Is it possible that action star Harrison Ford is funnier than comedy veteran Will Ferrell? Well, we're about to find out, because this is “Movie Night”!
*theme song plays*
Hello, and welcome to “Movie Night.” I'm your host, Jonathan Paula.
Tonight on the program, we'll be taking a look at two films that are brand-new to DVD, the first of which is the big-budget CGI superhero film from Dreamworks Animation, "Megamind."
Starring “Saturday Night Live” alumni Will Ferrell and Tina Fey in the two lead roles, “Megamind” is a familiar blend of films we've seen before...
mixing together elements from "The Incredibles" and "Despicable Me" for a surprisingly exciting 96 minutes.
Ferrell stars in the title role as an evil supervillian who finds himself hopelessly lost after he finally kills his crime-fighting nemesis, Metroman.
Not one to sit around and rule Metro City, which he mistakenly refers to as Metrocity, with an evil fist...
he instead decides to create his own hero, to give him someone to fight against.
Tiny Fey voices local news reporter Roxanne Ritchi, and portrays her Lois Lane, damsel-in-distress character...
with a hilarious amount of unaffected sarcasm over her constant kidnappings.
At one point, she even requests that her "frequent kidnapping card" be stamped...
only to be disappointed when Megamind informs her that they've since "discontinued that program."
The film showcases the interesting and often untold perspective of the villain, exploring the "what if" scenario of the bad guys actually winning.
By the second act, though, the film quickly descends back to a comfort zone of familiarity...
becoming just another animated adventure film of good versus evil. Luckily, though, the action and comedy never let up throughout the film...
which, besides thoroughly keeping my attention, did enough to distract me from the predictable plot.
All of the characters here receive a good deal of depth, and their real-world counterparts do a fantastic job of bringing them to life with their respective performances.
The film is funny, too, and just not because of the slapstick humor you've seen a dozen times in the trailer...
but rather from some refreshingly witty and clever lines of dialogue that certainly bring this movie above the bar of mediocrity.
It's an exciting and gorgeously animated film that deserves to be seen in high definition, if possible.
Dreamworks isn't yet on par with Pixar, but this film is perhaps the closest they've come in recent memory.
"Megamind"- "Refreshing family fun, if formulaic."
Well, that's what I thought about the movie. Now, let's see what you had to say in the YouTube comments.
The Rate-o-Matic now, to show us how we both scored "Megamind.”
A “7” and an “8”! This film is perhaps Dreamworks Animations' best film in years, but it's also very predictable. I thought it was “cool.”
Most of you really enjoyed this film, able to overlook its shortcomings, scoring it a “great.”
Tonight's second film is the comedy-drama released last November, "Morning Glory."
Rachel McAdams practically carries this movie, starring as Becky Fuller, an energetic producer for a local morning news program...
who finally gets the chance of a career when she is offered a job running "Daybreak," a fledging national program...
similar to "Today" or "Good Morning America" that needs a huge ratings boost to keep it from getting canceled.
Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford star as the veteran co-anchors for this program who seem to constantly be annoying each other when off-camera.
Jeff Goldblum is featured as Becky's unscrupulous boss who cares only about ratings, showing little faith in young Becky's abilities to turn the show around.
Sadly, though, Goldblum seems mostly wasted here. His normally zippy and ambitious persona is dampened by boring and expositional writing.
Luckily, the opposite is true of Ford, who absolutely shines as Mike Pomeroy, a respected and dignified Tom Brokaw-esque anchor...
of decades past now forced to host the cheesy morning program because of a clause in his contract.
Nearly every laugh in this film comes from Pomeroy's stubbornness and grumpy demeanor, hilariously refusing to report on any story that isn't hard news.
Ford is obviously best known for his iconic roles in action-adventure films, but I've also been a huge fan of his work in funnier roles, too...
like “Six Days, Seven Nights,” “The Frisco Kid,” and “Hollywood Homicide,” all movies which...
unfortunately, like “Morning Glory," didn't perform very well at the box office.
Opposite Ford's scene-stealing charisma is Diane Keaton, who, similar to Goldblum...
receives little to do in this story, and is mostly present just to give Ford someone to make fun of.
At its heart, though, this film is Becky's story of self-discovery and determination, leaving her small town behind to attempt a fast-paced career in New York television...
with her adversarial relationship with Pomeroy serving as the emotional backbone of the story.
Relying on an almost excessive usage of musical montage, we are witness to the show-within-a show...
as “Daybreak” goes from a nearly canceled program in 4th place to a hilariously over-the-top show that uses stunts and gimmicks to compete for ratings.
Feeling mostly like a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy sans most of the cheesy romance...
"Morning Glory" does plenty here to keep you invested in these characters for 107 minutes.
But the film hesitates to really do anything original, staying well within the confines of its genre.
While I attended Emerson College in 2007, I served as the director of "Good Morning, Emerson" for a semester, a live morning news show that felt just like “Daybreak.”
So, I, for one, really got a huge kick out of this film's sarcastically affectionate portrayal of the TV news industry. But I'm not certain the same holds true for everyone.
In any event, "Morning Glory" is "heartwarmingly amusing, but hardly original."
Well, those were my thoughts on “Morning Glory.” Now, let’s see what you had to say in the YouTube comments.
To rate “Morning Glory,” let's bring in the Rate-o-Matic.
A “good” and an “alright”! Honestly, this movie wasn't anything terribly special, but Harrison Ford was hilarious; I gave this movie a “6” out of “10.”
Although none of you were really impressed by this film, none of you hated it, either. You scored it a “5" out of "10."
But that does it for tonight's films. So, now, let's take a look at what's currently playing in theaters, with some Tweet Critiques.
Remember, if you're going to the movies this weekend, make sure to submit your Twitter review, using the #JPMN hashtag, to have it featured on an upcoming episode.
Next week, we'll be taking a look at "The Next Three Days," an exciting thriller starring Russell Crowe...
and "The Tourist," an action/romance movie starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie that is set in Venice, Italy.
Both are brand-new to DVD this month, so, as always, I encourage you to buy, rent, or download them before next week's episode...
and let me know what you think about them by voting in the polls below, or by leaving me a comment review.
Until next time, my name is Jonathan Paula. Thank you for watching “Movie Night.” I hope to see you right back here next Friday!
*end credits play*
Thank you again for watching tonight's episode of "Movie Night."
I recorded tonight's entire episode in front of a live Ustream audience, filming and editing.
So, if you'd like to watch the entire process in real time, a behind-the-scenes look at the show...
click the link I left you down below, and you can check out the whole process.
And you can finally know the answer to whether or not I actually wear pants with this suit top!
Again, thank you for watching. I hope to see you next week!
*Remember to tune in to the season 10 premiere of the microwave show on April 1st!*