Movie Review: Arthur

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A few months shy of the 30th anniversary release date of the original, we get the remake of Arthur. The original starring Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli and Sir John Gielgood went on to become an award winning American classic. The updated version has Russel Brand, Greta Gerwig and Helen Mirren taking on the same main roles. This time around, awards will probably not be given to this version. Does that mean that it's a bad movie? No, it just means that once again the original remains the better version.

Russel Brand as Arthur brings that drunken swagger that we've seen from him as Aldus Snow in Get Him to the Greek. There was a certain point in the wealthy man-boy where he flirted with being totally annoying as I find Will Ferrell when Ferrell does his version on man-boy, but Brand remained just far enough away in the first hour of the film's 110 minutes to make it bearable. The latter half of the movie as he makes the transition of boy to man is when he really settles into the role and became enjoyable to watch.

In the gender swapping role of Hobson, Mirren comes in to protect the man-boy from his partying playboy ways as the nanny. She delivers her lines well. The self-assuredness as she confronts one women to safeguard Arthur from both himself and her is spot on; but for me it was when she put on the Darth Vader mask and repeats a couple of statements from Arthur that got my biggest laugh.

Gerwig is the love interest of Naomi, an illegal tour guide whom Arthur runs into and starts to fall in love. Unfortunately, mommy has forced Arthur into an agreement to marry Susan (Jennifer Gardner) in order to protect the Bach family business and fortunes or by rejecting the arranged marriage to be cut off from a bank account that's just a tad shy of a billion dollars. That's a lot of cheese that Arthur just won't do without.

The one part of Arthur's lavish lifestyle that surprised me as they updated the film to make it more contemporary is that Arthur remained a womanizing drunk and not a womanizing drug addict. You would have thought in today's world that cocaine, meth or ecstasy would have shown up in the movie. They really didn't but it was rated PG-13 for alcohol use throughout, sexual content, language and some drug references.

The basic story line remains with a couple of gender role twists. But at the core of the movie is that it's supposed to be a romantic comedy. Does it deliver in that space? For the most part yes. It was also fun to see how a super rich person would squander some of their money with the gaudy and garish apartment fixtures like a operating solar system model night light or a floating magnetic bed. Or what about buying that sweet ride and its accessories. Many fan boys would love to have the most memorable of the Batman suits, you know, the one Val Kilmer wore in Batman Forever and the accompanying Batmobile. Or what about customized PEZ dispensers. For some people that would be right up there with lavish expenditures! We can dream can't we!

Back in 1981, Christopher Cross co-wrote and sung Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do) which won the Academy Award for Best Music - Original Song. It is reprised in the new version of the film by Fitz and the Tantrums playing over a fun to watch closing credits. If you go in with tempered expectations, you'll come out with a smile on your face.

The Movie Monkey

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Movie Review: Despicable Me

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So for months now we've been seeing these enlarged mutated corn pops with either one or two eyes wearing goggles and overalls everywhere; certainly in the trailers for the movie. But in ads for different products, restaurants and even Best Buy...we'll talk about Best Buy in a moment. Well this weekend were were able to find out what they are all about in the release of computer animated Despicable Me.

Turns out these little yellow pills of humor are called minions who adoring love their boss Gru (Steve Carell)and would follow him to the ends of the Earth. They listen to him, cheer for him and almost completely fawn over Gru as they carry out his plans. They truly epitomize the very definition of minion meaning a loyal servant of another, usually more powerful being. Did Gru find them somewhere and offer them a place to work like Willie Wonka did for the oompa-loompas? Were they the result of a genetic or radio active experiment on Twinkies gone wrong? We don't know and quite frankly we don't care. Watching them help Gru with his plans is funny.

And just what are Gru's plans? Well, after his stealing of the Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower replicas from Las Vegas, someone else stole the Great Pyramid from Egypt. Gru decides he wants to step up his game and steal the moon! Why the moon? Well, it's out there, it's big and everyone would notice if it was gone and maybe, just maybe he'd gain his mother's approval in the process. In flash backs we see Gru who has a dream constantly being nonchalantly dismissed by his mother (Julie Andrews). For a change of pace instead of daddy issues, this character has mommy issues!

Gru turns to Dr Nefario (a very subdued Russell Brand) to help design the necessary tools to carry out his plan. Gru is the idea guy dependant on hard of hearing Dr Nefario to fill in the details with the gadgets and gizmoes necessary for Gru's diabolical dealings. Due to a couple of misunderstandings between Gru's nondescript eastern European accent and Nafario's hearing issues, there are a couple of surprising creations made. Ultimately, Gru needs a shrinking ray and rocket to steal the moon. Luckily Dr Nefario doesn't need to make the shrinking ray gun, it already exists. Gru just needs to steal it from the new upstart Super Villain in town Vector (Jason Segel).

In come Margo, Edith and Agnes (Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elise Fisher), three orphans who Gru will adopt and use to gain easy access to Vector's highly guarded contemporary and stylish lair. Does he care about the girls? Nah, they are just pawns to be used in the bigger picture. As the plans for capturing and ransoming the moon move forward, the girls manage to steal Gru's heart at the same time. He hadn't planned on that! Just like the Grinch didn't expect his heart to grow three sizes after his raiding of Whoville that fateful Christmas day.

Are there some laughs in the movie? Yup, there are some good laughs in there. One of the minions looks like he stole Ned Flander's mustache. Some minons have dual purpose functionality. Gru's totally un PC transportation would make SUVs seem heavenly in an environmentalist's eyes. What the story lacked was a cohesive plot to smoothly keep it all together. It was enjoyable to watch, but not a very memorable watch.

One thing you want to remember to do is to stay and watch the credits, especially if you are going to the 3D version. I saw the 2D version. The minions came out and were doing some pretty funny things and I'm assuming in 3D they would have been funnier and even funnier still if I had been able to understand what they were saying. This is where I now rip into Best Buy. There were promotional materials telling you to go to their web site to download a minion translator app. Goto this page, send a text to that number, even at the theater they had posters and stand ups with QR codes. Get the app they beg you. Turns out that the app is only good for iPhone, Androids, Blackberrys and Windows mobile phones. Any other type of phone and you're screwed. For all the advertising they put in for this promotion and how limited it was, I give Best Buy a big FAIL!

The movie ran for 96 minutes and was rated PG for some rude humor and mild action. They also received tax credits for making the film in France. I wonder if that's why the Eiffel Tower and a mime both appear in the film. I wouldn't be surprised that when Christmas rolls around you'll be able to go to your local big box or toy store and get a customizable minion for yourself or a loved one. I would also expect the Sleepy Kittens book to be there on the shelf next to the minions!

The Movie Monkey

To subscribe to the audio podcast of the reviews via iTunes click here. Audio versions are released the following Wednesday.

Movie Review: Get Him to the Greek

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Aldous Snow, a name that will live in rock-n-roll history for having the worst album ever with the song African Child being listed as the third worst thing to ever happen to the continent of Africa after war and famine. He may be upset with the album and song, but we are glad that Russel Brand is back playing the hedonistic, self centered, self absorbed rock star that we were introduced to in 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This time it's up to Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) to get Aldous from London to Los Angeles in 72 hours. Aaron has to Get Him to the Greek!

How did Aaron get this career make or break assignment? His boss at Pinnacle Records, Sergio Roma (Sean Combs) was asking for ideas to improve sales from his account executives. Aaron suggested getting the rocker back to the venue where he cut a great album, both an album and star that Aaron loves. Unexpectedly he gets the green light to fly to Europe gather the rock star and have Aldous give a great repeat performance. But things couldn't be that simple could it? Aaron is dealing with his own personal relationship and work issues and then has to deal with Aldous who comes with his own set of baggage and peculiar habits.

To help us understand Aldous' current condition we get treated to MTV, TMZ and other tabloid and paparazzi fodder of Aldous' life since the release of African Child. Breaking up with his long time girl friend, relapsing back into drugs and alcohol, the binges and rages and sexual activity that we perceive as the stereotypical rock star lifestyle. All of this plus the pervasive language help to garner the film a very sold R rating. We get introduced to all this information pretty early in the film.

Aaron works to get Aldous on the plane in London. So we now have the set up for a road trip movie as they need to stop in New York on the way to Los Angeles for an appearance on the Today show giving one of the famous Today concerts in the Plaza. The buddy movie starts to kick into gear while the two are traveling almost half way around the world. Aaron gets exposed to the rocker lifestyle while trying to keep his head on straight to accomplish the goal while being hounded by Sergio. Aldous has someone who is not part of his inner circle and can provide an outside point of view. Travel and relationship make baby steps forward with inevitable detours along the way. Aaron walks the fine line of keeping his client and boss happy while trying to maintain his own wits about himself. Not an easy task!

The film has a mix of cameos to lend an air of credibility to the rocker story and enriched the background. Whether it is Mario Lopez reporting on a TV show about Aldous, Aldous being caught on film partying with Pink or Christina Aguilera or story line interaction with Today host Meredith Vieira, their talents add to the story's believability. The funniest cameo for me was with Tom Felton of Harry Potter fame. That one had me laughing out loud.

Directed by Nick Stoller who also directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall, he doesn't forget to pay tribute to the movie that created the character in a scene that I thought was funny. The joke is even funnier if you saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Camera angles that you usually only see on a reality show were used to great effect. There are some very funny scenes and some that make you squirm in your seat a bit. Fuzzy wall is all I'm gonna say. Brand does a great job fleshing out Aldous Snow even more. Hill does a good job balancing the up tight guy with a purpose thrown into the midst of madness. Combs has some very funny scenes as the music mogul who wants to make a buck and keep on top of his underlings.

The movie runs for 109 minutes. At the very end there is an easter egg for those that choose to wait it out. This is an adult comedy.

The Movie Monkey

To subscribe to the audio podcast of the reviews via iTunes click here. Audio versions are released the following Wednesday.