The Martian (8/10): Let's talk science!

“I don't want to come off as arrogant here, but I'm the greatest botanist on this planet.”

Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Martian, is an intelligently crafted science fiction drama that takes on the form of a problem-solving movie in a very nerdy way. It is not an easy movie to sell considering it is very talkative and there is a lot of science involved, but Drew Goddard’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel is quite captivating. There is no denying that the true star of the film is Matt Damon who basically manages to put on a one-man show in Mars and deliver a very entertaining performance in a similar way to what Tom Hanks did in Castaway. Although this film does give much more screen time to the characters back home as they try to communicate and find a way to bring their astronaut back, but it is Damon who really stands out. The film has been nominated for the Golden Globes for best comedy and although I don’t agree with that designation it is Damon who delivers the comedy through his charismatic performance as he faces each new struggle in quite a light and positive way. The movie is a drama more than anything else and it carefully studies every scenario of what could go wrong in Mars and presents interesting solutions to those problems. Ultimately that is what makes this film stand out from other space films which Ridley himself has directed. This is a different kind of movie, a survival film with brains that respects its audience and doesn’t try to include any fantastical elements for entertainment purposes (not that I have a problem with it since I was a huge fan of Prometheus, but this is a completely different genre).

Matt Damon gets all the credit for his charismatic performance as Mark Watney, the astronaut who is abandoned in Mars after a storm breaks out and his crew is forced to leave him behind, but the supporting cast is quite impressive as well. Jessica Chastain is Melissa Lewis, the astronaut in charge of the mission who has to make the fatal decision. The rest of the crew members are Beth Johanssen (Kate Mara), Rick Martinez (Michael Peña), Chis Beck (Sebastian Stan), and Alex Vogel (Aksel Hennie). They don’t get much screen time, but they are each given their moment and it is enough to know what motivates their decisions. I would’ve enjoyed to spend more time with these characters considering the cast is wonderful, but Matt Damon doesn’t even give us time to miss them. The focus is on his character and he delivers every line to perfection. We are instantly drawn to his character and we identify with his struggle to survive. Back home at NASA headquarters we are also introduced to several characters who are doing the best they can to bring Mark home. Jeff Daniels is Teddy Sanders, the man responsible for any decision taken as the NASA director, Kristen Wiig is Annie Montrose, the director of Media Relations who is trying to save face in the midst of the situation, Sean Bean is Mitch Henderson, the flight director who is in contact with Watney’s crew as they are returning home, and Chiwetel Ejiofor is Vincent Kapoor, the mission director. It’s surprising how Ridley Scott manages to include all these characters in the film and give them a unique personality as they all join forces to come up with the best solution. Daniels plays a very similar character to who he plays in The Newsroom, but if you only know him from Dumb and Dumber than you are in for a treat.   

When I first heard about this movie I was a bit worried about the effects that recent space films like Interstellar (which also starred Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain), Prometheus (which was directed by Ridley Scott), or Gravity might have on The Martian considering the space theme. To my surprise, the film stands out from the very opening scene as it takes a totally different approach and focuses more on Mark’s survival skills and his wit. He is a very charismatic character who easily pulls you in to his conflict and allows you to participate in the problem-solution process. This isn’t about special effects, it is about intelligent people getting together to come up with a solution.

The Skeleton Twins (8/10): Bill Hader delivers one of the best performances of the year.

“I see you're getting your sense of humor back.”

The Skeleton Twins was a pleasant surprise which surpassed all my expectations. I wasn’t familiar with director Craig Johnson’s previos film (True Adolescents), and despite having seen Kristen Wiig in some strong dramatic roles before, I didn’t expect Bill Hader to be able to deliver one. I’m glad I finally got around watching this small indie drama because it is one of the best of the year. Despite covering some familiar territory, the chemistry between the two leads is what makes this film stand out. We’ve seen films focus on sibling relationships in the past, but I can’t remember the last time I saw one that felt so authentic as The Skeleton Twins. Their relationship is the core of the film and without strong performances from Hader and Wiig this could have been a disaster considering the material covers some dark subject matters (suicide, adultery, pedophilia) and the characters are flawed. It is hard to pull off an engaging performance when you are given a  flawed character, but both Hader and Wiig deliver solid roles. Their off screen friendship was probably one of the reasons why these two hit it off so well in the film and you actually believed they were siblings. I usually tend to dislike depressive films, but The Skeleton Twins balances these depressing subject matters with some effective comedic moments. There is a perfect balance between the drama and the comedy which feels authentic and never manipulative. Without being overly explicit, the audience can assume that despite the fact that these two siblings have been estranged from each other, they are still very much connected. Their past continues to haunt them, but at the same time you know they belong with each other, and the only possible way to begin a healing process is by sticking together.

The dramatic scenes hit hard, but so does the comedy with some very memorable moments. There is a scene between the twins where the two lip-sync to an 80’s song that stands out. It is perhaps the greatest lip-syncing scene I’ve seen in the history of cinema. There are also many other memorable scenes, and the film is at its peak when it centers on the twins. All the highlights for me involved Wiig and Hader’s characters together: the dentist scene, the lip-synch scene, and the Halloween dress up scene. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the subplots and supporting characters, but it just proves who strong Wiig and Hader were together. Haider gives the best performance of his career, and so far one of my favorites of the year. Luke Wilson and Ty Burell also deliver solid performances. Wilson’s character plays Wiig’s wife and he is perhaps the most likable character in the film. He may not be the perfect fit for Wiig, but the film never tries to portray him in a negative light in order for the audience to sympathize more with Wiig’s character. That is what made this film feel authentic, the lead characters are broken and damaged people who are trying to heal as they reconnect with each other. This isn’t a feel good comedy, it goes to dark places at times so some audiences might be put off by the depressive tone of the film, but I found it perfectly balanced with some great comedic moments which helped me enjoy the film. Fans of the Sons of Anarchy series might also enjoy Robert Boyd Holbrook’s secondary role in this film. He doesn’t get much screen time, but he does play a key role which helps us understand some of Wiig’s conflicts. The Skeleton Twins might be too honest for some, but I did enjoy this film quite a bit, which was wonderfully written by Johnson and Mark Heyman (Black Swan). The film does have some unnecessary scenes (like the flashbacks and the forced ending), but it is still a solid film where Bill Hader gets to shine and prove he can play dramatic roles as well. 

My Review: Hateship Loveship (5/10)

"Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage."

Hateship Loveship is director Liza Johnson's followup to her debut film, Return, which I never had the opportunity to check out, but despite the fact that I wasn't very impressed with her effort in this film I do see some positive qualities in her film making. Somehow she managed to draw me into the story despite the fact that it centered on almost all unlikable or strange characters. The pacing of the film is extremely slow so you have to be patient with it, and there are also one too many relational conflicts explored which leave many undeveloped or forced moments. The romantic story felt a bit awkward and rushed, but the performances are the highlight of this film. I had never seen Kristen Wiig in a dramatic role before and I thought she gave a solid performance although her character is perhaps the quirkiest. I still enjoy her more in comedic roles, but she proves to have some versatility. Her character might seem quiet and domesticated, but she has a strong and resolute will. Guy Pierce is by far the most unlikable character as he play a carless drug addict and ex-con, but the story redeems him. Hailee Steinfeld continues to impress as a child actress and she delivers yet another solid performance. And finally you have the reliable Nick Nolte who is always a great addition to a film. Hateship Loveship has several pacing issues and an unconventional love story that will turn audiences off, but fans of Wiig will enjoy her unique character in this dramatic film.

The screenplay was adapted by Mark Poirier (Smart People) from Alice Munro's (Away from Her) short story. The main character, Johanna Perry (Kristen Wiig), is as a caregiver who has to look for a new job after the old lady she has worked for passes away. She is hired by Mr. McCauley (Nick Nolte) who wants her to take care of his granddaughter Sabatha (Hailee Steinfeld). Her mother died in a traffic accident and her father, Ken (Guy Pierce), lives in Chicago and is in no condition of taking care of her due to his drug related problems. When Johanna arrives, Ken happens to be visiting Sabatha, so the two meet and before he heads back to Chicago he leaves a thank you note for her. Sabatha gives Johanna her father's address when she asks for it so she can write him back, but Sabatha's friend, Edith (Sami Gayle) decides to play a cruel trick on her. Offering to post the letter for Johanna she keeps it and convinces Sabatha to play along and trick Johanna by corresponding with her in her father's name. Johanna begins to fall in love with Ken thinking he is the one writing her, but despite Edith's cruel trick, Johanna finds a way to redeem herself.

Despite the slow pacing, Hateship Loveship has a very important underlying theme which I found uplifting. These two characters that end up falling for each other might not have much chemistry on screen because they are not your typical couple, but what I did get out of it was the importance of not being judgmental. That is perhaps Johanna's greatest asset as she is very quiet and patient. She is treated in an unfair manner but she is determined to forgive and expect the best in the other person without judging them for their actions. Eventually that quality is what helps Ken redeem himself and find his purpose. Sometimes all the other person needs is some patience and not someone to point their finger at them. The characters in Hateship eventually become interesting although at first it might be difficult to relate with them. The ending felt a bit rushed, but I had a decent time with this movie and ended up enjoying it more than I expected to (although not nearly as much as my father did).

My Review: Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (7/10)

"You made one mistake today. You messed with somebody from San Diego."

Director Adam McKay and Will Ferrell have teamed up once again for the sequel to their most successful film after nearly 10 years with very big shoes to fill. Despite having worked together in Step Brothers, The Other Guys, and Talladega Nights (which is my personal favorite), Anchorman was their most quoted and remembered film so expectations were high for this sequel. Despite not being as great as the first film, this sequel manages to entertain thanks to several hilarious scenes and many memorable characters that are just fun to be around. Some of the jokes are a bit familiar and repetitive, but Will Ferrell brings in the laughs and reminds us why he is such a big star. Anchorman does feel a bit overlong and several scenes could have been cut out (his relationship with Linda for example), but I did have a really fun time with this entertaining but ridiculous comedy. In the midst of all the familiar sexist, racial, and blind man jokes, I loved the satire on the 24 hour news networks in the way it criticized their lack of ethics in reporting. Without giving away any spoilers I have to admit that the funniest moment of the film came near the end with some hilarious and unexpected cameos so stick with this film to the end. 

The screenplay was written by McKay and Ferrell following the success of their first film and using familiar elements. Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) now live and work together in New York with their son Walter (Judy Nelson). Their happy lives are shook when their boss (Harrison Ford) promotes Veronica to lead anchor and fires Ron. Ron asks her to choose between him and her job and returns to San Diego on his own. Living a miserable life, Ron gets a second chance when a man named Freddie Schapp (Dylan Baker) comes knocking at his door to offer him a position as an anchor for Global News Network (GNN), the first 24 news channel. Ron accepts and decides to bring along his former local news team: Champ (David Koechner), Brick (Steve Carell), and Brian (Paul Rudd). Together they come up with an idea to change the way people watch news and rise to the top once again.

Will Ferrell pulls it off once again considering he plays a despicable character who is racist and sexist, but somehow we still pull for him because deep down he's a nice but ignorant guy. Several of the gags and jokes feel repetitive, but it's still worth hanging around with these funny characters who we never know what stupid thing they are going to come up with next. Steve Carell being the most unpredictable of the bunch, and in this film he shares some very funny scenes with the always hilarious Kristen Wiig. Their scenes together were much more entertaining than the ones involving Ferrell and Meagan Good (who plays Linda, their producer). Other than the hilarious cameos and the clever spoofs on the 24 hour TV news channels, I also found several other memorable scenes like the one involving the four friends in a car accident, and Ferrell's character living in a lighthouse after he's gone blind for some time. Of course there are also several scenes that didn't work at all, but I still laughed a lot during these ridiculous moments. I really like these characters and despite their somewhat crazy rants they still win me over every time. This sequel may not have as many memorable quotes as the original, but it was still a lot of fun to see these characters reunited taking punches at the 24 hour News networks.

My Review: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (5/10)

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to. To see behind walls, draw closer. To find each other and to feel. That is the purpose of life."

That quote is the central theme of this film directed by Ben Stiller and adapted by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) from James Thurber's short story, which actually is repeated throughout the film and can even be read during various scenes. It is a feel good message about achieving your goals and finding your purpose in life, but at the same time it's repeated so many times that the film feels forced and preachy at times making it loose its value. This is without a doubt Stiller's most ambitious film, but unfortunately it becomes predictable and instead of focusing on the adventures it becomes a preachy film about the cliched phrase "Stop dreaming, Start living." My main complaint however has to do with the pacing of the film which is really unbalanced during the first 30 minutes where the story seemed to lack identity and compelling characters. It really suffers from some sort of identity crisis at first not really understanding what kind of film it wants to be. The romantic relationship didn't work very well either, and Kristen Wiig was underused. Her character didn't have much depth and she seemed too restrained in her role. On a positive note, the strongest point of the film was without a doubt the cinematography which was beautiful and once the story becomes a globe trotting adventure going through Greenland, Iceland, and Mount Everest it really picks up and becomes escapist entertainment. By the end it's difficult not to leave with a warm and optimist heart because the story ends up being quite inspirational. The film may not be the modern fairytale it tries so hard to be, but it does have some fun and entertaining moments. 

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) has worked for Life magazine over twenty years as one of the main photo developers, but now that the company has decided to go digital many of the employees feel their jobs are hanging on the line. Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott) has been assigned to manage the company's transition and isn't too impressed with Walter once they meet and he begins to day dream and zoom out during the middle of a conversation. Walter does this a lot since he is bored with his life and dreams about doing things he would never do in real life, like speaking to his co-worker Cheryl (Kristen Wiig) whom he has a crush on. Walter's life takes an interesting turn when he doesn't find one of the films that his elusive photographer (played by Sean Penn) has sent him which is supposed to be the cover of the magazine's last issue. This leads Walter to travel across the globe trying to locate him in order to save his job, and that is when his true adventure really begins. No more dreaming, it's time to live.

Ben Stiller gives an entertaining performance, but as I mentioned before the romantic relationship between his character and Wiig's didn't really work too well. I hated Adam Scott in this film and thought that his character was too cartoonish and over the top. His scenes weren't funny, they felt awkward and forced like many other moments of the film. Shirley MacLaine and Patton Oswalt on the other hand gave great performances and stood out in their supporting roles. Patton was probably the highlight of the film for me despite not having much screen time. It was also interesting to see Sean Penn deliver a comedic role in a Ben Stiller film considering the hilarious scene in Stiller's previous film, Tropic Thunder, involving the never go full retard scene referencing his role in I Am Sam. There were several funny moments despite some of the misses and the beautiful scenery makes this film worth checking out. The day dreaming sequences didn't work very well for me, although I laughed really hard at the Benjamin Button one. Despite being uneven it is an entertaining and optimistic film. Be warned there is a lot of product placement in this movie, but I didn't have a problem with all the commercializing since I think it is part of life anyways. I guess in the end the long development and producing issues the film went through hurt its potential.

My Review: Despicable Me 2 (8/10)

"That's right, baby! Gru's back in the game with cool cars... gadgets... and weapons!"

There might not be that much of an interesting story in this sequel, but I have to admit I had a blast with these lovable characters and laughed throughout the entire movie. I don't think I laughed as much with any other movie all year so I have to say this is the funniest film of the year so far. It has several clever lines and I was glad to see all these memorable characters back. Once again the minions steal the show along with Agnes who is as adorable as ever. There were also some new characters that brought some freshness to the sequel. I can understand why some adults might not have liked this film because it is predictable and has some very stupid moments, but I know kids will have a great time. They will love this sequel because the minions have more screen time and they steal the funniest scenes. I couldn't help but laugh at all the funny and adorable situation, and perhaps hearing the kids laugh at the theater made me appreciate the comedy even more. This is a very family friendly film which reminded me a lot of the old comedy from the Looney Tunes. I could sit through this film many more times without hesitating because it is a very easy watch. I think I'd even prefer to see this over the first Despicable Me, but they were both great and funny films. 

In this sequel we see how Gru (Steve Carell) is adapting to family life as he has put his villainous life behind him. He seems to be enjoying his life as a single parent to Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Kate Fisher). Everything seems to be going well for him as he has his minions working on a jam business. Meanwhile a secret Arctic lab has been stolen and the Anti-Villain League decide to contact Gru for his expertise in order to catch the person responsible. After recruiting Gru they team him up with Agent Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig) and together they begin to look for suspects. Gru is convinced that the villain is Eduardo (Benjamin Bratt), who used to disguise himself as the villain known as El Macho, but he has been presumed dead for years. During their investigation, Gru's minions are being kidnapped, and the question remains as to who is the person behind all this.

I really enjoyed the animation from the guys at Illumination Entertainment and thought the 3D worked nicely. I really loved the underwater scene and thought it was really breathtaking. There were some great animated moments, but the lovable minions are the ones that steal the show with their funny voices and mischiefs. I also liked the addition of Lucy who despite being a bit wacky seemed like a perfect fit for Gru. I had a great time and I'm sure kids will love this extremely entertaining movie.

My Review: Bridesmaids (9/10)

¨You`re like the maid of dishonor¨

Bridesmaids isn’t your ordinary chick flick, and I wouldn’t necessary call it the female version of The Hangover either, because this movie works very well for a male audience as well. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo managed to write one of the funniest scripts of the year in my opinion. I hadn’t laughed so hard in a movie for quite some time. This is definitely the best comedy I`ve seen all year. Kristen Wiig not only co-wrote the script, but she also played the main character of the film; and she was absolutely hilarious. Mumolo also had a small cameo as one of the passengers in the plane that sat next to Wiig. After watching Bridesmaids all I can say is that I hope that these two actresses continue to work together because they managed to deliver a lot of laughs and it’s a movie that both male and female audiences will enjoy. It is probably the best SNL film I`ve seen in a long time. This is a really smart comedy which at times reminded of Tina Fey`s work in Mean Girls. Paul Feig was also the right choice as the director, although he was mostly known for directing TV series like The Office, Nurse Jackie, and Arrested Development. Judd Apatow`s name is also attached to this film as one of the producers and that is always a good sign because Apatow is usually synonym to a funny comedy. This is my favorite comedy of the year so far.

Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) have been best friends all their lives; they`ve shared the best of times and the worst of times together. Lillian seems to be going through a great point in her life and she has a healthy relationship with Dougie (Tim Heidecker), while Annie is pretty much at a low point after losing all her money in a bakery business that went bankrupt. She also has an unhealthy relationship with Ted (Jon Hamm) who only calls her for sex and then basically kicks her out of the house. Dougie asks Lillian to marry him, and of course Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor. Annie decides she is going to give Lillian the best wedding ever, but things don’t turn out as expected. Lillian introduces her other bridesmaids to Annie and she finds a rivalry with Lillian`s new wealthy friend named Helen (Rose Byrne) who seems just perfect. Helen seems sweet and nice, and Annie becomes jealous of their friendship. The other bridesmaids: Becca (Ellie Kemper), Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), and Megan (Melissa McCarthy) all seem to love Helen`s ideas as well. As everyone begins to favor Helen; and things continue to go bad for Annie she becomes more and more jealous and pretty soon this might affect her friendship with Lillian. As a side story Annie is pulled over by a cop named Nathan (Chris O`Dowd) who ends up being a neighbor of Annie`s and soon they begin a nice friendship that can turn things around for Annie if she doesn’t blow it likes she`s done so many times before.

The movie began a little slow for me and I didn’t have as much fun with it until the bridesmaids show up and the rivalry begins. I really loved Melissa McCarthy`s (star of the TV series Mike and Molly) performance; she was truly hilarious and stole every scene she was in. Wiig also is great in the lead role and she had good chemistry with her SNL co-star Maya Rudolph. There are also very memorable and laugh out loud scenes like the one in which the bridesmaids go try on their clothes, or when they all get on a plane together to fly to Vegas. There are really great moments in the movie and I had a great time with it. I laughed really hard and loved most performances from the cast. Guys shouldn’t doubt on seeing this film because it isn’t an ordinary chick flick, it doesn’t follow those same formulas, it is much more than that and the scenes work in a true comedic fashion. This is a really funny movie and one you won`t want to miss.

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My Review: Paul (5/10)

¨This is America. Kidnapping a Christian is worse than harboring a fugitive.¨

British comedians, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, are back again with a new comedy following up their successful movies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. In Shaun of the Dead they satirized George A. Romero`s zombie films, while in Hot Fuzz they did the same thing with pretty much every Hollywood action film from Bad Boys to Terminator. Now with Paul they try to satirize pretty much every movie involving aliens and the Roswell incident. It`s also a buddy road trip comedy. I was a huge fan of Pegg and Frost`s first two films, but Paul really didn’t work for me since I was expecting more from this great duo. I also had huge expectations knowing Greg Mottola was going to direct their movie since I really loved his earlier films: Superbad and Adventureland. The movie was really disappointing and I found the comedy in it really cheap. Sorry critics but I had more fun with The Hangover sequel than I did with this. I didn’t find anything fresh about this comedy. It would have worked better as a skit for Saturday Night Live. It`s too bad because both Frost and Pegg are great actors, and there were also some interesting cameos from some great American actors. Seth Rogen is always funny, but his voice for the alien Paul never felt too connect with me since I kept on imagining him smoking pot while giving the alien a voice. There were really very few funny scenes that worked for me. I know these guys can write much better scripts because they`ve done it before. Paul is just another silly forgettable movie.

Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two best friends who`ve decided to travel from England to San Diego for the Comic-Con Convention. They are having the time of their life, meeting some interesting people and doing what all sci-fi geeks do. After spending the evening at the Convention they decide to take a road trip across America´s UFO highway trying to reach New Mexico and the crash site of the supposed Roswell incident that took place over half a century ago. While they`re on their way they have an accident and nearly crash into another vehicle. The other vehicle spins out of the highway and when they stop to see if there`s anyone hurt they discover the alien. He isn’t harmed and tells them his name is Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) and he`s been working at a secret military base for the US government for the past 60 years after his spaceship crashed in Roswell. He has finally decided to escape after realizing he was being kept prisoner and asks Graeme and Clive to help him return to his space ship so he can finally leave this planet and return home. The duo accepts to help Paul in his mission and decide to take him along with them on their RV. They soon discover that they are being followed by Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) and two other officers, Haggard (Bill Hader) and O`Reilly (Joe Lo Truglio). To make matters worse they also sort of accidently kidnap a young woman named Ruth (Kristen Wiig) so her father Moses (John Carroll Lynch) is also trying to track them down and so the chase begins.

The actors are pretty actually good in this film, but the screenplay was just far too silly and Paul didn’t really work as a smart alien satire film in the same way that their earlier movies had worked. There were a couple of funny scenes like when Paul revives a dead bird only to eat him afterwards because hey he wasn’t going to eat a dead bird. That was perhaps the highlight of the movie for me. There are also some supporting roles and cameos from the funny Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver who starred in the Aliens franchise, and Jeffrey Tambor. The rest of the movie consisted of gay and anal jokes which weren’t really funny and several anti-Christian remarks; nothing remarkably original at all. Paul was simply a very silly and forgettable movie and there isn’t really much more I can add to my review. I know that it is one of those movies that can’t be taken seriously, and I actually enjoy a lot of those movies, but this was just a poor attempt at comedy. I hope Pegg and Frost get on the right track for their next film and work a little harder on the screenplay. I also hope Greg Mottola goes on directing another Adventureland type of film: funny but smart and touching at the same time. I really wasn’t a huge fan of Paul, but perhaps it just wasn’t my type of film considering several other critics seemed to have a good time with it so you might want to check it out; just don’t expect another Shaun of the Dead kind of comedy this time.

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My Review: Extract (5/10)

¨If I don't get home before 8, she puts on the sweatpants. And once the sweatpants are on, I get nothing.¨

If I say that Mike Judge directed this movie, then you probably don`t know who I am talking about, but if I tell you that it is directed by the guy who brought us Office Space, Beavis and Butthead, and King of the Hill then we are all more familiar with his work then we thought we were. Office Space was a huge success and became a cult movie, but I don`t think Extract will reach that same status because it isn`t a very funny commedy. It has been 10 years since Judge wrote Office Space and this time with Extract there are some interesting and ok moments, but the movie falls short from its predecessor. The supporting cast is far more interesting than the main characters and that sometimes is a bad sign. Extract is not a terrible movie either, it does have its clever moments or classic work related jokes that we are all familiar with and will bring a couple of smiles to our face, but it isn`t a laugh out loud movie. Judge is good with work related themes and jokes, but in Extract the main events occur outside of the office, and the most interesting characters aren´t even from the workplace. The pace of the movie also seemed a little slow at the beginning and it took me some time to get into it and care for the characters. I just wished more time could have been spent inside the factory developing the employee characters that were just one dimensional. A lot of things happen in this movie in a very short time, the film only lasts about one and a half hours and I think they could have done a better job developing these characters.

Joel (Jason Bateman) owns a vanilla extract company that he has built from scratch, the problem is that he is unhappy with his married life because he hasn`t had sex with his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig) in over a month. His best friend is Dean (Ben Affleck with long hair and a beard) who owns a Bar and is always giving Joel some bad advice and recommending him to take drugs in order to forget his problems. Joel also has to deal with his employees from the factory: Brian (JK Simmons) is one of the managers who can never remember any of the names of his workers, Step (Clifton Collins Jr.) is a hard worker who is very close to becoming the new floor manager and takes his job seriously, Hector (Javier Gutierrez) is the recently hired mexican, Mary (Beth Grant) and Gabriella (Lidia Porter) have worked in the factory for years and are constantly complaining about everything, and then there is Rory (T.J. Miller) who is learning how to drive the forklift, but who only really cares about his rock metal band. Besides dealing with his employees, Joel also has a very bothersome neighbor, Nathan (David Koechner), who never seems to shut up. To make matters worse one day at the factory there is an accident and Step loses one of his testicles. He is going to receive a lot of money from the insurance company and decides not to sue Joel. Cindy (Mila Kunis) is a con artist who reads about the accident in the paper and seduces Step in order to convince him to sue the company for a million dollars. Cindy gets a temp job at the factory and Joel falls for her. Dean tries to convince him to have an affair with her by trying to get his wife to have an affair with someone else first. So he convinces Joel to hire a gigolo named Brad (Dustin Milligan) to try to seduce his wife. The movie develops from here and takes all sorts of turns.

JK Simmons is a very funny actor and he is very dependable in any role, but in Extract he really doesn`t get much screen time. Ben Affleck gives a pretty funny performance playing this laid back friend who can`t seem to give the right advice never and only complicates things. Mila Kunis is always a delight to see on screen, but for me she wasn`t enough this time to save the movie. Clifton Collins Jr. was excellent, in my opinion he gives the best performance in the film, but he doesn`t get enough screen time either. Jason Bateman is a good actor, but I just didn`t find his character very funny. For someone who built a pretty modest company he let himself be convinced too easily by Dean and was easily decieved. The movie could have been much better if it focused more on the life inside of the factory, which is what Judge seems to be better at, creating these characters we can relate too from an office or a factory. I wouldn`t reccomend this film unless you are a Ben Affleck fan and want to see one of his funniest performances. David Koechner was also pretty funny and good at being an annoying neighbor. If you happen to come across this movie on TV then it could be a good watch, but I wouldn`t recommend renting it.

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My Review: Whip It (8/10)

¨The last time I wore skates, they had Barbies on them.¨

The last time I watched a movie about skating was probably when Emilio Estevez was coaching the Ducks, and that was perhaps the last time I wore my skates as well. No matter how long it has been, this movie will leave you wanting to go out and skate all over again. Whip It is Drew Barrymore`s directorial debut and she has crafted a very original and fun movie mixing sports with family drama. It also has to do with searching for what you enjoy in life and following your dreams. All familiar subjects in movies, but that combine very well with a sport most of us have never heard of: Roller Derby, which gives this a unique and original look. This film is actually better than most other movies Drew Barrymore has acted in. Shauna Cross wrote the novel and screenplay for this movie and it is actually based on her life since she was a former roller derby skater for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. Most of the characters in this film are actually real life skaters, Cross`s alter ego name in the rink was Maggie Mayhem which is a character in this film. Other characters based on real life derby skaters were Iron Maven and Krissy Krash, who actually have a role in this film as the Monson sisters. The coach of the Dolls was also based on a real life Skate coach named Brian Gallagher although his name is changed to Razor in the movie. Before this movie, I had no idea that roller derby was a sport, but after seeing it I discovered a new favorite sport of mine.

The film takes place in a small town in Texas named Booden where Bliss (Ellen Page from Juno) lives with her parents Earl (Daniel Stern from the Home Alone movies) who is a huge sports fan and Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden from Mystic River) who is very feminist and loves beauty pageants. Bliss is tired of life in this small town and is always forced by her mother to participate in Beauty Pageants along with her little sister who enjoys it much more than she does. Bliss feels misfit in this place and the only person who understands her is her best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat from the Arrested Development series) who also dreams of getting out of Booden. They work together as waitresses in a small restaurant where most of the clients are old people who are driving by. One day Bliss`s life will change when she goes shopping to Austin and runs into three girls who leave some flyers about a roller derby tournament in the store. Bliss picks one up and is immediately drawn to the event and she forces Pash to come along with her without letting her parents know what they are up to. Once they return to Austin, Bliss is introduced to the Derby world where an exhibition from the players takes place and we are introduced to the game. Here Bliss meets some of the players such as Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis from Natural Born Killers), Rosa Sparks (Eve from The Barbershop), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell a famous stunt double), Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig from Adventureland and SNL), and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore). They invite Bliss to come back for tryouts and she discovers her new passion. She meets the team`s coach, Razor (Andrew Wilson, Owen and Luke`s older brother) who is very passionate about the sport and he decides to include her in the squad. Bliss finds true happiness in this new world where she makes new friends and even falls in love with a young rocker named Oliver (Landon Pigg). Bliss will have to learn how to keep this new life a secret from her parents because she knows they won`t approve it. Jimmy Fallon also has a supporting role in this film as the Derby commentator Johnny Rocket and is very funny in this movie as well.

I really enjoyed this movie and was entertained from the very beginning to the final credits. I really love Ellen Page and think she is one of the best young actresses in the industry. She is great in this movie once again and she counted with a very talented cast as well. Andrew Wilson, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern were extremely funny. Julliete Lewis is such a great actress and she is really one of the surprises of this movie. It has been a while since I`ve seen her have a good role and I hope this movie helps her get better offers because she is extremely talented. Kristen Wiig is also great and she stands out once again like she did in Adventureland. She is perhaps one of the funniest actresses to come out of SNL in recent years. Whip It combines comedy with drama very well and I wish more people had a chance to watch this movie. I agree that it is very formulaic, but the Roller Derby brings something new to the film that we haven`t seen before. I have to congratulate Drew Barrymore because she did a great job with the direction of this, her first feature film as a director. Whip It is a lot of fun and I recommend this movie!