The one with the mini movie review – I Love you, Man

I Love You, Man is promising from the trailers. Looks funny and of course Paul Rudd is a huge talent! So is the full thing any good???well……the idea behind it, is good. Sort of. Think of I Love you, man with a story line that one might suspect would work better as a chick flick. Either way, Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) is getting married and has “plenty” of friends, but no real close ones. So he goes on a serious of man dates to try and find his best man.

The man dates don't last very long and he finds Sidney (Jason Segel) at an open house that he’s selling for Lou “you wouldn't like me when I'm pissed off” Ferrigno. They go off and do some dude things and then there’s a little bit of confusion because the wife to be eventually feels hard done by. So Sidney gets dumped, after getting 8 grand from Peter, which he puts to great use that benefits his now, ex best friend. And that's more or less it, well bar the fact that the obvious happens.

Watching the trailer, I was led to believe that this movie was going to be funny. The 2 minute promo is very tightly edited and when scenes are shuffled around compared to the movie, that's  always a worrying thing. Case and point is the scene at the table in the trailer. This is actually funnier in the trailer sequence as opposed to the cut in the movie.

Don't get me wrong, it is funny in parts and the director of Iron Man 1&2, Jon Favreau plays a great part as a pissed off husband. When it comes to the main cast, Jason Segel steals the show, from Paul Rudd who I think is immensely talented, but doesn't shine as bright as he can in this. That said, Rudd’s character is convincing enough as a guy who is trying so very hard to be the cool, hip guy.

Overall, just like one of the director’s previous movies, Along came Polly, I love you, man chugs along. With one or 2 small exceptions there isn’t too many laugh out loud moments, more like a selection of slightly muffled choking sounds that sound like laughing. The F word sounds out of place in this movie, and it sounds that it was part of a rewrite to try and man up the picture a little.

I Love you, man is a disappointing movie, that could have been so much more. An original enough idea that seems to be stuck in the space between a straight forward comedy suitable for all and a comedy that you wouldn't tell your parents you went to see. More of a “I kinda like you, man” than anything else!

6/10

The one with the mini movie review – Crank 2 High Voltage

Crank 2 kicks off where the original Crank ended. Chev actually survives the fall from the chopper. He is grabbed off the street by Chinese mobsters, who rip out his heart, and replace it with an electrical one, as Chinese mobsters do. From there, Chev goes thundering off around Los Angeles trying to find his heart and to keep himself alive, he need’s regular jolts of electricity.

That’s all there is to the story. Fairly straight forward. Kick the shit out of everything, lube up a shotgun, get electrocuted plenty of times, kick even more shit out of everything, shout fuck alot, have sex on a racetrack, shout cunt alot and kick the shit out of the shit that came out of the shit that got the shit kicked out of it originally. And that pretty much sums up Crank 2 High Voltage.

The most important thing to remember when going to see Crank 2, and I'm surprised the cinemas haven't provided a facility for this, is to leave your brain outside the door. If you walk in with your brain still all cosy and warm inside your skull, you will hate this movie. And I'm not talking about “I didn't like it, twas stupid” kinda hate, I'm talking about real dark side hate. The kind of hate that will ensure you wouldn't get parole!

The movie looks great. Its superbly shot and very tightly edited (think MTV) and has clever use’s of onscreen graphics, ala parts of Pulp Fiction. The soundtrack is as intense as the movie with plenty of toonage blaring. As for the acting, Statham is great, well as great can be in a movie like this. The rest of the cast (Amy Smart to mention one) are OK, again nothing amazing, but this movie isn't about amazing performances. Some of the set pieces are superb and the racetrack scene gets special mention as it’s like something that could be found in the deepest, darkest parts of the internet. And of course, the nice little hook is what way will Chev Chelios juice himself up next! That said there is one totally stupid scene, which is completely pointless. You’ll know when you see it! (Hint – Its in the electrical power plant)

Crank 2 High Voltage, is certainly not for the faint of heart. There’s plenty of sex, nudity and completely over the top violence. Its a great watch, once you leave your mind machine outside the front door of the cinema and don't go in expecting something epic. Anyway, I loved it, and had little trouble getting my brain back in afterwards. Roll on Crank 3!

    

On a final note, If Crank 2 High Voltage were a theme park ride, you would shit your pants…twice..at least!!!

8/10 (Rating based on brain being left outside cinema)
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1/10 (Rating based on brain fully in head)

The one with Christ with a K

After the tears had dried up, I said farewell to Dave Duff aka, Christ with a K, who is off to Australia today. We’ll miss him sorely on the show every Thursday.

I wish him the best, he was a complete legend for writing over 50 songs, week in week out, singing about what we had covered on the show each week! A talented bloke who not only could write and sing, but had wonderful hair as well!

 

The one on a Friday MORNING!

Normally a day off and it still is, but Im up far too early. Either way, I'll have to deal with it!

Nothing going on here till later, reviews of Crank 2 High Voltage and I Love you, man will be here at some point before Sunday night!

Best of luck to all involved in Cork Fashion Week which kicks off today!

Anyway, thats that for now! Well. baring this, which will blow your underpants right off your arse!

The one with a kick ass bouncer!

The one with how not to be a guest on a tv show

Will someone help him - FFS

Im passing out - Fail methinks!

The one with the midweek Movie Bit – 15 04 09

Dont miss the mid week movie on Cork Talks Back with yours truly on Corks RedFM! Cool Crank 2 merchandise up for grabs and movie tickets in association with the Gate cinemas.

Shots from the Expendables

Concept art from Terminator Salvation

Inglorious Bastards - As seen on American idol in the states - mmmmmmmmmmm

Crank 2 High Voltage - Roll on the weekend - Opens in Cork Cinemas this Friday, April 17th

I Love you, Man - Opens in Cork Cinemas this Friday, April 17th

Good - Opens in Cork Cinemas this Friday, April 17th

In the Loop - Opens in Cork Cinemas this Friday, April 17th

The one with a rugby scrap

Check the dude with the bald spot and the beard!

The one on a rainy wednesday

Blog is on a slow down today, being busy with this thing called a wedding the last 2 days so apologies to anyone who gives a sh%t (i.e. no one)

Just in case you are reading this in bed and haven't yet opened the curtains or have been inside in a wifi enabled toilet cubicle all day, then don't bother looking outside. Its shit! 

In case you haven't seen how shit it is, here a some pics courtesy of Google images. Cowen needs to do with Putin used to do in Russia. Send in the jets with some chemicals to break up the rain clouds! After all aren't the government jets just sitting on a runway somewhere, trying not to go on fire!

Feckin’ hell, really scraping the bottom of the barrel when I'm posting pics of rain!

Check back later for the mid week movie bit!

The one with an observation

For years, I’ve been the one recommending what we go to see and what we watch when it comes to movies. After coming home last night, we were debating something to watch and Ger said why not Mama Mia!

I'm not a musical fan in any sense of the word. As a matter of fact I’d prefer to take on a fleet load of Somali pirates, armed with nothing but Daniel O Donnell CD’s, than watch a musical. So, hell froze over last night and I agreed!

I didn't love Mama Mia, but I did enjoy it to a point. There’s no getting away from the fact that the soundtrack is superb!

Now for the observation! Did anyone else find the whole thing a bit fuckin’ nuts, kinda like a sequel to One flew over the cuckoos nest. You have a group of people on an island who break into song at a moments notice (primarily spurred on by a word they hear) and then the whole thing comes to an end with a wet t-shirt competition, where children and a priest are part of the contestants.

Either its a great musical, or one of the most fucked up movies of our time! That said, Meryl Streep had a certain sexiness about her, even more so that Stifler’s Mom!