Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cinegasm Episode 022

Episode 022 - Click to listen in your browser 
or right-click and "Save Target As" to download

Host:  Brian J Blottie
Co-Host: Stephen LaRose, Graham Malin, Melissa Hanson

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Review: "No Strings Attached" (2011)






by Melissa Hanson

"Can sex friends stay best friends?"

Really? I can understand why they chose this tagline, but it really doesn't fit. From the trailers I've seen, this was about best friends who decide to have sex without the relationship. It's really not. They barely know each other. I guess they needed a hook, but I think they could have cut out all the cliched stuff and really focused on the "relationship" between the two characters.

The characters of Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) have met a couple times in the past before they begin their sexcapades. This is really unnecessary, but I'm guessing they were trying to make the audience think they were destined to be together because they keep bumping into one another. Anyway, after a night of drunkenness to attempt to forget about his father (Kevin Kline) dating his ex-girlfriend, he ends up at Emma's apartment with her roommates. This is another thing; although the roommates were amusing, there was way too much time in the initial scene when Adam wakes up. Actually, a lot of the scenes were unnecessarily long.

The first huge flaw is that they are not equally entering into this. Adam wants to date Emma, she doesn't want that, so he settles for just having sex with her. Hello, big flag. I could understand if this was friends, who never thought of each other as anything else, deciding to try this out because they think it could work. It can work for a while, but eventually, something's gotta give. But this is just silly. They offhandedly establish ground rules, but it's not really given much attention. If you're going to do a story like this, commit to it, don't do it half-ass.

All-in-all, it's not the worst movie in the world, it's cute, there are some very funny lines spoken by the endless supporting cast. Kevin Kline is actually very good as the father, but his and other characters were just taken a little too far to get the laugh. I would have liked it dialed down. I think it will have a fabulous run on TBS.

There is another movie coming out later this year called "Friends with Benefits." The premise of that movie seems much more plausible and more like what I hoped this would be: The story centers around two professionals who meet but are too busy to find a mate. They agree to have an intimate relationship with no strings attached. Things get complicated when the guy falls for the girl, who’s dating someone else.


P.S. Ivan Reitman?! Why?! Why?!

P.P.S. Cary Elwes?! Why were you in this movie? Did you even speak? I barely recognized you!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Review: "Blue Valentine" (2010)


By Melissa Hanson

When seeing a relationship fall apart, we often forget how it even started. Even when you're in it, you can forget how it began. With Blue Valentine, we see the beginning and end at the same time and are able to identify with each character as they both struggle to cope with their feelings. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams both give stirring performances as a couple falling in and out of love. Jumping back and forth in time one gets so caught up in the moment, that you often feel as though there is hope for the couple.

It's not for everyone. If you want a romantic movie, this is not it. It's an unsettling drama likely to stir up feelings and make you question your idea of true love.


Cinegasm Episode 021

Episode 021 - Click to listen in your browser 
or right-click and "Save Target As" to download

Host:  Brian J Blottie
Co-Host: Stephen LaRose, Kevin Brotman, Melissa Hanson

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Review: "The Dilemma" (2011)



By Melissa Hanson

Let's face it. It's not going to win any awards. The premise is terrible for a comedy. A guy discovers the wife of his best friend is cheating on him. Let the hilarity ensue.

The comedy is forced, and Vince Vaughn is once again just the same character he always is, a wise-ass and trying to talk himself out of stuff.Kevin James also brings nothing new and does his standard antics. I did like Jennifer Connelly. She was the only one that really acted and you could relate to her. Don't even get me started on Winona Ryder. Sheesh. Even though her character was supposed to be unlikeable, she made it even worse.

This should have been a drama with an entirely different cast. You can see director Ron Howard's touch and that he really tried to make light of the characters. Queen Latifah's role was totally unnecessary. It was there purely for shock value and to get laughs. Now, I'm not against gags, but it totally didn't work here.

The pace was good, at no point was it so drawn out that I was begging for it to end. I'm sure it will do ok. The characters are likeable enough and general audiences seem to enjoy this type of thing. It's just a throw-away movie though. Nothing of significance.


Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Cinegasm Episode 020

Episode 020 - Click to listen in your browser
or right-click and "Save Target As" to download

Host:  Brian J Blottie
Co-Host: Melissa Hanson

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Cinegasm Episode 019

Episode 019 - Click to listen in your browser
or right-click and "Save Target As" to download

Host:  Brian J Blottie
Co-Hosts: Stephen LaRose, Graham Malin, Melissa Hanson