -- yes that was released in Early 2010.
Justin Timberlake was solid in his smaller role in The Social Network. I loved him and could have seen both him AND Andrew Garfield in that category.
The Expendables was just a great all out action film, ok, maybe not award worthy but the category is BEST ACTION FILM...and that had the action.
In the Score category, I can't help but keep thinking about Danny Elfman's work on Alice in Wonderland -- win the award? Maybe not, but it is in the mix in my head.
And what about the Pharrell Williams song "Despicable Me"? Couldn't that catchy tune fill your head with all that the film was about.
Overall -- I really think these are a good list of nominees, but I just liked some to be in the mix as well. That's the fun of awards season though.
READ MORE
More on the big categories tomorrow and Friday morning...but...
How about a look at some of the "should've been" nominees that didn't make the cut.
One of my favorites for best actor this year was Michael Douglas in A Solitary Man -- delivers and absolute gem of a performance in a small film that was released earlier this year -- take a peek on DVD/Bluray now!
Our comedy category had a lot of nice films in it, but how about Please Give (the dark comedy with Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt) and the very funny Hot Tub Time Machine -- yes that was released in Early 2010.
Justin Timberlake was solid in his smaller role in The Social Network. I loved him and could have seen both him AND Andrew Garfield in that category.
The Expendables was just a great all out action film, ok, maybe not award worthy but the category is BEST ACTION FILM...and that had the action.
In the Score category, I can't help but keep thinking about Danny Elfman's work on Alice in Wonderland -- win the award? Maybe not, but it is in the mix in my head.
And what about the Pharrell Williams song "Despicable Me"? Couldn't that catchy tune fill your head with all that the film was about.
Overall -- I really think these are a good list of nominees, but I just liked some to be in the mix as well. That's the fun of awards season though.