or why I should not watch movies with Will Farrell or Ben Stiller
by Sloan
Ok…so I was watching Megamind by Dreamworks. It’s an animated movie arguably for kids but not so much so. But wait…let me go back a bit.
Magic to muck…
I have found that I am a Disney generation with Disney expectations. That implies that the characters have to have an arch, the story does not have any real twist, the moral is really clear, and there are a few adult humor twist. Now when Disney animation lost its way then teamed with Pixar, all was saved and re-foundered as far as I was concerned. Then, as the movie making capital, everyone jumped on the band wagon and we saw a boat load of fecal matter land on our shores.
Now, either the fecal matter has gotten a bit better or our standards have drop ~ personally, I believe it is the later. However, being starved for great animated works like Toy Story 1, Bug’s Life, Lilo and Stitch, The Emperor’s New Groove, I have found myself stretching out to explore other avenues to feed this need. I have stumbled into movies outside of the Disney or Pixar product family and stepped in movies like Megamind.
Now let’s switch gears…
Both guys. Both funny ~ for about two minutes, then, I want to wretch.
Do not get me wrong…I liked the self loathing character Ben played in Permanent Midnight or was it Maria Bello and Elizabeth Hurley that really made the movie for me. Truthfully, I don’t think its worth the pain to re-watch it to find out. And Derk Zoolander was funny for a scene but a movie? Come on…who is watching this stuff? And really laughing?
Now Will Farrell, yet again, one brilliant moment in Stranger Than Fiction but that was it! The story was great and I totally bought him as Harold and was rooting for him in that movie. It had the Lost in Translation vibe without a true comedic talent.
The rest of his movies…big whinny guy that has everything — not funny. Sorry, I don’t get it and why should I? Really.
Read all labels before consuming…
Ok, switching gears again. Tina Fey and Guillermo del Toro ~ both talented and hot! Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth , 30 Rock, Date Night…all rocked (and it does not hurt that I hung out with one of the production folks in Prague and got to party with Ron Perlman during the shooting of ‘Boy 1)
Which is why I am a bit torn by this movie… Seeing that Tina and Guillermo where paired with Stiller and Farrell leads to the question, would I have watched this movie? No…unless I was on a quest to see all movies ever made by Tina and the big G.
Leading to the title…
As we know Hollywood has their formulas and we like our formula — we drink it like babies. The makers, actors, directors, etc. all fit a mold and can be only assembled in so many ways which is why this is funny to me.
Who the hell and why in the hell do people like Farrell and Stiller? How did they get Toro to add his name to this movie? Understandably, Tina would want to work with someone to figure out why they may be considered funny…but come on!
I am going to have to go back, dissect, and force myself to understand
* why I like Permanent Midnight, Stranger Than Fiction,
* what hole Stiller and Farrell are filling
* read the cast and crew associated with animated movies closely
…all in an effort to make sure I DON’T WATCH ANY MORE ANIMATED MOVIES THAT ARE not FUNNY.
