Science vs. Romance... OH AND SOMEBODY BETTER BRING TREATS TOMORROW

It is truly fitting that Spring is on the move. We have just finished the Screwball and the Romantic Comedy unit. While they both focus on love and comedy, Screwball stresses comedy while the Romantic Comedy stresses romance. The Screwball focuses on the plot around the romance, the craziness that usually ensues around the two main characters. And of course, it has to be a funny situation. In His Girl Friday, Hildy Johnson plays the un-typical role of the strong and sassy heroine, while her ex-husband Walter Burns, playes the counterpart and source of friction for Hildy. There is obvious flirtation and romance but it is overshadowed by the crazy plotline as Walter and Hildy hide a man on the run. Recent Screwball movies include the Kenneth Branagh version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, and the Sandra Bullock film Two Weeks Notice. What I love about the Screwball is that the typical roles are reversed, the female is dominant and she gets some good lines too.
Ah, the Romantic Comedy. The Romantic Comedy's main focus is on romance, of course. The main characters take on the roles of the lovestruck woman and the heroic man, and, of course, they end up together in the end. There are humorous moments that add to the romance, or if comedy is not related to the romance, it does not overshadow it. The Romantic Comedy we watched was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Joel and Clementine are in a relationship until one day Clementine doesn't remember Joel. This is because she has had her memory of him erased. Yes, erased. The main focus is on the deteriorating relationship between Joel and Clem, there are funny moments and they contribute to the relationship and the fact that it is becoming nonexistant. The movie is dark and at first glance it does not seem like a Romantic Comedy, but it is. The main reason why people believe this is because nowadays people seem to mistake the Romantic Comedy for the ever powerful Chick Flick.
The Chick flick and the Romantic Comedy are not the same, I repeat, they ARE NOT THE SAME. The Chick Flick is a lot like the Romantic Comedy, they are both centered around romance and usually feature a woman who gets herself into comedic trouble (all for the romance- or either it doesn't detract from it- of course). But while the Romantic Comedy appeals to everyday people, the Chick Flick appeals to, well, chicks. And this means that there is the obviously-hotter-than-normal male interest (think James Marsden in 27 Dresses and Brad Pitt in Thelma and Louise) who is too perfect to be real, the female lead always owns a great wardrobe (Devil Wears Prada) and , and undying love speeches made to the female while she is crying (Jerry Maguire). In contrast, the Romantic Comedy showcases men who may not have perfect bodies or profess their love on a daily basis (When Harry Met Sally) but they are realistic and relatable. The women may not have the greatest duds (I Capture the Castle), but they make that up in their humor and personality. Don't get me wrong, I love a good chick flick, but what I really enjoy is the kind of movie you can feel good, laugh at, and enjoy with a guy who doesn't go groaning to the theatre when you mention the title.

In my world everyone is a pony, and they all eat rainbows, and poop butterflies

Okay, so I realize I have just blogged about a movie a day ago, but I just saw one of the funniest and heartwarming movies I have seen in a long time so I JUST HAVE TO BLOG ABOUT IT. I don't even know if anyone reads this thing, but I just feel like I should share my thoughts because I really like to do that.
Horton Hears A Who! is the film that I had the privilege of viewing. My friend wanted to see it, but I kind of wanted to see Never Back Down preferably for the cheesy title and this one hot guy in the movie- I swear I'm not that shallow. Anyway, I decided that my money would probably be better spent at Horton, even though it did seem like it would be a movie just intended for people under the age of thirteen. But I went anyway, it looked cute.
Boy was I wrong. This movie is for ALL AGES; it is funny, sweet, happy, and it sends a message that you should stand up for what you believe in. It follows an elephant, Horton, played by Jim Carrey, who is a little bit eccentric and optimistic. One day, he hears a noise from a spec. Yes, a spec. It turns out that this spec is home to a bunch of Whos in Whoville. The mayor, played by Steve Carrel, is hilarious and a little neurotic with his 96 daughters and one son, JoJo. Horton must prove to his fellow animal friends, including a nosy Kangaroo (Carol Burnett) and a sarcastic mouse (Seth Rogan), that this spec really does have people living on it.
This movie is obviously animated but there are camera angles and lighting to convey different feelings and perceptions. There are closeups of Horton and the mayor, and shadowy depictions of Vlad, the somewhat evil but mostly crazy, vulture. Along with the shots and lighting, there is diagetic music that fits right in; happy and peppy at most parts, but also fast and harsh at moments of climax. Everything seems well and put together in this movie.
Horton Hears A Who! is truly for everyone of all ages, and I can assure you that I laughed out loud and felt a warm feeling at the end of this movie.

You Drive Me Crazy

I kind of feel like the expression on Rupert's face---->

No, I am not referring to the Britney Spears hit single or the Melissa Joan Hart movie from the earliest part of this decade. In fact, I am talking about a movie that I have recently watched, called Driving Lessons. It is an English film that stars Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley in the HP movies) as Ben, a seventeen-and-a-half year old who is quiet and kind of odd. He obeys his mother, played by Laura Linney, and her strict Catholic ways. But not all is as it seems. In fact, mommy dearest is hiding an illicit affair with another man, and she makes Ben take driving lessons so she can have an excuse for a little action on the side. Ben's poor dad (who is a Priest) is unbeknownst to all of this. Meanwhile, Ben's mum thinks it would be in Ben's best interest to help an aging actress-Evie- with things around the house and such. From then on the two form a bond that spans across generations. They go camping, Evie swallows the key to their car, Ben loses his virginity, and each learns a little from Shakespeare.
All and all, this coming-of-age film is quite boring, mostly due in part to the fact that the main character, Ben, DOESN'T SPEAK FOR LIKE THE FIRST THIRTY MINUTES. Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating, but it seems like that. Driving Lessons seems to drag on for a long time with pointless filler plots, which leads the audience into wondering what the whole point of this movie is. In the end, my friends and I had to speed up the dialogue on the DVD player and we did an NFL end zone dance when this movie was over.

Y'know you inspired me, doing what you did, going off on your own like that.

Just thought that I would blog for a tiny bit about the movie I saw tonight with Samrina; it's called "Penelope" and it's about a girl (played by Christina Ricci) who is cursed with the nose of a pig. Yes, it may sound quite farfetched and unrealistic, but hey, this is the movies! Christina Ricci is joined by a swoon-worthy James McAvoy, hilarious Catherine O'Hara, and a spunky Reese Witherspoon.
Penelope's great, great (and a few more greats) grandfather had the family cursed when he didn't marry the girl he was supposed to. The curse says that the first girl born to the Wilhern family will be cursed with the face of a pig, and that only true love from the same social class can break it. Thus Penelope's mother (O'Hara) bring in many a suitor, only to have them run away in horror. Yes it does seem unrealistic, but considering it is a fairy tale, stay with me.
Enchanted are the makeup, costumes, and set pieces. Throughout the movie Penelope sports a beautiful purple coat that is unique in style with its long coat tails and purple color. In her room, which she spends many an hour in, there is a swing that she frequently uses. These little added misc-en-scene elements make "Penelope" even more whismsical.
As the movie goes on, Penelope decides to run away and declare her independence. She experiences new things such as a beer on tap and riding around on a vespa with Reese Witherspoon. In the process, the public begins to fall in love with her.
Audiences might sense the real world metaphor to overweight people and Penelope the pig. Penelope's suiters run away from her and make rude comments behind her back, causing her to feel self-conscious. It is quite common to hear people make rude comments behind bigger peoples' backs also, as horrible as that might sound it is true. There are men-and women- in this world who will not accept someone else just because of their size, even if they have the best personality in the world. I applaud "Penelope" for taking this real-world situation and molding it into an eccentric-yet-believeable plot.
James McAvoy shines as Penelope's would be suitor Max, and Catherine O'Hara plays a controlling mother who wants nothing but the best for her daughter- which in this case means whatever makes Penelope normal and not a pig. Christina Ricci is back as a pig-nosed girl with a heart of gold, and her performance is sure to garner her the attention she hasn't seen since "The Addams Family".
At the core of this playful movie is something more, something that truly strikes home for many people. It is the journey of acceptance of yourself and the process of what it means to be normal.

Plains, Trains and Automobiles

What do you get when you throw together two of the eighties biggest comedians, the writer of such hits as "The Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles", and a cross-country road trip? Well, you get a laugh out loud, heartwarming, and very quotable movie called "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles".
This 1987 classic movie stars Steve Martin as Neil Page, an uptight and somewhat pessimistic executive who wants to be home for Thanksgiving on time; it also stars John Candy as Del Griffith, a kind-hearted and optimistic man who happens to meet Neil when they both vie for a taxi. From then on, the two continue to run into each other and due to bad weather and flight cancellations, they decide to embark on a journey to get Neil home in time for the holidays. On their way, they meet a woman who gave birth to a child that came out sideways, drive on the wrong side of the highway, and spoon each other in a motel. Each of these moments is not only memorable because of the absurdity, but because of John Hughes' dialogue that makes the somewhat unreal situation quite real. The characters feel like they could be people you know; Neil Page could be your uptight and conservative father with a short temper, while Del Griffith is your best friend's cool and understanding dad.
Hughes, who is the writer, director, and producer, incorporates the use of different camera movements and editing to emphasize the comedy and hold the audience's attention in each scene. For example, in the scene in which Neil and Del drive on the wrong side of the highway and are bypassed by two semi-trucks, quick shots are used to hold the audience's attention and to create a thrill in which the audience doesn't know what will happen next. We are shown cuts of Del and Neil, and within these quick cuts are different shots of the men dressed in costume, such as Del dressed as the devil. Another use of a shot for comedic response is when Del and Neil decide to shack up together and have to spend a night in the same bed. The camera pans starting from Del's body and makes its way to Neil, who is spooning with Del. It is truly hilarious and this is helped by the fact that it is filmed with just the right camera movement.
"Planes, Trains and Automobiles" at first glance might seem just like an eighties version of "Superbad" or anything that Will Ferrell makes nowadays. But this movie is mainly about the relationship of Del and Neil, two unlikely friends who bond together and help each other in unexpected ways. John Hughes does a magnificent job of creating funny situations and subtly incorporation the message that friends are what make the hard moments in life tolerable.
The characters seem to grow throughout the movie, and truly learn about what it means to be a true friend. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that it made me smile and my emotions were heightened by the eighties synthetic pop in the background- probably the only thing dating this otherwise timeless film.

BE KIND REWIND

So here is what I decided, I think I am going to try to blog everytime I see a movie. That might work out, or it may not, but for right now, it's gonna work. Tonight I went to see "Be Kind Rewind" starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, and Mia Farrow. It was pretty much an all-star cast which was pretty exciting if I do say so myself. Frankly, I'm kind of over all of these new comers and siblings, i.e. Jamie Lynn Spears, Emma Roberts, numerous Disney Channel stars. I want real actors who are good at what they do. And tonight, I got what I wished for. "Be Kind Rewind" is about two guys (Black and Def) who take over an older man's (Glover)video rental shop while he is away inspecting the DVD competition. In the process, Black's character becomes magnetic and erases all of the movies on tape at the video store (which shares the same name as the movie's title). With no other tapes, the boys must remake twenty minute versions of classic films such as "Ghostbusters", "Driving Ms. Daisy", and "Boys N Da Hood". Suddenly, there is a cult following to their movies, and everyone in town becomes involved.
I thought this movie had some pretty hilarious parts, mainly thanks to Jack Black, who can pretty much say "mayonaise" and make me burst out in laughter. The characters were realistic and innovative, and I enjoyed the mixed race cast. The only problem that I had was that the film was only a little over an hour yet it felt like a few hours. Some scenes went on a little too long and since there wasn't humor in every part, it kind of felt like the filmmakers could have cut out some sequences. I would recommend to people over the age of fifteen. Younger kids will most likely lose interest after a bit, and they might not understand all of the references to the films. All in all, it was a cute, lighthearted film that made me laugh and respect the power movies have over us all.