I Just Watched: Safety Not Guaranteed

Safety Not Guaranteed was one of the best comedies I've seen in a while (right up there with last summer's Horrible Bosses). On top of coming from the same producers as Little Miss Sunshine, an indie comedic classic, SNG showcases two of my favorite TV actors: Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Rec, NBC) and Jake Johnson (New Girl, FOX). Of all the things to be based off of, this film is centered around a wanted ad that originally appeared in a newspaper in the 1990s (in real life, not in the script) that read: "WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back ... Safety not guaranteed." If you don't think that's the best premise ever, I'm not sure what you're looking for in a comedy. Needless to say, the flick only gets better from there. Not to mention, Safety Not Guaranteed has a lot of heart for a comedy, leading you to places you may not expect. My suggestion? Try this one out.

I Just Watched: The Artist

I'm going to admit straightaway that I had not heard of The Artist until I watched this year's Golden Globes (and saw that it won three of the biggest awards of the night). Such praise led me to check out the trailer, at which point I discovered that it is a (mainly) silent film.

I. was. ecstatic.
 
The Artist is the perfect blend of comedy, romance and drama. Its relatively unknown cast — save for a few familiar faces like John Goodman — make it all the more special, helping it to truly have an olden feel. Jean Dujardin, who plays actor George Valentin, and Bérénice Bejo light up the screen like movie stars used to, akin to Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The film is charming as can be and a lovely homage to Hollywood in the 1920s and, similar to one of the best films of all time, follows the life of an actor who is forced to adjust to the implementation of talkies, a.k.a. talking pictures. There just aren't enough words to describe how wonderful the experience of seeing this film is, I guess you could say: I'm speechless.
Best on-screen moment: Peppy Miller (Bejo), alone in Valentin's dressing room, drapes herself in the "arms" of his hung jacket as if it were a lover.

I Just Watched: The Help

I must first shamefully admit that I had not yet finished reading the sensational Kathryn Stockett novel of the same name when I went to see this movie. I don't wish to spoil anything about this fabulous story in my review, so all I can say is go see it. The acting is wonderful (hats off to both Emma Stone and Viola Davis for bringing their characters to life) and The Help is a flick that has everything going for it: There's courage, drama, joy, sadness, romance, hilarity and love woven in to all of its many great moments. I must also give props to the actress that gave life to one of my favorite characters in the novel, Jessica Chastain, who plays the sweet, clueless Celia Foote. The Help is a true testament to why so many of us love to see literature brought to the silver screen. (As a side note: If you are a To Kill a Mockingbird fan, you'll love this story, too.)
Best on-screen moment: When Minny (Octavia Spencer) reveals her terrible awful.

I Just Watched: Monte Carlo

To start out this review I have to be honest, I'm not all that proud to have seen this. For a movie of its premise, Monte Carlo was 30 minutes too long (way too long). Don't get me wrong, I love Selena Gomez — though I prefer her music tenfold to her acting — she's adorable, charming and has fabulous fashion sense. What's even more, Leighton Meester (TV's Gossip Girl) is totally on my list of girl crushes (come on, all us straight ladies have 'em). Moving past that, however, I could not get over the fact that this movie should not have been in theaters . . . it should have aired on the Disney Channel. When I was able to overlook the fact that this film is insanely similar to 2003's The Lizzie McGuire Movie, I managed to enjoy myself, basking in the glory of its light-hearted sillyness. All in all, this is definitely a great flick to take your children to (or the kids you babysit) but beyond that, it's been done.
Best on-screen moment: Grace's (Gomez) uptight stepsister Meg (Meester) impulsively decides to stay behind and climbs to the top of Machu Picchu . . . with her new man, of course.

I Just Watched: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2

This final Potter film is pure perfection. The attention to detail in the surroundings alone is marvelous (and includes the return of Devil's Snare and Cornish Pixies!). Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) is brilliant and has truly shaped into a phenomenal actor. That said, just about every single person in these films is brilliant and I must give shout outs to my other personal favorite characters/performances: Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). To have turned one of the most (if not the most) beloved book series into films this wonderful is a true accomplishment. The outstanding score, plot, action, special effects and set design of these movies is Oscar worthy in and of itself and I would be shocked to hear of one person who doesn't enjoy watching the conclusion of Harry Potter's story in all its glory, where once and for all good triumphs over evil. I must be sure to say, however, that you should not see this movie without having at least watched Deathly Hallows — Part 1 because it jumps right in (and if you haven't read the books or seen any of the movies please do me a favor and have a marathon of one of the two).
Best on-screen moment: Hermione takes polyjuice potion to become Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham-Carter) in order to break into Gringotts Bank and find a horcrux.

I Just Watched: Horrible Bosses

I have been lucky enough to not yet have had a "horrible boss," especially to the extent of those in this film, but even if you know or have met "horrible people" this flick is a riot. The most obvious and fabulous thing in Horrible Bosses is Jennifer Aniston's stepping out of her "norm" and playing the sex-crazed, offensive boss Dr. Julia Harris, D.D.S. I also loved the use of type during the voice overs at the beginning and end, it truly added a nice effect (and made the judgments even funnier). All in all, Bosses may be the best disaster comedy I have ever seen (I feel like I've seen a lot of those), and the cast is unbelievable.
Best on-screen moment: Dale's (Charlie Day) wonderful telling off of his boss Julia at the film's end OR Dean 'MF' Jones' (Jamie Foxx) insight into why the three guys should not have paid him.

I Just Watched: Bad Teacher

I definitely lost my surprise at the rating of this movie (R) soon after it began. Despite being absolutely hilarious, the flick was a tad dirty at points. Unlike just about every other movie in existence, the protagonist, Elizabeth Halsey, does not quite learn her lesson in life (though she does in love); however, she does cease teaching ... only to become the middle school guidance counselor. As in almost everything he does, Jason Segel (TV's How I Met Your Mother) is the real charmer in this flick, while Bad Teacher's breakout star is Phyllis Smith (TV's The Office) as the indecisive Lynn Davies. To address the hot topic surrounding the movie, former real-life flames Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake manage easy on-screen chemistry while making post-breakup friendship look like a cinch. Bad Teacher may not be the greatest movie of the season, but it was an enjoyable one (and I'm loving the female badasses in this summer's comedy romps).
Best on-screen moment: It's a tie between whenever Miss Halsey (Diaz) gives advice and whenever Miss Davies (Smith) tries to make a decision.

I Just Watched: Midnight in Paris

The first reason I was reeling to see Woody Allen's latest love affair with one of the greatest cities in the world? The Van Gogh imagery on the movie poster (re: "Starry Starry Night"). It is pure gorgeousness (yes, I just said that) and happens to be mimicking one of my all-time favorite works of art, no matter how cliché that may sound. That said, Woody Allen movies have often been hit or miss when it comes to my taste and this one was definitely a hit. Owen Wilson was incredibly charming as the film's hero and his nightly rendezvous of Parisian streets opened up the most delightful, hilariously accurate portrayals of some of the most famous artists in history, including Hemmingway, Picasso and Dalí (as well as Kathy Bates' lovely Gertrude Stein). Not to mention, I loved the intimate look at how an author receives and acts on inspiration for his/her novel.
Best on-screen moment: Gil's (Wilson) hilarious discussion with Dalí (Adrian Brody) and other surrealists about time travel.

I Just Watched: Super 8

Three cheers for J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg for bringing us a wonderfully well made and well written summer movie that is easy to sit through. (Honestly, apart from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2, I wasn't sure we had one in store this season.) Super 8 was all around brilliant with a great cast and excellent behind-the-scenes folk, especially when it came to the score and special effects. The plot was a mix between The Goonies and E.T. in an amazing way, creating a whole new terrestrial experience where children are the ones saving the world and discovering the government's deep, dark secrets. Trust me, you won't regret purchasing a ticket to see this flick. (Side note: The movie's title comes from the old-fashioned camera the characters are using to make their movie-within-a-movie.)
Best on-screen moment: When the four friends are running through their now "war zone"-esque hometown and shouting, "What is happening?!"