the post in which I write about movies I have recently watched.

The Campaign

Local elections, Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis. Some pretty low hanging fruit here on the comedy vine and this movie to its credit made the most of it.  Contrary to my expectations, Ferrell was not playing a version of his “W” but instead more of a John Edwards type.  They beat you over the head with how money is running politics, and even though that is surely true, it could’ve been done without the satire of the Koch brothers.  Biggest laugh comes in the credits sequence when the Dylan McDermott character uses the alias “Dermot Mulroney.”

Lincoln

Tommy Lee Jones delivers more laughs than either of The Campaign’s stars, and the movie at large has more to say about today’s politics and back door dealing.  Perhaps an unfair comparison, but I don’t mind making it.

Liberal Arts

The majority cast of TV’s “How I Met Your Mother” have good to great careers in my opinion.  The exception has to be the star Josh Radnor.  He prefers to write, direct, and star in independant movies.  I gotta give him credit, he could turn his CBS stardom into a big paycheck in summer romcoms and buddy movies with Bradley Cooper, but instead he does what he really wants to do.  Which is why it is disappointing that this movie was a real bore.  Like my wife and I literally fell asleep in the middle of it.  We finished it another night but only after debating whether it was worth finishing. There was no payoff.

The Giant Mechanical Man

By comparison, here is another movie staring a beloved TV actor that wants to address the 30 something malaise and minutiae. Maybe I just have slightly more affection for Jenna Fischer.  I can relate anyway to taking a job you’re overqualified for because you can’t keep it together enough to do the job you know you should have.  The Topher Grace character was so obnoxiously terrible and so obviously full of shit it broke the movie ever time he reappeared because I couldn’t believe that anyone thought he was OK.  Much of the rest of the movie was enjoyable though.  The post credits sequence was far too tacked on.  Should have stopped when it faded to black.

Brave

Have rarely been disappointed by Pixar. This was one of their more enjoyable tales.  If they stick to original content and avoid sequels, they’ll stay the best in my book.  I’ll just continue to avoid the sequels anyway. Fine music, amazing visuals, fairy tale story, and a strong mother/daughter screen relationship.  This one we’ll revisit when my daughter is a little older.