Kaos' way behind movie reviews

[Godfather]

Many people will walk out of Observe and Report. Many people will tell their friends how awful a film it is and loathe it. I don’t blame them and totally understand that viewpoint. And, in some ways, that's why I like it. Sometimes comedy should be dangerous. Sometimes comedy should be divisive. Sometimes comedy should piss people off. Not every laugh-fest needs to be delivered to the same widest audience possible funny bone. Observe and Report walks a high-wire of tension and dark, dark humor. Even if you don't think it makes it to the other side, there's something truly remarkable about the attempt.

I like my comedy, with at least a side of funny. The only thing that I thought was remotely humorous was his dealing with the flasher at the end and the mall managers handling of the situation.

[AUChizad]

Better watch out.  Disagreeing with Chad means you're less erudite and unable to logically process.

Brian tends to like broad comedies. Actually, I can't think of another comedy he didn't enjoy.

You though...I'm genuinely curious. Can you name me one comedy that you actually enjoyed?

I'm guessing you'll probably name something slapstickish from the 70's like Airplane and Blazing Saddles, which I love as well, but I'm guessing you dislike more recent films with similar humor because you apply a "good ol' days" filter to the former.

Can you name a single comedy from the past decade that gets the Kaos seal of approval?

[Saniflush]

Those aren't dark.  Particularly not Pineapple Express.

For dark comedy see:  Very Bad Things. Bad Santa.

[Kaos]

Brian tends to like broad comedies. Actually, I can't think of another comedy he didn't enjoy.

You though...I'm genuinely curious. Can you name me one comedy that you actually enjoyed?

I'm guessing you'll probably name something slapstickish from the 70's like Airplane and Blazing Saddles, which I love as well, but I'm guessing you dislike more recent films with similar humor because you apply a "good ol' days" filter to the former.

Can you name a single comedy from the past decade that gets the Kaos seal of approval?

Past decade...  

Well, Raising Arizona is one of the classics.  What decade is that from?  (I liked Airplane, hated Blazing Saddles).  

Office Space.  What decade was that from?
I found Naopleon Dynamite sad and amusing.
Dazed and Confused (again, what decade?)
Tropic Thunder was elevated by Robert Downey Jr.'s performance.
Animal House/Ghostbusters/Trading Places/Caddyshack -- that was like 30 years ago?
I liked Little Miss Sunshine, but it was still somewhat lacking.
O Brother Where Art Thou had some quality, particularly in Clooney's self-deprecating performance.
Thought Timothy Olyphant was good in The Girl Next Door.

Funny is not, at least in my opinion, predicated on how many times you can show your ass in baggy underwear or say the word fuck. Comedy isn't derived from crudity.  I like comedy that's got intelligence.  It's hard to tell a good joke or make people laugh with wit.  It's easy to fart and get people to laugh.  I don't like farters.  I do think farts are funny, but a constant stream of farts just begins to smell.  That's all most new comedies have.  

The crop of SNL veterans since Ackroyd, Chase, Murray, Murphy, etc.  -- Rob Schneider, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Ferrel etc. -- suck and suck hard.  Sandler is singluarly untalented although he did have one decent film.  Same for Ferrell. One good film (Elf).  They pander to the lowest common denominator because they know a nation of Beavis and Buttheads will flock to their fart and fuck fests on the opening weekend and make them money.  

[Jumbo]

Observe and Report was fucking awful

[AUChizad]

Past decade...  

Well, Raising Arizona is one of the classics.  What decade is that from?  (I liked Airplane, hated Blazing Saddles).  

Office Space.  What decade was that from?
I found Naopleon Dynamite sad and amusing.
Dazed and Confused (again, what decade?)
Tropic Thunder was elevated by Robert Downey Jr.'s performance.
Animal House/Ghostbusters/Trading Places/Caddyshack -- that was like 30 years ago?
I liked Little Miss Sunshine, but it was still somewhat lacking.
O Brother Where Art Thou had some quality, particularly in Clooney's self-deprecating performance.
Thought Timothy Olyphant was good in The Girl Next Door.

Funny is not, at least in my opinion, predicated on how many times you can show your ass in baggy underwear or say the word fuck. Comedy isn't derived from crudity.  I like comedy that's got intelligence.  It's hard to tell a good joke or make people laugh with wit.  It's easy to fart and get people to laugh.  I don't like farters.  I do think farts are funny, but a constant stream of farts just begins to smell.  That's all most new comedies have.  

The crop of SNL veterans since Ackroyd, Chase, Murray, Murphy, etc.  -- Rob Schneider, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Ferrel etc. -- suck and suck hard.  Sandler is singluarly untalented although he did have one decent film.  Same for Ferrell. One good film (Elf).  They pander to the lowest common denominator because they know a nation of Beavis and Buttheads will flock to their fart and fuck fests on the opening weekend and make them money.  

So of the past decade (read: this century), you enjoyed one comedy for being sad & amusing, two (very broad comedies) for one actor's performance per film (Tropic Thunder was particularly overrated, IMO), and another that you found "still lacking". I'll be generous and count the one you found had "some quality", although it was released just barely over a decade ago.

So in your estimation there has been one tolerable comedy film released every other year over the past decade.

No good ones.

[Kaos]

So of the past decade (read: this century), you enjoyed one comedy for being sad & amusing, two (very broad comedies) for one actor's performance per film (Tropic Thunder was particularly overrated, IMO), and another that you found "still lacking". I'll be generous and count the one you found had "some quality", although it was released just barely over a decade ago.

So in your estimation there has been one tolerable comedy film released every other year over the past decade.

No good ones.

I was going off the top of my head.  I don't know.  I don't have a list of all comedy movies released in the last decade sitting next to my computer.

Comedy is definitely hard.  The number of awful attempts always outnumbers the good.  Comedy is also more subjective than other forms.  What's funny to you is (clearly) not funny to me.  Or to anybody else.  What's funny to me probably won't resonate with you. Or anybody else.

Tropic Thunder WAS stupid and lame, but Downey's performance overcame the dreadful, awful, pathetic, ridiculous, craptastic effort of the massively untalented Ben Stiller and the equally inane non-addition of the hugely overrated and unfunny Jack Black. 

If you want to list movies, I'll tell you which ones I thought were good. 

[Jumbo]

Jack Black's role in Tropical Thunder was hard to watch.

[Townhallsavoy]

I was going off the top of my head.  I don't know.  I don't have a list of all comedy movies released in the last decade sitting next to my computer.

Comedy is definitely hard.  The number of awful attempts always outnumbers the good.  Comedy is also more subjective than other forms.  What's funny to you is (clearly) not funny to me.  Or to anybody else.  What's funny to me probably won't resonate with you. Or anybody else.

Tropic Thunder WAS stupid and lame, but Downey's performance overcame the dreadful, awful, pathetic, ridiculous, craptastic effort of the massively untalented Ben Stiller and the equally inane non-addition of the hugely overrated and unfunny Jack Black. 

If you want to list movies, I'll tell you which ones I thought were good. 

I don't believe the movie Dumb and Dumber is subjective.  It is objectively funny.  If you disagree, kill yourself.

[Townhallsavoy]

Jack Black's role in Tropical Thunder was hard to watch.

But not as bad as his last line in King Kong.  Most awkward movie line of all time.

[Jumbo]

But not as bad as his last line in King Kong.  Most awkward movie line of all time.

I never watched King Kong because he was in it. Be kind Rewind could be the worst movie ever made.

[chinook]

I never watched King Kong because he was in it. Be kind Rewind could be the worst movie ever made.

my favorite jack black movie...the jackal.  the jackal (bruce willis) brutally ends his life.  cheers.

[Jumbo]

my favorite jack black movie...the jackal.  the jackal (bruce willis) brutally ends his life.  cheers.

[Townhallsavoy]

9

Not a bad little flick.  It's strange in a Tim Burton kind of way.  The plot is that after a long war with machines (More Matrix-like than Terminator), a small group of animatronic dolls try to survive in a world devoid of humans.  The visual effects are phenomenal and worth the price of the rental.  Also, it's only an hour and fifteen minutes, so if you need a quick movie to enjoy, this would be a good choice. 

My only beef with the movie is that the ending (don't want to give any spoilers away) is lackluster and has too many holes. 

[Godfather]

I never watched King Kong because he was in it. Be kind Rewind could be the worst movie ever made.

2nd worst I still contend that What's Eating Gilbert Grape is the worst movie of all time. 

BTW in solid 3rd place is Caddyshack 2

[AUChizad]

2nd worst I still contend that What's Eating Gilbert Grape is the worst movie of all time. 

Is it wrong that I liked Gilbert Grape as well?

Also, I generally like Jack Black. The only times he doesn't work for me are generic broad comedies i.e. Shallow Hal.

[Godfather]

Is it wrong that I liked Gilbert Grape as well?

Also, I generally like Jack Black. The only times he doesn't work for me are generic broad comedies i.e. Shallow Hal.

It's like I don't even know who you are anymore.

[Jumbo]

2nd worst I still contend that What's Eating Gilbert Grape is the worst movie of all time. 

BTW in solid 3rd place is Caddyshack 2

Quit dragging my heart around.

[Jumbo]

The Crazies is worth a rent when it comes out on Blu-Ray. It's more of a thriller than horror movie.

[wesfau2]

The Crazies is worth a rent when it comes out on Blu-Ray. It's more of a thriller than horror movie.

Agreed.  If it's still in a theater near you, it's even worth the price of admission.