Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Two big comedies that will be heavily hyped when they come out. One’s right around the corner, and the other’s still a ways off. Which one works? Both? Neither? Check out what El Guapo’s got to say as he sits amidst his plethora of piñatas...
Hey there fellow film geeks, El Guapo here. I haven't been reviewing for a while but I am back and with 2, count 'em 2 reviews for you.
I have recently had the opportunity to see unfinished versions of American Wedding, the end of the American Pie trilgoy, and School of Rock. I must say that I have never seen it as clearly as I do now how prevalent the formula is in hollywood films. It is like we are meandering in Mad Lib Cinema. It is ridiculous. They have found a way to tell a story and they never deviate. They just pop in new nouns, verbs, adjectives in the like in to a dinky computer and poof comes out a script. I am not saying that I don't enjoy the hijinks of jim, stiffler et al, but it is the exact same thing as before. Jim does something disgusting with his member, stiffler embarasses himself, we see nude women, stiffler makes us laugh, eesh. It is amazing how much screen time, though. He is by far the funniest character but he has become a caricature of himself, he is more like his character in "Dude where's my car" but he cusses every third word.
In case you haven't watched the trailers or read about it in the many entertainment magazines, American Wedding takes place three years after part 2. They have all graduated from college and at the beginning of the movie Jim and Michelle get engaged. The movie is how they get ready for the marriage ceremony. Oz and all of the other American Pie Girls are gone, and the guy who played "the kid in king arthurs court," is barely there. I think that they cut out his entire sub-plot.
There are some really funny scenes, but that is all there is, just things to laugh at. The story is so thread-bare that it seems almost episodic. They have just put one funny scene after another. In the other American Pie movies they all seem to learn a lesson at the end, here it is just tomfoolery, but, well, you know, I like tomfoolery. So, in essence, if you like the gang, and like to giggle at disgusting gags, go right for it.
On the other hand, School of Rock is a great example of the victory of the formula. Jack Black stars as a thirty something schlub that loves rock n' roll who wants nothing but the joy of playing rock. As the film begins he gets kicked out of his band and is forces to get a job because his roommate, a substitute teacher, won't let him mooch off of him anymore. So one day he answers a call for his roommate to sub at a private elementary school and so he acts like him and takes the job. Once he realizes that they can play music he proceeds in teaching them rock and to rock so that they can play with him in the battle of the bands.
This is a perfect vehicle for Black because it just lets him release the inner moron. I could tell that he had a blast making this because it combined his two loves acting and music. I have never heard his band before but after this, I am going to have to.
The story goes through the three act structure like a pedestrian walks on the side walk, but I didn't care. It was just fun to watch him with the kids and to see everybody grow. The only problem that I had with it all were the scenes between him and his roommate and Sarah Silverman. They were just so damn dull. I am used to seeing Sarah as this kind of pseudo angry chick that just insults everyone, and here she is just an uptight bitch and I didn't dig that.
Joan Cusack plays the principal of the school and she is perfect for that. She is ultra strict and very uptight but her face is so elastic and her eyes so googly that I couldn't get enough of it.
Well I have got to go patrol the countryside for those damn dirty apes.
El Guapo signing out
Nice work, Guapo. Thanks.
"Moriarty" out.
