I Love You, Man

A pleasant little film that really gives you the general idea of humor coupled with the intention of down-to-earth and everyday issues filled with dilemma and situational complexities.

I Love You, Man sheds light on a Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) who has just decided to tie the knot with his eight month old relationship girlfriend Zooey (Rashida Jones). Everything seemed fine from the general outlook. He is as successful as he is in his job, has a close-knit family with individuals he could connect with, happy with his life and especially even more so with such a supportive girlfriend. With all of the above, the film picks on one tiny issue which may have seemed to be one heck of a hassle when it comes to the real pains of determining the minor problems related to weddings. Though Peter is as excited as his fiancée, he couldn't deny the fact that his opposite number has more friends of the same sex than him.

Peter was one of the few kinds of men that walked the earth who must have been brought up in a world filled with feminine shades. That I don't deny for most of us would have experienced that part someway, one way or another. But having said that, Peter must have gotten off the wrong footing as he grew up and mixed around with friends and then fellow colleagues of his time. It may seem rather sensible of sort at that particular moment to have more than just the average number of girls as casual friends whilst not maintaining the more than desired amount of boyfriends which he could have made use of as he partakes the various journeys through life. Seemingly the lackadaisical past of his is about to put him on the greatest, toughest challenge of his life.

The aforementioned issue throws the movie open based on its agenda, and that's where all the fun crops in. It depends on the various amounts of characters that one can use, most of which could have gone to the crops and generated crap, but the way John Hamburg did it was pleasantly surprising and fun to watch. You couldn't possibly get bored with the characters, coz there are the various norms and habitus of one's reflection that he focused deeply on. For that, Paul Rudd was one actor that has the most blazing opportunities to envy. The coupling of his second supporting actor Jason Segel playing the seemingly languid, laid back and open-minded Sydney Fife must have posed an even greater challenge in terms of exploiting the various opportunities on how the chemistry and the bond of both the actors could be played around. Somehow, they kicked off well from the time they were introduced on screen till the time they discovered the many likes and dislikes of one another, despite having just known each other in less than a few minutes.

The movie clearly identifies the challenges that Peter has to go through as the weeks of planning ahead for the wedding draws to a near. As urgent as he may need to get a best-man for his wedding, he has to discover his inner self, portraying his trust with Sydney as he spends most of his time understanding him and enjoying his company. This foregoing action is clear to bring about the forgotten relationship with his fiancée. The things that Peter were exposed to from Sid's company was massive, hence creating mind-blowing opportunities to which he eagerly applied it in his relationship; only all at a time and place that is so ultimately wrong. As his chemistry with Zooey swing from love to strain and that of his with Sid from strangers to best of friends, he was given the threshold of the toughest decision on what his next stop would be pending the ever nearing ultimatum, the wedding. And to throw it all in, Pete's work comes to a score where he has to sort it all out before he loses his contract which could earn him a great amount of money to kick-start his new life.

The idea was brilliant, refreshing and fun! It provides the anticipation, the twist and the comical bond between two grown up men who may seemed two distinct characters but towards the end, discovering that they actually shared more than just that plain likes and dislikes - the company of another person whom they could just click within a second. So from the outburst of the various eye-popping statements that you will encounter in this movie, you'd be sure to tangle yourself up in an enjoyable yet perplexing identity clashes which more or less proposes a pure relaxing comedy and entertainment which we seldom get to fancy nowadays.

Movie Rating:- 8/10

Coffee Shop Angst

Sometimes, you've got to just let yourself go... take a break of some sort and open your eyes and ears, looking and listening to all the things that are going on around you and then have a great laugh out of everything. That is that typical sort of things that I am always on the prowl for and I've never been disappointed by the likes of what normal people would say and do as they go around with their cracked down routines applying the darn typical jobs that they do, yet mistakenly forgotten about the real fact of what life has to offer, the humorous side of it.

Many has yet to acquire these sort of skill, and henceforth packing in a rather expressionless face whilst putting on a frustrated and dimmed look going on with their lives. Needless to say, these constipated individuals would more often rather love to assume a sickening attitude at their work or at home prancing around that sort of an attitude that bugs not only the heck out of their working colleagues, but as well as their family members and relatives.

But whatever that means, here's an incident that caught my eye when I was taking a bite over at one of the local Chinese coffee shop. The following conversation ensued when one of the patron enquired on one particular dish:-

Patron: Uncle! (In Hokkien) What sort of dish is this?

Uncle: Sua-hu (translated to English, this means shark) la! JAWS!

The lady must have been petrified by that remark, as the uncle put on a rather bland expression assuming that everyone has the common knowledge that suahu in Hokkien means jaws in English, when he could have easily mentioned that it is a baby shark. Who'd eat jaws anywayz? Anywayz, in a way or another, I doubt that he is trying to joke around. It could be interpreted by the look of his face that he actually mean what he said.




The same uncle did have a slight sense of humor when a few weeks back, another different patron decided to prod him on the ingredients of his drink.

Patron: Uncle, your Leng Teh (Chinese Herbal Tea) is made of what ar?
-seemingly, this would sound absurd as it is obvious as to what it's ingredients are! Coupled with the busy looking middle aged uncle who is packing up all the rice packets by the counter, he uttered what seemed to be a rather unexpected answer which made all the customers there burst out laughing uncontrollably...

Uncle: Leng la! (Breast) - he did this whilst putting on the body language with both his hands gripping onto his chest.

That almost cost my lunch. The laughter was so unbearable that I'd actually felt half full after that! It's definitely one place that I would be visiting regularly; not solely because the uncle has such a 'great' sense of humor but the economy rice is rather economical to begin with too! And it offers a pretty much edible selection of dishes ranging from vegetables to seafood.

Year One

Some movie can be so blunt that they would eventually lose themselves in the directing and acting world, so to say making it seemed so fictitious yet not forgetting to include 'too much' of an extreme modern taste of realism. In whatever way that is, director Harold Ramis definitely has had it too much in this latest addition to his pocket. Year One would not be one of that sort that collaborates itself true enough as it is promised in the trailer or the teaser. Those latter may seemed attractive to pull you closer just to be attentive to it, but somehow, the whole movie would just be a drained out effort, made out for the simplicity to lose out.

With comedian Jack Black (some may say that it is self explanatory that by judging him being in it should make you avoid it - somehow this is becoming more and more of a firm held statement to believe in) taking two movies in a row this year, Year One is definitely one that puts him in the insulting shade for more than just a while, perhaps, too long of a time. But I wouldn't cut in too much for him coz I feel that Will Ferrell, though may appear as blunt as Black, is way better than him and deserves to be at the top (as I always love to make comparison between the both of them due to their bluntness and the ability to appear in films like these).

Year One brings you back to the biblical years where there is the Garden of Eden, Tree of the Forbidden Fruit, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Abraham and his brothers and as well as Sodom and Gomorrah portrayed in a light discordant with that told in the Bible of course. The whole forecast and the storyline is made out of a piece of crap and if this is one of the very many ways of making a funny flick more humorous, then I'd plead with you to avoid it at all costs. Watching this is like painfully experiencing your money draining out from your pocket, penny after penny. For earning that hard, you wouldn't want to be expecting one movie that has no sensitivity in terms of its plot, the heavy lack of continuation and a sick addition of character portrayals.

The synopsis lacks special mention, but here's what I could grab hold of with Jack playing the character Zed and his innovative sidekick Oh (Michael Cera). The former holds a job as a lousy headhunter while the latter is a gatherer (forager), and judging from the sissy aperture of his character, I wouldn't be so surprised as to the nature of his occupation. Getting sick of their lives and finally getting the ultimatum to be dissed out from their own clan of 50 people, Zed and Oh's self perpetuating great hopes decided to seek out for a betterment of lives as they walk further from their homeland to the land of the unknown, meeting strange characters from the Bible which has been altered to an extent that I'd don't think there's anything left to be so comical about.

But for the enlightened ones, David Cross (the annoying dirty character in Scary Movie 2) and Oliver Platt (Nip/Tuck and Frost/Nixon) is in it but even their appearance couldn't mercifully upend the table for the benefit of the plot. In fact, the disgusting rate could might as well hitched a few ratings on the chart with the former being a nonchalant fool whilst the latter could not be more fanciful than with a belly oil rub.

There's no hold in the controlling of the characters and the chemistry between them is not a one-off value to admire or an intelligence of creativity to awe at as the movie is just out to make something ridiculously funny; but by failing which, turned everything into very much of a crude and boorish state. It's rigged with vulgarities, puns, poor organized one-liners and undeniably a farcical act of self-improvisation on the actors and actresses' behalf. Some scenes would make you gawk at for a while whilst trying very hard to register what just happened right in front of your eyes. And as it seems that you might have just understood that plain ridiculous joke and figure out what is to follow, another unanticipated (really, something which you arguably would not want them to show as it is plainly self explanatory or should it be screened, it's probably gonna cost your lunch) scene would prop up and confirm your just prediction.

There's a heck of a lost in association in this one as Jack Black has to painfully invent ways to try to make people laugh at his antics, but I have to be painfully honest with it as I fail to see the funny side from this sort; and not even the inclusion of half naked girls dancing in the houses of Sodom would change this one as they so thought it would. What was meant perhaps to be a funny inclination turned out more towards plain absurdity with a bunch of goofy travelers going on with their beliefs that the grass is always greener on the other end of the world. Somehow, this movie should start out as it is and end as one of their lines - that the world cuts off to an end after you walk beyond the horizon - and so should this movie.

Movie Rating:- 3/10

Taking A Chill Pill

Dear faithful readers,

As it is, there has been some delays in my entries in view of the hectic schedule and the great amount of work that I have to deal with recently. First and foremost, allow me to apologize on that matter have you been waiting eagerly for some new materials. Sad to say, there will be a decline in the amount of entries published for the upcoming months (maybe two or three) as I will be tied down with some other matters. I will however take some time off whenever I am free to cheer you up with my usual antics and the occasional movie reviews though. So do keep checking back!

And thanks for all your support! =)

~sckhsmg2008~

Imagine That

There's really a mixed difference in the way you would want to put it, but generally Imagine That would do pretty well as a family entertainer rather than one that you could bank your money on during those weekends just to chill out and hope for a good watch. It's really nothing much of a deal with Eddie Murphy going all around doing what he does best, and that is nothing shy from putting on a bright cheerful smile for all to gawk and admire at. If you've been a fan, you'd hope for nothing less than his cheek to cheek smile and his interesting little methodologies of funny facial expressions.

In a way, this movie has rather few to offer in terms of a comedy, but it sheds on a different tune when father Evan (Eddie Murphy) takes on a stressful toll in competing for a much desired job, all in a different and unimaginable strategy. Though results came tumbling down like blocks, his thought of apparent sharing more time with his daughter Olivia becomes one that is selfishly cut through to his share of success in his job. It all starts when Evan came head to head with Whitefeather (Thomas Haden Church), whom appears to be his opposite uprising number for the highest seat in the corporation that they have been working for, with the sole difference being that the latter lack the number of years in the job and experience, but nevertheless possess the wittiness and the knowledge in swelling up within the ranks quick enough to challenge him. That would sound rather stereotypical, but nevertheless, it's one too many not to avoid.

Evan then seeks out his own stratagem in fighting for the position until one night when he accidentally discovered that his daughter's blanket (admirably termed the Goo Ga) might well be more than just a simple piece of cloth that snuggles one to sleep. It appears that Olivia's blanket would sweep her into her own dream land filled with pixies and gnomes, and well rather, the princesses to which I could not recall the name - but who could anywayz?! Olivia's imaginary friends would as the story puts it, converse with her and provide her with the brass knowledge on his dad's job which she then translates it to his father through a series of warning and advice on what decisions to do with regards to the business and shares world. As magic as it is, Evan triumphs over his counterpart by merely hours through days and is quickly known as the psychic - by which being capable of predicting which company would rake in more money as desired and those that are bound to be cuffed and thrown out - through talks and words reflecting that of a kid's mind.

Seeing that there could be a potential plot behind his sleeves, Whitefeather wasn't going to get too comfortable that his weak competitor is achieving what he believes is filled with possible 'under the table' method in success. He sends out his personal secretary to further investigate the truth, to which the best he could come out from all of it was the blanket. Proclaiming himself as a self-practicing and self-righteous Red Indian, he seek out his grandfather to bless him with a blanket (to which he believes possesses that of a cosmic power to provide a distant foresight through an innocent kid's eyes) that costs almost a bomb in order to compete with Evan. The story then dwells on the two loggerheads going on and about their deals and advices to their bosses whilst Evan begins to lose himself to the world of his daughter's fantasy; more rather, the daughter would have hoped that his dad would pay more attention to her rather than her own little secret make-up world. The little bits and pieces of the movie and its concept deviates narrowly from the Hollywood norm and it's not unusual to observe the chemistry go round and about it.

Sitting there as a movie analyst, you won't feel the satisfaction or the enjoyment throughout the film as you would have predicted for yourself what would occur eventually, and seldom would you find yourself wrong with regards to that. It goes to show how typical the plot would turn out to be; no surprises sad to say. But seeing it through a different angle and perspective; more of that as a person going out just to have that fun and some Eddie comical laughs, you would find it rather amusing, though it won't really make up for the amount of money that you pay for the show. Grab a copy of the plastic whenever it's out in your area coz I don't feel there is a need to watch it over at the screens.

Movie Rating:- 4.5/10