The MAX POWER System
Thumbs and stars have been overdone, so here on Arabian Monkey I’ll bring you a scale using bananas (what did you expect?) Here’s a breakdown of the rating system:
- 0 bananas- This is a classification only allotted for the worst possible movies. Do not under any circumstances waste your time or money on any movies with this rating.
- 1 banana- Poor. This movie isn’t worth watching unless it’s 1 a.m. and you can’t sleep…and even then, sleeping pills may be a better option (then again this movie may bring about the same effects).
- 2 bananas- This movie has it’s spots, but nothing spectacular. Average.
- 3 bananas- Take some time out of your day and grab a bucket of popcorn. This is a quality flick for you and some friends to enjoy.
- 4 bananas- A must-see movie. Drop what you’re doing and clear your schedule, you have a movie to watch.
Some movies just can’t be defined on this scale, so you’ll find at times that I’ll give a movie a half banana when it fits in between two parts of the scale.
New in Theatres: “Superbad” Runtime: 1h54m Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Actor/writer Seth Rogen has been busy lately, and the proof lies in yet another hilarious comedy with his name attached to it. That movie, of course, is Superbad. Rogen wrote the script with childhood friend, Evan Goldberg (the two claim to have started writing it when they were 13 years old). Of course, Rogen couldn’t sit behind the camera the whole movie, so he wrote a supporting cast role for himself as well. Like his previous films “Knocked Up” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” Superbad is a great film with tons of laughs and good dialogue.
Superbad follows one unbelievable night in the lives of three high school students: Seth (Jonah Hill), Evan (Michael Cera), and Fogell (Chris Mintz-Plasse). Throughout the night the three encounter many “only in the movies” type of moments, adding fuel to this comedic inferno. As the night progresses, Seth and Evan are forced to face the fact that they will soon graduate and head their separate ways. But with high school’s end in sight, and his virginity intact, Seth becomes preoccupied with his attempt to supply an entire party with booze, which he believes will up his chance to get laid by a hot girl named Jules.
In case you haven’t figured it out by this point, Superbad is a comedy. More specifically, it’s a teen comedy. Unlike most teen movies though, Superbad avoids bad dialogue, useless stereotypical characters, and a reliance on gross-out scenes. While the events at times seem unbelievable, the dialogue, for the most part, works because it is realistic and the young actors pull it off.
This leads me to my next point, the film's acting. Superbad’s cast is full of young faces, some fresh to the film industry. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera are the stars of this movie, and while each has seen the silver screen before I wouldn’t be surprised if we look back at this film as there “breakout” roles someday. Chris Mintz-Plasse also gives a hilarious performance as the nerd of the group, which says a lot since the three of them account for what seems to be the lamest trio in the school. Unfortunately for Plasse I don’t see much of a future; Hollywood tends to chew up and spit out kids typecast for 90 pound, asthmatic nerds (see Screech). Never the less, this cast chock full of young talent stole the show, but perhaps the funniest roles in the movie go to some of the older talent. Seth Rogen, in particular, plays the part of Officer Michaels, a cop who is either too cool, or too dumb, to follow the rules. Also fans of the late '90s sitcom, “Grounded for Life” will get a kick out of Kevin Corrigan who shows up as an overprotective boyfriend with a penchant for fighting.
Overall this is a great comedy, rivaling “Knocked Up” for best comedy of the year. Rogen specifically gets a pat on the back for pulling off what seems to be an impossible feat in the movies these days- three successful movies in a row. But while I call this movie a success it does have a few rough spots. Like most modern comedies this movie rarely breathes. I’m sure I laughed at over 50 jokes during the movie. Although this is a good problem to have, it can be annoying. This like most recent comedies could use a lesson in pacing, however this doesn’t change the fact that you won’t stop laughing while watching this movie.
Rating: 3 ½ bananas
On the Rack: “Disturbia” Runtime: 1h45m Rating: PG-13
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Fresh on the rack this week is Disturbia. This horror/suspense movie is one of this years’ many Shia LaBeouf productions, the new “it” kid in Hollywood. The movie itself is a “remake” of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1950s classic Rear Window, although unofficially. The writers of this new version changed the storyline to bypass buying the rights to the original. That means a few changes in the plot and a much younger cast than the original film.
LaBeouf stars as Kale, a teen under house arrest who spends his days watching his neighbors in a suburban area. After watching some peculiar happenings at one house in particular, Kale is certain his neighbor killed a local woman he heard about on the news. Before long he’s recruited his best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), and a new-in-town hottie, Ashley (Sarah Roemer), to take part in an overnight stakeout. The more Kale watches, the murkier the situation gets, and the more his friends want him to drop the topic altogether.
As Kale secretly watches his neighbor Mr. Turner, there are some close calls when he is almost caught. Because of this, filmmakers label this movie as a horror/thriller. Personally, I felt it lacked a bit of both. The movie was more suspense than anything else, if for no other reason than it’s lack of events. The movie succeeds in holding your attention just enough, but it gets frustrating as the movie drags on. Disturbia has the right “stuff” for a good movie, but it lacks the guts in-between after being modernized. They do throw in a budding romance between Kale and Ashley but it’s simply not enough to carry this film.
Individually the film doesn’t fare much better. LaBeouf turns in a sub par performance, not what I expected the same year it was announced he would star in the next Indiana Jones flick. Sarah Roemer shows some promise, but that is overshadowed greatly by some awkward on-screen moments with LaBeouf’s characters. Fortunately for her, the movie draws on her as a hot young girl, which she is, but the directors also went a little overboard making half her scenes seem like a bathing suit advertisement. The best performance in this film comes via David Morse, which isn’t saying much. Playing the part of Mr. Turner, Morse seems disinterested at best. You can see why he’s been in more TV shows than movies of late.
Overall this is a remake that cannot live up to the original. The makers of this film took a chance and breathed some youth into the film, but in doing so you take the risk of poor acting, and in this case it didn’t work out. I don’t swear off this movie completely, it’s worth watching, but I wouldn’t rush to the store to see it. I must admit many people on the web seem to rate this movie well. With that being said, a lot of people ranking movies on the web are dumb.
Rating: 2 bananas
From the Vault: “Rear Window” Runtime: 1h50m Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Alfred Hitchcock is one of the biggest names in movie-making history. That being said the movie Rear Window only adds to that legacy. Out of the several Hitchcock movies I’ve taken time to watch over the years, this ranks near the top alongside other classics like “The Birds.” Like all Hitchcock films, he takes time to truly develop the characters, so when the movie is at its climax you feel attached to the characters. I dare you to watch this film, and not feel involved with the characters…it’s impossible.
Rear Window is the story of a photographer, L.B. Jeffries, who is stuck in his apartment while his leg heals from an accident he suffered at work. Jeffries spends his days spying on the lives of dozens of people, through his rear window that peers over his apartment's alley. After observing his neighbors for weeks Jeffries begins to believe one of them, Lars Thorwald, has murdered his wife. Bound to a wheelchair, Jeffries continues to watch Thorwald in an attempt to find proof so he can convince his friends and the police that a murder has taken place.
The movie falls under the category of mystery and suspense. The more you get to know Jeffries the more you want him to be right, but the more you get to know the scenario, the more you feel he could be wrong. The movie becomes all about pacing. Each day Jeffries believes he is getting one step closer to solving the mystery from his apartment, but he’s racing against time as he expects the husband is planning to skip town.
Acting in this film is superb. James Stewart reminds us how realistic a character can be in this movie with his portrayal of L.B. Jeffries, you may remember him from a little movie called Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Meanwhile, Grace Kelly shows us why an entire country fell in love with her so long ago, with her portrayal of Lisa Fremont. Even the supporting roles in this film are stellar, Raymond Burr (aka Perry Mason) plays the part of Lars Thorwald the man Jeffries suspects has killed his wife. While most of this film takes place from across the alley, each character plays their part to perfection no matter how small it is. Classics like this remind us how great acting, and an even better storyline, can really make a movie.
All in all, this movie is a classic, a movie that anyone could enjoy. It’s a true masterpiece that matches up some of the most legendary names to ever appear on the silver screen. What this movie lacks in visual effects, it more than makes up for with great acting and a wonderful storyline. This movie may have been made more than 50 years ago, but it’s just as entertaining today as it was in 1954. Talent doesn’t fade.
Rating: 4 bananas
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