My guy friends convinced me that I needed to go to a midnight showing of Fast Five in IMAX. Not my typical genre of choice, but I was pleasantly surprised with the film. Unfortunately, the projector broke before the end, so I can’t tell you how (allegedly) awesome the final car chase scene was. But I can tell you how cool it was to watch everyone in the theater throw cups at the screen…

Fast Five picks up with fugitive Dominic Toretto’s struggle to break out from prison and his subsequent hide out in Rio. Of course “one last job” must happen and a gang is brought together to rob Rio’s top drug lord. American FBI Agent Hobbs, played by Dwayne Johnson, comes to Rio to track down Toretto. Car chases and explosions ensue. Alright, it’s not that complex, but it’s pretty cool to watch.

And just to prove to you guys that I’m not ashamed to admit I’m wrong (Birthers, I’m looking at you to follow my lead), I bring you the list of the week.

Top 4 reasons why I shouldn’t have judged Fast Five by its cover (…or trailer…): Read More »

Cedar Rapids is the story of Tim Lippe (Ed Helmes), a by-the-book insurance agent who has to go to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to present at an insurance conference. Three past attendees of the convention teach Tim their more free-spirited ways.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m tough on comedies in general. In fact, I seem to be getting a rep as a movie snob… (See: Easy A and No Strings Attached). But at the end of the day, all I really want is a comedy that will respect its audience. I think Cedar Rapids is the perfect example of that.

The writing is sharp, but it is also backed up by a clear plot that never disappears for the sake of a joke. It doesn’t cater to what it could so easily be – a fish-out-of-water story or a buddy comedy. And, luckily the cast members who are often known for their overzealous acting style (Ed Helms, John C. Reilly), really give great performances, even understated at times. Cedar Rapids refuses to dumb itself down for its audience. And it certainly won’t overwhelm you with endless strings of pop culture references just for a laugh.

I love Ed Helms, but when I saw the trailer for this film, I worried that he might have started to create an acting niche for himself. After all, we all saw The Hangover. We know that he can play a straight shooter who goes through some crazy partying and comes out the other side a changed man. But, after I saw Cedar Rapids, I realized that Helms isn’t falling into a niche; rather, his character from The Hangover can be viewed as an oversimplified version of Tim Lippe. Helms has us cheering for Lippe from the beginning, but it comes from a much subtler place. We’re never hit over the head with Lippe’s likability; instead, Helms plays him with endearing naïveté that never comes across as unnatural.

John C. Reilly does a lovely job as well. He takes on a role that should encourage many comparisons to his roles in Step Brothers and Talladega Nights, but he gives his character a lot of great quirks that are completely role-specific. I would like to mention the hilarious The Wire references that Isiah Whitlock Jr. has – he was actually a cast member on HBO’s The Wire and there are a couple of nods to that.

Cedar Rapids isn’t just another buddy-comedy that you’ve seen a million times. Instead, it’s a short and sweet story that will make you laugh. The writing is sharp, the acting isn’t overdone, and unrealistic situations aren’t used for a cheap laugh.

Click here to get Meredith’s take on other new releases.

Making a great book into a movie is often the kiss of death. Fans of the book criticize the movie to no end, critics shame the director for fouling such a work of art, etc, etc. Everyone and everything surrounding a book-to-movie production seems very, well, dramatic. And unsuccessful. However, there are a few movies out there that got it all right, enhancing the book and even telling the story even better than the book itself.

And this is coming from a self-proclaimed reading snob.

I’ve created a list of my top 4 books made into movies. Granted, I have not seen every movie ever made that is based on a book, but I think I have a pretty good base to choose from. Let me know if you agree or add your own to the list

#4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy

I know that I’m probably going to get flack for this one from the hard-core fans, but making “The Lord of the Rings” novels into movies was not only one of the best financial decisions ever made (raking in a cool BILLION on ticket sales and rentals alone), but also a smart pop culture move. Before the movies, the books and whole “culture” of LOTR were fairly underground; some people read the books in school, but other than that, they weren’t terribly popular. And I’d like to think I know why.

I tried to read the books. I barely got through the first one and had to give up. I’m not a detail person so I found several pages describing the movement of grass in a valley to be WAY too much. But then I saw the movie – which obviously eliminated all that need for boring description – and it. was. awesome. The story, the drama, the imagination that went into coming up with all those characters and details. Good move with the movie, LOTR people. A good move, indeed. Read More »