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"Parks & Recreation": A Good Start?

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On Thursday April 9, the much anticipated “Parks & Recreation” began. It comes with much hype and in a time when good comedy is in dire need. So, how is the show thus far? Not amazing, but based on precedent, I will give it benefit of the doubt.

“Parks” was made by the creators of the American adaptation of “The Office.” The show centers around Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). Knope works for the government in the Parks & Rec department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Knope is ambitious and too overly giddy for a public servant. While her co-workers don’t care much about their jobs or the government, she takes her job seriously. Looking up to her idols Sarah Palin and Nancy Pelosi, Knope dreams of being the first female president.
The office members of “Parks” are fewer than those of “The Office,” but each have their own quirks. There’s Knope’s wise-cracking assistant Tom (Aziz Ansari) and the pessimistic, government-hating Ron (Nick Offerman). Joining the crew is Pawnee local Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), who comes to complain about a vacant lot where her boyfriend broke her leg. Knope then comes up with the idea of turning the lot into a new park, a story line that will most likely carry out the rest of the first season. 
“Parks” co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur have a perfect eye for casting. Poehler is perhaps most flawlessly cast. She plays the same sort of kind-hearted, over ambitious, and loopy characters she made a career out of while on “Saturday Night Live.” Knope herself is probably something of a young Hilary Clinton. 
“Parks” will likely draw comparisons to “The Office,” which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Like “The Office,” the show is shot in a documentary style with tracking shots and shots from far away or through bushes. It gives the feeling that we’re watching from afar the lives of these ordinary people that we never thought could be so interesting.
The problem with “Parks” is that there’s nothing really bad about it, but nothing too amazing either. However, “The Office” had the same, tepid start but grew over time. “Parks” may need that same time to grow, and expand its characters; so don’t give up hope on it yet because based solely on two episodes I can say that I am excited to see Leslie Knope and the rest of her Karl Roveesque schemes.

Temporary Vacancy

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From Friday, April 10 to Saturday, April 18 no new posts will be up. During this time, I will be in the Dominican Republic, building an aqueduct for a poor, waterless community. Hopefully, I will return with much video footage and maybe reviews of “Adventureland” (which I hope to see soon) and Parks & Recreation” (thanks NBC for deciding to premiere it on Passover. Not like many Jews like comedy anyway…). I don’t want to leave you on a bitter note so I will inform you that “Eastbound & Down” is officially coming back for a second season. Good. The more Kenny Powers, the better.

In the meantime, I hope this will alleviate your boredom:

Movie Review: I Love You, Man

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Finally, a romantic comedy that guys and girls alike can enjoy. “I Love You Man” is a movie that takes a tired plot and tries to do something new with it. For the most part, it succeeds.

  “I Love You Man” begins with Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd), a timid real estate agent, proposing to his long time girlfriend Zooey (Rashida Jones) in an empty lot amid downtown Los Angeles. She says yes. From there, the movie is about pre-wedding anxiety. Peter realizes his whole life that he has connected with women so well, but has never had any guy friends. So, he goes on a quest to find a best man before his wedding.

   After a series of failed “man-dates,” Peter stumbles upon Sydney Fife (Jason Segel). Sydney is the kind of guy everyone wishes was their friend: he’s funny, philosophical, and does his own thing. Plus, he has a dog named after an Egyptian president. In no time, the two become nothing short of best friends.

   “I Love You Man” is equipped with an ensemble that includes some of the best names in comedy. There are a few old legends (Jane Curtin, J.K. Simmons), a few new legends (Jon Favreau, Andy Samberg), and a few rising stars (Thomas Lennon, Sarah Burns). However, the real stars of the movie remain Rudd and Segel.

  For years, Rudd was known as a great sidekick in movies like “Anchorman” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” Last November, his performance in “Role Models” proved that the hilarious pessimistic cynicism he brings to supporting roles could work well in lead performances as well. In “I Love You Man,” he is given the chance to once again lead, and he shines. This time, he manages to bring more awkwardness than cynicism into the character of Peter. Rather than being someone who can’t communicate with women as in most romantic comedies, he is someone who can’t communicate with men. Rudd uses this for full, cringe worthy effect.

    Also further improving his comedic ability is Segel.  His performance here is less sad sack than his performance in last year’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and more like his performance in “Freaks and Geeks,” as he is someone who seems to enjoy his ridiculously unrealistic life while being totally oblivious to reality.

   Although “I Love You Man”’s plot is at times by-the-numbers, it doesn’t feel that way because of the twist added to it. The writers also deserve credit for incorporating the Lou Ferrigno cameo into the plot rather than just having it there for the sake of having a celebrity cameo. Also, it is great that writers John Hamburg and Larry Levin turned the final wedding scene into a somewhat serious moment rather than a cheap parody of “The Graduate.”

   Unfortunately, this movie isn’t flawless. Favreu steals almost every scene he is in, but his marriage plotline could’ve been tied together better with the main storyline to provide insight into the struggling relationship between Pete and Zooey. Also, Samberg and Simmons are criminally underused. 

  While “I Love You Man” contains the usual cast and crew of a Judd Apatow production, his name is totally absent from the credits. However, he still manages to leave his mark on the final production. Like an Apatow film, “I Love You Man” shows great respect for its characters and doesn’t laugh in their faces when they fail. “I Love You Man” shows you don’t have to be mean to be funny. 

Movie Review: Lawrence of Arabia

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Is “Lawrence of Arabia” the best epic ever made?
Is it proper to state that “Lawrence of Arabia” is the best epic ever made as a question? Or would it have been better to do so with a period? Hollywood has retained a fascination with epic filmmaking, but it is best to say the statement “best epic ever made” should end with a period. David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” is the pinnacle of epic filmmaking. It is vast and stunning in nearly every aspect. Everything from the editing to the score is absolutely overwhelming.

“Lawrence of Arabia” is a biopic about T.E. Lawrence. The first scene is visual trickery; it begins with a not-so old T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole) crashing his motorcycle. Within five minutes, the main character has died. Before he crashes, he looks so young. Even in his short life, he achieved more than most humans have in their entire lives. 
Lawrence was a British poet and lieutenant. During World War I, Lawrence helped lead the Arabs to fight off the invading Turks of the Ottoman Empire. With all of the strife today in the Middle East, the film feels all too relevant. It is one that may contain some great wisdom to deal with the region. 
But, forget about politics for now. What really needs to be focused on is every technical aspect of this film. First off, there is the cinematography, which ranks among the best in film history. Director of photography Freddie Young makes you feel like you’re right there in the desert with the troops. The aerial shots combined with a sweeping musical score is nothing short of awe inspiring. Seeing thousands of camels from the sky is almost more powerful than being right there on the ground with them. 
Another of the film’s most impressive feats is its editing. The best transition ever in a movie is in “2001: A Space Odyssey” when a bone flung in the air suddenly turns into space station way into the future. Millions of years of human progress was covered in one tiny leap. The second best transition ever comes from “Lawrence of Arabia.” It is when a small lit match suddenly turns into the rising sun over the desert; a sunrise that makes the sky look literally on fire. One small flame turns into a giant overwhelming fire; one man will lead an army to unimaginable results.
There are too many other classic moments in this film to recount. Omar Sharif walking out of a mirage. The train crash. And the final battle.
Of course, the movie has its flaws. It is filled with historical inaccuracies, exaggerations, and racism (don’t get me started on Anthony Quinn in brown face). In a worse movie like say, “300,” all of the inaccuracies would’ve bothered me to an extreme. But because “Lawrence of Arabia” is such an incredible achievement in filmmaking, all of those inaccuracies seem miniscule amid the gigantic scope of the film.
The definition of an epic film today seems to be a movie that consists of giant battle sequences that include a crusading hero giving an uplifting speech. Of the movie’s nearly four hour running time, barely thirty minutes of it consists of battle scenes. What makes the film epic is its scope in nearly every aspect. The directing, cinematography, and editing set up a larger than life story. Even O’Toole’s portrayal of Lawrence is epic. He adds more conflict and mixed emotions to his character than any actor I’ve seen. “Lawrence of Arabia” reminds us of the endless limits a film can go, even without the help of computer technology
Recommended for Fans Of: Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, There Will Be Blood, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, Once Upon a Time in the West, Seven Samurai, The Searchers, Anything by Steven Speilberg
Here are what two of the film’s surviving cast members (who sound an awful lot like the Jonas Brothers when they sing) have to say about “Lawrence of Arabia”:

Announcing the Return of Sacha Baron Cohen: Bruno

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The past few weeks, I’ve had the fortune of being poured on with good news. News of a new Richard Linklater movie. News of a new Miyazaki movie. Trailers for “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Inglourious Basterds,” and “Funny People.” Now, I give you the official trailer for the movie version of “Bruno.”

Of the three characters Sacha Baron Cohen’s gay Austrian fashion designer was the least compelling (Ali G and Borat are hard to beat). But, I think a very short segment in a 30 minute show wasn’t enough time, and maybe a full length movie is what this character needs.
“Bruno” is very similar to “Borat”: Baron Cohen heads to America, in character 24/7 and ironically mocks stereotypes and exposes ignorance. The trailer looks strange, shocking, over-the-top, and hilarious beyond belief. As I watched the trailer, I remained nearly speechless as to how Cohen was able to get Ron Paul and a television talk show to fall for his elaborate scheme. Sacha Baron Cohen is by far the bravest comedian working in the field today.
“Bruno” comes out on July 10. Unfortunately, those censor-loving tyrants at the MPAA gave the movie an NC-17. Hopefully (and most likely), the movie will be downgraded to an R. It better be, because I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t see this movie in theaters.
Verdict: As I said, Bruno isn’t the best of Cohen’s characters; but this movie has huge potential. Hopefully, it won’t get as overexposed as “Borat” did (not to say “Borat” isn’t funny anymore. This clip still scares me).

Why Richard Linklater Will Save the College Flick

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While doing my daily browsing on ew.com, I made a very exciting discovery. Richard Linklater, auteur of the greatest high school movie ever made, “Dazed & Confused,” has a new movie coming out about college. More specifically, it’s about a group of college kids lost (“Dazed”) and mystified (“Confused”) during their first weekend of college in 1980.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t follow the characters of “Dazed & Confused” into their first days of college, but it will hopefully create a cast of characters who are just as memorable. Since this movie takes place in 1980, it is no doubt a nostalgia film. Nobody captures nostalgia better than Linklater. I was not alive in 1976, but “Dazed & Confused” made me feel like I was right there, and knew pretty much everything about the 70s. From the Aerosmith soundtrack to the hazing and the pot smoking; the audience understood what it was like to be a teen in 1976. It was about the pressure, but also about the good times. Times have changed, but teens today could still related to the teens of “Dazed & Confused.”
This is really why I’m excited to see what Linklater will bring to the college comedy. Over the past years, the genre has totally evaporated into brainless shlock. Every college comedy seems to show college as one giant party, and then of course the dean tries to ruin everything. Then, the kids bring the dean down and it’s happy times for all. “Animal House” started this and they did it just right. So many filmmakers have tried to imitate “Animal House”‘s style, but they all fail. Maybe it’s because no scene of a bunch of inexperienced kids throwing up after drinking for the first time could match the subtle comic brilliance of watching John Belushi devour a plate of jello in one bite.
But, I digress. The reason this movie will revive the college comedy is because it sounds like “Dazed & Confused” set on a university campus. And I mean that in the best possible way. While “Dazed & Confused” captured the life of a group of varied high schoolers over one night, Linklater’s new film will capture the life of college kids over just one weekend. The teens of “Dazed & Confused” found out that despite what social group they come from, none of them are too different. What better place could that lesson be taught then at a college on the very first weekend. This film will have depth and show that comedies can have depth. Overall, it’s those tiny connections between humans that can propel a comedy from funny to masterpiece. This typically is the essence of a Linklater film.
Now, the college comedy hasn’t totally died. Judd Apatow brought it back with touching humor and stark realism with his TV series “Undeclared.” Unfortunately, it was cancelled after one season. Maybe it is because people don’t like realism. They like ridiculous fantasy. But, I think this new movie will show that realism can be funny and entertaining, as well as enlightening.
Unfortunately, this movie, currently being called a “spiritual sequel” to “Dazed & Confused,” has yet to find a distributor. Studio executives I beg you, take a risk and invest in Linklater’s latest film.

Where The Wild Things Are: An Awesome Movie Based on an Awesome Book

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After months of reshoots and other controversies, “Where the Wild Things Are,” based on the book by Maurice Sendak, finally got a trailer. And might I say, it looks awesome. Rather than putting it in the hands of one of the idiots who thought “High School Musical” was a good influence on children, the classic story is being handled by Spike Jonze. This is the same Spike Jonze who’s wild imagination brought Charlie Kaufman’s scripts of “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation” to life. 

Hopefully, Jonze will make a fantasy world seem as wildly real and plausible as that of “Spirited Away” while using this fantasy to mirror the darkness of reality like in “Pan’s Labyrinth,” minus all that bloody Spanish Civil War stuff.
For now, I just pray the studios haven’t butchered the film like reports have claimed. Then again, the films that get butchered by studios usually prove to be the best ones (see: “Apocalypse Now”).

Sign the World Isn’t Ending: Hayao Miyazaki’s Latest Film Comes to America

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Hayao Miyazaki, the visual mastermind behind such anime masterpieces as “Princess Mononoke” and “Spirited Away,” has made his next film. It is called “Ponyo,” and it has been set for a U.S. release date of August 14.

“Ponyo” is about a goldfish that longs to become human. Now, that might sound a little strange, but Miyazaki has the amazing ability to take the most absurd childhood fantasies and turn them into something believable and mature. This is more than what can be said for most movies aimed at children nowadays (I’m talking to you, “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”).
I’m usually wary of foreign films that get dubbed for their U.S. release because I’m a subtitle guy. But John Lasseter, another animation mastermind who created Pixar, is producing the English language version. He has produced most of the other English translations of Miyazaki films. Each film has made it smoothly from Japanese to English. I have no doubt this one shouldn’t either.
I will try and forget the fact that Miley Cyrus’s sister and a Jonas are in this movie, because the cast also includes Lily Tomlin, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, and Tina Fey amongst others. Everyone knows you can’t go wrong with Tina Fey, and the addition of Hayao Miyazaki just makes it all the better.
Story Found Here 
Trailer Below (it’s in Japanese, sorry):