Review: The Kids Are All Right

The Kids Are All Right
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Date of Release: July 30, 2010
Summary: A brother and sister raised by a same-sex couple (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) find their sperm donor aka father (Mark Ruffallo) and are shocked when he begins a steaming affair with one of their mothers.

AKI: You know every independent film you’ve ever seen that was a dramedy. Yeah…So I’m not saying don’t go see it, but don’t rush to see it cause you’ve already seen it. With that said, it’s not a horrible movie. In fact, it’s quite good. It’s funny…gay even (get it? hehe). It takes a while to get into the characters and their lives, but you do begin to get into them. The film is just not groundbreaking or fresh or anything to write home about in the way you hope it will be. Plus, the ending is not completely satisfying, especially with Mark Ruffalo’s character. It also seems that the screenwriter randomly chose to focus on the daughter (played by Mia Wasikowska) even though she is the least interesting character in the whole film. To prove this, she is virtually absent from the entire middle of the movie because, you know, she sucks. * * 1/2

RYAN: One thing I learned after seeing The Kids Are All Right is that I need to temper my expectations about a film. When I heard that Focus Features was coming out with a film starring Julianne Moore and Annette Bening playing a same-sex couple, I was off-the-wall excited. Then I saw it and well, it was really good, just not amazing, as I had expected. I think most of that had to do with me finding not a lot of interest in the lives of the adult characters as deftly as they were handled by the aforementioned actresses and Mark Ruffalo. In fact, I gravitated more towards the kids played by Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson and the movie seemed to lag for me when the kids weren't on screen. Maybe if they were as developed as the parents, I'd have liked the movie more. So in the end, this movie was just all right, pun intended. Nothing to rave about certainly, but still a film worthy of your time if you can spare it. * * * 1/2

Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Director: Edgar Wright
Date of Release: August, 13 2010
Summary: Boy is in a band. Boy has gay roommate. Boy meets girl. Girl has seven evil exes. Boy must defeat seven evil exes to be with girl. Hilarity ensues.

AKI: There are three things you need to know about Scott Pilgrim. First, it’s loud, REALLY LOUD and REALLY BRIGHT. And I’m no bitter old lady banging on ceilings for my noisy neighbor to turn down his breathing, but even I was like whoa, too much stimuli! Bring sunglasses. Number two (get it? hehe): while sitting in a theatre watching Scott Pilgrim, there is a good chance you will be sitting next to or not too far away from Hipsters…always unpleasant. Bring spray. Finally, number three: this movie is awesome! It’s high-larious and a breath of creativity in the blah-ness that we’ve seen at the movies lately. But can you expect less from the director of Shaun of the Dead and the British TV show Spaced? Best of all, it doesn’t even matter if you’re not into retro video games or Michael Cera, it is still a good old time. * * * * 1/2

RYAN: Apparently this is adapted from a popular graphic novel and that's who the movie was marketed towards. For me, I saw it because I'm pretty much an Edgar Wright fanboy having seen and loved his two previous films, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Scott Pilgrim is slightly different in that a) it's not British and b) Simon Pegg is nowhere to be found. And yet Wright's signature frenetic pacing and editing are ever-present and actually lend themselves quite well to this graphic novel-turned-film. I love that Wright fully committed to the video game aesthetics with graphics, sounds, and situations native to video games.

Finally, the characters are just fantastic. Michael Cera seems like a no-brainer for the Scott Pilgrim role even if he is playing Michael Cera. Ramona's exes were uniformly fabulous, but I have to single out Brandon Routh playing bleach-blond telepathic vegan ex-boyfriend Todd Ingram. He just plays the part with aplomb and full commitment. Finally, my favorite character has got to me Scott's gay and a little bit totally slutty roommate Wallace Wells portrayed wonderfully by Kieran Culkin. So in a word, MUST-SEE, that's what this movie is. Run, don't walk, to your closest multiplex. It's by far one of the best movies that came out this summer. * * * * *

Meet Aki and Ryan

What are your qualifications for having a blog?
AKI: I'm unemployed.
RYAN: I have a modicum grasp of the English language. Do you need anything else?

List your 5 favorite films of all time.
AKI: Bonnie and Clyde, The Bicycle Thief, Mildred Pierce, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, A Raisin in the Sun.
RYAN: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Moulin Rouge, Atonement, Billy Elliot, and Lord of the Rings (they count as one!)

List your 5 favorite TV shows of all time.
AKI: The Twilight Zone, Xena: Warrior Princess, Spaced, Rome, Xena: Warrior Princess (Yeah, that’s right. Xena was so good I ranked it twice.), Dexter (Since I don’t have a real #5)
RYAN: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lost, Doctor Who, Friends, and Rome

What are you currently obsessed about?
AKI: The Pillars of the Earth, The Office (American), and True Blood
RYAN: Inception, Scott Pilgrim, Dexter, True Blood, and Mad Men

Describe Ryan/Aki in 10 words or less.
AKI: Doesn’t like Macaroni and Cheese. I know! So weird...
RYAN: Sarcastic bitch with a heart of gold

Describe yourself in exactly 3 words.
AKI: Black and Blue
RYAN: TV-Film Junkie

What would be the first and second rule of a Fight Club you are the head of?
AKI: No hitting.
RYAN: No clothes.

Would you save the cheerleader to save the world if that cheerleader was Hitler?
AKI: Probably, cause you only have to save the cheerleader once, right? Afterwards, you can hang her.
RYAN: Hell no. Have you seen real cheerleaders? They are crazy strong and uber confident. As if we need a crazy strong, uber confident Hitler doing somersaults or and committing genocide. No.

Would you try to win 20 million rupees at a reality game show to find your one true love? How about just for one-night stand?
AKI: I would try to win 20 million rupees just to win 20 million rupees. Anything else that may come along with it is just a perk.
RYAN: I'd do more for less. True story.

If your life was made into Lifetime movie, what would be the title?
AKI: One woman’s harrowing search for justice against the dog that humped her leg.
RYAN: The Boy Next Door to the Boy Next Door

Pick your sides: Vampires, werewolves, or wizards?
AKI: Normally, I would say Vampires cause I love me some Vampires. But their weaknesses (Sun, Silver, garlic, constant thirst for blood thing) outweigh any positive aspects of being a Vampire. Plus, I’m afraid of the dark…and coffins. So I would go with wizards cause they are all magical and Harry Potterish. Werewolves are stupid.
RYAN: Remember circa late 90s when vampires were actually cool? Now they're all sparkly and gag-inducing. Werewolves are still sort of cool if they're not walking around in hot pants. With that said, I'd probably pick wizards, because of their magic sticks.

The world is ending in exactly 90 minutes, what do you do?
AKI: Kill myself.
RYAN: Drive to the bank and get out as much money as I possibly could. Then I would go to the highest building and scatter the money below. Then I'd probably order some KFC and situate myself somewhere with a really good view. Inviting friends would be optional.

Pitch a TV show or a movie in 140 characters or less.
AKI: BUMBLEBEE REVIEWS MEET XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS, THE MOVIE.
RYAN: Group of teens play Truth or Dare. If someone lies or doesn't complete a dare, they die from a mysterious force.