Cedar Rapids
by Felipe Rosa
Cedar Rapids: this weird little mix of Forrest Gump, Inside Job and a Farrelly Bros. comedy is, ultimately, quite unsatisfying. Not that insightful, funny or well shot either.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
Tag: comedy
Barney’s Version
by Felipe Rosa
Barney’s Version: it surprised me how much I liked this movie, despite two characters that are a little bit too extreme and whose love makes little sense to me. The way the movie deals with mortality was very touching to me; and, of course, the wonderful performance by Paul Giamatti and the rest of the cast made it so much more interesting.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
The Dilemma
by Felipe Rosa
The Dilemma: not quite the movie it was sold, which is not a bad thing, turned more interesting that way. The issue is, it’s mostly a gallery of somewhat failed characters, but they are living relationships which are (or are not, depends on the particulars) somewhat failed. That things are not so simple as they could be portrayed is a virtue. But a small one.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, drama
Casino Jack
by Felipe Rosa
Casino Jack: one of those examples of a “based on true events” entertaining movies. It slips a bit to the “too funny” side, sometimes, but given the story itself, and how absurd the whole thing is, it’s not a bad idea. Between ridiculing the people or making us cry at the current state of affairs of the world, I take the first option.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic, comedy
Four Lions
by Felipe Rosa
Four Lions: it’s easy to make one laugh at somebody’s stupidity. It’s harder to be smart about it, and say something worth saying, too. On top of it, about a subject that is almost a taboo. Extra points for being democratic and equalitarian in its stupidity attribution. It probably has the most hilarious and absurd line of the year.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
Morning Glory (2010)
by Felipe Rosa
Morning Glory: yet another case where you know exactly what you’re getting (which is something cute but common) and is neither surprised nor disappointed in the process.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
Due Date
by Felipe Rosa
Due Date: comedies are hard to criticize, because if you laugh, the other elements can be thrown overboard. Well, it was not the case this time. So the absence of laughs just makes it clear that this film brings nothing to the genre of buddy-road comedy. What a waste of the cast.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy
It’s Kind of a Funny Story
by Felipe Rosa
It’s Kind of a Funny Story: well, it actually ain’t, not in a ha-ha sense anyway. But that’s fine, as the movie works in its intended level: as a lighthearted, fantasious reminder that it’s OK to cry for help every once in a while, that a gentle push can work and that generally it’s not really that bad. Cute.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, drama
‘Tamara Drewe’
by Felipe Rosa
‘Tamara Drewe’: curiously unpleasant movie. Again that movie-killing combination of unpleasant and uninteresting characters, and to top that a dull story.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, drama, romance
