We Don't Walk Slow

Who’s Always Funny?

I was thinking about what current comedians were consistently funny in movies and shows and only a few came to mind. You’d think that there would be a lot more humorous people making it to the screens but I’m not seeing it. I almost feel the need to go back in time a bit to re-hash some legends so we are all on the same page of what humor is. Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura and Dumb and Dumber vaulted his run of box office comedic legend (not so much anymore). Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Steve Martin were big in the 80’s and always good for laughs. The late Chris Farley, George Carlin and Jim Belushi were hysterical while alive. Will Ferrell and Mike Meyers were, and still are, high profile draws. These actors though have been around and there haven’t been many new players to replace them. I do feel like there is still some decent talent out there.

Seth Rogen
He’s a merry fellow. I get the feeling he’d be a blast to hang out with. Smoke a few J’s, drink some beers, and have Seth keep your side splitting all day long. He understands humor. When he was the lead in Knocked Up it was like who the hell is this guy? Since then he’s gone on to kick the movie industry square in the teeth and take it by storm. That doesn’t mean that everything he does is going to be awesome (Observe and Report, Green Hornet, Funny People) but that’s not his fault. He has even shown the range of doing serious movies, 50/50, which he was great in. He is routinely clever and witty and makes you like him. He’s gone on Howard Stern numerous times as well and he’s completely open and honest. The guy will be around for a long time.

Workaholics Crew

For the uneducated, this crew is made up of Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and co-creator Kyle Newacheck. They are hugely underrated although I believe they are starting to gain some speed. Adam DeVine (we share the same birthday, same year) has appeared in some major films like Pitch Perfect but that’s about the only thing these guys have gotten into mainstream outside of the show. I have to add the cameo appearance they had recently in Arrested Development as a place you may recognize them. I think they fall in the Trey Stone – Matt Parker category of creating a show that people write off as childish but it has way more depth than critics give it credit for. Workaholics has jokes that kill episode after episode that are easy to miss unless you are on your toes. I’m looking forward to this group making more anything. Check out the clip of one of their first productions which is awesome. Jumper, laugh out loud.

Seth MacFarlane

He wins at life. On May 4, 2008, after approximately two and a half years of negotiations, MacFarlane reached a $100-million agreement with Fox to keep Family Guy and American Dad until 2012. The agreement makes him the world’s highest paid television writer. I personally have never watched American Dad or The Cleveland Show. I have a feeling they suck. What I do know though is that when Seth MacFarlane was putting in his effort for Family Guy (probably the first 4-5 seasons before a ton of writers starting taking over the jokes) it was the funniest show on television. When the guys of South Park are mocking you because you use cutaways for your jokes, you know they have to feel a little threatened. I probably have to watch Ted as well but I’m sort of biased on my love of early Family Guy for this pick. I get the feeling he’s incredibly intelligent as well. If you can not laugh through this roast you are a less funny person than I.

A few misses
-Adam Sandler was on the right path but took a complete U-Turn after Big Daddy.
-Jonah Hill is not funny in anything, ever, after I read that Rolling Stone article.
-Paul Rudd for some reason is put on a pedestal. He’s ok, but not really a comedian like he’s portrayed.

By Tom Stortz|2013-07-01T00:23:19-04:00July 1st, 2013|Celeb, Movies|4 Comments

50/50

Instead of writing about a part of the movie ala here, I’m going to give my thoughts on it. 93 on rotten tomatoes and Sam’s recommendation slotted the movie 50/50 in my life. My general overview was that is was well scripted, contained good acting, and was a poignant movie. There were multiple times that I can say I was almost brought to tears. A movie that brings that type of emotion can never be bad. I thought the viewers ability to develop empathy for the characters involved throughout this movie enhanced an already great picture. I’m going to break it down a bit further with varying thoughts I had throughout.

The acting was phenomenal by Joseph-Gordon Levitt specifically. A good actor is one who plays the part so it appears natural. He absolutely nailed the emotional range of his character and condition. The sadness, the dealing with cancer, the anger, just everything about his character seemed legit. Seth Rogen is completely genius but for a completely different reason. He acts like a real person in real life when he acts in the movie. He’s not like goofball Adam Sandler funny, he’s like real 2012 how people act funny. The jokes in the movie are hilarious (see below), and Rogen provides comic relief for such a serious movie while still feeling like a serious best friend. My favorite was the first joke below for such reasons. I recognized Anna Kendrick from Twilight (just kidding…no I’m not) and at first I thought she was sort of ditzy and dumb but she really did a tremendous job transforming from therapist (following procedure) to a genuine person (expressing herself). Plus I sort of crush on her and just liked the character (her) in general. The mom plot line was perfectly structured and I didn’t really see the need for the Dad but I probably missed something. Fantastic cast though that wasn’t overly complicated and each served their unique purpose.

Here are a few random things I thought about in the movie:
– When Adam and Kyle are sitting on the bench towards the end, I started thinking about what you’d even talk about to someone who was close to you and about to die. The “it’s going to be ok” act is phony so it’s just a complete build up emotionally of really not knowing what to say. Remembering good times and just expressing friendship and how close human relationships can become seems about right though. If it was someone close I think I’d say “I’m so happy to have met you on this Earth.”
– I really liked when the one patient didn’t come back and Adam asked the other guy “what happened”, and the response was “what does it matter, his heart stopped beating.” That really put things in perspective of how one day you can be here and the next is never guaranteed.
– I didn’t really touch on the Adam/Rachael relationship. Like the rest of the movie, Rachael seemed real to me. Scared of the sickness, not willing to commit but not going to abandon her boyfriend who just got cancer. I liked how she tried to get back with him because I think it’s so typical in relationships and Adam saying “get the fuck off my porch” was a great line.
– I think the movie also shows how one person can effect so many peoples lives. Let’s just say he died, his Mom would be all alone. Seth Rogen lost his best friend. And the therapist is constantly thinking of what could have been if he lived. Dying is permanent and as a human you don’t really think about it like that. It’s just something off in the distance. The world keeps on turning.
– If you read the last point, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that smoking cigarettes is one of the most selfish acts a person can take part of. You are knowingly expediting the process of death. A big fuck you to everyone around you. Now this reasoning can obviously translate to saying anything that is risky or damaging is selfish. Don’t take this one too seriously.

I don’t usually write this much about movies but good movies are ones that touch emotions and leave you thinking. I’d honestly be curious what people think about my take on this movie and if you had any other thoughts about it. Over – under 2 real comments that don’t include Sam? I’m hoping the over on this one.

Some of the better jokes from the movie:
Kyle: I fucking nailed that cunt! Can you believe that?
Claire: Oh, God!
[disgusted at his swearing, Claire walks away from Kyle and he follows behind her]
Kyle: I don’t usually say that.

Kyle: Has she been sucking on your dick, been giving you blow jobs?
Adam: No. She doesn’t like to.
Kyle: She does…No fucking shit she doesn’t like to! Who likes putting dicks in their mouth? You do it cause that’s why they call it blow jobs! It’s a job!

Adam: You just always hate my girlfriends.
Kyle: That’s not true. Okay, it is actually. But it’s because you always date people who are fucking dickheads, man. You date needy bitches. Why?

By Tom Stortz|2013-03-15T03:17:23-04:00October 16th, 2012|Movies|0 Comments

Celeb Weight Transformations

In this previous post I pointed out how Turtle’s character underwent a major weight loss. Here are a few other high profile actors who felt the pressure from Hollywood to look better. I think this is obviously a good thing health wise but it sort of changes their typecast for some reason.

Seth Rogan

Seth Rogan was never really fat fat but he was never in shape. Even as Ken Miller in Freaks and Geeks he wasn’t slim. Landing the lead role in Knocked Up put him on the map and then was in quality movies like Superbad and Pineapple Express and some other average leads like Observe and Report and Zach and Miri. In Funny People though is when I think he made his weight loss because they constantly joked about it.

Leo (Jonah): “You shouldn’t have lost all that weight man. There’s nothing funny about a physically fit man.
Ira (Seth): “I know, it’s lame right?”
Leo: “Yeah, no one wants to watch Lance Armstrong do comedy.”

Leo: “Go lose some more weight Ira, you look fuckin’ weird skinny!”

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill was fat in 2006. I thought he was huge in Accepted and even slimmed down a bit in Superbad and was still enormous. I think he started losing weight right around when Seth Rogen did in Funny People. He was noticeably slimmer in Get Him to the Greek. For some reason I don’t mind him skinny. I actually prefer his current weight to when he was in Accepted. People say your funnier when your fat but I just think he’s a funny guy.

Ethan Suplee

Ethan Suplee has been around for a while. His early role in Boy Meets World had him as a big, dumb, fat dude. Then in MallRats he was the weird, fat guy using Jedi powers. I first noticed it in Mr. Woodcock that he’d lost a ton of weight. Why I was watching Mr.Woodcock I’m not sure. I figured he’d never land another role because his look was “the fat guy.” I don’t really know if his career has slowed down but I imagine when your role is for being fat, you aren’t offered the same roles. I wonder if it was natural (doubt it) or surgery?