This will not be a movie review. I know this site is called mrfilmreviewer but for now allow me to be mrfilmPreviewer. I chose that name because I had the privilege of watching a short/medium length preview of the film Remember O Goddess, a Korean film directed by Yoon Jung Lee. I came across this movie thanks to certain networking sites: Stage32.com (a networking site for people in the film industry) and Twitter.
I can't emphasize the fact that I enjoy all kinds of movies from all sorts of cinemas. In fact, I've seen a number of Korean movies, although most, if not all, were mainstream movies. This is the first time I came across a Korean independent film and I liked the experience. Readers of this blog won't be too surprised to see another independent film title here. After all, I've already made reviews for Winter's Bone (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/04/winters-bone.html) and Good Day For It (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/04/good-day-for-it.html), both American indie films. However, this is the first time I'm writing about a non-Hollywood film in this blog.
The premise of the film is simple, yet interesting. There's a man who lost his memory and attempted to identify himself by reporting his disappearance to the police, hoping someone would recognize him and tell him who he really was. That hope then came in the form of a convenience store cashier, but he let his chance slide. We all have a place in this world. Sometimes, we get lost and sometimes we just need one person to rely on and guide us back. Unfortunately, he let his guiding light get away. This caused him to take drastic measures in order to have another chance of re-connecting with the people in his life.
The 25 minute talked about searching for one's identity, missing out on a valuable opportunity, desperation, and love. It had a comic relief here and there, but the film maintained the paradoxical balance of calmness and frustration, of satisfaction and despair. It was quietly moving, and definitely surprising. I think this film had power because it had a strong definite message. A lot of things were said in just 25 minutes.
I also want to point out how incredible Kim Tae Wook was. I particularly appreciated how the preview ended. It's attention-grabbing, and emotionally charged and very unexpected. With the way the preview ended, it could already stand on its own. It could be a short/medium film. That's the thing; the whole preview was smart and creative. If this preview was an indication of the quality of the whole feature, we could all be assured that the end product will be phenomenal.
If you want to see the preview, you can click this link http://rememberogoddess.squarespace.com/movie/ I'm very pleased to know that the project managed to raise funds to continue this amazing movie. If I only had the money, I would contribute to this project for sure because it would be worth every single penny. However, since I'm in no position to do so, let this blog entry serve as my contribution to the movie.
May 11, 2012
May 10, 2012
Speed
I just re-watched Speed after so many years just because I remember really liking it when I first saw it on TV. Unfortunately, me liking it and a couple other scenes were the only things I could remember. Watching it again made me confused since I couldn't remember seeing half the scenes on that movie. Then again, I saw it probably more than a decade ago so I guess it was a very good decision to watch this one again. It's like re-visiting childhood in a sense and I guess that's always a good thing.
Speed was a 1994 film starring Keanu Reeves as Jack, Dennis Hopper as Howard, and Sandra Bullock as Annie. It's was nominated for several awards, and it also took home a big fat paycheck, grossing around 350 million dollars on a budget of less than 30 million. To say that it had a decent income would be a huge understatement. The reason it earned the big bucks: it was an awesome movie.
The film went by fast! It's that kind of movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, stirring up all the excitement you have in your body. I was really impressed by how much they utilized almost everything on that bus, or any obstacles a running vehicle can encounter: traffic, unfinished freeways, a bomb! Just like Buried (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/buried.html), the film also had restrictions since the mojority of the film took place in a bus, and there's only so much you can do with a bus. However, unlike Buried, which filmed the whole film using just a single wooden box, Speed had a lot more locations to shoot at, and it also featured the other cast members in different locations. Having said that, the way Jan de Bont, the director of the movie, and Graham Yost, who wrote the film (and from the looks of it, Joss Whedon also helped in the writing process) abused the bus was downright amazing.
The beginning of the movie was very new to me. I remember the film as only being in the bus. Seeing the start of the film with the elevator was weird, but it was a good kind of weird. Plus, it also served as a lead to what would happen next. It set the introduction to the bulk of the film. The ending was also weird because I also couldn't remember it at all. (Semi-spoiler--Proceed to the next paragraph if you haven't seen the movie. But if you like spoilers, read on) In my memory the movie ended when Jack(Reeves) and Annie(Bullock) got off the bus. I distinctly remembered them putting a rod on the pedal of the bus, tying ropes to the steering wheel, and getting on the cover of the access panel. I remembered seeing them under the bus and swirling once the cover hit the ground. I also remembered the bus exploding, and Jack's boss talking to them. And that's it. I thought that was the ending. Everything that happened after that all new to me.
The middle part was just as good as I remember it. The whole sequence was very exciting - too exciting I was cheering on the characters. I know that's weird but it was pretty intense. Imagine having to drive a bus that couldn't go below 50 miles per hour. The pressure of it all was what excited me the most, and also, like I said, how they utilized the bus. The whole chunk was planned out very well and it kept the excitement going. It presented a challenge after the other, which kept the excitement at a constant.
Sandra Bullock has to be one of the most entertaining actresses in Hollywood. I always enjoy watching her, and I don;t think there's been a Sandra Bullock film I didn't like. Yeah, I'm easy to please, but I can't remember a movie where I didn't enjoy her being part of it. I'm probably sounding like a typical fan, but I'm just saying what I think. Keanu Reeves was a fitting actor to play Jack Traven. He was stern and firm, but also vulnerable. I kept thinking he's really good at action movies, having flashbacks of The Matrix. However, the stand out for me was Dennis Hopper as the twisted, demented bomber. He was very convincing playing a sick psycho rather well.
I'm very tempted to watch Speed 2:Cruise Control, which I know failed to impress the critics and the box-office. It was widely panned but I want to see it because it would be unfair to label a movie bad based on the thoughts of others. I want to see it for myself. It;s a little scary though since even Sandra Bullock was not very pleased. I'll let you know if it impressed me or not. At least I'm sure that its predecessor was absolutely fantastic. That's more than enough for me.
Speed was a 1994 film starring Keanu Reeves as Jack, Dennis Hopper as Howard, and Sandra Bullock as Annie. It's was nominated for several awards, and it also took home a big fat paycheck, grossing around 350 million dollars on a budget of less than 30 million. To say that it had a decent income would be a huge understatement. The reason it earned the big bucks: it was an awesome movie.
The film went by fast! It's that kind of movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, stirring up all the excitement you have in your body. I was really impressed by how much they utilized almost everything on that bus, or any obstacles a running vehicle can encounter: traffic, unfinished freeways, a bomb! Just like Buried (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/buried.html), the film also had restrictions since the mojority of the film took place in a bus, and there's only so much you can do with a bus. However, unlike Buried, which filmed the whole film using just a single wooden box, Speed had a lot more locations to shoot at, and it also featured the other cast members in different locations. Having said that, the way Jan de Bont, the director of the movie, and Graham Yost, who wrote the film (and from the looks of it, Joss Whedon also helped in the writing process) abused the bus was downright amazing.
The beginning of the movie was very new to me. I remember the film as only being in the bus. Seeing the start of the film with the elevator was weird, but it was a good kind of weird. Plus, it also served as a lead to what would happen next. It set the introduction to the bulk of the film. The ending was also weird because I also couldn't remember it at all. (Semi-spoiler--Proceed to the next paragraph if you haven't seen the movie. But if you like spoilers, read on) In my memory the movie ended when Jack(Reeves) and Annie(Bullock) got off the bus. I distinctly remembered them putting a rod on the pedal of the bus, tying ropes to the steering wheel, and getting on the cover of the access panel. I remembered seeing them under the bus and swirling once the cover hit the ground. I also remembered the bus exploding, and Jack's boss talking to them. And that's it. I thought that was the ending. Everything that happened after that all new to me.
The middle part was just as good as I remember it. The whole sequence was very exciting - too exciting I was cheering on the characters. I know that's weird but it was pretty intense. Imagine having to drive a bus that couldn't go below 50 miles per hour. The pressure of it all was what excited me the most, and also, like I said, how they utilized the bus. The whole chunk was planned out very well and it kept the excitement going. It presented a challenge after the other, which kept the excitement at a constant.
Sandra Bullock has to be one of the most entertaining actresses in Hollywood. I always enjoy watching her, and I don;t think there's been a Sandra Bullock film I didn't like. Yeah, I'm easy to please, but I can't remember a movie where I didn't enjoy her being part of it. I'm probably sounding like a typical fan, but I'm just saying what I think. Keanu Reeves was a fitting actor to play Jack Traven. He was stern and firm, but also vulnerable. I kept thinking he's really good at action movies, having flashbacks of The Matrix. However, the stand out for me was Dennis Hopper as the twisted, demented bomber. He was very convincing playing a sick psycho rather well.
I'm very tempted to watch Speed 2:Cruise Control, which I know failed to impress the critics and the box-office. It was widely panned but I want to see it because it would be unfair to label a movie bad based on the thoughts of others. I want to see it for myself. It;s a little scary though since even Sandra Bullock was not very pleased. I'll let you know if it impressed me or not. At least I'm sure that its predecessor was absolutely fantastic. That's more than enough for me.
May 08, 2012
Buried
Imagine being in a wooden box with nothing but a lighter and a mobile phone to keep your sanity. Well that's the basic premise of the 2010 film Buried, starring Ryan Reynolds as Paul Conroy. It was written by Chris Sparling and directed by Rodrigo Cortes. The movie received critical acclaim, which I thought was well-deserved, and had respectable earnings considering it grossed almost 20 million on a budget of less than 2 million.
I already read the plot before watching the movie so I already knew what was going to happen, and how it would end. I usually do the same for other movies. But, sometimes, there are films that make me wish I didn't, and Buried just made it to that list. After watching the entire movie, I wished I hadn't gone to Wikipedia and read the plot, especially not the ending. Whatever you do, if you plan on watching this fantastic film, don't read any spoilers, or visit its Wiki page.
I was still surprised when I saw the film though. I knew Reynolds would be trapped in a box, but I didn't expect the full 90 minutes of the film to be focused on him. I assumed the other actors would be shown in an office or something, or that his wife would be shown talking to him. I was surprised to find out that the camera would be on Reynolds the whole time. The filmmakers didn't have much room. Everything was limited by the corners of the box, although of course they used space outside the box. However, as a whole, it was pretty much contained in that one box.
The start of the movie was genius! It was dark, nothing could be seen but noises could be heard. Without showing anything, I knew exactly what was happening. I heard a struggle, and a restraint. Then a fire from a lighter appears and all the speculations were confirmed. There he was tied up in a wooden box. In fact, the film relied heavily on its audio much more than its visuals. There were a lot of times when the screen remained black to depict the darkness of the setting. However, it also made sure that viewers were still aware of what was happening through the background noise. I knew when Conroy was searching for something, if he was moving, if he was crying. Everything I heard made me visualize what was happening in that tiny box.
It had a strong story line, a well-written script, and great acting from Reynolds. I still find it weird at times to see him in these kind of roles mainly because I've been accustomed to seeing him in comedic roles. I remember watching Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place, which did pretty well until the network chose to sabotage it and placed it on a Friday timeslot. I know he has done a lot of non-comedy films, but I still associate comedy to his name. He did gave an awesome performance in this film though, which ultimately proves how versatile he is.
*Everything below shows my personal insight, in a semi-reflective way. The following section is not exactly a review but more of an analysis. This part will contain spoilers as well. So allow me to give this a try.
I think the movie was about desperation. In the movie, Conroy did things in order to have a tiny bit of hope that he would get out of there alive. He called everyone he thought could help him. He did everything people told him to do to save his friend, his family and himself. The whole movie was an act of desperation of a man who got trapped in the face of death.
The movie shows the danger of war and terrorism as well. If you watched the film, you'd know that the kidnappers weren't exactly terrorists, or at least that's how I understood it. They were regular citizens caught in the middle of the war between Iraq and the United States. With every war comes famine and the inability to get hold of certain necessities. This lack of power then drives people to commit crimes as a response to their needs. That was how Conroy ended up in a wooden box, buried under the ground. It was a means to extract money - money the kidnappers can use. There's a chance I'm wrong in this interpretation, but that's how I understood the scenario.
It also talks about the inefficiency of several institutions. Sure, the situation was extreme, and there's not really much people could do. However, it was very apparent how he was transferred from one person to another until someone finally addressed the situation. However, as the movie reveals, he wasn't much of a help either.
What really frustrated me was how the company Conway worked for wanted to deny their responsibilities to Conroy. The sad reality is these companies do exist. There are corporations who treat their staff as tools, and the moment their profits get threatened, they immediately cut their connections with them. I just couldn't believe that the company would do that to him, especially at a time like that. It must've crushed Paul Conroy to know that he would die and his family would not get any assistance from the company, which had a hand in causing his misery.
For a film that used a box for its setting, this film had a lot to offer. Thrill, drama, social commentaries are just some of them. I was a little doubtful at first since the premise didn't look too exciting but Cortes definitely abused that box and created this masterpiece. From the looks of it, not a lot of people have seen the film, which, I think, is a great shame.
I already read the plot before watching the movie so I already knew what was going to happen, and how it would end. I usually do the same for other movies. But, sometimes, there are films that make me wish I didn't, and Buried just made it to that list. After watching the entire movie, I wished I hadn't gone to Wikipedia and read the plot, especially not the ending. Whatever you do, if you plan on watching this fantastic film, don't read any spoilers, or visit its Wiki page.
I was still surprised when I saw the film though. I knew Reynolds would be trapped in a box, but I didn't expect the full 90 minutes of the film to be focused on him. I assumed the other actors would be shown in an office or something, or that his wife would be shown talking to him. I was surprised to find out that the camera would be on Reynolds the whole time. The filmmakers didn't have much room. Everything was limited by the corners of the box, although of course they used space outside the box. However, as a whole, it was pretty much contained in that one box.
The start of the movie was genius! It was dark, nothing could be seen but noises could be heard. Without showing anything, I knew exactly what was happening. I heard a struggle, and a restraint. Then a fire from a lighter appears and all the speculations were confirmed. There he was tied up in a wooden box. In fact, the film relied heavily on its audio much more than its visuals. There were a lot of times when the screen remained black to depict the darkness of the setting. However, it also made sure that viewers were still aware of what was happening through the background noise. I knew when Conroy was searching for something, if he was moving, if he was crying. Everything I heard made me visualize what was happening in that tiny box.
It had a strong story line, a well-written script, and great acting from Reynolds. I still find it weird at times to see him in these kind of roles mainly because I've been accustomed to seeing him in comedic roles. I remember watching Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place, which did pretty well until the network chose to sabotage it and placed it on a Friday timeslot. I know he has done a lot of non-comedy films, but I still associate comedy to his name. He did gave an awesome performance in this film though, which ultimately proves how versatile he is.
*Everything below shows my personal insight, in a semi-reflective way. The following section is not exactly a review but more of an analysis. This part will contain spoilers as well. So allow me to give this a try.
I think the movie was about desperation. In the movie, Conroy did things in order to have a tiny bit of hope that he would get out of there alive. He called everyone he thought could help him. He did everything people told him to do to save his friend, his family and himself. The whole movie was an act of desperation of a man who got trapped in the face of death.
The movie shows the danger of war and terrorism as well. If you watched the film, you'd know that the kidnappers weren't exactly terrorists, or at least that's how I understood it. They were regular citizens caught in the middle of the war between Iraq and the United States. With every war comes famine and the inability to get hold of certain necessities. This lack of power then drives people to commit crimes as a response to their needs. That was how Conroy ended up in a wooden box, buried under the ground. It was a means to extract money - money the kidnappers can use. There's a chance I'm wrong in this interpretation, but that's how I understood the scenario.
It also talks about the inefficiency of several institutions. Sure, the situation was extreme, and there's not really much people could do. However, it was very apparent how he was transferred from one person to another until someone finally addressed the situation. However, as the movie reveals, he wasn't much of a help either.
What really frustrated me was how the company Conway worked for wanted to deny their responsibilities to Conroy. The sad reality is these companies do exist. There are corporations who treat their staff as tools, and the moment their profits get threatened, they immediately cut their connections with them. I just couldn't believe that the company would do that to him, especially at a time like that. It must've crushed Paul Conroy to know that he would die and his family would not get any assistance from the company, which had a hand in causing his misery.
For a film that used a box for its setting, this film had a lot to offer. Thrill, drama, social commentaries are just some of them. I was a little doubtful at first since the premise didn't look too exciting but Cortes definitely abused that box and created this masterpiece. From the looks of it, not a lot of people have seen the film, which, I think, is a great shame.
May 07, 2012
Cars 2
I'm no longer a child, but I still enjoy watching animated films. I like children's movies. There I said it. I am not even ashamed to admit it. Who doesn't like watching those light, heart-warming stories? Only evil people will hate on animated films, especially the likes of Cars 2.
Cars 2 had a lot to live up to since the first one was not only loved, but also went on to be very successful. I personally liked the first one and I remembered watching it over and over again a few years back. That's also when I started rocking out to Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. (After hearing Life is a Highway, I became a huge supporter of Rascal Flatts even though I'm not into country. Just a fun fact I guess) Going back to the movie, Pixar probably was pleased with the outcome. With an increased budget, the studio probably expected higher returns, and that's exactly what they got. The film grossed over 500 million dollars worldwide, beating the original.
I liked the first one a lot, but I must say that I liked the second one even more. The story was better, the cinematography was better. Overall, Cars 2 was better for me. The first one was like a drama-comedy film, except with cars in it. It was a self-exploration I guess for McQueen. This one was an action-comedy film, still with cars in it. This one had drama too, focusing on McQueen's friendship with Mater. However, it was more of an ass-kicking Bond-like film more than a tearfest.
I also liked the settings. I am extremely fascinated by Japan, both as a country and as a nation, and seeing it as venue for McQueen's race was a delight. I appreciated how they incorporated different stuff about their culture like geishas, their very high level of technology, and their language. It showed different aspects of the Japanese and that was well-appreciated. Italy was the other setting, and just like Japan, Italy's been on my list of places I want to visit. Their food is beyond words, and even the movie took note of that. Japan+Italy=best combination of venues for me.
I was also glad to find out that all the cast members from the first movie returned to do the sequel, especially Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy. I also liked the addition of Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer as Agents McMissile and Shiftwell respectively. These are some talented voice actors. Michael Caine made me have that Bond-like feeling while watching McMissile do his thing, and it was pretty badass.
I am really hoping for a Cars 3, although I don't know the likelihood of that. A guy can hope I guess. In the event they do make one, I surely hope all the actors will be back to reprise their roles. I want to see how Mater deals with the agent life of Shiftwell, or if McQueen can be an undercover spy in a race event. I think there are still a lot of possibilities to be explored and it will be a shame to not use them.
Cars 2 had a lot to live up to since the first one was not only loved, but also went on to be very successful. I personally liked the first one and I remembered watching it over and over again a few years back. That's also when I started rocking out to Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. (After hearing Life is a Highway, I became a huge supporter of Rascal Flatts even though I'm not into country. Just a fun fact I guess) Going back to the movie, Pixar probably was pleased with the outcome. With an increased budget, the studio probably expected higher returns, and that's exactly what they got. The film grossed over 500 million dollars worldwide, beating the original.
I liked the first one a lot, but I must say that I liked the second one even more. The story was better, the cinematography was better. Overall, Cars 2 was better for me. The first one was like a drama-comedy film, except with cars in it. It was a self-exploration I guess for McQueen. This one was an action-comedy film, still with cars in it. This one had drama too, focusing on McQueen's friendship with Mater. However, it was more of an ass-kicking Bond-like film more than a tearfest.
I also liked the settings. I am extremely fascinated by Japan, both as a country and as a nation, and seeing it as venue for McQueen's race was a delight. I appreciated how they incorporated different stuff about their culture like geishas, their very high level of technology, and their language. It showed different aspects of the Japanese and that was well-appreciated. Italy was the other setting, and just like Japan, Italy's been on my list of places I want to visit. Their food is beyond words, and even the movie took note of that. Japan+Italy=best combination of venues for me.
I was also glad to find out that all the cast members from the first movie returned to do the sequel, especially Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy. I also liked the addition of Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer as Agents McMissile and Shiftwell respectively. These are some talented voice actors. Michael Caine made me have that Bond-like feeling while watching McMissile do his thing, and it was pretty badass.
I am really hoping for a Cars 3, although I don't know the likelihood of that. A guy can hope I guess. In the event they do make one, I surely hope all the actors will be back to reprise their roles. I want to see how Mater deals with the agent life of Shiftwell, or if McQueen can be an undercover spy in a race event. I think there are still a lot of possibilities to be explored and it will be a shame to not use them.
May 06, 2012
Superbad
Since I've been watching some heavy stuff/movies lately, I decided to take another direction with this one. It's been a while since I've seen a comedy film. Then it dawned on me that I haven;t written an entry about any comedy film, which is weird since comedy is my favorite film genre. I like getting some laughs than feeling depressed or something, so I was legitimately shocked when I realized there's not a single comedy film in this blog. However, it's all good 'cause I have the perfect comedy film to start things off.
Superbad was released in 2007, starring Jonah Hill, who recently became a Golden Globe and Oscar nominee, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Emma Stone and Martha MacIsaac. It was directed by Greg Mottola. Just to show how good this movie was, the film had a budget of 20 million, according to Box Office Mojo, and earned more than 160 million worldwide. That's more than 140 million profit! If that wasn't enough, critics also praised the movie, calling it one of the best movies of that year. Even Rotten Tomato gave it a high rating.
All the success the film achieved were well-deserved. It was hilarious! There were a lot of cussing but it just made it even funnier. There was even a scene where Seth (Hill) had to say "fuck" in every single line. You gotta give props to the kid for saying the word that many times. Setting that aside, the script of this movie was pretty good. It helped that the actors delivering the lines were naturally funny.
The basic plot of the film was simple, they had to get booze for a party. The characters then fell into different sorts of troubles just to 1) get some booze, and 2) get them to the party. The story line reminded me a bit of Harold and Kumar movies: there's one goal but somehow they end up on a crazy adventure. The only difference is in Superbad, nobody was high riding tigers. And also there was no Neil Patrick Harris in Superbad, sadly. But just like Harold and Kumar, I enjoyed every single second of their "journey" to impress the girls they liked. It involved getting a fake ID, using the fake ID, singing for stoners, getting "period blood" on the shorts, running away from the cops, and hiding from the same cops. A lot happened just to get those booze to the party place; and it provided the laughs.
Jonah Hill is one funny dude. He's starting to climb up the ranks of my favorite comedy actors, and that list includes Steve Carrell, Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Seth Rogen (who's also in the film) and more. I'm still waiting for the release of 21 Jump Street here in my country, but I'm betting that it will seal the deal and Jonah Hill will be one of my favorites! His portrayal of Seth was amazing! Another actor who stole the show for me was Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Mcloving. The name was funny to begin with, but he lived up to his name. I didn't know who Mintz-Plasse was before watching this film, but he definitely made his appearance in this film have an impact on me. I must say though, the first time I saw him, I thought it was a digitally enhanced version of Ed Helms. Michael Cera, who I know from Juno, was probably not as funny as the other two, but he was still worth watching. He's the anti-thesis of the other two, more emotional and a little too goody two-shoes.
The tandem of Seth Rogen and Bill Hader was priceless. The two cops running around town creating a mess, that's something! Let us also not forget the ladies of the film. Emma Stone's a big star now, but she was just starting out in this movie. After watching her, I now understand how her first film appearance lead to more roles. Martha MacIsaac portrayed the sweet Becca well too.
I can't tell you enough how good the movie was, at least for me. I was laughing almost the entire film. Great actors, great script, great director, great movie. Superbad was supergood!
Superbad was released in 2007, starring Jonah Hill, who recently became a Golden Globe and Oscar nominee, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Emma Stone and Martha MacIsaac. It was directed by Greg Mottola. Just to show how good this movie was, the film had a budget of 20 million, according to Box Office Mojo, and earned more than 160 million worldwide. That's more than 140 million profit! If that wasn't enough, critics also praised the movie, calling it one of the best movies of that year. Even Rotten Tomato gave it a high rating.
All the success the film achieved were well-deserved. It was hilarious! There were a lot of cussing but it just made it even funnier. There was even a scene where Seth (Hill) had to say "fuck" in every single line. You gotta give props to the kid for saying the word that many times. Setting that aside, the script of this movie was pretty good. It helped that the actors delivering the lines were naturally funny.
The basic plot of the film was simple, they had to get booze for a party. The characters then fell into different sorts of troubles just to 1) get some booze, and 2) get them to the party. The story line reminded me a bit of Harold and Kumar movies: there's one goal but somehow they end up on a crazy adventure. The only difference is in Superbad, nobody was high riding tigers. And also there was no Neil Patrick Harris in Superbad, sadly. But just like Harold and Kumar, I enjoyed every single second of their "journey" to impress the girls they liked. It involved getting a fake ID, using the fake ID, singing for stoners, getting "period blood" on the shorts, running away from the cops, and hiding from the same cops. A lot happened just to get those booze to the party place; and it provided the laughs.
Jonah Hill is one funny dude. He's starting to climb up the ranks of my favorite comedy actors, and that list includes Steve Carrell, Ben Stiller, Tina Fey, Seth Rogen (who's also in the film) and more. I'm still waiting for the release of 21 Jump Street here in my country, but I'm betting that it will seal the deal and Jonah Hill will be one of my favorites! His portrayal of Seth was amazing! Another actor who stole the show for me was Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Mcloving. The name was funny to begin with, but he lived up to his name. I didn't know who Mintz-Plasse was before watching this film, but he definitely made his appearance in this film have an impact on me. I must say though, the first time I saw him, I thought it was a digitally enhanced version of Ed Helms. Michael Cera, who I know from Juno, was probably not as funny as the other two, but he was still worth watching. He's the anti-thesis of the other two, more emotional and a little too goody two-shoes.
The tandem of Seth Rogen and Bill Hader was priceless. The two cops running around town creating a mess, that's something! Let us also not forget the ladies of the film. Emma Stone's a big star now, but she was just starting out in this movie. After watching her, I now understand how her first film appearance lead to more roles. Martha MacIsaac portrayed the sweet Becca well too.
I can't tell you enough how good the movie was, at least for me. I was laughing almost the entire film. Great actors, great script, great director, great movie. Superbad was supergood!
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