Nerd 5 Presents: What We Learned This Week at the Movies - March 18-24, 2013

Hey all, took a break from the weekly, but that means you all get two week’s worth of films in one! 

Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: The Amazing Burt Wonderstone, The Great and Powerful Oz, Admission, Tyler Perry’s Temptation

We like the one on the right.

Lesson 5.  Somehow Michael Bay is More Marketable then M. Night
Appropriately enough, we start this week with trailers. With summer just around the corner, it’s time for studios to throw a bunch of money into marketing. Two of the first big budget studio films with major marking campaigns are Pain & Gain and After Earth. The first directed by the master of torture, Michael Bay, and the second by the master of boringly predicable twists, M. Night Sham… Shymaya… Shyamalan. Yet you would never know it from the trailers. The entire marketing stagey of After Earth is based on its familial stars, Will and Jaden Smith, and M. Night’s name is never once mentioned (he’s becoming more and  more of a liability to be attached to a film, and the studio must have some faith if they are releasing it in the summer). Conversely, Pain & Gain has Bay’s name plastered all over it. Bay somehow, someway, still has credibility. You won’t ever catch me defending M. Night as good director, but I will give him an A for effort, at least he tries to make something new a different every time. He usually fails, but an that effort goes a farther then the CG animated, no-story, stereotypical, blow-em up crap we get from Bay (Jeff's Note: Also Shyamalan has written every one of his projects, something Bay has done ZERO times. Like them or leave them, M. Night puts everything he has into his flicks).

Lesson 4. All Problems in the World are Jim Carrey’s Fault
At least all problems in Burt Wonderstone’s world are. The Amazing Burt Wonderstone doesn’t know what it wants to be, it straddles the line between a broad comedy and something with a little more heart. But it’s real failure is with Carrey. Carrey is playing a Criss Angel type character who is… a douchebag… there’s no nicer way to say that. But Carrey is just going through the motions and is far too big of a name to believable in the part. Carrey’s role as the “villain” of the movie is nothing but a one joke wonder, but if this part was given to a lesser known comedian who actually would have tried, it could have been the missing ingredient this film needed to make it watchable. As it stands Burt Wonderstone is mediocre at best.

Lesson 3.  Tyler Perry’s take on Jedi Masters
One of this week’s lessons is to never pay money for a Tyler Perry film. I saw Tyler Perry’s Temptation this week (the things we do for our girlfriends). Needless to say this was a terrible movie that only saves itself by being so bad it’s hilarious at times. I would not recommend seeing Temptation, however if for some reason you have to I suggest that you look at all male characters as either Jedi Masters or Sith Lords. Brice is the Jedi and Harley is the Sith. They stage an epic battle for a woman’s heart using nothing but Jedi mind tricks. Harley is a particularly skilled Sith Lord and can get all women to fall in love with him with nothing but a simple raise of his creepy eye brows; whereas Brice, the up and coming Jedi, needs more time to craft his skill. This might sound ridiculous but every woman in this film does whatever a man tells her to… it’s annoying. Just avoid Tyler Perry’s Temptation at all costs

Lesson 2. Killing us with Cuteness
There is nothing overtly wrong with Admission, but there is nothing noticeably right either. Paul Rudd and Tina Fey are cute, the kids in the film are cute, it gives a cute portal of college, and even the shlub ex-boyfriend has cute tendencies. Admission will be overlooked by most audiences because it’s nothing special, but truth be told, it’s going to be one of the better rom-coms of 2013. Don’t go out of your way to see this film but don’t avoid either. Sometimes you need an afternoon full of cute.

Lesson 1. Take a trip to Oz
Yes, that’s right! Right now, go. Take. A. Trip. To. Oz. Pop your popcorn, get your candy, fill up on soda, get comfy on couch and pop in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. It’s the only Oz film you’ll ever need. The Great and Powerful Oz comes in a long line of films (The Wiz, Return to Oz) that try to recapture the magic of the original film, but nothing comes close. Nothing ever will. This is a great occasion to revisit the classic film and remember what made it great. The new film is beautiful to look at, but that’s where it stops. Poor casting choices, lackluster performances, and an overall muddy point of view make The Great and Powerful Oz a waste of time, and a great reminder of what we love about the original.

PLUS: Jeff’s Netflix Picks of the Week

If you’re unable to enjoy a week in the theatre, check these out at home. They’re not new, but you get to wear your PJ’s…

Death at a Funeral (The Original) – Neill Labute is a great playwright, but he makes nothing but lousy movies. Do yourself a favor and watch the original 2007 Brit version of this black farce. Plus it’s directed by Frank Oz with American treasure Alan Tudyk, who is naked. Enjoy.

Kids With Friends – It’s amazing what a Judd Apatow cast can do when they get away from Judd Apatow. Though the plot is totally predictable, Adam Scott gives a great performance, and writer/director Jennifer Westfeldt is my new celebrity crush. Too bad she’s already with Jon Hamm.

Bernie – This movie snuck by most of us in theatre’s, but is perfect for home viewing. Plus if it’s popular enough online, we might get a sequel! Bernie – With a Vengeance!

Archer Season 3 – It’s finally here!

And what not to watch: Take This Waltz. Yeesh… Don’t get suckered in like I was.

Netflix Is All Grown Up

Hello Nerd 5, it’s been a while. How are you? Well… there’s no need for that language.

The sad truth, and the reason I haven’t voiced up much through Oscar season, is that I haven’t been to see many movies this year. A combination of being poor, and working a lot of nights, and being poor, and shooting on the weekends, and being poor has kept me out of the cinema with a few rare exceptions. This year, I've seen the following movies in theaters: The Avengers, Prometheus, Brave, The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-man, Wreck-it Ralph, Skyfall, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Les Miserables, and Dhango Unchained. Not a terrible number (even if half of those were seen as double features) but not enough to speak intelligently about awards season. I’ve left that coverage in the very capable hands of my much more movie-going colleague, Josh.

So what have I been doing? I’ve been feeding the monkey on my back a different way. I’ve actually been going on long binges, and the monkey is fat and happy. I’ve been getting my entertainment the only way you can for $9 a month. I have Netflix.

I don’t have cable, dish, or even basic broadcast channels. I do, however, have an internet connection and that has proved more than enough. Whether through my laptop or my Xbox, I have access to more entertainment than I could ever watch. And what’s more, I’m becoming the norm. It’s not unusual at all anymore for people my age to not have any kind of television connection. This way I have complete freedom to decide what, where, and when I watch, and I never see a single commercial. It’s gotten to the point that when I stay in a hotel or visit family, normal TV feels very strange to me. Did I ever sit through that many ads to watch one episode of The Office?

Netflix is beautiful, Netflix is life, Netflix is a friendship that just gets better and better with time (and as more distributors jump aboard). Here I’ll stop my love letter and move on to the actual question: What’s stopping Netflix from moving to take over the world?

The answer: it already is. Netflix lives in our laptops, phones, and game systems and in our hearts. It’s ridiculously affordable and accessible, and with the one exception of that time when they SLIGHTLY raised their prices in 2011, Netflix has been nothing but the most friendly and reliable hook-up – your binge-enabler and your indie-movie wingman. The only things that stand in the way of their dominance is their lack of recent programming and their handful of web-based rivals. The tacit agreement when you sign up for Netflix is that you are willing to wait a year or two to see new TV episodes. This is where LESS awesome services like HULU can come in a steal a meal. The other problem is that Netflix was born to be a scavenger. It didn't set out to make entertainment, just to nibble it’s carcass after the big dogs had finished. Like a precocious child, Netflix is very clever, but still needs Mom and Dad in the studio system to provide for it, or it will die.

Well, Netflix just grew up.

Netflix has tackled both the problems of competition and content by creating their own programming, and by doing so they’re bringing in a whole new way to think about mainstream media. Netflix released its critically acclaimed trial run, Lillyhammer in 2012, and quickly went on to follow it up with even more ambitious projects. Netflix’s sophomore attempt was even more successful. House of Cards is a sleek and intelligent Washington drama (like an evil version of The West Wing) and Netflix went all-out, attracting stars like Kevin Spacey and directors like David Fincher. On a micro-budget, Netflix has created and released a show of a quality that surpasses the major networks. It felt like something that should be on HBO. And really, that’s EXACTLY what Netflix is doing, they’re going even further down the path that HBO blazed, providing a high-quality entertainment directly to their subscribers, but unlike when HBO started out, you can watch anywhere, anytime.

This is a game changer. I can’t stress this enough. This will affect everyone in media distribution, from the biggest studio to the smallest indie communities. Netflix bet big on House of Cards and drew a winning hand. We can look forward to MUCH more programming, and I’m hopeful that Netflix will maintain a high standard to quality as it finds its feet over the coming years (once it’s established itself we’ll start to get the crap). By combining the budget and professional talent of a big studio, and the distribution model of a tiny webseries, Netflix has unlocked the next step in our cultural evolution. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Especially since what’s next is Arrested Development.

Nerd 5 Presents: What We Learned This Week at the Movies: March 11-17, 2013

Hey all! Hope you had a good week. Only two films to talk about this week. I should be seeing some bigger name films over the next week, but I needed to finish catching up on the lesser known films that are out and only had time for two. Hope you enjoy!

Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: Dead Man Down, Quartet

Lesson 5. Dustin Hoffman is an Old Dog Learning New Tricks

Suffering from an Oscar hangover and a bad case of the winter doldrums, I sought out Quartet. A film that had an outside shot of awards but fell just short, however, ends up being very heartwarming.  Hoffman takes his first time behind the camera and comes off as a very caring director who knows how to get the best out of his actors. The film is simple and predicable, but it’s a good chance to see Hoffman explore the medium and have some fun with a talented group of actors.

Lesson 4. Maggie Smith can ACTUALLY Do No Wrong

Speaking of talented actors! MAGGIE SMITH can do no wrong. Do I need to say more? NO…? Good. But I will anyway – because that’s what I do. Quartet has a strong ensemble cast including Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly (WHO IS AWESOME), Pauline Collins, Sheridan Smith and Albus Dumbledore 2.0… oh, I mean Michael Gambon. But it’s Smith, who steals this. The lesson of this week is to go see anything that Professor McGonagall… oh, I mean Maggie Smith, is in. I should get this problem fixed… But Snape is so good in Die Hard!

Lesson 3.  Bring Out the Stars! Give Them a Good Script!

If I tell you that I saw a film that stars Noomi Rapace, Terrence Howard, Dominic Cooper and F. Murray Abraham - You’re in, right? I know I am. Okay, well what if I tell you that the film’s lead is Colin Farrell? I’m still in, but I’m hesitant. So I there I sit in Dead Man Down, really enjoying the first 15 minutes and all of the great people in this film… then it all goes quickly downhill from there. This thing falls APART, and the first reason is that the screenwriter forgets what logic is. This story is convoluted and contrived at the same time! But not worthy of going into… Let’s not reason as to why Dead Man Down is the one of the most painful movie watching experience of 2013… so far.

Lesson 2. Colin Farrell is a Less Talented Nicholas Cage

Yes! I said it. I’ll say it again! Colin Farrell is a less talented Nicholas Cage. Everyone is so quick to defend Farrell. “Oh come… Have you seen In Bruges? He’s great in that” (Jeff’s first argument!). Yes. He is great in In Bruges, but that’s it!!! (Jeff: “Aww man…). One movie does not a good actor make, if anything it speaks more to the script and director of In Bruges: the fantastic Martin McDonagh. Farrell started out strong and now will just say yes to anything. I will challenge you to find another film that is good BECAUSE of Farrell, this dude makes anything and makes it poorly. Sound like anyone? Yes Cage, Nic Cage. Who started out on fire and gave us classics like Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas, and Wild at Heart, then became the most undiscerning actor of our generation. For every Kick Ass and Adaptation we also get Season of the Witch and Bangkok Dangerous. I love Cage, he CAN be great. I hate Farrell, he can’t be anything more than good. Farrell has done nothing to the level of Cage and is just as terrible at picking projects. From now on, if Farrell is the lead… I’m out.

Lesson 1. Jim Carrey is Past Him Prime, Halle Berry is Not

Sometimes we can learn something by not seeing films. Let’s take a look at the box office totals for this week. While it’s clear that The Great and Powerful Oz is going to be #1 again at the box office, the race for #2 became more than a little shocking. Halle Berry’s The Call will beat The Amazing Burt Wonderstone starring Steve Carell and Jim Carrey. Now, how much money a film makes has nothing to do with if it’s good or not. But the lesson here is simple, we are done with Jim Carrey. He is going to need to something big to save his career. Pairing him with Carell should have been box office gold, but it’s not 1995… heck it’s not even 2005. Yet, Berry is finding away to make a thriller about a 911 operator actually trying to stop a killer (rather than… TELLING THE POLICE!) box office relevant. So, from this point forward Halle Berry is still a box office draw, Jim Carrey is not.   

Top 5 Reasons That Jude Law Needs a Better Agent

I recently watched Anna Karenina and Side Effects. What do these two films have in common? Jude Law. Law is a good actor, and someone who I enjoy watching onscreen. He’s a talented actor, who understands how to build a character, has great presence on screen, and has a history of great work. Law has two Oscar nominations (The Talented Mr. Ripley, 2000, and Cold Mountain, 2003), along with showcase performances in Road to Perdition, Closer, and Hugo. So why am I taking Jude Law’s agent to task? Because that’s just about all the good movies that Law is in.

As of typing this in 2013, Law has 49 credits on IMDB, and most of the films that he’s in are average at best. Like I said, Law is a good actor, which is why I writing this. In both of his recent films Law was easily the best part. I found myself rooting for him, even though I don’t think I was supposed to, why? BECAUSE HE WAS FAR MORE COMPELLING THEN ANYTHING ELSE ON THE SCREEN! I think a personal note to my good friend Jude will help explain what this week’s Nerd 5 will consist of.

Dear Jude, (Hey Jude…)

As you know, I am a big fan of your work. I have been by your side and supported you since we were both struggling actors on in Lewisham borough of London. I promise we will make our lifelong dream of doing a two-man version of The Rocky Horror Show on The West End a reality (your Dr. Frank-N-Furter is simply astounding). But in order to make this happen, Jude, you have to start picking better films to be in. Jude, fire your agent. He keeps bringing you these terrible projects, and yes, you are a shining star in them, but it’s time for you to finally win the big awards and make your mark in good movies! I say these things a long personal friend Jude. Please find your way into better films so that I can enjoy your career again.

Your BFF Forever

Josh

And now 5 films to show why Jude Law needs a better agent...

5. Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011) – The sequel to 2009’s Sherlock Holmes finds itself on familiar, tired, and overdone ground. Game of Shadows gives us more of the same banter, sequences, and quips that we’ve seen in better versions of the Sherlock tale (these films suffer very much in comparison to the amazing BBC series Sherlock). I get it Jude: everyone needs a franchise. Something to make a ton of money with so that they can go on to make more personal projects. But please – no more of these. We’ve seen it. Let’s move on.

4. All The King’s Men (2006) – Okay, So we’re actually TRYING with this one. With an outstanding cast including Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Anthony Hopkins, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson, James Gandolfini, and Law himself, a strong writer in Stephen Zaillian (Moneyball, Schindler’s List, Gangs of New York) making a rare move into directing, and solid buzz before its release, All the King’s Men looked like a winner. I was even willing to put aside that this is a remake of a 1949 Oscar Winner for Best Picture (a film that still holds up and has no need to be remade). Then the 2006 version of All the King’s Men came out in theatres, and it was all downhill from there. I hate to put all the blame for this bad film on a single person, but most falls on its writer/director. All the King’s Men moves at a snail’s pace, lacks sufficient exposition for its characters motivation, hints at a bigger political problem of the time rather than tackling it head on, and (speaking specifically to Law) gives us a promising start before collapsing into an ethical dilemma that seems terribly forced. Just watch the original and skip this one.

3. Side Effects (2013) – Let’s jump into Law’s most recent film. Sometimes you hear about an actor really wanting to work with a specific director, and Steven Soderbergh is a director that people want to work with. But Jude… buddy… you’ve done it before. Remember 2011’s Contagion? What? No?… me neither. So there must have been another reason why Law made this film. Can he just be really attracted to roles about good dudes who get dragged down a path of darkness and are forced to make a very grey ethical choice? I am starting to think that he is. In Side Effects and Anna Karenina this is the type of character he plays, and the third character on this list that fall squarely into the same category. Actors get put into types by Hollywood; I very much hope he finds a way to break this type soon.  

2. The Holiday (2006) – There are good romantic comedies, they DO exist. They just don’t star Cameron Diaz. The Holiday is a tale of two movies, half of it is very enjoyable and the other half is a slog through clichéland. Kate Winslet and Jack Black do a good job of showing how an unlikely pair of actors can have great chemistry, have fun on set, and make a small love story work to perfection. But poor Law is saddled with Diaz. We can’t always pick our co-stars and not every film we make needs to be a heavy drama. I give Law an A for effort, but you can only do so much when you’re a one man team trying to tell a love story. 

1. Alfie (2004) – well, hopefully we’ve learned our lesson. STOP REMAKING GOOD FILMS! Alife is a remake of 1966 Academy Award nominated film and Law takes on the lead role of Alfie, who was originally played by Michael Caine (the role which gave him his first Academy Award nomination). It’s a lot to live up to. 2004’s version of Alife couldn’t feel more dated. It plays as a snap shot to the turn of the millennium, dealing with issues and problems of the day whereas the ’66 version of the film (while still feeling very 60’s) deals with problems that resonates all the way through to today. I am assuming this is why the producers thought it would be a good idea to remake this film. Alife fails to capture the heart, the struggles, and the pain of the character while also managing to strip the story down to its broadest form. Again: I have to say, just watch original. Then join me in calling for Mr. Law to find his way into better films, because he sorely deserves them.   

Nerd 5 Presents: What We Learned This Week at the Movies: March 4th -March 10th 2013

Not enough of this little guy in The Rock's Snitch

 

Welcome to week two of What We Learned This Week at the Movies, the time of week when I drop knowledge on all Nerd 5 readers…. Yeah… I can’t say things like “drop knowledge” that’s why my blogs called Nerd 5. Alright… well… you may notice as you read on that there is a major filmed released that I have not seen. That’s right, you’ll hear nothing this week about The Great and Powerful Oz. I will try to see the newest films as they come out to help you; but we will have to wait a few weeks for my take on Oz, be patient… it’s hard on me too.  Here we go 5 lessons for the week of March 4^th-March 10^th 2013

Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: Snitch, Phantom, Escape from Planet Earth, Identity Thief

Lesson 5. The Bourne Series has Ruined Action Films – This message goes out to Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass!!! You as the directors of the first three Bourne films have RUINED all action films from this point forward. Why? Two words: Shakey Cam. Someone’s running: SHAKE THE CAMERA!!!! Someone’s fighting: SHAKE THE CAMERA!!!! Someone’s in danger: SHAKE THE CAMERA!!!! Why is it that every action film now thinks that SHAKING THE CAMERA equals tension building? All it does is make it so we can’t see what’s happening! I can’t wait for the day when an action director looks to his cinematographer and says “Yo… dude… lock off the camera. Let the scene do the work, stop trying so hard.”

Lesson 4. America is Suffering from Trailercide – What is Trailercide? It’s when a terrible trailer kills a good movie. I saw Snitch this week, a film that needs to take a lesson from both #4 and #5. Snitch (staring The Rock, Berry Pepper, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal and Nadine Velazquez) is NOT an action film. However, if you told that fact to cinematographer and the people who cut the trailer they wouldn’t believe you.  If you watch the trailer for Snitch it looks like a typical dumb The Rock action film along the lines of Walking Tall, Faster or The Rundown, but it’s not. Snitch is a heavy drama, and almost a really good one too. Its things like a poor trailer and one bad choice can bring down a film. Snitch is worth watching; but, watch it at home and try to be forgiving.

Lesson 3.  #1 Most Horrible Place to Set a Film… A Submarine – Think about it, has there ever been a good film set in a submarine? U-571? K19:The Widowmaker? Down Periscope?  Yellow Submarine? NOPE none of them good, the closest thing we get to a good Submarine film is Crimson Tide… but that film holds up less and less as each day passes, very dated to the 90s (when it was made). I hope with the failure of Phantom Hollywood learns this lesson. Phantom was so bad it put me to sleep. This is not a metaphor. I fell asleep in the theatre, I’m not really sure how the film ends because I woke after the credits had ended. So, if you need a good nap watch Phantom

Lesson 2. How to Escape from Planet Moron – Oh Canada, you try real hard. This is easily one of the worst and most skipable (look I made up a new word!)  films of the year. Escape From Planet Earth is first film from Rainmaker Entertainment, a Canadian Animation Studio, that picked up American distribution from The Weinstein Company and I hope it’s not the last (there is some surprisingly good animation in here). The film surprisingly didn’t lose money, so let’s see what the sophomore effort from this studio will be. To answer the question above “How to Escape from Planet Moron” I’ll give you three tips: 1^st DON’T WATCH THIS FILM, 2^nd for future films don’t pander to children! They are smart and will understand a more complex plot and characters then you give them credit for. Just look at what Pixar is doing. 3^rd Don’t give us typical predicable aliens; they are aliens for crying out loud. Be creative!

Lesson 1. Melissa McCarthy can (ALMOST) Do No Wrong—I’m glad that Hollywood has found a non-typical looking actress that they are willing to put some films and money behind her. I’m sad this is the first major vehicle that she gets. McCarthy shows that even in a lackluster, predicable, typical film she can be a standout. Why Identity Thief the first film to make 100 million dollars this year?  McCarthy. She is able to give this film some honesty and depth that its doesn’t deserve and actually makes you care about her character along the way. Thumbs up to her, Thumbs down to Identity Thief.

Nerd 5 Presents: Top 5 Reasons to See Liberal Arts

Sometimes there are films that feel like they were made just for you. Liberal Arts was made just for me. Now, I’ll be kind and I’ll share the film with all of you, but just know that Liberal Arts was made for me. My love for this film is very personal; it may not strike you as it strikes me. However, I’d be willing to put this up against any film in recent memory. Here comes Nerd 5’s Top 5 Reasons to see Liberal Arts…. By the way, I’m writing this while watching the film for a third time…straight.

 5. Its Flawed

Before I start gushing over the film, starring, written, and directed by Josh Radnor (the lead of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother) let me say it has its flaws. Overall I would say that Liberal Arts tries to be far more pretentious then it needs to be,  it puts way too much gravitas on it subject matter and glorifies college and it’s weird eccentricities (although it does point that last fact out in the film.) Liberal Arts couldn’t be more indy film cliché if it tried. Each scene ends with a “lesson learned” or “life quote” and it can feel a little heavy handed. The message behind the film is that anyone can be a teacher and anyone can be student if only we are open-minded, a message that is driven into us time and time again.  I only point these out as “flaws” because I know that they are flaws, but honestly theey are part of the reason I love this film.  

4. Josh Radnor Works with What He Knows

It’s obvious that Radnor comes from a TV background because the film is shot like a television episode, containing small sequences that can stand on their own but build to a unified story, and Radnor spends plenty of time developing small characters that only serve one purpose. However, this benefits the film in many ways, because you quickly get the feeling that every character we meet will help us along the way and that every character will affect our lead Jesse and contribute to his growth. This is a good thing. In a year where many films are bloated, Liberal Arts streamlines the process and gives you exactly what you need when you need it. You can tell that Radnor really understands where his characters are, and I personally think that is due to the fact that the story is very personal to him. Possibly the struggles of this characters are his personal struggles. I can’t really guess at why he wrote it, but I can say he understands and grasps a concept that a lot of us 90s and beyond kids are dealing with…. (Continues in point 3)

3. Prolonged Adolescence/When to Grow Up?

Liberal Arts’ central theme and question is “When do I become an adult?” I’m constantly struggling with this question, daily I find myself longing for a time when my biggest problem was having to get out bed before 9am and getting to class on time; then in the very next moment knowing that I’m beyond that stage and that being out in world has it’s great moments. When am I an adult? What makes you grown up? Questions I ask myself every day. Our lead character gets the chance to go back to his time of former glory. The time for him where his life was “perfect”, he gets to philosophize about new ideas, analyze and criticize vampire novels, live the life of a bygone time, eat in the dining hall and deal with roommates.  Jesse encounters many students at the university in different phases of dealing with this very question, including a girl who he fines a deep romantic connection with. All of this is contrast with a retiring professor who has never found his own answer to the question. This all just hits far too close to home, I’m not saying that the film answers any of my personal questions, but to see another character struggling with the same issues… I guess… just make a person feel like they’re not alone. “The purpose of fiction is to combat loneliness” – Jesse from Liberal Arts

2. This Could Be a More Dramatic Episode of How I Met Your Mother

Let me be clear, this is not a sitcom, it’s far more dramatic than it is comedic. But as a fan of How I Met Your Mother this was a really nice ride. Josh Radnor may not be the best actor in the world but he understands how to play Ted Mosby (his character for 8 seasons on the show). I love Liberal Arts but it feels like Ted just went back Wesleyan for a two hour special called “Growing Up Mosby.”  Jesse in Liberal Arts = Ted in Mother. Now that may actually sound like a bad thing. But it really works for the characters of this film. Also bonus if you’re not a fan of the show, than this is all new to you! The other great thing about Liberal Arts compared to Mother is that the comedic elements come from a natural place rather than a “we need a joke every 30 seconds with a laugh track” place. It’s an in-depth look at the character of Jesse, but at the same time feels like an in-depth look at the lovable Ted Mosby himself. I know I’m not supposed to like this, but… sue me… I do. It works.

1. Timing is Everything

After saying all of that, I would suggest that there is a specific time to watch Liberal Arts. If you are ever feeling lost: watch Liberal Arts. If you ever need a push in the right direction, or a push toward taking steps toward the next point in your life: watch Liberal Arts. If you need to find love in your life, personal, familial, or professional: watch Liberal Arts. If you simply feel that something in your life is off or that you need a change: Watch. Liberal. Arts.

Nerd 5 Presents: What We Learned This Week at the Movies: Feb 25-March 3, 2013

Jack the Giant Slayer's cast enjoy the film more then you will.

           Hey Guys, Josh here, hope you’re enjoying the content Nerd 5 is bringing to you; and my goal is to try to bring you as much content as I can --- and try to be… relevant… yeah that seems like a good word—with that in mind I’m going to try to start a short weekly column (to go along with our larger Nerd 5 Top 5s and Special Features). What We Learned This Week at the Movies will be a weekly look at all the five things we’ve “learned” at the movies this week. Simply put: 5 observations I’ve made this week while watching movies.  And now presenting What We Learned This Week at the Movies for Feb 25^th through March 3^rd 2013

Movies Seen In Theatres This Week: Beautiful Creatures, A Good Day to Die Hard, 21 & Over and Jack the Giant Slayer

Lesson 5. Always Search for Diamond in the Rough – You never know where you’re going to find some solid advice, always keep your mind open. So, I’m trudging my way through Beautiful Creatures, cursing the filmmakers for ruining some really good ideas; when this gem of a line comes along “God created all things; it’s only man that decides what’s a mistake.” The line is reference to a young man struggling to accept witches in a highly religious southern society, but rings trues on many levels in today’s culture.

Lesson 4. Never Vacation with Bruce Willis – The loveable John McClane is back for his 5^th outing and this time he’s taking the family to Russia! In a film full of logic problems, mystery family members, never-ending explosions and more Russian digs then you can shake a stick at; …… You know what… I’m done talking about this movie; Go watch the original DIE HARD, it’s very good, this is very bad.

Lesson 3. It’s Difficult to Plant a Tent in March – In case we didn’t learn last year when Disney’s John Carter failed at the box office (which is not actually that bad of a film) it’s not a good idea release t tent pole film in March.  Well here it is, the first weekend in March and WB gives us Jack and the Giant Slayer, their newest tent pole. Sadly WB didn’t learn the lesson of Disney and the only thing slain here is career of lead actor Nicholas Hoult.

Lesson 2. Jeff Chang is a Friend in Need – If 21 & Over came out in 2003 when I was a senior high school, I would have loved the crap out it. 21 & Over is never bad, but never good. The film has a surprising amount of heart mixed in with extremely crude jokes, but sadly runs on very familiar ground. If you are not familiar with the teen sex comedies of 80s, 90s and beyond this will be just for you. If you are familiar, then watch those, they're meant for you, this one isn't.  

Lesson 1. It’s Hard to Survive the Doldrums of Winter – January, February and March are known as the dumping ground of film. This is the time of year where the studios try to hide terrible films, and 2013 isn't different. As of March 3^rd the best film of the year is Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters… that’s right, that’s the best film released this year so far. Take comfort that April is on its way and summer is right around the corner. Huddle up with some Oscar films (if you can still find them) but don’t worry, winter ends soon.