Random Thoughts of a Movie Insomniac #7: In a world of expendable teapots and other flicks.

Hello my dear and sexy readers.

 It's been a somewhat somber week for me , and I've been feeling a bit down and out.  I work two jobs right now to help earn some extra cash so I can go back to to school.  At the start I was pulling in at least  45 hours between the two, which is nice but not anything to really sing about.  Then one of them increased my hours to 35 a week, but then the other job dropped down to about 8 hours per week.  I know this will increase once the holidays start, but it has effected my payroll just slightly. I should find another job , but I dont want to loose any of my saved up vacation time or PTO.  Still these changes of hours have allowed me to talk with you fine folks and share with you all what I have been seeing lately.  I have only been able to see one movie in theatres this week, and the rest are courtsey of Netflix streaming.   Are ya ready?  Then here we go.




The Expendables 2

 Stallone, Statham, Li, Lundren are back with many other action heroes of the 80's to kick more ass. This time they are hunting down a super bad villain played with great glee and joy by Jean-Claude Van Damme.   I wasn't a big fan of the first movie, but I really enjoyed this one.  It had a very simple story and the action for the most part was cool.  The only part that made me groan was when Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger said eachother's famous catch line. I got the joke of it, but it didnt need to be part of the picture.  It would have worked better as an outtake. I look forward to seeing the third entry in this series.



The Brass Teapot.

 In this dark comedy. Juno Temple, and Michael Angarano play a couple who stumble upon a teapot that spits out a lot of money. The only catch is that they have to cause physical and emotional pain to each other in order to cash in.  This was an enjoyable story with fun performances by the two leads. It did drag a little bit around the third act, but in no way did it make me want to shut it off.   I have only seen Miss Temple in a few films, but she has managed to impress me with each role she does.  I like that the girl takes chances with her work and hope directors continue to cast her in their films.


In a World

 This is the new comedy about the voice over trailer industry starring Lake Bell and Demetri Martin.  It was a funny movie that I would love see turned into a sitcom.  Read my full review by clicking on the title above.



Bedazzled (1967)

 I have only seen the version with Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley, because it was Elizabeth Hurley and when this movie came out she was very sexy.  She continues to look great, but in this she was just so damn...tasty.  I have heard about the original after I saw this, but didn't want to see it because it had no Miss Hurley in various sexy outfits.  I wish I could go back and smack myself, because this version is way funnier then the newer one.  The story is still the same, but the chemistry between the two leads are better and the jokes are funnier too. The story has Dudley Moore as a shy fry cook who makes a deal with the Devil(Peter Cook) to trade his soul for seven wishes.  However each time one gets granted the devil makes some slight changes so that the cook doesn't get what he wants.  It's a bit dated with the fashion and music, but I was laughing a lot when I watched this.  We also get the added bonus of seeing Raquel Welch in her prime as the appropriate title character named Lust.  As much as I loved seeing Miss Hurley wear sexy outfits in the remake.  I will watch the orginal again over the new version.


Rid of Me

 There is a damn good reason why many of you have never heard of this movie before, and that's because it's fucking awful.  Writer/Director James Westby knows nothing about screenwriting, editing or even how to set a tone for a movie.  The Story involves Meris(Katie O'Grady).  A Shy girl who has just into town where her new husband once grew up.She is shy awkward, and doesn't get along with any of his friends.  These friends of his are your basic stereotypical snobby preppies you have seen in countless other flicks.  When her husband leaves her for another woman, she befriends the stereotypical punk rock girl and gets into drugs and alcohol.  Both lifestyles she leads are horrible because each group are horrible people.  Yet this idiot of a director wants you to think that the ones who get drunk and act stupid are cool because ;Hey Man they're not part of the system.  They're alternative man.  Look I have known people who were considered to be preppy and I have known others to be considered punk. But they would never behave the way these characters do in this movie.  What you wear on the outside has nothing to do with what you are like on the inside.  Don't get me started on the character of Meris because not only is she uninteresting, but she had no arch either.  She goes from being a pushover with her husband to being a pushover with her new friend and not much really changes.  I also want to quickly mention the score because it is the best example of how tone is not set for this film. Many times there will be a scary piano tune for something as cliche as an ex girlfriend coming over or the dinner got burnt.  Mr. Westby also puts in this sad dramatic piano music too many times for the most banal things and at the complete wrong times too. I'm not blaming the actors too much for this trainwreck although one of them should have stood up and smacked this director for making them appear in this.




 Dredd. 

 Since this movie was released. I and I'm sure many others were wrongfully comparing this to "The Raid: Redemption"based solely on the concept of cops having to track down a crime lord who lives on the top floor of a large high rise.  This one has them battling criminals on each floor but how they arrive there is a bit more interesting.  The villain played by Lena Headly("Game of Thrones") is perfect.  She is the girl you love to hate.  Equal praises go out to Olivia Hubley who plays the new girl on the beat and Karl Urban as Dredd.  I have only seen Urban as Dr. "Bones" McCoy in the reboots of "Star Trek", and he was unrecognizable in the lead role.  For the entire movie he doesn't take his mask off which I gotta commend.  I also gotta praise the cinematography which in my mind is really beautiful.  I watched the end credits and was happy to see Anthony Dod Mantle's name listed. He is the man who shot the Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire" and the controversial Lars Von Trier flick"Antichrist" The slow motion scenes in "Dredd" reminded me of the prologue scenes from that movie.


What new movies have you seen recently?.  Are there ones you think I should see, and are there ones I should fully avoid.  Thanks again for your time.  I will see you folks soon.